Mhm. Hello welcome in Gorilla Sports off ice. Another episode brought to you guys by our great friends over at trusted American mortgage trusted American salary based mortgage consultants want to help you get a lower interest rate and lower your monthly payment. Go to trusted American dot com or scan the QR code on the screen to see how much money they can save you today. [Music] Hello and welcome in. We do not need your mortgage unattended on the day. [Music] Welcome to the show Monday afternoon. Good and started a little bit later than normal, but hey, that's all right. We're here. Jesse Montano, Megan Angley John back there behind the glass today. Megan, how was practice? I didn't make it this morning. You were down at Av's practice down at family sports. How was it? How were the vibes? It's just nice to be back around with the holiday break. Oh yeah, another high vibe practice day, a really vocal locker room guys talking with each other. Brad, the equipment guy had his daughter with him and I know she was helping to take jerseys and the players I think unanimously liked Hannah the daughter way more. She's coming for your job. It was very adorable how sweet they were with Hannah though. Well, I love that. Brad's a good dude, but yeah, probably daughter probably. Hannah was rocking it though because she was taking jerseys to the little laundry bin and they're like, Brad doesn't even do this. Oh, I love that so much. Oh, well nice. It does seem like the vibes are just overall up around the rink for the Av's. And you know, Megan, the title of the show today and a conversation I was having earlier, it just really feels like these one game in eight days and it just feels like it came at the perfect moment for this avalanche team, you know, new players in net, new personalities to be absorbing in the locker room, guys a little bit banged up like it just felt like this was very needed for them to get some time away. And I feel like it's even helped things a little bit around the room. That's also helped get some guys healthy. I think health and winning going into the break, having won some games and coming out of it and getting another win in that Utah game. It's important they have had so many highs and lows that when they've stacked together a couple of wins, it's been met by something very disappointing. I think the Utah game was an important turning point for them to come out. And despite probably shaking off a little rust and fatigue, still come out with the win. I think that's helping Raoul a lot. I'm with you. I think it's helping a lot. And it was just, you know, we were talking this morning about where the Av's currently sit standings wise and how much you would have taken them climbing their way back into third in the central, you would have taken that if they'd gotten there by the four nations break for them to have put themselves back in this conversation. Yes, still games in hand for plenty of teams around them. But for them to have put themselves back in this conversation, going into the new year, I think you just have to feel good. Combine that with everything that you just, you know, list it off and injuries and all that. It has helped a lot. Do you have, do you have anything in particular you want to get to before I kick us off? You're talking about Jonathan Jiren who is expected back tomorrow. Anything before? Let's get right into it then. Jonathan Jiren, we were told you and I were at practice on Saturday and we were told that assuming that everything went according to plan, we would hear from Jonathan Jiren today and that he would be expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow. When we saw him on Saturday, he was skating with the fourth line. What did you see from Jiren today and has everything gone according to plan? Things have gone according to plan and it's trending in the right direction if you're Jonathan Jiren. He gets put on that second line now, Ross Colton moved to center with Mika Rantinen. Should be something impressive though, imagine getting him up to game speed will take a little bit of time. But he also gets back in the bumper spot on PP1, which is why I think this points to a lot of trust that he is feeling very good right now. I think the nature of this injury because it is what was bothering him earlier in the season to have it re-aggravated just kind of in a flooky way was very unfortunate. And so I think there was a lot of caution then around recovery and making sure that he really feels 100%. So there isn't another failed launch again. And again, it was completely flooky. It's not that he came back too soon. The first time he just happened to get hit in a tricky spot and re-aggravate everything he'd been doing earlier this year. So that all looks really good. Having him back on that top power play unit points to, they feel really good about where he's at too. I mean, this has not been a rushed return for Jonathan Jiren. We've seen him on the ice for several weeks now. With some pretty good consistency has started joining the group again. And so, yeah, I would hope that they are feeling good about where he's at. Spoke for over four minutes this afternoon, Megan, or this morning, I guess. Let's hear from Jonathan Jiren, what he had to say at practice today. His first practice where the media were allowed to talk to him. He's expected back in the lineup tomorrow. One time I'll see. Yeah. Did you have any Christmas? Yeah, I did. Yeah. It's kind of short. Yeah, we always is here, but yeah, my family came down and it was nice to have them around. Cool. Yeah. So how are you feeling? Good. Yeah. Ready to go. Long process for you? Yeah. It's been a long year. You know, kind of like a couple of games, you get re-injured and some kind of thing that happen and kind of re-do the whole process of other three having treatment. Yeah. It's been long. I was going to ask that. So Jared had alluded to it was kind of the same thing like it was being completely the same injury or was it kind of the injury? Yeah, it was very similar. Yeah. We have very close to the same one. I had to start the year in the first game and play. Yeah. Nothing really you can do. It kind of sucked. Just kind of back in. Kind of doing it all over again. Thanks, too. But yeah, it's part of the game, I guess. It's the stuff you have to deal with. But yeah, it's kind of the same kind of injury. It was a little bit tough. How frustrating is it to rehab come back for just four games? Yeah. It's good. I guess that it's kind of time to be treated for five, six weeks, three or four, five weeks and play a couple of games and think you're fine and everything's good. I was starting to feel good with my game, too. And to kind of live that again and kind of re-do the whole thing we did from day one for that first game of season was kind of painful and discouraging. Yeah. I didn't feel like we rushed back either the first time when I got felt fine, felt normal. Again, I got hit in the spot where I shouldn't have got hit. What's going to happen in games, but it's kind of a bad luck of running that area where I was treating for four or five weeks and kind of rehabbing and. But yeah, it's definitely tough to kind of do it all over again. You're kind of doing that whole process with the trainer that no one's fault here. I guess that it was a bad luck thing and out of the blue, kind of got hit in that right spot and swelled up again. It's kind of your thoughts on here. But if I turn over here in the locker room, it's nice to get back in the locker room because when you're not here, not with anyone. I'm just getting along with Toby. He's doing a great job with me. But yeah, it's nice to see the new face of the goalies that I've been at the dynamic in the room and both of them I've played super well. So just watching from outside, it's nice to see and I decided to get back in the room and kind of play hockey and feel all the good. It's never nice to have teammates injured, but to rehabbing and have some guys kind of going through some of the things that maybe not so isolated. Yeah. I didn't skate with many people. I did skate with men's a bit. But yeah, my first time was with like, yeah, at least kind of skating together and we were kind of the same kind of margin of coming back together or similar timeline. So, but yeah, it's nice to have a couple of guys coming in the morning. Sometimes it gets depressing when you're the teams on the road for a week and a half and there's no one at the rink except you and the trainer. But they do a great job here to keep it. It would look good and we have a lot of good players to kind of rehab with. (inaudible) Yeah, I think it's hard to, I'm not on the bench, I'm not on the ice with them. But from the TV standpoint, we look very calm in our D zone. We're very calm. Sometimes we'll make a mistake and guys just come back and kind of do their job. We're not trying to fix the mistakes right away. We kind of let that play happen. And our goal is, like I said, I've done a tremendous job and if you look at black, which rebound control, that's the one thing I look at. I'm so vague and kind of swallow spots there in the crease. From a team perspective, when the team is performing well like they have been recently, is it easier to take in your rehab and just focus on you and not be worried, like, 15 minutes in your job? Yeah, I don't really look at the winning or losing. I try to get back as quick as possible. But yeah, it's fun when the team winning because you know you're going to come back and you guys didn't feel good and we're kind of standing. It's what you want to see, but as an injured guy, you're trying to every day feel better and better and kind of hope you're going to start playing. It doesn't really matter if it's a bad stretch or a good stretch. I want to help your team. Sorry, I want to help your team. All right. There we go. John and then Drew in. Never shy with the media, but definitely a little bit longer than we normally see players go. I feel bad too, just hitting the injury so hard, but we haven't gotten to see him play very much this year. I mean, while we were listening to that, Megan, I looked at you and said five games, played five games. And this is a guy that, you know, we were all worried, priced himself out of Colorado last year. I feel terrible about that aspect. Well, see, I actually was in the city. If I'm Chris McFarland, I'm calling like, hey, we said January. We want to talk, right? He just had a baby girl. He is a family. Well, yeah, I know. Like, I want him to maximize his value. And so I just feel a little bad that he wasn't able to make a stronger case for this extension, the real one, because he's missed so much time. You know, we saw him do good things the back half of last year and I wanted him to come out the gate and do those great things. If it does help you a little bit, he made a lot of money in Montreal. He did very well. Is Eric LeQua would say that's a lot of steak dinners? Yes, yes, yes. He's had his steak dinners. But no, all jokes aside, like, you know, you do feel for the person when you see a player bet on themselves, which is what Jonathan Druin did, saying, I think I can go out and, you know, I'm in a good situation. I can play my well into the contract and, you know, and the term and all that that I want. And to have something like this happen where it is very out of his control. You know, you mentioned right before we played that clip. A weird flooky injury to begin with and then to re-aggravate it in an equally as weird and flooky way. Like, you definitely feel for the person just dealing with that and where here we are nearly at the halfway point, he's played five games. And that's why I think, too, I even had concern about his health and what that projects for the future. But hearing just how weird this injury was and the likelihood that you would get hit in that same tricky spot feels like ribs doesn't make me worry about his future in Colorado from that health standpoint. I don't think that he's going to constantly be getting rid every night. Yes, correct. Much needed addition back to the lineup Jared Bednar mentioned to us a couple days ago that if everything continues according to plan for the next 24 hours of Jonathan Druin, getting him back would put the abs at missing three players, which would be their lowest total all season. You're still without Miles Wood, but I do think that it would be a situation where you can look at yourself in more or less say, this is a healthy group, because you're down wood, you'd be down Shillington, you'd be down Gave Land to Skog who I don't know if you count that one anymore. Yeah, and I don't think this is a big deal, but Ivan Ivan did miss practice because he's being evaluated for an upper body injury. And so that fourth line does appear to be a Nala person and middle stat. Yeah, not going to panic too much thinner and Ivan, he's still being evaluated. And I think that he was kind of the odd guy out, especially now with person and being added to the mixed. Ivan Ivan, we've talked a lot about him this year and not that he's been bad recently, but he definitely hasn't like stood out in the last couple weeks as much as he was before. I'm not saying that that's a bad thing. He's a young player that no one even expected to be he's surpassed expectation by a lot valuable experience to up with the big club and getting to play as a true center I think is huge for his development. So no matter what's in store for him next, I still have a lot of confidence in where he's headed. And I think too, this points to a conversation we haven't really had the chance to have this year and that's having real lines one through four. Right, like Drew N is supposed to hopefully get that second line going. Jared Bendar has loved this third line. And so that fourth line just has been kind of a mismatch of guys and they've been very sheltered in minutes. Can that start to be more of an impact now with players like person and middle stop being thrown in the mix, Anala? It's still a little mixed mash. But I have a little bit of confidence that it can pose more of a threat than it has all year. We did get a super chat from vaguely sober. Nice touch on the audio animation with a timer. That's a shout out to our little Andy upstairs. Yeah, Andy's great. She's she's only put that together. I was just telling you, I was like, she's going to show me how to make those because they're awesome. They're really nice, but it is nice having the timer on there as well. Big shout out to vaguely great to see you. Hope you're having a good holiday season. Let's talk about the new edition. I described the person in. Deal because you trade Andre Pavel. You have pics that you're swapping back and forth as well. Kind of remove those from it. I really did say that it seemed like a prospect swap to me. Person in maybe a rung above just pure prospect. Your thoughts on person in what you saw from today and then we'll hear from him as well in just a moment. I liked Andre Pavel, but I always had a hard time imagining his path to the NHL through the Colorado Avalanche. This is a player that I think had some ways to go in terms of the pace of the game. I think that the motor and the effort was exactly what the abs are looking for in a depth player. And he was a center option for them, big PK guy. It would have made a lot of sense in those ways. But we're about the puck skill alongside the speed to keep up with what a fourth line would demand of him in the future. He's 24 years old. There's still time. He missed a little bit of time this year due to injury as well. And so, again, it was just hard for me to imagine his path forward through the abs organization. Person in there is a little bit more of a need that he feels right now that I think he has more NHL games under his belt. Especially dating back two seasons ago and has found his production at the American League level. I just think he makes a lot of sense. And like I used this on and going to Nashville, I think the opportunity opens up a little bit for a Pavel there versus Colorado. So I agree kind of a prospect swap and I think it makes sense for both sides. Yeah, you are correct though. And this is a bit of a prospect swap. But if you're the abs, you're getting a prospect who's got some NHL games under his belt and has actually a 25 point season under his belt with the national predators. I always, Megan, you know this from going back a couple of years doing shows with me. I love a prospect who comes from playing professional over in Europe. If all things are equal, my style, I'm always going to take that prospect over one who's come up through the major junior ranks. A person is a kid who played for TPS Turku in the league. Same as Miko Ranson and his team or that was Miko Ranson and his team as well. I just like that these are players that can immediately come over and start getting acclimated to North American ice and to the style of game over here. Parsons already 23. That's why I said maybe you put him a rung above. You know, traditional prospect. This is a guy that should compete for time in your bottom six. Not that dissimilar in terms of where they're at in their progression to a Nikolai Covilenko. In terms of this is a guy who's played professional, you would expect to push for some NHL games. But I'm definitely going to stop shy of saying like this is a set and forget every night NHLer. But it definitely gives you something a little bit more intriguing in the bottom part of your lineup than just another call up, you know. Right, like we've had a lot of different names get called up this year and Pavel being hurt didn't really help his case. I actually think we would have seen him sooner, but that's where I think the immediate impact of person and it's easy to see through the absence. In terms of where he's at as like an AHL call guy, I would almost say he's. He's almost closer to like a kitty Ranta than he is a, you know, a Pavel who's looking for those calls. I agree. But not quite to the kitty Ranta level. I don't know if that makes any sense at all. He does because he struggled in Nashville this year, but it's fair to note that everyone is struggling in Nashville this year. I think they're just starting to figure some things out and that's why even Wedgewood's numbers coming from Nashville earlier this year. Don't let it fool you. This is still a reclamation product in a lot of ways. For sure. But I just think that you infuse a little bit of the talent and the winning around a player like that. And I think we can get a pretty good NHL or out of it. I almost wonder if Jesse Poliari was put on waivers two days earlier if the abs would have just done that. And I have like, I don't have tons of passionate feelings about this, but, and I would have regretted that a little bit. I think person and makes more sense than Poliari. I don't think both make sense. I like Poliari and I have seen his fit in the abs before, but I see person is fit more. I think there's more upside a higher ceiling. I think I have an idea of what Poliari is in the NHL at this point. And I don't know that it would move the needle so much for me. I don't think he would come and hurt the abs necessarily, but in the same way that Giovanni Smith kind of had a neutral impact. I'd need to see a little more from Poliari versus person. And I think has some upside that has not fully been realized yet. Yep, person. I do believe a couple years younger. Yeah, three years younger than Poliari. I still like Poliari. This is an antique. No, no, no, no, but you don't pull your right. I think the abs would have been interested if it had happened two days sooner. Yep. Yep. And if they would have said, okay, well, if we don't have to give up any assets to get this player in, is that something intriguing to us. It's your point. It didn't happen that way. And they've got a person in here. And he was on their radar a week ago. So the abs have been looking at him. And honestly, I like the relationship that's kind of formed with Nashville. They had interest in use to son and then they got Jeremy Hansel instead. In the end, they still end up with use to son and then abs get a Scott Wedgwood out of it. Like, I'm kind of happy with the way these dealings have been. I miss Jeremy Hansel, but I'm kind of happy with the way it's shaken out. So I have confidence in the front office too. Because this regime, even going back to when Joe Sakek was the GM by title, right? Like, they do get into this like, hey, if we find a good relationship with the team, we'll go back to that well several times. I like Jakob Trennan, you know, obviously couldn't keep him past that season, but it's been, I don't, I can't speak to the Nashville side if it's been the same benefit, but it's been definitely beneficial for abs. What's been weird to me about something like the Jakob Trennan one was on. Because you ended up needing it. Like, that felt to me like a, they traded him. They like kind of sold off and then ended up getting to the playoffs. And it's like, feels like you could have benefited from having Jakob Trennan. And so I don't know. Let's hear from Parson and he was at practice today, first time getting a chat with him. Sounds like buddies with Miko in the off season. Yes. Well, it's here from Parson. When did you learn about the trade and your initial thoughts when you found out it was color? Yeah. I got a call two days ago, like, I don't know, me day after. We had more in practice in Nashville and then I got a hold on. And I got traded to Colorado and then kind of shocked first, like, first trade ever, but, like, I'm so excited about this opportunity. It's a great organization. I know a lot of guys here, like, so many Finnish guys, which is unbelievable. So, I mean, I'm really pumped. A lot of the Finnish guys, Scott Wedgwood, I guess, is it kind of easier? Yeah. I mean, you don't really pay for