Episode 6: Marc McLaughlin

Episode 6: Marc McLaughlin

[Music] [Music] what’s up everybody and welcome back to episode six of the drop the mitts hockey podcast I’m one of your host Mike Sullivan back alongside my boy Chris Davis fresh off of uh Night Shift Brewery up at the nitic mall in the uh level 99 time we had a time last night me you Mel uh booy and is now fiance Bridget um and now we’re hopping back on the pot obviously we got the uh the mark mcgoffin episode uh so he’ll be you know the interview will come later on in this episode but before we get into the interview we’re going to talk some Metropolitan Division predictions contract extensions uh there a big trade rumor that’s been circling around uh NHL Twitter and um also we’re going to talk a little bit of the halinka Gretzky cup but before we get into that um we also have a big announcement and Chris if you want to take that away it’s all yours pal yeah man uh we are super excited to announce that we are going to be partnering with Prime Time Productions uh yeah yeah and uh you know they’ve got some awesome [ __ ] podcast already with them right now obviously um you and Mel with something’s Brewing um our boys boozy and Brett with uh only Bruin um Grace and Lauren with all goals no misses and then our boy ace at a two pad stack so um this is something that’s been kind of in the works for a little while and um just really excited to get going with you guys and finally you know being able to announce it it’s an incredible feeling and I know we’re uh we’re gonna do great things and just couldn’t be more excited yeah dude we’re so pum like we got we got a hell of a lineup on this network so far and I know right now it’s kind of small right we got three Bruins shows obviously uh only Bruins me and Mel’s show like you said something’s bruan and um two pad stack with Ace but we also have us on the network now we’re covering all NHL all hockey really drop the MS obviously and then um we also have that all goals no misses that’s also covering the entire league with uh Grayson Lauren and if you guys haven’t had an opportunity to listen to you know all those shows I highly recommend doing it it’s awesome it’s a great way to get through the work day you know go home you’re doing some laundry throw on a podcast with a couple of people talking hockey it’s great but um yeah no we’re super pumped and with the the whole Prime Time Productions Network um it’s it’s not just going to be hockey there’s going to be football shows there’s going to be NBA shows uh MLB shows along with um you know all of our hockey shows on the network already and more to come and it won’t just be Bruins related you know we’re we’re looking and and uh you know adding some more shows for hopefully every team in the league eventually um will be represented by at least one show on the network but what is it right now we have six six podcasts on the network I believe yeah so somewhere around there us announcing yeah we’re at six yeah so the the original six shows it’s awesome like I said man the the group chat’s been popping off it’s just we have unbelievable chemistry it’s there everyone is such a riot and just it’s so much fun working with everyone and um obviously you mentioned last night we got together for some beers at a night shift and yeah you guys are a riot and yeah it was a [ __ ] awesome time dude I’m so excited to get going and kind of broaden our Horizon a little bit and kind of you know tap into like our potential and and see what’s next and and you know see where this thing takes us yeah man we’re we’re we’re kind of betting on ourselves right now you know as a as a giant group and there’s no better group to do it with you know I trust all these all the guys and gals on this team I mean there’s there’s no limit it’s to the Moon as Mel says we’re going to the Moon baby on the moon one way or another yeah one we’ll get there somehow we’re just gonna maybe we’ll call Elon we’ll get a little ship we’ll be traveling with Elon yeah yeah yeah it’s honestly I’m really reli not relieved but just excited to finally be able to announce this because it’s obviously we’ve been kind of giving little previews here and there and um to be able to finally like announce that you know this is the direction we’re taking it’s it’s really exciting and um obviously we still have some unbelievable guests lined up across all the shows which is awesome so I you know I’m really excited to see where this takes us and um honestly I’m honored too to to even be like asked to be a part of the network I mean obviously what boozy and Brett have built over at only Bruin and um what you and Mel have built um it’s just an honor and um I think it’s going to be awesome to be able to work with all you clowns yeah man like I said dude our team is great um we’re pumped to have everybody here and doing this with us so like I said No Limits and and we’re we’ll see where this adventure takes us yeah think I think yesterday we got a little bit of the uh a taste of our chemistry and it’s kind of a little incident that happened where you know someone got attacked on Twitter and they they this certain individual found out what uh what prime time production was all about and uh kind of ended them a little quick and it’s one of those things where you don’t touch our goalie you know yeah yeah yeah you do not touch our goalie find out you can’t touch the goalie or else we’ll goalie after the whistle yeah no yeah just you know it’s just such an awesome feeling to be part of like a team again you know and yeah um just the the chemistry again is unbelievable it’s so funny it’s you know some of the stuff that’s said in the in the chat is just so freaking funny man and then obviously we got the uh NHL 23 stuff got uh going on and hopefully to another level and yeah I’m excited bro yeah man um so you want to get into some contract extensions you want to start with that and then we’ll kind of Bounce our way around yeah so o over the past week we’ve had a ton of obviously you know with arbitration deals and then um just extension sign and and some of them I was a little shocked by I guess yeah um but for the vast majority of them I think there were Fair numbers for both teams the first one um obviously happened today um Tom Wilson signed a seven-year 45 and a half million dollar extension to stay with the Washington Capitals um I kind of saw you know NHL Twitter and capitals Twitter blowing up a little bit today um seems like kind of a high number for a 30-year-old um I don’t know what what are your thoughts you know when the news first broke right um I was working and I kind of I I was looking through it and I was like okay six and a half million’s not too bad especially with the cap expected to jump right but then you look at the term and it’s seven years I mean he’s going to be at almost his age 40 season and if you’re if you’re looking at a contract like that and say it’s to a guy who plays a more similar style to I don’t know just to kind of throw someone’s name out there like a jake de Brusque like just kind of a two-way guy doesn’t really Center his game around throwing his body weight at other guys or or playing physically but I mean Tom Wilson that’s all he does really I mean I know he can score I know he can produce but he’s a big hitter he relies on that you know physical aspect of his game where he’s risking his body every shift you know he’s he’s putting a a a big strain on whether it be his hips his shoulders his knees uh and like you said his age3 season is coming up and that’s when his contract is gonna start so it’s it’s it’s kind of a gamble on Washington’s part I’m thinking because who knows three four years down the line who knows how his body’s going to be able to hold up to the way that he plays um if that contract ends up you know with with most of the time him being on the ltir or he’s hurt he’s missing 10 20 30 Games a season that could hurt them like a lot down the line down the line yeah I honestly I think when you first look at it obviously yeah it’s a big number and you kind of put into perspective the way that he plays and the way that you know the way that he has been playing his whole career right but honestly I kind of took a step back and and I think you’re looking at the next captain of the capitals um really oie um you know just hearing some of the things that people say about Tom Wilson in the locker room um how great of a leader he is I mean he wears an a right now um yeah like I said I think they’re kind of banking on I can’t imagine he’s gonna play this style of play for for the next [ __ ] six years dude there’s there’s just no way he’s not going to be able to he’s still he’s a good player and he’s someone that is dominant in front of the net he goes into those gritty areas but I mean he doesn’t have to lay those huge hits like he like he is known for I mean he can he can kind of transform his game as he’s getting a little bit older you see a lot of players do that you know when their body starting to kind of like um you know obviously they’re not as young as they used to be and and they kind of have to transform their game and find another way to produce and be effective yeah it’s it’s I was kind of thinking initially because comparing him to guys I don’t know like like a Milan Lich or Ryan Reeves maybe kind of trjc him towards those guys but then you also got to think like you just said you can transform your game if you recognize it early enough and I think Wilson’s capable of doing that maybe he could turn into someone like a Jamie bent where he still has that size he still has that skill set to still be an effective player in his later years where he doesn’t have to rely on you know just just was crushing people every shift you know he can adapt yeah I I agree and just looking at his game I don’t ever see him being a bottom six forward like like a lich and a a Revo are I I I always see him kind of having that role as a top six forward and again he he’s a guy yeah he’s a big Power Forward he’s a big body but he can put the puck in the net um yeah he can you know he has other skill sets um and I think you know over these next couple years you’re going to kind of see him transforming game where he’s not going to be the [ __ ] goon that he’s been and you know he hasn’t been a complete goon like he’s put up decent numbers yeah um but like I said I I I really do and truly believe that you’re looking at an next Captain post Obie um and I think that’s kind of what they’re banking on with this deal um obviously with that long term they’re looking to kind of have that seamless transition someone who’s been with the organization someone who’s literally played his entire career with Alexander oetkin and knows what Obie is built there obviously C winning team um so I mean I I think it’s a good deal for for both sides yeah it might be a little high towards the tail end of the deal but for right now I mean with the cap going up I think this is a fair deal for both sides and um yeah I I don’t hate the deal to be honest yeah I’m I’m looking through his um stats here by year I he’s never eclipsed 52 points um never Clips more than 24 goals but he’s consistently around like 40 to 45 points a season which isn’t bad um and last year before he got hurt too he had 22 points in 33 games so I mean he was he’s he can produce um so it’s all about him just kind of if he wants to allow that contract to age healthily it’s just adapting his style of play f focusing more on how to be a productive player without risking your body as you get older yeah and honestly the the way that the game is even moving towards now I mean the right the power forward is is a dying breed um I think I mean that just that brute force that you know these huge guys that just lay I mean man I can count on one hand how many effective like legit big power forwards there are in the NHL that are still effective in the game today yeah but you know like I said luckily I think Wilson has a chance to transform his game and I think he can still be effective um and you know obviously he doesn’t have the sexiest numbers you know when you look at the stat sheet but um I think you’re also paying for his leadership uh in the intangibles that he brings off the ice to the team and obviously in with a team that’s going to start rebuilding um I think he’s going to be helpful to help develop those young guys that they got in there yeah absolutely like you you mentioned like they’re kind of on the verge of a rebuild um Obie’s getting older Backstrom is is back for he’s back at a healthy season um TJ ooshi is getting up there Max petti who knows if he’s going to be able to stay healthy they got young guys like Sunny Milano stro uh Carlson on the back end I mean like yeah yeah they’re gonna you know it’s gonna be I think they’re still kind of waiting out this this Obie record yeah I think so too I think they’re trying to hold on as long as they can you know what I I I respect it yeah you know ob’s given so much to the game and to that organization that um they should I mean they should you have a guy that always has that compete level why would you not give him a chance to like make the playoffs I mean it’s not like they’re in full [ __ ] tank mode you know what I mean and um I think with this deal it’s like I said it’s a good deal for both sides maybe not towards the tail end of it but I think for this year and and you know until Obie retires I think it’s it’s a fair number yeah I think so too and like how you spoke on um obviously them holding off until Obie has a chance to break that record just as uh just from the League’s perspective with Obie spending his entire career in Washington you I don’t think that it would be right for him to break the record in another team’s Jersey I complet completely it just it it wouldn’t it just wouldn’t look right like just I don’t know I think even and that’s coming from two non caps fans right that’s coming from two that just love the game of hockey it just wouldn’t feel right right exactly it’s like it’s like you’ve been watching this guy in Washington is it literally since he came in the league and since I started watching the league he’s been a capital he’s been a part of those dominating teams and if you saw him get shipped off to like I don’t know like uh throw any team in there we’ll say like the Kings like with that and he breaks the record with the Kings like yeah it’s cool but it’s not gonna hit the nearly the same as it would if if he gets that record-breaking goal in DC in the bright red uniforms in front of all the Washington fans you know like you like just that would be such an iconic hockey moment and it’s not like it’s just like some random record either you know what I mean this is Wayne Gretzky’s alltime goal record like this is a massive moment in the NHL dude this is this is a record that people thought would never be touched right like and obviously I’m not taking any Gretzky is the greatest player to ever play but yeah so what is what Obie has done with a game that has gotten significantly faster players are stronger bigger again the equipment changes the fact that he was able to put up this many goals is unbelievable and we kind of touched on it um last week talking you know with our berson tribute how special it is to have a player of that magnitude spend his whole entirety of his career in one Jersey you don’t see it I mean in other sports you just don’t see it um I think hockey is like the main one where you see these guys you know spending the entirety of their career with with their original team and I think again that it’s just it would take away from the how the record is I’m not and again I’m not taking anything away from Obie but I think if he were to break that record in a caps uniform like you said in DC with with that fan with that fan base he brought them a cup like it it just would be unbelievable for the game of hockey yeah dude like I’m just kind of um going through his goals per season and it is insane his his rookie year his rookie year he he had he came into the league with Excuse me 52 goals in his rookie year 46 the next 65 in his third then he goes 56 50 uh 32 38 uh 32 51 53 50 it just goes on and on and on and obviously Gretzky’s record for alltime goals is 894 and right now ob’s at 822 so if he can just maintain that pace that he’s on dude for the next two seasons we’re g the NHL is going to have a new alltime goal leader and it’s it’s awesome amazing to see yeah it’s incredible that you know we’re gonna be able to live to see that because like it’s it’s not a record that anyone thought was going to be broken anytime soon especially this soon right right you know and it really hasn’t been that soon it’s been you know years obviously but yeah it just I’d love to see him break it with uh with his original team with the c I mean um it just it just would make it that much more special yeah absolutely dude and there’s literally nobody playing in the game right now that’s even close so you gota you gotta let him do it as a cap you have to 100% the next free agent that uh signed a extension one I was kind of bummed about because it kind of came kind of came a kind of near the burer on retirement Sebastian AO an eight-year $78 million extension um with the Carolina Hurricanes and this is a deal that I is an absolute steal for this team yeah um like I said to be able to to lock up a number one Center for under 10 million um I was listening to the spit and chicklets podcast man and uh granelli brought up he was like you know we’re gonna get Sebastian AO next offseason we’re gonna sign you know give them a bag and you know we’ll have our number one Center and then all of a sudden the the nut punch of you know Carolina getting him for less than 10 million um I think this is an absolute steal for this Carolina team he’s an unbelievable player um and again with the cap going up this this deal in the next three to four years is going to look like one of the best contracts in hockey absolutely dude and it’s it’s like for Carolina too to lock him up they they they have a solid plan we were talking before we even started recording like you kind of look at their lineup and it’s nothing it’s not going to blow you out of the water per se but it’s the system that they play obviously Rod brymore being the coach that he is has those guys hemmed in 247 um yeah Rod the B he’s like a drill sergeant but but it works and to be able to lock up AO like you said under $10 million it’s it’s an unbelievable deal for Carolina and it’s GNA help them too because we’ve seen kind of them go through two or three Good Seasons right where they’re relevant in the league and then nobody like they can’t get those extensions signed they can’t get players to stay there and they kind of fall off again and then their fan base takes a hit because it’s like H how dedicated are you g to stay as a relatively new fan base if your team continues down the path of being good for a couple years and then kind of just shits the bed a little bit for a few until they’re good again but with locking up AO um it it helps solidify them in their future as well and you know they still guys like spetch nikov guys like they just brought in Michael bunting Seth Jarvis n NIS um ter ter Terra ven they’re a good team and they’re going to be good for a while still um and then you look at their back end too dude they’re like they’re they they have a system there that works so well and and bringing in AO for under $10 million gives the management there just a lot of flexibility to help build around a number one Center in Sebastian AO yeah you know and a lot of people forget that that team didn’t have Andre spena for the playoffs right um so that was a team that you know and obviously they bring in all these all these you know pieces around now you have your number one Center locked up you bring in a guy like Demetrio orov who obviously we know is a great piece for us um you know for the Bruins during their playoff run I obviously it didn’t work out the way we wanted it to but um unbelievable piece to add and then again like they didn’t have their top goal scorers Andre smov for the playoffs like you you gotta imagine this team’s going to be dangerous next year like down the stretch um you know and that Metro division is going to be [ __ ] loaded like just like we talked about the Atlantic we were going through this Division and and obviously we’ll get into it a little bit later but it’s a loaded division it’s going to be a dog fight yeah absolutely absolutely the whole Eastern Conference dude when you really look at all the teams in here there’s two teams that are just trash and it’s Montreal and Philly and outside of them it’s anybody’s guess but dude even the thing the thing is you look at like Montreal’s roster like not bad close CL like I’m not like again this is gonna be a scary conference you know for the next three year you know three four years it’s going to be a [ __ ] dog fight in both these divisions yeah and even the teams that are falling off a little like air quotes falling off you’re looking at teams like I guess like pit and Washington who still have some of the NHL’s greatest all-time players in O and and um Crosby Still leading those teams so it’s like and you can never count those two out either yeah no and obviously there’s a big trade rumor going on with one of those teams in the Metro um yes you know we don’t we’ll get into that a little bit after but even like I said that that Pittsburgh team they made a couple moves that I just don’t still don’t see them breaking the top three of that division yeah for me not even the top four um so yeah I like I said I I this thing could go one of four ways but I really like what Carolina’s done I love this AO deal for them um I think this is going to it’s going to look like a [ __ ] steal to them for that matter I mean look at the Bruins bro we we are without a number one Center and Carolina just locked one up for under 10 mil yeah yeah it’s a tough it’s a it’s a it’s a junk punch for sure I mean even I mean I know I’m kind of bouncing around here but you you talk about how um Sebastian AO was able to get that ticket for under $10 million how about that deal that uh Jack Hughes Jack Hughes with New Jersey what is that what was it eight years eight mil something like that yeah I think it was a little bit over eight mil I’ll um I’m going to check right now but yeah that’s again that’s another one dude like that was without the cap going up right like obviously we knew the cap was going to go up at some point yeah um obviously it didn’t happened last year but this it’s that’s another perfect example of a team that’s gonna be [ __ ] phenomenal dude and they just locked up a number number one Center eight-year deal $64 million like that’s incredible like you know it just I I don’t understand it’s not that I don’t understand I think it’s just again these guys want to win and they want to be put in positions where they’re playing with other good players and yeah um obviously I think what’s AO is done in Carolina what Jack Hughes is bringing to to New Jersey why wouldn’t you want to stay I mean eight years a eight Mill a year that that’s a big ticket to sign and those are contracts down the line too that you’re going to look at and say how the hell did they get this guy to sign at that low of a number especially with the cap jumping up like you see I’ve I’ve seen predictions for Austin Matthews next year in his contract upwards of somewhere between 13 14 and 15 million and it’s like if if he if he signs that deal at that big of a number you I don’t know if you’re gonna be able to build a good team around him you know what I mean yeah you’re see you know seen a lot of these massive deals that are being signed um obviously first first example that pops in my head is is the Oilers with you know obviously having two [ __ ] huge tickets obviously they’re well worth it with what they bring every night but again you don’t leave much room to bring in other Talent like they’re just they just seem like a team the Oilers that is that are just going to kind of stay stagnant like I don’t know I I I can’t explain what they’re missing obviously their back end I mean I can’t explain they don’t have a [ __ ] yeah still [ __ ] refuse to address that issue yeah but yeah you got to think like how a lot of these teams that were able to be so successful like the Bruins obviously they had guys on very team-friendly deals um you know obviously like the Avalanche had guys on incredibly low deals you know McKinnon was making a little bit over six mil for the longest time before he signed his ticket y uh I mean that it it seems like that’s the recipe for for Success everyone kind of buys into this like you know this system and and they’re signing super team Friendly Deals to be able to bring in other Talent um and yeah I think I think that’s exactly what Carolina and New Jersey are doing at this time you know like man Jack Hugh’s in my opinion he’s a he’s a top 10 player in the NHL right now like yeah oh yeah you got him at 8 mil uh annual value that that’s incredible yeah I mean that’s not even something I could [ __ ] pull off on NHL no on easy mode like no chance you know and yeah it’s definitely like you’re gonna see the devils in Carolina making some more moves like they’re going to have a lot more flexibility like you said to bring in other pieces um so they’re gonna be dangerous down the stretch for sure yeah yeah absolutely yeah the so the next one was was really interesting to me um Troy Terry and the Anaheim Ducks um so Terry signed a seven-year contract extension through the 2029 2030 season ahead of his arbitration hearing um got a seven-year $49 million deal um and this was honestly one of the I I think probably the most interesting uh arbitration case um just as far as how wide the Gap was between what the player wanted and what the team felt like he was worth and yeah honestly good for Terry man like he obviously got he came in wanting 8 mil um the team came in offering you know thinking that he’s worth four and a half and eventually they agree on that number of seven so I I think this is a huge win for the players especially in um you know you look at these a lot of these arbitration hearings that have occurred and they they usually try to find middle ground but this is one that really lean towards the player which which obviously is a huge victory for you know players across the League what do you you think of this deal I mean he’s it’s tough seven seven years seven mil for Terry I mean he’s a really good player he’s a very very good player um I don’t really know what to think of it I think I need to see what he does this season with Anaheim because Anaheim as a whole is just uh a tricky team to kind of figure out right now obviously they got zis uh John Gibson is still there for now but it seems like they’re trending in in the opposite direction of where they want to be and they’ve been trending that way for a long time now and I think they’re that they’re just trying to lock up this core this youth core that they have right now you know guys like Terry guys like zus um because those two guys are their future for sure now if is that a recipe for success I don’t know because I don’t know if those are those are two guys that you want to build your team around that being said I mean Terry’s getting like 60 70 points a season um y so obviously he’s producing it’s that’s a million dollars in change less than AO and that’s AO is a franchise number one Center Terry is a first line Winger so I’m kind of talking out of my ass right now a little bit but I don’t know I don’t know I’m 5050 on that one I need to see what he does this year and and you know what what Anaheim can do and if they can start trending in the right direction or not yeah I’m you know I’m looking at a statline um starting from the 21 season um 2021-22 in 75 games put up 37 goals 30 assists for 67 points um and then obviously last season he played in 70 games 23 goals 38 assists um for 61 points um off the top of my head and I think this is just like the Bruins fan in me it it makes me wonder what a player like Jake debrus is gonna get next season and what he’s gonna demand and what he what he thinks he’s worth because obviously I don’t I I’d have to pull up de bruss statline for the past couple years but I’d be curious what again what he would ask for because I I feel like those are very similar type like first line players like and if I’m if I’m looking at it from that standpoint like I’m not paying de brus $7 million like I just I just am not and it’s nothing against the player like obviously he’s a he’s a great player and he he’s produced and he’s loved across [ __ ] Boston but I just I don’t love this deal for you know obviously it’s a win for for Troy Terry you know betting on himself and yeah um you know obviously he was worth 8 mil and and the arbitrator agreed and I I just don’t know I think I think part of the problem is is with the Ducks they’re not very like well known like we haven’t seen a lot from them like they’re very under the radar like they’re in a in the middle of a rebuild they’ve had super high draft picks the past couple years so once you know they just brought in Alex color to a huge deal like I don’t really know if they’re still in a rebuild or what they’re doing like I don’t I don’t really understand what direction they’re they’re trending in and obviously the you know time will tell with this Leo Carlson pick but that was another thing that was kind of like a head scratcher to me is obviously it’s easy for us right now to look at a player like fantelli and be like how can you pass up a player like Adam fantelli like a clear-cut number one Center I’m not saying that Leo Carlson can’t be that but you know you already got MC tavish and zus down the middle I I just don’t understand what direction they’re taking and now you have Troy Terry on a huge ticket you know for the next seven years so like I don’t know how that’s gonna pan out they still have to resign zis as well right like they’re they they’re one of those teams that I look at and as you were just saying I agree I look at them and I’m like what is the plan here like what are you guys trying to do are you trying to be bad again are you trying to be like a middling team like I don’t know and the other thing is too like they don’t excite me much like when I think about the ducks like I don’t think of a highly entertaining highly competitive you know energized team I just think of like oh like it’s the ducks like whatever I think of Trevor zis yeah and even even him like yeah he he doesn’t even excite me that much and that that’s that might be a little bit of a hot take but like I don’t know dude and I understand why he excites some people but he just it like I don’t know his his whole attitude sometimes it it rubs me the wrong way and and obviously I don’t know him personally so this is just what I’m seeing on ice but like shoving people laughing at their faces and then kind of skating away doing his little trick shots it’s like yeah those are cool they’re highlight real goals for sure but is that GNA lead you to success like like I want to see you set teammates up I want to see you back up your guys I want to see I want to see you mature as a player and a leader on that team if you’re part of the future and you’re one of those Cornerstone pieces I want to see you become a leader in Anaheim be the guy be the guy that everyone looks to and I don’t see that right now yeah no I I completely agree and and honestly I’m looking at their roster right now and I don’t think it’s a team that’s going to compete this year but they have a lot of young players coming up man like again I think their Decor is going to be really special um in the next couple years with obviously they have Dale who’s been getting a ton of NHL minutes uh Olen zel wiger who was actually a you know a teammate of our buddy Logan stank oven over at uh at cam loops and I was even talking to to Logan today and he just said how much of an unbelievable Talent he was uh that Olen was and looking at their roster right now and some of the things that they’ve done this offseason obviously they brought in rad kudas um who we know man Bruins fans definitely know about Radco gutus and you know what with with gutus that’s a guy who can maybe start steering zis away from all the the fancy stuff not fancy stuff because I always sound like an old [ __ ] but like but like maturing his game that’s what I’m trying to say maturing his game so it could go that way it also could go the other way where zus feels like he he can do some of this [ __ ] andus is going to be [ __ ] but you know right behind him to clean up the mess so I mean obviously I mean you got to remember zus is still a kid like he’s still young he’s still developing his game he’s still figuring it out and just looking at this roster like it’s a team on paper that obviously you go yeah you know you have a couple special players like MC tavish obviously is a really high draft pick uh Terry is good zis Dale Cam Fowler um they got uh nesterenko too he was nasty at BC yeah um and then you bring in guys like gutus and color so it makes you wonder like what direction they they expect to go in this year because I mean Koren signed a huge ticket yeah that was a huge deal for a player like colorin I know he was obviously crucial to those Tampa teams but what he’s going to do on a young team like Anaheim I I don’t know I mean obviously he’s a special player and um we’ll see time will tell it’s it’s it’s almost like he’s they signed him to that contract to kind of come in and change the culture a bit because I feel like they’re lacking identity I I don’t think they have a full identity right now I think they’re that’s a good way to put it yeah they’re just trying to figure out who they are and so they bring in this this veteran who’s won cups who’s been in a winning franchise for a long time now and he’s bringing that over to kind of help integrate that into the younger players in Anaheim so I I think for Anaheim that that deal is worth it um color he’ll bring that you know that attitude of a Stanley Cup contending team over to to um you know over to Anaheim and same with gutus he just came from a a team in Florida as we Bruins fans we all know [ __ ] went on this deep magical playoff run so he knows what it takes and he’s bringing that over into Anaheim to hopefully spread that to the younger guys who haven’t had the chance to experience that yet yeah 100% I you know obviously you look at this team and they have a lot of promise and you hope they can turn turn it around one of these years um yeah and I said I said this at the draft that Leo Carlson was along with uh Bard and fantilli like he’s an NHL ready Center y I would not be surprised at all if he’s getting you know time as the two Center maybe they put MC tavish on the wing yeah um and let Leo you know play that 2C role um but you know I I I hope they can kind of turn it around and those are two perfect guys to kind of change the culture of a team yeah absolutely and like you were saying with Carlson potentially playing some time it’s GNA be a big year for rookies in the NHL it’s that’s exciting I can’t remember the last time where we’ve had more than maybe three or four legit rookies coming in and and expected to play a decent amount of G games yeah I I mean I right off the bat the first draft I kind of think of is the McDavid draft yeah just because of how much hype there was with the number one and number two pick obviously uh being eel um I think that’s really the last time that I that I can think of that you know and that draft was was loaded that that 2015 draft they had obviously Marner uh Dyan stro was in Arizona um at Players like Noah Hanahan zaka proov warnky Teo Meer ranin and that’s and that’s for top 10 dude dude that draft was loaded holy [ __ ] Bruins fans we don’t need to talk about that draft but yeah the top 10 was good until we got to about uh you know pick 13 um but you know and then you look at barzel uh Kyle Connor Thomas Shabbat like Brock besser connect just a draft holy it was a that was the last time I can think of that had this amount of like NHL ready Talent like yeah I mean dude like think about it we’re talking obviously Conor Bard Leo Carlson uh Adam Fant Tilly and those are the guys that are draft drafted I mean think guys like Devon Levi too in Buffalo there there’s other guys who are coming up for the rookie Seasons who could light it up too it’s I can’t wait for this season dude I I was thinking about it today like I can’t wait to just get home from work throw on whatever it’s called NHL Center Ice I know they change it but I don’t know what it’s called ESPN plus whatever and I and just binge watch games all night long I can’t wait man I last year was one of the first years where um that was the same way man I would get home and that [ __ ] would be on immediately as soon as I walked in I and I would just leave it on like be doing homework or whatever and like you could keep that on even until like the late like 1 p.m. West Coast like game yeah when you when you get like San Jose Arizona yeah when you’re up late betting [ __ ] Arizona money line yeah but uh yeah man I’m I’m so ready for it like it’s time it’s it’s I saw I saw your Tweet today it was like man I’m ready for some and I I was like I went back and posted that uh that Bruins yeah yeah yeah man I need hockey back I need it back speaking of our Bruins man two big big signings that we had this week um obviously the first being Jeremy Swan um signing a one-year $3 3.47 five million deal and then uh Trent Frederick signing a two-year 4.6 million dollar deal um I said this immediately as as the news broke um on the hockey night in New England I think these are two very fair deals for both sides and honestly I think not to kind of bounce back and forth but I think the I think Jeremy Swan could have easily gotten more than 3475 yeah so I think to have that for one year until that cap goes up I think that these are two great deals for this team what what are what are your thoughts on these deals I think so too and I uh me and Mel were talking about this on something’s Brewing to uh last episode if say Jeremy Swan wasn’t RFA right completely hypothetical obviously but say he’s a UFA he’s just testing the market whatever he honestly could have probably got somewhere around like five or six mil a year but obviously since he’s an RFA I think the one year is awesome for both the Bruins and the player because if Swan comes in this year and same thing as he goes with allmark they split it about 50/50 right and they have similar Seasons maybe not the same because I mean that’s going to be hard to do right um but if he comes in and he puts up good numbers again then and correct me if I’m wrong but he’s an RFA again next season right I think he becomes a UFA next year okay he becomes a UFA do not hold me to that um okay I’m like 90 90% positive well either way he he gets to reup his deal again so take a little bit of a pay cut help the team right now and then I’m sure there were conversations behind closed doors too with Swan’s camp and and you know Sweeney and um and neie that take a little bit of a pay Cup this year we’re gonna make it work next year with the money when the cap goes up and you’re going to get paid like we will take care of you you will get paid and that’s just me obviously no no information on that whatsoever it’s just my thoughts on it I’m assuming that’s what it is but having him for another year at that at that money clip is great for Boston it’s good for the player I think it works both sides um now with Frederick that is huge for Boston and it’s and it’s a good deal for Frederick too correct me if I’m wrong it was it was two years 2.375 was that it yeah the the total was 4.6 million so 4.6 okay so 2.3 yeah that and for Frederick that’s a great deal I mean you saw him he had what 17 goals last year three away from 20 um if he’s playing third line minutes alongside say geeki and probably Jacob loo that’s a solid third line he’s gonna get plenty of depth scoring um he’ll probably get more time on the PK than the power play but you he’ll probably be interchangeable you throw him out there see what happens um and you get him for two years and the cap expecting to jump um you know a decent number next off season you have Trent Frederick at 2.3 for another year after this upcoming season it’s it’s it’s a great deal for both parties yeah I you know I I look at that deal too and and something that I kind of notice about Monty the way that he coaches um he’s not afraid to try different combinations right um and I I would not be shocked to see Trent Frederick on that second line right right you him with the chemistry that him and had last season um I wouldn’t be surprised at all if if at some point if if combinations aren’t working or even if it starts out that way a line of Charlie Coyle Trent Frederick and Jake debrus on a second line I don’t hate that I don’t hate that and like I said obviously you know you have two players like Coyle and and Freddy who are not afraid to get in the dirty areas and muck it up and then you know and that kind of lets de brus debrus do his thing and and you know play that role as as a scorer on that line I I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see that as maybe the second line combination and then obviously with marshy zaka and pasta on that first line I I wouldn’t hate that um and then and then if if that combination does work out you have him for a little over two mil playing second line minutes that’s incredible yeah exactly and like like you said too say because I think they’re gonna and this is just my thought process on it I think they’re gonna start the year with jvr coil in debrusk and say jvr is not working it’s not clicking he’s not producing um he’s looking a little sluggish throw Frederick up there and like you said that could work as well his his his chemistry with Coy um was obviously unbelievable last year one of the main reasons why he was producing as well as he was yeah um I could easily see that easily that line loses a player like Taylor Hall but you’re replacing him with with de Brusque last year played consistent first line minutes who says that Trent Frederick doesn’t put up another 17 goals this year who I mean you know he’s going to be getting more minutes on that you know obviously the ma you know matchup it becomes a little more complicated matchup wise because you’re not on a loaded third line playing against you know so obviously you’re probably going to be playing against better lines I’d say but I love that combination of of coil and I think just to kind of you know pump coil’s tires I think he makes everyone around him better just the way that he plays and and you know how smart he is on the ice I I think he makes everyone around him better and I think that’s a perfect perfect person to have uh you know alongside a player like Frederick who’s still kind of trying to find his way obviously had a great season last year but um I I would love that combination and jvr getting third line minutes I mean that’s I wouldn’t hate that either I’m sure he probably wouldn’t either I mean yeah the way the way this team is going into the year I don’t really see them having a first line Second Line third line um I think it’s just going to be like kind of trial by Era yeah it’s like almost like you’re rolling out the lines based on the situation it’s going to be situational lines um and like you said too with Coyle I think he he’s so underrated as a player um he’s a he I will say he’s the best third line Center in the league more than capable of playing second line minutes maybe even first line minutes he might not get you 70 80 points a year but it’s almost and I don’t want to compare him I’m I’m actually not even gonna go there but his two-way game his two-way game is so so good and he is so responsible in the defensive end that he’ll just eat up Zone time minutes you know what I mean the way that he protects the puck he uses his body he’s so big and he just goes into the corner and he just his Puck possession game is unbelievable and he’s always finding the open guy and like you said his his chemistry with Frederick I mean they played together all last year like if you have to go back to it it’s not even going it’s not even doing it on like an emergency basis it’s doing it because you know it works you saw it all last all last season excuse me work and you’re confident in putting those two together the they work so well Cole is so reliable he’s he’s he’s a very very very good option for that two that two se you know yeah 100 perc and you know I I think his two-way game really took a uh that that next step playing with Patrice berson um he’s always been a responsible player even going back to his days in Minnesota before we got him here in Boston but I think him kind of playing with berson and seeing how he operates and I think think that’s really where he took his game to that next level and like you said I can’t think of another a better third line Center than him I think he’s going to take on that second line Center rle fine um I think he’s more probably comfortable in that third Center role but I think he’s gonna do just fine I mean no matter who he plays with he he makes everyone around him better like you said he’s responsible he’s you know he protects the puck really well and and I think whoever he plays with I think is is going to have a good year yeah I mean we saw him in the playoffs last year thrive in that role when berson was hurt so um I I think there’s too many fans right now pressing the panic button seeing coil as our 2C and they’re going to learn quick that that you know they were wrong to press that button yeah I I completely agree um so earlier today uh we got news that a potential deal could be going down this weekend um Elliot fredman reporting that Eric Carl could be traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins and the that deal could be done as early as uh Sunday um what are your thoughts on this deal and do you think that Carlson kind of puts the Penguins back in that kind of playoff uh back in a playoff push and and you know do do that does that deal even make them like top three in the Metro for you I don’t know because what are you gonna have to like what’s Pittsburgh gonna have to give up to get him first of all well look look at look at it from you know San Jose’s perspective what what is San Jose doing they’re in a clear rebuild right now so I mean they’re gonna want picks they’re going to want young players they’re going to want you know young assets to help expedite that rebuild um I could also see them wanting some like pieces that can play now and and if they have to give up you know some talent that is in their lineup now I don’t think that makes them a play team at all um and to be honest with them even acquiring uh Eric Carlson that does not put them in my top four in the division yeah that I was gonna say that as well it doesn’t change much for me if I’m being a 100 per honest and I mean yeah we we all had this conversation before but Carlson winning the Norris over 100 points but he was still a minus player um yes that was on a crappy San Jose team but Pittsburgh is is really not a Powerhouse yes they have Crosby yes they have Malin but then you look at the rest of their lineup it’s like Riley Smith Lars Eller Matt nto Nola charari and the defensive end Letang I mean you would probably put Carlson with lutang right if if they got it well if they got him if it’s me or do you do the makoy Lindholm situation and split them up yeah it’s a hard because I think leang I think it could be it could be a pair that could work I’d have to see what else they have um well right now so so with Pittsburgh their defensive lines as of now Ryan Graves Chris L Tang uh Pon Jeff Petri Joseph and then Yan Ruda that’s their top six defense right now so you’d be looking if you added Carlson in there you would probably take out Joseph I mean I could see you know you just mentioned they brought in a player like Ryan Graves who’s a I mean he was a solid stay-at-home defenseman yeah pair those two up I could see something like that potentially working um I don’t know if you want to overload one defensive pair especially a team like Pittsburgh where they’re very topheavy both offensively and defensively yeah um I think I would want to maybe spread it out more and I think a pairing of Carlson and Graves is something that could that could work out um kind of let let Carlson be that wild card offensively and kind of do his thing um and then have Graves obviously be that stay-at-home defenseman I I think that’s something that could work does it put them in a position for a playoff spot I don’t think so yeah that to answer that second part of your question does it put them in the top three no no it doesn’t every that division’s too good yeah I I agree I mean we’ll get into our rankings after but it they’re a fringe four team for me in that division they like it’s very close for me um I still don’t think they make the playoffs this year but and I that’s actually a good point where we can kind of roll into our Metro rankings um because this was really hard to do man like very similar to the uh Atlantic I was having a real hard time with this and and obviously you know you you had mentioned that you were too and this thing could this is like an injury away from completely changing like right go so many ways um do you want to start it off with with your rankings yeah I’ll start off so we’ll just go one through eight and then you’ll do your one through eight yeah yeah yeah and then we can just kind of talk about it and uh I’m sure they’re completely they’re they’re I’m sure they’re probably a little different but yeah you can you can start us off so like you said it could draw it could go either way right for it was so hard but I really struggled with five through seven that’s where I was yeah you know getting into the meat and potatoes of of this division but in first I have Carolina there you know we’re already off we’re already off there we go so I mean you got I switched it last minute but you got Rod the bod you got that system working you got Aho bunting Jarvis fov kinami NIS Martin oall blah blah blah and then but where it really gets into it it’s their defensive unit is so good you got Jacob slaven one of the best most underrated defenseman in the league Brent uh Brent Burns Brady Shay Brett pese Dimitri orlov and then Tony D’Angelo too I mean that’s a stacked defensive unit and then you got uh uh Freddy Anderson and antie R and net too and if they can stay you know that’s a solid goaltending uh Duo and you have um uh what’s his name down in in Charlotte um what is his name the uh Russian kid for Carolina yes yes he played a couple games last year uh he was on my fantasy team for a bit too I forget his name yeah look it up yeah look that up and get that name back to me but so I have Carolina winning the division in second I have the New York Rangers um I think they’re just a little bit more skilled a little bit more experience than New Jersey um you can’t you know bet against eigor shurkin their defense again is stacked they got a stack forward group two but at three I have the Devils um Meyer heer Mercer brat Hughes to Foley T fole is a huge addition same with um Team o Myer extension um defensively seen thaler Hamilton full season of Luke Hughes John Marino Uh Kevin Ball H Ty Smith vanich nasty team so the top three the top three honestly are kind of interchangeable for me but that’s how I see it shaken up four I have Columbus that’s that’s my little surprise here but Columbus I have four I think fanti is gonna have a huge year Patrick l is goingon to be healthy Johnny gdo obviously Boon Jenner Zack orensky is goingon to be healthy they Ivan proov back there um ston they brought in yeah severon Peak bfist good Branson they’re [ __ ] underrated team m a net but here’s where it gets a little shaky five I have Pittsburgh y six I have the Islanders seven I have Washington and then eight I have Philly Philly’s a dumpster fire yeah I mean that I like what they’ve honestly I I agree they’re not anywhere close yeah one my favorite pick in this year’s draft was mitov I I love the fact that Danny Brier’s you know taken a chance and obviously the relationship um based on what Mitch kov said at the draft you know sounds like they have a really good uh working relationship and um there’s an expectation that he could be over here as early as this year yeah um I love that pick obviously they’re not anywhere close our rankings are not that far off to be honest um my number one team in the Metro I’ve got New Jersey okay um like I said you mentioned that Decor um similar to Carolina just solid all the way through and now you’re adding for a full season Luke Hughes Simone neik like again you resign team om Meer you bring in Tyler T Foley I think this is a team that very well could make it to the you know could make a cup run oh yeah number two team Carolina um love what they’ve done this off season again we mentioned the AO you know resigning there love that deal for them you’re gonna get uh spov back you bring in a player like Demetri orov I love what they’ve done this offseason um my number three team is the Rangers um like you had said I think all three of those teams are interchangeable I just that’s what I happen to go with I I’d love them bringing in Blake wheeler I think that’s going to be a good good signing for them obviously they lose teraso um but again they have so whenever you have a goalie like shesterkin um you have a Norris winning defenseman like Adam Fox back there um you still got the breadman you still got Kaner well Kaner hasn’t resigned but um I would guess he’s probably gonna go back there I I would be shocked if he went anywhere else yeah yeah banad is nasty krider um solid team my number four team I actually completely agree with you is the Columbus Blue Jackets nice um man I you know I I I’m not super high I have my Calder pick I still think that Fant til is gonna have a fantastic year um going down their roster man what they’ve done this season bringing in Ivan Provo bringing in Damon Severson like you still have Johnny hocky you have Patrick l you have a phenomenal leader in Boon Jenner underrated player at that so so underrated um I think he’s going to be a great mentor to to Fant Tilly and eventually Fant Tilly will take that first line Center role um underrated team and I think I listening to yarmo kinan at the uh halinka Gretzky cup he is ready for this team to make the jump y he thinks that he thinks that he’s put them in a position to make that make that jump he’s brought in enough talent to do so and I agree with him I think on paper this is a team that definitely can I don’t know if they can win this division but they can for sure damn well compete yep um y my next team I’ve got the Pittsburgh Penguins yeah um anytime you have you know two future Hall of Fame three I’d say Malin Crosby lat Tang you know if they bring in Carlson I I think that’s a team that they’re On The Fringe um I still I don’t think they fully get there like it’s too bad I don’t think they did enough this offseason to kind of you know Crosby and Malin are getting older um I still see Crosby getting 70 plus points um I just don’t think that they’re they’re going to be able to compete with those teams like Carolina New Jersey you know the Rangers I just don’t don’t see it dude they’re just not deep enough they’re really not very topheavy like we mentioned um again I I just can’t see them being able to play three periods with teams like you know the devils and Carolina my NE my next team after that is the Islanders obviously they P they play such a [ __ ] pet game dude uh it’s just you know they got guys obviously barzel um Horvat soken and net I just again it’s something it’s every year with this Islanders team man I don’t know what it is and what what they’re missing um they play a very pesky game not I W I wouldn’t say boring but just I don’t I can’t even explain it I I just don’t see them being able to compete with I feel like every other team in that division has gotten significantly better where they’ve kind of stayed stagnant yes like obviously Horvat was an unbelievable addition um other than that I I don’t really know what they’ve done like obviously Lou Lam Morello like again this is another team that like what direction are you guys going like it could go either way you could start with a [ __ ] rebuild or again it doesn’t seem like they’re going to try to compete like I I don’t know what direction they’re taking I have they have a couple really good defensemen that I love uh pulock and uh Noah Dobson I think those are two really underrated guys um and then I mentioned stoken who’s a top five goalie in the league um I still have them you know that low and then the last team obviously we agreed with the Flyers being last um I have after the Islanders I have the capitals um again we talked about this earlier with Tom Wilson deal I just don’t see them competing like yeah I really want to see oetkin break that record um I just can’t again I can’t see this team being able to compete with the Carolinas the you know the the jerseys the [ __ ] Rangers I I can’t see it happening just they’re a matchup Nightmare and I don’t think they have enough Firepower to be able to match up with those teams so yeah and those teams youth is 10 times better than than like the caps and Pet’s youth it’s not even close yeah I think overall we have like a pretty similar list but I think like you had mentioned that top you know whatever F three four teams are interchangeable yeah say three I think Columbus at four is a pretty safe pick yeah the top three are yeah sparring any like catastrophic injuries like that that top three could easily change it’s gonna be changing all season long too it’s gonna come down to the last like the last 10 games and call me crazy dude this was more difficult to rank than our Atlantic predictions it was yeah I feel like the teams were very like way closer than like the Atlantic like yes I I don’t know it was way more difficult for me at least yeah I 100% agree it’s because like I mean I think Carolina New York and New Jersey New York as in the Rangers I think those three teams are so similar in their in their skill levels and their depth and their lineup and their goal tending especially with the well actually not the goal tending scratch that but um the depth just of scoring and defensively they’re they’re all so similar and it’s GNA come down to the wire that is going to be I think outside of the Atlantic this division is going to be must watch hockey all season long especially when they’re playing each other oh yeah it’s going to be a [ __ ] dog fight dude yes not to mention a lot of these teams already hate each other to begin with right and you just saw the Rangers and the Devils have an insane Playoff Series last year like exactly you got and you got to think that’s going to boil over into this year I mean the with the Rangers and Devils they’re both going to be right you know competing for that Metro spot like right I think I think like I said the the between the Atlantic and the and the R they’re both going to be dog fights must watch hockey both those divisions oh my God all season long yeah um so I think we can kind of transition a little bit um the hinka Gretzky cup has been going on I don’t know if you’ve been able to watch any of that or or hear anything about that I’ve been yeah I’ve been trying to keep up with it but I haven’t been able to catch a full game yet yeah it’s it’s unbelievable hockey um even though you were kind of [ __ ] on my TV quality but yeah dude I you know I caught the uh I caught the Canada game what was it yesterday I believe and uh man unbelievable hockey just like and these are like kids too like young kids playing this game and and like these are these are future like number one overall picks that you’re that I’m watching and there are a few names that I that I was watching obviously Cole Eiserman I think we all know about Cole Eiserman he yeah projected to go you know top two top three next year um for the development National development program um and I I want to say he’s committed to Minnesota um let me check on that but again he was one that really stood out for me when I watched the US um and he he just looks like a clearcut um top pick like he he’s someone that obviously I know he’s still you know got to play another year at National de College whatever decides uh but he like just watching him he looks like he was two three steps ahead of everyone um and he is committed to Minnesota um from Newberry Port Mass pretty crazy I was gonna say yeah he is a mass kid so yeah so Sweeny yeah hey maybe we tank and uh but uh yeah dude and then obviously uh the other day I was watching Slovakia and uh Canada and Canada’s just a [ __ ] Powerhouse dude like I was watching these kids and I love draft talk like I love like watching these prospects and like kind of watching them evolve throughout the year and like like seeing the hype of them like you kind of like I remember watching it with like Shane Wright and then you watched his draft year and obviously had a phenomenal year and then see him at the draft and everything same thing with Bedard like you get to watch how much he progresses and like the unbelievable numbers he puts up and there are a few names that I am really excited to watch this season um the first being Berkeley katton uh he’s played center for for Canada and he he’s the captain for that team and he just again he’s unbelievable unbelievable talent I they have him ranked right now like projected to go top 10 I could see him easily going top five I’d say we’ll see the year p out but he’s unbelievable Talent um now is he so you said he was playing for Team Canada yeah he was on Canada so is he playing Juniors or is he in the NCAA no so he’ll be playing a um he’ll be playing another year for the Spokane Chiefs um so yeah he’s this halinka tournament he’s it’s a loaded team um but most of these guys will go back and play for their junior team um and he’s on a line with uh Michael Misa y I don’t know if you’ve heard about him he’s not draft eligible this year I believe he’s going to be draft eligible um in 25 which he’s already projected number one overall I was gonna say I have heard of him umy old dude he like again he just looks like he’s two three steps ahead of everyone yeah on a line with that Berkeley cat and and they are just [ __ ] tearing it up and just both unbelievably talented kids um watching you know they would have like in between period inter um like interviews and they just seem like years ahead you know what I mean like maturity wise obviously like physically they’re going to have to you know get in not better shape but they’re bigger stronger when you’re playing with grown men but man these kids unbelievably talented it’s just I think back to like when we were like 16 years old and like I’m like these kids look like oh my God it’s unbelievable like how fast how well they think the game how far ahead of they are like with all their peers it’s unbelievable to see dude Chris when I was 16 I could barely tape my stick I I didn’t even know which direction to use the stone on my skates my old man was still taping my uh or uh still tie in my skates yeah use like the little like the uh the tool where you pull it to tighten the waes up d i out there and my ankles would be at like 90 degrees you got the clear tape wrapped around your ankles oh yeah I I still have tape on the bottom of my skates every time I go out there and just [ __ ] eat yeah you go with your skate guards on these kids these kids are doing the Michigan and and flying around we’re we’re Weir I’m still wearing a neck guard in uh yeah dude it’s so crazy to watch like it is insane really makes you wonder and uh really re reevaluate your life I guess yeah yeah I get out get outside and you know at 28 start practi in my Michigan for beer league and yeah so but yeah man this this I had never seen this tournament and I just happen to like flip it on and and I don’t know why I’d never even like thought to tune into it but it’s like all future prospects and everything and and that’s one thing I really like to keep uh like keep note of is these kids that you know because then you can keep track throughout the year and um obviously as Bruins fans we don’t really have to worry about first round picks anytime soon um but you know you never know I mean if if moves are made you’d like to I’d like to know who these kids are and and obviously with this us team the the only two teams I’ve seen obviously the slovaks um and Canada and the US a little bit this draft is going to be really special and and I would say even maybe equal to this year’s um I don’t think there’s going to be a clear clearcut number one I think there’s a couple kids that could definitely make make an argument we mentioned Cole Eiserman and um Macklin celebrini who he’s gonna be at beu this season um I think those are the really two names um to keep an eye on for for this draft and then um I want to mention a defenseman too uh Sam Dickinson of the London Knights um super talented kid I I think he’s a he’s a player that could potentially sneak into that top top two top three um by far the best defenseman in this draft um just you know smooth with the puck like just very responsible in the defensive Zone jumps up in the play every so often I that’s another name to keep you know keep an eye on yeah yeah yeah so does this so is it um how long does this go on for yeah honestly I I don’t even know like so it looks like I’m looking at right now because like you said like I hadn’t like I knew it was a thing but I’ve never sat down and watched it and and with work being so crazy like I hardly have time to actually sit down and watch so I’m learning this from you right now yeah so it looks like the third place game is gonna be tomorrow um against the us is going to be playing Finland for the third place um August 5th looks like 5:00 p.m MH oh no 10 wait 11:00 a.m. local time so 11 our time great like we said earlier we’re not math guys we don’t know how to we’re not time zone guys one of these days with h prime time we’re gonna get a math guy in here to to help out we’ll put him on the books we’ll put on the book we’ll get them back yeah we’ll ow we’ll pay him eventually yeah does he take Monopoly money oh man but yeah so obviously yeah we talked a ton about these free agent a ton has happened this past week dude like I’m kind of glad we were at the tail end of the week um because obviously today with the Tom Wilson signing and um all the Bruin signings I’m kind of glad that we got to do the tail end of the week um yeah so I like I said we’re still in like you like you say the dog days of the off season and uh I think this was a really good episode um just being able to finally talk some like real hockey and not just make up [ __ ] talk about Trent Frederick’s arbitration yeah no ex I can get exhausting but um so we’re gonna we’re gonna play the Markle golin interview correct right right uh as we finish this up yep as soon as we finish this uh we’re g to be joined by um current Boston Bruins forward Mark mlin um he’s also the captain of Boston College um local kid um shout out Bill R yeah Bill ricka kid just just such an incredible kid man so so friendly like um we’ve been in contact now for like a couple weeks and he just was he seemed really excited about coming on and talking and obviously he was really open about all the questions we asked and um I’m really excited for him this season um I think he really has a chance to kind of make a name for himself and hopefully we you know we see him with the uh the big team yeah man it was an awesome conversation uh such a nice down-to-earth kid um you know it didn’t even really feel like an interview we were just shooting the [ __ ] with him um talking about obviously his time in BC his time growing up playing youth haing mass and you guys will all hear it as the interview plays in just a couple minutes but um you know pleasure to have him on we can’t thank him enough for coming on to the show either um and I’m really excited for him I I think he could get some time with Boston you know maybe some looks on that fourth line um he could he could you know you could see him up with the team so it was an awesome conversation and uh I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we enjoyed it yeah before we send you over to uh to Mark uh want to give again give a huge shout out to Prime Time Productions um super honored to be you know a part of the team and um see where this takes us um again thank you guys so much and uh hope you guys enjoy this uh Mark mlin interview you thanks guys what is going on everyone welcome back to drop the MS hockey podcast episode six we are with Boston Bruins forward Mark mlin Mark how are you doing buddy doing well thanks for having me on awesome man yeah so happy to have you how how’s the offseason going uh uh how many time how much like how often do you are you skating um been in the gym every day at Warrior which is obviously great for me because being a local guy um you know being able to be around family and friends and also be able to be with the Bost and trainers is awesome um and then we’ve had some good skates going on at Warrior and uh you know in different areas of the city as well probably like three or four times a week I’d say for now and then you start kind of ramping up as as you get closer to uh you know Camp starting which is roughly around September 20th normally at least that’s when it started up last year so yeah obviously with uh saw you on the ice last night for the uh three on three tournament it’s it’s amazing to see you guys um how skilled you guys are in such a small space and just the level of talent um what’s it like playing with all those guys in that tournament and uh you know on in the three on three and um here locally too yeah it’s cool you know one of the good things about uh you know growing up in New England is that there’s so many great players in this area so um and obviously a lot of pro guys stick around here to be in the city um but yeah so it’s good it’s great competition the three on three is always tough it’s small area um there’s not much space out there but um you know it’s really good for working on those individual skills and those tight spots yeah um you got something Mikey yeah man I was just gonna say Obviously being a mass kid growing up in b r um you got to Captain BC what was it like you know you thought hockey growing up in Massachusetts playing in this system and then eventually graduating up into BC and playing for the Eagles what what did that mean to you how did that you know turn you into the player you are today and and how what benefits did it give you yeah I mean I’m so fortunate like you said like being being from B Rea when I was younger I I wanted to go to BC you know and um you know you end up working your way up there you know you work your way through Cushing and and Mass youth hockey or whatever and you keep just building building your game as you go and then you’re like wow wow I’m at BC like this is incredible and um there’s so many the great thing about that is so many great coaches to learn from so many great players that you’re you know that are pushing you and and making you a better player um and a better person on and off the ice as well so um you know and then you make this this step and sign pro and you’re able to stick around your hometown your uh your home City and it’s it’s unbelievable and like I always tell everyone I’m I’m so lucky to be in this situation and um you know I I know a lot of local kids would would love to have that path that I’ve been on um so it’s something I try to not take for granted and you know carry with me yeah so to caveat off that how like how much of an honor was it to to wear the C for BC and um like man that’s a huge honor especially playing for such an elite school um with such you know great tradition what what was that like how much of an honor was that to you and then also what was it like playing for uh coach York yeah um you know that’s another thing you can’t take that for granted too I was so fortunate to be you know to wear a letter at BC and um you know I just wanted to make sure I was I was being the best role model I could be for the rest of the guys in the room you know whether that’s you know being vocal in the in the locker room or it’s you know where working as hard as I can on the ice to set a good example so um that that really I think matured me throughout my hockey career getting that opportunity to be a captain at BC and um you know gave me some leadership experience that you know I still try to carry with me today um playing for Coach York was unbelievable you know like that was that was like shell shocked when I walked in lock room and you know got to play for the best college coach ever uh he’s he’s just such an unbelievable person like the way he carries himself you know the life lessons and then you know on top of that the hockey mind that he has is it’s it’s like an un Unstoppable force and you know it speaks to you the success that he’s had over the years just dominating College hockey so um you know it was it was such an honor to to play for him and um you know I still reach out to him and he reaches out to me and uh it’s always good to catch up with him good to get on the golf course with him soon yeah you how often do you play golf yeah uh I don’t I don’t play too much my game’s in a bad bad place but all of that’s all of us yeah I try to get out you know it’s it’s nice to it’s a good way to catch up with friends too and you know just go play around and whatnot but um but yeah it definitely needs to definitely needs to get better you’re you’re not alone trust me yeah um so kind of staying on that BC track um obviously you you had some unbelievable teammates Matt baly Alex new hook uh Mike Hardman Oliver walstrom Jack McBain just to name a few um do you still keep in contact with those guys and and what was it like playing with with that level of skill and um like yeah do you still keep in contact with those guys yeah um some of them are actually here in Boston this past weekend but so a lot of those guys were my roommates too so um you know and I always say like like the Year Matt baly had he had an unbelievable year like there’s I’m not surprised in you know at all like he all those guys are just such good people and and such good players too and like I’m not surprised to see the success they’ve been having at the you know whether it is NHL AHL level um you know they’ve been playing great and uh you know it made going to the rank so fun because those guys were so competitive and our practices were you know just topnotch with with skill and how we’re pushing each other so I mean that sets you up to going into Pro and be a little bit more ready for it because you’re already playing against guys that are that competitive and and that skilled um so yeah I mean it helped me a lot and and it was just such a it made it made the experience at BC that much better because those guys are just like top-notch guys and made it so fun yeah you you mentioned a lot of those guys being your buddy and um obviously like your roommate I was just watching the Behind the B episode about when you first signed your deal and you were still you were still on campus and everything how how has life changed since then um have you finally been able to kind of get off campus and and and find your own place and what’s up in like that adjustment yeah they they K me out of the dorms Unfortunately they wouldn’t they wouldn’t let me be in in ra but but yeah no it’s been it’s been nice uh you know living on your own now and uh you know being in an apartment it’s just a whole that’s about that’s the whole process of being a pro you know and it’s that’s the big jump you’re living on your own you’re you know uh you know taking care of yourself on your own you’re not being surrounded by your team or or whatnot whatever whatever it might be um but yeah it’s definitely changed I definitely miss PC for sure you know those uh being in the being in the dorm rooms with the guys and whatnot but uh but yeah it’s been great you know spent most of the year in Providence as you guys know great City uh really enjoyed it there spend a ton of time with teammates there as well we all live pretty close together um but yeah it’s been it’s been great now in the city for uh for this summer and um spent a little time in Bill rck too catching up with my family and whatnot but uh but it’s been great yeah um and then also I wanted to uh bring up when when you finally found out that the like the Brewing were interested in signing you what what was that like obviously being a childhood Bruins fan like what what was that experience like find um signing that first contract and you know getting on the ice with with those guys yeah I feel like it didn’t really hit me till this uh this past summer kind of because I was just going in there well obviously it was great I was super fired up um it’s a dream come true and whatnot um but I was just like a laser focus in like a just like a state or just like I just dialed in you know yeah so I I uh you know I was just just trying to make sure I was gonna help the team and you know have an impact and and help those guys out as much I can so I was like just staying super dialed in and then in the summer I you know like talking with my family and whatnot kind of thinking of the whole thing it was like wow like pretty incredible that I got the opportunity to sign in Boston and stay home play in front of family friends and you know have the people that have supported me like all through my hockey career be there you know for my first game and um you know to go through that this journey like and have them there is is pretty cool yeah getting to share that kind of experience with you know the E whether it was the coaches or just mentors growing up having them be able to come and witness your first shift in the NHL come watch you you know excel in the National um I just wanted to ask too obviously growing up being a bruin fan as we’ve said too from the area was there any you know who was your favorite player growing up was there anybody you know on the Bruins or any other teams in the NHL that you tried to you know emulate your game after or almost someone you looked up to as a role model yeah uh it was definitely berson um as as with everyone right yeah yeah uh I play center I play center mostly Growing Up played a little bit of wing now too but um you know I try to replicate my game after his but you know if I’m half the player he is it’s that’s that’s a good thing but uh um yeah I just respect his his 200 foot game how he plays he’s so honest with the way he plays uh he’s good on both sides of the puck he he’s such a good leader um that just he has so many great attributes and um so I’ve always looked up to him as a kid he’s always my favorite player and whatnot so obviously going to the team it was like incredible being able to have the chance to play with him and then to now like get kind of a behind the scenes look at at how he operates and why he’s so good and um you know why the team’s been so good and uh you know how he leads and how he leads at the front by you know leading the way and and being the perfect uh you know setting the perfect example and and doing all the right things so it’s uh yeah I can’t say enough it’s like really really cool to get that opportunity before you’re retired um and you know ET was super nice to me and I would always uh be asking how my family’s doing and whatnot he’s always trying to form like a a connection with with every single player on the team whether it’s a call up or a new guy or um the guys that have been around for a while so I really appreciated that make you definitely made me feel like very comfortable going going in there um which which makes it easier for me you know so um yeah he’s such a good guy yeah I mean obviously with berson retiring last week um I think it kind of shook the whole city of Boston and yeah all of Massachusetts for that matter and you know you you just talked a lot about him on the ice um and just how he was such a model citizen off the ice um what are the biggest things that that you’re going to take with you that you learn from Bergie um you know for years to come in your own career yeah um just a little things like he there was different tendency like he was always one of the first him and marshan are one of the first people at the rink every day um and I was a young guy obviously trying to show up early as well and they would be you know older veterans are showing up as soon as the young guys and like that’s that’s just building building culture and and there’s no one better at that than than Bergie um so it’s just different stuff like that how you treat people like how he’s you know like I said he made me feel welcomed he made everyone on the team feel welcomed and and then he brings you know he has that level of inclusiveness to him and then he you know is absolutely one of the most intense people with how he performs and and how he’s vocal in the locker room um so that’s different stuff that that I’ll definitely take with me and and I’m really happy I got a chance to play with them yeah man literally I I don’t think uh it’s been said so many times but I don’t think you can handpick a better person to to lead a team into a culture change be a role model for the younger players on the team like I’m just glad that this city was able to experience him and and really you know not take for granted what he meant to the organization and it’s awesome to hear you know everything about how he treated the younger guys how he treated the system how he set an example for everybody it’s it’s awesome it’s awesome yeah no for sure and you know and that’s the reason why they’ve you know been on deep playoff runs and and whatnot and we’re able to win in in 2011 too you know so it’s it it starts from the front with the leadership and those guys setting the example for sure yeah it goes to show even with with guys that were never teammates with him and still had nothing but great things to say yeah obviously they play all those CLI you know one for example the um when they’re at the center dot with Tage Thompson and Patrice kind of you know talks to him I don’t know if you’d seen that but just it just kind of goes to show what kind of guy he is and and that’s going to be a huge loss but um I wanted I wanted to bring up the your first career goal because I I was just watching that yeah uh behind the be and and they showed your family’s reaction and obviously Freddy gave you a nice sauce and he just signed that deal um yeah deal today what was that like scoring your first goal your family’s reaction it was so cool seeing you know they were all emotional but so happy at the same time what was that like getting your first goal at the Garden and um and you know your family’s reaction yeah I I feel like I like blacked out after that um it was really cool uh I didn’t see my family’s reaction till after the game and you know that that’s where it kind of hit me made me emotional you know just just uh you know they’ve been with me through the whole thing and I had a ton of friends there and you know all the people that have helped me get to where I was and um you know I I had so many text messages of people you know showing their they saying oh I was there whatever and whatnot so um you know the town of Bill Rea there’s bunch of people from Billa there and whatnot um yeah so it’s just a like I said earlier it’s just to be able to share that with them that made everything that was everything for me um because because like I said it’s it it takes a village to get there and you know you go through a lot to get to that moment and you know to give something back to them and and be able to have a great memory that’ll you know last a lifetime is pretty cool yeah absolutely dude I can’t imagine that kind of feeling um so that’s awesome that you got to experience that but touching on that as well so you played 11 games with the Bruins in 2021 2022 um what was it like stepping onto the ice for the first time at the Garden in in front of the Boston fans um I’m sure a moment that you’d been dreaming of forever not not only just Boston but just you know reaching that level of professionalism where you’re taking the ice for an NHL game but the fact that it was in Boston um what was what was that Moment Like if you can kind of take us through that honestly um I thought I was going to be a little bit more like nervous and kind of like jittery going into it but I was kind of like really relaxed and like kind of just you know kept telling myself that I was you know I was ready for the moment and just to it was just another game so I just kind of went into it like just jacked up excited and uh and yeah like like I said earlier too I play with Coy that game and Coy was like the nicest guy in the world just like like we we’re we’re having a day like we’re gonna we’re gonna be great today like like just communicate like blah blah blah like um I’ll be talking you out there like you’re you’re gonna do great just play your game um that definitely counted me down like I think you said that after warm-ups to me or something like that too um but yeah that like that game was I think eight to one the final yeah it was a blowout it was a blowout that kind of helps too kind of you can be a little bit more relaxed like and just go out and just play hockey and and compete um but yeah the I just remember the like the building was so loud the energy was crazy so because it’s kind of crazy like being on the other like I was at a game earlier that season like I brought my nephew to a to a Bruins game where we’re up in like in the balcony like just watching the game and like to be now like flip on the other side I was like the energy in here is just unbelievable yeah that’s crazy that’s crazy crazy you know yeah man I was in the building when you scored and I yeah that was me up in the balcony and freaking like man I got a beer p on me it just when you when you scored and just that whole game it was so loud and just so electric um it was an unbelievable moment I think a lot of people knew that obviously you were a local guy and like it just it must have been such a cool feeling to see you know all the all the fans you know know that you’re a local guy and and see you succeed yeah the the support like I said earlier I had so many text messages after the game from family friends uh you know anyone that I played hockey with at any point coaches and whatnot and um you know so it was pretty cool to see that many people reach out and and show their support yeah so this this offseason um you signed a one-year deal um as a restricted free agent um and last year you had a solid season 13 goals 17 assists um what areas of your game have you really been trying to focus on improving um and what are to caveat off that what are some strengths that you think that you’re also trying to build off of yeah I think uh like going into this this summer I’ve been trying to you know work on my skating the individual skills stuff and and whatnot just you know fine-tuning some of that stuff so you’re a little bigger faster stronger um a little bit more poised with the puck and you know trying to make make a little bit more plays and whatnot but um you know I’m trying to play with some more physicality and um you know just play with a lot of pace um but yeah I thought thought this I had a really strong second half in Providence uh last year and um you know kind of was figuring out and adjusting to the to the pro style and uh and how many games it is too is a huge jump from from college um so I I mean I I felt like I was you know playing a really solid two-way game um you know because that’s kind of what I take pride in and you know being solid on the penalty kill and uh you know and then just being like a power forward and and getting my shots off and getting to the net and just being hard to play against so um you know I was happy with with how the year went and Prov um obviously the result wasn’t what we what we wanted in the end um same with Boston but there’s uh there’s always things to take away from it and uh come back hungry next year you know so yeah for sure um so like what are your expectations for this this upcoming season obviously there’s had a lot of people come and go off this roster and um a lot of moves have been made um what are your expectations for the for yourself as well as the team as a whole yeah I think yeah like anyone you’re going into Camp to try to try to make the team and that’s uh that’s a mindset you should have and and you should be confident about it and you should um you know go and go and put the work in to to give yourself the best chance so um that’s where my head’s at and um I’m excited I feel like I’ve had a really good summer up to this point and just keep building and um you know you see how it goes and whatever whatever happens happens you go down to Providence you you know hope to be the first one being called up because you’re you’re you’re on top of your game and playing well and whatnot so um but yeah expectations I think um for me I just I just wantan to I just want to be solid I want to like I was saying earlier have that two-way game that that makes me extremely reliable whether I’m you know playing for Boston and you know just being hard to play against and and uh and being a force out there and just uh just trying to create some opportunities as well offensively too so yeah man um so obviously you’re you’re a younger guy much like us so you’re definitely on some social media Twitter Instagram all that um some of the fan Bas has kind of giving you a nickname mck Lovin from super bad what do you what do you think about that nickname uh do you do you like it do you you want something else like what do you think I don’t mind it at all yeah it’s kind of funny I think yeah yeah the like your face is photoshopped on that fake ID like yeah yeah it’s so funny every my friends my PC friends thought it was hilarious too that means they love you man so that’s yeah that’s yeah yeah you gota you gotta laugh with it right yeah about that kind of stuff yeah that’s awesome well man I I’d be remiss if I didn’t uh give a shout out to Greg and Benny Thomas obviously for putting us in contact uh Benny’s a good friend of mine and played together at uh Oakmont before he went over to Cushing or before he left for prep um I was just kind of that load that sat in front of the net and just hit whoever hit him so um yeah I wanted to give him a shout out and again thanks so much for coming on uh we wish you the best of luck this season and uh hopefully we can talk throughout the year man appreciate you thank you thanks for having me on guys appreciate it hey thank you Mark awesome man take care

The boys sit down with Boston Bruins forward and former Boston College Eagles Captain Marc McLaughlin talking offseason and expectations for this upcoming season for the Bruins. The boys also announce a huge news and an exciting new chapter for the Drop the Mitts Hockey Podcast. Chris and Mike discuss the latest signings across the league and give their predictions for the Metropolitan Division and talk about names to keep an eye on from the 2023 Hlinka Gretzy Cup and potential top picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. 

As always if you enjoyed Drop the Mitts Hockey content please don’t hesitate to leave a 5 star review and follow Chris Davis @chrisjdavis11 on all social media platforms as well as the podcast account @DropMittsHockey on all social media platforms. 

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