32 Thoughts: The Podcast - Torts Out.

Episode Date: March 28, 2025

In this edition of 32 Thoughts, Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman (live from the airport in Winnipeg) begin by unpacking John Tortorella's exit as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. Elliotte touches on the speculation that's arisen in Vancouver about Rick Tocchet potentially taking the Flyers job this summer (18:56). They transition to Sidney Crosby and his 20th straight year at a point per game or more (22:15). Elliotte touches on what he's been doing while visiting the Oilers and Jets (25:40). The fellas touch on Brad Marchand nearing his Panthers debut (37:14). They also talk about the pair of college free agents the Maple Leafs lured to Toronto (38:19). Kyle and Elliotte talk about the respect shown by Ovechkin and the Capitals to Marc-Andre Fleury on Thursday night (43:01). The Final Thought focuses on goalie interference (51:20). Kyle and Elliotte answer your questions and respond to your voicemails in the Thought Line (1:06:17).Email the podcast at [e-mail] or call the Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemail.This podcast was produced and mixed by Dominic Sramaty and hosted by Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates

In talking to people around the league today, there's someone taking a picture of me right now actually, in talking to people around the league today, no worries, I'm totally good. I know I'm in Winnipeg, I know they love the jet. Hi Teresa, nice to meet you, nice to meet you, no worries at all. Thanks very much for keeping me informed. Does Teresa have a submission for the Thoughtline?

Thank you. Take care, Therese. Welcome to another edition of 32 Thoughts, the podcast presented by the GMC Sierra AT4X. And Elliot, before we get started in earnest, I first have an announcement to make. Okay, what's that? I just wanted to share with everybody that I've made the decision my final 32 thoughts podcast episode will come in the year 2054. Who are you, Jim Nance? Yes.

I think it just would be a natural way to go out. I discussed this with my family and that seems like the best time to say goodbye. So Plenty of time to do the victory lap. Where are you right now, by the way? So I am in the Winnipeg airport You know those of you who have heard this question about the pod before know we do the the pod in two stages we do the thought line in the final segment in the afternoon and we try to do the new segment, this part of the pod, as late as possible. Well, I was supposed to leave Winnipeg. I was supposed to be on a plane from Winnipeg to Toronto now, but

there was some snow here this afternoon and we are now not scheduled to land in Toronto until 1 a.m. So I know Kyle needs his beauty sleep and I know Dom needs his edit time so we are doing this live from the Winnipeg Airport so we can get it done and turned around at a reasonable hour for our listeners and just so everyone knows I am sitting here in an open era in the departure area right by the bathrooms because it's the quietest place I could get to. There was a completely open space by gate five there was like nobody there and then literally I sat down and got myself set up and over the loudspeaker came, ladies and gentlemen, there's been a gate change for Vancouver now departing from gate five.

I was like, oh my God. They're sitting there in the security room watching the video going, oh, look at him. Now he's going over there. Well, all right. Flight to Fort Mac, now you're Gate 7. They're going to announce the next flight's taken off from next to the bathrooms, I'm going to have to leave here. Yes, exactly. Just playing a joke, they're moving me around the airport.

They're just watching where you go. It is like Rat Race, Elliot Friedman style. They're toying with you here now, that is outstanding. Any, uh, any weird looks yet from travelers? This might not surprise you, but I get weird looks all the time. I was gonna say, that has nothing to do with the fact you're sitting alone in an airport right now. That's right. Trying to find the quietest, the quietest spot. Oh boy.

Place that guy sitting in the corner with a microphone. Yes, I wonder who he's talking to. Nobody of interest. Alright, I guess we should get started. As John Buchagross would want us to do. Okay, Elliot, the big news on Thursday. John Tortorella out as head coach of the Flyers. Now, what's interesting here, I'd just like to start, because when you put the news out on Thursday, John Tortorella out as head coach of the Flyers. Now, what's interesting here, I'd just like to start,

because when you put the news out on Thursday morning, you had said that John Tortorella was stepping down, and the team put out was a little bit different. I mean, can you clarify some things here? Yeah, I would go with what the team said, and the reason is, it was kind of a weird situation. I got the tip. So one of the things we're doing in Winnipeg was we were riding to practice this morning with Cole Profetti in his truck He we were driving with all and I literally got the call about five minutes out of

his house and I'm trying to confirm it before I have to get into Profetti's car because I don't really want to be working on it while I'm in the car with Profetti and so I was able to get it confirmed and the information I had at that time was that was the safest way to go with it because the flyers hadn't announced it yet right so I did it that. And then the flyer said he was fired. And I just say go with that. I think that's just the best way to do it. And I retweeted the flyers announcement. So I would say that I think there was a lot that happened. Like

Danny Breyer and his media conference said it wasn't just about the comments after the game in Toronto on Tuesday night but I think that really forced things to ahead. I think that the when I got it confirmed I think there was some deference to the way the Flyers were going to announce it so I think that that led to my confusion. I would say that. I would believe what the Flyers said. Okay so as Breir said in his press conference before the game Thursday night against Montreal, as you say that it was something where don't look at it as something where this was just because of Tortorello's comments on Tuesday night that I'm not really interested in learning how to coach in

this type of season where we're at right now. Part of me listening to that though and then seeing what happened on Thursday I thought a little bit about Paul Maurice when he stepped away from Winnipeg and he feeling that I mean a different set of circumstances of course he was there for longer the experience success there with Maurice and the Jets, but that feeling of I push this team as much as I could push it and where they're headed next, it's just not for me with where I am at right now. Is there any part of that you thought with Tortorella, is this kind of ultimately fell apart or was this difference between what the coach believed, the

direction that should be headed versus management, how did we arrive at this point? Well, so let's kind of go back. I think there were a lot of people that believed that this was going to be John Tortorella's last year coaching in Philadelphia. That even though he had another year after this one, there was definitely a belief around the league that this would be the end of his coaching time there and he would move into a role in the front office. Now it was denied to me in a couple of places on Thursday that that decision had already been made.

I had heard rumors that that had been the case, but that was denied to me and had already been made. However, I think there were a lot of people who thought and a lot of people who would know who thought that that was the likeliest scenario. Now, Breyer and his media conference mentioned the trade deadline and that also lines up with something else that I heard was that when you look at Philly in the deadline, you know, they traded Eric Johnson, but the big one is they traded Lawton for futures, a first round pick and Grybyankin, who I think will play in the NHL and I think will be a perfect flyer, but he's not going to help them right now. And I heard that after the deadline, when the flyers basically said, okay, not this

season, I heard that was really hard on Tortorella that the kind of relationship I think really began to start to move sideways then they were struggling heading into Thursday's game it wasn't going well for them at all Kyle and it was I just think it was getting harder and harder and they get pummeled in Toronto and initially, now I wasn't there in Toronto, I was in Edmonton going to Winnipeg but initially when I heard those quotes Kyle, that was Tortorello trying to deflect from the players like he was like, oh this stunk, it's the biggest stage in the league I don't want my players to wear it all. So I thought it was kind of him trying to put the spotlight on himself so the players didn't have to eat

it all. That was my first reaction. But then the next day I started to hear some rumors on Wednesday that those comments weren't being well received both in the dressing room and in the front office and I think there were some pretty tough conversations and Ultimately the decision was made on Thursday morning to make the change But you know briere made a point of saying that wasn't the reason but I do think that made a point of saying that wasn't the reason, but I do think that it was the whip cream on the Sunday. It was the end and it forced Philadelphia to make the decision. And I'll

say this, like, you know, I thought there was something Breyer said that was really interesting in that media conference. He talked about how, like, these games are still important. Like, there's players here fighting for NHL jobs. There are players fighting for contracts and you know, look like the Bruins right now. Like they are just crawling to the finish line. Like they look like a team that is just said our year is over and Philly was doing it the same way. and Philly was doing it the same way. I think though that it's something on another level when your coach comes out and says it like that, Kyle,

and I think it really bothered both the players and the organization and it forced everything to a head. Do you think this could be it for John? Do you have any inkling that he's still got a drive to coach or too soon? You know what? It's funny you say this because I was having this conversation with a few people on Thursday when I had time. So this year, there was some anniversary for Tortorello this year.

I think it was the 25th anniversary of him getting hired in Tampa Bay or Something like that and you know I spoke to him about it, and he kind of laughed He said he didn't realize it that it had been 25 years, and he said at that point in time That I still want to do it longer now like I said I think it ran its course in Philly and I didn't know that I was expecting him to return the bench next year. But what a couple guys were saying to me today is, there are gonna be teams, like they said, you hired John Tortorella for two reasons.

Either you're a mess and you're bringing him in there to clean it up, because he's good at that. Or B, you think you're close and you need someone to push you over the edge and if you look around the league there are going to be teams in those situations, maybe not this summer but there's been teams that have hired him during the season. What was like he's going to be 67 I think this summer. What was said to me was whether it's the end or not, it's not the last time he's going to be considered. Like there are going to be teams sitting down and saying we need a change and we should

look into this. The one thing I do wonder now though is I wonder if your team has to be a little bit older. I don't know that younger players are built for this anymore just the way the world is but if you maybe have a bit more of a mature team that needs to be cleaned up, I think he's gonna get looked at. And it's funny you mentioned that because the whole crux of this season, so much of it was geared towards bringing in Matvey Mishkov and that dynamic and we saw moments of brilliance from Mishkov and the irony of course that he opens the scoring less than two minutes in Thursday night here against Montreal

But we also saw him scratched. We've seen him benched by Tortorello this year There was the arguments that were very much viewable from the bench at times during the games. I wonder as Time goes on will this season have been an important one for the player to be coached by that type of personality? Or will it have been more angst than growth? You hope it's growth, but I think it's growing. I do. I do. I do. I do. You know, Matvei Mischoff was coming over to a completely, like, for lack of a better word, foreign place for him. Different part of the world, different way of playing hockey. In the long run, he should be better off for this. I think all of those players

will. I just think, like, you know, so when I was younger, I can't remember which NBA player said this to me once, but he said like, there are some people out there who are like yogurt. They have an expiration date. A player can play for you for so long, and then it's like the yogurt goes bad, and the player has to go somewhere else. Or a coach can coach for you for so long but then the yogurt goes bad and the yogurt has to go somewhere else. The yogurt expiry date arrived in Philadelphia for Tortorella. And I'm not trying to make fun of anybody here. It's just a hilarious anecdote I'd like to share. Some people come with expiration dates. It happened here, it's time and I don't

think it's necessarily over. I saw people saying it's over for him, he's never going to get another opportunity. That may end up being the case but it's not because people won't consider it. Yogurt? Yogurt? I hate yogurt. Even with strawberries. Good reference. Before we move on, anything else you want to hit on Philadelphia with what's gone on

there? Well, a couple of things. Number one, there was a unique situation in the game with Cam York where he didn't play. It sounds like that was disciplinary. Team rules violation. We'll see. I don't have any inclination. That's going to be a long-term thing, but that's what that was, I hear.

I also want to mention Bradshaw. Bradshaw has been close to getting jobs before. He's been an interim before. He's a great teacher. I would love to see Brad Shaw get a chance and I'm glad it started well for him personally. You know he has really been eager to show that he can do this. And so I wish him the best. I've always liked my dealings with him. So Philly gets a big win in Shaw's debut. Interesting situation there. Cam York.

Was he dressed but he didn't play. He sat on the bench and for a while there actually someone texted me because I was flying during the game But someone texted me and said he didn't even have a stick For a time being but eventually they they gave him one and we heard during the game It might be disciplinary for like a violation of a team rule and Bradshaw confirmed that postgame. He said, yes, it was a violation of a team rule and he is expected to play on Saturday against the Sabres. Now, I hadn't had a chance to talk to anybody there because I was

traveling, but I had a text exchange with someone and we were talking about this New York situation and he said, I absolutely support a team standing up for rules, particularly at the end of a rough year like it's been for Philadelphia. It is easy for discipline to slide. And look, I'm not saying York is a bad guy or anything like that. But obviously, this was something here that the flyers thought was important. But what this guy said to me, and he's an executive is it is really important in these situations that you don't allow like chaos to break out in your organization.

You have to show that there are standards and rules that you live up to. And that's part of the reason the flyers made this coaching change, because they're like, there's a standard and an expectation of the way you're going to do their job, of your way you're going to do your job. So he wasn't surprised when he heard that a team rule was broken. The flyers felt they had to discipline York. But on another level, what we were talking about was post deadline, Kyle, teams get four call-ups. Philly has used them all. So they had to play York. They didn't have another defenseman

available to them. And that's not a situation where you can go into emergency. The league's not going to say, oh, okay, you've used up your four. In this situation, you can call up someone. That's not gonna happen. So they had to play them. And what this other guy was saying was, it was a tough one for the Flyers because you're sitting there and you're saying,

okay, the other five guys have to play more. And while I'm sure on some level, they're probably, hey, I'm happy to get all this extra time. You're worried, okay, what if someone gets hurt or what if some sort of fatigue related thing happens? Said it was a really tough one for him to watch because on one hand he says, you absolutely have to keep your standards.

But on the other hand, you're potentially punishing those other five D. Really tough spot. Really tough spot for a team to be in. But I think that the coaching change with Tortorella and this move with York, it says to me the Flyers are saying, hey, we've lost 11 of 12, but that doesn't mean everybody can just do whatever they want or not be committed. And this whole day for Philadelphia was almost

as if it was about we're putting the reins back on our team and saying there's a way you're going to have to be if you're going to be a flyer. There's a lot of people in Vancouver and there were a lot of noise on social about Rick Tocket and the way I look at the Rick talk it situation is this first of all I think this is gonna make him insane you know he can't control what we talk about he can't control what happens on social media sports radio like everywhere the talking heads there's nothing he can do, what I know is that he would hate the idea that anyone thinks he's got one foot in Philadelphia while he's trying to coach the Vancouver Canucks to a playoff berth.

Like this Canuck team, they are grinding and scratching and fighting their way. You know, all the injuries, all the distractions, you look at the way they played this week, Demko showing back up, Hughes still playing unbelievable, and it would really bother Tocket to have his name thrown around in this. Whether or not it happens at the end of the year, the way Tocket thinks is that's the end of the year, that's not now. Now is for trying to get Vancouver in. You know, I think this, if it doesn't work out with Vancouver, yes, he rockets to the top of the contenders for that job. But if I know Tauke a bit, and I know him a bit, it it's gonna make him crazy that people are linking in with Philadelphia now.

But that's the nature of the beast. He can't avoid it. And one other Philly note, Cornell upset Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Michigan State with the number two seed. They got knocked out by Cornell on a goal in the last 10 seconds. We've been saying that a free agent at Michigan State was the number two seed. They got knocked out by Cornell on a goal in the last 10 seconds. We've been saying that a free agent at Michigan State, Carson Dorwart, I think he's gonna end up in Philly

and now obviously they can sign him at any time. And while we're doing this, and I'm right here, I wanted to wish good luck to all the players competing in the upcoming CHL playoffs, which start soon too and eventually ending in the Memorial Cup. There's some good players out there who could be on NHL teams sooner rather than later. And you know, the NCAA tournament started off with a huge upset and good luck to all the players in the CHL playoffs as well. Yes.

And how about the Cole Hudson empty netter Thursday as well? I'm glad you mentioned that. Somebody was watching said to me, if you go look at it, he scores an empty netter three on six. Now he doesn't beat all six guys, but he beats a few of them and he works to do it. Washington looks like they found another good one there. Yes, not a lot of empty net goals are worth seeing second and third times but that was one of them. That's a good one. For the BU defensemen and yes Washington will see when their season wraps up,

BU I mean, what that means for Cole Hudson and the Capitals. Okay. Ryan Leonard. They're gonna have enough room to sign Ryan Leonard. Yes, yes, yes. All right. Sidney Crosby, Elliott. Speaking of expiry, you have a good line. You said you had a good line. What did you say? Well, yes. He doesn't expire is what we've come to realize here with 87. 20 years he's been in the league 20 years and it's official as of Thursday finding the score sheet against Buffalo though it hasn't been a good night otherwise for the Penguins but it's official it will be 20 straight years where he is a point per game or more which passes Wayne Gretzky for most all-time. Just Gretzky records going

down left right and center here of late with Ovechkin nearing in and now Crosby here for points per games in a season. 20 times he has done that now. Any thoughts on a player that we wondered would miss some time after Four Nations to say nothing of whether or not he was going to even play come that tournament. He hasn't missed any time coming out of his time with Team Canada and continues to produce, albeit on a team that otherwise has had a difficult year. The respect is just enormous for him. The Four Nations, the way the other players talked about him, the other Canadians. So as we mentioned, I'm in Winnipeg.

One of the guys I talked to today was Josh Morrissey. And Morrissey obviously played for Team Canada there. And I thought he made a really incredible point about Crosby. He said that there's a whole new group of players who never played with Sid before because there had been no best on best and they got the opportunity to play with him. And he said what it created was a whole new legion of Crosby fanboys among players. Like obviously they saw him and they respect him, but the guys in that room who saw him on a day to day basis, he says they're all going back to their teams and talking about how incredible it was to

play with him for a week and a half. And it's everything from the way he treats people to the way he takes care of himself, to his attitude, always positive, relax, we're going to work it out. Like everything about him, you know, all these players are telling all their teammates about. And I think that that is such a compliment. There's two ways people can talk up themselves. You can either talk, do it yourself, or you can have other people do it. And what Morrissey was saying, and I haven't only heard it from him, I've heard it from other players too, is that there's a whole new group of players talking great

about Crosby, not what he does on the ice, but what he does off it because of what they saw at Four Nations. So I guess I can't be surprised that he's done it for 20 years because he's aces at everything he does. Yeah, just unbelievable. Maybe he should put on the goalie pads. Yes, at this rate, yeah. Maybe the back half of his career now, the next 20 years, he can play goal and break a bunch of records en route that way too with the way he's going. Not your worst idea. So yes, heck of an accomplishment for Sid and as you mentioned you are in Winnipeg still, you were in Edmonton earlier this week. What

have you been up to these last few days in those two cities? So we've been taping some playoff previews. We did some stuff with the Oilers first and the Jets over the last couple of days. And well let's start with the Jets first because I'm here and they're having a great season. I wasn't able to be here in time. I left Edmonton Tuesday night but wasn't able to be here in time for the Capitals game that night. I watched it on my phone and you know talking to the Jets coaches and then the players they love that game against Washington because two top teams in the NHL and even though they're not South

Least division rivals anymore that no longer exists there was a time they were big rivals you could tell like the the Jets players said that you could tell for two teams that really don't have a rivalry anymore they loved that game on the schedule like sometimes you know late in the year you know you're playing a team from the other conference it doesn't have a lot of zip to it but that one did like Scott Arneal called it a 10 round bout teams going back at each other back and forth back and forth. You know, Ovechkin scored.

Ehlers won it in overtime. It was a great game. You could tell the Jets players just loved the challenge of that game in the season. And, you know, there was some really interesting stuff that was said to me here. there was some really interesting stuff that was said to me here. You know, I'll say this, that Mark Chipman, the owner of the Jets, gave as great an endorsement of a general manager, as I've ever heard, to Kevin Sheveldayov here. Like, I leave here thinking that Kevin Sheveldayov is maybe the most secure general manager in the NHL. And, you know, I've said before that Sheveldayoff and I haven't always seen eye to eye on things, but I think I have a lot of respect for the job he does considering some of the limitations

he has to deal with, including the pool of players available to him. Like I'll tell you that, you know, I told some people I was going to be doing an interview with Sheveldayoff, so I was asking some of his peers about him, and they said that there have been some situations, and one of the ones the guys that mentioned was a majority, because they had made sure when they drafted a majority, would there be an issue, and eventually there was one where they didn't see it coming and one guy said to me like if I was if that was me and I would have been like robbing old ladies and Sheveldeoff is like okay bothers me for a day and then we move on and when I asked Sheveldeoff about it he just said like look like you can talk

about Rutger McGroarty I talk about Braden Jaeger and you know we might not have had a chance to get a player like him but now we've got him and I think that's the way you have to look you can always look at life as what I don't have or what I do have and he chooses to look at it what he does have and I know that the Jets had a really disappointing end to last season, but they've got a good core. And they've really, the other thing that was very clear to me is they took their exit meetings last year very seriously, a lot of conversations about, how can I make myself 1% better?

How can I make myself 5% better? How can I make myself 10% better? And all the teams go with it. And we'll see what happens. The playoffs haven't started yet. But the one thing that really stood up to me was that a lot of the players talked about, don't get too high with the highs.

Don't get too low with the lows. This has been a big year for them. They've done extremely well. You know, they've got to hold off Dallas and finish first in their division. But the thing that really stands out to me is that they were saying today that even in some of their highest moments this year, they were like, don't lose, don't fall in love with yourselves. I think it was Shifely who said that one of the things he told Cole Perfetti was, it's something along the lines of, it's never as good as you think it is and it's never as bad as you think it is. And you'll remember that one of the things that happened last year was they panicked

and they panicked and they fell apart against Colorado. And I think that's what this is all about. Like you can lose to Colorado in the playoffs, that happens, but they were embarrassed about the way they lost last year. And this whole year has been about not only did we lose, but we panicked. How do we prevent ourselves from falling apart in that way in the playoffs this year? By getting a better hold of our emotions and being better at what we do. And you know, we'll see how it all goes, but it was really interesting to me, And both those angles, like how much they back their general manager as an organization,

and number two, how everybody said, our off-season task is to get 1% or 5% or 10% better so that next year in the post-season, this doesn't happen to us again. They're really fascinating conversations. Meanwhile in Edmonton, one of the interviews I did there was Trent Frederick. What is the dumbest question you think I could ask Trent Frederick? See, you hinted towards me before we started recording that something like this was coming. And then cast such a wide net as I'm trying to think what could you have possibly asked him that could fit this category?

Like, did you ask him if he was familiar with the Kachuk brothers? Did you ask him if he knew who the Boston Bruins were? Like how bad was this question? It's, like for me, it is right on brand for me. Because I get tunnel vision on something like interviewing Trent Frederick and forget the obvious, right? Okay. Like people will hear this and they will say, you're an idiot, but I can see you doing that. So you didn't get it right. I don't think that I don't think it was quite that bad, but it's dumb.

Like when you hear it, you'll be like, how could you have asked him that? Okay, so you're gonna tell us? Yeah. Yeah, I said, I said to him, are you wearing number 11 here? And he looked at me and he goes, Messier. I said to him, are you wearing number 11 here? And he looked at me and he goes, Messier. Oh, oh man. I totally, I will let you off the hook there because that's an honest one where the blinders go on and I can see that happening.

I can see myself being in the same scenario. Well, that's very nice, but I don't think you're as dumb as I am see that happening. I can see myself being in the same scenario. Well, that's very nice, but I don't think you're as dumb as I am in this case. I don't think you would have done that. So what I was thinking was he's talking about how exciting he is to play in Edmonton. Obviously, he hasn't played yet. And so I'm just like I'm formulating the question in my mind, like, okay, like, what's it going to be like you throw on that number 11 you go out for the first time in Edmonton as a member of the Oilers, but I'm thinking who on the current rosters wearing 11

I don't think anybody on the current rosters wearing 11, which they're not So I said I said you wearing 11. Why it looks it He looks at me that goes mark messier like who is this idiot? I'm talking to Anyway he goes, uh, Mark Messier, like, who is this idiot I'm talking to? Um, anyway, uh, so we taped some other stuff. Uh, dry saddle was good as he always is. He was really good, but some of those guys were really good. I mean, uh, we did something with Jake Wallman. Uh, we did something with, uh, with nurse Hyman Frederick who obviously

hasn't played yet, but will be there for the playoffs. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility. We could see potentially dry saddle Saturday night. We'll see McDavid obviously a little bit longer. You know, the one thing I really think is all these injuries for Edmonton. I think this is going to be the best thing for the Oilers. There's nothing wrong with getting dry side a little bit of

rest and McDavid a lot of rest. And yes, I know they lost to Dallas on Wednesday. They had an ugly one in Seattle on Thursday. This is not their team and Skinner Chris Knobloch said before the game on Thursday that Skinner's day-to-day which is good news because that didn't look good the other night with Rantanen and you never want to see anybody suffer concussions or head injuries of any kind so I was glad to hear that I know there's angst about the Oilers right now.

I don't think that this is a team that is overly worried about where it finishes. Obviously you'd like to get the home ice advantage in the first round against LA. But I'm looking at this right now and as long as everybody's healthy, I'm not in panic mode about the Oilers yet. I'll say this about the Oilers too, like one thing about them, like guys who come to Edmonton, Wallman said it, Frederick said it, the thing that was interesting to me, Kyle, was that they talked about it's really run by the players, that team. Like obviously there's a GM, there's a president of hockey ops, there's a coach, and it isn't always a democracy, you know, you have to make decisions. But in the room, a lot of the day to day stuff is really run by the

players. Veteran team, led by McDavid and Dreisaitl, all they care about is winning, everybody else falls into line. That's what a lot of the guys who come to the team say like the players have a big say in the room, they run the room and the reason they have a big say is they run the room the right way. We're here to win, we only care about winning, everything you do has to be about winning. Most of the guys fall in line and the ones that don't, they don't play or they're out Hmm because I was curious to what your feeling was around the group. It's felt like a year-long Healing process for that team after what happened last June

What's your sense of them now on the cusp of the playoffs? It's a great question I can't remember who said it, but one of them kind of said it's like You you forget how long it takes to get back there. Like even to start to get back there, like the season is so long that even to get back there to begin it. But it was very clear to me that everything they do is about peaking at the right time of year. And I didn't, like I think they'd love to have first round home ice advantage against LA. Nobody came right out and said

it Kyle, but it didn't strike me as they felt it was a thousand percent necessary. Hmm. Interesting. Well, I mean, they've got through them three times already so It's not the biggest surprise that that's not top of their list right now Considering what the ultimate goal is. Okay, Brad Marchand speaking of Trent Frederick another ex Bruin Looks like we could be on the cusp of seeing his debut in Florida Panthers colors It's still bizarre just to think about and visualize and see him on the ice. There was the stall, there's the practice jersey,

there's the hat for the press conference, but the uniform, that's gonna be nuts. Yes. Seeing him in that uniform. So Friday looks like it could be the day. Paul Marie's saying we'll see how he feels after their skate on Friday. He practiced on a line with Bennett and Samuskevich on Thursday.

The only thing that could make it more annoying is it being Kachak instead of Samuskevich. I like that Samuskevich. He's a good player. Yeah, he's had a good year. Yeah, really good player. That's going to be a pain. Those Utah guys, they've gotta be sitting there saying, oh great, he's making his debut against us.

He's gonna be off the charts, erasable in that game. Yes, yeah, exactly. So that's something to keep an eye on. Another thing too, Elliot, so over the last week, the Maple Leafs have signed a couple of free agents out of college. First it was John Prokop, the defenseman out of Union College, and then just a couple of days ago a name that you had talked about a few times the last little while, Luke Haymes

from Dartmouth, he signs with Toronto as well, and their cap hits is of interest. So the max AAV that a team can sign a player when they're on their entry level is 975 thousand dollars, but they both come in for next year for next year because because people are gonna say well It's not that I'm not sure it's that this year, but the key number is for next year 975 right but for the two of, their actual contracts come in under that number. So explain why this could be of interest for the Maple Leafs, the players of course, and Leaf fans. Well, this isn't the first time the Maple Leafs have done this. Brandon Pridham, who does their cap negotiations, he has done this before and someone pointed out to me that it happened again.

If you look at the salary cap, there is, or the CBA, there's Article 50 and there's a rule in there. It's called the roster emergency exception. And basically what it means is is that a team can recall a player from the AHL without counting their cap hit in an emergency if the players cap hit is at least a hundred thousand dollars below the rookie maximum. So next year's rookie maximum is 975. So if the Maple Leafs are at the cap, and it happens a lot to all these teams, and suddenly they find themselves in an emergency situation, both Haynes and Procop can be called up without their cap hit counting, because they're $100,000 below the cap.

That's why it was done that way. And the players were, like one of the things the Maple Leafs sell is they say, hey, next year in the AHL, if we get into an emergency cap situation, it increases the chances of you being called up because you are under this number and that's why those players were convinced to do it. Now someone also said to me if you take a look at the PTOs, they both signed PTOs for this year, they also get paid to play under those PTOs so you make up some of that money by playing this year. But that's the reason I believe that those two players agreed to it.

Because it gives them a better chance of being called up if they're in a cap squeeze. And you know, it's smart, like, because that's one of the things I do. I look at these situations and say, okay, what kind of bonus packages do these guys get? And they were told you can get the bonuses if you want it but it might mean you don't get called up as easy and I think the players bought into that plus the money they get as part of their PTO so I thought that was pretty interesting I like when teams do that

kind of thing I heard in Haymes case in particular, the Maple Leafs said to him, like, we're gonna need young centers on this team. There is going to be roles for young centers on this team. And they really sold them. Like I heard Tampa Bay went after this guy pretty hard. On Monday morning, Tampa Bay signed a kid named Cooper Flinton, who played with Haymes at Dartmouth and I had someone text me in the morning that Tampa's going for two-thirds of that line, Flinton and Haymes. And I think Toronto really sold them on, there's an opening for a 3C potentially

in this team and we're going to give you a chance to get it. So that's how that one all worked. I've also heard Toronto isn't done in the college free agent market. I think there's more coming, but I thought it was really interesting when I heard that story about why their cap hits were that number, because it made it easier for them to be recalled if the Maple Leafs get into real cap trouble. Yes, and then actually get to see paychecks reflective of that NHL cap hit as opposed to what you're getting in the American League and to your point with Fraser Minton no longer part of the equation going the other way as

part of the Brandon Carlo trade. Opportunity down the middle for a young centerman in the Toronto organization. Okay Kyle speaking to you now from the future, kind of, as we try to piece together this episode on a night where Elliot is making his way home on a late flight from Winnipeg. So we talked about Crosby earlier, now we have to talk about Marc-Andre Fleury and Alex Ovechkin and one of the neat visuals, maybe one of the coolest scenes of all season to this point on Thursday night. So Flurry didn't play against Washington. He backed up Philip Gustafson. The wild win 4-2. It's the last time these

teams mate in the regular season. Ovechkin calls his team back out onto the ice. Some of the players had gone down to the tunnel already because they had lost, the game was over, the final horn had gone, but he brought everybody back out to make sure each player, the coaching staff as well, would shake Marc-Andre Fleury's hand, knowing that this season, we anticipate, will be his last in the National Hockey League.

You know, 28 of Ovechkin's 889 career goals have come against Flurry. It's his most versus any other goalie. They have faced each other 47 times in the regular season, and of course there were all those playoff clashes as well, Pittsburgh and Washington. Also too, 2018, Flurry was the goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights. And Elliot, you'll remember game five in warmups, that was the night that the Capitals would go on to win the Stanley Cup. But in warmups that game, Ovechkin and Flurry exchanged wax at the red line and it was not

playful. I mean, these were two main characters of one of the best rivalries in hockey for almost an entire generation of fans. Because of that, big chunks of their careers have been intertwined. And I'm sure there were plenty of moments, especially in those early days, where neither of those two players would have even wanted to consider the thought of having to shake the other guy's hands. But for Ovechkin to take the onus there on Thursday night, not only for himself, but for the entire team, to me it is everything. It comes full circle.

It is everything that is great about sport and competition. What did you think watching all that, Elliot? First of all, Kyle, you have a great memory. I completely forgot about that exchange at Center Ice in 2018. These two guys, Florian Ovechkin, have done so much incredible stuff in their career that you forget a ton of it or you forget some notable things. I completely forgot about that until you mentioned it. Great memory. There are things we remember in our careers that we covered or we saw and one of the things that I will always remember because it was one

of the great moments of my career was their 2009 playoff series, Pittsburgh, Washington, second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and that was the seven gamer and You'll remember in game two there were the dueling hat tricks Crosby hat trick or Vejkin hat trick David Stechel won that game The Capitals were up to nothing in the series that series had three games go to overtime The other thing I remember was after game four Pittsburgh won that they even the series at two a piece. We took a bus from Pittsburgh to Washington after game four

because game five was the next day. It is extremely rare. I can't remember it ever happening elsewhere. Off the top of my head, where there was a game one day in one city of a playoff series and another game the next day in the next city. But because of the schedule games four and five were back to back. The first one in Pittsburgh, the second one in Washington, and we had to take a bus. It was a fun trip. We were exhausted the next morning. But

it was a fun trip to take that bus ride with the crew to get ready for game number five of a great series. The Penguins win game five and overtime. And then then game six that was also a unique thing because at CBC hockey night we had the rights at the time we had six of the seven games of that series but game six was the one that was on TSN. I can't remember what happened. I don't remember why it happened. I just know it almost never happened that we didn't do a full series. This

was one of those games. And I remember all of us thinking as we went home, how disappointing it was that we may not cover the clinching game of this series because it had been such great hockey and we loved every second of it and Crosby scored late in regulation to send game six to overtime and Stechel won it so we were all excited that we had a game seven. Game seven was in Washington and I remember too I was standing in the Zamboni area that's where I watched the games from in Washington and that meant that you two out of the three

periods the first and the third you were standing by the net the Capitals shot at So everyone will remember one of the biggest saves of Fleury's career I think you have to say the biggest one was on Lidstrom later those playoffs the one that Lidstrom couldn't believe he stopped but The other one was this one and Ovechkin comes in on the breakaway and Fleury admitted later that he'd watched a highlight package on the Jumbotron that showed Ovechkin scoring on a breakaway. And it was the same move he tried on Fleury here. So Fleury was at least prepared for the possibility of that move and he made the save. And I always remember the noise as Ovi came in.

Like everyone thought he was gonna score. The anticipation that he was gonna score was there. There was nobody who believed he was gonna get stopped. I don't even think the Penguins thought he was going to get stopped, but Fleury made the save and then they took over that game. Sidney Crosby and Craig Adams score eight seconds apart. The Penguins blow them out six to two and they're off and running. Now, I think at the time you kind of look at it and you say, I think at the time you kind of look at it and you say, think it's like the butterfly effect right? Like what happens if he doesn't make the save? Do the penguins become the penguins dynasty? And I think with history you say yes. I mean they were just too good. Malkin, Crosby, Flurry, everybody they had. I think they would have won anyway, but it sent the Capitals, like it was obviously nine

years until the Capitals won. And there were all these questions about would they ever win? Would Ovechkin be a winner? And I think that one of the reasons I think Ovechkin is so gracious to Flurry is that he's won, right? Like there's no more questions about whether or not he can win and it takes a huge burden off your shoulders and it changes your legacy. But it's amazing in that moment there was so much on the line and now we're 16 years later and they've both turned out to be winners, big-time winners,

and they can show that level of class to each other post-game. So when I saw the highlights and I watched them on the plane home, the first thing I thought of was 09 and that save and how far we've come since then. All right that'll take us to the final thought which is brought to you by GMC and yes this happened on Monday night but still very much relevant as we record on Thursday evening the no-goal call for goalie interference between the New York Islanders and the Columbus Blue Jackets. The irony of it all Elliot that we were a week removed from those presentations at the general managers meetings down in Florida about

how 52 of the 54 examples that were shown that there was a consensus agreement whether a call should be a goal or no goal. I don't know if you're finding a consensus on the call between the Islanders and the blue jackets there Monday night or if you were it was that the call was wrong so where do you stand on the goal that costed the Islanders two critical points Monday night? So I got notes from Islanders fans who said I know your next podcast isn't for four days, but we'd better hear your feelings about this or an explanation for this on it. And you do not, do not fool around with Islanders fans.

No, no, no. They are a different breed. So first of all, point out what you told me while we were talking about this earlier today. About what you heard at the... because I think this is a very, very key point that you brought up. When we were down there and as we talked about on the pod and on TV, that first day we got brought in and hockey ops went over some of those examples of goalie interference, goal, no goal, and why they were called as such. And there was something that Colin Campbell said

that kind of stuck with me, and immediately came to my mind watching that review and the ultimate decision of that the call was upheld and it was no goal. And then he said, you know, you have to remember when you are challenging a call, a coach's challenge, you were challenging that the official on the ice either missed something, there was something there that he didn't see or what he thought he saw was incorrect.

And the fact that real time, the official emphatically waved that off. No goal. No goal. And the video evidence did show that though however brief it was, Kyle Parmieri does go into the crease on his own accord. And I think that's a big reason why the Situation Room in Toronto backed the official's call on the ice. And I also believe that why in situations like that, what the referee calls real time Elliott matters. I mean, if he was the one saying, no, that's good, that's good, that's good. I think there's a situation where that goal could have been held up even if Columbus chose

to challenge in that situation. But with what Colin Campbell reminded us all while we were sitting down there, just over a week ago, at least though I think you and I are a similar feeling on the ultimate result here, but at least provides a bit of an explanation as to why it was handled the way that it was. Let me just say, I think that everything you said is true

and everything you say is right, I still hate it. I hate this call. I really hate this call. I hate that it happened right before the playoffs. Like right now, everything I think about is, this is going to affect the playoffs. Every call made now, every review made now, it becomes a playoff thing. And I hate that this is the precedent that's been created.

You're right about another important thing. Paul Mary gave them an out. By going into the crease, he was like, uh-oh, I'm in the crease, I better get out. But by going in and then Merzlikin's using that to make the contact, he gave them an out. And I would say to every skater, this is another reminder of you cannot go into the crease. On your own. Because look what happens happens now the goalies know if you do they can initiate the contact with you and The goal is not going to count and I hate that I don't like that

It's I think it's bad bad bad to happen on the eve of the playoffs, but now that has been established So everybody has to adjust to it. The other thing I'll say here is I heard that one of the... okay let's go back to another thing we were showed during that meeting and it was an Islander-Nashville game. It was on March 1st. It was a Saturday afternoon game. Brock Nelson scores a goal against Nashville and Nashville challenges because Paulieri collided with Saros. Now in that case, Palmieri did not go into the blue. Saros was out in front of the blue. He was in the white and Palmieri collided with him and Saros couldn't make the save.

And one of the things they told us in that meeting, the reason they let the goal stand was because if you watch Palmieri's eyes, he's watching Nelson the shooter the whole time and he's not looking at Saros. They said he's not trying to go into Saros, he's watching Nelson and that was one of the reasons they let the goal stand. I was told that if you look at, and I have to look at this, but I asked someone and they said, yeah, they could see it, that if you look at the shots where not the ones at the crease, Merzlikin's, by contacting Paul Mary, can't see the shooter. Like he can't pick up the puck.

Again, it's Merzlikin creating the contact but because the Palmeri is in the crease, he can do it. He can't see the shot. He legitimately can't see the shot. And I asked a couple of people and they were like, yeah, I see where you're going the problem I have with this is that The teams have like 30 seconds to decide if they're gonna challenge. I don't know how on earth These teams are gonna be able to make informed challenges in 30 seconds

Like if you're gonna say that we looked at the different replays and how long does that take? It takes five minutes to review the call let's say right? How are you supposed to make an informed challenge in 30 seconds? Like that as you said like that play that that's one of the biggest plays of the Islander season. I think they should be able to make an informed challenge. And if the talk is going to be that we looked at this replay, we looked at that replay, we look at this way and it takes us between three and five minutes to make the call, how is a team supposed to make an informed challenge in 30 seconds to maybe a minute.

Yeah, so now you want the review process to go longer now. You've gone the other way. You wanted to go shorter, you're like now we need to make it a little bit longer. Kyle, I do not want to make it any longer. I don't. You know, when it was explained to me that that was one of the things they looked at and they said Mersleekens couldn't see the shot because of the whole play I was like, okay But then I'm thinking wait you look at this replay look at that replay and you time these reviews like how are you supposed to? So maybe what the video coaches are gonna have to do now is instead of looking You know, they've got to look at the overhead replay to see where the contact was and do going to have to do now is instead of looking, you know,

they've got to look at the overhead replay to see where the contact was and do they now have to make sure they look at the replay to see can the goalie see the shooter? Right, well in some cases, like some cases you don't need that, right? Like it's so obvious that it is. It doesn't really matter. But there's two cases now where I've heard that they're looking at the eyes of the people involved. And I'm not saying that's a bad idea. I think that actually could be like when I saw it in that Nelson Palmeri case, I was like, that's good. I like that. Yeah. But they have the benefit of they can take as long as they want to to review this. The teams don't have that benefit Anyway, I just I hated that call on the eve of the playoffs. I just think it it's it's a Pandora's box call It's like oh god like we're gonna

Like I was saying this like to one of the goalie coaches You know every team now is to be telling their goalie, a guy comes into the crease, initiate contact. You're really going to have to hammer on your guys. You can't do what Paul Mary did there. You can't go into the crease and then say, oh, I got to get out because that didn't save them. Right. Right. Which I mean, and there's times that it does. Honestly, Ali, like it feels like it's going the way of Ringette rules. And I don't mean that as a criticism, but the rules of Ringette, like it's if there's effectively a force field around that crease. And if you go into it at any

time, even if you're a defending player, and it's your own goalkeeper, you go into that crease, like it's a violation, like you cannot cross into into that blue paint and it feels like that's where we're at now with the NHL. And as you say, the irony that we're on the cusp of the hardest time of the year where everyone goes to the net hard. And right on cue Thursday night, two more examples that are kind of along the same lines, right? There's the Philadelphia-Montreal game, the Forrester goal that ends up being allowed to

stand that had Canadians fans up in arms, not only the fans too, but the players. Brendan Gallagher postgame with some very pointed comments towards the situation room in Toronto. And then the Coleman goal in the Calgary-Dallas game game that one gets wiped out due to video review with Joel Farabee ever so slightly but still going into the crease on his own accord. It is a huge no-no and I shudder to think Elliot how many more conversations similar to this we will have on this show between now and the end of June. Yeah okay okay, Kyle. So we think we're just talking about the Islanders, and now we're talking about two more. There's two more that happened while I'm in the air.

I mean, the Farabee one, it looks soft. There's no question the look is bad. And I just wanna say too, I hope Zari's okay. Like that injury looked terrible. But I can understand why everybody's mad because it looks soft Farabee goes in the crease and It's it's like we talked about with Palmer and the other situations. You cannot go in the crease You are just if you go into the blue crease the glue paint on your own you lose and

I don't like the look of it. It looks soft. But the moment I saw a fair be was in the crease. I was like, he's going to lose this one and as much as it pisses off the flames and their fans. You know, that's going to happen. The other one. I don't get it. Again, it's late.

I haven't had time to reach out to anyone. I saw Gallagher's quotes. Brendan Gallagher like, ripped the call. I don't get that one. I do not get that one at all. Like to me, that's obvious. They're in the crease. The flyers are in the crease and that should not be a goal.

And I'll ask around on Friday and maybe I'll get some explanation. I sent a note to Eric Engels. Engels said to me in his text that the kind of impression he got post game was that he said that Marty San Luis said he knew he was taking a chance challenging it. Some of the players seemed to suggest it was determined Dobush wasn't impeded from making the save and he said that he got told at one point that when contact happens on the opposite side of where the goaltender is making the save, that's one situation where they may feel he still had a chance.

And if you listen to Farabee, he said the same thing. Like Farabee was told if that shot goes on Smith's glove side, maybe it counts. But because it was blocker side and that's where Farabee was that was it didn't count I don't know that I like this rationale. I think at that point you're splitting the hair too tight You're creating this kind of confusion. I don't agree with it. I I don't think the Forester goal should be allowed to stand I think as as mad as the flames are and as annoyed as their fans are, you can look at that one with Farabee and say he's in trouble, 100% he's in trouble.

But I think if you're the Flames and you look at that goal counting against Montreal, you can't reconcile that. And I understand why the Canadians are mad. Like I look at that if you get bumped like that, even if it's on the other side of where the puck is, look, I've only played goal in beer league. I loved playing goal in beer league. I'm not NHL goaltender. I'm not dovish. I don't know. I like tell me if you're getting that contact against you.

It matters what side the puck's on. I don't like that one. I don't like that call. And if it was me, I would say stop using that as an explanation. Let's keep it as black and white as possible, or blue and white as possible. Go into the blue on your own. Doesn't matter what side of the goalie the puck is on or you're on. You're at risk.

I don't think that goal for Philly should have counted. He's in the crease. He touches Dobish. I don't care what side the puck is on. If I was in charge, I would say we're stopping this. He's in the blue on his own. No goal. All right, man.

They're calling my flight. All right. We'll let you get on the bird. With that, that was the final thought brought to you by GMC. We'll take our first break. When we come back, Elliot will hopefully have landed in Toronto. You're listening to 32 Thoughts the Podcast. All right, welcome back. Time once again for the Thoughtline, the segment that has generated more hype and anticipation since low-rise jeans, Elliot. Everybody on the edge of

their seats for the latest batch. I think it depends on who's wearing them. Sometimes I see people wearing low-rise jeans and I'm not anticipating looking at them. That's right, sometimes yes, a filter does help. A filter does help. So I got two things I want to start with. Okay. What you got? Number one, first of all, Dom, congratulations on your no cavities at your dental appointment. Thank you. But that's not one of the two things. This is the first thing. So Dom, I heard something very interesting about you.

Kyle, as you know, when we are with Dom, and there have been a few occasions where we've been with him on shoots, Dom is a very confident lad. Would you agree with me about that? Kyle Yes. Dom Yes. Kyle Oh no, where are you going with this? Dom Very, very confident lad. However... Kyle Oh yeah, walks right in, the strut. The strut, not afraid to talk, not afraid to say his piece.

I have heard, however, there is a weakness. There is a time where Dom does not seem as confident and clams up where unexpected. Do you know where that is around suspect low-rise jeans no but that's a good guess based on what we were previously discussing I have heard that when Dom is handed a microphone and goes into the scrums to collect sound in Vancouver he is as quiet as a mouse. Nothing really comes out. That's not my job. It's not my job to ask questions. It's not your job to ask questions. How long have you been doing this for? Three or four seasons.

Three or four years and have you ever asked a question? No I'm not Murph. I do it for Murph. I'm not him. That is his job. So I respectfully do not Wally Pip the man who feeds me. So I I don't ask questions. Kyle, how do you feel about this development? I think it's a missed opportunity because Dom's one of the more thoughtful people we know. That's not where I was going. I don't know if I agree with that to be perfectly honest. You've held a microphone and a scrum for three or four years and you've never asked a question? Never. Although now I'm trying to think about it. Of course I've been tempted. Oh. You can't let that hold you back.

To be honest, I would look at it as... Because the thing that's surprising... I understand when you're first starting out... I get this. When you're first starting starting out you want to be seen and not heard and I was kind of like that too you don't want to you know you you just want to learn you want to learn the way things work you shouldn't be afraid although it is dressing rooms can be a very very intimidating environment I remember how nervous I was to first go into them and how long it took before I really felt comfortable doing it.

And there's nothing wrong with dipping your toe in. But three or four years, Dom, I figured, you know, you're a personality there. You are a major producer at 650. Like the station couldn't function without you. You're now on this podcast. I figured, you know, that you would feel comfortable enough to ask a question. You have your coworkers concerned about your inability to do so.

I'm going to have to talk to Murph about this. I feel stabbed in the back, the train. Not Murph, not Murph. I'm telling you right now, it's not Murph. I never give up my sources, but it's not Murph. Geez, can we just have one corner of that market not dramatic for a week? Yes, can we have media not fighting with each other in Vancouver for a week?

Okay. Anyway, so that's number one. Number two, I got a thought line question from one of my friends, Kyle, and my answer was no, I don't see it, but he said ask Kyle what he thinks and I want to hear the answer to this question so I said okay I will ask Kyle the thought line question from one of my buddies is could you ever see me having the kind of exchange with a someone I cover like Stephen A is having with LeBron right now, and I said not a chance Not a chance would it go to this level between me and anybody else I

Agree, I agree as though I would love to see it. I would love to see it Like I love breakfast me too. I want to see it too. Yes but you've I I give you credit you've got enough of a cool head when it comes to that stuff that you stay out of it Well, and there's gonna be times where people are critical or get upset and my general feeling is that you have to you know We say things about other people we have to deal with it if they say things about us know we say things about other people we have to deal with it if they say things about us but like this like sometimes I could figure there could be an exchange like somebody could say something I could say look that's not correct but I can't see it escalating into what this has turned into like this is to a level

I don't know if I've ever seen before. I cannot imagine myself getting involved in something like this. No, but I hope we're both wrong one day. Oh gosh. We could have Dom moderate it, but he won't ask any questions. That's right. Oh gosh. You and Dave are facing Gosh. The moderator is just that's like that could be an SNL sketch, the moderator that doesn't say anything. The two candidates debating are like, I don't know,

where are we supposed to go with this? What's the next topic? Silence. Silence for the moderator. That would be great. Oh my gosh. Okay, well we best get to today's batch. All right, or anything else you need to get off your chest, my man? No, I'm good. What do we got? All right, voicemail first. This is Andrew from Nova Scotia. Hey boys, love the pod. Andrew here from Tantalum, Nova Scotia. My son plays U16, AAA, Martello Buccaneers. They lost in an overtime shootout. Interesting call here. Our player missed the net and hit the backboard, came back, went over the net, bounced into the net. Didn't touch the netting, didn't touch the goalie in any way, shape or form and they didn't rule it a goal. What is the ruling on such an event during shootout? Anyway, love the pod guys. Take care boys, have a good day.

Shootout! First, does video exist to that? We just want to see it. Seriously. If video exists, can you please attach it in a reply or a code tweet of one of our links to this post of the podcast. Shoot out? Like once it passes the goal line, it's dead. Oh, that's right. Yeah, that's right. You're right.

Yes. Because the whole time I was thinking like just a regular shot attempt, then it's a goal. But you's right. You're right. Yes, because I the whole time I was thinking like just a regular shot attempt Then it's a goal, but you're right once it goes past the red line. It's over. Yeah, so when a shootout That's a legit call legit call. Yes As well as your boy must have been yes. Good luck to your boy Andrew Sorry that that's the way that game went, but that is the right call All right, Dion is next I'm gonna preface this question by saying I know this is a little bit late

But it's a question I have been thinking about during the Canada-Finland game of the Four Nations tournament Canada's net was knocked off and possession changed in Canada's favor the refs didn't blow the whistle until possession changed back to Finland as to not disrupt a scoring opportunity so my question is is there anything keeping Canada from pulling their goalie at that moment to gain an extra skater while they have possession because the net is off and as soon as Finland takes back the puck the play would be blown dead or is it just not done because there's a chance the Lions person could put the net back in place while play is going on at the other end, love the pod, keep up the good work.

I put this in here, Elliott, because there was another instance that this exact type of play was asked about. Tampa Bay, Calgary earlier this year too, and someone wrote in about it and it just I meant to get it in it got lost in The shuffle but there is nothing in the rule book saying that you cannot pull your goaltender in this situation because it happened in the Vancouver game the other night right like two Saturdays ago and simmer was watching it and saying No wonder Vancouver didn't care what happened on the play their net was off so they had no reason to worry about the puck coming

right back at them. Right, right, right, right. Yeah. I like when he gets going on certain plays. Oh he did. I got about six texts about it and he was totally right. He was... basically what we're talking about here is that the puck was in Vancouver's end, Vancouver's net got knocked off, the connects went down the ice and they basically didn't even worry about trying to defend when the puck came back at them because they knew the net was off. And Simmer was like, he's looking at it from his, he knows the rules really well, he's coaching, and he's thinking that's a real advantage for the Canucks.

Like if he's on the other bench, he's annoyed about that. Either fix the net or blow the play dead, right? So that's good that it came up, but yes, I do remember Simmer not liking watching that occur in real time. Yes, so I wait for the day that we actually see that. The team recognizes their net's not knocked off, they've got possession, and they wait for the goalie because they're going,

they're not going to get scored on so long as their net is off, so try to take advantage of it six on five. I wonder though, but here's the thing about this, Kyle. What if you put it in your own net? Oh, that's a great one. See, that's the only thing. The net's off. You can't give up a goal if the net's off.

But what if you put it in your own net? What if you pass it back? Yeah. Well, that'll be for next thought line. We've got to get to the bottom of that one. You've opened a Pandora's box here, a new one. Just answer the question, don't make it worse. All right, up next, Jesse from Bel Air, Michigan.

Hey Kyle and a man whose nipples need no introduction. I'm a retired beer leaguer, sniper, who appreciated those fellow beer leaguers that put the extra work into taping their twig. I would always look and handle the various tape jobs I would see in the stick rack at my local frozen pond prior to our 1148 p.m. tilt with a couple of barley pops already consumed. I was a perfectionist when it came to prepping my 100 flex bower with the Marcus Naslin curve. Gosh, what a memory. 100 flex, wow.

What a memory. Yes. The Marcus Naslin bower. For my typical two goal, one assist, beer league game that somehow I still ended up being minus four on the night. It got me to thinking, what is legal and what is illegal when it comes to how a player can tape his stick for an NHL game? Does color matter?

Does the tape or dressing matter, meaning cloth tape versus grandpa's garage electrical tape? I'd like to know if the NHL has rules a player must abide by when it comes to taping up the game stick. Thanks for taking my question. Love the pod. There are rules, yes. I assume you have an answer here? There are, but there's nothing like... In the rulebook, it's adhesive tape, like it's very open-ended, because obviously there's the old-school

stick tape that most players use. There's that what's I believe is called ResTech, which is almost like a grippy sticker in the shape of a blade that you can put on in lieu of actually wrapping your blade in tape. We see different colors used, nothing in the rule book against that at this time. And now we've seen just some of the different tape jobs like some just have a little bit of the toe covered in tape. The rest of the blade is bare. It's, especially nowadays, there's a lot of different looks that we have there and so long as it is an adhesive tape of some kind that you're using the rule book states that

that's fair game. The only thing that I was surprised to learn that I didn't realize was I remember a referee telling me once that it's a penalty if when you're about to have your stick measured you remove the tape from it because the tape has to be considered part of the measurement and so it's actually a minor if you try to remove the tape before you get your stick measured. I didn't know that. That was one I that was one I had no idea that that was the case. Very good.

Alright, we've got another voicemail here. Now typically, the preference is to keep your voicemails short and compact, but... But... Uh-oh. No, just sit back and enjoy the dulcet tones of Ned from Chicago. Okay. Hey Dom, Kyle, and fellow Viking fan Elliot. Ned here from Chicago. Okay. Hey Dom, Kyle and fellow Viking fan Elliot, Ned here from Chicago. I'm a high school college and pro hockey nut

and an avid fan of the pod going way back to the 12 thoughts days when growing up in Minnesota with season tickets to the North Stars. A good friend once told me that love for a team can fade with time and moves but hate follows with you. I've been in Chicago for 27 years, but I'm still having trouble getting over my 1980s hatred of the Blackhawks. And don't even get me started about Dallas. 90s Texas hockey?

Come on, man. Gate on, Deuce Shesney crosses the blue line, he sidesteps the defense man, he shoots, he scores! Even Deuschane wouldn't go to Dallas and instead opted for the Sharks. But I do travel to Dallas regularly for work and get to go to some games. And it's bad enough seeing Madonna and Broughton in the rafters.

But come on, Goldsworthy, Masterton, the franchise history goes back before the average Texan could even spell hockey? Give me a break. Which gets to my question. With most hockey teams like the Rockies, Whalers, and the Nordiques moving to new markets and changing their names along the way, why do some teams like the Atlanta Flames and Minnesota Stars move but keep their

names? I actually come to think of it, Atlanta did it both ways, but why didn't Minnesota keep their name like the Jets did? Everyone knew we'd get another franchise in the state of hockey someday Which we did and while we're coming up on the point where the wild have actually been in existence for as long as the North Stars were in Minnesota It still pains me a bit to say go wild especially when I see the wild in their green and gold the Robacchie unis Anyway, thanks for the help keep up the good work and always remember C-Cord sucks. That is a great, great message, Ned. Fantastic work.

I'm always happy to speak to a fellow Vikings fan and I choose to believe that you did that from the top of your head as opposed to reading from a script. That was great work, Ned. Great work. I just, he could do an audiobook for your favorite read and you would be set for days. That was awesome. Do a podcast and put us both out of business. That's right. I guess we should be careful. Don't give him any ideas. So the answer to your question is it has become precedent that if a team moves the records go with it. So the original Jets records went to Arizona and then were there with the team and and we'll get to that one in a second. The Flames records went with from Atlanta to Calgary, the Colorado Rockies as you mentioned, their records went to

New Jersey with the Devils and the North Stars went to Dallas with the Stars. And you know I understand your point. I remember going to buildings and you're right you do see Neil Broughton's number retired in Dallas or you saw for example Thomas Steen or his number retired in Arizona and it absolutely looks weird. It absolutely looks weird. But that is the way the NHL has always done it. They've been consistent with that. Now, even last year when the Coyotes were moving to Utah, that was one situation because the owner there had the rights to bring back another franchise.

If he got the arena built he kept the logo and the history. It did not go with the team to Utah and it was simply because as part of the deal he could bring back the team in five years. Well we obviously know that didn't happen and then the records and the logo and the title reverted back to the NHL and this is actually a good reminder that at the time a number of us asked will the records be sent back to the Jets and the NHL's answer was that is a question for another time. Maybe it's time we asked that question. But it has been consistent that whenever a team has left a market and there was no commitment

initially to go back to a market like there was last year in Arizona initially, that the records and the history go with them. Very good. Very good. Very good. And I guess is it just a case by case kind of thing in terms of when there's relocation that to Ned's point, some new markets keep the team name and others go in a completely different direction? Yes.

I think it depends on, you know, all of these decisions are made by branding, right? They have a lot of data. You know, for example, like the one that really stands out, it's actually kind of funny. Like I understand why the Colorado Rockies became the New Jersey Devils. Like the New Jersey Rockies don't make a lot of sense, right? Rockies was unique to Colorado. When the North Stars became the Stars, Dallas was like we're not the North, it doesn't make sense here. So and and obviously

Arizona just went to the Coyotes because it fit the location. The one in sports that's the weirdest for this is in the NBA. The New Orleans Jazz became the Utah Jazz and New Orleans of course being one of the hotbeds of jazz like the real true homes of jazz in the world. Utah is kind of not known for that and from time to time, there's always been this point like, why are they still the jazz? You don't think of Utah for jazz, but now it's been 50 years, right? So what's the point of even changing it? But I remember, I actually do remember when New Orleans moved to Utah, I was pretty young

and people said, why are they keeping the name? It's just stupid. But now I couldn't imagine it without it yeah gosh that's funny good one and as you're saying that Kyle Dom points out the Vancouver Grizzlies moving to Memphis there's not a lot of Grizzlies I don't think in Memphis that's right but I always love I always love Grizzlies as a name I think it's just a great name because it's different yes yes and you see they just did the collab with the Canucks bringing the Grizzly colors in with Vancouver.

I know some people say they didn't like the look of it. I really haven't seen it, but I love the idea. I can't comment on the look. I haven't looked at it. I love the idea. You see Dom, this is what happens when you add in like ask a question or Some okay, really? Value to the pod right it's just it's wasted potential I can't wait to ask one question in the scrum and be fired Uncertainty, oh, I'm gonna rip it is the worst question ever asked. I just want you to know that oh Man, this is a real healthy environment here. Okay, up next, Philip from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Hi Kyle

Elliott and all the wonderful hard-working people behind the scenes. Yes. I'm a demoralized Buffalo Sabres fan who also happens to be a local sports reporter from Wisconsin. I was lucky enough to get to cover the fantastic NCAA Women's Frozen 4 Championship this past weekend. Obviously, yes, the key moment was the covered puck resulting in the game-tying penalty shot late in the third period. As someone who has just recently come into my hockey fandom, thanks in large part to the pod, I was wondering if there has ever been a similarly dramatic penalty shot moment in NHL playoff history. Thanks for following along first of all, Philip.

Well, Philip, and what I would say is good luck in your career, right? I hope it eclipses both Kyle's and mine's, which is a pretty low bar, but all the best in your career. There are two playoff penalty shots I remember off the top of my head. One of them I remember, sorry Dom, Pavel Bure's penalty shot in 1994 during the Stanley Cup final and that was in game four Mike Richter stopped Pavel Bure on a penalty shot and that was in Vancouver so you can only imagine what that was like in the moment Bure just the elite of the elite when it comes to scores getting a chance to score in the Stanley Cup

final on a penalty shot and Richter stops him. That was a dramatic, dramatic moment. But the other one I really remember in the playoffs was Joey Juno's penalty shot against Ken Reget in the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs. That was in overtime. It was the first overtime penalty shot in Stanley Cup playoff history and if Washington had scored that series was over and He didn't and and Pittsburgh came back and they won the series and I remember watching that game late at night I think I was working in the fan at the time and watching that game live and that

was such a hugely dramatic moment so those two I really remember very well. The one for me, 2011 game six Vancouver Chicago Michael Froelich and remember on that play Corey Schneider suffers the injury and Luongo has to come in in the third period. Remember he was interviewed with you when he talked about he felt like he was a wrestler coming out at a pay-per-view with how wild the crowd was there. And then of course Chicago wins an overtime back game and sets up the dramatic game seven. Remember there was a penalty shot, Alex Burrows had a penalty shot in game seven of that game.

Didn't score on Corey Crawford then, but there was penalty shots and back to back games to wrap up that series. But the Frolic one is, that's the one that sticks out for me. But there's actually, there's been quite a bit that have happened in the the playoffs one non-playoff one that I always think of was The winter classic in 2012 remember Daniel Breyer had one in the final minute against Henrik Lundqvist to tie the game for Philadelphia and

And the Rangers ended up going on to win it like that felt like a another big moment though it wasn't the the postseason then. But good question. You know I think too also if you just add in shootouts which I know are not technically penalty shots but the 1998 Olympics Canada Czech Republic in the in the semi-final Dominic Hoshak against Canada. He's got to score. Yeah Bob Cole he has to he has to score. Yeah, Bob Cole, he has to. He has to score. And then the one between the Rangers and the Flyers that put the Flyers in the playoffs and the Rangers out, right? Yeah. So those two flyers went to the final that year, right? That was 2010. Yes. So those two really stand out to me.

Not the same as a penalty shot, but still Incredibly dramatic shootouts good shootouts Good luck again Philip have a great career Excellent all right one final one here from Chris. Hey Kyle Elliott and Dom I'm watching this Detroit, Utah game on Monday night And I see Detroit making it three to one and the wings only have nine shots on net to this point. Yeah, that was a wild one. This made me wonder if you guys could find out what is the fewest amount of shots a team has taken and still won the game. Doesn't happen very often, I don't think, where someone can win a game.

Didn't this happen last year? We're getting to it. Yes. With so few shots on net. Anyways, thanks for the entertainment as I start my days at university. Best of luck in uni, Chris. Oh, those were great years. Great years. Chris, these are going to be the best years of your life.

No, I'm serious. The best years of life, university should be, and when you have your first child. Yeah. Sorry, I was-uring university era freege. You don't want to picture that. That was very messy. Okay, so I mean the record didn't happen within the last year, but there's been some close ones within the last calendar year. Wasn't there one I remember tweeting it out I think we were working the game

maybe I'm we weren't working the game but I remember there was a team was it Vancouver that tied the record for fewest shots in a win? Nope nope nope nope I mean the Rangers just a couple weeks ago they had 12 shots in their win over Vancouver. But that's not the record. It's not the record. But it's not terribly far off. It's lower than that, right? It is, it is, but not by a great deal. Do you have a guess at what the record is? I think the record is like eight or nine. It's nine. Yeah, you're right. Oh, it is.

There's two teams that have done it. And you know what's funny? The, I guess what you would call top four record holders of this category, all instances happened within a four month span of the initials history. Yes. happened within a four month span of the N.A. Shell's history. Yes. So the Maple Leafs and the Sharks share the record, nine shots on goal in victories. Then you have the Hurricanes and the Rangers with ten. All four of those games occurred between November of 1998 and March of 1999. No kidding. Yes. Peak dead puck era. All four of those. Wow.

Okay, so I found what I was talking about by the way. The Canucks had a game last year, I think in the playoffs, where they beat the, I think they beat the Predators. I can't remember if it was the second round, but they had 12 shots and the playoff record is 10. There you go. That's what that was. Alright, so we're just talking regular season here. But good memory. That thing about the all within four months, I never would have guessed that. No, hilarious right? Yeah. I think it's been around over a hundred years and the top four in this conversation all within that

span. So good question Chris and yeah an odd one there between Detroit and Utah. I think they finished with 14 shots the wings did at the end of the night but it was a weird one up until that point for sure. All right that was the latest edition of the Thoughtline. A reminder if you'd like to submit an email 32thoughts at sportsnet.ca or you can leave a voicemail 1-833-311-3232. One final break as we wrap up 32 Thoughts the Podcast after this. All right, welcome back. Before we go, we should mention to our listeners up here north of the border in Canada, as Alex Ovechkin continues to get closer and closer, and we're down to the nitty gritty here now of tying and then breaking Wayne Gretzky's all time goals records. be simulcasting every Washington Capitals game until he breaks the record. So if you ever want to peek in on how progress is going and see if you catch one of his goals or two as he approaches 894 and beyond, you can catch it all on Sportsnet. Also on the network this weekend, Saturday night, Hockey Central Saturday, the usual time, 630 Eastern, 330 Pacific with Ron, Jennifer, Kelly, Luke and Elliot of course.

Two early games this week, Toronto out in their California trip, they face the Kings in Los Angeles and the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Ottawa Senators. Another big game in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, the late game this weekend, the Battle of Alberta from Edmonton at the top of the clock on Sportsnet, CBC and City. Sportsnet 1, Sportsnet 360 as well as Omni. After hours guests this week. Couple of Oilers legends, Paul Coffey and Craig McTavish will join Scott Oak and Louis DeBrusque. There are only so many hours in a day and we appreciate you once again spending a few of them here with us.

Have yourselves a great weekend and as always we will talk to you again on Monday.