WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:04.360 Utah Hockey Club welcomes in the La Kings tonight seven 2 00:00:04.360 --> 00:00:06.759 o'clock drop of the PUK down at the Delta Center 3 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:10.519 here in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Our next guest 4 00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:13.320 joins us on a weekly basis to talk about the 5 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:16.280 world of pro hockey. Little Utah Hockey Club. Neil Smith 6 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.480 good enough to give us some time on this Thursday afternoon. 7 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:21.359 Neil, Happy Thursday, sir, How are you. 8 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.480 I'm good. I'm very good. Thanks. Coming down the stretch 9 00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:30.120 here of the NHL season and looking forward to seeing 10 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:32.759 who matches up in the playoffs. 11 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:35.399 Yeah, for sure. And we'll get to some big picture 12 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:37.280 of NHL stuff in a moment. And I don't know 13 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:40.439 if it's the pressure of the wild card race essentially 14 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:44.479 being over, but ever since they're not officially eliminated, but 15 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:46.759 if we're honest, it's not happening. But they've won their 16 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:49.079 last two games by a combined score of eight to 17 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:53.560 three at Chicago and then Calgary here, and of course 18 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:55.200 Calgary is one of the teams they were trying to 19 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.119 chase in the standings. And we'll see if Calgary can 20 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:00.719 catch Saint Louis, who just doesn't lose all of a 21 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:03.439 sudden But do you think it's kind of just the 22 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:05.959 pressure off this young team that's allowed them to win 23 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:08.719 a couple of games in a pretty impressive fashion ever 24 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:10.760 since it became pretty apparent that they weren't going to 25 00:01:10.760 --> 00:01:12.200 make the playoffs. 26 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:14.280 You know, there is a lot of pressure that comes 27 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:17.640 off of the players when they know one way or 28 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:21.480 the other what's going to happen. And I've seen often 29 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:24.480 teams that are eliminated or know they're going to be 30 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:28.599 eliminated to play with a lot more ease and play 31 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:33.400 a lot more relaxed, So that definitely can happen. But 32 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:36.319 I just want to remind you of one thing for 33 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:41.599 you and your listeners about the season, because I had 34 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.599 said at the beginning what I thought would happen, and 35 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:47.239 you have to remember that last year, the Arizona Coyotes, 36 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:56.519 which is this year's TA hockey club, and Utah currently 37 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:59.879 has eighty with seven games to go. So if they 38 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:03.239 get five hundred in those seven games, just to throw 39 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.439 out a number, if they can go five hundred, they'll 40 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:08.960 end the season with eighty seven points. That's a ten 41 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:13.000 point jump from what they did last year. And I 42 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:19.240 think a pretty darn good improvement of the club from 43 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:22.439 a year ago. So if there's a bright, if there's 44 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:25.759 late at the end of the tunnel for this hockey team, 45 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:28.879 I think that's it. That they made improvements and they're 46 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:30.199 continually improving. 47 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:32.479 Really good point. 48 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:35.639 And also if we include in the dynamic the fact 49 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:37.800 that all of these people got a phone call that 50 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:41.879 said you live in Salt Lake. Now you know, and 51 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:44.520 they were able to make the move and not allow 52 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:47.759 that to move the program in the wrong direction. And 53 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:51.960 you've been good enough to outline how the ownership complications 54 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:55.199 in Arizona led to Ryan Smith being able to make 55 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:58.560 this happen with the cooperation, of course, of with Gary 56 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:01.319 Beman and the NHL. And you know, the commissioner Bettman 57 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:03.800 joined our show and said, the first conversation he had 58 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:07.000 with Ryan about this was in March, and suddenly it 59 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.639 was the first week of May and they're here. So 60 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.400 what does that say about the character of the organization 61 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:15.000 that they didn't And I know that there were so 62 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:18.400 many positives about the move. But you know, whenever we 63 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:21.120 talk about this, and of course this is based off 64 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:23.560 my background, I talk a lot about the personal angle 65 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:26.759 here where you're moving families and you're moving children, and 66 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:29.840 you're relocating, and you're selling a home and you're buying 67 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:31.680 a new home. It's I know, a lot of these 68 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:34.840 