Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Best Of Halford And Brough 3/24/25

Episode Date: March 24, 2025

Mike & Jason look back at a busy weekend in sports, plus they talk a disappointing Saturday Canucks road loss to the Rangers as well as tonight's matchup at New Jersey, as Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre joins the show. 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. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da Do the Caddocks have a miracle tying goal in them again? Here's Hughes down the right wing, behind the range, a goal! Tried a centrey pass, blocked at the side of the net, cleared all the way down the ice and into the empty net! It is stressful every game, but I'm also proud of the team that were playing hard here. I said, who wants the ball? And he said, give me the MF ball! And I said, alright! It's been a real battle, we've battled and just love him. I mean, just love him.

Good morning, Vancouver 601 on a Monday. Happy Monday everybody. It is Alfred, it is Brough, it is Sportsnet 650. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studios and beautiful Fairview slopes in Vancouver. Jason, good morning. Good morning. Adog, good morning to you.

Good morning. Gladdy, good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Alfred and Brough of the morning is brought to you by Northstar. Gladdy, good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Alfred and Brad for the morning is brought to you by North Star Metal Recycling, Vancouver's premier metal recycler. Pays the highest prices on scrap metal. North Star Metal Recycling, they recycle, you get paid.

Visit them at 1170 Powell Street in Vancouver. We are in hour one of the program. Hour one is brought to you by Vancouver Honda, Vancouver's premier destination for Honda customers. They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff that can help with anything you're looking for, sales, financing, service, or parts. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio. Kintec footwear and orthotics work and together with you and staff.

Kintec. Hi everybody, welcome back to me. It's great to be here. You've got a lot of energy. This is what a week off does. I slept a lot. I slept a lot. Yeah, you've got a ton of energy and I like it because we're going to need that energy today to talk

about the Vancouver Canucks. I don't know. I find it kind of annoying. I watched so much sports over the last 96 hours. So much sports. I'm excited to talk about them all, except maybe the Vancouver Canucks. We will get to that though. Seven o'clock, our first guest is going to join the program today.

Ian McIntyre from the road. The Canucks are on the road. This Eastern swing, they're in New Jersey. The game is tonight 430 puck drop from the Prudential Center. It's an Amazon game tonight. We'll talk to IMAC about everything that went on Saturday at MSG against the New York Rangers. Although we're going to cover the majority of that

in what happened. We'll also look ahead to tonight's game. Ian McIntyre is going to join us from the road seven o'clock this morning on the Haliford and Brough shows. 7.30 we're going to preview tonight's game from the New Jersey side of things with James Nichols. He is the beat reporter for New Jersey hockey. Now we'll get a look at tonight's opponent, the Devils, sputtering a little bit having lost last two and three of their last four. Also Sheldon Keefe got angry over the weekend and he went viral with some remarks about a depth defenseman, a depth defenseman for the New Jersey Devils. So we'll

talk to James Nichols about all that at 7.30 preview tonight's game. And then at eight o'clock, yeah, we're going Canucks and hockey heavy with the guest list today. Kevin Woodley at eight o'clock, nhl.com and Ingole Magazine. So last night, Elliot Friedman reports that he's hearing Thatcher Demko could get the start tonight for your Vancouver Canucks. That is noteworthy of course, because as you're aware, Demko hasn't played since February the 8th. So we'll talk to Woodley about that.

That's not the important goalie news. There's other important goalie news, Greg. Greg has stolen the energy right out of the building this morning with- That's me. Greg, Greg has stolen the energy right out of the building this morning with. That's me. Why, you know what? You know what? Because we're back and it's a Monday and you're excited,

why don't you tell everyone what you're so irate about? Well, there was that play where Kemper and Swamen were gonna fight. They were lined up, ready to go and the officials. That play. Yeah, that play that everyone's talking about. That moment that was stolen from us. They were about to fight and the linesmen stepped in

and didn't even let them get together at Center Ice. It was bizarre, I hated it, and I want to rant about it for an entire segment. All right, so working in reverse on the guest list, we're gonna let Laddie talk about that play again. Eight o'clock, Kevin Woodley, 7.30, James Nichols, seven o'clock, Ian McIntyre. We got a lot to get into on the program, so without Nichols, 7 o'clock Ian McIntyre.

We got a lot to get into on the program so without further ado, laddie, tell everybody what happened. Hey did you guys see the game last night? 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? 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 bccsa.ca. We will go all the way back to Saturday for this one.

Johnny Brodzinski scored twice in the third period, including the go ahead goal with just over four minutes remaining. I won't even say who scored the empty net or the New York Rangers beat the Vancouver connects five, three and MSG. Maybe the most frustrating loss, not of the season, but of the last few seasons, some guy don't know who he is. So let's, let's count the ways that this one hurt. Uh, first, you can put your fingers up.

No, number one, first you got the playoff race. The Canucks have fallen behind both the blues and the flames in the race for the final wild card spot. Jeez, look at the blues right now. They've fallen way behind the blues. Way behind. In the race for the final wild card spot.

Second was the way the Canucks lost. They dominated the game. Yep. They outshot the Rangers 39 to 12. That's good. And they lost five to three. That's bad. Third was the injuries to Elias Pedersen and

Nils Hoeglunder. And this is a team that was already extremely thin down the middle. And last but not least, so this is number four, reason number four, Adog, it was JT Miller, who put the final nail in the Canucks coffin with an empty net goal. Um, what was the most frustrating part of the

game of the four for me, it was the loss combined with the rest of the day of scoreboard watching where nothing went right for the Canucks. Calgary that day, B the Islanders and overtime to finish a very tough four game road trip, three and one. A lot of us thought that was the road trip that would finish the flames.

Instead, it seemed to have invigorated them. Um, St. Louis pumped the Blackhawks, thanks Chicago, uh, and Utah took out the lightning. So you're looking at, at, you're looking at the standings right now and the Canucks, man, it does, it does not look good for them. I don't know how much we want to get into the actual game.

The Canucks did play well and Rick Tuckett said, you know, they probably deserve better, but they did make some key defensive mistakes that allowed the Rangers to get to the guts of the ice, the interior of the ice and beat Lankenen four times on just 11 shots. Dakota Joshua and Kiefer Sherwood each made some costly, let's call them coverage mistakes in front

of Lankenen and Lankenen himself clearly wasn't on his game. Was he sick? Was he tired? Was he sick and tired as we are of this season of Canucks hockey? Yeah, that was a tough Saturday if you still have any hope of the Canucks making the playoffs. So there's going to be a multitude of reasons why this team will miss if they eventually do miss and you won't be able to point to one singular moment

as to like, that's the reason that they missed. But Saturday in New York might be the one where you're like, that was the one that pushed him over the cliff. That that might be the one that just finally gave him that nudge where it's like, all right, this is the one where it's too much to overcome, because that was a master class in not being able to keep things together. So just consider this. You know that points are at a premium and you've done a remarkable job in not being able to keep things together. So just consider this.

You know that points are at a premium and you've done a remarkable job this year as a team of collecting loser points. If we just get getting games over time, getting points out of games. You needed points out of that game. You go into the third period, tied at one, 90 seconds into that very pivotal and important period,

you give up a goal, right? That's the first Brodsinski goal. Okay, you know, slow start to the period. We've seen that before. This team's playing well. They can rally. They fight back. O'Connor scores, ties it at two, two.

78 seconds after O'Connor scored. 78 seconds. The Rangers go back up three, two. Okay, no problem. We've been in this spot before. Was that the nice pass by JT Miller, that one? Yeah. Besser scores another big time late clutch goal

in the third period. This one came with under five minutes to go to even it back up at three three. 37 seconds after Besser scores, Bratsinski scores again. So it's almost like every time that the Canucks found a way to fight back and scratch and claw and draw the game even and maybe get a point out of this very important game,

they found an equally impressive way to blow it. It's remarkable. This season has had a lot of issues without question. It's been, as you said, like it's been really trying. People have been tired and sick of it, but that game on the weekend where you're, you look at it and you're like, they did the majority of things right, but as Rick Tauke has pointed out on so

many occasions, when those big moments happen, when those big moments happen where you just need to show up and make something happen, it's always the other team that's doing it. And that's what the Rangers did. Yeah. The JT Miller pass was actually on Brad Zinski's first of the night.

Oh, on the 2-1 goal. Yes. What I found remarkable about that game was just how badly the Canucks dominated the Rangers. And I actually, okay, so this is proof that the, the Jason Bruff tweeting jinx doesn't exist because I was going to tweet out something during the first part of that game saying something like, God, the Rangers suck or like this team is terrible because

the Rangers. We're good. Did suck in this game. We're good. Right. And, and like, this was, Rangers suck or like this team is terrible because the Rangers. We're good. Did suck in this game. They were good.

Right. And, and like, this was, do you remember how we looked at the, uh, at the shots on goal in the Calgary game that the Rangers played earlier in the week? And we were like, how did the flames so badly dominate the Rangers on home? Right.

It's like, this is crazy. Like Calgary must've played so well. Well, yes, it was a bit of that Calgary playing well, but the Rangers, man, like they were terrible. They were terrible. And they were saying that between the second and the third periods in the intermission,

there was a lot of yelling going on in the Rangers room. Like they were freaking out. They were losing their minds. Rangers fans were giving Bronx cheers for every shot on goal that the Rangers got. Even ones, even the ones that didn't count, like just long, essentially clearances that Lanken had touched. There was a Bronx cheer to the Rangers. That MSG fan, like that great crowd that was there to celebrate Sam Rosen's retirement. Like it was, it was, they were so mad at the, and I'm like, the Canucks lost this game?

Yep. The Canucks found a way to lose this game. So look, they've still got 12 games left. Um, down the middle is looking real thin. And we've talked a lot about how this team has gone from Elias Pedersen, Bo Horvat and JT Miller down the middle to, well, if Pedersen is hurt for tonight in New Jersey, they're looking like Suter,

Bluger, Nils Amann and Atu Ratu as their four senders. Pretty good. Now, Tauket was asked after practice about Pedersen and Hoeglender and the Hoeglender injury is, is, um, is annoying too, frustrating too, just because he had started to play a little bit better and he was adding something to align with Pedersen and Besser.

Sure. And he said that they were pretty sore and banged up. He didn't rule them out for Monday's game against the Devils, but again, Autu Ratu has been called up and there's a reason for that. Thatcher Demko, he's probably their last hope. If you're looking for any Hail Marys, maybe Thatcher Demko can come in and just

provide them incredible goaltending down the stretch and they can do what Shasturkin did to the Canucks on Saturday. But I mean, come on. I know Tauke had said after practice that Demko was starting to feel pretty good. I know Elliott Freeman tweeted out that it was probably likely, if not, that Demko wants to play. He wants to try and make a difference. Of course, of course he does.

But it's a big ask. It's a big ask for him to come in after yet another lengthy absence and just like, have his game to the point where a very undermanned Canucks team is going to face this very tough schedule in their final 12 games and win what, eight or nine of them? He's got to play sometime, I think. So I understand it, but I'm kind of with you. It almost feels like there's Hail Marys,

and then there's like Hail Marys that might have too much risk involved. Like the wide receiver might break his neck going for the said Hail Mary. Like this one to me, I know he wants to go. And I know that they don't really have a lot of wiggle room left. I mean, with the 12 games, you figure they've got to win what eight to probably get into

the playoffs. And as you said, it might even need to be more given how well St. Louis is playing right now. But at this stage of the game, if he wants to go and the answer to the question is, well, he's going to have to play anyway, I guess you give him a shot tonight. Maybe it gives you that last second spark. Maybe there's something that can salvage the season. Personally, I have a hard time seeing it. I just have a hard time seeing him being able to play incredible down the stretch. I mean,

it's a big ask of a guy who hasn't played much hockey this year. Here's the crazy part. It might not even be if he plays incredible. I don't know if the guys in front of him can get it done, even with, I mean, unless he pitches eight or nine. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Because right now, right now, Quinn Hughes is playing on fumes. Heedle's not coming back anytime soon. Pedersen and Hoaglander are banged up.

And this was to a team that didn't have a lot of offensive punch prior to those guys getting hurt. It's every, I will say some things have conspired against the Canucks down the stretch but if you go back and you look at the results that they have posted post four nations break there have been a lot of losses where you're just shaking your head and you're like that was a missed opportunity and that was a missed opportunity it had nothing to do with the depleted lineup or who was in it or who is not there were games that could have been won there that they didn't win and there were points they that could have been won there that they didn't win.

And there were points that they could have scratched and clawed that they didn't. Again, when this whole thing's said and done, we're not going to be able to point to one or two individual games that Rangers game will stand out only because of the frustration. But there's a lot of reasons why this team isn't going to make it. Health is a big part of it. Speaking of Quinn Hughes, just watching him on TV, you can feel how hard he's pushing out there.

And I know Taked was saying afterwards, like, you know, he wants to win so, so bad. And you can feel that, just watching him play. Here's Rick Taked on Quinn Hughes. Yeah, well, he wants to win so bad. He works at his game. Obviously the puck's on a stick a lot. He wants those moments.

