Live in Five

Episode 118: Johnny Chan

• Jordan Schmaltz & Gage Ausmus • Episode 118

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0:00 | 1:07:55

A new episode with Jordan Schmaltz & Gage Ausmus.


This week the fellas get into: 

- Frozen Four Recap

- NHL Playoffs

- People's Insider Term of the Week

 && much more !!


Presented by:

@butter.golf

@minnemovers


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SPEAKER_00

Alrighty, folks. Welcome back to another episode of Live and Five Baby, the Captain, freshly back from Vegas. Gage, Azo Osmus, Jay Swish, yours truly, folks. It is Monday evening, episode 118, on the bone, off the screws. Another UND Sioux season comes to an end as I put my Sioux hat on. I was proud of the fellas. You were in Vegas. I wasn't able to watch after the first 20 minutes of play. Had everything booked. And sadly, sounds like from what I was texting you, you know, in between kind of the game and the shift and afterwards. Um it just seemed like you know what, flat out. We kind of we kind of just laid an egg, but I want to let you address it, talk about it, and uh first and foremost, I'm proud of the boys for representing Suhockey, getting back to the frozen four. So just touch on it, brother.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean 100%. Um well done getting back to the frozen four. You know, that's that's kind of I'm not gonna say, Jordan, that you know, that's that's all we want to do, but that's that's that's kind of the goal. And then whatever happens if the frozen four happens, obviously you want to win that game. But when you do make it back to the frozen four, that's kind of the goal of the season. Um so congrats on the boys. I'm I'm proud of them. I'm happy for the coaching staff, all the fellows on that team. I know they're Sue, they're Sue guys, Jordo, but they laid an egg, man. I don't know what to I don't know what else to say. And and it was similar to us though in in in Boston, right, Jordo, when we were playing BU, I think they outplayed us all game. Um, we did not bring our best. That shit happens. That happens in the frozen fort, it's a one one and done shot. I think if we play whisco in a seven-game series, different story there, but that's not the rules. So yeah, I don't know what happened, Jordo. They just couldn't get anything going, they did not play their game, they did not look like themselves. I actually think they would have lost to just about any team in the country that night with the effort and and performance they brought. I don't know if they have an explanation. I don't have an explanation for it. They couldn't make passes, they couldn't break the puck out, they couldn't make plays, they were making bad decisions. Wisco, honestly, the only bright spot on North Dakota, and I don't want to rain it on them, but the only bright spot was Jan Spinnard. He played unbelievable. I thought if it weren't for him, that game could have been eight to one.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So that's what my dad was saying, Ozo, too, when I was talking to him, and you know, obviously I was texting you right after the game, and even kind of as the game was going, we had the group chat going with me, you, Rico, and Simo, um, because that was the crew ultimately that was going to roll into the national championship game. But the the one word that Mikey Schmaltz used was was turnovers, and it just seemed like they couldn't manage the puck all night, which is a totally different story than how they played against Quinni Piac just 12 days prior. And was it nerves, Ozzo? What like you know, you've you've won, you've been in big games, you know hockey, and you especially know this university almost better than anyone, besides the coaching staff. Yeah, but did it look like nerves, or did it look like a team that hasn't been on that stage before and thought they needed to win the game within uh minute to minute as to just depositing as the game went on, you know? Like what did it look like? I because it's easy to say after the game ends, you know, you wish you would have done that, this, and the other. Um, but what did it look like to a fan that was, you know, four to six drinks deep?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think what I think, Jordo, is they came in as the uh as the favorite, and they had a really good I, you know. I think going in, you're thinking like you might win this thing, and then you put a lot of pressure on yourselves, right? You're in Vegas, you see all the North Dakota fans show up, you're supposed to win the game. I think that gets to your head a little bit. Maybe some nerves come in to play, but yeah, I don't know. I I I just it's tough to describe. I don't know what happens, like every team's different, right? And and I think my freshman year, your sophomore year, I didn't play the game, but when we went and played the Gophers, I mean we kicked the shit out of them. We lost the game, but I thought we outplayed them all game, which was shouldn't have happened. We weren't as good as the Gophers that year, Jordo. They had an unbelievable team. Our team wasn't that, but we outplayed them. I mean, we should have won that game. So why is that? I don't think we had like pressure on us to play well. We weren't we were the underdogs, we were like coming in like let's fucking do this. You know, no one expects us to win this game, and then against Boston, we laid an egg there. So I'm I'm going back to my own experience, and then you know, all the years I've watched, it's just I think there's a a lot building up to the moment, you know. It was Jackson's first year as head coach, the first frozen four, they hadn't been there in so long, none of them had even seen that stage, let alone get into a regional final. Um, so when you do get there, the lights get bright. Maybe you're putting too much pressure on yourself, maybe you're trying to do things you wouldn't normally do. That's certainly what it looked like. They it looked like they couldn't, they just couldn't make plays, man. And and I was saying it to guys, I was like, shit, I I mean, you know, you don't feel that bad after this loss because it's like fuck Bemidji would have beat us tonight. So I I don't know how you explain it, and I'm not gonna blame the guys either because that shit happens. Um, I'm proud of them. They had an unbelievable season, an incredible first season by Dane Jackson and the coaching staff there. Um, and and and really bright future with this squad going forward. And now this team, this core of this team that's moving forward, Jordo, they've got frozen four experience. I don't know if it was partially Vegas, I don't know what they got up to in Vegas, the nights leading up to that game. Who knows what happened there? I know there's a bunch of beauties on the team, so I don't know. There's so many factors that could go into why they kind of laid an egg. It's just is what it is. And and and honestly, Wisco played unbelievable, Jordal. I mean, they they were so good. I I I you know, when you're watching a North Dakota game, I usually watch the North Dakota players, and I started just watching Whisco. I was just I was like, what why can't we figure them out? They were never out of position, they had guys making confident plays, they're breaking the puck out, they were also getting chances. They they just were good, they brought their A game. Yeah, so that's also part of it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I just think and you know how quick that panic button sets in when you go down 2-0, and especially a team that hasn't been there before. It's hard, man. Those games, when you get down and it's a one-game shot, your stress levels go through the roof. The game goes so quick, it's hard, man. You get down early like that. It's it takes a very big veteran team to be able to kind of ride that wave of emotions and get over that hump. And in two goals feels like 10, especially at that stage, as the minutes are clicking down and and ticking down as you're going into the second period. Now there's you know, 30 minutes left, 20 minutes left. Like that's really hard to manage, and we're not making excuses over here. And like we've been in those situations. I mean, that game you talked about at the TD Bank Garden when we're playing BU. I I honestly thought we were a better team than BU that year. For sure. There was a couple soft goals that went in. Zayn McIntyre would tell you that, right?

SPEAKER_01

I mean we were missing Mark Mack, too, which hurt us at the time.

SPEAKER_00

But Zayn was the goaltender of the year, you couldn't get anything by him. A couple unfortunate bounces go in. Doyle Summerby scores his first goal in like three years along the ice with six screens. There's a goal that goes in from the corner, just like fluky things that happen that can kind of take just all the wind out of your sails. And from what I hear, I mean, I didn't again watch the last 40 minutes, but that's just what I've kind of gathered. Um but ultimately Ozo is a great year and shit happens. I think like you said, if we play Whisco in a seven-game series, that probably is a five-game, five-game route, you know. For sure. It might be maybe they push us six, but it's it's it's probably a five-game route that we beat them. And go ahead.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you you mentioned that you know they you go down right away and then you go down two. We are saying up in the stands, you know, we don't know who's gonna score first in the first period. The whole time we're saying me, John, and Dusky, like, we got to get the first. Yeah, if you don't get the first, you can't play the game you want to play. It's so much harder if you don't get the first, and then they score that first goal, and it was like, oh boy, yeah, this is not good.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it's like a game, it's like a game seven and pro. Like the usually the first team that scores that draws blood. I go back to that 2019 St. Louis Blues when they were playing Boston. There's like three post Boston hit in the first period. Ryan O'Reilly scores late in the first period, and then JB Snow stands on his head. You know, it's just like that those little momentum swings of not scoring or you know, turning pucks over. The other team gets the first one. Now you're behind the eight ball, and it's very hard to play catch up, and especially when you're gripping the stick that tight, you got all your fans there, and you know, a lot of these guys, that's their first time ever being in the frozen four. I mean, I think there was no guy that had played in the frozen four, right? From any other school on our squad, right? There's no there's not one, yeah. That's what I thought.

SPEAKER_01

No one with that experience, which matters a bit a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, also think about the team that you guys ultimately won. I mean, I you know, I think about it every day that I wish I would have stayed another year. If hindsight was 2020, we had played in two frozen fours the year before, yeah, and you guys capitalized the following year on the third try in three years. So you have to get to the dance, and the biggest thing I take away from this year is when you you have a chance to win a national championship, the more times you get to the frozen four. Now, this is a deposit to the future. Did it go our way? Absolutely not. But these guys are gonna remember that, and they're gonna get back there next year or the year after, or hopefully both years, and they are gonna know what to expect, they're gonna know how to roll in a couple days early, how to deal with your family, what that pregame skate feels like, the day before practice, the meal. Like, it's all so much different. There's so many things thrown at you, as you know. Like, think about when you guys got to Tampa. I mean, it's the famous quote of Bryn Chiswick telling Brad Elliott Schlossman, we're here for a business trip, but that was your third one in a row. Think about that.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, the mindset was so much different, Jordo. Yeah. I mean, it's not even you're going there like pissed off. You're like, fuck this place. You know, we've already walked down the red carpet twice, got our ass handed to us. Fuck it. We don't care about anything, we're gonna win a couple hockey games, and yeah, like you said, you you have to have that experience, you know, and you have to you bring that with you, you know. Now these guys have that feeling, and and that's why Denver wins so much, they get back to the frozen floor every year, yeah, and then they're giving themselves a chance, you know. So yeah, I like what we got going forward. This is a great experience for those guys coming back on this team.

SPEAKER_00

Yep, and you know, and they they need to hold their chins high and and realize what they did. They this was a big pivotal year for North Dakota hockey. If we back this up, like we talked about a couple weeks ago, to even May, June last year, we had no idea what this team was gonna look like. 15 new players, new coaching staff, bringing in guys from all over the place, locking in two key players in Keaton Verhoff and Cole Reschney, and then just to stabilize guys moving forward, whether it was a couple transfers, bringing in guys that were freshmen. I mean, it was a hell of a year for UND hockey, so I just want to tip my cap to those boys. They should be proud. And like we said, just it's about getting to the dance, getting there, doing it again, being consistent, and then the one pops, and and now we turn our attention to Denver. Like Denver, I'm gonna tell David Carlis, and I even texted him. I said, You I didn't even think you guys were even good, still, and you win a national, and you still win a national championship. I told him this was your best coaching performance you have had to date. You've won world juniors, you have won national championships, you have turned down NHL teams with multiple year, you know, yeah, like deal, like the years with a multiple year contract offers for millions of dollars. I mean, this was this was just had just staples of just a coaching, uh just a tactical. I don't know, man. He he went in there and like he played it like it was like Gettysburg, dude. This was just a uh it was trench warfare, the way he just was able to shift his pawns and press the right buttons and then get at the timely scoring and the goaltending being unbelievable. I mean, this goaltender Ozo was committed to an HBCU before David Carl found him.

SPEAKER_01

He he he has he still hasn't lost a game. Yeah, like what the fuck? He's undefeated. I don't get it. I mean, yeah, you like it's funny saying you know, this Denver team wasn't that good because I I actually don't think like they were as good as they usually are, but I mean they still like they had a lot of players too, you know. Like yeah, they just had some guys, they had some dudes. Like, I mean, how funny is that Boston Buckberger? You just signed with uh Columbus, sick name, by the way. Nasty, nasty player, such a Denver player. Um, they got Eric Polkamp, led the team in scoring, defenseman natty, that ain't bad. Um, so they have some guys, but yeah, like you said, it was DC's craziest year. Like, how does he bring this team? I remember we were sitting there, Jordal, on in like December, maybe even January, and I was thinking, oh, it's about time Denver had a down year.

SPEAKER_00

Yep, yeah. We were like, Oh, they you know, they're they'll make the tournament. They, you know, maybe we'll you know, maybe DC will bring them to the frozen four, but they're we don't get to worry about these guys. We're smooth sailing here at North Dakota, and then they go and win the NCHE tournament at the end of the year, then they roll in and they get the favorable, well, regional in Loveland, Colorado. They breeze through that, and then they get to well, the frozen four in Vegas. OT winner, double OT winner. They're down one-nothing with 10 minutes to play, and boom, boom, there it is, baby. Wow, what a performance! And the thing that they do the best too is, and I don't know if he does it on purpose, I think he does, but they go and get like these third, fourth, fifth round picks, and they just turn them into legitimate NHL prospects. I know when's the last time they really had a high-end, you know, first round pick that's went in there. I mean, I'm sure they've had a few lately, but it just seems like it's it's always those guys that are like the third, fourth, fifth round picks, and it even dates back to like the Dylan Graham Bells, the Joey Lelegias, the you know, yeah, some of these guys that are just like you know, fifth fifth rounders, uh Will Butcher, you know, fifth round pick, Kobe Baker winner. So it always seems like they get these guys Danton Hynan, fourth round pick. You know, it's like how do they always turn these guys into players like that?

SPEAKER_01

Did you already say Trevor Moore?

SPEAKER_00

No, but that's another name.

SPEAKER_01

Still playing. I mean, yeah, I don't know where he found 30 goal scorer in the NHL. Oh, it they're they're all and and you know what it is DC, but I'll say, Giorno, it's it's just something about that Denver University, too, because yeah, they were a little bit like this before DC was around, too. Not to this extent, but they had no players, and for some reason, they're always in the tournament. You you find them in the frozen four. It's like, what are you guys doing in the frozen four? You're not that good.

SPEAKER_00

I know, but they're just there. They've always had guys like that, too. Like, were they just like Tyler Bozak, even way back in the day, like undrafted two years at Denver, signs unreal national league player? Yeah, you know, even guys that were not like legitimate, like really good pros, but Anthony Miani, like that name, he was sick. Uh Gabe Gautier, some of these guys, the blast from the past, like these guys that were just like nasty players were, and I feel like a lot of the times they're always like Western Canadians, like they find them like in the BC BCHL. Now they can find them in the Western League, but they always found these just diamonds in the rough in the in the BCHL. Like Denver has always lived in the BCHL and then just like sneaky good West Coast Americans.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, yeah, like the California kids. They always have a couple good California kids. Yeah, they're just getting them from everywhere. Um it's just you know, as an as North Dakota guys, Jordo, we we fully believe we are alumni of the best university in college hockey, right? Like, yeah, to me, it's there's no doubt, but when I keep seeing Denver win these goddamn national championships, it's it's starting to hurt me a little bit. Like back in the day, uh, a couple of years ago, I was like, Oh, I kind of hope Denver wins this national championship. This year, I was like, they cannot win another one. I don't want it to happen, it's just fucking inevitable.

SPEAKER_00

They win it again. And a guy that was committed there, you know. You were you were oh yeah, you were never a pile, but you were almost a pile at the same time.

SPEAKER_01

That's why it that's why it irks me so much.

SPEAKER_00

It's like fuck, yeah, they're just guys. I know, and I was kind of I was torn in the middle too, because I love DC, but I didn't I didn't even know if I wanted Wisco to win, to be honest. Like, I was just like uh I don't know. As a kid from there, I was decommitted there, obviously. Everyone knows, said it a hundred times, but just like, yeah, I don't know. I mean, Wisco just hasn't won since 2006, and Denver now has 11 national championships. And David Carl is is gonna be like the John Wooden of college hockey here. I mean, it's it's incredible the run he's been on. Um, is he gonna stay? Is he gonna go? I don't know. I mean, this what what even excites that guy? He's making over a million bucks at Denver. His job security is until he wants to walk away. He's only 36 years old, man. He's been coaching for like 18 years, it's crazy. Like it's insane. Like he was coaching my brother in Green Bay in 2013, 14. So he would have been he's an 89. Yeah, he would have been like 24 at the time, 23.

SPEAKER_01

And he started really young, he started like 18, 19, right?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and and and before that, the year before that, he was at Denver as a grad assistant, uh, under Guaz, and then went to Green Bay for a year, came back to Denver, worked under Monty. Everyone knows that, and then this you know, the rest is history. But yeah, it's just a it's an amazing run. I'm sure they're gonna be back there next year. Just hope our boys are back there too. Where is it next year? Is it in Minneapolis? DC, Washington, DC. Washington, D.C. So yeah, hopefully, hopefully the fellas are back. What are we hearing just on like the EJ Emery front? Is he gonna return? Um, that was the only name I thought maybe.

SPEAKER_01

I would I I would guess he'll be back. I think one more year will do him good. He's only a sophomore, 100%. Um, I would think he'll be back. I would think I thought I saw Reshne's coming back. I kind of expected that. Um, and then we were, yeah, I don't know. They've got a good back end too. They got Sam Lurillov, Keaton Veroff, EJ Emery coming back, and then they've got this McKenzie kid coming in, Jordo. Yeah, and then they've got um, well, there's there's rumor out there that this DuPont kid out of Western Canada is thinking about going to college, Denver, Michigan, Minnesota, Nodak, I'm sure. Can you imagine trying to recruit this DuPont kid and telling him, like, hey, buddy, uh, yeah, well, you'll sign in at the fourth slot?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, hey, but uh you might be third pair. You're gonna be uh, how does PowerPlay two sound? They usually get about 20 seconds of ice. How's that sound?

SPEAKER_01

We got Jen for Power Play 2, so it might be a tough call with you know, at some point you got too stacked of a back end where it's like and is Verhoff, do you think he's gonna come back? Or I think he'll come back. I can I think he can do one more year.

SPEAKER_00

He he should. Yeah, yeah. I love I love the kid's game, and depending on where he gets drafted, whether it's second, third, fourth, fifth. I mean, I think he should come back and dominate. I would much rather have him play college hockey than the American League. I mean, I think at this point, Ozzo, you know, I just watched an American Hockey League game because I went and watched Jakey play. The American Hockey League is always gonna be good, but college hockey is as close to the American Hockey League as it's ever been. And I would argue that maybe the high-end skill leans towards college right now, especially with more Western leaguers coming into the fold. It's crazy how good this these this college game is. For sure. The American League, of course, it's gonna be more pro style, of course, it's gonna be heavier bodies, bigger guys. But man, the top end skill at the American League used to be way different, way different. I the top end skill in the American League is just right on par with the top end skill in college right now. Now, the depth in the American League is Because guys are stronger, they hit harder, they play harder, they know how to play. The third, fourth lines, of course. I'm just saying the top end skill in college is right there with the American Hockey League right now because of the Western Hockey League players coming down and playing. It is, I just I just watched it.

SPEAKER_01

Well, for sure. And you and you got a bunch of guys in college nowadays that they'll never touch the American League ice.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Like Jake, Jake Schmaltz, his game fits way better in the pro style.

SPEAKER_01

For sure.

SPEAKER_00

But I would say he he's better in the American League than he is in college. He's way better in the American League. You know what I mean? Like I just because I think he fits the style more, and it's it's more slotted in for what your role is. But I will say the the style is you know more pro fitting, obviously. But I just think the the skill level of college, it man, it's it's getting up there.

SPEAKER_01

It might be probably only getting better, too.

SPEAKER_00

That's what I'm saying. Like it might be, and I just watched Providence Bruins are the best team in the league in the American League. They just won the regular season. There's some guys in college, you know, these teams, they're they're right there, you know. They're right there.

SPEAKER_01

Well, you get you had that collegiate team go over. Where the what's that tournament they spang over in Switzer? The Spangler Cup. Right. They go over and play in the Spangler Cup, they're pretty damn good over there. I mean, those are good players playing over there, like uh close to if not American League players playing in that tournament on the pro teams.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. Like I if if Libanovich has to spend time in the American League next year, he is gonna light that league up.

SPEAKER_01

For sure.

SPEAKER_00

So I'm just saying, you know, for for a guy like Verhoff in lifestyle-wise, I mean you're just so much better off just staying in college, you know, and that's where I'm kind of going with this just to rapid full circle. Where you know, Keaton Verhoff say he plays 50 games in the minors next year and gets a call-up for you know, say team like Vancouver and plays 20 games up. Dude, you're gonna play a thousand games as is, young fella. Just stay in college, and then after the season, you go sign and you know get your NHL debut. Like that game ain't going anywhere for you, young man. Like you're 18 years old. Just don't avoid the American League at all costs, is what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, your your life in college compared to the the jungle. Oh man, it's it's not even close.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, it's not even close, dude. So yeah, it'll uh it'll be interesting. Also, lastly on the college front, just wanted to give our clicks um to Maxi Plant on the Hobie Baker. Great suit on the young man. It looked like he almost just knew he was gonna win with that Hobie bronze on. You know, you gotta you look tailored, it look fitted, uh, you look good. He was his speech was like, I don't like to use the word cute for a dude because it's kind of gay, but he was just like so nervous and like such a young little boy up there, like he was like talking fast, and you know, I his mom was like crying. It was just like you know, just it was like a little boy up there, dude, like accepting his award, you know. It's a kid that hasn't turned into a man yet. And what is he a sophomore?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, sophomore, still really young. Yeah, beauty. I didn't watch, I didn't watch his speech, but yeah, what a what a hell of a season. I cannot believe the Bulldogs just keep pulling off these Hobie Bakers, yeah. Um but yeah, that what a season. I cannot, I also this guy's going back to college again, Jordo. So I think think like one of the first times in however long that the Hobie Baker winner has gone back to college.

SPEAKER_00

I know, I just I I I respect it because he wants to play with his younger brother, so all three of them are gonna play together, but like that's gotta be so tough, man. I mean, I think the kid's humble enough to go back and just do it again. But if that was me, like what do I got to prove at this level?

SPEAKER_01

You know, like what are we you just said? 25 tucks, what are we games?

SPEAKER_00

What are we doing here?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's like it's it's too easy for you, brother. You gotta move on, but yeah, it'll be fun to watch next year.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, no, no kidding, it's it's good for the game. Uh that's for sure. It's this this portal thing is just driving me nuts. We've spent you know a few episodes talking about it, but like you know, that it opened up today, and you just see all the names in there. I just hate when there's like legitimate players at universities that you know, these coaches recruit them to come in there, they played them, play them a shit ton, they fucking roll out the red carpet for them. Maybe the money wasn't what it should have been, or maybe they outplayed or outkicked our coverage to that point, and they just up and leave, and they just go somewhere else. Like the grass is always greener. I just it drives me nuts. There's no pride, there's no sense of loyalty. You just leave, you just like all right, yeah. All right, boys. Uh, you know, I'm just good year here in Happy Valley. I'm out, or good year out here at BU, Michigan, or Michigan State, or it's crazy, Minnesota. I'm out, I'm out of here, boys. Like, I just imagine leaving your boy. I can't even imagine doing that. Man, I would be crying. I was crying for three straight days when I had to sign just a term pro. Like, me, I'll never forget it. I was sitting at I was sitting at Panera Bread on 42nd, and it didn't feel right when I did it. I felt like I was betraying everyone. I was just sad I was not gonna be there the next Saturday for beer darts. I'm like, you what do you what do you mean? I'm I'm I gotta grow up, I'm leaving. So it just and you just leave. You you just you walk out the door for 25k, 50k, 100k. Like, also no amount of money, and I'm not trying to sound like a beauty, but no amount of money could have got me to leave the University of North Dakota at the time I was there, like legitimately, like you could have offered me a million dollars. I wouldn't, I wouldn't have taken it. I swear to god, I wouldn't have.

SPEAKER_01

No chance. I was no chance. I wasn't even it's it's one thing for the guys who are playing Jordo, like that, but the guys who I was a guy who wasn't even playing my freshman year, and my agents tell me to go, you know, go back to the dub or go to the USHL and transfer somewhere because you're not playing, and it's like I can't fucking do that. I'm not I'm not doing it. Like, I gotta stay here, I gotta make it work. Because at the end of the day, it it's it's about all of it. It's not even like, yeah, it's about the coaches. Like the coach brought you in, he put time forth and effort forth in the in a developing you and and getting you there. But it's like, how do you leave the boys? I just don't understand it. Like you're just like, hey, good season, boys, but uh I'm off to I'm off to Michigan, yeah. Or uh I'm off to Penn State. It's like what the fuck do you mean you're off the Penn State? Yeah, are you fucking serious?

SPEAKER_00

Yep, good season, boys. I'm going to Ohio State. All right, okay, fell. Yeah, have have fun. Have fun in Columbus playing in front of 1500 people. Sounds good. We'll see.

SPEAKER_01

Have fun with those guys. I mean, I mean, I'm sure you'll have fun wheeling. Yeah, I don't doubt that, but right have fun with the boys. Fuck you. Um, I just can't imagine doing it. I it it must be just something with the culture, Jord. They're just they're a little more okay with they're they're a little more selfish, and they it's not really about the team as much anymore. It's kind of about your own personal career. Like, I felt college was the last time we played, Jordo, that was really about the team. 100% outside of that, when you get past college, it's like, okay, it's no longer about the team it is, but it's kind of about my own career here.

SPEAKER_00

Especially the minor, especially when you're in the minors.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, like you're college didn't have that feel, dude. It it was like this is about the team, and and I'm I'm gonna do whatever it takes to you know be on this team and make it work. And I don't know if these kids just don't have it or if they've got people in their ear, or I don't know why they're doing it this much.

SPEAKER_00

That's what I didn't like about pro, and especially when you're a suitcase, is you just you feel like you're an independent contractor just going in for the odd job. I feel like I'm on task rabbit, I'm just going city to city, I'm getting sent down, I'm getting traded. I'm just coming in here to fucking fix a shitter, and then I'm going to the next house and fixing this guy. I'm I'm you know, hanging a TV in the other house. Like, oh, I gotta unclog this guy's kitchen sink. Like, I just felt like I was just being used, I was a pawn. College hockey was the last time I actually felt like I was a part of a brotherhood. I never got to experience that in pro hockey where you get to stay in an organization for 10 years and play with the same core guys. How many guys get to experience that? Not many, fella, under the one one, the one of one percent, and maybe the one of one one percent get to experience that. Oh, yeah, and you know that to me, that that was the only reason kind of why I loved hockey was the fellas, really. Like, I like the game, of course, but I love the fellas. I I mean there was nothing better. Uh, that's why I like to play with guys that went to North Dakota because it was such a fur to group, it was a cohesive unit.

SPEAKER_01

Well, it's like you all chose to go there, right? Like, you all chose to be there, and you didn't get drafted, you didn't whatever, you just chose to go there, and it was I don't know, there's just something about it. I just can't even picture transferring eat with when you're a guy who has ice time, like you're playing. That's what I'm saying. When you're when you're a guy that's if you're not playing, sure, you get the fuck out of there. But if you're playing, it's just fucking crazy, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And like and I'm not trying to sound like a hard up, but if if if a guy was getting a regular shift, say he was my D partner, we're playing on the third pair, he's playing 15 minutes a night. You're a sophomore. Well, buddy, who's to say that if you don't have a great summer and you come back, you could move up in the lineup. Why do you have to move somewhere else to a different team? Why don't you build a stock and work your way up the fucking totem pole at the place you are where you already have a little bit of equity built up? Like Ozo, if we were D partners and you came to me, you're like, hey, like uh I think I'm leaving. I'm like, all right, or vice versa. If I came up to you, you're like, uh, I think I'm leaving, dude. I'm I I'll be cordial with you, but I'm telling you right now, I'm not gonna be really friends with you anymore, to be honest. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I just I'm just kind of out, you know. Like, that's how we would view guys that that just are moving around this much. I wouldn't really stay in contact with them. I you left, bro. I you you quit, you quit you quit on the fellas.

SPEAKER_01

And and honestly, Jordo, if you're thinking about it too, a lot of these transfers are are sometimes about you know, you want power play time or whatever, and it's because you have this thought, like, oh, I'm trying to make the NHL, yeah, and I'm trying to make it. Well, how many of these transfers, Jordo, that were playing at one school that transferred to another one? Like, how many of them make it?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that would be a great stat.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, Sasha Boy Vere, he'll probably make it great talent, but what's the percentage there? You're transferring so you can make the NHL. What percentage of those transfers that need to transfer for extra power play time, maybe what percentage of those players make the NHL, and that's why you're making that decision? It ain't great.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and the the ones I can actually understand, other than the guys that aren't playing at the school that they're at, is the guys that were maybe overlooked or overshadowed and are at a mid-major. Say they're at a Lake Superior, Lake Superior State, they're at a Bemidji, they're at a Michigan Tech, Bowling Green, one of these schools, and they have an incredible year, and NHL teams are on their radar and they're like, whoa, I'm getting some money, and I'm going up in conferences, and I'm going playing the NCHC for David Carl or Dane Jackson, or I'm gonna go hockey east and play for a BC or a BU or some of these schools or a Michigan for sure. I get that, I understand that. I I don't love it, but I do understand it, and I can understand the player. But when you go from a North Dakota or a Minnesota or a Michigan, these blue blood schools, and you're getting a regular shift and you're a third line player, why don't you just work on your skill set and and and try to move up the lineup? Who's it? Why are you just already doubting yourself that you can't move up the lineup? Are you that insecure? Like, yeah, that's yeah, what you go to a different school. Where do you what are you gonna get? Maybe you you move down to you know a team that needs you that's not as good. Well, now your team sucks, and you're on a a losing team, and nobody wants you now.

SPEAKER_01

Nobody won.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, that's it's just think about how many careers were made because you guys won the national championship of uh like a guy like Rett Gardner. Rhett Gardner played NHL games because he was a proven player on that roster.

SPEAKER_01

For sure.

SPEAKER_00

Won faceoffs, penalty killed, played NHL games because he was on a winning team and learned how to play in the role that was Poganski. That they learned how to play in a role that was gonna fit them at an NHL level. Luke Johnson. Luke Johnson was a hell of a junior player, he's still a great player, but he learned how to play a checking line role because of the guys that were above him, you know. Like, it's just like, what do you guys think? You just think you're gonna play in the NHL? You know how hard it is to play in the NHL? It's laughable, it's possible, it's impossible. They just have no idea. I just I don't know. I I remember talking to, and I'm not gonna name the kids' names on here because I don't want to out them, but we were at Brin Chizwick's wedding, and there were some kids that were playing at UND at the time, and you know, they didn't really work that hard, they were you know a little bit younger than us, and we had just gotten out of school, and I remember talking to them. I'm like, What's your what's your boys' plan? They're like, Yeah, just standing forks here, just kind of hanging out. I'm like, You guys skating yet? Are you working out? Yeah, we haven't really been on the ice. It was like July, late July, and I was actually, you know, about a week after I was I was going over to play in Helsinki, my first year pro. So it was almost August. I'm like, You boys aren't on the ice, like you got rookie camp coming up, you don't you? Yeah, yeah, it's just rookie camp, though. Like, you know, just just go play in the A. I'm like, just go play in the A. You realize the American League's pretty good, you know. If you don't start skating, someone's gonna take your job, you know. All those guys ended up in the coast, you know, like oh, so it's just like you know, I just don't think you realize at the time when you're in school, and I was even guilty of it, you just don't realize how many good players there are.

SPEAKER_01

You don't. You think you think you're like one of the top or one of the only 50 good players, and then you you you get up to the pro level, and you're like, Jesus Christ, these guys are unbelievable. Yeah, like your first NHL camp when you're skating on the ice with those guys, you're like, Oh boy, look, I am a ways off.

SPEAKER_00

The thing, the thing that most of these kids don't realize is okay, so NHL camp, top six, there's no spots. There's legit no on an NHL team, there is no spots. Maybe on a bad team, there might be one, and they already know who that kid's gonna be on the team. So then you drop it down to the bottom six role players, okay. There's maybe one spot there, and then you go to the American League level, mind you, not even the NHL, those top six that that first line that's gonna be slotted. Second line, you might get you know one or two spots where you're gonna go in there and compete. Third, fourth line, like it's so just role-oriented, like you just because you're a top six guy at University of North Dakota doesn't mean you're just gonna go automatically just get your touches and be on power play number one. Like, if you can only play one way, dude, good luck. Like, good luck.

SPEAKER_01

Like, you just you gotta be a psycho at the game, and it and and if you are that person there, people already know, and you were getting 60 points right in college. Yes, like those are the only guys that can hop in the NHL. The those guys who get 50 to 60 points, if you're not that guy, you just can't do it. But yeah, there's guys like Cole Smith, you know, he he's fourth line his freshman year, third line is sophomore year. I mean, he's playing in the NHL right now, still, and he's just found a role on the fourth line.

SPEAKER_00

Is is Cole was Cole Smith even close to being the player that Danny Christo was at North Dakota? No, he couldn't hold his jock strap, no, but the NHL is so niche oriented. Where you know, when DK was going into New York, they had no spots in the top six, you know, and and DK, he would even tell you this it's not like DK is gonna be pick killing penalties and the way he played, he's not gonna go in and play on the third or fourth line. No coach is just gonna throw him into that role. So it's like these guys just don't understand how role-driven pro hockey is. And if you can only play one way, man, good luck, fella. Good luck. And if you don't if you don't learn how to change your game or adapt or do something you're not comfortable doing, good luck, fella. Good luck.

SPEAKER_01

It's tough, and you have to make those changes all the way up the ladder, too, Jordan. I mean, like, I went into the program as this guy who got like two points a game, you know, skill skilled defenseman, and then I I come out a shot blocking defenseman. Like, that's what I had to do to survive, or else I was dead. Like, I wasn't gonna beat out Will Butcher, Hobie Baker winner, right? On the power play, and Keaton Thompson, third round pick.

SPEAKER_02

Yep.

SPEAKER_01

So you gotta make those, you gotta make those transitions into it, but it's just another level when you're at the NHL level, and everyone in college thinks, like, I mean, you train like a two in the summer, right, Drodo. You're like, we just take it as a joke. Like, what are we just got we got a bunch of games to play next year? I'm nasty at hockey, I'll be fine at this.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's it is it is funny. I mean, the prime example is Troy Stetcher, right? Like, skilled defenseman out of Pentikton didn't get a look on a power play for two years. Then finally, if guys leave and plays a little bit of power play, plays one year in a power play role at North Dakota, and then right back to how he played, you know, his first two years. That's how he's played his entire career. Oh, yeah, just just mucking, you know, like and he's stetchy, you know, coming in, very skilled player, you know. And um for sure. So it's just it's just funny how that works, and it all ties back to these kids ultimately just think the grass is greener at other places, and it's a weird time, man. It's it's a weird time in in college puck and in all of college, the landscape, but um, sounds like we didn't lose a ton on our end at uh at UND. Uh Littler sounds like he's going elsewhere.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that that that kind of sucks.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, what was that?

SPEAKER_01

Just that David Clee, too. Big couple big fourth line forwards. They're they're unbelievable fourth line forwards. They're probably hoping to play third, second line somewhere, and it's like maybe they could have got there at North Dakota next year.

SPEAKER_00

That's what I'm that's what I'm saying, man. Like, what is it the agents that are like telling these?

SPEAKER_01

It has to be agents, maybe whoever their parents are. Um, I know Litler's drafted. I'm not sure if Klee is, I'm sure he is. I can't remember, but maybe NH. It can't be NHL teams, though. Like, I don't I haven't heard of any NHL teams being like, Yeah, you gotta leave. You you need power play time.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, but look at look at like look at Jug Caulfield. Like, look, look at his like he's doing well in the American League. It took him all his senior year to get Tana to that place. He never actually really got there, UND, to be honest. No, he didn't, and and now he's like a really like you know, legitimate prospect down there in San Diego that is pushing for NHL time, maybe even as early as next year, you know, and his third year pro. It's like fellas, like why not just just believe in yourself a little bit, you know? Like, I don't know, it's weird.

SPEAKER_01

It is, it's a bit weird.

SPEAKER_00

I don't know, it's just like but that's how it goes, I guess. Um grass is always greener, and you got an agent telling you something. You get on a phone with a coach from a different school, and he's pumping your tires. He's like, I can see in net front of the power play. Well, yeah, yeah. No shit.

SPEAKER_01

In April, you could snapping you pics of chicks on the on the campus, like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. We got a first power play. It's pretty nice here in the summer, eh?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, get your ass down here. I like you on the goal line. This is before I signed 15 other guys, but I like you on the goal line right now. You know, like of course you do. It's April. This is like a used car salesman all the time. Better call Saul is fucking on the phone just convincing you to do all this, and you think you're the world's greatest player and you deserve this. I don't know, man. There should be more agents being like, yo, fella, just stick it out, you know.

SPEAKER_01

If you can't make it there, you ain't making it to the National League, I'll tell you that for free. So yeah, you might as well just try to make it there.

SPEAKER_00

I wonder how many of those like transfers have like success stories, you know, like it's it's actually worked out. I would say uh Peran, Peron, it seems like it's worked out.

SPEAKER_01

Peron has worked out. I would say Boiver didn't work out in college, but he'll probably turn out to be a player. I could see that for sure.

SPEAKER_00

But he would have he would he would have had a better year at UND, and then he would end up he would end up in the same spot as where he is now.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

So that doesn't, I don't, I don't count that, but like you know, this this Cullen Potter, this first round pick at ASU, he's gonna it looks like he's gonna go to Michigan State where he was originally committed, which is just weird. Like you decommit, you go to ASU for two years, you get hurt, and then you're like, Oh fuck, I actually want to go to the school that I was originally committed to. That's crazy, you know, and it's like, okay, well, good luck. Um, either way would have worked out, you know, because you're gonna be getting all the ice time at ASU, or you're gonna go to Michigan State and do the same thing, and you know, you're playing in a good conference either way. Maybe the team is a little bit better around you at MSU. So we'll see if that works out, but you never know how it goes, man.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean, look at that. Uh what's his name? Charlie Stromell. Um for Michigan State. It went, he went there. He had a great season, a couple seasons, but Wisco makes it to the frozen four and the national championship game.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_01

So who won?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and that's when maybe he just needed a change of scenery and it and it worked out, right? So that's we could count that as a success, sure. But it's there can't be that many where I don't think there's many others, you know.

SPEAKER_01

There's there's have you could you think of one where a guy went somewhere to get more ice time?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, yeah, true.

SPEAKER_01

Then like not a guy who was the best player on his team and went somewhere else, like right, a guy who transferred somewhere to get more ice time. How many times has that worked out where that player turned into an NHL player? That would be a fun stat to see.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we'd have to have Schloss, he was he's our encyclopedia for that, but yeah, I mean, I I don't think many. I mean, I know the UND coaches and especially our GM, he doesn't love the portal. He doesn't. He wants four-year players, he wants guys that are coming in that want to be there and they're invested there. He wants to recruit his own players. I know David Carl's the same way, he doesn't love the portal. He actually tries to stay away from it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you don't it it's it it works some it obviously you gotta you gotta play the game a bit, but you can't do it too much.

SPEAKER_00

It's like the it's like shopping at Nordstrom Rack, man. There's some good stuff in there, there's a lot of shit.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you gotta just maybe one item and then you're out.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. So that's the season we're in right now in college puck Azzo NHL. Two games left here in the regular season. Got a text from a well, a voter that votes for NHL Awards. Uh, thought it was pretty cool that he had voted Nick Schmaltz for second in the Selkie, um, which is pretty sweet. Um I think he's I think he's always you know obviously been very underrated defensively. You know how good his stick is, pause no did he, but it's incredible that you know what he can do on the defensive side in this year that he I mean, obviously 30 goals for the first time, career high in points, signs the eight by eight. Um, but finally getting some recognition on the national stage for you know being one of the most elite defensive forwards in the league. And I I think easily top easily top, I know I'm biased, but easily top five. He should be in that category year after year, you know.

SPEAKER_01

100% his no one, I mean, I've Jordo, I've played against some of the world's best players. I mean, I'm playing against McKinnon, McDavid, all those guys. Um I I've never played a guy who has a stick like H Maltz. Yeah, especially when he doesn't have the puck. Like we when you're trying to escape him and he's behind you, you are fucked. You know, with that, and it's he's like a magician with it. So yeah, I think that gets overlooked because people think he's just offensive, and and maybe I think it he he's so smooth out there, he makes it look like he's not trying. So people, you know, maybe don't think he's he's working that hard out there, but he's unbelievable on the backtrack, he's unbelievable with a stick, and and he's one of the he is probably the best player I've ever played with that skill set. Um so yeah, he should be in the top five every year for sure. And it's it's really up to him on how he how hard he wants to go. You know, when you're in the national playing 82 games a year, you do have to pick and pick and choose your spots. You can't be going a million miles an hour every game. Some guys maybe can, but um, yeah, he's unbelievable. That's pretty cool to get that vote.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, unless you're on the Nate McKinnon peptide program, you kind of got to pick your spots. But I do think he's getting the recognition because he's been playing center all year, too. Um, it's cool to see. Our boy commie threw out the leaderboard coming down the stretch at Augusta for the green jacket. Uh Mike Schmaltz going on the record says if Brock Besser hits dash 50, he's making the t-shirts. So I think best is sitting at minus 47. Uh, my dad, mom had dinner with Bess and my brother in Vancouver a couple weeks ago. And Bess, I guess, was just in shambles over the fact that he's gonna win this year's green jacket. Like he was so rattled that Artem Lebschef was hurt in Chicago because he's basically got it all but wrapped up. But uh fuzzy schmaltz went on the record and says if best hits minus 50, he's making the shirts and he's giving everyone he knows one. So um I hope he hits it because that would be an unbelief. I might just get the shirts made up just for the golf trip as is, whatever number he gets to. I hope he I hope he gets the dash 50 though. Brock, if you're listening and you're mad about that, I don't give a shit. Fuck you, you make a lot of money.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you're gonna be okay, Brocky. Yeah, it's all right. You're you're on a tough team, it's not your fault, but that's fucking hilarious.

SPEAKER_00

I hilarious, man.

SPEAKER_01

Hilarious. I don't even know.

SPEAKER_00

I don't even know who half these guys are on their team. Vancouver, the Canucks threw out this Instagram Azzo of these young kids walking into a game and they were dressed like the fucking Jonas brothers, or what's the one band one direction back in the day, like Harry Styles, like with the baggy jeans, the flow. I go, best or I go, best, these are your teammates. He goes, Yeah, man, they're all like 18 years old, called up from Abbotsford. I'm like, this is a fucking boy band. I'm like, I don't recognize one fucking guy on this team. He's like, I don't really either.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that's so tough for a guy like best. That is yeah, my dash he's dash 46 right now.

SPEAKER_00

It's showing he got one back last night. I think he was minus 47, then he tucked. I was actually choked that he got a plus. I think he got it back to even. He's got two games left, so he's got to go minus minus four.

SPEAKER_01

Oh man, that is just so tough.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, dude, green jacket basser. That is incredible. Green jacket best. If we get those if we get those shirts made up and we present them at the golf trip, you know, as we're doing. I guess we're not gonna be drafting this year because we're not golfing, but I think he might just book a flight back home if he sees that. He'll just be he wouldn't be mad, he'll just be sad.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, it'd be so funny if he shows up and we're all just wearing green jackets.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, yeah, because you know he's only coming in for one day. He's got yeah, buddies, cousins, uncles.

SPEAKER_01

His what did I say? Yeah, yeah, his his cousin's fishing guide's birthday or something.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you met the you met a guy at Chipotle. He's gonna go to his wedding in Burnsville just to ice the golf trip. But yeah, it's uh it's it's shaping up well. I'm just I'm a little nervous, Ozo, for Utah. I'm not gonna lie. They got to avoid Colorado at all costs here. Um, and LA is right on their fucking arse. They're playing tonight as we're recording. I believe they're playing Seattle, pronoun town. So LA's got three games left. Utah's got a three-point lead, but they need to play whoever wins the Pacific, which is Edmonton, obviously Vegas or Anaheim, but it's probably gonna be Edmonton or Vegas, probably Vegas, but they cannot play through the central division. Like if they play Colorado, that's the old Daryl Sutter. Uh, how many days does this series? Yeah, we'll be done in eight days. Oh, okay. Man, if they get in that Pacific side, though, they could they could make some noise.

SPEAKER_01

For sure. You never know what's gonna happen. I mean, it's playoffs. Um yeah, they they gotta stay on on the Pacific side. That's there's no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. So we'll we'll see. They got two games left. They got uh Chinnipeg tomorrow night, and then they got St. Louis to wrap up the year. They need three or four points to clinch if LA wins out. Um, that would, you know, worst case Ontario, that would tie them in points, but they have the edge with regular season wins. But yeah, dude, I'm uh they've dropped two in a row. I'm I'm a little nervous for the boys right now, but hopefully they keep their chins tucked there.

SPEAKER_01

Who are they playing right now, Jordo?

SPEAKER_00

Uh they got they played a back-to-back, they lost both games Saturday, Sunday. They lost Carolina and uh Calgary last night, and then they got Winnipeg tomorrow. So fuck.

SPEAKER_01

I'm looking at H Schmaltz's points this year. 31 tucks.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, pretty good.

SPEAKER_01

That's pretty good for eight. Yeah, he's a dish master, so 30's no joke. 30 is no joke in the national.

SPEAKER_00

No, 30.

unknown

That's big time.

SPEAKER_00

That is big time. So we'll see. Um, we'll see how that goes, Azzo. Uh, I wanted to touch on Cole Caulfield. Cole Caulfield, pride of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Shout out to the elbow room and Stevens Point. Uh, it's it's a good little watering hole there. If you're ever, I don't know why the fuck you'd be in Stevens Point, but if you're ever there, the elbow room's a good spot. 50 fucking goals for that kid, 51. Uh, pretty cool to see. He was always a kid that was gonna go to Wisco, but he has shades of what it takes to be a Sioux. Um, he's a great kid, he's always smiling. It's just amazing that he's yeah, 5'6 standing on his wallet, and he's fucking 51 in the National League. So I just want to give that kid some love. Uh, pretty cool to see.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, it's insane. His I haven't watched all his goals, but I did see Danny. Did you see Danny Heatley reach out to him? Like 50 and 26, 50 and 06.

SPEAKER_00

So sick, dude. So sick.

SPEAKER_01

50 talks, dude.

SPEAKER_00

Oh man, the heater is all time. Like when I was talking to him, I was fanboying him so hard because that's who I, you know, I would watch when I was growing up in Wisconsin, like at Madison that we had season tickets, and he went second overall after his freshman year. He was incredible. It's fucking a heater. So I was you know, kind of fanboying him. He was loving it, and you know, it was two years ago in Aspen, and and he was talking about when he was playing with Spes those two years when he tucked 50 playing for Ottawa, yeah. And it's just like you remember those Ottawa Ghost videos of like the guy impersonating Danny Heatley? Do you remember those on YouTube?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

It was all those guys like him. Yeah, yeah, I don't know how that guy that Ottawa Ghost like had the same sound bites as Danny Heatley. I don't know if he knew him or just whatever, but it was spot on. I was like heater, like, what would you tell Spez? Like, like, what would you guys like talk about? He's like, Oh fuck. I just tell Spez, fucking drive it wide. I'll get to the nipple, I'll get to the dot. Spez slide it in there. I'm just gonna dust it off, half clap, top titty every time. Back bar. I'm like, oh my god, it's so sick.

SPEAKER_01

Half clap, I'll get to the nipple.

SPEAKER_00

I'll get to the nipple and Spez will fucking find me, and then I'll go half clap, top titty, bar down. I'm like, that's pretty sick. He's like, Yeah, not bad. Yeah, so he was. I mean, just asking him all those questions, and it was it was incredible. And I mean, pretty cool. Like, two two players that played at Wisconsin hitting 50, like sucked. I don't think we've ever had a guy hit 50 uh at Nodak. No, we've had some good players. 50's another animal. We've had well, best has tucked 30 a few times, Nikki obviously. Uh Dave Christian 30, Brock Nelson, maybe 40 one year, maybe 41 year for Brock. High high 30s for sure.

SPEAKER_01

What did Parisi and like Taser get up to?

SPEAKER_00

Preezi, maybe 40 the year he had like 94 points. Taser 30 goals for sure. Oshi 30 a couple times. Um, James Patrick was a defenseman, he was a point of game guy, but obviously not gonna be getting close to 50. Uh Troy Murray, the late Troy Murray, solid 30 goal guy. Yeah, I don't know if we had I don't think we did, man. I I think we're 40s. I think we were 40, you know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I don't think so. I'll look this up on chat GPT, but yeah, that's pretty cool. Both both Wisconsin badgers get pretty sick, and yeah, just seeing heater because that 50 and 06. It's just it's so iconic.

SPEAKER_00

And yeah, like 50 and 26. How about when the late Ray Emery and Brian McGratton? So Ray Emery goalie was nails, you know, the brother. Oh, yeah, played in Ottawa. He like legit could fight, like he would fight players. He fought a couple times in the NHL, like fought players like with all his goalie shit on. He's like the Clark Saunders of goalies, yeah. So he gets in a fight with Brian McGrattan in practice, and this was when Brian McGratt's like on the dust and like has a mohawk and just crazy. And they interview Danny Heatley after practice, and they're like, Heater, like what happened with Razor and Brian McGrattan? He goes, Oh, yeah, it's uh that's cold and flu season, you know. This boys are acting up, everyone's sick around here. Just I think it got the best of them. Cold and flu season. It's cold and flu season. You know, he's just so hung, like he's just like, that's cold and flu season, you know. It's the dog days around here. Boys are just you know, kind of kind of tired and sick.

SPEAKER_01

What a goddamn legend! Like, what does that guy what does that guy do with his free days? Is he just chilling out somewhere?

SPEAKER_00

Oh, yeah, lives in Manhattan Beach, plays tennis all the time. He's fucking such a rock star, man. I couldn't believe it. Like, I I think I've said it on here before, like two years ago when we were at that game in Aspen. We were sitting on the bus. Heater is so stung from the night before. We're getting on like the sprinter van to go to the outdoor game that we're playing that day. And the night before we had wrapped it up to like five in the morning. And me and Obes are sitting next to each other, and he looks at heater and he goes, Heater. He like looks back, he goes, Those shades, those tom Ford. Heater just looks back, he goes, Head to toe fella. Tom Ford, head to toe, head to toe, fella, head to toe fella, Tom Ford. It was unreal. He goes, Heater, those those shades, those Tom Ford. He goes, Head to toe fella. He's wearing like$10,000 worth of gits.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, he's got$10,000, he's got$12,000 on,$4,000 shoes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, yeah. Head to toe fella. And we were getting dressed before that game, and he is so stung. He's like having a Labat Blue, trying to get ready for the game. He's got these Tom Ford shades on, and he refuses to take the shades off in the locker room. So he's put like his tight underarm on, like fucking up these shades that are probably like$800 shades, and he's putting his jersey over the top of it. Like he had no remorse, didn't give a fuck about those sunglasses. I'm pretty sure they're like off the rocker by the time he put all that shit on. He's like, I ain't taking them off. He's like, Swish, I might have to wear them for warmers. What do you think of the Tom Fords? I'm like, fuck that National League. Yeah, not bad, eh?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that's so fucking good. Oh man, what a legend. Uh it's only right for a guy like that to tuck 50 in NHL, too.

SPEAKER_00

Such a rock star, man. And like, I mean, obviously, everything he's gone through, but like I remember even asking him like before that game, like, here, like, I love like you were Jamie Ben before Jamie Ben with the tape job. Like, you know, he'd only put I'm like, here, what'd you do? And he goes, Oh, three strands of white. I'm like, that's it. Sometimes less. Three strands of white, sometimes less. And then like Obi's is like, here, like, you just didn't you didn't need any tape. He's like, When you got this good of hands, why the fuck do you need tape? It's like tapes are plugs, and like he talks like that, like he's like serious, and it's like all time.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that's right. That's why Gucci, Bob Gucci was so that's how he started, like saying that shit, and it he was saying it. It's funny because he was saying shit like heater would actually say, but it was like satire.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it was. Yep, yeah. I was uh I think the first NHL player um to reach out to Bob Gucci was Taylor Hall, and Taylor Hall like quote-tweeted, like this was like when like Twitter was the only social media, like before Instagram, so everyone was just on Twitter. Oh, yeah, and I think he he quote tweeted, and I think Bob told me like he woke up the next day and he had like 30,000 followers, and he's like, Oh shit, like I think I gotta kind of roll with this. But before that, it was just kind of like something he had was just with his buddies, you know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And then all of a sudden, like Taylor Hall like quote tweets it, and it's like, oh shit, like I might have something here. So pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01

Just rolls with it, yeah. That's that's nails because I don't know. That's that's just unbelievable to hear Heater is a guy like that in real life, because you know, most of those guys that tuck 50 or a lot of them are like they're psychopaths, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

You know, yeah, and heater's just like just like man. I'm telling you, like we had him on curfew too. Like, he's like one of the coolest guys. I've like, you know, like you don't like they always say, like, never meet your heroes or never meet like guys you like idolize, especially when you were a kid. Like that guy was everything I ever imagined. Like, he was like the character, like he played it to a T, you know, and like has the time of day for everyone, but just knows he's heater, you know. Like, just knows he's heater.

SPEAKER_01

Knowing you are heater is so nails, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Like, just even the way he would just order drinks, you know, like doesn't say old fashioned, just says one rock, and like he just thinks like the bartender's supposed to know. Yeah, one rock fella, like so sick.

SPEAKER_01

One rock, yeah. The the big ice cube in there. That's yeah, yeah. One rock fella, one rock, so good.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, one rock. Oh fuck, but yeah, it's he's all time, man. He's he's one of the best. And this week's people's insider term of the week is Johnny Chan. Now, when you say Johnny Chan, you mean all in. Being all in on something, well, you're pulling your wrench out and you're ready to play. Whether you're on the poker table, you're in the locker room, it's another way just to say, I am pushing my chips in, I'm grabbing my wrench, and we're doing this thing. It could be in a playoff series, you're down a couple goals, it's the third period. Your captain says, Hey, fellas, you know what? It's time to go, Johnny Chan. Johnny Chan was the definition of all in. Johnny Chan would be sitting at the poker table at the World Series of Poker, looking at Phil Ivey with those shades on and saying, I'm going all in, fella. So whether you need a push, whether you're down in the series, it could be on the beer punk table, it could be in an NHL playoff series, it could be just, hey, it's a night out. Fellas, it's time to go, Johnny Chan. You're sitting around the pregame, you're looking at your boys. Should we go out? Should we stay in? Fella, it's time to go, Johnny Chan. Pull your wrench, pull it out, maybe, and it is time, baby. We gotta push our shit in there, Ozzo, because you know what? Johnny Chan did it best. You gotta go all in, fella. So that is this week's People's Insider term of the week.

SPEAKER_01

That's unbelievable. Yeah. The uh we definitely went Johnny Chan after uh the boys lost. I'll say that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, for one night. Sometimes winner lose, you gotta hit the booze and you gotta go Johnny Chan. Yeah, that's man, fuck. That was I was devastating. You got right out of there, eh?

SPEAKER_01

Just flew right out next morning, woke up, went to the airport. Yeah, I'm out of here.

SPEAKER_00

Yep, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. See you later. Yeah, yeah, that's probably the right move. And then uh Rico and John, they stayed another night.

SPEAKER_01

I stayed one more night. Yeah, I had to cancel the reservation for Friday. Fuck, that would have been a great time, eh?

SPEAKER_00

I know, I know, and and I'm glad you gave me an honest answer too. Like when I was texting you like late night, I was like, fuck, dude, like do I come in and just like sit there and we just somber? I mean, we have fun, but it's like you know, the it's kind of devastating. It's just like the vibe, you know.

SPEAKER_01

It's just like the vibe would just it just be off, man.

SPEAKER_00

It would be off, it would be forcing it, which you know, we've always forced it, but I'm glad you gave me an honest answer. You're like, honestly, just stay away, it's not gonna be the same. So I appreciate that. Because Rico would have been like, Oh, yeah, but come in for sure.

SPEAKER_01

Keep coming, yeah. I I I was rattled, I wanted to get out of there, and I had had my one night of fun, and after that, I was like, I got nothing else to celebrate, you know. It's yeah, it sucked. I wanted to be there, but under the circumstances, you know, it just wasn't it.

SPEAKER_00

I didn't even want to go in there, and even when you guys said you were getting out of there, I I had an opportunity maybe to go in there and do some content and stuff like that. I was like, I don't I don't even want to do that, man. I it just doesn't feel right. I don't want to be like celebrating with a team that wins, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

You guys, yeah, I respect that, Jardo. Yeah, because because you know, in your in your line of work, you know, that's tough to do.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's just it just when it's the when it's the UND boys, it just it stings, you know. It's just I don't know. Like peak peak coming back from Cabo, it just stings.

SPEAKER_01

I respected your choice not to go celebrate with the boys. Yeah, I saw you could have been there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, it was uh and I got to see Jakey play. Holy fuck, was that a just an absolute milk run?

SPEAKER_01

You get to hang out with him after uh uh a little bit, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I saw Woolley. Um, shout out to we had him on the show. Christian Wolan looked good out there in the American League, had a nice assist. Uh, yeah, I saw him for 20 minutes. They were playing a three and three, so that was the first leg of the three and three. They were getting on the bone rattle, going back to Providence. They had Saturday, Sunday. So got to see him for like 20 minutes, but yeah, it was it was funny because I had to leave early enough to get out of the city to avoid like the big time traffic because I was stick handling from Secaucus, New Jersey. So you got to go through like the Bronx and then up to 95, and that ain't perfect. You get Bridgeport, New Haven, but kind of made a day out of it. I went to New Haven at a chicken farm because New Haven's known for their pizza and their pasta and the Italian. Uh so I went and saw you know Yale University in New Haven, which is kind of cool. That rink, yeah. Um, and then made my way up to Hartford and you know just remind you that nice rink in Hartford, eh? Yeah, it is, yeah. Big arena, real big arena. Yeah, it's yeah, it's uh too big for the American league, but it's nice. Um, so yeah, it was cool. And it was, you know, obviously it was cool to see Jake. And for sure. He looked, he looks good, man. I like I told him, like he's gonna have a chance to play, you know, whether it's two, three years, whatever it is.

SPEAKER_01

Stick with it.

SPEAKER_00

Stick with it because he's found a role there. Coaches love him, obviously. And um, you know, that game just fits his style. Like he's he's simple, he's predictable, he's consistent, shift to shift. He looked good, man. He did. So I'm I'm proud, I'm proud of him. And like you said, you just gotta keep grinding because you never know.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah, just gotta keep the keep the nose of the grindstone. It's not easy, but uh takes consistency, and you know, a couple good summers could do you well, too, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so they're always not many guys are you know fit that mold of fourth line center with responsible, can put them out there for eight to twelve minutes a night, PK. You're not gonna play any shifts before a TV.

SPEAKER_01

Just have the coaches trust, yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you can make seven figures doing that. So, yeah, I was happy for him. He he looks good. Um, and they're poised for a long playoff run there in the jungle, so it'll be good. Azzo always tapes with tape with you, cap. It's always fun. Um, bummed for our suit, boys, but we'll be back. Coach Jackson, great year. Uh, keep the chin up yet, tucked. Schmabes, Chiswick, Simmer, all those guys. Now you're ours, boys. Wait for the fucking golf trip. Now you're ours. Now you're ours.

SPEAKER_01

Good season, boys, but we're excited to have you.

SPEAKER_00

Sleep with one eye open and your fucking chin down because you know what? That's what we got coming on our slate. So they're back at it. They're recruiting, they're not gonna be no days off there up in Sioux land. So, Ozzo, that was episode 118. Fella fella, appreciate your time as always. Cap. Till next time, baby. Swishy Ozzo, we out, baby.

SPEAKER_02

Woo!