Latest / stormTRacker Podcast | Carolina Hurricanes & NHL Hockey / Carolina Hurricanes vs. The East: Who Can Stop Them? With Jonny Lazarus

Transcript

Carolina Hurricanes vs. The East: Who Can Stop Them? With Jonny Lazarus · stormTRacker Podcast | Carolina Hurricanes & NHL Hockey

0:32
SPEAKER_01: Well, the Carolina Hurricanes have climbed to the top of the standings, and they're doing it while dealing with injuries, lineup changes, and some big questions about what this team could look like when everyone is healthy.
0:47
SPEAKER_01: Today we're going to get a national perspective on the Canes and how they're viewed around the league.
0:53
SPEAKER_01: Can they keep it going?
0:55
SPEAKER_01: Who poses the biggest threat in the Metro Division?
0:59
SPEAKER_01: And do the Canes have what it takes to win another Stanley Cup?
1:04
SPEAKER_01: Alongside Darren Wynn, I'm Tom Ray.
1:07
SPEAKER_01: And we're delighted to welcome in Johnny Lazarus, the co-host of Daily Face Offs Morning Cup of Hockey, to talk about that and more on this episode of Hurricane Watch.
1:21
SPEAKER_01: Gentlemen, how are we today?
1:25
SPEAKER_02: Great to be with you guys.
1:26
SPEAKER_02: I uh I appreciate it.
1:28
SPEAKER_02: And again, the Canes are right exactly where everyone thought they'd be.
1:32
SPEAKER_02: No surprise.
1:34
SPEAKER_03: Took you a while to get on board, Johnny, but we're so glad you're on board.
1:37
SPEAKER_02: You know what?
1:38
SPEAKER_02: I I was only against them because of the division rivalry.
1:43
SPEAKER_02: Like had Carolina been in the Atlantic, I feel like I'd be more on board sooner.
1:48
SPEAKER_02: Um, but because again, you know, I've seen Rangers Hurricane Series, and obviously those were, you know, high caliber hockey.
1:57
SPEAKER_02: And uh luckily for us, we came out on top of it, even though we have the last or you have the last laugh now with the Stanley Cup.
2:03
SPEAKER_02: But um I I think just that closeness to it is kind of what held me back.
2:09
SPEAKER_01: Well, you know what, Johnny, we're really excited because you're gonna give us a little different view than what we normally get on on Stormtracker.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: We mostly have kind of hurricanes folks or associated with the canes, or you know, folks who are writing about the canes or talking about the canes.
2:25
SPEAKER_01: So it's nice to get a national perspective and try to find out from you a little bit about what folks outside of Carolina are thinking about the hurricane.
2:32
SPEAKER_01: So this is great.
2:33
SPEAKER_01: You know, but before we get started, I don't know a lot about you.
2:37
SPEAKER_01: What uh what can you tell us about uh your background and how did you get into broadcasting and how did you get into uh morning couple hockey?
2:45
SPEAKER_02: All right, it's a long story.
2:47
SPEAKER_02: I'll try I'll try to keep it as short as I can.
2:50
SPEAKER_02: I I played Division I two years at UMass Amherst, two years at Mercy Hurst University, and I graduated in 2020, so like right in the peak of COVID.
2:59
SPEAKER_02: And in that like year and a half when everything was shut down, you know, I was doing podcasts.
3:04
SPEAKER_02: I had some experience, not not necessarily in broadcasting, but in like media.
3:09
SPEAKER_02: I was interviewing the Eerie Otters players when I was a senior at Mercy Hearst, interning for them.
3:14
SPEAKER_02: So I interviewed a couple guys, one of them being Jamie Drysdale.
3:17
SPEAKER_02: He was like the best player on the team at the time.
3:19
SPEAKER_02: So that got me a little bit of experience working in hockey.
3:22
SPEAKER_02: But then as COVID happened, you know, all I ever heard was that there aren't enough young voices in hockey.
3:29
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, I kind of decided that my career was done.
3:32
SPEAKER_02: My my ceiling wasn't very high as far as the pro aspirations go.
3:36
SPEAKER_02: You know, I signed to play in Pensacola with the Ice Flyers and the SPHL.
3:40
SPEAKER_02: And I thought maybe I can get a crack at the ECHL and who knows from there.
3:43
SPEAKER_02: But I just never I never had the drive to try to make it as a player.
3:48
SPEAKER_02: I I lost that drive.
3:50
SPEAKER_02: I don't want to say I never had it, I just lost it at that time.
3:53
SPEAKER_02: And I think where social media was going, it kind of rewarded people that were putting themselves out there and making videos and showing your face and kind of backing up the things you say instead of having, you know, like a like a fan account, right?
4:06
SPEAKER_02: Like there, there's all these fan accounts, and people like to post their opinions online, but they hide, they don't really use their real name.
4:13
SPEAKER_02: So I started talking about the Rangers.
4:16
SPEAKER_02: You know, it obviously helped me a lot that I was teammates with Kale McCarr, and I grew up with Adam Fox.
4:22
SPEAKER_02: So having that credibility certainly helped.
4:24
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
4:25
SPEAKER_02: But I'd post videos talking about Fox, talking about the Rangers.
4:29
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, I'm not naive to say the timing was everything.
4:32
SPEAKER_02: The Rangers, you know, two years into me doing this, going on an Eastern Conference final run, I'm posting videos every day.
4:38
SPEAKER_02: Like people are starting to catch on a little bit.
4:41
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
4:42
SPEAKER_02: So I think timing was a bit of everything.
4:45
SPEAKER_02: And then when it comes to Warning Cup of hockey, you know, I grew up in New York.
4:48
SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm around, you know, the the Jets, the Giants, the Mets, the Yankees, the Knicks, like, you know, all the big time teams that national media loves to discuss.
4:58
SPEAKER_02: And I'd wake up every morning listening to get up and first take on ESPN, and there was never any hockey talk.
5:04
SPEAKER_02: Never.
5:05
SPEAKER_02: So I brought the idea to Colby and I was like, hey, like we should do a live morning hockey show.
5:11
SPEAKER_02: You know, every day when I want to listen to hockey, when I get up, I'm listening to the INTL Network episode that I watched last night.
5:16
SPEAKER_02: It's the same rerun.
5:17
SPEAKER_02: So I thought it was like a fresh idea.
5:19
SPEAKER_02: You know, we could be the first ones to kind of set the tone for what the discussions will be all day in the hockey space.
5:25
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, it's been a blessing.
5:27
SPEAKER_02: It's it's been so much fun.
5:28
SPEAKER_02: There are some challenges because we don't really get any West Coast guests because it's hard to ask someone to wake up at 6 30 a.m.
5:34
SPEAKER_02: to come on our show.
5:35
SPEAKER_02: Sure.
5:35
SPEAKER_02: But you know, it's it's been a blast.
5:37
SPEAKER_02: So I appreciate you asking about it.
5:38
SPEAKER_02: And that that is the shorter version.
5:40
SPEAKER_02: You know, I could go on and on about it, but uh that's that's you know you all you really need to know.
5:44
SPEAKER_01: No, that's great.
5:45
SPEAKER_01: And and you know, when you think about it, you've got you've got a national view now.
5:50
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, you're talking about the Rangers before, but now you're talking kind of on a broader basis.
5:56
SPEAKER_01: What what is that like for you?
5:58
SPEAKER_02: It's hard.
5:59
SPEAKER_02: It's it's really hard.
6:00
SPEAKER_02: And I think what makes it hard is that our listeners know what they're watching.
6:06
SPEAKER_02: And you know, I I have a perfect example of it.
6:08
SPEAKER_02: Like last year we were talking about Artam Lefsunov, and you know, I I I made a claim about him.
6:14
SPEAKER_02: I said, like, I don't think he's such an offensive defensive, and I think he's more defensive, which, you know, shame on me.
6:20
SPEAKER_02: Like he was having a lot, he was having a lot of defensive issues.
6:23
SPEAKER_02: I hadn't watched a lot of the Blackhawks, but I got carved for like not knowing what I was talking about.
6:28
SPEAKER_02: And you know what?
6:28
SPEAKER_02: They were right.
6:29
SPEAKER_02: Like, I I had watched maybe it was probably the first 15 games of the season.
6:33
SPEAKER_02: I probably watched two Blackhawks games before that.
6:36
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I I think the biggest thing that I've learned too is just not BSing your audience, right?
6:41
SPEAKER_02: Like now I know to say, you know what, I I can't make an opinion on that because I just haven't watched as much.
6:46
SPEAKER_02: You know, like right now I'm hesitant to talk about the Seattle Kraken because I've watched one of their games or two of their games.
6:53
SPEAKER_02: So I don't talk about the Kraken because I haven't watched enough.
6:55
SPEAKER_02: Tonight I'll watch them play Toronto.
6:57
SPEAKER_02: So tomorrow you can talk about the Kraken a little bit.
6:59
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but I think there's so much pressure, and again, like people think, oh, your job's so easy, you just get to watch hockey and talk about hockey all night.
7:06
SPEAKER_02: But but but I can't take a night off.
7:08
SPEAKER_02: Right.
7:08
SPEAKER_02: Like I we have to do a show at four days a week, we have to get guests, we talk about what's happening, and I feel genuine guilt when I'm not in front of the TV watching a game.
7:17
SPEAKER_02: So while I do have the best job in the world, like I love what I do, and I'm so lucky to love what I do, I do feel that it comes with a lot of pressure of knowing what you're watching and paying close attention because you will be called out if you don't.
7:32
SPEAKER_03: Well, I I'm gonna pat myself the back.
7:36
SPEAKER_03: I think we were one of the first people from the hurricanes universe to to to reach out to you, I think.
7:43
SPEAKER_03: And but I want to tell you, because I don't think I've ever told you, congratulations, by the way, because I you are you're out there and uh you can see that you're grinding away.
7:53
SPEAKER_03: And I'm not telling you that's just because you're on here.
7:55
SPEAKER_03: It's it's legitimate.
7:57
SPEAKER_03: And one of the things I appreciate about you, and you're you're really good at self-deprecation, I think.
8:02
SPEAKER_03: But your honesty and your transparency in the show to me is what draws the people in.
8:08
SPEAKER_03: Because if if you're on this, you know, this guy that's high mighty that never makes mistakes, it's not watchable to me.
8:15
SPEAKER_03: But yeah, you're authentic about it, which I really appreciate.
8:18
SPEAKER_02: I make mistakes constantly.
8:20
SPEAKER_02: And and and you know what?
8:22
SPEAKER_02: I I think that's kind of like when I was younger, I cared so much about being liked by everyone.
8:28
SPEAKER_02: Like I I really it rubbed me the wrong way when someone didn't like me.
8:32
SPEAKER_02: I'm just I'm I'm just like, I'm just talking about a game.
8:34
SPEAKER_02: Like, why do you not like you know what I mean?
8:36
SPEAKER_02: Like I and so I didn't insult people.
8:38
SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm just talking about what I you know, but as I've gotten older, like I don't care if people don't like me, I don't care if people don't respect me, but if you care enough to kind of say that I'm wrong or dunk on me or want to shut me up, like that's enough for me.
8:54
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
8:55
SPEAKER_02: Like the the amount of people who want to tell me that I'm wrong, I get a love for that too.
9:00
SPEAKER_02: Like, and honestly, right, you know, like this, I don't know if you guys have seen it, but when the Nice and Marchenko trade happened, I genuinely believe, I genuinely believe Nice would have more points than Marchenko this year, just based, just based on opportunity.
9:13
SPEAKER_02: Sure.
9:13
SPEAKER_02: I was like, Marchenko had the puck on his stick more than anyone else on the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he he was the one they needed to provide all the offense.
9:21
SPEAKER_02: Now he's going to a team that's loaded with skill, takes a little pressure off him.
9:25
SPEAKER_02: Obviously, he's surrounded by much better talent, so you'd think he'd get more points in that sense, but there's a there's only one puck to go around.
9:32
SPEAKER_02: Where Nye's now, he becomes the second option after Fantilly and or maybe Johnson.
9:36
SPEAKER_02: And Leafs fans have now just been every game, every game.
9:40
SPEAKER_02: They're like, You still think so?
9:41
SPEAKER_02: You still think so?
9:42
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, no, no, I don't, because now I've watched and I see that Marchenko's fit in like a glove.
9:47
SPEAKER_02: So you can dunk on me all you want, but no, I do not think the same thing that I thought a month ago.
9:50
SPEAKER_02: Because you know what?
9:51
SPEAKER_02: Opinions change with time.
9:52
SPEAKER_02: They do.
9:53
SPEAKER_02: Right.
9:53
SPEAKER_02: I agree.
9:54
SPEAKER_02: And and I I think that's that's something that I've learned too.
9:57
SPEAKER_02: It's like you can you can give a prediction, and worst case scenario, you're wrong.
10:02
SPEAKER_02: And people will tell you you're wrong, and that's all it needs to be.
10:05
SPEAKER_02: Just admit you're wrong.
10:06
SPEAKER_02: So I have no problem admitting I'm wrong, but like I don't just go say things because I want to be wrong.
10:11
SPEAKER_02: Like you know what I mean?
10:12
SPEAKER_02: Like I I love to dunk when I can dunk.
10:15
SPEAKER_02: And when I get dunked on, I know it's coming.
10:18
SPEAKER_02: So it just is what it is.
10:21
SPEAKER_02: Well, it's interesting.
10:22
SPEAKER_01: I mean, you know, we I kind of have the same thing you have, and a lot of people don't know this, but I mean it's it's a huge amount of work.
10:31
SPEAKER_01: And my wife keeps saying to me, Would you get a life?
10:34
SPEAKER_02: This is this is life.
10:36
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it's it's just it's because you want to be you want to be the best you can be.
10:40
SPEAKER_01: And and you know what?
10:41
SPEAKER_01: It's one of the things, and I and I really like what you said too on that, Johnny, is that we really kind of pride ourselves on Star Treker for knowing our stuff.
10:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, like we don't just come in and start chatting.
10:53
SPEAKER_01: We've done our we've had prep meetings, we've talked about it, we've you know, we've got our homework done, and we want to make sure that you know when folks spend time with us, it's quality time.
11:03
SPEAKER_01: And and you know, I know you're doing the same thing on a bigger scale, but but I really understand where you're coming from.
11:07
SPEAKER_01: And and you know what?
11:09
SPEAKER_01: It's the love of it too, just as you say, we have so much fun and we get great people like you on, so it's great.
11:14
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's that's that's the only reason why we do it, right?
11:16
SPEAKER_02: Like I I I I even just tweeted out like an hour ago.
11:20
SPEAKER_02: We're doing our tri-state hockey show today where we talk, Islanders, devils.
11:24
SPEAKER_02: What?
11:25
SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
11:26
SPEAKER_03: I kept forgetting the name of that show.
11:28
SPEAKER_03: The one with Mike.
11:29
SPEAKER_03: The one with Mike.
11:30
SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes, yes, yes.
11:30
SPEAKER_02: So it's Rupper, Arthur Staple, and myself, and we do it twice a week.
11:34
SPEAKER_02: We talk oh I love it, I love it.
11:37
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
11:37
SPEAKER_02: And you know, last night, Islanders big win, devils, convincing win, Rangers right now, a lot to talk about.
11:44
SPEAKER_02: And I'm genuinely so excited just to talk to the two of them about those three teams today.
11:47
SPEAKER_02: Like, yeah, yeah, to the the fact that you know, I I I get to just pay close attention, you know, and and like interact with other fans and and all these things.
11:57
SPEAKER_02: And you know, it's it's cool when you guys, you know, especially like people from other fan bases, like just want to know what I think.
12:04
SPEAKER_02: It's it's it's a weird concept to me, like that people like actually just want to know what I have to say.
12:09
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, I'm still getting used to that.
12:11
SPEAKER_02: And what's funny too is like, you know, some Ranger fans always like ask me for a photo, and I'm like, I just talk to the players, right?
12:18
SPEAKER_02: I'm not out there, and uh I don't take any of that for granted.
12:21
SPEAKER_02: Like that is just such a blessing and something that's so cool.
12:24
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
12:25
SPEAKER_03: Well, should we jump in, Tom?
12:27
SPEAKER_03: I guess we should let's being that we don't want to talk too much about the Rangers and the Islanders on this show.
12:33
SPEAKER_03: No, I'm just kidding.
12:34
SPEAKER_03: Listen, let's just let's just cut real quickly.
12:36
SPEAKER_03: What are your first impressions?
12:38
SPEAKER_03: I I I know you probably don't watch every single hurricane game, and that's fair.
