Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Michael Russo from the Athletic Here ona beautiful July third, one day before
Independence Day, and I think that'swhy why Burrero asked for the day off.
So very happy to be in thisseat. Can't see brit Blake Moore.
Somebody needs to get a washcloth forthat glass. Brett. Yeah,
yeah, it is a bloodbath inthere. Brett bit his lip and is
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bleeding everywhere, So maybe it's agood thing I don't see. Have an
incredible show for you today. AndrewBurnette, the Nashville Predators coach, former
Wild assistant GM assistant coach player.He'll be joining us at about three point
thirty to talk about the big newsout of Nashville with Steven Stamkos, Jonathan
marsh Thow, and Brady Shay goingthere. Alc Lewis or Vikings, writer
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will be on as well. JohnHines, the Wild coach, will be
in studio, will actually be onthe phone. Anthony Lapanta will be in
studio during that hour, so he'lljoin me as well. Wild GM and
President of Hockey Ops Bill Garran willopen the show, and Jake Cansel,
fresh off a sixty three million dollarseven year deal. We'll be joining as
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well. And let's go right toBill Gharrion and Billy, Like you were
in Pittsburgh at the beginning of theJake Encilara, did you ever expect him
to be this highly coveted sixty threenine million dollars a year deal. Well,
I mean, hey, look,you never know. But as as
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we quickly found out, Jake wasa hell of a player. I always
say when Jake first signed with us, between his time in Wilkesbury and then
his between the time those games andthe games he played for the Penguins,
I forget what the breakdown was.He had scored forty nine goals for our
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organization that year. Crazy and thatwe we always saw the the the hockey
sense, our local guy. Imean, everybody knows who Scott Bell is
in the air, and Scott Bellpounded the table for Jake Cansel in the
third round and h we ended uppicking him and and he's he has become,
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uh, I mean, just anelite NHL hockey player. And I
love seeing it, and uh yeah, it's great. Jake's such a great
kid. I'm happy for him.I still remember Billy being on the ice
in Nashville when you guys won theCup in twenty seventeen and Mike Gnsel turning
to his wife and saying, Iguess it's a good thing he left school
because she wanted him to go backto senior year and Jason Botterill and Ben
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Hankinson convinced him to come out andthere he goes the first rookie in NHL
history, I think to lead thepostseason and goal scoring and uh man,
you know, really happy for Jayand Jake will be joining uh later and
uh, I want I want torefresh your memory Bill of something that happened
at the draft to listen to thisoff the draft, Thanks buddy. Yeah,
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so keepy Hard is his name,right, Aaron kid? I think
that's how you promounce it. Uhand comes right up to you, and
you gotta love I know that youlove Moxy. You have to love that
kid whispering in your ear that youjust got the biggest steel in the draft.
Oh, I love it. Andthe thing is that it was genuine,
like he didn't know that I hada mic guy, and that's that's
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what he believes. And and youknow I I I think he's right.
I think he's going to be thebiggest steal in the draft, just for
just for confidence like that, AndI love it. I mean, and
that's that's that is, that's theway you make a strong first impression,
you know what. And he believesin himself and and that that's what you
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want. You need that to be. You need that to play in the
NHL, to be a high endplayer in the NHL. And you know,
from what jud tells me, ifit wasn't for his you know,
he had a bit of a weirdknee injury that kept him out most of
last year. But if it wasn'tfor that, he had first round talent.
And you know, I just,yeah, you know what, let's
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take a shot at this kid.And you know, you see now why
we would yep, the combo ofhis skill level in hockey sense. Now
you see, he's got the uh, he's got the confidence and and the
character that that goes along with it. So he's given himself the best chance.
Yeah, And I can't imagine whatit was like for him to sit
through four rounds when he thought hewas gonna be a top you know,
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first or second round pick. Hecomes over from from overseas and has to
sit there. So he had alittle grid on him, and as Billy
mentioned, he had a he hada dissocated kneecap sustained last season where he
was just shooting one timers and justcame out in practice and then and then
really frightening injury in the under eighteenswhere he took a skate to the throat.
But another steal, Billy that youguys got was Eve Bulliam falling to
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you right there at number thirteen.And the way I understand it is that
you guys saw on the draft floorof Saint Louis talking to Philadelphia and we're
a little worried that he that theymight hop over Philly and and and maybe
protect perhaps trade for Ze or draftEve if they traded for that pick.
And you guys hopped them and tradea third round pick, which is a
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small price to pay to get theguy you wanted. And I know you
absolutely love this kid. Yeah weall do. And and you know,
I don't know what that conversation was, but you know, we we called
Philadelphia and they were, you know, they were willing to do the deal,
and and yeah, we got theguy we wanted. We still can't
believe he was he was available,but I think things early on got got
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kind of thrown off. But yeah, we're so happy, And yeah,
a third round pick is a smallprice to pay to move up one spot
and get your guy. It's thesame thing we did with with Jasper Walls
that I think we might have movedup two spaces there. But yeah,
it's to get the player that youwant. That's a small price to pay.
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We can we can get that pickback and other time if we need
to, right in the subsequent trade. And as you also said, like
I looked at your development camp rostercoming up, it's not like you're going
to really miss a third round pick. I think in the next couple of
years. Uh, you know you'vegot so many prospects coming Billy. How
long do you think Zeve Zeve hasI mean obviously had a huge year this
past year, winning gold medal lastyear at the World Under eighteen's, an
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he win's the World Juniors, anhe wins the national championship on your ice,
going to be in the World Juniorsthis year for the university, you
know, with with David carl aswell, how how long do you think
that he'll take before not only doeshe turn pro. But he could be
NHL ready, you know, that'sa good question. I think he's probably
pretty close. We've we've got toget him in town and and check him
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out physically at development camp, givehim, you know, run him through
some test c where he's deficient,where he's strong, you know, and
then and then we'll see you knowthat the last thing you want to do
is is is Russia young player.He is young for the draft too,
so we'll, you know, we'llwe'll play it as we see it.
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And like I said, we justdon't want to rush him just because we're
really happy with him, you know, we want to be happy with him,
you know, for a long longtime. And if we rush him,
we could, you know, youcan, you can really hurt a
player's development. Yeah, and heis barely eighteen and a half. I
think he is not like Brett Brock'sfavor when he got here, and he's
all of a sudden debuting at agetwenty one. We're talking about Bill Geer
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in the wild, President Hockey Operationsand general manager. And the big news
that came out yesterday Bill is extendingJake Middleton five years out of four year
seventeen point four million dollars deal.We got him on a zoom today and
hilarious as always as he hopped onhis Harley with his dad and went out
to British Columbia signed his contract ata little diner in Montana, he said,
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I guess the big question is whynow? Why not wait till next
summer to get this done or atsome point after January one? Well,
I think you know what I mean. Well, first of all, why
wait? I mean we we likeJake. Uh, he's played very well
for us. He he brings alot of different intangibles plus good play to
the table. He's big, he'stough, he's a character. Guys love
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him, he's a leader on theteam. There's just, uh, there's
no reason to wait. And ifyou yeah, to be quite honest,
I think worst players signed deals thisuh you know yesterday that you know that
that's what that's what we'd be staringin the face, competing with with these
crazy July one deals. And andyou know what he like Jake, Jake
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likes us. It's a good fitand uh, you know, we feel
it's a it's a fair deal,So no no reason to flirt with the
disaster, including Bollyam. You draftedfour defensemen. We know you have six
guys in Iowa, including guys likeDavid Damon Haunt and David's Batchick. I
mean, is this a sign though, that you're not exactly convinced that these
guys will be here eventually or oror do you still feel like you are
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going to have room for some ofthe guys that might pop in the next
couple of years on this roster.No, No, it's not that we
don't believe in them. These arethe best players available when when we were
picking. And that's what it is. And hey, competition, you know,
every every organization has situations like this, whether it's you know, goalie,
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defense, forwards, centers, rights, last ways, it doesn't matter.
You're always going to be in competitionand you want to make it.
You got to help pay the otherguys in your organization and and that's healthy.
And you know it's not a it'snot for anything more than they were
the best player available when we werepicking. Uh. Yakov Trenan is somebody
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that you guys signed to a fouryear, fourteen million dollars deal free agency.
We saw him last year and inthat you know, this might have
been what you remembered too, Uh, Billy, that's six to one win
by Nashville and National four games beforethe trade double line. He was one
of the hardest players on the ice, fought in that game, scored a
goal in that game. And asMiddleton said today, for checks like an
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animal. Where when did you startidentifying him and when did you maybe pivot
where you thought, hey, we'regoing to try to go get a top
six guy in free agency, butthen started thinking, you know what,
we got to rediscover identity and maybeget a harder player. You know,
when we had our pro meetings,uh, you know, a month five
weeks ago, we we all weall agreed that that was just more important,
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I think, more realistic. Youknow, you see some of the
deals that were signed out there.Then you look at the camp space we
had, what we had to doto how we would have to kind of
decimate our team in order to fitsomebody in like that. It just didn't
make sense. You know what,we want a well balanced team. We
want to get back to our identityand being harder to play against. We
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needed size, we needed grit.He's got some offensive capabilities and that's that's
that's the box we we felt mostimportant needed to be checked. And you
know, he's got a good relationshipwith John and uh, you know,
I I think he fits real welland and same thing with Jacob Lockall.
You know, he he fits thatdescription too. That was a big,
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uh, a big area that ourplayers also voiced some concern it and just
getting back to our identity and beingmore aggressive. And we felt that was
the primary area that we wanted tofix to go out four years with him,
Like when did that decision happen?Is that just the price of doing
business there? And and you know, I think that the one thing that
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that people are starting to get aconcern on is that next year was the
year that you guys were supposed tobe flush with cap space and and a
little more flexibility to go out andspend money after the cap hell has sort
of dissipated with Parisian Suitor. Youknow, do you feel like you're going
to still have that flexibility to goout and and add players next offseason?
