Utah Mammoth insider Jay Stevens: NHL playoffs | Possible targets for the Mammoth in free agency …
Hansen Scotty 975 the KSL Sports Zone. Jay Stevens seems like a guy that would appreciate a little good de leopard. How are you? Absolutely love De Leopard. I even have a de leopard tattoo. So nice. Uh you know, honestly, uh everybody’s going to go pour some sugar on me. I think Photograph is in fact the best De Leopard song. Um yeah. All right. I’m a I’m a hysteria guy. I think it’s one of the best songs ever written. But you know, to each their own. Hey, that’s all right. Uh, hey, so I need your help on this as we learn this sport a little bit more and we we get a little bit more like we’re all in on the Utah Mammoth right now and learning about these players, but now we’re trying to expand our knowledge to, you know, what else is going on around the league and the other players and the other uh teams. Uh, is Toronto’s fan base always this annoying or is this just a recent uh recent thing? Oh, no. This is this is Toronto. Toronto and Montreal are have the uh most invested and also the most annoying fan bases in probably all of sports. I mean, they’re going to be right up there with the LA Lakers fans or the New York Yankees fans. They’re just rabid and they have such high expectations and they have, you know, they get all the best players and they just when things don’t go 100% their way, they freak out, want to burn it all down and start over again. kind of like what you’re hearing from the Jazz fans right now, too. Yeah. Well, you know, I’m looking at this Toronto team and I mean, obviously a really good team and they they’ve got good players, but boy, they they they underperform, at least according to their fan standards, and they’re burning jerseys and they’re just ready to wreck the place. It’s like, hey, man, there’s only going to be one happy team when this thing’s all said and done. Yeah. and they, you know, they just expect, you know, a Canadian team hasn’t won the championship in 37 years. And they keep thinking it’s them that should be the next team to win. And I don’t know if you noticed, every time Mitch Martner touched the puck last night on his last couple shifts, his hometown audience, the fan base him. And I mean, this is a kid that’s put in, he’s done everything you could possibly do for a team. You know, it’s not his fault they don’t win a championship, but they’re booing him. They’re they’re booing Tavvaris because they know those guys are going to be unrestricted free agents and can sign wherever they want now. And they’re also trying to get rid of Brennan Shanahan, the GM. So, I I expect you will see that, too. I I do expect Shanahan to be fired um based on that fan base. It’s like you said, it’s it’s uh it’s intense out there. What’s the market look like for Mariner out there? Well, I think everybody’s going to be looking for him. He’s a 100point guy. He’s a phenomenal player. He’s, you know, if you have all the other pieces that he’d fit into, then he’s the guy you’re gonna want to go for. I know the Utah Mammoth fan base. Uh, you know, I I watch all the boards and I even chime in every once in a while and I know a lot of people want to get him and I it makes sense. He’s he’s phenomenal. He’s he’s a top guy. But my problem with him and where he fits for us is we already have three guys that play the same style he plays. And when he becomes the setup guy, he becomes, you know, like Clayton Keller fits that box. So, I keep saying that’s not the guy we want. That’s not the guy uh that you want to go spend your free agent money on if you’re going to bring in a bigname free agent like that because we already have that guy. I think we want somebody with a little more sandpaper to their game. So, I think he’s going to end up somewhere. I think it’s going to be, you know, 12 million a year to get him and he’s going to want a long-term contract. Um, how surprised are you with what you’ve seen out of the Hurricanes and how do you uh how do you see that series with Florida go? You know, I I am surprised at Carolina and I I thought when everything was going on, you know, with all the trades that were going on and you saw what was going on with Ranton and then when he refused to stay there, I thought, okay, that that kind of kills their playoff push. you know, they push, they’ve got the right parts and they’re playing really well. And Sebastian Aaho has just been outstanding. And it’s funny because so many of my friends had this as a Carolina Dallas final, and that’s not how I had this. And it’s it could very well be a Dallas Carolina final, but it’s um the Panthers are tough, though. The Panthers, like I’ve been saying, are built for the playoffs. They have all the grit. They’re going to grind you down. And I think this is a seven game series. I think these teams are different but equal. And I can see them both getting a lot of goals and and and running with it. This is going to be a fun uh not goalie friendly uh playoff series. And I but I do think Carolina can get through it. But man, Florida’s just been the team I picked every year for the last three years. And it’s hard to go against him, too, because it just really felt like in that game seven, you know, you think of game seven, you think everything’s on the line, but Florida just it looked like physically and emotionally just broke Toronto there in that second period. Yeah. And it’s funny, I chirped one of my friends that that lives in Winnipeg and I I just because he’s like, “Yes, you know, Toronto’s doing it. They’re going to bring it home and win it and and everybody’s going to be happy.” And I said, “There’s no uh better way to destroy your fan base than to bring a game seven home and then get blown out.” I said that two days two days before that game last night. So, um yeah, Florida is good and and I hope people don’t just hang this on, you know, the incident between Bennett and Stallars where, you know, they knocked out their starting goalie. I I thought Wall came in and played really well. So, you know, yeah, I it’s it was a good series. I thought the goalending was good and Florida just showed up in that last game and they’re going to show up in the first game. So I there they still have to be a favorite. Dallas Edmonton. Uh Dallas moves on. The Oilers are there as well. This should be a fun series. What do you what should we be on the lookout for this one? Uh this is the the revenge of Miko Ranidan to me. This is this is going to be the story. He got traded from Colorado and he didn’t want to leave Colorado, rumors are it was over $500,000 over four years. So tell me that $2 million that the Avalanche saved by not signing him and trading him is going to tell me they didn’t just lose all that money this year by not advancing in the playoffs and Ranton beat them with a hattick in the last game. Um I think you know Edmonton’s built and they’ve got so much speed. Conor McDavid is one of the most exciting players to watch. Every time he touches the puck, you can just feel the air change in the arenas that he’s playing in. And there’s so much anticipation for what kind of, you know, physics defying magic is going to pull off this time. I mean, he already has 17 points in the playoffs so far and he’s just phenomenal. And you got Leon Dryidle with him and and good goalending is it was with Picker and Skinner. They both been splitting games. So, this game I I think this is another seven game series. Uh, and I honestly don’t know who to pick. I I want to pick Dallas, but Edmonton could be the team to break the Canadian curse this year. I want to go back in time a little bit when you’re looking at up and cominging players. Uh, was Conor McDavid, was he a guy that everybody knew was going to be special like almost immediately or did he sneak up on people? Oh, no. Everybody knew since the time this guy was 13 years old that he was the he was a generational talent and uh everybody, you know, just like what the Jazz were doing, everybody was going to start trying to, you know, lose games to try to make sure they got him. It did go to a lottery and, you know, Edmonson came out on top with that one. He’s he is the best player in the National Hockey League and that’s there’s just really no argument. There are so many phenomenal players, but he just has that next step, that X factor. You know, there’s a lot of guys that have the X factor. He might, you know, he might have double X factor. I mean, he’s just unreal and so exciting to watch. And honestly, man, I know it doesn’t matter if you earn a cup or not, but since D or since Connor was 18 years old, he’s put this team on his back and carried them and he’s done it with class and he’s done it with hard work and he’s just been an example for his entire career. So, if anybody really can earn the right to win a Stanley Cup, I think it’s Conor McDavid. And I would love to see his name on the cup. It doesn’t have to be this year. I’m kind of wanting to see Dallas do it. I want to see this revenge of Ratnon, but I could see Connor doing it and I would have no problem with that. Is he the kind of guy, and again, we’re we’re learning about this league, not just the team here in Utah, but how the league works overall. Are there certain guys that uh because in the NBA you’ll see a dude that feels like he outgrows his market a little bit and says okay you know what I want to go to a bigger market. I want to go where there’s uh you know higher profile or and Edmonton’s been around forever. It’s you know it’s a legacy team but is he the kind of guy that you ever feel like could outgrow the market and try to flex his muscles and go somewhere else? Um, I can’t really see him doing that because, you know, Edmonton is a huge Canadian market and it is the home of hockey for what a lot of Canadians, Phil, you know, you the Oilers and the Leafs are just the Canad the Canadian team and you’ve got all the other teams, but that’s that’s their Yankees, right? That’s their Lakers. And I can’t see him really wanting to leave. If the LA Kings were right there to Well, and they kind of were this year. He was the missing piece like back in the day when they traded for Gretzky maybe. But he’s loyal and he’s he’s a Canadian kid and I I can’t ever see him leaving Edmonton. Did uh did Gretzky kind of force his way out? How did that go down all those years ago? Uh Gretzky was kind of surprised by it. He didn’t force his way out. There was a lot of other money things going on and behind the scenes the Oilers kind of felt like he had outpaced the ownership. Um, I’ve seen a couple different documentaries on it and I you know I was young when this happened. I think I was 12 or 13 and you know they he he didn’t want to get traded but he had married a Hollywood star and they were splitting time between LA and Edmonton and so I it could have been doing him a favor but when it came down to it I don’t think Wayne Gretzky actually wanted to be traded to LA. He took it with grace. But if you see the, you know, you could see he was caught off guard. You could see the post uh post trade conference press conference with him. He’s crying. He’s in tears. He wasn’t ready to move to leave Edmonton and to, you know, Mark Messier and all in that dynasty they built there. But I think that was just one of those things where he did outgrow Edmonton and I think he outgrew the amount of money they could throw at him back then. This was, you know, they didn’t have the same kind of salary caps and stuff they have now. So he would have been kind of like what Mariel Lemieux did in Pittsburgh. I think he would have ended up being a co-owner of the team because they would have ended up owing him so much money. So when you look at uh the good karma that was essentially from the Smith Entertainment Group taken by the hockey team and none was left over for the Jazz, which hey that’s all right. Uh but h you move up to number four. Uh if you’re the Utah Mammoth, what kind of player is available? And I believe you mentioned it was you in a previous conversation who said that there will be players who could be ready to contribute almost immediately at number four for this team. Yeah, that’s the big thing when you go from 14 to four. Anytime you’re looking top five in the draft, you’re looking at definitely in the top three. You know, one of those top three can enter the the NHL right now. And I said it last year uh with that Zeb Buum out of Denver University. I said if we draft him now, he could play this year. Uh they didn’t take him, but he did end up playing in the NHL this season, this last season. Um man, there there are five or six guys that could play this year. Um there’s a there’s a big center that I’m looking at right now. 6′ three, 210 lbs. His name’s Porter Maton. He’s playing in the OL right now. He’s a big body. He’s got some sandpaper to him. Uh the only real knock on him is his skating. But the top three, if one of those guys go doesn’t go in the top three the way that everybody sees it with Matthew Schaefer going first and Misa going second, the third, fourth, fifth picks. We could get this kid James Higgins, uh an American born kid out of Boston College. He’s only 5’10, 177 pounds, but he’d come in and make an immediate impact as well on an entry- level deal. So, we’d be paying him 900,000 a year and you know, so that does leave us more money to go out and pick up a big free agent. But yeah, there’s there’s there’s kids that could make the lineup right now and it’s going to be really interesting. I’m putting my money on Porter Mone. I think that’s the guy we need. I think he comes in and makes the playoffs or makes the lineup right now and pushes us to the playoffs. If we add Sam Bennett as our second line center, this could could be our third line center. And that just makes Utah like really ready for the playoffs. And I I I think that’s the right move. If they snag Sam Bennett, I got to imagine he becomes a fan favorite very very quickly here. Yeah, 100%. Sam Bennett plays on the edge. He plays with intensity. He plays, you know, exactly how you want to see a guy play. uh similar to what Jack McBain does for us, but with a lot more size. And he just fits in so many different ways with the kind of work ethic our team has. And you know, Sam Bennett does have a little bit of a history of a couple suspensions here and there. he plays on the edge, not to the point where like Marianne plays on the edge or there’s there’s just feistiness to his game and he’s he’s willing to maybe play right at that line and take a suspension every once in a while to send a message and help the team, but I don’t think he’s dirty. So, I I think he fits right in with what we’re looking for and the fans of Utah. I mean, he could be a back-to-back Stanley Cup winner as he comes in. Yeah. to fit in with our with our other Stanley Cup winners that we have here with Ian Cole and Sergeev. So, it’s man, every time I think about it, the more I think about it, the more I think he is the guy. And I know there’s a list I know there’s a long list of of talented players that are out there. Uh Tiveres from Toronto is another guy. And we’ve got a lot of a lot of guys out there. Uh Brock Nelson from the Avalanche is going to be unrestricted. So, there are other guys out there, but for me, Sam Bennett fits the mold. you know, he’s he’s just going to get out there and grind and open some space and be exactly what we were lacking this year. And that I I think gets us those nine or 10 more wins this this next season. No doubt about that. Um, and the thought of him in a like I’m not jersey guy, but uh I might have a Sam Bennett uh sweater that that that dude that dude just resonates with Utah and how people want their team to be and and play angry and physical and all of that. I think watching him throughout the playoffs has been really fun and it’s been kind of an eye openener be like, “Okay, that guy’s a free agent. All right, that that’s a dude we need to go all in on. That’s a dude that uh the Utah Mammoth should uh should should attack for sure. Um yeah, I agree. How uh how unique is the setup? You’ve seen the plans. Uh you’ve seen how and we’re going to hear a little bit of our Jim Olsson conversation coming up in our next uh next segment. But how unique is the experience going to be for people watching a game here in Utah in Delta Center uh with what they’ve announced and what they’re going to do to renovate this arena. It’s funny because when Ryan Smith and Ashley Smith talk about it, you can see how excited they get about it because they’ve gone to other arenas and they’ve looked and they’ve invested all this time and effort and money into developing something that hasn’t existed anywhere else in pro sports. This is going to be a nice intimate setting with you and 17,000 of your closest like-minded friends just right on top of the ice. And it’s there’s not gonna be a bad seat in that lower bowl. And it’s and you’re gonna feel like you’re part of it. And as as crazy as it was last season, which was so much fun, even with this the, you know, the obstructive view and everything, next season’s going to be better. It’s going to be more intense and just like I said, so intimate to be that close to the ice and almost looking down on it from row three. You feel like you’re you’re right there. And I think the closest thing if anybody wants to Google what the LA Clippers are playing in and their wall of fans, I know that was kind of the goal is to have a wall of fans. So when you when those guys hit the ice, all they see are fans and it’s just going to be uh you know, it’s the thing everybody commented on. They’re right on they they kept saying, “Yeah, the fans in Utah are right on top of you.” And you know, Smith Entertainment Group did not did not screw that up. They kept that as their goal. And we’re going to have one of the best arenas in hockey. All right. Uh, I’m not holding you to it, but as of right now, before game one start in the uh in these conference finals, give me how you think this is going to play out. Game in here in a couple weeks, game one of the Stanley Cup finals will feature who versus who. I’m gonna have to go Dallas, Florida. There you go. Yep. That’s what I’m thinking, too. I’d like to see Carolina do it. I really like their team. I really like their coaching staff, but it’s it’s got to be Dallas, Florida. Well, hey Jay, you’re the best, man. Appreciate you hanging out with me and uh let’s do it again here very soon. Absolutely. We got a lot to talk about, so I’ll talk to you soon. Yes, we do. Jay Stevens, NHL, Utah Mammoth Insider, kslsports.com, right here on 975, the KSL Sports Zone.
• Utah Mammoth insider Jay Stevens
