Episode 82: LaCombe & McTavish Sign! 25/26 NHL Divisional Standings Predictions! Ft. Special Guests

Hockey never moves in straight lines, and that’s exactly why this one’s so much fun. We bring two fanbases under one roof and go deep on what actually shifts a season: the Ducks locking in Mason McTavish and Jackson Lacombe as cornerstone pieces, the emotional and tactical fallout from Trevor Zegras landing in Philadelphia, and the precise tweaks the Kings need to finally power past the first round. We’re not hand-waving; we’re talking usage, special teams, depth minutes, and the small edges that become springtime margins.

From there, we zoom out to the league. Who truly improved? Tampa’s spine and continuity vs. Florida’s injury bets, Toronto’s star power vs. goaltending trust, and Carolina adding the top-six finisher they’ve craved. In the West, we weigh Dallas’s regular-season machine against Colorado’s playoff ceiling, and why Vegas keeps finding the exact star archetype to amplify Jack Eichel. The Pacific debate gets spicy: where the Kings’ playable fourth line and calmer PK can buy them wins, why Edmonton’s thinner role players may matter more than anyone admits, and whether Vancouver’s health swings will define their year. Utah’s growth curve, Minnesota’s window, and Winnipeg’s goalie-led floor all get measured against reality, not hype.

We make clear, accountable predictions for every division and plant our flags on Cup paths, then cap it with a clean listener hook: a Celebrini vs. Bedard points bet and why situation often beats raw talent for year-one impact. Along the way, expect candid laughs, honest disagreements, and a stack of receipts you’ll want to revisit in April. If you’re a Kings or Ducks fan—or just a curious NHL diehard—this episode is your roadmap to the season ahead.

Enjoyed this breakdown? Follow the show, leave a quick review, and share your own division winners and Cup picks with us. Your boldest prediction might make next week’s show.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome, Guests, and Season Setup
• 5:10 Kings’ Hopes and What Must Change
• 7:10 Ducks Contracts: McTavish and Lacombe
• 15:40 Zegras Trade Fallout and Fit in Philly
• 24:10 Prospect Assignments and Name-Gauntlet
• 29:40 Kings Waivers, Claims, and Depth Chart
• 36:40 League News: Megadeals, Injuries, Coaching
• 50:10 Preseason Recaps and Early Form
• 55:40 Opening Week Predictions and Scores
• 1:08:10 Atlantic Division Rankings Debate
• 1:29:10 Metro Division Rankings Debate
• 1:46:10 Central Division Rankings Debate
• 2:03:40 Pacific Division Rankings Debate
• 2:27:40 Stanley Cup Final Picks

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 1:15

Welcome back, Kings and Ducks fans, to Royal E. Quacked, episode 82. And just like last season, we're gonna give you some news for both the Ducks, the Kings, and obviously league news. And we're also going to predict each division's and who the two finalists will be. And just like last season, we are blessed to have Eric Rodriguez back. Um, we we all competed, and unfortunately, Cody won, which hardly ever happens. Yeah, I know we also we also have uh one of our top fans, Kevin, with us today.

SPEAKER_05: 2:00

Yes, thank you for having me, guys. Proud to be called a top fan as well. I am in fact a top fan of you guys for sure.

SPEAKER_01: 2:06

So we definitely appreciate that. You would you like to uh introduce yourself completely to our fans and tell us a little about yourself?

SPEAKER_05: 2:14

Yes. Well, you can call me Kevin. I am originally from Southern California, I am from Torrance, California, to be specific. I feel like that part of LA is like the South Bay is more of like more Kings heavy. So um we go hard for the Kings down there. I always went hard for the Kings. Unfortunately, I'm now probably considered an expat. I live up in a city called Bellingham in Washington. So my closest team is actually the Vancouver Canucks, uh, unfortunately. So we're gonna, you're gonna, yeah. If you're ever at a Canucks game, you might see me there because that's what's close to me. But um, I'll always rep in the King, always have a King's hat with me or something, at least, right? So um love the Kings, love your guys' pod as well. I'm a big podcast guy, so when I found out about you guys, it just fit like perfectly in my morning routine, right? You guys slotted right in, and I'm glad to have you guys every week. So thank you guys for having me.

SPEAKER_01: 3:05

Well, we're glad glad to have you back. Um the neat thing is is we get to hear you instead of just read what you your comments on or on uh the podcast. So and then um it's been a while since Eric's been on. What anything new happening with you, Eric, before we start?

SPEAKER_00: 3:24

No, just uh just raising uh two beautiful daughters and living in uh Arizona these days. So just uh doing the uh the autograph world outside of it. So just enjoying life for sure. What's been new with you guys?

SPEAKER_04: 3:42

Well, you go first out since you have bigger news than I do.

SPEAKER_01: 3:46

Well, I got promoted again at my job. I I am now the supervisor over the whole PM team, which congrats means I've got it. I'm I'm on call 24-7, phone never goes off. Uh, I'm not gonna listen to it today. But um, and if you are listening from Neo Genomics, that was a lie. And other than that, just I'm I'm enjoying life. Uh and I can't wait for hockey season to get completely started. And I think this is gonna be one of the most exciting seasons ever because I think we have so much things that could happen that maybe we won't even think about this year. Somehow I think it's gonna be a strange hockey season because it's been in my head the whole time. So, anyways, strange as in outcomes that are unpredictable. Is that what you mean? Well, the thing is, is uh we talked about a little bit before we started the podcast. I mean, what would happen? What would it take for uh you know Kevin and my team, the Kings, to get by the first round? Well, I think what it would what it would take is is I don't care if Edmonton's there, but if if Byfield and Clark become something of at least something even more than they were last year, and the rest of the team plays like they did, I mean you think about it, we had them down 2-0, and it and it it wasn't looking pretty for the Oilers, and all of a sudden, here they come. You know, that that whole thing turned around, and you know, when you have two of the greatest, that that helps. Um, but you know, if Byfield picks it up, he becomes close to a point-a-game player, and Clark gets about 50 55 points this year, and the rest of the guys play because you know you're gonna get some uh Kempe and Copatar are gonna provide, and we have a fully healthy um Drew Dowdy this season, which we didn't have really at all, excuse me, at all last year. Yeah, and then on the other end, you know, I don't know if you want to pop out on this, Cody. I go, you know, you got McTavish signed, Lacomb signed.

SPEAKER_04: 6:10

Oh spoiler, right?

SPEAKER_01: 6:12

Yeah, well, it's it to me, it's like join them, I guess, right? You know, here's here's yeah, it's gonna be in the news, but you can tell how much the uh they each made on that. Um but I I don't know, they're awfully young and awfully talented, and if everybody realizes at least some of that talent, I think at least a minimum wild card could be in hand. It's tough when you have the central, which has so many great teams. So yeah, into that in a little bit. Do we want to go to Duck News first, Cody?

SPEAKER_04: 6:49

Yeah, so uh let's go to Ducks News real quick, or not real quick, because there's quite a bit of news for both of us. Um, I know we I hate the thing that annoyed me about last week is I did that full rant on Verbeak not signing McTavish. I went off. Well, and that was annoying timing, and then I kid you not, not two minutes after we finished the stream. I go on Twitter, he signed, and I'm like, Are you kidding me?

SPEAKER_00: 7:19

And so I just need your inspiration.

SPEAKER_04: 7:21

Yeah, I was like, I was like, and then I told my dad, I was like, hey, I'm pretty sure Verbeat listened to the live stream, watched the live stream, and he's like, you know what, Cody's right. I need to sign McTavish, I need to get my stuff to get my shit together. Let's let's sign McTavish. And sure enough, it got done. Um he's here for six years at 7 million AAV. I'm I'm like I said, I'm just so happy that's done. It I was so annoyed that it took so long to get this contract done. I'm trying to find the exact because I know he has like some type of no movement clause on his contract or no trade clause. I'm trying to find it. I can't remember where I put it.

SPEAKER_01: 8:10

Yeah, that can be later, Cody.

SPEAKER_04: 8:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 8:13

If you can't find it right now, we can move on with that. But they're not trading him anyways, they just signed him for six years.

SPEAKER_04: 8:21

Well, not not according to Frank Ceravelli and the way he reports to the with the ducks and everything, but uh, but like I said, happy to have our our two C for the next six years, at least minimum. So I'm happy about that. You know, glad glad to see Mac is back. Uh the that rhyme was intended. Um, and then then sure enough, this news just came literally out of nowhere on Thursday. But the Ducks uh signed defenseman Jackson Lacomb to an eight-year extension worth nine million AAV, and that makes him the highest paid player in franchise history.

SPEAKER_00: 9:03

That is crazy. So now they're committing finally to the team. It's nice to see.

SPEAKER_01: 9:09

So here's the question. I mean, I I don't know if anybody else has thought about this, but if I was Mason McTavish, it literally like I had to go through hell to to get two million dollars less than Jackson Lacomb. And would that make possibly a little upset? Because it seems like Lacombe, you didn't even know they were negotiating, did you? We didn't even know, and and all of a sudden it's boom, nine million, two more million than McTavish. Listen, I know you're trying to draw strife in the in the no, I to me it's like uh to me, it's uh it's the first thing I thought. If I was McTavish, I'd have been pissed. I mean, and I'm I'm not saying honestly, Eric, you know I'm a hockey fan first, and I'll go to I'll go to a ducks game if they're not playing the Kings, and I'll I'll I'll proudly wear my Timu Solani jersey because you know he's one of my favorite players ever. So I'll go cheer them on. Um I I don't hate them like a lot of people do, yeah. Um, I do only hate them when they play the Kings, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 10:19

Which they're yeah, yeah, but I will tell you guys, uh, you said it best, man, the Kings are a team to keep an eye on moving in. So I know we're talking about the ducks right now, and uh you know, we've got a split screen here of the 50-50. At the end of the day, I'm gonna tell you if Byfield performs the way that he's capable of performing, you guys are gonna be a playoff team, and you're gonna be a good playoff team. Because listen, the Oilers is the trifecta gonna happen? Are we creating a dynasty in Edmonton? I don't know, but um, I will tell you this this is your guys' year. We are we're young and uh we've got a lot to gain from that, but I think in the coming years we're a lot to talk about. So uh I love seeing this money, I love seeing the renovation of of uh the old pond. Take me back to my Anaheim days. Um, but yeah, you guys, it's gonna be a fun season, so I think you said it best, Gary.

SPEAKER_05: 11:16

Yeah, I mean that's kind of how I'm feeling about like the Kings right now, too, because I mean a lot of people are judging the current Kings team and like how it's gonna be going into this season based on transactions, like the in going ins and the going outs that happened. And you could argue maybe the forward line is I mean, the fourth line definitely is upgraded. You could argue that the D core is maybe slightly downgraded. The loss of Gavrakov is big, losing Spence is uh I don't know. Some people think it's not as big. I am a big Spence guy, so that hurt a lot. But um, I mean Dumulin looks a lot better than I think a lot of people anticipated, and we kind of saw that in Anaheim also. Um, but then you that's without taking into consideration the players that could potentially take a step forward, like you mentioned, Gary, right? I mean, look at Byfield. If he becomes close to a point per game player, that elevates the Kings to a whole new level. I mean, that would make him like probably the top score on the team, right? And then you look at guys like Clark, if you could put up 50, like you mentioned, Gary, all of a sudden, I mean, he's gonna get an elevated role anyway, he's gonna be playing on the second power play. I mean, uh hopefully playing second line. I don't know, actually. That's a little concerning because at times I'm I'm sort of worried he's not gonna get that those 2D minutes. I'm worried that he might be relegated. I don't know what's gonna happen. Imagine Edmondson and CC as the second pairing. That's actually terrifying, but we'll see what happens there.

SPEAKER_01: 12:30

I don't know, but it's not gonna happen.

SPEAKER_05: 12:32

Yeah, I I mean I don't think so. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 12:35

Where does where does Perry fit into your guys' lines? I guess with Armia and Turkot, right?

SPEAKER_04: 12:42

A lot of case talk for ducks news. Sorry, sorry, yeah. I'll stop save it for later.

SPEAKER_01: 12:49

Hey, just a couple quick things before you go back, Cody. Um, I know I see him.

SPEAKER_04: 12:55

I was waiting for us to uh I I I lost track of the comments on when they posted them, but I'm pretty sure this is Adam's way saying meet when I went off on her beak last week. And uh uh Adam, Mrs. Chaos says, Hello, boys. Hi Andrea. Yes, she she was great during the golf tournament. She helped so much with us, and then uh what my mom said. Yeah, it's Cody's birthday, Cody. It's Cody's birthday tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00: 13:23

Oh, happy birthday, buddy.

SPEAKER_01: 13:25

It's tomorrow. It's tomorrow. We're celebrating today after the podcast, going to the noodle bar at Saboba Casino with my my sister's birthday is actually today. Oh, okay. And um, my nephew's birthday was just a couple weeks ago, and uh hit his uh better half. Uh I think October 7th is her birthday. So we got four birthdays to celebrate sometime after this podcast. And um, I know mom didn't put it in the notes, but uh that's a dollar in the in the swear jar, Cody, because I heard that word you came out of your mouth. I I don't know what you're talking about. Back to Duck News.

SPEAKER_04: 14:01

I don't know what you're talking about. I I I didn't say that word. Ums. Um Jansen Harkins has an upper body injury and will be out approximately eight weeks, which is a tough one. I like the way he plays. I I don't think I think he would have been more of the he would have been more of like the 13th forward for the for the ducks and everything. Uh I I'm not gonna say it, but I'm just gonna put this on the screen and uh you guys can go from there. And mom said she missed it, so it doesn't count. So I don't owe anything. So haha. Um I like Jansen Harkins, I like the way he plays and everything. Um so it sucks to see him injured like that, but uh hopefully he has a uh speedy recovery. Um and then this was Mason McTavish on the Zegers trade. He in quote, he said that sucked brutal. I pretty much spent every day with him. He's happy there, which is good. It's tough seeing your best friend go away. So I it's not something you really want to hear, you know, best buddies like this, but we're probably gonna get into it a little bit later on, too, about probably why Zegers got traded, and it kind of makes more sense now. Um but here's um the Providence head coach, uh Nate Lehman on Roger McQueen. I think there'll be an adjustment, but when he decides he wants to take it to the net, he's pretty unstoppable. And you know, someone that was injured most of uh last year, I think he only played like a total of like 23 games or so, and he's just not getting back into it. Now he's going to the NCAA where you're playing against bigger, bigger kids and everything, bigger boys, and uh the coach is already saying he's he's gonna be pretty unstoppable.

SPEAKER_01: 16:04

He was drafted to compete with Byfield in the future. You think that's well two big boys playing center? I you know what period, yeah. Any of the things you know, and and he was a steal at 10. Oh, god because he was ranked in the top five before he had that injury. So they they made a steal with him. If he if he does come and be the player they expect him to be, it's gonna be a great draft pick for them. Yeah. And and and and you guys can stop drafting guys like that because we want to beat you every time we play you. Just want to be honest with that.

SPEAKER_04: 16:42

So that's not gonna happen. Um next up is so Greg Wasnousky, if I if I hope I said that right. I I love I love Greg. I like when he's whenever he's on the the sheet with Jeff Merrick. Um, but he did an interview with Trevor Ziegers about like kind of like what happened in in Anaheim, and he he came out and pretty much said, like, you know, he had he was having seasonal depression, it was tough for him, especially after the the contract talks that went longer than he wanted. Um great Cronin, you know, make it harder for him and everything, and then also like he was doing everything they were asking him to do, and they just wouldn't support him by you know playing him out of position, benching him, and it really got to him. And now I can kind of see why there was probably so many uh like rumors about him being traded, and it all kind of makes more sense now. So I I hope Zegris is happy in Philadelphia. Like I said, I I wasn't mad about the ducks trading him, it was just the trade package we got back for a player like him.

SPEAKER_01: 17:57

Uh, just so you know, this pun was intended. Uh, he's gonna fly in Philadelphia. Oh Jesus. I I all right, and that's so thank you very much. I'll see you guys next week. Tell me I'm wrong. I mean, he got held back, very talented kid. Uh, I I felt disappointed, even though I'm a Kings fan, because those first two years, I mean, if that was just the start, imagine what the the peak is gonna be with that kid. Yeah, um, I understand an another another reason why he was traded because they didn't see him being a one C or a two C. That's right. That that's that's Carlson and that's McTavish. They figured a 3C. Most teams don't pay their 3C that kind of money that he got, and and they did him a favor by trading him. Yeah, um, and you're right, Cody. Um, Philadelphia robbed the ducks for him. But yeah, I think in the long run, the ducks will be better. Not just because he wouldn't have gotten the role, he's gonna become a much better player with the Flyers than ever he could have been uh with uh the Ducks with their current uh lineup and so forth.

SPEAKER_05: 19:16

So yeah, I don't I don't see how he would have can yeah, I mean, because last year he he put up like what 30 points, and I mean Ziegris is I mean, and his his first few years was like a 60-point player, right?

SPEAKER_04: 19:24

So I mean yeah, I I just wish they would have at least given him one more year or at least some time with uh coach Q. Because I think Coach Q really could have turned Zegris into the player he was before, and then maybe getting a if we did end still end up trading him, still getting a better package, like upping his value. Because we when we traded Ziegris, he was probably at his lowest value. I mean, and like I said, nothing against Ryan Paling or anything like that. I think he's gonna be a great fourth line center for us. And I'm I am excited for him to be here, but that's as we needed more than just Ryan Paling and a couple and a draft pick or a couple draft picks for Trevor Ziegers like that. So I wish we would have just held on to him a little bit longer and then you know give him some time with Quenville. And I I mean, because Quenville was the coach of Zegris's idol growing up, and that was Patrick Kane. So who I mean, I thought that was like a perfect fit, and then they just before he even really gets any time with Coach Q, he's gone.

SPEAKER_00: 20:36

But Cody, question for you with when it comes to him, if you like Gary said, if you're paying your one through three C, the amount of money those three guys command, knowing that they've signed him now, like there's a log jam last year to try to get everybody on the ice, and that's I think everybody devalues it that situation. So I think it was a timing thing and a financial thing for sure, um, for the ducks, because I mean they were getting whatever they could get out at that moment, and then they were desperate in the sense that everybody knew they were trying to offload him.

SPEAKER_04: 21:09

No, no, I I I get that, but I still think we could have you know given Ziggress a chance at least to up his value. At least maybe, like I said, maybe in the long run he wasn't gonna be a duck, but at least we could have kept him for 20, 30 games, you know. Maybe he starts going off, maybe he he fits in better, or maybe he ups his value, and then we can get more than just you know a fourth line center and a and a couple draft picks, right? You know, or he we could have trade, he could have been part of a package to get an a superstar back to Anaheim, right?

SPEAKER_00: 21:46

You know, well, he's on a heck of a line over there in Philly, so yeah, he is Nichkov. Yeah, those guys are that's gonna be a line to watch. I think they're still very young, but that's that's a line to watch.

SPEAKER_04: 21:57

Yeah, so let's let's go back to the ducks and everything. But um, here are the players who all got assigned back to their junior team.

SPEAKER_00: 22:05

Um before you do this, this is my favorite part of whenever you do this, right? And especially when I see how long this list is and the names that are on here. This is always a nice. So I hope you've studied your Russian and and European languages.

SPEAKER_04: 22:19

All right. So most of them aren't are usually Canadians right in here. Uh um, but Emile Gite is going back to Jakudomi, Max M. Massey's also going back to Jakudomi, Alexis Matthews going back to the QMJ Joe. I want to say it's by Kamal. Um, Ethan Precision is going back to North Bay, Noah Reed is going back to the London Knights, Taryn Smith going back to the Everett Silvertips, uh, Brady Turko going back to the Brandon Wheat Kings, and Daryl Yulankis is going back to the Flint Firebirds. That was impressive.

SPEAKER_01: 22:53

That was so so this is what I would have done after that comment, Mr. Rodriguez. I go. Um, why don't you cover all those Russian names for us? We'll just share this uh news. And in fact, Kevin, just so you know, um, I'll do the first part of the guys that got sent down. You're gonna do the second part all the way through um the Angus. Do you have the notes there? Oh, yes, I got them right. I suppose you share, not I'm not gonna hog the the spotlight like Cody is uh uh whiskey over there, does I'm uh nervous. No, don't be nervous, man.

SPEAKER_02: 23:37

I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_01: 23:38

Uh you're gonna knock it dead. I was more nervous my first time on the podcast than you are now. So I mean, we're I was awful.

SPEAKER_04: 23:46

So all right, fine. Eric, you you wanna you wanna go? I want to see you say a few of these names. Oh boy, I don't I don't know. Look, I mean, throw throw one at me. I mean, I can get the Biacca Batuka. See, that's the one I always have the issue with.

SPEAKER_00: 24:03

Biacca Batuka. Struggle on this list for sure. Definitely struggle on this list.

SPEAKER_04: 24:08

I'll help you out, don't worry.

SPEAKER_00: 24:10

All right, am I a sign? Am I doing this group that went to San Diego? Yep, you're doing the group that went to San Diego. All right, so Justin Bailey, a right winger, has been assigned to San Diego along with Jeremy Biacca Batuka, a defenseman. Nicholas Bruyard, another defenseman. Oh boy. Oh boy, Maya Cheslav Buchets. Butyats. Butyats, thank you. Um diego with Judd Caulfield, the right winger, Nico Majatovich, left winger, uh, Sasha Postuyov. Postajoff. Postajo. Uh the right wingers also go in there. Matthew Phillips is also a right winger, Connor Smith, a defenseman. Thomas Suchinek. Sukinik. I'm so glad you're my backup, man. Hey, I think Gary. Isn't that it?

SPEAKER_01: 25:07

Wasn't wasn't that Mr. Ongold at the end. Yes, that was Mr. Ongold.

SPEAKER_04: 25:11

Oh, yeah, I know. I wasn't even mad. It was his first game in over a year after that long-term injury, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on it.

SPEAKER_05: 25:22

He kind of shook it off pretty quick, too. So he did it to him.

SPEAKER_04: 25:24

Yeah, yeah, he's a professional.

SPEAKER_00: 25:26

He yeah, didn't bother him at all. Oh boy, Noah Warren, the defenseman, Jackson Weeby, a right winger, Callie Clang, Nathan Gaucher, Gauche. No, ask a question. So if there's no I, how is it Gauche?

SPEAKER_04: 25:45

All right, it's French Canadian.

SPEAKER_00: 25:48

I missed all this. Tyson Heinz, Tristan Luneau, Yegor, which I would name my son Yegor in a heartbeat, Sidorov, and Stein Solberg.

SPEAKER_04: 26:01

Yeah, the Norwegian nightmare himself. He is, yes. And then uh placed on waivers with intent to sign to San Diego was Jan Misak. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But we also got some more comments. Uh Captain Chaos on here is he said Zegers should currently be the third line center for this future Stanley Cup championship team.

SPEAKER_00: 26:23

I like that idea. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 26:25

And then also Mrs. Chaos says she loves how baseball turned into hockey for us.

SPEAKER_01: 26:31

All of us, yes. I mean, there you think about that. Um, so Kevin, we we all umpired together, Cody, Eric, myself, and Adam, you know, okay, and that's how we all met. Oh, nice. And now we're on a podcast.

SPEAKER_00: 26:47

That's so much Kevin. We had some fun out on the field, man. We gotta tell you, we've had some fun, and we got some stories.

SPEAKER_04: 26:56

Well, that's that's a that's a whole nother podcast.

SPEAKER_05: 26:59

No, you need a special episode with all these stories for sure.

SPEAKER_04: 27:01

Yeah, well, I don't maybe we should just do a full umpire episode with Eric and Adam on here, just story.

SPEAKER_01: 27:07

You know, next off let's do that next off season. I love that idea.

SPEAKER_04: 27:13

That just came about, yeah. All right, and then uh Frankie pops, my dude. And then he also said, Oh, uh, and Cody, what's up?

SPEAKER_01: 27:25

Hey Frankie, good to good to hear from you, buddy. He's part of our uh the elite sports and entertainment network that we're part of. Uh, he's a big Yankee fan. He's trying to turn us into Yankee fans. Um, they actually made the playoffs, and our Angels are um obviously already at home, you know. Yeah, I'm an Angels fan too.

SPEAKER_05: 27:46

Actually, we're both Kings and Angels fans, which probably isn't too common.

SPEAKER_00: 27:51

The less said the better, right?

SPEAKER_04: 27:53

Yeah, amen.

SPEAKER_00: 27:54

Albert Pools will be a good manager. We can break that off.

SPEAKER_04: 27:57

I I uh that's not what I'm worried about with the Angels, but all right. Um, but that's it for the 27 minutes of ducks news we had. Okay, so let's win, right? Let's let's let's go on to the king's news. All right, while we're talking about kings news, let's go back to the ducks since you rudely interrupted.

SPEAKER_01: 28:17

Really? Okay, let's do it. So the kings have loaned the following players to the Ontario Reign, uh the American Hockey League team. Uh Kenny Carner's forward, Francisco Pinelli forward, Jared Wright forward, uh Jakob Dvorak defenseman, Jack Millar defenseman, Tim Rigo defenseman, Otto Saline, defenseman, Kiril Kersanoff defenseman. I think he's an up and comer, too. That guy. Ericillo goalie, and Isaiah Seville goalie. And Kevin.

SPEAKER_05: 28:56

Yes. So as for the players that have been placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Ontario, that is going to be Logan Brown forward, Martin Chromiak forward, who looked good by the way, Glenn Godw Godden forward, Cole Gutman forward, Andre Lee forward, Akeel Thomas forward, Taylor Ward forward, Samuel Baldock defenseman, Joe Hickett's defenseman, and Phoenix Copley goaltender, who sadly is no longer with us, uh no longer with the Kings. He is, I don't know, that didn't come out right. He is he's here, but he's not with the Kings, yes, anymore.

SPEAKER_01: 29:28

Yeah, uh well, you spoiled the last bit of Kings news, but that yeah, he was he was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning. We'll see if that even sticks.

SPEAKER_04: 29:38

Yeah. I mean, I don't know why they already got claimed.

SPEAKER_01: 29:42

Well, just in case somebody gets hurt, they got a guy who's had NHL experience, and we'll see what happens.

SPEAKER_04: 29:51

Oh, but uh, Adam says he's in for the full umpire. I'd love that. I'll be listening to that. That'd be so much fun, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 29:58

And the stories we could tell.

SPEAKER_00: 30:00

Too bad you can bring the coaches on that we've had the fun conversations with along the way.

SPEAKER_01: 30:05

Uh well, you know, we've told some of the stories on the podcast.

SPEAKER_00: 30:09

I just remember Gary slowing me down one time on one coach.

SPEAKER_01: 30:15

Well, my favorite part is you getting me to my uh grandson being born on time with a strike zone the size of Chicago. That's it. Did you uh also mention about Angus Booth there, Kevin?

SPEAKER_05: 30:30

Uh no, I did not get to that one yet.

SPEAKER_01: 30:32

Okay, so he got hurt, he's out six to eight weeks, almost like similar to Corey Perry. So

SPEAKER_05: 30:40

And he he's uh defenseman uh probably maybe the top guy in the uh defensive core in in the minors, so most likely at least to play for the kings at some point in the season, I would have thought, anyways.

SPEAKER_01: 30:53

Yes, so other uh Kings news the LA Kings Forwards, Anze Copatar and Quentin Byfield are featured in the second season of FaceOff inside the NHL on Prime Video. I do believe it's episode three.

SPEAKER_04: 31:14

Um, so I was actually watching it this morning because I woke up a lot earlier than I expected. Um, do just a fair warning. Um, the second episode have a box of tissues with you. Because that was the Johnny Goodreau episode, and I I was tearing up quite a bit watching that. But like I said, it was it was so great. Uh, I just started the third one. So far, they've talked about with Kobotar and Crosby in the third one. So I they haven't really talked about with Quentin Bifeld, so I don't know which episode he is in that one.

SPEAKER_01: 31:48

Well, maybe he'll be in four then. Um, so with League News, Cody, you start Eric, then I'll go, and then Kevin. So we'll each take one. Might as well use these guys while we're on. Yeah, we do all the talking, do we?

SPEAKER_04: 32:02

Yeah, we do it every week. Pretty much, yes. All right, I'll start off. Uh, with the the Minnesota Wild have signed superstar forward Kirill the Thrill Caprizoff to a record-breaking eight-year extension worth 17 million AAV, and that's a total of 136 million over the eight years. That is crazy.

SPEAKER_01: 32:28

So, what what is McJesus gonna get?

SPEAKER_04: 32:31

20? He no, he he's not gonna take that much.

SPEAKER_01: 32:36

That's if that's if he decides, I don't think he's gonna sign long term. I unless he really loves Edmonton, I think he might sign for two or three more uh years, maybe at 20 million. No, or maybe 18 million, but he's gotta get more.

SPEAKER_04: 32:54

If he stays with Edmonton, he's not gonna surpass that 17 million. He'll either be the same, like if he does, it's not gonna be by much because I think he rather keep his AAV lower that way the Edmonton can build around him. But if he leaves Edmonton, he's definitely making more than the 17 million. That's my what I'm thinking is gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01: 33:17

That's I've seen him in a Toronto shirt. I've actually heard top people. I'm sure this is all wish list now, guys. Is the kings, yeah. Yeah, going like you know, I could see if the kings are possibly doing it as a free agent signing if they trade, they they want everything under the sun, and you won't have anybody left to play with them, yeah. So, anyways, okay.

SPEAKER_04: 33:45

Let me ask you, let me ask you guys a question since Capri's office worth 17 million a year. Would you rather have Capri's offer 17 million or the Hughes' brothers in that in New Jersey at 17 million combined? Oh, easy. Yeah, yeah, okay. Those guys are great, great. If you think about it, that's exactly how much they're worth. Jack Hughes is at 8 million, and we're gonna talk about Hughes' uh Luke Hughes' contract in a bit, and it comes up to 17 million, the same exact same as Caprizov.

SPEAKER_00: 34:18

All right, Eric, you're up. Oh, wild forward Matt Zuccarello is expected to miss a minimum of seven to eight weeks with a lower body injury, and that's gonna hurt the wild.

SPEAKER_01: 34:31

He's a big part of that team, yeah. Yeah, he is. Uh, Jets defenseman Dylan Sandberg has broken his wrist and is out for the next six to eight weeks per Scott Arnell. Another that's a lot of injuries happening, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 34:45

A lot of injuries and a lot of signings.

SPEAKER_05: 34:48

You're up, Kevin. The black ops, the blackhawks have let teams know in recent days that Lucas Reichel is still available.

SPEAKER_04: 34:55

That's that's I'm shocked that he's available, but I think it's just a change of scenery kind of thing. But um, Nick Robertson remains a name to be on uh name to watch on the trade front. So another trade piece possible. I wouldn't mind seeing uh Nick Robinson in a ducks uniform and help bring his brother to Anaheim.

SPEAKER_00: 35:17

That'd be interesting. Yeah, real interesting. Um, is there a reason why I have all the lower body injuries? Um Canucks forward nils hoglander out eight to ten weeks after surgery on a lower body injury.

SPEAKER_01: 35:33

No, I didn't plan how we the order we did with looking to see what everybody got to say. No, typically I would because I'd give you guys all those tarred names because I am the worst at it.

SPEAKER_00: 35:44

No, I mean don't go.

SPEAKER_01: 35:46

I mean Cody still wants to have an episode with me and others who cannot say uh, especially the French Canadian hockey names and the Russian names. So um the NHL plans to host a Super Bowl-style Media Day event in February at the UBS Arena as a send-off to the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan. The NHL All-Star Weekend will return in some form to the UBS Arena in 2027, where the Long Island venue will host a competitive on-ice all-star style event.

SPEAKER_05: 36:26

Nice New Jersey Devils have signed RFA defenseman Luke Hughes to seven-year nine million contract extension.

SPEAKER_04: 36:34

Yep, and he signed that just before uh Lacombe signed his extension. So I think that was like the like, all right, what is Luke Hughes getting? All right, Lacombe, you're getting that plus a year.

SPEAKER_01: 36:46

So yeah, like I'm I I might have stole him in the fashion. I got him like a whatever 15th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th round.

SPEAKER_04: 36:54

It it was towards the end because I was gonna like, all right, I'm gonna get Luke Hughes. I'm like, there's no way he's not gonna miss games. I'm like, I'm gonna pick up Luke Hughes, and I'm like, it's gonna be a steal of the draft. And then I was like two or three picks away, I want to say, and then you took.

SPEAKER_00: 37:09

I was like, Oh, yeah, we need to talk about how many fantasy draft picks Cody and Gary stole from each other because I have a feeling there was a handful of them.

SPEAKER_04: 37:18

No, that was the only one that my dad stole from me, was you know, and then your daughters, your daughter Stephanie took Rupe hints from me. I had them lined up and I was like, All right, I got this, and then I was like, all right, he's I'm I'm gonna get him, and then bam, I was like, No.

SPEAKER_01: 37:34

If I went back and looked, I'm sure everybody stole from everybody. I didn't focus on that. Like I last year, it's like every time, five straight times, I had a pick, and the that my kid stole them from me, and I was going, like, I'm getting a little tired of this. You know, it's it was driving me crazy.

SPEAKER_04: 37:55

I guess I guess next year I'm gonna manly input it where I'm always the first pick like the pick before my dad.

SPEAKER_01: 38:06

Well, you you guys don't realize you know, we were talking before the draft last week, and he goes, You're gonna get the last pick. So I thought he was just gonna design me to have the last pick. I just I just begin with because I've done really well being there. I was in the middle this time. I I really did hate having the first pick last year. I hated that.

SPEAKER_00: 38:29

It's a hard spot to have for sure, but yeah, yeah, I mean you did really well at that eight spot for sure. You you got some back to backs that really made a lot of sense. So we'll see.

SPEAKER_04: 38:38

Um I'm the I'm the one that had the eighth spot this year.

SPEAKER_00: 38:41

Oh, you had the eight spot, yeah. You were the one that was was uh was crushing it, man.

SPEAKER_01: 38:46

Yeah, I was like I I'll I'll be honest, I think right in the middle you get pretty good close players, yeah. Each time you draft with that snake draft. I really liked that position, it was great.

SPEAKER_04: 39:01

All right, well, I think I think I was from now on, situation.

SPEAKER_00: 39:06

Hey, the the yeah, the the um whoever wins has to to be in the middle. That should be the newer role.

SPEAKER_01: 39:13

Well, I I thought for sure he was gonna say, Oh, we're not gonna just do a random draft, we're gonna do in the order of finish next year. Well, but if you win, you win, you're you're gonna draft last. Yeah, you know, it's gonna be you know, last place gets first. If we did that, I'm okay with it. I really you know it's all in fun, it keeps me more in tune to hockey. Um, my only problem is I'm I'm highly competitive, and I gotta I gotta tell you, Eric, you were my inspiration last year. When you you send pictures of four Hall of Famers helping you beat us at fantasy hockey, it was a goal to win again because I had I really didn't even want to play last year with the podcast and everything. Oh it's uh you admit it, it's time consuming.

SPEAKER_00: 40:07

Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_01: 40:09

You know, if you really want to do a great job and manage your team, it's time consuming, and I I was kind of over it, but you know, we did have fun, you know. I I was feeling the same way this year, but the nice thing is, is I think we've got people that actually care. I think we had two people that didn't even make a change on their team last year.

SPEAKER_04: 40:30

Yeah, I dropped them and then I added uh Kevin, I added uh Nicole, and uh Nicole seems like she's all all on board too.

SPEAKER_00: 40:38

So it's gonna be a hunt this year. We're it's gonna be fun. She's already eating some leads, I think.

SPEAKER_04: 40:43

Yeah, everyone's been making moves. I don't think I've made one move. I like my team, so I'm like, I'm good. I think that happened last year too, right? You had the most you had the least amount of I had the least amount of waiver moves out of everyone, and by like a significant chunk.

SPEAKER_01: 40:59

Well, the thing is, you think if you if you if you really draft well and your players play, that happens. What happens is you got guys that you expect to perform and they don't, and I had a lot of that last year, and some of it was like I I saw how you managed in the championship. Man, he's making these little moves. I go, he he's making sure he gets guys playing every day. So finally, I just took I took that and I go, you know, I'll I'll dump these guys and I'll just pick up somebody who's gonna play, and maybe I'm gonna win by a point.

SPEAKER_00: 41:37

And I think you just put our strategy out on public airways, all right.

SPEAKER_01: 41:42

Everyone you know, you know, if you have a great team, you don't need to make those changes, and exactly. And I honestly thought if I would have bet on the rosters that we saw in in the eight-team league last year, I thought Cody had the best team. Uh, and and that's in all honesty. And I bet you if you go back and look at the stats, I think he he led the league in scoring, which I think that's the first time I haven't led the league in scoring, even though I haven't always won the championship. I've usually like number one in in in scoring points, uh fantasy points. He was number one last year. I thought, man, you know, it just leon dreisidel, it's all his fault. I think you I think if you have him, Cody, you should dump him and get somebody else because he's gonna hurt you. Go ahead and let me know right before.

SPEAKER_04: 42:37

So, yes, I had the most points last year.

SPEAKER_01: 42:40

You did I so I rest my case. See, I do pay attention. Okay, I'm gonna get back onto the news. The Oilers have acquired Connor Ingram. Uh, that's a$800 uh thousand dollar retained contract from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for future considerations. He will start the 25-26 seasons with the condors. So I hope the mammoth enjoy those hockey pucks. Future considerations are like a bag of hockey pucks.

SPEAKER_05: 43:11

Yeah, yeah. Now you're up, Kevin. Eric Johnson has retired from professional hockey at the age of 37. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion with the Aves was the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues.

SPEAKER_04: 43:27

All right, you guys want to hear the acquisitions from last year's fantasy? Yeah. All right. Justin had the most with 172 moves. Dad, you had the second most with 164. Eric had 162. Anyone want to guess how many moves I had? 40.

SPEAKER_05: 43:52

I think you mentioned it, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 43:53

30 older button.

SPEAKER_00: 43:54

30. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 43:56

You definitely and and I barely lost to Eric in the semifinal with 30 moves.

SPEAKER_00: 44:02

How many points was the difference? Was it really a half?

SPEAKER_04: 44:05

I um let's see. Can I look at that?

SPEAKER_00: 44:07

See, score it was wild. Because I was watching that the whole night.

SPEAKER_04: 44:12

I was literally at the end of every game. I was like here was the final Eric. You had 757.3. I had 755.25. So it's 2.05 points.

SPEAKER_01: 44:29

And uh just and this is in all honesty, you would have waxed him if I didn't tell him to hey, are you gonna like do anything with your team on a f the Friday? He had he spent three days where I saw that he didn't play players that were playing, so it wasn't just the dry sidle move. Yeah, he got so busy he in the middle of a heated battle with you, forgot to to uh do his team.

SPEAKER_00: 44:57

You would have definitely brought it, Cody, for sure. It would have been you and your dad in that championship if I I would have got my ass kicked.

SPEAKER_01: 45:03

He had the best team.

SPEAKER_00: 45:05

There's a dollar in the jar.

SPEAKER_04: 45:09

Tell him. Um, okay, so we're on the Eric Johnson one, right? So Eric Johnson has a fit.

SPEAKER_01: 45:18

What's already he already did that? I'm up. The Florida Panthers have re-signed Nico McCola to an eight-year. No, to an eight-year five million AAV contract extension.

SPEAKER_00: 45:36

That was bad.

SPEAKER_01: 45:38

I know.

SPEAKER_00: 45:38

Hey, that sounds like that's uh that sore throat loss, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 45:43

Ricola there we go. Hey, you gotta have fun with it. You screw it up, you just have fun with it.

SPEAKER_04: 45:49

All right, so is it is it my turn again?

SPEAKER_01: 45:51

Yes, all right.

SPEAKER_04: 45:52

The Calgary Flames have signed head coach Ryan Huska to a two-year contract extension through 2028.

SPEAKER_00: 46:01

Cool. Uh is it me, I guess? Yeah, TJ Oshi, this super cool guy. I love it.

SPEAKER_04: 46:14

He did so great during the playoffs. I I I loved his the his work and everything. I've always liked him as a player. TJ Sochi is how I remember him from the Olympics. Like I said, I'm so glad he got this gig. I think he's in a just excel there. What a shootout expert he was.

SPEAKER_05: 46:33

Oh, yeah. All right, and then uh uh Kevin, you're up. Oh, okay. Tampa Bay quietly extended head coach John Cooper's contract without making an official announcement. The exact duration of the extension is uncertain, but he has now signed beyond the upcoming season.

SPEAKER_04: 46:49

Which I kind of didn't want him to re-sign because I know there was rumors about him like going to Utah. Because I know him and Ryan Smith are like buddies. And can you imagine John Cooper coming over here, coming to Utah and coaching over there? I think that would have been great for Utah, though.

SPEAKER_01: 47:08

Do you notice how Cody just skipped me and went right to Kevin? Yep. But that's okay. I'll I'll allow it.

SPEAKER_04: 47:17

Yeah, because I want you to say the Oilers news.

SPEAKER_01: 47:23

Oh, that okay. The Oilers have signed head coach Chris Knobloch to a three-year contract extension through the 28-29 season.

SPEAKER_05: 47:33

Yeah, I mean, he got the better last season.

SPEAKER_04: 47:36

Yeah, all right, and then the last RFA is officially signed. Nashville have signed RFA forward Luke Evangelista to a two-year deal with three million AAV.

SPEAKER_00: 47:51

And my daughter Jessa wanted this goalie in fantasy. I said, probably not a time to select the goalie, but uh Justin picked him up. Minnesota Wild have signed goalie Philip Gustafsson to a five-year 6.8 million AAV uh contract extension, and his deal begins in 26 and 27, and he has a lower body injury.

SPEAKER_03: 48:15

No, just oh god.

SPEAKER_04: 48:21

I will imagine uh Eric has one of the coach extensions and he has a lower body injury. Yeah, that is not official news.

SPEAKER_01: 48:31

I just got a text from Eric's wife. She says he has to leave because he has a lower body injury. Oh boy.

SPEAKER_04: 48:39

I'm gonna I'm gonna use that for work. Hey, why aren't you coming in? I have a lower body injury, yeah. Lower body. I'm gonna be out six to eight weeks, lower body injury.

SPEAKER_01: 48:48

Well, your your mom does have a lower body injury.

SPEAKER_04: 48:51

Yeah, well, she's had that for for I think that's like a constant lower body injury for her. Which I mean, me too, with my knees and everything, but uh, we're gonna do a just a quick recap of all the preseason games. I know these games don't really mean anything, it's more just like how the team looks more than anything. Um but uh the ducks last week played the Kings, and that was in Bakersfield, and the Ducks won this game five to three. Um and then in preseason game number five, I was at this game. Uh Darks Ducks versus Sharks, Darks, and they the Darks, the Darks. Yeah, I'm just I'm trying to shorten time, all right. The Darks played, and then um the the D part of arcs, the darks, uh won three to two. Oh, by the way, the new parking structure is free, so you don't have to pay for parking at the at the at the pond anymore. And honestly, it was pretty easy going in and out. It was just as long as you remember where you park, don't be like Kyle from Locked On Ducks and trying to find his car for an after the game for a couple hours. A couple hours? He didn't say how long, but he said it was it was quite some time before he can find his car.

SPEAKER_05: 50:10

Oh no, that's like so.

SPEAKER_04: 50:12

Just remember where you park, and like I said, it was so easy getting in and out, but then again, it was a pre-season game, wasn't really that much. Adam said it's free for now. For now, we'll see. Yeah, I I I could believe that though. Free for now, but until we go to slightly. Yeah, it it was pretty easy getting in and out, but like I said, that was at a preseason game. I'll find out more on the home opener game. I'll let you, I'll give a little update on that and how that will be free when we sign McDavid next year. Yeah, that's true. That's true. And then uh the last preseason game uh was Wednesday the first, and the ducks won this at the Sharks Arena five to two. And then, Dad, you want to go over your games real quick?

SPEAKER_00: 50:55

No, but I will just point out the last three games we did win them in the preseason. That's good momentum, right? Good momentum, and then going on to stay, too.

SPEAKER_01: 51:05

Yes. Um, of course, Cody talked about this game. Uh, the uh ducks beat the Kings uh 5-3 in Bakersfield on the Saturday last week. Uh then on Tuesday they were at the mammoth. Um, I think that was in Idaho, yeah, and the Kings won that game 3-2. What'd you call me? Mammoth? It would the it does fit. No, the Idaho part.

SPEAKER_04: 51:36

What are you? Idaho. Idaho? Idaho.

SPEAKER_01: 51:41

Oh god.

SPEAKER_04: 51:43

Sorry.

SPEAKER_01: 51:44

Where's the comment from your mom?

SPEAKER_04: 51:47

I didn't use disappointing me. I didn't use any of the square jar words, okay?

SPEAKER_01: 51:53

And then they played um in Utah and lost two to one. The Kings actually played pretty well in this game, it just they couldn't score. So, but they weren't playing everybody anyway, so it really doesn't matter. Yeah, um, it's still preseason. And our upcoming games for this next week. Wow, I got three games. You only have one.

SPEAKER_04: 52:16

Oh, yeah, because you guys are also part of the the opening night, and you have a back-to-back, and you guys play two games before the ducks even play one.

SPEAKER_00: 52:26

Just like you guys might be 0-2 before we become one and up, yeah, and then we'll be 0-3 after. So things are looking up.

SPEAKER_01: 52:38

You want to go over your game, Cody?

SPEAKER_04: 52:40

Uh yeah, so the ducks will play on October 9th, and I believe that is a third this Thursday, and the Ducks will be in Seattle going against the Kraken, and I'm gonna predict I'm gonna say a 4-2 win for the for Anaheim. Okay, you like 4-2 there? I like 4-2.

SPEAKER_01: 53:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_04: 53:04

What do you got?

SPEAKER_01: 53:06

What do I I got three of probably higher ranked playoff teams in a row? Oh, wow. Only one game at home. But you know what? I'm gonna go bold. Either go bold or go home. I'm gonna say in game one against the Avalanche on opening night of hockey that the Kings beat the Avalanche four to three. Then they have to fly to Vegas and play the next night against the Knights. And you know what? I think Marner is gonna disrupt their flow, and the Kings are gonna beat them four to two. And then they're at Winnipeg uh three days later, and I the Jets uh they're gonna beat the Kings three to two. That's my predictions.

SPEAKER_04: 53:53

So you've you have the Kings winning four three against Avalanche, right? Kings winning four-two against the Knights, yep, and then a lot three-two to the Jets.

SPEAKER_01: 54:02

Yeah, and you had a what four-two for the for the against the Kraken?

SPEAKER_04: 54:06

Yeah, I already wrote it on the notes. So all right. Uh do you guys have any predictions for your those games too, Eric? For the Ducks?

SPEAKER_00: 54:16

You know, I think the Ducks, I was thinking more like uh like a three-to-one game there. I just don't know if the Kraken are gonna score much. Is it where's the wall at? Is he gonna be ready for opening night? He's he's playing tonight. Okay, he'll be back. So yeah, he'll be back a three-to-one type game there. Not as far as the Queens go. I don't know, man. The Avalanche. I I think the Avalanche might put up a maybe we shut maybe they shut him out that first game.

SPEAKER_04: 54:47

You so you think uh Mackenzie Blackwood's gonna get a shutout?

SPEAKER_00: 54:51

Yeah, why not, right? 3-0. That would be altering to the Queens for the first game, and then the Knights, they'll they'll I think the Kings will beat the Knights, to be honest with you. And then Winnipeg's tough. So I think they go one and two to last those first three games. I think we're 1-0 at the end of the week. Um, but we'll see what the following after this schedule starts to get a little rougher, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 55:15

What about you, uh, Kevin? What do you got for the Kings?

SPEAKER_05: 55:17

Well, the Kings have like a really rough start to the season, right? So within the first eight games, they're playing seven of those are playoff teams. So that right from last year. So that really sucks. But um, I'll be a bit of a homer here. They're gonna beat the Avalanche. I I don't know if I really believe that, but we'll say it's gonna be three, two. I Kings in that last game in Sammut, they really couldn't put the the biscuit in the basket, as they say. So maybe a little rust coming in.

SPEAKER_01: 55:42

The biscuit in the basket. I love it.

SPEAKER_05: 55:46

I'll know. Yeah, so I mean, I guess I don't know. Well, yeah, they looked a little rusty there, but I'll back them against the knights. We'll back them again. Let's go. I like 4-2 on that one. We'll take we'll take the Kings 4-2 against the Golden Knights, and then against the Jets. I mean, the Jets are gonna be tough to play in the regular season, right? So let's go 3-1. The Jets are gonna win that game.

SPEAKER_01: 56:08

Okay, I think we got a future podcaster on on our uh episode this time, Cody. For sure. Yeah, he he's your replacement. Oh, there we go.

SPEAKER_04: 56:20

Hey, you know, do you he he has podcast experience?

SPEAKER_01: 56:24

Part of the job description is you have to screw up some of the hockey names to make it funny. It's an easy job, but somebody has to do it. Just gonna say that.

SPEAKER_04: 56:33

That's true. Oh uh, I can make multiple biscuits shirts. Adam can make them that's great. All right, so let's move on to our division rankings. Oh boy, I know, I know.

SPEAKER_00: 56:51

Last year we were awful, right? I mean, how many how many did we actually hit? There was only a couple, right?

SPEAKER_01: 56:56

So, how are we doing the okay? How we do it are we gonna do a point system, Cody? We could do a point system. Did you work out a point system? Because you talked about it.

SPEAKER_04: 57:04

I think I think you and I discussed, like, I think we get a point for everyone we get right, and the of the uh of the regular standings of the regular point for everybody that's right, yeah, and then you get an uh three points if you get the a team right in the in the final.

SPEAKER_01: 57:24

Okay, so one point and three points.

SPEAKER_00: 57:26

Got it. All right, whoever loses has to stand on a corner with a big sign on their thing and a costume, right?

SPEAKER_01: 57:34

And wait, did you say on their thing?

SPEAKER_00: 57:41

On their neck, what does that mean? On their neck, goodness gracious, big sign that says I'm terrible at predicting at predicting hockey games. And you gotta stand in front of the the staple center or uh the pond.

SPEAKER_01: 58:00

Oh what about you?

SPEAKER_00: 58:02

I'll go to the defunct mullet center or where I will stand in front of Gila River, whatever it is.

SPEAKER_04: 58:12

Kevin will go to Vancouver. Yeah, I'll be up in Vancouver.

SPEAKER_01: 58:15

That will be Adam will donate the sign no matter the size. Oh my god. Oh man, yeah, you guys, I'm having fun today. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04: 58:31

Oh boy. All right. What division do we want to start with?

SPEAKER_05: 58:35

Oh, how about one of the hard ones? Because we were to me and you, Cody, were talking, and we said Atlantic, and was it central? Oh, central. No, yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, the central is when he says hard.

SPEAKER_04: 58:44

Yeah, so all right. Uh let's start with Atlantic first, then. All right. So let's we'll go from eight to one. Oh boy, you guys are all. I'm the only one that's off. Yeah, I don't know why you have that team last.

SPEAKER_01: 58:58

I gotta tell you, that team right there is another one of those teams. If they put it all together, oh my god.

SPEAKER_00: 59:08

You you really think they're that good? I I can't I didn't know that you already got Lane Hudson, didn't they?

SPEAKER_01: 59:13

Who they noah Dobson, no Dobson. I mean, they got two great defensemen. Uh, I mean, you got um called their trophy winner next year, too, maybe Ivan Demodov.

SPEAKER_04: 59:24

Yeah, they probably have one of the best power play units, like number one power play units in the world.

SPEAKER_01: 59:29

I just think if they put it together, that's the funny thing about this whole thing. Who would have predicted Boston being as bad as they were? I mean, I was the closest, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 59:40

You were the closest.

SPEAKER_01: 59:41

You guys all had them up at the top. I had them what fourth or fifth, and they were awful. I mean, you just never know what's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_04: 59:50

So you so Eric's got Montreal fourth last year, yeah. Okay, and then Eric had them third, so it's not like we were too far off.

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:01

Yeah, well, but you guys talked about it. I go, I didn't I told you guys I don't think they're gonna be as good as they were. I did say that I didn't know they'd be that bad though. Oh, yeah, that was awful.

SPEAKER_04: 1:00:11

All right, so Central. I'll go through Atlantic. Oh, sorry, Atlantic. Sorry. All right, let's all do our our team who's gonna be in last. Um, I'll go first. I have the Sabres in eighth. Um they didn't get really that much better. They got rid of one of their top forwards, but I mean they did get good pieces back in that trade, but I still don't think it was enough. So and this especially with this.

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:43

This uh division is just it's too tough, and I don't think they're so Cody has in eighth place the Buffalo Sabres.

SPEAKER_00: 1:00:51

Yep. Because they're strictly internal development over there. So they're trying to hope that you know Rasmussen and Benson and all those guys can come together. So that team there is definitely understandable. I just think they get a little bit better, so I've got them a little bit higher. And you have what Montreal 8, right? Yeah, yeah. I've got Montreal. I don't know why. I mean, I I see what you mean. Like their first line is good, but like Caulfield last year, I don't I he didn't stand out to me. I mean, Suzuki was hit or miss, so um, I don't know. I I just have them uh kind of die degressing, right? Is that the word degressing going the wrong direction there?

SPEAKER_01: 1:01:35

Yeah, we got Kevin's up.

SPEAKER_05: 1:01:37

Okay, I'm up. Well, I have the Bruins in eighth, but to be honest, I could see the Sabres or Bruins being there. I mean, uh the Bruins, we didn't, I guess we didn't expect them to. I mean, like you guys mentioned, right? We did not expect what happened to them. They had those issues with like Swayman's contract. It was like a huge public thing, I feel like. Um, new uh coach fired last year. They actually brought in a new coach with Marco Sturm, who me and Gary should be kind of familiar with at this time in Ontario, right? I mean, actually, I I think very highly of this guy. I think it's gonna be another year of regression for them, but maybe with an eye on the future. I mean, they got rid of their captain last year, too, Marshon. So I guess we'll see. But I think I think it'll be a year of regression with maybe an eye towards the future eventually, because I do trust Marco Sturm to do something eventually.

SPEAKER_00: 1:02:19

I think I think Boston, it's geeky's that's the the question mark there, right? In the first one.

SPEAKER_04: 1:02:25

Well, he had a he had a decent season last year, but uh Eric, real quick, you said Suzuki didn't do much last year.

SPEAKER_00: 1:02:34

You know, I thought he was I thought he was streaky.

SPEAKER_04: 1:02:36

His stats are good, but I thought it was you know, he was 14th in points last year, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 1:02:43

14th in the whole league. In the whole league, yeah. In the whole league. But if he's the only one doing anything, what does it matter?

SPEAKER_05: 1:02:49

Yeah, I guess they're gonna have to count on Line coming back too, right? I mean, he'll be back for this year.

SPEAKER_04: 1:02:53

Line will just be a power play merchant, and that's it.

SPEAKER_01: 1:02:56

Yeah, but when he was playing, he was playing well. On the power play, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 1:03:01

Well, true, yeah. He's not a he's not a five on five. They just need help, like they just gotta they gotta get it together.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03:10

So yeah, we're off topic. We're talking about a team we haven't even talked about yet. So I got my eighth pick, it was the Buffalo Sabres. Okay, I just think they're cursed. Yeah, they're sort of like Boston was before they won the World Series in Chicago. I mean, it took them like a hundred years to win something.

SPEAKER_00: 1:03:32

So yeah, sorry.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03:36

So so so we'll we'll we'll we'll we'll snake it just like we did the hot uh fantasy draft. I'll pick my seventh place team and and then Kevin and then Eric and then Cody, and then we'll just snake it back. How's that work? So you're not always going first. Um I have Boston. Oh, wait a second. We're atlantic, yeah. I have Boston coming in seventh.

SPEAKER_05: 1:04:04

Yeah. Well, I've got I've got Buffalo coming in seventh. I mean, to me, Boston Buffalo could be flipped around. Sabres have longest playoff drought. They got rid of, I mean, they I guess they got Michael Kesslering and uh Josh Doan, but they got rid of JJ Petrka in that deal. Don't know how that's gonna possibly help them. I guess they did pick up Alex Lyon, which is arguably the best free agent goaltender available this year, but is that enough to move the needle? I don't think so. So yeah, seventh or eighth would work for them.

SPEAKER_00: 1:04:31

Yeah, I think any of these six, seven, or eight are kind of interchangeable. Yeah, I mean, I've got Boston there, could have been Buffalo, but I think Boston's on the wrong track. There, and like I said, I think Geeky's the guy that is gonna kind of stand out. If he has a good year like he did last year, then they're gonna be a good team. But there's some big question marks. The other thing is Swayman, I think, messed them up last year with that whole contract situation. He had some good games, there, you know, nothing to stand out. So if he has a full year, is it are they gonna be good potentially? But Corpusalo, I'm not a big fan of myself um in general, but you know, he's gonna have to defend the net every couple nights, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_04: 1:05:13

Yep. I also got Boston at seven, so and Eric pretty much said exactly what I was thinking. So all right, so let's we'll go back the other way. Six in the Atlantic. I have the Montreal Canadians.

SPEAKER_00: 1:05:26

Yep. And then uh I slid the uh sabers in here, and I'm just hoping for development on that line. Um, I mean, you know, Tage is there, he's been there for a long time, and Dolen, they'll do their thing. Um, just hoping some of these young guys come around them. Um, but we've got a kid that his dad played here in Arizona, Shane Done. Josh Stone sitting on their third line, so hoping maybe he'll do something for them. I know it's a long shot, but um hoping that lineage will kick in. Um, but yeah, it's a tough team, but like you said, any six, seven, and eight could be any of these three teams. Yeah.

unknown: 1:06:05

Fair.

SPEAKER_05: 1:06:06

Um, yeah, I'm gonna go. Well, I went Detroit with mine again. I mean, well, they've had a I think toward looking ahead, they can look ahead and be a little optimistic, but maybe not yet. And like the Sabres, they have a really long playoff drought, right? So don't know if that's gonna come to an end now, but um, they do have a couple of familiar faces for both of us, right? They have Todd McClellan there and then uh and then Gibson and goal now, too. So yeah, right.

SPEAKER_04: 1:06:28

And Gibson and goal.

SPEAKER_01: 1:06:32

And I also have Detroit in the sixth place in the Atlantic. Um the Iserman curse is gonna go another year because they have talent there, they just don't win. I don't even know why. I mean, they got a they got a lot of good players on the team, and they just don't seem to win. And I I think Gibson's gonna be injury prone once again. Um even though I did pick him up in fantasy, my last last goalie to pick up. But I mean, you can pretty much exchange the extra goalie at the end with just about anybody, just if you want to. But and then I'm going first, we're fifth in the Atlantic, and I've got the Ottawa Senators. Okay, nice.

SPEAKER_05: 1:07:20

Uh I I have Montreal. Uh I I don't know. I really like the look of them in the like the second half of last season or towards the end of last season. They did get rid of some veteran guys like Armia's gone now. I mean, he's under the Kings, but I don't know. That Noah Dobson coming in is like I feel like that's a huge addition to them as well. I I think that they are just they're gonna be like right on the edge of being a wild card team. Maybe they get in. I don't know. We'll see.

unknown: 1:07:44

Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 1:07:45

I've got Detroit here, and I think I think you're right, Gary, that Gibson probably does battle injuries, but Cam Talbot several times in fantasy came up big for me. So just in thinking, I'm like that that if they are healthy, the two of them, that's actually a pretty good combo there in net. Um, so I think they're for the start of the season, I'm gonna say um they're a little bit underrated, but also that second line in Detroit's pretty nice with Kane and uh um with Casper and De Brincat. So I, you know, their first and second lines aren't terrible. Um, so I think they got a chance.

SPEAKER_04: 1:08:22

Yeah, I I also have Detroit. Um, to be all honest, like I I you could flip-flop five and six with me too. But I I think Detroit's gonna they have the number one goalie. I and I think Todd McClone's gonna be there for a full year now. I think they're gonna take a step up and I think probably may barely make the playoffs or barely miss. It's gonna be one of the two. But they're gonna be either the last one in or the first or the pretty much the last the first one out. Wow. All right, and then number four, I have Florida. Uh I probably would have had them a little higher if it wasn't for the injuries. It was in your captain for the regular season. Matthew Kuk isn't gonna be playing till January, probably. So I I have uh Florida being a wild card team this season.

SPEAKER_00: 1:09:19

I can see that. I've I've got Ottawa here, um, and that's just I just think they're gonna be a year better. Um, and I think they've got the pieces. Their first line was Giroud and Stutzel and Kachuk. That's a good line. So um, and Linus has always been a good goalie. I think he beat me a few times on your team, Cody, at one point last year. So probably um just kind of looking at that. I I like Ottawa here in the fourth spot.

SPEAKER_05: 1:09:46

Nice. Um, I was kind of thinking like you, Cody. Um, Florida in fourth for me. I mean, they they re-signed everyone they needed to, right? Um, Bennett, Ekblad, and then uh Marshand as well. But then also have some serious injuries, like you mentioned to uh Kachuk, Barkov, and then also Thomas Noshek. So they are going to be missing all these guys for a significant amount of time. That sucks for them. But last year, I think for them it's about just getting in the playoffs, right? If they get there, then we'll see what happens, right? And that's kind of what happened last year, too. I don't think they had did they not have home ice advantage for the entire playoffs?

SPEAKER_04: 1:10:19

Yeah, they didn't have any home ice advantage at all, right?

SPEAKER_05: 1:10:22

Which would have been the first time since the 2012 Kings, right? So I think for them, as long as they get in, they'll be okay. Um, maybe Kachuk Barkov, all these guys magically come back in time. Hopefully, I don't know what the deal with Barkov is. It sounds like he's gonna be out maybe the whole year, but um, hopefully.

SPEAKER_04: 1:10:36

He's out the whole year. Yeah, so hopefully, I mean he's he had a but he could be back by the playoffs.

SPEAKER_05: 1:10:43

Yeah, that's I've I've heard that. Yeah, that's possible. So I don't know. We'll see what happens there.

SPEAKER_00: 1:10:47

But yeah, I think they'll just got a lot of guys that have done very well over the last few years. So I think somebody will stand up if it's Lindell or one of those guys will stand up.

SPEAKER_05: 1:10:57

Yeah, that that's a good point. Yeah, so I mean once they get in, they'll be fine, right? Yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 1:11:03

Well well, I have in fourth, I have the the Montreal Canadiens. I have some a feeling they're going to be a lot better than they were last year, and they were a playoff team. But I can tell you I had Ottawa Fifth, Detroit sixth. I think any of those could be anywhere in this area, and maybe even up to third, depending on how well Florida plays. But Florida's got all that veteran talent on there. I know they'll miss Barkoff and Kachuk, but I think I don't know. I still think Florida will come in third. So that's my number three team.

SPEAKER_04: 1:11:49

Uh huh.

SPEAKER_05: 1:11:51

Kevin. Uh number three, I have Ottawa, so they should not regress, I don't think, this year. Um, I don't know. Getting Spence is gonna be exciting to their decor. I know that's like a very king-centric take, but like I think that'll be helpful for them. I mean, at the deadline last time they got cousins in Zetterland, that was Zetterland struggled, but I think I don't know, they did extend him right this summer, so I feel like they do believe in him. Yeah, so uh Ottawa is gonna take another step forward. I I see them finishing in third.

SPEAKER_00: 1:12:17

Eric. Uh I've got Toronto here, so I'm still loyalist to the to the old Florida teams here. So I've got them above them, but Toronto's gotten much better, and uh I just don't know what they do when Stellares isn't in net. So I mean, uh their backup, I have no idea even who he is.

SPEAKER_04: 1:12:35

So Joe Joseph Joe Joseph Wall.

SPEAKER_00: 1:12:39

Oh, yeah. It wasn't Hildeby, or is he the guy that's in that?

SPEAKER_04: 1:12:42

Yeah, he's he's like their third. Hildeby is yeah, their third.

SPEAKER_00: 1:12:46

Yeah, so I just think that's a big gap for them, but they're gonna score for sure. That first line, too, is is really good. So I just think they're not as good as a seasoned Florida team or a even seasoned Tampa team.

SPEAKER_04: 1:12:59

I I agree. I also have Toronto third as well. So and then uh I and I gotta I think I'm the one that has them this high, but I got the senators in the two spot. Wow, I noticed that.

SPEAKER_01: 1:13:10

Um I I you know, I think that's a possibility. It is. But they seem to be a team that's always cursed somehow, some way, anyways. That's why I had them so much lower.

SPEAKER_04: 1:13:23

Yeah, I I had them there just because especially after watching the NHL face-off with because the first episode was just about the Kachuk brothers, and it was more about Brady because Brady played a lot more, but I was definitely more motivated, and I'm glad I kept. I think he's hungry. He had the taste of the four nations, you know, he's gonna be on the Olympic roster. I think he has that that will to take the senators higher this year. So okay.

SPEAKER_00: 1:13:54

You're up again, Eric. Uh, I've got Tampa coming back. I mean, Vasileski with a whole year might uh might be a nice uh addition for them. I mean, Kutarov, where did Kutaroff end in the points? Do you have that sitting there? I think Kutaroff great point.

SPEAKER_04: 1:14:13

The guy that I want to he was number one with 121 points, yeah. He won the uh scoring title.

SPEAKER_01: 1:14:21

So right, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 1:14:23

So I think he can I think he'll replicate that and maybe not win it, but he'll definitely be up there. So the question I have is obviously like JJ Moser, guys like that, that are kind of guys that need to break out. Um, so we'll see. But I've got them seasoned at number two.

SPEAKER_05: 1:14:39

Okay. Nice. Um, and then that leaves Toronto at number two for me. Austin Matthews back to full health. I mean, we'll see him scoring a billion goals this year. Uh, it'll be interesting to see what happens with Marn. Oh, well, the situation with Marner, right? So that's a huge hole for them to fill. But um, I don't know, maybe Misselli can pick up some of that playmaking, find what he was maybe earlier in his career. They well, he got traded directly for Nicholas Watt, right? So that will add some depth for them. I think he's gonna play the 3C maybe for them. And then Dakota Joshua also came in. So there were no huge like free agents available for them to like directly replace Marner, but maybe with some of these like depth moves, Austin Matthews being back to full health, they can be up you know, around that level again. So we'll we'll put him second.

SPEAKER_01: 1:15:23

I I too agree that Toronto in second place in the Atlantic. Um, sometimes less is more, and I think maybe the distraction with that Marner had not signing last year might have hurt them even in the playoffs because they took Florida seven games. So, you know, I have Toronto coming in second, and then I get to be the first one to pick a first place team. And I got Tampa Bay winning the Atlantic. I think they're gonna be tough. That's just one team that never seems to get they always seem to get something enough to be close. And with Florida hurt and injured, I think Tampa Bay might be the team to take it. That's what I think is gonna happen.

SPEAKER_05: 1:16:14

I I agree. Uh, I have Tampa Bay also in first. They're running it back, they've got the same defense core, they've got basically the same, well, the same top nine forwards pretty much this year, too. So I don't see why they can't be a Stanley Cup contender. I mean, they've they've done it more than once in recent years, right? And then also, I mean, you have when you have a guy like Vasilevsky, I mean, he's gonna steal a game for you every once in a while, right? So I don't see why they can't, uh why they can't win the division, why they can't be a Stanley Cup contender either.

SPEAKER_01: 1:16:40

Well, they got they're very they're very they're very strong down the middle, they've got a guy who can score, they got a defenseman headman, and they also got probably top three goalie in Vasilski, so why not? Eric, who do you have number one?

SPEAKER_00: 1:16:58

Well, I gotta hang with the guys down in South uh Florida, so I'm I'm gonna stick with the Florida Panthers as winning this division, and that's just geared upon that's a team that's played together for a while. They get it. Um, yes, losing Barkov sucks, but at the end of the day, they do have some young talent that can step up. So, like we were talking, Lundell, but they added Marshawn. So their second line is is maybe not a top line, but it's gonna get stuff done. And then their first line is really competitive with Reinhardt and Verhage and uh Bennett. So those guys, uh, I think Florida comes back and does what they do. Their coach has been there forever. So, I mean, I think it's hard to beat a team that's got history behind it.

SPEAKER_04: 1:17:41

All right, I also have Tampa Bay as well. Pretty much the exact same reasons as Kevin and my dad. Uh, you know, they're they're running it back with mostly the same squad, so they didn't really lose much. I think they just lost one defenseman, but I I I still think it's that's not enough to I think they have enough uh players there to to keep them at the top. So I'm gonna stay with lightning at number one. Okay. All right, dad. Dad, why don't you uh start with the metro?

SPEAKER_01: 1:18:12

Okay, so the metro. Um even though they they they picked up uh the Michigan kid, if you get what I mean. Uh I have the Flyers coming in eighth.

SPEAKER_04: 1:18:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 1:18:33

I think Sid the Sid the kid, even though he's not a kid anymore, is gonna play well enough to elevate them over the Flyers. So I have Philly coming in eighth.

SPEAKER_05: 1:18:45

Yeah, I mean, well, Crosby has had what three straight 90-point seasons, right? So that's I mean, hard to bet against him. Although I am, I put them in eighth. A lot of a lot of I don't know, a lot of uncertainty there too, right? With the owners. I know FSG is their owners and they own my favorite soccer team. So I'm sort of like invested in this whole situation with them right now. And um, it's I don't know. It sounds like they might get sold throughout um in the middle of the year. I feel like they're they might be in the the McKenna sweep stakes come the end of the season. Uh definitely will be if I'm right, that they're finishing eighth. Um, and I kind of think that's where they're gonna be. There's new coaching staff there as well. So um, yeah, not not not really gonna be their year, right? Yep.

unknown: 1:19:25

Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 1:19:26

Um, I agree with Gary. Um, I always looked uh, I mean, I looked at Philadelphia and said, wow, they've got this tip at Zigris line, or you know, that makes sense to me. But when you start to look in net, Hersan was not very uh he's average and he's their starting guy. So I've kind of I'm kind of thinking this group's gonna need some more years on it. So that's why I've got them at eight.

SPEAKER_04: 1:19:51

Uh I I don't trust Pittsburgh's uh goalies one bit. Jari's been either hurt or uh, you know, he lets in the first shot every time. I think I I I swear I think he is like number one in NHL history to give up a goal in the first shot of the game. I want to say. I know he's up there, but I I and they don't really have much around him. And Malkin's are they already talking about trading Malkin. He's not coming back. There's always rumors about Crosby, but I know he's saying he's not leaving, but I I just it just doesn't look good for Pittsburgh in my opinion. And they honestly, and they should be the team that does stay at the bottom.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20:35

I didn't know if you noticed the notes, but uh we we have uh somebody wants to join our Discord, so he has to be added.

SPEAKER_04: 1:20:45

So no, I I I'll I think that could be just a bot person. Don't worry about it.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20:52

Okay. Alright. Alright, you you're you you pick number seven, Cody, and the Metro.

SPEAKER_04: 1:20:58

Alright, uh number seven, I have the Islanders. Um they could um, you know, I I they got Schaefer, but I don't know how much he's gonna be or anything like that. Um I don't know if he's gonna be playing with them or not yet, so I still think it's gonna be enough for them to do that well, but um I have them at seventh pretty much. But I think Sorokins will be the only reason why they're not last place for me.

SPEAKER_00: 1:21:30

I agree with you. I've got I've got the Islanders at seven also. I like the the rookie coming up the defenseman Schaefer, but what else is there to talk about other than Sorokin? So um that's a team that needs some pieces, so I've got them at seven.

SPEAKER_05: 1:21:46

Yeah, for my seventh, I have I have Philly. I actually feel like I don't know, all of our choices so far can I mean they can all almost switch with each other, right? I wouldn't, at least for my prediction, I wouldn't mind it. I feel like they're all gonna be in and around that same area, but yeah, I mean they added Zgris, right? You'll be there 2C, I think, and then that helps a lot with their power play, which really was not wasn't it was it sucked, right? So that's gonna help them a bit. Um, I don't know. Hopefully, Ziegris gets back to like 50 plus points at least. We'll see how he does over there in Philly. Um, I I think they might I don't know if they're gonna be a lottery team necessarily, but also um, I don't know. I guess they hope to see some steps forward from the younger guys, right? So Philly and seventh.

SPEAKER_01: 1:22:24

Okay, so uh I have uh the state of Pennsylvania in seventh and eighth spots in the Metropolitan. I guess they need to pick it up. I got I got Pittsburgh agreed with uh the goalkeeping thing that Cody talked about. Uh Jari was mediocre at best last year, unless he uh somehow revitalizes what he was before. I got Pittsburgh coming in uh seventh, and then I guess I get to be the number one pick on the sixth, and I have the Islanders there. Uh one step up, I think, from you and you, Cody and Eric. You guys had uh the Islanders seventh. I have them sixth.

SPEAKER_05: 1:23:12

Yeah, yeah. I I did the same. I mean, I don't know how how much Schaefer will play, right? You mentioned that Cody, maybe he gets like a nine-game look or something. I guess we'll see what happens with that. Um, they have Sirokin, so elite in that position at least. Um, I guess we'll see. I can sort of see an argument being made that they can maybe sneak into the playoffs. Maybe I think Patrick Wall might have sort of a long leash there, though, because if things start to unravel there, you might see them trade away guys like like Anders Lee and then just start to rebuild, right? So I think six is fine for them, but I could see them being lower or maybe even higher, maybe.

SPEAKER_04: 1:23:47

Yeah, I can see that.

SPEAKER_00: 1:23:50

Yeah, and I've got Pittsburgh here, and only because of Crosby. I mean, Kevin, you called it out, it's three 90-point years in a row. It's hard to bet against that. And when you look at New York and Philly below them, in my predictions, it's they have nobody like that. So um I'm gonna I'm gonna put Pittsburgh here in six.

SPEAKER_04: 1:24:11

Yeah, in six, I have uh Philadelphia. I think with Ziegris going there, their power play will be a little bit better. He'll match up with Mechkoff. Um I I think they'll be just a little bit better team than last year, so I have them in this in the sixth spot. And then uh we're gonna move on to the five spot. And uh looks like we all got the same answer. Well, I think the next week do we?

SPEAKER_01: 1:24:40

Okay, so Cody took away our uh airtime, guys. How do you feel about that?

SPEAKER_04: 1:24:45

Well, I mean, we're we're already at almost an hour and a half, so I think we should probably get this going a little bit more. I have the blue jackets at number five, and I've I guess we all do.

SPEAKER_01: 1:24:56

Are we just gonna go and agree on that one?

SPEAKER_04: 1:24:58

Yeah, and then we're gonna go.

SPEAKER_01: 1:25:00

I hope we do better though, in my honest opinion. Um, so now we're talking about the number four spot. Yeah, I'm leading off. I think I've got the Rangers gonna make a little bit of a comeback from whatever happened to them last year, because I still think they got a lot of talent on that team. And uh, you know, and one thing about the Rangers, you know, their number one defense offensive defenseman now has one of the best defensive defensemen, at least from last year, playing with them. Um, they got Gaverkoff to play with Fox, and I think that's gonna make a huge difference in how they play. I mean, because Gaverkoff was just incredible with the Kings last year. So I have the Rangers in fourth.

SPEAKER_05: 1:25:52

Yeah, same. I mean, yeah, they I mean they won the President's trophy a few years back, right? So I mean, a lot of those faces are still there, a lot of them aren't. Um, but that being said, I mean, that top pairing, right? Um, Adam Fox and then Vladislav Gavarkov. I mean, when you add actually, when you look at it, Gavarkov was probably the best free, other than Marner, of course, he was probably the best free agent available, period. And they, I mean, that's a huge addition for them. We saw him even wear the A in some of the preseason games, right? So that's pretty cool. Um, you have elite goaltending there, um, and then one man's trash is another man's treasure and JT Miller, right?

SPEAKER_01: 1:26:24

So that's exactly they got a whole year of JT Miller and Captain all of us in the Pacific, exactly. Yeah, all of us in the Pacific. We didn't like when we had to play him, right? Yeah, yeah. He's a hell of a player, and he's gonna have uh a little bit more of a being gelled with his teammates. I think I think I the Rangers could be even up higher. I just after last year, I couldn't move them any higher than fourth.

SPEAKER_00: 1:26:55

Yeah, yeah. So who's Eric? I I took New Jersey, I just thought they were on the right track. Um, you know, Jack Hughes full season. Um, Jesper Bratt was was a good one. Um, and then their first line, uh their first power play team is uh is pretty solid. So I'm just playing momentum there and put them at third um at four.

SPEAKER_04: 1:27:19

I I I'm gonna agree with uh the two Kings uh guys on here. I I got the Rangers as well. I think they're gonna be better than last year, but I but I still don't think it's enough. I I think they're just like a fringe wildcard team at best, but but with Shashirkin, you got he that guy could probably steal 82 games a year for them. So he's very good. He's gonna be worth that 11 mil 11 million contract that he's getting a year. So who do you have at number three, Cody? At number three, I got the capitals. Um, I think last year with the whole Gretzky chase, the gold chase, and everything, they were flying high, everything was going good for them. I mean, um Logan Thompson was having a Vesna year. I I'm not saying they're not gonna be good, but I don't think they're gonna be as good as they were last year. So, and I think last year I was the only one that thought they were gonna be better than you guys did, by the way.

SPEAKER_01: 1:28:26

Yeah, you definitely uh had them higher than anybody else did, that's for sure. I know I didn't I didn't believe in them, and they got Dubois, and you yeah, I thought Cancer went to Washington, and he wasn't cancer. No, yeah, good. It was a good move for him, a good move for the Kings because uh well, Betskins vodka helped that camper was in the Vesna finals, so so the both teams the benefit of that's a one of the most even trades, I think I've seen in a long time. At least one for ones, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:29:00

So but yeah, I that's why I have the capitals three. Um Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 1:29:06

I took the Rangers here, along what you guys were talking about. Um, Shisterkin and JT being theirs. I think they get a little bit better this year. Um, I don't think they win the division, but I think they definitely will be top three.

SPEAKER_05: 1:29:20

Nice. I have I have the capitals also like you, Cody, um, kind of for the same reasons as you, right? Maybe they overachieved in certain areas last year, and this is maybe where they, at least in my mind, they more naturally sit. And they probably are gonna lean a little more into the youth, right? I mean, guys like Ryan Leonard are coming up, so I feel like I feel like maybe that's what's gonna start to happen over there. So maybe a slight regression or just maybe a little drop in their points total, but I see them in third.

SPEAKER_01: 1:29:44

Yeah, dad. So so uh I've got the New Jersey Devils there, and you know, uh Jack's had surgery, he's gonna be healthy possibly this year. They just gave Luke Hughes a huge contract, and I think he's gonna try to play to that. And I mean, they've got uh an awesome team there. They could be dangerous. I I think they could even be a Stanley Cup finalist if everything goes perfect for them. So I've got the New Jersey Devils number three in the Metro. Now, speaking of that, I mean I actually could have put them number two, but I thought Washington had a better year last year, and maybe they're even going to get a little bit better because they won it last year. I think they won that a division.

SPEAKER_04: 1:30:42

They won the East. So Washington was number one in the East.

SPEAKER_01: 1:30:47

Right, but they weren't number one to go to the finals. That was Florida. Obviously. But I have Washington at number two.

SPEAKER_05: 1:30:57

Nice. I went with New Jersey at number two. I mean, the re the reasons you mentioned, I mean, they're kind of, yeah, they could be a sneaky like contender, even right. And I guess a lot of that hinges on Jack Hughes's health. I mean, he's had a couple of really serious injuries in the past couple of years, right? But yeah, um, they've had a lot of depth scoring. I mean, Connor Brown comes in, and then last year might have been at the deadline when they added Cody Glass, too, and that'll help too. So I could see the devils being really sneaky good. I I definitely agree with your take, Gary.

SPEAKER_01: 1:31:24

Well, not to mention, uh, he sure had a great year last year. And I know he took a big step up, and if he does it again this year, it it could propel them. So I agree. So, how about you, Eric?

SPEAKER_00: 1:31:39

I just stick with the uh the uh veterans, the guys that have been there before having success this year. So I don't I can't bet against Ovechkin and and his leadership. So I've got him uh Washington in the number two spot here.

SPEAKER_04: 1:31:56

And I have New Jersey's in uh the number two spot. So exact same thing as like uh Kevin was saying. I think Jack Hughes is gonna have a full healthy season. He's gonna be the first devil to reach 100 points in a season.

SPEAKER_01: 1:32:12

I thought we were doing the three spot. No, we already did the three spot. Did everybody do the three spot?

SPEAKER_04: 1:32:18

Yeah, okay. We were on number two.

SPEAKER_01: 1:32:22

Oh, that's right. I did Washington, right? I was the first one to say Washington. Okay, you get to do number one, Cody.

unknown: 1:32:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_04: 1:32:28

Um, and number one, uh, and like I guess I'm I'll spoil it for everyone. Oh, the same thing again. So uh we all uh I have the hurricanes as the number one, just getting Ealers, getting Keandre Miller, and I think Ealers that was like the perfect fit for him. And Carolina finally gets that big time score that they've been needing. So I have Carolina winning the Metro.

SPEAKER_01: 1:32:54

So we're gonna move on to the central.

SPEAKER_05: 1:32:56

Nothing to argue there, no.

SPEAKER_04: 1:32:57

Yeah. All right, and then uh you want to help you want to speed things up with this one too? Okay, how we all have literally the eight and seven spots as the same and the central.

SPEAKER_01: 1:33:13

Okay, so we have I'll have Chicago eighth and Nashville seventh.

SPEAKER_04: 1:33:18

Anyone want to talk about or you guys want want to move on? We can move on with that.

SPEAKER_05: 1:33:24

Um, yeah, I Chicago will be a little better. That's about it.

SPEAKER_01: 1:33:27

Uh, I think Nashville would be a little better, but I don't think they're gonna move up. Yeah, well, Chicago will be less old, at least.

SPEAKER_03: 1:33:33

Yeah, that's true. Less old.

SPEAKER_04: 1:33:35

Uh I'll I'll I'll start with the sixth spot. Um, I have the blues at number six. I I think they've I I I didn't want to put him here, but I looked at everyone above them all like I kind of like the teams more above them more than them, and I think they just got super hot at the right moment last year, and that's what got them into the playoffs. But like I said, I don't, and I said I wish, and I'm glad Cam Fowler got his extension there and everything, too. And I think I forgot to put that in the notes now that I think about it, or unless we talked about it last week, I can't remember. But uh, I hope I hope the blues do good. I've never hated them, even though the ducks can't beat them in the regular season for some reason. But um I I just I like the teams above them a little bit more than I do the blues. And uh Sammy's on the Instagram live, she's saying uh loving the hat, Cody. Nice, yeah. So uh Eric, who do you got number six?

SPEAKER_00: 1:34:37

Hey, we ever thought about getting a queen's hat for Gary.

SPEAKER_01: 1:34:40

Like hey, hey, hey, Eric, you're blinding us. Don't don't don't put your head down. You're blinding me. What's over that?

SPEAKER_00: 1:34:50

Um, hey, so uh Cody, I kind of agree with you. I mean, I you put the blues there, but I put this new mammoth team, formerly known as the Phoenix Arizona Coyotes. Um, I just thought they were gonna be a little better than Chicago and Nashville. That's about the only reason why. So there's no real, I mean, their net is very streaky um and has always been. And then they're just very young. So um I just think they're gonna play better than Chicago and Nashville. That's the only reason I've got them at six.

SPEAKER_05: 1:35:21

Okay, that's fair. Yeah, that's fair. Um, I'm going blues as well at six, though. I mean, I want to like them. I actually want to like them, but you're right, they probably did get hot towards the back end of the definitely in the second half of the season. They'll they didn't have Dylan Holloway in the playoffs, and they actually looked decent in the playoffs. Um, of course, lost in really heartbreaking, tragic fashion.

SPEAKER_04: 1:35:41

But two point something seconds left or 1.6 seconds left, whatever it was.

SPEAKER_05: 1:35:46

Yeah, I'm sure all their fans will remember that number for the rest of their lives because that was brutal to watch. Yeah, but um, yeah, kind of I guess it's kind of like what Eric said to me. It's they're just a little better than the other teams. So I that's where I have them.

SPEAKER_01: 1:35:59

But he had Utah. Yeah, he had Utah.

SPEAKER_05: 1:36:02

Well, I guess the same reasoning, but for a different team, then we'll say.

SPEAKER_01: 1:36:05

Well, either I gotta say, either Eric is gonna be a genius or he's gonna be the one guy that doesn't get it right because I got St. Louis there too.

SPEAKER_00: 1:36:14

Well, look, I'm I'm gonna wear the sign. The the arena is vacant, so uh you guys will be standing with just so Eric word of opinion, don't go to Utah this for the next year.

SPEAKER_01: 1:36:27

So and then and in fifth place, I I've got uh Eric, your Utah Mammoth.

SPEAKER_00: 1:36:34

Yep.

SPEAKER_01: 1:36:36

I I still I just don't believe in them enough yet. I thought they were gonna they had a chance and they were in the playoff hunt last year and then just kind of phased out melted away.

SPEAKER_00: 1:36:46

Yeah, they just don't have enough depth. It's it's wild. It happened here. They're good and then they would fall.

SPEAKER_01: 1:36:52

Well, the the wild haven't been talked about yet.

SPEAKER_00: 1:36:55

No, no.

SPEAKER_05: 1:36:57

So, Kevin, who do you have at fifth? Um, I'm gonna agree with you. The mammoth. I do think I don't know. They they like you're like you said, they were in the playoff hunt, at least for a good section of the season, but I don't know about them. I mean, I like their top line. If they have Gunther Cooley and then JJ Petrka playing together, that's actually pretty cool, but I don't know. Uh I yeah, a fifth sounds right. I think they'll be on like in the playoff hunt. I don't know if they're gonna make it in necessarily.

SPEAKER_01: 1:37:22

Well, they got to have uh Sean Derzy, X-King, uh, not be injured and play like he was playing when he got hurt because he makes a difference in them offensively. So they they do definitely need him to be healthy this year, and it might make a difference to where they land in the in the standings.

SPEAKER_05: 1:37:43

So, yeah, maybe I'm biased because I love Dersey, but totally agree.

SPEAKER_00: 1:37:47

Yep, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 1:37:48

So so Eric Eric, who do you have fifth?

SPEAKER_00: 1:37:50

Well, let's talk about the wild. So here uh Rossi bouncing back now that the contract's behind him. So I think we're uh I think they're gonna be better. So um, and then obviously signing uh Gustafsson just recently, they show their commitment. I think that team's gonna be good. Um, I just don't think they're gonna be better than Colorado and Winnipeg.

SPEAKER_04: 1:38:13

Yeah, um I have I this will probably be the craziest one, and I probably shouldn't be going to Winnipeg for the next year or so, but I have Winnipeg at number five.

SPEAKER_01: 1:38:22

Whoa, I I think that's a big drop. One that's five.

SPEAKER_04: 1:38:28

Yeah, I I know it's a big drop. They lost Ealers. They don't, and like I said, their captain Lowry's gonna be out for a little bit. Taves, you you don't know what you're gonna get from him, you know, after him being out for what two or three seasons now. And like I said, is Hellibuck gonna be the same regular? I know he's been like that, but is there still enough around them to be this great team? You know, like I said, I have them still make the playoffs, but I think they're they're gonna take a drop off this year. You know, I I think Helen Buck is probably gonna they're maybe might play the backup a little bit more, so that's probably gonna hurt them in points a little bit too. So that way Helen Buck is more fresh for the playoffs. So but yeah, they lost Ealers. That's a big that's a big that's a big scoring loss for them. So I know it's a little shocking, but that yeah, that's why I have the Jets there. Then wow.

SPEAKER_01: 1:39:34

But I'm looking at your picks. Let's go, let's go, let's hear number four.

SPEAKER_04: 1:39:39

I got I got mammoth at four. I like the moves they made. I like what they've been doing there. They're gonna have some of their top draft picks. Danielle Boot and then uh Dmitry Shimeshev coming in soon, too. They got Peterka, you know, they didn't have their what top two top four um defensemen for what more than half the year. Derzy was out, Marina was out. Can you imagine if they would have had this full squad the whole time? I think too, right?

SPEAKER_00: 1:40:15

Didn't he go down for a little bit?

SPEAKER_04: 1:40:16

I think he went down for a little bit too. Yeah, you're right.

SPEAKER_00: 1:40:19

Their defense, their defense struggle.

SPEAKER_04: 1:40:22

But you know, if they have a good healthy year, I could see them eat in I can see them being in that four spot or even higher, you know, capable for sure. Yeah, you know, Keller you know looked really good after not making the four nations team and wanted to prove a point. Logan Cooley's another year older. Um, Vemelka looks great in goal. So like I said, I have uh Mammoth at four.

SPEAKER_01: 1:40:51

Yeah, I know he played great against the Kings in that preseason game the other in uh Utah the other night. He would believe me though, I think the Kings could have won that game, but they got goalied by the Melka.

SPEAKER_00: 1:41:04

So who do you have, Eric? Uh I put St. Louis here. So St. Louis to me, like I'm a big Bennington fan. I really think him and Hoffer are good. Um, but I wasn't feeling when you look at the blues uh lines, I feel like it's just like mismatched. So there's there's good guys everywhere, but if they can figure out how to line those guys up the right way, I think that's a really good team. Um, so I see them kind of hanging around uh the playoff conversation as one of those teams that's on the bubble. So I've got St. Louis at four, and they're not gonna be as good as the top three teams in the division. So um they're just better than the uh the middle group in this particular division.

SPEAKER_01: 1:41:48

Okay, you're up, Kev.

SPEAKER_05: 1:41:50

Nice. Well, I'm gonna go with the Minnesota Wild in that one. It'll be interesting to see how they do, right? Erickson Eck, Kyrill are back. I mean, they only played, I think, less than 40 games each last year, so that's or 40-something games last year each. So they'll have them back. Um, they just gave out that huge contract, right? Like 136 million or something to Kyrill. This has to be their window, right? This has to be the window if you're giving out that kind of a deal to someone. They've got to go for it now. I don't know if I don't know if it it it will be though. It is their window. So we'll see. I think they're gonna get in the playoffs and then we see what happens. They've tend to struggle in the first round as we've uh well, as we we also have Gary in the first round, but I think they for them it's might even be even more brutal. So we'll see how that goes. Eight eight years, I want to say something like that, right? Like eight in the last ten or something, yeah. But they've made it and they've lost in the first round every time, right? So um, you'd hope they'd push on with that a player on that kind of a contract. It's gotta be their window, but I guess we'll see. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01: 1:42:46

Well, in fourth place, I have the winner of our March Madness Tournament simulation, the Minnesota Wild. When I heard that, I was going like that's wild, that's wild. Yeah, so I I mean, because Cody did the simulation, he really didn't tell me what happened. I got surprised on the podcast, and I was shocked that the wild did that. But you know, when their number one line is going, I mean they're something. I mean, all three of them had three points in the game against the ducks, and then the next night or the night after that, they played the Kings, and the the Kings defense didn't let them score any. Um so you know, Minnesota when they're on, they're on, and when they're not, they're not. That's why I couldn't move them up any higher than four.

SPEAKER_00: 1:43:44

Very cool team for sure.

SPEAKER_01: 1:43:46

Yes, and then number three. I've got uh the central division last season champions, the Winnipeg Jets. Uh they didn't fall that many spots in mine. I have them at number three.

SPEAKER_05: 1:44:02

And at three, I have the Aves. So they've got Landiscar coming back. That's a huge boost to them, of course. They I don't know if they signed too many players, but they did get the like super old Brett Burns, so that's kind of cool to see. I mean that in a complimentary way, that's awesome, right? Like, I think that's so cool. But holding on to Brock Nelson is probably like one of the I thought he was leaving, right? Or at least that's what the rumor seemed to be. So that was actually pretty big for them to solidify that 2C. So um, I have them in third, and I think where we'll see them do a lot of their damage might be in the playoffs. But I guess it depends on who they they end up playing.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:36

So you got the you got Colorado. Rhett Burns is is very offended by your comments there, Kevin. I mean, you know, they already have the best uh uh uh offensive defenseman in hockey right now, and one of the best forwards in hockey, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:44:54

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:55

Nathan McKinnon is incredible. Uh, anyways, who who do you have in that three-spot Eric?

SPEAKER_00: 1:45:05

Oh, I'm gonna take Dallas here. Um, they get a fool. Yeah, I'm Mr.

SPEAKER_01: 1:45:11

Odinger from last year, and you know, hey, they're gonna win the Super Bowl, or or the kid, but that was joke.

SPEAKER_00: 1:45:19

They're that good. I think the problem was uh, you know, I I just think Colorado and Winnipeg are better teams than those two for the reasons that were kind of mentioned. Um, I just of the three teams, I think Dallas is gonna be the worst of them, and it's gonna be what are they gonna do with Ottinger? Like, I mean, you saw all the fallout from the playoffs and the head coaching change, but the good thing is they do have uh Miko for a full year, so then we'll see what that looks like. But definitely these one, two, and three in this division could easily interchange quickly.

SPEAKER_01: 1:45:53

That that's for sure. I agree with you there.

SPEAKER_04: 1:45:55

How about you, Cody? I have the wild at three. Caprizoff should be healthy for the whole year. Gustafan just got that new that extension. He's definitely a number one goalie. Um, you know, Faber in the back, Spurgeon as the captain, you know, Ericsson Eck, you know, and that they finally got that contract drama done with uh Rossi. I I think this this this team could be a very competitive team in the central. So I'm gonna go with the wild at number three. And then uh to lead us off at number two, I have uh the Avalanche. You know, they got Burns, they got the like I said, probably the number one defenseman and the number two, possibly number one forward in the league with uh McKinnon, you know, the rhinoceros on skates as uh Merrick likes to call them. Um, but and then you know they got their two goalies too with uh the wood shop back there, Blackwood and Wedgewood. So I I mean I I like their setup that they have there. So I'm gonna go with them at two.

SPEAKER_00: 1:47:05

I agree with you, Cody. I think, and then getting rid of uh Gorgiev is uh was that their goalie at the start of last year? He struggled and gave up a lot of games for them. They would have been a lot better last year. So I agree. The I don't know that the wood shop is exactly what they want, but uh those guys will do better than what he would uh Gorgiev gave them gave them, and then you mentioned it best. I mean, Makar and McKinnon are hard to beat, so I've got them too.

SPEAKER_01: 1:47:31

And I agree with you guys. I guess I disagree with my fellow Kings fan on this one. I got Colorado uh in second place, um, just because McKinnon, Makar. Yeah, they're incredible, and you gotta have a full year of Lanniscog. And they still have Netches on the team, too.

SPEAKER_04: 1:47:56

Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's gonna be closer this year.

SPEAKER_01: 1:47:58

Yeah, and they're I mean, I think he's gonna blend with them even better after the tour.

SPEAKER_04: 1:48:03

We're we're up a ranting in 2.0 now. Oh no. All right, Kevin. Kevin, who'd you have at two since my dad skipped the line? So at two, I had the Jets.

SPEAKER_01: 1:48:13

I well, I I I did that just because he's different.

SPEAKER_05: 1:48:18

Yeah, I know. I'm just yeah. Well, I I I have the Jets at two, but I uh for me, it's more of the Jets I see as like this regular season team. So that's why I have them ahead of Colorado. I don't disagree with you guys and your points on Colorado. I actually think that they are probably the second best, at least in my opinion, in the division. But um, the Jets just seem to, I don't know, they're just gonna be such a hard team to play against night after night after night over an 82 game season. Um, the one thing I would say is that I don't see them being as huge of a threat once they're in the playoffs. As we I guess as we saw, right, last year as well. I mean, they do have, I mean, they added a few players, but they're all really old, right? They added Jonathan Taves, who looks like might be their two C at least to start the year. That's honestly that's concerning. I feel like uh he hasn't touched, I mean, he hasn't been playing in a while. It's been a couple years, right? And then they added guys like Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson, a King's Legend, of course, but they're all old. So we'll have to see how that goes for them. I I think they finish second, they'll be a tough team to play against, but come playoff time. Well, hopefully hella buck is what we see from hella buck in most of the regular season, at least for their fans.

SPEAKER_01: 1:49:21

So, you know, it's funny is like a number two, one one person was different than the other, and the same thing with the first, yeah, you know, so um, and since I did skip you, I will go first for the first place team. I have the Dallas Stars, and I just think Otinger's getting better. Um and they got Ratten in for the full season. I I I know Ben's out for a while, so that's gonna hurt them, but they always seem to find a way, and they always have some guy that's coming up. I mean, that they picked up in the draft, even though they don't have a lot of high draft picks, they seem to draft really well. And I think some young guy's gonna come up and cover for Ben, and they're gonna come in first in the central.

SPEAKER_00: 1:50:14

I agree, and you know what? The 2C Wyatt Johnston, he's he's an interesting kid. If you watch him, I think he's got he might be the guy you're talking about, Gary.

SPEAKER_05: 1:50:23

Yeah, he's he's great. Yeah, so I mean, I agree with you. I have stars first. Um Deborah's gone. I mean, we know that he didn't like Ottinger, at least not not during the playoffs, but but I do like Ottinger, and they have a great, I mean, they have so many good players. Jason Robertson, White Johnston, you mentioned uh Ranton and Harley, Haiskinen, and then that's a really good team for I I think his name's Glenn Glutson is their new coach. So he's gonna he's coming back to Dallas, but now he actually has a good team, which he didn't before. Um, they're just gonna need like yeah, they're probably gonna need some of the younger guys, maybe like Sam Steele or something to step up because it did lose like Dadonov and uh Mason Marchment, so that's some depth scoring that needs to be replaced. Um they find a way, right? It's Dallas, I think I agree.

SPEAKER_00: 1:51:07

Yeah, well, and Day Smith was actually a pretty good second goalie. So that team, the team definitely can win this division. Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_04: 1:51:17

And then I I'm gonna I'm Eric, I'm gonna just skip because I have the exact same thing as them. I have this the stars for the exact same reason.

SPEAKER_00: 1:51:26

But Eric, go ahead and well, I mean, I saw it all last year. Connor Hellibuck, I have Winnipeg in one. If he stays healthy, I don't think there's a better goalie in the league. So um, and Cody, I mean, you you benefited from having him on your team last year. I mean, the kid's amazing. So um, if that net is ironclad, um, I can see that front line taking care of what it needs to. Um, so I'm gonna keep Winnipeg in one spot.

SPEAKER_04: 1:51:53

Okay. Now let's move on to the last division. Oh boy. The division with our teams. All right. I'll I'll I'll I'll start. Uh I got the Kraken finishing last in the Pacific. Wow. You got three lines of third line people. Of third line people, you know, of third liners. I mean, you got McCann and Veneers, but are they gonna get you over the edge? Not really. And you got Montor in the back end, and then DeCord, and then that's really about it after that. And I just I don't like their backup with Grubauer, you know. Stevenson is not a one or two C, he's a three C. So I guess that I I like the pickup for Marchmint, but I don't think they they needed more. So I have the crack in finishing last in the Pacific. Eric?

SPEAKER_00: 1:52:50

Um, I'm gonna go with San Jose, just a young team. I like that they picked up Jeff Skinner, which is bringing that veteran presence in. But after, if Askarov is as good as they say he is, then he'll show it this year. But if he's as streaky as we've seen in some some instances, they have nothing behind him. So um I just think it's just a really young team that won't form uh without some more pieces. So I'd be curious at the trade deadline how aggressive they get uh to put the pieces they need. But let's see what Askarov does in that this early part of this season. But I've got them in the last.

SPEAKER_05: 1:53:25

Yeah, I mean, I I can't disagree there. I have the same. Uh the Sharks, it's not about this season for them necessarily. I mean, you want to see some some steps up from guys like like Will Smith. Will Smith actually might have a really big year. I'm I'm excited to see how he does. I really like him. And then of course, Macklin Celebrini is going to do Celebrini things. It seems like all indications are he is the real deal. Um, yeah, San Jose is looking towards the future, right? It's not about this year for me.

SPEAKER_01: 1:53:52

Oh, I I agree. I got San Jose there, but then again, you talk about a lot of number one picks that can be scary in the future. And if they um they they grow fast enough, they could pass at least Seattle and even maybe Calgary. But we'll see what happens. And I got San Jose, number eight, and then I have Seattle at seven.

SPEAKER_05: 1:54:29

Yeah, I agree. Seattle at seven for me. Um, well, you guys, you meant you already mentioned it, right, Cody? This is just a team of like third liners. I I like Marchment, it's a good addition, but like that's not moving the needle, really, is it? So they're in seventh for me. They have a new coach, so I guess maybe that's a positive.

SPEAKER_00: 1:54:47

Oh boy, Cody, you ready? You want to I'm I'm gonna mute you for the next two minutes. You got the you got the ducks there? Uh I just think they're so young, and you know what? For some reason, my gut is my gut. Oh my god, battle the injury bug, man. I know we haven't shown it yet. I know everybody's healthy now, but I just feel like it's gonna be one of those injury years again. So um I hate it. I know I don't want to say it, but I just feel like we're still down in that bottom part of the specific division.

SPEAKER_04: 1:55:21

This is not how I wanted my birthday podcast to go, Eric.

SPEAKER_01: 1:55:25

I I I just have to say one thing. Welcome fellow ducks fancy being a Kings fan, Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 1:55:37

They already think I'm bald. I don't want them to think I'm crazy.

SPEAKER_04: 1:55:41

I'm thinking you're crazy now.

SPEAKER_00: 1:55:43

We don't think you're bald, we know you're bald.

SPEAKER_01: 1:55:48

So Eric.

SPEAKER_04: 1:55:53

So I have I have happy birthday to Cody right now. Yeah, so I I have the sharks at seven. I I like Celebrini. What a great rookie season he had. Will Smith really picked it up in the second half of the season. Askarov is gonna be the new number one. Their defense got a little, like I said, not better, but more experienced. You know, they got Kleinberg, they got uh Orloff. I think Dickinson might be playing for them this year. Michael Miso might be playing with them this year. I I like those setup a lot more than I do with uh Kraken. And Ryan Rozovsky is a great coach. He did help USA win the world championship. He was the head coach. I do I like that uh how they have everything set up there. They got Nadelkovich as the backup goalie. I like him a lot more than the Seattle's backup with Grubauer. So I just think they have a lot more going for them than the Kraken do. So I I like and I don't know, it and just the vibe in San Jose, even though they were one of the what I think they were the worst team last year, but they did not act like they were the last place team. They their vibes were so great, and I and I like that. So I have the sharks at seven. I know it might be a surprise, but I I like them at seven.

SPEAKER_01: 1:57:19

Uh just a quick note uh executive producer has fired you, Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 1:57:26

This would be the last ride.

SPEAKER_01: 1:57:37

Eric, you know who the executive producer is, don't you?

SPEAKER_04: 1:57:41

No. Mama quack.

SPEAKER_01: 1:57:43

Mama quack. My wife. She goes, Eric is fired in the in the comments.

SPEAKER_04: 1:57:50

We love it. Oh no. That's funny. We love it. For our audio listeners, if I I when after my mom said Eric is fired, I removed Eric for what two seconds off the screen.

SPEAKER_01: 1:58:04

Oh, you know what would have been great is to have his daughter with one of those hooks and just pull them off.

SPEAKER_04: 1:58:10

Oh God. So is is Stephanie or your other daughter available? Because yeah, you're you since you're my friend and Jessa. Yeah. Hopefully they have better predictions than maybe next year you should get their predictions.

SPEAKER_00: 1:58:25

That would be awesome. You know what? I should ask them next year. Yeah. Let's just hope mine will come out to be right. I could be right on everything else, but this one maybe not.

SPEAKER_04: 1:58:35

But I just Eric, I hope you're wrong. So okay, so now that we're at six. Right?

SPEAKER_01: 1:58:44

Actually, uh aren't we coming back our way?

SPEAKER_04: 1:58:48

Yeah, so since I talked about the sharks last year, yeah. I start with six. Yep. So I have Calgary at six. Uh I thought last year was kind of a bit of an anomaly for them. You know, I thought just Dustin Wolf just literally carried this team on their back to that nine the 96 points and being a point out of the way from the playoffs, but I don't think they're gonna live up to it. Like again, they didn't really get that much better. I mean, yeah, they have Frost and Faraby there now for the full season, but I just I like the teams ahead of them a lot more, and the other teams I thought got better. So I I'm gonna I have them at six.

SPEAKER_00: 1:59:34

And then I've got Seattle at six. Only hope, I mean, at this point, they've got so many injuries, it's not even funny. But if they were healthy, I would have them at six. This team we'll see when McCann, Stevenson, Dunn, Montor, everybody's heard. I think uh Catco is out also. Um, so I mean if the team's healthy, it's a good, it's it's an older team, it's got a little bit of veteran leadership. So um, I think you called it out their in-goal, in net teams. Uh, you know, Grubauer and Decorus, same group that they had last year, just flipped. I don't, I don't know. But Seattle, I've got them a little better than the the group below.

SPEAKER_05: 2:00:14

Nice. Uh, I've got Calgary. I mean, Cody, you kind of mentioned the reasons. I don't know if they really I don't know. They were they're really hot last year, but I feel like a lot of that was being carried by Dustin Wolf, right? I mean, what he did was incredible, and I guess we'll hope to see more of that from him this year, but like you, I think maybe the teams ahead of them I like more and I have more reasons to like them. So um I think they're gonna be sixth.

SPEAKER_01: 2:00:36

And I agree with you and Cody. I got the flames. At sixth. Um, I just don't see them being better than the teams above them, which includes um Eric's seventh place team is my fifth place team, and he's calling me a queen. Just saying.

SPEAKER_04: 2:00:57

I mean mom's mom made her own prediction. Eric's standing on the corner.

SPEAKER_00: 2:01:02

Oh boy. Yeah. Hopefully, someone will come say hi because it's empty over there, mullet T.

SPEAKER_01: 2:01:09

You know, your daughters might not love you as much after they hear this episode that you could they duck fans too.

SPEAKER_00: 2:01:15

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 2:01:16

That this could be bad. But Eric, don't come to Anaheim this year, okay?

SPEAKER_01: 2:01:22

I I have I have the ducks in fifth place. Somehow I feel that the young guys are gonna mesh. And I think uh, you know, I think didn't you say it last week? Uh uh Kreider's uh comments about Lacombe. Yeah, uh he is Warwinsky elite, and and he's looked good. I gotta tell you, he does, and I think uh Gaudier is gonna be something, and uh I have him fifth, and hell, they could be fourth if the Canucks suck. Yeah, well, that kind of rhymed, didn't it? I didn't plan it that way, but I have the ducks in fifth, and on to you, Kevin.

SPEAKER_05: 2:02:08

Yeah, so I I guess this gives it a way where at least that the ducks will be in my top four because they are not fifth for me. I have the Canucks at number five. Kevin's fucking up, Kevin. Eric, no, no, Eric. I I know I get it because I I wouldn't want to put them too. They could go either way, right? But I got you. I'm putting them up there for you, so they're gonna be ahead of they're definitely in the playoff talks, in my opinion. So I got your back. But yeah, I got the Canucks. I think every time we think they're gonna be good, they suck, and every time we think they're gonna be like bad, they end up actually being pretty sick and they're a good team. So I don't know, but take me at face value and then consider that considering maybe there's a little bit of hangover from the I mean, last year was a disaster, right? So um, I mean Demko was out for most of the season, but and I mean he had an 889 save percentage when he did play, but that's hard to say when he played less than 20 games. Um, a new coach in Adam Foote that could help. I don't know where what to think about the Canucks, honestly. I feel like they could be either one of the worst teams in the division or actually give a lot of trouble to the teams that are expecting to make the playoffs.

SPEAKER_01: 2:03:07

So um, this is gonna be a weird season, guys. It's I think it's gonna be a weird season because I was that I was that close to agreeing with you, Kevin. Yeah, those two teams right there, maybe moving, maybe a wild card team for the ducks, maybe. You know, they're scary. I mean, uh, if you're an honest hockey fan, you gotta love that young talent that's coming up, and you know, we'll see what what turns. So uh obviously Cody and I were in in agreement. The ducks in fifth now. Looks like Kevin and uh Eric agree, right? Eric, we do, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 2:03:49

I'm an Adam Foot guy, so I think well you spoil my pick. Um I happy birthday, son. Happy birthday, buddy. We're just rolling right over here. Um, no, I just uh you know Kevin said it best. It's one of those teams where you you gotta put them in the middle because they're never they never meet expectations either way. So I do like Adam Foot there. I think he's gonna be better. Um, I would put him in the top four, but I'm I'm a Dustin Wolf guy, so I've got Calgary at four, not to spoil that, but basically, uh, you know, Vancouver's kind of sitting in that middle spot where they they perform. Sorry, you already spoiled it.

SPEAKER_04: 2:04:29

So so in in the five spot, I have the ducks. I since I got the fourth one too, I'm gonna I'll just go into my I kind of play with both of them. This one, I had the hardest time picking between who to put in four and five. Me too. Uh but I just think that I reason I put Canucks more is just because Quinn Hughes is the second best defenseman, could be the number one defenseman in this league. Um, Demko, when he's not you know injured and he's healthy, he's uh top five for the Vesno easily, you know, and of Elias Peterson who what are we gonna get from him? He came back with what 12 to 13 pounds more of muscle and stuff like that. The only issue I had with Vancouver was not their the new coach and everything. I think that might help with uh Quentin Hughes and everything, but was like just after that you brought in another cancer with Evander Kane. You brought in your second line center is Philip Heedle. Like I I don't hate Heedle, but he I he's more of a probably a third line center, not a second line center. But I I do like what they're doing there. I I just like they just have more top talent than the ducks do right now, so that's why I went with the the Canucks over the ducks, and yes, that did rhyme dad. So uh my my some five I have ducks, four Canucks. So who's who do you have in the forehole? Uh batting cleanup in the Pacific, Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 2:06:05

I got Calgary. I'm just a big Dustin Wolf guy.

SPEAKER_04: 2:06:08

I might be oh I trust me, I love Wolf, but it's just the rest of the team. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00: 2:06:13

I know, I know. I might be fanboying on the hella buck thing with uh with Dustin Wolf here, but I think he's really good. Um you're right. The rest of the team is a big, big question mark, but you got an ironclad goal, you can win some. And so we saw that with Hellibuck last year. So let's uh I'm just kind of running with that ideology there when I've got them at four.

SPEAKER_05: 2:06:35

I I definitely could see that happening for sure. I mean, we saw we literally saw it happen last year, right? Dustin Wolf carried them into the playoffs pretty much. So um wouldn't argue against that happening, but I did put the ducks as my number four. Um, yeah, I know it's it's hard to say because I mean I'm coming on in front of you ducks fans, and my whole life, you guys are right around the corner, and a lot of a lot of it, you guys had a much better team than us, so it was hard to it was hard to to watch, at least when I was growing up. And um from the outside looking in, Jackson Lacomb is special. This guy is something special, Werensky-esque. Um, I I can see that for sure. Um, and I love I love Cutter Gaultier. This guy is just so good. I he is amazing. I love I hate that I love him so much, but I do um so many good players on this team. If they can all gel together, I mean, uh looking at the lineup top to bottom. I mean, there are this is like the exact type of team. Like, if I wanted to go in NHL, uh NHL 26 or something and like build my own like lineup and build my team. This is how I'd want to build them. I mean, this is awesome. The ducks have a very bright future, even if it doesn't happen this year. Um, it's gonna happen pretty soon, I think. Uh, you get Quinnville in proven winner, of course. Um, you get Peter Mrazic now to to back up those toall, so that'll help you guys too. Thank you for saying it, right?

SPEAKER_04: 2:07:51

Yes, and uh by the way, Kevin. Uh, since Eric is fired, my mom likes you, so you're a keeper in this now.

SPEAKER_05: 2:08:01

I I'm I'm mad at myself for this, to be honest. But yeah, Grandpa's, you're good. 66 points. I mean, last season that's a huge addition for you guys for um depth scoring. I mean, Krider adds to the whole New York Rangers field there, so maybe some chemistry there. I see the ducks again. If it doesn't happen this year, it's gonna happen very soon. This this team is just too good. Agreed.

SPEAKER_01: 2:08:23

Okay, so before I give my fourth place team, I just find it funny that the two Kings fans actually rate the Ducks higher than the two Ducks fans do.

SPEAKER_04: 2:08:33

No, no, no.

SPEAKER_01: 2:08:34

You and I had the same, so don't you Yeah, yeah, but well, of course, the fired one, as we'll call him now. You guys have what seven and five, you average six. Ours are four and five. We're four and a half.

SPEAKER_00: 2:08:50

Yeah, but you're a better team.

SPEAKER_01: 2:08:51

I mean, uh we we have the ducks at four and a half, you guys have them at six.

SPEAKER_04: 2:08:58

Listen, come on, Eric, I'm carrying this ducks half anyways.

SPEAKER_01: 2:09:02

I have the Canucks there, and the only reason I had the Canucks over the ducks, of course, again, I'm rhyming Cody, is because I think uh Pederson's gonna have a breakout year this year, and hit between him and and Quinn Hughes is gonna be healthy, and I think that's gonna just pull them up just above the ducks. So I have them in fourth, and then my third place team is the hated ones McJesus and Drysidel and Skinner, they're gonna come in third just because they don't have they're you you win Stanley Cups by having the role players that play their roles well, and I just don't think the oil oilers roll up role players are not as good as they've been the last two years. So I have the Oilers coming in third.

SPEAKER_05: 2:10:09

I I agree with that. Yeah, they've they've lost quite a few, right? Like uh Connor Brown of Van Der Kane and then Arvinson as well, I think are all gone, right? So that's yeah, so that that has me putting them in third as well. Um, I guess for the Oilers, it's about the playoffs, get in and then figure it out from there, right? I think they're kind of like Florida situation. Both teams have made the final last year. I think it's the same situation for them. And both of them actually in the Oilers case, they didn't have home ice in the first round either. So um I I I could see that happening for them again. Third sounds about right to me. And I feel like the other two that I picked are better regular season teams, maybe, or at least I see that happening this year. So for that reason, we're going Oilers and three.

SPEAKER_00: 2:10:49

Okay, and I am gonna go with the Queens. They are gonna be third. I think they're a really good team. I think that's they're definitely somebody to talk about this year. But when you look at first, second, and third in this division, I think the net is where it gets really complicated. So I think like Darcy um is good. I think Aiden Hill is good, but I really think Stuart Skinner's gonna crack out of this crazy, crazy situation that he's in. So if you look at the nets on these three teams, I think I have Edmonton at one purely because of their net situation. So I've got Skinner.

SPEAKER_01: 2:11:26

We hadn't got to number one yet.

SPEAKER_00: 2:11:27

I know, but it has to explain that Darcy.

SPEAKER_01: 2:11:31

All in favor of firing Kevin, raise their hand. I mean, Eric, Eric, not Kevin, Eric.

SPEAKER_00: 2:11:37

Um, but yeah, I mean, basically that's how I looked at it. So I've got Los Angeles at three here, um, playing it against the the net situation there.

SPEAKER_04: 2:11:47

So at three, I house will have the oilers. I I as much as everyone talks about how the kings had the worst off season pickups, which I I don't think they had the best, but I I I don't think they had the worst.

SPEAKER_01: 2:12:04

Role players, huh? They got role players, they they got better last year, and everybody picked on them, Cody. And I didn't and they it worked for them, and I think it's gonna possibly work this year. You know, yeah, we'll see.

SPEAKER_04: 2:12:21

Still in the spotlight. I am as I was saying, but uh the oilers I thought got a little worse, you know. Yeah, they got Ike Howard and Savoy coming up, but you know, they lost Perry, they lost Connor Brown. They you know they've lost they've lost uh uh Kleinberg, and you know, I know he I know he barely played there, but they they've lost a lot of their main deaf players too, and the Kings picked up some great deaf players, like the Kings struggled on the fourth line, they struggled on the third line third pair defensively, and they got better in both those spots. You know, I don't agree with the contracts they gave out, but the players they got were I think good fits for the Kings. So I have the Oilers at three and the Kings at two.

SPEAKER_00: 2:13:10

So well, I've got the Kings at three, I've got the the Knights at two. Um, and it goes back to the end goal. I just kind of believe in the Oilers uh net over the other two teams. Um, but yeah, um Aiden Hill is their stud, and the the uh Schmid or whatever his name is is the backup there. I mean, every uh every couple of games you're gonna have to have those backups in, and those are those could be L's for them. Um, so you look at Skinner and uh Picard, I think that's just a better situation. So that's why I've got them at two.

SPEAKER_05: 2:13:46

Yeah, um, I've got the Kings at two. I I don't know. I actually I was sort of thinking like Eric, I don't want to put them too high, like being a little modest, don't want to put my team too high up. Um honestly, I know I can see that. I mean, honestly, though, I feel like you guys are being too hard on Eric. The seven is is fair because even if it doesn't happen this year, next year or the year after, definitely I could see it happening for Anaheim. So uh I'm with you this one, Kevin. Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_04: 2:14:14

But yeah, Kevin, we just started liking you.

SPEAKER_05: 2:14:17

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm speaking what's coming from my heart, right? So uh, but yeah, no, uh the Kings. I we saw everyone and and their and their grandmother saying the Kings had the worst offseason of any team in NHL, and honestly, I just don't see that being the case at all. It was not inside, not exciting, not the kind of thing that gets you out of your seat, and you go, like, yes, like this is it. But um, and even so, okay, let's just say that the the Kings did lose some players. Gaverkov is a huge loss, Jordan Spence. You're losing a right-handed puck mover, which is something the Kings probably need. But and then um then you look at the additions too. Um, the the fourth line is actually playable now. Hiller clearly did not trust the fourth line last season in the playoffs. They should get minutes now if we have Perry Armia and then Turkot on that line, or Perry, Armia, and Helanius. We'll see how that goes. But actually, probably Turkot the way his preseason has gone, to be honest. He's been great. So um, yeah, I I I think the Kings are our better team top to bottom in that sense. And that doesn't take into consideration what you mentioned, Gary, right? The steps forward that a lot of these players will take. You mentioned Byfield, uh Clark as well. Laferrier, too, could be taking a step forward. He started off really hot last year, definitely fizzled out. But imagine a full season of him being at least close to what he was in the at the start of the season. Could see him put up 25. Close that I don't want to say he's gonna have a 30 goal season yet, but he's getting, I mean, playing on the line with Byfield and Fiala now that they've clicked. I can see him being a lot more at least putting up a lot more points than he did last year. Um, and then yeah, Clark, he was just I mean, he's been spectacular in the preseason too, right? I think that that's gonna be a huge, a huge addition to the Kings in terms of his step forward that he takes. He was really good against the Ducks in that first game. That that one assist he had was just magical, right? Um, so uh I I see the Kings in second and being a better team than last year.

SPEAKER_01: 2:16:07

Well, I I I think I did find my replacement, didn't I, Cody? Um he said a lot of the things I was gonna say. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. No, that was perfect. So it's I I I totally agree with you. Um the the thing is, is a lot of people what they don't think about is um copitar, Kempe, they got super tired by the end of the year. They were not only on the power plays, they were on the penalty kills. And Armia is going, he he had the fourth most minutes uh shorthanded, playing shorthanded of anybody in the NHL last year. So he's gonna be on that number one penalty kill line. It's not gonna be Kempe and Kopitar. Well, it might be Kempe. He's still young enough, but I think Kopotar is gonna get a lot more rest on the penalty kill, which could mean he could be super dangerous uh offensively, even at his advanced age of 38. And I shouldn't say anything, I'm almost 30 years older than he is. Um, but uh the the I I think the Kings could uh if it all works and melts like it could, they could be super dangerous. And uh I have them at number two, but who knows? They could be number one. I will give my spoiler because uh obviously uh in a lot of these categories, a lot of us have agreed. I I've got the Vegas Knights. I mean, they picked up the the biggest free agent in hockey last year in uh Mitch Marner. Now I'm I'm assuming he'll he will meld uh incredibly well with Jack Eichel if they re-sign him because he's gonna be a pending free agent for next year, and he's looking for the contract just like McJesus is. Um, and he's gonna get a big race. Um I have the Knights number one.

SPEAKER_05: 2:18:08

Agreed, Knights number one. You I mean, Marner Eichel. That's I I don't want to say all the great things that there is to say about Vegas because I don't like them, but there are a ton of great things to say about them. They're too good, right? They're gonna be in they're gonna be in first, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_04: 2:18:22

Agreed. Uh I'm with you guys. Uh Eric.

SPEAKER_01: 2:18:25

Oh, Eric already taught gave it away his. Yeah, I mean, I I have to go with the. We blew three and two and one one time.

SPEAKER_00: 2:18:32

Oh I got the Oilers in in one, and that's only because it's they've been there, they've done it. They you know it's hard to go against a winning, a winning um philosophy. So I just yeah, I gotta give credit to that. I do see what you're talking about in Vegas. I think they're gonna be really, really good. Actually, I have them winning the Stanley Cup this year, but at the end of the day, I think the Oilers will win the division.

SPEAKER_04: 2:18:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_00: 2:18:57

So now we have our the uh the knights go out to get a better backup goaling.

SPEAKER_04: 2:19:04

Well, they already did.

SPEAKER_00: 2:19:06

Well, I think it'd be better than this guy.

SPEAKER_04: 2:19:08

Oh, okay. All right, so let's do our Stanley Cup final predictions. Dad, you go first?

SPEAKER_01: 2:19:15

Okay, it's go big or go home. I I I originally thought the knights, but they cheat, so uh I'm not gonna pick them this year. And I know I'm gonna get in trouble, but that's okay. It won't last that long. I can take it. I have I I think Carolina is they're ready. Florida being injured. I mean, honestly, if Florida was 100% healthy, I would I would have said Florida again. They just they have all the role players, they have everything lined up, but they're missing their their star, the guy who plays defense and and offense. Barkov is gonna be a huge miss having uh um Kachuk out until Christmas time or so, or maybe even to January. We'll see. Um, I I just think the Canes are gonna win the East. And you heard it here first on Royally Quacked. The Kings are going to be in against the Canes in the Stanley Cup. They're finally gonna get past the first, second, and third round and make it to the cup, and then losing the finals because they have Perry. Oh boy. Perry's Perry's gonna sign uh make the game-winning goal in overtime in game seven.

SPEAKER_00: 2:20:44

Perry's gonna get traded to the ducks.

SPEAKER_01: 2:20:49

All right, uh wouldn't surprise me if that happened. Who's going second?

SPEAKER_05: 2:20:53

Kevin, who do you got? Okay, so I've got the originally actually had Tampa Bay and Dallas, and I don't know what so I could see either of those teams doing it as well for sure. But yeah, I I don't know. Something in my heart said the canes. I think this is the year that they get they they do it. Um Ealers added, I mean, that's what they needed, right? They needed a goal scoring winger in their top six, right? And that's what they got. Um, he's amazing, and he's he was basically a point per game player without being that guy. So um last season. So that's uh pretty cool. Um gonna be playing with Jarvis and Aho. That's an insane top line there. And then you have Stenkoven and Svechnikov on the second line. Svechnikov, I mean, he's almost a point per game player in the playoffs the last two years. Um, so expecting big things from him again in the playoffs. I mean, they they're really deep up um as far as their forwards are concerned, and on the blue line. So um I see this team really uh I don't know, I really see them pushing on and actually doing it. Uh Nikishan will have a full season now there too. So um their defense is faster and younger. I I can totally see them doing it. And then the other side of it is Vegas, who unfortunately I see going all the way as well. Um, they're just they're just too good. And I I again don't want to say all the things that are great about them because there's too many great things to say. They are they always find a way, and like you mentioned, Gary, they're cheaters. So they're if they can't find a way, they will find a way. So I'm kidding, but yeah, I mean it either way, I do see it being Vegas and uh Carolina in the final.

SPEAKER_00: 2:22:16

Okay, Eric? And I've got the lightning coming in. I I hear you on the Carolina thing, but I think a healthy lightning team, they historically are good. They've got a lot of, I mean, Kucharov and Vasilski's the one that if he can stay healthy, um, he can be the best goaltender in the league, too. So um I think they've got the makeup on paper right now, and if they stay healthy all year, they'll be there at the end. And then the knights, we I think Gary, you said it best. They went out and got the best free agent. I think they have some gaps they've got to fill. If they're healthy all year long, I think you got the the Knights and uh and lightning in the uh Stanley Cup this year.

SPEAKER_04: 2:22:55

And uh I got I want I had a different one before, but I wanted to be a lot different than everybody. I have the Devils and Stars in mind. I feel like the the Devils, this is their year, uh a full year of uh healthy Jack Hughes. They have their goaltending, they're pretty stacked defensively. I I like I like their full team and the stars, a full year of ranting in there. Uh Robertson is gonna probably try to prove something because he you know he he didn't make the Four Nations team, so you should probably want to try to prove something to make the Olympic team. Same with Ottinger, he probably wants to prove that he's the number one USA starter, you know. So I I I think this is the year the stars finally get past uh the that Western Conference final and and get there. I don't know who's gonna win between these two, but those are my two that I'm picking.

SPEAKER_01: 2:23:51

Well, we didn't actually have to pick a winner this time. We will have when we get into playoff time, we'll we'll have who the teams are. We'll we'll probably maybe have the same group, try to make predictions again. Um, it was awesome, but I I have uh uh a question that I want everyone to answer. Who's gonna score more points? Celebrini or Bedard? That's the final question of the podcast. Who's gonna score more points? Celebrini or Bedard this year?

SPEAKER_04: 2:24:27

I I already it's Celebrini. Yeah, I agree. There's more around him.

SPEAKER_05: 2:24:32

I I agree with your guys' points. I I I'm biased on this. I just love Bedard. I actually really think Celebrini is more likely to get more points, but I'm gonna back Bedard. He's he's my guy. I love this guy.

SPEAKER_01: 2:24:42

Yeah, I I truly believe in Celebrini too. Kevin, hopefully, hopefully, we're I'm we're right and you're wrong, but that's okay. Um, I mean, I do call him the Chicago Bedards, anyways. I I do not call the Sharks the Celebrinis, though. So, but anyways, interesting thought. We'll see what happens this season on that at the end, and we we can go back listen to this one and see who we predicted to win that. So um does anybody have anything else?

SPEAKER_00: 2:25:15

No, I think we covered everybody, right?

SPEAKER_01: 2:25:17

Yeah, so so Cody's gonna probably take us out, guys. Don't leave.

SPEAKER_04: 2:25:25

Oh yeah, so um before we leave, uh please don't forget to follow and subscribe to us on YouTube here or and Twitch. That we can always watch a live stream. It'd really we'd really appreciate it. You know, um if you get that like spike going too. I know uh Adam likes to usually put that in the comments. Um, but let's try to get more likes on these videos for us. Uh it would really help us out. Um, don't forget to go on uh all the podcast platforms were on everywhere. Leave a review and a rating. And we actually got a new review. We got a five-star, and the and the title says quack. And the con it says, Great podcast with great people. All the news you need on the Ducks and Kings, gross. Uh, these guys have a lot of fun, and I'm glad I can call them friends. And that was from Chris from Late Arrivals. Thank you so much, Chris.

SPEAKER_01: 2:26:19

Yeah, they've been great supporters of ours, and they really have I was actually listening to them on on the way uh home last night.

SPEAKER_04: 2:26:27

So they're funny. Oh, yeah, they're they're hilarious. Um, like I said, the the reviews and the and the ratings really really help us out a lot too. Um follow us on all social media at royalty quacked. Uh, and like I said, if you if you have any questions or comments, feel free to you know direct message us. You know, we're we're here for you guys, you know. We're we're we love the game, we love to talk about it. Uh so we've we met some great people along the way, you know. Uh we got Kevin here. Sadly we already knew Eric. So, but like I said, uh just all the people we've met along the way here. It it's been such a it's been so amazing just the podcast uh friends we've all made and the connections we've made throughout since we've started this.

SPEAKER_01: 2:27:19

Yeah, it's been it's been so much fun and met a lot of neat people. And yeah, you know, if we could say the same thing about our umpiring days, because uh, you know, two of our uh best special guests are people we umpired baseball with. So and we and we we're definitely having fun with it. So I look forward to it every Saturday, even though I I worked about 60 hours this week five days.

SPEAKER_04: 2:27:48

So that'll be that'll be me in the winter time. So I understand. Um Eric, do you want to add anything before we get out of here?

SPEAKER_00: 2:27:57

Well, thanks guys for having me. I appreciate you. I appreciate what you guys are doing. We always love to see a father and son working together on something that you know collaborating on it. It's great wishes, and I know you two guys are just great dudes. And uh, Kevin, it was good meeting you for the first time. Appreciate it, and we'll see uh we'll see how these predictions come out.

SPEAKER_05: 2:28:16

Yeah, it was great to meet you, Eric. And I guess that means it's my turn, right? To get to say what I want to say. But yeah, I want to say thank you to you guys for having me on, and thank you for everything you do. Um, echo Eric's sentiment of the father and son thing. That is just so cool to me. I love sports because of all the days that I spent on the couch with my dad watching sports and arguing, you know, debating, whatever. And it's what made it special for me and why I'm still you know so in love with LA Kings. And um, I'm just grateful to get the chance to hang out with you guys and for what you do. So thanks for being a part of my morning routine, also.

SPEAKER_04: 2:28:49

Yeah, awesome. All right, well, just uh we'll tune in next week. And guys, we have regular season hockey this week.

SPEAKER_03: 2:28:57

Yes!

SPEAKER_04: 2:28:58

Oh wow, no more, no more of this unbearable off season, horrible, horrible streaming on these pre-season games. We're gonna have regular season hockey.

SPEAKER_01: 2:29:09

So no for first period from uh victory plus uh the King's Decks game that one. No, that wasn't Victory. No, the victory it wasn't.

SPEAKER_04: 2:29:18

King's website was off there. There was no victory plus last week for that game.

SPEAKER_01: 2:29:23

The Bakers took it there was no victory plus we had to depend on the poor Kings uh podcast, and that was terrible.

SPEAKER_04: 2:29:29

And yeah, we couldn't watch it for the first what two periods or something.

SPEAKER_01: 2:29:33

We missed the CC goal. I heard the CC goal. I didn't I I could I didn't watch it anyways, but hey Gary, I just realized something.

SPEAKER_00: 2:29:42

Is there a reason? Did you wear a hockey mask when you umpired because you were a hockey fan, or was there another reason?

SPEAKER_04: 2:29:49

Um let's get it, let's get into this debate after we log off. So uh yeah, we'll get it. Long story short, yes and no. Okay. But uh all right, we'll we'll see you guys next week on episode 83 of Royally Quacks. So let's go, ducks.

SPEAKER_01: 2:30:08

Go kings go. See you next week.

SPEAKER_02: 2:30:13

Oh, no, it's gone, the father don't stop. Royally clocked the fucking stove. My father is something last and sincere on the ice And love appears through the highs and lows in the years