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Here's Chris with your host Julian Mackenzie CJ, let's review the week ahead game seven of the Stanley Cup final is on Monday Thursdays the NHL awards Fridays the star of the NHL draft goes into Saturday as well and then the Monday after is when free agency starts Are you ready for these next? Seven eight days no big money siege. No, I couldn't possibly be ready for this I mean you also Tuesday is the hockey hall of fame induction class comes out Wednesday the window to bio player contracts opens and it's only a four-day window this year Which is highly unusual? Which would mean we're gonna see all the bio tapping between June 26th and June 30th when it closes again I'm sure there'll be trades In addition to all the scheduled activities. We got the awards show somewhere in there It's just it's it's it's too much, but It's also it is what it is. We don't make the schedule. So on where do we go? Man, I could just tell the way you quickly just said no like You're you're a little bit at your wit Well, I'm I have to say I mean, I don't even want to look past game seven to be honest. I think that the game that's gonna be played Monday night in Florida. I'm really lucky I'm gonna get to be there to cover it and It might be the biggest NHL game of my career You could argue maybe the biggest game played in decades just with everything at stake Legacy wise for Conor McDavid with the fact that the Oilers have come back to force the game seven down three zero You know, I think that you're seeing a lot of momentum pick up in terms of you know, any series that starts three nothing There's gonna be lacking of interest being this late in June all those things But now all of a sudden you have all this focus on this one game. I mean I Almost don't want to look past that because I don't I'm not in a rush to get that over with It's been a long season We've covered it right from hop and it all culminates with that one game and it happens We played on June 24th the latest ever for a game seven and kind of a non-pandemic non And in what we'll call a quote-unquote normal year and so this is a really it's gonna be it's gonna be an event It's gonna be really cool and and It's gonna be one of those games. I think we remember for a long long time no matter how it plays out First game seven in any of the big four North American leagues since Covid happened Like wow in the champion. I guess you mean in a championship round. Yes, right? Because it's 2019 was the last Cup final that went seven Boston St. Louis Didn't the NBA have seven game series or my I don't know non the championship round not since Covid happened Alright, I was second of the Boston Miami, but that was a conference final. Correct. Right? But yeah Wow, I mean, that's look at game seven There's like you almost can throw out all these sort of cliches or whatever But it's there's nothing. I mean I think the emotion and the kind of desperation you see in the playoffs in general the NHL sets it apart and then you you throw in one game for the cup and like I mean If you love the sport, you don't have to have a rooting interest in the teams to understand I was like that's gonna be a pretty tense dramatic night and It's all or nothing. I mean, it's it's literally You know, it's gonna be a pretty damn empty feeling for whichever team loses that game again no matter how it plays out and You know, if Edmonton can come back and win it. I mean You're talking about ending a 31 year Canadian Cup drought. You're talking about the first team since 1942 to win a Championship Series down 0 3 in the NHL. You're talking Connor McDavid Doing what you know, everyone kind of thought he would do eventually, but I you know Weirdly I picked Oilers at the start of this year, but you did But I didn't see it of course playing out this way I thought they were gonna be a wagon that ran through the league and instead they've been this team that certainly at their highest end I think they I have been the best team in the league when they've had their been at their peak But they've obviously been through a lot of valleys as well on to to get to this moment. So, you know It's pretty frickin exciting that we have that game What's what's awesome about this is it with a grudge to your pick is that? Not only have you been consistent with saying the Oilers were going to be the team that gets there throughout the regular season But even as they were down 3 nothing in their series You were still confident at least with us that they were going to come back and force a game seven You have been very confident in the fact that they were going to find a way to do it and they did it like well Some of that was just a group chat confidence. So some the stakes right? Yes, but still Yeah, I did say in the group chat when it was 3 0 that series would go seven so But you know be one thing to say that publicly or write a column saying that or something. I mean Partly, I was just trying to wine producer drew up But I also I also thought it was a weird it was a weird set of circumstances If you look back to put the Oilers down 3 nothing like I didn't think they were by far the worst team in those games And they just seem so calm. I've I will say this It doesn't this is not a prediction of a result because who knows one game anything can happen But I have just never seen a team that's down They still feel inevitable somehow like it's weird. They I don't know if it's it's George Mumford who behind the scenes You know they've hired to help them with with some of the you know keep in their mindset, right? Or just maybe a product of the fact these guys of you know They're ready to win that they've been through all the experiences you need to accumulate to to be ready to perform on the highest stage and understand what winning hockey looks like but they just seem so unshakeable and You know lots of lots of players and teams when they go down a series say the things the others were saying them But it just felt different at least from where I was standing. So, you know all that said they could easily lose game 7 I mean, that's just the nature of the sport I mean that's that's why the winner take all scenarios are so compelling I remember Switzerland beating Canada in the 2006 Olympics with like a 50 saved performance. I think by Martin Gerber at the time You know things like that can happen you can play well and lose but Edmonton's giving themselves a chance at doing something seriously that It's it's sort of like tell your grandkids where you were Kind of moment and especially I can you know We could probably talk a lot about you. I know you