Does MacKinnon deserve MVP? Is Nick Cousins a rat? + top selling NHL jerseys

Welcome back to the Drop! Arda Öcal and Greg Wyshynski are back to deliver the latest news around the NHL. The winners and losers of the Chris Tanev trade. The boys dive deeper into the Top 50 available players at the trade deadline. That full article is available on ESPN.com. Arda then brings out some Hart Trophy scenario’s that could change your mind on the eventual winner of the award! Oliver Ekman-Larsson joins the show to talk the Panthers playoff push, Arizona Coyotes possible relocation, and if Nick Cousins is a dirty player. Lastly we finish the show off with the Top 5 jerseys sales this season, and dive deeper into the PWHL’s format for playoffs and their draft order of selection, and what this means for the NHL going forward. All that and more on this episode of The Drop!

00:00 Welcome to The Drop!
00:33 Stars acquire Chris Tanev from Flames
2:10 Winners and losers of this trade
5:17 Top 5 available players at the trade deadline
11:09 Hart Trophy Scenario Power Rankings
17:36 Oliver Ekman-Larsson joins the show!
18:16 OEL on the Panthers playoff push
21:01 What’s it like playing with Matthew Tkachuk
22:06 Is Nick Cousins a rat?!
23:10 OEL on his career in Arizona and possible relocation
28:20 OEL on who he would start in goal for the Sweden national team in 2026
29:08 Top 5 jersey sales this season
30:31 Top 5 jersey sales since February 1st
32:36 PWHL announces playoff format and draft order of selection
42:43 Arda shows off his Star Wars jersey
42:58 Thank you for watching!

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Hey everybody welcome to another edition of the drop Greg wasinski artal here with you twice weekly Tuesdays and Fridays wherever you get your audio podcasts as well the NHL on ESPN YouTube it is trade deadline season and the trades are already starting to come through wish thank goodness this

Happened before we recorded a full day so we could digest it uh Chris tanv off the board he is off to the Dallas Stars and this is a three- team trade Calgary gets a 2024 second round pick and a conditional third in 2026 that will activate if the flame uh if the stars

Advance to the Stanley Cup Final also 20-year-old Prospect defenseman artam grush nikov and the devils are involved as well retaining 25% of tanv salary the Flames retain 50% and the Devils get a fourth round pick in 2026 uh for their efforts uh I believe the stars get a

Goendale prospect goal tender uh but Chris tan big news off to the Dallas Stars what do you make of this move well first of all I I can hear the laughter of everybody in the audience because undoubtedly by the time people hear this podcast other trades will be made and

You celebrating the fact the tan of trade happened before we recorded will be uh very ironic uh probably by the time he this um no you know one of the big winners for me in this deal is Jim nil the GM of the Dallas Stars man I

Mean that the Stars had identified Chris tanb as the guy they wanted last piece of the puzzle type player uh a a 14-year veteran block shots can can move the puck out of his own Zone uh and passes well like he does a lot and and I think

For the Stars knowing what kinds of teams are lurking for them in the playoffs like the Vegas golden knights big physical teams they needed to get better and More Physical on their back end the the trade allows them to do some things like they could you know create a

Whole new new second pairing with him or they could play playing with Meo he and have Heen and move over to his natural left side and have Tana be the rock on the right side for them on a top pairing so great great guy to acquire and on top

Of that Arta the cost of acquisition was a hell of a lot lower than we thought it was gonna be for Chris tanov yeah you have to give the Stars Jim nil a lot of credit for that price tag 75% retention getting the Devils involved and what

They were able to acquire for what many people I mean many coaches have played the Dallas Stars this season wish and have said that’s the most complete team in the NHL and they were saying that throughout the season and now they’re adding a right shot defenseman uh that’s

High operating and like you said could be on that Top Line and and that is a very scary proposition very scary but a loser for me is is Craig Conroy GM of the Calgary Flames I thought he did really well on the Elias LOL trade

Earlier this year um I ain’t a hater but he’s one he’s he’s one one for two right now on these trade returns pending Noah hannen and maybe Jacob barrom I liked your Tweet as we go to another winner being the new I like that’s a general statement I like oh really thank you

Thank you Namaste Namaste the one about the devil actually there’s two of them it’s like I didn’t have Devil’s cap management uh on my bingo card or like a trade involving cap Management on my bingo card but also the uh the flames and the Devils having a trade involving a

Goenda what you were uh thinking about but the Devils uh do some pretty tidy a pretty tidy piece of business here uh you know with with with the cap management here and that’s something that we were expecting yeah Cole Brady uh hi unite baby uh Cole Brady was

Unsigned goalie Prospect for the Devils should probably speak volumes as to the Devils trading a goalie Prospect away be it what they think of him or be it what the relationship between him and the team was but yeah uh they had to they had to move somebody in order to to to

Eat up this cap space and it ended up being an unsigned Prospect who by the way will become a free agent this summer so I don’t I don’t think he’ll end up uh with Dallas necessarily either um a good bit of I mean it’s become cliche to say

This when people when when teams uh use their cap space wisely at the deadline but a good bit of business for the Devils uh they they pick up a draft pick they utilize the ltir space uh that douge Hamilton’s injury created and and they and they pick up enough cap space

Where it’s not going to handcuff them for future deals as the deadline approaches so a smart move not not the team you expect to be involved in in in transactions like this it’s usually like your Blackhawks or your coyotes but the Devils uh did well themselves here loser

Though for me ARA out of this whole thing every other team that’s got a defensive defenseman on the market right now like if you’re Montreal with David sard if you’re Anaheim if you’re any of these teams that have a defensive defenseman that is looking to flip them

At the deadline and you look at the return that Calgary just got for what was supposed to be the top of the pops when it came to defensive dmen you’re saying to yourself what does this market look like for me if I’m if my guy’s like

The fourth best guy it’s going to be very fun to see what happens in the next week as we approach the trade deadline on March 8th don’t forget ESPN 2 and ESPN plus we have trade deadline coverage from 2: to 4 p.m. Eastern but we already have a lot of trade deadline

Coverage especially over on espn.com you and our espn.com NHL writer colleagues have put together a big board a trade Big Board the top 50 available players that is on espn.com right now why don’t we talk top five wish yeah top five for me uh on the big board uh Jake gensel a

Clear number one if he’s available and who knows if he will be given his injury status given where the penguins are in the standings and given the fact that he’s the best Winger Sydney Crosby has ever played with uh if he’s available though he is the best player available

It’s going to cost a lot to get him maybe multiple first round picks but teams like Carolina Edmonton Vancouver should be lining up and maybe even those pesky Vegas golden knights number two Noah hannahan the other Flames defenseman that’s been rumored to be moving not coming back to Calgary going

To test the market this summer um The Devils would be a very interesting Landing spot for him I I would not be surprised if like for all this jacob marks from talk the Devils ended up like trying to flip a trade for Noah Hanahan to boost their deore not only this

Season but in in Seasons to come if they can resign him but Boston he’s from there he played there in college and both the Florida teams also are on my radar for hannahan uh markstrom has to be third he’s the best goalie in the League this year based on the analytics

I just don’t know and and we’ll get to this in a second if he’s going to move based on where the Flames are in the standings and based on what apparently the cost of acquisition is going to be for them to pick up a bit of a salary

Number four pav buich the the blues have I think a less than 10% chance of making the playoffs right now Doug Armstrong is not a Sentimental guy if they’re out they’re out uh and and I think he’d be smart to try to flip bich now uh a team

Would get him for the rest of this season and next season he’s a point per game guy again my eye is on Vegas those pesky nights and finally yuss Soros would be number five clearly the other great golender who could be available to the deadline although Barry trer GM said

No he’s probably not available at this deadline unless he getss absolutely knocked over with the trade proposal but let’s be honest Arta the Nashville Predators as we do this podcast have an over 50% chance of Bing the playoffs in the west Saros is going to be a big part

Of that he had a great end of the season last year I don’t think he’s going to move at the deadline but you never say never and Barry trotz also said he’s in this unique position where he’s listening to ideas and proposals on both sides of the fence right the buyer fence

The seller fence so it’s not like he’s ruling out anything as we approach the trade deadline but yeah it would be surprising and it would take a pretty astronomical uh deal it would and and what what do we make of the goal market now I mean if the Flames keep markstrom

Because they’re pushing for a playoff spot if the Predators keep Soros we know the Minnesota Wild are hanging on to Mark Andre flurry flurry has has stated that he is not looking to move unless the Wilder out of a playoff race they’re clearly not out of a playoff race so

Those are the three biggest names in the market now you drop down a tier to you know your Elvis mckin and your J Allen and your Capo kenens and stuff and you’re going from guys that could be a starter that that that solidifies your cup chances to someone who’s going to be

More in a in a tandem and uh it certainly has changed the goalie Market the fact that these teams are still alive in the playoff race yeah and not only that but you have teams like Toronto saying we’re going to roll with the three goenda considered oh they might want to

Trade up in the goal tending department so yeah I listen I I was one of those that said I thought it would be a goalie heavy trade deadline and now all signs are pointing to that not being the case so I love when I’m wrong wish it’s great

One more trans one more transactional thing Frank Celli reported that Elias Pon is closing in potentially on an eight-year extension maybe it’s happened maybe it hasn’t by the time you hear this but uh that’d be great for the Canucks not only because they secure py and perpetuity and he’s one of the best

Players in this league but because the consternation about his extension and his status as uh as potentially being the next guy to bolt the Canadian team as we as everybody in Canada is now afraid because of the uh the the the Johnny gdo and and Matthew kachu effect

Um it was kind of overshadowing the Canucks run at this point and it was becoming a little bit of a distraction the media was seizing on it no one in Vancouver knows how to be happy for too long so they needed to be miserable about a something so it had to be this

Thing so if they get that out of the way good on them it it gives them a core player uh for the next eight seasons and it it takes a a headache off the board for a team that should be happy positive vibes at this point here’s my segue the

City of Vancouver uh and the rest of Canada celebrating that fateful moment in 2010 this week in history when Sydney Crosby scored the Golden Goal in the Olympics in 2010 in the city of Vancouver uh quite a wonderful moment I posted it on my Instagram story uh and

Uh our dear colleague AJ molesco responded to me and said no yeah exactly no period yeah my my my my therapist tells me it never happened so I don’t I don’t quite know what you’re talking about but uh no I’ve talked about that before like I was there I covered I

Covered the Olympics that year I I I I hated it in the moment it it broke my heart I thought it was the the best chance I would ever have to see the US win gold and also get one over on you Indians and uh it’s family it’s a family

Podcast uh but then I walked with the streets of Vancouver afterwards and it became apparent that the victory for Canada in that game a lot so much more to Canadians than it did to me so it it really changed my perspective on on what had happened and not only that you have

A very good chance of uh winning the next several competitions uh moving forward but the reason I bring up Sydney Crosby is because he is involved uh in this scenario that we’re going to present to you here on the drop the heart trophy conversation is very interesting in fact wish Uh Kevin week

And I had a chance to speak with Nathan McKinnon after the Avalanche broadcast on Tuesday and we asked him about the heart trophy race and he said I don’t expect to win uh very humble of him as a hockey player but but here’s the thing yeah here’s the thing I believe that

There are Milestone scenarios uh that could very well clinch the heart trophy for specific players let me explain I’m gonna present to you five scenarios and I would like to rank them in order of guarantee that the heart trophy will be awarded to that person if

This Milestone is met all right I like it okay scenario number one Conor McDavid wins the Art Ross trophy despite his uh challenging start to the season that’s scenario number one so if he surpasses just imagine the scenario he surpasses COV and McKinnon he’s number

One in points at the end of the season that’s scenario one number two Nikita COV gets 165 points wow all right okay that’s scenario two scenario three and this is an important this this is the Sydney Crosby one Crosby scores 100 points likely but the Penguins also make

The Stanley Cup Playoffs okay now we’re likely now now yeah now we’re in fantasy land but go ahead now here’s the thing with that though just remember the definition of the heart trophy most valuable to his team yes just want to make that reminder number four Austin Matthews gets to 75 goals

And number five McKinnon takes the points lead in the avalan win the central now I’m gonna say this right off the bat to me by definition if all of these scenarios happen to me Austin Matthews will win the heart trophy he will be the most valuable player in the league but By

Definition most valuable to his team it should be Sydney Crosby if he Wills that team to the playoffs because if you take him off off of that team and I know that we say this about a player on certain teams many seasons Taylor Hall the devil several years ago was like the

Quintessential example example you take Sydney Crosby off that team the penguins are a bottom five team right this season yeah completely he’s not gonna win the hard trophy because of how the voting works but to me by definition he should he’s also closing strong which we’ve

Seen in the past with like Cory Perry and players like that if you Taylor Hall being the greatest example if you close strong as as Sid currently is especially with G out of the L lineup then that really increases your stock I’ll say this I think I think McDavid and COV are

Kind of in the same spot you could flip them 54 four five um I I’ll get to COV in a second I think number three for me is the Sid scenario uh I I think that would that would really you know obviously put him in the conversation

Maybe even clench it for him Matthews is to only because of the enormity of the goal total but the the struggle I have with that arti is like how much better or how much more elevated are the Leafs this year over what they we normally expect from them like they’re going to

Be third or second in the Atlantic it’s not like they all sudden are win you know 128 Point team like the Bruins last year or whatever you know like so even with the goals the Leafs are still the Leafs like they’re they’re just good uh McKinnon takes the points lead in the

Avalanche win the central for for me is number one and it’s number one because of due respect to Nate there is a desire to give him his heart there’s a desire to correct the wrong of Taylor Hall beating Nathan mckin for the MVP to give McKinnon something that everyone else on

This list has okay except for him and to give him the MVP and if he wins the points race and the Avalanche win the central that will be ample enough evidence to a voter to say it’s it to to reaffirm to them that it’s McKinnon’s time so the Paradigm of Nathan McKinnon

Deserves a hard trophy which not many people will argue right is stronger than Austin Matthews scoring 75 goals a Mark we have haven’t seen in over 30 years that’s correct because I I think I think in the mind of the voter the McKinnon getting MVP will be more important than

Than Matthews getting MVP and that Matthews will be acknowledged by the NHL paa player of the year award for his accomplishments now that all that said all that said due respect to Nathan McKinnon and Austin Matthews Nikita kov is the MVP I don’t know what the hell is

Happening out here ARA where a guy who is almost solely responsible for shepher the Champa Bay Lightning through an injury to their starting goenda having a roster that clearly has atrophied from the heights of their Championship Seasons losing all of those Supporting Cast players a team that without Cero’s uh accomplishments and

Output this season much like you with the Penguins and Sid the lightning would not be anywhere near playoff seed I I feel like I’m taking crazy pills right now with the amount of people that are like give McKinnon the heart or if Matthews hits 75 give him the heart when

Nikita COV has demonstrably been the most valuable player to his team so if he wins the heart Art Ross the heart the heart Ross H that’s a good one for the for for winning both if he wins the Art Ross Nikita kucherov yeah he satisfies both versions of the definition best

Player most valuable to his team uhuh so he should win he should the answer he’s not he’s not really LED for MVP in all of our Awards watches in the last few months it’s insane to me there might be some knucklehead out there that doesn’t give him a vote because he

Dogged it at the All-Star Game or because he’s Russian I don’t know man but to me ridiculous everybody every other candidate on this list is worthy they’re very worthy and and I think ultimately McKinnon wins but man again like you look at the definition of the

Award you look at what people have done you look at where the teams are without them and all that jive I mean COV is the MV P until proven otherwise this season I like that I like that and you know what if people are voting based on the

Allstar alone that’s number one you know what that’s all I have to say about that uh TS up on our interview you you you were able to sit down uh oneon-one earlier this week yeah I wanted to know more about the Florida panther success so I talked to Oliver emman Larson to

Kind of get somebody’s perspective who you know walked in from out the outside to that team in the offseason what’s it like playing with Matthew kachuck what’s it like being Nick cousins teammate and of course asking one of the more famous Arizona Coyotes in recent years whether or not

He thinks that team might relocate all right joining us now on the drop Oliver emman lson defenseman for the Florida Panthers the surging Florida Panthers the cup hungry Florida Panthers and he joins us now on the drop uh oel this is your 14th NHL season which I’m

Sure makes both of us feel fairly old uh tell me what it was like for you a veteran of this league to join a team like the Florida panther that had just gone through it a run to the Stanley Cup Final their chemistry is probably off the charts Banda brothers

That whole thing what was it like walking into that room as someone from the outside yeah I mean I was I mean it’s always a little bit weird coming into a new new team and a new uh building but I felt right away that it was a really tight group of guys that

Built uh something special uh over the last year and uh yeah just uh heard a lot of good good good things about it obviously watched them play in the playoffs last year and and uh liked what I was uh seeing back then so um but I I

Also felt like it was uh even if they had a great run I felt like it was uh still a lot of uh yeah I guess uh room for improvement so uh that’s uh that’s what I really liked and I wanted to be a part of yeah I mean and the Improvement

Is don’t don’t struggle to be a wild card team just snag that playoff spot early and that’s what they’ve done I mean the Florida Panthers are a team that has that is pushing for the best record in the NHL this season what is it about this Florida team that you’ve

Witnessed now from the inside that’s enabled them to be the successful no I think we we show up every night I think the work ethic that we have in practices or in games or or even in the gym I think uh that was one thing when I came

In this this summer uh yes for the captain skates I I felt like the guys were were hungry they were going it was uh yeah midseason it felt like uh coming in so uh that’s what I really like about this team and and obviously the the

Depth that we have too uh we have four great lines uh a lot of good de Pairs and and uh two goalies that uh has been unbelievable so just a mixup guys that we have and and the way that we play uh it’s it’s pretty pretty simple but it’s

It’s a lot of hard work who’s the biggest Jim rat on the roster who’s who’s the guy that loves to hit it in the gym I think it’s forcing uh he’s uh he’s pretty ripped um give him credit for that but uh he’s uh he’s

One guy that that is uh in the gym all the time and and uh he’s just a pro on and off dice so uh but uh I’ll say this it’s a lot of guys like that on on this team too so uh it’s uh it’s uh it’s fun

To be a part of and pushes me as as an old guy too too I was gonna say gusta for for like underrated defenseman and ripped dude uh now we’ve learned all these things from you I was gonna ask you about uh mchu I mean we know him from the outside we

Know what he’s able to do on the ice you obviously you know faced him as an opponent through the years as well now that you’ve gotten to see him behind the scenes like what are the things that we don’t get to see about Mt behind the

Scenes I mean yes from a guy that played against him uh for a number of years uh it’s it’s a lot better to be on the same side uh I can tell you that much but just the the details that he pays uh into his game he’s working on on the

Small small things around in that and and uh he’s a really hardworking guy as well so uh but I think one of one of the things with this this team too like our our best players are the guys that that works the the hardest so uh it’s easy

For for all the other guys to just uh jump on their backs and and get to work every generation has their their guy they’re Shan Avery they’re Matt Cook that type of player you guys got one of the roster and Nick cousins where every time Nick cousins does something the

Internet sets a fire of people discussing this guy what is it like to have a player like that on your team is there ever an opportunity for you guys where you have to like step in and say hey cool out a little bit with the

Antics on the ice I mean the thing with with Cassy I played with him in in Arizona for a couple years as well so uh it’s one of those guys that you love to have on your team but I hate to play against and uh CU is a unbelievable guy

Uh so I mean that’s that’s part of his game and and uh like I said I think it’s it’s a it’s a really good guy to have on on your side of things but uh he works hard and and uh things happen so quick out there so uh but yeah I think he’s

Doing an unbelievable job uh uh what he’s supposed to do are you guys ever impressed with what he comes up with the the the playing dead on the ice thing from the other night was a was a new one for me yeah I mean uh I think he’s he’s

Trying to live with everything I think that’s one thing with Cassy he’s he’s such a funny guy uh uh he’s one of those guys that kind of keeps the room light and and uh just a big part of this group I think most fans got to know you best

When you were playing for the coyotes uh I believe this season was your first trip back to Arizona as an opponent and that means you played at mullet Arena what was your take on their current home yeah it’s uh it was a little bit different than uh when I was there uh

Obviously a little bit smaller ring but uh I mean for for me I was there for a long time uh I think that helped me not going into to the old building uh to kind of uh with all the memories and stuff I think that would have been

Harder harder for me but uh no I mean it’s it’s not ideal but uh they’re making the best out of it and and it’s a it’s a tough team to play in uh in their building so uh and and they’re doing a little bit better too so I’m I’m I’m

Happy for them you did you went through it all when you played there man I remember me staying up on the East Coast at like two in the morning watching Glendale City Council meetings not my favorite thing in the world to have done as a hockey journalist to see what was

Going to happen with you guys do you think do you think we’re at a point where the coyotes might relocate oh uh I mean I don’t know like like you said I went through pretty much everything uh new owner or a couple new owners I guess and and and uh that talk

Over yeah almost 11 years of my my time there so uh it’s one of those things that as a player you can’t really control and and uh you just focus on on what you can can do on Di and around the community and stuff like that but uh so

I don’t really want to I don’t really want to comment like I have still have a lot of friends that that that’s on that team and and guys working around that team so I just uh hope for the best for for D say as we all do I bring up the

Coyotes because it’s been a long journey for you man you spent a lot of time outside of the playoffs you know and things of that nature and now you’re on a team that a lot of people feel like could win at all and and I wanted to ask

You just you know when you when you start to Envision it you know what would it mean for you to finally be able to lift the cup I mean it it would mean the world uh that’s why you start well I guess early early age you you you play

Because You Love It and and I mean I still do but it’s it’s a it’s more about the the cup like coming in as a young guy in the in the best league in the world you’re you’re kind of happy that that you made it but then when you grow

Older and have have spent some time in the league I think you start realizing what it’s all about and and what you really are here for uh and and I feel like that’s that’s the where I’m at in my career right now and and that’s why I picked for us so uh

It would mean a lot for me to uh for us to to to win a cup especially with this uh special group that we have here so uh yeah we really pumped about the the chance uh to to compete and and uh have a really strong team where does that

Mindset change like like you mentioned going from a younger player who’s just there to you know score a bunch of goals and put up a bunch of points and maybe get an All-Star team like when when does that change is it like changes off the ice you start having a family and things

Like that or is it just knowing that your career has a finite number of years when does that change happen going from Young player who doesn’t care to older player who must win the cup say that you don’t care I it’s just more that you’re trying to stick around in the league

Right and uh it’s so hard uh to do so because it’s so many good players and and you gotta be a pro about it you got to show up every single night and that’s not easy to do when you’re 18 year old or 19 year old coming into to the best

League in the world so I think two three years like it takes time to kind of find your spot and uh yeah I just try to get better every single day even if I’m I don’t think I’m that old but I’m getting older you’re old in NHL years man you’re

Not old in life I mean let’s be honest but that’s a lovely sentiment absolutely uh finally wanted to ask you about uh Team Sweden International play you had the opportunity to represent your country in the Olympics and other International tournaments what would it mean to you to get a chance to represent

Them again either at this four nations thing or or in 2026 no I think it’s uh it’s great that uh we get a chance to to go to the Olympics again I think that’s one of the things growing up uh it was always world championship and Olympics that you

Watched lsto Peter forer maton D nasan like uh lanquist those guys and and that’s kind of where uh I fell in love with the game uh because it was hard to follow the NHL uh but I think it’s a great opportunity to to grow the sport and and

To get a chance to to play for your country it’s always a big honor all right finally play Swedish general manager for me Hanks dun can’t bring back Hank who’s the starting goenda in 2026 in Italy uh I feel like we we have a lot of

Good goalies uh I mean my good buddy markstrom I think uh he’s he’s unbelievable goalie uh I think old Mark is is uh a stud too um I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that now being on the Florida Panthers but uh but yeah I feel like we we have

Uh uh have a few that that that’s gonna compete for it but I’m gonna go with my my boy markstrom that’s not a bad choice analytically the best goalie in the world this season so you made a pretty decent spot pick there I think uh oler

Rec LS thank you so much for joining the drop continued success this season and hopefully at the end of it we might be uh seeing you lift that Stanley Cup for the first time thank you so much yeah that would be great awesome thank you thanks again to oel for joining us

Here on the drop don’t forget the Panthers face the Red Wings on Saturday 3M Eastern on ABC as part of our ongoing coverage ABC hockey Saturdays uh this is fun I you know we love our merch here on the drop we even do a segment called the search

For Merch uh but wish you were able to get some really interesting uh sales information about NHL jerseys this season yeah shout out to Fanatics we have the top five in Jersey sales both for the season and for the last month which are very interesting for the

Season number five mik Saban Jad number four Austin Matthews number three artm Panera number two Jack Hughes and number one Connor Bard which should not be surprised to anyone everybody in Chicago buying up their bard jerseys to replace their Taves and Cane ones the other Nam

Before we get there before we get there yeah um are we surprised that Conor McDavid is not in the top five not at all and and I’ll tell you why I mean Matthews has obviously been on a tear very popular uh and uh and and so his

Jersey selling well the other names in those list use paner and zanah Jad I think were probably fueled by those players having participated in outdoor games this year and having all those outdoor game jersey with their names in the fueling it and I think we also see

That reflected in the sales for February number five eigor churka number four Zan Ed number three niiko heser number two Pon and number one Jack Hughes obviously fueled by the incredible merch that they sold at the stadium series at MetLife setting a merch record for sales on day

One and then breaking that record on day two but you think you’re surprised McDavid ain’t in the top five for Jersey sales for the season so I like the angle of hey this is a unique event this was a t pole Landmark event and and so that

Might generate more jersey sales to that end I mean and obviously New York is a big market for hockey right like there’s no Winter Classic reflection here for just as an example right uh but also it’s the combination of star player and geography and tent pole events February

Like Jack Hughes being number two overall for the entire season I wouldn’t say it’s surprising but it’s definitely noteworthy and and and if I’m looking at I I want to track where Jack Hughes is every month right like he’s second in the entire season in Jersey sales and

Number one clearly I mean and also let’s be honest the devil’s Stadium Series jerseys were fantastic I love them so like they look great Jack Hugh is star player he probably is gonna lead that team in Jersey sales for years to come so I’m not surprised by him being number

One in February uh number two in the league is noteworthy you ALS you also have to remember that the um the the leaf have that black Jersey too so I mean a lot of people who might own Matthews whiter blue jerseys are grabbing that Jersey as well so there

There’s always sort of Market forces involved in these jersey sales but again like I may also be as simple as there more Leaf fans than Oiler fans ARA well and and what about Leaf fans versus Rangers fans panan is number three uh season to date and Matthews is

Number four that’s interesting I wonder what the Gap is maybe not that much who knows but uh we will endeavor to bring you more numbers like this way we very interested in uh jersey sales month over month so maybe we’ll do it for the month

Of March we’ll see uh the last thing we want to talk about here on the show The pwhl has released new rules or ideas uh we know about obviously they’ve implemented things like a different point system for wins and losses in their standings uh the jailbreak short-handed goal when the short-handed

Goal uh frees up the penalty but now uh there are Innovative formats for their playoffs and also for for the draft number one the top four teams in the standings will advance to the playoffs and the number one seed wish will have the opportunity to select their first

Round opponent they can choose the second seed the third seed or the fourth seed and then the other two remaining teams will play off play in the SE in the other semi-final and that’s how the playoffs will be decided let’s dive into that one first your reaction I’m not not

A fan I think it’s one of those things that’s better in theory than in practice I I spoke with Doug Price who’s the commissioner of the Southern professional hockey league that did did this format for two seasons only twice the teams pick opponents they weren’t supposed to be seated to play and

Actually resulted in one of the number one seeds in the tournament being upset which probably put a chill through the other teams to be able to do this he told me it was fun at the time but the biggest problem that they had with it was was Logistics you know uh you don’t

Know who your opponent’s going to be until you pick it and and then you only have a scant you know day or two before the playoffs start to really figure out the logistics so while that wouldn’t in theory like saying the NHL affect teams picking between the devils and the

Flyers it might be a big de difference between picking the Kings and the Jets in the Western Conference um but he said that they you know the teams founded to be fun uh they they they kind of liked it but at the end of the day it only

Lasted two seasons in that league and they went back to the the traditional format and what why did they go back to the traditional format did did the players and the teams say no would just prefer to go to the format and it was decided or that was part of it Logistics

Was part of it um and again it’s It’s Different Strokes for different folks I mean this is a league that is a bus League the SPL right so like the difference between one city and another city is is pretty enormous compared to maybe in the NHL but he brought up a

Good point which is that you know from a from a scouting perspective from a from a preparation perspective like you have teams that think they’re going to play somebody then they play somebody else it affects travel it affects a lot of things it’s it’s kind of a a little bit

Of a wrinkle not not insurmountable and who knows but for me Arta again at the end of the day I just think that these guys don’t want to be exposed if you’re number one seed and you pick a seven seed a you’re giving them locker room Bolton board fodder saying that you know

We think we can beat you and then B uh you are maybe putting your job on the line if you chooseing correctly so I always think that these guys are going to just defer to their the traditional seating if it was in the NHL so I get everything you’re saying from a drama

And a television product perspective I love it I love that part of it I love the entertainment part of it and at the end of the day we watch sports for entertainment and we’re going to have that in the back of our minds when we were watching that series and that adds

An extra element of H desire to watch edge of your seat entertainment so I’m sorry at this point for the pwhl I mean it’s fine they’re like a four team playoff like when they grow it would maybe become more of an issue but it’s fine for what they’re doing now and

I love that the pwl in general they are taking swings they are trying to change paradigms it’s great I like that I like that this one and the next one we’re going to talk about though sounds like there’s somebody in that League that is looking for hockey Twitter cred because

These are two ideas that a lot of nerds on hockey Twitter have been banging their drums for for a while this sounds like it’s catered to the Jeff mericks of the world to be honest with you versus being something that the league actually needs maybe Jeff had something to do

With it who knows maybe he did I know um the so the draft uh the way it will work is once a team is eliminated from playoff contention uh that begins a new piggy bank essentially and each win or the amount of points that they acrew will go into their draft Point bucket

And so this essentially eliminates or is designed to eliminate tanking uh to get a first overall pick what you do is you ACR points as soon as you’re eliminated from playoff contention and the team with the most draft points at the end of the season season will then draft first

I can see you rolling your eyes man I I am I it’s the dumbest idea in the history of hockey and and and it makes Smart people look dumb when they try to defend it because a lot of really smart people like it and they like it because

They’re living in fantasy land where it divorces itself from the reality of what happens when teams get eliminated versus what they think should happen in in this Adam Gold plan draft thing that we’re dealing with here bad teams aren’t suddenly going to become competent teams

Because the top pick is at stake if they could they wouldn’t be in the lottery they’d be pushing for a playoff spot that’s point one point two what unrestricted free agent with one skate out the door this summer even remotely cares about securing the future for a

Team that doesn’t want to resign him they’re looking to just stay healthy that’s why the games the end of the season stink is because they’re all half speed by guys that aren’t even concerned about playing defense for a millisecond it affects the trade deadline by teams

Hanging out of their players to try to cure these piggy bang points it affects team’s willingness to play younger players down the stretch of the season because the more veterans you play the better chance there is that you win most of all ARA the draft is supposed to help

The League’s least successful teams not the ones that win it’s completely counterproductive to what the draft is supposed to be and finally tanking is not a problem you’re it’s a solution for a problem that’s not a that does not exist it’s a mean to the end the reason

People like this plan is because they can’t get it through their heads that fans will be okay cheering for their team to lose after it’s eliminated as they are cheering it to win if they’re eliminated they want it to be positive Pete you know cheer for your team don’t

Cheer for a loss who cares it’s all means to the same end we just trying to get the first overall pick if I’m a star player signed to a long-term deal I love this if if I’m a if I’m a star player on a team that’s not going to make the

Playoffs but I’ve signed long term and I’m committed to the development and growth of this team I love this because I will bust my ass I will work hard to to motivate my team to get those points and get those draft picks so that my team does become a star team and does

Become a a championship contending team so from that angle I like it a lot and also if I’m like especially in the young we’re in year one of the pwl we are growing fans we are building fans they’re along for the ride at the beginning just like these players are

And so first of all like I said I love the swings I love that they’re attempting things even if they’re wrong or even if it doesn’t work out like you said with the other league great fine change it it’s fine No One’s Gonna dock you marks for trying especially in its

Infant stages and number two like the go ahead go ahead the PW doesn’t have a tanking problem they have two teams that don’t make the playoffs this is this is a plan you adopt to try it’s an anti-tank plan team that doesn’t have any for a league

Doesn’t have any tanking yet but they they want but they they have a history there’s a history of tanking in other leagues uh that are competitive and so they want to avoid that altogether and not only that it to me it’s you you don’t want a situation where a team gets

So bad and they get so disenfranchised that people aren’t buying tickets to watch them anymore yeah you have to make sure I if if if your job is in the short term to try and continue to drum up interest as much as possible this will help with that that that is again it’s

Fantasy Land you know it’ll you’ll sell one ticket and that’s the game in which if they win they get the first overall pick fans want to cheer for their team making the playoffs the minute they don’t make the playoffs you know what they’re doing they’re saving their money

They’re going to the beach they’re doing all the things that we know fans do towards the end of the season the entire thing is premised on a dream it’s a it’s a it’s a seeing a unicorn in the forest that’s all it is so what you’re saying

Is that the the the the tanking process in the pwhl will be we tank at the start of the season if we think that this team is you don’t I’m saying you don’t to fight tanking when you’re you have two teams that are out of the playoffs you

You so you you lose all your games at the start of the Season get eliminated from contention as quickly as possible then the star players return from ltir at that point and then just go on a heater win all those games get the first overall pick sure what what whatever floats their

Boat all right well you have your opinion I’d love to see what the comment section has to say about this because you’re making some very interesting points I will definitely say that like you’re making some very interesting points and very educated points I want to see what the comment section has to

Say about this because I don’t think a lot of people will necessarily agree but maybe they are part of this fantasy land that you’re talking about that disillusion maybe they’re in the Matrix they took the red pill who knows uh let us know we we love to read the

Comment section we love to know what you guys are thinking and we love to continue the conversation uh before we go wish just want to give a quick shout out um I had a really cool day on Wednesday I went to wilbury Pennsylvania and I spent the day with the wilberry

Scranton Penguins uh as you know I’ve said it on the show before uh they have the best setup for Star Wars night of any team uh in hockey or Sports and that is because they work directly with who is now the chief content officer of the

Of Lucas film Dave filon who is a massive Penguins fan massive hockey fan in general to the point where he plays in the mariio Lemieux fantasy camp and he’s watching WSB Scranton Penguins games like he’s just he is a he’s one of us massive hockey fan but he designs

Their jerseys the seventh annual Star Wars night’s going to happen on March 23rd uh they will be doing a reveal I was I was lucky enough to be part of the whole reveal that’s why I’m wearing this by the way this is a Mandalorian one from two years ago very very cool so

Their reveal will happen I don’t want to spoil it here but uh I will share it once it does get revealed I just want to give a quick shout out to Brian Co who is uh who oversees everything is a senior VP of operations uh to Nick Ally Jason Jaylen Michael Chrissy and

Samantha awesome day The Vibes are Immaculate in the office really appreciate y’all having me and uh yeah look out for some content from WBS penguins and Star Wars it was a lot of fun May the forest be with you always exactly this is the way and the way for

You to continue to listen to our podcast is to find us wherever you get your audio podcast and the NHL on ESPN YouTube and that is it that is all for us here enjoy the games this weekend and we will see you on Tuesday bye