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<v Speaker 1>This is Neil Smith, former president and GM of the

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<v Speaker 1>New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. Join me

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<v Speaker 1>and my co host Vic Morn for our podcast NHL

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<v Speaker 1>Wrap Around for all the important news and views around

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<v Speaker 1>the NHL.

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<v Speaker 2>The Utah Hockey Club went up to Edmonton last night

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<v Speaker 2>and they got their breaks blown off seven to one.

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<v Speaker 2>Edmonton gets the win. The hockey club tryna stay alive

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<v Speaker 2>in that wildcard race. So let's bring in the man

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<v Speaker 2>that educates, entertains, informs when it comes to the world

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<v Speaker 2>of professional hockey, the Great Neil Smith. On a Wednesday afternoon, Neil,

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<v Speaker 2>Happy Wednesday, sir, How are.

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<v Speaker 3>You happy Wednesday?

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<v Speaker 4>Do you?

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<v Speaker 3>And happy belated Saint Patrick's Day from Monday?

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<v Speaker 5>Yes, indeed, Saint Patrick's Day Monday.

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<v Speaker 2>And Neil, in case you didn't know, birthday for your

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<v Speaker 2>guy over here, my birthday, Saint Patrick's day.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh that's my sister's birthday. Well look at that. That's great.

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<v Speaker 3>Happy birthday. I know you are, you know, twenty six now?

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<v Speaker 5>Oh goodness goodness, Neil.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm a rapidly but you know, like, I'm not that old,

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<v Speaker 2>So I always feel bad when I say that I'm old,

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<v Speaker 2>But I just turned forty seven.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh my, well, you're a youngster. You're a youngster. You

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<v Speaker 3>got a long way to go to catch me.

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<v Speaker 5>Well, I appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>It's but Neil, I'm old enough now to realize that

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<v Speaker 2>just like physical pain is probably part of the deal, right,

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<v Speaker 2>you just get up and the hip perts or whatever.

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<v Speaker 5>It's just kind of the deal, right, That's.

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<v Speaker 3>Just part of that's just part of the aging system,

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<v Speaker 3>is that everything seems to start working less sufficiently as

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<v Speaker 3>we go along.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, indeed, hey, before we get into kind of the

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<v Speaker 2>nuts and bolts of what happened last night and where

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<v Speaker 2>we're at with our local hockey club, I've just got

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<v Speaker 2>a question about Connor McDavid. And I know that people

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<v Speaker 2>that really know hockey know that who Connor McDavid. You

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<v Speaker 2>know who Connor McDavid is and what he is in

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<v Speaker 2>the ecosystem.

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<v Speaker 5>Of pro hockey.

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<v Speaker 2>But I was telling my producer reporter during the break, like,

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<v Speaker 2>even if you don't know a sport, you always know

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<v Speaker 2>the guy that's different, right, And there's just something I

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<v Speaker 2>don't know if it's just his speed, I don't know

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<v Speaker 2>if it's just his skill.

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<v Speaker 5>There there's something about Connor McDavid.

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<v Speaker 2>It sets him apart from the best players every time

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<v Speaker 2>I watch him play.

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<v Speaker 5>What makes him as special as he is, I.

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<v Speaker 3>Think it's his speed, a it's his fact that he's

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<v Speaker 3>six over six ft, he's about six foot three. He

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<v Speaker 3>can do things at a higher rate of speed than

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<v Speaker 3>some people could do it in his shoes on. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>he can do things on the ice at a very

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<v Speaker 3>high rate of speed that people they can't just can't imagine.

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<v Speaker 3>So I think that he embodies what people love about hockey,

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<v Speaker 3>and that is the speed, the physicality, and the skill.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think that he's able to He's certainly not

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<v Speaker 3>a physical player in the sense of throwing out big

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<v Speaker 3>body checks, but he can take whatever physical play you

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<v Speaker 3>want to play on him. And I think that that's

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<v Speaker 3>why you always notice ninety seven. If you go down

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<v Speaker 3>Edmonton game, there's no way you're leaving without having seen

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<v Speaker 3>and noticed ninety seven on the eights.

