Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Best of Halford and Brough 4/29/25

Episode Date: April 29, 2025

Mike & Jason look back at the previous day in sports, they talk Stanley Cup playoffs plus the holdup with Rick Tocchet re-signing with the Canucks, plus the boys go to the text message inbox to answer listener questions regarding news around the Canucks. 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- a bounce out front and the Panthers have taken a 3-2 lead! Hits with Rantonin, Fedd there, score! Miko Rantonin against Colorado! You can open one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first. Good morning, Vancouver 601 on a Tuesday. Happy Tuesday everybody. It is Alfred and his Brough in his Sports Night 650. We are coming to you live from the Kintec Studios in beautiful Fairview Slopes in Vancouver. Jason, good morning. Good morning. Andy, good morning to you.

Good morning. Enter Kieran, good morning to you. Good morning. And Greg, good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Alfred and Brett for the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates, BC's first and trusted choice for debt help. With over 3,000 five star reviews, visit them online at sands-trustee.com.

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. Big show ahead on a Tuesday guest list. Today begins at 6.30. Greg Wyshinski from ESPN,

our NHL analyst, is going to join us. Two games from last night's Stanley Cup playoffs to look back on. Four more tonight to preview. We can also discuss Mike Sullivan's departure for the Penguins and what it means for the coaching carousel moving forward. We'll talk to Greg Wyszynski from ESPN at 630 about all that. 7 o'clock, Nick Shook from NFL.com is going to join the program. We'll take a look back at the NFL draft. We'll talk about the situation in Cleveland with Shader Sanders.

We can also ask him about the Philadelphia Eagles Monday visit to the White House, where Donald Trump said that he likes the tush push. And he hopes that they keep it in the NFL. It's important news. I didn't see that. He said that. It flew under the radar.

We, it was a busy day yesterday Locally there was a lot going on. Donald Trump likes the tush push. He didn't realize they were talking about football. Right. So that's going to be at seven o'clock. Eight o'clock, Arif Dean is going to join us from Colorado Hockey Now. The Avalanche are on the brink of elimination

after a 6-2 loss in Dallas in game five of their first round series. Tough night for Mackenzie Blackwood in net. For the Colorado Avalanche, we'll talk to Araf about the team that he covers who are now facing elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. So really quick, working in reverse on that guest list, 8 o'clock Araf Dean, 7 o'clock Nick Shook, 6.30, Greg Wyshinski. We got a lot to get into on the program today.

So without further ado, laddie, let's tell everyone what happened. Hey did you guys see the game last night? No. What happened? I missed all the action because I was busy. We know how busy your life can be. What happened? Missed that?

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. With everything that's going on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, both last night and tonight, and everything else in the world of sports, we are still going to start with the Vancouver Canucks. Specifically, a question about head coach Rick Tauket.

What's the hold up here, Jason? specifically a question about head coach Rick Tocket. What's the holdup here, Jason? Well, there are, there are lots of questions right now. Uh, what's the holdup with Rick Tocket? Um, how will it look if he says no to the Canucks, if it's not Tocket, who will be coaching the Canucks next season? Because I think we might be getting to the

point now, or might have to start discussing Who will be coaching the Canucks next season? Because I think we might be getting to the point now, or might have to start discussing some candidates, but let's start with what's the holdup. It might be as simple as the Canucks not meeting Tuckett's price, but you also have to wonder if he's got his eye on another job like Philadelphia. There's a lot of candidacies out there and you'll

recall that the Canucks, when the Flyers fired torts, we're a little frustrated with all the talk in this town and pretty much in Canada and the United States about, oh, maybe talk it to the Flyers. And that's kind of when it started the whole option thing, oh, maybe, maybe talk it to the flyers. And that's kind of the, kind of when it started, the whole option thing. Sure. We got this option, we're going to use it, right? They were frustrated.

And I think it was Philadelphia specifically that really got them upset. But the flyers were the spark, I think for sure. Which is. To go back chronologically. Yeah. But I wonder if they maybe knew something because we're going to play some audio from Elliot Friedman, who was on the Donnie and

Dolly show yesterday. And he seemed to suggest that it was either going to be the Canucks or the Philadelphia Flyers. I think we're going to know soon. Um, you know, I don't know if it's going to be today, but I had some people say to me this morning, like, I don't know if it's gonna be today but I had some people say to me this morning like, who knows, like today could be the day but Rick I knew I was coming on your show and I made sure to make some texts.