were in Edmonton there for game was it for doing for you I have I'm not sure if I've ever seen a city quite like what I witnessed last weekend Friday night specifically just It was it was bonkers. It was total bedlam and so I can't only imagine if the Oilers find a way to win it How it'll look and if they you know have a championship parade and all those things You know, it's been a long time coming for that city and frankly for the country of Canada Which you know, I still believe loves hockey more than any other Means more to more people here than then anywhere else in the world. I mean I Don't know. I feel like as much as we have the stupid debate is this canvas team I think when it goes down to one game. I think a lot of people across the country are probably pulling for the Oilers Just I know it might be silly and I realize but I mean it's not just Oilers It's Conor McDavid lay on dry side only these sort of generational players You know, I'm actually doing an exercise right now I haven't completed it, but it's gonna come out Monday at the athletic where I'm ranking the 18 Stanley Cup finals in the cap era I like this. Yeah, it is and and I've been lucky. I've been at actually 17 of them In some I haven't covered them all back to four But I've been I was bad a lot of the games essentially played during this this era and I was thinking of the ones and like Maybe the Vegas Washington series wasn't like as epic of a series, but it was pretty special to see Like oh, that can finally get a cup in that team backstrom those guys after pushing so long I mean, one of my favorite cups of that like it's probably gonna be one or two is the 0-9 final And that was Crosby's first cup, but that was also just a tense amazing series that Red Wings were you know They'd won the year before over Pittsburgh You know had a lot of I mean just a team full of Hall famers But then Crosby and company came back in that series in winning game 7 2-1. So that'll be up there I think the 2011 Vancouver Boston series has to be it'll be in the top three to five again I haven't settled on the exact ranking yet But it's been a fun exercise to think back over all the years and and quite honestly, I think I'm gonna rank this one number one and There might be a little bit of recency bias in there like I'll grant you like we'll see over time how it all shakes out You know game 7 is 5-1 one way or another. Maybe we don't look back at like if it's a tense close game 7 might Tilt the scales a little bit, but that point being you know for sure in the 18 cups that we've seen since The cap era came into effect that this is one or two. I think like pretty much I don't even see much debate there. So that that alone just I'm pretty fired up to see this game. So what about this series in the context of sports period like say the Oilers find a way to win game 7 and Achieve essentially the the impossible. Where are you ranking this among some of the other? incredible sporting moments like one popular Comparison has been the LeBron James led comeback for the Cleveland Cavaliers down 3-1 in the NBA Finals in 2016 Over the Golden State Warriors the best team in regular season history What I mean, I think it beats that I'm wondering how you feel about that Yeah, I probably don't have the proper enough perspective across all the sports to be honest to like give a really informed view You know, I remember there didn't the Red Sox come back from three nothing down against the Yankees on the way to their world series And that was the year that they ended their like 90 year Yeah, but that was also a championship. That was also in a essentially the equivalent of a conference final series But still an incredible achievement nonetheless. Yeah, I mean It's got to be up there though among the craziest things we've seen You know, especially like you look at their playoffs like Down 3-2 to Vancouver and win down 2 to 1 and down to nothing in game 4 on home ice Against Dallas in the conference final. They find a way out of that I mean they were in 30th or 31st or 32nd depending on what point of the calendar you look at November You know when you look at the whole season like this is something it's a pretty remarkable story and You know, I think at the end of the day like we love sports because we can celebrate the athletic achievements of others We were we're odd by what other humans can do that we could only not even imagine but part of it is a story Right. I mean, it's a story. We tell ourselves. It's something we we derive joy from and understanding of the world a little bit And I just think this is a story anyone could resonate with even if you don't understand the finer points of hockey And especially when you come to understand that probably the best player in the game plays for the team that the kind of series He's had kind of playoffs. He's had The fact that there's even this this looming idea of who knows what the future holds for the organization I mean that it's just a it's just this really compelling thing and so yeah, I See people saying this will be like the biggest choke ever for Florida. Yeah biggest collapse collapse, you know I don't know it yes, it would be of course it would be the cup was in the building games 4 5 and 6 And they could have claimed it and then obviously the same will be true Monday for game 7 but You know, I almost look at it the other way. I think Edmonton's come and You know, they've really flipped the series mean the fact they want to 8-1 in game 4 Like at the time you don't know how much stock to put in that because you're like, yeah They still got to win three straight games, but You know very few teams lose 8-1 in a series They end up winning like at any point when you think of it the other side of that and clearly I think that they Got to Sergey Babrowski in that game. He's he's not been a force of of you know Tilting things towards Florida's end enough since that point. I mean the Panthers haven't led since the end of they won game 3 They haven't even had a lead, you know, the Oilers are scored first in the subsequent games and hell on to a lead throughout those games so you know, it's been a it's been a dramatic flip of the the switch and Man can you imagine what that moments like if like they're Han and Conor McDavid they Stanley Cup on Monday night We're talking about one of the most Magical moments in I'm telling you in sports history if it gets to that point because it's a thing because of your age Julian I'm gonna say like you didn't see Wayne Gretzky play like in a point where you were Conscious, but how many times have you seen the images of him with the cup and stuff because like yeah, you know Like it just gets replayed and played over time You know, that's that's that's potentially we're gonna be treated to I mean look even at Florida wins I don't even know how to feel about that story because like it's hard to put your mind there I Mean they would have rescued one from the fire Like the fact that they made it so difficult on them You know what the first person I'm gonna think of well There's two people actually Paul Maurice is gonna be the first person I think of when the Florida if the Florida Panthers win Like for Edmonton's economy David and all those guys and everyone will get their turn Paul Maurice and the Emotional rollercoaster it has been for him Throughout his career let alone this series to get to this point getting there in 2002 is a much younger coach Coach of the Carolina Hurricanes who end up getting walloped by Detroit? It takes them over 20 years to get back. He loses in five games to Vegas and then this Man, I if if the Panthers find a way to win He's the first person I'm thinking of the second person I'm thinking of is Bill Zito Whose face and gaze has been all over the brought the TV broadcast since game four onward Did you see that photo? There was like a fan who was that photo shop? There was that a real photo? That's the only thing I can tell I thought I'm mentioning. I was up so for those who didn't see it's a photo of an image of others fan Taking a selfie of the box where Bill Zito and some of his other management staff are and clearly Bill Zito is like Best he's you know his team is throwing it. Well not throwing away Yeah, they had a three-year-old series lead They don't have it anymore and this fan is taking the selfie. I had heard another story where Bill Zito was at the rink He was getting out of an elevator and then a swarm of Euler's fans like ran to him and started chanting to him I don't know Man, it's like a hell for Bill Zito a man who I mean was probably done more than Chuck a water bottle Onto a wall in an owner's box like well this dude is going through hell a couple things I'll say so I was in the panther's dressing up. They lost game six. I mean Understandly that was an it was an emotional dressing room like it was Definitely you could feel the weight of what was going on in there. I could hear someone in a back room though saying cats and seven cats and seven so they were trying to You know as you should they're trying to keep their spirits high But man like it felt heavy and even you it's hard to explain But I can't see the players when they're walking off the ice towards a room But you can hear them and someone's it was a bad night for someone stick against the wall I'll tell you that much so that you know some of the frustration you would expect in that moment The other thing I think of though at the panther's witness like they have a lot of players that have been sort of Good good troopers through the NHL to win their cup like I think of like Oliver and Ekman Larson You know bought out a year ago by Vancouver, you know spent the first however many years of his career in Arizona You know trying to carry that franchise's hopes And you know he's been so good frankly in these playoffs like I actually think it's funny He's headed to free agency like he's and I think he's in a great spot to get in a nice contract you know, it's funny when you remove someone from You know, we view it through like what they're making in Vancouver and it's like this guy can't play it and all of a sudden He's freed from that and man. He's been good You know, Kyle Akposo who actually came out of the lineup in game six But you know, he's been a first-class citizen through 17 18 NHL seasons whatever it is and You know, I think of some of those guys like the old guys to get a cup older guys Then you know, I think Ekman Larson's 31's who's not that old, but he's he's seen some things He's had to battle through some things to get to this point You know and there's similar stories, I guess on both sides But you know, those are the guys I would be happy to see really lifted trophy You know, not to just Sanding bad, but the panther star players too. I mean, it'll be pretty cool for them as well, but man, I'm full of like nervous energy kind of already and it's it's still Let's do the math here still 33 hours to puck drop from the time of recording this But but I'm about to fly down to Florida this afternoon and pretty excited to get there and get this thing going Not just moments before we started a recording This week came through from Tom Gulidi Oddly Sergey Babrowski is not one of two goalies warming up before Panthers practice Schedule to begin at 11 a.m. Anthony Stolar's and Spencer Knight are out there Babrowski is usually the first one on the ice well before this on a practice day What should we deduce from this? Well, it's concerning. There's just no way around that. I don't know if if Paul Maurice will end up giving it a definitive update after practice that tries to calm the nerves or if they'll just say You know as a lot of teams say in these situations, you know, you know come tomorrow and see what happens But I mean here's what we know about Sergey Babrowski just a noted Work workaholic essentially. I mean he's he's so dialed into how he gets ready for games and situations He spends a lot of time on the ice would normally be the first player out there for a practice like this one the day before game Seven, you know, obviously it's a sign to me. He's either fatigued potentially or dealing with an injury situation or a bit of both But I don't want to jump to any conclusions that he can't play because let's face it at this time of year A lot of players aren't practicing like with any regularity. It's just it's very rare for this particular player To miss a skate and then to miss it in this moment I mean, there's no world where this is a coaching decision or a an organizational decision I mean everyone being healthy in that scenario There's not even a decision for the kids Babrowski starting game seven, but you wonder now. Are they forced with a strange choice? I mean, I know still ours got in earlier this series when when Babrowski was pulled in a game But obviously doesn't really have much of a resume Of playing anything close to a game seven of a cup final, you know, Spencer Knight's career has been a little bit winding It was actually a few years ago. He was playing playoff games out for the Panthers But I mean the point is with with due respect to those gentlemen the Panthers would much rather have Babrowski in there But we'll have to see if if this is a situation where he can't go or I'll be fascinated to see how they treat this too because If it is literally just a rest day, like I think it's best to come out and say look he's fine he's starting But if it's up in the air, I mean that adds an extra layer of drama to what's already a pretty dramatic moment You're sure also one more thing before we I ask you what you're hearing for our rumbling section If Florida loses this series, I mean even if they win they still have to deal with some of these decisions But you mentioned OEL going to free agency Brandon Montour. What's next for him? Sam Reinhardt What do you think could be next for the Florida Panthers? I guess regardless of what happens to them in this series when it comes to some of the pending free agents on their list Yeah, you know, I think that the result probably doesn't change their approach with those players But the fact of the matter has always been there's just not enough money to keep them all in the fold Um, and so, you know, I've been up the mind that they would find a way to get a deal done with Sam Reinhardt I've got no information or reason to believe that's changed. But frankly, it's not like contract Negotiations are going on behind the scenes. I mean everyone is locked in on trying to win the cup and and You know, there's not a lot. There's only going to be a handful of days once the season is over here before july 1st But you know, I would think that those calls started almost the next morning Um between the agents involved here, you know, it seemed to me that montour is is likely to hit the market Uh, you know, gusta forzling who's been the panther's top defenseman Signed a pretty sweetheart of a deal in march and eight-year extension of 5.75 million I think that kind of sets an internal cap on what they pay a defenseman um, and the fact of the matter remains I think brandon montour can can command more money on the open market and so You know, I've I've been under the impression. He's likely to hit the market. I'm not sure about OEL, but You know feels feels a little bit like He's probably going to have better opportunities in terms of just to make you know money elsewhere Yeah, I mean this team This team is going to be different next year. I mean they already are different from where they were last year It's just this is the nature of the cap era, right and and edminton will have similar Kind of decisions not as bigger than what happens with leon dry side. I'll lose one year out from potential unrestricted free agency Um, it's my understanding. There haven't been any contract talks there with him and his agent at this point And that's something that doilers will 100 prioritize trying to figure out if if there's an extension we reach and then if if not if he wants to wait it out If he's not sure what he wants to do Then they have a decision in terms of whether they want to trade him this summer and so It's kind of crazy that we're talking about players that are going to play in the biggest game of the season In this manner that it within a week. We could be talking with them moving on elsewhere, but that's That's kind of the nature of having a schedule that looks like this one It's one thing to talk about it for the teams in the Stanley Cup finals We are also talking about players on completely different teams With all the uh flurry of activity that we've already seen and that is projected to come cj I need to know what you're hearing on a list of players and one particular news story that we can get to at the end Uh, let's start in winnipeg with prospect rutgar mcgrordi. What are you hearing about that situation? And how did the jets and marori get to where they're at now where it looks as if the jets are going to have to move on from their prospect Yeah, I mean look. I think it was it was mildly concerning when he didn't sign a contract after his nc double a season Um, just because he's a player that that would have been aligned for that contract and the jets, you know We're open that they were You know looking to sign them were more than willing to allow him to to start his professional career But I think you know, maybe weren't willing to assure him of how that would go in terms of what sort of NHL minutes You get how soon he'd get them and all those types of things and and you know, it seems now that they've got to a point where you know There's a divide between what the players and you know those that are close to him feel is right and what the team feels is right for his development and and You know, it's certainly his name is now started to circulate as a potential trade target Um, you know with with the draft coming and so, you know, I think it's pretty cut and dried that way I mean, I don't know how This unfolds because this is a pretty prominent Um prospect, you know, only a couple years since his draft So he's still very young And and not someone that the jets would otherwise be inclined to move on from but You know, if that's the the way they got to go. I mean, it could be a little bit like the cutter goch a situation, I suppose Um, where we're, you know, fully traded in Danheim for for Jamie Drysdale In season, I think it's it's a sort of similar kind of moment where You know for the jets to do something that makes sense. They're going to want to get something equivalent back But you know, ultimately if a player is willing to not sign with an NHL team and plays in the NCAA He can become an unrestricted free agent in a couple of years time if he's willing to play out Of the rest of his time at Michigan. So, you know, the the player does have a small bit of leverage in this Um, albeit, you know, he'd have to wait another season beyond next year before you know, he could become A UFA, but you know, it seems as though the jets are at least exploring the market to see something that makes sense and and You know Naturally, there's a whole bunch of teams. I think that would be interested in You know adding rekker majority just given what he's accomplished the sort of leadership qualities that come with him He's been a big part of a lot of team USA's national teams at at the age level national champ world championships rather and um You know, we'll just have to see where this goes next Is this a deal that happens sooner rather than later? Most likely because you're probably I mean look at the draft is the draft is kind of like its own trade deadline in a sense Not because you can't trade after the draft but because a lot of times the that the deals that get made involve draft picks that get made In that in in that draft, right? So there's there's I guess I wouldn't call it urgency, but if it's it's a little more fun if you're trading for a draft pick