Halford & Brough in the Morning - Could The Kraken Be Trade Partners For The Canucks?

Episode Date: December 19, 2025

In hour two, Mike & Jason discuss the latest NHL news including if the Kraken might be about to make a big splash in the trade market (3:00), plus they chat with New York Islanders reporter Arthur Staple (23:40), as the Isles get set to host the Canucks this evening.  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.

7.03 on a Friday. Fiesta Friday, everybody, Halford Brubb, SportsNet 650. Halpern Brub of the morning is brought to by Sands and Associates. Scori, DeF Freedom Hattrick, one, no more interest, two much lower payments in three. Peace of Mind. Visit them online at sands. That's trotty.com. We are in Hour 2 of the program. Hour 2 is brought to by Jason hominock at Jason.mortgage. If you love giving the banks more your money, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit them online at jason.morgage. We're coming to live from the Kintech studio. Happy holidays from all the team at Kintech footwear and and orthotics. Yeah.

Nice. To the phone lines we go. Our next guest is the owner and proprietor of AJ's Pizza East Broadway. Two locations to serve you better. It's AJ here on the Halford & Bruff Show on Sports 9-650. What up, dude? What is going on? Last show of the year, huh? Yeah, well, collectively, yes. Brough's going to work a couple shows over the holidays. I'm going to the underground. I'm going to

the bunker and I'm just going to hang out and eat a lot of food and watch a lot of sports. I am going to make... So you're really going to switch it up. Yeah, I'm going to do everything I do normally. He's going into the new year, changing it all. I am going to stop by AJ's over the holidays, though. Can we tell everybody what the deal is?

when they can come by, what the hours are, when you guys are open, because I'm sure a lot of people are going to want to come by and watch a bunch of sports over the holidays. Yeah, I mean, we're the only day we are closed is Christmas Day. Okay.

You know, I'm a very nice guy, so I figured I should get everybody that day off. And, but yet, Christmas Eve, we're open probably until about eight or nine. And then, you know, we'll be handing around some eggnog shots, and I'm always kind of creating something in the kitchen kind of fun for everybody.

And then we roll right into, that weekend's going to be great with sport. I mean, we're open boxing day. which is we've got the world juniors and then rolling into New Year we're up until midnight, so yeah, come and enjoy. Okay, I just want to say we just bid farewell to Nick Shook for the year

and we're going to be doing the same here because we won't be doing a hit next Friday. So I know you guys had an awesome year at AJ's opening up the second side and everything. I do just want to say like working together with you and Teresa and everyone there. It's been awesome for the show. We feel like it's like our second hangout, like our clubhouse. We did a show from there

this year. Like, it's great. It's a real community-based place and I'm really glad that we got to do this all year. One of the best sports radio partnerships of all time. Yeah, hands down, without question. And I know you think the same, but I also want to give you like a second to say here, just tease very carefully, 2026, big things ahead, big things ahead for the AJ's brand as well. There is.

It's an AUA and let's see. I don't think anybody's going to guess it, but we will be opening up a new spot in January, February, in 2026. So we're going to let that hang in the ether, let all of the listeners. There's just guess and wonder and predict where it's going to go. But there's big things ahead for AJ's in 2026 and for our partnership with the SportsNet 650. And I love it. You guys have been amazing.

It has been great since day one. And I think we're rolling into either year three. Yeah, I think it's year three with you guys. And it couldn't be any better. We love you guys and love being on the show. Love you, buddy. Enjoy the holidays. I'll see you over the next couple weeks.

Happy holidays. Yeah, happy holidays. Everybody. Take care. Have a wonderful week. See you, buddy. That's AJ from AJ's Pizza on East Broadway. Go visit them 3-2,

and 327, East Broadway over the holidays. It's the best place for pizza. The Canucks are playing the New York Islanders tonight. No Elias Pederson for the Canucks. No Bo Horvatt for the Islanders, too. I don't know how long he's expected to be out. When I first saw the injury, I was like, oh, that doesn't look good. But I think it looked worse than it was.

I'll be really curious to see if he makes 10. team Canada. He's okay, by the way. They're not officially ruling him out for, they play back to back too. They play Buffalo on Saturday and Waugh wouldn't rule him out for the Saturday game. So it sounds, he's missed three games in a row, but it sounds like he's close to returning from injury. Is Sorrelli really a better pick as the 4C than Bo Horvatt? I wonder if it'll come down to penalty killing. I don't know how much penalty killing Horvatt has been doing with the aisles. It was, he did too much in Vancouver because it wasn't very good at it. Coop's trust, too.

Coop knows Sorrelli. See, that's the thing. That's the thing for me. There's a bunch of guys on the outside looking in, you know, does Coop knew much about Shifley in Winnipeg? Because he wasn't on the Four Nations team. He doesn't really know Horvatt.

And Horvatt's best attribute is a scoring. Do they need scoring? I know he can take face-offs and everything, but I'm sure Sorrelli can do that as well. So Rale, he's been given Selky consideration before but he's not off to, he's not having a great season.

I know, I know. Horvat is. I'm just saying when you stack it all up against the, you stack the pros and the cons against one another and it sort of balances itself out. Like, do you not just end up giving the nod to, well, he did it for us before and Coop knows him and trusts him?

And at the end of the day, how far does that go? This is, I mean, the National Hockey League, a lot of the relationships, you go from the executive to coaching and coaching to players, a lot of relationships and a lot of careers are forged on trust. Like, who can I trust in this moment? Who can I trust in leadership positions? Who can I trust to deliver my message and get the job done for me? And when they do it for you, the hockey guys hold it close to their heart. They really do. Like, I'm not just putting this on as like, I'm not trying to be too flowery in explaining what trust means, but it goes way beyond numbers and way.

beyond, you know, have you earned your right onto the team? Maybe. Maybe they have. Maybe, you know, there's guys that have really honestly and earnestly played their way into the consideration to be one of the best 14 or 16 forwards on the Canadian, in the Canadian program. But when you're talking about winning a tournament, you're not building an all-star team. You're building one that a guy has to coach in a short period of time and has to deliver a message to a bunch of guys that don't play together with regularity. Justin Bourne throughout his projections for the forward group

I got in front of me here and I'll just read them real quick Ryan Hart Crosby McKinnon That's a good line Celebrini McDavid McDavid Brandon Hagel He has Mark Stone Yep

Brayden Point and Mitch Marner And then the fourth line of Brad Marshawn Anthony Sorrelli and Tom Wilson The two extras Remember there's two There could be I suppose one extra forward If they take another defenseman but the two extra forwards he's got are Sam Bennett and Nick Suzuki.

So that leaves on the outside looking in Connor Bedard, Seth Jarvis, Wyatt Johnston, Zach Hyman, Mark Schifley, Bo Horvett, Morgan Kiki, who's in the conversation, and rightly so, I guess. John Tavares and Travis Kine and Kinekene and So I guess Kine and Jarvis were the ones that were on the Four Nations team. And it's interesting because in a previous iteration, I'm pretty sure that Boren had Sorrelli out. So it's almost like Sorrelli's kind of worked his way back in. And I do wonder if that's because if you talk to enough insiders,

this team might look a lot more like the Four Nations team than you think. Right? Everyone wants all the new exciting guys. Yeah. And the goalie position too, right? Montembow won't be there. I think we can, that's pretty safe. Really?

I know. Sam Monbo probably won't be there. But like Bennington is going to be there. Right? I don't think there's any question about that. If you talk to enough insiders, they're like, yeah, he's going to go. I don't know what they're going to do with Logan Thompson. Bourne has Logan Thompson on the team and is the number one.

I don't know. I don't know if the DeBoer factor plays into that. Laddie, I don't know. I said on a podcast yesterday they have to get over it because he is head and shoulders, the clear candidate to bring to the Olympics. And if they can't get over the fact that there's a rift between DeBore and Thompson then and their goaltending falters at the Olympics it's going to be a really

tough look and I glossed over the blue line because you saw the blue line that Bourne put together it's kind of the same thing there's not really even anyone kicking the door down although Chikrin is definitely making a case to be in the mix he scored again last night if I'm not mistaken you guys laughed at the geeky

name in the mix there's just funny that it's in the mix did you see the funny stat going around he has more goals than any crack and player has points yeah this season think they like to have him back Who knew that the Seattle Cracken season would have been hinged on letting go of Morgan Geeky? But here we are. Speaking of the Cracken, we've been picking on them a little bit lately. Elliot Freeman, in the most recent 32 thoughts, talks about the Cracken who have been struggling badly, lost deservedly so last night in Calgary,

where all the rest of Seattle was watching the Seahawks game. Here's Elliot Freeman on the Cracken. I think internally in Seattle, they're incredibly disappointed, they just made a GM change, they just made a coaching change, and they're, they don't like the path they're going down. They don't like where they are. And I think the frustration and the pressure and the disappointment out there is enormous. And I really do believe that they've considered making a big swing, like they almost made one for Cairo at the draft last year. Yeah. They're going to take a big swing at something.

What could the big swing be? Do you want to say it? Leas Pedersen. Ooh. The defenseman. He'd make a difference. I was just trying to think of who else. I mean, I guess they could revisit Kairu if they were, if they were.

The blues have always seemed like they're loath to part with him, though. I don't know why. And yet he's always kind of in trade. Who would the crack an offer for EP40? I mean, if we're really going down this. I don't know. What would a package look like? The difficult thing for me right now when I said Elias Pedersen,

EP40, is that I don't know two things. One, where his value lies across the National Hockey League, and then two, what the Canucks would want back in a trade. And I have no idea. Right? It varies so great. He's also got a full no move clause. Like, that's something you've got to consider.

That's moving that far, though, not to Seattle. But you remember what... Could you say that? Yeah. It's like you're not... This is a few hours away, bud. You don't have to use much of your claws. We're re-negotiating to call it a small movement clause.

Like, it's just a tiny bit of movement. You do remember what we heard and through various people were told in the summer when it came to Elias Pedersen that the no trade clause, the new movement clause really wouldn't be wielded with such great force or power if he was having a hard time in Vancouver because he would maybe want to consider a fresh start and a new moment. move. I mean, I've joked at times that he's the designated survivor, I guess him and Thatcher Demko, the big core guys when you go back like Horvatt, gone, Miller, gone, Hughes, gone. His value's probably gone up a little bit

from last year, I mean. I mean, I'm not a lot, but probably, well, because he's had a better year. But he's hurt, and he's not really having a great year. Well, better than last year, what I'm saying. So his value is probably increased slightly. His year is fine relative to last season, but not fine relative to the expectations for him.

I think this entire conversation. Maybe you could convince some GM to be like, we could unlock him. But see, I think this entire conversation, I think this entire conversation we're having right now really highlights what we're talking about and we have no idea what his value is. You're like, well, it could be better than last year. I'm like, it could be worse. It could be because he's a year older and is a year more injury prone. You know?

I can't wait to see what his impact will be at the Olympics. Assuming he's healthy enough to go. and assuming Sweden picks him for that team. And that could be, that could affect his trade value, his performance at the Olympics. When you put him out there with the best of the best, against the best of the best, is he going to make an impact?

Because he didn't have the four nations. Now, we should, and some people have texted this into, we should consider with what Buffalo just did, they sure seem like a likely dance partner. Yeah, yeah. For the Seattle Cracken, right? They just brought in Yarmou Kekyllian. And his first remark,

where, like, nothing around here is good. Like, I don't like any of it. Alex Tuck, maybe, and then give him a big contract extension? Why not even go bigger, right? Why not consider moving, you know, in power? At this point, who's untouchable in Buffalo? Is Rasmus Delene untouchable? And if he is, the answer, my follow-up question would be like, why?

Why would anyone in this franchise and on this team be untouchable? Yeah. The Krak can eat a superstar, too. Like, that's their, like, number one thing. Like, they're going to be making the trade almost from, like, a marketing perspective. Like, we got to bring somebody in that'll sell tickets. Yeah. Owen Power's not selling tickets.

No. But I'm just saying like that's probably what they're thinking. But like what do you, when you trade for Pedersen, like what do you say? You're like, well, he's paid like a superstar. He's had 100 points once. And wait until you get to know him. Yeah. It's got that superstar personality you guys were looking for down here.

So I don't know. Commercial campaign. Very marketable. I don't know. I don't know. But the what's happening right now is a very classic. Things are going off the rails. Seattle I'm talking about.

Things are going off the rails. We can't fire the coach. because he's brand new. We can't change the GM because he's kind of new. Yeah. Do we have to make a trade? Like, is that the only option left for us? And if that's the case, get her done.

Because things are happening around the NHL. We've got trade. This is a big time to do it, right? Yeah. I know the roster freezes coming up, but. Do you know what's interesting? We've received no negative feedback into the inbox while we're just talking about trading Pedersen to the Cracken.

People are just totally completely What's the word I'm looking for? Just a pathetic or done Indifferent Well different Yeah well we're just Fine You know what I think this is a given up

You know what I think this is a result of though? That's all work Is that morbidly depressed Is that way? There you go No I'm going to turn this into glass Sensitized To the PD talk

I'm going to turn it's like Yeah whatever I'm going to turn this into a glass half full thing I think People got a taste for trades And the potential returns after Quinn Hughes And I think a lot of people were pleasantly surprised

at the return and now they want more. They got that, you know, that's like... Also, trades are fun. It's like a drug dealer. You get that first hit for free and you're like, you know you're going to be hooked, right? Maybe they'll fleece them again. That's how you do it. So now that everyone is like, well, look at what the first trade got us. I mean, people are re-engage, they're reinvigorated. They're like,

they're watching games and caring about wins and losses. But you trade Pedersen and you know what the Canucks will be thinking, right? Well, okay, we've already had issues down the Let's say Rossi replaces Pedersen essentially, right? Whatever you want to have them as the one C or the two C, then they need to go out and find another guy.

Yeah, but maybe you don't do it. You might get a center back in the deal. Or maybe that's what they do this offseason at the draft or whatever else, right? Alvian would be like, this year we're definitely going to make a trade for a center. Yeah. But you also- Shane writes a center, isn't he? Yeah

I don't think I'm just saying it for Bruce No I know but I don't know I have such a hard What a return I have such a hard time I would take it Yeah

I'm still a training up Well Wood You know it's like I mean he's only 21 Yeah He's got more to give And he doesn't have a massive

crippling contract Well that's the thing If you're the crackin You're kind of thinking like Hey we're gonna take on the full freight here If you don't retain I don't know what we're giving you back In particular

Like I know something's going to return But I don't know what How much of the trade is a salary dump? How much of it is everything not related to the physical return? How much is it is getting the 11.6 off the books, getting the term off the books, and quite honestly, moving on from another guy from the old regime, right? Starting anew, getting rid of some of the vibes. How much is it?

Conceivably, how much would that be a benefit to the team? I know you're talking about when we need to find another center, but. No, I'm just trying to think, well, how the Canucks would. know what you're saying. Because I don't think this rebuild is going to extend into next season where it'll be fine if the Canucks aren't very good next season because draft picks, right? Yeah. I think they're going to be like, okay, we're going to make a bunch of picks at this draft.

But next season, you guys have to be competitive again. And you would understand why. Because especially if they don't trade any of these veterans with long-term contracts, got a lot of commitments. So we got a text in here unsigned. It said when they traded Hughes, it finished this core. So I like Petey and I think he can be good again, but this core is done and I don't care anymore.

Time to move on from pieces that don't fit anymore. See, I think that line of thinking, if it's not already prevalent among the fan base, it might grow in the coming days because I know it's been a, there will be long-term pain and angs from not having Quinn Hughes. Yeah. But right now, the vibes have been. with around this team is about as high as they've been all season and part of it is like hey you can't go any further down the standings you've won two games in a row and there is some optimism about the future it doesn't look as bleak anymore and that's something to be said now could you keep it going and the core thing is very important the core group of guys that have very systematically been removed horvett miller hughes it does lend credence to keep going like just

Keep doing it, right? Keep moving guys out. It's time to start fresh. It's time to bring in some new guys. It's time to make the Vancouver Canucks have different faces of the franchise, right? I know it's tough for the guys that got to hang the posters outside Rogers Arena, but they can do it. They can do it over the holiday break. Pay them double.

Yeah, I just don't know if they're going to do it. I don't think so either. I think they're going to look at the team and they're like, well, we've fixed our center issues because we've got Pedersen and Rossi down the middle and maybe Philadelphia will come back. and be healthy soon. We got Braden Coutes in the pipeline. Gavin McKenna had that guy to the group, and we got a team here. It's funny how little we've talked about Rossi.

Yeah. By the way. Yeah. It's like the Canucks got a 2C. A 2C. And it's kind of like, yeah. Maybe we talked about him too much, like, months ago when his name was out there.

And I know we've been trying to, you know, put, get some closure on the Quinn Hughes situation. We've talked way more about Zeev Bouillon than we have about Marco Rossi because Ziv Buoyam, I suppose, has a higher ceiling than Rossi. A much higher ceiling. Okay. He does.

You guys are so down on Booiam. We're not down on Rossi. Rossi is a pretty good player. Rossi has done a lot more in the NHL than Zee Boi Boudiam has. Because he's three years older than him or four years or whatever. He's, what are you, 24? Boeem is 20. I will never retire.

I will never retire. entire of your childlike enthusiasm. It's great. You undervalue his ceiling. Yeah, but you're the same guy that got all excited about a keto horosia. Okay, but that was a bit of a bit, though. And you love Goldobin.

Oh, now is a bit. You love, dude, Goldobin was the 1040 year. I wasn't even like on the air. You fall in love. Yeah, but I know you loved him. No, I know you love. You're lying. You follow in love real easy, eh, dog.

You do. Kuzmanko, you're thinking, Kuzmanko, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He approached us all prospects. Rightfully so. He was awesome.

I do like Zeev Buehiam. I'm just saying Zeev Buiam's ceiling is very, very high. I mean, Rossi's ceiling is, yeah, he's a 2C, that's great. But Bougiam's not very tall. Just because he's not very tall. He doesn't have a high ceiling. It's a height thing. It's a high joke.

It's a high joke. But no. Buehium, I'm just saying like you guys, I get the fine. You think Garland's like, I like this guy here. We get along. I thought we were allowed to do that anymore. Yeah. Okay. Boiom, I'm just saying he has a high, high ceiling.

Yes. And I mean, sometimes I think people undervalued. you that a little bit. Nobody's undervaluing that in Vancouver right now. I get the vibe sometimes. People are like, I think Z. Boo is going to be better than Quinn Hughes. He's terrible in the playoffs. Too soft, too small. Bit of a puckog. You see his ice time last night

for Minnesota? Broke a record, right? Yeah, he's not going to make the playoffs. Highest regular season mark. 32 minutes he played in an on O.T.m. For any skater. I heard it's creating some hard feelings among some of the defensemen there. Hey, Quinn, change a bob. Zero points. Change a bob. 32 minutes, zero points. zero hits

Yeah Wow Was even involved Bring up the Quinn used Hits stats How did you not run into someone accidentally You're out there for over half the game

How do you not bump into someone accidentally And then the guy And I think it was Quinn Hughes hits stats Yeah Doesn't seem like he's committed to the game to me No no wonder you played 32 minutes There was no physical damage

Over the 32 minutes Is that Keith Yandel out there It could be okay Not a leader Yeah we got to go to break Before we do I need to remind you The Canucks are in action

tonight 4 o'clock on Long Island, taking on the islanders. Panago is your game day. Sponsor Game Day, the Panago way. Get any large pizza plus cheesy bread for only 2499. Use code Canoxa Panago.com and Panago for it. Restrictions may apply. In five minutes time, call in to win the $250 gift card to Golf Town.

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Hey, it's Jamie Dodd and Thomas Strance. Get your daily dose of Canucks Talk with us weekdays from 12 to 2 on SportsNet 650. Or catch up on demand through your favorite podcast app. 7.32 on a Friday. It's a Fiesta Friday here on the Halford & Brough show. It's also a sweet, sweet Friday. Halford Brough the morning is brought to by Sands and Associates. Only a licensed insolvency trustee can cut your debt by up to 80% with the upfront fees to learn how. Visit them online at Sands.

That's trustee. We are now in hour two of the program. We're at the midway point of the show. Our good buddy Arthur Staples is going to join us for some Islanders talk. A head of the Canucks game tonight. A reminder, Canucks Islanders, 4 o'clock. You can hear it all right here on SportsNet 650.

Hour two of this program is bradded by Jason hominock at Jason. 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. Dot mortgage. Our next guest, you see his work in daily face-up. You can hear his work on Hockey Night. In New York, it's Arthur Staple here on the Halford & Brough Show on SportsNet 650.

Morning, Arthur, how are you? I'm good, boys. How are we doing? We're well. Things are different around here when it comes to the hockey team over the last week or so. And I do want to start, though, by looking at this New York Islanders team that sits third in the Metropolitan Division, has 41 points, has been very, very good to this year. And I would say, very surprising to start this year. How surprised are you?

that on December 19th, the islanders find themselves in the position that they're in right now. Probably as surprised as anybody. I don't think even if you're, whether you're sort of a casual observer or someone who watches them a lot, you would thought going into the season that the group that stumbled through a few seasons under Lou La Marello, obviously the GM changed to Matthew Darsh this offseason.

Big Tray and Noah Dobson, you know, a couple of small free agent signings. like Jonathan Drew-in, you didn't see things turning around in a quick fashion. You started to see them turning around organizationally in terms of adding some prospects and obviously winning the lottery. But I guess it all comes back to Matthew Schaefer, that the conversation before the season was, you know, maybe he'll get his nine games, maybe they'll send them back, maybe they'll keep him here and just kind of learn through the year, and they'll get to go to World Juniors

for Team Canada. And within about two weeks, it was like, World Juniors, this kid's going to Milan. And it's completely transformed the organization, you know, just his attitude, personality. I think a lot of people have heard his personal story and just what a high character, young man he is, all the things that he's been through already in his life, and just watching him on the ice. It's incredible. I think his teammates are just kind of, you know, at the beginning of the year, being in the locker room a couple of times, just guys just laughing as they're saying like who would have known that this kid could do this

at this level and make it look so easy um so that has really changed a lot of things around they play a lot differently than they used to um their the attitude the you know they're they're kind of they you know lou obviously had his rules and had his justifications now they've got like they're having a little bit more fun with social media and it just it seems like a livelier atmosphere and I think the results have definitely been a kind of a product of this breath of fresh air that he has brought to them. What's Matthew Darsh like? He's a serious, you know, he can be a serious guy. He's obviously, you know, came from a very winning organization in Tampa and a guy who, in his playing career,

excuse me, made something out of nothing as a player is undrafted and kind of went through the university system in Canada and, you know, carved out a nice little niche as a depth player and, you know, went into the business world after that, came back to hockey, kind of a jack of all trades and Tampa started out as more of a cap business ops type guy and became part of the hockey ops, you know, kind of gradually under Julian Breezoa and was always a guy, you know, seemed to be, you know, mentioned in that group of, you know, next general managers and Islanders landed on him. And I think he's kind of carrying out things the way that he wants to, you know, the incredible good fortune of winning the lottery and having it be a year where you got Matthew

Schaefer, you know, you can't, you can't plan for that. But I think some of their other plans, adding a guy like Jonathan Druin and Free Agency who seems to compliment with the way that Patrick Gaw wants them to play. Noah Dobson trade, you know, kind of insisting on Emil Heine and being part of it. Now here he is. He's already set a career high in goals and been a key part of their top six. You know, stocking a prospect pool that was pretty empty the last few years with two first-round picks. And K. Sean Aitchison, who seems like another high-energy, positive personality kid who loves to play a physical game.

They've got Cole Eiserman and Danny Nelson, a couple of U.S. college prospects from Lue's time as GM. It's all starting to come together at the right time, and I think Darsh, you know, kind of staying in that evaluation mode, they haven't added anything yet. They haven't subtracted anything yet. Obviously, it's still early, but I think he's just really being smart and patient and kind of enjoying the way that things have gone so far and not really committing to one path or another yet. Who's been the MVP because there's a few candidates, Horvatt, with 19 goals in 32 games. That's pretty good. Matthew Schaefer already mentioned him. and Sorokin, I suppose, in goals playing pretty well as well.

Yeah, I'd have to, you know, it's probably an easy choice to say the goalie, but in this case, Ilya Serokin's been, you know, you look at some of the goalie data, my buddy Steve Valaket and his ClearSight hockey, which evaluates goalies really well. Sorokin's been far and away the best goalie as far as goals saved above expectations. You know, it took this group a couple of months to sort of figure out in this, you know, higher tempo, fast. pay system that Patrick ball wants to play.

They're going to give up a lot more than they have in years past. I think it took Sorokin a little while to kind of get used to that, like, oh, okay, I'm going to face seven or eight or nine grade A chances a night, and I've got to be able to stop all but one or two of them for us to have a chance to win. And, you know, there was a goalie coach change early on in the season. Pira Greco had been here a long time under Lou Lamarillo was out. And Sergei Namovs, who was brought into the organization after being Sorokin's goalie coach in the

KHL and kind of a guy that he'd been associated with for a long time. Namovs came into the organization last season as a kind of a roving goalie instructor and now he's directly working with Sorokin every day. And whether it's a coincidence

or cause and effect, you know, kind of since that time in early October, Sorokin has been far and away by the numbers, the best goalie in the league. So he's a guy that obviously has a huge role in this team. You know, Horvett's been amazing with the start that he's had.

And obviously he's missing this one. tonight with an injury. Schaefer has transformed the organization in a way that we haven't seen in a long, long time, but they're not where they are without Ily's Sorokin playing above the, you know, what the quality he's been facing, and the quality he's been facing has been quite high, and it's really, they're not out of any games. They've been, you know, it's been a change in that respect that they're, a team that still struggles to score at times, team that gives up a little bit more than they're used to,

but they're always in there tight in the third period or leading in the third period, and that's a lot to do with Ilya Syroquin. We're speaking to Arthur Staples, New York Islanders, reporter here on the Halford & Brough Show on SportsNet 650. I suppose there was no residual damage from the earlier incident with Matthew Barzell this season

where he was scratched from a game, right, for being late for a team bus? Did I get that story correct? Yep, overslept, and it seemed like it was a one-off scenario. You always kind of my, you know, my radar goes up when you see especially a star player sat in such a public manner and they fully admit that it was because of that, you know, whatever reason it was and, you know, kind of no treating anybody with any special circumstances, whether it's star player versus a rookie or things like

that. Barzal owned up to it. He got a little, you know, got a little, you know, got a little, like, jab from his good friend, Anthony Boe Villiers, where they were in Washington. Soon after that, Bo left an alarm clock in his stall in the visitor's room, which is, you know, he got a little, you know, which is a nice way to kind of take the air out of it if there was any tension around it. And I think it's good. You know, that's kind of something that comes from Matthew Darsh. And certainly we associate Lou Lamarillo with discipline and accountability. And maybe these sorts of things didn't happen at all on Lou's watch.

And here they happen here. And Matthew Darsh is saying, we're not going to let anybody slide, even a star player like Barzal. And he owned up to it and didn't seem to have any lingering effect. And I think the kind of the core group that's been here a long time has a lot to do with it, too. You've got guys that have been here for, you know, a lot of guys that have been here for seven, eight years or more. And I think it's a loose room, but it's also very tight-knit. And I think they hold each other accountable. And so that kind of plays into it.

But, yeah, you know, I kind of wondered, as a lot of people did, is this a symptom of something bigger? And it certainly hasn't seemed to be certainly not reflected in Barzell's attitude or his play after that. I do want to talk about the job that Patrick Waugh has done this season. Because, again, any time of teams had this surprising a start, you look behind the bench. And, you know, I am curious if this continues, if he'll get some run for the Jack Adams. I know everyone's kind of penciling in Joel Quenville for it for what he's done in Anheim. But can you speak to the job that Patrick Waugh has done this season, given all the challenges that he had with, you know, relatively young guys working him into that roster?

Yeah, I think you give him credit because he stuck to his guns in his first. year plus under Lou and Lou was obviously the one that brought him in and they had a lot of conversations. Waa had a very clear vision for how he wanted this team to play and it kind of clashed a little bit with the makeup of the roster and kind of the old school vision that Lou had for it where you stay conservative and you know play to win a tight low scoring tight checking game. Patrick definitely did not want that and he wanted his team to play fast. It didn't it didn't seemed to mesh well with the roster. So Lou is out.

Patrick is kind of in limbo when Darsh comes in. I think they met, talked a bit. Darsh was willing to commit to keeping them around at least for this season and kind of see how it goes. And I think brought in some guys that could help achieve that style. And obviously Matthew Schaefer with the way that he skates and carries the puck. Certainly a huge help to contributing to that style. But they're among the league leaders in carry-ins after being among the,

the worst teams in the league for that the last couple of years. So I think you give him credit there, and I think you give him credit too, the way that he's spoken about the team, the way that he's spoken about himself. I think he did some reflecting in the offseason. Kind of one of the last, lasting images from last season was the way that Anthony DeClair left the team,

you know, after some pretty harsh public criticism from Waugh, and Waugh's been a guy who's throughout his playing career and throughout his early coaching career. you know, a very bold, outspoken guy who's willing to say whatever's on his mind. And I think he understands now, and maybe there was some help from above on that front this offseason, but I imagine that a lot had to do with Patrick Waugh himself. You can't really handle the modern hockey player that way, whether it's a young guy or even a veteran like two-clare.

There's just different personalities. There are different ways of expressing yourself as a coach to try to get your message across and ways that you have to treat your players that are not, you know, the old school coaches, we couldn't imagine them doing that in terms of respect for mental health and personal situations and all these other things. There's no more my way or the highway, and I think Patrick Watt deserves some credit for changing his tone,

changing his manner. I think he's embraced a lot of, you know, the sort of conversations that I don't think he ever had when he was playing or has had maybe even previous stops as a coach. And I think it's welcome on this team. I think he's kind of embraced being more of a modern coach, not just stylistically, but personality-wise, and it seemed to work so far.

Putting it on the spot here, but are there any islanders that you expect to go to the Olympics? You know, the conversation has obviously been pretty constant around Horvett and around Schaefer. You know, they both have really good cases to go. I think at this point, I think Schaefer may be, has a better chance to go just because you can bring him as your eighth defenseman and kind of be a young guy to kind of soak up the atmosphere

and be part of it and know that he's going to be part of a lot of international competitions for Canada for many years to come. With Horvatt, you know, I could certainly see him making it. He is a guy that as a big score, certainly plays a style that's suited to be if you're going to be a fourth line center or just a penalty kill guy. He does all those things already. in terms of being a two-way player

and taking face-offs and killing penalties. You know, the offense has obviously been there for him this year, but he's not purely that. So they both have strong cases to me. I know it's certainly a crowded field, but Horabat being such a versatile center,

I think gives him maybe a leg up on some other guys that might fill that role. And Schaefer just being, you know, such a positive presence. I can't imagine that that can be ignored. So I feel like both those guys have good shots to go. You know, Emil Heinenman has a decent chance to make the Swedish roster now because of the way that he's been playing.

And certainly another guy who, when he was in Montreal, was more of a depth guy and now has sort of shown he has a skill to compete at a high level as well and produce at that level. So I kind of feel like it's those three. And if none of them make it, you know, maybe Islander fans and Matthew Darth would kind of breathe a sign of relief because the way the injuries have been in the NHL this year, I think you'd kind of want all of your guys, especially your key guys that might be. Olympic players to get some rest and some relaxation in those two and a half weeks rather than flying across to Europe and playing in some high-intensity games. But, you know, I think the fact that any islanders are in the conversation right now is kind of a nod to how surprising they've been. And, you know, I think if any of the three of them make it, it's based almost entirely what we've seen from them this year and not because of who they are. Arthur, thanks for doing this

today, man. We really appreciate it. Enjoy the game tonight. It should be fun. All right, good. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. Yep, thank you. That's Arthur Staples from Daily Faceoff in Hockey Night New York here on the Halford & Breft Show on SportsNet 650. It is a hockey night in New York tonight. Connects Highlanders 4 o'clock. A reminder, you can hear it all right here on SportsNet 650. Okay, let's do some Askees Anythings. It's our last show of the year. It's a Friday. We've got to do some Askees Anythings.

All right, this is from Chris and Richmond, who wishes us happy holidays. Happy holidays to you. Chris, Chris writes, the boys on the ice might not be that fun to talk about, but we thank you for showing up and talking about them anyways. My question is, what's a Christmas song that you cannot stand and you will turn it off if you hear it? Oh.

I got to say I don't need to hear... Most all of them is the answer. I don't need to hear the Mariah Carey one anymore. All I want for Christmas is you. And I kind of don't like how much some people like that song. It gets played a lot Yeah And people like to sing along with it

Yeah I don't need that I don't want to be like A grinch and everything But a lot of the Christmas songs I like the old classics You know I'm dreaming

You know You just wanted to sing That's the only reason you wanted to do this The Elvis Christmas record I got that on vinyl We've been bumping that at home Have you? Yeah

I can handle that I mean I've said it many times With the best Christmas music By far is the Charlie Brown Christmas album by, now I'm forgetting the name. Vince G. Vince G. I can't pronounce his last name.

Is it all piano? Yeah. No, it's a trio, so it's piano bass and drums. Oh, okay. All right. So, yeah, I don't, here's the thing. I don't mind holiday music, Christmas music, and all that. There's not one particular song that I dislike, but when I've had my fill of Christmas music, it's the genre.

Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah, totally. It's like, I'm good, right? We start Christmas music way too early. Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Garaldi trio. There you. Grawley trio. Okay.

Honestly, it's just like great jazz. Okay. It just happens to be Christmas music. This is a very musician answer, by the way, that you're giving for a great album. It's really like, it's the only Christmas music and I actually listen to it would be like, yeah, this is good. The rest of the time is just like, I hate this. I'm like, I like Run DMC. Yeah.

I'm a big bonny. I'm a big Bonny M guy. A lot of Wham last Christmas submissions into the end. Inbox. Dave and Poco. DMX, Rudolph Reddose Reindeer. Let's not forget that. Dave and Poco, why didn't the sport of boxing capitalize on boxing day?

Great question. The missed marketing opportunity. There's a boxing match tonight. There's a fight. I know. He's going to lose this one, isn't he? I don't know. None of them are real.

Joshua could take a fall. Why not? None of it's real. None of it's real. I just want to make that abundantly clear. there's never been a real Jake Paul fight if Jake Paul beats Joshua tonight then Joshua took a dive

so there's a 100% the odds of the sports book it's like 10 to 1 against Jake Paul okay so Joshua was the heavyweight champion of the world and he's only 36 years old and he's 616 yeah he's not like he's not completely done he's a giant too okay so if you look at the

Jake Paul's kind of hefty if you look at the chronology of Jake Paul opponents right it went from being like just he would beat up people and then it was guys that kind of fought in some capacity you know retired out of shape mma guys and then it was like now he's going to start fighting actual boxers they were and then it was the only time he's fought a real boxer was when he fought Tommy Fury and he lost let's just make that abundantly clear. The only time that he's lost was when he fought a real boxer who knew how to box and was in his, I wouldn't say boxing prime, but still had a boxing career. Outside of that,

some of these guys that he's fought, it's comical to think that this is a real challenge. Now he's, some people are saying this is the one. This is the one where he's pushed the envelope too far. And now he's fighting a quote unquote real boxer because Joshua is not that far removed from being in very high stakes, high profile competitive fights, as I mentioned. mentioned he's only 36, he's a giant. Theoretically, he should an I'llate Jake Paul. As a matter of fact, there's an article in the Wall Street Journal right now. It's like tonight, the night that Jake Paul finally gets pulverized,

which is what a lot of people have wanted to see. Yeah. Now, I don't know if... Where does he go after that if he does get pulverous? See, that's the thing. The end game to me would always, would have to be two things. It's one, either he becomes the heavyweight champion of the world or two, he gets like virtually murdered in the ring. That's all anyone wants to see. Yeah, yeah. Like how long can the side show go on for? So is tonight the end of the game where he finally just gets beat up?

Because I will, you've got to acknowledge this. If you're playing the game... I tip my cap to him if you got beat up. Exactly. If you're playing the game where it's just for the views and the likes and the numbers and it's just a spectacle, going in there and quite frankly getting your ass kicked, like that would be the appropriate end game. Everyone wants to see it.

You know, everyone wants to see him get beat up. That's kind of why we've been doing this. for so long, right? Maybe Tyson'll beat him up. If Jay Paul gets beat up tonight, then he just goes and starts a promotion or something like that. Yeah. He's already got it, but he's not fighting, and he's

creating the side shows. Right. And now he's got a brand, and he's got his own, like, fight enterprise. I mean, that's where society is headed, right? Essentially. It's like, let's see these two guys in a fist fight. Yeah. And to his credit, he's come on. One's a Republican, the other is a Democrat.

To his credit, he's come a long way from knocking out Nate Robinson. You remember when he did that? And I was like that was like one of those like how lower we as a society where he knocked out Nate Robinson. And we've gone so much lower. Yeah, somehow. But we've got so much lower. And you know what? I hate admitting this, but I will watch it. I will be there watching it. There's no question about it. I'll make a point of watching it. Un signed, ask us anything. Imagine being at that Hawks game. What is the wildest

live sporting event you have been at three come to mind for me one is the white caps game against LAFC one of the wildest sporting events I've ever been at it's recent but it's up there the the

2004 West Final riders and lions God who's the kicker you've kicked for the lions Paul McCallum Paul McCallum yeah hooked to that chip shot wide and then for some

somebody's I can remember this name, Duncan O'Many. Oh, yeah. Oh, Mahoney. Kick the winner. And then the third one, and this was crazy, but I hated it because I had to write about it, was the gold medal game in 2014 for the Canadian women when they beat the Americans. And I say that because it was a lot of work, right about it. I was like, I'm not good enough writer to describe this.

And I had my story written, and then the whole thing changed. I mean, that was absolutely wild. I also had to interview a bunch of people that were crying, which was very uncomfortable for me. You know what? It wasn't so much the game. When we went down to the 2011 Western Conference final in San Jose, and that was, man, you want to talk about like the Halcyon days of Canucks fandom?

Yeah. Do you remember what the game was fine? We took over. We took over the arena. The game was fine or whatever. Like, there was nothing really like. They split three and four. Yeah, but there wasn't anything really like phenomenal about the games themselves.

but remember the game they won they had like a bunch of power plays and the concourse afterwards there was like this huge bouncing section of like I don't know probably about 700 800 Kucks fans all chanting and yelling and singing in the opposition's rink in the concourse and there wasn't anything anybody could do about it that's an electric feeling

that really is you go to someone else's barn and you take it over and you win and then there's celebrations right there on spot. That was a great feeling. And it feels like it's so long ago. We're going to win the cup. Nothing could stop us now. Nothing's going to stop.

Watch out Hammoos. Yeah. And Aaron Rome. Anyway, okay, we got to go to break. When we come back, it's the final hour of the program. Rick Dollywall is going to join us. It's always a fun time. And also chaotic time when Rick joins the program. So you're going to want to hear that.

And then we are going to be doing what we learned and ask us anything is at 8.30. Also, at 8 o'clock. So in four minutes time, call in to win a pair of tickets to see the Giants play at the Langley Events Center on December 28th against the Cam Loops Blazers. It's our second give way to you've been chuckling the whole time back there, Laddie.

It's too late in the segment to bring it up. Okay, we'll talk about it to the break. It's funny, though. Okay, we'll talk about it. Should I go out with the clip that's making us laugh? Just explain why it's making you laugh. Yeah, why not? It's our last show together. It's only Dollywall on the other side. He's kind of funnier when we're late anyway. Yeah. Tell us what you got. You made an impression

and did the impression of it on yesterday's show, and this is the first time I've actually heard the clip. We'll go to Jason Brough's Sports 965. Oh, God. Patrick, do you have a culture problem that needs to be fixed? It actually does sound like that.

Yeah, right? He wasn't exaggerate. I thought you were just playing it up for the show, but that's legit how it sounds. Okay, play it again. It's a technical glitch. It's a technical glitch. Patrick, do you have a culture problem that needs to be fixed? I was on speakerphone. Okay, so I was in the room with you. You were in the room.

You didn't sound like that. Thank you. At all. At all. I can vouch for that. I could Throw them under the bus right now. I'd be like, why is your mouth full of cotton? But you did not sound like that. Yeah. Play it one more time. Patrick, do you have a culture problem that needs to be fixed?

Oh, like that little boy got on the Zoom. That's so cute. I don't know. I don't know what to say. But you looked it up, though, right? What? That's like a common... Yeah, I was on a speakerphone and Zoom.

And Rick Dolly Wallace coming up next. On the Half for the Brough, though, on Sportnet, Fick-50.