Transcript of Trouba Trade & What's Next For Rangers | The Chris Johnston Show

The Chris Johnston Show.

Let's go.

Your number 1 destination for a behind the scenes look at the game of hockey.

Is this thing on?

Here's NHL insider, Chris Johnston, and host, Julian McKenzie. Siege, it's finally over. The Jacob Trouba saga, finally over. He is going from the New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks in a trade. And that entire day following that entire saga, I gotta admit it was very exhausting.

Can we break down this day? Can we break down how we got here? Jacob Trouba wearing an Anaheim Ducks uniform. Let's talk about it.

Sure. I mean, it it feels like those World Cup roster announcements for, like, 2 weeks ago. We we we lived another lifetime of NHL stories since since those weddings.

Nation's face off? What is that?

Right. It it feels like that happened a long time ago. I mean, it it's pretty unusual for something to play out this way. Right? I mean, captains get traded from teams.

You know, that that does happen. That's not totally unprecedented by any stretch. But the fact that, you know, in this case, Truba, you know, blocked the trade with his no movement clause in the summertime. It continued to be a discussion point, in the season, especially, you know, 10 days, 2 weeks ago when the the Rangers circulated a note among the GMs that he was available along with Chris Kreider. And then, you know, basically, this final dramatic Friday where, you know, he's threatened with the idea that, you know, at this point, he's left with a limited, no trade clause, and that there's a couple teams on on that list of teams that he's blocked that if he doesn't waive for 1 of them that he might himself end up on waivers.

And so it was a pretty dramatic Friday in the end and, you know, pretty pretty cold blooded piece of business, quite frankly. And and, look, he's not the only 1 who can say that this week. We saw Luke Richardson fired by the Chicago Blackhawks. Obviously, he Jim Montgomery was fired earlier this this this month or last month rather in Boston. I mean, cold hard business is is part of pro sports.

It's it's the underbelly of the thing we all get so excited about and love. And so, you know, this is a lot of good things came to Jacob Trouba's life in New York, you know, gets a big contract, becomes a captain there, you know, played on 2 teams and went to the conference final, won a president's trophy. He had all sorts of personal and professional success, but, it didn't end in a very glorious fashion, I would say, for him and, you know, pretty pretty difficult time. And and he almost just hope quite frankly that it's a fresh start, you know, once it's all over that, you know, he and his family can can find can find some new comfort in Southern California.

Okay. How close was Jacob Trouba to actually being on waivers? That's how the day started. Just the idea that the Rangers captain was going to be put on waivers. That was that that is what was believed by many people around the hockey world in the morning leading into the afternoon.

How close was that to happening?

Well, I had sources tell me that explicitly on Friday morning that, you know, that that waiver period, which starts at 2 EST, he would have been on there if a trade hadn't been done. And and, you know, whether or not that was a fact, I mean, certainly, the player believed that was the choice before him. The player believed that if he didn't waive his no trade clause for for 1 of the teams that was trying to trade for him. We know Columbus was was trying to strike a deal here. I think Buffalo were among the teams that inquired.

I think Ottawa inquired just because obviously there's a need for the senators on their blue line, but, you know, because of Trouba's family situation. Remember, you left Winnipeg all those years ago, so his wife could could keep pursuing her career as a as a doctor. You know, I I don't think Canada was really an option for him just because of his family situation. But, you know, there were there were lots of teams that were knocking around the door here and and so it finally left him with the decision, and he got to a point where, you know, I think in part of his mind, he was wondering, like, maybe I don't waive this no trade clause. Like, what why would I do anything to help the rangers in this case?

But, you know, let's face it. Eventually, you can imagine how sort of high stakes that is, how emotional that is. You know, eventually, if you don't choose where you're going, then you go on the waiver wire. It's just reverse order of standings. You know, Chicago would have had first right of refusal to him right on down the list.

And, you know, look. A lot of teams couldn't necessarily take on his $8,000,000 cap hit. I should mention Detroit too. They were a team definitely with interest in Trueball all the way back to last summer, but they are among the teams that would have had to do some cap gymnastics, you know, get players off off their cap sheet in order to make the money work on this, and and ultimately, they couldn't either via trade. But even had he been on waivers, they wouldn't have probably been able to claim them unless they worked out another deal to clear space.

And so, you know, it it it basically gave them a certainty versus the uncertain nature of going on waivers, and you don't know what's gonna happen where you're gonna end up. And so, you know, some some comfort there with Anaheim. You know, 1 thing Trouba mentioned to the reporters when he did his his media on Friday night is that, you know, he he sees a team that has a lot of good young players, potentially great young players, the way New York was when he first arrived there, and that they they could be on the rise over the next number of years. And, you know, I I guess it remains to be seen. Will he be part of that picture?

Is he just gonna be flipped at some point either before this year's trade deadline or next year's? I mean, it's too soon to say with any certainty what you know, how that will unfold. You know, but in the end, he I think he was going on waivers. That's just there's no other way to to believe it. This this day, it reached a point.

I mean, by Friday morning, you know, the Rangers had told them, you're not playing in tonight's game against Pittsburgh. You know, roster management, it's we hear that roster management in the 2 weeks before the trade deadline usually. You don't don't usually get it for December 6th game. But, again, this is highlights how unusual this was. It's pretty dramatic.

Right? With a number of teams, you know, in discussions with the Rangers and then, obviously, ultimately, because Trouba did negotiate in his contract that modified no trade clause. He ultimately got to pick among those teams where he went and, you know, he picked Anaheim from from from the the basically, he picked Anaheim from the places that he had previously said I won't go play, because that was a safer pick than going on the waiver wire where who knows who who would have claimed them and and how that would have shaken out.

Wow. So when exactly did Anaheim get in the picture for for this move to happen? Is there a sense of, like, a timeline you can provide on that? Like like, at noon, did they say, oh, crap. You know, there's 2 hours before the waiver period.

Maybe we should get it on this now. Like, what exactly can you pinpoint that?

Well, I think a lot of the talks started to heat up Thursday night, not just with Anaheim, with all the teams involved here. You know, and it's my understanding that the Rangers, you know, went to Trouba and his camp and basically said, here's the I don't know. I don't have the comprehensive list, but here's the 3 or 4 teams where we could, you know, complete a trade for you. You know, obviously, you have this protection in your contract. You you've earned the right to choose among those teams about, you know, where you're gonna wave to go.

And if you don't wanna wave for any of those teams, at some point, I think, Trouba said by Friday morning, it it became a, you're not playing Friday. Here's the list of teams that that you can go to. And then by Friday morning, it became, you're not playing Friday, and you're going on waivers if you don't wave for 1 of them. So, I mean, it was, you know, behind the scenes that's I I had I don't know any way way to put it other than that's business. I do think, as I mentioned, it's it's rather cold blooded.