people make a lot of money, and so the complications 69 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:37.120 might fall on deaf ears for normal folk. 70 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:38.840 But it doesn't matter how much money you have. 71 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:42.159 When you're moving around and you're kind of upsetting the 72 00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:45.120 apple cart with your family and you're asking people to 73 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:47.919 settle into a new community, it can provide complications. So 74 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:50.680 what does it say to you that even moving into 75 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:54.879 a new community, the hockey club was able to continue 76 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:57.840 this incremental growth that Bill Armstrong talks about all the time. 77 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:01.319 No, I think I think it's great. I think it's 78 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:06.199 a It says a lot of things about the ownership 79 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:08.800 of the club, down to the management of the club, 80 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:10.879 down to the character the players of the club, and 81 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:13.800 of course the coaches. But that's a big adjustment, and 82 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:16.240 you think people don't often think about it. You and 83 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:20.160 I do because we've been through it together. But you know, 84 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:23.800 you guy has to move if he's got kids, they 85 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:25.839 got to change schools, they got to go and make 86 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:27.639 all new friends. And you know how tough that is 87 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:30.879 on kids that you know they got their friends at school. 88 00:04:31.720 --> 00:04:34.920 It's a lot of people. Their wife is from the 89 00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:37.720 city that they were in, they met them earlier in 90 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.439 their career, perhaps in Phoenix or wherever, and now they've 91 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:44.279 got to ask them to leave there where they've lived 92 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.399 their whole life and go to a new place. So 93 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:50.199 it's not just the hockey player that gets you know, 94 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.480 has to make a big adjustments, but it's it's the 95 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:56.199 family of the hockey players that have to make a 96 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:00.279 bigger adjustment because everybody's doing what they can do to 97 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:06.000 support dad in his hockey career. And it is truly 98 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:10.240 a big adjustment and one that goes unnoticed by the 99 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:13.040 normal fan. All they know is that, well, he used 100 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:14.759 to be wearing a coyote on the front of his 101 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.959 jersey and now he's got Utah written down his jersey, 102 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:21.000 and you know that kind of thing. But it can 103 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:21.720 be traumatic. 104 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:25.759 So I want to put you in Bill Armstrong's seat 105 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:29.519 as the roster constructor and the main decision maker. You're 106 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:32.680 viewing this, I would imagine as a successful season and 107 00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:35.439 yet a you know, just another step in the right direction. 108 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:37.959 And at what point do you kind of start looking 109 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.720 ahead to start, you know, considering what decisions you need 110 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:43.079 to make to make sure the progress continues the way 111 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:43.680 you want it to go. 112 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:49.399 I think he's doing it continuously. I'm sure he's doing 113 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:54.839 it continuously. So he's evaluating every day and every player 114 00:05:54.839 --> 00:05:57.279 and who's out there, and he's meeting with pro scouts 115 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:59.920 and finding out what their thoughts are about the guy 116 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.439 as it could potentially be free agents or be gotten 117 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:08.199 in a deal. That exercise never stops for the GM. 118 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:12.720 They're doing that all the time now. Obviously, Bill is 119 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.720 going to focus more in on the future now than 120 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:18.720 the present because of the fact that the president is 121 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.399 sort of decided. And I want to say one other 122 00:06:22.439 --> 00:06:26.120 thing about the president being decided. The only reason it's 123 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:29.439 been this clearly decided is because you had a team 124 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:32.759 win ten straight games, and that's the single Lois Blues. 125 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:36.199 They've played Pittsburgh tonight looking for their eleventh straight. They 126 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:39.600 separated themselves from the pack by doing that. And if 127 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:42.959 you remember when we spoke two three four weeks ago 128 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:45.879 about Utah and their chances to get in I said, 129 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.959 if they could get on a run, they could do it. 130 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:53.120 And that's what Saint Louis did so and that's what 131 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:55.959 separated them from the pack. Minnesota has been pretty good 132 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:58.199 all year long. Now they've had a lot of injuries, 133 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:00.680 so they've slipped back a bit and they're in the 134 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:04.519 wild card. But it's not just Utah that couldn't keep 135 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:07.279 up with Saint Louis. The Vancouver Canucks won the Pacific 136 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.920 Division last year and just lost out in Game seven 137 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:13.519 in the first round of Edmonton, and they're going to 138 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:17.639 miss the playoffs. And Calgary, who's had a remarkable season 139 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:21.160 for what we expected, it looks like they're going to 140 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:24.600 make miss the playoffs. So it's really hard and it 141 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:29.199 would be very unfair to think that Utah Hockey Club 142 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:31.480 could keep up with a ten and old record that 143 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.680 Saint Louis went on at this critical time in the season. 144 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:38.199 Let me ask you about how Saint Louis did this, 145 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:41.079 because you know, as a result of my background, they're 146 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:43.399 one of the teams that kind of loosely follow and 147 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:45.959 for the majority of the season they were looking up 148 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:48.639 at not just the Utah Hockey Club, a lot of 149 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:49.920 the other the other teams. 150 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:51.759 What what what clicked there? 151 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:54.720 Because as you reference ten straight wins, it is the 152 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:57.560 longest winning streak in the NHL by kind of a 153 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.000 long shot. Dallas has won six straight, but Saint Louis 154 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:00.639 with ten straight. 155 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:02.360 What clicked for them? 156 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:05.600 Well, I think there's a number of things, but the 157 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:11.800 most visible thing is Jordan Bennington. They're starting goaltender who 158 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:14.879 played in the Four Nations for Canada. He was a 159 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:19.000 starting goaltender for Canada in the Four Nations tournament. Canada 160 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:23.680 won the tournament. Jordan Bennington was the winning goaltender of 161 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:27.560 the Four Nations tournament and since then he's been eleven 162 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:31.319 and one. He's won eleven and only lost one since 163 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.600 the Four Nations. So when you've got a goaltender standing 164 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:38.159 on his head like that, that's a huge part of it. 165 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:41.440 Now you've got to give credit to Jordan Cairo and 166 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:44.399 to Jim Montgomery, the head coach and so on, and 167 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:47.080 there's a lot of other pieces there, but the most 168 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:51.000 visible piece to me is the outstanding play of the goaltender, 169 00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:54.559 Jordan Bennington. He's playing like he did when they won 170 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:58.440 the Stanley Cup a number of years ago. So to 171 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.320 answer your question, that's what I think it is. 172 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:01.240 Dallas. 173 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:03.919 I referenced second in the Central and Winnipeg is still 174 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:07.759 the class of that division. They're differentials plus eighty. But 175 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:10.600 Dallas has turned it on too. You reference them not 176 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:12.399 too long ago as a team to watch out for. 177 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:14.360 What's kind of click for them over the past couple 178 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:15.159 of weeks, Neil. 179 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:18.679 Well, I think Oton's is a goaltend, And of course 180 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:21.080 I'm always going to start with the goaltender, because without goaltending, 181 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:23.159 you're not going to win, so you sort of got 182 00:09:23.159 --> 00:09:26.279 to go there first. But I think Ottiner has been 183 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:28.879 very good for them. They're doing this too without one 184 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:32.639 of their very best players, Miro Heaskin and the defenseman 185 00:09:32.679 --> 00:09:35.080 who's a dynamic force for them, and if they get 186 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:37.799 him back for the playoffs, they're going to be even better. 187 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:40.080 But I think there's been a number of things. Jason 188 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:44.840 Robertson is scoring goals, why at Johnson has been quite 189 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:49.320 well developed, and now is putting pucks in all the time. 190 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:52.600 They've got a good combination there that are all coming 191 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:55.840 together at the same time. And you know, we've said 192 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:58.799 all season that Dallas is a good team. They seem 193 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:01.840 to be peaking at the I like the moves that 194 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:06.480 Jim Neil did it before the deadline when he got 195 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:10.240 Granlin and Cci from San Jose. He moved Gurley and 196 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:12.480 got those guys, and you know there's still a chance 197 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:15.679 that they could catch Winnipeg. That's not out of the 198 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:19.480 realm of possibility. That they're only four points behind them, 199 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:21.879 and they have one more game than Winnipeg to play, 200 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:25.240 so you know it's not out of the realm of 201 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:27.399 possibility they can get there. It's going to be really 202 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:31.159 tough for Colorado to catch Dallas. Now there's six points 203 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:34.000 back of them, So it looks at this point like 204 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:38.360 it'll be Dallas and Colorado in the first round. And 205 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:42.799 that's sort of sad Spence because they're both Stanley Cup 206 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:44.960 contenders and yet one of them is going to be 207 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:46.080 gone in the first round. 