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I'm Mike Thompson. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show.

My, my math tells me we're in the middle of December. I find it amazing they have only played consecutive home games once, and since tomorrow is not a home game, I have no idea what to expect. Well, you know, you can cry me a river on that stuff. You're talking to someone that works for Seattle, right? And if you look at the travel in the West and you look at what these Western teams go through, for someone who spent his entire career in the Eastern Conference, you actually, even though I went and did national games in the Western Conference, until you start going through the scheduling matrix and how they travel, it's very easy. I know that the canes have been on the road a great deal and they've done a great job with that, that portion of their schedule, but they will recover from it quicker. They will get to a portion of their schedule in the second half where they're home a lot. But the East puts you in a spot where you can always jet home like they did, you know, before the Detroit game.

I think they did. Right. You can get out of an area, come home, get in your environment, get back on the road again. You can do that.

In the West, you can't do that. I mean, when the Kraken get on the road, it's two weeks at a time. And even in the division, you're going a two-and-a-half-hour flight, 2.45 down to Southern California to play in the division.

So it's a different ball game. Let me ask you about one of the road games you guys had. This probably goes back three weeks or so.

And I think for a lot of people, we're talking with John Forslund, the voice of the Seattle Kraken. A lot of people didn't expect, especially after last year, they thought it would be a normal run for an expansion team. They didn't expect you guys to be as good as you are this year, second in the division. You go to Vegas, who was like off to an incredible start, and you win the game in Vegas.

What is that like? What does that tell this team about what expectations should be for this year? Well, it's funny, a chat with Ron Francis the other day. And after that game, he was, rather, it was in a situation where he had crossed paths with Kelly McCrimmon, the GM of the Vegas Golden Knights. And he said that when Seattle came in, they hadn't seen the team play them like that.

And I think what he meant by it was, you know, again, if the Kraken are on their toes and they were not last night, if they are tomorrow night, you're going to see a strong checking game and three zones of the ice, and it comes in waves and McCain's can do that too. Where the cracking are a little bit different is they don't have the skill. They don't have the individual skill of a special, a coffin, a hole when he's healthy natures, you know, those types of players, Jarvis, they don't, they don't have that, but they do have, you know, Burge, like we've talked about veneers and other veteran guys, Jordan, Eberly, Andre Burkowski, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jaden Schwartz, you go down the list.

These are really good second, third line players in the NHL and they have 12 of them. And sometimes that can overwhelm another team because the teams that are a little bit top heavy can't deal with it. And that's how the crack and have been able to win games.

And they're a little heavier too. They lead, they lean on you. They, they, they like to play physical. They have a couple of defensemen that will step up and make big hits, Adam Larson, Alexia, although he'll be suspended for tomorrow's game. Even a kid like Vince Dunn plays with a snarl. So you have to have that in the West.

The West is a little bit different than the East and, and that's how they played. So for the cracking so far, so good again, but it's reinforced by the fact that they have a mighty challenge at the end of a road trip tomorrow. John Forslund joining us here on the Adam Gold show. All right.

I'm going to ask you to put your national hat on here for a couple of things. Alexander Ovechkin, 800 goals, one behind Gordie Howell. He is only another 90, 93 after that, away from Wayne Gretzky. So probably not this year, right? Yeah, I don't think so. The projections are not for this year, no, and not for next year, probably an early 24. I think the last thing I saw with people predicting these things, but with him, look what he did last night.

You never know. What, what, I mean, he's obviously a special player for a lot of reasons, but he's got a great shot. But isn't like, I just, I look at the way he plays the game as a difference maker. I mean, a lot of guys with that shot, but he plays the game with such a, I mean, a joy to use a kind of a soccer term, but he just has so much fun doing it. Well, he's really evolved too because he, it's, it's funny when, when Crosby and Ovechkin came into the league back in oh five, they both came in with a, with power in different ways.

Right. So I think Sidney cross has been the hardest, hardest working superstar in terms of how he plays. If you understand what I'm saying, he's like a superstar grinder. Um, that's how he's always played. And Alex came into the league with this, with this big time hitting presence, uh, trying to throw guys through the end boards, uh, get himself in trouble, get himself walking the line of possible suspensions. Then there was some, a different play when he was a young kid and, and people in the media, the NHL national media took some shots at him.

He had to, he had to grow up a little bit. He had to learn how to play. They had to figure out which side of the ice was better for him. You know, as a right-handed shot, he's, he's far better on the left side and always has been done on the conventional right-wing side. And I think it has a lot to do with the angles of the shots and where he wants to shoot from. But all of these players have not only X, unbelievable athletic ability, but they're different than what we see today with Connor McDavid and Austin Matthews and Mitch Marner, um, uh, Sebastian Aho, you know, players like this play it differently.

You know, this is why Ovechkin will be a unique goal scoring superstar because he's in, he's in there with Gordy. And I think, you know, to be, to be fair here, he plays a little bit like Gordy hall because Gordy hall was a, was a, was a powerful guy. He was naturally strong at these Popeye forearms. He could shoot from all over.

Um, and he was really, really downright, uh, edgy and me and really dirty to play against, you know, at times, um, and Ovechkin has brought some of that, but these other players that we see now don't have that power dynamic. And because of that, as time has marched on, he's been able to evolve and not have to put himself in those spots where he could get hurt. Now he gets the room. He's got the presence, he's got the reputation.

He's still 245 pounds, six, three, two 45. He's just as big blocking block of a human being. And uh, but he got, he gets to areas where he obviously can, can snipe from the power plays a whole nother story.

Nobody has scored more power book play goals. And he, um, and, and he's been a really good representative for the organization. I mean, as a Russian, you know, that has a lot of situations that especially today are difficult to navigate, but not for them, not for the team, not for anybody that's played with him. Not the things that I've heard about him, uh, in the Washington market, in the community, what he's been able to do. So good for him. I think everybody's excited to watch this now.

And he's really close to more history. We are a third of the way through the season, uh, the New Jersey devils is, are they off to a hot start or are they legitimately one of the best teams in the East? Well, I think this is long enough. I mean, any team that's, you know, uh, throws out a record like this now they've gone three games where they've had some trouble here. Um, and you have to see how they bounce back from the situation like this. Um, the team that I cover, they had lost three in a row and then they rolled into Florida and won and kind of reestablished our identity and everybody thought, Oh, that's a good sign. And then they, they slipped again last night in Tampa. Um, but that's what you look for with these teams that you don't think were going to be as good as they are now, how do they handle a dip in their schedule where they're not getting those results? Uh, the time now for the devils is now, um, but they didn't get off to a great start. They were calling for Lindy roughs job at one point, but the people in the analytic world were pointing to some numbers that were suggesting, and that's the good thing about analytics. They can tell you, uh, in hockey, how a team's playing without the result. And uh, and those numbers were pretty good for New Jersey and nearly going when they were calling for Lindy's head and then the fans had to apologize.

Right. So, um, they're fast. They play with an X, uh, an extreme rate of speed, um, and there, and again, you're seeing players just scratching the surface like Jack Hughes. It's just starting for him.

He's going to be an unbelievable superstar, but he's not alone. They've got a tremendous amount of firepower and the goalkeeping is holding up. Uh, and they really don't have the McKinsey Blackwell Blackwood and they haven't had them all season.

So, uh, Vanna checks done the job. The young kids done a good job supporting him. So it's a team there. And our good friend, Dougie Hamilton's having a nice season after a tough one last year with injuries.

And he just couldn't find his stride. Yeah, no, he, Dougie's having a really good year. Uh, I think that team is good. I think that, you know, when you draft as high as they've drafted, uh, over the last several years, you can't help but become good. Uh, but also I think it did some additions like Andre Palazzo just have just help in so many other ways. And I think the addition of John Marino, uh, has helped them a lot on the back end. I think they're a good team.

You're right. And quickly that the thing to remember here is look what Edmonton did for years, right? It took them a long time with all those first round picks.

So New Jersey in a, in a, I think a quicker period of time is able to, uh, uh, get those draft choices in a position where they make a difference. All right. Final thing for you, John Forslund, um, this is your second trip back last year. I know what it meant to you. I've spoken to you about it was, I think you told me that it was one of your most memorable games you have ever done. Um, is tomorrow just a game or do you think you'll still have some of those feelings? No, it's never just a game here. No, no, it's, uh, there's too much, there's too much here and it's still here and, uh, we're still here.

And, uh, the schedule is, uh, is a lot kinder to me in the regular season than it was last year where it was a back-to-back. Um, and my phone died in the morning and I spent, uh, all day going from, uh, one phone store to another, trying to fix it. So I get over to the rink and call him and that we blew out of town.

So that wasn't really a lot of fun. Um, this one here will be good. It's a nice off day to today game, obviously tomorrow that I'm going to stay Friday for my youngest 19th birthday, which is Friday, and we're all celebrated as a family.

So that's really good. And then I'll get back to Seattle. And of course, as you know, I did playoff games here too. Um, but that's kind of different because you come in on a national and you're, you're kind of, you're, you're working both sides of the equation. You're calling it down the middle as I try to do anyway, but you're serving both, uh, both sides when you do a national playoff game here, it's a cracking game, right? So it is different when you come in and you're actually calling the game for the team.

That's trying to beat the hurricanes. That's where it gets weird. That's where I still am not comfortable going in the visitor's booth. I'm not comfortable, you know, being in and around it.

It just doesn't feel the same, but, um, but it's, but it's okay. I mean, I'm excited. I, it'll be a lot of fun. And the fans here have been so good to me, uh, since I left and, uh, there'll always be a bond with me, my hope. And uh, that's where it is.

Are you kidding me of, of the, yes, there will always be a bond with you, John. They're always, Oh, of course. I mean, uh, Oh man, now I got one.

I want wings. Come on. Yeah.

Well that's why I do. Yeah. Wow. That's why the good, good people, Buffalo brothers. They keep me going here.

Yeah. So, Oh man. I can't wait to see you tomorrow night. I'll be up there, uh, on the fifth floor and, uh, we'll, uh, we'll barge in, we'll, we'll disrupt the broadcast. I thank you so much. You come right in. Nope, there'll be three of us there again, Ed, so tomorrow night, so, uh, very nice.

There's always room for you. All right. Okay. I'll see you later. All right. Bye Adam.

John Forslund voice. The Seattle cracking. Love it. Look, Geico asks, how would you love a chance to save some money on insurance? Of course you would. And when it comes to great rates on insurance, Geico can help like with insurance for your car, truck, motorcycle, boat, and RV, even help with homeowners or renters coverage. Plus add an easy to use mobile app, available 24 hour roadside assistance and more. And Geico is an easy choice switch today and see all the ways you could save.

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See additional terms at one peloton.com. There's always going to, this is not about anybody else, right? It's always going to be the connection.

I've said this before. Uh, and at some point where John Forslund is going to be in the Carolina hurricanes hall of fame. Um, but the rod, Brenda Moore is the most significant person that has ever been part of this organization. There's no second place to that, but for 20 years more, actually, John Forslund was the essentially the voice, not only the voice of the team, but the biggest connection between the team and its fans. So the growth of the sport here in North Carolina, obviously the performance on the ice, getting to the Stanley cup finals in Oh two winning at no six, getting to the Eastern conference finals and Oh, not all of that, though, winning on the ice is the most important thing. And we'd be kidding ourselves if we thought it wasn't, but you don't always win on the ice, but the growth of the game and the, and the growth of the team on the fans and the fan base in the area has to continue even when you don't win. And that's where the John Forslunds of the world come in. Wouldn't be this without Joe would not be this at all without him. Uh, so can't wait to see him tomorrow night at PNC arena.

And I can't wait to see the cracking, uh, not score nine goals. Yeah. Please. Oh my gosh. Absolutely none. Stay cool this summer with AC pro and O'Reilly auto parts right now get a $15 O'Reilly auto parts gift card after mail-in rebate with the purchase of select AC pro ready to use refrigerant products that include a hose and gauge beat the heat before you hit the road with AC pro at your local O'Reilly auto parts store.