It's it's it's a rough treatment for, you know, a player that really gives us all, on the ice who's, you know, bled a lot of blood, sweat a lot of sweat for that organization who, you know, by all accounts is a super guy. You know, That what what's kind of weird about this situation, I'd say, Julian, is that it's not totally clear why Truba became the 1 that had to go. I mean, obviously, I internally, they identified they needed to change the core they felt. And, you know, he's only 1 year after this 1 under contract. I'd say at this stage of his career not performing up to his $8,000,000 a year cap hit.

And, you know, they they attempted to move him in the summer and he, you know, as he said, he chose his family at that point by by, you know, not taking a trade at that point in time when he still had a full no movement clause. And, you know, but they they they they played pretty rough here. Right? And and you wonder what the fallout is gonna be in the dressing room. I mean, this is the 2nd veteran player now that, you know, it's gone down in a way that I think other players look around and go like, wow.

I mean, Barclay Goodrow in the summer was in a similar spot and that he had, no trade clause and and San Jose was on it. They put him on waivers and San Jose claimed him. And, you know, I I think that there was some there's some leftover debris for some of the Rangers veterans in particular about the way that was handled and went down. You know, Trouba was pretty open. I I give him credit when he spoke to the the reporters, that the Ducks set up there that that, you know, he he didn't like the way this was handled, how public it was, how much pressure was applied to him, but he did also say, you know, getting fired by MSG is a rite of passage there.

Such a great quote. It is. And and I gotta tell you, I know a lot of people that aren't necessarily hockey players that have worked for MSG that, that resonated with because it it is it's a it's a volatile organization. I mean, it's you you look at the top of any team or any organization, every franchise that that usually sets a certain tone. And Jim Dolan, it's well documented.

It can be emotional, can be very demanding on the people that work for him. And, obviously, you know, in this case, you know, the Rangers, they they really they they forced their captain out in the middle of the season. I mean, this is a team that won the president's trophy last year. That was, you know, not that far off winning a Stanley Cup. I realized they didn't like the way they went out against Florida, but Florida went and won the cup.

So, I mean, they were they they were in the final 4, which is usually a good place to be. They've obviously had a fair amount of playoff success without quite getting over the hump, but, you know, it's it's gonna be fascinating to see. I mean, that they won the game Friday night over Pittsburgh right after this. Amid all this sort of turmoil and chaos. But, you know, how the team responds, does this have longer lasting effects?

Or maybe, you know, 1 thing Trouba mentioned I thought was interesting is he found it hard to be a leader this year, you know, wearing the c, you know, because everyone basically knew the team tried to trade him, and and it because that was so public. And so maybe this will remove some I don't know if you wanna call it a distraction, but maybe there's, like, a feeling around that that, you know, everyone's looking around. They don't trust what's happening above them. Like, maybe this maybe this will be something that freeze the Rangers and so might it's hard to know. I could tell you what it does do, though.

Look at all that cap space they have now too. I mean, they spent some of it. I'm sure we'll get to the Shesterkin extension, but that that starts next season. They've they've got a fair amount of cap space for the rest of this year, and, I'm sure they're gonna play with it.

We need to discuss the trade itself. Jacob Trouba to Anaheim for Erho Vaca 9 at all in this transaction? This went off clean. Why?

I mean, that's what they negotiated. I I think because look. There's there's a few competing views out there, but I I still think Jacob Trouba is a positive value asset in a future trade to Anaheim, especially if Anaheim is willing to retain salary. Like, if there's a world down the road I mean, keep in mind, his his cap is 8,000,000. His salary owed next season is 6,000,000 in real dollars.

So there's a world next year, for example, where they're trading him again, and he's a $4,000,000 cap it and a $3,000,000 in actual cash. I mean, when you look at what he does, there's a lot of defenseman around the league that are in that sort of pay band that I think he's he's better than frankly. And so, you know, it it was a maybe a surprising part because you're right. You know, Anaheim theoretically had some leverage here, but, you know, the Rangers also had other places they could trade them. So it wasn't just it wasn't like this was the only place and it's a I mean, it it look.

It's partially a cap dump for sure, but it's it's a little more than that. I mean, this is still a player that delivers punishing hits, that plays the game a certain way. It's a little bit more of an old school style, obviously. You know, maybe we're seeing hockey slowly evolve away from, you know, what what Jacob Trouba does best. But, you know, I still think he's a a player that can give you know, I think the next trade involving Jacob Trouba was probably gonna have a better return.

It's just some of the circumstances here clearly dictated, you know, it's not a heavy return in in Vaca 9, and it's it's a depth defenseman, you know, that the Rangers are getting back sort of just protecting them and, you know, a 4th round pick 4th round pick isn't worth too much. I mean, a 4th round pick usually, we're seeing that traded for, I guess, a 3rd pairing d or something like that at the deadline. So, you know, it's it's an interesting trade in the return, but, you know, really it's about removing for the Rangers the situation with Dhruva and also the $8,000,000 in cap space. Because, you know, for a team that's trying to win the cup that they're in a really unique position right now. You know, that that they have that much cap space in season.

I mean, they could literally they could trade for $9,000,000 player today and account for it on their cap without having to do any other crazy gymnastics, which, you know, is just not the norm for teams that, have the ambitions that that New York does this season.

Another thing I keep thinking about with this trade, and I I love that you brought up the qualities that that Jacob Trouba can bring as an NHL player. It feels like whenever I see Rangers Rangers fans talk about him, it's just the opposite. It's just like they don't value some of the qualities that he has. I'm I'm not picking a side in this necessarily, but a lot I I could just social media is only 1 side of the story, but I saw a lot of people online who were very happy that Jacob Trouba was no longer a blue shirt. There were I saw a lot of people who were not happy about it.

And look

at that that might be a fair opinion for those fans that are watching the games. Like, I'm certainly not saying he's a perfect player. But I think so much of how players get viewed is the context with their contract, what's expected of them, how they arrive in a situation. I mean, look at Oliver Ekman Larson. Totally different skill set than than Jacob Trouba.

But, you know, when I bring him up is he gets a big deal in Arizona. He gets traded to Vancouver, you know, and it's a big deal for the Canucks. They give up a lot of picks in that deal. It doesn't work out. He's bought out within 2 seasons.

Then the guy goes, he he signs for, you know, 1 year cheap deal in in Florida, reinvents himself in a lot of ways, but but, you know, seen through a different lens. He's not on a huge contract. He was, you know, just a someone who was signed on July 1st. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out. You know, and then by the time it gets to last year's free agency, you know, he's getting a 4 year deal in Toronto, and, you know, he's been pretty good for the Leafs.

So I think sometimes obviously, it's great to make the big money and and, you know, at a certain point, Jacob Trouber earned the contract he signed. But it ends up working against you over time, especially maybe as your skills decline or, you know, people just watch your game a little closer and start to, you know, nitpick certain aspects, that they don't like about it. And so I just think, I guess my argument was I'm imagining if Jacob Trouba is traded for Manheim, meaning if he doesn't play out all of this season and next as a duck, that it'll be a trade that involves salary tension. And all of a sudden, on the next team, he's a $4,000,000 defenseman. You know, typically, you know, teams are paying $4,000,000, you know, Ilya Lyubushkin, in Dallas as a free agent.

