Doug Plagens expects Brad Marchand to make Florida Panthers Debut

WQAM-AM / AM 560 Sports WQAM

Cat Talk! We catch up with our favorite play by play broadcaster Doug Plagens! will there be a learning curve adjustment period with brad Marchand. updates on matt. Marcos tries to pitch his rename for the Utah Hockey Club!

Transcript

00:00Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to talk Panthers hockey with the man himself the voice of your Florida Panthers

00:07Let's go ahead and go out to the Toyota of Hollywood hotline shop over 2,000 Toyotas on sale at one location

00:13Toyota of Hollywood on 441 between Hollywood and Sheridan Toyota of Hollywood calm. Mr. Doug Plaguen's Doug

00:21How are you doing today, buddy?

00:23What's going on, thanks for having me we got to say hi to the the most swole play-by-play guy in sports

00:33Doug this show

00:36has fancied you not only as a

00:39Amazing play-by-play

00:41But the way that you announce fights

00:45Really has become something a sticking point on this show of how talented and versatile you are the mic

00:51So I appreciate you joining us today

01:15Doug is

01:17what the Panthers going through that seems like

01:21Pretty normal for them where they have like

01:24They might have a week or two where it's not perfect hockey

01:29They may be winning they may be losing but it just looks a little clunky these last couple of weeks

01:34They've given up, you know a lot more goals than we're used to seeing is that because you know guys

01:41Are trying to catch up to the system or guys are just out that would play a large role in defending that

01:52Where their game is heading into a critical part of the year and you look at it overall

01:57Yeah, they're missing some some key players right now. That's obviously going to

02:02Going to affect the way things might look night to night

02:04But they're also a really deep team and that's why they're able to keep things going and get a win like they did on Sunday

02:10That shootout win outlasting the Pittsburgh Penguins which came at a big time good bounce back game there

02:15But obviously with Brad Marchand getting in there tonight

02:18We expect him to play so excited to see how he's going to fit in there overall

02:23I think there's just a lot of different factors at play this time of the year. Everybody's played a ton of hockey

02:28Everybody's had a wacky schedule because that's just been kind of the way things have gone

02:33This season, you know with the four nations break being a part of it and everything like that

02:38And like I said the Panthers working through having some key players out the other thing that comes into play and it's going to be

02:44something that's going to be worth watching, you know over the course of the rest of the regular season and something the Panthers have seen

02:51lately and it's something that you can't always quantify but the Panthers have played some teams that are

02:56Urgent and fighting for their playoff lives, you know, no other way to put it

03:01They're playing another one of those tonight in the the Utah Hockey Club

03:04And sometimes when you play a desperate a desperate team, you know, the the games can feel a bit different this time of the year

03:10But overall the Panthers are really happy with with how things look where things are are headed and trending

03:16That's what it's all been about

03:17It's building and trending and making sure the game is where they want to be and it looks the way they want

03:23Heading into an important part of the year

03:25Doug do you expect to see some sort of?

03:30Adjustment period to March and do you think that's gonna be of significant time?

03:34But do you think this would be like a plug-and-play as soon as he's in there? He's gonna mesh. Well, I

03:40Think no matter what there's always some form of an adjustment period that being said

03:46Just in going back to a conversation. I had with Paul Maurice the day after he was acquired

03:52he said that Brad Marchand game already has a little bit of Florida Panther in it and

03:58The way he plays the things he does well and his overall versatility. He plays both wings. He plays the penalty kill

04:04He does a lot of things that are already right in the wheelhouse of this Panthers team

04:09I think that added to his hockey IQ. He's a smart player

04:13He's a player that has you know, he's he's good at playing on the edge. He's good at playing around the net

04:18He gets under the skin of the opposition all those things

04:20But he's a really smart player with a really high hockey IQ when you have a player like that

04:26It's a it's a real luxury and it makes those transitions. I feel like much easier and more seamless

04:33He's been really looking forward to getting getting out there with his new teammates. He's been involved in practices

04:38He's been on the ice for a couple of weeks with the Panthers things like that

04:41But I know that everybody's excited to see him play tonight. So

04:47Excited for that. I think there's always a learning curve. There's always a transition

04:52He's he's played with one organization his entire career prior to coming to the Panthers

04:57But I think because of his smarts, I think it's and it's just raw ability

05:01I think it's going to be as seamless a transition as you can have Doug. What are there any updates on?

05:08Matthew Kuchuk because I mean when he gets back and you're looking at him and Marshawn on the on the same

05:15Team, I mean, it looks like the defense is gonna get to where it needs to be for the playoffs

05:21But do you have any idea when he's coming back?

05:23Well

05:26It's nothing more than what's already been out there and what what Bill Zito has said and you know

05:31They're they're hoping that they're hoping he can be ready for the for the playoffs

05:35so I really don't really don't have any other update than what's already been out there, but

05:39You know thing that as you said there the the idea of being able to have

05:44Him and Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand in the lineup and you know all the other

05:48There's a lot of sandpaper in this Panthers team and it's a really versatile team and it's a team that's

05:53Full of guys and not only from last year's group

05:55But guys who've been part of parts of winning teams elsewhere. You look at Brad Marchand coming in. He's got a ring

06:01He's got a lot of playoff experience

06:04Nico Sturm came in at the deadline. He's got a ring with Colorado a couple of years ago

06:08So this is this is battle test to the team is as you're going to find anywhere as deep a team as you're going to

06:14Find anywhere they're showing that the depth here is it's been tested a little bit lately with not only Matthew Kuchuk being out

06:21But Kulikov being out and obviously no Aaron Eckblad right now

06:24And you know, you've had Brad Marchand out of the lineup up until tonight

06:29so it's a it's as deep a team as battle test to the team as you're going to find anywhere and as we know when

06:36You get into the end of the playoffs not only to go through an 82 game grind

06:39But to go through with the Panthers hope is going to be another long run

06:43You need to be able to have that depth and those guys you can call on to fill spots as needed and this team has

06:49Had that and shown that so I guess like I said roundabout roundabout answer

06:53I don't have any any further update on Matthew Kuchuk than what's already out there

06:58Now I don't want to jump ahead of it as I saw a few articles that we're doing the same

07:03He hasn't even had a second on the ice yet as a Panther

07:07I want to be able to fully enjoy this but I'm already seeing reports and rumors of where Marchand's

07:13Next landing spot will be including a possible return to Boston

07:18is this strictly a

07:21Playoff rental for the Panthers or do you see a future in which Marchand could potentially spend more than one year as a Panther?

07:30You know, I personally am privy to nothing in terms of those conversations that goes far beyond the broadcast booth

07:37so I don't really have anything to offer you there, but

07:41You know Paul Maurice has said that you know, if if things

07:45Obviously any he was asked it during the the media availability in Boston that that first day that

07:51Brad Marchand skated with the Panthers and he said obviously, you know, there are all kinds of different factors at play and I'm paraphrasing

07:58But you know if if things work for everybody there obviously and it works for the team and it works forever

08:04They're they're obviously interested in you know, potentially anybody being a part of their their program down the road

08:10But you know as far as as far as next season

08:13I don't think anybody is you know, I maybe maybe in places like I said that I am NOT privy to maybe maybe those

08:20Chats have happened. I don't know but that's nothing. I don't think I don't think that's anything

08:24Anybody is really discussing right now

08:26The first order of business is to go out and have the best finish to the season

08:31They can have get everybody acclimated to be in a Florida Panther get Brad Marchand on the on the same page

08:37Which like I said, I don't think it's going to be a difficult transition at all and and have the best playoff run possible

08:43and I know that his objective is to come in and you know be a part of this team that has a chance to do

08:50It again and he wants to be involved in in a team that has a chance to win

08:54So the first objective is to come out finish the season strong and have the best playoff run they can have and you know

09:00Beyond that I'm you know, not trying to not try to dance around your question

09:04But I really really don't have any insight as far as that goes

09:07I'm sure those those conversations and everything will happen when they need to happen

09:12Doug how how awesome is it to be able to do the play-by-play for a team?

09:19That's competing for championships like this team has over the last few years. It has to be a blast, right?

09:26It absolutely is

09:28It's this team is and I'm not saying it just because I'm biased and I'm the voice of the Florida Panthers

09:35but it's it's a team that I think everybody across the hockey world and even casual sports fans who may not keep a

09:43Super watchful eye on hockey

09:45This Panthers team these last couple of years under Paul Maurice

09:48They've played a style of hockey that people want to watch that people find entertaining if their team isn't in it

09:54They are wanting to watch the Panthers and

09:57we feel the same way every single night to be able to go and watch this team play it's an absolute privilege to be

10:02able to be there for every step of the action and

10:05See the the passion and to see the growth in the team and everything they've gone through and everything they went through and route to

10:10Winning it last year and knowing that this team is very much right in its competitive window

10:16Not only good last year and this year, but will be good for a number of years to come

10:21It's it's a special thing and something that I know I don't take for granted

10:25And I hope that none of the Panthers fans out there take it for granted either

10:29I can tell they don't the buzz in the arena. We feel it every single night

10:33You don't get teams that are able to have sustained runs of success like this, you know, it doesn't happen every single day

10:40So I hope everybody's enjoying it and not only is it a talented group of players

10:44But just a group of guys that genuinely enjoys being around each other and a locker room that's full of great

10:51personalities really engaging

10:53Personalities anybody out there who's had a chance to you know bump into any guys from this Panthers team over the last couple of years

11:00I'm sure

11:01I'm sure they were just blown away with how personable and approachable these guys are it's a special group of players on and off the

11:06Ice and like I said, we're excited to be a part of it in a small way every single day

11:12Now tonight we face off against the Utah Hockey Club as you know, do you want to sell them on your name?

11:19Yeah, actually, I would love to know his opinion

11:25Doug be honest. Let the man decide. All right. It is a Utah Hockey Club

11:31Did they finally settle on the mammoth or is that in the final 3d?

11:38I'm not sure if that's been finalized. I've seen the same reports that you have. I know that's that's been out there

11:46And I know they had a lot of other different things kicked around a lot of other different rumors kicked around but I

11:53Think you know, honestly hockey club has been a good easy for me and it's it rolled off the tongue nicely

12:00But I know it's the the finalist is I believe the finalist is mammoth. I'm not sure. It's been officially

12:07I don't think it's been officially

12:10determined to be the name but

12:13I like it. I don't have an issue with it

12:15Mammoth is good. I know for a while. They were mulling over

12:19Yeti to I know the Utah yeti that I thought that was a cool one

12:23But hear me out Doug picture this right?

12:27No more. Okay. Are we are we throwing squids on on the fielder or I'm sorry on the ice and catfish

12:34That's disgusting. All right, we're at a new level

12:38professional fandom I'm

12:40Thinking everyone loves alliterations the Utah ukuleles we give everyone in the crowd ukuleles

12:47Someone scores a goal

12:49Whole arena just starts going crazy with ukuleles. Tell me that's not better than the hockey club

12:59You're trusting that like

13:0119,000 people in an arena every night are gonna know how to play that thing. Oh, yeah

13:05By the way, that is the sound that a ukulele makes apparently

13:10and and Doug

13:12You've been in enough arenas to notice if you give somebody a weapon and alcohol

13:19Somebody's gonna get swatted with a ukulele

13:26You're gonna be under siege you'll be finding them in the parking lot, you know, they're gonna be there

13:31There'll just be ukuleles all over. I I I think I say I prefer mammoth to Yeti

13:37My opinion doesn't matter on the subject. I prefer mammoth to Yeti. I would probably prefer

13:45Both over over ukuleles

13:52Thank you, he's been pushing this for a while Doug we needed somebody that wasn't us to tell him how

14:00Ridiculous, that sounds thank you. We're done

14:07Appreciate the effort though that you you the only other you you in sports that I can recall is who get Urbina

14:17Pretty sure the show cannot pronounce that

14:19You get you get Urbina. I'm doing my best. I'm doing my best Doug before we get you out of here

14:25I know you're an avid card collector if I'm not mistaken. I

14:31Do you have a Leroy hoard in your collection? We need to get you one if you don't

14:36Actually stumbled across one. I do I do and I'm gonna have to get him to autograph it the next time I see him

14:43I thought we had this conversation and I said absolutely

14:48No problem. Yes

14:50The next time we are near the arena. I will bring you a couple of cards. Oh

14:57Yeah, I stumbled across one. I was a I was a big big 90s football card collector and

15:04And so I definitely have some Leroy hoard at home

15:08Well, Doug, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to entertain

15:13This group of rascals here. I appreciate it Doug

15:18And man go cats, baby

15:20Well, thanks for having me happy to jump on any time and look forward to talking to you guys down the road

15:25Thanks so much. All right

15:28Doug Blake a voice of the Panthers

15:33Doug is new to the show. He's only been on a couple of times

15:37And let me let me tell you a couple of things. Yes

15:40He was way too nice for this show

15:49Here he treated Marcos like the girl you wanted to break up with but you didn't want to be on bad terms and

15:56Sometimes you got to let people know right away

16:00So they don't think that there's still a chance, right?

16:03He should have just came. He should have came up jumped off the top rope on rope on you, man

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