The Check In - 04.06.26 - Kraken at Jets

The Jets continue their push to the postseason when they host the Kraken on Monday night. Jamie Thomas and special guest host Kevin Sawyer will get you ready for puck drop. The voice of the Kraken Everett Fitzhugh will join the show as well.

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 2:26

Just a wild finish in Columbus. Oh little enthusiasm here from Paul Edmonds. Yeah, he does. Uh Sara Lesky not with us today, obviously. Kevin Sawyer.

SPEAKER_03 2:36

You've got to settle for this.

SPEAKER_05 2:38

So I mean, if this was a TSN broadcast, would you be able to, would you have the time to do this?

SPEAKER_03 2:44

It depends. It cuts into my nap time.

SPEAKER_05 2:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:47

Naps are a big thing for me. Is this about the time you go start napping? No, you know what? This would be the time where I would be on the other side of the rink talking to coaches and players. It'd be close. It'll be tight, but I mean nobody wants to see that, let's be honest.

SPEAKER_05 2:59

Sarah needs a shave. Sarah, do you look like Kevin Sawyer? Did anyone tell you that?

unknown 3:07

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 3:08

The viewers are being fired. Straight to the comments, the check-in. Welcome everybody. Jamie Thomas alongside Kevin Sawyer. Sarah's on her way back from wherever it was she was. We're not going to release information like that, but uh she'll be back on Thursday when the Jets are in St. Louis to take on the blues. In the meantime, it is the Kraken and the Winnipeg Jets. And I guess you just keep looking at the standings over and over and over again, looking for help. And uh let's let's throw those standings up right now, uh Caden. Um the Winnipeg Jets still find themselves three points out of a playoff spot. But here's the thing St. Louis wins last night in Denver against the Avalanche. So everybody that's supposed to be doing you a favor is not doing you a favor. And you look at the National Predators and the Los Angeles Kings, I believe they're playing against each other tonight. Right. So here's lies the issue for the Winnipeg Jets. Someone's getting points in that one. So I looked at Money Puck today. Money Puck gives the odds for the Jets making the playoffs. I think it was just under seven percent. And I think as you were and I were just talking about before we came on air, is just the fact that everybody they're they're battling with for these playoff spots are playing against each other. Yeah. So it doesn't so much matter what you're doing, it's what everybody else is doing in this situation.

SPEAKER_03 4:23

That's the reality when you leave it to the you know, to this state of the of the playoff run, like where you have to have help, but you have to win games as well. It's funny because when the Jets were were winning games, everybody else was winning games, yeah. Right, where it was hard to what was it? This is a crazy stat too where we came the Jets came out of Christmas seven, three, and two, I think it was. And in the standings, they gained two points with that run that they went on. So, I mean, the reality is if you leave it up to uh needing help from other teams, then you are at the mercy of the of the league and the hockey gods to some degree.

SPEAKER_05 4:57

Okay, let's go. I want to before we get into the road trip, which was successful, they went three and one on it. But let's talk about you had there was some downtime in Chicago because the Jets were there for so long, and I saw that you and your better half got to go check out uh much better half. Uh got to go check out the the the uh Cubs game, which along with along with many members of the Winnipeg Jets Unreal. How is Regolley Field?

SPEAKER_03 5:19

Well, first of all, the the proper question is how was the 12-hour drive to get to Chicago? We drove there. It was oh, I didn't know that. Okay, we drove there, it was so much fun. We're road trippers, so um the game was outstanding. I mean the park's 115, 17 years old or something like that. So just being there was crazy. Um, so we had to get the matching hats. Um, and we were sitting right behind the team. We didn't know it at the time until Heli and KC stood up in front of me. I'm gonna come over a little bit in front of I know you might be near me, but you'd like to be close to the guy. But when Heli and KC stood up and they they uh honored them for the gold medal and whatnot, I mean it was almost that was that was where my next question was like how loud did it get in there? 40,000 people, and like these guys are fist pumping, and Heli's getting the USA chance when it was it was special. It was loud, it was yeah, I mean, it was really cool to see kind of to see how this little Winnipeg market, yes, and these superstars in Winnipeg are global, and I mean he he got the love, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_05 6:18

Yeah, um, so let's go into the road trip itself. Uh outside would you say Dallas was a hiccup, or would you say like I don't even know how to describe the Dallas game because talked to Paul on the last show and he said that it was a lot better than it looked for in terms of the Jets.

