Empty Netters Podcast - 93. Vegas Stays Winning w/ Sophia Jurksztowicz & Sara Civian

Episode Date: April 26, 2024

Vegas has the stars on the ropes, the Canucks are in big trouble,McDavid can’t score, and Panarin might have gotten away with one. Sara Civian gets in on the action with the guys. And Sophia Jurksztowicz talks all things hockey, fitness, and Jack Edwards.  PRESENTED TO YOU BY LABATT BLUE LIGHT SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuf52MHW1O7guPMzsMvv2kA FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/empty.netters/?hl=en FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@empty.netters (0:00) - Intro (2:38) – Power Rankings (11:10) – Hot Ice Intro (11:58) – Rangers / Caps (14:21) Canes / Islanders (18:39) Panthers / Bolts (23:11) – Leafs / Bruins (26:35) – Dallas / Vegas (30:18) – Avs / Jets (32:42) – Canucks / Preds (37:13) – Oilers / LA (42:14) - God I Wish I Was (49:20) - Armchair GM (57:02) – Temper Tantrum (1:04:16) - Sophia Jurkstztowicz interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the Empty Netters podcast is brought to you by the crisp, cool, refreshing taste of Labat Blue Light. We are in the playoffs, folks. Stanley Cup playoffs are here, and there is no better beer to accompany your hockey watching than Labat Blue Light. You know why? Because it's brewed with Canadian kindness. Every can, every bottle, every pint has that nice, bubbly Canadian kindness taste right in it. It is the best Pilsner on the market, and it's not even close. Labat Blue Light is your best friend while you want.

watch hockey while you hang out with friends or if you're just having a nice beer at the end of a long day of work, Labat Blue Light has you covered. It is our favorite beer to watch while we're watching these games, and it should be yours as well. So hop on board and crack a nice, cold, refreshing Labat Blue Light. The ice is indeed ready, and we are back with another episode of the Empty Netters podcast playing with the playoffs right now. We are in it, folks. We are in it. We've got 2-0 series leads. We've got 1-1 series. We've got 1-1 series. got 2-1 series. This shit is crazy. We're buzzing.

Playoff hockey is buzzing. Viewership is up. Everyone's enjoying it. It's the best day of my life. It's wild how much I forget how lit it is. Like I know it's lit. And I'm like, I can't wear for playoffs. It's going to be lit.

And then it's even more lit than I thought. It's just, I can't tell sometimes if we love hockey so much. and that's why we feel this way, or if it actually is. And it was confirmed over the course of the regular season that we weren't just loving the sport that we have a passion for. Everyone was saying this is the craziest regular season in a long time. These playoffs have been so good already. Every game, with the exception of a couple, has been pretty close.

There have been huge hits. There's been overtime. There's been monster saves. Comebacks. Comebacks. It's just unreal. It's been so, so much fun. and I just, I can't get enough of it.

Yeah, oh, dude, feed me. I'm actually already, talk about forgetting stuff. I'm already dreading how I feel once we start getting towards the end, and there's just not that many games on every night. Yeah, absolutely true. Because right now I'm just... Directly. Bang, dude.

Mainline, right into the veins, please. That's wonderful. Yeah, it's fantastic. So, yeah, just enjoy it. Enjoy it while it's here, boys and girls. For real, man. This is unreal. So this is our Friday episode.

as you guys know now, playoffs are here. We're doing Tuesday drops. We're doing Friday drops. In the Friday episode, right out the gate, we're going to hit you with some power rankings. We're doing the top five teams, and we can't stop until we agree. Yep. Top five teams left in playoffs, how they're performing. We're doing new segments, all right?

We're doing some new cool stuff. Yeah. And this is power rankings. I don't even know if we're going to agree on the five. Oh, I think it's real. I think there's four. Let alone order. Personally, I think there's four.

Okay. And after that, it does get a little hairy. I'm going to start out, okay? Yeah. I'm going to start out with what I think is my number one. And I've got a bit of a caveat here for you. I think my number one is the Florida Panthers. Oh.

Now, I'll say this. I almost had the Rangers. And I really wanted to do the Rangers. And I want it. For me, it's kind of a toss-up between three teams here. I wanted to do the Rangers specifically because of the Sam Bennett injury. Sam Bennett hurting his hand. I was like, oh, fuck.

Like, that is terrible. Yeah. Trying to get through one series, let alone four, without Sam Bennett on that Florida Panthers team is a very, very tall ask. However, came out recently that the injury is maybe a week. Chances are he misses one to two games, and that is huge. So I'm still keeping them in my number one slot. Also, they are playing an up-2-0 on a monster squad, Tampa Bay Lightning,

and I give them a little extra points because we'll just. get into it later. Rangers are up 2-0. Those are my guys, these playoffs? Yeah, yeah. But I'll tell you what, dude, I know I said to you a while ago that Carberry, I didn't really get all like the Carbree should be a finalist talk. This Capitals team

is so bad. They are so bad. So, like, I'm not really going to stroke off my Rangers too hard for being up 2-0 on that team. Whereas Panthers, I think they get an extra bump for playing a better team. I agree completely. I agree completely. In

fact, to all the fellow cockroaches out there, you're still cruising. We just expected this. If it was eight rip, eight rip two games in a row, you're probably one. Dan, for me, though, I know who you're going to say. Vegas. Yeah. They're also up to, I think Florida and Dallas are the two best teams in the league. Both of them, or sorry, Florida is up to O on Tampa, who we both think is tremendous

and maybe would have beaten anybody else in the East. But Florida is better than them. And they're winning barely, barely, because they're barely better than them. Vegas, it just took two on the road from the other best team in the league, I think. Yeah. I just don't understand how they can't be won in any power ranking right now. I think that's my top three. Vegas, Florida, rags. And given what you just said, my whole stance of Florida I have above the Rangers because they're playing a better team.

Then the Rangers are. Yes, I think I have to respect that about Vegas as well. so I think it's Florida, Vegas, New York, or Vegas, Florida, New York. Yeah, like Rags 3 we agree on. I think we got to go Rangers 3, but again, I want to be very clear Rangers fans. We good. We good. Yeah, it's, we good.

It's 1A, 1B, 1C. These three teams are up 2-0. They're absolutely cruising. Yep. I do think, damn. We can come back to 1-2. We can come back to 1-2? Okay.

Rangers are 3 locked in. Canes are four. Is that automatic just because they're up too well? And dude, they're just good, man. Like they handled that second period in game one where they really got outplayed, they got out shot, they wore it on the chin, weren't phased at all, Freddie wasn't phased at all, and then bang, they got the goals they needed to get, got a win. Go down three nothing to the Islanders.

It was a bad team. Islanders. Oh, boy. Brutal. That was brutal. You go down three nothing. you don't get worried, you come back and you win that game five three. Yeah.

Five third. Obviously, empty netter, Gensel with that nice, spicy empty netter. They are not a great team. I think that Islander's team, especially with Waugh, is much better than the Capitals. I think they're better than people think. Yeah, are the Keynes three? I, no. That was the Canes three.

We locked one. I like the Canes at four. I think it makes sense. I want to put them at four. I actually just something crazy for you, dude. Hit me. I might have Tampa. above the canes.

I don't hate that. I think they are playing toe to toe with one of the best teams in the game. I respect you, dude, but the only thing that matters in this life is the scoreboard. And they have not won a single game.

Ours currently reads, fucked. And they have not won a game. And all the Carolina Hurricanes have done is win. So like, I like what you're doing here. I like what you're saying. I like the energy you're putting out.

They're playing the best. They're playing the third best hockey. in the league right now. But they are winless, so I am not okay with putting them over teams that have wins. Okay. Now, five gets tricky for me. Tampa. No, dude.

Like, let's be honest. They're down 02. I don't give a shit what you say. Like, you're going to say their Tampa is better than Boston? They're playing better than the Bruins are playing right now. And they're playing better. I don't really know what you're saying to me. Tampa's two for eight on the power play after having the best power play in the regular season.

Like, that's good. They're playing great. Like, come on. They're not playing great. They are winless. They're a great team. I hear what you're saying. They've had toe-to-to-matchups.

Vassi was insane in game two, but they are winless. We can't put them above teams that have wins in the powering better. What if they're playing better? I don't care. You have to win. If we did one through 16, they're winless. Would they be 16? Absolutely not.

But we're doing the top five here. We're not allowed to put this team, some of these teams that you're looking over have two wins. I'm going to think, I've got to think about. this. Listen, I'm going to cave on this for this week, but I need you to know that I'm going to give some hard thought. It's like not even that. Like you think Tampa's playing better than the Jets, than the Aves, then the Canucks, then the Bruins, than the Oilers? Then the Canucks, definitely. Then the Bruins, yes. Then the Oilers, yes. The Jets is my, that's my other one. The Jets look pretty good. You're so emphatic they're playing better than the Bruins?

Yeah. Why? The Bruins have, what? The Bruins have, 11 goals in three games? Bruins would have lost to the Panthers 5-1 twice. You're getting too hung up on this matchup. I really, I respect what you're doing, but you're getting so hung up on this one matchup. All right, if it's not, of those teams you just listed, who is it for you? That's what I'm saying. I'm not sure. I really think in that conversation for that five spot, I think it's probably.

Oilers puked to home game. I think, it's a home game. Yep. Boston puked a home game. But got it back. Yep, sure. So, Korn, I'm back. But, you know, I think the Jets add.

Canucks and Bruins are in this conversation for me. And in fact, even the Preds in that regard. Actually, yeah. Actually, I think the Preds certainly better than the Canucks. They're certainly over the Canucks. Well, I don't know that they're certainly better. The Canucks had a great win. But we talked about the Canucks or the Preds feel great about that loss.

So I would hear that, but I don't think it's a certainty. I'm putting the Bruins over both of those teams. I'm putting the Jets and the Abs over both of those teams. And I think I'm putting the Oilers over both of those teams. Who's the both of those teams? Tampa and Preds. Preds and Tampa's not in this conversation.

They're not. I'll hear. They're not far out. All right. Give me Vegas. Give it to me. Okay. Vegas, Florida, rags, canes.

Yes. I'll hear bees, Preds. Jets. Jets. And abs. And Oilers. Actually, you've got to hear abs more

than you'll hear jets, I think. I'm not taking. in a team that lost a home game and hasn't gotten home ice back, period. Spoilers out, Canucks out. I'm fine with that. GEDs and Jets out. Give me Preds, Aves, or B's. Yeah.

And I'll let you pick five. Oh, man, I don't want to pick five. Preds, Aves, and Bs, that's it? Yep. It's got to be Boston then. Up to one. You went in, got one back immediately in that first game. Sure.

Boston five. Done. I like it. All right. We're getting into some hot ice, and it's a very special hot ice. Oh, God. It's so special. Because we have a very special guest, which we've been trying to land for a long time. Actually, I would say, this has been one on our radar forever.

Oh, yeah. We've been trying to make work. So I'm very excited in this moment. Our sense of humors just have meshed so well that it was like this, we need to get Siv on the pot immediately. So Sarah Sivian here with the Empty Netters to do a little hot ice action. How do you feel? I feel amazing.

honored. We only, the only way we could do it is if we did it live here in studio. I'm pumped about that. I wanted to make this happen in Toronto at All-Star. And then that was just such a shit show, that entire weekend. And then, yeah, I was like, I'm not zooming with you. I was like, we have to be in studio for this. And here we are. Here we are. Here we are. Diving headfirst into hot ice. So for hot ice this week, we're going to do some rapid fire across all the series that we got going on. All right. I'm just going to kind of go right down in order, Eastern to Western. Let's start Rags Capitals. 2-0 Rags. How you feeling? I wanted the Capitol to be good. I thought that would be hilarious. But unfortunately,

they're as bad as their negative 37 gold differential. That might mean something. OV, what does he have, one shot? Oh, my God. That's insane. I know. You know when people take screenshots of moments, especially, or even the slow-mo is when it's like, all right, we can't slow the game down. There's a photo of him going around right now where he's like stick up in his office waiting for a pass. and when the fact that he has like one shot on net, I'm like, oh, this is such a bad look for him. There's no one else in the photo either.

He's so far away from the play. And I said earlier, they are so bad. It's like, I don't get it. The Kandre's Shorty in game two, that was kind of a lazy OV turnover. Like he was sitting on the wall there and just like, he had the puck and then just lost it. It was a sick goal, but I was like, dude,

I need a little bit more from you in this moment. I think what happened was so many of that cap's core moved away, that now everybody can just defend OV. So, like, when he's there with the stick, it's like everybody's on him and nobody is there to pass it to him. That's a good take. I like that a lot.

It's a great take. They obviously have great players, but, I mean, I think missing Baxter hurts them so much. Like, you can tell, obviously, with OVy, but everyone else, there's just that creativity that's missing and probably leads into their minus 37 goal differential. And I just don't think, I mean, listen, I don't want to rag on the caps.

I think Carberry is a great coach. The fact that he dragged this team here is crazy. I don't think they win a game. I really don't. I can't see it. 11 penalties in game two. I think every goal except two were on a special team's eight. This is a cool stat.

Eight Rangers' goals so far this series, eight different goal scores. And we had talked about that that's a deep team. That's going to be tough to beat. Especially when Lafranier is like breaking out and cooking. I feel like they needed that to totally be the Rangers that we all know that they can be. So that's been huge. I mean, that Shorty was just so defy. I think they had the best chance to win game too, and I kind of agree that they're cooked.

It's sad. I really love watching Charlie Lingren. Yeah, yeah, next year. So true. Yeah, yeah. That is it. And it is like a, I just, you said deflating, looking, watching them get a lead in that game, and then it just evaporated immediately. I was like, oh, you're dead.

Like, there's just, there's no chance. And we'll see. Maybe they get to D.C. and things change, but I don't know. I don't see. All right. Kane's Islanders. Yeah, take this one. What a game.

