Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Best of Halford and Brough 11/17/25

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

Mike & Jason look back at the previous day in sports, including a big 6-2 Canucks road win over Tampa, plus they preview today's game at the Panthers with Canucks Central host Satiar Shah. 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.

You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. Whoa, wait a minute. Huh? Hold up. What? Oh, okay. Did we just lose a fucking Canucks? Da-na-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da.

You're listening to Halford and Brough. boot on the way it's fading right it's bleeding right it's no good and the rams are in first place in the nancy west cutting to the middle of the ice pressure by gorge took a shot they score Quinn hughes from the line ripped it to the net and it's Drew o'connor at the top of the crease what is it the tortoise and the hair that's what it was it was a tortoise in the hair good morning Vancouver 601 on a Monday happy Monday everybody it is alfred is Bradford. It is Sportsland, 650, and we are coming to you live from the Kintech Studios and beautiful Fairview Slopes in Vancouver. Good morning, Jason, and welcome back.

Good morning. Adaw, good morning to you. Good morning. Good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Halford and Brub of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. I don't have the read in front of me, so I'm just going to have to say Sands and Associates, visit them online at sands-trustee.com. We are an hour one of the program. I do know that read off the top of my head. Hour one is brought to you by North Star. Nothing has changed here, huh? North Star Metal Recycling.

Vancouver's Premier Metal Recycler pays the highest prices on scrap metal. There it is. North Star Metal Recycling, they recycle you get paid. Visit them at 1170 Powell Street in Vancouver. We are coming to you live from the Kintech studio, Kintech, Footwear and Orthotics, working together with you and step. Sands and Associates, let me try that again. Learn how a consumer proposal could get you on the road to being debt-free in just two weeks. Visit them online at sands-trustee.com.

Big show ahead on a Monday. We got four guests on the horizon. and begins at 6.30 this morning. George Richards is going to join the program. Our good buddy from Florida hockey now. Tonight, it's the Canucks and the Panthers. 4 p.m. puck drop. Panthers are coming off a loss on Saturday

to that same Tampa Bay team that the Vancouver Canucks dispatched up yesterday. We'll talk to George about all that. Panthers preview at 6.30. I wonder what life has been like without Barkoff because he's done for the season. They haven't had Kachuk either. Yeah, it's been very, very,

500-ish, which we'll talk about later in the show, is a theme throughout the National Hockey League right now. A lot of teams floating around the mushy middle. George Richards is going to join us at 6.30 at a preview tonight's game against the Panthers. 7 o'clock, Mike Tanier is going to join the program. Our NFL insider

from the two-deep zone, wild Sunday in the NFL, including Seattle's disappointing 21 to 19 loss to the Rams in L.A. You heard the call in the intro there. Lots of other news to get into. Tons of developments at the QB position league-wide. We'll get into that with Mike at 7.7.30, Justin Dunk is going to join the program. SportsNet three-down nation

CFL reporter. Trevor Harris, the MVP, led the Saskatchewan Rough Riders to their fifth gray cup of all time and their first since 2013 with a win over the Owls in Winnipeg on Sunday. We'll recap the game with Justin and do a CFL season wrap at 7.30 this morning. Finally, 8 o'clock Satyar Shah, Canucks Central Pre and Postgame host on SportsNet 650. As mentioned earlier, Canucks are right back in action tonight, 4 o'clock from the Amarant Bank Arena in Sunrise. We have Canucks coverage on this station today from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. All Canucks, all consecutively, brunch, talk, central, pregame, postgame, the actual show, we got it all. Also, this morning, A-Dog is very excited.

It is the debut of the Satyar Shah jingle. Oh, yeah, that's right. Working in reverse on that guest list, 8 o'clock, Satyar Shah, 730, Justin Dunk. 7 o'clock, Mike Tan here, 6.30, George Richards. That's what's happening on the program today. Laddie, let's tell everybody what happened. Hey, did you guys see the game last night? No.

No. What happened? I missed all the action because I was... We know how busy your life can be. What happened? Missed it? You missed that? What happened is brought to you by the BC Construction Safety Alliance. Making safety simpler by giving construction companies the best in tools,

resources and safety training. Visit them online at BC. c.ca.ca. We will begin with the Vancouver Canucks and in one of maybe the most improbable results of the season given how the game was going. Quinn Hughes had four assists in his return from injury and the Canucks scored six count of six straight goals to win six two against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa on Sunday afternoon. As I tweeted out, I cannot imagine the odds of this final score of six to two for the Canucks after the first period in which the lightning took a one lead and held the Canucks to just one shot on goal and they had 13 to 1 in shots I think

the shot attempts were I don't know a hundred to three or something like that it was it was crazy and the odds became even longer after Jake Gansel scored to make it two nothing early in the second but Kevin Lankenen kept the lightning from running away from it and that's something that the Canucks to their credit have done quite a bit this season they have kept games close and the Lightning did have their backup goalie Jonas Johansen in net. And he would become a factor in that. The Canucks made it 2-1 on the power play after Elias Pedersen made a neat move at the point to put himself in position to shoot.

And shoot he did. And while he didn't score, Jake DeBrusk was in position to bang home the rebound for his sixth power play goal of the season. That's all he does is score power play goals. Score goals in November. It's what he does. Well, except if they're even. strength. But it's good. You need a power play guy. Still, it really didn't feel like the

Canucks were going to win after two periods. They finished that second period with just seven shots total. And when the third started, the team announced that Connor Garland, who'd had a fight earlier in the game and maybe gotten a little banged up in the Carolina game, he would not return to the game and everyone went, well, it's not a Canucks game without a guy that wouldn't return to the game because he was hurt. But it was another power play goal for the Canucks in the third that tied it. Sherwood got the credit, but it was really a lucky bounce off a lightning defender that beat Johansson.

Then 43 seconds later, the Canucks took the lead after the Lightning couldn't clear it. McKeckern, I like, I like McKinsey McCleckering. You like McKinsey McKeckerman? I like him. I've been looking for a new Tyler Mott for a while now and maybe McKenzie McKeckern's it. He hopped on it, put it on net, and Linus Carlson, the birthday boy, tipped it home. And during the time we were all expressing amazement that the Canucks were actually winning this game, they scored again. Yet another tip.

You got to get to the net, kids. Get to the net. This one by Drew O'Connor, who's up to five goals on the season. Remember when we were asked, we were like, what would you say you do here, Drew O'Connor? Since then, he's answered that. He's up to five goals. Lightning did make a slight push and even looked like they made it four three after an extended shift in the Connox. in, but the Canucks challenge that there had been a high stick much earlier in that shift,

and they won the challenge. And that was probably a sign that the Canucks would not be denied in Tampa. McCekern made a 5-2 on yet another tip shot, and Marcus Pedersen ad in an empty-netter. And we were all left wondering what the hell had just happened. To answer that question, let's throw to Tampa Bay Lightning head coach John Cooper, who rather eloquently explained exactly. one went down after his team got out to a 2-0-0 lead and somehow lost 6-2, giving the Canucks credit along the way. Here's Lightning Head coach John Cooper after a 6-2 lost to your Vancouver Canucks

on Sunday afternoon. I have to give Vancouver all the credit in the world. I mean, they're down halfway through a hockey game. They're down 2-0. They probably, we probably had more goals than they had shots on that halfway through the game. And what did they do? they just kept going and they kept trying and they just kept going understanding a game is 60 minutes not 30 and then the other team is up to um feeling pretty good about themselves to the point where you know it's it's like the what is it the tortoise and the hair that's what it was it was a tortoise and the hair and one team got comfortable and in this league was the second that happens

you're done and we got comfortable they stuck with it and the right team won the game. You know if they if they ever want to reboot Mr. Rogers I think poop could be a candidate. He had the book with him he opens it up like this book. Tortoise and the hair. Tortoise and the hair. You see that

you see the picture of the tortoise? He put on a cardigan for exposed game meeting with back end a compliment though geez. Is Coop Pauling the Canucks slow? Are we the hair? You know the other team there are the tortoises Are we the hair? What are you talking about? The tortoises, the guy, he's the guy with the grit.

He's the guy with the stick-toitiveness, the hair. Do you guys not understand this? The hair is all, gets off to a big lead, gets cocky, you know? There's nothing. There's a shuddy the headline. Tampa Bay Lightning Coach calls the Canucks the slowest animal of all time. I would like to point out that they still won because they stuck to it. Yeah, stuck to it.

And he's wearing a teenage boot ninja shirt as well. So the symmetry is really, yeah. Yeah, it's off the charts right now. Look, I wanted to play that clip for a particular reason. One, not just because it was like somewhat insightful, but I will say this about a Kinnock's team that we have at times through the early stages of this season been critical of. They do not have a ton of talent. They're not the most dynamic, high-flying team, but they do have a stick to itiveness and at times, and I know this is a buzzword last week, resilience about them. that is admirable

and is a lot different than last year's team we oftentimes we chided last year's team for how unlikable they were right and it started with the Pedersen Miller Rift that threw everything apart

but it was also the countless flat lifeless performances on home ice and getting blown out with regularity and showing no fight and no grit and let's be honest you pointed it out pretty

eloquently at the start there this could have gone really badly for them It's hard to get more outplay than they did in the first period in Tampa. But through a variety of reasons, they were still alive after one. And Cooper said it, like, they never seemed to let the situation of the game, the ice being tilted as it was, dictate how it was going to go. Because on the scoreboard, it was still within reach. And they just kept going and going and going. I do think a lot of that has to do with the guys that are deploying right now.

They have a lot of lunch bucket guys in the lineup right now, right? Well, Kevin Lankton and too, I thought played really well. And I think the lightning missed some. opportunities themselves. They took their foot off the gas. But let's start with Kevin Lankinen because Uri Patera was the backup yesterday. And I mean, I would imagine that Patero would get the start tonight in Florida against the Panthers.

I would think it would be almost irresponsible to play Lankanin and risk an injury. I mean, how many goalies play three games in four nights? let alone just like one back to back. I know what happens once in a while, but earlier in the day yesterday, Patrick Galvin, the general manager, spoke to the media, and among the many injury updates he provided,

he added that Demko is week to week with his latest injury, and week to week can mean not coming back for a while, right? And I know you never want to be satisfied and just be like, well, whatever, it doesn't matter about this game, but the Connects, you know, this has been a tough road trip, but they got a point out of Carolina, they got two out of Tampa, aren't you just kind of okay with what you've done on this road trip? And I don't know, maybe Patera goes in there. I mean, knowing Vancouver, he'll go in there and play really well. And people are like, should we sign

Patera to a long-term contract, you know? Like, isn't he better than Dempco or, you know, something like that? Like you just never know with these guys. Now Patera is my best friend. Right. I mean, I know that, you know, a few people have suggested that Lankan might play all these games, but I don't know. I think that would be, you know, look, put it this way. The Canucks have made some gambles this year. Sure have.

One of them being that Heedl could stay healthy and the other being that Demko could stay healthy. And they've lost both those gambles. Maybe they should stop gambling because I think. feel like overplaying Lankinen, not only risking an injury, but also risking that he loses his effectiveness, he gets tired, his technique falters, like, that's a gamble you don't want to lose at this point. This whole season, though, if you think about it, is a bit of a gamble because the stakes are so incredibly high with needing to make the playoffs and it being a referendum season for Hughes. And it really does feel, even though we're still not at the 20

game mark that every single point they can scratch and fight and claw matters to this group and I think at a larger level to the coaches and to the executive as well. They all understand the stakes. So I'm not trying to counter what you're saying. It does feel wild that they would play Lankanin three and four

but we had Drans on the show last week and he suggested that would be they'd go Lankan, Lankan, Lankan, Dahl also suggested it on Friday. And I don't know if these were the two individuals' opinions. If they had some sort of intel, Greg suggested that they play Patera, and you liked him going all the way back to his junior days.

He just hasn't played a ton. No. And I guess it is a bit of a tall, like your first game in this long time, you're also going up against the defending Stanley Cup champion. Two-time defending Stanley Cup champions in their own barn. But look at your options. He's played, you know, other than Ty Young, I think the most minutes in Abbotsford. So he's the freshest guy you've got.

Okay, there is that. So that's one question we got for tonight. Yep. Two more. Will Connor Garland be able to play to? tonight, and will David, are we going with Kempf? Kempth. David Kempth.

Kempth. The new Kinnock Center, they signed after he left Toronto and they terminated their deal. Will he play tonight? Well, I guess we're, I don't know what's going to happen this morning. We're going to have to wait and see on everything. Camp arrived yesterday hours before the Tampa Bay game, so obviously couldn't take part in that game. You mentioned Connor Garland there. Garland exited yesterday's game after the fight with Taylor Radish,

one of my favorite names. And that's another thing that I want to throw out there in terms of this group being very resilient and not blinking in the face of adversity. I've lost track of times that key players have exited games for this team through the first 20 games of the season. It feels like it happens, Jason, honestly, every single game. I know.

That a key guy exits. Sometimes they return, like Hughes did a few nights. ago. Sometimes they don't like Garland did yesterday, but the team and this has got to be credit to the coaching staff and especially Adam Foote, they just keep going. They're like, okay, he's not here anymore, next man up, let's go

play. It's happening all around the league too though. Like being away I get, I still get my work emails and I check them once in a while and you know, when you work for SportsNet you get like updates on your email about things that have happened right? And it was like

almost like every email it seemed like this guy left the game he's hurt whether it's like Charlie McAvoy I don't know Drew Dowdy these are just the recent ones that are coming to mind and then it's like Jack Hughes cut his finger off you're like like what what is going on in the NHL this year I mean the Connects just played

a Tampa Bay Lightning team that was missing a bunch of key guys although they got I guess it was Hegel that returned they got Hegel back but Srelli was still missing is it not. Hedman was still missing and then, well, I don't know if it is because, I mean, they're playing tonight

against the Florida Panthers. I don't think the condensed schedule had anything to do with Barkoff being out for the season and the Cichuck injury is going back to last season. So, like, there's all these teams missing guys, but, you know,

it might be the condensed schedule that's causing some numbers. I'm just saying guys, like, having to play so many games in a short period of time and where's your body down? Here's the bigger. Exactly. Should the Canucks play Lincoln in tonight?

Like, if that is the case, like maybe don't push it. Unless you're jackieus, then it's just don't go out for dinner, I guess. Right. Stay away from glass. But I think the bigger talking point isn't necessarily that the injuries are happening

because it's happening league-wide. I think the really interesting thing is going to be which teams deal with it better than others. Because it's almost to the point now where you have to expect that you're going to suffer an injury a week. Like that's the ratio right now

for some of these teams where you are losing a guy on a weekly basis. Do you have the depth within your organization? But I think more importantly, the mentality that you're not going to let it sink you, right? I don't know if everyone's been paying attention to what's going on Montreal, but Montreal's had a rash of injuries over the weekend. Now the most reason it was Kirby Doc on the weekend as well. He's held for like a couple months now.

