I'm looking at the East. Who scares you? They can't be Carolina. No, they can't.

That's an issue. But they've lost to them in overtime every time. They did beat them the one time, but then the league said, no, you didn't. I'm proud about that game. Yeah. Like, I'm looking at it and going, Tampa Bay is awesome. But if you're one of the top seeds in the Metro, that's not a problem till the final four. That's not a problem till the conference final. And if we have an 04 rematch at the

conference final and lose in the Metro, that's not a problem till the final four. That's not a problem till the conference final. And if we have an 04 rematch at the conference final and lose to the team of Hall of Famers over there, I'm not going to cry about it. We haven't been on a run in a long time. To me, this is the thing that can get them there. Also, backup goalie don't give away points, but that's less of an issue because in the playoffs, he ain't playing. Yeah, it would be Vladar. But to get us there, that would be cool. I think that's right. I would say, I would say Carolina, Tampa, I can't imagine a world where Florida doesn't make the playoffs. Florida's going to do their thing. And I expect that the Flyers would lose to them in a series. And I am high on

Washington. I think Washington is a better team than the Flyers. They are a strong play driving team.

I think they are a, I think they can match the Flyers depth and they're just better all around.

But aside from those four, I would put the Flyers up at this, what we've seen through 41 games, I put the Flyers team up against anybody in the East. And it's not because I think the Flyers are amazing. It's because I think the East isn't that great. The Flyers, while, yes, it was the short-handed version of Florida, has beaten them two out of three. And health is just going to be an issue for them all year. They've gone to three straight Stanley Cup finals. Maca Chuck is always sort of banged up. Barkov probably ain't coming back. Like, it's not going to be that same Florida team. Yeah. They're older. They've played a ton. They don't have all their weapons at full health. They're looming, and I doubt we'd beat them in a seven-game series, but I don't think it's like a four-game sweep. I just don't. I think this team could make a run. And so the one weapon they need is that power play point, man. There happens to be one available, Chuck. There happens to be one available. This leads me to my hot take.

This is the hot take of the deck. Go get Dougie Hamilton. Get Dougie Hamilton. I know.

It's available. I told you I was watching a morning cup of hockey this morning because I just

woke up in a mood where I wanted to hear more about hockey. And you know what the lead story wasn't? It wasn't Cutter v. Zegers. It wasn't that awesome game. It was the Devils losing 9 to F in Zero and everything that's been going on with the Devils. I enjoyed that immensely. Oh, it's tremendous. A great night was just, that's a cherry on time. A great night. A. A great night was had by all. Yes. I, I think I've said this on BSA radio before. I don't know if I've said it on PHLY. I'm of the opinion, and I hold to this. The New Jersey Devils should not exist. They are a franchise that should not exist. There is absolutely no reason to have a team in North Jersey Jersey when you already have two teams in New York City.

Or I guess we're counting Long Island sort of as New York City.

But you know what I'm saying.

Like you wouldn't put a team in Camden.

You wouldn't call them the South Jersey Pelicans because everybody in South Jersey is already a Flyers fan.

There's zero need for a team in Newark.

They shouldn't exist. Charlie. So everything bad that happens to the devils I root for because, like, there's nothing, like, nothing bad could happen to the devils that makes me feel bad for them when I think that they just should not exist. Oh, no, you're preaching to the choir here. So I'm listening to Morning Cup of Hockey this morning,

and the reason I bring this up is they had Mike Rupp on. There is a belief, and it's true. Like, the devils have given Luke Hughes the long-term deal, and he's going through it right now. But they want him to be the guy on the power play. He is their dude for the future. For paying a 9-milly, better be. But they also have Dougie Hamilton, 32 years old, 9 million for this year and two more,

signed at a very similar deal, but shorter term.

They are trying to move on from Dougie Hamilton.

And Mike Ruck has come to the conclusion, you just got to do this.

And they've been looking for a hockey trade. They've been looking to somehow not just give up on this guy, not just give him away.

It's getting to a point where their GM has to do something to preserve his job, and he has

to make this move eventually.

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