Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Battle Of Ontario Has Started Out Pretty One-Sided

Episode Date: April 21, 2025

In hour two, Mike & Jason chat with Hockey Night In Canada colour analyst Craig Simpson (8:33) about game one of the Leafs Sens series, plus they discuss the latest Canucks news with NHL.com & In Goal Magazine's Kevin Woodley (26:44). 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.

Music 702 on a Monday. Gotta say, 80s Monday, early days for this theme. Love it. Pretty good so far. The song's rad. Pretty good so far. Even though this is technically Synthwave and something we might play on Wednesday, it's fine. Still 80s. Still works. This might be on the soundtrack for Drive. Yes. Yeah, Synthwave. That's the movie that really got that genre into the forefront. Oh, great movie.

You are listening to the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Halford and Brough for the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates, BC's first and trusted choice for debt help. With over 3,000 five-star reviews, visit them online at sans-trustee.com. We are in hour two of the program, hour two. It's brought to you by Jason Hominuk at jason.mortgage. If you love giving the banks more of your money, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. is my line at Jason dot mortgage We are coming to you live from the kintex studio kintex footwear and orthotics working together with you in step So yesterday we got round one of the battle of Ontario the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Sunday night Marner a goal into assists Nylander and Tavares a goal and an assist each. A pretty comprehensive victory for the Leafs. Joining us now, the man on the call

for that game, Craig Simpson, Sportsnet's very own, joins us here on the Alfred and Bruff Show on Sportsnet 650. Morning Craig, how are you? I'm sitting in the middle of my room and there's a fire alarm test going on. So I don't know if you can hear the lady talking in the background, but it's a little distracting here to begin. Sorry about that. It's not an actual fire alarm so I don't have to go running down the stairwell, but just bear with if you hear the noise. I appreciate the apologies. We actually don't hear anything. It sounds crystal clear and you're laser focused to begin.

Well, she just stopped talking right now. Perfect. Okay, great. I do want to start obviously with last night's game. I got to imagine that after that 6-2 victory in game one over the Senators, the Leafs must've walked off the ice very happy with what was a pretty thorough performance, pretty complete performance from the Leafs taking a 1-0 series lead over the Sens.

Yeah, I think you always understand though, one game does not make a series, but I think what you saw last night was sort of the byproduct of what we talked about all year long was why it was important to try to win the division. And you must hear the bells. Now I do hear it. Oh, I know. I know do hear it Greg. Yeah. Oh, I know. I know that.

Yeah. Um, so sorry guys. I'm not sure if it's going to be a great few minutes cause this has been going on. Why don't we get you back when the fire alarm is over? Is that okay? Is that possible? Probably going to be. All right.

We'll talk shortly. Okay. That's Craig Sipson, Sportsnet NHL analyst here on the Halfton Rough Show on Sportsnet XF50. Don't worry everybody's safe. It's just a test. Sounds good. We'll talk shortly. Okay. That's Craig Sipson, Sportsnet NHL Analyst here on the Halifax Rush Show on Sportsnet X50. Don't worry everybody's safe. It's just a test. I repeat, it is just a test of the hotel's emergency system. All day and off, Greener was thinking of pulling the fire alarm last night in Toronto.

Oh, good segue. Let's get the green audio. Can you get the Travis Green audio ready? So kudos to the reporters who got them with the one two yesterday right off the hop in his post media availability in a game in which they conceded three power play goals and the goaltending wasn't great. He got asked right away about his team's discipline, which led him down the road to maybe suggest that the Leafs were drawing penalties in an effective way. And then of course, he was asked about his goaltending with Linus Allmark as well. Here's Travis Green at the podium following a 6-2 loss in game one to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night. Travis, with all the penalties, was that a case of being undisciplined or was the standard

maybe unclear to the guys? We definitely have to stay out of the box. I'll say that. You know, at the end of the game sometimes things can get a little out of hand once in a while. I thought there was a couple calls that they did a good job selling. But it's tough on the refs. But we can't take that many penalties for sure. Travis, is it a little disheartening to have to work as hard as you did to generate

the chances that you generated and then sort of see it be a little leaky on the other side. What are you saying? Well, the elephant in your room, in the room is your goaltending, I think. I like her goaltending. I like her goalie a lot. It's good goalie. It's one of as nice, pretty good.

There's no elephant in the room, in our room. You like giving up six? I miss greener sometimes. That was the green cadence. Yeah, there's no elephant in our room. I like our goalie. The Canucks came in and ate it. He's a pretty good goalie. There's no elephant in our room. I like our goalie. The Canucks came in and ate it. He's a pretty good goalie.

There's no elephant in our room. I think the Sens just played undisciplined and, and, and goal signing was, was a factor because the Sens actually played pretty well. I had five on five to start the game. They were out shooting the Leafs and granted the two goals that went in early on were clear cut chances, including a Mitch Marner breakaway. That was a really nice move by Mitch. Yeah.

Um, I think one of the dangers of having a long layoff from the playoffs and, um, maybe a captain like Brady Kachak, but also everyone hyping up this battle of Ontario. It's going to be like old times. It won't be because the game has changed. So you can't play the same way they played 20 years ago. And I think, um, you know, the Sens were so

pumped to be in the playoffs and the Leafs have been in the playoffs for a while. Yeah. And I know, uh, they've mostly disappointed in the playoffs, but they've learned a few lessons, right? Like you can't, you can't be too enthusiastic. You know, and I think maybe that's what,

what the Sens were. So this is the 10th consecutive season that the Leafs core has made the postseason. This is just the third time that they've won a series opener. So now you're kind of seeing the maturation of the group. Like they were the ones that understood how to handle the emotional wave of the playoffs. They were the ones that remained disciplined. Most importantly, they were the ones that took advantage of the opportunities given with the man advantage because the man advantage is so important in

The postseason when they played Boston last year, do you know how many power play goals they had in seven games? One yeah, they had three last night like that is the mark of a team and you know You can say the Borubei factor or whatever else. They also got pretty good goaltending from Stollers They kept Ottawa like Ottawa had a bunch of shots in the anger at one point They were up like 13 six or seven. Yeah, like Ottawa had a bunch of shots in the, I think at one point they were up like 13, six or seven. But it was a lot from the perimeter. They weren't really getting a ton of grade A looks. And Toronto seemed pretty content with giving those up

because they were confident that Stoller's was gonna be able to make the save. I thought Stoller's looked a little shaky early on. He was giving out some big rebounds. But he didn't give up the goal, was it? Never anything that tested them. By the way, go ahead, Greg. I was gonna say, Brady Kachuk's an expected goals merchant,

so he just takes shots from anywhere. Right. That's why you see the bloated numbers. So, by the way, the best game was easily St. Louis and Winnipeg. Not even close. I mean, Ottawa, Toronto, great to see those two teams playing again.

And I guess the end, if you like, a few fisticuffs was interesting. Um, and, but the, the Winnipeg St. Louis game was absolutely terrific. Like that was unbelievable hockey in an unbelievable atmosphere. And I think of the five games we saw, it was easily the best one.

I believe we have Craig Simpson back now, which is great. So we'll try this again. Joining us now as mentioned on the call for the Battle of Ontario for Sportsnet, Craig Simpson here on the Halford and Brush show on Sportsnet 650. Hi again, Craig. Everything good in Hotel Land? Yeah, of all the times to have a test even, we didn't line up, but yeah, she's done. Okay, perfect., she's done. Okay, perfect. Thanks for your patience. Oh, no problem.

Appreciate it. Thanks for coming back. So interestingly enough, as you left, they gave us an opportunity to play Travis Green's remarks post-game because he was asked very specifically about his team's lack of discipline in the parade to the penalty box,

and then his thoughts on Lena Solmark's play as well. Let's start with the penalty trouble that the Sens found themselves in yesterday. And the question was, you know, were they too undisciplined or did they maybe not necessarily know where the standard was going to be? And that led to, you know, what an effective job the Leafs did of drawing penalties yesterday. What did you think of how that game was officiated yesterday? Well, I was going to say before we began, I thought this was a great example for the Maple Leafs of why it was really important to win the division

right? You know you come in the game one of a series and you think about the past troubles for the Maple Leafs. You've had a team in Boston that has your number, you've had a Stanley Cup champion in Tampa that has the number, you lose to Florida who's now twice been in the final. I think what you saw last night was an example of a team that has the least amount of playoff experience of any of the playoff teams. And you sort of live through baptism, right, in your first go-round in a playoff game. And I think the Sen senators are a great story

because they buckled down and they found a way to be in the playoffs. But last night I just thought was an example of, the first experience of what it's like to play in the playoffs, the excitement that comes with it, and some of the little things that can be the difference between settling into a game just like it's a regular season game or suddenly going, man, things can happen a little quicker.

Things can happen and turn a game and the momentum and you have a hard time getting it back. So I think, you know, were they undisciplined a bit? Yeah. Could a couple of those calls maybe not be called? Yeah, could could a couple of those calls maybe not be called. Yeah, probably too But I think it's a great example of just how a game can turn on its head You know, I guess in the second period in a matter of what 12 13 seconds, right?

Yeah, I can't remember doing a game where a power play goal was scored nine seconds, seven seconds, and three seconds from a face off. And you know, that kind of rattles you at the best of times, but there's no question that just changed the entire game in your first playoff performance, the way the Leafs were able to capitalize so quickly off the draws on the power play. What is the key for a team to deal with things during a game that don't go their way? Maybe it's a bad bounce or maybe it's a call that you didn't think should have been a call.

Um, I just remember Craig Barube's job he did with the St. Louis Blues when they won the Stanley Cup. And he was great at saying like, look, things are going to happen. You can either freak out or you can just deal with it. We prefer to deal with it. And I just wonder how much that thinking is going to help the Toronto Maple Leafs and that could be

an issue with an inexperienced Sens team. Yeah, well, it can, it can also, I don't think there's any question that it's, uh, you know, imperative to be able to handle those things if you're going to have success. If you're going to find a way, that's only one win. You think about it. You've got to win 15 more games to win the Stanley Cup.

The journey takes a lot of different twists and turns. I think that teams or coaches that have been through it and experienced it have a better understanding of how to handle it when it actually happens. I mean, I asked Travis in our little discussion before the game, similar to about that, I said, you know, their last game of the regular season against Carolina, they had a three nothing lead,

then Carolina scored five straight, you're down by two, and then they scored four straight, you're down by two, and then they scored four straight to win seven five. I said it was that maybe a good example for your players of just how quickly things can change and how much playoffs can turn on a dime. So I think every coach is aware how important it is to handle it. Uh, and honestly, from a player perspective, if, um, until you've experienced some of it and realized just how different playoffs are and how you have to have every focus on every shift and how much it can change the course and the outcome of the game.

If you, if you don't handle it well, I think like anything chalk it up to some experience. And what you always hope when you're the team that doesn't have a lot of playoff experience is that you go after game one and go into game two and your team has experienced some of it and will they be better? Will they adjust? Will they come in with a mindset of, okay, can't even give an official an opportunity to give me a penalty when maybe I was a little reckless last time? Or, you know,

we have to now get to our game quicker and make sure that we're imposing ourselves. I mean, those are all experiences that you can talk about in the dressing room. But until you've gotten out there and you're now 60 minutes into your playoff life, and I think the next 60 will feel different. And I think that's what you always try to, as a coach that has the younger team, as a team with less experience, that's what you have to hope that the guys can relate to.

Can you explain the difference between regular season and playoff hockey? I mean, you learned that lesson in 88 I guess That was your first time in the playoffs. Like what was your experience like? Well, it's just so noticeable right from the drop of the puck, right and I kind of said to Chris Cuthbert You know, that's kind of what game one of the four nations face off felt like too. It felt like you watch games all the time and the puck drops and you get into the game and it's like, okay, let's see what the rhythm of the game is going to start up. When you get into playoffs and that first puck is dropped, it took about 10, 12 seconds

to even drop it because everybody's gosselin for position. Everybody's trying to get there first. It just the intensity is at a different level because they mean something. The journey of 82 games in the regular season, game 25, game 45, game 75, you drop that puck at the beginning. It might be a big game, but everybody knows this isn't the one that's going to matter at the end of the day.

And so I just love the intensity of the players know what's at stake. The level of speed and aggressiveness and physicality are just at such another level from the start of the playoff time. And that's kind of why the first round is so usually the best round because everybody's fresh. Everybody's, you know, got out of a cannon to get things started. By the time you get to the Stanley Cup final, it's like a weary team trying to survive. I don't think the hockey has that same speed or intensity because of it and I think that's what makes

round one probably the most special because it's like the start of the season in terms of the mindset but the intensity is at such a higher level because of what's at stake. Three more games and teams could be done. You lose that game one, you only got three more chances. So I think that's why knowing what's at stake brings that intensity level to another one. And I love the fact that you have a matchup. And I was saying last night,

whether you're down by three or four goals in the third period, you can't let that guy that you're going to end up going, uh, shift after shift against, you're like, he's got the leg up on you. He's trying to impose his will against you. You got to find a way to say that's not going to happen. And I got a, I got to answer that bell. And that's to me was the biggest difference in my young experience of,

of playing in the playoffs where you don't get that same feeling in a regular season game. We're speaking of Sportsnet NHL analyst Craig Simpson here on the Halferd and Breff show on Sportsnet 650. Craig, of course, is on the call for the Battle of Ontario. Game one is in the books. Another sort of traditional trope when it comes to the playoffs, Craig, is a microscope on the goalies, right? Every game, every period, every save. And it was out last night for Linus Olmark. And after the game, as I mentioned, we played those remarks from Travis Green,

and he was pretty staunchly, obviously, defending his goalie. Said he had no problem with him, no elephant in the room here when it came to goaltending. What did you think of Olmark's performance last night. Well, I thought that, you know, coming in there, we said early on, here's another guy who's had great, regular season numbers. He's obviously won a, a Vezna trophy. So he's had, he's got some accolades,

but until you climb this next hill, it's going to stay with you forever. I mean, there are games that you can play really well and get some bad breaks and you go, yeah, I can't really fault him. But I thought the most pressure of anybody on the Ottawa team was on the goaltender. He's got a history of not being able to take his playoff game to another level. Granted, he hasn't had a huge sample size in terms of playoff-wise, but in 23 when Boston was the best team in the league, he wasn't able to get the job done. I didn't think he played all that well. I

didn't think he read and fought through some of the shots that were coming his way But it's also you know a perfect storm you get three power play goals again So you get rebounds the way that they scored you get deflections off your guys Glove I don't blame at all Travis Green of saying hey You got to protect the guy and keep his confidence level up, but I would say hey you got to protect the guy and keep his confidence level up. But I would say he'll get the start in game two but I wouldn't be shocked if it's a pretty short leash if he doesn't have any kind of traction or success in game two because you I don't think you can sit and wait around with a guy who hasn't really shown in playoffs at this point that he's been able to dig in and

be shown in playoffs at this point that he's been able to dig in and, and play at his best. If you have another difficult game, I wouldn't be shocked if you see Forsberg. Craig, this was great. I really appreciate you calling us back and making time to do this this morning. It was great. No, it's, it's, it's a fun series. And I'm glad we got to talk to you about it because one game in the books, but there's lots to look forward to. Hey, it's playoffs. You got to adjust on the fly, right?

Thanks, Craig. We appreciate this. Okay bye bye. Craig Simpson sports net NHL analyst here on the Halford and Brough show on sports net 650. How many career playoffs starts does Omar have? Trivia. So he got benched, not benched but they went with sway. Oh he racked up a whole bunch with Buffalo, didn't he? He went with sway. No, no, he didn't get any. He didn't get any. Prior to last night or including last night? Last night was his 10th.

10th, okay, yeah. And his save percentage in the playoffs is 877. So how many, yeah, because I'm trying to remember how many he got with Boston. Not many. Not many, yeah. But I'm just trying to remember the year that he got them all. He got most of them in 22, 23. Right,. Not many. Yeah, but I'm just trying to remember the year that he got them all.

He got most of them in 22, 23. Right, okay. Yeah. And then last year they made the decision to go Swainman, right? Okay, yeah. Yeah, it wasn't great. I don't, he got beat clean,

but I wouldn't have put a lot of the goals, like they weren't stinkers or anything. No, no, no, there was a couple tips. He just didn't make saves when they needed to make saves. By the way, before we get into the one to watch, I do have to say, and I hate this because I don't like, you know, like, eh, wasn't that great.

Games this weekend? Weren't that great? Really wasn't that great? St. Louis, Winnipeg. St. Louis, Winnipeg was up here. Was a 10 out of 10. And then? I thought Dallas, Colorado had its moments.

It was 5-1. I know, but a lot of the goals were tacked on late. So. It was, it was a 2-1 game for a out of 10. And then? I thought Dallas, Colorado had its moments. It was 5-1. I know, but a lot of the goals were tacked on late. So. It was, it was a 2-1 game for a lot of that. But just consider this, that game, Colorado takes the lead, a multi-goal lead, never relinquishes it, never really comes close to relinquishing it. I mean, it came within one.

5-1. Carolina. That one wasn't close. Dominates New Jersey. Outshot them 45 to 24. By the way, if Carolina does not get to the conference finals this year, because they should beat New Jersey. New Jersey has so many injuries.

They went in with a bunch, now they have some more, although Dougie Hamilton returned. Yeah. And then they're going to meet the winner of Washington, Montreal. Yeah, it's a good road for them. They got to get to the conference final. They got to.

And then the Leafs game obviously was a four goal margin, so it wasn't a particularly close game. Other than that, entertainment, it was angry at the end. And I don't know, how much did you watch of Minnesota Vegas last night? I watched the end of it. I just watched the end of it. Vegas is the better team. I think everyone knew that going in. Minnesota should have already played well. Not Pauldey played well.

Pauldey's good. Kaprizov played well. Yeah. You know, those guys. Zeve Boonum? Yeah, he had a bit of a tough. I'm scared to say that name. Tough to have you, like. Everyone's got a different pronunciation for it right now.

It's not Zev, is it? No. It's Zeve Boonum, I think. OK. Boonum. Boonum? Boonum? Anyway.

It's only been one game. I expect the Toronto-Ottawa series to have a few more twists and turns. I expect the Toronto Ottawa series to have a few more twists and turns. I expect Brady Kachuck to have a way bigger impact in game two in light of what happened in game one is a quiet game for Kachuck. But the funny thing for Brady Kachuck. Zeve Bouillam.

Zeve Bouillam. Bouillam, yes. The funny thing for Brady Kachuck though is that he can't come out and play stupid. Like you can say big response, but he was the one after is like, we got to be more disciplined. We got to stay out of the box. It's finding that balance, right?

You want to have a ton of enthusiasm obviously, and you want to play right up to the line and, um, you know, it's in the, it's the playoffs. So sometimes the referees let stuff go that doesn't get called during the regular season. So you want to go up to that line as much as you possibly can. But once you go over it, man,

you can get into trouble real quick. I felt like the Sens last night, they're like, wait a minute, is it a 4-1? What the hell just happened here? We were playing pretty well, I think. I thought some of the calls were soft. I also think that they were undisciplined. I don't know what was going on at Playoff Adam Godet. You got to rein that in, buddy. It was a little bit too much last night. Anyway, anyway okay we got a lot more to get to on the hell for the rough show on sports net 650 we're gonna talk to Kevin Woodley and Satya Arshas though but right now we need to do the one to watch

brought to you by Delaney's okay tire the one to watch tonight whoever starts in goal for the Edmonton Oilers the Oilers open their first round series tonight in LA against the Kings for, I believe the 16th consecutive season. Stuart Skinner played a pair of games after sustaining a head injury in late March. So he did get some time down the end of the regular season stretch.

However, over the weekend, Oilers head coach, Chuck, no, Chris Knoblock, would not reveal if Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard would start game one tonight against the Kings. It sounds like it'll be Skinner based on his experience and body of work, although he didn't have a great regular season, but the one to watch tonight is who's gonna be in net for the Oilers

when they try and dispatch of the Kings yet again, although this series now, because the Kings have home ice advantage, will start in LA. I am not feeling the Oilers chances this year. No, oh and Noah VanderKane tonight, right? That was also news that came over the weekend. Noah VanderKane for them in game one. I will die on the hill that there's a bigger story there

that we don't know about what's going on with the VanderKane. The whole thing has been weird. From the timing of his surgeries to not knowing, like remember that whole notion, like we don't know if he's gonna, if he's gonna come to the Oilers and be like, Hey, I'm ready to play with three games left, put me in, or I'm

going to make a stink out of this. Right? Like what? How do you not know you're on the same page as, like how are they not on the same page on this? This is ridiculous. Like, and now he's, you know, he sounded like he was ready to go, but they're keeping him out.

You cannot tell me that there's not a bigger story behind the scenes. And because it's Evander Kane, I'm sorry, his reputation precedes him. Okay, so it's time to put on your Toyo tires, whether you drive a car, light truck, or van, Toyo tires, they're designed to perform in all kinds of conditions.

Visit Delaney's OK Tire in Langley in Aldergrove. OK Tire, service, repair, and tires. You're listening to the Halferd and Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. 7.33 on a Monday. Happy Monday everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford and Brough of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. Learn how a consumer proposal reduces your debt by up to 80% with no more interest. Visit them online at sands-trustee.com. We are in hour two of the program. Hour two is Brad to be at Jason Hominuk at Jason.mortgage. If you love paying too much for your mortgage, then don't let Jason shop

around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit him online at Jason.mortgage. To the phone lines we go. Here's a presentation of White Rock Hyundai. It is Kevin Woodley from NHL.com and Ingold Magazine here on the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. What up, Kev? Well, what up is I'm not sure. Is there traffic on Easter Monday morning? Like, is there enough people going to work that I have to take the white rock Hyundai that has the EV sticker that allows me to skip the old tunnel? There's enough traffic.

There's probably no traffic regardless. There is enough traffic that we have traffic updates this morning. I don't know how much there is in the updates, but we do have updates. Plug in hybrid it is. Okay. Uh, Kev, what did you think of Thatcher Demko's uh, remarks on Friday that, uh, he wants an

extension in Vancouver and he's hoping to talk to management about it. Uh, I mean, throughout the season Thatcher, uh, has handled the media really well and said all the right things and no different there, right? Like he's not going to come out and say, yeah, that Lankton deal was the writing on the wall. I'm out. Right.

Like, you're not going to, right. So I don't know what we expect a different, I guess, saying he actively wanted an extension, you know, and wants to stay here. I mean, maybe that is a surprise to some people. Maybe my people might think he would like a reset somewhere else or a chance at another start. Um, but I would think that that conversation about an extension on, on his end and not like not from him, but I would think from his camps and

probably starts with a number, despite all the injury issues, you know, that, on his end and not like not from him, but I would think from his camps end probably starts with a number, despite all the injury issues, you know, that's higher than what they would be looking to spend here. And if not, then maybe you do consider it. But I, you know, it's kind of hard to see where his ceiling is and one healthy season with that ceiling, why he would negotiate now,

unless they see it the same way, because his ceiling is a higher pay than what you can afford in terms of keeping both of them. That's just the reality, right? Like one healthy season, one 50 game for even 45 game season. And you know, he's not in the $5 million range. He's a lot higher than that. I'd almost be worried if he was willing to accept a below market contract. Do you know what I mean? If you offered him four years and I don't know, whatever the number is and he was like, yes, okay. Then I'd be like, why would you be willing to accept this?

It's the minimum, right? Yeah. Look at Blackwood deal or something like it, like that's the minimum. And he's, you know, from a, maybe not from a health standpoint, although Blackwood had a lot of those questions coming into this season as well,

especially coming out of his time in New Jersey. Like, like that's the minimum. I don't know if I'd be nervous about it, cause it would be a sign that he likes it here enough to, you know, commit at a lesser, like I don't think he'd be like, Oh, let's just take the money now. No, no, no.

I just be worried that he's not confident in his, in his health. Right. You know? Right. I just, I just think, honestly, like I just honestly think that that was the right thing to say in the moment and he said it.

So there you go. Like it's, I don't put too much into it. Do you expect Lankton and Demko to be the goalies next season? I don't know. Um, for a while there I was because obviously this is a team that's committed to a win now mentality and the easiest way to win is

to have great goal tending. And we saw how good Kevin Lankenen can be when he's not overworked. And we know how good Dr. Demko can be when he's healthy, right, like that's an elite tandem. And I originally saw that as maybe their easiest path to competitiveness.

You know, in talking to people, not just here, but around the league, I'm not so sure. I honestly don't know. I don't have the answer. I'll be curious to see, you know, what the answer is for management today. And again, it all depends on that number

and how much you're willing to invest in a tandem, even in a league that's going towards it. There's a ceiling usually on how much you're willing to spend and this management group hasn't typically been one that spends at the high end of it. So for one season, it may help you be competitive, but the more I hear from different people around the organization,

around the league, I'm not as convinced that that's the way they go. Because there are so many other holes to fill up front, and you wonder if he becomes an asset that helps you fill it. Don't know, but you wonder. And certainly those are some of the things you start to hear that if that was the case, that would be something they would entertain. Cause obviously the holes aren't at the bottom of the lineup in terms of the forward gaps.

And you usually got to give something to get something. Yeah. We keep coming back to how are they going to fix this forward group? Because I think at minimum, they need a top six center and a top six winger at minimum. How are they going to go? Well, but like, and is that assuming Brock's back

because they needed a top six winger when he was here. Yeah. So without them you need two. Well, that's why I said at minimum, right? I mean, so if they don't bring, so they had three guys that scored more than 20 goals last season. Two of them are pending. Yeah, two of them are USAs.

Yeah. Yeah. So how are they going to go about doing that? I guess we're going to ask them at 10 o'clock this morning. It seems like a really tough challenge. Does it not? I mean, it's not supposed to be easy, but

this one seems really tough. Right. Because what do we see, what do we, we always hear like the premium positions, right? Top 4D and top two centers. And so filling a two hole after trading JT Miller is not going to be easy and they may have to get creative to do it. And you know, it's kind of one of the big questions going into the off season is how do they do it? But I mean, you know, to their credit, this is a management group that hasn't been afraid to make big swings and hockey trades. So I'm in some ways,

it adds a level and a layer of fascination to this off season, all these questions and to see how they go about it. You know, since they got here, it's very much lived up to the trader Jim Monica that Jim Rutherford came with. And I know Patrick Alvins, the GM now, but just, you know, that was sort of the thought process when he arrived and there's been a bunch of them, I top ahead and I think they lead the league in trade since. So I'm curious to see, you know, the last one I was on, I can't remember who I was on with last week, but he's the phrase, Robin Peter to pay Paul.

Um, and I'm, I'm curious to see which Peters are on their way out. What did you think of, what was the one takeaway you took from Rick Taukett's availability, other than the fact that he actually had an availability because we weren't sure if he was, if he was going to speak, if he was going to speak with the players or if he was going to speak with the brass, he ends up speaking just before the

players and that's going to leave Rutherford and Alveen to ask, answer questions about his future. Yeah. Um, I, first of all, caveat, uh, I was in a, in a car on my way to Calgary at the time of it. So, uh, I watched it, actually reported on it, wrote a story between Canmore and Calgary in the backseat of a car.

Uh, we were there for some in goal work with Hockey Alberta and their elite development. Good job, Kev. Way to go. I'm glad you pulled over to write that story by the way. I wasn't there, right? So I just wanted that out there. So, but I did listen to it and I, like in terms of

the timing, you could probably, we could speculate away about him going ahead. I got the sense and we saw others, you know, sort of the insiders quote unquote report that there was optimism about a coaching extension maybe being done, you know, as early as this weekend. I don't know him. You know, he pretty much told us on the final game day when we were sort of there was a discussion sort of after the scrum about his, you know, the timing of when he would

meet with us and talk to us next. It was, you know, that he was headed back, you know, to his off season home pretty quick on Saturday. So maybe it's as simple as that. Maybe it's as simple as the joke that he had at tea time time and maybe there's nothing to read into it. Maybe all three of them are there at 10 a.m. this morning and there's an announcement. We'll see. This could go a lot of different ways. I'm still not certain which way it goes. There's been a lot of talk about money and the willingness to spend to what it costs to keep an elite coach. I've gotten some pushback on that in terms of what they spent on like past past coaches, Elaine

Vigno, even the contract that was given to John Tortorella in terms of where that fits. You know, in terms of this ownership group not being willing to spend to the elite, to the upper echelon levels, but obviously that number has changed, I think in recent years. So I've heard those reports. To me, the biggest question is, you know, and he was open and honest about all this. And that's the refreshing, that's what has made him endearing to us in the media is the openness and the honesty in terms of the players and where they need to go and the systems and all those things, the willingness to explain it. That honesty, like, I'm not sure if the decision is as much about about dollars

as it is about direction and some of the decisions about direction have already been made right like I'm you know so it'll be interesting to see how this shakes out I honestly don't know I've talked to other people who know some people are convinced it's just a matter of time and it'll be soon. Others still think it's a coin flip and Arne is certain he'll be back. There was a reason that I asked the question as far back as last summer when there was a Zoom availability after the rest of the coaching staff was flushed out with Rick about an extension is that, you know, I'd heard that there was a bit of a, not disagreement,

but maybe not on the same page in terms of some of those directional decisions that were made the year prior. Let's see where this goes. It could be as early as today, but I don't have any answers. I'm not going to insider you and say, this is coming. I generally don't know and I think there are legitimate questions about whether it does. Um, what did you think about what Pettersen had to say? That's one I wish I was there for in person, just to be able to read the body language a little bit, like listening to

the audio in the back of the car. It, you know, there's times where he gets frustrated with his inability to express himself. I don't know how much of that was that versus just frustrated with the questions. And so that's one where I, you know, I'm honestly not happy that I wasn't able to attend because I think the context requires presence. You know, I thought it was interesting that Alvin told Dean McIntyre they'd like him to stay in the summer. Certainly gonna be a question

asked today whether staying for a little bit satisfies that. You know I thought his answer to Thomas about you know the fact he's done this before you know that showed us sort of there was a confidence to that that hey I think I can I can get back on this horse I've gone through this before and and yet there's also a lot of people that probably hear that and like why does this happen? Why has this already happened multiple times in your career where you you know just basically disappear from the player that everyone knows you can be? So there there at the end of the day you know it kind of goes back to what Thatcher said said all the right things. It's what you do.

Right? And that's ultimately what it will be like for Elias Pettersson. Whether it's here in Vancouver and how long that is, or back home in Sweden, it really doesn't matter. No. Like it doesn't. You just have to do it. What he does and how he looks when he comes back at the start of next season. And frankly, I think we need to pay more attention

to when they all come back, because we didn't last season. We, Hooplaud and Harad, the early returns two years ago, and look at this team, they're all on the same page, and then it didn't happen last year. Like it didn't happen. And everyone was kind of like, I mean, maybe secretly, we're happy not to have to go to the rink at UBC and watch skates

in early August. Yeah, we start all the time. And start, prematurely start the reporting on this team, um, cause it was almost silly how early it started the year before, but honestly, like that was, that was a sign. Like, you know, I remember mentioning it once at the. Yeah.

Some of the problems in the room must've started late regular season or in the playoffs and they must have carried over, had to. Well, well, no, I mean like for sure. And I think, listen, at the end of the day, don't discount what the contract extension followed up by the drop in performance, especially in the playoffs, did within that locker

room in terms of Pedersen. Of course. And the way other way teammates looked at him. Absolutely. I mean, I've had one who was no longer with the team that basically said guys were looking at each other and asking, is he even trying? So when that is a discussion, like that's an issue.

And so. It's corrosive. That's what I said earlier in the show. That is corrosive when your highest paid player doesn't look like he belongs on the ice at times. Right. That's a problem. And so that's why it's important when he comes back.

I don't care. I don't, I don't care if he, I don't care if he goes on the, uh, Andre Kuzmenko, you know, surfing plan in the Bahamas, as long as part of it allows him to come back physically at a level where the head coach isn't thinking about putting them into, you know, into like his own little fat camp is not the way of describing it, but the

NHL version of it, right? Like his own private little training camp for the first month of the season to get in shape. Cause he didn't show up in shape. Yeah. Um, Kev. I mean, it's never going to be fat camp with him because he's, but you know what I mean.

And that was a serious thought process consideration from the, from the staff for him at the start of this season. And I think probably when listening to the talk, it may be some regrets that they didn't just do it. Um, Kev, let's, let's move on to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Is Almark the biggest story right now, or is it maybe who's gonna be in goal

for the Edmonton Oilers tonight, or is it Hellebuck getting the win, but maybe not looking all that great? What's the biggest story so far? Can I also offer up whatever's going on with Jay Gottentger and the Dallas Stars? Oh yeah, the Dallas Stars. Have they lost like 18 in a row or something like that?

Yeah, they're never gonna win another hockey game. I don't know what's going on. And they've given up 39 goals in an eight game losing streak, which is now- The Canucks broke them, man. Yeah, something happened, I don't know what. But anyway, pick whichever one you wanna go with. The Canucks didn't make the playoffs

but they're gonna eliminate the stars Okay, where to start where to start Connor Helleback getting a win is great but Didn't we have this same there was a lot of people that had the same discussion after they came back in that wild and crazy game Against Colorado last year and said oh they at least they got the win buttoned it down. The reality is after after they fell behind, he stopped one breakaway like the Blues didn't generate much. So like you're not going to find very many bigger Hellebuck fans or supporters than me. But and listen, this is the green assault. Like Connor Hellebuck did not lead the league and goals saved above expected this year. Right. He will win the Vezina. He's full value for it.

He should be considered for the heart. But that is the best defensive environment in the league for goalies in Winnipeg. Even better than the one in LA. Darcy Kemper, by the way, was the best goalie in the league from a goal saved above expected standpoint. And no, I'm not saying he should win the Vezina. So, and from January 1st,

there was a lot of variation in Hellebuck's game. Like in 2024, he was all world. In 2025, there was a lot of ups and downs. So I think for that one, you need to see in game two, you need to see if he comes out and looks like the guy who, you know, looked like he did in the first period, just frankly, after the first, he didn't have to do a ton, right? And so I think that's still a fair question mark. Mackenzie Blackwood is the story on the flip the script, like other side of the spectrum. What they generated against him, you know, I had them down for 10 high danger chances and close to

four expected goals. Like that was, he was good that in your first NHL playoff game, that was impressive. Lena Selmark, yes, the questions are going to start about him in the playoffs if he has another game like that. The Ottawa Senators actually out generated the Leafs in that game. Stolars was really good at the other end and Linus not so much. Uh, Carolina was an easy wind. I mean, they stormed the gates, Markstrom looked great, but it didn't matter because the devils don't piss a drop on offense without Jackie's there's nothing there offensively like just nothing nothing um and in terms of Audinger yeah man like that's sums up i don't know what nobody's something here's the thing here's the thing and i was

careful about this when all the contracts were signed and Swainman reset the bar and everybody got eight and a quarter and all the top goalies got it. The reality is statistically Jake Gautner has the pedigree. I love watching like there's a lot to like about Jake Gautner. He's got the size. He's got all these elements, but for a couple of seasons now, he's basically being a league average goalie statistically by clear sight, propped up by a really good defensive environment. And that includes this season. And so now that defensive environment is starting to erode and the numbers are starting to pile up crooked. And that's kind of reflective of how he's played a lot

of the last, not just this season, but but the last three the differences you can see it now like the adjusted numbers at clear sight kind of painted a picture not of upper echelon but of league average despite all the pedigree stuff that says this guy is and should be more and so if they can't figure out the defensive game, like Calgary Flames playoff Jake Autinger hasn't really existed. I mean, that was another level anyways. Nobody can do that consistently over time, but it hasn't really existed over an extended period

for a while now. And so unless the other parts of their game, and I'm actually not blaming it all on him because the other parts have fallen off, like Pete DeBoer's got, I guess it's a Mero Heiskind thing like that's just how important he is but like off a cliff in terms of the team playing Brownlow and the one guy who has bailed them out this year for a lot of

it is our old friend Casey DeSmith and so if this continues for another game do they make that move? Because Casey, as much as we saw here in Vancouver, that as soon as you need him to be an every night guy, it's a bit more of a struggle. And I do think in the playoffs, the aggression he got away within the regular season, starting once every 10 to 12 days will quickly be not picked apart because he's an incredibly fast

lateral goalie, but targeted a lot more than it is when it's a Tuesday night in Columbus. You know, you're going to see teams try and pass it around him if he's a foot and a half out of the crease like he was quite often this season. So, I'm curious to see how that one goes because obviously that's a big name signed to a long time, but the reality is the performance, this has kind of been there for a little while. Real quick, if you had to choose who would be dumped or relegated to the bench first,

would it be Ulmark in Ottawa or would it be Ottinger in Dallas? Oh man, that's a good one because Anton Forsberg sort of has rediscovered his form over the past two months of the season and has had a sort of a heater two months. So that's a thing. They're both kind of viable options to go to because they because I mean, dismissed been good all year, but Forsberg was good down the stretch. Well, and here's the other part is the other part is both of those goalies

are freshly signed to extensions at eight and a quarter. They both got the, I don't think all marks was a full eight years cause of age, but they both got the Jeremy Swainman number. Right. So, um, and that matters, right? Like that matters. Like, like from a narrative perspective, bailing on the guy you played eight and a quarter to one or two games into the playoffs, that's an eyebrow racer.

You can't do that. I don't eyebrow razor. You can't do that. I don't think so either. Listen, here's the bigger question. Here's the bigger question. That's me chickening out, sitting on the fence so hard my butt hurts on that one. Yeah, okay. But here's the bigger question. If Stollers keeps playing well, and he started to get back in the last couple of weeks to the

guy he was before the knee surgery, and that's, he started to get back in the last couple of weeks to the guy he was before the knee surgery. And that's man for this, before that knee surgery for this couple of months of the season, like not to get Leafs fans hopes up here, but he was performing at a Igor Shusterkin for heart trophy candidacy level for like two months. And he was, he was the reason the Leafs were winning. Yeah. And he looks great. Like he looks like he's found that form

But every second night for him is not something he's ever done right without getting hurt right and so Well, it looks great for a couple of months Freddy Andersons looks really good for a couple of months Yeah, but they did this last year in Carolina. They ran him out there Every second night and by the end of the first round he was out of gas So which one of those teams has the bravery to take a goalie who's playing really well and recognize he needs to have a night off? I think it'll be Carolina. I think they learned their lesson.

But again, just like the Al Marker Audinger question, coaches are scared of bold decisions because it's easier to leave your high paid guy in and he doesn't win and say, well, hey, we're paying him the money. He's supposed to stop those pucks than to be the guy that has the C the, the Cahoney, frankly, to put in the million dollar backup in place of the 9 million

or eight and a half million dollar guy. Kev, you're the best buddy. Don't worry about fence sitting. It's fine when you give answers like that. Thanks for doing this as always. We really appreciate it. Enjoy the four games tonight on tap. Should be a lot of fun.

But first, the under 18 girls provincial volleyball and watching my daughter for the rest of the day. Of course. Enjoy buddy. Have a good one. Take care guys. Kevin Woodley, NHL.com and Ingo magazine, a presentation of White Rock Hyundai here on the Halford and Bruff show on Sportsnet 650.

I'm distracted by the way. I'm very distracted. Why? My beloved Leeds United, we can taste, taste promotion. So. Can you taste the relegation for after next season? No, let's not go there right away. Okay. Uh, yeah, I know we got to taste a break. I get it. Um, Leeds is up five nil on Stoke. So if they win today and Burnley beat Sheffield today, Burnley and Leeds get

automatic promotion to the premier league. I don't want to talk about the fact. I can't wait. I don't want to talk about the fact that for the't wait. I don't want to talk about the fact that for the second consecutive season, all three promoted teams are getting relegated in the Premier League. Not focusing on that today. Yeah.

Not focusing on that. And by a mile too. Not even close. Right. Not even close. Sat's gonna join us next on the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650.