I know that some in our audience know the finer points of hockey the Chris Johnston show. You are your friends the biggest stories Bringing you inside the game. What did you hear the Chris Justin show? What is going on? Here's Chris with your host Julia McKenzie So Julian this morning I'm walking home went for a little run was having to cool down and I see one of my neighbors out walking with his young daughter He said CJ great pod this week, but it was a day too early Right in the gut and you know, I think he was right because We wake up from our summer slumber We just pick a random date and time and record and then the whole hockey world woke up right after us and so all of our goofiness our hot dog talks our Taylor Swift concert reviews are randomly talking about Leon Dreyse idle. Yeah, we did get into some hockey all that Was immediately less relevant Given everything that happened. So we have to be back. I think for a second show this week. I just want to say though Let it be known you can scroll up in the group chat for this. I wanted a show on Tuesday You did I wanted the show to be on Tuesday You did I did and well I just don't hear anything else is gonna happen But maybe we would have been on top of a few things if we did Well, you know, let's take our blessings where we find them I'm actually excited because there's lots to talk about now Lots of things have actually happened between whatever August 13th and 15th We could even have a leafs corner today. We definitely can and you know I got to say because I was down on Wednesday at the press conference where the Leafs formerly Handed over the sea from John Tavares to awesome Matthews. I saw producer Nick there That was that was a nice highlight, but even just being around, you know Some of my media colleagues that I haven't seen you know for a couple months now You know team people that I know there's you know, there's a lot of folks out for that event It was actually kind of as much as we do enjoy our summers and and we hang up the gone fishing sign It was it was kind of nice to be back in the mix at least for one day now now granted I do plan on being pretty quiet the next two weeks Yeah, NHL news willing but it was it was it was a cool event to to sort of it felt like like a soft restart to You know our real lives and our work lives Yeah, like it's not quite back to school. It's the orientation session a couple weeks before school starts Yeah, like you know, you're not getting any homework that night You're not gonna be there's no test to fill out But you kind of go half through the motions and then you know you're gonna be able to chill again on the other side of it so You know, it was it was a good event and it was it was nice to get up and go on and follow the story for the athletic to this week Two pods I did two TV hits for TSN like it is like it is You're already back at work. It's like this is supposed to be preseason and we'll get into Austin Matthews This is supposed to be preseason But this is as close to a regular show as we can get in office So let's get right into it. Can you tell us what you saw from the press conference your thoughts on Austin Matthews getting the Sea from John to various John to various there to hand off the sea to ensure a smooth transition of power I would love to know your thoughts on how all of that went down Well, I actually think they pulled it off pretty well is my view. I mean it look it It's there's no way around the fact it's a little bit awkward or it's a little it's certainly unusual Right, it's it's not unprecedented that a team, you know changes captain See, you know with it with a teammate that that does remain with the team But certainly I don't recall seeing one throw a big press event You know, you had John Tavares his wife Aaron his three kids his parents there obviously awesome Matthews parents You know former Leafs captains, you know, Wendell Clark and Doug Gilmore Ownership, you know, it was it was an event and and that having it that played that way is what's what's unusual I think John Tavares for me really handled himself with a lot of grace in that situation because you know There's no way to spin this and I'm not gonna try that that he wanted this to happen I think that Clearly he's embraced the idea that it could be good for the organization that it's what management wants And that he still wants to be a Maple Leaf And so I think under those circumstances after this was brought to him, you know, he's he's Done exactly what you'd wanted to do I mean he went so far as calling it an awesome day yesterday He was saying, you know me and Austin are two of 26 players that have ever worn the seat for the Leafs because Matthews is just the 26 captain in Maple Leafs history You know, so it I don't have any sort of I Think everyone could look at awesome Matthews and say yeah, it makes sense that he would be the Maple Leafs captain But it's just the machinations what had to happen for to be you know getting rolled out on on August 14th You know with John Tavares entering the final year of his contract I mean that is a little bit unusual, but I think under the circumstances it went as well as you could hope I thought the event was great, you know, Matthews came across to me as being Legitimately psyched about, you know, the honor, you know wasn't didn't feel like going through the motions like there was some real There was some real emotion there And so yeah, I don't I don't know exactly how they