WHY IS EVERYONE SIGNING WITH VEGAS & FLORIDA?

WHY IS EVERYONE SIGNING WITH VEGAS & FLORIDA?

Why is everyone signing with Vegas in Florida? Mitch Marner joins the Vegas Golden Knights. Ecklad Bennett and Marian stay in Florida and Noah Doson. He selects the hardest road entering the Montreal Mar with the Habs.
Oh yeah, there’s no it’s market, but it’s there’s no way that that’s the French version for like market, but I’m so lazy I didn’t look it up.
I think that’s right. Mar.
Yeah, it’s not. But uh welcome. Uh Z Thomas Luca here with you. Let’s let’s start with Mitch Martner here. There’s so much to kind of unpack. Um but it will lead into our our broader question here because there’s plenty of tinfoil hat conspiracy theories going on that the league is about to shift into this era of just two teams of dominance. But before we really get there, let’s start with a major domino piece heading that way in Mitch Marner. Obviously, he signs the biggest contract in Leaf’s history before then being traded.
Told you a Stan.
Uh, eight years, $12 million.
That counts.
It counts.
It doesn’t really
I think it counts.
Other than for jokes. Uh, but but Luca, since you’re his staunchest supporter here,
I am
by far. Uh, what do you make of the deal for him and the team?
I mean, hey, if you’re Vegas, you do this every day of the week. You’ve got to be super excited, super happy. He I mean, you could argue that Jack Eichel is a better player. I think Mner probably has more production to his name than Jack Eel does, and he’s probably a more skilled player than Jack Eel is, but it really does give you two players that are so good at both ends of the ice. You add Mark Stone in the mix, I I think it does give them like a game-breaking player that, not to say Jack Eel isn’t that, but Marner can make everyone around him better with the way he plays. like he’s such a good passer. He passes into the slot, which is one of the hardest areas to kind of contribute from and and produce from. So, you’re getting an instant upgrade for the Leafs. It’s just like, yeah, you got something back for him, but I think this is like an alltime fumble.
We’ll get to that. We’ll get to them in a sec.
I really do. But for Vegas, I mean, like, yeah, this is a home run. And to get him at 12 million, to get that extra year at eight years, he is there for the long term. You’re playing in a place where it is not like Toronto as far as the pressure goes. They’ve won a cup already. The window is still wide open. It’s it’s an A++.
Okay, Thomas, what are your thoughts on on the deal as far as the actual numbers involved for player and team?
I think it’s a win-win on both sides. I think this is a great get from Vegas. You’re getting a highlevel elite 100point player, dynamic offensive talent. It’s kind of I think what they’ve lacked. You mentioned kind of that game breaker. Yes, they have Eel, but he’s going to bring out the best in everyone. And I also think 12 million, remember we did that whiteboard exercise of how much do you think he should get? And I think maybe just valued winning in the end because I was surprised that some of the teams that are desperate, desperate in need of this type of player wouldn’t have thrown 13, 13, maybe even more than that at a player like Mner. So I think for Vegas to get him on 12 million, I think that’s great business. And I think for the Leafs, you’ve had eight runs with this guy. it just didn’t work out. And he’s a really good player. And I think
eventually one day maybe he’ll be remembered as a really good player here.
Maybe once some um a couple trips to Toronto subside.
Yeah, there’s going to be a few. It’ll be heated. But before we get to the Toronto thing because you you brought up an interesting point there. So many people and maybe it was a bit of copium being taken here by some Leafs fans. I will say that. Uh the thought was that this guy was going to get paid paid. You’re saying 14, 13. He’s still got great money for himself and obviously like the state income tax and how that kind of factors and goes into it. But you said you thought that he valued winning most in there when you saw that number. Is that the same way you feel, Luca, or do you think it’s the state part and he still got his money anyways versus having that 14 say on paper?
It’s probably a bit of both, but like the Anaheim stuff never made sense to me or like even Jesse saying like Chicago should just throw a bang. Chicago was is in.
No, it truly didn’t make sense to me because I think especially a player like that who’s played so much playoff hockey with the Leafs and now his legacy is basically at this point in his career whether he likes it or not, it’s kind of tied to being like a guy that doesn’t show up in the playoffs. So, how do you get rid of that? You go to another team that will get there every year. You don’t go to an Anaheim and then like you’re part of a rebuild. I just don’t think that that really matters a lot to him at this stage in his career, nor should it, quite frankly. Like if if you’re a competitor, you want to win. And so I I do think that was probably valued in there and probably the culture that Vegas has built. I think it does speak to their ability to be able to bring in a lot of big names and it all kind of fits so seamlessly and that’s what they’ve done from the beginning and it kind of continues with this move here. It’s pretty interesting like you know you come in on a contract like that after having scored 100 points and spoiling a bit of the quiz that’s going to be out tomorrow but there is a question on the most efficient players uh above the $10 million mark and Vegas now has two of them.
Um but there is something to be said about the fact that you can sign that kind of deal and still while you’re a superstar signing kind of feel like just one of the guys. You know what I mean? There’s not like an instant like you better kind of pick it up. like obviously there will be eyes on him, but I think you’re certainly right in that like culture-wise. Um the Leafs side of this though as we as we talk about culture and such Leafs fans feel very torn on this and we were kind of using Mitch Mner’s which is a terrible barometer we’re about to use here, but the comment section
on this man’s farewell post
because social media is always real life.
It’s real life. Yeah, we’re not terminally online while literally being online right now. But um it was actually pretty positive. But you can also understand that the waves of emotion are probably not purely reflected there because it ranges all the way from people saying that this is the worst leaf of all time and that they will will boo this man until you know his final days in the league. Uh to people being like, you know what, it didn’t work and you know that’s okay and and we all needed to move on and I’m all right with him. Where do you guys kind of lie on this scale as far as his time with the Leafs?
So, I think three things can be true. One, he was a one of the most talented Maple Leafs of all time. Yeah.
Two, top probably
talented, by the way. You don’t mean accomplished, but talented. Pure talent and and production as well to a certain extent in the regular season, points, accolades, all that. Great player, had a really good stretch year. Two, he didn’t show up in the playoffs. Three, it was time to move on. So, I think those three things can be true. You mentioned though 12 million is the new AV that he’s going to have for the next eight years. He was just on 10 and a half. One and a half million is really not that big of a jump. Leon Dryidle is getting a $6 million pay bump around that next season.
Are you going in a direction that I think that people should be upset that he got a little he put a little or left a little on the table or
I’m not saying they left the Well, maybe Chicago. I’m just I feel like the Leafs they could have done 12 like that’s that is I think within they could have made it work if they really wanted to keep
at this point we don’t know
he could have probably stayed here I don’t know but I it just feels like honestly both sides were just like let’s just kind of mutually just try something else and maybe it’ll work maybe it won’t I’m sure there will be a stretch maybe in November or October where the Leafs drop four to five and the sky’s falling and they don’t have that creator on the power play and Matthews isn’t scoring because he’s not playing with his buddy Marner. Or maybe they they’ll start and they’ll win their first 10 out of their 11 and we never needed you. Anyways, time will tell, but I’m I’m looking forward to watching a different way that this team’s actually going to be constructed next year. I I don’t disagree and I think that like yeah the time was probably up for it based on a lot of different factors and I think like the fans are probably a part of what drove him out and like him being literally like the scapegoat of this of this team. You you mentioned it. He walks into the Vegas locker room. It’s one of the guys here in Toronto like he was the scapegoat. It didn’t matter what Matthews and JT and Knander were doing in the playoffs because their production wasn’t much better. I would say Matthews this postseason especially and like whatever if he was dealing with injury really don’t care like his production hasn’t been that of a guy that’s supposed to be where his standing is in the league like better player than Mitch Martner and he hasn’t really done anything in the playoffs either but Mitch has always been the scapegoat who are you just comparing him to I missed the you said like Matthews
yeah he gets it pretty good saying like get criticized I feel like sometimes it goes under the I think it is. Well, it’s because of the the previous contract negotiations and all of that that’s kind of gone into it. But I think that the way Marner has talked about if Matthews leaves when his contract is up and wants out, he’s not going to be vilified the way that Marner has. I don’t era of Leafs hockey.
I can get along with that. I also think though that like
I’ve said it all along and now that a couple of dominoes have fall like you’ve paid Matthew Ny you’ve traded for Machelli, you resigned Steven Lorent, you bring in Nicolola Wah, maybe there’s another forward coming, maybe there’s a defenseman coming, maybe Eastston Cowan makes the jump, but I’ve always wanted to see what they would use that money towards. And so far, I’m not looking at what Florida’s done. Like the Leafs are objectively a worse team today than they were with Marner on the roster. And now you’re like, “Okay, so they got to go and beat Florida without an 100point top 20 player in the NHL.” I I just don’t even the roster construction if it’s different if these new pieces kind of gel like you’re you’re a worse team. Like Machelli isn’t going to make you better.
It could give you more depth. It’s it’s
more depth for sure, which is clearly what they need to lean into now. Whichever doing more with the space.
I disagree though because it’s like you had depth last year. What depth didn’t you have last year that you now have this year?
I I did think that last year was one of the more well-rounded rosters that they’ve built.
Who knows? Maybe they’re not done yet. Maybe there’s an eye on 2026 or just
David. Yeah,
we’ll wait on the final dec on their roster. Um but just just as we kind of head into the next topic, there’s one thing I’m going to borrow Thomas’s uh thought here kind of going h two things can be true, three things can be true. I’m going to say two things. uh about Marner as far as being scapegoed. One thing I think that we’re pretty conveniently passing upon, which if there are Leafs fans watching this, which I’m sure there are, they’ll be yelling if they’re upset, is like, well, yeah, you know, the way you handle your contract negotiations, you’re entitled to the money that you want, but the situation that you entered, like when was this, is this 2019, right? It would have been 2019 when he he signs the deal.
Yeah. Whenever it was. when you go out for the cash that you think you deserve and you hold out and you do things that way. Well, yeah, man. Like, that’s what do you think that does? That’s a target on your back. That’s what you’re willing to say, that’s a conversation you have with your agent where you go, I’ll take the pressure from it because more pressure will be heaped on you versus just taking a certain deal. And obviously, that was a lose-lose. Like, Dubis has admitted that at this point. And obviously, Martyr didn’t even get necessarily what he wanted out of this. And it completely changed like the tone and feeling around him as far as like this hometown guy, right?
Because it wasn’t even the money at the end of the day. It was more just like the negotiation process and all like the the rumors about like how his dad was involved and all of that. Totally. Everyone knows what’s true. all the dirty laundry gets aired out and the narrative of you just being some guy who wants to win with the Leafs changes because to be honest you’ve shown that it’s not just about that either because if you do want and I’m not trying to say like
don’t go get your money cuz that’s not at all like it’s just well then yeah man you can’t have both. That’s how I always felt about that. I think it’s a little bit more nuanced where he deserved the extra pressure that he got from that. He kind of deserved to have extra criticism steeped upon him because when you go for the bigger check in the way that you wanted to do it that way, that’s just always what was gonna happen. This this is like playing for the Knicks. This is like playing for Real Madrid. This is like playing for the New York Yankees. You want to go and say you’re worth a certain amount and you want to treat yourself like other, you know, players, you know, did because like Knander did something sus, you get extra pressure heaped on you. just sucks because all people remember is that. And I think you’re right in saying that to just kind of just cast it away as if it was a complete waste of eight years is also very shortsighted and foolish. It’s more disappointing that just you didn’t get to your end goal.
That’s all.
Very fair point.
All right. Florida after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, they’ve signed three of their core 10. They are committed to the future.
So nuts
with these old core 10.
Core 10’s insane.
So not our joke. People have been very, you know, funnily saying that themselves. Um, but yeah, Sam Bennett 8-year deal. Eklad 8-year deal was 6.1. Pretty uh very team favorable. Obviously, Marian the biggest there at six years around an average of about 5.25 million and broken down in such a funky math way that it’s it works. And he got paid, but not really. But yes, but all I want to know from you guys is of the three deals, which one do you like the most? And which one?
No. Yeah, just just most. Just most I think the Eblad one. I think that that price is just And I don’t think he’s a perfect defenseman or the best defenseman in the world. But like he has been such a big part of what they’ve been building for the past several years. I think with some of the other numbers that we’ve seen, especially defenseman, I find those shut down big defenseman that are tough to play against and Ekbot even adds some offense as well. I find the price just keeps climbing and climbing on those guys every single year in free agency. So, I think to get that, yes, it’s eight years, but it just it seems very very favorable.
That’s a culture setter, too. Like that’s a guy that’s been there since day one of this that remains a really steady person on the ice, but even just a steady voice off the ice and continues to lay that foundation for new people coming in. I love the Bennett deal, especially like the money that he was maybe rumored to get if he did hit the open market was I I don’t know if I ever believed he was getting like 10 million, but to get him where they got him for the impact that he had in the playoffs, like doesn’t matter what he does in the regular season at this point. He’s a playoff guy. Like that’s all you need.
And you’ve won two with him too. And
And you’ve won two with him too. This year especially like Cons winner, MVP of the playoffs. The amount of goals he scored in big time moments and he just does it in every way. Yeah. You you lock that guy up.
It just seems like the negotiations were just so easy. Like it just it happened so quick. It helps when you win.
Happened when they were celebrating. Marshon said he’s not leaving. Bennett said he’s not leaving. Too many times hear that in sports then it just doesn’t happen because when they actually go and sit down with the table and agents get involved it’s like
well I can make 3 million more a year elsewhere.
Well, we talked about it too like they’re over the cap right now. They’re they’re going to have to make some moves to make this all work but you said it too. They have a core 10. Like it doesn’t really matter the other players around them roster-wise. Like they’ve got a core of 10 players. you sparked like a memory of where it was so clearly done the other way where it wasn’t just like celebrations was the kawaii y’all have fun with it second he said y’all have fun with it was like oh cool you’re leaving like everyone at the party went it was like the whole celebration sucked a little more cuz you knew like that was so non-committal where you’re like and he’s gone
it’s true cuz like if you don’t commit in that moment you’re not coming back
you’re not coming back
there was no chance of like three, four more anything. But, um, okay. So, uh, you’ve said the the deal you like the the best of the three of them. But, uh, do you think there’s any any issue in locking these out because they are older in Eblad’s case? You know, he hasn’t played 82 games a couple times now, although I know part of that’s due to suspension as well.
Um, but still, it’s a lot of term. Any issues moving on forward for them? Do you have any concerns in that regard whatsoever? or you think this is just the move they had to do and make sense for the cap space and everything. I think seven years from now or eight years from now we may or even six in in Marian’s case we’ll definitely be looking at some of these contracts a little bit like it’s tough to have that on the books but like does it really matter when you’re the Stanley Cup favorite next year whereas you’ll probably you know be in a long playoff run for maybe the next couple years no this is this is what you do you maximize the years Tampa did this they kind of went all out um they’re still competitive they’re not at the level of Florida but to this is just how you take advantage of a cup window and you did what you had to do to keep Brad Marsh and I think how that whole thing has worked out like it he just really when did he get treated at
358 when the deadline was at 4:00 all of a sudden he’s won a cup now he’s making Florida his home for the next several years he’s just carving out a legacy with the Florida Panthers seemingly out of nowhere like that’s just a huge boost so I like what they’re doing all right Well, brings us to our title topic here because there is a prevailing thought out there perhaps amongst the saltiest of all of us which uh that’s okay if you are a part of this crowd or or or maybe you know you just like to really think about the way the league is heading long term big picture but there’s a a prevailing thought pardon me there that everyone just wants to go to Vegas in Florida at least all of the big names, whether it be in how they they trade for them and then sign them or in free agency itself. And clearly this is down to people keep saying state tax which is zero% in both of those places which could play a factor and you know Marner signing that 12 million. What’s that actually look like? Well, it looks like just straight cash. Uh is it just due to the climate of these places? Is it just due to all the winning that’s occurred there? or also the big one, a lack of media pressure perhaps once you were there. Uh or again, a combination of all four of these things. What I want to know from you guys is do you think that there is some kind of unfair advantage that these two teams seemingly do hold? And and I will add one more thing. Rasmas Anderson’s another person who’s kind of helped kick up the uh the heat in this one because apparently if he’s getting traded from Calgary, he’s making it feel as if reportedly again that Vegas is the one place he wants to go to. Not even LA is on that list. Apparently nothing to do with it.
Maybe he just wants to play with Noah Hannne again.
Do you think though
he really likes Noah Hannneathan? Do you think they hold an unfair advantage? Florida in Vegas that will see them launch
just dynasty years for the next four to six years or even longer.
Like I know Vegas is a relatively new team. The Florida Panthers have been around for a while now.
Good.
They haven’t won a whole lot before these last three years.
That’s my thing. I’m old enough to remember when Florida was very, very bad. Florida also happens to reside in the exact same state as the Tampa Bay Lightning and I know they’ve just recently won cups,
but the Lightning were also after they won in 2004, they were not great. When they drafted Stamp Coast first overall, they were not great.
So, do I believe that this state income tax matters? I think to a certain degree, yes, it can be played as some sort of advantage. I don’t think it’s as big of an advantage as people make it out to be. My overall feeling on the negativity towards both of these franchises recently is people don’t like teams that are always winning and it’s frustrating. It’s annoying. People like to root for underdogs. People like to root against the team at the top of the mountain. The Patriots were hated for years. The the Chiefs in the NFL as well. Like
and it’s all a conspiracy, too, right? With the Patriots is just the flake whatever Chiefs now.
There’s just always something.
There’s always something. you’re always looking for a way to kind of diminish or tear down what this team has built that has enjoyed so much success. And I just think at the end of the day, like give credit where credit’s due. These general managers have done such a good job. They’ve showed guts in the trade market. They’ve been smart at the draft and they’ve built teams that they just have a recipe to win.
So that’s the key word there, I think, is built. Like they’ve built these rosters from the ground up. It isn’t just this thing of like they’re attracting all of the biggest names because that they can pay them with no state tax and like all the biggest names are just coming in and it’s this super team. It’s not like that. They have started in such drastically different places and like Vegas is a little different but even then they saw value in a lot of the scraps from teams and they turned their assets into star players and had to kind of do it with a blueprint that no one else provided. So I think that’s different. Also, Florida, Marshon posted on his Instagram story like all these players that other teams had and let go, found a home in Florida, and it all kind of fit together. And I’m not saying that’s how it’s going to work for every team, but it worked for them, and they’re in this kind of sweet spot with it. But hockeyy’s also a sport with so much parody that like the Panthers could lose in the second round or earlier for the next five years in a row. And like I wouldn’t all be all that shocked because there’s just so much parody in hockey. I just think that like
to say it’s all state tax is is it really doesn’t give credit to how good of a GM that Bill Zoto is to trade for Matthew Kachchuck. That decision was hard at the beginning trophy.
You gave up won a president’s trophy. Jonathan Huberos coming off a career year. Mackenzie Wager is one of the better defenseman in hockey and you’re trading two core pieces for Matthew Kachchuck and that’s a swing that a lot of people don’t have the guts to take and he did it like you you are rewarded for moves like that and you’re seeing that here. I I was just say it’s not Kevin Durant going to the Warriors. It’s not the Heels let’s go McDavid Crosby and McKinnon let’s form a super team because it’s you know you make way more money than you do in Florida. Sure, maybe it helps you a little bit. And we’ve seen that now with Eblad taking six.
Yeah, it might help you stay good.
And Marshian was able to, you know, really be friendly and and they signed him to a deal where he’s going to be 43 years old and somehow still on the books.
But maybe that’s just a benefit of building great culture. And
what you’re going to penalize a city because it’s beautiful to live in. It’s nice to play in and the media is not on your back. beautiful to live in and a nice city and they don’t have a team anymore. Like this this doesn’t work in No, but
bummer. But
it goes to show like you can’t just penalize a team for that. Like it’s San Jose is another team where like you want to live in California.
Well, they got a higher income tax.
They have a higher income tax for sure, but like it’s it’s so a combination of so many different things. Um I I I do think that one thing that we all do as sports fans is that especially on like free agency and uh trades and whatnot is like we certainly like hyper idealize certain aspects that are most interesting to us from the outside which is the location where you’re like oh man where am I parking up in LA or New York or Miami if I move to one of these places what what am I spending my money on now I got like less you know the taxes and this and that and all of those things. I’m not saying that an athlete wouldn’t have this go through their minds, like far from it. Of course, they’re going to enjoy those those riches as well. But the thing that you guys really highlighted most in here where I I tend to agree with you on this whole argument is just the strength of a culture and an organization as far as pulling you in and those things just kind of being additional factors that absolutely are advantages by the end of it but don’t work without the strength of that organization the culture in the same way. Yeah.
Uh they could still be advantages. They still are. Like you can’t lie about some people of course man like if you’re not getting tax and there extra money like it’s an advantage. I don’t think there’s any beating around the bush there. It is an advantage to have that, but as you said, it has been there. It has existed. And them being able to tap into it in a way now that’s frustrating people is due to the fact that their organizations have been strong and can now take advantage of it in a whole new way, which I then think, well then, yeah, I don’t find that to be unfair. As you said, they’ve been really bold in Vegas just from like day one with how they’ve won or run that team. It’s just the way they do moves has not been the way that hockey teams have traditionally done it. And it feels so outlandish and they find all these loopholes. But god damn, would you want your GM to do that? Like, you know what I mean? Like just trade every first round pick we’ve ever had because we’re going to go all in on just getting
these veteran players who are available who, you know, these teams. Sorry to bring up Buffalo, but Buffalo made Jack Eel available for trade.
Biggest Yeah, we’ll give all our best prospects for him. We’ll take them.
The biggest advantage is winning. Like that that is the biggest advantage any team has.
And how you’re going to be used too, but like the coach part even too that you know like LA and no offense Carolina, but it’s like how you’re going to be deployed. You know what I mean? Like I get it. We still think of that. But
all of this comes into play and and clearly the way that Vegas and like Florida been playing. You be like, man, I want to be a part of that system. I got to do as well on the ice.
Yeah. Agreed. That’s it. Yeah. Well, Noah Dobson. Why am I saving him for last? Because he’s kind of a part of this whole story in some kind of way, which is he kind of gets thrown in there by some fans is like, well, look at this is the example of the hardest road. As I joked about at the beginning, he’s going to a Canadian market where it’s cold and they speak a language that he don’t speak. He’s taking the hardest road here with his 9.5 million in 8 years. And we will talk about this actually on the on the surface as well, or sorry, not on just the surface, but in depth the actual deal itself. But I’m gonna start you off, Thomas, with what are your thoughts on that as people perhaps using Noah Dobson as an example of like this guy’s a dog. You know what I mean? He wants the hockey market versus these other guys who just want Vegas and and Florida and their vacation homes.
Well, I I hope he is a dog for the Habs, but I don’t think that’s what it’s I just think he wanted a new contract and the Habs had the best package in order to pay it and they were willing to match what he was essentially asking for in the market. And I think it’s as simple as that. Maybe there’s some attraction with him of like, oh, there’s a really, really cool and exciting young core here that I’d love to be one of the leaders of. Um, because, correct me if I’m wrong, he’ll now be the highest paid player on the team. I know L is kind of um similar. He’s only got one year left, but like he’s getting paid more than Suzuki, more than Caulfield, more than Slaf. So, I feel like that’s maybe the excitement and the allure for Dobson. I don’t think it’s like, yeah, I’m going to go against the trend of Vegas or or Florida or these Americans.
Vegas called, I didn’t even pick up.
I think the only other teams I called were Columbus and St. Louis. So,
yeah. Um, it’s an exciting trade, but I don’t think it really aligns with the it’s going against the grain of like recent trends in the league or anything.
And it’s all about assets, too, of what these teams have to give. Exactly. Like two first round picks and a prospect are nothing to scoff at. And the Islanders looked at that too and wanted to weaponize that in the draft because apparently they wanted to go up maybe get Hagens which they didn’t ultimately but like
Montreal was in a unique position to match those specific needs for them as well. So it kind of is just a partnership made in heaven. I I love the move too. Like I’m so happy for you. Um I know we before we recorded too Buke as well coming from St. Louis to to Montreal for Logan Mayu. But I think it speaks to the pipeline of defenseman that Montreal now has with Dobson with um oh my goodness, Lane Hudson and uh you’ve got Rybacker. You can’t even crack the lineup right now. Like they are they’re kind of loaded, man. And I you look at the Eastern Conference, Martner’s gone. Another team in that Atlantic is weaker. Boston is still weak. Montreal up and coming now. I I don’t know. They going to make the playoffs next year again?
Hopefully. It’s become the expectation now, which is is scary to think about, but getting a player like Noah adopts like this was a big big statement to say like our rebuild is is over and we’re ready to go for it.
I still lump you in with Buffalo and
Okay. Yeah.
You’re right there with I think Buffalo’s in a league of their own right now. How about that?
You didn’t want to wear that Purka jersey to literally we recorded the quiz the night that he or the day and then the night he got traded. I joked about how I I I do own a Pura J.
But did you hear what I said in in our video with Schaefer?
We did a we did a guest the number with Matthew Schaefer and
he didn’t know it or he didn’t.
Purco was one of them and Jess Jesse got it right away and I said in the video because I believe there were some comments about it. I was like man I should know that Z has a Purka jersey and this got posted I think yesterday so the trade had already happened.
I’ll I’ll wear it in something else that we have. I still have it. It’s a reverse retro as well.
It’s a sick jersey.
Yeah, it’s definitely a cool player. 77 just looks cool in the back too.
Yeah. Yeah.
Um I was being facitious uh about the fact that you know that is still a cool factor I’m sure for some players that they do want to go to a major market and feel like the big ticket in town. Like that will always be an advantage for some players and it is cool. And perhaps that was part of his decision to some degree. Maybe as I said it’s that top layer. It’s not the whole thing. Um but my my main question with you with Noah adopts $9.5 million. We’ve already discussed the number with it. Uh I think you engineered some type of post recently of the most expensive Dmen in the league. Uh but how do you feel about the number attached to uh him, the AAV? Listen, two years ago he was a 70point guy and we were talking about him being on Canada for the four nations. They obviously didn’t take him. They had a lot of that offensive play driver and he’s not Kale Mar, he’s not, you know, I know he’s not Kane, but he’s not Quinn Hughes. He’s not that level. Um, it’s a long deal. Everyone, you’re going to hear this a lot during this week of free agency when these deals get shot up. All the caps going up. The cap’s going up. I think it’s a way of everyone making themselves feel better about the business that their team just did.
More cap to not use in Buffalo.
Yeah. And and last year he had a tough season, but so did everyone kind of on that Islanders team. I think now he’s going into Montreal, and I what surprised me a lot is the fit because Lane Hudson is very much offense, offense, offense. can’t really trust him as a number one defenseman to play on the penalty kill and to play in those late game situations because he is a little bit unders sized and his skill set is just so unique to scoring a ton of points and Noah Dobson isn’t really that well-rounded defenseman or at least he hasn’t developed that streak of you know shut down D in his game so far. So, it was a little bit not puzzling, but caught me off guard that you’re going to build your team with two Dmen that are just so so, you know, favor on on the offensive side. So, that was a little bit surprising, but I think like we saw Bushard go for 10 and a half. That’s just the going rate and nine and a half. I think he’ll be a lot closer to his 70 points that we saw two years ago than his 39 or 36 that he had last year just because he’s going to be playing with Suzuki and Cawfield and Slavovski and just all the other young talent young talented players that the Montreal Canadiens have right now. So
he’s just entering his prime too, right? Like there’s still room for development for him which is important to note. and I don’t know power play with him and Hudson like both of them like how are they going to line up
to how they configure it and who gets more minutes and like what what the pairings are but you have so many different kind of comments
I don’t know how I don’t know how they do that first power play because
I don’t either but it’s exciting Slaf is the guy you take off from like a skill set standpoint he’s the guy that would lose his job on on power play one but he he’s the netfront guy and I don’t know if you want anyone else to be the netfront guy because he’s big and
so it’s weird like does Cfield come off. Does L come off?
I you probably Lion, right? Like
but his one-timer just scored so many goals like that in the regular season.
Yeah. Scratch in the playoffs.
It’s that because like you’re you don’t want your $9.5 million defenseman being power play too probably either, right? But you can’t put him over Lane Hudson. But it’s a good problem to have. You’d rather have these problems than not.
Where do you rank their decor in the league? Give me a number. Um, I think on potential and I think with how many young like Kaden Ghoulie is 22 just riners where you currently think they are top half of the league.
Yeah, maybe like between I’m not going to sexy play it at all.
I think they’re top half.
You want an exact number? Eight. Number eight. There you go. I’d say like
that’s also brilliant because it’s like I’m not gonna sit here and formul like I don’t know maybe 12 because like yeah there are some deficiencies to Hudson’s game still like they’re
they’re young too which is going to take some time get better in his own end for sure. I I I love the move. I think it’s a great move.
They’re probably right there with Buffalo.
Yeah, Buffalo
I think.
But you guys just lost Yokohi Haru though. You’re going to lose sign him too. Thinking again that lose Byum as well. We can end we can end the video. We don’t need to.
It’s okay to end the video.
Can we get a Buffalo logo up here and just, you know, talk about
It might be Actually, can we Can we end the video? Do we have one? We literally don’t have one.
Who would you take right now? Dobson or Owen Power?
Let’s end the video.
I think you take Dos.
We’re not opening up the Owen Power can of worms again.

Marner is heading to Vegas & Bennett, Marchand and Ekblad are staying in Florida. DZ, Luca and Poc discuss why the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers keep signing everybody.