12:43
SPEAKER_03: But as far as your initial impressions of what you've seen, especially with the injuries, Taylor Hall, Jordan Stahl, it's that jarvis just came back.
12:51
SPEAKER_03: But what what were your impressions, especially how the how they started the season?
12:55
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so it's funny, right?
12:56
SPEAKER_02: Like I think every team, every coach, every GM will tell you when someone gets hurt that it's a next man up mentality.
13:03
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and not every team actually has the capability to do that.
13:06
SPEAKER_02: And I think Carolina, like even who is it, Yusso Valamaki on the back end?
13:11
SPEAKER_02: Like like even a guy like you know, a guy like him, right?
13:14
SPEAKER_02: Like this whole talk about Nikishian, Nikisha, Nikisha, we need Nikishian sign.
13:17
SPEAKER_02: Vallamacke has been a perfect plug for him.
13:19
SPEAKER_02: He's been tremendous, a perfect plug.
13:21
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I I think the the Rangers, for example, have been a team like next man up mentality, but they they don't have the personnel to do that.
13:28
SPEAKER_02: Right, you know, so I I look at a team like Carolina, and even a guy like William Carrier, granted he hasn't scored a goal, yeah, he's playing well in the top line.
13:38
SPEAKER_03: He is crazy.
13:39
SPEAKER_02: So the the Hurricanes have a certain standard that, again, makes it very tough to talk about them nationally because you expect the same thing and you see the same thing and you get the same thing night in, night out from them.
13:54
SPEAKER_02: And that's and I and I feel bad because you know, Darren, you're one of them.
13:57
SPEAKER_02: We have so many Canes fans in our chat every day, and we never talk about the Canes.
14:00
SPEAKER_02: Because what are we gonna say?
14:02
SPEAKER_02: And we go nuts Aho's playing great again, Jarvis looks great, Ehlers is playing great, Specznikov's playing great.
14:10
SPEAKER_02: What are we gonna say?
14:11
SPEAKER_03: I think you take it well.
14:12
SPEAKER_03: Uh Kobe, I think I think he would love to line all the team fans up and just pick them off.
14:18
SPEAKER_02: But what do we like like you know what I mean?
14:19
SPEAKER_02: Like Kachekov is playing great out of his mind.
14:23
SPEAKER_02: But right after that, it's like it's hard to go into depth when it's like the same thing we've seen for years.
14:29
SPEAKER_02: And I think when it comes to media, you want to talk about the team that's either not meeting expectations or overexceeding.
14:36
SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
14:37
SPEAKER_02: And when when the team is doing exactly what you think they're gonna do, what is there to talk about?
14:41
SPEAKER_02: So fair point.
14:42
SPEAKER_02: That's that's the blessing and the curse when it comes to the canes is that no one thought they'd have a Stanley Cup hangover.
14:48
SPEAKER_02: They could have played a fifth and sixth round last year and won both of them.
14:52
SPEAKER_02: That's how good and that's how well rested they are.
14:54
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
14:55
SPEAKER_02: But I do think what there is to talk about the canes is a guy like Jackson Blake, who's probably the best con, you know what I mean?
15:03
SPEAKER_02: Like he's probably the best contract in the NHL right now.
15:05
SPEAKER_03: He just looks before you came on.
15:07
SPEAKER_02: He looks unbelievable.
15:08
SPEAKER_02: And he makes what five million dollars for the next year.
15:10
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and this is six years.
15:12
SPEAKER_02: For eight years.
15:14
SPEAKER_02: He has eight years?
15:15
SPEAKER_02: Eight.
15:16
SPEAKER_02: Okay, I didn't I didn't realize it was, I thought he signed for six.
15:19
SPEAKER_02: He and Stankhoven.
15:20
SPEAKER_02: Okay, wow.
15:21
SPEAKER_02: So I I I thought it was actually a lower term.
15:23
SPEAKER_02: Shame on me.
15:24
SPEAKER_02: But like, like he's yeah, he's the guy to talk about, right?
15:27
SPEAKER_02: And I think Carolina right now, like Eric Tolski's the guy to talk about.
15:31
SPEAKER_02: He didn't let Nikeishan's agent bully him into giving him eight million dollars, nine million dollars, whatever it is he wanted.
15:37
SPEAKER_02: Like the Carolina Hurricanes now just won the cup and are set up only to do more and more and more and more over the next five to seven years.
15:46
SPEAKER_01: But you know, Johnny, Eric Tolski is in a class by himself.
15:51
SPEAKER_01: Like if you look at his body of work, it's it's absolutely incredible.
15:55
SPEAKER_01: And you're right.
15:56
SPEAKER_01: I actually commented on X the other day about the class the the organization showed with the Nikitian thing.
16:02
SPEAKER_01: Like he just quietly went about his business and said, here's the deal, and that's the way he operates.
16:07
SPEAKER_01: No emotion and and so on.
16:08
SPEAKER_01: The other guy that nobody ever talks about, who I think is probably the most significant person in what we see with the canes today, Tom Dundan.
16:18
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
16:20
SPEAKER_01: He built this team, he put it together, and they have been rock stars since he took over.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
16:28
SPEAKER_02: Listen, I know there was a lot of opinions about the thing that happened this summer and whatnot.
16:33
SPEAKER_02: But Carolina, you know, I I think the respect they've they've drawn now from not only I I mean, maybe not only hockey fans, but like kind of across the board, you know, right?
16:45
SPEAKER_02: Like a team that is just a well-oiled machine from ownership to management to coaching staff to play, like you rarely see that sort of connection up the ladder, you know, i across all sports.
16:59
SPEAKER_02: And I think that's something that should certainly be applauded about Dundan and and what he's built.
17:05
SPEAKER_01: And it even goes further.
17:07
SPEAKER_01: We we do a lot with the Chicago Wolves.
17:10
SPEAKER_01: In fact, uh we started a new series this week with Sparosynastus.
17:13
SPEAKER_01: It's uh kind of an educational series in some ways.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: Good deal.
17:18
SPEAKER_02: Can you explain that?
17:18
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, what's that?
17:19
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, oh yeah.
17:20
SPEAKER_01: So so Sparrow Synaastis will be on monthly on Star Treker, and and he's gonna be talking about uh coaching decisions.
17:28
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, how does he see the game?
17:30
SPEAKER_01: What uh how do they manage players?
17:32
SPEAKER_01: What happens when uh the team decides to call a player up, what's the involvement, all kinds of things.
17:37
SPEAKER_01: Uh great deal, Johnny.
17:39
SPEAKER_01: You know, how does he look at players, how does he interact with them, and you know, everything.
17:43
SPEAKER_01: It's just all the coaching aspects.
17:45
SPEAKER_01: And and it's kind of a it's just a nice kind of round table discussion about about his life as a coach and and what he does.
17:52
SPEAKER_01: And and he talks a lot about it's great, and and he talks a lot about you know, they mirror the canes exactly.
18:00
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so so they you know they want to have their players such that they can come in and just not miss a beat.
18:07
SPEAKER_01: And guess what?
18:08
SPEAKER_01: The players have come up from Chicago don't miss a beat.
18:12
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
18:14
SPEAKER_02: I mean that's that's a thing I think a lot of teams miss.
18:17
SPEAKER_02: I I know a team that was really good with that as well as Hershey from Washington, just from players that I've talked to.
18:24
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, I I obviously could use the Rangers as an example and and other organizations I've seen as an example, but I think the worst thing an organization can do is when you have a prospect, you play them, you know, top six minutes, first power play, 22 minutes a night, and then they go to the NHL and they play seven or eight.
18:41
SPEAKER_02: Right.
18:41
SPEAKER_02: And they're playing third line, fourth line.
18:43
SPEAKER_02: Like that that's such a massive disconnect.
18:46
SPEAKER_02: And I think fans are always like, let that guy go down, let him get all the touches, let him get all the opportunity.
18:51
SPEAKER_02: But then when they come up, they don't see that.
18:53
SPEAKER_02: So like the you need your NHL team, your HL team, even your Coast League team to be in lockstep, right?
19:00
SPEAKER_02: And I think that is something that is super important that gets lost, right?
19:04
SPEAKER_02: You can't just I I think it was Rochester maybe and Buffalo, or you know, I've heard I've heard stories about top prospect top prospects just being handed everything, and and then they go up to Buffalo and then it's just not the same.
19:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
19:17
SPEAKER_02: So you know, kudos, kudos, I mean, to the whole organization, but yeah, you know, especially to you guys for having Spiro.
19:24
SPEAKER_02: That's a that's a cool segment that you'll have going.
19:26
SPEAKER_02: Kind of like John Boy Media with with Aaron Boone, like that kind of be a a cool little thing that you guys can do weekly.
19:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we're really we're really excited about it.
19:34
SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's let's talk about something we just kind of briefly touched on because I want to get your your kind of broader perception on this, and that's the whole Alex Nikesian thing.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
19:45
SPEAKER_01: Uh just in general, you want every okay.
19:48
SPEAKER_01: What you're thinking, what you thought through it all, or whatever.
19:51
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, uh listen, he he was a great player for them in the regular season last year.
19:56
SPEAKER_02: I think it was Klevin who maybe clocked him.
19:58
SPEAKER_02: Was it Clevin?
19:58
SPEAKER_02: Clevin who clocked him.
20:00
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
20:00
SPEAKER_02: Like in the in the playoffs, he was kind of a guy.
20:03
SPEAKER_02: I don't mean this as an insult, but like I didn't really notice him a lot.
20:06
SPEAKER_02: Right.
20:07
SPEAKER_02: You know, he he wasn't a guy who did things exceptionally well, wasn't a guy who did things poorly and hurt the team by any means.
20:13
SPEAKER_02: So for a guy like that, again, like I understand he had, I think, 11 goals, you know, 30 plus points last year, to want a certain dollar amount when you see Zeb Boyham and all these younger guys getting that dollar amount, he has every right to want that.
20:25
SPEAKER_02: But when you have a team built the way it is, and you're still gonna be on the third pair for the most part, you're probably not getting the dollar amount that you feel you deserve.
20:37
SPEAKER_02: And that's just how organizations are run.
20:39
SPEAKER_02: Like I think every organization's different.
20:40
SPEAKER_02: If he was in Seattle, he probably would have gotten the money.
20:43
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but you know, Seattle's in a different position than Carolina is.
20:47
SPEAKER_02: So I I never will blame a player for asking for what they feel they deserve.
20:52
SPEAKER_02: And I also won't blame a team for feeling that they don't need that guy to make that kind of money, then let him sit until he comes to an agreement.
21:00
SPEAKER_02: So I thought Tolski handled it really well, and I I don't blame Niktion at all.
21:04
SPEAKER_02: I think the players and every quote I've seen seem to understand that's just part of the business.
21:08
SPEAKER_02: And I'm curious to see what happens throughout the rest of the season because, like we said, Valamaki's played well.
21:13
SPEAKER_02: Not sure they're eager just to take him out and throw Nikishan in.
21:16
SPEAKER_02: So yeah, that's a that's a situation to monitor for sure.
21:19
SPEAKER_03: Can I ask you something from a player perspective?
21:21
SPEAKER_03: You're a former player, and you kind of talked about this a little bit with the AHL and the NHL.
21:27
SPEAKER_03: These guys that are in the AHL, they're getting 20 plus minutes a night, they're touching the puck all the time, they get to the NHL and it's way different.
21:35
SPEAKER_03: Uh going to Nikkei, though, Tom and I have talked about this a little bit.
21:39
SPEAKER_03: It's the most games he's ever played in his career.
21:41
SPEAKER_03: So you'd had 81 games, he was sat one game, and then he played 17 games in the playoffs, more games than he's ever played.
21:49
SPEAKER_03: Ever.
21:50
SPEAKER_03: As a former player, could you atta I don't know if you've ever played that many games in a season, but can you attest maybe maybe at the end of that into the playoff run, maybe and and he's recovering from a concussion, could his gas tank might have been empty?
22:05
SPEAKER_02: I I I can't relate to the amount of games that these pro guys play.
22:11
SPEAKER_02: I do remember my freshman year of college, just because that jump from junior to college is massive.
22:17
SPEAKER_02: Like you do hit a wall.
22:19
SPEAKER_02: Like I I actually, you know what, like you talk about self deprecation.
22:23
SPEAKER_02: First half of the year, I think I had like I think I had nine points in the first like 15 games or whatever it was in college.
22:31
SPEAKER_02: I didn't rent A single point the second half of the year.
22:34
SPEAKER_02: Oh, okay.
22:35
SPEAKER_02: And and I think the game it does wear on you a little bit.
22:40
SPEAKER_02: I mean, again, different position.
22:41
SPEAKER_02: I played right wing, he's a defenseman.
22:43
SPEAKER_02: But when you are making a jump from a certain level to another, it is hard to get acclimated right away.
22:50
SPEAKER_02: And we see a lot of these young guys who step in and it takes them time to make the game look slower, right?
22:56
SPEAKER_02: And to feel more comfortable, to look more comfortable.
22:58
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, again, it's it's tough for Nikishan also just coming over with a language barrier, and I'm sure getting used to everything away from the rink.
23:07
SPEAKER_02: Like I know that stuff's important.
23:08
SPEAKER_02: And I think when he first came over two years ago, that's something that Rod Brindamore mentioned as well, right?
23:12
SPEAKER_02: Like getting him, getting him accustomed to the way they do things, not only on the ice, but off of it.
23:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
23:18
SPEAKER_02: So it's just a lot for a young guy.
23:20
SPEAKER_02: And again, like I haven't talked to him about it.
23:23
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
23:23
SPEAKER_02: I haven't been in his shoes, but I would imagine that is a part of maybe where the struggles were.
23:29
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you know, he when he was in Russia, of course, uh playing for SKA, he was playing 25 to 30 minutes a game.
23:37
SPEAKER_01: He was a beast, right?
23:38
SPEAKER_01: And and their captain, and he was like everything.
23:41
SPEAKER_01: He was he was a superstar on the team and so on.
23:43
SPEAKER_01: And he comes over and and rightfully so, Johnny.
23:46
SPEAKER_01: He struggled with, you know, language.
23:48
SPEAKER_01: He didn't even know where the Harris teeter was.
23:50
SPEAKER_01: So I mean it's it's kind of you know, it's kind of and we don't really understand all that.
23:55
SPEAKER_01: And and you know, the other thing too, and and you can maybe speak to this, but you know, the hurricane system for defensemen is particularly challenging.
24:04
SPEAKER_02: It's a lot of skating.
24:07
SPEAKER_02: A lot of skating.
24:08
SPEAKER_02: But that's why, you know, you've gotten guys who can skate, right?
24:11
SPEAKER_02: Like Andre Miller is a huge, huge acquisition.
24:15
SPEAKER_02: You know, I I know.
24:16
SPEAKER_02: You know, Slavin probably doesn't get the love.
24:21
SPEAKER_02: Like, I don't know if his foot speed is like his biggest strength, but his positioning is probably the better way he uses it.
24:27
SPEAKER_02: But also a guy like Jalen Chaffield, like he's got a motor on him too.
24:31
SPEAKER_02: You know, he's a really good skater.
24:32
SPEAKER_01: And uh Sean Walker.
24:34
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
24:35
SPEAKER_02: Walker was a beast in the playoffs for you guys last year.
24:37
SPEAKER_02: He was he was so good.
24:39
SPEAKER_02: But you know, I I think that's something too where you do kind of look at the blue line, and I feel like it is an old like I can go look up the ages, but I feel like most of those guys, like I know Chaffield's 30, Slavon's obviously north of 30, Walker's north of 30, Gossip Spear's north of 30.
24:54
SPEAKER_02: Like these are guys where you know you are three years away probably from having to revamp the blue line, I would think.
25:00
SPEAKER_02: Just I have some age.
25:02
SPEAKER_03: I have some questions for you on that.
25:03
SPEAKER_03: Maybe we can touch that later, but I I think it's really important that you you talk about that.
25:08
SPEAKER_03: You can I jump into that, Tom?
25:10
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, real quickly.
25:11
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
25:11
SPEAKER_03: So uh Johnny, listen, I mean, I don't want to keep stroking your ego with your with your collegiate playing career.
25:18
SPEAKER_03: Uh I'll do what I can.
25:20
SPEAKER_03: Um you mentioned specifically you got Chatfield, Gosses Spare, there, and speaking specifically defensively, that are gonna be they're on expiring contract at the end of this year.
25:31
SPEAKER_02: Correct.
25:31
SPEAKER_02: I just I just looked that up.
25:32
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I didn't even realize that, to be honest.
25:34
SPEAKER_03: Yes, and and so one of the things I've watched over probably the last decade and I mean I'm come on, my cat, my cat's a brother.
25:43
SPEAKER_03: Come on, get out of the way.
25:44
SPEAKER_03: She she's my sweetheart.
25:46
SPEAKER_03: But you had Pittsburgh repeat, you had Tampa Bay repeat, you had Florida repeat.
25:52
SPEAKER_03: But the longevity what happens, I think, sometimes is these teams tend to they get nostalgic.
25:58
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I at least you know, what I it would appear to be.
26:03
SPEAKER_03: If you take a guy like Jalen Chatfield and you know he's gonna hit free agency if he does get there, or Shane Gosses bear, how do you try to stay young without signing these guys?
26:15
SPEAKER_03: Because Jalen Chatfield, while he's really good now, he I think that he's kind of at that peak.
26:21
SPEAKER_03: I mean, and the thing first thing that may go is his speed.
26:24
SPEAKER_03: So if you sign him for three years and he declines after a year, you f you you're stuck.
26:30
SPEAKER_03: Is that fair?
26:31
SPEAKER_02: I I don't think it goes like that though.
26:33
SPEAKER_02: Okay, that's fair too.
26:34
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
26:35
SPEAKER_02: Like like Chatfield being 30 is different than like if he was 33 coming up on a contract year, I think it's a little different.
26:41
SPEAKER_02: Like Gossaspare is probably a different story, but excuse me, Gaza Spare has been like a perfect power play quarterback for them.
26:49
SPEAKER_02: And you know, until you find a guy that can replace that, you gotta hang on to him.
26:53
SPEAKER_02: So how long, but how long two years, two years for God?
26:56
SPEAKER_02: I'd signed I'd signed Gaza Spare to a two-year extension right now.
26:59
SPEAKER_03: But guess what?
27:00
SPEAKER_03: Guess what I'm asking though is like is there a window?
27:03
SPEAKER_03: And because here's the thing that I am always thinking about.
27:05
SPEAKER_03: You got guys that are expiring deals, you've also got young players that are itching to get, and I know that they're not maybe they're really close to NH already.
27:16
SPEAKER_03: If you eat that spot up for let's just say more than a year, you're preventing these guys from getting that opportunity.
27:22
SPEAKER_03: And I know they're in the cup window.
27:23
SPEAKER_03: So how do you balance those two things?
27:26
SPEAKER_02: Well, you might have to update me.
27:27
SPEAKER_02: Like I know like Perron, obviously, the stud Rapkin, Poirier at Penn State.
27:34
SPEAKER_02: You you might have to update me on like who who is Carolina's like prospect defenseman.
27:38
SPEAKER_02: Is there what is there one that I wouldn't know?
27:40
SPEAKER_02: You've got like Don Badenka is a righty, he's but he's still young, 20.
27:44
SPEAKER_03: He's 20.
27:47
SPEAKER_01: Okay, you've got Uel Nstrom, you've got Noel Fronson, you've got uh you know Charles Alexis Legaux.
27:53
SPEAKER_01: These guys are Lego, I know.
27:55
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, they're all potential players in the NHL, plus they've got some big-time Russians back in Russia who are coming over probably in the next year or two.
28:02
SPEAKER_01: Okay, they've got a lot of depth on the blue.
28:03
SPEAKER_01: Oh, and they've got Hawkinson, who they drafted this year.
28:06
SPEAKER_01: William Hawkinson, who looks really interesting.
28:09
SPEAKER_01: So where does he play?
28:10
SPEAKER_01: They got players coming.
28:11
SPEAKER_01: He's in Sweden.
28:12
SPEAKER_01: He's in Sweden right now.
28:13
SPEAKER_02: They got a lot of European guys, which I yeah, a lot of Europeans.
28:16
SPEAKER_02: Those aren't the guys that I get to see.
28:18
SPEAKER_02: I get to see the college guys and maybe the USHL players.
28:21
SPEAKER_02: But so yeah, I I don't really know what their prospect pool looks like.
28:24
SPEAKER_02: But if if you feel like those guys can step in.
28:26
SPEAKER_02: But again, like with Gossespare, who who is gonna quarterback there?
28:30
SPEAKER_02: Nikishan?
28:30
SPEAKER_02: Is it Nikishan?
28:31
SPEAKER_01: Like that is that Nikishan is right now the guy that would do it.
28:34
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the guy that's kind of coming is Fronson.
28:37
SPEAKER_01: Noel Fronson.
28:38
SPEAKER_01: He's uh he's like he plays like an extra forward out there.
28:41
SPEAKER_01: He's one of those kind of guys, so he's a rover, so to speak.
28:44
SPEAKER_01: So if you feel those guys are ready, then they're I don't think they're ready.
28:48
SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't say they're ready.
28:49
SPEAKER_01: I think I think they're going the right direction, but I don't think they're ready yet.
28:54
SPEAKER_03: I'm just saying, I'm just it's always kind of confusing to me on the outside looking in how a general manager can balance those two things, because I think we all know that you're in a cup window, quote unquote, soft quotes, but it's like how do you balance those two things without like, uh I you know, we don't want to, you know, Jake Jalen Shafield like it's been a great hurricane.
29:17
SPEAKER_03: And I don't mean to be make this an elementary conversation, but it's been a great hurricane, but at what point or even a guy like Jordan Martinook, you know, he's been a great hurricane, but you're preventing a spot from a younger guy getting in because you're still in that window.
29:31
SPEAKER_03: I don't know, it's just a weird dynamic to me.
29:34
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
29:36
SPEAKER_02: Well, it's it's tough.
29:38
SPEAKER_02: Like I I uh I don't know.
29:40
SPEAKER_02: It's it's hard just because you do have the guys that you want locked in long term.
29:44
SPEAKER_02: Like that to me is the window, right?
29:46
SPEAKER_02: Like it's the the Blakes, the Jarvis and Setchikov and Yahoo and Miller and Slate.
29:51
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, the window is like as long as those guys are here, because they're all still pretty young.
29:56
SPEAKER_02: Like they're you know, maybe Aho and and Ealers are starting to get to the older side, but like you know, Svetch, Jarvis, Sankovin, Blake, like those guys are all relatively young.
30:06
SPEAKER_02: So that that window seems wide open to me, what I would say is like five to seven years, you know, like that's kind of what they have locked in.
30:15
SPEAKER_02: So you just gotta plug and play, right?
30:17
SPEAKER_02: Like I'm trying to like, did anyone really think that you know, three years ago, Taylor Hall would be a key contributor to the Carolina Hurricanes winning the cup?
30:25
SPEAKER_02: Probably not.
30:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but you gotta find you got to find a player that's a depreciating asset somewhere else and turn them into a great asset in your system.
30:34
SPEAKER_02: And that's what I think the Carolina Hurricanes have have done a good job at figuring out.
30:38
SPEAKER_02: Like even Gosses bear is one of them, right?
30:40
SPEAKER_02: For sure.
30:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and Walker.
30:42
SPEAKER_01: I mean, both of those guys, yeah, you know, they were okay, but they come to the Hurricanes and they play they play great hockey.
30:49
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, and K Andre Miller, goodness, the Rangers thought, yeah, okay, just like Brady Shea, let's let's walk away from this guy, and he he's turned out to be a horse for the Hurricanes, as you know.
31:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, that's a good conversation.
31:04
SPEAKER_01: And I and I think you know, to answer your part too, I think on this, Darren, look, the Canes are gonna keep going and rolling as long as they can with the veterans because Ron loves that.
31:15
SPEAKER_01: We know that that's his his coaching style.
31:18
SPEAKER_01: He really is he, you know, he he trusts these players and and he has confidence in them and and he's loyal to them.
31:25
SPEAKER_01: And and I think we're gonna see these guys with the canes for a while.
31:28
SPEAKER_01: I have no question about that.
31:30
SPEAKER_01: And one of the things about the canes this year is is you know, probably a kind of surprising thing, Johnny, is the number of players under contract after winning a cup.
31:41
SPEAKER_03: Crazy.
31:43
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it it's it's unheard of, right?
31:46
SPEAKER_01: I mean, usually you have a bunch of guys going in free agency because they've won the cup and they're worth a lot, and all of a sudden you're rebuilding your team, and and the can't have virtually the whole team wrapped up.
31:56
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's it's it's incredibly impressive what they've done.
32:00
SPEAKER_02: But again, I think too, like, had they not won last year, I wonder what would have happened this year.
32:08
SPEAKER_02: Right?
32:08
SPEAKER_02: Like, again, you know, it's it's obviously if things were different, they'd be different.
32:12
SPEAKER_02: But sometimes people recognize their core might not be good enough and they shake it up.
32:18
SPEAKER_02: Like the Rangers had an entire core president's trophy winner, they got to the conference final, fell short, decided it wasn't good enough.
32:26
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna blow it up.
32:27
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
32:27
SPEAKER_02: Like, and that's that's a tough decision to make.
32:29
SPEAKER_02: But I think what's happened in Carolina too is that everything there just feels so contagious, right?
32:35
SPEAKER_02: And I think honestly, it starts with Rod Brendamore and how many guys want to just play for Rod and love playing for Rod.
32:40
SPEAKER_02: Like talking to Taylor Hall, and I'll I keep using him as an example, I feel like, but yeah, he is such a refreshing guy to speak to.
32:47
SPEAKER_02: You know, I spoke to him a few times last year, media day during the cup final.
32:51
SPEAKER_02: Like he talked about feeling at home, and he was a guy who bounced around, you know, from a few teams and how he tested free agency and he ended up going to Buffalo.
33:00
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
33:00
SPEAKER_02: And sometimes the grass is always greener when you're a free agent, right?
33:04
SPEAKER_02: And I think he he finally found a place, like he said, in Carolina that felt like home and he didn't want to test free agency.
33:10
SPEAKER_02: He he he loved where he was and loved where, you know, or or what was offered to him in Carolina.
33:15
SPEAKER_02: So it just every every situation's different.
33:17
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
33:17
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
33:18
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
33:18
SPEAKER_03: I mean, that's fair.
33:19
SPEAKER_03: I mean, Taylor Hall is uh just I think it's a great example, but it's also an example of guy that's made his money too.
33:26
SPEAKER_03: You know, it's like he had that decision.
33:28
SPEAKER_03: Like, I guess he could have gone out and made nine million a year, but well, maybe not that much, but he could have, you know, six.
33:34
SPEAKER_03: He decided on three point whatever, four.
33:37
SPEAKER_01: So another another interesting thing as we're talking about some of these player situations, a lot of discussion about Connor Hellibuck and uh possibly going to the Keynes.
33:49
SPEAKER_01: Of course, he goes to Jersey and that big deal.
33:52
SPEAKER_01: What did you think about all the Halibuck discussion and and you know the Keynes place in this?
33:58
SPEAKER_02: From a Keynes perspective, I mean, I think it obviously would have been a slam dunk to get him.
34:03
SPEAKER_02: You know, I think I said this summer if he goes to Carolina, wrap up the show.
34:08
SPEAKER_02: You know, what's there to talk about?
34:10
SPEAKER_02: But with with Halibuck particularly, as well, I like I I haven't talked to him a whole lot.
34:18
SPEAKER_02: Like I can't really get a sense of him.
34:21
SPEAKER_02: I don't think he was a guy, or from what it sounded like, you know, we're we're Larkin situation, it feels like he's been so deprived of playing competitive hockey that he really wants to go to a team that's right there and ready to win.
34:34
SPEAKER_02: Whereas Hellibuck, you know, he's gone to a conference final, he's helped Winnipeg compete.
34:39
SPEAKER_02: They've they've I think they won the president's trophy a few years ago.
34:43
SPEAKER_02: Two years ago, you know, like he's he's he's been on good teams, and I think he sees value in in also helping a team get over the hump as opposed to a team who you know, like I think he's smart enough to understand, like if he goes to Carolina now, everyone's like up Connor Hellbuck just chasing a cup and chasing a ring.
35:02
SPEAKER_02: But there's there's just a lot more to it than that.
35:06
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if players truly think that way.
35:08
SPEAKER_02: I know LeBron certainly did when he and I don't know this is off topic, but LeBron did an interview with EspN and he's like, Well, if I went to the Knicks now, I know what everybody would say about me.
35:17
SPEAKER_02: And while he might have been kidding, it is true.
35:19
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know what I mean?
35:20
SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
35:21
SPEAKER_02: I think Hellibuck, I think Hellibuck is actually in the perfect spot.
35:25
SPEAKER_02: Like, I think the Devils, like, honestly, have been a team that has been so good for the last few years.
35:31
SPEAKER_02: Things have not gone their way due to health and and all that stuff as well.
35:34
SPEAKER_02: But they also haven't had a goalie like Hellibuck in over a decade.
35:38
SPEAKER_02: So for him to be the guy who could possibly be the hero in Jersey and be the guy to help them elevate that much more, I think it makes a better fit for him than you know a team who just won it and honestly doesn't need that caliber of a goalie to win it.
35:54
SPEAKER_02: Obviously, it helps them, but they don't need it.
35:56
SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
35:57
SPEAKER_02: It just the the whole situation was interesting just because it was so different than Larkin, just because Halibuck seemed open to going more places right from the jump than Larkin did, where Larkin was like, I only want to go here, here, here.
36:08
SPEAKER_02: Like three.
36:09
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
36:10
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
36:11
SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, we're seeing we're seeing more of this, you know, with players kind of you know making their statement very strong.
36:17
SPEAKER_01: And and I wanted to mention Simon Edmondson because you know, he's another guy that uh is sitting out there, and and and you kind of wonder about these players, young players sitting at home, not doing themselves a favor.
36:29
SPEAKER_01: What is your thought on the Edmondson thing?
36:33
SPEAKER_02: Again, I think it's just you know, a player who knows his value, maybe.
36:39
SPEAKER_02: And that I I don't really know what the offer I haven't seen, like has there been a report about like an offer that was made?
36:46
SPEAKER_02: I don't know, or or a number?
36:47
SPEAKER_02: Because I haven't seen that.
36:50
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I feel like maybe he's a guy who thinks he's been lowballed and he sees that the captain wants out, he sees the direction of the franchise, and if he can have any sort of control over it, he's obviously going to use any leverage that he has.
37:02
SPEAKER_02: Although, as an RFA, this is a situation where usually the team has a lot of leverage.
37:06
SPEAKER_02: But I I don't know where he ends up.
37:08
SPEAKER_02: I've seen the rumors that people think he does end up in Carolina, or him and Larkin both go to Carolina, which would be crazy.
37:14
SPEAKER_02: That'd be awesome.
37:14
SPEAKER_02: And Carolina, I mean Carolina is a team right now that has the flexibility to do whatever they want because they have the money, they have the assets.
37:21
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, I I think you guys had it in the run down in the rundown.
37:24
SPEAKER_02: Like I said the other day, if they if they wanted to go get Quinn Hughes as a rental, they could do it.
37:28
SPEAKER_02: They could do it.
37:28
SPEAKER_02: They can they can, but they can.
37:30
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if that's what they want to do or if that's like the smartest thing to do necessarily, because you know, you don't want to give up a ton of assets that you have built up and do have just to you know take a crack at it this year.
37:41
SPEAKER_02: But with Quinn Hughes, like if they went if they were to get him as a rental, like you're telling me there's a team out there better than the canes right now?
37:47
SPEAKER_02: Because I I I wouldn't think so.
37:49
SPEAKER_02: So let's stoke that fire.
37:51
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
37:51
SPEAKER_03: Let's stoke that fire a little bit.
37:53
SPEAKER_03: So let's revisit that.
37:54
SPEAKER_03: Who who who put that bug in your ear about this?
37:57
SPEAKER_02: That was a buddy of mine named Dan Jackson out in Minnesota, and he just texted me.
38:02
SPEAKER_02: Well, I mean, the the Nikkei thing was interesting, right?
38:04
SPEAKER_02: Like we were all kind of like, okay, they sign Nikishan, he'll play, and they're probably gonna end up trading him, I would think, right?
38:10
SPEAKER_02: Like they don't want to go through this again next summer.
38:12
SPEAKER_02: You know, it's just gonna be the same thing.
38:14
SPEAKER_02: So if you could trade a guy like Nikishan and Quinn Hughes isn't signed, if they could somehow come up with a way to get Nakeishan signed while the team still has control over him as an RFA, you know, kind of uh a recoup for Billy Guerin in the Minnesota Wild, they can also get a guy like Rapkin, get a guy like Nadeau, you know, a couple first-round picks which would make up for what they gave up to get Quinn.
38:34
SPEAKER_02: You know, it's kind of like I don't know what the term would be, but it's not a huge swing and miss for a guy like Garin.
38:40
SPEAKER_02: I think a comparison would be, you know, Tolspie going after Randon, right?
38:44
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, you you recognize that he didn't want to stay and you went and got Stengoven and a bunch of other assets from Dallas, and that ended up being a blessing in disguise.
38:52
SPEAKER_02: So I I just think that if you are the Minnesota Wild, if you're Billy Garin and Quinn isn't signed, you know, around the deadline, that is an option you can possibly explore.
39:02
SPEAKER_02: And for Quinn, you know, again, where he wouldn't want to, you know, maybe have to move a couple times, but if he's not signed to the deadline, you just have to assume he's going to free agency.
39:11
SPEAKER_02: So for him to maybe want to embrace that for you know a three-month, four-month stretch, that'd be cool.
39:17
SPEAKER_02: But also I could see Minnesota with how well they're playing, just end up hanging on to him and risk losing him for nothing just to take a crack at it.
39:24
SPEAKER_02: You know, it's it's a tough role rampable.
39:26
unknown: Yeah.
39:27
SPEAKER_03: And he fits so crazy to me.
39:29
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I don't know if the the idea is for him to play with his brothers or not.
39:32
SPEAKER_03: I know that that's the that's the consensus or at least the general consensus, but man, it seems like he fits so well at Minnesota.
39:40
SPEAKER_03: And I'm there's so few players that have the puck on their stick.
39:44
SPEAKER_03: John, it just first of all, it feels like he never has the puck on his stick.
39:48
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
39:48
SPEAKER_03: But it the guy that can just impact the game.
39:51
SPEAKER_03: I've never seen a guy that size impact the game like him.
39:55
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I I like his skating is just yeah, it's out of this world.
40:00
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, I've talked to Mario Ferraro, it was like one of my favorite guys in the NHL.
40:04
SPEAKER_02: He was in love with the shirt.
40:07
SPEAKER_02: He was a teammate of mine at UMass for that year I was for one of the years that I was there.
40:11
SPEAKER_02: And you know, I remember him a few years ago saying, like, I just love watching Quinn Hughes walk and dance on the blue, like he was doing this.
40:17
SPEAKER_02: Like, Quinn just gets the puck, and I feel like everyone just kind of is like, don't embarrass me.
40:23
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
40:23
SPEAKER_02: Like that's that's that's how you defend him.
40:25
SPEAKER_02: It's it's kind of like you you are a little fearful.
40:29
SPEAKER_02: But he's a special player.
40:31
SPEAKER_02: You know, I was talking about McDavid skating last night and how like just there's no one like him, but I think on the blue line, even with how good of a skater Kale is, no one dances like Quinn Hughes dances.
40:42
SPEAKER_02: There's there's no one that could do it like him.
40:45
SPEAKER_01: No, and and what I mean when you talk about a guy like Quentin Hughes, and I know the Canes were rumored to be in the mix at some point, they're rumored to be in the mix with every major player.
40:56
SPEAKER_01: I don't necessarily see him as a hurricane type click.
40:59
SPEAKER_01: And the canes are all about the complement, it's the group, right?
41:04
SPEAKER_01: So you don't and that's one of the reasons why you know that our our top guy is a guy like Sebastian Aho.
41:11
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
41:12
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he's just uh and and last year with Aho, my favorite thing.
41:16
SPEAKER_02: Sorry, I'm just responding to this thing quick.
41:19
SPEAKER_02: My favorite thing with with Aho last year in the playoffs, Rod Brendamore, I think he was around like game four, game five in the cup final.
41:25
SPEAKER_02: He was asked, you know, are you concerned with the lack of production that you're seeing from from Sebastian Aho?
41:29
SPEAKER_02: It's actually probably after game four, probably, because I think he scored in game five.
41:33
SPEAKER_02: And Rod was like, like, we're winning games, he's playing well.
41:39
SPEAKER_02: Clearly, he's doing something right.
41:40
SPEAKER_02: So am I concerned about the lack of production?
41:42
SPEAKER_02: No, he's a good player, like that'll come at a certain point.
41:45
SPEAKER_02: But it's not like he's out there hurting our team, you know, and I think that's that's a big thing that people sometimes miss too.
41:51
SPEAKER_02: When a lot of these guys are making big time money, you count on them for goals, but if they're helping the team win and affecting how the team plays in a positive, uh, it shouldn't matter if they're not producing.
42:02
SPEAKER_02: Where if a team's losing, like let's say the Canes were a team outside the playoffs and they had a hard time scoring goals, that's when you point to Aho and say this guy needs to do more.
42:11
SPEAKER_02: But if your team's winning games and he's contributing to those wins, I don't think it matters if he scores 50 goals or 40 goals.
42:17
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
42:18
SPEAKER_02: Correct.
42:18
SPEAKER_02: Like that that's that's really it it is a team game.
42:22
SPEAKER_02: And you know, I think it's the it's the John Wooden quote, right?
42:26
SPEAKER_02: Like, it's amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.
42:30
SPEAKER_02: And I think that's kind of the way the Carolina hurricanes are structured.
42:35
SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm with Sebastian.
42:36
SPEAKER_01: If you follow the Keynes closely, you know that he takes a lot of the heavy defensive responsibilities as well.
42:43
SPEAKER_01: And you know, it's it's like right now with Jordan Stall out, man, he's really had to carry the weight.
42:49
SPEAKER_01: And he's not only been doing that, but he's been ramp racking, you know, racking up the points in big numbers.
42:54
SPEAKER_01: So he's definitely, uh, as you call him rightfully, I think Johnny's been a stud for the Canes.
42:59
SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
43:00
SPEAKER_01: Now, let's uh let's take this a little different direction for a couple of minutes.
43:04
SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about the Metro and the East.
43:07
SPEAKER_01: You're a national guy looking at this.
43:09
SPEAKER_01: You talked a lot about the New York guys.
43:10
SPEAKER_01: I'd like to hear more about them.
43:12
SPEAKER_01: Who who do you who do you like in the East this year, other than the Keynes?
43:17
SPEAKER_02: I I mean I think the Capitals are a team, certainly, that you can point to.
43:20
SPEAKER_02: I mean, are we going the entire East or just the Met with the whole Eastern Conference?
43:24
SPEAKER_01: We can you can do both.
43:25
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's fine.
43:26
SPEAKER_02: We got a few minutes.
43:27
SPEAKER_02: I think Boston's been an interesting surprise so far.
43:29
SPEAKER_02: Swayman's obviously been unbelievable.
43:31
SPEAKER_02: Montreal, I think, will get get going.
43:33
SPEAKER_02: I think they've had a slower start than most people would have anticipated.
43:36
SPEAKER_02: But Jacob Fowler, obviously, has been incredible and their goaltending looks amazing.
43:39
SPEAKER_02: You know, Florida, I think, is always gonna be a problem.
43:42
SPEAKER_02: They just gotta get into the playoffs, and then you know, people will have to figure out how to beat them in a seven-game series, you know, regular season.
43:47
SPEAKER_02: I don't think I take too much stock in.
43:49
SPEAKER_02: The Devils are the team, though, that I'm super interested in and most interested in, just because outside of Carolina, you know, I saw Mike Kelly actually tweet this before, and I'm gonna pull up the tweet actually because I responded to it.
44:01
SPEAKER_02: So Mike Kelly said that the Devils have the best per game differentials and shot attempts, scoring chances, slot shots, inner slot shots, rush chances, and rebound chances, and their second and no zone possession shots and expected goals right behind Carolina.
44:16
SPEAKER_02: So the Carolina Hurricanes, though, have always been the Devil's Cryptonight.
44:20
SPEAKER_02: Right.
44:20
SPEAKER_02: So when you actually give the Devils the goalie that they now have in Connor Hellebuck, I wonder what that series looks like.
44:26
SPEAKER_02: Because I do think the Devils offensively probably are better than Carolina while Carolina.
44:32
SPEAKER_02: Carolina might be deeper.
44:33
SPEAKER_02: I think the talent pool in Jersey is better than the talent pool in Carolina, if that's fair to say.
44:38
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think it's fair.
44:40
SPEAKER_02: That said, both teams are incredibly fast.
44:43
SPEAKER_02: I think Carolina's a little bit more responsible, although the Devils have cleaned up defensively the past like five games.
44:48
SPEAKER_02: So I would love to see what a Carolina Devils series looks like in 2026, where the previous you know four or five years, it's been Carolina all over them just because health and because you know physicality and the style of the Hurricane's play, like it's just too much for the Devils.
45:04
SPEAKER_02: But now that they had that goalie, you know, I'd love to see that as a playoff series.
45:09
SPEAKER_01: And what about some of the other guys?
45:11
SPEAKER_01: The Rangers got off to a quick start but seemed to be chilling without uh Shisturkin.
45:18
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
45:19
SPEAKER_02: I mean the Rangers, again, like when Chesterkin goes down, I think the expectations change, right?
45:25
SPEAKER_02: Like I I didn't have them as a playoff team this year, but my mind changed after I saw their first five games.
45:30
SPEAKER_02: I was like, you know what, this team is playing great team hockey.
45:32
SPEAKER_02: Shisterkin looks amazing, and I feel foolish for for my offseason predictions.
45:37
SPEAKER_02: But when Chesterkin goes down, no, I'm not even I'm not even trying to be funny.
45:41
SPEAKER_02: Like when Chesterkin goes down, you know, it's just like if they can if they can flirt with the playoffs all year, that's great.
45:48
SPEAKER_02: I think now when you lose the best goalie, it's it's it's tough, you know.
45:54
SPEAKER_02: It's tough.
45:55
SPEAKER_02: Like the the standard stays the same, right?
45:59
SPEAKER_02: You expect them to play well in front of whoever's in net, but I think expectations kind of go out the window.
46:04
SPEAKER_02: You know, so I don't know.
46:06
SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be an interesting year, but it sucks obviously losing your your best player and most important player.
46:12
unknown: Yeah.
46:12
SPEAKER_01: Well, if you look at that group of teams, and you know you've talked about a number of them, who who do you think would be the biggest roadblock to the hurricanes in the east?
46:21
SPEAKER_01: Who's gonna be the who which one or two teams are gonna be the ones that we should be keeping an eye on this year?
46:27
SPEAKER_02: I think it's obviously Florida.
46:29
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, I know it's a tired narrative, like the Kings didn't have to like but it but it just it just is Florida is the one team that I've seen that can intimidate Carolina.
46:39
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's just that's just the truth.
46:41
SPEAKER_02: And until you see otherwise, that's just how it is, right?
46:45
SPEAKER_02: So I I'd say only Florida.
46:47
SPEAKER_02: Other than that, like there's there's nobody else.
46:50
SPEAKER_01: And you don't see the caps as being a possible I mean, I love Spencer Carberry, I think he's a great coach.
46:57
SPEAKER_01: They're loaded up.
46:58
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
47:02
SPEAKER_03: I mean, holy m.
47:04
SPEAKER_03: It looks like the it looks like mighty mice, you know, mighty mice out there, you know, Carolina and and and Washington.
47:12
SPEAKER_03: It's crazy.
47:13
SPEAKER_01: I mean, when you think about Florida, I have to think about last night in that epic battle between uh Nicholas Delorier and Tanner Janot.
47:21
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, what a what a heavyweight.
47:23
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, unbelievable.
47:25
SPEAKER_01: Nicholas Delorier is an interesting guy, and we've talked a lot about him on Storm Tracker.
47:30
SPEAKER_01: He delivers some value that you often don't see if you're not watching closely.
47:35
SPEAKER_01: And not just the fights.
47:37
SPEAKER_01: He he does a lot of a lot of good things.
47:39
SPEAKER_01: And and you know, he was brought in, and I think he's here because of a team like Florida.
47:45
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he didn't he didn't really play in the playoffs last year, right?
47:49
SPEAKER_02: Like two games, maybe?
47:50
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, two games.
47:51
SPEAKER_02: I think so.
47:51
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
47:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I wonder what that looks like on playoff time.
47:55
SPEAKER_02: Like how he fits when they're fully healthy if he gets in.
47:57
SPEAKER_02: I would imagine he's in if they play Florida in a playoff series, but yeah, you never know.
48:01
SPEAKER_02: You never know when the team's fully healthy where he fits in the lineup right now.
48:04
SPEAKER_01: Well, they started the season in the first couple of games he was in because they were playing Florida.
48:08
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I played Boco and it's a good thing.
48:13
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
48:14
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think it's just it's in insurance, right?
48:16
SPEAKER_01: You know, if you go up against a team like like Florida, you better have some heavyweights, you know, available because the Kachuk's and everybody else are gonna drive you crazy.
48:26
SPEAKER_03: And I don't know if you saw any, you know, you know, being the cup winner and seeing a bunch of local fan clips, you know, Johnny and seeing Nick DeLaurier celebrate.
48:37
SPEAKER_03: He was having a lot of fun celebrating a cup win.
48:41
SPEAKER_03: I mean, he had a lot of fun, you know.
48:44
SPEAKER_03: So it the some of those fan videos and seeing him at the local bars and stuff was that was actually enjoyable just to watch.
48:52
SPEAKER_03: So anyway.
48:55
SPEAKER_01: Well, Johnny, as as we wrap up, any final thoughts you'd like to uh share with uh the Kaniacs and others that are uh watching listen.
49:04
SPEAKER_02: Sorry for not talking about you guys as much as you as you should be talking about.
49:08
SPEAKER_02: But uh but but again, it's it's a compliment.
49:11
SPEAKER_02: It's a compliment.
49:12
SPEAKER_02: And guess what?
49:13
SPEAKER_02: As soon as the canes lose three in a row, if that happens, we'll talk about them.
49:16
SPEAKER_02: Because you know what?
49:17
SPEAKER_02: That's not expected.
49:18
SPEAKER_02: So yeah, blessing and curse at the same time for for the Carolina Kenya X.
49:24
SPEAKER_02: But but thank you both.
49:25
SPEAKER_02: I I really appreciate you guys having me on and the kind words, Tom and Darren.
49:28
SPEAKER_02: Like it's it's very nice and uh always happy to do this when I can.
49:31
SPEAKER_03: Well, congratulations again.
49:32
SPEAKER_03: You're you're just you're killing it.
49:34
SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
49:34
SPEAKER_03: Appreciate that.
49:36
SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
49:37
SPEAKER_01: Okay, and and Johnny, maybe you could just share with the folks where they can watch you or see you in the days ahead.
49:44
SPEAKER_02: Daily FaceOff YouTube channel, 9 a.m.
49:46
SPEAKER_02: every day.
49:46
SPEAKER_02: That's where you can find me.
49:47
SPEAKER_02: That's where we don't talk about the canes.
49:49
SPEAKER_02: So if you are a Canes fan, come listen.
49:53
SPEAKER_02: Thank you guys.
49:54
SPEAKER_01: And you've got the other one with uh Mike Rupp.
49:56
SPEAKER_02: Yes, that's uh the Tri-State Hockey Podcast.
49:58
SPEAKER_02: That's twice a week.
49:59
SPEAKER_02: Either Tuesday, Wednesday, always Friday.
50:01
SPEAKER_02: But depending on the schedules of the three teams, we we kind of alter between Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
50:05
SPEAKER_02: So today we're doing it today because the Islanders and Devils both played last night.
50:08
SPEAKER_02: So we decided to record today instead of yesterday.
50:11
SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
50:11
SPEAKER_02: Fantastic.
50:12
SPEAKER_02: Thank you guys.
50:13
SPEAKER_01: No, that's awesome.
50:14
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, thanks again, Johnny, and uh we'll look forward to uh maybe getting together in the future when things are a little bit uh maybe spicier for the hurricane.
50:22
SPEAKER_01: We've got radio and the old lots to say about it.
50:25
SPEAKER_01: Thousand percent.
50:27
SPEAKER_01: Thank you guys.
50:29
SPEAKER_01: Everyone uh watching and listening, thanks uh for making StormTracker a part of your day.
50:34
SPEAKER_01: And remember, you can now take Storm Tracker with you wherever you go with the new Storm Tracker app.
50:40
SPEAKER_01: We always enjoy hearing from you, so leave your thoughts or comments, or if you have questions for Johnny or Darren or myself, uh please leave those for us and we'll get back to you just as quick as we can.
50:51
SPEAKER_01: And let us know which Metro team you think will be the biggest challenge for the Canes this year.
50:58
SPEAKER_01: As always, we're delighted you spent time with us today, and we look forward to getting together with you real soon, right here on Storm Tracker.
51:07
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us.
51:09
SPEAKER_00: Be sure to follow or subscribe and share Storm Tracker with your fellow kaniacs.
51:14
SPEAKER_00: And remember, for everything can, you need Storm Tracker.