Free Agency Big Board | The Chris Johnston Show

Free Agency Big Board | The Chris Johnston Show

uh I know that some in our audience know the finer points of hockey the Chris Johnston show we are your friends the biggest stories bringing you inside the game what did you hear the Chris Johnston show what is going on here’s Chris with your host Julian McKenzie of thank you to everyone who tweeted at us in the last few days uh Owen power was the last number one overall pick to not play immediately after being drafted first overall dude uh we knew we were forgetting somebody my phone blew up I I’m not kidding I got 22 texts or WhatsApp messages from people in the hockey world like oh and power you idiots or some version of that hopefully you didn’t get called an idiot well some people the tone of it was you idiots I don’t think anyone explicitly said that but some of them were like oh and power was just sitting right there it was only a couple years ago my my point about that though is that like those Co years man there’s a little bit of a brain blur from what did and didn’t happen so that’s that’s why I’m giving us a a mulligan on that one although you know someone else suggested that we almost need like an OM power like Corrections and uh you know things we got wrong corner on this show yeah that’s fair I I I did consider that as a possibility if if enough of it happens maybe we’ll do it let’s not make it a happen though we’ll try not to well we showed our work there like I don’t I have no problem did that cuz we weren’t saying hey this is definitive like the conversation just let us we we got to the end of like a a dark alley we didn’t know the way through and when we tried to talk our way around it like you and I were in the escape room there and we didn’t Escape successfully but we did our best um yeah Owen power and then I think Eric Johnson was the last guy before him so like even Brian barard was like I wouldn’t say way off but like he definitely was not the right answer right well I mean we we got there thanks thanks for everyone for listening it’s actually it sounds weird but it’s almost like in a weird way it’s like strangely gratifying that many people are just randomly texting me and you Owen power so just just a sign of people out there listening to the show we appreciate you 100 percenters or whatever percentage you’re at with this 22 percenters we love you too yeah we love all of you individually equally we all love you let’s start with the free agent bigboard uh that you put together for the athletic with uh a lot of great enticing names that uh could be hitting the free agent Market as of July first how long did it take for you to put that together by the way it took a while um you know part of it is obviously it’s a pretty graphically pleasing um offering and I have nothing to do with that so I can’t speak to the graphics team or what happens on the editorial side I’m sure it took them even longer but you know to even conceptualize the list you know do the kind of I guess we’ll call diligence but I mean it’s really just doing my job get a sense of the free agent market and then write up all the blurbs you know it took took a little bit of time was a while in the making um but it’s a fun exercise and and actually I find it helps Focus me on what’s to come a little bit too I mean obviously the names at the very top of the board probably everybody knew were free agents but you know there’s some other players that you just maybe not wouldn’t be as consciously aware and it’s a way to look like hey my team needs a defenseman you know here are the group of defenseman or a [Music] goenda 1st plan is to get it out to 75 or 100 names eventually but uh we had we had to bite off the first bit first and that’s uh so you’ve seen our first offering of it I think we did eight big boards in the leadup to the trade deadline I mean there’s obviously a little more movement there because trades happen and and a lot more names come off but uh I think you’ll see a couple more versions of that until we get to the the big day and then the Market opens for sure we don’t have to go through all 50 names on this Edition but uh let’s let’s at least run through the top five and if there’s other tidbits if you haven’t seen the list you can read it at the athletic uh number one Sam Reinhardt doing his thing in Florida obviously a spectacular season for him great postseason for him as well Jake gensel is in the top five Steven Stam Co is in the top five Elias lhol and Brady Shay also in the top five any early Rumblings on some of those names to start it’s you know there’s a variation there right I mean Sam reinhardt’s still playing a big game tonight so um you know his his situation is maybe a little different than some others you I think with gensel there there has been some hope that you know Carolina might retain him after trading for him at the deadline and and you know it sounds as though they’ve you know put put a pretty good foot forward in in negotiations um you know it’s it’s a big decision for him I I think he liked playing there I believe he said that at the end of the season in his media interviews but you know there’s also the the possibility this is your one time going to Market and you’re going to be either the first or second or third or whatever it ends up being most attractive player on the market and and so as much as Carolina can entice you maybe with an ater on the contract which teams can’t do in free agency um you know I think that there’s there’s a bit of a trade-off in terms of waiting to hit the Open Market to get a real sense of what might be out there somewhere else or or do you just want to commit to the Hurricanes now you know stamp Coast is a a big story and you know my sense is that there there have been conversations um since the season ended you know that’s that’s a departure in itself from the way the the lightning chose to handle this entire situation putting off contract talks uh entirely shelving them throughout the season uh which we’ve been over but you know since that time I think there’s there’s some dialogue there on trying to to find a way to make this work and I think you still have two willing parties and in terms of the team wanting to keep Stephen stamp Co and stamp Co obviously hoping to remain a member of the lightning but you know it’s it’s not as simple as that um you know we’ve seen Tampa lose a number of players due to the free agent squeeze and and they’ve you know since traded for Ryan mcdna again um which you know is another 6.75 million added to their cap sheet uh very good player but it you know it seems to me that they’re going to have to make another move other moves maybe not even just for stamp Coast I mean just as part of the due course of building at the team and so can they get all that done in in the next you know it’s under five weeks till July 1 which is pretty crazy uh get your candidate plans ready and for those of us in the hockey media that’s a pretty big day in terms of counting down to a little bit of a a break so um you know I think that’s that one’s kind of i’ just say ongoing but unclear how it’s all going to fall out and you know I’m I’m fascinated to see I mean one part of me is the sentimentalist to me is like man it’s just hard to imagine Stam CO’s playing anywhere else and all that but if he actually and you know if gets to free agency I mean be pretty interesting to learn which teams you know really prioritize him make a strong pitch what what he prioritizes in this I mean this is a guy that’s really got nothing to prove right he’s got his two Stanley Cups and 500 plus goals 500 plus assists I mean just a tremendous career and so it’s it you know it’s it’s I’m sure a partly lifestyle decision for him and his family but does he really want to chase a cup is it about you know maximizing his earning potential all those things I I don’t know how that would fall and and I don’t think his mind’s quite there just yet so in terms of the names right at the top that’s that’s sort of where we’re at it you know as I mentioned Reinhard he’s still playing I think he’d like to remain in Florida Florida would like to keep him but not a lot of time to negotiate when you’re preparing for a game in the Eastern Conference Final okay I had a question about number five on the list Brady Shay uh I wonder what his situation will be and I think this could also be a good way to Loop in the Marty NIS angle to this as well because it seems as if with NIS possibly being available teams are checking in on him and and I’ve heard from Pure LeBron say that maybe Carolina would want an established player would it makes sense say like if Carolina realizes you know what Brady Shay might be a bit too expensive we let him go to market they would want an established defenseman in return for Martin hes am I Galaxy braining this a little bit no I I don’t think they’re locked in that it has to be a defenseman but it makes a lot of sense I mean in addition to Brady Shay they’ve got Brett pesi who’s a UFA and and likely to depart as as a free agent so you know the Hurricanes for sort of the some of the stability they’ve had certainly the consistent regular season success and even early playoff success they’ve had they’re they’re poised here I think to turn over a decent part of their roster between even guys like Jordan martinuk the UFA um Tav terrain as well I mean there’s there’s a lot of different players that could walk out the door gensel and you know they’re also looking at at possibly trading Martin hit so I I think you know where they’ve establish the bars they want an established player you know called as you will star like quality I mean that that’s in the eye of the Beholder of course I mean Martin hes has a fantastic package of skills but he had 53 points last season I don’t know if we classify that as Star level uh you know exactly and and I think there’s a lot that goes into that I think a big part of that is why he’s maybe uh welcoming or looking forward to the possibility of a new home so I I don’t think your Galaxy braining it you know Shay’s going to get a monster contract I mean it I don’t I don’t think it’s a stretch to to see him getting something like seven time sevenish on the market something in that range if if he becomes um you know a total UFA and and and has the whole league to to bid on his Services I mean really useful player put up a lot of points um you know underlying numbers are strong I mean I just think that he’s he’s probably between him or pesi or maybe Matt Roy and La I mean that that’s probably the group of defensemen at the top of the free agent class I mean some of that is stylistic they’re not all obviously they’re not Apples to Apples in terms of what they bring a blue line but I’m just talking in terms of you know defenseman you know Chris tanav as well should mention um you know who you can probably plug into a top four on most teams who can you know who have played a lot of minutes and who are in the right age band especially the first three guys I mentioned to to give a longer term deal to so you know I I don’t know how it’s all going to shake out in in Carolina they do things their own way and as much as that can be panned I I think it’s makes them interesting and it seems to me that you know Tom dundon’s operating philosophy has been if you don’t want to be here he’s fine to let people walk out the door he was fine to let Don woodell leave uh he was fine to let Don woodell interview for the GM job in Minnesota years ago and he still you know retained his his title ultimately is hurricanes GM so you know it’s it does seem to me that they value the players at a certain spot and if you you know if you don’t if you want more then go somewhere else and as a result of that they got tons of cap space they’re an interesting team when it comes to the trades they have a big trade piece in NES who has drawn a ton of Interest right now and they can also go out and sign other free agents as well so I I think that they’re they have to be one of the main teams to watch just because they have all of the elements there where they’re they’re obviously trying to win still and they’ve got some notable guys likely headed out the door and then the the ability to bring some notable players back in to try and replace them and you know for NIS it sounds like you know a lot of interest whether it’s Montreal’s called on them Boston Nashville um you know I really think a lot of teams looking to upgrade themselves offensively see a player that maybe they could use a little differently than the Hurricanes did that that’s maybe poised for a step forward that that could benefit from a fresh start and um you know it sounds like if that deal gets done here it’s going to be a hockey type trade versus just you know dumping a bunch of future assets for for Martin hes oh and we didn’t even mention the fact that Eric tulsky uh who is now the inim GM in Wake of Don woodell leaving that’s the man in charge of of the Carolina Hurricanes offseason you know you get dumped into I mean not necessarily dumped it’s not as if you came in from a different organization but still getting promoted to this situation that is that is another angle to follow sure and and look toski was extremely involved in the decision- making that happened already on their hockey operations decisions I mean where this is different is now he’s the point person on those conversations with other GMS you know it’s not it’s not just him analyzing what might be good or bad it’s it’s actually kind of being in the trenches for lack of a better way to put it to you know mucking around trying to get the deal to a certain spot dealing with in you know I’m sure he’s been around the league long enough tulsky must have relationships with a lot of these people but maybe not certainly not to level Don wadell did you know just given how much longer how much more tenure he has in the NHL and has dealt with all the other GMS you know for 20 years instead of you know now two weeks so um you know that that’ll be you’re right it’s but I I’ll say this Carolina have not lost many trades in the last number of years I mean every team’s going to miss on the odd player or make a bad decision I just think that you know even the best teams are uh are in in that that sort of position but you know they they’ve done a really nice job and tulsk has been part of that front office and and part of a lot of those decisions and that’s why I mean look there are chaos team honestly I think that they’re the team that can really shake things up here between now and and the the draft um because I I just think that they got a lot of moving parts and and the new GM and and and it would appear right now probably the best trade piece I’d say uh it’s not to say there aren’t better players that might end up getting traded but you know I think it’s pretty clear that NIS is very available um whereas some other players it just we’ll see where it ends up I think teams are listening on their guys but aren’t as committed to moving them whereas it sounds like Nate just you know really wants a fresh start I think the organization is Will to try to give that to him if they can make a a deal they deem Fair anything else you want to mention about uh the rest of the big board the rest of the top 10 reads like this by the way Brandon Montour at six Jonathan maraso at seven Matt duchaine at 8 tuo Terra vinan another Carolina hurricane there there are a lot of them on this board and Patrick Kane at number 10 you know I think one of the high level takeaways is if you’re out there and you’re a fan of a team there’s not a lot of goenda fill you with confidence um you know the top name are Lauren brasis who had a great year playing behind Conor huk and Winnipeg Anthony Stars you know you go deeper than that you’ve got elas samsonov is in the 50 spot on this board after him there’s players like cam talit but you know there’s not a whole lot that you can be like there’s definitely a one a 1B option you know definitely 45 good starts that are or you know pretty quality starts in that player and so you know maybe the goal tending Market as we go go forward I mean my takeaway or my extrapolation of that in terms of the board is you know we might see more goalie trades this summer just because I think teams that have to improve there don’t have a ton of they can’t just go to the store and buy them um you know there’s quite a number of quality forwards in my estimation I think that there’s there’s a lot of good players for teams that say are even just looking for a second line Winger or something like that I think that there’s there’s plenty of you know options there a little less on D and certainly goal tending uh you know you just don’t have have you don’t have the guy that I think everyone’s going to be chasing although I I don’t mean any slight at bwa because he’s actually had two great years if you look at his work in Vegas the year prior and he might be someone of the team signs with the idea hey you’ve played 20 25 games maybe you’re a 40 game guy with our organization that might be part of how he uh he makes his decision as well let me throw these three names at you and I want you to order them in most likely to be traded to least likely yuss SARS Jacob marstrom lenaar order them from most likely to least likely to move all three could end up moving but like order them from percentage of like in in your head of like who is most likely to be moved traded to least likely I guess I’ll go SOS markstrom alark remember marrom has a full no move allar has limited no trade like he’s got a certain number of teams I don’t remember the number off top of my head that that he can block moves too you know I think yarov askarov has really emerged in the Predators organization Saros is one year out from a being a UFA and I think Barry trotz is another you know newer GM who’s looking to put a stamp on his team and and you know I think that does that’s not to say 100% on Saros that I I certainly am not implying that but think he’s quite available if someone’s willing to step up and make a big deal um you know whereas allar you know it seems like New Jersey is the place that I could see them circling back now and and trying to make that deal a second time or third time depending on how you view what happened before the trade deadline but you know I don’t I don’t think there’s infinite number of places he’s willing to wave as no move for um and then allmark finally I mean Boston’s got a decision they they they do certainly see a need to beef up their forward group and their I think their offensive game specifically you know ideally probably getting a center uh they have to pay Jeremy Swan this summer and so there’s only so much money to go around maybe Almar gets moved but you know they’ve got such a great tandem there I mean that that would be one of those ones you’re you’re biting your lip as you make the decision if you make it just because it’s worked well and and you never know how a shift and dynamic right you’re bring in another goalie with Swan maybe they don’t get it’s not that they don’t get along like they’re fighting but like maybe it’s not as comfortable maybe you know San feels more threatened I mean I I don’t know how how it’ll be I’m just saying you know what you have right now is among the best in the league um so I I I think all Mark is the least likely of them to move although not you know still very possible yeah I appreciate your quick thinking on that question yeah I could see yeah I mean it was a hard one because it’s it’s actually it’s it was the right question because it’s there’s not there’s not one clear answer to me anyway yeah look we we have to redeem ourselves after the own power thing anything like this that makes us look good we got to we got to take advantage of that as long as I don’t have to cut anyone or send anyone to the miners or you know make anyone a starter in this one I mean those are three great goalies and and the only reason they might get traded is because there’s huge interest in them um it’s not you know it’s not like the teams are looking to get rid of them last opportunity before we go into the uh conference final series to mention anything we’ve I’ve missed from the free agent board or anything anything else you’re hearing no I think that’s pretty good I mean we’re only two days since the last episode things are you know it’s it’s get getting a little spicier out there but I still think you know a lot of teams are getting still kind of maybe looking at the puzzle big picture before making any decisions even on some players you know there’s some players on the big board that I I could see resigning in their current teams that are you you’ve got them on the board because there’s no contract done but you know teams are still sizing up the the overall landscape before wanting to commit to those players um and and so look it it’s May 30th we still got uh a little time here we absolutely do let’s get to the playoffs which of these two Conference Final series intrigues you the most are you more into what’s going on between Edmonton and Dallas or the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers they obviously they’re both great series but if you had to pick one maybe Edmonton Dallas because of the wild swings of momentum in the games but I mean you’re seeing an element of that too in Florida in the Rangers series so I mean I don’t remember two Conference Finals simultaneously being this much of kind of a jump ball like from any given moment I I I don’t know who you could watch a 10-minute stretch and be like that team is absolutely in the driver’s seat in this series and then you know you you probably felt that way if you’re watching game four of Dallas Edmonton and you see the stars up two nothing felt early in the game they’re on the road the building’s quiet that they got a chance to go home up 3-1 and then the dog in the Edmonton Oilers just came ripping out of that sweater you know how they have that weird mascot that kind of looks like a dog or something or like a wolf or I don’t know I don’t know what it is but I forget the do I forget the mascot’s name but I know exactly what you’re talking about Hunter I think Hunter might be the name I’ll double check but like they they they sort of embodied this whatever their mascot is there and they just came in a wave and and took the game back and and found a way to get done so you know you watch game three in that Series right Edmonton had a big lead or like had all the play in the first period then the second period they didn’t get a shot for like 17 minutes like I just feel like it has it’s really gone back and forth so much in that series I really don’t know what’s going to happen in either one you know as someone who’s trying to plan to go cover the next series it’s it makes it a little I I’m certainly not complaining about this the fact that it’s compelling and up in the air is interesting but it’s hard to make travel plans because like one minute you’re like oh I better get hotels in New York and you’re like uh really so uh that’s a very personal problem I’m sharing here on the Pod but uh it’s it’s a nice way of saying like I have no freaking idea what is going to happen in either one I think they’ve both been great um but I maybe leaning a little bit more to Dallas Edmonton just because that one it’s gone like Max in both directions where each team has had like crazy stretches by the way uh Hunter uh the mascot for the Oilers is an anthrop anthropomorphic Canadian links right so it’s closer to a cat than a dog well their inner links came out in game four and I liked you know it wasn’t I mean obviously the big boys were part of it but you know they they got him a cloud goal and Conor Brown made a play and like they they it wasn’t just you know McDavid dry cidal Heyman you know driving that comeback that was know yanar uh gets in there so you know it’s it’s man it’s it’s like a series that’s like hanging it’s like I don’t know which direction it’s going to tip um like a pendulum we better get game seven I think we’re going to get a game seven out of this um one other thing what about the Rangers you think they can yeah I still believe in the Rangers can they keep riding train here like you need AOL look I think eigor shurin has been Stellar for the most part but I mean look the Florida Panthers look like they have everything too like they they won’t die they won’t quit like whoever comes out of the Eastern Conference they have a like there’s no slouch in that in either team like they they’re both Built Well I know Florida’s looked really good uh throughout the majority of this series and some people feel they might deserve to be up through one as opposed to the series being what it is but like I don’t know there’s there’s something about I mean mik Zid Jette has to wake up and her Timmy paner and both have to wake up like what’s going on with those two I I don’t think paner had a goal in a handful of games because a benad doesn’t have a point in this series Sergey Bovi has more points in the Eastern Conference Final than mik aidad there are two players on the New York Rangers right now who need to wake up it is those two players so right that has to Happ I think you look at their track records you’re not betting against them like you’re not saying no like if they could both have like three points each tonight and I’d be like yeah that made sense I mean we knew that was coming you couldn’t keep them down forever Sergey bski wasn’t going to outscore mik have been a Jad for five games it’s only through four that was going to happen I mean no that’s the thing I mean this is probably the best Conference Final and like I should start looking it up like there’s nothing in my mind sometimes you get to the third round a team sort of runs out of gas right I mean remember Carolina got swept last year granted they lost a quadruple overtime game in game one and that was probably a kick to the stomach they never quite got over but you know that that does happen sometimes um where a team gets this far and they just don’t have anything left to give but we’ve got we got four top quality teams four teams that people pick to win the Stanley up like at the start of the year at the start of the playoffs like four teams that have been thought like there’s no surprises here I guess is maybe the best way to put it and there’s some weaknesses maybe we could identify in the teams but then like if you want to point out some Oilers weaknesses then I’ll point you to their top players and it’s like in the history the entire history of this sport players like Conor McDavid find a way to win a Stanley Cup like it’s not always easy Alex oetkin was not easy he was whatever 15 years in the league Steve e was 13 years in the league um but those those kind of players get there eventually and so maybe this is this is like look at Evan Bard’s got 23 points like some years 23 points leads the playoffs he’s a defenseman he’s young and it’s the third round and he’s like he’s GNA like well on his way to 30 points in this playoffs if assuming they can play enough games if they can get through this round very much in play scored a great goal in uh the other night yeah so it was um I I think that this is probably the best quality Conference Finals like that we’ve had in In My Memory but uh I’m look at this might be our oow power moment of this episode and someone is going to be like texting us like what about this year yeah what about this year I mean I’m sure people I’m sure or fans are already GNA are gonna get at us about the way we characterize Hunter but we’ll leave that do you remember the the 2013 Conference Final uh that was it was the lockout shorten year and I I believe it was the top four seeds in the whole league uh it was Boston and Pittsburgh I remember but the problem is Boston swept that series it was four close games and then I think it was Chicago LA on the other side I want to say but did that end in overtime did that Chicago LA series end in in a game seven no there was an overtime goal I want to say or I misremembering no I don’t think I don’t think it was that one the problem is they played a few series no the the one that ended in overtime was 2014 the next year La won in game seven in overtime yes but anyway I yes but my point is like even when we’ve had the four best seeds at times like so like the four absolute best regular season teams in the conference final doesn’t always produce compelling Conference Final because you know it’s a weird game but we might get two game sevens out of these series and that feels about right yeesh just looking back at it Boston sweeping Pittsburgh that’s the year the Penguins I think got Dr MCA in that trade he was supposed to go to Boston he ends up going to Pittsburgh uh Chicago beats La in five games right but those I believe those were the top four regular season teams that year though like there was a lot of anticipation for that Conference Final because it’s like wow actually all the best teams get there and then you know that’s just this is is really just underlining the point that it’s not it’s not every year that it’s this close this tight and I don’t know what’s going to happen I don’t know where I’m going to be on June 8th you tell me that’s a great question um I don’t have a crystal ball I can tell you where I’m not going to be is Edmonton because they would be the road team in any scenario so that’s the only place I can’t be on June 8th that’s fair uh Darnell nurse what did you think of of what do you think of his postseason so far and what do you think of how he handled his media availability earlier this week which was very short and to the point I have no problem with him doing that like that doesn’t you know he’s making a statement he look at he fulfilling kind of his obligation or his duties he’s coming up for the interviews he was being Curt but polite like there’s no you know what I mean like he’s yeah and then he ended it himself like I I had no problem with it I mean look he was making his own statement but he wasn’t you know hiding behind the pr guy or saying I’m not coming out or whatever so like I I don’t mind it look he’s under a lot of fire and you know a lot of the criticism I think is you know we talked about this a little bit in the John Taris episode recently like so much of his filtered through what he’s paid right um if he’s on a different contract I think it’s a different conversation but you know he’s paid to be the team’s top defenseman and his performance hasn’t been at that level so you know when the team gets down everyone starts looking around for why is this team down and you know his name came up for a couple days worth of Articles and you know talk pieces or what have you um so yeah look it it’s it’s this is the playoffs it’s like I think this this is totally normal on both sides and I and I really have no problem with him coming out and giving a little shade and then you know the Oilers went and won the game I mean that’s that’s the best response you can have I’m not saying they won the game entirely because of Darnell nurse but winning does tend to cure all the things that that might be out there that that you don’t like whether it’s narratives or you know criticism or what have you I mean everyone shuts up pretty quick when you when you even the series yeah well another uh another thing I want to get to from that series it’s the fact that Darnell nurse was uh being carved up by the Edmonton meat as uh Kevin bxa referred to them the other night on on Hockey Night in Canada I have a theory about that like a lot of people jumped to that clip and said you know oh this is how Kevin BX is characterizing all of emont media and people were pointing out specific names like just listening to how he says it he says Edmonton meet and then he says that’s what I think of media I I there’s a part of me that says that maybe Kevin bexa thinks of everyone in media like that and not specifically in that market but maybe I’m stretching it well he needs a mirror then I mean he works in the media he literally just won a Canadian screen award this week for best analyst right and but I’m just saying that yes he does a different job than a reporter who’s day-to-day you know on the ground covering the Oilers you know at every practice saying this lineup change is happening like his job is quite different he’s analyzing the sport from a studio in Toronto but he’s still part of the media and yeah he is now I think he thought that more maybe because he’s he was a player and maybe that’s what he thought about more as a player and because we still see him in that lens it’s still it’s funny to see him characterize media this way yeah I mean I don’t I don’t take anything too personally I don’t know it was aimed at me but like Nei but you know it is it’s an un it look it I get why it’s popular out there to do that like I’m sure that that that satisfied a huge hunger on hockey Twitter people think we’re all idiots and they could do the job better and all that stuff like that’s fair like that’s part of I think Mark spectre’s TW trending on Twitter actually funny enough that’s part of the gig though like the same way the players you know are open to criticism or or you know discussion about their play I mean you or I are the same there’s a comment section on the bottom of the Articles you you know people have free will to say oh another dumb take by CJ um Reddit threads those exist too don’t forget about the Reddit threads yeah I don’t live there so I’m not worried about that but don’t live there it’s don’t do it don’t do it no I mean the thing is everyone’s is actually allowed to have their opinion it doesn’t bother me but yeah absolutely I just it was a little gratuitous it’s how it felt but I’m not going to get too wound up I don’t I don’t know exact no like it kind of came out of nowhere right like it was just a little quip like it wasn’t it wasn’t a flushed out thoughts so like we’re in danger of maybe thinking he meant more than he did or or less he did like like that’s it’s hard to interpret exactly what he might have meant there but he was looking he was taking the player side he was saying Darnell absolutely he’s like Darnell’s had to deal with a bunch of and he had to answer their stupid questions and they’re a bunch of idiots like that’s that’s kind of what he’s saying in different terms um but like I my Counterpoint would be Darnell and and all of the similar players around the league are paid to sometimes take some they have to answer dumb questions like it’s literally in their contract that they have to help Market the league I don’t remember don’t know how it’s exactly phrase but I mean doing interviews is part of the gig uh there literally are media regulations that require teams to make players and coaches and you know available in these circumstances because frankly this stuff all gives us all something to talk about like this is all part of the marketing machine of the league um so that just is what it is like sometimes it’s it’s not great to be in the eye of the the hurricane I’m sure and I I I feel for Darnell like I I hope not like I didn’t see all the criticism I read a couple articles nothing I saw felt like overly personal but I might have missed something I mean it’s it’s like I feel like a lot of people are just talking about the fact that you know the Oilers were scoring less uh allowing more than they were scoring when he was on the ice and he’s playing big minutes and he’s an important part of their team and if they want to have success he’s got to drive better results like like I felt like most of the stories were basically making a long version of that point and I I don’t think that’s an unreasonable point but you know he’s in a Canadian Market everything’s turned to 12 right now on the on the dial and so you know it should already be calmed down it’s 22 I don’t I don’t know what today’s story is I’m not you know I haven’t seen any of our colleagues out there I guess they’re all making a long flight back to Dallas so it’s a long travel day but um you know we’ll be on to something else next stay tuned yeah yeah of course I mean look darn nurse has a cap hit of 925 mil he has three points he has three points this entire postseason of course he’s going to be in the I OFA storm I don’t have a problem also with what Kevin bxa said either I just wondered if he specifically metant Edmonton Media or if he meant all hockey media in general but but like it’s fine like I I don’t think it’s the end of the world like he also he also is smart enough to realize he is part of the media game now with where he’s sitting on hockey KN in Canada and he’s very good at his job so you’re not going to hear us be well and also I worked with him for years I like the guy so like like even on a personal level like I’m not coming for Kevin bexa that would be dumb first yes but but secondly um I actually really like the guy I like I guess back to he’s entitled to his opinion he was again I just think he was defending the player he’s the former player on the panel he’s defending the player I think that’s what what it is and it’s easy look at it’s the easiest thing in the world to blame media like lots of politicians do it like this is normal like I this is part of the gig this is this is how it goes it’s all the media’s fault yeah distrustful media I’m not well this is I guess this is the point though it’s like does Kevin actually think that Darnell nurse has played well enough like that would be my I’d love to have asked him that like you know do you think Darnell is playing fine then like what’s the media missing that’s a good question did you even watch the scrum like it was short short answers from Dar I watched the scrum obviously scum it was very short but the scrum didn’t feel like I didn’t feel like they were like throwing fast balls at his head or anything they were even asking him just broadly about the series and teammates and like you know what I mean like they weren’t it wasn’t 10 questions about like how do you how are you going to be better be better do you care like I thought that considering the amount of criticism that he probably should have gotten I didn’t think it was that bad at all I mean the one feed I saw was I think it was off of tsn’s website I think the first question he gets asked was cut off and it might have been like a Philip roberg question because there were people were wondering about him being in the lineup he ends up being in the lineup for game four and his answer was short from there and then the other questions after were pretty General and then he says you know what I’m out of here I thought he got off fine and then Conor McDavid uh and and Stuart skitter were asked about it and Conor M David steps up and says hey he’s a great player on our team like considering the amount of money he’s making the production or lack thereof he should be getting way more criticism I would think I don’t think it’s been that bad maybe maybe on social media people feel away and they they’re saying what they want to say or maybe I haven’t seen enough too closely I mean I just got back from vacation sorry but like I think it could be a lot worse than it is right now right and also shout out the Oilers PR staff this is very media nerdy but on the day of a big game where they’re down 2-1 you get Darnell Nur speaking to reporters when he’s under Fire yeah youil Philip broberg spoke and and this was the first time he entered the playoffs and at that point it wasn’t 100% confirmed he was in just looked like he was in you got McDavid and Skinner usually don’t get the starting goalie and the best player I mean they were down 2-1 going into that game that’s usually where a team would start hiding the main the the the sort of central figures of the story lines and they all spoke yesterday I mean that’s shout out to Jamie cartell and the Shawn may and the pr staff out there in Evington because seriously like that that’s how it should be and that’s I mean that helps fuel all these stories too and gets uh also puts the media in the firing line from you know prominent hosts on National broadcast yeah shout out to is that your stick tap for this week you g it to the I thought about saving it for the stick tap but I have another one so I’m just going to you know we can we’re spreading a Little Love Now Julian I I I love the idea of spreading love there’s nothing wrong with that we’re we’re we’re lovers on this show and honestly it’s in terms of General I think it’s good for the game to have all those players talking so absolutely um one other thing from the Conference Finals what did you think of the Matthew kachuck Chris krider back and forth uh which almost resulted uh in a chucked mouth guard into the stands it was not thrown uh into the stands it was it stayed on the ice from Chris taking it from Matthew kachuck but apparent I didn’t I didn’t realize this but had it gone into the stands the refs could have ejected Chris Rider I didn’t know that was a rule and there are some people who wonder if that rule would have been enforced but I thought that was just a fun little quirky moment well you can put me down for I don’t think it would have been enforced I think the main reason for that rule is because you don’t want players throwing sticks into the crowd which would be the most obvious you know piece of equipment that could easily get thrown by an opponent into the crowd if you’re trying to Stir It Up and would obviously that’s happened before and it would be unsafe and so I think that’s really what the rule is primarily there for um and I think if a player did throw another an opponent’s stick into the crowd I believe that that player would be ejected from the game I I don’t I can’t imagine a mouth guard as gross as that would be if you’re sitting in the second row and it lands in your lap beside your pretzel and your beer uh you might be like H this is kind of gross but imagine if it lands in your beer imagine you just you’re just m your business and then if it lands in your beer you’re going to get 15 minutes and then some of Fame you’re going to be on Sports Center you’re going to you know you’re probably gonna be like giving the mouth guard back and getting some memorabilia for it like oh yeah you know Matthew kachuck seems like the kind of guy might send like a couple beers down to you during the game to make up for it like I think I think that would be almost fortuitous if it landed in your beer anyway I dig as long you don’t like chug the beer as don’t be the idiot who if that happens to you you’re like oh I’m just going to chug this beer with with this mouth guard don’t do that well do what you’re going to do I wouldn’t do that no don’t do the no it’s like other people’s fluids in your drink that’s gross are you saying you would do it I’m saying I wouldn’t do it but I could see someone oh thank God yes no wor if whoever does that disgusting no absolute disgusting I would draw a line I if that was my beard there’s no way no way but uh no anyway it was an entertaining moment I’ve enjoyed the back and forth since where kachuck said it was the only good play he made in the game that was such a funny which is a good I mean this this is a pretty good quote series between Paul Maurice like doing the standup routine every day and you know kachak never hides from the mics so I didn’t have any problem with it and it’s it’s a big game five here coming up on on Thursday just obviously game five gives one team that wins it a chance at least two chances to close out the series and um I don’t know it’s Madison Square Garden man best arena in the world or whatever they call it I I world’s most famous arena yeah world’s most famous arena I I love it I I I like I mean I love that Arena the Bell Center for sentimental reasons but like even compared to the Bell Center like there’s some kind of like weird chill that comes over you when you’re when you’re at MSG that I don’t know how many other Arenas or stadiums in the world you could replicate that feeling at maybe a larger soccer stadium or an NFL stadium but just there’s something special about being at MSG I I it’s really difficult for me to explain but just getting that experience earlier this year covering a Rangers Flames game like I felt I felt like I I it’s really difficult for me to explain it just felt like such a special moment yeah it’s a Vibe man and they look they put like two billion dollars into an old arena so they they they paid good money to give you that feeling uh the roof is spectacular it’s kind of cool to go upstairs to The Arena floor you know there’s a few other buildings like that like Boston is on an elevated level but it’s just it’s Unique in every way I loved even the interview sha McKenzie did walking up the the ramp with the kachak before one of the games oh yeah this week so um yeah it’s GNA be cool let’s see game five uh before we get to stick tops uh any thoughts on the ending of the pwl Season Minnesota they started off as the low seed Toronto pick them in the first round they end up reverse sweeping them after being down 20 in their series they end up winning the Walter cup uh the first ever in the pwhl any thoughts on how the season went I don’t know if you got to watch many of the playoff games but just a general couple moments on on how this first season went for them I got to admit I I thought not having team names would be detrimental to them but they found a way to make it work and surpass a ton of expectations right and they have team names as of August so I mean that was literally just because they didn’t have time to pull it all together um I was awesome it was so cool to see the trophy celebration um to see the emotion I mean for Minnesota too I mean three nights earlier they thought they scored the championship winning goal in overtime and then you know they’re all celebrating throwing their gloves around and then a correct but still a go tender interference video review brings that goal back and they lose to Boston goes to game five so I mean for them to get it done after that is is pretty pretty cool hard not to look at Kendall coin scoffield who was so instrumental individually in helping this league become what it is to be the first Captain to lift the Walter cup to have her baby on the ice uh crying there in all the team photos you can see everyone trying to um get him to to relax a bit so it was just it was a cool moment and I think it was like a 15 out of 10 success like I I don’t MH nothing is ever perfect but I I I would have any I would struggle really to find what I what could have been better I mean from the amount of support the teams received right from day one uh the TV broadcasts were first class Cheryl pounder Kenzie lone did awesome on on the TSN broadcast of the final series if youon any those games um the players were great I mean I just I just feel like somehow and I don’t mean somehow but just given that they they pulled it together in a matter of weeks or a couple months you know it was a smashing success first season and what’s great is next year you’ll have team names you’ll have you know obviously different designs on uniforms you’re going to have a longer regular season I think it’s going to be 36 games instead of 24 games next season like they’re gonna they’re they’re literally growing in every way as they move forward and and you got to start somewhere but man what a starting point they they they delivered absolutely and uh I can’t wait until the league uh expands and gets more teams hoping for one in my market and other markets we’ll see it definitely in other markets in the states as well uh just five years full marks of the PW oh yeah I don’t I don’t think five years I think that they’d be worried about too fast too soon but who knows I mean you you can have a plan and then someone comes along with a lot of money and says hey I’d like to pay you this amount of money to get a team here maybe maybe the plan changes but I I think I think it’ll be a few years yet before it expands but the original six was pretty cool yeah uh do you have a stick tap for this week yeah I’m going to take Kendall coin scoffield it was a first class person I love I don’t know if you saw the photo it said like frame it it was on the official pwhl account with her at the Walter cup and her reflection in the trophy was pretty pretty cool shot and you know a lot lot of players deserve this league um and a lot of players wait a long time unfortunately some players almost aged out of their competitive windows and weren’t able to to see it through but you know Kendall in particular was front and center going back through everything that happened that led up to this and so hard not to give her a stick tap that she’s the the first Captain to lift that Trophy and you know win it so good for her and and pretty incredible that her son’s only 10 months old I believe and and she somehow played this season as a brand new M as well I can’t imagine balancing those two things but uh you know she’s she’s first class in every in every way shape and form and I know a lot of people were pulling for um to to be the one to do that you know what I’ll I’ll jump on that and give it to the entirety of the Minnesota team mostly on the back of that playoff format where the top seed can pick who they want to face in the first round okay they would have faced them though if you didn’t pick I know but like I love the fact that it worked out this way because it could have easily worked out where Toronto could have won that series and then we’re looking at that and thinking oh well the top seed’s just going to win all the time they just pick the lower seed I love the fact that it worked out this way because it just reinforces the fact that anything could happen in the postseason we say that for the Stanley Cup all the time and now we could say that for the pwl to I love it obviously because you know the league is great but for that format now you maybe you have you think twice about it or maybe you you go about picking the lower seed in either case but it is just going to reinforce the fact that it is not a foregone conclusion that that top seed will beat out that lower seed you never know had a two- nothing lead too in that first round in Minnesota rallied with three straight wins so they they were resilient they they came back in that series then came back from their their false celebration and did you see the one clip going around it’s like what happens if they didn’t win oh we’ll never know yeah what never know they recreated that Meme I saw so that was pretty good that’s funny I gotta look up that Meme um yeah the great stick top and uh great uh week of episodes we’ll be back next week with more CJ show get your questions in through Discord Twitter I don’t know if you take questions via PO box maybe if we did the show 20 years ago you would Owen power I wonder if anyone sent us mail just wrote Owen power those will those will arrive next week yeah dude does the stpn have a PO I mean I’m sure they they have some kind I mean do they really have a PO Box do do they get fan mail has Steve ever gotten fan like Lal fan mail like people sending letters we have a studio man I’m sure there’s an address for it I don’t know if it’s publicly is but like I don’t know if that’s like something they big up and like make public all what did what producer Jesse is using the uh okay people send things to the office all the time so they do I I don’t I’m not that nosy like I’ve only been in the office like a handful of times like I don’t know what they get well I does not surprise me I mean people like are showing up at in pizzas and like bringing their kids to meet Steve so I’m sure someone has written a fan letter is all I’m saying that’s fair that’s that’s fair I don’t know I mean people I’m glad we still live in an era where people like to send letters it’s nice it’s fun anyway that’s going to do it for today’s uh episode of CJ show we’ll be back on Monday peace guys jul Macken ma the Chris Johnston show

00:00 Apologies to Owen Power
02:00 CJ’s Free Agency Big Board
15:30 Will Saros, Markstrom, Ullmark be moved?
19:00 The wild swings in both Conference Finals
28:00 Darnell Nurse’s battle with the media
38:00 Kreider’s mouthguard toss
42:30 Minnesota wins the Walter Cup
45:00 Stick Taps

Chris Johnston and Julian McKenzie go over everything from CJ’s Free-Agency rankings to their thoughts on the conference finals so far. Finally, they discuss Minnesota winning the inaugural Walter Cup

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