I think to then be able to get a player right away um You know, and so I would say that we've got what a little less than a week until the first round of the draft It's probably something that is going to pick up steam and see a conclusion by then and then if not, maybe everyone's got to reevaluate where they're at But I would I would expect they'll be a push to to make a decision by by friday Okay, what about marty natures from carolina? Hurricanes are still working through this one. It sounds as though they certainly have a handful of teams that are starting to make bonafide offers and You know, so it's sort of gone beyond the tire kicking stage And you know, I still fully expect the player To be traded, you know, it seems like there's a mutual understanding that that's what what he would prefer at this point in time And so don't have anything much more concrete than that, but but do think that It's it's sort of accelerated from where we when we first started talking about this in terms of now You're down to a couple teams that are you know, trying to see if they can make something fit with carolina Satisfy the conditions of sort of the hockey type of trade that we've been talking about over the last few weeks for marty natures and and You know, remember he's a restricted phrase. He needs a new contract too. So Um, you know, that's that's a name that Pretty high up on the athletic straightboard for a good reason and you know another deal that I think could could play out here in the next week or so Any teams you know for sure that are involved on marty Not for sure. I know when a peg's been around it. Montreal is interested in all this the scoring forwards Um, you'll be curious if seattle is there there another team looking for some scoring But I don't have don't have a lot of concrete information in that in that way Okay, uh, what about tristan jerry in pittsburgh this comes after Uh, well the big thing in pittsburgh is that they just resigned alexan delkovich to a new contract Right and an eyebrows were raised there, right? You you feel like you know an adelkovich who was a potential ufa You know could have hit the open market on july 1st for him to sign that to your extension that he did You know, you feel like you didn't bring back nadelkovich to keep jerry Um, you know what I think remains to be seen though It's can they move off of jerry's contract. He's he's at nearly five and a half million against the cap Still has I believe four more years on that contract, you know and and you know, obviously played well enough Appointing his career to earn that kind of deal, but you know, we haven't seen it consistently enough and and You know, but we're in a strange Marketplace, which you know, we've talked about a little bit, but you know probably the top two or three goalies is free agency Or loan bois wa who's been a career backup. He's he's look He's played lots of big games and one big games But he you know he hasn't played sort of more than 30 in a season and showing you that day Child level Anthony stollars who all of a sudden we'll see how this game seven situation Uh plays out, but you know, he he's been a career long backup, you know big guy six foot six or so Um, you know very well thought of but you know, not a sure thing and I may be elia samsung You know is leaving toronto and and has played big games for the Leafs help them when the series against the tampa bay lightning Back at 2023, but you know has certainly had a lot of noted ups and downs in his career cleared waivers this season So you know, those are among the top names On the in the free agent list and so we go back to if you're really looking for more of a sure thing I'm not sure Tristan jari's a sure thing, but but you know, maybe in that environment in that marketplace Pittsburgh can move often I think they'll certainly try, but um, you know, there's there's others out there whether it's leena sallmark who I do expect he moved out of boston um You know john gibson's name is still kicking around You see sorrows. I think national feels pretty confident they're going to be able to extend him on july first But you know, they've they've listened on him in the past and so he's the name that I think is at least kind of I wouldn't put him too high up the list, but it's a possibility So there's a lot of goal. He's out there and and i'll be curious to see if pittsburgh can find So, you know a home for for jari in that environment But leena sallmark is the name I wanted to get to is there a team out there that seems to be a front runner for his services right now Well, it seems like there's some momentum with adawa and You know, he does have a limited no trade clause. I think he's willing to go play in adawa And you know really he's entering what would be the final year of his his contract next season You know, I would think a dynamic of if this trade can come together would be You know having it includes some kind of extension to his contract Um, so you know the senators aren't going to give up a ton of assets If if there's a chance you can we'll just walk away after a season I think for him if he's going to sort of wave his no trade or or or you know Consent to this type of move, you know, he's going to want a little security and so You know that deal obviously isn't done yet, but it does seem as though there's some momentum towards Having that that be, you know, come to a conclusion and you know that the senators obviously are trying to The sorts themselves out defensively and and on the back end and you know the signing of jornis coprasalo last year in free agency Just i'm not going to put it all on coprasalo I think if the players in front of them have some onus in it But you know didn't didn't produce the results the organization is looking for and you know All mark is only a year and a bit removed from his visit trophy win So, you know, he's obviously done it and done it at a high level He was great actually all three years he played in boston I know this year jeremy swam and took a little bit more of the starts and played more in the playoffs But you know, he was consistently an above average goaltender for them and you know would presumably be able to continue that If he gets a deal done and ends up in on a war or perhaps somewhere else uh patrick came Well, I think the detroit still has been talking with his agent. So, you know, he's still red wings property till july first Wouldn't surprise me though if he ends up, you know heading to free agency and you know I think what's notable now is that you know patrick came went through a free agent process in november October november before he returned after his hip resurfacing procedure No one knew quite what to expect from him then You know he ended up signing just the the one-year deal with the red wings And you know he put up basically a point of game And I think showed some glimpses of his old self And I know in talking to patrick right before them the regular season that he feels really confident that he'll be able to take it to another level Next season given that he'll have a full summer of training, you know, that's something he wasn't able to To have you know he had the hip resurfacing last year on june first And spent most of the summer rehabbing that injury and obviously trying to just get back to You know his normal movements, you know, whereas now he can build some strength back and and You know try to push himself a little more. So, um, you know, canes gonna be looking for I would think something like a three-year contract Maybe it ends up at two years. I mean that that's where the the devils are in the details of the negotiation But you know I there's there's been lots of smoke about a return to the rangers I know that they felt good about his short time there after they acquired him at the trade deadline You know it didn't work out with a long playoff run, but you know really liked the person You know I think he likes the big stage You know by no means I think that's a done deal, but I could see the fit there and I could understand that speculation, but you know certainly Seems feels as though he's going to test free agency and if we had to pick a front runner, I'd say it would be New York Last one for you the Arizona Coyotes and their land situation Yeah, I mean Does this surprise you though? No, it didn't it didn't surprise any of us This is a bit like if you ever had a friend who he's always kind of like You know, he's always stepping in it The coyote that coyotes are our friend that is always stepping it. I mean Look it. I don't think we need to put it. We don't need to dig down too deep on this one Uh, I felt like it was a long shot at best anyway But Alex Morello did secure as part of the the sale of the the team's hockey assets Uh to ryan smith and utah that a five-year window to bring the team back there I can't remember the way it was word at the time But it basically meant they had to be ready to go in five years and which means you got to be get building a building pretty quickly Because it you don't put a building up in a year and a half Especially the kind of project they're looking at there where they're redeveloping a huge parcel of land They've got to build parking lots and you know do all sorts of work to to have it ready to to be built upon and so Um, I think all it essentially does is confirm what we know. It's going to be a five-year wait It's going to expire and then we'll find out what really is is to be with the future of the NHL in Arizona um, but You know, I don't want to waste much time getting into all the details because I just I just think This this was always very unlikely to happen I mean the reason we're in this spot is because Alex Morello owned the team for multiple years Tried to get multiple projects done that couldn't get off the ground for all kinds of reasons Uh lost a referendum in tempi And you know he wasn't ever able to get the building built and that's why the team's gone and so Shocker He's run into another problem getting the building built. He's he's got no credit like he's got no He hasn't built up any cache with politicians there. I mean to get an arena built It's it's a like you have to satisfy a lot of things. Obviously you need to have a lot of money You have to have your financing in line You have to have political support in order to get the necessary zoning done Maybe in this case he's buying land potentially looking at buying land from the state like He just has not ever done any of the things that would be needed to have to align all those interests. So um You know, unfortunately, I think it'll go quiet here for a time Because it's he's got this five-year window. We'll focus on the utahaki club getting launched in in the fall That'll be pretty exciting and cool for the league and then at some point in down the road I think we're talking about expansion and and you know, hopefully there's some way somehow that a new arena gets built in the phoenix area and that there's it's it's great for a hockey team and then I do think dan hl will be back there. I mean, it's it's just a matter of time I just don't know how much time it's going to take it's going to take at least five years Because I don't think dan hl wants to get back into business without tomorrow unless it less they absolutely had to All right, it's time for ask cj where we taking your questions from twitter and from discord Let's start with this one from callin bradbury Pretty straightforward here. The trade is one for one patric line a for mitch marner I know He's he who says doe chorano does or columbus Well mitch marner might say no to that Very fair. Let's not let's not look past the fact that mitch marner's got a full no movement clause. I I don't see that as a fit though I mean look at the blue jackets are gonna do what they can to move line a I I hope i'm I'm openly cheering for this guy the person to get back to what he was because for me He was one of the more fun nhl players at his best to watch and obviously It's been through a lot of personal struggles and didn't go well during his time in columbus But I just I don't see that being the kind like to me if the Leafs are trading marner for a player. It's probably a defenseman Uh, i'm not saying it has to be 100 percent, but the point is is This is about I mean it would be about a lot of things But it's about reallocating how their cap dollars are spent too. So I I got if we're doing the fake trades the hypothetical trades I'd start with trying to pair marner up with a defenseman and a team that might make a deal Um, that makes sense for toronto that way There are a few people Trying to pitch either a trade or some kind of trade idea in the ass A little bit it's kind of reminiscent of like trade deadline whenever people do this like for example from rodrick here Has there been any talk of the toronto may believes moving morgan riley Tree living has said multiple times that he wants to rework beliefs defense And if mitzvah decides that he isn't waving his no move clause Could morgan be an option to make substantial change to the roster and gain cap spins None not that I've heard. I mean I can understand where the question comes from But I think the Leafs are more focused on finding two right shot defense man this summer than