Halford & Brough in the Morning - The Sports Were Good Last Night

Episode Date: May 22, 2025

In hour one, Mike & Jason look back at the previous day in sports, including some memorable NHL & NBA playoff action (3:00), plus they discuss what could be a busy offseason for the Sabres, as WGR Sports 550's Paul Hamilton (29:34) joins the show.  This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da- Skinner! Bramlett shot and off the bar he celebrates and scores. Skinner! Let's go get him, get him! And he scores! Skinner! What? What? He backs up and unloads a three! Oh! That did not happen!

It hit the back of the rim! It popped high into the air! And it dropped gently through the net. And boom goes the dynamite. Good morning Vancouver, 6.01 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday everybody. It's Halford and his bruv at his sportsnet 650. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studios

in beautiful Fairview slopes in Vancouver. Jason, good morning. Good morning. Adog, good morning to you. Good morning. And Lydie, good morning to you as well. Hello, hello. Halford and bruv of the morning is brought to you

by Sands and Associates, BC's first and trusted choice for net help with over 3,000 five star reviews. Visit them online at Sands-Trustee.com. We are in hour one of the program. Hour one is brought to you by North Star Metal Recycling. Vancouver's premier metal recycler pays the highest prices on scrap metal. North Star Metal Recycling, they recycle, you get paid.

Visit them at 1170 Powell Street in Vancouver. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio. Kintec footwear and orthotics working together with you in step. They got a big show ahead on a Thursday. It's a four guest hour on the Halford and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. Beginning at 6.30, we're gonna go to Buffalo.

Paul Hamilton's gonna join us. Sabres reporter for WGR Sports Radio 550 in Buffalo. Buffalo has been in the news of late. Freed said the club is gauging the market interest on Bo Byrom. They recently hired Eric Stahl to help out Kevin Adams as general manager, show him where everything is, how to make trades. What's next for our sad club brethren? We'll find out at 6 30 when we talk to Paul Hamilton. Seven o'clock Adnannan, Verc, MLB Network is gonna join the program. Don't look now, laddie. Jays of one three of four, Jays of one eight of their last 12.

What was the score last night? They scored 14 runs last night, did they not? Not only did they score 14, they pitched a shutout as well. Let's go. 14-nothing. Let's go. We'll talk about that with Adnan. We can also talk about the Juan Soto drama in New York with the Mets.

That's at seven o'clock, 730. Our good buddy Jim Toath, host of Jets at Noon and appropriately, the Jim Toath Show on CJOB 680 in Winnipeg. Players, coach and management, they all met yesterday. The Jets did for end of season media veils after a disappointing loss to Dallas over the weekend. What did GM Kevin Sch day off say about the team's future? What's next for Nikolai Ehlers? We'll talk to Jim about that at seven 30, eight o'clock. This is kind of cool.

We're going to do a little NFL talk and a little Olympics talk to Sean Reed is going to join a senior writer at the athletic covering the NFL and the Raiders. Keep that in mind. Flag football is in the Olympics. NFL players are in flag football at the Olympics. Tashawn has been covering this story over the last few weeks for the athletic. We'll talk to him about that. The very contentious tush push,

which was ruled back into the NFL yesterday. And I wanna talk a little Raiders with Tashawn. Talk to him about Geno Smith and Pete Carroll. I'm just reading a headline right now. Yes. And it says, Mets to advise $765 million outfielder Juan Soto on hustle. He pimped one of his hits yesterday.

He thought it was going yard in his defense, but it ended up a single because of the aforementioned lack of hustle. That's what I call a Fred McGriff single off the wall. Just watch it. Look at that back boy fly. But Fred McGriff single off the wall. Just watch it. Look at that back boy fly. But Fred McGriff was trying his hardest. It's true.

He earned that single, every single step of it. That'd be the most infuriating feeling. You smoke one off the wall and it's like, single. But then. What do you tell the kids? It should be a double, buddy. What do you tell the kids?

It should be a double. Doesn't matter what, you always run. Run hard. Don't watch it. Run it. That's the rule. It's always fun with the kids too when they take that way too hard. Don't watch it. Run it. It's always fun, as with the kids too, when they take that way too hard,

and they foul one off and start running. You're like, okay, you gotta come back. Yeah, I know this is gonna take forever. Now you're just delaying the game. So anyway, working in reverse on the guest list, eight o'clock it's Tashon Reed, 730 Jim Toth, seven o'clock Adnan Virk, 630 Paul Hamilton.

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? No. What happened? I missed all the action because I was... We know how busy your life can be. What happened?

You missed that? What happened? What happened? What happened? What happened? What happened? What happened is brought to you by the BC Construction Safety Alliance. Making safety simpler by giving construction companies the best in tools,

resources and safety training. Visit them online at bccsa.ca. We will begin with the Stanley Cup playoffs last night. The opener, game one of the Western Conference final between the Oilers and the Stars. And it was the Dallas Stars rallying from a two goal deficit in the third period with five goals, three straight on the power play and they win six, three to snatch the opener from the Edmonton Oilers at American Airlines Center on Wednesday night.

Uh, you know, whether you love the Oilers, hate them, whether you're going for them or not, um, you have to admit that this team is pure entertainment. They are electric. I've been watching hockey a long time and they are the one of the most entertaining, I don't know what's going to happen in this game teams I've

ever seen. And it's because they've got that special combination of incredible offense and questionable goaltending, right? Yeah. You know, like in questionable and questionable goal-tending, right? You know, like in questionable and questionable defensive play at times. Although I think for the most part this year, they've been very, very good defensively in the playoffs.

And when they've wanted to lock it down, when they've been committed to locking it down, they have been able to lock it down. Just ask the Vegas Golden Knights in the last two games against the Edmonton Oilers. Could not lock it down last night against the Dallas Stars. And I have to admit, I didn't see it coming. I thought that we'd be talking this morning, we'd be like, ah, Dallas, man, I thought they had all the secondary scoring. What about all those guys that they were bragging about? You know, they got all these 20 goal scorers. Oh yeah. Are any of them

going to show up? Because Tyler Sagan looked the only guy that was dangerous for the first couple of periods. And then, and then everyone looked dangerous in the third period. It was wild. So the headlines that I wrote for today's show in our notes was for the NHL oilers collapse, stars come back to steal game one. And then the commonality NBA, Nick's collapse, Pacers come back to steal game one. And then the commonality, NBA, Knicks collapse, Pacers come back to steal game one. There was a very, there was a similar trend there and we will get to the NBA story in a sec.

But the Knicks collapse was way worse. Way worse. Which says a lot because the Eulers collapse was like not great. Well, how often do you see a team score three power play goals in the same period? The answer if you're the Edmonton Oilers, not very often. The last time the Edmonton Oilers gave up three power play goals

in a single period was back in the 1992 playoffs, and they did it against your Vancouver Canucks, everybody. It was a rarity for sure. So there there's two major talking points coming out of that game last night. The first and I was hesitant to make it the first because I thought that the penalty kill and the lack thereof was a big one, but let's be honest. Come on, biggest story. Stuart Skinner right now. Stuart Skinner in these playoffs, there's no backup either. And I know laddie loves single game safe percentage as a stat. That's one of your favorites. Really

good. Really good. In these playoffs, Stuart Skinner has either had a save percentage in a single game below 834 or perfect 1000, 1000%. It's either shutouts or he gets dinged for at least five goals. I don't know. There's no in between with Zura Skinner. It is the perfect embodiment of how the Oilers play. Right, defensively they're either beautiful, picturesque, play it to a tee or.

Or Dry Cytles putting in his own net for the game winner for the other team right now That one I won't hang on skitter totally But the rest well, it wasn't but it was a big deal the way he like I mean not nothing Yeah, you're right. It wasn't only him, but it was Certainly partially him. Can I can I give you kind of like a sneaky under the radar? Take from last night's game sure high. High skin in his back, man. Yeah, I know.

Like so, he played three games in the last series for Dallas. He played like 14 minutes in the first game. Yep. And everyone's like, oh, okay, well what's it gonna be like? He played a little bit more in the last game. But I thought in the final game of the series against Winnipeg, he played really well.

Like that was like. And he played a lot. Yeah, and he played 22 minutes or something like that. That, to me, that game I was like, oh, he's back. Look at him skating. Like he is, he looked really good. Last night, one goal, one assist, 24 minutes in nice time for Miro Heisken

and a guy the stars haven't had for, I don't know, much of this postseason in a while. Meanwhile, the Oilers are like, Matias Ekholm anytime? Yeah. Anytime? Like he's not expected to play, he wasn't expected to play yesterday and he's not expected to play in game two, but like they could use him back. Well, especially now when you look at it, the other big talking point right now, especially out of Edmonton, is that this penalty kill,

which was in large part their MVP as they ran through the West last year, is atrocious. The biggest narrative going into this series that the Dallas Stars talked about a lot and the Edmonton Warriors didn't talk about as much was that last year Dallas went 0 for 14 on the power play in the entire series against Edmonton Already through one game this year

They have three power play goals and Edmonton's penalty kill has been lousy in this postseason Like how good it was last year. It was the MVP of their postseason last year They they absolutely stymied the Canucks in the second round and then went even further than stymied. They completely blanked Dallas in the Western conference final. Stymied the Kings in the first round too. Yeah. I think it was.

Edmonton's penalty kill right now is it 66.7%? They were operating above 90. It looked, it looked at times like they were going to get it back. Cause I think it was really bad early on against the Kings this year. Um, we got a text in to the Dunbar Lumber text line, three putt Shane. Best game last night was the Abbey Canucks. Let's go.

Sealoffs has been looking pretty good. Yeah. Um, and, and Linus Carlson, Sealoffs was good. And, uh, the Abbey Canucks beat the Colorado Eagles in overtime, Linus Carlson with the winner. And by the way, I heard something the other day that, um, the Sedines love working with Linus Carlson. Sure.

Like just. How could you not? Just to throw it out there. That has been one of the guys that they've been really impressed with working down in Abbotsford and we've talked a little bit about Linus Carlson. And I don't think any of us expect him to be a

star, but I expect him to be a consistent Canuck next season in the bottom six. And I think he brings something that the Canucks need and that he's a pretty big body out there. Scoring goals in overtime. And let's give him, before we go on, let's give him and our boy Brandon Astle, all in a bit of love. Here is the call of the OT winner.

1847 deep into the first overtime period. Abbotsford three, two win over Colorado to take a 2-1 series lead. Here's what it sounded like Now play with a steal behind the net trying to bring it in front. He's tied up Puck is loose Mueller trying to jam it towards a blue paint and the Canucks score It's over. They've done it. Let's get out of here. Linus Carlson just called game three What just happened? Let's get out of here is great. Of course, we do have to stay in Colorado for the remainder of the series.

Let's get out of here for tonight. Let's get back to the hotel. Let's get out of this specific area. Yeah. The blue arena, by the way, it blew itself. The blue arena. That's what that's what I'm playing. Colorado, I will answer ball arena. Yes. And their HL team is blue arena jokes right themselves. Sometimes. They're really really is it really it's called blue arena

Yeah, you you really have not be lew and ball. That's what the Eagles coach always goes I think you want to be playing in the blue arena Your whole careers or you want to go up to the balls. So that's funny because I think it's just ball coach. Yeah, you know Speaking of the Colorado Avalanche and their minor league affiliate that's so back when Bob Hartley used to coach the Colorado Avalanche their AHL affiliate was in Hershey and he used to skate around the ice threatening guys and he'd be like I smelled chocolate fumes fumes The smell when you smell a hockey player that's what they do it So for the the Colorado avalanche now when a guy's getting sent down they play blue by Eiffel 65

And that's where you're gonna be going anyway, okay, so your original point Carlson. Yeah, yeah beans all that stuff I I really like leonis Carlson, and I wonder if he's gonna be my new Guy that I really like who plays in the bottom six sure like I started with the end Yannick Hansen you were the first on that train Tyler Mott. Yeah, I'm a modder. Yeah, remember that I was like I was like I was like this guy's good after every Connucks when next season's good Just picks a play that Carlson did really well and yeah throws it into the intro. Well, I honestly do. Like I like, I obviously like hearing, I obviously like hearing about guys that are working hard and I think all the Canucks fans want that from the players.

They, these young guys and Carlson is still young. Um, and he just wants to get better. And then Sedines love to work with guys that want to work better. The other guy I heard about was Nils Holglund or like and as much as he had a bit of a rough season, I think I don't think anyone's ever questioned his work ethic. I know he came into camp last season He was really in good shape and it just didn't go for him But I think there's bounce-back potential and Nils Holglund there for sure. So good for Linus Carlson Getting the goal last night. I hope he's a fixture potential in Nils Hoaglander for sure. So good for Linus Carlsen, um, getting the goal last night. Um,

I hope he's a fixture on the Canucks last season. I remember when he got sent down last season at one point, I'm like, why? Yeah. You know, like, wait, he's a pretty good player. Like, and then they brought him back up and, and, and it showed like, he should have been back up. So the biggest thing with the Abbotsford run right now is, uh, we want to see, and it's much more intriguing for us if the guys that are actually gonna translate to NHL players

are doing the business. Like all due respect to Jujar Kyra and Sammy Blay and some of the older guys that are down there, Phil DiGiuseppe, those aren't guys that you're really interested for for the NHL club. This is meant as no disrespect for what they're doing on their way to a potential Calder Cup. So last night, you look at who's doing the business for Abbotsford.

Linus Carlson gets the winner and overtime Mancini scored again. Mancini has been unbelievable on this playoff run for Abbotsford, which is a huge thing for the Canucks, because if you want to talk about young defensemen that have made a leap, now you've got DPT and Mancini. Lekromacky had two assists last night, which is huge. And Artie Silas had 35 saves, including after they fell behind, he stopped all 17 shots he faced

during the third period in overtime. Yeah. It was good to see Lekromacky get a couple of points too, because the reviews on him hadn't been all that good. He also hit the crossbar. So we nearly scored a goal last night too. Um, I, I want to get to a few other items.

Uh, let's turn to two stories for basketball. We'll quickly talk about the Knicks blowing that lead against the Indiana Pacers. And even though the Knicks are back in the conference finals and everyone's really excited about them in New York, they're still the Knicks. What happened last night at Madison Square Garden? Well, in regulation, it was Tyrese Halliburton scoring what he thought and many thought was a game winner at the buzzer. We heard the call in the intro, Halliburton

drove for two, stepped back for three, looked like he had won the game. Only his toe was on the line and it was a two and it sent it to overtime. And then the. I think you're underselling that basket though. It's not like he just hit a three. He hit the back of the rim, it bounced,

let's say 500 feet in the air. And then just dropped into the net. Do we have to agree? I've never seen a buzzer beater like that. And I know ultimately it wasn't a three, although we it was and all the Knicks fans thought it was that was incredible that was an incredible bounce the whole thing was incredible because with six minutes and 46 seconds left in regulation the Knicks led by 17 points with two minutes and 40 seconds left in regulation,

the Knicks led by 14 points. And with 52 seconds left in regulation, the Knicks still led by nine points. According to Positive Residual, which is a sports analytics company, the Knicks had a 99.1% win probability when they were up nine with 52 seconds left. To blow a lead of that magnitude

was an absolute rarity, although the Indiana Pacers have made a habit of this in this postseason, they had a huge comeback against Milwaukee in the first round, they had another crazy one from Cleveland. They were behind seven with 46 seconds left against Cleveland. Do you have the audio of the Halliburton shot at the end of regulation? Because unfortunately, the audio doesn't really do it justice but we'll play it anyway to give you an idea of just how bizarre and crazy this entire game was

leading up to the final play of regulation. Here's Tyrese Halliburton at the buzzer. Halliburton driving, he's in the lane, he nearly lost it, he backs up and unloads a three. Oh, that did not happen! It hit the back of the rim. It popped high into the air and it dropped gently through the net. So when his voice is going down at the end, that's the realization

of an announcer that that might not be a three. That's what was exactly happening. And he made the famous choke sign to everything. And it's like, oh, God, when it was when it was determined that it was a two he was probably like we got to win this game he's done Halliburton said in the aftermath he's like I couldn't waste an all-time celly so we had to go out and win it in overtime and they did 138 to 135 so look the sports last night were fantastic they delivered on all fronts the sports were indeed going crazy last night but there is another big story and that is Shae

Gilgis Alexander winning the NBA MVP I don't know if you saw the breakdown of the voting or not, but by a fairly comfortable margin over Nikola Jokic to become just the second Canadian player of all time to win the NBA MVP. I never thought Canada would produce two NBA MVPs in my lifetime and Nash did it twice. And not to mention all the other successful Canadian players in the league now. I remember Alfred, you talking about Steve Nash and how it meant so much to see a Canadian do what he did in the best league in the world. And SGA said the same thing.

He said of Nash, he set the foundation. He was the first Canadian basketball player I knew of. And without seeing guys go to the NBA from Canada, it wouldn't have been as much of a dream as it was for us as kids growing up. When I was growing up, it was J. Triano. I was thinking you were gonna say James Naismith. Ha ha ha ha.

Triano never even played in the NBA. But he was a huge figure. He was Canada basketball in his generation. Yeah, basketball. Yeah. You had guys like Bill Wennington on the Chicago Bulls and he was on Michael Jordan's team and every time like Wennington would sub in,

you'd be like, he's Canadian. It's amazing. You know, I remember hearing about Nash when I was in high school. He played against some of my buddies. I think he is like, he's only a year or two older than I am. And I remember when he transferred to St. Mike's in his grade 11 year, he wasn't allowed to play in the BC championship. That was a big deal. And everyone else was like, good. And then the next year, he was able to play and they easily won it. But it's funny because he was also really good at soccer at St. Mike's.

He was also really good at rugby. He was an unbelievable athlete in BC and everyone was like, wow, you got a NCAA scholarship down to Santa Clara. It's not Duke or Kentucky or Kansas, but we all thought that was pretty cool. And there were a few guys from BC who got scholarships down South. I actually went to elementary school with one of them, Jordy McTavish, who ended up playing for Rick Majeris in Utah. It didn't go particularly well for him at Utah, but he, you know,

he made a career of basketball. But none of us figured Nash would actually make the NBA, let alone become the two time MVP. And I think it opened a lot of eyes in Canada. It wasn't just Nash, but when that sort of stuff happens, you know, it lets kids know that it's possible. Sure. It gets more kids into the sport and that draws

resources and investment into the sport. Some from well-meaning people and other people are from like basketball is hot, let's make some money off parents. Let's start an academy. I think the Raptors were a big factor too. I'm sure they were a big factor in SGA's life. They've been in Toronto since 1995 now and the

NBA saw Canada and they were like, let's market to this. The internet, especially YouTube, dedicated kids are going to watch instructional videos on YouTube. The content can be fun and they learn at the same time. I'm not advocating for kids to be on YouTube all day, but you have to allow a certain element of self-discovery for the kids on YouTube and they're going to find out what they like, and hopefully it's something good, not something bad. And it all came together for SGA. His parents

were both athletes and his mom was an Olympic sprinter. His dad was a basketball player and he says his mom was like very influential in his life and always kept him humble, would like text his basketball coaches and be like, don't let my son get too big ahead. You got to keep him humble and everything. But I think the overall, you know, explosion in Canadian basketball talent that we see in the NBA right now to the point where we're like, could we win a gold in Olympic basketball? And wouldn't that be fun with the Olympics down in Los Angeles in 2028? I think it's a similar story with soccer. when we were growing up, there were Canadian stars in Canada, in North America that we

looked at. I think my guy was like John Catliff and there was Dominic Mobilio. But there were no Canadians that I can think of at least that were like, he's the best left back in the world, or whatever. You know, like, yeah, there's nothing like Davies, and that, and that same sort of thing, like the exposure to global stars through the internet. Like, we didn't have that, and we've joked about that

a few times, like, we had one, we had Soccer Saturday, and we were like, I didn't pick up much there, I just learned, like, goals didn't pick up much there, I just learned like goals are scored in England, right? Sure, and not so much in Scotland. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So I think it's an unbelievably cool story that this country, which for way too long

has just been known for like, yeah, we're the hockey country. You know, we've got a men's soccer team, I mean the women's soccer team has been good for a while. We got a men's soccer team, I mean the women's soccer team has been good for a while, we've got a men's soccer team now that gets respect. And you know, I think the basketball team is at even a higher level with the amount of talent. You're looking at Canada now and going like,

that's one of the best basketball countries in the world. I don't think anyone's looking at the Canadian men's soccer team and going, that's one of the best basketball countries in the world. I don't think anyone's looking at the Canadian men's soccer team and going, that's one of the best soccer countries in the world. They're top 30 now. I know. I know. And that is a big thing globally because the

sports played so many different places. True, true. It's not the same as basketball though. But basketball, the amount of progress we've made is truly incredible. Right now, Canada produces the second most NBA players in the world. If you want to look at it as like the straight goods and the straight facts. It's and you have the high end elite talent like Shea Gilder's Alexander.

I'd put Jamal Murray in that conversation right now as well. And you could put a handful of other guys, if you like. SGA sort of stands alone as the the flag bearer for the elite Canadian talent, but there's a lot of guys and then if you go down these rosters There's a lot of guys that are playing very important minutes Andrew Nimbard yesterday for the antenna Pacers Like there's a lot of guys that are playing big Significant roles on NBA teams to the point where you can make the you don't have to make the case It's just clear as day that Canada's is the number two Exporter when it comes it's the US and then it's Canada in terms of NBA talent

I know we gotta go to break but will they ever catch up to the states you think in the same way that the states Is caught up to Canada and hockey I know there's a population difference But do you think it'll ever be competitive? I think it'll it is competitive I mean yeah competitive to the point where Canada could actually win. Basketball has this really basketball has this great untapped opportunity globally in terms of global competition, because it's never been anything other than first it was the US dominant. And then there was a handful of other teams being able to catch up. Now a handful of the really elite countries have caught up and are competitive.

But you're starting to see like six and seven and eight countries be able to play internationally and compete. They're not going to get to like the World Cup level and they may never get to the, I don't know, they could probably get to the same level where hockey's at in terms of bonafide, genuine competitive countries and have those kinds of tournaments. If I'm the States, I'm like, I'm not like super worried. You know, it's not like Canada should be super worried about, um, like, well, we're not good at, you know, hockey anymore. Yeah, we are.

Uh, and the Americans are still the best country at basketball, but the NBA has focused so much on global and other countries have developed so many stars that, I mean, who are the top stars right now in the NBA? We got SGA. Well, I'm just asking. You know, Jokic. When's the last time an American player won MVP, right? Well, when was it?

I think it's about six or seven years ago now, because you had Janis, you had Joel Embiid, you had Jokic, you had SGA. Like, it's truly a global league now. Like, Doncic was the biggest story in the NBA. Yeah. And then like Dallas was rioting pretty much when they traded him.

Who is, who's going to take over for that era of LeBron and, and Curry and Katie. Like I, you know, there are some candidates, but you know, I don't think super, super obvious ones. Yeah. I just, when you look at the evolution of the league, the interesting thing now is that there is no dominant force anymore.

There's no dominant team. We're talking about, yesterday we talked about there's going to be a seventh different NBA champion in seven years. And you look at the MVP, and yes, there are multiple winners. But year over year, it's going all over the place. And another first time winner this year with SGA.

Evan in Aldergrove says, Anthony Edwards is going to be the best player of this generation. Yeah, we'll see. I wouldn't write that yet. Yeah, we'll see. I like his nickname, Ant. It's a good nickname, pretty simple.

Paul Hamilton is gonna join us next. We'll have a quick chat about the Buffalo Sabres and what they might do. And then we'll leave some time after we talk to Paul for the Dunbar Lumber Text Line at 650-650. Any questions or comments? Send them into the Halford and Brough 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 12 to 2 p.m. on Sportsnet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts. 634 on a thrash Thursday here on the Halferd and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. Halferd and Bref 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. This show is also brought to you by Sands and Associates. Learn how a consumer proposal reduces your debt by up to 80%.

With no more interest, visit them online at Sands-Trustee.com. We're going to go now to the phone lines. The Hotline, as it's called. It's the Power West industries hotline joining us now from WGR sports radio five 50 in Buffalo. It's Paul Hamilton here on the health and the rough show on sports net six 50. Good morning, Paul. How are you? Well, how are you guys? We're good. Thanks for taking the time to do this today.

We wanted to check in ahead of what could be well potentially a big off season in Buffalo. The post season drought has now extended to 14 seasons. They last appeared in 2011. It's been an awfully long time. It's the longest post season drought in the NHL. We saw that Bo Byram's name has been in the news as of late. So we thought we'd check in and ask you the question, are you expecting a profound change

for the Buffalo Sabres this off season? Well, it's a record actually, NHL record of 14 straight years without the playoffs. And let's put it in perspective, if any of your listeners have a child who is 20 years old, they have no idea what it's like to see the Buffalo Sabres in playoffs. So, cause they would have been six years old the last time Buffalo was in the playoffs.

So, yeah, that's, there's a whole generation of people here in Buffalo who have no idea what NHL playoffs are like. Now, here in Buffalo, we cover the AHL playoffs because Rochester is only an hour away, and they're losing to Montreal's team, Laval two games to one and the best five so they're facing elimination so that could be over soon too so that's how we roll here in Buffalo but as far as changes when it comes to Bo Byram it's simple it's not like Bo Byram hates Buffalo or he hates the players on the team. Matter of fact, you know, he grew up with Dylan Cousins is no longer here and Peyton Krebs, he's known them since he was like, uh, seven or eight years old and played with them against them. And, uh, you know, he, you see him in the locker room.

He, he, it's not like he's moping around or anything like that. It's, I think it's pretty simple for Bo Byron. I think he wants to be traded because he's not going to be a number one or a number two defenseman here in Buffalo. That's Rasmus, Dallin and Owen power. So, you know, he's not going to get power play time because those two are quarterbacking the two power plays. He never got power play time really in Colorado. Guess who? McCart's running the power play there. So you know he wants to be a power play guy. He wants to be you know somebody on a top pair. Now if you look at the numbers when he plays with Rasmus Dallin he's fantastic. When he plays

with any other defenseman on the Sabres he's awful as far as the numbers go. But you can always look at it too. If the Sabres wanted to sign him, all right, sign him and always play him with Rasmus Dallin. Make them your top pair. And you've got a very, very good top pair. One of them has to move to the right. Usually it was Dallin, but he does fine over there. He has no problem with that. But it just, you know, I think that's really the major problem. Then, you know, Craig Reveille, a former Montreal Canadian and Buffalo Sabre, a former Buffalo Sabre captain does a podcast and he says, well, you know, Bo Byram's totally moved out of his house in Buffalo. Well, great. That doesn't

really matter because he's got to stay here two more years before he has any say in where he's going or what he's doing so he can move out all he wants if the Buffalo Sabres decide they don't want to trade him he's got to play two more seasons here you know he would have to sign a new contract he's a restricted free agent but he can't really go anywhere unless he gets an offer sheet but the way Kevin Adams roles is this way if a player comes to him and tells him he no longer wants to be a Buffalo Sab the way Kevin Adams rolls is this way, if a player comes to him and tells him he no longer wants to be a Buffalo Saber and Kevin Adams no longer wants him to be a Buffalo Saber, he's very staunch about that. So if they had their meeting at the end of the year and Bo Byrom asked to be traded, may not

happen. I mean he's going to get value for it, he's not going to just throw it up for nothing because he's got two years to accomplish it so you don't necessarily have to trade him in this offseason if he doesn't have a deal that he likes he he can put it off for a year if he wants to because you know Bo Byram has stuck here for two years so and I don't think Bo Byram would have a problem with that if he has to play another year or two in Buffalo. I think just he's kind of let him let them know that it's going to be no longer than that. If he's got to stay two more years, he does, then he's gone. So I think that's that's the process they're trying to work through right now.

So who else could be on the move in Buffalo this off season? I'm just wondering where they're at. I mean, I've got to be honest with you. We were a little surprised that Adams is still the GM. We thought there might be some pretty sweeping changes there to the front office, but there wasn't. And we'd love to get your thoughts on that too.

I know the Sabres had a promising end to the season, although they were meaningless games. So people might wonder if they're being tricked again by the Buffalo Sabres late season, meaningless games stretch, but just the general state of the franchise, I would love to hear your thoughts. Yeah, there were things to like near the end of the year, where they finally were doing

the things that Lindy Ruff wanted them to do. And Ruff was treating it like they were in a playoff race. It's like we need to do everything we can to win this hockey game, including who's the goaltender that gives them the best chance to win. Well, down the stretch, it was 37-year-old James Reimer. It wasn't Uko Pekelukinen, who basically sat and watched, except for a couple of games, down the stretch. So here are the Buffalo Sabres now.

They really have no goaltending. They have two youngsters. And I ask Kevin Adams at the end of the season press conference if he would, what is the deal here? Are you going to find a goaltender or are you comfortable in coming into a season where you haven't made the playoffs in 14 years with two kids in goal? Neither one of them has established anything in the National Hockey League. It could work out. They both may be great. Luke and did put together 35 games at the end of last season, not this past season,

but the year before where his numbers were the best or second best in the NHL. And that's why they thought they had their number one goaltender. Now he shows up this year played well at times, but his numbers really were not good. He wasn't making the big save at the big time for the most part and he regressed. Let's take us to Devin Levi, AHL all-star, might be arguably the best college goaltender that's ever lived and but every time he's played in the NHL, first of all, Adam has given him the job

twice without him earning it and it's blown up in his face both times. He finally figured out for the last year and a half that Devon Levi needed to go to the NHL and develop. He's done great down there until this recent series with Laval. I mean, that first series against Syracuse, he gave up two goals the whole series. Syracuse scored the first two goals in game one and they never scored again. Rochester got the next 11 and swept them.

Um, but then he gets into the Laval series and in his hometown and in three games, he's given up 12 goals and really he's looked good in one of the three games. So, you know, now it's gotten a little bit harder. Laval is the best record in the American hockey League in the regular season and it's not going real well for him. So I don't understand. And first of all, I agree with you a thousand percent. I don't know why Kevin Adams has a sixth year here. What GM gets six years to take a team to what? Last place for most of the year here, or second last place, that late season Swoon got them up a few places,

but still they're one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League, and you've had this team for five years, and that's what you've done with it, and you get a sixth year, and I think you guys are realizing what the problem is here. It's not necessarily the players or the coaches

or it's the owner. He wants to be heard. And when he fired Jason Botrill, a month before Kim Pagula was team president at the time, said that Jason Botrill was staying and her comment was, we know things behind the scenes that you guys don't. And we want him to stay.

Less than a month later, he's gone. What did Terry Pagula say? Which by the way, was the last time he spoke to the media. He said, we felt we weren't being heard. That just tells you right there, it's more important for him to be heard. And Kevin Adams definitely does what he's told. And for him, it's more important to be heard than

it is to get an experienced general manager into that seat who will basically tell him to you fill in the blank and say, this is the way we're going to do things. I'll let you know when we're going to make a trade, but that's about all it's going to be. You know, you're not going to send them clips of junior players like you like Kevin Adams does. So he can, you know, quote, scout junior players for

the draft and stuff. Good luck. Does that happen? Does that happen? Yes, that absolutely happens. Kevin Adams has told us numerous times. So yeah, we send him clips of our junior players and like potential draft picks and he's like, yes, yes. And he wants to be involved. Now I don't think he sits there and says, we're drafting this guy, right? But he wants to be in the know. He does that for the football team too.

I mean, when they went and scouted Josh Allen, he was with them. He was on the trip and liked Josh Allen a lot. I don't know how much influence he had because there was a lot of hand wringing when this Bill's drafted Josh Allen. A lot of people wanted him to draft Josh Rosen, who never, never did anything in the NFL. He went to, I think it was the pick after, but,

uh, you know, I do know Terri, Terri Pugula said that, you know, he really liked what he saw in Josh Allen, but how much influence he had in that, I wasn't in the room, I can't say, but he is involved in both the football team and the hockey team. So we're here in Vancouver and the Canucks have said they need to remix their remake pretty much

their forward group. I don't know if you heard there was some drama here in Vancouver this season between JT Miller and Elias Pedersen. JT Miller no longer here and the Canucks need two or three top six forwards, but I got to admit I'm struggling trying to think of a possible deal between the Canucks and the Sabres because the defense is actually shored up now. So Byrom, I don't know if the Canucks would be, you know, spending much time on scouting Bowen Byrom and wondering if he could be a

fit in Vancouver. You know, I've heard fans talk about, you know, JJ Piterka or Yuri Kulich or, but I'm also sitting there going, yeah, but the Sabres won't want futures and the Canucks don't have all that much to trade off their active roster. I imagine if the Sabres, and correct me if I'm wrong here, I imagine if the Sabres are going

to make a deal, it will be them sending out futures for NHL roster players. Am I right or wrong on that? Thousand percent. Okay. Yeah, thousand percent. And Adams has said that emphatically, that they are not looking for futures. They are not looking for draft picks.

They are looking for players to put on the team right now. That's why Ryan McLeod became a Buffalo Saber. They didn't have what he brings, a two-way centerman. And I remember when they traded for him, they gave up Matt Savoy, who was one of their three number one picks, and people are like, what are you doing? People in Buffalo act like Matt Savoy is already in the Hall of Fame. It's like, well, Matt Savoy, first of all, Buffalo has like five in the first round picks in Rochester right now.

There's not enough room for all the prospects in the Buffalo system right now, and they've got some good ones. They just don't have enough room to bring them all in. So that's absolutely what's going to happen. The prospects are the bargaining chips. And as it turned out, out Kevin Adams doesn't do everything wrong. That was a good trade. I mean Ryan McLeod had a 20 goal a year and he had said we think there's an offensive upside here and we need speed and we need a two-way player and he was exactly

what they wanted and gave them the offensive upside that you know he had over 50 points he never had that even close to that in Edmonton so that was a very good trade and you have all these number one picks Yuri Kulik was also one of those three first-round picks at year and so is Noah Auslan who's doing a fine job in Rochester but at least with him they're not rushing him to Buffalo that's another thing Kevin Adams does he rushes his young players but with Kulik he's done it the right way Kulik played over a hundred games in the American Hockey League and he's back there now you know but once Buffalo's season was over they

had him on the clear day roster so he could play in the playoffs they wanted him to experience that one more time and he's done very well down there. He's playing very well for them and it is a good tool for him and their top two prospects are probably Levi and Kulik and those are the two that have that have been developed correctly. Now JJ Peturka, he didn't spend much time in the AHL and he does have five goals in his last two seasons he's had he's was a real problem in the defensive zone two years ago which is improved i he's not there yet but the the scene a lot of improvement in what he's done

uh... to try to be more of a two-way player uh... here in buffalo the big thing is date buffalo fans want mitch marner more than you could ever imagine saw that but but but stop and think for a second That's not what Buffalo needs You they they were tenth in the league in goal scoring I think they're they averaged three point two three goals per game seventh was three point two six That's how close they were to being seventh in the league in scoring. They're 29th in the league in defense and they don't

have a goaltender that can make a big save at a big time. Mitch Marner can't help you with that. I mean yeah Buffalo had a pathetic power play even with the goals they scored he could help with that but they need to start they need to get a team that can keep the puck out of the net. They did help with that but they need to start they need to get a team that can keep the puck out of the net they did better to with that at the end of the year because they decided that they you know what when we play the way Lindy Ruff has been begging us to play all year we're actually a pretty we were we're actually a pretty good team now it took them you know about 60 some odd

games to figure that out now Now, can they carry that in the next year? Who knows? We'll talk, we'll find that out in October. But so they were better, but they have to get better defensively. They can score goals. Alex Tuck at 36, Cade Thompson at 44, JJ Peturka at 27. They got people and put the puck into that. Dallin had close to 20. I mean, that's not their problem. So if I was looking at an unrestricted free agent, I don't think any of these guys would come to Buffalo with 14 year playoff drought, but I'd Sam Bennett and Marshawn would be the number one and two guys on my list because they make a

very small, meek team tougher. They can play at both ends of the ice. They're winners. They show up at the big time. They score the big goal at the big time. And that to me is the type of player they should be going after. Now, do I think either one would sign here? No, but you got to ask.

That's, that's my plan. A, if I were the general manager and I? No. But you got to ask. That's my plan A if I were the general manager and I would do everything in my power to try to convince one of those guys to that this is the place for them. But to me, that's the type of player I'd be going for more than Mitch Marner just because of the situation the Sabres are in. Is it safe to assume that whatever move, big or small or otherwise that Kevin Adams makes this off season, that everything is geared towards ending this playoff drought?

Well, he has always said, and he reiterated again at the end of the year, he is not going to sacrifice the future, and that doesn't mean he's not going to trade future players but he's not going to sacrifice the future to get something like a rental just so they can make the playoffs type of a deal. He's looking for a player like McLeod who can be a player long-term. Yes, they gave up a number one pick to get him but he can help them long-term yes, they gave up a number one pick to get him, but he can help them long-term They went on and traded and got an extra second round pick last year for the only reason is to trade it

They had their own second round pick and they got Malin Stein and people said well you overpaid. Yeah, you're probably good But they that's the they needed a guy a straight-ahead guy who can go in, forecheck, get to the net, cause havoc in the net, test some speed to do it, and they didn't have that player. That's the kind of player they needed. So they went out and got an extra second round pick and they sent that to Washington to get that type of player, and that's exactly what he was for them.

So yeah, you might have to overpay a little bit with, but you've got so much in the barn, you can overpay for somebody if that's what it's going to take. But they have to probably, if we're all being honest, target guys who don't have movement clauses. Because any player with a movement clause, unless they're from Buffalo Buffalo probably is not going to want to stay here and I did forget one thing Adams did say that Alex Tuck is a priority to resign they can approach that starting July 1st he has one more year left on his deal at 4.75 million that could double I mean he could turn

into a seven and a half eight million8 million player. He has two 36-goal seasons now. And he is from Syracuse, very close here to Buffalo. He grew up a Sabre fan. I mean, he's exactly, the fans love him here. So they did say he is a priority to try to get him re-signed. Paul, it's always fun to catch up with our expansion brethren, the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres the Sabres and the Canucks don't have much but we have each other and that's

That's important Always good to chat with you. Today is the birthday of the Buffalo Sabres This is the day they became a franchise in the National Hockey League Does that mean it's the birthday for the Canucks too or were they different? I didn't want to say that but I would would, I would assume it is. Yeah. Well. It definitely is. It definitely is the birthday of the Buffalo Sabres. Well, one day one of these teams is going to win a cup.

One day. I don't know if we'll be here to see it, but it'll happen one day. Paul, have a great day and thanks for taking the time. Is Dale Tallon still available? Can the Sabres trade for Dale Tallon? I think he works for the Canucks now. I don't even know the Canucks now. I don't even know what's going on. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha I need to tell you about Jan Pro from the boardroom to the break room and everywhere in between Jan Pro keeps workplaces tidy Clean and disinfected for a free quote visit them online at Jan Pro dot CA

Coming up at the 7 o'clock hour at Nanverk for some baseball talk Jim Toth as we go to Winnipeg end-of-year media Availabilities for the Winnipeg Jets got lots more to get into don't go anywhere You're listening to the Halford inbreath show on sportsnet 650