Player To Coach ft. Nick Bonino | Morning Cuppa Hockey

Player To Coach ft. Nick Bonino | Morning Cuppa Hockey

[Music] What’s up everybody and welcome to the fifth episode of the summer edition shows of Morning Cup of Hockey presented by Bet 365. That’s Kobe Cohen. I’m Johnny Lazarus. As you can tell, I’m uh fighting it a little bit today with my voice. So, um Kobe, bear with me, please. But we do have Nick Bonino, the assistant coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Longtime NHLer, played Did he get a thousand, Kobe? Did he get a thousand games or close to I don’t know the answer to that question. Actually, uh 8 868 games played in the NHL. Just looked it up. Uh 15-year career, but just hung him up this past season. You know what pisses me off about that though? playoff games. Probably a thousand. 105 playoff games. So, not quite a thousand. Sure. But like I I just don’t understand why playoff games are not counted towards games played. Like why? I’m sure you’re going to say the same when he hops on just like you always do when we have guys that are But am I crazy? Like let me just ask you. No, no, no. It’s something that you always like definitely Well, it just doesn’t it pisses me off anytime it comes up. Like I’m not asking for preseason games to count, which would benefit me, but but I’m asking for playoff games to count, which are so difficult for guys to play in. Yeah, no, I agree with you. Um, yeah, Vic just said it’s all your buddies, too. Shy. Um, who else did? Uh, Reamers played a thousand, though, right? Listen, I I I was just with Scotty Walker, you know, the old Carolina hurricane amongst other teams, and we were having that same conversation, you know, like that that these these playoff games should count it because even he was talking about like a playoff game is the equivalent of three or four regular season games as far as like intensity and physicality goes. Yeah. No, I agree. Um, but also there are a lot of other things to talk about. We’ll have Nick Bonino joining in about 15 or 20 minutes from now. Uh before we get into anything else, do want to give a shout out to our sponsor, Paso. The most complete choice for shaving and beard care made in Italy since 1948. Paso has been a staple of Italian culture and barber shops globally for four generations. So get 15% off at pasousa.com with our promo code hockey15 in all caps. Hockey 15. Kobe, do you want to talk about your weekend of checking for charity? I know it’s something that you talked about kind of leading into it. Um a lot of time kind of previewing what it was. It was fun. I mean, listen, humbling experience to get on the ice and and play against kids that are teenagers and young 20-year-old division one and pro hockey players. Um there was a number of of NHL regulars that played, you know, and it was in the pro division and and um then there was some retired guys, you know, there there only retired guys that played um that had any NHL game experience were were Jamie Lmark and I. Um, Jamie Lunar’s like probably 45 now and I’m, you know, I’m 37 and and it was, like I said, humbling is the right word because these guys just skate so well. Um, you know, our first game we played in the tournament. We played against, I don’t know, a dozen kids from Penn State. Um, and boy, can they fly. Um, like current guys, who’ you say? Like current Penn Stator or like alumni. And it was both. It was some guys who just signed. It was 12 guys off or it’s like 10 or 12 guys off that team that just played in the Frozen Four. Some of them have signed since, but yeah. Um and then, you know, there was a couple of other guys like Adam, you know, um Adam Goddet played. I mean, he’s the guy scored 20 goals in the National Hockey League last year. He can still I mean, he’s just he look, you know, Tony D’Angelo played. Uh Matias Samuelson played. Um, you know, those guys are are there’s a reason they they make what they do and they score and they they’re good players in the best league in the world. Um, and then the guy that like so I just met I met Cam Denine last year. He’s an Oilers contracted player. I don’t know if he’s drafted by the Oilers. I assume he is. Um, he was he might have gotten traded to the Oilers at some point. I I I don’t know his story at all. But every time I friend of mine actually I I played with Cam when we were younger. So every time I watch Cam Denine play, I just don’t know how he’s not a regular in the National Hockey League. I know he played five or six games last year for Edmonton, I believe. Yeah. Third rounder at Arizona, by the way, in 2016. Okay. Hi his skating is, you know, I mean, again, I’ve never watched Cam play a game in pro hockey or junior hockey for that matter, but I’ve he’s been on the ice with some of our Titans practices and then now I I played against him in checking for charity. Like, you know, I’m sitting next to Jamie Lunar on the bench who’s a veteran of 300 games and we’re like looking at each other like, “This guy’s skating is incredible.” I mean, his puck handling and skating is 100% National Hockey League level. He’s probably a guy who just needs a break. Like, he’s just one of these guys that needs somebody to get injured or, you know, something else just to just to kind of break into the the National Hockey League in a regular role. But, um, he he’s a pretty skater, man. Like, you watch him and he just looks like he’s floating above the ice. Um, and and that’s really how all these kids are now, Johnny. Like, Gone are the days where like the the the bottom pair D and the third and fourth line guys can’t skate because everybody can skate just so well. It is it is like if if if I would have came up now I would have been in trouble. Like I’m not sure I would have even been able to get it done offensively at at the NCAA level because I just my skating was never like that. Like my skating was always good enough, but like these guys are the college kids even, they’re they’re like elite level skaters. And I’m not saying they skate like McDavid or they skate like McKinnon or Mar, but they can skate, man. And that’s something that we could talk to Nick Bonino about too, Cole, because I remember when he first got the job uh with the Penguins, I was watching like maybe one of the earlier interviews he did when he, you know, was talking about being a coach and getting into coaching and whatnot. And he said like, you know, he wasn’t a guy who made it in the NHL as long as he did because of his skating. It was because of his, you know, the way he was coachable and everything that exactly the way he thought the game. But I wonder when that’s fully going to change. like 10 years from now, will there be a guy in the NHL in the NHL who just, you know, isn’t as good of a skater but is still smart enough to get away or is it really going to a place where everyone has to be able to skate at this elite level because it seems like it’s trending in the latter direction. It’s it’s a good question. Um, and Nick knows himself. I mean, I played with Nick and I would say one of the highest IQ hockey players that I ever played with. I mean, there’s a reason he was on multiple Stanley Cup teams and he had, you know, he had very very specific roles on those teams. Um he was just a guy who in my opinion like he was he had eyes everywhere and he was the type of player that um you know he was his his vision was so good and he knew where all the chess pieces were on the board that he didn’t need a lot of time or space to make a play because his IQ, right? And I even remember later in his career, he was still incredibly effective because of that. He just he didn’t need the feet because of his brain. But eventually, I’m with you on the fact that th that’s probably not going to be around too too much longer. Like I I don’t know. I mean, you have to be able to move like that. Like I was watching the Kretzky Helinka tournament today too and some of these you know U18 U7 kids can just fly and you know that’s just where the game is is heading now. Like you know it’s funny I was listening to uh James Wnuski I mean I sat there live but James Wnooki went on NCetters like last week and he’s a coach for Ohio State women’s hockey and he said like aside from the faceoff it’s not necessarily a position sport anymore. Like once the faceoff is done, you’re playing like five on five like just, you know, kind of going rover and everyone like defenseman now, you know, there there are times where you see two defenseman get a twoon-one opportunity in front of the net and they’re below the goal line in the offensive zone because everyone or for the most part, most of those defensemen have the ability to get back and just have the feet and the footwork and the speed and the agility to cover up for their own mistakes or risks that they take. You just you got to be able to read and react. And even the way we coach it is we’re like listen like first guy back is the center. There’s no more center wing wing. Like you’re right. We want our center taking the draw. But if you’re the first guy back in the D zone, you’re playing low in coverage. Yeah. You know, if you’re the second guy, you’re you’re always that for the most part, right? You’re taking the strong side dot line and in and then when you have the puck, forget it. Like the good teams play a fiveman offense. I mean, you know, both teams in the finals in the in the NHL this year played with five men offenses. Like there was no, you know, sitting around at your point waiting for things, whatever. It was it was very fluid. So, um, that that’s that’s, you know, it was fun. I mean, I I three games in 24 hours for me at a pretty high pace. I’m surprised that I’m walking today, but I am. Um, some of the uh off ice training that I did definitely helped, but there’s no replicating on ice conditioning other than on ice conditioning. There’s just no there’s no real way to replicate it. So, um, so it was fun. It was a It was a lot of fun. I don’t know if I’ll do it next year with the with the pro guys. If I were to do it, maybe I’d go to the, you know, they have a 35 and older division. They’ve got, you know, they got all sorts of different offerings for the tournament. It’s a great tournament, though. They raise they raise a ton of money checking for charity. It’s wrapped up with the Ed Snyder Youth Foundation and I know there was a part of it this year for the GDRO Foundation and for Tony Vos, you know, all the guys that, you know, we’ve lost way way too soon here in the last year. But yeah, um but yeah, it was fun. It was I I would say this. Um, I I I think I’m I I appreciate the opportunity to to get on the ice with, you know, our team had we had Sam Lipkin on our team who plays in for Utah’s American League team in in, you know, my favorite place, you know, Tucson, Arizona. That’s where that’s where Cam played a lot of his time, too. So, you know, like he was on our team and we had some division one kids. Justin Solve from Harvard was on our team. You know, Matt Desadio is going to Brown. Kyle Kim’s going to be you. We had we had some we had some really talented players on the team. Um, you know, not just the old retired guys. And and I I’d say that uh I’m just appreciative to be able to get on the ice and snap it around with guys of that caliber at this point and to play against the the the NHL guys and skate with and again and laugh. I mean, we all are laughing the whole time, right? I mean, I’ve known Adam God for a long time. We shared a lot of laughs on the ice um you know through in and out throughout the game. You know there’s [ __ ] talking, there’s laughing. So I think I have a a high level of appreciation for still being able to do that at at 37. Um I said to Jamie Lmark, I don’t see any way I could do this at 45 like he did it and looked pretty damn good, too. Um you know, like I I just I I was like I don’t think my body will allow that. But we’ll see. you know, we’ll we’ll we’ll check back in next year and we’ll revisit this next summer. And everybody did ask why you weren’t playing, by the way. Like a number of people. Did you tell them that you didn’t invite me? No, I just told them you’re an [ __ ] Everybody thinks I’m the [ __ ] but on this one, you are the [ __ ] Well, next year I’ll be here. The other guy that played that I just like love watching play is Aaron Manettian, the kid from DC, Dallas. He He’s going to be an NHLer. I mean, like, when you when you like when you cookie cut carve out what an NHL defenseman looks like, it’s that guy. Um, he’s [ __ ] too. He he’s he’s so smooth, man. I mean, and I was talking [ __ ] to him and I was like, “Well, you there’s a reason they don’t put you on the top power play at BC.” Like, I was giving it to him like Pal ran the power play. You couldn’t run the power play at BC. Like, you and Foriscu are are second power play guys. And I was like, “At least when” cuz he was calling me washed up. So I said at least when I was in school I was on the top power play buddy. Um so but I love watching that kid. He’s he’s uh he’s he’s another one like you just appreciate how good these guys are. It’s that’s really I guess what happens as you get a little bit older and you realize you can’t keep up with these guys, right? You just have to appreciate how good they are and it’s so fun, like you said, to be out there. But before we bring on Bonino, let’s let’s talk a little bit about some current stuff going on. There’s a few RFAS that haven’t signed yet and I kind of want to get your feel. I was talking to one of my friends Lewis who’s a big Devils fan um about Luke Hughes’s contract like what he will get because it sounds like both sides kind of want to reach a place where it’s longterm. Um, so if you’re signing Luke Hughes right now and obviously there’s guys like Mason McTavish who still, you know, is being talked about, Marco Rossi, Connor Jerry, Luke Evangelista, you know, those are just some of the RFAS out there haven’t signed. But I’m curious to ask you as a, you know, defenseman first kind of guy. Like what number do you think Luke Hughes gets after two full seasons in the NHL? You know, it’s a it’s a good question. Um, you know, I’ll ask you I’ll ask you a better question. Does it start with a nine? I’d say it’s probably premature for a nine. Um, I I I I’m probably looking at him saying, you know what, you’ll give him eight times eight. I I think is probably the number. Now, look, I’m looking at his stats right now. He’s played 82 games in 71 games. So, you know, he’s he’s he’s got I know he he hurt his shoulder, right? Wasn’t that a a shoulder injury that he had? Oh yeah, I remember he was wearing a sling. Yeah, he’s wearing a sling. But you know, you you drop a guy into the NHL, you give him 21 plus minutes on average two years in a row, and he puts up 47 and 44 points. Um, you know, it’s probably a high eights. It’s probably eight times 8.8. You know, I mean, it’s like if if we’re talking about Cole Hudson at at nine at 8 time nine, you know, you mean Lane Lane Hudson? I’m sorry I said Cole. Um, yeah. Like I I it’s probably 8 time 8 1/2. It’s probably 8 time 8.8. I mean, you know, you’re you’re he probably hasn’t necessarily shown that dominating number one defenseman, which is a $9 million defenseman, right? But he’s he’s he’s, you know, he’s sniffing it. So, are you in a situation where you’re looking at that number, Johnny, and you’re thinking, well, geez, in four years, a player of his caliber is going to be making 13 or 14 million because of where the cap is going. Um, yeah. So, you know, maybe I just want to say when I was talking to my like Lewis who I referenced, you know, I kind of looked at Mo Cider. I feel like Mo Cider had similar, you know, early couple seasons um to Luke Hughes, but maybe Mo Cider is a little bit better defensively right now. Just he’s a little bit, you know, bigger and stronger. Um but as far as like point production goes, like Cider 50 points his rookie year, 42 points his second year. You can kind of, you know, say that’s a similar wavelength, I guess, to Luke Hughes and he got seven by 8.5. And I could see Luke Hughes getting that exact same contract. So, interestingly enough, on cap wages, it has Luke Hughes’s comparables as Shabbat, Quinn Hughes, Hampus Lynholm, and Noah Hannifan. Those are completely different defenseman. All three of those guys. That’s crazy. And then it said plus four more. Um, so yeah, I wish you could look more at why or how they come up with those comparables. Um, I don’t exactly know how this site does that from a comparable standpoint, but yeah, I mean, listen, I like more and more these teams want to lock these guys up and and you know, I think for Hughes at his, you know, he’s um uh in this was going to be his his fourth year technically, even though the first year he only played one game, right? Because he he got to burn two games. Two games. Yeah. Um 21 years old. Crazy. So you’re buying like if you if you give him eight years, you get him to 29 years old. So like you’re buying what? Three years of his of his UFA. So the number goes up a little bit. Again, I wouldn’t I like if if if they if they settled it on 8.8 and a half time 8 for Hughes, like that’s you know, I don’t think he’s I don’t think he’s he’s that level now. But I do I think he becomes that level. Yes, I do. I I think that kid with his size and ability, I I think he has star power in the NHL. Yeah, I I agreed. Um I think a nine I I said that seven by 8.5 like the same cider contract. I I’d be comfortable with that if I’m New Jersey. But also like if you’re giving him above 9 million then all the you know Quinn Hughes is coming to New Jersey. I think that kind of goes out the window, right? Well, I mean listen, Dobson got what? Nine and a half. Yeah. Nine and a half. Yeah. Like so is Hughes really at that level yet? No, he’s not. He’s just not. So, um, we’ll see what happens. You know, it seems like they’re working towards it, but we are getting closer to camp and and, you know, we’re getting closer to that mark. So, um, let’s let’s pivot here because our guest is here. I don’t know if you’re going to read them in with a sponsor. Why don’t you read them in and then we’ll, uh, we’ll chop it up with, uh, with Nick for a little bit. So, before we bring on Nick Bonino, just a quick word from our sponsor, Outwest. From early morning skates to late night league games, Outwest Polos are built to keep up with lightweight, breathable, and made to move fabric. They’re clean, sharp, and built for guys who don’t want to wear the same thing as everyone else. So head to outwest us and use our code kappa cua in all caps for 15% off of your order. And without further ado, let’s bring on Kobe’s friend, Nick Bonino. Nick, what’s going on? How you doing? Hey guys, how we doing? Thanks for having me. I clarify because I usually say my friend as well, even though you and I have like met maybe twice, but I wouldn’t call us friends just yet. Hopefully after this episode I can. Kobe’s very strict about about what I say. Um, but obviously I don’t know if Nick would even consider me the friend. I have to work my way back into this friend zone. So, Oh, it’s been great. I miss you, man. Listen, we were we were we were debating before you got on, you know, we were talking about you going to play in Lubana in uh in Slovenia. um and what that experience was like. And we weren’t sure like cuz I I remember that team being a Slovenian team, but we weren’t sure if you guys were in the Austrian league. Like how did that whole thing come about? Like what was that whole experience like? Well, if we want to know how it came about, we’d have to go back a little bit. And uh that was that was the tough part and uh you know, finishing an NHL career. not the way um you know I wanted or really deserved. Um so we we took that summer Lauren and I and we were actually camping and and we were going to retire and just figure stuff out and kind of said why why aren’t we thinking about Europe like what a place to live and what an experience it can be for the kids and the family and um you know hockey is has the opportunity to give you so many experiences and let’s let’s try this. So yeah, got in touch a little bit late. So I guess with Europe like you’re there’s certain windows where they’re adding guys and then they kind of sit and they add guys at different breaks. And um for me we were talking to a bunch of teams over there um like German league, Swiss league and I don’t know you never you just for me I didn’t get a feel of like I don’t know you just don’t get that feeling. And I thought there were a lot of questions that I didn’t love too you know like can you can you still play? you haven’t played since January and to me I was kind of like you know I played 15 years in the NHL like this I was it pissed me off and then Ljubljana called and again I didn’t know anything about Ljubljana I didn’t know where it wasn’t know much about Slovenia and um kind of sat on it for a bit with the GM there and just fell in love with everything there have a new owner um who’s who’s from North America uh and he’s just he was incredible so yeah we got over there and we loved it like the it’s in the Austrian league. It’s the the hockeyy’s good. Um but like you’re in your bed every night. Uh that’s what they told me when I was signing. They didn’t tell me sometimes it was 4:00 a.m. after those uh 7 hour bus rides. And uh Jeez, but you’re driving Yeah, you’re riding through through Austria, through um through Hungary, through through pretty cool cool areas. You’re not, you know, um on the East Coast or something like that. So, we really enjoyed it. We’d actually signed for two more years. Uh and then um this whole thing this summer came about and uh just such a great opportunity to be on an NHL bench and uh you can’t pass that up. So uh it was a it was a harder decision than one would think just because of how amazing a situation it was there and um you know I made some really good friends. They have a good team again. So try to be an advocate for them. any uh NHL guys getting older um looking to go to Europe, that’s a spot to go for sure. Well, I I can tell you Higgy and I played and I’m talking about Chris Higgins, who’s a former teammate in Nixon. We played a Champions League game against Ljubana and so we’ve been to Ljubana years ago. I mean, probably 10 years ago, we were there. We walked around that little town. Beautiful place. Um like such a such a pretty place. So, we’ve actually been there. I don’t know if the rink is the same rink or anything like that, but it is for sure it is. But, uh, I I can definitely second the fact that that it is it is a pretty place. And then the other thing I want to clarify before I let you ask him a a question here, Johnny. For those of you who are unaware, Nick is actually the second best hockey player in his in his family, his wife was a player at BEu, Lauren uh Cherwick Bonino, now who was a hell of a hockey player from Western Canada who was a who was a star at BEu um in in our college days. So, just to just to put a little bit of uh information behind that so so the people know where Nick learned it all from, you know. Yep. She’ll love that shout out. Yeah, she was back on the ice uh last spring. We were in in Canada here and she was assistant coach for for Ringette for our daughter’s ringette team and I was actually I was the volunteer uh coach. Like I didn’t even get a a label. I was pushing rings around. I was just like the dummy doing drills and um her and the head coach Kendra were bossing me around. So um no, she’s it’s good. She was really happy to get back on the ice. it’ been a while and uh um yeah, just a a great player and obviously someone who I’ve had in my corner now my whole NHL career and uh just invaluable the the the support I’ve gotten from her and um we could talk the whole show about that. So, I’ll I’ll just end it there. No, it’s a nice thing to add though, too. And um obviously we we appreciate that kind of stuff. But um when it comes to coaching, like you know, I don’t mean for this to sound like it’s uh me trying to be funny like in any way. Um, Kobe’s talked a lot on the show about like when guys played for Wayne Gretzky and like Gretzky’s telling him to do something, but it’s like what’s easy for you might not be easy for me, you know, like that’s just how playing for Wayne Gretzky would go and you know, you played with Sydney Crosby like he was your captain when you won cups with Pittsburgh and now you have to coach him. Like how are you gonna coach Sydney? Like what doesn’t he know already? You know what I mean? like how uh it’s funny I’ve talked about it with Lauren, but the thing that I keep coming back to is that who has coached Sydney Crosby that has been better than Sydney Crosby. No, right. That’s what I’m saying. I think that’s the that’s the thing. And I think with Sid, too, um he’s very receptive to to everything. Like he’s just a he’s a sponge and he’s a hockey mind. And you know, we talked a couple times this summer. I was chopping up some um some video just some breakout clips from different teams and I would mention a team and he knows their breakout, he knows their system, he knows their forex and um so he wants to be coached. I think he’s obviously you let Sid do what Sid does. But um I think for for players, established players um you know talking with Muer um and obviously being coached myself for for 15 seasons throughout um when you’re younger guy you want maybe a little bit more guidance as guys get older for me as a coach I’m going to try to ask them what they need because they know they they know what they need at this point um and if they need different things and we can talk about that but um yeah a guy like Sid Gino Tanganger like especially knowing them. They’re professionals. They know what they’re doing. And um but they will I mean I do think there will be some things that I’ll I’ll talk to them about that maybe they didn’t think of, but but those guys are uh yeah, they’re they’re a different breed. And um luckily for us, they’re very receptive to to coaching. There’s going to be a clear sign for me whether I can tell or not Crosby respects you as a coach or not. And that’s if he lines up on his right side and the bottom hand on his face off is his right hand and the forehand’s kind of facing the other way because that’s something that I interviewed you about when you were in New York. You learned it in San Jose like how to I guess it’d be a weak side face off for a lefty, right? Yeah. Flip it over. So Sydney Cro doing that. I tell you a thousand% I doubt he’s going to do that. That was a He’s He’s uh he’s pretty good on that forehand. He’s, you know, he stands and he whacks it. So, um, with him, you know, probably won’t reinvent the wheel. I think he’s he’s doing okay on those, but, uh, maybe grab another guy and work on it and see if anybody anybody takes to it. For sure. Well, I think I think what everybody knows, Nick, who’s played with you, like you’re, you know, you’re a hockey your hockey IQ again as one of your former teammates was always your greatest strength. Not that you are not very good at other things, but your brain works on such a higher frequency than everybody else is. But I’m curious like because we haven’t kept as close tabs and in touch like was this something you thought for the last five or six years like hey I want to be a coach when I’m done because the story that I heard was that when you were in New York Dan Muse just loved working with you and would like watch you guys would like get in the video room and like after practice and like he just felt like you guys were so dialed in on the same wavelength and he respected your point of view, you respected him that he was like, “Hey, when I get a head coaching job or if I get a head coaching job, I’m calling you.” That was the story that I heard. I have no idea how true it is or not, but was this sort of always your plan? And did you think this is what you were going to do? Well, I appreciate the nice words there, Colobe. Um, but I think, uh, I think, yeah, I think like especially the last little bit, um, uh, I knew that like this was something we wanted to explore. like I think it was something I wanted to do. And um Muer actually goes it goes back further. It goes to to Nashville actually. So he when I had him in Nash, we would talk a ton and um he’s just one of the hardest working coaches I’ve ever seen. And he does not stop. He sleeps at the rink. He um he’s got such a passion. He’s so detailed and and I like that. Like it checks a lot of things I was looking for when I was playing. Like I like information. And I like knowing every pretty much everything about the other team, especially like a power play when I was killing and to the point where sometimes I’d go to the meeting after Muer would finish it and I’d say that was too much. Like I could I couldn’t even remember what you said at the beginning because we covered every little thing. And the best thing about Muer was he was um very receptive to that. Like he was like, “Okay.” And he worked with us. And um so yeah, he had said maybe a couple times like, “If I ever get a job, I’m going to give you a call.” And um I said that’s awesome. Like that’s great. And you know as we we we kind of went our separate ways. We we I think like you said the last five six years my brain on the bench my brain’s always going and you see mistakes, you see everything. You see we watch so much video as players now and um I do I think that you know my brain let me play as long as I as I did. Um and when we got back together in New York we you know there was actually really like a tangible moment. It was uh we were playing we were playing either Jersey or Philly and they did a faceoff play where they would drop the the D was right behind and they would they would just quick kick it to the the wing in front of the net for a breakout. So like D’s own draw, they’re winning it behind and the D’s not even looking. And I said, you know, I don’t know. I said, Mika, like if you lose this on purpose, like they’re just gonna play this. And Criedes, if you spin off, you can pick this puck off and you can and it should be on your stick. And it happened in Philly. Criedes rolled off. He picked it off. He came he came and I’m on the bench going that was my play. I was like, “Holy shit.” I’m like grabbing Muer. I’m like, “Did you see that?” And I remember that goal. Yeah. Yeah. And I felt like Cried’s come down the bench and Cried is like pointing. He’s like And I was like, man, what a uh like a a true like your hands are on the game. And um I didn’t know obviously I’d be done playing so soon after that, but I you you felt it. You’re like you are as close as you can get. Oh yeah. Good stuff. And he pulls off right on the tape. Bottom bottom corner there. So I Yeah. So I was freaking out on the bench. I came after the game. I was more proud of that than probably my any goals I scored. So, uh, so yeah. So, that was that was kind of a cool, uh, a cool moment for me. Oh my god, he really fun. And you can tell by how they’re laughing with each other that like you this came from the bench. Like that’s like the laugh of like, holy [ __ ] it worked. Yeah. Yeah. So, you don’t expect it to to work like that. And I would imagine as a coach most things that uh I say aren’t going to have such an immediate impact. But but I always uh always thankful for CRS to do that. maybe set me on the on this path. But um but no, yeah, we we reunited in New York and the way things ended, I I was actually talking with um you know, Quinny, I’m pretty close with David Quinn, and he was going for a few jobs in in Seattle and um and Pittsburgh, and uh we had talked about me potentially joining his staff if he had gotten the job. And he said, you know, I’m also going up against Muer. And um and I said, oh, great. Like, what a good guy. Like, good luck. And Quinny told me he didn’t get the job. We didn’t know who got it. And uh that next morning I get a phone call at 11 o’clock and it was Dan Muse and and I said, “Oh, he must have gotten the job.” I quickly checked Instagram and uh and I was like, “Yeah, I didn’t know. I just I just went right to the Penguins Instagram. I just figured they’d have it.” And sure enough, they hired Dan Muse and um yeah, we had a great talk and and really like a lot of the talk was just, you know, are you ready to it’s a commitment like a time commitment that you’re you more than a player and I think you know it’s a big change. Um but we’re excited for it. Like it’s been great uh meeting the other coaches, all the staff and um learning the video systems and uh I’m just excited to get on the ice. I think, you know, the summer’s a lot more so far it’s been like scouting work and looking at systems and stuff and I think it’ll be nice to be able to to get with the guys and um and you really go hands-on and on the ice. Do you know do you know yet? Um like are you going to be doing penalty kill, power play? Like I know most people remember you in the NHL as a like you you really became like an elite level penalty killer, but like I know you as a guy who also ran a power play and whose offensive brain was every bit as good as his defensive brain. So do you know like where you’re slotting in on the staff and what you’ll be kind of more focused on this year? Yeah, I think we talked a lot about my role when I got hired as a, you know, a first year coach really in any league. Um, it was kind of a let’s not get overwhelmed. Uh, two great two great guys. Uh, they hired with us actually, three with Clooner and um, and Stutsy and Nelly. And, um, you know, Stuts is going to kind of have the PK and I’m going to have a a a good role with him in that. like that’ll be probably primarily um systems wise, but with Nelly too helping out on the power play and and the way the way we’re setting it up, it seems like it’s such a cooperative um coaches room. Like we are, you know, there’s no individual offices. We’re all together. We’re all in um at this round table um bouncing ideas off each other. Uh I’ll be next to Muer during the games with uh on the radio with Kloer up top and um helping with faceoffs with line matches, letting them know who’s coming and stuff. And I think um that’s the thing that I’m really looking forward to preseason just kind of getting a a grasp on how the bench works and um you know what guys what guys want to hear, what guys don’t want to hear, things like that. But um yeah, so it’ll be it’ll be help with both with both special teams, but uh predominantly PK I would think early on at least. Is there a coach, Nick? Um, you just mentioned David Quinn, and I could just assume that if you ever get a head coaching job in the NHL, your first phone call would be to Joe Pereira to be your assistant. I I would just assume that. Um Um Absolutely. I was just with Joe, by the way. Like I Oh, man. We’ll talk offline, but um but is there one or two that you had that like you feel like live within you the most as far as your hockey career? Because you know going through your stops like um you know you had some very impactful stops in the NHL. Anaheim was where you started because I remember we were playing against each other in the American League at that point. Then Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Minnesota, San Jose, you know, then you get screwed over by the New York Rangers. So, we won’t talk too much about them, but um but which guys along the way do you feel like you really took from that you think you’re going to use as a National Hockey League coach? Well, the easy answer I think I have to say is Dan Muse, of course. Um yeah, anybody else though, I guess just as my, you know, my boss now. No, to be fair, Muer Muer like just the work ethic you can definitely will take from that just how detailed he is. Um, you know, I was fortunate to have from high school to have like um, you know, my a good friend in Farmington, Mike Barone, to John Gardner at Avon, to Jack Parker, like you can’t just the the list goes on. I think in the NHL I owe a lot a lot to Bruce Budro. Um, you know, Randy Carlile was the coach in Anaheim and um, didn’t seemed like he didn’t love me, like kept sending me down and when Bruce got the job, called me up, put me on the power play. Um just from Bruce taking that positive energy he always brings. Um he he’s happy to be he just loves the game. He wants to win and um you know moving forward I played for so many great coaches. He played for Sully played for Lavy played for Quinny. It was nice to get to play for Quinny again and having such a relationship like I do with him. Uh getting to play with him um play for him I should say in San Jose and uh that coach’s room was really cool with Warso who you know an amazing young coach. So happy for him at Worlds there and um was was texting him at Worlds. Didn’t he put put the C on your jersey at Worlds? Quinny Quinny did, but that was the year Warso was there, too. That’s year we kind of blew it. Like we were we were there against Germany up late in the semis and then up against Lavia late in the in the bronze. So, um happy to see Warso go back and get that done. But but just just so many great coaches. Every coach is different. I think some coaches are louder, some coaches um are more intense, some coaches have their strengths and weaknesses. But for me, just pulling from um you know, some of the guys I’ve looked up to, but at the same time, just being who I am, trying to be, you know, I felt like I was a locker room glue type guy through my career and uh you know, not really changing that at all. Yeah. And uh you know, I didn’t know you you know, in the early parts of your career super well. Obviously, I remember like watching you when I was younger, but um I was talking to Pat Maroon today, who’s like a good friend of our show who was with us the entire year, and uh he specifically said to ask you about when you were on a line with him and Brian McGrad. And apparently there’s a really funny story from those times. Yeah, Big E. We Yeah, I mean, first of all, probably the toughest line in hockey with Big E, Pat Maroon, and me. No one was messing with us. Um I felt like you had a lot of you had a lot of free space in that line. I could have done anything I wanted. No, but we uh I’m I’m guessing the story he he’s alluding to is he didn’t tell me. Um no, we um Big Earn came in and and his first I don’t know what it was. His first few games he was just scoring like everything was going in and he was shooting the puck. I think he’s I think he spent uh or he must have shot 13 one game. I think he set the Syracuse crunch record. So I remember that by the way. That’s great and all, but but me and Pat were like man like let’s get a cycle going. like he’s coming, he’s grabbing the puck, he’s shooting it from the half wall, he’s shooting it from the goal line. So I’m like, Patty, we got to talk to him about like maybe just cycling it instead of shooting. And uh and um Patty goes, “You got to talk to him. You’re the center. You’re the center of the line. You got to go talk to him.” I said, “Are you sure?” He’s like, “Yeah, you go do it.” So I come up and we’re we me and Pat were talking. So I felt pretty confident about this talk I was about to have with Big E. And I go over him. I say, “Hey, Big Ern.” He kind of just was looking. He just just stares at me. And I said, uh, I paused for a second. I said, “Just keep putting the puck at the net. We’ll be there.” And I went back to Patty. I said, “I just I completely whised out, man. He was he just could he he didn’t I didn’t didn’t have the the balls to say it to him.” So, he just kept shooting the puck. We just kept going to the net. It probably worked out because we got some some points that’s that year, but um what a team we had. We had a good team and that was a pretty fun line to be a part of. Yeah. Would you say like that team, you know, we talk about some of the best teams in the last, you know, 10, 15 years to not be able to win like San Jose always comes to the top of people’s lists, right? Those teams with Thornton, Marlo, Pavvelski, you know, Burns, like that Anaheim team seems to not be talked about as much as, you know, like I just said, like even the early Cavs teams. Um, but you know, you were living it firsthand. I think you had like an overtime winner, I think, too, with Anaheim or, you know, you were part of that big comeback win in Dallas maybe, right? was uh yeah that game I remember that game in the OT yeah from Cogs. Yeah, we uh that team was loaded like you said. We had I mean like our third line checking line was Sack was Saku Kovu Cogs and and Dan Winnick and obviously Gety Ps I played with winning Paul we had Paul me we had uh Mattie Perau like we had we were loaded we had team obviously Teeu um and then the back end was was good. We had Gibby and Freddy Anderson like John Gibson Frederick Anderson we were just loaded top to bottom. I think we you could probably fact check it, but I thought we had a pretty good record against LA in the regular season. And um it was game seven, right? And we were up 3-2. Yeah. And uh and they came back and I remember game seven, I think it might have been three or four nothing at the end of the first. It was just a game that was never close. The puck just was going in for them and a real let down. They go on and win. And it’s funny, I remember thinking after that series like, “Oh, if we had won, you know, we won this series, we would have won the cup.” And then having done it later, I I kind of understood how naive that was. Like it just gets harder and harder every every series. There’s a there’s a reason every team is in every series. And um that was uh that was too bad because I think those those Anaheim teams were were really good. Yeah. I mean those Yeah. No, I mean those um those early days like those were those were fun to watch. I mean, especially like I think the one year you had like 25 goals if I remember correctly or at least close to 25 goals. Um, so it was always fun. You know, those were years where we were kind of just out of school, so we were all tracking each other so much before everybody started having kids and and whatnot and things got uh things got a little bit crazy and and out of hand. So, um, let me ask you this. Like, are you still skating at all? Are you still like in the gym training like trying to make sure you like stay with it a little bit or or is it all being a dad and getting ready for the season for you these days? Yeah, you’re going to laugh at this, but I went before I actually went to Europe last year, I ordered all completely new goalie gear, like full set of head to toe. Finally. His dream. His dream. My dream, man. Really? Like I love it. Yeah. And I uh so I got like the tiles in the garage and Lauren and the neighbors and my brother-in-law were just ripping pucks at me and we went on the ice a couple times. Then I actually decided to keep playing so went to Slovenia. But this summer I’ve uh no I haven’t skated like I I don’t know. There’s something about that. Like we have a gym in the basement and um there’s something about just going down there like I just don’t have that I think it just beat the you know it beat me up for however many years of like this dogged pace you know keeping in shape. Um so I I I think for now I’m I’m doing workouts here or there. I do play a bunch of pickle ball and I and so we’re doing that and I Nick Nick is an elite pingpong player by the way. I mean, um, I still send him pingpong videos and memes that I see on Twitter when I see these kids like backing up like a hundred feet from the table cuz like Nick Nick Bonino and Brandon Yip used to have epic battles back in the day. I mean, really elite players translated well to to pickle ball. We we play a lot and um, actually pickle ball was a was a really big help uh, when everything happened in New York. Like we were at a lifetime and we ended up playing a ton of pickle ball. great community there. I even I went to Atlanta and tried to we went to qualify for like a PPA. We tried me and a a guy from there. So, it took my mind off a lot of stuff. It was um it was really fun and it’s something that like now you know play a lot. I think as a coach it’s nice too. I don’t have to worry about ripping my groin or anything. I can just play. So, um yeah, trying to trying to keep it tight but uh but obviously a lot less workouts than um than I’m used to for sure. I’m uh I’m interested in something you said earlier too, just about like how I guess Damn, you said coaching is going to be even more busy than than playing. Um, is there something specific you can allude to? Like I my first assumption was like, you know, doing more video and stuff like that like on the plane rides home and you’re not like taking your mind off the game. Your mind’s probably out in the game more, you know, than ever. But is there anything that you can specifically talk about? Yeah, I think just as you, you know, as you play, you get a routine and you’re in there’s usually an hour rule before practice, hour and a half you got to be there. And um for me, I was never a big stretcher. Like I and I I luckily like I didn’t have many issues with with stuff. My injuries were mostly broken bones from block shots. Um like I didn’t have many soft tissue or muscular pulls and stuff. So I wasn’t at the rink super early. So, I would, you know, an 11:00 day, I’d be there at 9:15, just get some breakfast. And, um, then after practice, I’d get out, especially with kids, I’d get out and get home to the kids. And I think as a coach, it’s a lot different. Like, you’re there, you know, before anyone gets there, and then you’re waiting till everyone’s gone. You’re having meetings again about the next day about how practice went. And I think it’s just different. It’s it’s you’re used to one thing for so long since 2010 for me. And I think that time commitment is just um something he wanted to let me know like, hey, it’s going to be a lot different. Um like, is it something you’re ready for? And I said, absolutely. You’re at the rink and um you’re you know, you’re on the ice. It’s it’s going to be great. So, um yeah, definitely a lot more a lot more hours after a game, for instance, too. I mean, guys get on the plane, they’re uh they’re playing cards, they’re sleeping, you know, and we’ll be cutting video. Um and that’s just like the coaching life. So, I think it’s just a just kind of getting ready for it and just telling me this is how it’s going to be and and is it something you’re ready for, which I appreciated him doing for sure. And and it’s funny like when he said video, it like joged my memory and I was thinking like is Saw still with Pittsburgh? You know, Andy Soer who is now director of professional personnel. He was a video coach at BEu when we were there. Um and and I know he’s risen up the ranks. I know he was with Sully for years. He was with Hinesy for a while and now he’s uh with you guys. Have you had a chance to connect with him at all and and talk to him at all? Yeah. You know, it’s funny when when I was thinking about retiring before I’d gone to Slovenia. I gave I was talking to Kaggleano a bit. He had a job. He had gotten a job in in Colorado, but he talked with Spza a lot. And uh Cog said, you know, if you want to stay involved in hockey, you should try to get your foot in the door and just stay involved. Don’t just, you know, leave for 5 years. It’s tough to get back in. and um maybe think about scouting. So, I did have some good talks. I knew Spez a bit from some Veil camps that we’d gone to with Andy O’Brien and gave him a call and actually gave Sauce a call and we talked about, you know, what pro scouting would entail and um kind of part-time stuff and it was about that time we were deciding to go to Europe and, you know, both of them said, “If you can keep playing hockey, keep playing.” And um maybe something will happen after. I didn’t realize it would be something like this cuz I think this was you know for me coaching was kind of the the hope more than than player development. Um but uh it was it was great talking to S cuz like you said he has just climbed and climbed. He’s got a great mind. He’s um it’s so welld deserved. It’s I’m really happy you know to see where he’s gotten and I’m happy to be working with him again. Absolutely. Yeah. And I can tell you guys like, you know, because I used to play on a power play with Nick, like you you were always like a director when you like even on our power plays back in the day. No, no, you go over here. You like you that that was just how your brain worked as a player. You could see it at the NHL level, too. But um none of this surprises me, Nick. I’ll be honest with you. like you you played as the game got really really fast and you were still able to just outsmart everybody and continue to play and have a career. Um you certainly don’t skate like Conor McDavid. If I’m breaking news to you, I apologize for that. Um fair enough. Fair enough. I said the same thing to Reamer last week. Uh so I guess my lines are getting tired. But I can just tell you this. This isn’t surprising to me to see you land this job and to see you in this role right away. I think you’re going to do tremendous at it. And I think, uh, you know, you’re one of those guys that’s gonna find things that other people don’t. So, um, this is really all I have for you. I don’t know if you’ve got anything else you want to ask him about, Johnny, but, uh, I do I do love you and appreciate you coming on today and and I’ll look forward to seeing you for dinner when you guys are here in town playing the Flyers. I I got one more. Sorry, Nick. I mean to cut you off. Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead. Absolutely. I I got one more for you and you don’t have to answer it if if you don’t feel like you know you want or whatever, but um amongst Ranger fans right now, there’s a lot of talk about who the next captain will be and as someone who was in that room two years ago, just curious to see uh you know who who you think maybe would be the right choice for that. You know, obviously uh again a tough question to ask. I know how things went in New York, but um a lot of talk about Troche, JT Miller, Adam Fox’s name comes up, but uh would love to hear your thoughts. Yeah, I mean I love Troach. Like Troach, we lived together um right next to each other in town. Uh kids were in kindergarten together. His, you know, he’s just a a great guy, great leader, I think. Um you know, I I loved I loved coming to the rink and being with him. I like obviously Foxy’s a great guy, too. And um one of the elite defenders in the NHL, but um you know, there’s something about Troach. He’s got that kind of that magnetism that guys are drawn to. He’s um he’s vocal, but he’s not too vocal, right? He’s uh and he and he plays hard, and that’s really what you want. Like, he’s going to go out every night and he’s going to give it. So, um not sure what they’ll do there, obviously, but um but uh I can’t say enough good things about about all those guys, but about he’s just a class guy and a and a great family and um couldn’t go wrong with that pick for sure. Yeah, he’d be my pick as a fan obviously as well, but I don’t know if that matters. Listen, I I played in the American League with him when he was 20 years old, maybe 21 years old, and the guys went as he went. Even at that at that time when there was a lot of older players on that team in San Antonio with NHL experience, it seemed like when he was going, everyone was kind of following and that’s kind of especially early on. That’s pretty impressive. So, um, Nick, please, uh, Kobe, they open up against the Rangers, I think, too, this year. So, that’ll be in MSG there. It’ll be, uh, some money on the board for that one. I’m sure that’ll be, that’ll be fun. And, uh, maybe our pal who just moved to Connecticut will take a ride down to to to New York to watch that one. So, um, we will, uh, we’ll keep in touch on that. But, hey, listen, give Lauren a big hug and a kiss for me, please. Um, give her our give her my best and uh, like I said, we’ll we’ll see you when you come to Philly and we’ll uh, we’ll go get a a good meal together. Okay, pal. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for having me, guys. This was fun. I appreciate it. All right. See you. Thanks. Appreciate it. See you guys. Awesome stuff, Colobe. All you uh, can lead it where however you want to go right now. I’m sure that was cool to catch up with an old buddy. Listen, I I’m I’m just I’m so happy for him because, you know, it was hard to watch him get screwed in New York and so for him to, you know, be back riding shotgun where he wants to be just makes me so happy. I mean, we haven’t admittedly we don’t keep in touch every day like we but um one of the best and smartest hockey players I ever played with. I mean, there’s no doubt his that Crider story was awesome. his brain just works at a much higher frequency than most guys. And I just the more I see this younger generation of really high-end skilled players, the more I wonder if guys like him will still exist like that can just out IQ you right like in every facet of the game. So smart move by Dan Muse getting him in the door, getting him on his staff. Um I had heard rumblings that David Quinn was t like interested in Nick and none of that surprises me either. So um it was great great catching up with him and uh and you know I’ll I’ll certainly have more of a reason to keep an eye on Pittsburgh now. No doubt about that. And and um you know hopefully those guys can uh get the ball rolling because it’s it’s listen they’re in a tough situation in Pittsburgh. It’s it’s it’s sort of that team of you have some young guys you’re trying to usher in some some Hall of Famers that are that are, you know, coming down the 17th fairway. You know, maybe not 18, but let’s call it 16 or 17. And and you know, we’ll see how they do. But like, do you know what I was uh referring to with the faceoff thing, by the way? Do you know you know that? Like I didn’t know that that play or that story at all. But but yeah, it doesn’t surprise me. like it makes a lot of sense to me. Um, and and here’s the thing, like he’ll be humble about it and he’ll never talk about this, but like I guarantee you there will be moments when Sid wants to pick his brain particular%. Um, like I will bet on it and he’ll probably never say it out loud or admit it, but I would bet on the fact that those Hall of Famers will want to pick his brain. like I will bet on that and and any amount of money just because again I know the way people respect you know his his IQ and his brain for the game um it’s it’s up there you know with current players it’s you know he sits sits high at top people’s preferences for that yeah well I was going to say like we didn’t get to dive too deep into that but when he came to New York like you know he uh I think he had gotten that from uh is the name Mike Richie Mike Richie maybe uh like the guy in San Jose or something. Um and I’m sorry if I’m getting that name wrong, but um I remember talking to Nick about it and then like Mika started doing it. Barlay Goodra started doing it. I think Troek started doing it. Like all these guys Yeah. I mean he’s he played like I watched him growing up. I’m pretty sure that’s where he got it from. No teeth and he had long hair. He was a he was a that guy was a battler. He was a bluellar battler. Mike Grei, but you know, Bonino had this like little faceoff like uh technique I guess would be the word that he used and all the Ranger centers started doing it. So that’s why like I asked a question about like Sydney Crosby is like 38 years old now. You know, if he starts doing it, I’ll be like, “Oh, well Nick Bonino brought that there.” You know what I mean? So that’s like something that’s a clear a clear thing. You’re looking for an edge anywhere you can get it. Like I talked I’ve talked about this on our show for years. Like the guys that have these long careers, they’re the guys who are never like, “Okay, I’m just good enough.” They always figure out a way. Like Nick was talking about going to those camps in Veil. Those camps in Veil were like Sydney Crosby and like the elite, you know, you you got to be either very elite as a player or very elite as a as a respect, you know, being respected as a person and a player to be invited to those types of things. And those guys, man, like I’ve said it about Kainer, Patrick Kane, like watching him at the end of his career and when I was working in Chicago, like he still was trying different [ __ ] in practice all the time to try to get better. And and like sure when when most guys play they’re like, “Yeah, I’m trying to get better every day.” But like people don’t that’s just lip service, right? Yeah. Guys who last 15 years in the league, they actually believe it. And there’s always an outlier. There’s always guys who can party all summer and we all laugh when we see the Oie stuff when we see Obie in the summer and he’s got like a big barrel and he looks like he’s just been boozing his face off all summer. Like sure there’s always the exception, but most of the guys that have had the elite level careers like Crosby, like Kane, like those types of guys, like they just they’re like, “Okay, like I’m trying to uh I’m I’m I’m trying to uh figure out a way to continue to be good in the National Hockey League, and it’s not that easy.” and and you know, as you get older, your feet get slower, your hands get slower, like you you you get injured more, like it happens. So, it’s a great interview. I think Pittsburgh fans will like it. I think, you know, most of the markets that he played in endeared themselves. Um, it was also interesting. He was talking about Boo Budro. Um, I told you I was just with Scott Walker who played 900 games in the NHL. He said Budro was one of his favorite coaches he ever had. like he just was going on and on about how great he was. One of our favorite guests to talk to also. He’s been great. Um so anyway, so yeah, no, it was a it was a good interview. It was, you know, these summer interviews, we talk about them. They’re not as our show is maybe not as fun as it is during the regular season when we’re live because we’ve got the live audience in the show with us, but uh I think I think Penguins fans will will like hearing what what Nick has to say. and and you know, like we said, um it certainly gives us a reason to pay attention to uh what Pittsburgh’s got going this season. Yeah. And it also seems like a a cool collection of people as their coaching staff, right? Like it’s not the typical and the word that it’s always kind of a buzzword is like a retread, right? Like that’s kind of what everyone says um was the Hershey coach forever, right? And he he kept getting I think he kept getting passed over for head jobs. Like everybody kept saying like, “When’s this guy gonna when’s this guy going to get an his NHL head job?” Um, he won two championships in a row in Hershey, lost in the third round. He’s been an NHL assistant. He was at Dallas Todd Nelson for one, two, three, four years. Was an assistant uh in Edmonton, an assistant in in Atlanta back in the day. Breathe in as a head coach. It looks like he was an interim head coach for a mid-season replacement. But again, everybody was like waiting for Todd Nelson to be back in the NHL. So, yeah, it is it is certainly a different type of group. Like Todd Nelson, he only played three NHL games. Um was drafted by Pittsburgh, but he didn’t play a lot of NHL games. And then I think with um with Dan Muse, I don’t know what his Do you know anything about Dan Muse’s playing career? I don’t um It’s a good question. I don’t know if he played in the NHL. I’ll look it up right now quickly. I mean there’s nothing really comes up played at Stonehill. Was that his his um Yeah. Yeah. He played he he played division three hockey at Stonehill. Went to the US NTDP. Um you know he coached at Yale. Um you know coached in the USL, won a championship there and then he he got to the NHL as an assistant coach and and you know good for him. Like he he clearly fasttracked himself. So, you’re right. Like, Nick is basically the former player on the staff. Like, yeah. No coaching experience either. They don’t have although I I don’t know what I know who Mike Stuts is. Um, I got a chance to meet him I think when he was in Anaheim. Um, but I don’t know his his playing background. Yeah, he played 30 games in the NHL, Mike Sts. So, and he’s 63 years old. So, you’re right. It is a it’s sort of an eclectic mix of humans. um coaching that team. Um Rich Cloon, I think people are a little bit more familiar with. I don’t know if you remember Rich Cloon. I was at a wedding with him not too long ago. Uh beauty of a guy. I I met him at a wedding too. I think I met him at Brandon Yip’s wedding if I if I’m if I remember properly, but beauty. Um no doubt about that. So So yeah, other than that, like not a ton of news like going around. Schaefer signed his entry level contract. I mean that’s ago. Yeah, we missed that. That was a week ago. I think everybody listen, you know, do 18-year-old defenseman like is the NHL really the place for an 18-y old defenseman to to to develop? No, it’s not. I got some I got some like uh because I said like, “Do I think it’s the smartest move for the team?” No. Um and people like kind of had a problem with me saying that. Like someone was like, “Well, you know, he can play nine games going back to the OHO and blah blah blah.” I’m like, “Yeah, I I know.” And if and listen, if if that’s what they want to do, that’s not what’s going to happen. He’s going to play this year in the NHL. There’s no way he’s going back to junior. No way. I don’t think they would sign him if he was going back to juniors. But like Jet Luchenko did that last year, you know, different Jet Luchenko didn’t go number one overall. I know. I I know. I’m aware. But like Yeah. Like you’re you’re he will be in the NHL. They will use his name to sell tickets. They will use his name to sell jerseys. He will play in the National Hockey League this year. Uh, Luam Marillo is not the GM anymore. Remember that. It’s a It’s a totally different ballgame. He will play in the NHL all season. Like, but you think like he’ll be like I’m assuming there’s going to I guess never let me fix myself while I’m talking. Like do you think he’ll get like kind of the Leo Carlson treatment in that first year like where Carlson like had a load management, you know? Maybe maybe just because I think Dar comes from um Tampa where they learn, you know, patience. Um, you know, I think Julian Breezewis has always, you know, I know he’s been swinging for the fences lately and not working out, but patience has been his thing. But listen, is is the best place for an 18-year-old defenseman who’d missed a whole year of hockey, is this the best place for him to play? I’m with you on it. But yeah, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. This guy was always signing and playing. I mean, he’s the first overall pick. It just it wasn’t going to happen no matter what. So, um, that’s just reality and we’ll see how it plays out. Hopefully it doesn’t screw the kid up. He’s obviously a tremendous player, so you have to think it won’t. Um, but you know, there’ll be growing pains. There will be. And New York’s a tough market to have growing pains in, right? Like the fans, the fans, Islander fans, you know, I’ll give them credit on this one. They seem to to think like, you know, maybe they’re obviously excited he signed from everything I’ve gathered, but, you know, I think a lot do wish he played a year in college or, you know, maybe got that full year in the OHL again. Like Islander fans, from what I’ve seen, understand that this kid needs to be playing games right now. Yeah, I get it. I’m just saying when when he when he’s, you know, when he No, I meant I meant as far as being tech critics. I’m saying and and Twitter decide, you know, the fan base on social media decides to eat his lunch. Like, you know, we’re talking about again, he’s going to take his lumps because it’s New York. Like, New York fans are tough no matter what. It’s they’re tough. Like, you can they can all act like they won’t be, but they will be. It’s it’s New York. It’s pro hockey. It’s the NHL. like no one is no one is above criticism when you make millions of dollars that it comes with the territory whether you like it or not it comes with the territory. So um I think that’s really all we got for today before we do maybe we’re going to do bet 365 and then uh that’s that’s that’s the end of the road for us today pal. Yeah. Yeah. So uh just a quick shout out to our sponsor bet365. Whatever your bet is it’s never ordinary at bet365. So download the app and get in on the game. And remember you must be 19 or older. And with the uh Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach being on the show today, they’re getting a lot of disrespect. Uh Bet 365 has them at plus 850 to have the worst record in the NHL this year, and they’re also plus 600 to make the playoffs. So, let me ask you, Kobe, which one do you think is more likely? I don’t see any any world where the Penguins make the playoffs. Um but I don’t know if they’ll finish last. I I I think Chicago will probably finish last again. I’m looking. I don’t see any world where Sydney Crosby finishes last place in the NHL. Yeah. Yeah. They’ve got some holes on their back end. But with Sydney Crosby, I just like don’t I know, but does Sid finish the year there? Sid does. Yeah. Mulin mold. Yeah. I said I said uh this has a rough It’s It’s It’s It’s a rough It’s a rough lineup. it. They’re gonna they’re going to battle for the basement, unfortunately. I I I I think I think they’re going to battle for the basement. Well, that’s where the direction I mean, that’s the direction of the organization right now anyway. So, I don’t think that’s like a you know, yeah, that wouldn’t be the worst thing for them. It’s part of the plan. Um but yeah, that’s really it for this week. Any any uh final thoughts on your end? I’m uh uh we should Did we didn’t say that we’re recording this on Monday night, right? Monday night, uh 5:45 p.m. on the 11th. The show will come out Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. the 13th. Um, but no, no. When I’m done this, I’m I’m heading right upstairs. The I’ve already got steaks and everything marinating. So, it’s nice. It’s right on the grill to provide food for my family. That’s that’s the way this goes these days. So, um, that’s all we got, Johnny. So, we will uh we will look forward to uh reconvening in a week. And I got the Matt Martin camp next week. Actually, I’ll be on the ice coaching like 60 kids at a time with the Islanders organization. And so that’ll be fun. Okay. All right. Well, uh, we’ll start figuring out who we’re going to get on the show next week as well, and we’ll let everybody know. And, uh, we hope everybody enjoys this. We hope everybody enjoys the conversation with Nick Bonino. Um, and we will look forward to seeing everybody a week from Wednesday the 13th. Have a great week, everyone.

Jonny and Colby break down the latest with the unsigned RFAs including what the next deal could look like for Luke Hughes and the Devils. Also, Penguins Assistant Coach Nick Bonino joins the show to discuss coaching Sidney Crosby, and the challenges he could face in his new role.

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