Evan Marinofsky is joined by Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal to discuss a variety of Bruins topics, including Georgii Merkulov and his standing in the organization, Fabian Lysell's future, and, of course, the Jeremy Swayman extension.
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00:00Bruins beat is brought to you by price picks and the game time app.
00:06And welcome into Bruins beat presented by prize picks. Go use that promo code C L N
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00:21to go watch the Patriots, which I don't know why you would, but if you want to go watch
00:26the Pats, I highly recommend using the game time app. The Red Sox are doing pretty well.
00:31Mark Red Sox are in the running. They're keeping things close. Games will be good on the Red
00:36Sox. Don't sleep on the socks. So go to game time and use that promo code CLNS. I'm Evan
00:42Maranofsky. That is Mark Diver. Mark, what is up?
00:48Just count the days, Evan, until, uh, the river at showcase on, uh, on Monday and, uh,
00:55the madness begins. That's it. It is so fun every year that we, for you and me, cause
01:03that's the real start of hockey season, the rats showcase. And then like a month or six
01:08weeks into it, we're like, Oh my God, this is, you know, what's going on this weekend.
01:14I don't know if I can take another one, you know? Well, that's the thing is that's the
01:19thing. And, and what's tough is like, I was thinking about last year and we did, we got
01:23that like Halloween showcase. Uh, and it was like, I'm done with this. And the kids don't,
01:30the kids aren't into it either. Like after a while, it's like, you know, cause for those
01:34who don't know, like fall hockey is sort of the setup for prep and high school season,
01:40which is sort of the main event. I mean, that's when, you know, you're playing for your school
01:43and it's a big thing and falls great to get looks. And cause colleges can go there more
01:49easily just cause the season hasn't started yet. So there'll be, you know, a ton of college
01:53coaches, um, you know, in Foxboro and different ranks this weekend and throughout the, uh, fall,
01:59but like, you know, you'll, you'll, you'll watch a fall hockey game.
02:04I'd say like probably like late October and there'll be a team with four defensemen and six
02:08forwards. And it's like, all right, like, I mean, come on, you know? So I'm with you.
02:13The I'm, I'm going to, I'm going to really enjoy this time though. The September month
02:17when it's still fresh and you're seeing new teams, that's fun. The junior Eagles and
02:22all that. So that I'm excited for that. So that's all that matters. Um, uh, anyways,
02:28Bruins, uh, counting down the days until training camp till captain's practices until,
02:33uh, that action gets underway. And, and one question I keep kind of coming back to,
02:38and I've mentioned this on a few podcasts, you and I have talked about this at great length
02:43at Foxboro or a dev camp is sort of the curious case of Georgie Mercullof of he spent two years
02:51in Providence. The production levels have been there, you know, in any other, you know,
02:56would in any other case would say, all right, guys, you know, done really well in Providence
03:00for two years, at least statistically speaking, it's time for him to get the promotion to the big
03:05club. Um, but the lineup spots, I don't know where that spot is. Um, do you foresee him
03:14making a really strong push for the team and where does he potentially fit?
03:18Well, I'll answer the first, the, uh, the first question first, I do see him making a strong push.
03:27I think, I think he's going to be very motivated. I don't think he, I don't think he wants or needs
03:35another year in the American league. Um, you know, I think, uh, I've said this before. He,
03:41they asked him to work on his defensive game and, and his, you know, his 200 foot game with,
03:46with good details in the defensive zone. And he's done that he's delivered that.
03:51And I think, uh, you know, the offensive game has always been there for him. Um,
03:58and I think it's, it's, you know, his tie, I think he'll be motivated. Like I say, he'll,
04:04he'll, he doesn't want to spend another year in Providence. And, you know, I think it's time
04:09for him. This is the third year of his three-year contract. It's time. Uh, but where does he fit?
04:14But where does he fit that? I don't know. I don't know where he fits. He's not,
04:21he's certainly not a fourth line guy. That's not his game. He's not a physical player. He's not
04:28a burner. He's, you know, he can keep up, but he's not, uh, doesn't have Johnny Beecher's wheels.
04:34That's for sure. So, you know, where do you, where does he fit? I, I honestly don't know.
04:41Uh, but if he, you know, I think the, he needs to go to camp, have us put in a strong performance
04:48and show that wherever they do put them, that he's, you know, going to, uh, going to give
04:54them something. And then we'll go from there and see what, uh, see where he ends up. Yeah.
05:01Another thing is I hear, uh, you know, suggestions that, well, maybe what if you put them on the
05:08wing? I just lost you there. What if you put them on the wing? I don't see him as a wing. He's a
05:14classic Russian center, you know, smart. He's not dot souk, but you know, in that mold crafty with
05:21the puck offensively gifted, I don't know how that works on the wing and his play on the walls.
05:28He he's, you know, he's five 11. He's not, uh, he's not going to blast anybody off the puck
05:34along the, uh, along the boards. So playing him out of position,
05:39geez, I don't think that works. I agree. And I think definitely it does not work on the right
05:44wing. And I think we've been over this because people have said, Oh, maybe, you know, potential
05:48top six, you know, right wing replaced a brusque. I don't think that's going to work. Um, I think
05:53the most like potentially obvious spot for a guy like Mark Ulof would be in that third line center
06:00role. If they don't feel Patras ready and, and Patra goes to Providence, I think that is sort of
06:05where the spot is. And that to me is the biggest thing for, for him is, you know, if you can prove
06:13that you're more advanced than Patra at this stage, again, like Patra look great in his NHL
06:18time last year, we said that a million times, but coming off shoulder surgery, he's never spent any
06:23time in the American league. Like, you know, I do wonder the Bruins are usually pretty cautious
06:29with prospects. I do wonder if they look at that route with Patra this year. I think it's a
06:34viable option. Um, so I think the third line center role makes sense for, for Mark Ulof
06:39potentially, but I also wonder like you mentioned the wing, right? Like, you know, his game a lot
06:46better than I do. You've watched him in Providence way, way, way more than I have, but I do like,
06:52is there any case in which he moves? Like he, he pushes for like a top six left wing spot.
07:00Is there any way that happens? I know you mentioned board battle stuff, but like, is there,
07:04would there even be a chance that that could be in the cards? Cause we can like all along,
07:09we assume Zaka is going to the left wing. And I think that makes the most sense,
07:13but is there a world in which Merkuloff plays so well at training camp? They're like, okay,
07:17maybe he fits on the left side in the top sex. Like, is there any chance that that could happen?
07:23Well, I, I wouldn't rule, I wouldn't rule anything out, but you know,
07:30Monty, uh, Jim Montgomery and a lot of coaches, you know, talk about playing fast and, you know,
07:36that kind of game that I don't think that's really Merck's, uh, that's not his game. Uh,
07:43you know, the speed, speed, speed, push the pace, uh, type of, uh, winger. I don't think
07:50that's really him now, if he could, I don't know where, where he would find that, uh, you know,
07:57heading into his third year, uh, as a pro. So I, that would be interesting. And it would be, uh,
08:04it would be a fun if, if he were able to pull that off, but, uh, you know, you're, you mentioned
08:10Patra and I think that's a, that's a more realistic possibility, I think, than, than
08:17sticking Merck on the wing. Um, I'm curious to see, you know, in the prospects challenge last
08:26September in Buffalo, Patra was one of the, you know, the shining lights, you know, that started
08:33him on the way to winning an NHL job, his, his performance there. No one in the Bruins hierarchy
08:41that I talked to in Buffalo thought that he was going to start the year in Boston. They thought
08:46he was going to be in the OHL, but he played so well in camp and early on that, you know,
08:55they were, they were down to center. So why not try them? And they did. And it was working,
09:01uh, you know, most nights until he got hurt. So what happens now that he's been off the ice or
09:07no games for, I don't know what, eight months. Yeah. Uh, I'm curious to see if he gets invited
09:13to the prospects challenge this time. Uh, I would hope and, you know, kind of expect that he will
09:21just to get him some games. So, and get, get him a little bit of, uh,
09:27you know, comfort level coming off that injury before NHL training camp. So, you know, when the,
09:34when the roster for the prospects challenge comes out, uh, you know, the first week of September
09:40or whenever, uh, I'll be curious to see if Patra is there. Uh, and I, I hope he is because I think
09:46that would, uh, that would be good for him. And it would be an interesting storyline to, uh,
09:53to follow in Buffalo would be his performance. Yeah. And I also just think he needs, as you said,
09:58he needs games. And I think that's extra games on top of, um, preseason games. And, and I just,
10:04I think that's important. Um, will Lysell be at prospects? I don't think he will. No, I don't
10:10think. Okay. No, I, you know, I don't know. You know, I think his, I suspect his focus will be
10:21in the Bruins focus will be for him to come and to show up on day one of NHL training camp and
10:28be ready to go. No, I don't think sending him to Buffalo. He's been there twice,
10:33maybe three times, maybe three years. I can't remember for sure, but I don't think he needs
10:39to do Buffalo again. Uh, you know, so yeah, I don't expect that, but I could be surprised.
10:48Yeah, we'll see. I'm excited. You're going to be in, uh, you'll be there,
10:52which will be great. You'll be, uh, the boots on the ground in Buffalo. That's right.
10:56Next month. Um, I want to get into some, uh, Swain and stuff. We can kind of touch on Lysell
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12:43prize picks run your game. So with Fabian Lysell, you mentioned him.
12:49You know, we've talked a lot about that. It feels like in the vibe I got coming from
12:56after free agency was that that spot was sort of open for him on that second line,
13:01right wing spot. Do you think like, do you think that that's sort of where they're at
13:07at least right prior to training camp that that's that Lysell, if we were doing like
13:12odds would be the favorite for that spot. It feels that way. It feels that way. Um,
13:19you know, I think there will be PTOs, uh, you know, we don't know who they are or whether it
13:25be more than one, who knows, but, uh, you know, I think they'll, they may have their eye on somebody
13:31who could fill that spot, but geez, I think that they'd love to see Lysell come in and grab that
13:41by the neck and, uh, and, you know, really, really take really run with that. Uh,
13:51you know, um, I was, you know, you, you did a podcast with him recently and, uh,
13:58I was pleasantly surprised just by his, uh, how relaxed and, uh, you know, low key he was,
14:06because that's not always the vibe in Providence or it hasn't been, you know,
14:12maybe it's because you're close to him in age and I'm old enough to be his grandfather, but,
14:18I don't think that's the case, but, uh, you know, I've, the vibe I've gotten from him at times is
14:27that he's tense and, you know, guarded and not, you know, just a very reserved, uh, person. And
14:36the vibe when he talked with you was different. I thought that he was relaxed, confident, you know,
14:43maybe ready to go. So, you know, maybe, uh, maybe that's maturity, uh, you know, getting used to,
14:51you know, pro hockey and all the things you have to deal with besides what goes on on the ice. So
14:59I would love to show, see him show up. And, uh, he, he also mentioned having more fun,
15:05didn't he? Did he mention he was going to try to have more fun? You know, that there's been times
15:11when it certainly looked like he wasn't having a lot of fun in Providence. Uh, so it'd be great
15:19if he showed up with a smile on his face and, you know, relaxed and ready to go and, uh,
15:25and grab that job. And, you know, I think the vibe you get from, you know, management around
15:34development camp and after the, in the post season, after the season was it's there, the job
15:40is there. And, uh, you know, maybe Lysel's the first guy in line. Uh, I would, I would expect
15:47that he is, but, uh, you know, I don't know who on a PTO would come in and, and, you know,
15:54change that, that could certainly happen, but, uh, yeah, I would expect, uh, Fabian to be the
16:01number one guy there. Connor and I talked yesterday or we talked Wednesday, um, on poke the
16:07bear and it'll, it'll be out soon. Um, about PTOs, different PTO options like Blake Wheeler's
16:13available max patch ready. Those are two guys I thought, you know, given their history could
16:18potentially like, again, I don't know, you know, patch already has dealt with a lot of injuries.
16:21The last two years, Wheeler, uh, dealt with injuries last year. He's going to be, I think
16:2638. So I don't know if that's, I don't know if you'd slot those guys over a guy like Lysel,
16:31who you do really want to see what you have. And it's kind of, all right, you know, let's,
16:36let's see if you can actually be a top six winger in the NHL.
16:39This seems like a pretty good situation for it. Um, but I think those would be potentially two
16:45PTO options. It was interesting, actually Lysel, uh, cause I, I think someone tweeted at me being
16:50like, oh, I don't, you know, he sounded too relaxed, uh, talking about, you know, his mindset
16:55going into training camp. And, you know, I think people want the players to come out and say, I'm
16:59going to run through a brick wall for a spot on the team. And I don't care, but I think everyone
17:03feels that way. Um, but I do think it does matter, you know, for his own game to, to be relaxed, to,
17:12to have fun. Um, I know that sounds cliche, but I think if you go in pressuring yourself,
17:19I've got to make the team, I've got to make the team. Well, then you're not going to make the
17:22team. You're going to play bad. You're going to play timid. And I think that's sort of a sports
17:26psychology end of it, where, you know, if you go in saying, well, I'm just going to have fun,
17:30I'm going to do my best. I'm going to be who I am. I think you do have a better shot. Now we'll
17:35see if that works out. If that smile gets wiped off his face, when he gets like drilled by Zadora
17:40and a drill. Um, but I do, I do think it is. I, I, I was happy to hear that. Um, at least for his
17:48own sake, like I thought that was a good mindset to have, you know, and I think fans wanted him
17:53to be like, oh, I'm going to do whatever it takes that second line right wing line. I'm going to
17:57reach out and grab it and take it. And I don't think that, I don't think that's a practical way
18:02to approach such a big task. That's just, no, it's not, it's not. And I think, uh,
18:10you know, for the role they expect him or they would like him to take,
18:15you know, that's not, uh, I don't think that's, that's going to help him. So hopefully, you know,
18:21confidence, a smile, uh, you know, relaxed, uh, works in his favor, uh, you know, in a couple
18:29of weeks. Um, you know, I think it would be great. I've said this before, if he showed up early and
18:34was in on those captain's practices, I don't know if he's done that in the past. Has he,
18:40or does he, or does he just show, you know, he had to go to the prospects challenge last year. So,
18:46uh, but it would be great if he was there, uh, skating with the vets leading up to NHL camp. I
18:52think that would help him get a little, little comfort level. You know, I think he had told me
18:58he was coming over in early September. I forget the exact date, but he said that him and the
19:03Bruins had just figured out the, um, the time to come over. So that might be involved because
19:09captain's practices, I think, I think are typically like very early September if memory
19:16serves. Um, so I would hope I I'm with you. I think that would be a terrific kind of
19:21runway into training camp. And again, it is a big camp for him. Like it's,
19:25it's not like the top six is full and it's like, Oh man, hopefully he can, you know,
19:29potentially get a third line spot or, you know, he's done back to Providence. Like there is a
19:34spot. There is a legit spot in that top six, um, that I think, you know, he makes the most
19:39sense for at least, uh, on paper, uh, want to go to a Bruins preseason game. You want to go,
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21:20It's game time. Now back to the show. So, uh, Jeremy Swayman spoke, uh,
21:26I think over the weekend at a triathlon that he did, um, on, uh, you know, Ty Anderson was
21:33asking him about his contract, uh, or, you know, this, you know, the contract we're waiting for
21:38him to sign or waiting to, for him to agree to. Uh, and he said, quote, I do love it in Boston
21:43and that's all I can control. And I know that I have complete trust in my agent and I know that
21:47it's going to get done eventually. Um, uh, where else? There was another part. Uh, I'm getting
21:54just as much experience right now as I did last year with different ways of it all. And we know
21:59it's a business, it's unfortunate at times, but I know I'm going to be playing hockey at the end of
22:03the day. And I really hope it's with the Boston Bruins. Does that make you nervous? Is there
22:08anything in those quotes that gives you cause for concern? No, no. You know, maybe when he said,
22:16I know it's going to get done eventually. Uh, you know, if that means, I don't know,
22:22October 25th, then, uh, okay. Maybe I'd be nervous about that, but I don't know. He,
22:29I thought he said all the right things. I didn't see anything there. I, you know, I maybe not, uh,
22:35not everyone agrees with this, but I didn't see anything there to nitpick and say, aha,
22:41you know, uh, I think, you know, it's like he said, it's going to happen.
22:50So if he thinks it's going to happen, who am I to, to argue, but, uh, it would make, it would
22:56make certainly the fan base feel a lot better if it happens, say, I don't know, this afternoon,
23:02as opposed to our luck, it'll happen in like 20 minutes. Right. Right. But no, I, I didn't see
23:08anything to be nervous about there, but of all the things he could have said, I thought he said,
23:13uh, he said the right things. I agree. Clearly wants to be here. Um, as we've said, I, you know,
23:21I haven't heard anyone say that they don't think this is going to get done. Um, again,
23:26summer sort of a slow time after free agency vacations, things like that. I think it gets
23:31done. And I, I think he genuinely wants to be here. You look at, you know, he was in the schedule
23:36release video. Uh, they have him doing lots of different promotional stuff. He's a Bruin.
23:42And I, like, I think it's just, it's, it's a matter of time of when it happens. The only
23:46quote in there that made me like, Oh, it was whenever a player says it's a business.
23:50Cause I remember during the Torrey Krug stuff, that debacle, he kept saying, Oh, I know it's
23:55a business. Like that's whenever a player says it's a business, you're always like, Oh shoot.
23:59Like they're gone. I think this is different though. I think he's, I, you know, I think it's
24:04like a 99% chance that he's back. I don't, I don't foresee a way in which he's gone or how
24:10like negotiations break down. What do you, what do you think it's over? What do you think the
24:14holdup's been? Well, I think it's about the money. Uh, you know, you know, what, uh,
24:24what's the ceiling on, on what he's asking for? Is he asking, I don't know, is he asking for 9.5
24:30million a year for eight years? I don't know. Is it 8 million? Is it 8.5? Uh, you know, I think
24:37that's, that's the issue to me. And, uh, you know, I haven't talked to anyone or I have done
24:44no research or homework on this whatsoever. I'm just pulling those, pulling those numbers out.
24:49I don't know what the number is, but, uh, you know, I got to think it's, it's about the money.
24:56Isn't that always the, uh, the case in contract, uh, things like that? Yeah, it is. I think it is.
25:04I wonder though, if there's any, like, if there's anything with term, like, I wonder if they're far,
25:08like, does he want shorter term deal to then cash in again, three or four years from now? Does he
25:15want, you know, do they, are they hesitant on a longer term deal? I don't know. I'm also pulling
25:19those out. Like, I don't know, but I'm, you know, again, playing contrarian. Like I do wonder if
25:23it's term as well. Cause I think it's, I think the hundred should be eight by eight. I think
25:27that makes the most sense. I think that works. That covers his prime. I think it's a good price,
25:33one that looks cheaper down the road. So what if it was, what if it was three years with that?
25:41I mean, with the Bruins, you wonder if the Bruins would be more amenable to that.
25:44And then, you know, he's unproven as a starting goalie in the NHL right now, right? Yes. So
25:53three years will give you a window to see, you know, how good is this guy? Can he do it?
26:01All signs point to the fact that he is good enough. But three years, maybe,
26:07you know, maybe that, maybe there's a middle ground there and term wise and money wise that
26:13would get this done faster, you know? Maybe it is. I agree with you. I mean,
26:19they did that essentially with McAvoy instead of giving him the long-term deal in 2019,
26:23they handed him, I think it was a three-year deal. And then he, over that time proved he
26:28was a legit number one defense when they paid a lot more than they would have had to pay him
26:31if they did a long-term deal at the time in 2019. I think that, I think that was an extension though.
26:39So, but still, I mean, they went with a three-year deal instead of.
26:42Well, and then, you know, one other possible factor here is that if they say they went for
26:48a three-year deal, he'd be able to walk after that, right? So, you know, if that,
26:59is that something the Bruins, are they willing to roll the dice on that? You know, that a guy
27:05theoretically in the prime of his career at what, 27, 28 years old at that point could hit the
27:11market and just, you know, go wherever the money is highest. You know, maybe that's not a risk
27:19Boston wants to take, or maybe it is, maybe they're willing to roll the dice. Really, I
27:26couldn't begin to guess on that. And, but then I think you're like
27:29betting that he won't be, like then they almost wouldn't be betting, like, oh,
27:34betting that he wouldn't be a high-end goalie. Cause like, okay, we want to
27:37get you the smartest contract. And the tough part with that is like, then the Bruins are
27:41back in negotiations with them in two years where like, cause I wonder if he wants that kind of
27:46deal where it's like, oh, I want to be nasty for three years and then make a ton more money
27:51when the cap keeps going up. So I don't know. Good points. Good points. He, you know,
28:00three years instead of eight years would, you could spin that as a, as a, like you say,
28:05as a lack of confidence in him. You know, I think that a doubt that maybe he's not up to it.
28:14Or it's yeah. Or it could even be motivating him. Like, Hey, we, we, you know, it's like when
28:20Belichick used to tell Brady, he sucked. It's like that just so to make him go, you know,
28:24it's like, it's like Jeremy, we don't think you're that great, but we're gonna give you this three
28:28year, you know, $7 million deal. You do what you want with it. We don't think you're going to be
28:32that great. Swimming goes out and wins like three straight business. It's like, oh, we did it.
28:36It worked. Yeah. I mean, nothing, nothing motivates players, right? Like you said,
28:41I couldn't do it. You said, I couldn't do it. You thought I couldn't do it, you know?
28:46So I don't know. I think eight, eight years is the safe, the safe way to go.
28:53I think it is too. Speaking of contracts before we head out, you and I are doing the hockey guys.
28:58You are the new England hockey guy, uh, Maddie Benears seven times seven. I know it was sort of
29:04a down year for him this year. That seems low. That seems like a really good deal for Seattle.
29:11Yeah. I, I thought it would be more than that. Uh, I did too, but, uh,
29:19yeah, I don't know. I, I, I don't know what the thinking, uh, was on that. I don't know how many
29:24points he had last year. I, you know, I look it up. Is he going to be, I don't think he's going
29:30to be a guy that's in the top five scores every year. I don't think I agree. His games, uh,
29:36you know, an all around game, like, uh, you know, not to throw Bergey out there again,
29:42but a Bergeron type where I agree, you know, puts up good numbers, but not,
29:48not Connor McDavid numbers, not, not, uh, we have dry sidle numbers, but good numbers
29:54and does everything else that you want. Uh, so yeah, I, I guess that's a little low, but,
30:02uh, you know, still it's $56 million. It's nothing to sneeze at, you know,
30:08I'll take, I'll take that. Um, he had 37 points in 77 games last year. He had 57 points
30:14in 80 games the year before and won the Calder. Um, so in that context of what he's given you,
30:20um, I think that probably makes sense because it is a little bit of a bet. I mean, 7 million,
30:27I don't know. I can, I don't watch every cracking game. I don't, he didn't give
30:31you $7 million worth of play last year. He did the year before. So I think that is kind of a,
30:38Hey, you know, it is a little bit of a bet. Like this could look cheap down the road,
30:41but it also might be kind of where you're valued. Cause as you said, like, and I agree with you,
30:45I don't think he's going to be, you know, fighting with Kucherov McKinnon and
30:50Pasternak and McDavid and dry sidle for top 10 and top five, 10 point in points.
30:56So he's probably going to be more of a borderline second line center. You're a borderline first line
31:01center, maybe more of a second line center and 7 million lines up with what that's worth
31:07in today's NHL. Yeah. It'll be interesting to watch where the salaries go. And over the next
31:14few years, like if he gets halfway through his contract and salaries have gone for whatever
31:21reason, the salaries have gone through the roof, they've added expansion teams.
31:24They got all this money coming in and salaries have gone way, way up. Then 7 million
31:31might look like, you know, you can't say 7 million, it might look like not a lot of money,
31:38but peanuts, not a market, not a market value there. So that'll be something to keep an eye on
31:46where the salaries go from here. And what's in three or four years, that may look like
31:53an unbelievable deal for the Kraken. Yeah. I think it easily could. And I don't think like
31:59even worst case scenario, if Bunears, let's say he was a 50 point a year guy, right? Like
32:05for 7 million, that's not bad. Like, I think that's pretty good. So I think that's a smart
32:11deal for Seattle. It's also probably smart for Matty Bunears too. I mean, first of all,
32:16as you said, $56 million, that's a lot of Milton Academy tuitions in there. Not a ton, but there
32:24are a good amount. Well, I was thinking about this last night when I was at Foxborough,
32:36a couple of years ago, he was playing in that league. He was playing
32:40Wednesday nights in the summer. He was on the ice with those guys in Foxborough. So,
32:45you know, it makes you think. Time flies. And a kid like that, who's gifted, as gifted as he is,
32:54he's going to climb the mountain pretty quickly. Yeah. And now we think about the kids at Foxborough,
32:58like Will Bent and David Bosco and Cole Sabrin. And you're like, man, are we going to be sitting
33:03here in five, six years from now being like, yeah, they landed this huge deal. And remember
33:09when we used to watch him over at Foxborough, like you've had a long time of doing that.
33:15Well, I've talked about this. I've mentioned this before. I think there was one year where
33:20the pro league needed, was short on players. It was August, you know, guys were,
33:28the real pros were off doing, playing golf, whatever. And they needed players and they
33:32brought in Matty Beniers and Brett Berard. Longtime friends, teammates all through youth
33:42hockey on the South Shore Kings. They brought them in to play one night in the pro league and they put
33:48Conor Garland at center with those two. So let me tell you, they were throwing the
33:54fuck around like you wouldn't believe. Even though, you know, two of them were
33:59high school kids at that point. Like 17 years or probably younger.
34:04Yeah. Cause were they back for, it was.
34:06They weren't in the program yet. They weren't in the program. It was even before.
34:10Oh my God. So they were like 15 years old. Yeah. You never know what you're going to see
34:15in Boxborough, whether it's the pros back then or the young kids now.
34:21It's true. I agree with you. It's some weeks is nothing, but others it's like, well, that's
34:25something I'll remember for quite a long time. Always fun. You've got obviously a lot of
34:32Providence Bruins coverage coming up as the season begins. You have a cover story coming for us in
34:39hockey journal magazine. So that'll be interesting. And you and I have lots of hockey to
34:44watch this winter. It's going to, it'll be a fun year. I think there's a lot of, a lot of talent,
34:49which is good. Yeah. It'll be a lot of fun. It shall be. Mark, as always, it's a pleasure.
34:54I will see you tonight, Thursday night at Fox pro hopefully. And yeah, that's been Bruins beat.
35:01I'm Evan Maranofsky Bruins beat listeners. Have a great rest of your week.