He wants to win so bad. And he's a guy in the room too. When he's playing, we're a different team, right? And he's got that common influence. Saying that sometimes he wants to win so bad that he wants to try to do it himself sometimes and he's so much better at that over the last couple of years where he's starting to realize,

okay, I can't be one-on-one too much because it's almost impossible to every game kind of put the team on your shoulder. So I think he's starting to learn that a lot right now. The only thing that I'm still laughing about from that Canucks Rangers game, cause it was not funny. The way that it ended was, um, Queen Hughes versus Matt Rempe at the left point, uh, was one of the funniest

and hilarious mismatches of basically ever in sports. And I'm, and I'm sitting there watching the game and I'm like, is Lafayette even trying? Is he even trying to coach? Why is Matt Rempe in that lineup? It's ridiculous. Like he, and then he, and then Connor Garland, like he took a penalty on Connor Garland just cause he couldn't keep up to Connor Garland.

But you know, I mean, Quinn Hughes actually almost did break Matt Rempey's ankles at the point. And, you know, I'm sitting there, I'm like, in the back of my mind, I was like, they're dominating this Rangers team. Yes. They're embarrassing this Rangers team. They really were embarrassing the Rangers. And again, I keep mentioning the crowd because the crowd was just all over the Rangers. You could tell they hated this Rangers team. They were almost

wishing the worst for this Rangers team and the Cucks found a way to lose the game. How does that happen? How does that happen? How does that happen? Well, I mean, again, part of this is when, you know, when it rains, it pours, and if you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all. There was some things that conspired against the Connaugs, but here's the flip side of that argument is that if you've watched this team over the course of 70 games this year, you've come to expect letdowns like this.

You've come to expect- Not like that, though. There's something in this group's DNA I think where they have an inability to like for lack of a better phrase let the good times roll right. We've seen period to period they'll have a very solid first period go into the room come out in the second period we'll be dead flat. You'll see it game to game. It's the monkey paw theory I don't know last season a Canucks fan got a hold of an enchanted monkey paw at the start of the year and wished for one really spectacular Canucks season the monkey paw curled

Nevertheless it was in comparison to the previous decade the one and now look where we are but the in-game Peaks and valleys that this particular group has had, Saturday was kind of special in that regard. Because I'm watching the third period, I mean, even my text thread with my buddies, I'm like, this is terrible, these guys suck, then five seconds later, we're so bad, let's go. Dude, this season could be a 30 for 30.

If you, I mean, look at it. This season on its own could be its own 30 for 30. If you, I mean, this season, it's on its own, could be its own 30 for 30. Look at the peaks and valleys of Brock Besser. Like Besser was having a miserable time prior to the St. Louis game, scores a huge third period goal against the Blues, scratches out a point, almost single-handedly comes back against the Rangers, nearly does the exact same thing, scores another big third period goal. You talk about guys need to step up and score goals

when you're bereft of offense and you need it in the clutch. He does it in back to back games. What happens? They get one point out of those two games. Has there ever been a case to blow up a roster just because you just can't do it anymore? You just like, you just. The frustration level with this year has been so high.

Yeah. So high. And a lot of it has to do with what Andy was just talking about, that expectations were very heightened after last year. But. Like I get so emotional when I'm talking about what I want them to do to the Canucks this off season.

It's like asset management, the whole asset management just goes right out the door for me. I'm like, sure. I don't care. I just want to see something different. I can't do it with this group anymore. Yeah. I just can't.

Yeah. I can't. No, I can't. And I know it's a rational way to look at it, but I get it. It's not. It's not. But like last season is the new bubble. Do you know what I mean?

Do you remember back in the day, Benning would be like, well we showed in the bubble that we can do it, right? Now we're like, well last season they played well. You know, it doesn't quite hold as much because JT Miller's gone and everything, but like, I don't want to try and get back to last season. I want to try and get back to something

completely different. Yeah. And that's- So you're not getting back to it. You just want to move on. And that's, and that's fair. And that's just, and I know, and I know there are some people that are like, hey, Brock

Bester scores goals. Let's, let's sign them. Like that like, hey, Brock Besser scores goals. Let's sign him. Like, that's the value play to make. If you can get Brock Besser for a bit of a hometown discount, then sign him, because then you've got to sign someone else, or you might not get the hometown discount. And you're thinking like a drancer, right?

Like, you're thinking like a robot and a calculator, and you're thinking, OK, not that drance is saying that they should bring back. That's what I'm just saying. Like, you, you, like, I can't think like that about this team anymore. I just want different.

Sure. Because the idea of coming back next season and doing this again, I think I'll go crazy. Well, a big part of what you're speaking on is, and maybe Jim Rutherford's words were more foretelling or dare I say foreboding when he said, if everything goes right last year with the team, we're a playoff team. An hour, I mean, I think he was very, very accurate in that. God, it was my fault because I got that quote. And then if everything doesn't go right.

Oh yeah, that's right, he did. The follow- because I got that quote. And then if everything doesn't go right. Oh yeah, that's right, he did. The follow-up question really should have been, what happens if everything doesn't go right? And the answer is this year, the year that just happened. Because I guarantee you, when they do their end-of-year media availability, they are gonna trot out the fact that Demko, Hronic, Hughes, and take your pick,

I guess maybe Pedersen as well, they'll point to the number of man games missed, for sure, they will. And they'll point to a lot of different things that will lead you to believe that it's probably gonna look a lot more similar to the group coming back than a lot of people want, especially in that knee-jerk style.

And I get the knee-jerk reaction to it. This year has been crazy frustrating. And this isn't just you and I projecting. No, no, no. Dunbar Lumber text message in basket filled with people. And it's like frustration for a bunch of different levels. It's not for the lack of try or want. It's not because they haven't played well at times.

Saturday was frustrating even though the team played really well. They just emerged from a sort of must-win game with zero points points despite the fact they outshot their opponent damn near two to one on the night. And that kinda sums up the entire year. Like I've even gotten to the point where,

much to the chagrin of many listeners, we have defended Rick Tauke a lot this year. I'm even at the point of if they wanna move on to a different coach, fine. Like I just want different. Sure. You know, and I guarantee Rick Taukehant wants different, I guarantee he's, you know, if he comes

back, I mean, you missed this a little bit last week, but you know, you missed this a little bit last week, but, um, you know, we were, we're talking a lot about Rick Taukett and what he wants to do, you know, where he wants this to go. And he, and he clearly doesn't want to sign a contract extension right now because he wants to see what this team does in this off season. And he can see, he can use the excuse of, oh, I

just don't have time to talk about my contract. Come on. Yeah. You got time to talk about my contract. Come on. You got time to talk about a contract. If you want to be here, you'd make time talk about a contract that might pay you, I don't know, 20 million bucks? You'd have time to talk about that contract. You'd be like, hey, Rick, do you have time to talk

about your next five years and maybe making a lot of money in the next five years? Do you have time for that? I was like, yeah, I can squeeze five minutes into that. But like, he's probably thinking like, well, he's probably thinking the exact same thing as I'm talking about right now. Like, if I'm going to come back and keep doing this, I can't keep doing it with the same group. There needs to be like a DNA change to this group. There's no way that he's going to sign up for another year of this, especially when there's

other NHL jobs out there. And you know there's going to be other NHL jobs out there. So here's the thing, Scott texts in, making big decisions based on emotion usually works out. Scott, I'm not making the decisions. Okay? I'm just telling you as a fan of the team, what I want. And that's why I intentionally said, that's why I intentionally said, I throw asset management out the window. I'm not saying that the Canucks have to do that, but I'm telling you as a fan

that I am done with this group. Like I can't do it anymore. And obviously management still has to keep asset management in the equation but for me as a fan, like, you know it's funny because before last season I was saying you got to blow this group up. You got to, and then they came back and this is the frustration that makes it. Last season almost makes it worse. Cause I was like, Oh, I guess I was, guess I was wrong. And in the back of my mind, I'm kind of like,

I'm not wrong. I'm not wrong about this group. I'm not wrong. And then, you know, this season happens and it's not about being right or wrong. It's about being tired. Yeah. And I just, I don't believe in this core and I

want them to do something else. And if you want to text in and say, well, that's how you're going to lose Quinn Hughes, dude, we're probably losing Quinn Hughes. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halperd and Brough of the morning is brought to you by Jason Homonuck 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. Visit him on the internet at jason.mortgage. We are in hour two of the program. That music means that Sportsnet's very own Ian McIntyre is gonna join us in just a moment here to kick off hour two. Hour two of this program is brought to you by Vancouver Honda, Vancouver's premier destination for Honda customers.

