Oilers Legend Craig MacTavish (3/2/26)

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1:56I'm doing good stuff. Thank you. All right. The Ableton Oilers have acquired Conor Murphy, who Stan Bowman traded for. He traded Nicholas Arbles in form a number of years ago. He ended up being the longest-serving member of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks retained 50% of the contract. Edmonton gave up a 20-28 second round. The Ableton Oilers have acquired Conor Murphy, who Stan Bowman traded for. He traded Nicholas Arbles in form a number of years ago. He traded for 20-28 second round. Giraffe choice. They have also made a sequence of moves. In Magiapani and Regula. To waivers yesterday. They cleared. They've been assigned to Bakersfield. They recalled Samansky and Howard. Consumated this deal, and they've subsequently sent Howard back down. Meaning, Samansky likely will play tomorrow for Edmonton against the Ottawa Senators. Give me your- You said they needed a cycle stopper, MacT. back T and I wanted a right shot D. I know we both got what we

2:58wanted. I think, you know, I've talked a lot about sides for the Stanley Cup playoffs and Connor Murphy has a lot of the attributes that I think you need to have some success in the playoffs. I mean, the one thing that he is questionable and always has been with him, but he's always found a way to overcome it has been his foot speed, but, you know, he's got lots of experience. He's big. He's heavy. He can contribute and chip in offensively. And he comes at a fairly marginal price when you factor in the contract that the contract that Chicago is going to absorb. But, you know, I think it's a reasonable price. I mean, I questioned how much the oilers were going to we're going to spend this year at the

3:58trade deadline because it hasn't been the banner year that we've had in the past where these decisions have been a lot easier. But I think what the oilers management group certainly understands is that, you know, the Pacific division is an opportunity we could have a fairly easy opportunity to get to the conference finals. I mean, if if you break it down now to the current standings today, you have the oilers playing Anaheim, which I think would be fairly easy work for the oilers. They'll really didn't look like it. Yeah. Yeah. I just don't think they have the the experience. I watched them play Calgary last night. The turnovers were laughable at times on both teams. And it looks looked a bit like a tennis game. Calgary takes it to Anaheim's rule line turns it over. Anaheim transitions gets to Calgary's rule line turns

4:59it over and it was just over and over and over again. I think, you know, it was close to setting a record for the most amount of stopages in an NHL game. So I see what everybody else sees on Anaheim they have a lot of budging talent coming up. Yeah. I don't think there are NHL playoff ready for a team that's got as much as experience and fire powers. The oilers have right now get up to 20% off select online storage solutions. Put heavy duty HDX to good use protecting what's important to you. The solid impact resistant design prevents cracking and the clear base and sides make items easy to find even when the totes are stacked. Find select online shelving and tote storage up to 20% off at the home depot to organize every room in your home from your garage to your attic. Visit Home Depot dot com. How do you get more done? Xima is unpredictable, but you can flare less with Ebglyce, a

6:01once monthly treatment for moderate to superior Xima. After an initial four-month or longer dosing phase about four and ten people taking Ebglyce achieved itch relief and glare are almost glare skin at 16 weeks and most of those people maintain skin that's still more glare at one year with monthly dosing. Ebglyce, Library Kizumap, LBKZ, a 250-milligram per 2-milliliter injection is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms with moderate to severe Xima. Also called a topic dermatitis that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals or who cannot use topical therapies. Ebglyce can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to Ebglyce, allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with Ebglyce. Before starting Ebglyce, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. Ask a doctor about Ebglyce and visit Ebglyce.lily.com or call 1-800-LilyRX or 1-10-545-5979. Yeah, I got a lot of respect for Anaheim. They've got two tendoms there, you know, whether

7:01they play Carlson with Gochie and then Mktaavish, it's never a bad name for a center. Mktaavish with Bennett Seneca who's going to be a dead. Yeah, good last night. He's a player, but you know, they're a little light-n-ass on defense. I've always liked Zellweiger. I think you can only have one guy like Zellweiger on your D. A little bit experienced there, Toshdal. He can lock her down at times, but the orders have also touched him up at times and they absolutely squandered the game in Anaheim. That was one of the, you know, I was really exasperated with the loss against Anaheim. Craig, I wasn't as much against San Jose on Saturday and I'll tell you why, because the orders deserve to lose. Like, they got kicked. If you had watched, I never want to be this guy, okay? But I was watching the team in the warm-up. And they absolutely butchered their first three on two, first three, three on two's running through the lines. I'm

8:02like, what is going on? And it manifested into a game where San Jose was betting. They were better all game long, but it also highlighted that maybe Stan Bowman needed to get active. And he did. And today, Matty, he talked about the stuff that you've talked about all year. Simply put, the team has to play better and be more committed defensively. They can score. They need to play better defense and be more committed to it. Is it easier to do now that they actually have a defensive defenseman coming in? Oh, I think it for sure. And I mean, Conner's 32 years old. So, you know, there's some miles on those legs, but he's still got the savvy. And he never really had the speed to, I mean, if he had speed, you'd be looking at a guy like Matty at home. And I mean, those guys are hard to find. So I think Conner Murphy is going to come in

9:02from all reports. He's an unbelievable teammate. Chemistry for me is important. I think he'll fit in seamlessly there. It'll be interesting to see where the coaching staff decides to play him initially. Because, I mean, the Walmart nurse pair has been difficult to watch at times. I mean, I give Darnell a break on the San Jose game. And it looked like, I mean, when your wife's having a baby, it's, you know, it's, obviously significant. Yeah. And the players would be bonded around them during that time period. And I mean, there's an exciting time. The last thing he's thinking about is hockey. And I just jump in here for a second. Just on Darnell Nurse, I know some people made reference. Mark Specter asked a hard question after the game to Darnell on what was a very challenging

10:03day. Mark's asked a lot of hard questions over the years. Okay. And that's okay. And some people say we'll stop or you never ask any hard ones ever. All I will say is, you know what? Sometimes. And I've had this happen to Mac T. In fact, I had it happen with you. You've got to look at me. And I was far less relevant. But sometimes you can catch a guy in a difficult day when maybe things don't get right. And you don't get the sort of response. I think Darnell Nurse is plenty accountable to his teammates. And maybe it was just the timing and the sea. I'm not going to sit here and belittle spec. But sometimes a question gets asked at the wrong time. And maybe you don't get the requisite response that everybody thinks you should get in that scenario. And that just happens once in a while. It's not the end of the world. It just happens. You know what I'm saying? No, for sure. I mean, a lot of those questions, I just shake my head at. And

11:06he's had a couple in the last two weeks. The one where he talked about Connor, you know, indirectly calling a bit of a loser. Right. And that's a guy coming out of the Olympics that led to the Olympics who scored a set of record. Has been with the finals in the last two years. And yet, Mark, as he often does, he goes above and beyond to get to the most negative aspect that you could discuss during the time. And I mean, I don't know how these guys continued to answer these questions. And then Darnell, after, tell, I mean, it's just mind blowing to me that a guy would be that insensitive at that time because there's going to be times where you're expected. And he can ask those questions. But when the guy's wife just delivers a baby in the middle of the night and you, you, you peg him for a lackluster, obvious performance, which he is going to be lackluster. He wasn't even the worst guy on his

12:08parry. Jake Walman would be, if he was listening right now, would say, stuff, I stunk in that game and I got to own up to it. Like he'd be the first guy to admit to that if he were listening right now. I mean, guys, you know, yes, I shake my head at why they entertain any answers for some of these questions. They're so obviously off base in my opinion. All right. And it sounds like you're opinion. Well, I'm just, I'm just saying one of the things that I've tried to do better and some people say, oh, it's stuff for your butt and paid for it. You don't have a, you try to read situations, right? Like, like, I famously once asked a head coach after losing game for the Stanley Cup final when his power play was one for 20. If he needed to have do something different, maybe put George LaRocke as a net front. And that coach looked at me and said, any other stupid questions and that was it. That was the scrubbuster. And that night, yeah,

13:10that night, George LaRocke called me and said, you idiot. Now I'm going to come out of the house. Oh, there you have it. Well, he was out. He was out. He used to flip him and taught Harvey, but, you know, brilliant idea bringing a guy that's a healthy scratch in the your power play to save it in the Stanley Cup final. I mean, yeah, yeah, next question. All right. So, so here's the thing. Uh, I believe it is possible. We may see two more moves. One move, maybe, it just hasn't worked out for Andrew Mountain, Bonnie. I feel bad for him. He's a really good guy. It hasn't worked out. The orders are to win now mode. In order for Edmonton to win now, they may have to divest themselves of his contract and likely attach a pick to it back to that. And that would create the flexibility potentially for an addition elsewhere. And that's the simplest way to get there. Craig, they

14:12can trade their 2027 number one. Okay. They have a condition on their 2026 number one, but it can be they did the same thing last year. They'd already moved their 25 number one to the flyers and still move the 2026 number one. When they went on, got Walman when nobody sought Edmonton getting Jake Walman, um, who in fairness was pretty good last year. He hasn't got the level yet this year. And he'd be the first to agree with me. So, uh, if you were Stan Bowman, they cut 2026 pick as a condition on it, a top 12 protection. Yep. But, you know, it's highly unlikely. The oil is finished under the playoffs and in the lottery and go up to a top 12 pick, but they have to have that conditional pick available, which is a pick in 2027. So, it's I think it's untradable. I have to Craig, I just checked. It is tradable. I'll get you know what? I'll get Stan Bowman to answer that question at 535. Just I think it is because I just checked

15:13with somebody else. So, we'll work on that. Uh, but how, how hard is like you've been in the chair? You know, you've been on the other end of this. You were the guy on loading players, you know, you moved David Prawn. You made a great trade for David Prawn. It's just that pick got flipped and then Reinhardt trade. Um, you also moved out Schultz and Petri if I recall correctly. Uh, so a little bit different situation. But, you know, how, how difficult early scenes to do? Well, I think that GM's job at this point is to balance the long term vision you have for the team. You have to come up with figure out what the Edmonton Oilers Management assesses the current hockey teams chances of winning the Stanley Cup this year. And are if those chances are high, which they haven't proven that they're an elite team so far this year. Obviously, with

16:16the Pacific Division, the way it is, they have a chance to get to the finals. Um, can they compete with Colorado or, uh, or Minnesota or Dallas in the conference finals? I mean, they haven't proven that yet. Wild card Connor Leon, those guys can go off and as we've seen before, they beat teams that finish ahead of in the standings. Um, so as a GM, you want to assess what your long term objectives are and also try and take advantage of your current opportunities. And by this first move, it would lead me to believe that there's going to be another move to follow is going to be pricey. Hopefully, uh, in our estimation, it'll be, um, uh, a centerman, a third line center of which there are some available out there that they think would fit nicely into the Edmonton Oilers lineup. But that's going to be another first round pick.

17:18That's going to be another third round pick or second round pick to tag to mangyopani and it's going to be expensive. And, um, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's, these guys are paid to make these, these decisions correctly. Uh, but this is not, not a slam dunk where they have a number of assets because they really right. The draft choices are depleted. These are tough calls because you're really short staffing year scouting staff in terms of their ability to add depth players to your organization. So I mean, can, can stand and Jeff pull a rabbit out of the hat. Absolutely. I mean, um, and the oilers can turn it around and have another great run. But there's a lot of things going against Edmonton in my mind this year. I think there's a lot of wear and tear on the stars. What's con are going to have left after two runs to the finals Olympic, uh, run to

18:20the gold medal and, and also the extent that he's had to be utilized to put themselves in a position that they are going to be in the playoffs. So what's he going to have left? I mean, the guys an amazing athlete, an incredible competitor as his Leon, but at some point there's a fixed amount of energy and the quality that you can, uh, that you can give. And those are the questions that the management for sure are talking about. We're joined by Craig Matavich. Mac T on Mondays brought to you by our friends at contract equipment Canada's premium heavy equipment dealer with rental in sales. And reminder, all guests on orders now receive gift certificates to Bruce Chris Stakehouse up 500 degrees sizzle prime cuts and service it's done. Make you next date night or celebration unforgettable Edmonton's best Stakehouse 9998 jazz revenue. All right, Craig. So hypothetically put your GM hat back on here. Hypothetically, let's just say you move majopani out for, um, a

19:23couple picks. You know, not a first or second round pick if it's a couple picks. Say you move them out. What do you get? What do you need to go get? Well, I think you've got to go get a sentiment. I mean, it doesn't sound like Tro check wants to come west. He's kind of trying to say in the east. He's got a certain amount of control over that. He'd be a good addition. Uh, Scott Lotten and Toronto would be another guy that I'm sure they've had lots of discussion about. What about Nicholas? Well, in Toronto. What? Well, we've talked about him a lot. You identified him months ago. I like him a lot. I thought he was incredible with, uh, with Carrier and the calls are a great winger. Coles are. Yeah. I mean, those guys, that was a great line for Vegas. I mean, he's not had the same impact. I don't think in Toronto that he had there, but he certainly got the

20:23capability and the size. He'd be another guy that would would would move the needle with with counter Murphy and one of those guys that that definitely uh, moves the needle for the oilers and, you know, it might make their run to the conference finals really, really possible and doable. Great, great stuff. We appreciate you, uh, fitness and what are you back into oil country? Early late March. Late March. Yeah. Awesome. I was at the game in Southern Cowwatch watching Anaheim. It was a great game for the Anaheim fans. I love to see the energy back in that building. Not so good for our guys, but we'll get we'll get there. Craig, as always, thank you for doing the show. Sure. Thanks, Bob. Thank you. It is, Matt T on Mondays brought to you by our friends at contract equipment.

21:24Michael and the staff Canada's premium heavy equipment dealer with rental and sales. Take a quick time out, squeeze in a text. We do have Craig, of course, is the former GM of the Amazon orders. Stan Bowman general manager of the Amazon orders joining us live at 535. This is what is now the all new 2026 Toyota RAV4 is here building on everything drivers know and love about Toyota with a redesigned look and modern tech that makes life behind the wheel easier than ever. The new RAV4 come standard as a hybrid, providing smooth, efficient performance for both city streets and longer journeys. Enjoy the legendary reliability Toyota is known for in the all new 2026 RAV4. Learn and shop more at toyota.com Toyota. Let's go places. This episode is brought to you by Nespresso. Introducing Virtuo Up, the latest and a long line of innovation from Nespresso. It's innovation you can touch, sense and taste in every single cup.

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23:25dinner to Bruce Chris we had a we had. Have you got hold of that guy yet? I got to what it? Come on. What's going on over there, Aiden? I emailed him. All right. It's got to get back to us. Yeah, we can do it now. He said, well, bring Mattini can talk about all the times you have pissed off Matti. It was a lot of times trust me over the years. Actually, it was back that usually it was the pro Mac to you guy and I was harder on Mac to you. The coach, I will say this don't take ever got enough credit. He did a solid job as GM all things considered off to an 880 news, whether traffic update Thomas dius current general manager, Stan Bowman live when we return on orders now. 30 years ago, blinds.com broke the mold and made custom window treatments easy for everyone. Over 25 million windows later, we're celebrating by giving our customers up to 50% off site wide during our anniversary sale. Whether you DIY it or want a pro to handle everything for measure to install, blinds.com has you covered. Shop online, access real design professionals and get free samples. Thank you for 30 amazing years.

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