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Ryan Gilbert and Joe DeMarini discuss the last week of Philadelphia Flyers hockey, what to expect the rest of the season, and the unending search for a top-line center.
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0:11
Hello
0:12
and welcome to the Broad Street Hockey
0:16
Podcast. I am your host, Brian Gilbert.
0:20
Joining me is my co-host, Joe De Marini.
0:24
Joe, I I I paused there for a second
0:26
because I I had the YouTube video open
0:27
in another tab and I started hearing
0:29
myself talk, which was a very very weird
0:32
thing to have happen there. But uh Joe,
0:34
how are you on this uh this Tuesday
0:35
afternoon?
0:37
>> Well, top of the morning to you, Ryan
0:39
Gilbert. Don't you know what day it is?
0:41
>> Oh, of course. I I of course happy St.
0:44
Patrick's Day to everyone out there. Uh
0:47
we didn't see the Flyers Did the Flyers
0:49
wear green warm-up jerseys on Saturday?
0:51
Did they do that? Oh, it was the it was
0:53
the office theme, wasn't it?
0:54
>> Oh, it was the office night. Yes, it was
0:56
the office night. Yeah, it was uh what
0:58
what a time it was there at the uh the
1:00
Flyers office night on on Let me tell
1:02
you,
1:03
>> I would love an Ozrris jersey or
1:07
>> Omich. What about a What about a O Glen
1:10
Denning jersey?
1:11
>> Oh god, dude. That is going to be some
1:14
great Puck Doku trivia one day. Like
1:18
Glenn Denning. Yeah,
1:19
>> on the Flyers.
1:20
>> Glenn Denning on the Fly Fers. It's
1:21
absolutely incredible there. But um
1:23
yeah, we last talked to you a week ago.
1:25
It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. We
1:27
uh had to rush out to to enjoy the
1:29
weather there. Not the case uh today.
1:31
Haven't haven't seen any tornadoes. Uh
1:34
but I was told to watch out for them
1:35
yesterday. So hopefully everyone is safe
1:37
and sound out there. Flyers in the past
1:39
week uh beat the Capitals. You were at
1:41
that game. I saw you had a nice picture
1:43
of you celebrating a uh a relevant goal
1:45
and an irrelevant game for the Flyers.
1:47
And then they got the shootout win
1:49
against the Wild. That was surprising.
1:51
Build build everyone hopes up just for
1:54
Saturday. Come all come all crashing
1:56
down. Shootout lost to the Blue Jackets
1:58
and the Flyers are now back to, you
2:01
know, just the just the middle of middle
2:02
of nowhere, which is where they they are
2:04
right now in their rebuild.
2:06
>> I mean, they don't deserve to make the
2:08
playoffs at this point. They they punted
2:10
on January and the Blue Jackets game. I
2:13
only watched the first period. I had
2:15
better things to do. Sorry. Sorry, the
2:17
Flyers, but uh they did not seem to play
2:22
with any kind of urgency. Like they did
2:25
not appreciate that their season was on
2:27
the line in this game and instead they
2:29
just kind of played
2:31
like just safe
2:34
no risk, no nothing great. Bump goal,
2:37
that was cool, but outside of that just
2:40
nothing
2:42
just blah. Like guys, if you want to
2:44
make the playoffs, you got to go
2:45
actually do it. It's not like you have
2:48
to win the games. You can't just coast
2:49
in on loser points. You need to get two.
2:52
And they just they flopped.
2:55
>> Yeah. No. Um Yeah, bump goal was cool,
2:58
but that was the only goal they scored,
3:00
you know, on the scored after a video
3:02
review. So, no no no no big pop in in
3:04
the building about the puck going in the
3:06
net. Had to wait for that one. And then,
3:09
yeah, just another typical Flyers game.
3:12
end the game with with 19 shots on goal.
3:15
Um I think they're on pace to be like
3:17
one of the worst shots on goal team like
3:19
ever like ever since they've started
3:21
like tracking it in the past like 20
3:22
years or whatever. Which you know the
3:24
the whole not counting shots on goal
3:26
that barely missed the net are impacting
3:28
that. But even look at all all shot
3:30
attempts like they're not shooting a lot
3:33
of pucks. Um yeah, and now uh thanks to
3:35
our fan our friends over at FanDuel of
3:38
course for sponsoring the show and the
3:40
Flyers are up to a plus 700 to make the
3:43
playoffs which implies a probability
3:46
of um I want to say around 10% but let
3:50
me uh American odds 700 uh 12.5% which
3:55
uh seems a bit high there on the odds
3:57
there from Fanool. So, um,
3:59
>> that is high.
4:00
>> That that is high. It's a lot higher
4:02
than any of the the public models out
4:04
there, the Athletic or Money Puck have
4:06
them at, uh, Money Puck currently has
4:09
them at a 4.6% chance, which definitely
4:13
seems more likely. Um,
4:16
>> kind of winging at the show, but Joe, I
4:17
wanted to start here with with a kind of
4:19
a kind of a philos philosophical
4:20
question a little bit. Um,
4:21
>> sure.
4:22
>> Why are you a Flyers fan? Why are you a
4:24
fan? Not not specifically of this team,
4:27
but like why are you a a a fan of a
4:30
sports team and you watch the majority
4:33
of their 82 games during the season?
4:37
>> So, for those that don't know, I didn't
4:39
get into the Flyers until like the
4:40
pandemic. I had just moved back to the
4:42
US from Singapore. Um, and the Flyers
4:46
were like the one thing that me and my
4:48
parents could agree to watch. And my
4:50
brother was also a big fan. they were on
4:52
that hot streak and we just that became
4:56
like our family thing. And then when
4:57
they restarted in the COVID bubble, it
4:59
was like it was a set thing in our house
5:01
was my parents and I would turn on the
5:04
Flyers game and my brother would have it
5:06
on at his house and we'd be texting and
5:08
that was like our way of maintaining a
5:09
con a connection while everyone was
5:10
quarantined. Um, and that was the best
5:14
Flyers team I've ever seen in my fandom.
5:17
So,
5:18
>> why are you still a fan? Why are you
5:20
watching them on pretty much every game
5:22
this season the past few seasons?
5:24
>> Man, I I'm just an eternal optimist and
5:28
it's fun. I like I like hockey and this
5:30
is the I don't follow sports much in
5:32
general. This is the first time I've
5:34
really been invested in a in a athletics
5:37
team in my life. So, you know, it's just
5:39
been it's mostly that it's it's
5:42
something fun and that's it.
5:45
>> Cuz I I feel like that gets lost for a
5:47
lot of people. A lot of people are like,
5:48
"Oh, if this team doesn't have a chance
5:50
to win to win the championship, there's
5:52
no point of of watching them. There's no
5:54
point of rooting for them." And like
5:55
that's where the Flyers have been for
5:59
probably 15 years since making that run
6:01
to the cup in in 2010, which they just
6:03
squeaked into the playoffs for that one
6:05
after being, you know, without before
6:08
the salary cap or even early salary cap
6:10
years. Just a team that was always in it
6:12
was a matter of how good would they be
6:14
to make the playoffs. But like when
6:17
you're in a rebuild, which is what we're
6:19
calling it, it is a rebuild here or a
6:22
build if they didn't tear anything down.
6:24
You're going to have these seasons where
6:26
it's just complete mediocrity. Like two
6:28
years ago was fun. They they weren't
6:30
going to make the playoffs, but they
6:32
they were in it till the last final
6:33
game. Last year sucked and then we had
6:36
the John Tortoella firing to get get
6:38
some chaos, get some get some enjoyment
6:40
towards the end of the year with Brad
6:42
Shaw. But like I feel like there's
6:45
there's layers of fans. Like there's the
6:46
diehard fans that watch probably 75
6:49
games a year. It's very rare if they if
6:51
they miss a game. And those fans Yeah.
6:55
Like they're they're in it like like
6:56
they they understand where the team is
6:58
at. They like I feel like I'm I'm in
7:01
that category. Like I want to
7:03
>> I want to be able to watch a game and
7:05
feel good when they score a goal. Like I
7:07
want I want to be able to like root for
7:08
them and like be like, "Okay, yeah, this
7:10
is fun to watch." Because like last week
7:12
even against the Wild I was like, "Okay,
7:14
yeah, cool. They're they're they're
7:15
winning. It's tied. Like what what is
7:17
this? What does this matter?" And then
7:18
they won and going to the into the Blue
7:20
Jackets game, it was like, "All right,
7:21
this is this is as close to a playoff
7:24
game as you're going to get right now.
7:25
This is a huge game." And the team just
7:27
comes out completely flat. They get a
7:30
four-minute power play to start the
7:31
third period. They're dumping and
7:32
chasing on it. It's just absolutely
7:35
abysmal. And it's just like you you do
7:38
understand why some fans are like, "Oh,
7:40
you know, they're not gonna win it. It's
7:42
just like, you know, let's check in on
7:43
the Flyers once a month or so and make
7:45
fun of them and make fun of them when
7:46
they're on national TV." And it's but
7:49
that that that gets exhausting. But both
7:51
sides get exhausting of the same coin.
7:53
But like, so coming into this podcast, I
7:55
was like, "All right, what can we talk
7:56
about?" Like the Flyers are what, six
7:57
points out of a playoff spot, seven
7:59
points out of a playoff spot with 16 to
8:01
go. They have three head-to-heads
8:03
against the Red Wings who are kind of
8:05
fading right now with Dylan Lurin out,
8:06
but you also have the Senators who are
8:08
who are improving. You have the Blue
8:10
Jackets who just beat the Flyers. You
8:12
have the Bruins in there. You have a
8:14
bunch of teams in there. So, even if the
8:16
Flyers sweep those three games against
8:18
the Red Wings, there's no guarantee they
8:19
make the playoffs. And then and then I
8:22
look in the regulation win column, Joe,
8:24
here. Uh do you know where the Flyers
8:26
rank in regulation wins this season?
8:28
>> In the league. uh
8:30
>> in the league
8:32
>> boy like 21st 22nd
8:35
>> um only three teams have fewer
8:38
regulation wins and the Flyers do. The
8:40
Canucks have 13, the Kings and
8:42
Blackhawks both have 18 and the Rangers
8:45
have 19. Then you have the Flyers and
8:46
the Sharks both have 20. And when you
8:49
include regulation and overtime wins,
8:52
the Canucks have 15, the Blackhawks have
8:54
22, and the Flyers have 23. Like
8:57
realistically, that's where the Flyers
8:59
should be. The Flyers should be a bottom
9:02
five team. They've been buoyed by by the
9:04
shootout, eight and four in a shootout,
9:06
getting all these these extra points and
9:09
because of the point system in the NHL
9:11
there in the not the thick of the
9:13
playoff race, but they're not quite out
9:14
of it yet because no team is truly out
9:16
of it unless you're incredibly bad in in
9:19
the first half. And like if the Flyers
9:22
were in the Western Conference, they
9:23
have 74 points. 74 points is in a
9:26
playoff spot right now in the Western
9:27
Conference. So like, and it's like,
9:29
okay, yeah, this team can get hot. You
9:30
know, Dan Ludar, he could he could put
9:31
the team on his back. So you get in, you
9:33
never know what's going to happen.
9:34
Hurricanes aren't that good, whatever. I
9:36
just want to see one game of importance
9:39
with Porter Marone in a Flyers jersey
9:41
this season. That's all I want. Like I
9:43
want Porter like I don't want his season
9:44
to end early. I want there to be a few
9:46
games in April that actually matter.
9:48
Like like I want to have some sort of
9:52
anxiety going into a game. Like I want
9:54
to have that good anxiety.
9:55
>> I think the worst part of last season
9:58
was that game against the Buffalo Sabres
10:00
where I was literally cheering every
10:03
time the Sabres scored because if the
10:05
Flyers won that one, they would have
10:07
been picking like ninth or 10th, but
10:10
they lost in regulation and picked sixth
10:12
after the lottery moved things around.
10:14
Like
10:15
>> I don't want to do that. Especially if
10:17
it's Porter Martone's first game in the
10:18
NHL. I don't want to be like, "Great to
10:20
great to have you here, dude, but uh you
10:23
got to lose today." That would suck.
10:25
That would be that would be miserable.
10:28
But if they are going to play meaningful
10:31
games in April, they better take the
10:34
games that they have now with the
10:36
seriousness that they deserve. That Blue
10:38
Jackets game, they didn't take it
10:40
seriously enough. They did not They did
10:42
not see that as a oh, if we lose this,
10:44
that probably is our season done. You
10:47
can't play for the loser point when
10:48
you're six or however many points out of
10:51
the playoffs.
10:52
>> Um
10:54
>> I don't know. You you I I think it's
10:56
funny like rebuild retool. What if we
10:58
call it a renovation? What if they're
11:00
just renovating the team? You know,
11:03
>> tearing out some old stuff, putting in
11:05
some new stuff, making it a little
11:07
shinier.
11:08
>> But they're tearing it. So they're
11:09
renovating it. Tearing it down to the
11:11
studs. What if the studs aren't good?
11:13
What what if this what if this franchise
11:15
is just like inherently rotten at this
11:18
point and like you do truly need a clean
11:21
up? I I don't believe this. I I know
11:22
there are fans that that do. I I don't
11:24
I'm not I'm not saying I believe like
11:26
like hypothetically like there there is
11:28
a section
11:29
>> you could be the Conucks. That is a
11:31
disaster of an organization right now.
11:33
Uh you could be who else is a disaster
11:36
right now? I don't believe the Ducks are
11:38
a good organization. They hired
11:40
Quenville. like they can't be that good
11:42
of an organization.
11:43
>> I mean,
11:44
>> um,
11:46
>> the Red Wings are I mean, the Red Wings
11:48
have had success more recently than the
11:50
Flyers, but like they're kind of
11:51
trending that way. If they miss the
11:53
playoffs this year, I mean, like they
11:55
have all those bad contracts. I don't
11:57
know if that's that's an organization
11:58
that's bad, but like
12:00
>> the Devils
12:02
>> the Devils, yeah, but they they won cups
12:04
in the 2000s. Like that's that's fine.
12:06
But but yeah, it's just like the Flyers
12:09
do they have pieces they can build
12:11
around that the Flyers like and
12:14
it's it's just tough to talk about this
12:16
team on a weekly basis or multiple times
12:19
a week or whatever. Create content about
12:21
this team. talk about this team even
12:23
just as as like fans when like there's
12:25
not a lot going on and there's not much
12:28
to hope for when like deep down you know
12:32
like okay yeah the best best thing for
12:34
the Flyers right now is to lose as many
12:36
games as possible and get that better
12:38
draft pick
12:39
>> but even if they do that what if it's
12:41
like the Nolan Patrick draft and you
12:43
draft somebody and he just has
12:44
concussion issues and it's like okay you
12:47
got you got you got the second overall
12:48
pick in a draft where you could talk
12:51
about Mar you could talk Hen, whatever.
12:52
But like it was the Nolan Patrick draft
12:55
and then he sure came up out of nowhere.
12:56
So you were going to get one of those
12:57
two centers thinking you were going to
12:59
get a 1C or 2C for the future and that
13:01
just completely craps out. Like that's
13:03
why that's why you can't go that route.
13:05
You can't necessarily like, okay, let's
13:07
tank. Let's hope this works out. It took
13:09
so long for the Sabres to be be
13:11
relevant. It took so long for the Oilers
13:13
to make the Stanley Cup getting so many
13:15
first overall picks. And McDavid, it
13:18
took him years to get to a final. Did
13:21
you see the dry cidles out for the rest
13:22
of the regular season?
13:23
>> I did. I did see that there.
13:25
>> That's bonkers. But as far as the draft
13:27
goes, we've talked about it before. I
13:29
think we're spoiled by what the 2023 24
13:32
and 25 draft had at the top. Bedard was
13:35
like shaping up to be a generational
13:37
player and he's been good and he's still
13:39
going to get better. 2024 you got Mlin
13:41
Celibbrini at the top and he's just
13:43
basically the next Sydney Crosby.
13:45
Matthew Schaefer is doing stuff that
13:47
Bobby Or like couldn't do as a rookie.
13:49
It's it's unbelievable talent in a
13:53
three-year span. But if you look at the
13:55
three drafts before that, 2022,
13:57
Uricovski, good player, but not a like
14:01
generational talent. Um, before that it
14:04
was Lafrenier 2021. No,
14:09
>> Power Owen Power.
14:10
>> Yeah.
14:11
>> Uh, and then before that it was Lafrenir
14:13
in 2020. None of those guys are like
14:16
franchise cornerstones that you would
14:17
expect with a first overall pick. Yeah,
14:19
>> this year I like McKenna. I like
14:22
Stenberg. I like Stenberg a lot, but
14:25
they are both undersized wingers and
14:28
have serious concerns about NHL
14:30
translation. With McKenna, it's just can
14:34
you do it at the NHL level? And then
14:36
Stenberg, it's you know, it it's typical
14:39
draft prospect stuff. And over at the
14:41
Athletic, Wheeler and Proman have been
14:43
doing their like most recent draft
14:44
rankings. There's some good prospects
14:46
around like 13, 14, 15 in this draft.
14:50
Like it's not just the 2023 draft, you
14:54
had um Bedard, Carlson, Fanti, Smith,
14:58
and Mechov going top five. And after
15:01
that, oh boy, it thinned out real quick.
15:04
Uh Ryan Leonard maybe. And Zack Benson's
15:08
dope, but also
15:10
is that a top 10 pick? I like, you know,
15:13
um they've got some good options in the
15:15
in the teens this year. Um
15:19
and what a year to finish on the bubble
15:22
of the playoffs because the Ottawa
15:24
Senators, no matter where they finish,
15:26
are picking 32nd, which bumps the Flyers
15:29
up by one regardless. So even if the
15:31
Flyers finished with the 16th worst
15:34
record, they would be picking 15 by
15:37
default because the Senators can't pick
15:39
anywhere else but 32. Yeah. And then
15:42
then it's a matter of making sure that
15:43
you use those picks correctly even when
15:45
you do get him. And like I feel like
15:47
last year they did. I feel like Marton
15:49
was the guy to get. He's going to be the
15:50
engine of this team moving forward
15:52
hopefully. And this year I I haven't
15:55
looked at draft stuff yet, but like yeah
15:56
got the Mechov stuff, but you have
15:58
Luchenko who like Luchenko maybe at that
16:00
point you have to trade up for for
16:03
Nesbit. Like you want to get these
16:04
centers, but but it's tough. like it
16:07
it's it's still not a lottery ticket so
16:09
to speak, but it's like it you're still
16:11
taking a chance. There's no sure things
16:13
in the draft outside of like a few
16:15
players and like that's that's why even
16:17
like
16:19
going back to the whole why are you a
16:20
fan thing like it's like you don't want
16:22
to give up there's only there's only so
16:24
many hockey seasons in your life and you
16:26
don't want to like be like okay let's
16:27
just simulate this one let's not care
16:29
about it. If you can if you want to do
16:31
that great good for you like that that's
16:32
fantastic. you have other things going
16:34
on in your life, that's that's great.
16:36
But like if this is if hockey if the
16:38
Flyers are something that you you like
16:41
doing and like it's it's a family thing
16:43
or like it's just a a fan thing for you.
16:44
It's it's something where you you're on
16:46
social media with people. It's like a
16:48
it's like a group thing. It's it sucks
16:50
to be like, "All right, yeah, this
16:51
season doesn't matter. Let's uh let's
16:53
just let's just hope for hope for
16:54
losses, hope for a thing." But I I get
16:56
it because like you you do have to do
16:57
that. But I and and kind of transferring
17:01
this to to moving forward here in the
17:03
whole 1C conversation,
17:06
I think the Flyers are kind of building
17:09
as the anti- Oilers. The Oilers got
17:12
their centers. They got McDavid. They
17:13
got Dry Cidle. They got really nothing
17:16
else.
17:17
>> The Flyers, they're building up their
17:18
wingers. They're building up their
17:20
defense now with with Yerich and Dale
17:23
and Bon and these young guys. And but
17:26
they need that center. they still need
17:27
to get that center. This is something
17:29
you messaged me about like yesterday
17:31
because we were talk we want to talk
17:32
about on the podcast like is it worth
17:34
getting a 1C if you're going to
17:36
dismantle your roster. So I I I want to
17:39
hear I want to hear you expand on that a
17:40
bit.
17:41
>> So I mean the the big hot button one now
17:43
is Matthews, right? He's done for the
17:45
season. Gudish should be done for the
17:47
season, but you know that's another
17:49
conversation entirely. Um, and there
17:52
were rumors, I think it was from
17:54
Freriedman that was like the Flyers
17:55
tried to swing big at the deadline, but
17:57
it didn't work. He also in that same
18:00
segment, I think, said teams were
18:02
calling on Matthews, Austin Matthews.
18:04
Um, obviously that wasn't going to
18:06
happen at the trade deadline. But
18:08
>> the Flyers have shown that they set up
18:10
trades at the deadline, that they set
18:12
trades up months in advance and then
18:14
finally execute them down the line. Um,
18:18
and I was thinking, okay, what would it
18:20
take to get Matthews?
18:22
Michov and Martone are non-starters for
18:24
me. If that's part of the package, I
18:26
think I'd say no right off the bat
18:28
because
18:30
the whole point of getting a 1C is so
18:32
that they can play with Michov and
18:34
Martone. Why would you be giving up the
18:36
guys that you're getting this guy to
18:38
boost?
18:39
>> Yeah. Um, and beyond that, if let's take
18:44
this down the track. Imagine your
18:46
package for Matthews, it had to be like
18:49
Nichkov, Forester, York, and Luchenko
18:54
or like something like that. Would you?
18:56
I would say no because you're getting
18:58
rid of two of your top nine wingers. One
19:01
of your franchise cornerstones,
19:03
cornerstones, a top four defenseman who
19:06
might be a top pair guy. um a center
19:09
prospect like I or make it all wingers.
19:14
Mechov, Tippet, Forester, York. Like
19:17
>> I don't I don't think they're trading I
19:18
don't think they're trading Mitchkoff or
19:20
or uh or Mart. Maybe maybe they would
19:23
trade Mkov, but I feel like given the
19:25
whole Toronto media thing, if they they
19:28
would be stuck on Martone. They would
19:30
want the Canadian guy, the Canadian the
19:31
Canadian Kachchuck, you can kind of call
19:33
him. Like he can be the power forward
19:35
there. So, like I feel like a deal for
19:37
Austin Matthews and I'm excited for for
19:39
Jacob Russell should be joining us here
19:41
in a few minutes. He's he knows all
19:42
about Austin Matthews uh based being uh
19:45
living up there in Toronto. But like
19:48
>> I think building up the wings and
19:50
building up the defense and building up
19:52
these center prospects
19:54
gives you enough ammunition to trade for
19:57
a 1C. And maybe it's not a 1C of Austin
20:01
Matthews caliber. Maybe it is like a
20:03
Robert Thomas where if you're giving up
20:06
probably the high end the Blues would
20:07
ask for is Tyson Forester
20:10
Jet Luchenko
20:12
and
20:14
Yurichekish Bon maybe like someone
20:17
someone like that a young NHL maybe Dale
20:20
maybe like a young NHL already
20:22
defenseman like you give up a center
20:24
prospect they can kind of hope on a
20:26
little bit a winger that can still make
20:29
the team competitive right now and for
20:31
the future.
20:32
and the defenseman, like you give them
20:33
one of everything to help them kind of
20:36
build up. Like I feel like that's
20:37
something that you can do. But if if
20:40
Matthews does become available,
20:42
I'm not sure how many times I brought it
20:44
up on the podcast, but his favorite
20:45
player growing up was Daniel Breier. He
20:47
loved Danny Breier. I feel like he would
20:49
come to Philly.
20:50
>> Um, and I feel like for Toronto, you'd
20:53
have to give him like
20:55
>> Tippet Tippet or Forester has to start
20:58
the package. possibly both of them cuz
20:59
like Toronto is not going to want to
21:01
rebuild. Toronto's going to want to
21:02
transition a little bit and
21:04
>> so yeah if it's going to be that Tippet
21:07
or Forester I I I wouldn't do both. I'd
21:11
choose one or the other. I bet you Barky
21:13
because him and East Cowan tore it up in
21:15
London.
21:16
>> Barky you sell high on a little bit.
21:18
>> I think Noah Kates as well just because
21:20
if you're moving a center out teams want
21:22
to have obviously not the same caliber
21:25
of center but a center to replace that.
21:28
um kind of positional role and then
21:30
probably you give them their first round
21:32
pick back because it looks like that
21:34
might be a real bad like a real high
21:35
pick.
21:37
>> Yeah. So something like that I feel like
21:38
could work out and the Flyers could do
21:41
some of that for Matthew. Like I was
21:43
thinking about something Sunday. Mason
21:45
McTavish was a healthy scratch for the
21:47
Ducks. And we know the Flyers and the
21:49
Ducks. They have plenty of history
21:52
trading together disgruntled players.
21:54
And McTavish McTavish is not a 1C. He's
21:57
not he's not a 1C right now. I don't
21:59
know if his ceiling is even a 1C. Uh I
22:02
think he's topped out at like 40ome
22:04
points. Third overall pick in 2021. Kind
22:07
of got screwed over over by the by the
22:09
pandemic and uh don't want there. Yeah,
22:11
last year 52 points in 76 games, careerh
22:14
high. This year 32 points in 61 games.
22:17
Had a uh a contract dispute at the
22:19
beginning of the year.
22:21
>> Well,
22:23
>> what a trend that is with the Anaheim
22:25
Ducks. And and looking at the Ducks uh
22:28
cap wages page, looking at looking at
22:30
their at their salary cap situation
22:32
here, um they have quite a lot of um
22:36
money coming off the books specifically
22:38
at right defense in the uh in the
22:41
summer. They have Jacob Trouba UFA, John
22:44
Carlson, they just traded for UFA, Rako
22:46
Gudis, a UFA. So, I wonder if you can do
22:49
something like Risto and Kates and a
22:53
pick for for McTavish. Like I I threw it
22:56
out there on Blue Sky McTavish for Cam
22:58
York because Cam York is an Anaheim guy.
23:00
I feel like that's a bit too much. But
23:02
if you can do Risto and and Kates for
23:05
McTavish who is how old is he? He's 20
23:07
23 just turned 23 in January. He's a 2C.
23:12
He can maybe be better with with two
23:15
good wingers. 6'1, you know, seems to be
23:18
a smart player. I feel like someone like
23:21
that
23:22
is probably more in the Flyers
23:24
wheelhouse right now.
23:26
>> I mean,
23:26
>> but if Matthews is available, like
23:29
>> I think I think you're targeting the
23:32
wrong duck. I think you're
23:33
>> you're not getting Leo Carlson. They're
23:34
not trading Leo Carlson. They're not
23:36
letting you off sheet Leo Carlson.
23:38
>> Well, here's the thing. We just talked
23:40
about contract disputes. McTavish went
23:42
through it. Dedale went through it.
23:44
Zegris went through it. Do you think
23:45
that like every RFA on the duck sees
23:49
that and is like, I don't want to deal
23:50
with this Get me out of here. Or
23:54
like just says, I'm fed up with this. I
23:56
don't want to go through this process
23:57
with you. Like there there are
24:00
consequences to nickel and dimming your
24:03
RFAS and playing hard ball with them all
24:05
because guess what? Zen Dale not on the
24:08
team anymore. Like it's
24:10
>> So So are you saying to offers shoot him
24:13
or to try to trade for him before they
24:15
resign him? Before they sign him?
24:18
>> I I mean I don't know if if they've had
24:21
conversations about it, maybe you try
24:23
and make a trade, but I'd assume that if
24:26
I'm Danny Breier and I call up Patique
24:28
and I'm like, "Yo, are you trading Leo
24:30
Carlson for anything?" I think he just
24:31
hangs up the phone on me. But if he's
24:33
not signed on July 1st, I definitely
24:35
would be like I would definitely try and
24:37
do an offer sheet. I know I got laughed
24:39
out of the slack for that, but look,
24:43
maybe if you maximize the tier where
24:47
it's two firsts, a second, and a third
24:49
round pick from the Flyers, the Ducks
24:51
might just be too cheap to match that.
24:54
Um, second of all, if you do the term
24:57
that walks him right to UFA, I think
24:59
it's four, maybe five years,
25:02
that's bad for the Ducks cuz what if
25:04
like he's just saying, I got one foot
25:06
out the door and I'm killing time till
25:08
I'm a UFA and then I'm gone. like you
25:12
know if if if you go about it right and
25:15
then afterwards maybe you do some pick
25:16
swaps maybe you swap some players around
25:18
to like make it look more like a trade
25:21
but really it's an offer sheet because
25:23
that's what the Blues did with Holloway
25:24
and Broberg. They offer sheetated them
25:26
and then after the fact sent like a
25:28
fifth round pick and took on an AHL
25:30
contract stuff like that you know
25:31
>> for a bigger player like this maybe you
25:33
send Risto get your second round pick
25:35
back you know. Yeah, offer sheets are
25:37
just so so taboo and like I feel like
25:40
Briier and Verbique probably have a
25:42
pretty good working relationship that if
25:44
Brier if Brier like kind of blindsided
25:46
him with that, he's screwing everything
25:48
with the Ducks and probably
25:51
any GMs that also any GMs that also like
25:55
Verbique is close with or whatever. And
25:57
also I think you're just helping the
25:59
Ducks out there because the Ducks just
26:00
match it. The Ducks match it. The Ducks
26:02
don't have to go through the
26:03
negotiations with Carlson. I feel like
26:06
if you if you want Carlson, you wait to
26:09
see how the negotiations go this summer.
26:11
Maybe he's not happy and then next
26:13
summer you go for him. Like that's
26:14
>> I mean I'm talking a 12 million AAV.
26:18
Like that's what we're the Ducks I don't
26:21
I doubt the Ducks would just go for like
26:23
a 5year 12 million AAV contract.
26:26
>> Why wouldn't they? They they gave
26:27
Jackson Lome He's at 9 million for
26:30
through at least 20 2031 here. uh
26:33
McAvish that they gave seven like with
26:35
the with the cap rising I feel like they
26:37
would easily match it for Carlson. So
26:40
that's why if you want Carlson, I feel
26:41
like you you talk to verb like, hey, you
26:44
know, I'm not going to offer I'm
26:45
not not going to do that to you, but
26:46
like is this a guy you would be willing
26:48
to move here is the starting point of
26:52
wristan
26:54
Kates to kind of fill that hole for now
26:56
and
26:58
>> and Tippet or like a Luchenko or a
27:00
Bergland or someone like that. But I
27:02
feel like I feel like Tippet could be a
27:03
good one. Well, they have so many
27:04
wingers there in Anaheim as well where
27:07
and they might just want
27:08
>> do they
27:10
>> I mean they have they have Becca Senica,
27:12
they have they have Cutter Goautier,
27:14
they have Frank Vanrano, they have Troy
27:16
Terry. Uh
27:17
>> Vano and Terry are Van Vanrano and Terry
27:19
are old, aren't they?
27:20
>> I mean they're Troy Terry's 28. He he
27:24
just feels he just feels extremely old.
27:25
He's under contract for a while. Vano's
27:27
32. Yeah, but like I don't
27:30
>> they're better tippet.
27:32
I don't know. They're better as like
27:34
third liners probably. Maybe part of it
27:37
you take on Alex Khorn's remaining
27:39
contract like to free up some space.
27:42
>> Yeah. Yeah.
27:43
>> How did they spend that? That's crazy,
27:45
man.
27:45
>> I mean, cuz cuz their cast space doesn't
27:47
matter for this year and next year. Like
27:48
he was a guy like, "Okay, bring him in."
27:50
Veteran guy in the room. Kind of similar
27:52
to Gudas a little bit. Um Yeah. I mean,
27:55
the Ducks are ready to win now. like
27:57
they're in in contention for the Pacific
27:59
Division title, which isn't talking
28:01
isn't saying a whole lot because that
28:02
division is uh is pretty bad.
28:05
>> So bad there. But like that's why I
28:07
think like if you want Carlson, you
28:09
probably have to wait a bit on it. But
28:11
McTavish is clearly already kind of the
28:14
odd man out and you can probably get him
28:16
for cheap. You could probably get him
28:17
for like Kates and Risto and maybe you
28:19
get McTavish in a pickback. You don't
28:21
think you could get that?
28:22
>> No. He's a premium prospect at a premium
28:25
Well, he's not a prospect anymore. A
28:27
premium young player at a premium
28:30
position. I
28:32
h I don't think you could get him that
28:34
cheaply. Um and I think the Ducks would
28:38
take Owen Tippet. They're second line
28:39
wingers. If it's Vrono and Terry, that
28:43
is not a good second line to me.
28:48
>> Yeah,
28:49
>> it's not great. Like they've got some
28:51
good third like Kellorin is a third line
28:53
winger. Chris Krider at this point in
28:55
his career is probably like a JVR third
28:57
line winger who
28:58
>> ghost into the net on the power play. Um
29:01
Ross Johnston's on this team. He's still
29:03
in the league. That's that's
29:05
>> Yeah, Ross Johnson's the one that
29:06
injured uh who he injured or Brink or
29:10
one of those guys.
29:11
>> Oh, I just remember him fighting Ronnie
29:13
Addard which
29:15
>> crazy. Yeah, it's just the Ducks seem
29:18
like a team that the Flyers have a
29:20
working relationship with and they have
29:22
another disgruntled center in Mason
29:24
McDavish. You know, he he's under
29:26
contract 7 million through uh 2031
29:28
modified no trade clause. It's a 15 team
29:32
no trade list. I feel like that's and he
29:36
hasn't hit his ceiling yet. Like he had
29:38
50 what 50 a few 50 points last year or
29:41
something I think I said. So that's uh
29:45
>> at what point at what point do you think
29:47
Anaheim ownership is like why do we keep
29:48
giving away these high pedigree players?
29:50
They go to Philadelphia and all of a
29:52
sudden they're really good. Like what at
29:54
what point do you think they're like hm
29:56
maybe our GM's the problem?
29:57
>> I mean they got back cutter goier who's
29:59
going to score 40 goals this year. Ryan
30:01
Paling is a good good depth player for
30:03
them. Kates can come in and be a 3C.
30:05
Risto can go in and be kind of the
30:08
Trouba replacementish.
30:10
Like maybe you give him a young player.
30:12
Maybe you give him like a a Jet Luchenko
30:14
and you take back a winger as well or
30:16
something. Like there's a way to make it
30:17
work.
30:18
>> I'm so proud of Ryan Paling, by the way.
30:20
Like he he parlayed that one-year show
30:23
me deal on the Flyers into a two-year
30:25
contract, and now he's got like a
30:28
four-year extension at a 3.75 million
30:30
cap hit. Like, good for him, dude. Like,
30:33
he wasn't even qualified by I think the
30:35
Penguins. Like, the the Canadians traded
30:38
him to the Penguins.
30:39
>> Penguins didn't want to keep him. They
30:41
didn't qualify him. Flyers offered him a
30:42
one year. He did great. They signed him
30:44
to a two-year. Good for him, man. I'm
30:47
glad he found his game over there.
30:49
>> Yeah. Um yeah, top of the show here. I I
30:51
I was um I forgot what day it is, but
30:54
bringing on now someone Jacob Russell in
30:57
his St. Pats hat in his St. Pats jersey
30:59
drinking. I don't know if that's a
31:00
Guinness He's drinking there. Oh, he's
31:02
got the flyer St. Patrick's. Is that
31:03
Jeru? You got to see.
31:04
>> No, this is Richards. This is even
31:06
before that.
31:07
>> And it's complete complete with You
31:09
won't see it. complete with the blood
31:12
that I had him when I wore it on the ice
31:14
and got high sticks.
31:15
>> Oh wow.
31:16
>> My own blood has not come out yet. So I
31:18
only bring it out once a year
31:21
>> and today is that day.
31:22
>> I mean you you should only wear the
31:24
green jerseys once a year though. That's
31:26
>> Yeah. I think that's it's hard
31:27
especially like the St. Pats like the
31:29
Leafs. The Leafs could maybe get away
31:31
with it for a whole month.
31:32
>> Yeah.
31:32
>> I don't think anyone else could do it. I
31:34
don't even know. Do they even do the
31:35
green jerseys anymore?
31:36
>> I don't I don't think so. We were we
31:37
were talking that before like
31:39
>> whimsy is dead. We don't have any
31:40
whimsical.
31:42
>> No. No. So So Jacob, we're trying not to
31:44
talk about this current iteration of the
31:46
Flyers because they're awful and it's
31:48
and we're in purgatory and like you want
31:50
to root for them, but you know the best
31:51
thing is them to lose. So we're looking
31:54
ahead to the offseason potential 1C
31:56
options here. And we talked a little bit
31:58
a few minutes on Austin Matthews before,
32:00
but you said you were joining us, so I
32:02
wanted to wait until you were here on
32:04
the show to uh to say why we shouldn't
32:07
get Austin Matthews, but we're talking
32:08
McTavish now because he's disgruntled.
32:11
Of course, Joe wants to get Leo Carlson
32:13
instead because he's Joe um
32:15
>> and Steuart Skinner.
32:16
>> Well, Steuart Skinner would have been a
32:18
good one to get, but like
32:19
>> we were talking like, okay, would you
32:21
like dismantle the roster to get a one
32:24
seat? And I feel like for Austin
32:26
Matthews, it's worth it. And for someone
32:29
like a McTavish, it's more of like a
32:31
like a Kates and a young prospect and a
32:34
pick type of deal.
32:35
>> I I think that Mason McTavish up to this
32:38
point, probably close to the same value
32:41
as what Dale had when he was traded. If
32:44
you wanted to look an equivalent to a
32:45
forward-wise,
32:47
>> um he's good. I don't have any problem
32:49
with me. I don't think he's necessarily
32:51
a 1C or at least not right now. again
32:53
like as you guys were saying as I was uh
32:56
being a viewer basically in the
32:58
background um
33:01
there's like a chance that he has
33:03
another step up when he comes to Philly
33:06
like Zegress like Ddale right I think
33:09
it's hard on a team like the Ducks where
33:12
everybody's young to kind of you get
33:14
lost in the shuffle
33:15
>> and I do like McTav's skill set I just
33:17
don't necessarily know if he's a one
33:19
seie
33:19
>> the the Mc Matthews thing has changed
33:23
drastically since we last spoke about
33:25
it. Gilbs. Um I had already
33:27
>> because he only has one knee now.
33:28
>> Yeah, he's dead. I don't think he'll
33:30
ever be the same. I don't think he
33:32
already had his back. His back was
33:34
already messed up. He's looked bad this
33:36
year.
33:37
>> This year he was already looking not
33:38
great. Yeah,
33:39
>> he's he's definitely looked like he
33:40
slowed down and that knee is I
33:43
>> I can see that becoming another
33:45
couturier down the line. Um not
33:48
obviously a long way down the line.
33:49
Obviously, Matthews will always have
33:51
more skill than someone like Shan
33:52
Couturia would, but I just don't
33:54
necessarily see I think the best place
33:57
for Matthews now is a team like It's
33:59
funny because I I I see a team like
34:01
Vegas and you look at him, you're like,
34:02
you can stick
34:04
>> Mark Stone or I'm not saying he's going
34:06
to Vegas. You stick stick some wingers
34:09
on his line and, you know, make them the
34:11
two, you know, why can't they be the
34:14
Flyers? Why can't they be the Flyers?
34:16
Ah, I just you can do it with the
34:18
Flyers. I think you just have to give up
34:20
so much that you'll be a bad team that
34:24
has to compete right away as soon as you
34:25
get Matthews.
34:27
Um, I don't know if they'll be good
34:28
enough.
34:29
>> I think if Matthews is still a 30 goal
34:33
guy, can play second good a good 2C
34:36
power play.
34:37
>> He's a good five on five. Like he's a
34:39
good two-way center. I think it gets
34:41
overlooked a lot.
34:42
>> Yes. Yes. Very much so.
34:43
>> Does he's he's he's been a Silky
34:45
finalist. Like people forget he actually
34:46
does have like defensive chops. He's not
34:48
just a 70 69 nice goal guy, you know.
34:53
>> Um but I'm with you, Jacob. Like if it
34:56
cost me Tyson Forester, Owen Tippet, Cam
34:59
York, and a first to get this guy. I'm
35:02
not I'm not doing it cuz
35:03
>> would you do would you do three of those
35:05
assets plus Barky?
35:08
Would you do Forester, York, a first and
35:10
Barky?
35:12
>> I I think I would be interested in it. I
35:14
think if you get maybe get a couple
35:17
maybe get a something from the Leafs
35:18
like another defenseman or something.
35:20
Yeah, like a young like they don't have
35:22
that though again like I don't want
35:23
anybody else from the Leafs besides
35:24
Matthews and I don't even think I want
35:26
Matthews. And all of this is is
35:28
>> you know preempted by the fact that I do
35:31
not think Austin Matthews would do well
35:33
here. He would not want to be here. He
35:35
would not want to play here. He would
35:36
not play hard here. I think we've all
35:38
seen
35:39
>> in Toronto enough times that that's just
35:42
not that that relationship is going to
35:44
suck. And I think the relationship if
35:46
Tocket was still here would also suck.
35:50
>> Yeah.
35:50
>> Yeah. Talk is the elephant in the room
35:52
that I just don't even want to talk
35:53
about because it's just one of the most
35:55
negative things this season. I think as
35:57
we're talking but like look looking at
35:58
Austin Matthews, he is a free agent in
36:01
2028 but I can't imagine the Leafs let
36:03
him get there. like the Leafs are going
36:05
to trade him to some team before that
36:07
and he'll probably want a sign and trade
36:09
or a trade with an extension because
36:12
like maybe maybe they don't trade him
36:14
this summer because of the injury, but
36:16
it's something they look at. How long is
36:19
he out for? Like will he he'll be back?
36:20
What like
36:21
>> I mean he had a grade three MCL tear,
36:24
right? So
36:25
>> six six six months, six, eight months.
36:27
>> Middle of next season like like December
36:30
maybe, am I thinking?
36:31
>> Oh Jesus.
