Can the Patriots Find a #1 Wide Receiver this Offseason? // Bruins Return from Olympic Break // Mazz’s Tiers - 2/26 (Hour 1)

This is 2026. No more messing around. It's the first day of the rest of your life. Today, you are switching to Astound. Shifting your Wi-Fi and life into a new gear. Reliable, affordable connection. So you can browse, watch, and play like you've always wanted. Because slow Wi-Fi is so last year. Under budget, full speed ahead. That's Astound. Gig Wi-Fi for $50 a month with a three-year price lock. Restrictions apply. See Astound.com for details. We have a show to do today. The whole new acronym thing drives me effing bananas. Can we call him by his name? Shelf, you're in man. On 98.5 The Sports Hub. Let's go. I think the relationship with players, and specifically he asked about AJ, has meant a lot. I've watched him grow. I've watched him mature. I'm proud of him. Proud of the father that he is. I'm proud of the husband. And that has nothing to do with where he plays or where he played. So those are the things that are important. We reach out and text each other during the things that happen good to each other, and sometimes things don't go so well for the people that you're close with, and you text those as well. So it's a two-way street of support and reminders of what got us to where we are here today. The Eagles GM basically asked for trade offers for him yesterday, is that something you might kick the tires on? Well, I think that we'll look at everything that we can possibly look at to add to our roster. And, yeah, there's a lot of things that go into trades. There's a lot of back and forth and taking on compensation. And so I'm sure there will be a lot of opportunities for us to talk about trades, not only this week, but as we prepare and get closer to the draft. Those are things when time ramps up. Mike Vrabel yesterday, a couple different comments related to A.J. Brown, which I just think in hindsight, Maz, we talked about it yesterday, but just thinking about it more, was brazen. Don't you think Vrabel's behavior yesterday towards A.J. Brown was brazen? You mean bordering on tampering? Blatant, brazen, bordering on tampering. I mean, this is a guy who's said to be available. he's been linked to uh mike vrabel and the patriots for a long time even before vrabel but certainly with vrabel and now here's the off season the two weeks leading into the league year when he might be dealt and vrabel goes on in one instance about the love and respect and the open lines of communication they have with each other and then is asked about the trade thing doesn't shoot it down and says a lot of things go into it like compensation taking on compensation basically telling you loves the guy wants the guy but we don't like his contract i mean isn't that the way that that laid out pretty much yeah i mean i would say bullseye that's how it laid out how do you feel about that so look i think the whole tampering thing is a freaking joke anyway so but i understand you're supposed to put up the facade so if it somehow ends up coming to bite the patriots in the ass then i think we look at vrabel and say okay the other thing is i wonder maybe he has no intention of going after him and he's doing the guy a solid like that's the other part of it you know saying look we're not going to go after him anyway but if i can sit here and make it look like we are it helps him out fine like and maybe aj brown knows they're not going to go after good point like i'm just you know i'm just throwing that out there as a possibility now again what do i believe i believe the two guys like each other and i believe that brown would play for Vrabel if all other things are equal. So if the money's going to be the same everywhere, would he come to play here for Vrabel? My answer is yes. If Steph Diggs is out and A.J. Brown is in Mer, is that good enough? Yeah, that's good enough. Again, the A.J. Brown antics over the last couple of seasons I kind of find detestable. Again, you're on a winning team, and I understand you have your frustrations with the quarterback who kind of throws the ball like a full can of paint, and the coach is a dork, but you've got to be a little bit better than that, dude. Like, you won a Super Bowl, You had a winning season last year. I know it flamed out, but calm down with being so pissed off. You're on a winning team. And so that I find annoying, but the talent is still there. That's undeniable. So, yeah, that's good enough. If Diggs is out and A.J. Brown is your new one, yeah, that's good enough. I mean, Mike, as we think of it, has A.J. Brown ever really played with an elite passer? No. Because I wouldn't call Jalen Hurts an elite passer. On given days, he might be. So he had some good days, no question. Look, he won a Super Bowl, and in the big games, he's played well. But Drake May would be the best thrower of the football that A.J. Brown has ever played with. By far. Because otherwise, it's Tannehill. Right. Or Marcus Mariota. So I guess what I'm saying is I think A.J. Brown's slipping, but if you look at who he's played with, maybe there's still a lot to get there. Yeah, you're not talking about some of the strong-arm gunslinger quarterbacks in the league. Bingo. Let me ask you overall your thoughts about the Patriots and the receiver position. I said this take at some point in the last couple of years. I forgot I said it. I remembered it, thank God, because I think it's a strong take, and I'm going to stick with it. Do you remember me saying, I don't think the Patriots will ever have a true number one receiver, ever? No, I don't remember you saying that. I said it. I have take amnesia. Do you have a tape of it? Nope. But I said it. If not in my dreams, maybe to myself in the car. Jimmy, is your elbow okay? Oh, this is the biggest bunch of BS I've ever seen. You're safe. Wait a minute. I'm with Jimmy. A little bit of an elbow spasm? You okay? Wait a minute. Especially with your alleged takes. I had a great take once. He needs a little ointment. I don't remember hearing it. I swear to God I said it. You guys are all a bunch of dicks. I said it. I don't remember it. I said it. Uh-huh. I said it with Lobby on the off-air show. I said it. and I stand by it. They will never have a real number one receiver. They will never, especially now. Now that they're going to have to pay the quarterback. It doesn't. And the corner. It doesn't, right. It doesn't fit their, their, and I, this transcends coaches. It certainly didn't fit Bill's profile. I think Rabel would be happy to, you know, if he had Jamar Chase, he'd pay him. They're never going to have a, they're not, this is, get ready for this folks. this is what it's going to be for drake may's career it's going to be one sort of reclamation project after the next and when i say that you know i think digs and where aj brown are are more than that but in that bucket right yeah they're from what i can tell they're never going to have a high first round pick they never should with an elite quarterback you should never be drafting in the top five again as long as drake may is playing you are going to have to pay drake may next year the highest salary in the history of the national football league that's coming next offseason agreed if you want to keep chris gonzalez you're gonna have to make him the highest paid corner in the history of the national football league i don't think this team this owner is going to then pay 30 to 40 million a year 50 to 60 when it comes to it okay that's providing they ever draft the guy okay so first they have to draft the guy it's gonna be hard drafting the guy where they're going to be drafting and then they have to hit they have to do it okay so if they draft him let's just say they do those first two things they're the seahawks drafting in the middle of the first round and they land Jackson Smith and Jigba. And Jigba balls out. And now after year three, you have to pay him. After they've paid May, after they've paid Gonzalez, after they've built their defense, are they going to turn around and pay that receiver? No. Given their financial ethos, probably not. Because, again, Chase makes 40. I can't ever see this franchise paying a wide receiver 40 per. So, first of all, they have to draft him. Which they can't do. Then they have to pay him. Which they won't do. Especially now. Especially now when you have that quarterback. Go ahead. No, I was going to say be more likely they'd go like the Gronkowski route. Try to get a tight end. That's a good point. You know, because they cost less. Tight ends are cheaper. Yeah, pay that guy. Little sock guys are cheaper. Yeah. They'd be more likely to do that. You'll never have one of these guys. Ever. Ever. Never have one. And I did say this before. It was a hell of a take, and I stand by it. I stand by what I previously said. Got out of the shower, steamed up the mirror. So wrong. If we're going to have callers saying up, Harry Schmedlap in Saugus calling and said, as I told you last week, Harry, I've never heard of you before. I get to do that too. I said it. I said it on the air. I'm going to find it. So now you're getting credit for things you never did. You all can go F yourself. I absolutely said this. But I stand by it. You're never going to have this guy. Never, ever, ever. you uh listen after drake may retires and maybe you have some suck ass quarterback who you're not paying and you draft in the top five and then you draft like maybe maybe a general after we're long and long gone uh it might happen it's not going to happen in this incarnation it wasn't going to happen for brady it's not going to happen now dream on get ready for this sort of cycle of what we have here, which is Steph digs towards the end on a one-year flyer, reclamation, balls out. Oh, wait a minute. Now we have to pay him in year two. And he's got three gals in the front row of the Super Bowl. He's out to lunch. And oh, he's in court next by. Here comes A.J. Brown. We'll pay him for a year. That's your lead receiver. Okay. Ball's out for a year. Now he's reading self-help books on the sideline. And who the hell knows what. Okay, bye. And you're too much. Bye. Now here comes the next guy. That's what it's going to be. Meanwhile, it's going to be draft picks in the second round at most. Guys like this, Kyle Williams. Please get ready for it. How do you feel about that? So you know what? Like as you talk about this, I'm not totally against that approach. Me neither. But I would tell you, I would like to see, rather than a revolving door every year, can you give me A.J. Brown for two years? You know what I mean? Can you just draft someone with real talent? Okay, but this would allow that is what I'm getting at, Murray. Like, I think they're connected. Because otherwise, you've got to go out and find that guy every year. And it's a pain in the ass. It's hard to do. Well, this is what Azrable was talking about yesterday. They're not going to show up in free agency. And if they do, you're not going to pay it. No, that's right. You're not. You're not going to do that. The owner doesn't want too many big risky contracts, and they're going to have a couple. And May, you say, is worth it, but they're not going to sign that guy in free agency, especially now that they're paying these other guys. They're not. Could you pull a trade? Yeah. But it's going to have to be a distressed asset. A.J. Brown, Randy Moss. Or Brian Thomas or Marvin Harrison Jr., one of those guys. Was Antonio, well, let me talk about Marvin Heron Jr. and Brian Thomas. I would pull those trades. I think those are good moves. Those aren't quite expensive items yet. Right. Let's say they fulfill the potential and become top five receivers. You're not going to pay them. Right. They're still on rookie contracts. Right. But I guess what I'm saying is you would have Thomas for like two years or you'd have Harrison Jr. for two years. And that at least gives you a little cushion to go out and find some guys that are longer term. You bet. So I'm allowing for that possibility. Yeah, yeah. Mass, I'm allowing for that. So let me just revise that really beautiful take that I told you before. That they might, you know, have one for a short period of time. But it's not going to be a long... They're not going to have that franchise receiver, cornerstone franchise number one guy Justin Jefferson Jamar Chase CeeDee Lamb Okay wait they not No they not Is it possible that they buy low on a Brian Thomas or Marvin Harrison? He comes in here and those guys then become one? All right, yeah, fine. What happens in two years when they want $50 million a year? No, it's not going to happen. And they're not going to sign that guy in free agency? and they could draft that guy, could, long shot, because I'll tell you why. I'm also like I'm kind of with them if they feel this way. If you've got the quarterback, you shouldn't have to be firing big bullets at the receiver position. Your quarterback elevates the receiver. So if I need the difference between a left tackle or receiver, give me the left tackle. Edge rusher, whatever. You know, there's going to be a lot of times here where they're going to, I think, defer to those other positions because Drake may, should elevate what they have. So, they're not going to, I doubt they're going to be just like Belichick with Brady. It doesn't bother me that he didn't spend big draft capital at receiver, and it took him forever. The Packers never drafted a receiver in the first round for Aaron Rodgers. You shouldn't have to, and they didn't. Aaron Rodgers turned Devontae Adams and all sorts of guys into elite receivers. That's what the good quarterbacks do. You're never going to have that guy. I doubt they'll draft him. If they do, if it's a hit, they're not going to pay him. If they trade for a guy like that, it'll be short-lived. And I'm saying this like I'm bagging on him for it. I'm actually okay with it. I wonder if fans are. I wonder if fans understand. Oh, no, in this day and age, fans hate it. The receiver is like the shiniest toy in the toy chest. But this is where we are right now. Make no mistake. What did they do last year? Steph Diggs on a team-friendly year one contract that turns into something else in year two. Bye when he gets to the real money in year two. Bye-bye. Okay, what do we replace him with? F out of here with Kyle Williams. Like, that's the guy. Stop it. They're going to have to replace that. They're going to replace it with someone that's kind of imperfect, that has either age or question marks. Maybe they'll nail it like they did with Steph Diggs. but they'll restructure the contract to give him a break in year one the team a break in year one if the player's agent is halfway decent he'll say well okay but if he pans out then we want to be rewarded so then they put the money in year two but bye when you get to year two and they'll do it again i i think you're in a little bit of a a conveyor belt here of this kind of player and i don't see your way out i just want the conveyor belt to move a little slower okay i don't want one falling off every year you know what i mean i just something that gives him a little time to draft and develop it's also not good for drake mays but if you're building a rapport with a wide receiver it can't be one year in one year out like that aj brown would not be a horrible two-year solution it wouldn't like and he would not be a horrible two-year solution i've learned you know i learned my lesson on moss is that just because a guy's a complete bum quitter dog somewhere else. It doesn't mean that he can't come in with you with a fresh start and for a year or two be the guy. Change the scenery. It just, you know, it happened with Randy Moss famously. Like the guys with the Raiders would watch Randy Moss and say, this guy, this guy's done and he's quit. Who wants anything to do with that? That's why you got him for a fourth and a seventh. Well, I'd get ready for not quite as dramatic as that, but stuff like that. what's two you okay is that elbow okay oh um i may actually have evidence uh suck it do this suck it suck it all you look while we're on the topic i told i'm gonna get you a ace bandage for your elbow i told you guys over a year ago and i'm sure we haven't documented that cooper flag was going to be a freaking stud what's the date on this first so there are two potential dates thank you and i'm not going to play here because it it feels like i clipped part of a rant that might have been a bigger rant so i might have to go deeper into the archive thank you but because i'm fair you're fair i want to say there's the potential for two dates where you may have said this i've said this so april 7th of 2022 how far back come on what's wrong with that the statute of limitations no no no yes there was a good take a good take ages like fine wine oh no no it's a belichick era it's in the take Constitution, if you look it up, there's a statute of limitations on takes. It applies. And it's held for four years and counting. Well, the other one was from October 9th of 2019. 2019? We don't go back that far, remember. Why not? Wide receiver names, it's too far. That's funny. It's like a decade ago, Murray. How do you feel about this? I had hair back then. About their situation at receiver? Not much. Because that's what we're in with your calls coming up right after these words. Hi, I'm Sean Flaherty, Managing Partner of Catch's Law Group. And for over 40 years, Catch's Law has been more than just a law firm. We've been your neighbors. We've stood with New England families through good times and through tough times. That's why the New England Patriots chose us to be their official law firm. Because we know what this region is built on. Hard work, grit, and loyalty. At Catch's Law, we fight for workers who are injured on the job, families who have been wronged, and neighbors who need a voice. When you need someone in your corner, turn to the team that's been here for decades. Visit CatchesLaw.com today. This is 2026. No more messing around. It's the first day of the rest of your life. Today, you are switching to a sound. Shifting your Wi-Fi and life into a new gear. Reliable, affordable connection. So you can browse, watch, and play like you've always wanted. Because slow Wi-Fi is so last year. Under budget, full speed ahead. That's astound. Wi-Fi starting at $19.95 per month. Restrictions apply. See astound.com for details. Oh, my God. For Mike Felger, it's all about whining. Winning. Yeah, I mean winning. Maybe he gives you a wise-ass answer that you might, oh, I don't know, use. No, maybe it is about whining. I'm glad I got that off my chest. Felger and Maz. I think you said last year when we asked you about a number one receiver, like if you see any walking around the perfection center, Let me know how difficult is it every year to find those guys when not a lot of them hit free agency. Well, yeah, I mean, they're not going to be there in free agency. I would not be different. But you have to try to draft them. I think that's where a lot of them are, and you develop them. Some of them develop, and guys that transition in that position from year one to year two can be pretty special. Just, you know, it's a lot for these guys. And again, they go from the combine and the combine training to, you know, maybe not running as many routes or understanding defense. And, you know, once they get out there on the training camp, they realize, like, you know, this isn't combine training. And coverages change. And, you know, things that look like man coverage now become zone coverage. And things that are zone coverage now become match coverage. And, you know, there's just a lot of volume for that particular position. And so excited to see where guys like Kyle Williams go from year one to year two. And just his development and his growth mentally and physically. Draft guys like Kyle Williams and hope you develop them into... I mean, listen, can Kyle Williams become a decent NFL player? I don't think so. But it's certainly within the realm of possibility. Like, you know, with time. Everyone raves about the kid. He's supposed to be a great kid, great makeup, all of that. I'd take none of that away. I'll take everyone's word for it. Hardworking, wants it, smart, dedicated, all that. I'll give it to him. I'd bet against him becoming that, but maybe I'm wrong. I'd be stunned if he developed into a number one receiver. Floored. Like, I'm sorry, that ain't happening. No, I don't think he's that either. Could they draft another guy that they, you know, the Devontae Adams type? that second round guy that dk medcalf was uh wasn't he a lower round pick second rounder yeah yeah so like is that possible yeah well then what happens when they hit year four year five or they want to get paid i don't see it i just i just don't see it and and and you know i'm okay with it in the short term they they do need a little bit more of a pipeline because this thing of Steph Diggs out, A.J. Brown in, A.J. Brown out, Tyreek Hill in. I think they're going to be on that little thing here for a little bit because I don't know how else a sustainable number one guy for several years. I don't know. I don't know if it's in the cards. I just think if you go year to year all the time, it's hard to hit all those right. I mean, you're going to have to have multiple cracks a year to get one. They hit on Diggs. What if he was half of what he was? You see what I mean? Yeah. Like, which is entirely possible when you start playing that game. Brandon in the car. Lead us off, Brandon. Go ahead. Hey, Felger, you did say that, so we have to bow to you. Thank you. It was on April 4th of 24. It said, Patriots will never add or pay a number one receiver. How'd you figure that out? How'd you know that? You just Google it? I'm smart, but no. I actually went online, and it says, listen to this. You'll get a kick out of this one. Bedard and Hawley debate. So, it was actually, yeah, it was your hot take. on BST. Okay, there we go. We'll track it down. April 4, 2024. So it was on BST, though. It was said. Yeah. It wasn't said here. It doesn't count. Go ahead, Brandon. I have it. Hey, I don't know if you guys have enough time, but I have it in front of me. I don't know if it would go through my phone. I don't want it. Okay, I trust you, babe. Oh, I'm sorry. I don't know if you had another point, but what other point is there other than I've said it? Yeah, if it didn't happen here, it didn't happen. Either way. I mean, there's all kinds of stuff I said at home. Okay, moving on. And are we okay with that if that's the way that that is? Yeah, I can live with that. I mean, look, at some point, you can't pay every position all the time. But you've got to get me a guy. There's got to be a guy. And again, if it's Gronkowski, that's fine. I say a tight end. That's okay, too. And if that fits their budget, that's all right. You get a lot of mismatches in tight end. If you have one of these quarterbacks, I am more than fine with a deep, competent, reliable group of guys that are all twos and threes. And I think this team has done it. I think this team has proven it. There's other teams that have proven it. If you have that quarterback, you shouldn't need that receiver. But you do need a go-to guy. Whether he's a number one or whatever. And it could be a tight end. It could be a slot guy. it you know it could be an outside guy the the Brady years in 0304 that you know my favorite Patriots team Branch Givens Troy Brown was still in the mix that to me is good enough if you got Tom Brady in a good defense uh further on when they didn't have good defenses Gronkowski Edelman and then sort of like a smattering of uh uh Hogan or an Amendola or a is it Brandon Lloyd Yeah, Brandon Lloyd. Brandon Lloyd. He was pretty good for them. He was, right? Brandon LaFell was decent the year they had him. LaFell, okay. And that's sort of like your mix. That's good enough. Sure. Providing you have Tom Brady. Right, if you have an elite quarterback. And I think you're headed for that Ferris wheel here with this team. I don't see any other way around it. Kevin on the Cape. Go ahead, Kevin. Hey, how's it going, guys? you know instead of dealing with the headache of A.J. Brown why don't we go after like a Romeo Dobbs and I think David Njoku is also a free agent you know give us another tight end to play with but we need to put the money into the offensive line that's like the biggest thing any receiver can you know okay I agree O-line over receiver I don't think that Romeo