#217. The Minnesota Wild Now Buyers at Deadline (with Gopher forward Bryce Brodzinski)

Which is more confusing: Jessi’s takes on the Minnesota Wild, or the Wild themselves?

Minnesota continues to roll but will Billy G roll with this team past the trade deadline or are moves on the horizon? + U of M forward Bryce Brodzinski joins to check in on the college hockey ranks.

All in this week’s episode, created by new voice studios, presented by SotaStick, brought to you by Talk North, Jim Beam, Livea, Grain Belt and Royal Credit Union this is season 5 episode 217.

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Okay, who’s more confusing? My takes on the Minnesota Wild or the Minnesota Wild themselves. Minnesota continues to roll, but will Billie Jean roll with this team past the trade deadline or are moves on the horizon, as always, or created by new Voice studios presented

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And hella Everybody. What’s up? We’re back. Barton Beauties Episode 216 to 17 to 17. Kirstin. I’m Jesse Pearce, right? Referring to Wycombe James Cursed girl in Hell’s Arena $0.04 WHL and your Minnesota Wild amongst many other things to 17 is the app. So, Kirsten, just to be clear, I was incorrect earlier.

Oh yeah, I see that now. It is 217. I don’t know. Everything’s a blur to me at this point. You know, Exciting weekend for your Minnesota Wild. A couple of late night games, couple late night showdowns, a couple of late night wins. We’re going to get to all of that.

And then in the second segment, we are actually checking in on college hockey with the best college hockey team to ever exist in the entire world. The Gopher men’s hockey squad with great strides in ski. I know a conversation that Kirsten just loves to have each year.

Well, it’s been a while since they’ve won a national championship, so I don’t know if I can say they’re the best ever exists. Now of remind me how many Banner sing Cloud Song. We can talk about how many championships the Gophers have won in comparison

To every other college hockey team in the country. You want to have that conversation in case you want to know, this. Is it’s our favorite argument. One of our many arguments I believe we have throughout the course of the season. But that’s what makes us the Barton beauties.

That’s what makes us fun different. I think we’re probably both on the same page, though. Kirsten, Last week we claimed the Minnesota Wild were back. Now we were coming off a very emotionally high win against the Vancouver Canucks or resign Minnesota Pot ten. Now they went on and lost to Winnipeg.

Didn’t hate the loss. Frankly, I didn’t think they played terribly. I kind of expected that to happen, but they have since won excuse me, two straight. They are seven one and one in their past nine Kaprizov got a point streak going bald. He’s got seven goals in his past eight Eriksson

EK, who was hurt in the Seattle game but is expected to be okay. He’s having a career year. How are we feeling? Are we still confident that the Minnesota Wild are back? Like I get nervous saying it out loud, but man, they’re playing some damn good hockey.

To be fair, I never said they were back. I said, I’ve liked the way that they’ve played. You said they’re back. So you’ve got to. Be definitive in your statement sometimes so I can go one way or another. But I don’t. They’re playing really, really good right now. They are playing really good.

I’m just confused because you said you didn’t think that they were going to make the playoffs. I still don’t. I still how can they be back then? Because they’re back to the level that we thought they were. Right. Like last week it was their back to the mediocrity maybe, Right.

I think that was the stance that I took. But like, it’s just it’s I hate it. I hate watching it because it’s just I don’t know what to make of the team. I continue to not know to make the team. They are still six points back from a wild card spot

Right now, currently occupied by the Nashville Predators with 68 points, but they are also behind Saint Louis. Saint Louis has a game in hand. And guess who they play this week? Kirsten? They play Nashville in Saint Louis on the road. So it’s a big week. It is going to be a big week.

I was going to say to you confused me just as much as this team knows. I never know. I’m just trying to, you know, stir the pie a little bit. Strange conversation. I know you are not loving the way they’re playing right now.

I’m very confident as they head into Saint Louis and Nashville. Hopefully Nashville can also have the showing like they did against Dallas when they had to cancel, as Rousseau tweeted, when they had to cancel their trip to the sphere to watch you, too, because they were embarrassed by Dallas 9 to 2.

So let’s have another one of those games. Oh, I did. I missed that one. That’s a I did it. I loved. It. I thought it was so funny. But Nashville’s your squad. I thought, like your second tier. I choose the wild over Nashville, so. Yeah, you’re down to the two.

I go for the wild, especially when things are as tight right now as they are. You know, let’s talk about why things are going so well. Let’s start with that top line, which we talked about last year. First of all, are you okay? Were you very concerned kind of in a corner

When Zoeller snuck, left the game with a potential injury? I had some choice words. I sent you some texts. I wasn’t happy. I was not happy, but I was relieved. I didn’t panic too much because to be honest, I didn’t see it in real time.

I saw the recaps after because I was in Saint Cloud that night. So I wasn’t, you know, I watched part of the game, didn’t see the injury in real time, went on Twitter, saw the news immediately, was like WTF and then saw also the follow ups like, okay, he’s expected to be fine.

So I was like, okay, so it’s honestly for the best that I didn’t see it in real time because I probably my level of unhinged would have been through the roof. I mean that I could see that I think everybody’s level of unhinged. She is having a hell of a year.

So fun to watch. And we talked a lot about him in last week’s episode, so I don’t want to harp too much on it. Practice was canceled today, so I don’t have an injury update on him. Injury updates just to clear the air.

They’re expecting Toledo and Zach Bogosian to come back before the March 8th trade deadline with Pat Maroon, who’s been out for a bit yet, expected to come back after that March 8th trade deadline. Let’s switch gears quick to the deadline, Kirsten, with the Minnesota Wild playing

As well as they are with them seemingly closing in on making a playoff push here. I mean, they’re playing again, good hockey. They are getting the points that are needed. They’re controlling their destiny for sure. Do you think this changes Bill Guerin approach now?

A couple weeks ago, I think we were all like, you know what, just sell whatever or just don’t do anything. It just you don’t need to try to make this team better because they are what they are. But we all know Bill Guerin and we know how competitive he is.

We know he’s his tongue is probably salivating right now. Do you think we’re going to see some movement before that March or on that March 8th trade deadline for the Minnesota wild as Bill Guerin looks to maybe help this team truly make it into the playoffs? Yes, I do think we will.

I’ve kind of had that feeling all season long, too, especially as it’s gotten closer. I don’t know. I’ve always said I don’t know what it’s going to be, but just knowing Bill Guerin and his style, he’s never one to just sit back and not do anything. We always have

Said he’s always plotting, always scheming something in the back of his mind. If I had to say right now, any wild players, I know the two names that are really speculated right now, the DUIs, I would say probably do him is more likely to be dealt somewhere than Connor do her personal opinion.

But if I were to see anyone go would probably be one of those. Do do her is a restricted free agent coming up this offseason do him an unrestricted free agent so odds of keeping him in general probably not great if you’re expecting to have him walk in the offseason any way.

You’re right that’s collateral right there. Pat Maroon was another name that was tossed around. Do you think the injury has hurt that speculation or do you? Because again, he is a guy that epitomizes a playoff run, right? He’s a guy that you want. I think that’s why Bill Guerin went

And got him in the offseason was to say, hey, this guy knows how to how to win. And I think he’s a coveted factor, a coveted role in a lot of teams. Do you think Patty slash big rig slash Patrick is a potential continues to be a potential for trade bait.

No I have always had the thought again, I keep being like I always I don’t I don’t know why it keeps coming out of my mouth like that. But I have had the feeling because the speculation has been going around for a while. I haven’t thought he’s going anywhere.

I felt he’s sticking around and I think definitely the injury he has had not being showcased, not playing in the weeks that he’s been out, I think that definitely hurts the chances of him being dealt somewhere else. And also Bill Guerin went the off season, picked him up, signed him to Minnesota, one,

If we’re taking the personal player perspective into consideration, he has a family, he’s got kids. I don’t think after already making one move earlier this season that he’s going to want to move uproot his family a second time. That’s kind of a personal feeling that I have,

Just kind of trying to put myself in a player’s position, but also to I don’t see Bill Guerin wanting him to be a player when he went out and got him to be another one, kind of at the trade deadline to be more expendable.

The only I, I honestly golf so back and forth on it because you’re right I think he’s one of Billy’s guys. Right. And we know how Billy feels about his guys and I think Cameron is that which is fine the reason I could see him being tradable

Is because teams would want a player of his caliber and he’s had a really good year up until the injury. I think he surprised all of us by playing in areas and getting some goals and showing more skills than I think we anticipated him to.

So I could see some teams maybe coming in knocking and looking for that and looking for his veteran presence. But yeah, ultimately I think him being one of Billy’s guys and especially, you know, on the flip side, if Garin thinks this team

Is destined to make the playoffs, then yeah, you want him on your team. So Bill’s not going to give that up. So it’s very I hate to be so wishy washy, but I am. I’m so like being here, being here, being here, being here because I could see it really shaking out

Either way. But you’re right. I think the injury probably hurts. Any teams that we’re possibly looking to do is I would agree Marc-Andre Fleury was another name that was briefly discussed. It sounds like, in a recent conversation he had with Joe Smith

Of the Athletic that Fleury does, in fact, want to be here. And again, I think we’ve talked about it. That has to be with the family. You bring up the family aspect, Kirsten, and how, you know, you don’t want to uproot. And Marc-Andre Fleury is a family guy.

So that’s where I’ve always kind of stayed steadfast. I don’t think Fleury is is going on where unless he really wants to go somewhere right it’s it’s Marc-Andre Fleury decision to make. Yeah and I think Bill Guerin even also mentioned that like at the trade deadline it’s his call.

I think people have kind of put words in his mouth for him all season long, just kind of speculating. Like at the trade deadline, Fleury is going to want to go play somewhere else. He has nothing else left to prove in his career. He has won three Stanley Cups.

He’s won multiple Vezina trophies. He he’s going to be a Hall of Famer like he has nothing left to prove. I think he’s really happy in Minnesota. And also to he said that like this is his team. So I don’t think that was really an option.

I didn’t see it that way anyways leading up to this point. But also to take this, as you will, I have heard, he also kept is keeping his kids in Minnesota for school next year. So take that as you will.

I don’t know what to make of that, but the plot is what I have heard. Plot thickens. You know, the other thing. Excuse me. Pardon me, Kadence, just going to chime in, but Marc-Andre Fleury is made the playoffs every year of his career. He doesn’t know what that’s like.

So maybe there’s something there. Who knows? I can understand if there were. Speaking of Marc-Andre Fleury, I want to get into the goaltending tandem and how I was critical last week and they heard me as they tend to do. And now we’re back with them playing some pretty dang good.

Excuse me, why do I keep saying pretty dang good? That’s like my phrase. Of the week. Like it’s my thing. Like they’re playing some dang good hockey, but the goalies are good. But first, Marc-Andre Fleury certified Swifty. How are you today?

We had a lot of people who immediately let the bar down. Beauties? No, that Marc-Andre Fleury quoted Taylor Swift post-game, saying, Just shake it off. Were you very excited to know that there is another confirmed Swifty in the room? I’m just happy. I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised. Marc-Andre Fleury, great guy.

Respects women like Taylor Swift. So, I mean, it’s just confirming every. Women. Way. I guess we were we worried that he disrespected. We know we weren’t. But like, there’s, like this whole thing, like, and I’m maybe going to stir the pot by saying this, but in the community,

The Swifty community, there’s a lot of men very vocal about not liking Taylor Swift, her ruining football, blah, blah, blah. So I feel like it really says a lot about a man when he’s like, Yeah, like Taylor Swift references her.

Like, even if you’re on the side of like Brock Faber where he’s like, I don’t listen to her, but I definitely respect her success. Like it says a lot about a man, the way he talks about Taylor Swift. So that’s why I said Fleury respects women. I get it. All right.

That makes sense. Like, I get I get what you’re saying. They needed to clarify that. Yes. And the continued confirmation of Jonas Brodin being a sexy also carries on. I apologize. I need to publicly apologize to Kirsten for not alerting her

Of the further confirmation that the Minnesota Wild made on their social media. Call it the fourth time now. And everyone’s like, Is he though? And I’m like, they tweeted about it like four times now. Like this is God. I just needed I need to, like, pick his brain about this.

He needs to come on the podcast, that’s all. And it just it needs to just once and for all get it out there. I just need to know his favorite song. Yeah, like there’s a whole. I have so many questions. Yeah, I. I don’t know why I still just struggle I.

We’ve been told many passed him and he said I like Taylor Swift. He literally told you. Yeah. I like Taylor Swift. And I’m just like, Huh? Hmm. Why is it so hard for you to believe? I don’t. I don’t know. I don’t know why my. Brain do to your face.

And also the Wilder tweeted about it so many times. It just feels too perfect. Maybe that’s he’s a perfect man. What do you. What do you want? What do you want him to say? Wow. Going back to the goaltending, Filip Gustafson looked absolutely phenomenal in the win in Edmonton on Friday night.

Before Fleury goes, Fleury has won four of his past five starts, allowing two goals or fewer. In three of those four, Philipp Gustafson made 41 saves and easily one of his best games of the season. Again, though, there’s the problem of consistency.

This is why I’m so inconsistent in my analysis is because this team is so damn inconsistent and I don’t know what to do. Yeah, you. Can. We use me more than this team does, quite frankly. Can we? But can we guarantee Filip Gustavsson can continue to perform this way?

I guess that’s where is your concern level with that? Because coming into the year, I think we were all like apprehensive if he can, you know, duplicate what he did last year and do it with more games. Now obviously he’s been injured a little bit this year.

There’s been injuries throughout the team, which obviously changed things in front of you as a goalie, I, I haven’t seen enough of the good to believe that Filip Gustavsson is going to be like this to round out the rest of the regular season, I guess. I think as of late

I have seen more of the good from him and I think a lot of that is to do, if I am to speculate, he probably is feeling more healthy than he was after coming back from that injury because we had discussed we didn’t think he was fully healed from what it was.

At this point, I think he’s finding his groove again. Like I have more confidence in Marc-Andre Fleury and him performing well night in and I like it’s been a really good year for Fleury. I think there’s been a couple rough starts, but for the most part

I think he’s really found a good groove because he’s had to. Again, when Gus was out, I mean, he was the guy and he stood up to that task. And not that I’m surprised because he’s still Marc-Andre Fleury, but again, he’s on that tail end of of his career.

I just but then I don’t know if that means who’s your number one? If you had to name a number one. Are you saying Filip Gustavsson is your number one? No, I would say with the way Fleury has been this season, I would probably say Fleury. I’m more confident.

I agree in that by saying I feel better about Fleury because Gus has been inconsistent this season. But I think as of late he’s like I mentioned, finding his groove again. But I still have more confidence in Fleury.

Like I feel the team and I, you know, just I’m going to go into this week trying to find out the answer. I feel the team thinks Gus is number one in Fleury’s Number two, I don’t know if they’re viewing it as a direct

5050 tandem, maybe more so lately because they are playing that way. But again, there’s been a ton of back to backs as well. I’m going to go with Marc-Andre Fleury as my number one as well. I don’t think does man number one. He hasn’t been my number one for most of the year.

So what do you do? Wait till he calls you out on that. He does love to do that. Sorry, I. Nothing. Nothing against you. I just I’ve see more out of Marc-Andre to say, hey, I. Think I think that’s a. Very clear cut. I think. It’s fair.

I just. Your goalie criticism is funny. I don’t know. Why we all know I have no skill in goaltending. I couldn’t even get up on the pads, so I can’t really. It’s almost better. It’s getting there. Were rounding the corner of healing so I’m proud I’m on.

It’s more of a day to day situation, I think, versus a week to week, which it is because we’re two weeks into this now. So that’s good. We’re, we’re gonna start practicing with the team tomorrow. It’s, it’s going to get better appreciate that. Thank you for your concern.

Well tomorrow’s a game day so you can’t really practice with the team tomorrow. Yeah, no, that’s how I’m going to be. Like, I’m going to get my reps in with the interviews, you know, work my way into the inside of the scrums. Yes, It’s what I do.

Before we get to the week ahead with your minutes, well, before we get to Bryce Brzezinski and Chad, a little bit of gopher and college hockey and more about Brock Faber, too. Of course I want to talk about Matt Zuccarello.

I feel like he’s kind of I don’t want to say an unsung hero. I think everybody knows what Matt Zuccarello is capable of. But you go back Saturday’s game against Seattle four assists. He has 50 points in 49 games this year. He had 67 points in 78 games last year.

He’s got 11 goals, 39 assists this season. Matt Zuccarello Minnesota continues to just squeeze the best juice out. I don’t want to call him a lemon. I don’t mean to say it that way, but they do. They’re squeezing the very best of him out in his waning.

It’s like he’s a dog about to get put down in his waning years, but like, I don’t know what it is. Do you think that Zuccarello is kind of been underrated a little bit this year? He hasn’t gotten the praise

That you’re giving kaprizov some bodies and an but he’s been such a dominant force and one who’s been healthy too, for the majority of the season. To be fair, I don’t think boldy has been praised this season. He’s been heavily criticized because he’s been very inconsistent all year long.

I would say Zuccarello maybe he has not gotten the praise he deserves because he’s been that consistent like night in, night out. Yeah, for the most part, does everything right. So I guess it’s not as noticeable. He’s been there, maybe

Not as big of a scorer as we’ve seen from him in the past, but being there, helping make plays with the assists, he’s been there all season long. So definitely I think it’s gone a little unknown as just because we haven’t seen like when we’ve seen bad games. Like I mentioned from Boldy,

It’s noticed with Zuccarello, it’s just he’s just there. I mean, not like I say, that kind of sounded bad. They know he’s just there now. He’s been doing the right things consistently. Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s probably a really good point. I think it is. It’s just a consistent which it’s funny

Because I go back to the beginning of the year and nobody was consistent outside of Brock Faber and Jule Eriksson. EK So I will criticize Ziggy a little bit there because he was in that grouping of like, Hey freak can do something. At the beginning he was quiet.

Yeah, like in the everybody was right. I mean, it wasn’t just him, certainly, but I don’t know, I just feel like, you know, I don’t know. We’ve talked too much about Zuccarello and kind of what he’s done, not just on the line with Kirill Kaprizov either.

Obviously being moved to a second line and getting things going there. So it’s kind of exciting to see he’s having another really, really strong season, which I’ll admit it, coming into this year. I was like, You know what? I think Zuccarello is finally going to fall off the cliff.

He’s going to get hurt. He’s going to be, you know, blah, blah, blah. And I was wrong. I was. Wow. Well, that’s big of you. I know I was wrong. Dammit. Hate that hate when that happens. Let’s take a peek at the week ahead Before we take a break

And get to Bryce Brzezinski. Kirsten, we already predicted the game for tomorrow, Tuesday, slash today against Carolina hurricanes at Saint Paul. Then they had to Nashville on Thursday. They were at Saint Louis on Saturday, first of a back to back before they come back home against the sharks on Sunday in Saint Paul.

What are you thinking for the week? I think they’re going to win them all. Honestly, I do. I really do. I’m feeling good right now with where they’re at. All regulation wins. Are we looking over time? I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them went to overtime. Probably.

You know, I’m going to say Saint Louis know. That’s okay. I think they’re going to come out hard against Nashville. There’s a lot on the line. And like I said, I’ve always said I feel the wild. There was there it was. Again, I always have said this.

Why do I keep saying that? I’ve always said it. I always said it. The wild play their best hockey when their backs are against the wall. Right now, they’re trying to creep into that wild card spot. Nashville, Saint Louis, ahead of them, must win games.

So because of that mentality, I think they’re going to take them all. Yeah, I it’s not because I’m trying to disagree with you. I just I get so nervous. Although let me point this out. If they win in Carolina, I got a nailed my prediction for this week.

Because you just said that it’s not going to happen. I know I’m nervous about San Jose and I shouldn’t be. But also, I look at it as you go back to the Ducks game, you go back to Buffalo like teams that they should beat.

They’ve struggled again. So I’m going to go in a. Kalen Addison Revenge two Oh. How about Nico Sturm Revenge tour? I forget. About Custer. Yeah, Yeah, he was part of that too. Now he. I don’t think he has that dog and or Mike that definitely doesn’t have that dog.

I don’t think takes names. Oh, yeah. I can’t wait to see Kaitlyn as a. Mm. Awkward. Awkward turtle. I’m here for it. Yeah. Oh. They’re going to lose the. I think they’re going to lose to San Jose. Unfortunately, I go to. Oh, it’ll be an overtime loss. I’ll give them a point.

Okay. To you. Too. Okay. That’s what we’re going to go with. Let us know what you guys think again. Let us know any comments, suggestions, all of that good stuff. We’re going to take a quick break. When we come back, Bryce Brodsky from the University of Minnesota Gophers. Stay tuned.

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And check in to how you can get involved with your weight loss goals today. Start your weight loss journey the Livia way joining us this week. Right. Brad Linsky A two time Bewkes Yes. Now welcome back Brace How are we doing today? Good. Yeah. It’s been oh,

The junior year was lesson was out here, so it’s been all but good to be back. I mean, you were high request. We requested you very highly because you are You’re kind of funny. I don’t know if you know that you’re kind of funny. So good for you. That’s a prop to you.

Now. It’s not hard. What? Some of the guys on our team, some of the guys understand my very financial kind of have to be on the top of the list. Who’s the least funny? Like, who is there? Somebody that tries to be funny?

Most guys is pretty chill and quiet on the roster this year. I don’t know. I think some of the guys that try to be quiet are the funniest because when they speak up every once in a while, it’s always something to refinance.

So now I guess we don’t have any that that aren’t funny at all, but some of them that try a little bit too hard. I won’t I won’t get specifics on who they are though. Who who would you say is the best locker room personality kind of going along the same note?

I don’t know. We got a lot I mean, it’s it’s kind of a pick and choose kind of day who’s going to be the one speaking up a lot. So, I mean, Jackson, Nelson, any time he wants to say something is always super funny.

And my favorite guy to talk to is actually Aaron Hughes. And just because like he whenever he speaks up, it’s always something super funny and, you know, he might not even be in the conversation. You’ll hear him giggling in the background.

Dizzy’s listening to your conversation, so he’s definitely one guy that I like to hear laugh in the locker room. And a quick follow up to that, to where do you rank in that mix? I don’t know. I think it’s I’m kind of I think I’m in the middle

Because I think half the team thinks I’m playing half the things. I’m stupid for some of the stuff, I say it. So yeah, I would probably rank myself somewhere in the middle. How has the team. In the locker room really chemistry come together to help

What you guys are doing on the ice and the season? Just give us a quick breakdown of how my go for squads, because I know that drives Kirsten nuts when I watch the Gophers. Hey, it probably drives his family nuts to think upstate family. It’s not just me.

Yeah, it just drives my dad nuts. I think he’s a he’s a club guy, and everyone else in my family, just like playing hockey. So, yeah, that’s bad. For that stuff. But, yeah, I mean, our chemistry is going great. I mean, it’s

Kind of when I first got here, it was kind of more clicks where it was like you kind of stayed with your age group and now it’s everyone hangs out with everyone. So yeah, it’s been really good. I mean, a lot of the freshmen are are fitting in super well and,

You know, super, you know, they mingle all the time. And so, yeah, I’ve been loving the group that’s coming in. With the way that things ended last year. How much hunger is there and is there any boiled over kind of frustration? Because that had to have been one of the more heartbreaking losses

In certainly in your career, but with some of those other guys too, because I know it’s one that Brock Faber now with the Minnesota Wild still says, Man, I just can’t get past that one once in a while. Yeah I mean it sucked. I mean it’s you know, it kind of

It kind of makes you question why you love the game a couple of times. And so it’s it was you know, there’s that 50% I want to get back at it because I want to get back in that position, that 50% like, gosh, that sucks. I feel sorry for myself.

So it’s you know, it was a tough jump to overcome and it took us a little a little while. And, you know, once we kind of did, it was all steam ahead. And so, yeah, it kind of took a little bit before you kind of you know, you remembered

Why you love the game. And, you know, once you did it, it was kind of back to normal and business as usual. And taking a look just kind of at the college hockey season, we’re getting real close to March, almost tournament time. Where would you evaluate where your team currently sits?

I think we’re in a good spot. I mean, you know, based off what we did the first half, I think we’re, you know, putting ourselves in a good spot right now. It’s, you know, if we were to kind of kept going on the trajectory that we were first

Half, we would have been in a pretty bad spot. And so I think we’ve done to turn things around and, you know, we’re getting good at the right time. And just kind of you mentioned turning things around. What do you think

Was the turning point for you guys from earlier this season to now? Yeah, I think, you know, first half, I think everyone was kind of, you know, the guys like Logan Cooley and Matthew Nice and you know, Snuggie it having you know, a 60 point season.

So you kind of get that feeling that you’re going to have to you know kind of repeat on that and study kind of you know it’s given us take a little bit type thinking that he had to do that again. Otherwise it was a failed season.

And, you know, once I started just playing to win and everyone kind of bought into the system, so it was it was less about getting points and more about winning games. And that’s when our point started to happen and that’s when we started to get good.

You mentioned a couple of names that are familiar now on the NHL scene. Who do you cheer for? So if you’ve got Arizona versus the Wild, are you still turn to your hometown state team? Are you cheering for Cooley? How do you cheer for the different teammates

That are now spread out through the league? I think it’s more I want the game to be 7 to 7 and they both have seven points. So know, I don’t I don’t care for specific teams. I’m more so cheering for players. So, you know, wherever all my buddies are, that’s from cheering.

That is definition. I just want everybody to have fun. I guess it’s like a total mom. Answer one another, get around different teams. See, I would choose. I would pick a kid like, didn’t your mom had to. Your mom secretly picked one of you kids. She was like, you know.

I think my mom well, it was different when me and Houston played Eastern was at Saint Paul, and so my dad picked Saint Cloud. So my mom picked Minnesota State because she knew evened out. But I don’t know. I think she just wants one.

Both people score one, the other person isn’t on the ice and she’d be happy at. That same fair. You know, take us to to just kind of talk about your family dynamic. I got to know Easton at Saint Cloud because we were there at the same time. Johnny A little bit.

It’s got to be fun just having a hard core hockey family. Yeah, it’s super cool. I mean, it’s, you know, in the summertime, you don’t have to kind of find friends that are are working out and where they’re going to be, where, you know, you kind of do everything with your family.

And so, yeah, it’s been good. I mean, Michael finally retired, so he’s back at home now. So it’s kind of good being able to have somebody close in somebody’s home for Christmas. It’s been just me for a little while. So.

But yeah, I mean, always having somebody that somebody that was on TV to go watch and get to go home and my mom’s got four TV set up to watch all my brothers. So yeah, it’s always good to see them Well. And Michael married a hockey superstar in and of herself with Danny.

Now she get in on the the hockey chirping and games as I’m sure you guys play frequently when you are all together. Yeah I mean it’s always her that I’m texting whenever we’re going to go out and do a family skate to see if she’s coming. So yeah,

Even when she would come skate with us and it’d be, you know, 14 pros and her on you wanted her on your line. Just did she know that she was going to make the best players out of all of them? So yeah, it’s definitely cool having her in the family.

And as you guys have grown too, and you know, kind of we talk about sibling rivalries when you’re younger and just kind of maybe throwing a sibling in net to take shots at them. How has that evolved the older you guys have gotten?

I mean, I’m bigger than probably all of my brothers now and they still decide to pick on me just because I’m so much younger now. So, I mean, it’s it hasn’t really changed. It’s just more so now that, you know, they kind of know that I won’t do anything to them just because

I’m still honestly kind of scared of at least Michael, because he kind of picked on me the most growing up. But yeah, it’s Marcel. It turned into, you know, it’s kind of jokes now where back in the day they might have actually kind of

Wanted to pick on me a little bit or now it’s just kind of it’s all fun and games. So yeah, I mean, it’s it was actually good that they did that. I mean, it taught me the right way to be. And you know, definitely grew our friendship as we got older.

Re snitching on them though when they did do something wrong because that that would be another reason that they would have to just be extra hard on you like Bryce was always telling mom on us. Yeah, see, I would tell my mom

Just about every single time and my mom would yell at me to get tougher, so there was nothing I could do anyway. And so, yeah, that there wasn’t a lot of help, especially in, in some situations where I think my parents

Kind of knew like, Hey, just toughen up where it was more severe situations they might step in, but it wasn’t too often that it was severe. I was kind of a whiner as a kid. Bryce was just out here fending for himself. That’s amazing. Well, you know, since we’re

Talking about kind of chirps and why I don’t think whining is the right word. We talked to one of your friends, Brock Faber, trying to get some inside dirt. And Brock is a very nice young man, right? He’s not telling us a whole lot.

He did say, I really, really need to ask you about summer softball and why do you think that you can only hit home runs and why are you not okay with doing anything other than home runs and dingers? Yeah, well, I think the problem is that he doesn’t like to hit home runs

While doesn’t like to hit home runs, but he can’t hit home runs unless we have all the wind in the back. And I’ve always been a guy that’s like, why am I going on to the rink if I’m not trying to score a goal or

Why am I going to softball if I’m not trying to hit a home run? I think it’s it’s more assault like kind of funny to see people’s reactions, especially like last summer, there was one where we kind of ran out of home run,

But we were winning by enough. So I just kept hitting home runs to get out because I thought it was super funny. But some of the guys on the team don’t think it’s very funny anymore, so I might I think I might be off the team this summer now,

Just because I kept doing that too much. Where you bat flip in and like doing the cocky, you know, saunter over to first and around. It was it was the cocky. I’ve been there before. I think that that kind of got the babe.

So I think he he was always he was actually probably my favorite softball player to play with just because you kind of he made everything thing look a lot harder than it actually was on the baseball field. So Brock not so good on the diamond is what you’re saying. Really good.

But he made it look really hard, so. Yeah, no, he actually had a the like Becoming Wild came to our game and he had that diving catch in the outfield to win the game against like best team in the playoffs. So I mean he’s he’s

Just so athletic that he makes those plays but he sure does make it look hard. What do you think he so you mentioned he makes up a little card. Do you think he’s better hockey player or softball player? Oh, I mean, he makes hockey look easy,

But I did make him fall in practice. My year, so that was probably like the highlight of my career. So I remember I faked it on my way and he fell over my probably kind of lost an edge or something,

But I’m going to say that it was my move that made him fall over. I think it was probably like two and a half weeks and I let them hear it that that happened at practice. So I might have to text him and bring that up again.

I was just about to say to you, remind that, oh, remind him of that from time to time. Just keep it in your back pocket. I might have to put it in my text app and then close out my apps. The next time I go in there, it’s going to be in there.

I would hang your hat. You’d mentioned a group chat where you guys get to choose your faves, which I’m sure you guys are certainly talking smack amongst all of you, but the facial expressions we have firsthand seen this, and I will send this over your way.

I see you can you can see it, too. Kirsten was talking about Taylor Swift, as she tends to do. And again, it was a classic Brock Favre like, huh? Okay. And like, just didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to react. Not rude at all by any stretch of the imagination,

But I just played my head over and over again because it was so funny. It was just so it was just so. Brock That’s a common thing that he’s had since college, I imagine. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it’s it’s funny, we have, we went on like a golf trip last summer.

It was kind of all the other golfer guys from years past. And so we had probably, you know, 15 to 20 of us. So every time that that someone sees the picture on the Internet, they’ll send it out.

And there was one last week, he had like four different screenshots of him doing it and like eight people sent it in at the exact same time when everyone went on the Internet. It was so funny that all different pictures, it was a really good year.

I’m you know, I’m not going to lie. I literally saw that exact same post where there was a frame of four different Brock expressions. Yeah, it’s so funny, but he’s like looking in all different directions like that. And yeah, he’s, he’s a different character. He’s really funny.

I almost want to ask him, do you think it’s like the contact situation, you know, because he wears glasses so much and like, sometimes I feel like his eyes are extra wide when he’s not wearing glasses. Like, you don’t get those expressions when he’s got the spectacles on. Yeah.

I mean, I think my my senior year, maybe last year, maybe my junior year, we had an interview together and I was telling you guys about the hair and he kind of had glasses on on that one, and he was kind of wide eyed.

So I think it’s well, he does it in between periods a lot. So it might just kind of be a thing to get his eyes going and I don’t know if it does context or what, but it’s definitely funny every single time we see it.

Yeah, I was going to say when we had Brock on the podcast last season when he was still with Minnesota and the facial expressions he was giving, he was wearing glasses and I I’m still convinced he thinks I’m crazy. He does, I guess. And you know what?

I embrace it. I think it’s funny. Yeah. He’s funny. Meanwhile, I cringe and I don’t know whatever. Briefing of Quick Grace. What are your thoughts on Taylor Swift? I don’t mind her personally. I don’t know. I sort of I think it’s funny how like because I never like

You could probably ask anybody like, I don’t get upset about anything like people like Johnny Sorenson. He was my roommate. He, like, would try to do things that bothered me, knowing that like, nothing would bother me. And so, like, he would always kind of start arguments

And do all these little things just to kind of get me. Like, what? Like little pet peeve Things are like, I need to example to. Do things that would like annoy most people, like you would like. There’s only one thing that I don’t really like, and it’s

When people like come into my room and leave my door open when they leave. So like, he would do that. But I, like wouldn’t say anything to him even though I like it and he like, hates that, like nothing would really fire me up.

But yeah, I think it’s like super funny when people get upset about things that don’t matter at all. And so like seeing people like get upset that like Taylor stuff, like kind of the face of the NFL now is like kind of funny to me. It’s like it doesn’t bother me at all.

It’s it is hilarious. Do you hear Taylor Swift on the ax in in the gopher room this year? Ah, no, not really. Actually, it’s it’s been going on while her runs are locked, so it’s really, really bad music. So I think Elisabeth actually has pretty good music.

So it hasn’t been on there. Yeah. I was going to say that’s my challenge to you is to just surprise everyone. Steely Ox play one song, but what kind of songs are blasted in that go for locker room? It’s such a weird mix because

Like half of it is like rap music that like three people in the locker room like, and then somebody like Justin Force will, like, yell at them to play country or like throwback country or something. And then it’ll be like John Mayer or something.

And so it’s like a really weird mix of like things 90, 97% of the people like and things that 3% of the people like. Do you have just one person in control for the entire season or how does that how do you designate the DJ?

Usually whoever it is gets to the rink first and like wants to hear music. So it’s like if no one’s playing music, whoever’s there just of gets on it. And so, I mean, it’s, it’s usually everyone’s kind of too lazy to do it

Because you don’t want to be by your phone and changing music all the time where he really wants to hear his music all the time. So he’s always in there doing it. Do you guys want to hear a fun side story that I just heard the other day?

So you’re talking to Ryan Hartman about different protocols and how the league is kind of change. You know, going off of John Tortorella comment about young players, whatnot. He had said when he was in Chicago and Marion Holsten was there and a young player like a kid they had just drafted

Comes into the locker room and wholesale was in charge of the OCS in the locker room. Right. The kid comes in, unplugs it and plugs his and doesn’t say a thing. And all of host is like, What the hell is that?

And like, he’s like, Who are you? And like, he literally looked at the kid. He’s like, Who are you? I don’t even know you. And Hartman was like, Needless to say, he he didn’t make the team the next year. What, like after that?

And so now that is living in my head rent free. Like, don’t touch the orcs at any level. Right? Yeah. We had a power move. He kind of tell the freshmen to stay away from it, just as we don’t know what kind of music they like, but like

We realistically never enforce it, but they also never really break that rule. So yeah, yeah, it’s it’s pretty it’s pretty much counter care. It’s just because no one else wants to do it and he’s willing to do it. But I think we’re kind of cracking down on him, getting the ice.

He’s got to get better. He’s got to step up his game, I’m sure. Yeah. I guess step up or get out of the way. You got to put it together playlist. Then you know, just put together a little. Something like a 300 song playlist, but it’s like only music that I would like.

I think. So I’m like, what? Whether we vibe into. It’s like I like a 300 song playlist and there’s probably like 20 different genres in there. It’s just like, I’m like a lyric guy. It’s like, I don’t really care about, like, voices or like beats.

I just like if the lyrics are good, like I really like those songs. So yeah, yeah, I kind of have a playlist with a bunch of different songs. I love that. What would be your goal? Kelly on Say You You guys make it to the national championship game in which

I’m cheering for you to do here in Saint Paul. Coming up in April, what would be your big goal celebration song or what’s the winning song that you’re playing on? I don’t know. We have so red pit like brought in Honey for like one of our first games after Christmas and like,

We’re like, pass it around because like, Honey is like, really good source of, like, energy and everyone was calling him like, a worker because, like, he works super hard. So we’re like, a lot of work for me. So like everyone in the locker room, we call each other worker bees now.

And so like after the song, when we when we play I’m a bee. And like at that time, like I’m a bee, I’m a song. Yeah. So that’s kind of been our one song and it’s kind of been piggybacked off, like bringing us all honey in the locker room. So,

Yeah, I mean, we call it we call it the worker bee, and we’re all just bees in the beehive. So yeah, that would probably be our song. Let’s hear the sounds like a perfect T-shirt in the making. It honestly would be pretty good. Doctor, so to speak, about that.

We should get that rock and roll. And before we let you go, predictions for the rest of season. I know you guys have your bye week this week, but what are you looking forward to the most in the coming weeks as you do start to wind down the regular year and look toward

Hopefully the frozen four in Saint Paul? I mean, you’re sort of getting another chance to win another game. So, you know, from here on out, just hopefully win every single game the rest of the year. Simple as that. Yeah, right. Forget about Saint Cloud. They’re not making it anyway.

We do it through another trip to Saint Cloud. On time for the man. They won their tournament last year. So, I mean, there’s always a chance that they’re the ones that deep down until they lose. All you have to do is get into the tournament and they’re currently up there in the pair.

Wise I’m just saying. Well, that’s like you. I’d be like, Oh, really? I think was my year before I came in. They call it the 2018 2019. They were like, they got it like point 2%, got into the tournament, won the national championship. So it’s all it takes. Jesse Brett. Go, goes.

Anyway, thanks Bryce, as always for joining us. You’re the best. Good luck the recipes and enjoy this week off and we’ll check in with you soon I’m sure. Some thank you. Bearing in or near to near new new.