Real Kyper & Bourne - 2025 Free Agent Frenzy

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee continue their coverage of the opening day of NHL free agency by reviewing the top names that have signed so far. They discuss Corey Perry's fit with the Kings, Brock Boeser sticking around in Vancouver, Evan Bouchard's mega-extension in Edmonton, how the Oilers can entice Connor McDavid to stay, Thatcher Demko's deal with the Canucks and the Panthers' UFA's paycuts. Later, Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman (30:00) stops by the studio to review the day's action, the sense around the league on 'tampering,' Bowen Byram's market, the rumours around Sidney Crosby, Mitch Marner's fit in Vegas and where Nikolaj Ehlers might land.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Welcome back into the studio. The real Kipper and born show. The Kipper is Justin born, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandale, Jake Schultz. Another hour as a reminder, this hour real Kipper and born brought to you by bet three six five as we continue on free free agent frenzy or fizzle, which one? I would say lots is happening. It's not necessarily that the free agent signing are a big deal, but people are moving teams.

For a hockey fan, regardless of big names or not, it's kind of fun. You're off all day, you're hanging out. You got a cold drink. You're in and out of your room, either you're watching it on your patio perhaps or in your living room. So what? The big names, yeah, they're not there. But who doesn't want to see the nibbling around the edges? Well, and also like, Kandre Miller, probably going to go to Carolina from the New York Ramses. Has it not been announced? It hasn't it's not official apparently they're quibbling over draft pick. Carolina has two firsts

next year and sounds like they're trying to figure out what's going on with that exactly. You know what my favorite Canada Day memory of July 1st is being at a cottage and back when I didn't have to work on Canada Today and the Leafs signed John DeVaris and I was like I gotta turn on Sportsnet and I turned on Sportsnet and I was so excited and it was Mack and Keper just like this is a horrible sign. No I did not. This signing sucks. This idiot.

This idiot doesn't know. That is BS. We did. We did mention the fact that they still had to sign Matthews and Marner and what that perhaps could do, which is true to the contracts. But just to your point about the names today, the fizzle, the last, Oh, here I'll read off what they have listed on sports. That thought. Yeah. The last one's a Parker Wetherspoon two million, two years, in Pittsburgh, sounds like Kyler Yamamoto, a re signing in Utah, David Riddick in New York Islanders. All right. Let's skim over to some good ones.

But this is the last five or six that have happened other people exist. There's actually They got friends and family Buddy there's real name sprinkling. You're being a jerk Connor Brown sign four years three million a year to New Jersey Gavrikov seven times seven to the New York Rangers listing the motory Perry, Los Angeles I was just breaking news Big names the only Kings now games With the signing of Corey Perry the LA Kings have guaranteed a Stanley Cup final loss. That's nice, right? That's good. Really good. They used to take it what?

really Corey That's nice, right? That's good. Really good. They used to take it what? really, Cory What just chasing it pal? I know but Like what what would the offer have been an Edmonton? I do know like why I don't know How many years from now You're gonna see a picture on a hockey card or up and you're gonna go when did he play there? They go, but I'm I'm at the team. I see Rick talk it and I'm like Boston Bruins

No, someone fudge that I don't think you ever played in Boston and it's like Yeah, he did. It's so funny cuz at the end of their respective careers Ryan gets laugh It was like is he gonna go chase another cup? Is he going to go somewhere? And he just ducked right his way to the end, stayed a duck. Corey Perry was like, I'll go play for everyone. I don't care. I am a mercenary looking for another. But to his credit though, he plays like it's life or death, whichhmm, which you want how many how many 30 guys you get that just kind of Mail it in. Yeah. Yeah, you know mail it in

but I just I think if you he became part of that team pretty like a pretty huge part of that team 19 goals this year. He was part of that Like a pretty huge part of that team. He was part of that... 19. A huge part of that run. And it's like to go to the Kings who are like... Direct rivals. The team you're leaving absolutely owns.

I don't know. He's like, oh, I got to stick it to them because they wouldn't give me an extra million bucks at the end of my career. Just wants to go back to living California. If that's the case. But like really? I'm curious to see the numbers. Do we have the numbers on Perry deal yet?

It's three and a half with incentives. Oh, wow. So what's the base salary? Hold on. Because it's either scoring individual. No, they don't can't do scoring individual. Is there all just games played bonuses? Are they not?

I don't think you can do that. No, I don't know. I forget now in the CBA. Is there all just games played bonuses? Are they not? No, I don't know I Forget now in the CBA Individual point is fascinating that I think he showed that he's worth money scored ten goals on a playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final how do you look at that guy and say you're worth a million bucks when you're giving everyone else real money, so He you're hearing a little bit more money. Go to LA and do your thing.

Yeah. I mean, talk about an unpopular guy in LA. It's like you go from Anaheim where you're like a blood rival forever. And then you go from Edmonton who'd eliminated them in two straight years of him. And then you go sign there. Just a weird one to me. There was strong speculation that Edmonton was willing to make Brock Besser an offer. And I don't know where that came into going back to Vancouver and ultimately getting this deal done on seven years. But with Bouchard now signed at 42 million over four years.

Start there, JB, in terms of what you thought But you know with Bouchard now signed at 42 million over four years start there JB in terms of what you thought of the contract and Where's where does Edmonton go from here the Bouchard contract? Yeah, I really like it in terms of dollars and cents But I think the only negative for the Oilers here is that they only got four years He's now gonna be a ufa at 29 years old, 28, 29 years old. You know, and for him he has that flexibility, but the cap is going to go up, up, up, and he'll have that chance to kind of reload at that point. And I just think he's going to put up a lot of points over the next few years and could cost him a lot of money. But they got a good

player, great player, top guy at a very reasonable price in my opinion It's just Eklad just screwed all these guys Where they all look like greedy pigs? It's like but it's like It's like the Shard makes for how much more than him? It's like Provo makes two and a half How much more than him? It's like prover of makes two and a half Gavrikov makes over almost a million more than he's like You're hearing that after Marner signed his contract that ranting and some of those other guys took the Marner contract to their guys

And said this is what he's getting. I like him. They're like, that's an outlier. That's ridiculous. That's what the ecblad one is It's like the other way. It's like that's not relevant here. Okay doesn't matter. That's fair but no, I think I mean bush's a huge part of what they did Connor McDavid at his Extremely contentious exit interview straight up was like we better get him signed kind of thing So like I think if you're Bowman and Jeff Jackson's like, yeah I probably should do what that guy says if we want to keep him around so is Rainer his numbers are off the charts. Yeah, and there's just no way you're going to get around that this is the premier scoring defenseman

in the National Hockey League in terms of what he means offensively to Edmonton is no different than Quinn Hughes or McCarr right now. And you know what? He's a better defensive player in playoffs. He patches up some of the holes he's shown. He can play his better. He was better better I'm not saying he's you know Larry Robinson he could continue to get a little better yeah that's there for him for sure he's still a young guy I got no problem with that contract it was his

stat like the highest jump in NHL history from regular season to playoff production yes maybe not number one but like in the top five yeah all time so playoff performer hard to find those guys he hammers the puck great on the power play but it is curious to see what Edmonton is gonna do here Arvison out we're gonna say and Bouchard no Victor Arvison out Corey Perry out Connor Brown out as of two hours ago yeah Oilers and Conor McDavid officially in the window where they could announce a new contract at any time and all we hear is crickets. We did hear Elliot basically saying it's not happening right away.

No. Not ready to sign. No. I owe our good mutual friend Vic and Platy in 10 bucks or 50 bucks. You said he'd like. I bet that he was signed the second he could. When did you do that? After a few pobs at the Argos game, quite frankly. How long ago?

Three weeks before the press conference. So give me that at least. That's what's called the happiness hedge. Sam didn't want him to sign, so he said at least I'll make the ten bucks if he does. No, it's fifty bucks. Fifty bucks? That's many more dollars than ten. I said ten at first. Do you still make the 10 bucks if he does? No, it's 50 bucks. 50 bucks? Yeah, it's a 50 bucks. Oh, that's many more dollars than 10. I said 10 at first. Yeah, I don't believe that you strategically come out and say what you say at your post-season ending

press conference and then turn around and sign on the dotted line first chance you get. That was not gonna happen. Dry Cytl went last season to when? August? I don't know. Late August to sign his 14 million? Around there.

It was late. It was close to training camp for sure. Yeah, two seconds here. I wonder how long, how long he kinda strings this out. September 1st for Dry. Wow, there you go. September 1st.

How long does he, and what does he need to see right now? Okay, he meant that Bouchard is a no brainer to him. Yeah, right. It's like, you know, with the Leafs with Tavares and Aiz, they're already on the team. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

We're the same team with them still there. What are you doing to make me better now? Yep. I'm still there. What are you doing to make me better now? Yep, and you're looking at their lineup, like Kane gone as well, right? So they have had a pretty significant exodus. You need better out of Trent Frederick. You know, Pod Colson, can he do it? Can Matthew Savoy be a player?

Like, I don't think these are enough to keep McDavid happy. I heard Trent Frederick, or sorry, Adam Henrique's name mentioned today as someone they could create some cap space if they traded him. That's an option. They re-signed Kaepernick, but yeah, they need help up front here.

They need another guy with the capital G. Quite frankly, I think McDavid's earned the right to see what they do this offseason. He's given them 10 unbelievable hockey seasons. Like, it's, what was his first year, right? 2015 was his rookie season. Yeah, right around there. I mean, if I'm him, I'm like, yeah,

I would like to see some significant changes here. Yeah, for sure. You know, like maybe a goalie, maybe a goalie. Yeah. A goalie. A goalie would help. And John Gibson goes to Detroit. I thought he was a lock for Edmonton.

So I got here rather early. Good for you. I hope you guys beat me here today It's a bad luck for a producer. Our Your work was done. Our network went live on their NHL show at 1130 Eastern. I think TSN's went out yesterday. Yeah, this TSN went at 630 this morning But I did catch a small snippet of TSN's show, and Kevin Weeks from ESPN was on the panel,

and he mentioned the name Carter Hart as a possibility of teams being interested in him. And of course, he's preference to knowing what's going on, you know, in the courts and no idea where that ends up. It's still up in the air on if these guys are found guilty or not. And he basically stipulated that. But he said that there might be teams having some interest there. And I think the link is with the Edmonton Oilers. And oh my god, it's kind of interesting to see the rest of the panel's reaction. Is it similar to mine? Yeah. Oh my god.

Yeah, exactly. It was like, well, I think trains and automobiles. How about them bears? I think it's pretty. You know, let's just assume and I don't know, but if he if they are acquitted and if this guy is let off, Scott free here, it comes down to a moral question because we've all heard what took place. You read depositions, you've heard.

So it's high profile. It's high profile. So even if they get off in terms of the legal system You have to make a judgment call on what you believe is this the person you want? I know yeah, I know and we've We've had these type of conversations to different degrees of course but Stan Bollman found his way back in Joel Quenville and we know where historically that scenario sits with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Oilers themselves got K-Vander Cain under questionable.

Corey Perry coming off the Chicago thing. Like the Oilers have been like. So you know, it's where does this one stand? And if you are one of the players that you're acquitted in the eyes of the law, do you want your job back? Do you want to? They all would, right? I mean, this is...

Where does the league stand on that? Will there be self- you know discipline leaguewide? Do you believe you have to come to believe that they have changed as people or to tear to people just say You know, maybe some other team wants to do that, but our team's not doing that I just hard people they're still like, you know in the process of coming up. Yeah, it's just a hard thing Yeah, right Sam. You're absolutely right. You can't even have this conversation You can't go there. Although people are going I can't But let's just see where See where the where they stand when it's all said and done in the eyes of the courts. Yeah

crazy they did that Canucks Demko and that's our Linden Vessar and 25.5 Demko and that's our London Besser and don't see five point five million dollars on an extension for that thatcher Demko on a three-year deal Where where's the I don't know is this? Just a good deal or not I mean when you factor in it didn't cost them six or seven years to commit for Vancouver. I

Don't mind it at three years, I really don't. No, and I think that says a lot about what people think about his health though. If he was halfway predicted to be healthy, he's a guy you'd wanna lock up for six years, twice the term, at a pretty reasonable hit for a guy who I believe is one of the five, 10 best goalies in the NHL.

So what was the number for him? Eight five.. Yeah so he made 25.5. So um they... They're paying 13 million dollars for two goalies next year. Well that's why the end with Shelovs waiting in the wings. Yeah. So that's a lot. They want to see what they want to do. It is a lot but if you don't have it, if you don't have it up the middle or on the wings or on the blue line it's okay for a short window of time the Canucks seem trapped right now they don't know what they are or what they want to be what do they have on the cap by the way where's all their commitment we know Pedersen's 11 6 besters now 7 2 5 Debrusk is 5 5 oh they got a ton of room then if Andrew Keynes five no Garland's for nine

It's not like they're sitting on three guys making ten million bucks No, but kip I keep saying names that are big numbers Garland five heat'll four and a half to Over three it is sun Garland for six years six million. Yeah, that starts next. Yeah, he's still got another What do they have? Last almost eight where would they have open in capsaicin? Yeah 1.4 million dollars But they have 21 players on the roster already. It's that tight that tight Cuz they got Ronick making seven to Hughes making seven eight

Patterson's making five five is the is the blue line? He'd all you pro Tyler Myers at three feels high at Heedle's for four I know what he's gonna do for you. So anyway, they got guys who are making money. All right But doesn't it feel like they're caught they're not good enough to win a cup. They're not Not that but it's also a market you have to keep engaged competitive That's I mean, that's been a huge complaint of a lot of Canucks fans is that they're just trying to be Like rallying in the playoff get in the playoffs get some extra gates. We want to like we're trying to make That that's our whole thing as opposed to like actually stripping it down

I tell you this is the biggest myth in sports right now is the the idea that certain markets won't bear losing like like Montreal who's been losing for years or whatever. They're smart fans. They know that something is waiting on the other side of that. The Leafs bottomed out for a moment. I think they're poised to challenge for Stanley Cup in three or four years. The Canucks? No, Montreal.

Montreal. Montreal's doing all sorts of good things. This Boulduc trade was great. They'll flip. They'll take a lot of these prospects and picks and Flip them and not to mention kip like they have big deals that'll drop off their Salary cap in two years Gallagher's got a year or two years left Anderson has two years left those guys still has two years I know but between those two guys. It's 13 million dollars Sam 13 mil for those two guys

So they're gonna suddenly drop off the caps going up and all of a sudden a lot of these guys If they keep building around them their D is so good Dobson Gouli Hudson yeah, they traded for that bullduck today from from st. Louis. They just need top-end talent They don't have enough top and talent forward forward right now Suzuki. We really love him I think it's like a top 30 center in the land Did you get all your state tax talk out of the the way or did you want to revisit, Florida? Can I make a can I just PSA to leave fans and PSA for myself I Can't believe

For one second that my big idiot self let myself, like convinced myself that Brad Marchand would leave the Florida Panthers to sign with the Toronto Maples. Like that's a thing that I actually was like, that's definitely gonna happen. That's definitely a thing that's gonna happen. But why did I convince myself?

Because no one, including Etblad, two weeks ago, ever saw him play 24 minutes in the Stanley Cup playoffs and be one of their best defensemen and win a second consecutive Stanley Cup and play the best hockey of his career in the prime of his career, take like a 30% discount off of the salary he was earning before.

Okay, it's- So act like it's to blame. It was crazy. It's crazy that a guy goes and wins his second cup and plays the way he plays and goes from 7.5 million to 6.1. Whoever saw that? Yeah. And that allows the vans. That's Marchand staying great. Did anybody see that coming? Like if eclad takes his value, Marsha can't afford more. No, of course not. And then he's a leaf or he's in Utah making eight and a half sheets

Mmm, that's why don't blame you. Well, no, I mean that glad I mean I am blaming it I blood for a ton of things like I mean it's just fraud. Maybe one of them. I don't know what the hell what I just I can't I Really got my hopes up. Yeah, there was so much smoke about it I really thought it was gonna have the other thing is very dying the other thing The other thing I will say to you and I've heard this from multiple people around top players and a lot of them through their accounting departments is that This state tax thing is still very, very kind of open-ended.

That it's not cut and dry. That teams like in Florida will get all their money state tax free, okay? Because what has happened over large portions of the last few years is that when players leave town and they go play in California, California wants state tax that day.

If they're in there for a day and a half, two days, they want to tax you and you pay taxes in California and you pay state taxes. So ultimately if this is going on, then you're not really saving 82 games of state tax money. You're really saving 42. I also had people reach out to me be like hey by the way Have someone look into what property taxes are in Texas compared to what they are, you know Some of these no state tax whatever like, you know three times the the rate of it I'm saying it's not as clean as we are like so I think some guys are taking haircuts in places They're gonna be like

five or ten years These states could come back and tell the players, you owe us 80,000 bucks, you owe us a hundred grand, you owe us $500,000. That's why the Tavars winning his tax thing helps Canada so much. He didn't win it. He didn't win it. He didn't lose it. He didn't lose it and they just kicked it down the road. That's what they did.

Oh, is that right? Yeah. So the other thing that is kind of still not decided or open ended is this, this fake signing bonus, right? So all these players get their, the bulk of their salaries on signing bonus. So you pay no state tax on signing bonus. Much lower percentage, I think. But a true signing bonus according to possibly the government or the state is that when you sign it, it is yours regardless of service provided. That means that you can an inducement to sign.

Thank you. You can sign it and quit tomorrow. And it's your bonus. It's your money. That is a signing bonus. What's happening in the NHL is they're hiding a signing bonus that's tied into your ability to provide a service. Guys get a year for signing bonus on their six-year contract. It's not state tax free.

It is part of your salary that you're just hiding. Zach Kalifianakis. And that you could turn around and ask for tax dollars on it. So no advantage is what you're trying to tell me. All I'm saying is, Sammy, while you're kicking and screaming, well, let's see where this whole state tax thing ends up in possibly a few years down the road. What are you saying is that there may be some consequences

come home to roost for these guys. Yeah, so they're gonna rescind the cups? No, they're not. Are they gonna rescind the cups over this time where it's been clear advantage? Yeah. Like, I mean, look at their cap sheet. It's a joke.

The joke. 25%. And you know what happens when- Every single one of their guys is under $2 million under what they should be thinking, if you look at it. It's roughly a 25% average on on contracts right now for some teams 25% those guys are not getting that money back when the cap goes up that percentage is 25 turns into 27 yeah 30 35 if it's 150 million dollar cap in in 10 years or 15 years and nothing changes.

That was a real contract derailment. I will say this, it's an issue. Let me just revisit this. It's an issue. I would love some reporters to say something negative about the Brad Marshan contract. Because all I had to read about last year when Chris Tanev signed his contract, oh, the leaf's real leaf throw is a sketchy one

Oh leaves this leave you're really gonna play that. Oh, is he really gonna play? It's like Brad March and size to like until he's age 80 when he when that when that contracts done He can go straight to the you know, right to the Florida. You know snowbird There like it's just it's really a greasy contract that should be investigated, but they won't because it's the beloved Florida Panthers. Barry's, you know, just sign them all, baby. Yeah. Merchant, though.

Sign them all. I don't care. Outside of the money. Okay. Sign them all. The guy, I don't know, he could play 55 games this year. There's some road trips that he may not even go on He's on a third line

He doesn't have to babysit anybody if he came to Toronto and played on the first line And and every day he's reminded that you got to turn Austin Matthews into this machine this leader this You know, yeah Tiger. yeah, it's like buddy You don't want that heavy lifting you got yeah, you're taking a golf cart to practice Great the right thing and no one cares. He did the right thing and no one cares Where do you want to go? I should take a break. We gotta do game time We gotta take a break cuz he's just coming in at 2.30. Oh, okay. Yeah, Sam on Boston sign Coralli Coralli's back in Boston

Yeah It's game time present about about 365 visit the app for the stars of find out why it's ever ordinary at bet three six five What's my team plus Ontario only please play responsibly? Monster victory for the Toronto Blue Jays last night comeback victory Max Scherzer ends up going five innings apparently not to hurt He left the game kind of hurt last night everybody was a little bit scared about it But apparently feels the same as he did up to the last start So he's gonna make us nest start really feels like it's a start to start bases here today

Canada Day game one of my favorites of the year I've actually never been but I always loved the big flag that they put Out on the play. It's just nice. Yeah, the Jays are Big underdogs today plus 140 Kevin Gosman on the hill Big underdogs today plus 140 Kevin Gosman on the hill. Cy Young candidate Max Freed on the bump for the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees are minus 165. I'm just going to quickly look this up because Ernie Clement is an absolute lefty masher and I think his numbers against lefties are out of this world. So give me a long shot. Ernie Clement home run over a one home run.

That is plus 900 on bet three, six, five, a little bit of a long shot. Jays are in tough today, but I love Ernie Clement against the lefty. So there we go. And I'm hoping that, you know, we have fridge coming in the next, in the next break, I'm hoping that my lovely coworkers here will maybe let me go a little bit early so I can make it first pitch But maybe not we'll see we'll pitch it. We'll have a conversation in the break. Anyways, that was game time I'm sending my bet 365 visit the athlete as dogs and find out why is there ordinary bet 365 must be 19 plus Ontario only please play responsibly. Nothing pissed me off more than getting

Bag-skated at the end of practice and then seeing a few guys leave early Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so if we're we got to do down and backs. Well, why does why doesn't Sammy make him run the stairs? I gotta go down and back. I gotta go down and then back down there for the chase game I like to see the big flag on Canada today, you know, nurse, you know, he likes the big flag Okay, let's take a quick break and when we return as Sammy mentioned Elliot Friedman the man who helped solidify the Leafs getting Nick wah What You don't lead with that

Are you kidding me? They were shaking in their boots Vegas, okay? Elliot Friedman our very own insider when we returned to real kipper and born the Got you on the real kipper and born show. I just had the longest hold ever on our show. Like this. I was looking at Nashville's cap sheet. You're just desperate to talk about Jeff Petrie to the Panthers. I just couldn't wait. Boy, You're just desperate to talk about Jeff Petrie to the Panthers. I just couldn't wait. Boy. The Predators. Where do they have room?

Florida? Yeah. Yeah. What do you... He signed for League Minimum. A reclamation project there. Something... Why?

Petrie? Yeah. Why for him or why for them? Yeah, just to... Will he actually play? Probably. Yeah, he'll play. He'll turn into...

He'll turn into... A star? That'd be amazing he'll play. He'll turn into, he'll turn into a star. He'll be amazing. A star? He'll absolutely be. Oh, here we go. Oh, look at the suit on this guy. I gotta get out of the way. Yeah.

Happy Canada Day. Our Sammy's heading to the ball game. Enjoy the match, Samuel. And we'll welcome in Elliott Friedman, 32 Thoughts, Hockey Night in Canada, Mr. Everything here, keeps looking at his phone. Will we make eye contact in the next 20 minutes? Or?

I don't know, I don't know how much they'll be. Like, when you start breaking a cell news, that's when you've got a problem. You know, this reminds me of a story, Nick, a buddy of mine, one of my best friends, about 20 years ago, he quit smoking, okay? So he needed something else to do so he would not smoke as much.

Break news? No, so we started gambling. And I remember one night we were going to play cards at his house and he goes, Elliot, who do you like tonight? The Rough Riders of the Stan Peters? I looked at him I go Dave isn't this a CFL exhibition game and he goes yeah But I gotta get some action I go you need help you need to start smoking Smoking's way cheaper

Okay, so sum up today for you obviously Okay, so sum up today for you obviously Big names a lot of things settled prior to July 1st. Yeah, how did today compare to others? I don't know what the less crazy last year was what 400 million spent July 1st something like that This year less crazy over the numbers. I never I actually I looked at my article from last year I think was a billion dollars in signing. Oh, total. On the first day? Well, on the first couple days. Wow.

First couple. Yeah, mm-hmm. Large tickets. So what did you make of today? What stands out for you? The one thing, Nick, is that this whole thing about tampering, normally when you get to noon, there's a dam breaks like you're completely overwhelmed.

Today it took close to an hour. I think everybody was like, okay, we don't wanna be too obvious at this. The only one I got like in the first half hour was Christian Dvorak I think, cause it was a one year deal, it was really simple. But I think people were really nervous. The sense I get out of the league is that

this is really, really a touchy subject for sure. What you can prove obviously is up to you. At no time did I think Vegas or Toronto ever pursue or say a word to the league. I think when it comes right down to it Elliott They just don't want to be embarrassed right yes, they just don't like Cody CC four times four point five Kings. Oh wow that's a lot of money. That's a lot of stuff He just tweeted that by the way. This is the slowest we've ever been on this show.

It's good. Breaking news on our show. You know what? I think that one of the things is, I was reminded when John Tavares signed with the Leafs, the Leafs were investigated for tampering. And it wasn't even the Islanders who complained. It was the League who just did it on their own and I remember Lula Amorello called the Maple Leafs to tell them I didn't ask for this and when I wrote that the

Islanders had the Leafs investigated he called me like 10 minutes after the article appeared and he said I didn't ask for this, the league did. So I think you're right Nick but I will say this, like there are people out there who think that the league wants this to stop and if they catch you, they'll hammer you. They have, the only ones that could really have any type of smoking gun for me is the agents.

And they have no control over the agents. And we know, Elliot, that the deals get done and talked about well prior to July 1st. There's just no way that over the course of decades now that that stuff just hasn't happened. They have their conversations. What are you looking for? What do you have?

What is it gonna take? Like, they can't stop that. No, they can't stop it, but they, sorry, Brian Dumoulin, three times four million kings. Also. So the kings just signed 12 million. That replaced Gabarkov and. A third of their D.

Yeah. So they're now Doughty, Anderson, Edmondson, Clark. You know, who are the two? CC and Dumoulin. CC and Dumoul. CC and Dumalin. Yes. Sorry, and they've been rumored to be threatening an offer sheet at Bowling Byram today,

so we'll see if that's going anywhere, anyplace. That has to make Buffalo trade Byram. Well, to me it's very clear that the player wants to go, and, because what you can do is you can sign them to a one year offer sheet and Buffalo can't trade them for a year. So it puts you in a really bad spot. Like this whole Kayandre Miller thing with the Rangers.

So what I think Carolina did was they, I think when Carolina talked to Buffalo, talked to Edmonton about ranting around the deadline, they asked for Bouchard. And I think the reason Bouchard got done so quick was because the Oilers knew that Carolina was thinking of an offer sheet with Bouchard. And so now I think what they did with Bouchard signed,

I think they moved on to Kay Andre Miller. And so I think the Rangers made the deal, they're trading Miller to Carolina. I don't know if there's any players involved, I think it could be the offer sheet compensation in return. really like I think to the offer she died that's kind of what's going on deal. Yes That's kind of what's going on here I don't know what the extension is gonna be for Miller But I think what's going on is whatever the offer sheet compensation was that's gonna be a key part of the return to the Rangers

He's a 25 years old 6 foot 5 to 10. So Elliot, what kind of number would a team be looking at for Byron? Well, he's gonna be a UFA in a year. 11, 12? I don't know if it would be. Millions of dollars? I don't think it would be, yeah. I don't know.

Nine? But you won't get him at nine. Well look, like Provarov just got eight and a half, right? So, Byram's up there. It'll be, he gets points, right? It'll be Sebastian Aho all over again. It'll be Montreal thinking that they went high enough and, or I'm sorry, the other way around, right?

Where it was like, they're gonna match. I think what they would do is they'd match easily. Byron had seven goals and 38 points. Caroline had no trouble matching Montreal's offer to Sebastian Ajo. God, Byron played 22-42 for a game? Yeah. Did he really?

Oh yeah, yeah. And he's a confident guy. He only put an offer sheet on when you really think that the other, Buffalo's not gonna match it. Right. It's the only reason why you wanna do it. I understand going up there, but I don't think Buffalo wants to pay him nine mil either.

Like, you know, they're already paying Power and Darlene, God knows how much per year. So at nine million, isn't it a first, second, and a third, Elliot? I have to double check. I don't have the thing in front of me. Do you have the compensation? But I heard with Byram, they were thinking about doing

a one-year offer sheet, whoever was thinking of doing it. They were talking about potential, because if you sign an offer sheet, you can't be traded for a year, right? So. Yeah, nine million dollars is a first, a second, and a third. Yeah.

Above nine, three, though, it goes to two firsts, a second, and a third. That's not helping, Buffalo. No. A first, a second, and a third above nine three though. It's not first. That's a second a third That's not helping Buffalo. No first a second and a third Right. No, no, they need more value and him being traded when you look at all the all the offers They had for Paterka. I think a lot of it was we don't want futures. We want we want to compete now So they're not so it's clear like there's a pressure play being put here on the Sabres. No question Is this so even though USA I you know today free agent frenzy whatever

I actually found this a more compelling more exciting last 24 48 hours because I feel like yes It was crazy trades are freed up like I don't know what it would be usually around this time of year But that aspect feels like it's like more players are changing teams than past years Well, and I would say aside from the Florida guys. Yes. Yeah. I mean they're all back together But yeah I mean the thing is like this is the right year to be a free agent Like there's lots of money out there. And the other thing guys is that there's only one team that's that's that's tearing it down It's like Pittsburgh Pittsburgh like the rest of them

They're all trying to get better like guys are saying there's not enough players out there for what everybody wants to do. What do you make of George Loroc's tweet about Sidney Crosby? So this is my theory on this. I think there are people around Sid, like some of his friends who would really love to see him go somewhere else.

But I'll say this, what one guy said to me, and I think this is someone who really knows, whenever something like that happens, he doesn't like it. He doesn't like it at all. I just think that the penguins are gonna have to live with this until they get better. As long as they're struggling like this, there are gonna be people in Crosby's world

who are gonna be saying to him, why don't you go play somewhere else? Like and you know what, I think this too, like he played so great at the Four Nations, you know how good he's going to be at the Olympics. Whenever he plays great at a big event like that, the cries are only going to get louder. It is interesting, sorry, just to see how Lemieux crossed for one year with Crosby and at the tail end of Crosby, Gavin McKenna seems like someone who's almost in that tier of player.

Yes. Be curious to see if they're able to pull it off yet again. I am now more in the belief that Cindy Crosby will be traded. Do you think so? I do, yeah, I do. Like this upcoming season? Yes, like there's no chance, like, I don't know,

some suggested that maybe something could happen, you know, just around the draft or just after the draft. First of all, that would never happen because the Penguins have to sell tickets. Trading him now would shut that right down and turn off a market beyond belief. But I do believe that come next year, if he's still feeling it, and they're really bad, bad, then the

likelihood that he gets traded after the Olympics, I think, grows. After the Olympics. So Sid, this is his last year of this deal? Or is it the first of his new two years? This is the first of his two year deal. Yeah, eight, seven this year and next. And I think that's when we'll start really, I think there's a chance it could heat up.

I don't know if he's gonna get traded or not, but if there is, that's the window that you trade Sidney Crosby is after the Olympics. With another year on his deal. I've wondered about that, Nick. I completely agree with you. The only one thing that people argue with me about is that he's such a creature of habit

you want to trade him in season. Drew Ann to the Islanders, two years. Two times four. Two times four? Yes. Okay. I was getting some talent. Put a bow on Mitch Marner.

What are your thoughts either for Vegas or the Leafs, Elliot? Well, I think it's a great hockey fit for Vegas. Like when I watched them last year, I thought they were really thin on the wing and he immediately changes all of that. I thought he'd sign a four year deal, but I heard he was kind of like,

you know, this was a lot to go through. I think I'm happy to put this away for eight years you know what I think first of all I think it needed to happen it was time he you know I you know Nick there's one thing you said this year that's thought we did a regional in Utah three of us and Dave Amber when the news got out that they'd asked him to go to Carolina he said no and I just remember that you said, the biggest problem here is if the leaf season ends badly and Marner takes a lot of heat,

that's the worst outcome that could happen. That's exactly what happened. Yeah, and then left with no choice. And then stuck with an eight year deal moving forward. And I just think that it's the right thing for both sides. I think it's a shame in the sense that Marner should have finished his career as the best Toronto-born maple leaf

and one of the best leaves ever, but I think that in the long run, this is the right thing for him and the team. It's a shame, I think it's a shame. Yeah. Just quickly on Vegas, you think they still gotta unload the Rasmus Anderson link? They want Anderson really bad.

And they've got room for him? They gotta move a center man. Well you know Vegas, like if they get him, they'll do it. Apparently they called Carlson, Barbachev, and Hurdle and said don't believe the rumors, you're staying. Really? Yes. That's what I heard. that's what I heard. That's what I heard.

So then that just, I don't know who you move to make room for Rasmus Anderson at that point. I have to look at all the math. You can go 10% over in the summer. It's like Florida, everyone's saying Florida's gotta move somebody. Kachak still has to figure out what his treatment's gonna be.

You can go 10% over in the summer. Somebody always gets hurt. Anderson doesn't have a big number now. It's only what, it's not. You're saying for this year he'd be okay. For this year I think they could do it. That's interesting. But the problem is they haven't been able to make the deal.

Nick Haig, if Nick Haig was assigned in Calgary, I think this deal got done, but he went to Nashville. Was there a sense that Vegas was a little nervous about people accusing them of tampering? I don't think they were nervous, but what I think is that, like I said, Nick, that there are guys telling me that they feel that the league wants to make an example out of someone. And I'll say this, after we talked about that on the weekend,

there were some people who said to me, there's a few situations I think there, that's why I think it took so long for the moves to come out today, because everybody was like, this is gonna, they're gonna go at somebody. Yeah, interesting. Oh man, what's the fine, five million?

Up to five million. I don't see a world where an owner's stroking a check for five million bucks. I'm sorry. Well, I'll say, there was a funny, I was talking to, I was texting someone about this yesterday, and they sent me, I said, we'll see if they're serious or they're toothless.

And someone sent me a picture, there's a guy sent me a picture of a person with no teeth. So I was like, I had to write that, and someone said, why did you write that? Now you're just dating them. Yeah, well, we'll see if anything comes to that. Maybe they'll grow some teeth after that. Wanna skip around Canada a little bit?

Yeah, okay, where do you wanna go? Well, Vancouver made three of the bigger signings, I would argue, keeping Demko, Besser, Pius Suter still out there, but also Connor Garland. Yep, the Besser one blew us away. Last week, I don't think anybody saw that. You think they can get a first rounder for him now with the trade deadline? That's pretty funny. I don't think they have to worry about that for a long time. You know, Besser, it was interesting about Besser, like when I was figuring out where he was gonna go

and obviously I didn't see Vancouver coming, but everybody was saying like he's the only guy who's not afraid of going to like Edmonton or Winnipeg or anything like that. So I mean that's, you know, it's such a huge year for Vancouver next year because of the whole Hughes thing. It's really interesting that they got that whole band together, like Garland.

Those are his guys, right? Now they gotta win, they gotta take care of business. Earlier in the day, you mentioned that Nick Ehlers wasn't gonna happen today. I don't think so, yep. There's a real strong sense that he didn't wanna end his career in Winnipeg, he didn't wanna come to Toronto either,

and been linked to Carolina. Yep. Carolina has tried to trade for him twice at least but I'll say this like a few people told me that they think Washington's gonna make a big pitch for him. Like they really really want him and I had some people tell me today that LA is trying to get him. I think there's some other teams like Columbus has been there. The one thing I'd heard is that he might take less money to win. Like, it's been talked about he could get 9.5 on the open market. I've heard if that doesn't happen, we'll understand why because of where he goes.

But he's the big guy remaining. And I heard Washington, I heard Carolina, but today someone was saying, you know, it's LA. I mean, LA is signing so many guys, I don't know where they have the room for it all. But someone did say LA made a big pitch today. Edmonton Oilers not gonna sign McDavid immediately, but they did have a lot of guys on the exit, I guess this year, or they lose about three or four forwards.

Yep, Arvidsson. Yeah, Arvidsson, Brown Harry Harry and I heard like I heard rumors about Henrique and Somebody told me that I think we're at the limit of guys in Edmonton who would wave so right now They're not sure they're gonna be able to get anyone else to wave So what are they gonna do to get better? It's a good question Yeah, you and you anticipate trade wise they gonna do to get better? That's a good question. You anticipate, trade wise, they might have to be trades. You anticipate McDavid going as late as Leon did

to sign his contract in September? I think it's possible. Does that mean you just have to sit by your phone every day? Pretty much. July and August? Pretty much, yeah. I mean, like it's, but the thing is, there's a bunch of those, there's Kaprizov,

like the Wilds seem really confident about Kaprizov. Ikel. Ikel. Like I gotta think signing Marner, Ikel knew exactly what was going on. Kaprizov to me is more interesting. Yeah, I bet a bit more. Yes.

To me, Kaprizov speaks volumes that there was no contract announcement today. Now, Garen is really confident. Oh, listen, I'm not saying it's not gonna happen. I'm not telling you I have knowledge, but what seems to be the problem? They said themselves they're gonna pack the truck up. Months ago, so why don't you splash July 1st

with a brand new contract with your franchise player? Nick, one of the things, and you know this, is that I wonder if some of these guys don't want to be the one to go first. Yeah, see, as soon as McDavid signs for 17, all of a sudden it's not so bad for someone to say, well, I want 14. I think there's something to that. I do think, I wouldn't be surprised if the biggest number is Kaprizov's. Really?

Yeah. I do think, I wouldn't be surprised if the biggest number is Kaprizov's. Really? Yeah, I don't think that, because, I mean, let's take McDavid out of the equation. McDavid should get 20%, like I don't think any, but his history is not to do that. I am curious to see what number Kaprizov's gonna come up with. I think that could be a big, big number.

Like, if you look around sports, we have to get used to this. Like, what Shay Gilders Alexander signed for today? He signed for 70 million today. 70 million per year for four years. 285 total million. How about a four-year deal? Eckblad wins the Stanley Cup and takes a pay cut.

I know. What is wrong with our game? We're gonna see some players signing for numbers that make your job up, I think. Elliott, great job today as always, man leading the charge at sports net. Have a great summer guys. Is this your last? No, we're through guys. Friday. Okay. We'll have a great summer guys. Everybody get some rest. We're back tomorrow on the real Kipper and

Bourne show. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening.