Michael Russo State Fair 2024 - Hour 1 - Dylan Loucks, Bruce Boudreau

·50 min·5 clips

Michael Russo kicks off the final State Fair show, revealing Bruce Boudreau will join after a years-long tradition started with 'Brusso Radio'.

The episode opens with Michael Russo introducing the final State Fair show tradition, which began years ago with Bruce Boudreau as 'Brusso Radio'. He previews guests including Boudreau, Dylan Loucks, and Stéphane Veilleux. Russo mentions a story in The Athletic about Veilleux's car accident that broke his C1 vertebrae, putting his coaching career at risk. Dylan Loucks joins first, discussing his summer and beating his dad in golf for the first time. Loucks, who covers the Gophers and Wild for Hockey News, analyzes the Gophers' prospects for the season, highlighting transfers like Matthew Wood and Liam Soulier. He praises the team's defensive depth with players like Cal Thomas and Ryan Chesley. The conversation shifts to the NCAA transfer portal, with Loucks critiquing its use for player mobility, citing examples like Isaac Howard and Charlie Strammel. They discuss Zeev Buium, a Wild prospect who won a national championship with Denver, and his potential to turn pro. Loucks also evaluates Brock Faber's $8.5 million contract and his two-way play. Russo and Loucks review the Wild's offseason, including the failed attempt to trade for Patrick Laine, who declined to waive his no-trade clause. Bruce Boudreau joins by phone while driving to Toronto, sharing stories about his mother and his coaching career. He reflects on the tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, noting the hockey world's response. Boudreau analyzes Alex Ovechkin's chase of Wayne Gretzky's goal record, predicting a bounce-back season. He assesses the Washington Capitals' offseason moves, including the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, and the Nashville Predators' aggressive signings like Steven Stamkos. Boudreau shares his favorite players to coach, such as Jared Spurgeon and Charlie Coyle, and discusses the Wild's playoff chances. The episode concludes with Russo recalling Boudreau's dislike of cheese and teasing upcoming segments.

As heard by us

A State Fair Wild discussion where scoring-depth questions share space with Bruce Boudreau's cheese-free routine.

Michael Russo's State Fair broadcast blends a familiar fair tradition with a clear look at the Wild's scoring depth. Dylan and Russo work through why the team did not add top-six help after an injury-heavy season, then connect that decision to Kaprizov's Vegas-series struggles…

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Why you'd press play

Want Wild roster debate with Bruce Boudreau in the State Fair mix, plus a no-cheese Bruce story?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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