Welcome into the last off-eye show of 2024. Trust in American, salary-based mortgage consultants want to help you get into a better interest rate and lower your monthly payments. Go to TrustinAmerican.com to see how much they can save you today. Hello and welcome to the end of the show. Hello everybody. We've got a free game off-eye show before the ass take on the Winnipeg Jets. I'm Megan Angley, joined by Jesse Montano for the last off-eye show of 2024. How are you today? I'm great. The way you started the pre-roll, when you're like the last off-eye show, I was like, "Oh, are we canceled? Is this the last episode?" And I didn't know, but it's 2024. Um, I'm good, Megan. It's been a day of reflection. New Year's Eve. Yeah. You know, just nothing super deep, but just kind of looking back at the year. It's been a, this has been a year, Megan. This has been a year. Good and bad. We had some loss in our family this year at the beginning part of the year, that, you know, has made things difficult at times and challenging and emotional. But there's also been some really good, I gotta give a huge shout out to my sister Brooke. She had a baby like 45 minutes ago. Yes. Jesse, that's crazy. Yeah. So I got a new niece, a fresh, a fresh one. And so, you know, we, that's a great way to book end the year. That's incredible. You know, we've done some amazing things here at Gretel of Sports. There's been some stuff we've been very lucky to be able to experience and just a lot. A lot that has happened this year to reflect on. And so like, yeah, it's a big congratulations to my sister. Love you. We'll come see the baby once you're allowing us to come see the baby. I don't know. But so yeah, you know, it's been an interesting year. Last little thing, a new generation starts tomorrow. I don't know if you saw this go, the generation alpha ends tonight at midnight and babies born tomorrow or after midnight are part of generation beta. There's my sister got in right under the wire. How are you doing today? I'm really good. It's been a really reflective 24 hours for me too. I do a lot of things that are part of my faith and religion a little bit around the new year. And so I clean the house with special products and I do a lot of prayer and I reflect a lot about the year behind me and the one I'd like to have ahead of me. And it was really pleasant because I've had a really fantastic 2024. Nice. And a lot of it is because of making a leap and joining gorilla and being embraced here. It's been really wonderful and I'm so grateful to be here. So it's always nice to take a moment and practice a little gratitude as well. Well, yeah, they should gratitude and just there's so much that is like about life that's so crazy and so busy and so hectic, good and bad that when you can stop and look around and appreciate or just analyze what's happened around you, I think it's always good. Absolutely. Speaking of analyzing what's happening around you, we did our 10 game pyramid for the more recent 10 game stretch. They're already almost completing their next 10 game stretch since we've done that. And in doing that, we also didn't really talk about some of the team as a whole and improvements that they've made over this last stretch now really since the goal tending trade. And so I want to start with the present, talk a little bit about morning skate and the game ahead for tonight, but then I want to look back at some of the last 10 game segments through now and what is so different about this team and then get a little excited then about what that projects for the year to come. So bringing it to the present, they play the Winnipeg Jets tonight, top of the league team 8-2-0, sorry, 7-2-1, they've won their last four, second leg of a back-to-back, 55 points in the standings, highest PTO in the league as well. Abs actually are pretty favorable now though as well, so I'm not going to dog on anyone for high PTO. We just saw it with Vancouver last year, it's Winnipeg this year. Well, and I know you're still in the middle of listing things, but the abs were not looking so hot. No, they were below for a long stretch this season. No, for it to trend in the right direction is a huge testament to what they've done well lately. And if you look at it by this stretch alone too, it's pretty high, but there's a lot of things they're doing well to warrant the success that they're having to include Winnipeg though. This is another team that is doing a lot of the right things. They have a top of the league power play, which I have concerns around for the abs. The kill's been trending in the right direction, but it is not infallible. And even though they're coming in on the second leg of a back-to-back, I don't want the abs to take this game lightly. We talked about it a little bit yesterday, big measuring stick game, but they've got some good players, you know, and Schifley and Kyle Connor and then a great goaltending tandem that has continued to be good. They shut out Nashville last night. Are we getting... So how about played last night? I'm assuming then it's going to be Eric Comrie who's got a 902 save percentage, so I'm not going to underestimate the goaltending on the whole for Winnipeg. I loved what you said, and I even talked about it. I stole it, sorry, I stole your point on the Grille Sports Daily this morning. When you said that it's a measuring stick game for both teams, because I think that is so true, the abs, you know, Winnipeg's at the top of the league. They've been the best team in the NHL this year from really coming out of the gate. I believe it was at 15 and one at one point. This team ran its record too, so they've been really good. And for the abs to be able to measure themselves against, you know, the team that has been the most dominant in the NHL this year, I think is good, but I just loved your perspective of like the Winnipeg Jets were a really good team last year, right? They sat at the top of the Western Conference, sat at the top of the Central for a long time. Central division kind of came down to that last week and Dallas was able to kind of eke them out to win the division, so the Jets ended up playing the abs. And the way that I talked about it this morning was, you know, as good of a series, as good of a season, excuse me, as the Jets had last year, they got up against a team that for me, that's a real contender, it's a real championship caliber team, and the Jets just got smoked. When the abs cranked the intensity up a level, the Jets just couldn't match it. When the abs took their game to a different pace, the Jets just couldn't match it. And even Connor Hellbuck, who said that he felt like he was playing some of the best hockey of his life, finished the series with the goals against average above five. And it was, you could tell in their, you know, in the Jets post series availability, talking to other Winnipeg media members, like, you know, Megan, you and I were both there. Like there was a bit of like shell shock, like, holy shit, we weren't even competitive in most of those games. And the abs are, you know, when these two teams met earlier this season, the abs were really banged up when a peg won, but like, they're probably looking at this as going out of 2024, we want to see where we're stacking up against a more healthy version of this Colorado Avalanche team. And I just thought that that was such interesting perspective on, yes, the abs are measuring themselves against the Jets. But the Jets got an up close and personal lesson in what that next tier of contender truly is, and they will be constantly measuring themselves against the abs while they, you know, try to build a contender themselves. I think it's an important part too in the series that exists in the regular season between these two teams, abs are down. And it was a close game though, last, you know, last November, it was no one game, shut out, great, your give performance. And abs just couldn't find a goal. And I look back to some of the struggling offense at that time. And I think a lot of it was getting the top guys going. There was still a really depleted lineup at that time. And I think having, you know, luck in and break through in the Utah game recently, I have a lot of confidence in what this version of the abs now on December 31st is capable compared to what they were doing on November 7th. Yeah, 100% and like you said, great great or you have game, but a different looking group here and, and again, I think I think Winnipeg knows that, I think the abs know that. And I'm, I'm going to be really curious to see how the abs look out of the gate tonight. This is your last chance of the calendar year to, you want to leave a good stamp. You haven't beaten the jets in the regular season in five plus tries, you need to go back two seasons to find the last time the abs beat the jets in the regular season. You're on a nice stretch here, you've strung together a nice record around the holidays, finally got some rest, send yourself out of the year on a good note. The abs, let me ask you based on just your memory, don't look it up. The abs play a lot on New Year's, it become a bit of a tradition. How do you think the abs fare on New Year's Eve? I can think of a Toronto Maple Leafs New Year's game of recent history that was bad. So I'm going to use that example and go not good. So in my brain, this has always been a very successful night for the abs. This is always, yeah, you do, you do New Year's Eve, it's super fun. The abs come out and win a game, you do fireworks, you are correct. This is not historically an overly friendly night for you. I'm trying to remember what it was last year. So last year was a three to one win over the San Jose Sharks. The year before that was a six to two loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. I remember that one. The year before that was a seven to four loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The year before that was a three to two overtime loss to the LA Kings. The year before that big six one win over the Islanders. The year before that a six to two loss to the Rangers. Wow. For that, a four to three overtime loss to the Blackhawks, then you have to get back to 2014 in 14, 13 and 11 the abs won three overtime games in a row. These have been kind of bad, dramatic games too. You know, it's not like being shut out won nothing. They're overtime losses or blowout scores. Yeah, they're not really close and low event. And overall, going back to 1996, the abs have played 19 times on New Year's Eve. And if you, I'm going to lump in overtime losses with just losses, nine and 10. Okay. All right. So this is, I don't know why in my head this morning, I was like, oh, this is the New Year's game where the abs always blow jeans out and that is not the case, whatever it is, it's going to be decisive and hopefully in regulation because these OT ones are close, but that's not good for the heart and I'd like to start the New Year with less anxiety. I whole man, when I like to start the New Year with less anxiety, Megan, holy smokes. That would be great. So morning skate updates, nothing entirely new from practice the other day, but you so personally expected to make his ABC view on the fourth line, which will also feature Casey Middlestadt, who is trying to work his way through some struggles right now. Big piece of news. Jonathan Duran will make his return to the lineup. He's been out since November 23rd and he's played just five games this season. He'll be on the second line with Ross Colton as the centerman there and moving to the top power play unit is Jonathan Drew and back in that bumper spot, Mackenzie Blackwood going to start a net and Calvin Duhan stayed on pretty late with Scott Wedgewood and I think Jared Bednar has been planting so many seeds about how much he loves Keaton Middleton. I'm expecting Middleton and Molensky to be the third pairing tonight. That's shocking to me. It's a little shocking to me too. They played together in Loveland, so they're not new together as a pairing, but it still feels a little odd, so I'm trying to embrace the Middleton experience because Bednar has been very high on him now consistently and the last piece of information Ivan Ivan, upper body injury, put on IR and more week to week basis, it sounds like they're actually still kind of evaluating it and Miles Wood, proof of life. I saw Matt Theorina going to that film room, yeah, so really great, but really no new update there. Yeah, I mean, have you heard anything on Miles Wood, like have you talked to anybody? I have not heard good things. No, I haven't heard anything, month to month is bad. I have not heard good things about, it just sounds like there's a lot, like there's multiple things at play here, geez, don't take this to the bank, I have heard there's a potential he's done for the year. I mean, month to month feels like you have to have that conversation. Right, right, and like I said, don't take that to the bank. There's still a lot of season left. But after we got the most recent, yeah, it's still month to month, that was some of the, what I found out was that there's, there's some fear that Miles Wood might just be done for the season. Well, I wonder if it's like a Logan O'Connor situation where you do just need to make that call and get the body right, if it is something that warrants a procedure, I don't know if it is. And you know, you just, you almost have to, if that is the case, if you're the abs, you have to embrace it. Okay, he's done for the year. Yeah. If we need to use that money, if we need to, you know, whatever, you can do that. But we'll see on Miles Wood, but yeah, good to see that he's alive. He's alive. He's around. That sounds terrible. I know. That was why he went to, he's around. Should we play with his interviews? Yes. Let's hear from Casey Middlestadt. He had a pretty upbeat demeanor, but fully recognize some of the challenges that he's been up against lately. Yeah. And just see, I mean, you never talked about it. This would be another one. It'd be good for him to end the year on a positive note, the calendar year on a positive note, going to 2025 with a fresh start. I want to shout out Casey Middlestadt too, because he saw media hovering around him and he just at one point was like, I'm ready when you are. So he knew it was coming. I think he knew that there was his tension of look, you guys are all asking to read better about me. Yeah. Just come talk. Let's hear from him. A really great team this year. What is the expectation for tonight? Yeah. I mean, I think they're first in the league if I'm correct. So yeah, you're going to have to be ready to go. I think, you know, it doesn't matter too much on the back-to-back and yeah, they've been playing well. So we had a deep team and a lot of scales, so we're going to be ready to play. It's one of your first tastes of playoff hockey against Winnipeg. What are some things that they do well as a team? Yeah. Deep throughout their lineup and they play a consistent game and, you know, their top guys have been having a really good year and making a ton of plays. So, you know, mix that on top of some really good goal tending and, you know, I think you got a good team. So it'd be a good challenge for us and, you know, a good test to see where we're at. I'm thinking back to that playoff performance. It was really strong one from you. Do you draw upon that at all this time of year, some of the things that you were doing well personally? Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think so. I think obviously you want to look back at, you know, games you played well and then kind of think about what you did and what your focus is worth. So, you know, I think I'd be lying if I said I'd then cross your mind. But at the same time, I think it's a new year and new game, so probably a good mix of both. You're going to get a little bit of a different look on your line mates tonight. What are you trying to do? Yeah, you know, I think probably having played my best hockey lately. So just trying to work through it and, you know, find my game and, you know, start trying it in the right direction. I think, you know, I played a lot with Yuri and Camp and thought we had some good chemistry, so I'm excited to see if we can spark that again. And you mentioned working through some things. What have you pinpointed as the biggest challenge for you lately? Yeah, I don't know if it's one thing in particular, you know, I think just the consistency and, you know, finding the puck and making plays I think for me, you know, when I don't have a puck, I tend to watch a little too much. So, you know, for me getting in the battle and moving my feet is really important. Jared Bednar used the word confidence. What are some things that you do to feel confident in what you do well as a player? Yeah, I mean, I think the most important thing is just to work hard. I think, you know, hard work builds confidence and, you know, for me that's kind of how I've always thought. And it's been a weird stretch, I guess, for me. So, yeah, definitely, I think confidence is probably something that I'm focusing on right now and, you know, trying to rebuild. And in working through it, how has the coaching staff and other teammates helped you? Yeah, I mean, everyone is super supportive. I think, you know, from the coaching staff down, they've talked to me plenty of times and, you know, kind of reiterated, you know, that they believe in me and, you know, little things like that, I think, go a long way, especially if you're struggling a bit. You know, on the teammates side of it, I feel like nothing's changed when you're playing good or playing bad. So I think, you know, that's how you want it to be and, you know, I'm not going to come in the locker room and talk or power room to come with a smile and, you know, try to work through it. Are you a New Year's resolution person or do you view the New Year as a time to turn the page and have a clean slate moving forward? I'm usually not, but maybe this year I am. No, I'm just kidding, not really, I think, you know, I try to just focus on my routines and, you know, try to stay disciplined with those things and, to me, I guess it doesn't matter much if it's a New Year or not, I think you can start it any day, so not too big, I guess. Thank you so much, Casey. Casey Middlestat, all around good guy. I know you're just rooting for him to get his game back on track and, thankfully, understanding that his confidence has definitely taken a toll lately does seem like being able to, can I poke fun at yourself or keep the situation light is probably really important here. I mean, how often do we talk about mental toughness and so much? Oh, I don't know what that means. You know what that means. We haven't been back at the set in a while and we've got the dollar signs up right now. So, baby, sober, we've got a super chat. I hope you guys like the weird gift of wood I sent. I don't fully know what that means. I'm not sure, but I can guarantee that I do appreciate the weird gift of wood. 100% I'm just hoping that we get a knock at the back door and someone's got a bundle of wood, just logs, a lot of lumber, a lumber yard. Thank you, vaguely. It was nice to be. We hadn't had the lights in a while. That was great. I love that. The dollar signs. That was great. Casey Middlestadt. Casey Middlestadt. You're saying? Trying to get his game right, trying to keep things a little bit light, build his confidence back up. Thankfully too, what I like about this that's kind of quietly understated in all of it is he doesn't seem bothered by what could be considered a demotion. He seems like he's embracing it fully and talks about some of the chemistry he had with urine all in camp and so that's the attitude you have to have in order to work through this and get back to that second line role that was intended. One find a way, again, you know, we use the phrase so often gripping the stick, right? Cripping the stick too tight. The posture out there is that a dog just arrived. Am I shot? John said the dog might be coming. Oh my goodness. We might have a puppy in the office. And I don't know that his name's official, but they were thinking, Dougie, Dougie might be in the office and we're getting just no, we're saying all this and no cues from back there. Which points a dog. Get up and go. Right, right, right. There's definitely a dog. The mental toughness, you know, we talk about that so much with goal tending, but we're just with pro sports in general of being able to work through whether it be the criticism, the pressure, the expectations, outside noises, whatever it may be. It's such an important part of what you're doing, especially a player who's in the role the Casey middle set is where there are expectations. There are, there's an entire organization, entire fan base counting on you to fill a certain role. When you're going through these types of struggles, being able to keep the right perspective, a good attitude, you know, you asked about the resolutions. He's laughing, you know, keeping a smile on his face. How many times have we talked to people, players who are going through slumps and they're very serious and they don't want to talk about it and they just want to focus on tonight. And I'm just focusing on being able to keep a little bit more of a lighthearted perspective on things that's only good for Casey middle staff. I don't think hockey is a sport with much room for ego. I think confidence is absolutely important, but ego, there's an important distinction and separation and what that is. And so I think to not have any ego around being moved to a different line and having a more limited opportunity, but you made the point on a different show about different matchups too. And I just wonder if perhaps weaker matchups can help Casey to rejuvenate some of that confidence. And I like that he also pinpointed the puck watching and just being a little too hesitant. And hopefully the combination of these things is exactly what he needs to get jump started, a little boost in his game, if you will. And when I need a boost, I choose seven brew coffee. It's a one of a kind drive through and walk up experience with a fast and friendly crew that is waiting to serve all of us from rich, bold coffee to refreshing energy drinks, smoothies, teas, and more seven brew as you covered with over 20,000 flavor combinations. There's a perfect drink for everyone net seven brew, they believe in cultivating kindness with every cup and their fully customizable menu is just the beginning before you hit the road or play the last game of 2024 power up with seven brew in Firestone and experience the coffee revolution. And I think we were mentioning I don't know this for sure, but I think we're going to be getting another seven brew a little bit closer to that would be incredible and dangerous. I want to try because we haven't tried the energy drinks yet. I have not. I've done the coffee. And you know, I'm not a coffee guy, but the energy drinks look delicious. Yes. They look so good. One of our listeners that came out that day, she was familiar with seven brew from outside of Colorado before this. And she, her drink of choice is one of the energy drinks. Really? Okay. Yeah. Either way, we're going to need to go back up and just try one in general from the one in Firestone. Yeah. But then, yeah, as they get a little bit closer, like you said, danger because I want to try smoothies too with 20,000 flavor combinations. I have to imagine that includes smoothie. I think vaguely sober talks about a specific flavor in the chat too. That's kind of unique. And I'm blanking on it, but I got to try that flavor for sure. It's like, Hey, Mark, you got to put him on the side. Can we see it? I'm just kidding. That could be bad. Oh, I think the puppies coming in here guys. If you're listening audio only, I'm going to describe the puppy for you vaguely said grapefruit grapefruit. That is unique. That's very unique. I love it. All right. I'll keep it moving, but if you hear us go crazy, it's because the dog came on the set. Oh, my God. The dog is perfect. So imagine a perfect dog. If you're listening audio only, he is spotted white fur with little brown spots and then even bigger brown spots, brown ears, button nose, hi, like Megan more than me. Oh, my goodness. A little bit shy. Very unsure. Very unsure of me. It's okay. Honey. It is the mustache, new year new mustache. It's okay. John, this was great. This was great. What a treat. Goodbye, doggy. Oh, now, now he's just not sure in general. You are mine now. Yeah. I've been chosen. They're like, well, it's Megan chosen. Wow. What a treat vaguely sober. Another super chat and exactly how I feel right now. I'm actually showing a lot of restraint right now. I was impressed. Your description was also fantastic for the audio only listeners. I don't know how to move on from that. I am so overwhelmed with joy, but what a what a day. This is a really good day because I enjoyed going back. What I did is we've done segment by segment, but I kind of just peek back at all right. I call it the second segment. That's games 10 through 20, the third segment, games 20 through 30. And now we're in what I call the fourth segment, which is 30 through 37. We haven't gotten to 40 just yet on the way to 40, but it is worth noting between the third and the fourth segment, Blackwood trade happened on December 9th. Just keep December 9th in mind the third, like, so we're kind of in the middle of it. You know, there's only been a handful of games since it, but about seven. And it's worth noting. So going back to that second segment, we all know what happened. Games one through 10. So I did not go back one, three, 10 through 20, which is October 28 through November 21st. This is a strange stat, but they allowed the second fewest scoring chances against it. Five. Be five in the second segment. Yeah. It was an improvement for sure. And I think that's where we started to key in then on goaltending struggles that defensively they weren't that bad to warrant some of the goals against that they were tracking at that timeframe. 21st ranked power play, eighth ranked, sorry, 21st ranked PK, eighth ranked power play. So this is important to note too, the power play was very good in that 10 through 20 game segment. And it's helped to lift it to where it is at today, which is ninth overall right now, but it is struggle. It has been nearly worse at points too. So that was a time where it was going really well for them. The PK was struggling a bit. Jared Benar has talked. He's tried to be very respectful and how he's pointed to goaltending as being a reason that the penalty kill is trending in a better direction, but it's all worth keeping in the back of your mind. We moved to segment three, which is games 20 through 30. That's November 21st through December 10th. So just after the goaltending traded happens. So really most of those games before it, they allowed the third most scoring chances against it. 5b5, a 17th ranked PK. So despite some goaltending struggles trying to move in the right direction and a 30th ranked power play. So that is when we observably saw the power play kind of tank, which moves us to the Black Wood trade, 12-9, that happened just kind of before that 30-game mark. Over all, all situations on the year, 7th fewest rebounds. I point that out because Jonathan Joen talked about, from his perspective, not being in these games, but watching them on TV, he has seen confidence kind of reinstilled in this team. And one of the things he specifically called out was what they were doing better defensively in front of Black Wood, but also the trust. And he shouted out that he doesn't allow many rebounds specifically. And that tracks with how Black Wood has played all year. And through Black Wood's stretch with the abs since being traded to them, this is around 5 games played among goalies who've played a minimum of 200 minutes. I know that's kind of a weird way to measure, but I just want to compare how Black Wood has been playing against other starters since being traded to the abs. He's allowed the 10th fewest rebounds over that period, 9th best high-danger save percentage of all goal tenders in that window. And has faced the 7th fewest rush chances in that time, 3rd best goal saved above expected in that time. He's playing very well, but in looking at high-danger chances allowed and his save percentage there, rush chances rebounds, the team's playing better defensively as well. And that's worth noting that in addition to Black Wood playing extremely well, the team is supporting him, which leads me to the 4th segment, which is the one we're in right now, games 30 through 37, that starts December 10th through 1231. The fewest scoring chances against in the league at 5b5. That's where the abs are at right now, 6 ranked PK through this window specifically. They've got a 22nd power play through this stretch, but it's 9th overall right now. And so I look back to the early success on the power play, which has helped to elevate it in the overall picture for this year. And I think that it's trending in a direction, though, of growth, that there is room from it being a 30th ranked power play in the last segment to now a 22nd ranked power play through this one. Still improving. There's a lot more room for growth there, but the PK, 6 ranked PK in that segment continues to be good. They're getting good goal tending as well. 8th and goals 4. And so I talked about luck and sort of turning things on in that you talking. But I think they're starting to get more consistent goal scoring. They've always been an offensive powerhouse. We kind of count on the goals to come from somewhere, usually a Nathan McKinnon, Miko Ranton and Kilmakar type. But now I think they're starting to get goals from a few different places. It's still not to the level that I think this team wants. But in seeing guys like Gil Kivi Ranta, Arturi Lekkinen, Logan O'Connor get in the scoring mix over this last stretch, I think it's really important moving forward. And kind of we talked about the significance of you so person and but why I think they're trying to prioritize depth scoring right now. And I think it's because this team is really competitive. They're 8-2-1-0 in their last 10, they've won 4th Street, 3rd in the Central Division and they're trying to stack together points and they're in the best position then they have been all year to continue doing that. So I wish I had it clipped and I don't and I'll try but I'll try to find it and maybe post it to my Twitter and socials after, a couple of days ago at practice Saturday. The smaller contingency reporters, there's people who are out of 10, you know, holiday weekend. So Jared Bedner is always a little bit more willing to chat on those kind of more relaxed chill days at practice and I asked him about, I said, you know, Megan, you and I were chatting in the locker room. And on those days that are a little bit more chill, we spend a little bit more time in the locker, maybe than normal, have some more casual type conversations, things like that. As guys were kind of sifting in and out, you and I were just talking like, feels better in here. Like the vibe just feels up a little bit and not just like, oh, they're winning, you know, like there's more chatter amongst the guys and there's more jokes and just felt a little bit lighter. So when Jared came in and I asked him, I said, can you sense the difference in your team's confidence and energy since the goal, he's got the count. And he said, yes, and he gave a Jared Bedner kind of long way to answer. But one of the things that he said was that these goalies have come in and given us the confidence to play the way we want to play. And I just cannot base on what we've seen, based on what we've heard, Jared Bedner said, and then you stack everything that you just read off and the splits, right? The difference between, again, we're going to throw that first segment out. We know what happened. We all know between the second segment part of the way through the third segment and where we're at now, you stack all that up. This team is playing different and the team is playing better and the team is playing more confidently. And they are playing more true to their identity than they were earlier in the season. We mentioned a couple nights ago during the Utah game, we were doing our intermissions and post game show here, and we were saying going into that third period, or let's see how the abs handled to one goal lead. Blackwood hasn't given up a goal yet. How do they handle it? Well, Utah comes out and scores kind of early. And you and I were saying, all right, well, let's see how they respond. And they responded like the avalanche that we've gotten used to seeing over the last three, four years here, where they pushed back. They took control back over the game, got to go ahead goal and then put things away. And that was just what I felt so much was missing earlier in the season was that a goal like that would have led to a run against the abs, right, where Utah suddenly goes from being down one to up three to one in the blink of an eye. And it felt like that play wasn't just, it wasn't solely a reflection of what was happening in net, but it was a reflection of that the abs would start running around and they would get scrambling and they would break from their identity. And it would turn into a bunch of individuals out there trying to make a play. And they look like they're a more cohesive unit now. They look like they are trusting their system, trusting their process, because they know if there's a breakdown, well, there's someone back there that's going to give them an opportunity to be bailed out, right? If I can happen every time, then you give someone, they're going to have someone back there's going to be an opportunity to get a save and make up for a mistake. And I just think that confident play is better play. It's more efficient play. It's more true to who you are. And I just, it's amazing to me what a difference, and again, I'm also trying to be careful about the way that I'm talking about it, because I don't want to completely trash the last tandem and say they were the only reason that the abs were playing poorly. To me, this is what this version of the abs should look like. There is such a thing as over-correction. And we talked about this a little bit with Calvin DeHaan specifically in the Buffalo game, the difference between the goalie that started and when Wedgewood came into the net, players like DeHaan had a much improved game and became an impact player in a positive way versus making mistakes that led to goals against. We key in on that example for a reason. And I think defensively, especially in their own end, there was a lot of over-correction happening out of fear of what could go wrong in net and a lack of trust there. And I think that's to your point where the abs have returned more to their identity and they're playing the way that they're supposed to. And I think that's a lot easier for them now that they have some trust in the goal tending. They have a job to do too, right? They need to be physically a little stronger in front of their own net. I think that's one he's injured, Bednar loves Keaton Middleton. Yeah. And you know what? I don't hate it too. Defend the house. Clearpox away quickly too. If Blackwood does allow a rebound opportunity, make sure that doesn't become a second opportunity. And I think this is where the team is also stepping up to the plate in receiving better goal tending. They're also doing things a little bit better to make life easier for the goal tender. And it's easier for them to do that when they're not trying to overcorrect for a goal tender's mistakes. I love this comment up here. They don't have to play hero to prevent goals. And you and I, and I'm not going to get into it again, but we, because we've used it as the example at Nazim. Calvin Dohann, who you just mentioned in that Buffalo game, there was an instance where you felt like he was trying to play, he was felt like he had to play hero to try to intervene on a play. And I think that is such a great way of putting it of these, the players in front of the goal tending are now just settled back into do what we know how to do. Play to the system that we know how to play. Trust your instincts. Right. We talk about the case in middle set. And you don't have to be so worried about what's happening back there. And again, not to pile on things haven't gotten much better for Alexander Giorgiev and San Jose. There's still the same types of problems. And, and I do just think that having the confidence in your net, minding, and it just allows this team to focus on what they need to focus on. And there's not the distraction. Look, anyone who's played hockey, played any type of team sport, you know, I some of my best friends in the world. I was buried by my goalie, you know, Jonathan Joy, one of my best friends ever. There are, you know, there are times where, you know, you're playing in a game and goalies having off night, and you know, talking to the bench like, Oh, man, come on, like, Oh, hey, they're having whoever your goal is having a bad night. You know, not stopping the goalies understand. They come to the bench. Hey, sorry. I suck tonight. Can't stop me. That's my fault. It's chatter, you know, it's talk on the bench and, you know, when you're like me and you're playing with your buddies and all that stuff, the game ends and you don't care. No one cares. When you're a professional hockey player, that same chatter happens on the bench. And then it happens after the game. And then when it happens for a week straight, that consumes a lot of your brain power. And a lot of these guys are friends off the ice and they get together and they have dinner and they have, you know, they go out for drinks and you know, they talk about, come on, we can't get a save. Well, I think you've eliminated the distraction in addition to everything positive that we're talking about on ice. I think that's part of what's just leading back to the overall up vibes, just on the ice, off the ice, everything. That's a lot of noise. And I think the comment from Jonathan about they don't have to play hero to prevent goals is a really good comment to highlight because when I think of the mistakes the abs were making, they're more predictable. Jonathan, who are you? But the hero aspect is important because by design Colorado's structure is intended to help one another. You're not, you know, you have your own individual assignments, but they collapse and you are supposed to also receive support as needed. And I think this shift in mindset to playing the individual game and needing to be the hero doesn't allow you to lean on your teammates. And that lack of trust, not just in goal-tuning also extends to each other. And that's where you see mistakes get made because you're abandoning your structure that is not by Bednar's design, how they are supposed to defend in their own end. And I think that's what caused a lot of trouble, both defensively and offensively. I think then being behind the eight ball and starting in games with a deficit in goals, chasing them, there's that desperation to then want to get the goal. And I think that's where players like Metal Statt have suffered, but it extends beyond him too in trying to be the individual hero to save that game and come up with the goal. I think they were chewing too much. And it's because that's a lot of noise to have rattling around your brain in game and away from it. I couldn't possibly agree more on that point. Yeah, it was too much. It was too much chatter, too much noise. And I love the point of this system is designed for support. It is not supposed to be built around any one person doing things by themselves. Yes, you get the odd Nathan McKinnon, Kale Macar, full Thanos mode, fine, I'll do it myself. But that's the rarity. Everything about this system is five men unit. How often do we hear Jerry Bednar say five men unit and team defense, defense driving the offense, all of it. And so I think that's just such a great call out. I want to play something from Jared Bednar from Morning Skate in a second. Don't worry. But I want to remind people first that this segment is brought to you by our friends over at Landmark Lincoln and all the new 2024 Lincoln Corsair GT plug-in hybrids. Head on over to Landmark Lincoln dot com to check out the latest offers and incentives, including incredible tax incentives on all Corsair GT plug-in hybrids. Go to Landmark Lincoln dot com or stop into the number one Lincoln dealer in Colorado to see if you qualify for no payments for up to 90 days. Again, that's Landmark Lincoln dot com or stop in at the corner of Broadway and Bellevue today and see why we've, why they've been Colorado's trusted Lincoln dealers since 1911 and ours because we went there just last week. He did. I believe actually that video is going out today. I saw some previews from Ruben and it looks fantastic. It looks great. Yeah. It's a ton of fun too. It was so much fun. I remember, I think we talked about this while we were there, like as a kid, you'd go to the car dealership with your parents. You had no responsibility there. You were just seeing new cars, getting in all kinds of showroom cars and that was kind of what we got to do. It was, every interior was different and beautiful. So I highly recommend just going into the cars. It's vaguely, if you save 650 with trusted American mortgage, spend it at seven brew and don't spill it in your Landmark Lincoln. So true. That is so true, vaguely. It couldn't have said it any better myself. I wonder if seven brew has a version of a pop cup, like if you can bring your studio dog named Dougie to seven brew. I need to investigate. I also just need to talk. All right. We are here from here. Yes. We spent this whole show looking back and Jared Bader had some great comments about the importance of looking back. Hey guys, go ahead. We thought that was your Christmas. Yeah, it was great. You kept relaxing. Didn't do a lot. So a good couple days off. How was that feeling with those two days off? You guys have had such a schedule. That was a lot of games, a lot of road games, yeah, lots of travel involved in that. So to be able to get back, or to grind through that first one, have some success, and then really get back and take a few days to take a breath, and you get back to hockey and yet you have to be able to get a couple of much needed practice days in there too. So I shouldn't be feeling good for tonight. How excited are you to have the band getting back together here slowly? Nice. It's nice to finally start tripping some guys back, especially in that forward group because we've been missing some of those top six guys all year, having been able to kind of get into the way we predicted that we would have started years. So to be able to have you back and play like the year you've been in the college of player years, and just like all the little things you may be for us, we'll be back on the number in college for you to make you play in your top six. So I think it's a little bit of a chip you heard with this part here, and you'll get a bit of a different chemistry on the top. As well as this comes from playing, this is a pretty good measurement, sticking up to the video. Yeah, it is. And they're there obviously at the top of the week for a reason, great start. And they took a just a little dip in the back row, and again, 72 and a lot of it in the last 10. So real good, well-rounded team, team, great role-playing, special team. So a lot of dangerous players, whether they're so stupid one, we've been playing three times the next few weeks, and the team are trying to track down in our division. So they're all going to be even more likely to be back, but you can probably be in a regular schedule to try to make it back. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, we're not working for the bigger team. It seems like we're in that way we're in the confidence. How important is that that new, the big, like, the money, right? Yeah, I think it's huge. It just kind of shows you the character of our group, the leadership that's in the room. I think, you know, we've always felt like it's really strong, and pick up tasks this year. That's a lot of adversity. A lot of guys that are frustrated, these things can be frustrating, but I always felt like our guys would just say, like, I never felt like they weren't given up at all. You know, we had some ups and downs in there. They were trying to, you know, be solution-based and try to find ways to, you know, to get some ease in the line. I'm knowing that at some point we would get some relief and get some help and get some guys back. And we did some of the adversity with them, but it's taken a lot longer than we thought. We got to a good spot that we were doing, but now I want to see what it looks like when you start out. What kinds of things do you want the team to leave in 2024? Yeah, I don't know. I don't, I don't, like, I don't believe you leave it, like, anything. I think you have to learn from all the, you know, things that you go through throughout the course of the season. It's what makes you who you are coming in by uptime with the culture you have to get there. And I think, like, remembering all the good times I'm bad, how we worked through it, how we did it to some nights. I think that's part of the growing loss of our team. So, we're drawn on situations that happen two months ago still through this day. Like, you know, meetings, and trying to recall how we played, and what worked, and what they did. So, having a long memory on some of that stuff is a good thing. Anyway, here's what we're trying to say. No. What about your thoughts? No. No. They're okay to hide it. Yeah, he's going to go on I. Today's season with us a little bit of time. I don't know how we got to know how to play C-E-T. Now, when you come up back to back, how do you expect me out of that time? I expect that you play really good after you've got to know you. We're very disappointed back to back to back, right? Like, we're a rusty team. You should be a hungry team. You're looking at a good strategy to make it fun. But there ain't no good after you guys. You can always see the, uh, you know, barbecue, it's a game scene. No matter if you're scared, you're picked up. Yeah. I think that they've given us a chance to win every game. They've given us a chance to win every game. They've kept us in games and made big saves. Um, they've given us a chance to come out slow to get our legs underneath us. And they're doing what they're supposed to do. You last one, please. Yes. Thank you. Megan, I loved your question. I told you right after I loved your question. Uh, what do you want them to leave in 2024? You thought about it. I love to answer more than anything. Really nothing. I think it is important to remember every story each season, every season is going to have low points as part of the story. And I think it's important not to forget about those low points and frustrations and disappointments from individual levels, you know, in case the middle sat and this difficult challenge that he's going through right now. But team wide, like we, we've lost over segment one through 10. But we all know what happened and we're not going to forget it any time soon. And I think it is important for this team to remember. Every emotion associated with the negative aspects through this point. So there's another thing I talked about this morning. And I was actually talking about it through the scope of what's happening with the Denver Broncos right now. Final three games of the year, they need to win one to get into the playoffs. And they're down to the last chance this upcoming weekend. They lost their first, you know, lost the last two. Um, so you got to win one, right? And what I was talking about was. Jared Bednar has told us before that he used to hate before they have won the Stanley Cup. He used to hate the notion of you have to lose before you can win. But he has said that since winning the cup, he's got a new perspective on it. And that he, unfortunately, he says, agrees. You got to lose before you can win. And it's because of what you take out of the losses. And the memory of how those losses feel is what pushes you. Of, I don't want to feel that again. And we don't want to go through that again. And his perspective and what you were just saying about, like, you need to take some of these lessons from 2024. And apply them moving forward in 2025, I think is a lot of that of, no, don't forget how it felt when we lost four games in a row. Remember that. And remember how much you never want to go through that again. And remember what it was like when we were down eight players and what a grind it was. Remember that. Because now that you've got the team, you're not going to take it for granted. Right. And I just think that that is such interesting perspective from someone who has experienced the losses and someone who has experienced the wins of. Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it, they're right. You got to lose before you can win. And the parallel I was drawing this morning was, you know. Bonix needs to spend all week remembering what these last two weeks have felt like after the game. And use that as motivation as you're getting ready this Sunday. Well, it's the same thing here. Take everything including the loss to Dallas. And for Val Nachushkin, I'll take this a step further. Remember that feeling of letting your teammates down. And when you came back and having to go through all that and meeting with the media and every, remember that. Don't leave it behind. Take it with you because it's an important lesson in the future. And I loved the question. Thought it was a great answer. I loved his answer. He's described it as scar tissue. And he's usually referencing playoff exits, which is quite painful to recall. But I think it's what motivates the team that next year. He's talked a lot about how the Vegas exit spurred a cup. And I think inside a regular season, maybe the frustrations don't feel as significant in the bigger picture. But I look at a team like Winnipeg. Very good in the regular season. And do they not have enough scar tissue to draw upon when things get difficult in playoff series? Kind of similarly with a Vancouver, you know, Thatcher Demko not having him healthy has been a huge struggle for them. So I don't doubt that there's familiarity around the challenges there, but losing better in that series last year. I think kind of sealed their fate in an unfortunate way. And I think what the abs have that they can use to their advantage in remembering these difficult periods and being so depleted, especially to start this year, are the lessons. And it gives me a lot of confidence in them as a team. I think they're a very mature group. And what I wanted to end the show on to is going back to you describing the positivity around the room. I just really wanted to try and paint that picture as not weird as possible. First of all, I made it weird on the internet. I have to own up to this. I had talked about on that practice day, how the vibes were really good, how Blackwood had gotten undressed and just stayed hanging out in his stall talking to guys. Yeah. And it was missing context. It was missing the context of the players don't fully undress in one of us. Oh, God. There's a second locker room. They fully change. And the other piece of context that's very important is that most players, they take off the hockey gear and just immediately leave. They don't dislike their teammates. They are just getting on to other things going about their day, getting a shower, going to see them. Massage therapists, trainers, watching film, whatever. They go about their day really quickly once they take their gear off. So for Blackwood to just hang out and talk and crack jokes, I thought was significant. And it's bigger than that. It's killing a car, chirping Logan O'Connor across the room in plain sight of media. You don't normally get to see that side of players and it speaks to them feeling comfortable with each other and just feeling really light and keeping things light. Well, and, um, you know, Wedgewood walking in and he's chirping at guys. Oh, I got you on that one. You know, and I just think that it was. Oh, my God. You're on fire today. Happy New Year Gorilla sports fan play safely tonight. Yes, that is a great message for everyone. Be safe tonight. Make sure that you're back for the next Gorilla sports office. There's all kinds of options to keep you safe. Bagley, what a, what a day from vaguely. Thank you so much. That's our guy. That is our guy. And that was exactly how the lights were supposed to work. I didn't even see it. The vibe changed in here. The vibes changed in here. Um, but no, you know, like you said, now I do also want to say, you know what I discovered recently? The NHL is the only team and I actually believe the MLB recently made the change. Okay. That has a separate changing room from the locker room. There are a lot of people even in this building who haven't gone with us to games up until like a week ago thought that we were in there with them. I'm fully changing out. I've heard that from other people who cover different sports, NBA NFL. That it's, that's, it's very common in the other leagues that guys are just changing right there in front of everyone. Um, and again, I was, I was just like, whoa, that. That is not the experience at all for the NHL. Uh, but no, just like you said, it was just so much more of a casual, relaxed vibe. People were talking, people were chatting with us. People were, you know, players were hanging around talking. What was talking very freely with you? Yes. Yeah. You know, we, we had a great conversation. Uh, had a, had an awesome conversation with Kenzie Blackwood about all of his new gear. He likes to put his pads in the sauna for about a week to soften them up. Uh, he uses very stiff pads to begin with. Um, and he said that he doesn't like to use them in a game until they've had a chance to soften up. He's had a chance to wear them several times. Uh, you know, soften them up in the sauna as we're Alexander Giorgiev. He liked, he liked pads the best when they were brand new. Said he liked to get them out of the box and use them immediately. And it's just so interesting to get that perspective. And Jerry Bednar also pointed out. He said, look, the guys see these new goalies and not only how they are on the ice, but how they are in the room. And it makes a significant difference. I hate continuing to use the word vibe, but for the vibes. I do want to find a different word from vibe. I feel like something about vibe and how it's used cheapens what we mean because it is so positive. And it is both the gold hunters. They are very vocal. Jerry Bednar has talked about this, but they just hang out. They hang out, they stay around and they talk with their teammates and they crack jokes. I could see Rachel Toss was preparing some kind of segment. And so she was going around all of the players and asking questions. And it was about other teammates. And you could just catch glimpses of what they were saying about other teammates. And they're all making fun of each other. It seems like it's going to be a really funny segment. Well, yeah. Laura, I like that energy. That's good. Yes. Yeah. Just a good, good aura around that. Atmosphere also good. Atmosphere also good. There was one other thing that I was going to say and it was going to be my last thing. Well, while you're thinking of it, how would you like to get through the holidays without having to make your mortgage payment? Well, go to TrustinAmerican.com to see how they can help you refinance your home and not have to make any payments. Sorry, my computer signed me out until February. It's going to take me a second to finish this read. I apologize to everyone. I don't know why I did that. Why don't I just jump in here real fast because right now, Megan, they are also going to cover the cost of your appraisal. It's about a $650 value. They're trusted more salary based mortgage consultants want to get you into a better interest rate and lower your monthly payment. Go to TrustinAmerican.com or you can scan this QR code right up here to see how much money they can save you today, Megan. This is a really good lesson about the abs. I tried to be the hero and do it myself. But look how important it is to lean on your teammates. 100% right. And I actually think that's all we need to say about today. I think that's unless you thought of what you were thinking of just before the read, it wasn't anything important. Thank you for saving the ad read and for saving guerrilla sports off ice. We'll be back tonight with some post game coverage ahead of the new year. Winnipeg Jets really big opponent. And then the abs are hosting Buffalo. So I want to see Casey Middlestadt get his game right, not only tonight, but especially in time for that game. Carry it into the new year. Carry it into the new year. We'll be back next year. See you next year. See you next year, everybody. Bye. Bye. Bye! [ Silence ]
Jesse Montano and Meghan Angley get one final show in for 2024 as they preview the Winnipeg Jets visit to the Mile High City on New Year's Eve.
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