Sept 9th - Aaron Portzline of The Athletic

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1:01and scale support up or down without committing to full-time headcount. With Business Plus, you can access the top 1% of talent on Upwork. AI-powered shortlisting delivers a curated shortlist of top freelancers matched to your goals, in under 6 hours. No endless searching required. Thousands of growing businesses already trust Upwork to hire highly skilled freelance professionals for everything from one-off projects to ongoing support. It's free to sign up and posting a job is easy. Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. That is Upwork.com to connect with top talent ready to help your business grow. That's UPWORK.com. Upwork.com. You're listening to Jason Greggershow, presented by playelberta.ca. Remember, if you gamble, use your game sense, stay within your limits, go to gamesense.ab.ca. Jack, it's best got to talk to Aaron Portesline, beat reporter for the athletic joins us. Aaron, welcome back to the show, Portie. How you doing, buddy? Good, Jason. How are you, man? Hey, I am pretty good,

2:04so what's the latest on Fantilly? How close are they? Well, I still don't get the sense that either side of the track is particularly worried. Guys, we're on a clock now here. We're a week before, I mean, started tomorrow, a week before that are on the ice for the start of training camp. Things are starting to be affected a little bit now. It's not a big deal. It's not even really a deal. But they had their annual goal out, even which I think at most players look forward to, especially when you get to play at a track like Double Eagle, the private, extremely exclusive course of the owner here, the McConnell family. And he wasn't part of it. And it doesn't have a contract, not a member of the team at present. So you go, oh boy, okay, I don't think that's really anything to necessarily worry about right now. It doesn't do anything any good for people outside the situation to worry anyways.

3:06And it may be something we look back on at this time next year and go, right, he did sign like a few days before camp. But the closer it gets now, the more interesting it's going to be to come, of course. When you look at a number and we've seen the numbers go up significantly, like is Fantilly a $13 million player? What do you think? Well, I mean, you know, when you're going five years, which I think is going to be the minimum term here, yeah, much of it is projecting, right? He's their number one center. That's what those guys are paid. His numbers, if you put them up next to Carlson, they're almost identical. Now I'm not saying he's been $18 million a year player. He did not get an offer sheet and Leo Carlson did. Yep. I think Bidard brings those discussions back tilted back the other direction and his numbers are not Bidard, right? So is he five years 13? I think the club, if they could go longer, would go longer. I'm not sure he wants to

4:07give up more than one year of free agency. So maybe that's where the issue is, like what's the number at 16? The club would go, you know, say 13, 13, 5 over six years and maybe don't want to do that over five. You're going to pay more if you're taking up more of the UFA years. So I don't get the sense that it's like a bridge that cannot be, you know, covered, cannot be reached by either of these two sides. I still think it gets done, but clearly the game has been played here as the who's going to panic first and with an agent like Persona and a veteran GM like Don Wadal, I'm not sure that's going to be part of it. Okay. So you don't think the bridge between the two is that far right now. So that's good. What about the Marchenko rumor that doesn't seem to be going away about him being dealt? Yeah. So here's how I see this. Their top concern here is to win.

5:09After win, this is no longer about building for the future. This is winning now. A, because they want to win. B, because they want to keep Zach Warensky here. Well, the way to keep Zach Warensky here and the way to win is not to trade Carl Marchenko right now. If I can be blunt about it now, is there a trade that beefs up the Blue Jackets in return for Marchenko? He's a really talented player on a really good salary right now. But the Blue Jackets can't, they would need the equivalent of him in return. And the equivalent of him in return most likely is an $8 million dollar player, which they don't have room for that and Fantilly. So I think it's here. I listen to hope is with the addition of Michuskin, who apparently he and Marchenko know each other or fond of each other, that Michuskin and Marchenko in addition to becoming a solid linemate, they may well play on

6:14the off wings of Fantilly can become in locked up here and convinced Fantilly that this is a place he wants to say, does it work? I've no idea. Okay, we're in things turn around, no idea, but I think that is the plan for now. Because if I look at Columbus on paper and I assume that Fantilly is going to get signed, right? So you've got Fantilly and you got Michuskin and Charlie Coil and Sean Monahan and Cole Sylinger and and Caril Marchenko and Voronkov and even Conor Garland. They've got Miles Wood, they've got some Ken Johnson. They seem to have a lot of guys where you could look and say you might not have a number one top score, but you could have nine decent productive, like three quality lines. Is that how they do it? And do you think it's enough to get back in the playoffs in the East? Well, it is an interesting time right now because I don't think this team is a bad team. I don't know at all. Four years in a row now, they've made points

7:19improvements after starting to rebuild, you know, back when they moved Toleno and and Acquiston, they've gotten better in each of the last four years. It never goes fast enough. Of course, there's there's impatience here in the marketplace like never before, but it's been a tough summer here. No lies. The Werenzki stuff rattled the fan base. There's been some other stuff, you know, away from the ice getting rid of the radio broadcaster, the Marchenko rumors. This drag out with Fantilly now, that's really a nerfs some people. So I don't think they're a bad team on paper at all, as you mentioned. There's quite a few things there to like. And yet it feels like it's kind of teetering a little bit like people are waiting for the work. I'm very excited, very interested to see how Rick bonus handles this training camp because I do think there needs to be a bit of a mood blister here. There needs to be a bit of a steadying here. It just feels like the first moment that something goes awry that this thing could really unwind in a bad way because of

8:24all of the stuff that seems to be swirling around it. Yeah, Aaron Porcelain joins us here on sports 1440. You know, there is the Werenzki news and the Matt win away. They got Jet Greaves signed, so I think a really good contract at 5 million bucks. Elvis Merz-Lekens, 5.4. Where do you see him this year? Like how long has he in Columbus? I know he's a UFA and you mentioned they had some other Russian guys, but Jet Greaves has clearly taken over the starter role. What's the plan for Merz-Lekens? At Edward Jones, we believe Rich is more than caring about the latest and greatest. It's also taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are with personalized financial strategies that help protect what matters, so you can preserve your progress while creating a path forward. The key to being rich is knowing what counts. Let's find your rich together. Edward Jones, member SIPC.

9:25Losing weight can feel like a roller coaster, full of ups, downs, and being thrown for loops, like when someone brings donuts into the office, or your kids' dino nuggets start giving you that look again. That's why there's noom. They combine GLP ones to quiet the food noise, with healthy habits that help you keep it quiet, even if you get off the meds. Their program is designed to make weight loss a smooth ride, helping you understand what drives you, so you can build better habits to not just lose weight, but keep it off. Noom, lose for keeps. Get started at noom.com. Not all customers will clinically qualify for medications. Individual results may vary. I'm Jake Stauk, co-founder and CEO of Serval. We built Serval to automate the IT work that slows companies down. Onboarding, password resets, access to applications, my laptop stopped working, while employees wait for help their real work is put on hold. IT desperately wants to automate this work, and that's why they need Serval. You just tell Serval what you want to automate in

10:28plain English, and it's built. No drag and drop workflows, no expensive consultants. Employees get unblocked, and IT teams go from drowning in tickets to building what actually matters. With Serval IT becomes the AI engine powering the entire company. This is a new way to run IT. We guarantee you'll automate 50% of all tickets, and we'll prove it to you in a free four week pilot. Go to Serval.com slash tickets. That's S-E-R-V-A-L dot com slash tickets. It's become a bit murky here. Merz Lincoln's had shoulder surgery last month. He is currently in Switzerland. He's having another checkup either tomorrow. I believe this week, and he's going to be traveling back to Columbus to be seen by the team doctors here. But they are almost certain to start this season with jet grease as the number one potentially

11:33Phoenix Coffley as the number two or the number three. They're going to bring in a goalie into camp on a PTO. I'm almost sure of it. I would suspect they're going to be a team that's looking at the waiver wire, because I was just told earlier today, quote, it's going to be a while on Merz Lincoln. This is less than centuries. It's clearly the number one. Merz Lincoln is now the number two despite his salary. Right now, he's kind of out of the picture, at least for the foreseeable future, until they get more clarity on the shoulder injury. The recovery, I should say. Okay, so then is Coffley the backup? As of now. As of now, but be on alert for a PTO who could make the team Conor Ingram. And I mean quite possibly and keep an eye on the waiver wire. I think the blue jacket's based upon the way the standing's ended last year would be 14th in the pecking order. What's different with them is if they claim a guy on waivers, he would be keeping them.

12:37So a lot of teams would be reluctant because they'd have to keep the guy. The blue jackets who be looking for a guy quite possibly to keep. Okay, so they'll be looking for another goal. So Merz Lincoln's out for significant amount of time here. Yeah, and it's hard to get a real idea specifically of what that is. They know he's not going to be ready for the start of the season. The hope is that here in the next couple of weeks, just check up this week in Switzerland, just check up with the team doctors to follow. That they'll have a clear sense of how long he's out. It's possible that he misses quite a bit of the season. But that's all we don't know right now. It's just that's what was said to be earlier today. So he and so that appointment you said is next week like when they come to camp? Yes, meeting with doctors and Twitzel is at some point this week. And then he will be traveling to Columbus to be seen by doctors here. He's back in Switzerland where he sends his off season.

13:38He had surgery in the States, not in Columbus. But it's been back in Switzerland for a couple of weeks now. Okay, well, that's an interesting one on the goal. He's like, Connor Ingram, you know, he might know on a PTO. He might say, hey, just sign me because the PTO can only play two games anyway. But I could see them looking and say, hey, Connor Ingram is probably an upgrade over Phoenix Coffey. I would yeah, it's very fair. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Anybody going to surprise and come out of the, you know, a youngster and make this team? Well, the one young player, I think that they're there. I wouldn't say carving a spot for, but he's going to get a look and he's going to get a chance to look at Del Bell Belose. Okay. There's been several times the last three or four years, two or three years, and has been a time-productive. Right now they've got an opening on the fourth line. Isaac Luministerum had a Achilles issue early in the off the, it's not going to be ready for the start of the season.

14:40So there's a fourth line center's job open. They could put cylinder back there, but I think they want him on that third line with Charlie Coil and Matthew Olivier. But I think Luke at Del Bell Belose has a chance. They got a group of guys that would have to clear waivers to go back. He's one of them, Del Bell Belose. So I think they'd like to give him an extended look here early in the season to see what he's got. Portee always great rundown buddy. We appreciate it. Enjoy rookie camp and main camp starting in a week. Here we go. Here we go. Thanks man. All you know, it's a pleasure. Who says Halloween only last one day? With Wafer, one night of Halloween becomes a whole season at home. From larger than life yard decor and moody lighting to festive accents for every room in the house, Wafer has what you need to make Halloween feel like magic all in one place. Because the best Halloween memories aren't made in just one night. They're made all season long. Shop Halloween decor now at Wafer.com.

15:48I'm Jake Stauk, co-founder and CEO of Serval. We built Serval to automate the IT work that slows companies down. Onboarding, password resets, access to applications, my laptop stopped working, while employees wait for help, their real work is put on hold. IT desperately wants to automate this work. And that's why they need Serval. You just tell Serval what you want to automate in plain English and it's built. No drag and drop workflows, no expensive consultants. Employees get unblocked in IT teams, go from drowning in tickets to building what actually matters. With Serval IT becomes the AI engine powering the entire company. This is a new way to run IT. We guarantee you'll automate 50% of all tickets and we'll prove it to you in a free four week pilot. Hello, I'm Monica Reinagle, host of the Nutrition Diva podcast. Summer is here and with it,

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