36:32
>> Yeah,
36:32
>> I think it's a while. Like I think it's
36:34
a long time. I'm thinking like it
36:36
depends. You want to get them right back
36:38
in there. I doubt they'll get them right
36:39
back in there immediately. I don't think
36:41
the Leafs are going to be like
36:43
scrambling for a playoff spot. And even
36:44
if they are, I mean, is it worth
36:47
>> is it worth the risk to to to bring him
36:49
back and and potentially, you know,
36:52
further hurt him to the point where he
36:55
can't come back and be a firstline
36:57
center again. I don't Yo, that Leafs
36:59
that Leaf's pick might end up being a
37:00
first, like a top five pick next summer
37:02
if uh if certain things fall a certain
37:05
way. Who the Flyers don't get enough top
37:07
five picks. Well, they did because
37:08
Toronto just fell apart.
37:10
>> Imagine getting imagine Scott Lorden
37:12
turning into a top five pick. That that
37:14
and and Nikita Gbankin who has been
37:16
absolutely incredible recently for the
37:18
Flower.
37:18
>> Yeah, he's been very good.
37:19
>> Yeah, but Mat like Matthews he's not
37:21
getting traded this summer now. Like
37:23
that's just such that's just such a
37:25
question mark over him that
37:27
>> maybe next deadline
37:28
>> maybe the Leafs are willing to sell a
37:31
little bit at a discount because he is
37:33
injured and they know
37:35
>> I don't know what what's the feeling in
37:37
Toronto like like cuz not
37:39
>> it's very negative. Everyone's very
37:41
negative. It's never been positive to be
37:43
fair, but it's it's one of those things
37:44
where like
37:46
>> I think now it is fully out in the open,
37:50
especially after how they reacted to
37:52
Matthews going down. That's been a a big
37:54
sticking point in the media for the last
37:56
basically the last three days. Um, you
37:59
got to get rid of everybody now. I think
38:01
it's over. I think that the the veil of
38:03
like wanting to compete has been lifted
38:07
and and now you're like, "Okay, if you
38:09
don't trade Neilander, he's perfectly
38:11
fine with scoring 80 points and sucking
38:13
for the rest of his career." I think
38:14
he's totally fine with doing that. He
38:15
will play
38:16
>> Yeah.
38:17
>> on a bad team and put up his points and
38:19
blas blah. And he just kind of doesn't
38:21
care. Matthews, I think actually at this
38:24
point is going to reach a crossroad. And
38:25
I think if he didn't get injured leading
38:27
up to this off seasonason, I'd be
38:28
interested to see what happened to him.
38:31
Um, but I think you got to wait till
38:32
next off season to really make the move
38:34
unless the Leafs can get something
38:36
during the year that really blows them
38:39
away and
38:40
>> they can send him to a place where he
38:42
would actually like want to go. Again, I
38:44
don't think he would want to go to
38:45
Philadelphia whatsoever. I don't think
38:47
that alleviates any of the issues he had
38:48
with the market in Toronto. I don't
38:50
think he'd like it here. I don't think
38:51
he'd like the fan base at all. I think
38:53
the fan base would turn on within the
38:54
first like 25 games. I've said this for
38:56
a very, very long time. Um, but we can
38:58
try it. it.
39:00
He likes Danny. Maybe he just doesn't.
39:02
>> It's a swing.
39:03
>> Does he like Danny Breer? I guess. Yeah,
39:04
he likes Danny Bre the player.
39:07
>> Everybody liked Rick talk the player.
39:11
>> I don't want to talk.
39:12
>> I cannot do a talk at disc.
39:15
I can't I can't do it today. I'm sorry.
39:19
>> Yeah, but like let's just say
39:21
hypothetically the Leafs were were they
39:23
they're trading Austin Matthews this
39:25
summer. They know he's they know he's
39:26
injured. They know they're not going to
39:27
get full value for him. They kind of
39:29
screwed that now. But like they come
39:31
they come to the Flyers like what would
39:34
Toronto want? Toronto would probably
39:35
start with a roster player that
39:38
>> you know can put up 30 goals. Put up
39:42
like Owen Tippet I feel like is but he's
39:44
27. Like is Tippet the guy? Do they come
39:46
for Forester? He also has some injury
39:48
concerns now.
39:50
>> Um are they are they stuck on they don't
39:53
want to bring up
39:55
>> is it stuck on Marone or Bust? Is it
39:57
Marton or Bust? I think they like I
39:59
think that's the first thing they asked
40:00
for
40:01
>> before you hopped on. I called I called
40:03
Martone the Canadian Kachchuck. Like I
40:04
feel like that'd be perfect in Toronto.
40:08
>> I'm hanging up the phone. I'm not I'm
40:10
not trading Martone.
40:11
>> But I don't know. I don't I don't want
40:13
>> the Flyer like the Flyers aren't aren't
40:15
there yet. Like even if it w even if
40:17
Austin Matthews was healthy, I don't
40:19
think you can trade.
40:19
>> I think there's so much risk into it
40:21
now. It's such a gamble now. Um I I
40:25
think even if he was healthy at a
40:26
certain point, what are you getting? And
40:29
I hate to go I always feel like I bring
40:31
up Couturier. Um but like prime coots,
40:34
right? Obviously Matthew's a better goal
40:36
scorer, but I think Couturier a better
40:38
defensive center at his prime at his
40:40
peak before his before his injuries.
40:42
>> Um now you're looking at
40:45
knee is just absolutely destroyed. Like
40:47
that knee is is is screwed right now.
40:50
Um, I assume like knee injuries now are
40:53
not the death sentence that they were 10
40:54
to 15 years ago in sports in general
40:57
like you see in the NBA. And if the NBA
40:58
can do it, then anyone can do it because
41:00
there's so much, you know, the
41:01
elasticity of the muscle, whatever. Not
41:03
a physiootherapist. Um, but I I don't
41:07
know like what how much more what's the
41:10
ceiling on Matthews as your 1C versus
41:13
trying to find somebody after an injury
41:15
like that? Um, I think Matthews is
41:17
obviously still a a 1C. I just don't
41:19
know if he's the franchise changer that
41:21
he was when he was putting in, you know,
41:23
60 plus and playing a two-way game. And
41:26
even then, I still wasn't fully sold on
41:28
it because there's just he has demons.
41:31
He has the demons in his mind. It's the
41:32
same with Marner. They have the demons.
41:34
Like, I don't know what it is. I don't
41:35
know where it's come from, but there's
41:37
they're not hockey players in the same
41:39
way that I would like my hockey players
41:41
to be molded in. They just there's
41:42
something up there. I don't know that
41:43
has prevented them from ever doing what
41:46
I assume they want to do. Um, so I, you
41:50
know, it's tough for me to ever get on
41:52
board with the Matthew stuff.
41:53
>> Yeah, I think the Minnesota Wild is like
41:57
>> they're a good example of a team that is
41:59
ready to make that kind of a move. Like
42:01
when they went to acquire Quinn Hughes
42:03
and they gave up three of their most
42:04
recent first round picks, that makes
42:06
sense because guess what? If they flame
42:08
out in the first round again,
42:10
>> like what's the point of having Kira
42:12
Capri off on that mega deal if they're
42:15
going to flame out in the first round
42:16
again? Zeve Buouham might end up being a
42:18
good defenseman, but he's not going to
42:19
help Kier Capri off win a Stanley Cup
42:21
right now. It's the same philosophy that
42:22
the Tampa Bay Lightning used when they
42:24
are trading away all these first round
42:26
picks. Julian Brisba has said like a
42:28
dozens dozens of times those first round
42:31
picks, they're probably going to be, you
42:33
know, NHL players.
42:35
>> They'll be bottom six. A good bottom
42:37
sixer is probably the best you can hope
42:38
for. like Scott Lton.
42:39
>> Scott Lton.
42:40
>> Scott Lton is like the prototypical end
42:42
of the first round pick and like he had
42:44
a chance to be, you know, even like a 2C
42:47
at times. I think people talked about
42:48
him like maybe middle six center. It
42:51
didn't necessarily pan out, but
42:52
>> it's better than to have him. It's
42:54
either him or like a Morgan Frost if
42:56
you're taking at the end of the second
42:57
round. It's,
42:58
>> you know, they both serve their
43:00
purposes. Lton's not going to score as
43:02
much as Frost, but he gives you more
43:03
around the ice to make it worth it,
43:05
right? So,
43:05
>> yeah. And for the Lightning, he's like,
43:07
"Those picks don't mean anything. I
43:09
don't need that. What I need is a guy I
43:11
can plug into my top six that can play
43:12
with Cuch Point and Stamp Coast." And
43:15
that first round pick is going to get me
43:16
that. So yeah, the Flyers aren't at that
43:19
point unless they're trading for like a
43:21
21 22 23 year old already profiling to
43:25
be a 1C. I if the Flyers end up with the
43:29
15th overall pick and then one of if
43:32
Carlson's available, if McTavish, well,
43:35
maybe not MCTavish, but if Carlson or
43:37
for some reason Adam Fanty out of
43:39
Columbus, if one of those players ends
43:41
up available, I would be willing to
43:44
trade a 15th overall pick as part of a
43:46
package to acquire.
43:47
>> If Fanty's available, I give him I give
43:49
the Blue Jackets more than I give the
43:50
Leafs for Matthews. I think
43:52
>> Yeah, absolutely. I think if Fant is
43:53
available, then you can start to make me
43:56
consider guys. I think Martone Oh,
43:59
Marton's like the top five prospect in
44:01
hockey right now. So that's that's like
44:03
maybe top three, maybe top one. Like I
44:05
can't you can make the argument. So it
44:07
that's hard for me. But you look anybody
44:09
else on the team, anybody else in the
44:12
system, if you're looking for Adam
44:13
Fantelli, yeah, you give up
44:17
>> they have they have some%
44:20
100% Mishkov up. If Mishkov's an 80
44:22
point center, if Mishkov's an 85 point
44:24
winger and Fantelli is a 70 point center
44:27
>> and he's your topline center. Like
44:29
that's just it's not even about I think
44:31
Mishkov's going to be they score a ton
44:32
of points. It's just fill in the gaps at
44:34
a certain point, right? like um guys
44:36
like KKNY even if they wanted KKN
44:38
there's no reason for them to want KKNY
44:40
but like he's your top score Zris
44:42
Connectney your top scorers like yeah
44:44
all those guys are on the table for for
44:45
a guy like Vanelli because I think you
44:48
can look at that and you can project
44:50
ahead and he can be a guy who's who's
44:53
there as your 1C for a very long time
44:55
but again why would Columbus want to
44:56
trade Logan Adam Fantelli right
44:58
>> if he doesn't want to sign I mean that's
45:00
really the only situation that happens
45:02
>> and that's hard to and that's hard to
45:04
predict. Yeah. Yeah.
45:05
>> Yeah. Yeah. I think they'll sign him.
45:07
But just just kind of tying up this this
45:09
we're talking McTavish, we're talking
45:11
Anaheim, we're talking Austin Matthews.
45:12
Like I feel like that's a great fit.
45:14
Like you trade Matthews for McTavish and
45:15
like another young player. Like like he
45:17
goes to Anaheim. He he would love
45:19
Anaheim.
45:20
>> He'd just have like three people ever
45:21
who recognize who he is. You hide that
45:24
hide that big ass forehead under a hat
45:26
and just sit in the sun all day.
45:28
>> Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So like I feel
45:30
like that and and I think Freriedman
45:32
said the Kings were kind of kicking the
45:33
tires on
45:35
the one for me or San Jose with you know
45:38
he could be the two seed to celebrate
45:41
>> if I if I had to guess I'd say Biffield
45:44
in some sort of move for Matthews is
45:46
what ends up happening.
45:48
>> That just seems like it logically in my
45:50
headfield's not like a top top center
45:53
prospect right now. He's close. I think
45:54
he'd be he'd blow up if he went
45:56
somewhere that wasn't LA. But
45:58
>> um I think that sort of package
46:00
>> I think Thomas actually may have said um
46:03
>> I don't want to put this on him if he
46:04
didn't say that but I I saw somewhere
46:07
I'll put it on him. Yeah. It's not like
46:08
it's a bad thing anyways. It was by
46:10
feeling like Brand Clark in a first for
46:12
Matthews or a pick for Matthews. And I
46:13
look at that I'm like yeah that's a ton.
46:16
>> But that's a lot.
46:17
>> That's something Yeah. the Leafs would
46:18
want.
46:19
>> That's that's not really hurting the
46:21
Kings right now. Like those aren't too
46:22
>> No. And and you can get and that's
46:24
that's another one where you can get a
46:25
player in return as well. like if you
46:27
wanted OEL if you're pushing for the
46:28
playoffs I don't know whatever a goalie
46:30
even one of the two goalies right
46:32
because at that point if the Leafs were
46:33
trading Matthews it's it's over party's
46:35
over boys we're done so
46:36
>> yeah it's
46:38
>> I don't think the Flyers have the it's
46:40
not as good of a fit but I could see it
46:42
it's going to come up more and more
46:44
>> throughout next year I assume
46:47
>> at least get closer to trading him
46:49
>> are we are is it time for me talking
46:52
about centers to defend the Christian
46:54
D'vorak contract because I've been
46:55
reflecting on it a little more lately
46:57
and it's made you feel better about it.
47:00
Yes, it has.
47:00
>> Let's just set this up. So, so yesterday
47:02
Joe messages me. Let me uh let me just
47:05
read this verbatim here. He messages me
47:07
says uh putting it here so I remember to
47:11
rage bait you on the pod tomorrow. I'm
47:13
kind of sold on the D'vor contract. Sold
47:16
on it. Not even just defending it. He
47:18
Joe is sold on the Christian D'vorak
47:20
contract.
47:21
>> So, I got a couple reasons. Number one,
47:24
uh, did you see the current crop of UFA
47:27
senators that are coming available?
47:28
>> I saw the current crop. I have it. I
47:30
have it pulled up. I have it pulled up.
47:32
You got me yelled at each other.
47:34
>> You got Charlie Coyle. You got I've got
47:35
Malcin. Um, Bobby McMahon apparently is
47:39
a center here according to Cap Wages.
47:42
>> That's stupid.
47:42
>> Uh, Eric Hall.
47:43
>> He's on fire though.
47:44
>> Um, yeah. Th those are the guys that are
47:47
that are pending uh free agent centers.
47:49
>> Okay. Uh, all of them except McMahon who
47:52
isn't a center in my mind or a lot of
47:54
winners.
47:55
>> Nobody's mind.
47:56
>> Um,
47:57
>> it's
47:59
I know we saw a lot of centers go for a
48:02
lot at the deadline, but guess what the
48:03
Flyers would have to give up to get a
48:05
D'vorak like center this summer to try
48:07
and fill that gap basically.
48:09
>> What they could have gotten for a
48:10
D'vorak like center at the deadline.
48:12
>> Exactly. So why
48:13
>> So then we're not
48:14
>> But they wouldn't trade they wouldn't
48:16
trade for a D'vorak type center. they
48:18
would trade for a center that actually
48:20
has top six capability or second line
48:23
capability or has a potential to score
48:25
more than 50 points in his career.
48:27
>> And they can still do that. They still
48:29
have the assets to pull that kind of
48:30
deal off like
48:32
>> but they have a D'vorak in the way. They
48:34
have a Kates in the way. They have a
48:35
they have a they have a
48:36
>> well
48:37
>> they have a Coots in the way now.
48:38
They're playing Zegris at center. Like
48:40
they don't have Maybe they trade a
48:42
Kates. Maybe they trade Kates in the
48:43
package because that's what that's what
48:44
we're talking about now.
48:45
>> I think Kates would be part of the
48:46
package. Uh secondly, if you had to move
48:49
D'vorak to win, you could. Um but like
48:53
Tak still doesn't trust Dris at center.
48:55
That doesn't make any sense. Um and if
49:00
if centers are just going to keep
49:02
getting more and more expensive, I think
49:04
his contract's going to be just fine. If
49:06
Nick Schmaltz is making an 8 by8, like
49:09
like what are we doing?
49:11
>> Is much better than Christian De'vo at a
49:13
lot of things.
49:14
>> But is he is he a center? I've always
49:16
seen him as a wiger, but he's just
49:17
playing center because Logan was like
49:20
he's a Ziggurus type center, but he he
49:21
has five straight for 58 plus point
49:24
seasons. 22 plus 20 plus quietly been
49:28
really good.
49:29
>> He's good. He's just been on bad teams.
49:30
Nick Smaltz. Nick Spaltz. I'd love Nick
49:33
Spaltz in Philly. I'd love Nick Smalls
49:34
over over Christian D'vorak. I I would I
49:36
would sign Schmaltz to that contract.
49:38
>> You would sign Nick Smalls to an 8 by8
49:40
contract? Um,
49:44
probably over the D'vorak 5x5. I
49:46
probably would.
49:47
>> Interesting.
49:48
>> I mean, D'vorak's got seven points in
49:51
his last 17 games. So, it's like he he's
49:55
he is what he is. He's going to play a
49:58
decent role on the team, but I just
50:00
think that he serves the purpose that
50:02
Kate's already served. And then we just
50:04
brought in another guy to like clog up
50:07
the depth chart. So now when you you
50:09
almost don't even want to put Zegress at
50:11
center if everybody's healthy because
50:12
you got the the wants to have the fourth
50:16
line center which would be Ables which
50:17
would be Carl Grundstrom for whatever
50:19
reason which would be Glenn Denning or
50:22
who you know that they always want that
50:24
fourth line guy. No, but Couturia I
50:26
think for it is not a four like he would
50:28
prefer not to put him on the fourth
50:30
line. he would prefer to have a guy
50:32
who's like actually a fourth liner and
50:34
then from there it it kind of forces
50:38
Zegris to shift to the side. Um maybe
50:42
that's just what it'll be regardless. I
50:44
don't know if Ziggress is a center. I
50:45
think I've liked more of what I've seen
50:47
from him at center recently, but at the
50:49
same time I don't know if he can do it
50:50
all year. But you got
50:54
you got this is what I always will will
50:56
keep bringing up. got three guys who at
50:58
their best, at their very best, are the
51:00
exact same player. I think Kates is a
51:02
little bit better. Kates and D'vorak are
51:04
a bit better than Couturier, but at
51:06
their very best, if Couturier found it
51:08
again, he could very well be a guy who
51:10
scores 40 points and plays good two-way
51:11
hockey. And that's the other that's what
51:13
those two guys are. So,
51:16
it's not the worst thing in the world. I
51:18
just keep going back to when they
51:19
initially signed the contract for 5.1
51:22
for this. They they they did the initial
51:24
overpay for that solo year to get that
51:27
one year instead of giving him term and
51:30
then immediately signing him during the
51:31
season because he had a hot stretch
51:33
playing with the guy who was having the
51:35
hottest stretch of maybe I don't know
51:38
when the last time I've seen a guy take
51:39
off like Zegris immediately once joining
51:41
the team right um who is that high
51:44
pedigree of an acquisition
51:47
at least. So I I the process to me is
51:51
still wrong. Everything about the
51:53
process is wrong. And it's the money's
51:55
the money. You know, the cap's going to
51:56
go crazy apparently in the future,
52:00
right? I mean, things can change, but
52:01
apparently the cap's going to go crazy
52:03
in the future. I guess we're just going
52:04
to find money from everywhere. And so,
52:06
that doesn't matter. Even if it didn't
52:09
go up a ton, it's not like it's an
52:10
anchor, but I just You got a money a lot
52:14
of money invested in the center position
52:16
for guys who are very very uh
52:19
replaceable in in my eyes. They have
52:21
none otherwise. Like just none for
52:25
>> having mid versus having none kind of
52:27
just all it does is make it more
52:29
annoying for drafting.
52:30
>> I mean, if you're trying to assess these
52:32
if you're trying to assess these young
52:33
players and they have no centers when
52:35
you're building from the wing, that's
52:37
not helpful either.
52:38
>> I can't assess these guys anyway. I
52:40
can't assess Mishkov validly right now.
52:42
I can't
52:43
>> I can't even think that's not because of
52:46
the center. That's because of the coach.
52:48
like like looking at the wingers like
52:49
you got connect you know what he is tip
52:51
it
52:51
>> I I don't disagree with Joe I just think
52:52
he's a moot point because of the of the
52:54
coach.
52:54
>> Yeah I I I don't I don't feel like
52:56
that's a that's that's a point to add on
52:58
to your argument. I don't feel like it's
52:59
it's a main point in it like like yeah
53:01
you you if you're playing Zagris at
53:03
center you still got Zers you got Kates
53:04
you got Couttoriier uh Jet Luchenko
53:07
maybe he's not in the NHL next season
53:09
but he could be he could be a 3C next
53:11
season like D'Vorak is
53:12
>> like the money isn't a problem for me
53:14
the cap's going up it's whatever like
53:16
even the five years like I've been like
53:18
whatever I've come around
53:19
>> the five years is for me
53:21
>> it's just the redundancy in
53:23
>> it's three the trade protections in
53:26
years four and five are negligible
53:30
Yeah, but yeah, but
53:32
>> they're going to love him by year three,
53:34
though. That's the problem. Fall in love
53:36
with these guys every time. No, but you
53:39
can fall in love with him when he's in
53:40
having his career year when he's 3 what?
53:42
When he's 34, then you don't love him
53:45
anymore, but we'll still love him
53:46
because I don't know, they'd make
53:49
decisions in the front.
53:50
>> That'll be the last year of his contract
53:51
and they'll figure it out. Look, we've
53:53
talked about it before. What do good
53:54
teams do when they have either a cap
53:56
crunch or a lineup log jam? They figure
53:59
it out.
54:00
>> If you're just punching the decision
54:02
three years down the road, fine, so be
54:04
it.
54:05
>> I mean, I
54:06
>> I feel like this all comes the Coots
54:08
thing and the D'vorak thing come to a
54:09
head at the same time is the issue.
54:12
>> Yeah. The the one thing I have kind of
54:15
changed my tune on since it was signed
54:16
is that like Couttori is clearly cooked
54:19
like more than I thought. So he's like
54:22
3C at absolute best. Maybe if you put
54:24
him on the on the third line right now
54:26
with Barky and Mitchkov, he can be a
54:28
40point player. Like maybe if that's a
54:30
thing, but like you have Kates. Kates
54:32
and D'vorak can D'vorak a little bit
54:34
more offensive than Kates is. You need
54:36
someone that could take faceoffs because
54:38
Ziggers is absolutely awful and
54:39
apparently Rick Taka is telling him to
54:41
not practice faceoffs for for some
54:43
reason.
54:44
>> Kates is bad too. Kates is not good at
54:45
>> Kate is good either. Like D'vorak's
54:47
good.
54:48
>> Kates was a winger coming in. Exactly.
54:50
>> Yeah. I don't know. I I But I do feel
54:53
like this sets up for uh trading Kates,
54:56
but like Yeah, I would rather have Kates
54:58
than D'vorak. Like, and
55:01
>> trade for assets and then trade those
55:03
assets for someone like a McTavish who's
55:05
like a young 2C who can be who is a
55:08
D'vorak right now who has a ceiling of
55:11
an actual toxic center.
55:14
>> I've talked about this before, but like
55:15
Briier has shown that patience pays off
55:17
for him. He was patient with Shawn
55:20
Walker. He was patient with Scott Lton.
55:22
He was patient getting Zegris. He was
55:24
patient to get David Yurichek. If you've
55:26
got a center like Christian D'vorak on
55:29
your lineup, being patient to like move
55:32
him down the line makes sense. Same
55:33
thing with Kates, like just
55:37
in the short term it looks bad, but in
55:39
two years it might pay off in a bigger
55:41
way that we just can't see or predict
55:43
right now. I suppose it's one of those
55:45
two that you can look at and and be like
55:49
>> if I I I'm not convinced that he ends up
55:52
moving down the lineup as you require
55:54
more centers. I'm convinced they're
55:56
like, "We got the 2C. He's here. We
55:58
locked him in. We're good. Now we just
56:01
got to find the white whale up top." And
56:03
then you get Robert Thomas and then
56:05
you're like, "Oh, actually, you know
56:06
what? Our top two centers being Thomas
56:07
and Chris D'vorak actually isn't isn't
56:09
cupw worthy."
56:10
>> Yeah. Then you you have D'vorak 2C,
56:12
Kate's 3C, Couttori 4C. I feel like like
56:15
Joe, once
56:16
>> I like that. I don't hate that.
56:17
>> I don't mind that either as long as you
56:19
get a 1C. Like I I even if it was like
56:21
McTavish or Thomas, but Joe, like you
56:24
keep bringing this up and like the
56:25
Flyers created this problem for
56:26
themselves. They bid against themselves
56:28
for D'vorak. They could have tra like
56:30
they could have traded him for a first
56:31
round pick a prospect and then ran
56:35
Ziggris, Kates, Couttoriier, Glendenning
56:37
as their four centers the rest of the
56:38
year and you'd see a negligible
56:40
difference and you would have had more
56:42
assets to go trade for somebody in the
56:44
offseason that's better than D'vorak.
56:46
>> I also do think we're underelling like
56:48
oh he's only good because he's playing
56:50
with Ziggris. That also means that he
56:52
can hang with high skill players like he
56:54
has the capability of keeping up.
56:56
Michael raffle.
56:58
>> Yeah, it's like Yeah, he D'vorak's not
57:01
going to get 50 points. He's got 39
57:02
points this year. Um
57:05
>> how many points does he have since
57:06
signing the contract? Like it's it's not
57:07
it's not a lot.
57:08
>> He's gone down. It's not even about the
57:10
points necessarily. Like I want him to
57:13
like I understand like where he plays in
57:16
the lineup he'll get more opportunity.
57:18
He when we say he's never broken 40
57:21
points or whatever when he was playing
57:22
with the Habs, he's not playing in a
57:24
situation where he's going to score
57:25
points.
57:25
>> Mhm.
57:26
>> But that's the issue is like what are
57:28
you seeing from this guy besides your
57:31
coach really really likes him?
57:34
>> What are you seeing from him? What are
57:36
you seeing from him that that suggests
57:38
that he if given a bigger opportunity
57:40
could consistently score points? And
57:43
while we can talk about like the Zegris
57:47
thing next to D'vorak and and that
57:49
meaning that D'vorak is a little bit
57:51
more of an offensively minded center
57:52
than someone like Kates, Kates was on
57:54
the best line on the team for a year and
57:56
a half. And it's not like he was playing
57:58
with, you know, Nikita Cucharov and
58:01
Alexander Ovuchetkin Prime on on each of
58:03
his wings, right? He was playing with
58:05
Tyson Forester who's fantastic young
58:07
player and we all love him and Bobby
58:09
Brink who is Bobby Brink. He's very good
58:12
at being a middle six winger, but like
58:15
it's not like he has one specific skill
58:18
that is 10 times better than, you know,
58:20
everybody else in the lineup. So,
58:24
>> yeah, Bobby Brink really good at
58:25
faceoffs. I don't know.
58:26
>> Oh, maybe.
58:26
>> Oh, I thought you meant D'vorak. Sorry.
58:29
>> No,
58:29
>> like the one skill. Yes.
58:30
>> Yes. Yes. No, but like Brink versus like
58:33
everyone else in the lineup. Like it's
58:34
not like Kates was playing with guys who
58:35
were who were sick, right? Uh it just
58:38
you find a guy who who they two guys who
58:40
click together and and or three guys who
58:43
click together God willing one once one
58:46
time just one time three guys who play
58:48
well together offensively if you can
58:50
find that that's all you need. Um and so
58:53
I mean I'm not necessarily I have
58:55
softened on it a bit like the cap
58:57
hitwise. I don't think the cap hits that
58:58
bad but I never really did. It was more
59:00
the years and just like what it means
59:03
for the team and and the fact that he
59:05
played for it already and the fact that
59:08
you know it it just it's one of those
59:10
things that I look at and I'm like ah
59:13
like five points one goal five points in
59:15
the last 12 games and the team's seven
59:16
three and two.
59:17
>> Didn't Vidar hint that he's banged up
59:20
like that he's that D'vorak is injured
59:22
like he was a game time decision not too
59:24
long ago.
59:24
>> Yeah, he was game time decision I think
59:26
last game on Saturday. But also
59:28
everyone's banged up. Yeah,
59:29
>> sure.
59:29
>> Yeah.
59:30
>> I mean, he had a lot of time after the
59:32
Olympics, like everybody, but it's it's
59:34
a condensed schedule now. It's it's
59:36
tough to keep everyone fully healthy.
59:38
Um, but I like I again, it's another guy
59:41
I don't want to drag on because he's
59:43
doing his job. The money was presented
59:45
to him.
59:46
>> I mean, right. Like, he's doing his job.
59:48
He's playing as good as he has, as good
59:51
as I' I've ever seen him, better than he
59:52
did in in in Montreal and, you know, for
59:56
a better team than he did in Arizona for
59:58
the large part. Um,
1:00:00
>> he has a new career high, but
1:00:01
>> this this is his new career high in
1:00:03
points. 39 is the highest he's scored in
1:00:05
his career in 65 games.
1:00:08
>> That's that's that's not a good thing.
1:00:10
That's not a good thing.
1:00:11
>> He has six more than he did last year
1:00:13
and he played 82. It's it's just the
1:00:15
asset management that that like you
1:00:17
could have traded him and used those
1:00:18
assets to to get something else. And
1:00:20
that's like that is what Briier has been
1:00:22
about finding these guys in the off
1:00:24
season like a paling like a Walker and
1:00:27
turning them into into prospects as Eag
1:00:31
like and you remember in the offseason
1:00:33
we're like oh where's D'vorak going to
1:00:34
play? Is he going to play 4C? Like
1:00:35
they're not going to pay pay five
1:00:37
million for him to be 4C. No, he didn't
1:00:39
play 4C. He didn't I don't even think he
1:00:40
touched the bottom six this season.
1:00:42
>> I don't think he has. Well, he can't to
1:00:44
be fair.
1:00:45
>> No,
1:00:46
>> they had ables and the shell of
1:00:48
Couturier slash a bad Notori
1:00:51
started top line, I think, or even
1:00:53
second line if you depending on
1:00:55
>> I think he Yeah, I think he was top and
1:00:56
then and then as it went on through the
1:00:57
year, Kates didn't have a great start to
1:00:59
the year either.
1:01:00
>> No. No. Case neither. So,
1:01:01
>> he's been rough without Forester.
1:01:03
>> Yeah.
1:01:04
>> Yeah.
1:01:05
>> Yeah. Is Forester that good? Like is
1:01:06
like Forester might just be that good
1:01:08
kind of
1:01:08
>> I told you he's the new Mark Stone. I've
1:01:10
been saying it for years.
1:01:11
>> Yeah. Yeah. Mark Stone came back
1:01:13
recently for the Knights and suddenly
1:01:14
they won two games in a row after after
1:01:16
struggling. So there's there's something
1:01:17
>> their power play their power play with
1:01:19
and without him is unbelievable. Like
1:01:21
the Mark Stone power play clicks it like
1:01:24
crazy percentage. Without him they can't
1:01:26
score for So
1:01:28
>> the the thing with Mark Stone I always
1:01:30
used to stay up say up here to get
1:01:31
people angry like five to 10 years ago
1:01:34
is like if I wanted to start a hockey
1:01:36
team, I need to win a cup this year.
1:01:38
Give me Mark Stone over Austin Matthews
1:01:41
10 out of ten times. Give me Mark, I'll
1:01:43
get you a winner. We might not look
1:01:45
good. We might We might suck to watch.
1:01:47
They might not even televise our games,
1:01:49
but we're going to be at the goddamn cup
1:01:51
final the end of this year with Mark
1:01:53
Stone.
1:01:54
>> That guy will drag you somehow.
1:01:56
>> I am just looking forward to revisiting
1:01:58
this conversation about this time next
1:02:00
year to see how we feel about D'vorak
1:02:02
then.
1:02:03
>> Even worse, he's not going to get 40
1:02:05
points again. Even if he does, it's like
1:02:07
what?
1:02:08
>> It's like, okay,
1:02:09
>> the thing is like I
1:02:10
>> I identify the key issues with this
1:02:13
team. Power play.
1:02:15
>> He's not going to help in the power
1:02:16
play. Goalending, he doesn't really have
1:02:17
a chance to help with goalending. And
1:02:19
Larara has been fine and you can find a
1:02:21
1B if Larara can stay healthy.
1:02:26
>> Highend
1:02:27
talent on forward up the middle. He
1:02:29
can't do that. Those are the three
1:02:31
things that I think are most pertinent
1:02:33
to the team. the besides the goalending
1:02:35
because the goalending is up in the air
1:02:37
with Zafra and Bjnison whatever they get
1:02:40
as the as the 1B but the the two things
1:02:43
that he can specifically make a
1:02:45
difference to is the power play which I
1:02:47
don't think he's not a power play player
1:02:48
he hasn't been really most of his career
1:02:50
a lot of his career sometime sometimes
1:02:53
he is but sometimes you know like it's
1:02:56
it's stretching to have him on the PP
1:02:58
all the time um he's got two power play
1:03:02
goals and one power play this year. So,
1:03:05
>> you know, it's not like he's going to be
1:03:06
a power play guy and he's not the
1:03:08
high-end talent that you need through
1:03:09
the middle to play with guys like
1:03:10
Martone, like Kknney, like Tippet, like
1:03:13
Mishkov, etc., etc. Like, is he good
1:03:15
enough? Yeah, he can hang, but you can
1:03:19
even see with Zegra sometimes he's not
1:03:21
necessarily like stride for stride with
1:03:23
him and they've made that work, but
1:03:27
what about the next guy? I don't know.
1:03:28
What if the next guy What if Marton and
1:03:30
him don't click or what if you know
1:03:32
>> him and Mro aren't a ma aren't aren't a
1:03:35
match. Right. Right. Like it's not like
1:03:38
he's going to be able to outskill his
1:03:41
deficiencies because this is who he is
1:03:43
and it's a decent hockey player. It's a
1:03:45
good hockey player. If this was Tampa
1:03:46
Bay making this signing or or what was
1:03:49
that trade that the Bruins made for
1:03:51
Tanner Jano or Tampa made for Tanner
1:03:53
Jano where they gave a first, second,
1:03:54
and a third and they only play fourth
1:03:56
line minutes.
1:03:56
>> Crazy like that. Yeah. Like I understand
1:03:58
that for those teams. I just don't
1:04:00
really get where the Flyers push the
1:04:02
chips in for him. And it's not a lot of
1:04:04
chips. I get it. Like it's it's it's a
1:04:06
short stack. They just
1:04:08
>> they didn't even they didn't even push
1:04:10
to push chips in for him. Like they
1:04:11
didn't trade for him. It's just
1:04:13
>> I'm not sure what the good analogy is to
1:04:15
to get something you already have.
1:04:18
>> Like
1:04:19
>> Oh, I don't look behind me. There's
1:04:20
probably a lot of the same behind
1:04:22
me
1:04:22
>> to to bid against yourself to to to keep
1:04:25
what you already have. like it's just
1:04:27
and I was waiting for you to bring up
1:04:29
the penalty kill. D'vorak is is you know
1:04:32
the key player plays in all situations
1:04:33
>> but they've always figured out how to do
1:04:35
the penalty kill. It's the power play
1:04:37
that's there's there's like a
1:04:38
organizational strength at penalty kill
1:04:40
and there's an organizational deficiency
1:04:42
at power play and I don't think
1:04:43
individual players right now can can
1:04:45
help it for some reason.
1:04:46
>> Uh the Flyers have five forwards that
1:04:48
have played more than 50 minutes on the
1:04:50
power play so far this season. Expected
1:04:52
goals against per 60. You got Noah Kates
1:04:54
5.9. Garnet Hathaway 7.5, Travis Kaknney
1:04:58
7.7, Jean Couttoriier 9.0 and Tra
1:05:01
Christian D'vorak 10.21. So like he's
1:05:04
not even good on the penalty go, which
1:05:05
you know it's it's 100 it's 130 minutes.
1:05:09
You got to factor in other things, but
1:05:10
like
1:05:11
>> it's he's he plays in all situations.
1:05:13
He's just mid in all situations. He's
1:05:15
he's he's a he's a generated player that
1:05:18
you just put in the lineup. He is the
1:05:20
replacement line. He he is that's you
1:05:22
know that's what I always said like a
1:05:24
win above replacement you know like
1:05:26
that's he's the guy when you're
1:05:27
comparing a a a first baseman who hits
1:05:30
260 with only 15 home runs and isn't
1:05:32
necessarily a great defender you compare
1:05:34
him against Christian D'vorak right like
1:05:36
he's the baseline if you are an NHL
1:05:38
center and you are not as good of a
1:05:43
two-way player as Christian D'vorak and
1:05:44
you don't score as much as Christian
1:05:46
D'vorak you're not in the NHL that's
1:05:47
basically simple as that and we see that
1:05:49
with a guy like Couturier Okay. Oh, I've
1:05:50
just beating the out of him today.
1:05:52
You see with a guy like Couturier once
1:05:53
he drops below that D'vorakish level
1:05:56
where he can play all situations and you
1:05:59
can score
1:06:01
35 40ish
1:06:03
um you're just not really an asset
1:06:06
anymore. And and you can find a guy in
1:06:07
the AHL who is who can do that for you.
1:06:10
If you put a guy in um you know who
1:06:13
played even in the NHL prior like you
1:06:16
give Carl Grundstrom 82 games, he's
1:06:18
going to give you 25 points, 30 points
1:06:21
>> regardless of you know if you put them
1:06:23
on the third line, never mind you put
1:06:24
them on the the second or the first or
1:06:26
you gave him power play time for god
1:06:28
knows whatever reason, right? Like these
1:06:30
guys will get you points. It's the stuff
1:06:31
they do in other parts of the ice that
1:06:35
makes them valuable. And I just don't
1:06:36
know if D'Vorak brings enough
1:06:39
different qualities to make it work. But
1:06:42
again, it's not a killer. It's not a
1:06:43
killer. It's only a talking point
1:06:45
because of the other contracts that are
1:06:47
on the roster.
1:06:48
>> It's not going to cost you. It's not
1:06:50
It's not keeping the Flyers from winning
1:06:51
a cup or making the playoffs or
1:06:53
whatever.
1:06:53
>> And Joe's right. You can trade him to
1:06:55
Tampa Bay or somewhere down the line.
1:06:58
>> It's just not the point. It's just not
1:06:59
the point.
1:07:00
>> Yeah, it's really not the point.
1:07:01
>> Yeah. But we're we're coming up here.
1:07:03
It's five o'clock here. Uh, we have to
1:07:05
wrap this up um pretty soon. I I did
1:07:07
want to bring up potentially um maybe
1:07:09
we'll do this next week or stream later
1:07:11
in the week, but um just for Walstead, I
1:07:13
feel like he's he's a name that I want
1:07:14
to keep an eye on either for the Flyers
1:07:16
first round pick or potentially an Owen
1:07:18
Tippet trade in the off seasonason. I
1:07:20
feel like Walstead
1:07:21
>> could be a good bridge pair him with Lar
1:07:23
and then he can be the guy with whoever
1:07:25
Jarn or Zagen comes up. I feel like if
1:07:28
there's a good young goalie established
1:07:30
that a team is looking to trade, the
1:07:32
Flyers got to meet up.
1:07:34
>> I just don't think the Flyers have what
1:07:35
the Wild are looking for, which is a top
1:07:37
six center.
1:07:40
>> Yeah. No, that that probably is that
1:07:42
probably is the issue. May maybe you
1:07:43
give him Kate, maybe give him Kates and
1:07:47
the pick or something.
1:07:48
>> Just lower tier um
1:07:52
>> Eric Eric. Yeah, you got Jee, you got
1:07:54
Hartman, you got Kates. It's like, yeah,
1:07:56
you just got more.
1:07:57
>> That's tough. It's And I don't actually,
1:07:59
honestly, if you put Joel Ericson,
1:08:01
Hartman/Kates,
1:08:03
it's kind of they'll probably rotate. I
1:08:05
don't know who's better than who, but if
1:08:06
you put those guys on in a on, you know,
1:08:09
the top three line, they could be okay.
1:08:11
>> And they got your off. They have your
1:08:12
off. Yeah. We'll talk about it. We'll
1:08:13
talk about
1:08:14
>> We'll do this next week.
1:08:15
>> Yeah.
1:08:16
>> 911 percentage 287 278 goals against
1:08:19
like
1:08:20
>> Yeah. Yeah. 23 year old. Yeah. Like
1:08:22
what? That's that's the guy you should
1:08:24
look at if anybody if they want to trade
1:08:26
him which again I not sure why you'd be
1:08:29
loving to trade him. I guess you can get
1:08:30
somebody for him and that's probably
1:08:32
ultimately the reason. So
1:08:33
>> yeah because they they've gusted so they
1:08:35
don't have to pay them. So um let's
1:08:36
close this out here with a tankathon
1:08:38
spin. Flyers just outside the playoff
1:08:40
picture currently have a 1.5% chance.
1:08:43
They can't even get the first overall
1:08:45
pick. Can't even
1:08:46
>> Gilbs. I did one of these earlier today.
1:08:48
One spin. Flyers jumped.
1:08:50
>> All right let's see it. Here we go.
1:08:54
>> Uh, Blues win it. Flyers stay at 14th
1:08:57
there, which is uh not too surprising.
1:08:59
So,
1:09:00
>> uh, we will continue.
1:09:01
>> The get the Leafs get the like, does
1:09:03
that matter for the Flyers pick? Because
1:09:05
if the if it transfers this year,
1:09:08
>> there's something I I don't
1:09:10
>> I haven't I haven't been able to
1:09:11
decipher that yet. I've just been
1:09:13
looking at it for so long. I hate the
1:09:15
protections.
1:09:16
>> So annoying. We'll have that all sorted
1:09:18
out for you whenever we
1:09:20
>> Yeah.
1:09:20
>> decide to look at the
1:09:22
>> goddamn Puckedia
1:09:25
glossery.
1:09:26
>> Puckedia. Yeah. Yeah. Uh yeah. Once
1:09:28
again, thanks to uh FanDuel for
1:09:30
sponsoring the show. They currently have
1:09:31
the Flyers as a plus 130 underdogs on
1:09:34
Wednesday night against Anaheim. One
1:09:36
more West Coast trip for the Flyers
1:09:37
here. Uh make sure you check out Browser
1:09:39
Hockey on Instagram, uh Broadst Hockey.
1:09:42
Follow Joe and Jacob on Blue Sky and
1:09:44
subscribe and read through
1:09:46
browserhockey.com.
1:09:48
Until next time, thanks for listening.
1:09:51
Go Flyers.
#Team Sports
#Hockey