WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Florida Panthers are your Stanley Cup chants for the second

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<v Speaker 1>straight year, they'd be the Edmonton Oilers. Our next guest

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<v Speaker 1>joins us consistently to break down the world of pro hockey.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the great Neil Smith on a Wednesday afternoon. Neil,

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<v Speaker 1>Happy Wednesday, sir.

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<v Speaker 2>How are you good at a Happy Wednesday? To you two.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm doing just fine, Thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>I appreciate appreciate the time. So, you know, last year's

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<v Speaker 1>series was really interesting. You know, Florida wins three, Edmonton

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<v Speaker 1>wins three, Florida gets Game seven. The way I'll start

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<v Speaker 1>our conversation today is, at what point during the Stanley

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<v Speaker 1>Cup Final did you start to get the sense that

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<v Speaker 1>Edmonton was up against it and this was Florida's Cup

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<v Speaker 1>to raise?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh? Very early, I honestly thought, very early in the series.

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<v Speaker 2>And you've got to understand too, that I'm of Florida.

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<v Speaker 2>I have been picking Florida will win the Cup since

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<v Speaker 2>the regular season. Yes, you have, so, I mean I

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<v Speaker 2>thought when they came out of Edmonton one to one,

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<v Speaker 2>I thought, I'll look out because you know, that's all

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<v Speaker 2>the that's all the Panthers needed. Those were two overtime games.

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<v Speaker 2>If you remember the first two games of the series,

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<v Speaker 2>and then Florida just put a you know, just kick

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<v Speaker 2>them out and in game three, six to one, and

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<v Speaker 2>and then we go to Game four in Florida and

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<v Speaker 2>it's another overtime game, but this time Edmonton wins. So

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<v Speaker 2>if you if you look at it the way I did,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, Florida could have already ended the series at

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<v Speaker 2>that time if they if they'd gotten any bounces, but

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<v Speaker 2>they you know, now it's it was two to two

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<v Speaker 2>at that point. But then what really told the thing

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<v Speaker 2>was once the Panthers jumped all over them in Edmonton,

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't think there was much way that there was

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<v Speaker 2>much chance that they wouldn't beat them in Florida when

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<v Speaker 2>they don't want to make that five and a half

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<v Speaker 2>hour flight and twenty nine hundred miles back to Edmonton

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<v Speaker 2>for Game seven. And that's exactly what they did. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>they just were better than them in every aspect of

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<v Speaker 2>the game last night.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we were discussing earlier, as the NBA Finals

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<v Speaker 1>will resume tomorrow between Oklahoma City and Indiana, how the

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<v Speaker 1>front offices of both teams have got about their business

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<v Speaker 1>to build the roster that now has these two teams

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<v Speaker 1>competing for the biggest prize in pro basketball. I would imagine,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, Bill Zito, I don't know, but ultimately I

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<v Speaker 1>wondered if you could shed some light on how he

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<v Speaker 1>and his staff have built this club that is now

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<v Speaker 1>won back to back Stanley Cup trophies.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, back in twenty twenty two, they won the

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<v Speaker 2>President's Trophy and got eliminated by Tampa Bay, their cross

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<v Speaker 2>state rival, pretty quickly, in the second round. And Bill

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<v Speaker 2>Zito decided to change coaches because that was the year

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<v Speaker 2>that Joel Quenville had to resi because of the problem

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<v Speaker 2>that had happened in Chicago years before, and so and

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<v Speaker 2>his assistant coach became the head coach. And they still

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<v Speaker 2>went on to win the President's Trophy, but they didn't

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<v Speaker 2>play well, obviously, they didn't go very far in the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 2>And he did two things that summer that has changed

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<v Speaker 2>the whole franchise. He hired Paul Maurice as head coach,

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<v Speaker 2>under a little bit of criticism from people because Paul

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<v Speaker 2>Maraice had been in Winnipeg for many years and was

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<v Speaker 2>thought of as pretty bland. And the other thing that

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<v Speaker 2>he did was he made a trade with Calgary to

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<v Speaker 2>bring in matt Matthew Kachuck, and he traded away a

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<v Speaker 2>really popular guy in huber Dough and a good defenseman

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<v Speaker 2>we are, and Matthew Kachuck and the way he plays

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<v Speaker 2>has basically changed that franchise around to the point that

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<v Speaker 2>of what you see now because they added to that

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<v Speaker 2>guys like Sam Bennett, Brad marsha On this year and

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<v Speaker 2>that whole team is like a rat pack, like they

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<v Speaker 2>just play as a team incredibly well. I mean, you

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<v Speaker 2>got to give that credit also to Paul Maurice and

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<v Speaker 2>the way he coaches that team. But they're they're they're

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<v Speaker 2>a team's team. I mean, they they watch out for

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<v Speaker 2>each other, they're on top of every puck, they win

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<v Speaker 2>all their board battles. They they do all the right things.

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<v Speaker 2>And so the other part that you've got to give

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<v Speaker 2>Bill Fiedo high marks for is that after last year's

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<v Speaker 2>Stanley Cup, as as will happen, probably this year, he lost,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, three or four pretty good players that had

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<v Speaker 2>been good for him to win the Stanley Cup in

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<v Speaker 2>twenty four. Brandon Montour, the defenseman who logged a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of Icetein went to Seattle, Oliver Ekman Larsen signed in Toronto.

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<v Speaker 2>Their backup goalie Stolars signed in Toronto, and so they

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<v Speaker 2>they they took loss, but Bill Zito turned around and

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<v Speaker 2>saw there was an opportunity to get Seth Jones out

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<v Speaker 2>of Chicago, who wanted out of Chicago because they were

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<v Speaker 2>losing all the time. Jones has been a real good

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<v Speaker 2>defenseman on Nashville when he first broke in, traded to Columbus,

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<v Speaker 2>good on that team and good on Chicago. But those

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<v Speaker 2>are all teams that really weren't of a high caliber,

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<v Speaker 2>and so you wondered would Seth Jones be able to

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<v Speaker 2>be as good on a good team as he was

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<v Speaker 2>on these week teams while he came in, And he

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<v Speaker 2>was even better for Florida Panthers than he was on

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<v Speaker 2>Chicago or on Columbus, and that added to a defense

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<v Speaker 2>that already had Ecblad and others that were playing great,

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<v Speaker 2>like Nate Schmidt has played out of his mind this year,

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<v Speaker 2>and then at the deadline he picks up Brad Marshall,

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<v Speaker 2>who you know was long in the tooth at thirty seven,

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<v Speaker 2>always played feisty. A lot of people thought was slowing down.

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<v Speaker 2>And you add Brad marsha On to the third line

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<v Speaker 2>where he was a first liner in Boston, and all

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<v Speaker 2>of a sudden, you've got these layers of players coming

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<v Speaker 2>at the opposition. And as you saw, Brad marsha On

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<v Speaker 2>was probably second in the Consmith Trophy voting to Sam Bennett,

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<v Speaker 2>who set the record for most goals in the playoffs

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<v Speaker 2>on the road. So Bill Zito has been able to

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<v Speaker 2>not he's been able to do everything right. Every movie

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<v Speaker 2>he's made has turned out well for them. And even

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<v Speaker 2>back in getting guys off waivers back a number of

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<v Speaker 2>years ago, Forsling, who plays a ton of ice, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>on their defense, he got on waivers, so you know

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<v Speaker 2>he he's done a remarkable job with the Florida Panthers.

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<v Speaker 1>So over to the Edmonton takeaways here. You know, oftentimes

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<v Speaker 1>in any sport, you look at, you know, the most

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<v Speaker 1>talented player in that sport and you say things like, well,

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<v Speaker 1>he's too good not to win a Cup, too good

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<v Speaker 1>not to win a super Bowl, too good not to

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<v Speaker 1>win a championship. And that feels like conomic David narrative

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<v Speaker 1>in pro hockey. I mean, it feels like he's just

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<v Speaker 1>so good. At some point he'll break through, but this

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<v Speaker 1>is the second straight year that they have fallen short

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<v Speaker 1>in that endeavor at the very same the hand of

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<v Speaker 1>the very same club. What do you think the offseason

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<v Speaker 1>looks like in Edmonton? What do they have to do

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<v Speaker 1>to maybe surround McDavid in dry Sidle obviously others, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>to maybe take the last step they need to potentially

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<v Speaker 1>be the first Canadian team to lift the Cup in

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<v Speaker 1>what thirty two years?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, since nineteen ninety three. It'll be thirty three years

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<v Speaker 2>next year. So I think what this says to me,

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<v Speaker 2>and I've known this for a long you know, quite

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<v Speaker 2>a while, but it's very evident with this, with this

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<v Speaker 2>Edmonton team, is that even though you've cut arguably the

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<v Speaker 2>two best players in the league. And I say arguably

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<v Speaker 2>because you could argue the coucher off on McKinnon are

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<v Speaker 2>better than Ice Tidle. Nobody's going to argue that McDavid's

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<v Speaker 2>not the best player in the league. I don't think

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<v Speaker 2>unless they are, you know, on something. But so you've

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<v Speaker 2>got those two players, but you don't have as good

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<v Speaker 2>a team as Florida has, And that's what I think

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<v Speaker 2>separates hockey from NHL from NBA. I think in NBA,

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<v Speaker 2>and I know in NBA, if you have Lebron James,

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<v Speaker 2>you've got a real good chance, not maybe at winning

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<v Speaker 2>the title, but certainly at contending for the with the

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<v Speaker 2>big boys. If you add a second guy who's a

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<v Speaker 2>sand notch under Lebron James, now you're really powerful. That

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't hold up in hockey. In hockey, you only you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you go out once every fourth shift, once every third shift.

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<v Speaker 2>If you're a star, you're on the ice for forty

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<v Speaker 2>five seconds. But that whole team has to be in sync.

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<v Speaker 2>And the Oilers are just not as good a team

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<v Speaker 2>as the Panthers, even though they have two franchise players

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<v Speaker 2>on their one team. So what have they got to do?

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<v Speaker 2>They got to sit back and analyze how they're going

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<v Speaker 2>to surround these two guys going forward. I think they

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<v Speaker 2>did a real good job of that between Ken Holland

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<v Speaker 2>and Stan Bowman this year. But it's it's not easy,

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<v Speaker 2>as we know, right, it's not easy to have great

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<v Speaker 2>defense and great forwards. I mean, they Mattia sack Holm,

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<v Speaker 2>who is a player badly missed by the Oilers when

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<v Speaker 2>he's out of the lineup. He was hurt near the

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<v Speaker 2>end of the season a little bit and they were

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<v Speaker 2>dying for him to get back in the lineup. He

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<v Speaker 2>had a horrible Game five and Game six horrible. Guys

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<v Speaker 2>jumped over him and went in and scored, and so

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<v Speaker 2>there's an there's obviously an injury there with him. But

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<v Speaker 2>they they're gonna have to, you know, sit back and

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<v Speaker 2>analyze what what ingredient they need more of and what

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<v Speaker 2>ingredient they need less of. They've got a number of

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<v Speaker 2>free agents, including Trent Frederick and Connor Brown, Corey Perry,

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<v Speaker 2>and they're going to have to decide who they want

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<v Speaker 2>to keep out of Brad Marshaunt to who do they

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<v Speaker 2>want to keep I'm sorry, I said Brad Marshaunt. He's

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<v Speaker 2>from Florida. I made a mistake. But Frederick and Brown

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<v Speaker 2>and Corey Perry, they're going to have to decide who

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<v Speaker 2>they want to spend money on and who they're going

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<v Speaker 2>to let go.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't have to tell you this, Neil, but only

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<v Speaker 1>five teams have ever won three consecutive Stanley Cups. The

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<v Speaker 1>Maple Leafs did it twice, The Montreal Canadians did it twice.

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<v Speaker 1>In the New York Islanders, as you are aware of,

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<v Speaker 1>are the most recent team to do it. From nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>eighty to nineteen eighty three, No other team in the

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<v Speaker 1>expansion era has won more than two Cups in a row.

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<v Speaker 1>Vegas already has odds for next season, because of course

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<v Speaker 1>they do, and Florida is among the favorites to win

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<v Speaker 1>the Cup again next year. In addition to Florida, we're

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<v Speaker 1>looking at Edmonton is on the list, Carolina or Colorado.

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<v Speaker 1>Those are the four teams as of now that have

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<v Speaker 1>the best odds to hoist the Cup next year. Do

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<v Speaker 1>you think the Panthers have it in them to win

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<v Speaker 1>their third straight or do you like one of the

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<v Speaker 1>other three favorites, Edmonton, Carolina or Colorado.

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<v Speaker 2>I definitely think Florida has it in them. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>there's a lot of runway between here and there, and

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of things can go wrong, a lot of injuries,

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of people get older. They don't have the

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<v Speaker 2>same legs in twenty six that they had in twenty five.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Bobrovski's not a youngster anymore. He's getting up there.

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<v Speaker 2>We just talked about Brad Marshaun being thirty seven. You know.

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<v Speaker 2>So I'm not saying they won't win it. I think

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<v Speaker 2>that in my mind they're the favorite right now. But

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<v Speaker 2>there's a lot of things that can go right. And

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<v Speaker 2>if they could pull off a third Street Cop, I

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<v Speaker 2>would be startled because I know how many things can

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<v Speaker 2>go wrong and I know how difficult it is. And

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<v Speaker 2>even the Sydney Crosby Penguins couldn't get it done when

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<v Speaker 2>they were in their prime with Milk and La Tang,

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<v Speaker 2>and they won two as you know in sixteen and seventeen,

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<v Speaker 2>couldn't get the third one. It's very, very difficult now

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<v Speaker 2>because you take losses in the off season to free

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<v Speaker 2>agency and you're not always going to be able to

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<v Speaker 2>pull the rabbits out of your hat that Bill Zito

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<v Speaker 2>was able to do this year.

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<v Speaker 1>So Sam ben and wins the con smythe and you know, Neil,

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<v Speaker 1>we've talked about this before. He's an unrestricted free agent

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<v Speaker 1>and the Utah Hockey Club has about twenty two to

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<v Speaker 1>twenty three million dollars in cap space during their off

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<v Speaker 1>season project. He just feels like he would be so

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<v Speaker 1>perfect for the Utah Mammoth. Out this way, if you're Florida,

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<v Speaker 1>it's probably hard hard to let a cons my trophy

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<v Speaker 1>winner leave, but they have some financial decisions to make

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<v Speaker 1>as well. What do you think the future for Sam

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<v Speaker 1>Bennett holds, and you think there's even a slight possibility

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<v Speaker 1>the future holds potentially a role with the Utah Mammoth.

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<v Speaker 2>I think Sam Bennett's future is going to be rich.

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<v Speaker 2>I think he's going to make a lot of money

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<v Speaker 2>wherever he goes. I think that Toronto may be leaves

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<v Speaker 2>are going to be very interested in trying to get him.

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<v Speaker 2>And he's a Canadian kid. You know, it's always hard

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<v Speaker 2>for me, being an old school person, to see picture

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<v Speaker 2>Sam Bennett not in a Florida uniform because he's been

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<v Speaker 2>so successful with Florida. You know, it will be up

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<v Speaker 2>to him his preference of what he wants to do.

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<v Speaker 2>Does he want to stay with his teammates that he's

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<v Speaker 2>won these two Cups with and keep trying to ride

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<v Speaker 2>that and maybe take a little less money because of

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<v Speaker 2>the fact that they don't have the cap space that

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<v Speaker 2>Utah has, or does he want to go in and

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<v Speaker 2>get a huge contract from whoever will pay him the most.

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<v Speaker 2>It's it's he would be a good player and an

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<v Speaker 2>impactful player on anything that signs, and he would make

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<v Speaker 2>a huge impact on Utah if they were to get him,

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<v Speaker 2>because he's that kind of guy. You know, he's you

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<v Speaker 2>know how he plays, He's he's so gritty and so

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<v Speaker 2>intense and yet has his skill set as well. Even

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<v Speaker 2>last night I marveled at his skating ability to go

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<v Speaker 2>through the neutral zone and deep guys and then hand

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<v Speaker 2>the puck off at the right time. He's going to

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<v Speaker 2>be one of the most sought after free agents in

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<v Speaker 2>this summer, along with Brock Besser and and of course

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<v Speaker 2>Mitch Marner that we've talked about in coming out of Toronto.

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<v Speaker 1>All Right, Neil, I've thought about you when the story

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<v Speaker 1>broke that the Stanley Cup is a little banged up

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<v Speaker 1>thanks to the Florida Panthers celebration of their second straight

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<v Speaker 1>Stanley Cuff title, just totally out of curiosity as somebody

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<v Speaker 1>that ran a club that lifted a Stanley Cup. What's

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<v Speaker 1>the dynamic like when the team gets the cup and

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<v Speaker 1>how do you decide, Okay, the coach gets it this

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<v Speaker 1>day and the player wants it that day, and are

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<v Speaker 1>there rules that you put into place to make sure

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<v Speaker 1>that the Stanley Cup has returned in good condition.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I hope they do now because it was because

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<v Speaker 2>of the nineteen ninety four New York Rangers that Phil

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<v Speaker 2>Pritchard follows and travels with the Stanley Cup and doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>let it out of his sight. Because with our players,

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<v Speaker 2>and I probably shouldn't name who the player was, but

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<v Speaker 2>it was Stefan Mettro. He took the cup to Quebec.

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<v Speaker 2>On his turn, the top came off because as you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the bowl on the top and a little bit of

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<v Speaker 2>the neck is the original trophy and there's something that

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<v Speaker 2>goes up the middle of the trophy that connects that

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<v Speaker 2>cup to the rest of the base. And it came

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<v Speaker 2>off when he had it. Somebody tried to solder it

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<v Speaker 2>back on and I got the cup next and was

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<v Speaker 2>horrified of what I saw. And when the league found

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<v Speaker 2>out about this, that was the end of the players

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<v Speaker 2>getting the cup by themselves. On the logistics. What we

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<v Speaker 2>did was our pr guy orchestrated it with you know,

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<v Speaker 2>with the captains and that on who got it when

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<v Speaker 2>and who wanted it when and who you know what

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<v Speaker 2>what what went on with that, And I would imagine

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<v Speaker 2>it's the same thing now. I imagine that Sasha Barkoff

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<v Speaker 2>will have a big say in orchestrating that, and so

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<v Speaker 2>will the assistant captains in not that they get it first,

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<v Speaker 2>but in saying, okay, that's what's the right way to

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<v Speaker 2>do this? Where should it go? But that's the ways

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<v Speaker 2>off now because these guys will these guys will have

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<v Speaker 2>it celebrating at it in Fort Lauderdale for for quite

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<v Speaker 2>a bit right now, the parade and the bars and

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<v Speaker 2>everything else where the Stanley Cup travels. But yeah, we

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<v Speaker 2>we did a number on that. I can't say I

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<v Speaker 2>did it, but we did. Our team certainly ruined it

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<v Speaker 2>for everybody else.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you attempt or anyone with the organization to implement

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<v Speaker 1>any rules as these young players, young men went on

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<v Speaker 1>their way with the Stanley Cup understanding that there probably

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<v Speaker 1>was going to be some booze involved in all that.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, here's the thing though, with US Spence, we had

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<v Speaker 2>Mark Messi as a captain who already wanted five times,

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<v Speaker 2>and we had Kevin lowho had already won it five times.

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<v Speaker 2>So we had Glenn Anderson who'd already won it five times,

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<v Speaker 2>and we had a fetiakin in them had won four

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<v Speaker 2>times and Craig mctavis that they wanted three or four times.

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<v Speaker 2>So these guys knew how to do this. And I

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<v Speaker 2>remember when Mark said to me at the party right

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<v Speaker 2>after the game, you know we're going to take this

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<v Speaker 2>over to Block auction house, and I said, sure, you

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<v Speaker 2>should do that and he's, yeah, I know what I'm doing.

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<v Speaker 2>I know what I'm doing. And I thought that. I said, well,

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<v Speaker 2>who am I to tell him, you know, the captain,

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<v Speaker 2>the guy that actually was probably the most responsible for

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<v Speaker 2>the Rangers winning the Cup? Who am I to tell

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<v Speaker 2>him after he's done this five times before? So that

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<v Speaker 2>was our that was our deal. I got to know

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<v Speaker 2>what you did.

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<v Speaker 1>If it's safe for radio when you had your turn too, okay?

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<v Speaker 2>God yeah, oh no, no, no, it was safe for radio.

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<v Speaker 2>I took it to a couple of my favorite places

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<v Speaker 2>in New York where people I don't think they even

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<v Speaker 2>understood is that the real thing? And is that really true?

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<v Speaker 2>I took it to a couple of favorite places. I

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<v Speaker 2>didn't take it home to Toronto. I don't know why.

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<v Speaker 2>I can't remember why I didn't do that, didn't visit

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<v Speaker 2>all my friends. If I was ever to do it

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<v Speaker 2>again now, I would make sure that I went to

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<v Speaker 2>the places that meant a lot to me. But I

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<v Speaker 2>guess I was letting the players have their day. I

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<v Speaker 2>will tell you one funny thing. It's not funny, but

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<v Speaker 2>it's the truth. When I had it after Stephen Matteau,

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<v Speaker 2>I actually John Hughes was my lawyer. He had played

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<v Speaker 2>at Cornell many years ago as a captain. His daughter

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<v Speaker 2>was Sarah Hughes, the figure skater that won the gold

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<v Speaker 2>medal in the early two thousand. She want to hear

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<v Speaker 2>Neil and yes. And his wife Amy that he married

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<v Speaker 2>from Cornell was Jewish at the time and the children

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<v Speaker 2>therefore were Jewish at birth. And their one son, David,

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<v Speaker 2>was having his bar mitza that day, and I told

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<v Speaker 2>John I'll bring it to his bar mitza. And so

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<v Speaker 2>I took the Stanley Cup to David's bar mitza and

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<v Speaker 2>something that all those kids that were there and families

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<v Speaker 2>and that will never forget that the Samley Cup was there.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's what I did. Very cool.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, Nil, before I set you loose, tell all of

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<v Speaker 1>our listeners where they can go get your podcasts.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, they should go get it. It's been a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of fun. We did it again today. With the Stanley

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<v Speaker 2>cupdate and this past week Pat for Beek, the general

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<v Speaker 2>manager of the Anaheim Ducks who acquired Chris Krider from

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<v Speaker 2>the aforementioned Rangers. Last week we had him on the

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<v Speaker 2>show and that was very insightful. It's NHL wrap Around.

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<v Speaker 2>You can find it on any platform that carries podcasts,

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<v Speaker 2>from Spotify to Apple, podcast, I Heeart, Amazon, and if

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<v Speaker 2>you want to see my mug, you can watch us

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<v Speaker 2>on YouTube. We have a YouTube channel that all our

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<v Speaker 2>podcasts go on, and you go to our website, which

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<v Speaker 2>is Nhlwraparound dot com and everything that we've ever done

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<v Speaker 2>is on there. But along with your show, Spence, this

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<v Speaker 2>has been a lot of fun season for me do

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<v Speaker 2>in the podcast and doing your show, and I look

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<v Speaker 2>forward to doing it with you in the future.

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<v Speaker 1>Certainly. I know it's the off season, but we will

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<v Speaker 1>be bugging you soon because we have the draft and

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<v Speaker 1>free agency and there's a lot of interest in this

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<v Speaker 1>little old hockey club out here, the Utah Mammoth. Neil,

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<v Speaker 1>So thank you so much for your time, having excellent week.

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<v Speaker 2>One person, thanks for you events. I just found this

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<v Speaker 2>out yesterday and that is that I'm speaking at Stanley

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<v Speaker 2>Chaffie's Celebration of Life Wow on the twenty eighth, and

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<v Speaker 2>I was informed that there was one other speaker by

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<v Speaker 2>the name of David W. Checketts's speaking at it as well.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, sir, yes, sir, that will be excellent, So enjoy that.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure you'll kill it, knock it out of the

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<v Speaker 1>park and have a great week and save travels Neil,

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<v Speaker 1>thank you, sir.

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<v Speaker 2>You're welcome, all right.

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<v Speaker 1>The Great Neil Smith, general manager of the Rangers, the Islanders,

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<v Speaker 1>high level scout for the Detroit Red Wings, and joins

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<v Speaker 1>us on a consistent basis to help us understand the

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<v Speaker 1>landscape of pro hockey. And the hockey season is now

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<v Speaker 1>done and your Florida Panthers are the Stanley Cup chances

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<v Speaker 1>for the second year in a row.