Yeah, they've suffered about three really big long-term injuries in the last couple days. If you look at the results that they've had, especially last week we were talking about on the show, like they really went through a rut where they lost four or five, and they were giving up goals left and right. if you're able to withstand the losses and keep your heads above water it can really be a beneficial thing not just in terms of like treading water

while the guys are hurt but it also allows some of these secondary and tertiary guys to step up and let's be honest do things in play roles that they otherwise wouldn't have had like McKinsey McCackern's a great example right I didn't even know he was in the organization before he was called up and it's a guy

but he's looked good to me we had a soccer game during the Kinnocks game yesterday two guys asked me they're like who's McKeckern and I'm like Well, and then I started explaining to him. Like, you want to Stanley Cup with the Blues back in 2019, but he's a guy that's just kind of been around for a while. Can we play the McKeckern audio, though? Because he also talks about what happened after that first period you were talking about,

where the lightning outshot the Kinnock's 13 to 1. I actually think they got an extra shot added during the intermission. So it made the clock look even more lopsided. So in this post-game media walkoff interview with Olivia McDonald, Mackenzie McKeckern talks about what was said between periods, not just from Adam Foote, but some of the veteran players on the team. Here is one of yesterday's heroes, Mackenzie McKeckern, following a 6-2 win against Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon.

I think it speaks following. It was the character in the room. We didn't like how we really played in Carolina, and we didn't have a great start to the game today. And the older guys in Foote kind of gave us a message after the first. It's time to step up and see what we really are, and I think we kind of answered the bell there, which is good to see. So let's turn our attention now to the newest member of the Vancouver Canucks, David Camp.

We mentioned them earlier in this segment. but I would presume that he's going to, at the very least, get a shot to draw into the lineup tonight, if not entirely. Yesterday, one of the wrinkles that the Canucks had going into that Tampa Bay game was Max Sisson got bumped up to the second line center position, which moved Lucas Richael down to the four C. And I would suggest that the next step for Lucas Richael is upstairs in the press box. Unless he has to replace Connor Garland on the wing. And there's that, right? That may be a possibility. Like you're smirking when you say it, but it may be true. That may be what happens. I'll be honest with you.

I have trouble, like, noticing Reichel at all watching the games. I'm with you on that one. Like last night, I was like, what number is he again? He is not, he's not even had flashes. He's the new, what would you say you do around here, guy? Because I have no idea. He doesn't contribute. Well, he was traded to Vancouver for not much, right?

And I know Alvina said, we're going to work with him. He's still young. He's still got potential. But right now he's not. not doing much in the lineup. But hopefully David Kempf can. And here's Patrick Galvin on the Canucks New Center. I think our young guys have taken steps and played well.

But I think in the game, you need an experienced guy with him having 500-plus games. Very reliable. The communication here with Adam and what Adam seen in David and the familiarity here, we felt that he will upgrade or line up. And it's up to the coach how to use him and where to play him here. So he's obviously going to be used on the PK and hopefully he can help the PK because even though it did a good job against a lightning yesterday,

so I had one good Canucks chuckle kind of watching the highlights on my phone when I was on vacation. And the one good Canucks chuckle I got, at their expense was when Carolina scored on the PK in approximately three seconds. Yeah. And Shorty's voice was just like, and there it is, there's a goal. Like it just, it was like face off one, was a Svetnikov that scored. He like dashed to some open ice and the Kinnaksper like, I didn't see him dashed there.

And there's like a massive seam wide open and he gets the pass from the point and it's in the net. Like they, you know, like Brock Besser has been killing penalties. and, you know, Jake DeBrask, and even though those guys might still have to kill penalties, we're only, Connucks are only bringing in one guy. Like, they need a guy who's, you know, who's actually done it before and done it well because, you know, suitor's not there anymore. Joshua is not there anymore. Blugher, it doesn't sound like he's going to be back anytime soon.

Alvin also gave an update on him, and is it still week to week for Teddy Blugher, right? Derek Foreboard is still out so anything they can do to help the PK and also maybe take off some of the defensive load from Elias Pedersen because as much

Pedersom did make a very nice move on the power play and set up the Jake DeBrasco at five on five he's still not doing anything and some of that is because he's got so many defensive responsibilities right now so lead in the NHL and block shots still has he's up at the same

17 points in 20 games. Yeah, yeah, no, no. Yeah, that one caught me off. Guess how many at 5 on 5? I don't know. Five. That's it, right? And again, like, he has had other responsibilities.

And, you know, sometimes I do think that with his confidence issues with the puck that are hoping, hopefully alleviating a little bit, like, he's almost wanted those defensive responsibilities because he's like, well, you know, I'm not very good with the puck right now. So I want to contribute in some way. So I'm going to play a little more conservatively. And I'm going to stay behind the puck. And what happens when you're good positionally? You stay behind the puck?

Well, you're probably going to block some shots. 27 faceoffs, too, he took against Tampa Bay, 1,15 of them. So, yeah, he was a busy guy, not necessarily on offense. So he did finish with a pair of assists. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. Well, it's time to chat with SanteeR.

We'll talk about the hockey next. Now let's chat with Satyar, checking in on the Canucks. Well, it's time to chat with Satyar. We'll talk about the hockey now. Checking in on the Canucks. Talking hockey now. 802 on a Monday. Happy Monday, everybody.

Halford, Brough, SportsNet, 650. It's very well done. getting like Sally Jesse Raphael vibes off the little bit but it's good sad as to wear her glasses big red frame glass let's wear those

those prescription you are listening to the Halford and Brough show on SportsNet 650 Halperinbrough of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates learn how a consumer proposal can get you on the road to being debt free in just two weeks visit them online at Sands

that's trustee.com we are an hour three of the program as the music suggest Satyar Shah is going to join us in a moment here to kick off Hour 3. Hour 3 is brought to by Campbell & Pound Real Estate Appraisers. Trust the expertise of Campbell and Pound. Visit them on the internet at Campbell-dash pound.com today.

