Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - The Carolina Hurricanes Are On Top Of The Hockey World 🔥 | BB Clips

Episode Date: June 15, 2026

Boomer, Pinder and Rhett break down the Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup and look back at all the biggest storylines from an unforgettable Final. The guys discuss how Carolina got the job done, the impact of Brandon Bussi stepping into the crease when the Hurricanes needed him most, and why Jordan Staal's leadership and playoff performance put him firmly in the Conn Smythe conversation. They also dive into Rod Brind'Amour's masterclass behind the bench, the decisions that changed the series, and what this championship means for the future of the Hurricanes organization. On the other side, the boys examine where things went wrong for Vegas, what questions the Golden Knights will need to answer this summer, and whether this was a missed opportunity for a team that looked poised to win it all. From the biggest moments of the Final to what's next for both franchises, the guys cover it all in a full Stanley Cup championship breakdown. Let us know your biggest takeaway from the series in the comments.Video Link: https://youtu.be/0llkRe2xrcU#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #vegasgoldenknights #carolina 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.

It is over. It's over. Yeah. The last couple of games, I'll just, thoughts in the cup final, which came to a conclusion last night. Deserving winner.

Deserving winner, for sure. Great. Great first few games. No leave to safe. It was, that's a good final. It's a solid. We were hoping for more because we have,

I don't know, I'm speaking for you guys or speaking for myself. I was hoping for more of really tight and close and lead changes because up until the final, it had been a little bit flat. Yeah. Right? And we got a lot of good games. And I think if we'd have had good product till then, we would be very happy with all of it. But still wanted a little bit more. I think it was a great final.

And I think if you're asking for more than four, two-gold leads blown, it's probably just that they all happen in the first four, right? We had a lot jammed into the first three for sure. And the Brandon Bussie story is an incredible storyline. Stahl emerging is one of the most unlikely consmite winners, like what, 12 points were the whole playoffs. Like there was, there was Rod. Like there's so many great storylines here.

But when you look at game six, it was not close. And that's fine. It was a close-out game, but it wasn't like. Like the most entertaining of the six or the last two. It was the first four because we had crazy leads blown. You know what the last game felt like? It felt like Carolina in the first couple rounds. Yeah.

First three rounds. We're going to get all the seasons you need. We're going to smother you. Yeah. Sorry. You're not allowed. They looked fresher than Vegas did. They just puck battles, puck races.

Just everything was kind of going Carolina's way. Congrats to Carter Hart for getting that four. goals against thing out of it. Yeah, that did change eventually. That was what game six he finally had that tucked in. Yeah, finally got that figured out. But yeah, this was, I don't know, I feel like there's probably times in the past where we've felt the same way.

But what it is, is you just have to kind of tip your cap sometimes. They went, they ran roughshod 16 and 3. I went back to look because we talked about, remember when L.A. went through, like shit through a goose. They went 16 and 4 in 2012. and that was impressive. It was crazy. The fewest losses this year,

16 and 3 in the 16 win format, since Edmonton went 16 and 2 in 8788. So tip your cap to something we have not seen in some people's lifetime kind of thing. Gary said it actually when he was handing out to hardware. And I think we knew that they're good. They're almost the Winnipeg of the 80s. where Florida and Tampa Bay are in the way of them getting through.

And finally, they do break through in a way. That is a hell of a team. I mean, I guess they knew in the back of my head. They were always competitive, but you forget they've won more freaking playoff games than anyone in the last eight. Seven years in a row they've gone through round one. And it's just their tiny market. And we don't see a lot of them on the TV.

But that is a consistent well run at every level. The southeast is an absolute slobernockerdino. Tampa, Florida. That's the old division. I know, Ryan. It's okay. I know. But you're right.

It's another Sunbelt city getting to cope. Yeah. And the only teams that stopped them from going on before. I mean, I think the Rangers beat them the one here. But, I mean, it was up against Stanley Cup champion caliber. Yeah. Same as what Toronto ran into just rounds there later when Carolina got them. Honestly, you look at the pivots they've made.

Because you could talk about seven years in a row. Like there's a lot of new faces here. Like Taylor Hall wasn't around here forever. Shane Gossis was a really nice value by. Sean Walker, we sort of poked fun at because he had that huge year and got traded to Colorado. He's a big piece of what they've done. The Stan Covent deal only happens because Rantin doesn't work. They take some of those assets and get K.

Andrew and Miller, who is crucial. A goalie, they claim off waivers wins the cup for them. Like this, this GM has done a hell of a job. And now it's three years in a row where you look at the GMs that have won. You're like, there's not a lot of mistakes in the body of work the last five. years for other. And Freddie Anderson, speaking of goaltenders, because everyone's a bussy, bussy, absolutely. Absolutely.

Freddie Anderson was a stunt. He's winning the con spite of it. 12 and 1 to get to the final. Incredible. Like 12 and 1 and isn't in the, when's that ever happened? Yeah. And it was learned post-game that it was a knee issue he was dealing with. They had to drain fluid from it. He tried to go and play through it, game 3.

And that was going to be the end for him. And that's why you had Kachatkov. backing up and skating and all that. And for Freddie, that's kind of, that's, that was the thing. Is he going to stay healthy for the whole playoffs or not? The answer was no, but he got them to tied 1-1 in the cup final with two losses along the way

and then handed the reins to another guy. We're bouncing all over. One of the best post-cup win or post-cup victory interviews, Taylor Hall. He was really good. He was awesome because he answered the questions with thought and heart. and feeling and it wasn't and he wasn't overcome by uh huh you know what i mean which is totally fine but i thought he did an amazing job there's something about what he had to go through

he was part of a group because it's what the team is and then individually even though taylor hall this is only what a second year there it's his first cup there was a real like alexander carriere one with vegas whatever it was three years ago but pretty much everybody else was getting their first their first taste of it. So there was such an appreciation and appreciation, obviously, but also a sense of relief that they weren't going to have to face another off season of, well, you guys are good, but can you get it done in the playoffs? What was this one in 17 in their last 18 games in the conference?

All that stuff they've had to live with. And there is some, on one side, you've got a team that gunned its head coach with two weeks left in the season. And on the other side, you had a team that's, certainly been criticized for not doing enough. You need to make some changes. You got, are you bringing these guys back, running it back, that sort of thing. And it finally does kind of pay off for them. So it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, I guess, a testament a bit to patience and stick to it of this from a managerial standpoint. But yeah, there's, you go up and down that

roster. You know, Taylor Hall was, I didn't, I had to go and check, that's a seventh team. He's played seven different teams. No one was saying, oh, well, now they're, that'll push them over the talk because you know Taylor Hall two years ago that wasn't it was a spare part from Chicago in a weird deal right well it was this it was the Rantanin thing it was another fact yeah the third party in that yeah one deal to eat some money the the rantan and thing blew up in their face and that was embarrassing and even Rod was like I wish we had maybe talk to the guy if you want to stick around before you trade for him there's there's been a lot of scar tissue I think there for these guys yeah and

you do have to feel good for them on an individual basis like for for stall he'd already won one but man that's forever ago that's almost doesn't yeah even for a son like jack to think back to when he was 18 years old can you even remember that jack no yeah jack was probably I'd barely remember jordan stall is a penguin yeah yeah we can kind of go all over the place you mentioned bussy making saves Vegas did have a chance to make this thing interesting because it's not three nothing until the empty netter. It's a one or two goal game for much of the first and second into the third. It's really kind of one shot away from being another kind of a white knuckle ride.

But Bussie was great again. He made the saves near the end of the first period as it's a goal mouth scramble. There was the one that kind of chipped up, went off the top of the net, and he scooped it. That's right. Here he's, I mean, he's flailing for his life. Break dancing. and Vegas can't get a break right it's old hurdle we were watching with the boys that they're like hurdle is he's not going to sleep I know or overcome like he had so right here here the shot rocks pussie onto his wallet how does he stop this

it's going to get a little higher roll part I said at that point and hockey gods yep you know what it wasn't it was both those teams are very good teams and a takes it. The hockey gods have to be on your side. There was that, there was that a half second earlier in Vegas would have scored to tie the game, whatever that was. Game two or whatever.

Now it was game. His last game, I think. Five and four or five. McNabb. Hammers. Four or five. Anyway, but hockey gods.

Like that's, that's the margin. Yeah. That's the margin. I think Jack Eichel agrees. Jack Eichael had a glorious chance in the third. Again, I spent a good chunk of this round telling you how great he was. They needed, at a certain point, you need something out of them.

This is crazy. My God. It's a 2-0, 2-0, halfway through the third. It's 2-0. Ping. How many times is he going to miss that shot? Bussie's kind of there to his credit, but. Wow.

But that's one of the top five centermons in the game. Yeah. That goes into that. that's whatever most of the time that goes in for him yeah pretty crazy such his life they were out of shape compared to carolina though i think everyone is i think that's the best conditioned team in the league and and you also can't ignore the path like when you only need 13 games to get to a cup final because i always think about your team you guys were like someone had dragged you behind a horse for a couple miles compared to the other team like you've just been through more wars

Vegas didn't shorten their series up until the colorado one it was a long series against utah longer series against Anaheim. All those add up. Totally. It's just the war of attrition. Fewer games and it's the same every year, but the travel.

You played Ottawa in round one. So you made one trip to Ottawa, one trip to Philadelphia. That's, yeah. You beat Philly and Montreal and five. So you went there and came home and then won. Yep. So they only had to make a return trip this round.

That's crazy. That's actually, You talk about games played. I didn't even thought about a number of flights and trips. Like that's significant. Like how many nights were they at home in their own beds with the vast majority of the players? A lot. And not just like when you're playing at home, there's a lot of nights where they all stay in a hotel.

I don't know if Carolina does that. But they had weeks off. They had 11 days between around 23. Off. 11 days. I would be. curious. When we talk about conditioning,

how hard they were going. Because typically playoffs, I've never had 11 days off in a playoff period that's unheard of. I don't know if anyone ever has. But, like, were they cranking up the conditioning? Or were they raining

in the horses? Because 99% of the time you get close to the playoffs, practice is, let's be careful. We don't want to waste our energy. Or were they going? No, this was a great opportunity for it to up. Yeah, is it like four days off?

If you don't get 11 days off in the playoff or in the regular season. You know, the other thing. Even the Lick break was less than that. Kind of part to that, Redd, is they were talking about how players didn't get to play. Like caught Kenyemi didn't get into a game. They were not injured at all. Eilers missed one game. Nekishin missed two games.

And that's it from their regular. everybody else played all 19 games. Nick DeLoree got into one game. One game for Mike Riley played two. And other than that, it was the full roster, which is another thing you don't hear of. Yeah, and Vegas actually was healthy when the series started as well.

Obviously, William Carlson's a massive deletion for them. But Stone was hurt for the first two games at Colorado series. Wasn't William Carlson out at the start of the playoffs? He was, and he missed a lot of games. I mean, he missed 60 plus games this year as well. Like, he's just been a hurt bag this year. But when he was back, that allowed them to load up that line where you could go stone Eichel Marner together and not feel like you were depleting your center death because you still had hurdle and Theodore. And then when he leaves and say, it's tough to load up that line without seeing it a shift or two later.

The two nothing goal, Jack, I felt bad for our buddy. You talk about being in shape or out of shape. And I remember Corey Sarich, I forget which defenseman he was talking about it. It was one of his Tampa mates. and he says he's seeing elephants when you're so out of gas and you're so tired it's Hanifin along the wall

and then he comes to the front and the puck's there now it's behind you I'm in the blue paint no I'm going this way those two were no good right here it's 15 right there he's got two guys I'll turn the puck over okay I'll get you oh it's behind me spin turn

oh god where is it no oh shit oh yeah I'm two tired to even break my stick, but that's what I want to do. That's what the Hurricanes can do to you. That line of Stankhoven, Blake, and Taylor Hall, I think I saw it right this morning, they accounted for

50%, so half of their five-on-five offense, that line. Wasn't real. The old playoffs or just the final? The final, I think it was, yeah. Because they were the same early on, rounds one or two, they dominated as well. That line was awesome. I think Jonathan and Anderson were very good at me. No, and I think those guys, they can do a lot in the sense that they're not masters of one thing, but they can do a lot.

Like, you can use them on the penalty. You can use them on Power Play 2. They can play sizable minutes five on five, but they don't like have a separating feature or factor that you're like, wow. Like, they're just really three-fours. They also really, like, I hate to bring it back to this. It doesn't have anything to do with it. But their worst playoff series together prior to this one, which I don't know where you rank this one. was absolutely against the oilers in 22.

Because everyone talked about the goaltending. The goaltending was not good. But you look at that series, they got absolutely caved in playing together. Well, and sometimes I don't know who they're playing against. I don't remember bad. I remember they.

Tannaven won arms that changed how, you know, you're using them. You missed some time. I'm just saying that if you're playing against McDavid and Dry title, you're like, okay, well, maybe that's okay.

Yeah. And not to take anything away from the stank over and Hall Blake, but. Yeah, yeah. Two superstars. Right? Yeah. Oh, shit.

McDavid ran my show. Well, sorry. That's so I guess naturally. It's like, okay. So is there a deal in a drawer? Does Vegas have the balls to pivot? Do they feel beholden to what could have been a promise at the time? I don't think Vegas was reasonable stuff like that.

Where are they out with Rasmus? Because they've got limited assets to spend. And I think when he went to the Vegas after talking with Boston, that was a very clear negotiation with the Bruins. that allowed them to say, here's what we think our market value is. And if, you know, we come to Vegas, I know exactly what the Bruins will be offering July 1.

That's something. You make different money in Boston compared to Vegas. Yeah, different tax areas. You can adjust for that. It's interesting. You got valuation, essentially. I lost the final street times. I'm real good at it.

But we're, I guess what I'm saying is that Vegas right now, we're talking like, they're terrible. What the hell's wrong with these guys? Well, right? Like, if they win that series,

you're praising Henry and Anderson. Now they had to play better. But again, we're talking about a fine line. Yep. And I think that probably you have to step back for a while and go,

let's, yeah, breathe. Let's hit the strip from, let's get over our hangover, and then let's chat. Because right now, I think you're terrible.

But we're also in the Stanley Cup final. And we don't know what guys are playing through. It's a war to get as far as they did. And I think we like them. After games one and two. I didn't. I thought, remember Anderson? One and two, Anderson.

Anderson effed up. Yeah. Big time on. Anyway, you make mistakes. Steelers chipped it by him or is that Hannah? He had to. Hankover took the fucking puck off from behind the nets. That was a big one, yeah. Yeah, that pairing, and we'll move off because we don't need to pile on.

But the Hanif and Anderson, they were on for the one-nothing and two-nothing goals there last night. So, but I agree with you. I think that they need to just take a breath. A lot happened in a short amount of time. They were no good. They fired a coach. They brought in a guy. They won some series.

Then they were a juggernaut. And then it's this. Well, then you're up for nothing and you give it. Like, I know they win that game. That was a look at that. Looking back, you're like, oh, that's. You didn't tuck you in a four nothing lead. Not a good sign.

Yeah. And look, we're talking. It's not about hanging guys out to dry, but like, are they, content with their goaltending. They're spending a lot of money on two guys. Hearts going to be their guy. Hearts can make a $2 million. That's great. Do they need another guy? Do they, or Kirish Mid, do they bring him? Do they try to get out of Eden Hills money?

Could have gone to him, chose not to, which wasn't surprising given the way Torts talked about him, the relationship they have back to Philly. For a team that's close to win in the Stanley Cup, there's a lot of question marks, though. Yeah, because they don't know the caps piece Carolina does. Carolina's got about 12 million bucks to spend, and everyone's under term. Like, their UFAs are Deloria, Riley, Freddie Anderson. But even if you don't, don't compare it to Carolina. I just talk about Vegas.

Do you look? I wonder, do they look a little bit longer if there's nothing in a drawer, like you say, on an Anderson? Do they look at the age, the money that's committed? Yeah. Have to. But they would have done that prior. Again, a week from now our conversation might be different. Yeah.

It's all, I don't, McCriman's pretty smart. Yeah. This isn't. Are you staying here for less like everybody else? Because if you're not, get the, I think that's what it is. I think Vegas is going to say, hey, we know you like it here. We like you. Here's what we're going to offer you. It might not have been the numbers that we're floating at the deadline,

but it's still good money. If you don't want it, you can go sign in Boston who clearly has interest in them. And that's the price you pay to be in the club because they're good. They've been to three finals in nine years. It's a great city. And I don't know. I don't know that losing Anderson depletes them to the extent that they can't. They need a tough for a right shot guy,

but they'll find other ways. We didn't give him the money. So we can work on it. Yeah. And the Carolina thing is not, you know, compare in Vegas and Caroline's caps. It's just a reminder that Carolina's not going away here. Like they have all the money in the world to give.

Carolina might be the next we win three in a row. Wow. Or go to three finals. It's like, you just watch them play and you're like, okay, so like Jordan Stahl might, you know, he's clearly deep into the back nine. Maybe he retires.

He's got one year left on his deal. He probably plays one more year. You probably bring back Freddie. Yeah. Especially with Bussie. That was a tandem that worked. And then it's like, yeah, Nikition needs a small raise out of his entry level.

That's fine. He's not a needle mover for that organization. Yeah, he's a top four guy probably, and he's a young D-Man. He is top four? I think so. I mean, I don't even remember hearing his name. Well, he missed the two games, as Dino pointed out,

but what would it be? You'd have like, Cameron, Miller. Chatfield, Nickition, Walker. They're more of a committee play. You might be a five, yeah. But I guess, yeah, to your point, it's like, it's not a bunch of all-stars and some scrubs. It's a pretty level of group of six. That would be the thing.

I guess, are you, it was kind of like we were talking in the, in the Montreal series with Dobish. They've signed Bussie for three years. So there is that. You feel good. This is where it is. This is your guy now. You just want a cup. You feel real good.

I think you bring back Freddie and say this. I don't think you do. I think you've got Kachitkoff there. who's you, I don't think you bring Anderson. I don't think Freddie's that expensive either. I think you sell Kachikov for all you can get. Or here's what I would do if I'm, well, Anderson is a free agent.

Yes. I sign him and I trade Kachekhov. If you think Kachkov is better, don't care, that's an asset I can move. I don't need three goaltenders. Kichikos said three years to pass him when he hasn't done it. I'm kind of done. And there's enough teams out there that'll take a chance on,

on a goaltender, I think, right now. I just don't know, like, you literally found the formula that worked. You had 35 starts for Freddie Anderson, 39 for Bussie, and you rode them when one was hot, and then when it didn't work, you went to the, like, why would you mess with that, Dean? Unless the ask is crazy. They have the cap space.

Do you not think that a team will give Anderson some offers this summer? I don't think he's going to get more than five or six on a short-term deal, because he's a hold. But he's also going to decide. I think he's forgetting that it's three agencies, he gets to decide. He gets to choose. He gets to choose. I don't think it's going to end up being a deal where you're like, well, we couldn't afford that.

I don't think that's the case. I don't think he's going to get a ton of term or a ton of money. Well, no, if he does, good. Because he's not healthy enough. Like, they're in a great spot. Freddie, we don't want you to go. We can pay you this. Like, if you offered him five and a half over two years, who says no, the player of the team.

Well, I don't know. I don't know what he wants. Does he want to be a number one? That's what I want to play. He might be writing this. He's not a 25 year old. Yeah, but it's still buddy. Ron, you're being naive.

You're being naive. I'm just saying no one's going to offer number one. He's not number one. He's not healthy enough. He just went 13 and 1. I think he's a very good goalie that can play 40 times a year. You're telling me that the Edmonton Oilers wouldn't view Freddie Anderson as a we need to get? I think you go get him as a platoon guy, which means you're not going to give number one money.

I mean, we're saying say number one. But I mean, he's not going to get the $8 million bucks and the Swayman, the 9, the 10, 11. No, but you're also. Because he doesn't play enough. There's opportunity, Ryan. There's also the opportunity to play games. But he doesn't want to play more. He knows he's a hurt.

How do you know? Look at his career, man. This isn't a guy begging to play 60. I think you're, I think we're arguing over something that we have no information on. Yeah. If a team is going to give him five years, he's going to fucking take.

I agree. Yeah. And there might be, he's older than people think, too. But there might be teams out that are going, that I was pretty good hockey. he's got a great track record. Yeah, he might not be a number one,

but you know what? We'll protect him, and I think about Edmonton, they will be good enough to get into the playoffs, and we'll only play him 30 games, and we'll overpay him, but when the playoffs come and he can play like that, I want him.

Yeah, I agree. I also think that Carolina is a tough place to evaluate goalies too, because they're just such good defensive. You can't just assume you're going to plug and play someone else to get the same results. They're so good defensively. That's what they've done, though.

And we've talked to them. They plug and play. I just don't think other teams can take one of their guys that replicate the success, right? So I'll be curious. I think you're underselling the need by team. Like, again, it's Edmonton. I think he's your best platoon option available in the market.

And I'm not trying to say he's not as good as a one. I'm just saying, teams as a con smith winner. I'm not talking with a cons smite candidate. I'm not talking about it's tellable. I think when he's right, he's phenomenal. What I'm saying is his availability will not, get him to the point where he's getting paid

so much that he's going to leave for some spot where to be a one. He's a platoon guy because he can't play 60. Let's go look at his last five years. You're talking about what he's going to hurt his salary. You're talking about what he wants to do and what he's capable of doing. There's a difference between whether he wants to or whether he can because of the margin.

It's going to develop it because GMs know him. He's not going to get a number one offer because teams understand he can't give them 60 games. he might get an offer that is way longer and for way more from a team though like less money longer term no longer term longer money like you're saying two years in Carolina

at five if he can get four years somewhere else at five why would fuck wouldn't he do that oh sorry I just think you could be absolutely bang on but I just I think we're I mean we're arguing about things again

that we have no instance No, it's just if you went over the last decade and looked at similar profiles, it would be uncommon to see happen what you're suggesting. It's certainly not impossible. There are teams desperate for goaltending. What examples would you give? Do you have any? Of like an older guy getting huge term.

How old is he? He's 36. He'll be 37. 36. So he'll be 37 at puck drop. That's why I don't think there's a five-year deal for him. He's a big boy. He's not a model of health.

Bob back in Florida? Bob's a free agent and that's going to be interesting because he said there's one place he wants to play and Florida knows that and they're playing hardball. Like I get what you're saying. If I'm Carolina, I would like to have him back and keep him, like I get it, but I don't know what he wants. If he's looking at Bussie, who's going to be the guy now,

are you happy at this? So I'm just, I'll be a backup and I'll stay here. Or does he look at and say, well, I don't see. Bussie's going to get the games. I want to try and still play. So what I'm convinced that Bussie gets more starts than he does.

I miss that part. Is it not a P-2? Like Bussie's 27. You hadn't played in late. You're kind of saying you're handing over the, you think that the race is I don't think the razor is

hand over. I think this is a perfect two-horse stable here. This is not a one-two saw it. Like this is a, there's a few, you're seeing them more and more around the league and Nudl's talks about it.

Like, yeah, there's some guys that are hard ones that are going to give you 60 to 70 games, your Vasselovsky's, your Helobucks, but more and more, you're looking for a capable and competent tandem. And this one worked well.

they won the bloody cup. Are him and the Eedler's good buddies? Danes. That doesn't mean, they might have come up a little bit together. World champs together. That is true. I wish I didn't walk on that. That was a good club.

Yeah. Well, yeah. God. Yeah, Bossie's got the three-year deal worth 1.9 million per. That kicks in this year. That's crazy. There's plenty of, yeah. He just won the cup.

He comes in when three. in a row. Shut out. He's 27. His career is yet to be defined. Do you know what I mean? Are you a guy that's just hit the launch pad and you're taking off? Yeah. Or are you the first SpaceX rocket ship?

Like it's not, it's not a great, just the name that always pops into my head is anti-Nemi. Wins a, wins a cup with Chicago. You don't remember him as an all-time great. No, he was in the net when Chicago, a great team won that. Cup. Well, and another name to think of is Tim Thomas. Like he doesn't make his debut until late 20s, early 30s. He's over in Norway for over Finland. Excuse me, Finland. And it's like, okay, is this a blip or is this guy now just going to be a one for a long time? I don't know. Like, that's kind of why you got the contract he got, because he wanted security. And the team's like, we're not sure where he are, but we think he could be something. It's kind of the coolly spot here. He's 29 had played what, four to six games. Cooley, 29? Yeah, he played six games in the league before he got to Calgary. Oh, he's to And then you're like, Thomas did go on to win like two Veznas, though. I'm not saying when he arrived, you're wondering, is this a flash in the pan 30 year old or is this a megastad? He turned out to be one of the greatest goleys of the era for sure.

Like he was a rock star. Far five. Cups and all stars. Like he was awesome. Also good team, but that's what they have. But, you know, Devin Cooley's emergence isn't that different for Tim Thomas's? It's like, oh, that's a really good year. But can you stack four of them like Tim Thomas did?

No. Probably not. And that's why they gave Busty the contract they did it. they don't think he's Tim Thomas. They think he's a guy that could probably platoon. Looked really good in the final. Or he took the money. And they're like, well, yeah, he just clearly didn't have the leverage.

You get more than that or he would have. Or you're 27. You're going, holy Christ, two million. Yeah, I'll take that. Thank you very much. Yeah. But it wasn't like, okay, he's a star. Like, he's going to go get his five, six millions.

I'm no. Like it's, I think there's a lot of similarities of Kooley. I think Rod's in the gym right now? Oh, Rod. Or do you think Rod let loose. Sweat and out the booze. It's pretty dialed in. Maybe he's working.

Maybe he's focused on next year. I hope that guy enjoys a drink because there's some of us that don't need any excuses to enjoy a drink. And then there's others that he's like, yeah, I didn't leave my hotel room. I don't know what distractions in Vegas. What are they? He's not a beer drinker from what, uh, what we hear. Get him some mixed drinks. Get him some champagne, Jack.

He's not into that. Everybody loves Rod. The shot, the one shot obviously where he throws the cup up and then, and then grabs it in the bear hug. This photo. I mean, yeah, he's an animal. He's, he's, he's an animal. The facial expressions that he's got in a game,

during a game, the whole thing, he's wound extremely tight, this dude. Well, we got him. Do you see him in the locker room after? Oh, yeah. We got to get the shoveler to avert her eyes here. She liked her out the bod before.

Look out here. They are so happy for him. They love that guy. The players love that coach. And you can't, like, it's an amazing thing, Retro. You've been a ton of rooms. Not that one. You earn that kind of respect from your players.

And it's not just by being in the gym and that, but. Rod goes back to his playing career to earn all that. Yeah. Yeah. It was the same approach when he played. There was no shifts off. There was no, it was, remember guys talking about his workouts during his season. Yeah.

He's working on this muscle and this muscle today. What? Yeah. How do you have that guy as a coach and when you ask you to work hard or you don't do it? You do it. Or you're gone. You don't fit there. Love the shot of him and stall.

Because yeah, Stahl want a cup and Brindamore want a cup. But those two. they have been kind of synonymous. And even though that cup for Stahl comes with the penguins, Stahl's been there forever. And for these two, I don't know if you can appreciate the ups and the downs and that moment.

That is beautiful. I think it is beautiful. And when you heard Stahl talk about it, it's interesting, like, he clearly feels, he talked about building it. You know what I mean? like if we had won here in Calgary that year,

that team was not built. We, the lightning rod hit and we're way, everything hit at once. They have boom, stages and stages and then kicked in the nuts and back, have to go up against Florida. Oh shit,

up against that. Holy, like we're real, that's not a sweep. That's not a sweep. No, that was a sweep. Right? Like they've built it.

And I think the stall was part of that. I think he's very closely intertwined with what, what's happens. And how satisfying it would be for Rod. He's your captain. He's aging. And you stick with him. And then he's played some of the best hockey he has in the last five,

10 years, using him on faceoffs, using him in all these situations. I, well, Stolk comes on to take the draw. Now he hops off and lets another player, like using him. And then he comes through with the cup final that he does, whatever was, six goals in the series. and then wins the con smite the oldest ever. As a coach, you have to just be bursting inside that this guy that you have stood behind and you felt, I feel like this is the guy.

I think I'm right. I feel in my heart that I'm right. I sure hope I'm right. And then that happens. Like that's, again, you talk about sometimes sports is such a beautiful thing. That's a beautiful thing. This was Emily Kaplan on the ice with ESPN, the post game last. night talked to uh rod the bod and as you might expect uh was it was not about him it was about

the players is that not in there jack no sorry boom it'll get there i'll throw it in there i'll throw it in there there there wasn't a guy that didn't talk about him about rod or the count rod yeah should be leader of men and i don't you'd be you'd be able to speak to it but when you talk about the captain coach bond, especially when it's a former player, cut from the same cloth, hard workers, blue collar. That's a tight bond.

I think they just see eye to eye on. Totally. And you have to develop that relationship with your guys that they feel trustworthy enough to come talk to you about anything. Clearly they're that. And I think we underestimate how good they've been.

I do. I do. I'm blown away by the fact that it's like, oh yeah, these guys. 50 wins. 50 wins, 50 wins. Every year. Win the division, win the division, win the division.

Yeah. And the thing with that kind of respect is, well, he's done it as a player. He's in the wait room so you could be all that. He'll do it. He's not going to ask you something. He won't do or hasn't done that. But there also has to be the reward to the carrot. You know what I mean?

It's you can't just continue to ask and not have some give back from the coach. There has to be some of that as well. He's asking and he's very, he's debilers. demanding and all of that and he'll yeah he'll do it I know but you also have to because that that message gets tired I don't think it's I know what you're saying and I agree with you and I don't think it's that type of a relationship I don't think Rod's in there saying you guys do what I do I think those guys look and go huh I should be doing it if he's doing it I better look in the mirror and go am I is dialed in like my my guy that's this guy that's treating me like

gold. Hall said it. It's nice to have a guy's that trust in you and want what's best for you. I'm paraphrasing. I can't remember the exact terms he used. But believe in you. Rod gives all these guys all of that. And I don't

think, like, Darrell or Mike or it's not a shot. They'd be in there saying, you got to fucking do this. I don't think Rod's in there cracking the whip saying, He inspires them. He doesn't demand it, right? That's a good way of saying it. Yeah. Like you look at him.

you're like, he's got a ring and he won here, and I saw how he played. A lot of that isn't God-given gift. It's just will want and work ethic. And this team, I forgot I was going to bring. There's no stars. None. They had one player close to a point of game.

I think it was Aho was one point. I don't know how many 50 wins in a year. Whatever. That's not based on, it's not a cheap shot, McDivit and Drysidal carrying you to victories. Yeah. That is a group. group of guys with the same intensity

and the same way we're doing this over and over. Not for a season, not for a playoff run, for almost a freaking decade. For almost a decade where they've just, no, this is how we play. And they've swung and missed on trying to get big names there big time. It certainly is a nice tax climate and it's a warmer

place, but it's not been a sexy destination. They've had to grind to get talented guys there. And, you, you know, Eelers was finally one where they broke through and it kind of felt like he was a second tier free agent, not, you know, the superstar that they've been chasing in the rant and deal and others. They tried to get Mitch Marner. He said, no, he wouldn't wave to go there.

That looks, well, Mitch. Yeah. Who knows? I mean, if that happens, they don't have Stankovina and Miller. I don't know. It's an alternate universe, but don't rewrite history. This hasn't been a place players have been keen to go to necessarily. Yeah, this is not Vegas.

Like, it's kind of, you know, close. Columbus South in a way, isn't it? Smaller market, not a big hockey place, fervent fan base, albeit, you know, you could probably be anonymous walking around town. Not going to be on TV a ton. You wouldn't be as big as the college basketball. No.

Just like you're not as big as college football in Columbus. Found it. Here's Roddow's game on the ice with Emily Kaplan. Megan, sticking with it. We knew what we had here, and I did for sure, and the guys believed in it, and that's the thing. It's all about leadership. I'm so happy for George Stahl.

People got to see what I've known for forever, what kind of player he is, what kind of leader he is, and I mean, here we go, he's finally rewarded. When that clock finally hit zero, I know you had them playing until the end. What were you feeling? Well, the empty matter, right? That's just like, holy macro, this is going to happen. I mean, we were in it a little bit

at the end, obviously. It made huge saves, bust. It's such a great story with this team. I mean, he dig into it. It's amazing and I'm just really proud. Emotions? Like, who were you thinking of what are you feeling? Well, there's so many. You can't even put into I was thinking about my dad who passed away a few years ago. He would love to have been here.

The mom's at home. She couldn't make it. She was under the weather. But my kids are here. You know, I've come full circle. And I'm just, I'm overwhelmed,

to be honest. What was the assistant coach he hugged? Daniels? The reason I ask is because he was at my first training camp in Florida. That coach? Yes. As a player or coach? He was traded to Carolina.

He played a couple of years there, and he went into, I'm sure it's him. I mean, that's a long time ago. And I got CTE, but I'm trying to follow. I'll just pull it up to this. It's crawling here. Sorry, give me a sec. Who's the assistant AI this? AI, yeah. Jeff Daniels.

Yes. Yes. That was him. Okay. Other assistant coach Tim Gleason. Gleason played a bit. He played there. Yeah.

Paul Schoenfelder is the. goalie coach. That was obviously a huge moment in the series where they switch in hindsight, a knee injury, maybe an easier call than what we were told at the time about him really rest, but he had Bussie ready. He hadn't played in two months. Yeah. How long before Jordan stalls on that stuff? If he wants. Yeah. Any stall. We'll take an Eric too. Well, they showed Eric in the stands. It was yeah. The brothers down there. It looks like he still playing. Still working out. Yeah. Same with the Rod. You're like how many

he had the stall around the same line? Like you see him shirt off. You're like, How is he on the dot tonight? 85? Crazy. Crazy. Maybe more than that. Maybe more than that. There, as, as all, it kind of happens,

once the cup is handed out, you hear, oh, did you hear about this story or this other story or whatever? There was one that kind of started, at least I was reading about it this morning. And I'm just going with this blind. I put a clip into the, into the drive there, Jack, about, about, about, about, Well, Brindamore and go figure it's got to do with fitness and training. But this is the Kane's training staff talking about something that Rod put in place this year. Teacher coach with sarcasm. I've made a career right.

I think it's all personality stuff. And it comes down to relationships. But, you know, guys would be in their suits leaving. So I get, you're going to lifting your suit. I was going into the shower asking guys that they were going to lift after they showered. Post game, if we're going to work out, we got 20 out of 20 guys. We call that our blue collar press. I grew up in a blue collar neighborhood.

Maybe one of the most important blue collar jobs is the Mason. The Mason builds the foundation of buildings, your homes, and what having. And basically what we ask guys to do is do one press and think of those blue collar moments that got them here. And somebody that's helped you get here. Thank you, Bill. Thank you. So it's the blue collar press. That's how they laid that out.

they I guess let the boys in or whatever it's the center blocks 35 pounds which is the same weight as the cup so every time you lifted that thing we wanted you ready to lift the cup come June I think broad told him that game six pregame it's pretty cool you're ready you want to well if you've done it you've been doing it all year you're ready you've lifted it going to the shower are you going to lift in your suit after uh your shower are you going how's that how's that going to work So congrats to the cup champs. You know, the other thing, too, you talk about a team and guys picking up the slack. That Hall Blake, that line, it allows Aho to sleep at night, right? Because he had been criticized. And Svettoch Koff came through, right? He started scoring some goals, some empty netters. But he was scoring.

Jarvis was snake bit in the first few seasons. He was feeling the pressure until that goal against Montreal. Ajo still led the team in average ice time throughout the playoffs. He was a 20 minute, 20. 49, every night had 12 points, but he was out there. I didn't realize with Jackson Blake. He led the canes. He had two points last night. Goal and an assist was the leading score for Carolina playoffs, which I would not have guessed.

Fourth rounder in 2021, not too shabby, had 17 goals and 34 points last year. This year came through with 22 goals in 81 games and just, put up 20 points in 19 in the postseason. So they've got cap space and they're not top heavy. They've got balance and they've got some young guys. The kitchen made his debut last spring. And playoffs where he came in over from, like they're not like, oh, we've already emptied the barrel for prospects.

No, you've got good young players. It's not about their, it's about their culture. 100%. Yeah. And you know, we should maybe apologize to Saddle Dome Riseway plays. We kind of laughed when they're, the poho, whatever you call them. Talk about culture a lot. There's a lot of culture talk.

The difference being that their culture is winning on a consistent basis. So it's not the poo-pooing of the actual culture conversation. It's that no, no, no, your culture has to have success if you want to praise it. No, and I'm with you. Like, it's less about, oh, we don't believe the culture matters. It's more like, well, you realize all these good players are going to be gone by the team. This is good again? Well, not even that.

Right. It's, if your culture is producing success, okay, then we should praise that. You're not, yeah. Like Blake Coleman working really hard. If he leaves, you're hoping that it rubbed off on someone else. If he just leaves and he was a hard worker the whole time anyway, that's not culture. That's a hardworking guy that left. When you're throwing up 50 wins, you can trump it.

Easier to buy in. Your culture is a big part of why you're doing it.