WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:03.799 This is Neil Smith, former president and GM of the 2 00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:06.599 New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. Join me 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:10.000 and my co host Vic Morn for our podcast NHL 4 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:13.759 Wrap Around for all the important news and views around 5 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:14.880 the NHL. 6 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:18.280 Round two of the NBA Draft Tonight. We covered Round 7 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:21.879 one for you from start to finish last night, which 8 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:24.120 means you boy got home at about ten o'clock, a 9 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:26.399 nice little eight hour radio shift yesterday. 10 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:27.640 We'll see what tonight brings. 11 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:31.320 I believe it's only four minutes between picks tonight four 12 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:36.640 Round two. However, we do have the NHL Draft coming 13 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:40.280 up tomorrow and the Utah Mammoth will draft fourth overall 14 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:44.439 after receiving a little lottery luck, and the Utah Mammoth 15 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:47.759 also made a trade, so we'll talk about that and 16 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:51.079 a bunch more NHL offseason stuff with our next guest, 17 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:54.439 the Great Neil Smith. Back on the Drive on a Thursday. Neil, 18 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:55.840 Happy Thursday, sir, How are you? 19 00:00:56.840 --> 00:00:59.399 I'm real good? Thank you. That was quite a trade 20 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:01.200 for the for the Mammoth. 21 00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:03.560 So let's start there. Let's start there. 22 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:07.079 You know, ultimately Josh down, Michael kesserline two players that 23 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:09.560 a lot of people around here liked an awful lot. 24 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:11.040 But let's get to know this new player. 25 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:14.280 It looked like the Sabers were going to part ways 26 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:15.599 restricted free agent JJ. 27 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:18.120 I think it's peterca Is how you say the name? Neil? 28 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:19.760 Tell us about this young man and what do you 29 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:20.560 think of the trade? 30 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:26.400 Well, he's a German from Munich, Germany, and I think 31 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:30.519 it's a great trade for Utah. If you go strictly 32 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:34.439 on getting the best player. They definitely got the best player. 33 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:39.519 Peterca's got twenty seven goals last year, sixty eight points 34 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.840 is a threat. He's a definite upgrade for the hockey club. 35 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:47.000 When I say hockey club, you still called the team's 36 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.599 hockey clubs. I'm not saying that as the old name. Sure, yeah, 37 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:54.519 but I like Michael Kesslering. He's a big kid, and 38 00:01:56.120 --> 00:01:59.319 you know it brings some real size. But when you 39 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:02.359 get a chance to get a guy like Patca, you've 40 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:05.439 got to part with a couple of guys. And Josh 41 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.080 Done is only twenty three, but that's the same age 42 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:12.800 as Paturka. So that's great for the for the Utah 43 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:17.360 Mammoth because they're getting a young guy. And as we've 44 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:20.120 talked about so many times, this is like their free 45 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:23.360 agent that he's not a free agent. He's it was 46 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:27.080 a trade, but it's like, you know, free agency coming 47 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:28.159 early for this team. 48 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:32.400 Twenty seven goals, forty one assists last year for Paterka, 49 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:35.400 sixty eight points overall. So let's dig in a little 50 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:38.199 bit deeper. He's a right winger. You mentioned he's German. 51 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:40.280 I mean, I mean, I've got some stuff in front 52 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:42.400 of me right now. He looks like a big, sturdy kid. 53 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:46.159 So for our Utah Mammoth fans out here, let's dig 54 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:48.680 a little bit deeper. Exactly what type of player is he? 55 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:50.800 Where do you think he fits the top six Ford? 56 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:52.240 Do you think he's on the front line? How do 57 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:53.039 you think it plays out? 58 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.280 I think he could. He could end up on the 59 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:58.319 first line. He certainly end up on the power play. 60 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:02.639 You know, he said he's an offensive threat all the time. 61 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:05.080 He played seventy seven games and got sixty eight points. 62 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:07.120 So you're almost at a point of game on Buffalo 63 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:10.400 Sabers who didn't make the playoffs and didn't have a 64 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.919 great season. And if I want to be sarcastic, I 65 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:17.680 could say that Utah might be headed for the Stanley 66 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:21.719 Cup because they have Buffalo has traded away so many 67 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:24.000 guys that have ended up winning the Stanley Cup, like 68 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:29.879 Sam Ryan Hart and just to mention one and a 69 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.120 number of others, that maybe luck will have it with 70 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:35.560 Utah this time and Peterca will end up in a 71 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:37.879 Utah jersey winning the Stanley Cup. 72 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:42.400 Love It, Love It five year contract extension. Average annual 73 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:45.000 value is about seven point seven mil. What are your 74 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:47.680 thoughts on the deal that Bill Armstrong gave Peterca. 