Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Sat and Pick here on Sportsnet 650. We're going to be joined by Lana Ferraro coming up in a few moments. NHL playoffs are ongoing and the NFL draft is beginning as well. And NBA playoffs. So a lot happening. One of the more fun weekends on the sporting calendar here this weekend. And day two of the draft is tomorrow. Day three is on Saturday.
Underrated sports month.
Very much so. as we discussed yesterday, let's go to the April auctions hotline and welcome in our next guest, Landon Ferraro, former NHL or in current sports net analyst. I don't think we've talked about this with you before Landon, but do you have a favorite NFL team?
No, no. I like, I used to like the 49ers. Um, like when Alex Smith was there and like Kaepernick was just starting, um, But honestly, as soon as I kind of left North America, I stopped watching. I have not been able to get back in.
The only reason we ask is the NFL draft is going on right now. And it's such an event that the NFL puts together. And we've heard talk about the NHL draft, what they're trying to do with it and whatnot. But in terms of the overall event side of things... do you like what hockey has done the last little while in terms of decentralizing the draft a little bit and making more of a show?
Or do you like it when they had all the GMs sitting at the event? Because that's one thing that was unique about the NHL. You don't get that in the NFL, of course. It's just a stage. Some players show up, some don't. Every team is in its own city, in their own war rooms. That's how they go about things.
Yeah, I would like them to find a way to kind of meld both together, I guess, in a sense, like I like seeing the GMs and everyone at the table. I know for the most part, they like it better too. Just that face to face, like you can get so much more done in a quicker time and all of that.
I don't know if that's just because that's what I've always, you know, I loved watching the draft as a kid and, and seeing everyone there and all the jerseys and all the players going up and taking that picture and, You know, as a kid, like dreaming of being in that picture, I loved it.
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Chapter 2: What are the nerves and excitement players experience on draft day?
like a round kind of center stage that you pop up on and, and do that. Like, I don't know, like there's so many different things you can try before just completely wiping out the floor.
Yeah, no, I'm with you about that too. It's, it's one of those things to, um,
that I love that generally speaking all prospects show up to the draft in hockey whereas you don't see it the same way I know we talked to you about like you you sit through you're hoping that you get drafted the you know in the first round you'll go in the second round you go through the ups and downs but there seems to be something special about having everybody sitting in the stands as well you can look over and see all the other prospects and their families they're all in the same building like that's something that's pretty unique to hockey I know what happens in basketball to some extent as well but that's gonna be a kind of fun part of it as well like in their breaks so you can look over and glance at guys and be like
I wonder if that guy's going to go here, like what's going to be going on?
Yeah, I mean, I can speak for myself, but it was really nice to be able to look around and see people that you know in the same situation as you, knowing that they're sitting there, even though they look fine, that they are not fine underneath the suit, right? Like they're nervous and you don't know what's going to happen. You don't know where your future is going to be headed, right?
It's a massive thing. It was nice on that front, but the hockey community is pretty tight, especially in your draft year. You get to know those guys really well. You were playing against each other growing up, especially juniors. Then you're on some of the Team Canada stuff together. You get to know everyone pretty well.
As much as you want to see yourself go as high as you possibly can, there's a number of your buddies that are getting drafted and You know, again, it's one of those, like, it's just too much excitement all at once, almost. Like, you feel just like this giddy, I mean, kid, really. Yeah.
So here we are, 12 days away from the draft lottery, just over two months away from the actual NHL draft. And look, they got things to sort out here locally as far as new execs stepping into roles as well. But man, like these, it is funny to say, like we talk about all these things and like, oh, this coach has got to do this or this.
And right now we're just like, you're just beholden to lottery balls right now.
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Chapter 3: How can the NHL Draft be improved to enhance the experience?
I mean, it's so many times, you know, the guys at the top of the draft. Yeah. Like you're drafting them as centers and they're going to be centers, but so many of these guys are drafted as centers and end up as wingers. And that's not a bad thing. Like it's so few guys can be elite in the middle of the ice. There's so much on top of your shoulders that,
defensively being able to do all that and then still find a way to produce. It's really tough. But it is interesting to see how fast he's jumped up the boards really since Christmas time.
Yeah, absolutely. Right. And we had an interesting discussion because his production has been fantastic. But we were talking to Will Scouch, who does a lot of scouting and has his own website and puts a lot of work into it. And he brought up the point that the level of play at the CHL isn't quite at the level they used to be.
So we have to take some of the production with a little bit of grain of salt. We'll see how that all kind of comes together over the next little while. But the idea in Vancouver has also kind of been a lot of fans want to see Manny Malhotra be named the head coach.
If the Canucks, again, hypothetically speaking here, let's say they have the third pick, they draft Caleb Malhotra, can you have the head coach be the player's dad at some point? Does that make sense? How would you go about that? Is that something you can actually do as a team, or would that be something you would try to avoid?