208 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:50.320 Of course, a ton of attention on Avechkin's chase to 209 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:53.480 up break Wayne Gretzky's record, and he's only three goals 210 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:56.679 shy of doing that, and I think he's projected to 211 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:59.480 do that April twelfth or thirteenth, according to what I 212 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:02.799 was reading and earlier on the ESPN coverage. But kind 213 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:07.000 of lost in Ovechkin's chase is that he's doing it 214 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.440 during a good run for a team that has a 215 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:11.679 chance to make some noise in the East. I mean, oftentimes, 216 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:16.240 when a player is aging and he's chasing stats, and 217 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:19.360 I'm thinking pro basketball, when Koreem broke his record and 218 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.919 Lebron broke the scoring record during a pretty. 219 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.559 You know, mediocre year for the Lakers. 220 00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:29.279 Oftentimes, when a player is aging chasing a record like this, 221 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.840 he's not playing for a team that's contending. And I 222 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:34.240 just kind of wonder where your thoughts are on just 223 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:36.799 the fact that Ovechkin is close to breaking that record, 224 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:38.840 but he's also doing it for a team that's in 225 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:40.639 the midst of a run that could put them in 226 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:42.679 contention to hoist the cup. 227 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:44.399 What are your thoughts on that dynamic deal. 228 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:47.840 I think that's a really good point. I remember when 229 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.799 Wayne was breaking a lot of records back in his 230 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:53.320 day with the La Kings. Is when he broke most 231 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:55.679 of the records. That's when he got the book the 232 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:59.840 Gordy hell goal scoring record, and the Kings. You know, 233 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:03.919 we're not up and contending teams. So I think what 234 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:06.879 you're saying, and I want to agree with wholeheartedly, is 235 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:11.000 Ovechkin's doing this and they haven't taken their eye off 236 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:13.720 the ball. The Capitals, they haven't said, well, let's do 237 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:18.879 all this for Ov and back off on our defensive responsibilities. 238 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.799 Let's take every chance we have to get Ov the record. 239 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:25.240 They're still playing great hockey now. Last night they got 240 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:28.399 creamed by Carolina because they'd played the night before and 241 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:31.799 Carolina was right on their game. They lost five to one, 242 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:35.240 and guess who got the one goal. Ovechkin, of course. 243 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:41.639 So it is remarkable what he's doing at his age 244 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:47.639 and how that is helping his team perhaps win the 245 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:51.639 President's Trophy, but certainly be a dominant force in the East. 246 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:55.279 And I think that they really want to have this 247 00:12:55.399 --> 00:12:59.240 record broken at home. I think that you may see 248 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:03.320 it work out he scores that goal against Columbus on 249 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:07.000 the twelfth, or maybe against the I'm sorry, I'm the 250 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:12.080 thirteenth against Columbus, or that may work out that way, 251 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:16.320 or if he can score against Chicago and then at 252 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:19.200 the Islanders, he could do it at home against Carolina. 253 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.519 But I think he's about four games away from doing 254 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:27.840 it now, and if I'm right about that, that would 255 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:30.159 put him right in line with doing it against Columbus 256 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:33.120 either there they played back to back twelfth and thirteenth, 257 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:36.480 so it would either be in Columbus or in Washington 258 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:42.759 against Columbus, So Mrs Lincoln's, who is the goaltender for Columbus, 259 00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:45.919 has that to look forward to, like I'm going to 260 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.840 be the one that's probably going to get beat for 261 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:49.200 the record setting goal. 262 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:52.559 Well, we've been hyper focused on the wild card race 263 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:54.639 out this way in the Western Conference to see if 264 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.879 the hockey club and get it done. 265 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.200 They're straight chaos in the East Neo, isn't there. 266 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.840 It looks like Ottawa is going to pull away and 267 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:03.279 grab one of the spots, but they've lost a couple 268 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:07.000 in a row. Montreal's differentials minus twenty five. 269 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:09.279 Yet they're right there. 270 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:12.759 But my guys, the Rangers, they've kind of resurrected their 271 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:17.240 playoff chances and they're tied with Montreal right now. Montreal 272 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:18.879 does have a game in hand. Who do you think 273 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:21.960 captures that second wild card? Looks like Godawa was going 274 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:22.720 to grab the first. 275 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.480 I think because on strength of schedule, you've got to 276 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:31.879 go with Montreal only because they only have three more 277 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:35.200 games left against teams that are currently in the playoffs, 278 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:39.440 and they have five games left against non playoff teams. 279 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:43.480 So and if you look at the Rangers schedule, they 280 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:48.360 have five against playoff teams and only two against non 281 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:51.840 playoff teams, and those two come back to back. So 282 00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:55.159 and I don't like the way the Rangers are playing. 283 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:57.360 When I look at them, I think, with the talent 284 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.679 they've got on the team, they should be a lot 285 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:02.639 better than they are, But their structure doesn't seem to 286 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:05.840 be there, and every night something goes wrong for them. 287 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:08.759 And even with a stirk and in net, you know, 288 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:11.720 they squeak out wins like they did last night over Minnesota, 289 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:16.039 but Minnesota got a point there. So I really do 290 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:19.559 think that the Montreal Canadians are on a mission to 291 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:23.399 make it. I would have if my heart dictated who 292 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:26.960 would make it, Spence, I would have had Columbus Blue 293 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:31.159 Jackets make it because of what they've been through preseason 294 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:34.759 and during the season for that franchise, losing Johnny Gidrou 295 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.600 and his brother Matthew. But your heart doesn't set the standings. 296 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:42.519 But I think it looks to me like the halves 297 00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:44.960 the Montreal Canadians are going to make that last spot. 298 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.960 We always talk about this time of year, when the 299 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.799 playoffs are right around the corner, about teams that find 300 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:53.559 their form at the right time. So I want to 301 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:55.799 go back to the Western Conference, and of course in 302 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:58.399 Winnipeg has been the class all year. We talked Dallas, 303 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:01.840 in Colorado, there, Vegas, the Kings are in town tonight. 304 00:16:02.360 --> 00:16:05.159 But based off of what the Blues have done, do 305 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:07.440 you change the way that you kind of look at 306 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:09.919 them heading into the postseason since they have seen to 307 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:11.919 capture the right form at the right time of year. 308 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:18.399 You know, they're at plus eighteen, they've really turned their 309 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:21.559 season around. I mean that Ken and O will end 310 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.320 at some point because they always do no matter who 311 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:27.679 the team is. But yeah, could they be a team 312 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:30.600 that goes into the playoffs now with nothing to lose 313 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.159 because nobody expected them to make it? Could they do 314 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:36.320 what they did back in twenty nineteen and come in 315 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:40.320 and start surprising people? Sure, I don't expect that, but 316 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:44.080 I think they could do that. I still think that 317 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:50.440 the heavyweights are in Winnipeg, Dallas, Colorado and Vegas. I 318 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:53.639 think then after that, you've got Edmonton in LA who 319 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:57.600 looks like they're ready to play a fifth straight first 320 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.519 round against each other if you can believe it, La 321 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:07.599 and Edmonton. But it'll it'll all be interesting which way 322 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:11.599 it goes. And and again out there. You've got those 323 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:16.920 five really dynamic teams that that have all got a 324 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:20.720 shot in the In the East, you've got one division, 325 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:26.599 the Atlantic Division, that's got three Stanley Cup contenders, Toronto, Tampa, Florida. 326 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:29.799 And then you've got in the Metro you've got Washington 327 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:33.319 and Carolina. So you've got five in the East, five 328 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:38.599 in the West. It's it's not a it's I can't 329 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:42.440 say and be honest with you that it's it's anybody's game, 330 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:45.440 like it's anybody's Cup. I think there's still favorites out 331 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.640 of those ten teams I just mentioned, But it's going 332 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:50.559 to be a hell of a series, a hell of 333 00:17:50.599 --> 00:17:51.759 a playoff. 334 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:54.680 And you know, I mean, that's one of the great 335 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:57.599 things about this format. And I'm not sure why, and 336 00:17:57.640 --> 00:17:59.720 we'll wait into this area for a moment. I'm not 337 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:02.759 sure or what breeds upsets in the Stanley Cup playoffs 338 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:05.440 in a way that the NBA doesn't see, but we 339 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:09.920 do oftentimes see upsets, and oftentimes home ice advantage doesn't 340 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:13.000 mean the same that home court advantage means. Any any 341 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:16.480 thoughts on that for you a new hockey market out here, 342 00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:19.400 Why the Stanley Cup playoffs and professional hockey seem to 343 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:22.880 breed upsets more often than pro basketball does. 344 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.680 Any thoughts on that, Yeah, My thoughts are that. 345 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:31.559 There is a lot of pressure playing at home, and 346 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:35.880 so it has turned from not being that much of 347 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.880 an advantage anymore to play at home. I think because 348 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:40.720 of the pressure. When you're on the road, it's you 349 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:44.160 against the world. There's a traveling party of thirty people 350 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:46.880 and it's thirty and twenty thousand others cheering for the 351 00:18:46.920 --> 00:18:52.119 other side. I do think that there can be a 352 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:56.480 lot of pressure when the expectations are high for your team, 353 00:18:56.599 --> 00:18:59.319 and certainly the teams that I just mentioned, they've all 354 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:03.079 got very high expectations on them. If you take a 355 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:05.920 look at Toronto for example, Lenith and you know this Spence, 356 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:09.039 they haven't won the Stanley Cup since nineteen sixty seven. 357 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:13.079 So the Leaf fans are just propping at the mouth 358 00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:15.440 to get them to do well in the playoffs and 359 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:18.680 their whole season will be judged by the playoffs. And 360 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:23.160 the Florida Panthers want to repeat the Washington fans are 361 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:25.079 going to think that they've got a Stanley Cup team 362 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:28.079 because they're way up in the standings and we've already 363 00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:31.680 talked about these teams in the West, where you know 364 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:34.559 Edmonton oiler fans think, well, why shouldn't we win with 365 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:39.160 Connor McDavid and Leon Drysidle. But to get to your 366 00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:43.279 point about upsets, I think that it's a pressure things. 367 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:48.599 Sometimes when those expectations are that high, it can make 368 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:51.440 you squeeze your stick a lot tighter and not play 369 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:56.359 as loose as you should. So Winnipeg, for example, hasn't 370 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:59.559 been successful in the playoffs. They've been successful in the 371 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:02.960 regular season, and there's they're going to be judged by 372 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:05.400 their fans based upon what happens in the playoffs, and 373 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:09.079 if they lose in the first round, well that six 374 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:12.119 or seven months of regular season hockey will be out 375 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:12.599 the window. 376 00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:17.000 So the Utah Hockey Club has announced that after their 377 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:21.519 final regular season home game, which will be April tenth, 378 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:25.319 first Nashville, they're going to hand out their postseason awards. 379 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:27.759 Fans can vote on it right now, so check that out. 380 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:30.920 If they asked you, Neil Smith, the MVP of the 381 00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:34.559 Utah Hockey Club this season, who would you go with 382 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:38.240 Clayton Keller is they're leading He leads them in points. 383 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.079 Kind of by a long shot. 384 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:41.039 I know a lot of people close to the club 385 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:43.480 would tell you Serga chef should be an option. And 386 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:47.279 when you look at the unsure nature of the goalie situation, 387 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:49.640 because Connor Ingram has not had a great year, maybe 388 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:51.160 Vimelka is in the mix as well. Who do you 389 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.039 think the Utah Hockey Club MVP is this year? 390 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:55.799 Neil, You know, I'm going to go back where I 391 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:57.920 was at the beginning of the year because I like 392 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.480 this kid, Clayton Keller, that Saint Louis, and I mean 393 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:05.200 he's been the captain, He's had a fantastic year. But 394 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:07.599 you've got so much growth going on there. I mean 395 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:12.119 you've mentioned it. You've got Bimelka, who wasn't who was 396 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:15.039 on a contract that was going to expire, gets a 397 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:17.799 new contract and has played really well for them and 398 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:21.440 has proven that he can handle the reins. This kid 399 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:24.839 Dylan Gunk, what a player he is and what a 400 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:28.880 shot he's got and able to score goals. He's got 401 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:32.119