How has Josh Norris looked the last few games

It's Mike Shope and the Bulldog.

I don't think that's a very good attitude.

It's Mike Shope.

You don't think?

You don't think?

I don't think you should be button-in when I'm talking to my team.

You're my assistant, okay?

You're supposed to back me up and go get me juice boxes when I tell you.

Now go get me a juice box.

You know who you're talking to.

It's no Bulldog.

I'm talking to the juice box guy.

You're crazy.

I'm not crazy.

I'm just thirsty.

What are you going to help?

No, you're going to help.

Why are you there?

Why are you grabbing a juice box?

I'm no juice box boy.

I'll tell you that.

Yes you are.

No, I'm not.

It's Mike Shope and the Bulldog.

Not WGR.

Sports Radio 550.

I have been meaning to ask you about Josh Norris for like a week.

I wonder if you think he is passing the eye test.

Because what I'm reading about his numbers is actually really good.

He's not scoring as much, but producing chances points.

He's having a different kind of, this is Chatti Dominguez I think among others.

Effect.

It's been like a job.

Yeah, I think mostly, I think I mean this is a compliment led by Chad.

It's been like a Josh Norris week with the fan base.

I think that's good instincts.

I mean, because for a while, there are times when I wonder like,

all right, where's Josh Norris in this game?

Because I think there's a high expectations.

But do you think he's doing well?

I do.

I think I think the past to Thompson last night may have looked like nothing.

But it was super sneaky subtle.

It almost looked like a continuation of this.

Oh, and I were talking about it while watching the game.

It looked like a continuation.

It almost looks like he lost the puck off his stick while he was sticking.

He didn't throw it in their hard.

And he was just like left to right, left to right, left to right.

And then it was just there.

And it was just like sneaky right where it could be where the guy below Thompson

couldn't reach it.

The guy above him.

There was a very small window there where that puck could get through.

It almost always is with that guy in the, what is it?

They call it the bumper spot in the power play configuration.

The guy in the middle.

It's a tight squeeze because everyone's trying to keep you from getting there.

And I just thought it was a super savvy play.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Even though it didn't look, he didn't sauce it over there and like it landed right.

But it was just vision and execution and subtlety.

Yeah, I mean, I think he, he, I mean, I think he's playing fine.

Would I like more goals?

Sure.

But the line has been really good.

And I think it's, you know, it's pretty.

Pretty important that he stay.

I mean, when he gets hit face first into the glass last night and I'm thinking right away

concussion, which, you know, for him might be better than shoulder.

I mean, no, I'm not making fun of head injuries.

It's just like he, he's had, you know, shoulder problems.

It's derailed his career really to this point.

I'm so relieved to see him back out for the third period when he came out.

Because I think he matters so much to the overall here.

Like they're, they're four line depth.

I mean, say, you know, now Karek is out.

That's another challenge.

Because that was really nice with that fourth line since he got there.

But at least the top three lines being dangerous to me completely goes away

if Norse isn't there.

They don't have that high end skating, playmaking.

I mean, they just don't with no cool leak on the horizon.

They'd be really stuck.

So it was part of the reason why I thought it made sense to go fishing for Robert Thomas.

Like Yarmul Kekalainen was reportedly doing in the days leading up to the trade deadline.

Because it's kind of the same reasoning out of a head for divesting themselves

with Norse last year at the trade deadline.

We're going to the playoffs.

Can we count on you?

And whether they were going to include Norse in the deal or not,

at least Thomas would be another piece that like you've got insurance here,

really high end insurance policy.

I think he matters a lot to their,

because if he goes out, I feel like your five on five is going to take a big hit.

As magic as that for DR and everything about them,

I just think he is a really important piece to this team.

And I do think he's playing, I think he's playing well.

He's a part of the reason they are, you know, when they,

there's pockets in games where they are just in charge.

And he's, to me, right in the middle of that.

He was drafted by San Jose, Norris.

I did not know that.

