Empty Netters Podcast - Habs Are A Team Of Destiny And Win Another Game 7

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

This LIVE session is going to be insane because we are in a glass case of emotion. How can you not love this Habs team and how electric they are? But how can you not weep for the city of Buffalo? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ice is ready and we are back with another episode of the empty netters podcast brought to you by BetMGM Live edition here on a Tuesday morning changing up the schedule a little bit because as games go to seven so does the schedule change. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. We've got overtime in a game seven. You couldn't ask for more. That was insane, dude. I fucking knew it. I knew it was going to go overtime. It had to happen. my God, dude, overtime game seven is so stressful. I wish, I wouldn't have wish what happened to Montreal fans and Buffalo fans on my worst enemy last night. And that includes the haves who won. Just having to sit through overtime in game seven, you are in shambles the entire time.

Every second the other team has the puck is the worst moment of your whole life. I love game sevens so much when you truly have no stakes. It's just wonderful. watching back and forth action. It's wonderful watching these players just putting it all on the line, being desperate for everything, and you don't care. You don't have any

vested interest one way or the other. It is the best. And I always feel bad when I post stuff like why can only one of these teams win? Why can't both these teams win? And who isn't loving this action? And all the replies are like me. I am a Pab fan. I'm dying. Yeah, everyone's in a

Buffalo fan and I'm in hell. I'm like, yeah, shit. Dan, you were all over it. The Sabre stayed in the hotel. I, listen, it became very clear. This team is better on the road. They needed to mimic the road. So, yep, they did it. They stayed right in a hotel. New anthem singer.

I was like, this is fucking unbelievable. Mix it up. That was awesome. And then no surprise in goal for me, UPL and Dobish. So I was like, okay, here you go. But I had joked to you. I was like, someone's going to go early and there's going to be a yank. And

the first one wasn't his fault. I think it hit Phil Dono skate. I mean, that was, I can't wait to see what the Habs fans in the chat have to say. And these are always times that make me laugh because I'm like, you won. You don't have to lie anymore. That puck was kicked in. Oh, oh, interesting. Yeah. I mean, it's one of those things where like, did Phil Dono tee off like Ronaldo and put one in upper nine? No. But we all know the rule. And we all know how sketchy these things can get. Phil Dono from that top angle that released after absolutely shifts his body and moves his skate and it goes in. Now, I'm not sitting here, I'm not sitting here saying that I wish that that was called back. I think that's a bang,

bang play and I'm kind of like, okay, but either way, in games like this, you don't want any goal going in weird. Yeah. That goal went in off skates. Okay, can I say this? Or, oh, I see what you mean as in weird, because I was going to say, um, no, that there's, you, you have a fucking brain aneurism if you don't think that that is a weird goal. Like, look at that skate. Let me watch that again. His skate comes up off the ice. Again, it's not a fucking Ronaldo kick. But look at that.

That is a clear redirect. Yeah, is that... I think they allow those, though. Like, I think they do allow weird redirects where if it's not... It's not a distinct kicking motion, guys. I think they don't... I think they go, okay.

Because you go, I was just... I was stopping. Sometimes they even allow you to be stopping, which is kind of moving forward. But let's see. We have a clearly a kick. We have a nah. We have...

So this is what I want from the chat. This is what I want from the chat. This is what I want from you, Chris. This is what I want from you, Evan, and from you, Zach. Can we cut the shit with the fucking semantics in the rulebook? Again, the game's over. Montreal won. Who cares?

I'm saying you dead ass. I think that's a goal 100 times out of 100. And I am fine with that. But I am saying, if you are telling me, that whether conscious or not, Phil de No is not clearly moving his skate towards the net. What are you talking about? Towards the net or opening his skate?

He's opening his skate. I don't think he's moving a skate towards the net. He is open. That is a movement that is towards and directed at the net. His heel literally comes up off the ice and angles towards the... Can we stop? But does the rule book allow? I don't...

I just said don't bring up the fucking rule book. Because these are the things... Like, we're not refs. We're not making this decision. I fucking hate it when people online just fucking say what happened. The only way you can go, no, there's absolutely nothing, is if Phil de No is cemented into the fucking ground, and the puck hits his body and then goes in the net and he doesn't move.

That's all I'm saying. Just admit that it wasn't a, I am standing here like this. My skates don't move and it goes, bo-boom, because those happen. His skate moves towards the net. That's all I'm saying. saying Phil Dono kicked it in. I'm not saying it shouldn't have been a goal. I'm glad it was called a goal. But look at that clear motion. There's clear motion afterwards too. And I'm just like, can we all just say what happened? Why do we do this? Why are you hesitating to admit this?

No, I think it opens, but I think I've seen players go like this and like their sticks tied up and they're angling their skate. Phil Donno literally whiffs that one-timer. He is trying as hard as he can with the best hand-eye coordination to his ability to hit that puck with his stick. And he literally just misses it and then his skate happens to be behind him and he's like oh wow that's incredible la la la la la la la la la la la so all i'm here is just talking dude just talking you can't trust me because i've got a canadian jersey but again i i i don't give a fuck who won this game i loved both of these teams there is no and i just said i'm glad it was a goal because that in my opinion is not a quote if we're being the refs distinct kicking motion

where it should be taken back i'm glad that was a goal goal. But after the game, I wish we could all just be able to, with a smile on the face, be like this. Yeah, I understand why some Buffalo fans are mad. There's a clear move. Yeah. Yeah, I can understand. That's all I'm saying. And I do not understand when after your team wins, why people have to be so fucking ridiculous that they're like, if you think there's any movement there, you're out of your, I'm like, no, dude, you are literally out of your mind. If you cannot see, there's clearly a motion from his fucking skate. Yep. Glad it was a goal. It shouldn't have been called back, but it's a cheeky one.

And if you don't see that, you have a fucking tumor in your cerebral cortex. Yes. And I think, and I know you're going to get mad about this too. But,

because this one, I see your point is like, could have been illegal and the goals I'm about to say are not illegal in any shape or form. But in a game seven, you go,

I hate to see, I hate to see random ones. I hate to see weird ones, I think you said. Tampa fans are fucking rolling over when they're grave because they're like, pucks were ricocheting in off bodies all over the place in game seven. And you're like,

that's just kind of what happens. So, yes, that's a tricky one, but that's game seven. Pucks are fucking bouncing in from all over the place. Correct. Then,

bro, UPL made two massive saves on Cole Cofield back to back. Remember like the glove and then the second glove? Cole had it twice. In that moment, I was like, oh my God, UPL's dialed.

And then in clearing that play, and fires it into the crowd. And all I was thinking about was you being like under no circumstances. Can you give them a power play? Dude. And it wasn't like the delay game, uh, fucking pandemic. I will never understand epidemic. I will never understand.

But he fires it up into the crowd. Now the cabs going to the power play. And it's their power plays and really good. They're passing around but not really getting a lot of chances. And I'm like, wow, that was such a massive kill by Buffalo. UPL looks all of a sudden dialed, huge kill. Slaff. on the power play is so tired that he leaves

and the haves are just playing four on four and then the sabers fall asleep and who was it? It was, um, oh yeah, Bullback. They find him back door and he hammered one under the bar. But dude, that, in that moment, I was like, holy fuck. Dan said no power plays. There it is.

They didn't even have five guys on the ice. You give up a goal there. UPL just made two of the sickest days I've ever seen gets cheezed. and this was a very low moment, a very low moment indeed. It was. It was brutal, but the great news is nothing happened from it. And then what did we have?

I mean, you wanted a no penalties game. There were only two penalties. Yep. So that was great. And, yeah, it went, I mean, Boldux, Boldock's power play goal felt, to your point, like a dagger. It felt like a, you made a dumb mistake.

Now they've got a power play goal. It's 2-0. You guys are fucking idiots and you're dead. To me it was like I was kind of, I just got back from New York. I was putzing around doing a bunch of different shit. And I looked away and I looked back and it was 2-0. Yep. And I was like, oh my God, Buffalo.

Like what are we doing here? And that bold-up goal was disgusting. Yeah, we're showing it right now. And sometimes, dude, you know, we've seen a few of these in the playoffs where the 1T, it's a little muffin-y because it's slow-mo, but whatever. That is a pill off the. that book. Textbook.

Oh my God. The flex and the stick, where he hits it, how he gets down low on it. And then that puck is just a fucking Tom Brady spiral into the top corner. It's four on four. Like how are you losing that guy with four people on the ice? Like what the fuck are you doing? And dude, I texted Dan right when this went in. And I was like, if the Hab score one more time, they're fucked and they're going to lose.

Because just like we said, they're going to pull UPL. It's a three nothing lead. Here comes Lyon. Shut out the rest of the way. You're fucked. And dude, right after. that, Tex gets a breakaway. It was like that play, Dahlene was lying in the neck behind Dobish. I was like, they got to blow the whistle here. And then Tage, dude, so many blue line

turnovers from Tage. But Tage turns it over, TX on the breakaway. And I was like, oh, here's the third goal. And if this goes in, the Habs lose. The UPL saved it. And I was like, I actually don't know what to think now. I've been shambles. That was insane. The breakaway you're talking about? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We have a shot of that. It was, it was fucking nuts. I don't want to go through fucking step by step of this game. I would love to. This was game 7. O.T. Yeah. It's terrible when we do that. So let's just have some fun and chat about the game.

But these were huge moments that I would like to chat about. Before we continue, you have a pending dash one, by the way, because we got a couple people in the comments after last episode saying that the whole McNabb situation was not why Vegas was on the hot seat. So we've got to do some research. I was just reading Elliott Friedman suite. That was per Elliott Friedman. So he gets a dash one. For sure.

but you, we do, we do too. So, like, we got to do some research, and I just want to, I want to be, I want to have some integrity and be like, listen, we said something that might have been wrong. Well, whoever said that in the chat. But I don't know if it's wrong. Yeah, whoever said that in the chat,

to me, research is looking up Elliot Friedman. And if, like, that is, that's citing the encyclopedia. And if that's, if there's a misprint, then all good. But I'm, I'm never going to apologize to someone

for checking on something, go into the goat and then giving you the information. Don't get defensive Ced. I'm just saying, we might have said something wrong. We got to put our hands up. Right. And I'm saying we didn't because that's what Elliot Friedman said.

But what if it was wrong? Are you that much of a fucking idiot child that you can't admit that something was wrong, even though Elliot was wrong too? Yeah, I guess so. So you are a child? You sure. Okay. I just wanted to get that clear.

Okay. All right. Let's jump back into the rundown of the game. Yeah. Then I think Zucker had a two-on-one, beat Doebusch so clean. and then tried to pass it across. That was a crazy moment. A lot of people,

a lot of Sabers fans were pissed about doing too much last night. Too many passes, too many deeks. Thinking O.T. Tage had one where he's like trying to do that toe drag. And I was like, dude, shoot the fucking puck. So like that is another example of that. Yeah, that's it, right? Yeah.

God, like he's, you had him so clean. I mean, does he be, does he get the post there? Which one? That one we just saw. These are just general highlight. Yeah. No, the Benson one was loose. I mean, God, dovish.

I can't wait to talk about that. Habs scored a first period goal in eight straight playoff games. Tied a franchise record. Unbelievable. That's huge. You're going to have to slow them down. That's the thing is they did, though. So it's like, okay, they get the two-nothing lead.

Everything felt like death. For me, I, the sabers, what I can't get over is, there's part of me that goes, poor sabers, dude. Like, they beat the shit out of them in that game. After that, brutal first period, stupid penalty, and then leads to a power play goal. You come out in the second. You're all over them.

It takes a while to crack Dobesh, but you do crack Dobesh. And now you're killing them. And they scored with like 13 minutes or so in the second period. I can't believe they didn't score again in that second. There was all those crazy plays. Doebush is flying all over the place. There was that play where there was definitely

goalie interference, but then Doebush flops like a fish. And I actually love the non-call because that could have been like a, well, if you're going to call this, you've got to call embellishment. You're going to check in here or how are you doing? I'm doing great. Okay. And I'm like, what's, like, can we please get a goal here?

And they can't. So that's such credit to Dobesh. Like, we're going to talk about his comments at the end of the game. But this fucking guy, my God, he's got the most insane mentality I've ever seen. And it was, it felt great in the third period for, and again, an unbiased fan, Dahlene's scoring like six or so minutes into the third period because I was like, fucking rights, let's go. Like Buffalo's been knocking. We got a game here. But the thing that I

can't get over is in that game, I felt like Buffalo outplayed them. 39 fucking shots. I mean, good Lord. They were, they were unbelievable. And they lost this one that sucks. But other than game six and game one, I'm not entirely sure there are games where I was like, you guys are way better. Like you were definitely the better team. Like no questions about it. So it's like when it comes to the series,

I was just unsure the whole time. Because this was like a wild back and forth series. So fun, but also weird games, if that makes sense. Extremely weird games. I would say though that all the weirdness, because you can make excuses either direction,

but all the weirdness brought you to a tie game in game seven in the third period. And Buffalo, for the, I guess they were kind of down until the third, but for the last, you know, run of the game, the Buffalo Sabres had every chance on Earth to win. And all, whatever happened doesn't matter. It all brought you to a tie in the third period. And then it should have been Buffalo, I think. I guess the Habs probably say they had a better OT,

which they did, but I just can't believe they survived regulation. So I think the Habs would say, man, I mean, we have one of our best friends as a Habs fan, and he was talking to us during the game, and he was like, oh, I was positive. We were going to lose at the end there because we were getting murdered. So I think big picture, maybe the Habs go, we were the better team in the series. We got out all right, but I think in the moment, in game seven, you were like, oh, shit, we are literally about to lose. I mean, that's two game sevens in a row where I'm sure they would say we were significantly outplayed

on two road game sevens and then came out with the win. The Habs, yeah, absolutely. And that brings up a great point. Talking to a Habs fan last night and she was like, this is their identity. Like they just get the shit beat out of them. They somehow hold on and they somehow win. And I think a big part of that is dobish, which I definitely want to talk about. The other part of that is how much longer can that last?

Is this going to last against Carolina? is it going to, if you get past them, is it going to last against Colorado or Vegas? And I just don't think so. Like, I don't think you can just get shit rammed down your throat game after game and game seven after game seven and survive. Definitely not. Definitely not. Dobe. It was actually crazy to me that both of these goalies ended up playing so well. We were making so many jokes. Like, this game's going to be nine, eight, and they finally cracked. But it was just an incredible professional. performance by both of them, that is the only thing that sometimes just stays hot a whole playoff. So it's like, I agree. I'm going, how could the HABs continue doing this? But sometimes goalies are just dialed in. And then you go, you know, the Jesse meme, like how they can't keep getting away with this, but they do somehow because of how locked in they are in net. for sure. I'm now curious

there are so many things that I need to know about both of these teams and like what they do moving forward. I actually let's get into before we get into the postmortem and then the future stuff. I want to talk about the,

you said you wanted to talk about that goal interference play. Oh my God, yeah. People, I always say that goalies get grazed. in the head and then go down and then we'll like miss time for concussions and I'm like

what is happening? You were literally brushed across the head. Who was it that like puked last year? Yeah yeah somebody literally like Sam Bennett I think maybe it was lying like Sam Bennett. No no no wait was it no who were they fucking playing it was the Leafs it was it was wall wall dude and I'm like

someone's arm grazes a goalie mask I think goalie's helmets have like uh something inside them that if the outside gets hit, it detonates inside and gives them immediate concussions because I've never seen such little contact cause such big problems. And Dobish gets hit here. I think it was Zucker maybe. And he doesn't get pushed. So it's not, I'm not claiming that.

I'm not saying he didn't do anything wrong. But I'm telling you, he's sliding like around Dobish as Dobish's head is leaning out and it hits him in the head. And in the broadcast, everybody, I'm wrong. Everybody in the intermission was like, how is that not called? I was like, dude, first of all, that was nothing. And second of all, Dobish looked like he had been shot dead in the head after that happened, that I thought that I would have called just embellishment. Forget the four on four. I would have called just embellishment.

So I couldn't be happier that that wasn't called. And I also couldn't be happier that Dobesh was clearly fine because he just got up and said, never mind, I'm good. I'll just keep playing. Yeah. You are fine. I love that take by you. I posted on my personal.

I was like, I'm genuinely asking. I haven't seen a replay. Did anyone else think that was embellishment? Because in the live play, Doebesh literally from like a kneeling position, like jump, looks like a fucking jack in the box, springs off the ice and is rolling around, holding his head, and then he's immediately up and in the crease up and doing this. And I'm always like that.

That is the definition of embellishment, folks. So there were a lot of people who were like, yeah, he kind of did, but it was a penalty. And I'm like, well, then that's a penalty too. Yeah. Because embellishment is a penalty in the NHL. And I think I would rather just. no call. Yeah,

instead of calling both. Which is why I'm glad they did what they did. And in fact, I wonder if the refs were a little bit like, there was contact there, but Dobech chill out. Yeah. So I have no issue with that.

What I do have issue with is the early whistle buffalo goal that trickled out behind. Dude, that was fucking... What is your take on the, like, the jab on the quote-unquote tie up? Because there's a couple things that I'm seeing.

There's a shot. Dobesh shaves it. There's a stick into Dobesh's pads. The puck drops out and it squirts behind him. A whistle is blown and then the puck has put in. Okay. So there are two things that happen here. When I post, we then posted,

we're like, all right, no one talk about goal of interference now. We're even done. If you wanted goal of interference as a Habs fan, you're lucky that a fucking early whistle came and saved you a goal there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But there are people like, what the fuck are you talking about, dude? that puck was tied up. They're blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

What I don't know how I feel about is, did Dobesch make a save? Yes. But that puck was loose and behind him well before the whistle. So I do not want to hear a tie-up. He did not have the puck tied up. If you want your excuse to be,

you're not allowed to poke at a goalie. I think you're a baby. And I just don't know what the technical rule is there. Like at what point is it tied up where you're like, you can't jab at the goalie? Uh, yes, and dude, they said, um, Dave Jackson, our boy Dave said, uh, if the, and I didn't know this. There's always like the weirdest fucking things happen in playoffs and then I learned these rules. Dave said if the puck gets loose, like the refs think Dobish has it, he doesn't, right?

So it's behind him and it's rolling. And then the whistle blows, but the puck goes in anyway, after the whistle. they count it a good goal, even if the whistle blew. But if the whistle blows and then a offensive player touches it, then they are allowed to say no goal. So he was like, that puck was going to go in anyway. And if Buffalo had just sat, had just not touched it, it was going to be, by legal they get to go. That's a good goal even though the whistle blew. But if you touch it after the whistle, then we have to- Explain that to me like I'm an idiot.

I do not understand that at all. can't a Buffalo player touch it? Because the whistle has now blown and now you can't touch it. Oh, oh. It has nothing to do with like the action that caused the puck to come loose. It's literally a no, no, no, bang. Breff thinks the goal he has it. He doesn't. It's behind him. So they go whistle. But then it trickles in. But if the puck just goes in, they go, that was actually a good goal. We didn't know it was loose. But if you now touch it after the whistle's blown, it is no longer a goal. And that puck was going to go in, but Buffalo touched it. That is maybe the craziest rule I've ever heard. Can you think of anything that would lead to more fans?

and chaos. Oh my God. Like, people are kind of clowning necessarily now. Like, you guys, like Robbie says, the whistleblue. And five minutes ago, you said, I don't want to hear about the rule book. But I'm just trying to explain. Who said that, Robbie? Uh, yeah. Robbie, go fuck yourself. I said, I don't want to talk about the rule book when we're talking about

what is a kicking motion when there's clearly a kicking motion. Have another cup of coffee, dickhead. And this one, like, what are we talking about? Do you think, like, does anyone think that that is a normal rule? No, that's a crazy rule. I've never heard that rule. But I also think, and I imagine these guys are Habs fans, I also think Habs fans would be fucking fuming right now if the puck hit Dobish, fell behind him, the whistle blue, then rolled

in the net. Yeah, and then the refs went, actually, I know the whistle blue, but that is technically a good goal because no one touched it. I think Habs fans would be. be, and they lost three, two, because of that. They'd go, this is a fucking joke. I can't believe it. It's literally the ref blew the whistle. What are we doing here? And I'm like, okay, so it's a crazy

rule. It's all we're saying. Yeah. And like that is, I can't believe that's a rule in the book because of how much that would make people go insane. I have a question for rulebook fans. Is there a, there's like what, how many

seconds is it supposed to be before the ref blow the whistle. Is there a distinct amount of time? Three seconds? Yeah, good question. I don't know. It feels like it's always faster than three seconds. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, three is way too long. Three is really long, but I've been looking up some stuff that says three, but that feels like that's just not followed. There's just a weird one where, you know, if a goalie catches a puck in their glove and they go like this, and they're like, I'm not playing this. That's like whistle. And if anyone goes and

jabs that glove, I'm like, that's ridiculous, dude. Like anyone can slash a goalie's glove hard enough and make them drop it. But when it's those weird ones like this where you're kind of, they're going like this and they're going, I hope I have it. And then someone jabs and the puck's loose immediately. I'm like, that's clean. It's almost always in their pads like. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah. I can't see it from that angle. And I'm like, you didn't have that puck. Like, I don't know if we have that, we don't need to get it. But like that replay, that puck came out pretty damn quick. Yeah. And I'm correct me if I'm wrong, but we were watching it and everybody was saying that that that

wasn't the issue. Like the broadcast said they said no because a Buffalo player touched it after the whistle. They have, they said nothing about how it got loose. They were saying, yep, it's loose. Let's go. Whistle. Sorry, I didn't see it. And then Buffalo player touching the puck. Which is a, and by the way, like someone just said judgment call. Yes. It is a judgment call on when the puck's covered up. Sometimes I give these rest of credit, they're fucking diving on top of the net. And there's 10 people in the crease. And I'm like, obviously it's covered. And the ref's like, I see it. I see it loose. that one where there was five or six guys on the ice and Dobesh then literally did a swan dive on top

of the pile because he saw it and he covered it with his block. Yeah. And that's a great example by you. That was one where the refs were like, I mean, keep going, boys, that puck's in there somewhere. And 100%. I do think that this is a judgment call. And this is one where I'm not here saying that should have been a goal. I think sometimes shit happens, man. You know, that was one where West Bacali blew the whistle and you're like, yep, yeah, is what it is. is. Yep. At sucks.

All that play is is that sucks for Buffalo. Oh my God. Because I think Buffalo is like, dude, I don't think that was covered. We got it out and we scored. Now, credit, shout out to you for catching that from Dave Jackson. That I genuinely, Chris, think is maybe the craziest rule in the NHL rule book. I can't. I need someone to find us a clip of that happening and the whistle blowing and the team being like,

let it roll in. And it rolls in. And they're like, that's a goal. We'll try to think about this, and I'm just, I learned about this for the first time last night, but think about it this way. Let's say, Oh, before you even do this, I get it. Okay. I get it. I get that they're saying, you are adding a new element to the play post whistle. That's why it's called back. And I get that they're being like, if we blew it, but that puck is rolling and nothing changes it. That was the play. We missed it and it's loose. So that is a goal. I get it. Okay. Then I don't get your first question because you were like, I would love to see a situation. I'm like, no, it makes perfect sense to me. it is moronic because of the fucking lunacy it leads to. Like, I think you have to make the rule like, dude, we blew the whistle.

It sucks. We didn't see it. It happens. It's a ref error. Ref errors happen all the time. But we blew the whistle. Because with that rule, you open the door like you just mentioned.

Can you imagine what Habs fans would be doing right now? You open the door to an entire fan base going, that whistle literally blew. I don't give a fuck if the puck is loose. You blew the whistle. That is like the clear rule in all. of sports. Once the whistle is blown, the play is dead. Yeah. It feels weird that this is the one time they go, that is not the case. I just think it caught, I get it. It just causes fucking nonsense.

Yeah, I'm just saying I'm in support of it because it's the same thing that the NFL added when they said, if we blow the whistle and then you were clearly about to pick up that fumble, but we already blew the whistle. They now have the roll where they go, that was a fumble. I know we blew the whistle, but we're just going to say Dan picked it up, even though no one was playing anymore. It was just so clear. Yeah. I support. this because it's the same thing. They go, boom. I think that one's insane too. And they go, yeah, no, I'm saying I love them both because I'm like, blue the whistle, puck's clearly rolling. I'm saying, I think they're both insane. I don't think they're, what's that? I think we have

a shot of it. Oh, there you go. I don't think that they are bad rules. I just think they're insane because of the calamity it causes. I don't know what's getting confused here. Nothing. I'm just saying I like it. I think it's an awesome and necessary rule and you're saying it's chaos, which is everyone has opinions. Well, I don't think mine's debatable, because you literally made the point that Habs fans would have lost their minds. I mean, the same way NFL fans lose their mind when they go, the whistle blew. And I go, shut up, dude.

He was obviously, like, all I care about is getting it right. And if the puck is loose, then you are wrong, ref. And so get it right, the puck was loose. Allow what's happening to happen. Yeah, like, that is less than one second in that pug. Like, he doesn't have that in his glove. He doesn't, like, that puck's just, like, loose. Well, I guess we can't see, be fair,

we can't see how loose or not it is. Like, if it is loose at all, then yes, this should be 1,000% a goal. People were killing me saying it wasn't going to go in without him touching it. Yes, it was, I think. But if it's completely under his pad, that's not allowed either. All I'm telling you is in the broadcast, they said you can't hit it after the whistle, which is what happened and why they disallowed it.

Yeah. All right. So anyway, couple crazy ones. Game ends. CP, unless you have big play, there was obviously a couple close almost goals and all that. And again, the fact that Buffalo or Montreal got out of that second period without giving up another goal, the fact that Buffalo didn't score more than one. in the third was crazy. The only thing in the, in regulation, I have to say, just going off his goal,

dude, holy Rasmus Dahl. It's one of the most beast goals I've ever seen. Game six and then here scoring in game seven as well, this guy is, you know, I declared him on our last episode. I think he will retire as one of the greatest Swedes to ever play the game. And you're right, he's got to win some hardware, sure. But I think he will. I think he's, I think for the first time this season, he's obviously a Norris finalist. I think for the first time this season and now through these playoffs, he has bumped himself up into that conversation of like Kale, Quinn, Werenski, Dahlene. I think Dahlene's next, honestly.

I think so, too. I'm putting Dahlene above Hayskinin. I'm putting Dahlene above some of these other guys. And it's just like, look at the series. Yeah. Montreal won. I think Dahlene is a better player than Lane Hudson, and I don't even think it's close. Well, I'm sure, are we good?

That's not fair. It's definitely close. Lane Hudson's incredible. I think people are saying if you exit and come back in, guys, it will come back. What happened here? I think we're just looping in some way, but I think people are saying if you just leave and then you come back in. It's fine on our end. Okay.

Yeah, we're listening to it. It's fine on our end. Yeah, man, he has made, how old is he? He's so young. I believe he's 26. let me check that right now though for you um Rasmus Dahlene is 26 years old fucking good job Dan plus one um okay yeah he's he's incredible uh people are mad well one person says Dahlene over over Hudson question mark um

that that is so funny to put a question mark there i'm like yes it's just a statement yep yeah yeah i and i hey news flash pal Dalline is a Norris finalist Hudson is not. Yep. So take your question mark back. Do you think... I mean, Hudson certainly is tracking to be many times. I think Hudson is probably the fifth best defenseman in the NHL.

Right now, per my list. Fifth best? Yeah. Like, I think mine is Kale, Quinn Werenski, and I think it's always that. Yep. And then currently, after this season, I probably... go Dahlene and then Lane. I think Lane's amazing. I think Lane has some work to do defensively, but I think like Quinn, fuck his size, Lane makes up for his lack of size with how well of a skater

he is and a puck handler he is. Yeah. I think Lane's probably right behind him. Okay, yeah. So it's that close. Yeah. But yeah, man, what a fucking incredible moment. And in that, so I had written down two things during this game. There was a moment in the second where I think yeah, it was still 2-1, of course it was. It was one of those rebounds

where no one can find her and the rebound just fell directly in the low slot and Tuck's the only one that sees it and he goes down on one knee and goes high glove and Dolbush is like this. Dude and he had the chance right before that too. Can I be honest? Yeah. I didn't love that shot. Like that the second shot, he

saved so easily. Like it was one of those plays in Beer League where I'm like, if you'd shot that immediately to that side, maybe, but it was like the only opening that he had and Dobish knew it. And that's why Doebish, like, it looked like a catcher. Yes, correct. He was like, you're going to shoot it right here? And he did. And I was like, oh, like, for Tuck that, you're so mad. You're like, oh my God. So he looks, he just looks to the sky. And I wrote in my thing, uh, I was like, uh, tuck robbed, point blank, he looks to the sky. And I wrote this, I wish I could see the timestamps on these. I go, I swear he's going to win this game in overtime when it was

to one because it just would have felt so Las said that too. Insane. And I was like, dude, then it goes to over T and O T and I was like, holy shit, it's going to be tough. I texted you guys. I was like, it's going to be tucked. That was fucking crazy. But Dahlene's moment, the other thing I wrote,

was just like, I cannot believe how big of a goal that is. Like he is a fucking hero in Buffalo. He wrote that. Player's been an article a few years ago. He had the game he had in Game 6. He's their guy. He's their cat. He's their captain and they're just sometimes in sports where the guy does it, you know. And this is a micro moment. But remember that LeBron game a couple nights ago in Houston when it was like, they're down nine

with five seconds left and he like gets a steal and hits three threes and they tie it. And you're just like, how is it this guy? Yeah. In that moment, I was like, dude, because that's crashing down from the point, who passed that? Power. Power slides it over. And he goes, and keep in mind people, that's a one timer where it's coming from your strong side. Like if you're a weak side, you can hammer one T's all you want. Dahlene is going down his strong side. Let's that pass cross his body. And one times it right top bunk.

And I was just, I literally thought to myself this fucking guy, dude, in this moment, in this city at this time. That was a moment. I'm actually, the only reason I'm sad they lost. No, not the only reason. I'm very sad for Hugh. I'm very sad for a lot of the great people of Buffalo.

Oh yeah. But I'm sad that moments like that kind of go away and are for guy. Great point. Because you're like, man, what a fucking thing. last two games, right? It's like this run by Dahlene, you almost wanted to be like, God, that was heroic. Yeah. That, that, dude, the strong side 1T is so crazy. It's insane, like, it's so impressive. Let's get into overtime. Yep. A bit of a letdown. First, I want to, the whole thing you

mean, or the goal or what? The goal, like the way it ended, like the, yeah. I'll say this to start overtime, massive credit to Marty St. Louis and the Habs, because from the first 10 minutes of the second period were pretty quiet. But from 10 minutes of the second into the overtime start, the Buffalo Sabres were hammer-fucking, the Canadians. They were fissing. And it was getting worse and worse and worse every minute of the game that was going by to the point where I thought Montreal could still win. It's overtime. Anything can happen. But it's going to be a complete like, oh, the Sabres have nine shots to our zero and we snuck one in. Credit to the Habs and Marty for in that locker room being like, wake up. It's overtime.

nothing matters because they came out and they had, I think, the first four or five shots. I'm not saying they were dominating over time, but they completely flipped the... Sure. They leveled the ice back out in OT, which is not easy when you were in quicksand like that on the road. So I give them a ton of credit just for the start of OT alone, being in the mixer. That was huge. I felt as though there were a few plays where we, you know, you always watch it. I didn't know Habs fans, Buffalo fans during this game.

Whenever these moments happened, you're losing your mind. There are weird plays in hockey where someone makes a bad play. Bruins fans know all about this in round one where you don't get the puck out of the zone or you have a shit turnover in the neutral zone and you're just sitting there clenching your butthole going, please don't get scored on this after that stupid play. In this OT, Buffalo is all over them. Puck goes up to Dalling at the point and you could see he was feeling himself.

Yeah. Because he just holds the puck. He just holds the puck. so casually, kind of does like a little dance. The pressure doesn't really wane off of him. So he does like a little chip to his forward. Yeah. Which he does get it to.

But then forward turns it over. Who was it? Age. It was Thompson. Yeah. And they come down just a quick pass out to fucking goal score or new hook. And he throws a weird, wobbly shitty shot, kind of goes through a screen and game. I was just like, that shot goes in.

And UPL fucking fired his helmet down the top. Like he is so mad that he let that in. And I just hated like, there was a couple of comments that were like, oh, fuck, that sucks for Dahlene. He's had such a good couple of games. And I was like, dude, that wasn't Dahlian's turnover. He definitely put Tage in a phone booth. But guys, you just like can't turn that fucking puck over there.

Okay, so I'm going to be a little tougher. I think it will, I can't say on Dahlene. Yeah. Because I can't say it's 100% his turnover because he did get it to someone. that is a 100, in my opinion, that is a 100% horrible play by him, compounded by a horrible play by Tage. Either of you, you're in the blue line. Either of you could have just flipped it into the corner.

Just put it in the zone. And I have two things say about Ray Ferraro, one positive, well, I mean, neither are actually that bad. But Ray had said to start overtime, just make the play in front of you. Don't be a hero. And sometimes I hate that take, because I love the stories when John Cooper gets into overtime and he goes, someone's a hero in here, boys. Who's it going to be?

And I'm like, that's sick. but I see Ray's point which is make the play in front of you and Dahlene right there is trying to whatever he's trying to do is too much shoot the fucking fuck on that I think he was trying to go Quinn I think he was trying to do a you know

the we're all over them they're tired they think that I'm going to whip this across the point they think I'm going to get this low so he does like he holds it and kind of like does a little faint and you know when Quinn does that when Lane does that all of a sudden you get room because guys back off

No one backed off. And he was like, oh, shit. And again, he gets the puck to Tage, but it's just like, Tage is like, I have one point, or I have point one second to do something here. And that wasn't the play. Like, once he went,

oh, first of all, I would say to him, you were not Quinn, and I mean that, not as an insult. Morris is kind of lazy getting back to on it. But it's just, it,

and he would say this, Dan, it's not even like I'm trying to defend, or I'm not trying to be a hater. He would go, I, one billion percent should have just looked that in. And then so should Tage. And then the criticism I was going to say

about Ray was in the replay. He kept going, yeah, it's like a bit of a turnover, but there's still nothing doing here. And I'm like, nothing doing. The habs are flying up the ice now with odd man rush. I, I will never agree with Ray over you. But I understand in this moment what he means. I thought that was a nothing play too, man. When that puck, like, Norris is back checking enough where I was like, this isn't a clean three on two. Throw that replay up one more time. And those guys are tired, Chris. This is just like a very simple because there's no, it's only

Tage and Dahlene back. It's whoever joins late for the Habs that makes it interesting, but it is... But see, like, there's nothing happening in that play, dude. There kind of is, though. I disagree. I think the only play there is if that cutting forward, look at this. That is a...

Can you pause it? Stop right there. That is not nothing doing. I think it's not something. I agree it's not nothing. It's not a, like, they get it in and flip it in. Obviously they get a shot. But even right here, dude, like, that is a three on two that becomes nothing because this forward here is just on Byram and doesn't, the only thing that happens is the Ford that cuts through the middle. And if they had gotten a tip on that shot at something, but dude, it's a shot from the fucking hash mark. But like right there, that is where

it becomes a problem. Because this creates a moving screen. You are closer to a four on three for Buffalo in that moment. Look at that. Because people peeled off, but this two on one coming on Dahlene is what that net drive causes the moving screen, which is why it goes in. Yes, but I don't think it's a moving screen. That's my point. I think there are two, I think, is that Evans coming in? All right, you can play it, Zach. I think that's Evans coming in. Like, it's, it's just not a screen.

Like, and UPL says it, he's like, I see it the whole way. Yep. Like, yeah, he should have saved it, but in O.T. I'm not going to agree with the array because you're right that it's not nothing. And it went in. But also, look at where this shot comes from, dude. Like, you can never let this puck in. Yeah.

But I just think you just, in O.T., you've got to be fucking, every shot as a chance in overtime. No doubt. And I'm like, you cough, you had full possession on the blue line. It ended up in a shot that went in your neck. The reason I will agree, and I think there's a point to be made there, when I'm watching and I saw that turnover, and I immediately I had that Pucker moment where I was like, no. Yep. And then when that pass went to New Hook, I went, oh, you're okay. I actively was like this. Oh, okay, you're okay. And then when that shot went in, I was like, oh, no. Yeah. Like, you can see it in Dahlien's, Okay, as a defenseman, a fucking plug-lut-clown defenseman now, those plays, when you get that,

when you force that cross-ice pass to the outside and then a top of the circle shot happens that looks like that. Yeah. when you force them outside, you have a quick moment of this is a low danger shot. And then when those go in, you go, really, dude, fucking really.

That is just how we lost. You would rather lose on a, you're fucking hemmed in, you're getting it shoved down your throat. They have all the momentum or a clean two on one, a clean three on two that everyone in,

like the gold medal goal, everyone in the arena goes, and then it goes. No one did that in that game, is what I'm saying. Yeah, they did it at the blue line. They went like a

Yeah, yeah And that's why I was like This is why you lost You turned that puck Which is true Which is true But like I'm saying like That zone entry

And that shot was not high danger When you're like This is probably gonna go But shout out New Hook For being a fucking dog Dog. Did you see my bet? Oh yeah

Well you missed it A couple in a row Well I fucking We were chasing it We knew it was coming I mean I bet Montreal to win And New Hook to score

And fucking cashed it in So don't give me Caviots dude Fucking congratulate me On a great bet Congratulations So credit to New Hook, absolute dog. He won, he's got the game winning goal in both game sevens, which is actually iconic.

And then they threw that Nathan Horton's setup that was like, I think he's like the first person to win to have two game winning goals in a playoff series since Nathan Horton. What did those Bruins do? Won the fucking cup. I got a lot of buddies texting me, this Havs team is feeling like a team of destiny, and it's little shit like that. It's swear to God, in the playoffs, it's little things like, oh my God, New Hook can't stop winning games and Tim Thomas is hugging Nathan Thornton.

Nathan Thornton, you did it again. That's what they were saying to him in the locker room. You see that other one I sent you? Montreal Canadians are the youngest NHL team to advance to the conference final since the 1993 Habs. Both teams were an average age of 25.8 years old. Guess who won the cup that year, dude? The Habs.

Wow. Pretty cool stat. See, like, that's what I mean. Little things like this. Team of Destiny. I don't, I'm not buying into that shit at all. Wow. at all. I think we can save it for our episode that will come out tomorrow talking about the...

Yeah, everyone, we're recording our conference finals preview today. Like right when we finish this, we're going to record it's coming out in the morning. I am not buying this Hab Seam of Destiny shit for one fucking second. Now, that can change. Do you think just because there's a very little chance they're going to get through the canes? I think that this team is going to run into a fucking buzzsaw at some point. I don't know if it's going to be next round. I think it is.

but again, we'll get into that next episode. But I think it is way too horny. When you've had the two, and I understand what destiny means. Destiny, like people say Team of Destiny, when you are winning games, you have no business winning. You had no business winning game 7 against Tampa. You had no business winning this game. That's a little harsh, but you know what I'm saying.

And that's why people go, Team of Destiny, like we're somehow getting by. I just don't know that you can do this every fucking round. Like when Boston won in 2011, they shouldn't have won. Vancouver was a better hockey team than that year. But they had the, they come back against Montreal and win in seven in round one. But then they beat the fucking bag off the Rangers. And then they had a very even season, a series against Tampa with fucking Roly the goalie.

Yeah. Rolo in that. And then, like, but you know, when you win, I think they won in five against, or wait, did they sweep some? Do they sweep Pittsburgh in round two? The Bs? Yeah. Yeah, they sweat. I think, I think New York was in five in 2013.

But in 11, I think they swept pit in the second round or something. No, no, they beat the flyers. We lost to Tampa Bay. We went, we beat the flyers because it was redemption. Was it redemption? I believe so. I believe we swept Philly after blowing a 3-0 lead. There you go.

So sweep. Yep. Like Montreal has like, by the skinnier teeth game seven, by the skinnier teeth game seven. I'm like, I think team of destiny to win a cup when you're looking at Colorado on the other side is a little aggressive so far. Yeah. Who knows? Yeah, even Carolina. Who knows?

But you don't think, I mean, for me, I've always thought it this way. Like, it's a little spooky as an athlete when you are running into that. Like, imagine, I think about it, it called football terms of Indiana this year. Yeah. When you're looking and you have to look across the way at Mendoza, and it's just like a little aura around them. Like, these people don't even look real and you're like, as an athlete and you're sitting across from that, it takes you out of the game a little bit because you're like, well, like, I'm not even focused because I know this whole story behind this.

Yeah. Are you saying that the aves have aura because they're undefeated? Or are you saying the HABs have aura because they keep winning game sevens? I think the HAVs. I think the HAVs have this crazy aura and there's sometimes like, you know, as an athlete, you're going to go play the game. You're going to go do the thing, right? But it's sometimes you just have these teams that just have this spookiness.

Definitely. And it will get in your head. As I, as if I'm the abs, if I'm the Cains, I would not be surprised if that's in my head just a little bit. Definitely. I think that's a great, great point. However, if you are the Carolina Hurricanes, and I'm getting into tomorrow's episode shit. Are they on summer vacation right now? I think they're 12 days off, but if you are the Keynes, I am saying they, and I'm not saying this is going to happen.

So Habs fans in the chat, don't worry. I'm not saying this is how I feel. But if you are the Keynes, I think they're looking at this Habs team and they're going, we are going to fucking shit pump this clown show team. Yeah, they're going to get punk kit. But to your point, Zach, if Montreal wins game one, they might win in five. Because like that will be the aura coming alive and Keynes being like, oh, oh, oh, have we had too much time? Like then, it's like the Rust versus Rest bullshit, which I don't believe in.

I'm blaming myself because my mom sent me this jersey and as soon as I put it on, they scored the first. It was incredible. You texted a picture and it was like, bang. You sent that picture and I was like, oh, my God. A year old jersey that I had when I was a kid somehow has some luck. I do want to talk about Buffalo, Chris, if you've got nothing pressing. I just wanted to say the Habs, I guess this is to your point, Jack. You want to talk ORA?

Doebesh being two and O in game sevens, which is a fucking hard thing to do. And the Habs and Doebes not losing two in a row this playoffs, that is actually fucking aura because it just is in your head. Even if the Cains win game won, even if what happens to, remember the Habs had the Tampa Game 7 and got run by Buffalo in game one because they were like, I'm fucking, I got to recalibrate here. If that happens in the Canes roll game one, obviously they're going to feel good because they're 9-0 in the playoffs. But I think they still are like, Jesus, though, this team, you better be ready for game two because this team does not crack after a loss.

I've got a lot. That's an amazing stat. Yeah, I've got interesting things to say about both of these teams. Who would you like to start with? The sabers, because they are out. So just get that done and then we'll finish with them on that. have. Sabers have been eliminated. That was a tough game. I know for Bill's fans who are also Sabers fans, there's an overwhelming feeling of like, why does this heartbreak always happen?

Wait, can I bring up one thing? I'm so curious about, is there something to the fact that Josh Allen get pumped them up and beat the drum before the... You don't have any factor in that? What game was it? That was in Boston, though, right? And they got, and they won, they beat Boston. No, I think they got rinsed that game. Oh, they've lost that game, but they won the series at least. Like, at least that didn't kill them. I'm with you, dude. Every time I see Josh Allen in that stadium as a Buffalo fan, I'm a little... That's actually fair, dude.

Dude, Zach, so Bill's fans? Who did we do this with last year? It was, like... It was Luongo in a good way. It was the dolphins. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The dolphins came into the Panthers game, and, like, the Panthers lost a game. They had no business losing, and we were like, get that loser franchise out of this building.

Dude, every time a dolphin would do the thing, they would lose. Zach, um, Leif's... fans, or no, sorry, Bill's fans posted this big thing because people in Toronto that like American football root for the Bills because that's their team. So these Bills fans were posting these flyers around the city that was like, Leafs fans, fuck off because the Leafs always chokes. They're like, Leafs fans, we don't need your stink on us. Get the fuck out of here. It's like the reason we always lose is because we have all these Leafs fans here. And now, but I'm actually now like, uh-oh, dude, it's you. It's you. It's you.

You, Bill's fans, and you're putting your stink on the Sabres. So it's you. If you were fucking yourself the whole time, and now you're fucking the Savers. So why don't you look at a fucking mirror? Because you fucked this whole thing up from the beginning. It was never the least fans. Leave them alone, did. So yeah, I think the Bill's fans have a real issue, and they're polluting their whole city.

It's not good. So Sabers fans are obviously very sad today. Yep. That's... You just remind me of something. I, the, uh, the let's go buffalo chant ringing out in the arena after the game was over and they're going through the handshake line and the entire crowd just going, let's go. Incredible. I almost started crying.

Dude. That was fucking awesome. That leads into my point of, I think you've got nothing but good feelings after the sting of that loss wears off. This is really, really exciting times. I'm so fucking happy for Lindy and proud of Lindy. I hope he wins the job. Jack Adams. I can't believe what a massive shift from where they were in October to where they are now. It's amazing. Dalene has fully come into the captain role and one of the best defensemen in the league role.

Tage had a great season. I think you've got so much to look forward to. I have a crazy take for you. Yep. So Buffalo is chockabock full of young talent, exciting futures. They, weirdly enough, next year, are projected to have about just shy a 13 million cap space. Okay. So just shy of 13 million cap space. And they need to bring back a 30-year-old Alex Tuck. They have a 25-year-old Peyton Krebs as an RFA.

they have Malenstein as a UFA, they have Tanner Pearson who they will probably let go, Zach Benson as an RFA. Damn. Josh Dunn as a UFA, Michael Kesselring as an RFA, Luke Shen, who they'll probably let walk as a UFA, and Logan Stanley as a UFA. I think they should bring back Logan Stanley. Their goalie situation, UPL is signed until 2029 at 4.7. That's great if you think.

if you think UPL's your guy. You have Lion for another year at 1.5. Elliot Friedman said today, Devon Levy is gone. Well, we can't trust Elliot Friedman. That's true. Now I'm going to get, now I'm going to get screened at, so.

So we're now going to say, Elliot Friedman is saying this. But Elliot Friedman is saying Devon Levi is gone. So, like, presumably you're going, lions are tantamask. So let's just like step aside from the,

are you going to go with UPL as your guy? Let's just assume they're doing this. So you got about 13 mil. I always felt like Alex Tuck was coming back no matter what. Same. A lot of people saying they should let Tuck walk right now in the chat. Yeah. So we're going to talk about Tuck for one quick second.

I think the Let Tuck Walk chat is harsh. This series was brutal, though. Absolutely brutal. It is one of, I'm sorry, and this is our guy, dude. Yeah, yeah. Friend of the program. But again, I can't wait for the injury report to come out. but that is one of the worst series you can have as a top line hockey player.

They are in the Eastern Conference Finals if he does anything. I'm dead ass. They are in the Eastern Conference Finals. Zero goals, zero assists, dash one. He might be dash more after that. But like that was the, that was as goose egg of a series as you can get. And I'm sorry, there's no way that that doesn't affect your number, dude. Like there were people talking about him getting seven by 11 places, seven by 11 and a half.

I said to our buddy, I think Alex Tuck is a clean, classic seven by eight and a half guy. Give him eight and a half, bring him back on this team. And again, like, that's it, dude. You're 30. You're retiring with that contract happily. But if you're Buffalo, I think it's a little surprising. And this is, remember earlier before we started recording and I went, Jesus Christ.

If you're Buffalo and you see that you only have that many guys you need to take care of and you only have 13 mil, you're kind of like, what the fuck? Where is that money? I'll tell you where some of that money is. You are paying Jeff Skinner 6.4 mil next year. Oh, tough. That fucking hurts. Yep. So you've got to, like, I think Tuck comes back here, but I think it's got to be a hometown discount. But I think he will. I agree. I would actually be stunned if he goes anywhere else and I don't I don't blame him and his agent for walking into the room going give me seven by 11 because that's their job and we're a player's pod and I hope everybody gets paid. But then I imagine Buffalo goes like this. Buddy, look at our sheet. We love you. You want to be here. Let's not

make this weird seven by eight, whatever you want, something like that. And he goes, sounds good. I would be stunned, stunned if he goes elsewhere from money. Yeah. Because Buffalo's going to offer him. They would like to keep him at eight. eight and a half. And if he goes, nope, I'm leaving because I just, because I just wanted the money. And some people do that. Like, Carill, I'm sure got sick offers, but he was like, I'm getting 17

at Minnesota. Fuck you. Some people just want the money. If he does, all the power to him, I will never begrudge anybody chasing the money. I just don't, I think he would rather stay at Buffalo for less. I agree. He's like a farm town New York guy, and he's in Buffalo. I know he loves it. I know he's

super close with Tage and Tage's family. And I think it's a great situation there. I think you should take that. Here's my one last thing I want to say to you about Buffalo, and I'm curious your thoughts. Okay. If I were the Buffalo Sabres, I would trade Owen Power. Yeah. I would too, and I will be surprised if the chat chimes in up against you here, because I, that's one, that feels like one where you go, you have certainly not given me what I hoped I'd get based on where we selected you. I'm not saying you've been bad. You just, certainly haven't given me the

potential promise, but you're still good and a chip. Now, the problem is, I think, you don't, when you're a team trying to trade a guy like that, you all, most people go, well, I'm only trading him for the value of what he should have been. And I'm like, no,

you only get what he fucking is. You're not, because he was one, right? Didn't he go first? So you don't get to go, give me a haul because I'm giving my first overall defenseman. I go, no, dude, you're giving me a top four defenseman who's, who pretty good. And I'll take whatever I can get back for that. Yeah. I think he's more than pretty good. Go ahead and check his stats. I think he's more than pretty good. But the reason I would trade Owen Power

is because you have Dahlene Power, Byram and Samuelson, who are all, in my opinion, all phenomenal. And they are all left shot. They are all 26 or younger. Byram has just next year at 6.2. And if I'm Buffalo, I'm Like, I'm keeping him. Yep. And I would want to commit to him. Like, I would want to show him this summer with an extension being like, we're committing to you. And you have power with no trade protection until 2029.

I would trade him. I think Owen power, his size, the fact that he's roughly a 40-point guy, he's only 23 years old. He's a left-shot defenseman. I think people in the league really want him and could use him. And he's at a good number at 8.35. Yep. I would...

29 points. Eighty-one games, 29 points. Yeah, like, maybe that is pretty good. Pretty good. I would trade him and I would free up space and I would try to get

a solid right shot defenseman back to try to balance out that blue line a little bit. But, yeah, I think it's something you definitely think about. Yeah, no, they should make a move. Yeah, they should make a move. So, okay, let's finish up and talk about the habs a little bit here.

And I think my top point was we're talking about the aura of the habs. I think we posted a clip a little while ago talking about how way ahead of schedule this team is. This team in the cover of darkness from last year

to this year has emerged as the no question without a doubt premier number one Canadian team destination in the National Hockey League. If you are a hockey player who wants to play in Canada look no further than the Montreal Canadians. They, for decades, they were the

gold standard of the league and for a long time, even without winning cups in all the early 2000s, they were a perennial contender battling with the Bruins, battling with other teams in the East. They are right back there as a top, top team in the East and without a doubt, the number one destination in Canada. If you took the cap away and you went, where do you want to play in Canada? It is no question. Forget the Oilers, forget Toronto, the mecca of hockey bullshit. It is Montreal, the best city in North America, and the easily best team in Canada. Yes, and I will say this, and not to soften that take, but I will just say, I don't even think this is a new thing.

because even though the HABs haven't had a ton of success until recently this window of time when every other Canadian team had the chance to go, it's us now. No one grabbed it, right? Like the Oilers fans will say we grabbed it because we went to two straight cups,

but I would go, we'll know, because it was still a Connor, like the team was so, was built, so poorly. It was a Connor and Leon show and then the depth wasn't there. The goal to anyone, you know, there was nothing really happening there. Calgary, you know, fizzled for a second and then immediately imploded. Ottawa has done dick. The Leafs don't even get me started. The Canucks minus their one president's trophy. I have done nothing. So it's actually completely, even when they weren't competitive. No other Canadian team made any consistent strides to go,

we are the team that's going to get this done. And then all that happened is you let Montreal rebuild and come back. And I would have been a part of it. If I was good enough to make the league, that would have been my choice anyway. I would have happily gone to the Canadians and gone, I'll be a part of this process because this is the city, this is the jersey, this is the rink, this is the fan base. It's been the habs the whole time. And the Leafs probably had the best, I guess you could say the Leafs of the Oilers,

the Leafs of the Oilers had the best chance to go know where Canada's team right now. and the Leafs all they did was losing the first round. And then all the Oilers did was not give the best player in the league a cup. Yeah. They couldn't build a fucking team. And uh-oh, the bad boys in red are back. And now all that matters is Montreal. And like this fucking team, man, it is insane the contracts on this team.

It is utterly insane. Yep. Like you're in Montreal. And everyone here is just taking a fucking haircut. Like Noah Dobson is the highest pay player on this team. Yeah, that's fine. By a mile. Yeah, that's insane. By a mile.

And it's like, what's fucking crazy dude is that, man, they're just so good. They're so fun. You've got shit to do like, I guess. I mean, we're, there's one, we could say it now. The goalie stat is so fun. The combined salaries of the four likely starting goaltenders in the conference finals is 7.2 million. You have Doebesh making 965K, Freddie making 2.75,000.

heart making two and Wedgwood making 1.5. Yeah. Hilarious. So they have that... That's actually epic. It's epic. And they have that situation for one more year. Dobish still on his fucking rookie deal and then an RFA after that.

Yeah. So this team has fucking Linae, who hasn't played in three years, it feels like, making 8.7 gone next year. He's obviously not... Like, there was never a question. Are the Habs going to bring Linae back? Obviously not. But like, boom, he's gone off the books.

All you have is Kirby Doc as an RFA next year. You have Joe Villano and Bullduke as an RFA next year. Bulldoch, you're definitely keeping around for sure. And then on the defensive side, you have Arborzakai. Got to be an easy contract as an RFA. Everyone's a fucking RFA. And they're all going to take great friendly fucking deals here because there's still a little bit of a prove-it element there.

Or it's like, I know who I am. Yeah. Dude, this team is fucking insane. And it is insanity. And Dan, I will say, going all the way back to our previews, I picked the HABs to be a bubble team this year, not because I thought they were bad because I thought they were going to do the team. The thing that most teams, when they're coming up do, which is two years ago, they go, wow, playoffs, like rinse by the caps, but like playoffs. And then you have a slight dip this year and then you fucking surge. The fact that they just went, actually, dude, no dip, continue stock rise. They are, they are set to be a fucking wrong. I'm telling you right now, like I said, I'm not sure that I buy the team of destiny shit, but I am putting a future on this Canadian team winning a cup next year so fast. Yep. So fucking fast. And it's because you have, like, Caulfield makes the jump and scores 50 this year.

Everyone was like, oh, you can't score 40. He scored 50 this year. Suzuki is a top, in my opinion, four or five center in the NHL and has become a clear, unbelievable leader. Slav is fucking great. God, what a... Demidov is great, but then also, you make that big move for Dobson,

who is just like a really good, I think he's going to even settle in more. But Lane is... Lane is what every team in the league is looking for right now. And against all the fucking doubters, he is like, ah, suck it, dude. I am a top five fucking defenseman in the league.

And now you have fucking Dobesh. When I thought it was going to be Flower. Yeah. Fowler. Fowler. You have Dobesh. This team, every little... And you have St. Louis.

Everything, and you have Hughes, everything that you need, they have. And they have it earlier than everyone expected. I'm telling you, fucking hammer the Canadians Cup future next season. I still think that there might be the deal of Colorado, Carolina, like finally being what they are meant to be that could get in your way. But I have never seen a more exciting, well-structured, well-built team where literally everything is going right. And that goes into Dovesh, and then I'll shut up, is that that comment he made at the end of the game where I think it was Cap talking to him was like, it's been a grueling 14 games so far through these playoffs. Guys are picking up Knox. Like, how are you doing?

How are you feeling? How are you saying it? And he's like, me? Oh, I could play 40 more. Yeah. That's a dog. That is a 20, what, 4-year-old dog who out of nowhere has emerged as the starting goaltender for you, who is a fucking beast and one of the best goals in the playoffs. Oh, it's amazing, dude.

and someone just said Kristen just said oh this Habs rebuild is heartbreaking for Wings fans it's heartbreaking for the whole Atlantic Every team that was like oh I'm gonna Boston's Like we're just gonna retool and stay relevant All the Ottawa's and the Detroit's that are going We're coming up

Dude no one's doing shit Ottawa dead Montreal Or excuse me Toronto fucking pissing Through their window dead And then I mean Detroit Is a that's a brutal one But you're absolutely right Just Boston is a, like, Boston, the unexpected retool.

And then like, fucking rights, look at us. And then you're like, you're dead. You're dead, though. And even Buffalo. Like, Buffalo is like, you got to deal with this fucking team forever, dude. Yeah, who just beat you. And then they have a perfect roster and cap situation and you have a terrible one. Yeah, no, it's a real problem.

And what did you say about Dobish? Oh, oh, yeah. No, I think it was the Marty St. Louis thing. God, I need to know. I need to know. to know if Marty St. Louis did Wolf of Wall Street again in the locker room after Game 7, like he did against Tampa. I bet he did. I assume he did. And if somebody has seen it, fucking send it to me because I assume he came in and fucking, we ain't fucking leaving. But they

have built something really special. Oh, this is what I was going to say. The only fear is things just change, because I was just talking about this with some NBA guys where they're like, oh, the Spurs, looks like the Spurs are going to win the next 50 championship. And I'm like, dude, something just happens every year, though. It was Chatsky, I was talking about. He's like, dude, you always think this team's going to win a thousand titles in a row. And then, boom, someone just comes out of nowhere. And it can be a, it can be a, Connor McDavid gets traded to the stars this summer.

And I go, you will never win a cup, Montreal because now the stars win three. You know what I mean? Connor's going to get traded to the habs, dude. Yeah, baby. But that's what I'm saying. Like, this shit just, it's hard to go, God, we are the next big thing. Yeah. Because I'm like, fucking, everybody's trying to become the next big thing.

It's scary. So don't get ahead of yourself, but the few teams are in a better place right now today than the Montreal Canadians. 100% dude. And I'll tell you what, man, I've been, again, we'll get into this. We've got an episode coming out tomorrow. Alec Martinez, we're joining us doing the whole preview, everything. I've been banging the Canes drum. I think they are real.

I think they are different. But let me tell you, I'm looking right into the camera at every single one of you. fans that's in this chat or that watches this episode later. I don't know how many times I've had to say on this show, Montreal is my favorite city in North America, and I am dying to go there for a cup final. Oh, my God, dude. Dying for it.

It would be incredible. You're all fucking, even all you Quebecquas, you French speakers, you're all so fucking sexy and beautiful and fun and cultured and you love hockey and it's the most beautiful city in the world. I am dying to come there. It's like, I can't, I think I posted last night. I was like, what a fucking scene.

It must be in Toronto, or in Montreal right now. Yeah, I knew. Anything better than being in Montreal right now while this team is good and headed to a conference. Montreal and summer, dude, that used to be my favorite trip every year. We were in Maine every summer. We call up vape. We say, hey, we're driving up, cross the border. Don't mind us.

Grab some vodka from the, from the Portsmouth liquor store. grab some cheap vodka, no tax for the liquor store, stick it in my hockey bag, I would suck it in the shin pads, because I thought it was illegal. I would stick it in the shin pads and come through and they go, anything to declare and I'd say, no, shut the fuck up. And they would go, okay, dude, Jesus Christ. The day we learned when we were like this, yes, I bought booze

and they were like this, that's fine, just tell us. We were like, oh, sorry. Declar it. Yeah, I did it. Yeah, I did that shit. Sneaking, what? Bring the vodka, give it to vape, and then we'd hit the pool, we'd hit the rooftop pools,

we hit the strip clubs, you know, good time. at the old port god matra on the summer this would be incredible can we can we go back to what we think is the moment they gained all the aura oh yeah here we go this is going to be it dude see this is the aura moment dude we are not fucking leaving oh i love how i love how marty i love how marty confirms to me that he loves wolf of wall street like this isn't a bit marty st louis goes home at night he's got the move down dude in the way joe mazoulo watches the town over and over and over marty st louis watches Wolf of Wall Street over and over and over and over. And it brings him great joy and it brings me great joy. I'm now starting to think, Zach, we got to make that shirt, don't we?

I think it's time. I think we got to make that shirt. Yeah. All right. Listen, unbelievable season by Buffalo, Montreal, keep doing what you're doing. Keep scratching and surviving. Dude, survive it in advance. I put it on the thumb. Surviving advance. You haven't lost two games in a row. You keep doing that. You're going to fucking win the Stanley Cup. I love it. I love it. All right, that's going to do it for this live episode. Great stuff from everyone in the chat. Everyone who joined in. We will be recording later today with Marty. That's going to come out tomorrow morning for our full conference final previews for all four teams, what we're looking at, what we're ready to see. If you guys are still rocking with your team, we've got some awesome merch in the store. Go check that out. Emptynetters. Shop. You'll find some great stuff in there, other great stuff in there as well. Subscribe, follow, five stars, everything. We love you guys. We'll see you next. episode.