The Check In - 03.14.26 - Avalanche at Jets

The Jets host the league leading Avalanche at Canada Life Centre Saturday afternoon. Sara and Jamie will look back at Thursday's game against the Rangers and welcome Avs pxp voice Conor McGahey to the show.

Transcript

SPEAKER_09 1:21

Oh, we're very happy that those of you that have notifications on will remember that yes, it is an early start for us today, 11 a.m. right now, as we get ready for this early start.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

There's a lot of people in there. There's quite a few people.

SPEAKER_09 1:32

Yeah, between the Winnipeg Jets and the Colorado Avalanche. I'm Sara Leski, he's Jamie Thomas. Uh, are you ready to see the avalanche three times in the next two weeks? If you miss the avalanche, you won't you won't in two weeks.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

We're gonna give you a steady dose of them. So it's like set this Saturday, and then two weeks from now, it's home and home. Yeah. Yeah. So three times. The best team in the National Hockey League will be facing your Winnipeg Jets.

SPEAKER_09 1:57

Yeah, the Jets coming in today, obviously, off of that disappointing loss. They've dropped their last two games after you know getting the points in the first three uh of this homestand. What is it that stood out to you most about Thursday?

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Okay. Uh, that's a very good question. I would think that the Jets generated enough offense to win that hockey game. I think of Josh Morse hitting the goalpost. I think of Mark Scheifley hitting the goalpost. But the other part that stood out is there wasn't a whole lot of opportunities from the Rangers in terms of shots and chances generated. But man, when they did give up opportunities, there was a lot of blown coverages, there's a lot of tip pucks. So for Winnipeg to give up five goals and not including the empty netter, um, it was wild to see the just the breakdowns in their own end.

SPEAKER_09 2:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

So for a team that had been playing so well from the start coming back from the Olympic break, uh, just it it was odd to see that so many breakdowns the way they happened.

SPEAKER_09 2:52

Yeah, six three, the final, uh, they battled back three times to tie it to tie it. Yeah, they never led in that one. And and it hurts in particular when you look at the standings. Now, if you were in the was believing that the Jets were making that charge and were able to get in as you look at the standings now, having missed out on four points, uh, it certainly hurts their chances. I think going into tonight's game now. It stands Money Puck has it at four percent chance that they're gonna make it into the postseason. You look St. Louis, who is here tomorrow, yeah, uh has jumped in front of them.

SPEAKER_02 3:24

Seven, two and one their last ten.

SPEAKER_09 3:26

Like that's yeah, so it's it's a big hill to climb for it.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

But but but there's always a but. So if you start if you start this by beating the best team in the National Hockey League, then you start rolling again. So there is a chance. Los Angeles is now in the final wild card spot. I believe it's been three different teams this week. It was Seattle, it was San Jose, and now it's the Los Angeles Kings uh sitting in that final wild card spot in the West. It feels like Utah has locked down the first wild card spot. So uh, but stranger things have happened, especially with the way St. Louis is playing right now.

SPEAKER_09 3:58

Yeah, uh, we're looking forward to having Kevin Sawyer join us. So this afternoon is a TSN game. Uh Kev's gonna stop by, so is Connor McGay, who always is entertaining when he comes on to talk about the Colorado Avalanche, always has a very entertaining radio coming up. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 4:12

Oh my gosh. Yeah, he's uh he's so animated when it comes to anything from a scoring for the Colorado Avalanche. And I've seen him because I did the games for a little while, not bragging or anything. Uh he would be just to the left. He would be to my left, and sometimes when when the Jets would score, he'd pound his fist on the table. Like he is the most, he's fun to watch from the side, of course. Yes, yeah, but great guy, very funny. I'm looking forward to seeing him at 1120.

SPEAKER_09 4:40

Yeah, and looking forward to talking to him about this juggernaut that the Avs are. Of course, they added Nasm Kadri at the deadline.

SPEAKER_02 4:47

I don't know how.

SPEAKER_09 4:48

Want to go back.

SPEAKER_02 4:49

There's some incredible math going on there in terms of cap capology stuff.

SPEAKER_09 4:53

Look, they've got three 30 goal scorers. Yeah, uh, they've been on top of the league standings forever, it feels like.

SPEAKER_02 5:00

Which it feels like what Winnipeg did last year.

SPEAKER_09 5:01

So it's just so we understand, but uh, you take a look at it. One of the things that has impressed me most about this Avs team, and we'll talk to him about it, is that they are doing it without a potent power play. You know, so often in the past we see the power plays, their power play for the season is sitting around 16%. They have done it almost all via five-on-five goals. So um, that's not something typically you usually see power plays for a team that's leading that way and leading the league in goals. They they've scored the most goals, they give up the fewest. Typically, the power play plays a key role in that, usually around I don't know, 22, 23. No, on the season, they're sitting at 16. So it just shows you what a juggernaut they are.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

So just take a bunch of penalties.

SPEAKER_09 5:43

Yeah, that's that's absolutely play five on four. This is why we don't have this is why we don't have Jamie Coaching. All right, guys.

SPEAKER_02 5:49

Let's let's all right, guys. Let's take a lot of penalties. This team is horrible on the power play. So just do whatever you want. We can take these guys five on four.

SPEAKER_09 5:57

Don't think that's what I said, but okay, you hear what you want to hear. Let's take a look at what projected lines are. Yesterday was just an optional skate for the Jets. So we will have to wait. And you hear us say this often, you'll have to wait until warm-up to be able to get an idea of exactly what we're looking at. Uh, but this is what we saw last game, so it'll be interesting to see whether or not um Scott O'Neill makes any changes.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Yeah, it was uh there's all you're gonna hear now pretty much till the end of the year is like optional skates because they're playing so many games in so many days. So there wasn't many guys on the ice. No idea if there's gonna be any changes. But the I I don't know how you could make many changes because I felt like you scored three goals. You could have had five easily, so I didn't mind what they generate offensively, maybe defensive some changes have to be made or structure wise. And I'm sure they've watched a ton of video over the last uh 24 hours to not replicate what happened against the New York Rangers. But uh we'll have to see. Big thing too, another thing we forgot to mention, Isaac Rosane scored his first goal as an Olympic jet. Uh Jacob Bryson got them primary assists, so that was nice to see. Um, so good for that. And he's starting, I'm talking about Rosane's starting to look more and more comfortable with Jonathan Tays and Gustav Dykowist as this goes by.

SPEAKER_09 7:05

Yeah, absolutely. It would be a real challenge for them today with Nathan McKinnon, McCarr and company as well. Uh, so you know that when you think of the blue line, the blue line is gonna be challenged. One player that is very familiar with Nathan McKinnon is Josh Morrissey. And yesterday he spoke about the challenge of going up against him.

SPEAKER_00 7:26

Yeah, I mean, I think um, you know, if you if you're a half step off him, um, you know, whether you're flat footed or anything like that, um, you know, you're you're probably in in trouble. Um, but I think what he does so well is uh, you know, he knows obviously other teams are afraid of his speed and his power. So um, you know, if he's got a step on you or thinks he can take you, it'll beat you wide. Otherwise, you know, he pushes defense back so much with his speed and uh um pulls up and finds finds his teammates and late options. So yeah, just so hard to defend. I mean, I think there's a number, there's a handful of guys in the league. Um they kind of have the ability to you know play you one-on-one like that, also use their their speed to open up their teammates, um and then you know play off the rush and in zone off the cycle. So um, yeah, that's why he's got as many points as he does, and he's as challenging to defend as he is.

SPEAKER_07 8:24

Yeah, they obviously have uh had a fantastic season, and we've got them three times here in the next couple of weeks. Um, you know, it's gonna take that like that Tampa Bay game where we had everybody uh dialed in, and you know, we were real did a really good job with our five-man units against everybody that jumped over the boards. We're gonna have to really be on point tomorrow doing that against a Colorado team that obviously made some additions, um, certainly uh have some some of the elite players in the league on their on their on their team. And you know, just a team that has a ton of confidence and just rolling. And so we're gonna have to be at our best. Just yeah, we gotta go, like I said, we gotta play a game like we played against Tampa.

SPEAKER_02 9:04

And they were really good against Tampa. And Tampa came in here, they had lost three in a row, you know, they had all those guys play the Olympics, um, trying to win the Atlantic division, and they just shut them down. So I could see where Scott O'Neill wants to replicate what he saw there and get away from what the heck happened on Thursday against the the New York Rangers. So that they played as good a game as they have seen them play all year against Tampa. That is exactly what they have to do against Colorado, who can hurt you in so many different ways.

SPEAKER_09 9:30

Yeah, and I see some people in the chat right now, which we always love having everybody chime in on what they are liking about the Jets, what they would like to change. We all like playing armchair coach or general manager. One of the things that you see though is play the young players. And so obviously it's a fine line. Look, I think that as we go farther into the season and in those final games, if the playoffs have been eliminated, that we might see a few more. But right, it is that fine line because you can't lose the veterans either. I mean, they still want to make sure that they're fighting for something. But one of the young players that has really stood out to you lately, and I think probably to all of us, is the job that uh Salomonson has done since being called up.

SPEAKER_02 10:11

Right. Aliyah Salomonson is, I mean, a lot of people have been asking him for him to get an opportunity. He's he's got that opportunity. Um, with Neil Piankow, Logan Stanley gone now. I believe from what we've seen from Salamonson is enough that he has pretty much earned a shot. It will be a full-time NHL or starting next year. Clearly, he's going to be the guy down the stretch for them. Uh, you saw him at the end of the game when the Jets were pressing, you know, trying to get another goal. He's on the ice with Josh Morrissey when they had pulled a goaltender. He's playing on the second power play, so he's getting more and more opportunities. He's also shooting the puck a lot more than he was initially on. But the key part is here is playing the Swedish Elite League and then playing the American Hockey League. Yes, you play a lot of games in the AHL, but they're on weekends, there's long breaks, there's a lot compressed in the whole schedule here. I wonder and ask Scott Arneal about how well Elias Salamanson is handling the games, so many games in so many days.

SPEAKER_07 11:02

You know, we he came up early in the year with injuries and had an opportunity to play, and then coming back. Um now we're banged up even more. And you know, he's had to take on a probably a larger role than maybe what you want to do to a young defenseman. He's right in the in the heat of the the season, um, you know, having to play top four minutes. You know, we're using him on the penalty kill, power play, and you know, he's he's obviously uh it's a big it's a big role, and you know, he's doing his best and he's been doing a really good job with it. You know, it's just kind of the circumstances where we're at. And um, you know, I think that you can see that he has the ability and the skill set, and um, you know, he's gonna be a good defenseman. And it's just he's he's it's under trial by fire. It it really is that a tough time that he's having to be, you know, put in this situation.

SPEAKER_06 11:49

What's it like for you to be part of this, you know, the last final quarter of the year where teams are trying to chase playoff spot here?

SPEAKER_04 11:56

Yeah, uh I think we it's fun. It's fun. It's the I think the compete is going up now, the last last stretch of games here, one final first spot in the playoffs. So uh it's really fun to be up there and play up.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

How do you feel you're handling so many games and so many days?

SPEAKER_04 12:11

Yeah, it's it's challenging for sure. Uh nothing I'm used to before. So uh try to take care of the body in between games and get as much rest you can. Uh that's that's the most important here.

SPEAKER_05 12:24

What did the first sort of run with the Jets do for you to make you more comfortable for this run now?

SPEAKER_04 12:30

Uh a lot. A lot. I think uh first couple games with a lot of nerves and stuff like that. Now you settle in a little bit and feel more comfortable. So yeah, helps a lot.

SPEAKER_02 12:42

Last comment, classic. Salo sounds like a very young Timo, and that's Timo Solani, and you you're right, he does. So good call on that one. Um the sun always comes up every day, and the sun is shining in Kevin Sawyer's apartment right now, if you don't believe me. Here we go. Oh, look at that. Just bright and sunshiny for Kevin Sawyer on this Saturday morning. Good to see you, buddy. Um, let's talk about the game on Thursday first. Uh we talked we heard Kevin, uh, sorry, not Kevin, we heard Scott O'Neill talk about the coverage issues they had right off the top of his news conference after the game. What did you see on Thursday in terms of coverage blowing for the Jets against the Rangers?

SPEAKER_10 13:24

Well, two things. I thought the Rangers played really well, and sometimes people overlook the fact that oh, because they're a lower seated team that they're they're not good. Well, they haven't been good, but they were really good in that game. So just kind of starting with that, they forechecked with five men, they made it difficult on Winnipeg. But what I the one of the things that I'm gonna talk about in the broadcast tonight that is puzzling for me is this trend of early early goals against in periods. Uh right. So that that to me kind of sets you up on the wrong foot to start a game, most certainly to start a period. And and it's hard to explain. I mean, there's been a variation of reasons why early power play. I didn't like the call, and yet you still have to find a way. So um but there has been a thread here, and I mean, in an inconsistent year for Winnipeg, when they're on, I think that's kind of the exciting part. And the hope is like when they're on, they they still have flashes of that greatness that they've had in the past, but when they're off, they look ordinary or or you know below average. And so it's it's one or the other. And that's what Scott O'Neill's been looking for here, guys. And you know that as well as I do, is kind of like a four-line 60-minute effort or or or something close to that. But for me, it's been a lot of yes or no in less gray area. And and one of those no games was against the Rangers, particularly to start periods, is they they weren't able to handle it.

SPEAKER_09 14:43

Who stood out to you late, Kevin? I mean, we've talked about how we're gonna see some young players obviously get opportunities. There's some new faces in the lineup after the trade deadline. But when you look overall at this roster and you look at this homestand, which we're now going into game six of it, who is it that stood out to you most over this stretch?

SPEAKER_10 15:03

Well, first, Sarah, like I feel like it's unfair to say you really or to be too critical of of the top line with Mark Scheify and and you know, Vellardi IFOLO or Connor, but they've been so I mean paramount for this team. So when they go a game without registering a shot on net, it's an outlier. And I mean, they have been so good. So they've stood out for me all year long where this team would be without them. None of us even want to think about that. But when Morgan Barron um is is starting to consistently be your best player for all the reasons that you want to see in this time of the year. And I always talk about like that playoff hockey, those one goal game season type of season. Morgan has been outstanding, and this isn't a knock on him. I think that he's capable of playing up the lineup consistently. He's not a fourth-line player for me. I understand why he is on this team, they need the center position, but you know, Morgan can't be the best player um, you know, in two or three nights, but he stood out for me. I mean, he's he's making it difficult for Scott O'Neill to keep him at that kind of 10, 11-minute um time on ice per game because he's been so good. Um, and then Solomonson, you guys talking about him, I see the same thing. I mean, that to me is while you push for a playoff spot, let's not lose focus of what matters, maybe, and I'll say this even more. And that is to make sure that what's coming to complement this core that's in its prime, they they have to be significant players. And I think Solomonson is proving incrementally that that he can be that. And I think that it's still early and maybe unfair, but with Isak Rose, and that's another guy that's got, you know, he's got a huge opportunity in front of him, and the Jets, they really need players just like that.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

Okay, so it's you know, we he's talking Rosane has talked numerous times about getting used to a new system and and like what you know, in the three games he's been a Winnipeg Jet, what have you seen about him getting used to the system and as he as he getting it down, Pat, in your opinion?

SPEAKER_10 16:57

Well, to be fair and honest, it's too early for me to tell because it's such a detail within the player. I can tell you players that are built on speed, once they stop thinking and start reacting, that's when you see that free flow of explosive speed and creativity, and and they can't even explain to you why. It's because it's because they're not thinking, they're processing and reacting. So that's that's in the future for for isac. He's a young player with a ton of things to deal with and to change to the most important, of course, is teammates and systems and coaches and messages, all those things. But I just bumped into him in the elevator here in the building yesterday with his lovely girlfriend, and you could feel their excitement, but also see in their eyes are like, Oh, like they had their bags and they're moving into a new apartment. And I've been there, I got traded when I was 21 years old, and it's like drinking out of a fire hose. You you can't process all the things that are new. So, but to answer your question is I think that he's done a really good job so far, and every game it just gives you a little bit more to be excited about. But when he stops thinking and starts reacting, then we're gonna start to see I think that that true speed and that creativity and the offensive flair come out even more than maybe we've already seen flashes of.

SPEAKER_09 18:13

We don't know what the lines are gonna look like uh with it being an optional skate yesterday. So earlier, Kev, when we put up our projected lines, it was just based off of what we saw in the game against the New York Rangers. So recognizing that we never know, there could be some changes um in terms of how Scott O'Neill sets up his lines. Who which lines do you look at today as being key? Or maybe it's a defensive pairing. When you're going up against a Colorado team that is obviously not a one-line team, they are so deep, they are the best team and can hurt you in so many different ways.

SPEAKER_10 18:46

Yeah, good. That's a really good question because you always wonder, you know, who's gonna check McKinnon? Yeah. So, you know, are you gonna make an adjustment? For me, if there's an adjustment, it would be to put Adam Lowry or whoever Scott O'Neill feels best to check that line um together. So for me, if it's Shifley on McKinnon, then then that means that that I have follow a stand with that line because uh, you know, Al's gonna have more jump when it comes to foot speed and and more dog on a bone. Um, you know, we know Gabe's on the wall, and because he's so deep in the offensive zone, he's often the last guy out of the zone because he's doing his job, net front deep into the walls. That can be the kiss of death against Nathan McKinnon's line. So um I see Ayafalo staying with Scheifley. Um, if in fact uh Arneal wants to go speed on speed, um, and if Adam Lowry is going to go up against uh Nathan McKinnon, maybe we'll see a maybe we'll see Adam Low off the line with Cole Perfetti. Um, I think it's a great question, though, because myself wondering like how is this gonna match up with home ice advantage? What is Scott Arneal gonna want to see? I know this, no different than McDavid. Is whoever's on the ice against number 29 and number 88, Marty Natchez, they're gonna have their hands full.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

Yeah, great organizations find ways to get the players that they need to make them better. The avalanche of added NASM cadre at the deadline when it looked like that was not gonna happen for a long stretch. What does he add to an already potent lineup?

SPEAKER_10 20:16

Well, uh, first of all, he's won with a lot of the core in this franchise already. So that brings in automatic excitement. I mean, I've heard Jared Bedner talk about it. I mean, Nathan McKinnon. So so he brings that pedigree, but more than anything, and this is like if you're gonna pick a hole into the game of of the avalanche, what's hard to understand, although it's been better lately, their power play stinks. I mean, overall through the course of the game. How does that make sense? Yeah, so here's how I kind of look at it through my prepping is is you know the threats are McKinnon and Makar from the top, so everybody's going to cheat to take those away. And Makar, surprisingly, has more block shots on the power play from the top than than most other defensemen on power play unit number ones. And then, of course, McKinnon is gonna take a ton of um defensive checking against him. What the Aves haven't really necessarily had is a left-handed shot playmaker, and Nazam Kadri is going to be that. I think, like I said, their power play lately has been better, but I think among all the other things, checking, tenacity, I think being on that top power play unit and being able to maybe draw some guys off of McCard, draw some guys off of McKinnon, he can shoot it, but he's also got another level of playmaking ability, which to me should set that power play unit up for more success, which is scary to even think about.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

Buddy, really appreciate the time. Uh, you have any questions for Connor McGeehee? We're about to bring them down play by play voice.

SPEAKER_10 21:43

No, no questions. I'm just gonna open my curtains again and continue to do my yoga in the sunshine that nobody ever I gotta tell you. I I gotta tell you a quick story. Yes, I'm up on a top floor and I do enjoy the sunshine with. My coffee in the mornings and yoga on the carpet behind me. And I'm like, wow, nobody ever notices. But this week I've noticed at lunchtime, the people across the way may have noticed. So I gotta maybe the curtains a little bit. No more private yoga before games. That was an overshare. I gotta go. I gotta go.

SPEAKER_09 22:21

Bye, Kev. See you in a bit.

SPEAKER_02 22:24

Kevin Sawyer.

SPEAKER_09 22:25

Uh you asked him about Cadre and you about in the three games that he's played, he's got a goal, two points. He's a plus three. He's averaging over 21 minutes of ice time. So yeah, he certainly fit right back in, it seems, with that avalanche team.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

Well, next to the guy that had everything to do with the acquisition of Nas and Kadri, he is uh Connor McGahey, the voice uh Luckin' Dumb, he knows. He knows already. Yes, thank you. I did a big part of that.

SPEAKER_09 22:49

There was a rumor, there was a rumor that it was Nathan McKinnon that had gone and said, you know what? If you can get Codri back, we want him. But no, we here on good authority. It was actually Connor's.

SPEAKER_11 23:01

Can you imagine if I was even relatively that important? We can fantastic. Like we know, we know you're important, buddy. So it's just like a I I am I am not. You have a list of guests. I'm at I'm not all I'm on the bottom of the back of that list.

SPEAKER_09 23:18

No, no.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

We've tried to get you many times, including the last time that these two teams played, but you were very busy because I was just in the hospital, no big deal. Yeah, you look fine if that makes you feel any better.

SPEAKER_11 23:30

Great, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

Just keep drinking water, is what my wife says. Drink more water.

SPEAKER_11 23:36

Yeah, it's it's really, you know, can't find any anywhere. Product placement. Product placement.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

We are trying to find a sponsor. We're trying to do this a lot, but we're yeah, to no avail at this moment. Um, listen, we're just talking about NASA and cadre. Did you believe before the acquisition that it was going to happen? Because I mean, there's some creative accounting going on with the Colorado Avalanche, obviously. As there usually is, yes.

SPEAKER_11 24:05

In the front office between CMAC, Kevin, and Andrew, um uh they don't get enough credit ever. If we go back to last year's deadline with Brian Nelson, uh even before that, with with the goaltending room. Uh, we we've talked about that uh numerous times, bringing the lumber yard to Colorado. Um they don't get enough credit for any of these needs that had to be addressed, and going out and actually doing it, not just talking about it or or doing a Marvin milk toast middle of the road type move. They these are big moves that the front office has made. And to be honest, after it was rumored to have been dead the day before, I said, well, Nicholas Waugh, that's not bad. I mean, that's a player that can fit in in Colorado, a big body, bottom six guy who can play in all situations, scored a power play goal two nights ago. I said, I'm I'm fine with that. So by the time everybody, and we were in Dallas on Trey Deadline Day, by the time everybody was had given up, stopped refreshing Twitter, uh, and had gone to pack and get ready for the game that night, you return to your phone and there's messages and alerts all over the place. So didn't think it was possible, but uh, but it happened. And uh the prodigal son returns uh to Colorado here where he was very, very popular uh in the 22 Cup run.

SPEAKER_09 25:19

Yeah, understandably. So then to be able, I mean, I'd mentioned he's already made such a quick impact and seemed to be fitting right back in where he left off. Okay, so now that we've seen this Avs team over almost an entire regular season dominate the way that they have, in your mind right now, why has this team been able to be as strong in as many facets minus the power play as they have been?

SPEAKER_11 25:45

One caveat to the power play it is 30 since the return from the great power play summit of Milan in 2000. So things are looking up in the one three in Seattle the other night. So I will not stand for this power play slander again. Um, but that would be the one thing that you would kind of raise an eyebrow at. Now, the penalty kill has sort of switched spots. Um, they were perfect in Seattle the other night, uh, but before that, nine power play goals allowed in eight games, uh, which is not ideal. So uh at game 55, it was the best penalty kill in the National Hockey League, and now those two things have switched. They're trying to get that back to equal. Um, but this team has been deep, and you also have every single year Nathan McKinnon finds another level. I don't know how he does it. Yeah. Leading the NHL in goals now with 44, Avs have 44 wins. Um, after the questionable ejection, we'll say versus the Edmonton Oilers the other night, he comes back and has a three-point uh first period for the Avalanche. Just uh Ezekiel 25-17. Furious anger out of Nathan McKinnon. Um, but he's a big reason. Your superstars and his natural chemistry with Marty Natchez. There aren't many players in the world who can play with Nathan McKinnon, think the way that he does, react the way that he does, skate the way that he does, and Marty Natchez is right there, his first 30 goal season. Um, and those two are our tops and plus minus in the National Hockey League. So it's not just they're scoring goals, they're responsible two-way forwards. So um you you have your stars being superstars, and you have some depth, which is now even deeper. Uh, once we get our wingers back, we don't really have any right now. We're moving all of our seven centers out to the wing, uh, which I guess could be a worse problem. But um, to answer your question, Sarah, uh your superstars are shining extra bright. Uh your goaltending is good. Scott Wedgewood, best in the NHL, goals against average save percentage right now in both categories with a career high 25 wins. And um, you have contributions up and down the lineup um from guys like Parker Kelly, who has 15 goals uh outrageously past his his previous career high of eight the last two years.

SPEAKER_09 28:02

Actually, let me just quick follow up. You mentioned the questionable um call against Nathan. That I don't think you're hard pressed to find anybody that agrees with the uh with that call.

SPEAKER_11 28:14

Well, my my mentions uh Oilers fans apparently uh they did.

SPEAKER_09 28:18

Okay. So we were talking more, and one of the things that we love about you, uh Connor, is how um animated you are, how expressive you are during your broadcast. So when that happened, give us an idea of what it was what you were looking for. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_11 28:34

So I've said the booth. I've I've been I've been better for I've been a lot better. Eric Johnson, who's been with me a lot this year, um, he was I he was in between ESPN games and he texted me. He goes, Okay, did you how did you lose it? Did you flip out? Mark Rycroft, because it was a national game, actually was was with me on Altitude Fork Radio, and he was like, I'm actually really impressed with you right now. You might have been angrier than I was. Um But uh justice was served in the end. The uh misconduct was rescinded by the National Hockey League, and uh, and all is well in the world, but I uh I handle myself very well.

SPEAKER_02 29:11

Man, we are so proud of you. It's unbelievable. Thank you. Hold a thought for a second. We got a fun question to ask you. Roll the soups on. Your facial expression says everything.

SPEAKER_11 29:33

Last thing you thought you would come to I was I usually I have something and I had nothing, which is uh maybe a product.

SPEAKER_02 29:42

You are working hard on yourself. Not only do you put you quote pulp fiction, you bring into this, anyways. Soup's on. Uh, what is your go-to soup at this time of year when traveling with the avalanche?

SPEAKER_11 29:52

Boy, that's that's a tough one. Um, I've been on a big uh clam chowder kick recently. Um, we were just in Seattle and uh Southern Cal California randomly when we were there last week. So uh at this very moment, it has been uh uh New England clam chowder.

SPEAKER_09 30:12

New England. I was just gonna ask New England and Manhattan.

SPEAKER_02 30:15

Okay, exactly. Well, you never disappoint, my friend. Uh, congratulations on controlling yourself and hard times. Uh, we look forward to see you inside the building tonight. And uh hard times.

SPEAKER_11 30:26

Yeah, really hard. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:31

I don't know how you're enjoying first overall, but 34, 11, and nine.

SPEAKER_09 30:34

It's tough. That's a tough gig you got right now, Connor.

SPEAKER_11 30:37

Hashtag blessed. You're the best. Bye. See you see you, Connor.

SPEAKER_09 30:47

Uh Connor is great. We always appreciate his time as we get close to wrapping up. We do want to quickly promo a couple things that we have coming up. Yes. Um, first off, the latest episode of Ground Control is out.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

Yeah, uh, newest guy, Isaac Rosane, uh, joined me. Here's a quick look. Um how many IKEA jokes do people crack with you in a North American dressing room over your time here? It must be all the time, right? Yeah, it's all the time.

SPEAKER_01 31:09

Uh I haven't got one yet here. I don't know uh how many you have in Canada, but uh it's uh yeah, I definitely need to look one up to get some meatballs.

SPEAKER_02 31:20

Is meatballs truly a part of your guys' diet ordinarily, or is that just yeah, yeah. I mean growing up for sure. Right. Uh so what are your favorite meals from growing up?

SPEAKER_01 31:29

It has to be meatballs too, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

Yeah, honestly. Yeah. So not even just to play right into the joke of like a lot of it. Yeah, it is the stereotype. It is, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

Yeah, that's probably what I ate the most uh growing up. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:46

Okay, that's my that's my part.

SPEAKER_02 31:47

Uh what's going on with you?

SPEAKER_09 31:49

All right, today uh on the broadcast, first intermission, as always, uh the latest edition of Runway comes out. The full episode will be available right afterwards on the Winnipeg Jets YouTube channel, but here is a very small glimpse of what you go.

SPEAKER_08 32:12

Hello. Hey Larry, how are you going? Hey, are good. How are you?

unknown 32:20

Um, all right, Larry.

SPEAKER_08 32:22

You uh said the details. Do you want to read them off for? Uh sure. The Winnipeg Jets trade player Logan Stanley and player Luke Shin.

SPEAKER_02 32:43

Okay, that's new.

SPEAKER_09 32:44

Yes, but latest episode of Runway takes a look back at trade deadline day. Obviously, uh everything that went into it. So looking forward to that one. You can catch in a small sample of it in the first intermission on TSN and then the full one on Winnipeg Jet's YouTube channel.

SPEAKER_02 33:01

Well, many thanks to Kevin Sawyer and Connor McGahee for their appearance on the show today. Uh, hope you enjoy this afternoon's game as a Colorado Avonch paying a visit here to Canada Life Center at 3 p.m.

SPEAKER_09 33:10

Yes. Uh thanks for all of you joining us in the chat. Thanks for coming in and joining us early today. We will be at 11 o'clock again tomorrow as well when the St. Louis Blues are in town. And that will be game seven of this eight game homestand for the Winnipeg Jets.

SPEAKER_02 33:23

Thanks for watching, everybody.

SPEAKER_09 33:24

Thanks everyone for checking in.