I mean, avoid in a sense, but I think at the end of the day, if you're sitting there and trying to find a reason not to draft someone because of a...
situation like that like is that still the best like I don't again I'm not I don't know Caleb um you know the last time I saw him he was like six so uh you know like I don't know him but I know Manny and I know that he you know he'd be able to be professional about it and then work I don't know if that's something that he would be interested in doing
You know, like I know a lot of guys that wouldn't want to be the kid's coach at that level. You know, Brian Sutter did it with his son, but that's in a very different situation. He was older, an American League veteran, and was playing kind of spot games here and there. It's not drafting someone, you know, where they both be coming into the organization at the NHL level at the same time.
You know, it's two very different things. I guess I didn't really answer it at the end of it, but like, you know, you're just talking through it. Like it is, as I'm saying, like, I think he could, Manny could do it if they decided to go that route. You know, like, I don't know if he'd want to do that.
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Chapter 4: What challenges do teams face during the draft lottery?
And what are some things that people don't see in terms of making all these things happen for you guys?
Well, it's a little different than any other organization, but we... We have a real strong group. We've got a great two boards. We've got a foundation board, which is our charitable side, and then the association, which is the guys and the hockey part of things. But it is the people that are involved. There's stuff going on every day. We have our golf tournament on June 1st out at UBC.
I know you guys were aware of that before. but, uh, and we're, we're, you know, completely sold out other than, you know, maybe some sponsorship, but, you know, we're sold out now, but it's every day there's, there's something going on. We're, we're planning things. Uh, you know, we just finished all our corporate skates.
So all, all our, all our major sponsors, we, we, we had a skate, uh, with, with the alumni, um, you know, Rogers arena. So I think we had seven this year and, um, you know, it's just more of a thank you, you know, to these groups and,
You know, we do that where, you know, other than the golf tournament, you know, we're, you know, we get together in the summer, we have like a summer dinner, make sure all the guys get together. We're, we're planning for the luncheon in the fall, you know, all this kind of stuff.
So, so, you know, we have, we have events probably quarterly that, uh, that it's, you know, it's, it's, you know, it's like people that, that are, they'll live up North. You're almost, you're almost getting ready for the next season all the time. You know, so you get ready for one season. Once that starts coming, you get ready for the next one. And it never ends.
And, you know, our executive director, you know, Robin Wiss and some of our volunteers, I mean, they're the work they put into. And it's not just us. I mean, we're. We're the eye candy, if you believe that or not. Yeah, exactly. But, you know, they put in so much work. And I just had a meeting with Robin today with another one of our sponsors. Actually, Fraser Mullen from VGT was there.
And, you know, so we're, you know, they're sponsoring some of our initiatives. And so, you know, it's just a community thing. But I really enjoyed just because, you know, you get to meet people. all these people from different backgrounds in the city and the province. And, you know, they're all willing to help and wanting to be involved. And, yeah, it's, you know, the pay is not great.
I can't lie. But the rewards are way more than any money you could get for it.
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Chapter 5: What is Caleb Malhotra's work ethic and rise in rankings?
They love meeting their heroes and people they've been watching closely, especially the ones they grew up watching. But Dave, listen, man, we always appreciate your time. Keep up the great work with the Canucks alumni and look forward to chatting with you again very soon.
Yeah, well, I hope it's soon. And anyway, if I don't, you guys enjoy your holiday on July 2nd or whatever it is.
No, I'm sure we'll talk to you before that. I'll make sure we talk to you before that.
Well, I hope so. I'm ready anytime. I hope you enjoy talking to you guys.
Hey, I love it. Appreciate it. Thanks, Dave. Cheers. All right, fellas. Take care. And that is Dave Babich. Great as always. And, you know, it's one of those things like talking about the young D-men as well and seeing the progress for them and how they move up and how they've done so far. And you mentioned DPD, a bit of a throwback. You know the old guys.
And I don't mean old guys as in like guys that played in the game back during the era that Dave played. They love the physical hockey players, man. The guys that have the pushback, that have the heart, that have that extra edge to their game. And, you know, reference Ulf Samuelsson. And Ulf Samuelsson, if you're not from that vintage. It's a mean piece of business. Real mean. Yeah.
I mean, you would probably say dirty to some people. Ended a lot of careers or made careers a lot more complicated. And he received it himself, too. But there have been some really physical Swedish players in the past. And I know in this market, especially with EP40 struggles, and there's been some Swedish player fatigue. But there are, through history, a lot of guys that have edge.
And he sees some of that in DPD.
Yeah, and especially, like, go back to last season. Like, he manhandled a couple of guys in scrubs. Just simply grabbed the, like, the nameplate and just kind of took someone down. And you think, oh, man, you could watch that guy in the playoffs when it does get tighter. Like, you're watching Utah-Vegas. Every whistle is a scrum. Look at Tampa, Montreal. Look at Pittsburgh, Philly right now.
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