They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff that can help with anything you're looking for, sales, financing, service, or parts. We are coming to you live from the Kintex studio, Kintex Footwear and Orthotics, working together with you in step. Connects are back in action tonight, 4.30 puck drop from the Prudential Center in New Jersey. A reminder, it is an Amazon game tonight. Of course, you can hear everything pregame, postgame, actual

game, all right here on Sportsnet 650. Joining us now from New Jersey, Ian McIntyre, Sportsnet's very own here on the Halferd and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. Morning, I'm Matt. How are you? I'm doing well, guys. I don't know if you heard I was on with Dan and Satyar on Friday afternoon while I was outside a restaurant in New York and I had such positive reviews for all the New York street sounds that I thought I'd try it again. And this is now the breakfast crowd or I guess the brunch crowd that you may hear around me plus assorted delivery trucks, emergency vehicles and crazy people. Nice. Nice. I don't know how much of it will come across and of course you're talking to a crazy person too,

but there may be others. Well, I've heard a garbage truck backing up, I think. So we'll see what's to come. New York is a very busy city. Let's talk about the Rangers game before we get to what's going to happen tonight. Sure. What was, we went through all the ways that that was the most frustrating game of the season. I think we came up with four. What was the most frustrating part for you? Or on behalf of Canucks fans? Yeah well I mean all of it, all of it but I would say first of all for me it wasn't personally the most frustrated I've been watching this team play because that was what game 70? I think they probably played 60 games that were not as good as the one they played in New York but I think they probably played 60 games that were not as good as the one they played in New York. But I think what was most frustrating is that for all the pressure they had

and the territorial dominance, and it was absolute dominance. The Rangers weren't even there. 21 to 4 were the shots when it was 1-1, halfway through the game. And I know that people look at the missed opportunities and how did you not get more out of all that pressure, especially in the first half of the game. But to me, to me, the frustrating part was when the game was on the line in the third period and it was still there for them, they just couldn't defend it. Yeah. And some of it was, some of it was bad luck, like the puck in off Quinn Hughes skate, which, which was just a, a travesty by the hockey

gods that in a game where Quinn Hughes was not only by far the best player in that game might've been the best player in that game, might've been the best player in the National Hockey League that day. I don't know that anybody could have had a more dominant individual performance than Quinn Hughes did and yet he goal in the third period goes off his toe. But the bottom line is one of the best goalies in the world in Igor Shosturkin played out of his mind,

or at least his A game, let's say that, had his A game against the Canucks, who on the road still scored three times. And given how much they dominated that game, that should have been enough to win those three goals on the road at MSG. But it wasn't because at key moments in the third period, they could just not defend. You know, Dakota Joshua lost his guy on one goal or beard away from his guy. Keeper Sherwood fell on another and there was no, there should have been more help as well.

I mean, Keeper Sherwood falling in the neutral zone as Brzezinski went by him shouldn't have been cause for a goal against against but it ended up being so in the end the canucks just they couldn't defend and and to me that's more frustrating than the not scoring like we understand the not scoring we've seen the not scoring quite a bit but we've also seen that this was a very good defensive team

since december and in the third period they were not. And of course they didn't get a save as well by Kevin Lankton, but I'm not gonna dump on Kevin Lankton because he's been such an outstanding story for the team this year. Although we may talk about him in a minute when we talk about today's game, but it was also interesting to me after that game

that Rick Tauke revealed at one point he thought about pulling Lankton in because Lankton is struggling as well. They didn't mean struggling in goal, it just meant struggling to be healthy. So you know, have some kind of bug that was affecting him. What's your sense on, I know we will get to the goaltending, but what's your sense on whether or not Pedersen or Hoeglander can play tonight? I would say it's doubtful. I mean, I was at practice yesterday in New Jersey, and you know, neither one participated.

I saw Hoeglander briefly, I didn't see Elias, and Rick Tauke of course has left open the possibility that they're going to play and so did Patrick Alveen when I chatted with him briefly before I spoke to Rick. I also said it's not out of the question but they did have Autu Rathi ready to go. I just think given how big the games are for Vancouver, and if for Pedersen and Hoaglander to miss an entire third period, I think I'd be surprised if whatever it was, they can turn around and come back and play tonight. But again, given the time of year, given that the Canucks, well, you know, five back, let's be realistic. It's probably too late now. But mathematically, it could be over fairly soon if they don't start winning some games.

So given the gravity, maybe those guys, I'm sure they're going to try and push themselves out there if at all possible. But I'd be, I'd be surprised if I saw, if I saw them in the lineup tonight, but I've been surprised before. Maybe it will be again. I've pretty well pretty well been surprised with the entire season when watching the Canucks. Do we have any idea what's ailing Pedersen? Uh, the only thing that I could think of is like, he

was engaged in a battle in front of the net with a, with a Rangers player at the end of the battle. He took a pretty nasty cross check to the back, but I don't know if that was the broadcast. Didn't, uh, didn't note that, but, uh, that was just me observing at home. Yeah. I mean, it could be, I mean, be, I hate to say it.

It'd be great if it was back spasms, like if it was, if he, you know, seized up when he was, was cross-checked. You know, I saw on the feed and inside the arena, I saw a replay of him getting waved out of a face-off, didn't even take the face-off, but he was wincing after, after he, he crouched and got waved out, a face-off, didn't even take the face-off, but he was wincing after after he he crouched and got waved out he was wincing. So you know could be something to do with his arm or wrist or it could be his his back and and just pain. Let's remember as well that Pedersen missed a few games after Christmas with some kind of torso injury and I don't know if he has been battling it since then, but you know, he hasn't, I don't think he's been 100% healthy, let's put it that way.

And Holglunder, I have no idea And I was talking to a Swedish reporter who's based in New York and was of course watches the Canucks like a hawk because of all the Swedes on the team. And he was asking me cause he didn't see anything either. So, but we know that Holgländer is the kind of player, try and play if there was a bone

sticking out of his arm. So it would have to be serious for him to miss, take himself out of the game like that in the third period. And which again is why with the turnaround, mind you, an afternoon game, so maybe an extra few hours of recuperation time, but I'd still be surprised if we see him tonight. So is Thatcher Demko their Hail Mary?

Yeah I don't know about I don't think they view it that way but they need they needed to get Thatcher back because they can't just play Kevin Lankanen the rest of the way. And if Kevin Lankinen is struggling with something more than just some illness, some clue or something, then yeah, they may need him. But I don't really see it as a Hail Mary. I think that Thatcher was going to be back as soon as he was ready. I'm a little surprised just with the way the schedule lays out, they have another practice Tuesday on Long Island before they play the Islanders Wednesday. So I was thinking that that would be the game that Thatcher would come back and play on Wednesday.

But you know, Silov has kind of become unplayable, you know he won against the Hawks when the Canucks scored six goals so they needed they needed Demko back they need Demko and and Lankanen and we'll see how that order plays out from here to the end of the year. So you spoke with Demko after Sunday's practice there's an article up now at Sportsnet.ca if anyone listening wants to check it out. Is it fair to like paraphrase what Demko said about his injury as like the current health status isn't related to his major knee injury,

but it is sort of related to the knee injury? Is that a fair assessment? Yeah, I think that's what the point he was making to me that, and this is his third injury because he's had two injuries since the knee. And he says they're related in the context that because of what he dealt with last summer in his knee and was dealing with it as we know into training camp where they still really had no idea at that point. And they knew what the injury was. They had no idea what the remedy was gonna be.

And so Demko feels that inability to have a proper training, a proper summer of training and preparation did not allow him to build the platform that he would like to have had to sustain the rigors of a NHL regular season. And he said with regard to his knee that when they finally figured out something that worked for the injury it was like okay great let's try and play. It wasn't like, okay, great, now let's build that platform so you're ready to go because it was already December. And I guess in November, maybe when they when they unlocked some sort

of medical secret about how to treat this extremely rare injury. And then he was back in December because they needed him then just like they need him now. So he is looking forward to, and you will rarely hear guys say this while the season is still going on. And he was very careful about how he said it. But he is looking forward to an off season this year where it's basically full steam ahead and

he can train. I know he's working with a new person or new people in terms of his fitness and prep and he's really looking forward to having a summer unencumbered by a great mystery injury and be able to get his body back to the point where he feels like he can be the goalie that he wants to be next season. Did you happen to speak with Demko about Kevin Lankenin and I guess specifically the contract that Kevin Lankenin just got from the Canucks?

Well, I did because in the last couple of paragraphs of my story, there's a quote which I thought was very generous of Demko and he said, and I'm paraphrasing here, this isn't a quote. He said that Kevin Lankinen has earned every penny of that contract. He said he carried the mail for this team. He's a great player and a great teammate and you can never be disappointed for anybody earning their their contract. So he was happy for Kevin. He also said, which was why I was asking the question about, well, how does it affect you or do you think it affects you?

And he said, he doesn't think it has anything to do with him that he's been committed all along to this team and loves being a Canuck and he wants to be here as long as possible. So he says it doesn't affect the way he views, Thatcher views his situation in Vancouver. Now we know the reality is the team suddenly has some options. They're paying Kevin Lankin and starting goalie money at $4.5M a season. Not elite starting goalie

money, but starting goalie money. You don't pay a backup for $4.5M. So the Canucks do have some options and right now the team's intent is to have both, to go with both and see how that works. That would be a total of $9.5M invested in their goaltending next season, which is a lot of money. There will be some individual guys making that much. But if you're going to get, which I think they would, if you get a healthy Thatcher Demko who's let's say plays 48 games and you have Kevin Lanken in the same forum this year that he plays 34 games. You should have among the best goal-tending in the NHL, but it's still a lot of money and they do have options now and I'm sure they're going to explore some of those options

this summer. But again, right now the intent by the organization is that they'll have both. We're speaking to Connects reporter Ian McIntyre here on the Health and the Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. IMac, of course, is in New Jersey where the Canucks play tonight. 430 puck drop from the Prudential Center against the Devils. A reminder that games on Amazon. You can hear it right here on Sportsnet 650. From interviews with current Canucks to interviews with former Canucks, how was your chat over the weekend with

JT Miller? Yeah, it was great. I mean, I probably liked it more than JT did. I have to be on it, but I thought it was great that he talked to me and talked about his time in Vancouver. He was traded on the road which is always kind of weird. We never see the player. It's like he disappears. It's like aliens have abducted him. I mean, and you turn on your TV and he's wearing a New York Rangers jersey. So it was good. It was good to to catch up with him. I and I thought it was interesting that he basically confirmed what Patrick Alveen had told us in that press conference at the south terminal of YVR two days after the trade or the day after

the trade that JT had never asked for a trade but he felt in the end this was best for him and his family and for the Vancouver Canucks and obviously the New York Rangers thought it was best for him. And JT I think is comfortable in New York. He said that there's, even though it's been almost eight years since he was here or sorry seven years he said there there the fact the franchise still feels familiar he's great of course the city and playing here and living here will feel familiar to him

and he's grateful that the rangers uh... quote are taking a chance on him again so i i think it i think it was something that he needed. I wish of course that you know he had talked maybe more about exactly what went wrong this year and maybe talk more about his relationship with Elias Pedersen, but he also said that to this day he still believes that the Pedersen Miller stuff was overblown.

And we know that it was amplified to a deafening level by Jim Rutherford in that story he did with the Globe and Mail and JT told me he talked to Jim about that. He understands that Jim had a job to do inferring that the trade was coming and Jim was preparing the market and he's not angry about that but to this day he thinks it was overblown and it's something that it's easy for people to run with and say, well, here's the reason why it didn't work out. In JT's words, there were a lot of moving parts and I think a lot of it still comes back to his mental health

and his personal happiness and I hope that he certainly has a chance to find that in New York again because he was a fabulous player for the Canucks. And I think they're missing them, but this happens in sports. It's also a sobering reminder of how extraordinarily unexpected this season has unfolded for Vancouver that JT Miller is now in New York because that trade would have been unthinkable back in September. Hey, I'm at for the Canucks now is, is the number one goal for the management team just trying to find a way

to keep Quinn Hughes? And how, and if so, how do you, how do you do it? Is it like, do you have to go to him and talk about, or what do you want? Do you want us to resign? We'll resign if you want that. I mean, is that where they're at right now or is it a little more complicated than that? Well, I think that I remember Jim Rutherford

said something to me, and I wish I could recall when, but it was before the season. Sometimes during the off season when we were talking about contracts and how the pieces fit. And he said then that everything they do is with an eye to needing to re-sign Quinn Hughes in two years and making sure that they have whatever resources they need to do that and making sure that the environment is as strong as possible for him so that he will want to stay. I don't think the environment this year has been all that good. So I think they have some work to do next year certainly in terms of

realigning, reconfiguring whatever term you want to use, their culture and their leadership. And I think that they are in contact with Quinn. I don't think Patrick Galvin is having coffee with them every morning, saying, here's what we're thinking for today. But I do think on some of these big decisions that the team has brought Quinn into the loop just to keep

them informed. He's the captain. They don't want him to be surprised or blindsided by anything, but also certainly to get his input and see what he thinks. Next year is just a massive year. In terms of Quinn Hughes' future, next season it's hard to overstate how important it is for the Canucks to correct their course and show that they have a chance to do something meaningful next season. They don't have to do it next season, but you've got to point the team in a direction where Quinn Hughes will feel like he has a chance to win a Stanley Cup if he stays in Vancouver. Hi, Mack. This was great. As always, thank you very much for taking the time to do this.

A reminder, the Canucks are in action tonight, 4.30 from the Prudential Center in New Jersey. The Devils are the opponent. Enjoy the game tonight at Mac and thank you again. All right, see you guys. See you later. Ian McIntyre here on the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough.