Bakersfield Condors GM Keith Gretzky (3/31/26)

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Oilers NOW with Bob Stauffer 17 min 3 speakers 6 chapters transcribed 2 months ago

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Bob Stauffer 0:00

Hey, it's Bob Stauffer. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Oilers Now ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime. 406 in oil country. Welcome back, everybody. Bob Stauffer in Rogers Place, 8th floor, the Edmonton Oilers and the Seattle Kraken tonight. Edmonton 14-4 against Seattle all-time since the Kraken joined the National Hockey League. Guests and orders now receive gift certificates to Japanese Village. It's a true celebration for the senses, quality ingredients, and an unmatched grill side experience. Book your seat at jvedmonton.ca. Don and his staff will take care of you. As we go to our farm report for Equus, Alberta's largest power co-op. Choose community. Choose Equus at equs.ca.

Bob Stauffer 0:46

We welcome back to the show the good one. That's what Craig McTavish calls them. Keith Gretzky joins us, the general manager of the Bakersfield Condors. Hello, Keith. How are you doing? Hey, Bob. How are you? Good. Good weekend for you guys, eh?

Keith Gretzky 1:01

Yeah, we played good. I thought both goalies were really good. The team played good. Our young kids played good, and even the kids that we've called up from East Coast League. So we're happy with the weekend.

Bob Stauffer 1:13

All right, well, let's start in goal because it's an interesting situation. You know, Calvin Pickard picked the Oilers up a couple times in the playoffs the last two years, obviously came in during the Vancouver series when the Canucks were up 2-1. He won game four here in Edmonton. JT Miller scored late in game five to give the Canucks a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 series lead. And the majority of the Canucks fans were pretty sure their team had that series not so fast. And then last year, obviously, he rang off six straight victories after Stuart Skinner. The owners had a tough start getting some injured players back to start the Vancouver series. So this is a guy that won playoff games at critical times for Edmonton, won a Stanley Cup final game as well last year against Florida in game four.

Bob Stauffer 2:01

You know, he's spent a lot of time in the NHL over the last two-plus seasons. He's back in the American Hockey League. I'm going to guess, knowing the person, that there's been no change in his attitude from when he was in the NHL and he's just been a consummate professional.

Keith Gretzky 2:15

Yeah, you're bang on, and picks is phenomenal on and off the ice, and good with everybody in the locker room, and that's why he's highly regarded.

Bob Stauffer 2:25

What about Matt Tompkins? What can you tell us about him this year?

Keith Gretzky 2:29

He's been fantastic. You know, I think beginning he struggled a little bit. I do put a little blame on no real exhibition games down here because the game he was going to play against San Jose, He got called back up because Stu was sick and he flew back to Vancouver. So he had like three days of flying and driving and it kind of put him back. But you know what?

Who is Keith Gretzky and why is he on Oilers Now?

Keith Gretzky 2:51

He's battled through it and he's played well.

Bob Stauffer 2:54

Well, that's always a good thing where you have a couple options there. I mean, have you still followed Connor Unger a bit since he's gone back down to ECHL? Because I don't believe he's with the Oilers ECHL affiliate, is he?

Keith Gretzky 3:06

No, he's in Orlando. So, you know, Sal, our goalie scout, was down there. He works with the guys in Fort Wayne. He was just there.

Bob Stauffer 3:14

Did we loot? Oh, we still got Keith? Keith, you there? All right, we had a little bit of a drop there for Keith Kretzky. Well, Sal, by the way, is Jeff Sulejko. He does goaltending, scouting, and a little bit of goaltending development for the owners organization. Previously worked in the Detroit Red Wings organization. Okay, Keith, you were just saying about Sal and the guys working in the ECHL and also where Unger is at this time.

Keith Gretzky 3:49

Yeah, they've been all playing well, and when you got Sal, you know, Jeff Plank going down there visiting them and everything, he's playing real well.

Bob Stauffer 4:02

Okay, well, that's good to know. The two players that we get asked the most about are Isaac Howard and Quinn Hudson, and I know they had a bit of a cold patch for a couple weeks. They've picked it up of late, though. Is that right?

Keith Gretzky 4:14

Yeah, they both played really well this weekend, and you know what?