The Kevin Karius Show - Mar. 30th, 2026 - Mark Anderson

0:00And time to talk a little Vegas Golden Knights hockey with Mark Anderson from the Associated Press. Good morning, Mark. You with Kevin Carrey. Thanks for jumping on sports 1440 this morning. Really appreciate it. I think same now Kevin. I appreciate that. Yeah. So, I mean, what an announcement yesterday with the coaching change and Bruce Cassidy fired and John Tortorella coming in here, Mark, what's the reaction been in Vegas here for the last 24 hours or so, because this seemingly came out of nowhere to make the coaching change this late in the season. Yeah, I think Golden Knights fans are used to, their team making big moves, but this seems to surprise them from what I've been able to gather. I know it surprised me. I'm not shocked. They decided to move on from Bruce Cassidy, but I thought if it was going to happen to be after the playoffs. I know management is disappointed. They feel like the team has a played up to expectations. And it hasn't. I'm also not convinced that the roster was put together in the right way.

1:06They're probably two best players, Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner or playmakers. They don't really have the guy you can rely on to do all the goal scoring. So I think that's the big element. And their goal team has not been great this season to put it mildly. So I just, you know, Bruce has taken the fall, but I think he's an outstanding coach. I think he got as much out of this team or the time he was here, as you would expect. And whoever hires him will get a great coach. And from a personal standpoint, I love dealing with Bruce. He was just tremendous media. So we'll see what quarterbell can do. He'll definitely bring a different element to the locker room. What kind of coaching bump do you think that the club will get here starting tonight against Vancouver? Yeah, I'm curious to see. I think, you know, I, I, I thought they'd probably win tonight's game regardless, you know, going in, but you know, coaching change, you often get that initial surge.

2:10But we'll see. I mean, I mean, the gold Knights are the better team. They should win the game. They're home. But and I, and I think the players know what's on the line. You know, they, they, they went from first in the vision to third. And, you know, I'm trying to kind of have to stay off the Kings. Um, so I mean, they, they understand the urgency of what's going on. But so I, you know, like, I don't, I don't question their effort anyway. It's just like, well, I'm curious to see what kind of changes he might make. If, you know, Aiden Hill was the, you know, Bruce Cassidy, I think he was going to be the starting goalie from here on. And, you know, we'll see where that goes now. And I mean, I'm necessarily in the case of quarter Hearts back on the ice. So you'll see when he's going to return, you know, they, and we'll see what kind of spline team is that the Toro might make too. Yeah, Mark Anderson with us on the Kevin Kerr issue in sports 1440. So what is it about Aiden Hill's game that it's just sort of fallen off a cliff here, Mark? You know, it's, it's not really all in him.

3:11Um, they, they, the defense is allowed a lot of high data chances. You know, they played, they played, in fact, with the last game, the Edmonton, there were three goals at least, Edmonton score, you know, three of the four goals that Aiden Hill was kind of left out to dry on. So I hate putting it all in him. But at the same time, he hasn't been making the big saves. He'll make, he'll make an occasional big one. But he hasn't really, he hasn't, he hasn't basically put the team on his back. Uh, like sometimes a goalie needs to do. And that's, that's been, I think the big complaint. You know, when they won the cut three years ago, he did that. You can count on him making safe after safe. And it just, it just felt like it just was such a huge advantage for the gold and nice that season, because they, you know, they, all they need to score was two or three goals. And they felt pretty good about the chance to win. Now, you don't really feel good about their chance to win Wednesday score four goals. And that's, that's a lot to ask. So, um, so he's always been.

4:12Uh, he's got a history of being injury prone. He's got history of being inconsistent. So further, we get away from 2023. It makes it look like that was more of a lightening in the bottle type run he had. Um, but we'll see. I mean, he's, he's also had moments like last season going to last last year's playoffs. And then the playoffs themselves, he actually played really well. So he has had moments he's played well. And, um, you know, so I, if he goes, if he goes on a five game stretch where he does, it gives up a couple goals per game or one and a half goals per game. I wouldn't be shot by that either. But he, he certainly said of his play. Mark Anderson with us on the Kevin Kerrish one sports 1440. Um, when you look at the, the gold tending as a whole, uh, how much better has Schmidman, uh, overheal in your opinion? Mark's doing better. It's not like he's clearly been better. I mean, and I could see why Bruce casting over the eight hell. Uh, eight hell is, I mean, he's there. He should be there in one goal. He's paid like an I'm one goalie.

5:14Uh, and he's got the track record to prove he could take people doing that. So I, I completely understand why he did that. Um, but you know, it's not, it's not like, it's not like Schmid has been lights out either. So he's just, he's just been a little bit better and a little bit more consistent. But if you're talking about a higher upside, I'd probably go with eight hell. Right. You know, on, on the back end, everyone thought that Rasmus Anderson was going to be a really good fit when he, uh, when they acquired him from Calgary. What is it about maybe his, uh, integration into the team that's not up to snuff and maybe not as good as they thought he was going to be? Yeah, it's, it's, you know, especially with him with him rejoining Noah Hannes and his former teammate. There was a, there was a feeling that he would sit right in. But for whatever reason, it just hasn't been the case. I think, I think it's a, it must be just some sort of comfort ability thing. I, I really can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's, maybe it's just the system. He's not quite, quite, uh, comfortable with.

6:17I don't know. Um, maybe toward a relevant lockup with him. So Anderson has played a little bit better recently. Uh, but he's, but he hasn't had the, been the impact player they were hoping to get. Uh, you know, you know, sitting outside in a white cloud for him. Now, that was a big move by the Golden Knights. Good white cloud has been such a dependable player for them. So, um, I, I think Manage was still hopeful that he will get there. It just may, it just may not be the next season. Um, how would you assess how Mitch Marners played for the Golden Knights this year, Mark? Well, you know, he's, as far as the playmaker, I think he's been kind of what they thought he would be. I just, I just don't think he's, you know, if you're looking for him to be the goal scorer, he's just, that's just not a game. Um, and they, he said he has done a pretty good job with moving between center and wing. Um, they played them both depending on the situation. And so I think he handled that pretty well. And there are times that he looks like, yeah, this is why they paid him the big money.

7:20But I, I just think if fans are hoping he'd be a 40 goal scorer, so I mean, that, that's not his, that's not him. Um, so, and I just don't think that's ever going to be him. So, you know, I was already the big playmaker and I was a better goal scorer. Um, so, yeah, so you basically have two of the same player and I'm just not sure. You know, I'm not sure, getting him really addressed what they needed. Um, you know, if they're going to get some Toronto, they might have been better off getting Austin Matthews. You know, that might have been a better fit for them. Yeah. Uh, and then as you said, like, you know, Jack Ikels got 25 goals, but he's, he's more of a playmaker as well, even though he has the ability to, uh, to put the puck in the net. Um, is there, is it just a, again, too many playmakers, not enough goal scorers when you, when you look at the makeup of the top six? That's what I think. Yeah. And I, that's just Ikel's nature too. And he, he, he's a knowledge that he's a knowledge that, uh, he should be more aggressive than there are times when he has a graph.

8:24It's aggressive. He's, he's outstanding. But I think it's just in his, it's just in his nature that he likes to set up his teammates and he's a great passer. Um, so I, but there are times where he will have a point box shot on the goal. And he'll, he'll pass it off to one of his teammates. And, you know, like, well, Jack just take the shot and he just, and, and he just doesn't do it. And, and, but yeah, I think that's the biggest problem of this roster. I just don't think they have a guy they can rely on to be a goal score. They have guys who are decent at it. And, you know, the Dorothy is, you know, especially on the power. He's been fantastic. Sometimes, Mark Stone has, you know, has, has moments when he's been great. And, um, we, we, I mean, they have good goal scores, but they don't have, you know, someone like, you know, a Conneric David or we had dry side or someone like that. That you can say, you know, you can, you know, they, they had that when they had March or so. But March, March is always on the team when they needed a big goal. And, you know, I think that's something like he stepped up almost every time.

9:26Um, they said he's been gone. That's really been missing from their, their game. And you could, and I, I just, I just don't think they had that one player that can rely on to produce when they need to. Yeah. And, as you said, like door faves got 34 goals. So he's having a good season there, but is he, is he more of a liability defensively? Probably so. Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, the way, the way he, the way he plays the, on the, on the power play, that's where he's the, just the most effective. I think he's like 16 car play goals, something like that. Um, so that's, that's where he's the most dangerous and, um, and he's a rarity for this team. He's the best home web talent they've had. Uh, one of the rare graphics that didn't trade away. So, um, but yeah, I mean, that was the thing under Cassidy. He could usually count on a great defense.

10:26And I just, the defense just hasn't been there this season. And I don't know. I think, um, if it's maybe part of the aging roster, you get a lot of guys who are in the thirties and even icos starting to get there a little bit. So, um, that, that may be it. But when they won the cup, I mean, the, the defense and gold thing was the, the major reasons why they did it. I was surprised. I don't think we saw Dorothea. When the others played the golden nights, uh, last week on that power play in overtime. Uh, maybe because it was a four on three. I don't know. Maybe he's not aligned. Is, is he not on a four on three power play? Or, or, what did you think there? That's a good, that's a good question. I didn't think about that. Yeah. I think you're, yeah. You know, it was, yeah, you would think that. And I thought that, I thought that was the game. When the gold nights, they convert that, that was, uh, that's probably it for them. Because I'm, uh, you know, that was, you got to take advantage of that situation. But, yeah, evidence, uh, everything's starting to look like a team that, uh, they looked like the past couple of years now. So, uh, I was, I certainly wouldn't want to play them in the playoffs.

11:27Well, that's the whole thing. And I mean, we were talking about how the Pacific is looked, uh, right now for, for the waters. And when you think about it, Mark, the, the path this year for, even Vegas, because the winners haven't, uh, had, uh, consistent performance for a long period of time this year. The path in the Pacific this year is as easy as it's ever been for some of these teams to get to the final four. It is, it is. I mean, if you look at just for the gold nights are right now, if they were in any of the division, I think they, uh, yeah. I guess it's either the wild card hunt, um, but they would, uh, I mean, they would be in trouble otherwise. Uh, certainly they were in the east. So, um, yeah, I think they're going to wind up holding onto that third spot at least. The, the, the rest of their schedules actually set up really well for them. So, in fact, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they make them run at the second seed. And I, I wouldn't be shocked at the way where it's overtaking Anaheim for the top.

12:29Yeah. I, I could see that happening too. What's the overall health of, uh, of the gold and Nate's going into this stretch run? I guess William Carlson's the big guy on IR. Yes. They, they never put them in healthy IR because they're hoping, uh, they kept holding out hope that he would get back. Uh, I think they're, if he comes back, it probably wouldn't be till the playoffs. You know, we stone. You just never know. Students helping now. But it's just, I mean, you just never, with him, you just never know when, when something's going to happen. I cool. I haven't played well since I went for a break. He, although he didn't play well in the last game. Um, I saw, I don't know if there's something nagging him there. Um, you know, you know, Carter Hart looks like he's coming back fairly soon. Yeah. So they're starting to get healthy. I mean, they've had injuries all season. I think, I don't know that it's out of one out of them. Why compared other NHL teams? I mean, it's just the nature in sports. So, um, but I think they'll, I think they'll start getting a little bit healthier.

13:32I don't know that Carlson's coming back. If he can come, if he does come back, that obviously would be massive for them because not only. For his, uh, playmaking abilities, but he's also such a good defender. Uh, you mentioned Carter Hart. What's his status, uh, Mark? He's back and then back on the ice. Um, so it's, you know, it's hard to know from the golden night's health soon. That might necessarily be, but just the fact he's back skating again. Tells me that it's probably sooner than later than they have to make a decision. He won't take. If you guys come back, you want to take three gold tenders into the playoffs. I, you know, I don't know. Um, they, they were willing to go with three gold tenders in the record season. So, uh, but that was also an accident. I mean, it's not just a tournament. I think he might have a different idea on that. So, uh, but Hart wasn't playing well before he got hurt and he just, he just wasn't. Um, I think he was the third best colleague of the three. So, uh, so I, I just I mean that, you know, maybe, you know, they, they, they signed them for a reason.

14:35So maybe there's maybe there's something there that he can come back and, and do well, but he didn't look good when he played before. playing for a while and he couldn't find his groove, couldn't find his game? Yeah, I think that's mostly what it was. But, you know, I just, you look at his career. I mean, he, I don't think he's quite lived up to what was expected in any way. So I just, that may just be kind of where he is, you know? He might be a little bit better than he's produced, but I don't know that he's going to be someone you can count on back there to make critical stops. So, we'll see. I mean, they definitely need help. So maybe you can come back and play much better than he has so far. What kind of game do you think we're going to see tonight with the connection, Tom? I think you'll see a pretty emotional, gold and night's game like, you know, this is a, this is a game that they really should, they really need to go out there and play,

15:35you know, like their season's online, because in a lot of ways it is. These are the kind of games you got to take care of, you know, they've had a fairly rough stretch of games. So now it should get a lot easier, but you know, how that goes sometimes teams kind of went up over the coaching change. I don't think that's going to happen. Hey, Mark, thanks so much for your time this morning. We really appreciate it. Enjoy the game tonight and the stretch run. And who knows, maybe it'll be the oilers in Vegas, gold and nights in round one of the playoffs. We'll see how it shakes down. I would not be shocked. Thanks a lot, Mark, appreciate it. All right, thanks everyone. Take care.