got I'm sure there's a lot of internal debate about how do we do this? But I think I think they did it pretty well And I think it's smart to do it in the middle of August because now a month from now when training camp opens It's kind of just done, right? It's not a question. It's not a storyline. I mean, certainly maybe there'll be questions About, you know, what's what's the Leafs look like under Matthews's captain kind of stuff? But it'll be less about how they got there and more about the future Why would they do this now with John Tavares still under contract and him being a free agent next summer When they could have waited until next summer say they don't want John Tavares back and then they give Austin Matthews the seat I think, you know, the contractual status didn't come into it as much. I mean look it, you know, and this isn't not Laying any blame solely on John Tavares, but you know, this team has not had the amount of success in the playoffs that it's wanted With all these players, you know, the same guys that are still in uniform, you know It appears to start next season the main guys, you know, they've only won the one playoff series together And so I think that in a world where they were looking for change this summer, you know I know there's a lot of people Sort of demuring about well, how much change is there? I mean if you're just changing a C and you're changing a coach and to be fair they changed assistant coaches to the blue line They've made some significant additions there Let some players walk as well. I mean to me I think it was part of the larger theme of having to create a different dynamic around the team And you know, the other part is that they just felt that awesome Matthew's was ready for it that You know Brad true living now has been on the job for a little more than a year last year was his first full season To get a look at how things work behind the scenes, you know not as just an onlooker from afar and and you know what he saw was a player and Matthews who obviously on the ice is Extremely accomplished, but you know, I think off the ice has sort of a gravitational force around the team And really I think it's about transitioning into the next phase I mean if you're gonna do it eventually like once you get that in your mind, you might as well just do it, right? I mean why I Don't think you have to galaxy brain it if you think that a change could be helpful You know what I found interesting cuz like there's no way of tangibly for us to evaluate this right like what we don't know What's gonna happen like we don't know Does this mean anything like we're the stuff that a captain does? I mean what we see in our jobs Julian obviously is just the media side and that is a big part of the captain's job is Speaking regularly often speaking on behalf of the team. Maybe in tough moments sometimes in good moments You know, but being sort of a face and voice of the larger group but you know the job is things like planning off days and and you know talking to the coaching staff about okay Maybe the guys are a little tired right now, but maybe he's off on practice today Like it's a lot of you know, maybe picking up an individual behind the scenes is going through a tough time It can be things I mean to just bore off John Tavares's experience He he took a lot of the young Leafs into his house You know Matthew and I's lived with them when he when he came to Toronto Fraser mint and did last year the start of the season He was in Toronto for a little bit. I mean there's there's all sorts of things that you and I it's really hard to gauge I mean What that impact will be but what I thought it was interesting yesterday is there was a few mentions where both from Tavares and Brad trilliving where they feel that this will give awesome Matthews a chance to actually grow and and you know Maybe that he was held back in some way just because there might have been times he wanted to speak up say and You know, I don't know of any instances like this but I think it's plausible and he felt like maybe it's not my place well when you're the captain it is your place, right? I mean there's doesn't give you a immunity to just be a jerk of course, but I mean I think that you have you kind of have the The one for lack of a better term I mean you're you're leaned on to to say things behind the scenes Maybe you know after a tough period when they get into a tough game when they get to the playoffs again When they're having a meeting the night before a big game I mean all these types of things are where captains. I think you know tend to step up and so You know why now I think they just felt it was time and and you know from what I've been able to understand I the first conversation this happened right after the season Which John Tavares and his exit meeting Brad true living basically said look where we're thinking we're thinking we're probably gonna do this You know, it wasn't it wasn't I don't think it was decreed that it was gonna happen But I mean once you have that conversation it's gonna happen and then over a number of weeks and months everyone got more comfortable with the idea and You know, I I really have to say that John Tavares handled it pretty well I mean he was the one who phoned awesome Matthews to officially say it was happening he phoned other teammates like Mitch Marner and Morgan Riley to to let them know which when you think about it imagine this was happening at your Workplace and we don't have