Halford & Brough in the Morning - Knoblauch Out

Episode Date: May 14, 2026

In hour two, Mike & Jason discuss the latest baseball news and notes with MLB Network's Adnan Virk (1:39), plus they discuss an Oilers coaching change with Sportsnet Edmonton's Mark Spector (24:46).  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.

It's time to chat with Adenan. It's Adnan Berkey's on the show. We're gonna talk some baseball and take a trip to the silver screen. That's right, it's time for Adenan. Yes, Adnan Berkey joins us now. We'll head out to the ball game and talk about all the films he sees see. 7.03 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday, everybody. Halford, Braves, Sportsnet 650. Halford and Rev. in the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. They're open seven days a week and open late to help you get debt free.

Without judgment or upfront fees, visit them today at sands dash trustee.com. We are now in hour two of the program. Adnan Burke from MLVN. Network is going to join us in just a moment here to kick off Hour 2. Hour 2 is brought to by Jason Hominock at Jason Dow Mortgage. If you love giving the banks more, money, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit them online at Jason.orgage. We are coming to you live from the Kintech studio. Step strong with orthotics and footwear from Kintech. Guests on Sportsnet 650 call in on the ABLE Auctions hotline. Email sales at ABLEE auctions.ca to get your business assets sold and your building cleared. Let's go now to the Abel Auctions Hotline. Our next guest, the presentation of Angry Otter Licker,

Adnan Verk from MLV Network joins us now on the Halverton and Brough Show on SportsNet 650. Born, Adnan, how are you? I'm doing great. Mike Jason. I'm so glad Andy Cole gave me his review of Mortal Kombat 2. He called it dumb but gory and entertaining. So, hey, if I'm desperate just to get out of the house around Victoria Day weekend, maybe Mortal Kombat 2 is the play. I was going to ask you, but I think I knew the answer.

I just walk around for a couple hours. This is like Bruff's, when I said I had to watch that Flyers pregnant's overtime game. He said, I wish I could have talked to Albu'll be a better option than more of combat too. Lots going on in the world of baseball right now. We've got to start with what the Jays did last night. Dalton Vars show the hero, a grand slam walkoff. I believe

it's just the fifth Grand Slam walkoff home run in Blue Jays franchise history. Big energy yesterday. I'm going to resist asking if this is the tipping point for the Jays to go on a run and if this is what they badly needed. But let's just Let's do a talk about question. Talk about that win last night for that Jay's.

And that hit for Varsho. I like that, Mike. To talk about question. It's interesting. When it comes to this Blue Jay's team, just when you feel like they're kind of pushing that boulder up the mountain, right? The Sissifian Boulder are finally getting the 500. They're going to come crashing down the offense and put for these last seven or eight games.

So that kind of a home run and that kind of a moment I think is massive. Tim Kirchen used to tell me that every year, for every team, you can look at five or six circle games. And these are the games that matter in terms of either propelling the team forward or hurting them and just really killing their momentum. So I always find early in the seasons to declare a circle game. But maybe this is one of those circle games in the first, you know, quarter pole the season. We're almost at the first third of the season about the time we get to Victoria today. So it definitely felt massive.

I think for Varsha specifically, guys, you know, I've said to you before, there's a real lack of slug with this team. That's a real problem that they don't have much power. And Varsho is one of those guys that normally plays elite defense, only hits 220, but they'll hit you. 40 home runs. But he has not shown him that power so far this season. He, Springer, and of course, Vlad Jr., only two home runs. So Varsus specifically, they need to get him going. They're not going to be a playoff team unless Dalton Varsu hits 30 home runs. So that was a great sign. Big home run. I find Vladi fascinating. How can you do what you did in the postseason last year? Like, and then, you know, just two home runs so far. It's kind of like,

Vladie, what were you doing in the postseason last year? Do that? now. I'm sorry we can't play the Yankees every game, but like it's it's he's he's he's an interesting guy to follow, isn't he? Oh, enigmatic is in the least, broff, because you know, you say to yourself, this guy has so much potential. It's so untapped. You feel like it's just the tip of the iceberg. And then that 2021 season where he's just bludging the base like, okay, that's the blabbergating for years to come three-time MVP. I'm like, well, no. And I talked to Kevin Kiermeier about this. Of course, we're a blue jay, now that will be network. And he says, Listen, that year, as an anomaly, I'm telling you, the ball flies in the dean.

And I'm telling you the ball flies in Buffalo. So, you cannot look at that season. I said, no, I get it. But I think of before I mentioned how we'll sing. He's a line drive hitter who hits all fields. You know, he's not going to be a 40 home run guy. I know everybody wants that. He himself knows everybody wants.

It's not going to happen. So just accept the fact he's hopefully 3.2330 with 23, 25 home runs. Which, again, that home run total feels paltry. But to me, the bigger issue is this. If you're not hitting home runs, I get it. But at least get some extra base hits. Isn't him an extra base hit in seven games? Like, that's alarming.

And like, you've got to hit some doubles here if you're not hitting some home runs. And glad right now, bro, if you look at it a couple weeks ago, he was sitting like 3.30. He's now down to 288. So this is now officially a slug. And slugging-wise, he's slugging worse than his on-base percentages. You can praise him for a 381 on-base percentage, but a 372 slug for a $500 million man. Again, it doesn't have to be 12 home runs. I'd like that, but you've got to hit some doubles.

He is not hitting the ball with authority. Okay, I'm going to use this to pivot on to two other notable sluggers who are in massive slumps. I want to start with whatever is going on with Cal Raleigh in Seattle. It's a nightmare season for him. It's gone beyond like this is just a slump. I understand that he's taken to showering with his entire uniform on to try and change things up and get self-sort. Yeah, after the game the other day, showered his entire. uniform on trying to change things up.

He's deep in a hole then. Well, it's also like the, I think it was like, and he's walking around naked, I heard. Yeah, just flip everything on his head. So there's two things. There's one. There's like the O for the 36, but it's also the incredibly high strikeout rate, which makes everything all the more frustrating.

What is going on with the big dumper in Seattle? So the best story I heard about Cal Raleigh is from Ryan Roland Smith, who also works out of the network and he's an analyst on Mariners games. This is what a down-to-earth guy he is. He said there's a charity at my kid's school. I asked Cal if he could sign a couple batch from me.

He said, sure, no problem. So Ryan said he was out of town. He just assumed what, like, one of the house handlers. You guys know this. Everyone's going to handle her, right? All these players got their posse. Cal Raleigh shut up in a truck at a local gas station, met Ryan's wife because, here's your bass.

Have a good day. Like he would have filled up her car if she had to do. He's that kind of down-to-earth lunch bucket kind of guy, which I love. But there's no doubt, Mike is right. This is a disaster random at the plate. He can be 166. Like, that is anemic. And 249 on base, a 325 slug.

It's one of the things I do love about ballplayers. They are crazy. Like, they'll do stuff like that. Like, just showering, completely clothes on, eating different meals, eating left-handed, putting on clothes differently. Like, changing their number. Like, whatever it is, the guys will do it, which I appreciate. But it's a nightmare right now.

And here's the saving grace is, thank God, there's still only two games under 500. Like, most of the American League, it's so mediocre. If this guy just hits 240 again, it will be okay. Now, I did think last season was an aberration. I said there's no ways going to hit 60 home runs again. But I would have thought 38, 40 home runs, as usual, regular, and it'll hit 220. So this is at least 60 points below the batting average of where he wanted to be. And again, the slug isn't anywhere near there.

So he's not the only one. But normally we're used to saying Julio Rodriguez first half slumps, right? Look at his numbers now. He's sitting 269, 439 slug. He's figuring it out. Josh Naler pronounced slump, 306 on base, 367. Those guys haven't been where they need to be, but no one's been as worse as Cal Raleigh.

So you just have to think at some point he will improve, and the Mariners will at least get to 500 and then make some noise in that division. What's the worst slump of a star player that you can ever remember at, Nan? Well, I do think this Padre's story right now, Fernando Tatis is insane. Like, I cannot believe that Nando can't hit a home run.

Like this guy hit 42 home runs in 2021. Like he was one of the game's great sluggers. He's not just a guy who's fast and he actually hits the ball of authority. And we all know he got pop for PEDs. But even after that, he still had 25, 27 home runs. Like I'm astonished that this guy is about as futile at the play in terms of power as Chandler Simpson, the Ray's speed through who's not known for his power. Luis Arise is a batting champion who has no open his bat.

And there's tattooing some of you kids are running to a pitch and get a home run. like he's sitting 250 and he has zero home runs and we're almost at Memorial Day slash Victoria Day. I'm astonished by it. He's one of the leagues, he's popular players. He's one of the faces of that Pontchrist franchise. I'm astonished and we could look up the end of the season, Bras and Poundatis at single digits in home runs. No home runs through 38 games this year.

It's wild. For some reason, Josh Hamilton's slumps were memorable to me because, I mean, he was a guy that had a lot going on. and when he would be hot he'd be it was incredible but when he was he would slump he would get up to the plate and look like he has no idea what's going on or where the ball's going to go timing completely off missing the ball by a mile

yeah I was just wondering if you if any particular slump stood out to you just in history now Hamilton's a good one and particularly I think it was 2012 like he was like MVP level start. And then down the stretch, I remember he was like two for 13, couldn't buy a hit and was criticized by fans and the media. And like, you're right. When he was off, it was like, it was like, it was like 150. It was like 250. It wasn't like 220. I'm like, oh my goodness. And, you know, it just eats these guys up. Like it's just, it's remarkable. Like the mental stamina must

take as a star player. Because as you guys know, there's no place to hide. Yeah. And when it gets to you, it gets to you. I mean, I remember Jeter one time. I can remember the year, but Jeter got off to a terrible star. I remember it was like sub 200 around this time. And it was like, oh my God, is Derek Jeter done? And that was, that was pretty shocking for a guy like Jeter who was always so consistent in terms of bat to ball skills. But that was a pretty shocking one when Jeter was

struggling. Okay, so we got through Vladdy, Cal Raleigh, Fernando Tatees. I got to ask you about Shoah Atani struggles at the plate because his come with the caveat. It's seemingly the worst he bats, the better he pitches. His numbers on the bump this year are

out of this world. He looks phenomenal. but at the plate, it has been a bit of a struggle this year. So what's going on with Otani? Is this really a case of like, I know it sounds almost ridiculous to say it this way, but when he gets better at pitching, he gets worse at hitting and maybe vice versa? No, I know.