SPEAKER_03 6:33

Yeah, I I felt like it was a one-off. Yeah. Dallas looked like the way Winnipeg had looked in the last handful of games prior to that, where um the Jets weren't they weren't right. Um, it it it wasn't to me better than it looked. I felt like they probably got what they deserved in that one. Um give a lot of credit to Dallas. I felt like it was I was really looking forward to both teams being at their best because I feel like there's no team in the National Hockey League that is as similar to Winnipeg as the Dallas Stars. And so when they're at their best, it's kind of like two immovable objects kind of running into each other. That wasn't the case. Um, good for Winnipeg to be able to rebound um in their last game, but um it was it was just one of those games where it's it's really hard in this league to be at your best every single night, uh continuously, especially with this condensed schedule. So Dallas was the better team in that one, in my opinion. Um, but uh, you look at three out of four on the on the road. I mean, the Jets they got back to their their ways.

SPEAKER_05 7:29

Okay, well, the Jets are taking on the Seattle Kraken, and there's some news, lineup news, a lot and a lot of it. Before we get to it, because we got to talk about our good friends, the Tim Hortons and the Tim's hockey challenge. Um, this is the latest thing right now. Go to the uh throw the uh banner up. It's play for a chance to win, bragging rights with benefits on the Tim's app. Go to the Tim's app. There's three players you have to select that they're gonna score. It's not points, they got to score goals. And if you get on a stretch of seven consecutive days in a row where you pick somebody right of those three picks per day, you can win free coffee for a week. So who doesn't love that opportunity? Many thanks to our good friends and Tim Hortons. Uh Kevin and I will give you our three picks a little bit later in the show. The Tim's Hockey Challenge brought to you by Tim's Tim Hortons. Okay. Kevin comes back from the road, long road drive. But um, the Jets come back home for they have three one-game homestands during over these last six games. A little crazy when you think about the whole thing. But the news is today we get they get the Vladislav Nomesnikov and Nino Niederrider back, which is just crazy when you think about it. Because the bad news out of that is Morgan Barron gets hurt again.

SPEAKER_03 8:27

Yeah, that's tough in Columbus.

SPEAKER_05 8:29

Lower body injury, he's weak to weak. So the Jets had just got him back from a two-game absence in Columbus. And I really I've said this many times. I love that line with uh Brad Lambert, um, Isaac Rosane, and of course Morgan Barron, but we don't think about that. So let's throw up the uh let's look at the projected lines for today. This is what we saw in warm-up. So the top six remains the same. But my question to you, Kevin, is now so Kev Kites, Rosane, uh, Nita Rider, Nemesikov, and Lambert. And the cool part of this, guys, is Nita Rider and Nemesikov, it sucked that they were out, but the best part is they got to their best, they're best friends. Yep. And they got to rehab together. So, how much do you think that helps out in a long process? Because both like Nemesikov gets hurt two games in after the Olympic break, and Nita Rider just came back or got or took got the surgery done right after the Olympic break. So, this is a long stretch without games.

SPEAKER_03 9:19

First of all, nobody understands how difficult rehabbing is. I mean, physically and the the commitment to going and doing these things where you get no reward from it other than just day after day doing what you have to do physically. But the mental grind behind I mean, you're at the rank before the team gets there, you leave before they arrive, you never see your boys. It is such a mental grind. It's not even funny. Nobody talks about that, it's behind the scenes. So for those two guys to be able to kind of go through it together, it keeps them a little bit more energized. Here's what I think and what I see with these two guys coming back together and playing on the fourth line together. There's been no moment in this year where the Jets have played what I think they need to play style-wise than now. Right. And and this is a big part of what Nemesnikov and Nino kind of brought to the team when they were at their best. Having said that, this year hasn't been their best seasons individually. There's been a lot of guys, but for them to rejoin the team, it's difficult, timing wise, conditioning wise. But the fact that they're going to play on the fourth line, I think sets them up for success. I think it sets the second power play too as well.

SPEAKER_05 10:21

Yep. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:22

And that second power play unit has been really good. They keep it simple, which is huge. But for those two guys to come back with the team playing the way they're playing is conducive to the way that Vladdy and Nino play when they're at their best. So I think it it's going to help them kind of transition into a really difficult time of year to kind of jump back in after missing time.

SPEAKER_05 10:39

All right, here's Scott O'Neill with uh the information or news about Morgan Barron, and of course uh Nita Rider and Amestikov about returning and the recovery.

SPEAKER_02 10:47

Uh Morgan Barron's out week to week now. So he got banged up in the Columbus game. So it kind of opens up an opportunity for those guys. They've been, like you said, they've been kind of getting up to speed, conditioning, the off-ice stuff, the touches on the ice. So, you know, two veteran guys that you know obviously have a big history here. That important game tonight, and you know, with Bear going down, you know, those two guys coming in.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Yeah, there's been good days, there's been bad days, but um, you know, we had a good support system going through this whole process. So, you know, the medical staff, you know, Kyle and Wolfie in the gym, and you know, all our teammates supported us through it. So um definitely made it easier.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

I mean, it happened well, tough to to share the exact, but it's been uh going on the whole year. I started off in the in the summer already, so it just kind of had problems with my knee the whole time, but um kind of was those stretches where it felt pretty good, even though stretches that were weren't as good, and adventure just needed to get it done.

SPEAKER_05 11:40

Before I kind of get into like the challenge of coming back after missing so many games, especially when the games are so you know, everybody's at a high rate right now. Nino need a rider talked about his knee issue. So it was something that went stretched back at the beginning part of the year. So I can understand Nino's point of view here is he had his thousandth game, and of course, the opportunity to play for Switzerland again at the Olympics. So this is probably why he fought through the issue as long as he did. He did mention that if he looked back at it now, he probably would have got it done earlier in the year.

SPEAKER_03 12:08

Yeah, I mean, hindsight's always 20-20. I talk to Nino all the time. And you know, you wonder, and I'll say this with Adam Lowry and Cole Perfetti. While they're, you know, kind of struggling a little bit, and we all know when they're at their best, what they look like, and we all know that they're struggling. Yeah, you don't want to highlight that every day, ever, every day. But I felt I felt that Nino wasn't at his best, and I asked him, he goes, Yeah, but that's just part of the NHL that nobody understands. So yeah, everybody's talking about him. Oh, he's lost his step and he's not fast enough. Well, you're dealing with this. And I mean, at the same time, your team's struggling right out of the gates. And so you're like, Can I, can't I? I mean, the mentality of a of a professional athlete is to push through the pain into work. So I'm assuming that he probably had some help getting to that decision as well.

SPEAKER_06 12:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:50

Um, I'd like to believe, and I know how good of a guy he is, where I think every decision the decision that he made was based around the Winnipeg Jets first, Nino second, and then World Champs probably comes third when it comes to the priority of all those things. Um, not a whole lot of time though to get up to speed. I mean, conditioning is going to play a factor here, especially for a guy that's older in age.

SPEAKER_05 13:08

Now, how important are two players like this? Not that the Jets are a veteran lineup, anyways, but now you have the grind of these last six games, the importance of it. How like how important of an addition are these two players to what the Jets need to do over the last six?

SPEAKER_03 13:21

Okay, so the when you consider Morgan Barron out week to week, that's a huge blow, in my opinion. And everybody inside that locker room knows it. He's a popular guy in the room, but I mean, what he's been able to do on the ice, I mean, this guy has been a game changer, in my opinion. You you go back to Dallas, the Jets had four shots in the first period, three of them came from the fourth line with Mer Morgan Barron driving the play. So having him leave the lineup hurts, and there's a sag emotionally. Um, and then, but to replace him, if you've got two guys that are super popular that have been part of the success here before, and Vladdy and Nino. So that that's kind of like a bit of a cutoff where you know, like the spirit of all of this that matters. I mean, when you're sitting in the rocker room going into these games, knowing this could be the difference between playoffs and not, it's about the spirit and the energy and the belief. So those guys are gonna bring a lot of belief. And I mean, they're they're popular as well, right? Like these guys are part of the core, in my opinion. So um tough news on one hand, but if you don't get two veteran guys back on the same day that you lose Morgan Barron, I think it's a it's a big hurdle to overcome emotionally. Um, so the timing is right in more ways than one.

SPEAKER_05 14:25

By the way, uh Everett, hold on a second. My technology is uh Gremlins here all the time. There it is. Look at that. Uh Everett Fitchyou from the Seattle Kraken will be joining us here momentarily to talk about what's going on with them because Seattle is one of those teams the Jets are fighting with right now. We'll get to what they're doing right now, but let's so going into a little bit more of what Nino said, and um Scott O'Neill was asked about the whole process. But does the team have a say in if a player is banged up if they're gonna go for surgery? And Arnie said that it's up to the player. Yeah, a team would never say you go have to go have surgery right now. Yeah, true. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 15:01

I mean, I I had surgery, I was in Anaheim, and and my my back, I had to get a back surgery, and like to push through it, I could have. Yeah, but I mean, at the at the end of the day, it's a go or no-go kind of from a player to a coach. Now, if you say I'm a go and you go out there and you're hurting so much that you're no good, they're gonna get you out of there anyway. So I I mean, I there's a collaboration here for sure, but it it's basically agent also comes into this as well. Yeah, uh, for got for plugs like me, and that's how much they're like, Yeah, just do whatever you feel like and let us know. Yeah, but uh, you know what? You got the trainers who play a huge role in this. Of course, you're gonna get all the information you need from the doctors. Ultimately, nobody knows the your body better than you, so it is it's the player that has to make the call, which is a good thing, but it can be a bad thing because sometimes this thing overrides this thing, the body and your mind saying, I can I can do this when you shouldn't be doing it.

SPEAKER_05 15:50

So you just mentioned a little earlier, like would the jet struggles as well push Nino to go, okay, I can't I can't leave right now. I can't. I gotta be here to help this. I believe that.

SPEAKER_03 16:01

I believe that um, I mean, is there's so much that goes into this, and I don't want to speak for for Nino, but I do believe that when the team isn't doing well and you're a veteran guy like Nino who plays a big role in this team, it's that much harder to say, I'm gonna, I'm gonna bail on these guys right now. It doesn't feel right. Um, and the other side of that too is where guys won't talk about this, where it doesn't feel good either, sitting out watching your team win without you either. Yes. Um, then you don't want to miss out on that as well. But I I do think that all those things play a role. It's tough, it's a tough thing to decide on on your own.

SPEAKER_05 16:32

Good question here. Please explain Nino's angle of his visor. Have you ever talked to Nino about the reason why he goes with uh may as well not even be wearing a visor?

SPEAKER_03 16:38

He's not grandfathered, right? So he's not grandfathered to be able to take the visor off. It's a league league mandate that he has to wear the visor. And I've I've tried to wear a visor in the past, I cannot do it, it just affects everything, and he hates it. So tipping it up, there used to be a rule a few years ago where that that was actually a two-minute minor for delay of game. If players were to flip their visor up, they've gotten rid of that. And the league is saying, okay, if you're willing to put it on your helmet and tip it up, we'll meet you halfway. So the reason he tips it up is so he doesn't have to look through it.

SPEAKER_05 17:07

And how okay, so explain to some people like you don't wear this for the longest time and now you have it on. Even with a visor, is it that much is it that distracting in the whole scheme of thing, or is that just a feel that's a feel thing for players, is it not?

SPEAKER_03 17:19

You know, I I've um I'm of the age now where I'm trying to decide if I should get glasses permanently adjusted.

SPEAKER_04 17:25

Right.

SPEAKER_03 17:26

Yeah, yeah. And I don't know if you've ever tried, folks, but if anybody is out there that's tried to put on glasses and walk around with them, that's all you need to know is it is an adjustment period. It feels terrible. Like where's the step and where is this having something on your face and between your eyes and what you're actually looking at is just it's an adjustment for everybody. Some deal with it quicker than others. A lot of these guys grew up their entire lives with that on their helmet and they never took it off when they turned pro. Um, so there is no transition. But uh Nino played for for for some time, I think, without a visor, didn't like it.

SPEAKER_05 17:55

Yeah, and it's just like and one of our uh viewers saying it would distract you for sure. Here's a I know the jet season is far from over, but questions are coming in now. Like we want to hear about Eric Comri's last game as a jet on the 14th, because that's a back-to-back situation. They played Vegas the night before, or we was will we see him in net again next season?

SPEAKER_03 18:13

I yeah, the there's no world in my mind when I think about Eric Comri not being a Winnipeg Jet. Yes. So when I look at that, it's a good question because I've wondered the same thing as well. Where I mean he's had a heck of a run here, like in those six games, and he said this to me, you know, he says, Have you is this the best hockey played in your life? Yeah, and I said it's the best hockey I've seen you play. He goes, Well, you haven't seen me play in Buffalo. He laughed. Yeah, this is the best hockey he's played. So as a free agent unrestricted, can he go somewhere else? Yeah, I think he could. It's clear now. This is a third stint here, I think it is. Third stint as a Winnipeg Jet. The Jets love him, he's a part of this family, he loves the Jets. I don't know this, but I can't imagine uh Eric Carrie being on uh wearing another jersey other than the Winnipeg Jets jersey next year.

SPEAKER_05 18:55

And how much like how much is the backup goaltender's role like a fit because comms is so tight with flats? Yep, he's and of course most most importantly, really tight with Heli. How much does that play a role in the whole scheme of things?

SPEAKER_03 19:11

It it's um it's important.

SPEAKER_05 19:13

I feel like we're Aircommer's agents right now. Yeah, no, I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_03 19:16

It's it's important. Um, I mean, when when uh when we've had other backups here, I mean they've been good guys too. So it's not like somebody else couldn't come in. Most guys are pretty darn good guys, and most backup goalies understand yeah the role they play. But with Eric, there's just another level. For whatever reason, there's just something that that that works here, and there's a passion and a love for the the city of Winnipeg from Eric. So that's huge. But there's another side of this too, where like he's been around long enough where systems for goaltenders are are equally as important as they are for players, where knowing where the puck is going, knowing what the guys in front of you are trying to do. So there's that, and then and then having a relationship with the guys extra on the ice. I know you're reading something here. I gotta what do you got?

SPEAKER_05 19:56

What do you got? Okay, so are you done explaining yourself? Yeah, okay, cool. Uh okay, uh Trace uh five Trace H 5513. Comzi's remain a jet because he's taking Jamie's job when he retires from no, he said he was taking my job.

SPEAKER_03 20:08

He was asked a couple years ago, what would you like to do post-career? He goes, I want Kevin Sorry's job. I'm like, great.

SPEAKER_05 20:14

Because that that makes the most sense because then you're still not completely removed from being with the boys every day, right?

SPEAKER_03 20:22

Eric Johnson with the Colorado Avalanche is doing a heck of a job already in his first year as a broadcaster.

SPEAKER_05 20:27

So Conor McGay gave us uh, of course, the radio voice of the um Colorado Avalanche says he got Eric Johnson his job. Well, of course, yeah, did yeah, but uh EJ EJ is doing an incredible job. He really is, like so. That's that's exciting.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

But um you know the the truth is sort of cut you off, but there's a lot of guys that make enough money in this league, too, that they they don't want to because it's like I mean it's a lot of work. Yeah, I mean you know you're preparing and you're traveling and you're doing everything again, pretty much. A lot of work, yeah. Like, so I mean, good for him. Um but yeah, there's the I think that's why you don't see a whole lot of the kind of superstars, you just see plugs like me. I'll do respect to all the other guys that do my.

SPEAKER_05 21:03

We'll get Everett Fitz, you'll hear momentarily. Just one more thing. Um, a good point with but with back to Eric Carmer here is the Jets have two goaltending prospects that are quickly working their way up here, and then we got Thomas Milich and Dominic Vincentis. They their development plays a role in all this too. Absolutely, absolutely so that's the thought process for what the Jets want to do. But in my opinion, I think they probably need another year in the American Hockey League.

SPEAKER_03 21:27

Yeah, well, well, Dom hasn't got his first chance yet. And so you you're right about that. I agree. I think Thomas Millich, and I know him all the way back from Seattle. I mean, this this guy's a champion at heart, has won every level, one everywhere. And I mean, whether he's gonna be a placeholder, a guy that you can call upon if needed for injury or whatnot, they do have two guys that are gonna push. That's exactly what you want. Are they ready yet? I don't believe so either, which is why I think you got you keep a guy that's part of your family here until he gets pushed out. And that's what you want from you, young guys.

SPEAKER_05 21:55

Some guy we're we are not pushing out is Everett Fitzhew, the boy. Of the Seattle Kraken joining us live from his hotel room. Um, I'm gonna play a game of true or false with you to start things off, Everett. All right, uh, true or false. Your first year in the National Hockey League with the Seattle Kraken, first road trip. You did not go on that road trip because you were you got COVID. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_06 22:16

That is true. It was a gut-wrenching, uh, gut-wrenching phone call that I got that I was tested positive for COVID. So, our first five games in Kraken history. Uh, we had a road trip to Vegas, Nashville, Columbus, Philly, Jersey. Yeah, that's a good trip, too. That was a great trip. That was a great trip. I will say though, that's so when I when I got COVID, first person to call me, uh, one of the guys in this business that I admired the most, Elliot Friedman. He talked me off a ledge. He goes, Hey man, I know this sucks right now, but your your career is gonna be so full of moments, big moments, and this is gonna be a blip on the radar. Get better. I mean, Elliot called me. He didn't have to do that, and every time I tell that story, I gotta make sure that I shout out one of the best in our business for doing that.

SPEAKER_03 23:02

Everett, Everett, from some of the cities on that that you missed, you would have come back feeling like you had the flu, anyways. Trust me.

SPEAKER_06 23:09

Yeah, you're not the first person to tell me that, actually.

SPEAKER_05 23:13

Uh Everett, the of course, the voice of the uh Seattle Kraken, one of the teams the Jets are fighting with to get that final wild card spot in the Western Conference. Dude, what's what's going on with the Kraken these days when when every every game is so important?

SPEAKER_06 23:26

Yeah, you know, this has been a rough stretch for Seattle after this Olympic break. And over the last few weeks, you've heard Lane Lambert and you've heard a number of players saying that you know, we're we're mystified, we're dumbfounded, we can't explain what's going on. And when you talk to guys, there's a lot of this the mistakes that we're making are mistakes that are uh September mistakes, these are training camp mistakes, these are our early season. You can't be doing this in game 70. Um, Lane had a really good comment to us a couple of games ago where he said this team needs to start doing the things better that don't require talent. It doesn't require talent to win a punk battle, it doesn't require talent to skate hard through the neutral zone. A lot of these areas where the Kraken have been getting beat or beating themselves in recent games, uh, which is kind of a uh 180 from what we saw from Seattle earlier this season. The Kraken, historically this year, haven't scored a whole lot of goals. They've been in your bottom uh third of the NHL in offense, but this was the team that was always in your top third in defense. I think they peaked at fifth earlier this year, goals against. Well, now you're in the 20s in both categories. So for Seattle, there's just been this kind of unexplainable uh turnaround since the Olympic break.

SPEAKER_03 24:50

Everett, I'm curious. Like you and I, as broadcasters, you're around the team. You you see the players, but it's peripheral. You're not in the locker room, but I think you're around enough to understand and to get a feel for like the the vibe or the energy, or you know, when things are going well, you can kind of feel it, or when they're not. So, my question, and I'm curious, and and I kind of pay attention to this with Winnipeg as well, where when teams are in a situation to fight for their lives, it's like this next game could be the difference between playoffs or not. What are you feeling? What are you hearing? Um, do you feel like the pressure of the reality that the Seattle Kraken are facing day-to-day is a learning uh experience? Is it a growing experience for this team? How do you feel like they're handling the pressure? Players will say no pressure, it's just another game, but the reality is pressures are very pressure is a privilege.

SPEAKER_06 25:38

Well, you know, the Kraken have gone from the hunters to the Hunt Ed. I mean, this was a Kraken team that coming out of the Olympic break, they were three points back of Vegas. We were talking about raising a division banner uh in year five. And now you're going to now you're the hunter where you're chasing down that spot. And and you know, listen, I think the mood for the most part has been pretty stable. That that is comes from Lane Lambert, Jordan Eberly, the captain. I mean, both of those guys in particular, you're never too high, you're never too low. Everything is kind of an even keel with this team. But I do think that in game, especially I'll go back to the Chicago game uh a couple nights ago, and Lane Lambert was asked, you know, what is the reason for the flat start? And he goes, I can't explain it. And there were the the guys in the locker room said the same thing. We prepared, we we knew what we were doing, we knew what the game plan was, but we couldn't go out and execute. And that's been uh a theme of post-game press conferences far too often um in the last you know handful of weeks. I I think the mood overall has been pretty light, it's been pretty upbeat. I think they're handling the pressure well. Um, this Kraken team has a number of cups on their roster, a number of lengthy playoff runs and playoff series. Everly's been the game seven of the cup final uh with the Islanders twice. You know, you've got guys who have been through the ups and the downs. Uh, they've they've enjoyed the the spoils of victory and the agony of defeat, all the cliches you want to throw in there. So the the mood and the pressure is something that I don't think is getting to the roster, is getting to the players, but there's just this outside, not outside, this internal block for the Kraken that they've not been able to get over and get back to where they were before that uh Olympic break.

SPEAKER_05 27:31

Okay, so the Kraken clearly are offensively challenged. It's very hard to score at this time of year. So who, when the Jets fans are coming to the building tonight, who are they keeping an eye on that that could hurt the Jets in an offensive way?

SPEAKER_06 27:42

Well, I think there's two players. First of all, it's Bobby McMahon, who's now got nine goals and four assists in his first 10 games after the deadline. Uh, you know, UFA going into the summer and after the Mammoth signed Schmaltz, I mean, McMahon is probably not your top UFA target in the NHL this summer. Capokako's been on a tear. He's got points in six of his last seven games as well after the Olympic break. So uh those two players for me are gonna be two guys that I think Jets fans are gonna have to key on. Um, there's been a little bit of shifting in the lineup uh for the first time in a very long time. Adam Larson and Vince Dunn aren't paired together. They broke up that defensive pair tonight. Berkeley Catton has been getting a lot of looks on the wing uh on the top line last couple of games. A natural center. He's gonna go back to the center spot and he's gonna play with Jared McCann and um Ellie Tolbiden uh for the second game in a row. That trio looked pretty good in the Chicago game as well. But right now, you know, the the lineup as it is, the personnel that you have, um, Lane Lambert's trying to find something that will stick and hopefully provide some much needed offense for this team.

SPEAKER_03 28:49

I gotta ask you about Berkeley Catton. He's my old alma mater course that's Volcan chief. I knew this was coming.

SPEAKER_05 28:56

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:56

I'm just curious. I mean, it's it's amazing to me how the gate the league has changed since you know I played to now, where it's like kind of win and develop at the same time. This this kid, I mean, dominated at the junior level. You would know that better than anybody. What's his progression been like? How has he grown from September till now?

SPEAKER_06 29:12

He has been, I think, in terms of most improved, and obviously he's gone from zero NHL games to what is it, 65 or whatever it is right now. But I think for for Berkeley Catton, every game, every shift, he does something that leaves you thinking to yourself, yep, this is going to be a star in this league. Um, you know, there is rarely does he make the same mistake twice. I'll give you an example. A couple games ago, um, you know, he had a wide open backdoor tap in. He scored that goal a hundred times in junior hockey, a hundred times in um, you know, in minor hockey. And the goalie, his glove was right there, he just snapped it up. He's now gonna learn to lift that puck and put that into a spot, right? And he's been doing a lot more of that. You'll see him make a mistake last week. He doesn't do it again. Rarely does he make the same mistake twice. And we're seeing that progression from him, that maturation from him. His confidence has grown. He scored a goal earlier this season where yeah, it was on the side of the net, on the left side of the net, all in one motion. He caught it backhanded into the goal. And I asked him about it the next day. And I said, I feel like 20 games ago, you would have taken that puck behind the net, you would have looked for your option up top and reset. And he goes, Absolutely. And that's one thing that the coaching staff and the vets on this team have told me you've got the skill, you've got the confidence, use it, be more confident. He had his first fight um a couple of games ago. So it was a response to a hit on Jordan Eberley. He ended up fighting the wrong guy, uh, and it was it was hilarious. So he fights um uh JJ Mosier in Tampa. Jordan Eberly got injured, he fights Mosier. Mosier didn't deliver the hit, so he's in a he's in the penalty box with Brandon Montur and he's freaking out. He goes, Oh my gosh, did I win the fight? Did I mess up? Like, what's going on? And Monty said, Dude, it doesn't matter. You stood up for your captain, you fought for your captain. That's what we need on this team. So he's getting it every single day, every single game, he's getting it. And and this is the player we talk about Seattle, they don't have that sex appeal, they don't have that superstar. Berkeley Catton, I think, is going to be that superstar in the next two to four or five seasons. We're gonna be talking about Berkeley Caton as a perennial 80, 90 point scorer, and he's gonna be that guy who I think can lead this team to that next level of where they have to go.

SPEAKER_03 31:35

You tell Berkeley that he's not the only Expo Can chief that had a tough time lifting the puck to you.

SPEAKER_05 31:43

That'll make me feel better, Kevin Sawyer. Good and score anyone who's gonna be the same type of player. We started with a true and false question, and now we're gonna ask you a question about food. Just hold on a second, please. Okay, scoop someone, buddy.

SPEAKER_06 32:07

Um that was a lovely intro.

SPEAKER_03 32:12

They need to change that up.

SPEAKER_05 32:13

Yeah, I know, I know. Well, we'll get to that another time. Um, so you come from you're you're based out of Seattle. Clearly, seafood is massive in that area. So is that your go-to soup in the Seattle area, Everett?

SPEAKER_06 32:27

Oh, yeah, I I love a good seafood showder. I I love a good, thick, hardy soup. I'm one of the very few Americans that doesn't like grilled cheese and tomato soup. Like, I just like I need I need uh a chunky holiday soup, I need meats and vegetables and potatoes and all the other stuff. So that that is my go-to. But a good seafood showder where you throw everything in there, a little bit of broth, and then and then call it a day.

SPEAKER_05 32:54

All right, soups on, and obviously, uh Everett Fitzhu joining us uh from his hotel room. Appreciate you the time. Uh good luck, just not tonight, my men.

SPEAKER_06 33:02

Oh, yeah, yeah. Hey, listen, this is a must-win for you guys, but I feel like you may be able to afford losing a point. So, what if the Kraken win in a shootout, winning over time, and then we'll go from there.

SPEAKER_05 33:14

Okay, all right. I can go with you a little bit on that one. Everett, appreciate your time, man. Talk to you soon.

SPEAKER_06 33:18

Okay, fellas. We'll see you.

SPEAKER_05 33:20

Everett fit you joining us. Um, listen, dude, well spoken. Yeah, very well spoken. You can see, well, radio guys. There you go. Sometimes you can't get away with your good looks all the time, right? So it just can't carry you through. This face paid for the mortgage. That's that's why we ask these types of questions. So in Seattle, it is the Winnipeg Jets. Jets uh have three home games remaining. They have three road games, but it's a one-off here tonight against the Seattle Kraken. Lots of going. Uh, let's take a look at the projected lines one more time uh before we go into this one. And I know I know we kind of touched on this a little bit earlier, Kev, but the logic behind Needle Rider and MSGov Lambert on the fourth line.

SPEAKER_03 33:56

Well, listen, I think the minutes, the way that um that Scott O'Neill can deploy them, I think he's gonna ease them back in. Cole Kepke up on that line with Jonathan Taves uh to me makes so much sense with Roseanne um speed. And I feel like Cole Kepke, along with Morgan Barron, has earned more time. And I think that Cole Kepke gives this team a chance to win, a better chance to win the more that he's on the ice, just because of that blazing speed. Gets in touch with it. So set these men up for success. You'll see that they're probably gonna get seven to nine minutes of ice time, depending if they're feeling great and factoring in. Then Scott O'Neill has the opportunity to put them up in the lineup as well if he sees the need.

SPEAKER_05 34:34

Okay, one more time. Let's go to the Tim's hockey challenge. Let's have uh my three picks. Um, I think Sarah told me hers a little bit earlier, but she uh I gotta misplace that text. So let's throw up the graphic one more time, Caden. Uh it is Tim's hockey challenge. Uh just go to the Tim's app, pick your three players. My three guys, Cole Perfetti, uh Darren Radish from the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Joel Edmondson from the Los Angeles Kings. Um, those are your three picks. Of course, if you get a streak of seven days or more, or seven days in a row, you get coffee for a week. Who doesn't like free coffee? That's the way it goes. Um, many thanks to Everett FitzCo for joining us and Kevin Sawyer. Thanks, man. Love you. Love you too. Yeah. Uh Tara will be back on Thursday. Also, Scott Oak announcing his retirement. He's gonna join us on Thursday as well. I can I can't wait for that one. But uh quick thought on Scott Oak before uh we go here.

SPEAKER_03 35:21

Yeah, I mean the the an ambassador for for the game for sure, the things that he's done with his charities. Um, I mean, it won't be the same walking uh hockey night in Canada without Scott Ork and Scott Oak there, but um, a gentleman, a professional, um, and he's so good at asking questions. I I love I love uh watching him get the best out of whoever he's interviewing.

SPEAKER_05 35:41

Yeah, well said. Uh so many thanks to Kevin. Uh thanks everybody for watching. Enjoy the game tonight. Go Jets go two points, obviously. Uh must need uh love Everett, but they cannot have two points.

SPEAKER_03 35:52

Yeah, this is why you watch hockey. Hockey fans love these, they mean so much to these games.

SPEAKER_05 35:56

Thanks, guys. Have a good day.