a captain. I mean Steve dangles are captain. I suppose but It's we don't you don't have this exact scenario play it in a typical workplace But you could imagine if this happened between two people you like two friends two colleagues You know like all this could be a little awkward But when the one that's on the the bad end of it call it is is is pre-emptively reaching out and saying hey This is what's happening. This is why it's good for the team. I'm behind this I mean I I just think in a tough moment personally John Tavares looked around and made sure everyone around him Was was taken care of and was was comfortable and and really that's what you expect out of a leader It might be and I don't say this with any Malice but the most memorable thing that happened during his captain see might be the way he hands it off especially if something if something good comes next for this group and and Maybe this is part of you know changes that that you know help get the least to break through or to find a little more success in the postseason We might look back on and say like his best move is captain And I say this knowing he scored the overtime winning goal and the only series They won as a group so far You know might be just that the the way that he handled you know a difficult situation So I know the Leafs appreciated I personally am of the belief this might create a lane where he can stay on with the team you know, I'm not saying that wasn't gonna happen, but in a way, he's You know rather than him being seen as a roadblock now like he has stepped out of the way I think he's shown that he can maybe be a contributor in other ways and obviously his next contract isn't gonna come with an $11 million annual price tag So he's gonna be cheaper in more in line with where his production is today than when he signed in 2018 Like I I think that this at least creates that path where you know, maybe stays I you know, I don't know if the organization It ultimately wants that but certainly that's what John Tavares wants in his family wants and I think that's why He has handled this so well that and really he's always been a class act ever since I've been around him Which is going back a lot of years now to your point. I mean I Get that in the locker room the sea can only mean so much and the veterans that are there will speak on certain things And look Austin Matthews is the franchise player. I'm sure he has enough sway in that room but when you think of the day-to-day responsibilities of talking to the media and being the face of When the team goes well, the team goes bad We all want to go to that person first to figure out what's going on with this team So not have those responsibilities anymore I could I can understand why John Tavares would see August 14th as a good day because a whole weight has been lifted off of his shoulders He's definitely still gonna be a part of the leadership core, but we're not I mean you specifically being in Toronto You might not necessarily go to John Tavares first to be like, why is this team not playing well or vice versa if it ever comes to that? And and I think of Austin Matthews in this situation now where him being so front-facing as the franchise player So much more pressure gets added with that sea on his chest Right and looking at it this way. I mean look it appears that the core players are gonna be back in Toronto, right? and so Those group of players and obviously collectively with management the coaching staff, which is new But they're looking for a way to have a different outcome right like they're looking to write a different story They're gonna be looking for a different way to do things if that makes sense Because what they've done to this point hasn't led them where they wanted to go and so You know, I think there can be positives again a captain so much of what a captain does on any team We just never get a sense We basically see the games we get to see practice and then we talk to the players in a very controlled environment for the most part after practice I mean, but there's a lot else that goes into their day-to-day lives that the way they travel, you know the decisions about days off You know, maybe team events, you know, it sounds kind of crazy that I'm bringing that up I'm not saying the reason we haven't advanced far in the playoffs is because they're the team events vibe was off But but what I am saying is that I think there is ways that a change like this can maybe create a different feeling around the group Or you know, there might be some new ideas thrown in so, you know, look ultimately, I don't believe it's going to be I mean, first of all, I think it's earned. I think awesome Matthews by by no stretch in my questioning his ability to perform the role But you know, at the same time I don't think this is we're gonna look back as the key move that that knocked down some walls for the Leafs I mean that the key moves are the ones they hope they made on July 1st when they signed Kristana of over Ekman Larson You know Key moves they hope will be maybe growth from younger players whether it's an Easton Cowan jumping in the lineup or maybe Matthew Nies takes a step this year You know, it's not just gonna be one thing But I can see that this will this will be a change and I really do think you're right It's a bit of a load off because it was gonna become part of maybe I don't know if it was the elephant in the room yet I like it was certainly discussed around the team