him for a month or so, but it's a little easier knowing you have those faces. No, I mean, of course, especially the Finnish guys, like, three of them live in the same town as I, and we practice together during the summer. So, I know them really good and then Wedgwood was in Nashville a couple months, and then we got along really good. So, I mean, they're helping me as much as they can and as much as I need. So, I mean, it's good to have guys to kind of, like, kind of, rely on them. Is that really comfortable for you knowing me, though, and having played with them in the summer? Yeah, yeah, of course. So, like I said, it's an opportunity to come in the group where, you know, already at least one of us. I mean, good spot, because I know four or five guys already, so, I mean, that helps, of course. I'm excited to be playing in Colorado City. I mean, I think this is an unbelievable group. This is a team that can go really far, and I'm just excited to get going and get to know all the guys even more. I mean, it's a great city to play, and it's always a tough place to play as a role team, so I'm excited to meet the fans as well. What do you know about the system here for the adolescents? Is it going to be really good with different overall for you? Yesterday, when I had my first day, we went over a lot of stuff with the coach. I mean, it's something similar, but then there's something that's totally different. So, I mean, you will probably get a couple practices, couple games to get used to it, but I mean, it's still hockey, and, you know, I can play hockey, so, you know, I feel like just go out there and play and then learn as you go. If you were scouting yourself, how would you describe your game? I feel like a reliable tour player. I mean, I can play winner center. I feel like I'm good with the park, like, protecting, like, on the boards. I mean, yeah, like I said, I feel like I can play a reliable tour game and then I can check in offense as well. You're going to be the guy with all the dirt on makeup. You can give them a tour, right? I'll send off a letter. That's fine. I was trying to pick who you already know who you've been to in the first spaces that you've talked to. Here? Yesterday, when I came in, Nikko picked me up in the morning, so it's like a 20-minute flying from Cherry Creek, where I'm staying at the moment. So, I mean, he was the first guy. We had a good chat there, and then, I mean, of course, a lot of the guys texted me right after the night after I got there. I noticed that I was traded, but, I mean, like, yesterday, I met almost everybody, and then I... Why did I met yesterday? I met today, so, I mean, it looks like a really good group of guys. It's nice to just get a practice under your belt for a game, you know? It's been kind of rare here, but the team have practices. Yeah, I mean, I feel like timeline-wise, it was the perfect time to kind of get traded, because I was on the ice area yesterday. We had optional, and then, I got a practice in today, and then we played tomorrow as, I mean, I feel like it's not usual to get to kind of go on the ice for two days before we play when it gets traded. So, I mean, I feel like that was nice. Isn't it a thing to have another fin on your line with you to start? Yeah, I mean, it's a great player. I mean, he's played with now three, four games now, and I mean, I've known him a long time. We've played against back home in the finish area, so I know exactly how good it is, and I mean, of course, it's helped sometimes as well. We can talk a little bit of the finish here and there, but then we have some English guys also on our line, so we can just, you know, speak finish all the time. Thanks. Thank you guys. Thanks. Fuck. Hello. Oh, and I just want to talk right into the microphone. I also feel bad for Casey in the last set. Megan, you, you, you tricked me there. Yeah, I'm going to say that was intentional. It feels like, I got them. They are collecting. They're making quite the collection of fins here. They really are. If I look front, if my math is correct. Yeah, like Laconon, Inala, Mico, Parsonon, who my kitty. I was going to say there is no way you are going to not remember kitty after all the crap that I got. Last, uh, last week. David, the best for last. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, I believe is the, the. What's the right way to say this? They have. The majority of their forwards are finished. And they don't have to stop there if they want to clean. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, they can add one more if they really want. Give yourself that 13 forward. Uh, if you really, really want. Uh, I make sure to see what Parson and brings. He seems like someone that's maybe got a little bit of offensive upside in the bottom part of your line up here. Um, and again, like this, the other part of this to me is. You're starting to see the abs. Make some of these moves where it's, it's been really fun and it's been great. See all of the young kids. Come cycle in and have an impact and find a way to be effective and gain good experience. Reach in the halfway point here. You've climbed yourself back into a playoff spot. You feel like your goal tending is really moving in the right direction. Let's start building our roster that we feel comfortable and that we trust. Heading in, uh, to the playoffs. Um, and speaking of trust. Have you heard about our great friends over at trusted American mortgage, Megan? Uh, trusted American mortgage. Our great partners. How would you guys like to get through these last little bit of the holidays here and you got to act quick. Without having to make a mortgage payment will go to trusted American.com. To see how they can help you refinance your home and not have to make any payments until. February trusted American salary based mortgage consultants want to help you get into a better interest rate and lower your monthly payments. And right now, if you act right now, they will cover the cost of your appraisal. That is a $650 value right there by itself, Megan. Go to trusted American.com or scan the QR code up on the top corner of the screen over there. To see how much money they can save you today. Also want to remind you guys about our great friends up at seven brew coffee. They just opened their one of a kind drive through and walk up experience up in Firestone, Colorado and Megan sounds like things are going well enough already. Uh, we might be getting another one even closer to us. You're joking soon. Uh, I'm dead serious. That's a little dangerous. Uh, that large coffee went down way too easy. Why laugh because you guys posted pictures like cheers were out here drinks or DMP. I was like, dang, I don't know if you guys just got these or what. Um, fast and friendly crew waiting to serve you from rich, bold coffee to refreshing energy drink smoothies, teas and more. Seven brew has you covered over 20,000 flavor combinations available. There's a perfect drink for everyone at seven brew. They believe in cultivating kindness with every cup and they're fully customizable menu is just the beginning. Before you hit the road, power up with seven brew, their newest location in Firestone, Colorado, and experience the coffee revolution. Let's look ahead a little bit here, Megan. Um, To what the abs are. Like