Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - The Flames “Ethical Tank”… Is This Actually a Good Thing?? | BB Clips

Episode Date: April 9, 2026

Boomer, Pinder and Rhett dive into the Calgary Flames after another loss, breaking down how this team continues to compete hard despite the results not being there. The guys get into the idea of the ���ethical tank,” where the Flames aren’t quitting on games and are still bringing consistent effort every night, with a big part of that being Devin Cooley and the level he’s played at this season. It’s a conversation about where this team is at, why the effort still matters, and whether the Flames deserve more credit than their record suggests.Video Link: https://youtu.be/Kym2fs5gR54#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.

Another point for the flames. Hey! Close call. They're up 3-1 in this bad way, were they not? I was yelling at the TV at that point. I was yelling at myself, being sick, and I also yelled at the TV, going, what the fuck are you doing?

We say it all the time, but we're still not giving them enough credit for how incredibly ethical this tank is. Like, they are working their balls off. They lost Kevin Ball in the first period, short on D, working hard, killing penalties like crazy, down four on three for almost, they nearly killed that thing off.

So here's the thing. And I only do. disagree because of how it's gone. Yeah. I don't think they know it's a tank. No, they might not. If it's being done ethically, it means they know what's happening. Like they're in on it, but they're trying to, I get the feeling.

They're not even trying to tank. Yeah, and I don't even talking about the players. They're playing their asses off. Like they're two points out of the playoffs. I just think when other teams look at the draft lot and they're like, oh, the Kinex, dog shit this year. The Rangers are a mess. You know the flames?

And see? That team's a team that deserves to win a lottery. I told you yesterday. He's hurt. He's sick. I know he is. He can take it. I told Gully, get your boys ready.

Yeah. You're going to look at the standings like, oh, these guys are horrors bleep. Get your guys ready. 3-1 started the third period. Phyllis, what are we doing? What did it? Boom called me.

I told you this morning at skates. Would you listen to your coach? I got great here. I'm going to go for a beer? Want a beer? Remember they weren't? You guys want this? I need a beer?

there were a few I mean, remember Backlin kind of had that chance and then, you know, lift the stick. A few. Lift the sticks. Oh, maybe Backlin's in the tank. Maybe he's in. Correct. He's not in the tank. Coolly, we know what Coolly's all about. Cannot-be-trusted. This guy.

All goalies are always been weird, but this guy's a selfish weirdo. I'd send it to the minors. This is reprehensible behavior. He's stolen so many points the last month. Kevin Ball? Ball. You know what, guys? I've played about a minute, 15. I'm good. You guys got this. Ice time.

Yeah. Oh boy. You guys are good, eh? You can handle it from here. 30 for Oli Madda last night. What a stud. Couldn't, wasn't getting into the lineup a month ago. Congratulations.

Here's 30 minutes. It's a short, short, small sample size. Yeah. Is he worse? No. They're very different, but like he's, he's a very good third pair of defensive defensemen. And you asked him to play half an hour. And he was fine.

He's penalty killing They're sliding all over. You're not going to get the, I mean, he's been getting the points, but you're not seeing the, ooh. No.

Egregious horrible turnovers or. I don't notice. I would say that this year, and I know, Weiger was not great. Yeah. You had way more. What the,

are you doing weaker moments and you've had Mata? 100%. Yeah. Weig's had a couple of miners last night. There was one where McDavid is going around. I'm like, oh boy, just make sure you get them good

because it's a breakaway. And I'm not. I'm not trying to. No, it's a great trade. It's an interesting point. But it's not even the trade side. It's a, I think it's an eye opener to, well, we love these guys. They're Calgary.

Yeah. We can't do without them. These are upper echelon, NHL defense, where we can. How they're going to be, they'll be devastated and destroyed. They'll get one win down the stretch once weager and Anderson are gone. Oh, wait. There's other guys that can play the games. Well, and if they're given opportunity, actually excel?

It's the same thing with the White Club. I know. Like how much? 2952 for him last night. Well, and you look behind it, you've got like Jan Kuznetsov. How many games do you play in the NHL? Play 24 last night. That's got to be a career high.

Zane Perak, how many games have you played in the NHL? Probably under 30. And Hunter Brestevich, you're probably around that same. Like, it is two vets that were thrown away by teams because they weren't good enough, quote, unquote, and three kids. And that was your 5D you ran with after one Kevin Ball shift, maybe two? Like there's no pouting. which again

these are it's easier to play this way you don't want don't don't it's not how it's going to be moving forward got a few games left here it's fine play how you play

but this is not how we want business to be run here next to you know moving forward I get all of that but they have performed far greater than we expect okay sure

I know I want to make sure I'm interpreting what you're saying what don't you want next year? I just, they talk about culture and oh, you can't let the losing seep in the room, that stuff, right? That's what you mean or not?

I am in agreement with them if this is what you're getting. Yeah, yeah. Because I don't think they are failing for any other reason than their talent level. Yeah. And they're not failing that much these days. They're failing by that, exactly.

5-1-1 on the homestand. And, you know, another, another guy that deserves to be in there, even though he's in the box, was Strom. It's been great. He's loving life. He's playing.

He's playing minutes. Game winner against his old club, I believe. Yeah. Frost and Farabee. They're not going to the playoffs either, but they look, they look like they're, there's no dip in their play. Yeah.

Again, like this is the fool's gold this time of year. So you don't want to try to project the last 20 games into next year. You don't. But it's hard to watch this and say, oh, yeah, this will be the worst team in the league. I'll say this, though, and you're right. Call it what you want. It's not 20 games for these guys.

The outlier might be the start. Yeah, for sure. It's the worst month of the year. Right? Yeah. If you go back, take away the first 20, and I'm not going to do it. It's probably 10 to 12. They were awful.

Then they had that stretch, what, post-Christmas? They were dead there to play a break. And then they're a point out. Dipped after. Now, that does not take away from what we've said all along is that you need high-end elite talent to win Stanley Cups and that's what we're after. Let's not mistake anything here.

But I think this... I'll ask the question. If the lottery balls shined on the Calgary Flames and they got to pick one of the top two players because I think it is two in a gap now and it sort of seems like three to eight is pick your favorite flavor. Where would you expect this team to be in the stand

because if you had a kid that immediately jumped into this roster next year? I think you need... versus like, oh, this guy will be here in a year or two. You know what? Not to suggest like push chips and that to me, but just if you added to this group and you have a healthy Hansick and maybe the answer to that is what's going on in net.

Yeah. Is Kooley doing this again next year? Does Wolfe get back to something closer to last year? Yeah. Because again, Cooley. Unreal. We're going to go all over the place. Yeah.

Two things. Yeah. I think it's massive to get a one or two guy. Yeah. This year. Yeah. But I think you're still one more piece away. I agree with that.

I think you have to have, I think, that doesn't mean you can't hit a home run on a later first round pick. Totally. Like, feel free to fill those holes right now. Like Gridden. Gridden's the end of the first round. Look how good he's been. If you redo the draft, he's probably a top 10 guy in that year. So it can happen quickly.

Two, they're going to get, because Gary's going to look at those and go, this is how you lose. I don't want a bunch of dusters. Yes. Just fake it and don't try. These guys are trying. We're going to reward them. They've got a new building. So it's going to happen.

I got fate. There's nothing funnier to me than every single NHL fan is like 100% sure the draft lottery is rigged. And like it probably isn't because I don't think they wanted them to win four and a seven. But it does. Everyone's got their, no matter what team wins,

you can be like, oh, well, this is why Gary's doing it for them. Detroit definitely thinks it's rigged. The Rangers, because the Islanders won it last year. Oh, new rig. Look at them. They won it.

But how crazy is it? and am I off in my analysis that Cooley's playing so well that what Wolf has done is almost looked at with he's not very good. Totally. You know what I mean? I don't know what Wolf's numbers are. But the way Cooley's playing,

you're going, oh, Cooley's awesome. How come you're not playing as good as Cooley? Yeah, all back to back starts for him now, I believe. And he's, it feels like it's a platoon, but he's been the better of the two. And at the beginning of the year, they were afraid to put him in net. they were scared shitless.

And rightfully, he was awful in the preseason. I think we talked about it last week. He's one of the biggest stories of the year for the team. I would say him, Gridden, and just the emergence of some young guys, but in terms of individual players,

he'd be Gridden and him are the two biggest stories. And Gridden's only been half a year. Cooley all year has been unreal. He is the Masterton Award nominee for the Calgary Flames for perseverance. It's the Homer J. Simpson Award of Excellence in the field of excellence award. Yes. But Wolf 22, 27, and 3 is the record.

22 wins, 27 losses, three more and extra time. 3.09 goals against an 895, save percentage. Cooley, 10, 9, and 6. It's crazy to be over 500. I know the OTs and stuff with this team. A 2.68 goals against and a 9-11, save percentage. And that's now, he's been in 30 games, started 25. You're getting into that.

Okay. That's enough of a sample that we can maybe start. It's going to be, it is going to be one of those stories going in the next year, right? It's a great story and a great, it's not even a problem. You got him signed, play. And the thing is,

they're not paying him to even be a top end platoon guy. They're paying him to be a bottom of the barrel backup at 1.35 the next two years or whatever is. My God. Case don't send me to the miners steal. Yes. That is, you can't lose on that deal.

Kill us, Mike. He's dying. It's nice knowing, Redd. He was a good man. Jacko. I'm going to pull up the nerd numbers. 1.35 is, yeah, the contract over the next two seasons. Like, that's what?

If he was a free agent, how many teams would be like, maybe this is the next Alex line. It would be the guy that would sign a five year, five and a half? It's not the same, but like Jack Campbell got what, five times five? And he'd put together two and a half years, not one like coolly here. But someone would be like, we'll give him three times three, I bet.

Yes. or two times. Like what did Vlodar get? Something in that neighborhood? Here's a question for you. If you're coolly, are you going, what an idiot I am? I don't think so.

I would be. Well, F and rights, I would be because I understand. It's easy to, well, at the times, I better take this.

Absolutely. But if he'd have waited until now, and even if he wanted to resign here, it's probably two million now. He's doubling that. He's getting straight. but I got to a 3.35. For how many years?

That was two. Yeah, yeah. Like that's probably, now listen, there's a bigger runway of Loddar so the body works bigger. That's always going to be the question with Kululah, and it will be this whole offseason.

It's like what do you have? Because he looked like... But Kooley would be in the absolute driver scene. I'm sorry of jumping because there are all these teams out there that need a gold tear. Look at this. More in your face. And he would absolutely get $3 million somewhere. You're telling me what...

There's a... enough teams out there that would be, yes, three. Okay. And we're, and we are joking about all he's the saboteur or whatever. Great story. He's a big reason why they're getting points a lot of these nights. He's making big stops. I thought I walked away and you guys were talking about clips that some of the highlight saves that he made last thing. Like he was awesome.

It felt like there was about six times in the third period where the crease resembled a rugby scrum and somehow he was keeping it out. And it wasn't frozen and stars were jamming away. and it just didn't go in. He's got that, remember Mark Andre Flurry in the cup win against Detroit where he kind of was tangled up and he had to just kind of dive across like he's like a penguin or something.

He's got, cool he's been doing that. He did it again last night. The only way I'm getting over is if I go forehead first over here. It's a great story. It's great story. He's the Saboteur. Trade his ass. A lot of points.

So I'm looking at goals saved above expected. I think it's becoming a little more mainstream. I love it. So essentially it is based on the quality of chance, there's an expectation of, okay, this is a goal, 20% of the time, half the time. Yeah, the shot from the blue line that's dumped in is shitly stopped. With when there's no screen and oh, this is a lateral pass

and there's traffic with people in the crease and, okay, that's much more likely to be a goal than the clear shot from the point. The crazy thing about what Kooley's done is, I'm looking right now, he's ninth in the NHL. And this is not like a average per game staff. this is a cumulative each game you're adding or subtracting from your goals saved above or below expected. So despite limited starts, he's a top 10 goalie in the league by how many goals he's stolen with way less starts on all the guys he's competing against. Like the top of this list is going to be your Vesna candidates like Thompson, Sorokin, Swamen, Spencer Knights had a good season.

Shasturkin, Vasselowski, John Gibson was great until the wheels fell off with Detroit in the last month. Jed Greaves, nice year, Wedgwood, great year, Cooley. No one's played less than Cooley on that list. It's incredible. And I guess just to kind of double back, we'll stop J's for all over the sky. But his play hasn't deteriorated since Anderson or Uigher left.

No, and he's been as good. You could argue that with Mata and White Cloud, they've actually. And you've got a better version of Bristewitch and Porek and Kuznetsov now probably just with how young and knew they are. I think we, again,

kissing too much ass here. It's a little too much, yeah. I don't like it at all, but. Conroy has done a damn fine job. Yeah, and then you mix that in with the six first rounders the next three years, the eight second rounders, the third ranked prospect pool, let's call it top third.

If he just keeps selling guys, they might, he might pull a rabbit out of the hats, right? I wonder with all these picks, like let's say you really wanted to get in the top two and you're sitting at five. What would you have to add to five to get to pick two? Is it Vegas's second?

We will dig into the new building. We will dig into this, but we'll have lots time. What are. expectations for these top two guys. Are we, is it, because Celebrini wasn't supposed to be as good as

Badard. Right. And Schaefer was supposed to be good, but player. Yeah. Like, I don't know. We don't know. Am I getting a Schaefer type scenario?

Yeah, maybe one of these D that, oh, they're not one of the top two. Like, you talk, there might be four different favorite D men out there. You've got the Chase Reed kid, you got Carols, you've got the Latvian Smiths that's playing with men.

and then Vera who's 17 playing college, if you ask four different teams, you might get four different answers on the best team. So I don't even know what we were discussing, but I just don't. You said, what are your expectations to do for these top two people? That's right.

Because there does seem to be a gap growing in the public space for scouting. I think McKenna is wicked good and would be real good in the Flames jersey. But look at Badard. Baddard's a great example in Chicago. I think Bedard's awesome. But he's got, he's barely got guys. They can play with them.

They're starting to come now. That's coming. Yeah. There it is. Do you know what I mean, though? Like McKenna, I don't think McKenna on his own is a celebrini. Right. Celebrini is making everyone around on the ice better at age 18 and 19.

Most guys, they can make an impact in the league on a driving play like you. And I'm happy to be wrong. I know nothing about the Stenberg. Yeah. Kid other than people say he might be. He's playing with men and scoring at a rate that you haven't seen often at a suit. Incredible rate, Harry. So the comps that I continue to trot out because it's easier for us to pitch your player

if you understand their playing style. And they're not perfect. It doesn't mean they're going to turn into these guys, but it's the style of play. Stenberg is a Gensel comp, but from a couple scouting nerds. And Panarin is the McKenna comp. So it's the ultra high IQ. The feet are fine, but not elite. He's not powerful, physical in the instance of McKenna.

It doesn't need to be. It's the vision that makes him the link. Whereas a Gensel's like, okay, that's a different type of player. And that's what the Stembrook Pomb, I've seen. I would rather have a kid. And Gensel's a hell of a player. And again. Just a comp.

Not saying you're going to be there. And it's, you know, is that the universal cop? No, it's one guy. Yeah. It's drafted. First overall before Badaart. Was it back to the COVID bullshit? It would have been Slavkovsky and then somebody else.

Okay. And Slavkovsky's turned into a. Well, and he was in the consensus. this guy, but had been playing with men. Hard to predicts. Because of COVID, though, right? There was totally. Shane Wright didn't play game that year. He was the consensus wanted the beginning of the year, which I'll never start it. I fell for that guy. He lost a huge development. So it's hard.

All I was trying to do was go back. Like, we're very impressed with Schaefer, of course. We're very impressed with Celebrity. Hard not to be. Yeah. Pretty happy with Bard in Chicago. Yeah. And I'm trying to. Butard, if you look at his season, pre-injury, unreal. And then it's been he was driving the bus by himself. Big time.

And I know when the Olympic rosters are being mulled over, it was like he was one of the top four leading Canadians and points in the NHL. It hasn't been that the last two months. And maybe that's the injury. Maybe that's Chicago selling at the deadline or a team that just knows they're out of it or more young players coming in that aren't NHR ready yet. But he was having an awesome year. Maybe not Celebrini good, but they were right there in points in November December. And keep in mind, this Celebrini thing, it's year two for him. Yep.

he didn't break in like Schaefer did. Right. The Schaefer's been. Are you expecting, this is all over the map, but this is great. We're a sports show today. So great. People do this every day. Are your expectations for Schaefer to be, okay, you did this.

This year, going to do more next year? I actually feel like there's no way that bus keeps climbing. I don't know how it can. Right? Like for F's sake. Like, what are we talking about? 100 point defenseman? I think he's a guy that's going to get Norrisville's next couple of years.

Maybe there's a regression. I think there's got to be regression. The way he skates, I don't think he's going to be a bad player, but I just don't know that you get every bounce because we don't watch all the island games or actually don't watch any, but just the odds of it. Here's an example for you. Dion scores 20 is rookie year, and everyone's like, oh, my God, never scored 20 again. There you go.

Now, very different players. I'm not suggesting Schaefer's on the Finoff train, but the way he does it are the things that you can't. teach. Yeah, but his he's a guy that's just so elite. So he doesn't get 23 or 25, he gets 19 or 17, but it's still all over the game. Yeah. Like he's going to get more impact on how the games go. Like he's going to be

on the Canadian World Cup team in two years. He's going to get Norris votes. Like he's, he's now in that Justin. Canadian idiots to victory to suit. Tagore. I'm joking. I'm joking. Jesus. I'm going to shut up. Cheap shots. Well, Dean Seymour gave me shit the other day. Really? What for? Which, which, which jeep shot?

Why you got a shit talk, hockey can't all the time? I don't think it's just taking a pot shot. And you know, you talked about it already. And Gridden was kind of the guy we brought up. Maybe you don't move into the top five, pick fifth or fourth or whatever. Make those picks count because we watched a guy again last night, scored what his 43rd goal, the overtime winner. That was taken 23rd overall?

Fuck, Dallas is good. 23rd overall in 2021. And that was, he was one of those guys. guys, you look back, I just wanted to get it here, so I had it. In that 20-21 season, didn't play. Windsor Spitfire, didn't play. Take a year off, kid. Played the U-18s, just didn't play.

It was kind of a lost season. It's like, well, we think, is he good? Well, last time we saw him, yeah, he had 12 goals and 30 points and 53 games, getting into the OHA, it was pretty hell, right? Yeah. 23rd overall, 40 goal, man. And it doesn't look like he's. Leading the NHL and Power Play.

Yeah, and he's set Cooley up. on that that's an incredible everyone thinks he's going the other way well because he's done it twice before okay and now and the third time he's like now this donkey goal

he thinks I'm going to the house again it's the old uh rope adult the old hoop to do the old fool me one sham on you fool me to his sham on don't be fooling people it's heck of the old sabbaturga cocky he did I got this by his own

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