Yeah

And that's frustrating.

And sometimes even I have to check myself, just like our passionate fans, and what a turnout we have here [laughs] of Devils fans at the v- viewing party.

But for me, and, uh, me and Bruce talk a lot about this, but he's might have a different opinion, I- is it's going to take a little time.

It just does, unfortunately.

You want everything to click.

We like some of the moves in the off-season.

Yeah

What was that transition like for you into media? Did you know that's what you wanted to do next?

I wouldn't say it was...

Or I knew what I wanted to do next.

I know I wanted to stay in the game, obviously.

Um, you know, I'd played 20 years for the Devils, and, and, and I'm so much more fortunate than others as far as getting into something involved with the organization, whether it was broadcasting, whether it was coaching, whether it was scouting, whatever it may be, uh, or, or just hockey, uh, the hockey department in general, because I played such a long time, and we had a great relationship, and, um, the loyalty went both ways as far as I was very grateful to be, um, in one organization, not be traded, so the relationship was obviously strong.

And, and I go back to my boss, Lou Lamoriello, when I announced, um, that I'm going to retire after we won a game seven against the Anaheim Ducks.

I mean, he asked- gave me the respect and asked me, um, "So what do you wanna do?" And I, I sat down with him a couple of days after we won game seven against Anaheim in 2003 and said, "Lou, I'm gonna tell you what you wanna hear.

One, how much different is being a studio analyst in NHL network work versus being, you know, color in the rink part of the game broadcast? How much do those roles differ for you? Do you think about them any differently?

[laughs]

... at least half of it, uh, a- along the way.

And the re- [laughs] and the reason for that in my opinion, guys, the competitive balance in this league continues to get better and better.

I, I kind of preface it like there's two, three, four top teams that I would say may be a, a smidge ahead of everybody else, and then the next 25, you could throw a blanket over 'em.

Even the teams that didn't make the playoffs that year, they continue to get better, and it is, the margin for error is so slim now that you can pick any team to be a playoff team and it, it, it differentiates year to year.

Look no further than last year where I believe it was eight different teams from the prior year that didn't make the playoffs, made the playoffs, and a handful of those teams nobody predicted before the season were gonna make it.

And that includes the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Boston Bruins, teams like that where a lot of prognosticators had them finishing at the bottom of their division or near the bottom.

And that really kind of not only put you, it, it elevated you on the map, if you will.

Just something, a, a little tangent you wanna go on about.

Oh, where, where do I begin? I, I think just in general, and I'm, again, with my experience I humbly say in being around the game for 40-plus years, being on some really bad teams, being on some really good teams and championship teams.

So I, I guess going through that, you balance things out, and I...

For example, um, I, I don't even know where to begin.

I, I, I mean, let me say on some contracts, okay? When, when I see fans go crazy, "That's such a team-friendly deal.

He's worth way more.

We should sign this guy to eight years." I'll use a couple of players for example.

Um, so I, I, to bring it back to the initial question, what have, I guess, you noticed during your career there or, or maybe even post of, is that, does, uh, do most teams feel that way at least internally, but externally the, the media and fans don't give the credit until it's actually done? Or, uh, uh, whatever you want to comment based on that.

But ultimately, you're coming here to try and lift the trophy.

No, absolutely.

I, I mean, uh, it was no different.

I ...

Last year was my first year coaching in a professional three-ice league, and it just was a great experience, um, from the standpoint, the skill of the players.

I, I know there's some former National Hockey League guys who have, who have played in the National Hockey League, but they're just all professionals, whether they play in, in European leagues or whether they play in the AHL farm teams of the NHL, the ECHL.

I- that's what was eye-opening to me, the skill and what these guys nowadays c- players can do with the puck.

[coughs]

What do they have to do to get that first line on track and get them going for Carolina?

Yeah.

It's a good point, Jim.

I, I mean, they've been carried by their second line with, with Stankoven, Holl, and Blake for the most part through these playoffs.

I thought Aho and Jarvis and Svechnikov got it going the last couple of games against the Montreal Canadiens in, in the Eastern Conference Finals, and they were hoping to carry it over in game one.

Uh, that didn't materialize.

They didn't, uh, show up on the score sheet, and you need your best players to be your best players, certainly in the Stanley Cup Finals.

How will you remember him as a person and as a teammate?

What do they have to do to get that first line on track and get them going for Carolina?

Yeah.

It's a good point, Jim.

I, I mean, they've been carried by their second line with, with Stankoven, Holl, and Blake for the most part through these playoffs.

I thought Aho and Jarvis and Svechnikov got it going the last couple of games against the Montreal Canadiens in, in the Eastern Conference finals, and they were hoping to carry it over in game one.