Traded in the Eric Carlson trade when, when Carlson,

maybe that's when he first left Ottawa.

Probably was, but he traded San Jose in 2018.

Also on Norris, his father played in the league.

Dwayne Norris.

No one knew.

At least not top of mind.

He played two seasons briefly.

He's probably mostly a minor league player with Quebec.

And then one with the mighty docks of Anaheim.

Three games for Anaheim.

Yep.

Went to Michigan State. Norris went to Michigan.

Right.

Ooh.

Dwayne Norris is from St. John's.

And Joshua Norris was born in Michigan.

Joshua.

I said Joshua that time because that's what is.

A myocky reference that they call him Joshua.

Was that line up because the dad was playing like in the minor leagues?

Maybe Grand Rapids or something.

Maybe you're something like that.

Maybe.

Right.

Yeah.

Michigan State.

Yeah, I already said it all.

He matters a lot.

And I think I think it's fair to want more goals.

I mean, he's he's been a he's been a goal scorer mostly.

There's a lot of what I think Chad covered in in you know going deep on it.

Is that it's uncommon for him to be reverting into.

It's not really his calling card to be becoming you know setup guy.

But I mean goals are goals.

So just keep producing.

I think what they've done with the power play.

The last couple of games.

Quinn being added in I mean he scores.

I mean what a what a what a shot.

Okay.

That is a that is get out of your seat shot by Quinn.

But you know he's new to power play one now.

He'd been on the other unit mostly.

So he's there and Thompson is down kind of like you saw in the Olympics.

He's below the goal line.

And he's in his regular spot.

And then he scores this goal from the the bumper last night.

This is good to get him moving around.

I've been saying for a little while here.

Like they're so dynamic or can be so dynamic at five on five.

The way they move around the zone.

So freely all five players D or wings or centers.

Whatever interchangeable.

And the power play often is just kind of.

I'm over here.

You're over there.

And I yes it needs to be more fluid.

And I think that's starting to happen a little bit last couple of games.

Ottawa pressures on they've lost three in a row.

Two in regulation.

I mean they're down five.

Nothing to Florida last night.

Poor.

I mean oh Mark Holy cow.

I mean he's had he's had so I mean it's not been in the easy year.

For leaners all Mark and now to be at this point of the year.

With everything that's happened with him.

To go into a game where you've already lost a couple in a row.

And you're starting to run out of runway.

And I mean it's just everything's going in.

Tough.

Tough night.

I mean I play tomorrow.

Do not envy him.

I don't know.

I don't know what they do.

With him.

I wonder how he is doing.

I mean it's just everything.

It makes you question everything.

Who is there now?

Rhymer.

Rhymer.

And is it so guard still?

Maybe is a guy who's played games for them this year.

Mara Linen.

20 games.

So guard.

Two games.

Okay.

No.

Two games.

Yeah that's nothing I was well I was definitely thinking of him but he's not the answer.

This happened a few times last night included where you wonder what the Sabers are going to get in goal from their opponent.

Last night Islanders do go back to Sorokin.

We'll see him.

And he was fine.

We'll see about the Senators tomorrow.

Here's the rest of it.

So Sabers have seven left.

By the way before I get out of Ottawa here tomorrow is their first of five in a row at home.

And they are two points out with a game in hand on Columbus.

So they're still right there.

Yep.

But there is separation now from the first wild card to the second and down.

Boston is the first wild card six up on the second and there are four teams within three points of the second spot that are out.

So Boston's probably feeling pretty good.

Montreal has to be Sabers have to be Tampa Pittsburgh Pittsburgh is kind of rolling now.

Yeah.

And Pittsburgh is in Tampa tomorrow.

Let's go penguins.

Go go.

Here's the rest for the lightning.

They have the extra game.

Here it is.

Penguins tomorrow night and then Boston on Saturday at five in Tampa.

That's the end of their seven game homestand.

Penguins Bruins.

That's not easy.

