What's the single biggest training or injury prevention mistake that you think we make that the principles you apply to your elite athletes could help fix?

Good question.

I actually don't think the biggest mistake is a training mistake.

I think it's how people start to think about exercise or during this stage of life.

So a lot of people begin to notice they're a bit stiff again out of bed, they don't recover from exercise quite as quickly.

They pick up little niggles that seem to hang around, so it's pretty easy to conclude, well, I suppose this is what it feels like getting older.

So the problem is once you start believing your body's becoming fragile, you often start protecting it.

If sleep is heavily disrupted, does that compound injury risk? And where can the focus of recovery be in that? If sleep is really a struggle, does that then mean that activity needs to be further changed or managed around that time yeah

Of course, that wasn't really surprising to anyone, but what did you kinda think of that pick, and what do you think about the fit?

I think [sighs] I'm a little torn on the pick.

So leading up to the draft, I've been pretty vocal about the fact that I was hoping that they may have gone a different direction for numerous reasons.

One being that I do, I do think he's one hell of a player.

I think he's going to be a terrific center, and he's going to play NHL games.

There's no question about that.

I do feel that there was a little bit of the hype, especially in BC surrounding the Canucks, was quite high.

What did you think of that pick?

How big a steal is it?

For me, I think it's a ...

I, I, I just think the value is terrific.

Like, you know, the, you know, we're talking Mathis Preston, JP Hobert, who goes right before him.

Um, there was a lot of, you know, value on the table, but when you're getting a player like Novotny, um, you know, you might be leaving a little bit of offensive upside on the table, but at like, you're, you're get, what you're gaining in the two-way just relentless work ethic plus a goal scorer's shot, um, I think it's well, like the value is just incredible.

And I mean, you're leaving upside on the table with, you know, a guy like Mathis Preston, who knows, you know, where he goes, but he obviously is one of the more dynamically skilled players in this draft.

Where Novotny's not so much dynamically skilled, but he has a pro release and a g- a goal scorer's shot, and he mixes that with a relentless work ethic that is probably gonna cement him kind of in that Liam Ogrin middle six kind of territory.

I mean, it's getting more realistic for the Canucks to have somebody on the board at 33 that was supposed to go tonight.

Who would you like to see at third overall? I'm starting to like Viggo Bjork quite a bit, but you go ahead.

ahead.I'm actually with you.

I mean, I, I, I've, I used to read all season, season, and I'm Chase Reid.

I think he's a good defenseman.

I think the best defenseman in this class.

Um, right-hand shot.

I, I just, you know, it insulates Tom Vilander a little bit as well.

[laughs]

All right, Dave, you are now picking for the New York Islanders at 13.

This is where it starts to get a little dicey.

Um, the New York Islanders, they need a little bit of everything.

I think they will go up the middle, and I am gonna go Tynan Lawrence here.

I do think, you know, he can go behind Matt Barzal.

Uh, there is a guy that I'm not gonna mention his name yet, because I don't wanna give you guys any ideas, that I would maybe go here up the middle, but I think Tynan Lawrence, he'll eventually go, you know, somewhere in this range.

So I think for this one, it's a pretty safe pick for them, uh, to go behind Matt Barzal.

[laughs]

Okay.

He actually was, uh, worked for a Ford dealership, um, and ran their used car division, and then, uh, left them, um, and started his own used car dealership, and then kinda g- grew that.

And so then, you know, over the years, growing up through junior high, high school, and college, I basically worked for him full time or in between school and stuff.

And then when I was getting ready to graduate, I always knew that I could fall back on cars, 'cause it was very easy and natural for me.

Um, and, um, but I, I wanted to get into computer science.

I had, we had some friends in the family that were into computers at the time, and developing software for law firms and stuff, and so he was kinda guiding me to, to go get my degree 'cause they needed programmers.

They couldn't find any at the time.

Of course

My name is Mark Poirier, and I have nothing to plug.

Hey there everyone.

This is the Down Under Thunder Day Paul, and I am so excited to be back with you on Kronos.

So as we leave behind WrestleMania VII, now well behind us, and we are looking ahead towards SummerSlam 1991.

And as we all know, that time period between WrestleMania and SummerSlam is the time when we see the introduction of new characters, new superstars, new characters to refresh the roster, to give us new people to look at and, and to, we get rid of some of the old talent and we refresh and rebuild the roster as we move ahead for new rivalries and fresh concepts.

And so that's what we're gonna be talking about today.

I'm gonna be talking about, to you about a new character, a new wrestler, or is he? Is he really that new? The person I wanna talk to you about today is the man known as Irwin R.

How's he looked, uh, for this fantastic Prince Albert team?

Yeah.

That team is a well-oiled machine at the moment.

Um, Coutts two assists in game one.

No assists in game two.

But Coutts is kinda one of those players where, you know, if you're not watching the games, you might not s- you, you won't see it, but he's just a player that's always so involved, and he's, he's impacting the game every single shift.

He's just a dog hound out there.

Yeah.

And then Karn specifically asked for your thoughts on Mathis Preston with that pick.

It's always changing.

It's really difficult.

Once you get past that top 15, it's so tough just because there's so much dynamic that's going to play into this.

I think there's a lot of guys that might even jump up and fall down and all that stuff.

I would love...

You know, I think it all depends on how they go with their first pick, but you know, like an Alexander command to me is just, you know, a Swedish center who just, you know, no pun.

So what do you make of Malhotra's recent uptick in the context of, Hey, he's on a super team.

If those guys slide to that Minnesota pick in the back half of the first round, are they a must-take for you, or do you have concerns about their size and how their game would project at the NHL level?

Yeah, it's a good point.

And Tommy Blay is another maybe second-round pick, second-round target that's doing the same thing, just absolutely shredding the QMJHL up.

And he's a smaller set defenseman.

I think you're right, Villeneuve.

That's the Lane Hudson effect, right? That's what a player like him is doing.

And you know what? you're right to say that I think Ryan Lynn, if he's available, I think it's a home run pick.

Um, young players now we're talking about the Canucks okay and we'll probably get some more questions about the draft but I wanted to read this one uh actually no we'll see you stick with the draft sorry let's stick with the draft this one's from Nomad on Twitter Nomad on Twitter said uh who are your targets for the Canucks two second round picks

So has he become now a bigger possibility in your mind for the Canucks?

Well, I think the most encouraging thing is that he got traded to Niagara last year, and this year Niagara has solely put him up the middle, which is something that wasn't really the case back when he was in Barrie.

So he's not only been up the middle, but he's been one of the – I'd say Niagara's best centerman the entire season.

Decent numbers.

I believe he's hovering around the 53% mark.

So, you know, decent face-off metrics.

And so for me, I think that's the most encouraging spot is that, you know, it doesn't take long to look down the depth chart in the Vancouver organization and realize that if, hey, if you can play center and you're a right shot center, you know, you're going to get fast-tracked into a role here.

Are there players there out of those three that you've seen?

So has he become now a bigger possibility in your mind for the Canucks?

Well, I think the most encouraging thing is that he got traded to Niagara last year.

And this year, Niagara has solely put him up the middle, which is something that wasn't really the case back when he was in Barrie.

So he's not only been up the middle, but he's been one of the...

I'd say Niagara's best centerman the entire season.

Decent numbers.

I believe he's hovering around the 53% mark.

Are there players there out of those three that you've seen?

Empty out the notebook on the third overall pick.

How much time do you guys have? No, honestly, it's funny because this is a question that, you know, you think about almost daily at this point.

Like, I don't know if any of you saw Craig Button's recent draft rankings he dropped today.

And, you know, everyone who drops rankings, we see it every week.

And the one thing that you know is that there's just no consensus.

I mean, he had Carson Carroll's today at number two and Ivor Stenberg dropping all the way to fourth.

So, you know, like I said, if there's anything that shows, it's just there's no consensus.

And then Oscar Hemming as well.

Give us a couple names here.

Yeah, I just tossed that out because, you know, obviously we saw Tyson Gross, who I don't rank my list, but, you know, he was the first player named in my original list and probably my top forward going in.

But then again, as you guys already mentioned, he's a homegrown kid.

His dad does run one of the departments in Calgary.

So the writing was kind of on the wall.

But, you know, so that's why this time around, these were names that I already have, but I wanted to make kind of a separate list.

Separate list that had a little bit more ties because, you know, it does factor in if there is a little familiarity with the area, it helps.

But how has he looked in his second year in the A? And do you look at him as a player that should warrant a look with Vancouver down the stretch?

Am I wrong for saying Gavin McKenna should, without a doubt, be number one?

Without a doubt, maybe.

I mean...

It's a great debate because I think it's going to be a debate all season long.

Yes, he just had a 10-point weekend.

Let's be honest.

He did the Conor McGregor celebration.

What is Keaton Verhoff ceiling? Do you think, do you think if they were in a position to draft him, that they should pivot to thinking about moving a guy like Philip Peronic?

Do you agree with that? That it almost overwhelmingly comes down to whether he's able to take another step with a skating or, or do you think there's more nuance to his development than

that? No, I mean, I think you bring up a good point.

And that's one thing that's great about the NHL.

Obviously, they have all these advanced stats.

You know, that is the issue with watching American Hockey League.

I do have access to some proprietary stats from the AHL, but it doesn't track skating speed.

And to be honest, he doesn't even he looks slower, but he doesn't look out of place.

Anything else we need to be paying attention to right now in the prospect world?

In your mind, what's been the gap between, all right, he's producing at an elite level in the AHL, yet it hasn't quite happened at the NHL level? What are you looking for for the offense to, to translate this time?

Well, I do agree, um, with, you know, just the IQ and awareness of where he is on the ice.

I think that has been a huge thing.

I mean, you even see, uh, in the defensive zone and all three zones, he's just breaking up a lot of plays, uh, and just, you know, creating a lot.

But you know what I mean? I don't know if it's as, just as simple as a little bit more, um, ice time, right? Like just a little bit more chance, and not only chance on the ice, but chance to play with some players that maybe, you know, can actually do a, a, a thing or two on the offensive side of the puck.

Um, I just think, you know, he's averaged just over 10 minutes of ice time, I believe, this season, uh, in those games that he's played.

You know, he's been in and out of the, the power play, let alone, uh, usually that's only second, uh, secondary power play.

... tier, where it's not, like, a superstar, but still a damn good defenseman.

Is he top 10 for you? Is he too much of a reach for you at number three? And if it isn't Lawrence at number three, which way are you leaning?

It's a great question.

Actually, it's funny.

I was just having this conversation with a friend of mine this morning about this exact scenario.

And that's I think that's not worst case scenario.

Obviously, having a third overall pick isn't is not a bad place to be.

I just I agree that I think the next best player is a defenseman.

What does the process look like to compare these players when they're playing in completely different environments, completely different ice time, and the expectations relative to each league can feel all over the place?

Are we talking about McKenna and Stenberg close to that territory or closer to, let's say the Slavkovsky, Owen power, um, alexi lafreniere type of tier where maybe not lafreniere in this conversation but in the case of slavkovsky and power where we're talking about good players but not franchise changing superstars

Well, actually, I am going to say Lafreniere.

Was it Lafreniere and Capocacco? Yeah.

You know, I don't want to talk about them as the players there today because we all know that Lafreniere and Capocacco haven't necessarily turned out.

But I think where they were in their draft right before, you know, That's actually how I picture it.

That Lafayette, you know, that one player where, you know, he's got all the offensive skill.

We're just...

Do you think we've been nitpicking some of the flaws a little bit too much with McKenna?