I think he got 3,250,000 if I'm not mistaken on his cap hit on a multi year deal. I mean, teams are paying basically 3rd pairing right d's about 3 to 4,000,000, and it's a rising cap environment. And so if if you're looking at Jacob Trouba as your 3rd pairing, you know, guy and and his salary is a little bit more in line with where it should be, I I think you're judging what he does on the ice totally differently. I mean, he was he was acquired to be a frontline player, and he was he was falling down the depth chart there. I mean, they the Raiders love Braden Schneider, who they have.

Right? I mean, Mancini, who they called up, in in making this deal. I mean, part of making the deal from the Rangers' end, there was all the off ice stuff that we've talked about, but it was also they had players that were ready to pass Dhruva by and this this removes him essentially from the lineup picture and gives him a chance to introduce more minutes to other people. So it's a long way of saying we live in a world where things get sort of taken as black and white, like, this guy is no good, but there's there's a lot of gray in there. And I I think in a in a different, you know, even for the Anaheim's perspective, if you're a Ducks so it's like, okay.

He's still an $8,000,000 player, but they didn't give up much to get him. It's a 4th round pick. Like, who's who's mourning that 4th round pick in 2025? Probably nobody in Anaheim. And so, you know, he's basically been given to your team almost for free.

So you you just view it differently depending on how someone arrives and what they make. And so I I just I'm I'm willing to predict. Jacob True was only 30 years old. He might still have a lot of good years left in this league. He's just gonna be reframed, and he's gonna have to evolve his game, and he will eventually settle in, I think, to a 3rd pairing role down the road.

And, you know, he might play until he's 37. Like, I wouldn't wouldn't surprise me at all. It it's just, you know, sometimes, there's there's a flip side to getting those big contracts because it ends up working against you too.

I also think Jacob Trouba deserves a lot of credit for, like, valuing his family, valuing his wife's medical career, and, like, not bedding over backwards to just kinda throw that out of whack. Like and he was very honest about that. I I find I found in him talking about it yesterday, like, I gave him a lot of credit for just kinda putting that first above everything going on. That needs to be mentioned.

Yeah. 100%. And the the problem is when you're a player, you you I mean, unless you're 1 of 5 top guys in the league or 10 top guys in league, I mean, the the teams have what was it's not a pleasant thing to acknowledge, but remember there was a line way back when when they were negotiating and, like, you know, the the players don't have a lot of power. It's it's just the truth. And so, you know, when a team decides they want you out, even when you have these no movement clauses, no trade clauses, like, there's this is an example that they can still get you out of there.

I mean, there's only so much you can do. They can make the environment so untenable where it's just tough to come to work every day, and you say, screw it. I'm I'm gone. And so, you know, I I'm with you. I think he the other thing about Trouba I should mention is just from some people that know him well and or spent time around him.

Like, like, they just say he's he's he gives everything for the team. Like, this isn't someone who, like, gave up on the Rangers. He didn't get a big deal and just, you know, start mailing it in in the summer and whatever. Like, he he he he gave it it's all for the organization. I mean, there's a reason they made him the captain only a few years ago.

Right? I think he was captain for 3 seasons. I mean, it he's still the same person from 3 years ago as now. It's just, you know, it's a it's a it's a vicious sport and it's an organization that obviously, you know, there's a lot of pressure to win there and nobody nobody's feeling too good. I don't think inside that organization right now about it, like, no 1 can feel comfortable, when you see this.

You You know, I've seen people opining too, like, is this gonna ruin the, you know, the reputation? I mean, certainly, as a free agent, you might be negotiating a little harder to get a no movement clause if you're gonna sign there, especially, if you have some leverage and you have some options. But let's face it, the Rangers are always gonna be the Rangers. Like, there there's gonna be a luster to that organization. They're known for doing everything, you know, 1st class in terms of just how they travel, how they live, how they make, you know, things available to the players.

There's only there's only 1 team where you can play at Madison Square Garden every, you know, 41 nights a year. There's only 1 team where you can really truly live in Manhattan if that's what you wanna do and play for them. I suppose, I guess, you could reverse commute to Newark or something if you were a devil. But I mean, by all intents of per the Rangers are a pretty special organization around the league. And so I still think they're gonna be a destination even even after all this and, you know, there's lots of grumbling maybe about how they've treated certain players.

I mean, they're also also a team that could win the cup still. I mean, I don't I don't know what's gonna happen out of the the strange scenario that that's been created here over the last few months, but just on paper, they I mean, they have a team that was the best in the regular season last year, and I don't see a big fall off, from where they are now. And frankly, you know, I don't know where they're gonna spend all that cap space I mentioned, but they they they've they've got a lot of things they could do. I know they're trying to acquire a Brady Tkachuk out of your backyard there apparently, but

that's a 1 way we're gonna bring him up?

That's a 1 way conversation, it sounds like. The rangers might want them, but I don't think Ottawa's taking those phone calls and indulging them back.

Yeah. We both, learned from our sources yesterday that, no Tkachuk to the rangers. That's that's not happening as far as we know.

No. And I think look. A lot of people are talking about Brady. You know, he's he's such a competitive guy. He wants to be in the playoffs, and I do think there's a pressure mean, look.

There's pressure not because Brady Tkachuk's at Ottawa. There's pressure because the centers haven't been to playoffs in a long time. So and they've got a new ownership, and and they've they've invested more in the team and and the organization and the franchise. There's pressure on everyone in Ottawa to get back to the playoffs and to to, you know, take steps with that team. But I think with someone like Brady Kaczak, you wonder how long would it be that he can exist there if if they don't take those steps.

And so I don't think it's certainly, right now, I have no impression at all. In fact, I know the opposite. Brady Kaczak's happy being a senator and wants to be there, but, you know, it's not hard to connect the dots over time if the organization flounders and he's another 2 years down the road and they're they're they haven't played those playoff games, he's seen his brother playing every year. You know, he's gonna be tired of being the brother who's gotta travel to Calgary or Florida, every spring to watch to watch a Tkachuk in a playoff game. He's he wants to be playing them himself.

So, I I think we can put that 1 to the side. Now, I love Ian Mendez coming off the top rope there though with with the thesaurus.com tweet. If if you didn't see it, and you don't understand the dynamics, it's hard to explain here, but it was a pretty funny pretty funny tweet from our former colleague, at The Athletic.

I just wanna mention 2 things about Brady Tkachuk because the fact that that became a rumor on Friday feels like it's been the culmination of something weird that's been happening in this market for the last week or 2. There was, like, a stretch of games where the Sens weren't playing that well, and people were looking at Brady Tkachuk's leadership, And somehow the discourse turned into, well, he's probably gonna get traded. I don't know how that got to that point. I don't think it ever should have gotten to that point. And I'll add to that and say, when the senators eventually make the playoffs, they're gonna

need a guy like Brady Kuchen.

