Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Connor McDavid Looks EXHAUSTED 🫩 | BB Clips

Episode Date: March 24, 2026

Boomer and Rhett dive into the Edmonton Oilers’ recent struggles and take a closer look at Connor McDavid, who appears to be dealing with clear fatigue after an intense stretch of hockey that includes deep playoff runs, international play and a heavy workload this season. With Leon Draisaitl now sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, the guys discuss how much more is being asked of McDavid and what it means for the Oilers down the stretch. They also react to the headlines surrounding McDavid’s comments about Jon Cooper and the Tampa Bay Lightning, breaking down what he actually meant and whether it says anything about the current state of the team.Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/-sjANYy0Voc#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #edmontonoilers CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiProducer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

McDavid, just to go back to it, he was, uh, they play the lightning the other night and Kuturov does Kuturov things and the lightning win five to two. And then afterwards, because now Leon's not around. I would think Leon, when things aren't going well, if there's post-game interviews and that Leon will handle some of that. I wonder if he's a big help to McDavid in that. I do wonder because not that he would do it deliberately, but he'll say something sometimes.

And then that gets the media. So who that was, that was some good stuff because he will, he's a very honest guy. I like Dreisle a lot. I mean, that guy could play for me any day or the way. But so I do think there's the on ice and off ice where you miss him. And yeah, he's, oh, he's in Munich.

Okay. I guess he's not hanging around. Why would you? But this was. after the lightning game, McDavid was asked some, just some questions about, you saw Cooper at the Olympics and the lightning

are sure good and all of this and that. And he said some things. And then after practice, his short practice yesterday, he was kind of asked to elaborate because it felt like maybe he had said, you know, reading through the lines, this John Cooper is a really good coach. Those guys are well coached,

which means obviously we're not well coached. It's a lot. We'll go through the post game and then the practice interview yesterday. Extremely well coach. They're extremely well organized. They're very, very rehearsed and everything that they do. It's very impressive. That's a coaching question.

We can ask not for that question. You know, obviously we've been playing together a long time, and we feel like we're somewhat rehearsed and organized, but not to be a level. No, we're not taking shots. It's just everybody can be better, myself included. Everybody can be better. It's not, it was more just complimentary of a great team in this league that came in and played a good game.

Nothing more than that. He looks exhausted. Exhausted. On that post game, there was even the, I'm sorry, I don't, what's the question? I'm sorry, I forgot your question. What are you? What is it? Like, he's just worn the F out.

It does look that way, doesn't it? Now, there's been a lot of hockey and a lot of stress and four nations and Olympics. and short off seasons and absolutely crushing defeats and contract negotiations. That's heavy. And he's still one of the putting up points and the best in the world. But it does look like when you watch Kucherov, when Stam Kost was winning cups and not that they won in Edmonton and I'm not even a cheap shot. I'm saying teams that have had success. usually it

likenes the mode to right maybe McKinn's the one exception to this rule where he runs so red hot that there is no fun but

Florida Vegas Washington one I mean these are teams that won but even the teams that they beat because I've been on

those teams right the winning allows you to kind of And is Usually when you're on those teams that are winning, it's because you've jelled and come together And this guy doesn't look like it's Well, he's had no taste of it.

It's only been having to answer those questions After losses, after disappointments, after coming up short. And of course it's getting frustrating and tiring because it's not, I get, you're the best player, you're the guy you've got to get on my back boys, but at some point you need between goaltending and everything else. The coaching thing is interesting because I,

dry sidle made, made comments before the Olympic break about how we're not as good and this and that. We've heard the coaching thing a couple of times and as exhausted as he might be. You go to the Olympics and it's kind of like, oh, we're just, we're going on a, on a school trip. Oh, well, that guy isn't going to be there. babe, like that that guy's not going to be on the bus and you're not hanging around with that that other guy, right? Oh, no, no, no. I mean, he's on the trip for sure. And yeah, we're in the

same, you know, we're in the same group for, uh, you know, we're doing arts and crafts. But, uh, so you go to the Olympics and you watch Cooper and you're around him every day for a couple of weeks and see the way it, he handles business and the way things are done. It's like, hmm, this guy's pretty good. This guy's, uh, been off for Jack Adams. Okay, got some Stanley Cups. Oh, I can see. Yeah, I can see that. If you're, if your old, uh, new kid on the knob block, it's like,

you don't need to go see Cooper. Don't worry about him. This is, and I, you're, you're bang on there, I think, but. And how would I word it? Now, I've lost my train of thought, too. He has to see those guys. It can't be. It can't be nothing because they bring in coffee to try and fix it.

Yeah. They brought coffee back. Right? Paul coffee came back. And I don't think Paul coffee wanted to come back. He was there. They went to a cup final. He's like, nah.

Oh, yeah. My train of thought was lost because I didn't want a cheap shot again. But I'm sorry, it's not a cheap shot. It's Rinky Dink Management up there. They're going to guys. How many coaching changes did they have? And they have, none of them. were high end highly sought after no mac david's got part of the issue isn't mac david's old

agent part of the oh yeah and and no block was his junior coach like some of this all this is to cater to connor but maybe connor doesn't want to be fucking catered to maybe connor just wants to win so how about we go and get the best i don't know the situation but if connor has created the issue by making these requests shame on him but that's the bed you have to lay it if they've overthought this and

tried to cater to what they assume are his expectations shame on them it's not it it there is not a hockey mind out there yeah that would look back over the Edmonton Oilers

management staffing whatever you want to operations over the last seven, five to seven years and say that it's been done well. They've gone to the finals twice and you have to give credit where it's due. That is not an easy thing to do.

You're a win away from a Stanley Cup. You are on the cusp. I totally understand. You can't take that away from them. But you can also stand back and go, what have they done? that's right. What have they done that's true?

They have been David and Drysidal. That's what they've done. That's right. I think coffee's done a hell of a job with Bouchard, and I take shots at Bouchard all the time, because I think he costs you so much. Anyway, what have they done?

That's right. Trent Frederick? Yeah. A lot of the trades haven't. Coaching? Yeah, the signings and trades haven't worked out. It's not even worked. Like when those signings and moves happened, 95% of the hockey world was like,

and when there's that at general consensus, consensus is right. Yeah, there's a couple in the, in the, the check, the Echholm trade was, was a, was a good trade. You're right. The signing of Hyman was a good signing. He fit in there well with, uh, with McDavid. But outside of that, and it's interesting to see what Florida is doing this year. Now, granted, they went to a cup final priors, so it's not exactly the same. But, like, their wheels have fallen off.

Injuries and everything else, like, they're not making the playoffs. The Oilers are still in a playoff spot. And granted, they haven't been injured until now with Leon, I suppose. But to watch them right now, they do. McDavid looks, it's like he's the microcosm of the team. Exhavengson has set in. It should be sitting or he wouldn't want to sit with Pinder, but he should be, go south for a week. Actually, go hang out with your boy, Leon.

I'll see you in a week. Like, he looks like that to me. Yeah. Anyway, I guess what it comes back around to is I just, there's been enough there comments about coaching, just kind of a little sneaky comments. And then they have to backtrack and say, no, no, we can all be better. We're all, we can all be better. I guess my question is, on one hand,

you've got two of the best players in the world. If there was a coaching opportunity there, if they make a change and you're Pete DeBore or whoever, how wouldn't you want to have those guys as a coach? My goodness, two of the best players in the world on your team. Yeah. And then on the flip side, what a challenge it would be to get them over the hump

despite that incredible ability? I think the challenge would be managing up. I don't think Leon and Connor would be your issues. And I don't think you're, I mean, the team, the way it's structured might be. But I think your biggest issue would be managing up, if that makes sense. And another thing, to everyone listening, when players, management coaches say, we all have to be better, that's wonderful. That does anyone ever say to anyone that's ever played in Tampa Bay? over the last decade.

How's the coaching? Well, we all have to be better. No, the fucking coaching's great. Yeah, yeah. We don't have to think about it. They handle all of that. We just go play. Yeah.

So wonderful that everyone needs to take responsibility. But that is not praising the coaching. That is not saying the coaching is good. Yeah. That is saying that's a car. hop out into what it's not i'm not saying shame on connor for saying it but for everyone listening when you hear players and all the people say well we all have to be better that means nobody's fucking good which is it's still amazing excitement of the coach because if the coach isn't good

the coach if the coach was good Connor be saying this is the greatest coach i've ever played for i love playing for this coach we'll move on because we have because we have because we have to and because we want to, but it still comes back. Knowing all of this and just seeing this now, it's still, it's, yeah, it's two guys sitting in Calgary and we don't like the oilers, so yeah. But the fact that he signed the extension, to me it would have been, you've got one year, show me, show me what this is about. I've been very loyal. I continue to be loyal. I play my ass off every single night. You can't dispute where my intentions and where my heart is. The fact that he went back in is still a shock to me.

So here's my general thoughts on this, I don't know that they changed or if we've talked about it because I was appalled at that contract. I think all the Edmonton fans and clearly they love them and they should and if they win it won't matter maybe. But he's done them a solid not only, but he's also saved himself,

not saved himself because people would have moved heaven and earth to get him. If he doesn't like it there, 12 and a half is easy to move. to a contender with a good team. 20 million, you would do it as an organization. You would absolutely do it to get Connor McDavid,

but 20 million is a massive, you can't just add that at any time. Right now, Connor McDavid, if he decides he ever wanted to move at 12 and a half, can go into any fucking team and take the, like, you can go to Dallas. Right? Like, so his options are wide open.

He doesn't have to go and rebuild a franchise on his own. So he might be smarter than, like, at first, I'm like, you're an idiot. But he might be like, I don't care. I'm going to get all the money eventually, but I want a cup. And if it doesn't work out, 12 and a half means that I can get traded to where, I don't know, Dallas. I already said, whatever team you want to Tampa Bay. You're like, coop. You hate, you hate the Florida.

and you like cup a loop come to Tampa Connor we love you you'd love it down here you'd love it love it oh dare to dream dare to dream