Jonny Lazarus | NHL Analyst

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The all new season of the Kardashians premieres May 23rd streaming on Hulu. So a few years ago, I was asked to go on a podcast and the name of the podcast was the locker room and it was awesome. Great podcast, great time. I met one of the hosts, Johnny Lazarus, and we became very friendly. We went to a few Rangers games and the playoffs a few years ago. And Johnny is a former college hockey player and now is like a big media star. He went from the locker room to end up now hosting for the NHL daily face-off. And I see yesterday, cause I follow Johnny on Twitter and you know, all of his Rangers content and hockey content, it comes up. And I see that they now have a top five podcast for hockey, which is of course the blue crew pod and make sure you check it out. So now a top five podcaster in the great Johnny Lazarus joins us in studio right now, as we get set to talk some playoff hockey. Johnny, always great to see how you've been. I am as ecstatic as I could be. I mean, first of all, Zach, thanks for having me, especially in studio. Nice to be in person.

But what's better than this, right? It's 80 degrees and sunny in New York city. We got Eastern conference final hockey upon us. The vibes are high and it's been, it's been a really fun ride this year.

And I appreciate the kind introduction. Yeah. Well, a lot of people, when they talk hockey, they don't know the game. And I think the players pick up on that. Like we had Derek step on on the other day and you know, he could tell that I'm an actual fan and I actually watched during the year. Cause I watch all the ranger games, but you played hockey and I think the players pick up on that. And a lot of them that you grew up in, some of them you played up against and played with, but your questions, I think the players really do appreciate. And I think it creates a unique relationship around the league for you.

Yeah. There are some players that, uh, you know, I try to bait them into some stuff and they, and they catch on, but, uh, you know, one that stands out, which didn't go over so well, I asked Alexi LaFreniere this year after he scored that beautiful backhand shelf breakaway or shootout move on Columbus. I asked him how many times he was going to watch that highlight that night.

And he goes, probably none. Um, but you know, some guys like, you know, Nick cousins, who's on Florida. I was talking to him today and last year during the Stanley cup final, I asked him how many times he was going to watch his overtime goal against Toronto to send them to the conference file.

And he was like, dude, I've been watching that like nonstop. Like, you know, there are some guys who love to see how they look after they make a cool play. Other guys who don't, but yeah, my questions, you know, I try to always think a little bit outside the box and put myself in the situation, you know, not that I've ever been in the NHL or NHL game, but you, you know, for me personally, I tend to understand what a guy was thinking in a certain spot and I could put myself in those shoes.

And that helps me with my questions that I form. And yeah, there are a lot of guys who look at me and kind of get confused as to like, people don't know me, you know, they're like, Oh, this is like a, how do you, you know, how'd you realize this? Well, you're playing into the hockey, the hockey look right now.

I don't know the camera is, where am I looking? But I got the beard, the hair. Yeah. I'm kind of all in. But yeah, it's, it's been a really fun year.

This is my first full season covering the team. Oh, really? Yeah. I remember you did last year in the post season, the NHL show for the NHL.

Yeah. I started, I really started like my media career last year. You know, for the past three, four years, I've been doing it on the side with a nine to five job. You know, I was working at sales for the tennis channel. Oh, wow.

Up until August. So it was always just kind of a side hobby for me and, you know, something I love doing obviously. And I had hoped that it would get to this point someday. Um, but that's also been for me, like in another way of appreciating it, you know, I didn't go to college to do this. It was something that, uh, kind of came up randomly, like my coach at the McAfee games, actually in Israel in, uh, 2016 handed me a powerade bottle. I was like, go talk to the guys and we'll put videos on Facebook. Oh, that's how my whole, he was like kids. Let's be real.

You're not going to the pros. We need you to start interviewing people. We're looking at the future. That's how it started. Yeah.

It's pretty wild. Johnny Lazarus here with us. All right, let's get to the Easter conference final. I know you'll be in the building tonight, covering it, talking to all the players after the game and the coaches. I'll be in there as well, but I'll be in a luxury box drinking and eating and having fun.

And hopefully the Rangers don't rip my heart out tonight. I'm coming by for some sushi in between periods, by the way, sushi, we may have like wings and grilled cheese and not dogs and hamburgers, but you want to stop by your M you're more than welcome. It's not my luxury box, so I'm not paying for it. So you could stop by, take whatever you want.

Five finger discount, all that stuff. But this series I think is fascinating because going into the playoffs, obviously I'm rooting for the Rangers, but the Panthers to me going into this post-season pound for pound were the best team in the sport. Yeah. I think if you look back in February, unanimously, they were the sexiest team, right? Everyone's talking about Florida Panthers. They have a team to beat when they came into the garden in March. That was the measuring stick game. The Rangers win that game in a shootout because advantage ed scores that beautiful Forsberg goal. I'm a Barofsky and you start to feel it there that the Rangers can actually be one of those elite teams in the NHL. And now this series, there are a lot of similarities between the two teams. They have great goal tending.

Their blue lines are strong. They have the top end talent, which Carolina lacked a little bit in the last round. Like when it all came down to it, the Rangers big guns got it done.

Chris Crowder, the natural hat trick, which I'm sure we'll probably get to here in a bit. It was insane. I thought I was going to get kicked off a plane, honestly, watching that game. I forgot that you were on the plane. Watch that with duct tape on the plane to the seat.

And I was going to get arrested when I landed. But the thing about these two teams also in a term that I got to shout out my boys at the empty headers, they threw around on their last episode. Last year, the Florida Panthers were that team that had like all those DVD moments, right?

The championship DVD that you watch at the end of the year when they win the Stanley cup. And there's all these like, and it was unexpected, unexpected. And the Rangers this year, they've had a lot of those too. I feel absolutely, you know, it's been so many games this, I forget what the number is.

I think it was 31 going into class 31 comfort behind victories record. Yeah. I can't tell you how many times, cause my dad, my uncle and I, we all text her in these games. How I'm sitting, I'm like, Oh, this game's over. Bob O'Reilly every game that you didn't send it to me this morning. Oh yeah. That's true.

It did come home and I was working out on my ranger playlist, all ready to go. Um, I will have to screenshot that to hopefully keep the good momentum going. But there's so many times where I'm texting with my uncle and my father and we're like, Oh, this seems dead tonight. And then they somehow find the way to win the game. It's just, I hate to say they're a team of destiny because whoever you say is a team of destiny right now, they usually never end up winning the cup or winning the championship and they end up losing the next round. But that's the vibe. But this team locker room is just so close and you, and you could tell probably better than anybody being in there on a, on pretty much a daily basis. Yeah. But also on the flip side, I was in Florida's room today and that team is fun.

They are fun, but also the group, the cockiness, the swagger that the Panthers have, like it is, it is unmeasured to anyone else. Like it's up here. You know, I, I get the fortunate, um, experience to be in a lot of road locker rooms that come through MSG. That's like where my hub is for daily face-off.

So I'm always talking to road players and whatnot. And the rooms are all different. You could feel the temperature in every single locker room and, you know, Florida and Colorado are like the exact opposite of the noise level. Like Colorado, they're locked in their focus. They, they take a very serious approach, not saying that Florida or New York don't, but you can just feel the vibes in certain locker rooms and the Rangers have that as well. Um, but this team of destiny thing, which is what everyone's talking about, right? Like those moments, like the Crider Patrick, um, you know, Panera and to score an overtime goal, the guy that we've been so hard on to perform in the playoffs, he scores a huge goal in game three and overtime to give the Rangers a three nothing lead in the series.

Um, you know, she's certain coming up big yet again. There's just so many different things that have happened. The overtime winner, even in game two, a game that they got out shot in a big way. And even Peter Lavi let to, to go through the team. He coached the last three years in the first round, the team he won the Stanley cup with in the second round.

It's a full circle thing for him as well. He played 12 NHL games in his career. Those games were the New York Rangers. He was teammates in the Olympics with Brian Legion, Mike Richter guys who won in 94. Like there's just so many different things that have happened that make you feel like this is really the year.

All right. From a national standpoint, when you look at this series, what do you think is Johnny Lizer is the biggest key when you look at both these teams for the Panthers and then also the Rangers? Well, for the Rangers, it's going to be the same thing. It has been all platform and that's executed on the executing on their power play right now. The Rangers have, you know, with Colorado being eliminated the second best power play in the NHL behind Edmonton Oilers and their kills and their kill is even better than Florida Rangers, better power play, better kill them.

Florida right now. Florida is like one for 13 on their last 13 attempts. And at 22%, the Rangers, I believe are at like 31.7 or 37.4 around there.

But either way, it's just such a big difference right now in special teams. So the Rangers have to find a way to continue to be opportunistic in those moments where Florida, you know, listen, they have just as good of a goalie as he works a circuit. And I don't want to take credit away from Igor because he's been phenomenal.

