Canes home opener tonight vs Ottawa with the Canes HC!

MVP? Maybe an unsung hero or two, if you will.

Hurricanes fans should be excited, and I was excited when I sat down with Rod Brindamore. Did this feel like a short or long off-season to you? Both.

Both. It was like, okay, especially this last month because you're, all the guys were back in it. Right. And they're, you see them all the time and it's just like, when are we gonna actually get going? When can I actually start talking to these guys about hockey? You know? Are there rules you can't talk to them? I don't know. I just know I can't go on the ice with them. I mean, I can talk to them and say hi, but we can't talk hockey. And, you know, at least that's the way I've been told.

So I'm not, I'm a rule follower. So, you know, so anyway, that made it feel like it was long, but obviously it just feels like we were kind of just here. So it's good. What was the, what was the short? Why was it short? Because it felt long to me and it wasn't that long. It feels short because it doesn't feel like we were that long ago playing.

Right. Like for real, you know, I mean, it's been a few months, but it just kind of feels like yesterday too. So, um, turn the page, you know, starting over here in new year and hopefully a lot of good, exciting things. How long did you think about the end of last season?

Uh, no, I don't know. You kind of always keep thinking about it. It's hard to just let it go. Cause I felt like we were, you know, we were right there and things didn't go our way.

That's for sure. But, you know, like I said, you got to move on for sure. I mean, you're, you learn from the past.

You, you certainly it shapes your, who you are, every experience you have. So hopefully we learn from it and get better. Martin said he still thinks about it. I talked to Jordan about it and, uh, Jordan stall and, you know, obviously his brothers playing for Florida said that they spent a lot of time talking about that series over, uh, over sauna beers, apparently, uh, they had different perspectives on the way, uh, not obviously the outcome, but, um, on just who, you know, how well both teams play.

Has your view of that series, evolved in any way? Not really. It was pretty clear to me how it went. I mean, I, I said after I kind of botched how I said it, but it's, it didn't feel like we got beat.

Like, you know what I mean? Like I'm like, what more can we do? We're playing one of the top teams scoring in the league and we held them to less than 20 shots a game. Right. Uh, that's if I just, you said that going in, that was the game plan limit their chances.

You're going to one and it didn't work that way. So, and again, and it was a bounce here or there. Like, I mean, every game you're like, oh, if we score here, we win that game.

That good. Doesn't get like, it was just like right there and great good chances. Like not, you know, just this weird how it went. And, um, you know, I listen, it's over. I got it. We, we, you asked me it, so I'm bringing it up, but I, you know, we're, we're, we're focused on, on new things now.

Favorites according to Vegas. Not that that really matters, but, uh, just to be actually in that conversation is the significant part of that. Exactly.

You just said it perfectly. So you don't have to say anything. Not really. The significance is that, okay, you're irrelevant. That's that's it. That does. Other than that, it doesn't mean anything as we know. Right. I mean, those things change daily, you know, sudden your top guy gets hurt.

Also, you know, you don't have any like, but going into it, you know, you don't have any like, but going into it, that means we, we, you know, we're relevant and that's, that's where we want to be. So you mentioned until your top guy gets hurt. Let me ask you, keep your thoughts on where Andrei Svetchnikov is.

I think he's looks great. You know, I mean, that's, that's going to be the million dollar question. Everyone's going to keep asking. I think it's, you know, when he feels great and the medical class, uh, staff feels, feels like he's where he needs to be. That's when, you know, he'll get in there. But until then, I think he's just going to keep building and take it day at a time. I mean, that's really what it is for him. So you don't anticipate him playing Tuesday or Wednesday of next week or?

No, he's not. I don't think we're going to, there's no point in doing that. I mean, does he get in the, you know, a game at the end?

Maybe. I mean, we'll see. Like literally, if we're going, okay, how did you feel today? And then test him every week and see where his strength is. And you're kind of doing that to kind of gauge his readiness.

How much do you have to almost hold him back? Well, I think that's part of it. That's kind of what we're doing is I'm sure he would want to go, but I think he's, he's starting to understand how it works. And, um, you know, it's, it's a long year. We need him obviously, you know, we need him healthy.

That's the end of the day. Uh, when I walked into the locker room and I had spoken to Sebastian a few weeks ago, but you can't tell anything over zoom. He looks bigger to me.

I don't know how he, I mean, he's been back for a few weeks, so maybe nobody, everybody, I haven't seen him in five months, four months, whatever it is. I think everybody got a little stronger. You know, I feel like, and that's still normal for those young guys. I mean, he's still a young guy.

Yes. And still in a, in a time of his life where he can get stronger and bigger. I mean, that starts to go away after a few years, you know, a few more years, but he's still in that window. Right. So if he's putting in the work, there's no reason why you wouldn't, you know, see that. And we expect that.

What is, what's the next step for him? Hey, Carolina Panthers fans, Chris Lee and Dennis Cox here. We're excited to offer you all the insight information on your team with the newest member of the capital broadcasting podcast network Panthers playbook twice a week. We'll keep you updated on your Carolina Panthers. We're talking about locker room insight, exclusive interviews, and of course, in-depth looks at all of the Panthers wins.

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Dave Asprey, M.D. Winning. I mean, I think when I say winning, I mean, the whole thing, right? I think we're, and I think that's what he, I mean, he's got, what else does is what else is left. I mean, you know, we're, he's been a good player and solid and we're, he's helped our team elevate.

But we got to get that next step. He's got the money, he's got the contract. I mean, what, what, what, what you asked him, I mean, probably there's individual, he'd like to be considered more probably in the higher air of the superstars that they talk about. Cause you don't, nobody really throws his name in there, but I'm, I'm, I'm, you know, he plays those guys. We play the superstars head on. You don't go, oh, that guy's that much better than this guy every night.

But you, you get what I'm saying now. I think he would probably like to be considered in that. Well, I mean, no head to head against all the best. He's always played, not only held his own, he's more often than not gotten the better of them.

You and I talked about it when he signed his contract. I think he holds himself accountable and I think it's one of, one of the best qualities you can get from arguably your best player. Couldn't say it any better.

I agree. And I think a lot of guys don't know how to assess their game. Um, well, like he, he gets it. He, he understands that he has to be good, but there's more to it than just him.

Like what was the result? You know, like we got to go home with a w, you know? And I think that, that, that, that it's no different than Jordan stall. Like they have that. Okay. My job is we got to get a w and yeah, I want to score and, but it's, it's the w counts first.

And that's, that's kind of rare. What do you think he's learned from Jordan? I don't, that's a better question for him, but, you know, cause I don't, I, since he's been a kid, he's been there.

Yeah. So I don't know what would have happened if he wasn't by him. It may maybe be the same cause he's a good kid, but I think he's certainly been aided watching that guy prepare and just period after period come in, sit next periods, the same, like just how you have to do things that consistency factor.

I think it's really something that he's learned from him. And let me ask you about some players you've got, I'm just looking here. It's a lot of players in the final year of their contracts, Tara Von and Neches, Pesci, Shea, Martinook. There are others, the head coach.

So what are your thoughts on, I mean, how much pressure can be put on yourself as a player? And we've seen it not go well. Didn't go well for Andre when he was going into that year. Right.

Didn't go well for Marty either. I think it's different. Everybody's different. Some guys excel at that point. I think the guys that come to play every night, I think it bothers them a little more because they put more pressure on themselves and they're already playing good every night, if that makes sense. Where there's some guys that excel on those one year last year because I think they leave a little in the tank on the other times, if that makes sense. And then all of a sudden now they go, oh, a good year. And then they coast a little.

I don't think there's coast in our guys. And so I think the pressure comes, they know it's big for their careers and life to do well. And they try a little too much, try a little too hard sometimes.

And then it doesn't really work. I think the fact that the guys you mentioned, Spoush and even Nechi, he's been through it now once. So now maybe this time around he'll understand a little more.

I was too hard on myself or I was trying to do too much and I just got to go play. And certainly that'll be the message. It's easier said than done because I understand this is a big deal, but hopefully they've learned from all these guys. It's not their first time through it really. A couple maybe, but for the majority of those guys you mentioned, they've been through it before.

Yeah, they're all also different stories. I mean, Pesci's deal is different from Nechi's and Taravana, right? So let me just set Brett aside for a second. But the two forwards, Marty was so good for 75% of the season and then the last quarter of the season, maybe it was because Andre wasn't there and he was trying to pick up the slack for all of that. But it wasn't a good postseason for him in terms of production. He did have the one game in New Jersey, which was just phenomenal, but it wasn't what he wanted.

So what was the conversation like going into the summer and where do you think his head is at? I think he's in a good place because he had a good year. And he was, I mean, golly, you look at the winning game goals and things that he pulled off, like he was one of the best in the league, had to have been at that crunch time kind of player. So that's a real confidence builder as a player. And so, I mean, I think playoffs is different, I get it, but there's a lot of guys you could say that about on a lot of teams. You go down the list and it's tough for time to play.

It's just that simple. So I think he's in a good place and he looks great, great shape. So I think he's ready to have another good year. I think he is also ready to have another good year. And I think that there are a number of players who will make Carolina better.

And that doesn't even start with the three, I shouldn't even say three newcomers, the two newcomers. And then even though he was only here for one year, our old friend, Tony DeAngelo will make this team better. Who I, by the way, was wearing his Phillies shirt today.

Oh, shocker. Tony is ready. When Tony and I saw each other, as I was walking through the locker room, he goes, man, that was tough two nights ago. And I was like, you got Nola going and you got Wheeler in game five if you need it. So Tony's a little down from game two, which they led four. Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

Which they led for nothing. Tony, Tony loves all sports. Tony is a typical northeast of the United States kid. He's into everything. Yeah, absolutely.

It's fun. JCPenney, Valle la Pena.