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You know, with the fact thatyou're gonna have to look at resigning capriceof
resigning favor things like that. Yeah, we'll have we'll have plenty of caps
face to do what we need todo. But you know what with with
a guy like this, this isthis is what you need anyways, and
you're you know, it's like Felino. Everybody wants them, and you know
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as soon as you let them go, you're gonna you're gonna wish you had
them back. And you know what, Yeah, we're gonna We're gonna continue
to look for scoring. We needsome guys on our team to have bounced
back years like you and I havetalked about. But this this size,
grit, abrasiveness, those are reallytough guys to come by. And everybody's
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looking for him. So you knowtoo, he's twenty seven, he's this
is the prime of his career.So it takes him from twenty seven to
thirty one, those are those area player's best years, you know.
So we're really comfortable with a fouryear deal for him, and you know,
hopefully with the cap continuing to goup, well we'll have as much
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cap space as we need. We'retalking about Bill Garran, the Wild's president
of general President of hockey Opperson andgeneral manager. It's easy for me to
say, or not easy, Billy, let me ask you about the top
six though, Like you know,the one thing that that John said on
the conference call the other day withus is that it felt like last year
there was a revolving door with tryingto find the right winger there on that
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second line. And obviously we knowhow dominant capriceof Ericksonak and Boldie were,
you know, really after John arrivedand made the switch with Zukerrello and Caprice
soft, how can the second linebe different this year? Can you see
a Liam ogre and grabbing that spotor or you know, how can it
be different where it's just not Joehanssonput there, put there, and all
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of a sudden that might affect thelines up offensive productivity. Yeah, and
listen, it's competition, Like Idon't care who's there, Like I don't
I don't care how much he's makingor what his name is, whoever's going
to produce and and you know,give us what we need on that line
is gonna play there. I thinkone of the biggest things is is,
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uh, you know what Ryan Hartmanneeds to come in and and get off
to a better start and have abetter year if he can get back to
playing with Capriz off and and dGrello. That allows Bolding and to play
together and and then we'll see whathappens on the wing there. But we
Ryan's an incredibly important part of ofour forward group and we really need him
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to, uh, you know,to be ready for the start of the
season. And then that puts Rossithere on online three, which definitely balances
things out. Billy, You've beentalking a lot lately about the necessity,
the necessity of getting off to amuch better start. It's been a couple
of years in a row. Obviouslylast year. You know, as I
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always say, you can you can'tmake the playoffs in October November, but
you can certainly miss the playoffs.And we saw when John took over this
team went on fire, but thenyou hit injury problems and injury problems and
injury problems, and you just couldnever catch up because you were chasing the
beginning of the year. You've reallytalked about this a lot lately. You
have a tough, tough schedule tostart the year with fifteen, with ten
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of your fifteen games on the road, including a seven game road trip.
How much is sort of your messagesaying it so often publicly? You know
a way to try to get insidethe ears of your players that there's just
no excuses despite the fact that yourschedule is definitely tough to start. Yeah,
I don't listen. I don't havea public message that I do on
a radio show like this or aninterviews and then a private message to the
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players. There's one message. Weneed to get off to a better start.
We need to be ready to go. The league is unforgiving, and
you know what, I'm okay withour schedule. I actually like our schedule
this year. The road trip atthe beginning of the year, I think
that's a good time to have it. You got a lot of energy,
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you got a lot of you know, you got a lot of juice in
your legs, and you're just you'reyou're, you're ready to go. And
and I think it's a good timefor the team to to spend some time
on the road together and bond andplay in some tough situations early on to
to kind of thicken your skin.So I'm good with it. I think
we have a great schedule, andI'm confident that the guys will be ready
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because you know what, Listen,as disappointed as I am in the start
last year and and and the waythings went, the players are are are
at least just as much, probablymore because they're the ones doing it.
And you know, I'm confident thatthey'll be back in uh in September ready
to go. Billy. You signeda bunch of guys to two way deals,
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really good players too, I meanguys like Reach Johnson and Travis Boyd,
Devin Shore. You know, Uh, you get the HL Goalie of
the Year a couple of years agoto maybe be your fifth. But the
one thing that always strikes me now, Billy, is the salaries for a
minor leaguer. I'm and I rememberwhen it was sixty seven, five hundred
was pretty much what everybody made downin the minors. Now it's five fifty.
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Is part of you even just likeamazed at what you guys have to
negotiate now to get these these guysto sign up and maybe not go over
to Europe. Well, yes,and no, I mean, listen,
everybody's making more money. The NHLsare making more money, The league's making
more money. Where it's all growingand and this is part of the competition,
you know, and if you wantto create that's in your organization.
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Well, you know what, yougot to pay for it, and you
know what, they've the market's beencreated and you know what I mean,
Yeah, we our guys did afantastic job of of of getting these players
signed. They've all got great NHLexperience. You know, a lot a
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lot of these guys have been leaderswherever they've gone. And yeah, we're
thrilled to have the guys that wegot, but yeah, you know what,
there's there's a there's a price topay, and there's a price to
pay for being good. And we'relucky to have the uh you know,
the financial support from Craig and youknow, being able to do this stuff
because that's that's what it takes.And last question for you, Billy.
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You know the other thing that happenedon July one, And it's crazy how
every contract now has no no tradeprotection in some capacity, whether it's no
moves limited full Did you ever havea no trade clause like I can't remember
nine? Did you get to sortof decide where you went? I had
I had no trades for UH,I think the last I think my last
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four contracts I had no trade Dallas, Saint Louis, UH, New York
Islanders and UH Pittsburgh and I lifted, I lift, I got out in
Dallas there compensatory buyouts, and thenI got and then I lifted my UH.
I lifted my no move at thedeadline twice. Yeah, Now do
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you, I mean, does itsurprise you though? How many guys get
it? Now? I'm you area four hundred and fifty goal scorer,
some you know, won a coupleof Cups. US Hockey Hall of Famer.
It doesn't seem like everybody has thatpedigree that are getting them now.
Yeah, I think it's you know, it's a negotiation and there are different
levels of it. And I thinkyou know the way I the way I
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see it is, you know,you're the players that you're signing, hopefully
you're not trading them anyways, youknow, and it depends, you know,
and like some shorter ones like Zucarelloand you know he's played well for
you, he's an older guy,you get them at a lower number and
you give them, you know,a no move. And then there's some
guys that get limited no moves.But you know, for certain players it
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doesn't matter a limited no move theteams that he's able to be traded too.
You know that there's going to beinterested in this player, so it
shouldn't be too too difficult if needbe. So I don't really, I
don't worry about it too much.But yeah, it does seem to be
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like, you know, everybody andtheir brothers getting it no matter what level
you're at. But hey, thatcould change so soon too. Right,
Well, Billy, have a goodrest of your summer. I have a
great fourth thumb. And uh andyeah, I assume that we'll be talking
at some point here about more movesto the long off season left. Yeah,
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we'll see have a happy fourth Mike. We'll talk to you soon.
Yep. That is Bill Garran,the Wild's president of hockey ops in general
manager. When we come back,we'll have a small little break and then
we're gonna get Mindor mald America's streetteam all summer long. Out of our
events, come find us, askabout our mauld American mystery cards where everyone
is a winner. And so herewe'll be next camping in dot com keyword
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calendar. So from the Athletic backhere on the fan. Brett blakemore behind
the glass, Brett wearing his WildHockey shirt. Right, of course,
what'd you think? Well, it'sBill Garrin. You know, I love
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Billy. I love that he's justa straight shooter and he just tells it
like it is. I truly meanthat. It's such a refreshing from just
GM speak of just you know,maybe telling us lies or something that we
want to hear and then doing somethingelse later. He just tells it like
it is and what he's what he'sthinking. I mean, I had a
cut. I know there's a buttcoming. Well, I'll just say I'll
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just say this before I there,I get to the butt coming. I
acknowledge that I'm just a person thatpushes buttons for a living and I know
nothing and I've never been there,done that, blah blah blah blah blah.
But I had a couple notes thatI was just thinking about the slow
start bit and I get that.And then something you talked about with Nordo
earlier today that caprisoff got off toa slow start, Zuccarello got off to
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a slow start, and therefore theWild got off to a slow start.
Would you say that that is notindicative of the rest of the depth scoring
that if two players got off toslow start and the whole team is just
dead in the water. I mean, is it on the Stars to just
carry the entire lie. Look,it wasn't just on those two. I
mean they just were not playing welldefensively, They weren't getting saves. Remember
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Gustuson had that unbelievable first game againstFlorida. Then he just got started getting
shill ACKed. So that was partof it. They got injured off the
hop with guys like Gudro getting hurtand Bolder getting hurt in Toronto, Spurgeon
already being hurt, it just becamea laundry list of reasons. But they
just seemed to lost lose their Itseemed what happened in the playoffs sort of
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trickled into the first six weeks.And then what happens is you start to,
I think inside the room, eventhough no coach, no player will
ever say they toned out, tunedout a coach, I think you start
to hear all the rumblings of DeanEverson's jobs on the line, and you're
sort of waiting for something to happen. And I think that's really what happened,
because they got back from Sweden andthey go and they play in Detroit
get schill ACKed, and I thinkBill Geron was not going to fire Dean,
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and then all of a sudden hejust changed his mind because I just
thought it was inutenable. I wasthere the night before they left for Sweden
against Dallas, where they didn't evenshow up. It was like eight to
three. Oh yeah, And thatwas when Bill Garran went them up like
a Christmas tree in the locker roomthe next morning. I mean, one
by one on each player. IfI wasn't wearing my caprice off jersey and
it was my old Perezy one,I would have thrown it on the ice.
Yes, so bad. The onething that I don't know if you
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that he said that I still don'tnecessarily agree with, is I would have
waited on Middleton. I love Middleton, love him as a player. I
think that when Spurgeon comes back,we'll see the same old Jake Middleton.
But I don't think that he's gettingeven if he has a great year this
year, I don't think he's gettingmore than four points. He wants to
stay here. I don't think he'sgoing to get more than four times four
three five on the open market andafter what happened last year with Hartman and
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Felino and all that. I justthink that that should have been a learning
lesson that let's wait and let's seewhat happens, because now you lock yourself
up, and with the trend insigning, you know, I think that's
indicative that they thought that a lotof the guys that they signlized year weren't
doing their jobs. And that's whyyou have to go and attack that role
that I you know, to getyour identity back when you know, really
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the guys in your lineup should havebrought that identity anyway. And so that's
one I'd still I would have waitedon that because to me, it's just
now another four times four three fivethat that's locked up. That takes away
a lot of your flexibility. Andthis is me coming from I mean telling
you that I have all the respectin the world for Jake Love covering the
guy. I still would have waited. The other one that I wanted to
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talk about was he said, Idon't care how much they make as far
as where the lineup is, thepeople are going to go or they're going
to go and to outplay. Iwould like to see that because if if
that was the truth, I'm notsaying he's a liar. I'm just saying
Johansson and goodrou would have not beenin the lineup, yeah, point blank.
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But they were making enough money towhere they had to be in the
lineup, and so they're taking spotsaway. And when you lock up fourth
liners and third liners, you're askingwhen you say the best players are going
to play. Yeah, like Panthersays it, who I love is a
person and a broadcaster, but hesays it on your podcast, they got
to play better, you know,make the team. If they're already locked
into four year deals, these fourthand third liners, you're basically saying,
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all right, you're off. Youhave to play better than caprisof to get
in the lineup. Yeah. Idon't disagree with you, Like I've covered
this late for thirty years and itis I mean, that's just the reality
of the business. So I agreewith you on Adam. You know,
I think in the context he wassaying it is that he doesn't in that
role on second line, he doesn'tcare who it is. I think generally
you're right, Like Trenton's a perfectexample. He signed four times, three
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times three point five. He's notplaying on the fourth line on this team.
Marcus Felino times is four times four. He's not playing on the fourth
line on the team. They're playingin elevated roles. But they should,
yep. And so that's you know, So to your point on there,
I don't disagree with you. Let'sdo this. Let's take a break up.
Andrew Burnett's coming on the other side, and I cannot. I want
(25:53):
to give him all the time inthe world because there's nothing like talking to
Bruno on the radio. We'll beback on the fan. If you want
to time to what's happening to yourfavorite kfan shows. You can make your
voice heard on the Bradshawn Bryant Kfantext line. This last not what you
have to say by texting that messageto six four six eighty six. That's
six four six eighty six standard textmessage in day right, supply, Mike
(26:22):
Ruso back here on the fan fromthe Athletic. Really happy that I'm here
on this wonderful day where it justlooks like incredible to be outside. It's
just wonderful being in the studio.Really excited for my next guest. Two
thousand and three, hero for thefor the Minnesota Wild, two stints with
the Wild, spent many many yearshere as assistant GM assistant coach. I've
(26:47):
actually known him about thirty years becauseI covered his first NHL goal in person
at Miami Arena and got to evenbe there the game before he scored the
first ever goal in Predators here history. Andrew Burnette, how are you good?
Good, good? That game inMiami Arena. It still goes down.
That was a hell of a goalyou scored. Yeah, that was
(27:08):
right in my office, probably abouttwo feet for the net on Johnny Van
Beastbrook. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It was a fun place to play
back in the day. Yep.I just saw Beezer at the draft and
it was it was a fun placeto play, and it was just as
you know, you were part ofthat organization as well. They've got their
fan base back, and you know, Bruno talking about an exciting day yesterday
(27:32):
in Nashville or two days ago inNashville. I can't even imagine what it
was like for you to be sittingthere with Barry Trotz and see these deals
coming in. Four times eight forSteven Stampcos, seven times seven for one
of my favorite players in the league, Brady Shay and five times five and
a half for one of my favoriteplayers in the league, as all Wild
fans know, Jonathan Marsha. Sowhat was it like being in that office
(27:53):
and seeing Barry Trotz pulling the triggerson these things? Yeah, I mean,
I guess probably unexpected for the mostpart. I think you kind of
figure you're in one of the infor one of those guys. And it
seems like, as I' known frombeing upstairs in these positions, that things
happen fast and gears get changed quickly. And to come in on July first
(28:18):
in the morning and another player onthe table, then another player, and
you're really in disbelief. We canfit me get all three, so super
excited. Change is probably the makeupof our whole team and put us in
a pretty good position. And youknow, I heard you talking about your
eighty four degrees and beautiful in Minnesota, which this time of the year is
(28:40):
unbelievable, And I wish I wason a pontoon boat floating somewhere listening to
the Twins here right now. Butlike you, we've got to work,
and I'm in the bowels of BridgetownArena with Darby Hendrickson trying to figure out
how do we make this power playwork. So there are unbelievable problems to
have, but no, it's asuper exciting time. We've got our Minnesota
in here with Brady Shay after youlost Ryan McDonough, and you know,
(29:03):
we're excited to go. Yeah.I just can't even imagine. And I
just find it fascinating that it's BarryTrot's doing this because I think, you
know, you played for him,and and he was there for a long
long time. I think everybody alwayslooks just assumes that he's this conservative guy
that loves to just play defense firstand all that type of stuff. And
and here he goes out and hejust adds three really quality offensive players and
(29:26):
a couple of them with an axeto grind, which has got to just
really wet your appetite. You knowthat that Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marsh,
so two guys that didn't want toleave their their respective teams are going to
be out for blood this year exactly. And I think one of the strengths
of Barry is how he sees thegame and how he sees things he loves.
(29:47):
He calls him serial winners, buthe loves super competitive people and guys
that have been through through the grindand have stuff to prove. And both
those guys are going to come inreally hungry as a group. That's been
part of our identity, kind ofthe relentless kind of attitude, and they're
going to come in And you know, even with Brady, there are other
teams have moved on, they're readyto go. But he's I played for
(30:08):
Barry going back thirty plus years,and you know, he's always been He's
never been. I know he getsbecause of the teams he had to coach
his success, he had to haveand maybe play a different style of play.
But when I played him when wehad pretty good, high offensive teams
in the early nineties, you know, want to call their cup together,
and had really good teams. Wewere a little bit high octing, we're
(30:30):
in your face maybe offensive team thatcreated So his flexibility to coach whatever the
team he has and get the bestof them has always been one of the
strengths. Yeah, and now managingthat we're talking with Andrew Burnette, entering
his second year behind the National Predatorsbench after coaching the Florida Panthers to a
President's Trophy in twenty twenty two.That was our first playoff series win in
(30:51):
twenty six years. I was atthe first one, so never thought it
would take twenty six years after.But Bruno, let's go stamp Coost.
I mean, you know, itis going to be hard for all of
us to see him in a differenttype of uniform. I mean, you
know, he is just that,he is the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's
going he goes back so far thatWest Walls was ones coaching him in Tampa's
right, So you can call Wallseyand get all sorts of tips, you
(31:15):
know, and rather than when youscrewed him over on that one play here
in Minnesota when you called his nameand he I always wonder if wals you
know, I wonder if he's tostammer to take his one time Yeah,
exactly. Grab. Yeah, SoI you and Darby are in the back
room, you're working on the powerplay. I assume I'm just going to
assume that at some point Stephen Stamkosis going to wind up in that left
(31:38):
circle. Yeah. Yeah, Idon't know if we can move them else
somewhere else. I don't know ifseasible arguably, you know, obviously Dutch
can in that spot has been astaple the National Hockey League, every every
highlight you see, and I thinkStammer is right beside him. The way
how deadly is in that area isone timers off the term, and yeah,
(32:00):
it's gonna be hard to move him. We've just got to find somebody
to get in the puck in thosesituations, and yeah, it's gonna be
hard. It's gonna be you know, as we all know, change is
tough, and again being a stapleof that organization for so long, meaning
so much with the Cups and reallybringing the hockey. I know they'd won
a Cup before he got there,but the way it is now in Tampa,
(32:23):
if he even went back from theircup years to the way it is
now is night and day. Andhe's really revialized that whole area. As
you know, you've been in theremultiple times. So it's going to be
hard, but I think he's excited. Sometimes change is good. I think
as long as you're invigorated and you'reready to go on, I think he
has a little chip on our shoulder. So I think change for everybody is
(32:44):
important. You and I have talkedabout how much I absolutely love Roman Yosi
as a player, but I justthink Brady Shay is just like the perfect
all around hockey player in terms ofwhat you could throw him on your second
power play or your first power play. He's one of the great penalty killers
in the game. Just a greatdefensive defensive player, but somebody that's still
his mobile and can jump up inthe play. How much will that support
(33:07):
allow, you know, Yositer,you know, how much will it balance
out your blue line? Essentially?Yeah, I mean, I think we
lost Ryan McDonough, who's unbelievable leader. We're going to mess in tremendously what
he brought in the dressing room andon the ice, and him and yos
were arguably a really good, youknow combination last year for us. So
Brady's going to come in and fitright in. I mean the way Brady
(33:30):
skates, how long he is,you know, and then he brings that
offensive dimension and then his penalty killing, so he really solidifies that position.
And he's a wonderful person. Fromtalking to him on the phone, and
obviously I know a lot of peoplein Minnesota and all so you can never
have enough really good hockey players thatare character people. He's a team first
(33:51):
player and we're really excited to gethim and he's going to help us in
the way we play the way Ilike to play both on the both and
then you bring the penalty care allthe power play and the offensive jump he
has for the game and the activityhas back there. So he's like you
said, he's, you know,as close to perfect players you can get.
And then Jonathan Marsha though is thelast one that you guys signed at
(34:13):
five times five and a half.He's just such a great player for Vegas
and stay one one of Stanley Cupthere as obviously he went to a Stanley
Cup final as well. And sowhere did will he fit into all this?
And have you gotten a chance toreally chat with him? Because he's
one of the He really is oneof those beauties. That's just he's such
a fun guy to talk to.Yeah, he is, And just got
(34:36):
to know him a little bit.One of our coaches, Derrick and Kenzie
had played with them in Florida andspeaks really highly of him and just playing
against them over these years. He'sa gamer when the game is online,
he wants to well, he wantsto puck all the time, which I
love, and he's available all thetime. But he's really competitive kid,
and if you don't leave too manygames not knowing Jonathan marsha so wasn't either
(34:58):
playing or making an impact in thegame. So he fits exactly into a
little bit of our identity that we'rebeen working to create where you know obviously
that the serial winners is very ver. He calls them the clutch players,
the players that when the games onthe line, want the puck and you
can never have too many of them. And obviously it felt like in the
playoffs, Bruno, it just feltlike death might have been the one thing
(35:22):
that hurt you, guys. Andit feels like that's one area where you
have improved as a team. BecauseI watched that National Vancouver series, I
thought you outplayed them for the majorityof the series and maybe just got out
goal tended at the end. Butit just feels like that's one area where
you really want to address and deepenup the lineup this offseason. Yeah,
I mean you always want to doit, you just don't want you to
(35:44):
make sure and again coming in thatthey fit into the identity of what we're
doing right, I mean, Ithink that's the really important thing. And
by all accounts and what they've donetheir body of work, they fit in
perfectly to the things we're trying todo. For sure. The depth scoring,
I think we talked about it allyear, know those middle six.
Part of its youth, part ofit is depth the player. We really
(36:05):
have trouble feeling that. Now wehave all kinds of different luxuries and it'll
play itself out. You know,we can play retissary or fantasy hockey manager
right now and put them together.I've been a big believer. You don't
really know. You to have toget jumped on the ice and where the
players fit and how they fit,and it takes a little bit of time
for them to get accustomed to theway we like to play and I like
to play. It's a little bituncomfortable. So there's lots of different things.
(36:29):
But the quality people that we broughtin and their track record and like
you said, their chick on theshoulder, I think it bodes well for
the National Predators. Talk about aquality person you brought in behind the bench
with you, as you mentioned DarbyHendrickson. I assume that right when you
got word that Darby was leaving theWild organization, that you guys were pretty
much on the phone. Yeah,I think a game some time. I
(36:52):
think being in Minnesota or growing upand being such a big part of the
fabric, not just with the Wild, the state of Minnesota. I just
want to give him a few days. And we were kind of by happenstance
looking for a guy, and Iwas talking to a few different people and
really hadn't had traction, And thenwhen I heard Derby was available, obviously
(37:15):
want to call him and ask forhim right away. But I understand,
you know, trying to have alittle compassionate to what he's going through.
So I want to give him sometime. But I think he fits a
lot of the bills in the valuesystem that that I'm trying to create and
what I think is important. Uh, you know, he's such a great
relationship builder. He's community he's agreat community creator. He's very empathetic with
(37:37):
the player, how the player,what the player needs, what he you
know, how they're feeling. Andthen he's going to put the work and
he's one of the hardest working guysas you can see by the size of
his arms. He's one of thehigher heart wreaking guys in the NHL,
so it's hard to pass up ona guy like that. So we're really
excited. Our players, a lotof them were the both travels around the
(37:57):
league. I think a lot ofguys are excited to work with him.
He's done an unbelievable job of developingyoung players, so I think he's spent
a lot of the bills that personallyI'm looking for, and I think our
staff and our players will be ecstaticto have them. Yeah, and I
think that's the biggest loss at theWild to have with him not there,
as he was the guy that playerslooked to, so he was a liaison
between the coaching staff and the players. And I know how much he was
(38:20):
loved. I've talked to a bunchof players since he was let go and
how much they'll miss him here inMinnesota. And you guys, I know
our buddies as well. I've seenyou out on You're going to have to
keep them away from Broadway though,Bruno, I'm too old for broadbagers.
I mean it's crazy, as youknow, doubt. Yeah, it's a
little different than nineteen ninety eight whenyou showed up. It's too too crazy
(38:44):
for me. Now, yeah,it's amazing. It just never stops.
I think every day I drive outof here at bridge Stone and there's another
crane going up, another building,another country singers opening a bar. So
it's a never ending run. Wejust got to get a little lower key
like the Lake Elmo in we gotto find Yeah, I know you,
yeah exactly, that's my favorite place. Can I ask you about a Yakav
Trenan that the Wild just signed himno four year, fourteen million dollar deal.
(39:07):
He's been a fourth liner most ofhis career, obviously in Nashville and
then going to Colorado. What arethe Wild getting him? Well, they're
going to get a big body thatcan really skate in physical and fearless and
a tremendous kid. He's not aman of very few words, but he
he's a great I love him andthey'll really enjoy the fans. Ones say
(39:29):
the way he can finish checks,and he can really skate, and he
pushed the pace and he'll stick upfor anybody at any time. So he's
a really good combination of a lotof different things and the state of hockey
I think will enjoy what he bringsnight in a night out. Can I
ask you about UC sarus is sixtytwo million dollar deal that he just signed.
You know, that's I guess that'sone area where you know who's going
(39:51):
in. You know you're not gonnahave to worry about him and who's starting
a goal every night. He justseems to want the net and performs on
a nightly basis. Yeah, Imean he's pretty special player and just in
a person, I think there's he'svery low maintenance. He comes to work
every day. It's never about him. And you know, you go through
(40:15):
different goalies and different times and youknow, as you know, and we've
know him, been around the gamefor so long, you don't find them
very often like that. I hadPecker in a here for a long time,
and and Juice kind of falls inthat same category. He's not in
for the numbers. He's just init for really you can say the wins,
but I think more important he's inthere to be with his teammates and
and he's just what he brings,it's it's he's he's a real special person.
(40:37):
So we're lucky to have him.Obviously, when the league goaltenders in
the NHL with his athleticism and hiscompetitive nature that not any plays are ever
over. He's going to you know, he never gives up, So he
kind of sets the tone in alot of different areas for us. Yeah.
I mentioned the Florida Panthers, Bruno. I just covered them basically for
(40:57):
two months down there, covering thatonly cup run from somebody that was there
the year before that. I knowyou wanted to continue after, you know,
having the best record in the league. Like, how was it tough
watching that? Like or was therea sense of pride or a little bit
of both? Like what are theemotions when you're watching them win a cup?
Yeah? I mean I think tome, vulnerable is a little bit
of both. I mean there's alot of pride when you see Alexander Barkhoff
(41:21):
and you know the things that he'sgone through and they they've they've had to
go through it a little bit too. And to get rewarded Aaron eck Blad
and even you know Bob and SamBennett and Sam Ryan Hurt. You have
some gratitude. You're grateful that you'rearound them, You're proud of them,
but it's hard I think it's businessyou leave unfinished that I felt we were
putting ourselves in a pre cood positionto win. Losing was really hard that
(41:45):
year. But I really believe ifyou look at all the best teams,
the Colorado's, the Tampa's, youcan go on and on Washington's, you
know, Pittsburgh, you know backand before they win the first one,
you got to go through the hardnessand and the tough times and that makes
it stronger. And they've gone twoyears of it and it was good to
(42:06):
see or great to see for themthen going through because they put a lot
of pressure on himself there in thefinal, and because they've gone through those
times it was last year's final orgetting beat by Tampa few years in a
row, they were able to overcomethat little adversity, stay within themselves and
win to stay in the Cup forFlorida, which is which is fantastic.
So you know, it's bittersweet,it's hard to watch, but there's some
(42:30):
enjoyment, some gratefulness that I haveof being around that group. Yeah,
and you know, I'll tell you, Bruno, I love what you guys
are doing in Nashville, And partof my really cool role at the Athletic
is I get to cover the finalsevery year and really PLAYFF runs every year.
And I hope to be in Nashvillenext mid June and watching lift that
cup over your head. It wouldbe just amazing to watch watch you lift
(42:52):
that thing. It'd probably be lightas a feather for you. Yeah.
I'd have to hang around Derby alittle bit. I have to get on
his program. Yeah exactly. Heavy. Yeah, yeah, that's all you
need to do with dark. Darbyneeds to sick closest to the glass of
the opposing coach. So if there'sever like one of those Mark Crawford moments
or Boujio and Patrick, why youjust send Darby over there and they'll shut
(43:12):
them up right away. So yeah, you just gotta wear a cutoff T
shirt and send them off, pullhis jackets off his jacket. But you
know, you know Darby, hejust buys sizes like three sizes too small
just to like loo. Yeah exactly. So well, Hey, Bruno,
I really appreciated lots of luck thisupcoming seven. Enjoy the rest of the
summer, semi best at Derby.You got her and go twins Yep.
(43:37):
Thanks, that is uh Andrew Burnett, the coach of the National Predators,
and uh Man did they have anincredible July one where Barry Trotz went out
and signed Stephen stampco's Jonathan marsh Soand Brady Shay. Wow, it's gonna
be an unbelievable Central Division next yearwhen we come back, though, Uh
is this Alex Lewis coming on rightnow? Yep, there we go.
I got catching up to the clock. So Alex Lewis, We're not just
(43:59):
going to hockey this show. JakeGencil, Oh, Jake is next?
Yes, sorry, Jake is next. Okay, there we go. Jake
is next. I should be changevotpivot over to thinking about hockey again.
I was all excited to talk tosome some vikings. We'll be right back
with Jake Encil.
Michael Russo from the Athletic Here ona beautiful July third, one day before
Independence Day, and I think that'swhy why Burrero asked for the day off.
So very happy to be in thisseat. Can't see brit Blake Moore.
Somebody needs to get a washcloth forthat glass. Brett. Yeah,
yeah, it is a bloodbath inthere. Brett bit his lip and is
(00:21):
bleeding everywhere, So maybe it's agood thing I don't see. Have an
incredible show for you today. AndrewBurnette, the Nashville Predators coach, former
Wild assistant GM assistant coach player.He'll be joining us at about three point
thirty to talk about the big newsout of Nashville with Steven Stamkos, Jonathan
marsh Thow, and Brady Shay goingthere. Alc Lewis or Vikings, writer
(00:42):
will be on as well. JohnHines, the Wild coach, will be
in studio, will actually be onthe phone. Anthony Lapanta will be in
studio during that hour, so he'lljoin me as well. Wild GM and
President of Hockey Ops Bill Garran willopen the show, and Jake Cansel,
fresh off a sixty three million dollarseven year deal. We'll be joining as
(01:03):
well. And let's go right toBill Gharrion and Billy, Like you were
in Pittsburgh at the beginning of theJake Encilara, did you ever expect him
to be this highly coveted sixty threenine million dollars a year deal. Well,
I mean, hey, look,you never know. But as as
(01:25):
we quickly found out, Jake wasa hell of a player. I always
say when Jake first signed with us, between his time in Wilkesbury and then
his between the time those games andthe games he played for the Penguins,
I forget what the breakdown was.He had scored forty nine goals for our
(01:46):
organization that year. Crazy and thatwe we always saw the the the hockey
sense, our local guy. Imean, everybody knows who Scott Bell is
in the air, and Scott Bellpounded the table for Jake Cansel in the
third round and h we ended uppicking him and and he's he has become,
(02:10):
uh, I mean, just anelite NHL hockey player. And I
love seeing it, and uh yeah, it's great. Jake's such a great
kid. I'm happy for him.I still remember Billy being on the ice
in Nashville when you guys won theCup in twenty seventeen and Mike Gnsel turning
to his wife and saying, Iguess it's a good thing he left school
because she wanted him to go backto senior year and Jason Botterill and Ben
(02:31):
Hankinson convinced him to come out andthere he goes the first rookie in NHL
history, I think to lead thepostseason and goal scoring and uh man,
you know, really happy for Jayand Jake will be joining uh later and
uh, I want I want torefresh your memory Bill of something that happened
at the draft to listen to thisoff the draft, Thanks buddy. Yeah,
(02:58):
so keepy Hard is his name,right, Aaron kid? I think
that's how you promounce it. Uhand comes right up to you, and
you gotta love I know that youlove Moxy. You have to love that
kid whispering in your ear that youjust got the biggest steel in the draft.
Oh, I love it. Andthe thing is that it was genuine,
like he didn't know that I hada mic guy, and that's that's
(03:21):
what he believes. And and youknow I I I think he's right.
I think he's going to be thebiggest steal in the draft, just for
just for confidence like that, AndI love it. I mean, and
that's that's that is, that's theway you make a strong first impression,
you know what. And he believesin himself and and that that's what you
(03:44):
want. You need that to be. You need that to play in the
NHL, to be a high endplayer in the NHL. And you know,
from what jud tells me, ifit wasn't for his you know,
he had a bit of a weirdknee injury that kept him out most of
last year. But if it wasn'tfor that, he had first round talent.
And you know, I just,yeah, you know what, let's
(04:06):
take a shot at this kid.And you know, you see now why
we would yep, the combo ofhis skill level in hockey sense. Now
you see, he's got the uh, he's got the confidence and and the
character that that goes along with it. So he's given himself the best chance.
Yeah, And I can't imagine whatit was like for him to sit
through four rounds when he thought hewas gonna be a top you know,
(04:28):
first or second round pick. Hecomes over from from overseas and has to
sit there. So he had alittle grid on him, and as Billy
mentioned, he had a he hada dissocated kneecap sustained last season where he
was just shooting one timers and justcame out in practice and then and then
really frightening injury in the under eighteenswhere he took a skate to the throat.
But another steal, Billy that youguys got was Eve Bulliam falling to
(04:50):
you right there at number thirteen.And the way I understand it is that
you guys saw on the draft floorof Saint Louis talking to Philadelphia and we're
a little worried that he that theymight hop over Philly and and and maybe
protect perhaps trade for Ze or draftEve if they traded for that pick.
And you guys hopped them and tradea third round pick, which is a
(05:12):
small price to pay to get theguy you wanted. And I know you
absolutely love this kid. Yeah weall do. And and you know,
I don't know what that conversation was, but you know, we we called
Philadelphia and they were, you know, they were willing to do the deal,
and and yeah, we got theguy we wanted. We still can't
believe he was he was available,but I think things early on got got
(05:34):
kind of thrown off. But yeah, we're so happy, And yeah,
a third round pick is a smallprice to pay to move up one spot
and get your guy. It's thesame thing we did with with Jasper Walls
that I think we might have movedup two spaces there. But yeah,
it's to get the player that youwant. That's a small price to pay.
(05:57):
We can we can get that pickback and other time if we need
to, right in the subsequent trade. And as you also said, like
I looked at your development camp rostercoming up, it's not like you're going
to really miss a third round pick. I think in the next couple of
years. Uh, you know you'vegot so many prospects coming Billy. How
long do you think Zeve Zeve hasI mean obviously had a huge year this
past year, winning gold medal lastyear at the World Under eighteen's, an
(06:19):
he win's the World Juniors, anhe wins the national championship on your ice,
going to be in the World Juniorsthis year for the university, you
know, with with David carl aswell, how how long do you think
that he'll take before not only doeshe turn pro. But he could be
NHL ready, you know, that'sa good question. I think he's probably
pretty close. We've we've got toget him in town and and check him
(06:44):
out physically at development camp, givehim, you know, run him through
some test c where he's deficient,where he's strong, you know, and
then and then we'll see you knowthat the last thing you want to do
is is is Russia young player.He is young for the draft too,
so we'll, you know, we'llwe'll play it as we see it.
(07:06):
And like I said, we justdon't want to rush him just because we're
really happy with him, you know, we want to be happy with him,
you know, for a long longtime. And if we rush him,
we could, you know, youcan, you can really hurt a
player's development. Yeah, and heis barely eighteen and a half. I
think he is not like Brett Brock'sfavor when he got here, and he's
all of a sudden debuting at agetwenty one. We're talking about Bill Geer
(07:27):
in the wild, President Hockey Operationsand general manager. And the big news
that came out yesterday Bill is extendingJake Middleton five years out of four year
seventeen point four million dollars deal.We got him on a zoom today and
hilarious as always as he hopped onhis Harley with his dad and went out
to British Columbia signed his contract ata little diner in Montana, he said,
(07:50):
I guess the big question is whynow? Why not wait till next
summer to get this done or atsome point after January one? Well,
I think you know what I mean. Well, first of all, why
wait? I mean we we likeJake. Uh, he's played very well
for us. He he brings alot of different intangibles plus good play to
the table. He's big, he'stough, he's a character. Guys love
(08:13):
him, he's a leader on theteam. There's just, uh, there's
no reason to wait. And ifyou yeah, to be quite honest,
I think worst players signed deals thisuh you know yesterday that you know that
that's what that's what we'd be staringin the face, competing with with these
crazy July one deals. And andyou know what he like Jake, Jake
(08:37):
likes us. It's a good fitand uh, you know, we feel
it's a it's a fair deal,So no no reason to flirt with the
disaster, including Bollyam. You draftedfour defensemen. We know you have six
guys in Iowa, including guys likeDavid Damon Haunt and David's Batchick. I
mean, is this a sign though, that you're not exactly convinced that these
guys will be here eventually or oror do you still feel like you are
(09:01):
going to have room for some ofthe guys that might pop in the next
couple of years on this roster.No, No, it's not that we
don't believe in them. These arethe best players available when when we were
picking. And that's what it is. And hey, competition, you know,
every every organization has situations like this, whether it's you know, goalie,
(09:22):
defense, forwards, centers, rights, last ways, it doesn't matter.
You're always going to be in competitionand you want to make it.
You got to help pay the otherguys in your organization and and that's healthy.
And you know it's not a it'snot for anything more than they were
the best player available when we werepicking. Uh. Yakov Trenan is somebody
(09:45):
that you guys signed to a fouryear, fourteen million dollars deal free agency.
We saw him last year and inthat you know, this might have
been what you remembered too, Uh, Billy, that's six to one win
by Nashville and National four games beforethe trade double line. He was one
of the hardest players on the ice, fought in that game, scored a
goal in that game. And asMiddleton said today, for checks like an
(10:07):
animal. Where when did you startidentifying him and when did you maybe pivot
where you thought, hey, we'regoing to try to go get a top
six guy in free agency, butthen started thinking, you know what,
we got to rediscover identity and maybeget a harder player. You know,
when we had our pro meetings,uh, you know, a month five
weeks ago, we we all weall agreed that that was just more important,
(10:28):
I think, more realistic. Youknow, you see some of the
deals that were signed out there.Then you look at the camp space we
had, what we had to doto how we would have to kind of
decimate our team in order to fitsomebody in like that. It just didn't
make sense. You know what,we want a well balanced team. We
want to get back to our identityand being harder to play against. We
(10:54):
needed size, we needed grit.He's got some offensive capabilities and that's that's
that's the box we we felt mostimportant needed to be checked. And you
know, he's got a good relationshipwith John and uh, you know,
I I think he fits real welland and same thing with Jacob Lockall.
You know, he he fits thatdescription too. That was a big,
(11:18):
uh, a big area that ourplayers also voiced some concern it and just
getting back to our identity and beingmore aggressive. And we felt that was
the primary area that we wanted tofix to go out four years with him,
Like when did that decision happen?Is that just the price of doing
business there? And and you know, I think that the one thing that
(11:41):
that people are starting to get aconcern on is that next year was the
year that you guys were supposed tobe flush with cap space and and a
little more flexibility to go out andspend money after the cap hell has sort
of dissipated with Parisian Suitor. Youknow, do you feel like you're going
to still have that flexibility to goout and and add players next offseason?
(12:01):
You know, with the fact thatyou're gonna have to look at resigning capriceof
resigning favor things like that. Yeah, we'll have we'll have plenty of caps
face to do what we need todo. But you know what with with
a guy like this, this isthis is what you need anyways, and
you're you know, it's like Felino. Everybody wants them, and you know
(12:22):
as soon as you let them go, you're gonna you're gonna wish you had
them back. And you know what, Yeah, we're gonna We're gonna continue
to look for scoring. We needsome guys on our team to have bounced
back years like you and I havetalked about. But this this size,
grit, abrasiveness, those are reallytough guys to come by. And everybody's
(12:45):
looking for him. So you knowtoo, he's twenty seven, he's this
is the prime of his career.So it takes him from twenty seven to
thirty one, those are those area player's best years, you know.
So we're really comfortable with a fouryear deal for him, and you know,
hopefully with the cap continuing to goup, well we'll have as much
(13:07):
cap space as we need. We'retalking about Bill Garran, the Wild's president
of general President of hockey Opperson andgeneral manager. It's easy for me to
say, or not easy, Billy, let me ask you about the top
six though, Like you know,the one thing that that John said on
the conference call the other day withus is that it felt like last year
there was a revolving door with tryingto find the right winger there on that
(13:28):
second line. And obviously we knowhow dominant capriceof Ericksonak and Boldie were,
you know, really after John arrivedand made the switch with Zukerrello and Caprice
soft, how can the second linebe different this year? Can you see
a Liam ogre and grabbing that spotor or you know, how can it
be different where it's just not Joehanssonput there, put there, and all
(13:50):
of a sudden that might affect thelines up offensive productivity. Yeah, and
listen, it's competition, Like Idon't care who's there, Like I don't
I don't care how much he's makingor what his name is, whoever's going
to produce and and you know,give us what we need on that line
is gonna play there. I thinkone of the biggest things is is,
(14:11):
uh, you know what Ryan Hartmanneeds to come in and and get off
to a better start and have abetter year if he can get back to
playing with Capriz off and and dGrello. That allows Bolding and to play
together and and then we'll see whathappens on the wing there. But we
Ryan's an incredibly important part of ofour forward group and we really need him
(14:33):
to, uh, you know,to be ready for the start of the
season. And then that puts Rossithere on online three, which definitely balances
things out. Billy, You've beentalking a lot lately about the necessity,
the necessity of getting off to amuch better start. It's been a couple
of years in a row. Obviouslylast year. You know, as I
(14:54):
always say, you can you can'tmake the playoffs in October November, but
you can certainly miss the playoffs.And we saw when John took over this
team went on fire, but thenyou hit injury problems and injury problems and
injury problems, and you just couldnever catch up because you were chasing the
beginning of the year. You've reallytalked about this a lot lately. You
have a tough, tough schedule tostart the year with fifteen, with ten
(15:15):
of your fifteen games on the road, including a seven game road trip.
How much is sort of your messagesaying it so often publicly? You know
a way to try to get insidethe ears of your players that there's just
no excuses despite the fact that yourschedule is definitely tough to start. Yeah,
I don't listen. I don't havea public message that I do on
a radio show like this or aninterviews and then a private message to the
(15:39):
players. There's one message. Weneed to get off to a better start.
We need to be ready to go. The league is unforgiving, and
you know what, I'm okay withour schedule. I actually like our schedule
this year. The road trip atthe beginning of the year, I think
that's a good time to have it. You got a lot of energy,
(16:02):
you got a lot of you know, you got a lot of juice in
your legs, and you're just you'reyou're, you're ready to go. And
and I think it's a good timefor the team to to spend some time
on the road together and bond andplay in some tough situations early on to
to kind of thicken your skin.So I'm good with it. I think
we have a great schedule, andI'm confident that the guys will be ready
(16:23):
because you know what, Listen,as disappointed as I am in the start
last year and and and the waythings went, the players are are are
at least just as much, probablymore because they're the ones doing it.
And you know, I'm confident thatthey'll be back in uh in September ready
to go. Billy. You signeda bunch of guys to two way deals,
(16:45):
really good players too, I meanguys like Reach Johnson and Travis Boyd,
Devin Shore. You know, Uh, you get the HL Goalie of
the Year a couple of years agoto maybe be your fifth. But the
one thing that always strikes me now, Billy, is the salaries for a
minor leaguer. I'm and I rememberwhen it was sixty seven, five hundred
was pretty much what everybody made downin the minors. Now it's five fifty.
(17:06):
Is part of you even just likeamazed at what you guys have to
negotiate now to get these these guysto sign up and maybe not go over
to Europe. Well, yes,and no, I mean, listen,
everybody's making more money. The NHLsare making more money, The league's making
more money. Where it's all growingand and this is part of the competition,
you know, and if you wantto create that's in your organization.
(17:27):
Well, you know what, yougot to pay for it, and you
know what, they've the market's beencreated and you know what I mean,
Yeah, we our guys did afantastic job of of of getting these players
signed. They've all got great NHLexperience. You know, a lot a
(17:48):
lot of these guys have been leaderswherever they've gone. And yeah, we're
thrilled to have the guys that wegot, but yeah, you know what,
there's there's a there's a price topay, and there's a price to
pay for being good. And we'relucky to have the uh you know,
the financial support from Craig and youknow, being able to do this stuff
because that's that's what it takes.And last question for you, Billy.
(18:12):
You know the other thing that happenedon July one, And it's crazy how
every contract now has no no tradeprotection in some capacity, whether it's no
moves limited full Did you ever havea no trade clause like I can't remember
nine? Did you get to sortof decide where you went? I had
I had no trades for UH,I think the last I think my last
(18:38):
four contracts I had no trade Dallas, Saint Louis, UH, New York
Islanders and UH Pittsburgh and I lifted, I lift, I got out in
Dallas there compensatory buyouts, and thenI got and then I lifted my UH.
I lifted my no move at thedeadline twice. Yeah, Now do
(19:00):
you, I mean, does itsurprise you though? How many guys get
it? Now? I'm you area four hundred and fifty goal scorer,
some you know, won a coupleof Cups. US Hockey Hall of Famer.
It doesn't seem like everybody has thatpedigree that are getting them now.
Yeah, I think it's you know, it's a negotiation and there are different
levels of it. And I thinkyou know the way I the way I
(19:22):
see it is, you know,you're the players that you're signing, hopefully
you're not trading them anyways, youknow, and it depends, you know,
and like some shorter ones like Zucarelloand you know he's played well for
you, he's an older guy,you get them at a lower number and
you give them, you know,a no move. And then there's some
guys that get limited no moves.But you know, for certain players it
(19:47):
doesn't matter a limited no move theteams that he's able to be traded too.
You know that there's going to beinterested in this player, so it
shouldn't be too too difficult if needbe. So I don't really, I
don't worry about it too much.But yeah, it does seem to be
(20:08):
like, you know, everybody andtheir brothers getting it no matter what level
you're at. But hey, thatcould change so soon too. Right,
Well, Billy, have a goodrest of your summer. I have a
great fourth thumb. And uh andyeah, I assume that we'll be talking
at some point here about more movesto the long off season left. Yeah,
(20:30):
we'll see have a happy fourth Mike. We'll talk to you soon.
Yep. That is Bill Garran,the Wild's president of hockey ops in general
manager. When we come back,we'll have a small little break and then
we're gonna get Mindor mald America's streetteam all summer long. Out of our
events, come find us, askabout our mauld American mystery cards where everyone
is a winner. And so herewe'll be next camping in dot com keyword
(20:52):
calendar. So from the Athletic backhere on the fan. Brett blakemore behind
the glass, Brett wearing his WildHockey shirt. Right, of course,
what'd you think? Well, it'sBill Garrin. You know, I love
(21:12):
Billy. I love that he's justa straight shooter and he just tells it
like it is. I truly meanthat. It's such a refreshing from just
GM speak of just you know,maybe telling us lies or something that we
want to hear and then doing somethingelse later. He just tells it like
it is and what he's what he'sthinking. I mean, I had a
cut. I know there's a buttcoming. Well, I'll just say I'll
(21:33):
just say this before I there,I get to the butt coming. I
acknowledge that I'm just a person thatpushes buttons for a living and I know
nothing and I've never been there,done that, blah blah blah blah blah.
But I had a couple notes thatI was just thinking about the slow
start bit and I get that.And then something you talked about with Nordo
earlier today that caprisoff got off toa slow start, Zuccarello got off to
(21:55):
a slow start, and therefore theWild got off to a slow start.
Would you say that that is notindicative of the rest of the depth scoring
that if two players got off toslow start and the whole team is just
dead in the water. I mean, is it on the Stars to just
carry the entire lie. Look,it wasn't just on those two. I
mean they just were not playing welldefensively, They weren't getting saves. Remember
(22:17):
Gustuson had that unbelievable first game againstFlorida. Then he just got started getting
shill ACKed. So that was partof it. They got injured off the
hop with guys like Gudro getting hurtand Bolder getting hurt in Toronto, Spurgeon
already being hurt, it just becamea laundry list of reasons. But they
just seemed to lost lose their Itseemed what happened in the playoffs sort of
(22:37):
trickled into the first six weeks.And then what happens is you start to,
I think inside the room, eventhough no coach, no player will
ever say they toned out, tunedout a coach, I think you start
to hear all the rumblings of DeanEverson's jobs on the line, and you're
sort of waiting for something to happen. And I think that's really what happened,
because they got back from Sweden andthey go and they play in Detroit
get schill ACKed, and I thinkBill Geron was not going to fire Dean,
(22:59):
and then all of a sudden hejust changed his mind because I just
thought it was inutenable. I wasthere the night before they left for Sweden
against Dallas, where they didn't evenshow up. It was like eight to
three. Oh yeah, And thatwas when Bill Garran went them up like
a Christmas tree in the locker roomthe next morning. I mean, one
by one on each player. IfI wasn't wearing my caprice off jersey and
it was my old Perezy one,I would have thrown it on the ice.
Yes, so bad. The onething that I don't know if you
(23:23):
that he said that I still don'tnecessarily agree with, is I would have
waited on Middleton. I love Middleton, love him as a player. I
think that when Spurgeon comes back,we'll see the same old Jake Middleton.
But I don't think that he's gettingeven if he has a great year this
year, I don't think he's gettingmore than four points. He wants to
stay here. I don't think he'sgoing to get more than four times four
three five on the open market andafter what happened last year with Hartman and
(23:47):
Felino and all that. I justthink that that should have been a learning
lesson that let's wait and let's seewhat happens, because now you lock yourself
up, and with the trend insigning, you know, I think that's
indicative that they thought that a lotof the guys that they signlized year weren't
doing their jobs. And that's whyyou have to go and attack that role
that I you know, to getyour identity back when you know, really
(24:07):
the guys in your lineup should havebrought that identity anyway. And so that's
one I'd still I would have waitedon that because to me, it's just
now another four times four three fivethat that's locked up. That takes away
a lot of your flexibility. Andthis is me coming from I mean telling
you that I have all the respectin the world for Jake Love covering the
guy. I still would have waited. The other one that I wanted to
(24:27):
talk about was he said, Idon't care how much they make as far
as where the lineup is, thepeople are going to go or they're going
to go and to outplay. Iwould like to see that because if if
that was the truth, I'm notsaying he's a liar. I'm just saying
Johansson and goodrou would have not beenin the lineup, yeah, point blank.
(24:48):
But they were making enough money towhere they had to be in the
lineup, and so they're taking spotsaway. And when you lock up fourth
liners and third liners, you're askingwhen you say the best players are going
to play. Yeah, like Panthersays it, who I love is a
person and a broadcaster, but hesays it on your podcast, they got
to play better, you know,make the team. If they're already locked
into four year deals, these fourthand third liners, you're basically saying,
(25:11):
all right, you're off. Youhave to play better than caprisof to get
in the lineup. Yeah. Idon't disagree with you, Like I've covered
this late for thirty years and itis I mean, that's just the reality
of the business. So I agreewith you on Adam. You know,
I think in the context he wassaying it is that he doesn't in that
role on second line, he doesn'tcare who it is. I think generally
you're right, Like Trenton's a perfectexample. He signed four times, three
(25:33):
times three point five. He's notplaying on the fourth line on this team.
Marcus Felino times is four times four. He's not playing on the fourth
line on the team. They're playingin elevated roles. But they should,
yep. And so that's you know, So to your point on there,
I don't disagree with you. Let'sdo this. Let's take a break up.
Andrew Burnett's coming on the other side, and I cannot. I want
(25:53):
to give him all the time inthe world because there's nothing like talking to
Bruno on the radio. We'll beback on the fan. If you want
to time to what's happening to yourfavorite kfan shows. You can make your
voice heard on the Bradshawn Bryant Kfantext line. This last not what you
have to say by texting that messageto six four six eighty six. That's
six four six eighty six standard textmessage in day right, supply, Mike
(26:22):
Ruso back here on the fan fromthe Athletic. Really happy that I'm here
on this wonderful day where it justlooks like incredible to be outside. It's
just wonderful being in the studio.Really excited for my next guest. Two
thousand and three, hero for thefor the Minnesota Wild, two stints with
the Wild, spent many many yearshere as assistant GM assistant coach. I've
(26:47):
actually known him about thirty years becauseI covered his first NHL goal in person
at Miami Arena and got to evenbe there the game before he scored the
first ever goal in Predators here history. Andrew Burnette, how are you good?
Good, good? That game inMiami Arena. It still goes down.
That was a hell of a goalyou scored. Yeah, that was
(27:08):
right in my office, probably abouttwo feet for the net on Johnny Van
Beastbrook. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It was a fun place to play
back in the day. Yep.I just saw Beezer at the draft and
it was it was a fun placeto play, and it was just as
you know, you were part ofthat organization as well. They've got their
fan base back, and you know, Bruno talking about an exciting day yesterday
(27:32):
in Nashville or two days ago inNashville. I can't even imagine what it
was like for you to be sittingthere with Barry Trotz and see these deals
coming in. Four times eight forSteven Stampcos, seven times seven for one
of my favorite players in the league, Brady Shay and five times five and
a half for one of my favoriteplayers in the league, as all Wild
fans know, Jonathan Marsha. Sowhat was it like being in that office
(27:53):
and seeing Barry Trotz pulling the triggerson these things? Yeah, I mean,
I guess probably unexpected for the mostpart. I think you kind of
figure you're in one of the infor one of those guys. And it
seems like, as I' known frombeing upstairs in these positions, that things
happen fast and gears get changed quickly. And to come in on July first
(28:18):
in the morning and another player onthe table, then another player, and
you're really in disbelief. We canfit me get all three, so super
excited. Change is probably the makeupof our whole team and put us in
a pretty good position. And youknow, I heard you talking about your
eighty four degrees and beautiful in Minnesota, which this time of the year is
(28:40):
unbelievable, And I wish I wason a pontoon boat floating somewhere listening to
the Twins here right now. Butlike you, we've got to work,
and I'm in the bowels of BridgetownArena with Darby Hendrickson trying to figure out
how do we make this power playwork. So there are unbelievable problems to
have, but no, it's asuper exciting time. We've got our Minnesota
in here with Brady Shay after youlost Ryan McDonough, and you know,
(29:03):
we're excited to go. Yeah.I just can't even imagine. And I
just find it fascinating that it's BarryTrot's doing this because I think, you
know, you played for him,and and he was there for a long
long time. I think everybody alwayslooks just assumes that he's this conservative guy
that loves to just play defense firstand all that type of stuff. And
and here he goes out and hejust adds three really quality offensive players and
(29:26):
a couple of them with an axeto grind, which has got to just
really wet your appetite. You knowthat that Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marsh,
so two guys that didn't want toleave their their respective teams are going to
be out for blood this year exactly. And I think one of the strengths
of Barry is how he sees thegame and how he sees things he loves.
(29:47):
He calls him serial winners, buthe loves super competitive people and guys
that have been through through the grindand have stuff to prove. And both
those guys are going to come inreally hungry as a group. That's been
part of our identity, kind ofthe relentless kind of attitude, and they're
going to come in And you know, even with Brady, there are other
teams have moved on, they're readyto go. But he's I played for
(30:08):
Barry going back thirty plus years,and you know, he's always been He's
never been. I know he getsbecause of the teams he had to coach
his success, he had to haveand maybe play a different style of play.
But when I played him when wehad pretty good, high offensive teams
in the early nineties, you know, want to call their cup together,
and had really good teams. Wewere a little bit high octing, we're
(30:30):
in your face maybe offensive team thatcreated So his flexibility to coach whatever the
team he has and get the bestof them has always been one of the
strengths. Yeah, and now managingthat we're talking with Andrew Burnette, entering
his second year behind the National Predatorsbench after coaching the Florida Panthers to a
President's Trophy in twenty twenty two.That was our first playoff series win in
(30:51):
twenty six years. I was atthe first one, so never thought it
would take twenty six years after.But Bruno, let's go stamp Coost.
I mean, you know, itis going to be hard for all of
us to see him in a differenttype of uniform. I mean, you
know, he is just that,he is the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's
going he goes back so far thatWest Walls was ones coaching him in Tampa's
right, So you can call Wallseyand get all sorts of tips, you
(31:15):
know, and rather than when youscrewed him over on that one play here
in Minnesota when you called his nameand he I always wonder if wals you
know, I wonder if he's tostammer to take his one time Yeah,
exactly. Grab. Yeah, SoI you and Darby are in the back
room, you're working on the powerplay. I assume I'm just going to
assume that at some point Stephen Stamkosis going to wind up in that left
(31:38):
circle. Yeah. Yeah, Idon't know if we can move them else
somewhere else. I don't know ifseasible arguably, you know, obviously Dutch
can in that spot has been astaple the National Hockey League, every every
highlight you see, and I thinkStammer is right beside him. The way
how deadly is in that area isone timers off the term, and yeah,
(32:00):
it's gonna be hard to move him. We've just got to find somebody
to get in the puck in thosesituations, and yeah, it's gonna be
hard. It's gonna be you know, as we all know, change is
tough, and again being a stapleof that organization for so long, meaning
so much with the Cups and reallybringing the hockey. I know they'd won
a Cup before he got there,but the way it is now in Tampa,
(32:23):
if he even went back from theircup years to the way it is
now is night and day. Andhe's really revialized that whole area. As
you know, you've been in theremultiple times. So it's going to be
hard, but I think he's excited. Sometimes change is good. I think
as long as you're invigorated and you'reready to go on, I think he
has a little chip on our shoulder. So I think change for everybody is
(32:44):
important. You and I have talkedabout how much I absolutely love Roman Yosi
as a player, but I justthink Brady Shay is just like the perfect
all around hockey player in terms ofwhat you could throw him on your second
power play or your first power play. He's one of the great penalty killers
in the game. Just a greatdefensive defensive player, but somebody that's still
his mobile and can jump up inthe play. How much will that support
(33:07):
allow, you know, Yositer,you know, how much will it balance
out your blue line? Essentially?Yeah, I mean, I think we
lost Ryan McDonough, who's unbelievable leader. We're going to mess in tremendously what
he brought in the dressing room andon the ice, and him and yos
were arguably a really good, youknow combination last year for us. So
Brady's going to come in and fitright in. I mean the way Brady
(33:30):
skates, how long he is,you know, and then he brings that
offensive dimension and then his penalty killing, so he really solidifies that position.
And he's a wonderful person. Fromtalking to him on the phone, and
obviously I know a lot of peoplein Minnesota and all so you can never
have enough really good hockey players thatare character people. He's a team first
(33:51):
player and we're really excited to gethim and he's going to help us in
the way we play the way Ilike to play both on the both and
then you bring the penalty care allthe power play and the offensive jump he
has for the game and the activityhas back there. So he's like you
said, he's, you know,as close to perfect players you can get.
And then Jonathan Marsha though is thelast one that you guys signed at
(34:13):
five times five and a half.He's just such a great player for Vegas
and stay one one of Stanley Cupthere as obviously he went to a Stanley
Cup final as well. And sowhere did will he fit into all this?
And have you gotten a chance toreally chat with him? Because he's
one of the He really is oneof those beauties. That's just he's such
a fun guy to talk to.Yeah, he is, And just got
(34:36):
to know him a little bit.One of our coaches, Derrick and Kenzie
had played with them in Florida andspeaks really highly of him and just playing
against them over these years. He'sa gamer when the game is online,
he wants to well, he wantsto puck all the time, which I
love, and he's available all thetime. But he's really competitive kid,
and if you don't leave too manygames not knowing Jonathan marsha so wasn't either
(34:58):
playing or making an impact in thegame. So he fits exactly into a
little bit of our identity that we'rebeen working to create where you know obviously
that the serial winners is very ver. He calls them the clutch players,
the players that when the games onthe line, want the puck and you
can never have too many of them. And obviously it felt like in the
playoffs, Bruno, it just feltlike death might have been the one thing
(35:22):
that hurt you, guys. Andit feels like that's one area where you
have improved as a team. BecauseI watched that National Vancouver series, I
thought you outplayed them for the majorityof the series and maybe just got out
goal tended at the end. Butit just feels like that's one area where
you really want to address and deepenup the lineup this offseason. Yeah,
I mean you always want to doit, you just don't want you to
(35:44):
make sure and again coming in thatthey fit into the identity of what we're
doing right, I mean, Ithink that's the really important thing. And
by all accounts and what they've donetheir body of work, they fit in
perfectly to the things we're trying todo. For sure. The depth scoring,
I think we talked about it allyear, know those middle six.
Part of its youth, part ofit is depth the player. We really
(36:05):
have trouble feeling that. Now wehave all kinds of different luxuries and it'll
play itself out. You know,we can play retissary or fantasy hockey manager
right now and put them together.I've been a big believer. You don't
really know. You to have toget jumped on the ice and where the
players fit and how they fit,and it takes a little bit of time
for them to get accustomed to theway we like to play and I like
to play. It's a little bituncomfortable. So there's lots of different things.
(36:29):
But the quality people that we broughtin and their track record and like
you said, their chick on theshoulder, I think it bodes well for
the National Predators. Talk about aquality person you brought in behind the bench
with you, as you mentioned DarbyHendrickson. I assume that right when you
got word that Darby was leaving theWild organization, that you guys were pretty
much on the phone. Yeah,I think a game some time. I
(36:52):
think being in Minnesota or growing upand being such a big part of the
fabric, not just with the Wild, the state of Minnesota. I just
want to give him a few days. And we were kind of by happenstance
looking for a guy, and Iwas talking to a few different people and
really hadn't had traction, And thenwhen I heard Derby was available, obviously
(37:15):
want to call him and ask forhim right away. But I understand,
you know, trying to have alittle compassionate to what he's going through.
So I want to give him sometime. But I think he fits a
lot of the bills in the valuesystem that that I'm trying to create and
what I think is important. Uh, you know, he's such a great
relationship builder. He's community he's agreat community creator. He's very empathetic with
(37:37):
the player, how the player,what the player needs, what he you
know, how they're feeling. Andthen he's going to put the work and
he's one of the hardest working guysas you can see by the size of
his arms. He's one of thehigher heart wreaking guys in the NHL,
so it's hard to pass up ona guy like that. So we're really
excited. Our players, a lotof them were the both travels around the
(37:57):
league. I think a lot ofguys are excited to work with him.
He's done an unbelievable job of developingyoung players, so I think he's spent
a lot of the bills that personallyI'm looking for, and I think our
staff and our players will be ecstaticto have them. Yeah, and I
think that's the biggest loss at theWild to have with him not there,
as he was the guy that playerslooked to, so he was a liaison
between the coaching staff and the players. And I know how much he was
(38:20):
loved. I've talked to a bunchof players since he was let go and
how much they'll miss him here inMinnesota. And you guys, I know
our buddies as well. I've seenyou out on You're going to have to
keep them away from Broadway though,Bruno, I'm too old for broadbagers.
I mean it's crazy, as youknow, doubt. Yeah, it's a
little different than nineteen ninety eight whenyou showed up. It's too too crazy
(38:44):
for me. Now, yeah,it's amazing. It just never stops.
I think every day I drive outof here at bridge Stone and there's another
crane going up, another building,another country singers opening a bar. So
it's a never ending run. Wejust got to get a little lower key
like the Lake Elmo in we gotto find Yeah, I know you,
yeah exactly, that's my favorite place. Can I ask you about a Yakav
Trenan that the Wild just signed himno four year, fourteen million dollar deal.
(39:07):
He's been a fourth liner most ofhis career, obviously in Nashville and
then going to Colorado. What arethe Wild getting him? Well, they're
going to get a big body thatcan really skate in physical and fearless and
a tremendous kid. He's not aman of very few words, but he
he's a great I love him andthey'll really enjoy the fans. Ones say
(39:29):
the way he can finish checks,and he can really skate, and he
pushed the pace and he'll stick upfor anybody at any time. So he's
a really good combination of a lotof different things and the state of hockey
I think will enjoy what he bringsnight in a night out. Can I
ask you about UC sarus is sixtytwo million dollar deal that he just signed.
You know, that's I guess that'sone area where you know who's going
(39:51):
in. You know you're not gonnahave to worry about him and who's starting
a goal every night. He justseems to want the net and performs on
a nightly basis. Yeah, Imean he's pretty special player and just in
a person, I think there's he'svery low maintenance. He comes to work
every day. It's never about him. And you know, you go through
(40:15):
different goalies and different times and youknow, as you know, and we've
know him, been around the gamefor so long, you don't find them
very often like that. I hadPecker in a here for a long time,
and and Juice kind of falls inthat same category. He's not in
for the numbers. He's just init for really you can say the wins,
but I think more important he's inthere to be with his teammates and
and he's just what he brings,it's it's he's he's a real special person.
(40:37):
So we're lucky to have him.Obviously, when the league goaltenders in
the NHL with his athleticism and hiscompetitive nature that not any plays are ever
over. He's going to you know, he never gives up, So he
kind of sets the tone in alot of different areas for us. Yeah.
I mentioned the Florida Panthers, Bruno. I just covered them basically for
(40:57):
two months down there, covering thatonly cup run from somebody that was there
the year before that. I knowyou wanted to continue after, you know,
having the best record in the league. Like, how was it tough
watching that? Like or was therea sense of pride or a little bit
of both? Like what are theemotions when you're watching them win a cup?
Yeah? I mean I think tome, vulnerable is a little bit
of both. I mean there's alot of pride when you see Alexander Barkhoff
(41:21):
and you know the things that he'sgone through and they they've they've had to
go through it a little bit too. And to get rewarded Aaron eck Blad
and even you know Bob and SamBennett and Sam Ryan Hurt. You have
some gratitude. You're grateful that you'rearound them, You're proud of them,
but it's hard I think it's businessyou leave unfinished that I felt we were
putting ourselves in a pre cood positionto win. Losing was really hard that
(41:45):
year. But I really believe ifyou look at all the best teams,
the Colorado's, the Tampa's, youcan go on and on Washington's, you
know, Pittsburgh, you know backand before they win the first one,
you got to go through the hardnessand and the tough times and that makes
it stronger. And they've gone twoyears of it and it was good to
(42:06):
see or great to see for themthen going through because they put a lot
of pressure on himself there in thefinal, and because they've gone through those
times it was last year's final orgetting beat by Tampa few years in a
row, they were able to overcomethat little adversity, stay within themselves and
win to stay in the Cup forFlorida, which is which is fantastic.
So you know, it's bittersweet,it's hard to watch, but there's some
(42:30):
enjoyment, some gratefulness that I haveof being around that group. Yeah,
and you know, I'll tell you, Bruno, I love what you guys
are doing in Nashville, And partof my really cool role at the Athletic
is I get to cover the finalsevery year and really PLAYFF runs every year.
And I hope to be in Nashvillenext mid June and watching lift that
cup over your head. It wouldbe just amazing to watch watch you lift
(42:52):
that thing. It'd probably be lightas a feather for you. Yeah.
I'd have to hang around Derby alittle bit. I have to get on
his program. Yeah exactly. Heavy. Yeah, yeah, that's all you
need to do with dark. Darbyneeds to sick closest to the glass of
the opposing coach. So if there'sever like one of those Mark Crawford moments
or Boujio and Patrick, why youjust send Darby over there and they'll shut
(43:12):
them up right away. So yeah, you just gotta wear a cutoff T
shirt and send them off, pullhis jackets off his jacket. But you
know, you know Darby, hejust buys sizes like three sizes too small
just to like loo. Yeah exactly. So well, Hey, Bruno,
I really appreciated lots of luck thisupcoming seven. Enjoy the rest of the
summer, semi best at Derby.You got her and go twins Yep.
(43:37):
Thanks, that is uh Andrew Burnett, the coach of the National Predators,
and uh Man did they have anincredible July one where Barry Trotz went out
and signed Stephen stampco's Jonathan marsh Soand Brady Shay. Wow, it's gonna
be an unbelievable Central Division next yearwhen we come back, though, Uh
is this Alex Lewis coming on rightnow? Yep, there we go.
I got catching up to the clock. So Alex Lewis, We're not just
(43:59):
going to hockey this show. JakeGencil, Oh, Jake is next?
Yes, sorry, Jake is next. Okay, there we go. Jake
is next. I should be changevotpivot over to thinking about hockey again.
I was all excited to talk tosome some vikings. We'll be right back
with Jake Encil.
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