Real Kyper & Bourne - Bottom-Six Battles, McKenna Expectations + Quinn Hughes' Future

Episode Date: September 23, 2026

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee reflect on the end of the Blue Jays' season before teeing up the Toronto Maple Leafs' preseason split-squad double header against the Ottawa Senators. They discuss the Leafs' roster battles in the bottom six, expectations for Gavin McKenna's rookie-season point total, the team's outlook in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division, and much more. Later, Nick, Justin and Sam check in on the vibes at Oilers camp under Mike Babcock and debate whether Quinn Hughes will stay with the Wild.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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Right back at you for another edition of the fastest hour in hockey all week, one hour. But we will be slipping into a familiar spot next week, starting Monday, 4 to 6 p.m. Eastern. Hold on. No. Jays are still in it. You never know. We are live on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet Plus, and YouTube, and wherever you find your pods. There is no attachment to SportsNet 590 the fan as this is lowering the casket day on the Toronto Blue Jay season.

Sammy, do we have an update yet on where the Jays are in their first game? We are in the top of the fifth at Camden Yards in Baltimore. The Jays are trailing two to zip. They had two men on with one out and now they are out of the inning. So they must have hit into a double play. Must have been Vladdy at the dish. Anyways, it's two zip. Heading to the top of the sex.

All right, we got a ton on the Toronto Maple Leafs, and we do need to go around the league. We've only promised for two days. We're going to talk about McDavid and Babcock, and we haven't got there. So that is on the docket for sure. But let me just go back a little bit for you, Sam, because you are the ultimate.

No, no, we got to have a little bit of a talk here about the Jay season, which should close out today, we believe. Yeah, yeah. And when I was a kid growing up, I mean, if you didn't win the division, you were just done, right? Teams were done like in June and July. Yeah.

So we do know now that they've put in this wild card position. And did it change your look and perspective on the season that they were able to play meaningful games right to the end? And there's only three left. We know that. But like, there was interest. there was excitement, there was a vibe, and, you know, somehow, some way, you know, I'm going to parlay this to maybe the Maple Leaf season this year. And if they do what the Blue Jays did,

did this season, and that's just hold the interest right at the very end, and then they happen to miss out, will you feel the same way, will you feel differently? How do you feel about, like, just the Jays being in it right to the end here, opposed to the old days when your season was over months ago? Yeah, like, I remember being. being a kid and then winning almost 90 games and being 15 games back of the Red Sox and Yankees and having it not matter at all. So I think that all Jay's fans saw their own death, like the end, right before the play with a trade deadline, it was as bad as it's been in a very long time.

They got hot, it was kind of enjoyable. We all got to convince ourselves that the magic was back, blah, blah, blah. But ultimately, it's still an incredibly disappointing season, mostly because of what happened last year. And coming off with the World Series run, and we all know how it ended. And, I mean, I've said a million times if they just get one. more out. None of this matters. And we all just get to go down and see three trophies at the dome instead of one.

But yeah, like, it's disappointing. Like, it's been fun to have this little run. But ultimately, it's pretty upsetting. I think most Jay's fans would feel the same way. You? Fundamentally, the thing keeping Jay's fans in it was the season before. Yeah. Was that belief that there was magic in this group and it could come back at any moment and

they're close. But if they just get hot, it could, whatever. The Leafs are coming off being. Bad. Really? Not funny. You think it wasn't face value that, like, I, I look at it as just face value. They opened up a wild card spot. They made it where your team could really suck,

but your community, your fan base can always feel like they're in it. For sure. And I think it's in many ways from a business point of view. It's a stroke of genius, right? And 41,000 people at the dome every night. Credit to the fans, best fans. holding on and instead of just picking apart what's been so bad all year,

it was just always the focus of the next game or watching the score clock or watching what Cleveland's doing or Texas is doing and just always kind of looking ahead without looking in the rear of your mirror and that's what that wildcard spot did. Yeah. Well, you just wait until the NHL introduces an eight versus nine best of three series to play in the playoffs. So when you're the 10th and 11th seed,

you can still think you have a chance to keep everyone alive. I think it's coming. I think it's coming. Last year in the West in the NHL, St. Louis, Nashville, San Jose, they were all a few points out of playoffs. They were pretty brutal.

But they got to believe right to the end. Even the Jets, you know, there were times you could talk yourselves into it. The more teams you include and sort of the chance to play your way in and up, the more, the longer you get to stay in it. It's bad baseball. No, it's been horrible.

Horrible. Like, it's not been good the whole year. Like, even when they've been winning, it's been by- Cleveland kind of sucked in. The whole team. Texas kind of sucked in. The whole league stink. Like, it's a turtle race.

No team is good. And we're just watching it every night. Yeah. It's like. We need it in the summer, though. Thank God there was a hope that they could. They got us here. They got us here.

A Leafs game versus the Ottawa Senators. Inside a week of the regular season. It's Marty Feldman night. It's another Marty Feldman. Marty Feldman. I looked into him last night. Wow. Those are some images.

And he was seeing some images. Quite the comic. Yeah. But he could watch a split squad game. He could watch both our TVs and studios. Right. All right. So what do we expect?

Well, I'll tell you what I expect. A couple of fights tonight. That's what I expect. They're like the roster for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They've left off sort of the fourth line, Grine. You're such a goon. Like, seriously.

I'm telling you what I expect. Not what I want to see. I'm doing analysis here. But they got Zach McEwen and Michael Posetta in the lineup against Ottawa. And to me, they're kind of saying to these two guys, it's all the guys who are going to be on the team and those two. And to me, they're saying, who's the guy when we need a guy? Which one of you is going to be the guy that we're going to call? We're going to play Florida.

We're down a guy. We need a spark. Who's it going to be? To me, those two guys are competing against each other. And typically, that will lead to someone. in those shoes. Kip, you've probably been in there and you're playing days, or you think I got to make a statement? Because that is one of those guys where I'm like,

you got him last year and you just buried him. Bared him. Never had a chance. And they didn't use him until they were way out of it at the end and he was actually like a little bit effective for six, seven minutes tonight. I thought, you know, you guys know, I was, I'm a little embarrassed. I was excited about this guy being like the guy who's going to go haywire in the fourth line and he's very squirrelly. I love that.

He do. But he didn't get the chance to squirrel. Maybe he'll squirrel tonight. Okay, let's go to Hiller on his comments on the competition on the bottom six. That obviously includes Zeta. We've kept the lines kind of structured the same. You've noticed those. But we have a lot of good players.

A lot of players that can move around the lineup. We've talked about that and can complement other players. So although the stuff hasn't been moved, and we hope we don't have to move it, you know, we certainly have an eye on, you know, some people getting shifted around if they don't end up performing to their expectations. So something we'll just keep watching. So that means, I mean, to their expectations, that just means that, again, like we talked about yesterday, it's going to be a competition and stuff.

And I want them to have mutants in there once in a while. I don't think it ends. Once a week, mutant night wouldn't be the worst thing. No. Doesn't end, does not end at training camp. No. I think we're going to see 26, 28, 30 guys. By November?

Well, just in and out of the lineup. 26, 27, different guys in and out of the lineup. Of course, injuries can play a part. Getting off to a good start, not wanting to rock the boat, can also lower that number. But if it's as open of a competition as he says, I wouldn't even fret too much being sent down to the Marley's, thinking I'm perhaps a game or two away from getting,

call back up. Yeah, I mean, you look at this lineup. I was thinking about it today, driving in. Like, look at the defense, so they got Stetcher is the guy who seems to be inside the top six defensemen. Behind that is Andre and Blankenberg, who are obviously effective NHL-level guys. You got that Rify, which people really like. He can really skate and obviously show him some toughness. Murmiss is still in the minors. Danford is still working his way around. They signed that Borgese. Like, I think they got 10D they can use, which is good. Same goes for forwards. Outside of all the guys they signed, we know they've got 13 forwards, but past that, they're still quillin. They're still grew.

There's still guys we saw play NHL games for them last year that are available. So they got, they're as deep as they've been in a long time. Not, you know, it's not amazing, but they have NHL job. I do believe if I can nitpick one thing. Yeah. Probably went a little overkill on, and shoring up the bottom six. I don't know if you needed decisions, Paul, Lugar, and Duhayne. Yeah.

Like they're, you kind of close the door on Quillan. Yeah, but like it's, like, are they all kind of similar? Are they, like, there's not a big difference between all of them. Maybe there is and I can't see it, but they aren't, none of them are legit top six, right? Nick Paul, we've seen him go from one to nine throughout his career in Tampa Bay. It's probably a little different, but and then you have Lorenz in there. To me, there's a lot of similarity between all of them.

And I just don't know if you needed like four this offseason. I think that's a fair criticism. Like Quillen to me, I would be fine with him playing some minutes and he has some offense to his game that didn't pop in the NHL yet, but could pop. You're not going to suddenly get more than 10 goals from Teddy Bluger, I don't think.

So it just feels like they wanted versatility. All those guys that were talking about. talking about where most of them can play center and can play wing they've got a lot of options here yeah it maybe feels like at the end of last i mean all the stuff that's about matthews and talking about making matthews happy and all the different stuff surrounding that maybe he was saying that he didn't want to be the first one over the board every single penalty kill anymore and you know the the defensive zone draws and all this different stuff that he had to do in barubi and leaf fans hated or just they made that call for him that's or that but i'm sure he probably when they had their little zoom meeting

when he didn't go out there. They had to, and people got bent at a shape about that one. Don't worry, they're going out there. Yeah. Anyways,

I just, I think that to your point, Kipper, there's a lot of guys are a little bit redundant, maybe feeling, but Matthews didn't want to do the Gruntworth anymore.

I would have preferred, like, this is like, I'm supposed to be the Neanderthal here, right? But I would have preferred a speedy guy somewhere, you know, a real gazelle.

Like a McKayev? Something. Just something that just says, worried about speed. I can, yeah, I am worried a little bit about speed. You know what, which one really I'm curious about is Brandon Duhay. Because I've loved the way in the past that he's physical and whatever, but you weren't excited about him. Washington didn't want him.

Yeah. He's only 28. He's a 90 plus percentile skater in the league. So he skates, he hits, he's whatever. You and Washington not interested. Yeah. What's up? I think he just never found a definitive role and grabbed it by the throat.

It's pretty clear to me what it should be. Yes. But they felt like he didn't want to go down that path of just being this, the heavy out there. Bad news. Well, it's just, it didn't work out. Like, it's not necessarily bad news if he can figure out what he is and what he can do out there. and that's that's it just everybody's got to find a role and lock it down. I do feel like they threw so many darts at the board here, like six bottom six contracts or whatever.

A couple of these guys got to have good years. Like surely they don't go for six. Let's say they go two for six. And those guys are good for you. It's a little easier to hide some of those other contracts, the lower money guys, as Lorenz or, you know, if Joshua is not great. Joshua, by the way, they said today it's a core. injury. So yesterday we asked for clarification. We got that today. Something he's been dealing with

since surgery in the off season. Yeah, from the spleen thing, right? Right. The spleen seems core. It's in the middle. Seems like the doctor's orders here. But he, he needs a good start, right? He does. My, my prediction, um, is tonight the, the Leafs win in Ottawa with their B squad because you have so many guys fighting for spots. That includes Brendan Brissonne, who played games for Vegas in the past, that Luke Hames, Tinas Luke Koblar is a guy they've liked. Like, they've got guys competing here for spots. So it's going to be competitive to play for the Leafs.

Um, nice. First question to Hillard today was about McKenna. Expectations, what you're expecting to see from what he's looking for tonight for McKenna. It's his second time, you know, on the skush bank arena ice. Listen to the coach on what he's looking for for McKenna, clip one. I'm looking to see, you know, if he makes some subtle adjustments to his game. I think talk to him about it.

You know, what did you like? What was different in the preseason game versus just the hard camp scrimmages and drills? And he identified a couple things. So I think pretty naturally he understands how the game goes. So I'm just looking forward to seeing him, you know, make the subtle adjustments. One of the things Hiller had said after his first game was he wants to see him closer to the puck. you know, the tendency is just to kind of flare out wide, let someone else get it, and then you've got a bunch of ice, but in the NHL, maybe not as useful.

I think he should be feeling a little bit more relaxed. I don't know how much. Obviously, come next week in the home opener, it's a grand new feeling all over again. When you know it's opening night. When you know you're stepping on the ice for real. But there should be a little bit of air out of the balloon here on a second crack at this thing. So I agree with Hiller that there might be a chance for him to feel like he can just push the envelope a little bit. But, you know, as far as that distance that he's talking about, that's going to take some time.

And again, I mean, we can guess he weighs a buck 60, a buck 65. He's listed 511, 164 on the-on. No, 170 now on the team site. Okay, whatever it is, boys. I thought I saw a thing of him. It doesn't really matter. What matters is. He's,

get it right. He's still got more of a boy body than he has a man body. Yeah. So for him to really go to the next level, it's just a matter of how much are you willing to get on the inside right away. And that's, that's the key in all of this. You got to see,

the smaller guys, you know, from my era with Theo Fleury and all of them. And we watch Mitch now. They're not the biggest guys. They're not the heaviest guys, but they can get in the inside and they can drive and they can go to the net.

And they've got that strength. And how long will it take McKenna to get a comfort zone to get to the middle of the ice? You know, I think there are... I think there are guys who are the exception to this where I think of like Mitch a little bit, but Patrick Kane, maybe Kucharov a little bit.

These guys who do play more on the outside, but they penetrate with, you know, passes. I don't see outside on any of those guys. Oh, no? No. You think Kooch is driving the net? Yeah, he's driving. I think he's.

Patrick Kaine's driving the net? Well, they get to the places where they need to be to get their cookies. For sure. And it's not on the outside, the whole game. Yeah, I think it's going to be interesting because he's never, you're never going to ask those guys, and this was always a frustration for me with coaches. Like he's not going to be Chris Kreider,

who's, you know, taking guys to the net. That's just not the way he's going to play. So if he's not going to play like that as he gets older, he's just got to find his effectiveness and find where he can be effective. He's got the tools to do it. I mean, just from a fan perspective, watching every night, like, you know,

last year was a real slog every night. After the Olympics, it was as little fun as I've ever. ever had, you know, watching a team that's supposed to be decent. It was horrible. It was a really hard watch. Just this year, having this kid with this potential and just watching the ups and downs of him and watching him get better and just having him be in the lineup and playing with good players and all that stuff, it's awesome to have this sort of, like you don't usually

get a kid like this, first overall pick, added to a team with this type of talent. Not even close. It's not something that ever happens. He's usually the only guy on a, like, for example, Celebrini in San Jose, he went on to a really crappy team and they've been crappy or whatever. They've been one of the worst teams of the league. They got better last year,

maybe take a step this year. But having him step into this team, there's lots of other people around him, lots of layers of insulation, and you just get to watch him get better. It's going to be exciting, man. I'm stoked. There was that one moment where he came in

through the middle of the ice last game, right? McKenna did. McKenna did. And he shimmied somebody in the neutral zone and then he backed the D right up. And then he dropped it for Matthews. And I don't know, blew up after that. He had a couple. And that's the type of look that you want

two or three times a period eventually, right? Can you back guys up, open up lanes through different means? Yes. And how often can you do it? Yeah. And he will. He will. I have no doubt in my mind.

We're going to have days in here. And we even did it with Cowan last year. I in particular are probably guilty of it where I was like, Cowan is ready, Cowan's a dog, give him the minutes. And then I had days where I was like, I don't think he can play in the league. I remember saying that last year.

Oh, we had conversations where we thought he should go to the Marley's. Yeah. Remember? And I'm not, that will be the case with McKenna. Like, you know, he's going to be here. But there will be conversation. There will be stretches where he's,

it's just not working. I think realistically, if you can get between, 30 and 40 points for him this year. 30? Well, listen, Sammy. I'm playing 15 and 15. But we don't know that. Are you factoring injury into that?

I'm factoring just a level of expectations for an 18 year old to come in on a team that was one of the worst last year. I think he's... 30s. 30s. Listen, I'll give you a 40.

15 and 15, 20 and 20. I'm in the ballpark here. Here's what I got. But 50 or 60... That's too high. For me is, like, God bless him if he can do it. And we think he's going to be special. And I, he could, he may be able to do it if the Leafs have this great season. But without that, without a lot of pieces falling in place.

And 50 points to me is a guy that's playing a minute, 10, a minute, 20 on the power play. I think he does. I think he's 15 and 35 for 50 points. Dude, that's exactly what I was going to say. my exact thought. What's that saying again? 15 and 35 for 50 points. I think he's a disher.

He'll work it. You know, he'll find guys who can shoot it in the net. If he plays with Willie in particular, just a couple of touches. We're not that far off. We're not that far off. I wonder with the actual total is like the over on. But I think. What was celebrating to me would be 20 and 20 would be an outstanding rookie year for me.

Yeah. It's hard to see him scoring all that much. I don't know. That shot, I'm biased by the shot he took on the 2-1 the other day. But he can dish, man. Celebrini in his rookie year, the chance of your question, was 25 and 38 for 63 hours.

And he was the dude. He was the go-to guy. He played the whole game. Yeah. So just not McKenna here, but the overall picture here is, for me, that the Leafs have to have to be

at top seven power play. And does Radish, does Radish get them there? Because we know why he's making $8 plus million. Right? It's the bomb. So we have a clip on that. Clip 7 from Hiller on his

power play units. Yeah, I think you know, that group played quite a bit together and they had the puck a lot in the ozone. I think that was pretty good. We didn't think we shot enough. We maybe passed just a little bit too much. We got ratty shot. We finally got to him. I don't know

how many shots he took, right? But the one was in, right? So we have to look for that more often and then make them adjust to that. Now, that was the plan going into the last game. We didn't execute it very well. But I think it's just something new. That right shot bomb is new for that group of power players, and I think we're just going to have to get adapted to using them more often.

It has to be a game changer this season for them. So just quickly, just check in a book that we're very familiar with on the show. Our old friends. Yes. They say the total for Gavin McKenna for his points, they have it set at 61.5. The over is plus one. So there's juice on the over.

And then the under is, you know, is the favorite. 61.5 is a big number. If he gets, if he gets 60 points, that means Austin's at 100 again, which probably means 50 and 50 at the very least. It means Radish has done a hell of a job. It means so many things if he can get to 60.

My article today on SportsEd.com. Is three scenarios where things go right, where they go wrong, and of course the middling one, which are two options. And those are huge questions. Matthews first, McKenna,

the bottom six of their decent, but then what's Chris Tanev's health? You know, what's Radish contribute? What's Bobrovsky? I can't remember a year where there's so many massive questions. and the middling one is they're not all going to hit,

they're not all going to bust. But, you know, they're very likely to be a 96 point, you know, there's 84 games now, so calibrate that a bit. But, you know, like they're going to be teasing playoffs all year long. I think they'll be fighting for their lives in the Atlantic Division. Like, we really haven't, we haven't really talked about who they're going to be playing against and what it looks like. But it's a dog fight, boys.

It's a really good division. How many points do you think Buffalo had last year? 100. Yeah. 104 109 oh my Atlantic division

winning buffalo sabers they're going to be in tough too Montreal is probably a favorite alongside Florida that we oh yeah you like Florida

oh yeah yeah yeah love them so if you like to be Montreal and Florida the clear favorites I don't know where you got Tampa

Buffalo you got you got you know I have Tampa right up there Ottawa was in last year Buffalo was in Hill to be played last night for the bolts the beast

I got a guy that's a bolt's fan that always DMs me. He said, how did you guys trade this guy? He was wearing his leaf mask. I saw that. He couldn't get a paint. That's all summer. Same colors. Yeah.

Same colors. Just waiting to get the- Sharpie over it or something. Wait to get the bolt put over top of the leaf. The one thing Hillary didn't like was the Matthews line in the first game. I want to have to talk about this. Okay. Let's play that clip.

The clip three, please. Andrew, on the line on the Matthews. I'd like to see a little more, to be honest with you. I didn't think, you know, Austin was really dangerous off the rush. We talked about that. That was clear. I didn't think they spent enough time creating in the ozone, which they need to do. You have to, you know, if you're going to play, you know, up there on the top line,

you've got to create ozone time as well. You can't just be a rush line. So you have to have both elements. And I think the line is it structured should. So I'm looking for them to be better tonight as three. Okay. Let's read between the lines here. Who's he talking to?

Rossick. Nice. why why is it his like he wants he wants more out of him on that line well then whipping boy folks well then take rossovic off the line it's not rasklovick he's talking to that he wants more out of it's it's nice yep uh yeah i i i you know we have a quote it's okay it's all right i mean it's fine so push him yeah we've always sat here and said like that guy should be so good all the time what can't he do. Name me as he can rip it.

He can skip it. He can, he does literally everything. Great hands. Right. But he's he's, he I don't want to, I don't want to, like I like Chris Kreider. Okay, I do. I think he's a really good hockey player.

Chris Kreider could play, could look like the best player on the ice and then he could go quiet for a few games. Three, three games. Okay. And he's had a wonderful career and he's made a lot of money, but

isn't a Hall of Famer. Isn't a star? He's just a really, at times, good hockey player. I think you agree with all the things you've said. Value. Crazy place from Montreal. Is that what he's going to end up being like a Chris Kreider?

I think that'd be a pretty, honestly, like, that's a good outcome for nice. I think Kreider's had a pretty good career. He makes, he's not making... Yeah, but Kip wants more edge. You want a poor man's Tom Wilson. You want a little bit of Evander Cain without the off-ice issues. You want. That's a good one, actually.

Yeah. That's what you want. That's a really good one. You definitely want a little of Avan or Kane, but not too much. You don't need them at the casino with the money. No, the money is the casino. There is a curse that comes with being big where people say, you know, they're disappointed. pointed that you're not something else.

And I know big guys, I played with them where they go, why do I have to do that? Just because I'm tall? I want Jamie Ben in his prime. That's what I want. Heart trophy winner? That's, you win the heart? That's, I think, what Hillers kind of saying without saying it.

So in 958 games in his career, Chris Kreider has 348 goals. He's played 135 playoff games, 50 goals in those games. I got to tell you, if Matthew and I's numbers are looking like that after 948, like, I mean, you've got to take that. I know it's the look and how it feels and all that stuff, but, like, Crider's been really good for a long time. When you're not getting points, can you still be effective, you know?

Criter did, Crider's been off. He scored 50 goals. How is? Good question. Mid-30s? He is 35 years old. We're in 1991. He's had a really good career.

So I'm just saying. But, you know, and he also had some. for Nyes. He has a deep teams in New York. For sure. Conference finals and Stanley Cup finals. Why does Nyes have to play with Matthews? Why can't we, well, what's the deal there?

That's like a thing they won't split those. Tell me if you, okay, put Austin Matthews skates on. Yeah. If it ain't Matthew Nyes, who does he want? Yeah, who's on the other wing? Can you play with Willie? Do you give you Willie? No.

I was going to ask you guys. No, I don't think there's. Well, they did for years and years. Why not? I don't. Early in their. I don't know. If Austin wanted it, it would have happened by now.

So he wants... I don't know. That's my guess. Because they played together 15 years ago at the U.S. development program. They had to play on the top line now. Like, why don't you put your best players on the top line? Listen, I heard...

It's crazy. Hotel mini sticks in the lobby. They were the top duel. Yeah. They called themselves the Superman line, I'm told. That's real. That's not a joke. What?

Yeah. Him with Matthew Gachuk and those two boys were there the Superman. Okay. In their own description. It's not Cowan. It can't be Nick Paul. It can't be Sizzins. It could be all the things you just said.

It could be Cowan. It could be Paul. Like he's not going to take a step? Too light. But he goes to get it. Bunting was light and he got it. Rossavix. A real thumper.

No, he's not. Exactly. So the answer is now, do you have no thumpers if you put Cowan? Yeah, I don't know. I just think that that's a... I don't know why they wouldn't just do Willie. Just make it work. The two best players in the team, oftentimes...

Maybe they feel it fins things out too much as low. Who has the puck the most, then? Like, how... Well, Austin saw the transporter. Willie can carry it. Yeah, Willie's going to be the playmaker, and Austin's going to be the shooter. Yeah, Willie's a hundred point guy.

Yeah, he'll be the playmaker. Then put him at center and put Austin on the wing. Whatever you want to do there. Or they can just put Gavin McKenna up there like we all want to. I know. Just pretending it's not right there. Just put the kid off there. See what happens.

For the record, I'm not ready for that. But I will be. All right. Where else you want to go? Tanniv? You want to talk about Tanniv? Yeah, it's just, I mean, it's not the best clip, but it's a good conversation. You like that.

Let's talk about that. Okay. Let's like clip eight on Sizzins and Paul. Yeah, well, I mean, I think I like the size, first of all. Proven in the league is another important. Left, right, left and right. face-off guys, you know, guys that have played on both sides of the puck with good players and also checked. So it's just a, it's just a bunch of versatility. And, and there's just some

really good leadership there. I mean, we talked about just doing it right and calming the game down and taking charge and not panicking. I think those are all really important qualities that those two bring. You just know how big Nick Ball is. Big. Six-four. 225? Six-five. 2.30 something? 6.4.2.30 something. I'll get that number in nine seconds. He is 6 foot 4, 234. That's a lot of person. Big man. You know, and Sizzins is 200 and some pounds, too. He's just over 200. Also, yesterday I said that Nick Paul won the cup. He did not win the cup. He went to the final, but with them when they lost to Colorado. So I screwed that out.

So I didn't win the cup. Sammy. It's okay. Preseason. Preseason. You're just, you're getting into it now. Yeah. Yeah, preseason, you know, and people thought my take about Matthews being better than Barcoff was a preseason take too. I killed for that one. Barkoff scored a no-looker last night. Literally looking at the guy with him on the Russian, it's a long year of people tell me I'm dumb.

So it might as get warmed up now. Warm up the Dumbo engine. Here we go. All right, let's go to break. Okay. When we go to break, we will hit Connor McDavid conversation with Batman. Because this one is turning in to be real interesting.

right out of the gate. That, maybe the Kachukes. Quinn Hughes. Expansion. Quinn Hughes. Where can't we go, Sammy, when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne? Everything you need to know about the Blue Jays. Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back in studio, Nick Kippreos, Justin Bourne. Sammy McKee. All right. We got on the Leafs? I mean, I could do an hour every day. I mean, I'm ready for more. That's a stupid question.

We should at least go around the league. But you said Brandon Du Hame, 18 fights in the last two years. Yeah. Good. So, you know, I don't know what it'll do, but at least he's willing to do that thing. I'm going to set the old runner at seven and a half, and I hope it's over.

Eight fights for him this year. I'd like that. That's a good number. Once every 10 games? Uh, I can't tell you if that's a good number or not until you see what's going on. Guys. Everyone comes here and fights left.

Literally, I bet he fights four times. Like, why does that happen? Everyone comes here and fights left. Like, Reeves is like, I'm good. I don't want to fight him. I don't want to fight him. I know some guys could look at a schedule and go, yeah, I'm scheduled here, here, and here to fight,

but that's not the way it works. Yeah, you want the game to unfold in a way to go, oh, it's one of those games I have to. By the way, Otto's not dressing anyone overly fighting tonight, so I don't know about McEwean and Pizzetta. Matt and Paulo, Cleven. No, they're all players tonight. You know what?

They're all players tonight. They can't be players. They're all skilled players tonight. Like, if you were their agent or someone, wouldn't you be like, the time is now? This is it. I just know that I can't have somebody get need and then everybody skid off the eyes quietly again. I watched that clip out of context. It is the most.

It just came up and it's just like. I can't believe it happened. Like in the moment you had seen the season just go in the direction and every play was had like. So list, but that was truly terrible. Almost cost him, Gavin McKenna, because they got hot after that for a couple games. Okay. Dying to hear your take on the Edmonton Orler training camp. There's a part of me that's kind of jealous that...

They get Babs? Yeah, they got Babs. But you know what? I'm calling right now for more Babs. You don't think we're talking to Babs in the second hour next week, but... I'm calling for more Babbs, Kippers, Clippers, this year. Okay. We need to get Babbs Clips sponsored.

I think we will have enough. It's like Babs time. Babs show. Babs hour. Babstock. I don't know where he was the other day on a podcast, but he's talking about the difference between hedges and a tree. Oh, he was?

Yeah. And hedges, I think you go through and a tree, you got to drive around. Oh, so good. So good. We'll call it bibles. I don't know what the hell that means. Bavles. Sponsored by it.

I think everybody was left scratching their head going. What's the point? If you're a tree, you've got a deep root system and you're not going anywhere. where a hedge, you can kind of... Sure. Like, if you went full speed into a hedge, you're living. You're getting through it sometimes. I can run through a hedge.

Full speed into a tree. May not... Okay. This is not a Babs clip, but this is from 32 thoughts. McDavid sat down with Kyle and Elliot, and they kind of talked to him about the reputation of Babs

and being hard on guys in the room. And his answer was this. Listen, we... Babs is there to be Babs. and to coach the way that he sees fit. We're also a team and teammates who care about each other, and if there's an area or a place where we have to step in, of course we're going to do that,

but we would do that with any coach. It doesn't matter who it is. So, yeah. So, yeah, sounded really confident in that. Well, there are two things on this. One, Samma is Sam, I want you to share your theory on what Babs will be later into the year. But the other thing is just like, you know, I was with Sheldon Keith of the Marley's. And there were times where a veteran player, often guys who played in the NHL would come in and be like, that's too much.

You know, we don't need to be stepping on the gas here in this situation. Players do come in and talk to the coach, particularly the leaders and say, here's what we need, here's what we don't. What they don't is, what they don't ever do is go to the microphone and say, we need to step in on them when we need to step in on our coach we will that never happens no it doesn't never happen but the oilers are a unique animal i know listen it's it's it's all unique and it's all appears to be coming to a head here so this year is what do you mean coming oh this season this is you or die fork in the road season yep not next season this season yeah totally so that's why

I think McDavid's comfortable enough to say we know you're not that stupid out there you know we were fairly influential on this hiring so we'll kind of tell you like it is Is this the most you've ever been sure a player is making the important decisions

for a franchise? Like I think LeBron in the NBA but like this feels like it's Connor and Leon's team They got their guy. It always felt like that behind the scenes. We all know it was. Edmonton or just think generally? With Edmonton. We've always kind of felt that.

Literally his junior coach. And known that. And his president is his agent. But this is like right in your face now. Yeah. So it's not uncommon for, again, we've had this conversation in the past where star players have a major influence more so than any other era

because it's a lot easier to fire you than get rid of my 130 million. dollar contract that has trade restrictions so players feel comfortable to be in this position Connor feels comfortable enough to say I don't have to spell it out for you all what's at stake this year yeah must be nice to feel that comfortable I think we're really it's new still to have babs and we're all still having these babs conversations but by like I don't know January and they're just second at the Atlantic and they're just the Oilers and he's doing post game stuff like we're totally

going to be to sensitize this and forget that it was ever a huge talking point to me. Like I really like there may be a couple of settle in. I do. I think there'll be a couple flashpoint moments early because of Babs and the way people feel about them. But I don't know, like do you feel the same way or do you think it's going to be a roller coaster the whole way through? Yeah, I hope there's a level of consistency enough in

Edmonton where it doesn't get ugly. I think. What does that mean? Do you think there's that potential? Well, there's... I guess Jari's in that. So that could...

This isn't like... Freddie Anderson. But he's hurt, I think, to start, isn't he? Freddie Anderson had surgery. Yeah. So he's out for a while. So I don't know. He had hip surgery.

So when does that... Is that four weeks? Six weeks? Good thing about hips is goleys don't need them that badly. So they're fine. But this was never, like this was never a unanimous. We're all in this together with Babcock.

There was people in the organization. that did not want him. So what kind of record do you have at American Thanksgiving, at Christmas, what are the issues? How fast would it take someone in management to say,

I told you so? Yeah. Or does it, or does it you bypass that because they're having a good season? Right. Sorry, he suffered an undisclosed training injury in August 2026. shortly before training camp preparations. So expected to miss the turn of the training camp in the first several weeks of the 26-27 season. That doesn't sound great.

To go back to Babs, the one thing I do think is that, you know, he's a good coach. He is not a complicated man in what he expects of people. I think it'll be fine. But I do think that he does like attention sometime. And that so as much as you think it'll just kind of smooth out, I think there will be times where he's in the news. Just the last week, 10 days, it's clear you've got a credit card to be Mike Badcock. You think so?

You don't think he's under increased scrutiny? We expect you to be Mike Babcock. That's it. How many times have they said that in the summer and we got Babs to be Babs and all that stuff? It's a good point. I'm telling you. He's in his wheelhouse already. He's got DJ Smith with them.

I think they made DJ the highest paid assistant in the league to get his guy. Like they got the band together. There's our Babbs sponsor, the American Express Black. It's Babbs because he's just spending. He's spending. Babbles brought you by. So, I can't wait. I don't know.

We'll see. We'll see what kind of goaltending they get. Yeah, that's big. Come on. Like, back to Jari. They should trade for help. The other guy, the guy retired. Connor Ingram.

He traded for him and he's like, oh, I got to think about retiring. That's really. I'd like to hear. You telling me, like, you just, in the summary, you decided that? That guy had it in his mind. He was shutting it down last year. Yeah. Think about it.

Think about it. I think about Connor McDavid trying to win a Stanley Cup and this guy's thinking about retirement. That would have been a horrible, horrible. Maybe he wasn't. Don't put that on him. You don't know that. I know retirement.

I know when guys are ready to quit. Yeah. Okay. I'm telling you, you don't, you don't. How do you know that? You don't. When it's over, it's over. Yeah.

And I don't know. What about Gary Bettman? Hope they got it right. Is he going to retire? Is he ready to quit? No, no, he's not ready. We haven't talked about Quinn Hughes at all. Can we do that first?

Or do we have to do expansion time? No, no, no, no. Quinn's fine. Okay. What do you think about Quinn Hughes? Do you think he's going to sign there? I think he's going to walk. How do you think it's going to play out?

Because they just re-up Garon yesterday, right? He's just going to sign a new contract. Yeah, he did. Yeah. I find it hard to believe that he wouldn't have signed by now, Surely knowing how they worked with Caprizov, they were like, what do you need to stay? I'm sure he's been offered similar terms. The fact that he hasn't accepted something is, at the very least curious. I'm with you.

It's like, what, you just like the attention? Mm-hmm. Really? Yeah. Okay. But like, you can't tell me now, Minnesota's not in a position to go. They already told Caprizov, like, whatever it takes. Yeah.

So they're saying that, they're saying the exact same thing at Quinn Hughes, whatever it takes. And he's like, no, I'm going to take my time. This is dangerous on day three. But you know what this is? This is the Marner year. This is the Marner year where, you know, he said like, when I'm ready, you know, I'm not going to talk about it in season.

I'll do it when I'm ready. And there'll be an initial blow up and then it'll go quiet. Every free agent. Who wants to get to UFA? Every free agent who wants to get to UF. all of them in the island. You went through it. You watched it firsthand in the island.

Those are the guys who want. You say whatever you can to buy your time. And then you bolt. I think it's different. Marner had it was here a lot longer. I think Quinn Hughes has felt much more like a mercenary there than Marner did here. I think there's more connection between the fan base and that. I'm referring to trying to get you.

But I understand the comparison. But if you're, if you're Bill Guerin, he doesn't have no trade protection at all right now. He's a full, like, there's just, you can trade him to anywhere in the way. I know, but it's like, for what, Sam? For what? Unless you can. A contend, he makes seven million bucks.

A contender couldn't trade multiple picks for one year of him? Multiple picks. Really? Yeah. You did all that for multiple picks? Well, they didn't know he wasn't going to sign. I know. It was a gamble.

But you knew, you knew when he was in Vancouver about all the talk about being with his brothers. For sure. And yet you took a chance that he could. come, he'd fall in love, we'd go deep in the playoffs. And apparently today, none of that happened. So you knew what you were getting yourself into if you were a Garen. So in your opinion, like this is a pickle because anyone trading for him knows he's not going to sign unless you trade to New Jersey, who also knows they're the only team he wants to go to and doesn't have to give up as much. I don't even want to put this in the ether. But let's say you're Florida. And you're like,

we are going for it big time here. We're going to take. take a one-year shot, just take a shot, trade for him for a year, have him. Like, if I'm Garan, I'm like, he's kind of, I don't know. Florida, like, Florida's already spent all this. I don't know. I don't know if they have the capital to do it. Tampa. Yeah, you're saying just a team who wants a one, an older team wants to take his swing. Like, if he's not going to sign, you have to trade them. There is the possibility of that. I'm not denying that, but.

It won't, it won't satisfy. It won't satisfy Minnesota. It won't satisfy Billie Garon. They're not going to be satisfied unless he signs a contract. Yeah. Which is he, would he do three times 20? Two times 21?

I get the sense that his next one's going to be the six year max. Seven year max, right? Is it seven or six? Seven with your own team. If you get traded and then sign with your new team, you can go seven. Is that right? Like your own team can do seven.

Yes. But the new team could trade for you. July 1st is six years. Regardless. One is you're saying a max term wherever he goes next. I think, I think is. Jersey like.

He'll be very comfortable with 160 million. Right? Yeah, it'd be comfortable. That 20? Yeah. 20 times. Yeah. Six.

Killed it. Got a lot of the Kills like. Yep. I'll do it. I'll be the guy. He's not. He can get 20 out of many right now. Oh, yeah.

If he wants it, it's there. If he wants it, it's there. He doesn't done it for a reason. He hasn't done it for a reason. If you're Jersey, I know it's Quinn Hughes and whatever. Like, do they, no-brainer? Like, let's just do this.

Let's give up. Well, you don't have to give anything. He's not going to sign. Just way in the office. I don't know. I don't know. Do you want all of them together? Well, that's right.

I kind of what I'm getting at. Like, you know, if you, if you, if you, if you. truth sir and the coaches like do you want three huses on your team is that a recipe for a cup they i want quinn hughes on my team well yeah i know that jack we can have a conversation about i guess that's lower my head's at but like quinn for sure yeah and i just hold a cry can we watch the kachuk brothers first before we go to that oh yes i can't i thought it was funny when uh one of the players said that uh it's like having a podcast of our own in the dresser that was a great line

i don't know i'm sure they love it for sure i'm sure i'm sure they love it. The Canadian guys who adore it. I'd be the first ever guy to demand a trade out of Florida. Can I put the fear? Trade me to cross. Trade me to. Just look at their lineup a little bit of the. Oh, I have.

Okay. Like, there's six or seven guys that are just going to be right in your face. This year, they added Garnet Hathaway and Radco Goudis. And Brady Kachuk. If I'm Hiller, I'm health bombing McKenna first game against them. If I'm Hiller, both McEwen and Pizzetta are on the first line. On the wings. Send McKenna back to Penn State against Florida.

Do you want to hear quick Paul Maurice being Paul Maurice clip here on the Kachucks playing with Bennett potentially? Paul Maris clip, please. And I don't want to give everybody what they want with the two Chuckie brothers together with Sam Bennett in the middle. God, they'll be in jail before the park drops. I'm going to wait on that one. You're such a Maurice Hader. Oh. So if one of them gets suspended...

I've heard he's playing a comedy bar tonight. If one of them gets suspended for 10 or 15 games, they won't. They play for Florida. It'll be like way better than jail. Yeah. Right? They're not going to get suspended.

They're not going to get fired. They'll be fine. They're allowed to do whatever they want out there. They play for Florida. All good. It is going to be fascinating to watch them. They're the number one center ice package. Number one.

Sammy, yeah, buddy. We're the J's right now. We don't have much time here. How low is the coffin? They are. It's end of the seventh.

They're down four, two. Got two innings left in their season, boys. Papps is playing. So what you're saying is there's still a chance, Sammy. The final two innings of this season are going to be a lot different than the final two innings of last season. Let's just say that.

All right. What do we got tonight? Ottawa Senators, the Toronto Maple Leafs on SportsNet. Borny, you're on the desk. Let's go, Borny. We'll be there. First of the year. All right, buddy.

J's and Orioles game two. Also 630 on the SportsNet Network. Enjoy your evening tonight, and we're back tomorrow to do it all over again on the Real Kipper and Born show. Have a great night, everybody.