Mike Morreale joins; Draft preview, Free agency intrigue, Hall of Fame debate

Mike Morreale joins; Draft preview, Free agency intrigue, Hall of Fame debate

[Music] well Sean it’s the at the rink podcast but we’re not at the rink because there’s no ice in The Rinks anymore the season is over but here we are in lovely and steamy burning hot Las Vegas and where else would you rather be NHL awards tonight Thursday night NHL draft at sphere Friday Saturday can’t wait to get in there to see what this is all about at sphere in Las Vegas for the draft so the season is over but we’re not done Sean no we’re far from done and by the way this place is just it’s like the surface of the sun right now even the Vegas people are complaining that it’s too hot they’re like 10° above their norm and we walked home from dinner last night we had a fantastic dinner with our friend Brian slig we walked home from dinner last night it was like a blast furnace it was it was a windy walk and it was about 110° of wind coming at you but listen we’re in Los Vegas we got the awards we got the draft but we have to wrap the Stanley Cup Final it was an epic Stanley Cup Final we we did see history we almost saw more history the Florida Panthers find it sea it’s Thursday it feels like forever ago already that game seven it was and it was only Monday but it was a two to1 win for the Panthers they got back to playing Panthers hockey and they get the Stanley Cup and and I’ll be honest with you it would have been an unbelievable story had the Oilers managed to pull off the reverse sweep first team since 1942 to do that you know in the Stanley Cup Final would only be the second team but I also looked at it and I’m like you know what I was happy for the Panthers too because the last thing you want to be is that team Paul Maurice that would be his legacy Sergey Bovi that would be his legacy and and now instead bab rovski is probably a Hall of Famer and Maurice is probably a Hall of Famer too one win might have changed everything for them one goal one goal Sam Reinhardt goal that’s that’s the difference and the series was so fine like everything in it was so fine and and you know good for Florida because everybody left him for dead choke artists yep um you know no heart and they come out and they find their game in game seven when it it it appeared to be completely lost the performance by Alexander barov in game seven was an all-timer for me everywhere Conor McDavid went Alexander barov was on his hip it was stunning to see the season was on the line for the Edmonton Oilers Conor McDavid had three shot shots six attempts LeAndre zero shots three attempts that’s a pretty good defense and that’s how the Panthers got through round one they were a better team than Tampa kucherov did nothing in that series round two they were a better team than Boston posternack did nothing in that series round three they were a better team than the Rangers panarin zabad krider did nothing in that series top first three games of this series of the standing Cup Final how’d they win dry Sidle and McDavid didn’t do very much right then McDavid got going then it was like then it became hard to stop him four points in game four four points in game five dry Sidle had a big part of game six right and then they got back to playing Panthers hockey and barov did what he does and all of a sudden it was back to being the exact same way they were playing they they they relaxed there was talk after the game have they finally just played with some Freedom they were they were Sam Reinhardt told me this after the game and I love the quote he said he said for three games we knew it was there for us and you’re hoping you get it he said the Hope went away in game seven and we just played and it was a big difference they just got back to playing Panthers hockey and that’s how they do it and McDavid I I have no I mean they could have handed him the km trophy before game six in a press conference and i’ would have been fine with it I agree he’s the km Trophy winner but when it came down to it it was the better team that won and that’s always been the case with Edmonton they’ve never been the better team because they don’t have the pieces they came close this year they don’t have the pieces around the best players right they came a lot closer this year than they have in the past they had some people step up look it was their depth guys that carried them through this final until McDavid got hot in in game four it was guys like Holloway and Henrik who’s acquired deadline oh my God Yan Mark was like sandpaper he was unbelievable yeah Conor Brown short-handed like these are the guys we were talking about we weren’t talking about bushard and dry Sidle and McKinnon and Heyman and new J Hopkins they were all gone David you said McKinnon McKinnon if they put him on that team they would have won all right uh listen though it it I it’s over the Panthers they were the better team they could have won in five they could have won it in six they they could have won it in four they could have won in five six they won it in seven celebration goes on it’s been pretty epic to watch what they’ve done with the Stanley Cup around the beach and all that stuff so they’re enjoying it but it’s like a train that doesn’t stop man we’re already looking ahead the Edmonton Oilers need a new general manager right just today we knew it was coming Ken Holland has was in the last year of his deal as GM of the Oilers mutually they’ve decided to part ways he is not going to be back with the Edmonton Oilers they have Jeff Jackson but they need a new general manager if Jeff Jackson doesn’t want to be it he’s the hockey Ops president so the Oilers get to game seven in the Stanley Cup Final in a few days they’re General they need a new GM the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup you know what in a couple of days they’re going to have 11 unrestricted free agents from that team unless between now and then they s sign some of them we’re talking about Sam Reinhardt we’re talking about Brandon Montour everybody that played on their fourth line Vladimir tereno who had a big role in that series and a big role on this team so it goes on pretty quick new GM all these ufas in Florida I hope they enjoy their celebration because you know what it’s going to be a different team yeah and and before we we move on like I can’t even say enough about Ken Holland and the job he did with this Edmonton team he took so much heat for every move he made and he put them within one goal one period of winning a cup they probably didn’t have a right early in the year to even think about right he he was Brave and made the coaching change early on to a coach that had no NHL experience made Henrik was a huge trade deadline acquisition paid off in the playoffs some of the other moves he’s made I mean obviously Heyman was one of the best moves ever um he’s done a great job he did a great job with the Red Wings for decades like probably one of the top five GMS in this game ever um and his counterpart how’ you like to be Bill Zito right you win the cup poor Bill Zito looked like he was going through his own personal hell yeah through the first through games five through 7even they win the cup time to party oh I have 11 free agents to sign that party ends pretty quick it does Matthew tchuck is going to be driving his golf cart around corn beers from the roof of the albow room jumping in the ocean Bill Zito sitting at his desk right now in a frenzy of phone calls there’s no party for Bill Zito there well I mean there’s a party for him there’s a parade on Sunday but he better get back to the office pretty quick after that parade because free agency comes at you on Monday and we we’ll have it all covered the draft we’re in Las Vegas the Draft starts Friday at z uh sphere um Mike moral from NHL draft class does the podcast with Adam kimelman he’s going to be join joining us shortly to give us the big picture the the the blimp view if you will of the draft talk a little bit about mlin celebrini and everything so we’ll talk about that and some New Jersey Devil stuff with Mike uh but listen before we get to that there there is there’s a looking ahead aspect to this for the Panthers and the Oilers but I the one thing I did want to mention was you you have this series where you have a team from Canada in Edmonton you have team from Florida a non-traditional Market 16.3 million people watched game seven it was a huge audience for game seven I think it’s the biggest um that has been on record since they started keeping that uh it was 16.3 Million across North America second most watched NHL game across North America since they started keeping those numbers since 2004 so what I think this series also did Sean is it turned some people who I hope it did turn some people who just casually watch sports into more Avid hockey fans yeah I think it did it reminded me a lot of the 94 Series right between Vancouver and the Rangers and and there was this Renaissance after that obviously because it was New York and then Vancouver was a Canadian team like it’s the same kind of thing but this was star driven there were stars like there are players you want to see you never know what Matthew CH Chuck’s going to do right Conor McDavid is Conor McDavid you want to watch him every day cuz he does something ridiculous I mean when you think about that goal that he set up for Cory Perry and he went through four guys those are the things you just wait for right dry cidal buard all of these guys I think it’s the start of a new Renaissance right for the NHL it was the most watched other than NFL it was the most watched championship game among the four major sports in the last five years baseball basketball the whole thing I hope it turned to a lot of people who who were just like I said just average sports fans um casual sports fans into hockey fans there is another storyline though as we do look ahead with the Edmonton Oilers so they need a new general manager Leon dry cidal has one year left on his deal and there’s talk about the Edmonton I mean obviously want to sign him right but they want to get him done before he gets into the last year of that deal because you know how players are sometimes right I’ll negotiate up until a certain point I don’t know what Andre Sidle is thinking okay he doesn’t want to talk too much about it at this point he still has another year so you understand that but players can also be like hey when the season starts I don’t want to negotiate anymore right I’m focused on that I don’t want to deal with it anymore so they have a couple of months here to hammer out a contract extension with Leon dry cidal which I know the Oilers want to do if that can’t get done Sean could the Oilers trade leand ridle and what would that trade look like yeah I mean anybody can get traded I mean I think we’ve seen that right luk at to Matthew to Chuck trade um I don’t know if they want to get to that and the and the one thing that kind of sold me that maybe that doesn’t happen is his comments after the game about McDavid yeah and about playing with Conor McDavid and and their window is still wide open they I mean some of their pieces some of their complimentary pieces are older but everybody else is in their Prime their goenda is Young he’s only going to get better so to me their Windows wide open they have a nice a young coach who clearly knows what he’s doing I mean you looked at that matchup it was a guy who had never coached in an NHL playoff game against Paul Maurice who coached in NH playoff games forever and he went toe-to-toe with him outsmarted him for three games so so you know I think that window’s wide open I think Leon dryo wants to win that’s what he wants to do and him and Connor are best friends yeah it kind of reminds me of Crosby and Malin right like are they best friends I I don’t know if they’re best friends but they’ve played together for so long and every time it came up it was an absolute no-brainer that Sydney Crosby was staying in Pittsburg and he also by the way has one year left on his deal so there’s some conversations to be had there but it was an absolute no-brainer that Crosby would and it was always a question of what about what about Malin what about Malin and Sid always wanted Malin he took less that’s going to be the question that’s going to be asked of Leon the manager’s going to have to go to him and say look we want you but you’re not getting market value and then it’s going to have to be Connor taking a little bit less too when his deal is up in a couple of years that’s how you keep it together that’s what Sid has always done Malin did it and now the Cap’s going up so that’s the good thing but as the cap goes up the prices go up for other guys so that’s going to be an interesting conversation that’s had I mean there’s a couple of guys in that boat that have the one year remaining on their their deal I mentioned Crosby’s in that boat Mitch Marner is in that boat as well eigor shurkin is in that boat as well and the Cap’s gone up a little bit here it’s going to keep going up more they’re going to have to Value themselves out over the course of this years but it’s also going to have to be valued out over the course of the next year or two or well not next year the year after uh and that’s going to be interesting conversations that they’re going to be had because the the I think Leon wants to stay in Edmonton I think he wants to keep playing with McDavid I think they want to win multiple Stanley Cup championships together they saw that they can do it they saw how close they can get and you know they’re one goal away from two goals away from doing it and I think that team’s going to stay really strong for a while the only thing the only question is is he willing to take a little bit less that’s one question the other question is does he want to go be the man somewhere cuz he’s never going to be the man in Edmonton no and look let’s say he didn’t play well in the final but let’s put it out there he was injured he doesn’t want to talk about it but there was a hand injury and a rib injury I think going on there um but after being in Edmonton for far longer than I thought I was going to be in Edmonton that that trip back for game six was not the most pleasant experience I’ve ever had um why would you ever want to leave there the fans are crazy look they didn’t give up in game four which I found amazing you know they’re down three nothing they didn’t give up in game three they were down and and in the third period they kept coming and kept coming and they almost got all the way back the crowd was amazing when we walked out of there after game six they hadn’t want anything yet and it was one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen it was 3 hours after the game they’re driving down the the main road there everybody’s honking there’s parties in the street like and then game seven that was a quasi home game for them yeah there was a lot of Oilers fans there a lot on our flights coming down a lot in the Elbow Room a lot in the Elbow Room down there on A1A yeah no it’s a it’s a great fan base it’s what they have really I mean that’s it’s what they have that’s they everybody there rallies around the Edmonton Oilers and and this year it was like every Canadian rallied around the Edmonton Oilers to try to get it done well not every Canadian not in Calgary but everywhere else everywhere else so the beat goes on the business goes on and the draft is coming up and as I mentioned before we did talk to Mike moral our draft Guru who does the NHL draft class podcast with Adam kimmelman here is our interview with Mike moral Mike thanks so much for joining us this is the annual Mike moral segment before the draft and we are here in Las Vegas it’s the Macklin celebrini draft a year ago was the Connor badar draft so before we really dive into who comes after celebrini Mike give us a taste you wrote a heck of a story on celebr it’s on nhl.com just give us a taste of who this guy is and and who the San Jose Sharks are going to be getting when they do it’s not if they do it’s when they do select him number one well thanks for that Dan I appreciate that it’s very kind it’s the nicest thing I’m going to say to you yes so from now on I’m going to be rude I just a quick Prelude to this like we’re in Vegas now so if something happens can we reveal it or no which stays we no that no we’re allowed to now allow yes we’re allowed to that’s that’s for outside they draft everything outside the draft you can’t has to stay in Vegas but we’re in Vegas Dan I’m telling you mlin celini we saw him yesterday at the Youth Clinic uh enjoying himself with with the kids there age 6 to 12 um the story on nhl.com it was I had so much fun putting it together um talking to some of his youth coaches um obviously his dad uh who’s the VP of uh performance and health with the Golden State Warriors so obviously mlin when he suffered uh the shoulder injury uh prior to uh his uh freshman year at at bu um he had his dad there to assist him go through the rigorous training and rehab that he had to to put forth and he was able to do that and to me Dan and that was the basis for my story and something I haven’t read or seen enough of we all know about mlin celebrini how competitive he is how you know this kid will go through walls for his teammates um is he is he a Conor Bard no Bard is a generational Talent celebrini is a franchise player and he’s going to be one heck of a franchise player he’s going to be an NHL Allstar and he’s going to help we we expect this to be the San Jose Sharks um for the foreseeable future but what he was able to do um in the off season to be prepared as a freshman as a 17-year-old freshman to me was incredible because then he goes on to win the Hobie Baker award Hockey East rookie the year Hockey East player the year all those accolades what he was able to do his teammates appreciated him you know you know J Pand Alo he said at this end of season meetings all the players couldn’t stop talking about Macklin and the leadership qualities that he had he just drew his the entire team uh into the game into the fight into the practice sessions and that’s what he’s going to do for San Jose and it was excellent what he was able to provide for for for be this year one of the things that I enjoy that you guys do the most is comparables right because everybody wants to know who the player is going to be who does mlin celebrating compare to my personal opinion Sean I like the Jonathan Taves um comparable because Jonathan Taves well for one thing he played at shat just as Macklin did but besides that point uh Taves always had that serious demeanor about him Captain serus celebrini has that same type of demeanor plays the the the full 200 foot game they have the same almost the same type body type some people have said he you know he’s kind of like a Sydney celebrini is kind of like a Sydney Crosby light not Sid all the way but he had has some of those you know that style of play the way that he’s built the way he plays the game for me though I like the Taves comparison because he just does everything for his team he’s a team first guy whenever you talk about the awards and the accolades that he won he puts it to the side and wants to talk more about the team well the awards are nice yeah but we didn’t win any championships here we didn’t win a bean pop we didn’t win a hockey East we didn’t win a a frozen four championship and that bothers me a little bit and that’s the kind of stuff that I think Taves would say as well well let’s fast forward three months is he playing in the NHL I think he is Dan I I think so when you when you consider what San Jose needs and hey let’s face I think we all can agree here that if there was a team that needed the number one pick and an elite Prospect yes right the San Jose Sharks and I was happy to see them get that number one pick win win the lottery on May 7th um and you know look celebrini is NHL ready pandal told me he said look you know he came to me we discussed it at the end of the season should I come back do you think I should come back do you think I’m NHL ready and pandao said flat out you’re NHL ready you you can play in NHL you have the qualities you have the makeup of a player that can go there and be productive as a first year Pro so San Jose needs to get people back excited uh with their team I think that he does play next year yep I think it goes back to college if you’re mlin celebrini why do you want to go play for the San Jose Sharks next year right I think kids are starting to learn that like you get drafted number one for a reason team you’re going to is not very good and you’re going to get your teeth kicked in that’s what happened to Conor Bard this year right like he had to do everything it happened to Jack Hughes too yeah so wait uh well I don’t think so I I think San Jose well you know more than well think well no I think San Jose is going to push the pedal to the metal a little bit here when they have that discussion they’re going to talk about look you’re inhl ready we believe in you um and not only that it might be a little bit of a marketing thing here too right Sean let’s face it they want to sell jerseys they want to get people there they want to get people excited this is the number one overall pick a lot of fans anticipate a number one playing in the NHL The Following season so this is a chance for San to get the player they want and not only that they signed Will Smith that would I mean Will Smith could have went back to BC as well but Will Smith signed and I think that was another indication just to let mlin celebrini know we’re signing an elite Prospect here an elite goal scorer um in NCAA last season to maybe play you know play ride shotgun with you or play alongside of you or you know the depth with these prospects and what they’re trying to accomplish I I I think you’re supposed to get your teeth kicked in I think it’s part of the the right of passage into the National Hockey League is to get your teeth kicked in a little bit and to to move on beyond that I also look at it and say the San Jose Sharks know that they’re in a rebuilding program here if celebrini their star the number one guy for them within this rebuilding program is not with them it sets them a year back they’ll it’s another year that they have to wait it’s going to be tough we know that it is for Bard right I mean it was for Bard it was it was for McDavid it it was for all these guys right but without going there yeah okay he’ll get to play you know 40 college games and that’s going to be great he’s dominated that deel that level already he’s graduated from that level it’s time to go to the National Hockey League you’re right about the marketing but more on more than that there’s a timeline right Mike Greer the general manager has a timeline he it can’t take 10 years right it’s got to happen pretty quick so I think he goes there but beyond celebrini all right so we’ve covered that we know who this kid is who’s coming next like you have the leinoff right the going to Chicago the the big defenseman tell us about him tell us about the guys who are coming after celebrini because really the Draft starts at two it does it does Dan and eight defenseman were taken in the first round of the 23 draft I expect that to be double digits this year and we may see eight or nine taken among the top 20 this year that’s how deep it is defensively I like Le um going to Chicago look Chicago got their Premier forward last year in Bard and they can go forward there are a couple forwards here uh for instance uh Kaden Lindstrom plays that power forward game and then you have the kid um from Russia uh Ivan deod everyone’s saying that he he’s on that comparable with mlin celebrini uh would he be a player that Chicago would be interested in but for me I like leinoff go with the D guy go with that guy and I call I call leof kind of a tweener he’s a he’s a stayed home but he also has the ability to really push the pace when need be he had a great coach in Michigan State and Adam Nightingale former ntp coach um obviously you know developed him helped him as far as the pushing the pace and what he needed to do but this kid is a is a stayed home solid dman he can get physical he’s got the right size and uh hey he’s probably going to be the the highest bellus born player ever drafted um rousan C uh was drafted by the an what was the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at that time uh in 96 ninth overall so um yeah leof is going to be uh I think to me leof has the highest ceiling of any Prospect in this draft just because he’s kind of raw still but has that size and he certainly proved himself um as a player at Michigan State but there are several defensemen as I said Dan that are that are very capable in this draft and they going to go very high the show is going to be a spectacle right at the sphere this is the first time we’re doing that and and it’s the last of the traditional drafts that we do next year it’s going to be a little bit different who’s going to steal the show here who’s the Dark Horse that’s going to steal the show it could be Tj ginla going to Calgary if that happen Sean uh obviously TJ ginla uh he was at the Youth Clinic yesterday too had a great time um and we all know about his dad Jerome the Hockey Hall of Famer what he meant to the Calgary Flames now recently the last few days I’ve been hearing rumors from some of the scouts that teach could go as high as number five to the Canadians I had him going uh number nine uh to the Calgary Flames the first of the Flames two picks uh in the first round so I think that story if that happens that’s going to be such a fantastic story but there’s this too for the first time and I I’d have to look back but I can’t remember this and it probably has I’m sure it’s never happened before we could have two Norway born players chosen before any Sweden born player in the draft Michael Brans nyard a Winger um he played in Sweden uh this year in their second division outstanding uh forward did so many things fast Elite great hands and then Stan sber a defenseman who played in Norway their top uh their top League this year um right-handed D big guy standup a lot of good things has the ability to maybe play in maybe two years two three years um I think two Norway born players could steal the show if they do go big picture th this draft what are scouts telling you is it topheavy or is it are we talking deep you were talking defenseman deep right I mean I don’t want to say how does it compare to last year’s draft or the one before but just what what are scouts telling you about the depth within this draft I think overall it is a good draft and I think I think you’re looking obviously you got celebrini Elite then you then you draw the line and then I think you have maybe 11 to maybe 15 prospects that um could be in that mix of top six down the road maybe a one two three defenseman in the league um and then then you’re going into maybe a field of maybe 25 or 30 more players that that could be a nice middle six roll could be a four defenseman down the road so I think the draft is good I I think you’re getting a lot of depth in this draft like I said I like the defenseman I think there is some centerman in this draft that can make an impact there are some smaller siiz centerman that probably start out or maybe wind up playing Wing at the at the NHL level but still quality players um and we have six teams guys in this draft that have multiple picks in the first round so to me that means that you may see a lot of activity as far as trades go on day one because I think those second picks in the first round for those particular clubs are going to be very valuable in this draft Yeah there should be fireworks I mean free agency is is right behind the door the Cap’s gone up a little bit but there’s still teams that are in trouble so I I think you know we’re in the entertainment capital of the world I I think there’s going to be so much entertainment on Friday and Saturday absolutely yeah I I we hope right we hope because remember last year the first round it was pretty quiet right it was just like there there were no trades or anything so the New Jersey Devils Mike they pick 10th in this draft but that they may not pick 10th in this draft right I mean there is a there’s a thought that their general manager Tom Fitzgerald has put that pick in play and I think that makes sense I really do you also in addition to the draft obviously you cover the Devils for nhl.com and they get markstrom so they get their goalie now they have markr they have Allen you look at that division Mike it’s open it’s up for grabs to be a top three team in that division the devils are a team that I think should take it so does it make sense in your mind that that number 10 pick is in play absolutely absolutely it does and and we talked about this right at dinner last night guys it’s like the devil’s right now yes they’re a young team when you when you consider the ages of some of these players but isn’t it ridiculous to think that Heir is entering his eighth season Jack Hughes is entering his fifth season so yeah it’s a young team age-wise but these are players that have been in the league and have reached the playoffs and they want Now’s the Time for them to put foot to the pedal and let’s move forward I mean Fitzgerald said that you know in the off season I mean we want to get our goal our coach number one we want to get our goalie he did that and then he said you know that number 10 is still in play I talked to him at the combine and they might want to get that defenseman that stay-at-home guy you know you look at some of the maybe the free agents or maybe a trade possibility you know you look at a guy like Brendan Dylan from Winnipeg for instance I know the age is there at 33 but that’s the kind of player they need a guy that will help aluk Hughes along a guy that’ll help a Simone Nemitz along and who knows where Sheamus Casey is going to be one of their top prospects in the system right now um recently signed played two seasons at the University of Michigan so I think that’s next on the priority list uh for Fitzgerald is maybe looking for a stay-at home he’s got the puck pushers right now but he needs a stay-at home a guy that’s going to be a little bit ornery in the corners in front of the net that type of guy yeah that’s not what he’s using his number 10 on what do you think he’s there’s no way he’s going to use it on that are you thinking forward yes if you’re dealing the number 10 pick you better get another game breaker you could get a big Burley defenseman anywhere it couldn’t be it wouldn’t be a one for one swap either this could be a 10 this could be a stay-at-home and a prospect for the 10 as well I mean we could be looking at that maybe I I would just find it shock maybe I I think that they’re going to be active in free agency too and I I like yes you know you look at some of the defensemen that could be available now you’re talking about a stay-at-home guy but you know Montour Brandon Montour is not that we know that he’s not a stay-at home guy but like Brett pesy is available right he could be that guy Brady Shay not exactly stay-at-home but still a lot of experience you know a bigger guy I think they could be active in free agency I would actually be surprised and you would know more than me I would be surprised if they pick at number 10 they’ve done their drafting this team has to win now the window is so small for Tom Fitzgerald right now I think he’s done a terrific job he has but now he’s got the goal tender y right and what was lacking last season health and goal tending right Health you can’t predict goal tending you can to have a better predictor on they get the goal tending they got to fill out the rest of it a little bit here but they know that the window is right there look I don’t think Carolina’s going to be as good we just I just talked about two guys on Carolina who could be leaving right in pesi and Chay the the Rangers I think are going to be fine they’re going to be good they have the great goal tender we know that but it’s I I mean to expect the Rangers to be uh another president’s Trophy winning team I think that might be a little bit of a stretch at this point the window the the door is open for the New Jersey Devils right Mike yeah the door yeah it is I mean they lost Dam Damon Severson before lesie and they lost Ryan Graves two players that played big minutes did a lot of things that maybe don’t show up on the score sheet every night but those roles were never really filled and then when Hamilton went down the depth just shot down so luk Hughes comes in Simone Nemitz they have a year of experience I still think a d might be the priority I see you point strong with a forward maybe a big grizzled forward would would help as well you know with Heir and Hughes but I I still think defensively they need someone big and strong to help out with this the youth they have there well and I agree I just think that’s a free agent play at this point I think if you’re drafting that kind of capital you need to get some sort of a game breaker I I I don’t think you could sell the 10 for Brendan Dylan that’s not going to go go over with the fan base yeah yeah that’s fair and I love Brendan Dylan in case he’s listening I’m not sure what’s what would be available but you know maybe a Jacob Chan or something along those lines along with a prospect y he’s got a one year left on his deal they’d have to sign him to an extens he’s another guy I did think of an Ottawa is probably going to is definitely looking to move him as well so listen lots to be done here Mike we’ll let you get back to your draft prep draft coverage appreciate you joining us for a little time here love it guys thank you so much see you uh see you in and around Vegas we’ll keep it quiet what a great interview with Mike moral if you’re not following Mike and Adam covering the draft you’re doing it all wrong I told Mike moral the other day he is lapping the field covering the draft I’ve started calling him Secretariat that’s how good he is at covering the draft his family loves it they all call him secretary now that’s pretty good and his by the way and I mentioned it at the top of the interview with him you want to learn about mlin celebrini go read Mike’s story on mlin celebrini it is phenomenal he gets so much Insight from his parents from his youth coach from his college coach from Macklin himself the competitive drive that this kid has is is incredible based on the story I read from Mike so you want to learn about mik Maan celebrini who’s going to be the number one draft pick he’s going to go to the San Jose Sharks definitely go read that story Nobody Does it Like Mike he’s like the Gil sers of draft coverage Gil sers of draft coverage I’m dating myself you are dating yourself wow okay so the draft is coming up those great stuff with Mike you gave us really good Insight on what’s happening with the draft free agency’s coming up too that’s happening that opens Monday the the door to the free agency opens on Monday after the draft so we’ll all go home on uh I’m going to go home on a Redeye Saturday night a lot of people going home Sunday and then we all reconvene in our home offices if you will Monday for the start of NHL free agency and there’s a couple of names there Sean that are really intriguing Jake gensel is a very intriguing name Steph Stam Co if he gets to Monday very intriguing Patrick Kane Jonathan marcheso a star right here a km Trophy winner here in Las Vegas he can get there Sam Reinhardt as I mentioned right I mean we mentioned he they have 11 ufas the Florida Panthers and Sam Reinhardt you know is one of them what’s going to happen there there there’s some really intriguing guys who can hit the free agent Market this year in the past we’ve looked at the free agent market and we’ve gone okay there’s some good players maybe there’s like one guy there’s five six seven guys on this free agent Market guys who could be changing teams from teams they’ve been on for a long time that really could be you know really move the needle here in free agency you know what the most intriguing thing is whether I’m going to be alive on Monday or not this has been a long make it long three week stand but no it is amazing like can you think about Steven Stam Coast being a free agent I mean he’s been at Tampa Bay Lightning his whole life much like cydney Crosby he defines that franchise he brought them from nothing to a perennial winner um established them as a marquee franchise and I can’t even imagine how crazed Toronto will be if he makes it the free agency I listen I think that would be the worst landing spot for him I think Landing anywhere other than Tampa is not right for Steven stamp go to me he is an icon on the sports scene in Tampa Bay he should be a Tampa Bay Lightning for his entire career that being said Vinnie La Cavalier was not Marty St Louie was not change happens we’ve seen it and we also know that if you want to talk about shrewd general managers GMS that will make the hard decision like an assassin just walk away from it that’s Julian Breeze we know he is capable of doing it he is very good at removing the emotion and making a decision that he feels is in the best interest of the Tampa Bay Lightning now and in the future maybe that’s the reason they haven’t signed Steven stampco maybe that’s it I can’t imagine him in another uniform but the as the days click off tick off the calendar here it’s getting closer to him being in another uniform you know who made really hard decisions Bill Zito you know who the Stanley Cup champions are the Florida Panthers think think about the things that bill Zeno did but when I look at stepen stamp coast and if I’m Julian breez do I need him right first of all if I if I’m Stephen stamp coost why am I taking a haircut right this is my last contract I want my money but if you’re Breeze B I can do a lot with that money I haven’t had any Financial Freedom in years I’ve been making all these trades Robin Peter to pay Paul and now they’re coming home to roost and I could solve all my problems by letting him walk to free agency but you’re letting one of your best players walk to free yes he remains one of their best players he is for the duration of the contract they’re going to have to sign him too well I don’t know what the contract is right so that’s the question I don’t know and what’s the window they’re looking at winning another Stanley Cup they want to win another Stanley Cup so that window is not five years that window is more like two right and I’m not saying stepen stamp GH is willing to take a two-year contract to stay there for that long but but if he takes a four-year deal and you win the Stanley Cup again within the next two then it’s worth it right then then it’s a deal that you’re you’re like 100% thank God we signed that one because we have one of our best players and he still is one of their best players and I don’t think they go here’s why I think stamp Coast eventually goes back to the lightning they don’t go and get Ryan MCD again to then have Steven stamp Coast walk now you look at it and say why are these two connected it’s because they went out and got another a veteran defenseman who they know that has won with them to come in to try to win again right away and then they’re going to let a guy who is a 40 goal scorer their Captain one of their best players just walk in free agency if they do it if they do it they’ll replace him with somebody right they’ll sign some maybe they go sign marcho who they used to have right maybe they sign gensel right we we don’t know maybe they sign Alias ly home or somebody along those lines right but it’s an unknown you don’t know if that guy’s going to fit you don’t know how that guy’s going to fit in the room or in that team or with John Cooper and the system they play stamco is the known commodity yeah but I would argue he’s their fifth most important player at this point and going down well I mean yeah okay you look at vasileski you you look at COV Braden Point you’re probably looking at Victor hman too right so but you could could have argued that three years ago and he was still a huge part of that team right I mean you could have made that case yeah I guess you could have but I I just I see it as a diminishing value and and you know we’ve had this argument about Crosby and malcin before and I was with Pittsburg on that but they run their business in a different way right like we all know who Julian breea is and the way that he runs his business I don’t know that it makes sense for him there’s no Nostalgia no there’s no Nostalgia I just think he keeps them as a good team and you look at the situation in the Atlantic division right now the Florida Panthers the Stanley Cup champions but we we’ve talked about it right they have 11 ufas so changes are coming there the Boston Bruins are a year older uh are they are they as good still I mean I think there’s a culture there of winning but are they still as good Toronto we know the question marks that the Toronto Maple Lees have right Tampa’s got question marks Montreal’s not quite ready what what’s happening with Buffalo Detroit are they quite ready otta is not the door is open there for Tampa Bay it it remains open it’s not like all these teams are lapping them and they’re just trying to in Pittsburgh they were lapped right and now they’re two years out of the playoffs and we don’t know what’s coming on still there for Tampa that’s why I think if you can get stamp Coast on a on a on a four-year deal but you’re looking at the first two really I would do it well you’re not truly impr not Julian breb the other one to look at I think too here is you know if if you look at free agency the Carolina Hurricanes are an interesting team in free agency Eric tulsky is now their full-time GM Don wadell left they have a lot of big decisions here they’ve got a lot of different things here they’ve got Jake gensel who’s a UFA right we know that Brady Shay Brett pesy they’re ufas what are they going to do with their goal tending situation right we have there’s a question mark there Marty NIS might want a different role I don’t know how much Rod bremore loves Marty NIS could he be traded there’s a lot of big decisions coming in Carolina who for the longest time have been one of the top teams in the Metropolitan Division I’m not saying they won’t be again but there’s a lot of big decisions coming there too yeah I think they’ll remain an elite team I just think they have that culture and they have enough players to carry them but they’re they’re going to change and I would argue they have to change yeah it hasn’t worked for them that’s why they’re not an elite team they’re good team yeah and and gel was the change right part of their problem is they could never score the Big Goal you look at last year in the Eastern Conference Final they lost four straight games to Florida all by one goal a couple overtimes thrown in there any goal at any point changes that series and they couldn’t do it so but they have to fix their goal tendon the Rangers would have been home in the second round if the Carolina Hurricanes had a goalie I know and is kochetov that guy right they’ve been they’ve been pushing back ketv’s Ascension for a couple of years now he’s feels like he’s been a rookie for four years okay and they like him but at some point he’s got to be handed the keys to be the guy and maybe he is maybe he isn’t we don’t know it’s not Freddy Anderson he’s not the guy he can play well for stretches in the regular season when it gets to the big game to the big moment we’ve seen Freddy Anderson give up the big goal and and and not just the like give up the goal you’re just looking at it like oh no Freddy right that’s what happened in game six against the Rangers it’s the back breaker yeah it’s the goal that you feel like you can’t come back from where you’re like I’ve done everything I can possibly do and then that happens they’re a team to look at we touched on the new Jersey Devils obviously with Mike we we’ll see where the Rangers end up but there’s another team in the east as we talked about you know within the Atlantic division we talked about Florida right and Tampa Toronto has a big decision a huge decision to make here Mitch Marner one year left on his deal right Marner marner’s deal is so it it it’s going to make or break I think the offseason here for for the Leafs or maybe it won’t because maybe nothing happens I’ve talked we’ve talked about this before we’ve had Mike seberger our colleague on and I’ve brought this up if I’m Mitch Marner I’m not signing the extension I’m playing out my my contract and then maybe I’m walking into free agency I’m betting on myself is what I’m doing why why would he bet on the Toronto Maple leafes cuz he likes it there yeah but again he likes it there and they may want to say all right we’ll give you this contract but if he goes and piles up points with the Maple Leafs again and they make the playoffs and whatever happens right they make the playoffs he’s going to get more money in free agency now next year than he will right now yeah if that’s what you want well that’s what I’m saying if I’m Mitch Marner that’s what I would want because I think the Leafs need to break this up a little bit it’s clearly hasn’t worked and I think Marner is the guy that could use a change but here’s the problem and I’ve brought this up before if Marner accepts a trade and signs an extension with another team and the Leafs go on and they pull what the Edmonton Oilers did this year and they come in and they roll through and they get into the standing Cup Final and maybe they win well now marner’s the problem right well we got rid of that Mitch Marner and look what happened for us if that’s the case right if the Toronto May police want to break it up go tell them tell them you’re right go tell them and say look we’re not going to sign you yep we’re not going to talk about it this year and we’re going to let you walk to free agency and then or we’re going to trade you at the deadline and then he gets to make his decision yeah but you if you have no interest in the player don’t let them well wave in the win I think they have interest in the player but they also have interest in getting a top defenseman they also have interest in figuring out their goal tending they they have they have a lot of interests right but you can’t solve all of them that’s the issue they have a lot of offense we know that marner’s a great player I I think he would go to another team and be a huge part of that team just as he would be a huge part of the maple leafes but it’s a big decision no question about it so there’s a lot of big decisions I mean Pittsburgh’s got one Sydney Crosby has a big decision to make does Sydney Crosby want to buy into three four more years of the Pittsburgh Penguins with the rate that they’re going right now does he believe right that’s that’s a big decision to make the Rangers Igor shurkin this could just be a percentage of the cont percentage of the cap contract boom that’s what it gets right but how does that impact what they do Jacob trouba is an interesting case there too do they look to trade him who’s going to accept Jacob trouba at 8 million per for the next two years right there’s a lot going on here in the next couple of days we haven’t even talked about buyouts no so yeah no it it’s going to be absolutely mental and you know it’s amazing with the season been going so late the past couple of years there is literally no time to breathe until you get to like July 4th July 4th yeah July 4th we’ll breathe on July 4th so last thing before we do get out of here uh and we have to go start our coverage of NHL awards which are tonight we’re recording this on Thursday and obviously the draft Hall of Fame so the Hall of Fame vote was on Tuesday uh I’ll give you the class Sean pavle datsuk Shay Weber Jeremy ronic uh darwitz and Chrissy Wendell pole get in as players uh Coy Campbell and David pil in as Builders datsuk is a no-brainer to me the rest in the player category I I’m not sure if there is no brainers I I I don’t know with due respect to Jeremy ronic I don’t know how he’s in the Hall of Fame over Alexander mcgil or before Alexander mcgil and frankly I don’t know how he’s in the Hall of Fame over Henrik zberg and I don’t know that sheay Weber is a first year eligible Hall of Famer really good player intimidating player but do you look at Shea Weber as a first year Hall of Famer and what makes Jeremy ronic a Hall of Famer this year as opposed to five years ago I don’t know I first of all what I want to know is why they make this announcement when they make it that’s day after game seven of the stand file right before the before the draft yeah can’t you do this in July there is a whole window where you can have all kinds of conversations about it look it’s in our podcast it’s an afterthought yes and there is a ton of conversation you can have about it it’s going to be a great year though for the Hall of Fame because our good friend Scott Burnside is going into the writer wing of the Hall of Fame and I couldn’t be more happy about it he is a first ballot Hall of Famer I agree with that but but we’re a little biased on that too yes but I do have issues with ronic and maybe Weber when you take Weber’s International experience in I I think it makes a little more of a case but but Patrick Marlo had the same International experience he also is the most games played all time in National Hockey League history he has over he has I think it’s 566 goals he’s an all-timer for one of the 32 teams in this league he also never won the Stanley Cup and neither did Weber yeah um and nether did ronic no like ronic was an Entertainer I I think that’s a part of it those aren’t decisions I would make but the two Builders oh are no brainers David pil has done more for hockey than 95% of the people that have ever been involved in the game his family him just complete class when you think of the things that he’s done the franchises that he’s built and everything that he’s done and then Coen Campbell I mean I got involved in hockey in ’94 and he’s been a constant since that day with the Rangers you know he coached the Rangers and then well we’ve worked with him at the NHL cuz he’s been part of hockey Ops forever and Rule changes and the steward of the game and all of those things just a a legendary career no question I have no issues with the builders obviously both of us have some issues with the players that went into the Hall of Fame but I guess that’s what makes for great debates we have them every year you’re right I wish we were having them in July cuz this would get so much more traction not the day after game seven and two days before the awards and 3 days before the draft but that’s why we’re here the awards and the draft so Sean are you looking forward to getting into the sphere I can’t wait to get into the sphere it’s going to be fantastic it’s the first sporting event that’s been there I know the concerts that have been there have been amazing uh we have some good friends that have been there somebody told me last night at dinner that you can’t even explain what it’s like to be inside that building um and you know Steve mayor has some special plans they’ve been working on this for a long time so you know Mike moral talked to the Players yesterday the prospects that are going to go through this and they were like I can’t believe we’re going into that building that our pictures are going to be outside on the sphere and all the things that go along with it it it’s quite a way to say goodbye to this version of the draft because next year we go to the decentralized draft where everybody’s going to kind of stay at home there’ll still be a draft somewhere but there’s just going to be one representative from each team I love this draft I’m going to savor every minute of it because I love the draft FL with 12 or 13 guys at each table the side conversations the phone calls everything it’s the best draft of all of them yep by far and maybe when it changes it’ll be as good but I love this draft I’m going to savor every minute of the final iteration of it this one I will too and I can’t and we I can’t say Enjoy the hockey anymore because there is no more hockey to be played until next season so what I’ll say to end the podcast enjoy the business of hockey [Music]

Dan and Shawn are joined by NHL.com (http://NHL.com) ‘s own draft guru, Mike Morreale (16:18), who is the NHL.com (http://NHL.com) Senior Draft Writer and co-host of the “NHL Draft Class” podcast. Morreale answers questions about Celebrini, the projected No. 1 pick to the San Jose Sharks. He discusses what makes him special, his rehab from shoulder surgery he had five months before beginning this season as a freshman at Boston University, and why we should expect to see him in the NHL with the Sharks as soon as a few months from now. In addition, Morreale talks about the other players in the draft, reasons why he thinks defenseman Artyom Levshunov from Michigan State University should be the No. 2 pick to the Chicago Blackhawks. He also touches on forward Tij Iginla from Kelowna in the Western Hockey League potentially being the player who steals the draft if he’s selected by the Calgary Flames. Prior to chatting with Morreale, Rosen and Roarke breakdown the Panthers winning the Stanley Cup, how Game 7 played out, the viewership and the impact of that 2-1 win.  They also talk about the future of the Panthers, who have 11 pending unrestricted free agents and what will come of the Edmonton Oilers now that they need a new general manager and should be trying to sign forward Leon Draisaitl to a contract extension. Following the interview with Morreale, Rosen and Roarke dive into some of the bigger names that could make it to the free-agent market Monday, including Steven Stamkos, Jake Guentzel, Jonthan Marchessault and Patrick Kane. They close with their thoughts on the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024, with some differences of opinion on if Jeremy Roenick and Shea Weber should be included in the class.