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<v Speaker 2>They had one play last night. They had a power

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<v Speaker 2>play opportunity. And I honestly don't know how often hockey

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<v Speaker 2>teams run like set plays the way basketball teams do,

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<v Speaker 2>like a one four flat, a pick and roll, or

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<v Speaker 2>you know, whatever it is. But it was very intentional

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<v Speaker 2>to get Connor McDavid the puck as he had momentum,

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<v Speaker 2>and the rest of the guys looked like they were

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<v Speaker 2>just flat footed. I mean, it was pretty remarkable. What's

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<v Speaker 2>your take on Edmonton overall as a team. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>obviously we're prisoner of the moment because they just stomped

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<v Speaker 2>the hockey club seven to one. But I was very

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<v Speaker 2>impressed with what I saw last night from the Edmonton Oilers.

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<v Speaker 3>Well you'd have to be, because there was a beatdown.

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<v Speaker 3>But Edmonton is a very inconsistent team. You really don't

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<v Speaker 3>know what you're going to get from one night to

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<v Speaker 3>the next. They have the ability to do what they

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<v Speaker 3>did last night, and they also have the ability to

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<v Speaker 3>turn around and lose to a bottom feed or team

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<v Speaker 3>because they're for whatever reason, and last night. Here's the

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<v Speaker 3>impressive thing about last night, and it happened to be Utah.

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<v Speaker 3>It could have been anybody. Anybody in that building last

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<v Speaker 3>night was going to get beat. The impressive thing for

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<v Speaker 3>Edmondson was seven goals, fourteen assists probably on those seven

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<v Speaker 3>goals or however many, and Leon dry title the leading

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<v Speaker 3>scorer in the NHL goals wise, didn't get a point.

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<v Speaker 3>So that means they had contributions from all kinds of

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<v Speaker 3>people those to get those seven goals, but none of

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<v Speaker 3>them were Leon dry Sitle. Usually you'll go to you'll

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<v Speaker 3>watch an Oiler game and dry Title will get one

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<v Speaker 3>or two. I thought he might get his fiftieth last

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<v Speaker 3>night in Salt Lake. I'm sorry, in Edmonton against Utah,

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<v Speaker 3>but he wasn't able to do it. But just think

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<v Speaker 3>how stacked is your team when your best scorer doesn't

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<v Speaker 3>get a point and you win seven to one.

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<v Speaker 5>Yeah, that is impressive.

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<v Speaker 2>I wonder so coach Tourney pulled the Melka after Correll

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<v Speaker 2>game up three goals and went with Jackson Stauberd didn't

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<v Speaker 2>do any better.

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<v Speaker 5>He gave up four.

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<v Speaker 2>But last night was Correll's twelfth straight start in goal,

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<v Speaker 2>and that's a career high. Connor Ingram away from the

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<v Speaker 2>team dealing with some personal things, as we discussed last year,

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<v Speaker 2>do you think you could draw a straight line? I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>I just thought it was kind of ironic as the

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<v Speaker 2>broadcast was outlining that Vimelka had never started twelve straight before.

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<v Speaker 2>Then suddenly the game starts and he just he was

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<v Speaker 2>up against it. There wasn't much he could do. Do

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<v Speaker 2>you think it's a fatigue thing? Is that a concern

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<v Speaker 2>now that there are other kind of first choice guys

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<v Speaker 2>on the sidelines. That Vimelka looked as tired as he

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<v Speaker 2>did last.

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<v Speaker 3>Night, you know, certainly could be it, because you know,

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<v Speaker 3>that's tough to keep playing night after night in the

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<v Speaker 3>National Hockey League, in today's NHL, where you're playing almost

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<v Speaker 3>every other day on average, So you know, it could

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<v Speaker 3>be that. It could be a combination of him being

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<v Speaker 3>tired and Edmondson also being at the top of their

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<v Speaker 3>game last night. You know, he played two days earlier

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<v Speaker 3>in Vancouver. They fly over to Edmonton get ready for

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<v Speaker 3>that game. Now they've got one day off and they're

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<v Speaker 3>going to be two more night against Buffalo. And that's

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<v Speaker 3>just the way the NHL works. But it's hard when

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<v Speaker 3>you're running one goalie all the time. And you know,

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<v Speaker 3>Jackson Stauber is a fine young guy, but he's you know,

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<v Speaker 3>is he ready for the show? You know, I don't know.