Bob is one of those guys that can also steal a game, you know, just like Igor has shown. But for Florida, I think what they need to do, which everyone seems to be talking about as well, is get the puck in deep on the Rangers defenseman and just bully the crap out of them. Because the Rangers- Do you think you need Rempe then in this series? Because it looks like they're not going to play him tonight. It looks like it's going to be heat on the lineup.

Yeah. So it's not going to be Rempe tonight from everything we've seen, but that doesn't mean we won't see him in game two. You know, I think you feel out the emotion of game one because Matt Rempe has been playing what five to seven minutes a night.

Yeah, not a lot. It's tough, but depending on how much extra crap Florida stirs up after the whistles, they're a team that is not afraid to do all the extra stuff, right? Like whistle blows, they're going to push you, they're going to shove you, they're going to get in your face, they're going to try to get under your skin. And you need a guy like Rempe sometimes to answer that and to counter that. But also you don't want to give into that and then take a penalty and then be down a man. So there's all these little things that go into it that Pierre LaViolette I'm sure by sitting Rempe in game one wants to just feel it out because the worst thing that could happen is Florida comes out with all the emotion.

Rempe feels that emotion in a game one where there is more emotion than most games. Um, cause it's obviously that feel out process and he takes a dumb penalty and they're short handed. So we'll see. So that's my biggest concern because when the Rangers had lung quests in most series, they always had the goalie advantage. The Rangers had the Igor Shrzyszurkin and most series they have the goalie advantage and usually it's by a wide margin. And this one with Bob Brofsky, he's phenomenal and they don't have a clear big time goalie advantage. And that's the biggest concern for me in this one.

Yeah. I mean, listen, the numbers would favor Igor, but also just because he saw twice as many shots in the last round than the Brofsky did against the Boston Bruins. But with goaltending, it's not necessarily like who's going to make the most saves. It's who's going to make the timely ones.

Right? Like, so if the Rangers are, let's say down to nothing in the second period and Igor gets a, you know, is facing a breakaway and he stops it, that could change the whole game. And then just right from there, if the Rangers get it, like, I think actually it was in the game in March, the Rangers were down to nothing and they get a power play and then all of a sudden they're gone, you know? So you need a timely save. And then that's what gets the bench alive. That's what gets the team alive.

And then you go from there. So it's, it's all about which way the momentum in the game is swinging for the goalie to actually have that kind of impact, you know? And then the Western conference, Peter DeBoer has everything on his resume besides the Stanley cup. The dude is just always in the conference finals, Vegas, the devils. We know now with the stars, you know, everywhere he goes, this guy finds a way to have a deep post-season run. And he goes up against Edmonton, who they have two top five players in the sport, the best player in the sport of McDavid.

And you have Leon Draisaitl. This is a series to me where I think a lot of people from afar that parachute in are going to pick the Oilers because of really because of the stars I'm talking about. Well, that's confusing because they're playing the stars. They're going to, you're right. They're going to pick the Oilers compared to the stars. And I think a lot of people that parachute in are just going to be like, Oh, because of these stars of McDavid and also Draisaitl, that's what they're going to do. But I think Dallas is the better team. And I think Dallas is gold tender right now.

Odinger is that playing at a ridiculous level, which wasn't the case last year. I like the stars in the series. Yeah. I think most people do. You're right. That is very confusing. Right. At first I'm like, I don't, I don't think I said that. And I'm like, Oh, they're playing these stars.

Yeah. So you got, we got to figure out a new word for maybe the superstars that helps. But like, listen, I know hockey and basketball have a completely different sort of, uh, I guess I can't think of the word, but the way they're played, right? Like the NBA best players are on the court for 42 or 48 minutes. The NHL best players are on the ice for maybe 20 to 22.

It's like one third of the game. So if you're looking at this from the outside perspective and you see McDavid and Draisaitl, yes, they're going to have a big impact on the series and on every game, but they're not out there the entire game. So in the moments where those two aren't on the ice, who do they got to slow down Dallas? You know, who's going to possess the puck more when those two aren't out there. It's going to be incredible.

Amazing. And the team depth in Dallas is so strong. They actually are very similar to Florida, but like in the West. So people say, you know, for ratings wise, Dallas versus Florida, wouldn't be a great final just because of the markets and whatnot, but on the ice, that product would be great. It'd be awesome. Um, but back to your point, like something with Edmonton too, which is crazy shout out to Arto Cal who tweeted this ESPN like stats and info Edmonton's the first team in NHL history to have three players with 20 plus points. The first two rounds, Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid and Leandra. I said a Bouchard's been so good in the backend as well, but this is a strong defense, great goaltending verse high octane offense.

So what do they always say? Defense wins championships. You got to assume Dallas will find a way to slow them down. So you're picking Dallas Dallas and six Dallas and say I'm rooting for Edmonton. Okay. Cause I want, I want McDavid Rangers final like that.

What would we get in that best player? Yeah. And Gretzky. Yeah. You're right.

You're right on that. And Rangers, I'm assuming you're taking over the Panthers seven. Okay. They delivered us Mike and Ike's here. You like Mike and Ike's right?

Not against them. Could we do something fun here? What do you got? Can I take a Mike and Ike and one will represent the stars.

Okay. The other will represent the Panthers. If you catch the stars, one, the stars will win the series. If you catch the Panthers, two at one time, I'll throw them separately.

The Panthers win the series. You in? Sure. All right. Am I catching my mouth or with my hand with your mouth? Oh, I washed my hands. Gotcha. All right.

This is the Dallas stars. Let's see. I hope my arm is no, I think overhand underhand. I don't know.

I'm not a softball player. Ready? Yep. Oh, are your teeth in today?

Fake ones. Yeah. I think if you had no teeth in there, you heard it right. Ready?

Plastic teeth. Now this will represent the Florida Panthers. Good. You didn't catch it. I didn't want you to catch it.

I didn't see that coming. I didn't see that coming at you. Were you trying to hit me? No, I was trying to throw it over your head. If you hit me square in the fall, that would have been terrible.

That would have been a lawsuit. I don't want Gary. I didn't see that coming. I was just pooped in my pants.

Also your face. There was like, that was, that felt pretty ready. I'll throw it lightly now. This is the Panthers. Please don't catch us.

Good job. Rangers are going to win the season on purpose. He's Johnny Lizers. How could everyone find you and tune into all the great content? Everything I do is basically on Twitter, but I would love it if you listen to my show, the blue crew pod, blue crew podcast, New York ranger show, and then my morning cup of hockey show every Monday through Thursday, nine to 10 AM on the daily face off YouTube channel. Doing hockey basically all day, every day. And it's been a blast. When you get inducted into the hockey hall of fame one, don't even say that as a broadcaster, that'd be a dream. I think I deserve a thank you or two.

You, you are one of my OGs. So, um, we went to game two Rangers Carolina together two years ago. That's right. Lot of game.

Great game. Uh, Mustang Harry's before, right? And we met that, uh, who was that guy? Joe or something. There was some older dude, Joe paid for the whole meal. Um, yeah, it was, it wasn't one of my friends. I thought it was, I thought you knew the guy. It was a Joe and AJ.

Oh, we were with AJ and Alex and their dad. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, but it was some other guy from Connecticut. I think Cody's friend, Joe, something like that. The guy picked up the entire building. He goes, just follow me on Twitter.

UFO Joe. I think that's what he said. Beauty. But, uh, yeah, that's the best part of this though. The ranger fans and the community has been, you know, we know Rangers, Twitter can be a little bit crazy, but everyone that's out and about having a good time.

Um, we'll do another watch party for game six. Worried about letting someone else pick out the perfect avocado for your perfect, impress them on the third date guacamole. Well, good thing. Instacart shoppers are as picky as you are. They find ripe avocados. Like it's their guac on the line. They are milk expiration date detectives.

They bag eggs like the 12 precious pieces of cargo they are. So let Instacart shoppers overthink your groceries so that you can overthink what you'll wear on that third date. Download the Instacart app to get free delivery on your first three orders while supplies last minimum $10 per order.

Additional terms apply. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy. Meet green light, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest with your guard rails in place. Parents can send instant money transfers, automate allowance and more. Plus keep an eye on spending with real time notifications. Join more than 6 million families building healthy financial habits together on green light. Get your first month free at green light.com slash Odyssey.

That's green light.com slash Odyssey at American whiskey. So if you're around, it's Saturday night, June 1st. Um, so that'd be fun. It was a great, great showing last time, but yeah.

Yeah. Appreciate you having me here. We'll appreciate you coming in. He's Johnny Lazarus.

If you don't follow him, make sure you follow him because he is to me, uh, the social media voice of hockey is the way that I will say it. The wait is over. That's right. Season five of the Kardashians is here. Just when you thought life couldn't get any faster, they're punching it into overdrive. Chris, Courtney, Kim, Chloe, Kendall and Kylie are back and continue to defy expectations in all their endeavors. So get ready to go behind the glitz and glamor of the most iconic family on television.

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