Full Strength Podcast
4 guys and lifelong friends discus weekly sports news.
Full Strength Podcast
Episode 18 - Hurricanes Coming Through
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On this week's episode, the guys discuss all the playoff news going on including the PWHL, NBA, and NHL. Also reactions to the newest UFC event.
Good afternoon, evening, morning, whenever you're listening to this, welcome to Full Strength Podcast. It is I, Brandon Michael, along with Steve, Nick, and the stuff. Uh, we are here. Um, beautiful day, beautiful week in sports. We've got the Stanley Cup playoffs going on. We got the PWHL playoffs going on. Uh, the NBA is in their second round right now. We've got all kinds of stuff going on. Uh, baseball, we got a little bit of NFL going on. Um, and we had the NHL draft lottery, reactions, everything coming up. So stay tuned. Uh, right now we'll get to Steve. See how your week was, man. What's going on?
SPEAKER_03Busy week. My daughter graduated college.
SPEAKER_00Yes, just so you guys know. We were Steve and I were together at that graduation, hand in hand. Hand in hand. Yep, it was the congratulations to your daughter. Yes. Give her a shout-out, Steve.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, now she gets to begin her second uh set for law school.
SPEAKER_00See how that one goes. Yeah, she was talking about it. Waitlisted on a family law or that she wants, and uh she's gonna I think she gets in. I think the schools that she wanted, she waitlisted after talking to her. I I I'm I think she gets in, man. She probably will. I I still think she should take a year and get her allostats up, but and she's got a good plan, man. If it doesn't, if she doesn't get into one she wants, she's gonna do that. I I agree with you though, man. I and she's already got something lined up as far as a job working, uh, you know what, federal probation. So I I hope so, man.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, she likes it too. But otherwise, it was a good week. And uh Mike, uh the Carolina Hurricanes uh did another sweep, which made the week even better. Yeah, we'll get into that later.
SPEAKER_01Uh Nick, how was your week, my man? Week was good. Uh, had some friends over. We all watched the UFC event on Saturday together. Um there's a couple oh my gosh, fights. Um, I got to sit on butt for two whole days with my kids on the weekend, uh, watched a ton of hockey, and got ready for podcasts. So I'm ready to go.
SPEAKER_00Let's do it. Awesome. Rock and roll. Thanks, Nick. Uh, Brandon, how was your week, man?
SPEAKER_02Doing good, feeling better, rocking the Red Wings jersey today. Ready for this, getting ready for the shut-in this weekend, because we got EDC in town. So that's why I be careful of all the druggies out on the road.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, honestly. Yeah, EDC is insane.
SPEAKER_01So my uh my daughter and her fiance are going to it.
SPEAKER_00So if you see them, I won't see anybody just tell them to be safe. So right on, Brandon. Well, glad you're here, glad you're feeling good. Um, diving right into it. Uh, just looking at uh some interesting news out of the PWHL. So right now, um Ottawa has already made it um into the the next round. There's only two rounds in the PWHL. Okay, again, you just have eight teams right now. So the top four teams make it, they go in to basically go into semifinals and then finals. So Boston played Ottawa, Ottawa won. Um sorry. The uh oh my gosh. Yeah, there it is. So I'm trying to find the actual thank you. Uh the news on the illness. So there's an illness going on in the series between Montreal and Minnesota. Okay, they're going, it's game five. So game five, it's only five five game series. Okay, so it just says that there's a breakout of an illness, and so neither team can feel the full team. So they're trying to figure out what's going on, but everybody's just sick. So they said, you know what, let's postpone game five. And that's what they did. So um Montreal again, heavily favored. Um, and so that's that's what went on. So game five, though, is currently in progress, so that's what we're kind of waiting on. So they are playing the game, but again, it was delayed, I think it said three days. So just kind of an interesting little tidbit from the PWHL. So yeah, moving forward. I was trying to see if there was anything about what they got, and all they said is it's not that's what I was looking at too, Steve. I yeah, I'm just not seeing it. It's like it just said illness.
SPEAKER_03I was like, they're confirming it's not symptoms of that henta or hectavirus or whatever it's called. Here we go.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, no. So yeah, interesting. It was kind of weird, but um, nothing really big uh in the NFL. You guys see anything going on in the NFL? Anything you want to talk about this week? I didn't see anything stand out. No, nothing really. It's just kind of quiet right now, right? Like, I think they're they're at the point now where it's like they're just getting ready for training camp. You know, well, starting to run.
SPEAKER_01The Detroit Lions did sign all of their draft picks to four-year role contracts.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, all teams have pretty much done that. That's yeah. Um, NFL news, though, I did see is that the Buffalo Bills will open up their new stadium in week two and it'll be against the Detroit Lions. That is one uh little scheduling thing that got uh got released. First Monday night game will be Denver and KC. Um, the rest of the schedule, if you guys are interested, will be released on Thursday, which is uh the day that this uh episode gets released. So it's interesting. It's uh something some people love to watch it. I'm I'm kind of like, I don't understand why it's televised. It's one of those things the NFL is just always televising something, it seems like everything they televised. I know they want it to be 12 months a year. It's like yeah, whatever. But people love it. I mean, if you really think about it, football is I know they call baseball America's pastime, and that's but dude, it's like, yeah, football, I think, is king in this country.
SPEAKER_03So it's like people aren't they talking about adding two more games to the season.
SPEAKER_00They are no, they already added one. No, and two more additional beyond the yeah, the CBA, the players will never allow that to happen. So that's yeah, they can they can wish all they want.
SPEAKER_03That'd be too many anyway.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so anyway, yeah, so that's what's got kind of going on with the NFL. Now let's uh let's talk about the UFC. I want to talk, oh man. That was maybe it's been a long time since since I and this is just me. I love the UFC, it's so entertaining. I love that the athletes are literally just down to their core, like really just good people 99.9% of the time. It's like they're so good at promoting themselves and like talking smack. This fight with Strickland. I oh my god, like they seem like they just don't like each other. At the end of that fight, they still shook hands, hugged, whatever. But I remember looking at them as they're getting ready to face off. It's just like, you're sitting down, like, let's let's go. Like, I'm ready to run through a wall for these with like like let's go. It's just like the look on their face is just I love the pure confidence, and at the same time, it's like I would not want to be facing this guy in this cage. Nick, go.
SPEAKER_01Nick, go. Um, the evil smile of Chemayev before the fight started, where it's just like when he's squatted down, yeah, dude. I was like, oh no, creepy, look like a Halloween mask. Um so UFC 328 was on Saturday. Um, the main fight was Strickland versus Chemaev. Uh Strickland won in a split decision, which I kind of saw coming. I could see a split coming. Um, but at the same time, I think Strickland had it in hand, especially in hindsight when you start looking at the call, like at the significant hits and all the striking and the lack of damage on the other side. Um like Chamaev landed what? Uh I'm looking through my notes here. Nine of 13 takedowns, but only controlled for six minutes out of 25.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, total. Right.
SPEAKER_01Strickland's good at six minutes out of all that scramble and out of all that, you know, uh Brown and Pound and like uh submission attempts and everything else that he was trying to do. Only six minutes, Strickland kept getting up. Um the final significant strikes landed. Strickland 142, Chamaev 98. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um like when you really looked at it, I feel like Strickland won that fight. I really do.
SPEAKER_01Chamayev won the first round, hands down. He did exactly what he wanted to do. He took him down to the ground and he held him the entire round. Yeah, it it what it was.
SPEAKER_00There was no damage. No, and the endurance of Strickland was clearly he just sat there.
SPEAKER_01He just sat there, it's like, no, stop it, you know, getting rid of uh arms around his neck. And then the second and third round, all Strickland did was jab. There was an at the bottom corner of the screen, um a stat like flip uh flashed on real quick, and it was like 93 significant strikes so far um for Strickland, and I forget how many Chimai have, and it had like an outline of the whole body, and it was 93 head, zero body, zero leg. Like he was just jabbing the crap out of the face of Kamzat. Um but then it came down to the last round, and like you said, it was nice to see him get up and shake hands and like you know be courteous, even though it's just yeah, and you know they're doing it just to do it, right? Because that the lead up, I didn't get into the lead up because I know that Strickland says things literally to piss people off on purpose to get in their head, and so I don't get into any of that. I'm there for the fight. I like it's like Roman gladiators to me. I'm just there for the honor of the fight. And it's it it's what it is. But uh yeah, it was it was ended up being a great fight. Uh happy with the outcome because I know that the outcome will require another fight.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, 100%. They're going anyway.
SPEAKER_01It's gonna happen in like eight weeks.
SPEAKER_00And honestly, overall, I feel like it was it was one of the better cards in recent memory for me, anyway. I forget who the fight before I mean as far as quality of fights, not the big names or anything like that, but it's sure.
SPEAKER_01There was the Joshua Van fought, I forget the other guy's name, um, some kid from Japan in the fight prior to Strickland. Yeah, and the other kid from Japan, he must have been punched in the nose about 250 times, and he just kept like you saw his head rock back.
SPEAKER_00You're talking about Tyra?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and Van. Death fight was that fight was amazing. Uh the heart of that other kid just to keep coming and to keep pushing until he finally got choked up, but it was a great fight. Good card all around.
SPEAKER_00Happy. Also, a championship bout, though. That's the thing. It was the uh, what was it, the fly flyweight? Flyweight, yeah. Let me look it up. It was flyweight belt. Yeah, it was the flyweight.
SPEAKER_01It was the flyweight belt.
SPEAKER_00Okay. I mean, there was the rest of the fights were decisions and that, you know, but there was some I thought there was some decent some decent fights there. Who was it? Uh the welterweight, which was Sean Brady and Buckley.
SPEAKER_01Oh, and Buckley.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I thought that was good. Both fighters were really, really good. Great records. So yeah. I missed the first fight on the main card because it was over in like an instant. Yeah. A submission, I believe. So anyway. Um, I Brandon, did you get to watch any of it?
SPEAKER_02No, I wasn't able to catch it because backlash was the same night. Oh, I got you.
SPEAKER_03How about you, Steve? Uh, I did watch parts of it and mostly the next uh a lot of highlights the next day. I did think it was a good fight between Strickland and Comets, though. Yeah, uh, I did although I didn't I hate it when they're on the grounds or on the floor so much. Yeah, a lot of people especially like the first round was, but it got better in the second, as Nick said in the second and third round.
SPEAKER_00I think when you're a fight like purist, you you can enjoy, like I, you know, obviously I was never a fighter. Um I I think they're nuts fighters, and they're such great every fighter I've ever met. I had one that lived with me for two years while he was training and trying to get to the UFC. They're just such good people, you know what I mean? It's I hung out with so many. Um, some that have gotten a chance to fight the UFC through through my friend Sean, who called himself Sean Mighty Mouse. Anyway, um I I I mean I've met some arrogant ones, but overall, they're just seems like good people. So but yeah, fight purists, I think, can enjoy that. But like the average fight fan, Steve, is like you. They want him, they want to stand up and watch kill each other.
SPEAKER_01It's just that thirst for or if you're gonna go down, like not just like hug each other to death, like actually do some damage.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was more that first was like a lot of very much like a wrestling match.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, and that's that's I mean, there was some jabs.
SPEAKER_03He was trying, he was trying to jab his face, but this is why they say wrestlers make great fighters.
SPEAKER_00When your base, when their base is wrestling, they're great, they do so well.
SPEAKER_01So I mean, you look at like Matt Hughes and some of these other guys that are that came from wrestling, and they they dominate the sport, right? But no, it was a great card, super excited. I love UFC. Uh, and I will continue to do UFC because it's awesome.
SPEAKER_00Great. So, anyway, moving on, uh, PWHL playoffs are going on, like we were talking about here at the beginning of the show. We got Montreal and Minnesota going on right now. Um, I'm kind of watching it's got 9.55 left in the first, it's 0-0 right now. Uh, but shots on goal are that Minnesota's outshooting Montreal right now, 9-1. So it's like very, very one-sided here to start. Um, Montreal, by the way, favorite to win the whole thing. They were like really a lot of people were like, oh, the Montreal uh Alouettes are going to, I believe that's their name. I should have sorry, it's vic looks like victory in French, honestly. I don't know where I got the aloets from. Um, anyway, Montreal is favored to uh beat the Minnesota frost. Um yeah. So that's where it's at right now. Waiting is Ottawa. That'll be for the Walter Cup. Uh well, the Walter Cup uh championship. So super awesome. Um but that's what's going on. Anybody got any takes on it? We've also real quick, sorry. There is news from the PWHL, they are going to uh expand again next season. Detroit and San Jose are getting PWHL teams.
SPEAKER_03I was just looking at that. So there's four teams in Canada right now and four teams in the U.S. Yes, or is the Vancouver uh US team?
SPEAKER_00Right. So the Detroit team is actually taking season ticket deposits for those of you that are interested. Um Detroit. Detroit is taking season ticket deposits, that is official, as well as San Jose. So the PWHL now will go from eight teams to ten teams. Okay, Steve, go ahead with your uh question, buddy.
SPEAKER_03The uh so it looks like there's four teams in Canada and four teams in the U.S. before the expansion.
SPEAKER_00Sure. Yep, you got New York, uh Minnesota, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, um, Vancouver, and Seattle are expansion teams just this year. This was their first season. Um, one thing that the PWHL is doing is they are going and having games in other cities to test the markets. So a regular season game could be played in Denver. Um, there was another two teams, Hamilton, Ontario, and uh they're also looking at Denver, uh Colorado for expansion teams. Obviously, the majority of these cities have NHL teams in them, which is smart. They can use the arena, uh, they can also use the minor league arena if need be. But I will tell you this that the PWHL is selling out NHL arenas everywhere, everywhere. They're they're selling out in Montreal, 22,000. So it's you know, it's it's going really well. So yeah.
SPEAKER_03Well, if it's if it's any, I mean, I haven't I've only watched one or two games of the PHL, and and before, honestly, before this year, before we start doing the podcast, I'd never even watched them before. But if it's anything like the um the Olympics, then that they're um they're fun to watch. So that's what those are all like. Oh, yeah, they're all fun.
SPEAKER_00Those rosters were all PWHL players.
SPEAKER_01So I will say, Brandon, um, that my research on the PWHL says that they're getting teams in Detroit and Vegas next year, and that they're going to announce Vegas on Wednesday tomorrow.
SPEAKER_00That where are you reading that?
SPEAKER_01Uh, the Las Vegas Review Journal, the New York Times, uh Tront Office Sports, whole bunch of team, a whole bunch of places are saying Vegas and Detroit now. Not to poke holes, but they said that they are gonna do Detroit and Vegas to join the original six, um, in addition to the Seattle and Vancouver, and then Hamilton, Ontario, all hours ago down the row. Yeah. New news.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so then not San Jose, it's going to be Las Vegas then. That would be. Yeah, the problem is there's I'm seeing Hamilton in Las Vegas. So there's absolutely nothing coming from anywhere but the P the but the PWHL. So anything you're seeing stay away from it unless it's PWHL. So that's what I would say is.
SPEAKER_01No, you are right, because I'm I'm noticing that Hamilton's Hamilton, Ontario is supposed to announce on Thursday and Vegas on Wednesday.
SPEAKER_00So like So it it's yeah, unless it's coming from the PWHL website and certainly not a newspaper like the New York Times. That thing is basically a tabloid. Like the Washington Post or Yeah, it's terrible. Um hang on a second. So anyway, okay. Well, moving on. Um we'll get into the NBA here. So the NBA is into the second round. The Lakers have been swept. The big talk I was hearing today on the NBA front is what is LeBron James gonna do? Um obviously his announcement. Play again. Well, yeah, I uh go ahead, Steve.
SPEAKER_03I don't think he's gonna play again. I don't think that guy's ever gonna retire. He's gonna have a heart attack on the court, and then he'll be done.
SPEAKER_00And yeah, I uh yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I'm just lappy the LA got swept.
SPEAKER_00No, yeah, they were going to. They weren't come on, they weren't going to be able to do that. I don't even know how they made the playoffs, but yeah. I don't know, but oh well. Anyway. Um Nick, any thoughts?
SPEAKER_01Uh I did watch. I did watch uh Wem Wem Yama's Wemby's uh game one against the Timberwolves when he said an NBA single game record with 12 blocks. That's like that's like playing an adult against kids. It's ridiculous. Well, I I know, but like still 12 blocks, that's madness. I mean, we've had that's great. We had you know people in the NBA like Shaq and Elijah Wan and other lanky, tall, huge humans, and for him to get 12 in one game in the postseason, that's just that's good basketball.
SPEAKER_00Sure, yeah.
SPEAKER_01I don't know if he was blocking threes or what though.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, listen. So here's the thing. I probably I was having a discussion the other day actually with this kid, and we were talking NBA and basketball and state of the bat state of basketball and just what it's in, NBA, and he agreed. He's like, NBA is soft, it's like, and he's a young kid. And but he brought up like, listen, there's a reason why OKC is so good, right? They're not one dimensional, they're not like Detroit. Detroit, if they shoot the three, they're great. If they can't shoot the three on a night, that's it, they lose. And it doesn't matter they're playing. Washington bullets doesn't matter. Okay, so OKC is so good that if they're not able to shoot the three, they They revert and they go away from the three. They move it inside. They play in the paint. They play defense. Their guards play great defense. That's why OKC is, I think, going to go on a run. I absolutely at this point think that they are going to win the NBA Finals. I'm not sure they win. They lose two more games through the whole playoffs. So, you know. The hot take. Yeah, I know it is. But and, you know, I don't know. No, I like it. It's just that's that's where I'm at with this. They're just not one-dimensional. But I will say, I like Minnesota, but San Antonio, I think, is is gonna take that series. I mean, I, you know, could be wrong. Game five's right now, I believe. That I think it just tipped off. I honestly I think your two best teams are kind of like showing themselves because the Knicks are eight and two, and what OKC's eight and oh. Yeah, it's kind of wild. So, Brandon, any thoughts on the NBA?
SPEAKER_02Just uh both of the teams I picked to reach to the finals swept series.
SPEAKER_00So you had the Knicks and the Thunder, yeah?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And you had what OKC winning it all?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, dude.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, of course.
SPEAKER_00But like the Knicks look really good.
SPEAKER_02I have the Knicks at least winning two games, though.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, man. The Knicks, the Knicks are legit. So, and I love when basketball in New York is great. You know what I mean? It's again, they're doing the same thing, though. They're not just one-dimensional, uh, yeah, well, throw it up. Yeah, no, oh, we're terrible, we're gonna lose. Let's just go home. It's like boring, man. Philly had a bad week. Like OKC and New York might be watchable. Yeah, they have complete teams. Right. Complete teams. That's a great way to put it, or just playing, you know. Fundamental basketball.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
SPEAKER_02I would have thought fundamentals wins two games.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So anyway, um, so yeah, moving on. Uh real quick, one more thing on the NBA Plus. I forgot to mention this. I meant to Donovan Mitchell tied a record with 39 second half points. That's what got the Cavs. They came back and beat Detroit. That was where I was going with Detroit, but I skipped kind of over it. But Donovan Mitchell, dude, wow. 39 seconds. He scored 13 three pointers. 13 three pointers. No, I'm just kidding. So, yeah, pretty incredible, but good grief, man. I like I was like, that's that's like remember when Michael Jordan did that against uh I can't remember which finals it was, but like I remember because he looked over at uh whoever was at the table doing the announcing, he was like, you know, like I don't know, I can't miss. Like it was kind of cool to watch. And God, yeah, he was just yeah, they're they're good. They're really, really good. So uh moving on, but uh baseball this week. Um nothing really I didn't see anything really big, but it's it's really kind of cool to see. Like, Nick, your cubbies, man, they are just playing great baseball, man. Really just they're fun to watch. I watched them the other day, they had like seven runs against Cincinnati. I know a lot of Reds fans were talking a lot of smack, I guess, in that NL NL Central division, and uh then it just went right over the deep end. Um I think it's yeah, it's really, really, really interesting.
SPEAKER_01The fact that we're winning games with our pitching rotation completely upended with injuries in the IRs, like it has been, but I would like a little statistical shout-out to my cubbies. Um, they have two separate 10-game winning streaks before the 40th game. Only five teams in the history of the MLB have ever done so.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, man, it's like I was just looking baseball, baby. I love it. 20 27 and 14 right now, they're starting to pull away from Milwaukee a little bit, who I thought was going to be great, Milwaukee. Um, it's it's starting to look like the teams in that division are kind of like solidifying themselves. But like if you look at the NL Eastern, the Braves already have a nine-game lead on Philadelphia. But what I will say, and I don't know if you guys agree, but I Philadelphia is gonna make a run. Like, it's not gonna stay like that, right? It can't. No. Like it can't, there's no way. So that's crazy. I didn't say nine anyway.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god, I'm a nine game lead.
SPEAKER_00Because that would make it a boring division. Yeah, could you imagine by like July the Braves clinch? Sorry, I'm so stuffed up from allergies still. Um the NL West, oh my god, the Giants did make a big trade. So they traded the their catcher, Patrick Bailey, to Cleveland uh for a good double-A pitching prospect, as well as um Cleveland's first round pick in this year's draft coming up here in June. It's uh I think they have the 29th overall selection. So Giants did do that. Patrick Bailey is a two-time gold glove winner, kind of a questionable like trade for some Giants fans. Um, he just isn't a great hitter, but it's like, you know, catchers can be either really good hitters or not so great hitters, but you don't pay them always for what they do at the plate. But like a guy like that, you're gonna pay him because he's the best defensive catcher in baseball, right? I mean, you know, so anyway. It's still so early with baseball.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I I agree, such a long, great season, long, but great season.
SPEAKER_00It really is, man. And honestly, you start to see what's gonna happen when teams get through July and August, right? The dog days of summer. Either get everybody or you survive it, and boom. Yep. September hits, and it's like, let's go. Montreal just tied it against the Sabas. So um, Tampa Bay, though, in the AL, real quick, just while we're here talking about baseball, Tampa Bay is a wagon right now, dude. So they're in first place, two games up on the Yankees. I'm surprised by Baltimore. I really thought the Orioles were gonna be better, but again, like Nick just said, and Steve agreed, it is early. I get it, it's a long season, but still, man, when you're looking at this and you're like, Jesus, man, Baltimore's 19 to 23. And it's like I only four games below 500, I guess, isn't that bad. So I don't know. What do you guys think?
SPEAKER_03It's good to see that there's not like a really horrible team this year. That's only one like six games.
SPEAKER_00So that's an interesting observation. You're but you're right. There isn't like, oh my god, is that team gonna win 40 games history? Seattle a couple years ago. It it's you're right. But again, going back to what Nick said, it's so early in the season, it's hard to see. Like you figure, yeah, one of these teams.
SPEAKER_03And they've all already at least got 15 wins. That's pretty good.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Colorado's in the middle of a rebuild. It's like, you know, what are they gonna do this year? But they're 16 and 25. I think they hit 16 wins last year in like July. That was so bad last year. I felt bad. When you have to play 162 games and you only win like 40, that's a very year, man. Like it just gets to the point where you're that's depressing. And I remember watching a lot of Rockies games just to see it was as a Giants fan, you know, born and bred, it's like, yeah, screw the Rockies, they're in our division. But it's just like, man, you just look that's a tough, tough team. And I bet they got close together, and we're just like, we're gonna get through this together, boys. But anyway, so anybody else on baseball?
SPEAKER_02Yes, happy to see the Padres take over the first spot from the Dodgers.
SPEAKER_03Were you? Isn't everyone? Yeah, I know it's the Dodgers, and everybody wants to see him lose, unless you're a Dodgers fan.
SPEAKER_02It's been fun a couple of times. I've seen it where after a pitch, both the batter and the catcher call for the replay.
SPEAKER_00Did that actually happen?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's happened a few times. Yeah, that's funny. I'm not sure how who they decide which person calls it when that happens, but yeah, no joke.
SPEAKER_01That is kind of that's that's funny. They're gonna have to go to a replay of the replay being called to see who did this for studio.
SPEAKER_00Oh my god, that is that's um, yeah, that is okay. That's funny. Are we calling it a ball or a strike? I don't know. What do you want to see?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and how can the pitcher and the batter be complaining about the same pitch at the same time? The pitcher wanted it to be a strike and it wasn't, and the batter wanted it to be a strike and it was called a ball.
SPEAKER_02Like they were tapping their heads at the same time as the umpire was making the call. So it was like they were expecting to overturn it.
SPEAKER_03Like so they didn't even know what the goal was yet.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Gotta love baseball.
SPEAKER_03Interesting.
SPEAKER_00Anyway, well, moving on. Um, okay, so let's let's let's get into this. So the NHL draft lottery just happened. The draft lottery occurs every year. The way it works, for those of you that don't really know, is basically you finish just like you know any other sport. You have the worst team in the league, then the second worst, and the third worst, so on and so forth. Obviously, the worst team in the league has the highest percentage chance of getting the number one pick, but it's still only like 20, 19.5%. Okay, so as they select balls that randomly come out of this uh chamber, teams are eliminated, teams then are not, teams are set, then then their their percentages will fluctuate, going up and down, better or worse. Um you can't move more than 10 spots. So if you're 13, like worst, right? Means you came pretty close to making the playoffs, then you can't get higher than third. Does that make sense? Okay, yeah, I think that's a great rule. You can't have the number one overall pack pick more than two times in five years. Okay, so anyway. The Toronto Mapleys, who were fifth, best chances, ended up with the number one overall pick. Immediately, people are upset about that. San Jose, who was ninth, missed the playoffs by only five points, ended up with the second overall pick. San Jose has drafted very, very well, very well in the last four years. Um, they have the next generational talent. They've and so there's people that are upset about that. Um, let's see, Vancouver, who had the worst record, ended up in the number three spot. And I'll explain why that's okay in a minute. And then uh Chicago ended up with fourth, so on and so forth down the line. So Vancouver fans were obviously upset because they want, you know, the the prize is what McKenna and Stenberg this year. Okay, those are the two top forwards that are said to be NHL ready. Let's go plug them in. Vancouver wants or their fans, and they they need they they need talent, they need forwards, they need scoring. So, in their mind, initially they're like, Well, that's it. We lose again, Toronto gets this. Oh, it's fixed. I even saw one Chicago Blackhawks fan saying, Well, son of a bitch, of course they went to commercial because, yep, they definitely stuck some more 12s in that chamber. And it's like, are you really saying these words and posting it on the internet? Where it lives forever how unbelievably stupid you sound. So, anyway, yeah, anyway, uh, Black Hawk fans were saying that yeah, the shark, oh, they're all saying that's a poverty franchise. I they suck because they got a better pick than us, anyway. So it's just, oh my god, it's so funny to see some of these reactions, and you're like, dude, first of all, no, guys, the draft lottery is not fixed. It's the same type of people that say, all the refs, the refs are in the Vegas. Anyway, so so yeah, it there was a lot of controversy. Anyway, so Vancouver shouldn't be that upset, okay? They can still get Stenberg. Why? Because San Jose is going to take Chase Reed. They're going to take Chase Reed at number two. He is a great defenseman, um, absolutely incredible defenseman, great skater. Um, he'll be playing at Michigan State next season, um, and we'll be ready this season after next. So um Steve, have you had a chance to dive into any of this?
SPEAKER_03Uh just a little bit the day of when the then you know I've looked at some of the people, I mean their predictions on what uh some people are gonna take. Oh, yeah. Um it's kind of split when you talk about San Jose on whether they're gonna take Chase Reed or Yeah, people honestly aren't very bright.
SPEAKER_00They you know they make opinions based on absolutely not knowing what Mike Greer has done in this draft, how he has dealt with the rebuild, and it it's to think that Mike Greer is gonna take Stenberg, number one. If you say that and post it, you're an idiot, and you deserve what's coming to you.
SPEAKER_03It's pretty universal that Toronto is gonna take Gavin McKenna. Gavin McKenna's gonna go number one. I don't think I've seen a single prediction to where anybody that he's good he goes anywhere but number one.
SPEAKER_00Right. Yep. No, he's gonna go number one. I feel bad for the kid, but it's you know, he's a great player, and he's gonna be great anywhere he goes. It's just I feel bad for any player that has to go to that town and deal with the fans and the and the local Toronto media is I they're by far the worst human beings on the planet. I mean, the media I'm talking about, not the fans. But so anyway, it's yeah, you're right. So yeah, McKenna's definitely going number one. What else did you have, buddy?
SPEAKER_01That's all I got.
SPEAKER_00That's all. Nick, anything?
SPEAKER_01This is my first time doing a dive into the lottery. Um, like he's oh yeah. Like you explained, you know, how it's the bottom 16, if you want to call it that. But I could not find a good reason as to why my Detroit Red Wings gave their pick to the blues and removed themselves from being in the lottery.
SPEAKER_00No, buddy, they it's it's part of the the Falk trade. You guys traded for Falk, a defenseman from St. Louis, and part of that deal was a first-round draft pick this year.
SPEAKER_01Oh, regardless if it's part of the lottery or if it's I got you, this is still this is just a seeding of the first round.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely not, does not matter. First round draft pick is a first round draft pick.
SPEAKER_01That's crazy. Well, I mean, like what happens if the blues would have got the number one pick? That's crazy.
SPEAKER_00Then they would have had the number one pick.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01No, I know. It's just that's a a chance for you know, an even trade or an amazing trade.
SPEAKER_00Sure. Yeah. So, yep. That was part of that deal. You guys got the defenseman you wanted, and St. Louis gets the yeah, first round draft pick. So, yep. Anyway, what else, bud?
SPEAKER_01Uh I've just been I mean, as far as the draft lottery goes, it's weird for me to be excited about a draft when the players in the draft not all of them play right away. You know, like they're finishing their college, they're minor league stuff before they get to the show. Um, but it's it's still cool to see how different hockey does it compared to everyone else. And it's you see, you know how like we talked about first-tier quarterbacks coming in and playing right away in the NFL and how they get just destroyed often. Um, you don't see that in the way that the NHL is building their talent nearly as much. People are coming up when they're ready, when it's right for them, when they're at this the proper skill level. Uh, and that's how you get people like Celebrini, who is a keystone to your team, this the Sharks, as young as he is, your whole team seems like it just came off the draft.
SPEAKER_00Uh, if you're referring to San Jose, they have um Michael Misa is 18, Celebrini was 18, Will Smith was 19. Yeah, I mean, they've got a new rookie, Igor Turnasov. That kid is an absolute wagon. They got him first pick in the second round. Um yeah, he's 20. Sam Dickinson was 19, 18, 19. That means they didn't even finish college, though. Uh, no, they no, they just go for a year for development. That's not their path is not that is definitely not college.
SPEAKER_01Um no, it's just crazy to me that I mean other sports should look should look at what the NHL does to their draft picks and how that they get them to the show.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh baseball, uh baseball is very similar. That's true. Baseball players, even first-round draft picks, guys, do not go straight to the MLB. Not even Bryce Harper was 20 when he made it. They go to the farm. Yeah, he played minor. Well, maybe 19, but yeah, they absolutely, yeah, they you know, they play in in the minors, too. So it's it just depends on the sport. The skill level a lot of times has a lot to do with it, yeah. So anyway, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Brandon, any thoughts? I wouldn't be surprised if the Leafs do something crazy off tilter with their new GM.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And we talked about this. Yeah, we talked about the GM last, you know, last week. It's I yeah. I I'm not sure when it comes to this though, I just don't see it's I just don't see Toronto doing anything like it you got the number one pick. It's like you he's why would you do something when it's you haven't even been the GM during the season yet? So it's yeah, they're gonna take McKenna. It's just it's too, it's too easy, it's a layup, you know what I mean? So but I know. I and here's the thing I I get so tired of some of these people that have like this huge platform, and this is how crazy, this is how dumb Toronto's media is. Okay, this is how stupid they are. These guys get on and they go, Well, Mike Greer, uh sorry, I'm not gonna do the voice, it's too long. They think that Mike Greer is gonna trade the number two pick and pick up Austin Matthews.
SPEAKER_03On what planet I was just reading that about how there's that some people are talking about the sharks trading that trading that away.
SPEAKER_00In what on what universe do you live, you dumb human being? What in God's name gives you the idea that Mike Greer is stupid enough to trade the number two pick where he can get a cornerstone defensive player for a guy that's 29 years old and costs $13.5 million a year?
SPEAKER_03Like when they already have a developing team.
SPEAKER_00What has Mike Greer done to make you numb numbs think that that's even possible? And he would even give that even a thought. It just like, surely you're not this stupid. I'm just like, what are you talking about? Like, I and it's maybe it's just to fill air with nonsense, but I, you know, I'm like, no. No. Mike Greer has purposely signed vets on their way out just to hit the salary cap floor. Why is he doing that? Because he's doing that because he is saving all that cap space, because he's drafting all these young studs, right? And he's developing them and letting them come up into the NHL at an early age and develop up there at times, too. Well, he's doing that because when all these players pan out and he's got all this money next year, he's got $41 million in cap space because he hung on to a lot of the the salaries of all the stars that he traded away so that he you know had you know cap flexibility. Okay. So then the following year, 27-28, he's got almost $90 million in cap space. So now he can resign every single one of these studs to seven or eight-year deals. I think the max you can do right now is seven. He's not building to win next season. He's building to win for 15 years. Building a dynasty. Doesn't want, doesn't give a shit if they don't win next year. If they don't make the playoffs, it's like, oh, that was kind of the year we were hoping to get to the playoffs, but it's not the end of the world if they don't. They're not in a hurry. So, and that's just yeah, it just I just like, what is wrong with these people? Do they not? Like, you do your research, right? A little bit, maybe. If you did, you would realize that even saying that sounds duck. So, any other thoughts? Like, where do you guys think? Another one is Calgary. Calgary is an interesting, like, they need a lot. But they could take a good, there's a lot of good forwards. This is a good draft, honestly. And there's a lot of good defensemen. So there's definitely players and a lot of value, even at towards the bottom of the draft. So it's gonna be really fun to kind of look and see where this thing goes in June when the draft happens.
SPEAKER_03So when is that when did you say the draft to us?
SPEAKER_00Uh June. I don't want to say 26th, but that doesn't sound right. Ah, June 26th. June 26th and 27th at Key Bank Center in Buffalo. So yeah. I think I'll have to check that out. Yeah. So it's gonna be my first one to watch. So yeah, I mean, it's like any other draft, honestly. So it's just, but yeah, Calgary is gonna be an interesting one. San Jose again, they have also the 19th pick in the draft. Um, they got Edmonton's first rounder. So it's yeah, there's a lot, and it's fun. You can go on and read like about the mock drafts.
SPEAKER_03The problem that I have is I just don't know a lot about these young players.
SPEAKER_00So reading about them right now is yeah, I watched uh um Stenberg. Um Stenberg is possibly the set like you know the second-rated player, but yeah, he's from Fralunda, which is in the Swedish hockey league. Um, I watched some of his games last season, and it was yeah, he's he's he's legit. I mean, he moves the puck really well. He's a great skater, very elite skater. He's definitely he's a left winger. So if you need a player on your wing, like to match up with a star, honestly, Chicago. I can see Chicago trying. There's no one to trade with. That's the problem. There's no one to really trade with. Here's where San Jose's pick can come in handy for Mike Greer. This is what I could see him doing is trading with somebody like Chicago or um Vancouver to move up and move down where you're still gonna get Chase Street.
SPEAKER_04That's a good thing.
SPEAKER_00So you could see that you got the Rangers that are at five, uh Flames are at six, Seattle's at seven, Winnipeg eight, Florida's at nine, Nashville's at ten, Florida having the ninth overall pick. Remember, they're they're a great team still. They just injuries. Right. So it's like they kind of have luck, right? So the predators are they got ten. What's that?
SPEAKER_03Nashville Predators are a good team, they got ten.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Brandon, what did you say down there?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was just saying Florida's in a good spot with that pick.
SPEAKER_00They honestly, right? Like, I really, yeah. A Devils. The Devils aren't a bad team. They had a lot of injuries last year. They're at 12. So the Islanders are down at 13. That's a team that needs to just I think the Islanders, I we talked about this before, but they need to just rebuild. Columbus at 14, St. Louis again at 15, and then the Capitals are at 17. And now that the playoff teams are losing, you've got the Kings at 17, you've got the Caps at 18, Utah 19, San Jose again at 20, Philadelphia at 21, Pittsburgh 22, and Boston right now at 23. Vancouver again will be at 24. So Vancouver's got two first rounders. Montreal is at 25, Seattle, 26, Rangers 27. These are they're just predicting where teams are going to end up now. Now we're just past that. So anyway. But yeah, check out the players, check out the prospects, and just you know, every I think Gavin McKenna definitely goes at one. I think Chase Reed's gonna go at two to San Jose. Um, the funny thing again is I don't know what Vancouver's gonna do. Like, I just I like they have so many holes, but you would think that they're gonna go for like a high-end player. Caleb who I have seen most of the time is also good.
SPEAKER_03What's that? Caleb Malartha, however you pronounce that. Malholtra. Malholtra, that's who I most of the mock drafts, that's how I see them taking people picture. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Here's the thing with that too, is that if they do, that puts Ivar Stenberg right into right in right into Chicago's lap. Now, Stenberg you could put with Bedard, and I think that would really, really that'd be that'd be a good one. That would help Chicago because Chicago's like, I feel like they've done all right in the draft, but it's just not happening for them yet. You know what I mean? Like it's just not there yet. You know, you know Bedard's great, and they've got some great pieces, but I'm just saying it's let me see. Yeah, Stemberg, 5'11 winger. I I think it'd be a great that'd be good for Chicago, you know what I mean? So so anyway, uh the other one that's a big like a lot of people had higher is Keaton Verhof. He's for he's at University of North Dakota this past season. Absolutely outstanding. But he, I just some people think he's NHL ready, and I keep watching his games, and I'm like, I just don't see like he's definitely great in games, don't get me wrong, but I I think it I feel like it's skating and like puck control just isn't there yet. That's all that's that's my thing. I think it's like you're looking at a kid maybe a year in the AHL. Um, I don't know. I wonder if he's playing somewhere next season, but no, I don't see anything, but and Montreal scored again, huh? Unless he stays at UND. But anyway, like that's why I think Chase Reed's gonna go second to San Jose. His I I god, I feel like he's close to NHL ready now, but he is committed to Michigan State next season as a freshman. So, but I don't know. I like you watch him skate, and his skating is truly elite. His shot is lethal. That's why I like Chase Reed. His shot is absolutely lethal, guys. I mean, it's impressive. So anyway, but enough talk of that. I just anybody else, anything on the draft draft lottery? No, nothing else. Wait to see where the chips fall. Yeah, it's gonna be, I mean, it's gonna be a lot of fun. So, anyway, all right, moving on. Uh just touching up with the NHL, and we're still in playoff mode. And obviously, we've got Carolina. They're done, they're moving on. Only the fifth team to start 8-0.
SPEAKER_01Crazy. Yeah, it's gonna be hard to be a Kaniac, isn't it? Like to be that hyped for four days and then to be like, uh, and then having to wait for everyone else to finish so you know who you're playing. Yeah, that is kind of boring.
SPEAKER_00Maybe listen, Buffalo is faltering. So I know Montreal is up right now on them. Yeah, they're up right now at the end of one. If if Buffalo goes down 3-1, I they're not now, you're not beating Montreal three in a row. Nope. That's not gonna happen. Buffalo is in a must-win situation, they need to figure it out real quick. Yeah, them and the ducks. So I yeah, well, yeah, Colorado. I Minnesota's done. Colorado just the game started off okay last like last night. It it was Colorado's just they're a wagon, dude. They won 5-2, they just took control of the game. So, yeah. It's Colorado, though. I mean, I know, and we we know I Minnesota looks great at times. I mean, they are I I'm not saying they're a good team, man. Oh, they are.
SPEAKER_03I mean, they they took one, I mean, but unfortunately, they just I agree. There's a lot of talent on that Avalanche team.
SPEAKER_00Uh, dude, it's yeah, they're so good.
SPEAKER_04Too deep, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So, but so is Carolina. I God. I love watching them play, man. They're just yeah. Yeah. Vegas and Anaheim's turning out to be a great series. Um Vegas, again, Anaheim wins another one in in uh in Vegas. Now they're back in Anaheim for game five tonight. Um they're in Vegas tonight. Oh, sorry, Vegas. Yeah, game five. Um anyway, they both teams are you know 1-1 on the road. Um the home ice advantage is back to Vegas now. It's like just still, it's like Jesus. I they and I might very well might take the series, but I still have Vegas winning that one. Anyone cooling? Anyone what cooling on Vegas?
SPEAKER_03No, not yet. Okay. Don't get me wrong, the ducks are playing really well and they're matching with the with Vegas very well right now, but I think that again, the Knights will come out on top in the seven.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I think it's yeah, it might be the only one that goes to seven. Like, I don't even I I think Colorado's gonna end it in game five. I just I I do. I think that one's over. I think it's done. Anyone, I does anybody think Minnesota's gonna win in Colorado tomorrow?
SPEAKER_02No, no, avalanche.
SPEAKER_01No, it's just no. I mean, you had what 19 goals in the first two games for just the avalanche?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I know. And then it looked a little different last night, I thought. Like, I thought maybe Minnesota would, yeah, okay. They're gonna, you know, they're gonna do something here. I think Colorado just took it over.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I I got those two empty netters, which didn't didn't help the scoreboard for appearances, but it I the game was closer than the final score.
SPEAKER_00I you know what, you're right. There was two empty netters, you're right.
SPEAKER_01It really was like you it was a closer game than the scoreboard makes it look like, but still, like every time the wild would like get on the board and like get up, it's like then the ab's like, oh, I guess we should score a goal again, and then they just did.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because really you can look at it and be like, ah it's 3-2-4-2 game. So yeah, I I agree. You could you could say that it's you know it's closer. So yeah, I got you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'd say the wild are just a step behind on the avalanche.
SPEAKER_00The what?
SPEAKER_02I'd say the wild are just like a step behind on the avalanche.
SPEAKER_00They're missing, they're missing like a player, maybe, or like a difference make. Yeah, it's gotta be a good player, though, Brandt. So, I mean, yeah, I got you. That makes sense. So, but uh anyway, yeah, that's going on in the NHL. Uh, it's we're just cruising right along. We're liking, we're loving it. I mean, I'm loving it. It's been a great playoffs. I mean, it's just yeah, I Buffalo has to win tonight. I that's all I can say. They have to win it tonight. It's it's a it's a bit if they don't again. Does anybody see the kit Canadians losing three in a row? No. No, I'm gonna tell you right now, but like, so the other night, right? You see the score, and you're like, Jesus, man, Montreal just stomped out Buffalo, and you watch the game though, the Sabres played really well. They got beat by a goalie and they're goalie.
SPEAKER_03I mean, other than that one game, the saber, I think it was the maybe the second, right? I don't know. There was one where they Montreal just really just dominated them the whole game. Uh Sabres have been doing well. It's just I don't know what's maybe they're just too young, and they're not they're not coping with the playoffs.
SPEAKER_00Terrible. I hate that terrible. And and Montreal's just they're they're feeling it right now, too, dude. Like they're just feeling it right now. So they really are. I it's you know, and the goal, their goalie again, the their goalie's playing phenomenal. He's made some ridiculous saves, even just tonight, watching the game right now. It's like, yeah. So he's just playing really well. And it's it's hard to beat a team when your goalie is that hot. Ask anybody that's playing Carolina right now. Anderson has a 1.12 goals against average and a 950 save percentage through eight games.
SPEAKER_03He's only giving up ten. It's it it's just yeah. Oh well, 12 now. After the last game. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Anyway.
SPEAKER_03They just put up uh tickets for the first round of the finals for the Carolina. Right now they're going for almost $300 a ticket for the up for 300 seats.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for you're talking for the conference finals?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh it's like $1,300 in Buffalo. So $300. I for conference finals, yeah. I that's that's that's a pretty good price, actually. That's a really good price for conference finals, less than $300, too. It's not that's that's fucking crazy. Sorry, excuse me.
unknownSorry.
SPEAKER_00Like, God dang. What? Well, yeah, all right. So with that, we are going to move into this week's top five. We are doing top five greatest best hockey players right now in the NHL. When I say right now, I don't mean playoffs, I mean the entire NHL every season right now. Who are the best five players that have taken over, have taken over the game, that can take over the game. So, with that said, Steve, start us off. Who is your number five player?
SPEAKER_03Uh, my number five, which is not in the playoffs anymore, would be Sidney Crosby. Sidney Crosby. Okay. Yes. Nick. Although he didn't do very well against for Pittsburgh against uh in the first round.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he's definitely he's he's still very serviceable. He's still decent, he's putting up numbers, absolutely. One of the it'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer for sure. Yeah, no doubt.
SPEAKER_01Nick, who's your number five? Uh, I'm going with Dreisidel. 108 points, 48 goals, 60 assists. Uh huge. And he's a dominant force, and he's on a great, you know, he plays with some other great players. Uh consistent top score in the league. Number five. Yeah, 100%.
SPEAKER_00Right on. Brandon, number five.
SPEAKER_02My number five is Suzuki for Montreal.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Three goals and six assists in the playoffs so far.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yep. Yeah, Nick Suzuki's fantastic. I love watching him play live, watch what he does off the puck. 100%. Great skater. Um, all right. My number five right now is Connor Hellenbach, goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets. Um, was the MVP of the league last uh last season and the Vesniv winner or uh sorry, um top goaltender in the league. So yeah, Connor Hellenbuck, absolute monster right now in hockey. He is why Team USA was in that game um in a lot of games in the Olympics, um absolutely enough to put him number five on my list. Steve, number four.
SPEAKER_03It's more of a personal one, but I like I picked Brent Burns. I've just I've been a huge fan of his for several years now.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_03I mean he might not be in all everybody's top five, but he's just a fun player to watch.
SPEAKER_00I don't know if he's in anybody's top 50 right now, but it's okay, man. I I appreciate the uh the sentiment. That's yeah, I think a lot of people are rooting for him. He was with San Jose the majority of his career um and just on a lot of great teams. Couldn't get the final one done, but anyway, yeah. All right, Nick, number four.
SPEAKER_01Number four. Going with the uh the jersey that my friend The Stuff is wearing. And we're gonna go with Dylan Larkin. Okay, yeah. His his leadership, his Olympic run, uh, everything about him when he's on the ice, the two the in this case, the Red Wings are better. Uh, I think he is Mr. Hockey right now.
SPEAKER_00All right, buddy. Brandon the stuff, trainer, number four.
SPEAKER_02My number four is Wedgewood, the goalie for Colorado.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, 2.02 GAA during the regular season. 2.45 currently during the playoffs.
SPEAKER_00Did you say Wedgewood?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, Wedgewood.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_00Got it. Right on, man. Number four. Uh, number four for me is Tampa Bay Lightning Forward, Nikita Kucharov. Consistently 110 points or more in the league. Absolutely takes over games, does not look back. That guy is an elite skater, runs the power play, leads the team every year. True MVP candidate every year. So, yeah, I've got Nikita Kucharov at number four. Steve, number three.
SPEAKER_03Number three, just because he's been playing so well, and hopefully, if he keeps on playing well, he'll care carry Carolina to the Stanley Cup, and that would be Frederick Anderson.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Yep. He's having a good run. He it's it's like Freddie Anderson. I like Freddie Anderson because he is proof that his regular season was terrible. I think he's not a good player. But right now, yes, he is playing really lights out hockey. Yeah, he is a monster right now. He uh that's he's the proof that if a goalie gets hot, they can carry a team. Yeah, we'll see. And that's and that's what's going on right now. All right, Nick, number three.
SPEAKER_01Number three going with Nick David. Uh, I mean, he had 110 points this year, but I know he didn't pan out as well in the postseason with his uh now what we know is a broken what foot or ankle. Um Teams have to prepare differently when you go up against the Oilers because of him. Uh and he's just he's a blast to watch, man. He makes highlight real plays like uh every game. I mean, they don't yeah.
SPEAKER_00Wayne Gretzky calls him the greatest of all time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Wayne Gretzky said he's the he's the best hockey player to ever play the game. That's what Wayne O says when they call him the great one.
SPEAKER_01No, that's a compliment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Right on. All right, moving on. Brandon, number three.
SPEAKER_02My number three is left winger from Minnesota, Minnesota, Boldy.
SPEAKER_00Matt Boldy?
SPEAKER_0285 points during the regular season. Playoffs, he's had seven goals and four assists.
SPEAKER_00Nice. Okay. Right on, man. All right. Uh, my number three is gonna be Leon Dreisidel. Again, obvious reasons. Uh, he's an MVP candidate as well every year, always over 100 points. Um again, you have to put two guys on him when he's you know on the ice at all times. Yeah, absolutely crazy. So, yeah, number three, Leon Dreisidal. All right, Steve, number two, Nathan McKinnon. Okay, Nathan McKinnon. All right, Nick Brown.
SPEAKER_01Nick Brown. My number two is teammate with McKinnon. We're gonna go with uh Kale McCarr. Okay. Uh offensive defensiveman, like again, he's just uh what do you had, 85 points so far, not including the postseason, 20 goals, 65 assists. Like he's he's in there when they score. And they score a lot.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, 100%. All right. Brandon, the stuffed trainer number two.
SPEAKER_02Number two, I think, has been the most consistent goalie all throughout the regular season and playoffs. And that was Flodar for the Philadelphia Flyers.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Yep. Number two, Lodar for Brandon. All right, my number two is uh Nathan McKinnon. So again, MVP. He's won a couple, so yeah. Nathan McKinnon won a con Smythe. Uh, yeah. Probably gonna be the main reason why Colorado is in the Stanley Cup final if they do. So Steve, what is your number one? Honor McDavin. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean it, yeah. I mean, yeah, no, they didn't he obviously didn't do well in the playoffs, and you know, but uh he's the greatest hockey player to ever play the game.
SPEAKER_00It's it's just unquestionable. It it really is. He is the greatest player of all time, he's the greatest skater of all time, he's the greatest shooter of all time, he's the greatest stick handler of all time. It's it's yeah, I agree. We'll get into that more. Nick Brown, what is your number one best hockey player right now?
SPEAKER_01I'm going with uh another avalanche, going with McKinnon. Um, you can't lead the league in total points and not be somewhere on this list. It's kind of a four four or five-way tie for amazing most amazing.
SPEAKER_00Got it, right on, buddy. Yep. All right, Brandon the stuff, trainer, number one.
SPEAKER_02Colorado, I mean, what else is there to say about him?
SPEAKER_00Got it. Okay. Yep, mine's mine's Connor McDavid. Uh, NHL Census, greatest player, some say greatest player of all time. Former players have said it. Um, I don't think there's a current NHL hockey player that doesn't say Connor McDavid. Um, that's why he wins all the player poll, number one best player every year. It's just it's uh retired players. Um, I think it was Mario Lamuse said he's never seen anybody that skates like that. It's just um Wayne Gretzky, his thing was is just like nobody nobody ever has exploded like he does from the neutral zone into the net on the regular, makes five players look like that's not enough on the ice by himself. Um, I it's the only player I've ever seen that can literally take over the ice that's not playing. Uh it's like a triple A pee-wee player playing a mole-level squirt player. He just goes, it it's and it's effortless. So I it's everybody calls him the best that plays the game. All the former say he's the greatest of all time. I just don't, yeah. Connor McDavid. So yeah, it'll be interesting to see what McDavid does when he's uh a free agent, but he's also he's gonna make the highest contract of all time. He's gonna set the standard. It's it's just yeah. So that's my reason.
SPEAKER_01Where do you want to see him go?
SPEAKER_00Oh, I don't I don't care. Whatever he decides is what's best for him. I like it.
SPEAKER_02He's going somewhere he can get a ring. I hope so.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I it's it's funny with McDavid. I I I don't know. Um I think he's you know he's gonna get 20 mil a year. It's you know, somebody's and he might decide that you know he wants to stay, but uh it's the thing is is if contract talks like break down, which they don't they they do, but they don't in the NHL. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Anyway, I I don't know. It's like is is Edmonton gonna try to trade him? And I'm like, what no? I think Edmonton made that mistake once, and I mean it wasn't really a mistake then. Gretzky had already won four cups and right, yeah.
SPEAKER_02That was also because he was so expensive at that point.
SPEAKER_00Sure, yeah, back then people weren't owners weren't willing to weren't always willing to pay, you know what I mean? It's it's a different world nowadays, that's for sure. So I don't know. But yeah, interesting. So right on. But yeah, good top five, everybody. Let us know what your top five is in the comments. Uh yeah. Steve, final thoughts for this week.
SPEAKER_03Final thoughts would be I want Carolina to start playing again. I hate this wait. Could be another like six days, seven days, too.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's it is, it's crazy. Like, I a lot you're gonna know. This Steve, this this could be over in just a couple of days, man.
SPEAKER_03It could be, or it could go another six or eight days.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm watching the game right now, man. Buffalo's falling apart. I yeah, it's if Montreal goes up 3-1, it's it's it's done. So and then uh, but it's yeah, it still could go. I you're right. It could go three or four more days, but and then scheduling, who knows? But and then uh I think Brandon and Nick said it earlier, it's it's definitely I think our uh Vegas and uh Anaheim are definitely gonna go seven, and Colorado's gonna finish it off tomorrow night. So I don't know. We're gonna see.
SPEAKER_03Are they gonna wait this time until all the teams are done, or do you think they'll start it up like I have I have no idea, dude.
SPEAKER_00I don't know. It's a good question. A lot of people complained about that. I saw a lot of people. I've heard a lot about that, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Bettman, I right now Bettman has this whole playoff so f'd up that I you know, I don't know. And it's the average person, I don't even think knows how messed up it really is, like compared to the way it used to be. So I I don't know. I don't know what he's gonna do. So anyway.
SPEAKER_03Well, it doesn't help the Carolina only last you know 10 days was their whole series between two of them. That doesn't help.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. Nick, final thoughts, buddy. Uh my final thoughts are uh I'm going to enjoy watching my dark horse come from behind and reign victorious. So the Oilers have lost to the eventual or the to uh to the eventual Stanley Cup champions for the last last four years. And so this is the fifth year and they lost to the ducks. So I'm gonna I'm rooting for the ducks to keep this stupid statistic alive and that the Oilers will have lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions for now the fifth time if my Ducks can win. So I'm a Ducks fan now. The Ducks win the title? If the Ducks win the Stanley Cup this year, that will be the fifth year in a row that the Oilers have lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in the postseason.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Do you work for the Toronto Media, sports media?
SPEAKER_01No, but they just saw my LinkedIn.
SPEAKER_00Um Brandon, the stuff trainer.
SPEAKER_02Any final thoughts? Just hoping the series does go to seven games because if it does, I'll be there for that last one. Oh I think it's planned on being on Saturday.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, hell yeah. God, the Saber's goalie is just making save after save. He's trying to keep him in the series. Montreal's just beating the piss out of them. Right on, everybody, full strength podcast. Uh, remember to like, follow, and subscribe. Um, follow us on TikTok and YouTube, and we're on just about every single platform. So come and check us out, share us, be friends with us. Let us know what you think in the comments. We'll see you next week, everybody. Full strength podcast is out of here. Cheers. Later. Thanks, everybody.