I actually did some homework before I came on and you know as it stands right now just about before, excuse me, before I came on there was no decision at this time. I think people are hoping it'll be done this week as of Friday and you things can always change But as of Friday, nobody had been given permission to talk to talk it So he was not legally allowed to talk to other teams. I know I mean, I think you reported the talk It was back in town last week I think there were some meetings with the Canucks on Friday and at the end of last weekend to talk about things. You know, I think we're getting, this has taken a bit longer than I

thought, I admit, but I think we're getting there and I think we're going to get a decision one way or the other pretty soon. So what's your feel and gut? Seven openings after Pittsburgh, Elliott. If Tauke doesn't come back in Vancouver, I mean, this guy's gonna land a job somewhere. I mean, there's gonna be a lot, he's gotta be on a lot of teams radar, Elliot. He is, there's no question about that. I've still believed, you know, like I said,

I think now that Sullivan's on the market, he's the Rangers number one guy. I think Tauke was a potential mix in New York, but I think Sullivan rockets to the top of their list. I really do think if he's coaching next year, the most likely outcomes are Vancouver and Philadelphia, and we'll see where it goes. I think in Vancouver, part of it is contract.

I think part of it is I mentioned on the pod today, I went back and I listened to Rutherford and he talked quite a bit about the practice facility. And initially I kind of glossed over it because I'm not there like you guys are. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I look at things like that and I say, I don't know if that's so much something I have to worry about. Well someone said to me that there was that there was a reason that Rutherford talked about that quite a bit and it's because talk it's brought it up. So I think contract is a big one but I think also practice facility, Quinn Hughes future direction but to me I've always believed that you know can they can they agree on a contract and, and, and

can they get the practice facility done? What's Quinn Hughes thinking? And I think it all kind of morphs from there. But you know, like I said, Rick, I think we're getting close and like I said, I think it's, my bet is if he's coaching next year, it's either in Vancouver or Philadelphia. So a lot to chew on there.

Again, it might be as simple as the Canucks not meeting Tauke's price and if they come up or Rick Tauke comes down a little bit, maybe they just come to a number that makes sense for both sides and they sign and they move on to the off season. But, you know, I think after the season that the Canucks went through and with things like the, the practice facility and

the specter of Quinn Hughes, his contract being up in two years. And at that point he could go anywhere he wants. You do have to wonder if talk it's just thinking like, is this a place where I can succeed? Tuckett is 61 years old. He's won a lot during his career as a player and coach, but he's never won a Stanley Cup as a

head coach. And he did not try and hide the fact that this season was extremely taxing on him and the rest of the coaching staff. And I know you're supposed to meet pressure with pressure and embrace the hard. Who said that anyway? I can't remember.

I think it was Winston Churchill. Yes. But there's also the notion, and I just kind of mentioned this, of putting yourself into a position to succeed. Does he see that with the Canucks? And I realized that there's no perfect jobs open right now, the Philly job, there's a long way to go

in Philly, but at least he'd just be kind of like day one there, you know? The Philly job must be tempting too, if the Canucks don't block him from trying to get it. He's such a Philly guy and I'm sure he'd love to help turn the Flyers around. I think that would be tempting with all the ex Flyers there, Danny Breary in charge and the

Flyers looking for some guidance. They need some guidance and Tauke could be a guy that goes in there and he's a hero in that city. He's in the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame? He is like, he, I don't know what the flyers want to do. I don't know if they want to maintain this long term identity that they've got or if they think

that's a good idea to do. But like, if you bring back Tauket, who is not just kind of like a gimmick head coach either. You know, like when Gretzky went and coached the Coyotes, it was kind of like, you know, that's a bit of a gimmick, but like Tauket, one coach of the year. Like last season.

And, um, you know, if he goes to Philly, I think he would be really embraced there. Cause there's, let's face it, there's, you know, half the fan base right now, it seems like does not embrace Rick Tocket. And he went through a lot of stuff this season and he doesn't have a practice facility, which brings us to my next question. How will it look if he says no to the Canucks? And we've kind of hinted at this a few times on the show.

The answer, the obvious answer is it will look awful for management and the organization. Obviously. Now, you know, this is life and life is unpredictable. Maybe there's a chance it's a blessing in disguise and the Canucks find someone who meshes better with the players. But you know, let's say this week it comes out that they

couldn't come together on a contract and talk it is granted permission to go talk to other teams and he's like, oh, I'm going to Philly. That's going to be hard to spin. That's going to be hard to spin. Um, especially if it's over money. The Canucks are supposed to be one of the big money teams in the league, but if they can't afford their own coach,

they don't have a practice facility, and oh yeah, they're bickering over relative pittance to sign their top prospect, people are gonna start to wonder, hey, what's up? And the biggest question is how Quinn Hughes would see a failure to sign the head coach that he went out and said, I want this guy back. And if it was about money and Quinn Hughes is sitting there going like, is the organization can't afford to sign my head coach?

Right. There is, uh, there's already, I think there's already some damage done with the way that this has played out. It feels like there's been a certain strong arming from both sides talk. It's demanding, uh, if you believe all the reports, a certain level of compensation, which is fair, but it does seem like this is dragged out to the point

where there'll be, there'll be a lingering sense of why did it take so much and so long and so much work to bring a guy back to a job he already had where a year ago he was the coach of the year. They won 50 plus games. They had a hundred plus points and they were one win away from going from a conference final like There's obviously going to be a lot of questions about How happy he is there? I think the level of convincing that would need to or that is needing to happen right now is worrisome Because the other jobs out there Sure, they've got some enticing aspects to them, but we've broken them down thoroughly or the last couple weeks on the show

There's warts on all these other jobs as well. None of these are perfect gigs that you'd be walking into. Now granted, there's not always perfect gigs that you walk into. Usually when a vacancy happens, it's because coach got fired because it didn't go well last season. But I mean, you look at Philadelphia and I understand that it ticks a lot of boxes. They also have a practice facility by the way, in Voorhees, New Jersey. Yes. Um, Philadelphia job, you're not winning next year. You're probably not winning the year after that. And then you're talking about year three of your

tenure as a head coach in a league where coaches don't last that long. So that's, and then if you go through some of these other jobs, like Fried said, Sullivan sounds like he's the primary candidate for the Rangers job. I don't know what happens in Pittsburgh now. Maybe that's an option as well, but there's no great other options out there. Yet those are being considered at least as strongly as the Vancouver job in Rick Taukett's eyes, if you're going to believe the reporting from, from Freed, which I would imagine is pretty accurate.

So there's already going to be some damage with regards to how will it look? Because even if he comes back, I think there's going to be that lingering, took a lot of convincing to get you back here. Who are the three, who would you say are the three key players on the Canucks? Because I would go with Hughes, Pedersen, and still

I would go Demko. Yep. Okay? Yeah, yeah. And let's, I mean, even if you wouldn't pick those three, it's the number one center, the number one defenseman, and I still think, when healthy, the number one goalie. There is so much uncertainty with all three of those. Yeah.

And if you're the head coach, you're kind of like, don't you have to make a bet? I mean, someone texted in and said, that's, um, you know, that's a really good point about, you know, he's the guy that says, uh, meet pressure with pressure and embrace the heart and now what he's going to bail, but you do have to, if, if you get to the point where you're an unrestricted free agent or a free agent, like Tauke it is about to become, he's still under contract with the Canucks technically, but he doesn't

have a contract for next season yet. Um, you do have to make a decision at that point and go like, um, you know, where, where am I in a position to succeed? God, how many times have we seen that in our industry? Like, you know, like, oh, I got this opportunity. You know, oh yeah, well, what time's the show at? What kind of exposure are you going to get? Who's your co-host?

What kind of support do you have? Who are your producers? Yeah, yeah, yeah, who are your producers? Like, oh God, is it you have? Who are your producers? Yeah, who are your producers? Like, oh God, is it those two? Just a couple of dogs. Good luck. And we can be like, I'm excited for you to get the opportunity, and then Halford and I

will go and we'll talk behind their backs and be like, this is going to go badly for them. That's a disaster. Right? Because it's put yourself in a position to succeed and if you're Tauke, and you've already been here, right? He is the, believe it or not, and you just made,

you made a good point about how coaches don't last long in the NHL much anymore. Um, Tauke is the eighth longest tenured head coach in the NHL. Right. They don't last long. So what happens if there's another down year in Um, talk it is the eighth longest tenured head coach in the NHL. Right? They don't last long. So what happens if there's another down year in Vancouver? Do you think, do you think the fan base is going to rally around him?

No, no, no. Right? Like it's, it's, and it's kind of like, well, a lot of the goodwill that he, uh, sort of built up over the first year in Vancouver is whittled away. Except with the media, except with the media, who's always going to bat for this guy. The water carrying media. I mean, it is true.

I mean, the media is more supportive in general, I would say, than the fan base. And there's a few reasons for that. I think the defensive hockey or, you know, the low event hockey that we've seen a lot of in Vancouver this season, and frankly, at the end of last season, and a lot of people don't like it. And a lot of people who are Pedersen supporters are kind of like, well, I actually want a different guy in because clearly this is not working.

Yep. That's fair. You know, and it is fair. Yeah. I mean, everyone's got their opinions and, and, and Tachin himself would come out and said, you know, like, Hey, it's sports. People. I mean, everyone's got their opinions and, and, and Tauke it himself would come out and said, you know, like, Hey, it's sports. People are going to have their opinions.

And when the team doesn't perform, you know, criticism is going to be made. But I, you know, I, again, like there's, it's crazy to say because Tauke it really hasn't been here that long, but the idea of a fresh start in a place like Philadelphia, where he's already a hero and he's going to get way more of a benefit of the doubt than here in Vancouver.

It must be, I'm not even going to say might be tempting, it must be tempting. Okay. So let's work on the notion that there is a possibility that Rick Tuckett might not be back as the Vancouver Canucks head coach next season. The next question is, well, who will be? Yesterday on Canucks Central with Sat and Dan,

Frank Ceravalli joined the program and he threw out an interesting name about the job with a guy that has ties to the Pittsburgh mafia now residing here in Vancouver, Jim Rutherford and Patrick Alveen. Here is Frank Ceravalli on Canucks Central yesterday, talking about if there is a potential coaching vacancy in Vancouver and who might fill it.

Frank Zeravalli right here. Yeah, I think that's really well put. Just because it's a record for the Canucks, doesn't mean that it's up to snuff for the rest of the marketplace as a whole, which by the way, I think is gonna change in a significant way because Mike Sullivan's gonna have the opportunity now to raise the bar on coaching salaries. He was already the second highest paid coach. There's a reason why the Penguins didn't really

fret in making this decision and parting ways because they believe that he's going to have a job within the week, I was told. And so within the week and theoretically for a higher number, the penguins are off the hook. And it's not a financial commitment that they need to worry about anymore because of the offset. The other interesting thing about the Mike Sullivan situation is everyone is so focused on is everyone is so focused on the Rangers, which I think is a great fit and probably the very clear odds on favorite to land Mike Sullivan. And then of course you've got the Bruins

and you've got that whole, you know, Northeast geographical reason. But I have to tell you, in talking to people close to Mike Sullivan today, they mentioned if things don't work with Rick Cockett and the Canucks, don't sleep on the idea of a Mike Sullivan and Jim Rutherford reunion. I mean, look, I'm not gonna say that there's nothing there.

I'm somewhat skeptical that the Canucks would be able to land Sullivan, especially if the Rangers go hard after him. And I'm not even sure if it's a good idea to keep trying to recreate the Pittsburgh organization in Vancouver. There's only one Sidney Crosby and none of these guys would have been successful without him.

And he will not be walking through that door in Roger's arena anytime soon. Unless he is, unless they make that happen, in which case let's go, let's get Mike Sullivan, bring Gino here, why not? Get them all. Um. Mark Andre Fleury, you're back.

Kuditz, you're back. Look, I'm sure Frank is talking to a lot of people that are kind of like wondering themselves too, right? Um, if he can't make it happen with Talk It, Rutherford is a guy that gets after it. Of course he's going to try and bring Sullivan here. Of course he would. It's, it's, it's the same thing.

Like it's the same idea about, well, we're worried about Queen Hughes leaving for New Jersey, let's find a way to get the Hughes boys here. Here, like I know a lot of people thought he was joking about that and there might've been some humor to it, but I have heard they've kicked it around.

Of course they've kicked it around. I don't know how serious it's become, but of course they've kicked that idea around. How couldn't they? You know, like are you just going to immediately dismiss that idea? You know, you're sitting around talking just like we do on this radio show and we get texts in. You know, what about bringing the Hughes boys here? What would we need to do to make that happen? Now it might be a short conversation because it's like, wow, we can't and New Jersey's in no position to do that deal.

What are we going to do? What kind of package could we put together to bring Jack Hughes and his brother here that wouldn't, that is respectful of what New Jersey wants. Sure. So why not think, well, if we can't get Tocket, why not get Mike Sullivan?

Now you'd have to make that case to ownership because if you think Rick Tocket's asking for a lot of money, Mike Sullivan's going to ask for even more and justifiably so. He's been considered one of the best coaches in the NHL for the past decade. He's won two Stanley Cups as a head coach. Rick Tuckett has not won a Stanley Cup as a head coach. Now, if it's not Tuckett and if it's not Sullivan,

we've had a few people texting in about Manny Mulholland because he's got the AHS and the NHL Now if it's not Tocket and if it's not Sullivan We've had a few people texting in about Manny Malhotra because he's got the AHL team going so well and I guess They could they could do it. But if they do they need to add some serious Experience to that coaching staff and I really do think it should be noted that it's way different coaching an NHL team than an AHL team. The players, the players are just in a different mindset. Down in the AHL, they're like, what do I need to do to make it?

Sure. And in the NHL, especially with some guys that have already made it, already got paid and they're not worried about being sent down to the AHL, they're like, I do I need to do to make it? Sure. And in the NHL, especially with some guys that have already made it, already got paid and they're not worried about being sent down to the AHL, it's different. And I think all you have to do is look at what happened with Pedersen and Miller last season and go

like, yeah, I don't really, that doesn't like, you don't see that story in the AHL. The two highest paid players on the, you know, the Tucson road runners or something, I can't get it wrong. And it's like, well, they all make 70 grand or whatever, you know what I mean? Like I'm joking there. Like it's.

Huxen. It's just, it's just different. And I know Manny has been behind the bench in Toronto and Vancouver, and he obviously played in the NHL for a long time. So he knows how things are in the NHL. But there's also a difference with the media obligations, like every day, pretty much as a head coach, you have to go out and face the questions every day, before a game, after a game,

after a morning skate, after a practice. Like it is constant and you know, I know it's not the biggest part of the job, but it is something that becomes taxing. And I think we saw that with Rick Tocket this year. Yep. What about just hiring Jim Hughes? Just Quinn Hughes' dad? Yeah, he's coached before.

Then the brothers might come over here. 4D chess. I like that. Don't go after the brothers. I like the way you think. Go after the father. It's like minor hockey. Yeah, does your dad want to coach? Yeah, you want to be the manager? Just collect every other Hughes and eventually they'll all come together Okay, we got a lot more his last job. Didn't he coach in the KHL? He coached in the KHL

He was the head coach of the A HL's Manchester Monarchs He hasn't been behind a bench in an awfully long time. Well, maybe he's- But that itching to get back. That just means he's been learning. You know what? Off the job. I know you're joking, but I think we should

push this narrative. I think we should really do it. You know- Lean into it. Everyone, again, oh, the simple minds out there, like just get the brothers. The advanced minds are like, go for the dad. That's how you recruit a junior. Just give the dad a job with the team.

That's all you gotta do. You got him in the bag. The dad is coach, the mom is manager. Moms are so organized. Yep. Right? Do you know how to run Team Snap? We need someone to do that. You're set. Got Pedersen signed out.

Yeah. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. 734 on a Tuesday. Happy Tuesday everybody. Halford and Bruv, Sportsnet 650. Halford and Bruv of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. Learn how a consumer proposal reduces your debt by up to 80% with no more interest. Visit them online at sans-trustee.com. We're at the midway point of the show. Got an open segment here on the Haliford and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. Anything you want to get into? Buffalo Bill did not care for our last topic of conversation.

Bill, we're open for suggestions. Dunbar number text line is 650. 650. Anything you want to get into here on the Haliford and Bref show, we can do it right now. We are in hour two of the program, as I mentioned. Hour two is brought to you by Jason Hominick at Jason dot mortgage if you love paying too much for your mortgage Then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. I am joking of course

Let him do exactly that visit him online at Jason dot mortgage We've had a few questions on this and I don't know if I've answered them or not or you've answered them or not Blairski on the big island. What's that Blairski? Blairski. Is that in Hawaii or is that Vancouver Island? I think it's Vancouver Island, but the big island. That's a good question actually. Boys, would the P&E be a good location

for the practice rink? I imagine that the Canucks have explored that possibility and I realize that PWHL is going to be playing at the Pacific Coliseum and practicing at the Agridome and there might be a bit of work put into that, but this isn't meant as a disrespect to the PWHL, but it's very different. Like what's expected for a practice area for the PWHL versus a practice facility for the Vancouver Canucks, very different. If you look around the National Hockey League,

and a friendly reminder, the only two teams without a practice facility are Vancouver and Calgary. If you look at the majority of them, uh, they're new builds. Uh, they're new builds. Yeah. That's the key. Like you just end it there.

Yeah. They're new builds. They're talking about making some upgrades to the agridome and the Coliseum and it's going to be great for that league. And I'm glad that hockey's back at the, at the Pacific Coliseum, but look, man, I'm almost 50 now. I played minor hockey at the Agradome.

Yep. I mean, also. And it's not, you know, the amount of work that would have to go into it. I think the Canucks have come to the conclusion. I know they have because that's exactly what Jim Rutherford said is like, we're just going to have to build a new facility. I think the Canucks have come to the conclusion, I know they have because that's exactly what Jim Rutherford said is like, we're just going to have

to build a new facility. We need 20,000 square feet and let's build the facility. So I don't know if we need to get like a commercial real estate broker on the show. That'll be fun. That could find, you know, like what's it like to try and go find 20,000 square feet in an area where it's

going to be accessible to the players. Do you know what I mean? And I don't know what else would be involved in that. Would it be part of a bigger development? Like I think what they initially wanted was it to be part of a bigger development and the other guys would develop it and the Canucks would have this practice facility and they probably get a sweetheart deal on it. That's the thing.

They probably wanted a sweetheart deal on it. They would be the attraction. I don't know, maybe there's condos there, or maybe you have some retail there, or office space and it's kind of like that's the attraction to the development. Like, oh, where do you live? It's crazy, man. I live in this like condo where the Canucks practice. They're there all the time, right?

Like it's, I don't know if that's your thing. Or I don't know. Where do you work? Oh, I've got some office space. You know what's crazy? You should come by one day. The Conox practice there. Yeah.

You know, and you see them coming in and out. Or maybe you have some, maybe part of the deal is that you have some sports, sports physio guys that have an office there. Well, yeah, a lot of the existing practice facilities with the American teams, especially, are sort of like joint medical centers. The ones that the Penguins have in Cranberry is the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. So they've got physio and rehabilitation from injury and all that kind of stuff.

So there's a million different ways you can go. The P&E though, for me to answer your question, I just don't think that's an answer because I think they need a new build there.'t think that's an answer because I think they need a new build there. I think that's what you need and you're going to have to find the space, but you know, this has really kicked up a notch.

And it's funny, we talked about the practice facility, I want to say like three or four weeks ago, and it was just like a simple, what we learned because Utah was building one and we were like, this will be kind of funny. Utah has been in the league for five minutes and they've already got a practice facility and we're still needing one here in Vancouver.

And it's an issue that would come up time, like from time to time, but it wasn't on anyone's front burner really. It would come up if Jim Rutherford was talking to the media. He was like, hey, what's going on with that practice? He was like, oh, it's coming soon, right? Yep. But now I think it's come to the forefront because Rick Tauke is apparently using it in negotiations with the Canucks.

And now that might sound cynical, like he's using it in a negotiation, but I think it's a legitimate thing. It's a legit, for especially for a coaching staff that wants to, you know, your time is so valuable as a coach. You just want wanna have an area where you can have all your stuff.

You know? And you won't wanna be like- Guys love storing their stuff. Well, it's just- They love staying where their stuff is. It's just easy. They don't love moving their stuff. If you have a routine,

I don't know what the Connex routine is from a coaching perspective when they go out and practice at UBC. Do they have a routine, I don't know what the Conuxt routine is from a coaching perspective, when they go out and practice at UBC. Do they have a little area where they can get together after the practice as a coaching staff and go over video or have meetings in a comfortable setting? Do the players have an area where they can hang out after a practice at UBC?

Or is it just like, all right, practice over, see you later. Yeah. Right. It's all, it's all part about building a culture. Yes. And making it as easy as possible to get as much work done as possible. Well, to me, the most glaring, and I think we'll put a bow on the practice

facility talk for the day after this, but to me, the most glaring one is when you're the only team in the NHL that doesn't have one. That is that's an issue. It you can you can judge the merits of how important it truly is. Right. We talk about practice, really practice. But when you're the only NHL, 32 NHL franchises, you're the only one that doesn't have a dedicated practice facility because Calgary is getting one. It's an issue. You can't be the only one that doesn't have a dedicated practice facility, cause Calvary's getting one. It's an issue.

You can't be the only one. You're a unicorn. You're an anomaly at that point. It's strange. It's something that stands out. It's a sore thumb. It's a disadvantage. Yeah. Okay.

It's a disadvantage. Here's another question. Okay. Oh, did you have one that you wanted to get to? Yeah. Go for it. Yeah. Unsigned one, so it must be from Gary.

This is a good jumping off point for a bigger conversation. Do you think that the Tampa Bay Lightning would move on from John Cooper if they lose in five or six games? That would be three straight first round exits. I should have mentioned this earlier, unsigned texter Gary. There is another wave in the traditional NHL offseason when it comes to coaching dismissals and that's after the first round concludes. There's always one that surprises you. The first round

you got to remember is either teams that got into the playoffs and got a taste of the playoffs and they're either like, okay, this is great, we lost, but we see brighter days ahead. We're happy, we lost, but the guys are gonna learn from this, and more importantly, our coaching staff is gonna learn from this. And those guys are usually safe. And then there's the owners and general managers

who are disappointed by their first round exit, because they expected more. And sometimes that first round exit can fuel a surprising coaching dismissal. Doesn't happen all the time. But I remember a Sage NHL insider a few, many years ago now telling me, you always gotta look at the eight teams

that bow out in the first round because sometimes going to the playoffs and losing is actually more damaging than not making the playoffs at all. So the Canucks are waiting on John Cooper. Attaboy Andy. Well the Axes gonna fall on Coop. No but I'm serious. So to answer the question. You've been there since 2013. Yeah if Cooper was to shake loose the Cucks would be crazy not to explore ringing him here. I think they obviously okay Obviously if we're gonna go on the theory that

Mike Sullivan maybe could use a little sabbatical and some time away after spending a decade behind the bench in Pittsburgh I would suggest that hiring John Cooper fresh out of the Tampa gig Might be fraught with some risk because if there's a guy that might agree though but I love coop I know so he's a Prince George boy yeah local boy home if there's a guy that might need some time to unwind he probably won a coach at home if there's a guy that might need some time to unwind it might not be emotionally invested in a couple weeks there's nothing better than hearing a dog like find an idea and then get told immediately

convince himself that there's like no thought. There's no thought. Helford could say he could just be talking about all the reasons. Like it might not happen. And then a dog's like, John Cooper's the next head coach. If it's not a sully it's coop. Yeah. Cause I'm sure after decades of continued playoff success and

multiple Stanley Cups and a functional organization, right, which has a practice facility. Yeah, beautiful weather. A high bar for organizational standards in terms of winning. He's gonna want to go somewhere where the team's best player in captain might be gone. But jokes aside, do you think that the Canucks might be using this kind of thing against Haw talk? It'd be like look like you want all this money but there's all these coaches that are more successful than you. One more than you. You've made a good point. Potentially bring back. So talk if you want to come back here you know we'll give you some a lot of

money but don't expect Cooper Sully money. Well it's part of the reason why I wanted to ask Wish about these other candidates that are out there. David Karl, Joel Quenville, Mike Sullivan. Jay Woodcroft. Jay Woodcroft, because- He's getting the media glow up right now. Yeah, he talked to Wish for that piece.

Yeah. If you look around the coaching landscape right now, there are some candidates that are starting to emerge that are going to make Rick Tocket less of the bell of the ball, right? So could that be what's holding up negotiations then? In part? Well, and I also just brought up the fact that we haven't seen these first round ousters yet. Something could happen. And wish brought up the point that if Colorado bows out with the way that they

aggressively made this team, this season, also with the added Gabriel Landiscock emotional bounce and you're out, you do have to look behind the bench and say, what went wrong here? I'm not advocating for Jared Bednar's dismissal. I don't think it'll happen, but there is a question

to be asked there and they're one game away from elimination. Yeah. They got one more year of Charlie coil down the middle, but that's it for Brock Nelson. He's a pending UFA. And they spent big on that. Yeah.

That was a big bet. That was a deadline rental designed to get you beyond if they do bow out six games in the first round. And then you talk about an opening and another candidate shaking loose. I mean, there's still the guys that have recently been dismissed now of the frat, quote unquote, fresh firings and wish has a list of them. There's torts. there's Luke Richardson, there's Peter La Villalette.

I am curious about current Sportsnet employee Derek Lalonde. If he'll get it, he seems like a very bright guy. I've enjoyed his analysis. I like his work on the panel. That's how you get back in oftentimes. I think it might be the end of the line for the, like Dan Bilesma, for example. I'm not sure he's going to get another bite at the Apple, the coaching Apple in the NHL.

So I still think, like I don't know what percentage, I still think Toc's going to be back. I do. I don't know at this point. It's never a great thing when it gets dragged out like this But my confidence percentages is might be just above 50% Yeah at this point where it's taking so long though. Yeah, I know like the longer goes the less convinced I am it well absolutely, you know cuz it's like what that's why my confidence meter is Going down like the key stakeholders involved might not care. They might say between Management and talk it and talk its agent, this is just how the game gets played. Yeah. Especially at this time of the year.

We got some time. Yeah. There's no gigantic rush. Well, as I said, maybe the old, maybe management's like, we just want to slow things down a bit and see how the first round ends up. The public, I don't think the public, my friend management is not slowing this down. If anyone is slow playing this, it's talk. You think?

Yes. The Canucks want talk it and they want them signed now because they got a lot of stuff to get done this off season. And if they have to add a whole coaching search, which would probably include pretty much a whole new staff, then. Then that is another massive thing. Yeah, to put some body in ball for sure. I don't think there's any way the Canucks are slow playing this.

I think if anyone is, it's going to be Tauke. Because Tauke probably feels like, well, the longer I wait, maybe I can get some more out of the Canucks and if they don't meet my price, maybe they'll grant meet my price, maybe they'll grant me my leave and I'll go take the Philly job. Yeah, but the longer he waits, the more it could hurt him if more coaches become available.

That's why it's a bit of a. A gamble. It's a game of chicken right now. That's the dance. Toc loves it though. Beautiful dance. He loves poker. Yep.

James from Richmond texted in, if Toc walks, that might be the first domino to fall of many in the not so distant future. I believe that might be the first domino to fall of many in the not so distant future. I believe that would be the last straw for Quinn. After that, everything else falls apart on its own. I get the sentiment there and it's not that I wholly disagree with the sentiment, but you also

have to allow for the fact that Quinn is under contract for the next two years. And it's possible that they bring in, let's say talk does walk away. Maybe they bring in another coach that Quinn gets along with. Yeah, you loved one coach, you'll love another. Yeah.

There are other highly qualified. John Cooper gets along with everyone. Yep. Mike Sullivan, you saw Mike Sullivan, how excited he was to coach Quinn Hughes of the Four Nations. Yeah. Wait.

He prematurely said that Quinn Hughes was joining the team. He was all excited. Here's a quick question from Tyler, the Pepper guy, ask us anything. Do you think the Canucks regret buying out OEL? I also understand that sentiment and the question because OEL in Toronto is playing pretty good

hockey for a cap hit of three and a half million dollars while the Canucks dead cap money associated with OEL is going to jump up to, or is it already there? It's like over four million. Yeah. But the question is do they regret it? I don't think so. I don't think so. I think they needed to move on. I think they needed to move on from the contract.

And I think OEL probably needed a change of scenery where the pressure wasn't on to be a player that matched his contract. Symbolically speaking, it was also, um, undoing one of the biggest gaffes of the previous regime too. And I know that doesn't have anything to do with the player himself, but it is, symbolic gestures do matter sometimes.

So it's, and I'm going to bring it back to number 40 for just a second here. I haven't done it for a while. Give me a break. Okay. It is corrosive to a team's culture when there is a player making a lot of money and not performing up to task.

Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. I think it weighed on OEL too. Yeah. And I'm, you know, when he. It did. I'm sure it did. Who held his, it was Boudreaux that healthy

scratched him, I want to say. I don't remember that at all. I think of what, I'll have to double check that at the break. That's why we have computers and the internet. Um, but the fact that that was happening to a guy making over $8 million, it just becomes, um.

It was with Louis Erickson too. Yeah, but it's corrosive. Yeah. It just becomes a shadow that you can't escape from it, just, it hangs over. Because everyone talks about you within the context of your contract. Everybody does. Because, and especially at that time

when the cap wasn't going up very much and everything was so tight to, you know, within the dollar and, I remember, the joke I always used was like, if you wanted to trade for Robbie Fabry, you had to launder his $2 million contract through two places first, just to get him in the lineup. Like that's the financial world

that that contract was living in. So I don't think that they regret moving him. I think that what's happened here is probably how the buyout process should work. You give the player a fresh opportunity to go ply his trade elsewhere under a totally different financial circumstances. And you still get to kind of free yourself to a

certain degree, because now they get the dead cap. But I think, I don't think there's any regret there. No. I also think it allowed them to make some changes to the team that did, you know, help produce last season. And I know last season feels like a long way away, but financially for the club, it was probably a good financial decision, at least

during that season where they sold a lot of, sold a lot of tickets, including some playoff tickets, probably sold some merchandise. It was financially, it probably at the very least balanced out. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough.