Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Former Calgary Flames Forward Matt Stajan (FULL INTERVIEW PART 1) | FN Barn Burner

Episode Date: July 25, 2023

Boomer & Rhett sit down with former Calgary Flames Forward Matt Stajan!PART 1/3Shoutout to this episode’s sponsors:The Hearing Loss Clinic: https://hearingloss.caMcleod Law: https://www.mcleod-law.comBK Bowfort LiquorOutdoor Dental: https://www.outdoor.dentalBon Ton Meat Market: https://bonton.caTower Chrysler: https://www.towerchrysler.comBetway: https://betway.com/en-ca/ Mad Rose Pub: https://www.madrose.pubVillage Honda: https://www.villagehonda.com/enVena Nova: https://venanova.com________________________________________________Visit  www.nationgear.ca for merch and more.Follow us on Instagram @flamesnationdotca Follow us on Twitter @flamesnation @barnburnerfnFollow us on Facebook @FlamesNationReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello buddies. Welcome to Barnburner. It's yet another edition in our long-form, sit-down, conversational visit, BS-type series of interviews, I guess, if you want to call it that, as we are here in the Tower, Chrysler Studios, Tower, Criesler, Southern Alberta's number one, voted, number one, the favorite among all of them. And there's a bunch of them. And these guys are number one, as chosen by you. And who am I to argue with you, the good people that take in this podcast? We appreciate you. We are sitting down. today and we broken it out over three three segments because it was another one of those things we sat down with a friend of the show guy that's been buddies for a long time and one thing leads to another and the next thing you know you're well over an hour break it up for you is what we're going to do for you today it is Matt Stagin he of course the Ontario boy drafted by the Leafs plays for the Leafs oh Cinderella story Cinderella story but there are some some twists and turns along the way as we'll find out from Matt the trouble is you'll have a hard time finding

anyone with a bad thing to say about Matt's stage and it's really it's frustrating actually when people are as nice as Matt it makes you feel terrible about yourself or at least I feel terrible but I feel terrible about myself it's not Matt's fault anyway moving on lots to get through everyone's got a story and Matt has a compelling one to share highlights tragedy all of it and we're going to get into it over the course of this interview as Rhett and I sat down with Matt In a way, we start with segment one in present day before we start to go back. Matt has been the assistant coach, one of the assistants for the Calgary HIPman for a couple of years, getting behind the bench, dipping his toe in the coaching pool.

He's going to kind of take more of a skills development coach kind of a role, won't be traveling, won't be quite as involved, but we'll still be there on a very regular basis with the Calgary Hipman. No more five-star hotels, no charter flights, it's life on the bus. sort of thing, like all of a sudden back in Belleville for Matt Stagin. Not for me bablin, right? Let's get to it. This is a good one. You're going to like it.

We sit down with Matt Stajon and it starts. No. Retirement looks good on you. You look younger now than you did when you were playing. How does that work? Not many people say that, but. Lots of color in your face. You look healthy.

Matt Stajon, looking all right, buddy. Yeah. Stem cells? You're doing stem cells, ejection. Like all kinds of No, Keep it cleaner. Does the body feel better or worse?

No, the body does not feel better. But I've been trying to take care of myself. So I, for sure, you're starting it. Like, I go play baseball with my kid,

throw the ball around. Like, your shoulders. What hurt? I'm trying to remember if you had anything major, when you were playing, was there things that were individual things that stood out?

I mean, we all get bumped around. Yeah, I was, I was fortunate. I had a ton of concussions, but my memories, you ask my wife, isn't always there. But honestly, I was pretty lucky. I had both MCL's shoulders, but I never had like a major surgery, high ankle. So I'll just kind of wear and tear like everybody has. So I can't complain when I see some of the other guys.

But, yeah, we'll see. I'm turning 40 in December. It's all downhill. That's what they say. It'll be a fun decade, they say. Yeah, don't listen to us. 40 is the new 70 or whatever it is. But no, you know, I was going to ask it because I don't just kind of getting ready for this and looking.

There was a couple of years there where leg injury, high ankle or whatever it was, you're healthy. And then you had some struggles to stay healthy. And then you're near the end. You're actually all right. Yeah. And I don't know why that was. They were kind of, my injuries were always when I did get hurt, I was very good not pulling stuff or everybody has some strains. But when I missed time, it was either like a knee-on-knee hit and I tore M-CL or going to the board's funny.

You got a high ankle sprain. Shoulders happen. You get hit funny. But, yeah, honestly, I think I got smarter as I got older too with the way I trained. And a lot of my training in the off-season was about injury prevention and just making sure that, you, you get through a season as opposed to just getting as strong as you can and then, you know, you get these huge injuries. How much the training changed over the course of your career?

Big time, big time. Like now it's all agility and power and just the way, like when we went and you were, you would have been even worse. But like my first junior training camp, like go lift 225 pound dumbbell or bench press. I couldn't do it once. Like I could barely do, you know, a bar on each side or a weight on each side. So it changed. The biggest thing is the warm up.

Like, yeah, you do. It's like a 45 minute biometric warm up to get yourself ready just to do your, your weights now. And that's every day. And that's just how it's how it changed. Where back in the day it was just like you get rid into it, you know, a couple of minutes stretch, ready to go. Let's go do some sprints. Fans don't appreciate that, right?

Because we sit here and we'll watch. And it just popped into my head about Lucci. You know, he doesn't fight anymore. How come they don't play? You get older. You become a little less inclined to want to do that sort of thing. And the guys you're fighting are going up against, they are still in, they're getting younger or staying in their early 20s.

It's getting older happens a lot earlier, it seems like. It's a young man's game right now. Yeah. Well, Gio is the. oldest guy in the league this year, was he not? And he's 39. So I'm like, when I first came in, like, I had probably three or four. I probably had like six or seven on Toronto in their late 30s to 40s on my team.

Now you see, I don't think there's any 40-year-olds in the league. So it's, yeah. Are you 32? Around 32 when you were done? Nope. 34 in the NHL. And then I played one year and overseas. But now if you're 30, you're, you're,

make you feel ancient. Part of that is how good the kids are too, though, right? Like, they're kids coming up at 18. They're going to jump in and be productive. For sure. Well, it's such a fast game and those kids are faster, right? It's just you just slow down as you get older and the kids are coming in faster. The hard part is the brains, right?

Those young kids come in and they don't think the game where they take a while to learn or some never, never learned. But that's the biggest difference, but the game's so fast. So you're going to take a player that's making league minimum or on their entry level that can skate and hope that he can adjust to that NHL game thinking it. So that's how it changes. You know, I'm just happy I got my last year for years. But you're right.

When we started, you hardly did a warm-up. And you'd watch some guys would do it. And you're like, what are you doing? Oh, so true. And now probably a lot of the guys' warm-ups are, like you said, 45 minutes. Like the warm-up is the biggest piece of the, of the whole day it is and and everybody on you always see like oh the guys are playing soccer before

but that's just a part of you know getting yourself moving and then there's so much more that goes in and everybody has their own routine so game day is different for everybody you still have the odd guy who who plays soccer and then um goes and gets his coffee and then goes right to his stall and gets ready and but when you look at those guys and I look at the guys that did that like their careers were shorter like because they would eventually get an injury or things would start bugging them so and there's like way more medical guys now like everybody's getting you know fixed up before the game and all there's kairos and masseuses and everybody has their routine like back in the day there was one guy for the whole team if you're a young guy you're not even

touching maybe get to you yeah if no one else has any like if there's no hang nails yeah you can maybe come in this room and even then it was what were you going to to get when you went in the room. You're a bag of ice and what do you want me to do for you? And you're going to get chirped by all the older guys. Ed Jovanoski, my rookie year in Florida, was playing 20 minutes plus a night and kicking ass. And it was late in the year. And we've got home late.

We're on a road trip. Got home late, landed. So it was an optional skate the next morning. And Jovo took the option. and before practice started, the coaches had called them and said, who in the, do you think you are? Get your astaire. So yeah, you weren't allowed to take days off or sit in the training room.

No. There was nothing to do in the training room anyway. Nowadays, there's, you get things a spa. And they encourage you to take days off now. They don't want guys to skate. So you're around the junior game, for those that don't know, stage his assistant coach with the Calgary Hitman. How, I guess, in that vein, how different is it?

How different are the guys? I mean, I've got a, I've got boys who are teenagers. I mean, teenage boys are dumb. I just wonder from the kids themselves, like you say, the brains, hockey and otherwise, and just the game and all that, the strategy and all that. How has it changed from your Belleville days? Yeah, it's, well, it's completely different. Just, oh, the boys are still boys.

They're teenagers. and you know you're you're dealing with with ultimately 23 kids yeah but um you know the hot they have everything at their fingertips and i don't think they realize that it's just um they're still young and um but they get video like they get breakdown of every shift if they want to see us and junior like there was none of that like it was the bCR switch we you know would rarely do video um and then there's just even an intermission like we kind of coaches bring the kids into the room and show them clips like this is or put it in the dress room for the team to see this is the adjustment we need to make um so it's it's just the

biggest thing you know the hockey part the hockey part like the whole hockey world's um transformed and you know everything's at your fingertips it's it's how you deal with the kids and and you're starting to see it in the iHL because it's become younger and younger it's how how do you get these kids to be the best they can be and and a lot of them you have to be hard on there's also a fine line because you don't want them to shut down. So it's finding that balance and every kid's different. And it's a learning process for coaches. Like you can,

some kids need to, you know, be told and held accountable like all the time. And then some you have to kind of ease your way in. And otherwise they just shut down. So that's, that's the biggest different. Where back in the day it was,

you weren't doing something right. You were getting reamed right away. Your coaches were breaking sticks, putting them in your face. Like I remember. you were getting sad out if if you did things that you weren't supposed to. It was just ruthless back then. And that's the way I was brought up in my time and Rhett would have been.

And now you can't do that. And it's sometimes I think the kids need that. But, you know, you just you just can't. You have to go about a different way. You've always talked about video. And I think some of us kind of tongue and cheek and, you know, you laugh about spending too much time in the video. But I wonder.

iPads on the bench and having so much video, are you seeing the kids, especially in junior, to show them what, whether the mistake or whatever it was, are they able to then compute that and then apply it on the ice? Or is it just kind of, okay, I see what I did wrong. And then they, well, you did it again. I'll show you a second time or a third time. I just wonder with, there's so much video.

Is it actually working on the ice in a short amount of time, like during a game? It should like that's where you learn about the kids and honestly their hockey sense. Like the video like cutting it isn't the best to do. Like it's you got you have to do it and it's a good way. But it's such a good tool to teach because they can see themselves. And then you can hold them accountable. Like look what you did and you show them and you hope that they can apply what you're teaching them.

But the kids who are coachable that will grasp that and go out there and you'll see the adjustments. and then kids that keep making this mistakes over and over, you're kind of in the back of your head. I don't know if this kid's going to be able to make it and adjust to where he needs to be because every level. You want to show him that, you know, we need to show that kid. That's not going to do that. It happens.

Like there's times where we showed kids the same thing over and over. And then it's like maybe we just sit with this one out. Got him on the head. Try harder. But the game, it's such a reading react game. So, you know, the video you can stop and you can show things. But you also have to understand it's a fast game. So that's the part with the players.

Like we know it's faster, but you're going to get better and go to the next level. It's going to get faster and faster. So you've got to process what we're teaching you, you know, while the pressure's on, while you have the puck, while your teammates are getting open for you, you got to process all that.

So like we're just showing you and you got to take it and be better with it. Like that's just kind of what you do. When you're showing systems like where it's the whole five-man unit, you show them to the team. that's something we hope while we do, we show the team, but the players can hold themselves accountable. You got to rely, it's not a one-man's sport. Like a centerman needs their winger to be in a certain area.

You know, you need to support the puck. So there's all these different factors. And, you know, when back in the day, it was not like that at all. You know, coaches for getting information from other coaches they're calling. What do these guys do? Or now we can actually watch who are playing and see tendencies and then pass that information on. And you hope that the players can, the good players do take that in. And not the good players, but the smart players.

And the other ones are kind of, it takes time. And sometimes they never get it. And that's why you'll never make it to the next level. That's the truth. Village Honda is a proud supporter of Barnburner. You can find them in the Northwest Auto Mall or check them out online at village honda.com. Village Honda's got new hondas arriving daily.

Drive away in your new Honda from Village Honda, your dealership for life in the Northwest Auto Mall and at VillageHonda.com. The Hearing Loss Clinic has been helping change people's lives for the better since 1993. At the Hearing Loss Clinic, it's never been about hearing impairment. It's been about empowering you to be socially active, more connected with those around you, and confident in every aspect of your life. People of any age can suffer from hearing loss, and studies have shown that serious health risks have been linked untreated hearing loss they have nine locations to serve you four in the city of calgary make a healthy choice and book an evaluation today at hearing loss dot cae do you find that the kids are coach in my world is 14 and kids like that the skill level is staggeringly good like stunningly good

but the hockey sense isn't always there like i'm almost wondering if like the skills that they're learning second to none best it's ever been but what we've forgotten to do is teach them how to play the game 100% and at the junior level you hope that they have that and that's kind of one thing you know we talked about as coaches is these kids coming up their individual skill is better than any of probably what my school was in the nchel like you see what these kids can do i'm like but they don't know where to be and like the given goes like that that's one thing we talk about every to give and go is you're not going to stick handle through five guys you need to you need to give and go you need to find space you need to pass and jump to space and they don't teach that very well in minor hockey you it's

kind of luck of the draw who your coaches in minor hockey goes a long way and and then because we try and teach at the junior level but it's competitive like you're already you don't have a bunch of time to put in exactly and as coaches you're going to play the players that you know can do it so it's a And you can't emulate a game. You can do game like stuff, small area games. Part of the issue, though, too, is, sorry, you can sign a kid up for a skills session. There's not a lot of parents that are going to pay

to have a give and go session. Do you know what I mean? Like, there's a lot of guys out there that have these unbelievable skills session skates and this and that. And they teach the guys. You're toe dragging. You're going through.

You're zipping around the ice. And it's, again, it's, the kids are so skilled nowadays but they've put so much into that we've forgotten i talk about all the time on this show since when did the front of the net become a shitty area for a defenseman to stand and recover right like they got guys they they they leave the front of the net open all i'm like where in the age are you going oh yeah like what where are we going somebody be in front please But the point being they forget to teach hockey and they teach skill. Yeah.

And like we're even coaching like my eight year old now and that team. Like the skill is is there. It's the passing and giving goes in the hot. And you're trying to, so we're trying to teach them habits away from just your solo skill. So that when you're older, you're going to be ahead of everybody. And it's just a thing.

And you're seeing it to Angela level. Guys are making it there. like it's taken San Bennett a while. When he came to the flames, he was very, you know, sporadic and could skate and was great at what he did, but he was a hard guy to play with for guys who would play with them. And he slowly, you know, has learned,

but it took some time. So it's a thing. And realistically, the reason is, because they all go on to Instagram and they see these highlights and it looks cool. And, but like the old story is like, we'll have a kid in our team. with the hitman he'll toe drag in his own end he'll be the last guy back and get around a guy

and the whole bench would be like oh what a play and we're like no that's so unnecessary because if that gets poked away it's it's a great a scoring chance like it's just the process but they're more worried about like that's going to be i can put that on my instagram and it's going to get likes and and i'm like okay well that's not going to get you to the next level so it's just getting through to them but they're boys right so it's hard so for you getting into coaching I just staging. Yeah, he seems like a guy that would be a good coach. And that would be a natural for you.

It's another thing to commit. I think I was talking to you, right? So are you doing all just home games? Or are you going? It's like, no. If you're in, you're all in. So it's not for the money. It's about the love of the game and it's on the guys.

But it's also getting back in the bus and it's hotels. And it's not totally glamorous. And it's not not you don't need to do that. What's it been like for you to get back on those buses and Prince George and those trips into the U.S.? Yeah. Well, yeah, the hardest part is the commitment. Like now having kids at an age where I want to coach them and help them, that's the hardest part. But I've learned so much the last two years, just being on the other side.

And it's it's just learning the business. Like in junior, you're kind of right there seeing how. everything operates, you know, it's not an NHL team. So you have, you know, Trent, the other system does a lot of the, you know, prep and hotel stuff. Like there's not someone, there's not an OB to do all that stuff. Like, so he'll be the odd time. I'm like, yeah, give me a few restaurants to call.

But he does the majority of it. And I try and help out. But it's, I've enjoyed it. You know, I've really enjoyed a lot of it. But it's just the commitment. That's the hardest part. Being away from the family. Exactly.

And we talked about it all the time. Yeah. And who was I talking recently? I'm like, a lot of the guy and whatever people want to think of this, but a lot of the guys who are like committed right away after their career and it might not be true. And a fact, but I'm like, a lot of them have all daughters. A lot of the guys are right in. It's true. Like they, because that's their way to get away from, you know, that's what they're used to. It's not even get away. Sorry.

Not get away. Because I'm the same way. And I've seen it lots too where, but it's like you just said, you want to coach your eight-year-old son who's playing hockey because you feel like you can actually contribute in that where if I had a daughter and they can play whatever sport they want. But if they're not into hockey and they're into dance. Exactly. Yeah. I'm not helping. Yeah.

Exactly. No, it's true. And the mother is just naturally more inclined to want to be involved in that. So it's just, it's, it's. Yeah. So I'm kind of at a sense of what I want to do because it's like, okay, if I want to commit to this coaching. you got to commit. And if you want to build your way up to the next level or wherever you want to get to,

or it's commitment, like years and years. There's a spot down the street. Yeah. Just open up. Yeah. Yeah. But so that's that like, do you put it on hold for a bit? Do you wait to your kids are older?

But I love the coaching. Actually, Reggie said to me when I retired, that was his advice to me. He's like, you'll never find the competition we had in the NHL in life. anywhere like the top level of what we do we're never going to be able to relive that as as you know professional athletes that are now retired so how you get that back you really can't like men's league you can't you know it just doesn't happen but um coaching and and maybe being in management and having a part of a team you get a little bit of that back you feel the fire again but um it's not the same as playing but it's as close as you're going to get and i've enjoyed that part of it

especially this year with the team and going to playoffs and preparing and like you get into it big time. You get into it coaching your eight year old kids. So it's just, you know, that's the only way we can, we can. So you know, it's oh man, it's, I'm not, I don't need to speak for you. I feel like Brett and I have spent hours talking about that from his perspective. You miss. It's not about, oh, I want to win a cup. I mean, yeah, of course, but it's you miss that the camaraderie of the boys, the competition. And then there's the poll of, well, I want to, it's, it's my kids game. He's got a big game tonight. Kind of want to be there.

It's that there's, you almost can't have both and it's the pull in those directions that ultimately is the hardest thing. It is. It is. And it's, you know, it's how you figure that out. Like your kids are only in that age gap

for so long, right? So we'll see. We're kind of trying to figure that out for myself and me and my wife. But I always see myself in the game. don't and I'll be involved with the hitman and we'll see a kind of commitment this fall brings so but it's been it's been really good I've learned a lot from the staff with the hitman so for you you're one of the guys I got to admit I'm kind of surprised is in calgary you were saying

you're building the house this is home Toronto guy played in Toronto family in Toronto it just felt like not not that you were you know you came to calgary we'll talk about your career as a flame but it just seemed like that's you're an Ontario guy. Why are you here? How did it all come to be that this has been home for you and your wife? Well, yeah, well, we're all burdens now. So, you know what? A big thing was, well, once our kids were born, you know,

that you always have a connection here. But just we were here for so long. Like it ended up being eight years when we went overseas. And we came back and we have conversations. And at first we were leaning towards probably, moving back to Ontario and then and then we'd go visit and it's great to see everybody and that's the hardest part is another, you know, pulling each direction with family. Like, but every time we go back, it just, we have a condo in Toronto where we can stay and

we enjoy our time there, but it's so busy. It's like it's, it's just so busy there. Like the pace of life or your personal family? Like both. And it'd be nice to just hop in the car and go see grandma and grandpa. Like we would love that to go see, you know, our brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. But just the lifestyle out there, just go, go, go, go. And that's all we knew when I played in Toronto. I grew up in Toronto.

We were in Ontario. And then coming out here, it was like we finally started staying out here in the summers. We'd go back for the reason and stay here most summer. We're like, this is awesome. And then you start going in the mountains. and then you see something, you know, you're lucky enough to get a lot now that you see the mountains. You're like, oh, this would be a nice place to live and, you know, build your dream home and raise your kids.

It's a different style of big time, right? It's a different lifestyle. Yeah, it's a huge, different lifestyle. We just enjoyed it here and we just made the, and COVID happened. So a lot of thinking during that, and during COVID, you're stuck at home. And there's so much to do here. And going back, what would we be doing if we were living in Ontario? Call Peter Klein at McLeod at 403-2543864 or go online at McLeod-Dashlaw.com.

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I think if we did move back to Ontario, I think we'd have no problem adjusting. We just put the positive negatives to each situation and we just, we like it out here. And our plan is to just go visit, like hop on a flight. If we want to see family, we go for three, four days and we go at Christmas or key times in the summer and we still get to see everybody and they can come visit us. So that's kind of where we're at and what we decided on. And it just feels like home here. And I'll tell you the truth.

We go back to Toronto, it doesn't feel like home anymore for us. Our kids are born here. This is where our family really started when we got married and everything. He was the Toronto darling. Very much. Mississauga boy playing in playing his hockey in Toronto. And then the draft is in Toronto and the Leafs draft. The Toronto boy, it was a Cinderella, it's a fairy tale story for you.

What do you remember? Did you feel like the Leafs were on you as you had a good feeling about them? Because they took Alex Steen in round one. Did you think there was a chance you'd get into that round one or how did that draft day? Did you want to go there? Well, I was a huge Leaf fan growing up. So I was, I was excited. But I did not have one interview with the Leafs.

And during that, you know, I went to the Combine. I was ranked 18th, my draft year. in North America. So I thought maybe I'd sneak into the first round, you know, maybe early second, but I just kept sliding. My interview process was probably terrible. I was also scrawny teenager.

I wasn't the biggest guy. And, yeah, I just kept dropping. And I was like, and you'd see guys in your league that go and you're like, okay, like this is. Now I'm depressed. Yeah, now you get a little bit rattled. And back then there was a big signing bonuses. So every round you went later, there was a big chunk of money,

you know, when you're, 20 years old. So, you know, you wait and wait and then late second round. Yeah, Toronto took me out of nowhere. Like I had not one, didn't even send me a package to like fill out, you know, questionnaire or anything. It was they just, they drafted me and, you know, their player development guy at the time, I played with his kids. So they kind of knew of my family. So I think that had a big part of it. But I guess they had me ranked right after Alex Steen. So if he had gone earlier, they were going to take me in the first round from what they told me. after so they were happy to get me and and i was i was really happy to be there at the time and i loved

my time there like i thought it was so cool playing for for that franchise um it just was it was a tough time though like we had a little success in the playoffs my first year and then the lock what happened and it was just that salary cap came in 39 million you trade all your older guys and we just weren't we didn't have any elite prospects to the true we didn't have a well because leaves had traditionally paid for guys once they got to free agency. They're one of the teams that could go and get them. So it was a different way of building. And that's what they were starting to do in the late 90s. And I think you would have played them with Buffalo in the conference final there. And yeah, they'd bring guys in and Gilney was there. Like I got to play one year with all those guys,

like five, six Hall of Famers. And then all of a sudden it was like, okay, like they went a different direction. We'd miss the point. We missed the playoffs by a point three years in a row through that time. So you weren't getting a high-end draft pick and you were missing the playoffs. It was kind of looking back, it sucked. You're playing meaningful hockey, but it would be nice to maybe get a Sydney Crosby early there and build within that way. But you can't control that. You control every shift you play. And it's the old saying, but it's true.

And then you're just a number, right? Like if there's a situation where they can move on from you and bring in someone they think's better fit, that's the way it was. But I was, I honestly felt like Matt Sondin left. We did not have any leadership in that room because all the older guys had gone. Thomas Cabrillae, he's, he's kind of a mute. Like he's a very quiet guy. I couldn't really speak. He was our veteran guy who had been there for a while and Nick Antropov who was, you know.

So like I felt like I was taken, I took on a big leadership role when Sondi left were there. You're 21, 22. Yeah, and I was young. But I learned, but I was the guy I was talking in the media for a few years. I'd be the one getting into it with Ron Wilson. And, you know, it was, but I loved it. Like, it was great. Just we weren't a good team.

Like, we just didn't have the skill and the team that I could go anywhere. So I knew changes were coming. And then I was becoming a UFA. And, yeah, just like that, you're gone. Well, you had that wild start because wasn't in a span of like five, days here in Belleville, St. John's, Toronto. You finished juniors. I'd love to play in the NHL someday. You didn't know it was going to be later that week. What was that, how did that all work? Your season ends with Belleville and then it's a roller coaster. It was, it was, and it was a blur because,

so you lose in junior, right after you lose in playoffs and junior, it's like party city. Yeah. And we all had Mohawk. So like, we're rolling around small town, Belleville. And then my agent's like, they want to sign you and bring they want you to go to st johns to play a few games for the end of the year um so obviously not going to turn that down it's so you you party for a couple of days and you're on a flight to st johns and they had a game friday but they weren't making the playoffs so i wasn't i was only going out for one game so they flew me out there for one game and that was their last game so after that game they had their year and stuff so we're on we're on george street just you know i'm out with like mark morrow and all these old

older guys and they're just feeding me drinks and, you know, the young guy just came up. So it was a night. And I honestly, the Leafs played the next day at Saturday at home. It's the last game of the year. They made the playoffs. But every, no one wants to play that game. None of the veterans did. And I didn't even have a cell phone that, or maybe I did.

But I had a message on my hotel room from Mike Penny, who was the assistant GM, but basically because Pat Quinn was the GM coach. and I missed his call in the morning. Like I was, you're out at all night. And then I woke up at like 11 and he's, I had to call him. I just got the message. He's like, you got to catch this flight. We missed the 11 o'clock flight.

You're catching this two o'clock flight, St. John's time, hour and a half time change. And he's like, jump on this flight. There's a chance you're playing for the lease tonight, depending on one of the older guys as they want to play. So I like rush out of there. I get as much sleep as I can on the plane. and land in Toronto. I landed at 5 o'clock for 7 o'clock Saturday night game.

So I didn't get to the ACC until like probably. I remember walking in with my hockey bag. I had my shaved head. You could see a red mohawk still in my shaved head. Like I had a huge scar on my face from getting stitches and junior playoffs. And there's people, all the people coming to the game already. And it was in the club level. So you see all these suits and you walk in.

And yeah, they're a guy. As soon as I walked in, their trainer grabbed my equipment, set it upside. I'd bell for he wasn't playing that night. And I just had to go get ready. And I was just kind of in awe. Because I had, you know, I went to one training camp with them, I guess. But it was, I was sent down after like two days, three days. And, yeah, it just happened like that.

And yeah, I had lots of nights out that week. So almost probably better, right? You just kind of, you're on adrenaline. And then score that night. Was it top shelf? Yeah, top shelf. Yeah. Something like that.

It was like Retz goal and Phoenix or wherever he scored it. A turnover by Chris Phillips right in the slot, a pizza onto the stick of Matt stage, and he beats Martin Prusheck for his first NHL goal. Yeah, lost the face off clean in the neutral zone. And back then the center pushed through, right? You never see that anymore. And yeah, it was like it was meant to be. Like I look back at them, like, what are the chances?

How many people are at the game? family wise friends it was such a tight turner my parents got to go my great my late grandpa got to go and he he's had his company had season tickets for the lease since back in the day so

my sister got to go like there's probably six or seven eight family friends and then actually three of my three or four of my teammates from Belleville were able to go because one of them was Wolf Paymont son so they came with cowboy hats and they were still on their week long

vendor after the season for Belleville. So it was it was awesome. Kind of looking back, we lost the game, but I was like friends out there party. I guess the game didn't mean anything, but it was a it was a memorable week. And from there, it just kind of it gave me honestly confidence I could play on that team the next year, which I was able to do. And you did make the playoffs, right? You got into three playoff games. Yeah. That year. Yeah.

So that year we, we traded for Ron, Francis, Brian Leach, Clark Wilm was, he was, he was in the minors, but he came out for playoffs. And then, you know, we had, we had made a lot of trades. So I went down for one day at the trade deadline for, um, a roster spot and then came right back up and there's no salary cap. So going into the playoffs, I wasn't in the, uh, the top 12 and Owen Nolan had gotten hurt. And then Sundin got hurt, grade him for, uh, in Ottawa. I got to play games five, six, and seven against Ottawa. And then the second round came, we were playing Philly.

And Pat Quinn said, we're going to put, you know, the more veteran grizzled, Clark Willman for you. Then he buried one on a breakway right into what's his name's chest. Like I remember, yeah. Because he'd been battling to get back in the league, Wilman. And he has this opportunity of the playoffs. I think it was to win the game. You know, it was.

I think he was. But it would have been a big goal. It was game five, yeah. And right. I'm like, oh, here we go. He's going to get his chest. Oh. Yeah.

Wilmer was great, though. And he was on our team the next few years, too. So, but that's just, that was, that was that experience. And then the lockout happened. So, but honestly, looking at that lockout, I missed, we all missed a full season of NHL hockey. But for me, I got to go to St. John's for a year, play 22 minutes a night, every situation.

And also looking back, I'm like, it was probably really good for my development. Where I, the year before I was playing 20s. 12 minutes, 10 minutes, and I don't know how much I would have developed, but my, well, it had been harder to if you'd have gone to training camp and you didn't make it, right? Like, you assume you're going to, but there's no guarantees with that. Exactly. So you got to go down without feeling the, the, whatever. The sting for sure.

Yeah, the sting of being sent to the miners, right? So you go down, you're not down in the dumps about it. You're like, this is great. Go play, play a bunch. Exactly. Yeah. And I enjoyed my ear. in St. John's, it was awesome. So I got to

live out east. And that year, you beat Ottawa. They were like President's trophy winners, right? Like, that was a massive upset. Yeah, they were, the only reason, like, they, and we lost our captain. So Sandin was out, but looking back, and there was a few games during the lock,

or during the, uh, COVID, that they threw like flashback games from that series. And Ed Belfour was unbelievable. Like, it was like, it was the same year, Kipper. It was the same season. Yeah. Yeah. where Kipper was at lights out. Like Eddie was lights out for us in that first round.

We had no business. Like every game was like one nothing to one. That sounds really right. But we had a good team, but you need that goaltender. Outdoor dental is dentistry with no needles, no drills, no stress. Their Salele laser treatment is an excellent solution for people who experience dental phobia. In one to two minutes, you'll be relaxed, comfortable, pain free, and back onto your day in minutes. Also, outdoor dental does snoring treatments.

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to game one or to round one of the playoffs. Except you're on the ice. You're playing. That's just wild to think. It was like. And I think the Leafs had a lot of like they traded Brad boys for Owen Nolan. So their prospect pool kind of opened up around my time too. So I was kind of so mean Alex Steen and Kolaakovil kind of were the young guys and gave me more of a shot, I think, at a young age to find a spot.

But they were still reluctant to keep me. Like, I remember back when, like, he just, he had a thing. He liked me. And to make it out training camp was, I think they put Travis Green on waivers that year to open up a spot for me, a veteran guy. And I'd be the coacher, who knows? But, yeah, like, I think, yeah, it was just, everybody's way to the NHL's different. You need things to work out, but you got to take advantage when your chance is there and, and then make sure you stick. get lost on a lot of parents especially don't realize that right you do this this this all the above

correctly you don't get through or take the opening when it's there if you ever even get that opportunity which is no guarantees so you need a little bit of luck when that opening happens you'd better jump through the door because it is very quickly being closed by someone else that wants your spot yes and you can say the same in junior just to be the guy in junior just to be the guy in junior you better take advantage of that opening to stop. When you come in as a 15, 16 year old and junior, you got to establish yourself and take that opening and then work your way up to be a top guy

to then get the opportunity to get drafted and do the same thing at the next level. Because we say it all the time. If you go to NHL training camp or when we're doing our escapes before the season, anybody in the HL, like, their skill levels just as good as the NHL guys. Other than like McDavid and the world class best players,

Like they're shot. You'll have a guy who skates fast and stands out in those scrimmages. And then you go to training camp and, you know, you realize when you play the game that the smarts are the difference, the offset, I think, between the HL and the NHL guys. But the window's small because there are guys in the HL that could easily swoop in and establish himself and play well. It's their job. Put you on the spot. Who's the best player you played with or against that never got to? got a sniff.

My D-partner won defense one of the year. Chad Allen drafted, didn't get drafted. I think third round to Vancouver. Never, never got a minute. Like not one sniff in the NHL? Yeah, that's a tough question. Because I know a lot of guys that would get like, you know, one game. A little bit here.

A little bit here, a little bit there. But that's what I don't even know who to answer. I didn't, luckily I was only a little bit in the minors. And a lot of the guys got one game with the least. that I played with. What was the media like dealing with media in Toronto? It's considered the center of the hockey universe. And it's, you know,

you can get overwhelmed by it, even from out in Calgary with how much coverage there is, of Leafs. What was it like being there? Yeah, it's, it's over, over the top for sure. You're just first, you know, in Sports Center,

it's always about the Leafs every day. And every day there's media. Like, in Canada, I think it's, It's similar everywhere. But I think Toronto and then Montreal with, with, you know, having the Quebec fans and all that. Two medias. Yes, exactly. You just have way more media in there.

And so, like, it's crazy how many people are in the room. And I know if you'd see it, you know, it's specific times on different teams. Maybe when you're in Toronto, if you're playing in a Stanley Cup or in a big game, there's lots of media. But, like, it's every day. And a lot of those media, it's low. local media. So they're trying to get stories and, you know, push buttons and just take different angles on everything. So as a player, you just got to give the answer you want to give. You don't want to be boring, but it's almost a safer way to go. When you talk every day, it's hard not to get boring. Or it's like, what do you want me to say?

We haven't played in two days and you're asking you the same question. And everybody has an opinion. And then the fans there, like, they, especially now even with social media, it's probably even worse, I bet. because you're dealing with that. But everybody has an opinion. You go everywhere, everybody has an opinion. But I think in Calgary, it's not,

it's just a smaller scale, to tell you the truth. And I feel like the media is pretty fair here in a lot of ways. But Toronto, it's all takes as one, one idiot to just try and make a name for themselves. And there's not just one idiot,

though. There's always a bunch of idiots that are trying to do that. And you got to deal with it. And when times are tough, the team's not playing well. it's bad and you got to just kind of focus in and it's hard to get as a player there it's not you you're worried about there's also 23 of your teammates that you hope that they're just

focused on the right things because you can't win in the league when you only have half the guys with the right mindset so when things go good you want people to stay you know making sure they're still focus not get too high because it does that happens too the leaps are winning the cup they went three in a row we're winning the cup they're playing the parade like we hear that all the time but it's very much like that so that's the hardest part is keeping everybody you know on the same page and have the same focus and it's hard to do with uh social media and all that because you can control yourself but your teammates you have to trust that they will and i don't think that ever happens because no one's you never have 23 guys happy with their ice time

or where they're playing or if they're scratch you're always going to have someone that's that's not happy so pat quim how did you get on the right side of that guy he he's Such a legend, right? You talk about all those veteran players that are in the room. Then there's that guy. Like overwhelming for a young guy coming in, I would think. Yeah, he was, he was awesome to me. It took some time, honestly.

And Keith Acton was the assistant coach there, and he worked a lot with me. He's the forward coach. So he worked a lot with me. But it, you just have to get your coach to trust. It's no different. If your coach doesn't trust you, you're not going to play. And when your young guy coming in and you have Pacquins, who loves his veterans because he can trust them.

And, you know, we've had coaches here in Calgary that are same. So as a young kid, you got to gain their trust. So those first bunch of games, you better be playing the right way and doing things that help gain that trust. And that's all that was. And then he was just a good person, too. And he was like that to everybody. He was always asking about family and just very personable.

And, you know, guys love playing for him. I don't think he was the most, you know, exes. nose and system-wise. Like you had your system, but it was a lot of, you know, the players would have to kind of adjust on their own a bit at times. And, um, but I think, uh, it worked for him. Um, he had a successful career and he's missed, but that's why he's a legend. So you're the Toronto guy.

We'll talk about the trade to Calgary in a moment, but we see a lot about, you know, Tavares with his leafs pajamas on and guys want to go back to try. I mean, you were a Toronto guy drafted by the Leafs. You're playing for the Leafs. was it everything like it couldn't have been was it everything you thought it was going to be like you think it's a dream come true and this is all i could have ever wanted what was it what was your experience as a leaf for a guy from toronto it it was a dream come true because i was a huge leifs fan growing up you know i had a doug gilmore jersey and um i got the dug he was on the team when i played my first game he was on the he heard himself he came for one game heard himself but he was

He was on the team. So it was a dream come true, like going out and playing at the ACC or Roger, whatever it's called now, Scotia Bank. But like it was, but then it becomes reality. Like the first little bit, and it's like anybody who makes Ancel the first, you're on adrenaline, then those first five-time game, this is a coolest thing. But then you're like, okay, like, this is my job. It's what you've always wanted. And now you got to make sure you make the most of it.

and stay there. A lot of guys come in and play a good for five games, 10 games. It's you want to be a guy that can play for a long time, and then you want to win. So being a leaf was unbelievable, and it was hard because we just never had success there when I was there. We had the one year, and then it was always, you know, 10th place.

And it was always exciting playing big games and playing Montreal and, you know, the rivals. But at the same time, when your team missing the playoffs, it gets frustrating. And then it weighs on you and having family around. You know, my family was great, you know, but you still start hearing things. And you just kind of, it just kind of becomes part of your life. I don't even know how to explain it. But it was a dream come true.

And I loved every second of it. And I, at first, I was, it was hard to leave. But that's, as soon as someone doesn't want you or trades you, then you're like, you get past that pretty quickly and you're just focused on what you can now. Hey, guys, it's Pinder. Hope you're enjoying our one-on-one with Matt Stage. And it's time to dive into our Betway Bet of the day. Going into the futures market here.

And why don't we start with baseball? Spencer Strider has been absolutely sensational for the Atlanta Braves this year. He leads the universe in strikeouts. His number for the NL. Sy Young on a really good Atlanta team is plus 225. you can more than triple your money strider to win the nL sye young i'm all over that one today for betway 19 plus ontario only bet the responsible way betway there you go it's gonna do it segment number one with matt stage and ret and i sitting down with one of the good guys part two blockbuster trade from hogtown to cowtown his life as a leaf is over there's some drama on the way ladies and gentlemen uh didn't know here there's something about a stampede in calgary outside of that the stage of that the stage is don't have a whole lot of knowledge about what goes on in Calgary but they're going to learn and in some ways they learn the hard way but that's coming up in part two some ups and downs and the biggest goal of his career comes in the saddle dome details on that all coming up i hope you

enjoyed part one tomorrow part two download it watch like subscribe all that sort of thing we'll see you tomorrow on barn burner see buddies