The Check In - 03.22.26 - Jets at Rangers

The Jets wrap up their road trip in New York as they face the Rangers. Sara and Jamie will discuss the Jets effort in Pittsburgh plus welcome longtime producer and sportscaster John Shannon and Ranger pxp voice Alex Faust to the show.

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 2:00

Gift guy's already in on the show. Wakey, wakey, Sarah and Jamie. Thanks. We are up. Yesterday I was all keen about this, Sarah, but today I was not. I we when I got up today, I'm like, uh the last thing I want to do is do an 8 a.m. pregame show.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

This is not this is not high on no not high on the list right now. But uh look, I love it. Happy early game day from Maryland said uh one rise and grind, go jets go. Um it's early. Yes, Jeff, it is. We are all feeling that, but we are so happy that all of you have decided to join us in the conversation as we get ready for this game here today, because it isn't even it's the same time for check-in as it was yesterday, but it's even earlier game time for the Winnipeg Jets. It is an 11 o'clock central start as they close out this road trip in New York at Madison Square Garden. Um, they are finishing playing three games in what Scot or Neil always likes to call three and a half days.

SPEAKER_05 2:58

Did this last weekend.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

That's right. It's very familiar to all of us. So um we will get through this next half hour and we're gonna get you all set up for it. We are looking forward to a great half hour show. We've got John Shannon that's gonna join us. Um and then Alex Faust is going to as well to help set up things on the New York Rangers side and get us going. And Alex is uh a great addition to their broadcast as well.

SPEAKER_05 3:24

So how about Alex Faust having to move from coast to coast in his career, right? He used to do uh play-by-play for the Los Angeles Kings. Now he's in the New York Rangers. So uh looking forward to hear from Alex and certainly um sports alumni, John Shannon, uh long time with John for so long in in Toronto. So looking forward to having him on the show, as you said. So uh lots of insight coming from John here momentarily, has a great podcast, 100% hockey with Darren Millard. Those two uh worked together for so long and just had to work together one more time.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Well, and John, I mean, so many years behind the scenes as well. And we can hear you behind the scenes and um in front of the camera too. So looking forward, and you hear him on the CJOB pregame show um on a regular basis. So looking forward to having here. But before we get to today's game, let's look at yesterday afternoon, a 5-4 shootout lost to Pittsburgh. There's a lot that I mean, we could spend a whole half hour just going over the game. There was so much to go over. It was an entertaining game, it was a very um painful start for the Jets in the first two minutes. I we had lost power at our house and I tuned. So I'm trying to stream it, and I tune in, and it's I don't know, there's maybe 18 minutes left in the um first period. So two minutes gone by, and I went, it's two, it's two-nothing. I sent through to one of our colleagues. I said, What is going on? What have I missed? Uh, why don't we just start with quick overall thoughts, Jamie?

SPEAKER_05 4:51

Uh well, I think they have to be yeah, they have to be given a lot of credit for coming back. I mean, they could have pulled the tent and another, like Pittsburgh's not an easy place to play either. And for them to respond quickly on the Morgan Barron goal, uh, which you know some thought could have been goaltender interference, but it was not. Um, he gets the big goal, and then for them to get a shorty in the second period, and then have to come back time and time again to get a goal taken away by Mark, you know, Mark Scheifers of the high stick um from Alex Ayofalo on the puck. Um, and then of course, Brad Lambert, who we talked about a little bit yesterday, having to play in the top six eventually, um, gets a big goal too. So for them to walk out of Pittsburgh with just one point has to be disappointing again. And that's, I mean, I feel like this continues to be the same story, right? You're you you need the two points, you walk out with one, but the effort was there, you did a lot of good things. But then I really don't like the goal they gave up to Eric Carlson, and he's just allowed to walk right into the slot. Um, that one was tough to watch, and then overtime it was a crapshoot. Like it, if it wasn't for Connor Helleback, it's over it's over in 10 seconds. So um, and then you just can't really talk about the shootout. Well, you can talk about the shootout with the two.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

You can, and we will. Let's be honest.