75 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:54.120 You know, it's the money, of course, is to normal 76 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.840 everyday folks is crazy money, but it's where the player 77 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:00.400 would be because of the production he's getting it and 78 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:02.599 the production that he will get going forward. And I'm 79 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:07.240 sure that Bill and his staff have analyzed Paterka a 80 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:10.280 lot better than me and see that a real bright 81 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.800 future in front of him. And again I'll emphasize, he's 82 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.280 only twenty three years old by the time the contract's over. 83 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:18.920 He's still in his prime at twenty eight, so he's 84 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:20.560 going to have to live up to those numbers. That's 85 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.120 a lot of money for a kid that scored twenty 86 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:26.519 seven goals. But I would imagine that they see in 87 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:30.360 him you know, him getting better and better as time 88 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.079 goes on, and that's why they were willing to do 89 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:32.879 that contract. 90 00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:37.560 Do you think this trade and this acquisition changes the 91 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:39.240 approach for tomorrow night's draft. 92 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:43.759 Not at all, Not at all. They'll take the Well, 93 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.639 if I were them, when the first three guys get picked, 94 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:51.839 whoever's the best player, no matter what position, no matter 95 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:54.800 what country he comes from, no matter anything, that's who 96 00:04:54.839 --> 00:04:59.040 you take. You don't draft based on position or anything 97 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:03.160 like that. At that high pick, get the best player 98 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:05.480 you can possibly get and figure it out later. If 99 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:08.319 you've got you know, if it's a center that's available 100 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.879 and you've already got centers, don't worry about it. And 101 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:12.759 if it's a defense when you've already got defense, and 102 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:15.720 don't worry about So I think they'll get a real 103 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.360 good player at number four. Probably won't play in Salt Lake, 104 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:22.120 you know, this coming season, but they'll definitely get a 105 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:22.720 good player. 106 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:24.959 So before we. 107 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.600 Get to the specifics of what tomorrow could bring, just 108 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:30.879 take us behind the scenes of a NHL front office 109 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:34.000 the night before the NHL Draft. What's going on with 110 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:35.920 Bill and his staff right now is they prepare to 111 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:37.160 make the selections tomorrow. 112 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:42.240 You know, they're just having more meetings and there it 113 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:43.879 is not up in the air who they're going to 114 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:48.560 pick for them right now. They already know who the 115 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:51.519 top four players are in the draft, according to their staff, 116 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.680 and they're well prepared. They're probably talking a lot about 117 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:57.480 their second pick. I don't have it in front of 118 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:00.240 me where their second pick is in the draft, but 119 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:04.079 I would think they're spending more of their time trying 120 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.759 to figure out who the fourth guy would be, because 121 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:09.920 they know who they've got as the top four guys, 122 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.879 and whoever's the best of those top four would be 123 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:14.879 the guy that they'll take at number four. 124 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:19.480 So let's move over now to what tomorrow and I 125 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:22.519 could bring. And you know, obviously it depends on what 126 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:25.600 happens in front of them, does it. You know, once 127 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:28.279 upon a time it felt like number one was being debated. 128 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:30.360 But everything I'm reading today, Neil is that it will 129 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:32.000 be Matthew Shaeffer to the Islanders. 130 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:33.000 Is that you're understanding. 131 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.560 That's my understanding that he is. He is pretty clear 132 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:39.319 cut the best player there. You know, there's some there's 133 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:45.800 always some talk because the Islanders have our long island 134 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:49.680 and Hagen's who played it in Hockey East this year 135 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:53.920 is from Long Island and he grew up in Long Island, 136 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:57.240 So you know, wouldn't you try to get the hometown kid. 137 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:59.600 But you can't do that when you're running an NHL team. 138 00:07:00.199 --> 00:07:02.240 You've got to you've got to take the best player 139 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:06.199 and buy everybody's accounts. Matthew Schaffer is the best player 140 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:11.160 and he's a big defenseman, and I would imagine that's 141 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.439 where the Islanders will go. 142 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:14.720 So if it's Shafer a one, I've got a mock 143 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:16.360 draft in front of me. Do you feel like it's 144 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:18.600 the Michael Misa kid at two for San Jose. 145 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:22.560 That's what I'm hearing that. That's what I'm hearing. Michael 146 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:25.600 Misa would go number two. A lot of people don't 147 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.680 have Haggins three. They got other somebody else. But you know, 148 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:34.639 once you get past I'm very high guys there, it 149 00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:38.680 doesn't always go in any predictable manner because what's you know, 150 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:42.160 what's one person's taste in that player is not another person, 151 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:45.680 so you can always depend on that. But so I 152 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:48.399 don't think it's clear cut that these are the definitely 153 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:52.279 the top three. But from what I'm hearing, Mesa and 154 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:56.439 Schaeffer are the top two, and you know Mesa could 155 00:07:56.519 --> 00:08:00.800 go number one. He had a remarkable season. He got 156 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.959 thirty more points than anybody else in the OHL, and 157 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:08.040 that's remarkable. He got sixty two goals in sixty five games. 158 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:14.160 But they're hard to get a franchise defenseman, and if 159 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:17.600 Matthew Schaeffer's a lot of as a franchise defenseman, they're 160 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:18.680 probably going to go there. 161 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:22.639 OHL. Ontario Hockey League. It seems like a lot of 162 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:25.360 these young prospects are playing up there. Tell our listeners 163 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.199 about this and what sort of league it is, and 164 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:29.879 AU prepares these young men to play in the NHL. 165 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:33.320 Well, And then that's a good question, Spence, because you 166 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:36.360 know your listeners are mostly used to players being drafted 167 00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:39.840 out of college. Guess that's where the NBA players come from. 168 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.840 And a lot of NHL players come out of college too, 169 00:08:42.919 --> 00:08:46.480 But they also come out of the three Canadian major 170 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:49.399 junior leagues what they're called. And going from west to east, 171 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.759 that's the Western Hockey League, which has all the teams 172 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:57.799 west of Ontario. You have the Ontario Hockey League which 173 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:00.960 has you know, most of their team are in Ontario. 174 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:04.720 They do have Erie in you know, Erie Pennsylvanias in 175 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.519 Thataly and then you have the Quebec Major Junior Hockey 176 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:12.000 League and the Memorial Cup is the tournament at the 177 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:14.480 end of the season between the three leagues to see 178 00:09:14.519 --> 00:09:17.120 who's going to win the big trophy for all of 179 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.759 junior hockey. It's it's a mini NHL, to be honest 180 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:25.120 with you. Junior hockey in Canada is the closest representation 181 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:28.480 to the National Hockey League. And what you've got to 182 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:31.120 do there, the travel and all the rest of it 183 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:35.399 and the game itself is is it like a mini NHL. 184 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:39.600 So that's why a lot of scouts and teams prefer 185 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:42.840 to take guys out of the major junior hockey. But 186 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:48.120 I think that it is now. College hockey is every 187 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.960 bit as good a breeding ground for the NHL as 188 00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:52.279 the junior leagues. 189 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:54.519 You actually, you're getting good of this because you just 190 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:57.320 answered my follow up question. But I'm going to ask 191 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:02.039 it anyway to elaborate of all of the potential avenues, 192 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:06.399 of all of the potential pathways, you know, when it 193 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.159 comes to these different leagues, when it comes to these 194 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.120 different you know, avenues that these young men take whether 195 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:14.919 it's college hockey, whether it's the OHL or what have you. 196 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:22.120 Is there a clear cut preferred pathway again, College, OHL, International, 197 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:24.759 whatever it is. Because I've got this mock draft in 198 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:27.240 front of me and I'm seeing like, even throughout the 199 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:30.399 first ten there's the WHL, there's the OHL, there's the 200 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.240 q m j h HL whatever that is. 201 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.159 Then there's College Junior Hockey League. 202 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:38.159 Okay, So of all the pathways, Neil, is there a 203 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:40.799 preferred one you look at as a roster constructor and 204 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:43.440 a decision maker to feel like, yes, they're prepared the 205 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:44.840 best because they did this. 206 00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:52.399 You know, not not really? I mean there, I'll give 207 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:55.679 you some examples. Connor McDavid played for Erie. That's where 208 00:10:55.720 --> 00:11:01.360 he was drafted by by Edmonton from Erie. His his 209 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:06.879 sidekick there, Dry Sidle, played in Germany. Uh and so 210 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:11.440 there there's two totally different places. You can you know, 211 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:15.480 Meithan McKinnon played in the Quebec League, who's a great player. 212 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:19.080 So they come from all over the place and and 213 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:24.240 there's a lot of great college players that are coming 214 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:29.080 into the NHL now, So there's really not a preferred place. 215 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:34.519 There used to be a very prejudicial to junior players 216 00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:38.399 because they would they understood, and they weren't. They weren't 217 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:41.519 out getting an education, they were out to play hockey. 218 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.840 But that's not the case anymore. It's it's really not 219 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:49.399 that now you're getting them from everywhere. I just found 220 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:54.440 out today and realized that today that Michael kessel Ring, 221 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:59.600 who was born in Florence, South Carolina. I didn't realize that. 222 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:02.159 I don't think he lived there. I think he was 223 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:05.960 just born there and his dad played in the ECHL. 224 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.039 I didn't know all that stuff. But what I'm saying 225 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:10.399 to you, why I'm bringing that up, is the players 226 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.399 are coming from all over the place now and there's 227 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:15.440 really not one hockey hot that like there used to be. 228 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:18.759 All right, So to your point, we don't know what 229 00:12:18.840 --> 00:12:20.840 the first three picks will be. It does feel like 230 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:23.799 the Schaeffer kid is the consensus number one, and every 231 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:26.840 mack I've seen has Misa too, And then it seems 232 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:31.159 to get pretty interesting. Anton Frondell is the mach I 233 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:34.320 have in front of me going three to Chicago. Brady 234 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:36.759 Martin is the name that this mock has the Utah 235 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:39.200 Mammoth taking. But I've seen another mock that has Porter 236 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:43.480 Martone the selection at four and Porter is a big 237 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:47.759 forward that prior to yesterday, this hockey club did not have, 238 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:50.320 but now they have one of those. Any thoughts, then 239 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:54.039 there's the aforementioned James Hagen's kid out of BC. Any 240 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.600 thoughts on who Bill and his staff land on Tomorrow 241 00:12:56.679 --> 00:13:03.559 night when the fourth pick is called, you know, there's. 242 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:06.360 They're talking about Brady Martin that plays in Sue Saint Marie. 243 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:09.120 I'd be guessing, to be honest, he spins, I'm just 244 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.919 gonna flat out and say, I'd be guessing if I 245 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:13.200 said who they're gonna who I thought they would take. 246 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:17.159 I don't have the expertise on these young kids, but 247 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:19.080 I do see on some of the on some of 248 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:23.559 the rating things that Hagen's has fallen down in people's minds. 249 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:28.000 So you'd never know. You don't know what intel Bill 250 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.799 and his staff have on all these particular players. There's 251 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:37.039 also psychological inventory testing done that way to see what 252 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.919 kind of character, what kind of personality you're dealing with, 253 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:44.840 So then that comes into play on it. So we'll 254 00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:46.799 we'll just have to wait and see. And I think 255 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:49.120 your guest at this point is everybody's goroos mind. 256 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:51.039 Well, you know, it's interesting, Neille. 257 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:52.960 I was on a zoom call with Bill two days 258 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:57.440 ago prior to the Turko deal, and he he's very 259 00:13:57.480 --> 00:14:00.799 calculated with his messaging and he's very careful not to 260 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:04.559 promise anything. I mean, I've told you this anecdote when 261 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:08.320 the introductory press conference took place where the fan base 262 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:10.639 here was meeting that team for the first time, several 263 00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:13.480 of whom probably didn't have any frame of reference for 264 00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:16.240 what they were witnessing or how good or bad this 265 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:18.840 team was. It was just excitement that we had hockey 266 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:22.600 in Salt Lake, and Liam O'Brien took the mic and 267 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:27.120 really fired up the audience at Delta Center Spicy Tuna. 268 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:29.879 People started chanting, and when Bill had the opportunity to 269 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:32.200 address the crowd, he basically said, look, everyone knows we're 270 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:36.480 still rebuilding, right like he's very careful about setting expectations, 271 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.159 and the messaging during a zoom call was the continued 272 00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:44.039 patients and the continued long game, and the continued were 273 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.480 making good decisions one by one and we'll see how 274 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.639 it stacks up. So reasonable expectations probably for either the 275 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:51.759 fourth pick or the rest. 276 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:54.080 Of the moves per Turkus twenty three. 277 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:56.000 To your point, like, I don't know that this is 278 00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:58.240 a front office that's in any hurried ex but I 279 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:00.840 had this process. I think they're verydmitted to what they've 280 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:03.320 already done and are going to continue to see it 281 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:05.759 through and tell it's, you know, the finished product on 282 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:06.519 the other side. 283 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:11.200 Well, and that's smart because first of all, keeping everything 284 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:16.840 in anything in life, keeping expectations in check is smart 285 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:19.799 because you get yourself in a world hurt if you 286 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.960 start over promising and under delivering. In the in the 287 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:27.600 hockey business, I think that that's real smart. The teams 288 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:33.799 that are elite teams Edmonton Florida, obviously, they weren't built overnight. 289 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:38.159 They didn't just go bang and get and work, you know, 290 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:42.279 become that good. It took many years and thoughtful construction 291 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:46.360 to get them there. And I would imagine that Bill's 292 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:48.639 in his mind, he's going, you know, this is the 293 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:51.960 same thing. Now we you and I have talked about 294 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:54.279 their chances to make the playoffs last next year, I'm 295 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.000 still going to stick to what I said. They're going 296 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.559 to be fighting to get into the wild card spot. 297 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:03.279 You know, last year at this time Steve Eiserman and 298 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:05.559 then detray Red Wings thought that they'd be a playoff 299 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:08.960 team or could be a playoff team coming up this season. 300 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:12.159 It didn't happen. Things went wrong and it just didn't happen. 301 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:14.960 And had Steve Eiserman come out and said, oh, we're 302 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:18.120 going to make the playoffs this year. Well, now everybody's 303 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.360 ticked off because you know, you said you'd make the 304 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:24.600 playoffs and you didn't. It's always better to over deliver 305 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:28.720 and under promise and make everybody happy that way. But 306 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:32.720 I don't I don't have a job to lose. So 307 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:35.159 I'm going to tell you that I think that there's 308 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:40.840 a good chance for Utah this season to you know, 309 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:44.480 bang on the door of the wild card spots. 310 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.399 Any other I know, you guys just recorded a free 311 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:49.320 agent primer, a draft primer. 312 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:50.279 So outside of. 313 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:53.639 The deals that we've already discussed, what are the main 314 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:59.159 storylines regarding player acquisition, player retention, players that could be 315 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:01.000 on the move that you guys are honed in on. 316 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:02.399 Before I say you lose Neil. 317 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.880 Well, you know, there was a lot of we had 318 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:06.839 a lot of talk about the big guys that are 319 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:11.640 that are free, that are USA's unrestricted free agents, and 320 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:15.400 of course Mitch Marner from Toronto heads the list because 321 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:18.880 he's not going back to Toronto, his hometown, so he's going 322 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:23.000 to be out there looking for megabucks. Sam Bennett has 323 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:26.039 said at some of the celebrations that he's staying in 324 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:28.920 Florida and he wants to stay in Florida, So we'll 325 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:32.720 see what happens with that. I can't imagine him being like, 326 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:38.079 let you know, letting Florida, letting him leave. Brad Marshan 327 00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:40.920 the elder statesman of the team, thirty seven years old, 328 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:44.920 but prove that he's an awesome playoff player. He's out 329 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:46.960 there and he's been a leader, he's been captain of 330 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:50.920 the Boston Ruins. We talked about all those guys. We 331 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:54.000 talked about Florida and could they keep their team together 332 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:57.039 and the job that Bill Zito had done so and 333 00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:59.960 then we also talked about Connor McDavid in his contract 334 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.240 because he's got one year to go and then he's 335 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:06.359 a UFA if he if Edmonton lets it get there, 336 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:09.680 which I will never imagine that they'll let it get there. 337 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:12.240 But Connor McDavid came out last week and said he's 338 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:14.599 in no hurry to get a contract done. That he 339 00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:17.480 wants to know that the team is going to be 340 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:20.799 trying to win every year and doing everything they can 341 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.920 to win a Stanley cupan Edmonton before he's going to 342 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:28.839 resign there. So that's a lot of the stuff that 343 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:33.640 we've been talking about, and we'll have to wait and 344 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.200 see what happens on Monday. We're talking about tampering to 345 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.519 a little bit because that's so obvious that that goes 346 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:43.480 on before the July first, because Spence, if if anybody 347 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:47.480 announces on July first that they signed somebody anytime before 348 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:51.440 to a plot, they didn't make a deal in two 349 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:54.720 hours on those things. So do you know what I mean? 350 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:57.799 They last year they were announcing deals at twelve oh five. 351 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:00.759 I mean, if you could do it seven year deal 352 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.160 in five minutes, that's pretty good. 353 00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:08.039 Yeah. Look, it happens in every sport. How do you 354 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:11.960 govern that though, Like you know, whether it's NHL, NFL, NBA, 355 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:15.119 it's so very blatantly obvious that it goes down. But 356 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:16.920 is there really any way to stop it? 357 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:22.400 There really isn't because there's so many ways to get information. 358 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:28.839 So you know, it's if somebody lets the cat out 359 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.039 of the bag. That's about the only way that you know, 360 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:33.680 somebody wants to screw somebody and say, well, you know 361 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:36.839 so and so called me. And it's not the general 362 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:38.880 managers that are doing it. They're not going to call 363 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:41.359 anybody and put themselves out there, but they've got people 364 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:44.599 that will get information and can find out if this 365 00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:47.839 guy wants to play. Is there any chance that Sam 366 00:19:47.880 --> 00:19:50.640 Bennett will sign with you? Tod you talk if somebody 367 00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:53.039 talks to his agents, somebody talks to his parents, somebody 368 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.680 talks to his brother, somebody talks to somebody and says, 369 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:58.160 tell me it was Sam going to consider any place else? 370 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:01.359 And if they said, oh, yeah, is he definitely wants 371 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:04.680 to see what you think he'd consider Salt Lake? Yeah, 372 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:07.079 for sure if the money's there. You know that those 373 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.599 kind of conversations You go back, you tell the GM 374 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:14.400 now he's waiting to see it. Like they don't negotiate anything, 375 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:18.559 I'm sure or that that would be really dumb, but 376 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:20.799 they do get their feelers out there and find out 377 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.640 what's possible. 378 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:25.400 Neil, Where can people go find the podcast that you 379 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.960 guys you know do in general, but also that you 380 00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:30.599 just did on the Free Agent Primer and Draft Primer 381 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:31.720 and the Drafters tomorrow night. 382 00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:35.519 Yeah, just go to our website NHL reperound dot com, 383 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:39.599 or go on to Apple or Spotify or iHeart or 384 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:41.559 any place where you listen to podcasts and see if 385 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:43.200 there were YouTube if you want to watch it. But 386 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:46.279 it's yeah, Pierre Lebron was on and he was really good. 387 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:48.160 We had before that, and I think I mentioned this 388 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:50.319 to you last week. We had Pat verbikon who had 389 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:53.640 just traded for Crider and now Pat Verbeek made another 390 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:58.559 big trade this past week and trading Trevor Ziegris to Philadelphia. 391 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:01.559 That's going to be real interesting to see if if 392 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:06.160 Siegris turns out to be a good player with Rick 393 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:10.720 Talkett as his coach, and that's gonna be a very 394 00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:12.920 interesting one. But anyway, there's always news going on at 395 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:13.640 this time of year. 396 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.119 Neil, Thank you sir, Always a pleasure, a fun perspective 397 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:18.319 on the eave of the draft. 398 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:19.799 Have a great weekend with chat. 399 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:22.359 Soon, Thank you, and good luck to the Mammoth. 400 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:25.680 Yes indeed, yes, indeed, the great Neil Smith roster constructor 401 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:27.720