subtracting their top left shot option Um, you know morgan also has a no movement clause His partner tessa virtue has been public that she's quite pregnant and so they're starting a family You know, he's the longest serving leaf. I just I'll never say that he I mean no player gets to stay for sure forever in one spot But I I just haven't heard anything that would make me think that's that's in the leaf's minds and you know, I think for Whatever you might think of morgan riley's play He's he's not he's not overpaid like he's he's performing to his contract and so And I know that he brings a lot of qualities that aren't measured by Goals assist or expected goals or anything like that. He's he's a real valued member of the locker room So I think morgan riley's Not part of what's being looked at but certainly the Leafs are looking to add two right shot d Potentially in for agency potentially in trades Um, they they are going to revamp that blue line. You know, I've heard timothy lily riddens name out there a little bit As as a player the Leafs might even look at moving on from Um You know, he's a restricted free agent. So it's not it's not they have his right still But I think it's possible you see him traded so I I do think that you're going to see a much different Leafs blue line But I expect for you four to be among the players still there Okay Uh from ryan birk, uh, do you think the panthers need the cap space this off season to sign some of their big players like ryan heart and montour Do they trade someone like spencer night to free up cap space? I think it's possible. I've heard some some rumblings that They they've at least looked around on night. You know, I don't know that it's It's a priority Or anything like that, but you know a team like the panthers and the way they're run you have to look at all options So I think if there's something compelling enough for them, they they would look at it um You know, but let's see how the series let's see how everything looks when the dust settles They know it sounds kind of crazy Um, but you know, I do think that they've at least thought about the possibility like would this make sense I just don't know if it's advanced beyond to the point where other teams are really trying hard on on night I haven't heard anything like that, but you know, I do think that they would have to look at it because Every dollar matters for a team like like florida. That's you know, they've not been a two straight cup finals um, they're they're definitely going to lose some of players that have been a big part of At least one of those runs if not both and and you know, they're gonna have to find a way to get better And that might mean some subtraction and you know to to make room for the additions or even just to keep Uh the guys in the fold that are that are ufas Next one from zahit dea or dia. Hopefully i'm getting it right name one major player You would not be shocked if they were traded this off season I guess I would have to say leon drycidal and and that's not a prediction. It's just I think Whoa, whoa, whoa, leon drycile. Whoa Well, but that's I'm just saying There's a decision there So I don't know how it's going to play out like that's why but i'm just saying it's not impossible Like If you if you see the athletic trade board I put out like we have at the bottom like players We're keeping an eye on and he's one of the ones like so he's not on the trade board But until we find out what direction he and the team um want to go Down in terms of an extension You know, I I guess it the fact that it's even a 10 Possibility is all i'm saying like I I don't know how much It's hard to put a percentage on it, but it's not impossible that he's traded So i'm i'm naming him. I guess marner or drycidal would be the two biggest names that could still be traded That You know both would be obviously blockbuster type of deals so um I know i've just radioed myself inadvertently because i'm certainly not reporting that leon drycidal is going to be traded but there's Yeah, should I top talking is that what you're telling me to do but no Not even that it just want to give the visual sign to edminton fans watching this who are hyperventilated right now He's not saying it's going to happen. It's just I just think the oilers are wary potentially about going into a year If he doesn't want to sign this summer But they don't know and I don't know if he wants to sign this summer Um, so we'll have to we'll have to see We'll have to wait and see uh, this new story is developing. Uh, I see eliot freeman on this I believe anthony demarco from the fourth periods on this too Uh, there's a possibility that matt vay mitch gov Uh the philadelphia fliers prospect could be in fact leaving Uh the khl for philadelphia. Yeah, i don't do developing all the timeline right now That's not a surprise though. I mean, I think that there's been a lot of There was a port. I maybe three weeks a month ago about him having his contract terminated by ska um You know, I think that there's been a lot of optimism that that he wanted to be in philadelphia and that they'd be able to get it done And so Yeah, I mean pretty exciting player that the fliers drafted last year was obviously a bit of a I guess a I don't know if he was controversial, but there's a lot of debate around him because there was some uncertainty about You know his intentions and his ability to come over to north america to play how soon that might be maybe some other teams You know, he was also a bit of a mystery if you remember like teams didn't see him. He didn't come to the combine Uh because of the state of the world with the russia ukraine Um invasion, you know, teams don't have as many scouts on the ground in russia anymore So like he was a bit of a mystery But you know, it sounds as though uh, he's he is going to formally come over sign his entry level contract and be ready to start the year and you know the fliers have had uh They've had some good luck with with some russian players brought the gold tender over um just at the end of last season and and um, you know, Be very curious to see you how mitch cough looks You know when when we get him in north america and he joins the fliers But yeah, all indications are that's going to happen and and it's again to me. That's not a huge surprise I just think the fliers have been they've been very delicate with how they've described the situation publicly because I think they understand there's There's a lot that goes on when a russian player is leaving russia Um, but you know, I think uh, I think we'll see him over here soon Uh one more for you, uh from waffle That's just the name