Then they're here on Monday and in Ottawa the next night at Montreal next Thursday.

Then at Boston next Saturday twelve thirty.

So your next two Saturdays you have Bruins lightning home to Detroit home to the Rangers.

That's hard.

I think that is hard.

That is hard.

Boston twice is hard.

The Montreal again.

The Montreal just got them last night, right?

Yep.

Yeah.

Two one late.

They were facing six on four.

And they survived it one four.

They might have got to four one.

Yeah.

I think four one was the final.

That's what I saw.

So yeah, that's a grind for them.

I mean, it's such a good race.

It's a race I didn't even, you know, I've had pretty overdo it here.

But like, you know, I was pretty New Year's Eve.

Okay, this seems good.

What are you going to do with it?

And I did not at all see them going on the rest of the tear that they've gone on since the 10 game win streak has been kind of incredible.

But I've been pretty comfortable with them, you know, getting a spot.

Then it got to be like, okay, well, maybe third.

Go for third.

And then that just turned into the top of the division.

Like, like that.

I mean, I just did not expect them to be in that battle, but they're there.

And, you know, they're not exactly in charge.

They've got the two point lead and Tampa has got the one extra game to play.

But still, I mean, that's such a tremendous job.

I hope they can hold on to it.

It's not a disaster if they don't.

But man, to have had it now in your hands here for more than a week or even longer than that.

I'd like to see him get it home.

Carolina has 100 points.

Same as Buffalo.

Also one more game like the lightning.

They have one game in hand on the Sabers.

Right.

Columbus tomorrow night.

They beat Columbus last night in Columbus or home at home.

That's tomorrow.

Then Islanders at Carolina Saturday.

What you get when it's so many teams that are so close.

Every game sounds like a two teams that are right next to each other at Ottawa on Sunday.

Is this Carolina home to Boston Tuesday.

Then four on the road at Chicago at Utah at Philadelphia at the Islanders.

How is it that we've got all this going on that the playoff races are so great.

And they've got all these games being jammed in because of the Olympic break.

And it's just that I've got a night with three games that nothing begins until 830.

And none of them feature any Eastern conference teams.

What what what are you doing?

I mean, I know it's buildings and it's a schedule and whatever.

But like there's been a lot of this right then we have the Sabers were the only game.

Some night a few are all one of only two games and then there's like 15 games the next night.

You just spread it out for God's sake.

What are you doing?

I can't believe I'm so into this all this this race that they're in.

And I don't know what I'm going to do without a game to watch when I get home.

There's nothing.

There's nothing there.

I don't know.

I don't have Boston playing somebody tonight or something like come on.

Yeah, mix it up.

You could watch Guardians Dodgers.

We get that channel.

We get the clean.

Okay.

I watched that last night.

There's a ball game that is starting when we get home then that's good because that's probably where I'm done.

This is 820 because I know.

Okay.

That's also bad.

Like baseball.

Same thing.

You were talking about when I first got here.

How many afternoon games were there today?

Like 13.

Okay.

None yesterday.

None yesterday.

And there's no game at seven o'clock.

This isn't that hard.

What are you doing to me?

It's going to be something.

No ADP chasing tonight.

That was last night.

Oh, I mean, I was good watching last night.

I was hockey.

I was getting to that.

We talked about the Nordiques.

You talked about the Nordiques.

I'm your friend.

Yes.

Yes.

There are four of us.

I'm here.

Hockey.

Jacob Sanderson is in Vancouver.

Hockey.

Leafs fan.

Like flies to Toronto for their big games.

Wow.

All right.

The most famous paddock likes everything.

And he follows hockey close.

He follows a little bit.

But he's fun to play with when it comes to hockey.

And Karine knows nothing.

Born and raised in Brooklyn.

He's just like, he says, I'd never tapped into it.

Pat.

So we can't even, like, when it comes up, it's a bit.

Because Pat will just, you know, he wants to leave the room.

When hockey is the subject, he wants to leave the room.

I just have nothing literally no insight at all.

could tell me names of teams, I'm not even sure they're real. So that's been fun to sort

of tap back into. And Davis shows up last night in a blue Nordique jersey. And this is

on YouTube, you're going to watch it. That he, it's that good. You might want to see it

for yourself. He says, he or Jacob asked, who is the all time Nordique? And the names

were like, Claude Lemieux, who I don't ever know played for the Nordique. He played for

the Eves. Right. That's a terrible, even if he played a little bit there. It's a terrible

answer. He's not the answer. Right. Davis mentioned Joe Sackick. I thought that was good.

Yeah. He had his AI thing going. He also mentioned Mark Tardief from when they entered the NHL,

like the real Cloutier era for the Nordique. They can't be right. Right. And they're talking

and I'm sitting at my bar and I've got, it's a mess right now. I've got cards everywhere.

And I just, I see a pile of hockey cards. I pick it up. I look like there's Peter Stasney

show it to the camera here. It should have been a card of the day. Here's your answer.

And he's like, Oh, David's like, Oh, is that maybe Paul Stasney's father? I think so.

But you know, bad question. Paul, Paul Stasney is Peter Stasney's son. That's right.

Okay. That's right. Those go one way. Right. Unless they're both like, unless it's like

the griffies. No, that's not even a good example. The griffies go one way.

Ken Griffey is junior's dad. That's right. You know, in a sports context. Yes. That's

right. That's right. Paul Stasney was a nice player. Had a nice career. But no, the old man

is the, is the kingpin of that conversation. Yeah. And then it was how respectable an answer

is Michelle Goulay for that. Very. Okay. That's the first guy I thought of. Very respected.

I would not try to wedge my personal favorite in there who's Owen Nolan. I love Owen Nolan.

And he first played with the Nordic was part of those, those themes. He was, I don't

know if he ever went to Colorado. Was he, he might have been dealt sharks before they

got to Colorado. Anyway, because I don't remember him wearing that uniform, but I might

be wrong. May, I think maybe San Jose, but you know, by the time they got to Colorado.

But at Goulay, I think is a very respectable choice there. Oh, and that guy scored against

us. The Goulay. Yeah. Oh, that's the sound. That's the Nordic sound. Oh, when, when

it came to the savers, I still that bred ash and goal. Some scars never heal. There's

some five three lead in the third in the deciding game at La Collie say lost. That, that

does not get mentioned often enough up for the heart breaks. I'm a heartbreak list.

That Quebec series. What year is that 85 or six? Now, I think it's 85 because the 86, they

bottom out. It's Turgent. Right. The savers go to the bottom. Right. Yeah. Turgent is

the first pick of the 87 draft. Yeah. 84, 85, five gamer against the Nordics. They lose

the first two there. They win the next two at home. Remember, Andrew Chuck hitting maybe,

maybe he scored, maybe scored only once. I don't know, but he had highlights in those two

games in the odd where they bounced back and tied the series and they go to Quebec. Six,

five. Oh, Nordics. Now I'm mad. The Davis for that shirt. Three one lead, Lindy, Gilbert,

Gilberre, then three three end of first. Three one up in the Gulae and then three Sabre

goals, rough, parro, parro, rough to assist on the parro goals. Lindy had four points in

this game. One in one in three. Sealing scores the only goal of the second from rough and

parro like the only line that could do anything apparently. How's Lee early in the third,

three 11 minutes into the third period, five, three. That's a bad, that's a bad beat. That

was a tough, you know, tough loss. Well, I'm that happy note. Wednesdays, Christopher Paso.

Now we're in April. The draft is April 23rd or the start of it is anyway. We talked about

some different names, potentially being on the bill's radar and other draft subjects, top

of the draft, the bottom of the draft also came up. What the Seahawks might have in mind

at pick 32. Chris Trapaso, draft guidebook.com, our conversation with him is coming your way

next. Mike's open the Bulldog Sabre Senators tomorrow night on WGR.