In Episode 217, Paul and Aaron return after a long break to discuss the highly anticipated start of the San Jose Sharks’ preseason and the electric energy surrounding the team’s top tier prospect pool.
The Rookie Faceoff and Celebrini’s Debut
The hosts reflected on the Rookie Faceoff tournament, where the Sharks’ youngest stars got their first taste of competitive NHL level action.
- Macklin Celebrini’s Readiness: Celebrini’s performance confirmed he is already an NHL caliber player. He was held out of the final game of the tournament simply because he had nothing left to prove.
- Chemistry with Smith and Musty: The hosts highlighted the immediate chemistry between Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Quentin Musty. Musty was particularly praised for his “big body” and his ability to be hard to play against.
- Haltnan’s “See Puck, Shoot Puck” Style: Kasper Haltnan stood out for his simple but effective offensive approach, which the hosts jokingly summarized as “see puck, shoot puck, score goal”.
Landlord Jumbo and Off Ice Vibes
The episode touched on the unique living situations of the team’s youngest stars, specifically their “landlords”.
- Living with Legends: Will Smith is currently living with franchise legend Patrick Marleau, while Macklin Celebrini is living with Joe Thornton.
- The “Thornton Household” Influence: The hosts speculated that Thornton’s mentorship might help Celebrini develop his media presence, as the 18 year old currently gives very short, teenager-like answers in interviews.
- New Generation Style: Paul and Aaron humorously noted the “new style” of the young prospects, many of whom wear their hats backwards during interviews, making them look like “one of the boys”.
The Best Prospect Pool in NHL History?
The hosts discussed a ranking from EP Rinkside that placed the Sharks’ prospect pool at the top of the league.
- Unprecedented Depth: The ranking suggested that this might be the best prospect pool ever seen in the history of the series.
- Top Prospects in Every Bucket: With the addition of Yaroslav Askarov in goal to go along with Celebrini at center and Sam Dickinson on defense, the Sharks now have a top tier prospect in every major category.
Production Recognition
The episode began with a celebration of the show’s own accomplishments.
- Silicon Valley Business Journal: Super Producer Jason was featured on the cover of the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
- Telly Awards: The show displayed two Telly Awards it recently received for excellence in online sports and production directing.