a little bit I mean in the media and the fan base and they're like but you know certainly by the end of next season I think it would have been a major talking point and you almost kind of get ahead of it rip the band-aid off and and you know, look it's No one when you look at the Sydney Crosby I mean Conor McDavid look the players of Matthew's is ilk or the conversation that he holds the other guys that have won MVPs Most of them. I guess other than Nathan McKinnon recent years most of them where the sea For their organizations. Yeah, but there's still franchise players. They still obviously have a high level of Responsibility, but for Austin Matthews, especially this year a lot of pressure gonna be thrown on him and We've talked about in the off season. I mean this this team needs to make some changes at the heart to kind of get to that next level I Still don't think they've made some of those sufficient changes. We'll see how it goes for this year But I think if this leaves team doesn't get it done again, then it's just more the bullseye for Austin Matthews just gets larger with this see I think he deserves it But it's just with everything going on with this team that target gets so much larger for Austin Matthews Especially if he doesn't have himself with good performance in the playoffs 100% I mean the crazy thing about the Leafs like if you look at the last certainly this last playoff series of Boston I mean they follow a goal short they lose an overtime of game seven You know, it's not like they've been far off and most of these series I mean that they did losing five games to the Panthers in the second round two years ago but for the most part they get to that they get to the big moment and and don't push through and so on Some level it feels like that isn't just team building like I mean obviously there's reasons for that their power play It went quiet. They probably could have had a goal there You know, maybe didn't get the best goal tending all the time like you can always point to a reason But really it does feel like they've just lacked Finding the one moment and those big games like it, you know, it's not as though they get to the playoffs and they're just embarrassed it's it's more You know, it almost seems to get something from within that they have to draw out or maybe they don't have it and that's part of You know, I think what's gonna be discussed and you're right I think Austin Matthews now takes on me He's been such a focal point their team quite honestly since his first year in the league They made the playoffs kind of unexpectedly when he was a rookie And you know, but I think it'll be more directed his way He'll be the one speaking after every loss or leading into those series I just think he'll he'll bear more the brunt of that, but he's at the stage. We can do it I mean this guy has been a multi-time, you know, her trophy finalist any one one He's been a face of the league. I think three times. He's born the sea actually attend a chill all-star weekend You know, he's he's been you know, look at he's one of the most marketable athletes the sport has But it's gonna go up even a level from where it's been for my suspect now Any anything else you want to mention about Austin Matthews before I ask about any other Leafs tidbits you may have Well, the other thing I that it was kind of cool And if you missed it is is John Tovars actually brought his kids To the in their quite young His two boys are wearing Matthews jerseys with the sea and I thought that was cool in the front row And John said it was the only thing he asked for he was hoping to get a couple of those jerseys for his kids have Austin sign Them and join their collection. So yeah, I'm just I really do Want a hammer home that that could have it like I didn't know what to expect when I went there Like is how awkward is this gonna be is it gonna be clumsy? But I thought the way Tovars fact did the way that Tovars family showed up and and you know I thought that that really made it seem like the event it should be which is a happy day Which is a positive thing for the organization a positive thing for Austin and and you know Brad should have been did mention to Tovars will wear an a like it's not as though. It's not as though he's being wiped off the face of the team, but you know, it's it's still Not something we see a lot in the sport frankly and certainly don't see a day like that but Kudos to the Tovars family for for making everyone comfortable. Okay In to wrap up Leafs corner Anything else one particular note that kind of comes to mind is is Yanni Hawkenpah who in my head has been a Toronto Maple Leaf this whole time but for whatever reason he still isn't what's what's going on there? Yeah, he's still not officially a Toronto Maple Leaf and and you know kind of unusual circumstance because if you remember back to July 1st And a lot happens on that day. So obviously things get lost but but when Brad's living was talking to the media about the Leafs signings that day he mentioned Hawkenpah and How excited they were to bring him into the organization that that you know He was gonna need some time to get ready But but they saw him as being a you know, help with the penalty killing and the like and yet after that the Leafs never put out a press release never officially Adam to the roster, you know, haven't signed him to a standard player contract and You know, I don't know where this is gonna go Brad's living was actually asked about this at the captain event and he said look I think there'll be some resolution we hope soon but this isn't the day to talk about it and and you know from what I can gather is going on here is you know, Hawkenpah did finish last season with a pretty significant knee injury in Dallas and He believes that he can play on on his knee But I don't know that there's you nan in a bitty in that opinion from those that are looking at his medical file and and you know, just concerns that essentially he's got bone-on-bone that there's that It's not a situation that could be terribly comfortable and you know, what's interesting about medical-related issues is some players do manage to play through certain things that others can't I mean, everyone's bodies are different pain tolerance. What have you like? It's this I mean, the I Guess the x-rays themselves are black and white, but sometimes what they tell you the information is in black and white and so You know, this is an interesting situation I mean, we'll see if he gets a contract. I don't know which way it's gonna go You know don't have a terrible amount of insight into what the Leafs medical staff might be be saying But obviously there is concern there because I think we can conclude that given that it, you know Six seven weeks have passed and he hasn't yet signed a contract, but you know kind of an interesting note One of those things that like if he doesn't end up signing I think some fans will wake up and be like wait a minute. Didn't we sign that big right hand shot the fence man? Yeah, why is it not here? But you know, I think it really comes down to the metal co-opinion, you know, how much I guess risk the organization's willing to take But you know, how can pause certainly seems intent on continuing this career feels that he can you know Maybe maybe need some time off But we'll be able to play ultimately on that knee and and we'll have to find out if the Leafs feel the same way and that'll be determined I suppose if he does sign a contract or not All right, and that's gonna do it for Leafs corner. Let's go to St. Louis Not one but two offer sheets doled out by the St. Louis Blues for Philip Roeburg and Dylan Holloway of the Edmonton Oilers before we get into the knit the nitty gritty when it comes to those offer sheets when you saw the news drop that the blues Put two offer sheets out there. What was your instant response? Well, the first thing actually that I saw was they made a picks trade with Pittsburgh To re-acquire their second round pick from 2025 which if you just looked at the trade like this is kind of a weird deal But it made me I immediately clicked and I was like they need that pick because when the the compensation The way it works when you offer sheets someone is you need your own draft pick and so it did It did occur to me that it might be linked obviously I didn't know what the offer sheet would be and then those two drops so you know pretty interesting move I had someone from another team say this was a savvy attack and You know part of that is look at everything lined up perfectly here to have this work But I think the best way to get a player through an offer sheet I mean other than massively overpaying someone which you know isn't necessarily a good strategy for the team that may get that player is You know launching a dual attack in the sense that what St. Louis did with both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway and the reason that is is it really forces Edmonton into Not just one, but it's kind of multiple decisions, right? They're cascading decisions and I do think it's likely that one or both of those players end up in St Louis because of the nature of the attack this lined up perfectly What what you needed to have happen is first of all, let's let's start at the obvious part players have to sign an offer sheet Just because a team extends you one. Maybe you don't for whatever reason Maybe you're happy where you're living. You don't want to do that You know, so they they found two players with different agents So it wasn't all just like you know cooked up behind the scenes between a GM and one agent Two players willing from the same team to sign an offer sheet two players that you could afford But the other team really can't at the number you're signing them and two players that are gonna You know if if st. Louis gets both they only give up one second round pick and one third round pick So it's not even really a high price to pay from the blues end of things in terms of the compensation going back And so that is almost a perfect storm where you know I obviously at this point to others have a lot of contingency plans like they are looking at everything that might work You know, do we trade someone else perhaps off the roster in this seven-day window to open up space? Do we just let them walk do we keep one like they're obviously considering all the different options But the truth of the matter is most of the options are not palatable I mean that the list it's it's like choosing between what is the least? Poisonous of these poison pills and so it's uh We've never seen this in the cap era I know that there were offer sheets, you know way back 30 years ago And so I don't have perspective on those I wasn't when I was around and it was a different system, right? But in the salary cap era, I mean really that they they're leveraging Their cap position and the Oilers struggles or the Oilers tight cap situation To to their benefit and you know, I do think that they're gonna end up with at least one of these guys unless Maybe Edmonton finds another way, but the Oilers are now caught in a trap, right? Again, someone sure put it this way like they're kind of they're like a wounded animal in a trap right now And so there aren't a lot of teams like lining up to to help them out of that trap I mean they might come over and help them not their leg off or something But they're not going to you know, there's not a lot of teams out there that are gonna just you know Take someone's contract on and and not have it, you know, be at price at a premium so it's a difficult spot obviously wouldn't off-season at Edmonton I mean to have to basically play the Stanley Cup final right up until the draft and Then go right into free agency without a GM because Ken Holland's contract expired Obviously, they've since hired Stan Bowman, but you know, that's it's a managerial change there and you know, I think they just Obviously, they were aware of the possibility, but we haven't seen this before and so it it wasn't likely until it happened and so pretty pretty savvy maneuver by the Blues and You know, we kind of have to wait to see what happens I don't know which way Edmonton's gonna go yet And they still have a few days to play with to try to find the best solution for the organization Five days from this recording on Thursday August 15th the Edmonton Oilers have to make a decision Who's more likely to stay is it Broberg or is it Holloway? It's tough to say I mean, I I think that Holloway's Offers is much lower so team with a cap problem could probably fit him in easier, but you know, Broberg plays what would be what we call a more premium position, right and You know, look at Phillip Broberg He's got roughly a hundred games of NHL experience on his resume You know, it's spread out between the playoffs and regular season over the last couple years Hasn't really broken through certainly all the tools are there I think But hasn't broken through and thrown he can be an everyday guy on the team that has a chance to win the cup and he's got a four and a half million dollar contract and You know, the other part of this that is not not insignificant is if you know, the Oilers choose to match these offers You know, they can't trade the players for a year and so you're really locking into that player and you know both contracts were two-year contracts so they cover this coming season, but also the 25 26 season and We know that because we went over it on our show earlier in the week Evanton has a lot of other business to take care of You know Evan Bouchard is gonna need to contract next summer. He's eligible to sign extension now the on dry side hole Eligible to sign extension now and and we'll need a new contract and so I think you got to be really careful I would say this with any move the Oilers make this year But they have to be really careful about committing next year's that the 25 26 seasons cap space too early Because you want to leave that open and see where your big dogs fall so and where they land with their contracts and hopefully they do sign them so It's it's I don't it's hard for me to handicap I mean, I think it's easy to say well you keep all the way because he's cheaper But you know, maybe if there's a trade if you're trading away another defenseman, you know, you want to keep Bouchard at his age You know, we did see him play as offside a little bit during the playoffs You know, can he can he play on that right side? I mean Edmonton's, you know, pretty locked in now on the left side of their blue line But but maybe maybe there's a ability to do a series of moves that that makes sense to keep him But you know, anyway, you slice it. This is not this is not a good situation for Edmonton They've left themselves vulnerable and they got attacked they got pounced on and and you know as we know This isn't something that happens to often mean There's been a handful of offer sheets in the last couple of years I mean, you think of the Sebastian ah-ho one for Montreal I mean that that led directly to Carolina countering a couple years later and getting yes, Barry cock and yummy Probably worked out in Montreal's favor long term, but in the moment It didn't I mean they lost a player that played center for them, right? They've had to go out and make other deals for centers like the Borac in the wake of that and that deal didn't necessarily work out for Montreal's side of things so you know, it just doesn't happen a lot and you know, quite honestly with Doug Armstrong and Ken Holland having such a long history together and Working, you know, both being very involved with hockey Canada over decades now not just years, you know I can't imagine That this necessarily would have happened if Ken Holland was the GM, but Because I think that is there is an element of that The other part of it though that maybe gets overlooked when we talk about the lack of offer sheets in HL is very rarely Are they gonna work? The reason these are brilliant is because I think there's a high likelihood one or both of them actually net the blues a player And obviously in this case they're they're young players But they're players you hope are ready to step into a bigger role and you know St. Louis can probably give them a bigger role than what they've had Edmonton because they're they're kind of retooling on the fly here I'd say One more for you. Do you wish more teams used the offer sheet tactic? Like it's a nice conversation starter for all of us in the hockey world, especially in the middle of the summer when there isn't that much going on Plus just the idea of some GM taking advantage of another team's cap situation I mean that that's it's devious, but like that's smart You're trying to be aggressive in that sense, right? Like I think it's exciting to talk about I'd love to know your thoughts on that Yeah, I mean what I don't see a downside for if you're not involved in these transactions I mean if you're just an onlooker like we are Why not? I mean it adds a little spice and drama You know when when st. Louis and Edmund no matter how this plays out when st. Louis and Edmonton play a game this season It'll be something people talk about. I mean I I Think transactions and all this stuff help fuel the conversation around the game. So I Would like to see it happen more often. I think it's I think we're going to I mean The more that the league shifts away from being truly an old boys network or whoever you want to call it I think you're going to get more people to just you know Operate tactically that look at the rules and try to to use them to their benefit to the absolute amount And so I think it's only natural over time just given how you know I look at baseball in particular the kinds of people that run teams in baseball aren't aren't necessarily what you would call traditional baseball people And I think we're going to see more of that in hockey I mean we've already got Eric Talski now as a GM in Carolina Not to put it all on Eric shoulders to go out and offer sheets someone, but I'm just saying that you know I think that that NHL teams over time are going to slowly move to Diversifying their front offices for lack of a better word and I think you'll see a little bit more of this I mean that the truth of the matter is the hockey world is small, right? I mean when you're hiring people that played almost exclusively I mean People play hockey come from certain regions I mean everyone knows everyone just it's just a fact of the matter and I think it can be a little harder to do this To use these sort of things when you know someone and as I said Part of it too is there they don't always work like for example Lucas Raymond and Moritz cider are both restrictive for agents for Detroit right now, so they could be offer sheeted But you know Detroit has 17 or 18 million dollars in cap space. So I mean Yeah, you could do it to be a jerk Maybe you give those players like a bit higher of a salary than Detroit would want you knowing Detroit's likely to batch but The red wings, you know, it would it would almost be like provoking the red wings I won't say for no reason but for little benefit whereas in this case, I do think St Louis I mean either way they're really gonna handcuff Edmonton if Edmonton matches both of those players and If not, I mean they're gonna get a player for for a second round pick or a third round pick or maybe two players We're only a second and third round pick and when you consider what teams teams trade a second round pick for guys Who you've never heard of at the trade that line? So, you know, if you end up giving up a second round pick for Phillip Roberg who's what 21 22 years old? Does have a hundred gains of experience? You know does certainly have a tremendous tool set where you could see I'm becoming a regular everyday player for years to come I mean, it's a it's almost a no-brainer with the way this thing lined up and I do think you'll see teams do a little bit more of it, but we'll have to wait and see Anything else you want to add before we go back to our respective seven vacations? I Don't think so. We missed any other stories. I guess there's a Cody glass trade. Yeah, I saw that Yeah, I mean only take away on that one is Nashville needed to clear space I mean Nashville was one of the the the big spenders on July 1st, right getting Brady Shea Stephen Stamkos Jonathan Marsha so among others and then they were in a tight cap spot and so they had to give up a couple draft picks and Cody glass who was due to make 2.5 million this coming season for essentially a minor league player that is just there to balance out the deal from Pittsburgh Zen so You know, it's funny the cap drives so many moves, right? Like the cap is what's driving this the offer sheets it's what's driving a trade like that one and You know, this is a you need a calculator for this sport now my man Thank God for calculators because I am not good at math And I rely on your brain a lot because I'm not good at math It's I'm the weird sports like a lot of sports journalists like it's almost like a joke It's almost like a meme or something. We say like you know, I was told there'd be no math Yes, I'm like the one person I shouldn't say one there must be others out there But one of the few that like always liked math like like I didn't go into it You know, so I think some people almost like hated math So they went down like an English history kind of channel and ended up doing this. I was like I was kind of nerdy in math I wouldn't say I was like the best at it, but I always enjoyed it and and I did do pretty well at it a Future episode one of those drop ins maybe next summer We want C.J. Stories from his school days when he was a total nerd totally into math I definitely would even predict I'm not I can't even pretend that I had like an era like a cool era when I was a kid I mean, I had friends in the