WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Joining us right now in the program is Neil Smith,

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<v Speaker 1>former GM of the New York Rangers who won a

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<v Speaker 1>Stanley Cup, and of course he does his NHL Wrap

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<v Speaker 1>Around podcast. Neil, Welcome to the program. I was a

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<v Speaker 1>little nervous when I saw your name. It was giving

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<v Speaker 1>me nightmares from my days of playing football in the NFL.

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<v Speaker 1>I thought you were Neil Smith, who wore the breathe right,

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<v Speaker 1>and he was a defensive lineman who tried to kill quarterbacks.

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<v Speaker 1>So I'm so glad that it's the hockey Neil Smith.

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<v Speaker 2>You know what's funny is that I knew about that

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<v Speaker 2>the whole time, and it was while I was GM.

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<v Speaker 2>He of course he was with the Chiefs, and I

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<v Speaker 2>actually spoke to him on Twitter. I think it was

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<v Speaker 2>somehow I got to him, and you know, I got

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<v Speaker 2>to sort of meet him through that. But yeah, you

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<v Speaker 2>have to if you google me, you have to put

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<v Speaker 2>Neil Smith hockey or else. Yes, it all comes up

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<v Speaker 2>about that, Neil Smith.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. So Neil Smith and Derek Thomas were a formidable

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<v Speaker 1>duo on the defensive line for the Kansas City Chiefs

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<v Speaker 1>and then Neil went on for the for the Broncos.

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<v Speaker 1>But what a great player he was in. So the

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<v Speaker 1>trade deadline, NHL trade tread deadlines tomorrow at four pm.

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<v Speaker 1>Anything new, anything in the in the works here with

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<v Speaker 1>the deadline that we should be aware of here in

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<v Speaker 1>the great state of Utah.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you know, if Utah made a couple of trades

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<v Speaker 2>already or made a couple of signings, I'm sorry, not

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<v Speaker 2>trade signings. They signed a couple of their defenseman heam

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<v Speaker 2>Cole and Alex and then Ford Alex Kirkfoot, and so

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<v Speaker 2>they took them off the free agent market. But there's

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<v Speaker 2>been there's been a couple of trades, nothing major. But

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<v Speaker 2>what's really surprising, Scott is that there was a major

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<v Speaker 2>trade in the middle of the season when between Carolina,

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<v Speaker 2>Carolina and Colorado, and Colorado traded Nico Ranton and who's

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<v Speaker 2>an All Star, fifty goal scorer, great player. They traded

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<v Speaker 2>him to Carolina and the reason probably that they did

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<v Speaker 2>that was because he's an unrestricted free agent. At the

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<v Speaker 2>end of the year. They got back a real good

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<v Speaker 2>player in Martin Neckish who's playing for them on Colorado

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<v Speaker 2>and playing really well. But now Ranton and says that

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<v Speaker 2>he's not going to sign until, you know, after the season.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's scary for Carolina because they put out a

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<v Speaker 2>lot to trade for him, right and he isn't going

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<v Speaker 2>to sign. So now the rumor is, or the thought is,

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<v Speaker 2>will Carolina turn around and trade him again so that

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<v Speaker 2>they don't have him walking away for nothing. So that's

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<v Speaker 2>an interesting part of this trade deadline. Personally, being involved

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<v Speaker 2>in this for so many years, I find it hard

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<v Speaker 2>to believe that there'd be a taker for a guy who's,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, is a UFA at the end of the

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<v Speaker 2>year and is asking for a really big number. So

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<v Speaker 2>I think he'll probably stay put in Carolina. But it's

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<v Speaker 2>interesting anyway.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that is interesting. It almost seems like why would

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<v Speaker 1>you make that trade in the first place, if you

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<v Speaker 1>if you were going to allow that or uh, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>is there I guess, is there a way around it?

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<v Speaker 1>Or could a team trade for him or uh and

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<v Speaker 1>and signing it as part of trading for him signing

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<v Speaker 1>to a long term contract.

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<v Speaker 2>Well that that's the whole thing, Scott. It's the same

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<v Speaker 2>in all the sports. If you're you know, if you're

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<v Speaker 2>trading for a guy who's unrestricted at the end of

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<v Speaker 2>the year, you're going to make sure you got you

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<v Speaker 2>can get him signed, right, So you're going to talk

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<v Speaker 2>to the agent, You're going to talk to somebody, and

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<v Speaker 2>you're going to find out what is it going to

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<v Speaker 2>take to get this guy signed, because I don't want

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want to give away great assets for three months.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's it's in this case. I mean the same

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<v Speaker 2>team Caroline Hurricanes did it last year when they traded

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<v Speaker 2>for canseil Uh and he finished the year, finished the

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<v Speaker 2>playoffs with them. They did respect you know, respectively, but

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<v Speaker 2>he moved on to Tampa when the year was out.

