Sept 9th - Former NHL'er Jason Strudwick

0:00You're listening to Jason Greider show presented by play Alberta dot C.A. Remember if you gamble use your game sense Stay within your limits go to game sense dot a B dot C.A. Oh stridey. What is happening? How you doing? I'm great. How you guys doing? Oh, Jesus. You know what? Yeah, I get to see Is that is that a new background for you? What's that? What's with the queen there? Like are you suggesting you play chess? What's going on? Well, yeah, you're trying to sell a lot of things all the time, but yeah, I know I'm a little bit of a chess player amateur. I know lower on the scale. Oh, yeah. Yeah, do you have a set starting pattern that you like to use all the time? Chaos. I just play chaos. Chaos. I can beat my kids barely. They like to play. So yeah, it's not nothing impressive, buddy. Now I forgot to ask you last week, so my apologies, but do you have any deals going on right now on your online for selling? Yeah, I'm going to have some sporty equipment going up online here. So I'm just waiting for the school rush to die down.

1:03Now I'll put my stuff off quality items, right? Quality items. You don't do the rush everyone knows that we're in the Facebook marketplace. Sure. Have you chipped out the cement from your gloves before you sell them? No gloves. Those are soft hands. This is workout equipment, right? Try to keep people fit. Really? Yeah. You're going to sell it like you're selling what you're not working on anymore? No, I have I got a different bike. So I bought a Peloton bike a while ago. So I had this other bike I had when I was playing. It's a great bike. Like it's but I just don't use it anymore. So all right. My wife said we can't have both. So, uh, you're selling your, uh, your training bike is what you're telling me. Yeah, I'm looking for a good home for this. I'm not looking to break the bank. I won't be pushing too hard on dollar figures. I mean, 100 bucks. I just see as a little light, but that's a little light. Do you deliver? I want to deliver. No, but I'll meet them in the back of a parking lot somewhere. Nice. Um, what did you, uh, what do you make of the form into insiding?

2:07Yeah, I heard about this, you know, rumbling. You're like, okay, interesting. And, you know, I think probably a lot of discussion about what happened and what he was involved in and what happened since then. So I looked at the player himself and, you know, he's a big guy that can skate. And, you know, so a lot of people being critical of his scoring or lack their off with Ombry and especially and traditionally speaking, Ombry is a small market Swiss A lead team. Like they're in a small town. So they struggled. They struggled to score at goals last year. They didn't make it to playoffs. I think they're one of the, uh, the whole league. I won the lowest scoring team. So, um, you gotta remember that when you're looking at your reflection of the player or thinking of what he is, like some of the top scores, when they get 20 equals on the top team in Davos and he had 13 on ArgoDee, one of the three weakest teams in the league and there's a dozen or so teams. So that does make a difference. Now, um, low cost, uh, but, you know, there, there's obviously could be some upside here, I guess, with his speed and size. But I think expectations have been pretty muted because he's a wild car, right? He's a complete wild car. He's played one,

3:08what I'd call true good year in NHL. He had a good year. Um, but he hasn't played in quite a while and then played in Swiss. So it's different coming back. It's a fast league, but it's not there in NHL. Yeah. Well, he hasn't played the NHL in four years and, uh, and he played three years in Swiss in one year. He had a year off and, you know, he's here listening to Stan Bowman. I talked to Stan earlier today. And, uh, you know, I basically asked him like, you know, why'd you make the signing? And you know, it came down to really the penalty kill that, you know, Matt Savoy got injured and Henry's not back. Those are probably their two best penalty killers. Obviously they got Dickinson, but their PK strides like I looked at the numbers outside of 2024. The last five years, their penalty kill is not very good. It's, it's, it's actually under 80% every year, even in 24 when they had that unreal run, uh, for their final 69 games. But their first 13 were so terrible that it still was under 80% and then obviously the playoffs was unbelievable. But I look at their penalty killing, you know, it's one top like I would argue that goalies and defensemen are the

4:12most important pieces are closer than that. You know, they block more shots. Your fours are important. Don't get me wrong. But I think the key to a PK and you are on it. So maybe I'm wrong. But I really think it starts there and your top guys are important. They got a pressure. But like, how much of a difference do you think a top penalty killing forward can make for this penalty? Not even saying that he's that guy, but I mean like a guy at the top, how much can he make a difference on your PK? Well, I think it helps, but I would agree with you. I think it is the D's and the goalies that do a lot of it. Um, and I think it's at times the, the way you're playing it, you know, I think back to last year, how many times I saw a guard on nurse just trying to stand and kind of back in a little bit and those guys have brought a rock and just hammer that puck. Like if you know, you want to be more aggressive, you want to hold your ground. Um, and this, this isn't a diamond on the earth. I, I'm talking, I didn't like the system they had last night last year. It was a bit too passive. Um, I'd rather go down fighting and he looked at some other more successful power, penalty kills than a league. They are more aggressive. Um, so that includes,

5:12like D and forwards. Um, but you know, honestly, you go, you have to make the save, but I just think back to, I just, they're just, they're just standing, darn, I was just standing there, just wait for somebody to shoot it by him. It's just not fair. So I hope that they have a more aggressive penalty kill one that, um, you're forcing guys to beat you with good passes and it might happen sometimes. But I'd rather get beat by a really good pass or someone, you know, threading the needle, rather than just sitting back and on someone just walking and hammer a shot by me. So, um, you know, I, I, I, that's something. There's a lot of things I'm looking forward to start this training camp, but the peak K and the way they do it, Greg's, that's, I think, if not the top, my list, damn close. Yeah. I, you know, DJ Smith, uh, we'll bring in a different system for sure. I, I think that's something like I think, I think, you know, there's lots of talk about Mike Babcock, but I do think that DJ Smith is, is a big upgrade from Mark Stewart as a, as a coach on your back in. And I think that, uh, that's going to help the team first. Just got, he's got way more experience. Um, he's got a little bit better of a track record running the penalty kill. I think that's obvious.

6:12So, you know, we'll see where it goes. But, um, you know, I look at, you know, forington, you know, Dickinson's obviously their best killing their best penalty kill for it. I think he's the guy who's on your first unit for sure. Murphy, maybe it's Ryan Shay, you know, what? And then you go from there, Captain and Dickinson is a duo. We're pretty good. What about pod calls and study like when I look on paper and I watch him play, I'm like, my god, this guy is all work ethic like he's relentless. In theory, he should be a good penalty killer. Should he not? You should. And I love the word of user for us because he, he's going to block shots and he's going to get the way and he'll do it. Everybody needs to and, you know, he's not getting power play time. So find a way to get this guy more ice time. Um, you know, you're, you're thinking of him, you know, just trend Frederick at chance on their Yan Mark. We're seafood into this whole thing. New Junotkins. How does he fit there? Um, you know, obviously we know it's a void can do. So there's a few guys there. I think you highlight some of the clear ones. Then after that, it's okay. What where do these guys go? And if you truly want people have a role in responsibility, you got to find a place for these guys to do it. But you also have to do a good job. So if pod calls and if he, if he walks in the first day and they

7:16say, Hey, we want you to be a penalty kill, you better look at every detail and understand because every shifts in audition with a new coaching staff. And yeah, I know that it's not like you suck for the first time. You'll get more chances. But you want to make them think right away that you can kill pounds like I, I played the left side. I never one day the coach came up. So can you play the right side? Yes, I can. I'm like, I don't know if I can. I've never played the right side. But I will. I mean, I'm not, no, I know what that doesn't work for me. Similarly, play four. I didn't want to play four, but can you play four? Absolutely. I can play four. Okay. Where am I supposed to be? Go ask the other coaches, right? And he figured out. So that's where potcoats has got to be. And I'd like to see him get more ice time because I also, again, he keeps them in the game more. But I think shame, Murphy, for sure. I'd like to see Bhushar and get a break off the power of the penalty kill and other guys get opportunity. Just to give him, you know, I think again, other people more roles. Yeah, no, that's totally valid. When you look at, at the oilers in their blue line, for Murphy, Walnut her Shay, who do you think is going to be a better partner?

8:20Yeah, I guess well. So then do you have echo with Bhushar? Is that lock for you? To start, but I don't think it's a lock guarantee all year long, no? Yeah. Yeah, I think I'd I'd like to see Walnut beside Shay, beside Murphy. I just think that those two guys, I think they compliment each other. Now I'm expecting a healthy and physically fit Walnut to be back here because when he's those two things, we've seen it be played really high levels. And then I think Murphy, we know what his game's pretty consistent. Nothing really changes. I think it's a clear definition of jobs, the tight end responsibilities that allows a guy like Walnut to maybe jump up and take a few more chances. You know, and calculate chances. Knowing that Murphy's back there and he's going to do what he does. So those are the two guys that I see. And then that third parent becomes quite vulnerable when he has Shay there and with of course, probably I understand him guessing, but you know, that becomes a pretty good six deep players. They can get things done. They can all kind of definitely they should all be able to,

9:22you know, for sure, a woman maybe not, but he can get everyone else killing pennilies. Maybe one can get it going, but there's quite a bit of depth there. And I think that's pretty good considering where you are in this this season. You haven't made any trades for those guys, you know, in March. Jason Strato joins us here sports 14 40 sports 14 40.ca YouTube Facebook Instagram. Thanks for listening, watching the show. The the captain skates, right, they went three periods today of 45 minutes. Stop time. Like it was long like stop time. I couldn't believe it. Like obviously putting themselves through the paces. And you know, there wasn't four lines on each bench. There was probably three. Right. Like it was as a guy who's gone through it because people ask like, what do you get out of this? It's more so just kind of your conditioning and timing trying to emulate a game situation. Correct. Yeah. And it's different now because there are less exhibition games. So maybe they're feeling that they want to kind of have some of those recreate those moments at that time. But I think back to a time, remember when they they came back and had those everyone, you know, was back early. They had a really intense, you know, captain skate.

10:23They wanted to go. Then as I remembered, now you may remember, definitely, I thought they got off to a bit of a lip start. So they're two seven one. Yeah. So there it is. So I think, you know, you got to be careful what you're trying to do. You don't want to burn out in these times either. You know, you can focus on different areas. And maybe it's also about, you know, integrating some of the new players and feeling like, you know, what they do in certain moments. And you know, not pressured. It's a captain skate game. It's not like it's being played Saturday and May for it's down a cup. But you still get to see kind of what they do. We get to know them a little bit. So maybe that's kind of the thought process there. But this group is experienced. This core group of guys have been through a lot. They've done a lot of different ways of doing the captain skates. And this shared sure feels for what you're hearing and what you know, people are talking about. There's a lot of focus on being detailed and attentive to what they're trying to accomplish each day in these skates. And uh, Stretty McDavid and dry settle playing together with pod Coleson, Newtron Hopkins, Hyman and Howard. And honestly, I get the sense that that's what we're

11:27going to see to start the preseason. Maybe in the regular season, we'll see there's only two preseason games. Um, I don't mind it because their schedule early on is very favorable. The first eight games. No back to backs. I got three and two days off multiple times. I've never seen a road trip like that by the way. But um, you can do it. I just don't think it's a long term solution. Right? I still think at the end of the year, McDavid and dry settle, the team is better when they play on their own line. What do you think? Yeah. I've, I've, I've, I like them on their opposite lines. Now we Savoy, it does change things a little bit. But you know, I coward to me as a wild card. You know, if, if you can prove to be a, any cellar, let's say by Christmas, we're like, yep, this guy's going to play in the top nine. That changes thing because it gives more options for the coaching staff. But also, Bapcoff's going to want to see what and feel what it feels like when he had those guys together in a part. Um, so listen, I'm part of those two guys. I get it. I mean, the guys of workhorse, um, he's got a ridiculous contract. And I think he is capable of more than 20 goals.

12:33So, Boy's coming at some point, but that I coward, man, that's the guy that is that complete wild card for this group. Um, and if you can play great sometime, that is, if you can do something like Savoy did last year, that's huge. The problem for him, he's not going to get extra time and penalty killer power play. So how do you get used to going from playing 20 some minutes a night to now you're maybe playing 12 on the third line or 14? Yeah, that is, that is definitely a concern. The NFL season kicks off tonight's study. Um, I know you were, uh, you're frantically studying, getting prepared for your, for your fantasy draft. How many giants did you take? Um, I think it took dark late. I don't take giant players anywhere. I refuse. Like, I just, I don't want that double whammy of them, you know, struggling in a game and affecting my fantasy football. So I actually took like, I took cowboy players. I took some Eagles, uh, but I refuse to, to take any like giants for meaningful spots. Like I just, I don't want that emotion running through me. I'm emotional enough. You know that. I don't want to be losing it all over the place.

13:37Like Conor does when his team sucks in his fantasy team's brutal. You didn't take Odell just for old time's sake. No, I, I don't like them. Did they brought Odell back? I'm sorry. I don't, I don't get it. There's a point where I just don't get that. I know that he had him the year before in Baltimore, but I'm great. I don't, I'm sorry. I just don't get it. It doesn't make any sense to me at all because he's still Odell Beckham and they're still on the premium dawn in him, which made him great when he was on his peak. And uh, lastly, today, an interesting move. And don't see it very often. Chris Criter, final year of his deal, mutually agrees to terminate his contract with Anaheim. He was old. Now he got assigned in bonus, but he was owed $4 million in cash. Now he's a free. The ducks have lost Criter at 50 points. They lost Mason McTab. Well, he tried to make some McTab or St. Louis. They've also Troy Terry's out for the first two months of the season. They've lost Jacob Truba. They've lost Gouda. So I know we're older guys, but man, there's a lot of question marks suddenly around that Anaheim team. And I know they're going to sign Cutter Gochie. That's probably part of this, uh, this Criter situation. But, uh, what do you

14:41make a Criter? And where did, is he all of a sudden a guy that lots of teams like, all right here? Let's sign them up. Yeah, it's, it's really interesting. It's a surprise. Um, for sure, to them, Solomon, maybe he feels he wants to go somewhere else where he feels he's more wanted or whatever the case may be. The ducks are not as good. They were really good last year. They had a lot of good contracts last year. They're not as good this year. Now they do have some young players. They continue to grow and get better. But when you're paying Carl St. Gochie combined north of $30 million dollars, that's, and like, and not they don't deserve it under today's new numbers. But that's a lot of money. It's going out the door. They weren't getting paid last year. So he had all these veterans that you just mentioned. They're in there playing well and doing a lot of stuff. So this team is as good day will take a step back. But Criter, I'm interested in him, right? He's a big body can really skate in the ass speed. And he can't finish. He's not the player he once was. But big, fast, it can skate. You know, it's an interesting one. Maybe he wants to go back east. Maybe wants to stay in the States. I'm not sure. But I'd be calling to funds a lot of teams for sure.

15:44Oh God. Yeah. Like if, uh, now I guess somebody could claim him on waivers if they wanted to. Yeah. Right. I got because you have to go on waivers first before you get bought out. But, um, it will be, it will be it. Do you think someone claims them on waivers? Are they waiting to sign them as a free agent? What's his cap is it's six point. Yeah. It's over six. Yeah. Yeah. Well, today's, if you have the money, and maybe you do it, but I, I might wait. Um, well, I guess if you've already paid some assigned those who's on as much there, uh, I think if I was a contending to you on waiting. Yeah. Stratty. Uh, Elkman showing up this weekend for the rematch. Elkman can't. Elkman will be coaching, but uh, he'll be there in spirit and man, that team, they're, they're so much fun to watch. They are so good. And uh, they looked rusty the first half, but I, I, I, I wanted, they got to be careful about K playing catch up. Um, does not have a sport and you want to be catching it wears on your guys. So I'd like to see him play a full four quarters

16:48on Saturday night and just beat them and move on. It's got a lot of people wondering. Are you going to post your peloton name on it? You have one? People want to challenge you. Um, yeah, I think, I don't know. It's, well, if you're just any bike ride, just look at the top of the list that I'm there. It's not that hard. Just over the front. Oh, my. I think it's, I think it's, you can't ride in a chicken 68. Is that you? No, I think it's ripped 92. No, I think it is. I think it's struts. I can't find it right now. I think it's, I'll, I'll text you guys. I think it's struts 34. Strud 34. Not very original. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's what it is struts 30. Yeah, but again, just up in the front of the lit. Yeah, yeah. Just river. I met the front of everybody. Those 10 minute races are unreal on peloton. Good luck. You know, it's funny. I'm riding on the peloton. I passed someone from Alberta. I always like their profile. I've had a couple people say, hey, did you pass me? I'm like, yeah, that was me. See you later.

17:51What a joke. Brody. So funny. Struddy, good luck selling your bike. Uh, we'll see. Hopefully you deliver. That's a low up sale. Oh, exactly. Yeah. It's probably being a big blow. It's a math thing. Gross. Uh, it's Jason Strudwick.