Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Best Of Halford And Brough 3/6/25

Episode Date: March 6, 2025

Mike & Jason look back at the previous day in sports, plus they talk a big Canucks win over the Ducks with Canucks Talk host & The Athletic Vancouver's Thomas Drance. 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 f***ing Canucks? 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 You're listening to Halford and Brough. There's a crowd of bodies in the crease. Shoesie tries to one-tie it right side. He scores! I got pushed in. I was just trying not to push the net off. Yeah, I thought they definitely made the right call.

They're going to drop the gloves. Zegras going after Garland on the inboard. I thought it was pretty cool to see him in the Zegras fight. I think it got the fans pumped up. That escalated quickly. I mean that really got out of hand fast. It jumped up a notch. It did, didn't it? Good morning Vancouver 601 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday everybody.

It is Halford, it is Brough, it is Sportsnet 650. We are coming to you live from the Kintec Studios in beautiful Fairview slopes in Vancouver. Jason, good morning. Good morning. Adog, good morning to you. Good morning. Ladi, good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Halvedon Brown for the morning is brought to you

by Vancouver Honda, Vancouver's premier destination for Honda customers. They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff. They can help with anything you're looking for, sales, financing, service, or parts. We are in hour one of the program. Hour one 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 coming to you live from the Kintec studio, Kintec footwear and orthotics working together with you in step. Got a lot to get into on the program today. We are now one day away from the NHL's trade deadline. We got four guests today. It's a hockey heavy show, although there will be some NFL talk. Guest list today begins at 6.30. Eric Erlinson from lightninginsider.com is going to join us. The Bolts made a big splash on Wednesday, two days ahead of the trade deadline, reacquiring a very popular figure in Tampa Bay, Yanni Gord, along with Oliver Bjorkstrand

from Seattle in a three-team trade. So we'll talk to Eric about that. We'll talk to Eric about the hottest team in the National Hockey League. The Tampa Bay Lightning are 10-1-1 in their last 12. Eric Erlinson is going to join us at 6.30 to talk about all that. 7 o'clock, we are going to dive into the National Football League, specifically the Seattle Seahawks. Brady Henderson, our Seahawks insider from ESPN, is going to join the program. It was a big news day in Seattle yesterday, specifically at the wide receiver position. Star wide out DK Metcalf has requested a trade away from Seattle. He prefers to be dealt to a contender. How nice for him. Then of course, the other big news yesterday was that veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett was released after 10 years with the Seahawks, the second most prolific

pass catcher in franchise history. So it's a lot of news to get to with Brady Henderson, our Seahawks insider at seven o'clock this morning. 7.30 Luke Fox is going to join the program. NHL writer from Sportsnet will whip around some of the major storylines from the NHL going into tomorrow's trade deadline. The Meko Rantin story continues to get more and more bizarre out of Carolina. Now exploring all options on the talented winger.

We'll ask Luke what's going on there. Could the Leafs potentially be getting involved as they try and, you know, keep pace in the Atlantic division arms race? Luke Fox is going to join us at seven 30 for that eight o'clock. Thomas Drance is going to join the program. Canucks three, two winners last night over Anaheim. We'll look at that. We'll look ahead to the deadline.

All that good stuff with Drance are at eight. Finally, Jason, you'll like this. We are giving away one $500 gift card to Golf Town today. What? We are giving away. I quit, I'm gonna phone in. A $500 gift card to Golf Town today. So beginning March 7th, their trade-in event is on. You can take your old clubs to Golf Town

and you can put the value of those clubs plus a 50% bonus towards new clubs. It's the perfect opportunity to save on new clubs and upgrade your current set. That's bad news for me, because I often yell at my clubs that you guys are worthless. Yeah, they have to announce that when they sell you used clubs.

These ones are mentally and emotionally damaged. They've been yelled at repeatedly. Trade in early from March 7th to 19th. You can also get a free driver or iron fitting when you trade in your clubs. For full terms and conditions, visit them in store or at golftown.com. If you wanna win the $500 gift card to Golf Town.

Be Caller 500. Right, it's gonna be a lengthy process, but we're committed to the bit. I'll be here for a couple hours. Yeah, Caller number five this morning. Five for 500. Right, it's gonna be a lengthy process, but we're committed to the bit. I'll be here for a couple hours. Yeah. Caller number five this morning, five for 500. 815 this morning, we're gonna do the call, 604-280-0650. That number again, 604-280-0650.

Caller number five at 815 this morning, wins a $500 gift card to Golf Town, courtesy of the Haliford and Bruff show. Okay, that's enough for the rundown. Laddie, without further ado, 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? You missed that? You missed that? What happened? What happened?

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 bcca.ca. Jake DeBrusk, Teddy Bluger, and Carson Sousi all scored the Vancouver Canucks with a comeback win over the Anaheim Ducks at Rogers Arena 3-2. On Wednesday night, Kevin Lanken in 14 saves, Philip Horonic two assists in the first star,

and the Canucks won for just the second time in six games, taking care of an Anaheim team that was on the second of a back to back and getting a very important win to start this upcoming home stand at Rogers Arena. Okay. Are the Canucks in a playoff spot yet? No, but they're about as close as you can humanly be. I think they went down to the third tiebreaker with Calgary. I think they're down to the wins in regulation

tiebreaker now. They are because they've each got 67 points. They've each played 61 games, so 21 remaining. Uh, Calgary, 23 regulation wins, Vancouver, just 22. So they're right there. Oddly enough, their goal wins, Vancouver, just 22. So they're right there. Oddly enough, they're goal differential, exactly the same. They are very-

Minus 18. Despite being very different teams, they are almost the exact same team. Okay, so what was your main takeaway from the game? You and I were both there. What was your main takeaway? Let's just do the obvious, okay? Let's start with Petey.

Okay, yeah. We need to start with Petey. Yeah. Okay. A lot of text into the Dunbar Lumber text line in praise of Pedersen's game. Now the bar has been lowered in Vancouver and I suppose I will accept that that is just a fact that that's going to happen.

We need to slowly progress back to old Petey because he had no points on the night and everyone is raving about him and I get it. He looked more decisive out there. He actually shot the puck. Three of them went on goal. Um, and, uh, right at the end of the game, well, frankly, all, all night, he was really good in the

faceoff circle, but right at the end of the game, well, frankly, all night he was really good in the faceoff circle. Right at the end of the game, there's five seconds left. The Ducks had an extra attacker on and PD won an important draw and was able to kill the game. And that looks even better considering the faceoff that he lost against Seattle and then didn't cover his man and his man tipped home in the pocket.

Like that was, that was one of kind of his worst moments of the season and one that I'm sure infuriated Rick Tocket, but Rick Tocket had him out there for a lot of big draws and he won most of them last night. Just overall, he, he, he looked better. Um, now I do want to also credit his two line mates in Connor Garland in Dakota Joshua.

I think those guys are good line mates for him right now because Garland is a guy that can make things happen out there and Dakota Joshua is a big boy out there that can make space for Elias Pedersen. I think that is a good combination right now. I hope they stick with it. Pedersen was named the third star of the game.

The first star was Philip Peronik, who was really good, especially with no Quinn Hughes. Teddy Blugher scored a big goal. He was the second star. I thought it would have been nice if Connor Garland could get recognized considering the crowd was chanting his name after he fought Trevor Ziegres and, you know, he had four shots on goal.

I thought he was a pretty good player. The goal scorers were Jake DeBrusk on a really nice goal, a nice pass from Brock Besser. Besser's line actually got kind of caved in for most of the night, but Besser had some chances to score, but he did have that one nice assist to Jake DeBrusk.

Um, and, uh, we mentioned already that Teddy Bluger had a big goal and Carson Sousi. Yep. Had a big goal, a little bit of a controversial goal. And I have to admit when it comes to goaltender interference, sometimes I'm just like, I don't really have an opinion on this.

We'll see what happens. Although I was kind of sometimes I'm just like, I don't really have an opinion on this. We'll see what happens. Although I was kind of erring towards, oh, I think this one might be coming back and Ducks coach Greg Cronin thought the same thing because he challenged that goal. Yeah. So Sussie made it three, one, early or late in the second period on a play where every single skater on the ice except Carson Sussie was in the crease at some point. It was a complete gong show. It was like one of those, one of those little cars where all the clowns just keep coming out of it. That's what it was.

Sherwood, it was later deemed by the officials. The reason that the goal stood was cause Sherwood was forced into the crease by an Anaheim defender. That was their explanation. Laddie's already shaking his head. Go ahead, Laddie, jump in with your analysis. I'm sure the shove that he gave to Dustel's back, while he was in there for about 10 seconds, that's because he was pushed in and held there too, right? explanation. Laddie's already shaking his head. Go ahead, Laddie, jump in with your analysis. I'm sure the shove that he gave to Dustel's

back while he was in there for about 10 seconds. That's because he was pushed in and held there too, right? So what, that should have been interference? I thought it was going to come back. When the referee explained that the Anaheim defender did force the Vancouver Canucks forward to be in the crease, what he left out is that Kiefer Sherwood, the Vancouver Canucks forward

decided to never leave the crease. He hung on the net. Yeah. Maybe that's the rule. if you get forced in there, you can just do whatever you want. It's party time. Like just elbows and sticks. I think at 6-11 in the morning, Sherwood's still there.

He's getting his mail sent there now. Like that's where he lives now. He was in there for a long time, but whatever. Goal stood, Canucks win, and that actually ends up being the game winning goal because the Ducks tacked on one in the third period. I wanna play a couple bits of audio here. I wanna start with,

Tuckett is obviously gonna be asked about Pedersen after a night like last night. And I think he's doing a good job of acknowledging there are some positive steps being made, but there's still a long way to go. There's still work to be done. And while the bar may be lowered, we don't have to always point it out,

but maybe always kind of mention that there's a higher standard that you still want to reach, right? Instead of talking about the floor, talk about the ceiling. There's a lot of people texting in saying, actually, Jason, Pederson had an assist. That was the, that was the defenseman, Pederson. So Elias Pederson had an assist. I thought the same actually when we were, because they, we didn't hear it announced. We only heard the surname,

and I was like, oh, Pete even got a point tonight. It was the other one. But hey, I'm- You were watching the game closely. I was dialed in. We were at the game last night. We were zoned right in, and I was like, hey, Pete. You were too busy distracted watching Radko Gudis,

obviously. Yeah, one of the top five captains in the NHL, Radko Gudis, was out there last night. Did he cross-checked, was it Pettersson he cross-checked in the head? I think it was. As a matter of fact, Elias Pettersson, the defenseman. That's how they got their power play in the first period.

Anyway, we're jumping all over the place here. Rick Tauke and Anelias Pettersson. Here's what he had to say about his center that won a ton of face-offs last night and had a pretty good performance despite not finding the score sheet. His preparation last couple of days, I think I was telling you guys, I've liked his last couple of days.

I like the fact that he owned up some stuff to you guys and it's just, hey, another good day for, it was a good day, three good days for him. Like you know, let's get some rest and have a good practice more. He's just got to go day to day. Don't worry about in the past, he's got, you know, one game's been knocked down, we got what, 21 games left. He had a good past. He's got, you know, one game's been knocked down. We got what? 21 games left. He had a good game. That's it.

I still sound like he's in recovery. Three good days. He had three good days. Is he getting a little chip or something? Tomorrow's the fourth. Tomorrow's four good days. Day at a time. I mean, that's what they're doing.

That is the approach. This is a team, and I hate using this phrase because it's kind of like taboo around here, but we live in the day to day. They're living in the day to day right now. They are operating as though this is a race. They have 21 games left to try and get into the playoffs and that every day that something positive happens is great because it could lead to positive things

the next day. It didn't matter if they beat the Ducks 11 to 1 last night or 3-2. They got a win and that was the important thing. And if Tocket can sell this to the players and the players can buy in, they do have the talent and the depth. And when Hughes comes back, and we're hoping he comes back because he did not play last night, the star power to get into the post season. And that's clearly, clearly their goal as an organization right now. There was a line yesterday of Brock Besser,

Pugh Souter and Jake DeBrusk. How many of those guys will be with the team for Friday's game? It sure feels like Suter will be moved because I don't think that there's any hope of resigning or maybe they're just not in the cards to resign them. I don't know exactly how to classify that. Let's just say that an extension doesn't seem likely.

Is that fair? And definitely. I would say an extension doesn't seem likely for Brock Besser at this point either. Of the two, I'd say there's more of a chance that Besser signs than Suter. That seems fair. Okay.

Yeah. Yeah. So if Suter's not going to sign, he's not going to be around and this management group has a history of, and they've said it publicly, like we're not going to let assets walk for free. You move Suter. I got a feeling that-

But, but, but I go, okay, come back. Come back. Piece in, piece out, piece in, piece out. Like they're going to need to do a lot of stuff. I got a hot take here. I like hot takes. Suter is a more important player than Brock Besser on this team. He is a center.

He does every, or a winger if you want him to be. He's versatile. He plays on the power play and short handed. He's not the fastest. He's not the fastest, but I think he's, he's a pretty integral part of this team. He can play up in the top six if you need him and he can play on the bottom six.

And you know, in terms of, of trade value, you know, there's a lot of teams, if you listen to Elliott Friedman on 32 Thoughts or any other place, he's like, teams need centers. They need centers right now. But the problem for the Canucks is if they trade suitor, what are they going to do with center? Go get another center.

Right. But okay. So how though, with Besser? With the, yeah, with the pieces that you might get or have you seen the prices that people are paying for players right now? No, I know. But like, I'm just trying to figure out would would they okay would they if they traded suitor

Yeah, is there any way they'd be like all right? We're gonna go with nils amon and teddy blueger in the bottom six trying to make the playoffs They could Hypothetically, I don't think it would work. They would fall short of the playoffs, but they could try it I think that do you recognize how important he is to the team? Put it this way. If they're going to keep him as their own rental, which they've been loath to do historically,

then that means that the push for the playoffs is on and they understand that they're a better team with Suter than without him, and they might not be able to do the pieces on the chessboard. If they move him, I would say the immediate next move is you have to find a replacement. Maybe someone you go out and you find someone

that's got a little bit more term on their contract or you've got club control over and someone. How do you get that? How do you, I don't think Besser's getting any of that. I wonder if the assets returned from Besser and Souter could go out and get that. Right. That would be the move.

I mean, again, I am blown away at the prices that people are paying right now for some of these guys. Like I know, I mean, in Tampa Bay's a little bit of a unique situation because they just kind of throw caution to the wind in these moments, but they traded two first round picks for Yanni Gord and Oliver Bjorkstrand, who are nice players, no doubt, but they're middle six forwards at best.

York Strand is pretty underrated. I like York Strand. They are, but what are they going to be in Tampa? They're both on the wrong side of 30, and they're going to be middle six forwards. That's great that they're going to help, and they're good players, but they both fetched a first round pick. What do you think this deadline is going to be like? Didn't it seem in previous years, like a lot more business was done- Previous to? In the days-

100%. Yeah, like there's still- It's really slow. in previous years, a lot more business was done. Previous two? In the days. 100%. Yeah, like there's still. It's really slow. I know there have been a few deals, but it feels like we could actually have a crazy trade deadline day. Like has anyone figured out

what Pittsburgh was doing yesterday? Or Nashville. Right? Why did either team make that trade? So it kinda went under the radar because there was a lot of moves that happened yesterday. A lot of extensions got signed in a lot of places too, but the Pittsburgh Penguins made a very weird trade.

So they traded Vincent de Harnais, by the way, former Vancouver Canuck, now on his way to the San Jose Sharks. And then shortly after- He fit in well there. Yeah, shortly after making that trade, Kyle Dubas goes out and sends Michael Bunting in a fourth rounder to Nashville for Luke Shen

and Tommy Novak. Now Novak I can understand cause he's young and whatever, you may be able to do something with him moving forward on the team, but Luke Shen, to me, this doesn't seem like a move that a team that's clearly on the outside of the playoff picture would want. This is a guy who would go to a team that has playoff aspirations.

Maybe they're not done moving. Maybe they've got like, you know, how the Canucks have done before. You acquire a piece and then you move it really quickly, but the prices being paid right now are high. And if the Canucks, and I'm talking management and the executive here, put it this way,

I'm more intrigued by the possibility of doing it, partly from an entertainment standpoint. Like I wanna see the trading duo of Trader Jim and Trader Patrick, see if they can trade their way out of this because it would be incredibly difficult to do. Yeah. I think it would be very interesting to see if

it works and you know, they've had, I mean, their brand as executives has taken a hit this year, no question. Yeah. We got a text in to the Dunbar Lumber text line and said, every year you spend months talking about trades and the Canucks never do anything. What? They recently traded JT Bill.

Is that a real text? They have been one of the busiest management groups in terms of trades in the NHL. If not the busiest, look up and down the lineup. There are players that have been acquired via trade. They made two of the biggest trades in the NHL this season. They traded JT Miller and then promptly turned around and acquired Marcus Pedersen.

Like those are two of the bigger trades this year. They've happened within the last two months. Yeah. Like they're very active. I don't know, I mean, that's great that. I think maybe this is a kind of like a league wide thing. There are a lot of deals that get talked up and never come to fruition.

And a lot of the times, the trade deadline day, we're kind of like, that's it. That was it. That's the trade deadline. You guys all know how this works. You live for the anticipation, not the actual moment. There's always that one deal out there that

might get consummated that could really fundamentally shift things around. I really do wonder if, I know I asked this to Frank yesterday, I think, and he wasn't sure about it, but the whole ranted in situation, is that holding up some stuff? Is that, is that, and I don't know the answer to this, but we've heard reports that Carolina

has now made Rantenden available or at least talking to teams. I don't know about available, but they're talking to teams about, so I guess he is available. I've got it here, I've got it here if you want. Go. So Freeds yesterday, according to multiple sources I don't know about available, but they're talking to teams about, so I guess he is available. I've got it here if you want. Go. So Freage yesterday, according to multiple sources of Elliott Friedman's, the Carolina

Hurricanes are doing what he's calling their Meko-Rantan due diligence, checking out potential returns as either a rental or with an extension, assuming he's willing to sign anywhere before July 1. So the inference there is that he might not be willing to do it right now in Carolina. Among the teams believed to be very interested in Miko Rand and R, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Dallas Stars, and the Los Angeles Kings. And there's a lot of other teams as well, Freage notes. It's a ridiculously incomplete list, but those are the big three as he sees it. It is going to be wild if Carolina has to move off of, I don't know what that would do to the morale of the team going into the postseason, getting the big ad months prior

to the deadline and then having to move that big piece. They'd have to get players back, right? They can't just be like, we'll take a bunch of first round picks, right? Or even if they flip them into something, they would have to do something. And they, they better do it pretty quick because the trade deadline is, is tomorrow. But I do wonder again, getting back to my point, are there teams out there that are like, Oh, if Rantinen's available, we need to wait on this before we consider any other rental winger.

I think, I think a lot of the teams that want to go big game hunting, like Toronto's right in that mix now, because the Atlantic division just became like a lot more compelling. Florida goes out and adds Seth Jones, then puts Kachuk on LTIR and everyone's like, well, what's their next big move?

It's a huge opportunity for them. Tampa Bay goes out and acquires Yanni Gordon, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and just says, we're never going to draft in the first round again, but that's fine because we're loading up for the now. Oh, and then it's like, okay, your move, Toronto, what do you want to do? People back East are calling this like

TriLiving's big deadline. Like he has to, has to do something there. And there's all sorts of talk about, you know, Braden Shen coming over from St. Louis. But I imagine if you're, if you're the blues, you want a big return for Braden Shen. Yeah. That type of player and a guy who's won the

Stanley Cup before, what he could add to the Leafs. You know, the Leafs are in a real tough spot. It's so funny. It is funny. Probably not funny to Toronto sports fans though. That's funny. But how the Leafs are stuck in that division and it's kind of like the AL East of the NHL.

Go look at Florida, Tampa Bay and Toronto, the record in the last 10. They're like nine and one or eight, one and one. They're all playing really good hockey. Toronto stunk last night, but still. They, well, they stunk last night in Vegas. Yeah. But Tampa Bay, they've won a cup recently,

multiple cups, Florida defending Stanley Cup champs. They've been to two Stanley Cup finals. Like that's why everyone in Toronto is like, you got to win the division. You got to win the division and get, you know, I don't know, maybe the New York Rangers. So right now, if it ended, it would be, uh, Columbus is the first wild card.

Ottawa currently the second wild card on the tie break. And that is absolutely what you want. It's imperative to win that division because if you don't, you're playing one of the Florida teams in the first round. What's more, you're playing them where they've gone out and made it, as I mentioned, the big acquisitions. And if Toronto doesn't,

if Toronto decides to have a low key trade deadline and maybe adds around the edges There's gonna be a lot of pressure especially from the fan base saying we're going through this again Like the playoffs are where we need to define ourselves Not have the same thing happen once again with maybe a first round exit You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough And what we just have to call Thomas Drance Erotica. Thomas Drance Erotica.

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P.D.O. Thomas Granz- Veronica. 802 on a Thursday, an empty Thursday everybody, Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford and Brough of the morning is brought to you by Vancouver Honda, Vancouver's premier destination for Honda customers. They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff that can help with anything you're looking for, sales, financing, service or parts. We are in hour three of the program. Hour three is brought to you by Campbell & Pound Real Estate Appraisers.

Trust the expertise of Campbell & Pound. Visit them on the internet at Campbell-pound.com today. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio, Kintec footwear and orthotics working together with you in step. To the phone lines we go, Thomas Drantz joins us now on the Haliford and Bruff show on Sportsnet 650. What up Drantz? Gentlemen, good morning.

Good morning to you. So I was scrolling through your timeline this morning and it seems as though, and I think I might agree with you, but I'm going to let you expand on this, that you think that the 3-2 score line that the Vancouver Canucks beat the Anaheim Ducks last night might have actually flattered Anaheim a little bit because maybe the margin should have been larger for a Canucks team that did look good during stretches last night. Yeah I mean I thought the Canucks had legs I thought they looked a lot like the Seattle game from a Canucks work rate perspective and I think that's why they

were able to generate shots like I think when you think about what those last two games have looked like, when you think about what the Canucks were able to generate, I mean, I really struggle to explain Vancouver's lack of offense without connecting it pretty directly to what I consider to be a low, lower than needed work rate, uh, too consistently throughout the season. And, and that's pretty galling. considered to be a low, lower than needed work rate, uh, too consistently throughout the season and, and that's pretty galling. I mean, I think that should be annoying to fans. I find it kind of annoying as a, as a regular viewer.

Um, when this team works like that, they can actually generate 25, 30 shots and also play good defense and too often this season, we haven't seen it. Um, pretty frustrating overall. That said said I thought they had it last night And I also thought the Ducks put in one of the most putrid individual team level performances. I've seen all year Honestly, not just in a game against the Canucks like any game of watch this season now granted There's the back-to-back factor to be aware of but I mean I did they have 12 icings or something in the second period? They were still going glassing out in the third. They get a Brian Duhamel in three, two goal like man, my goodness. I don't know. I don't know if we need relegation or

like if that should immediately eliminate you from the playoff race. But just like one of those ridiculous games. Yeah, that's the connection to put that to bed and would have if not for a miraculous John Gibson stop in the first and a really great save by Lucas Dostoloff, Besser in the third, little snake bit for Brock. But yeah, I don't like how the Ducks play, frankly. And I thought last night you really saw that laid bare. You saw the limitations of their extraordinarily conservative tactical approach and the Canucks were

able to outwork them pretty sufficiently or pretty significantly and should have won going away. And in fact, I just think we should consider them two of one going away even if there weren't even any nervous moments late though, right? Like it's just like they got to three two and it was a one goal game, but that was it. The Ducks had nothing. Uh, Dranser you know about the ins and outs of

how teams schedule practices, et cetera. Um, a few people have texted in about this and they noted that Tauke in his post game was talking about how we got to get back to work tomorrow and we got some things to work on. And then I'm looking at the Canucks PR account and today has been announced as a team day off.

Is there anything to read into that? Like maybe the Canucks are working on some stuff or might have an announcement to make soon? Um, maybe, maybe, um, might just be one of those things where, you know, that if everyone goes to the rink, you're going to have a lot of pressure in terms of, uh, just like the media attention, right?

Brock Vestor has to talk again. You know what I mean? That's that sort of side of it. That can influence a team a little bit, but not too significantly depending on whether or not you still have the opportunity to have like to steal touch ice at least once before the next game. Right. Like that's really what teams are looking for or coaches tend to be looking for.

Certainly Rick Talk, it tends to be looking for in season, is he just wants to have his team on the ice at least once between games, ideally, right? Obviously that's not possible in back to back situations and it's not always possible with the schedule, but they can just do morning skate tomorrow. You know, they have a game on Friday, they have a game on Sunday. So yeah, I mean, I don't, I doubt that it would be connected to like something major that got hatched, hashed out last night that the club is waiting to

announce this morning. Okay. Uh, that, that would surprise me. That's just not typically how you do it. And honestly, if you've got like a huge announcement you want to address, oftentimes you want like media at the rink, right? So that you can make your GM available or, or discuss it or, or what have you.

Uh, that's what I do think this like today was the day that I think the Canucks expected things to heat up a little bit more around some of their bigger pieces, and I think that's more connected to league wide dynamics than how the team is looking at it themselves. Like, I think it's, uh, uh, sort of when you look at the market as it's shaping up before the deadline, I think most of this week we've had an understanding that sort of by end of day to day, the Meko Rand in situation should have a little bit more clarity, right? Carolina's obviously been trying to sign him.

Looks like that's not going gonna happen before the deadline. So now they face a decision. And I think there's a lot of buyer teams very interested in the possibility that they might sell on Miko Ranen. Now, would they actually do that? We'll see, they've never worried about expirings before, right? Dougie Hamilton, Jake Gensel, Tevo Taravainen, Brett Pesci.

Like this is not a team that's worried about bleeding value and unrestricted free agency. They've generally just been like, well, that's okay. We have a million prospects and we behave like a buyer at the deadline every year. We don't worry too much about what we lose in free agency. And then the moment we get to the draft, we behave like a rebuilding team. I think they were a little bit perturbed by the Gensel stuff though. Yeah, I mean, for sure. I think very possibly. I don't think they were like, oh well. I think they really wanted to sign him. No, they definitely tried really hard to get him done. But the truth is that they were able

to pivot and still be a top team in the Eastern conference this year, right? Relative relatively straightforward fashion. Took that cap space and found like, Hey, Jack Russell, like want to score 25 goals and, uh, Eric Robinson, like, let's go and, uh, we'll spend on Sean Walker and look, we're basically fine, you know? Um, and we're still in position to trade for Mika Wren in the next year. I mean, I don't know. I guess you could look at, and even the nature's thing, right? It's like, well, maybe they feel differently because they lost nature's speed

and nature's is a long-term piece, but there was no world where a Rod Britton Moore team was going to sign Martin Natchez to his third contract. There's no world where that was ever really on the table for them anyway. I mean, they picked an elite player to monetize a player that was very good for them, but probably wasn't a long-term fit for. Isn't this just basic stuff? I guess I struggle to imagine that Carolina would so significantly change

their stripes here, which sort of begs the question of are they holding up the trade market? Well, I asked that earlier, is the ranton in thing holding up a potential Brock Besser trade? What are you hearing about the market for Brock Besser?

I was hearing that it was Luke warm and, and I wouldn't say it's holding it up so much as I think if the Renton and Domino doesn't fall, right, and the Ricard Raquel Domino doesn't fall, then I think Besser becomes the top option in the scoring wing of market. And I think that can have a pretty significant impact on press.

So I think there's, I wouldn't say it's holding up so much as it's connected to and would impact potentially the price that the Canucks were able to extract from the trade market in exchange for Besser as a rental. And I think that's sort of the dynamic at play here, right? That's sort of the pecking order in this scoring when you're a market. And I, you know, I do think given Vancouver's obsession with price here, right, they are in a playoff race. And I don't think they're interested in approaching this as like, we have to monetize better before the deadline. We're, I don't think they're an especially motivated seller,

but they're certainly open to it if the price is right. And so I think for that reason, you have the Rantan thing not holding up, but impacting how the Besser situation will play out. And I think for that reason, this day, like mark this day, Thursday on the calendar, is sort of probably the most interesting one to track from a Canucks slash Besser trade standpoint. What do you think is the most likely

move that the Canucks make? In terms of deadline passes, what would I like handicapped as the most likely trade for them to have executed? Yes. Ah, I got to think it's a defenseman just because they have such a surplus there. So, so I'd have to think it's a defenseman just because they have such a surplus there. So I'd have to think it's for Bird or Sousi, followed probably by Pugh suitor, followed by Brock Besser. I'd say Besser is the least likely, but I would expect

multiple moves. Like I do think that the Canucks sort of having a clear-eyed assessment of where they're going this season and with some internal concern about Hughes and Demko's ability to be at 100%, right? I think that's where you get to, where it's like because of where Hughes and Demko are at, you get to this moment where you have to face the decision, where the organization has to make the decision of, of do we think we can make the playoffs? We do. Right. Do we think, do we think we can win a round or two?

Do we think we can get hot at the right time? Right. And I think that's where if Demko was a hundred percent, you were confident that you could get Demko to a hundred percent for the playoffs and that he would then hold up for, for a couple series. If you were confident that you had one of the best players in the world, playing at the top of their game and at 100%, then I think you say, hey, look, we're not going to be favored, but we got a shot.

We got this all-world goaltender. We got Quinn Hughes. Like we got a shot versus I think where they're actually at now where, hey, we think we can make the playoffs, but what does that actually mean? And I think that changes things from like the own rental perspective, right? I think an awareness of that has kind of driven the Canucks to be more open to considering their options here in this sort of final week. So we'll sort of see where it goes. But I do think the, like my overall expectation, sorry, instead of telling you my expectation, the Connects are definitely in the market as a seller, right? They're also in the market as a

buyer of young players. And so we'll see sort of what opportunities present themselves. I think it's going to come down to price. I think that while they're open to selling guys, they're also pretty conscious of price given their positioning and the standings and the chance that they have to still make the postseason. Yeah, because if they trade suitor, my big question is who's going to play center for them? I actually, you know that hot take, I tried out on you. I said it on the radio that I think right now,

right now, Suter is the more important player for the Canucks compared to Besser. Well, I mean, look, I'm a big Pew Suter guy. I think he's just a winning hockey player. And it's funny that he's a winning hockey player because he's not big, he's not fast. He's not especially dynamic offensively. He's just smart. He's just smart. He's reliable. I think he's actually high end defensively, especially when he gets to play the wing.

Like I think he can absolutely add a defensive gear to a top line even as a winger. Now, at a third line center, I mean, I liked his line last night. I think that makes sense, especially if you're giving him guys like Bester and Debrecht to work with. I think you're going to find that you'll outscore your opposition and probably out-chance them over large samples. Like, I think he's a really good player. So, I'm not, like, I disagree with your take. It's a little too hot for me, a little too spicy. But I think you're onto something in terms of don't sleep on what Pugh suitor can bring to a team. I think he's been vital in sort of what this

club has been able to achieve across the last year and a half. Who would play center if they traded him? Well, I would assume Bluger and then Neil Zeman slash Atu Ratu. Yeah. I mean, how do you think the Canucks would feel about that?

It's not great. I think there's hope still for Atu Ratu being an NHL level player. All right. I think the organization would very much like to see him have another strong summer, maybe add another half step. He added a half step or

full step even last summer. I think the club would love to see that continue. And I think they believe that he can be a contributor if that happens. So, you know, I think they're pretty high on Ratu's potential still. They still believe in him as an NHL option for them next season and then down the line. So, you know, get him some games, see how it works. You know, could you play him with Drew O'Connor and he'll win you some draws and he can do some interesting things with the puck, especially deep, but you're a little worried about the foot speed. You know, can you play him with O'Connor and help insulate him a bit? Yeah, I mean, I don't think they'd love it. I don't think that's their first choice,

to be totally honest with you, but I think it's a choice that they have to understand, you know, in Pugh's suitors and sort of do, sorry, more importantly, do. I think the thing that they're looking at with Pugh's suitor is this guy is going to, I mean, he's already set a career high in goals, he could hit 20 goals, he's going to have high end defensive results, he's already set a career high in goals. He could hit 20 goals. He's going to have high-end defensive results. He's worked everywhere from fourth line center to first line wing over the past few years. He scored a serious winning goal for this team last year. He's going to double his salary.

Like he's going to double his salary on his next contract from a cap hit basis. And I don't get the sense that the connects have a huge appetite to pay that on his next deal. Now, I think there's a comfort level that they like the player, they believe that he likes it here in Vancouver, that if they did keep him beyond the deadline, they'd have a good window or good opportunity to have productive conversations and that he'd be open to staying. But at 3.2 through 3.5 or more, is that something that

actually makes sense for this team with where they're at? I think that's where the Canucks would probably lean no. So that's sort of why I won't be surprised if he's ultimately moved ahead of the deadline. So LJ Tech's in here and I think this is kind of what a lot of people are, are, are a little bit confused at, and I know you're not saying that the Canucks are not going to trade Besser and Suiter, but you're allowing for the possibility that they keep them without extensions.

And LJ texts in and said, management said the days of free agents walking for free were over. What happened to that? Well, when they traded Tyler Mott during the Bruce, there it is bump season, right? They were what, seven points or six points out of a playoff spot, right? When they dealt Curtis Lazar, they were further

than that. So, you know, I think the view of this season is being somewhat different right where you're tied with the Calgary Flames I guess you're point five points back because they hold the regulation wins tiebreaker but that's not something you really worry about with 20 plus games remaining because if you're gonna finish ahead of the flames you're presumably gonna finish ahead of the flames in regulation're presumably going to finish ahead of the flames. In regulation wins too. It's not like a five game margin.

It's a one game margin. So you're in the thick of a race with a team that very much does want to make the playoffs. And as a result, if the prices won't bear the sort of returns that you're interested in, like what's a third round pick to you versus taking your best shot at making the playoffs right now right I think that's sort of the equation it's not like you're going to miss the playoffs it's your you know maybe going to miss the playoffs or but you're still favored right so it's like I think that's the dynamic here at play is your it's it's different than being a pure seller team. You're selling from the midst of a playoff race

and as a playoff favorite. And in that instance, I do think the Canucks need to be pretty happy with their returns if they're going to decide to take that step. Right now, and I'm not talking about Dom's model, in your opinion, are the Canucks more likely to make or miss the playoffs?

There's three other teams that they're battling with, Calgary, St. Louis, and your beloved Utah hockey club. Well, the Utah is going to, I mean, the thing is like, it's been a long time since Vancouver was actually in a playoff race. Not like, you know, the like fans bringing up the St. Louis Blues in 2019, sort of make

the playoffs. Sure. Right? What tends to happen here is one team probably gets really hot and makes it like that tends to be how this goes. The last segment of the season, what you're what you tend to see is there's going to be and there aren't a lot of pure seller teams the way there are most years, but some teams are going to sort of start to pull the chute a little bit. You're going to start to see college free agents signed and inserted

immediately in the lineup. You're going to see teams play younger players more. You're going to see teams, veteran players who would usually play through stuff, right? If they had a chance to win something major, shut it down. Like things change in this segment of the season. And teams that are playing at playoff level intensity tend to get a huge edge. We'll see point percentages spike for teams that are really playing for their playoff lives down the stretch here. So teams tend to run really hot for their playoff lives down the stretch here. So teams tend to run really hot. The team that will make the playoffs out of this mix in the Western Conference, I suspect,

will look back and will be like, wow, they accumulated some preposterous, like 15, five, and two records down the stretch here. And when I think about this Canucks team and sort of their potential to do that, because that's effectively the way I think you have to look at it is which of these teams is most likely to run hot like that, right? I really struggle to see the path given that, you know, we all liked what we saw from Elias Pedersen in the faceoff circle and in terms of his two-way game last night, but we're still at a point with Elias Pedersen where we're looking for it as opposed to, wow, this is a great

player and that hits us over the head and you could know nothing about hockey and turn on the game and you can recognize that they're one of the best players on the X, right? There's a difference there. I don't know that we get that version of Pettersson down the stretch of the season. I don't think the organization expects to get that version of Leeus Pedersen down the stretch of this season. Quinn Hughes, if he's banged up, we saw even last night or the game against Seattle, you can put in great performances, but if you don't have apex Quinn Hughes, your opponents are still in these games, even if they're poor opponents playing the second leg of back-to-backs late, right? Like a lot of these games are just coin flip hockey, especially without

Hughes being at his sort of apex of the apex of his powers. And then I don't even know what's going on with Thatcher Demko. The club was optimistic that he'd be back right after the road trip, but we haven't seen him practice or anything, so who knows what that sort of timeline looks like. Kevin Lankinen just played, just matched his career high in appearances last night. And I think we've seen on occasion across the last couple of weeks, um, that there's been some signs

of wearing down of overexertion. Uh, so if, if you're not going to be able to play Lankinen every game here, if Demko's going to be out a little bit longer, does that mean you need to play Archer Shilovs three or four more times? Well, I don't love that based on what we've seen so far this year. So you combine sort of these engines that the Canucks could rely on so consistently last year in goal, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pedersen, and I'm not confident in any of them right now. Like in any of them, do I, none of those engines

do I think are a big edge that the Canucks have. Yeah. Sort of in their quiver going down the stretch. So I mean, if I were to rate like, what's more likely Dylan Gunther scores 30 points in the last 20 games of the year and carries Utah to the playoffs or the Canucks go 15, five and two. Uh, I know which side I'm coming down on.

I'm coming down on. I'm coming down with the young elite player who's been killing it. Right? Like that's just, that's where I'd prefer if I was a, if I was a betting man, well, I am a betting man, but if I was a betting man who bet on hockey, that's certainly where I'd prefer to put my bankroll. So we only got a couple of minutes here, but I guess it leads me to my final question. What's the reaction if the Canucks keep

suitor and Besser, pass the deadline without extending them and then they miss the playoffs? Like, does that just automatically give certainly the Besser camp a lot of leverage and being like, you better keep me, you better sign me because you guys are not going to look good if I walk away for nothing and you've got nothing to show for it.

Well, yeah, I mean, it's a major reason I don't like the own rental thing as a general rule with a player like Besser who, you know, wants to stay. You know, the trade deadline is a useful tool to get them to take, you know, a team friendly deal. Like this is a, if your intention is to keep Besser, this is the window of opportunity to get them to take a team-friendly deal. Like this is a, if your intention is to keep Besser, this is the window of opportunity to get your best possible deal. The price of the brick very rarely goes down as July 1 approaches for a pending

UFA, right? And then you throw in that leverage component where you're right. The moment the deadline passes, I think leverage does tilt toward Besser. So, you know, this is sort of the week where if you're open to keeping like, we like Besser at the right price, if you're at that level with him, this is the week to get that done. And yet, you know, while both sides, I think, have a good sense of what it would take that they're certainly they certainly haven't been actively working on it. I think the same

is true for Souter and the same is true for Forbert. Like this this team has not been especially busy on the negotiation front. Now that could change today but to this point this week. So yeah I mean I think it's it's what would the reaction be locally if the Canucks were to go go by the deadline with Besser and Suter? I think a lot of Canucks fans would just be like oh here we go again. Seen this movie. No, these are, these are battle hardened Canucks fans. Jason, they're used to their disappointment. The team making a win now move that everyone

thinks is imprudent. Like Canucks fans will just be like, yeah, we call that Thursday around here. Yeah. That's what I'd expect. It is pretty funny when I say like, Oh, the fans are going to go ballistic. And I'm like, wait a minute, they always go ballistic and the team is still there.

Uh, Drancer. That's our natural state. Exactly. Constant state of ballastism. I don't know. Drancer, enjoy the day, buddy. Uh, enjoy the trade down line. We'll, we'll chat soon.

Cheers boys. Bye. Uh, Thomas Drance from the Athletic Vancouver and Canucks talk here on the Haliford and Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. Adog, we got a text from BBJ from Kelowna, Forna. I got to say, I kind of agree with this, but you're going to push back. And he says, I've been listening since the start at the funny station, through the pandemic interviews of people sailing around the world, but for the love of God,

Thrash Thursdays is too much. I played in punk bands for years, not averse to hard, loud music, but it's just too much too early in the morning. Okay, now read the like 20 texts that love it. Yeah, good job, you found the one text that hated on Thrash Thursdays. Yeah, cherry picking much? It's the first text that this guy has ever sent in. Yeah, that's fine. What does BBJ stand for?

That's what I want to know. I think that's a category on Oh that'd be okay Yeah, you there are a lot of people like Thrasher. You don't like Thrasher Thursday. It's too much too early We're just helping you wake up in the morning, man. You're projecting through BBJ. Yeah. Yeah. Onto the people.

Stop projecting, man. The people love thrash. Everyone knows it's Thursday. BBJ, you and I will. Get this job done. BBJ, you and I will go out for breakfast one day and we'll just have Peter Cetera on. The whole time. I believe it's pronounced Peter Cetera.

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