Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / NBA & NHL Final 4 previews with Jackson Gatlin & Joe O'Donnell, Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

Transcript

NBA & NHL Final 4 previews with Jackson Gatlin & Joe O'Donnell, Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:00
Hour number two, Miller and Condon, Iowa Sports Radio
0:02
network with you until 2O clock, top of the hour, turn things
0:07
over the drive. Heather and Lucas take you until
0:09
5:00, then overtime. Iowa.
0:11
Coming up on our program, we're going to talk to Jackson Gatlin.
0:15
We'll preview the conference finals in the NBA.
0:18
Look forward to doing that, hopefully doing that.
0:21
And then Joe Donald covers well, he's the radio voice of the
0:25
Minnesota Wild will get his take on the conference final Carolina
0:29
versus Florida. That game goes tonight.
0:32
And then the scene shifts out West Dallas and Edmonton.
0:36
Game one of that series. And honestly, I think I'll get
0:42
Trent's take on this in a second.
0:45
All four of the series that are about to embark and we're about
0:49
to embark on I, I don't have a good feel honestly for any of
0:52
them. I, I think either of Carolina or
0:57
Florida could win, either Dallas or Edmonton could win Minnesota,
1:02
OK C or or Indiana and New York. I, I mean, if you had to give me
1:07
$100, fine, give me one winner. I'm not so sure I would get it
1:12
right. Well, and that's what's crazy to
1:14
me because I mean, the series price, all right, we talked
1:16
about this yesterday. Pacers, Knicks, Pacers plus 140
1:19
Knicks -160 All right, that makes a ton of sense because,
1:23
yeah, these teams are relatively even.
1:25
Knicks got home floor OK, you can go that direction.
1:27
The hockey series are tight, as I would certainly anticipate.
1:31
Panthers -132 Hurricanes plus 1/12.
1:34
And hurricanes have home ice. Oilers -125 Stars plus one O 5.
1:39
And the stars have home ice. And yet we go back to the one
1:42
that has some regional interest here with the Timberwolves.
1:45
I get it. I'm a Timberwolves fan.
1:47
We watch more T Wolves than we do anybody else in the NBA, both
1:50
of us during the regular season. And certainly that's the team
1:53
that we watch a ton still to see them.
1:56
It's moved down slightly, but still at plus 280.
2:00
Does it seem like a before series that one has the best
2:03
chance of a? Blowout.
2:05
I know I. Can't I just can't get there And
2:11
and I just, I don't think my fandoms getting in the way.
2:15
I have a lot of fandom and I feel like for the most part I
2:17
can move my way past it when it comes to kind of handicapping
2:21
things and looking at things and just talking about them here on
2:23
the air. But that one I'm really
2:26
struggling with. So what are we missing about
2:29
OKC? What are why is that team
2:31
considered of these 4 remaining playoff series, NHL and NBA?
2:36
Why is the gap that significant? Because I I don't know for sure
2:40
because like you say, we watch the Timberwolves.
2:42
We don't watch a lot of any of the others, but they just have
2:45
their way with everybody during the regular season.
2:48
It's not like I'm sure that there were a few of these games
2:50
that were, you know, last bucket in the last, last possession,
2:54
but they're they're beating teams by 10/15/20 points on any
2:59
given night. They go into Boston, they beat
3:02
the Celtics when the Celtics seem like they were unbeatable,
3:05
that this is a preview of the of the NBA Finals that and they had
3:10
their way with the Celtics. They're deep.
3:13
As you've mentioned multiple times.
3:15
They have a huge edge when it comes to depth.
3:18
I don't know. I don't know what it is, but I
3:20
think the T Wolves are going to give them all they want.
3:22
And to your point about just throttling teams, so their point
3:25
differential this year. Well, what was it?
3:27
12.9. That's got to be on top of the
3:30
league. It is second in the West, the
3:33
Clippers at 4.7. They're beating teams by an
3:38
average of 13 points a game. I didn't.
3:40
Think it was that best? Second best of the West is 4.7.
3:44
Now also admittedly, the Cavs, they're at 9 1/2.
3:47
The Celtics were at 9.1. But that's just shows you the
3:50
gap between them and everybody else.
3:52
And holy mackerel, we also have to remember, and sometimes our
3:56
mind does play tricks. So much of this is mathematical,
3:59
right? It is power numbers.
4:00
We talk about power numbers a lot more as it pertains to
4:03
football. What does this injury mean to
4:05
the power number? What is that?
4:07
We don't talk about it a ton in basketball, at least the NBA,
4:11
because we don't touch regular season NBA.
4:13
I think that's probably the reason during college basketball
4:15
we talk about. How many?
4:16
How many NBA regular season NBA games prior to April did you
4:20
bet? Oh, 10.
4:24
That's not very many for you. And we're talking about, I mean,
4:27
hundreds and hundreds of games, and it was probably a night
4:30
where there's nothing in college and I'm looking around for
4:32
something to fire at or something.
4:33
Friday night. Yes, something for us to talk
4:36
about at 1:50. That's basically kind of what it
4:39
was and probably the reason behind it.
4:41
That shows you though this 8 OKCT when you're looking at the
4:45
new yet I watched that series against the Nuggets.
4:49
I walked away with a lot different feeling and thought
4:52
about that squad than I did beforehand.
4:55
More pause or you're more impressed.
4:57
No, that there's more work warts than I thought they were going
5:01
to be. So it's not going to be the
5:03
cakewalk that many in the media feel like it's going to be for
5:06
this team that. That's how I walked away after
5:08
the seven game against Denver. I kind of feel the same way and
5:12
I gosh knows, I certainly hope that you're right.
5:14
I mean, Dort's going to lock you down defensively.
5:16
SGA, we know what he brings to the table.
5:18
Jet Holmgren, Hartenstein is a rebounding machine, so he's
5:24
going to get his numbers out there.
5:25
But this Tim Wolves team, I mean, the way they're
5:28
dispatching teams, that's what gets my attention.
5:31
I think it's going to be a good series.
5:33
But back to my original point, I mean, if you had to give me $100
5:37
to Betty, no doubt about a winner in the conference final
5:41
in either the NBA or the NHL, I'm not sure that I could and
5:44
get it right. And because of all that, I'd
5:46
probably just take the Timberwolves because of the plus
5:48
280 price. Yeah, probably.
5:50
So Jackson Gatlin covers the NBA, Locked on NBA and he joins
5:54
us to help us out. We think we're about to embark
5:56
on 2 classic conference finals and, and we, you know, we see
6:01
the odds. We see that OK C is, you know, a
6:03
bigger favorite than obviously the Knicks are out east.
6:06
And I like the Pacers personally, but that aside, but
6:10
I don't think this OK C team is just going to be rubber stamped
6:14
into the Finals. How do you see it, Jackson?
6:16
Thanks for giving us a few minutes.
6:18
Appreciate it. Yeah, absolutely.
6:20
Guys, look, honestly, the way that the Nuggets were able to
6:24
push OK C there in the second round, you know, OKC isn't as
6:30
flat out dominant as I thought they would be this post season.
6:34
And I think the Timberwolves match up incredibly well with
6:36
them. They've got the right guys that
6:39
they can throw out there. They've got different different
6:41
looks that they can throw out there with Gobert and Nasri and
6:44
Julius Randle in the front court.
6:46
And then just the toe to toe battle between SGA and Anthony
6:50
Edwards, like those two guys going head to head each and
6:52
every night is going to be absolutely spectacular.
6:55
And, and we kind of saw it in that Denver Nuggets, right?
6:58
The OKC offense can be kind of inconsistent.
7:01
The shooters on the perimeter can have their issues at times.
7:05
And that's going to be kind of the interesting tidbit to follow
7:08
here in this series is what does the OKC offense ultimately look
7:11
like against the Wolves defense? Game one, let's take a a more
7:16
micro look at this one and take a look at game one.
7:19
Timberwolves with all the rest that they have had.
7:21
Obviously the second gamer for the Thunder.
7:23
Is that impactful? Do we overrate that?
7:26
How do you see the rest versus Rust factor happening here
7:29
tonight in game one? Yeah, the rest versus rust thing
7:32
is so interesting because I feel like every year there's, there's
7:35
examples that you can point to of both sides, right?
7:38
There's there's moments where you can point to like the
7:40
Nuggets, right, taking game one against OKC and you're like, OK,
7:42
cool. Like, you know, the, the, the,
7:45
you know, maybe the, the rust was a factor for OKC.
7:48
And then there's times where you're like, OK, no, the rest is
7:50
very important for sometimes older teams, that kind of thing.
7:53
I do think we kind of it's maybe a bit overblown at times, right?
7:58
I mean, you know, the wolves have an extra what, 4 days of
8:03
rest, 5 days of rest, something like that.
8:05
So I I really don't think that's going to play into this Series A
8:08
ton. If anything.
8:10
What it does though, is it gives the team with more rest, more
8:13
time to game plan. That's the thing.
8:15
It is right. You know, the Wolves have been
8:17
sitting there game planning for both opponents potentially, but
8:22
having all that extra time to figure out schemes and, and, you
8:25
know, cut time for the coaching staff to try and figure out
8:28
different counters and, and, and watching the previous series,
8:32
right, watching the Thunder, watching the Nuggets compete
8:34
against each other. And I think that's actually
8:36
maybe the more important element than anything is just having
8:38
more time to game plan and prep for your upcoming opponent.
8:42
Julius Randle, obviously he took a lot of pressure off Ant being
8:46
the the the scoring threat. I just go there's some other
8:49
dudes on that team. Obviously, McDaniels can, it is
8:52
etcetera, Nas Reed, it's been great.
8:54
But my question to you, Jackson, can Randall keep this up?
8:57
Does he need to keep it up for the Wolves to have a chance to
9:00
advance? Randall's going to have to keep
9:04
it up and and so absolutely, I don't know what he's going to
9:08
look like against the OKC defense, right?
9:10
We saw the earth. We saw OKC throw Alex Caruso on
9:16
Nikola Jokic and find a way to slow him down.
9:19
Now, granted, is it, you know where we're going?
9:21
To be completely honest, you're right.
9:22
Caruso was fouling the hell out of you like every possession,
9:26
but wasn't being whistle for, right.
9:27
It was a very smart kind of gamble by Mark Dagnol and the
9:30
Thunder. Can they get away with with that
9:33
again, right? Can you get away with putting a
9:35
small on Julius Randle at being extra physical with him the
9:39
moment the ball touches the floor or on entry passes and
9:43
that kind of thing? I cannot count the number of
9:44
times in game seven that we saw an entry pass go into Jokic and
9:48
they get tipped away or deflected and then, you know,
9:51
led to a fast break opportunity for the Thunder.
9:53
That's going to be the really interesting thing to me is, you
9:56
know, Anthony Edwards is is safe, secure.
9:59
He's going to be, you know, the primary ball handler, right,
10:01
Mike Conley, steady veteran, you know, he's but but outside of
10:05
those two guys, right, who's really going to be able to
10:07
initiate offense, right? Who's going to be able to put
10:09
the ball on the floor and try to make something happen against
10:12
that Thunder defense, which is the kind of historically great
10:15
defense? Well, jump over to the East as
10:18
the Pacers of the Knicks, like we all had it, are playing of
10:21
the Eastern Cup. No, it's not 1996, it is 2025.
10:26
Make the case how the Pacers win this series against the Knicks.
10:31
The Pacers win this series against the next by being where
10:33
they've been since, I don't know, a couple months into the
10:37
season, once they kind of started turning things around
10:39
and things started clicking for them again the way that they
10:41
were last year. This Pacers team plays with such
10:45
tempo offensively, and you know, there's a difference between
10:50
like pace and tempo, right? Pace is just, you know, playing
10:52
fast, taking the ball out of the net, all that stuff.
10:54
But the tempo with which they play offensely, right?
10:56
They get into their sets so quickly, they're constantly
10:59
attacking you. Every guy on the floor from all
11:02
five guys at every single position can put the ball on the
11:05
deck, make a play, make the right read to the next guy.
11:08
Their offense is seamless and when it's being spearheaded by
11:12
Tyrese Halliburton, a guy who, you know, makes very few
11:15
mistakes on the basketball floor, I don't know, like the
11:19
Pacers, they're, they've just been, they have been clicking,
11:21
they've been peeking at the right moment in the playoffs.
11:25
I think, you know, I saw a graph the other day, they have like 4
11:29
or maybe 5 of the top three-point shooters this
11:31
postseason so far. So, you know, maybe their
11:35
shooters, maybe their role players come back down to earth
11:37
a little bit. But I think it's more or less
11:39
just kind of who the Pacers are at this point.
11:41
And that's going to be a lot for the Knicks to try to handle.
11:45
Who's the most underrated Nick going into this series?
11:48
We know Bronson's gonna get his cats a rebounding machine and an
11:52
Obie's a terrific player. Mitchell Robinson's defense,
11:56
maybe the I don't think it's the credit it deserves.
11:59
Who on this Nick's roster are you looking for to make an
12:03
impact on that series that maybe we wouldn't Wouldn't be the
12:05
first person that comes to mind. You know, it's tough because I
12:10
want to say he's he's both underrated and like and properly
12:13
rated at the same time, but I'm going to have to go with Josh
12:16
Hart. He's such a difference.
12:18
He's such a difference maker for that Knicks team.
12:20
And you kind of just, you know, because of all the other big
12:22
names, right, because you've got the Brunson cat and then even on
12:25
the wings, right, with with Bridges and Ananovi, right,
12:28
Those guys are are, you know, when you think, OK, how how's
12:31
the Knicks defense going to stop guys, right?
12:33
You immediately your mind jumps to Bridges and Ananovi first is
12:36
like like the first line defenders are the guys are going
12:38
to be taking the toughest defensive assignment.
12:41
But Josh Hart is right there. He is the glue that really helps
12:44
hold that Knicks team together. The rebounding, the defense,
12:48
even his offensive production at times being able to put the ball
12:51
on the floor, make something happen attacking the rim.
12:55
He's going to be, you know, assuming he's going to have his
12:58
fair share of responsibilities trying to slow down Tyrese
13:01
Halliburton in this series. But if they get, you know, the
13:04
best version of Josh Hart consistently throughout this
13:08
series, then and that that's kind of I think maybe the swing
13:11
factor or the one of The X Factor guys for the Knicks.
13:14
So I got a little free roll for you.
13:17
Eastern Conference or Western Conference MVP.
13:20
None of the favorites, no SGA, no Anthony Edwards in the East,
13:23
no Brunson or Halliburton. Give me a long shot.
13:26
Give me something that I could put My Portfolio here and and go
13:29
and say, you know what, let's make a big splash.
13:31
Who do you got that surprise MVP in either the East or the West?
13:36
Oh man, OK, surprise MVP in the East.
13:40
I'm going to say Andrew Nemhard for the wow.
13:45
He had a grace been grace so far.
13:47
That's a. Good one.
13:47
Nemhard is is a playoff riser. That dude, just somehow he
13:52
levels it up. He turns it takes to another
13:54
level in the postseason. He's been incredibly efficient.
13:57
He's hit big shots. He does so much for that pacer
14:01
squad. Even moments where like Tyree
14:03
Caliburn gets in foul trouble, whatever, and then suddenly
14:05
Nimhart's like, no, I got this, I'll step up.
14:08
So he's awesome on the other side in the West.
14:12
Oh, OK, Not thinking big names. OK, surprise candidate.
14:20
I'm going to say, you know what I'm going to I'm going to I'm
14:24
going to piggyback off of the previous round.
14:27
This is going to be a super deep cut, very, very, you know,
14:32
unlikely to happen. So Alex Caruso, Alex Caruso for
14:37
the Thunder, if he's able to bring forth another defensive
14:41
performance like he did against Denver, if he's a a huge pivotal
14:45
part of slowing down Julius Randall and or right Anthony
14:49
Edwards, then then that that would be an interesting one to
14:52
me. Although it's going to be a
14:53
little bit harder if he's coming off the bench.
14:55
So maybe that's a really far out there 1.
14:57
Caruso's 250 to 1 and 65 to one for Nemhard.
15:03
So those are the prices available on both those guys.
15:05
I like it. Holmgren going up against the 2
15:08
headed monster of Reading Gobert who was ever in at the time.
15:12
Is Holmgren built for Rudy Gobert, you know?
15:17
The thing about Holmgren that's so weird is, right, there's
15:20
there's certain matchups that you look at and you think, OK,
15:22
yeah, he's going to get taken advantage, advantage of, right?
15:25
There were plenty of moments, obviously.
15:27
Look, the Thunder elected to keep Chet Holmgren off of Nikola
15:30
Yokich for this specific reason, right?
15:32
They wanted to go with the small strategy.
15:34
They wanted to get away with, you know, being extra physical
15:37
and fouling. And it also helped Chet to be
15:39
that weak side shot blocker, right?
15:41
And be able to rotate over and be in position to rebound rather
15:45
than necessarily, you know, bumping and bruising and, and
15:47
dealing with a big down low like that.
15:50
Good news is for Chad Holmgren, Rudy Gobert is not that big.
15:53
Like he's not that offensive oriented big.
15:56
Rudy Gobert to this point is his career.
15:59
Like I, I, I love, I have a great appreciation for what Rudy
16:02
Gobert does defensively, but he gives almost zero of anything on
16:08
offense. Like he's not even like the
16:09
consistent lob threat over the top of the rim being 7 foot 2,
16:12
which is kind of ridiculous. So I don't think this is going
16:16
to be like a bad match up whatsoever for Chet Holmgren.
16:20
He's going to have his work cut out for him on the boards,
16:22
right. But this is also not going to be
16:24
a walk in the park for Rudy go pair like it was against the
16:27
Lakers where he just got whatever he wanted on the glass
16:29
because the Lakers tallest player on the court was, you
16:32
know, all 6 foot 8. So I like the match up for Chet
16:36
Holmgren. I think he'll be, I'll think, I
16:37
think like. Jackson Gatlin locked on NBAS
16:40
where you can hear Jackson. Jackson, thanks for doing this.
16:42
Appreciate it. We'll talk to you in the in the
16:44
weeks ahead. Thank you yeah, good to talk to
16:48
you list from the NBA to the NHL.
16:49
Joe Donald, radio voice of the Minnesota Wild to help us out
16:53
with the conference finals in the NHL.
16:56
Joe Trenton, Ken, thanks for doing this for us.
16:58
Joe Donald. I'll just start with this.
17:00
I I have no idea. I really don't these I think
17:04
that these four teams, both of them so evenly matched Dallas
17:08
hosting Edmonton, Carolina and they're boring style of play,
17:12
but boys it effective against the defending champs and I don't
17:16
have a clue Joe well. Kenny and Trent, great talk to
17:20
you guys as always. To be quite honest, I haven't
17:23
watched a ton of Carolina in the playoffs, but I'm I'm getting
17:26
the vibe that you have gotten Kenny, which is they just find a
17:30
way to get it done. They're not going to wow you
17:33
with their skill. They're not going to wow you in
17:35
one position and they're not going to beat the brakes off you
17:39
to the point where you have to just tap out by the end of a
17:42
series. But they skate really well.
17:44
They're extremely disciplined and they have a ton of depth.
17:48
You know, I think the one thing if we want to start in the East,
17:51
Kennedy is like Florida Man. They just they're playing a lot
17:55
of hockey again, you know, 7 game series here in Round 2.
18:00
You know, they've been to the finals in each of the last two
18:02
years. I just wonder what that does to
18:05
them this time around. It's all Tampa have three
18:08
straight years of of getting deep into in the playoffs,
18:11
winning back-to-back and then fell in the final.
18:13
I think Carolina, they, they need some confidence early in
18:16
the series. They haven't won in the Eastern
18:18
Conference final their last three trips.
18:20
They've been swept in all three over the, you know, last number
18:23
of years that those 3 appearances have occurred.
18:25
So I think if they can take advantage of game one at home
18:30
and really kind of put their mark on the series early, I do
18:32
like their chances to advance in the West.
18:35
Dude, it is. It's going to be an absolute
18:38
battle out there with with McDavid and dry sidle and the
18:42
way Edmonton's rolling right now.
18:43
And then Dallas, you know, all year long we felt that they were
18:46
a Cup contender because of the move they made and just how
18:50
close they've been in years past.
18:52
The question I had going back to the East and going to Florida,
18:55
so there Florida's in the conference final for the third
18:57
consecutive year. Ken knows a lot about Paul
18:59
Maurice. What makes him so good?
19:02
You guys know, I don't know the intricacies of hockey, I don't.
19:06
But there are these certain coaches.
19:07
I mean, I go back to my former years of Scotty Bowman, right?
19:10
Just those coaches that you hear and their teams are going to be
19:12
Goodyear after year after year. What makes Paul Maurice so good?
19:17
I think it's the belief that the players have in him, the trust.
19:21
You never see him throw anybody under the bus.
19:24
He's always got like a snide remark or two.
19:26
He's real good with the media, like they eat up his quotes, but
19:31
he's just he's got like a calm confidence, a quiet confidence
19:35
about him when you when you hear him speak because he believes
19:38
their style and the way their team is built.
19:40
But they're going to have success and they've proven that.
19:42
So I think when when push comes to shove in that series, having
19:47
the experience of a Paul Maurice, not to say Rod
19:49
Barrymore is not experienced. He won the cup at the player in
19:52
Carolina, but the fact that the Panthers know how hard they are
19:57
to eliminate, meaning like you're going to have to give
20:00
them their best. You know your best.
20:01
Punched several times to knock out the Panthers.
20:03
I I feel like that's a big advantage in this series.
20:05
Again, Carolina hasn't won a game last few times.
20:08
They've gotten to the third round.
20:10
So I wonder about their their mental sort of fragility.
20:13
Should they, you know, take an early blow or two in this
20:15
series. So but Paul Maurice is as good
20:17
as they get with the media, with his team, strategically,
20:21
structure wise, they're very disciplined and they just go out
20:24
about their business. Very similar to Carolina in that
20:26
way, except they've had the success more recently.
20:30
Seth Jones with in Florida, he was unbelievable in Game 7 on
20:34
Sunday night. Obviously, Brad Marshawn, a leaf
20:36
killer, did it again as he comes over there.
20:39
Two big acquisitions at the trade deadline.
20:41
Might those to be the difference for the Panthers to get back in
20:45
their quest of a repeat? Yeah, it's a great point slash
20:48
question, Ken, because you know, Seth Jones should be really
20:51
hungry, right? He's never achieved that.
20:54
It's been a while. Columbus and Chicago.
20:57
Yeah, and March and, you know, winning a cup, you know, over a
21:00
decade ago in Boston, you got 2 vets that have filled out a role
21:05
there very nicely. And that's the one thing about
21:06
the Panthers, like there isn't a weakness.
21:08
Their third and fourth line are so good.
21:11
Their third D pair so good. Bobrowski and Ned, I mean,
21:14
there's not one area where you go, OK, we attacked this.
21:18
I just think having played, you know, as recently as Sunday,
21:22
Carolina has an advantage early in the series.
21:24
We'll see if they can, you know, essentially take advantage of
21:27
that. Let's go out West.
21:30
I think it would be fascinating. I really do.
21:31
Jay Cotton just playing exceptionally well.
21:33
Stewart Skinner's playing incredibly well since he got the
21:36
net back. This Dallas team, they're deep.
21:41
I I don't who's the they've now. They've got a superstar in
21:44
Renton and obviously they that wasn't there before, but I'm not
21:47
sure they did up until that then nice a lot of nice players.
21:50
Don't get me wrong, is is Renton and maybe the difference in this
21:54
series. Could be certainly, you know,
21:58
and it could be the last chance for a Tyler Sagan and maybe a
22:01
Jamie Benn. I believe both are unrestricted
22:04
free agents at the end of the year.
22:06
Both are nearing the end of their really, really good and
22:09
probably Hall of Fame careers when you when you compile all
22:13
the numbers. So they've got that motivation
22:15
there to try and get it done. You know, Miro Hazen and coming
22:18
back for Dallas, fact that they did as well as they did in the
22:22
first couple of rounds without some of their better players and
22:24
Robertson and Hazen is remarkable.
22:27
And I just think Ottinger is, is a clear cut advantage over
22:31
Picard or Skinner with a combination of both in the
22:34
series for Edmonton. I I can't see Edmonton winning,
22:37
you know, a game seven in Dallas with Jake Ottinger and that
22:40
compared to who Edmonton will roll out there.
22:42
And you know, I'm not trying to disparage Stewart Skinner,
22:45
Calvin Picard. I mean, they've obviously
22:46
achieved the NHL status. They've both been so close,
22:50
Skinner last year within a win of the Stanley Cup championship
22:53
for Edmonton. I just think Edmonton has such a
22:55
disadvantage though overall compared you.
22:59
Know who's life factor too? Yeah, Yep.
23:01
Fairpoint. You know who I think might be
23:02
the difference maker for Edmonton?
23:04
He missed the whole year, but he's back for the playoffs.
23:06
Evander Kane is just a different player, you know what I mean?
23:09
Yeah, he's an awesome and he plays that style you need yes,
23:13
they and they look they've got more depth scoring.
23:16
I saw a tweet on it today like you look at guys you would
23:19
think, oh, Dallas has a deeper team.
23:20
Well, their their depth really has produced Ben Edmonton that's
23:23
been getting goals from guys like Yanmark and Connor Brown
23:26
and some of the for role players.
23:28
And maybe that's their experience from last year
23:30
shining through. Now a year later.
23:33
It's going to be a lot. I think both series have the
23:34
chance to go seven games. I think that's going to be great
23:36
for the game, should it reach that point.
23:39
You know, and speaking goaltending, I didn't even
23:41
mention Freddie Anderson and Carolina.
23:42
I haven't really watched the Hurricanes much, but Anderson,
23:45
when he's healthy is playing maybe the best hockey of his
23:48
career. And so that all of a sudden
23:50
stabilizes Carolina's position and that a little bit.
23:53
I think really it's going to be just to what could be remarkably
23:56
well played series to extremely close series.
23:59
Home ice could play a big factor.
24:01
And I really think whoever jumps out to a lead in the series
24:04
gives himself a huge upper hand and trying to actually advance.
24:08
The wild beat in both of their games this year, correct?
24:12
They're wild. Yeah, definitely one down there
24:16
in Carolina, I think. You got them at home too.
24:18
Home. Game.
24:18
I think you did, Yeah. It's crazy that the Wilds had
24:21
really good success against the Tampas and the Floridas and the
24:24
Carolinas of the world in recent years.
24:27
It's never translated then to getting out of the Central
24:30
Division in the opening round of the playoffs.
24:32
But for whatever reason, they play, some of these teams really
24:35
thought really tight. Players have been fascinating
24:38
really have last thing I saw the wild sign one of their better
24:43
prospects not only signed Bynum at the end of the year and I
24:46
think he's going to be a star in time.
24:49
Anybody gets compared to Kale Makar.
24:51
That's impressive. And then this, this kids coming
24:54
over from, I believe he's a Russian but and playing in the
24:57
best league over there as a teenager and tearing it up and
25:01
he's coming, right. Yeah, Daniel, you're off is
25:05
going to give been give be given every opportunity to make the
25:08
wild out of training camp. He's sort of like, you know, in
25:12
a lot of ways Capri soft 2 point O from a prospect standpoint,
25:16
meaning wild fans can't really get a good glimpse of them and
25:19
watch them in person because he's been playing in the KHL in
25:21
Russia. But the numbers he puts up there
25:24
compared to some of the greats that have come over from Russia
25:26
in recent years. So he was a little banged up
25:28
this season, sort of had a little bit of a down year
25:31
compared to two years ago. But it's always it's like, wow,
25:33
will he get an out clause? Can he leave his Russian team?
25:36
Well, that's happened now the Wilder signed him.
25:38
Everything has been reported, though, is that he has an out
25:41
clause to go back to Russia really at any point.
25:44
So I don't think Iowa Wild fans will get a chance to see him
25:46
like that. You know, that's in there from
25:49
like, hey, if I don't make Minnesota or things aren't going
25:51
well in the NHL, I'm going to go back to what I'm comfortable
25:54
with. Again, he's such a young kid.
25:55
I really can't blame him for that.
25:57
But he should be able to impact Minnesota offensively next year.
26:01
And you mentioned the Booyum, two exciting young players from
26:05
Minnesota that should get every opportunity to succeed next
26:08
year. Couple of the money they have to
26:10
spend, the salary cap there, you know, area this summer could be
26:14
just maybe 3 or 4 changes total the roster, but they should be
26:17
really exciting ones for the Wild.
26:19
Good stuff, Joe, Donna, appreciate you doing this for
26:22
us. We will impose on your summer
26:24
once we get the Stanley Cup finalists set.
26:27
All right, buddy. Of course, and I love talking
26:29
hockey with you guys. Take care.
26:30
Good to talk to you, Joe. Thank you very much, Joe Donald,
26:32
Radio Voice, Minnesota Wild, Jackson Gatlin locked on NB as
26:36
we take a look at the conference finals for both the NHL and the
26:40
NBA. So any any more clarity?
26:43
No, the hockey. I'm more confused.
26:45
I it's, I have no idea. I look at the goaltending and
26:50
Anderson's maybe the best right now.
26:51
Playing his man, but playing the broski's better.
26:54
But he hasn't been. Playing, but he's had some warts
26:57
himself here, I mean. The two of those has been great.
27:00
Interest, but maybe you put him #1 might.
27:03
Be. If you take away the past of
27:06
Skinner, he's playing at a level close to those other guys.
27:10
But we all remember the past, right?
27:11
I mean, you can't, you can't just take that away the.
27:14
One when I bought. Him, right?
27:15
I mean, you can't take that away because of four or five good
27:18
games. He'd be #4 if you're power
27:21
ranking it #1 would be. Yeah, put him in a hat.
27:30
Put him in a hat, pull him out. That's one through 3.
27:32
Yeah, he made some incredible saves off my Jets, he really
27:35
did. And Carolina's the biggest price
27:39
right to win it all, and I think that they're very live.
27:43
They're live dog to win it all now you're not getting great.
27:46
Praises. No, you're absolutely.
27:47
So Florida's got to be the favorite.
27:49
Edmonton second choice, Dallas 3rd and then Caroline.
27:53
Caroline's got to be the fourth choice.
27:54
Your betting favorite is the Florida Panthers Plus 235 at
27:58
Circus. Sports and then Edmonton or
28:00
Dallas. Then Edmonton at plus 2:45 you
28:04
can get the Dallas Stars at plus 320.
28:07
Carolina. What are they?
28:08
Plus 331 still not a great price.
28:12
They're the most unsexy team in the NHL.
28:15
They don't have a legitimate. They got a bunch of really good
28:18
players uniform and they're really ugly.
28:20
Yes, And they play in Raleigh, right?
28:25
Raleigh. What's up with the canes in the
28:27
diagonal? Those are the good to be the
28:29
ugliest sweaters in the whole and.
28:30
And before they got there, they had what everybody believes are
28:33
as good as sweaters as anybody's in they were the whale.
28:36
Yes. Beautiful the blue and green.
28:39
They really were Hartford whalers.
28:42
All right, we're. Late in the mall.
28:43
They did, they did those Boston Hartford games, YouTube some of
28:48
those brawls. Time to try and give somebody an
28:53
opportunity in this nationwide contest to win $1000.
28:57
You can head to KX and o.com right now.
28:59
The keyword this hour is fun. Fun at KX and o.com.
29:03
Your chance to win $1000 Fun at KX and o.com is sponsored by
29:08
Suntan City. Suntan City this promote ocean
29:11
is in the final week this go round.
29:13
Suntan City their best specials of the entire year going on
29:18
right now. Trent now come back will be us
29:21
until we get Adelon out of here just before 2.
29:25
It's the Iowa sports radio network.
29:30
No, it comes in about 20 minutes before 2:00.
29:34
Trent's plays of the day still to come.
29:35
Circus Sports will sponsor those little WNBA tonight.
29:39
Do you interested? Oh, absolutely.
29:41
OK. Good way to start off before the
29:43
7:30 tip. Now we got a doubleheader
29:45
schedule tonight on the softball fields.
29:48
What's is the rain in the forecast?
29:50
Just another sprinkling. I just don't know how well the
29:52
fields have drained. Did you guys get hail up in
29:54
Ankeny? Yes.
29:55
We got pummeled and my wife with her new car.
29:58
No, wasn't outside. She was at the shop.
30:00
Oh God, she was actually getting a new key programmed out at
30:03
Stiver hers and I said, is your car inside?
30:07
Really. She had no idea and luckily it
30:09
was. Can you imagine?
30:12
No, right? No, it'd be.
30:14
That'd be not good. My wife likes four letter words
30:17
and we would have heard plenty of those for Brit of new vehicle
30:20
for the first time in 18 years. Yeah, couple weeks in gets.
30:24
Puddled by hail? No, we got it in the rain and
30:26
the Creek behind the house is Oh yeah, spilled its banks.
30:29
And anyways, you have 4 inches, I think.
30:32
So I want to just pose this to you in our final couple of
30:36
minutes. I just opened up this during the
30:37
break. Pro Football Focus ranked there.
30:39
It's ranked season. It's.
30:41
Here we go, get ready. I'm not going to ask you to give
30:44
me the top 32, but they've got an elite tier of quarterbacks in
30:49
the NFL and only according to them, there are only four that
30:53
fit their criteria of being elite when it comes to the NFL.
30:57
Now there's one free square. Obviously we won't talk about
31:00
that #15 So he's one of them. You should be able to get the.
31:04
I shouldn't say this because there was one I would have
31:07
missed. Josh Allen.
31:09
Is on the list. He's #4. #4 on the list elite
31:13
level. Elite level Mahomes Josh Mahomes
31:16
one Josh Allen 4 who are two and three Lamar.
31:18
Jackson. That's the one.
31:19
I would have missed you. 3. You would have, I would have put
31:22
him, I would have put him in the second tier.
31:24
OK, then who am I missing because.
31:27
Now this one was a cinch to me. Joe Burrell.
31:30
Yeah, you love him. I love Joe Burrell.
31:31
Yeah. I love Joe Burn.
31:32
I love Justin Herbert and Herbert's in that next tier.
31:36
So the next. So that's a tier of its own.
31:38
A tier of these are called high end starters.
31:40
High end starters after the of which there are 4.
31:44
Another one of your heart throbs.
31:46
Justin Herbert. He's in there.
31:48
He's in there. Yeah #8.
31:51
Matt Stafford still has to be in there.
31:53
He's. #7. Jayden Daniels.
31:55
He's number. He's number six.
31:57
You're running them up now. He's the only rookie that wasn't
32:00
listed in the group of rookies like in the 20s where there's
32:03
still some work to do. CJ Stroud?
32:06
No, not in there. Not in there.
32:08
Jordan Love not in there. Super Bowl champion Jalen.
32:12
Hurt. That would be the one.
32:13
That would be the one, OK, and to dig a little deeper there,
32:15
but we got there. So and then solid starters who
32:18
have flashed high end play. So that's got to be Jordan Love.
32:22
No, still not in there. Jordan Love is solid stars but
32:25
need more help? Need more help?
32:27
OK, he's ranked #12 for all the haters out there, Brock Purdy's
32:32
11. Brock Purdy is Jared Goff
32:34
amongst. Yes, he's not here.
32:36
You're missing 1 and this guy does not belong in this.
32:37
List Baker Mayfield. He's in the next group.
32:40
He's right below Jordan Love at thirteen.
32:41
Well. Who is in this list that
32:43
shouldn't be in there? I don't think Kyler Murray.
32:46
No, he's done. You know what?
32:47
I think he should be better. I think Kyler Murray, you know,
32:49
are the Houston Arth Houston are the Arizona Cardinals.
32:52
It's a sneaky team this year. Yes, but I've lost a lot of
32:55
money in futures of the year. I have too, because those
32:57
prices, they're just winking at you during the summertime.
32:59
Have you seen Marvin Harrison Junior's physique Holy Mackerel
33:04
put together? I'll say the one you're missing
33:08
that I don't think belongs on this list.
33:10
He's not a top ten quarterback. He's listed as #10 Dak.
33:14
Prescott. No, and he's should be.
33:16
He's Dak Prescott is better than this guy Bonex.
33:20
No, he's in that group of rookies.
33:22
This guys been around for a while.
33:23
Gino Smith, Yes, He's not a top ten quarterback.
33:27
Well, he threw over 4000 yards last.
33:29
Year. No, he also threw 15
33:31
interceptions at 21. Touched like he's ahead of Dak
33:35
Prescott, Kyler Murray, Kyler Murray.
33:37
Trevor Lawrence, who's been a Buster Jordan Love, CJ Strong.
33:40
Yeah, come on, 2 has a bit of. Who'll call him a bust?
33:43
Who'll put this list? Pro Football.
33:44
Focus while they're drunk. Who's the worst quarterback in
33:47
the league? Let's go down to 32. #32.
33:50
Now this isn't fair because he's never thrown a pass yet.
33:52
Well, is it the Saints starter? Yeah, it's Chuck.
33:54
OK, Yeah, but 31's thrown a pass in the league and I don't think
34:03
he's going to be listed as the star.
34:04
Well, you never know. His guy just might, you know,
34:07
doing whatever he does. Mason Rudolph.
34:10
Homason Rudolph, Aaron Rodgers not doesn't have a team, so he's
34:15
not eligible, huh? Well.
34:15
Not only Russell Wilson, 27. 27 seals. 28 Flacco 29 Anthony
34:22
Richardson 30 I'm not sure he's going to win the job.
34:26
Boy, they loved that. There was a lot of hype with
34:28
Richardson though there. Sure was.
34:30
He can make the I see I would have been wrong about him.
34:32
I thought he was going to be a player.
34:34
I thought he was going to be a not a top ten quarterback, but I
34:38
thought he was more than serviceable.
34:39
Bust was through the roof for me.
34:42
Was it didn't play in? The beginning didn't play
34:43
enough. I think that's.
34:45
One thing, throw it a mile, doesn't matter.
34:47
That clause, my judgement, yes, doesn't matter.
34:49
You can hear the ball going through the air.
34:51
I'm I'm in. You have to be able, you have to
34:53
play. You don't have the reps.
34:55
It rarely works, it's true. That's maybe why Bo Nicks had so
34:59
much success early in his career.
35:01
One of the reasons, I mean, he played five years essentially.
35:05
You've seen a lot of things at that point.
35:08
That's why I knew Achille Smith was never going to work.
35:10
That was the first one he got right.
35:12
Did you have Russell as a bust? DeMarcus Russell.
35:15
Yes. Kelly Smith Cincinnati it's
35:20
quarter before 2 Trench plays of the day Circus sports sponsors
35:23
those They are next. Miller and Condon on the Iowa
35:27
Sports Radio Network right? Miller and Condon final segment
35:30
here. Trench plays of the day circus
35:32
sports sponsor those. More opportunities coming out
35:35
throughout the afternoon to win those bonus bucks.
35:37
This is the final week of this promotion.
35:40
Suntan City sponsors Heather and Lucas have opportunities
35:44
throughout the afternoon. Trent's got some opportunities
35:48
to win some bucks, betting on some.
35:50
Sports. Hey, I had a quick little
35:52
something for you. We were talking about the
35:54
Hartford Whalers, of course, came up.
35:56
And so I was trying to think and I couldn't get there the last
35:59
year that we had the divisions with the old names, the Adams,
36:02
Norris. Yeah.
36:04
Do you remember the six teams that comprised in the final
36:06
year, the Adams division? Boston, yes.
36:12
Hartford, yes. Montrey.
36:17
Yes. Torana.
36:19
No. They weren't in the same
36:21
division. They were not Rangers, no, they
36:26
were in the Patrick. Islanders were probably in the
36:30
Patrick. They were also in the Patrick.
36:34
Who were they? Give them to me.
36:35
Nordiques, OH, Quebec, Ottawa, who had just become a franchise
36:40
a couple years before. They went 10-70 and four that
36:43
year did the Senators and the Sabres.
36:45
We're also in that one. Real quick, do you have you have
36:47
your Google in front of you? Google 1980 Winnipeg Jets.
36:51
What, what? What was The Who went 10 and 7?
36:54
10 and 70 was Ottawa. Ottawa, yes, Google 1980 Jets.
36:58
1980 Winnipeg Jets season. Season, season.
37:03
The record. So it was.
37:05
I don't. Think they won 10 games.
37:06
The 7980 season it would have been no.
37:09
They went 2049 and 11. Due the next year.
37:12
Due the next season 957 and 14. That was brutal.
37:19
Not only was I spending the winter in Winnipeg, I was
37:22
watching a lot of bad hockey. But anyways, I wouldn't change a
37:26
friend. What are you going to bet
37:28
playing the Cubs today -133 going to lay it on the road in
37:31
Miami, Going to do the same with the Fever.
37:34
Only a 7 point favorite. And that number's come down it.
37:37
Has is there an injury outside of Cunningham that we don't know
37:40
about? That was weird.
37:42
Played your Blue Jays plus 108 against the Padres.
37:46
We'll see a Basset though. They're still not sure if he's
37:48
going to go. I did put that Basset must start
37:51
in order to play that. One as you should.
37:54
And give me the T wolves. Rest grabbing them points.
37:58
Give it the seven and a half that's out there.
37:59
We will discuss those tomorrow. Look forward to it.
38:03
All right, that's going to do it for us.
38:04
We appreciate you being here. The drive is coming up next.
38:07
Trent and I are with you every Monday through Friday from noon
38:09
until 2, talking sports with you right here on the Iowa Sports
38:13
Radio Network.