I said, starting to build and starting to put together a lineup that you can tell Jared Bednar will trust a little bit more. They're going to get their first taste of this new look lineup tomorrow against the lead leading league leading Winnipeg Jets. Um, and again, I do think that this move with person and is a small move towards. We are wanting to solidify our contender status in the roster that will have come the end of the year. I asked Jared Bednar today about the sands when Manson was out of the lineup, getting to see Malinsky specifically into second pair role kind of. What did you learn about him as that changed your view of his upside as a player and then kind of secondarily that Utah game was one of his best games in a third pair role mind you. How can he leverage that opportunity from third pair opportunity to make a case for higher upside in the future? Like, can we have that conversation is Malinsky one day, a second pair defenseman. And he had a great answer. You should listen to the full interview, but he talked about how there was a little bit of inconsistency when Sam was in that second pair role and it wasn't bad. It was essentially good, not great. And good doesn't win you championships. That's what he said. And I think that applies to a lot of this lineup right now they're winning games with a fourth line that isn't necessarily hurting them. Correct. Good, not great. And they're winning because of what the guys at the top of the lineup are doing for them getting good goal tending, but that doesn't win you championships. Having a just good, not great fourth line is not going to get you across the finish line, especially seeing how crucial it was in the 2022 cup run. And I think that Jared Bednar has referenced that run a bit here lately and what he's liked about the third line in particular, I think, in a perfect world, that fourth line actually looks more like what the third line currently is. And so I do think it says a lot about the front forward facing ambitions of the front office to be filling in these holes in the lineup, even though the need doesn't feel dire right now. They're winning games, they're racking at points in the standing, but they still need to be more competitive if we're seriously going to have a Stanley Cup conversation. Well, and you also, the other part that I like about what it seems like they are doing is start getting these moves made in this roster built the way that you want it to look at the end of the season now. Yeah, there is no rule that says you have to wait till the trade deadline to add the players that you want to add now. The abs are in a little bit of a unique situation because there is still the Gabe Landescog conversation to be had and when is he back, is he back if at all. Is that a player you've got to account for it in the regular season is that a player that you don't have to worry about till the playoffs, you know, so the abs still have a little bit of that. Like you and I have mentioned before on this show, guess what guys I bet you they have more clarity on it internally than they are letting out into the public. Right. So we could also start to see some moves in the not so distant future that address the miles would situation that address the Gabe Landescog situation. So what I noticed to me was hey, to bring our goal tending in we got a little bit weaker in the bottom half of our lineup we want to sure that up a little bit with a prospect that yeah, you're right, Megan, you liked, but it was hard to see a path for Andre Pavel to being a contributing every night member of the Colorado Avalanche if you can get someone now who can come in and at least give you a better look at someone who can contribute on a night in night out basis. I like that move because we are at the halfway point season, right, or less, you've got to start gearing up for what it looks like post season. I like the timing of it too. They can sort of go about things in a way they're more comfortable with versus what's available come the deadline. So I like that they seek out and scout person and specifically, and they'll have a little bit of runway here too to get him acclimated and see what kind of a player they have does he continue to make sense going into the deadline. Because that gives them some wiggle room to readdress the bottom of the lineup around that time. I imagine that's going to be the case to I think that they're waiting for some clarity around health of a player like Landis Gogg. And similarly, Casey Middlestad, he's in a weird place right now and I am not shipping him out based upon the tough time that he's having right now, but I do think they need to see what's going on there and how he bounces back from it. And yeah, like you said, I don't think that the abs are going to trade him between now and the deadline norm, am I at all advocating for them do that. But yeah, you are, you are shifting officially into this point of the season where it's, we've gotten, we've gotten through the gauntlet of the schedule and the injuries and all of that. And now we are in. We are in assessment mode between now and the deadline, like if you're management, right. We are trying to figure out what we have. Who do we think can contribute. Who do we think is just there. You know, where can we improve, where can we slot guys down to make them more effective and better set up for success. And we have conversations that are starting to be had right now. And I think the person and move is the abs front office. That's kind of their first little chess piece of the second half of the season of this is a move that we think makes our team better today. And that's really all you're looking for. Absolutely. Jets come to town tomorrow New Year's Eve and New Year's Eve game is always fun. There's always a fun energy in the building. Your expectations for tomorrow, Megan. This is a Jets team that has had the abs number in the regular season recently. Connor Hellebuck playing very well again. The Jets just kind of just find some expectations pre season a lot of people kind of thought they would take a step back. They've kind of done the opposite here. Your thoughts on what we might see tomorrow. Well, it's a team that's cooking in the regular season. I think that's sort of a model for what the abs want to find by the end of the regular season for themselves is Winnipeg does seem to have a strong sense of who they are and what they do well right now. And that's why I think it's rewarding them. I do think the conversation can shift going into the playoffs. I think there are more cultural or mental hurdles that exist there, but they are having success rightfully because of the way that they are constructed. They're getting goal scoring from the chai fleas and the Kyle Connors. Incredible goaltender from one of the best goal tenders in the league in Hellebuck. A power play that has been clicking. They've just won their last three. I think seven, two and one in their last 10. They are both hot right now. Two hot teams with a lot to prove, just not even just within the division, but within the West. And I think Winnipeg especially wants to kind of what's the word I'm looking for, like dismiss this notion that they can only do this in the regular season. And so I think that playing against a team like the abs who have been there in recent history in winning a cup, absolutely a measuring stick game for both teams. I see a lot of motivation on Winnipeg's side to come in and play their best hockey too. Have these teams played yet? I want to say they have. I'll pull it up real quick. Winnipeg leads 1-0. While we're talking this season series. Okay. All right, perfect. And you know, look like they kind of smacked the abs around last year in the regular season and then looked like a junior team playing in scabs in the first round of the playoffs. Like you said, they're definitely going to be looking to push back on that. Only thing of note, they will be coming in on the second night of a back-to-back. They are playing at home in Winnipeg tonight. Not a quick flight from Winnipeg to Denver. They'll be getting in late. It's a little bit of an earlier start tomorrow. You want to see the abs jump all over them kind of like, you know, what we saw was that they got on the second night of a back-to-back. Anaheim? Anaheim. Thank you. Yes. You know, you want to see the abs replicate that again and going back to what we were just saying about the moves that they're starting to make, the personnel they're bringing in, you know, kind of getting done with the call-ups, which I don't say is a bad thing. You want to see them start acting like a cup contender. And to your point, they got Seattle on the second leg of Seattle's back-to-back. And I think that's what you were actually saying is they want to capitalize on a tire team like they did Seattle. So my bad, I let you down the wrong path. But I agree with that completely. I think Chloe, one of her New Year's resolutions for the abs was to string together a better home record. And I also think sending off the last game going into the New Year with a win in front of the home crowd. And you've got a team coming in on the second leg of the back-to-back. I really want them to play with pride. I wasn't going to talk about this, but as we start to wind this show down here, I do just want to ask you, Casey Middlestadt was out on the fourth line today. Just your thoughts on they're trying something different to try to get Casey Middlestadt out of the slump. We've heard from Casey on it. We've heard from Jared Bednar on it. They've tried moving his line mates around, plugging him in with different guys. Now they're saying, "Go grind it out. Go move your feet and create your own opportunities to see if that works for them." And I get it if you're Jared Bednar. You've got to try something different, I guess. I've mixed feelings because I agree with the need to change the second line. And I think Jonathan Jiren is what that second line could use to get jump-started right now. But what I don't love is that this line specifically Middlestadt's moving to is so new. You've got Inala, who's played very few NHL games to his name with an NHL debut this season, in person and completely new to the F system. Now, on one hand, that can just really motivate Casey to, I don't know, be the leader of that line and kind of forced him to be the driver of it as a result. But I think that he also has his work cut out for him as a result of that too. I would have loved to see Middlestadt working with an O'Connor, especially if moving the feet is what he needs to do. So, Connor kind of has that effect on players that he works with on a line, like a new hook. I think back to new hook, I think some of the best versions of new hook I ever saw were playing with Logan O'Connor. And that's maybe where I'm at with Casey Middlestadt is I think he just needs to kind of absorb the little hockey chameleon that he is. Some of those blue collar habits, and that includes moving his feet. And I hope that he can do that. You know, Irina has speed, and so I think that line's going to play with pace no matter what. But it's going to really be in Casey's hands. And so he's got a lot of support around him. I think I've seen mixed feedback on how people interpret Jerry Bednar's recent comments about him. And I personally view it as very supportive. This is a coach who has so much faith in what Casey Middlestadt is capable of. And he makes mention of how much faith players have in Casey Middlestadt. And so I don't doubt that he is the support of his former line mates like we go ranting in and Ross Colton to get back up to the second line player that I think he is still. And so I think he has a lot of support around him. I know that maybe some of the feedback has felt harsh, but he's a professional and he's played for some difficult Buffalo teams. I have to imagine this is a different kind of personal challenge for him. And I'm excited to see how he handles it. You know, the Buffalo game is coming up on the calendar and I really want before then, but especially by then, for it to be a reset from the last time he was in Buffalo, and it kind of felt like when things really took a turn for the worst for Middlestadt. When we thought that that was going to be what was going to pull him out of it and got way worse. Well, and for me what I like about putting him on this line that he's on. To me the best the best we've seen from Casey Middlestadt was early when he was playing purely on instinct. Go out there and just compete and play and you're going to be with guys you haven't played with before, and you're going to be in a new system. Go out there and just play your game. And I want to see if maybe that's a little bit of what he can do. He's going to be out there to your point with an all who's still trying to keep up at the NHL level in person and who's not familiar to the systems. Guys aren't always going to be where he's maybe expecting them. And he might have to improv a little bit. And I think that's maybe when we've seen Casey Middlestadt at his best. I wonder if he's overthinking a little bit right now. And he's gripping the stick a little bit too tight because it's not going and he's trying to do what he's supposed to do. He's trying to do what the system tells him to. And it's just not quite working. And I just I want to see this kid go out and play his game. Be the player that we saw Casey Middlestadt being earlier this season that was creative and great vision and not afraid to attack the puck and wanted to play with the puck on his stick. Be the player that we saw in the playoffs last year that embraced physicality and creativeness and playing below the goal line and distributing. That to me is all stuff like he doesn't look like he wants the puck right now. And when a player like Casey Middlestadt his skill his talent. You want him wanting the puck. You want him to get like to be wanting to get after it. And I think by putting him on this bottom line with a couple of guys that are going to make him a little bit uncomfortable. It's go out there and be Casey Middlestadt. Stop worrying about who your wingers are. Stop worrying about the system for a minute. Not altogether. For a minute and just go out there and play. Play the way that you did when you first got to Denver and that was what we told you to do. You're going to get some easier matchups. Go out there and walk a couple guys. Let's see a forehand toe drag backhand you know upstairs on Connor Hellabuck like let's see it. That's what you're here to do and just get a little bit of that juice going back. He looks like a player who is afraid of being noticeable in the wrong ways and so he's made himself unnoticeable. And I think you've got guys on the fourth line who are trying to make a good impression and so their intent is to definitely be noticeable especially with limited ice time. And so I think Casey Middlestadt has to get comfortable with being perceived because I think he was afraid of making mistakes and so he went from shooting the puck but maybe not the best shot selection to just not doing anything with it any longer. So I also think he is being over consumed with the feedback too like I think he's thinking about it too much and trying to implement all of it and it's just going too harshly. And so to your point I think he needs to without abandoning everything that he's been told right try to quiet that let it be background noise fade to the background as much as possible and to your point operate off of instinct. Well and there's someone here in the chat saying honestly Casey was playing really well when he had a carousel of teammates. Go back to the start of the year he had different line mates every night. Like Richie and Carvelenko. Right and he was producing he was fine and you do wonder if that goes a little bit back to what we're talking about here. He was just like well I don't have time to get used to these guys so I'm just going to dish the puck and I'm going to make swaggy little plays here in there. And again I think you make an excellent point of you're being put with two guys who are going to do everything they can to get noticed. Don't don't stand out in the wrong way among these two guys and don't be a wallflower right don't be a background character on your line. You're supposed to be kind of a standout you're supposed to be the main character. The main character energy for Casey middle staff time tomorrow. All right I'm going to end it with this. And it's a it's a grievance that I was already airing out to you earlier. So we'll be back at tomorrow another show I'll have more to preview on the game so I don't want to go overboard talking about tomorrow night because we'll get into that tomorrow on the show. You're so upset. Like is it a new topic or is it still the outdoor game. I'm just so annoyed because I've talked about on here recently at the NHL does such a terrible job marketing marquee events or even not even marquee events. When they play games you know they have day games on random little holidays here like the NHL just doesn't do themselves any favors. But this huge marquee event that you can you know they tried to scale back on the outdoor games to bring the specialness of the winner classic back. And yet. Here we are. Seeing a retread of the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis blues in the winner classic and the only thing that's changed since we last saw this exact matchup is that the two teams have gotten worse. Like these are two entertaining teams at a repeat venue in a repeat matchup. And then everyone's going to ask the question on Wednesday morning of why are the winner classic ratings down. These games maybe just don't work anymore it's like no people just don't care anymore. Like the Blackhawks are so bad. They're so bad. Connor Bardard is having a down year. The St. Louis blues are struggling to keep their head above the water of relevancy. They've missed the playoffs multiple years in a row. I just I just don't get why the NHL continues to do stuff like this. It's frustrating because we talk about the growth of the game and how much we are motivated by that. And so the criticisms are coming from a place of just wanting hockey to reach more people. And I'm very supportive of the winner classic specifically like you start talking to me about the stadium series branch offs and I think they're trying to do too much at once a little bit there. I like kind of the specialness of the winner classic following Christmas. And I think it adds value to the cities that they're hosted in you know it drives revenue tourists. It's a it's a big event a big attraction but to your point that's where they miss the mark a little bit is a retread in terms of location instead of tapping into a different city to be the host and benefit from those things that I just mentioned. And get those local fans that base hyped up and involved I think is a little bit of a miss you know it leaves it's still leaving things on the table. And that's where I think NHL gets in its own way is there's good parts in this idea they should do the winner classic. Yes, they just should make it a little new each time so that new people can enjoy it. Well and not only that but like make it teams that people want to watch this will be the sixth time the Blackhawks have played in the winner classic. Like if you could have done it this year anywhere what two teams and what city. Well so my here's my thing with outdoor have you ever been doing outdoor game yes okay. There are amazing spectacles. The viewing sight lines at the stadiums. It's not great it's not a great in person event. What I think they should do with these is take a cue from what they did it like Tahoe a couple years ago. And what baseball has done at the field of dreams is they've made them small intimate. Venues for in person viewing but they are made for TV events and they're made to be photographed and made to be clipped and made to have these great scenic views. I think they should start doing them at more iconic locations and not worry about putting 80,000 40,000 butts in seats and really market them towards it being a big television event. Make it the only game of the day build the hype around it put it in cool locations put it on scenic backdrops. And and play it against relevant exciting teams. What I would have loved to see them do and I know they they did it once I really back in like 2010 or 2009. I thought it would have been fun to have an old vechkin and Crosby winner classic again and you can still do that next year. But I thought that would be fun is kind of like a one last go outdoors these two teams. Um, let me actually do you have an idea for teams that you would want in it. No, that's why I asked actually is like, well, to me, all teams I can find for the most part something exciting about them that I enjoy. I think you know how I feel about St. Louis. I just don't love St. Louis blues, specifically nothing against the city of St. Louis. You know what I would have done and and I know it's a logistical issue already on the two Florida teams. I think it's just rivalries in the NHL right now. And you've got Florida finally coming off a Stanley Cup and even last year when you would have needed to announce it, they had just gone to the Stanley Cup final. And like I said, I know there's some logistical weather issues with that. But those are two teams that I think would have been fun to see in a winter classic. I would have maybe and I know the Utah stuff kind of came about late. I've tried to get Utah in there. That's a, that's an organization that has never been able to do one. Oh yeah, I would have loved Utah Colorado, but that one feels like I'm seeing it through such abs specific glasses because to me that's super interesting. I don't know if it commands the same attention league wide, but to me, it's interesting. I loved when they did Seattle and Vegas last year, kind of like the expansion cup. Yeah, if you will, like those are just, you know, there's been a lot of teams that have done it to this point, which is great. But I think you could find better ways to do it, maybe even neutral site venues and it's the previous Stanley Cup final. And you put the two Stanley Cup finalists. I like neutral site and then invite the PWHL. And what you could invite. I mean, we've been on shows together. We've talked about all different types of celebration of the game things that the NHL could do surrounding all star games and outdoor games and stuff like that. But, you know, and if, because they've already kind of broken from the tradition of that the winner classic is for American teams and the heritage classic is for Canadian teams. Put Toronto and Montreal in the winner classic. And again, put it in New York City in a huge venue in Central Park. You know what I mean? Like, just that's what I think they should do. Bellagio fountains Central Park, the bean in Chicago, you know, up and veil, things like that. Like, that's where I think the NHL should be doing these types of games. Times Square, like, use some of these amazing iconic venues that we have all over the country like they did in Lake Tahoe and drop some cool games there and make it 5000 people that can get tickets to come and watch it. And they're all real close and it's small and it's primarily a made for TV spectacle because that's what they are. And they're just shoehorning 40,000 fans into the arena. And only 5000 of them have good sightlines anyways. I think if they do make it a smaller venue, they have to find some way to make it accessible to some people. And I think the ticket prices would go through the roof and it would only be accessible to the upper echelon of society. And that would make me a little sad because it feels like the part about playing on an outdoor lake is outdoor, as opposed to the indoor ones. Is the old time hockey feel, and I just feel like that should still be accessible to the people who grew up playing on frozen lakes. And so I don't know, like, just maybe have season ticket holders get some kind of priority and some. This is not the level of detail we did for this, but I want, I want it to be accessible to the people because it's talking about overall improving the product that they are just continuing to run out there. And I think what you're because, like, truthfully, this outdoor game at Rigley Field is going to be too expensive for most people. You know what I mean? So I'm sure if you're already pricing people out of these types of events. Well, then do them in a way that is more exciting for people to want to tune into at home and drop a rink somewhere. Again, I think the field of dreams thing that the MLB is doing is one of the best things they've done because they take it to this small little ballpark and I know there are, you know, a lot of the seats are corporate tickets. And then, but you do have, which is inevitable. Right. You still need to generate money from the event. So I'm not saying ban the rich. But no, I get what you're saying. Like, just make sure that there's, you know, you know, 4,000 tickets, make sure there's a thousand for each fan base that season ticket holders can tap into. Yeah. But that's what I would like to see them do. We have someone who says a winner classic of abs oilers. Sure. Again, play on some of these leagues. Yeah, hottest players. Right. The least biggest names. That's what these used to kind of be was these are the teams that people want to see because they're the best teams. That was why people kind of shrugged their shoulders with the Blackhawks. They're like, well, what do you want from them? They're winning cups every other year. We're so far removed from that. And they've been in two winter classics since their last. Like any bit of relevancy. And it's like, okay, we got it. We're done with this. I don't know how these jersey manufacturers have more throwback jersey ideas for the Blackhawks at this. I have to imagine the base for Chicago specifically is perfect for it and it's hungry and eats it up every time. And so I want to shout out the Chicago Blackhawks fans for probably being super endorsing of this and making it worth the leagues while each time. I would just like to see a little variety, but I don't want to strip Chicago of any and all future outdoor games. This will be the last thing that we're going to get out of here. To your point, like they go back to those teams because they know that the fans will show up. Totally. So that's why my suggestion is we'll stop making it so much about fans needing to show up and find a way to make these better marquee events and find out what other fans will show up. Right. Right. And I bet Utah, I actually have no idea. They seem passionate. I don't know. Right. Well, and like new fan base. And if you made it because like here's the other thing, the winner classic starts like 20 minutes before the abs game starts. And so it's like, I actually my my original proposal coming out of COVID was that the league should have adjusted back their schedule and use COVID to their advantage. I think the NHL should start the season on January 1st with the winner classic and run it through September and award the Stanley Cup in late September. And then you can own the summer when it's just regular season baseball and your end of season and playoffs and ramping up. And then you can stop competing with the NFL. Because the NHL is terrified of going head to head with the NFL. Understandably. So if you ran it January through September, you wouldn't really have that problem. I think I've shared how I feel about it. I've mixed feelings because of players with families who kids who kids who's kids are off from school in the summer months. And I just don't know if they like structure their lives around that time with family very specifically. Or then you'd be off through the holidays. Like a couple of weeks in the two. Two weeks. No, the players. Yeah. Yeah. Their kids are in school all day. Think about baseball players though. They only play in the summer. The only time they're busy. They chose that. All right. We did get one more super chat here. And I wanted to try to translate it before I. Happy New Year. Oh, yep. Yeah. Happy New Year. Day of hockey and Jesse. I don't think Dom. Oh, oh, it's me. It's like, um, it's some kind of title to me, I think. Happy New Year. Happy hockey. Happy all of it. I really wanted to get this one. Um, Lady, Lady of hockey. Okay. Happy New Year hockey lady and Jesse. I love that. That was great. That was great. Um, okay. Let's get out of here. We'll be back at tomorrow. She's Megan. I'm Jesse. Any final thoughts? No. No, that's it. John behind the glass. Thank you guys so much for tuning in today, every day. We'll be back at tomorrow. So I'm not going to wish you a happy New Year quite yet. We'll do that on tomorrow show. Thanks so much, guys. And, uh, we'll talk to you soon. Have a good one. Bye. Bye. [ Silence ]
Jesse Montano and Meghan Angley help kick off your New Year's week by breaking down a calm week for the Colorado Avalanche, while the drama league wide continues
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