SPEAKER_05 6:02

We'll get into this with John Shannon as well. I'm sure people, and I saw like in the you in the post-game show the comments about the choices that were made um for the shooters, you know.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

Ordinarily why do you think that was a hot topic?

SPEAKER_05 6:17

I can't believe I said what I said. Um ordinarily, it's it's Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifley, and for and then Arnie quickly said afterwards, like it was just try something different. And he was right, their their overtime or their shootout percentages are the highest on the team. And I'm talking about John of the Taves and Gustav Nyquist, but I guess other people's comments with how Gustav Nyquist has struggled offensively the last two years comes into play. I I don't mind the John of the Taves one at all. You know what I mean? Like, there's I mean it went off.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

I mean, it went off iron. Like it's not as if it was a it wasn't a bad shot.

SPEAKER_05 6:54

And he's pretty good at it, and he's pretty mad of might have a lengthy resume, yeah, somewhere in there. So I don't mind that one at all. And you know, Mark Shifley and Kyle Connor haven't had success in the shootout, so uh why why not try something different? So I don't mind I don't mind it. Uh sometimes when things aren't going well, you do have to tinker with things a bit, and it is the shootout, and it's who knows what you're gonna get out of it most times. So curious what John Shannon's gonna think about that, and he'll be joining us here momentarily.

SPEAKER_01 7:21

Yeah, so let's quickly um maybe start on the blue line and let's just do a quick debrief. So Neil Pionk draws back into the lineup, so great to be able to see him back in for the first time.

SPEAKER_05 7:34

Sorry, of course, he makes an impact.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Of course, yes, and so um started on the third pairing beside Hayden Fleury and then got moved up because for all the great things that you saw with Neil Pionk being able to be back, it was a very rough start for Dylan DeMello on for those first two goals, yeah, uh just a couple minutes in, and then did not, I mean, he was stapled to the bench in the in that first period afterwards. Um, Scott O'Neill spoke about it after the game and um a message both to Dylan and to kind of the team as well for it. The so you look at that, you look at the changes that we saw up front in some of the lines. Um, and then of course you look out, you look at the decisions in the shootout as well. What the most frustrating me just before we hear post-game sound from um players in Scudder and Neil, the most frustrating thing I think has to be, you know, we always talk, you've got to take care of your own what you can control. You've got to take care of your own business. I have long said that I think this mountain, although it's only five points, is too great for the Jets to be able to overcome. Um, but the frustrating part is that you say that weeks ago, and then you look and you go, everybody in front of them, by and large, seems to be losing in regulation. And so you think if only they could have gotten those two points, if only they could have gotten that win against the New York Rangers during the homestand, you just you think about where this team could be because they said, we need to take care of our own business, we need help along the way. They have been getting the help, and that's the part that just has to be disappointing. That um, in spite of everything that had gone wrong for the Jets and the adversity that they had to overcome for this season, it actually turned out to be right there for the taking. But once again, uh they find themselves going into this game five points back.

unknown 9:29

All right.

SPEAKER_05 9:30

Well, let's uh John Shannon's on the way right after this. We're gonna listen to some post-game sound. Uh, two players uh started with Neil Piank and then Morgan Barron talking about you know constantly coming back, and then Scott O'Neill touching on the line that he put together about uh Isaac Rosane, Brad Lambert, and of course Morgan Barron.

SPEAKER_04 9:47

I think at the first it did. Um I think we did a better job in the second and a little bit better job in the third. Overtime was a track meet, but that's three on three, it's a little different. So um, yeah, the first period we struggled with that a little bit, and then we I thought we rebounded nicely. What can you say about the way you kind of claw back more than once?

SPEAKER_02 10:06

Yeah, I mean, we didn't want to get in a track meet, and we kind of put ourselves in a position um that we had to, and you know, I still think there's some moments throughout that game where we can manage it better. Um you know, we did we did a good job getting back in it and sticking with it, but um you know it's not as clean a game as I think we would like to play.

SPEAKER_03 10:26

Right. Just talking to Barron, uh Rose and Lambert. Like, did you like what those guys were able to do when you put them together?

SPEAKER_00 10:32

Put them together because of the speed. Yeah, all three of them can go, and I liked a lot of what they did. Uh that uh, you know, they they pushed the other team's defense back, and you know, most of their shifts were in the offensive zone or you know, were coming off the rush, and you know, it's good to see them all uh, you know, really get up to speed, using their speed. Um, you know, I thought Bear did a really good job working with those two guys and uh hopefully you know keeping together with them all.

SPEAKER_05 10:57

All right, there you have it. Um, so yeah, the track meet that they got themselves into with the Penguins, wrong idea. Um came around to it much better, but it was a non-consistent uh effort from the Winnipeg Jets in a game that they just had to have. So let's bring in uh John Shannon for his thoughts. Of course, John uh is a big part of CJOB's coverage on Jets broadcast. John, hello my friend. Good to see you again. Morning, folks. Listen, let's get right into it. Let's get right into about Scott Arneo's decision in the shootout yesterday. Did you like it or didn't did you like not like it?

SPEAKER_07 11:30

I was surprised, uh, but I didn't have a problem with Jonathan Taves. I mean, he has a history of this. Uh, you know, I I think we all remember where we were when he went uh toe-to-toe with Jack Johnson at the World Juniors, um, and he was so good. Uh so I I don't have a problem with with Jonathan Taves ever with anything at this point. Uh I was surprised with Gus Nyquist, but at the same time, I I think uh if you look at the numbers that the Jets have put up in shootouts this year, uh there's nothing wrong with trying something new. There really isn't. Uh you know, this has not been a very good shootout team, let's face it. And so i if you have some guys with talent and both Taves and Nyquist have talent, um, you know, they give them a chance. And because because there there are six or seven guys on that bench w wanting to go out there, wanting to have that opportunity, and those two guys would be two of them. So I I I didn't have an issue uh uh really at all with Taves. And if I had an issue with Nyquist, when you think about it, there's common sense involved. You needed to change it up.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

John, are you surprised that this team isn't better in shootouts, given the talent that we see on that bench?

SPEAKER_07 12:48

Yeah, but even the gr some of the greatest players in the world, Sarah, are not great in breakaways and shootouts. Uh you know, that's you know, players sometimes tend to overthink. You know, you you know, this is such an instinctive game. Uh and some of the some of those players like Connor, like Scheifley, are great when they're just playing the game. If you give them a chance to think, they're like the rest of us. You know, it's it's almost like paralysis by analysis. And so it sometimes it hurts you. If you have that time to stand at center ice, think what you're doing, decide how what speed you're gonna go in at. Yeah, and by the time you get to the top of the circles, you're going, oh man, I'm in too close. Or I'm you know, so I I I I I think the uh everything that's gone on wrong with this team this year, uh, guys are trying too hard, guys are trying to do everything they can. Uh, and sometimes that just is overthinking.

SPEAKER_01 13:48

Just quickly, the speed element is always something that gets me. I always remember Tim Campbell, who obviously wrote for years for Winnipeg Free Press, he and I used to always for shootouts, it drove us nuts when you would see guys come in so slowly and they take, say, the wide arc and they would just go down to an absolute crawl with it. So go in with some speed. And it's frustrating, I think, sometimes when, and that's where I think that sometimes when you say the paralysis by analysis and you're overthinking things, um, that's what I sometimes feel when you when you look at some of the really skilled guys that just come in so slow. Use your speed, go. It's it's frustrating to watch sometimes.

SPEAKER_07 14:26

It's all listen, it it's it's about making decisive decisions at a key point. Yeah, you Trevor Ziegris is probably the best shootout guy in the National Hockey League, and he starts slow and finishes fast and has a great release, and and most of the time it works. And so it's it's one of those things that once you make a decision, you better live with it and and and you better shoot it at the key point. I'm a I'm a guy that I believe in shooting rather than deking. Yeah, I'd rather see a good, hard, quick shot, but you know, they're not asking me for the shootout.

SPEAKER_05 15:00

Well, well, one thing I am gonna ask you about is just this the slow crawl in the bottom part of the Western Conference standings trying to get into the playoffs, John. There's five teams that are pretty much looking at each other go, you take it. No, you take it. No, you can you can have it kind of thing going on right now. Are the whoever turns out to be the eighth seed, do they have, in your opinion, any opportunity to beat the number one seed in the in the in the Western conference, whether it's Colorado, whether it's Dallas, and now Minnesota's even making a push.

SPEAKER_07 15:28

I still remember the great line that Daryl Sutter had uh about the playoffs uh when we talked about getting to be wild card number two against Colorado, you call it eight wasted days. Um as only Daryl would say. Um but but but that's you you know, you do wonder if uh if anything can happen. The the one thing I would say is that uh even as good as Colorado's been and and Dallas have been, they they have weaknesses too. You know, will they be able to turn it on again in the playoffs? Well, we'll see. Uh but you get a hot goaltender, you know. I'm I'm a big believer. I I think the eighth seed is going to be Nashville. Uh I've said it, I've been saying it for about six weeks. Uh you look at their schedule, you you look at the the components they have, you look at their goaltending. Uh you know, goaltending is so important in playoffs that if uh UC Saros gets hot at the right time, then perhaps he can extend the series. I don't expect them to win, uh, but uh they can extend it, he can certainly extend the series at that point. So hey, but you know what? Getting to the playoffs is is a bonus and is a positive, and it's uh a selling point for every franchise in the league at a certain point to sell the business, sell hope. So I mean getting to the playoffs is a positive, it's not necessarily eight wasted days, like Daryl said.

SPEAKER_01 16:52

When you John at the way that so the Jets are going into game 70 this afternoon against the Rangers and five points back of Nashville, you've said that you expect Nashville to be the team that gets in with uh everything that they have in front of them. When you look at these final games for the Jets, just in terms of the regular season, would you like to see more young players brought in and given an opportunity? Do you think you play around with the lines a bit? If you were if you were given free reign, what would you what would you like to do with this Jets group looking to not only close out the season but looking ahead to the future?

SPEAKER_07 17:30

Well, well, I think what we saw yesterday in Pittsburgh was was really important. Uh, you know, and and you touched on Lambert and Rosein being part of it. Um that's the that's the future. That's that's something that uh I think Jets fans can look at and say, you know what, that was a good trade that they made with Buffalo. And Brad Lambert finally is doing what Brad Lambert was expected to do for a a lot longer, I think, than most Jets fans would admit. Uh and I think they've I think they both showed something. That was you know, that was Brad Lambert's best game in the National Hockey League yesterday. It was. Um, and he was given an opportunity with two guys that are almost as fast as him. And so you'd like to see that. These 12 games, I I don't like to call them auditions um for the future, but what I would say is that if you can give a guy like Lambert, a guy like Rosine experience at this level playing against really good teams, I mean, they got Colorado coming up. Against those teams, then that's going to that's going to be a positive for the summertime when those guys can take the summer off, start to work out again, get to camp next year, and be regular NHL NHL players. I think that's so important for this organization. One that we thought was earlier in the season was getting older and slower. That's you know, that's a reality. We thought they were getting older and slower. Now, when you plug a some of these guys in, and and let's let's put uh Elias Salamanson in that group, too, who has uh I I think has been a tremendous positive in the second half of the season. I think when you take a look at what those young guys and how they can contribute between now and the middle of April, then that that gives me a little bit more hope for the Jets next year.

SPEAKER_05 19:21

John, uh one last one before we let you go. Uh, you worked with Darren Millard for such a long time at Sportsnet. Uh, was it inevitable that you guys were gonna get back together and reunite for your your current podcast, 100% hockey?

SPEAKER_07 19:31

Well, you know, my my previous podcast was with Bob McCowan, and and Bob had some health issues for eight or nine months, but with we we did a daily podcast at that point, uh, which is a lot harder than doing three times a week, I can tell you. Um but I I I rotated co-host with me, and and there was just something easy with Darren. Yeah, we had a lot of fun at Hockey Central at noon for a long time and doing games. Uh, but there's just a simple chemistry. Darren and I have known each other a long time, you know, and and it's uh a podcast. I don't have to tell you two, but a podcast is something that is more conversational, it is supposed to be relaxed. And if you can throw barbs at each other and have fun and still put a little bit of knowledge out there, then it's uh a lot easier to do and a lot more fun.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

John, just quickly, so we have a thing on our show where well, I'm not gonna so we talk a lot for whatever reason about food and soup. Um, but given the early time right now, it is 820 here in Winnipeg. I feel as if soup might not be the most appropriate question because I don't think most people are are thinking.

SPEAKER_07 20:37

First of all, I have soup 12 months a year. I'm a soup guy.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Okay, so then never mind. I was gonna ask about breakfast, but people want to know, John, then your soup of choice. What is if you had to do um your number one soup, what would it be?

SPEAKER_07 20:52

Um it drives my wife nuts. Cream of chicken. Interesting, but you doctor the cream of chicken, you know. You know, you've been to Swiss Chalet the night before, you've got that extra piece of chicken, you take the extra chicken, you put it in the cream of chicken soup.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Great idea, the add-in.

SPEAKER_07 21:11

Yeah, and and croutons.

SPEAKER_01 21:15

Oh right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 21:17

Well, that comes from my love of Boston clam chowder, too, right? Because you always have the crackers in the clam chowder. So now we take that, we take that study and put the croutons and the extra chicken in the cream and chicken soup. And then you then you're eating the chicken soup and you're saying, you know what? If this was at a restaurant, I'd pay$19 for this.

unknown 21:35

You know?

SPEAKER_07 21:37

And by the way, I think I probably have.

SPEAKER_05 21:38

Yeah, I was just probably with the price of with the food nowadays, John. I think you're on the price of soup.

SPEAKER_07 21:44

The price of soup. Who knew?

SPEAKER_05 21:47

John, thanks so much for your time, my friend. Yes.

SPEAKER_07 21:51

It's morning. Jamie, you and I look like it's the morning.

SPEAKER_05 21:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 21:56

Why does Sarah look like it's prime time?

SPEAKER_05 22:00

A fair question, John.

SPEAKER_07 22:02

What happens? There's something wrong.

SPEAKER_05 22:04

She manages to pull this off all the time. Prime time. Thanks, John.

SPEAKER_01 22:10

Thanks, John. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 22:11

Take care. John Chan, always a big part of CJOB's coverage of the Winnipeg Jets. Uh, they are playing the New York Rangers here this afternoon or this morning here in Winnipeg. It's going to be afternoon in New York. So pleased to welcome to the show a man that's worked, uh traveled coast to coast for his position in the world. It is Alex Faust. Um I think, Alex, before we get going here, uh just a discussion on the fact that you've had to move from LA to New York to continue to do what you do. You are a man that is committed to your trade. I appreciate that. No, very kind of you, Jamie.

SPEAKER_08 22:46

And I you know what? Bottom line for me, I am so happy to be home. Uh, I grew up in Brooklyn. So, yeah, even though I lived in Boston for 10 years and loved it there and had a wonderful time in LA, there's no place like home. Um, I'm a New York City guy, so I'm excited to have this role now with the Rangers and with MSG Network.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Just so I love New York. It's one of my favorite cities. As a native New York then, what is it that makes the city in your mind so great? Because I imagine that native New Yorkers find it, you know, different than those of us that just pop in now and then.

SPEAKER_08 23:23

Well, it's funny. I think when I get friends who visit from out of town or or I encounter people who are visiting and they're staying in midtown Manhattan, right around Times Square or Harold Square or wherever, and they say, How do you live like this? And I say, Well, I don't. I don't live where you know there's you know million people converging into a really small area of uh the city. Uh, I lived in you know, a part of Brooklyn that was about 30 minutes outside of uh, I guess you could say the central business district, right of Midtown Manhattan. And it was quiet. I actually, when I first moved back, I moved into an apartment that uh was near a street, and there was honking on the street from cars uh heading to a nearby highway. And I was like, how did I grow up with this? And I forgot, well, I had a uh, you know, a place, my parents uh were very fortunate. They they bought a house um that had a bedroom that was uh to the back and wasn't facing the street. And so my entire upbringing, wow, I had a really quiet childhood on a street in New York. And even though it's in the middle of New York City, it just was a very uh tranquil experience. And so now where I live on the upper west side of Manhattan, very similar thing. Uh I I find that it's uh it's amazing that you have so many things at your fingertips. Um, you know, it going to the grocery store is a short walk. There are restaurants nearby in the neighborhood. Uh, we have friends who we can walk to in the neighborhood. Those kind of conveniences are things that money can't buy, especially since the rent is so high. Uh, you need other conveniences to balance things out. Uh, but it's it's a different lifestyle. And I think I appreciate it a lot more now having come back than when I was growing up. And I just thought, well, that's how everybody lives in in a city. Well, you you take the subway everywhere. I mean, I I didn't take a school bus from junior high onward. I mean, from grade six on to the end of high school, I was taking the subway every day to school. It was just part of life.

SPEAKER_01 25:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 25:23

How about this, Alex? Uh tell us about the commute then. Like, do you look you're clearly not at MSG right now? So, how how much time do you gotta do will it take for you to get to work?

SPEAKER_08 25:32

I I have a really easy commute. It's 20 minutes by subway, maybe a little bit more because it's a Sunday morning and I have to wait a few more minutes for the train. Um, Tarrytown, uh driving up there where the Rangers practice rink is is about 35-minute drive. Uh, so it's kind of interesting that I have to go way out of town to get to the practice rink compared to going to Madison Square Garden. Um, and even the conveniences of you know, having the airports nearby. And um, you know, if I need to take a train to Philadelphia, it's it's so easy to get down there. So, so yeah, I I mean I'm I'm gonna leave right after we're done with this, and it'll be pretty straightforward uh to get into work, so to speak.

SPEAKER_01 26:15

Your commutes about the same length of time as Jamie and I have in our respective commutes in Winnipeg.

SPEAKER_05 26:22

Yeah, so who has it better? That's a good ask.

SPEAKER_01 26:24

That's right.

SPEAKER_05 26:25

Okay, so a question about the New York Rangers. There will be a new face and goal, I believe, here today, because it was an injury to John the Quick. Tell us a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_08 26:32

Yeah, Dylan Garand was called up. Um, you know, we'll we'll confirm that he's indeed starting uh later, but uh 23-year-old rookie, um, played out west uh in junior hockey. You know, he wasn't used earlier this season. Uh Spencer Martin came in, was called up from the AHL, veteran goaltender. And I can only guess that that part of the reason that was the case was the Rangers at the time when they needed him, um, because Igor Shisterkin went down with injury earlier in the year, missed about a month. Jonathan Quick took up the vast majority of those games. And at the time, the Rangers were, you know, scratching and clawing to try to get back into playoff contention under 500. Uh, all the trade rumors that were swirling. And I can only imagine for a rookie goaltender, you don't want to throw somebody into that situation when you're expected, wow, you gotta you have to save the season for us. It just wasn't the right time for that. And you know, I heard your conversation with John Shannon a couple of moments ago about the team getting younger in Winnipeg. Well, that's kind of what the Rangers are doing right now with bringing up some of their prospects and and giving them more rope and more playing time here. I think the situation is right for Dylan Grant to come in and and get a couple of games, get a little bit of experience under his belt in a situation that isn't going to be as much of a pressure cooker as it would have been earlier this year.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

What have you what's been the storyline or the biggest one with the Rangers in the last few games? I mean, you look, they had won four games in a row. That includes the win that they had at Kanda Life Center here in Winnipeg, and now they've lost their three and they've been outscored 16 to 7. Those three, like it just looks the four games they won, bit outscored opponents, 20 to 7. Now they've lost three, 16 to 7. What's been the story over the last three games in particular?

SPEAKER_08 28:19

I mean, it feels like the story of the season. So when they're playing well, this team could be anybody. I think Mike Sullivan and the structure that he's put in place, especially in the the defensive zone and coverage that uh just wasn't there a year ago. Um, especially when guys wanted to be more offensive-minded, there would be I I could, you know, every game you could check a bingo card and there would be a defenseman pinching without a forward going to cover, and it would happen two, three times a game. This year, that rarely happens. Uh, yes, there are breakdowns, and and right now special teams are scuffling a little bit, but I think you find um for the most part, when this team is playing well, they play with structure more consistently. Early in the year, they weren't getting the results. And I think you talk to anybody around the Rangers that the first month or so of the year they weren't scoring, and that was the biggest reason why they were falling in the standings to begin the year, uh, because they were playing super well, but losing one nothing, two-one, getting heroic goaltending from Shisterkin and Quick. Second half of the year, I think um what you saw in that four-game winning streak um was the Rangers' new top line, Alexi Lafreniere, Mika Zabanajat, Gabe Perot found instant chemistry. And we we started to see a little bit of why 20-year-old Gabe Perot is part of the future for this team. He has incredible vision uh and incredible poise for not only his youth, but also he's not the biggest guy, but he he's so savvy when it comes to uh body position on the forecheck for the Rangers. He's created three or four goals just by being the first man in and taking the guy at the right time, timing a hit on the forecheck well to separate a man from the puck. Um, and that sets up you know Lafreniere to make a pass to Zabanajet or vice versa. I think you're seeing La Frenier play with a little bit more freedom now that our Temi Panarin is not on his line. I I think it's you know, people might say, well, the Rangers traded away Panarin, you know, they're gonna be worse off. I think in the case of Lafreniere, so often he's worried. Uh this is just me talking, it looked like he was worried about where Panarin would be on the ice and having to be aware of a guy who just freelances for for lack of a better word. I mean, you let him go, you let him play. He's so creative, but it created a sticky issue where La Frenere was caught in between sometimes. But now you're seeing him more consistently get to the front of the net. That's what the Rangers coaching staff have been asking him to do for a while, but now he knows okay, if I'm here, everybody else on my line is going to be where they're supposed to be. Uh, it's one less thing to worry about. And I think that that has allowed those three to play with freedom. Um, I think in the last couple games, just not only defensive zone breakdowns, but also the penalty kill has not been great. Uh, and they've wound up chasing the game. Uh, what happened in Winnipeg? I mean, uh, that game was one of the better ones the Rangers have played all year in all three zones. And I think that that template, if they can bring that to the table more often than not, this team will compete for a playoff spot going forward, but we just haven't seen it consistently enough.

SPEAKER_05 31:35

Alexa, Rangers fans are well known for lack of patience. Is there enough hope for it now in New York for them to carry this forward to next year in belief? New Yorkers have a lack of patience. Right.

SPEAKER_08 31:51

I need to get where I'm going, don't get in my way. Yeah, yeah. Um, you know, I I think getting through the trade deadline was helpful. I just got the sense, especially after the Olympic break, uh, first and foremost, but but even after the trade deadline, it it just felt like there was so much pressure that was lifted. Um, you know, not in the sense that, oh, we need to get back into the playoff race. It was more like, okay, business is done. Now we actually can get to playing these younger guys in more prominent roles. Now we can start to see what the next page of this story will look like. I just think for any team that goes through a process like that when you're selling at the trade deadline, um, I think getting to the other side will enable a team to play with more freedom. The the very next game, after they played uh in Minnesota in uh Winnipeg, they were in Minnesota, got outshot handily, uh, played a really strong first half of the game, got heroic goaltending. And I think that's part of the hope for Rangers fans is that you have one of the best goaltenders, if not the best goaltender in the world, an Igor Shisterkin. I'll take that as a starting piece on any team. And especially with how aggressive the front office has signaled they're going to be in their retool, they're not going to wait around. It's not just the fans that are uh that are not patient. I think the front office wants wants this period of time to be over with as soon as possible uh for this Rangers team that that has such an asset with Igor Shisterkin to be able to do what he does on a nightly basis.

SPEAKER_05 33:25

All right, Alex, appreciate your time, my friend. Uh, thanks for doing this with us. Uh, enjoy the stress-free commute to MAT. Have a great call, man. Uh thanks for being here.

SPEAKER_01 33:34

Have a great call, Alex.

SPEAKER_05 33:36

Thanks. Alex Files joining us from his cozy little office.

SPEAKER_01 33:40

Yes, one of uh he does a fantastic call. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 33:45

So how lucky is he to call both Kings and Rangers games? Like that's I mean, in Boston, that's a pretty good run, pretty good resume.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Yeah, absolutely. Incredibly, incredibly talented. Um, okay, so quick notes just as we wrap up. So obviously, this is the second game of back to backs. You might remember we've talked about their records a variety of times uh before in back to backs. They have typically struggled in the first game. They do very well historically in the second. Five and two is their record so far. This is their final afternoon game of the season. Um, also, Mark Shifley loves playing against the Rangers, averages, especially at MSG.71 points per game, highest um number of against any opponent in his career. So this franchise is one in particular that he has success going up against. And you think he doesn't see them a ton, but um is able to make good typically when he does. So that's great. I'm very curious. We will be back on Tuesday when the Jets kick off a two-game homestand. And I will be interested to see what happens with the lines today. We know you spoke about it. We've heard Scott O'Neill's post-game comments about how that barren line, Blambert and Roseanne's gonna stay together. At least to start what happens with some of the others. Do we see some adjustments in pairings as well? Um, obviously, Scott O'Neill is not afraid to shake things up if necessary in-game. So how things start isn't always how they finish, but looking to see how the Jets respond with this one. This is three games in three and a half days, uh, Rangers playing five games in eight days. And as I asked Alex, I mean, they they have struggled recently to be able to find the back of the net and to keep and even more so to keep pucks out. So are the Jets able to take advantage if this is a rookie net minder, if this is someone making their NHL debut, are they able to take advantage of that this afternoon and close things out with the win? Because they desperately need two points today. One point isn't gonna be able to just get it done.

SPEAKER_05 35:46

We should just put a font across the bottom. Need two points.

SPEAKER_01 35:50

That's right. And yes, we did we did not ask about soup.

SPEAKER_05 35:54

I don't want I don't want to double damp on this one, you know. Like we asked John. Yeah, we gave such good answers.

SPEAKER_01 35:59

I should have, you know what? We should have started just with a question of for all of us about breakfast. Because as many people have pointed out, yes, the it's 8 a.m. is the earliest check-in that we have ever done before. Um, you've seen both Jamie and I with our coffee mugs. Hopefully, all of you have been enjoying some morning coffee or your morning breakfast as well. So maybe next year on morning games or morning shows, we'll switch to brunch. Who knows? Afternoon games, we have lunch, evening games, we have soup.

SPEAKER_05 36:34

Next time we have John on, we should ask about the challenge of making the NHL schedule because John would know some pretty good insight on that one. But we'll bring them in before the end of the year, I think.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Okay, let's do it. And lots of people liking Bailey's.

SPEAKER_05 36:48

Yeah, and I've seen a lot of comms comments. I think this is the obvious time for Air Carrie to start, as the rest of you do, so we'll have to see how that goes. But um, make sure you tune in to CJOB pregame show because there is no TSN pregame show, Chris.

SPEAKER_01 37:03

There is no TSN pregame show, but the CJOB pregame show will be starting shortly. Yeah, uh, and then we will be back on Tuesday. The Jets return home. It is two games, it is not an easy stretch, though. Um, Vegas, who has struggled lately and part of that Pacific division, um, that is in the what was it, pillow fight? Pillow fight for first in the pillow fight for first, according to Connor McDavid. Um, Vegas, but we know, but we know that Vegas always seems to bring um their A game when it comes to playing against Winnipeg, number of Manitobans that love to come home and seem to have success. And then they play Thursday against Colorado. So a very tough mini homestand for the Winnipeg Jets.

SPEAKER_05 37:45

All right, that's it for us. Uh, enjoy the game today, 11 o'clock on the TSN on the CJOB. Appreciate you guys for checking in early this ear this morning.

SPEAKER_01 37:55

All weekend long. You guys are the best. And that not only are you checking in, but you guys are in the uh comments and in the chat as well. And we love to be able to see all of them. Even if we can't address all of the comments, we love being able to see them and we do read them, so we appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 38:10

Thanks, everybody. Have a great day.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

Enjoy the game, everyone. Thanks for checking in.