they've chosen to identify themselves with Why is playoff mvp voting done before the game ends? What if game seven is tied when votes are due? So we're allowed to when voting so the reason for it is there's 17 voters this year That's a lot of votes to to tali when you look at how quickly the buzzer sounds and how quickly the cons might trophy's giving out I don't know. Is it 10 minutes might be eight minutes? Like there's not a huge amount of time between those two things that the cons might trophy gets I think yeah It gets given up before the cup itself is presented to the the winning captain. So it's just it's just a timing issue Um, but we are able to say if this like if it's tied and on monday If it's florida, then this is how my votes look or if it's this or even you can say If so and so scores the winning goal like like you can you can put You can sort of put a yeah, but on there you can you can put circumstances in this case. I actually don't think it's that stressful Uh, I think it's pretty clear who I think is the mvp no matter how game seven goes Uh, you know, but what would be different if it's tied in the third period is maybe how I vote for my second and third place votes Things like that So you are able to put conditions on there and I I think the league just does it this way because of Timing I wonder if there's a future where it's done online like in a secure site somehow Like I actually voted on the awards at the world hockey championship demands worlds this year Which I covered and it was all done online in real time And they but like literally I was voting during the gold medal game and then after that game They announced like the tournament all star team the things I was voting on and the tournament of mvp I would I would think then it should go to that and then maybe there'd be a way to vote a little bit last minute But I think they're also nervous Because the the people voting are writing on deadline and that someone might forget or you know There's no perfect way to do it But I do think we have a pretty good system and the fact that you can put conditions on there Allows for various scenarios when you get into a game seven situation, especially All right, that's going to do it for uh our early week edition of the cj show And now all we're left to do good to see you on a sunday buddy. We don't even done a lot of sunday show on day Yeah, we don't get to do a lot of these. I usually like the uh the energy. I feel I've been a little bit low Uh because it's the morning for me and i'm a little tired But uh, we got through it. We found a way to me. I mean i'm nowhere near as tired as you are Nowhere near as tired as you are Well, I mean, I'm not we're not in a competition for who's had it worse yet or anything I will say though, and it this has been maybe and i've had a lot of crazy travel at times This might be the craziest travel month of my life Yeah, um, I could imagine this is because today i'm flying down to florida I spent a night in toronto to do some laundry because i hadn't been home in 16 days um And So this will be my ninth flight of three plus hours in 15 days today And then I have two more of them on tuesday to vegas for the draft and then obviously one more home from the draft So that'll be what? Bad math 12 flights in a month of three plus hours and you know vegas flights five and a half Anyway, it's odd. It's been awesome though. This series. It's been so cool to be on the ground I'll tell you the older I get the more grateful I am for the opportunity It's probably because I realize it's not going to last forever and you just you never know and and I'm also more comfortable Kind of doing my job now like I think when you're when I was younger I was always nervous than my doing things right or you know, like it's It's just it's been it's been a truly fun experience I've loved working with Daniel new jambon and mike ruso perela brunn. I've had a great crew on the ground for the athletic. I think we've done some good work and Anyway, I'm just pumped. We're like down like you just know it's the last game like when you go to game five or six You're thinking oh like if this happens. I fly here if this but it's like no everything's locked in now. Just enjoy that last game Man, I can't wait to watch that game and I can't wait to see Everything that you write four game seven I can't wait for it all. This is without a doubt the most anticipated game Maybe an angel history. I think this is it could be I mean we're in a different era now too, right? The hype is a little different I can't wait man. I can't wait and I sure and I am positive that if you are watching this or listening to this Even if you might be like, uh, you know, I don't care. There's a part of you that cares I know there's a few people a few people online who I tried to pull a couple people about this and say hey How do you feel about everything going on? There's some people who are like, you know what? I don't care You know my team's not in it like this is awful. Hey, there's gonna hate I get it, but like this is We're on the verge of seeing something incredible or a team You know climb the mountain and still fall on its face like this is fun. This is incredible This is sports sports are supposed to be fun and for all those people who say, you know what? I'm not gonna watch I don't care. There's way more people who are going to be tapping into this to see what happens Including us both. Do you know what's wild? We got to this whole episode I didn't even mention that I met Chad Krober from nickelback the other night Well, I'll tell that story in a summer episode. We're at the end here, but like you can't just bring that up at the end What was that you can it was really interesting He's a massive Oilers fan and we were in this place after the game socially so Had a little chance to meet him. That was cool. Are you it? Are you a nickelback fan? I wouldn't say I'm a fan, but I'm not a hater. I know that that's a ban a lot of people like love to hate I'm definitely not a hater, but I'm I'm somewhere in the middle. I'm just I'm agnostic, but like it was still cool to meet the guy That is actually cool. Okay, so for the summer episode We will I would love to know more about your encounter with Chad Kroger. That would be really fun To to recount for those summer episodes. Yes, can't wait for those summer episodes But of course can't wait for game seven. We will be back on Thursday. We will both be in Vegas for the NHL draft See you then Chris Johnston show inside the game twice a week follow Chris on twitter at reporter Chris and follow jenny mckenzie at jk mckenzie the Chris Johnston show