Uh, that didn't materialize.

They didn't, uh, show up on the score sheet, and you need your best players to be your best players certainly in the Stanley Cup finals.

How will you remember him as a person and as a teammate?

Talk to us about the story of these two teams coming together here for the final.

Well, yeah, and you mentioned the Vegas Golden Knights.

I mean, what, nine years in existence and going to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time is unprecedented, unheard of, and go to the Stanley Cup Finals in your inaugural season, I mean, just shows you the leadership from the ownership to George McPhee to Kelly McCrimmon.

Those guys have done an incredible job, and one thing they do is they're all in every year, and that's led by their Owner Bill Foley giving them the resources and whatever they need to do to take some risks.

And they've swung for the fences a lot of the time.

And I haven't seen teams built that way too often trading high draft picks.

But it's worked like magic.

Did you think that John Tortorella, after he took over for Butch Cassidy, did Tortorella make a big difference or just a little difference with how this team has played down the stretch? I believe the Knights are 19-4-1 since Torch took over.

Is it fair to say there were great expectations for the Devils squad this year?

I mean, Bob, no question about it.

I mean, the way they started, they lost their first game against their arch nemesis now, Carolina.

They just can't beat, whether it's a playoffs or regular season.

And then they went...

Went off on an 8-0 run and won eight straight, and that's when they were playing the best, and the Oilers were one of the teams that they played extremely well against.

They were healthy.

But how does he fit in with the squad?

But in early going on here, Kenny, is Dadunov kind of won the early lottery there? Or is he just a placeholder until Neisen gets healthy with Hughes and Bratt? Is that who's on that line right now?

Well...

Look, I think it's an open book from the standpoint as far as whoever performs well, whether it's on special teams, five-on-five, is going to get that opportunity and look.

And those are good problems to have if Dodonov's playing well and you say he's on – power play number one or two, and he's producing, well, Mason's going to have to work his way back in the lineup, whatever line that is.

I mean, it should always be that way, in my opinion, guys.

I don't care.

Unless you're Jack Hughes or Nico Hescher, possibly, and the other organizations have their certain top guys that, you know, it's automatic that when they come back, they are – put in a position of number one power play or whatever it may be just because of their individual skill sets.

Dermy?

And just kind of talk about that, like, that growth and maybe some of the lumps that you took along the way and, you know, some of those experiences.

Yeah, you know, Mike, you mentioned, I'll touch on first what you mentioned about for kids and everybody, you know, growing up along the way and maybe having visions of making a career out of the game of hockey.

I mean, look, I was drafting the first round.

I was 18th pick overall, so I had to have a little bit of talent, but In juniors, I put up big numbers, like everybody, because I was bigger, stronger, a little faster, just like you in college or so many players that come out of college junior.

But it's such a minuscule small percentage that can translate what they did in junior to the National Hockey League if you had that opportunity and are fortunate enough to get that chance to be drafted.

And the next step is to try to even play a game in the National Hockey League.

Don't get me wrong.

Yeah, skip over

Yeah.

But, um, it's go, go, go and a lot of skill with so many of these young players.

I, I, I have just been so impressed and, and grateful, uh, to get involved.

I didn't know what to expect.

I'd never been behind a bench and I was telling my wife along the way going, "Hon, you know, I've been in this game a long time and, uh, I think I understand it pretty well." But I said, "I'm pretty nervous my first week anyway," which was, uh, last, a couple of weeks ago coaching behind the bench and, and once you get behind there you, I, I know what these coaches are going through now that they've been doing it for so long.

The adrenaline, uh, the excitement you get and it's, it's really, uh, been a, an eye-opener for me and just so much fun.

But the fast pace, you're absolutely right.

(laughs)

Like, Ken, where do you even wanna start in breaking down this wild, wild game?

Well, first off, I mean, the resiliency from both these clubs all playoff long, that's why they are in the finals.

And for me, like a lot of people who don't have a dog in the fight, uh, but I was on the edge of my seat, I'm thinking, after the three-nothing first period for the Florida Panthers, I'm going, "The Oilers are on the canvas, they're down for the count." They've been outscored nine to one in the last four periods, uh, from game three to game four in that, uh, fourth period.

I'm going, "How do you bounce back from that? How do you show any life?" They're taking too many penalties, they can't get any speed, any transition going.

Florida's just, uh, in their face, taking the middle of the ice away, can't get in through.

Well, there's just no way they can rebound from this.

And then the second period happens, and the Oilers pick themselves off the mat after that 10-count I'm talking about.

So, what's their headspace? Do you think they reset quickly, they can flinch that, they can move back? Or is there some scar tissue and not good scar tissue?