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<v Speaker 2>He went and signed with Tampa. So they ended up

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<v Speaker 2>with nothing for Danseil last year, and it could be

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<v Speaker 2>the same thing this year now with Rantman so and

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<v Speaker 2>those are heavy duty losses to cake for a management.

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<v Speaker 2>When you lose a player for nothing, you know, it's

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<v Speaker 2>your job is to make sure that you maintain assets,

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<v Speaker 2>and when you lose guys that are that valuable for nothing,

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<v Speaker 2>it can really bite you.

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned Utah, I see extending several players from either

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<v Speaker 1>one year three. I think you know, a couple for

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<v Speaker 1>one year, a couple for three, and then the goalie

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<v Speaker 1>for five. What is that? What is that message? What's

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<v Speaker 1>the strategy behind the differing times of extending contracts and

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<v Speaker 1>what is all unwrapped that for me? Tell me what

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<v Speaker 1>that all means.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, it usually goes by the age of the player.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean with Vimlka, he's been he's come up to

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<v Speaker 2>be their number one goalie this year. They did can

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<v Speaker 2>start out that way. I don't think they expected him

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<v Speaker 2>to be, but he's played his way into the number

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<v Speaker 2>one role, so I'm sure they wanted to get him

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<v Speaker 2>tied up. You know, with Ian Cole who they signed,

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<v Speaker 2>who's a great, experienced, real veteran player, he's long in

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<v Speaker 2>the tooth, you know, he's in his thirties, so they're

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<v Speaker 2>going to give him a shorter contract. With Alex Kirkfoot,

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<v Speaker 2>he's been around quite a while, but not not the

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<v Speaker 2>age of Ian Cole, but you know, so he would

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<v Speaker 2>get maybe a little bit more time. It's all going

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<v Speaker 2>to go on the projection, as it is in any sport,

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<v Speaker 2>projection of how long you've got left in your career,

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<v Speaker 2>and don't take a chance that you know, maybe we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to be paying you in the future when we

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<v Speaker 2>can't use you anymore.

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<v Speaker 1>So we live in a bubble here in Utah, we

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<v Speaker 1>have our own sense of what's real and reality, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's the high altitude that does that to

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<v Speaker 1>us and the mountains. We're kind of secluded here. What

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<v Speaker 1>is the rest of the world view about the Utah

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<v Speaker 1>Hockey Club and this first year in Utah. What's been

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<v Speaker 1>the perception of people and fans and everything in the NHL.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, the NHL has three categories of teams. So

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<v Speaker 2>there's the teams that are you know, when training camp

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<v Speaker 2>comes along that these teams are in the playoffs for sure,

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<v Speaker 2>and it's just a matter of where are they going

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<v Speaker 2>to be in the standings. And that's one grouping, both

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<v Speaker 2>in the East and in the West. Then you have

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<v Speaker 2>another grouping that's sort of the bubble teams. And by

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<v Speaker 2>that what I mean is in the West it's Vancouver, Calgary, Utah,

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<v Speaker 2>Saint Louis, Anaheim. Those are sort of the bubble teams.

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<v Speaker 2>They're trying to get up with that first group and

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<v Speaker 2>break into that and be a for sure playoff team.

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<v Speaker 2>And then you've got the third group, which is the

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<v Speaker 2>you know, the more of the Chicago, the San Jose,

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<v Speaker 2>the teams that are totally rebuilding and they're probably was

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<v Speaker 2>never a thought that they were going to be in

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<v Speaker 2>the playoffs right from the get go because they're in

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<v Speaker 2>a total rebuild and Utah's in that bubble group. They're

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<v Speaker 2>trying to get out of that, and this year they've

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<v Speaker 2>shown that they're knocking on the door. For sure. They're

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<v Speaker 2>right behind Vancouver and Calgary, who are very good teams.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's going to take about ninety three to ninety

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<v Speaker 2>four points to get into the playoffs. And so for

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<v Speaker 2>Utah to get there with only fifty seven right now,

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<v Speaker 2>you can do the math, that's twenty seven more points

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<v Speaker 2>they need and they've only got a twenty six games remaining,

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<v Speaker 2>so they've got to go at a heck of a

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<v Speaker 2>clip now to be able to jump in. But the

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<v Speaker 2>perception of them is is that they're a building team,

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<v Speaker 2>they're a young team. They came from Arizona, and they

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<v Speaker 2>have done a good job of staying in it the

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<v Speaker 2>whole season and knocking on the door. And I think

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<v Speaker 2>that that's what's important. So that with one or two

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<v Speaker 2>good moves, with one or two great another draft pick

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<v Speaker 2>that comes in that's real good, all of a sudden

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<v Speaker 2>you look around at see Utah is there and in

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<v Speaker 2>the playoffs next year.

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<v Speaker 1>It's interesting. And you mentioned they got to play at

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<v Speaker 1>a high clip, right now, are they capable? I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>what would have to happen in order for this team

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<v Speaker 1>to actually make the playoffs? Is it?

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<v Speaker 2>Is it?

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<v Speaker 1>You know, they got to stay healthy, They got to

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<v Speaker 1>have people really playing at their best. You know, the

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<v Speaker 1>goalies got to get what needs to happen for this

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<v Speaker 1>team to make it. Aside from they got to get

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<v Speaker 1>the points obviously, yeah, I think I.

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<v Speaker 2>Think they got to go on a tremendous clip. But

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<v Speaker 2>all those things you just said. The goaltender's got to

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<v Speaker 2>stand on his head. They've got to get the goals

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<v Speaker 2>out of the out of the goal scorers like Gunter

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<v Speaker 2>and so on. I'll tell you the main thing that

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<v Speaker 2>they have to do is they have five games left

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<v Speaker 2>with other bubble teams, meaning other teams that are in

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<v Speaker 2>the same situation. They're in two with Vancouver, two with Calgary,

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<v Speaker 2>one with Saint Louis, and one with Annaeim. They got

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<v Speaker 2>to make sure they win those games because they've got

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<v Speaker 2>to take the points off the table from away from

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<v Speaker 2>those teams so that they can start to jump. Of course,

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<v Speaker 2>they need a winning streak everybody that's in that bubble

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<v Speaker 2>needs a winning streat. But particularly you can't lose points

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<v Speaker 2>to Vancouver, Calvary, Saint Lewis and Anaheim because those are

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<v Speaker 2>the teams you have to jump over to get into

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<v Speaker 2>that eight and final spot in the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 1>In the West, We're We're a community that loves our sport.

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<v Speaker 1>We really do. It's a very very passionate sports fan

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<v Speaker 1>base here. They will show up, they will support. Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>Folks are excited about this Utah Hockey Club and what

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<v Speaker 1>you're a you're a former GM and you guys had

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<v Speaker 1>success at that and one Stanley Copp and all that.

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<v Speaker 1>And if you looked at this Utah Hockey Club, what

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<v Speaker 1>what is the move you? What's your next move? What's

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<v Speaker 1>your move? You talk about getting into the playoffs next

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<v Speaker 1>year and moving up in the in the pecking order

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<v Speaker 1>of perception. How does how do you go from a

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<v Speaker 1>bubble team to a playoff team? And what what's the

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<v Speaker 1>what's the one move that that you see that the

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<v Speaker 1>the Utah I see has to do.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I really like Clayton Teller, who they make

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<v Speaker 2>after this year's but he's a young guy, I think,

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<v Speaker 2>and this is hard to do so, Scott, everything I'm

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<v Speaker 2>saying isn't easy. This is none of this is easy.

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<v Speaker 2>But if they could get a guy in that locker

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<v Speaker 2>room that has some winning background to help those young

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<v Speaker 2>guys know what it takes to get into the to

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<v Speaker 2>get to the playoffs and have success in the playoffs,

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<v Speaker 2>I think that could really help them. But again, it's

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<v Speaker 2>not easy to find that guy. They don't grow on trees.

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<v Speaker 2>And other than that, they've just got to wait for

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<v Speaker 2>the development of these young players. They've got some great

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<v Speaker 2>young guys and they just have to work on that development.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think they're going to be there. I like

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<v Speaker 2>the moves that Bill Armstrong has made, and you know what,

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<v Speaker 2>I think they're going to get there. They're just the

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<v Speaker 2>fans and the organization are going to have to be

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<v Speaker 2>patient because you came in as a non playoff team.

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<v Speaker 2>You've made some strides this season, but again, it's not

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<v Speaker 2>easy to jump over all these teams.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I'm really curious about you talk about these players developing.

