Halford & Brough in the Morning - Aarif Deen Talks Avs + What We Learned

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

In hour three, Mike & Jason chat with Colorado Hockey Now's Aarif Deen about what to expect from the Avs tonight, as they get set to host the Canucks, plus the boys tell us what they learned (27:00). This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

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Halverton Brough of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. Score a debt freedom hat trick. One, no more interest, too much lower payments than three. Financial piece of mind. Visit them online at sands dash trustee. com. We are now in hour three of the program. Araf Dean, Ab's beat writer for Colorado Hockey now is going to join us in just a moment here to kick off our three.

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So tonight, 6 o'clock from Ball Arena in Denver, it's the Colorado Avalanche hosting your Vancouver Canucks. A reminder you can hear it all right here on Sportsnet 650, pre-game, post game, the actual game. It's all right here. joining us to break things down from the Colorado side. Araf Dean joins us here on the Halford & Brough show on SportsNet 650. Good morning, Araf. How are you?

I'm doing well, guys. Thanks for having me on. Thanks for coming on and taking the time. We appreciate it. Let's start with a health check here. Who's going to be available tonight for the Colorado Avalanche, who have not suffered a regulation loss at home? Tell me about Valerie Nachushkin. Is there some sort of flu bugs sweeping through the room as well? Let us know what's going on with the abs heading in tonight's games, Araf. Yeah, so morning skis starts in about 90 minutes, and McKinnon, Landis Gogh, and Parker Kelly, almost yesterday's practice.

None of them were there because they were all under the weather. I believe McKinnon was under the weather in that Montreal game as well when, you know, he just casually put up three points. But I believe, I mean, it didn't sound like anything serious that's going to cause them to miss anything today. Victor Oliveson had a maintenance day. He should be good. And then obviously the big one is Val Nachushkin.

He was a regular participant in practice yesterday. When we asked Jared Bednar about his status for today's game, it sounded like he's ready to go. But Jared said it just kind of depends on how he reacts to today's practice. But I rarely see in a case where someone like that would take part in practice on the second line. Power plague drills, everything, you know, the whole thing and then not play. So it would kind of be a little bit odd if Val doesn't play today. So I'm assuming he might be back.

And if he is, I would assume that Val's back on that second line with Nelson and Landis Cog. All right. Let's talk about this, this wagon that is the Colorado Avalanche of the many incredible stats. We don't talk, well, you talk, Halford, you talk about plus minus a lot. Love plus minus. Nathan McKinnon in 25, after 25 games is plus 30. That's good. McCar, plus 29.

Also good. And then McKinnon's line mates, Lekinen and Natchez, plus 25 and plus 24. Pick it up. I mean, how can you describe and do your best how the aves are playing this year? It's otherworldly. It's hard to really put into words, and it's hilarious because they somehow still have more to give because their power play is not all that great. It's really, it's impossible to put into words just like, you know, the way they lost last year, heading into this season, coming off that seven game series, third period, you know, loss, leading two to nothing, you know, and I haven't even mentioned Miko Ranton's name yet.

Like everything that kind of happened last year coming into this year, I, you know, and for the first time in four years since the year they won the Stanley Cup, Landisog's ready to go for training camp. For the first time in three years, Valenatrushkin's not coming off a suspension leading into training camp. For the first time in four years, you have a number two sentiment you can trust, you're healthy, you have goaltending that you like. Granted, one of them was injured.

just the focus, the playing angry, the Dallas series in the back of their mind, it's kind of all culminated to this, and they have the 25th best power playing the league, and they're still doing this. It's five on five. They are playing like nothing I've seen before. They've kind of created this mentality, which I kind of love, where it's, we play like it's a Thai game at all times. uh there was a i forget it was a san ozay game when there was a play late in the third period when it was six to nothing and uh ryan rothovsky after the game was talking about how san malinski was checking along the boards and fighting for the puck like it was a zero-zero game with two minutes left and it was six nothing and then brett burns the other day after the second period did one of those like generic intermission interviews on the jumbotron and says, and I believe the avalanche were up five to one on the Montreal

Canadians after the second period. And he said the same thing. The reporter asked them, how are you going to, you know, what's the focus in the third period? He said to come out like it's zero zero and continue playing our game. So like they just, they have this mentality against Edmonton, I'm sure you've heard about this game that I think Elliot Friedman talked about it on his podcast. Yeah. It was nine to one with two minutes left and the avalanche are pressing for goal number 10. Like, they just are constantly go, go,

go. They don't take shifts off. They don't take days off. And again, like, there is room for improvement because of the power play, which like the plus minus thing, it's so funny because on one hand, it's like, well, yeah, the Avalanche score a lot of goals. So obviously

McKinnon, McCar, the top line are the top five plus minus in the league. But then you realize the reason why McKinnon's a plus 30 on 44 points is because the power play is just not figured out so of course every point he has they're getting a plus one for it because they're

not getting any power play it's it's crazy I mean they sound like the team that everyone hates in men's league like calm down guys you're up 9-1 and we all got to work tomorrow just chill out this game's over let's get to the beers can the anger

can the anger last all the way into the playoffs and through the playoffs because I mean I know there's some people that are like, this is going to be Boston all over from a few years ago when the Bruins had that incredible season and then lost in the first round? I think it can. I mean, one of my favorite numbers, and I understand the Boston thing, and it happened in Tampa

Bay four or five years ago, six years ago, too. The difference with Colorado is like, they've done this before. The year they won the Stanley Cup, if you look at their breakdown, I believe this season after 10 games, they were 5-1 and 4, because they still can't figure out the overtime thing other than obviously when they were there in Vancouver. They were 5-1-4 to start the season. When you look back at the year, they won the Stanley Cup,

I don't have the exact number, but, you know, the first 10 games of the year that season, they were 4-5-1. The last 10 games, they sort of started to rest guys. They were 4-5-1. The middle-62 games, they were like, 45, 9, and 5, or some crazy number. So they kind of have done this before.

And the only reason why that season, they didn't win the President's trophy and, you know, they didn't hit 61's was because the last 10 games of the year, they went 4, 5, and 1 because they were resting guys. Nazim Kodry didn't play the last 5 games of the regular season. Kail McCarr missed games. Nathan McKinnon missed games.

They just started sitting guys for, quote-unquote, injuries when they were just resting them, heading into the playoffs, and then first period of game one against Nashville, they were up 5-0. So, like, they've done this before. The only difference between the 21, 22, abs, and then the Boston Bruins the following year is Boston won five or six games and tried for eight or nine or ten games longer. So I don't think there's an issue with it because there's kind of proof of concept with it. The Florida Panthers beat them out that year.

the Andrew Brunette, Florida Panthers beat them out that year, I think by two points or one point for the president's trophy, and that was the year where Florida had like 15 overtime lost points. So like the avalanche were Florida getting beaten regulation one or two times away from winning the president's trophy and doing the thing that everybody talks about as a curse. So I think all of that kind of makes this a little bit... I remember back then I was a little worried about how well they were playing

and how, you know, what happens if adversity comes up in the playoffs. And then we saw the adversity in the playoffs, and they were able to overcome it. Because they've done it before, I don't think they're as worried about it, and it doesn't matter what, you know, people on the outside think, as long as they know it's something they can overcome. But, you know, there is a boogeyman called Dallas, and they are second place in the league. So if they can get over that boogeyman, I'm sure that will help them even more to feel like

there's no way that this is going to be an issue. Well, the cup winning year, I mean, I've maintained that, That's the most oppressive playoff run I've seen in the salary cap era. There have been some other ones and I have time for the argument, but, I mean, it was unbelievable. Almost right from the beginning of the playoffs, it was like, that team is going to win the Stanley Cup. They are rolling that well. But then they lose a guy like Cadry and Landisg is out for a long time. where are they now

with that? Like where is Landisgaug's game right now has Brock Nelson effectively replaced Nazim Khadry because, you know, the aves were top heavy. I mean, that was their issue. Have they suitably addressed those issues

and if so, how have they done it? So they finally, okay, so Gabe Landisog we can do an hour on just the importance of him to this team. And that's before he was even producing. I'm sure when you saw the avalanche roll in the town three weeks ago, it was Gabe Landiscag had like three or four points in 20 games.

But every player you ask, and like my favorite part, it's not like, it's not only Nathan McKinnon or Kayle McCar, Devon Tays or Josh Manson talking about Gabe's back in the room and he's level-headed and he helps us get through things. It's guys like Ross Colton, Victor Olison, Brent Burns. Like, guys that have never played with Gabe, they're like, yeah, we can see the difference when Gabe's here. I'm like, how do you know? They just know.

Like, there's something about that guy's presence as a leader that is genuinely helping the team. And now he's picking it up. In his last nine games, he's got four goals for assists and a plus nine rating. He's starting to score. He's starting to do the Landisog thing where he's in the crease chipping away at pucks. He had two goals against Montreal, both of ways. bounced off skates because he was in the crease fighting Josh Anderson, and I forget who won the second play for positioning in front of the goleon

and was able to deflect some pucks in. So that's the kind of game you're going to get from him. In terms of Brock Nelson, defensively, much better than Cadry, and Cadry is a two-way player that also played on the PK. Like, that's not a knock on Cadry, but defensively Nelson's just got a more rounded game. Offensively, you're never going to see from a number two center on a Nathan McKinnon team, what you saw from Nazim Khadry in 21-22.

Like, that's just fact. He had 87 points in 70-something games. I think he had 30 points in the first 20 games. Like, he was on fire. But one of my favorite statistics is, would you believe that the night the Avalanche raised the Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay, Nathan McKinnon had not yet in his career scored 100 points in any season? Like, there is a big difference between Nathan McKin.

And yes, he had a 99 and 97. another 90-something. But Nathan McKinnon now, you know, do you need Brock Nelson to put up 87 points? Not really. If Brock Nelson is going to give you 55 to 65, you're perfectly okay with that because the Nathan McKinnon that won the Stanley Cup, I think, had 88 points in 71, 72 games off the top of my head, and now he's on pace for 120, 130, 140 every year. So you're still going to get the production from your top.

six. Maybe McKinnon's going to carry the load of 15 to 20 points that Nelson's going to get compared to what cadre got. But defensively, Nelson is doing the thing. That was always the big issue when they went out and traded Bowen Byron for Casey Middlestat was

they traded for a guy that was playing 14 minutes per night in Colorado because he's not on the P. Kane. He's not on the top power play unit. He's not a traditional second line center. It was like they had a top line center and then a couple two and a half third line centers. now they got a Brock Nelson who plays that two-way game can give you 20 minutes

on days where he's going or on days where the PK is rolling there have been nights where Brock Nelson's played 24 25 minutes Nathan McKinnons played 2021 we haven't seen that since cadre was here so there's little things like that aside from the fact that cadre just had a legendary second-line center season in 21-22 that we haven't seen since then and you know with all the pieces around you've seen the numbers, Natchez and Lekhinen, you've seen the numbers for Landis Gaggart lately,

getting Val back in the lineup. There's your top six around Brock Nelson. It's as strong as what they had with a lot of the same pieces. Nelson replaces Cadry. Naceous obviously replaces Rancid and Lekhinen's the same. Vals are saying McKinnon's better. So it's the same guys, obviously, Landis Kalk's taken a bit of a step back. But it gives you enough to say that even without Naz and Qadry,

you can get the right production and the right role out of Brock Nelson that can lead you to a stand-the-cup. We're speaking to Araf Dean, Colorado Avalanche, be reported for Colorado Hockey Now here on the Halford & Brough Show on SportsNet 650. It's probably indicative of how good the avalanche are that we're 17 minutes into the call, and we haven't even really touched on the fact that they have very, very good goaltending as well. Like, we should probably throw that out there.

They got the woods. It wasn't that long ago. I'm looking at the numbers here. It was only one, two. years ago that they were rolling out the unforgettable Justis and an Alexander Giorgiyev duo in Colorado

and I mean they had good seasons with those two and net but nothing like what they're doing right now with Blackwood and Wedgwood how much of this is good goaltending how much of this is the team it's in front of them or is like you know our goalie guru Kevin Woodley says like goaltending doesn't

exist in a vacuum it is about the environment it's both it's uh they've played great defense in front of the other guys, and they didn't make the easy saves. So there's a couple of fun things about this. Number one, we are right in the middle of at this time last year is when the avalanche made all these moves. November 30 was Scott Wedgwood, December 9 was the Georgiev Blackwood trade. That was the big one, obviously.

Leading into the Scott Wedgwood trade last year, which, again, the anniversary was on Sunday, the first anniversary of it. Avalanche were three and two in their last five games, but they had given up 19 goals in those five games. Like, the offense had to fight against goal-tending, giving up bad goals. This year, leading it to the anniversary of November 30th, the Avalanche were 4-0-1 in their last five games, and they didn't give up 19 goals. They gave up three, or, you know, because obviously there were some shutouts mixed in,

they gave up three and five games or four and five games, or, you know, just less than a goal per game. Like, the difference is huge. I asked Nathan McKinnon about it the other. And he kind of stuttered his way through his answer of like, you know, I asked him, what was the difference that you guys got out of these goals? He's like, how much did it actually help? And he kind of, you know, we needed a change. Like, he just wanted to get into it and then it was like, let me not get into it.

And then he said something that I thought was great because it does kind of like, it takes into account what Kevin Woodley always says about goaltending, but it also says a lot about where the avalanche were last year. He said, what I like about these new guys is they make the easy save. And basically, where the avalanche were struggling a year ago with their goaltending was, it wasn't just that Blackwood and Wedgwood. It wasn't just the debate or the conversation of are these guys, or sorry, Georgiev Anune, and it wasn't just like, are these guys good enough to win the Stanley Cup? It was, can they stop giving up bad goals?

Because they were given up one, two, or three per game. There was a game against Tampa Bay last year around American Thanksgiving where they started with Georgiev. He gave up three goals in the first. They put in Eustace Anune, and he gave up three goals in the second. They did the double pull and put Georgiev back in in the third. Like it was just that bad. So the difference between that and what, and pretty much anything else is already going to be an improvement. But then you add on the fact that Scott Wedgwood came to Colorado 367 days ago with 49 career wins,

and he's got 26 with Colorado already. He's been unbelievable. I can't believe that he is a career backup. I can't believe that he's in the conversation for Team Canada because of what I thought the avalanche were getting for him or from him, and he's the backup here. He's the lesser of the two guys, supposedly. He's the guy that's going to be sitting on the bench from the playoffs start.

Blackwood is unbelievable. Blackwood is exactly what, you know, everybody in Kansas, Canada has talked about for years as, you know, the savior. He's the future. It was always McKenzie Blackwood and the guy that played in Philadelphia. Like, it was always this was going to be Team Canada's next guy. And then he kind of fell off the wagon a little bit in New Jersey and now he's found his way back.

So that one doesn't surprise me as much because that was one of those like high potential guys. But he's still playing a heck of a lot better than I thought he would, especially given the fact that, you know, less than 24 months before that he was in the, New Jersey, sitting on the bench, I was like the third string backup behind Akira Schmidt. So it is nice to see that the avalanche, they didn't just hit it out of the park with one guy. They hit it out of the park with two guys and in a massive, massive way. And it's made a world a difference.

It's given the team in front of them the ability to do their thing and not be so stressed about every shot given up because they know, not only can the goalie, as McKinnon said, make the easy saves, but you can steal you some games, make you some big saves. after you make some mistakes and the neutral zone and the defensive zone. Okay, Araf, here's the thing. You're very good at this and you're very well-connected

and well-diled and well-spoken. You've also managed to depress the entire lower mainland who's listening to the show right now for your very measured, yet at times, glowing review of a very good hockey team. So there's a real dynamic going on right now.

Connects are definitely winning tonight. Yeah. It just feels like... Seven-one. It does feel like it. I was going to have that same feeling. I looked at that 2, 5, and 3 record in their last 10, and I said, this is the game.

This is the one they're going to do. We will wait and see what happens tonight, but we want to thank you regardless for taking the time to do this today. Excellent stuff, buddy. We'll catch up later on in the season. Of course, and hey, I mean, look at the bright side. In a couple months you get to root for these guys

because half of them are going to be playing for Team Canada anyway. It is very, very true. Leave on a high note, Eric. Well done, buddy. Thanks for doing this again. Cheers, Air of Dean, Colorado Avalanche Beat Reporter from Colorado Hockey Now on the Halford & Brough Show on Sports 9 650. We've had him on the show before.

He's an excellent, excellent beat writer, one of the best going in the National Hockey League right now. Get your what we learns into the Dunbar Lumber Text Line, 650, 650, Metro Vancouver's trusted choice for contractors and Renault warriors for over 50 years. Visit them at one of their three locations to serve you or online at Dunbarlumber.com. I'll do a really quick one. you know how there was that report that the Flyers were interested in some of the Canucks

they had an injury last night that could be long term the Flyers Tyson Forster went down and he's a guy that scored 10 goals for them already he did it on like a one time from the point it looked

yeah he shot the pot it wasn't like he was blocking her he shot the puck and he shot the puck and then went down so it didn't look good just thought I'd throw it out there because there are those rumors and the flyers are kind of hanging around a playoff spot right now they didn't look very good against Pittsburgh last night Cid did yep and the penguins won that one handily but uh just just throwing it out

there as something to monitor this is purely speculation on my part which is what I do I also get a moo cow move them move them move them move them I'm a bit of a podcast issue here so we're trying to work behind there's lots going on including the announcement of day two, the prize for 12 days of Halbro Christmas year on the Halford & Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. We just gave it away the big reveal. It was a $200 gift card from Kintech footwear and orthotics. Now is the time to maximize the benefits of custom orthotics before the year runs out.

Visit them online at kintech.net. Your next chance to win the 12 days of Halbro Christmas is coming up tomorrow morning. You're listening to the Halford & Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Canucks talk with Jamie Dodd and Thomas Drans. We'll dive deep into all that's happening with the Vancouver Canucks. Listen 12 to 2 p.m. on SportsNet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts. Now for my favorite part of the show. What's that say?

Talk to the audience. Oh, God. This is always dead. It's what we learn time. It's what we learn. Learn time It's what we learn time On the show

832 on a Tuesday Happy Tuesday everybody Halford Brough of the morning is brought to by Sands and Associates Score a death freedom hat trick One, no more interest, two, much lower payments than three financial peace of mind Visit them online at Sands dash trustee.com.

We are an hour three of the program. What We Learned, Tom Hours three is braced by Campbell and Pound, real estate appraisers. Trust the expertise of Campbell and Pound. Visit them on the internet at Campbell-dashbound.com today. I'm going to do a what we learned. Mine is going to be about the National Football League, specifically the Monday night football game, specifically about the quarterback position. And I'm specifically going to start with. potential MVP

Drake May Drake May strengthened his MVP candidacy last night 282 yards, two touchdowns and an easy 33 to 15 victory over the New York Giants if you go to the betting markets right now May entered Monday night

football as the second most likely candidate courtesy of draft kings for MVP behind LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford but we all know what happened this weekend Stafford was no Buono in a loss to the Carolina Panthers.

May, who knows what's going to happen after last night's game, but he's right there in the MVP running thanks to an 11 game winning streak. Now, this New England team very bizarre because you'll remember if you go all the way back to week one of the season,

they opened with a loss to Vegas, the Raiders. The Las Vegas Raiders. who have had an absolutely miserable season. They've had opposite seasons. But they'll always be able to grasp onto that one game where they beat the best team in the NFL

and maybe the MVP in Drake May. Do you remember about a month and a half ago, Nick Shook came on the show and we were like, what's going on in New England? Is this Drake May guy? You asked the question. Good.

And I think it might have been, maybe it was before the Buffalo game that they won. Yep. I think it was. So that was week five or six? Five. Week five? They go into Buffalo and they get the win. And I was like, because at the time he had seven touchdowns and two interceptions.

But I didn't really think it would get to this point. No. Where, you know, we're talking to MVPs. They play, I believe the Patriots play Buffalo next week too. They do. They have a tough schedule over the next two weeks. They go bills then at Baltimore, but then they finish off with the Jets and the Dolphins. Okay, did you watch the game last night? Yep.

What did you think of the hit on Jackson Dart? So Jackson Dart came into this game, having missed extensive time during the year. I think he's been in concussion protocol four times. So he said, I'm going to try and maybe do some things to alleviate the amount of hits that I'm taking. Then he promptly went out and put himself in the most vulnerable positions imaginable. the hit that he took did not need to be taken he could have avoided that

by stepping out step out a yard early the NFL has put in rules where it's like we will grant you the opportunity to not get hit if you make a small concession dart and this isn't a pride thing and this isn't a toughness thing

the rules are in place so you don't end up in the hospital because he said afterwards he said this is football I'm going to get hit if I'm in the pocket or outside the pocket. I feel like I played this way my whole entire life. It shouldn't be any shocker to anybody if you follow it along my career. Here's the thing.

Your career is eight, ten games old in the NFL. Your career in college is a different thing. And you have a responsibility to your team in the NFL to stay healthy if you can. And you're not going to get hit in college like you're going to get hit in the NFL. Did he ever get hit? Like, come on, man. What did you think of the people calling for a flag on the play? I understand why.

Yeah. Because the visceral reaction to it was it's a quarterback. That should be illegal. But he was in bounds. Yep. And he was going for it. He didn't give himself up. Yeah, he was trying to get more yardage.

At that point, you're a runner. You're like a wide receiver or a running back or anything. You're a runner. You put yourself in that situation. He's not going to last long in the NFL if he does it. If he wants to go and do it, hey, you know, I'm all for, letting people do what they want to do, right? If you want to try and play like that,

God bless you. But it's pretty naive to think that Jackson Dart from Ole Miss is going to reinvent the position that they have made specific rules for to make sure guys don't end up in concussion protocol four times in the rookie year. You know, they've got an exciting thing there when Scatibo comes back and darts there. They're fun and they're exciting.

But these guys aren't changing how the NFL is played. These are the best of the best college players, not guys that DART played against with regularity in the SEC. They took the best of the best and they put them out there, and those guys are there to knock other guys out of games. So if he keeps doing it, he's going to have a real short shelf life in the NFL. Before we muckel you, I want to add,

that was the Monday nighter, so that wraps up the week. Next week has some good games. And it actually starts on Thursday because the Dallas Cowboys, I think a lot of people thought wouldn't be part of the playoff equation this year. They're in Detroit to play the Lions. So it's a 6-5-1 team

versus a 7-and-5 team. So that's a big game. And then, I mean, there's a ton of them. Even Bengals at Bills, I'm going to be watching that one because the Bills are 8 and 4, but the Bengals have Joe Burrow back. The Bengals could go back,

go into Buffalo and win that game. Well, the Bengals feel like their season's completely alive because the two teams that are atop that division, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, And then you've got, here's some other big games, Colts and Jaguars. Yep. The Colts are kind of wavering right now. They got surpassed by the Jaguars in the standing in the division.

Yeah, I mean, they're tied with an 8 and 4 record. Yep. You got the Steelers and the Ravens. Two six and six teams. Two 500 teams. Massive for that. This one's for Amro, the actor. The Chicago Bears go into Lambo to play the Packers. and the Bears are kind of like the Patriots.

Everyone's like, how good are you guys? I know your record is good, but what's your strength of schedule? Yep. This is going to be a test for both teams. Because the Packers are also, like every team in the NFL, you're like, yeah, maybe, I don't know, but there's issues here. Texans and the Chiefs. That's a good one.

Is the Sunday nighter in Kansas City, desperation time for Kansas City. Kansas City's pretty much in must-win mode. I think they have to win out to make the playoffs. And then the Monday Nighter, Eagles and Chargers to 8 and 4 teams and people in Philly

despite the fact that the Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champs in 8 and 4 kind of freaking out about their team right now I'm calling it right now final scoring that game is 1512 Is Herbert gonna play? Yeah I think so So did he do something to his non-throwing arm

Yeah I think he underwent a procedure too If I'm not mistaken I like how you could have surgery on your non-throwing arm Daniel Jones is playing with broken leg Like, I don't know how else to describe it. It's a non-throwing leg, though. Yeah, but, like, you watch him play it as, like, his leg's broken. Like, it's amazing what some of these guys will do.

Anyway, Mukau, all that. I saw Drake May's post game, by the way. He looks like he's, like, 20. I know he's, like, 23. Yeah, well, it's close. He looks like he's, like, a child. It's amazing what he's doing. He, yeah, it's, their strength of schedule, like Bruf was saying.

Like, they haven't played the toughest. But still. But there are going to be some great tester games, I think, next, next, next. next weekend. But he's been good all year. And he showed flashes last year, too, where they were like, oh, they might have got the pick of the draft

because he looks very composed. He can throw the deep ball so well. That's the one thing that he has over all these guys, I think, is it's got a huge arm, but he's accurate as well. How are you feeling if you're a Bills fan right now that the Patriots might be back? And you haven't been to a Super Bowl in the few years

where you've had a really good team and the Patriots. have been down. This is this year, and I know we said this a lot about the bills. Ever missed a window before? Yeah, right? Here's the thing. I know we say this a lot about the bills, but this year, this year.

This is it, man. It's so open. Like there's no guarantee that Kansas City and Buffalo or Baltimore will even be in the playoffs. Like never mind having to beat them in the playoffs. They might not even be there. And you almost certainly won't have to go to Kansas City. now you're looking at it's like can you beat the patriots the colts the broncos you'd better be able to you should be able to it's very bills it's very bills

and they and they've been i did like the way that they played in pittsburgh on the weekend like i think that that might have righted them a little bit but this is the year 100% for them okay uh what do we fire the dot matrix already not yet no humanoid submissions for what we learn brought to you as always by a j's pizza on east broadway Visit them with 325 and 327 East Broadway. It's the best pizza in the entire lower mainline. And now they have two locations side by each to serve you better. Visit them online at AJ's.com. Justin and East Van, what we learned, I guess Justin looked at his podcast stats. And he said, this year, I listened to 30,000 minutes of the Halford & Brough in the morning podcast.

Justin, we're all a bit worried about you. Is that it? Just 30,000, eh? But thank you for listening for 30,000 minutes. of us complaining about the Canucks with a bit of white caps and Seahawks talking there too. Does that include all the archival work he does?

And he goes back and listens to old shows. I don't think it does, right? That's a very good question. It's probably way more than 30,000 downloadable minutes. That's probably just 30,000 downloadable minutes. We are coming, because it's now December, so we're coming to that time of the year

where everyone does their Spotify raps. Yeah. And we get to listen to how much you people don't have lives, quite frankly. Raffee number one for me again. Quite frankly, it's disturbing. Happy holidays. Jovin with what we learned.

After winning six Super Bowls and having a franchise quarterback and Tom Brady for 20 years, the Patriots clearly have another one for the next 15. Drake May is unbelievable. The Brown should take notes on how to draft a quarterback.

Yeah, the Browns drafted two quarterbacks. Okay. They're like, well, why don't we do? What if we did two? But they drafted them late, right? Yeah, I know. So, okay, no, I think this is, who was it?

I think it was PFT commenter from, pardon my take. Mm-hmm. I know it was, tongue-in-cheek, but it was also quite hilarious. He was saying, like, if you're awful at drafting quarterbacks, and you know how some of these teams stockpile first-round picks? Yeah.

Would you ever consider taking two quarterbacks in the first round? Like, if there was a QB class where there was, like, five guys... The Atlanta Falcons are like, I'm listening? Right? Like, would you not just say, well, why put all our eggs in one basket and just take two of them? Like, in the year where there was, like, five quarterbacks? It sounds crazy, right?

And it might be crazy with the distraction that it would cause. And then, you know, if you're not committed to either of them or, you know, how's that going to work in the development? How's it going to work in training camp or practice? Who's going to get the snaps and all that sort of stuff? But let's say the cream does eventually rise to the top. Okay. So, for example, let's say let's go 2024.

So the quarterback's taken that year in the first three picks were Caleb Williams, Jaden Daniels, we just talked about him, Drake May. Then it was Pennix, then it was McCarthy, then it was Knicks. That's six quarterbacks, right? You don't know what you're going to get because it's been very, the success levels have fluctuated between those six guys greatly, I would say. And we're only two years into their careers, right? What if?

What if you took two of them? I like this text from Brager. Don't draft a quarterback if you don't have an offensive line. Fair. Get that figured out first. Get that figured out first. And if you can't protect your quarterback, then you can't really develop that quarterback, can you?

Okay, so. But it's hard when there's one on the table for you, and you're like, I really want this guy. I think the counterpoint would be Atlanta. Like, Atlanta has good weapons around Pennix. Their offensive line isn't horrible. It's not the best thing. The NFL or anything.

But sometimes you just, like, sometimes you just miss. Sometimes you think a guy is going to be something. And he's not. It happens with the quarterback position all the time. I think a lot of franchises talk themselves into guys. Pennix was a really difficult guy to, assess in my opinion because I mean he was on the Huskies right

when they went to the national title so I watched most of their games and there were games where he was lights out like the semifinal and then there were other games I'm not even talking about the final I'm talking about down the stretch against so-so

pack 10 or whatever they were called it then teams where he would be sailing the ball like you're like he's just off but then you know he clearly had talent but it's just man when you when you get to the NFL your accuracy has to be on you know the accuracy is the big thing with pennings yeah it's very obvious and i remember there were a couple games and people will be like well it was windy yeah you know not that windy and that's what they were saying about

you know who in Cleveland Shadur? Yeah It was wind It was very windy Yeah it was wind aided Arbutus Omar Hashtag

WWO what we learned The NHL Just might have to ban its players From all domestic And kitchen related activities So yesterday We didn't even mention this on the show We said it happened during the show

Blues announced that Alexei Torpchenko had a domestic injury at home scalding burns to his legs. Jim Montgomery was asked about it, actually. I saw the interview yesterday, and he declined to get into specifics. But Torupchenko goes on the list with Jack Hughes,

who had an injury while eating dinner with his team. And then is it, Etu Lustarinen? In Florida, burned himself while barbecuing. You've got a fun little thread on Twitter going about this, right? Yeah, it was just the three so far. Do you like to make fun of people that have serious injuries? Well, as long as they're funny.

I mean, if the serious injuries are funny, then yes. You know what we should do to you? We should cut your finger off, burn you, and then just roll in the laughter. I would laugh. It would be pretty hysterical. You know, like if it's a cartoon-style injury, you've got to laugh at it. But the thing is, these are real humans that are suffering these injuries, not cartoons. They're millionaires.

They're fine. Like the two bandits from home alone. They basically, this is what's happened here. They've suffered all of those injuries. This has to be a turkey-related incident, though, right? The rule of thumb is an injury is fine as long as it's fine. The scalding burns? Yeah, the burn.

You think a turkey-related? Well, it was happened during Thanksgiving, right? I like to think that he ran a path. Putting it together? Yeah. Putting two and two together. I think you tried to deep fry it? Yeah.

Yeah. That's my... Yeah. I watched a compilation video yesterday of guys dropping their turkeys into the deep fryer and then a huge fire in the aftermath because I guess the oil goes over the side and then that ignites. Is that what happens? It goes onto the burner or something?

That's exactly what happens. I was like, is the turkey flammable? My God. I will also say, you know what I thought right away is he ran a bath too hot, jumped in, scalding. Now, you need to go all the way back to 2012. And the craziest injury of the mall was when Dustin Penner, then of the L.A. Kings, sat down to eat his wife's delicious pancakes, which wasn't a euphemism for anything. It were just pancakes

And he threw out his back As one intends to do What he said I threw out my back eating my wife's pancakes I'm like what Sagan? Pardon? I've heard that saying before

Didn't TANov have a crazy injury Or was it Brent Sopold? Brent Sopold bent over to pick up a cracker Right When he said that story I was like Why the cracker part Like I don't know

And also just lie Lie about how you got injured Yeah Is that maybe why the NFL is so secretive about the injuries? It's because there's a lot of embarrassing injuries. Start to wander. More and more injuries are just so stupid.

They got alive on them. All the NHL players are like O.J. Simpson's character and naked gun. Yeah. What happens? We're not going to get into it. Man, OJ. Great actor. Yeah.

Some other stuff, too. What happened? I don't know. Jay with a what we learned, 30 years ago today, Patrick Waugh, gives up nine goals against the Red Wings before being pulled walks past Mario Tromblay and tells Ronald Corey

it's my last game in Montreal and then Jay says I wonder if Binnington was inspired by this anniversary how many years 33 30 years ago today I'm gonna have to trust Jay's math on that that's timeline I remember that

that was incredible if that had happened now and remember how the the crowd of the form like there was no glass no separation There was just like that nice usher Smack the coach in the back of the head If you want to be like yeah

And then and then so he like stormed past Tromblay He was with all his goalie equipment He's like going over there And then the broadcaster was like I think he just said something to Ronald Corey Yeah Man could you imagine if that happened now Where a guy just in the moment

Demanded a trade and then didn't back down from it Found the owner in the stand That's the best part Is he's like no I said it It was crazy that they left him in there for nine goals. Yep. In hindsight, a mistake. A little bit.

Soccer mom from T-Town texted in, and she writes, I have an overgrown toenail. Okay. And every morning I wake up and look at it, I think, I have to trim it as it's pressing into my shoes causing discomfort when I walk. But then I think if I cut it, the white caps might lose. And then soccer mom from T-Town goes on,

I'm not superstitious but I'm willing to suffer through another week like this as I really just want the white caps to win whatever it takes I responded to her and I said I think you might actually be superstitious a little stitious at the very least that's a lot

must be painful jamming into a shoe all the time but like she writes whatever it takes no pain no gain what are you doing yeah what am I doing Sorry not to go back to last topic But a text or texting in to remind us

Sammy Sallow got bitten by the only Venomist snake in Finland I remember that I remember that Sammy Salo The Finnish Rattler One Minimus snake in Finland And it got Sammy Sallow

The Patrick Wah incident My bit of trivia is always Do you remember who came in to replace Patrick Wa in that game? I have no idea Might be the reason why they kept him in for nine Pat Jablonski Oh my God

That is a great trivia That is a great trivia That is a great trivia He was the one that was waiting on the bench. Patrick Jablonsky just sounds like a guy that's going to let in some bad goals. That's true. Just like, ah, that one beat Jablonsky. Jablonsky.

Jablonski. Zutalors. That's what they were thinking. Yeah, that's the one, you know, when they would announce player names at the forum, and it would be an English name like a player in saying, like French, French, French, and like Pat a Jablonsky. Yeah, it's tough to Francophone that one up. It's really tough.

I like how they did Frenchify some of the names. Like when they announced Matt's Nazland had scored. Yep. It was Matt's a Nazlund. Nazlund, yeah. You can't do anything with Jablonsky, though. And then they were like, a Mike a Smith. Mike Keen.

Yeah, Mike Keen was a man. Mike a Keen. All right. Play the music. God, we're not good, are we? Mike a Keen. That's pretty good, actually. Is you saying Akeen?

Ah, no. All right, we got to get out of here. We will be back tomorrow. Thank you all for listening, and thank you all for contributing. A lot of names coming in, Gonzo and Delta. Bobby Smith. Bobby Smith. All right.

Before we go too far down this road, we got to go. Thank you all for listening. Thank you all for contributing. Signing off. I have been Mike Alfred. He's been Jason Brough. He's been Adog. He's been Laddie.

This has been the Halford & Brough show on Sportsnet, 650. Thank you.