It's hard because I was at that kind of stupid Bruins game, too. And then I'm like seeing, I'm like SpongeBob watching the jellyfishing in the window, watching like the canes come back with two goals in 10 seconds. I'm like, oh, I should kind of be there. I like being at the Bruins games. Don't get me wrong. But Jesus, that is just, it's the negative goal differential teams, right? The Highlanders, the Caps, they kind of had, they had all the business being in the playoffs

because they made it to the playoffs and the other teams were actively trying to lose. But, like, they never had a chance. chance and it's just kind of nobody was really pretending they had a chance and the comeback in a situation like that again deflating in a different way but we'll see if they can steal a game on the island yeah yeah which i think i think remember we were looking up i think they won both games in carolina during the sea like i think they had a heart they've lost at home so i was like this is not you're not in a great spot right now yeah i mean all all around i think they're a better team than Washington.

So, you know, they're not necessarily one that I'm like, you don't belong in playoffs. But it's been funny. I love Islanders fans. And they've been very loud the last couple of weeks when all of this talk was like, you guys don't belong in playoffs,

the negative gold diff. A lot of their fans were like, fuck off, we're a great team. Like, what are you talking about? Underwall, we've been so much better. Seven o and two in our last nine. And then it was really funny watching the colloquy.

collective hockey Twitter when they blew that lead, just laugh. Yeah. It was like, you know, like, Biz posted that story. And then a bunch of people were just like, oh, islanders. Like, this is brutal. So I am curious to see how they play on the aisle. But, oof, I don't know. Sorokin starting.

Yeah, I want to ask you guys about that. Is huge. Would you go to stroking? He's been worse than Varlama, the last several games. But to me, that's just like a gamer. Like, that is their guy. That's a blue chip. So that might change things.

We'll see. Gamer was the exact word I was going to use. It's just who can win you a game in the playoffs and you desperately need it is different than who can be the most consistent. Yes. Totally. Love that. I completely agree with that. One thing that's going to have to change is shooting the puck. Four shots in the second period, one shot in the third period of that game.

What was it? 110 to 30 something? That could be wrong. I think it's low 40-something. You're just simply not going to win the game. Come on. It's just, I don't under, I mean, listen, the flow of game, isn't that easy to change.

But yeah, like, when you're on the Islanders, you know that's happening. You know that the other team has 110 shot off attempts. And you're like, we got to start shooting it more. The fact that they just didn't at all, I mean, four and then one, you know in between periods, they're like, guys, four shots in that, we got it. We got to pump that up.

And then they get one at the next period. I can't imagine what Patty Waugh was saying. They did well suppressing the hurricane shots in game one. Yeah. But then it's like they just can't put it all together at once against us. Yeah. I said it that, I mentioned it earlier, that second period in game one, the Islanders won that period, like by a landslide. And then, yeah, to just see it all fall apart at the end of that game was fucking... Only thing I want to say about that game is I need, and we've been arguing about this for a while, I need the empty netter scrum bullshit to end. Like, Jake Gensel did literally nothing wrong on that play. I agree. What was your take on that one? If anyone's allowed to pat his playoff stats, it's Jake Gensel. I think he's in... What are you going to do? Like, they are so close. in this game, of course, you're going to make sure, and you've seen the lead expire, like,

extremely quickly. Of course, you're going to insurance. Yeah. Like, you scored a goal in nine seconds off a draw in this game. You are going to take that goal. You're up one. You take that goal every time. It wasn't.

And there was a, who was it? Dobson, who was behind him that really gave him to go? I think it was, um, Brock Nelson. Okay. And that was a likely place for him to be. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I was going to ask, I don't really even know what he was pissed about.

That's what I'm saying. He's up his, he's back checking hard. Like, Gensel didn't really rip it in the net. and he kind of selyed, but I'm like, it's a playoff game. Of course he's selling. You just insured the win. Why are you mad? I was so confused by all that.

Nelson's great for T. Moral because he's generally just mad. I'll give him that. It was probably for nothing, but he knew he had to do something. Yeah. He's like a J.T. Miller. It's just pissed at everybody. Which I can appreciate. Okay.

Panthers Bolts. Verhegey again. Goodness. Did you guys see the list, the OT playoff goal? Swaggy. Swaggy. Sackick. Here's this all time.

Sackick 8, the Rocket, Richard, 6. for Hagee five. Third all time. It's ridiculous. Tied with, I saw this is cool though, tied with Patrick Kane and Corey Perry also five, which was interesting to me. But still. It is interesting.

Yeah, but what a sick list to be on. Guy's a killer. He's so, I don't know, the way this Panthers roster is constructed, it's just so, they come at you, they come at you line by line, and they have that clutch guy. It reminds me of the penguins back in the day, right? Like, you have that one clutch guy that like when your top three players can't come through, he does. And it's just like, it's so fun to watch.

Yeah. You know that line in Miracle when they're watching the Russians practice and Herbrooks is like, they know they're going to win. I feel like that's the Panthers and O-T. I think it's something eight or nine straight O.T wins in playoffs for that team. That's crazy. And the fact that Verhege gets the goal too, it's like against a team like Tampa, you could even see. I mean, they scored pretty quick. You could see that they were like, well, we're winning, obviously. And that is just such a mental edge you have on every team you play. I don't even know how you go against it. I interviewed Kachuk a few months ago. so funny. I asked him if he was like the commissioner of the league. What's one thing he would change?

He was like, I want overtime forever. They just love it. They have so much fun together. Can you imagine, I mean, think about fans when your team, let alone, you know, O.T. You're just always stressed. And then you get into O.T.

And as fans, you're just sweating, crumpled on the ground. They get into O.T. and they're like, this is a blast. We're going to win. It's going to be a great sally. Bus and 10. It's just so absurd. I'll say Tampa, they go down 2-0 in that game, battleback, stammer scoring again, and they feel very in that game, feel very good,

and then you have that ridiculous Bob safe. Who is that? Dumba? Because they knocked it over to him. I think so. I think it was. That safe, it's 2-2. It's 2-2 with like 5 minutes left in the second, 6 minutes left in the second or something.

Changes the whole game, if that goes in, right? And that's one we had talked about before the series started, where it's like two great goalies, but if Bob is on his bullshit, you're in big trouble, and I've never seen a save more on their bullshit than that save. He's worth every penny, and I don't think I ever would have said that when the contract happened. Oh, my God. Until the breakaway save against Marchand in Game 5 last year, he was worth zero pennies.

And then he has now been worth his weight in gold. That is a fact. They were doing everything they could to be like, how do we possibly get this contract off of this team? It was the one thing holding them back. And now, I mean, he's maybe over-tenth, taken Vassie as like the playoff goalie that I'm like if there's anyone that's going to go into a coma and win you a game it's probably Bob it's credit to the coaching staff too to know to make that change and stick with it after that Bruins series and it all worked out for them so true people

forget that yeah I feel like when people think back on this series they they're like yeah Bob was starting every game and that is not the wrong uh-s sieve we said after game one that Tampa probably feels you obviously want to win but they feel like whatever we can go home and win do you think they still probably feel that way even now down oh two I don't think that's possible for this team and this core, especially if it might be Stammer's last run with them, I feel like they're going to win at least one at home. And this is so for the state of Florida, which I haven't seen. Like, I love that.

That's entertaining. I feel like they're never going to think that, especially with John Cooper, too. But it's not the end of the world if they lose at the same time. Yeah. I think if there's any team in the East that I'd be like they could crawl out of that against the Panthers, it would be Tampa. Like I could see Tampa winning twice at home being like, here we go, good series again. to me it's just the Florida effect, as in the Panthers effect.

It's like, yes, I could definitely see Tampa clawing back because of that veteran group. And you're so right, Sarah, the Cooper element of it is like, I mean, come on, who else could you want to be in a two-old or O2 hole and pull you out of it? But whenever I think about them, you know, clawing back, no pun intended, and then you're looking at the Panthers on the other side, that is the one team in the East that I'm like, you can't claw back against them. So I agree. I think they're going to get two. I don't know where. I'm not necessarily sure it's going to be, you know, two in Tampa right now. I think this is probably over in six, but I mean, I said Florida was the one team that Tampa could draw that I'm like, you just can't beat Florida.

I'm sorry. And they have shown emphatically that's like they are so good. Yeah, great games, but they just win. All right. Bruins, Leifes, still no Willie. What do you think is going on there? I know. I just read the Elliott Friedman scoop about it.

They said he had migraine trouble. I know he tried using a visor in the past. I think they're trying to figure that out, according to Elliott. So hopefully they do. I mean, it's clearly serious. You'd think he'd play, right? Yes. I feel for whatever is going on.

And the way that Friedman usually doesn't speculate on injury, so the fact that he's putting it out there, people have to read between the lines a little and say, okay, this is serious. Let's back off Willie. And, I mean, they're not in a bad spot. Yeah, good point. Yeah.

I mean, as a team, I think they're fine. You know, they played that game was, you know, they went up in that game and game three as what I'm talking about. But you're so right on the Willie thing. Because I was sitting here when no one's saying anything, that's when my mind goes to something bad happened. And I was thinking it was a non-hockey injury, you know, like he's playing sewer ball and tears his hamstring. And they're now being like, oh, fuck, we can't say anything about this. Now that Friedman said something, I do think it is probably. probably serious and I like that take of like back off Willie you know like I'm I've been bum seeing and I'm

I'm not talking about the people who've been saying this but a lot of fans have been like we pay him this contract he plays 82 games and then not playing in the playoffs it's like come on yeah this is not Willie's fault if something serious is going on get off his back but it's devastating for the team oh it sucks I mean good Lord someone our boy from um uh Toronto redmond shout out redman he was like it sucks worse that he's skating before the game like if he was just he's on shelf he'd be like he's hurt but like every day they see him like trying to get out there it's like god damn it like you know he's trying and i think he wants to signal to the fans that he's trying but clearly something is up if he's like he's putting himself out there to speculation yeah yeah a little bit

of uh sorry go oh i was just to say i saw someone on twitter there was like a random clip and they're like look at willie here he's like goofing off with samsonov after i'm like yeah who gives a shit like he's on the ice he's trying clearly get him give him a break a little bit of uh officiating drama in game three, I would say, too. Yeah, a little bit. Yeah, where are you out on that? I just think if you go zero for five on the power play, maybe don't, yeah, don't cry right now. I looked at it again, and my dad was like, I didn't like your tweet about that, Sarah.

Like, I thought I was kind of being, okay, are you watching the same game? But at the same time, yeah, Marchand does walk that line, and he does it well, and that's kind of what Keefe was saying. He was kind of giving him props, and of course we're all exaggerating in the heat of the moment and taking things the wrong way. But yeah, I think maybe like leave the officiating questions alone when you're going zero for five and you get so many. Yeah, totally. I also love how he makes that comment.

Marshan's really good at drawing penalties. Marshan didn't draw a single one of those penalties. And I know what he's saying. The Bertuzi thing. Yeah, which I actually thought live and we were all watching together and I was like, I think I should have called that. The only reason I disagree is because it was away from the play. It had nothing to do with the play. And Bert was giving him one.

Yeah, let him go. But, yeah, I mean, when you're in a rivalry series, like this were in the playoffs. I always find it so funny when coaches and players say things like that that immediately turn into a sound bite. And I'm like, be careful. Be careful what you say at these press conferences because it's going to make you look bad if you say the wrong thing.

Samsonoff been pretty good, by the way, too. I just wanted to say that helps. Yeah, pretty good. Yeah, very good. Okay, Dallas Vegas. Hanif and score now, I mean, like, they take both. And I did say, I did see Cassie did a good quote that was like, look, as recently as last year.

We were up 3-0, and they made it 3-2 real fast. So that team has a lot of firepower over there, but how is Dallas feeling right now? I'm, like, I had Dallas going to the club. It's just... It's the worst matchup ever. That is the Western Conference Finals. It's killing me.

It's also the essential question of, okay, is it better to have the best depth in the entire world, the most complete team, or just gamers in the playoffs, right? Or, like, hopefully you have a few of these things, but I've always thought Dallas was an interesting case study right now. You have older guys that are chipping in.

You have veterans that aren't that old. You have, like, rising stars in Jason Roberts, and then you have, like, three 18-year-old that are amazing. And then you have a really good goalie at his best, which I always root for him, and I want him to be, because he can be so good if he gets that consistency. He's pretty good. Yeah, I know.

It's just, like, the star power has been a little too much for them. They feel like, to me, we were just talking about the Panthers' aura of getting into Oval. and being, if you're the other team looking at them, you're like, fuck. Vegas has that. And I, I am certain that this Dallas team is incredibly confident in their abilities. They're such a good team. They've had such a good season.

I would be surprised if we could get them hooked up to a lie detector and some of those guys on the Star's team were like, that was a bad matchup draw for us. Like that, how could you possibly want to play Vegas in the first round? And they just have the gamer thing you said is like, they're, I mean, that whole team, That whole roster. I look at Marsha So, Eichel, Stoner, and I'm like, fuck, every one of them is a playoff performer. It's crazy. Yeah, there hasn't been anything.

I love to look at, you know, oh, they're having a bad power play, or it's like they can't, they're not getting the shots. The Islanders aren't shooting. Neither of the games in this series have had a ton of shots, but there's nothing super skewed one way. They're two really good teams. Mark Stone. Yeah.

It's actually there's one thing skewed. It's their fucking salary caps. Yes, yes. I don't want to hear it, though. And that's a, yeah, same, by the way. I want to, I want to read this to you guys because it's so funny. When was game one? Game one was Sunday.

Yeah, I think that's right. I think. Okay. No, here it was. Here's game one. Here are the points. Mark Stone from Hannafin and Eichol. Hurtle from Hanifan.

McNabb from Eichol. And then there was another goal. And then in the other game, we had Marsha So from Barboshev and Eichel Hanifin and Eichel from Marcia Soe and it's like Hanofin and Hurtle and Stone have been involved in so many of the goals

And it's just dumping pounds of salt into the wound of everyone hating the LTIR drama And there's no guarantee that happens though We've seen so many like good at the time trade deadline deals that end up like the Rick Nash and Austin That's unfortunate but there's a gamble Yes totally in fact I'm glad you brought that up. I was talking about this with a friend the other day.

We were saying, what was the last team that won the cup or even went to the cup that got the huge piece, that made that huge splash? And it goes back beyond 10 years. It's like the depth ads are really the ones that seem to win the cup at the deadline. But then here's this team and they pull this move again. And it's working so far. And it's just crazy to see how well Hanifin and Hurtle are fitting with this lineup. It's wild. Avs, Jets, all tied up.

I wanted to read you guys this quote from Georgiev, because he had a great game, 28th of 30 stops. He says, he's talking about his teammates. They showed so much support to me over the last couple of days, a very rough first game, obviously. I just felt so much trust in the room from everybody, and I appreciate it so much. It helped me reset to know that they have got my back.

I know I'll help them out as well during this playoff. It was huge from them, and I appreciate it. Love that. Sick. When I hear that quote, I just thank McKinnon for heart for reasons, like intangible. I've talked to so many of his teammates in the past, in the present, whatever, and they all just say he's going to motivate you and like he's going to make you be better. But at the same time, he knows kind of when to pump the brakes on kind of like the hard motivational shit. But like you want to play with that guy on your team and you're never out of it with him.

Yeah. I feel like the motivational aspect there. Extremely well said. I love that. Yeah. I mean, when Ross Colton just came on the show, he was talking all about that. And it's like you hear the stories and I'm not sure you could think of about it's like I think of guys like Stamcoast, Bergeron, Crosby. And that's like Nate is right in that conversation.

Yep. This series for me is the one that I have the worst read on. I have no clue what's going on. The big red flag for me is hellabuck. I am shocked that, you know, probably the best goalie all season long is getting lit up like a Christmas tree through two games. And that, that Parisi one that gave him the lead was kind of like the one he fumbled behind the net. Yeah. It wasn't like a bad, like he got beat, but that's just another mistake.

So win or lose game three, I'm like if if I'm a Jets fan and Hellebuck lets up more than two, more than three, I'm officially like, what is going on? And I know it's, I know it's Colorado. But also people forget, you know, you think about the Colorado Avalanche. You think about Nate McKinnon and Miko Ranton. I think a lot of people have in their mind been like they are the higher seed. We're headed to Denver now, folks. That was the first win.

Oh, yeah, sorry. Yeah, they're going home, but that was the first time the Aves have beat them all year. Yes. You know, but, you know, Colorado was an insane home team this season.

You're going up high altitude. Nate, home points or whatever. Yeah, like I would be uncomfortable if I were the Jets right now, which is nuts because after that first game, I was like, the Jets took all that fraud talk to heart. They're serious.

They're here to play. Yep. But now going into Denver, I'm a little bit like, oh, shit. This could be Harry. Here's one. I feel like I do have a read on, Canucks Preds.

your boys are in trouble dad yeah i know um i have something to say about this later for one of our segments but i mean i said it before demco's everything yeah and things look very bad he's like out now we're week to week right that's brutal yeah like nightmare i'm not saying anything i'm not reporting anything i i have a couple of my little birdies are telling me that they think it's very unlikely he plays again this season oh my which is horrifying. Oh, it's a real, it's a real issue. Here's what, I have another ridiculous shot stat from this series. Last game, shots were 1816 Vancouver, which is just, I can't even get my brain around that, but that was the shots in this game. But then the, the Canucks were talking about it,

and they're like, we created a lot of chances. They had 84 shot attempts. Yeah. Which is like, sick, but they got to get on goal, you know, I'm like, I'm sorry. I feel like I haven't heard until this year. The shot attempts has been a big thing this year. I've never heard it. And it says the Preds players, they're laying for every puck. They're trying to block pucks with their faces, so whatever. And I'm like, well, they're doing it. You're not getting any shots on net. But then Nashville didn't have a shot in the third period until they scored into the empty net with 153 left, which is insane.

Vancouver didn't have a shot on goal on all three of their first period power plays. I'm like, Earth to both teams. Seriously. I have two things in this one I want to hear from you. One, what do you think is going on with Pedersen? because I feel like all season it was about like is he going to resign and then he does and he has gone complete ghost in two games here. I know. I don't know if it's the pressure or if it's just he goes through these cold streaks throughout his entire career and it's like all the PDO of this team and everything was so inflated this year which was awesome. Everybody was playing to their like absolute like maximum. So it's like at what point does that decrease a little bit?

And maybe that's what's going on. I mean, I don't even maybe it's just a whole. horrible matchup for him. Like when you look at the people he's playing against you. Totally. Like you think about guys like, you know, like O'Reilly and stuff. And I'm like that's like, like Pedy's a big guy. Yeah.

He's also not the most imposing. So that is a tough one. And then where are you at on? I kind of said, I think this team's playing with house money a little bit. No one thought they'd be here. No one thought that they would be the top of the Pacific. Do you think, especially now with Demco going out, if they lose here in the first round to a wildcard team,

Do you think that they and the fan base is furious? Is this a disaster? Is it kind of like a, well, we were ahead of schedule, whatever. Yeah. Well, it's the Vancouver Canucks fan base, so there's going to be burned cars. The city will burn. We will right. That things are going to happen. I think it was more for me this year.

All the players on this team got to play the way that we always thought they were going to. Like, J.T. Miller was worth his contract. Everybody was worth their own contracts. Demco was one of the best goals in the league. So I think it's a huge disappointment. I think these players, the problem with this team is they were supposed to be good for years and they weren't. Like, I want to see Brock Bassers succeed. It's tough to have it go out this way, but you can't rely on one player even if that's your goalie.

And you thought they didn't with the way they were all playing with the offensive firepower too, with Quinn Hughes. Like, everybody was firing on all cylinders. So you don't want to see it fall apart. And I don't think to Smith, I mean, you know he's not like a good playoff NHL goal. You just know what that is, but you have to rally around him a little bit more. And it just felt like there was a confidence collapse when he was in that. So that's not a good side. Yeah.

That's such a good point because I've been saying what I love, what you just said. I've been, it's been a joke on the podcast for two years of the last couple of years with them, not this season, going, why aren't you better? Because you're right. On paper, like, look at the fucking players on that roster. Why did they suck? And I kind of like what you just said in that I'm over here being like, they're, oh, they're ahead of schedule. They're so much better than last year, but you've made a great point in that they should be this good.

So this is kind of shitty. It's like, no, you shouldn't lose in the first round. You're as good as you should have been. Don't use it as an excuse to be like, well, we suck last year, but it's like, no, you're finally playing to what you were supposed to be. Yeah. So that's a great take. I felt you. I'm sure you guys saw.

I felt so bad when the first goal went in, the whole crowd was chanting for just fit. And like, they were doing this whole, like, the whole stadium. Like, where you were behind you. And then, like, he wasn't looking or, like, hit a weird tip and just goes in. and they were like, oh shit. That was like, ah, okay, last one. Oilers, Kings, also all tied up. That was a wild one.

This is everything I wanted it to be. Yep. I was nervous in game one when, what did the Oilers get up? Four nothing, or was it three nothing? I can't remember, but they were up. I was so nervous in game one of like, oh, my God. Like, they are, they are the monster. We think they are.

And L.A. is kind of like, we don't know what we're doing here. I was pumped about that response in game two. That said, the Los Angeles Kings this season, this is the narrative that I have decided is the truth. They don't know how to be happy. It's unbelievable. Like they go up 2-0 and then I think they were up 3-1. Yeah. And then they just like immediately two goals, give it up, tie it up.

Then they go up in the third period, up 4-3, one and a half minutes later, boom, tied 4-4. And I'm like, guys, just like, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride. And it's the last half of the season that's what it's been. They've just, they're hurting themselves. They don't think they deserve to be happy. And I'm here to say, yes, you guys, you do deserve to be happy. Own the moment.

Yes. But this is truly, I mean, goals everywhere. All the big boys are performing. Connor hasn't got his goal yet, but he's got like fucking eight points in two games. I love it. I have two. I'm just thoroughly enjoying myself. I was saying to Dan, didn't it feel like last two years, I guess, the kings have lost this series because

they're up, they can't get that one save, and then they go to overtime and lose, and you're like, oh, and we always look back, like, if they just won that one game, this, and not that I'm saying they're going to win the series now, but this did feel like the one that they always dropped the last two years, and it was different this time. Absolutely, yeah, and I'll admittedly, like, I think the Kings are the least amount of hockey I've watched this year,

and that's on me. But they're so hard for me to get a read on. Like, I've loved QB's season, and I really want to see him explode in this series. I think that'd be, like, really powerful for him. Is he his head on McDavid? Yes. Oh, hello.

He crinkled him. I was like, oh, my God. Yeah. He's such a dynamic player. He is. He gets his opportunity, so he finally has, and I hope that kind of gives him a little confidence. I'm rooting for him.

Yes. I mean, he'd be a great thing. Couldn't agree more. Couldn't agree more. So that's the point. Yeah, I felt like McDavid had to have that overtime. I don't know why I felt that, but yesterday I was just, maybe because I gambled on it. Yeah.

I'm just like, McDavid, had to have that. It's because I had a shit ton of money on it. I know. I know. Dude, so the people at home, Siv, Texas,

before the Bruins game, that she had money on a JVR anytime goal. And I was like, that is the most preposterous bad I've ever heard. He had like three breakways

and he hit the post twice and I was like... Caught a vibe. I had five free dollars and I was willing to take the chance. You had a few unhinged bets going yesterday and I like that. I did.

Sometimes you just got to get a little weird with it when you get a little too cocky and that was me. I, I every now and then go through and I'm looking at the odds. And I'm like, well, what if this anytime goal score?

and it jumps up to like plus 2,500. And I'm like, yeah, I hammer that. Just delusionally, I'm like, it's going to hit. You ever does. I, what you just said about thinking Connor kind of had to have the OT one, I feel that and the fact that Cope got it is like the inverse, where I'm like, ooh, interesting. Like, Cope stepped up and got it.

I'm awake. I'm taking the King seriously. Yes. There we go. Yeah, I like that. I like it. And it's like, you go back to L.A. This King's thing, I mean, being in L.A., we see a lot of Kings games.

I think their personality this year, other than refusing to be happy, is they don't know who they're going to be every night. Night in and night out. It's either the King's team that shit pumps teams or the King's team that looks like they're asleep at the wheel. And wouldn't you know it, it's like the first two games, we've kind of gotten a glimpse of both of them. I think something to keep an eye on that we've talked about for two years now is Skinner, slutting in a lot of goals.

And Talbot definitely not playing like. Yeah, because they got three in game? How many of the Kings? They ended up getting four. in one. Yeah. So they've got nine goals in two games. It's like, it's over.

Oh, my God. I'd be curious to see, I mean, he's Connick David, it's fine, but I'll be curious to see if he doesn't pot one in game three, let's say. I think there's a conversation if he does. If he doesn't, if I'm an Oist fan, I'm like, hey, score. The expectations are just so high, and they are for a reason. And I also, I go back and forth on this, and I guess we'll find out, like, if I'm wrong or if I'm right by the end of their playoff run.

But I feel like it's such an underrated part of it. his game too, though, that he can mold it to Zach Hyman and make Zach Hyman pop off like this. He has really been able to adjust to that, you know, just as Hayden has adjusted to him. So it's like, whatever is the best

for the success of the team. But I still want him to score an open goal. But I'm sure the Oilers are like, okay, dude, I know you're like the assist guy now, but also like it's the playoffs. I was just saying, like, if you're a fan, I'm like, 100 assists, awesome, man. We need a fucking goal for you. And I've seen you go end to end

500 times. So do it right now. It's ridiculous. Okay, those are the series. A lot of good ones on our hands and a couple that I thought were about to go not good and are now pretty enticing. So that's very cool. Very true. We're getting into our next segment, new segment that we're doing.

We're calling it, God, I wish I was blank. So we've each picked someone who is just having the best week ever. They're having a great time. Who wants to go first? I think Siv should go first. You think? Yeah. All right. I wish I was Hurricanes Power Play coach Jeff Daniels.

Bear with me here. Four years since when Rod Brindamore was the power play coach of the Carolina Hurricane as assistant. Wow, I forgot that. That's a cool set. Yeah. They have been a very bad power play. It has been, like, they have done analysis about it. Like all the nerds and all the not nerds and everybody with eyeballs has just been looking at the Carolina Hurricanes power play. Like, how do we fix this? They're going through the umbrella. They're going through the 231.

They're making up new scheme. Anything possible. But the hurricanes have pretty much kept it the same since then. And it's just like it was clear to me that they needed better players, but it's so hard. Like Rod Brindamore, now that he's the head coach, is one of the best coaches in the world because he will stand up there and say, I needed to prepare the guys better. But the truth is they needed three or four elite players that they don't have if they want to compete at this level. and he's squeezing everything out of everybody.

So when the team starts getting a little bit better, like now the scapegoats Jeff Daniels because he is promoted to assistant under Rod. And Rahad, that's his guy. Like, that's his dog. They're not going to let that go. So he's here to stay. Yep.

And they're like, they got to fire Jeff Daniel. As if, like, a coach can really have that much impact on it. But whatever, like, fair to some extent. Yeah. But then Jake Gensel walks in and suddenly it's like the best power play of all time. Seth Jarvis exists. and gets good. And it's like, oh, absolutely nothing else has changed.

Yeah. There's just two better players on this team right now. And it's a completely different power play. And it's just a lesson for everybody that maybe sometimes you need to have really skilled players, you have a good power play in 2024 in the NHO. When we're ripping our coaches apart, sometimes it's like, well, the players also are on the ice. And it's helpful if you have some great ones.

It's hilarious because you're right. I guarantee the narrative is like, they're coaching it up better. You know, they figured it out. And I'm like, no. they are literally doing the same thing. They just have Jake Gensel. Also, your answer doubles as Jake Gensel, too, because I'm like, look at Jake Gensel.

It's just like, I love when stuff like this happens and Penguins fancy the writing on the wall that he's gone. And they're like, well, he fucking sucks anyway. He's only good because of Crosby. He's just Pascal Dupuy part two. And then he's like, I'm incredibly elite at this game. I've been a point B game guy for six years. And he's probably low-key pumped to that the penguins didn't get it.

Like, it kind of would have looked shitty if they got in at the end there. but so like they missed now he's firing he's like the narratives and nobody can cook up a narrative like the penguins media so you know this would all be lost to history oh that's good oh that's so true okay me right down the table yeah you want to go yeah why don't you go i'll go next okay i'm doing god i wish i was kelly mccrimmon gm of the Vegas golden nights and i'll tell you why the Vegas golden nights as of two and a half years ago employed peter d'or as their head coach who is an accomplished coach, two Stanley Cup final losses, three conference final appearances at the time, now four,

and they let him go, and he immediately gets hired by the Dallas stars. And then over the next, or the last two playoffs, the Dallas stars are the one thing in your way of winning your, going to the finals, which you win for the first and franchise history, and now they're the one seed juggernaut that you catch as a wildcard team in the first round. And apparently, you know everything about exactly how to beat any Peter DeBarr coach team. I cannot believe they sent him to Dallas

just to railroad them two years in a row. It's like how many percentage of Vegas Golden Knights power playoff games has Peter Dubois been a part of? It's insane. It's horrifying though.

Dude, like, and you got to think like this Vegas team, the players are like, we know his system. Yeah. We're just going to combat it because we know exactly what he does. I remember there was

which goal, dude, he was like kind of, Dubor was kind of beefing with one of the goalies at the end. of his Vegas tenure. I can't remember which one. Maybe it was even Logan, but he was like, or it doesn't matter, but he was like calling him out. Oh, it was Leonard. It was Leonard. Of course. I was like, it's probably Robin Leonard.

And he was like, you know, publicly calling him out and he gets fired. And anytime you fire a coach like that, you're like, like, flip it the other way. Let's say Dallas wins the Western Commerce Finals last year, wins the cup. And they're the one seed this year and they're running over you in round one. And you're McCriman and Bill, you're like, fuck. Yeah. Probably shouldn't have fired him. But it's just gone the complete opposite direction.

And you're like, we did it. Yeah, huge win. I love the risk-taking. It just pays off. The way they just, instead of drafting players, and like, they had minimal resources as an expansion team. But it's like they went the route of, okay, I'm just going to take this already good player that is existing in the prime of his life. And what are you going to do? It's unbelievable.

Yep. I'm going to stick with GM as well. Nice. And I'm going to say, God, I wish I was Barry Trots. Oh, that's a great one. And I just think Barry Trots, he came in, he made. made some big moves, buys out Joey, buys out Dutchy. People were like, what the hell is going on?

And he's just got this team buzzing. He's got a couple of contracts in there that have worked out very well. Look at O'Reilly right now. Look at Nyquist having the year of his life. Didn't trade Soros? I was like, trained Sorrows. The stuff he didn't do is so much more powerful than the stuff he even. Absolutely.

His non-decision have been amazing. Gets this team to start buzzing the last month of the year. They get in the playoffs. You have a wealth of young players just playing unbelievably well, and wouldn't you know it, Thatcher Demko is hurt. And we talk about house money. The predators, if they lost to the number one seed Vancouver Canucks, who gives a shit? You got into the playoffs.

The fans on Broadway are having a great time, and you go into the summer with some money, with some draft picks, and you're happy. Now you're looking at a very possible chance of upsetting the number one seed and winning this series, or at least making it go the distance. And you must just be sitting there stacking chips if you're Barry Trots right now. Talk about a guy whose job is safe as fuck. And that is just amazing.

I was always really enticed to see how he'd do as a GM because he's such a room favorite when it comes to the players and fellow coaches. Everybody loves being around him. And it's like having that relationship with the GM could go a long way. And like you don't know how, but like generally teams work together.

But like there's some separation. and I feel like bridging that gap and being a good communicator and just he's always been so humble. Like I got to know him a little bit when he was the coach of the Capitals. And he was walking around bubbly with a smile in his face, wanting to talk to everyone, having the time for everyone. And I think someone like that goes a really long way. Completely agree. It must be really cool for him, honestly, too, to be like, I don't know about this phase of my hockey career. And then it's like, we're chilling.

Wouldn't you love to be him right now? Yeah, sure would. That's a great one. That's a great one. That's a great one. Okay. Next segment we're going to do. We're going, well, we did armchair GM, which you know and everybody knows.

We were doing, Dan and I were kind of doing an armchair GM about, picking a fantasy line up. We're going to do a little bit differently in the playoffs where we're each going to pick a thing, a decision that a team could make moving forward that we would do if we were in charge of the team. If we were a team, if we were coach, this is how I would handle. You want to go back the other one? I'll start this one. I'm going to talk about power play here.

Number one power play in the NHL all season long. Tampa Bay Lightning. Yep. They were one for six in game two. One for two in game one. So two for eight, not good enough. And when you look at the scores of these games against the Panthers, power play would help.

Certainly one for six in game two is not going to help. So if I'm doing some tweaking and I'm looking at John Cooper, my armchair GM move is you got to mix up that power play. Yeah. I don't know what it is that stifled it and what's not working, but you look at the wealth of talent on that team and things you can switch around, move around, whether you change the system,

whether you change the personnel. I just don't think you can go into a game three after going one for six in game two when you're in such tight games. If you're getting power play opportunities, you've got to change something up and make them look at something different because that is going to be how you end up stealing a game against this team. I think the solution is get Jake Gensel. And then you're golden.

I'm looking at Seth Jarvis come out of nowhere and score 30 goals I'm looking up there Power Play First Power Play unit It says Nick Paul

Braden Point Kuturoff Stam or Headman Yeah And then You got a guy like Hagel more involved You know what I mean Like these are the types of guys

That I'm like Bump him from second power play So let me go at the same time Because mine was also a power play Yeah It's the Leafs power play Oh for 5? Did score one?

No for 5 last night I think You remember Keith's? Oh yeah right You wanted more But I think they're one for 11, I think, in the series.

They were seventh in the league, so not first, but, you know, they were quite good. Top third power play in the league. You need more of that. Their, so the tricky wrinkle for them is they lost Willie, right? So it was

Willie, Toadrags, Marner, Riley, Matthews. Yeah. And they've... Talk about a month school. Dude, Jesus Christ. Are you fucking kidding me? I was saying we were at game two as well. And, or actually, no, I think it was, it was watching game three. There was that weird 4V4 when both guys got tossed.

And I was just looking at the ice. And when you have a team where you can put Nealander, or not even Nealander, Marner, Matthews, Riley, and Tavares out on the ice at the same time, I was like, that's crazy. It's a good to half. Like game two is so good for them. I know. Totally.

So what I thought was interesting is because they've tried some Bertuzi. And who almost had a goal in game two, which is the high stick, right? but they tried some Bertuzi, they tried some Maddie Nyes. And I'm wondering, we had that fun talk with Laz about, like, right shot, left shot on the powerplay, and if it really matters. But you lose Willie's right shot, right? Yes. So you lose Willie, and they've kind of been subbing him with two left shots. And I'm like, I wonder if that's, like, throwing them off in some way.

And it's weird to me to be like, oh, take Marner off your power play. Mix it up, boys. Part of me is like, maybe Keith is like, shut the fuck up. They just need to score. And I'm like, you're right. So I don't know. It's such a fine line when you talk about stuff like that, though, because maybe they score the next game,

then maybe they don't, and what actually gives you your best chance? Like, it's talking to the players and then sometimes not talking to them and being like, okay, I'm going to do what I want. It's actually so complicated when you think about it. Totally. And with Tampa situation,

exactly what you just said. It's like, are you going to break up the best power play unit in the NHL? That's a tough thing to say. And then when you're going to get Bob, too, it's like, if I'm on that power play, I'm like, that's the fucking problem. It's not us.

The thing is, You don't have to be married to these things, though. You can try it for a shift, and then if it doesn't, or maybe longer than a shift, try it for a power play. If it doesn't work out, okay, back. Yeah, exactly. No, but I love that. And I also love what you said about talking to the players,

because maybe they're like, yo, we got it. Like, we just weren't finishing. The looks were there, whatever. But sometimes I do think maybe it's like a max domi who's out on PP2 to get in that like to brusk roll down low, you know, where I'm like, because Bert's kind of getting pushed around there. And I'm like, I don't know, dude, get someone a little strong. Like, there's things you.

can do because I promise you this if the Leafs lose the series in six games and they finish one for 20 on the power play it's like yo you had to do something yeah care how many times you want to tell me those are the five best players they you need to change yeah I remember Joel Edmondson used to play on the Hurricanes power play for for a minute and maybe you could see that back yeah that guy is a mean shot actually yeah I love Joel Edmond's and if you get those through you get those mean shots through on the power play a lot of traffic down there yeah big deal absolutely all right sip what do you got? Your GM move.

Oh, yes. Give me a second. I'm talking about the power plays. I'm like getting inside baseball. I just stick with Swamen. Like, it's Jeremy Swaman's net. He has never lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs of this season. He is clearly confident.

It is no shade to Lina's Allmark. Get him back in the mix, second round. I just think the way the team is, for whatever reason, we don't have to overthink it. We do not have to complicate it. But the team is winning with Swayman. The team has won with Swayman. He set himself,

last night that he wants to keep playing. Let him play. They are just dominant against Leifes with him and that. For whatever reason, don't overthink it. And you mean like, even if they lose game four, they go sway game four, they lose. He's still the guy game five. I think this takes up mental energy for the Bruins in a way that, like,

is one of the biggest issues with the whole thing. I completely agree with that. I think, you know, when we were doing our conference playoff breakdowns, this obviously came up and the question of it came up. And I was like, I think there's something to be said about for the players knowing who's going is just, even if it's just a, it's a question I don't want to have to think about. I think is helpful. And it's he's proven it. It is his net against this team.

Even if he loses game four, I think you still go with him game five because it's just like a let him know that he's in. Let the players know that he's in and move forward. And think about the comments with arbitration too. He kind of felt a little snubbed by the team and what has he done since? been an absolute boss. He didn't get the opportunity really last year. They throw him in game seven. It's like, good luck.

Now he's proved himself. I think you give him the chance he gave O'Mark last year. And wasn't it telling, I would say, and we dug up a clip when Sway came on last year that when he was definitely the number two, because Almarc was winning the Vesna, Sway was like, I want to play every game. I prepare every game ready to play. And I want the net every game. And I thought it was telling to hear his comments after game three when he was like,

I don't need the round. I'm ready to go. Because I felt like if they had had a conversation with Monty about rotation, that he could have answered that question. Like, whatever the team is ready, wants to do, I'm down with or something like that. You know, like, I'm ready to play, of course, but I trust this team. But the comments were like, give me the fucking net back. And I was like, oh, shit. I loved it.

I loved it. Just let the people know so they can't speak. speculate that, oh, maybe he doesn't want to or something. Nope. I'm good. Yeah. I think to your point, if I were Monty, I think you got to, you don't need to let us know. You don't need to let the media know, but let the team know.

Yeah. I think that you made it such a great point. I think the team needs to know what's going on. Yeah. And maybe they already do, but I think that's important. And if you want to keep playing mind games with the Leafs and with us, go for it. But it's just like, a decision needs to be made. I couldn't agree with that more.

All right. Last segment tonight, Dan's calling temper tantrum. because things are grinding his gears and he wants to talk about something. So we didn't talk about this during the series Rapid Fire because I knew you wanted to save this for this moment. Take it away. I, first of all, I could go on this temper tantrum about people still complaining about Vegas and the LTIR, I think, but I've done that enough.

I want to talk about the Panarin hit on Oshy. That got hot on Twitter. And there's a couple of things that I want to say about this. One, I'm glad Panarin didn't get suspended. I'm not over here sitting me like, that should have been a suspension. This is bullshit. He's a model player. He doesn't.

I actually, I kind of hate when people say, oh, he has a history or he doesn't have a history, but he doesn't. I'm glad he didn't get suspended. What blows my mind is how fan bases are so against being honest about what happened when it's your player. And the Rangers fans being like, that was all body contact. I'm like, what are we talking about here? people brought up the Truba Meyer hit last season. Say head contact, but it's a clean hit.

That's true. There was the who hit De Noe last night. Hyman. Hyman hit De Noe last night in the King's Oilers game. And then earlier in that series in Washington, New York, Wilson hit Zabanajad. All had head contact and like what is the question? What I want to rant about, the reason I thought Panerans could have, maybe should have been a penalty, is the position of Oshy's head getting smacked from the side, blindsided.

That is the difference for me. And I'm curious what you both think about it. Go ahead, Sip. This just goes back to my entire philosophy about the rulebook, the referees, and the playoffs and everything that that all encompasses. I think the rulebook needs to be clean up and specified a little bit more. The referees need to be told what they can and can't call more specifically. And are we calling things in the playoffs?

or are we not? I think there's such a stark misunderstanding between everybody, and that allows for what you're talking about with fan bases to be like, my guy didn't do this, and then, like, cherry pick. My favorite are the slow motion things. Like, everything is different. The slow motion.

Are you being for real? But I agree with your point, and I think we do need to change, like, legality of some head shots, I think, like, just an update. But I've talked to Department of Player Safety people, and they say it's going to take, like, five years to update the whole book. Yes. Yeah. There's a lot. It's a disaster. It is a disaster. But like the best time to plant a tree was five years ago. The time is now. Just do it. Yeah, no, it's true. It's true. I think the other thing, I forget who I said this to last night, I'll never get this from people on Twitter. But one of my least favorite things with this topic is civilians like us sitting at home on Twitter going to saying to these NHL athletes, pick your head up, bud. I'm like, shut the fuck up.

people. Every time I see that on Twitter, and it's from people I know it, love and respect sometimes. They're like, keep your fucking head up, dude. I'm like, buddy, stop saying that when you're talking about these NHL players playing the fastest game in the world. And it's on a paused video. Yes, it drives me fucking nuts. And on both those plays

in the in the, um, uh, the Zibor, not the Ziba one, but the, the Panarin Oshy one and then the Deno, DeNoh, Hyman one. Both players are lunging for a puck. And like, you're screaming at them to pick the, shut up. That drives

absolutely insane. You know what would help fix this if the players wore cages. Stop. Just kidding, just kidding, just kidding, just kidding. But I will say this. Because this actually bothers me a ton to. The Meyer hit from Trubo last year.

The De Noe hit, well, Hyman hitting to know last night. Those guys, and they're crouched, right? Because that's a big thing. It's like when you drop your level, like everyone's like, don't have them in the head, but I'm like sometimes they crouch down. That's a factor, absolutely.

And you're saying they're reaching. When Meyer and D'R. Dono got hit, like literally, forgive the Spotify listeners, but anyone that's watching this. Meyer and Dano got hit, like, right here, directly in the face, you know. So did Zabanajad in the, in the Wilson hit. Those hits are okay to me because you've lined him up, you're right in between, they crouched a little bit, and yeah, like, I don't want their noses to get broken, but that's what's happening. What, and I'm going to sound like so soapboxy here, but I'm, this is the only thing that

bothers me about what's happening in the NHL is if you want to get the brain injuries and stuff out of that game, it's those. hits when the head is dangling out forward and it's from the side. That shit bothers me so much and trust me, I am not chirping Panarin it is the fastest fucking game on earth. I know it is really hard. I don't think under any circumstances

he was trying to hurt him. He clearly tried to hit body too. Yes, 100% I'm like... He even like hits the brakes and comes back across. So I mean, there's no I have no issue with his intent. The idea of intent, not to interrupt you, but that's what has really pissed me off too. It's just like, why does the intent behind something make it legal

orally felt. Like we should just make this black and white. There's a way to do it. I couldn't agree more, Siv. The intent pisses me off. The word pisses me off because it always goes into that. And it's the same thing with like, is a player dirty or not? And I'm like, I don't give a shit if this guy has 300 pims or if he has 10 pims. If it's an illegal hit, it's an illegal hit. And it's a fucking penalty. And it's to cross over sports real quick. Think about like defensive pass interference. I get that that's a really hard call. It's always fucking changing. There's a lot of hand fighting. You never really know. I'm asking these refs to make a judgment call. To me, it would be so fucking easy on the officials, who are human beings,

who I'm trying to make it easier for in such a fast game. It's fast for them too. To say, if someone's fucking head is dangling forward and it gets side contact, side contact, it's a fucking penalty. Put your hand up. That seems such an easy thing to say. So it's like, I don't think he should have been suspended. I don't think he was trying to hurt him. It is fucking baffling to me that that's not a penalty. Exactly. I also want to live in a world where, and this is for the fans on Twitter, If that play happens and any one of us is like, oof, that should be a penalty or could be a penalty.

And then it's not. There's no need to be like this, ha, you fucking idiot loser. I'm like, no, I'm okay with that. I'm not, I'm just saying. I thought it probably could have been a penalty. It's just, it gets too heated and too insane. But that, the side thing, the blind side is what I said. I couldn't agree more with.

It's like, that should be a very cut and dry. That's a penalty. If you get clapped in the side of the face, side of the head, that's dangerous. More dangerous than straight. Yeah, and you said it so wonderfully of like, if I didn't mean to hit it with my stick in the face, but I did, it's a penalty. You know, I don't know what to say.

That makes it easier on everybody and easier on the players too to not be like, well, I didn't mean to. Yeah, like, I drew blood look, I'm bleeding. Yep. Let's just figure it out. Exactly. Okay. Fantastic temper tantrum.

Fantastic time having you on Sarah. The best. Need to have this happen more often, if that's cool with you, if you're open to it. Before we let you go, is there anything you want to shout out? what you're up to. Anything you want to plug? Yeah, what were you working on this today?

Just bleach your report.com and the Too Many Men podcast. Hell yeah. Still swinging over there. Check that out. And where can people find you? On Twitter at Sarah Sevilla, no H. There we go. We're thrilled to be sitting here with a Markham, Ontario native, of proud Polish descent. Yes.

An absolute sports guru who has covered things from the MLB to the NBA to tennis to the World Aquatics Championship. And now, of course, the NHL, a certified. health coach, a fitness freak, which I love, by the way. Yeah. An Emmy winner. And now covering the Bruins on Ness and Sophia Yerskovich, thank you so much for coming on the TV.

Hey, I'm thrilled to be here. Like, really, we just talked for about 45 minutes, I feel like off camera. As I walked in, we just didn't stop talking. Had to go with bathroom. I was like, got to go. It's always a good side. Yes. That is a good side.

However, we also just talked about websites with misinformation. There's one bit of misinformation in there. not Markham. Oh, wow. Get out. I wanted to get the hometown. Wait, where did you get that? First of all.

That's not one of the million websites that just lies to us. Toronto, Toronto. Okay, you're going to say like you're downtown Toronto. Yeah, because a lot of people who say they're from Toronto or from Boston or from New York might be from the Burbs. And it's not a snobby thing, but it's like, no, no, I was born in a downtown hospital, took the subway to school every morning, like didn't have a car until I moved here, biked everywhere.

Like Toronto is my city. That is sick because you're very right. Why do you think people, that says Markham? Do you have any connection to Martin? I have a zero connection to Markham. So when you said it, I was smiling and I was like, I'll wait till he's done. That's amazing. I think God didn't get anything else.

It's a dash one for me on the day. We did say the websites are full of. That's true. Yeah, that happens so much in Boston. Where everybody's from not. I'm from Boston, but I'm not from Boston. And it's funny from like Springfield. And I'm like, come on.

Yeah. It's funny when you meet people from there. Actually, like, transplants were always like, I was like, I'm from Boston. And then if they're from there, two, they're like, where actually, though? Because I, we want to know. Exactly. And Dan, I, Dan was actually born in Boston. I was born in Concord. So I hate that he has that on. Where in Boston were you born? I was born in, I was born. Okay. See. Right in the, yeah, no, I was born in Boston. And you guys grew up in the core of Boston. No, no, Lexington. So outside. Yeah, yeah. And then, and then Maine. And then York, Maine.

Okay. Yeah. So anyway, from Toronto, not that that matters, Markham, probably great place. I don't know with that well even. Fuck, Mark. From Toronto. Stephen Samcoe is from Markham. That's true. I did know that. Stan Roy was from Mark.

Went to college or what do you guys, you call it university. Went to university in Toronto as well. Yes. I did. Ryerson, yeah. Which I think it changed its name because I think Sir Ryerson was not a very nice person. Now that like history is kind of being rewritten and good. There are some reasons that there are some very important reasons. I don't know exactly.

But anyway, Mr. Ryerson, not great. And now I think it's called the turrets. Toronto school. No, that sounds so stupid. Oh, I saw it. No, it's something ridiculous. It's like the Metropolitan College or School. But anyway, Ryerson at the time. And I went to RTA, radio and television arts. I knew I always wanted to do this. And it was a very small program, but the best for what it taught me and

where it got me. And here I am. Look at you now. Yeah. You have an Emmy. Yeah. That was weird. I mean, come on. That was weird. I have deep imposter syndrome about it still. And everybody in my company at Nesson is like, no, you earned this Emmy. It was for a Brad Marchand my story that we did. And he cried in it. So thanks, Brad, because I think that's why we got it.

And it was like one of my first interviews of my career with the Bruins. And Brad's crying and I'm like, this is amazing. So I think that really helped. But it was for the production of my story. And I'm like, well, I didn't shoot it. I didn't edit it. I just sat there and asked the questions. Like, I feel like I don't deserve it.

But the editors are all like, yeah, but you asked the questions. You brought it out. So I guess I earned it. I don't feel like it's totally mine. Yeah, yeah. It's a team Emmy. Yeah. Do you, are you aware yet that in those Emmys,

yes. The wing, it's like wings, right? Or whatever it is. Yeah. A bottle, specifically bottle, not a can of beer fits perfectly in the Emmy. You can use it as a coozy and you can drink. Pardon me? Isn't that wild?

I need to picture it. Just FYI. The wings hold it. Yeah. Like in the backside of that Emmy, you can drop a bottle of beer perfectly. Is that purposeful? It's one of those things. It's like you buy a frisbee and what do you know? A one, or I think it's like two beers fit perfectly like surface tension on the bottom of the Oh, okay, okay. It's a happy accident. Okay. Same with a whiffle ball bat. A beer fills perfectly in a

whiffle ball bat. Why do I know these things? I don't know. If I come back, if you guys have me back on the show, I'll bring it. Yeah, there you go. Do you guys have Emmys? No. So I lost one. I lost one. Yeah, okay. It happens. But our buddy who is at that. Emmys, two, our good buddy won. And so we were at the Pace Party after, and he was putting the beer, and that's how I noticed. Can you borrow some Emmys? Yes, you know people. Okay, let's all bring Emmys and we'll drink beer.

When you go home, I expect a photo at some point of you sliding that beer into the Emmy and being like, holy shit, it does fit. I will send it. It's so fun fun. Our producer, who's not here, is back in L.A., Blake, went to Ryerson. Oh, he did? And so did our friend Anna Dua, who I don't know if you know her, but she works in hockey media, too.

And they're way younger than we are, but they're up and coming in the hockey space. Okay, I'm going to have to see pictures because Ryerson does produce a lot of great, like, not just sports, but all in this kind of industry, which is radio, television, film, all that kind of stuff. A lot of good time. Yeah. What was the name now, the Toronto Metropolitan School?

We could probably find it, but something like that. That's, listen, Sir Ryerson, if you're a piece of shit, I get it. Yeah. But we got to come up with a better name than that. It makes it sound like an online shitty college. It makes it sound like a bad college. And it's great. It is more of like a polytechnical school.

so it's kind of hands-on learning, whereas you're not going there for your... Maybe you are, and if you do go there for your academics, no offense. But you're really going there for like ECE, early childhood education, film, television, I'm trying to think of other hands-on things. Not necessarily like carpentry or anything like that,

but more kinetic learning as opposed to like a PhD and, I don't know, philosophy. I don't think that's what you're going on. I mean, let's be real, this stuff is more useful now. getting your communications degree. No offense, everybody, but it's just the truth. Yeah, I had the best time. In those early days of your life, you, as, well, Toronto, native,

born in Toronto, born in downtown Toronto, but Polish parents, you speak fluent French, English, Polish from Canada, but with an American accent on TV somehow, I don't know how you. So the Canadian accent's gone, because I still get chirped that it's there. No, I've noticed a couple. When you first, when we were chatting earlier,

there were a few, I mean, you dropped a story in there and I was like, okay, nice. I still, I'll say, I'll just say sorry. That sounds American to me. Yeah, no, it does. It's in between, though. Yeah, it wasn't all the way either way. There's still a bit of it bleeding in that, which I think is a good thing.

I can't win because when I go home, my friends are like, oh, you sound so American now. I'm like, what? And I come here and people are like, you're so Canadian. Yeah. Did you have to try? And I don't know if you can answer this, but was there ever any from Nesson, like, don't sound Canadian or they don't care? No, I think there were a couple words that they would laugh at and say, like, that's so Canadian. And just remember our audience is American.

but never like a sit-down. I think I said organization. You guys say organization. Oh, funny. I think. And one thing I have changed, but I notice, and every time I go home, I'm like, why do we say that? But, like, I have been somewhere. I have been.

We say I have been there. And so that I used to say. If we were to go to an Italian restaurant and you ordered a very carb-heavy dish, what would you call it? Like the base. Oh, pasta? No, spaghetti. No, well, you don't say pasta. Yeah.

A lot of Canadians say pasta. You're right. You're right. You're right. You're right. Well, I think that's also changed because of pasta. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, because of that. I do say that word a lot now.

Makes a lot of sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, anyway, accent here, there, I don't know. Yeah, we're doing fantastic. And then you were always into sports, right? So your family, your dads, I know a huge lease fan, and sports is a huge part of your life. So I'm interested to hear how that calling hit you.

And if sports broadcasting particularly was always the goal. And I just want to read this IG post that you posted, which I love so much. Yes. for everybody. It says it's a picture of you holding the Emmy. And it says, when I was six, I covered NHL hockey from my living room with my Lisp and my dad and his camcorder. I love you so much, Dad. When I was 36, I covered the best NHL team in the history of the league. No more Lisp. Still adore my dad. And wow, at NHL Bruins.

Oh, thank you for reading that. So cool. I forgot about that post. So yeah, God, it made us emotional. So tell us about that journey and, you know, why you were calling NHL games on your dad's camcorder with a Lisp when you were six. six, you know, as a little Canadian girl. So great question. I do love telling the story because it's fairly new to me still. I feel like I remember, I remember it now, but I remember when I was in high school, I had to do, we had this course program called like careers or something,

and we spent like six months planning out our future careers at 16. And one of mine was journalists and like sports journalists was in there. And I think for homework I had to ask my parents questions or something, but I remember coming home at the dinner table and telling my parents like this is what I want to do, which big props to them because there wasn't even, you guys know who Jennifer Hedger is, TSN. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yes.

Love her, but she was one of the first, maybe in the States it was different, but she was one of the first visible females that did highlights and sports when I was growing up. And so when I was about 16, I think was a couple years later, no one even existed. And my parents, blue-collar, we did not make a lot of money growing up,

people were never like, no, you need to do something that's for sure going to work. They were like, whatever you want to do, do it. Like, you will do it. We believe in you. Which, that's a little aside. But I remember asking them about that. And I said something like, like, what do you think? Is this a good idea?

And my mom and dad were like, duh, like, we know you're going to do this. And I kind of asked them why. And they're like, you've wanted to do this since you were like six. Like you, we have video of you somewhere pretending to be on hockey night in Canada. Like I wanted to be Ron McLean. I wanted to be Don Cherry. I wanted to be on Hockey Night in Canada. And of course, like now that I've been in this career for so long, the memories, they're not hard to, you know, fine.

Like, I remember those moments. And I, in watching that video on the camcorder of my dad filming me, I remember I was like at some desk in the living room and he kept, you know, it's shaky and he kept asking, are you done? Are you done? Are you done? Yeah. And I'm like, almost done. I'm almost done with my list. and he's like, you know, let me know when you're ready.

And I finally was like, I'm ready, dad. And I had this like plaid skirt on and pigtails. And I stood in front of, honestly, I think it was like a 23-inch TV color SD. That's how we, you guys know. We used to watch on this HD shit everywhere and these big screens. And I stood in front of it and I was reading highlights or I was telling stories. And I was really dumb because I said Eric Lindross played for the Oilers, which he didn't. But like, I just took names that I knew.

You know, like, okay, I know Eric Lindross. I know Edmonton and, you know, I put them together. And I did some sort of stupid highlight. And my dad was like, you know, great job. And they clapped. And that's just like what we recorded. But my dad was like, you've just always wanted it. He and my mom have two girls and three boys.

He wanted the boys to fall in love with hockey. They did not care at all. Like, they were just off doing their own thing. And it was kind of me and my dad on Saturday night watching hockey night in Canada. And so I think like I've just always loved it. So kind of born that way. but now that I'm older and can like dive into the psychology of it, I'm like, you know, my dad worked three jobs, super busy guy.

And I was probably one of the only times I can remember having one-on-one time with him with five kids. Wow. And like him being peace. And he was the nicest, kind of sweetest man, like, but peaceful. Like he was always cleaning something or picking something up or working. And like he was allowed one beer. My mom was very strict. He was allowed a beer or a couple beers, but like Saturdays you could have beers.

And I remember him just being really relaxed. And I think I enjoyed that state with him. And I just wanted to be around him. And so that kind of just was our tradition and we watched everything together. It's a good thing he encouraged it because now he can drink his one beer out of the back of an Emmy. I should bring that happy for him. Yes. That's pretty sick.

Exactly. So your journey as dance has taken you all over in the sports broadcasting world. But I just have to ask very quickly about the World Aquatic Championships in South Korea. Oh, my God. Like what? Crazy. I emphasized that because I was like, I need to know everything about it and what that experience was like. I think it was in Ganjune.

I don't want to say it wrong. But, yeah, so what that was, first of all, why that happened. I worked at SportsNet for many years. The score. Do you guys remember the score? Yeah, that was the best. I worked at the score, and then SportsNet bought it. So we kind of got tossed into SportsNet, but there was no place for us

because there was a bunch of people they kind of adopted, and they were like, I don't know, do stuff. And so I never really found my home at SportsNet. I had two of some of the best years of my life in terms of bucket list items. I got to work for Hockey Night in Canada. I don't know if you guys know this, but I hosted Coach's Corner, the only person ever other than Ron McLean to do it. But it was such a cool experience for me and that was unreal with Don. Yeah, you got the outfit on. It was amazing.

Oh, well, no, okay. So everyone asked me about that. That was Photoshopped. Oh, okay. That was Photoshopped. So I had a plane blazer on and someone just took one of Dawn's and photoshopped it. So that was Photoshopped, put it on Instagram. So long story short, Sportsnet at some point let me go. They made some cuts and they were like, you don't fit into our plans anymore. I was very sad about it, but everything happens for a reason. And so I started freelancing at CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Company and the corporation, and they own the Olympic rights. And so I was freelancing as their sports reporter, and they were training me to cover

Pyong Chang. They were training me to cover Beijing. Nesson came calling and kind of took me away from that eventually. But that's why I started doing these. I did the World Championships of skiing and snowboarding, too, in Utah, Salt Lake City, which was so cool. got to meet some of like, I love snowboarding, so got to meet some of those guys and girls.

Anyway, went to Korea for, because I was going to cover swimming in the Olympics, which is a huge deal. That would have been unreal, but I knew nothing about it. And we went for a month. There's all sorts of, I forgot most of it,

but so many different disciplines in swimming, diving was crazy too, and like team diving and all the shit. It was insane. But what it was like was really hard. Like, I learned all about this new sport. The athlete, some of them really were difficult.

Like I was really disappointed with how cocky and un, what's the word, like, unopened, I guess. Like you're dealing with Sydney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid. I've talked to these guys so many times. They're humble. They're nice. They'll give you their time. If they got to go, they got to go. But they're always trying.

Like some of these swimmers were up and coming 16-year-old kids and they were too good for me. Yeah, could not be bothered. And I'm like, you need the money. You need the coverage. Swimming in Canada is not big. Yeah, yeah. If you're an Olympic person, this is your one window to get your brain. Exactly.

No, I was shocked at some of the attitude I got there. But whatever. Some people were unbelievable too. Very different experience. And we were essentially like in a campus or camp with people on reporters all over the world. And the sports kind of went all day from the morning to the night, diving in the morning, swimming at night. and so we were just stuck kind of in this place for a month

and inside a pool all the time and just covered the world aquatics. I learned so much and looking back, it's the best thing that's ever helped me in my career because I went blind into a sport that I spent a month studying and then learned on the fly with the best producer ever, but I felt coming to Ness and that prepared me for anything. Like I know hockey very well, so it's easy,

but it really helped me be on my toes and just like be better at my job. Yeah, that's awesome. It's amazing. It's an interesting world. I was super curious to ask about it because I have a funny little aside that I don't even think you know. When we first moved to L.A. And we were trying to find work and just trying to survive out there, I was doing stupid little PA jobs all the time. And I had this one producer that I worked for a bunch random little jobs.

And I get a call. He's doing a music video in like Glendale. And I'm like, yep, it's one night of work. I go. When I get there, it's this music video in a pool, like an indoor pool area. Okay. And my job as the PA was just for one shot, they needed, like, a head bobbing in the pool. And they put me in a wetsuit, and I tread water in this pool for, like, hours.

For nine hours. Oh, my God. And I was like, what the fuck is going on? Did you get high full 30? I found out later that this producer had two PAs that he, like, worked with all the time and alternated with all the time. One was a kid who was a former World Aquatic champion.

Oh, he must, he thought it was you. The director got us mixed up and was like, oh, this kid will be perfect for this. And then I show up and I'm drowning in a pool. And they're like, man, this world aquatic guy is not that great a treading water. Did they get their shot? They sure did. They sure did. You can watch this

terrible music video and see my head bobbing up and down in the pool. Can you later off cameras send it send it to me? I'd like to see this video. I have like a behind the scene shot too where I'm like floating on my back and someone was like, Dan, you get in there? And I was just, and you can hear in my voice. I'm like, yep, but I'm clearly not. You're hungry.

You're like freezing too. Awful. So one of the reasons we reached out to you is because every step of the way we have a lot of connections now, everyone has just said how wonderful and personally you are. And that is very true immediately. And I love hearing stories about things like you doing those things when you're six years old. kind of speaking into your home camera. Yeah. And you now get to this place where you've won an Emmy.

We don't need to keep bringing it up and you rub it in our face. But you're getting to do all these amazing things, meeting these huge people in the hockey world, and we can relate to a lot of that. And I'm very curious how you think your relationship with your parents, with your family, with your hometown has helped you stay grounded and not let all of these things kind of desensitize you. You know what I mean?

Yeah. There are times where we all have moments in this world where you find yourself talking to someone and you're like, holy shit, I've been watching you on TV for 20 years. And it's easy to, after a while, just be like, yep, this is the new normal. But you kind of carry yourself with such a poise and appreciation, I think, is the best thing for this world and the people we talk to. How do you keep that going as you keep doing what you do? Well, first of all, thank you for the compliment, because it is a nice compliment to say that. And so I really appreciate it.

I definitely think the main core reason is because I want to be. wanted this job for the sake of talking about hockey, not for the sake of being on camera or for the sake of being famous. And like I used to say, I would, if I could do this job and broadcast to like, when I was a kid, I'd say this, like a bedroom full of teddy bears, which is such a weird analogy. But like, we're like, they're just, they're just there. You know what I mean? I don't care. Like, I don't need people to know who I am. And I, I appreciate having a relationship with fans, but it was never about the next step. It was never about the dangling carrot, like, being bigger.

What helps in growing is, like, the income can get better. And, you know, when you start out, you make, like, $40,000 a year. It's crazy. People think you make a lot of money on TV each. You just, not anymore. I think you used to, right? So that, in that sense, I want to grow more because I would like to be able to, like, afford Boston, first of all.

That would be nice. As a baseline, that would be good. But, yeah, no, I think I've, I just have always. wanted to do this and I love so much of what I do but it really isn't ever about who I am to other people and I even don't tell nothing this but like I um you know if ESPN called me or TNT called me yeah maybe like of course I would consider things but I'm so happy with like the base and the family and the friends I've created here and that's not easy you guys have moved oh my god it's really hard to create like your people especially as you get older and you're 22 fresh out of

to college, like, cool. But most people now, my age, are getting married, having kids, all this kind of stuff. So it's hard to find your people. And I say that I'm kind of answering your question in a roundabout way, but like, I'm not looking for the next job just to move up. I'm looking and was looking to find a place where I'm generally and genuinely happy. And I work with good people and the Bruins and Nesson, but the Bruins are the best team ever for that. I've covered a lot of other teams, not as close, not on the plane all the time. around them, but I've been around other teams. The Bruins are the best.

So that is worth so much. And like having a random person stop you every once in a while, if you do get bigger just to take a picture with you, that doesn't feed my soul. Like, you know what I mean? It's nice. It's a compliment when people, Bruins fans are the best, when they genuinely want to stop and say like,

I love you. Like you're an inspiration to me. I get that from a lot of young women. That feeds my soul. But like to be, I'm going to use Aaron Andrews as the example because it's just like everyone knows what I'm talking about. She's amazing and everything. but I'm sure, too, that it gets tiring sometimes of like a random person in every city

you at who wants to take a picture of you where there's, obviously she had that terrible situation, that scandal, you know. So it's not, it was never about being known. It was just about doing what I love. And so I think that's easy to remember that that's why you're here, you know. Yeah. I think that's such good advice. We talk about it a lot with some of our other colleagues.

It's like remembering why you got into it or why you started doing the thing that led you to where you are usually and hopefully always come from a place. of love and passion. Totally. If you don't forget that, it's going to take you a good place. Totally. And it could,

like, it changes through the course. Like, I'm sure ask any players you've had on, like, they wake up and they want to be motivated to win the Stanley Cup every single year. But even like Patrice Bergeron last year when he retired was like,

I just didn't want it as much as I needed to at the end there. Or not at the end of the season. But you know what I mean? When he was deciding it, what was drawing him was his kids. And there are many times in this industry. you guys know it's a grind where you're like do I want this like it's hard even I didn't you know I keep bringing up the money thing but like you don't make a lot of money off the top like I moved

away from my family it's evenings and weekends so I'm missing weddings I'm missing parties I'm missing everything I want to do so that does go away but you always come back to it if you really really love it you know yeah sort of similar to the sports and hockey world you have been very open about your passions with health and fitness which I love yeah I'm pumped to talk about. You recently have become certified as a holistic health coach, which is awesome, and you've launched your fully alive with Sophia IG page, which is really sweet. Yes.

Tell us all about when that started, because I think we're kind of living in this cool world where we're seeing so many people who now have very, very successful health and fitness channels and platforms and things like that, and it doesn't always come naturally to people. People find it later in life. When did you realize you loved it and then wanted to, do things like get certified, start your own business and brand in that space. Yeah. So, wow, I can talk, like, I could talk about this forever.

I'll go. Okay, okay. I'm one of five, and my parents always say that I was born motivated. I don't know why. Like, we, we had to earn everything. We, where are you in the five? Fourth. In the fourth, so maybe a little sister.

You were getting bullied. I was getting bullied. I had to, like, stay up for myself. Totally, exactly. My mom had a daycare growing up, but I was handed nothing. I remember when my mom, when I turned 13, my mom sat me down and she's like, you're paying for everything you need right now. We have a roof over your head.

We have food. You want anything extra? You're paying for it. Get a job. We don't have a lot of money. Like, figure it out. And it was like a bit of a reality check. Like even my bus tickets to school I had to pay for because they were like, you got to babysit.

I don't know. Get a job. Do something. So like I was definitely like a hustler growing up. And I think that plays into like this story a little bit. And my parents were amazing people that provided. They just were like, if you want to go to the movies, you have to babysit, learn the value of money. And a movie tickets, $9, you have to babysit for two hours to go to the movies.

Like, that's kind of how they taught me. Weren't those the days? Nine bucks for the movies? Yeah, I know, exactly. Babysitting was $3 an hour. Crazy. Crazy. I can't even buy a coffee for $3 now, which is insane.

Anyway. So that's kind of like the way I grew up. But my parents also said you were just weird because I love, I think I joined a gym at 16 or 17 years old. and not to be fit just to kind of burn energy, I think, have something to do. And gyms have come a long way. Like that, we're talking 20 years ago. Jims have come a long way. So I was, it was like a meathead gym.

And thinking about it now, like, I remember being like an 18-year-old girl that was very unaware of, like, you know, turning into a woman. And I was, like, working out with these, like, creepy old men. But whatever, I did not know any better. But my parents were like, why do you want to go to a gym? Like, we don't work out. Yeah. They're fit and healthy people. But, you know, we're not, none of your siblings work out.

I just had energy to burn, I think, and I started to fall in love at the gym. And anyway, I got really sick when I was about 18 or 19, like really, really sick. Like, gained a lot of weight, had depression symptoms, was tired all the time. I was in university working at Starbucks from like 4 in the morning till 9 so I can go to class after, interning in the evenings till 11, like probably not getting enough sleep. but I needed the energy. And I'm like, that's not the first problem. You were definitely not getting out of sleep.

We're not going to say probably. That's a certainty. Sleep. Yeah, so I, you know, but I needed the, I'm 18 years old, 19 years old. Like I should have this energy to go to school, intern, do all these things. But I just started to feel really sick. And I had this like very sweet at the time, you know, high school boyfriend who cared about me so much and probably spent all every weekend with me for a year that we were

dating, going to different doctors. and hospitals because he was like, I believe you, but a lot of the doctors were like, it's psychosomatic, like, you're fine, you know, even though I was visibly gaining weight and all these things were happening, skin stuff, like rashes, you know, whatever. And my, as an aside, my parents being from Poland, very poor, humble beginning, so they ate everything with the animal that they bought at the market, the chicken. Nose to tail, baby, I love it. They nose to tail.

They grew their own vegetables, and my mom kind of brought that back to Canada. and I keep bringing up, we didn't have a lot of money, but I say that because the one thing my mom spent money on was like quality food. And, you know, my dad was like, we don't have enough for the electricity bill. And my mom's like, we're getting the organic chicken. You know, like, it was like always a fight in the family. But my mom was like, we're investing in the kids' health. Like, we are investing in their health.

And I don't care how broke we get. We're doing this. And so that was like a story in my head, my whole life. But I'm going to college. I'm working at Starbucks, having a frappuccino, like, every. break because it's free so I can. Like my lunch there is like a Starbucks bagel. Start to eat like shit.

Don't make that connection to that. I'm out with friends. I'm drinking, you know, all that kind of stuff. Anyway, but after a year of going to doctors, I finally, my mom convinced me to go to a natural path or like a holistic doctor. The reason I hadn't before is because in Canada, healthcare is covered. Yeah. Right?

And so I'm going to every specialist and it's free. Like the best at the hospital, the best this. But if you go to a naturopath, it's not covered. And again, I'm making $8 an hour at this point. Upgrades. Upgrades at Starbucks. So making $8 an hour, my parents, again, are not going to fund anything. My mom's like, go to a holistic doctor, but you're paying for it.

And so I had to save hundreds of dollars. It took me a long time because I was also paying for my school. Long story short, I finally, like I was resisting it because I didn't want to pay, but I finally went to like a holistic doctor because I was like, I can't live like this. Like, I cannot. My doctor's trying to put me on antidepressants. And my gut's like, that's not right. I'm not depressed.

And she's like, no, you're depressed. Like, you're tired and you're gaining weight and, like, you're sluggish. You're depressed. I'm like, I'm not depressed. So I go to this naturopath, and within like three months, I'm back. Like, I am cured of everything. Literally, rashes. I lost a ton of weight.

Not that that was the goal, but it's just by eating clean and whatever. So I'm healthy again. And the energy, I didn't need sleep at that point. I was like, getting up at 4.30, excited. I was like, let's go. Soap is back. Yeah. So I was back and I stopped drinking the Starbucks shit and all that stuff.

I just took control of my life and I couldn't believe how amazing I felt. And all she did was change my diet. There were several practices that I won't get into, herbs and stuff, but she really helped me. I go back to my doctor, my family doctor, thinking I'm like, I'm going to help this lady because she didn't know what was wrong with me. I'm going to help her and maybe she can help other people. So like book an appointment. I'm sitting on the bed. My feet are kicking.

I'm like so excited to tell her like, look at me. I'm cured. My rash is gone. And she didn't let me speak for more than a minute before she was like, you can stop. And she's like, I'm glad you feel better. I don't believe in alternative medicine. You can leave my office. And I was like, wait, what?

Damn. Like it hurt. It hurt my feelings so much because I was like, no, I've been seeing you for a year. You can't find what's wrong with me. You're trying to get me on antidepressants, which imagine if I just trusted her. I could still be on them to this day, not knowing how it affects my system. For sure. And no shame at all to anyone who genuinely needs.

And they've helped, if antidepressants have helped you, good. But that wasn't helping me because that wasn't the issue. And the way she shut me down was so painful. I was like, you know, again, this naive kid thinking everyone's good. And, you know, and she was like, leave. Rude. Like, do you have anything else to say? And like, I guess I challenged her people.

PhD, right? And I was just like, no, I guess I am going to leave. And so from that moment on, that's where the journey began, where I was like, this, people need to know. People need to know. It's taken a huge backseat because I was focused on becoming a hockey broadcaster, and that takes a lot of your energy. But it's always been like an undercurrent in my life. And now I feel like the space is very crowded, and I definitely have imposter syndrome about entering it. So I'm very shy about it still. Yes, it's on my Instagram, but I have like 300 posts that have been ready and saved and I've been afraid to post them. And I know I need to stop, but I'm like so like, I don't know. I don't want the hockey people to be like, who does she think she is? Or what is she? Is she hockey? She held? Like I still have that in my head, that narrative. Well, let us be a couple more people in your life to tell you do not be afraid of that. Because let me tell you what, living in L.A., every asshole has a fitness account. And they are moron. with the certification that you earned this January.

I'll answer that why I did that after, but go on. It's like our friends who go to Coachella and are doing mushrooms and Molly all weekend. And then on Monday, there's a post of like, this is how I live my holistic life. And I'm like, shut up. Yes, yes, yes. So you have a great story. Don't be afraid to put that out there. That's amazing.

Well, the reason I got the certificate is because I didn't want to be that asshole because I do, like, I feel so bad for personal trainers who go to school, spend the money, know everything about the body. But then you have. And I guess that's just the space. so we have to honor it, but like then you have this beautiful fit girl or this fit hot dude that have no schooling, but they just know what works for their body. And they have like three million followers and have all the money because all the sponsors are going to them. And I remember, you know, I follow some of these people, but I remember thinking like, I know a lot because of my own

journey, but I do not feel comfortable talking about it until I get the certification until I go to schooling because I don't want to be that asshole who's just like, I drink green juice, so should you. You know, like, first of all, learn green juice isn't even that great for you. So school taught me a lot. But that's why I got the certification. So I have a little bit more confidence in speaking about the health stuff. It's like anything.

You educate yourself on something and not just run your mouth. Yes. How many friends do we have that are absolutely shredded and have the worst diet I've ever seen? Totally. Everyone is different. Everyone's body is different. Totally. It's nice to be able to have that backing to be like, I've put in the time and effort to know about this.

Yes. That's, I think, why it's great. And I'm going to continue the schooling, like probably off-season stuff. But and not in a rush. You know, I can kind of do it throughout the season. It is all online now. It was a school. COVID changed it.

They kept that model because anyone could take it now. But I'm going to continue that just because I want to make sure. I also feel a huge responsibility when I talk about health. I don't, it's so scary. Like you don't want to tell people, you know, this is great for you. This isn't and hurt somebody. And so I'm very cautious with that kind of information. And yeah, people challenge you or they're like, you're an idiot and you just have to like accept that.

But that's why I got the certificate so I can have a little bit more confidence. What are a couple of things, whether it be actually I want one of each. One in the diet category and one in the exercise category that are things that you found over the years have been surprisingly helpful. And like, like we said earlier, everyone's different, everyone's diet and exercise is different. But for you that you've been like, wow, eating this or avoiding this food has been wild. and then a certain exercise that you've been like, this is one of the best exercises you can possibly do. Yeah, so for the diet,

so in my school, one of the biggest things they stress was a term called bio-individuality. And what it essentially means is exactly what you said, but it's not enough to just be like, oh, yeah, everyone's different. And I know you didn't just do that, but a lot of people do, but they stress like, no, no, no, no. Everyone is so different. And vegan really, truly could be the best for someone's body.

meat eating could truly be the best for someone's body, right? And so there's so many factors, your environment, your social life, your relationships, your stress at work, all these things play into each other. And so they're very big on being accepting of different types of lifestyles, which I think is great. Yes. Because you have these people constantly fighting about plant versus not this, and there's truth and falsity to both of them, right? So that I just want to stress. So for me, intermittent fasting was huge for me. Nice. And I did that for years and felt amazing on it.

It had great benefits. However, the surprising thing is that what I started to learn maybe in the last two years and in school was that intermittent fasting for women is very, very different. And I actually hurt my body a little bit by doing it too much because of our hormones and because mostly in your, like, for all years, when you're young and when you get your period to like, before menopause, you really have to pay attention to your hormones and not having breakfast in the morning can actually be like long-term damaging, which I did peak with intermittent fasting.

I was like, oh, this isn't working. It's been working for six years. Yeah, what went wrong? What went wrong? And it turns out it's my body was young and could recover. And now in my 30s, it's like, no, no, no, stop doing this. Now, fasting's good. I've just changed the way I fast according to like where I, my cycle and all that kind of stuff.

and my work schedule, my sleep schedule, and it's so complicated to go in depth right now. But that, so intermittent fasting, I do preach it, especially if people want to lose weight and have more energy. I preach that to everyone. Now with the caution that if you are a woman, be aware of this, this, this, and this, you know. And then one of them was making sure you have breakfast. Like eat, late, stop eating earlier in the day. Start eating earlier in the day.

My window used to be from like one to nine because I worked so late or two to ten. And now it's like when I get up to like six maybe or whatever. So that's one. That's a huge tip. Yeah, yeah. I feel like so many people don't know that. I know that. I didn't know that.

I'm still trying to learn like in when I can fasten, when I can't and all this kind of stuff. Yeah, yeah. But so that's one. And then in the exercise domain, I also didn't know that the body sees all stress as the same stress, meaning if you're stressed at work or stress in a relationship or stress because you're sick. It is stress on your body. Like obviously if you're pulling an elastic band, you're causing stress, right? And then it snaps. So there's that. Now, if you're working out super, super hard, even though it's good for you, it's stress on your body. It's something it has to recover. And so this wonderful woman, Cheryl, who is, I met her through Barry Peterson, who's

on our panel, former Bruin. Yeah. Anyway, she had breast cancer twice. and is in this space as well. And she used to be a CrossFit instructor. And when she was going through her cancer diagnosis, she realized, like she was doing CrossFit and all this kind of stuff, and she realized that, like, her body is so stressed out that the CrossFit actually ended up hurting her because it was more stress.

Yeah. Does that make sense? Yeah, absolutely. The intensity, the intensity, intense workouts, and if you want to stress your body out through working out, I think people have to be more aware, including myself, of when to balance that in. Like if you're going through a very, like a heartbreak

or someone in your family's sick and your body is in this fight or flight or in this stress, I've turned to, which I used to like laugh at, like walking or like Pilates or yoga. I'm like, I don't have time for stretching. Like fuck that. Like I need a lift as much as I can.

And that's how I used to be like every day all the time. And now I'm like, I still catch my brain being I didn't work out. I didn't work out. And I'm like, no, I'm just going to go for a 20 minute walk in the sun and this is good for my body because I've had a stressful week like I haven't slept well so instead of adding that stress then I will do something chill and then when I have a chill week like in the summers I'm not working that much I'm putting my body through biking hiking hiking

rock climbing whatever it is awesome and so it's like that balance is something I learned was very important that is so good I've been doing that so much too the balance and getting that rest day because you're I love the idea that it's stressful it's the same stress yeah it's bad if you're already Totally. I mean, I can't, this is so interesting to hear because how many people, myself included, have a super stressful day. And then I'm like, I just, I need a super intense workout. That's going to help me mentally, but it's possibly hurting. And it does, like, for sure.

And I just mean this maybe to a certain extent, it's, it's, they're so good for you, like burning that stress that way and all, all that energy. It's more about incorporating the rest days and incorporating like moments of just rest for your body and mind. and nervous system, all that kind of stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is such a quick thing, but we saw that you have developed this kind of winter tradition out here of going to Mount Washington. Oh, yeah, yeah, yes, yes. And we used to go there with our grandmother all the time.

Oh, cute. That really made me happy to see. So I'm so glad you found that place. And I was wondering for all, we have a big Boston following. So if you could just hit us with some of your favorite spots around the city, food, drink, fun, relaxation, whatever. Yeah, that'd be cool. Okay, so fun.

I love having fun. And fun, who doesn't? But I was going to say, but fun has been hard to find. And that's not a knock to Boston. But because of my schedule, everything's closed by the time I'm down, which is crazy. Because when I used to work in Toronto, and again, this isn't healthy. So I'm kind of glad because I'm in a phase of my life. I'm trying to be a little bit more healthy and more of a home body instead of out all the time.

But a game would be over. I'd be out of the rank at like 1030, 11. And my friends would just be getting started. They're like, we'd be let's go. And we'd be at bars and restaurants. I get last call at like 11 here all the time. Like 11.30, if we're lucky, 12, 12.30. And that's not the only way to have fun, of course.

But when you mention bars and stuff, it's not really conducive to like the lifestyle I have here. When I first moved, ah, I'm embarrassed in saying this, but I didn't know. I didn't know what it was. I moved to Southie. So I didn't know. Sure, you didn't know, Sophia. God, I love Southie. Someone did recommend it, someone at work, but they're like, it's.

because people said I should live around here, and I'm so glad I don't. I'm more of a neighborhood person, so I didn't want to be downtown, but they're like, live by the garden, it's going to be great. And this guy at work, it was literally my second day, didn't know him, he overheard that conversation, pulled out a map of Toronto, like really nice guy, if I think about it,

pulled out a map of Boston. He's like, show me where you grew up in Toronto and describe it. So I grew up in Bloor West Village, and I described the neighborhood, and he's like, that's like, that's like Southie. Yeah. And so I was like, he's like, if that's what you want, this is the neighborhood. I was like, sure, he forgot to mention that it was full of college students and bars, right?

Blue West is not like that. Blue West is like mom, strollers, families, dads, dogs, golden retrievers. So you got to mention that. Yeah, you want Charles Stown. Yeah, which I didn't know. But anyway, I moved to Southian. Yes, I had such a good time. And I, I couldn't believe how differently people in the States party on Sundays. Like, Sundays is not a thing in Canada. Oh, yeah. It is not a thing. Especially here. It's like, Sunday is, it's a bit of a thing in L.A. God damn, Sunday here, especially during football season. Yes. People in the Northeast go hard. Yes.

It's crazy. It is. And it was like going to like a party every Sunday, like a party that you waited for all year. Yeah. But it was every Sunday and you're like, what the hell? Like I can't do this again. But I'm glad I got that out of my system because I'd never experienced that.

Like again, in Toronto, it's nighttime. Boston seems more of like a daytime party place, you know? Definitely. So, of course, I've enjoyed Southie, but it's. like I'm definitely aged out. Definitely aged out of Southie. In terms of fun things to do, I'm a big outdoorsy person, so New England's amazing for that.

Biking, hiking. Bike trails aren't great in the city, but you can go outside the city, Lexington, right? Have you made it to New Hampshire, Vermont yet? Or Maine? Maine? Yeah, for like day trips, but I've not done any outdoor activities there. Oh my gosh.

Great all-time walk. All-time walk in York. Well, gone quite really, but yeah. It's called all-time walk. No, there is an all-time walk. Fair question. It's called the marginal way. Okay, okay.

You got to do it. Okay. You'll love it. We'll set you out with it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, in the summertime, southern Maine, yes, I don't know if you can beat it in New England. Do you guys come back for the summer?

Yeah, whenever we can. Okay. It's awesome. I'm expecting an invite. Yeah. Oh, yeah. 100%. Yeah, we'll do the walk together.

Yeah. Sticking with Boston stuff. You mentioned earlier how great the Bruins have been. Yes. You've, how long has it been now with the Bruins? Five years. Yeah. In that five years.

years. I feel like you have, you have been with this team in such a crazy era of like, were you in the 2019 cup? No, I came. Okay. Honestly, yeah, yeah, good. I mean, it would have been, I would have been heartbroken. In this time, especially in the last couple of years, you've seen legends, like, you know, numbers in the Rafters legends in Patrice Bergeron, David Creachie, retiring. Yeah. You are here during the centennial season. Yes. You saw last year's record breaking regular season. And now you have Jack Edwards retiring. Yeah. How emotional and intense has it been? It's like I feel like every year of your career with the Bruins here, it's like something monumental happens. That's a great

question because it's been very emotional in the best way. And I'm just like so high on life all the time and on the Bruins. And I don't want to say that's maybe why I've had this experience, but I was kind of not done, but I was kind of questioning if I, had more to give in this industry because of being let go from Sportsnet and like kind of losing hockey night in Canada, which hurt for sure. Because of freelancing at CBC loved doing, like I said, I learned a lot snowboarding, diving, all that. But it was such a grind and I was freelancing still. Like no one would hire me full time. I was like barely making rent, you know, and I was just like, do I really want to do this? Sure. And so when I came to Boston and I got the job opportunity,

I was like, well, let's see, let's give it a year. And within like weeks, I was like, this is the best, like, ever. I love the Bruins. I love them. And I love everyone that works here and I love everybody. And I do realize that when you say that, I've also come in at one of like the most amazing times in the franchise's history with the centennial, with how good they've been. And even this, fine, they're not, you know, a million wins or whatever. But they are, they were challenging for first in the league up until the.

Oh, my God, had it called the Barry Wire. You know what I mean? So it's so fun being around a winning team. Yeah. And the emotions have been awesome. I feel very honored to be someone that, you know, viewers tune into to deliver the history for the centennial. It's a lot of responsibility. And again, sometimes I have imposter syndrome.

I'm like, I didn't grow up here. Of course, I know about the history being an original six team. But it helps so much having Brick and Jack and Barry and Billy and Razor who played just to help paint that. picture because I facilitate, I kind of direct the conversation, but they're the ones who fill it in. They've been through the trenches and stuff like that. I feel like everyone who knows him has a story of Jack being just the most wonderful guy. Do you have a story that comes to mind? Because I saw too that I think you said somewhere that he wrote you a letter when you started. You know, like the fact that he took the time to do that was so awesome. Yes. He did. Yeah. And I have a

picture waiting that I'm going to post when it's his last game, which we don't know when it's going to be. but if it's seven, it'll be game seven. Right. And whatever the series goes to is when Jack's done. God, I want this series to go quickly as a Bruins fan, but now I think we actually need a Bruins overtime game seven. I know. To rip the heart out of the week one of the time.

I know. I think about that. I'm like, Jack's going to deliver. I can't wait. I can't wait. But, yeah, so when I first got here, I had to fly into audition several times. And one of my auditions was with Jack.

I think one was with Bricks, other people. And after I was done, I think he waited until after I got the job, or maybe not. I'm going to have to go back into my email. But he found my email, my personal email. He must have asked somebody. And he wrote me this, like, huge paragraph about how he felt. And I'm going to sound cocky.

I'm not trying to you, but how he felt that I would be a really good addition to Nesson. And he's admired my work because I guess he saw me on hockey night in Canada. And he's like, finally. And this is his words, but like, we want some. someone who's been in hockey and knows hockey and has been in the space for a long time, and you would bring that, and you were awesome in your audition, and I wish you, I hope you get it. If Nessa knows, I think he said something like, if Nesson gets their head out of their ass,

they'll know to hire me, you know, whatever, something like Nesson knows what's good for them, they'll do the right thing. And if you need me, I'm, here's my number, here's my email, and I was so touched. Like, I had a five-minute audition with him, but I think he felt the genuineness of how much I loved the sport, and I think that came through to him. I think that's what really matters to him, too, is like, do you love this as much as we do? Not what do you know, but do you love this? And I think that's his number one.

Yeah, it is so clear to me how much he loved this. Oh, yeah. So no question. That's what has always brought me joy listening to him. Absolutely. He can't stop talking about it. Like, if we're on the plane, he'll, he's just broken down the game with Brick for three hours. And then we'll get on the plane and he'll, like, poke over.

and he's like, what the heck was that? Or how about that call or how about that shot? How about that goal? And he's talking about it. Like, he can't stop because he loves it so much. Yeah, yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. Another thing you did this year with the squad that I saw, which we loved was, I think it was right before Christmas.

You asked all the boys what toy they loved growing up. And a lot of the guys said, like, their stick and their skit. And our boy, Sway, said that too. And I was like, come on, fellas. Get a little bit more creative here. Yes. And then I think Beecher did the stuffed alligator. Debrusk did the.

off it, you know. You're going to have to remind me of these. Yeah, there was some really funny ones in there. Well, the best God was Marci's Ninja Turtles, the little action figures, and he's like, his mom, he lost them and his mom bought them for him, and he's like, I was about to cry. Yes, yes. But no one asked you. Oh, my favorite toy. What was your favorite toy growing up as a kid? So we watched that video, and I was like, I really want to know. Great story. And, wow, you have a quick answer. Yeah, yeah, because I was like, wait, what is it? And I remember it right away. My sister is 13 years older than me. And so, and her husband, and they would together for 25 years, is 10 years older than her. Okay. Okay. So he was 23 years older than me. And he's kind of like a

second dad to me. But when they first started dating, he's like your typical dude that's never been around a kid and is just like, hello. Like, you know, like, poxie. Yeah, yeah. It's like what? And I remember one of the first Christmases, he got me a toy, which was so sweet. But he got me this like Fisher Price, you guys have that. Yeah. Oh, hell yeah. It was, I don't know. I'm so curious what you're about to say.

Fisher Price radio that had a microphone. Yep. Because he knew I wanted to be a broadcaster again, but it broadcasts to the whole house. And my parents were like, what the fuck? She needs to shut up because I would walk around max volume. Oh, yeah. Broadcasting around the house. So that was a great toy because I wanted to be broadcast.

broadcaster, so great on him. Just he had no idea how painful it would be for everyone afterwards, but the best toy. It kind of had that metallicy reverb notice to it too. So it's like, if you're, I'm just picturing your mom cooking organic chicken being like, shut the fuck. Mom burns dinner again tonight. Yeah, exactly. Shut the fuck up.

No, 100%. I was so annoying. And I would be like to my brother was like, listen, I'm chasing around the house. It was so bad. But great toy. Great toy. It's a great toy. And I mean, the connection that now has to what you do is just so perfectly.

I wish I saw that. Whoever got you that gets huge sticktaps right now. Yeah, the brother-in-law. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's just unbelievable. Before we completely leave the Bruins talk. Yeah. What do you think we do with the goalies? The goalies. I know. What a good question and what an interesting debate. I think it's changed in the minds of fans a million times, right?

I do think it's a very difficult decision based on. I think it's harder than if you have a clear back. up. Yeah. Like, it is harder. Even though you'd rather have two goalies that can go anytime, it is, it becomes then, like, do you guys know what the paradox of choice is? Yes.

Yes. You want choice, but too much choice, screws you up. I am paralyzed by the paradox of choice constantly. Me too. That's my entire life. It's crazy. There's nothing I love more than options until I have to choose one of them. No, 100%.

No, this is terrible. And you're so right. I think it's weird how this tandem has been such a good problem to have. have all season long. And then it's the worst problem to have in playoffs. It's a disaster. It totally is unless there's like, I don't know, if someone tweaked something, then you're like, okay, when they get better, they'll be good to go.

Great that we have that option. But because they're both healthy, because they're both good, right? It's tough. I would say not based, Lena Sallmark had an amazing game. And there were some saves that we showed several times because they were so good. But I would say based on the fact that Sway was just had three wins against them in the regular season. Obviously now with two games under his belt, five wins against them. You do go with sway for the foreseeable, like two games, maybe, one, just the next game.

Okay, let's just say the next game. And then you decide. I think you're going to keep deciding. They don't want Allmark to be sitting or they didn't want sway to be sitting, whoever's going, right? They made that mistake last year in the playoffs. So now that's in their head. They're like, if we ride one goaltender, what are we going to do? So I do think sway should go on Saturday, see how that game goes, maybe again for game five, depending. And then you can make your decision if it's not over by then. Allmark is not going to sit for the entire playoffs or whoever. It's not going to happen.

But for now, I would go this way. What would you guys do? Ride the hot hand. I don't even think it's a debate. I hate to say I don't even think it's a debate because everything you just said, I mean, Allmark's unbelievable. Yeah. But it's just, I always look at it, if we're talking about the paradox,

choice. I look at, let's say they lose game four. They're going to feel worse if they lose game four with Allmark and net than they would if they have swayed in that. That to me, that's your decision maker. I'm like, that is what you have to do. And it's a really good point, but then fans hopefully are smarter than that

and they know like it's not all Mark's fault unless one or two goals are but that hopefully that. We didn't feel that way. I thought he played really strong. Exactly. Exactly. But then the narrative is kind of about the goaltending and not the team which takes responsibility. of the team.

Yeah. And that's not fair. And also they need to feel that responsibility. And then it becomes more of that. Whereas if they lose with swaymen, hopefully it's not about goaltending. It's about why they lost. But now because that narrative's already there kind of,

you're risking screwing that up. And that's not fair to Allmark. Yes. Yeah. We both had said before the series started, if they were going to go with one, we were leaning sway. The only fear I have now is if,

and I don't know, but if Monty sat them down and was like, we are rotating just to be clear. Right. If you immediately pull the plug on that, like if he looks at Allmark right now, after telling him we were rotating and you're like, never mind.

Right. Now I'm like, you're in O'Mark's head now because he's like, oh, so what? I have not the best game ever on game two and now I lose my job. Right. That's the only reason I'm like,

if you told them that, which again, I cannot remember enough. I don't know. Yeah. But if you told them that, I'm like, I think you have to play him in game four. Because it's like, no, for sure.

You don't have to. That's what a coach's job is. And also, is there anyone better in the league than he's a pro. He's a professional. Right. Yeah,

it's fine. And also I do think, like, to your point, absolutely with what you said, but I think the conversations are deep, extensive, goalie Bob's involved. They're talking it out.

It's not like, hey, dude, sorry. You know, there's probably reasoning. And I, they want to play in the second round, so, and beyond. So I think they get it too. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah. Well, they don't care. Yes.

Yes. Okay. Sophia, we have taken up enough of your time. I could keep going, though. I was going to say, I do think this is like you need to come back on. I would love, okay. Let's do another one now. Yeah, we'll start right now.

Before we let you go this time, is there anything you want to plug? I want you to give a quick shout out about the couple of podcasts you have coming out with Nesson if you want. Yes, yes, yes. Anything you want to have. In the work you're doing with the hospital, if you're comfortable. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Oh my gosh. The Jimmy Fun stuff. The floor is yours. Thank you. I just came back from volunteering shift at Jimmy Fund that I don't need to plug. but you mentioned it and it's just so rewarding and so fulfilling. And grounding, too. You know, you guys talked about that for sure.

So that, but don't need to plug that. However, yes, I do want to plug the Nesson pods. We are starting a whole kind of podcast platform now. So several of our talent are going to have stuff on the Red Sox, Bruins, sports in general, obviously Boston being the best sports city, Patriots, Celtics, everything, revolution. But I will be doing one in particular that is called W-O-N, Women of Nesson. and it is going to enter that women's sports space.

I don't think it's going to be X's and O's or breakdowns. It's just going to be conversation around women's sports. You guys saw the weird Kate and Clark interaction that happened with that reporter. So like stuff like that, just like bigger conversations about that or making it in the industry. So that's one that's launching. And then we have another one. I'm not going to say the name because I think it's still pending approval. Okay.

We're like really, really close to we. are you tell us after you can tell us off yeah fully in the middle of doing it but um jemai webster and adam paler and adam is the reporter for he's actually mr everything he could do anything but he's on the bruin's beat while i'm hosting he reports and then when i want to report uh which is a lot they don't always let me but um then he hosts so we switched so adam and then jemai webster is the red socks guy yeah he's the best i love them both and jemai and i got really close in covid we worked on the same show when like no one was allowed in the office so we were like I guess we have to talk to each other

no but we became really good friends and so the three of us are going to be doing something and it's going to be similar to this it's not going to be about the X's and O's about the game but it's his experience with the Red Sox and our experience with the Bruins so in our first episode we're going to be talking about the different travel schedules Red Sox's safe for a city for four days

the ruins are in and out and it's about you know how you get working out on the road what the routine is, like plane life, bus life, kind of a behind the scenes. I hate using that word because it's so trendy now, but it is kind of like a, it's just about our lives as the reporters and maybe some fun anecdotal stories about the players as opposed to breaking down the place. So that's going to be on Nesson as well, and I'm super, I'm super excited for that. Yeah.

Fantastic. Yes. And you find me at Sophia Yerichshvich. Yes, yes. And what was the other one that you said? Fully alive. Fully alive. So again, I'm so glad you said that because I haven't even put that any.

Where because I've been afraid. Why am I afraid? I don't know. I think I'm afraid of rejection. I'm afraid of hockey fans being like, shut up, you don't know anything about health, or this is stupid. So I have to get over that,

but I'm going to start pushing that. So fully alive with Sophia is where I'm transitioning. All my health stuff is going to go to that, and I'm going to separate the two. I was trying to put them together. It's really cool stuff, by the way. So many fasting things, the vitamin thing. I love different oat milks.

But I was dying because I knew. I knew you were. afraid without what you even saying it because on you're fully alive they're all it's like the same day it was like April 4 you like dumped three on April 1st I was like oh she definitely had these and then I was like do I wanted to see what the reception would be with hockey but now it's crippled me because I have some hockey posts I want to post yeah but I've gotten health followers and I'm like they're going to be tripped out the why are they learning about hockey and they don't care about it so all these healthy things people are going to start playing hockey yeah yeah exactly so they're going to be separate follow whichever one you like if you don't want to follow health stuff stuff, don't worry about it, but that's where you can find it. I love it. Well, yeah, find Sophia.

We're going to be looking up these Nesson shows when they come on, and then also you're coming back on for sure. Yes, I would love that. And we're going on the greatest walk or the epic walk. Yeah, I think we're doing the all-time walk. The all-time walk. We're doing the all-time walk. We're doing the all-time walk. Well, thanks again.

Thank you guys. It's a blast. Thank you. All right. Well, that's it for us this week at the Empty Ners podcast. And until next time, skate hard.