Empty Netters Podcast - Is Matthews Done In Toronto And It’s Go Time In Detroit w/ Dylan Larkin

Episode Date: March 17, 2026

Dylan Larkin joins from Florida to dish his incredible stories from his time in Milan winning a gold medal. Matthews has an MCL tear and is done for the season. Could be done with the Leafs? Kopi becomes the all time leading scoring for the Kings. The World Cup of Hockey is coming in 2028. The Oscars have the boys going full Hollywood. And what’s the ruling on ringers in Beer League?Chapters:0:00 - Intro04:10 - Auston Matthews MCL injury16:34 - World Cup of Hockey 20:35 - Kopi breaks LA Kings points record39:33 - Dylan Larkin interview01:21:12 - Oscars recap and Bachelor Party stories01:43:10 - Beer League Hotline and Blind RankingPRESENTED by BetMGM. Download the BETMGM app and use code “NETTERS” and enjoy up to $1500 in bonus bets if you lose your first wager!Thanks to our Sponsors!BetMGM: Use bonus code NETTERS when signing up to receive up to $1500 in bonus bets if your first bet loses.Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US)877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY)1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR)21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.Better Help. Your emotional wellbeing matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/nettersWhen you’re making a big decision, you need the full picture. CarGurus delivers exactlythat. You get unbiased deal ratings, price and vehicle history, and all the key details upfront—so you know when you’ve found the right car at the right price. Finally, carshopping with total confidence. Buy or sell your next car today with CarGurus at cargurus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Empty Netters podcast. Can you believe what this has become? There was a full 48 hours where I felt like I was like literally Superman. Jumbo loves playing Fortnite, so he gets on the sticks. Did TR show you the sauna cycle or was that all year? No, no, I invented that. Almost a year now that I haven't taken a body check. That's kind of nice.

So we are back. We are horned up and we are going deep. Finish tonight with some chicken fingers and a few guineasas and ran into you guys. That's where this pod came to life. Ice is ready, and we are back with another episode of the Emptionters podcast brought to you by BetMGM. I'm your host, Dan Powers. He may not be able to sleep, but he looks like a million bucks. Evan, Dr. Watkins, on the sticks.

Hi. Why aren't you sleeping? Yesterday was Oscars. Had an Oscar party. ate a bunch of trash food. Oh. Great food. Oh.

But, yeah, it keeps me up. I got bad guts. Was you? I hate that. I hate that for you. Yeah. Is your Oscar party food spread, like, similar to a Super Bowl food spread? Um, I did.

Well, I theme it based on the movies. So I had mini burgonias. So we had burger sliders. I had, uh, if I had wings, I'd eat you for, if I had legs, I'd kick you. Uh, Nepo baby carrots and their giant celery. That was the only healthy item with the dips. This is unbelievable. One pretzel after another, just a big bag of pretzels.

you know that this is incredible so good I mean we're gonna talk more about that later yep I'm very impressed we'll get on it and then the big question is is jumping in the pool just like a shower the man to answer it

Chris Powers as always I was really glad to add a disciple I'm so mad about that that was awesome and I'm mad that it wasn't like that the weirdest connection that you two have it just happened naturally it wasn't to like you guys.

I didn't make him do that. No, no, he just did it. Pool jump? Yeah, dude. Like when I go to Coachella or something like that, if a ton of the activity of a weekend is swimming, then I never shower because I'm like, I'm just in the pool and then I get out and dry off and put on deodorant and

whatever and then we just go out in the desert and then hang out. And then later I just jump in the pool again. and I'm fine. Okay. I was wet and now I have put on deodorant. And then I did that this weekend. And then somebody was like to Gavin, they were like, locks, have you showered?

And he was like, no, I have not seen the inside of a shower all weekend. And I will not. I'm jumping in the pool. And I was like, wow. To be fair, we were on a bachelor party with 22 dudes. Oh, that's. Staying at one property. There was no need to shower.

No, you're fine. There was absolutely no need. If you didn't go, you didn't like go anywhere? No. Oh yeah, you're fine. That's got to be a, that's a bad cleanup for the person. Yeah. Afterwards.

Oh, to be honest, like when we were in college working in the summer, he would do this in the ocean. And then he would go to his job after not showering. That's all right. Works for Brad Pitt. I really thinks a little bit better. But this was a saltwater pool, so maybe it was the same thing. You just feel that like because of the salt? Yeah.

I don't know if that's right. Yeah, I don't know either. It leaves a little residue, doesn't it? Yeah, but I kind of like that. I always liked the... Yeah, we know you like it. I was like, oh, I was just in the... The question is, do others like it?

Anyone who's at armpit height to you might not enjoy it. Yeah. Hey, Mr. Old Spice, Mr. Spice does his job. As long as you don't smell bad, you're probably fun. I think so, too. We got a great episode today. We're getting into a lot of hockey stuff. Toronto Maple Leafs are potentially dead.

World Cup of Hockey is coming back with some big fun news. Big stuff. Dylan Larkin. Boom! joins the podcast, the absolute best guy in the world, captain of the Detroit Red Wings, gold medalist on the pod. Can't wait for you to listen to that. We're going to get things wrapped up with a beer league hotline,

all of the good stuff. And we got some Bachelor Party talk. It's going to be great. Let's start with some hot ice and get into the Leafs. Austin Matthews, shut down for the season with an MCL injury. Grade 3 MCL tear. Hate to see it. Hate to see it.

I hate seeing. Now, first of all, this is, you made a good point that I think even if he had sprained his knee, they might have just shut him down for the season. Shut him down. Yeah. So essentially, once he took some contact, it was like you were going to be done anyway. Yeah. But this is a grade three MCL tear.

This isn't like, oh, I banged my knee up and we're just going to stop. Like, he has torn his MCL. And that is not ideal. It's definitely not ideal. Okay, so let's go here. Let's go Goudis first. Goudis five-game sussie. Correct.

You agree. Yes. The leg check knee-on-knee, as you well know, is probably my least favorite thing in the world. And it's just, I actually don't think Goudis, I think Goudis gets a little bit of a bad rap, a little bit in normal play in terms of his, his, Dirtiness, cheapness, physicality. Oh, yeah, I don't think he's a dirty player.

I mean, me neither really. I think he's an edge player. Yes. Plays on the edge. Plays right on the fucking line. And that's okay. In this one, though, and obviously I'm not trying to say he was attempting to hurt Austin Matthews.

I am trying to say you actively put your leg out. And I think it's just carelessness maybe. Yeah. No. It's the edge. That's the edge. It's the edge. You're always just,

he, I think he's the. type of player that can't not hit someone and that listen when you live on the edge like that you're going to make some bad plays that was a bad play yeah especially about to miss him he's like a bull and i think when austin matthews is skating by him he sees him and he's like i got to hit and his his thirst for blood takes over so much that he puts out any part of his body that he possibly can to hit him yeah and unfortunately it was his leg and i think the second it happens i think radcoe good just goes, fuck.

Yeah. Like that was shit. I don't think he's like, yeah, you like that bitch. Yep. You like that knee content? Fuck you. How's your MCL? Bitch.

I don't think he's doing that. I think he's like, immediately he goes, fuck. That was a leg check. Yeah. It seems like the Crosby and Drew was the warm up to the complete MCL. Dude, I got to tell you. It is tough. It is tough that he took out the team Canada captain and team USA captain in one month.

In a month. Not great. but yeah I think that there are some players throughout the history of the game who would throw a hit like that and be like fuck you yes you like that yeah I don't think I'm very with you on that um yeah so that was it was not great and I totally get when you're trying you're about to hit somebody you're gonna miss them and you go fuck I have to slow them down somehow and you know sometimes it's this sometimes it's the knee every time it's a

penalty every time it sucks yeah um five games bloodlust is real yeah sure ask army hammer He knows. Have you seen a picture him lately? Army? Yeah. He ate too many people. Not to body shame. Oh, he's big.

He's gotten big. Maybe he's preparing for a role. A big comeback. I hope so. Works for Brendan Frazier. God, he used to be in great shape. Find me a good pick of him, Evan. A good pick of him ever?

Evan. Oh, wait. Wait, but I feel like that's not hard. Most good picks of Army Hammer are good. Well, I mean, a good pick of how fat he. Oh. I looked at it up there and no fat picks and I was like, find me a good pick. Maybe this was AI. My wife showed it to me the other day. Did you just, Evan might have gotten AIed.

Well, he was jumping on a trampoline at night. Is that maybe AI? No. You remember the bunnies and all this. Yeah, yeah. You guys remember six months ago? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I can't find it right now, but I'll get one. You'll keep looking it up. Don't worry about it. We love. All right. I think the Gouda suspension is correct. That's got to be fivers.

Okay. I don't, I think that's bad for the duckies. Of course. Because he's a valuable member of that group and we need the duckies to stay hot. But let's focus on Toronto for right now. Yep. Absolutely shut Austin down no matter what, regardless of the severity of this injury. What do we do now to the Toronto Maple Leafs?

What goes on here? Well, the first question is, what do you say to the team after literally everyone went like this? Oh, Matthew sores MCL and just stood there on the ice. I think this, you know that scene in Ted Lasso where is season one where Ted's in the locker room

and he goes, we're broken. He's very calm and he's just like, we're broken and we need to fix ourselves. I think that's where this team is. Okay. I don't think any yelling, I don't think any berating is going to work with this group.

I don't think tough love is going to work with this group. I think we, that was kind of Barou-Base thing. I know, right? Chief, tough guy. Yeah, that's going to change everything. That's going to make the Leafs tough enough to win a cup. They're in seventh place in the wild card and are standing with their thumbs up their bums.

Yeah. When Austin Matthews gets his ACL torn by Radco. I don't think that that was a lack of, we want to defend Austin. I think they love Austin and they do want to defend him. I think the lack of action there comes from being beaten down. I think that that hit happens and they're like this too. Yeah, the final nail on the coffin. Truly.

I think they see their captain get leg checked and looks hurt and they're like, Jesus. Austin's hurt. I don't think they're like, oh, God, whatever. I think they're like, they were so overcome with the fact that Austin was hurt that they didn't act. I will give you that. I would give them that benefit of the doubt. I definitely don't think they were like, we don't like Austin's,

we're not going to defend them. That's obviously not the case. Yeah. I think they're just beaten down, but I just think they're a whipped dog. Yeah. And they're just, they're tired.

It is just stunning to me because, to your point, in the league today, league standard today is if your captain gets cleanly hit, three guys go to kill that person. Even though you hate that and so do I, because that was a clean hit.

We shouldn't be having to fight if I lay a clean hit on a good player. Yeah. Certainly, if someone leg checks and tears the MCL of my captain. Everyone on the ice needs to fucking murder. I will tell you it was a bad look. Two teams that are very close to each other in Toronto and Buffalo.

And I feel as though Toronto fans are quick to dog on Buffalo. You guys are terrible. You're a joke. You're this, you're that. We are the mecca of hockey. And now look where we are. Buffalo is first in the Atlantic and Toronto is missing playoffs. And in a matter of one week, we saw that Buffalo Tampa,

game and Rasmus Dahlene is getting jerked around by Hagle and the entire Buffalo team tried to commit murder. Yes. That's how flip-flop things have become. It's a tragedy. So they needed to react better, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they're just beaten down. Okay.

They're sad. They're sad boys. So if you are us and Matthews and you go, I've torn my MCL, we traded Mitch, or we lost Mitch Martyr in free agency, kind of traded him. Yeah. But we lost him in free agency. and it went horribly because he is good, Vegas is good, we are terrible, and my team is so broken that when I tear my MZL, everyone doesn't care.

Yeah. Do you go, I'm not playing here anymore. No, I don't, I mean, I'm not saying that he is completely against that, but I don't think that that's the immediate reaction. I, we love Toronto, City. I love City. and the Leifes should be good. The Leif's missing playoffs is not fun.

Yeah, hockey's great when Toronto's in it. I have said many times that I think this is good for Toronto. Shunning him down? Getting missing playoffs. Oh, missing, yeah, yeah, yeah. And we, listen, you and I flirted with this possibility. I know. And I've always been.

Mitch left, and in our season previews we were like, they could miss playoffs. They absolutely could. And here we are. I think this is going to be good for them. I think it's going to instigate real positive change. But I do, I think that they need a Ted Lassow speech of We're Broken because I didn't like that Willie's interview where you brought it up. They were like, they were like, do you?

I just say that too. I don't remember. But like you showed me this interview. I don't know if you saw this have. I did not. Willie was getting interviewed and they were like, this was the last week. So they weren't really even, I mean, they're still not technically eliminated for sure. But they're like, do you think that this is going to become a recurring thing or do you think this is just like a one-off of missing playoffs? And he goes, I mean, I hope just like a one-off. But it's like, but I was like, have you missed playoffs yet? Like, why didn't you, why was it the answer, we're going to make playoffs this year? Yeah. Like, they're above 500. Like, it's. So I don't like that response. I just think that there's. I just think that there's. a level of apathy. And if Austin Matthews was, and they would never have let it get this far on the season,

so just roll with me though. If Austin Matthews was a free agent at the end of this summer, what would be your instinct? That he'd be, I'm gone. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. So he's obviously not. Yeah. So he's under contract.

But I do think he is the type of guy that would do them the service of if he wants to leave. He would go, hey, dude, let's try to get something. and let's try to get you guys something great back because I'm going to go. Do you think that that is a market, though, where your captain and a highest paid player can walk up to someone and go,

I would like to leave. I think that would be crazy. I think he, if he walks for free in two years, it's even worse. Yeah, like the fans go, you're a scumbag. Also, maybe the fact that it was just Olympics and he was the captain of America. And, like, that Toronto's probably,

like a little, we hate him. I mean, but heard about that. There's also, there is the, there's the argument that his value has never been higher. Yep.

He's a winner. He's a winner. He is, we just had that slew of ridiculous nonsense that coming out of various articles being like he hates Toronto and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And you would probably assume that many US teams would be like, we'll kill for this guy right now.

So, I mean, if you're going to get the most from him, it might be this summer. Yeah. Because that people's got a little term, too. Yeah. Like you trade him and you go, hey, he's got. Not to mention, you just, you're going to, you're about to miss playoffs. God knows how much further down they're going to follow without him in the line. Follow without him in the lineup.

Although we do see that they play better without. They got to blow it up over there. So the question is, their first round pick is going to Boston. And you wonder if they go, are we about to be this bad? and have no draft pick, like no high draft pick. So maybe that's another reason why they would be like, let's make a trade, get a draft pick, get prospects, get multiple draft. I mean, you get a lot. I'm way to say, I thought you guys hated draft pick.

Oh, yeah. You're right. I do. But they are valuable. I do, but they are valuable. And it's like you get those draft picks so you can then trade them because they're working. But I listen. We're not going to turn this into a trade Austin.

Matthew's discussion, but I think that, I think that, but trade it. The Leafs need, I think the Leafs need a mentality change. And I think it's going to take a loving talking to. Okay. Yeah. It needs to happen. It was crazy, dude. That's one of the craziest things ever seen. That was not good. It was truly not good. Talk to me about the World Cup of hockey. We've got some news. Some good news today. 2028, February 2028, so during the break, just like this year with the Olympics. We are doing the World Cup of Hockey. It is back for the first time since 2016.

This will be the fourth World Cup of Hockey. The tournaments were in 96, 04, 16, and now 2028. It is in Calgary, Edmonton, and Prague, which is sick. Now, here's a question. I don't know, because I don't think it says in this article on NHL.com, who the eight teams are. Surely it's the four from four nations.

Yep. Adding Czechia. Adding Czechia? Adding Slovakia. Okay. Adding Germany. Okay? And adding...

Denmark? Maybe. Maybe Russia? Maybe Russia. Are we being idiots? Why don't we do a quick Google? Who is playing in the World Cup of hockey? You got it.

Let's use the Google. Let's use the internet machine. Maybe they haven't announced yet, though, because the... It's possible. NHL.com not mentioning it would be crazy. So World Cup of Hockey, as proposed by the NHL, is going to be in Prague, Calgary, and Edmonton. And that's very exciting. The dates, the eight competing nations, and a full schedule will be announced at a later date.

Oh, okay. So we don't have the... Can we please get Russia in there? That's what I'm saying. It says here, according to Wikipedia, Canada, you know, States, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Germany, Switzerland, pending final spot, likely Russia, pending eligibility. If we can end the war.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. We'll get Russia. This is the motivation. You got, you got until 2028. I mean, let's just do another, like, fucking call them something else. Yeah. Call them the Soviets. Yeah.

Bring it back. Dude, what if the wars are. The rest of the retros? That, I know that some people would. Let's get nostalgic for Soviet Russia. That would be dast. I understand that that would be insensitive. but if they wore those jerseys, that'd be kind of cool.

It would be the cool. I'm just saying the jersey would look cool. Everyone calm down. God. It's great. I'm excited. That's going to be a blast. Now the big question remains what happens next year.

Right. 2027 February. Is it All-Star game? We don't know. We don't know. Is it five nations? Five nations. But if it is.

We should do, when it's not Olympic year, we should do some number of nations that was never the same. It is quite funny. Eight. That we went four nations, Olympics, blank. Eight nations. World Cup of hockey. Yeah. Eight nations.

And we now have this massive gap next season where it's going to be tough if the league has to go like this. The All-Star Games back. Yeah. The skills comp. We're going. What if just do it two nations, USA, Canada, and have to play a seven-game series. Dude, that'd be sick. What was that, fuck.

Remember there was like that epic Canada, Russia, one of those where it was, you know, like Gretsky era where they always talk about that. What was that called? They should do that. There you go. This year just Canada, US Best to Seven. We could bring back the, we could do like North America versus Europe. Okay. That'd be kind of fun.

But then it would just be another all-star game. Yeah, right. Yeah. We can't do that. But this will be sick. I'm very pumped to this. Fired up and see it back. And this is, this was cool.

hold on, let me find this place. Scotia Place, the Flames new arena that will open in the 27-28 season, and at O2 Arena in Prague will each host six round-robin games and one elimination game. So it's going to be international, very cool. And I'm fired up because now that we've got a taste of this life, I can't go back. No, can't go back. Good news is we're not going back. Yeah.

Fantastic. We've got a new king of L.A., who arguably already was. but pun intended. Nice to make it official. He already was, but it's official now on the points sheet. Against the New Jersey Devils, Anjikopatar, tucked in a goal. Two. Yeah, well, he tucked in a goal to get the record.

Came the number one points leader for the Los Angeles Kings reaching 1,308 points in 1,505 games, passing Marcel Dion. We already knew it. He's the greatest king of all time, but it's good to see it on the 6th. statue. Yes. And I think seeing the celebration was very awesome. Yes.

The boys were fired up for. How many points does he have on the season? Because I remember thinking, yeah, 30 points. I remember thinking coming into the season, he will definitely pass that because he was only 30 points away. Yep. But then some knocks. Yeah, got a little knock.

And, you know, it's tough getting points in the National Hockey League as a 38-year-old man. it got deeper into the season than I thought. And now I started to think like, God, he's retiring. He's one more injury away from being like, oh, I just missed it, which would have been a fucking tragedy. So super thrilled with this finally happened. Yeah. Well deserved.

Now, please, I had a, I had a, when this happened and I saw the celebration, I had a come to Jesus moment with the Kings. We've been talking about them for a long time. Like, oh, they got to get in. They got to get in. But man, maybe they won't. and like, would Copey unretire and blah, blah, blah? They have to get in.

I realized when this happened, I was like, you are fucking up so badly that you have to fix this. I know. And it has to happen right now. Like you even said last week that it was Seattle, San Jose, all these teams above them were four and six in their last 10. And so were the Kings. And that was just the moment to be like, hey, dude, just go on a run here. And you will jump all of them. The same thing is still happening.

And seeing that moment for Cope can't be the moment from this season. it has to be playoffs. So this has to be the go time right now. That has to be the spark. That has to be the springboard. Fucking win at a 70% clip for the rest of the season and make playoffs. Correct.

Full stop. What is, what I find absolutely hysterical is not a single team in the Pacific. Cares. No one cares. Would be in the playoffs if they were in the Eastern Conference.

Not a single team. Let me see if that's accurate. It's not only is it accurate, Chris, it's accurate by three points. You could give the top team in the Pacific an extra win. You could give the Ducks an extra win and they would still not be in the playoffs. No one in the Pacific is in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. That's crazy. It is insane.

Man, and it's crazy too because I'm like, the Ducks are so fun. They are so fun. And they are, but I'm like, you aren't playing that. But the Ducks also have a minus 10 gold diff and they're in first place. I know, dude. And like you said earlier, you were like, Marner's on Vegas. they're great and I'm like, are they great? They have 76 points.

They're not. They're not. Like they are, it's, it is the strangest division I have ever seen. And the Kings are in sixth, dude. It's not even like, I know. But again, they're only two points out. I know, but it's just, that is crazy. It is.

They do have to get in. And the thing that blows about the Pacific is no, we, no one's, you'll find no one happier than us that the fact that the ducks are in first place. Correct. But like we just said, they have a minus 10 gold. if they're not running they're again they are every team as far as points every single team in the pacific is worse than every single team in the east that is in the playoffs yeah i mean it is crazy what we're looking at and what really blows is for the stories for a number of reasons we desperately

want the kings and the sharks to get into playoffs i know but that means an awesome team is getting bumped from dude yes like i do i don't want seattle or Utah to miss playoffs. I know. And I don't see anyone of Anaheim, Vegas, and Edmonton moving out of those top three spots in the Pacific. I know. So I have two teams that I need in the playoffs for the story. Yeah. So we're now, we've just kicked the spunk. And that means that I am, I'm given an ending to another story, to two other stories that no one wants. And unfortunately, Dan, and not unfortunately, Utah at 74 points with an extra game, but at 74 points plus 20 goldiff, feels like they are in the driver's seat for one of the wild card spots.

So that means, oh, there's only one spot left for the spunk, the sharks, and the Kings. Yeah. And do, and the Preds. I'll give the Preds some love. Preds are playing fun hockey. I want it to be the Kings for Copeland. And I apologize. I apologize to the Spunk, and I apologize to the sharks, and I apologize to the Preds.

It absolutely stinks. I want it. I need it. I need it for Copee, but I also need my son to win MVP. Yes. Here's a question, though. And I'm being dead ass. You're at Anjikopatar.

You've had a 20-year career. Yes. And you're a legend. You're the highest scoring king of all time. It's amazing. You're retiring. Do you want to, if these are the two options I present to you, you miss playoffs in your last year by like a point or whatever,

and you just go, you go, go home to your native land. Sure. Good day. Or you make it by a point and you play the avalanche in the first round and are promptly swept out of the playoffs. You don't even win a game. Wouldn't care. You would prefer that.

Yeah. Just get in. Yeah. You got to play playoffs one more time. Okay. Yeah. For sure. I think if you there's, if there's, you don't know what's going to happen in playoffs,

then 100% you choose that. But if I'm telling you for sure, you get swept. I didn't know if that changed the equation. No, it's, yeah. You go, it was still fun. He wouldn't believe you. Yeah. You'd be like, there's always a chance.

You know what would be nuts is if they manage. to get the first wild card, like maybe Mammoth struggle or something, and the Ducks win, and we have an Anaheim, L.A., first round. Well, dude, I was actually thinking that, Dan. So the Kings... That'd be awesome.

They're five points back from the top wildcard spot, but they're a game behind. So for arguments, I'd call it three points back, right? So that's very attainable. If they do that, the Oilers are so close to winning the Pacific, and it could be, if they get the second wildcard spot

and the oil is win the Pacific, they will get the oilers in the first round. Don't even bring some. And we'll also be promptly sweat. Don't. Do not bring something like that up. Here's the, here's, okay, here's an actual answer for you. If that happens, you miss play.

If that happens, I would rather than miss playoffs. Me too. I would rather than miss playoffs than have them get in and just get beaten by the oilers yet again. I don't need that. Yeah, and it's close. We're flirting with it. We're flirting with it. Wait, okay, Dan, here you go.

We're going to find out right now if the Kings make it. Ready? Oh, God. Okay. What's happening? Kings at Rangers. Win. Because they're on the road.

Home versus Flyers. Has to be a win. Home versus Sabers. Loss. 2 and 1. At Mammoth. Loss. 2 and 2.

At Mammoth. Win. 3 and 2. At Canucks. Win. 4 and 2. Home versus Mammoth. Loss.

4 and 3. Home versus Blues. Win. Has to be. 5 and 3. Home versus Preds. They could win it. Has to be a win.

6 and 3. Home versus Leifes. has to be a win. 7 and 3. Home versus Preds. Has to be a win. 8 and 3. Home versus Canucks.

Has to be a win. 9 and 3. Home versus Oilers. Lost. 9 and 4. At Spunk. Yep. Has to be.

I mean, especially, yep. I mean, yeah, you're on the road. Win. 10 and 4. At Canucks. Win. 11 and 4.

At Flames. Win. 12 and 4. Kings are in. Kings are in. Kings made playoffs. 12 and 4 run. That was totally realistic.

It wasn't wishful thinking whatsoever. All of that is definitely going to happen. 12 and 4 Kings are in. We're going to have really good vibes this week. Yes, dude. For Copey. All time leading score. We have to get in, dude.

We have to get in. I don't know what to say. Hell yes. Let's kick it to college for a quick second and talk about the BU boys because we've got some NHL entries. Yes, sir. One on here. Cole Hudson.

We got another Hudson. Yeah. In the league. Signed his entry-level contract with the Caps. Love to see that. Could play Wednesday. He could play Wednesday. I'm thrilled to see.

that young man in the NHO. I am genuinely excited because... I think he's a player. For the people that aren't watching college, Cole is very good, is just as exciting, is doing insane shit on the blue line with the puck in college. And I had my doubts, 100%. I had my doubts if Lane's game would translate as easily to the pros. And it's 1,000% did. So I'm really excited to see Cole get there and potentially do the same thing. And how many times have we seen a college kid come in with just the confidence? Because you're like, whatever, I'm, I just was ripping it up in college. And it's just too fast for me to even be nervous.

Yeah. That could happen here. And this could be a massive boost for the capitals. It's almost amazing that there's, B, you had such a disappointing season that they're just free to go now. They're like, sweet, let's go pro. Fuck it. Johnny Carlson goes over to the ducks. And they go, boom.

Here's an opportunity. It's cool. Get your kid in here. It's going to be fantastic. Super excited for him. Excited to see if the Cappies can do something here. Maybe make a little push. Going over to the Islanders,

Cole Eiserman, friend of the program, Stud, is he going back for a third year, last year of college eligibility or last year as well, they still have property of him and the Islanders? Or are the Isles going to snag him? I think it would be loony tunes to not bring him up. I think that it, look at what this team is, this Islander's team, the vibes that they have. I can't think of a better group of human beings to be nurturing a player.

Get him on this team. I couldn't agree more, Dan. When they said Cole Hudson was going up, I was looking for the Eisenman announcement, and it was like, Iserman unsure. And maybe it's his camp, right? Like, I don't mean to say whatever, but I'm like, dude, this Islander's team is so fun. You've got Shaft Daddy being the young guy, taking all the pressure off. you the young guy. There's no, there's no, oh, here's our 11th overall pick or whatever he was,

14th overall, and he better be the savior. I'm like, no, no, you have the savior who's younger than you. It doesn't matter. You just come up and rip pucks, which is what you were put on God's earth to do. And they go, I was banging the drum for Cairo and even like a de brusk to just get some power play goals. Holy fuck, dude, if you brought up Cole Eisenman and you were like, you don't even play unless we're on the power play, and he would go, okay. And you know what my big thing for him is? Uh, Braden Chen. Yeah. Like that's I love that.

That's a father figure. That's the guy who's going to show you the ropes. He should live with Marty too. Marty should go cheaper by the dozen style. Yeah, shave, get in here. Iserman get in here. And what's so funny about Shenner is like Shen just showed up there. He didn't even have a house. Yeah, yeah.

But they're like this, live with him. Yeah. Everybody live with Marty, dude. I think that putting Iserman on the wing with Shen getting coached up by that guy, a nice veteran playing with him. All the vibes are as good as can be with the Islanders. You bring this kid in. Oh, I love it. I want him up.

I want him up bad. I think it's a, I believe in the third year. I think a lot of players do the third year and it works out great. I understand the poll or the appeal for him. He's obviously pissed about the season too, right? Definitely. I get the poll to go back to be like, I need to do better at BU. Definitely.

But I'm, I think that this is a, I think, it's a perfect situation and a great opportunity for him to just jump onto that island and it's going to be great i i i would i would bring him up for get him up get him up get him up for sure aisles this is a no-brainer bring the kid in let him start fucking lighten it up on the peeper it'll be great i would be fired up dude it will be great okay last bit of news and hot ice we got to go to the atlantic we got to talk about two teams the wings in the sense Yep

The wings We said we weren't going to talk about this And I tried not to We actually in fact we didn't So we didn't talk about it So this isn't our fault Yeah But the wings have a March problem

They've had a March problem For a while here And so far They're two and five in March They lost to the Panthers And the bolts and the stars On a road trip Which is those are tough games

That's not the easiest run Of a road trip to have No But they had a very important important homestand about to start with the flames, the haves, the Bruins, and the Sets. You got to win, you got to go three and one on that trip. Like, minimum. And I'm wondering if it's mental, if it's becoming mental in Detroit.

Like they get to March and they're like, don't do that again. And then you're doing it. Obviously, Lark and missing time is not helpful. Yeah, Lark's being out is not great. But we are in the aides of March and it is not going well so far. and I think you're right. This is year three. And it's, this cannot happen.

It has to be mental. I think so too, because it's so fucking crazy that it's right when the deadline is, right? The deadline's the start of the month. And then every year we go, the rings didn't do anything again.

I know they did something this year. But it's like, the wings didn't do anything. And then they go, we lose every game in March, and now we're missing playoffs. And I'm like, yo, stop, stop, stop, stop that. And I will say this, though. The good news is,

and Tampa has two games in hand. Montreal and Boston have one game in hand, but regardless of that. The good news is, if Detroit gets a win in their next game and the Habs and the Bruins have a loss, Detroit will be above Boston, and they will be tied with Montreal.

Yep. So it's not like they are clinging to this wildcard spot and everything. else is out of reach. Oh yeah, it's still jam-backed. That's, that's, that is something I think is a good news. So, so they can't, the, the positive angle of this is, it's not like you have one last hope. And if you lose, you're dead. Yeah. It's like, no, no, you could go up, you could get up to second. There are only four points behind Tampa. How insane is that? Yeah, right. There are only four points behind Tampa.

So there is so much hope available. Don't lose that hope. It's not the hope that kills you. A lot of Ted Lassau references today. I think that they need to go, we are not this scrappy team this year that's just trying to fight for a spot. No, you are in the standard of good teams in the Atlantic.

Remember that. Put that in your mind and go win. games. And I would say the scary part of it, that's looking up like this, right? Yeah, yeah. And they go, oh, I thought I needed my binoculars, but actually all the teams are right here. It's right there. But the scary part is looking down, they go, I hope I need my binoculars looking down. And I go, well, actually, if Columbus wins their game in hand, they're ahead of you and you're out. Yes. So, and Ottawa, who is fucking seven, one and two in their last 10 with a plus 20 gold diff compared to Detroit's minus six gold if is up your ass. And Ottawa's got two wins in row and they're seven one and two

in their last 10. Like, Ottawa's playing well. Yeah. And you're not. You've got to be spooked by that a little bit. You go, oh, fuck. Yeah. Oh, fuck.

This is dig deep time. Yes, it is. This is deep time. And I, you know what? I'm going to say it because we've got Larks on today. That's going to be a nice bump for the team. That's going to be nice vibes for the team. Yep.

Detroit fans are going to listen to this episode and get fired up hearing about Larks and how fucking awesome he is. And every time we've done it, it this year, it has gone well and we haven't done it in a while. I'm putting the wings on fraud watch. Yes! Yes! They need it. They fucking need it, dude.

I'm putting the wings on fraud watch. It just means watch. It just means watch. It just means watch. Real fans know. Just means pick it up. We've done this twice this year and it rattled off windstreaks after. It's not calling them frauds. We're putting them on fraud watch. The third time we've done it this year, let's see how it goes.

It's worked twice. but you are on fraud watch Detroit Red Wings. Let's see how you respond. Before we get off this topic, I was just looking at Tampa. It is so funny to me that Tampa is three and seven in their last 10, where every time Tampa surges to the top and I'm like, God, they are so fucking. They play like they are truly Colorado level. Yeah.

They're the best team. They win eight straight games and they're the best team I've ever seen. And everyone goes, Tampa, best team in the east. And then we all stop paying attention collectively. and they lose eight straight. Yeah. And we're like, everyone's like, wait, what are you doing? What happened?

And now they're going on, and these aren't, it's Spunk, Canucks, Oilers, Flames, four-game road trip. But when you're fucking Tampa and you've got to fly across the fucking planet to play these four teams, that's a shit road trip, you know? And I'm like, on paper you win a bunch of those. But if you go one and three on these, I'm like, what are you doing, dude? Correct. It's so crazy to me. Absolutely correct. They'll be fine, but I'm curious to see their seat.

Agree. Okay, let's take a quick ad break and then jump back in with an amazing interview with gold medalist, Dill Marking. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is March and you know what that means. I know this is a hockey pod, but you can't not think hoops when you hear March. And the Covinder Twins are facing off in the court of legends game and you can enter a pick a twin to win, free to play game for a chance to win your share of $2 million in bonus bets. offer, three easy steps. Number one, opt in to the pick a twin to win free to play game. Step number two, select which Covinder twin, Haley or Hannah, you think will win the Court of Legends. One-on-one basketball game hosted at the bank at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, which is so sick. Three, if the twin you select wins the game, you get your share of two million dollars in bonus bets. If you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code

netters. That is N-E-T-T-E-R-S to receive your welcome offer. Met MGM, make it legendary. All right, thanks to our friends at Bauer. You are getting this incredible sit down with Dylan Larkin. Post gold medal, he's still buzzing. How could you not be? We're still buzzing from that. We didn't even play.

So thanks to Larks, thanks to Bauer, and enjoy this awesome interview. Big day for empty netters, big day for me personally. And I just told him he's going to get the full real treatment intro, all the fun questions on another time when we get him back on. But for now, this is just an Olympic. session with our good friend, absolute legend, and gold medal winner, Dylan Larkin. Welcome to the Empty Nader's podcast. Thanks, boys.

You guys are legends. You guys are legends. And it's good to be with you guys. Oh, dude, it is, it's truly, this is a pleasure. It's been a long time coming. I'm very excited about it. But, dude, you've had, like, what, a couple of weeks now between now and Italy, so much has happened.

And you're wearing the tarp, which is just fantastic. Are you just still buzzing from the high of the victory? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's like, honestly, like normal things that would bother me. I just, like, day-to-day stuff or whatever it might be, I just, like, something happens. I'll go watch Jack's goal and see the celebration on the ice, and I'm just, like, right back to Cloud 10. It's unbelievable. So we've been enjoying it and to share, you know, with, we, we.

with some of my teammates and training staff and everyone back home has been pretty special. We really haven't been home, so I haven't seen extended family, but they kind of know, and we'll probably do something this summer. I'm sure we'll be celebrating this one for a long time. Oh, yeah.

Dude, dude, you, like, truly, when was the first time you got more than three hours of sleep in a night after that game? And I say that not because of the, celebration, but because of the, like, you were just on plane after plane after plane and then, like, right back in the season and on a roadie, it's just been a fucking session for you. Yeah. Yeah, the night of the state of the union, I was supposed to go and we're, you know, and I just

was like, after the White House, I was so tired. I'm like, I don't want to fall asleep at the stadium. I didn't really know what we were supposed to be doing, but I was like, I got to get home. and get to my family. We were leaving the next day for like a week. And I was like, I got a pack and do all this stuff. And most importantly, sleep. So that night I got a lot of sleep.

And then really still just still sleeping a tonned. As you should. Yeah. Yeah. As you should. Yeah. Dude, I want to go back, Larks, all the way to Four Nations, because that was such a table set for this experience, right? And I think the players knew, but as fans, people were kind of going,

And how intense will this exhibition tournament be? And then right away, it was insane. And I know you won't gash yourself up, so we will do it. You were one of the massive stars of that tournament. Everybody was saying, like, Jesus Christ, get this guy on the ice more, more, more. So when you were doing that, when you were at that tournament with Team USA, were you guys thinking already like, man, Olympics is going to be fucking nuts? Because it kind of was the precursor to what was coming in Milan. I mean, yes and no.

Obviously, we all understood that making that team the Four Nations. Like, we hadn't, I think that was a stressful start to that season, even just taking you guys back farther. Like, everyone wanted to make that team because you felt like you wanted the opportunity to play best on best. It had been so long. Yeah. And then the teams were announced really early, I believe.

And it was, I think it was like 12. 25 games into the season. So that was a stressful start to the year, and I didn't think I had the best start and was able to make that team and got my opportunity really and just mesh so well with the guys. And that tournament was so intense

in such a short period of time. It was like a total whirlwind, you know? Yeah. We had two or three practices. Then it was like a three and four. playing Finland, Canada and Sweden. Like it was, it was, that was pretty cool. And, you know, we, we, that looking back, how much media attention that, that game,

it was kind of like ESPN was all over it. They did such a good job. And, you know, national media, like the locker room before the day before the finals against Canada. I'd never seen that many media. people around and and then losing the final was a heartbreaker

like that and you know the tournament was so much fun and then that happened and it was like all right we played two days later in Detroit and it was like just I was like how the hell do I just forget about this

you know like when McDavid scored that was a dagger and and then from there that feeling of like man there's the job's not finished, you know, and then we kind of set our, and obviously, like, I was still, like,

got to have a good, good year, uh, finish and good year to try and make the Olympic team, you know, and, and continue. So, um, yeah, it, my, my mentality switched like right away. I was like, man, it'd just be unbelievable. We get those guys back in Milan and, and, and sure enough, that, uh, that's the way it win and, and just incredible. Dude, okay, so I'm glad you just said that because we were just talking to Chuckie the other day. And something I think that was so cool about Four Nations and about this group, your group in particular. You obviously have that tournament.

You have that crazy game at the Bell Center. You have a great goal in that game. You beat Canada. And then overtime lost Four Nations, obviously a dagger. But there was certainly the feeling of, let's call it what it is. Canada was top of the mountain and they, in many ways, still are. But that tournament was so awesome to see this group. be like, oh, we're right there.

Like this is a, you know, this is going to be a tilt. This is fantastic. And talking to Chuckie about all the different connections on this team with this group, the Michigan connections, the dev program connections, the Boston connections, and just seeing how immediately you clowns were just like the best of friends in the world and the chemistry that was going on with all these guys who every other night in the NHL are just battling trying to rip each other's heads off. it must have been the second you made this team

it must have been out of this world fun to be like this group is special we got a chance let's tag them back let's go like how awesome was that yeah yeah and I give you know Billy G a lot of credit for you know sticking with it and one of the first things you said

when we got to the Olympics we had met with the whole team and you know he's like you guys are close and that's the reason why you're all here you know we wanted to keep you guys together and, you know, that's a palsy call and it ended up paying off. But I give the Brady and Matthews so much credit. All the guys, you know, the Hughes's, Fabes, Boles, Tom are coming in,

like, Brock Nelson. Like, there's just, every guy is such a good guy. And, you know, but Matthew and Brayette, Brady, like they, they, they set everything up. They, they make, you know, dinners, whatever it may be. Our team services guy, Bridge. I got to give him a shout. Like, he works in Boston, and he was the MVP for the four nations and the Olympics.

And anything we needed, team dinners, he set it all up. But the Kachucks, they just make everyone feel so important, you know. and like whether I was doing whatever, you know, Kel's coming in, like everyone just was a huge part of the team. And those guys just brought everyone together. And, you know, like, I still think about the locker. I'm like, practice there is. And like, there wasn't a quiet moment the entire two and a half weeks.

Like, it wasn't just too, you know, it wasn't just Brady and Matthew. all the time. It was, it was, it was, it was milsy and troch and, and just different guys. Like, it was, it was always just so much fun to, to be around them. Yeah. Was it truly, like, when we heard all the stories about the boys, just like Brady, especially, just being in the calf all the time. And other than that, was it, was it actually truly just a gaff session all the time in their room? Like, their door was always open, and you guys were just kicking it, like, college days? Their door was always open. They never, they didn't shut it. Like, we would leave to go to games and they're like oh yeah

to just get back to the game it's leave it yeah like unbelievable and yeah there was always a card game going on there was always you know like a beer or two like you know somewhere where guys were hanging and

you know that that's just special and and the cafeteria we I kind of explained it like that it was the first week of college You know, as a freshman, you're in the dorms. You're so excited. You get all this new gear.

You unpack everything. And then it's like, all right, let's go explore campus, you know. And you're in the cafeteria and meeting people. And, you know, I'm sure you guys heard about the lava cakes and break me. It's just, yeah, like, it was nonstop for the two and a half, three weeks you were there. Larks, actually, we heard, or one of the first stories I heard about the lava cakes was actually from Taylor Heise on the women's team because she said he came out

and Heli was in the calf with like 30 of them in front of him he was like, yeah, I'm saving these for the boys. She was like, how did you get 30 long kicks? Yeah, there's a good story too. I think we were playing it was before the Slovakia game. I think it was Slovakia or maybe

yeah, I think it was in one of the games and the guy's name name was God, it's so good. It was like Simone.

Okay. Simony almost like in his Italian accent and Brady started to call him Spamoni. And he was the guy

that like ran the cafeteria. I think Matthew gave him a pin early and then we just it was lava cakes galore so before the game he brought him like 10 lava cakes and Brady's like

man what a great guy but like we got to play like I can't do it I'm not that you know I'm not so it was this first time he turned out a lava cake but dude I you know just even funny stuff like that

it just took all the life of its own and we were just laughing I we've said to a bunch of the boys now it's like the fact that you guys had like prison deals going on for lava cakes at the Olympic Village is so fucking funny It's unbelievable. Yeah.

Oh, God. Dude, okay, so one thing we asked Chuck to, and I want your take on, you know, you go through the group stage. You have a great run. You know, you're watching the tournament shakeout. And then it's like fucking Sweden in the quarterfiles. Oh, my God. So what was just the attitude? What was the reaction?

What was the attitude? And were you guys clocking? Because it was hard to follow the gold diff shit. Were you clocking like what was going on and we're probably going to get Sweden? Was all that going down? Yeah. Yeah. And the Germans, like the Germans are so dangerous with the big guys they have and knowing Mo.

Like I was like, this is not an easy game by any means. So we're like, all right, it is what it is. And, you know, we, I think we were one of the last games. So we're like, yeah, we got to beat Germany by crazy. And it's like, all right. Yeah. Let's take care of business tonight. And then as soon as that game ended, I was like, oh, man, we got to play Sweden.

Yeah. You know, I don't even know where they've been. played in the playoff. Dude, such a shit deal to play as well as you did in prelims and then draw Sweden. Yeah, I was so nervous for that game. Oh my God.

Like, just, God, you know, it's such a special group and you don't, you don't want it to end. And I'm like, man,

I was like talking to my wife the night before. I'm, this is the most nervous I've been for a game. Wow. And a long time. And, and, you know,

actually Todd McClellan called me because we had a couple days and I was expressing to him. I was like, you know, I'm nervous for this game. And he's like, well, sometimes nerves bring the best out of guys. And, you know, I really felt like it, that those nerves just brought us to life. And you could feel it in the room and you could see the pop, the morning skate. Like, guys, it was one of the best practices we had. And guys were ready to go. Yeah.

Well, dude, I mean, you kind of just said it. You did this in Four Nations. I feel like you do it every season, too. You're definitely the type of player that just gets better and better and better as you play. And as you go through a tournament or go through the season. And that was happening here. And then you get things started in that Sweden game with those nerves you were just talking about, how good did it feel for you? But also just the boys to like get that sick tip, massive goal, get things going.

Did that settle you a little bit? Yeah. Yeah, I think so. And I think, like, Jack got bumped up to our line or bumped down, you know, to my line. Because Nellie was playing so well. But just the way the tournament went. And once we started playing together, it was – and he was so good from the first game. Yeah.

Just like – I think he heard the noise about Four Nations. and he wanted to prove a point, and he wanted the puck on his stick. He wanted on his stick from the first minute of the first game and to make a statement. And playing with him was so much fun because I know I'm from skating with him in the summer, but as the games got tighter,

it's just so much fun. I just was having a blast with it. Yeah, no doubt. Dude, they tie it with a fucking minute left. And I want to throw up. Dude, we were, Dan, we were in Canada House for that game, right? Yeah, it was like, everyone's cheering. And I'm just like, oh, my God.

So they tie it with a minute left. What's said in the locker room? Because you're going into three on three where it's kind of like, Christ, anything can happen. You know, who's stepping up, who's saying stuff? How was the vibe going into that overtime? Well, that one was, it was just like a regular. Oh, yeah, right. There was just a quick stop.

Yeah. Devils and and and and and then we were going. So we had talked about three on three before before the game actually and so he was like this could you know it gets down to it like these games are tight. It could get to three on three. So we talked about it and man when they scored I was like, oh, Jesus. Now it's like a toss up. Three on three can go either way.

No doubt. Like it's a bounce. It's a one team's getting their chance and if it's a. not going in, it's going, it goes down the other way. Like, and then they get, the other team gets the chance. So, uh, I remember looking around and, and, and trying to like talk myself out of being nervous. And, uh, I saw Quinny Hughes and I'm like, God, we got that guy.

What I'm going to. Just do it. Yeah. Just come on, Quinnie. And, uh, he's so, he's so, like, dialed and focused. It's, it's like, you know, there's not a, a moment that's too big. for him. So I remember seeing him. I'm like, all right, here we go. Yeah. Dude, the way that, like, we were watching the game and it just felt like he was feeling it. He was in flow

state. And it's just like, everyone was just given Huggy the puck. And I was like he is going to score right now. This is, this is feels like it's written in the stars. It's fantastic. Dude, I'm glad you said what you said about Jack, by the way, because I was going to war for him online with people. Like, after that first game, he made a bunch of great plays in that Lafia game, including one that led to one of the goals that got. taken back and i was like jack hughes has been fucking phenomenal tonight and there were still some of those dumb dumb haters from four nations who were like no he hasn't been and then every game he got better and i was just like it was a great moment for me it's a great victory for i'm sure jack felt good

yeah yeah but i felt fucking great um but when when quinn tucked that goal did you go nuts or was it kind of like a breath of yeah breath of relief or you because you know you got two more games hopefully after that so that must yeah no i i actually win nuts out i uh i uh i uh I was miced up for it. So there's actually a good clip. Oh, sick. Yeah, I've watched that a bunch, but, like, that was such an intense game. And, you know, the sweets, they're so dangerous.

Like, yeah. So when he scored it, it was, it was like a, yeah, it was probably like a six out of ten if the ten is what was to come, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So fair. Yeah. That's incredible. Dude, well, Dan was saying the two games,

were you guys, because Canada was already waiting for you in the final when you went to play Slovakia, was it hard at all to not look past that game, right? Because everybody on Earth

is talking about this US Canada final. Was it hard to not just dial in an semi-final game or was it a big enough moment that you guys were like, let's take care of our shit? No, honestly, because of what,

how tight the Canada-Finnland game was. Right. And we got to the, rink, I think, around 6 o'clock and that game was just wrapping up and we're all like huddled around a laptop watching it. Yeah. And and I don't know, it was, it's like a feeling of like, God, they could, you know, like, I think it kind of woke us up a little bit. And we were ready to go for that one for sure too, Slovakia.

Yeah, good. and then what was the pre you said you were nervous going into the Sweden game what were the pre-game nerves going into the gold medal game yeah like if you were nervous for Sweden like what was what was happening to your insides go heading into the Canada game oh like yeah that it was almost too much you know it was like yeah I thank God it was a two o'clock game because there's no way if we were playing at nine o'clock normally like oh my god that that day would have been like so long. I couldn't sleep the night before. You're just going through in your head about the what ifs and and how the game's going to go and you're thinking about it and everything,

you know? So I think probably like two o'clock in the morning, I was like, all right, let's just, just do this, you know? Let's just play the game and see. and I ended up being able to fall asleep. But thankfully, it was get up, eat, go to the rink, and let's get this going, you know. But I was, I was very nervous, very nervous. Of course, dude. I mean, but I like what Todd said, like nerves, nerves can be good.

And I feel like in that type of a game, too, it's like, it's actually funny. You hear the hellie story where he was like, I actually slept better than I ever have before that game, which blows the line. Yeah, yeah. But it's like, I almost feel like you want the nerves because it's like,

It makes you feel alive still, dude. Like, this is the game that you've been, you know, dreaming about your entire fucking life. So to be in there, that's incredible, especially against Canada. Where how long did, I actually haven't asked anyone this yet. How long did that game feel like it took for you?

Because I feel like in those moments, you almost black out at parts during the period. You're just getting through shift by shift. Obviously, it goes to OT. But like, did that game, especially when you were protecting the lead? and then when you're trying to hold on to the tie, did it feel like the game took forever

or was it kind of just like flash shots for you? Yeah, that was a stressful one. Oh my gosh, because it's actually the first couple shifts. We were like dominating. Yeah, I know. Oh, yeah. Here we go.

And it didn't last long. Bold scored. And then we were so fired up. Yeah, how did you feel right then? because that was fucking sick. It's also, it was unbelievable that it was such a swaggy goal. Like that was the sexiest goal I could have ever imagined in a gold medal game. Yeah, yeah, we were fired up.

And then it's like, oh, here we go, you know, come on. And then, and then from really, like, then on, Canada, they played so well. And, you know, you got to give them, they battled and through the kitchen sink at us. and Hellie was just unbelievable. Like, Jesus, even Bennington played out of his mind. He made a big save on Trojan the third. Oh, huge. You know, he made some big saves.

But yeah, it was crazy, stressful back and forth, like going out there, we're getting pinned in, and then you're chipping it out, you're racing to the bench, and they're just coming in waves. And, you know, we had some big chances in the second, but until really from from bold's goal until that uh when jack got high sticked and we got a four minute power play i was like oh my god here we go like that's that's so long too yeah we got yeah four minutes and like we got our powerplay's nasty like ike's quinny and amats they they snap it around so well and and like gosh come on boys let's get this one let's get this one and and brady was

before the game, he's like 3-1. We're going to win 3-1. Wow. Jesus. And they took the format. He goes, here we go, boys. We're going to get more of the power. Then we're going to get the empty-netter. 3-1, like I said. Come on. That is awesome.

You know? Yeah. And then immediate jack penalty. I know. And then jack penalty. And then it's like, shit, we've got to go on the kill again. And the 5-on-3 killed, too. There's just so many things. The 5-on-3, like, I can't imagine what you. you guys were feeling. I was shitting in my pants because I was just like, there's no,

how in the world? How in the world do you possibly survive this? But it goes to something you said, at what point in the game, was it clear to you that hell he was seeing God? Because like, we've all seen him play out of his mind, but there was something happening in that game. Like, could you tell in the second period or did it take like the third period heroics? And, and, you know, the penalty kills before you were like, this is unbelievable. Yeah. I mean, gee, I was, It's so funny, Brady, like, again, you know, the time that he talked about on his podcast, that Pete's up the middle.

Yeah. You know, like, Heli's right there and makes a huge save. And he just bailed us out. Like, all tournament, RD and in Heli and just took care of everything. Like, incredible. Our D-Corp, CMAC pull and I won off the goal line. But the one, like, the one with. with Taves and Helly's paddle.

Like, I was on the ice for that one, and I'm, like, kind of behind them, and I turned because I thought it went in, you know? Yeah, yeah. And then I look, look again, and, like, people are chasing in the corner. I'm like, how? What is going on, you know?

Like, what is. Lark's, like, guys, that went in. Why is it still playing? And, hey, did you know, because I asked Chuck this, too, because he was right there, Did you know it hit the paddle or did you think he just missed? Because I was like, we thought he missed right away.

Yeah, so did we. It's like watching that replay. I was like, holy fuck, he got his paddle on that. That was insane, dude. What a moment. Yeah. Dude, there was, truly like, the spirit of Johnny was, was strapped in front of that net with like the Nate miss and then that save.

Like, holy shit, man. Were you, who was on for the Nate miss, Larks, or no? I think I was. I think I was. I was on for every big chance. against. Do you? I had the craziest night of all time.

What did you think that in that moment, you know, like when you see that puck, because it kind of like ricocheted to him, you know, like, when you see that puck go to him open net, are you like, oh, my fucking God. It's one of those like slow motion. Like he's there. He's there. He's there. Oh, shit.

He's. And then he misses, you know. And you're like, what is going on? Yeah. But like, again, like he doesn't miss those. And, you know, they have so many. many great players and and uh what a hockey game and i i haven't been able to watch it uh kind of maybe waiting for a special time when i can really just like watch the whole thing and and

and watch it back but yeah um seeing the highlights and and everything and just a unbelievable hockey game and it was as fast as that was probably part of the whirlwind too it's like there's no time with the puck. You get the puck. It's moving it right away. Someone's on top of you. Someone's skating to get you. Like it was similar to the Four Nations where when we play them twice, it was like that.

But this was even a higher level than that. For sure. I mean, you talked about all the chances for them that you were on. Obviously, you're on for the OT winner. Yeah. Did you, because like, I've been loving. We actually, we had a clip from like right after the game that went viral because of everyone's reaction to it. The stands, man, like no one knew.

It was, I told the story that there was this, there was this millisecond breath where Jack shoots it and there was silence in the arena because everyone was like, what the fuck just happened? And I think a couple of the boys said on the bench, like they kind of threw their head back like, fuck, he like he whiffed it. And then it just went in. Did you see it go in? Oh, yeah. Okay, you did. Okay. Tell me everything.

Like, what did you feel when you saw it? And, like, when he got the puck, were you like, he's scoring? Well, yeah, I was skating up the ice and he poked it. And then I'm like, oh, here we go. Like, Big Z is flying. He's a big, he's flying here. And McKinnon was back. And then it was like slow motion from there.

It kind of got stuck on McKinnon's foot. It was a weird, like, they almost collided and Z bounced off McKinn. I came over because I was, you know, like sometimes when the puck could pop anyway. Yeah, yeah. I'm just looking for possession to keep it in overtime. And I turned, I'm like, I got to get back. They got some pretty good players out here. Like, I don't want to be a guy that goes for a skate in the gold medal three-on-three overtime.

So I'm getting back and then I just left it. He's got momentum going to the net. And then when I turned, I saw him snap it over to Jack. And then I had the perfect view of it go right through his legs and in the net. And oh my God, it was, I can relive the quietness. I think it was shock because it was. And then from there it was like full helicopter, my stick down the ice. Yeah, yeah.

skate it as fast as I could towards our bench and then realize everyone's going this way so I turn and threw my and then I do remember like thinking before over time like I want to throw my gloves in the air so bad it's been so long since I

you know like since I've done that and it was one of the best feelings I'll ever have in hockey like in that fashion to do it that that game that environment Canada, USA is it just

it was storybook and and just unbelievable I probably yelled for 10 minutes straight after that with all the guys hugging and and you know just special man hugging those guys

and and yeah dude it was it was truly like you know people always say the dream but that was truly the dream it was unbelievable And it's like we keep saying to everybody, seeing you guys after was like it was impossible not to just have the biggest smile on your face. Because everyone was so happy and like all the family, like seeing your brother, seeing your dad, like everyone was so happy. And I was like, this is maybe the most special and happy environment I've ever been in my life.

Yeah. It was incredible. Yeah, I know. That's a good, yeah. It was completely, you know, they always say like, yo, my cheeks hurt. I'm smiling. It was 100% like I actually felt like I was smiling slash laughing from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Like it was just a 12 hour run. I was like, oh, man, this is insane, dude. Hey, on the ice larks,

because that was so sick watching, you know, everybody, you guys hug each other with the flags and all that stuff. And then with the Godro kids, that was just so special. Tell us just about how that came about and how you guys went to get them and all that stuff. yeah um i was looking because the family seats were were kind of from like where the penalty box was to the to the to the the corner where where uh helly was in overtime and and and i was looking for my parents and and my wife and and they weren't in that that area but as i was kind of scanning it's just like the one person's is mr gudra i see yeah and and he you know standing there and and i'm waving to him and pointing and and uh i was kind of scanning and uh And then I told Z, I'm like, hey, Mr. Goodrow and Meredith and the whole crew was right there.

So from then, I think we both knew, like, let's get them down for a picture. And we started to tell the guys, like, hey, when we take the team picture, just stay. And let's go get them, get them and bring them down. And, you know, it was funny, too, like, even we're celebrating on the ice. and the whoever, the organizing people for the ceremony are like, you guys get in numerical order and we're like, yeah, like, get us. Get out of here.

Like, we're fine. But we ended up doing it. We got in that order. And then when, when Zach and I got up, the guy's like, no, no, stay, get down. And we just skated right by him. And we did that. And, you know, like, Johnny is just

I know him because we played three world championships together. Yeah, exactly. And we always had just so much fun together. And he's he's someone that that just truly has the biggest heart and loves his family. So

bringing his kids out there was really special and something that that I know I read the comments that they made and how much it meant to them. And that, to me, is bigger than a gold medal, just what the family has been through. What we've all, you know, it's one of the biggest losses of my life. And in the hockey world, it was hit hard by that, by that. And, you know, to bring his kids out there, just they'll have that memory and the photo for the rest of their life.

and and I hope one day Johnny Johnny Jr. is on that ice, you know, and wearing a USA jersey. Yeah. And, you know, I miss watching his dad play. But I hope that, you know, he can, you know, be like his dad and be one of the best waterbugs out there. Yes. And, you know, so they'll have that picture forever. and I love Meredith and she's the strongest person I know and I'm glad it meant something to them. Yeah, man, it's perfectly said.

And it speaks so much to the people that they are and the family that they are, but also that you've all created together how perfect and special that moment was, to be, to feel bigger than an Olympic gold medal and to fill your hearts more than that moment It just says everything about how wonderful they are and how wonderful the bond is that you've all created together. So to be able to add that moment on top of everything, it's, we said earlier the dream. It's, it's even bigger than that. So I'm just so, you know, proud of you guys and just blown away with how incredible that was. Yeah, meant something to all of us.

It really did us. It was so special. I, like we said, we're going to grab you another time here soon and get into all of it. but before we, you know, let it go. Obviously, the celebrations were amazing. Everything was so fun. But outside of all that, did you have any moments just like in Milan, whether it be with the family or with the boys,

that was just like an awesome moment or a funny moment that just sticks out in your memory when you try to look back on the whole experience? I mean, geez, like, everything was so special, you know? Like, it really was. And I'm not like a big picture. picture guy or like but I went in and I'm like I'm going to take as many pictures as I can and to be at the Olympics and and wear all the gear and be around other athletes it was uh I was expecting it to be great it was even better than that you know it was probably the most

special uh experience I've had just being in the village being with with the guys and then our group, you know, just the stories and the conversations and, you know, every moment, every bus ride, every, you know, every, you know, locker room, like, it just, it was, it was cool. It was, it was the best. And I, you know, like, there's a special group, right? Yeah, I get it. We always talk about expectations and like hopes and I just get so happy and I laugh thinking about like you guys went in there and like when you left you for the rest of your life man you will be able to be like holy shit that went better than any of us could have ever imagined. Like that is phenomenal. It's so so awesome.

Hey, Larks, Larks who was cleaning up at the car table? It went back and forth Yeah, fair Hellie, we played poker one day And I had a good day The last time we played So I was up on Heli And I think I'm gonna

Normally I would be like Hey, Helly, you owe me Yeah, I'm gonna let that one slide Yeah, yeah You know what? Yeah, we're even I think he paid his debt Yeah

That is funny That is funny For a while Yeah, I think Helly's paid his debt Yeah For sure Fuck, that is so funny man Oh my God, that's incredible.

All right, well, dude, I know you're getting kicked out of that hotel room, so we've got to let you go. Dude, you're the best. Thanks for popping on. Like I said, we'll do it again, and hopefully we'll see you even sooner. Yes, sir. A nice playoff game at LCA here, so let's get going. Thanks, boys. Fucking rights, dude.

Thanks, you, legends. Love you, Larks. Thanks, good to see you guys, yeah, absolutely. Huge shout out to Dylan Larkin and Bauer for that amazing chat. I can't, I do it every day on the show. I just can't express how much I love it. I love him. I love him, and I don't care who knows. He's just the best human being on Earth. Bauer's the greatest company on Earth. It's a perfect match. You absolutely love it. We're going to take another

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Welcome back, everybody. What an episode this has been. It's about to get even better because we had, everyone had a great weekend. We did. Everyone had a great weekend. We sure did. We're in L.A. We're Hollywood boys, the three of us.

So we were watching the Oscars last night. Evan just perked up. Ev gave us his spread, his spread for the Oscars. What was the best of the snacks? Hmm. Probably the sliders, the burger sliders. Nice. Yeah, I cooked them on the grill.

They each came with like a pickle, a bit of raw onion, mustard and ketchup. Perfect. Perfect bite. Didn't over cook them. That's a run the football burger right now. Was there cheese? Yeah. A variety.

It's like kind of a mystery. Oh, you don't know what you're going to get. Yeah, sometimes it was pepper jacks. Sometimes it was American. Sometimes it was cheddar. Was that your favorite movie pun food? Borgonia? Mini Bergonia.

Burger Oe. We did Martini Supreme That's an obvious one Oh that is good I don't think that's obvious at all You were drinking martinis too That's why he slept two hours

That's why you slept poor No I actually had no martinis Fuck Yeah I had a few small beers though Okay Modellos That's awesome And I got

Hold on What's the line from Benito And he goes a few small beers How much have you had a drink Sir and he goes A few small beers They played it at the Oscar They did drink

Like them in Little I wish they were tiny No I just got Madelis But I did get, you know, the Ethan Hogg movie, Blue Moon that got nominated? So I just had a pack of Blue Moon, and I printed out stickers where I replaced the label with a picture of him from the Postman's movie. Also, we should have brought back you some mini coronas from Italy. Yeah, a few small beers. There's a lot of them there.

We had a lot of few small beers. Okay, Martini Supreme's good. What else? Or was that your favorite? Is there sinners anything? There was, well, we just had a sign above all the food that just said dinners in the poster font of, I feel like you could have done something with drinking blood there. I could have, yeah, but that's more of like a Halloween vibe, you know.

True, yeah. Excuse me, true. But yeah. It was fun. I gotta give credit to my wife, too. She came up with a lot of those names. Hell yeah, okay. What did you do?

Do you see it? I did a bit of work and then honestly I went up, it was hanging by the pool of Alice and we kind of lost track of time and the Oscars started. So did I. I thought it was five. And I was like, oh, shit. And then I couldn't. figure out what the fuck to do with YouTube.

I was on YouTube TV trying to rewind. Bro. And I couldn't do it. Yeah, I missed the beginning too. So I somehow managed to avoid all spoilers. And then I just watched it later. And then I just, we made Swedish tacos. Nice. And we watched the Oscars. So obviously the Oscars were this weekend. Wait, what is a Swedish taco?

I, we made tacos, okay? And Alice was like, this is, they're Swedish tacos. And the, I think the number one thing that made them Swedish was, it was like the fact that we, you make all of the ingredients, then put them out on the table, you get your tortilla and then you go and you, you assemble it. And Alice was like, it's just great because like when you get a burrito or a taco from a place and they're delivered or even at the restaurant, everything. like really, you know, hot and melted together and it's tightly wrapped. And I was like, yeah, for sure. She's like, this is kind of like, you make whatever you want. You can put whatever you want on there. So it's a variety. And also, everything's kind of fresh. And some of the vegetables and things like that are cold. So there's like a nice fresh snap to them, which is definitely

true. But I just don't think Alice knows how every single person in the U.S. had Taco Night with their families, because that's exactly what it is. Yeah. I was like, what the fuck are you talking about? Okay, yeah. And let me tell you, it was delicious. Yeah. But the big differences, I suppose, were we had chopped cucumbers, which I've actually never done on like a taco night as a topping.

We did some sweet corn, which is not weird. I know a lot of people put, but that was nice too. And we did fresh shredded guda cheese. Oh, did you have it from the weekend? No. I thought you took that home. Maybe beat. Oh, I did not take that one. No. Yeah. But I was like, I don't think I've ever done Gouda on a taco and it was nice. Okay. Listen, it was delicious. You had tacos. You had Mexican tacos. No, no, we had Swedish tacos, pal. They were Swedish, okay? I wonder. Let's get into the office. Yeah, sorry. Sorry about that. This is not a Swedish taco conversation, okay? Totally derailed the combo. Alice is a fucking saint and those tacos were amazing. So I will thank you to not. disparage Swedish tacos. I'm sad I didn't have any.

I'm sad I didn't get some. Maybe you got some leftovers. Okay. Was, did anything thrill you or upset you with these Oscars? I was not surprised by much. I think like down the, I mean. It was pretty chalky.

Yeah, I feel like, yeah, everybody kind of like knew what was going to, we were talking a little earlier. It felt very like, yeah, this was, other than the fact that like maybe a month or two ago, you would have thought that more love would have gone to, Marty Supreme or Shalame. But I think people just got sick of that movie and in his marketing stuff.

Yeah, it was, I mean, as a sinners guy, it felt in early awards season, Sinners was the like, this was kind of the fun. Yeah. I don't want to call it popcorny, but that was like a blockbustery type movie. It's a genre movie. Yeah.

That got some nominations. And it was like, isn't it fun that they got nominations? They're not going to win anything. And then that started shifting. So I was like, nice, here we go. So that was great. I can't fucking believe how good Leo looked. Oh my gosh.

The mustache looks great on him. His hair looked amazing. He looked kind of snatched. He was looking tighter than he has in a little bit. The mustache was perfect. It was great mustache. It was a great mustache. Speaking of people who look great, Conan looks phenomenal.

Yes. Yeah. Yep. I thought he was wonderful. I thought the bridesmaids bit was fantastic. Yeah. It was great to see all them together again. And Kristen Wigg is crazy.

What the fuck is she doing? God, she's amazing. I also thought the Anne Hathaway, Anna Wintore, Devil Wares Prada bits were just so special. She is special. I do not understand the Anne Hathaway hate. Who in the world hates Anne Hathaway? It's so many people. Yeah, I'm saying like, what is wrong with you?

Yeah, I wonder where that came from. She's lovely and she's a fucking alien. She looks exactly the same. Oh, she's incredible. Here is, I suppose my surprise. We had that cool new casting award. Oh, yeah. Love that they're doing that.

I, you know when you know things, but they don't exist in your brain, it's not something that's said often, so you don't think about it. And then when it said, you're like, oh my God, that's right. Like, I didn't, I didn't think. about that. This woman, Cassandra Kulakundas wins best casting for one battle after her.

She then, in her speech, is talking about how she's worked with Paul Thomas Anderson for a long time. They're like best friends now. She loves him. He's amazing. And in her speech, she was like, and now I've got one of these before you, which is insane. Yeah. I, again, knew this, but I always forget that Paul Thomas Anderson did not have an

Oscar. Yeah. And I was like, what the fuck? I assumed he won for there will be blood or something. Yeah, but it's like that was the year of no country for old men. So he lost everything. Oh, yeah, that was that year. And, like, I think he had had, I think he had like 14 or 15 nominations and no wins.

And I was like, it was funny how everyone was talking about like, oh, is this year that good and like one battle is just going to win a bunch of stuff. And now, like, thank God won battle and stuff. Because now finally, Paul Thomas Anderson has three Oscars. And Jesus Christ, how is he not won one yet? That was nuts. I'm with you on that. Because I really liked one battle, but I didn't think it was that good. When people, that movie came out, I hadn't seen it yet, and there were several blogs

written that was like, this is the best movie in 30 years. And I was like, okay, it's pretty good. Yeah. So I didn't even like it that much, but I'm thrilled that he won. And it was probably my pick. Yeah. You know, like I was talking to you before. I'm like, give it to Maverick.

I was kind of like, give it to sinners. That was fun as fuck. Yeah. Yeah. In the big scheme of things, I'm like, no, I'm glad Paul Thomas Anderson won. That was very cool. He even said, like, make you got work for these. Yeah.

You know what surprised me actually was, I didn't expect Barbara Streisand to sing. When she started singing, I was like, oh, wow, we're doing that. Okay, I have a couple things here. One, that, I loved that moment so much. It was great, but it was also surprising. But I love Robert Redford so much. Me too. And the stories, that was very long.

The immemorial was quite long. It was a crazy year. And they still missed people. I know. No James Vanderbeek. They like, it's so easy to just type in a computer who, what celebrities died in 2025. And put them on the list. Why do they fuck it up every year?

No missing Vanderbeek is fucking crazy. Yeah. And especially, I felt like, because it was so long, they were doing some like agents and like lawyers. And I was like, hell yeah. Like we're getting everyone in here. And then they leave out the beak, the beak, dude. That's a crazy. I didn't even think about that.

But yeah, when we hit, we did the Rob thing to start. I was like, whoa, this is, this is, which was lovely, but I was like, holy shit, this is a lot. He, by the way, I don't think he gets brought up enough in goat conversations. His resume is fucking insane. It's insane. Varyed, too. Yes, yes, dude. Like, the stuff, the range.

Like, oh, my God. Incredible. But then there was the Diane Keaton, which was from Rachel, which was also lovely. But then the Redford announced like, holy shit, dude. Like, this show, we're, okay, well, this will transition perfectly into my, I had three things that I could not believe. One, how long the in-memorium was. Two, the fucking preposterous playing off the stage of the K-pop

Demon Hunter. Oh, yeah. Awful. Fucking the fucking nuts. Lowering the microphone. Was that him? No, that was a different one, which I think was a state.

I think that was like a documentary guy or some, but the lowering of the microphone, I was like, stop it. Stop it. Like, that was the most disrespectful thing I've ever seen. It's very passive aggressive. Yeah. The K-pop girl says her thing,

and then she gives it to the guy and then they start playing the music so loud and then she's going like this please please just let him say one thing and then the funny dude from the vampire show doing the announcing he's like and then we'll be back Matt Barry

Matt Barry and I'm like bro this is in they're still talking I can see the camera they're just still talking I would just love for them as the micos but by the way and like just keep going as it goes down so I'm like oh you're worried about 30 seconds of runtime

Chris I can't believe when the in memoriam was three hours long, dude. Like, holy fuck. And you forgot the beak? Yes. So that was insane. And then even though it's probably kind of a lovely moment for the two parties involved, a tie is ridiculous.

That, okay, that was, I've never, I didn't even know that was possible. Three times in Oscar history, that has happened. It's crazy. Yeah, crazy. Kumil handled that brilliantly. He did. I thought he was joking. His fucking bit was hilarious. I know. I could tell if he was, like, annoyed.

The title. are the movies. Like, oh, that he was... Oh, yeah. That was so funny. Which was your favorite? One battle. Okay.

He was like, you get one. You get one. My favorite was, some of that jazz. Some of that jazz was great. I thought this was offensive, but I thought it was really funny. Schindler's Post-It was very...

Shinler's post-it was so good. So great. I mean, he was just fucking hilarious. And then also the Conan's joke, and then when he came out and he was like, it's funny because it's true. Yeah, I was not warned about that. I was like, dude, I could tell if he was annoyed.

I think he's so funny. But yeah, he handled that fucking perfect. I was stoked for the singers, though. That's a movie that I saw at a film festival. Oh, hell yeah. Way before. And that's the one that tied with the short. And I met that director.

Nice guy. All those actors in that film were like non-actors. Yeah. Every line was improvised. So if you get a chance, check it out. I had a couple of things. One, I had been hard on Frankenstein. Yeah.

didn't have the best time with Frankenstein, but I always am blown away with Guillermo's worlds. They're incredible. And I love it when a movie like Frankenstein that I'm like, I didn't love this movie. And it gets a ton of nominations, but then it wins the makeup, the costume design. Production design. I'm like, as it should. Yeah. He really did it. Like, there was, it's all handmade. It's fucking awesome. I don't know if anyone noticed. But Jacob, a lordy was sitting front row and every fucking time the the people who work with giermo have a similar vibe to the people who work with chris nolan yeah when they win they're like yo you we we we share this with you because you make this shit happen yeah love that every fucking one of those people who won

they got up went across the front row to the stairs to get up the stage and got the biggest hug kisses on the cheek and just like hootin and hollering from a Lordy. Sick. And I, two things. One, I think that's such a good sign of the person he is. And that fires me up. Two, I think he's a fucking proper Bogan, Ozzy, like boy.

Yeah. I think he's just that boy now. Like, I now know that. Yeah. Because the way they were like, I fucking love this guy. I thought that was really cool. That was like, I was like, hell yeah. That's great.

He's the fucking man. And then I, uh, we're forgetting. stuff, but I had, it was long, but I had a great time. Actually, oh, one more thing. Did you get the vibe that there were the commercials playing during the Oscars were like Super Bowl commercials? They were so long. Did you fucking see? There was a Super Bowl commercial.

Did you fucking see that Disney Cruise Line commercial? No, I saw. Seriously? I thought I saw a carnival cruise on. I think that was the most inappropriate commercial I've ever seen in my life. This, and I say this from in a funny way. It wasn't actually inappropriate. You'll get what I'm saying.

First of all, could you imagine going on a Disney cruise line? What happens? I'm pretty sure it's like you go on a cruise, but it's like Disney thing. The princesses are there. It's like you're, yeah. Like you're basically at Disney land or the world, but on a cruise. Was this the commercial? Yes, this is it.

This commercial, no, because it's fucking three minutes long. No, no, no. It's a minute. And a half. We are not sitting here for a minute and a half watching this commercial. But you can play it while I'm ranting about this. On this fucking commercial, we see a guy who is walking around this cruise with a baby in his hands because like the baby can't sleep. Yeah. And then it cuts to like a couple years later.

His kid wakes him up and is like, hey, dad, you ready for a nighttime walk? And he's like, yeah, let's do it. So the implication is this family goes on a Disney cruise line every year. And this has become a tradition with this father and his son. And then it cuts to his kid's like a teenager. And he's like, hey, bud, you want to do the morning walk? And he's like, I think I'm just going to hang in here. And he like closes a curtain and his dad's all sad.

And then he's like standing out at night by himself. And then his son walks up to him. And he's like, hey, like, let's go for the walk. And then it cuts to the dad's super old now. And he's like asleep in his bed. And his wife's like, you ready for bed? Or he's like sitting in his room. His wife's like, you ready for bed?

And he's like, yeah. And then there's a knock on the door. And his son now with a. child of his own. Yeah, because he's, his baby can't sleep. We couldn't sleep. You want to go for a walk? And the little girl's like,

Grandpa, and they go for a walk together. And I'm like, this fucking family has three generations of people going on Disney Cruises every year. I think Fubb families are like that. They might be. They might be. But I was like, this is insane. Like, the emotional heartstrings they were trying to tug on while being like this,

go on a Disney cruise line every year. Yeah. Every year. Blue my mind. I just love the idea of like, they go to the dead. you want to go on that whoa oh sorry

we all got sick Evan I was like this is crazy it was like that Google commercial where it's like the search like you search on

like how to build a crib like they were really going for the family and listen I'm talking about it so good job this McDonald's crazy tangent crazy crazy tangent

my last thing uh as as we we all know I'm a massive Michael B guy so happy he won I'm so glad

Kugler won same his speech was fucking It was so awesome. And I liked how he was nervous. Yeah. I was like, dude,

you're the fucking man, Kugler. But Michael B. Jordan, I think, is maybe the coolest dude alive. All that to say, I did feel bad for Timmy. I felt bad for him

because I think he wanted to win so bad. And the last like three weeks, things just started going so poorly for him. After the globes, he's sure he is winning. Yeah. He's like, nice. I won my Oscar this year.

Yeah. And then I'm like this psych you will never win. He's young. He's got plenty of time. He's so young. He's also like the biggest movie star. He's one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. It's all going to be fine. Yeah. Yeah. So I, he'll be all right.

Oh, he's going to be great. Tim, you're going to be fine. Too. Fine. All right. Should we do some bachelor party talk or just get into Beer League Holland? Well, I'll just say this. We had the glue guy loop. Glu Guy's bachelor party this weekend in Palm Springs. Oh, was it hot? Was it? It was super hot. The pool's great. Yeah, exactly. We were just at the pool. So it was perfect. You know, a million stories. 99% I can't tell but there was I just thought it was

the house was insane and there was this one barn on the property that in the barn just had like a pool table and a ping pong table and a shuffle board table and then a fucking massive projector TV and the basketball conference championships

were on at the conference tournaments and frankly I'll watch March Madness but I'm not really watching the conference tournaments that often and I certainly wouldn't have watched any of these if I hadn't been with locks and a bunch of guys that wanted to watch them. Yeah.

Especially on a 98 degree day when the pool's outside. Yeah. But we were watching a lot of them. And there are a few things more electric. Heaven. Then when an entire group of dudes

is all on the same bet and a team comes back and wins. Oh, wow. I just love sports gambling so much. responsibly. Responsibly sports gambling with BetMGM.

It's there is a moment you can go to Gavin's page go to Dr. Locks go to Gavin McHugh's page. It is fucking like 11.30 p.m. West Coast time

and we're watching a Cal Baptist basketball game. I didn't even know that was a school no. I've never even heard of that school and you've got we're watching this game on TV

there's 50 people in the stands maybe. Total. Yeah. And you're now, somewhere in Palm Springs, California, there is a barn filled with 22 dudes all cheering so passionately for Cal Baptist. And that is what makes March great. Yeah. It's what makes sports gambling great.

And it was just, it was insane. Dude, they were down, probably like seven, very late. And, you know, Loop and Gavin just kept being, we have to fight. to fight. So like all weekend, but especially in this game, we're just yelling, fight as loud as we get. You know, fight, fight! And dude, they start coming back and hitting threes and you're like, oh my God, oh my God. It's happening. Dude, and then with, you know, 30, 10 seconds left, they hit a three. They're down one. They hit a three. I thought the barn was going to burn to the ground. It was shaking. It was shaking. And that, winning a bet is really fun when it's a great game and you're on it

yourself. But it just continues to parabolically ramp up the more people are on. It's like why craps is fun because you're all winning together for the last part, you know, versus like black check. Blackjack table is fun, but like you won that hand and I lost. So everybody was in on this. Everyone's on Cal. Everyone's on Cal Baptist. Yeah. And like, if I heavily. So it's like, oh so. Yeah. Emotions are low, dude. When we're like, wow, we've lost. We've all lost. It was dark. Yeah. It was dark in that room. And to just swing it back, dude, when you're all fighting together. My kids college fun on this. Yes, dude. We kept going, we paid for the house.

We paid for the house. It was great. I love that. But it was just great. I mean, listen, I'm not, I was going to say I'm not going to gatekeep, but I am going to gatekeep because I can't lose the availability. I'm going to do my bachelor party at that house. I demand that Chris has his bachelor party at that house.

I, I, I'm here is so fun. It's so fun. And I, I am here to say that the best bachelor parties, best bachelorette parties, just get a big house and hang with your friends. Don't go to the bars, don't go to casinos, don't go to clubs. No, just chill together. It was phenomenal. He didn't shower once.

Mean locks. Wow. Never seen a shower. Special. Special stuff. Great stuff, loop. Yeah, congrats. Okay, Ev, take us into this Beer League hotline.

Let's see what we got today. We just had our semi-final game. The team we played brought out a few guys who didn't dress a single game all year. They end up winning six to three. After the game, we protested it, and the league determined it was a forfeit win for us. When the league notified the other team, they protested against us, as we had a guy who had only played four games. Five is the minimum. The league came back and decued both of us from the playoffs, and the finals will be a rematch of the other semifinal game.

Were we in the wrong for protesting in the first place? 100%. Snitches get stitches. You reap what you sow. This is what you deserve. Oh, God. I, and this is a, this is a message to all beer leagues across the globe. Okay.

The whole minimum games played thing is fucking so dumb. It's a tragedy. If you pay, you play. You play. I don't care if you play zero games. I don't care if you play 20 games. But if you pay for the full season. you are on the roster.

And this, it is the dumbest rule in the world. Completely agree that if this team showed up and all of a sudden they had seven guys who have not paid, who have never been on the roster all season, that's a ringer. That is not cool. But if these guys are paying and they've got life, they've got work, they've got relationships, they've got travel, getting in the way and they're missing games, but then they show up, it doesn't fucking matter. minimum game is so stupid

it's the dumbest rule in beerly i hear their concern because when you go four games i go get fucked dude you made up five i played four like i'm allowed to play so dumb i will argue that if you are rostered every league has a different

um what they call the levels gold a whatever if you are rostered and pay in a i think you should be allowed to play in b but not c Like even if you play a per C. Agree completely with that.

So it's a two level jump is not allowed. Yeah. But if you are an A player and you have played zero games on your B team but you've paid, you are allowed to play. Yeah. Because who gives a flying fuck? I agree. Now the only tricky one is if you're in the A team already and someone enters who's like

in the NHL and you're like, there's no, it's hard to judge that. I don't know. I don't think this is happening on this one where like these ringers. I don't know what level this guy's in or what the ringers were. Sure. You know, I'm like, okay, maybe. Maybe if they literally brought down like three AHL guys. But again, if they were rostered from the jump, doesn't matter.

That's someone else's fault for rostering. You let them be on the roster. And I'm kind of like the A league is the A league, dude. Fucking Wayne Gretzky can come play. 100%. I don't give a fuck. Beer league only goes so high. We can't eliminate great players.

If someone retires from the NHL and they go, I want to still play some games. And they join a beer league and they join the highest level beer league, that is their right. What do you want them to do? Quit bitching. I will also add, and this doesn't help your loss here, but I'll also add if you It brings a team or certain people joy to, like, bring four ringers to a beer league C level game and win. I'm like, congratulations. You win, and I hope you have a good life.

I don't give a fuck. So shame on them, if that's what happened here. So yes, we are eliminating protesting for any quote unquote ringers because ringers aren't a thing unless you are jumping multiple levels. If you are on the fucking team, come play and everybody shut up. But largely, let's eliminate minimum games. No question about it. Listen, if you pay, you play, if you are on the roster from day one, you can play zero games and still play in the playoff. It doesn't fucking matter. Done. We're done here. We're done here. Do you like that the semifinal is the other team?

Yes, absolutely. What if the team that lost the semis wins the next game, they just win the ship, even though it's won one. I almost think you've got to go two more. Well, no, it's like one team won that semifinal game. And when we're going, we're going to going to the final. The other team went, we're out. And then the league commission went, they've actually both been eliminated. You're back in and playing each other. No, final game is the final game. Fuck. Final game is the final game. It is what it is. Yeah, fair enough. That sucks. Now they've got to play again. Yeah. I just beat them. It's hard to beat a team twice. Yeah, I know. That's why it's a tough bid. But yeah. I mean,

listen, you had to play another game anyway. So it doesn't matter who it is. Get it done. Yeah. You're in. You're in. All right. Let's wrap things up, Ev, with a nice Bauer blind ranking. Bowers the greatest company in the entire world. Get your Bauer. Get your pulse. Get it all. It's the best. Today, we're doing the biggest shock playoff misses if they miss. So blind ranking, teams coming into the season.

Shocking it would be based on the start of the season if they missed. And one will be, I'm the most shocked. Correct. One is the most shocked. Okay. New Jersey Devils. God, this one's high for me. I know I'm a fucking dick rider of the Devils, though.

Me too. Two. Two. Yeah. That was easy. You want to elaborate? I think. I think if the devil's...

I'm trying to think who you have is one. I think I know, though. If the devil's miss playoffs, insane. Insane, dude. Especially going in. Like, they should have been a top team in the Met. Literally.

I thought they were going to be a one two seed. Okay, let's go two. Let's go two. Toronto Maple Leaps. This is still high. Even though we entertained the possibility, this is still insane. It is high, but again,

we entertained it, so I think it's a three. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah. You lose Marner. I thought you're going to go low. I was like, they got worse. Regardless of how high they were in the seating last year, I was always heavy on. I was like, this seems not that good.

Okay, yeah, I'm fine with three. I thought you're going to go lower. I'm fine with three. I'm okay. This is a surprise. Yeah. Three. Your Los Angeles Kings.

Because I don't think I can go one. No, no. It's a four. It's a four. But this is also. So so bad. Oh, everyone that has been named is shocked. It's so bad.

It is so bad, but I also think Edmonton and Vegas being above them makes sense to me. So that already puts them at third in the Pacific. But then it's like, do you have any injuries, you know, which they do. So I'm happy with four here. Again, all of these are shocking. Are shocking. Yep. And the bigger thing is the beginning of the year, did I think New Jersey and Toronto would be better

than this team? Yes, probably. Definitely jersey. Okay, yeah, four, four. New York Rangers. Five, five. Because there's, there's, I need to save room. And they, I can't remember where we had them, but we had them very French.

Very French. Yeah. I don't think this is, I didn't think they were going to be dead last. Hold on, look at me. I don't think this is shocking. I think it's more, I'm like, ooh, damn. I'm more shocked how bad they are. then them missing.

I kind of thought they might miss, but I'm like, oh, wow, you're awful. Yeah, agree. Okay, five, so this is the most, this team is the most shocked that we are the most shocked

that they miss playoffs. Do it to me. Your Washington Capitals. Not the right answer, but not horrible. Because that is surprising, too. Listen, they were the, they were,

the fucking president, or the second place. Yeah, second top team in the league. And they got better. Yep. Yeah. So this is maybe.

This actually isn't that bad. This actually is a pretty good answer. I don't think it's bad at all. I think this is a pretty good answer. Yeah. I bet I had them behind the devils, but they were definitely in the next. I bet I had Cain's Devil's Caps. I think that that's a very good list.

I think I had Cain's Devils caps. This is actually a tremendous list. Yeah. What a turnaround. Good shit. There you go. All right. Who was your one?

Panthers? No, because of Barcov and Cichuk, I think it's got to be the Jets. The Jets is crazy. The Winnipeg Jets missing playoffs is like... President's trophy. What? What are you doing? Crazy, crazy stuff.

All right, fantastic stuff. Fantastic episode. Hope you enjoyed that. interview with Dylan Larkin, all the fun stuff. We've got more coming for you this week. We've got some new series coming this week. And also, don't forget next week at the top of the week, we're starting to review The Bachelorette, so get dialed in on that. Go leave us five stars on Spotify, Apple, if you can, please, we love you so much. Subscribe to the YouTube, send it to your friends. Follow us on all the socials. We love you all. Let's have an amazing week. And as we do it,

make sure to do the most important thing. Skate Hard. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember, 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know, just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder anytime. 988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada.