Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Best of Halford and Brough 9/19/25

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

Mike & Jason look back at the previous day in sports, plus they discuss Canucks training camp with Donnie & Dhali's Rick Dhaliwal. This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The view...s 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.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough. You're listening to Halford and Brough. Back to pass. It's a screen pass to Shakir. Has a blocker in front, racing to the end zone, and he's in. It's a 15-yard screen. Pass for a touchdown. Yeah, happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. Here's Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Starting point is 00:00:35 Without a shirt on. Because, you know, we might have a team that can really score, and we might have a team that can't. We don't really know. Ladies and Jen, the weekend. Good morning, Vancouver, 6-1 on a Friday, sweet, sweet Friday. It is Halford and his breath. It is Sportsnet 650.
Starting point is 00:00:52 We are coming you live from McKin Tech Studios in beautiful Fairview Slopes in Vancouver. Jason, good morning. Good morning. Adaw, good morning, TV. Good morning. morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Halford and Brub of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates.
Starting point is 00:01:04 Get out of the penalty box of debt and get back into the game with a financial fresh start. Visit them online at sands dash trustee.com. Ooh, it's new Reid Day, everybody. We are an hour one of the program. This year, give her English muffins. Okay, Mr. Reed. Hour one is brought to you by North Star Metal Recycling. Vancouver's Premier Metal Recycler pays the highest prices on.
Starting point is 00:01:30 crap metal. Well, it's new read day for some companies. North Star Metal Recycling, they recycle. You get paid. Visit them in 1170 Powell Street in Vancouver. Get out of the penalty box of debt. I hate being in the penalty box of debt. I tell you what. Out of all the penalty boxes, it's probably the worst one. I get out of the box and I get sent right back in.
Starting point is 00:01:48 Actually, a penalty box of bees might be worse. That's true. For you. It would have to be an enclosed box. We are coming to you live from the Kintech studio, Kintech Footwear and Orthotics, working together with you in step. We got a lot to get into on a Friday show, despite everything you just heard. We do have business to attend to here on the Halford & Brough Show on Sportsnet 650.
Starting point is 00:02:06 The guest list today begins at 630. Nick Shook from NFL.com is going to join us. It was a much closer than anticipated game on Thursday night football as the bills moved to a perfect 3-0 with a 31-21 win over the now 0-13 dolphins last night. The dolphins might have lost the game, but the important thing is they covered the spread. We'll look back on that with Nick at 630. We'll look ahead to the rest of week three of the NFL season. We talked about this yesterday.
Starting point is 00:02:33 Where are the marquee games this week? Is it Eagles Rams? Can you count Niners Cardinals for first place? All I care about is the Seahawks this week. And if, because if they lose to the Saints, there will be a blowup. Well, I'll add to that. I am very much looking forward to Monday night, Ravens Lions. That should be a good one.
Starting point is 00:02:52 Yes, okay. Also that. Yes, Nick Shook's going to join us at 630 for all that. 7 o'clock AJ from AJ's Pizza on East Broadway. A reminder, a $100 gift card to AJ's Pizza on East Broadway goes to the best. Ask us anything today. The premise, quite simple. Ask us something.
Starting point is 00:03:08 We shall answer it. If it's a really good question, we'll give you $100 for pizza. What a deal. Be sure when you text in, put a pizza emoji into your text. Put your name on the text. Dunbar Lumber text line is 650, 650. Start getting them in now. 730 Moge is going to join the program.
Starting point is 00:03:26 Play-by-play voice. the BC Lions, Bob the Moj, Marjohnovich. Lions are back out on the road tonight, taking on the stamps in Calgary. First meeting of the season between the two. The Leo's come into this one, looking to get back to 500, the 8 and 4 stamps, look to solidify their hold on second in the West.
Starting point is 00:03:42 We'll talk to Moj about all that at 7.30 this morning, I assume from Calgary, unless he's flying in later, which I doubt. Dollywall is going to join the program at A. Rick Dollywall, Intrepid Canucks reporter from Donnie and Dolly on Czech TV. As per usual, I turn things over to his handler, Jason Brough for what we're going to discuss today about the Canucks with Rick Dollywall.
Starting point is 00:04:01 Yeah, it's day one of camp observations from Rick and the ongoing quest for a second-line center. Okay. It seems so interested. Oh, the second-line center, presumably. Sorry, I got sent a text. So we are, we're giving away Giants tickets today as well. Is that right for the game tonight? Yeah, for the game tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:04:26 Gay tomorrow, right. They opening it's a Penticton V's at the Langley events. There's two giveaways. So how are we going to do it, Adog? What's your plan? Best ask us anything for giants, I guess, and best what we learn for A.J's. Seems wildly confusing since we did the best ask us anything for AJs.
Starting point is 00:04:42 But I'll go over. Okay, let's do the other way. Reverse. Reverse. So best what we learn gets you the pair of tickets for the Giants and Penticton V's. Best Ask Us Anything gets you some pizza. We don't miss a step on this program. We got it all under control. It's a big Friday.
Starting point is 00:04:56 show. Working in reverse on the guest list. 8 o'clock is Dollywall. 7.30, it's Moj. 7 o'clock, it's A.J. 630. It's Nick Shook. That's what's happening on the program today. Laddy, let's tell everybody what happened. Hey, did you guys see the game last night? No. No. What happened? I missed all the
Starting point is 00:05:12 action because I was... We know how busy your life can be. What happened? Missed it? You miss that? What happened? What happened is brought to you by the BC Construction Safety Alliance. Making safety simpler by giving construction
Starting point is 00:05:26 company's investment tools, resources, and safety training. Visit them online at B-C-C-S-A.C-S-A. Yesterday, just hours after we got off the air, the Vancouver Canucks hit the ice in Penticton at the South Okanokean Events Center for day one of training camp. Tons to parse through as the new look, sort of new look, Canucks hit the ice. We got new lines.
Starting point is 00:05:47 We got new quotes. We got new audio. We got it all, Jason. Let's start, I guess, with the line combinations and the big one right up top. Yeah, sure. Sure. Pedersen between Besser and Dubrusk, that's one top line. That was in Group A, my favorite group. Group B, the top line there was Heidel between Kane. And this is interesting, Lecker-Mackie. And we went into the season going, or we went into training camp going, okay, there's six obvious top six players. And one of them was not Lekar or Mackey. But Garland, in fact, was on a line with Bluger centering Garlander and Hoaglander. So Lecker-O-Mackie, given a bit of an opportunity with Heedel and Kane.
Starting point is 00:06:40 But let's start with Pedersen between Besser and DeBrusk. And I will throw it out to listeners. Do you like that line? Do you think that line will work? Does it have enough edge? Does it have enough speed? does it have the right chemistry because we did see it at times
Starting point is 00:06:59 last season and it was meh, I think it was okay but I guess maybe the answer to so many questions when it comes to the Vancouver Canucks including whether or not this line will work is which version of PD are we going to get so it became pretty apparent
Starting point is 00:07:16 yesterday that this trio was designed to be together from day one and I guess the hope is that they'll be together and thrive the three of them together throughout training camp into the exhibition season and hopefully into the regular season. DeBrusk spoke about playing with PD as a sort of like
Starting point is 00:07:32 here come the clues as to what's to come for this season. And he mentioned last year that they did play a bit together and it didn't always go great, but he did learn a lot from year one and that could translate to year two. Here now Jake DeBrusk yesterday from
Starting point is 00:07:48 Penticton on playing with PD. Yeah, I learned a lot. Honestly, just in terms of how he wants to play the game, how he, you know, thinks the game and kind of where he is on the ice positionally as well. I think that was something that took a little longer than I would like to admit for me to figure out. I didn't really know where to go on the ice when he was there, which is kind of funny because, you know, he's such a good player. He just got to pretty much get to the net or, you know, get to the scoring areas. But even with him and Brock, I think they're
Starting point is 00:08:12 both different players. But they play, you know, the same type of way. So, you know, today we had a couple five and five drills. Everyone was in positions and stuff. And just try to work on it. And like I was kind of saying earlier over there, I guess. You know, I played with them in spurts last year. We had some good moments and some bad moments. And we're talking it through and trying to improve. This is an interesting thing here because when I heard the clip and I went back and kind of started to reminisce, I really honestly forgot that on the heels of that very disappointing 2024 playoff that ended with the loss to Edmonton,
Starting point is 00:08:45 I distinctly remember saying, Canucks got to go out and they got to find Pedia win. ringer to play with. And I wasn't the only one. It was one of the calls of the summer. And then they went out. You remember in the end of that playoff, he was basically being flanked by, I think it was like Hoaglander and McKayev. And I was like, this can't continue. This is the way that they can fix PD. So they'll find him a winger. And then
Starting point is 00:09:05 on day one, a free agency, they went out and got Jake DeBrus. Now, if you had told me then that the free agent winger that they were going to go out and get would now, did he match or post a career high and goals, whatever the case, he flirted with 30 goals. I'd say, hey, problem solved. You found the winger that was finally going
Starting point is 00:09:21 solve PD and figure it out and they were going to play together. It didn't work out that way last year. DeBress sort of got those goals oftentimes independent of Pedersen but I do wonder a year later given all the tumult that happened last year if now, now that everything's right and PD's
Starting point is 00:09:39 all bulked up and ready to go that this is going to click. It might be a bit optimistic. I think it's three guys that expect more out of themselves. Pedersen for sure. Bessor did not finish Bester didn't have a great season, didn't finish the season well. And I imagine a lot of that was due to the uncertainty of his situation.
Starting point is 00:09:57 A lot of that was due to the fact that his most regular center, J.T. Miller, was traded away. But even DeBrask, who on paper, in terms of goals and points, had a successful season, he himself has said, yeah, I need to be better. I need to be more involved out there. So when we ask, you know, is this line going to work? well, if they all play like they did last season, no, it won't work. But if they all bring something to the equation, then yes, it might. And also, how much help might they get from their defense?
Starting point is 00:10:34 Because according to all the observers at training camp, you know, they want the defensemen to be involved. They want a fourth attacker, if you will. So how will that work and how will that help? All the forwards, really, create more. offense. Yes, it's going to bring more risk in, but maybe that's what's required to get this team to score some goals. And, you know, you add a fourth, you add another attacker. It's probably going to help. But there is obviously a huge element of risk that comes with that. So when you ask the question of the listeners, and again, weigh in, Dunbar Lumber text line is
Starting point is 00:11:10 650, 650, 650. Will DeBrusc Petey better work? Does it have enough speed? The immediate answer is no. that is it's not just a sort of plodding line by Debruskin skate de bruskin skate yeah but he's one of three yeah yeah right and and I would not necessarily call him a burner by the standard of the NHL by this team PD can skate when he's on yep but he's I would not say that speed is a strength of theirs now here's the thing you don't necessarily need to be lightning fast to be effective
Starting point is 00:11:42 chemistry is I think the biggest thing is do you know and burrows weren't lightning fast do you do you do and do you have having an understanding on the ice where you need to be. And it was funny because DeBrusk mentioned that in the clip. He's like, I had to figure out where to go. And then the goal scoring spaces. And then I put my hand up. I'm like, why didn't you think of that right away?
Starting point is 00:11:58 But or whatever. Like he did say it took me. And sometimes it does take a while, right? You can't just, sometimes you throw duos and trios together and it clicks. Sometimes it doesn't work at all and you have to go away from them. And sometimes they do grow into the understanding of one another. Is there going to be less structure this year? because it sounds like I mean I don't know the answer to that
Starting point is 00:12:21 but it sounds like foot is I don't want to say he's going to be like running gun out there boys but it sounds like he's going to let the guys make a few more decisions for themselves if you're a defenseman you know it's all well and good for the coach to say get involved in the attack but you have to make a decision on when it's the right time and in the defensive zone if you're going to do a quote unquote swarm defense or a pressure defense where you're trying to take advantage of numbers,
Starting point is 00:12:51 then you're going to have to make the right decision on that. Right. And maybe, maybe that will help Pedersen. Maybe that will free him up a little bit. We certainly heard from a lot of people last season that talk and put the handcuffs on Pedersen. He tried to reprogram his brain and he needs to play with more freedom.
Starting point is 00:13:11 He's an artiste. Maybe that will help. And, you know, in terms of playing with Pedersen, If you're DeBrasch, I mean, my advice to him might be like, hey, don't take anything from last season because that wasn't how Pedersen plays when he's on. There was also, and this is courtesy of Brendan Batchel, play-by-play voice of the Vancouver Canucks on SportsNet 650. A lot of drills where the defense was joining the rush and a lot of drills where it was a four-man attack, I do wonder if the trading of rush chances might be something that we see in the early, the early stage of the season are where these things are going to bear themselves out. in a good and bad way. You know, you know,
Starting point is 00:13:49 is that a foot just going to go for it? He's just like, all right. I think what my... Running gun, baby. I think, I think you may, you may see a carbon copy of the start of last season where they try some things
Starting point is 00:14:01 and then the decision will be made like, are we going to keep doing this? Or are we just going to go back to a more defensive oriented style? I like to think that foot heard that phrase, Timu Talk it. And he was like,
Starting point is 00:14:15 oh, I'll show them. Yeah. I'm not going to be. be like, Rick at all. We're going to be like, Adam, there it is. But he doesn't work as well, does it? Foot, there it is. Foot there it is, is it bad.
Starting point is 00:14:26 Foot there it is. Yeah, foot, there it is. That's in the back of the net. And not in a good way. I don't know. Again, it's a three on oh. Yeah, where we are parsing through day one of training camp aggressively, which is what we do here.
Starting point is 00:14:44 But based on what foot. said prior to training camp, but based on what people seen from day one in training camp, there's a couple things that stick out. One, he seems like he's throwing a lot of the guys in terms of what you need to do,
Starting point is 00:14:56 how you need to read, where you need to jump, and there's different reactions to certain situations, which can result in an information overload. Right? Part of the talk, the reason that he was able
Starting point is 00:15:10 to get a lot of success in year two on the job was the simplicity of the approach. Guys knew where they needed to be, and knew who was doing what when you get into reading certain game situations I mean they're talking about this in the NFL with quarterbacks
Starting point is 00:15:24 all the time and what makes the elite quarterbacks great isn't necessarily that they can run around and then they can throw the ball on a dime it's their ability to read defensive make changes in real time it's what Tom Brady was elite at well let's talk about Quinn Hughes then let's uh we'll get to maybe some of the other
Starting point is 00:15:39 storylines from the forward groups um the connects have some ideas on how they can't keep Heidel away from the big concussion-causing hits. And also, Braden Coots seem to show pretty well in day one of camp. And he could be a guy that has a chance at making the opening day roster or at the very least playing nine games in the NHL before he's sent back to junior. But I want to play this quote from Hughes because
Starting point is 00:16:10 I guess he was asked if he's worried about the team scoring and if he's worried that they won't be able to score enough goals and get a load of this quote from Quinn Hughes. Honestly, my mindset is, you know, don't barry a worry from tomorrow. So if we can't score, that's something I don't need to worry about right now. What I need to worry about is camp and getting through camp feeling good, making sure everyone's ready to go
Starting point is 00:16:44 and because, you know, we might have a team that can really score and we might have a team that can't. We don't really know. Bringing endorsement. He kind of pulled a Halford there because he screwed up the line. Oh yeah, it's a Halford.
Starting point is 00:16:58 It's his own ass now, yeah. Because he said, well, no, the way he did it. You got ahead of himself, right? And he said, don't bore a worry when he meant to say, don't borrow a worry from tomorrow. Matthew 634, dude. It's hard to say.
Starting point is 00:17:15 Check out your vibes, everybody. That's Matthew 634. Is it really? It's the futility of worry. Don't you guys know your Bible verses? Oh yeah, you went to Catholic school. I forgot about that. Therefore, Matthew writes,
Starting point is 00:17:28 do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. It's called the futility of worry. I actually like that. It's not bad. Wow, that's all we learned. It's better how Quinn says it, because he goofed it.
Starting point is 00:17:39 We can relate. Can we play it one more time? Can we play it one more time? Because we're going to ask, because it's Friday, we're going to ask all our listeners to send in their best cheesy life advice. We're not calling the Bible cheesy. But that's not necessarily from the Bible. There's a lot of people that have gone out there and said, you know,
Starting point is 00:18:03 just try to not get canceled, bro. You know, don't bar. a worry from tomorrow. So if we can't score. I always tell the dogs when they're upset, you have to look through the rain to see the rainbow. I like that. And I know Halford likes to say often during our meetings, he says, yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, and today is a gift. And that's why we call it the present. Because it's a gift. I do say that. I do say that. I do say that. a lot. Did you see Kyle Dubus had one yesterday
Starting point is 00:18:39 too? Did he turn into Dr. Seuss as well? What's going on? No. He was asked about the rebuild process in Pittsburgh and he said, I have a friend that says, short cuts cut, long runs short. Ah.
Starting point is 00:18:56 Like when did NHL is turn into Stuart Smalley? I actually got to because I was doing the prep for this yesterday I get distracted and all of a sudden I'm watching old Stuart Smalley videos. Hello, I'm Stuart Smalley. First of all, I just want to say that yesterday's show entitled
Starting point is 00:19:20 Fear is a dark room where negatives get developed was not my best show. And that's okay. Only the mediocre are always at their best. We should do that every time. time we have a bad show. Yeah, that should be like a sign that's put up on the wall.
Starting point is 00:19:41 Only the mediocre are always at their best. Stewart's Molly was pretty great. Was one of the most underrated S&L characters of all time. And the movie, I think it was like... There's a movie? Yeah, there was like Stewart Saves Christmas or something like that was legitimately
Starting point is 00:19:55 funny and heartwarming. I love that. And that's okay. Only the mediocre are always at their best. Isn't Al Franken a senator now? Yeah. No longer. No longer.
Starting point is 00:20:07 Yes. The line before that was amazing Was it fear is a dark room Where negatives get developed? That's an amazing line That was not his best show That was not his best show Oh man
Starting point is 00:20:18 Quinn Hughes comes out saying that He should You know, he really should I just like I was like Maybe we'll score Maybe we won't You know those bathroom reader books It's like 101 inspirational quotes
Starting point is 00:20:29 He could just pull from one every day And it would be a little life lesson Along the way It'd be far more interesting than what guys normally have to say To be honest I like some of these text coming into the Dunbar-Lumber
Starting point is 00:20:38 text line. Rome wasn't built in a day. Yep. But they worked on it every day. Yeah, I like that. Here's Sean,
Starting point is 00:20:49 aka Big Shoots, which I nicknamed him a couple days ago. My wife always says, worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but never actually gets you anywhere. Oh.
Starting point is 00:21:01 I like that. I like that. Sean then writes, I can't stand at L.O.L. Yes. It helps put my baby to sleep? Yeah, that's right. That's right.
Starting point is 00:21:09 I always like, the night's always darkest before the dawn. Yep. That is nice. We should use more of these. I've never really understood that one, though, though. Yeah, don't get it. Isn't the night equally dark for a few hours? That's why I hate phrases like this,
Starting point is 00:21:25 because a lot of them they sound good and they're good and catchy, but when you really break it down, does it really make that much sense a lot of these? Don't over analyze it. Let's circle back to the non-inspirational division. Although this wasn't been inspirational for Braden Coots, Adam Foote. I loved it. We got like a million of them coming in.
Starting point is 00:21:42 A snake only sheds its skin to become a bigger snake. Yeah, really makes you think. That's not a great segue into Braden Coots. He has no snake-related tendencies, by the way. But the first overall draft pick, who we've kind of at times. Or the Canucks. Yeah, we've kind of at times talked and talked ourselves in, talked about and talked ourselves into him being a contender
Starting point is 00:22:05 for a spot on the roster. I will probably have one of the best day ones of training camp out of anyone, at least according to the head coach, Adam Foote. Here's what Foote had to say about Braden Coots after day one at the South Okanagan event center in Penticton. You know, like a high draft pick
Starting point is 00:22:21 like that at that age, like you don't really see what they've got until they play with a couple experienced guys and, you know, he's a smart player. And I saw on the rush especially, We did a lot of rush where he was really good because he knows when to hold up.
Starting point is 00:22:40 He knows when to stay level, come in as a unit of three. He knows when he to be the scoop guy on the weak side. So I saw his brain today, which I liked a lot. You know, and no disrespect to a rookie game, it's hard. Those rookie games are hard. You get guys off summer. There's no structure. all different people from all over the world
Starting point is 00:23:04 and you know everyone's trying they're almost everyone's trying too hard you know what I mean it's just just just a big mess up there but you do find great things and I think it's good for the rookies get those touches but I thought he had a real good day so if you look closely at the lines and even the D pairs yesterday
Starting point is 00:23:20 there were three first round picks belonging to the Vancouver Canucks that are all given an opportunity yep you've got Lecker-Macky skating with Heedel and Kane top six lack you've got coots between sherwood and baines which could be a fourth line for sure that that that could be a fourth line um and then you had tom willander skating with derrick foreboard which could be a third pair now you might say well what about rotu
Starting point is 00:23:52 yeah who knows he was on a line with crapsov and carlson and that could also be a fourth line According to the observers, Ratu, well, I don't think so. Ratu, Kravsoff and Carlson, I think it's very unlikely all three of those guys make the team. I'm just, like, hype, okay, anyway. Well, just, yeah, I think it's very unlikely. Those two, I think it's much more likely that it's Kut, Sherwood, and Baines. And then Ratu, at times, was switching off with Krafsoff as to who's playing center. Now, again, it was day one of training camp, but this is what happens.
Starting point is 00:24:29 when you're a first round pick and you've got the talent. They want to see what you've got and I know Lekar Mackie's been in the organization for a little bit but wouldn't it be nice? Wouldn't it be nice if he could fit in the top six somewhere and provide some scoring? It'd be great. And they'd have him and they'd have him for
Starting point is 00:24:49 the power play if that's the first unit more likely the second unit and wouldn't it be nice if Willander could show well a training camp because he is that right shot that they need and like like similar to coots coots is the right shot centerman which they need so these things are like it's almost like they're they're wouldn't it be nice if these guys showed well so let's give them the opportunity
Starting point is 00:25:17 out of the gates and if they take it and they run with it awesome and if they don't we can always pull them back from this so sat and dan talked about yesterday with regards to lecromackie We made one of our videos on Sportsnet 650 social talking about, I'm all about giving Lekromacki a good on a start of a shot in the top six. And, I mean, it makes sense from kind of what you're saying. Go out of the gates with your first round pick that's got that potential on that ability and that pedigree. Give him a shot. If it doesn't work, claw it back.
Starting point is 00:25:51 You know that you can plug and play other guys in that spot. But if Lekar Mackey's going to make it, you need him to make it as a top six forward. You need to make him to make it as a goal scoring wigger. That's what he's supposed to be. And you know what? Doug from Camloops has some good life advice as we go to break. And, you know, this is, this is, this is, this is advice for Adam Foote as he prepares for the upcoming season and he prepares for the upcoming year in Vancouver. Doug says, plan your attack and attack your plan. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough.
Starting point is 00:26:28 You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Dolly Wall
Starting point is 00:26:52 It's time for Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Dolly Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall 8.02 on a Friday. Happy Friday, everybody.
Starting point is 00:27:06 Halford Brough, Sportsnet, 650. Halford & Brough of the morning is brought to by Sands and Associates. Learn how a consumer proposal kicking you on the road to being debt-free in just two weeks. Visit them online at Sand-dustee.com. We are now in hour three of the program.
Starting point is 00:27:21 Rick Dollywall is going to join us in just a moment here to kick off our three. Our three is brought to make Campbell and Pound real estate appraisers. Trust the expertise of, I didn't know what I was doing. Trust the expertise of Campbell and Pound. Visit them on the internet at Campbell-Dashpound.com today. We are coming to you live from the Kintech studio, Kintech footwear and orthotics working together with you in step.
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Starting point is 00:27:55 industry's hotline. Right now, our next guest, Intrepid Canucks reporter from the Donny and Dolly Show on Czech TV. It's Ricky Dollywall here on the Halford & Brough show on Sportsnet 650. What up, Ricky D. Gentlemen, gentlemen, let's go. All right. Day one observations from training camp, the Rick Dollywall edition, Go. Interesting to see Elias Pedersen with Jake DeBruscan, not of Andrew Kane. You know, I've been thinking the last few weeks, I kept saying to my head, Kane's going to start with Pedersen. Do you know the centers he played with in Evanton?
Starting point is 00:28:30 Pretty damn good. The center position is one of the reasons why the orders keep going back to the Stanley Cup finals. He's a big guy. He needs a playmaking center to get him in the puck. I'm not sure Heedle's that guy, but I really thought going in to day one, it was going to be
Starting point is 00:28:46 Patterson with Kane. But Heidel was with Kane and Le Caramackie. Now, Le Caramackie is a whole different story. He started last year at camp with Pedersen, he looks like again for the second year in a row, he's going to be given every chance to start high in the lineup, and it's going to be his job to stay high in the lineup. He kind of filtered down after starting with Patterson last year at camp,
Starting point is 00:29:10 and then second line, third line, fourth line, so it's up to him. No surprise that Tom Hollander, the first defenseman to get a look with Derek Forbert in that third pair. Well, Lander is a player that Canucks would like to see on that opening night roster. But Wallander better take advantage of the chance because Elias Pedersen, the defenseman, Victor Mancini, and Pierre Olivier Joseph, they also want to crack at starting on that third pair. I don't think it's fair. I see some shots taken at Willander because he wasn't great in Seattle at a couple of prospects games last week. I think he was dealing with cramps in one of the
Starting point is 00:29:47 games. But I think this is a kid that we're going to keep an eye on. And if he can make the Canucks on opening night. Great. If not, then he can go down to Abbisbury. But I think that kid getting the first shot with Forbert on day one is very telling as well. And this is for you, Brough. Look at all the positive Patterson talk. Had the great summer, did well in the skating test. Foot was raving about him post-practice yesterday. If Patterson returns to his old 100-point form, that's the best thing that can happen to the Canucks. He seems like he's on the right track. It looks like last year humbled him, woke him up,
Starting point is 00:30:30 and made him realize that all the great players in the NHL, they have to get better every day, every month, every year. You can't go backwards. He now knows there's a standard for top players, and it's up to him to maintain it. So far so good. Obviously, we won't know until the bullets fly in the regular season. That's your Dempko saying yesterday,
Starting point is 00:30:51 that if he plays to his standards, he'll make that U.S. Olympic team was music to the ears of the Olympic team who left him off the summer camp, the list, the tryout camp. My USA contact said to me, after hearing Demko's comment, the response was,
Starting point is 00:31:11 that's the attitude, we hope Thatcher takes. I don't think there was one player that said all the right things this week more than Demko. He told you why he re-signed in Vancouver. He loves it here. He instructed his agent to do it.
Starting point is 00:31:26 He's healthy. He's ready to go. It obviously bugged him that the Americans left him off the U.S. Olympic roster only simply because he didn't play much last year. The Americans have a list of seven goalies. He's on it. He's on the long list. He just didn't make the list.
Starting point is 00:31:42 But I thought Dempco nailed it out of the park all week saying all the right things. I am hearing that Connor Garland. wants to take more of a leadership role with the younger players this year. He's really dialed in from what I've been told. The Canucks have never replaced the type of leader that Chris Tannib was. Like Tannab was the guy that had Bessor and Hughes and all these guys over for dinner when they were younger and just arriving in Vancouver.
Starting point is 00:32:12 TANF is the guy that did that in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. You will not find a person in the hockey world. that has a bad thing to say about Chris Tannib. It is why a lot of these guys went to Kinnock's management last year, or sorry the year before and said, go get Chris Tannib at the trade deadline when he was in the final year. I'm hearing that Garland wants to take a step in that direction, become more of a leader, and that's really good
Starting point is 00:32:39 because I don't think the Kinnock's ever, ever replaced TANF's leadership. I don't think they ever did. Well, you know, I was listening to Bruce Bood. actually on another network and he was talking about how J.T. Miller was often the guy that would organize the parties and have people over to his house so they need someone who's
Starting point is 00:33:02 going to do that as well but yeah doesn't every doesn't every team need like a team dad that organizes that not only organizes things but yeah welcomes the young players to the team and it still really sticks out to me that
Starting point is 00:33:17 Adam Foote came on our show I guess over the off season after he'd been named head coach and we were talking about bringing the team together and he said something along the lines of like there should never be a young player eating alone on the road and I'm like man
Starting point is 00:33:33 he's clearly seen that happen then or something along those lines so yeah I'm really curious to see how the leadership group evolves because in theory there should be a lot of leaders there because there's been a lot of guys that have been there for a long time so they know how things run. Are you going to take responsibility to leave this team?
Starting point is 00:33:57 Are you just going to be a guy that's like, yeah, I like it here. I'm going to play hockey to the best of my ability and collect my paycheck. Yeah, and Dave King, the great Canadian coach, one said you can't have enough culture carriers in the dressing room. And he's correct. You can't have enough guys like Chris Tannib. Not only good hockey players and leaders, but good human beings. and you can't have enough of those guys but I'm really hearing that Garland is dialed in
Starting point is 00:34:22 he's got the new contract he's another guy that told his agent get the deal done in Vancouver so that's good news when you hear stuff like that a veteran guy that wants to stop up in that so that that was good to hear for me I heard that this week
Starting point is 00:34:36 guys the Canucks told us that Jet Wu had surgery in August out month to month but they didn't tell us that the surgery was on his wrist in Winnipe You got it done by one of those top hand guys. Anyways, Wu heard his wrist in the playoffs last year. Over time, it was getting worse.
Starting point is 00:34:57 They had no choice. I am hearing it is healing well. It could be back in late October. Now, this is a good chance for 20-year-old Sawyer Minio from Kamloops to show Abbas for what he's got. Remember this time last year, Minio had the great camp, played the exhibition game in Seattle, got signed right away, right? but the thing is
Starting point is 00:35:17 Minio can still return to Calgary for his final year in the Western Hockey League but it's going to be an opportunity for Minio to crack that Abisperd lineup he's one of the guys the young defenseman that Canucks really like so would Jet Wu out for a while with
Starting point is 00:35:33 the wrist injury keep an eye on Minio and let's see how long he can stay in Abisford if not he'll go back to Calgary the Western Hockey League but you know what and Coots and Medvedev I've got to tell you guys something. From the moment the Canucks drafted Coots and Medvedep, the goaltender out of London,
Starting point is 00:35:51 I've talked to a lot of people in Ontario about Medved and about Coots in Seattle, two high character picks. Like, it's been a while since I've heard so many good things, you know, about Connoct draft picks like I've heard about these two. And Coots from all accounts yesterday was great. And Medvedad, I guess, and I hate to say it, because Brian Burke said it, about Kevin Weeks and it backfired. But I think this kid is the goalie of the future.
Starting point is 00:36:19 But I mean, he's years away. But I think those two picks were absolutely really good picks for the Kinecks. Dolly, the quest for a 2C. How's it going? Oh, boy. So listening to LV. Northerford talk about the second line center. Okay, they said the obvious things. The market's not great.
Starting point is 00:36:41 The prices are sky high. We know that. but the one thing the Rutherford said that really was interesting we are not willing to overpay right now but are you going to be willing to overpay at the 1520 game mark if philippe people if philippeal isn't working out as the second line center is that when you put in a willander or a le caramacki to get a deal done to get a centerman if the knucks have to move a young player like le caramacki
Starting point is 00:37:10 do you want them playing nine minutes in vancouver or do you want them playing 20 minutes a night in Navsford under the tutelage of Manny Mahaltra. You always want a young player's value high if you're going to move them. But if that kid's in Vancouver playing eight, nine minutes a night on the fourth line, that's not doing anything for him. You know, never mind his trade value, but his development as well. So it's going to be really interesting to see, you know,
Starting point is 00:37:36 where La Karamaki starts the season. I mean, one of the reasons he did get benched in the playoffs, is physical, right? He's not the biggest guy in the world. And those American hockey league playoffs are a war. And then he came back at the end and scored a couple of big goals. But interesting to see what happens with him. What really hurt the Canucks is they couldn't get the center on July 1st.
Starting point is 00:38:00 That's where you don't have to give up anything. But the problem was too many centers resigned with their own teams. They had their eyes on Matt Duchain, resigned in Dallas. Then they went after Michael Granlin, Erratic DeVorak. When they couldn't get Granlin or Dvorak, they spent their remaining money on resigning Brock Besser. Boy, did they go hard after Dvorak. They offered three years at $4 million per season. Granlin was the beneficiary of a week, July 1st.
Starting point is 00:38:29 There was a GM that told Granlin's agent, you're not even going to get six. He got seven. I'm talking about a million, and that team was offering in the five. Michael Granlin hit the Grand Slam because all these other centers resigned with their teams. That's why the Connector and the pickle they are today because they couldn't get that center for free on July 1st in free agency. One thing I'll say about Patrick Alveen, and Jim Rutherford was correct in saying this, Alvin tried hard in August, no dance partners. This week I heard he's the one GM in the NHL willing to make moves, but nobody wants to make moves.
Starting point is 00:39:05 Everybody wants to see what they got at camp. Unless there's a miracle trade, you go with Heedle and you wait and see. They have no other choice. If only the Canucks had the assets in the cap space for Mason McTavish, the incredible part of the contract dispute with McTavish is the fact that Ducks have 20 million in cap space, more than any team in the NHL right now, they can sign three Mason McTavish's if they really wanted to. They're not calling the agent and saying we don't have the cap space,
Starting point is 00:39:35 space. They're calling the agent and saying, we don't like your ask. Well, that's fair enough, though. Just because they have cap space doesn't mean they have to overpay Mason McTalbush. They've got a lot of good young players in the system, and they've got to set their structure. Brough, why pick a fight with the third overall pick?
Starting point is 00:39:51 Over what? Let's say the gap. Well, like I just said, you've got to set your structure because you've got a lot of good players coming up. But they did this with Egress. They did it with Drysdale. Both don't play in Anaheim anymore, right? so look they are not
Starting point is 00:40:07 a team with cap issues in fact they got the most cap space in the NHL I know we're going around in circles here yeah I know but by the same token you know you're picking a fight with your third overall pick it is what it is it is what it is
Starting point is 00:40:23 okay the Canucks don't have any PTOs where are all the PTOs Rick I love a good PTO it gives us things to talk about or like maybe this guy can make it. Oh, he's not going to make it.
Starting point is 00:40:35 Remember Scotty Upshaw's PTO? Oh, yeah. He got a free trip to China, and then he got a contract from the Blues. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What a deal for Upshull. Yeah, it was. It was a podcast.
Starting point is 00:40:45 The Canucks did get calls from agents about PTOs. Most agents were told when they call Vancouver, we're full. Like, we're full. Our roster is full. But here's the thing.
Starting point is 00:40:58 When your team wins the Calder Cup at the American Hockey League level, give those kids a strong chance to make the club, the big league club out of training camp, reward them. And that's what the Canucks did. Abbisford players, especially forwards, have plenty of opportunity to crack the Vancouver lineup. The defenseman, it's obviously tougher.
Starting point is 00:41:17 There's only one spot on defense, third right, third pair right shot. But I think what the Connucks did here was good. They basically said our Calder Cup team won the championship. Why would we bring in two, three PTOs, right? and have our guys, young guys, battling PTO guys at camp, give, reward them. And I think that's what they did. There was a defenseman, PTO that called Vancouver in the summer,
Starting point is 00:41:44 and was trying to engage, and with Vancouver didn't get anywhere. And the forwards that called, we're told that we're full. So I think it's good. I think what the connection did with no PTOs was good. I think they acknowledged that our American Hockey League team had a great season. Let's give these kids an opportunity to make the big league club. Okay, let's talk about many Molhotra. What does this contract extension, if you want to call it that, they picked up his option year.
Starting point is 00:42:12 What does it mean for Malhotra and what does it mean for his future with the organization? I told you guys two weeks ago. Did I not? Maltautra's got one year left on his deal and the Kinnock should sign this guy sooner than later. They did it. They picked up the option. Right? So that means he's under contract for two more years.
Starting point is 00:42:34 Well, again, when you win the Calde Cup and you get your players ready for the NHL, the way Mahaltra did, you get extended, and that's what the Canucks did. Smart move by Vancouver. Mahaltra's great season last year did not go unnoticed. Obviously around the National Hockey League, he's an up-and-comer for future head coaching jobs. Everybody knows this. This will keep teams away from Mahaltra for a while, right? and I will say this
Starting point is 00:43:00 and I will say this with Ryan Johnson Mahalter and the Siddine twins the Knox are in good hands in Abysburg in terms of developing players like I can't tell you guys enough how many times I get a call from an agent wanting one of their clients
Starting point is 00:43:15 in Abisperd and that wasn't the case when the team was in Utica like there's horror stories about the way the team was run in Utica simply was far away and the bulk of the Utica teams were Benning a Wisebought. And, you know, it wasn't good. I think one of the greatest moves this owner did was moving that franchise to Abbisburg. And the setup they have there right now, I think is one of the best in the
Starting point is 00:43:42 National Hockey League. The farm team is only 45, 50 minutes away from the big league team. You got some really good people down there developing players. And I think it's just a great setup. I think Abbotspard is known around the league as is one of the better American hockey league setups. And I think what the Canucks are doing with Johnson Multer and Sadine twins never get enough credit. When the Sadine twins were hired for that role, everybody thought it was a gimmick. You know, I just were giving them a job. That's not accurate. They've done a wonderful job working with those kids in Abbisburg, take it to the bank.
Starting point is 00:44:16 They've been really, really good down there. Ricky D, I'm going to throw you on the spot here. Okay? You ready for this? You got any idea what's going on with Jack Roslavia? He changed agents, and he was with Claude Lemieux, and I would text Claude, and Claude's a great guy, one of the fiercest competitors in national hockey league history, and Claude would tell me that the Canucks were in it, Conucks were in it, and then I'd stop, Claude stopped, return to my text, I couldn't figure it out, and I thought I pissed Claude off. I didn't piss Claude off, the, what's his name, changed agents. they need a centerman. They don't need a centerman slash winger.
Starting point is 00:44:58 They don't need a centerman slash winger. They need a true centerment. I really believe in my heart. DeVorek was the guy they wanted. They went after him hard, like super, super hard. And it just wasn't meant to be. Like, look, if you're going to invest in a centerment, if he doesn't work out, might as well go and spend.
Starting point is 00:45:22 And you got, what, $3.2 million in cab space, you might have to cough up a young prospect. Just go do it and get a true sentiment as opposed to a slash, sentiment slash winger. I just, I have not checked into Roslovick in a while. He's got a new agent. But I will tell you something right now. I think they want a true sentiment. I really do. I'm going to put you on the spot as well.
Starting point is 00:45:46 How far did they engage with Souter? Pia Suter? Yeah. that's another it's a great question like when they never they always kept in touch
Starting point is 00:45:59 with the agent but they never was serious with Pius and it never got the way it was told to me it was they were just never serious and they liked the player but clearly he was in a position
Starting point is 00:46:13 to get term in money clearly but he didn't get as much as you know like you talked about how how like Granlin got more than people said he would and, you know, Duchesne got a good deal and the Connox might have been interested in him. I always felt when Souter eventually signed it was like,
Starting point is 00:46:30 oh, that's it? Yeah, yeah. And you know what? He wanted term. He got it. Did he get the four or five years? No. He got a really good raise from what was he at, 1.6, all the way up to four.
Starting point is 00:46:44 He did okay. But the Connox were never serious with him. They never, ever, ever made a serious offer to the point where the agent said, Hey, Pius, Vancouver just made a serious offer. That call never took place. That call just never took place. Maybe they, but think about it.
Starting point is 00:47:00 They wouldn't make, they wouldn't give Pia Souter three times four, but they offered three times four to Dvorak. Like, okay, so why are you offering to Warwick term and money, but you're not doing the same for Souter? They never made a serious offer to Souter. Never. Dollywell, always fun, buddy. Thanks, Ricky.
Starting point is 00:47:19 No, no, no, hold on one final note. Yeah. I got Cardial updates. Basant Motors lost Dakota, Joshua. You guys know that. Yep. They just added Teddy Blugher. Let's go.
Starting point is 00:47:32 So Teddy Blugher is a part of the Basant family, along with La Caramacchian and O'Connor. So that's the Basant team. All right? Okay. Connor Garland just got a new car with Open Road Auto Group. All right? Okay. Can Halford get a car?
Starting point is 00:47:49 Halford needs a car. Alford needs a car? We need a car guy. Hey, Alfred, I know the guy that lines up these cars for the conduct players. He parks them. Tell them I'm a free agent. I'm looking, I'm in the market. Okay, as soon as I get off the phone, I'm calling my guy.
Starting point is 00:48:07 Mike Halford needs a car. Yep, I do. I need a car badly. I am unafraid of, you know, any dealership that wants me, whether there's these supposed curses or not. I don't believe in that kind of stuff. Put it in H. Yeah, I just want to drive, Ben-Toh. Can I get you a 1984 Pinto?
Starting point is 00:48:25 Buddy, I will gladly take a 1984 Pinto. I will drive that thing into the ground, which is probably where it's already at. You know what I saw the other day? A Cadillac. Okay, it's pronounced Brom. But it's actually like Brufam. B-R-O-U-G-H-A-M. Broham. Yeah, yeah. Broham. Those things are in minding. They are boats. You should get one of them. And then you should just be like, I'm out in my bruff-em. No? I'm on the phone. Robby, you got a car. I'm going to work on Alford.
Starting point is 00:48:55 Okay. All right. Good. Go. Thanks, buddy. Rick, I appreciate it, buddy. Good updates at the end there, too. Enjoy the week.
Starting point is 00:49:00 Have fun working with Henderson today. We'll do this next week. He already hung up. He hung up. He's done. He's done. You missed the reference. I don't know if you seen the Great White hype.
Starting point is 00:49:08 Wildly underrated movie. Don't think I have. It's the boxing movie with Samuel Jackson playing the role of like a Don King. Oh, yeah, okay. I know the movie. I don't remember it. It's one. one of the Wayans brothers is the heavyweight champ
Starting point is 00:49:22 and they're trying to find an interesting fight for him. And they go back and they find a kid that he lost to in Golden Gloves Junior boxing. Okay. And it's a white kid. And he says this is the great white hype. And the idea is that you have a black fighter against a white fighter. Anyway.
Starting point is 00:49:33 Have they ever done that in boxing? Never. Never throughout the course of time. Anyway, one of the guys, his ask for the fight, this is a third, I think is Jamie Fox. He keeps asking for a maroon broham. Oh, okay. And it's pronounced what?
Starting point is 00:49:47 Brom, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Says, get me a maroon. broham it's really good anyway okay we gotta go to break i saw one parked in front of the station it was taking up like two spots it was incredible i think i know we're up against it for time i've told you i've gone down the facebook marketplace road for and so when you click on one all of a sudden you get a million yeah the amount of like 1983 rolls royces that are available in the laur it's remarkable because it's a vintage of car where it's not quite a classic collectible right still got
Starting point is 00:50:15 that weird 80 sort of like boxy vibe to it yeah so it's like roddy Dangerfield would pull up to it and Caddyshack, too, or whatever. And I keep looking at him and I'm like, should I do it? $8,300. Like, should I do it? I think I should do it.
Starting point is 00:50:31 I think I might make the plunge. Or I'll just wait for one of these card dealerships to come through. You're listening to the best of Halford and Brough.

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