Triple Play UK
UK based podcast discussing NFL, NHL & MLB.
Matt & Tom talk about their love of sports and all the hot topics from around the leagues.
Triple Play UK
BASEBALL IS BACK WITH A BANG! THE BLUES ARE FLYING & AN NFL ANNOUNCEMENT.
We talk opening weekend, Yankees on fire, Red Sox struggle, just how good are the Dodgers and whats all the noise around torpedo bats.
The St.Louis Blues are on a hot streak but can they go the distance and Nikita Kucherov challenging Nathan Mackinnon for top spot in most points scored.
Tom and the NFL are like minded in introducing a new rule.
Welcome to Triple Play uk, the UK's home of the N-F-L-N-H-L and MLB. Welcome to Triple Play uk. I'm your host Matt with my co-host Tom. This week we've got a huge talking point in the MLB, we're gonna be looking at opening weekend overall. And we'll also take a look at who was good and who was bad in the NHL, we're gonna be taking a look at the hottest team right now, the St. Louis Blues. We'll also be taking a look at the Star of the Week Tampa Bay Lightning, right Winger Nik Ov, and in the NFL, there's an announcement on a new rule change for next season. So Tom and I will be discussing that and also looking at rules that we think should be introduced. Tom, did you get to watch a lot of the baseball over opening weekend? Did you have fun?
Tom:this is probably the most baseball. I've watched since maybe I was a kid and first got into it and you know, when you're young and you just, any game that's on because it's like a new sport and it's exciting and any game that was on you were just like, I'm just gonna put this on and watch the games and do that. And, to be honest with you, whilst I follow it and watch all the highlights and keep up to date with it. I think actually like it does happen though, doesn't it? You kind of, you watch your team. But I don't really watch many of the other teams, but I feel like maybe it's just'cause we, we do the podcast now, so maybe it's just more to do with that. But I think just throughout spring training and the opening weekend, I watched quite a lot of games because I was just excited to see teams playing, watched some different players. There's so many good players in the league now. Kind of all spread across. I was interested obviously to see how the Yankees got on. As much as I dislike them, I was still quite interested to see how the Mets got on. The Padres caught my attention as well'cause of how well they started the season, and we'll get into that in a little bit with obviously the, who's done well and who hasn't so much for opening weekend. But yeah, look, baseball being back just is, is great if, if you're a lover of the sport opening day and opening weekend, it is just an exciting time. You get to sit down all weekends. Much of the girlfriends disdain. And it was just on the telly pretty much from six o'clock onwards till we went to sleep. It was just baseball, baseball, baseball. So yeah, very fun weekend. Loved opening weekend especially because we did well the Yankees. And yeah, it was, it is great to have it back mate, yourself. Did you catch any of the games besides ours or.
Matt:Yeah, so I managed to catch sort of two and a half of the Yankees games, watched a little bit of the Dodgers games. I think I caught like half of two of their games. And I watched a little bit of the, the Mets game. I. Just in the hope that they were gonna lose. I think it was the second or third game I watched. But yeah, so we'll talk, we'll talk Mets in a little, little bit. But yeah, mate, it's, it was great. I, I caught sort of more than I normally would, so Yeah, it was, it was really enjoyable. And obviously I. What we are now Tuesday morning. So yeah, there's more games later on. See if the Yanks can carry on their winning streak. You know, getting a sweep of the brewers decent result. Obviously you are gonna touch on that for us in just a minute. So we're gonna start off with baseball, then we'll go into the NHL and then we'll finish off with a little bit of NFL mate.
Tom:Sounds good. Me. I mean, there's probably only one place to start in baseball. Before, before we kind of talk our, our good and bad torpedo bats, Matt. Obviously there's been stick from some sides, which I mean, I personally think is a little bit childish because they're perfectly legal. They, I it is one of those, isn't it? It splits opinions. So guys, if you haven't seen it, the Yankees have, I mean they've, I mean it's been brought to the fore really for the Yankees'cause they've publicly come out and spoken about it. And there's been a little bit of differences with the bats. They've brought out what have been called torpedo bats, where what has basically happened is there's rulings in the league where you have to have a certain diameter, width and length of your bat. Now, the Yankees bats that they've brought out, they've basically moved to break it down simply, they have moved wood from other parts of the bat to make the barrel thicker in the area where the players that own those bats. Make more contact with the ball. So, and a yes. I've got a Yankees hat on and I'm slightly biased. It is a piece of genius from the research and development team and the sports analyst guys because what we've seen from that, and it was highlighted by Jazz Jism and Anthony Volpe going deep multiple times on opening weekend, where those, they have basically researched where the players often make most contact with the ball on their bat. they've just made that part of the bat thicker. So instead of it being a case that they're missing the barrel of the bat and it's making contact sort of further down and would've been a line drive base hit or home run turns into a soft ground out or a fly out or an easy pop out, making harder contact there. And they've done it completely legally because they've kept it within the width diameter of the bats. They've kept the bat length the same. And all, all they've simply done is tailored it to the player. This isn't a piece that they've just gone, oh, here's this thing called a torpedo bat, where we've moved the thickness of the bat slightly further down and handed it out to everyone. They have quite literally tailored it to the player. It's starting to come out a little bit more, saw some more pictures this morning that after the Yankee success. the first couple of games, a few more players and teams had suddenly started using the torpedo bats. So yeah, there's been a lot of talk around that. What's your, what's your view when it met? Are you a fan of them?
Matt:It's like everything else. I think obviously you're gonna have the traditionalists going, you shouldn't mess with it. One in particular, I won't name him. Very famous podcaster, Boston Red Sox fan. He has been extremely vocal on his disappointment that the MLB have allowed this. You know, he's, he's up in arms over it and a few fans were moaning. But when you look, I think there's probably six or seven teams that on the same day that the Yankees were using'em, they were also being used by other teams. I think the reason that it came to the. The sort of forefront of the headlines with the Yankees is that the Yankees ended up breaking history at Yankee Stadium because they hit more home runs in the fir in the first three games than they'd ever hit before. So I mean, I'm, I'm not too fussed about it, mate. I think, you know, a bat to bat whether the, the sweet spots at the end are in the middle a little bit. You know, it, it makes no difference for me, I think. The thing it does do is it adds a little bit more excitement to the game, doesn't it? You know, you're getting more hits, more potential home runs. I think it's a good thing for the sport. And again, I think it's great that, you know, you've got people to up arms and looking for a reason to hate on the Yankees. Again, as a Yankees fan, it's like, you know, I don't mind it. Bring it on.
Tom:Yeah, and I think just kind of following on from that, I think a lot of it is down to that. Like you said, I think a lot of the talk kind of around it is, like you say, weirdly, I think a lot of it just comes from. it's an excuse to get annoyed at the Yankees as it is a, oh, I'm annoyed that people are using these bats because there are other teams using them. There are other players using them at the same time, and this was completely optional as well, this wasn't like a, the Yankees have said, right, everyone's gotta use these bats now. Aaron Judge came out and said, I loved what you came out and said as well. He is like, not using one, because I think my numbers over the last two years kind of speak for themselves. I don't need to change anything. Some players feel the need that they actually, they wanna try something new. Pe some players to stick to what they've got. Some players wanna try something new every season. If it means they're gonna jump up their numbers and, and why should and why wouldn't you? Like you said, it's completely legal. I've got no problem with any of the Yankees players using it or any other player in the league for that matter. If it's gonna jump your numbers up, why would you not give it a go? I think it makes sense. So yeah, I think that kind of leads us on to our, obviously, like you mentioned. The record breaking weekend for the Yankees and kind of onto our good and bad. So guys, look, there's 162 games that every team plays this season, which me and Matt cannot break down every game from every night. You guys would probably stop listening because that would be extremely boring. So I think what we're gonna do is each week guys, we are gonna do Tom's Stars of the Week. And Matty's Pelers, we kind of like to, because Matty gets so many pelers online for his list, Matt's decided he's gonna de, he's going to come back with his own pelers at either teams and players that have not done very well. I'm gonna do the opposite. I'm gonna look at guys and teams that have performed very well for the week, we're gonna start with opening weekend with who my top performers from the weekend are. So I'm gonna start with the boys, Yankees, like Matt mentioned. Three game sweep of the brewers at home, the perfect start to the season. look, I hold my hands up. only three games in. I'm not gonna say resolved and pappy and perfect again. I think there are still a lot of issues around the lineup, Maybe they've been solved by the bats, but look, nothing sweep over the brewers scored 20 runs in the second game as well. we broke a Yankees home run record with nine home runs in a single game. They actually tied the Major league record, me, for the foot for the most home runs over the first three games of the season as well with 15. That was tied with the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 Tigers team and Aaron Judge much around his World Series game five performance and just his postseason performance in general. People. I mean after what was. Statistically, by the way, and statistically meaning of fact, that it was the best batting season for a right-handed hitter of all time, by the way. But that his numbers were slightly down in the postseason. We still got to a World Series. He still hit home runs in the World Series. We lost. He made the the drop in game five. He's had a lot of stick going into the season. Didn't look great in spring training. I think people were starting to go, is this an issue? He's come out, Aaron Judge six for 11 To start the season, he hit four home runs, including three in game two with a grand slam. Came very, very close to hitting four and five as well with a long, long fly out. I got up against the wall and the other hit he had that game an, was an RBI Double to Right Field, which hits the top of the wall and bounces back out. So almost tying the the single game record for most home runs. for 11. Six for 11. Four home runs, 11 rbis. I mean, he has just been on fire and, and guys, just to give Arun Judge some credit, we, I feel like people almost take for granted how good players like him and Shhe Tony are in. Aaron Judges lost 134 He's hit 3 58 4 9 2 on base percentage with an 8 0 2 slugging percentage, which is. normal by the way. He's at 58 home runs and driven in 142 runs in that time. Now, to give you an example, Ruth's, arguably best ever season in 1927, he played 151 games. He bat 3 56 with a 4 8 6 slugging percentage and a 7, 7 2, sorry, 4, 4, 8, 6 on base percentage and a 7 7 2 lugging percentage. He hit 60 home runs and 165 rbis. Judge, over the last what you were class as season or so, has got just as good as numbers as the greatest player of all time. we are genuinely watching one of the best players to ever play the game and I think sometimes it goes under the radar a little bit. I saw a stat the other day, the all time WRC plus leaders. You've got Lou Garrigan 171. Barry Bonds 173, Ted Williams 187, and Babe Ruth, me, 194 Aaron Judge sits in the middle of that pack in third at 174. Career WRC plus, that's what those guys finished on. Now, WRC plus, by the way, very quickly, is literally a stat that helps you see how many runs. The player creates and it's adjusted based on the era they played in and the ballparks they played in. So for example, hitting at Yankee Stadium, your numbers would be slightly lower because it's a hit, a friendly ballpark, as opposed to playing at a stadium, which like the Oakland, the Oakland Coliseum, which used to be there, which was more of a pitchers ballpark. Aaron George plays in a hit a friendly ballpark. And it's got the third best numbers all time. The other four guys on the list are four of the greatest players I've ever played the game. So look, I don't wanna talk too much more and judge because I don't wanna keep going on, but I think we really are watching one of the best players that's ever played our game, I think people need to realize that. Matty, you what? You're a Yankees fan. What did you think of opening, opening weekend for us? Were you happy? were you, were you impressed with how it went?
Matt:Yes mate. Considering all the worry leading into sort of like the season about pictures and injuries that we were picking up, couldn't hope for a better start. You know, and I, I know it's obviously it's not gonna, it's a very long season. I know it's not gonna be sustainable, that performance from every single person. But with everything that went on in, in sort of preseason you know, the winter meetings and losing Soto and I. Losing Garrett Cole just before the start of the season. I'm happy, mate. It, you know, it was a decent start. I was worried about Devin Williams when he first sort of stepped into that game and he almost, you know, there was, he was very close to blowing it, mate, let's be honest. And I was a little bit twitchy, but he got it back and we played well across the whole, you know, the whole series mate, to sweep the brewers. Pretty decent mate. And to be honest, I felt for, for nasty estimate I did, that was a brutal first three throws man of a sea of a season, let alone a series giving up three home runs from your first three pitches, man. And he's an ex Yankee as well. You got a feel for the guy, but fair play to to the Yankees players, man.
Tom:Look as much as watching that. I was screaming at the telly as pitch one, pitch two, and pitch three. All got sent deep for home runs and obviously shout out to Bellinger and Goldsmith for their first home. Runs with the team I. But yeah, felt for Nester a little bit. Obviously he was a great servant for us and not look great to see your team win. And obviously he's wearing another jersey now, but it was one of those, like, it, I'd have rather, it had been someone else on the mound that it happened to, but has to happen to someone. And unfortunately it was him. Kind of moving on from the Yankees. The Padres on them a little bit in the opening game. really looking at them. I mean, look, when we did our division predictions, I, I actually had them come in. the D backs. I still think that'll be the case. The D backs has started well offensively they look really strong, but the Padres bear in mind, they started with a four game series against the Brave. So a lot of people have got potentially making the World Series if it isn't The Dodgers to sweep them four and oh. Pitching was unreal. They're two shutouts in that four game, in that four game series. And big shout out to Jake Veta as well. Seven Innings with on a one hit ball in his debut. Fernando Tatty Jr as well. Looks scary again. Looks like he's back to his best. Gone back to the lead off spot. He looks, he looks very, very good. And another team that I, again, was very impressed with that, that take my third spot for the Stars of the Week was the Cardinals. And the kind of reason I I look at the Cardinals is because they were one of the teams that I think if you ask people around the league, you? Probably most underwhelmed by in free agency in the off season. I think a lot of people would've said the Cardinals, but just purely because of the fact that really do anything. There was so much talk around moving ado, it just didn't happen. And I think a lot of people kind of thought they're just gonna be a bit of a nothing side, but start of the season, undefeated three and oh. Look, ao, he, I mean obviously he's put the trade talk to one side. Either that or he's playing for a trade. For a team to want to come into him.'cause he started to season really well. Bating 400. He's set a home run three rbis and he's slug in 7 33. So he's he's made a very, very good start to the season. And to kind of wrap up my four stars for the week, excuse me, I did just want to touch on one player. Now there's a couple of players we could have spoken about that I spoke at length about Judge, and I did just want to give a shout out as well to Eugenia Suarez because. He's also hit four home runs to start the season, and it looks like an absolute monster at the plate for the DBAs, but wanted to give a bit of credit to Andreas Jimenez for the Blue Jays. Now, we spoke about him when we went through kind of our top ten second baseman, and everyone knows the guy defensively is the best in the game or, or very much up there with pr, maybe with Bryce Durang as the best sec defensive, second baseman in the game. He's. Platinum Club Defender, but we said maybe his power might improve when he goes to the Blue Jays and he's, he's around people like Boba Shit and Vladi Jr. And Anthony Santander. But Andrew Jimenez, he started the season with three home runs. I think his career best is 17, so he is well on track to beat that. He's batting 3 33. He knocks him five runs. He's slug in 9 44 to start the season now, guys. Yes, I know It is been four games and you can't judge a player off of four games and say that that's how their season's gonna finish and go. But career slug in percentage is 3 33, so he's quite literally, he's almost tripled his career slug in, and I just think you have to give a shout out to a player like that. But I think just mainly because you, that he wasn't expected to do that. So yeah, really, really, really good start from Andreas and all of the teams, the Yankees, the Padres, and the Cardinals. It'd be interested to see if those guys can hold onto the stars of the weak spot when it comes to next week's show. Matty, any thoughts on those? Agree with me. Disagree. Anyone else you wanna give props to before you go into your pelters?
Matt:yeah, I think you've missed out the Dodgers mate, to be fair. And they've been phenomenal. I caught two halves of the two of their games and they looked scary. Good. I think we said on opening day that they were gonna be, they were gonna be sort of a force to reckon with, but I genuinely think. They, and we were talking last week about the, the chance of a team getting a hundred or so wins. I think they're going for the record this year. I think as of what? This morning they were five and oh. so they're, they're also a five and oh team. everybody seems to be performing there, so I think the current record is 116 wins in a single season held by the Mariners. I think, you know, if you're a betting man, I'd, I'd be putting money on them. Winning 117 plus games this season. I think it's, it's, it's gonna happen. I think the Padres bit of a surprise package mate. I think there'll be one to watch this season. They're, they're going well. But I wanna talk about sort of the four sort of things that I noticed that were wasn't too great during opening weekend. And the first one might surprise you. It's not a player and it's not a team, it's the umpires. Now, in spring training, they tested the a BS system, which worked really, really well. It was great, you know, players were able to challenge when they, they thought that it was a, a missed call. But for whatever reason, the MLB have gone, we're not gonna do it this year. Why not? Umpires are making mistake upon mistake upon mistake. And I've got some stats. So on opening day this year, the umpires missed 196 calls. Last opening day, they missed 106. That's an increase of 30 now. Over the games that were played on opening day, that 196 averages out to 14 per game. Across the whole MLB season. There are 2,430 games played. That means umpires potentially are gonna miss 34,020 calls a season. They've got no help this season. So that's 34,000 times a mistake that cannot be rectified gets made. And that can, you know, that can cost coaches their job, can cost players a spotting the team. It, they need help now. The MLB needs to do something about that. have you got any thoughts on, on the umpire's performances in the first games?
Tom:I think it's one of those things, kind of like now you mention it even in the Yankees games.'cause I said, I was, a lot of it was, I was kind of caught up in the excitement of opening day weekend and I wasn't paying too much attention as to the negative side of things and was more just enjoying the baseball was back. Look, I know that a BS isn't gonna completely. Cure umpire mistakes, and I don't think anyone's asking for that. Like human error is what makes sport great because you get calls that go for you and you get stuff that doesn't, and I think swings and roundabouts and I think it eventually evens itself out throughout the seasons. I agree with you. However though, like when you're saying that like 34,000 calls across the season on average, based on kind of the numbers, just from the first weekend. Like that's, that's an alarming amount of missed calls. And when, like you mentioned, it's costing players spots in the teams potential money on their contracts. It is costing coaches their jobs, GMs, jobs because the team, missed call means the team loses a game and doesn't make the playoffs or doesn't finish with a certain record. Which the GM needed in order to keep his job and so on and so forth. So look, we're never gonna have a perfect sport because it will never exist. And that's what makes sport great'cause it isn't perfect. But to kind of have that many missed calls across the weekend. And I think especially considering they tested a B, S and it wasn't as if the test went badly, the test went really well. It actually they, I think it came, they came out, didn't they? They said it didn't slow down the game. All the calls that they used with a BS were successfully overturned or kept the same. And I think, look, spring training, there's less pressure on it, but I think umpires made less mistakes in spring training with a BS, because I think they had that pressure on them to not have to get the call spot on because a b, S might come in and change that for them. think it takes the pressure off a little bit. So yeah, I'm very surprised that the league didn't bring that in, especially with considering how well that goes. I think if it continues the way it's going, I can only see it coming in at some, maybe even at some point during the season, which you do sometimes see with with rules like that, or as an absolute minimum, it might come in for the post season.
Matt:Yeah, well hopefully something gets done soon, mate. The next one. A player and a team, and this one's like surprising and I'm not, I'm not bashing them because I'm a Yankees fan, but what a rough start for the Red Sox and especially Raffi devs. I think we were expecting big things. You know, we've mentioned'em a few times and I think I had the Red Sox as maybe a surprise package this season. Listen, I know it's very, very early days, but I. Over five games over the first five games. Raffi Devs has had 15 strikeouts in 19 at bats. One RBI two walks, zero home runs. He had an OPS of 0.8 70 last year. So now the Red Sox are one and four after five games. They lost three to the rangers. And won to the Orioles across those first sort of four or five games, Abreu and Campbell did well, but the rest of the team, 38 strikeouts in 110 at bats form, like that cannot continue. You know, and I think the Red Sox fans are expecting big things this year from the team. I think you've got a bit of a p news sort of story from the Sox, haven't you, mate?
Tom:You kind of touched on it there a little bit. I think it's been a bit of a, a slow start from the socks. I think us, along with a lot of others, kind of expected them to make a faster start and look, it's only four or five games in. We're not gonna jump jump to any kind of conclusions or get ahead of ourselves. Raffi devs is one of the best plays in the game. But yeah, look, a record breaking bad start from him with kind of going hitless in all those plate appearances, it does just affect things. So I don't think the way it was handled with him. Being moved from third base at a DH was particularly handled overly well. I think it was kind of swept under the rug a little bit by Ag. Alex Cora, and then it kind of just went by the way you are being the DH and Bregman's playing. Third, I, it was it from the looks, obviously we're not there, but from the looks of it, it wasn't one of those where it was like a, oh, by the way, Raffi, like, we're gonna go in for Bregman. Like, how would you feel about DH this year? that clearly didn't happen because they signed Bregman and all the talk was around Alex Bregman playing second base this year. And then all of a sudden towards the end of spring training, it was just, by the way, Bregman's gonna be playing third and Raffi devs is going to dh. And he suddenly agreed to it and was coming out and saying all things Red Sox and all for the team. But it's also one of those things like as a player, that is a change. That is a change to it. So. I think it's just, I think it's hard for players to adjust, but there is a bit of positive news on that front. For the Red Sox though, look, they've obviously traded for Garrett Crochet in the off season and managed to lock him down to a new contract. So he's just signed a six year,$130 million extension with the sox, which I think is a really, really positive sign in from the socks. And Garrett crochet, I think it's a great deal on both sides. He's obviously one of the game's elite pitchers, and I think he's only gonna get better playing. In a team that is gonna be competing and has kind of got, dunno, got the kind of class and quality about him to be able to develop him and develop his game. And I think he's obviously seen that, which is why he's agreed to the early extension and not gone, I'm gonna test myself out this season before testing free agency. He wants to be a Red Sox, he wants to win and I think he's in the right place to do it. So I think it's a good move for both.
Matt:Yeah, a little bit of a good news story for the underperforming socks there. Hopefully, you know, it turns around for them. My, my last two won't go into too much detail, but I was disappointed by the Mets and one Soto. I was expecting big things. You know, I think a lot of Mets fans and the baseball sort of community as a whole expecting big things and to go two, one down in your opening series is an. Isn't a great start. And when you look at Juan Soto's stats for the first for the first forms, he's on one home run, two rbis, and four hits in his first four games. Not$800 million worth a player for me, but you know, he may turn it around. And just to any Mets fans out there, do not ever, ever compare one Soto to Aaron Judge. Just don't do it. and then another one for me. The Braves, I was really surprised they've gone five and oh as a loss. And to top it off during some profile. Banned for 80 games for testing, positive for band substances. So that's not gonna do them any favors. Hopefully they turn it around. We'll, we'll have to wait and see. But I was really surprised and disappointed by both the Mets and the Braves, to be honest, mate.
Tom:Yeah, I think look, especially the Braves I mean, look, no surprise you were kind of gonna pick out the Mets. I think as soon as I saw the, the stat lines from across a couple of their games, and I knew we were doing this segment on, on Matt's pels, no, there's no chance that Mets are gonna avoid getting a pelting from Matt. So yeah, the Braves are really surprising. Obviously, like we said, a lot of people had them down to potentially make the World Series. And guys, I, I do keep reiterating we. We are not silly. We know it's only the first weekend, but we can only go for the games that we've seen so far. And yeah, the Braves just do not look right. The offense looks very, very out of it. I mean, I don't think they've even got someone batting over 200 at the moment to start the season. So been a really slow start from the Braves, but I think there's enough quality in that lineup to turn it round and make them a playoff team. This year, I, I can't, I can't see that lasting, but look, I guess you, I guess you just never, you just never know.
Matt:We'll keep you all updated on the ongoings in the MLB. There's a hell of a lot of baseball to be played. I'm gonna be trying to dip in and out of games all throughout this week and on into the weekend. We're gonna move over to the NHL now and we're gonna look at. The blues cause they are absolutely flying. A few weeks ago, Tom and I discussed where we thought teams were gonna end up and we both, even though there were sort of three or four places below the wild card places, we both had the blues up there.'cause I think they were the hottest team. At that time since coming back from the Four Nation Series and they've continued and continued and continued and they've got themselves into that wild card place and they seem to be just building momentum and I think anybody that has to face them in the next couple of weeks should, you know, should be cautious.'cause I think they're absolutely on fire mate.
Tom:Yeah,, they are, they are going, really well at the moment. I mean, I watched our game with them the other night and I can see why they're having success and it's because the way they've kind of transformed since the Four Nations. They have just become a lockdown defense team. And look, they are scoring goals and, and creating offense, but they beat the abs two one the other night and I can only go off of that'cause it's the game that I watched. But defensively they were so sound, Jordan Bennington's almost back to his best. I think that Four Nations win and his performance in the, in the finals in some of the games has kind of given him a little bit of a spring boost for the season. I think, yeah, they're just performing really well on all fronts at the moment. Kind of led by Robert Thomas. He's one of the most informed players in the league right now. He's kind of leading the charge. He's up to 68 points in 63 games. And look, they've won nine games in a row, so they, they really are the hottest team in the league right now.
Matt:Yeah, I think Jordan Bennington's definitely bought his Four Nations form into the blues. So I've got a quick stat here for you mate. So he had a plus 13 gold difference since I. Returning from the Four Nations versus a negative goal difference prior to the tournament. So that change around from him has been phenomenal. Another player I wanna mention who's done really well since the return is Dylan Holloway. He's currently on 31 points in 32 games. Which is a great return when you know you, you're striving for the playoffs.
Tom:Yeah, he's really kind of taking it by storm as well. That's been a really good pickup. I don't think they've got him on a particularly expensive contract either. So whether he'll be getting extended if he carries on and the the form goes into the playoffs. I still don't have them as a team that I see going particularly deep in the playoffs. I still think that the Winnipeg Jets and the Golden Knights would probably, and I'm not gonna say make short work of them,'cause I don't think they'll be that kind of team. I think they're almost very dogged, they're very suited to the playoffs, the way they're playing at the moment with that kind of defense verse hockey. I still think the Jets and the Knights will have too much over seven games for a team like the Blues. But look, the way they're going at the moment, no one wants to face them. And like we said, they're going for 10 in a row tonight against the Red Wings. So it'd be interested to see if they can pick up that 10th win. You'd probably put money on them to do it and they're, like we said, I think it's just a case of how far they can go if they can pick the wild for that first wild card spot and then play the Golden Knights from the looks of it, the Golden Knights. Although I know that division is very tight. Yeah, I think, look, the blues are putting themselves in very good position going into the playoffs because, and they have to, I think a lot like the stars were going really well. The jets are going really well. The abs are going really, really well at the moment. Like, those are teams are, the kings are flying. They keep scoring goals, I think. I think they've scored. Seven or eight goals in like in back to back games or something. I think it was over the last week. So there's a lot of teams on very, very good form in the west, and the blues are hitting it at the right time. And like we said, there's no one hotter than them at the moment, if they can make it 10 in a row. I think a lot of teams, even the Jets, the abs, the stars won't wanna face the blues in the playoffs.
Matt:I think it was a great bit of business. Buy them back in. I think it was. Early November, they fired Drew Banister, and then six days, five days later, they, they got, Jim Montgomery had just been fired by the Bruins. And I mean, as a Bruins fan, how, how pissed would you be? You know, they, they pretty much have missed out on the playoffs and I think it's one of the longest streaks in the NHL. I think it's like 15, I think it's 15 years. That they've, they've back to back playoffs. I think it's the longest streak and it's gonna end this year. So on that, I've got a crazy stat for you. So the last time both the Bruins and the Red Wings did not make the playoffs and it was 1967 that the last time that happened, who won the Stanley Cup?
Tom:Oh, was it? Was it the maple leaves?
Matt:It was, I know we're talking the blues and obviously we've gone off onto the, the, the Bruins, but can't rule'em out. Crazier things have happened, mate. But yeah, I think, I think from the from the blues point of view, getting in Jim Montgomery. Shrewd bit of business, man. I think when I first saw that, I was like, why would you go and get yourself a coach that's just been fired? Because the team, he's coaching are way, way, way underperforming. And then he goes and works his magic at the blues, great bit of business, you know, I think if he gets them into the playoffs and, you know, they might not go deep, but you can build on that. I think it's, they've been, they've, they've not been in the playoffs for sort of two, three seasons now. Have they So decent result for them.
Tom:of hot streak, Matty Nikita. How boring is this man? He just, every single year. It seems to find a way to be in the top two, three point scorers every season. I mean, since the Four Nations, I think he's got the most points in the whole league. I mean, the lightning is streaking at the moment as well. They're going really, really well and they've actually got the good chance of of actually winning that division. I didn't have'em down to win that division. Even when we did our predictions the other day, I said, they might be a sneaky shout to make the cup final. I had them down as my cup final prediction, but I didn't think they'd gone and win the division there. Put themselves in a good chance. And it is all down to the play of him. He, he's, he's a phenomenal player. Such great hockey iq. But look, 13 points in his last five games, I think he had back to back four point games as well. I think he's actually, if he's tied McKinnon. I dunno if Max's gone one ahead. When we last like, like when I last checked it, but considering kind of coming the like for a couple of weeks, it was just, who's gonna win the scoring race? Was it gonna be McKinnon or was it gonna be dry side? And look, Coff was third. And you can never write coff out because of stuff like this. But I think even, even Lightning fans, the most kinda like biased Lightning fans probably would've conceded the. The art Ross was going to McKinnon or, or dry cycle. But look, I think it, the way he's going at the moment, I, I can't see anyone other than Nik winning it. So fair play to him. And like we said, fair play to the lightning that Eastern, that eastern conference has been. So up and down all year there's been so many teams that had really good seasons. And yeah, like I said, the division race is hot in up there. The wild card race is looking very good, isn't it, Matty, that's still very, very tight.
Matt:Yeah, I think in the last week, I think the Rangers have been in there, the blue jackets have been in there. The Montreal Canadians have been in there and they've, they've swapped places depending on what night of the week it is. I think at one point the Islanders were in there as well, so it's still anybody's wild card place mate. The sends are are sort of. I don't think they're gonna, they're gonna drop out of it. They're, they're sort of, I think five points clear, but I think there's only five points or six points between the Canadians and the Islanders. There's five teams that are sort of battling for that. So that is a great watch mate. Looking at that every day, you know, catching the highlights, catching the games. It's a, I thought the Blue Jackets would get it. I think. I think it's still possible for them. I think they're, they've got a game or two in hand, so I think if they continue to, if they continue to, to pick up the points, I still think it'll go to the blue jacket. Disappointed as a, you know, as a New York Rangers fan that we've not gone there. But, you know, I think hopefully with our business in the trade in the trade window during the season, we. We've picked up some decent players and we've picked up some picks for the future as well. So hopefully, you know, the Rangers season will be different next year.
Tom:Yeah, I think, I think you give, look, I, I think you're being, you're obviously doing the pessimistic fan where you're kind of ruling yourself out to allow yourself not to be. As disappointed. I know you, I know you very well. I know for a fact you still have that sneaky feeling that you probably are gonna make it in. Look, I don't, I don't, I almost don't wanna predict that wild card at position anymore because I feel like it's too hard. Like you said, there are quite literally like four or five points between the team in second and the Islanders in sixth. So it's like it's, it is one of those, like, I just think, I think this, it's very hard to call. I don't think you can write any of those teams. Out of potentially making it, like you said, I think the sins have probably got enough on the board to say they're safe, but there's what, there's what, nine, 10 games to go? Potentially So yeah, I think it's, it's, it's anyone's game speaking and staying with the Eastern Conference. The capitals, like the Jets have just carried on doing what they've been doing all year, and that is winning games. Winning games comfortably and ovechkin. He's, he's edging ever closer.
Matt:Certainly is mate, five goals away from breaking the record. I think it's nailed on to be done this season. I know a couple of weeks ago I was like, oh, it's a bit close, but he's, he was banging him in, doesn't it? So it's, I mean, it's, he's probably gonna go down to the wire. I wouldn't be surprised if it's probably the last game of the season. But I mean, and you know, it'd be great if he can do it at home, but how pissed would you be if he bangs in that goal? The record breaking goal, all the bells and whistles are going off. All the confetti drops. And they call it as a no goal.
Tom:If avech skin is one goal away, I think there'll be, there'll be some sort of ruling in Toronto where if Avech skin scores, unless it is the most blatantly offside goal. You have, you've ever seen? I, I, I can't. I reckon there must be some sort of ruling. In Toronto over in the video room where they go, no. Guys, if this is the goal that breaks the record, we do not, we, the coaches probably have a mutual agreement. We're not challenging the play, we we're not asking the rest to review it.'cause if all of that happens and then it gets pulled back for an offside or a high stick or goal and interference, I think that would be, which one of it, like you said, it would be, it'd be so painful. It'd almost be funny. So. Yeah, it'd be great. It'd be interesting to see how he gets on with getting it done this season. Five to go. I really, really want it to happen. I'm kind of scrolling across. I'm trying to find who they've got in their last game to see if they see who, who it would be against potentially. And if it, it'll be at home. I'll come back to that. I'll come back to that shortly, but I just, yeah, I, I just wanna see it happen this season. I just think it. side of the conference. I just think it'd be really interesting to see him break the record and them look, they've already got momentum going into it because of how good they've been this year, but it'd be interesting to see how him breaking that record kind of lead them into the playoffs.'cause I keep seeing a lot of videos on social media as well. They look like such a gelled unit this year. It's almost like the record has kind of brought them together as a team. They seem to be enjoying their hockey a lot more. There's obviously the good fun kind of around that whole joke around like the bands will make her dance with Ovechkin and stuff like that. Like, there's just been a lot of fun stuff going around on social media this year, and I think the capitals have become quite a likable team. Not if you are a division rival. I mean, like, I'm not gonna sit here and say to you. Go, mate, you, you, you gotta like the capitals this year, because obviously they're a rival, but it's, and by the way, it's the Pittsburgh Penguins, I think is their last game of the season. So Sydney, how amazing would it be, even though it's not a home, Sydney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin for Akin to break the record in that game with Sid on the Ice. I think it's almost, maybe it's written in the Stars for it to be the Penguins game where it happens and. I don't, I think that would be a pretty picture. Perfect. Picture perfect ending into the season.
Matt:Things like that are almost certainly written in. The stars, mate. It's, it's bound to happen, isn't it? What an amazing, amazing site that'll be. And I'll definitely be having that game on to keep an eye out for that. Getting into the NFL then mate. Announcement from the league this morning. A rule change.
Tom:Kind of scuppered me a little bit because guys, like Matt kind of said at the start of the podcast with all the kind of rule changes that have been proposed. Obviously the team's potentially talking about banning the tush push and a lot of other stuff being brought forward. Me and Matt thought we've, look, we've not a lot going on in terms of free agency signings, and obviously the draft is still a few weeks away. We thought we'd have a bit of a fun segment this time and kind of come up with rules that we wanted to see implemented. Now, my rule was very, very similar to what the league announced, which is that both teams officially now are gonna be able to possess the ball. In overtime, which I think people have been crying out for for years. It's, it's why I put it down as the rule that I wanted to see added to the league. Look, mine is just slightly different. I've kind of made it a little bit, I'll probably say a little bit sillier than that. But just something a bit more fun. But yeah, I think it's a good, I think it's a great role. Like I said, I think it's something that the league has needed to do for a long time because I never, it never sat right with me for the idea that. Both teams couldn't possess the ball even if a touchdown was scored, because I just think you are literally then relying on, look, if you win the toss, you've almost half won the battle because you are gonna go down as long as you get to within scoring position on the field, you've almost got one foot over the line where, where even with a field goal, you only then have to get a four and out, and I know that's the case on the other side. You could just say, well, the defensive team. Only need to get a foreign out to then be able to then go down the other end and score themselves. But just think over time would look better and it's gonna look much better this year, in the regular season.'cause it's only the regular season. They may, they were very clear on that, that it's gonna be the regular season that that comes into play. Think it's gonna look a lot better this year knowing that, that even if it gets to overtime and you score a touchdown. The other team has the chance to go up the other end and score themselves. So I think it makes for a lot better viewing and it is just, for me, it's a lot fairer as well.
Matt:Yeah, I think, I think the games needed that, to be honest.'cause it. It can be frustrating.'cause if you take a game to overtime and you lose the toss, it's almost like you lose the game. And I don't think it's, it's a fair way to end it sometimes. So I did my, my one I, I was toying with two, so I'll tell you both very quickly. But the one I went for was also an overtime rule. And again, it's the field goals. I don't think you should be able to win a game in overtime with a field goal. I think you should have to go for it in overtime, and you can only throw the ball. Can't run it. You gotta throw it. Throws a bit of jeopardy in there, into interceptions. You know, why not?
Tom:But you know what? I was with you there. I really. that. It's kind of the complete opposite of what I've gone for with my overtime. I've really liked it until you said about not running the ball. If you've gone along the lines of you can only go for offensive, offensive plays either on the ground or in the air, so like, like you say, throwing the ball or running the ball. I'd have been really on board with that, I think. Yes, it might drag it out a little bit, but it adds to the suspension. Like you said. It means teams actually have to go for it as opposed to just Right. We've defended the first, but I know that will change this year.'cause now both teams can receive the ball. But even still, right, let's just defend the first. We'll try and get a foreign out and we only need to get ourselves within 40, 50 yards of the, of the goalposts and we can kick a field goal. I think that makes it a lot more exciting. You'd see a lot more. Kind of action packed plays and highlight real plays because teams would just be going for it. And I think that's where the best of the best would come into it. I don't necessarily agree with not allowed to run the ball. I think that just you completely eliminate some of the best players in the league and who people pay to see. I mean, personally, like as an Eagles fan, if I got to an, if I went to a game and it went to overtime and I thought, and your role was in play and I was like, right, well I've paid the price of admission'cause I wanna see Saquon Barkley. And it's now the most pressured time off the game and overtime and he's not allowed to run the ball. I, I think that's a lit that would just be a complete waste of time. And I, I think that's a bit, that's a little bit much, but like if you add running game into it, I will give you that. Matty, I think that's a quite a fun rule.
Matt:we could, we could add that in there. You know, give the teams a choice, right? For four plays you can run it or throw it. What do you wanna do? Ah, we'll, we will run all four plays or we'll throw all four plays. It'd be quite good. But then my other one was after scoring a touchdown, you can't go for a field goal, you gotta go for the two points.
Tom:I think, like you said, I think it, it adds more to the suspense. is, again, over time, like I said guys, this is not a cop out. It generally was. Me and Matt came up with this segment probably a few days beforehand because we wanted to do something on the NFL, but not with a lot going on. We thought it'd be quite a fun thing to do. So generally I've got down here. My proposed rule change is I want both teams to get possession in overtime, even if a touchdown is scored. Now, where mine slightly differs and again maybe goes into the borderline of bit silly, but look, this was a bit of fun, and if it's tied both possessions, whether that be point scored, each seven point scored, each six point score, whatever you want, or no score, I have it that it almost a little bit like in football, in English, football, I. It kind of goes to a penalty shootout, but it goes to your kickers. You start on the 20 yard line and both, and both kickers have to kick a, have to kick a a field goal or an extra point to score. If both players score, they move back 10 yards and this goes on until one player scores and one player misses. So it almost becomes like a sudden death of.
Matt:Like it.
Tom:or extra points whatev however you, they would wanna score it or, or call it. Look, it's my rule. I'm gonna say it's a field goal. So three points get added for each one, or it comes up kind of like in the box when like a penalty shootouts going on. You've got 20 yard line, tick, tick or cross cross or cross tick and so on and so forth. I think that would be so much drama. And I also just think, look guys, I'm not saying that like I paid the price of admission for an NFL game to. Go and watch kickers and field goal kickers, but it'd be nice to see those guys get some credit. Like Jake Elliot was amazing for the Eagles in the Super Bowl. I think he went four for four and I think he broke his own record for most 50 yard field goals in a Super Bowl or in a postseason made and like, nothing really got said about him after the game. And, and look, I'm not saying undeservedly, so because obviously Saan and Jalen Hurtz and Devonta Smith and AJ Brown and the defense were amazing, but. think it would actually make those, the kickers so much more valuable, so much more important. It would make the off season a lot more interesting because if, if they can quite literally go in and may have to win new games in the regular season and postseason with it being tied, I think it adds a little bit more value to their contracts. And also look just for kids growing up. Like not everyone can be. Six foot five, six foot wide and be a big defensive back, or be lightning quick.'cause a wide receiver or a running back or have the, the, like the gun, the shotgun arm of a Joe Burrows. Like, not everyone has that. Like, and I think it'd be, it'd be great to see kind of more emphasis put on being a kicker and kids kind of growing up who are more blessed with a ball at their feet as opposed to in their hands or. Kind of abusing their, their body and their physical presence to kind of make an impact on the game.
Matt:Yeah, I think Penalty shootout style, field goal kick's a bit decent one to watch, mate. Maybe bring it in just for postseason as well.'cause how, how amazing would that be? I had so much drama. That'd be awesome. I. That about wraps it up mate. Go and watch some Yankees baseball this evening. We start a new series. Let's hope we can go four and oh. Mate, have a lovely week. I'm sure we'll be in touch a lot'cause there's so much going on. I think, I think I talk to you more than I do my wife at the minute, which is bad, but podcast life mate.
Tom:How it should be, mate, how it should be. No. Yeah. It's gonna be another hectic week, like you said. Plenty going on baseball season, well underway now. Those wild card races are gonna be coming down to the wire as well, so I think we've only got a couple weeks left on the NHL season now. So yeah, and obviously the draft is coming up in a few weeks as well, guys, so there'll be plenty to bring to you for next week. So yeah, from myself and for Matty. Have a lovely weekend, guys. And yeah, we'll see you next week.
Matt:That does it for another episode of Triple Play uk. I've been your host, Matt, along with co-host Tom. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to follow us on X and subscribe on whatever listening platform you're on and we will catch you again next week. Cheers, guys.