Halford & Brough in the Morning - Could (And Should) The Canucks Land Bowen Byram?

Episode Date: June 17, 2025

In hour two, Mike & Jason discuss the Canucks' likelihood of acquiring Buffalo Sabres defenceman Bowen Byram in a trade (3:00), they preview tonight's Canada vs. Honduras Gold Cup matchup at BC Place (13:00), plus they chat with BC Lions head coach Buck Pierce (26:25) ahead of Saturday's game versus Winnipeg. 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.

7-o-1 on a Tuesday. Feels like Bruv and I are gonna run a caper here. We cased the joint. You're listening to the Haliford and Bruv Show on Sportsnet 650. Haliford and Bruv of the morning is brought to you by Sands & Associates, BC's first entrusted choice for debt help with over 3,000 five-star reviews. Visit them online at sands-trustee.com. We are now in hour two of the program.

Hour two is brought to you by Jason Hominuck at jason.mortgage. If you love giving the banks more of your money, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit them online at jason.mortgage. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio. Kintec, footwear and orthotics working together with you in step. It was a stormy day in the studio. What is this song? Get Me Sam Spade. It's pretty good. It's called Cut to the Chase. It's all over the place. Get Pink Panther vibes. It's called Cut to the Chase. It's all over the place.

Getting Pink Panther vibes. I'm thinking Inspector Gadget. A lot of people. Of course you are. A lot of people in the Dunbar Lumber text message in basket, when we asked, hey, what do you, the listeners, want us to talk about? They said, talk about Bowen Byrum.

Talk about the trade rumors. Talk about it. So we can. A couple texts that I'll just read, and then we'll get into this. and Byrom, talk about the trade rumors. Talk about it. Okay. So we can. Uh, a couple texts that I'll just read and then we'll, we'll get into this. If the Canucks trade for Bow and Byrom, which defender gets moved out and Lucas texts in and

said, Frank, sorry, Valley says the Canucks don't have anything that Buffalo would want because they aren't looking for futures. So unless it's a PD package, I don't see how they have a trading partner with them. What teams are looking for futures this off season? Okay. Well, you could always trade futures and have them flipped. Yep.

But that does make it more complicated. Sure. But look, that's what the Canucks do. Yeah. How many times did- They've done it twice. They've done it twice. They've done it twice. That's how they ended up with Philip

Hronik and Marcus Pedersen. Yeah. That's how they addressed their blue line, uh, by trading out guys for futures and then, or partial futures, and then flipping those futures right away. Um, the Bowen Byram thing, um, is interesting because we've heard from reporters like Rick Dollywall

that this current regime has always really loved Bowen Byram and there has also been, um, a very public admission that keeping Quinn Hughes isn't guaranteed. Sure. So to the question of which defender gets shipped out, doesn't necessarily have to be a defenseman. No, it does not at all. Other people have, I've seen people say, well, if

it's a Bow and Byram deal, are you shipping out a guy like Philip Hronik? Not necessarily because your top pair in not too long, I hate to say this, but if you acquire Bowen Byrom, if your top pair could soon be Bowen Byrom with Philip Peronik. It definitely seems like Byrom is going to be on the move from Buffalo. Oh yeah.

That I can almost guarantee. Yeah. In May, Byrom went out and hired a new agent, Darren Farris. That was courtesy of our very own Rick Dollywall. And then a little bit after that, agents which out and hired a new agent, Darren Farris. That was courtesy of our very own Rick Dollywall. And then a little bit after that, and agents which happened Dolly and Kevin Weeks from ESB, and a handful of other people reported that Byron was very much on the trade

block. So how did we get here? Well, the Canucks have an interest in Byron going all the way back to his draft year in 2019. You mentioned the Adrian Dator tweet from yesterday saying that he believes that Byron wants to be a Canuck. From a personal standpoint, I've been pushing for this. Let's try and bring more local products back home, the ones that grew up, especially the ones that grew up following, I don't know why it feels like that 2011 team was so.

It's a hedle on defense situation though. The guy's injury prone. He's like one concussion away from retirement. Well, Brandon texts in, he says, why is there so much interest in Byron? He is not that good of a player. I disagree. He's good. He's just, he's like hedle.

He's good and injury prone. I think his play probably fell off in Buffalo, but a lot of players play falls off in Buffalo. Right. To our tax. I really think you have to consider the teams that you play with and how that it can affect just your stats because you're not playing on a good team, your motivation, how dialed in you are.

Look at Seth Jones. Seth Jones went from being like, oh my God, this guy's going to cripple Chicago's cap situation for years. Yep. To he's like the top minute defenseman on the Florida Panthers who are one win away from winning the Stanley Cup. He's been great. He's a good player. Um, I, I'm, I mean, I'm with a dog.

I think there is a, there is a concussion concern there with Bowen Byrom. But if you were to ask me if it's likely if the Canucks land Bowen Byrom, I guess I would have trouble saying it's likely. Just because of, I know I've pushed back on some of the reasons, but it does make it more complicated if you have to trade, you know, acquire futures from one team and then ship those futures out, it would be easier for Buffalo if they could just go like, um, you know, here's the deal and we're

getting our NHL players back for, for Bowen Byrom. But if Byrom does want to be a Canuck and he wants to be a Canuck badly, he does have an element of control in the situation. Depending on how aggressive he's willing to be in holding out or not playing this season. The Matthew Kachuck situation in Calgary, when he was in the same situation as Byrom in that he was a restricted free agent.

And he essentially told the flames, I don't want to be a Calgary flame anymore. What happened with him was he gave the flames a handful of teams where he'd be willing to trade, be traded to and sign a long-term contract. Florida ended up making a big push and then they would have had to convince Kichuk because otherwise he would just do the same thing in

Calgary that he would have, you know, or, you know, he'd do the same thing in Florida that he would have done in Calgary, which is find your way to unrestricted free agent and see, and then leave. And it's the same situation with Dubois in Winnipeg. So these RFAs do have an element of control, but for the most part, I think what would happen

is the Sabres would say, okay, give us a few teams that you'd like to go to. And Byron would probably say, okay, I'll, I'll play it that way because I'm not just going to limit myself to one team. Sure. And lots of guys have thrived after escaping Buffalo. The most obvious ones are Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhardt,

but it doesn't work for everybody. Rista Lyon and hasn't had like a career takeoff since moving to Philadelphia. There's been other guys as well. Right. I mean, you could, it's all about circumstance. I mean, the guy that Byron got traded for in Casey Middlestad hasn't taken off in Colorado Yeah, cuz he's not good. Right. So what I'm saying is sometimes players different He's never really shown by players in sometimes the players that underperform in Buffalo underperform because they're not good That's just the reality of it. You don't know what you're getting Exactly with Byron you're getting

high-end skill That's the reality of it. You don't know what you're getting exactly with Byron. You're getting high end skill that's injury prone. Guy that would be on his third NHL team at a relatively young age. If they acquire him, is it a tacit admission though from the Canucks that- See, I don't think so. That Quinn Hughes is unlikely to stay. I know where you're going. I don't think so.

I think it's- I think they would clearly see him as Hughes insurance. I think it's insurance, but I also think you could spin a pretty good yarn about we are going to make this year about being the most competitive we can be. And if it means that we strengthen our area, you can't ever have too good of a blue line. If you strengthen an area of your perceived strength, which is your blue line. So is he going to be, what is Marcus Patter Patterson gonna be a third pairing defenseman then well they're most certainly trading a D right like that's they're not potentially it

have potentially or maybe well they're not gonna trade DPD not why I hope not well or I mean you can't say that for certain or heads with the package okay Alfred you you get your oran or you build a blue line on the pretense that Maybe we will have another injury laden season like the one prior in which Queen Hughes missed a ton of time It wasn't really healthy for the second half of the season and Philip Peroneck missed what almost two months? Yeah out of that I mean that that's the sinks fringe teams And if they're you you know what else?

How does that fix their forward? Sinks fringe teams, like yeah, like that's the thing. Right? It's also, their priority has to be the forwards. Look at their top six right now. It's like, yikes. Yeah, it is yikes. I mean, even if Petey comes back.

I'm sorry, when did I say that they should ignore the forward group entirely? I didn't say you did. Well, someone did. Someone was inferring it. I wasn't inferring it. Well, someone did. Someone was inferring it. I wasn't inferring it. Well, if you're spending assets to get Bowen Byrom, then you're taking assets away that can fix the forward group.

I would look at him as, one, could strengthen a group. Two, would be potentially insurance for Hughes. And three, you might be able to get him for less than market value, because he does control the process Somewhat any again reportedly wants to go to Vancouver now if they don't do it. I'm not gonna lose any sleepover It's like okay go do something else, but there is That factor there that I would consider more than most because he is interested in joining the team again reportedly And I'm not sure how many guys you're gonna get either via trade or in free agency

that are dying to get to Vancouver. Okay, Scott and Suri texting, do you guys see any of the Journeymen on the Abbotsford Canucks cracking the Vancouver Canucks roster next season? No. Sammy Blay. The Canucks are good.

Former Stanley Cup winner. Just thinking this. Stanley Cup winner. The Canucks are good in the bottom six. Could you always have more? Could you always strengthen it? It's good in the bottom six. Could you always have more? Could you always strengthen it? This is like the blue line. Could you have more journeymen?

I think Linus Carlsen will be on the team. Yep. Next season. And I think there's a very good chance that Lekaramaki is traded. Okay. And then who else are we talking about? Maybe Kudryatsev, but he's not a journeyman.

He's a young player. No. He might be young player. No. He might be, you know, a seventh or eighth defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks. Klimovich. Klimovich will not be in the NHL next season. No. The Klim Reaper.

He's the Klim Reaper. That's his nickname, the Klim Reaper. If the Canucks are big goals. If the Canucks have a bad season, maybe he gets a sniff at some point, but he's not cracking the roster next season. No chance. But Linus Carlsen could.

Yeah. And outside of that, maybe Max Sassen. You know, I've heard, or I've read, I haven't heard it myself, but I've read that, you know, Teddy Bluger could be traded by the Canucks in a deal for a centre. I know that would- What? He's part of the Latvian first six. I know. I know. But if he is, then maybe Max Sassen has a way onto the team.

Atu-Ratu? Yep. Atu-Ratu is a chance for sure. Yeah. But he's also not a journeyman. Neither really assassin. Yeah. Yeah. I don't see any of these guys. Christian Wallanan, that would be a journeyman. I don't see it. No. These guys are doing what they're supposed to do, which is killing it at the American league level. Maybe Sammy Blay gets a sniff somewhere else, but I don't know if it would be here. Yeah, I just don't see it. Fish dancer texts in, Ty Mueller makes the team,

or I'll eat my shorts, okay. You don't have to eat your shorts. You don't have to eat your shorts. Well, it would be nice to see, not nice to see, but it would be interesting to see. Tyler, maybe it would not be nice to see. Yeah, I don't know where nice came from. But none of these guys are, well it's Fish Dancer,

he's always ripping me, so it would be nice for me to see. Sure. You know, I don't think any of the Journeymen are gonna play a role in the Canucks' future. Okay, so let's talk a little bit about the soccer game tonight. Yeah. Because it'll get you interested.

Oh, I'm sorry, did I not contribute to the previous conversation? No, it'll get you interested. I'm already'm sorry. Did I not contribute to the previous conversation? It'll get you interested. I'm already interested. I love our show. I love your game. What do you need to see from Canada tonight against Honduras?

Because you're actually going to the game. I had tickets, but I don't like to watch them, watch games on my phone. Like I want, I want the Stanley Cup final game, sorry, people in Abbotsford. The Stanley Cup final game to me is my priority tonight. So I've got that. I appreciate you.

And you, you are in charge of the Canada soccer. We delegated. You're the hockey guy tonight and I'm the soccer guy. Laddie, you've got the Abbotsford story and Adog, you just have some cereal buddy. Okay. Okay. All right. done and done, okay What do we need to see from Canada tonight and overall tonight?

Comprehensive victory it shouldn't be close It should Canada's going into this tournament as a pretty big one of the big three favorites And that's part of your as part of the audience where we like well, yeah, no kidding other You know it's worth noting that this tournament isn't always a layup because teams don't often send their A squads. Canada is sending as close to their A squad as they can. Yeah. The only guys that aren't going to be there of note are the two injured guys, Moise Bombito and of course, Alfonso Davies, who is

Casey missed it on Saturday front and center at the Edmonton Oilers games. So this is all systems go, the way that Marsh and we had them on the show last week has talked about their focus, the way that they built out this roster and the way that they have really put an emphasis behind getting fans out, putting on a show for the nation, understanding that this is the best warmup that they are going to get.

And there have been some subliminal messages from Marsh and other people within the organization and covering the program that they're almost the anti-Americans in this regard, because I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but the US team right now is kind of embroiled in a controversy where a lot of their big name players have opted out of this summer. And they're like almost feuding with the manager, aren't they? Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, some of the big name guys who were playing in the biggest leagues, those guys both playing in Italy.

Yeah. Are at, I would say, mini loggerheads with Pacetino because he wants buy-in, obviously. Yeah. And they're saying- So you're away from the World Cup. And they're saying, we've played a long season and we need some time to rest and recuperate.

Now the interesting foil to that is this Canadian team where Marsh has said on a number of occasions, not a single guy came to me asking to take the Gold Cup off. That includes like Jonathan David, whose club future is still very much in the air. And is he the captain right now? Yeah. Okay.

Stefan Eustaccio, who is with Porto in the club world cup. Also while, you know, trying to balance what he's got to do with team Canada. So there's, he's going to play for Canada and in the club world. I mean, he was, I saw him pictures of him training with Porto. I don't know to what degree he's going to do with Canada shorts on. He just gets changed in the bathroom and then runs out. I don't know what he's going to do. I don't know how it's going then runs out. I don't know what he's going to do. I don't know how it's going to work out.

I don't know. Marshall will be like, I love your Moxie, but maybe it's a lot. Has he been named to the roster? Yeah, he's there. I mean, he's, they were talking about here. They were talking about him doing double duty. I don't know if he's here at the moment, but there was talk about him doing double duty. Maybe they'll try and do a workaround anyway, to the larger point. What you're going to want wanna see from Canada in this tournament is a lot of the things that Marsh has tried to implement stylistically, so the high press, the athleticism,

and everything. When you hear him talk though, and you know what he references a lot? The Four Nations team, the hockey team. He was really struck by that. He was really struck by it because to him, as an American coaching in Canada, he's always trying to figure out like what the Canadian

identity and reputation and personality and ethos is. And he's kind of boiled it down to, we can be great humans and really nice and really polite off the pitch and be leaders in our community, but on the pitch I Want these guys to be a holes? And I mean you understand I don't need to swear. I'm trying not I'm trying to swear less on the air I'm a professional. Yeah, and he's really leaned into this and what he said was I looked at that Canadian team at the Four Nations and

When they presented themselves publicly they were fiercely Canadian and they were, you know, very polite and professional in their approach. But when they got on the ice, they had that dog in them. They were ready to fight three times against the Americans. And they understood what it meant to fight for that Canadian identity. And he wants that to be a part of this team and not be the happy to be their program anymore. We're happy to be at the World Cup. We're happy we finished first in CONCACAF.

Yeah, we're happy that we're at the gold cup. Let's try and win some games. He wants them to be a little more brash, a little more cocky and a little more confident. So I'll be very curious to see how that plays out in this tournament. Because right now they're a huge favorite over Honduras. This is a team that's way below you in the world rankings coming into. And here's the important part, your backyard. Like you're playing in Canada. Can I just say that the ticket prices are ridiculous?

Ticket prices are stupid. Like I think- How much are they? I think get in prices around 60, 65 bucks. There's some, there's a handful of cheap ones that are like 40 bucks plus all the service charges. This is CONCACAF. But there are gonna be a lot of empty seats in the service charges. This is ConcaCaf. But there are going to be a lot of empty seats

in the prime seats that are like, I looked on Ticketmaster yesterday, they're like 150 bucks or something like that. So they watch Canada and Honduras. And before you get mad at Canada soccer. It's on Canada soccer. It's ConcaCaf and the Americans played a game the other day.

In San Jose. In San Jose and it was, it was actually a big win for them, five nothing over Trinidad and Tobago. Announced attendance was 12,000. I watched it. And there were not 12,000 people there. I watched it, it was pathetic. Yeah.

For a U.S. team that's a year out from playing in a World Cup that they're hosting. To be in. But people were complaining about the ticket prices. Yeah, I know. I US team, that's a year out from playing in a World Cup that they're hosting to be in. But people were complaining about the ticket prices. Yeah, I know. I'm not. It wasn't it wasn't like I wasn't blaming the fans. Yeah, but it was just pathetic. The whole thing.

I've watched a bunch of games in this tournament. And if you think that one's bad, when you get some of these minnows like the other day, it was Costa Rica against Suriname. There was like 20 people in the stadium. But are the ticket prices high? They're uniform across the board. What? They're not doing. Really?

They're not doing variable pricing like the Club World Cup. Like if you go look at the Club World Cup, which is another disaster, if you go look at the Club World Cup tickets right now. Some of the games have been well attended. Yeah, but there's variable pricing and unfortunately kind of based on where the team stack up.

Yeah, so if you want to go see like Chelsea yesterday because they played LAFC those tickets are expensive but if you want to go see and this has been as no disrespect with some of the lesser-known teams like Botafogo from Brazil, which is a big club in Brazil, but doesn't have the global appeal I think there's one from Tunisia called Esperance playing. There's a team from New Zealand, which quite famously now lost 10-nil to Bayern in the open called Auckland City. If you wanna see them play against each other.

Yeah, the ticket prices are significantly less. The gold cup tickets, it should be about how many people can we get into our stadiums while we're going up against another major competition? Cause they are kind of fighting for eyeballs and seats. Well, how many people in Vancouver are going to be like, Hey, I'd love to go watch Canada

play soccer, but I'm either going to be into the Abbotsford game or let's be honest, most people are like, I want to watch the hockey game tonight. I want to watch, I want to watch, I want to watch the Oilers and the Panthers in what's been one of the most entertaining Stanley Cup finals ever. There's a Canadian team and a lot of people are rooting for the Oilers. So they'll like this game was not marketed well. The Canada Honduras gold cup match. No, wasn't.

I mean, I had people that I'm friends with who are fairly ardent followers of the national team and soccer in general. Like they didn't know that BC Place was getting grass for this match, which I think is like a pretty cool thing. Yeah. I didn't know that. We had the trophy in studio.

We had the trophy in studio. Did that do nothing for people? Well, that's the thing, we had the trophy in studio and we were like at the forefront of promoting the thing. The trophy didn't even say anything interesting. No, it was very quiet Yeah, it's like buddy. You got to promote this. I think he knew that the ticket prices were expensive. Yeah, keep my mouth shut here But anyway, it is a great you like I I'm very excited about what this team could do Because of the amount of talent Marsh has at his disposal, the way

that he's having them play, like the attacking, very aggressive play. Also he knows that he wins equal confidence and the more trophies you win, the more swagger you have. And he like, that's why they had that ridiculous Canadian shield, cause it was something that they could win. And they want to win this. And they want to go into the World Cup with the idea of, we're not here to make up the numbers, and we're not here to be a friendly host.

We want to do something when these matches are on, and mean, like, when it means something, we want it to mean something, we want to perform. You want a game seven of the Stanley Cup final, right? Absolutely. So at my father's day dinner, I got into it with my mom because she was like, I can't believe you're cheering for Florida in the current state of geopolitics. I'm like, yeah, I cheer for Canada when it's Canada playing.

This is a part of Canada. And so my mom, who is the most casual of sports fans, but then becomes aggressive once she gets into it. She's like, she couldn't wrap her head around me cheering for Florida because the Oilers are a rival of the Canucks. And I tried to make up examples, but it was really difficult because she couldn't grasp the examples. So I was like, okay, imagine it's Manchester United,

and they're eliminated from a competition that Manchester City is still in. Would all the fans for Manchester United support Manchester City? The answer is no. And she'd be like, what are you talking about? What? Is this soccer?

It was very difficult to explain to her that this is club and that the Edmonton Oilers did not represent Canada. They represented the Edmonton Oilers did not represent Canada. They represented the Edmonton Oilers. She just couldn't wrap her head around it. I mean, I've tried, like I've had similar conversations. I think it's all the corporate advertising is getting to her. It's the Rogers advertising, it's the Boston pizza.

I think it's a mom. Big advertising has taken control of my mom. I also think it's a mom thing, because my mom said the same thing. She also asked why we weren't cheering for the Leafs. I'm like, did you just wake up? Why would I? Because when they were playing Florida,

they're like, but it's Canadian. I thought you listened on occasion to the show. Yeah, like I don't, I didn't even want the Leafs to get out of the first round. I mean, my mom doesn't. She's like, I don't understand any of it. I'm like, clearly. It's very loud.

It's very loud, your show. Okay, we gotta go to break We got a lot more to get into on the program BC Lions talk coming up buck Pierce is gonna join the program head coach of the BC Lions We'll talk to him about what happened last Thursday now. It's a while ago in Winnipeg They get the rematch against the Bombers coming up on Saturday I will get a health update on Nathan Rourke Hopefully as well 8 o'clock Adnan Burke going to join us for some MLB talk.

And before we go to break, I need to tell you about the Vancouver Giants. It's never too early to get your Vancouver Giants season tickets. Tickets start under $19 at VancouverGiants.com forward slash season tickets. You're listening to the Halford and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. Hey, it's Mick Nazar. Have your say and join me on the People's Show with big takes and even bigger bets, weekdays three to four on Sportsnet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts. 732 on a Tuesday.

Happy Tuesday everybody. Halferd and Bruv, Sportsnet 650. Halferd and Bruv of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. Learn how a consumer proposal reduces your debt by up to 80% with no more interest. Visit them online at sans-trustee.com. We are in hour two of the program. We're at the midway point of the show here.

Hour two is brought to you by Jason Hominuk at jason.mortgage. If you love paying too much for your mortgage, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit them online at jason.mortgage. The BC Lions are back in action this Saturday, June 21st. It's a 4 PM home kickoff at BC place and a rematch against the Winnipeg blue

bombers. Uh, joining us now, courtesy of the power West industries hotline, the head coach of the lions, Buck Pierce here on the Halford and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. Morning Buck, how are you? I'm good, how are you guys doing? We're good, thanks for taking the time to do this, we appreciate it. So let's start with your quarterback Nathan Rorick. How's he feeling and do you have a health update on his availability for the game this weekend against Winnipeg? Yeah it's nice, we've had a you know a little bit after having a short week you know to Winnipeg, having a few extra days.

So he's been getting a lot of good work in. I think he's progressing as he should. We got time to just kind of see where he's at. But right now he's kind of day to day. We'll see how he goes, but I know he's feeling better every day. What was it like going to Winnipeg on such a short week with little practice? I mean, how many times were you able to practice

before you played the Bombers? Yeah, we were on the field for one day. But just like we said, we knew it was going to be a physical football game. It's a great environment to go in there and as a visitor, play on the road. So I thought we did some good things you know overall execution work wasn't where it needed to be you know too many too many mistakes you know you

can't do that against a good team especially on the road but yeah you know we're looking to you know regroup it and you know get back at it you know we'll be on the field today so we're excited about that. What was it like for you personally to go back to Winnipeg? No, you know, it was, uh, it's, you know, obviously as, as, uh, uh, you know, coach, now you, you want to go in there and you want to put your best foot forward. Uh, but, uh, yeah, you know, I spent a lot of time there. I was there for 14 years, you know, as, as, as a player and as a coach. So, you know, um,

I do have some, you know some ties there as well, obviously, but yeah, you know what? It was just another football game, to be honest with you. You know, I was excited to be able to lead our team out there on the field and, you know, have an opportunity to go take it to them. But yeah, you know, we're excited to get back

in our building now and,'ve got to come on the road and play us. You mentioned some of the mistakes against Winnipeg and one of the unique things about the CFL schedule is you get a chance to correct those mistakes against the same opponent. What were some of the more glaring mistakes that you guys caught on film that you're hoping to clean up for Saturday? Well, I think just the lack of consistency at times, right? And being able to hold on to momentum and those type of things. We'd have a big play, then we'd give up something.

We'd have a key penalty at inopportune times to give momentum back to the Bombers. So consistency overall, we've got to the bomber. So, you know, consistency overall, you know, we got to play a little bit more physical and we got to make sure we start faster. What did you think of the job you guys did against the run against the bombers on Thursday? Well, you know, I think when you look at everything

over a whole, you know, a couple of big runs there, you know, but I think overall when you look at, you know, our defense, you know, after a little big runs there, you know, but I think, I think overall, when you look at, you know, our defense, you know, after, after a little bit of a slower start, you look at, you know, what they did of, you know, getting them into second long. You know, I think we've got to, you know, continue to focus on, you know, taking the explosive play away, you know, the big play,

but, you know, better on first down, you know, keeping teams in second and along in the CFL is tough to do. How do you feel about your quarterback depth? Well, you know, we, we, we keep, uh, you know, finding out more and more about them. Right. So, you know, obviously, obviously there's some guys that, you know, have some time in the league, you know, Jeremiah has, you know, been a starter, he's been around.

Um, I like, I love the, I love the way that he sees some things. Chase Bryce is a guy that's been in the organization for a while and now learning a new system. He took a lot of positive strides in training camp. Obviously, Nathan, what he can do on the football field, I think we've all seen that. So yeah, just continue to learn a little bit more about each guy. And, you know, I'm excited about opportunities for everybody when those opportunities do come. We all know in the CFL, you know, it's a quarterback room, right? It's not just one guy. You know, you need multiple guys in there to help contribute. Are you going to err on the side of caution, though, with Nathan this early in the season? Well, I mean, we're going to make sure he's feeling okay.

Obviously, we want him to be healthy and be able to perform to his ability. That's the main thing. But with a guy like Nathan, we're going to make sure we give him enough time. And he has time to assess how he's feeling, what he can do on the football field. And I'm willing to give him that time to see where he is

come game time. Was it an issue he was already dealing with heading into the game or did it crop up in the game? No, it cropped up in the game. It cropped up in the game. It wasn't something he'd been dealing with, no. We're speaking to BC Lions head coach Buck Pierce here on the Haliford & Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Putting up points in the first half of both football games has been a little bit of an

issue so far. Do you chalk that up to it's early in the season and you're still trying to work on a few things regarding the playbook and execution or is there something More to it thus far Yeah, you know what when you look at you know, the first half of games you look at the start You always want to start fast, right? So you look at you're evaluating everything all the time, you know who you are as an offense You know what you're calling play call wise, you know what the defense plan is early in the game You know, we've always felt that we've been able to adjust well

in second half. But we've been able to move the ball at times. You look at the Edmonton game, we were able to move the ball, we just didn't finish drives. Against Winnipeg the other day, we just couldn't stay on the football field. So we gotta get better at our first down efficiency

offensively, making sure we finish drives in the score zone, get the ball in the end field. So, you know, we got to get better at, you know, our first down efficiency offensively, you know, making sure we finished drives in the score zone, you know, get the ball in the end zone. And then, uh, and then, yeah, just overall, you know, consistent execution. Buck, this was great. Thanks for taking the time to do this this morning. We really appreciate it. Best of luck on the weekend against the bombers, make amends for that game on Thursday night and go get it up. Hey, thanks guys. Thank you That's buck Pierce head coach of the BC Lions here on the Haliford and brush show on sports net 650 Wasn't giving us much on Nathan work there. No, no, and so there was a report out there that Rourke is gonna go through Practice today in some fashion probably limited and it's still too early to sell for players. Is it an oblique issue?

Yeah. Same as Quinn Hughes, right? Do you remember when we were like, where are your obliques because none of us have core strength? Yeah, I can't even pull them. Okay. Call those love handles. Yeah, you can't pull those.

Yeah, so I don't know if you, when he threw them, I think it was a past attempt to key on Hatcher late. And. It's like, ah, my love handle. Right, and I'm like, no, not the love handle. You could see obviously one, it was non-contact. Yeah.

So that's a problem. And then two, when he went to the sidelines, Rourke was grimacing every time he tried to throw the football, and then in the aftermath, we played the audio. He just said he couldn't have any zip on the ball, because I guess it hurt too much when he was throwing. So I feel like you got to err on the side of caution there. I don't know he's gonna make the start your season week three against the Bombers your season is cooked if he misses

Extended time yeah, so you don't want to risk it your season right now, but the the quarterback depth I know buck said it's exciting to give guys opportunities, but uh Miss Holy's played in the CFL for a long time Yeah, he's sure has. He sure has, says the answer. He sure has. Uh, though it'd be look, the entire season is, I mean, it's Nathan Rorke or bust for the.

Oh, yes. I don't know. I mean, yeah, there's other teams that are built different in the Canadian football league. Um, I think we saw it to a certain degree in Winnipeg on Thursday night, where despite missing Zach Klaros and Brady Olivera for the majority of the game, Brady Olivera, they were able because they run the ball so effectively to do a sort of plug

and play thing and get a win. I don't think the Lions are there. We talked to Moj about power ranking the West and he still had Saskatchewan sorry power ranking the CFL and he still had Saskatchewan Winnipeg out in front as a sort of two most dominant He's in Toronto and then maybe he kind of he capped the Lions out as maybe like a 10 or 11 win Teams like good not great. Yeah, but so much of it is on the shoulders of Rourke because the expectation is he gets back to 2022 Nathan Rourke, they have the best quarterback in the league and then it's about building out from there. I, you know, I, and Buck was obviously kind of short on his answer about the defense,

but the defense it's nothing to like write home about when you go into Winnipeg and they lose their star running back and you still get gouged for as many yards as they did on the ground. What is your sense about what is going to happen in the hockey game tonight? Do you have one? A lot of people are going to use kind of like past scenarios to paint what they think will happen.

I know a lot of people have brought up game six against Toronto for the Florida Panthers. And maybe that's going to happen again. We talked to Wish and he said, you know, Florida for how good they've been. They've, they've struggled sometimes in closeout scenarios and we've seen it time and time again in the playoffs when, you know, the, the final

game is the hardest to win because you're playing against a desperate team and you might naturally be like in the back of your mind, well, you know, we do have one more chance at this and we've been really good on the road. So there's no reason why we can't go to Edmonton and win a game seven like we did, you know, against the Toronto Maple Leafs when everyone

thought that, oh, maybe the Leafs have the momentum now and you go back and you spank the Leafs again in Toronto. Um, I just think that that scenario is also going to inform the effort of the Florida Panthers because they won't want that to happen again. And maybe there's going to be some extra desperation from Florida tonight.

Uh, to your original question, I think the oilers are going to win tonight. I think it's going to go seven. I think we're going to see the one final great push from McDavid tonight. We may see an emptying of the tank scenario. I know he's been asked a lot about it. Like a lot of the media yesterday was, you know, he

actually said talking about how the heavy questions, cause one of the questions was how much extra pressure do you feel to drag? your team back into this because One he's the guy. Yeah, he's the one unstoppable force for Edmonton in this series Yeah, where if he decides and if he's physically capable and I do wonder how much how banged up he is because he's taking It's a lot of physical abuse in this series, but he is the one guy And it's he is the one guy. And it's he's the one guy in the NHL that nobody has an answer for.

I think he sits alone singularly in that conversation. I think everyone else in the National Hockey League, you could find an answer for. But I think he's the one guy. It's funny, they were having this conversation about Otani on the broadcast yesterday where there's one guy that plays the game at a level different than everybody else. And that one guy is McDavid. at a level different than everybody else. And that one guy is McDavid. You could throw other guys in the conversation if you want. If you want to throw Nate Dogg in there, maybe I'd have time for it. But I honestly believe that McDavid is one of one when it comes to that.

So that's the great wild card in a short sample size series. Jordan and Langley text in and says, McDavid was born to win a game seven overtime for a cup. I think that will happen this year. He's got to get there first. How tough must it be to be a player where people are like, you are not only born to be great in this league, but you were born to have the great moments.

Yep. You know, we think about Sid and the golden goal in the Olympics, Lemieux and Gretzky the great moments. Yep. You know, we think about Sid and the golden goal in the Olympics, Lemieux and Gretzky together in the Canada Cup in 1987. Now those were all international moments. Yep. And McDavid does have a big international moment

on his resume now because he scored the game winner in the Four Nations. But I just think it must be difficult to be on his resume now because he scored the game winner in the Four Nations. But I just think it must be difficult to be anointed because you still have to go out and do the work and people will say, well, Sid went to his first Stanley Cup final, lost and then won the next year. Gretzky went to his first Stanley Cup final, lost and then won the next year. So that's to his first Stanley Cup final, lost, and then won the next year. So that's gonna happen for you. And the expectations based on history

must be really tough because they don't just happen. You know, there are differences in these scenarios too. Like look at the, look at the Oilers team that Gretzky had. Multiple Hall of Famers team that Gretzky had, multiple hall of famers on that team to the point where Gretzky was traded away and they still won the Stanley Cup in 1990 without him. But the one thing that all the elite of the elites have in common is that they do it. It doesn't matter about the pressure, it doesn't matter about the expectations, it doesn't matter about any of it is that when you're anointed as the next one and you want to

be on that plane. Hey, there's lots of guys that fall short and fall into a second secondary and tertiary category where it's like, yeah, you were amazing player, but you weren't one of the elites. The thing with McDavid is, is he's already ticked so many boxes to be in that conversation. There's 32 teams, man. Yeah, it's harder now. It's way harder, but it was hard. It was difficult for Crosby as well Yeah, I mean it wasn't like Crosby was playing in a watered-down league when they won the Stanley Cup Alright and Crosby's got three mm-hmm and you look at what he was able to do

And had gone through a ton of adversity in the middle part of his career with the extended time that he missed on the shelf With concussion there was pressure there as well getting the first cup out of the way as early as he did probably made his Career to be honest easier in a way. Yeah, and I think what's more compelling if he wins or if he doesn't win Mcdavid yeah, he loses way more compelling, but it's compelling to see him get over the hump There's a finality of it to it. To see him raise the cup. But I mean, that almost ends it, in a way. I know what you're saying there, but it's still compelling to see a guy that's drafted first overall and anointed the great one, and then actually do it.

I'll tell you why it's compelling and more compelling, is because all the other guys that you mentioned got it done in their second trip. We don't know what it's like for when's the last time that a superstar player generational talent in any of the leagues went to consecutive championship finals played out of his mind and lost. It just doesn't happen all that often, you know, and I know doing the cross sport comparison is tough because it's incredibly different. Yeah. But when you look at McDavid right now, like I mean, I always joked in the context going into the series of like, imagine if he wins consecutive cons mights in a losing effort.

Like you will go down in not just NHL history, but all sports history. Is that that's a very unique Is that infamy then a little bit of it? Yeah unfairly because it means you played out of your mind Dragging your team to two championships got his clothes. Skinner and Picard are like sorry about that, but right and you get let down Yeah, right. I mean that's part of it the challenge will get and you know, some will say it might get easier because Expansion in addition to the teams might water it know, some will say it might get easier because expansion in addition to teams might water it down, but I think it gets more and more difficult from here.

Well, here's the other part, which I thought you were going to bring up when you were talking about losing and it being more compelling. Dave and Poco, if McDavid doesn't win this year, does he look elsewhere in free agency? Oh, that was my next point. When available. That is out there. Although I'm not sure if he'd be more likely to leave if he wins or if he loses, because if he wins, he might be like, all right, Edmonton,

there's your cup. Our deal is over. I have delivered the Stanley Cup. Now I get to leave and I'm going to go somewhere else, maybe to Toronto. If I'm the Leafs, I'm at least saying we need to keep our powder dry for the possibility that McDavid wants to come here. Yeah.

Well, you'd have to. It would be the greatest free agent Bonanza. He's an Ontario guy in the history of the NHL. He'd be the best player to ever leave a team in free agency. And it would be, see the thing is, I feel like him and Dreisle will have a unspoken understanding that Leon led the way. He's like, I'm gonna sign here for a long time.

And it's not because I love Edmonton particularly. I don't hate it, but it's not like I love living here. It's because you and I together, we're gonna get a bunch of kicks at the can here. I mean, I think it's not like I love living here. Yeah. It's because you and I together, you know, we're going to get a bunch of kicks in the can here. I mean. I think it's unlikely he leaves. I think he'll resign there regardless of what happens, but it enters the conversation. Does he feel let down by the organization if they don't win?

And I think that would be tough to see. I mean, he got to the finals, right? Twice. And I think that would be tough to see. I mean, he got to the finals, right? Twice. But I just think this is where we can have great sports radio debates about how much is the best player on a hockey team responsible for overall team success.

Because I think the basketball story is a lot different. You know, McDavid is playing crazy minutes, but he's not playing as much as a top basketball player would in terms of total percentage of time spent on the court. You know, how much do the best basketball players play? 90% of the game? Sometimes 100% of the game? You know, that's not the case with McDavid. And I don't think you can say he's played badly.

You can say maybe the goal scoring has been a little bit quiet. The one thing that I'll be really curious to see tonight is if the Oilers power play can figure it out because they were dreadful in the last game. I think they went 0 for 3 and they're going to get opportunities. They're going to get opportunities for sure and they have to take advantage of those situations. Yeah. Someone brought up LeBron in the context of LeBron lost his first two NBA finals as well, which is fair to bring up in terms of the generational comparison.

I mean, here's the thing. It's tough to compare anyone. LeBron's been to the NBA finals 10 times. He's won four. I mean, here's the thing. It's tough to compare anyone. LeBron's been to the NBA finals 10 times. He's won four. I get it. Like he lost the first two. They weren't back to back. I think it's Kevin and Port Booty, who's really been a fan of the show

this morning. Please keep texting in, Kevin. We love your support. So LeBron lost in 07 and then back in 11. So it was four years between trips. There's also a two different teams. The first one was with the Cavs, second was with the Heat. And then, of course, the Heat went on a run and proceeded to win.

I think it was two in a row in 2012 and 2013. So the narrative there would have to be McDavid stays in Edmonton, keeps it together, and then him and them and dry subtle go on this run. Because the thing is, if you go somewhere else and you make the change in free agency what you're joining is in no way like what he did what LeBron did in Miami making a super team and one super teams don't really exist in the NHL Florida is the closest thing we got right now I'd say. But two, the unknown would be a little worrisome if McDavid was to decide I need to go somewhere else.

Yeah. Like Toronto would be the most obvious choice, but what are you getting in a cap world with where Toronto's at in its, I guess this DNA transformation that they're undergoing? What are they going to end up looking like? One texter pointing out, McDavid's wife just opened a bar and furniture studio in Edmonton, so they're planting their roots.

Right? That's worth considering. Right? Because once you open your bar and furniture store. By the way, speaking of- That's it, you're locked in. Speaking of the wags, the wags- We signed a lease!

Yeah, we can't move now. Did you see the thing in the New York Post from Mika Z advantage ads wife? She I don't know if she did An interview with a Swedish news elder actually did it with the post and they translated it But she was saying that Mike Sullivan has gone to Sweden already to me with Mika Oh, and that they just got a new place in New York So she's like it was news to me that we were leaving this hit already decided that we had agreed that

Arranger because everything points in the direction of us, you know staying in New York So maybe we'll tap the brakes on this a Benajat thing But yeah, I mean those those stories always come up when it's about a player of this magnitude like What kind of real estate holdings you have? You know Like what kind of real estate holdings you have Miller's wife just open up something or have some company start up right before he got traded too like I want to say that I was also thinking I don't know the details But it is a halfway decent point that you bring up is that things change really real quick Yeah, right like I don't know mentally what happens

Let's say hypothetically they lose this series the Edmonton Oilers and they lose back-to-back Stanley Cubs I don't know what it does to the overall psyche. I don't know what it does to management If they are like we can't go in we can't go forward anymore with this goaltending Yeah, and if we have to address it in a meaningful way Where do we trim the fat on this team? I don't know what it McDavid's response would be Which everyone talks about how painful it was from losing the last Stanley Cup. Yeah.

I don't know what the pain and the trauma of winning back to back or losing back to back Stanley Cup does to a guy. It doesn't get harder though for the Oilers because it's not like they have a ton of youth. Nope. A lot of their key players, the complementary players to McDavid and Dreisaitl are getting into their 30s now.

You know, Matthias Ekholm, who is probably their best overall defenseman, what is he, 35? They got to make a decision on Bouchard. They're going to have to give him a big contract. Um, the depth on the forward group, you know, you got guys like Skinner and Arvidsson and you know, they were, they're kind of in the lineup sometimes, they're not in the lineup.

Like how do you go out and fix that issue? If you're the GM, like this was the year, last year was the year, you know, and then they lose Broberg and Holloway. And I just think, you know, like Ryan Nugent Hopkins was maybe playing the best hockey of his career. He's getting older now. Evander Kane, you can see that he does some good

things out there once in a while, but he also has trouble keeping up. He takes some bad penalties. So man, this is, this is huge for the Oilers, obviously. It goes without saying. But can you also- Imagine losing the cup and then having to go back to Edmonton. Just having to go there, live in the city.

Okay. Of course. Can you imagine the Canucks in 2011, they lose to the Bruins, and then they go back to the cup final and lose to the Bruins again? I'd quit sports. I would have to check out. I'd quit sports. I would just have to check out. I wouldn't be able to do it anymore. I mean, that would be devastating.

It'd be worse. We've seen devastating. I don't like throwing around mental breakdown casually, but we've seen organizations have mental breakdowns. Was it the 2014 San Jose Sharks, when they were up three nothing on the Kings and then they lost? Remember they had, they called it as such actually.

And the Canucks absolutely had one after 2011. Totally, they won the President's Trophy the next year, they were not the same. You just get shook to your core and losing has a really, here's the thing, unpredictable effect. Where you're like, I'm not sure what it's gonna do, you know it's not gonna be good, but you don't know what variance of bad it's gonna be. And that's where it's exciting from do, you know, it's not going to be good, but you don't know what variance of bad it's going to be. Yeah. And that's where it's exciting from the

great unknown part, but also a little scary if you're a supporter or fan of the team. Okay. Uh, we got to go to break. We got a lot more to get into on the Halford and Bref show on sports net six 50 before we go to break, I need to tell you about the BC lions. We just talked to the head coach Buck Pierce schools out in summers here, kick it off with the BC Lions Summer Camp Game Saturday, June 21st at 4 p.m. For details and tickets, visit bclions.com. Coming up on the other side of the break,

Adnan Virk's gonna join us for some baseball talk and then we're gonna get into our What We Learns. You're listening to the Halford and Breft show on Sportsnet 650. Big advertising has taken control of my mom. I'm annoyed with you, mother. Not just annoyed, angry. I'm a grown man now and I can run my own life!

Ah, ah, ah, ah, no! Shh, shh, shh, calm down, calm down.