Does Crosby Need To Leave Pittsburgh? | The Chris Johnston Show

On This episode of The Chris Johnston show Julian McKenzie and Chris Johnston go over a variety of topics including:

0:00 Slafkovsky extension
9:00 2025 free agency
13:45 Sidney Crosby’s decision
22:00 Shane Pinto
28:45 Washington Capitals
32:00 Calgary Flames
35:45 Extended Ask CJ
54:00 Stick Taps

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uh I know that some in our audience know the finer points of hockey the Chris Johnston show we are your friends the biggest stories bringing you inside the game what did you hear the Chris Johnston show what is going on here’s Chris with your host Julian Mackenzie part of the game Siege we didn’t get to any ask CJ questions on Monday so we are going to get to them by the end of today’s episode there’s still some other news and notes we do need to get to um trying to figure out what’s the best place to start Vladimir tereno signing in Detroit uh y lovsky we didn’t even get to him earlier this week he signs an extension with the bunch Canadians Shane Pinto his stalemate with the Ottawa Senators that comes to an end there’s still some activity happening over the last few weeks not as that was the last few days I should I should say I’m already ready for vacation you can tell not as fast and furious as the first day of free agency but still a lot to talk about yeah and there’s been some trades you know teams clearing up cap space uh the the Joseph Brothers being reunited in St Louis love it uh with Matthew being traded from Ottawa and uh Pierre livier his brother signing as a free agent there you know we’ll start at slavkovsky I mean I think it was an interesting um you know contract that Montreal sign him to to me it’s looks like one of those tidy bits of business and you know I think it it kind of illustrates what teams have to how they have to approach situations with players because he’s one one year out from where his contract his entry level deal would have ended uh he’s only played give or take 120 NHL games and you got to make a decision are we GNA let him play this third season you know he took a big step last year I thought um for four mons re all became a far more impactful player his numbers reflect that his usage reflects that and so you’re making a bit of a bet here by signing him to a long-term deal but for me it’s hard to argue with at least the thinking behind the bet you know they they keep his his cap number a little bit under Nick Suzuki and Cole Coffield you know the other two forwards they have signed long term and you know now you’ve got nine years of your I laugh kosi me you you’ve locked him up through what will unquestionably be his prime as an NHL player and if you’re in the Canadians end of the rank you’re hoping that his prime far exceeds that cap hit and you know that he’s becomes a nine or 10 or an 11 million do equivalent player over the course of this deal and of course what that will mean is you know in the middle of this deal if it’s a $110 million cap I mean to be a $9 million player $10 million player and $10 million cap is a little different than what we associate with it today so you I like the contract I like where Montreal’s trending you know I think we’re all waiting like what does Ottawa look like what does Buffalo look like how you know we we kind of go back to these touch points but you know you’re waiting for there to be a little bit of displacement in the Atlantic division uh because the four teams at the top have kind of been there for for an extended period of time here but you know I like the bet on slowski and it is a bet because you’re you’re definitely overpaying him today uh did he have a 50o season last year or something like that yes he did but he’s still so young and you know typically even he’s a big man right like sometimes bigger players just take a little longer to kind of grow into their bodies and and to understand what he can do on the ice and I mean this guy’s got yogger like qualities I’m not saying he’s have the kind of career yir did but with the way he can use his body and win win the puck along the wall and and obviously it’s a great shot so you know I I love the I love the thinking behind this one but it’s sort of an intriguing decision by the Canadians at this point in his development I feel like we’ve discussed this particular tactic a bunch of times with the Canadians and I think the Senators could be applied to this too the young Talent you get when they show a glimpse of something if you’re able to sign them long term you don’t worry about year one or year two them not playing up to that contract it’s the hope that in years four five 34 five that money starts to look like a steal for the potential for them to reach and I think for a guy like your I Kowski with what he showed in that last year and just the way that he seems really confident in the market that he’s in I I can completely understand that bet and now the Canadians found a way to keep Suzuki Coffield and sovi with aavs under eight million for the foreseeable future I think that’s really good business by Kent Hughes absolutely and I got to say too that you know to me it’s a bit of a page out of the way we’ve seen the lightning build over the years if if you think back they signed Anthony Celli Eric chernack Mel sergachev like they signed all those guys when they were at the right age a year ahead of time and and look there’s still risking that right I mean Sosi could theoretically have terrible year next season and then we’re looking back and being like wow they paid them this and you know if if they were doing that contract now like there’s always the ability to second guess it but I think more often than not you’re wise to you know if if you’re comfortable that the player is going to be a sort of core type player for you like why wait why give that that player you know not to make it about the Leafs but you know if you look at what happened in in the third year of the Leafs players when they were in entry-level deals I’m thinking Marner and Matthews specifically like they they took big jumps in their play in the third year and you know martyr didn’t sign till after his third season was completed Matthew signed Midway through his third season and definitely pushed you know the boundaries of what he could have signed for had he signed five or six months before that would have been a different number on his second deal I’m not trying to relitigate these contracts I’m only just you know pointing out that there’s there’s you know it’s generally I think wise to get ahead of it and that’s why even you know the Leafs just signed Joseph wall to an extension one year out uh on July 1 and other you know contracts we didn’t really touch on I like the bet there I I understand I’ve seen a lot of people actually in the market here in Toronto criticizing it what’s he done he’s injury-prone all this stuff but you know let’s imagine a world where if Joseph wall goes out and plays 50 games next season and and kind of delivers on the promise you’ve already seen his career you’re probably looking at a different number and on top of that and and this is the one thing you can’t measure I think there’s comfort for the player here like like slavoski to to drop back to him you know I saw in his media conference with reporters he was saying like he just want he wanted to be settled in he wants to win he wants to know he’s part of the team like like he doesn’t have to worry about a contract like he’s gonna be like married and you know he’ll be able to grow a beard Like Mine by this point like like by next time he has to worry about a contract it’s gonna be a long time in the future right he’s still kind of a kid uh a very big kid at this point in time but he’s gonna be he’s going to be a man the next time he has to worry about that I think that there’s value in that though and that’s the thing you can’t measure you can’t do the sliding doors and no but but I even think if you’re Joseph Wall shoes who yes he he knows he’s had those injuries he knows he’s yet to fully prove himself but he has the belief now from the organization he’s not playing for a contract next season he’s just playing to be the best he can be to help his team win to be a part of the solution and I I think there’s there’s huge value in that uh you know obviously sometimes a contract year can bring out the best in a player you know like having that carrot right in front of you knowing that you’re you’re going to you know be judged and you’re going to have to you know the basically the numbers you put up in that season are going to have a big impact on what the next deal looks like but you know I think sometimes being locked in at a certain number gives a piece of mind and you know allows you just to do your thing so you know I I I don’t see any attack Vector for this laosy deal now I I say that knowing full well I didn’t have to sign off on that it’s not my career on the line and and that if in two seasons he’s regressed and we’re going to be talking about what a what a disaster it was but I just think that’s of of the likely outcomes I think that’s the least likely and and you know Montreal it next year I still don’t see it being the year for them to take a big step forward I agree um but by this time next summer I mean certainly they’ve got some contracts coming off the books and you would think that they’re going to be at a spot where they’re probably a bigger player in free agency next summer and then really trying to gear up the year after that to to you know make a run for the playoffs as one of these teams whether it’s Boston whether it’s Toronto Tampa Florida I don’t know which one it’s not a prediction but some of those teams are going to be regressing slightly and I think there’s going to be an opportunity there for the Canadians uh some notable uh players who uh could be off the books next season as ufas uh Christian Dvorak y all AR Mia Jake Evans Michael pizetta is also a UFA David sard is also a UFA there is a golden opportunity for them to clear more salary off the books and depending on who could be available in 2025 as a free agent it puts the Canadians in a very good spot to land a free agent if they so choose well in 2025 could be a bit of a chaos year and I say this knowing full well that for the most part the the very best NHL potential free agents never hit free agency certainly not in their primes but I I just wonder if some of the conditions that are at play right now shift that for 2025 and you know just off the top of my head you know you have Leon dry CLE Mitch Marner Sydney Crosby Carter ver heagy right now I mean you have a not to put the same but like there there is a lot of really good players that aren’t signed yet for 2025 now they have 353 days or so to to do so like there’s a lot still to to play out before we we’re saying with any certainty that those players hit free agency but you know it’s definitely not impossible you know when I when I look at dry Sidle situation like this is such a big contract for him I mean he’s played seven years on his eight-year deal he had five 100 Point seasons in his seven years that he’s played on this current contract you know he’s making just over 8 million like he has delivered so much excess value on that deal you know it’s in his mind his agents Minds to that he’s got to make that up on his next deal and so whether that ends up being an Edmonton or on the open market I mean remains to be seen but it would not surprise me at all if he’s if he’s going to the highest bidder next July 1 you know Mitch Marner seems inclined to play out this season um you know certainly his his agent Darren Ferris has likeed to do that with his clients he’s you know Darren Ferris his agent has actually taken the reverse of what I’m saying from the team side of slavoski and he’s always thought it’s best to just play the full thing out because you’re you’re probably going to have a better year you’re probably going to have a stronger case you’re going to have more leverage I mean there’s no question if if Marner plays out this season whether it’s in Toronto or somewhere else and has 100 points which is totally like in his wheelhouse it’s basically he’s played at 100 Point Place these last number of seasons and he’s totally free to sign wherever he wants on 1 I mean he’s going to have a huge amount of Leverage as a player you know the Crosby Dynamic I mean we we need a whole show to unpack that one I I don’t want to just I’m prepared to do that if we need to I don’t want to just launch into that but I mean look what’s happening in Pittsburgh like it it just becomes increasingly difficult for me to see other than loyalty and knowing like how important the city and the organization are to him it’s it I mean it’s hard to imagine that he’s eager to resign there like it it’s probably should be a bigger storyline I think it’s because Sid who is who he is he’s so loyal he’s not one to ever rock the boat but it’s July 4th and he has been able to sign a contract since July 1 and he hasn’t and there’s like there’s nothing Brewing there like there’s been some discussions but I don’t get to sense the discussions have been all that productive to this point and I think it’s almost like everyone’s just assuming that there’s no way he’d ever leave and that’s why it probably hasn’t made the sort of you know Rumblings that it might but I’m telling you you got to watch that one um not because I I don’t think he wants to leave like that’s that’s sort of an obvious statement I just wonder if they’ve done enough to make him want to stay like like the point is he’s not looking for a reason to leave but I’m not sure they’ve given him a reason to stay either um it’s been a very underwhelming free agency and and trade period I’d say for the Penguins and you know I say that knowing full well like what could they do like there there’s you know there wasn’t necessarily a bunch of Saviors out there for I know they were one of the teams bidding on tereno you know that that would have helped I mean someone who can shoot the puck in the net um you know there’s there’s a reason why Detroit went and signed him there’s a reason why Florida just want a cup with him like he’s he’s a useful player he’s not the game breaker that he once was but you know he helps make your team better I just I don’t see how the penguins are going to be any better next year um I don’t think he could ask for any more out of Crosby than what he gave you last season like it’s not it’s not about sort of the guys you’ve had there being better I mean maybe some better goal tending throughout the season things like that you could could hope for but I don’t know like I I think Pittsburgh is could be the epicenter for some some really interesting things in the next year and so you’re right this started off with a talk about Montreal and them having cap space and and the sort of desire to pounce in 2025 in free agency I think we could have I think next year could be a chaos year it might start this summer like if if it becomes clear that that some of those players 100% aren’t resigning you know maybe we’re talking about trades before the start of the next season but even if they go into the last years of their deals uh we might have a really fascinating free agency next summer Sydney Crosby’s Boyhood team was the M sh Canadians just saying or Colorado I think it’s more likely it’s just if I if I had a crystal ball I would probably project that Sydney Crosby would be just calling up Nathan McKinnon and being like hey you want to play at least a year or two together and you go from there I can totally see Sydney Crosby in a Colorado Avalanche uniform I know my brain has done a complete 180 from the last time we talked about this where just I do not see him leaving Pittsburgh I’m starting to get to that other side now yeah anyway anyway here the thing is is like do you want to like this he’s got to probably look himself in the mirror this summer obviously have chats with people close to him that matters but it’s like do you want to play these last couple years where you’re still at a high where like I mean I know a big carrot for Crosby is that he’s going to get to now play best on best again he’s going to get to play with the younger generation the mcdavid’s the the marners the the Braden points I mean these these like this is that that’ll be cool for him whether it’s at the four nations or the 2026 Olympics like that’s all locked in but do you want to be kind of toiling in mediocrity do you want your season to end on April 10th you know you know the answer is no but like that I just don’t see the path back to the playoffs quickly for the Penguins or certainly okay you might make the playoffs like Washington made the playoffs this year and they were swept in four games like I don’t see the path back to really contending we should actually talk about the capitals honestly I I think they’ve had they’ve had the opposite off season like if I’m weirdly if I’m Crosby I’m looking at what the capitals are doing and being like okay why are we not operating in this manner because to me they are unquestionably better on paper July 4th than they were on June 4th like like they they have made some really interesting bets um their GM Brian mclen is calling them bets like I I actually love I don’t know if you saw his press comments but he like he gave a pretty good press conference this week and said like look we’re trying to make the best team we can while oetkin is still here we we are making bets like he acknowledges that pure Luke DUIs that trade is a bet but like I don’t think it’s a crazy bet where dub was in his career and you know they’re making deals for Jacob Chan you know they sign Matt Roy to a pretty big ticket item in free agency they get Brandon Dame like I I just think that they they have a better NHL team and they didn’t really sacrifice too much like they’re not trading away a ton of draft picks in these deals like they’re making sort of player-for-player Trades because it was Darcy keer that was traded for dubba it’s Nick Jensen going out the door in the deal that gets some Chen from Ottawa like I I love the way for a team trying to not fall to the bottom of the league and just extend its window as best it can I love the way the capitals have kind of approached the offseason you know if you’re Crosby and you’re they’re looking down the barrel of a third straight year out the playoffs you know this is his last season on his deal his current deal you know does he resign a two or threee deal do you want four five six years of the playoffs like it’s it’s tough and and look it sometimes players are the last one to see it because they believe so much in their own abilities they believe in their teammates they believe in the program but I mean I just I think the penguins are headed into their their hibernation period I think they’re headed to their rebuild and I don’t know how this shakes out none of this is meant to suggest he’s gone or anything like that it’s just I’m looking at the landscape and I’m looking at the fact he hasn’t signed his new deal the other thing too he’s played I’ll say this he played what I think he had a five-year contract at a ventry level at an 8.7 million capit then he did a 12year deal that’s the one that’s ending at an 8.7 million capit I’m willing to bet his next contract is for more than that on an average annual value I’m willing to bet he’s not signing for 8 points 7 million to to write out the career nor should he look at his results but that’s the other part of this he’s going to be like he’s played he’s definitely been paid for 17 years under his value I agree which benefited Pittsburgh which benefited him because he wanted to play for championships he had a chance to be in four Stanley Cup finals he won three of them but I I don’t I don’t see a discount on the next deal nor should he like I don’t think any I would never sit here and argue any player should sign for less than their value uh because I just think think the career windows are so short but that’s the other Dynamic here I bet he’s I bet he’s getting paid properly and the last thing on this because you mentioned Colorado and we’re just we’re down the rabbit hole here I love this I love this this is amazing go off but and look the Avalanche have a really murky cap picture because there’s just a lot of question marks but you know they have Gabriel landeskog who they’re hoping will play next season but no one and I mean no one because of the nature of the the procedure he had knows what will be like he might play one game and he just can’t do it I hope for Gabe’s sake I mean he hasn’t played in the league for two years I hope he’s able to come back and play but he’s a big question mark like there’s a chance unfortunately his career who knows and then you have Valerie nushin who’s in stage three of the NHL NHL pa player assistance program he can’t play before November under the terms of that Arrangement the the the avalan are telling teams right now we’re not trading them during this window like they’re they’re going to they’re they’re hoping to help rehabilitate the player and the person but who knows like he’s another question mark for the Avalanche and another sort of bigger contract and so there’s a world where come next summer one or both of those players are not in the avalanche’s future like they they will have more clarity by this time next year on those players and if that’s the case they’re going to have a big hole or holes to fill in their lineup so things could be aligning as much as you’re trying to draw the the Montreal thing things could align that that makes Colorado even more even more than you know good team great City great opportunity to chase a C for Crosby they might also need someone like that and so you know there’s a reason to keep watching these next 12 months keep watching keep listening uh because I I could just see you can see how things could shape up where we have a you know we have some pretty major faces major personalities major star players changing teams like in multiple versions of that it could be like a series of earthquakes and Tremors in these next 12 months I I I think a lot of our listeners will appreciate the warning here for 2025 and now my brain before you know what I’ll stop my brain from letting it get too far I wonder how much you’ve thought about the summer of 2026 but that could be a whole episode in itself I have not I don’t even know what you’re nodding at I mean obviously Conor McDavid is a UFA that summer but I I don’t know I honestly haven’t looked oh I’m not nodding at anything I’m not nodding at anything in particular no I didn’t know if there’s like four other amazing players that have contracts expired them I don’t know CU I don’t I don’t have um I I haven’t looked that far ahead it’s funny I saw today Stephen Ellis at Daily Faceoff put out as like projected 2026 draft rankings and I’m like I saw that I’m like bless you man but I cannot believe you’re able to look that far ahead cuz we’re so much in the here and now in this business this episode of the Chris Johnson show is brought to you by Shady Rays get ready for the season ahead 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team always has your back with personal and fast support Shady ra.com go to that website right now you can use the code Johnston to get 50% off two or more pairs of polarized sunglasses shadyrays.com use the code Johnston for 50% off two or more pairs of polarized sunglasses uh Shane Pinto signing uh a new contract with the Ottawa Senators with an aav of 3.75 mil uh that’ll keep him uh until 2026 he’s an RFA after that any thoughts on that deal well it didn’t come easily right I mean there was discussions about an offer sheet for Shane Pinto Pierre LeBron my our colleague at the athletic my colleague as well TSN put out something on July 1st about the possibility of a trade request going in or not that it had gone in but that it might come um this has not been an easy negotiation you know the Senators did make the the Matthew Joseph deal essentially for future considerations pure cap dump um to to St Louis in order to free up the kind of room to sign Pinto but you I think it’s good for Shane and for the team they got it done sooner rather than later cuz those were if if that was already the talk at the start of July had he not had a contract by the end of July it would have been getting worse and worse um you know I think this is a huge season for the Senators and I’m not talking about with their fans or you know the getting the media to believe like I think they have to take a step forward they have to get the players on their team to believe a little bit because that it just feels like there’s a lot of you know this is only two-year deal for Pinto so obviously it’s there still like he gets a nice raise on it um on where he’s been at but he’s got to prove something like it’s a bit of a pro it deal both ways like he’s getting closer to UFA I know Brady kachuck signed but there’s all these sort of thoughts like how long does he going to be you know it’s as nice as it is for him to go celebrate with his brother Matthew we know that family is very close uh winning a championship like how long is he going to want to be part of a team that just isn’t making the playoffs that isn’t even in the running for those types of things you know it just it feels like a year in Ottawa where they have to take a step for their own self-belief more than anything external and obviously all the external stuff flows out of that and and would be positive um but I think sort of shortterm it’s great that they get the deal done with pinto I think you know give him a full year obviously difficult season for him last year where he had a contract situation hangover his head all summer and then he he gets suspended for 41 games uh for illegal betting activity that that he had participated in obviously that’s his own his own error that he has to wear but you know when you’re not making your season debut until late January it’s tough to to have the kind of season you want at the like you know he’s at an age where you expect him to be becoming more of an impactful player so I think to have this settled now gives him his best chance at success and that’s a team you know I think we’ll be talking a lot about next year julan because I don’t I don’t know that they’ve that they have enough internally I mean they make a big deal for lenus hmark they brought in Jensen on their blue line you know the other side of the Chan deal which I think makes sense and that Jenson signed for a couple years he’s a right shot gives them better balance you know we we’ve talked about how you know with them already having Shabbat and Sanderson locked in longterm on the left side Chan didn’t he’s a bit he had a great year last year but it’s it’s like it didn’t maybe too much of a good thing in one position so I like the idea the thinking behind that trade but you know the Senators uh it just feels like there’s there’s this solves like one bit of business for a day but it doesn’t get past the fact that there’s they’ve really got to find a way to take a step forward this season also new head coach Travis Green yes Travis Green has a lot to prove as well which team do we talk about more next season the senators or the Buffalo Sabers who are pretty much in the exact same boat they’re in the same spot like Kevin Adams is definitely feeling the heat the Sabers Jam you know I’ve seen a lot more pointed questions thrown at him when he’s meeting the media there and and this idea I mean who are we talking about more probably the Senators um but it’s it’s a dead heat like those are it’s two organizations in the same place where like what is the so five years ago they were lost at C give or take in these last two years they’ve like locked up players to contracts that Mak sense right like on both sides we’ve liked the deals they’ve made seems like they’re making good bets seems like they’re building in the right direction and yet we haven’t seen we haven’t seen them take the kind of steps on the ice I mean the Sabres two years ago to be fair almost made the playoffs like they they had a really nice second half and and played meaningful games in the last week of the regular season but you know they both turn through coaches um they’re both looking for answers and so I don’t know which one we talk about more I’m going to say the Senators cuz they’re based in Canada but but the truth is is the same things go the other way way because I would say in Buffalo like okay if this isn’t working next season maybe you’re trading one or more of those players that we like their deals we like the players but just the mix isn’t right or you know I I don’t know what you do the the larger lesson to me is the full rebuild is still a massive risk even when you get players in the draft that you like it’s it just remember how long it took Edmonton and really until they get McDavid there it didn’t change but they had all those first overall picks and it it just takes forever if you go to the bottom that’s that’s also why I kind of like what Washington’s doing like um I think you got to stay competitive as long as you can you know eventually you probably run out of time but you know Washington I I think they’re going to be a better team next year than than a lot of teams in the East I’ve seen some regression in the East like look at Carolina has not been some of that I get it just that you weren’t resigning Shay at that number peshi you know really since last summer has had a foot out the door you know Tavo teravan moves on um but I you know I haven’t like I haven’t liked what they’ve done since like I think that they’ve they’re they’re kind of they’re signing players in free agency but I just don’t know if they’ve they’ve replaced them they certainly haven’t upgraded their team and then they also have the Martin hes steel sort of mess there so like I can see some regression so I guess maybe if you’re one of these other teams there’s opportunity there to to jump up but um man it’s it the longer these teams at the bottom of the East don’t make that jump the more pressure gets applied it’s like exponentially more each season by the way uh since you keep mentioning the Washington Capitals uh according to cap friendly which uh still works as of this recording uh for the public anyway it goes out tomorrow July 5th tomorrow uh the Caps uh thir over 13 million over the cap uh limit as of right now according to cap friendly Something’s Gonna Have To Change there but look that’s a team that’s not afraid to change no absolutely not like they’ve made a lot of trades in the last couple years I and cat friendly is now going internal there so cat friendly can help address the issues that cat friendly itself is highlighting like that like that big red number that says minus 13 million anyway well and I don’t know do they have long-term injured players I haven’t looked closely at the exact details um I think they have players who well I mean Nicholas Backstrom is still backom yeah I mean he’s not playing no um but yeah there’s there’s there’s something they could there’s stuff they could do to bring that number down uh but I would imagine some other movement would still have to happen on their roster for them to be cap compliant for next season right well I mean there is some question too about TJ ooshi status healthwise so that right there could explain it if you if you have backr manoshi but yeah look it there’s there’s definitely going to be some changes absolutely look at that blue line they’ve got eight players signed yeah like it’s John Carlson Matt Roy who just I forgot Matt Roy just joined the Washington Capitals Jacob CH seven year deal man yeah that’s big deal for him uh he had a lot of interest I mean the Leafs were there yes um but you know I think fair to assume got got outbid that they weren’t probably going seven years on them at that that number or they just couldn’t it’s not that they didn’t necessarily want to um I love it though I think it’s I think it’s great to see a team putting the chips in I get it it’s just like I don’t know like I I I totally see that side of thinking not to make this another discussion about rebuilds I but I also think of a team like the one I’m covering now that has all that cap space and flexibility I don’t know I kind of would rather be in that spot where you have a lot of room to do things and I know you’re not going to be competitive as opposed to the capitals where you’re making some bets a lot of them could like not pan out and don’t have all the contracts in front of me but I feel like they’re pretty smart bets like the only the only one that could truly like if Pier Luke DUIs just can’t play hockey anymore yeah that’s that you’re stuck with that contract but like the odds of him look at it was a Down Season the odds of him being just flat out awful I just think are low I mean that like they have to look at they have to unlock something there he’s got to maybe approach his offseason differently like I’m not saying hey it’ll just take care of itself but he’s still young enough that it’s not an insane bet you know they’re not splashing around draft picks they’re not signing they’re not you know like Chan is one year left on his deal you’re right I I don’t know I feel like most also has one year left on his deal as well most of this is pretty smart to make them better in the short term and they didn’t give up a whole lot to do it you know the the flip side with Calgary and they’re just getting into theirs but it’s like I don’t know when they’re going to be good like I I think you’re going to need like you need a telescope to figure out when they’re going to be good again like like it could be five years it could be seven years like you know you can never tell I agree with that thinking too you have no idea how long a rebuild will take it could be three years which sometimes we’ve seen with different teams where if you try to retool quickly on the fly it might not work it could be 5 years it could be seven years I have no idea who knows yeah and look maybe they’ll start making moves like the capitals moves that I’m talking about and using some of that space and all the pick capital and everything and start actually adding NHL players back but like they they’ve just subtracted so many effective players and and really not added very many in their place and so you know you just like the math does itself on that one I I I think it’s going to be a long rebuilding Calgary I hope not for your case for for the fans case there I know it’s a great fan base but like I just look at I look at the series of moves and it it feels it feels like far off I it definitely does feel far off but I I just in seeing what the fan base is like I think there there’s a faction of them that are patient and are willing to let this play out because they’ve seen the other way where they’ve tried to push for a playoff spot and ultimately fail or tried to make some kind of run of it and it failed whereas now they have the cap space they know well on paper anyway this team does not look like they’re going to be that good depending on what other assets they could have leading into next year it could lead to more opportunities for them to accumulate more assets like it’s G to take time but Pi like the picks you’re making today aren’t going to be good for five years usually yeah but like that’s if you hit right but I don’t know if the flames right now are in a position where I mean obviously they would love to have players who would be good right now to help make this F faster but they also need quality in their Prospect pool a guy like Zay perk who might not be good for another few years they needed a player like him anyway because he has gamebreaking potential like sometimes you just have to wait guess I think the FL in POS they’re in a position where they can afford to wait I think I guess I just think back two years and they were the runner up and the trade for Jack eel and yeah like the alternate timeline is they trade for Iko and maybe they resigned some of the players that they just traded away and you know I get it I like I I definitely sense that there’s been this like push like we want to see the young guys in Calgary but I I guarantee you you’ll get tired of it at some point I mean ask Ottawa and ask Buffalo oh yeah they’ve seen lots of young guys and they’ve seen lots of losing Seasons I’m I’m with you there I I’m I’m with you there I think I think what the Flames are doing there lots of Nail Yakupov jerseys in Edmonton and even Taylor Hall who I don’t think doer should have traded away I think he that was definitely one of the big mistakes they made in that era but like there’s so many Jordan Eberly like like just players that aren’t around by the time the team’s good again it like it takes five years and then it takes another five years and by then you’ve like really challenged your fan base absolutely you need a generational player you need really good players to help this along the Flames need to put themselves in the position to get those players though unless someone is willing to hey we’re the one’s going to give them kale b car straight up off a tra unless he becomes a free agent decides to come back to Alberta we’ll see anyway anyway um anything else we need to mention before we get to questions no that ended up being like 30 minutes of like stream of Consciousness that was actually I mean I loved it I thought it was really cool um let’s get to these questions for ask CJ uh thank you to everyone who sent in questions and sorry that we had to move it from Monday to Thursday Monday was just well Tuesday sorry was a crazy day let’s get to this first one for from ktown 2272 CJ thoughts on the Leafs getting former Pizza Pizza employee Chris TANF wait a minute you didn’t know about this is that a fact um I was I was I was Googling this yesterday and apparently he was a pizza pizza employee Once Upon a Time well this is incredible I mean I like the look at the contract is long and risky but I like this was exactly the type of player the least needed and it was the one that was available um you know I think I think assuming Health which you it’s you know you can’t always assume Health with a 34y old who’s had a series of injuries I I like it shortterm for the leaves for sure and and um the fact that he also worked at Pizza Pizza I mean this is this is a mind-blowing revelation that I was not aware of I knew he had an a a difficult or challenging or unorthodox path to the NHL Chris tanov but now I’ve got uh the the first time I get a chance to chat with him when he gets to Toronto is I’ve got I’ve got a a good opener for for questions what do you look at that two Chris’s uh working at pizza pizza that’s a really good uh I love that I never worked at pizza pizza oh no sorry sorry you love pizza pizza you worked at Wendy’s Wendy’s I don’t know why why I trip that up I don’t think they would have hired me at at the cobg pizza pizza cuz they’d be like this dude will be be eating all the stock like this dude he’s going to be eating the product Oh God sorry he’s going to be too distracted he’s just going to want to eat all that yummy yummy Pizza sorry I got tripped up with your love for pizza pizza and for whatever reason my brain just thought oh yeah right like did he work there no he didn’t it was Wendy’s sorry and I’ll tell you since I worked at Wendy’s which was like 20 years ago I’ve probably eaten there less than five times since like I’m not not I have nothing against it I didn’t see anything that like made me not want to go back but like I almost had enough I I like I don’t need to go back I had it was you know question great memories love the job like I literally talk fondly about that time in my life but I I’ve only ever gone to Wendy’s when there’s like no other choice or something um it’s not it’s not bad it’s not bad fast food place I like the burgers there they’re they’re not yeah as I say I’m not slandering it I’ve just got tired of it I guess from being a kid but Pizza Pizza I will I will always go to Pizza Pizza I’m a pizza pizza Stan uh hit up Adam wild pizza pizza you know the number we’re just sitting right here send us some free Z let’s go I’m telling you man open sponsorship opportunity next one from uh Hey the leafes have pizza pizza on the helmet I wonder if that’s going to like yes I wonder if Chris tan it’s going to be like a full circle moment for him when he pulls up everyone talks about pulling on this legendary Jersey like when he puts on the pizza pizza helmet maybe it’s G to like unlock something I dare you to ask him when you get a chance to be like how does it feel to where Pizza Pizza on your helmet knowing you work there it’s funny for a guy that’s played in the league so long I don’t know him at all so I I going to have to gauge what kind of personality is before I Broach that topic but he could be a little dry um but uh he’s he’s a really smart he’s a smart individual and sometimes like some of his responses might be a little short it might take you a little off guard but he doesn’t waste words I I I like dealing with him the last two seasons he was in Calgary he was a really good guy to deal with well that’s good but I’m I’m not going to come in there the first day actually and be like hey does this pizza pizza helmet make you feel you know does this give you superpowers do you still eat at Pizza Pizza Chris tff I’m not gonna ask him that either not gonna ask him that it’s a loaded it’s a loaded question because he’s gonna be like what’s he trying to say I’m out of shape or something like yeah du you don’t want that but oh my God okay no more no more uh Chris tan Pizza Pizza fan fic from us here at the CJ show uh from fer to Ducks next question Ducks fan here any word on what Pat verb is up to I didn’t expect any huge free agent signings but surely verbi needs to do something to try to improve the team targeting any of the young players that didn’t receive a qo any trade Rumblings a whisper about an offer sheet I’ll take anything well he just traded for Robbie Fab’s contract this this question was before the Robbie fabri contract so I think that’s a window into what verb’s trying to do I mean a player that you know he’s trying to match up players with the younger players in his organization he did you know he’s obviously they signed Alex colorin last year they took a stab at Steven Stam Co this year like there’s certain veterans I think they would look to bring in because they believe they would be culture shifters in addition to helping on the ice but beyond that you’re you’re looking for midrange um players that can hopefully become part of the fabric and grow up with the team and so I think you can see more of those type of deals using the cap space I mean they add an extra pick in in the deal for to take Fab’s deal um you know I think that that’s the sort of what you should expect out of herek so obviously they weren’t major players in free agency but I don’t think they should be I mean most of the free agents are in their 30s and and most of them are getting significant contracts and you know it’s it’s still a bit of a steady buildup in Anaheim I’ll be curious to see I know it’s the trade rumor that never reaches a conclusion but if we see John Gibson moved at some point um you know I still think they’d move Trevor zigis too in the right trade so I I think that the the order of the day in Anaheim is patience um I don’t I don’t see them doing anything crazy but but certainly looking to add more guys in the 25 26 range uh to improve the team and and create the most favorable conditions for the the young group of players that they drafted in the last few years that are that are joining the lineup okay uh Congo red describe your ideal summer Cottage what would it have around it and what amenities would it have no cell phone service at all at all don’t you I feel like you kind of need it you know just in case something happens nah you don’t need it what do you mean like tell you the LeBron compound up uh north of tronto does not have very good cell phone service like you literally have to walk to the end of Pierre’s driveway to take a call and it’s a long driveway like it’s it’s one of those Cottage driveways that winds through the trees and and you couldn’t find it unless she knew where it was like you literally Pierre’s Cottage does not show up on GPS like you have to know where you’re going which is awesome it’s like a secret bunker yeah and it’s more just like to me the ideal Cottage is on a lake very remote it’s not like it’s not like I know parts of Moka are so beautiful up north of Toronto but a lot of them are just like Mega home Mega home Mega home Mega home on the lake like that’s not for me I like something a little bit more remote you know a good screened in porch I’d say is a nice a nice like amenity to have with like a TV where you know in the summer I could watch like the British Open or whatever or I mean I’m not watching the the baseball team that shall not be named on this podcast these days d a lot at that point Dam I’ve not watched the game since May like not even a minute wow jeez I’m not coming back till they make changes um but you know like that’s the kind of su sum activity i’ want to have but honestly I don’t need a whole lot I don’t I don’t need a MC mansion on a lake I just want nice setting but I don’t I don’t have a cottage I’m not the market for cottage it’s not really I like going to traveling in this we only get this like kind of slice of the year to do things that aren’t work um full credit to those who love to spend eight weeks in a row at a cottage I I like I like to have a couple Cottage weekends I’m lucky to have some friends and family that give me the little taste of it I but I don’t have to go head first into actually doing that fulltime myself yeah Cottage sh weekends are the best love them I I got two or three this summer take some photos um you need a barbecue at this Cottage you absolutely need a barbecue yeah S I thought that went without saying yeah like no one no one wants to be at of cottage and like cooking only in the kitchen like some of it’s got to be outdoor cooking and honestly I I like protein so mhm wait grill or barbecue pit grill I don’t know what a barbecue pit is or I don’t know uh like I think we’re talking the same thing though like just like a barbecue I guess it is more or less the same thing it doesn’t are you thinking like like something with with like actually open Flames yeah something like that I’ve never cooked on that but I I’m not against it I just I’m more like just a propane barbecue essentially that’s okay but I’m not snobby about it like I would I’m open to other forms of cooking that’s just all I’ve ever been exposed to are you good with like do you have like like a rib recipe or like do you like cook steaks and stuff like do you have like a good like grill go-to for yourself I’m pretty simple this isn’t going to shock you but I I like I don’t I don’t do I eat ribs but I I’ve never actually prepared ribs myself um but you know steak for sure Burgers I can I can I can I can man the grill in a simple way and and not screw it up and I like it because I can counterbalance like The Flipper with a beer you know what I mean like I’m perfectly weighted it feels like a very very dad Vibes when I’m at the grill last thing and then I’ll get to the next question but like I’ve tried preparing ribs before and like I’ve had a bit of help from like my mom with that yeah if you get yourself a smoker with that oh yeah oh it’s it’s beautiful it’s I like everything smoked like I like the taste of smoked like I even like like Smokey if you get a good smoky mix drink or highball like like any anything smoked I’m in so you and I you and I are in agreement on that absolutely uh a rare food take that we’re on the same board you know same page with I love it we’re allowed to agree on takes also smoke drinks uh if you’re ever in Calgary at the same time I’m there I’ll I’ll I’ll take you a couple places where we can get that all right uh Paul Zang is trading calian Croc Plus for a center something the Leafs are considering I think they would look at moving camp for yarn croak or Timothy Len in the right deal like I should be very clear that’s not to say that they’re like trying to get rid of them at all costs but I think that because of you know the leaf salary cap you know they’re pretty tight up against it and really at this point of the offseason they’ve not made any changes to their forward group like that the Blue Line looks different obviously made the moves in net but you know I think they’re going to have to get creative perhaps to address any changes they want to make it forward so I I do think that those types of players could be had but that being said I I don’t have any reason to believe anything’s closer that it’s going to happen but you know I think certainly entering this offseason they were open-minded about that um but those the reason those players have the contracts they do is that they are they do provide a function it’s just if they could get an upgrade what they felt was an upgrade by moving those players out to create the cap room needed I think they do so okay from Eric F any news on Mark gordano haven’t seen anything new team resigning anything I don’t know anything myself I saw someone put out prior to July 1 that he wanted to still play um but I I don’t yeah I don’t have any of my own reporting to contribute there but I I did see a report he wanted to still play you know he was the oldest skater last year in the NHL at age 40 uh I wish him the best but I don’t I don’t get the sense it’s coming in Toronto if that’s that’s what’s going to happen but it doesn’t didn’t sound like based on the last report I read that that Gio was ready to hang them up so that’s all I got okay uh from uh this is the real name I’m using here stink face MC poop Lightning what does CJ think about bucket hats I like them on other people I don’t know that it’s my style um but look at offer sun protection apparently some degree of style I’m not going to sit here and hate on a bucket hat no I feel like it was an episode you wore a bucket hat I think it might have been a joke though I don’t even know oh yeah for sure it wasn’t like a serious thing I don’t I honestly don’t own one myself like wherever I had that one I wore was like a prop at some point but um but I’m not again I’m not down on them I just don’t know that it’s it’s my style I feel like I don’t know why but I feel like it was that summer when like Johnny gdo was was I feel like it was then you you wore that hat in sunglasses it could be and and now that I’m thinking of it look if I was at like LeBron’s Cottage on the dock a bucket hat might be appropriate but I don’t own one you won’t see me wearing one in downtown Toronto I know that much but but that being said I’ve seen some people pull it off and I’m like respect just yeah bucket hats are cool I I I I like that we agree on bucket hats they’re they’re we’re at the same level with that we don’t actually disagree on a lot of stuff to be quite honest no I know it’s just a few things we’ve disagreed on like forcefully like we’ve both been like not willing to give an inch on like a chocolate bar take or whatever yeah I’m not giving it itch poutin take or whatever poutine hot dog take or I have a chocolate question for you how do you feel about Snickers bars I’m a fan I like them they’re they’re growing on me yeah they’re growing on me I haven’t had one for a while like I try not to I try to avoid that but like I definitely would eat a Snickers bar I sometimes have one before ball hockey games like that’s like a thing I do wow is that what we’re blaming your suspension on like you’re a little too little too sugared up there got you weren’t thinking clearly it’s supposed to be the opposite actually you’re you’re supposed to have a stickers to help you think clearly it’s supposed to be the opposite as the video shows I still get people who hit me up about that all the time by the way I people people still like think they’re like that video was hilarious I did uh we had uh when I did radio a couple months ago we had a guest on who who made reference to that video at the suspension like that’s going to follow me for a while and I’m not upset about that I saw Gerald peros a couple times in the Press Box during the Cup Final and I wanted to ask him if he saw it but it always it always seemed like it was the Stanley Cup Final right like he’s got to be on like it’s not he’s not there to goof around but maybe if I see him in a lighter moment I’ll I’ll I’ll inquire to see if the department of player safety took note of our work please let me know about that because if they if they have a take on this then that is going to live forever um next one from uh ugly Thor for Patrick Kane’s contract how does the signing bonus work uh say things go away South and Detroit are sellers with the playoff team acquiring Kane need to pay that signing bonus any bonus earned welli as a member of the Red Wings would stay with them so there’s I don’t have the exact breakdown in front of me but I know he had a big one for 10 games presumably he’s going to play 10 games in Detroit before anything like a trade might happen and so the the Red Wings would be stuck with that um but yeah I mean look they’re they’re basically on the hook for the contract the the beauty of having some of the money tied up in those bonuses for 35 and over player is that Detroit can push the those bonuses over to the next season if need be uh team wants to do that you want to have them accounted for this year but it does it does provide a little bit of flexibility should Steve Eiserman and the front office need it okay uh one more question for you from Sky does CJ have any sort of clarity on this jacob Troopa situation have things gotten ugly in New York I don’t know if they’re ugly uh they’re they’re probably not pretty but you know look the the situation is pretty straightforward and that the team was looking to trade him he negot NE and has trade protection in his contract that allowed for him to have a full no movement Clause right through till July 1st Monday this week now he’s since submitted his his list of teams that he can’t be traded to and I think you know without I don’t know the exact list but I I think it’s fair to say that he’s used that list in a manner that will make it more difficult to trade him I.E teams that are known to be interested in Jacob trouba are are listed on his no trade and that’s where it’s at I mean he doesn’t want to be traded uh the team is looking for some flexibility it’s kind of like the Ottawa situation they have uh you know Braden Schneider Adam Fox ahead of him on on their you know on their depth chart so he’s a third pairing defenseman right now taking up $8 million a cap space happens to where the captain C there like I don’t know that it’s ugly it’s just kind of the business is is the best way to put it like I I think it’s maybe a little uncomfortable and not everybody wants the same outcomes right now um but I I’m that being said I’m not sure they’re going to be able to trade them and it’s it’s a big contract to move I think this time next year they’ll probably be more willingness from Jacob truis Camp Assuming he’s not moved in the meantime to work with the Rangers on a a trade but right now he wants to be where he is and uh we’ll see if the team can find something that makes sense because they do still get half the league with which uh they they can make a deal without him consenting to it so um a little bit I guess a little awkward or a little uncomfortable but I don’t I don’t think it’s like outright vicious it’s just you know not not in every circumstances do it do a team or front offices wants align with what a players wants and that’s that’s really how I see the trouba situation all right that’s going to do it for questions uh how about stick Taps before we wrap up do you have a stick tap for this week sure I’ll give my stick tap to Jessica Campbell hired Wednesday as an assistant coach of the Seattle Kraken the first time ever this is history my friend we’ve had a full-time assistant coach uh who was a woman in the NHL I should point out the NHL is the last of the four major professional sports leagues in North America that have had a woman become a full-time member of the coaching staff so this is obviously he’s been some time coming and I think you know what’s interesting to me more than just you know the the headline of that the fact that that Jessica Campbell is a bit of a Trailblazer and obviously giving hope to a lot of other other you know women that are hoping to follow in her footsteps she’s only 32 years old she just celebrated her 32nd birthday and and you know it would be an accomplishment for anyone to to get an assistant coaching job and I think her story really is a tremendous example of what you can do taking advantage of opportunity she she was a high level national team player uh in the Canadian program um you know played in the in the now defunct cwl for a little bit but she became a basically a power skating instructor in Colona and you know she this is going back five six years you know came to work with a lot of players players that are current nhlers I know Luke Shen for example who’s had kind of a career Renaissance you know was among those who who worked with Jessica back in the day um you know kind of brings a skills development aspect to things she ended up coaching a little bit in Germany first on a skills end with with nernberg uh but then became an assistant coach that led her to a spot on the at the men’s World Hockey Championship in 2022 with the German team first woman ever on the bench at that tournament leads to an opening with the Coachella Valley Firebirds and in her two seasons working under D Dan BMA there not only did she help a number of their young players Tai K notably Shane Wright uh rer Evans uh that team went to the final in back toback years and and lo and behold the door opens Dan bman becomes a head coach in Seattle he’s worked with her for two years seeing what she can do and so you know really a cool story whether it was a man or woman uh and it just so happen she’s also you know breaking barriers with that so you know I think that’s obviously worthy of stick tap and and it’s a pretty you know it’s certainly a well- earned opportunity and and the game’s changing man I mean we we’ve got more women in front offices even since this podcast started there’s a number of women that are assistant general managers now around the league and I think we’ll see more in the coaching ranks too coming behind Jessica oh yes I love that stick tap for Jessica congratulations to her uh mine would be a little bit more fun well Jessica story is amazing this is going to be a little bit more silly uh the schedule releases that were coming out this week uh from some of the different NHL teams I really enjoyed some of the videos I think the Calgary Flames had a really good one the Minnesota Wild had a really good one I love the New Jersey Devils one with ducky Hamilton and Curtis Lazar announcing which teams they’ be playing throughout the season and ducky Hamilton is this geography teacher I love the fact that uh you know we’re in a world now where more and more personality is encouraged from is is starting to become more encouraged from these teams and for the Devils to step up and do a really cool video that a lot of people enjoyed on social media I thought that was awesome the Pittsburgh Penguins also had a really fun one too with um friend of the show Jeff Carter where uh they actually didn’t reveal a schedule they just said Same Old schedule but that was just a really fun one as well but uh shout out to all the different social media teams uh who helped put together uh some really great schedule release videos throughout this past week including the New Jersey Devils who I think had the best of all of them yeah douge like Arizona oops Utah I don’t know anything about Utah it was good I really I really like that too it was good awesome uh does this mean we only have one more episode before we go on summer break small Hiatus yeah we’ll be back in August oh yeah yeah summer break still yes it’s a summer break so one more show early next week and then I’m going to do some traveling I’m not sure what your plans are but we’ll uh we’ll reconvene at at a point when the weather’s still nice we’re not leaving you too long Friends of the show 100 centers we’re we’re not totally piecing out uh Stampede is on I’m going to do some traveling to oh yeah I’ll uh I’ll get my my summer downtime in for sure I’m also dropping in on the stdp on Monday oo that is must that’s a must-watch episode in studio so I’m not sure if I’m allowed to release that but it’s my life it’s my commitment and this is my show so that’s why you should listen to the Chris Johnson show everybody we’ll be back on Monday uh with our uh final episode before before we go on hi we’ll figure out what we’ll talk about in that episode Peace guys the Chris Johnston show inside the game twice a week Follow Chris on Twitter reporter Chris and follow Julian Mackenzie JK McKenzie the Chris Johnston show