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<v Speaker 3>He wasn't up. The only reason he's up is because

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<v Speaker 3>Connor Ingram has had to take his leave of the absence,

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<v Speaker 3>so we'll see. I mean, Vanilka is a good goalie

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<v Speaker 3>may have had an off night, or maybe coach Torney

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<v Speaker 3>thought that he was having an off night, so better

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<v Speaker 3>to rest him and get him out of there. A

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<v Speaker 3>lot of coaches too, you know, they think they're down

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<v Speaker 3>four nothing to Edmonton, and they say, look, we're not

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<v Speaker 3>winning this game. So I'm taking my guy out to

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<v Speaker 3>give him a rest. Let him wait for the Buffalo

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<v Speaker 3>game now. And you see that happen a lot.

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<v Speaker 5>So where we find ourselves now?

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<v Speaker 2>And I don't know, Like I was talking to a

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<v Speaker 2>couple of guys with the hockey club, the work on

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<v Speaker 2>the broadcast side, and a gentleman who's producing games, who

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<v Speaker 2>used to produce the Arizona Coyotes games, and he's been

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<v Speaker 2>around the NHL for about twenty years, and this was

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<v Speaker 2>about a week and a half ago, and I said,

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<v Speaker 2>you think.

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<v Speaker 5>They're gonna make it?

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<v Speaker 2>He said, I don't think most people understand how hard

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<v Speaker 2>it is to make up even three or four points

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<v Speaker 2>over the final fifteen to sixteen games.

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<v Speaker 5>And he painted kind of a bleak.

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<v Speaker 2>Picture as far as the hockey club qualifying for the

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<v Speaker 2>wild card. Neil, and where we're at now is a

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<v Speaker 2>four point gap with fourteen games left to play have

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<v Speaker 2>stranger things happened, certainly, But what's the Neil Smith, I

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<v Speaker 2>guess I'll say, like handicap. The chances of us seeing

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<v Speaker 2>playoff hockey here in Utah this year.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think they're very good because your friend was

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<v Speaker 3>absolutely right. You've got to jump so many teams and

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<v Speaker 3>you've got to put together a string of wins, and

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<v Speaker 3>even then you might gain two points up Because here's

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<v Speaker 3>the thing that people have to understand. Well, it looks

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<v Speaker 3>like you're only, you know, four points back of Vancouver

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<v Speaker 3>and Saint Louis, who are tied. Everybody's playing every night,

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<v Speaker 3>and everybody's getting points here and there, or teams in

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<v Speaker 3>between you and that wild card spot are getting teams

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<v Speaker 3>top points. Last night, a horrible thing for the Utah

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<v Speaker 3>Hockey Club happened. Everybody thought that Calgary would go down

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<v Speaker 3>to the Rangers. Calgary had gotten killed in Toronto the

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<v Speaker 3>night before. They got in at three am. They put

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<v Speaker 3>their backup goalie in and they beat the Rangers. The

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<v Speaker 3>Rangers had only four of their forwards had shots on

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<v Speaker 3>net last night, so they put in a horrible effort.

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<v Speaker 3>Calgary comes away with the two points. Stuff like that

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<v Speaker 3>really hurts Utah's chance to jump over teams. Now, if

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<v Speaker 3>they put together a string of five or six games

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<v Speaker 3>and then go back to five hundred after that, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>then they're you know, they got a real shot. But

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<v Speaker 3>they at this point to hurdle over these teams who

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<v Speaker 3>are playing every night, because what will happen is you'll

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<v Speaker 3>win a game, say the Buffalo, and then you look

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<v Speaker 3>back at the standings and you'll say, oh my god,

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<v Speaker 3>we're still four points behind. Well the reason for that

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<v Speaker 3>is because Vancouver went in and beat Saint Louis on

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<v Speaker 3>the same night as you beat Buffalo, so they got

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<v Speaker 3>two more points. You've got two more points. You're still

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<v Speaker 3>the same number behind. So it's very difficult. You've got

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<v Speaker 3>to put together a string of wins to make up

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<v Speaker 3>some ground.

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<v Speaker 5>And only fourteen games left.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, there's not a lot of opportunities now to

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<v Speaker 2>make up the ground.

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<v Speaker 5>Good, Neil good.

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<v Speaker 3>Let me give you the optimist side of this. They

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<v Speaker 3>play only eight games out of those fourteen, Eight of

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<v Speaker 3>them are against non playoff teams, teams that currently sit

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<v Speaker 3>in outside the playoffs eight out of their fourteen, meaning

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<v Speaker 3>only six of the fourteen are the battling playoff teams.

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<v Speaker 3>They played Tampa Bay twice, once in Utah, once in Tampa,

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<v Speaker 3>they play Florida, they play La King's, Winnipeg and Dallas.

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<v Speaker 3>That's the playoff teams that they've got to play against.

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<v Speaker 3>They got to make sure that when they get the chance,

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<v Speaker 3>like with Buffalo, who's one of the weak sisters last

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<v Speaker 3>in the East, they got to take advantage of that.

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<v Speaker 3>And they have to beat Buffalo on Thursday night to

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<v Speaker 3>make up some ground that we've been talking about.

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<v Speaker 2>So if we just kind of exist in reality and

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<v Speaker 2>we just admit that it's going to be tough while

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<v Speaker 2>maintaining a little bit of hope, because that's what being

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<v Speaker 2>a sports fan is. What would you say about what

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<v Speaker 2>this year has meant to the club being in a

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<v Speaker 2>new market, and what would you say to the fans

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<v Speaker 2>about the future of where we could find ourselves based

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<v Speaker 2>off of the way that Bill Armstrong and his staff

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<v Speaker 2>have put together this roster.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, what I think is really optimistic and good or

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<v Speaker 3>positive for this hockey club is that they've gotten to

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<v Speaker 3>a new market, they've gotten settled in, they've got a

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<v Speaker 3>fan base, they've got a beautiful arena. They're going to

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<v Speaker 3>change the name, or even leaving it the same will

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<v Speaker 3>be changing it, if you know what I mean, because

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<v Speaker 3>it's still that's still something exciting that's out there that's

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<v Speaker 3>going to happen in the offseason. They got a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of good young talent. They're an up and coming organization.

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<v Speaker 3>They do have a coverboard that has quite a bit

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<v Speaker 3>of assets in it. So I think that you're seeing

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<v Speaker 3>a team. But we've talked about this from the first

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<v Speaker 3>day that's on the verge of getting into that group

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<v Speaker 3>of playoff teams. And once you break into that, then

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<v Speaker 3>somebody's trying to knock you to get you out and

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<v Speaker 3>let them get in, and that's really hard as you

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<v Speaker 3>can see. But I think they've made megas depths since

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<v Speaker 3>they've gotten to Utah compared to where they were at

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<v Speaker 3>in Arizona. With Arizona, there wasn't a lot of hope,

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<v Speaker 3>There wasn't a lot of money to be spent on

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<v Speaker 3>free agents. There was Bill Armstrong was basically operating with

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<v Speaker 3>one arm handcuffed. Now he's not. He's got a good owner,

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<v Speaker 3>he's got a good fan base, he's got people that

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<v Speaker 3>want hockey in that city, unlike Arizona. So I think

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<v Speaker 3>You're miles ahead of where you were last year.

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<v Speaker 2>Neil, before I said you loose, I know you got

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<v Speaker 2>to get going today. I wanted you to settle a

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<v Speaker 2>debate that I was having with my brothers, actually, who

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<v Speaker 2>are hockey hockey guys in a way that you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I just never have been entirely. I enjoyed the sport,

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<v Speaker 2>loved growing up, going to ranger games and all that.

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<v Speaker 5>We were talking about the Four Nations, and you know.

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<v Speaker 2>We were talking about the tournament because it was such

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<v Speaker 2>a pleasant surprise for so many people that didn't think

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<v Speaker 2>it was going to be anything all that entertaining. If

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<v Speaker 2>Russia is allowed in, are they the best hockey country

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<v Speaker 2>or is it still Canada.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I'm Canadian, so of course I'm going to

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<v Speaker 3>think that it's Canada. But I think that Russia produces

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<v Speaker 3>a ton of great hockey players, and on any given

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<v Speaker 3>year it could go either way. I think that the

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<v Speaker 3>I think that the only way you know who truly

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<v Speaker 3>is the world's best team is when you have a

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<v Speaker 3>full complement of countries in it, which includes Russia. But

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<v Speaker 3>I don't want to see them in as long as

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<v Speaker 3>they're going in and trying to take over other countries

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<v Speaker 3>and do what they've been doing in the last two years.

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<v Speaker 3>I just don't think that we should we should ignore that.

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<v Speaker 3>I think that we should, you know, say, okay, in

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<v Speaker 3>our little world of hockey. You know, if you're going

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<v Speaker 3>to do that, you're not part of our world. So

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<v Speaker 3>but they are a tremendous breeding ground for hockey players

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<v Speaker 3>Neil work.

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<v Speaker 2>Can our listeners go find the podcast before I set

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<v Speaker 2>you loose.

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<v Speaker 3>Anywhere anywhere on any platform. NHL wrapped around. We had

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<v Speaker 3>Paul Maurice, Stanley Cup winning coach on a couple of

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<v Speaker 3>weeks ago, and we're coming down the stretch here and

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<v Speaker 3>we're looking at everything as as closely as we can.

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<v Speaker 3>I give you everything we can of tidbits on the NHL.

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<v Speaker 3>But do you know who I'm going to dinner with tonight?

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<v Speaker 5>Who's that?

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<v Speaker 3>Your father? Oh?

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<v Speaker 5>Very nice, very nice, very nice.

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<v Speaker 3>Where are you guys going to go in the city

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<v Speaker 3>at Wolfgang Steakhouse? And Amy k will be there and

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<v Speaker 3>ken Unos will be there. Oh, I don't know all

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<v Speaker 3>those names. So that it's going to be a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of fun and I'm really looking forward to that.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, and you're going to Wolfgangs he likes you more

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<v Speaker 2>than like he likes me. He takes me to check

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<v Speaker 2>fil A when we go to dinner. So enjoy your

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<v Speaker 2>state deal. But please tell him hello, and tell everybody

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<v Speaker 2>high and have a good time.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, thanks buddy, see you soon.

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<v Speaker 2>The Great Neil Smith Utah Key Club. Yeah, they got

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<v Speaker 2>dog walked last night. Like I was telling Porter, I

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<v Speaker 2>was gonna watch that Carolina San Diego state game, and

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<v Speaker 2>after Carolina ran away with him, I'm like, all right,

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<v Speaker 2>let's check out the hockey club. And I turned it

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<v Speaker 2>over in time to see Edmonton put three on Vamelica

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<v Speaker 2>in the first period, and then coach Torney pulled Vmelka

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<v Speaker 2>and decided to try his hand at the starboard kid

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<v Speaker 2>as Connor Ingram was still on the sidelines, and all

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<v Speaker 2>due respect to uh to Starburn, it didn't go better

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<v Speaker 2>for him at all. Jackson Starboro allowed four goals after

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<v Speaker 2>Lamelca allowed three, and it's just gonna be tough, you know. Ultimately,

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<v Speaker 2>I would love to see it happened. Playoff hockey rules.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've never seen Stanley Cup playoff hockey, you should

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<v Speaker 2>check it out.

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<v Speaker 5>It's a lot of fun.

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<v Speaker 2>Connor McDavid, what is the what's the equivalent of a

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<v Speaker 2>Connor McDavid in another sport, Like if somebody doesn't know

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<v Speaker 2>the game of basketball, they could turn on a Warriors

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<v Speaker 2>game and tell that Steph is just different based off

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<v Speaker 2>the way he makes shots. I was just watching that

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<v Speaker 2>game last night, and I don't grind on hockey tape

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<v Speaker 2>every night, but every time McDavid got the puck with

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<v Speaker 2>a full head of steam, it's like that dude is different.

