Trotz and Brunette GRAPPLE with Roster Decisions | Will Youth Movement SHOCK Predators Fans?

Trotz and Brunette GRAPPLE with Roster Decisions | Will Youth Movement SHOCK Predators Fans?

And then there were 28. We know who is left in training camp for the Nashville Predators. On today’s show, we’ll break down the pros and cons of the roster battles ahead. You’re Locked on Predators, your daily podcast on the Nashville Predators, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Happy Wednesday, everybody. Welcome to the Locked On Predators podcast. Thanks so much for making us your first listen of the day. We are of course your free daily Nashville Predators podcast. We are a part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Want to kick off this Wednesday shouting out our Locked On Predators Insiders community and of course our everydayers who tune in to talk Nashville Predators hockey with us. I’m Ann Kimmel. I am a writer and co-host with Penalty Box Radio and friends. I have a theelma to my Louise. Staying consistent today. I like it. I am Emma Lingan and I am an NHL reporter and host for the hockey news. Well, the Nashville Predators roster is down to 28 players. We have 16 forwards, 10 defensemen, and two goalenders as God intended it at training camp. What we thought was going to be a very straightforward roster construction for Andrew Brunette this season has gotten a little bit more interesting between injuries, holdouts, and a few outstanding pre-season performances. Today, Emma and I are going to talk about a couple of the young players who have made a very serious argument for a shot at the opening night roster. We’re going to tell you what may be weighing heaviest with Andrew Brunette as he makes these decisions. And friends, it is Western Conference Wednesday and today we’re going to talk about the hottest story in the Western Conference, maybe one of the hottest stories in the NHL. And that is the fat payday for one Minnesota Wild player, not Lucangelista. As the time of this recording, Lucangelista still holding out from the Nashville Predators. Before we dive into all of that, do want to let you know today’s episode’s brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. All right, Emma, we are uh I’m sticking with Thelma and Louise. This is my form of civil disobedience. Uh until this gets done between Barry Trotz and Luke Evangelista’s agent, I’m like, “Okay, you guys, you guys want to dig your heels in?” Well, Thelma and Louise, we are. And I think it’s repres I’m a little bit of a donkey on the edge about all of this. Like I was a theater major, but enough with the drama. So I don’t know. Yeah, sticking with it. I I will say I think that you you’ve improved from from where we were with this about a week ago. I feel like you’ve got better control of the situation now. Like but yeah, none of us are are happy with how this is going. I mean again, as we said yesterday, no one comes out of this looking good. So yeah, part of it too is I’ve gained a whole new perspective on the world. Uh about 6:58 this morning, one of the most traumatic things in my life happened to me. So you know what? Perspective check. When your dog decides today is the day that he’s going to try deer poop for breakfast and you find yourself dry heaving and saying words not like flagnog in the sideyard while the neighbor walks by, you’re not the same person. So friends, I’m not the same person today that I was an hour ago. So, and I wouldn’t be either. I mean, that is that is so traumatic. Like, I’m a little traumatized just hearing the story. And I was or Emma got it in detail when she clicked on this one. I like, Emma, oh my gosh, I’m pretty sure this is so bad. I don’t know if I’m okay. Yeah. But anyway, thing, you know, we’ve scrubbed all the things and antibacterial and but I’m still not okay. So, if you hear a little dry heaving in the background, that’s either I’m still really annoyed about the Luke Evangelista contract or what was my dog Nash Vegas doing this morning. It’s probably the dog, y’all. But you didn’t come here for that. I didn’t wake up this morning for that. So, let’s just turn the page as quickly as we can. Um, Nashville Predators, of course, reducing the roster. Five of the players that were placed on waivers, cleared waivers. They are in camp in Milwaukee, which training camp kicked off yesterday for the Admirals as well. Matt Murray, Jordan Osterly, Kevin Grall, Jake Lucini, and Navern Mutter. Those were the five that were still on the roster that cleared. This is such an interesting remaining roster, Emma. Here is the player I did not expect to still be on the roster at this point. And maybe I was naive. Brady Martin, I thought Brady Martin would, you know, would have come. I I And that’s not a statement on how I felt like his performance and his skill set is. I just am like, okay, they’re not joking about taking a look at Brady Martin. I don’t think I don’t think they’re joking. Yeah, I wouldn’t say I’m I’m that surprised about it, honestly. Again, I don’t think that this is any more of a sign that he makes the opening night roster, but I did expect, I mean, considering this is the highest draft pick that they’ve had in years, that they’re going to take a long look at him and, you know, he’s going to be a future piece um you know, like a future central piece of this team. So, I I’m not surprised they’re taking a longer look at him. I still would not give him an NHL trial this year. I don’t think that that helps anyone quite frankly, but I’m not surprised they’re giving him a little bit of a longer look at camp. Yeah, I I knew that they would want to keep him around a while, but I’m surprised I personally am a little bit surprised how serious I think they are about weighing this with him. Um, but I think he’s done a really good job. I don’t know that this weekend’s preseason game uh in Tampa Bay necessarily was his best performance that we’ve seen this preseason, but I will say consistently in training camp, this is somebody who has looked really good. I mean, and that started at rookie camp. So, this is somebody who, you know, you and I have had a, you know, basically most days look at and he has been very consistently good. I do like what you’re saying about I don’t know how serious they’re taking giving him a start and you hear a lot from people about just give him nine games. Just give him the nine games and then send him back to juniors. And I understand why. I think for one thing PR-wise right now the shiny new toy would be a really great distraction from the deer poop. But I don’t know. I’m with you. I don’t know that giving him nine games and then pulling him out of the lineup is the avenue long term you want to go down for this team and yet you hear a lot of people say what’s it hurt so Emma lay out for us and and you will be speaking for both of us because I agree love this kid love watching him play I just don’t know that you give him a nineday start so why explain to people why maybe that nine games is not overall going to be the most helpful thing. Well, I think I’ve said before that it honestly has less to do with Brady Martin and more to do with the rest of the team. And we want to get this team off to a strong start. We’ve talked about how important that is. We’ve talked about how important chemistry is. So maybe if you’re trying to build chemistry, let’s not throw in a wild card at the beginning of the year for nine games and then take him away. It just again, it seems like not really where this team is at right now. Um if they were fully committed to doing the rebuild thing right now, I would say sure. But I think it’s very clear that they’re not. I mean, again, we talked about it yesterday with the whole Luke Evangelista situation and how this, you know, Barry Trotz is still trying to prove that last year was a fluke and that this year is going to be different and they’re going to be competitive. And I think putting your first round pick in the NHL for nine games or however many games when you’re not quite sure if he’s ready yet at the beginning of this season, then I I don’t think that screams we’re going to be competitive this year. It screams we don’t really know what we’re doing and we don’t know what we have. Um but we’re just trying to figure it out as we go. And so that’s why it just seems very unlikely to me with every other thing the organization has done, the way that they’re going, the way that they’re trying so hard to prove that this year is going to be different. It just seems to me it would be very antithetical to put Brady Martin on the NHL roster, even just for a couple games to start the season. Yeah, I’m with you. It’s not so much about Brady Martin. It is about where this franchise is at. We learned very little last year. You have got to figure out what you have. Pulling somebody out of the roster after nine games and changing up your lines, I don’t think that’s going to help you learn anything. The other thing that that I will say about this, and I think that people need to to understand this, and and there’s so many complicated ins and outs of the rules of things in the in hockey, but the options for Brady Martin are play in juniors or be on the NHL roster for 82 games because Brady Martin cannot play in the AHL. I in an ideal world, you can say, “Well, dang, dude, you are good enough. Why don’t we put you in Milwaukee, get you some AHL time, and then we’re going to call you up this season. That is not an option based on Brady Martin’s age. So, his options are juniors or the NHL. So, that’s kind of part of the factor, too. And look, friends, here’s what’s real. Brady Martin is not the only young player who is making a case for time on that opening night roster. Coming up, we’re going to talk about a couple other forwards who are giving Andrew brunette some serious things to think about. Today’s episode is brought to you by our great friends at Monarch Money. Most people can’t name all of their financial accounts or even what they’re worth, whether it is 401ks, properties, or their investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there is Monarch Money. It is an all-in-one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean, easy to use interface on your laptop or on your phone. Monarch is built for people with busy lives. 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So, the other players who are still on the roster that I think are going to gain some serious consideration and I kind of want to pair them up as we talk about them. We talked about Brady Martin, but let’s talk about Yokam Kimmel and Matthew Wood. And you know, here is what I will say about Yokam Kimmel. He was sort of the era apparent in the offseason. He was the guy that people are like, “Oh, it’s been a while. He’s been around. It’s time. But I think he has done a very good job of coming into camp and showing with his play. No, seriously, it’s not just because I’m the guy that you’ve been talking about and it’s my turn. I think Yokam Kimmel has done a good job of coming in and saying, “Hey, here is my skill set.” The thing that I think Yokim Kimmel has really going for him is that one of the things we know, and we don’t know a lot about last year’s team, but one thing we know for sure is they got to score some freaking goals. you all. Yokam Kimmel is a goalcorer. He is a goal scorer. Now, scoring goals at the NHL level is different than scoring goals at the AHL level, but I think that he really wants the opportunity to show that he can do that. And really, Emma, the only way to learn how to score goals in the NHL is to score goals in the NHL. So, it might really just be time to put him in there. Yeah, that’s one I could really see going either way. Honestly, again, I keep back to not to be the the Debbie Downer constantly, but I keep coming back to who are you going to put him with? If you if you put him in the NHL, are you going to play him with? And so that’s where I kind of struggle with it because it’s like, okay, put them in the NHL. I don’t really have a huge problem with that. But then if you’re going to put him, I’m not saying this is what they’re doing, but if put him on the fourth line with Michael McCarron and Cole Smith, then at that point, I don’t really see how that benefits his development at all. I think that that’s where it’s more beneficial have him in Milwaukee playing top six minutes regularly and building his confidence there. So, I just I don’t know. And again, it has less to do with him and more to do with this roster not really being built to accommodate him um in in a way that’s going to actually foster his growth and development at the NHL level. Yeah. And you’re right, the you want a goalcorer in this roster, but you have to put him in a position to score goals. And again, no critique of McCarron and Smith, but that’s not that role. So, if you’re gonna put Yokum Kimmel in there, you need to give him top six, middle six minutes for sure with players who can help him get the puck in the net. I do think it’s very interesting how much we have seen Keml on the penalty kill in the preeason. And I wonder that was something that really caught me off guard, but he has very consistently been on the kill. And I think that that is one of the things that they’re looking at with him as well is you got to you got to play defense. I mean last year notwithstanding most mostly you need your forwards to play defense to you know. Yeah. Don’t look at last year’s team as an example of that. But yes, you you need to be defensively responsible with the puck. And I think that that’s kind of the biggest thing, especially for a player like Keml, who is an offense first player, like he’s the sort of shoot first, think later kind of kind of guy. And and I’m not saying that that in itself is a bad thing, but you need to be able with how fast this this game is, like you need to be able to take care of the puck when you’re not in a position to be scoring goals. And so I think that putting him on the penalty kill is a a really good way to test his defensive responsibility because I think at this point, you know, we’ve talked about the offense. It’s like we know the offense is there, right? Um it’s it’s the getting him to be a more, you know, a well-rounded two-way player that might be where he’s lagging. And and I can’t really say that I’ve been like, “Oh, yeah, he’s horrible defensively.” But I mean, clearly the organization thinks that that’s something that he needs to work on because he has been spending so much time on the penalty kill. Yeah. And and like you said, the organization needs to see that side before you jump in. We got a chance to talk to Yokum Kimmel at training camp and he talked about the things that he feels like he brings to this organization. He also talked about the things that he is working on. This is what he had to say uh last week at training camp. I mean, well, obviously my strengths like shooting, skating, like uh how do I how do I uh make like plays to score like find the free eyes on the ozone and stuff like that. Few years in Milwaukee like I learned a lot. I learned the game here. I learned like you don’t have time and space that much. What do you think? I think the main thing here it’s just trying to find the lane and shoot quick because you don’t have a time. You just need to avoid those sticks and legs and trying to shoot past them. I think for me it’s just little things like get your skates going like get your legs going and like just passes and shooting like when you get the when you get the time or a chance to score you you really got to do it. like you don’t get them lot in the NHL. So when you get chance, you get a score. That’s what makes me come back to I almost want to see him in the NHL because you only learn the speed of the game in the NHL. You only learn to identify the the minuscule lanes and in split seconds in time where you have to score by playing at this level. And I’m like, if he goes back to the AHL, is he going to get a sense of that? But like you said, the flip side is is he going to get a sense of that if he’s playing fourth line minutes in the NHL. So this is there’s a lot to weigh in when it comes to putting Kemmel in the lineup. For me, when I think about players competing for a role, I I tend to in my mind match up Kemmel with Matthew Wood. Uh and as of the time of this recording, what we know about Matthew Wood is he is listed as dayto-day. There is no disclosure on upper body, lower body injury. We are headed to practice after this. So, you know, we’ll keep you updated on whether he is out on the ice and if there’s any other update as far as how he is doing. I have been blown away by Matthew Wood. If I had to name one player in training camp that I was like, damn, Matthew Wood is my damn, you know, and we got a glimpse of him last season, but what he has brought to training camp and the consistency with which he has brought it has been so impressive. Yeah, I he’s been a huge surprise of the pleasant variety for me. Not that I thought that he was going to be like he was going to struggle or anything. I mean, he came into the NHL last year for that brief um brief period and he was fine. Like I thought he got a little bit better each game. Like didn’t really knock my socks off either way, like negatively or positively. It’s like, all right, well, let’s see what happens here. And I mean, he really has come in like a man on a mission. like he wants this. He really wants this. And I think so far he’s earned it. I really do. And and so it’s it’s making things a little interesting uh in that that middle six group, I think. Yeah. so hard to see him go down in the Gold Star Showcase and not return to the ice and kind of be left in this land of is he still going to be somebody who’s available a week from tomorrow for opening night because Matthew Wood has just like you said he has come in a man on a mission and you see him playing in the preseason with somebody like a Philip Forsber not looking like he is trailing behind Philip Forsber in this uh And this is somebody who when you look at it on paper, you would on paper say, “Well, of course Yokum Kimmel should get the a place on the roster before Matthew Wood. Matthew Wood hasn’t even logged any AHL minutes.” Friends, I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I would love, and this is just this is maybe more of a me thing that it is an Andrew brunette thing. I just would love to see him a little bit stronger physically um for the NHL consistently. Do you think he’s ready for an 82 game season, Emma? I don’t know. I don’t know. Um and like I I really Is anyone that that’s kind of one I come back to like is anyone really ready for that? Like do do you know? There’s no way to know unless you do it. And so, again, I don’t know that I would necessarily be angry if they start him in the AHL this year, you know, like get him get him some more like top six minutes there. Um, get him a little bit more, you know, kind of ease him into the schedule because, you know, going straight from college to the NHL, that’s, you know, that’s quite a jump. So maybe ease him in in the AHL. I wouldn’t be mad about it, but like I said, I really don’t think there’s any way to know until you try. Yeah, it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens down the stretch of the preseason this week and this game this weekend. It’s going to be very, very important for Andrew Brunette to get eyes on these guys. Coming up, the forward battles are not just about skill and shooting. Nashville is also looking for that big strong two-way forward. One of the interesting battles perhaps for that spot comes down to Azie Wislat and Reed Schaefer. We’ll tell you what we think of those two players coming up. Today’s episode is brought to you by our great friends at FanDuel. The NFL season is finally here, friends, and FanDuel has an offer you absolutely don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get $30 in bonus bets if you if your first bet wins. That’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’re going to unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. You’re going to love how FanDuel gives you so many different ways to play. You can build parlays, try those player props, and follow the live lines during games. It’s going to make watching football even more exciting when you’ve got a little something riding on the action. Whether you are a casual fan or you love diving into all of the advanced stats, FanDuel makes the game day experience so much better. So, what are you waiting for? Visit fanuel.com to download the FanDuel app today and get started. All right, Emma. uh two players that you think of, you know, maybe bottom six guys strictly for role and skill set. Reed Schaefer, Azie Wisblat. We’ve had a little bit more limited view of Azie Wisblat because he stepped away from camp for personal reasons. Reed Schaefer has been there. Reed Schaefer is so interesting to me because this it’s just almost is frustrating to me and I was not even remotely involved in this, but Reed Schaefer kicked off last season like a player possessed. In 19 games, he had eight goals, 14 points, which was more than his entire season total the year before. He was a player on the cusp of I am ready to take that next giant step and then injury happened and he missed the rest of the season. So, you want to see him pick up where he left off and you want to see him pick up and come into this season wherever he plays ready to continue making that giant step forward. I think what works well for Reed Schaefer, what kind of plays into his favor as they are continuing to evaluate him in training camp is he is that player who has shown that I am on the cusp of taking the next step. Also, Barry Trotz loves Reed Schaefer. He is. Here’s Reed Schaefer is a delightful kid. Barry Trotz, this is a player Barry Trotz very specifically and I’m talking by name has talked about a lot when it comes to this season, the future of this organization. And I think Schaefer has looked really good. I think he’s had a good camp. He looks healthy. I always wonder what the mental uh component of coming back from such a significant and long uh injury and recovery is but Schaefer I think has looked very good. When you compare he and Azie Wislat is there anything that really makes you think this is the player that I think Andrew Bernett is going to lean more towards when it comes to opening night roster at this point. I don’t know. Like I really don’t because I mean the one thing that I think Azie has going for him is that he’s spent time in the NHL, albeit very brief time, but more than Schaefer has. Um Schaefer also has, you know, had more time at training camp. Now, that of course is not Azy’s fault by any means, but he he missed some time, so that could factor into the decision. Schaefer’s got a little bit more size on him. Um, and I just I don’t know. I feel like Azie is more of a a pest. He can also he’s a bit of a a Kefir Sherwood type. Like he’s a pest and he’s annoying, but he can also score. Um, Schaefer is a little bit more of the like the big, you know, kind of bottom six bruiser. And I’m not I don’t mean to say that one is better than the other. Um, like Schaefer will knock guys off of pucks. And I I think that that is maybe what Barry Trotz likes about him. I think that’s what Andrew Brunette probably likes about him. But I agree with you, Schaefer. I mean, he was part of the trade, the Matias Eholm trade, uh, with Edmonton. And so, that was kind of I mean, Barry Trotz hadn’t officially taken over yet as GM, but it was right after he announced like he’s coming in. So, this is kind of one of those things where it’s like, all right, you know, he’s calling the shots behind the scenes. So, this was like one of his first major acquisitions unofficially, but it was one of his first moves with the organization. So, I do think and I’m just saying it’s been a bit of a pattern that we’ve seen with Barry Trotz that he really likes his guys, his guys that he’s brought into the organization. Um, makes you wonder, uh, if Luke Evangelista had not been drafted by David Bole, would we still be dealing with all this right now? Food for thought. But point is, he likes his guys. He is very high on Schaefer. I just get because of the injury history because he missed so much time last year. That is what gives me pause. And I’m not saying definitely no, he can’t make the opening night roster because of that. But I’m saying like for me at that stage in a young player’s development, it does give me pause a little bit that you know, you’d want to make sure that he’s fully kind of up to speed. I still think we see him in the NHL this year. 100%. Yeah, he will play in the NHL this year. But does he play on the opening night roster? I don’t know. I I genuinely don’t know. Yeah, I don’t know that Andrew Brunette knows. And that is what I think is so interesting about this training camp. The players that they have retained in camp and we’re talking about Martin Kimmel, we’re talking about Matthew Wood, we’re talking about Azie Wise Flat, we’re talking about Reed Schaefer. They’re not here just for poops and snickers. There is not one of those players that is not getting serious consideration from Andrew Brunette and perhaps also Barry Trotz as well. And I don’t think Andrew brunette has in his mind, I know which of these guys I want playing opening night. I don’t think he’s there, which makes this training camp really, really interesting. I will say this between Reed Schaefer and Aussie Wisblat, I like them both. Um, I love Azie has that, and I don’t know what else to call it. I call it protective instinct. It’s the Michael McCarron in you. It’s the Kefir Sherwood in you, but he also I am telling you this kid can score. Um, and so I I I like that combination of of that and and I am with you. Will Reed Schaefer feel more confident with 15 AHL games under his belt knowing, look, I am fully recovered. Food for thought. And of course, we’ll keep you posted on what we see and hear from Andrew Brunette as camp continues, as these young players continue to make their case. It is Western Conference Wednesday, where we like to take a story from the Western Conference and chew on it. And friends, did life give us a Western Conference Wednesday story this week or what? And we’re not talking about Luke Evangelista’s not getting the deal. We’re talking about the player in the west who got the deal. Carill Capri off is taking everybody out for dinner. Eight years, $136 million million. $17 million AAV. I think it’s interesting that the original offer was 16 million. And he was like, “No, thank you.” I was like, “Okay, I want to know what those conversations were to go from to okay, sure, eight years.” This yesterday, if you felt kind of a warm breeze coming from the north, that was the collective sigh of every Wild fan. So relieved that Capri off was not leaving Minnesota. Emma, when you heard about that deal, what was your initial reaction to it? I mean, you knew it was coming. You knew it was coming. I I think that after all of the brewhaha that had come around it, there was the whole uh you know, the information got leaked that he was offered$16 million, turned it down. The Wild, it didn’t make them look good. So they’re like, well, you know, cuz you think, well, if a team’s or if a player is not going to take $16 million to stay here, then he must really not want to be there. And that like that reflects badly on the organization. So, of course, they didn’t really have a choice after that, but to offer him more. So, I I think you knew this contract was going to be massive. I mean with the cap going up and everything that you had heard um do I think he should be making that much more than a Leon Dryidle? No. Um but that’s the price of doing business. Um what I am now excited about because we’ve been talking about this for a while. This was the entire league. This is going to be an interesting free agent class coming up. And so the entire league, it seems, has kind of been playing this giant game of chicken. Like everyone is waiting to see who signs first, who’s going to set the market, and then we go from there to determine what the rest of us get. If Carell Capri is off, a winger, and wingers typically not as valuable as centers, gets that kind of deal. What does that mean for Conor McDavid? What does it mean for Jack Eel? I mean, this is what’s I’m I am just sitting back. I’m fascinated. I am relieved that the Predators aren’t trying to retain any of these players that we’re talking about because goodness, I mean, it’s you knew it was coming, but it’s it’s a little ridiculous like just the amount. It’s the number. I am with you. I I see this for Capri off and and I get it. I get it. You know, you you want him there. There’s a reason Minnesota wants to keep him. I get that. But then you look at Conor McDavid and I’m like exponentially at some point he becomes unaffordable when you are Conor McDavid. Here’s the thing that is different though. Conor McDavid and this is going to sound critical of Capriov and I don’t mean it this way. Conor McDavid does not need a number attached to his name or written on a check for people to acknowledge that he is perhaps one of the greatest, if not like top two, three greatest players that have ever played this sport. And I think he does, you know what he does need is a Stanley Cup. Well, he really does. you all give the I mean he does need a cup but I think he would take less in the number personally to get the guys around him that would get him that cup because Conor McDavid knows his value. There is not a person who knows hockey that doesn’t know Conor McDavid’s value. And I wonder if he won’t say, “Look, spend a little of my cash getting some other people in here to get me the freaking cup. Give him the cup.” He might say that, but his agent sure won’t. I don’t I don’t see that happening. That’s a fair point. I don’t I don’t see that happening personally, but I do think if you look at now granted it’s different now with the salary cap going up, but if you look at like the Toronto Maple Leafs as a cautionary tale of what happens when you sink half your salary cap into four guys like it, you know, you don’t have a good team around you. So, I mean, you there’s pros and cons to it, but it’s a shocking number. 17 million is a shocking number, but I think you’re right. Probably 5 years from now, it won’t feel as shocking and we’ll be like, “Do you remember back when we paid Ryan Johansson 8 million chump change?” Yep. Oh, those were the days. And listen, it’s not an indictment of Capri off at all. If someone offers you $17 million, you take $17 million. Like, I get your bag, buddy. like totally. But I it is going to be interesting now to see the domino effect around the rest of the league and and how this plays out for other pending free agents. Yeah. I also think this puts a lot of pressure on the Minnesota Wild collectively because if you are paying your guy $17 million a year, you all need to get yourself a championship. You all need to get yourself real real close to a championship. If you have said this is the guy for $17 million, he’s not the guy who’s going to be really good and fun to watch. He’s going to be the guy that gets you to the cup. So, pressure’s on. Pressure’s on in Minnesota. It’ll be It’ll be really interesting to see how this unfolds for the Wild. Who I think I think they’re going to be very competitive in the Central. That sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? Competitive in the Central. What’s that like? What’s that like? I don’t know. I don’t it’s been it’s been 84 years and some deer poop since we have felt competitive in the Central. But we’ll see what happens with the Nashville Predators. Like we said, headed down to practice today. We’ll keep you updated. Uh check out um our social media page for updates. L Predators as well. We’ll let you know what we’re hearing and what we are seeing as the Predators get ready for next week. Next week, you all hockey. Official hockey. Hockey that counts. I don’t know if that makes you happy or terrifies you as a Nashville Predators fan, but it is right around the corner. Emma, before we log off on this Wednesday, will you let everyone know where they can find you and your work? Yes, you can find me on social media at Emma_Lingan and you can find my work at the hockey news. And you can also find me uh ordering shipments of antibacterial soap to Ann’s house as she continues to recover from the trauma of this morning. My hands have been washed like a surgeons. These suckers burn from all of the scar. I’m not the same person, but I’m doing the best I can. You can find me dry heaving in the toilet thinking about what happened this morning. You can find my work with Penalty Box Radio. You can listen to Penalty Box Radio tonight on 1025 the game from 8 to 9:00 p.m. as we kick off our season radio show. Uh you can find me on social media at ank_mama on Ice. Friends, that is going to do it for this Wednesday episode of the Locked on Predators podcast. Thanks again so much for making us your first listen of the day. We hope you guys have a fabulous Wednesday. We will be back here tomorrow with an all new episode. We’ll see you then.

Nashville Predators’ training camp heats up as roster cuts loom. Who will secure the final spots on the NHL squad?

Ann Kimmel and Emma Lingan break down the Predators’ latest moves, analyzing prospects Brady Martin, Joakim Kemell, and Matthew Wood. The hosts debate the merits of giving young talent NHL ice time versus prioritizing team chemistry. Plus, they tackle Kirill Kaprizov’s massive contract extension with the Minnesota Wild and its potential ripple effects across the league.

Tune in for expert insights on Nashville’s roster decisions and how they could shape the Predators’ upcoming season.

0:00 Nashville Predators roster down to 28
5:19 Brady Martin’s surprising roster spot consideration
12:53 Joakim Kemell and Matthew Wood roster battle
18:49 Matthew Wood impresses in training camp
26:39 Reed Schaefer vs Ozzy Wiesblatt for roster spot
32:17 Kirill Kaprizov’s massive $136 million contract
37:03 Pressure on Wild after Kaprizov’s big deal

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