Halford & Brough in the Morning - Ray Ferraro On What To Expect From The 4 Nations

Episode Date: February 11, 2025

In hour two, Mike & Jason chat with NHL analyst Ray Ferraro (1:18) about what to expect from the 4 Nations, plus the boys break down the rosters of each team (27:00).  This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Ferraro, Ferraro, let's chat with Ray Ferraro. It's time for Ferraro, let's talk to Ray Ferraro. Ferraro winds up with a shot, score! Ray Ferraro, breakaways on site, score! Rebound score! Ray Ferraro! Ferraro, Ferraro, it's time for Ray Ferraro. Let's chat with Ferraro, it's time for Ray Ferraro. 7.03 on a Tuesday. Happy Tuesday everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650.

Halford and Brough for the morning is brought to you by Vancouver Honda, Vancouver's premier destination for Honda customers. They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff that can help with anything you're looking for, sales, financing, service, or parts. We are now in our two of the program. Ray Ferraro is going to join us in just a moment here to kick off our two. Our two is brought to you by Jason Homonuck from Jason.mortgage. If you love giving the banks more of your money, Bratsy by Jason Hominuk from Jason.mortgage. If you love giving the banks more of your money, then don't let Jason shop around

to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit him on the internet at Jason.mortgage. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio. Kintec footwear and orthotics, working together with you in step. To the phone lines we go, Ray Ferraro joins us now in the Hellford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650.

Morning Ray, how are you? I'm good, just getting ready to go to Montreal. Very nice. What kind of expectations do you have for this tournament collectively? Before we get into the expectations for the teams, what are you expecting for the return to international best on best,

even though we do only have the four nations doing it, still the closest thing we've had in close to a decade? Yeah, I got asked about, I don't know, maybe 10 days ago, two weeks ago, if I thought the players would compete hard. And it was the first time I'd ever really thought of it. Because I'm just assuming that when everybody puts on your country's flag as their jersey,

that there's no way you don't compete. And the example I have is like, you know, every year in the World Championships, players go over to Europe, they've all been eliminated from the playoffs. There's really nothing to play for, right? Except you go there and I went three times and it's completely different than not caring. It's like you look down, you see the Maple Leaf, you don't ever get to do that. It's such a source of pride and these other players playing for their countries are going to feel the same. I mean, I'd be stunned if it's not, if it's not great hockey. I mean, I don't think

it's going to be 1996. That video that you see where Keith Kachuk and Adam Foot are trying to cut each other in half. Like, I don't think it's that. I start watching that video. I have to watch it again. I'm like, I can't believe I'm watching. The tournament was in August and these guys were going to kill each other. It was, but I think it would be good. I really do and I'm really looking forward to it. I think a lot of people that haven't really seen it, you know you mentioned it's been about a decade. I think it'll renew some fun in the game. It's easy to feel good about cheering for your country. And I know we nitpick everything, but it just, it feels like it's a different way to watch

the game when your country's playing, as opposed to your, I'll call it your city team. What was it like for you the first time you're able to pull on that Canadian jersey? Wow, amazing. So this is actually kind of a funny story. So it was back in the day when they took just a few players to play exhibition games and then losers of the first round, that's when they filled the team out. So my agent at the time was Alan Eagleson, this was before he ran into all his trouble.

And so they needed about a half a dozen players to play the first three exhibition games. And they said, do you want to go to Europe and play? I was 20. And I was like, yeah, for sure. So I go over there, we're in some little place in Finland, I couldn't even tell you where we were. And we play the Finns, I got four assists. I couldn't, it was

ridiculous every time I touched the pocket pass it to somebody went in the net. And so after the game, you got to go, you know, they, they picked a random urine test and shockingly, the guy that had four points got picked. So I've been there with this guy that used to play for the capitals team will bloomquist and we're sitting in there and so they bring you orange juice and water and you know, and then pretty soon they started bringing a couple of beers. Timo crushed about seven beers. I don't even think he was trying to go. I think he was just having a couple of beers.

We were just sitting in there and then like you walk around the corner, I'm like, yeah, okay, I got to go. So I walk around the corner and this guy walks around the corner with me because, you know, he can't cheat. And so I'm sitting there trying to go to the bathroom and this guy's like four feet away, I'm like, this is kind of weird. So that one, I didn't really, you know, it didn't really count to me. I went over for a couple of games, you know I went over, 89 was in Stockholm and it was just, honestly guys, it was just the best.

It was so awesome. Loved it. And you got to the gold medal game, right? And what was it like to play the Soviets? Because there was still that era of mystery about them. Well, the mystery was we you know, we didn't, we didn't really know who they were. Um, like, you know, you knew the big names, but

they always had these players you didn't know. And so they had these, I was on the, at that, on that team, it was such a really good team. Um, but I was on the fourth line with Kirk Muller and, uh, Pat Burbeek. We all had 40 goals that year. We were all on the fourth line with Kirk Muller and Pat Burbeek. We all had 40 goals that year. We were all on the fourth line. That's a pretty good fourth line.

And so we're playing these three, our matchup is these three kids that are just flying around, they're wearing cages and we don't really know who they are, but we think we do, but they don't speak English and we don't know and it's McGill, Nibere and Fedorov. And we're like, when we found out later, we're like, well, no wonder. Like, what are we going to do? You know, they're like zipping around and, oh, it was, yeah,

it was, it was fun to play those guys. Like to, cause you, there was a real hate to it still, you know, and that's, I don't know, as much as the game has evolved and that one of the things that makes it great is there's conflict and conflict makes tension, makes better games. Since you mentioned his name, I wanna take a slight detour. What are your memories of Alan Eagleson because he was such a central figure to international hockey

in the 70s and the 80s? Well, I mean, that era of international hockey would have never happened without him. I don't think there's any denying that. He was a bully. He was loud and obnoxious. And if somebody said no to him, he just hit the table harder and then asked again.

And then they said no, and he hit the table and he and eventually they had the 72 Super Series which no matter what else has happened since then is the greatest international event of all time because it was the first and it was the best and the way that it ended was amazing. He did amazing things organizing the players at the beginning, the players union and all that stuff. But there's so much that went into the gray and to the almost black with Alan that really impossible to defend his record.

Yeah. So let's talk about the rivalries because for so long it was Canada and Russia and it's kind of evolved into Canada in the United States and the United States got one over us in the 1996 World Cup and nearly in 2010. Can the players, can we develop, I mean, it's never going to be the same sort of hate as it

was during the cold war, but there are some geopolitical tensions right now, I guess, between Canada and the United States, but will the players develop that or is everything just so different now? The players are all friends, they're teammates that it's going to be hard to create that. I do think it's a challenge to create that

level of, um, of dislike to, you know, that you, you really feel, you really feel it like in your bones and, and it's just for the reasons you mentioned, I mean, there's, you know, players are so much more familiar with each other. Um, there were, you know, players are so much more familiar with each other. Um, there were, you know, there's lots of stories about like when, you know, when Canada put their teams together, you know, and like the, the 87 Canada cup, like around that era, like guys were coming to the locker room.

They wouldn't even speak to each other, but they're on the same team now. You know, like that, that stuff I think is, is long, long gone. Um, but there, but there is like, I would say in 2010, I mean, the players were all familiar with each other then it's like, it's kind of, it's kind of like this and I don't know, I thought that tournament was amazing and not just cause Canada won, which of course made it more amazing, but it was, it was a phenomenal tournament. And I just, I, something happens to, to you when you wear your country's

jersey, like you, you just, you just, you need to win. It's not that you want to win, you need to win. And in particular, and, um, you know, in hockey, we, we should feel like the Americans are stepping on our toes here because they are, and it, it, it should be enough that, um, you know, the Canada, I'm doing the Canada, uh, US game on Saturday night. Um, and I just, I can't wait. I just think it's going to be amazing. I'm, I'm hopeful it's like it just a, like a raucous crowd, which I think it will be. I don't, I just, I can't imagine it won't be.

And I think that I just hope the game is awesome because these are, there are so many incredible players playing. And, and, and the course of tournament is going to be hurt with, you know, cause Quinn's not playing and you know, the Swedes are down a goalie and you know, the injuries really do, you know, put a little bit of a pall over it, I guess, but that was going to be the case. I think, you know, I mean, from the time the tournament was announced that, oh, middle of February, gee, I wonder if guys are going to be hurt. You know, like of course they are.

You should be totally biased in that game, by the way. Or ESPN just like clearly cheering for Canada though. How do you think that would go over? Well, oh, I think it'd go great. You know, like I think I should, I should wear a red suit. Not that I have one. I mean, you look like a clown, but anyway, I just do the game anyway. I, I, I don't, I do care.

Like I want Canada. When of course I do. I live here. It's my, you know, it's our country and what the game ends and like, if they get a trophy or something, nobody gives it to me. So it's like, this is where I don't think like, I don't know how it is for other broadcasters. I really don't care who wins because I don't get to share in the spoils of the win. It's got nothing to do with me.

And so I just do the game. And like when Canada won in 2010, I was really excited. I was sitting right next to Cuthbert and watching him do his thing. And it was, oh, it's just so awesome. And the building, you know, you were in there and like it just explodes. It's just amazing.