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<v Speaker 4>It's it's hard number one. I'm to be clear, not

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<v Speaker 4>Neil Smith. I haven't won a Stanley Cup, so my

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<v Speaker 4>expertise not yet.

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<v Speaker 5>Not.

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<v Speaker 4>Yes, you never know who the Smith Entertainment Group might

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<v Speaker 4>hire as the hockey team keeps going on.

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<v Speaker 2>But no, are you throwing your name in the ring

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<v Speaker 2>if Bill Armstrong moves on, you want to be the

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<v Speaker 2>GM why not?

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<v Speaker 5>Why not?

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<v Speaker 4>But the name you brought up with Steph Curry And

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<v Speaker 4>while he is like a similar we talked about the

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<v Speaker 4>term gravity in sports and he has that it's it's

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<v Speaker 4>not as much on the scoring side as it is creating.

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<v Speaker 5>Right.

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<v Speaker 4>You You look at Wayne Gretzky and I think if

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<v Speaker 4>you take out like all of Wayne Gretzky's goals, he

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<v Speaker 4>still is like second all time in scoring with all

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<v Speaker 4>the assists that he creates, and Connor McDavid has more

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<v Speaker 4>of that than he does, say Alexandrovetchkin, who just puts

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<v Speaker 4>shots in the back of the net over and over

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<v Speaker 4>and over and over again. So it's really interesting to

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<v Speaker 4>watch because he he creates for his teammates as he

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<v Speaker 4>is at You know, every player has a little bit

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<v Speaker 4>of it, but the way he does it, you're just

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<v Speaker 4>seeing open shots for other guys, and that is something

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<v Speaker 4>that I don't know how to compare that in the

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<v Speaker 4>NBA ranks, like Lebron ish like a guy that has

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<v Speaker 4>the scoring title but also kind of is more of

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<v Speaker 4>a passer. That's that's you know, he's not sixty nine

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<v Speaker 4>to sixty, but that's kind of the name. I look

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<v Speaker 4>at a Magic Johnson and lebron a guy that puts

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<v Speaker 4>up a bunch of points and somehow has the gravity

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<v Speaker 4>to bring in the players around him. Luka Doncic, if

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<v Speaker 4>you're looking at kind of a new era, new new age.

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<v Speaker 5>Guy, it was wildly impressive.

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<v Speaker 2>Now the hockey club has a uphill climb at this point,

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<v Speaker 2>as I referenced, fourteen games left to try to make

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<v Speaker 2>up a four point gap. That doesn't sound like a lot,

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<v Speaker 2>but it is coming up on Thursday. So tomorrow Buffalos

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<v Speaker 2>in town. Three game homestand for the hockey club, it's Buffalo,

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<v Speaker 2>it's Tampa Bay and then Detroit. Then a three game

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<v Speaker 2>road trip following a following that, it's a four game

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<v Speaker 2>homestand then they're going to finish off with three on

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<v Speaker 2>the road at Dallas AD Nashville and.

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<v Speaker 5>At the Saint Louis Blues.

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<v Speaker 2>Neil Smith joins us today courtesy of our friends at

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<v Speaker 2>IFA Country Stores. Now the snow will belt at some point,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe over the next couple of days. We're high speedhead

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<v Speaker 2>to seventy degree weather next week. So it's time for

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<v Speaker 2>you to start thinking about your lawn care. IFA Country

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<v Speaker 2>Stores has everything you need to care for your lawn,

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<v Speaker 2>no matter its size or shape. Their four plus lawn

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00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.279
<v Speaker 2>care program can promote a healthy, green lawn for you

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<v Speaker 2>this summer. They are the same products you used at

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<v Speaker 2>many local sports fields, golf courses and city parks. You

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00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.319
<v Speaker 2>can consult IFA's team of experts for your yard this season.

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<v Speaker 2>Visit them online at IFA dot co op, or stop

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00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.839
<v Speaker 2>by one of eighteen Utah stores today IFA Country stores

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<v Speaker 2>help you to grow the things that you love.