Sally Jesse Raphael, and you said that I'm like, you know what? I get it. Yep. You can hear it right away. We're coming to live from the Kintech studio, Kintech, footwear, and orthotics working together with you in Step. To the phone lines we go. Satyar Shah joins us now in the Halford & Brough Show on SportsNet 650. Good morning.

Sat, how are you? I'm great now, man. You know you've made it when you finally have a jingle on Halford and Bruff. So, you know, I feel good. All I need is to some, you know, some red frames

and big red frames and it'll be good. The highest honor this show can bestow on someone is a jingle. And then right behind that is moo cowing. You're untimely passing.

That's the other one that we really do well here. Sat, are the Canucks, would the Canucks really entertain playing Kevin and Kevin Lang Lincoln again tonight against the Panthers? I mean, I suppose, I, you know, I was debating this with Bick and IMac last night in the post game show because both guys, like, you got to go with Kevin Lankin and tomorrow.

And I'm like, am I the only person not going insane here? Like, as much as good as he's been, it's just the injury risk and the risk of his game falling off to me is just too high risk to take. But I think it's something that's at least being considered. And I think that tells you two things. one, the level of confidence they have in Kemalankin with how he's played, perhaps a little bit of unease about a year at Petera, which is understandable given that he hasn't really played all that well and nor has it played all that much the last couple years. So it's not like

he's, as much as he has a few games in H.O. experience, we're not talking about a guy who has performed at a high level recently. But also, you know, how important they feel like this game is against Florida and how they feel like it is somewhat attainable. And I still think they should go with Patera? Because I just think going too hard here and getting something, getting Lankin and injured, or perhaps his game falling off, because Woodley talks about this, he says, if you play back to back, you can do it.

What happens, though, is a week from now, 10 days from now, that's when your body starts feeling it. It's hard for you to maintain your high level of play. You know, it can impact your technique and you don't have a lot of practice time. Maybe they view it and say, you know, we have two days off until the game on Thursday, but another two days

off before the game on Sunday. If you want to give him enough days off, you can maybe risk doing so. I just think that it's playing with fire. If anything happens with Lankton, if his game suffers or he gets injured, and Demko being weeks away, they can essentially sink your season here. Like, you know, would you rather have to tear up play one game or have him play seven, eight games? Well, we know who's going to be a net for the Panthers because they just confirmed that Bobrowski will start the game.

That's per coach Paul Maurice. So that's one thing to watch. for tonight. Have you heard anything about Connor Garland or David Camp? Are those guys expected to be in the lineup? Well, I haven't heard yet on Garland. I did ask. We did ask about it, but, you know, it's one of those they said, we'll see how he feels in the morning. So we'll see how it goes here today. And for David Camp, I think the plan was for him to play. Now, if Garland comes in, not to say that you can't mess up a winning lineup, as much as they won the game yesterday, obviously they were outplayed for what

about, you know, at least 45 minutes of that game or 50 minutes of that game pretty heavily. But, you know, the guy that was so obvious to take you out was McKinsey McKechran because you looked at his overall play and, yeah, he was somewhat productive. He had three points and, you know, two points and four games coming in and has showed a little bit of something. But he has a goal in an assist.

Did they want to take him out of the lineup, for instance? Or do you look at it and then just take the guy like Lucas Reichel out of the lineup potentially? Yes. I would say yes, absolutely, because you need the center and especially with, I think, how weak they've looked. So I think Kemp has a good chance of being in, and I think Garland still is a bit of a game-time decision.

Can the addition of Kemp free up Elias Pedersen offensively a little bit? I think it can a little bit, but I still think, given that you still have Atu Ratu, who's done some decent work, but you see kind of his usage, and whether it's Rikl or Sassan, you still have another center who, you know, you do need to shelter. So I think it will free him up, but I don't think it's going to be a situation

where Kemp's playing in its first game we're going to get every single tough matchup. So I think it might be... Welcome to Vancouver. Yeah, exactly. Hey, welcome. They do everything. So I think it'll be one of those gradual

kind of ease them into it a little bit, so it will open things up. But I do think what's been really evident these last two games, and we talk so much about freeing Pedersen up, but it's just, they've been so weak down the middle. I don't think it's a coincidence that these last two games on the road

against teams that are very well coached, are very structured in how they approach things and really worked on taking stuff away from the neutral zone. They really were able to nullify any impact the Canucks Center's had outside of Pedersen every once in a while. You saw how much Sassen struggled carrying the puck and trying

to move up bikes. You saw Reichel's struggles as well. And even Rassu at times and that's not a real criticism of their ability. They're young players trying to learn how to play in a center at the NHL level. And it takes a while for these guys to figure this stuff out and get better at it. It's just a lot and we have three guys who are essentially novice

of playing center at the NHL level at the same time against some pretty veteran teams who know what they're doing. And as much as Reichel brought a lot of speed and ability to his first few games and even his first handful of games, not to say his energy and effort has waned, but his effectiveness has waned.

The chances aren't quite there. And I think these last two games have been really, really, have really showed how much the Canucks have struggled down the middle and how weak they are. So I think you have to get Canfin. And, you know, we can sit here and talk about,

you know, how good we think he is or how good he isn't, the reality is the Canucks have three rookie centers essentially, or I know Reichel's not a rookie, but guys who are essentially rookies playing the position every single day, and that is taking a big toll on this team, and they're having a real hard time stringing things together, moving up ice.

To be fair, they beat the lightning six to two. I know we were texting during the first period intermission, and we'll keep those texts to ourselves, because, like, the turnaround in the game, yesterday. I mean, I've said it before, and I even put this out on social media, like the odds of a 6-2 Canucks win after that first period were astronomical. How did they do it? I mean, honestly, they got enough saves, and they won the special teams battle. So they were getting outplayed absolutely incredibly five-on-five. It was men against boys up until the

Canucks tied that game at two. But they won the special teams battle. They killed two penalties, they scored two goals in the power play, and that matched everything Tampa did offensively. So that just shows you the power of having a strong special teams and having good goaltending. And the hope coming into the season had been, yeah, the Canucks 5-on-5, probably not going to be a team that's going to tilt the ice in their favor consistently.

But can they have a good special team? Do they have the edge of goaltending? And can that keep you in games, even though you may not deserve to win based on the 5-on-5 or even strength play? And last night, I think, was a template of that. Now, obviously, you can't give up the volume and the chances the Canucks did and expect to survive. And sometimes, guys, hockey just happens, right?

Like, you know, you get a couple of bounces, things go your way. And as much as the injuries have gone against the Caducs, last time was a game where things kind of bounced their way. But they also, to their credit, stuck with it. And they didn't, you know, fall apart. And I thought John Cooper had some interesting things to say about this post game. And he mentioned how the Tampa Bay Lightning kind of got comfortable in the third. And that's when the Connucks struck. And you can get comfortable in the national hockey.

It doesn't matter who you're playing. There's enough quality for. for guys to make you pay, and that's exactly what happened. But also, I mean, a lot of it is pure puck luck, too. I mean, there were a couple of really favorable bounces going in. You know, every single goal was essentially a rebound or a tip-in goal that was scored, except for the empty netter. Rick Tawin would have been proud of that performance last night, right?

100%. Get to the front of the net tip, get rebounds, and, you know, that's how goals are scored a lot of the time. No doubt. And something that, you know, again, I'm going to cite Woodley because he does a great job of bringing these clear-sized analytics. stuff in, which gives us a better picture than the shot-shot metrics that we have available via public data.

And it shows not only how much the connects have given up east-west in their own zone, but also how little they've generated when it comes to those screenshots and getting traffic towards the net, which was a staple to your point of Rick Talkett's Hockey. And they did a lot of that last night. So they made their own luck. They got luck. But if you crash the net, you get shots on goal, you look for rebounds. Things can work in your favor.

And sometimes it's just go your way. But I do think you have to give them credit for their special teams, especially how bad the PK has been. If they get scored on and it's 3-0, this game's over, you're not coming back from it. But they kill two penalties and they've got two big power play goals. And, you know, as much as we've criticized the special teams, the power play is starting to take up a little bit.

You know, it's I think 12th in the league now. They've found ways to chip in some goals here and there, despite missing Hughes, despite missing Garland from time to time, they've had their injuries. But, you know, we've criticized their special teams a lot. And I think last night, slightly gave the Canuckser a goal chance to win the game. Oh, it was a really nice move on the

first power play goal by Pedersen at the top there gets in the prime shooting position and then Jake DeBresk banging home the rebound. I mean there's nothing wrong with that sort of goal. That's where DeBrusk is at his best and if Pedersen can be effective on special teams

man advantage that, you know, offensively you know, he might be struggling at five on five but he's making plays on the power play. I did kind of teased this appearance by saying that you had some information or some analysis on what Jim Rutherford noted was a miscommunication in the negotiations with Pew Souter. What was that miscommunication and how can that happen?

Yeah. So, I mean, listen, what exactly happened is some of those things that we may never know and it's always going to be two sides to every story. And I know Dahlies mentioned that there was never a better offer. offer in the past, too, and him and I have discussed that going back to last spring. But I heard, and again, listen, you know, you get stuff from every sign when it comes to these sort of things, but I heard the Canucks felt that they had made an offer, at least let it be known to Souter's agent last spring. This is a head of free agency. I don't know exactly

the timeline for it, but I had a free agency that they were willing to give him a contract, which would have exceeded whatever it was he signed for. So I don't know the particularly exactly on the numbers, but it was more term and more total money than what he ended up signing for with the Blues, which was a foreign change over two years, so eight and a half million or so that he signed for. I don't know the totals exactly, but the Canucks felt like that they had at least let it be known to his agent at some point that they were willing to go to a certain amount of money over a few years. Now, is that three years, four years or whatever, but whatever it was, they felt like it was more than what he signed for. Now, I don't know

exactly what happened towards the end in terms of them not being able to come back. I know the Canucks checked in again right before July 1st or when July 1st happened. And maybe that was a miscommunication. Did you, did you now reiterate properly that you were willing to go to that same level? Because I had heard that the ask from Souter's camp, and it made sense. He had scored over 20 goals as a very thin, center market, a thin free agent market, that he was looking at $4 million plus over four years or more. So you're talking about anywhere from, you know, $8, 16 to $20 million plus.

That was kind of what he thought. And a lot of people thought that suitors are going to get that type of contract in free agency. And I'm not sure the Canucks felt that, you know, he was going to get that much, but there may be in the ballpark slightly below that amount of money. Now, maybe they didn't reiterate to him properly, you know, on July 1st that, hey, whatever we talked about, you know, a few weeks ago is still on the table for you. Maybe the agent misunderstood. Maybe the agent didn't get it or whatever it is.

and I'm sure you'll hear from, you know, the agent's side that maybe none of this happened because, you know, who's going to admit to, you know, not getting the best deal possible for your, for your client? So, again, the truth on this one may never come out fully. But I think that's what he's alluding to, that the Canucks said at least in some ways, try to tell the agents, maybe they didn't tell him properly about what they were looking to do or maybe the agent didn't understand. But that's kind of been the feeling going back to last spring after he signed,

that Canucks felt that they could have given him more money for whatever, whatever reason it didn't come to pass. We're speaking to Satyar Shah here on the Halford & Brough show on SportsNet 650. It's a busy day for Sad. He's going to be on the station back in a few hours. The Canucks play at 4 o'clock today against the Florida Panthers.

Connect Central and pregame show starts at 2 o'clock, takes you right up to it. Sat, which Canuck has raised his stocker profile the most in the last few weeks and why has it been Drew O'Connor? Well, I mean, you know what? Drew O'Connor, I think, does rank up that list significantly.

I mean, we can even say EP40 because he's produced a bit more. And even Quinn Hughes, who has 10 points in the last five games. But Drew O'Carter is at least showing now where that it made that the thinking behind why the Cuncts gave him that two-year deal right away, because we did wonder, why did you sign this guy so quickly? And then he gets off to a slow start to Sierra. And we look at the Cinnocke's cap situation and we're like, was that the best way to spend two and a half million, especially do it so quickly?

And time is still going to tell how he's going to fit in. But he does have a few qualities his team lacks. He has size despite the fact that he doesn't play the most physical brand of hockey, but he is a four-checker. He does win pucks. He gets in there first. He does skate fast. He is a smart defensive player.

And there is a little bit of offensive pop. He did score 16 goals a few years ago with Pittsburgh, and the hope had been that he could kind of become a productive middle-six guy that can move up and down your lineup and B's the type of F-1-4-checker, who has a little bit of pop in his game. But he just hasn't done it consistently. But you see for a roster that is lacking speed. and some talent, when he puts it together,

he at least makes a difference. And I think he's one of those guys that also has needed some confidence, and he hasn't really had a ton of offensive success with the Vancouver Canucks since he came over despite having a few good games initially. But he does bring some qualities.

This team lacks in a major way. And I think that's something that really stands out. When you have that size and speed, you get to the net. And he drives. That's the thing that he's done a lot better than a lot the guys on the team, especially under their style of play. And I remember Drew talking about this during training camp,

that they want their forwards to drive the net as much as possible. And if the play at the net's not there, pull up and look for the trailer and guys coming down and go for that low to high pass and create those better chances. And he's one guy who tries to do that consistently shifting and shift out. So he does play to the team

system really well as well, too. You know, that stick tutiveness that he's had where it's like it wasn't necessarily working out at the start of the year, but it's kind of come on recently. Um, there is an embodiment of that with the team right now. Like for their flaws, you mentioned it. Like they don't have a ton of speed. They don't have a ton of skill.

Probably lacking in the talent department, but I go back to the game against Colorado where they fought back from multiple deficits to scratch out a point there. They fought really hard against Winnipeg. Like, I'm sure some of it has to do with the type and profile of player that's in the lineup. But there is something admirable about the team's ability to not just fold the tent when it's really down and the chips are down. John Cooper, we played the audio. this morning, right off the hop, talking about, like,

he said, like, the Canucks their reserve a ton of credit for sticking with it, and there's no quit in their game. Even when the scoreboard suggests that you might be willing to pack it in, they don't. And I do think that's an admirable characteristic for this team. They didn't quit, but they should have. I was going to quit. People quit watching.

Yeah, right? Yeah. But you know what? I think that's a great point. Something we have to give them credit for, something I've been kind of thinking about as well, you know, when we're thinking about topics for the show. today, but my big question

heading out on his road trip, especially after Thatcher Demko got hurt, was at what point do the guys just say it's not going to be our season? And the veterans look around the team and say, we don't have the horses, we're relying on all these young guys. It's just not going to be our year, especially for a group that's gone through these types

of seasons, and they haven't shown an ability to fight through it in the past, where we're seen to go off the rails, you know, before the 20 game mark of the season. So that was my biggest question. Are they going to be able to maintain, um, that type of buy-in and that type of effort. And I think on the weekend, as much as they were getting outplayed,

and I wouldn't say that they weren't trying because they were blocking shots. They were collapsing. They were doing everything they could. I mean, it broke the record for, I mean, not it broke the record, but they had the most blocked shots they've had in like two years in a game against Carolina. So that shows a commitment. It doesn't show that you're not trying. It's one thing to lack confidence and get outplayed.

It's another to not try and not have the effort. The effort's been there. And I'm impressed by it. And I think we have to give Adam's foot credit, too. I've been skeptical about some of the ways he's trying to get the team to play and I've questioned some of the deployment for him. But I don't think you can question how he's got these guys working right now, especially with all these injuries, the tough travel, the tough schedule.

And I know a lot of teams are dealing with the same thing, but it's easy for a new coach and a team that has a lot of stake in a season to let things get away from them, and they really haven't done that. And I think that group does deserve credit. I don't know how good they're going to be at the end of the year, right? Like, you know, it's great that they picked up three out of four points, but their team game does still have to improve. They do have to get to a better process.

Maybe they get healthier and get to that level. A lot of those things have to happen. But I do think they deserve a lot of credit for sticking to these games and not losing all their confidence because I think, you know, like you mentioned, a lot of us have lost confidence, you know, throughout points of watching this team this season, even, you know, the last couple games. But to their credit, they're just plucking away

and they find ways to pick up points and win games. And right now, for the fact, 20 points in 20 games isn't something to write home about and say listen, we've made it mission accomplished or whatever maybe it is like George Bush's mission accomplished because it might be too early but maybe that's a little bit too far

but nonetheless but I think what the Canucks need to do more than anything is improve their team game and they're giving them themselves a chance at 500 through 20 games and if you do somehow now win two or three games in a row it looks a lot different and that's what being 500 at least gives you gives you a launching off point

if you can string together some wins. Sat, this was great, buddy. Thanks for taking the time to do this today. We appreciate it. I know you've got a busy day ahead, so best of luck with it. Enjoy the game tonight, too. Thanks, thanks, guys. Always a pleasure, and thanks for the jingle.

That was fun. Thanks. Good job, Adag. Good job, Laddie. Sat likes his jingle. Do you hear that? Sat likes his jingle. That's all that matters.

That's all I care about it. Another happy customer. You want to do what we learn before we go to break? Do you have it ready? Yeah, I've got it ready. Okay. I've learned that there's a new sporting hero in the country of Ireland. and his name is Troy Parrott.

Like the bird. So there's been World Cup qualifying going on during this international break, and that's why we're waiting for this White Caps game because there is all sorts of World Cup qualifying going on. And it looked like Ireland was going to miss the World Cup. They were trailing hungry in Budapest, 2 to 1, and they needed to win.

to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Troy Parrott had already scored the first goal for Ireland. That's correct. And then he scored, I think, in the 80th minute to tie the game. And then I want to play how this game ended. Because even if you don't care about this game, I love a play-by-play call that starts with one last throw of the dice. and that was a ball

booted up into right in front of the hungry goal and Troy Parrott he was there one last throw with the dice it's all on this from Queenie Keller Scales is up after it scales wins the head and the Jazz

oh there's the goal there's the goal that's Troy Parrot that is unbelievable he scored a hatrick and right at the death Ireland have done it I've never seen out that like it. Absolutely remarkable.

Right at the end. Hungary had been caught. They were hanging on. It seems like for the whole night, certainly when it went 2-2. This is just stunning. 3-2. The time is us.

The referee has to finish the game. I've no voice left. There were no fewer. That was a good Irish call. I have no voice left. There were no fewer than 30 reaction videos that I saw yesterday. I have no voice left.

There was one from the double. airport where a bunch of Irish supporters were watching the match when they were getting on their flights. There was countless ones from pubs around Dublin. They're playing on sports set right now above us. It's unbelievable

because this is a big deal. Ireland has not been to a World Cup finals since 2002. So we're going 20 plus years without them being to the biggest competition in the world. And they really had no business being in this match.

They were way out of it, but they won their final three matches, including a stunning 2-0 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal in which Ronaldo got red carded. So that kind of gave them the motivation that we're still alive, we're still hanging on. I've still got a ways to go because they've got to go to a playoff where there's going to be 12

countries and four teams get in. That's the thing is this just got them to the playoff. It kept their hopes alive in the truest sense. Well, Italy's going to be there in the playoff. Albania, Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland. There's a bunch that are there and there's still a lot more to be decided.

There's a big match today between Germany in Slovakia, believe it or not. There's a lot of big matches still on the horizon because so much is to be decided. But, oh, yeah, we just get the Norway highlights. So Erling Holland and Norway. He scored 18 goals. Yep.

He scored the qualifiers. He scored two against Italy yesterday. And that's their first opportunity to get back to a major competition a long time as well. Because Norway's been on the outside. Well, Norway's in. Yeah. That's what I'm saying.

That's the first opportunity to get back to the World Cup because they've been out of it for so long. and this is their golden generation right now with Norway, led by Erling Holland. So everyone's excited in Ireland, but Scotland lost. Yeah. That's sad. But Scotland's going to be in the playoff, I think.

Yeah. They're not out of it. It's very confusing how they do this in UEFA because, like, Nations League rankings are involved. Like, Sweden's been dreadful, but they're going to be in the playoffs, apparently. To make it even more confusing is that the draw for the World Cup is going to take place, and then these spots are going to be drawn.

And then they play these. playoffs in March, just months ahead of the actual World Cup. So the draw slot is going to be like either Italy or... It'll be like UEFA 1, UAFA 2, UAE for 3, UAFA 4. There's so much to be decided still. So it's, yeah, it's really exciting times as we get closer and closer to the World Cup. Mooka out of him. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough.