Where Is A Hughes Brothers NHL Reunion Most Likely: New Jersey Devils or Vancouver Canucks?
On today’s show, we’ll dive into the number of storylines coming from Las Vegas and the NHL’s media tour, including a potential Quinn Jack and Luke Hughes reunion. You’re Locked on NHL, your daily podcast on the National Hockey League, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Hello and welcome to this Wednesday, September 10th edition of the Locked On NHL podcast. I’m Ross Levitan. You can find me over at Locked On Senators with me as always on Wednesdays Battle of Ontario edition from Locked on Maple Leafs. It is Mike Dphano. And today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Go over to FanDuel. The app is available now. And you can visit FanDuel.com as well and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. That is over at FanDuel. Mikey, this was a bombshell right off the bat. Jack Hughes asked by Pierre LeBron with The Athletic with TSN. Hey, there’s a lot of talk in Vancouver about Quinn Hughes and Jim Rutherford did it to himself by bringing it up after the season. And I appreciate Jack Hughes for giving us a bit of drama here. Not taking the quiet road, you know, can’t talk about potentially teaming up with my brother. He flat out said it. One day I want to play with Quinn. Yeah. And I mean Quinn said this a while ago, too, where one day he wanted to play with his brother. And you know, his contract is uh is is due for for a renewal after next season. So, starting this summer, he could start he could sign new contracts. I’m sure it’s going to be very loud in Vancouver leading up to that moment. But he was asked about that before and he said, “Yeah, one day I’d love to play with my brothers, whether it’s here or whether it’s in New Jersey or wherever it may be. That is a a goal of of mine and of ours.” So, the question is, well, okay, both brothers and I’d assume Luke is is in there as well, defenseman also with the New Jersey Devils. Um, which place is more likely then if that’s the case? Is is Luke and and Jax somehow going to make their way to Vancouver or is it easier just for Quinn to make his way to New Jersey? I guess like that’s that’s the question now. Like it it sounds as though it’s a strong likelihood that at some point these brothers are going to play with each other if they want to. They can make it happen as early as next season or possibly even sooner if if if you know these two teams can come to an agreement on some sort of trade. This is the exact quote yesterday from Jack Hughes. This is the headline question. You know, honestly, I’m not afraid to say it. Yeah, I would love for Quinn to eventually I’d love to play with him and whether that’s in New Jersey or what or what time that takes at some point. I want to play with Quinn, but yeah, that’s the question going around. They talk about it all day up in Vancouver, you know. But yeah, I’d love to play with Quinn at some point. We’ve actually got a new quote, Mikey. I don’t know if you’ve seen it. It came out just a minute ago from Pierre LeBron. Quinn Hughes speaking to the media this morning also at the same event in Vegas. And classic Quinn Hughes answer. This guy is just I I would say a very steady heartbeat on him. I don’t feel like Quinn Hughes ever gets too high or too low. And he’s got like this dry wit sense of humor. He goes, I mean, he’s my brother. What’s he supposed to say? Like I don’t want to play with him. So I I love that line. He says, “We all have contracts and whatnot. He’s on a different team. Would it be fun to play with those guys at some point?” Of course. If you guys have brothers, you’d say the same things. I’m excited to be in Vancouver. I feel like last year was a bit of a failure. I’ve got things to do there. And Jack loves Jersey and he’s got things to do also. So, I don’t think that we’re going to see a blockbuster before camp, but one day they’re going to play together. Yeah. I don’t think it’s going to be this year. If anyone’s expecting for the reunion to come this season and for a blockbuster to happen over the next, you know, week before training camps kick off, I think that is uh very unlikely. I’ll give that a 0.00 1% chance. But someday, one day, one day I could see it happening. I am curious like where it’s most likely to happen though. Well, you said the number you said two there. I know it was T0. I’m gonna go with TWO. Well, there’s two. Hughes is in New Jersey. So, it’s more likely, I think, for one to go down to where the other two are. I don’t know, though, because you look at what Quinn Hunes means to the Vancouver Conucks. Like, he’s the captain of that team, right? So, like I I think it it it feels as though maybe Vancouver would would be more uh willing to, you know, put together a package to keep Quinn Hughes to bring in his brothers as opposed to, you know, losing Quinn Hughes. Like I I think it’s very possible that and plus look at who the general manager is or well the president is in Vancouver. It’s Jim Rutherford. Trader Jim loves himself a good old blockbuster. Loves himself a good old Blockbuster. And you don’t think bringing in Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes to pair up with Quinn would be on uh would be on his board? I think he would love to make something like that happen in Vancouver. Well, the Canucks Twitter community has already gone fully on board the Cell Train. Our good friend Grady Sass posted this yesterday. I don’t know if you’ve seen it. That’s from right after Quinn Hughes was drafted. It’s his brother Jack wearing a Vancouver Conucks hat and saying, “There you go. Canucks baby.” There you go. There you go. It’s already ready to go. He’s ready to be a Conucks. He He probably fell asleep in that, you know. He’s just like Pajama Boy with with John Tvaris, you know. Uh Jack Hughes is is is hat boy when it comes to the Vancouver Conucks. I mean, there’s a very simple package too that realistically could make this trade happen and go through. You know, like the problem is if you’re Jersey, you know, Jack Hughes has dealt with a lot of injury. So like although Jack Hughes once upon a time you looked at him and you thought man this this guy could become not only the face of a franchise but like one of the faces of the league like he could easily become a top 10 player in the NHL. Injuries have slowed him from becoming that. Uh a and I wonder if maybe because of those injuries um if they if they worry a little bit about his future and and if he ever reaches that potential and if that’s the case maybe they would try and deal him away for someone who’s also you know super talented and the the Canucks have someone who is just as talented as Jack Hughes and you know relatively the same age. Um I think they went in in one year apart I think they’re one year apart. Um, Elias, was it two years apart? Uh, drafts at least. I don’t know if one was older for their draft year or lower, but Person was 2017, right? Uh, the 2017 Doll’s draft. I remember Dene. Was he 17? He wasn’t He wasn’t Dian’s draft. No, no, that’s the one draft I know down pat because that was the Brady Kuck draft with Quinn Hughes. Or are you talking about Quinn Hughes or you talking about Patterson? Patter. So, yeah. Yeah, you’re right. You’re right. Patterson 2017. So, two years apart regardless. Um, you know, that that’s kind of like the where Vancouver starts, right? Like Patterson for Hughes and then how do you make it work on on either side? Well, I guess you’re throwing in Luke Hughes in there. So, like just throwing him in fourth overall pick. And by the way, throwing him in. But like the Conucks have a good young defensive prospect, too. Like Wallander or Volander, however you want to say it. um like he was the top 10 pick a couple years ago. Could he be of interest for the the New Jersey Devils if the Hughes brothers really want to play together? And you know, Luke and Jack, you know, don’t really like I’m pretty sure Luke Hughes has he signed his deal? No, I was just going to say that him and Mason McTavish are the two guys who are are still RFAS unsigned and Max Skinnette. Yeah. So, you know, the you could question I guess Luke’s uh you know, whether or not he wants to be there long term. Doesn’t seem like he’s uber excited to get an extension done. It doesn’t sound like New Jersey is willing to give him the bag. So, do they believe that he’s a big part of this future? I don’t know. just speculating, spitballing, but I think that it’s very conceivable that there could be a trade that could happen that makes sense for both teams where the Hughes brothers land in Vancouver and Elias Patterson and uh maybe Wallander, maybe maybe Jonathan Leramaki um potentially wind up in in uh in New Jersey and that makes it happen. Not only is Jim Rutherford trader gym as you called him, but if the Canucks lost Quinn Hughes, forget what the return is. You don’t recover from that. That’s full rebuild, tear it down, trade everybody, and start from scratch. Which is why I think Vancouver is more likely and more de would be the more desperate team to make it happen. Yep, I see that. I see that. Well, let us know in the comments on YouTube whether or not you see a world where the Hughes brothers reunite. a in the next few years and b where it would be. You’re going with Vancouver. I’m going with New Jersey just based on numbers and contracts as well. The fact that Quinn is entering the situation where where he’s going to be able to reup and pick as an unrestricted free agent where he would go. Going to be fascinating to watch that. You know what Vancouver should have done? Vancouver should have just given an offer sheet to L. Actually, I don’t think is Lucy’s offer sheet. I don’t think he’s actually eligible for an offer sheet. I was going to say they should have offer sheet him then you got one over. Now you just got to work on Jack. Yeah, just one at a time. Hey, exactly. Do what you got to do. I don’t know if he was eligible for an offer sheet. Be such a great story if uh if it did happen as long as the Chucks don’t get any ideas because we don’t need that. We don’t need that happening all over the league. But it would be cool if uh the Hughes do end up playing together. Uh, we talked yesterday, or at least our good friends Seth and JD did on Locked on NHL about the Calgary Flames and how they’ve struggled scoring goals. Well, one thing they did find is a way to keep them out of their own net. Dustin Wolf, heck of a rookie season, a 910 save percentage, and he has gotten paid. We’ll discuss that later on in the show, but more storylines from the NHL media tour when we return. You’re listening to Locked On NHL, your team every day. Today’s episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Most people can’t name all their financial accounts, or even what they’re worth, whether it’s their 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there’s Monarch Money. It’s 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 your phone. Monarch does the heavy lifting for you. 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And get caught up by local experts on the biggest story. Shout out to the everydayers out there who make us your first listen each and every weekday. Mikey, what other storylines out of the NHL media tour in Las Vegas caught your attention? Yeah, I mean there’s a lot going on out here. This is a good time where the rumor mill really starts picking up. It’s really the first time, you know, all off season where a lot of these uh top tier talents in the NHL convene in one place. So, a lot of the insiders and and beat writers and national writers make their way down to Vegas and have a chance to to speak with some players. I know Connor Padard spoke on on his contract and, you know, let it be known that he wants to be there. You know, the he’s let them know that he plans on being at Chicago and wants a contract. He is obviously someone who is eligible for an extension uh at any point. Now, um his boy Frank Nazar got one earlier in the year. still waiting on what that beds contract will look like in Chicago. And I wonder like who do you think is wants to wait more Bard or Chicago? Because I don’t think Baddard has earned like a massive contract the way that maybe some other guys or the way that maybe you thought he would have uh a couple years ago. The way that McDavid earned that massive deal out of ZLC, the way Matthews earned a massive deal out of ZLC. I don’t think Baddard has necessarily put up those type of numbers to warrant that. So, I wonder if he’s waiting to maybe pop off this season if he feels good about his third year coming off a down sophomore slump where he’s waiting himself to sign his deal and uh maybe that third season turns out to be a little bit better and he can get the bag next off season. Well, to answer your question, I’d say the Hawks are probably more likely to wait, and that’s because they’ve had such an inability to surround him with talent. Like, in the projected lineup, he’s playing with Andre Burkowski and Ryan Donado. No disrespect to those guys, but Matthews coming off his deals, playing with Mner the whole time, and they had talent around them. This is a complete ineptitude and I’m gonna just hammer the Chicago Blackhawks until they get good for passing on Ivan Demidov because could you imagine a world the excitement in Chicago right now if you’re like okay it’s going to be Demidov coming over starting his contract uh and then you’ve got Baddard going into the third year it just would have been perfect but no they had to rob of that so until they surround him with the proper talent if I’m Bard I’m saying yeah I put up almost 80 points last year and I was carrying my line at least offensively. I know there’s a ton defensively that teenager still needs to work on, but I would say look like I’m doing everything I can with what I’ve got to work with. And yes, they do have nice pieces. Frank Nazar is a nice player, although he’s likely to play center behind him in the lineup. Like they just have done such a bad job. And this year they didn’t even try. Last year they handed out so much money to guys who just were not fits. TVan, Tyler Bertusi, Nick Felino, who I get that signing, you want to have leadership and he wasn’t the most expensive one. The two others are where I’m really pointing my finger and Bertusi in particular, he he showed flashes for for you guys with the Leafs and then in Boston and then it just it just did not work out at all. So TJ Brody on the back end, same thing. Didn’t work out like they’re on their way for another top five pick this year. If I’m looking at Chicago, I think so. I I I I think they they probably are one of the teams that are like we’d rather bottom out for McKenna. Yeah, them and Pittsburgh I think is probably the only two teams that would admit it at least. I think San Jose is probably still there. Although they’re at least fun. Like that’s what I’m saying. If they had Demod at least they’d be fun, right? There are some good stories on Chicago. Like don’t let this be a complete like wipe the floor, you’re done. Like that Sam Renzel guy, he was a great story last year coming in and making impact. They they got him projected on They got him projected on the top pair though, Mikey. Like ah it’s just because the the team’s trash and awful. Where’s they got him projected over Lebanon or is that their top pair? That’s No, they’ve got those two as the top two right defenseman. They’ve got to Alex Blastic on the left side. He’s a good defenseman, too. Coming into his own. Their decor like they’ve got one guy over 23 years old and that’s Conor Murphy playing on the bottom pair. Like this team, they’re young but they’re not that fun. And that’s the problem I have with Chicago. Yeah. Which is weird because they have Connor Bdard and two years ago. Imagine talking about a team with Connor Bdard and being like, “Yeah, they’re not that fun.” Like, no, that’d be crazy thing to say. It’d be a wild thing to say. But, uh, I think they they brought in a new coach. Who they bring in? Jeff Blashill. Is that who they brought in as as the new coach? Yeah. Didn’t go so well his first uh his first time in in Detroit. So, we’ll see what he can do with this young group in in Chicago, but I mean, he’s obviously going to sign. It’s just what does that contract look like, I guess. And it’s it’s definitely going to be dependent on how this season goes. I think both parties are probably willing to wait until uh they they see how the third year goes for for Bedard here in Chicago. Another big story coming out of the NHL media tour is Sydney Crosby acknowledging the fact that everybody wants him to play in the playoffs again and that it’s unlikely going to happen in Pittsburgh. Like I saw a great tweet from our good friend John Lazarus on uh on social media the other day. Like I get the the want and this wasn’t exactly his tweet. I’ll get to that in a second. But I get the want for Crosby to move somewhere. But what Johnny was saying was like we’re in such a cool spot in the NHL right now where you do have that new school, the Hughes brothers, openly saying like, “Yeah, I would move to play with my brother. I’d do this. I’d go there. I’d want him to come here.” And then you also have Alex Ovuchkin and Sydney Crosby 20 years later still playing for the teams that drafted them and showing that old school loyalty. So, I think there is a lot to be said about that. And funny enough, I actually saw I ran into Sydney Crosby at a bar in Halifax a couple weeks ago. Like, you go to the East Coast, you see Sydney Crosby like two seconds later. Kind of funny how that works. But he he’s still an elite elite player. And I know the boys on Overdrive got carried away yesterday. They got the old ratio on social media for saying that would you do Debov for Crosby one for one. But I think, look, maybe it’s because if he does get traded, it might be to Montreal. Maybe that’s why I’m uh I’m so hesitant for the Crosby trade. But I do think there’s something to be said for these old school guys like Joe Sackic and Steve Eisermanman. Like the guys that just played their whole career with one organization. I love that we still are hanging on to that. And there’s other guys like Mullikin and Latang are in that same boat, but not to the same level, of course, as Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovuchkin. I love that they’ve played their whole career with one team and I kind of hope it stays that way. I mean, unless it goes to Colorado. Well, that’s it. Then it’s all right, Kevin McKinnon. That’s totally worth it. That makes sense. Yeah. No, I honestly I I think um I don’t know. I I I don’t have that same viewpoint. Whereas, you know, I I it’s cool, I guess, that he’s been in Pittsburgh for 20 years, but I think it’d be even cooler to watch him compete for a Stanley Cup. you know, like I I think getting him in a in a place that’s not rebuilding um is is best for hockey. I I truly do believe that. Like I you talk about Conor Bedar not having anything around him and how boring it is to watch that team. You don’t want to have the same problem with Sydney Crosby in Pittsburgh. Like at least you know Washington with Ovie, like that’s a play outbound team. They’ve been able to retool that that that organization and they’re still good. like last year they they they won the President’s Trophy. Like still a good team. Not the same case here with uh with Pittsburgh. I I would love if if they moved him and dealt him. I think you’re looking at two teams right now that make the most sense in the Montreal Canadiens and the uh the the Colorado Avalanche. Both teams likely to compete. Uh Avalanche certainly a playoff team. The Habs, they were one a year ago. See if they could possibly become one again this year. Uh, and if you put Sydney Crosby in the mix, all of a sudden that team goes from a possible playoff team to like a real true competitor. So, and they’ve got the pieces. They’ve got young talent that they can move off of uh both at the NHL level and in the uh in the in this feeder system and they also have draft picks. So, it does make a lot of sense that there’s some chatter around that. And of course, you know, like he’s from the East Coast. He grew up a Montreal Canadians fan, played in Ramuski. Makes a lot of sense uh that he, you know, could possibly end his career. Sort of where it all began for uh for Sid. The thing with Pittsburgh, too, like I don’t think they’re a good team. I don’t think they’re Stanley Cup contender, obviously, but they were third last in the league in goals against last year. They decided to run it back with Tristan Jarry. Exactly. So like it because they want to bottom out and be terrible. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Like I that’s that there’s no other no other reason for it. I think that he’s gone. Ricard Raquel I think is probably a player they’re going to look to move at some point. Brian Russ is someone they’re going to look to move at some point. But what about Eric Carlson too, right? He’s not getting any younger either and and he’s a guy who’s I mean he still had 53 points last year and and he’s only three seasons removed from winning the Norris Trophy. Like someone will fall in love with the possibility of like capturing that lightning in the bottle that Eric Carlson can provide you. And someone will definitely take Carlson off their hands. Won’t pay an exorbitant amount of money, but they’ll take Carlson off their hands to uh to to just to bring him into the fold. Um so there they have pieces that they can move and I think that Sydney Crosby obviously brings him back the best return of all. Man, Craig Auster did such a great job with Carlson’s contract. Like, you you simply cannot buy that deal out even even next off season. Like, it just it makes absolutely no sense just the way it was structured. So, signing bonus heavy, so frontthe heavy. And uh we’ll see what happens there because as as obviously Sydney Crosby’s the main story. Well, what’s what’s the money left on that Carlson deal? Like actual real money. Yeah. So, he’s already had his 2025 signing bonus paid, right? That’s July 1st. So, $4 million in salary this year, then a $6 million signing bonus, and then a $1.5 million salary next year. So, he’s got 11.5 Yeah. $1.5 million over two years, which ironically is his uh cap hit per season, but of course the San Jose Sharks kept, I believe it was 1.5 million on that contract. So he’s he’s playing at 10 million right now with Pittsburgh. And uh just double checking. Yeah, that is correct. So if they eat it, that’s a $5 million cap hit for another team to to eat for Carlson. And well, uh not a math guy here, but half 11.5 million. Yeah, cashwise, that’ be the cash. Yeah, that’s uh I mean there’s going to be a lot of teams that will take that like team especially with the cap rising so like exponentially over the next couple of years. Like there’s teams that are just going to need to get to the floor. Um and being able to get there with 11.5 million in cap but only having to pay the guy half that money to perform. There’s a lot of teams that like there’s a lot of owners that like that. So it’s it’s definitely not a a hard contract to move if you’re Pittsburgh. Again, I don’t think anyone’s Chicago could get him. He’d be fun. Chicago could be a place to potentially like I don’t think anyone’s going to have to give up a first round pick to to take that take on that albatross of a contract. Probably, you know, a second and and a prospect probably. Um but yeah, that’s that’s a tradable deal as well. All right, on the other side, Dustin Wolf, I’ll go ahead and say it, not going to get traded. He just signed a seven-year extension with the Calgary Flames. We’ll get into what that means next. You’re listening to Locked On NHL, your team every day. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. It is America’s number one sports book. The NFL season is here and FanDuel’s making sure you’re ready for kickoff every week with a can’tmiss offer right now. New customers can bet just $5. And if that bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Don’t be like me and bet on Caleb Williams. Be smart with your money at FanDuel. You can see all the live props. You can even look ahead to futures, not only for the NFL, but the NHL season. So, get in on the action. And if you have a hot take, you know it’s going to happen. Go put your money where your mouth is over at FanDuel. It’s quick, easy, and the best way is to add a little more energy to your sports viewing. So, are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanuel.com to get started. That’s fanduel.com. Place your first $5 bet. If it wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets. [Applause] Welcome back. Locked on NHL, your team every day, part of Lockdown Podcast Network, and we have local experts on the biggest stories five days a week. huge signing in Calgary with Dustin Wolf signing a 7-year extension with a total value of 52.5 million. That means his cap hit will be 7.5 million. And this much like Connor Bddard and the talk about his contract, it’s not for right away. This contract is going to start in the 2026 27 NHL season. Still playing second year of an $850,000 contract. enormous value for the Calgary Flames. And what a start cuz Dustin Wolfin doubted his whole career as an undersized goalie. He’s just six feet tall on the nose. Was was passed over as a guy who had exceptional numbers in junior hockey. Like exceptional and still fell to what the seventh round in the NHL draft. Yeah. Then he goes to the AHL and puts up exceptional numbers there. And he had to work and do it multiple seasons to get his opportunity. Then he gets a nod as a nominee for the Calder Trophy. Like what a comeup for Dustin Wolf. Oh, absolutely. And you know, undersized guy who obviously there was a lot of uh a lot going against him and he was able to fight through it. Became AHL goalender of the year a couple years ago. I think he won he was AHL uh MVP if I’m not mistaken as well in that same season. Um, and he’s just he’s he’s he was a stud last year for the Calgary Flames. A 910 save percentage, a 264 goals against, a 296 and eight record uh for the Flames, 53 games played, like that’s that’s that’s a starter in 2025. That is a starting goalender. if he could play more than 50 games and and prove that he can be healthy throughout that and and be, you know, solid, you pay that guy because it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of those dudes out there. Um, I did find it interesting that they like were already like totally committed to uh to this player after really one full season in the NHL that they’re like, “Yep, he’s our guy. We’re giving him 7.5 million moving forward and uh we’re not even going to think twice about it.” I did think that that was kind of interesting that they went uh they went that long and and that high right off the bat, but I mean, he’s been a great goalie at every level that he’s played. I I have no doubts that Dustin Wolf is going to continue to be a stud for for the Calgary Flames, and they’ve got so much cap flexibility in Calgary coming up. Now, there are obviously pieces to resign, but even after the 7.5 million to Dustin Wolf, they still have $29.5 million in cap space for next off season. They’re going to have to find goals like JD and and Seth talked about yesterday on lockown NHL. But like Dustin Wolf is a guy who I would be betting on. I mentioned like how good he’s been at every level. You’re right. He’s MVP at the AHL level. He’s also a two-time AHL goalie of the year and a two-time WHL goalie of the year. Like everywhere he’s gone, he’s man the best goalie. Like in 149 WHL games, he had a 935 save percentage. That’s outrageous. And then the AHL in 141 games, these sample sizes are are huge. A 926 save percentage and in 28 playoff games, a 922. This guy just stops the puck. No matter where he is, he stops the puck. So I think it’s a good bet. Yeah. The only thing that you could look at Dustin Wolf and and question is is the height. He’s only six feet tall, right? And for goalies, that’s that’s not very large. No, there’s what, three goalies that are under 61? Yeah. and he’s one of them. But yeah, it’s him, Sorrowos, and I think I’m forgetting one other guy. Yeah, him Soros. For a long time, it was Hak, but obviously he’s retired now. Yeah, but uh Dustin Wolf, man, I I I have confidence that this is going to work out well. I think that they h they know that he’s their goalie of the future. This is a team that, you know, they they they haven’t had a lot of great goalending over the years. Uh they they did sign Markstrom who gave him some pretty solid goalending when he was there, but prior to Marshmro it was just a revolving door of guys, right? Like Yeah. Ever since Mika Kipper. Yeah, it was like Mika Kippersoft and then it was just they just trial and error for you know about like 10 years after that uh before March came around and then Marshmall was solid but they decided hey we like this Dustin Wolf kid we can move Marshmall and that’s what they did last summer. They moved March from Ma to uh to New Jersey and they gave the keys to the kingdom to Dustin Wolf. They said let’s see what you do in your first year and again went out played 50 games was a you know better than league average goalender in his first full season in the NHL and they decided you know what we’re ready we’re ready to to commit to this player to be our goalie of the future. Gave him a big contract and now they got that position uh settled up for the next seven years. He huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down. Uh, the other goalies that are under 6’1, full-time NHLers will go with Jet Greavves. Case, I didn’t realize Jet Greaves was a little guy like that. Yeah. The only one who’s under six feet is Jussi Sorrowos at 5’11. Yeah. Also a stud. Didn’t have a great season last year, but no, generally a stud. You think Jack Graves is a flash in the pan or you think he’s the real deal? I think he’s actually very similar to Dustin Wolf in the sense that his height has stopped him from getting opportunities faster, but at every level that he’s been at, he’s putal numbers as well. How old is Jack Greaves? Cuz he was one of those he was one of those guys where if he didn’t play like X amount of games, he was going to be like a UFA six or something like that, right? Yeah. And then they got him into some games late in the season. He ended up playing 11 games. put up a a 938 save percentage, a 191 goals against, and a 72-2 record for the Columbus Blue Jackets. I believe they won the final six games of the season and nearly made the playoffs on that run. A hamburger run, if you will. Yeah, he got in. Yeah. Well, they would have got in. It was It wasn’t on them. They won six games in a row. Montreal just had to win a game and then they were fine. But, uh, they probably should have went to to the J Greavves a lot sooner than the final 11 games and then maybe Columbus would have been a playoff team. I I believe I said last year I thought Columbus was going to surprise people and be a playoff team. I I’m going to go back to the Well, I think Columbus makes the playoffs this year. I think Jack Graves is for real. I think that they got some good pieces offensively. Obviously, Zack Winsky being a dog defensively. Uh, they’ve got some other pieces on the back end. I think it’s a well-rounded team. Um and and I think they’ve got good coaching now uh with uh oh he was in Minnesota forever. What’s his name? Oh Dean Evson. Dean Evson. Uh you know he he had a great first season out of this group. Got a lot of Adam Fantelli who I think is going to be a absolute star in the league. Uh and if if this goaliey’s legit Jack Greavves that’s got to been what’s holding them back. I think they were a top five I believe goalc scoring team last year. Seventh. Seventh. Yeah. Okay. So seventh in the league in goal scoring last year, 25th in goals against. So Jack Gre came in a little too little too late and they finished a point out of the playoffs. So if they can if they can get it done in between the pipes and make some saves, I think the Columbus Blue Jackets are a team that’s probably going to compete for a playoff spot that I think they’ll make the playoffs this year. Not even compete. I think they’re a playoff team if Jack Reeves is uh is is league average or better. I still have five teams coming out of the Atlantic. So, it’s going to be tough then if that’s the case like it was last year for Columbus to be top three in the Metro Division. I mean, Carolina’s a lock for sure. Yeah, Carolina pretty wide open right after that. Like, I don’t believe in New Jersey that much and I know that might be a hot take. They’ve been a playoff team consistent. How can you believe that they’ll stay healthy? Like for them, it’s about health. like if they’re fully healthy, that’s a team that obviously you should have belief in. But I I can’t I can’t rely on their them staying healthy. They just haven’t done it for on a yearly basis every year. Whether it’s Jack Hughes or it’s Nico Heir or it’s Teemo Meer or like Douggee Hamilton, like someone’s getting hurt and it totally derails this season. So that’s a team that’s with big question marks. Is was Washington that good? like is are they going to be as good as they were a year ago? I don’t know. I’m really not not too sure if if last year was a flash in the pan for them um you know where it was all hype about OV’s chaste race cuz once Obie hit the number broke the record that team kind of went downhill quick and I wonder going into next season not as much to play for are they going to have that same mojo and vibes? We’ll see. Um, but yeah, I think Columbus is another group that could take that next step. We’ve been waiting for one of those teams in the East to take that next step and put themselves, you know, in that category of of being a a contender in the East. I think Columbus has an opportunity to do it. Okay. And we will find out as the puck is set to drop in just under a month. Rookie tournament starting this upcoming weekend. Next week we got a Wednesday show as always and that’s the day at least for the Ottawa Senators that they’re starting training camp. So camps will be opening around the league and we’ll get you all the biggest storylines that are coming out of them. In the meantime, go check out Locked on Maple Leafs, locked on Senators. That’s Mike Dphano. I’m Ross Levitan. We’re part of Lockdown Podcast Network.
Ross Levitan (Locked On Senators) and Mike DiStefano (Locked On Maple Leafs) cover the NHLs Media Tour which included interesting quotes from bother Jack and Quinn Hughes, an update on Connor Bedard and Sidney Crosby…plus, Dustin Wolf has signed a huge contract extension with the Calgary Flames.
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