And I'm like, then it ended. And I was like, okay, time to go home. Okay, you know, like I- I was not in there. I was drunk at home celebrating. Oh yeah, of course you were. We're speaking to Ray Farrar here on the Halford and Bruff show on Sportsnet 650. So that game on Saturday,

like I know we don't want to fast forward too much because there's games for all four of these countries before the Super Saturday where you've got Finland, Sweden, then USA, Canada. But I was just talking to Greg Wyshynski about this, though. I feel like if there's going to be a driving force for this game popping off on Saturday, it might come from the American side

and it might come from Brady and Matthew Kachuk. Just cause you've already alluded to their dad sort of firing things up back in 96 and being perfectly fit for these one game powder keg kind of moments. Are you anticipating that the Kachuk boys could be playing pretty central figures on Saturday? Yeah, it's funny how they both get lumped together because, I mean, obviously the brothers,

but like Matthew has really refined his game. He doesn't take as many penalties. He still drives everybody crazy, but he doesn't take as many penalties. He's got more of a finesse game than Brady. Brady is his dad. I mean, like Brady goes into the goal crease, there's sticks lying all over the place, guys, his helmets are knocked askew and he gets up like he can't believe anything bad happened. And he's got a hundred penalty minutes and 27 goals or whatever he's got. Like he is, he is so much like Keith. Like it is, they're really interesting characters to watch because like, like that, they, you know, I mean, you can be a pain out there, but they're really good. They're good players. And what's going to, I think what ends up

setting a game off is one hit. Like somebody gets hit that they don't expect it or they're, you know, like that happens in every NHL game, but it's going to happen here. And then, and then the temperature just gets clicked. And, um, I mean, I kind of hope for it. It makes, it makes the games great. As I said earlier, the, the sports awesome, but conflict makes tension and that makes the games drive. Like it's the best part of the game. Yeah, so we spent a ton of time looking at the Canada lineup and when the lines were rolled out of practice yesterday, we were on the air and we were going through those

and going through the first power play unit and everything. And then I started turning my attention to that US team, just to see what it looked like with the line matches, especially, also the pairings on defense without Hughes. And then I circled back, I'm like, everyone's talking about the Kachaks and Matthews as well. And then I'm thinking like Jack Eichel.

And I know that you did his game, you did his game Saturday against Boston, right? Yeah. And he just kind of took over in the third period. I think he assisted on the game tyingtying end game-winning goals. And I'm like, there's another guy that we've paid zero attention to this year, even though he might be having the best year of his career.

What did you see from Michael on the weekend and what can you expect from him in this term moving forward? Because he is having a hell of a year in Vegas. You said it, he's having the best year of his career. He looks dominant. His confidence with the puck, that upright skating posture, his desire, you just see it. He wants the puck all the time. When he doesn't have it, he hunts it down. I think he's a phenomenal player. I phenomenal player. And there, there is, I mean, I'm not comparing

them, but there is some caution in dealing away a mid 20 center. Right. Right. Like you, cause remember things had gone south in Buffalo for him, not just with the injury, but there was, you know, Buffalo hasn't made the playoffs in, you know, whatever it is 14 years.

And, and so they, they got to a point there though, that was untenable and they tried the best thing that they could. Right. They, they made the best deal they could make. And as good as Alex Tuck is in a first round pick and all that, you're, you're not Jack Eichel and he has, he's got the chance while, and he's a really great player that you bring up, he's got the chance to, while everybody's staring at the other players, take over the game. He's that type of player. The one thing I will say about

the US defense without Quinn is don't forget, like Warrensky is having a hell of a year. And that kid is good. He is really good. Now he's not Quinn, but you know, they're, they're probably in pretty good shape. There's, there's not a position you look at and go, oh, the Americans might be a little short. Like they've got the best goal tending in the

tournament, like by a mile. And I would say Canada is not the best goal tending in the tournament, like by a mile. And I would say Canada is not the best school attending in the tournament. Isn't that the difference between the Americans now and say, let's say 2014, last best on best tournament at the Olympics is that the 2014 team, you liked a lot of their wingers and you liked their goalies, but you weren't sure about down the middle and you weren't sure about defense and down the middle and

defense has always been a strength of Canada. Like their fourth group is always like, we've got nine guys that could play the middle, but a lot of them have to bump to the wing and you look at the defense. I mean, that Sochi group was incredible. The 2010 group was incredible, but the Americans have that now too, because you've gotchi group was incredible. The 2010 group was incredible.

But the Americans have that now too because you've got guys like Jack Eichel and Austin Matthews and although Quinn Hughes won't be playing for the Americans, you've still got some pretty good defensemen on that team. Yeah, they're, I mean nobody wins without, as much as we talk about everything else, like if you can't control the middle of the ice, then you know, the game can evaporate on you. And where the Americans have just grown is the sheer number of players they have that are on skill, yet they've all learned to compete. They've all learned to, they all know each other through the national development

program. Most of them came through there a decade ago or however old they are, you know, they're all kind of interwoven. So there's a familiarity to them too that I think is an advantage that, you know, the Canada just doesn't have. Really, it's probably one of the biggest weaknesses that we have in international play is the Swedes and the Finns, they all come up through interwoven development through the club teams. The US has that development program. We don't. And if you watch the Finns play at every tournament, they're all the same. I mean, Barkov and Ajo and those guys, of course,

you notice the skill, but they all seem to, they play the team game, the Finns better than anybody. And that's the one thing that Canada always has to kind of bump on the edges of the, uh, you know, of the room to, to squeeze together. And then you're like, oh, now they got it. You know, and sometimes it takes them one game. Sometimes it takes them two or three, but better not take them three this time because

there's, then it's over. What, would you do anything differently, um, to, to develop hockey players in Canada? I mean, I guess the advantage that in some ways it's an advantage, it's a weird advantage, but Sweden and the United States, because there are, because it's not as important a game, I suppose. And the percentage of people that play hockey in

the United States compared to Canada is a lot lower, that they all kind of get condensed into areas and teams as opposed to Canada where it's maybe a little more spread out. Well, I, yeah, I mean, that's part of it. I mean, but I don't know what they spend on that, that development program, um, in the US every year, but it's not 50 bucks. Like, like it is a significant investment.

Hockey Canada is, uh, would have to flip the bill for that, right? Like who else is going to do it unless it's a private group. Um, that, that, you know, that you can eat. As soon as I said that, I kind of laughed at myself. Like, could you imagine the mess that would turn into if it was a private group? So, uh, like as I was saying it, I'm like, well, that's impossible.

And so then there's also the, the complication of, um, uh, you know, you've got the major junior leagues. And if you're taking the best 17 and 18 year olds out to play in that program, well, they're probably not going to be very happy with that either. And so I do think like, if you can, if you can condense programs, yeah, sure. You're going to get to the best, most of the best are going to end up in the same place, but the

complications are just, are too great. I think that just can't happen. Ray, always fun to chat with you. Uh, love your stories. Uh, love your insight. You're an okay guy. Well, I think I'll almost take that as a positive.

And, uh, remember if you've ever got to go, if you've ever got to go to the bathroom, uh, think of Timo Blomquist and have seven beers in about 17 minutes and you just got to go. He was the guy. It was amazing. That was, that was great. You must've been so bloated.

I was like, first of all, I can't go to the bathroom and now I'm like, oh my God, I just got to drink it. I got to have something. And then they're like orange juice. And I'm like, I don't even like orange juice. And then pretty soon Timo goes, beers, beers. Awesome, Ray. All right, enjoy your trip to Montreal.

Enjoy the tournament. Talk to you later, buddy. Talk to you next week. All right, see you, Pop. Ray Ferraro on the Halferd and Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. Be on the call on Saturday. The big double header, Super Saturday.

It'll be kicked off with the Finns and the Swedes followed up five o'clock, prime time, Sportsnet, Hockey Night Canada, Canada, US, from Montreal, it's gonna be a lot of fun on the weekend as we continue to hype up the four nations face off here on the Haliford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Okay, we are officially at the midway point of the show. We got an open segment coming up.

We can get into anything you'd like us to get into. Dunbar Lumbertex Line is 650-650. Landon Ferraro's gonna be joining the program at eight o'clock. At 8.15, we're gonna be giving away a pair of tickets to the HSBC Rugby Sevens. Yeah, one of the great annual rugby events in this city. It's gonna be going in a couple weeks time, as per usual at BC Place.

We are giving away a pair of tickets every day this week. If you wanna win tickets to the Sevens, be caller number seven at 815 this morning, the phone number 604-280-0650, that number again, 604-280-0650, that'll be at 8.15. So we've got Landon Farrow coming up at 8, the giveaway at 8.15 and then at 8.30.

We're gonna dive into the Dunbar Lumber text message in basket and read your, what we learned. What did you learn over the last 24 hours in sports? Let us know, send it in. It's your chance to be on the radio. And if you want us to get into anything on the other side of the break, it's an open segment. It's all Halford and Bruff.

You're listening to the Halford and Bruff show on Sportsnet 650. Hey, it's Mick Nazar. Have your say and join me on the People's Show with big takes and even bigger bets, weekdays three to four on Sportsnet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts. you get your podcasts. 732 on a Tuesday. Happy Tuesday everybody.

Halford Brough, Sports Night 650. Halford Brough of the morning is brought to you by Vancouver Honda. Vancouver's grooviest destination for Honda customers. They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff that can know what anything you're looking for, sales, financing, service, or parts. Yeah baby. Yeah! We are in Hour 2 of the program.

Hour 2 is brought to you by Jason Homonuck at Jason.Mortgage. If you love paying too much for your mortgage, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit him on the internet at jason.mortgage. Since we've got some time to kill here. Don't say it like that. Don't say it like that. What? Which comedic character do you think has been the most copied in, people have done impressions of?

The most impressions of? Yeah. Like is it Borat? The first one that jumped in my was Borat. Well Austin Powers is obviously up there with us. My wife! With the music. Okay, alright, let's not.

My wife! This was not an invitation to do the impression. Let's hear yours, brof now. What about? I mean Ron Burgundy for sure. Oh my God, what about? Ace Ventura. Ace Ventura, Bruv now. Um, what about, uh. I mean, Ron Burgundy for sure. Oh my God. What about. Ace Ventura.

Ace Ventura, Pest Detective. Yeah. I think I talked like him for at least a year when I was in my twenties. Alrighty then. I like a lot of that. Are those the, is that the big four? Did we just name the big four? The Mount Rushmore of.

Anchorman is a very good show. Yeah. Ron Burgundy. Well, just cause of my friends and I I, we were at the perfect age for that movie. So it was just nothing but Anchorman quotes for about a year. Yeah. Yeah, that's one I think of right away. I still get triggered a little bit when I see people using the stay classy thing on

social media. Wow, there's a list. The 10 most obnoxiously over Quoted no imitated. That's right. That's right Okay, let's roll through it okay, Napoleon dynamite Hannibal Lecter He has one liners he has one liner. I don't obviously this isn't just comedic. Okay, Zoolander Mm-hmm

Jules Winfield from Pulp Fiction okay. Yeah, the Terminator yeah sure Think about it is jaws on the list. Nope. That's tough to Tough to imitate a shark with the few lines of dialogue that he had in the movie They should have given him more line. Here's one. This is right up rough. Sorry Ali Tony, Montana. Yeah, okay Yep, Darth Vader. I assume is on the list Borat is there Vader. Yeah, I guess come on some yeah He's got one big line Borat. Okay, so this is a big four right here Borat is there? Darth Vader? Yeah, I guess. Come on. He's got one big line. Borat? Okay, so this is a big four right here. Borat, Austin Powers,

Darth Vader. Yeah. What's Darth Vader's most famous line? I am your father. I am your father. What's his second most famous line? Don't touch my coffee. I haven't finished that yet. Number one is Ron Burgundy on the list. Ron Burgundy's number one? Yeah, Ron Burgundy's number one's your lack of faith disturbs me is that a is that a dark No Now there's a cross I like to see Darth Vader John's okay, that is a good little like a road trip movie yeah You know why there's a handful of you know, this isn't a Individual fictional character per se but the actor himself there's like his Sandler's been around forever

Yeah, so yeah, like saying the people have been doing Sandler imitations for like 20 years sure That's my good I can do that really well, there's only a handful of Impressions and Sean Connery obviously. Yep. Okay. It's another one-to. That's my good. I can do that really well. There's only a handful of impressions and impatience. Sean Connery, obviously. Yep. Okay. That's another one. Great chat.

Good chat. Good talk, guys. Since we're in the business of killing time here on the Haliford and Bref Show on Sportsnet Six. More or less, more or less, more or less. I just came into the studio and I was like, I guess a lot of people took time off during this Foreignation. Maybe we should have done that too. Last night, so last night, sports-wise, and I don't

want to know what it's like tonight, I'm like, oh god, there's nothing on. I mean, I watched a bit of Lucas' debut for the Lakers and it was such a blowout game, wasn't really worth watching. I'm like, I do think, by the way, that the Lakers are now kind of a fascinating story because imagine if LeBron gets another shot at a title, because it looked pretty hopeless for the Lakers, you have to admit. But now they've got Doncic and it's like, okay, imagine? Imagine if he's able to get another title and then

Mavs fans like what they get Lakers a title. Can you imagine if this ends with Lebron gifting brawny an NBA title and then he's like, okay Here you go, son Not only do we get to play together, but you also got a free NBA championship ring out of the deal and their odds went from even get to play together, but you also got a free NBA championship ring out of the deal. And their odds went from like 40 to one to 15 or to one. I don't think they're the favorites or anything. I don't, I do think. I think that's more a reflection of the money that was coming in and the

markets adjusting accordingly as opposed to actual likelihood. So here's the, the real short synopsis yesterday, Luca makes his debut. The Lakers are at home. They're playing an absolutely wretched Utah jazz team who fell to 12 and 40 on the year with the loss. Luca also hadn't played since Christmas because he's been out of the lineup with a calf injury. So he was on a minute's limitation.

I think he played 25 in total. He had the energy at the start where it looked like it was kind of intriguing and then his shooting wasn't very good at all. I think he only shot like 13% from three, but I think the point was more that he was there and he got back in and the excitement through. I mean, here's the thing. It's tough to capture an LA crowd.

You have to be a pretty big deal. Because this is a pretty big, this is an iconic team. There was always like celebrities sitting courtside. Did you see who made an appearance yesterday? It was very telling. Was Dirk Nowitzki. Oh, okay.

Showed up for, yeah. And the implications there like, well, Dirk is an all time Maverick. And he was sort of the guy that was a mentor to Luca when he broke in with the Mavericks. And now the divorce between Luke and the Mavericks and all of a sudden Dirk's back there. There was a whole lot of drama going on there,

but you know, the big thing is, and the only thing really with this entire thing is if Luca can stay healthy and stay on the court. Yeah. Cause that's it. Okay. Let's do a little Canucks talk here. Rich in Cloverdale texting in, it's actually

a really good question. I'm wondering if you guys could talk a little bit about duos with the Vancouver Canucks as they're currently constructed. Coaches love to employ duos and after the trades were made, I'm wondering if you think the Canucks now have some defined duos to work with. Duos has lost all meaning to me.

A lot of duos. Um, so it's a good question because the one duo I always thought of. Stop saying duo. With the Canucks, the one that worked was JT Miller and Brock Besser. Well JT Miller's not here anymore. So who are two guys, pairs, and we're talking about the four group here, that immediately spring to mind as those guys are great together. Joshua and Garland, last year.

Yeah. And they, I wonder if the coaching staff is going to, you know, try and make that happen again. And I know they have been together and I think there's two reasons why they haven't been together as much. First of all, Joshua missed a bunch of games, but also I think they needed Garland up the lineup.

Like they needed to have him in the top six as opposed to the third line role with Dakota Joshua. But now that you've got some more players in there. Like, okay, so the lines from the last game were Pedersen in the middle with Debrusk, who he's played a lot with this season and they brought Kiefer Sherwood up to be the digger and hopefully maybe the finisher on that line.

And I just want to add, we didn't talk enough about it after that game. I really liked that move and I think maybe, maybe they got the right mix finally. Cause I think Sherwood is the guy that they needed on that line. I think, yeah, he's able to get in on the foretuck, right? It's the right guy. It's the right mix finally. Cause I think Sherwood is the guy that they needed on that line. I think, yeah, he's able to get in on the four check, right?

It's the right guy. It's the right fit. And we've also, like, I do think that you do, you can't just be a digger. If you're playing in the top six, you still have to have the ability to score goals and finish your chances. And the greatest example of that in Connuck's

history was Alex Burrows. You know, he wasn't just up there to get in the four check, win battles and get the puck to the Sidines, he finished his chances. He turned into a very good goal scorer and we've seen the potential for that in Kiefer Sherwood. So the second line was Phillip Heidel between Brock Besser and Drew O'Connor.

And what's interesting about that is none of those guys have played together because they've never been teammates, right? It's all Besser's been with the Canucks, Heedle's been with the Rangers and Drew O'Connor was with the Pittsburgh Penguins. So we don't know if any of those guys are going to be good duos.

We don't know if that line's going to have chemistry. The third line was Pugh Souter. By the way, Pugh Souter is quietly, you know, he's a pending unrestricted free agent. Not a lot of talk about Pugh Souter, but if, you know, the, the, the centre position on the Canucks is, is, is very much a wild card position right now.

And then you've got Connor Garland and Dakota Joshua on his wings. And then you've got Connor Garland and Dakota Joshua on his wings. And then the fourth line was Teddy Bluger between Nils Amann and Nils Hoglender. Carlson could be part of that line too, if it's not Nils Amann. I've really liked Hoglender's game since he's been back in the bottom six.

And this is something Rick Taukett always says, like Hoaglander for whatever reason, when he goes up into the top six, maybe it's like, he feels he has to play a more skill game. Um, but he kind of loses his way sometimes, which I think is really unfortunate because I would really like to see Nils Hoaglander with Pedersen. But if there isn't the trust

from the coaching staff with Nils Hoeglund and if Pedersen is going to get more tough defensive matchups, then it's hard to see how that works. But it is a really good question from that texture because I'm looking at this group right now and I can't really think of a duo that I'm super confident in unless

you're talking about Dakota Joshua and Connor Garland. And the big question there is, can the Canucks afford to keep Connor Garland in the bottom six with guys like Kiefer Sherwood and Drew O'Connor in the top six? Well, I think the question is very illustrative. And maybe we haven't actually spoken about this

enough either this year. It feels like the forward lines through the first 50 games of the season have been constantly in flux. Constantly. Like there hasn't been a lot of continuity with guys playing together. And I'm sure some of that has to do with the fact that, you know, like a lot of other NHL teams

that have those lines established, they have those duos that they're comfortable throwing, they're having together and then throwing a third guy into the mix. I mean, how many iterations of a Pedersen line have we had this year? I've lost count, right? I definitely did not think at any point

that it would be DeBrusk-Pedersen, sure would, right? But this is what the year has lent itself to. You got to remember last year, I think Rick Tauke of the many things that he benefited from, one of them was having Joshua, Bluger and Garland as a unit that he could throw out with consistency, with regularity. And the important thing is in so many different situations, you want to get off to a good start, start the third line. You want to control possession at a certain

point of the game, go to the third line. You need to switch momentum in a game and momentum's going against you, throw out that third line. It is a nice option. I'll get the puck back. It's a really nice option to have in your back pocket where you know you've got something

that you can count on with regularity. And Tocket used it a ton last year. Yep. Right? And I mean, there was times where the third line was the first line. But then they did need to start bringing up Garland into the top six.

Yeah. I'm just saying you saw the value of it last year and not coincidentally, the Canucks had an all-time season franchise wise. This year. It was helped by the fact that the top six stayed healthy too. Yeah. This year between the injuries, the trades,

the ineffectiveness, the constant juggling, I mean we've had so many different looks and now that they've settled on something that you kinda like balance-wise, again you're thinned down the middle now, Pedersen, Hedl, Suter, Blugger, you're fine with it but you definitely don't have the top end talent that you did but balance-wise,

I think one of the nice things they've stumbled on recently is that fourth line of Hoaglander, Blugger, and then whoever else, it's Nils Oman right now. Yeah. Who delivered a huge hit in that game by the way against Toronto. That's a nice group to have because they provide energy. With Blugger, you're super responsible defensively. And they do have a little bit of offensive pop, even though Hoaglanders had such a hard time scoring this year. We got a text in here from Nick in the Ridge and he texts in, if Besser can't manufacture any chemistry with Philip Heidel,

then he is a lock to be moved. No way they can commit a huge contract to a guy with no chemistry with anyone in the top six. Yeah, I mean, Pedersen and Besser hasn't really worked. I didn't like that line of Pedersen, DeBrusk and Besser. It wasn't doing anything for me. I think you need a little more. I think you need at least one.

Yeah, a little more Sherwood. Yeah, you need a little something that Kiefer Sherwood brings. Like I wouldn't describe Kiefer Sherwood as a heavy player, but I would describe him as a super physically aggressive player and he does win puck battles and he gets in on the forecheck and does that sort of stuff.

Um, and I think if you put DeBrusque, Pedersen and Besser together, it's a little, uh, it's a little light for your top line. One thing that I've started to wonder about is if the Canucks are quietly, if they've got their eye on a winger, whether it's in free agency or in a potential trade, if there's a guy out there. And the reason I thought about it was that I guess

Pedersen's going to be playing with Forsberg for Sweden and someone said, oh, I wonder if they show chemistry, if there's any way they could get him out of Nashville. Now let's not go down that kind of road. Like I think that would cost a lot to get him out of Nashville, but I do wonder if there's a player out there that this management group is like, we're going to get this guy.

Cause I feel like Marcus Pedersen was, they had had their site set on him for a long time and they were finally able to pull it off. And look, he's made a world of difference. When you add a legit top four defenseman to a group, it makes a massive difference when you only had two legitimate top four defensemen before. We're going to have to start looking outside the Pittsburgh organization as well.

Cause I don't know how many more times Rutherford and Alvin can go back to the well. Yeah, is there anyone else? They're running out of ex Pittsburgh guys to get. I don't know Brian Rust Now they're just gonna target petterson Sydney Yeah, right right off the heels of the four nations face off traded during the form Do we all see the Sweden lines by the way that they rushed?

I know we talked about the u.s. And we talked about Canada. So Elias Petterson, I guess right now is nominally the two C and he's playing on a line with Adrian Kempe and Philip Forsberg. So their top line is Mika Zabinajad is going to be the one C and he's playing between William Nylander and Ricard Raquel. Huge questions about their top two centers for Sweden.

Zabinajad and Pettersson. Yeah. Yeah. I wonder. Two of the most criticized players in the NHL this season. So the three C is Joel Eriksenack. You know who the 4C is?

Who? Elias Lindholm. Oh, okay. Right. So I mean, I got a feeling that given the makeup of this tournament where it's so short and you've got to get results straight away, you could see something where you could see the loading up of lines really quick. get results straight away. Um, you could see something where you could see the loading up of lines really quick.

You could see, you know, you start this as a two C, you spend one shift there and then the next thing, you know, you're the one scene you're like that for the remainder of the term. By the way, speaking of loading up the lines, uh, there was that conversation coming out of Canada's camp yesterday about the nuclear option, Greg, the nuclear option.

That is where you're going to put all of the top guys on the same line, specifically doing something crazy. Nuclear. It's pronounced nuclear. So I guess this harkens back to your favorite, the 87 Canada Cup, when they threw Gretzky and Lemieux on the line together.

It's the only tournament they ever played together. Right. The only time. And it worked pretty well. It went nuclear, if you will. So this one would be, I think the idea is putting McDavid and McKinnon together. That would be the nuke.

Although someone says, maybe you put, sorry, not to interrupt, sorry, you put Crosby at center and then in like a crazy world just like for, you know, laughs you put the fastest guy McKinnon on one wing and then the other fastest guy McDavid on the other. Yeah. Then you say go, which would be amazing to watch.

I mean they gotta do that at least once. If you could put Crosby at center between McDavid and McKinnon it would be amazing to watch. I don't know in practice how well it would work. You'd think it would work great, but you don't know. I think it would work for duo. But the idea of it, like that's, I'm excited to see that happen.

Well, Austin and Langley texts in with the lines that were put out yesterday for Canada. What's a combo you want to see put together? And he says, I really want to see McKinnon and McDavid as a duo and just see the fastest hockey we've ever witnessed. What do you guys think? What combos in other teams do you want to see put together?

Uh, the American team, the American combo I wanted to, uh, see was JT Miller between the Kachaks. Yeah. Like the highest jerk per 60 in like hockey history, that would be incredible. And there is, there would be a non-zero chance that they would somehow fight with each other. Yes, that's true.

Right? You know how we've seen that sometimes like in soccer? Who was the famous, was it a couple of Newcastle players that had a fight on the- It was Lee Boyer. Yeah. And oh man, I'm going into the way back.

They had a fight on the field, right? I want to say Jermaine Jenis. God, I can't, I'll have to look it up. It doesn't matter but like what does well It does now I suppose I I'm with everyone like I want to see McDavid and McKinnon together Kieran Dyer, right? Okay. Yeah. Okay. I want to see the Kachucks versus Bennett and March on so here's it. Here's another text that we just got in. Yep. From Justin, I think.

Okay. He says, I cannot bring myself to root for a team with Brad Marchand on it. How are you guys managing to compartmentalize this? Yeah, if this was 10 years ago, I'd have trouble with it, but I'm kind of over it and I have a grudging respect for Brad Marshawn. Don't get me wrong. Man, was I pissed when he low bridged Sammy Sallow.

That for me was worth, worse than the Daniel Sedin speed bagging. Like that for me was like dirty, dangerous, and showed a lack of respect for your playing companions. Could have killed the dude. The Daniel Sedin thing was like, I was more angry at the Canucks than Brad Marshawn for that.

That's pretty angry, Marshawn. But like when he said, I mean if we're talking about a competitive environment and when he said after the game, like he was asked, why did you do that to Daniel Sadin? He's like, cause I felt like it. I was like, damn, that's a good answer, right? Because well, you guys weren't going to do anything. You guys just, you guys just took it and I felt like it. And you know, if the roles were reversed and Marsan was a Canuck and Daniel Sadin was on the

brooms, we'd be laughing at them, right? Especially the way the game seven went. So I went back and I was looking at 2010 in particular, because the tournament was here and the Canucks were like in the throes of the Sedin era, right? And it was one year away from going to the Stanley Cup final in 2011. There wasn't anyone on that 2010 Canadian Olympic team that captured gold

that I had a really hard time trying to cheer for. And don't get me wrong, there were certain candidates, like Duncan Keith was on that team, Jonathan Taves was on that team, Corey Perry, there were some wildly unlikable guys, but no one to the degree of what we're getting. There's a lot of people texting in that they're like, I can't wrap my head around

cheering for Brad Marshawn. Usually you set aside the domestic territorial rivalries for the greater good of the country. Yeah. And you cheer for everyone. But it's weird because I remember going into 2010 not having a visceral reaction to anybody. The Sharks were also big rivals of the Canucks back then,

so we had to cheer for Marlowe and Joe Thornton and everything. Yeah, but those guys are class acts, right? But those guys are class acts, right? But it was fine, yeah. The one that was probably the toughest was Perry, but Corey Perry back then wasn't what Corey Perry is now. Corey Perry was a hard trophy winner.

He was still a miserable SOB. Right, but he wasn't what he is now. Like he's a glorified cheap shot artist, all due respect. They asked Marshawn, by the way, about being cheered in Montreal and he joked that hasn't happened yet. No one's, no one's been interrupting for cheers

if they do a bad tournament and then there's a good chance that they don't cheer Brad Marshawn. I'm just really looking forward to being able to cheer for McDavid. I remember getting to cheer for Gretzky and Lemieux together. I'm like, this is amazing. They're on my team now?

Because Gretzky would just dominate the Canucks. It was so embarrassing how many points he would rack up against the Canucks, uh, back in the 80s. And, uh, it was, it was a nice experience as a kid to be able to cheer for those guys. Uh, Landon Ferraro is going to join us next on the Halford and Bruff show on Sportsnet 650. Maybe we can talk about some of the, uh, duos

that we could potentially see for the Vancouver Canucks when they return from this two week break.