On This episode of The Chris Johnston show Julian McKenzie and Chris Johnston go over a variety of topics including:
00:00 - Sidney Crosby signs in Pittsburgh
13:00 - The Vancouver goalie situation
21:00 - Young prospects cracking NHL rosters
25:30 - The future of the Buffalo Sabres
36:00 - The latest on the numerous RFA's around the NHL
40:00 - The Blue Jackets path forward
46:00 - What to expect from the Nashville Predators
50:00 - Utah Hockey Club's first ever NHL training camp
55:00 - Ask CJ
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The Chris Johnston Show, your number one destination for a behind the scenes look at the game of hockey and just thing on here's NHL insider Chris Johnston and host Julian McKenzie. Sikhi Crosby is staying in Pittsburgh. The longtime captain has resigned two-year contract extension with an annual average value of well you guessed it 8.7 million. That's that's the AAV he's known all of his life post entry life entry entry level contract so yeah what do we think of this deal it's not a surprise for us at this point I know the last episode I said hey you know what I see him staying it looked more and more like a possibility he said he was optimistic Sydney Crosby that is about staying in Pittsburgh what do we think of this deal? The number jumps out to me because it really speaks to why Sydney Crosby is one of one why there isn't another quite like him certainly you know his career will frame the entire salary cap era and the fact that he's been willing to play on the same number for 19 seasons it will be in total has given the penguins to this point already tons of flexibility to build a team around him certainly as we cast out now we signed you know for this year plus two more at that same number while the cap is rising significantly I mean his agents could even convince him to take 9.87 million or 10.87 million I mean if he wanted to keep the eight seven in there I think everyone understands that being as superstitious as he is but you know it was Sydney Crosby himself that insisted on that contract number you know he's leaving 40% on the table anyway I'm guessing from you know player coming off a couple 90 point seasons even at his age you know really I think any number that he wanted could have been justified but it's yet more I guess one act of selflessness and you might say wow what's money he's made all this money but you know a lot of players around the league and I don't say this is a bad shot at them the money isn't necessarily the money it's what it means what it represents but he's always done things in this way I think that his career will go down as being the ultimate winner and now there's a whole lot of pressure I think immediately shifted I'm not saying it hasn't already been there but pretty clearly shifted the penguin's front office to give him a chance to win here while they've they've got him under contract now for three more seasons so how much does this allow them to to succeed in that front how much flexibility does it actually give them well unless you gave them a time machine as well it's going to be tough I mean let's let's call it as it is that the most impactful players on the roster are Sydney Crosby's age or even older and so you know I don't know what kind of miracles can be worked but I mean look it gives you a chance you know especially if Crosby can stay in the form we've seen from him the last year or two which you know again isn't a foregone conclusion every player ages every player gets to a point where maybe physically whatever it is can't keep up and so it's hard to say but you know he's at least given them some certainty here too he's given them a chance to you know know that they have him signed at that number and not have as much trouble I mean it's if he had taken 12 million for example or 13 million I mean that's another player right between the delta between what he could have been making starting in the 24 25 sorry 25 25 26 season and what he's going to be taking at 8.7 so I don't think it could be overstated I mean on this deal but even frankly and just what he's played on you know the five-year deal he signed at adventure level then a 12-year contract now this two-year extension all at the same cap hit is outrageous I mean probably is not a stretch to say you could have made almost a hundred million more in that time and you know I'm sure he doesn't care about that what he cares about obviously is what he's always cared about is trying to help his team win and you know truly special guy I mean what a drama this was and then such an entry anti-sort of climactic ending in a sense it's very Crosby all around that this went on all summer I know there were talks in June between his agent and the penguins about an extension you know a little bit of dialogue as the summer went along and ultimately you know the guy got finished on Sunday night to the deal itself but you know ends ends at it I guess a predictable number in some ways but you know I must say I'm still a little surprised because you know some players look at it and say I've been underpaid and he's probably been underpaid and yet still he's not that that's not what's important to City Crosby so why did it take all summer why did it what was the hold up in all of this it came down to how long he wanted to sign for I think that really was the issue here is is Sydney just you know getting comfortable with what this next contract would be not again not the financial end it's pretty clear there's probably others in his ear saying hey maybe you want to switch to number 15 for the last couple seasons or whatever but you know I mean eight plus seven didn't work for him he wanted eight point seven as I said nine point eight seven didn't work for him ten point eight seven didn't work for him he wanted eight point seven he's been on so it wasn't a question of money but I think it really was you know Crosby turned 37 at the beginning of August so now he's signed basically through to his 40th birthday this age 37 season this one age 38 and age 39 are under contract and he would turn 40 and so you know I would suggest this is the window now we're looking at one of the the all-time greats has left to play that I mean I suppose of course their circumstances maybe maybe he adds one more year beyond that or a couple more beyond that but I mean at this point in time I think that's all we can count upon you know Pittsburgh was willing to go to a three-year deal a four-year deal I think if Crosby wanted to get there on this contract but but he didn't want to do that I think he's given this window of commitment that he's willing to give it all to play in that period of time and I think that's really what most of what took the time of again pretty unusual set of negotiations you know I know later in the show we're going to talk with the restricted free agents I mean there's different dynamics there where each side is trying to keep the other as low as possible or get if your player get it as high as possible this is a different scenario this is this was all about Crosby you know deciding what his future was going to be and part of that future as it turns out wasn't is it going to be in Pittsburgh but it was just how long does he want to keep playing for and so we've got three more years let's hope that everything goes well to to enjoy that and and you know the penguins would assign them longer but this is this was what Sid felt comfortable with this sort of feels like this is just going to set him up to the end of his career this year will be the last year of the deal he's on next year gets the first year of that extension and gets probably gets the place of Olympics time and then the year after that I look at 2627 as a fair world tour that's how I see it right unless there's something at that point in time compelling him back and you know that's that's the unanswerable for anyone including Sidney Crosby here today is perhaps perhaps 2627 goes so well either or both for him and the penguins and maybe their team is right on the cusp at that point in time and he's you know compelled to come back for one more year I mean that that's that's what we'll all stay tuned for but I'm with you I don't think you can count on it being any longer than this you know playing in that next Olympics I know as a big carrot for him you know it's going to be hard I think I still stick to a lot of the things I've settled along is that the penguins do have to build a team around him here that that makes this interesting that make that keeps the juices flowing you know it would just be hard to imagine you know they've missed the playoffs now two years in a row what happens if he missed the playoffs five years and wrote in his career I'm thinking of the worst case I mean I mean that would be a difficult stretch to endure and so I think that clearly they are they're going to do everything in their power to ensure that doesn't happen and he'll do the same you know as someone in the dressing room and on the ice trying to make sure Pittsburgh takes it a step forward after those last two seasons for those curious and haven't seen the details online uh pukpedia has the contract details uh year one of that extension uh base salary at 780k and a nine million dollar signing bonus could you imagine having a nine million dollar signing bonus just shows up in your in your account no you're living I'll tell you there are some players leon dry side will awesome Matthew's that some of these guys that have signed lately you're getting fifteen plus million dollar signing bonuses that is true and it could have been fifteen million for said to I mean I know it's all sort of play money when you don't have when this this isn't this isn't our reality but he left money on the table here man it's it I mean it's the ultimate again in a in a salary cap world that matters so much because it's given Pittsburgh a lot of ability to build a team around them and and they have to do it again like but I don't think we should ever look past that and I also at the same in the same breath I'm not putting down any player that tries to get what he's absolutely worth because on the other end of the ledger here I think you can honor you can argue easily easily that Conor McDavid's worth twenty plus million dollars a year Matthew's McKinnon I mean these top guys in the league if you don't have them you can't win and there's just that there's not very many of them so um but I think we should celebrate Crosby for being a team first guy as much as man his accountant might not be loving all that hold that thought because I have a question about that so yes year one of that deal a 780 K's a base salary nine million dollar signing bonus year two one point zero nine million dollar salary base and a signing bonus of six point five three million thank you to our friends at Puckpedia for that okay the idea that Sidney Crosby takes a very team friendly deal because he insists on that eight point seven mill and you've kept saying it not nine point eight seven not ten point eight seven uh I've seen it already online fans from other fan bases being like well why can't my superstar player be as team friendly why does he have to want so much money blah blah blah blah do you think Sidney Crosby signing an extension like this and agreeing to the number that he did do you see that having an impact on other star players going forward where if they obviously want the money that they want a GM could push back and be like well Sidney Crosby did this do you think that has any bearing on future negotiations for other players I believe a GM might say that I just think depending on the player or the his agent probably isn't going to change anything you know I mean the reality is because stars are so rare because they're so important the stars sign their own deals you know the same thing happened Leon Drysidal got to his deal with Edmonton I mean there's only so much the Oilers can do obviously they make a pitch they're talking about building the team on around him but you know if he wants 14 million times eight guess what that's what he got with maximum signing bonuses and full no movement clauses and and you know the absolute game-breaking players are going to drive their own negotiations they're going to make their own decision what's best for them for their families they're going to do what they think is right and so I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all solution but I'm just pointing out that this one particular player who was the best of his generation made that choice again and again to to find a number that he was comfortable with and that the team could work with and that's part of what's helped set Pittsburgh apart let's call it um you know I get why a player would want to raise look when I do well at my job I want to raise I don't think there's anything there's nothing bad about saying that but it's just in a fixed cap system that that isn't always beneficial to the environment and you know if Crosby was another person he might have been leaving Pittsburgh by this deal do you know what I mean he might have been saying I'm gonna go for greener pastures he might have been asking for 15 million incredibly doing so but he's he's him he's this is who he is this is who he's always been been very true to himself he's been true to the penguins they're lucky he wasn't born what even August 9th they would have to pay him 88.9 million all these years or January 5th they would have been 15 million maybe all these years but um you know September 16th you'd be getting paid nine mil nine point one six exactly so um eight seven eight seven was lucky for Sid and it's was lucky for the penguins too anything else you want to add about Sidney Crosby before we finally put a bow on this long running saga of where Sidney Crosby will continue his career nothing on that but I will say we did record an earlier episode and so if something is a little bit choppy later on this was an add-on to what we originally recorded I'll say this uh the dangle curse is a thing the CJ show curse is not a thing it has happened more than once where we have recorded an episode and then immediately after we finish recording a big story drops and then we're able to come back and add this in it has happened more than once and I'm happy that that tradition continues on the CJ show friends don't let friends overpay for wireless say bye bye to your overpriced wireless plan and switch to mint mobile mint mobile is here to help you and your squad with premium wireless plans starting at 15 bucks a month all plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5g network and you can use your own phone with any mint mobile plan and bring your phone number along with all of your existing contacts ditch overpriced wireless with mint mobiles deal and get three months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month and to get this new customer offer all you have to do is go to mint mobile dot com slash Johnston cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mint mobile dot com slash Johnston 45 dollar upfront payment required equivalent to about 15 dollars a month new customers on first three month plan only speed slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited plan additional taxes fees and restrictions apply see mint mobile for details NHL training camps open this week CJ I bet you're excited you're as excited as I am right I am on Wednesday I will be down for the opening of Maple Leafs training camp and yeah this is where it starts to feel real right it's we've been talking about the start of the thing for a while now now it's it's really we're gonna start learning what's going on a league obviously there'll be developments injuries trades few contracts still to sign and then before you know it we'll be talking about the start of the regular season oh for sure we can only cover so much ground in person obviously you being in Toronto me being in Calgary that being said your job obviously is to have some kind of eye around the league are you able to give me maybe five storylines you're looking for around the NHL as training camps start you'd be five I can I mean you gave me this homework assignment over the weekend and it was not as easy as it would sound because let me preface this the right way what is training camp by definition it's the period of time where teams and players get themselves ready for the real season which begins in October and so maybe as a grizzled member of the media core sometimes the whole hype up for camp stories you know can be tough but that being said the more I thought about it between watching my Dallas Cowboys take a real crap kicking on Sunday afternoon we'll get to that I did arrive I did arrive at you know I think some things that may be satisfy the criteria and you know the first storyline or you know that it's probably most burning on my mind you know pursuant to camps is what's going to happen in the Vancouver Canucks goaltending situation and you know I don't know that alarm bells need to go off yet it certainly seems to be there's some hopeful conversation around where Thatcher Demko's at is he recovers from injury but you know the fact remains the number one goaltender for the Canucks added last season sidelined by knee injury and it doesn't seem as though there's a firm timeline on when we're going to see him on the ice to start camp whether that's day three day six somewhere later you know obviously not optimal circumstances and on top of that Arthur C loves you know the goal he did play for the Canucks in the playoffs you know had to miss some some Olympic qualifying games for Latvia in the summertime and so you know I think that that's a storyline however it turns out that I think is going to be very important for a team looking to build off such a great year last year you don't want to uncertainty at any position but I think especially in goal it can be something you know I know there's been a bit of the dance with with Kevin Lincoln and who at this point remains an unrestricted for agent about maybe he goes to Vancouver and ends up as a adept option who might actually have to play some games depending on how the injuries um carousel swings so I do think that what happens in Vancouver specifically net in the coming two and a half three weeks is it's pretty vital okay I like I like that opening we could unpack that a little bit but we should also mention the Canucks signed Dylan Ferguson to a PTO over the weekend as well really really fascinating story considering the progress they made last year which Thatcher Demko is a huge part of and for them to enter the season without both him and Arthur Siela's like that puts so much pressure on everyone else on that team to get off to a good start well I caution about going too far I mean this is what we have to learn in camp I mean there's certainly world I don't think it's a foregone conclusion they'll definitely enter the season without those guys but you know how much workload they get you know what they're on the ice how they perform if they are able to get into some pre-season games I mean I think that that's what makes it a good camp storyline it's just basically where are those players going to be at and and you know obviously on Wednesday when they meet the media that the team will probably give a little bit more you know explanation on how they got here and where they're at but I mean really a lot of this has to play out on the ice and so you know there's a whole bunch of stuff in Vancouver I mean I don't know if you saw the weekend anti-ranta spoke to a friend of mine Sammy Holfren a longtime reporter who's based in Finland and said he's going to continue his career in Europe but that he did acknowledge that he had talks with the Canucks about you know maybe attending camp with them also the Toronto Maple Leafs among the teams that reached out to anti-ranta over the summer time and so obviously the Canucks for some time here have been at least you know trying to get as many veteran options lined up trying to you know I guess ensure yourself as much as you can but let's not get around this I mean this is really a storyline about Thatcher Demko because you know how good he can be when he's at his best that the fact that you know he's definitely had some injury issues over time I think this one isn't necessarily directly related to anything that he's dealt with in the past but you know this is this is a season with big expectations in Vancouver and you know if you're talking about missing potentially one of your primetime players you're just being uncertain about what you're going to get from that player I mean that I think that that that story starts right the minute I mean it's already started but it really starts the minute camp starts the clock begins on it and you're seeing you know where Demko's at and if he's going to be able to play games and at what level I wonder if Vancouver if it's too late for them to talk to the New York Islanders about Keith Kincaid was on their rookie roster a couple days we'll announce the couple days ago I should I saw that I should have looked in did he ever played you know in the rookie tournaments or I don't know exactly if he did honestly I just saw that he was on the roster and it was just really you don't see that all the time where you see an actual veteran player especially if Keith Kincaid is bounced around the league as much as he has on a rookie thousand interesting story hockey for like more than a decade yes like yes like I've I've he was in the grenades organization I remember those days like he I remember that I remember the Keith Kincaid era in Montreal that was really weird anyway I mean it's it's on brand right yes yeah remember I like a mochi suit post yeah also I just I was thinking more that the islanders just have a very unique way of operating and so yes you know they do things their own way that's not a shot it's just it's a fact remember they would like sign players the contracts but not announce them for months the contracts left in the table for how many weeks and then you're like oh yeah now you know their terms just so anyway there's always like an era of like what little little mystery sprinkled in there from the Islanders Keith Kincaid part of the weirdness it does underscore though one thing and I hate to be a hater on the rookie tournaments because I know it's exciting especially if your team has a top tier prospect and you're seeing that player in the sweater like that's exciting and like I don't want to hate on it but the point is it's really hard to judge talent and the rookie tournaments because it is such a mixed bag what team send you know in terms of there's just there can be a real range of quality in those tournaments it's not it's not really a it's not necessarily apples to apples when you see the whatever the young sharks against the young King's doesn't always mean that it's hard to know what you're measuring I guess is what I'm saying you're breaking a lot of people sorry five year old goalie might appear in one end too I mean like you're breaking a lot of people's hearts a lot of people love watching the rookie tournaments well they should because I'm not sorry and I'm not hating on seeing you know your favorite new young prospect do something being excited about it but I'm it's just it's it's a tough it must be a tough scouting environment I do I have a few scouts that I speak to I know that travel to some of those tournaments I should follow up and hear what their takeaways were but again you're not comparing it's not like a true best on best of any best you know what I'm saying very fair do you have another storyline for us you have one you have four to go well let's start where I guess where we just finished I mean I think the September sweethearts we'll call them the young players the teenagers trying to crack rosters around a league I mean I think that that's truly that that's if that's always a fun training camp story and you know I don't think there's any mystery this year Macklin celebrating the first overall pick for the sharks I believe the team has said like right from the second they trapped it on that he was going to be in the NHL this season you know sometimes there's a little bit of the even if it's a smoke spring you know I got to earn my my spot on a team let's see how camp goes you know I don't know that there's that with him it doesn't doesn't appear that way but you know I there's lots of intriguing young players around a league and there's going to be some surprises probably is there anyone else in that draft class that that cracks a roster out of camp you know some of the young players Lane Hudson with the Canadians Matt Vay Mitchkoff with Philadelphia I mean I think that there's a number of sort of intriguing players that you just don't know to what degree are they going to make an impact are they going to stick around for one game five games nine games the whole season I mean I do think that it that the problem this storyline is it's hard for me to identify one player because I think we're really talking about you know it's going to be a group of 10 or 15 usually teenagers I'm talking about that that crack rosters of NHL teams and then of course we're watching game by game to see if they stick around because in some cases they only end up playing one or two or three games before being sent back but you know those those are probably the most fun stories every year and I call them the September sweethearts because often the players that are just dominating the September preseason games by the time the league gets turned up to November it's it's difficult for them and you know I don't mean like light of it it's just sometimes physically their bodies aren't as mature even just mentally handling the situation they're in you know teams have cap considerations and rosters things that you know tied to the CBA that that affects all that but you know no doubt there's going to be you know Easton Count and Toronto as a teenager there's going to be lots of talk around the Maple Leafs in the next few weeks about whether he should stick around and as I say I mean sometimes it's a surprise sometimes it's a player who was selected like 15th in the most recent first round there's not a lot of hype around them and then all of a sudden they come to camp they perform well and they find themselves playing for real you know Matthew Poitra and Boston last year um so you know I think that that that's definitely that's definitely where the most exciting stories generally come from in camp. You mentioned Matt fame mitch cough in your answer did you see the video of him attempting the Michigan and uh heard everyone uh was laughing at John Tortorella for him trying? Yes I saw that on the weekend and you know he's a player like that is even probably a higher level of intrigue because there's been so much mystery about him you know being a Russian of course you know some teams in his draft here two years ago 2023 draft I think had some concerns or just unanswered questions they weren't able to meet with them necessarily to the degree they would want or you know watch his games and practices he was playing in a remote part of Russia you know there's the conflict going on in Ukraine I mean they just did he want to play was he under contract would he ever come over well I mean here we are he played one more year in Russia now he's he signed with Philadelphia and you know peers set to make the Flyers roster and so I think because there's been a lot of hype around him he's very skilled forward which is obviously pretty tantalizing you can you can scour YouTube and find amazing clips but I mean that it's one thing to have that and it's another to be a complete player be someone that can play you know make an impact in the NHL and so you know I think he'll be certainly one of those those players I'm like every pre-season game you're going to see it on social media whatever he does it's going to be amplified and that you know it should be I mean that let's face it there's a whole culture of the sport that loves the draft loves prospects and you know this is where you start to really get a feel for what they might be as NHLers this isn't just a projection now I mean he's going to go play pre-season games and play against you know established NHL veterans and try to show his best okay so the goal-tending situation in Vancouver the September sweethearts those are your first two storylines you're going to look out for at training camp what's number three I'm going to look down the highway from where I sit today at the Buffalo Sabres and specifically the fact that Lindy Ruff is back as their head coach and and you know it's tough to say how this will be a training camp storyline but I think it is you know I don't know if you've seen there's been a lot of discussion about renewed accountability and in Buffalo about yes you know obviously Lindy Ruff is a massive franchise icon for the Sabres for anyone maybe a little younger it might not know this he played for the Sabres he was a captain of the Sabres he was their most successful head coach at least in recent memory not excluding the Scotty Bowman era way way back but I mean he you know he took the team to game six of the Stanley Cup final in 1999 it lost in triple overtime on a goal that probably shouldn't account it under the rules at the time but that's that's another matter now but you know the team is enjoyed he's been such a part of the fabric of the team and frankly there's a lot of good memories because those those Sabres teams in you know 06-07 I mean really before they had this really long drought where they can't even sniff the playoffs you know they had a lot of good times with Lindy Ruff as a head coach and so you know I'm just curious to see all that plays out sort of the rhetoric maybe of their camp you know how he because I think quite frankly Buffalo is just an incredible hockey market it's a place unquestionably that loves the game and loves the team but there's been a lot of reasons not to love the team for like whatever it's 10 or 12 years I mean it's a long time and so some of this all that really matters is if this move makes a team better like ultimately they have to win for it to matter but some of the hiring is unquestionably a little bit of PR right it's a little bit of getting some excitement back in the market and so I think I think their training camp will be interesting to watch just because there'll be a sales element to it I would think from from Lindy Ruff and and you know the Sabres have so many talented players and and you know two years ago they did seem to be on the climb and then last year didn't go quite as well you know that they need to win this season and and to me it starts from day one a camp for a team like that that's got to find a way to you know put another 10 or 15 points in the bank it's a big it's a big ask but you know of all the off-season coaching changes obviously what Craig Brubay does in Toronto will get attention you know Sheldon Keefs now in New Jersey you know there's a lot of there was a lot of turnover at that head coaching position I think the most intriguing hire or the most the most interesting storyline arguably is Lindy Ruff returning to Buffalo trying to to get former glory I say this as a proud Blue Jays fan remember they brought Seidl Gaston back for a time I mean this is this is a thing pro sports organizations do trying to recapture some of their old glory it doesn't always work quite frankly but it has worked in some circumstances and so it would be quite a story to me if rough comes back and actually you know gets the sabers to be playing the brand a hockey that put some in a playoff race I mean it's the Atlantic Division's kind of been a log jam at the top and those in the bottom half of that trouble breaking through but you know it's going to happen eventually and maybe it'll be the sabers this year under Ruff and I think they're they're training camp in the way he's talking with the team all the things he does I think is going to get a lot of well generate a lot of buzz 13 consecutive seasons out of the playoffs we're Buffalo and I do the math I did homework but I didn't actually look at this that I just know it's been a long damn time it's kind of funny considering you're way better at math than I am I had to do the math but also I believe six coaches uh have come through Buffalo thinking rough got fired then Rolston Nolan Dan Bilesmouth Phil Housley remember Ralph Krueger yeah Ralph Krueger and then Don yeah and then Don Granado and since then yes of course no just no postseason time for the sabers a team that I know firsthand I've said hey they're on the rise they're gonna make the playoffs and other people around the league have done it like I feel like some I mean if there's some patience wearing thin outside of Buffalo in in that city it's up to 10 over there seeing the fans go off the way that they do especially on social media yeah they've had it up to here with how their rebuild on top of a rebuild has been going they need to you need to see something at the end of the day they don't want promises anymore I guess maybe that's part of the the hard part of what I'm talking about because this is a training camp story all they can do is project forward what they're going to do and you know establish this culture and standard I mean that's what every team says but it won't matter at all if they're you know three and seven out of the gate it's going to be I mean those they just some teams there's a bit of a I would say almost like a courtesy window into the regular season where okay if you start five five and one and it's kind of mixed bag like I think no one freaks out too much I feel like a team like Buffalo you know I would put Ottawa in the same group like it's so important that they get a strong start and start you know taking still steps right you know they got to win people back and I guess the beauty of this time of year is you can dream in any market I mean you can maybe some of the teams Carolina Toronto Edmonton like the teams that have had really good teams but you know haven't been able to get to the cup you start to dream of that this time of year and I think others that have been 13 years out of the playoffs or just imagine like hey we might get to march and have games that matter and the building is going to be full and I mean we could just list off the saber's roster they clearly have good players on the roster it's is it a perfect roster probably not but very few in the league are and I just think it's going to be uh I think it'll be an interesting camp with with that particular figure back in the fold and and running the show one more thing before we get to topic four I I've wondered this about the sabers I've also wondered this about the Ottawa Senators you're right they should be grouped in that same category because they're trying to essentially do the same thing but the rest of the Atlantic division is it too good still too good for them to take that step just thinking about where Florida is thinking about where Boston is where maybe they do take a step back but are they so bad where either Buffalo or Ottawa make that jump Tampa Bay like yeah they're kind of on their last legs but they still made some additions that should still have them as a playoff team not to mention they still have one of the best goal is in the world of Nadre Vasilavsky and Nikita Kucharath up front as well yes they don't have Stephen Stanko's anymore but they still have some pieces and key places that should still keep them afloat like they there's some good teams that division of course the Toronto Maple Leafs that should still be a playoff team in that division so if you're Buffalo if you're Ottawa and you know what we'll even consider Montreal in this too because they want to take that step up this year like how much progress can you actually make when the teams that have been making the playoffs year in year out for the last handful of years are still playoff caliber teams you got to go there and be better than them I mean the one thing I'll say is sometimes the margin it looks big it's on paper at the start of the year but sometimes injuries come along sometimes certain teams just don't quite gel in the way you might imagine I mean remember in this remarkable run that Tampa's been on they did miss the playoffs one year in there they didn't and so my point is is no team is one more than them both in the regular season in playoffs over the last whatever 10 15 years but they did have one season in the middle with this like the roster they've largely been playing with where they miss the playoffs by point or two and I think if I recall correctly injuries were a big part of that they resisted doing anything rash which turns out with hindsight to have been a good decision since they added to more Stanley Cups and another cup appearance since that point in time you know I actually don't think the lightning are in danger of falling off too much so I mean absent again a crazy run of injuries or something happened that's unexpected but to me Andrea Vasilevsky is one of the more interesting players you know entering the season just because he clearly wasn't himself last year he was injured recovering from from an injury for the first couple months of the season didn't reach his normal level to me if he gets back there you know the Genssel acquisition he doesn't mean spiritually what Steven Samko's did in the lightning but but he could do probably functionally a lot of what Stanko's did in terms of you know putting up points being a contributor on the power play for them you know I do think that there's a there's a sort of a hurdle of losing someone is important to Samko's but you know from a pure talent standpoint I still think they're in a great spot to to be of a force I mean Florida we'll see certainly not predicted Mr. playoffs I just want to Stanley Cup but coming off the short summer you know having players again that that are injured you know for them it's two straight short summers of course because they were in the Cup final two years ago when they lost to Vegas you know maybe they're due to to have a bit of a drop off not necessarily even a talent related one just you can only play so much hockey can they can they slog it through another season you know the Maple Leafs there's questions and goal for them Boston doesn't have its top goalie signed as of this moment and Jeremy Swamin I know they they made some pretty impactful signings potentially at least in the off season was the door off and Lindholm but I guess there's there's no guarantees in the sport and you know as much as we don't see a ton of surprises there are teams that jump up out you know every couple years are a little more competitive than you think or maybe team that you thought was going to be strong falls off and so I don't see an obvious path to answer your question with a lot of words but I don't think it's impossible either to think that one of the teams that's been on the wrong side of the playoff ledger in the Atlantic not you know sneaks in at the expense of one of the more established teams in the last five or six years okay so the Canucks goal-tending situation young prospects trying to make teams out of camp in the Buffalo Sabres three storylines Chris Johnston is looking out for what's the fourth one well I guess I mentioned Swamin there I mean yeah it's the restricted free agents right of which Jeremy Swamin is among the most prominent you know as of this recording on Monday morning now less than 48 hours until camp start he's not signed a new deal with Boston seems pretty quiet in his situation that you've got more cider and Lucas Raymond in Detroit without deals and the very you know as I mentioned on the previous episode the idea of you know can they keep all those deals under 8.7 million with Dylan Larkin the captain of the team makes if they're doing long-term contracts you got Colper Fettie and Winnipeg who remains unsigned you know all signs seem so positive there he's you know appearing here there and everywhere on behalf of the Jets even without a contract so you know certainly not giving them tough love back but you know I think that that I'll call these training camp storylines because especially if we get to Wednesday and Thursday and some or all those players aren't in camp they've become pretty big day-by-day storylines in each of those markets and so I I'd say that's another important thing to keep an eye on in training camp week is you know it's it's too tough even this close to get too fired up because I really do believe Wednesday is a deadline that'll push some action in some of those situations but you know not everybody's that not everybody's probably getting signed I mean it's there there's just enough RFA's out there it kind of leads me to believe at least a few of them may miss a day or two of camp and perhaps weeks like that that that's happened in the past so those those will be notable story lines as we progress here okay so what about number five oh I might have run out of steam at four no no no no no you're almost there CJ big money seeds give me something I'll say this the fact that Swamin and the Detroit RFA's we've been basically it feels as if the every time we talk about them at least the last few weeks it's like this how can I describe this as best as I can while salad while sounding as eloquent as I can here it's just like hey have they been signed no okay all right thanks bye like what's going on here I'm very curious at the fact that those specific three contracts have been like its status quo on those situations yeah you got Dawson Mercer in New Jersey too I think he will get on a short-term deal but pretty good player you know player that when they've been involved in trade talks the last couple years the other teams have wanted to be included in the package and New Jersey's resisted so you know he's an important piece for them you know sometimes these are how negotiations unfold I do think the deadline helps it's hard because otherwise when you get dug in one side or the other kind of has to capitulate I guess is one way to put it you know like that we saw the Nick Robertson situation with the Leafs had dragged on through the summer and then it got to you know a week or so ago and I think he just decided it was best to lay down the sword like what are we fighting for here maybe listen to some of all of us experts in the media saying hey just just sign and play man you got it you got a chance on this team and and so you know he in a sense capitulated in that case he decided that he didn't want to keep up the fight and you know some of that is the closer we get here the players will be feeling pressure experience GM's in these situations I doubt Steve Eisenman's feeling pressure for example like I just think he's seen so much and been through so much as a longtime general manager and player in the league he's probably not feeling pressure but he understands hey there's probably pressure on those guys as they get closer to camp they see their teammates getting back at it to just maybe take the best offer on the table so that's that's what's going on is it's it's hard to handicap that all because you know we're not in the middle of the negotiation but it is it is a waiting game to in a sense but like look we're we're beyond that now I mean this is an important 48 hours for for all those players to try to get signed and want to get to their new cities and you know get the season started I mean this is this is the most exciting and best time of year you don't want to be you know squabbling over dollars at this point if you don't have to be absolutely so that fifth storyline Toronto hasn't really come up yet I know we'll get to them a little later but it's Columbus that fifth storyline there are few different possibilities for what that fifth storyline could be yeah you know it's tough I still a little tough to discuss the Columbus situation that's fair um just because like what are we going to say like obviously they're still feeling the weight of Johnny Goodrow's death and and quite honestly I don't know what period we should say that they shouldn't be feeling like you know grief is different for everyone obviously it's some very very close friends on that team um you know how even I mean just from a pure hockey standpoint that's that they've been lost for a long time they've got a new head coach and coaching staff with Dean Everson there a new general manager and Don Wedel like it's it's a there's just a lot of different dynamics there and and you know it's I think it's going to be a difficult year but you know they're going to try to band together and you know put it put a good foot forward so I don't know if I can make them that the fifth storyline man it's hard absolutely that's that's that's very fair I didn't even I wasn't even thinking what I mentioned Columbus well it's a topic I put in our rundown just about the fact that of course they are trying to uh just add forwards and all that but you're right that that that that idea that not idea but there's a lot of grief going through that locker room right now that is a very good point right and it's gonna be I mean we talk about a training camp storyline that it's I mean it's this unfortunately it's the biggest storyline in this port right now I mean that I think a lot of people are still processing what happened and trying to make any sense of it you can in any way you can and obviously as that team gets back together now I mean they they were at the memorial last week for for Johnny and Matthew Goodrow but you know a lot of the teammates were there but you know then they're gonna be gathered back in the dressing room and and there's there's something big missing from the team a big part of who they've been the last couple of seasons so you know that's probably the fifth storyline I just I don't it almost feels trite to say it because of the gravity of the situation but I I do think that you know how they the things they do will be you know that they're they're dealing with something that no other team in the league would ever want to consider having to think about and so um it's on a number of levels I just think even the turmoil the the organization was in beforehand um you know it's going to be a tough a tough camp for them I think in a lot of ways and and you know maybe it's helpful in a strange sense to have fresh coaching staff, fresh GM because I think there's can maybe take a fresh look at the entire situation but you know they're also in flux here too I mean they just signed James Van Rimsdijk to a new contract on Sunday night you know he'd been someone I that had actually been in discussions with other teams when he was about to try out but you know I can see the wisdom in that I mean really well thought of character professional player it's been around a league a long time you know Columbus should be said it was had discussions with his agent way back into the summer you know prior to the tragedy so this isn't a direct reaction one doesn't lead exactly to the other but you know obviously I think it's um you know having more veterans around can be helpful and and you know Van Rimsdijk even at age 35 had a decent season for Boston last year um and I still think especially in the power play can can you know put some goals in for them and as I said I think we'll bring some some intangibles that would be very useful for Columbus this year. At the risk of sounding like another podcast that likes to have thoughts on all these other teams uh we should bring up Nashville as a possibility as well we talk about teams jelling with the players that they add I mean Stephen Stamp goes Jonathan Marcheso Brady Shea they had a massive splash uh this offseason the extension to to UC Sorrows how is that all gonna work with the roster that they've assembled I'm very curious about how that works out for that team yeah oh I'd have another possibility after this too but I'll say I just don't know what we're really gonna learn and train a camp from them you know what I mean like we won't be able to measure the success of anything in camp I mean I guess we'll start to get a feel for what it looks and feels like you know who some of those players play with how they've maybe center their power play around you know having stam coarser what are the those types of things but and we're not gonna know if it works until three or four or five or six months from now really and that's that's where the exercise gets hard maybe I was like to find two things but I'm like what are we gonna learn in the next three weeks because essentially that's what we're talking about with training camp storylines but I think man I think they're a massive storyline for this season and I'll tell you that stam coarser I don't want to ruin my whole list but he he appears pretty high on that list I just mentioned as well um one other team that we have not mentioned at all uh it'll be the first ever training camp for the Utah hockey club go Yeti that's excellent go uh we we kind of differ on that but like no it just seems just seems like there's a lot of spoilers out there that Yeti's going to be the name one that's true I mean the GM damn near said it at the draft this stuff I saw Clay Keller had a quote recently too where he's like yeah I'm pretty sure it's Yeti no one's really told me but I think that's what it is so yeah I mean gotta live with it but uh first there will be an edge of hockey in Utah this year the fact that that situation flipped on its head as quickly as it did for Arizona to Utah and now we'll get to see uh Utah hockey club be a thing for the 24-25 season exciting times insult likes it exciting I'll be curious to see what the reception is to the arena you know obviously the the Delta Center is not a ideal venue for NHL hockey I think they're doing what they can and they plan to renovate it and obviously they do plan ultimately to build a new arena for the team but you know some of this will be imperfect um just just because of the nature of the situation so I'll be curious about that and you know they're playing at some elevation there in Salt Lake City maybe that'll be like a new Denver 2.0 or Calgary 3.0 um I do always know when I come to Calgary Julian and I take a jog along the Bo River I find it a little harder to breathe when I'm when I'm there so you probably don't notice it when you live there because I'm assuming you get accustomed to it but yeah when you fly in and I know it's nowhere near as high as Denver I mean Denver is like get me the oxygen tank when I go for a jog there but um anyway I'm getting off topic but you're right there that's another big story and and I guess in camp it's not really about a training camp battle or a player it's just more how does this look and feel seeing them as a team in a new place how comfortable is everyone and then as I said getting maybe getting settled into a building that isn't yet ideal but uh I know they're working on I love how this segment went from five training camp storylines to four and a bunch of thoughts every sorry not thoughts because that's taken to Palsays elsewhere just trying not to news and notes yeah I'm not trying to get in trouble with uh with Kyle and Elliot I'm not trying in trouble with those two no I think we're good with them yes um but yeah I I think we've unless you've unless we're cool with leaving it at that one better than I thought it was going to I think it went way better than I thought it was going to you were your brilliant as always no but but you suggest that yes as like it's not a bad idea but I just don't know if I have anything to say and here we are this deep in and we got there so you always have something to say we landed the plane buddy ah we did as we did as well as we could um I'm glad we also touched on on James Van Reemsdike signing uh in in Columbus I don't know if you had anything more to to add on that front but also I just think of of Don Waddell saying we're at least two forward short short right now and that makes you think okay is James Van Reemsdike it is like who else could be a possibility for that team uh entering training camp this week well I don't know that they feel they have to decide at all right now I mean expect to see maybe more PTOs there but the truth of the matter is especially some of the stronger teams they do have a squeeze when they're getting down to their roster for opening night and so I think Columbus is open to maybe claiming a player or players off waivers um you know keeping up trade discussions in case there's something that makes sense on that front so I don't know that they have to act this second you know I've seen lots of people yelling about Phil Castle I don't know if they've you feel Castle is a is a true option there but you know what's interesting about Castle is you know he does want to play still um but you know after not playing all of last year I know he was in Vancouver for a time on a PTO at the Canucks uh before ultimately not signing um you know a lot a lot a lot of people have a lot of love for Phil Castle out there and you know he hasn't he hasn't at least put the rest in his own mind the possibility of still playing but um you know it's going to be hard for him to get a job somewhere would be be a pretty interesting storyline in itself if uh even if he just goes as a tryout somewhere I mean Nikolai Kulemon after six years in Russia got one in Ottawa so I mean Phil Castle is not that far removed from his last NHL game and um you know we'll see if he can can at least get the chance to to fight for a job somewhere so you have a name for the teenagers who try to make NHL rosters what do you call guys like Nikolai Kulemon uh and we can lump in Phil Castle even if if he hasn't signed a PTO what would you call like the I don't want to call him the old heads but like what would you call the older players who are trying to make rosters max patch already sword accounts he's like 35 yeah I guess they're they're kind of like I just have to think of a clever way to say it but they're like the guys who don't want the dream to die right is like they want to they're like they're still fighting for their dream but I just don't have like I need like a quick little but I think something playing on that idea is like that actually is the cool part about it you know you go to training camp you know you might not realize players on a PTO they're not paid at all you know they get put up in a hotel and they get to per diem like every other player in the league does you know basically to cover their meals and other expenses and then they're just fighting for a job they're just they're just playing and trying to get noticed whether that's by the team that they're on the tryout with or another team you know weirdly some cases they might almost be hoping for an injury or for something that maybe creates a path to a roster spot for them you know and then like if that ends up being Phil Kessel for example I mean we're talking about a guy who's won three Stanley Cups who's the all-time games played leader who's made X number of millions over his career he's represented his country on every possible level like he's someone who really doesn't certainly have anything to achieve but he just loves to play and he wants to keep playing you know at least I guess where max patch ready or James Van Rheemstike or some of these other guys that we do know will be with teams you know both of those players are still looking for their Stanley Cup and so I think that that's probably one of the things that helps them get through the long season and maybe get through more importantly a summer of training to put themselves in a position with their bodies to be able to still play but I think there's something romantic about you know the players that don't want to just let it go that they want to keep doing what they do and you know I saw it firsthand years ago when Jason Spetsa came to Toronto and played it a couple years really as a fourth liner I mean we're talking about a former you know top pick in the in the NHL draft who you know had 90 point seasons and was an offensive star for a lot of years of his career and by the end he was still willing to grind it out and play minimal shifts and occasionally even fight which is obviously not part of what he did throughout his career but just anything you know he tried to squeeze absolutely everything he could out of his career and so you know lots of examples of those guys around the league over the years but I kind of maybe because of my own age and I've sort of some cases covered these guys for so long I'm always kind of rooting for them to to find a way to keep keep the dream going for one more year. Do you remember who went number one the year Jason Spetsa got drafted? Let me think of the year. Was it Kovalchuk? You got that right on the money. Spetsa was two right? Spetsa was number two in the 2001 NHL entry draft. Kovalchuk, Spetsa and I don't know if you remember this guy, Alexander's Fethoff was number three to Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay. Columbus drafted Pascale Klaya that year. My comments are equals. Anyway, we don't need to rehash the old one draft. I'm sorry. I was just curious. I'm just impressed. I've been mid-season for him. I don't need training camp if I can kneel the track. That was a trivia question out of nowhere. Yeah, oh yeah. That's why we do pre-season. That's why we do the throw away episode CJ to prepare us for moments like this. All right. Let's get to ask CJ. This first question that I added here, I just want to say I added this question before the results of yesterday's Cowboys game. Okay. Insider Jay Money asks, hey Chris, why are the Cowboys never going to win a Super Bowl ever again? Hashtag Jay Money Curse because we can have good things because only one team wins every year. You know, which is something you would have pushed back on that. I thought you would have been like, no, like screw you. No, I'm, I'm definitely with the Cowboys. Like, I can't say I enjoyed the Sunday game. I mean, when the Saints had 35 points at half, it was a pretty miserable act. Like it was clear from an early part of that game, it was not going to go well and that there was no path back. He still stayed with it till the end. But I'm almost more comfortable when the Cowboys are playing like that. Like the idea of them ever winning anything that really matters is kind of beyond my comprehension. So like oddly, like you should have saw me text I got yesterday. Friggin Oh, dog is just like in my grill. Just loves Robin. But I almost want to say to him, like, I don't think he believes me. I'm like, Oh, trust me. This is like the normal feeling like I'm used to being disappointed by them. Like this just feels like, yeah, the world's gonna spin. I got to wake up tomorrow's Monday morning. Everything's fine. It's if they've ever started a year, like eight, no, I would be like, I would be living in fear. So I don't, I don't have one good answer. I think it's a hard league to win in. I kind of feel like it's inevitable that Bill Jack's going to come coach a team at some point. Oh, Bill, Bill, check coach of the Cowboys. You're all in on that train. Wow. I just kind of feel like it's it's like two forces that can escape each other just like just gradually coming together. And the current head coach has not signed beyond the season. So read into that what you will. Anyway, I don't have a good answer for why they're cursed. Because they're always pretty good, usually, like they're usually like not awful. And then you get to the games that matter and you know that you're going to, you know, you're going to need an extra cold beverage to get through that Sunday. Better. Would you rather be a fan of another team? You could be a Jets fan. I've been used to disappointment all my life. You can't when you're like a real fan with like decades, like we're it was actually funny. I was texting yesterday with David Alter. He's a big lions fan. And he was saying he was saying yes, but he was saying he might go to the Lions Cowboys game. And I was like, I went to a Lions Cowboys game at Ford Field. And I remember how disappointed I was. Because the Cowboys lost in the last play of the game. And he's like, when was that? And I started Googling and I found it. And it was a game in 2013. Calvin Johnson had a ridiculous game for Detroit. Anyway, the point is when you have like decades in with a team, I can't imagine I can't imagine wanting to cheer for another team. So I know I tried to I tried to quit the Jets at one point. And I just got wrote back in once they got guys like Sauce Gardener and Garrett Wilson. It's you're right. It's it's very difficult. And because it's just like, if they ever do win, you're right. Like you can be like, hey, I've been with this team through and through. We're actually on the up like it feels good. You're not a fake fan. Yeah. Anyway, I'll be like, I was watching Jose burrios pitch the game of his life in the playoffs and and his manager didn't pull up. No, I'm but I'm gonna be like, and then they ruined that season. All the hours put it anyway. Let's go on. Welcome to fan suffering hour with CJ and Julie. This one from Gav 0023. I love how I'll just read the question. When you guys are doing a TV spot over the phone, do you guys get a say in which headshot photo they use and how often does it get changed? No, I've never I've never had to say in that. So I don't know. I don't know even I don't even know who would decide that probably some producer somewhere. But yeah, the answer is no, we've both we've both done that before. But yeah, I've never had to say even for podcasts and stuff like that, rarely do I get to say on what photo gets used. I just presume whoever's running the show just goes on our bios, probably at work, and then just lifts the photo and uses it. And my original photo, it's no longer associated with this podcast that was from the pod though. It was taken by Jesse Blake. He came over to my neighborhood and I'm doing a little photo shoot with him in the park. Those are sick photos though. That was a fun era. It was a cool... It didn't last too long that photo as part of the art. But anyway, I literally, I kind of try to do my job, like to simplify things. Our job is to try to do the best we can when the record button's on. And I'll trust the marketing to the marketers. Okay. This next question, this might get put in the pantheon of weird CJ show questions. This is from Dakota. What NHL player would you name your cat after? Presumably, I mean, you don't have pets as far as I know. I don't have pets. But if we had a cat, which NHL player would you name your cat after? They also write, "I've done Bobby Lou for my cats. My parents have done soupy for one of their cats. So I asked both of you, what would you name your cat if it had to be based on an NHL player?" I feel like to pop man. Ooh, that's easy because his nickname was the cat. I'm sticking with... You know what, Nate Mack or Mack? Yeah, Mack. I mean, it's close to my name. Mackin in could be Mackenzie Weir. But yeah, he should be a dog because they call him Nate Dog. Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. That's fair. Well, maybe there's a touch of irony in there if you're like playing off that and calling your cat. That's true. You're being witty. It's worse. I'm literally just taking the player was known as the cat. This is my cat, Nate Dog. I like that one. SteveD29, how far does Chris run a day to consider it a successful run? Like a pitcher needs five plus innings for a quality start. What's his minimum distance? 7K. It is nice. Nice. My normal minimum. I tried to run 40 minutes a day, so that falls between 7 and 8K generally at my pace. So, you know, there's been a couple times, very, very select times that I've been shorter than that. But in general, 7K is kind of the base. Okay. Continuing with running questions, we have an in-house question from Nick Barton from the SDPN. What time does CJ expect to finish within the marathon coming up in October? Thank you for asking, Nick. It's funny because I posted on the weekend, anyone who follows me an IG on my story because I was doing a long run on Saturday morning and there was a nice sunrise and I was looking for an excuse to use the photo. And some people got confused because the official tag for the race I'm running, the TSC Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half Marathon has 42K at it. So, I think people thought I was saying I was doing the marathon. I am doing the half marathon, which is 21K, which is very different. Having done both many times, 42K is twice the difference, distance of the half and at least four times the work to get ready to run it. So, much respect to any of you that are listeners that might be trading for a full marathon in the fall because I know right now you are in it up to your eyeballs running like three-hour trading runs on a Saturday, whereas I'm doing like a nice like one-hour, 20-minute training run and thinking like, "Wow, that was a big effort for me." So, what time? Honestly, Nick, I don't know. Probably around 150 for my halftime at this point in time. I must say I'm a little slower than I've been in years gone by. I think I did that race in 143 or 144 or two years ago. But I'm not that... The one beauty about doing lots of races over lots of years is I'm not as hung up on the time. I'm just excited to kind of like try to get in the best shape I can and do it as best I can. And no matter what happens, I'm going to go out for a nice brunch and have a couple beers in an afternoon nap after. Nice. If it's 150 or 155 or 147, it's not going to change my life. Don't forget everyone. This man has over 1,600 days, a street going. I was almost going to say experience. It probably goes beyond that, but like 1,600 consecutive days of running. Like, you're built for this. 1,600 and 2. I'm built for it, but I'll say this. When you're going to do a distance race, because 7K is, as I said, was what I do most days, I haven't been running longer runs too often. So, I've had to sort of scale it up here a little bit in August and September. So, as much as like, "Okay, I'm in shape enough to do it. I'm not really in great race shape." It's hard to explain the difference. I mean, but, you know, I had to run 17K on Saturday, and that was real. Damn, how was that? It's fun. I mean, honestly, I like it for these periods because it's like a period where I focus on it. It makes me go to bed earlier that Friday night because I'm getting up to do it early in the morning. I feel really satisfied. I'm back home at like 9.30 in the morning with 17K under my belt. I'm like, "This is awesome." But I would obviously, you should, some people do this, Julian, not like, I'm like the average Joe, the most average Joe. Like, some people are doing this every weekend all year round, and they're animals. Like, I saw some people out there on Saturday morning. Like, you should see, and they're all, they're also average Joe's and James, and then I presume they all have day jobs. Like, they're not professional runners, but like, they are fast and just out there just killing it every Saturday morning. I mean, we're bad. I can't, like, I like running when I play a sport. I don't like the idea of like running like a block or like 5K. I like walks. I've been doing a lot more like just like, just walking around my neighborhood and just getting steps in. But like, I don't like the idea of just trying to like, just run for like an hour and a half or whatever. I don't know. It gets in your blood though when you do it. I was you. I was once you. And then now look at me. Running changes you. Yeah. More than one person that there is nodding at that though. Yes. I just saying, like, I never thought I'd be doing this. I don't really know. I got dragged into my very first race a long time ago, and then it's been in my blood somehow. So, you know, I just say don't ever say ever. You might not like it today, but maybe if you ever tried it, you might get addicted. If I, if I try it, if I go for a run one day, I will let you know, and I'll let you know how I feel. It'll yeah. Well, you never know. You're never going to feel good. No, but like honest, the first thing I feel good. No, but you know, maybe, maybe it's a, I don't know could be a distinct change of my lifestyle. Who knows? I'm not one last one for you. Just to be clear. No, no, no, I wasn't taken that as that. I was taken that as that. No, no, we don't do that. Last one. And actually, now that I think about it, this might actually be the weirdest one of all of them from Jenna. In the spirit of causing chaos, you know, this is going to be good when they start this way. What is the funniest possible thing that your team could do this season? As an example, they wrote as an example, they're a shark fan. They have a Cody, they're thinking Cody CC could win the doors and sweep the St. Louis Blues again, which I don't know when the last time that's happened for the shark team. But the idea of Cody CC being up for a Doris is hilarious. But that's the point. Think of the funniest possible thing that could happen. I would say, I mean, they're obviously that the team I cover, but the funniest thing that would happen to the Calgary Flames is if they made the playoffs. You go through the last two seasons where they had teams where they thought were built to make the playoffs and they don't make the playoffs and then they don't do that much of the off season. It should be all about the youth this year and rebuilding. And if this team makes the playoffs, oh, that would be really funny, especially since a lot of people are looking at them and are saying like, yeah, they're not going to make the playoffs. They're going to be pretty low down the standings. No one's going to believe in them. But if they find a way to play above themselves and they play like a playoff team, I think that's actually going to be hilarious. Not just the fact that, oh, they beat the odds and and all that, but fans have been clamoring for this team to do exactly what they're doing right now. And if they make the playoffs, it's like, like really? Like you couldn't have done this like two years ago? Like, that's what I think would happen. That's what I think would be the funniest thing Calgary Flames making the playoffs. I don't think they'll make the playoffs, but that would be funny. I think a blues Euler series could be delicious after the offer sheets. Absolutely. I don't know if that would be funny, but there would be some, I don't even know if that would be chaos, but there'd be some degree of chaos around that. We to built in storyline. Yeah. So maybe that doesn't satisfy because like I'm hung up on that first sentence like in this period of ultimate chaos or whatever it was. Actually, you know what? I have one. I have, I have one for, for the Leafs. Mitch Marner career season. Mitch Marner going through the off season that he went through where it looked as if he was going to leave. So many fans wanted him gone. People were, people were getting mad at t-shirts he was wearing at the suburb about how he, the shirts that say like, oh, watch me disappear or whatever. It's like, oh, like, how could you wear these shirts? Don't you understand your public persona and presence? How could you wear that? Could you imagine if Mitch Marner, after all that he went through, this top, this off season has the greatest possible season he could have. And it's just this big redemption year thing is I can imagine that. I don't even, I don't think that's crazy. I don't know, I don't think it has to be crazy. It just has to be funny. And I think that would just be funny. Well, it'd be pretty funny for his accountant. It'd be hilarious for his accountant. It would be the right, it would be the right time to have that happen. Darren Ferris would, would be laughing all the way to the bank. Yes. I mean, I'm sure they're going to do well, no matter what the season looks like, but if it's anything as great as the ever season, that'd be a pretty good one. I mean, you, you know better than me. I just, I'm going off of what I see as an outsider, but I think that would be really funny. And, but then again, maybe, maybe some people would be like, Oh, well, he's always good in the regular season. He has to do in the playoffs. Maybe it extends to the playoffs. Maybe, maybe this is the year where Mitch Marner is not the problem in the playoffs. I mean, that would be chaos is if like, Mitch Marner had like a cons might playoffs. Yeah. You know, I mean, like off MVP level, that would, even if they don't win, like if playoff MVP level and everyone shuts up, well, but it would, it would also satisfy the chaos button because he might still be unsigned at that point in time. And it's like, then what do they do? And what do you do? And does he want to leave? Oh man. Anyway, when you actually talk about chaos, Mitch Marner, like massive playoff performance with, with at least some success for the team. Yeah, you have to add playoffs. That's maximum chaos. Yeah. At that point, anyone who wrestled with their feelings of Mitch Marner and wanting him off the team, what do you do at that point when he is balling out in a game seven of the, of the Stanley Cup playoffs? What do you do? Maybe chaos will be like Samuel Montembeau leading Canada to the four nations tournament win or someone. Because, you know, everyone's expecting like the goaltending for Canada to be an issue. But imagine like, I don't know if it's Jordan Biddington or Montembeau or Aidan Hill or whoever it ends up being, being like the goalie of the tournament. He looks like a dark horse for, for, for that candidate for Sam Baltimore. Absolutely, has the experience at the world. He's, I mean, I thought he was just going to be a journeyman guy, but he's carved out a home for himself in Montreal. I mean, maybe that happens. From waiver claim to team Canada's number one goaltender. Pretty, pretty great. That'd be a, that's a fun story. That'd be pretty cool to follow. Um, yeah, I, I think we answered that question as best as we could, Jenna. Uh, and thank you to everyone else who sent in questions, uh, for ask CJ. I believe that's going to do it for our Monday edition of, uh, our great and fair and amazing show. Thanks for that. You did well. Thanks, buddy. I mean, it's a Monday. Big week though. I'm getting ready. Big week though. Big week though. Big, big, big, big, big week across the National Hockey League, especially for us as, uh, reporters in our field. We'll be back later this week with another episode. Subscribe to the podcast. Subscribe to all the other podcasts on the SDPN, including the Steve Dangle podcast. They really need your support. They really need it. Small show you might have heard of. Yeah. Yeah. They just did all the attention that they could get. Anyways, thanks guys. Peace. The Chris Johnston Show. Follow Chris on Twitter @ reporter Chris and follow Julian at J.K.A. McKenzie. The Chris Justin Show.