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<v Speaker 1>Is it just is it just a matter of playing?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I know in my experience with sports, it

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<v Speaker 1>was like there was no better teacher than than game

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<v Speaker 1>experience and Is that all it is? Is that the

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<v Speaker 1>thing that you just they just got to get game time.

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<v Speaker 1>They got to get got to see those you know,

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<v Speaker 1>plays and see how you know, just get a feel

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<v Speaker 1>for the game and just play. And is that what

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<v Speaker 1>it takes. Are there are other things that they can

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<v Speaker 1>be doing to develop these players, I think.

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<v Speaker 2>I think reps and that's what you're talking about. Reps

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<v Speaker 2>like getting more repetitions and that means more games. I

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<v Speaker 2>think if you look at their team, they've improved from

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<v Speaker 2>the beginning of the season till now and they've matured.

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<v Speaker 2>In the beginning of the season, they were taking a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of foolish penalties. You're getting caught on the penalty

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<v Speaker 2>kill all the time, and that was losing them games.

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<v Speaker 2>They don't do that that much anymore. I think they've

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<v Speaker 2>got they've grown up in that respect. But they it

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<v Speaker 2>is a matter of just being you know, playing more

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<v Speaker 2>and more NHL games, and as you get older, of course,

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<v Speaker 2>meaning you know, as you mature, all of a sudden

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<v Speaker 2>you jump ahead of your competition. And so it's it's

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<v Speaker 2>the same everywhere. It's the same with you know, musicians, right,

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<v Speaker 2>they've got to play a lot, a lot of places

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<v Speaker 2>before they get on the big stage, and I think

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<v Speaker 2>it's the same with these guys, and obviously the coaching

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<v Speaker 2>will help them, but all the players stay in great

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<v Speaker 2>shape year round. They work out really hard, they do

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<v Speaker 2>whatever they can, and the teams are there to support that.

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<v Speaker 2>So it is a matter of just the maturation process.

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<v Speaker 1>One last thing before I let you go here this

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<v Speaker 1>Four Nations Challenge. I've loved it. I thought it was amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm so disappointed with all star games and showcase games

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<v Speaker 1>in all these sports, and it just was exciting. And

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<v Speaker 1>maybe it was accelerated because of the political climate that

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<v Speaker 1>we're in right now. But is this something we should

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<v Speaker 1>expect to see more and maybe expand it or you

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<v Speaker 1>know what, what's your take on on what the NHL

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<v Speaker 1>did this year?

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<v Speaker 2>Scott. To be honest with you, when when they announced

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<v Speaker 2>that they were going to do this thing, I thought, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>here's another money grab. You know, the players association in

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<v Speaker 2>the league have got together to make a pile of money.

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<v Speaker 2>But I got to tell you, I was glued to it.

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<v Speaker 2>I thought it was fantastic. I really enjoyed it. I

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<v Speaker 2>thought the players played really hard, and unfortunately a few

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<v Speaker 2>got injured, so that doesn't help their NHL teams. But

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<v Speaker 2>I think you're going to see this every every few years,

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<v Speaker 2>like meaning every three years or something. I haven't heard that.

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<v Speaker 2>I just think that they'll do that, they'll take advantage

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<v Speaker 2>of this. I I, like you, wish they would just

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<v Speaker 2>get rid of the All Star Game. It's it isn't

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<v Speaker 2>It isn't a game anymore. It's a you know, it's basically,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, let's go out there and just you know,

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<v Speaker 2>be soft on each other and just pee it up

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<v Speaker 2>and laugh. And I just don't think it represents the

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<v Speaker 2>game very well. So I wish they would just turn

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<v Speaker 2>to something like the Four Nations. Try to figure out

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<v Speaker 2>what's the next thing they can do so that they

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<v Speaker 2>can keep that time off and keep those best players

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<v Speaker 2>playing and showing their best rather than showing just a

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<v Speaker 2>skills competition.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I agree, I love it. Hey, I really appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 1>Spending some time with you today, it's been great, enlightening.

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<v Speaker 1>Good luck to you and the rest of the day,

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<v Speaker 1>and take care.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks a lot, Scott. Nice to be on with you too.

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<v Speaker 2>Good luck.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, thank you, all right? Do you have it? Neil Smith?

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<v Speaker 1>Of course he does the NHL wrap Around podcast, former

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<v Speaker 1>GM of the New York Rangers, Stanley Cup winners so

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<v Speaker 1>cool stuff, and Yeah, I think our Utah HC is

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<v Speaker 1>headed in the right direction.