Happy Hour Ep. 3 - Brady Tkachuk Has Fun!
Welcome to Episode 3 of the From Center Ice Happy Hour! We've had some Round 2 action in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I'm here to recap it as well as some other news from around the NHL that dropped this week!
Cheers to the weekend!
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Full Episode Transcript:
00:10
Welcome to From Center Ice the podcast. And of course, it is Friday evening. So this is the From Center Ice Happy Hour. And once again, I am joining you in Happy Hour festivities. And it's a little earlier today than I would usually be recording these it's 2:46pm Central time. So it's five o'clock somewhere, right?
00:39
But I'm also recording a podcast episode of this evening for From Center Ice here and having a special guest on so, you know, I will take one for the team and get a little day drinking going so that I can knock out two episodes for you guys.
00:57
But once again, just like the cozy cast on Monday, my printer decided that my notes on page one needed to not print correctly, all the other pages are perfectly fine. But for some reason, once it gets up there to page one, it just can't handle it. So I will have to be reading those off of my phone once again. But that's all right.
01:21
And today, much like in the other Happy Hours, this is episode three by the way, how are there already three of these? That is so crazy to me. But it's so fun. And it seems like you guys are enjoying the happy hours and the Cozy Casts, which makes me really happy. I wasn't sure how they would go over when I started them. But I've gotten a lot of good feedback so far. So if you are enjoying these definitely let me know it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside getting feedback like that.
01:54
But let's just start talking about the hockey.
01:56
And again, that's what I was saying. Much like the other episodes so far, there will be a lot of playoff talk in this one. But there's also some other NHL news that's happened this week. So there will be a little bit more of non playoff talk thrown in there as well.
02:18
But let's start with the Stanley Cup playoffs.
02:21
And now we are firmly in round two. On Monday for the Cozy Cast, there were no games on that night, because it was the day between round one and round two. But we've had some games go complete so far.
02:37
Well, we will start out East.
02:39
We have the Carolina Hurricanes taking on the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins in round one. The Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in round one. So now they collide. And we only have one game so far. And Carolina won that game by a score of two to one in overtime.
03:04
Yeah, it wasn't super exciting. I was expecting more of the high flying Hurricanes that we've kind of become accustomed to that can just score on will - or at well. I think that's the saying there.
03:20
The Rangers weren't playing particularly well enough to shut them down. The Hurricanes just didn't really have much of a push coming into game one. And that's a common theme that we've seen out east so far. Which is very disappointing.
03:41
Because the Eastern games kick off the playoffs for the night since they are on earlier. And they've kind of been a snooze fest so far.
03:49
So I'm hoping that the hurricanes and the rangers can put together a good effort for us tonight to kick off game two.
03:57
And the big controversy, if you will, surrounding this series is that the Carolina Hurricanes have now joined other sports franchises and NHL teams in restricting their ticket sales. So they are only selling tickets to people in the Carolinas and in Southern Virginia. And if you do not live in those places and have placed an order for tickets, your order will be cancelled.
04:27
And I am one of those people that just hates this ticketing policy, no matter which team does it. And I really hope that the Blackhawks never go this route because I think it's really obnoxious, especially as someone who has traveled to watch games and I never traveled to see the Blackhawks play. So I don't travel to see my team because if I drove all that way to go see an away game and my team lost I would be in a very bad mood.
04:59
But this is the playoffs.
05:01
So I would think most people traveling to see games are fans of the team. But what if you have a Carolina Hurricanes fan that doesn't live in the area and they want to go to games, but they don't know anybody there who can buy them tickets? Well, then they're just out of luck? It's so dumb to me. Just let people enjoy things. Let people go to hockey games. I get that you want your arena to be full of home fans. You want it to be loud. You don't want to see a bunch of blue instead of red. But just let people have fun. Let people enjoy things. Rivalries are why sports are so fun.
05:42
And I think it's even more ridiculous this time around because when Nashville did this in the first round. Limiting sales, so hurricanes fans couldn't go to Nashville. Canes fans were all up in arms about it talking about how ridiculous it was. And then the Canes do it in round two. And they're just silent about it. And they say, "Oh, well, all these other teams do it. Of course, we would do it." What?
06:10
It's just silly. Just keep the energy for your own teams if you criticize something. It is okay to criticize your team. That is more than okay. Of course, don't push any ridiculous boundaries and attack people personally, but talking about them making dumb or bad decisions. It's perfectly fine.
06:39
And if the Blackhawks ever did this, I would certainly be on the team of that needs to never happen because it's ridiculous. And I've met a few people from out of town that have come to the United Center. Somebody I talk to fairly regularly on Twitter, I met her at a Blackhawks/Toronto game because she's a Maple Leafs fan and travels to see the Leafs was at the United Center. And we just happened to run into each other before the game, started talking while we were waiting for the doors to open, and now we connect regularly.
07:15
These are the kinds of things that you miss when you limit ticket sales.
07:20
And yeah, that was a regular season game. It wasn't as high stakes. But again, rivalries are what makes sports fun. And I know me personally, when I go to away arenas - again, I'd never traveled to see my team because it'd put me in a bad mood of they lost. But I love sitting next to fans of the home team and then talking to them about their team and seeing who they like on the ice, what their prospects are like who they think is going to be good. I had one good interaction with a St. Louis Blues fan. And only one because the other times we went to St. Louis, we had very bad interactions with Blues fans.
08:03
And I'm not saying that they represent your fan base as a whole because there are idiots in every single fan base. But it was especially egregious there.
08:13
But the first time we went, sat next to a Blues fan and I was talking to him about the team and the prospects. I told him I was from Chicago and a Blackhawks fan and he was very nice. And I said yeah, I think Colton Parayko is going to be a really good player. This was his rookie season. Turns out I was correct. But that is what I enjoy. I like talking to people about hockey.
08:36
I mean, imagine that. I have a podcast talking about hockey, it kind of makes sense that I would enjoy talking about hockey.
08:42
But I don't know.
08:43
I hate this ticketing rule. Just let people go to games let people enjoy things. We need to grow the NHL. We need to grow the sport of hockey. And if you're restricting things like this, that just actively hinders that. And maybe it's hard for Hurricanes fans to see that since they are in the middle of the playoff fight. And I understand that to a degree because I can't say how I would be speaking if it was the Blackhawks doing it in the playoffs. I know that I wouldn't like it, but I would probably excuse it just because there's more important things that I'm worried about here - which is the team winning on the ice.
09:23
So I do understand it to a degree. But speaking from the outside, I just hate these ticketing rules and restrictions but I will stop talking about that now because I could just keep going on and ranting about this for a while.
09:37
But we have game number two tonight.
09:39
I really hope they come out with a better effort. And then we have the other series out east which has been even more of a snooze fest then the first game for Carolina and the Rangers was.
09:54
And that is the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning - the Battle of flow Florida.
10:00
It was the best playoff series last season. It was high intensity, the players were hitting everything in sight. It was high flying hockey and it was a must see event really, which was awesome for Florida hockey and for the NHL - again, growing the sport.
10:23
So the only consolation I had this year for Tampa beating the Leafs in round one was, oh, we get the Battle of Florida again. How exciting.
10:34
This year, the Panthers were the President's Trophy winning team, the best team in the NHL, they ended up better than the Colorado Avalanche which just didn't seem possible for any team to do. But they did. And then we come into game one. And that game was won by Tampa Bay four to one, and the Florida Panthers head zero life.
11:02
Tampa basically just took advantage of their chances. And there was a goal that was called off because it hit the netting before it went into the net. So it was technically out of play. They had to review it blah, blah, blah. And then Tampa had a goal that stood which I still firmly firmly believe should be goaltender interference, but I went on a whole rant on that in my video for that night.
11:35
Oh, if you aren't watching this on YouTube, or if you are watching this on YouTube, but you just stumbled across here and you haven't been around From Center Ice. I have been doing recap videos for round two at the end of the night. So talking about both games, since the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated and the IceHogs were eliminated and the Calder Cup playoffs.
11:57
I think I said on Monday that my playoff coverage outside of podcasts was over. And then we went into night one of round two, and I just felt bored. Like I really needed to be doing something. And if you've been around for a while you know that there were sometimes well often large breaks in video content and podcasts but I've been on a really good roll since the beginning of the playoffs here.
12:27
I did get my medication switch before the playoffs started. I think maybe that might have something to do with it. I went back to Lexapro from being on Wellbutrin. And antidepressants can really mess with your brain.
12:40
But anyway, so I was bored thinking I needed to be doing something and yeah, so I started covering round two and I've had a lot of fun doing it so far and I've been more tuned in to what's going on in the NHL, which I was severely missing somewhat this season. But also at the same time I wanted to do pretty much anything except talk about hockey this season because of everything going on with the Blackhawks. So it feels really good to be excited about hockey again.
13:14
So, I've been making videos every night recapping the night that was in playoff hockey.
13:20
But anyway, I went on a huge rant about goaltender interference that night after game one and the Florida series. So if you want to hear me ranting about that, go ahead and go watch that one.
13:34
But then Game Two was last night and that was won two to one by the Tampa Bay Lightning. So yes, they have a 2-0 series lead in the Battle of Florida and now it shifts back to Tampa because it started in Sunrise as the Florida Panthers had home ice advantage.
13:54
And they did not take advantage of that in the slightest.
13:58
So Tampa is going back home with a 2-0 series lead and it is not looking good for the Panthers but they look dead. Like, Tampa isn't playing hockey that we have seen them play the last two years when they won the cup. They are basically - I said this in my video last night - but they're basically a bunch of body parts duct taped together. And they look like a hockey team because of it because they are so injured and worn down.
14:31
And yet the Panthers just couldn't take advantage of it.
14:34
And I mean special teams is a big part of it. They've gone, I think 0 for 25 on the powerplay throughout the entire playoffs. So first round and the first two games of this round. And maybe if they can get that first playoff goal then it will spark some offense from the Panthers.
14:55
But I just have to believe that there's an injury that's leading to this because they look horrible. And I don't know how this team won the President's Trophy because they just look like there's no energy there. There's no sense of urgency. They're forcing plays Barkov doesn't look good. Huberdeau doesn't look good. Sergei Bobrovsky, credit to him. He's trying his best to keep his team in it, but he's getting absolutely no help from the guys up front. His defense isn't helping him. That pairing of Mackenzie Weegar and Gustav Forsling were on the ice for both Tampa goals last night. And Weegar had a very bad night. Can't really fault Forsling much. Maybe he should have done something a little different on the first goal on Corey Perry's powerplay goal. I mean, he did lift Perry's stick, but then he just left him alone and skated away.
16:00
But man, Florida, you need to figure something out, or Tampa needs to figure something out. But there needs to be some sort of energy injected into that series because it has been so boring so far. And we were promised a good battle of Florida. And a good battle of Florida, we have not gotten. It is the retirement home series. And I hate to say that because that's been the mock of Florida hockey, which obviously both teams are very good at.
16:37
Tampa is the two time reigning Stanley Cup champs and the Panthers won the President's Trophy.
16:43
Maybe it's the President's Trophy curse, or maybe they're exhausted from clawing their way back every game this year, it seemed after going down. But that series is just so upsetting.
16:55
I would I wish it was the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Washington Capitals, but it isn't. And we have the Battle of Florida and we can only hope that in game three, which is Sunday morning, they will pick it up and give us something.
17:13
But I need to move on from that series now because it just frustrates me but it's boring at the same time. So it's like I have a lot to say but I'm not super enthused about it. It's a very strange series guys. And plus, just add in the upset from Toronto not beating Tampa. So having to watch them go on and then play in a bad series. Ugh.
17:37
Let's move out West, shall we?
17:40
And first up we have the Colorado Avalanche up against the St. Louis Blues - the team they swept in the playoffs last season in round one. Let me take a drink there.
17:57
The series is currently tied 1-1. Game Two was last night. And now it shifts back to St. Louis.
18:06
Game One, Colorado won in overtime on a Josh Manson goal. And Colorado just looked absolutely dominant in that game even though it was only a three to two win, they looked dominant. Credit Jordan Binnington, he had a good game in net for the Blues, even though I hate to say it. But he did.
18:30
And man, they looked so good. Like the this is the Avs team that we were expecting. They came out a little flat in the first period, and Ryan O'Reilly got the first goal of the game for the Blues.
18:44
So the Avs had to come back, and obviously they did come back, tie it, took the lead, then Jordan Kyrou tied it up took it to overtime. Josh Manson scores. But it was basically all Avs. But credit St. Louis for not giving up there.
19:01
And then they came out in game two, and the Blues looked determined.
19:09
The Avs did not play a very good game. In the first period, they were kind of able to get some chances. They would pick up the puck after the blues had their scoring chance, take it the other way, get a couple shots on net. But they were severely out shot at least in the first half of that first period. And they just never really recovered.
19:32
But St Louis won 4-1. And two of those goals - the first two goals - bounced off of an Avalanche defender's stick past Darcy Kuemper. So it was a night of bad bounces. If you're an Avs fan, don't read too much into that game. Yeah, they didn't look great. And credit St. Louis, they looked really good like they had something to prove. Jordan Bennington, once again, had a good game. Jordan Kyrou, and what a player that guy is. Tarasenko looked pretty good. Colton Parayko had some good spots.
20:13
But Gabriel Landeskog, your captain, did get on the board on the powerplay. That was a very good play. Nathan MacKinnon had the puck on the left wing half wall, sent it behind the net to Landeskog. Landeskog sent it up the right wing wall to Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen sent it back to Landy. Landeskog tried to get it out front to Nazem Kadri. But Justin Faulk's stick got in the way. Unfortunately, for Faulk, it bounced off of his stick back to Landeskog, who was at the side of the net and just roofed it over Jordan Binnington.
20:46
It was a very pretty passing play all around. But at least they got on the board, they didn't get shut out.
20:53
But as the game was going on, they were kind of trying to pick up the pace and skating a bit better. But the Blues were doing a good job of knocking pucks off of their sticks, pushing the guys off the puck. And they definitely should have been called for some more penalties there. The one penalty that put Colorado on the power play where they did score was a very weak hooking call on David Perron.
21:21
So I also said this in the video last night, but it's frustrating how the penalty that they call is super weak. And then they just let blatant tripping calls go. That doesn't make any sense to me. But the officiating hasn't made any sense at all through the playoffs so far in any series. So there is always that that teams are contending with.
21:47
But the Avs need to come out and just play their game.
21:51
And I'm kind of . . . okay, so I told Avs fans not to read too much into one game in here. I'm going to say I'm a bit concerned about the Avs. So, uhh. But the Avs have had trouble getting out of the second round of the playoffs. And it seems like when they get frustrated, that's when they are easily taken off of their game. So if they are not dominating offensively, then it's like it gets to their head, like they should be able to be scoring and why are we not scoring and then they just stopped scoring for the rest of the series.
22:28
So I think game three, even though it's still early in a seven game series, I think it's going to be a really pivotal game for the Avs.
22:39
If they can come out and lay on that offensive pressure, get a couple of goals, then I think that they will be okay. But if the Blues come out with another performance like they had in game two, and they just shut down the offense, they don't allow the Avs to get super great chances keep them to only one goal, then I think maybe this series is in danger for Colorado.
23:07
Of course anything can happen. They have to get over this hump eventually. But all I can do is go off of past trends.
23:15
So I think game three is going to be a very important game for the Colorado Avalanche. I'm not going to say it's a must win game. Because even if they do lose and go down to two to one, they can certainly come back from that, especially if they do get the offense rolling in game number three, I think they will be okay.
23:34
But if they are held to one goal again, and Darcy Kuemper doesn't get a shutout on the other end, then I think it might be time for Avs fans to maybe start think thinking about worrying.
23:54
Again, they can certainly come back from that. This team is very good. Darcy Kuemper played out of his mind last night, and definitely tried to keep his team in that one. Unfortunately, the third goal against went off of the bottom of his glove. That's just a heartbreaker after the amount of fantastic saves that he made.
24:14
But hockey is a game of bounces and the bounces weren't in favor of the Avs last night. So game three will be interesting. And we will see where they go from there. We will have, well I will have, that update for you in the Cozy Cast on Monday. So, definitely stay tuned for that.
24:33
But let's move on. So I don't sit here and talk about the Avs and Blues for the rest of this episode.
24:40
Because last but certainly not least, we have the Battle of Alberta. The Calgary Flames, the first in the Pacific Division Calgary Flames up against the Edmonton Oilers.
24:57
We've only had one game so far, but It has been the best game of the playoffs so far. And the Calgary Flames won that game nine to six.
25:09
It was a wild one. The Calgary Flames scored two goals in the first 51 seconds of the game, which is an NHL record for the fastest two goals to start an NHL playoff game in history. So there's that. So we already made history a minute into that one. Then they scored another goal. Less than seven minutes, I want to say into the first and Mike Smith was then pulled because it was three to nothing Calgary.
25:49
And oh, gosh, there were so many goals in this one. It's hard to remember what order they came in.
25:54
I think Edmonton made it three to one. And then maybe, I don't know, I can't tell you all of this in order.
26:03
But eventually at some point, it ended up tied six to six after it started out 3-0. And then the game okay, at some point the game was five to one. And then somehow the Oilers tied it up six to six.
26:22
But then Calgary went on to win 9-6 Matthew Tkachuk had a hat trick. The hat trick goal came on an empty netter. So you know, people were like it doesn't count blah, blah, blah. It counts. They don't ask how they just ask how many. You've heard that saying before, I am sure of it.
26:40
But what a wild game at one point it seemed like any shot that was taken toward the net was going to go into the net and it basically was. Jacob Markstrom certainly didn't have the best game of his career there. You can't put all of the goals on him, that's for sure. But some of those he definitely should have had. Connor McDavid. Connor freaking McDavid y'all he had a fantastic game for the Oilers and it just really sucks that the Edmonton Oilers are doing their best job at wasting these amazing years of McDavid's career.
27:28
And not even just McDavid then you have Leon Draisaitl next to him. Like oh my gosh, you have two of the best players in the world. You have the best hockey player in the entire world in Connor McDavid. And you roll out Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen in net. What are you doing, Oilers?
27:55
After this season Mikko Koskinen's contract is finally up. But Mike Smith is on the books for another season. Like.
28:05
I don't I don't get it. What are you doing?
28:09
That team could be so dominant if you would just surround him with players who could get it done. And Mike Smith has had some really good regular seasons for the Oilers since he's been there. But you have to do something about that goaltending situation because it's not working and it hasn't worked.
28:33
And it's got to be frustrating to McDavid and Draisaitl.
28:38
And McDavid could have been the number one star of that game even though Matthew Tkachuk had a hat trick and the Calgary Flames one nine to six. He was just so good. And he took over so many shifts and just did things himself. He got a goal he had one assist where Draisaitl won the offensive zone draw McDavid got the puck he just decided I'm gonna take this to the net myself. Jacob Markstrom, credit to him, made the stop. But Kailer Yamamoto was there to knock it in the rebound.
29:10
The game was wild and it was so fun to watch. I was sitting here and I was trying to take notes for all of the goals that were scored. But I couldn't finish writing notes for one goal before there was another goal that was on the board. It was madness.
29:26
So if you are down for watching a late game tonight, I would highly suggest tuning in to game number two between Calgary and Edmonton because tempers were certainly flying at the end of game one. After the final buzzer had gone, 20 minutes into the third period, there were like five penalties given out. So things are things are pretty feisty up there in Canada.
29:55
And it is fun to watch this series I haven't tuned in to too many Flames and Oilers games this season, so it's fun to watch what they've got going on up there. And I do have a Duncan Keith shirt on right now, but don't let that fool you because I said in my recap videos which teams I am rooting for and in that one I am rooting for the Calgary Flames.
30:20
But this was the only clean hockey tank top that I had left because I really need to do laundry.
30:26
So Duncan Keith it is. Don't forget where you came from, Duncan. You started in Chicago.
30:33
But uh, yeah, that series has been absolutely mad.
30:39
But what is even more mad and ridiculous is the fact that, if you aren't aware, the Tkachuk family is . . . it runs pretty deep in the NHL. So papa Tkachuk was an NHL player for a long time it was very good. And now Matthew and Brady are in the NHL. Brady Tkachuk plays for the Ottawa Senators. He's the captain of the Ottawa Senators. And then of course, Matthew plays for the Flames got a hat trick last night.
31:22
But throughout the playoffs . . . Ottawa did not make the playoffs. I thought at the beginning of the season, they might be a dark horse to get a wildcard spot. Because they started playing really well at the end of last season. And then Anton Forsberg just decided he was an NHL level goaltender this year. So I was thinking maybe they would be a dark horse to get in. But then they had some injuries, they didn't play as well. And then they missed out. But uh, so Ottawa didn't make it.
31:58
His brother Matthew is in the playoffs in the second round. And he has been to all of the games I think all of the games so far, if he's missed a few here and there. I didn't watch the first round really between Calgary and Dallas. I mentioned that before, because the Preds and Avalanche were playing. But I know he was at some of those games and he was at Game one [against Edmonton].
32:22
At one point, a video was going around where he had a beer in one hand, and he had two more in his back pocket like the dude is living his best life supporting his brother who is chasing his dream to try to win a Stanley Cup. And the discourse on the internet is how do you feel about the captain of the Ottawa Senators cheering on the Calgary Flames? Y'all.
32:52
It is his brother. And even if it wasn't these guys have grown up with hockey being their life. What is the problem with them cheering for their family? Their friends? Of course, you want them to be in the playoffs. But they aren't. So it's not like there's a scratched player for the Edmonton Oilers just wearing a flames Jersey like "yeah, go Calgary beat my team." The Flames aren't playing the Sens. Why is this such a big deal? They are brothers. And again, even if they weren't, why does it matter?
33:32
They're having fun. Hockey should be fun. It is a game up. It is not that serious.
33:40
The Ottawa Senators are not in the playoffs. They're not in the playoffs. So why does it matter?
33:48
If Jonathan Toews was at a Colorado Avalanche game because he grew up and he was a fan. And I think Joe Sakic was his favorite player. If he was there, cheering for them, then good for him. Good for him. I don't care.
34:14
These guys go through the grind of the NHL season and it's a disappointment if your team doesn't make the playoffs. But Ottawa wasn't gonna make it. Chicago wasn't going to make it. So if my captain was at another game, just having fun, who cares? Why?
34:35
I have to believe that people are making a big deal out of this just so that they can get clicks from people who are annoyed that this is a thing, because there's no other logical explanation for why people would be concerned about Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk's brother, being at Flames games cheering for his brother.
35:09
Like, family is more important than a job. And at the end of the day being the captain of the Ottawa Senators is a job. I think Matthew is a bit more important to him than a job. And that's not saying he doesn't take it lightly. That's not saying he doesn't absolutely love being the captain of the Ottawa Senators, because I'm sure that he does. He committed to them long term signed a long term contract with them, he wouldn't do that if he didn't want to be there.
35:41
So the next season will come around Brady will be in an Ottawa Senators jersey, he will be the captain of the Ottawa Senators, and he will be trying to get his team to the playoffs.
35:56
And maybe this is a great thing for him. Maybe going to all of these games cheering for Matthew, He sees just how much he wants his team to be playing in the playoffs, how much he wants to get the Senators to the playoffs. Maybe he comes out as an absolute man possessed next season and carries the team and wills them to a playoff spot. Then what would the conversation be? Oh, Brady shouldn't have bet at those flames games because God forbid a hockey player have fun in his off season. Like, what are we doing here? Why? Why? Why are people trying to turn hockey and NHL into some corporate nonsense that has all these unspoken rules that you just can't have fun? Leave that to the front office guys to deal with the business side of things and to not have fun.
37:06
These guys are hockey players. They love the game of hockey, let them enjoy it. It's so dumb. And thankfully, most of the opinions that I have seen online are in agreement with that, that it is great that Brady is there cheering on his brother.
37:29
It's this these stupid talking heads that try to make a big deal out of it. And again, I have to believe that they are doing it just to get the clicks and the attention because it's just asinine. It's so dumb. But I'm gonna move on from there because I'll probably just start talking in circles about how stupid it is.
37:51
So that is the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs updates.
37:56
Now, it's weird being in the second round, there's less series to talk about.
37:57
So we actually have some Blackhawks news this time. It's been a couple episodes since we did.
38:03
Lukas Reichel has joined Team Germany at the Men's Worlds tournament. And he had one goal and two assists today against Italy. So he's continuing his hot season from the AHL with the IceHogs over at Worlds. I can't wait to see how many points he ends up with. I wish that he had put up those points in the playoffs for the IceHogs. Maybe they would have gone a little further than three games into the second round. But good for Reichel. That's awesome.
38:44
Philip Kershaw is also over there and of course, our USA guys, the Jones brothers and Sam Lafferty. So, yeah, that's exciting for him.
38:57
Another exciting thing is Alex DeBrincat's son was born on May 18. Archie David DeBrincat, and he has the chubbiest little cheeks for a baby. He's so cute. So congrats to the DeBrincat family. He and his wife got married last offseason, this offseason, they have a son. So the DeBrincat family is growing. We have a new kitten in the Blackhawks family, if you will.
39:28
And Dylan Strome left a comment saying that they are now the Dad Line because Strome has a kid, Patrick Kane has a kid, and now Alex DeBrincat has a kid. So I wonder if that hints towards Strome signing an extension with the Blackhawks since he is an RFA this offseason. And we've been wondering if the Blackhawks are going to sign him, if they're going to move on from him.
39:56
I think that he would like to stay in Chicago. I mean his his best friend is there, DeBrincat, and then they went out and they got Taylor Raddysh who Cat and Strome played with in Junior with the Erie Otters. So, I would have to assume that Strome would like to stay in Chicago.
40:14
But maybe that also depends on what the coaching situation ends up being and if they're actually going to play him because the Blackhawks are still looking for a full time Head Coach.
40:31
Derek King is still in the mix apparently. We all know how I feel about that. As long as he stays away from the IceHogs I am good.
40:41
The Blackhawks aren't going to win, but it would certainly probably be better for my sanity if they just moved on from him completely and we get a fresh coach in, and had some new ideas, worked on some defense, and let the scoring guys do their scoring thing.
41:00
Somebody who can develop young players since the Blackhawks are in a rebuild now. And there's going to be a lot of youth coming up through the lineup. So we need somebody who can develop young guys.
41:14
And this season the IceHogs, after Derek moved up to the Blackhawks, they started playing a lot better. So, while prospects did develop somewhat under Derek King, like Brandon Hagel had a great year in Rockford, had great time in Chicago. And he's played very well for Tampa and the playoffs.
41:38
But I think, as a whole, Anders Sorenson and Peter Aubry and Jared Nightingale did a lot better in Rockford. With working with the prospects getting them to play hard, play every shift, really work to their strengths, but then also address their weaknesses. I think they did a very good job of that.
42:03
And so I hope the Blackhawks organization just moves on from Derek King and I would wish him the best wherever he goes. He could be an assistant coach somewhere and probably find a very good gig doing that. But as a head coach, I want nothing to do with that. But it's not my decision to make it is the organization's decision to make and we will just have to see.
42:28
But I think maybe it will come down to that. And how Strome feels comfort-wise with a new coach and whether he will get playing time or not.
42:39
But also in Blackhawks news, with the draft coming up this summer, they announced that they were going to keep their scouting department basically the same until after the 2022 draft. Which just makes sense to me. Since they have been on staff for the entirety of this season. They've already been working on their prospect notes, and making a list of guys to target in the draft. It just makes sense to keep them for this year and then reevaluate and bring in new guys to scout players that the organization wants going forward. But they did say that - Norm McIver said that - they gave their scouts a few things to look for differently than in the past when evaluating players. So I'm very curious to know what that actually means. Yeah, it'll be definitely interesting to see who the Blackhawks end up drafting this year.
43:52
But I don't think that it would be fair for fans to really evaluate McIver and Davidson's drafting abilities just based on this year. It's fully acceptable to look at who they draft and either be happy about the picks or critique the picks, but I don't think it will necessarily shine a light on what they will do in the future. Being as they both came into their jobs, not at the beginning of the season. They didn't have the full season. They don't have their scouting department.
44:30
And yeah, so we'll see what changes they make after the draft. We'll see what guys they do draft. We'll see if Kyle Davidson is able to trade up and get into the first round of the draft this year since all of the conditional picks did not work out in their favor to get a first round pick.
44:50
Although I would argue that the conditional pick with Columbus did work in their favor. Seeing as we have to send this year's first round pick to Columbus instead of next year's. But that just means that we don't have a first round pick this year and we'll see what Davidson can do. If he can't move up, then hopefully they can find some gems in the other rounds, which is certainly possible.
45:16
Again, Isaak Phillips was a fifth round draft pick and a lot of great players in the NHL have come in the second round and beyond Alex DeBrincat was a second round draft pick. Duncan Keith was a second round pick. Corey Crawford was a second round pick.
45:36
Yeah, so not being in the first round isn't a catastrophe. But hopefully they're able to target guys that they want in the later rounds if they can't move up.
45:48
So that's it for the Blackhawks news, there is some NHL news here.
45:55
The Columbus Blue Jackets extended goaltender Joonas Korpisalo for one season at $1.3 million. Which is interesting because in his last contract, he was making 2.8. So he took a pay cut, but he only played 22 games this past season and had a record of 7-11-0. He had a 4.15 goals against average and an .877 save percentage. So it was a bad year for Korpisalo. But he struggled really badly with injuries. He had his season cut short by having hip surgery. And it was just a bad year for the Blue Jackets in general for a bunch of different reasons. So instead of just fully committing to Elvis Merzlikins, who is on the books as their starting goaltender for another five years, I want to say at 5.4, and then moving on from Korpisalo, they decided to bring him back for one more season. Which I think for Korpi. That's probably a good idea. Coming off of that hip surgery and the injuries, sticking with a team that he is familiar with and a system he is familiar with. Hopefully he won't have to deal with injury problems next year. And then he can get a full season under his belt and really rebound get those numbers back into a desirable place. And then he can decide what he wants to do next offseason. Whether Columbus wants to roll a 1a and 1b situation with both guys, although I don't see that happening necessarily. Keeping the quote unquote goalie controversy alive and well. But then Korpisalo can kind of decide where he wants to go should he be the one that moves. Maybe he has a great season and Columbus decides to move on from goalie Elvis. I don't see that being the case. But Stranger things have happened in the NHL. So hopefully, I hope for Korpisalo's sake that he is healthy next year and can come back and have a rebound season.
48:05
In Nashville, the Predators extended Head Coach John Hynes for another two seasons. He's been with the team for three years so far, which was shocking to me when I saw that. I couldn't believe it's already been three years. He's got a record as a head coach of 92-64-10, which is a .584 points percentage. And in the playoffs, he has a record of 3-11. So that's not great. Yeah, hopefully. Well, I can't even say hopefully, because I don't like the Predators. So hopefully he keeps up that playoff . . . not-goodness. But yeah, they extended him for two more seasons.
48:52
In LA, we have another front office extension. They extended their general manager Rob Blake for three years. LA, of course, went to game seven against the Edmonton Oilers this year. And it wasn't even expected that they would make the playoffs because they're still kind of in a rebuild as well. But the kings have done a very good job with their rebuild. And they have a lot of very promising young guys in their prospect pool and already playing in the NHL. So it's not surprising that Blake got an extension out there. He was hired in 2017. And things have only gone up from there since he's taken over as GM. So there are some exciting times down the line there with the LA Kings and we'll see what else he can do.
49:47
Of course, Dustin Brown retired after this year so that's a longtime mainstay in that lineup that's now gone. But they still have Anze Kopitar. I'd assume Drew Doughty comes back next season. He suffered an injury this year and missed a bunch of time, wasn't in the playoffs. So we'll see what the Kings can do next year if they get back to the playoffs after their surprising run this year in pushing Edmonton to seven. Or if maybe they miss out and just keep chugging away with that rebuild.
50:18
In the opposite kind of news, with the Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness is stepping down. That news dropped today and the assistant coaches will also not be returning. So coaching shakeup in Dallas after they went to seven games with the Calgary Flames. So the teams who were defeated in order for the battle of Alberta to happen kind of had a different take on their offseason. Which is kind of funny.
50:49
Oh, I can use my paper notes. Now I'm off of the first page.
50:54
But in other news, the Vegas Golden Knights Mark Stone underwent surgery to fix a disc in his lower back. But he is expected to be back for at the start of the regular season.
51:10
And in sad news, Mitch Marner was a victim of a carjacking in Toronto, which is really scary. Thankfully, Mitch is okay. But that had to be a freaky experience for sure. So, he had a rough week. I hope that Mitch is doing well. He wasn't harmed like I said, physically. But he might be a little bit on edge after that.
51:41
Moving on from the NHL, we have the AHL, and the second rounds are complete.
51:48
So now we have the outlook for the third round, but I'll go over the second round outcomes here really quick.
51:58
The Bridgeport Islanders, the affiliate of the New York Islanders played the Charlotte Checkers, the affiliate of the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken. And the Checkers won that series three to one.
52:11
The Wilkes Barre Scranton penguins affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Springfield Thunderbirds, the affiliate of the St. Louis Blues played each other and Springfield swept that series three to nothing.
52:23
The Utica Comets, the affiliate of the New Jersey Devils played the Rochester Americans, the affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, and Rochester in game five took that series three to two, Which was kind of an upset because Utica was the first place team in the North Division. So Utica is out Rochester moves on.
52:51
The Ontario Reign, the affiliate of the LA Kings played to the Colorado Eagles, the affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado swept that series three to nothing.
53:04
The Bakersfield Condors, the affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, played the Stockton Heat, the affiliate of the Calgary Flames. Funny enough. And Stockton swept that series three to nothing. They are a wagon out there in the Pacific.
53:21
Then we have the Syracuse Crunch, the affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. They played the Laval Rocket, the affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, and Laval moves on winning that series in game five, three to two in overtime.
53:35
In the Central Division, the Manitoba Moose took on the Milwaukee admirals. Manitoba being the affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Milwaukee being the affiliate of the Nashville Predators. Milwaukee moves on with a series three to two win.
53:54
And then the Rockford IceHogs. And the Chicago Wolves. I talked about it on Monday. The IceHogs, of course, being the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Wolves being the affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes. Chicago swept that series.
54:09
So we have the third round matchups now.
54:12
The Atlantic Division finals comes down to the Springfield Thunderbirds, the St. Louis Blues affiliate against the Charlotte checkers, the affiliate of the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken.
54:26
In the North Division, we have the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens affiliate up against the Rochester Americans the affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.
54:39
The Central Division final comes down to the Chicago Wolves, affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Milwaukee admirals, the affiliate of the Nashville Predators.
54:52
And in the Pacific, we have the Stockton heat affiliated with the Calgary Flames up against the Colorado eagles, the affiliates of the Colorado Avalanche.
55:05
So those division finals should be some good matchups.
55:09
And now I've got the weekend schedule in the AHL for you. Tonight, Friday night, there are no games. You get a rest between the finalized second round and the beginning of the third round.
55:23
On Saturday night, there is only one game which I found surprising to kick off round three. And that is game one between the Chicago Wolves and the Milwaukee Admirals.
55:33
On Sunday we've got three games in the American Hockey League. We have game one between the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Charlotte Checkers. We have game two between the Chicago Wolves and Milwaukee Admirals. So, you know, kicking off round three with a good old back to back. Gotta love it. And then we have game one between the . . . Sorry about that. I can't speak anymore. Game one between the Laval Rocket and the Rochester Americans.
56:02
And then for the weekend schedule for the NHL.
56:06
Tonight, Friday night, we have game two between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers. Please guys out East give us an exciting game for once I am begging you. The West has been overshadowing you spectacularly. And then tonight the late game we have game two of the Battle of Alberta the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames.
56:33
Tomorrow, Saturday, there is only one game and that is game three between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues. That series is tied going back to St. Louis. Which team comes ahead?
56:47
On Sunday, we have three games. We have Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning playing game three. That is an early game early afternoon or morning depending on where you live. Then we have the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers playing game three of their series later in the afternoon. And then at night. We have game three between Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers.
57:14
And that is your schedule for playoff hockey this weekend.
57:20
What I want to know is what has been your favorite series so far whether you are watching the Stanley Cup playoffs whether you are watching the Calder Cup playoffs. Let me know which series has been your favorite. Is your team still in it? If so, good luck, I hope I am not cursing them. I am doing my best not to. I don't want to curse the teams that I am rooting for. That being the Colorado Avalanche. The New York Rangers the Calgary Flames and the Florida Panthers. But we will see what happens there.
57:58
So good luck to your teams if they are still in it. If your team is not in it any longer. Is there a team that you are rooting for? Or are you just done with the playoffs for this year because your team's out? Definitely let me know that.
58:12
But this is going to be the end of happy hour for this week. I hope that you enjoyed it. Episode Three, man just chugging right along here with the From Center Ice Happy Hour. But again, I hope you enjoyed it. And of course thank you so much for tuning in.
58:34
I greatly appreciate each and every one of you.
58:37
If you would like to hear more from me or From Center Ice, head on over to fromcenterice.com. There's links to all the places you can find us over there. If you aren't watching this on YouTube, you can do so that is youtube.com/c/fromcenterice. And something exciting! We just hit 1000 subscribers on YouTube recently. So that made me definitely smile pretty big because that's a milestone I was wanting to hit. So we hit 1000 subscribers. So to those of you who are watching on YouTube, thank you so very much.
59:10
And if you just found your way here and if you aren't subscribed yet, definitely hit that subscribe button hit the like button on here. If you're listening to this, wherever you listen to podcasts, give me a review and a rating. That would also make me very happy.
59:25
If you want to find us on social media, all of the links are in the description or the show notes but it is @vfcentericepod on Twitter and @fromcentericepod on Instagram.
59:39
But all of that being said that's that's the end of this Happy Hour for this week. I hope that you enjoyed it.
59:48
And cheers to the weekend my friends.
59:51
I will catch you all in the next episode.
59:54
Bye guys.