And if they move on from that guy, I really think it would be a mistake considering the fact that he can play heavy hockey, he can go to the dirty areas. That's a player that this team would need in that situation. So I I don't see them I don't see them rushing to

get You're there every day. Like, my impression from afar is the Sens appreciate everything about Brit. Like, it's not like the team doesn't value this. The org again, all of it is coming from the outside. It's not because on the inside, the senators are looking at Bernie Gajuk and going, yeah.

Do you know what? He might not be the leader we need. Like, I think that they love the guy. Like, my impression is they

have gotten that impression too.

Right. I have that they have 0 intention on trading him. It's really more about can can they keep him happy over time. Right? As he gets closer and closer to being a UFA down the road, as he gets deeper into his career, if they're not having that success, like, I think it is natural to wonder maybe he's gonna look around and go, like, this isn't this isn't it for me.

But by no means are we at that point and is my understanding. From his end of it and certainly from their end of it, they love him. I can I can understand why teams around the league are looking and going, like, woah? If we could get Brady to Chuck, that could be a game changer. I mean, he would Mhmm.

The the fit in New York and now with, like, the cap space, everything, it is perfect. Like, I'm I'm not I'm not denying from the Rangers end of this. If you could just make trades by yourself and say, hey. I'm gonna pick a pick a random guy off a random team. I I think it would make a whole lot of sense for for them to drop Brady Tkachuk into their locker room and into their lineup.

They might actually slap the c on them right now if they actually did that, but the point is is that's just not happening and let's not let's not let's veer back away from Fantasy Hockey for the next little bit here because I don't wanna radio myself.

That's very fair. Let's let's not get you radioed. But but but we have to mention that because, like, in the middle of all that Trouba stuff, like, that story ended up being a thing for, like, an hour, And we had to deal with that and then go back to Jacob Trouba and wonder what his future was going to be. And then after that a

fun day. I gotta say. A fun day. I like I I enjoy this stuff. I mean, that was that was it was a great week.

I love the the the whole roster stuff for the 4 nations. I mean, just there's a lot there's a lot circulating, like, it's I've been saying this for a month or more on our pod though, like, that it feels like there's more action in early in the season than we typically see. And there's just so many teams where the tension is just rising, and there's a lot of those teams are just talking to each other about trades, and we've already seen the 6th overall pick dealt in the David Juroczyk deal. Now you got Trouba being dealt, you know, the New York Rangers captain after being in the Eastern Conference final last year.

3rd captain in a row to get moved on from, by the way. Right. Callahan, Ryan McDonough, and now Jacob Troupe.

There you go. And then, you know, we've had some some smaller stuff. Like, I just this is it says like a I feel like it's gonna keep going is is kind of the point. I I I do feel as though it's not like all the pressure relief valves have been hit. We've only got, you know, less than 2 weeks until the holiday roster fuse kicks in on December 20th, but, I I could still see more I could still see more action coming down before then.

So Jacob Trouba, the Brady Tkachuk story, and then after all that, Igor Shesterkin signs. 11.5 mil AAV on an 8 year deal. It's just all that happening all yesterday. I'm sorry. So just all that happening.

Like, holy shit. What a day. Talk to us about the Eagles and Sherikin deal.

Well, I mean, it's the richest contract in history for an NHL goaltender. If you go by percentage of salary cap, it actually isn't the number 1, but but in terms of, you know, pure dollars in his bank account, no 1 has made more than the 10 and a half million that Carey Price had been taking in in Montreal and actually still is, even though he's injured and unable to fulfill the rest of that contract. But, you know, it's it's a big deal. It's sort of what we expected. I mean, remember the season started with all this talk.

I mean, there was a push Mhmm. Pretty strong push by the Rangers to get him signed right at the start of this regular season or in the early days. And and, you know, they they got into they got to a point with their offer where they were above the the 10 and a half 1000000, where price was, you know, something in the $11,000,000 range. You know, he ends up getting it up to 11a half 1000000 and, you know, I I think it makes sense. I mean, look, we live in this world where most teams aren't spending a lot on their goaltending or they're certain are certainly not looking to, but if you're gonna spend on someone, I think it's Shesterkin.

I mean, he to me, he's clearly been the the MVP of this team. You know, the under the unspoken part of when we're talking about all that the Rangers have accomplished in these past few years with playoff runs and the like, they've done it by kind of going against what you'd expect. Like like, they're not a team that's dominated puck possession. They're not a team that's that's, you know, controlled play. I mean, they've they've relied on having a backbone like Shesterkin to have those runs and then, you know, finding some timely goals.

But there there there haven't been a dominant on ice team in front of him. I think that he's papered over some cracks or allowed them to become an even better version of themselves. And so that's how you get to the point where you're willing to give him that deal. And so I I'm really not surprised, like, I always felt like it was gonna end up here because as valuable as he is and as much as teams around the league would love him, like, had he gone to free agency? Just again, we'll open the Fantasy Hockey Tour.

Like And we're back. How many good teams or desirable locations could pay him something in this neighborhood? I I just don't think like, for all the teams that would look at him and be like, do you know what? He would be a clear upgrade on our goaltending, but can we pay him 12,000,000 on a 7 year deal to even get him close to the ballpark of this this contract? And that that wouldn't even get you all the way there.

7 year deal times 12 is 84,000,000. You got 92,000,000 over 8 years. You know, you're still 8,000,000 shy. And so, I thought it always made the most sense. He loves playing there.

You have proof of so much proof of concept. Right? You know that he can handle everything it is to be a ranger, you know, amid all this chaos, you know, it's Shesterkin making a couple big saves. They win that game on Friday against the the Penguins. I mean, you just know that that he's the right player at the right time there.

And and what a stretch that they've had. To go from having Henrik Lundqvist as long as they did, and then essentially going into this era with Shesterkin and he's gonna be their goaltender, you know, perhaps for what? 13, 14 years, whatever it ends up being, 15 years. We'll see how how it all plays out. I mean, it's it's pretty unusual to have that kind of stability with a top flight goaltender.

And when you have that, why would you let that go? I mean, how many teams run the league? Look at Colorado is probably the easiest example to cherry pick from, but how many really good teams run the league? Are you looking at them going like, but I don't know if the goaltending is gonna hold up. And and and there's a lot of there's a lot of maybes because of that.

Like, that that you could have an otherwise amazing team, you know, the rangers have a sure thing in this guy. And so, it's it's another big deal. I mean, we're seeing now the top players, like, the the cap hasn't yet shot up, but it's, like, almost, like, the expect expected place where it's going has driven all these these contracts up. You saw the dry side deal end up at 14,000,000. You know, I think it's part of the tension built into the Mikko Rantan situation in Colorado, Mitch Marner in Toronto.

Some of the big, you know, players that could hit free agency in July 1st, they're they're asking for more than what they would have been paid in the past because they're, like, look where things are going. I mean, having got to work up Kirill Capriza for Connor McDavid end up on their next deals, you know, we're seeing a sharp uptick, I think. We're in this era where the very top players are are getting paid, and, Shasturkin can continues that early trend that maybe isn't fully a trend yet, but it's certainly trending in that direction.

I think I know the answer to this question, but did the Jacob Trouba move facilitate this contract extension talk? Like, is those those 2 seem like 2 different contracts kinda going through their own thing. I don't think 1 necessarily had to lead to the other, but I'm am I wrong in that?

Well, I think getting the full 8,000,000 off the books for next season made it easier for the Rangers to get a little higher on the contract. So it it it's obviously directly related on some level because the same day 1 is traded, the other is agreeing to terms on on his deal. So, you know, there is some causation there. It's not it's not though that Shesterkin said I'm only signing if Truba's off the team. To be clear, it's more from a from a salary cap management standpoint.

Once they knew for sure that they were losing all of Truba's 8,000,000 for next year, I think it was easier to pay him even a little to pay Shesterkin a little bit more than they originally inclined because, you know, they they got the Lafreniere deal done earlier this season, which kicks in next year. I mean, there there is a lot of moving parts, and they still have a couple UFAs on that roster that have to be taken care of or decisions have to be made. It's a time of transition for the rangers, but, you know, I do think that they're somewhat related, but also I always just kind of felt this was gonna find a way to get done.

Okay. So Jacob Trouba, Break a Chuck, Igor Sejerky. There's 1 more rangers question I have for you, and then we can move out of Manhattan and go to go to Central New York.

I love that we did, like, half hour on the rangers. Like Yeah. What a soap opera.

I was about to say, like, nothing it's never dull in the big apple. So where does this all leave Chris Kreider? Where does this all leave, the other big name that was rumored to be in dread dogs?

I think he's probably safe, but

Really?

I mean, it depends look. It depends what where the offers come. You know, if I I think that they're certainly in a position where they were they were among the players they mentioned in that memo. Those 2 were highlighted as possibilities because they're, you know, usually, a team isn't gonna move off its longest tenured player or its captain, like like usually those players aren't really in trade talks. Right?

So I think they were highlighted, but it wasn't like both had to go. And so, you know, we'll see how things develop, we'll see how he plays. I mean, he was named the US, 4 nations roster last week, and so I do think that there's an opportunity for him to just keep moving on, but I don't I don't think they have to trade him is is is the easiest way to put it. They they've now created the cap space even for the rest of this season, where there's a lot of different things they can look at and do. And so, you know, I wouldn't look at no one's safe is the best way to put it.

Who is safe? I mean, Igor Shesterkin is safe. Maybe Alexis Lafreniere with the new 7 year extension, it starts next year. But for the most part, very few players on that roster, I I would call even vaguely untouchable. So, you know, it's hard to to predict, but I do think that it's not as though they have to move him.

And and if you're doing so, they'd have to get something of real value back. I still think Kreider, it hasn't been his best season. He's still scoring some goals that, you know, he says, haven't been there. It's just been, you know, a bit more of a struggle than some of the previous years. But, you know, his contract isn't that, especially in a rising cap environment, it's not that, untenable.

And so if they're trading them, it's it's because they're getting something back. I don't think it's a straight salary cap dump or anything like that. But we'll see. I mean, I wouldn't have I wouldn't have called all this that we've just seen play out over the last week or so here. And so my sense is they don't have to move them, but, I mean, it's there's still room to be surprised.

I feel like we're gonna get back to the New York Rangers at some point. I don't know. Just maybe just to check-in just to check-in. But, that is a lot that we've, spoken about when it comes to the New York Rangers. Hey, everyone.

I'm Julian Mackenzie, and Chris Johnson has decided to join me to talk to you guys about why Mint Mobile is so great. Thanks to Ryan Reynolds, for, Mint Mobile, by the way. We really appreciate you, buddy. Friends don't let friends overpay for wireless. I I think that's pretty true.

Isn't that right, CJ?

Yeah. I would never let a friend overpay for wireless, especially when Mint Mobile is offering premium services starting at $15 a month.

Come on. Like, that's such a good deal. And all their plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5 g network. You can use your own phone with any Mint Mobile plan and bring your own phone number along with all of your existing contacts. Like, it it just makes perfect sense.

$15. You can't even get a beer for that at an NHL game.

That needs to change, but that's a whole other ad in itself. Ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile's deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 a month. And if you wanna take advantage of this customer offer and your new 3 month premium wireless plan for $15 a month, mintmobile.com/johnston. CJ, your last name is not that hard to spell.

J o h n s t o n. Get on Mint Mobile.

$45 upfront payment required, equivalent to $15 a month. New customers on 1st 3 month plan only. Speed slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees, and restrictions apply. See Mint Mobile for details.

This episode of the Chris Johnston Show is brought to you by Storyworth. If you're spending time with your loved ones for the holidays, chances are you're gonna hear a lot of stories, and Storyworth is really good at preserving them and making them look really, really good. CJ, how does this work?

Well, you just send 1 question per week. Storyworth will do that for you. You get a chance to dictate what it's gonna be. Maybe what's the furthest you've traveled? What's the bravest thing you've done?

What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? And your family member just answers that question, and it gets all compiled together at the end of a year. Pretty cool way to sum up their life.

Basically, like, take the energy you give in our ask CJ questions every week and just put it towards, what you would put in for story worth. They make the process a breeze with writing. All your loved 1 needs to do is respond to that email with a story, long or short. It does not matter, and you'll be emailed a copy of your loved one's response as they're submitted over the course of the year. Families love story worth.

It's that's why it has more than 35,005 star reviews on Trustpilot with millions of stories preserved since they were founded over 10 years ago. Help your family members share and capture their stories this holiday season with Storyworth. Go to storyworth.com/

k o h n s t o n.

I wanna talk about the Buffalo the Buffalo Sabers next. Kevin Adams, the GM over there, just had his, press conference with the media. Couple quotes going around. I hear they don't have palm trees out in Buffalo, by the way. That seems to be 1 fun quote that's gone out of there, but also another big 1 here.

We're not a destination city right now when you're gonna be able to go out and get UFAs that are key guys. And I just don't think that's a way to build a sustainable winner. Very interesting comments from Kevin Adams out in Buffalo. What did you make of his press conference?

He sounded frustrated. Right? I mean, that's that's what it sounds like to me when when you read those. And and, you know, I'm gonna borrow a little bit from the column of our colleague Matthew Fairburn, who did a really nice job, I think, sort of summing

call of

summing up that that availability. But it's not that they're not a destination city, it's that they're not a destination franchise, which is an important distinction because there is a definitely a world there's been a world in the past where I think that that Buffalo has been a destination in the hockey world. And I think there could be a future world where if they're, you know, got a chance to win a Stanley Cup, I mean, it's a great place to live and raise a family. It's a much easier pace of life than some of the other bigger cities around the league. It, you know, has a passionate as passionate fan base as you could hope for, especially when times are are good.

And, you know, if the pagoulas are building out the right things around the team, like, I I just think I think it could be in its own way a destination. Yes. I know it snows in the winter time and you have to pay taxes in New York State and there are no palm trees. But that that that sums up a lot of places around the league, quite honestly. And so, you know, I I won't say that he's making excuses, but I think he just sound to me when I watched that that press conference, he looked exasperated by the situation a little bit.

And, look, they're 13 years without the playoffs. So I think exasperation is a fair I think that's a fair emotion or feeling for anyone to have who cares with the Sabers. And, you know, obviously, their general manager, Kevin Adams, played for the team. He's from the area. Like, he I I don't question his level of care and and probably at times despair about where they've got to.

You know, especially when you look at it's it's gotta be hard that you had players that became key members of cup teams. Like, Sam Reinhart drafted and played in Buffalo. Jack Eichel drafted and played in Buffalo. Ryan O'Reilly signed a big deal in Buffalo, went and won a cup with Saint Louis and is a valued member of lots of really good teams since, you know, and and Reinhardt played a big deal in in Florida's cup win last year. Obviously, Eichel was, you know, could've won the consummate trophy a couple seasons ago when Vegas won the Stanley Cup.

And so you've had the like, the guys have been in your possession that it you you've seen it afterwards. It's just they haven't been able to get it right there. And so, you know, the Sabers are at that point. And I remember when I first was on the Leafs beat, Julian, it was Mhmm. When they had that that window where they didn't make the playoffs for a long time.

And so this is where it gets tricky is every time the team loses 3 games in a row in a given season, it becomes a whole referendum on everything that's happened for a decade and and everything that's gone wrong. I mean, that's that's what they're managing in Buffalo. And because the truth is, the Sabers are right there knocking at a playoff spot. They were in a playoff spot 2 weeks ago, and then they've gone through a dip here and, you know, they make Kevin Adams available to the media. They requested him, and then everything becomes about it's it's like existential dread, you know, enters the the conversation when really it's like, okay.

Look. We lost 3 games. You know, I'm not making apologies for the Sabers. Certainly, I I think they're gonna be tooth and nail to get into the playoffs, but it's at least possible. You know, very interesting comments and and, you know, Kevin Adams is in his 5th year as GM.

I think he he is we talked about Lou Lamoriello, in the last episode being under some pressure and and and, you know, maybe in a tough spot with the Islanders. I think Kevin Adams is in a similar spot where they need to take a step they need for him and and for belief in his plan. They're they're you know, eventually, you just have to win enough games. I mean, it it enough becomes enough. And, unfortunately, for Kevin, who I think actually has done some good things in Buffalo, like like, that's when you have a press conference like that and you give a quote that everyone remembers, like, that palm tree quote is gonna be coming up in a year.

You know, like, that's it's kinda what you know, it's sort of what happens, though. Right? When when when I saw it again. It reminds me a lot of those early days in Toronto. Brian Burke would say something at a press conference back when he was a GM about the state of the team, and it would just get brought up on radio in in columns for, like, the next 18 months that he said this about the team.

And you feel like I just feel like that palm tree quote. I already saw a fan had the old sabers sweater, and and instead of the sabers, they put palm trees over. That was

a great that was a great meme you posted in the group chat, by the way. That was really funny.

I mean, look at it's a great passion at hockey city. I have I think I've been open on this pod that I really I love going to Buffalo for games. I think it really has the potential. I mean, look at the bills right now. The bills are a sensation in the NFL.

They're getting lots of players that wanna play their top players. I mean, obviously, every individual has their own, you know, decisions when they're a free agent or when they when they control where they can wind up. And some people might be weather. Like, some people that might be the number 1 thing or the tax issue might be their main driver. But I think most players want a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Like, ultimately, that matters. And if the Sabers show they have a chance to win the Stanley Cup year in and year out, I don't think we're gonna be talking about guys with no trade clauses. I mean, look at the Buffalo tried very hard last summer to get Marty Naches when he was available out of Carolina. You know, I think that there might have been a wink, wink, nudge, nudge that that's kinda who Adams was talking about a little bit, but, you know, we're on a lot of no trade list. Obviously, Natchez has had just a fantastic start, with the hurricanes this year right up among the the the scoring leaders in the entire NHL.

So, that's 1 of those trades you you won for Carolina and just not by making it. But that being said, I don't think we'll be talking about all these players that wanna play in Buffalo once once the Sabers show that they're a franchise that's seriously in the in the competition to to win the the silver thing.

I I was gonna bring up earlier how Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhardt as a recorder in the top 5 in scoring. And then you mentioned the Marty Naches thing, that just makes it even more painful because he leads every as of as of now recording, he leads everyone in scoring. So if you're a Buffalo Sabers fan, you look at that top 5, you would pull your hair out. Oh my god. That's so frustrating for these guys.

And they don't they

had the players. They drafted guys like Eichler and Reinhardt as you mentioned. Casey Mittelstaedt, who ended up getting offloaded for Bowen Byram, Rasmusdall lead, Owen Power. They have the players. It just doesn't work.

Well

It's been that way for a while.

Enough of the players. Like, I look at their roster now, especially up front, and it feels to me like they're an impact forward short. And, you know, and they have really good players, but did they like, they're in a tough division, you know. Like, Taj Thompson, I know he had the big year a couple years ago. He's had a much better season again this year.

But, like, if he's is he their best forwarder? Is it a Dylan Cousins? Or like, they they have really good players, but, like, they're maybe not on the level of what they're seeing every night when they go into Tampa and they're going up against Kucherov and point, or, you know, Florida with the the aforementioned Sam Reinhart, Barkov, you know, Matthews when they go down to Toronto, like like, it's just it's a tough division and I I think that they don't quite have the high end quality and maybe quite the quantity. But I also I'm with you. I don't think they're far off.

Like, I to me, it it looks like a team you know, I think where some frustration comes in too, they're not spending to the cap. And it's been a couple years in a row now where they haven't spent to the cap, and and 1 of the areas where Kevin Adams kind of bristled at the questions was, you know, about ownership's commitment and all those sorts of things. So I think that's another element of frustration in there is maybe they're leaving a little on the table here where there's an opportunity, for them to be better than they are and and they just haven't quite, you know, they don't maybe don't have full buy in from an organizational standpoint to do that.

Have we exhausted all that we can exhaust from the state of New York? Yeah.

The state of New York, something's in the water right now.

Clearly. We can go to Chicago then. Luke Richardson, no longer the head coach. Andrew Sorensen taking over in the interim. We knew Chicago wasn't gonna be that good this year, but why is Luke Richardson out?

Well, they're last place in the league. And so you're you're right that that maybe we didn't expect them to be a playoff team this season, but they they expected to be further ahead than where they are. And, you know, in particular, it's turned in the last couple weeks for them and, you know, Luke Richardson was in the 3rd year of a 3 year deal with a team option for a 4th, but, you know, he was in he was in a vulnerable position if the team didn't take that step. And, you know, you saw Kyle Davidson got a little emotional in in talking about, you know, having to fire Luke Richardson who was, you know, 1 of his first big decisions when he took over as a general manager. But I it almost felt like time.

I mean, I, you know, hate to be that person, but it you know, I think I think we might be sleeping on how how do I put this the best? Like, on how alarming the situation could be in Chicago. You know, I had another executive tell me this maybe 18 months ago, like, it's great that Chicago won the rights to draft Bedard, but the timing's all wrong. Like, getting him they're not ready to have that player yet, and they're not gonna be able to build a good enough team, you know, what he's in his cheaper years on an entry level deal. And and, you know, that just at the time, I remember thinking, like, oh, I didn't think of it that way, but they were almost, like, it was too soon in the rebuild to you can't pick these things, of course.

Right? I mean, this isn't it's not like they were gonna give the pick back or or or trade it away, but they weren't maybe ready. They weren't on the upswing at all yet. They were still going down when they added him. And and, you know, I think Connor Bedard's season, I'm not blaming him for the firing of Luke Richardson by any means, but the fact that he hasn't taken a step and and in fact, has seemed very been very hard on himself publicly.

He went through a long goal as throughout and talked about how he was doing a 100 things wrong if I'm being honest, and, you know, I think it's been a hard time for him. And and so the first maybe to frame it a different way, the first priority for Andrew Sorensen as the Interim Head Coach has got to be doing whatever he can to make the environment as as great as he can for for Conor Bedard. And, you know, I think 1 area that Chicago is looking at specific to Bedard is that he he's not been in a position to create off the rush as much. And, you know, obviously, he's not a big guy. Like, when the puck's on his stick, he's as dangerous as the most dangerous players in the world.

But he's he's obviously not someone you're expecting at this stage of his career anyway to be playing a cycle game in the offensive zone. I mean, where he's dangerous is if he's entering the zone with possession and and, you know, getting off that crazy shot or having a teammate enter that way. And so I think you'll you'll see some some changes in the early going here just to designed around, you know, giving him a better opportunity to to attack kind of with some speed. And and, you know, not necessarily playing a, you know, dump and chase, grind it out kind of game. Because I I just don't know if that is the best way to to basically use the skills he has and the special skills he has.

And so, Luke Richardson's fired because the Blackhawks didn't take a step, but I think I think that organization, we we maybe are not paying close enough attention to how dire it could get if they don't if they don't find a way to start taking those steps. You know, and Mark Lazarus mentioned in his his column about how it's almost impossible to get Blackhawks games on TV locally Yeah. Because there's, you know, I don't understand all the media side of that, but, like, that they're almost out of sight, out of mind. And let's face it. I think Luke Richardson right now is fired because either they made the wrong choices in free agency last summer or he wasn't getting enough out of those players.

But, you know, from Tyler Bertuzzi, Table Terabine, and TJ Brodie in particular, you know, the players they spent a fair bit of money on, they're just they're not getting anything, honestly. I mean, it it's been I mean, those guys you you look at the production, it's just not there. And, you know, they I I I think at a certain point, we gotta start asking questions about the front office. I don't know if that that that point is today, because obviously, they have they've accumulated a lot of young players. You know, Frank Nazar, 1 of their recent, 1st round picks, has had a really good good season in the American Hockey League.

You know, there's probably gonna be mounting pressure to to bring him up at some point here, to get him a regular run-in in the NHL this season. You know, there there's there's there's lots of reason, I guess, for longer term hope, but it's, it's not been a very good couple months in Chicago.

That is very there's so much to unpack from that. But 1 particular thing I wanna ask is just the thinking of the fact that Chicago might have gotten Conor Beardard at the wrong time. Like, that kind of breaks my brain a little bit. Like like, when is the right time to get a potential franchise changing double 1 overall pick? Like, obviously, when you need them.

Right? But just it's interesting that it it's been phrased that way.

Well, look it, they did it while trading other young really good players. Like, Brandon Hagel was on the Chicago Blackhawks. And, look, I get I think they trade him for 2 first round picks if I'm not mistaken, amongst, you know, some other things. But, like, they got a good return for him, but he was, like, 23 when they were trading him. And now he's playing for team Canada at the 4 nations.

And, you know, so they were trading away those players. They traded away De Brinkett. Right? And, you know, basically, they were still stripping it down, and they didn't have enough good players around Bedard to to be ready to do anything. Right?

I mean, they were a laughing stock last year. They're above that now. You know, it's they're but they're still at the bottom of standings. Anyway, any way you look at it, like like, maybe, yeah, they're they're they're losing with a little more pride this year. Like, they're not getting totally embarrassed, but it's, you know, it's it's a tough league to win in.

Right? And so, this the truth is this is just 1 person's opinion that I'm sharing. I I'm not saying that this is a fact, but there there was a feeling out there among people that really pay attention to roster building and know a lot about the league that that maybe it would it just wasn't the ideal time because they weren't even ready to start building it. They didn't have enough players in place, and then all of a sudden, you've got Bedard. And and look, you can see the strain on him.

I mean, they they they can't seem to find the right line mates for him. And he's been moved to the wing a little bit of times this year. I know they've been he had a lot of success last year playing with Filip Khurchev, and and they keep trying to reunite those guys, but Khurchev's among the players that have had a really tough start to this season. You know, it's a tough league. I actually don't I I should be clear on this too.

I I don't yet worry about Bedard, like, I I I think it would be way too soon to say this this was a bad pick. Like, I I I I frankly, I just have no time for that that talk because when you when you step away from it all, he's still the 2nd youngest player in the league right now, and he's, you know, a little under a point per game for his career. But, you know, it's not like he can't play. He he hasn't dominated maybe as much as I would've or I was predicting. In fact, I remember thinking he was gonna step in the league and be making more of an impact, you know, on day 1 than than has actually been the case.

But, you know, I I still think we there's a lot of room for patience here and, with him specifically, but it's, you know, I I don't know what the next years look like in Chicago. Like, he you know, I was in Prague last year in May. Connor came and played for team Canada there, and he was pretty open in a couple of the the the back and forths we had just about how frustrating it was to be on a team that, like, was losing like Chicago was. And so this is the 2nd year now where that's happening. I mean, we'll see.

Anders Sorensen, you know, he's just fresh in this job. Maybe, you know, he had success with some of the younger players he because he was down in Rockford in their AHL team. Maybe he can turn things around and get them winning a little bit more, and this will change. But if, let's say, this year just kinda plays out the way the 1st couple months have, you know, that's gonna be the 2nd year and and, you know, usually, Bedard wears that heavy. Yeah.

You know, it's look. It's just tough to stuff for any young player to develop. I think it's even tougher to develop when you have the sort of spotlight he has, when he gets the attention he does from other players, the media, the fans, and the organization just seems adrift. So, you know, a move like this is made to try to reverse course on some of those things to get a fresh, you know, not just face, but new ideas into the dressing room, into the the tactics that they're playing with, and to, you know, how they're dealing with Bedard. Right?

I mean, the coach who was 1 of the main people in the organization talking to him every day. So, you know, we'll see if that can change, but it's, you know, it's it's tough times there. And I don't think by any stretch, anyone no 1 looks at that and says Luke Richardson's at fault, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he wasn't getting enough out of the team to to keep working.

1 more team, near the bottom of the standings that I wanna get to before we wrap up today, the Nashville Predators. You get the sense that Barry Trotz is itching to do something else? We've already seen him make moves thinking of guys like Dante Favreau being put on waivers or Philip Thomasino getting dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Andrew Burnett's job, what's next for him? What's next for the Nashville Predators?

Well, I mean, Andrew Burnett guided the team in the playoffs last year, and and I think that's worth something. I mean, remember as well when he was a head coach in Florida, he took over when when Joel Quenneville stepped aside and and that that team had a great run. He didn't end up getting the full time job that went to Paul Maris. But, you know, he's had success as an NHL head coach. I think he's still viewed as a pretty young relative to his peers, up and coming coach in the league.

And so as much as I understand why those questions are being asked because it's been, you know, really difficult start for the Predators. You know, I don't I don't think his job's in danger. You know, I've seen a lot of people speculate, you know, Barry Trotz who's had all the successes head coach, he can just go behind the bench. Like, I I don't think at this stage of Barry's career that he has any interest in doing that. Even even in a short term kind of situation, like, I I I just don't see that happening.

You know, I what I do see happening though is mounting pressure on Barry in the front office to to keep making changes to this team. I think it's a little bit like it's akin to Pittsburgh. They're in a they're in a different spot for a different reason, but I I think Pittsburgh, you know, remains pretty aggressive in looking for ways to improve the team on the fly. It's not a cut and it's not a cut and paste normal season. Like, I think they're they're open to all kinds of stuff.

I think that's where Nashville is gonna get to. You know, Barry Trotz gave an interview locally in Nashville last week where he he mentioned Christmas. He was basically gonna give the team no Christmas and then have that dictate what he says. Since he's said that, they've gone and lost a couple games on their Eastern Canada road trip. So, you know, it doesn't look good for this season.

I think it's gonna be hard for them to salvage much. So, you know, I I think where we're at with Nashville is they're they're a little stuck, but I think they're gonna keep being pretty aggressive in trying to make some changes to the roster and, you know, make some space maybe for some younger players they have in the American Hockey League to come up and, you know, that this is not how anyone saw it though. I mean, it it was I actually was they they played a game in Toronto last week, and I was in their room and just you almost sense a little disbelief from the guys. You know what I mean? And, you know, they're they're not hiding from it.

Like, I didn't see any excuses being made or hear any excuses being made, but, you know, they're they're looking for answers too, and, you know, so far we don't have them. So I'd say, we talked about a lot of teams that are taking action right now. Nashville isn't quite in action mode, but, but it's coming if they don't if something doesn't change. And I just I don't see what's gonna change right now. They're they're not deep enough down the middle.

They're not scoring enough goals. It's not what we would have expected as the problem, but that's been the problem.

I saw some comments, float around on social media from, Jonathan Marchasot. He was getting interviewed by Jeff Chamond, from, the Ellen Ash Point Com website. I'll just read this quote here. Every shift I go out there and think about who I'm get going to get on the ice with. I had a line in warm up, and I started the game with a bunch of guys.

I changed lines about 3 times tonight, but that's a portion of what he said, in the in the interview. You could find that online, but, like, does to me, that sounds kinda weird. Like, I I get it. You're you're you're you're all professionals. You find ways to make it work with everybody, but, like, for for him to be in that situation, especially as a new guy in that market, I think that's a bit interesting.

Well, it is interesting. And, you know, Nashville choice to sign 2 higher end wingers last free agent period, but they don't have enough centers. I mean, there's no way around that. Ryan O'Reilly is a top line center. He had a great year last year playing with Philip Forsberg and Gustav Nyquist.

Nyquist, you know, even into his thirties had a fantastic season. So they were a good top line. But the problem is down the middle. Like, there are other centers that are like Tommy Novak, Colton Sissons. Like, just guys I don't think are well suited as a second line center.

So if if we wanna nitpick or or second guess, you know, maybe instead of John in the Marshas, so, you know, they should have went and signed Chandler Stevenson, for example, his old teammate from Vegas, who I know Nashville did have some discussions with. You know, Stevenson goes to Seattle instead. But, you know, maybe that would have made more sense because then you're adding Stamkos at this point in in his career as a winger, and you might had better balance. I think with Marcia So so you're right. It sounds weird.

I should say this too. Marcia So is among the most honest NHL players I've dealt with in my entire career. Like, that guy calls it as it is. He doesn't you know, he's he's not afraid to meet a difficult discussion with an honest answer, and so I respect that about him. I think he's just giving an honest answer to to JF Schoemann.

But, you know, the reason the lines are changing so much is nothing's working. They don't have enough centers. They have too many wingers and not enough centers to find the balance to create maybe the sort of consistent attack they need, and they're not scoring goals. So what what does every coach do when when they're not seeing their team score goals? Did they shake up the the the forward lines predominantly?

And that's what's happening maybe a little too much from Marcia Sault's liking in Nashville, but I it's hard to really argue against why you do that in Andrew Burdette shoes because he's I think he's probably looking up at the press box going, like, really guys? Like, I I need I need some some different pieces here and and, you know, it's hard to trade for an impact center at this stage of the season. We know Calgary would like to do that. There's some other teams that are in that market, but there's there's just not not enough really good centerman that are available at this point in time. Forget even the acquisition cost, those players just aren't even available full stop.

And so that's why I think it's a gonna have to be a longer range. Again, I don't wanna say rebuild, but I think, like, rethink of how they're doing things there and and they might have to they might have to make a difficult decision. Maybe they're trading a little bit more of a core type of player to get some like, I I think it's it's gonna be how how they attack this is is certainly why we're gonna keep talking with the Predators. I just I don't think they've got there in terms of what the game plan is and what that's gonna look like.

Just very intrigued about what that next move could be. I mean, you would hope that it doesn't result in I mean, it's very early for for a guy like Philip Thomasino, but he looks like he's fitting in just fine in Pittsburgh. It doesn't seem as if there've been that many concerns about Tante Fabro. And while it's very early for a guy like Jaroslav Askarov, like, still risky to move on from such a young goaltending prospect. Even if you do have UC Saros

They own they own 3 first round picks in this draft. That's true. So let's not forget. They have they have some ammo, I would say, to do something interesting. It's just probably gonna take a little while.

That's that's kinda what I'm waking at. I I I think they're a big time candidate to make a big trade at some point. I just I don't think that they're quite there yet in terms of pulling off that kind of deal.

Okay. I think we've done enough. I think we've done enough to we've gone through a lot of news. It felt like drinking from a fire hose today with all the content, that we've had to go through. But we don't normally do just full news shows like this, but we had to.

We had to delve in

on that. We don't get many weeks like this. Let's let's, when the well is full, drink, my friend.

Now. Oh, yes. For sure. Thanks so much for tapping in everybody, whether you were watching us on YouTube or listening over, whatever podcast, place you like to listen to our podcast. We'll be back in a couple of days with more great content, and make sure to follow us on the socials and subscribe to our podcast if you haven't done so already.

CJ, great work as always.

Thanks, buddy. We'll see you on Thursday.

See you Thursday. The Chris Johnston Show. Follow Chris on Twitter at reporter Chris, and follow Julian at JKA Mackenzie. The Chris Johnston Show.