Empty Netters Podcast - 34. The Spunk Dried Up

Episode Date: May 16, 2023

Panthers gentlemen’s spank the Leafs, Toronto wonders about their future, the Hurricanes dominance continues to surge on, goaltending fails the Oilers, Vegas heads to their 4th WCF in 6 years, and the Stars send the young Seattle Kraken into celibacy. (0:00:00) - Intro (0:03:20) - Wayne Gretzky Story Time (0:09:57) - Maple Leafs vs Panthers (0:39:36) - Hurricanes vs Devils (0:50:08) - Golden Knights vs Oilers (1:09:00) - Stars vs Kraken (1:16:45) - Conference Finals Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another episode of the empty netters podcast, and we are delighted to be brought to you by the crisp, refreshing taste of Labat Blue Light, the best Canadian Pilsner on the market and the best beer to drink while you're watching some playoff puck, which is what we're doing right now. We're in the moment. I wish I had a Labat, boo, a fresh, cold one in my hand, because my favorite thing to drink, my favorite thing about Canadians is they're so nice. My favorite thing is when I'm drinking Labat Blue, I'm so nice. That's true. Every single beer from Labat is. is brewed with that beautiful dash of Canadian kindness and you can taste it in every single sip. Labat is bringing you a fresh, crisp Canadian Pilsner. It's brewed right up in Canada so you know it's incredible, it's high quality and it's perfect, perfect taste. Again, there's no better time to watch Puck than right now. It's the playoffs. We're about to head into the conference finals.

There's no better time to drink beer than when you're watching Puck. And there's no better beer to drink when you're watching puck than LaBat Blue. And not for nothing. Labat Blue has some of the sickest merch in the game. I'm wearing some right now? I'm not kidding. It's unbelievable. They've got the best swag, so it makes sense that they've also got the best beers.

Guys, if you want to just enjoy a beer, whether you're watching hockey or not, LaBat Blue Light is the only option because it is the best taste. And the best vibes. And the comfiest vibes. True. All right. let's jump into this unbelievable playoff episode of the MCNiters podcast.

We are watching the Stars cracking Game 7 tilt right now 14 minutes, 40 seconds left in the third period. Dallas has a one-goal lead. It's looking pretty gnarly. They're showing all the stats right now of the first team to score in a game 7 wins X amount of time. The team that's scored first in the last five games of this series has won each game.

It is gnarly stuff for the spunk, but it's only a one-goal game. They're firing. Both these teams are playing fantastic. We went live before this game. Jesus Christ, Susie. We went live before this game, and I said, this game's not going to be a blowout unless it's the Cracken.

If it's a close game, it could go either way, and we're looking at the close game right now. It's been a fantastic game. Massive saves, goal is standing on their head. I want the Spunk, but I'm happy for Otter that he's bouncing back big time. Yeah, yeah, huge performance. Gru Bauer, I said, had to steal one, and he's currently stealing one. Like, they're losing, but you're still stealing the game.

If he continues to play like this and the crack and sneak this game out, it will be stolen by Groobie. He has made some monster saves, dude. Sagan turned a defender inside out and then tried to go shelf job. Gusting. And Groby just snagged it with the glove. It was unbelievable. All right, but we're going to get into some other series here before we talk about this. We've got it all set up, except for this game.

We've got three teams in the conference finals right now. We had since our last episode on Thursday, live in New Jersey. We've had a lot of action happen. A lot of crazy stuff happened. So let's jump right into it. I want to start with... Well, actually, before we do any series, can I tell you a funny story?

God. Yeah. I'm so fucking sick of this guy just trashing my transitions. Well, that wasn't a transition. That was just, you know... Here we go. What would you call moving from one subject to another?

I guess it was a transition, but that wasn't like a clever transition. You were saying... Yeah, that's true. There was nothing... Yeah. Because I do fuck up clever ones, and that...

Not that often, you're good at it. We were out in L.A. This weekend, and I ran into... to a guy who was a fan of the pod. His name is Logan. He was incredibly nice, bought me a beer. We had an awesome hockey chat, but he told me a fucking amazing story that I wanted to tell you. He is from this area. Hockey got huge here because, well, not only because of but Gretzky was

obviously a massive deal in hockey getting so big here. Him and this guy, Logan, his older brother, who's also sick at hockey, grew up loving Gretzky and all this stuff. And then for a while, Logan worked at Staples for the Kings. He would do the, like on the shovel team, you know, coming out, getting the snow between ice crew. Yeah, ice crew. And he, Wayne was at Staples for whatever reason, a few years ago. And down below the ice, Logan was down there and Wayne was coming down the hallway.

And he's like, oh, my God, I'm going to meet Wayne. Dream, right? Dream scenario meeting your hero. And he actually, you'll love this especially because it kind of reminded me of dad a lot, where he said, dude, he's talking to me. He's like, I can't believe him about to meet Wayne. I'm kind of freaking out. I don't know what to say.

So just went up to him, shook his hand. And I was like, hey, Wayne, I'm Logan. Just wanted to say, thank you. Thank you for making the game big here and giving me and my brother something to fall in love with. And thank you for giving us the gift of watching you play. Because one of the greatest joys in my life. And he said, Wayne was so nice. And was like, dude, thanks for coming up.

Appreciate you. It was my pleasure was all mine. And they go on their way. and Wayne leaves. And Logan said he was like walking back and he was like, damn, dude, what an, I'll remember this forever. I just like, I almost blacked out

that it was happening. Yeah. And as he's walking back away from Wayne, it occurs to him. He remembers that this was like at the Halloween night game and he looks down and he's in a full head to toe Ninja Turtles

Leonardo costume. And he was like, ah, damn it. That's how I met Wayne. Well, dude. You know what? But it's incredible, but I've got two things to say about that. I think there's two things I think about with that.

Number one, at least you're memorable. I mean, I bet Wayne is probably like, yeah, that guy was real cool in the Leonardo costume. And then the other is, thank God, it was Halloween night. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because there was context for Wayne. If you were at a Halloween, or not even Halloween, a costume party. Yeah, yeah. Because we've got friends who throw random costume parties, and then you're like, oh, I'm on the way to this party.

I got to bop by the bodega and grab some stuff for the party or something. And then you walk in dressed as sunny and share. Yeah. Then you've got some spleen and two-do. But there was enough context there where Wayne's not like, this guy's a freakazoid. Agree. And I think your first point is spot on. I told Logan that in the bar, I go, dude, I bet a lot of people have walked up to Wayne and said, you know, you're the man, thank you.

One person in his life has done it in a fucking Ninja Turtle's costume. Definitely. If you ever see him again, you can go to him and go, dude, Wayne, remember the Ninja Turtle who said, what up? It was me. It me. That's a fantastic story. Wasn't that great? I've got a great transition. Do it.

Am I free? Yep. Speaking of Wayne, I'm glad you brought that up because it reminded me of something that I wanted to say before we jumped into the games. Oh, great. We have been doing this series all playoffs long on Fridays called Great One Fridays. Shout out, Brian. Unbelievable job with these edits. Me, guys.

Great Ones Fridays are one of my favorite things to do. Oh, God. They're so fun, so cool, and I just love finding these insane stats from Wayne Gretzky. Yeah. I will say that we all know that the internet is a crazy place. Comment sections on Instagram, TikTok, whatever, YouTube are almost always a hellscape. but I've got to say I think you guys

Empty Netters fans on Instagram, TikTok, all those things, you're so awesome and positive and there's such great discussion of just a bunch of people who love hockey on almost every single one of our posts. Now, obviously, there's a few ones

that blow my mind. For such an incredible community, in my opinion, Empty Netters fans, you guys are great. You just love Puck. The posts, or excuse me, the comment on the Great One Friday's posts.

Rinkle my brain. The disrespect shown to Wayne Gretzky is truly incomprehensible. I don't get it. I don't get how a group of massive hockey fans

could collect somewhere and just decide to go, you know what, dude, Wayne Gretzky played in a shit era. He's a shit player. It's always that. It's always that.

I love, there was someone who was like, on this last one, we just mentioned McDavid, just being like, look how good McDavid is and Gretzky has done X this many more times than McDavid. And someone's comment was like, yeah, well, Gretz, or someone said like, I would have scored 600 if I played in Gretzky's era.

Then another person was like, yeah, well, talk to me when Gretzky can lift the puck more than three inches off the ice. And I'm here to tell you all, you guys can't be doing this, dude. Be nice to my friend Wayne. And it's just in, like, I love the comments that are like different game, different era, bro. And I'm like, yeah, dude, Gretzky was also doing all of this in 50-pound skates with a 20-pound wooden twig. You think that maybe Gretzky wouldn't have been a little bit better if he had all the equipment and all of the training facilities that all of these guys have? Yeah.

And by the way, I'm a big, everyone who played 100 years ago sucks at stuff. Like, I could strike out Babe Ruth. Easy. It's not a big deal. But at the end of the day, all the people that disagree with that have the argument. yeah but everyone playing with those guys was playing in the same situation so like yeah the numbers are probably ballooned a little bit era to era but it's not like everyone else was doing what wayne was doing there are huge numbers in from that era but like Wayne has moronic yes they were just celebrating

the idiocy of these great players adapt you know like if you don't think Wayne would have adapt people are like their stand-up goalies dude I'm like you don't think Wayne could have figured it out when a goalie started butterfly yeah yes he could have. So it just, it blows my mind. I love all of you guys, but be nice to wait. We love Wayne. Unbelievable. All right, let's get into these series. We're going to start if you, if you don't mind, Christopher. I'd love to start with Panthers Leaves. Do it. So we saw the Leafs get eliminated in a gentleman's sweep on Friday. We talked last episode about what it means for them to not get swept. If they don't get swept or, uh, you know, they, they got that one

how much better is a gentleman's sweep, if better at all. They come out in this game. Cats go in and come out hot early. I mean, they came out flying. They got on them, tucked a couple goals. Something to be said about that. Anthony Duclair, dude, very low-key killer, these playoffs. After getting health-bombed against Boston.

That's crazy. He's come out and he's been a part of some really, really, really big goals. He had a huge play on that first goal. And Carter Hagee then just continues to be a devastation for the Maple Leafs. And everybody. They gets, I mean, just a backbreaking goal. That said, I am slightly proud of the Maple Leafs as a team. I have an issue with some players, but 52 shots, including the overtime period.

Can I get you the player shots too? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. That's like great stuff. That's great effort. 43 shots for the Panthers. so big saves from Wall. Wall played great. The second one was soft.

The second one was soft. Like the off his glove one. Yeah, but it's, I mean, that was that quick bang bang one T from Verhavy. Oh, sorry, sorry. The first one was soft. Like he should have just caught it. Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah.

But yeah, man, I thought he played great. I thought you guys put out a good effort there with all of those shots. But listen to this. Marner 5, Matthews 8, Willie 6, tow drag, 7, 26 shots combined. Yeah, like, good job. Which is exactly what I said. I was like, you should have 24 shots combined. and they did it.

Good job, boys. And then Willie obviously got on the score sheet. Oh, no, no. Jesus. Good job, Larson. That's a pretty good D. That's a great D. Oh, wow.

Big save, Gruby. 22 giveaways from the Leafs. That ain't it. Frankly, with that many giveaways in a game, you're kind of lucky that we didn't see a worse thing. We actually, we talked about game four in New Jersey. They had 26 giveaways and lost 6-1. So you can see what giveaways like that do to a team.

So pretty good stuff to handle, you know, after those. Yeah, I mean. So you can't go down too well. And you're right. Everything you just said was right is great fight back. And they showed a lot of heart and they got a million shots. And a lot of credit to Bob, right? Like he's been a massive difference maker.

So, you know, if he's going to save everything, what the fuck you're going to do? We talk about things that aren't on your bingo card. Yeah. Sergei Birovsky coming alive for the first time in two years and being unbelievable. for these panthers to beat the Bruins and then beat the Maple Leafs. I'm sad. The Leafs lost. I'm sad for a lot of reasons.

I wanted to go to Toronto. We were going to do that. I like a lot of those guys. I'm sad for them. I'm really sad we didn't get to see the Florida tight butthole game. Like I said, I was excited for game six with a little bit of pressure on them for the first time. When you would ask me,

can the Leafs come back down 3-0? I said no, but only because every one of these games has been such a dog fight. And in dog fights, you just have to get a few bounces. And if the few bounces go the wrong way, then bang, your season's over. And that's literally exactly what happened. So you know where I'm headed, but you saw a couple posts. And then, of course, you saw the Morgan Riley no goal.

Yeah, let's discuss the Morgan Riley no goal. Before we do and you get into and you and I get into whether we thought it was a goal or not, I just want to say up front, I really hate the we would have won three two. Oh, it's just, you're so dumb. The game just, it probably would have gone to overtime 2-2 if that one had gone in. Every single thing that happened after that goal would have been different if it was 2-2 compared to it being 2-1. If that happens in overtime, fine, dude.

That, you know, that's the one call is going to win or win or continue this game. So please stop with that. You weren't going to win 3-2 for sure. I need you to know if you're one of those people, you're coming off stupid. And it's impossible to listen to you after the day. So. Okay. Brian, it feels like good. Something to say.

Oh, my. Oh, no. Dallas. Oh, dude, that was a huge goal. Shelf job. Oh, this is bad for the spunk. Fuck, dude. Bad for the spunk. Oh, man, that's not good.

This hasn't been a good period either, but that was fucking filth. Holy shit, dude, watch this replay. This is under the bar. Seven minutes left in the third. Dude, these fucking flip passes, man. Flip pass in the corner. Oh, my God. Backhand.

Top cabinet, dude. Oh, look, there's no room. That is off the face, too. Boo. Johnson, that's a, no, that is a swaggy goal. Getting that puck off the end wall and then putting that up where the maple syrup is kept. You just get to elevate, dude, in everything. If you just elevate, you will do good things.

Wow, wow, wow. Fuck. Beautiful. All right, go on. The fallacy of the predetermined outcome is what it's called. It's my least favorite thing in baseball. too. So that's why I hate it so much. Yeah. I love that. So so stupid. Yeah. Um, so I, what, you are going to have the spicier take here. Do you want, do you want to say, well, no, I don't. Here's the thing, man. This is one of those brutal ones where if, if I'm,

if I'm a Leafs fan in this situation, it's hard for me to not be like, are you fucking kidding me? Yeah. One thing I will say definitively, the picture. that Leifes fans are loving to spam all over the internet right now, where it looks like it shows the part completely over the line. That photo is well after the play is dead. And so stop using that as your defense. That means nothing. The play has been whistled dead.

If I'm being honest, I believe that puck crossed the goal line. Yep. However, during the gameplay, there is no point where you can even come close in my opinion, to seeing that puck over the goal line. I know it's probably under Bob's pad, but at the end of the day, dude, it's Schrodinger's cat. We can't

see it. Oh, Jesus, Craig. We don't know what's going on. So part of me is like the refs made the right call, dude. That sucks. Yeah, because end of the day, was that puck probably over the goal line under his pad? Yes. I think so, yes. But since you can't see it, and we never saw it go

over, I don't think you can call it a goal. I think it is, If you start calling those a goal, we are out of control now. Okay. Because imagine being a Panthers fan dude. And if the refs went like this, we are reasonably believing that the puck is under the goal line under Brobowski's pad, therefore it's a goal.

You would lose your fucking mind. Yeah. There's no evidence. It's like, I don't even know how you argue that. Is it so unlucky and is it kind of bullshit? Yes, but there is no evidence. Yes. So on the screenshot you're talking about, yes, that was after.

the whistle and by the way the puck is like in bob's ankle area and then the whistle's already blown and he like kicks it loose and it shoots in and then like eckblazer someone's like pulling it back yeah and i'm like uh that was that was irrelevant for a million reasons i am of the opinion that the puck and and that dude that play bob has been the fucking man obviously he ended uh the bruin season and oh oh god um end of the brewing season and the leaf season but that was a horrible play by Bob. Like Morgan Riley comes across and you like, whiffed it with the poke shit,

whipped it with his leg. And I was like, dude. You're that harsh on it? Yeah, that was, and now he would tell you that. He just literally whipped. Dude, that puck, when Bob comes out with the poke check, that puck goes up on edge and whirls off of Morgan Riley's stick to. Like, they both whiff it. It goes on edge and that's why it goes under Bob's stick.

And then I think it's hard to say he whiffs it with the leg because you're not expecting that to go through. I just think you're like down, I don't know. But anyway, I believe it went in and then when he was stepping up it came back out and then he kicked it back in way after the whistle and then it came out again

the call on the ice is no goal I'm not mad at the ref about that couldn't see shit bang bang everything's going crazy I can't I heard a lot of people getting mad at the cameras they're like how do you want to have a look at that and I'm like we had like

five looks like that was just nuts yeah people got to understand there's some things that the cameras will not catch The guy operating the in-net cam was a little slow to get right. And maybe I'm like, hey, dude. But it was a confusing play. Yeah, yeah. Even if he did swing that over, I still feel like Bob's leg is going to cover that view.

It would be so hard. The only question I have for you, dude, is, and I can't point to a specific one, but we all know we've seen these. Sometimes it's like a goalie makes the glove save coming across and the gloves like snapped back into the net almost. But the puck's so in the glove that they're like, did that cross? And they're like, I don't know, dude. Like his gloves kind of in the net, but I can't see the puck. that one to me is what you're talking about where I'm like you can't just be making

fucking judgment calls me and like I don't know how deeps that glove bro you know like that's chaos but this one I think you could have been like dude his whole fucking foot is in the net like where could it possibly be

other than under his ankle foot his whole foot's in the net that's a goal yeah yeah I just what are you doing football Brian I don't they can't if you have the ball and you can I give you a better one can I give you a better one

over the line. I look at it like, and the glove thing is similar to this, I look at it like in baseball, if you rob a home run and your arm goes over the fence, but you come back, it's an out. Because it's in your, it's in your glove. Yes, but in hockey, if the goalie went way in the net with his glove, they would call it a goal, like way, way in. Yeah, I think that's bullshit. I think if they're like reaching back and they catch it before the goal line. That's a cool take, yeah. And then it's in their glove and their momentum of their body goes in the net, but they're like, I have this. That should be a safe. Because you caught it. outside the goal line.

I'm not saying like oh I'm right here but like that's how I feel. The leg one is a little different though. Like if you make a leg same and like it's just like drifting back and you go over the goal line and you pull it back. I know it doesn't make sense. It should be exactly how I feel about the glove. I just think like the momentum of a glove is like you kind of go like that.

I don't know. Maybe I'm talking to my house here. In football I mean yeah, I don't know the exact rule of football but like they always have like the pylon camera that kind of shows. Like I feel like you rarely. Because I think maybe you're right where they don't, if they can't see the ball, they're like, sorry, dude. But I just want to be like, dude, obviously his body. Yeah. Like his whole body is over.

You know, it would be one, like, this play would never happen. But if someone jumped the line of scrimmage into the end zone, right? But somehow just is smothering the ball, literally lands like three yards in the end zone, but gets caught by the defense and they throw them back out of the end zone. And they go to the fucking pile on cam and you just can't actually see the ball. I'd like to think they'd go. Well, obviously, that's a touchdown because, like, physically where would the ball possibly be? than over the line. You know, where I think my stance, nets out

is no one on earth can say they know that puck was in. Except for Bob. Because, no, right? Even him. Because if we could, it would have been called a goal. I think that's the best argument

for it. Every Leafs fan right now is like, I know that was in. No, you don't. Because there was no shot where it shows it in before the play was called dead. So it's brutal. That's What I want to get to is Willie with that goal to tie it. Good job Willie. Stepping up, two games in a row getting on the score sheet. I thought that was kind of a bad goal. I thought Bob. I thought Bob was way off his angles there. And then crazy, dude, I don't know if you saw this.

With less than two minutes left in the third, Willie almost scored an identical goal. Yeah. Just blasting down that right side of the ice and throwing one short side. But then we get into we get into OT Verhege makes an unbelievable play on Yarncrock who has a huge chance in front of the net and then we get the cousin's goal to end it. So

man the goal to end it Radco Gudis comes down crashing the net and clearly holds the stick of the defender which could have very much been able to break up the shot by cousins and then after the shot goes in screams in rookie Joe

Wall's face. And we posted the TikTok about it. I kind of joked like, wow, I think it's savage. I think it's cool. I think it's trash. Like it's, it's like funny, whatever.

You know, you're competitive. It's cool. I respect the Panthers fans who love it. But it's full villain mode. And like, Goudis has been a villain all playoffs. Yeah.

And I just think it's one of those things where I always kind of hate the people who win something and then are more concerned with being a piece of shit to the other team than going to celebrate with your team, just confuse me. I would, overall, I didn't like it. I'm going to tell you a lot of things about this. Overall, I didn't like it.

I would have minded it less if it wasn't the series clincher. If that was just like game three and you were fired up and you fucking rub it in their face after win. That's what I'm saying. It's like the series win. It's overdo. Go shake their hand.

The only sport that does that. I mean, I know every like quarterbacks dab up, whatever. but like hockey you get in line and you shake their hand. Yes. So the fact that it was the serious clincher pissed me off. Also, to me, that is only okay if it is like a fucking heated rivalry and you have history both with the team and with that player and you just hate each other. I get that the emotion could get the better of you.

Or maybe even it didn't and you just wanted to yell at him because you hate that guy. I don't know. I'm trying to think of some good examples. but like Marsh someone hates Marchand like somebody in Marchand if they're going out of for the fifth series in a row and he screams in their face and I'm like well you know you got it's kind of like like when you're shit talking your boys in the playground

whoever wins gets to shit talk that's how it works right like you get the last laugh but that's just like some kid in goal playing his heart out in his like second playoff game ever and you have no history with this team and you Gudis do not hate the Leafs or Joseph Wall that's

that's my problem dude like I completely agree with you on every level I I think it was like, don't do that, dude. I'm not sitting here being a fucking green jeans. Like, oh, that's against the spirit of the game. I'm just like, dude, just go celebrate with your team. That's huge. And I think I completely agree with you in terms of like, there's no bad blood between

these teams. You don't have history. So relax. But my bigger one is, if you're going to do that, go beak Austin Matthews. Go beak tomorrow's. Go beak Marner. Don't beak this rookie who's playing his second career playoff game. like that's that's where I'm like what are you doing dude is the is the video I can't remember

honestly because I've seen the still shot a million times now the still shot looks hard right because it looks like he's literally I saw it live like when the goal went in how long does he linger it was the first thing I know I full two seconds because if he goes uh a full second you'd be so fired up on that goal and you're going to each carmas final I could see him going like this whoa no right in his face he turns goal goes in and he looks he looks at wall first and then and then does it, holds it, and then skates off. Like, it is a very clearly deliberate move. Yeah.

And maybe Joseph Wall all game was like, Goudas, you're a loser. I fucking hate you. But I just doubt it. I doubt that's what was going on. We can't linger too much on this series, but let's, you know, everyone's asking questions.

We talked about it. If a sweep would happen, it's a gentleman sweep. So it's basically the same fucking thing. We posted a clip about it. but just quick touches on what do you think this means for the Maple Leafs? What do you think they've got to do? Yeah, so we said it on the live.

So whoever heard that here, but we've got to say it again. I, not only would I blow it up, not blow it up, not only would I make moves, but I think they have to. I have some leave fans, friends are like, no, we run it back, but this is preposterous at this point. Wow, good hustle. Great hustle. So you've got to move somebody. I would fucking salivate

for the chaos that is Austin Matthews leaving and unfortunately oh shit we got an empty netter attempt here it won't go

unfortunately for me rooting for chaos the only way on earth oh that was almost nasty the only way on earth Austin Matthews is not a leaf is if

Austin Matthews doesn't want to be a leaf 100% correct I don't know, dude. I think so. Yeah, I'm sure you do think so. But dude, I'm telling you right now, here's what's going on. Sorry to cut you off.

But I totally am with you. You have to do something. It's not blow it up. Calm down, Leafs fans. But you have to do something here. And just firing Keefe is not the answer. I think sometimes people forget that Matthews is 25, Marner is 26, Willie is 26. Riley's 29, Tavares is 32.

They're young still. They've got time. So I understand the people who are like, you can't move on from Matthews, Marne or Nealander, you've got to keep them together. Because you want to see them win a cup together. That's what you want, Toronto fans.

I know that. But it's the definition of insanity to keep doing the same thing over and over and over and over and expect different results. So you have to understand that from a managerial standpoint, it is naive to just go, yep, we're going to put this same group of guys out there and it's going to be different this time. Yeah.

And you can't say, we're just going to change the coach and it'll be different this time. There's been different coaches, guys. There's been different coaches. And my thing is, Chris, you are probably right with saying the only way Austin Matthews isn't a leaf next year is if Austin Matthews this summer goes, hey, I'm not going to. resign so trading. Yes. Goal. Crack and... Spunk! 17 seconds left. Spunk! Dude! Come on. They all look

like it's over! Oh my God, dude. Fuck! No otter shut out. Oh, dude. York Strand scores doesn't feel good about it at all. They got a timeout. We've got 17.6 seconds left. Spunk is on the line.

This would literally be the most chaotic thing that's ever happened. Goalie is pulled at the drop. at center ice. Massive, get the draw. That's such a good smart play to just throw that right at Otter. Now ozone draw, dude.

9.2 seconds, ozone draw. Can you spunk? Do you believe in spunk? Do you believe in spunking? We've been looking for the tag the whole time, Brian. There it was. Spunking is healthy.

Get to the point. Oh my God! Oh my God, Everland. Did that bounce over stick? What happened? Oh my God. I just... Holy fuck, dude.

I just saw the gaping neck. Oh Did that bounce over stick? Oh, and an entire region has blue balls now. Otter, dude. Wow. Happy for him. Oh, my God.

I need that replay like I need air in my lungs. Now I have to wait months to spunk again. Yeah. Dude, truly. Many months. It's going to be a spunkless summer, dude. It's fucking devastating. Well, hold on.

I'm going to finish this thought. So, yeah, you're probably right that Austin Matthews, if he's not on the team this season, it's because he says he wants to play somewhere else. That said, dude, if you're Kyle Dubus, let's say Kyle Dubus is the GM, if someone makes an offer for him, which by the way, I would. Of course. If there aren't at least six teams making an offer for Austin Matthews this summer, they're morons. Because with the right offer, I think it would be foolish to say no. Austin Matthews is. is going to fetch what?

13 mil. Yeah. You certainly can ask for it. And you're already paying this group over 45 million. Over half your cap is spent on these five guys. And they have failed every year they've been together. And there's a difference between losing and failing. They have failed.

Yeah, that's right. Every single time they've gone to the playoffs, they have failed. So that group together only fails. And again, I get it. you want to be like, dude, this is what happens. Like, it takes teams a while. It takes Washington a while. It takes Tampa a while.

But dude, they're not collapsing like this. So I just think if you give Austin this summer a, you know, eight year, 13 per year contract. And then you guys come out next season and lose in the first round. Like, good Lord, man. You are, you're out of your mind because as silly as it sounds. if you trade, let's say you sign Austin to that contract and then you trade him next summer, it's harder to trade him with that colossal contract. And, oh, man, it's just like, dude, I look at Austin and I don't know, dude, there's something about him.

There's something about his game in the playoffs that is worth questioning. Yes. So before I respond to that, would you and you, Brian, join me in just a, quick applause thank you for the spunk. It's like a eulogy or just the thank you? Just to thank you. Just to thank you. I want to give them a quick round of applause.

Huge, huge playoff effort from the Seattle Spunk. I'm really bummed, Chris. I thought you had nailed it. When they were up to 1, you were like, they're going to lose two in a row right now and then they're going to win two and a row. Dude, I sent that tweet out May 5th,

that it was going to go, Spunk, Stars, Spunk, Stars, Spunk, Spunk. And we were dead on until tonight. And I was like, dude. one. Done. Also, so spunky of

them to score there with 17 seconds left. They're teasing me. Yeah. But, but, you know,

they wouldn't die. They wouldn't get shut out. Like, that's how awesome this team. Really fucking awesome first playoff run. The spunk get,

without question, the medal for most impressive eliminated team. Yep. No question about it. Uh, yes.

A great job. Okay. Matthews, I think it's to his talent, the talent that he has, specifically, like that shot,

that quick curl and drag shot, 60 goal guy, is too valuable and too hard to find. I'm not saying there are other good players. I'm not saying he's

best player in the league. I'm just saying he possesses a skill that is nearly impossible to find. So if you are the Leafs, I am pretty much hanging up on everything. I know you're getting calls, unless it's fucking banana land,

but I'm pretty much hanging up on everything because he possesses an ability that you can't find. If I'm Austin Matthews, I could see him going, and maybe, you know, This is like the coward KD way out, whatever, but I could see him being like, I've had enough of this.

Like, me too. It is just too much. The media, the stress. Yeah, I'm weak. I'm mentally weak. Say, call me whatever the fuck you want, but I'm telling you I would just play better if I was just on the playoffs playing for fucking Seattle or whatever. You know what I mean? I know he loves his boys and I, he said in his exit interview that he loves the city, he wants to stay.

Or he said he wants to get a contract worked out. Yep. And I, I'm sure there's part or if not. all of that is true. But, dude, you're all dumb if you think Austin Matthews is sitting there going, I won't, I wouldn't play anywhere else. You're dumb if you think that. That doesn't mean I think he's going to leave. I think he's going to stay. But I wouldn't blame him for a second, dude, if he was like, get me out of here, bro. And, and yeah, man, it might be too hard. I don't know, I don't know what you, you ask for or get back from him. There's, there's a lot of,

There's two teams that come to mind. There's a lot of known information that Austin likes L.A., the city. Yeah, yeah. But if you're the Kings, you have to give up Kempi, Dersie, and three first round picks. Yeah, yeah. And does L.A. do that? Honestly, maybe not. Like, I'm not sure that I would.

It's so funny to say L.A. was eliminated in the first round, but I think L.A. had a better playoffs than Toronto, frankly. Yeah, I kind of agree. And, yeah, the other team we talked about is Chicago has all of a sudden become a very real destination for Austin Matthews. And do you think Austin Matthews wouldn't like living in Chicago playing for an original six team, playing with Connor Bardard? He definitely would. So, yeah, I think, I don't disagree at all. I think that there's a world where he is like, yeah, dude, I'm done with this.

Send me somewhere else. Because this is the last big contract he'll sign. Yeah, yeah. And they got to move him. Like, if he wants out, then it's like, you've got to move him. So you kind of take less probably. Or maybe not less, but, you know, to your point, some teams are like, I'm not giving up all that. So you just fork out a deal.

If I was a betting man, he stays. But God, I would love it if he goes. And again, no shot on leaves. I just, I'm rooting for chaos. If I'm Dubis, Willie Nealander is gone. No knock on Nealander. I thought he was great, but that's why he's gone. Sell high.

This is the first year. He really, really, really. stepped up. You can get something for him. Maybe not as much as some lease fans right now think you can get. But I would move him. I think, I think Willie's stock has never been higher. Me neither. But I think they were like, he's a bright, shining star and I want that back. And I'm like, well, you're not going to get that back, but you will never get more than you could get right now. He's got such a movable contract. He's had, his stock's never been higher. You could get a ton for him right now. Yeah. Johnny Toadrags, immovable contract.

But I move him. I go like, and dude, it's savage. He's the Toronto boy. He's the captain. I'm, if I'm Dubas, I move him and I get beat on it. Like I get nothing back. I get three quarters, I got four quarters for the dollar that is John Tavares. I get to eat some money, maybe two.

But I make Matthews the captain. I re-sign Matthews, make him the captain and bring in someone else. I don't know why people always freak out about that. They're like, oh my God, you can't, you can't lose that trade. And I'm like, what do you mean, dude? You're winning by getting the $11 million. or the $10.5 million off your books. And he's sick.

And a wicked nice guy and an animal out there. I don't have any issue with his game. I just think, you know. No, you move him. You make Matthews the captain and just kind of like build around him and Marner. Move him. There's also a world man where you could, you know, you could move toe drags to one of these few teams that has a ton of cap and take a bath.

Prospect, prospect. As far as picks back, but like, I mean, I am sorry I always bring them up, but when we talk about teams who have a ton of cap, it's, it's Arizona, it's Chicago and it's Buffalo. And I'm like, I don't know, dude, that's close to Toronto. Yeah. I could see tow drags going to Buffalo. That'd be cool. They've got the room for him. If you don't think he would be valuable on this team.

Who's the captain there? Kyle. Oh, he is. Yeah. No, that's good. I was going to say, like, some of these young teams that don't have that, like, big vet, play of experience guy. what's fucking nuts, Dan, is I wouldn't be that shocked

if Dubus is the GM next year and everyone's still on the team. And they're just like, anyway, we're going forward again. I'm like, are you fucking kidding? Me neither. It's, I mean, I would be, I would think it's stupid. Me too. I think Dubis is the GM. I think Keith is fired. And that might be enough of a change for all of them. But yeah, man, I just

toe drags will be 33 Morgan will be 30 you know you've you've got the the three young boys and they'll only be better you'd assume but is there a chance that Nealander regresses

absolutely is there a chance that Marner regresses absolutely I don't think you will I think Mitch is one of the top most on the way up to me more than Austin Austin is sick and I just don't think he like

I guess this year a little bit down year with injury or whatever but last year I'm kind of like, that's about his ceiling and the ceiling is glorious and I'll stay there for a while. I don't think he's like on the way up and up. Yeah, it's again, we got to move on here. But absolutely, I'm with you.

If they come back with all five of these guys still in the roster at the start of next year, I won't be shocked. Yeah. I will think it's dumb though. Yep. And, you know, I'm telling, this is my opportunity to say right now where, hey, Leafs fans, if they come back with all five of those guys and they do better next year, you can't rub that in my face. You can't because I'm here to say, okay, it's not impossible. But I do think from just a standpoint of look at the statistics, it's a bad bet, it's a bad bet. So you should probably move someone. All right, other Eastern

Conference games, we got to talk about the Devils and the Hurricanes. We're in Jersey. Good, good fight getting to OT down in Carolina for that game. devil's got on the board first, which was huge. You give up a goal in the first minute of the second period. Not huge. Meyer shovels home that power play goal, which was awesome. It was kind of like, felt like Meyer was, you know, he got popped in New York. He started coming alive in this series with a couple of goals.

But, man, it was just a bit of a gut punching for New Jersey. It just felt like Carolina was always going to take care of it. They seemed like the better. team in this series. They seem like the better team in that game and they've been great at home, but you know, you just, you expect that jump from Jersey who had backs against the wall several times in this playoffs and had stepped up. I don't know if that game four loss at home really took the wind out of their sales. I think goalie was a major question mark for both teams coming into this series. Carolina passed with flying colors, even while experiencing adversity with

Ranta getting sick. And Jersey, as much as I love Asoka, and I think he will be a great goalie for them in the future, failed that goalie test big time. Yep. V-Tech was unplayable. Asoka got lit up in two games. And I thought played totally fine in the Game 5 loss, but got lit up in two games. And you just aren't going to win in the playoffs pretty much ever getting that poor goalie play. Yeah, it's brutal.

It's absolutely brutal. the huge talking point of game five was the Timo Meyer miss. So what's brutal dude is, like I said, it felt like Timo was coming alive a little bit. He got that power play goal. And then he made that goal happen. He had a unbelievable forecheck down low, got right on the defender, broke it loose, dished it out, then it went to Hughes in front, and then Hughes. Sick move.

And just like, unbelievable pass to Meyer. And that was one of the most open net misses I've ever seen. I thought it was an over. pass live. I was like, dude, shoot that. But then on the replay, it was the perfect pass. It was the right decision. Timo with all the time in the world. Yeah. No tip, no deflection, no slash, no nothing. Who, who, was it fast? I believe, I believe it was, or who what? The Carolina missed an open net in the first period, too. Oh, I think it was fast. That, those are tied for the biggest open nets I've ever seen with eons of time and they puck just sitting there. Insane. So I'm kind of like, it's a wash,

right. It's a similar to the Morgan Raleigh thing where you're like, well, you know, it's a bit of a wash, you each missed one. But given the circumstances and considering Caroline had already missed theirs, you're sitting in a two two game or whatever it was and Timo's got an open net. It's got to go. It's just got

to go if you're the devils and you're down 3-1 and you're Timomeyer. It's got to go. Totally, man. But I was going to say, it's like he scored that power play goal. He had that great play behind the net and set up that play. And then to miss that, it's like everything you've been doing well is all gone, dude, because you go up 3-1

there, that's a different game. Was it 2-1 when that happened? It was 2-1 when that happened. And it was pretty quick after. That was in the second period. Yeah, that's right, dude. That would have just been a back-breaking situation, and it would have shot so much vinegar right up the pencil of this young devil's team. That was brutal.

That's a bad one. He played 11 playoff games for the Devils, went two goals to assist four points, RFA next year. What do you do? That is a situation where, I have a big talking to with the boys, the big boys. I talk to Heeshire. I talk to Jack.

I actually told you, I think that the devil should consider trading Heeshire. Oh yeah, yeah, you said that. It's a, I don't think that there's anything that needs to happen with the devils.

They're so exciting. They're way ahead of schedule. So the other part of me is like, no, absolutely don't do that because Heeshire's young. He's starting to play well. Keep him. So I'm actually dialing that back.

I wouldn't move him. Yep. I would bring Meyer back. I think if he liked playing, I think he was pretty good at the end of the season. However, dude, I would be very stingy with my offer. Like, given that he's RFA, I wouldn't be like this. Here's eight years fucking 10 mill, dude. Like, I would be like, bro.

Like, we discussed the situation in Detroit. I think Timo Meyer gets less money than Dylan Larkin. If I'm a GM, I am not looking at Timom Meyer as one of these guys. He had like 40 this year, though, right? He had a great year. Actually, look up his stats or Brian. Look up Tim O'Myer's stats from this season, please. He had a great year, but he's not an 80 million plus guy to me at all.

I think if you're giving him 8 by 80 or more, I think that's a bad contract. And they're pretty committed already, which is a good thing in some ways. The Devils, that is. 40 goals, 26 assists, 66 points in 78 games. Like, if you give that guy, if you give that guy over 9. a year. That's a bad contract. I would give, I would offer him eight by seven five. Yeah. And he's probably saying no to that. I think he's 26. He is 26. 26. So yeah, eight years. Okay. Okay. I mean, he's looking for the eight year. Yeah, yeah. And I think after a 40 goal season,

you could, you could argue that you deserve the eight years. Yep. But yeah. I mean, dude. Tough, tough playoff. You can't give that guy more than more than eight by seven. To Tar and Hala are UFA. Miles Wood too, but I don't think they care that much. I think he's... If I'm being honest, man, I would bring back all three of those guys. Yeah, yeah, same. I think Hala was such a gamer in the playoffs.

I think we talk about the Hala Zaka trade all the time. You see that Hall of Statt, by the way? Yeah, he lost to the same team. He lost to the arcades three years ago. Different teams. Absolutely brutal. I'd bring all three of those guys back, but I think they fit well.

I could see possibly moving because he didn't have as good of a regular season as he had a postseason here. But Devils, you're way ahead of schedule. I think they're probably bummed to have lost that in five. Yes. But you're a pretty good schedule. Look at the contracts. You're in really good shape. Way ahead of schedule.

Good, good contract situations. I feel good if you're a Devils fan. I feel good if you're a member of that team. The Hurricanes, they're the best team in the east. I mean, left or? Yeah. Or, yeah, I guess two teams left. The best team left, they were a top two, three team coming into the playoffs.

And they have, they are, they have played like it, dude. And, and Florida, I love. And I, I honestly, I might be picking Florida in this series, but the hurricanes have been doubted by everyone, including us. And I just think they deserve so much credit for just the way they just play good hockey all the time, dude. Yeah. Like they just fucking A man.

Like they're just so good. And they deserve all the credit. They deserve to win this series. Simple as that. Yeah. Oh, they sure did. They are absolutely buzzing. They've been so good at home.

I know. And officially, by the way, this season for them has been a great success and a proper progression. Like before we had been like, the canes are building? Are they the sharks? You had made that comment. and I guess they could still lose, but my point is with the injuries they have, if they lost in the first round to the fucking Islanders, which I picked wrongly, I would have been like, ooh, you're in trouble, that's a step back,

and they're going to go injuries, injuries, but I'm like, it doesn't matter, dude. Losing culture starts breeding here. Wrong. With the injuries have gone all the way to the fucking conference finals, and even if you lose here as a one seed to the wildcard team who got on the last day, I know your fans will be sad about that, but you go hell of a season. I completely agree, dude. Also, it looks like Tara Vinen might be back.

He is way ahead. the schedule and I know he had a lackluster season, but that's a huge ad. I think what is so awesomely unique about both conference finals that have been set now, totally agree. Unless someone gets swept, all four of these teams should be so, so goddamn proud to be here. And I know that sounds silly with Carolina, you're a waggon all season, but it is the injuries, man. You've lost these huge guys and you have you have just dominated your way to this. conference finals, no matter what happens against Florida, this Kane's team should be so, so proud of themselves.

And the rest of the Eastern Conference, look out. Yeah, hell yeah. They're staying this good. Last thing for me on this series, I just couldn't believe how good Freddie played. Freddie was phenomenal, dude. He went, the NHL is so weird, dude. Like, his stats are 5 and 0 in the playoffs because he got pulled after getting lit up. And they're like, the loss goes to the other dude, to the backup.

And I'm like, no. So, Freddie, five and one, really. With a 931 save percentage, 1.8 goals against in his six starts. Ranta 3 and 2, 906, 259. Freddie was played more games in regular season, but Ranta was the much better goalie in the regular season. Freddy standing on his head. And I think they're going with him. You know, I think they'll get Rantam in more if he's healthy, but I think they're going with him.

As you should. And the devils, I know I already laid out the goal at this situation, but in the same way that I beat Rangers fans for that original tier when we said not as good as you think and you lost in the fucking first round. I also demanded apology from devil's fans because in that first tier we said, where's your goalie? And people came out of the fucking woodwork, dude. V-TEC is fucking amazing. What the fuck is wrong with you guys?

Where's our goalie question mark? Are you kidding me? Yeah, dude, I've got news for you. He's like the worst playoff goalie who is ever... He gave up 1,000 goals in the playoffs, dude. It's like you are only out because of your goalie, literally. It's so bad. Like, V-Tech is so...

Had such a tough playoffs. And yeah, Devils fans, you owe us a sincere apology. Literally every single one of you can DM me. Like I will, I will seek you out. Go back to that post, look at it. And if you were one of the people yelling us about V-Tech, you owe us an apology. Because that man was Swiss cheese. Yeah.

All playoffs. Unbelievable stuff. The Rangers' best player. He is truly the Rangers' best player. Fucking. Fucking roasted. Bravo. Yes.

All right. moving on to the death of Jesus, dude. A crucifixion. Whoa, whoa. The crucifixion, we will call this series. Vegas eliminates Edmonton in six games in Edmonton, too. Yeah. I called that.

You did not? What, that Vegas would win game six? Yeah. Maybe you did call that. Yeah, I can't remember. We were having that discussion, and I was like Vegas is winning. First time, Vegas scored first all series long. Whoa.

Huge, huge moment for them popping up, getting on that net. Bonkers beginning. Yep. Bonkers beginning. Quick shout out to ESPN for being the biggest piece of shit coverage

in the world when it comes to hockey. You kept on a 9-1 regular season May Red Sox game and missed three goals in an elimination game with the best player in the NHL. And dude, what the fuck are you doing? What time to Sunday night baseball start, Brian?

I think usually like seven. Seven Eastern. Yeah, Eastern, yeah. So people were already mad that they put the only game of the day on late. And how hard would it have been to just put it on at four Eastern, one Pacific, and be like, now if the hockey game runs long, whatever, and we'll miss the beginning of Sunday night baseball. Like the fact that they even let a long baseball game get in the way of,

this is insane. And also, dude, if this, I know I'm trying to think what even could happen, maybe like playoff baseball, regular season football, but point being, if this was reversed, they would just cut away to the playoff baseball game. Obviously. They'd say, oh, the playoff baseball game is started. If you want to watch the fucking end of the bloodbath regular season Hocking game, go to ESPN8, B.Ocho, and it's on there, you fucking idiot. It's just the fact that they set the game to start at 7 p.m. Pacific when it's an elimination game. And you have other networks, dude. On a Sunday. You have other channels. It's not like they were like, because I know they have baseball contracts. It's not like you were taking it off. You're

just putting it on ESPN2 or whatever, dude. They do that and then don't cut away to the game so people miss three goals. It's just, you're a joke, dude. Appalling. So Vegas gets on first, gets on the scoreboard first. McDavid immediately. comes down. Savage. What a time for Jonathan Marcia So to wake up in these playoffs. Holy shit. A natural hat trick just scoring three straight, just huge momentum. Heavy dick. Heavy dick. Heavy dick moments. Heavy dick goals. The first goal, horrendous turnover behind the net from Stuart Skinner. I mean, it was not as bad as Lean

as Olmark, but it was just a, he gets the puck behind the net, fires it up the boards with three Vegas players right there, including Marshalo right in front. Or Riley, Smith right in front for the first goal rather. And it's like, what are you doing, dude? Like, why? Settling to the game, why are you doing this? And then, yeah, Marsha so comes through with three goals. I thought Hill played great.

He was phenomenal. 38 saves. That's one thing I'll say, credit to Edmonton. Like McDavid was all over the place, got a goal, dry saddle all over the place. Pipe Dreams, they put 40 pucks on that. Hill saved 38 of them and had monster saves. He had a gigantic save on R&H.

after going down to 1. Like Edmonton took me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then they were down 2-1 and R&H had a beautiful slot shot, massive save from Hill, which is a great transition into this, dude. R&H, 100-point season, 12 playoff games, one goal. He had 10 assists, but those are one of those things where I'm like the power play. Yep. You know, dude, you're getting 10 assists.

Good for you. But one goal, not good. Not good at all. So that's one that I'm like, dude, you've got to be better for your guys, Leon and Connor. Yep. Let me start by saying massive stick taps to the Vegas Golden Knights. They are a much tougher and better team than I gave them credit for coming into these playoffs. They, what?

I think we took too much stock in their little season slump. Like they kind of, they started so hot. they were the best team in the league with the Bruins. Then they dipped a little bit, but then they came right back, dude. Well, this is like, don't forget, we talk all about Edmonton had, uh, fucking best second half of the year. Vegas had home ice, dude. Okay, well, this one's going to say.

They are, this is what I was going to say, though, the fact, like, watching for the whole second half, Edmonton chased them down so tightly that the last game of the year, we had to delay a podcast because I was like, Vegas could literally win this division on the last game of the season. It was that close. And I was thinking to my, myself, Vegas started like 20 in fucking O and Edmonton started horrifically. Yeah.

So I was like, the fact that the gap was that big and then Edmonton just fucking freight trained them the whole rest of the year. And now we're getting to the playoffs and now they're playing. I was like, oh, dude, Edmonton is going to bury this team. That's what it felt like. And you're right. I kind of just got blinded by how good Edmonton second half was and ignored the Vegas slump that even put it in that position because they held them at bay, right?

Okay, I got a lot of stuff for you here. Let me start with this. game oh because I wanted to say it felt like this was over in six it felt like Edmonton was the much better team

in a few of these games like I'd be watching the series and I was like oh okay Edmonton's angry I was doing my Hulk thing like it felt like they were coming for him

on game five Oilers up 2 1 after the first they lose they went 3 for 4 on the power play Vegas 2 for 7 horrific game 6

oil was up 2 1 after the first and 0 for 1 on the power play there those that's where the series swings right, it's 2-2 and you go bang, bang, bang, L. As we get later in series and later in the playoffs,

we were just talking about this in the Dallas thing. I can remember if it was on live or not. The whistle tightens up. You don't get as many power play chances. And one thing that I think is funny is I've been stroking off the oldest powerplay. Like, they're going to win the cup on their power play alone. It never occurred to me that getting all your goals in the power play could actually be a flaw. Because when you stop getting power plays.

Unless you sweep, dude. Yeah, and when you stop getting power plays, where they're dry it from yeah so that was a problem for them

down the stretch there like absolutely it was like oh we every time we get a whistle we score if we don't get a whistle if we don't get the right whistles

we're kind of fucked and I realized that way too late so credit to Vegas on that yeah here's some regular season I'm going to give you the regular season

point leaders top eight for Vegas go Ikel I just feel like we've done this but go Ikel Chandler Stevenson Marsa O Rallel

Smith, Petrangelo, Carlson, Theodore Stone. Yeah. Can I give you their Vegas, or sorry, the Vegas playoff point leaders? Yeah. Eichel, Stone, Stevenson, Marsha, So, Barboshev, Carlson, Smith, Petrangelo. Yeah. Who disappeared?

Literally no one. Yep. It's so sick to have a team that's be like, yo, here are my guys. Here are my guys delivering. And that's what it takes, man. That's how you win. And that is what they're doing.

And I think if you look over it, uh, Florida and Carolina, they're doing similar things. Yeah. I think the big difference in the four teams here is Dallas. Like you've got Jason Robertson who's nowhere to be found, but Tense has completely stepped up.

We'll get into that. But that's a great point, Chris. I think Vegas, we talked about several pods ago. We went on the rant about how deep and well-rounded Seattle is. Vegas is just as deep, man. So we talked about the LTIR stuff, but these guys are back. Stone's back in the lineup.

Ikel's back in the lineup. And damn, man. They're playing so well. the goalie situation still mind boggles. For Vegas. Yeah. Dude.

And mind boggles me. It's like, I never know who's playing. I never know who's going to be good or who's supposed to be good. Hill in this game, an elimination game stands on his app fucking head. Bro, I literally said last app that they should start quick. Yeah. I was like, you've got to put Johnny Quicken. This is what you're trading for.

And then Aiden Hill makes 38 stops, drops his nutsack on my forehead. And I was like, all right, all right. It's still there. But God damn it. the guy was good. On the other side, we could go back and clip it, Brian. I'm not saying we should, but we could go back and clip it.

I said, if Stuart Skinner plays even remotely well, the Oilers will go straight to the Stanley Cup. If he doesn't play well, they will lose. And he has, he was horrible. Well, Jekylline Hyde, right? We said that last episode. But that doesn't matter. If you're, if you're

terrible, you're horrible. You're horrible, yes. If you're a good, if you're a fucking NHL All-Star, If you're the goalie of the best team in the league in the second half of the season, and then you go Jekyll and Hyde in the playoffs, you're awful. You're awful. And he was awful that last game. He had 22 shots in that game for the Knights. And you let in four of them immediately and then get yanked.

Like, dude, you have blown it for your team. And I, I'm being way too harsh because these guys are all humans and they're great. But like, fuck, man. It felt like Edmonton finally got their goalie. And then he just does this in the playoffs. It's so gut-wrenching. Drysidal said in his exit interview, it feels like this season was a failure and a waste. And I would completely agree with him.

I would feel so disheartened if I were on this team. There's another apology that we should get. Oilers were also in where's your goalie? He's an alternating caps in a lowercase. He's an all-star. And I'm like, I guess he's not an all-star, dude. He was never the answer. Listen to this, Dan.

Game 1, L, gives up 5, makes 20, on 30. on 33 shots. This is Skinner. Game 2 win gives up one goal. Game 3 L gives up 4 on 23 shots yanked in the second. Game 2. Game 4 win gives up one goal. Game 5 L, 4 goals on 22 yanked in the second. Game 6 L, 4 goals on 17 shots yanked after the second.

Yanked three fucking times, dude. Are you shitting me? It's awful, dude. Like that's what I'm saying. They weren't losing games ever where it was like, oh, that was a close one. It's like you are getting pinballed and then you get pulled. It's just, you can't win like that. No, dude.

Absolutely not. It's just savage, dude. And what fucking rattles me is I defy any Oilers fan, dude, to tell me they weren't nervous about the goalie position going into the fucking playoffs. Everyone's coming out here being like, dude, we're not. We got our guy. No way, dude. If I fucking drip truth ceremony to Connor McDavid before the playoffs, I would say, do you trust you at your scanner? He would have said fucking no, dude.

He would have said no. What do you think about the, I don't want to talk about the missed call on the. the Ekholm high stick, that shit happens. That is what it is. That was a brutal one, but it is what it is. How do you feel about dry sidle having no time for Petrangelo? Glad you brought it up. And also, multiple players, Brian, I don't know if you saw this.

Multiple players all game long, including Drysidl, were like pump faking Petrangelo. Oh, really? Yeah, like, wait, wait, during the game. During the game. Yeah, okay. Middle of the game, like, they'd be next to them, like, a whistle, and, like, they, like, wind up their two-hand and go like this at Petrangelo. And I kind of love that one. I think it's

bitch-ass stuff. Well, it's like the member of the Bruins were doing this in, uh, in,

who the fuck did that? Burroughs. Alex Burroughs bit bit Bergeron. Yeah. And like, part of me loves it, but like, you're down three,

two, and you're losing in this game. It felt a little like, yeah, fair, actually. And I also, dude, Alex Burroughs

biting Bergeron's fucking thing in a scrum is so much worse than what Petrangeloadelo did. I know people came at us hot. for like, it doesn't matter how hard he swung. And like, that's true.

But we, we bitched at Petrangelo. We put him in time out. Yeah, he's a brat. That was a little, baby. Bitchy, braddy move. But Petrangelo, people are acting like he teaballed dry Seidel's head off. He slashed him in the arm. And, uh, yeah, I, I'm already regretting saying I think it was bitch ass, but like,

I didn't like it just because you're losing. Yeah, that's an excellent point. Because it just gives, you know, when you do that and, and I don't, I don't, blame dry sidel at all for not giving him the time of day in the handshake line because like fuck you dude you you skated across the ice and slashed me i don't i don't blame him but the pump fake stuff when you're losing it just it almost makes it gives petrangelo fuel yeah and i'm like don't do don't let him get away with that dude if you're doing that you're clearly he's in your head yeah and now he's just eliminated you from the playoffs it gives him so much room to be like this yeah cry all you want dude

I fucking bounced you from the playoffs. Dude, we almost have exact opposite takes on this because I was like, I kind of fuck with the pump fakes because they're just like, fuck you, bitch. But agree, losing is different. That's the only reason I don't like. The Bruins, when they were doing that, it was like the games they were up 12-1

and they're like, oh, yeah. So I think maybe you're kind of right on that, but I actually don't mind like the mid-game, like, we're all over you. No, no, yes. The reason I said it was like shitty was because you lost. I should have led with that. Since you lost, it looks so- And we're losing.

That's more important. I don't care if you lose the game, but if you were up four or two when you did it, and then you had to lose and so be it. The dry-sidal thing, dude, I actually, I think that is bitch-ass. For no time for him? I don't think you have to be his boy

or any of that, obviously, but I think it is not difficult at all to get in the shang-jack line with him and go like this, good game, and good luck the rest of the way, or whatever, or don't even say good luck, you don't like them. And only because, and I know we have this clip, dude,

but, and again, he's a brat dude that was fucking stupid play it wasn't that cheap or bad or violent you know like dude if he had fucking run dry siddle him behind and like conked him and he missed two games yes i have no time yeah dude if he like swung his stick his head

I have no time for you it was a high slash it was a stupid fucking play McDavid said that's intent to injure and it was it was intent to fucking hurt your arm pretty bad but to me I was like fucking shake his hand dude and I know he did shake his hand he didn't he didn't completely diss him or anything but

just the whole like, shakes his hand real quick. It's like, all right, see you later, never talk to me again. I don't know, dude. It's the whole game,

but it happened in that game. I might have been more like, oh yeah, like let's say, you know, like I'll get a play for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, fair.

Bro, he got suspended again. It's been two fucking full games. He got suspended. He's back. You go like this. Good game, man, a hard series. Yeah.

Bye. Like, I just can't. And we honestly are making more of a meal of it than even the media did. Like, it wasn't that big a deal. but I was just like, I saw that clip and I was like, dude, just fucking shake his hand.

Honestly, man, I feel you. I think from dry, I'm gonna stand up for dry settle here and just say, I'm sure he's just so mad they lost. Yes, devastated. I think he's so mad they lost and then he skates by this dude who fucking two-handed him. He's like, fuck you, dude, whatever. But no, I feel you on that.

And yeah, it's just the loss makes it. And do you think, I'm basing this off nothing, but didn't it look like to you, Patrangelo's trying to be like say something? And again, I'm not fucking forgiving Pretangelo, but it looks like he's trying to be like... I think he's trying to just put it behind. Me too.

He's like, hope, you know, sorry, I've banged it or whatever. You know, and then Drysadles like, that's, I think what pisses me off about it. If Patrangelo was kind of just like, good game, good game. I could see Dressadol being like, good game, fuck you. But it looked to me that Petrangelo was trying to be like, hey, dude, you're a hell of a player. Sorry, I've fucking got a little high on you there.

And Drylilett was just like, now, who's the baby now? Yeah, that's perfect. Okay, one more thing for you from me here. You brought up a way. did you agree i think it is um the oilers have dry saddle connor rn h hyman and kane all lucked up for a while bouchard's an r f a f a but that is about it you look cane yeah enough he's not a while but he's like two more years okay uh your literal only job is to get a goalie like literally get a goalie and you will win i know uh is there anyone you dan powers have eyes on and i can read you i

wrote down the list of all the UFA goalies. So if you're interested, but there's no studs. But I'll read you the list really fast if you want it. I would like the stat and I'd also kind of like the cap space situation. Yeah. Can you maybe find that, Ryan? Can you look up at Oilers cap space? Okay, here you go.

I'm going to say the goalie and then his age. Johnny Quick, 37. Hold on. I want to see this first. Okay. And actually while we're waiting for this, do you start LB for Vegas if he's So they have a $90 million cap hit. And they're using LTIR.

So they have zero space and scroll down, right? So UFA's next year are all making nothing. Nothing. Yamamoto, he's not even RFA. Keep going down. And then, yeah, Bouchard, who is a must bring back? I know. And that's a big contract too.

Yeah, well, wow, you're probably right. Lock them up forever, thank God. Oh, dude, you need to trade Jack Campbell. Or do you go to Jack, dude? Like everyone at Edmonton hates it, but he had the best numbers in the playoffs. I know he only played a few periods. I just, so here's the deal. I don't think you're, I don't think you're moving on from Skinner.

You just, you go, I hope. You're, he's 24 years old. You have him at 2.6 for the next three seasons. I don't think you move on from him. Okay. You've got, who's in LTIR? I think it might say if you keep going down. Mike Smith's a pretty tough one.

To be honest, I don't think that this is even a discussion. They're starting Skinner next year. I think you're right. Would you potentially, and I'll give you some names, because there were some younger guys on this list that I was intrigued by, but I think you're right, they just can't afford him.

But would you potentially roll dice on a guy that'd be a Dobby, a Hudobin? No. That you're like, you just go. Skinner's better than him, I think. 100% because those guys like Quick or Hadobin, they're not playing a good chunk of games. I think you've got a 31-year-old Campbell

and a 24-year-old Stewart Skinner. you're tandeming them all season long and you hope Skinner just improves. Skinner was an All-Star last year. He had a terrible playoffs. Yeah. I think you just hope he improves and you go into the playoffs with Skinner. It's the, I think the bigger question here is Evan Bouchard, who was your hands down, best defender on the team in the playoffs, who is 23 years old and an RFA. How are you bringing him back to this team?

Because he's not, you're not tendering him. No, no. You're like that's, you're going to have to trade someone, I think. Uh, yeah, you might have to. Like, if you're going up, you're, you're, you're getting 1.2, 1.2, you know, from, from Yan Mark and, and Derek Ryan, but like, you might have to look at a Yamamoto trade. You might have to look at a cane trade or a Hyman trade here, because that's bad. It's not good.

You're in bad, it's not good. It's not good. Wild. Do you play LB if he's healthy? Or do you stay with Hill? I stay with Hill. I think you start Hill. You know, he's had some great performances here down the stretch.

I think they go LBO. I think you start Hill especially after that performance and see what happens. Okay. Yeah. All right. The final series, we just saw the Spunk dry up. Damn. How do you feel?

I'm bummed, dude. I said to one of you or both you or something, I have rarely imprinted on. a random team. I don't mean random Seattle's random. I just mean a non-boston, a non-rooting interest of mine team. Yeah, yeah. Harder than I imprinted on the Seattle Spunk this year. Dude, same. I give you so much credit for it too. Like, you made this happen. You made Spunk happen. And God damn, were they fun? And like, everyone, everyone in the office was into it. Yeah, dude, it was sick. So many people in our DMs being like, dude, my team's not in the playoffs or my team got eliminated. I'm all in on Seattle. Seattle, they were so fun, dude. And it's just,

You know, going down 3-2, tying it up, coming into this game, playing great. It's just everything about them was so fun. This has been such a massive, massive surge for them. And I, like, what a great feeling if you're a Seattle fan. Awesome. Your second year after the first year was really bad. But whatever, it's your first year in the league. But you have the brutal comparison of Vegas to luck at.

So you're like, fuck, dude, we failed. Or, not we failed. But like, dude, we're so much worse than Vegas. Yeah. And then here you are in your second year. You beat the reigning champs. You come in and you take Dallas. One of game seven on the road.

Yeah, you come in and you take Dallas seven games. Going back to game six, I thought the stars were so flat in that game. And they lost. Oh my God, dude. They lost emphatically. But they were, it wasn't that, the stat sheet was weird. The stat sheet in that game was identical. Like the stars were flat, but like they both were one for three on the powerplay.

They both had 46 hits. Giveaways were. 40, we're 4 to 4. Face Off was 52, 48 Dallas. That's crazy. The statute of game 6 was so similar, but the cracking just beat them

down and won. And then this game, really great stuff. We had a feeling it was going to be tight, and it was. Super, super tight game, but Dallas gets on the board first. And then Johnston

with just a really, really ice in his veins. The classic little Dallas chip in, picks it up off the board, shelves the backhander, 2-0, a little bit of spunk. A little bit spunk at the end. I thought, so you go back to game 5 because that happened while we were on the road too.

Dallas rolled, but it was mostly because Grubaher played badly. Seattle actually had a great first period. They outshot them 14 to 5 in the first, yet the score is 2-1 Dallas when you go to the locker room. That's a disaster. Dallas only got 21 shots in the game. They won 5-2, Grubauer stayed in the whole time, made 16 saves on 20 shots. I said to you after game 4 because he got yanked in 4. And I was like, that yank I like, because I had already brought up that I thought he had a lot of miles on those legs.

You know, if you're going to lose this game, just get him out of there. They left him in for all of game five. Yeah. Or excuse me, all of games. That was five, yeah. I don't quite get the flip. You know, I'm kind of like, yo, you pull them in four, pull him in five. You know, if you want to save his legs and you're going to get beat, pull him in five.

You come back to game six, like you just said, Audor looked horrible. Honor gets pulled. Yeah, he looked awful. And we've already made that joke. I was a poor guy. I was just sitting there and everything, but I couldn't believe the goalie flip like that. Gru didn't play that good but got the job done. And like you said, they were dead, dude.

Dallas looked outshot 16 to 5 in the first. Like they were all over him. Game 7 was electric to start. Nine shots eats in the first, I think, tons of chances. I forget who they interviewed for Seattle after in between periods, but he was like, we're getting our looks. Yeah. We watched game, or we watched second period in the office and we came in here to watch the third. saw a graphic go up during the third

with like three, four minutes left was right before they pulled the goalie to nothing at the time that Seattle had two shots in the third period. Not okay. It's game seven. Low shot game,

23 to 28 in favor of Dallas. Yeah. I thought Gruberauer played great. He plays hard out, man. Otter played awesome. Fantastic because Seattle did have some great chances. You know, we've seen it.

He hasn't been really consistent because he's had some. games where he's got pulled clearly, but Otters woke up a few times in these playoffs, and it's why they're headed to the Western Conference Finals. Because, you know, he just, what is, he set a record now with, uh, most say, or second most saves NHL history in game sevens or something. Yeah, through two. Through two or something.

Yeah, it's like 86 or something more on it because of that one last year. Yeah. But yeah, he, uh, I think I already said this on this pod, but we were like, Gru has to steal one. I thought he played great enough to steal one tonight. Otter was just better because he's a better goalie. and he fucking stepped up for his boys. I loved seeing both teams bear hugging their goalies after the game.

Both teams. Absolutely. Because they're like, thank you, dude. You gave us everything. Killer bounce on that first Dallas goal. Yeah. Hiller bounce. Fucking flip pass, man.

The Eastern Conference finals between Carolina and Florida is going to be just flip passes. Yeah. Fucking volleyball game. And then now we got Dallas doing the flip passes. It's all over the place. Brutal breaks. I'm so sad to Seattle go. I think Dallas is giving me those vibes of, well, we'll get into our picture a second, but Dallas is

giving me those vibes of like a tough, tough out. You know, like they were in trouble against Minnesota. You rip back and get beat them in six. The spunky Seattle team's all up in your business and they just take care of shit down the stretch here. Yep. This is a experienced team. We said that at the top. They are much more experienced than people remember and give them credit for and it's really showing. That's so true. This Dallas team is, they've just got way more juice than people think and we talked

about it earlier in the playoffs about exactly that. We were comparing, I think it might have been with the tier post. We were comparing goalies and people were like, how is Otter better than Chesterkin or something like that? Because they were like, they got eliminated in the first round last year and we were like, yeah, it was seven games and the

craziest game seven ever by Otter. But it's not Otter we're talking about. It's these guys, these other guys in the team. Ben and Sake have been there. They've been to the cup. They have a lot of experienced dudes. Pavelski has been through the most devastating playoff performances ever with the sharks, but he's been there over and over and over again. They're a very deep veteran core. They've got a lot of playoff minutes under all their belts, and they're going to be a very tough out moving forward. And no robo at all, yeah. You know, like if you're dallas, you're like, dude, if that guy gets going, we're fucking

really tough to beat. The both sides of that is so tough, isn't it? It's like, if you're he gets going, they could be considered a favorite here. Yeah. If he continues doing this, that's going to be why they don't advance past Vegas is how it feels. So it's brutal. Seattle, really bright future. Fantastic stuff. Yeah. You look at the teams who have just been eliminated here. You look at Jersey. You look at Toronto. You look at Edmonton. You look at Seattle. Seattle and Jersey absolutely feel the best. Yeah. But I think Seattle, Way more than Jersey, obviously. You...

Maybe not way more. I think Jersey is getting more high in talent. No, you feel way better about your elimination. Oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry. There's nothing really to be embarrassed about. Jersey, you kind of like, I wish we had done better

and get gentlemen swept. No. Seattle, the heads are as high as possible. Yes, dude. I wish, not that I wanted their home fans to lose, but I almost wish that had been a home game just so they could have... I always love when a team lose in the blasts

in the crowd. Standing ovation on the way out. Yeah, stays and cheers, because you're just like, Oh, man. Absolutely. I wanted that, I hope the fucking plane. I hope everyone's at the airport tonight welcoming that plane back because they fucking deserve it.

No doubt. All right. Let's quickly as we leave to our Eastern Conference and Western Conference predictions. Okay, but here's the recap, too. We did pretty well in round one. Oh, yeah. Did not. Not rolling.

No, no, no, no, no. Here's round two, everybody. I had Oilers in six. You had Oilers in seven. Yeah. Vegas and six. Yep. We both had Devils in six.

it was Cains in five We both had leaps in five Fucking lull That is a mush dude Literally Florida in five That is the biggest mush job I've ever seen And then we both had Crackin the Seattle Spunk in seven

Yeah We literally Got them all wrong You guys don't know puck At all Brian Like this is the bad I am Don't listen to me, guys.

Let's just try to be better. Let's try to be better. It's such a good round one, and then, oh, boy. I love the spunk pick, though. That was a good, that was a good pick. That was, that one was right there. The other ones were, were not good. No, no, no.

That leaps debacle. I thought they were going to crush Florida, dude. Crazy. I just thought that they had finally done it, but it turns out they are who we thought they were. Yep. They are cowards. Okay, which one you want to do first?

Eastern Conference. Who do you got? I've got Panthers in seven. Fuck me. I've got canes in seven. Oh, wow. But I had Panthers in seven before you said that. Oh, interesting.

Yeah. So you just don't want to have the same answer? Yeah, kind of. And also, I got to stop counting out the canes. I feel the same way about Florida. I got to start counting out the cats. Exactly. And I think it will be, wow, that's a bold call.

I was going to say Carolina's been so good at home, dude. Like literally seven and won the playoffs last year, five won the playoffs this year. If Florida's going to win, they got to win one in Carolina. Obviously, I'm picking them at seven. They got to win that one. So I was kind of like, that might be home, home, home, home, home. Seven, we'll see. So we'll see.

But the Keynes looked like a wagon against Jersey. So I don't hate your pick. There's just, to me, the Panthers are doing that, like, every fucking game that makes no goddamn sense, but goes to overtime. They just fucking win. And I'm like, ah, man. Yeah. Okay, Western Conference Finals, you first. Vegas, Dallas.

I've got Vegas in six. Man. Yet again, I think Vegas, well, not yet again. Oh, I guess kind of the Jet Series. Yet again, I think Vegas is the team with the worst goalie. I think Otter's phenomenal in Vegas. While L.B. and Aiden Hill have stood on their head at multiple times, Vegas has question marks there.

but they have just thoroughly thoroughly impressed me I think the whistles will tighten up I will also take Vegas but I'll take them in seven okay that's good all right

that's it for us today at the MTV Natives podcast we've got the Western Conference Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals coming up here strap in last four teams it's about to get gnarly starts on Thursday

you probably be able to see us somewhere on the television but we'll tease it later until we're back in action. Skate hard.