Dobbs is enough to be the one reliable he's not durable enough on top of it you know on top of it all but whether it's an outside receiver inside receiver tight end you gotta have a guy yeah on third down a guy for the quarterback yes and i always say like third and seven third and eight you know you start getting into third and 13 well then you know you kind of screwed no matter who you are so but you gotta give me a guy who can get me third and seven and third and eight at a pretty high percentage cam in providence go i said how you doing hi go first time caller a long time listener but i just think the best wide receiver on the market right now i think rondell robinson he's the best wide receiver i think he's better than alec pierce i think he'll be cheaper and i think he's a josh mcdaniels type the receiver, I really think they should go after him. Okay. If they can add A.J. Brown on top, that'd be even... No shot. No shot. Wandale Robinson is not going to break the bank in terms of, like, Justin Jefferson kind of money, but he's going to get overpaid. He's a free agent. He is. By definition, he's going to get overpaid. The number for him on Spodrack is 17 and a half. That should be palatable for you. But then they're going to give A.J. Brown $29 million guaranteed on his contract on top of that? Yeah, I don't think they're giving him that regardless. You're not getting both. No, he's going to, again, they're going to have to come in at a number that satisfies him relative to everyone else. Now, again, because there might be a variable factor in there, but, you know. Why would the Giants let him go? Oh, Wondell Robinson? Yeah. Oh, I'm just, I mean, maybe the price gets high and you would think they'd want to keep a guy like that for Jackson Dart. You know, like, so they have pressure to keep him. There's no question. so if that one gets silly then you know let him go i'll tell i i'm just i'd be surprised if they landed a guy in free agency given the fact that the bills desperately need someone and they're knocking at the door of a championship the chiefs really need someone and they're you know want to get right back to knocking at the door of a championship the ramp you know i don't know if the rams need one but you know i mean there's just so many teams that are more than willing to spend and there's not really a question with them like there is with you in terms of this time of year. If they need something, they're going to go get it. There's just too many of those teams, and I just don't see you winning bidding wars, Maz, for anyone. Little slot guys or big outside guys, Alec Pierce, Wandale, Robinson, or anyone in between. Could you swing a trade? Boy, you're not outbidding someone. You're just trying to work with one team to swing a deal and then that player's agent to restructure the contract. That I definitely see. I don't see them winning any bidding wars for anyone this offseason. Probably not. But again, they are always good for some surprises, this Patriots team. Here comes Big Jim Murray with an update, and we're right back with more. Hi, I'm Sean Flaherty, managing partner of Catch's Law Group. And for over 40 years, Catch's Law has been more than just a law firm. We've been your neighbors. We've stood with New England families through good times and through tough times. That's why the New England Patriots chose us to be their official law firm, because we know what this region is built on. Hard work, grit, and loyalty. At Catch's Law, we fight for workers who are injured on the job, families who have been wronged, and neighbors who need a voice. When you need someone in your corner, turn to the team that's been here for decades. Visit Catch'sLaw.com today. This is 2026. No more messing around. It's the first day of the rest of your life. Today, you are switching to astound. Shifting your Wi-Fi and life into a new gear. Reliable, affordable connection. so you can browse, watch, and play like you've always wanted. Because slow Wi-Fi is so last year. Under budget, full speed ahead. That's Astound. Wi-Fi starting at $19.95 per month. Restrictions apply. See astound.com for details. Takes the ball! He had seven points in six games and scored the golden goal in overtime that secured the United States its first men's hockey goal medal since 1980 Damos fans! Let's hear it for number 86 Jack Hughes! And now Jack would like to say a few words. Let's help guys. I'm so proud and I'm so happy that the men's and women's USA Hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America. You guys are making me emotional, but I'm so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils organization. And I'm so, so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey. So proud. From the bottom of my heart, all my teammates, USA teammates, we just want to thank you guys for all the love and support. We feel it. Thank you. Let's get you back in the mood for a little bit of hockey. Jack Hughes last night. reintroduced before a devil's game then immediately turned back into jersey jack hughes and by that i mean soft ass nothing play turnover at his blue line pucks you see that i saw that he immediately turns back into the guy tage thompson set up a goal right that probably has devil fans saying jesus this guy because he's done you know he's put up points but has not impacted winning at the NHL level, hardly at all. Frankly, you know, my pre-Olympic take, I have nothing but good things to say about Jack Hughes now, but my previous pre-Olympic Jack Hughes take, just a deplorable NHL game, soft, on the perimeter, and boy, he comes right back and turns right back into Jersey Jack Hughes. Brutal giveaway at his blue line, pucks in the back of the net, they lose 2-1, and he's kind of a non-factor. but the american hero now but that's the way that sounded last night in jersey what do you think uh old charlie mcavoy and jeremy swayman is going to get tonight bruins return to action tonight at home against columbus well go ahead mark oh no go ahead no mcavoy deserves an ovation i mean so they gave hughes the microphone and he addressed the crowd before the game that's what you heard there okay that's a little much i think we're going to get that from mcavoy i say no because again it's not like he scored the game winning goal you're going to show him saving the goal off the line in the third period. Okay, so that's not bad. I didn't think of that. I didn't think of that. That's not bad. One in the gold, too. And look, you know, if it's sort of a tip your stick to the crowd kind of moment or whatever as they're lining up, fine. No problem. You know, to me, there's something to celebrate there. Swayman? What did Swayman do other than sit there on the bench and cheer? They're both going to get a pop. Swayman should get nothing. But my question is, so, you know, McAvoy will be out on the ice. Swayman just sitting on the bench because he's not playing tonight? We're not sure either one of them is playing tonight. What do you mean? Oh, McAvoy might not play either? Correct. That's ridiculous. The Swayman end of it. Swayman hasn't played in 12 days. He's not even dressed tonight. It's two weeks. You haven't done anything. It's arguably their most important game of the year. I know, right. So, not available. They have 25 games to go. They're four points clear of the playoffs. The next team after them, the closest competitor is Columbus. That's your opponent tonight. You're four points clear of Columbus. They have a game in hand. If they win tonight, get the two points and you get none for all intents and purposes. They're now tied with you. So this is a four points from the old four point game. This is the first game back from the Olympics. 25 games to go. Deadlines in four games. They got four games. The deadline's a week from tomorrow. What are they? Buy or sell? Going forward or not? They can make the postseason or not? This is their closest competition. Swayman hasn't played in 12 days and he's taken a day to acclimate? Like, what the hell is that? Well, you know, it's a six-hour difference. That's tough. After sitting on his ass for six of seven games and, oh, my lanta, that seventh game or six, five of six games, they played three in the blue. So he sat on his ass for five of the six games and the one that he did play, he should have sat there. They're still scarred by the international hockey community. He's still scarred by that performance. And now he comes back. He's going to sit in the most important game of the year. Get him acclimated. Even if you boozed and went crazy after winning the gold, take a steam. It comes out of your pores. You're good in the day, dude. You can play tonight. You need this game. Seriously. If Jack Hughes, who, again, I have nothing but good things to say about now, my previous self would have said, this soft-ass salad. If this guy can come back and play last night, what's your excuse? You got a whole extra day after beyond him, beyond Jack Hughes. What's your excuse, Charlie? You're not going to play this game? Wouldn't you demand to play this game? He should be demanding to play this game. The playoffs could, it's entirely possible the playoffs might come down to this game. It's a little dramatic, 25 to go, but listen, if it's you and Columbus for the last spot, this one's going to factor in big time. So unless. And I think they have three games with Columbus left. They do. Do they? Yeah. Okay. So they're all going to be important. Could it be? the organization, Marco Sturm, coach, someone saying like, okay, that was great. You guys won the gold. This is an important game. You come back. Can you get back on time? Can you come back? Because not the whole team didn't go to the White House and do that whole thing. We need you back. Did that maybe happen? And they said. And was that two nights ago anyway? Yeah. It was a couple of days ago. It was Tuesday night. Yeah. Yeah. Well, this is Thursday night. So did they not get back in time for the organization and this is the punishment? You know what? We don't need you tonight. The hell with you. Forgive me. Italy's not Australia. No, it's six hours. It's eight coming back this way probably. Yeah, but six-hour time. Right, exactly. You're not the, you know, the Orient or the Asia. You know, that's on this side of the dateline. That's a full day of travel. That does take a little bit of time. Italy is, come on, it's a day, and then you're back. What are we talking about? Correct. And you're flying in this way. You're not going east. It's worse when you go west to east. And they've been here now for a few days. Four or five days. I understand they were doing some of that, Jimmy. Very good. I think to not play is as soft as you can. What hockey player can't play with a little minor hangover? It's like part of being in the NHL. Yep, and the flight home would have been from, the last one would have been from Washington. That's D.C., not state. 90s Bruins made a staple of it. Friday night, Kai's Pub, Malden, Saturday game, show up hungover. West Seat Grill, baby. Listen, but it's also been a couple days. Don't tell me they've been on like a, you know, six-day bender. They're back. He should be. Of course. I mean, come on. The other thing is like, look, I recognize the magnitude of the win. Who's paying your freaking mortgage for you? All right. So on top of that, buy or sell. Sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, sell. And I still want them making the playoffs. I still think they have a chance to make the playoffs. But someone comes calling for Andrew Peek or Victor Arvidson and is willing to give you a second or third round pick for something like that, do it. Might be a conditional first. Are you bleeping me for one of those guys? Yep. So if they make the conference final or Stanley Cup final, you get a first? Yes. Yesterday? Of course. Oh, yeah, definitely. But wouldn't you buy a guy that has term? Yes. Okay. But, you know, I think those guys are few and far between. They are. You know, deadline deals or rentals. and I'm not renting anybody and I've got some rentals to sell. It was interesting. Fluto Shinzawa wrote that this... What's the name of this defenseman who's been playing with McAvoy? Kevin, I've forgotten the name already. He's had a good year. He came out of nowhere. Oh! The defenseman? I was going to say Arundel, but it's not... What's his name? It begins with an A. Asprat. Asprat. Asprat. That this Asprat? Asprat. Aspero, actually. Sorry. i'm going to space i'm an aspirin it's more like he plays for the houston aspirin so listen aspro i sorry i butchered the name uh he had such a good year that mason loray might be expendable Fine That a guy with ceiling Like I don know if I giving up on Mason Lurie but if I get a first-round pick, yes, you've done a great job of threading the needle, doing just what you should do, which is rebuilding while competing and making the playoffs. Perfect. I've about had it with the Lurie. Well, he just needs more time. No, if someone wants to give something for him, I'd move him. I don't agree with that. I think defensemen take a long time, and I'm willing to be patient with young defensemen. I would keep Mason Law right, but if someone wants to get stupid, fine. Go ahead. No, he's a plus eight. The only marquee guy on their team who they should be shopping actively is Jeremy Swayman. That's the only guy that they should, that, you know, if they want Pasternak McAvoy and, you know, keeping the spine of the team and building around those guys, fine, fine, fine. I've given up on that. Those guys are here to stay. Swayman, please give us a break. Would you please get this guy out of my face? I don't know how you trade that contract because the whole world now, not just the country, not just the NHL, but the world. After that, what he threw on the ice there, what he dumped on the ice there in Milan. Now the whole world knows this guy. So I don't know how you're going to trade. But Jeremy Swayman is the only guy that I would actively shop among their, you know, high-end talent. But then they got a bunch of secondary pieces. whether it's Middlestat, whether it's Arvidsson, whether it's Mason Lurie or Peek, buy, sell, sell, sell, sell. Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a good job of it. I mean, if you can get good prices for some of those guys, they should move them absolutely. Anyway, this leads us to Maz's tears. Maz's tears! Connor McDavid, greatest athlete on the planet without a championship. Who needs it the most? Those are the tears that cut me away right after these words. Hi, I'm Sean Flaherty. managing partner of Catcher's Law Group. At Catcher's Law, we're proud of our roots. For more than 40 years, we've been part of this community, raising families, cheering for the Patriots, and fighting for our neighbors. Being named the official law firm of the New England Patriots isn't just an honor. It's a reflection of what we stand for, loyalty, strength, and community. Whether you've been hurt on the job or are suffering from years of physical wear and tear, we are here for you. Visit Catcher'sLaw.com or call us today to schedule your free consultation. This is 2026. No more messing around. It's the first day of the rest of your life. Today, you are switching to Astound. Shifting your Wi-Fi and life into a new gear. Reliable, affordable connection. So you can browse, watch, and play like you've always wanted. Because slow Wi-Fi is so last year. Under budget, full speed ahead. That's Astound. Gig Wi-Fi for $50 a month with a three-year price lock. Restrictions apply. See astound.com for details. Now more of Felger and Mads on the Sports Hub. Bernardi Auto, they've got Audis, Hondas, and Toyotas. Yeah! They are the ones who sponsor who Mads thinks is a fraud and who's for real. Here we go. Maz is tears. Tears of a clown. Maz is tears. The second tear. Hold on, let me get my pen. Maz is tears. Dallas. Buffalo. Tennessee. Maz is tears. Third tear. Okay, here we go. Hold on, let me get my pen. It's Maz is tears. Tears. Tears. Tears. As usual, Maz is Tears is brought to you by the Bernardi Automotive Group. Tears. When it comes to auto dealers, the Bernardi Auto Group always finishes first with Maz, top tier. That's because they sell and service Acura, Audi, Honda, Toyota, and Volvo. Bernardi for now, Bernardi for life. Find them now at BernardiAutoGroup.com. Maz, take it away. Tears! Best active athletes. Ill-timed, sorry. Best active athletes who need the validation of a championship. Best active athletes. Active, active. That's how we categorize that. Who need the validation of a championship. Bingo. Love it. Okay. So, because, again, there were all types of words thrown around, losers, things like that, but you get the idea. Yes, sir. Athletes, active athletes who need the validation. We'll start with Tier 3. Work our way up. James Harden, like, can I just say quickly? He's a loser. He shouldn't even be on this. Let me finish. I call Tier 3 the lost cause tier. Very good. So, these guys might already be, these ships might have already left the harbor, but they're still active. Lost cause. James Harden, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler. No, he's not a loser. Mike Trout. Boring loser. Russell Westbrook. Loser. I don't even think any of these names, and their household names, outside of Jimmy Butler, I don't look at any of them and be like, oh, man, they should have got a title. Losers. So, listen, I'm with you on Butler, too. I like Jimmy Butler, but at some point, you look at it and say, dude, you're running out of time. Okay, like, and I'm not saying he's the same caliber player as Steph Curry, but Jimmy Butler got moved a lot for a guy with his ability and his compete because he's kind of a pain in the ass. So, you know, he belongs on the list somewhere. He hasn't won yet. Incredible as it is, he has not won yet. Tier two, clock is ticking, is this tier. David Pasternak, Leon Dreisaitl, Tommy Fleetwood, I had to throw in here. I had to throw in Tommy Fleetwood because he's the number three on the money list in the world, or number three in the world golf rankings. He won a tournament last year. This guy's one of the great chokers. And there's got to be, you know, golf is the ultimate win a major or shut up kind of sport. So I put him on here. Joe Burrow, I'll explain why Tier 2 instead of Tier 1 shortly. No, I agree with Tier 2. Bryce Harper. You know Bryce Harper again. He left the Nationals and he won without him. Then he goes to Philly, and they haven't won. Sneaky big one. And Austin Matthews, Tier 2. You can pitch about Austin Matthews not being higher up, but the guys on Tier 1 are sort of the best of the best. So with no delay, let's jump right to Tier 1 if we could, Jimmy. Connor McDavid now belongs on Tier 1. After the Olympics especially, but Connor McDavid needs a championship. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Aaron Judge, Luka Doncic. To me, those are maybe the five best players in America that do not have a championship yet. Again, we can't. I think that's clear tier one, and Austin Matthews is just below it. I agree. Because I think McDavid's a better player. I think we all do. Then Austin Matthews is, and so Austin Matthews goes on tier two. I think they were basically drafted around the same time within a year of each other. mcdavid's been in the league only one year longer than matthews matthew's been in the league for 10 years but these guys all basically are mvps or have won an mvp or damn near close and none of them have won a championship yet and it's time for these five guys to put up or shut up they need a championship they do they need one those guys need one need a championship to solidify who they are correct and i totally agree with that now we raised something interesting prior to the show Kevin brought this up. Does the gold medal count? Like, for example, among the NHL goaltending community, Connor Hellebuck is this guy. Three-time Vesno, reigning heart, meaning league MVP, been the best goalie in the league for a decade, all told. He hasn't even made a final. He just did what he did to win the gold medal. Does that take him off the list? No, I think he should still be on these tiers, but just lower. because what he did was incredibly impressive, especially in that closeout game against Canada. But in the NHL, loser. I look at Connor Hellbuck and I go, winner. Now. I mean, you do that. Like, they talk about a final exam. So he was a hard one. So this is like, okay, Austin Matthews came home with a gold medal. Captain, Team USA to a gold medal. Does that wipe the stink of loser from him? No, it doesn't. No, the other guy, though, was in the money game. out of his mind good. So this is like the example I threw back at Maz as it was. Carmelo Anthony won a gold medal. Yeah, right. And he's a loser. A loser's loser. Tier one loser. Oh, yeah, big time. So what does that, what does the Olympic gold do for, you know, like Jack Hughes is just another perfect example. Like it wasn't just the goal. If you watch the tournament and watch how he came on, he really came on. He deserved that goal because he was starting to play really well and really standing out. And, like, in some respects, I just think that's sort of like the hockey gods rewarding you for doing so many things well. You get that chance and you bury it. But it wasn't just that goal. And then he goes back to Jersey last night. He's turning the puck over at the blue line. They're losing 2-1. He's just same old soft Jersey Jack Hughes. But is Jack Hughes now, what tier is he on? You know what I mean? Like, what does that, it's got to do something for you. It's done something for Hellebuck. Oh, definitely. It's changed his reputation and identity some. So now, look, I tend to lean with Murray that you got to win a cup. But he was the hardest one to decide on because I think he did change his identity with that performance. If he had made 18 saves, different. But 40 stops and some of the biggest ones you've ever seen, they were outshot 42-28. Was that the number? Like some great numbers about how many were quote-unquote high danger or in the low slot. They were high leverage, high degree of difficulty saves. Yeah, the expected saves were like goals for Canada were five or six, wasn't it? Yeah. Okay, and they got one. Yeah. So he was just so dominant or so brilliant in that game that it's hard to wash it away. So I left him off. I'll tell you, it changes my view of some of these guys. Austin Matthews, it did not change my view. Me neither. Jack Hughes, it changed my view, but then again, if you watched last night, it just sort of went right back to it. But either way, it changed my view of him. I'll tell you something who's grown in my estimation. It shouldn't have taken this, but I just think his play in these international games is so stellar was Jack Eichel. I know he already won a cup, but I don't know if I fully appreciated his full three-zone game and all of that, all situations, just what a complete player Jack Eichel is. um you know Quinn Hughes to me I was even though he won a Norris trophy I did not understand just how dynamic he was as a player he's a different guy to me just based on the Olympics Charlie McAvoy to me just as disappointing I wish he were better I feel he could be better or then I've overrated him or something I just I just wish he were better you know but I could go down the list that that I could go down Wierenski and Wierenski was good Slavin made so many big like you know I watched some of those guys I'm like oh god I love this guy and then he I see him on the NHL level and it's different but Hellebuck he like that's an example you just got to change your view of him and definitely NHL level or any other level I mean he did it against the NHL all-star team where they were all heavily invested and all gave a crap. I mean, that counts for something. Austin Matthews, I know. My opinion to him didn't change at all. Doesn't get the same thing. No, and I'll tell you, the other guy that I came away feeling, and he's a highly respected player in the league anyway, I thought Brock Nelson's better than I give him credit for. He was huge in that tournament. And he's a pro. You know, I mean, he's an older guy, but you can win with a guy like that. Like, if he's in the right role, you know, I don't know if he's a first-line center, but you put him in the right role that guy that guy's a winning player who needs a ring who needs one or a cup who needs it 617-779-0985 update no commercials we're right back