like, but I was never the you know Cares being I don't care. I mean, I'm owning it. Yeah, I'm just Oh, there's a serious student And cool is overrated everybody like no one no one cares. It's all good. Just go about your life Be yourself enjoy the people who are around you be a good person being cool is overrated as it gets Or let people tell you you're cool and be humble about it. Don't try to be cool Can you imagine in the podcast world if we had offer sheets? Like what if like what a daily face off offer sheets us? Yeah Or like or I was thinking like we like offer sheet Elliot Friedman to come over to our podcast or something And I say free just free just a buddy of mine, but I don't know if we could afford him. I was about to say I don't know if we got that in salary. I don't know if we got that in salary or salary cap structure to afford it I'm just underlining how because we take it for granted But but how unique like the business of pro sports is like it really does not equate in many ways to know the way most of us that watch it That love it that digest it like it doesn't doesn't equate to how we live our lives Like the could you imagine? I've talked about this with other friends before could you imagine if like Us had our jobs in particular at the athletic like we signed contracts and they get announced formally like this writer has signed a Four-year extension at like two million dollars if there was more of that in Canada I know in the states there's some of it with some of the bigger name people But like imagine if like your next contract extension was announced formally Yeah, it would be weird Yeah, I mean, I've seen some people say like I signed an extension like some people do acknowledge they signed a new deal But usually you're not getting the dollar. There's no there's no salary cap. There's no We don't have a puck pedia for what journalists make sports proportions A puck pedia for journalist salaries. That would be game-changing You have you have any idea how people would benefit knowing how much other people make in our industry It would I that's a thing. It was just hard to get everyone's mind around it It there the the lesson is right in front of us though like NHL players 30 or 40 years ago At some point, you know went towards where they went for salary disclosure And obviously unfortunately some people then go like wait I'm I'm getting paid that and this this people are getting paid this but what it does do obviously I think is it it creates a fair market But anyway, I'm not I'm not saying I'm the first I wants to put my salary out there either It's just seems a little personal I I get that and I can understand that some people do feel that way I think for I see the other side where at least if you know some kind of range And you can at least for yourself understand what other people are making You can at least make yourself competitive the next time you ask for money I I don't think there's anything too wrong And you know what not obviously not publicly like like a puck pedia thing But I don't think there's anything wrong with like going to your colleague and you're like hey if you're comfortable with it Tell me how much it only it only depends what the language in your contract is some of the language says you can't share what you made But But I will say I'm not saying I don't even know I've had that in the past not my current deals The other thing is I will say though in the last five years without naming any names or locales or anything In a social situation. I was with a group of reporters where everyone went around the table and disclosed it For the reasons you're saying just that it can be helpful to Yeah for other people to know and I've seen that we're all over the place No, that's fine. Do you want to argue about mayo and hot dogs now or no? No, I absolutely do not want to do that I do not if we start doing that then this episode will go way longer than I intended it to and then everyone will get mad at me That I made the episode go longer than it normally would everyone's gonna get mad I saw the timer. I was like it's gonna be a clean 30 minutes out of wilds gonna be happy And uh, no we did the Well, I'll leave you with one thought. I'm gonna be unavailable this weekend if you want to do another pod because I'm headed to a cottage And it has a sauna on the lake. So I'm just pumped to like Go in the sauna jumping the lake Chill out. So I'm gonna do an episode from the sauna. You're not gonna have the camera with you Don't have the bike with you No, although I saw the cup spent a lot of time in finish saunas with all the finish players on the the panthers this summer But uh, yeah, so gone fishing sign is back up at cj's house As you were, let's let's have a little bit more vacation before things get crazy again sounds like a plan Uh cj great work on the austin matthew story and of course, uh, the offer sheets as well Thank you to everyone who tapped in this week for our much sillier episode earlier in the week and This one which didn't feel like pre-season felt like a good regular season episode for us I thought we did pretty well considering the circumstances I felt more normal too, right because we're we're getting getting the reps back. I love it Exactly subscribe to the podcast however you listen to the show and we'll be back See you guys Inside the game twice a week follow chris on twitter at reporter chris and follow jenny mckenzie at jk mckenzie the chris jonston show
