Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Making Sense Of Don Maloney’s Head-Scratching Comments w/ TSN’s Noodles | BB Clips

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

Pinder & Rhett are joined by TSN’s Noodles as they dive into Don Maloney’s latest comments and the fan backlash that followed. Noodles questions why people are mad at Maloney in the first place, while the guys break down why his remarks frustrated Flames fans. They also dig into the big question everyone’s asking… why doesn’t Craig Conroy have a contract yet?VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/3cVm1xpUuh0#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #calgaryflames 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.

Walk me through why we're mad at Don Maloney. Okay. Because it sounds like he's, to me, it comes across to the fans as almost demeaning in, you have no clues about, clue about anything, and even what you're seeing is wrong. And just, we can't, they're not allowed to say rebuild. Like, how childish are we? I can't say rebuild. Like, it's stricken from the dictionary?

What are we talking about? I thought there was a new word involved. Wasn't there? Rebiggle. Rebiggle. There. Say that. We haven't printed T-shirts.

I'm saying rebuild because that's what they should do. But, okay. I don't buy, here, it's my thing. I'm going to go on a rant. Go ahead. I don't buy into this bullshit. So San Jose,

Chicago, and Anaheim Tamir, I don't know if I talked to you about the right up for it. Lots of people. They've turned a corner this year to a certain extent. Why? Because they got a goaltender. They have very high-end talent up front.

but the missing piece in all these good teams is a goaltender. We have a goaltender. We have assets that if you trade them out and make good on your draft picks or your return, you can, you can, everyone's talking about a decade of hell in this. No, no, no. Move guys, get good players in return and turn the corner. You've got the goaltender, get some high-end talent up front, embrace it, and use, they have cap space,

if they want to sweeten the deal by eating money. If you don't want to suffer for 7, 8, 10, which only, only Buffalo, Buffalo's gone decades without a playoff, only them, then embrace it and do the right thing and turn the corner faster. You don't have to swallow.

You're more likely to wallow, continuing to do what you're doing. Correct. You know, Don said, we like the Dallas model. You're not fucking Dallas. You haven't made the playoffs for a decade straight. Like you just aren't. It's not even close.

You're not Dallas. Everyone would like to be the best drafting team in the NHL, but there's only one. That's the thing. There can't be 32 best drafting teams. Just saying the world, Dallas doesn't mean you have a plan. Are you hiring all their scouts? Is Jim Nill all of a sudden running your department? Like, no.

They're still there. Are you in Dallas? No. Where the taxes are better and the weather's good? No. You're definitely not Dallas. Dallas. Let me just interject here really quickly because I hear you.

I'm not disagreeing. I have more of a question and retort. Could you not do what Jeff Gordon did with the Rangers? Yes. Montreal. Yes. You should be. So then there is a template out there.

There is some sample size and not even look. You could look at San Jose. You can look at Chicago. You can look at Anaheim, but you can also look at organizations that maybe will call it. And I'm not suggesting that Calgary is like that. But the Rangers, Montreal, the Rangers have a unique owner. We're called the word unique. Okay.

So you probably didn't want to hear the word rebuild, especially with that market or whatever. but they put out a letter. They put out a letter and said, pain's coming, but they were able to fast track it. They got Panarin. They got the goaltender. You're right. They ended up with some pieces to build around.

Montreal, Jeff Gordon goes there, and they had some pain, but it's like, hey, you know, I was thinking about it yesterday. He inherited some pretty good players. Like Mark Berger, for whatever people believe, you know, Berger got Nick Suzuki. He stacked that team, yeah. You know, there's a lot of Mark Bergevint's fingerprints on the underbelly of this group

before, you know, the great work that they've done in Montreal, and they've done great work there. I believe in Connie. I think it's more, like you said, Don Maloney comes out the other day. Keep in mind, there is a directive from the board, from ownership, and maybe that word is just a swear word to them. It is. Don't be childish about it.

It just sounds so petty. Oh, we can't use that word because we're so high and mighty and professional. What are you talking? Grow up. Let's put our business hat on, though. The minute you use, and I'm asking Pinder, not you, Rhett, because you and I played for the team, but Pinder, the perception. If you use the word rebuild or put out a letter or just say we're doing it and then you double down and you're talking about it all the time, what does the fan base do?

Like, did they not show up consistently? Will the, will the attendance shrink? Will, like, these are legitimate questions I'm asking. I'm not know. I'm not in the no. Keep in mind, I played for the 2001 Calgary Flames where, you know, we had 10, 12,000 people in the building consistently, not the 20, the 19.

So, you know, I'm asking you, Pinder, If they come out from a business standpoint and say we're rebuilding, what happens to the business structure of the fan base in that the pain that they endure, in the two years or whatever we're going to look at? Well, certainly for quarter four, Q1 next year and Q2 next year, your revenues are soft. But it would be incredibly short-sighted to not think that people wouldn't buy tickets to watch Keaton Verhoff, Gavin McKenna, or Ivar Stenberg.

This organization has talks about themselves with an air of success and pedigree that doesn't exist. And the fan base cannot be sold hope with the group they currently have. Your team might be worse next year, but at least you're selling hope if you bring in one of those top three picks. And so what I'm frustrated with Don Maloney's statements is that it seems to me, if you gave him the option of finishing 10th from the bottom or bottom three, he'd pick 10th for fear of ruining this. quote, winning culture that he seems to think they have. And that just prolongs what they're afraid of, which is a rebuild. If you get a young superstar in this building next year, you're going to sell more tickets than you are to watch Nazim Codry at 36,

Jonathan Hubertow at 33, Joel Hanley at 35, Coleman at 34, Weiger at 32. These are all declining assets. Acknowledge what you are. Look in the mirror. Look at the standings. Look back in the mirror. And understand you can make yourself so much better in the long term if you lean into this position you're in. Yeah, it's a great point, and that's why I wanted to listen to you.

Now, let me retort. The names that you just said, name me that list again, Nazim Kadry, Blake Coleman, Jonathan Hubertow, Wigger, Hanley, are any of those, would you, if you had a crystal ball and said four months from now, are any of those players missing from that list because they have been traded? Well, I mean, if you just read, Don Maloney's comments, Anderson's the only one leaving, and I didn't have him on my list. He said we need more and Asim Cadry's not less. So that seems to me if he had his way or he's lying through his teeth, but either way he looks like a dope. You need to move Cadry.

You need to. Don't be holding the bag when he's 37 and he's not scoring 30. Yeah. Two of my bigger concerns, Nuddles, and I don't know if Jack can find it in time. I just put him on the spot a little bit here. Two things I've brought up. The message is, the message is no. good. Don't say anything if that's what you're going to say because it just doesn't sound good.

And then the other thing is, who's driving the bus down there? Because there's a lot of guys in management. And then there's this. I'll read it. I think he's asked about why Craig doesn't have a contract. I think he's been excellent in creating an environment, a culture of being here and proud to play in Calgary. His biggest strength is his relationship with the players, which is excellent. He cares. He knows they care. I think the first year was difficult with the number of good players we had at the end of their contracts. There were seven UFAs that year. A couple of those guys would probably help us right about now,

but we got through it. I think your two is strong, yada, yada, yada. But like, how did you be looking back at that? That comment to me says volumes, that they would have rather, there is some belief, if I'm reading into this,

that they would have just as been, they would have been just as happy to write it out with the group that basically said they wanted the F out of here. And wasn't good enough. Yeah. You know what? Now, I'm paraphrasing and reading that quote. So what Don is saying is the success of the team hangs on whether Craig Conroy stays around or not.

Like, am I, is that, is that wrong? Well, there's a, but why does Connie Lee brought it up? Why does he not have a deal? What are they waiting for? How is the- I think that's a, I've been saying this. I think that's a miss. Now, maybe he has one sitting on his desk.

then sign it and get it done. What are we talking? We shouldn't have as fans. We can only, I say this all the time. I don't know what a trade that didn't happen. I don't know what it, I don't have that information. I can only make my judgments and opinions based on what I see.

And what I see right now is, is a GM without a contract with a whole bunch of other guys around him trying to steer this ship and he does know, they can't even. And if they have a contract, Sign the damn thing. They could use a PR win noodles right now. Sign the damn thing.

If you don't like him, kiss ass out too. Like, I believe in Conroy as well. But if you don't, it's the same as any other GM. Why the F would you want a guy that isn't going to be there long term, writing this into the end of his contract and making trades that you don't believe in? Fine. Find another guy that's going to be the captain of the ship. But if he is your captain, give him his contract.

Agreed 100%. You guys know I'm on team Conroy and I believe he should be there and given the full bandwidth to execute his vision. Do you worry about that? Do you worry about Connie's ability to execute the plan that he wants to have?

I don't if he's given the bandwidth to do it. That's what I'm asking. Do you think he has the bandwidth? I don't know because I don't know the inner working something. Like you say, we're dealing with what's in front of us. Yeah.

I believe Connie's done a great job. Has he had one hand tied behind his back because he's had... He's been swimming with an anchor. Yeah. Has he been doing that? I don't know. I'm not privy to that information. But what I do believe is that he's a really good GM.

He's created a good culture there. It's not a place where people are dying to get away from. and that says a lot. It took a while, and the only parallels I have of this, I've got two, and I don't know if they tie together, but remember Winnipeg, it was like Paul Maurice left, and it was like, something's weird,

they got a real team, but something's not right, right? And then Rick Bonas comes in and it's like, when they lost in the playoffs, he was basically just sitting with a gun and firing bullets that going, something's wrong. This guy, this, like, and it wasn't like,

hey, we don't have a good team. It was something about the culture. And they seemed to get it right because Winnipega settled down. Adam Lowry. Yes, great leadership. But, you know, I know Chevy. I played pro hockey with them.

I think Kevin Shevoldeufs, an unbelievable manager, very stable, hardworking, you know, is created an environment there. I look at it. I look at the parallel with Connie. We all know them. We all love them, all of that. But I think Connie's created

this stable environment where his doors open. I don't think the players feel like they can't go to the manager and talk. Like I feel there's a real good culture that he's created. So here's why I want to tie it to Buffalo, not Winnipeg. Kevin Adams, by all accounts, like Buffalo, are they open for business? Are they not? I don't know what's going on. But is he allowed to make the moves?

Because I think he's a lame duck sitting there too. Right? So when you look to inquire about players in Buffalo, or you ask around, it's like, okay, well, is Adam's able to make all the decisions by himself? Because Yarmo's there now. They brought in Yarmou Kekhalainen as a helper, as whatever he is, associate manager, whatever his title is. I don't have it in front of me. So, you know, with Craig here in Calgary, he's the guy. He's got a management team. We've got Dave knownness. You've got Peter Handlin. You've got who else am I drawn? Brad Pascal and Don Maloney.

Donnie Maloney and Brad Pasco. And Donnie's above them. Donnie's the boss. So, you know, when you look at it, they've got a good management team that are they all on the same page as Connie got the band? And he also have Iggy as a as a special advisor. So you've got good hockey people in there. It's just, you know, are they all on the same page and then the plan, is there a mandate from the owner coming down that they've got to execute? Like, these are the questions I would ask, but I look at it. I don't think it's risen to the level to get a long-winded answer. It's not risen to the level of Buffalo, where I don't think Kevin Adams is able to make the

moves that he wants, I don't know if they trust. But Kevin Adams, Kevin Adams shouldn't be allowed. I'm coming back and I'm saying, Connie, I think, has a vision for. the group. I do believe he can execute it, getting back to your answer, Pender, but I just think he might have to do it the longer route around. And, you know, a lot of us are like the, the shortest point, but distance between two points is a straight line. Let's just do this. Yeah. There are a lot, a lot of the factors we're probably not privy to, and that might be pressure from the board, uh, expectations, all of these types of things. So it's like, okay, we're going to get here, but we're going to go

this way. I think it would be an. absolute pain in the ass to get anything done down there if you want my honest opinion. I think there's eight different directions and ten different people. And when you're walking down the hallway and you stop at Peter's room and he gives you an opinion. And I'm not just encouraging their opinion. I'm just saying that's a lot of people to appease. Ownership, Maloney, known as we're getting at all. It's hard to get everyone.

Are we having steak tonight? No, I want chicken. What about fish? Well, what are we making here? But that's the, in today's world, it's management team. It's not one guy. Yeah, see, I, yes, but is that, is Zito, does he just pick up the phone and do what he needs to do? I don't know, because the stories I hear out of Florida, like I know, you know, Roberto Luong was a friend.

Yeah, but they would have the, I guess you're right. Yeah, it's just, I feel like those guys are like, we're here to win and we have a vision and we're all on the same page on what it takes. And there might be tweaks. That's too much salt and that's too much pepper or that's too much paprika. But it's not a different menu. If I may, I think we're all kind of saying the same thing a little differently. It would be tough to say as a fan from what we're looking at without having any access to what their conversations are. to feel like Connie and what Don Maloney said are on the same page.

Like Connie's actions look like a guy who's preparing to turn over this roster and give it to younger players. And he's done a really good job through the draft and trades to get into the spot they're at now. And then he heard Don Maloney speaking, you're like, well, this is the exact opposite. He's regretting trades, it sounds like. And now he's talking about winning culture when they've missed a playoffs three years in a row. And maybe the owner's a big part of that because Don stuck between the two. But it would be tough to look at this runoffice and feel confident that they're in

lockstep versus a Florida where it's like Luongo, Sunny Meta, a bunch of other guys with Zito where clearly they're all on the same page. That's the fear here. Yeah, you know, and it's a great point. The other thing I believe would probably put people's mind at ease is exactly what the start of this conversation is. Craig Conner is under contract. It's a huge PR win and after a week of getting raked. It wouldn't be the worst idea. And listen, I watched John's video. I had Don as a general manager a hundred years ago. I've known him for many, many years. I don't think he's extremely comfortable in front of the camera. You shouldn't be doing it. Okay, so then it comes back to that. But really, at the end of the day, it's his job. I think he wanted to deliver some form of a message,

whether that's the right message or not. You know, certainly it's blown up. Believe me, I heard about it five seconds after it happened. But at the end of the day, like, I just don't know. if there's a, this is the wrong wording. If there's a disconnect between what they want to execute and what they're saying they want to execute, I think there's a disconnect there. And that's where you guys are calling out going, we're not dummies, we're sitting here,

we're watching it. So why not just say it? Yeah, don't talk down to us. It's a fan base. But at the end of the day, I think instead of attacking it, like I would much rather look at actions and go, okay, are the actions matching what they're saying? Because the actions are really what, you know,

they're not, you know, Connie's not doubling down after three wins in a row going, you know, hey, I'm going after, you know, player X. I'm, you know, I think what it is is they are doing it the right way, whether the messaging from above is consistent or not. That's where I'm going to stand because. I would agree with that. At the end of the day, at the end of the way, and we have said that.

We said, how this is being portrayed and how this has come across, is terrible. Still think they'll do the right thing. But at the end of the day, I still think February comes along and they're like,

yeah, we've got to dump these guys because it just makes no sense. It might be sooner, though. Like I think, whatever, yeah. Like, I'm looking around the league, and outside of Colorado,

it was literally a wagon and can win any which way, yeah. Everybody else has been lumped up. And then there are some teams falling, starting to fall by the wayside with injuries and inconsistencies and stuff. but you might see some managers that are desperate and going, okay, I'll pay that price that,

you know, remember what I was asking last deadline? I'm going to add another. I'm going to sweeten it even more because I need it. I'm going to, you know, give you what you want. Now, would you be more fearful on missing out? Like, I said before you came on, I said, pretty interesting that Vancouver has come out and said, we're listening. Yeah, memo sent out to 31 GMs.

The exact opposite kind of message that what's like, and whatever, again, if the Medi- happens, it doesn't matter, but it's who makes them. But if Vancouver makes it move, and you miss out a move in one of your guys because you're being stubborn, like, is there any concern for that? Okay, so what, what, are you talking on Anderson, maybe Heronic, somebody grabs Heronik instead of Anderson? Yes.

Are you talking on, I'm talking about any of that stuff. I'm talking about it. Oh, well, we're not ready to listen to on offers on these guys. We're not actively, because we've got a good. core and we believe in these and we need more codries. Wow, shit. I know, but I think those are just words. Every manager

like knowing and Red, you talk to these guys, I talk to managers every day. But it looks pretty idiotic if they trade cadre this week. Like you look like a real ass wipe. But if you get your ass, I think everyone's okay with it. But then you go, then you know would you come out with your messaging and you go, we got an offer we couldn't refuse. I'm sorry. The thing's changed. Our smoke screen worked.

Look how smart we are. We were playing 3D chess noodles. The minute you go open for business, the offer that they potentially had on the table from a desperate team goes, oh, well, okay, if you're willing to- You don't have to take it, though. You're right, but there is a business aspect of this where it's like if the messaging around the league is like,

these guys are not ready to part with some of the players that could do. Okay, go ahead. I get it. I get it. But are the other GMs so stupid that they're watching what's going on in Calgary going, oh, these guys are really committed. They're going to stick it out with it. Like, come on. I get it. Like, it's a game of chicken, but in the end, I don't. For us, idiots sitting around on her couch. I get it, but I don't care as much because actions, like you say, if Donnie came out and said that the other day, And then all of a sudden today, it's like Craig Conroy has acquired, I don't know, he's doubled down and acquired somebody, a 31-year-old set of a mess, you know.

Hey, Ryan O'Reilly. I was in on David Camp and now we're in on, you know, Ryan O'Reilly. Exactly. Jonathan Marcia's so got to have him. You know, he's going to teach Coronado how to play. You know, you're real, what the hell's going on? The actions I want to see. You guys know, it's lip service.

We do it for a living. We talk for lip service. I don't know how many times. And I'm guilty of this, but I'll say people in our business, I like to think I'm pretty measured with my comments, but there are people in our business who aren't measured. And they're like a floating bag. You know what a floating bag is?

Yeah, the plastic bag caught in the wind all over the place. And it's okay, there it is over there. And then it's come down over here and you're like, okay, so their opinions are like a floating bag. So one day these people are, you know, saying this about a player and next day, you know, you get some, I'll give me an example in Edmonton. Trade Evan Bouchard. He gets three assists, three primaries the other night in Florida. Like, this guy's in a lead.

You get an analytic people going, look at him. Only Kail McCar has more than this. And it's the floating bag theory. So what I'm saying is if if Connie continues on what he's doing and it doesn't match Donnie Maloney's words, so be it. At some point they go, they go, hey, you know, this is where the direction that we've had. Give Conroy's contract, then at least

we've cost that to. That's the overarching thing. Do I want to see Craig Conroy locked up to a long-term deal so that he can execute a plan and get this team with the new building and everybody excited in that? Absolutely. But I'm on team Conroy.

Like you guys know. So it's, I think it's probably, I'm hoping it's only a matter of Connie, this is the one thing. I'm around the league a lot. I fly to Vegas tonight. I'll be in Vegas tomorrow. I'll be in St. Louis Friday. I'll be in Dallas on Sunday. I talk to people throughout the league. Craig Conroy has a wonderful reputation. If he doesn't get a job here in Calgary, he's getting a job somewhere else. Put it that way.