Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Canucks Have Their Man

Episode Date: May 15, 2025

In hour one, Mike & Jason look back at the previous day in sports, they discuss the Canucks naming Adam Foote head coach as well as Rick Tocchet going to the Flyers (3:00), they chat the 'Nucks signing Tom Willander (15:00), plus they discuss last night's brutal Maple Leafs loss with Fan 590 Toronto's Sam McKee (28:06). 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.

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da- 4s! Mikala makes it 4-0 Florida! Well I don't think they came any harder than they have. To be honest with you, I think we let them come tonight. You know, I mean, we stood around and watched. We know that they're going to be coming all over us everywhere on the ice. There's the shot! Reflected! He's back on scene and he's loose! And Dan, in the 10, has won the game and the series!

Good morning, Vancouver! 6-0-1 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday, everybody. It is Halpern and his brother, Fitties Sportsnet 650. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studios in beautiful Fairview slopes in Vancouver. Jason, good morning. Good morning. Ada, good morning to you.

Good morning. Ladi, good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Halpern and brother of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates, BC's first entrusted 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 kintex studio kintex footwear and orthotics working together with you in step We got a huge show today I don't know why sports decided to cram everything into yesterday, but they sure did specifically the National Hockey League So we got a million things that we need to get to the guest list today begins at 630 It's our good buddy Sam McKee from fan 590 in Toronto real kipper and born Leafs talk

Oh, I want to find a Sam's tweet from last night And this came in During the Leafs game. It's just five words Actually, I don't know if I can read it. Can't say the first two. No, I can't. It was a family show. It is have some pride.

The first two refer to a religious figure. And then J. Initial J and C. And then J.C. Yeah. Yeah. He was upset. He was irate. He was hot last night. Unlike his hockey team, real good performance by the Leafs last night. Lost to Squeaker,aker six one at home to the Panthers in game five of their second round series. We'll talk to

Sam at six 30 about what the Leafs do from here because it sure felt like they barely had a pulse last night in a very pivotal game five in that series. That's at six 37 o'clock Jordan Hall from NBC sports. Philadelphia is going to join us because Rick talk it is the new head coach of the Philadelphia flyers. In his introductory remarks yesterday, Tuckett said that he's always been a flyer at heart and he got a pretty big paycheck to follow his heart. So what I want to know, and we'll ask Jordan this at seven o'clock, what are the expectations for the Flyers this season? This year coming up with Rick Tuckett behind the bench, what are the expectations? We'll talk to Jordan Hall about that at seven o'clock eight o'clock.

Tyler, your M Chuck is going to join the program. Oh yeah. The Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Vegas golden Knights last night. That also happened late. They punched their ticket to their second straight Western conference final third in the last four years. Uh, and of course the Oilers did it by winning a super tight defensive battle, one nothing in overtime, where the heroes were Stuart Skinner and Casperi Kaepernick, just like we all expected.

So the Oilers were on their way to the Western Conference final. We'll talk to Tyler about that at eight o'clock. 8.30 sat to our Shaw is going to join the program. Very busy day in Canuck land yesterday, Adam Foote, namely 22nd head coach in franchise history. The club then agreed to terms with prize prospect Tom Vylander. I don't know why the Canucks decided to cram all this stuff into yesterday, but then again,

I don't know the rationale for a lot of things, but we're gonna talk to Sat about a very busy day in Canuckland yesterday. So working in reverse on the guest list, 8.30 at Sat, eight o'clock Tyler Uremchuk, seven o'clock Jordan Hall 630 Sam McKee we are giving away tickets to see the who like we have every day this week I will announce the details about that in the 7 o'clock hour the call will

happen caller number 5 at 815 this morning that's what's happening on the program today laddie let's tell everybody what happened hey did you guys see the game last night 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. In the end, Jason, the Vancouver Canucks didn't look or go very far to find their new head coach.

The team announced on Wednesday that Adam Foote, former assistant coach to Rick Tauket, has been elevated to head coach, becoming the 22nd head coach in franchise history. Yeah, and I think the statement that Patrick Alveen sent out when the news was announced said a lot of things, and it wasn't just the usual nonsense that you get in a press release quote. Alvin noted that Adam Foote has already gained the players respect.

He knows the group better than anyone else. And he brings, here are these words again, structure and accountability. And he has a process that will send a clear message to our group about the way we want to compete, practice and play hockey. So for anyone that was looking for a brand new philosophy or system, completely fresh start and the way the Canucks play hockey, well, you're not going to get it. But I think that's a great way to start. For anyone that was looking for a brand new philosophy or system

Completely fresh start and the way the Canucks play hockey. Well, you're not gonna get it with Adam Foote Durant's reported that Durant's reported in the Athletic That Foote has already discussed his views and plans for what this club should look and feel like when it hits the ice next fall, his input on the next Canucks roster was part of the process when he was interviewed. Um, so I'm pretty sure that this means that Elias Pedersen will still have to move his feet and that the reprogramming of his brain will continue,

but with a different doctor. Okay, so I listened to, same approach. The reprogramming will continue until morale improves. New physician, his name is Dr. Foot. There was a lot of conversation, obviously yesterday on the station, this news broke right after we got off the air, and then the 16 Canucks branded shows

that we have throughout the day dove into it with you know great emphasis and great detail and there was a lot of feedback from the listeners. Canucks high T had a lot of coverage. Yep. Canucks happy hour went deep. They were into it. I understand that Adam foot is taking over a team that's in crisis and had a very, very disappointing and dysfunctional year. I also know that a lot of people and in part because of the statement released by general manager Patrick Alveen are expecting a talk at clone, both in style of play personality and then whatever, um,

whatever else Adam Foot is going gonna bring from behind the bench. There's a text that came in this morning and I did just kinda wanna start there of only to get it off my chest. It's an unsigned text, so it's from Gary. And he writes, I'm already tired of the crowd that is so sure that Adam Foote as the head coach is the wrong move.

Gary, I am with you. I don't know if it's because I'm getting old and I'm just tired of the constant sea of negativity, even though we've, you know, swam and bathed in it for years here at the Halford and Brough show. But I actually, I hate the way that he's come into this job. I hate it. I hate everything about it. I feel bad for him because I think he has to deal

with a lot of the skeletons, which he got to experience last year. I mean, make no mistake about it. He was on the job for a lot of the skeletons, which he got to experience last year. I mean, make no mistake about it. He was on the job for a lot of this stuff happening. But if you ever talk about giving someone a chance and a fair shake and a clean slate, I feel that at least from market perception, he's not getting it right now and that sucks for him. It really does because he should be allowed

to be judged as a head coach on the merits of what he does after he gets a job. And I know that's a Pollyanna approach because some people are going to say he's forever tied to talk it. He was the guy's assistant. He was his right hand man. And the statement suggests that we're going to get more of the same. I understand the vitriol, but it's a bummer. I'm going to ask a question that's probably going to get me in trouble. No, are there any here. It's a safe space. Are there any people out there that are both harsh critics of Pedersen and harsh critics

of talk at slash foot? Now are you suggesting- To me it seems like- There's a bit of tribalism here? Yeah. There's one or the other? There was tribalism before in the Elias Pedersen versus JT Miller debate. And now that seems to be like, talk, it was

responsible for whatever happened to Pedersen or talk, it's system or style didn't suit Pedersen. Like, I understand, like you could be anti Pedersen and also anti the system that they play. I would understand that because the Canucks offense was a problem. But the way I look at it, the Canucks offense was a problem because of the players. Like in the first half of last season, they couldn't get the puck out of their own end because their blue line stunk.

Peterson was bad all season. And then the second half of the season, when they fixed the defense, you know, they lost all their, they lost all their scoring punch up front. Like find me, find me a coach that could have done anything with that forward group last season, the way it was constructed. They didn't have much talent, they didn't have much speed, they didn't have much shooting ability. I mean, they were one of the worst top sixes in the NHL. And that texter that texted in said, after saying I'm already tired of the crowd, that is so sure that Adam Foote as head coach is the wrong move.

He said the biggest issue that must be addressed is what are they going to do about Pedersen and how are they going to improve the top six? And that is 100% correct. Yeah. Now I understand a lot of the reaction that happened yesterday. I don't know how much you caught of it. I don't know how much you, the dogs caught of it either, but every host that we had on

the station kind of said the same thing. It's like, Hey, we actually have a glass half full text. What a refreshing change of pace. There was a lot of negativity in the market yesterday about the hire. I don't think we should try and ignore that or escape it. And there's a lot of different reasons for that. One, the head coach that the organization wanted left. And on the same day, and I don't know whether this was coincidental or not, but on the same day that Adam Foote got named head coach, the coach that the Canucks wanted, Rick Tauke, was being anointed the new head coach in Philadelphia.

So there's a sting to that. Did you, there's a lot of, I don't know if the Canucks Twitter has infiltrated Philly Twitter, but like they don't like this hire much either. They're like, what's this guy ever done? I'm like, look at the teams he's coached. Does no one bring this up? He coached a basket case Tampa Bay lightning franchise. He hopped over to a basket case Arizona Coyotes franchise, and then finished off with what he thought he's like, oh, I'm coming to Vancouver, it'll be fine.

And they might've been the biggest basket cases of all. Yeah. You know, I remember him getting lots of kudos in Arizona early on, and he certainly got lots of kudos in Vancouver when he, and he certainly got lots of kudos in Vancouver when he won, you know, Coach of the Year. Is he a perfect coach? No, show me a perfect coach.

I don't think it won exists. Well, maybe Coop. But, you know, it's like, sometimes I wonder, are you watching the games? And if you are, do you have any idea what you're watching? Because to sit there and say that Rick Tauke doesn't allow his players any freedom while still watching Quinn Hughes, is like, what?

Is Quinn Hughes like a, oh, there's Quinn Hughes glassing out and dumping in every time, what? Like, what is Quinn Hughes like? Oh, there's Quinn Hughes glassing out and dump it in every every time. Right. Like he'll give freedom to the players that deserve it. But unfortunately, on this roster, there haven't been many players that earned their freedom. OK, so just to play devil's advocate there. I do have time for the criticism that Rick Tuckett faced last year when offense dried up and goals were at a premium. There wasn't a significant philosophical shift or strategical change to try and generate more offense. Oftentimes and too often, even for my liking, and I had a lot of time and patience for the way Tuckett approached the job.

I thought way too often it was, well, we've shown the guys how to do it and they're not getting it done. Or we had the answers were we have to bear down in front of the net. We have too many block shots and too many miss shots. We need to be more finite with our shots. And I'm like, OK, that's probably right. And that's probably accurate. But if you trot that out time and time again, at a certain point, you have to say, maybe we don't have very accurate shooters and we need to try something different. And that there was a stubbornness there at times. I think there was an exasperation there at times Well, yeah, there was an exasperation watching the team

But a lot of it came down to like why aren't you hitting the net? Yeah, I mean you're not paid to ask the questions you're paid to answer them as much and fair or not That's this that's the entirety of the job. I get it. Yeah, I Understand it. I understand it But for me text it in talk it said, I don't know a lot There was a bit of that there was a bit of the throwing the hands up in the air and I understand people's frustration But I'm with you were coaching Pederson. Would you have thrown your hands up in the air a few times? Maybe privately I'd be throwing them up like I just don't care

You're like like it must have been it must have man and now this is another Now this is the job for Adam Foote. Right, so part of the response that the Foote hire got was based on those factors that I already mentioned. Coming into kind of an acrimonious situation, not the organization's number one choice, kind of felt like, hey, here's a guy that is already on payroll, knows where the bathroom key is,

has a parking pass already, let's give him the job. It was going to be him or Manny, as a lot of people suggested. And I think to some people that was underwhelming. I hate that it's clouded what should be at the very least something that piques people's interest and curiosity because even though it's fraught with risk, having a guy that's never been an NHL head coach before, there is some intrigue there. You get to see what his staples and his tenants and all that stuff is going to be and how it's going to differ from talk it because they are not going to be the same head coach. They might be similar.

They might have a lot of similarities with the stuff that Alvin mentioned in terms of structure and discipline, but there are going to be differences. That's only natural. And I'm curious to see what those are going to be differences. That's only natural. And I'm curious to see what those are going to be moving forward. Do you think he'll put his foot down a lot? Oh, there's the foot pun. The first of many foot puns that I thought everyone got out of their system yesterday, but apparently no. So Adam Foote has a media avail at 11 AM this morning. A few questions that he might get asked.

Why do you think you're ready for this job? Like, what did he learn from his stint as a head coach in the WHL, if anything, but that did not go well and it did not end well. So then maybe there'd be some conversation about that. Remember, this is a guy that, he was in the Colorado system for a bit as a coach. Long time.

But it wasn't, I don't think, I don't think he was on the bench or anything like that. Player development primarily. Yeah. And then wasn't an assistant coach with the Canucks for long. And now he's the head coach of the Canucks. Like he went from getting fired in Kelowna. And again, the junior is different, but it didn't go well there. And just a few years later, he's the head coach in the NHL.

So why do you think you're ready for this? Did Quinn Hughes lobby for you? How much are you going to lean on your relationship with Quinn Hughes? Obviously a lot. What about your staff? What do you want to bring in to fill out your staff? Because I think that's going to be very important first with his lack of experience as an NHL head coach. Um, but also, you know, the, maybe there's a guy that can help

the Canucks create some offense. Um, speaking of that, is the system going to change? What needs to improve? Adam Foote might have some different ideas from Rick Tauke. You know, I don't think we should just assume that he thinks the exact same thing about Tocket on everything. This is a big one for me. What style of players, cause I think this, this will, this will tell you,

um, about, you know, what kind of hockey he wants to play. What style of players would you like to add? Yeah. What have you- For agencies just around the corner, Adam. What have you advocated for? And then finally, will you be flying to Sweden to chat with Elias Pettersson? I think that was the plan for Tauket, so get on that plane, Adam.

What's your plan, buddy? That's the big one for me. How is he going to handle Elias Pettersson? More than any other question I have, more than coaching style, the systems he'll deploy like I really want to know what he'll do with EP 40 assuming EP 40 is still a member of the Vancouver Canucks this is true yeah there's always that possibility okay we got some other things that's funny he's like why are you asking me about Peterson oh I've said too much this piece of paper here.

In other Canucks used yesterday, the Canucks have finally, finally welcomed Tom V. Lander into the fold. The team signed the Boston University defense into a three-year entry-level contract yesterday. I don't know the exact structure of his A bonuses and B bonuses, all the way down to his Q bonuses. But apparently, they were able to come to an

agreement on what kind of money he wanted because Tom V. Lander is now a member of the Vancouver Canucks after signing his three year ELC. Alveen in his statement in the press release didn't really say much. He said, now is the perfect time for him to take the next step and join our organization. The hard work starts this summer and we look forward to seeing where Tom is at, at training camp. And, uh, so that was pretty vague and not surprisingly so I'm not sure what to expect from Willander to be honest, when we're talking about

next season, the boring prediction would be that he starts next season at Abbotsford. Boring. Learns the pro game and is ready for NHL duty when he's ready. There are two exciting alternatives though. Let's go. next season Abbotsford. Boring. Learns the pro game and is ready for NHL duty when he's ready. There are two exciting alternatives though. Let's go.

Number one, they fast track them to the NHL and consider something wild like trading Philip Peronik to address the forward group. We kind of discussed this yesterday. I'm intrigued. Maybe you bet on the young guys like Willander, DPT, Mancini. You still got veterans like Marcus Pedersen and Tyler Myers.

You let Quinn Hughes carry a pair, maybe with Will Ender. If not, maybe with Tyler Myers or Mancini. Or you go out into free agency and you get a cheaper right shot defenseman that can handle some stuff. That is an exciting alternative, Jason. What's the other one? They use them as a trade chip this off season. Oh my God, that's exciting too.

It should be like, nobody, nobody makes Jim Rutherford look like a fool. You're gone. Give you a schedule T bonus for trade. Yeah, so I don't know. I think all those options might be on the table. You hear through Drantz that they've essentially made DPD untouchable as one of the prospects.

Um, and if I were a team looking at the Canucks and maybe I'm doing a slight retool with my team and I've got a, a top six forward that I'm willing to deal and I want pieces, I'd be, first of all, I'd be like, okay, well I'll got a top six forward that I'm willing to deal, and I want pieces. First of all, I'd be like, okay, well, I'll take your first round draft pick this year, 15th overall. Yolk. Yolk. Fine.

Yolk. And then I want a prospect. Yeah. And between Willander and Leckar Mackie, that team might have specific needs that they want to address, but I'd probably take Will Lender. I mean, I, I'd be very curious to see how quickly they start moving now in terms of let's address this top six forward problem, because, uh, in, in addition to everything else that dropped yesterday, there was the Jim Rutherd interview with, uh, uh, Stephen Brunt that, uh, made a lot of waves in the market about another very candid

sit-down interview from the president of hockey ops talking about how trying this past year was, how they thought they were a contender and then they got reverted to a team in transition and now they're trying to transition out of being a team in transition back to a contender again. All signs point to getting this thing right back on track now that they've quote-unquote solved the JT Miller, I Elias Pedersen situation. So we'll be very curious to see what happens there. Uh, before we go to break,

let's try and get these scores in from last night because it was another very eventful night in the national hockey league in the Stanley cup playoffs. I'll save the Toronto stuff for Sam McKee cause he's coming up at six 30, but I do want to mention that it was Casperi captain in seven 19 of overtime. Let's get the audio ready. Laddie the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Vegas golden Knights in five games with that it was Casperi Caponin 7-19 of overtime. Let's get the audio ready, laddie. The Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights in five games with a one-nothing overtime victory

in the second round of their Western Conference Series in Vegas on Wednesday night. Here was the hero, Casperi Caponin, in overtime. Across, Tricycle, Saucer, there's a shot, deflected, here's Stregel's hand, Casperi's hand, in the 10, has won the game and the series. The I wanted to play the audio because of all the slapping and clapping of sticks It was the it was the greasiest slap happy down

It was a jam played and all jam plays to end the game and it was Casperi cabinet and Stuart Skinner Leading the charge for the Edmonton Oilers who took care of Vegas rather emphatically I know it was a tight series But a five gamer is a five gamer was over faster than a lot of people thought it was going to Obviously Vegas was nowhere near a hundred percent Mark Stone didn't play last night after limping through the previous game Edmonton off to their second consecutive Western Conference. I thought I thought dry side. It was awesome last night after limping through the previous game Edmonton off to their second consecutive Western Conference. I thought I thought dry side it was awesome last night. Yep. Pod Coles made a nice play on the winner to the blue line.

They get contributions from all those guys up front. That plucky oilers team gritting out a one nothing victory. It's crazy, right? We all thought they were going to do it. Yeah. I mean, I did not see back to back shutouts for Skinner. If you told me the beginning of this series when Calvin Pickard was the starting goalie, that they would end it in five with Stuart Skinner posting back to back shutouts and be like, what happened?

Do you know who scored the last goal for Vegas? Tri-Cytle. Right, into his own net. Forgot about that. And the four steals went up. That feels so long ago now. It is remarkable that what they were able to do. And I did not see

the defensive prowess coming this quickly. I saw them winning games but outscoring their problems. I did not see them turning into an absolute wagon defensively. I mean if they play Carolina in the Stanley Cup final now, every game is gonna be one-nothing. They're both the two best defensive teams in hockey. Crazy. Yeah I don't know what Vegas is gonna do this offseason but you know the Mark Stone situation has been tough for a few years He's such a good player, but he can't stay healthy Patrangelo is getting older

I'm sure his body is starting to wear down a little bit. They need to add some speed. They look slow They look they look slow. I thought Ikel played really well yesterday Yeah, but he just he just couldn't buy a goal Skinner just doesn't have it. See, he doesn't have it. Doesn't have it. Skinner made a really nice save, a shoulder, shoulder save off of, off of him, but he looked like he was, he was skating well, Eichel yesterday, but the others did a good job. You know, there were three or four times when,

um, you know, a Vegas player beat an Euler defenseman one-on-one, like just like dangled the defenseman and Skinner was there every time. Eichel did it in the third period and said, I'm going to Houdon and Houdon sort of fanned on the shop, but also I think Skinner got a piece of it. It's funny though, cause you mentioned how great the Edmonton Oilers forward group was in terms of depth. Like you've got Casperi Kapanappenon, not a factor against Los Angeles

and comes into this series, scores a huge overtime series winning goal. The flip side of that is that the Vegas got nothing out of their depth forwards. They just really did. I mean, the guy that came in last night for Mark Stone, one of my favorite names, Cole Schwint, Cole Schwint came in at forward.

And like, I think that is just sort of cherry picking on my behalf, sure, but also symbolic of how much depth Edmonton has it forward. But the fact that they can go to these guys in different moments and they give them things with regularity. I mean, think of the guys that starred for them in this series, Adam Henrique, Evander Kane,

Pod Coleson had a big series, Caspery Kaepernick scores the series winning goal. Like that's depth, that's what you need in the post season. Okay, so remember yesterday, right at the end of the show, I said something along the lines of like, I don't really believe in momentum in game to game in the playoffs. In fact, I believe more in anti-momentum

in that there's usually like a bounce back between games and maybe the team that won the last game gets a little comfortable and the team that lost it gets a little desperate. And I said, well, I expect the Leafs to come out and have a pretty strong effort tonight. Well, I picked them to win. That was 6 billion percent wrong. Could not be more wrong. By good old Halford and Bruff. And you know, if you're going to be wrong, it might as well be funny.

Sam McKee is going to join us next, talk about the Leafs performance against the Florida Panthers last night. The Leafs aren't dead yet, but they did a pretty good impression of a dead team last night in Toronto. You're listening to the Halford and Bruff show on Sportsnet 650. Canucks talk with Jamie Dodd and Thomas Drance.

We'll dive deep into all that's happening with the Vancouver Canucks. Listen to the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Canucks talk with Jamie Dodd and Thomas Drantz. We'll dive deep into all that's happening with the Vancouver Canucks. Listen 12 to 2 PM on Sportsnet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts. And it's swung in front of the net and Bennett snaps home right off the face off and it is 6-0 Florida. I was surprised and all I could think was, you know how bad you guys had to play for me to be surprised? This was a fork in the road moment for the Toronto Midlis.

And I for one would like to take that fork and stab it into my eyeballs so I never have to watch this core play in another big game. 6.33 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday everybody. Alfred Brough, Sportsnet 650. Alfred and Brough of the morning is brought to you by Sands & 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 are in. That was a good line by Sam.

It was a fork in the road game, and I want to take this fork and stab it in my eyes. Ah! So it went well. It was a good game last night for the Toronto Maple Leafs. We're going to talk to Sam McKee from Leafs Talk. Real kipper and born fan 590 in just a minute here on the Haliford & Bruff show. Haliford & Bruff of the morning is brought to you by North Star Metal Recycling.

Vancouver's premier metal recycler pays the highest prices on scrap metal. North Star Metal Recycling, they recycle, you get paid. Visit them at 1170 Powell Street in Vancouver. Our next guest, probably not doing great. Sam McKee joins us now on the Haliford & Bref show on Sportsnet 650. What up, Sammy? Good morning, my friends. What a wonderful day in Vancouver, I'm sure. Well, it really is. But Sam, I got to ask you. Yes.

Why does it keep happening with Marner and Matthews? Like we all know it does. And I don't really have time for a lot of like, they just don't want it enough or they don't care. Like I think they care, but why does it keep happening? Feel free to say they don't care if you really think they don't care. I don't think they don't.

I hope to God they care. Like I don't, it's really hard to accuse a professional athlete that's worked their whole life to get to this point that they don't care, boys. But maybe they don't care as much as the other guys. Is that fair? That's where I'm at with this, yeah. Like maybe they don't care as much as Matthew Kachuck and Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhardt and whoever

else. I don't know. Maybe that's what it is. But the thing that drives me crazy, and this doesn't make any difference whatsoever in the grand scheme of things, but watching them play, doesn't this make you angry? Doesn't this make you want to cross check someone or want to run a goalie or want to get in Matthew Kachuck's face? Like, how can you go through nine years of this and just never be mad about it? It's insane.

It's like, it almost defies logic. It defines human nature. Like it's, it's, it goes from a sports question to straight up psychology. I just, I don't understand how it can always be the same thousand yards there and just the, the not the seeming just indifference to your fate at times. So yeah, it's, it's a great great question and one that I don't know how

we're going to be able to answer it, but I just, I don't know if they care as much as the other guys and that's kind of where I've landed. Can I throw an alternative theory at you? Please, I'm all ears, bud. Fear. Fear can be paralyzing and fear can make you grip your stick and fear can frankly slow you down because it causes tension and fear is crippling when it comes to big moments in anything in life but sports especially. Is there any fear like they're just like they feel and oh my god here here we go again and my My body is is shutting down here. We go. I Do think there's something to that. I mean, it's just there's just been so

It never happened for the Murley boys. That's what it comes down to is that they you know, they have that first year Against the capitals where it's all fine and it's all, you know, house money and it's great. But just like year after year after year here, it's just never happened and they've never gotten the muscle memory of like good things happening. And then as that sort of accumulates your theory that the fear sets in of the past of like they know how it feels and they're afraid of that and then in turn they start to grip the sticks tight they're not engaged physically they start making stupid

mistakes you start doing 360 backhand passes up the middle of the ice in a playoff game like I said that was bad. What was that? So I think the fear theory is a really good one. And I just think that they just never had anything good happen early. And they don't have any good memories or good stuff to kind of work back on to find a way through this stuff. What you said off the top though

was the most glaring for me yesterday was that there doesn't seem to be yesterday was that there doesn't seem to be Not that there doesn't seem to be there's no anger There's no frustration and there's no and I know oftentimes It's like a hollow symbolic gesture the end of game stuff But I thought it was very telling and very befitting that one of the guys That's out there scrumming it up and saying this isn't acceptable and this isn't all right was Chris Tana Who's been a Maple Leaf

for a grand total of 11 months. He hasn't been there for nine years. And that it's guys like that, or it's guys like Domi, who are the, they're the peripheral guys. They're not the core four and they're not the ones that are going to lead anybody out of this, but they're the ones that are almost weirdly tasked with it because they have the personalities to do it.

Whereas, I mean, I'll just be straight up Marner and Matthews and Tavares and Nylander. I don't think they have it in their DNA. I don't think they have it in their. Nylander does. Well, he's going to have to start showing it at some point. No, it's I honestly saw like somebody tweeted out, I forget who it was, but like on top of each other, these two tweets on the timeline, one of Mitch Marner saying Yeah, we just got to flush it down the toilet. And then the other one is Chris Tana of being like it's all on me

I take responsibility. I need to be better. It's just like that is the Exemplification right there of what's wrong with there's just been such a lack of accountability and And even Matthew's last night for the first time, I, like, I, you know, I've gone through the mad libs of what these guys have said, or after a games for nine years when they've lost these big games. But Matthew's even saying like, I got it. We got to take a look in the mirror here, but better myself included. Like that's a huge step for him to even say that, like for him to take any accountability is crazy, but Marner still fell us.

Oh, let's just flush it down the toilet. Maybe you shouldn't, maybe you should have a look at what's in the toilet and try to learn from it. Like you ever think about that? I don't know. I just, it just feels like there's this sense of entitlement and lack of accountability that's come from the top down for this whole era. And I mean, listen,

Marner may have played his last home game last night in front of the Leeson. Boy, I mean, that would be a real, what a wonderful send off that would be. But I just, I, I'm not sure what else to even say about it. It's just, they really seem to have lacked accountability for a long time. And Chris Tanev coming in here, who's taken the most most hits in the playoffs just warrior out there and having him be like I take responsibility yeah it's your fault Chris it's your fault you're the one you're the guy who's laying like well I mean you guys know and laying it on the line he's been laying it on the line yeah I think I've heard it once or twice he's been laying it on the line here for three, four weeks.

And honestly, and him saying that after the game, it's just so perfectly Chris Tanniff. So yeah, that's, I mean, everybody loves Chris Tanniff. So I remember back in 2011 when the Canucks were playing the Blackhawks in the first round and they won the first three games and everyone was feeling good. And then they lost their next three. And one of those was a five-nothing loss at home, I believe was in game five. And they came back and won that series. Now granted they only had to win one more game and the Leafs have to win two.

Is there any part of you that thinks that there's still a chance or did last night, was that the game where you're like, this is a dead man walking situation? I'm pretty conflicted on this, quite frankly. Like I really am. They are still very much in the series. Like if you look at it and you talk about there's down three, two, they have to win two games in a row against the defending side of the cup champions.

So they did that early in the series so you can, you can try to convince yourself, but I just, I don't know why it would happen now. That's the thing that I keep coming back to. Like I woke up this morning with a lot of thoughts, boys, you know, I'm just kind of lying in bed being kind of like the 40 year old virgin thing where it's like, ah, it's just fine. No, don't forget. Don't forget it didn't happen. You know,

like I'm just kind of lying there thinking about it and like, you know, they're not out of the series. They didn't get eliminated last night. But like I said, why would it happen now? Why would they come through? Like, okay, maybe they go down there chip on their shoulder. Nobody believes in us.

They go down there. They find a way to scrap one out against the Florida Panthers in their home building. Like, and they're going to come back to Toronto with double the amount of pressure in a game seven and like perform better. Why would I believe that? So to answer your question, like there's a part of me, the diehard Leaf fan that I am,

like, I want to believe, I want to be hopeful. I want to love these guys. So sure, like they could win, but the other side of my brain, like the non idiot side is like, yeah, they're going to lose game six and like we're on quit watch here. So those are the two sides that I've got going on in my brain.

Has the problem with the Leafs always been that they've never had a guy in these big games that you can really trust to go out there and give you a big game? One of their top players, like I look at the way Dry Cytle played last night for the Oilers. Yeah. Like he was, he was an absolute beast.

And I know it was only a one nothing game. So it's not like he piled up the points, but he was in on the, on, on the winning goal. And he was just. He had a hat trick if it wasn't for Aiden Hill. He was unbelievable. He was just, he was just a force out there. And, uh, out there and maybe Neil

Anders, a guy that you'd be like, I know he's going to bring a good effort, but with Marner and Matthews, the whole split between what is it, games one through four and games five through seven and with Matthews, it's basically just the second round. That's got to be a major frustration when it is your top guys and you're like, they can't go beast mode like so many of the other guys around the NHL.

Although I shouldn't say so many other guys, there's only really a few that you can really trust to do at every game. Yeah, and honestly, like, Willy Nylander here, fellas, has done it. Like, he's, you know, he has his errors, he makes mistakes, but like, he carried them offensively to the first two games of the series like he scored for them in Ottawa like he is a guy that I trust to come through like he doesn't seem to the moment doesn't seem to get to him but this has been the fatal flaw of the core four era that like you can try to pay for guys,

this amount of money and win, right? Like that is a thing you can try to do. And I'm sure there's other teams, they maybe, I don't know, maybe the Washington Leagues they won't do it, but it's just having it, the guys be Marner and Matthews and having like so much of the load offensively and needing so much of them because they pay them so much,

it's obviously a flawed system because they can't come through in these games. So to your point, like when you have so much of your team built around those two guys coming through and they never do, I think it's pretty clear to see why they've never won anything. Like it's just It's just kind of a flawed system with these two guys. So to your point, watching Dry Cytle and like, Euler fans, it's just, you guys know, it's just,

I want a route for McDavid and I want a route for, like, it's just, you know, get the, have the Canadian great get his cup, but God, the Euler fans make it so hard. And now they're right about Dry Cytle being better than Matthews and that was a whole thing. It's like, they're just right about that. And they get to enjoy this stuff again. It's like, they look like the cup favorite again. So it's just,

it's frustrating that their guys always come through and the least guys don't. But yet I just, the core four thing is, is a fatal flaw is when two of the guys just don't come through in big games. It's hard to win that way. That's for sure. We're speaking to Sam McKee from fan five 90 sports net in Toronto here on the hell for them. Brush on sports net six 50 Sam, how much of this has to do with the fact that the Florida Panthers are just

better than the Toronto Maple Leafs? A lot of it. No question. Like I said, I'm least talk last night. Like you can lose that game. You can absolutely lose that game. And you can, you can go into the off season feeling like, Hey, we gave a good effort against the Florida Panthers and they're just better. But like, look who scored last night. Like Kulakov Kulakov first goal. I think this is his 20, like his first playoff goal since 2017.

Is that right? Like it's been a hundred years since he's scored. Nikola scored one. Like it's all these guys, you know, they didn't even get their best from their best guys. And you still lose. I think the Florida Panthers are just better. I think the Florida Panthers and Edmonton orthers are on a collision course for a repeat final in my opinion. But you just have to look better. You just have to look like you're giving a better effort. You have to look like you're in it a little bit. It's the second round of the playoffs. You won

your division. Like they can be better, but they're not that much better. Right? Like they're better than the Leafs. I understand that, but they don't have to be that much better. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm just white passes, but like. Last night was, I mean, the Leafs have had some lows, but that was bad. I mean, the crowd is leaving in like five minutes into the third period and the ones that are staying are booing. Throwing Austin Matthews jerseys on the ice. Throwing jerseys on the ice. I don't necessarily think that running around and cross checking someone is going to do a whole lot. But when I see-

Feels good. It does feel good. When you see Matthews and Marner talking after, you would like to see a little, I guess, a little more like, it's not frustration because you don't really want to see them lose their composure, but determination, would that be a better word? Yes.

Yeah. Well, like I think you can lose your composure a little bit when you're getting starched 6-1 on home ice in the biggest game of your career. I think a little loss of composure wouldn't be the worst thing that happened. I watch Scott Lawton who has scored now more goals into his own net than he has into the

other net after last night. God, that was such a brutal I truly, if I could pick the one guy in the team that I wouldn't want that to happen to keep you really high in the list. Cause he's just, he gives an effort and like, I just, I watched him play out there. He's mad. He's pissed off about what's happening. And it just, it's so sad that that's my bar that I'm like wow the guy with no goals and one assist is so mad and I love them for it like that's what I care about that's depressing that's depressing so yeah I like you can show for I think you can are allowed to show a little bit of frustration when you're losing one of the biggest games of your life what do you think Craig Baruby is thinking right now?

What the hell did I do this for? Why am I here? This it's like I think he got I think last night because listen, those two games down in Florida, game three will haunt me to the day I die. Absolutely should have won that game. Yeah. Multiple chances to win that game. Game four is game four scheduled loss.

I really didn't think they were going to win that game. I don't think anybody really thought they're going to win that game. Game four is game four, scheduled loss. I really didn't think they were going to win that game. I don't think anybody really thought they were going to win that game. But like, I think last night was his first real like, oh my God, these guys, right? But game five against Ottawa was bad. They bounced back, they win game six, but like they had played well in that series. They had, they had, you know, they lost one overtime game. They had, they had done well. But last night I think was the first night where he's like, he probably woke up tomorrow and just want to be like, Oh my God, what, how do I, like, what is, what does he say today? That's the thing. It's like,

I'm going to do two hours of Kipper and Borny today. I did that show after I did with you guys. Like what is there to say other than the big guys didn't come through again and they just looked the same? Like it's just, you're trying not to eulogize them before it's over. It's just, it's a really hard conversation to have and I'd be fascinating to know what Borube has to say today. I wouldn't be surprised if he did a light call out today.

Yeah. I mean, he might as well. A late call out is, yeah, just our top guys have to be better. That's exactly what I need to hear him say. But I mean, he's going to be back here next year. Matthew's is going to be back probably. Like, does he want to call out the captain and have to come back next year? Who knows?

Sure. Why not? Beats losing. Yeah. Beats losing. Mitch Marner is probably not going to be back next season. Um, so he'll, he'll leave the Leafs. I'm, I'm looking at the stats here.

Fifth highest in franchise history when it comes to points, 741 points and 656 games, that's regular season, of course. Um, you know, more than some, more than, you know, George Armstrong who played a few more games than Mitch Marner at 713 points. I realized there was all different eras, but what is Marner's legacy in Toronto? It's honestly like, it's one of the most frustrating eras.

I just, like the, I don't know if I, I feel like I may have talked about this with you guys. And maybe the last time we talked about the least crushing disappointments, but like, if you, let's say like I was in a coma and you woke me up after like, let's say I went into a, I went into a coma like 2015, like when they were really bad and you woke me like 2015, like when they were really bad.

And you woke me up today, like today. And you're like, so there's this kid from Toronto who is played in the OHL. He's top five in scoring in like the whole franchise's history. He's been like, he's been a really great player and like, you know, I'd be like, Oh, he's beloved, right? It's like actually no, everyone hates him and wants him gone like next week. What the hell happened? If you play out this career, the simulate, we're in a bottom, out of a hundred simulations, we're in a bottom five simulation here where it's been great in the regular. It's just, I can't believe how badly this has gone.

And sure people can talk about the regulars, I don't care. It's just, it should never have gone like this with him. And it's heartbreaking frankly, because all we fans have ever wanted was a homegrown superstar from the area, and they finally got one, and it just never happened. It's crazy. I can't imagine all the texts you guys get

being like, we need a guy like Gilmore and Wendell Clark. But we had Wendell Clark on yesterday. We had him on yesterday and he was fabulous. And I loved every minute of it. And we talked about him punching McSorley. We talked about it all. It was so great.

And that was just like, and they go out there and Wendell's in the building and they just make Wendell look so bad. They disappoint beloved Wendell. It's just, you know, not to go like full Johnny and Etobicoke here, but like, what is Wendell Clark thinking of watching that game? You know, it's like one of these older guys that have played. So it's just, that's the captain of the Leaf, the captain like one of these older guys that have played something. It's just That's the captain of the Leafs The captain of one of the most historic franchises in all of sports and that's what you get in the first period. It's crazy

So to answer your question, I don't know what the Hellmarner's legacy is. I think there's gonna be some booze upon return That's what I would guess Sammy I know you got a big day ahead and you still got a game six that you got Yeah, wait gotta get through. Thanks for doing this day man, we really appreciate it. It's been great. I wish you the best moving forward. I know it's tough and I know it's trying time. It's not over yet. At least it's fun. It's not over yet. Here's what I'll say and what I really appreciate about your boy, what do you guys call him, A-Dog?

Andy? Full disclosure, he texted me before the game. So he was willing to, I mean, he knew they were going to lose, everybody knew they were going to lose, but he was willing to live in the world where the Leafs had won and I got to do this radio hit. So, journalistic integrity on the Halford and Brough show. I really appreciate it. That's what we aim for every day. We would have canceled Sam if the Leafs won. Oh, we're full. the Canucks hired a new coach Bye, sorry, we just don't have time. See you Sam

Sam McKee from fan 590 in Toronto, I don't want to go full Johnny and Etobicoke There it is I was waiting for Latin to get on You can't say the K in Etobicoke. Oh, did I say the K? Yeah, you called it Etobicoke. It's like classic non-Ontario person trope. You say Etobicoke. You did it, Andy. Like people get on my case

because I enunciate Toronto instead of Trana. You say it in a very American way. Toronto, Toronto. You say it on purpose though, to bug bug I do. People poor Doug Gilmore sitting on his porch in Kingston. Just being like, I can't believe that this is how it's going. Wendell Clark. These guys need jean jackets. I always had a jean jacket.

Jeans and jeans. They start passing around in the locker room. Everyone gets a jean jacket. Wendell Clark was the epitome of the Canadian tuxedo. Yes. Yeah. What was the commercial that he was in? The sort of famous one where he's wearing the Canadian tuxedo. Yes. Yeah. What was the commercial that he was in? The sort of famous one where he's wearing the Canadian tuxedo.

Oh, I can't remember. I'll have to look it up at the break. We do have to go. I loved him as a kid. He was awesome. He was awesome. Okay, what do we got coming up? Jordan Hall's gonna join us from Philadelphia.

It's seven o'clock. We're gonna talk about the new coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, Rick Tauket, got announced yesterday, not long after Adam Foote was announced as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, Rick Tauket got announced yesterday, not long after Adam Foote was announced as the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Tyler, your Ramchuk's gonna join us at eight to talk about the Oilers big win,

series win over the Vegas Golden Knights last night. And then at 8.30, Satyar Shah, yes, Sat's gonna join us to talk about the Adam Foote hire. Lot of hockey talk, lot of Canucks talk still to come. You're listening to the Hal Ferdinand Brough Show on Sportsnet 650.