I think it's bang on. By the way, I got to finish the Jeter thought. I looked it up. It was 0 for 32 in April 2004, and he broke it by Jason Jami, giving him a gold thaw. He went over 32,

wore the thong under his uniform. He hit a home run the very first pitch. saw. So if we see Cal Raleigh walking on the gold thaw, we'll know why. I don't want to see that. I don't want to see that. Back to Otani, I think he made a really smart move, like, by saying, you know what, I don't need to necessarily hit what I'm pitching,

because I'm exhausted. You can look at his numbers. There's a clear dip, probably about 25 to 30 percent, and his offensive production, when he pitches, when he does it, which, of course, how does you not? You're literally exerting so much pressure and energy throwing 100 miles an hour, and also you have to go up there and hit four times. So I think

He's about this day. When I'm pitching those days, I may hit, I may not hit all good. And I do think his focus has been on trying to win a Sall Young, which I've said before. When people ask me, he's the greatest player ever, I'm like, you know, hold the phone here. Like I need to see 10, 12 years of dominance to compare him to, you know, Babe Ruth, Bickie Mance, Donimoaggio. But I've also hedged by saying, but he wins to Sall Young and then it's over. Like then the debate is truly done because Babe Ruth was not doing the simultaneously as you guys don't. He was a pitcher.

Then he became a great slugger of all time. So I do think I like Otani's thought process like, hey, I'm going to prove to you guys. I'm the greatest player of all time because I'm going to win a Sa Young in addition to already won four MVP's. And the pitching is lights out. Again, seven innings last night, no runs, a 0.82 ERA. But offensively, it's been a slump. And I'm just surprised by how much swing and miss. Like we said that about Raleigh, the strikeout rate.

That's what I'm always surprised with these guys. Like it's one thing you and I hit home runs, like Vlad, but I'm like, well, he's still hitting 288. I'm always shocked when guys like Otani and Raw. And again, like, Otani's a guy who has a good all-around hitter. Like, yes, he can hit you 50 home runs. He was a 50-50 player. But to me, I'm like, if you need to get an app bat, he'll get you that bat. Like, he will get a hit.

That's what's so shocking to me is just the fact he's hitting 240. Like, that's stunning to me. That's below league average. That's shocking. And then were the brave supposed to be this good? Not this good, Jay. I'm like, we did not get the memo on this one. And I've been so blown away by their pitching.

It's one thing to say, well, for healthy, their office should be great. And like, yeah, of course. I'm like, Austin, Wiley's a stud. You know, O'Nia's not back because he was hurt, but Matt Olson's an absolutely great player. Obviously, you know, Ozzy Alves can do in health. And then they've got these Drake Baldwin's who, you know, rookie the year season ago. Mike Oströmsey didn't key hits. But I've been astonished by their pitching.

Because if I ask you guys at the start of year, hey, name some Braves pitchers. The first guy you would say is Prisill. He's awesome. Six and two, two point two, yeah. I would have said John Smoltz. Sorry. Yeah. Is he still there?

Well, I'm in the Maddox, yeah, those guys. But then I would have said, Spencer Strider, Spencer Strider's been terrible. Like, you look up, Spencer Strider was unbelievable in 2023, a 281 strikeouts. Then he was hurt, and last year he was a little still hurt, in effect, and this year he's been terrible. So they've gotten these guys with names like Spencer Schwellenbach who have been good.

Bullpen's been lights out. Risa Leglacist, Robert Suarez. Those guys have been awesome, Perez, as well. So that's where I say to myself, all right, this is a balanced attack. I thought they'd be a really good team because their offense when healthy is going to be productive. But I've been pleasantly surprised

just how good their pitching has been. And then also, you've got to have some bats that were cold that have really lit up. Like Michael Harris now looks like a guy who won rookie the year. And last year he didn't look at that guy at all. So they look legit. And it's funny because you would have thought, at least on paper going to the season,

NL East will be among the league's most competitors. Instead, it's the one that's like a biggest joke. They've got a nine-game lead on the nationals. If the Phillies aren't going to catch, them the Mets aren't going to catch them. It's the Braves Division. They can, I wouldn't say post, but they're going to feel pretty good the rest of the way. As a diehard A's fan from the 80s, I'm happy for my guy, Walt Weiss, who came in there and he's done an awesome job manager.

Yeah, Walt Weiss is great because he's one of those sometimes as a bench coach, you go, well, he's not going to get the job. They'll go find some other splashy new name, former player. Maybe my friend and colleague, Mark DeRose, and M. will be an hour. But instead of the middle, Walt's been the guy with Brian Snicker. Bobby Cox, by the way, first recommended Walt Weiss to Brian Snickers. So it's like, yeah, just promote from within, which is a very brave thing to do, right? It makes me think of, like, the Steelers and they only ever have, like, three head coaches or the Spurs.

It was like Popovich forever. I'm like, yeah, they like continuity in Atlanta, whether it was the late Bobby Cox or then Brian Snicker, now Walt Wise. Like, no, we want a veteran guy, calm, laid back. You feel like that's Braves baseball. That's the Braves way. And Weiss has been great. You're right.

I think in 1988, Walt Weiss getting 220 with a high stirrup, but terrific defense. Like, just an absolute vacuum is short. Adnan, this was great, buddy. Thanks for taking the time to do this. As always, we appreciate it. Enjoy all the games this weekend. We'll do this again next week. Thanks so much, boys. Talk soon.

Adnan, Verk from MLB Network, a presentation of Angry Outer Liquor here on the Halford & Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. Angry Otter Liquor has the bases covered. That's a baseball reference. With a game day lineup of beer, wine, spirits, and a great selection of non-alcoholic favorites. visit angry otterlicker.cr.cr.

Are the stirrups ever going to come back in baseball? I don't know. I don't think so. I remember wearing those in Little League. I was kind of confused by them. You didn't like the stirrups? I don't like the look. Just go high socks.

Just hike them up. Would you be a high socks or no socks guy? I'd be a high socks. If I'm playing big league ball, I'm wearing high socks. Okay. So do you need to play a very athletic position in order to wear the high socks? Ooh, good question. Like, I feel like you've got to be.

a really speedy outfielder or maybe yeah just like shortstop it's like a scrappy second It's just the aesthetic It's all it's about right So it doesn't really matter what you I think you need to be fast to wear high socks

There is a speed element involved That's back in our day though Really? Yep there used to be a speed element Pitchers wear high socks All the skinny all the skinny guys that stole bases They all wore high socks Otis Nixon No do you know what the speedy are any big

Are there any I mean maybe there are I don't know Maybe are any big sluggers that wear the high socks. Oh yeah, for sure. Really? I can't name you off off hand, but if you can't name them off hand, then there aren't. Because even Vladdy, every once in a while, we'll hike the socks up.

Oh, really? Every once in a... Yeah, you try to break out a slumpia. So it doesn't have a consistent? You don't have to be consistent. No, if you want to break out of a slump, you put the high socks on. If you're not a usual high sock wear, you can throw them on. You know what else helps? showering in the socks. Really? I don't try that. I don't try that. I meant to mention that. So, Rally was

was in an over 36 slump. One of his teammates suggested go shower with all your gear on, just try and change things up. That was his suggestion? Yeah. Because it worked before for him? How does that happen? Cal Rally the next night. Bang, broke the slump, two hits.

Do you know what the play is for speedy players? It's not the high socks. It's the double bill hat under the batting helmet. You wear the hat under the batting helmet. That's what the speedy player, when you see that, then you know, that's a lead-off hitter. That's a guy who's going to run. Yeah. Okay. We got a lot more to get to on the program.

A reminder. Mark Specter is going to join us at 730. We're going to talk about the news at Edmonton this morning that Chris Knoblock has been, I almost want to say, mercifully, fired because we knew it was coming, and we were just waiting to hear. And again, I want to stress this.

At 558 local time this morning, the first of multiple outlets reported that Noblock was done as head coach in Edmonton. So we're going to talk to Mark Specter from Sportsnet coming up at about 730. Yeah, the, the Edmonton media were up early this morning, but this is like I don't, tending to their crops or something like that.

I'm not trying to throw you on the spot, but have the oilers actually made the formal announcement yet? Not that I've seen. Not that I've seen, but they might have. Because I'll just say it. Like TSN reported it first, Sportsnet shortly thereafter corroborated it. So it's out there. And we'll wait and see what Speck has to say because he's written about this. He's done multiple hits about this already. This is obviously

massive story in Edmonton. So that's coming up at 730. 8 o'clock. Dr Ancer is going to join the program from the athletic Vancouver and Canucks talk. We like you, we're all waiting to get some semblance of news, maybe a press conference, you know, anything, just an announcement of what the Vancouver Canucks are going to do with their president of hockey ops general manager and I suppose head coaching positions as well. So that's all coming up in the second hour of the program. Sorry, second half of the program. Before we do any of that, though, I need to tell you about the VGH Plus hometown hero.

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We got to go to break when we come back. Mark Spector's going to join us out of Edmonton following the firing of head coach Chris Knoblock in Edmonton. You're listening to the Halford and Bruff show on SportsNet 650. It's Canucks Central on SportsNet 650. From exclusive interviews to insider scoops and post-game breakdowns, we've got it all. Tune in weekdays 4 to 6 p.m. on radio and on demand through your favorite podcast app. Hey, happy Thursday, everybody. Halford, Brough, Sportsnet 650.

God, your voice there was louder than the music. The only thing Rough hates worse than the thrash is Halford having to talk over the thrash. Screaming at me. It's the vibe. It's the mood. screaming and screaming. Wake up! You're listening to the Halford & Brough Show.

Halford and Brough of the morning is brought to by Sands and Associates. They're ready to give you the financial fresh start you deserve. With no judgment or upfront fees, visit them today at Sands. Dash trustee.com. I think I'm starting to get old enough where I just kind of want to have one of those NPR-type jobs. Starting to. Today we're going to talk about pottery. Oh, yeah.

It did sound nice the way that you said it. We have NFC chairman Tom Meaney joining the show, discuss the collective bargaining agreements. And now we're going to talk to Mark Specter about some of the challenges that the Edmonton Oilers are facing this offseason. As we all know, Connor McTapen only has two years left on his contract. And there is a bit of a hubbub at the end of the season. As the Oilers were eliminated, shockingly, some would say, in the playoffs.

I'm not going to lie. This is very reminiscent of your Jim Nance at Augusta. to very similar. Similar tone. Similar cadence. It's kind of relaxing though. That's not bad. I don't mind it. It's kind of better than like, what are the oilers going to do? Actually, that's pretty good. That's pretty good too.

You should do thrash Thursdays. It is thrash Thursday here on the Halfenden Brough Show. It's hour two have said Thursday. Our two of this program is brought to by Jason Homonock at Jason dot 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.orgage. It is official now.

The Edmonton Oilers. have just announced that head coach Chris Knoblock and assistant coach Mark Stewart have been relieved of their coaching duties. Stan Bowman in a statement said the following. Following a thorough review of this past season, we believe these changes are needed. We are grateful for the contributions both Chris and Mark have made to our organization. And we wish them the best moving forward, end quote. That was a pretty terse statement. Yep.

We believe these changes are. needed. For more on this story, let's go now to the ABLE Auctions hotline. Evanton Oilers, beatwriter from SportsNet. Mark Specter joins us now on the Halford & Brough Show on SportsNet 650. Morning, Speck, how you doing? All right, boys, what's going on

out there? Oh, no, much? Anything going on around there? Just another quiet day in Edmonton? Yeah, just another quiet. We fire a coach every 130 30 games out here, whether we need to or not. It's like when you have to, when the thing on your dash tells you need an oil change, and you go

I thought I'd just change the oil like last month. I have a question for you. Do you know how many head coaches this will be for Connor McDavid when they inevitably bring in a new coach to replace knoblock? No, I know it's going to be 10 for Nuzonov. That's crazy. Yeah, it's 10 for Nuge. It's six for Connor McDavid when they inevitably bring in.

And who will it be? Speck, is it going to be Bruce Cassidy as the next head coach? I don't know. You know, I mean, first of all, have to get permission from Vegas, which is, I don't know what's going on there. But I would say to you that whoever it is, and I would say Cassidy is the first guy in line, it needs to be, you know, the time, as you guys just pointed out, the timeline, the arc of this organization, the McDavid era, whatever we want to call it, their windows coming to an

end here. They don't have a lot of time left to win. They need a guy that can walk in here and say, I know how to win. I've won before. I know how a team functions. The players have to get out of his way and let him coach a team. I think the last two coaches got at times probably dictated to by some of the guys around here, some of the leadership group, and that never works.

So they need a strong, solid, experienced coach who can come in this desk room and say, follow me or get out of the way. So is that what you think happened with Knoblock? Because I was going to ask you, like what happened to the guy that led? them to two straight Stanley Cup finals, did he forget how to coach, or did he just lose his way a little bit? Yeah, no, he didn't forget how to coach at all.

Exactly. Find me a guy that comes in the league and takes you to two cups and makes the playoffs next year and gets fired. Like, that's, you know, there's, I mean, they're like every coach. I could knock some holes in a few decisions Chris

Knoblock made along the way. But, you know, I guess the feeling in this organization is, I would say this to you, if they don't like Chris Knoblock, the only thing that I can think of to improve on with him is I need a guy that's taking a team to a Stanley Cup and won it and that has a lot more games of experience. If they're not going out and hiring another young guy like Carl out of Denver or something, if they bring in a first year coach, it would be absolutely assinine.

So that to me is the only thing I can think of is to improve on love, or to improve on knob lock is to bring in a Barube Cassidy, a lavillade, an experienced guy. So Stan Bowman has to hire a new head coach. What else does he have to do this off-season? Well, he's got to start hitting home runs here. Right?

He can't continue to, like, his off-seasons haven't been very good. You know, Stan Bowman out here has done great with the little things. Like, he made a trade, you know, he traded Ryan McLeod for Matt Savoy. That's looking like a trade that really worked. Work for both teams, but work great here. He made the fourth round pick for Pod Coles, and that's a, it's a home run,

but it's a home run on a middle six-winger. Right. Right. He, you know, what else did he do? There's another young guy that I'm missing here. But he's done actually pretty well in injecting some playable youth into an older veteran team that's trying to win right now.

Usually teams in this position, they just get older and older and older until you fall over the edge. So good for him, right? Good for him. But the big moves, you know, this organization has had too disastrous July 1st, guys who when they get to the cup aren't even playing on the team or they're trading them before they get there. They made the Jari trade. I mean, the Jari trade was the worst trade in the National League backcountry mile last year. Even if you just traded Jari for Skinner, you lose that trade, but they threw in Brett Kuhl. in a second round pick and Brett Kulak,

I would say to you that it is a 50-50 poll question. If you went through the Orders dressing room and asked every player anonymously, what was the worst part about the Jari trade, getting Jari or losing Kulak? Right. Kulak is a glue guy as he can play. And when the games get more important, he plays better. He's a, you know, he was a number five here and was probably as good of number five as there

is in the game today. And they traded them away as a throw in that creates a salary cap. And it was a disaster. Yeah. So spec, what home runs are out there to be hit? I know it's not your job to come up with them. But, you know, we're already looking at an unrestricted

free agent list that is not that impressive. I mean, Charlie Coil is off the board, right? You know, it's that sort of thing. Nick Schmaltz is off the board. And then you're looking at the list and going, like, you know, I don't think they're going to get Malkin out of Pittsburgh. So is it going to be trades? Is it going to be free agency?

How are they going to hit these home runs? Well, that's a good question, right? It's a fair question. You know, they, I mean, the goalie question is just ever present. Yes. And you just, I mean, I think the orders are probably a great example of, you know, you can complain about the orders, and I know in your market, the orders aren't well-liked, and I get all that stuff.

but Ken Holland and Stan Bowman are both very experienced general managers with a whole bunch of Stanley Cup rings between them, right? I think we did stop me when I say something you don't agree with. Those two guys have spent five years trying to upgrade goaltending around here and have been unable to do so. So that doesn't tell me it's impossible and everyone throws out Colorado and says, hey, they found two guys, and they sure did, right? I would ask you, find me the second team that upgraded their goaltending out of 32 teams over the last five years the way Colorado did.

Almost none. So my point would be this. Yeah, I complain about the goaltending too. But I don't think it's realistic to say go out and get number one goalie. Go out and get, you know, a guy that's as good as Dempco, but healthy all the time. Yeah. Like I think history just tells us that that trade's not there. Those two guys have been trying to make it for five, six years.

And to me, it can't be there. I trust in the fact that Holland and Bowman, again, you could, they got their warts, but they're both pretty experienced guys. So, goaltending, you're going to have to figure out, and then they have to shore up around here. They got to, you know, they're getting older. This team's getting older, right? They need to deploy their guys better. McDavid and Drysadle need to play a little bit less,

and they need more guys below them who can pick up some slack. you know, Ekholm is getting older next to Bouchard. You know, I'm not sure he can be his number two and play the minutes Bouchard can still play. And Bouchard's a legit number one in his league now. But he needs a guy that can hop the boards with him as often as he hops the boards. And I'm not sure Echom's going to be that guy.

So there's some showing up to do around here. The good news is you got a number one defenseman. And you got probably the three, you know, up down the middle with McDavid and dry saddle. No one's got a better one to punch in hockey. So you don't have to go out and get a superstar, but you've got to do some work around the edges, and that's what they pay Bowman for.

Let's talk about potentially moving some contracts out there. Let's just start with the goaltending. Is Tristan Jari going to be back next year? Can they move that contract? Oh, boy. I mean, any contract can be moved. So yes, the answer is short answer is yes. But around what, for whom, how you do,

it. You know, you're going to throw in a massive sweetener to move it. And if you'd move it, you still need a goalie, right? Yeah. Like, you can't just trade them. And now what? Because Connor Ingram's a free agent too, right? He's a UFA as well. Yeah. Connor Ingram's a really good tandem guy. Like at least last year he was, I like Connor Ingram. He can play for my team. If you're a tandem team, you know, that's what he is. He's a tandem guy. And it's just, we're back to

goaltending. It's, you know, if you can tell me where you're going to get a guy who's at the level of Helibuck, Sorokin, Schisterkin, Veselowski, even Gustafsson Walsstad, like, find me that guy out there. Yeah. And show me an example of a team

that's traded for that level of goaltender, because I can't think of one in the last several years. Did Jarvie's, comments about, you know, the team needing to play better in front of them. Was that, did that have an impact? Well, it stirred things up in the room. It was really his first, you know, he came off the road. It might have been his first home game.

He led, he led in six or seven, and he did. He said, I don't know how you, basically, and I'm paraphrasing, he said, it's not about my game, but I'm not sure you can have a game behind that type of defense. And he's right. he's right he's not wrong but goalies don't usually say that and he his his attitude and everything changed significantly he was obviously that got the attention of the team and whether it was you know i don't know where it came to him but probably from the leadership group we don't talk like that around here yeah and he never talked like that again from then on in it was him needing to make more saves and it was about him and his game but there's no question gentlemen as a guy that's watched every game around him for a long time. It is every bit about

about how this team plays defensively as much as it is about the goaltender who's behind them. You know, Stu Skinner and Calvin Pickard did win six playoff rounds in the last two years, right? Six playoff rounds. And the Oilers when they were playing at their best, man,

like, I mean, they were airtight in areas. I mean, I remember their penalty kill a couple years ago. It was incredible. And I just wonder how team, how there can be such a variance in the way they play over a few years because there were times this season that I watched them defensively. And I'm like, I'm not blaming the goalie on that one because it's shocking. It was shocking some of the goals that they allowed and how, you know, they just couldn't put games away

or they found themselves down early in a game because they weren't ready to play. and oftentimes they would fight back and tie the game or win the game just because they have so much firepower, but it's a really tough way to play. Yeah, this is a team that always has confidence that can score itself out of its problems, and that's no way to live, right? It's just no way to do it.

You know, there's no question. Everybody knows this for the history of hockey defense wins championships. You don't get anywhere in the end unless you can keep it out of your net more. then putting it in the other team's net. We may not like that. We may say, oh, I want six, five hockey, but in a real world,

if you can't win three, two hockey, two one hockey, when it counts in May and June, you won't succeed. So that's just a fact. And if you don't like the facts, go somewhere else. So to me, that's exactly, the orders are a veteran team.

They should know how to play defensively, and this is where we start talking about Connemick-David's and Leon Drysaddle. those guys need to lead the way here. They have in the past led the way and played very solid defensively, and the team went to Stanley Cup finals. Did they beat Florida? Hey, nobody beat Florida in a league for two years.

Couldn't beat Florida. Florida was better by a hair, and that's just history will record that. That's fine. But those guys were outstanding defensively during those runs. And unless they play like that during the season and again in the playoffs, It doesn't matter.

You can't. Those, everybody, they set the tone. It's on every team. The guys on Vancouver look at their highest paid forward and say, well, if he's going to play that way,

well, why am I not playing that way? And the guys in Emerson do the same thing. And if Leon Drysettle's making a goofy backpass at the offensive blue line that's going the other way, or Bouchard's taking a wicked chance as the last guy back and getting stripped for a breakaway, the rest of the team goes,

well, I guess that's how we play. Those guys are our leaders. So it's up to the leadership group here to figure it out, I would say, to you. I want to talk about one more guy that a lot of people talk about, and they wonder if the Oilers should try and move the contract. And that is Darnell Nurse. It seems to come up every off season. Could this be the off season that the Oilers really do try and move off of the Darnell Nurse contract? I think they're quietly trying to move off of it, yeah. So where are we with that? A year from now, this year he has a full low move.

A year from now, it opens up to, I believe, is it a 10 team? Yes. So I guess I would be able to find Stan Bowman, I would be able to say to Darnell nurse's agent, look, we want to move you, but you can have complete control of where the move is if we do it this summer. Right. If we wait, now we have a certain amount of control. So how do you want to do this?

So yes, would Stan Bowman love to move that $9.25 million off his cap? And now you've got to find someone else to play 22 minutes a night. Yeah. Right? And my next question would be like, do the Oilers have the assets to go and make all these moves? I mean, we're talking about maybe sweeteners to move Tristan Jari, certainly sweeteners to move Darnell Nurse. And then there's the whole like, you know, improve the roster part of, of,

Yeah, right. Of this thing. And, you know, I know they don't have their first-round pick this year and next year. That kind of makes it tough. For sure, it does. Listen, history will quite possibly record, gentlemen, that this team should have won when they got to the cup. And they may never get to another cup for all we know. Yeah.

You know, when you, when you, the arc and the cycle of a hockey team is such that the Canucks got their shot in 11 and they never got another shot again. you know and that's just crappy but that is how it went and we may talk down the road that emminton the McDavid era peaked in 24 25 uh sure but i would also say to you that there is it's not unrealistic to look at this team and say not with seismic moves but with some smart moves they can be a contender again next year they can contend i've got a question i got a question for you and i don't know if you've thought about it i know a lot of people around the league have thought about it. Let's say next year is similar to this season

and that the Oilers are fine, but they don't really come close to winning the Stanley Cup. One year left with Connor McDavid, do they try and get something for him? Or do they just say, we're playing him as long as we got him? That's a good question. And that's going to become a bit of an ownership question.

You know, you've got to think of what Carolina McDavid's worth to your franchise, financially, franchise value, apparel, playoff dates, you know, everything. Like, it's, it's a massive. It's hundreds of millions of dollars. Yes, but, again, if there's only one year of that left. So, I mean, it's the same story as Matthews in Toronto. It's the same story as Cachuk, Brady Cichuk in Ottawa. You know, what you hope is that after this coming season, season, a year from today, let's say, or hopefully, of the order's sake, they're still playing,

but a year from now, Judd Moldaver, McDavid's agent, and McDavid will give you clarity and say, you know what, we're willing to sign for another couple of years or whatever, or no, we're exploring to go elsewhere. And I will be writing at that point, I can tell you right now that you have to trade the greatest player in the game and get the commensurate. You know, you get a goalie, you get a second line center, and you get a first round pick. And Dry Settles my first line center, and I just acquired a second line center, and I have

a goalie that I like better. How about that? You know, the Oilers did win a cup in 1990, two years after they traded Gretzky. That would be the storyline here. Yeah. But I can't let, if I'm running a team, I can't let that much asset. walk out the door like Mitch Marner did. Nobody thinks it was good for the flames that Kachuk and

Goodrow walked for nothing. Well, Kachuk didn't walk. He got traded. It wasn't a great trade. Sorry. No one thinks it was a good idea that Marner left. No one thinks it was a good idea that Goodro left. Yeah. You can't lose that much player and get nothing back. Can you? I don't know. I mean, maybe it's different with McDavid. Maybe you just give it a shot. But I mean, I generally agree with you. but McDavid would also have control over the situation with his full no move clause.

That's okay. I wonder which teams around the NHL are keeping their powder dry a little bit for this potential. And the two most obvious ones I think that come to mind for me are L.A. and Toronto. Not Toronto. I'll tell you right now, my experience with the McDavid camp would tell you this. if this unfolds like this, they're going to a place that has a chance to win cups now that's emerging, like Anaheim.

Right. They're going to Anaheim. Or they're going to Anaheim. They're not going to Toronto. Does it matter the market, though, or is it mostly just about the team? Because, look, I mean, the reason I say Toronto is because, you know, if you're talking about your legacy,

if you, everyone says if you can get it done with the Leafs, you know, your legacy. is your legacy is made. Dude, right? No chance. Like, no offense to Vancouver. If Vancouver was emerging, and like, if it was three years from now and Vancouver did everything right and they looked like a killer hot young team with tons of great young guys

and solid goaltending, like, David had to go there. Like, what, Connor, knowing Connor a little bit as I do, the most important thing to him here is, is winning, of course. and there is the specter now over his career that, oh, my God, I can't be the guy that was the best player won all these hearts and all these Rosses and I never want to come. Like, all the great players win cups. All the great players win cups and it validates you. And this is to me criticizing Conny McDavid. It's just a fact.

You know, Gretz won cups. Sid wins cups. Muriel won cups. You know, the next one of those in that line of conversation is Conne McDavid. So he's going somewhere to win cups. and he's not going somewhere for some stupid legacy or I grew up in Leif's Janis or whatever. He's going somewhere.

To me right now, a team like Anaheim is my best example. They are up and coming. They are good and young. And they have assets they could send up to Edmonton and still be a really good team. You can't go to, you know, you go to Toronto and take three assets off that team. What's left?

right what's left yeah the ducks did the duck did the the ducks impressed you eh the ducks impressed me like i didn't think i didn't think they'd be that good but when you got a guy like little carlson who can just i mean he was he was so good in that series oh yeah i mean listen there i mean from an eminent standpoint you go in a series dry the fennel's coming off a medial collateral issue hyman's got a a dominole issue first game in uh henrique your fourth line center's done for the series. Second game in. Dickinson's got a broken foot.

McDavid's got a broken foot. Like they're not beaten Anaheim with all those guys injured. It's like McDavid said, too many injuries too soon. So I believe that a healthy evident team would have probably beat Anaheim. I really do.

But to having said that, I love the ducks. I love what they're doing. I love how they play. Guys, hockey is in such a good place. The teams that line up at center ice don't make the playoffs anymore and back in.

the LA Kings, they've been doing it for years, they don't win because the style sucks, right? Yeah. All the teams that are good now, Buffalo, Montreal, Anaheim, San Jose, like all the up-and-coming youngs, Colorado, you know, they play the best hockey, the kind we all want to watch. I mean, if you're watching Montreal play and you're not enjoying what they're doing out there, like, find another sport.

Yeah, it's why we're all cheering against Carolina. I guess, but you know what? They forecheck you. They forecheck you. And they skate the quick, you know, they're not Jacques Lamar's Minnesota Wilde here. Come on. Right. That almost ruin the sport forever.

Anyway, listen, I'm really happy with where the game is. Like, they play it the right way. And the right way succeeds, I think. Like in the old days, Jersey succeeded. And it was awful. And the LA King succeeded in won two cups, and it was awful. Now that stuff doesn't work anymore, and that's a good side. Speck, thanks for this, buddy.

We appreciate it. All right. Boys, have a good day out there. You too. Thank you. That's Mark Specter, Oilers reporter for SportsNet here on the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Before we go to break, I need to do the smart decision brought to you by Crow. Shout out to the NFL schedule makers, in particular, their handling of the Seattle Seahawks schedule this year.

about some great decisions. These are yet to be finalized and yet to be made official. But according to multiple reports, including our guy, Dave Softie Muller from KGR Sports Radio, two of the most anticipated games. I'm going to start with the biggest one.

Seahawks, Rams, Christmas Day. According to Softie, it's going to be a primetime 515 kickoff on a Friday night, no less, because Christmas falls on a Friday. first time in the 51 year history of the Seattle Seahawks. They're going to be playing a Christmas game.

Okay, do you read real quick? Smart decision brought to you by Crow. I didn't mention the other game. They're going to open against the Patriots. That was the second game. That's going to be on a Wednesday. Smart decision brought to you by Crow, your trusting accounting and tax advisors for over 55 years.

Crow, smart decisions lasting value. Learn more at chromakai.com. According to Frank Sarah Valley, the Canucks are set to formally announce Ryan Johnson as the 13th general manager in franchise history today. Frank goes on to write, he's interested to learn the titles for Henrik and Daniel Sedin as they ascend in the front office.

So according to Frank, it's happening today. Ryan Johnson will be announced as a general manager. The Sedin's will be announced, we imagine, in some capacity, but we still don't know. as for the coaching staff, we still don't know. Thomas Drance is going to join us next on the Halford & Brough show on Sportsnet 650.

What are the oilers going to do?