Real Kyper & Bourne - Canucks' Directions with Dan Murphy

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Gord Stellick are joined by Sportsnet's Dan Murphy (8:52) to chat about why it's important for the Vancouver Canucks to make the playoffs, their approach to the upcoming trade deadline and why he doesn't see Elias Pettersson being moved. Then, he weighs in on the state of the Canucks' goaltending, how Rick Tocchet has navigated through the 2024-25 season behind the bench, and the fans' viewpoint on the franchise. Then, Gord shares some stories from his days as a general manager around the trade deadline with Nick and Sam McKee and the three discuss the biggest rumoured names approaching the trade deadline.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.

All right, here we go. National gourd. Love it. National hour live on sports at six 15 Vancouver sports at 960 in Calgary this hour of real kipper and born brought to you by bet 365 Nick Kiprios in for One more day. I'm gonna miss you cord partying such sweet sorrow kipper. We have to welcome back Justin born I guess We're in his paper bag because he lost Yeah, he'd be willing to work overtime or anything for a while Yeah, any advertiser reach out to Justin Boren coming back from vacation And that of course is the sound of Sammy McKee

Derek Brandeo and Jake Schultz as well a few minutes will welcome in Dan Murphy who can give us the latest on the Canucks and It ain't pretty it ain't pretty for the Hughes family either. As we saw two respective stars on their team go down. Once again, Quinn Hughes in Vancouver and Jack Hughes with New Jersey. Yeah, and the Jack Hughes, I mean, colliding with Jack Eichel, they were just teammates, right?

You know, Team USA. And it's interesting, Kipper, in New Jersey and Vancouver to me are similar in that they were teams that started the season really strong, were in solid playoff spots, and then to varying degrees had their struggles. Now the Canucks are more relevant in that, you know, they're technically tied in points with Calgary,

vying for that last playoff spot. They got St. Louis nipping at their heels, Utah to a degree, nipping at their heels. New Jersey has had a little bit of slippage, you know? Like, I mean, you know, you still got like Detroit, Columbus, seventh and eighth, but they're sixth, New Jersey are, and they've been slipping a bit as well. So if and they fully expect to be in the playoffs the way they play and you have to think part one is trade deadline wise if it's a big injury for Jack Hughes then Tom Fitzgerald is becoming a buyer. He needs to become a buyer. They got to get a decent body in there. Vancouver they need to get

healthy. I mean they need Quinn Hughes, Demko they need to get Elias Pettersson moving. I don't know they've already made a lot of trades so I don't know what else Patrick Alveen and Jim Rutherford have to stage there but yeah the Hughes brothers not playing our big stories right now unfortunately. Would you buy into my theory that the Devils will lose their third spot in the metro and slide into a wild card while Columbus sneaks in there. This could be it. This could be the difference maker. Columbus has great momentum. They got Boone Jenner back. They got Marcinko back. I couldn't

believe it. The guy had like surgery on his jaw, right? And he only missed three games. He had the two-week break. So and they got the karma. The Devils had been slipping a little bit and then you get this kind of injury So yeah, yeah, I mean what even worse falling out of the playoffs that would be catastrophic But yeah, I could very much see them sliding into a wild card them sliding into a wild card setting up the first round match Up with the Charlemagne police when they win the division Sheldon Keith versus the Leafs in the first round which I said was gonna happen back in October I will say biggest news over the weekend,

I think was obviously Seth Jones getting traded to Florida. We talked a little bit about it in our release hour, maybe just speak on it again here. I think you liked it for Florida. I did like it for Florida. I don't think the ask is gonna be anywhere near or the weight on his shoulders. Like it was in Chicago, I think he could slide in there with a bunch of other guys who may have had a similar story,

right? Kind of lost and then found themselves in Florida becoming Stanley Cup champions, right? Well, and leverage wise, so, you know, you always say I don't like to be bullied into making a trade, but in Chicago, once he spoke out, that was it. You had to, right? Because he's talking about, he was being honest, he spoke in a very measured manner, but it was time.

It was time to part ways. Then you're hurt leverage wise because he's got a no trade. So I have no idea what 31 other teams would offer, but it was irrelevant. There are only a couple he was up to. Dallas wanted them, really, and they had been in talks, but their offer wasn't as good as Florida's. Yeah, whether it was to retain more salary, whatever it may be, but you're right,

so Florida came up bigger. I'd have to believe in Chicago, that you really believe Spencer Knight's gonna be your goaltender. I mean, you got, like, so poor Peter Morazzak's been out there forever, just, you know, getting beaten up, whatever, and you don't wanna put a young goaltender. I mean, you got, like, so you, poor Peter Morazzak's been out there forever, just, you know, getting beaten up, whatever, and you don't wanna put a young goaltender

in that scenario. They do have one or two in the system as well. So, I, and Florida's a great landing spot. When you're, hey, look at, remember Larry Murphy, going to the Detroit Red Wings when it looked like his career was over, and not playing at the level Seth Jones was, but adding to his Hall of Fame career

and getting some Stanley Cup rings with the Red Wings as well. So that's an opportunity for Seth Jones was, but adding to his Hall of Fame career and getting some Stanley Cup rings with the Red Wings as well, so that's an opportunity for Seth Jones. I, as a Leaf fan, this does worry me. I really do think that this is gonna work out for the Florida Panthers. I think we said in the first hour, maybe you mentioned Gordo, that they're trying to find out

whether he was part of the problem or he was the problem or whatever the conversation is there. I think there's too much in terms of raw tools with Seth Jones in terms of his size, his skating ability, right shot, got the ability to fire it. You can, you know, he can snap a stretch pass him going there in that system with those other players, with that pedigree, with Paul Maurice, I have a really hard time Picturing it just not working. You know, I mean like it's just it's just one of those teams now where I expected to work out Well, they've been in the final twice. They won the cup last year. They've lost Montour They lost all of our equipment Larson, you know, they've lost some depth, right? No question

But there's I mean this really adds to there I think he's like sort of a Montour replacement necessarily but kind of the guy that slides into those minutes same type of money That he made I I just think it's a really good move for the Florida Panthers as far as the Winnipeg or Vancouver Canucks are concerned when Hughes man, that's right. Like give me give me a Meal 0 to 10 on the panic right now in Vancouver for their fans anyways. Yeah well Murph will fill us in more but I I would have to think it's like all great hockey markets which in Canada is all of them right about yeah just you know I mean like the presence of Queen Hughes it's kind of like Brian Leach was

you know different kind of thing just and but he seems he's smaller But he seems larger, you know when he comes out and just him being gone I mean, jeez, there's this stud defenseman them, you know, so yeah. Yeah, and then and then Alias, peterson can you get like I don't even bring it up anymore because I'm I'm I'm tired of talking about it I'm baffled by it, but he just hasn't got going but the stud defenseman I mean right right now, I would guess Jack Hughes would be out longer than Quinn Hughes, not knowing either.

Just it didn't look good what happened going in the boards. But boy, I wish they were both back. They can't get Patterson to shoot the puck. Yeah. Yeah. Like forget about points. It's just like, can you get it in that direction? Well, and even like you've dealt with we've talked many times and I have no way I don't want to get because start guessing or whatever

but Individuals who have had it everyone has issues some issues and it's affected their play whatever it may be He just doesn't he's always been calm and reserved that way, but it just doesn't seem doesn't seem engaged, right? You know for whatever reason again, we're gonna welcome in Dan Murphy soon and reserve that way, but it just doesn't seem engaged, right? You know, for whatever reason. Again, we're gonna welcome in Dan Murphy soon, but where do you see Vancouver and Jimmy Rutherford, Patrick Alveen going into this week?

Buyers, sellers, or potential placeholders? Well, to me, you gotta leave no stone unturned, so buyers, you know, if they're looking, they've already done buying. And I gave them a thing like when they gave up a first round pick for Philip Ronick, trade deadline whatever, a year or two ago, that was a nice little piece. So I mean, I don't think the Miller trade had to be done. That's kind of viewed as a big trade. But I think they got to leave no stone unturned about whether adding a piece or two

Yeah, you're right. You're right there. I know they've had a really tough stretch here They're gold differentials minus 21 but like at this point with the teams that you're kind of quote unquote battling with like don't you think the Vancouver Canucks are Probably better than the flames that or probably better than the blues like they're right. They should they're right there If you add something like I know what's been terrible in the Vancouver listeners are probably better than the blues like they're right should they're right there if you add something like I know what's been Terrible in the Vancouver listeners are probably like shut up They should sell but I don't know if I'm ownership. It's hard to justify it when you're right there Okay, let's welcome in Dan Murphy host of hockey night in Canada Canucks hockey on sports net. So should Sammy just shut up and and Lot of people think that Vancouver should just buy because they're

so close here to a first round and anything can happen. Yeah. Well, you know, some fans are checking out some fans are angry. Some fans don't understand how they're in this position where one year ago, you know, they were at the top of the division and Pedersen was leading the league and scoring and he just signed a contract extension. But the one thing I'll say is knowing this management, knowing the way Jim Rutherford is and Patrick Alveen, the general manager, cut from the same cloth, I don't see these guys waving the white flag with a week to go. They are going to do what they can to help this team make the playoffs. They

are going to be buyers. They have a ton of cap space. I don't think they'll hit the rental market per se. I think they're probably looking at a center, you know, middle six four that could add some punch to the offense. But I don't see this team selling off assets. Perhaps yes, they do trade better to get something in return a draft pick and then move that to get the player they're looking for. But, you know, just knowing this management group, they're not going to sit idly by or sell. I just, I just don't see it happening. That seems like a lot of work in a relatively short week right now. We haven't heard anything

up until this point, but is there room for Jimmy to maneuver all of this between now and Friday? Well, I mean, I think since Patrick, since this management group took over and Patrick was named GM, there hasn't been a more active general manager in the national hockey league. I mean, these guys, they move off mistakes quickly. They made the JT Miller trade and followed that up with the trade with the Penguins to get Pederson and O'Connor and resign those guys right away. Hedal has looked pretty good. So I don't know what is possible.

I think they'd like to get like a Ford in his 20s that has term left. I think that's the type of player they're looking for. You know, like we've heard in the past Dylan Cousins or Josh Norris, these types of players I think is what they'd prefer to get. Heck, maybe even a Ricard Raquel who's got a few years left in Pittsburgh. I don't think they want rentals, but I do think they wanna get a forward in here

to try to help this team. But I would say this, no matter what they do, I think they're probably talking to Quinn Hughes because this is the most important player with this organization. You kind of want to keep him happy. I don't think he'd want anything to do with the rebuild right now. So I think that would be another reason why they're going to try and beef things up to

make the playoffs and see what can happen. So you mentioned names like say Dylan Cousins. I mean, those are like kind of real hockey trades. Any chance Elias Pettersson's traded? I mean, I would never say never, but I only think that his value has diminished since the night that Ranton went to Carolina and it seemed like they were just as close

to making the trade for Pettersson. I think this guy has to be built back up. I don't know what the market would be for him. I think at the start of the season, he would have a really robust market. I don't know how many teams could handle the contract now. And if they just view him as too much of a project. I think the plan is to keep him right now. I know there's no trade doesn't kick in into July 1st. But I mean, I just don't think with the asset being this distressed I don't think that they're just willing to and I guess they could look at like what the Kings did with Dubois last year What was it Kemper? They got back maybe something like that, but I don't see them doing that before the deadline

That's more something in the summer. How much pressure would it Jimmy Rutherford be feeling from? ownership Aqualini family to not lose the playoffs and if that's the case then Murph Does Brock Besser have a chance to be that guy that they just rent their own player and hope that a deal can be Worked out at some point in the off season? Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I'm not like the insider, like the other guys. I've heard

this stuff about a fighter contract being offered. I think best run his camp would like, you know, six, seven, and, you know, eight, because he can get that in Vancouver. I don't think that that is going to happen. So is there still a few days of, you know, eight because he can get that in Vancouver. I don't think that that is going to happen. So is there still a few days of, you know, chicken to be played here between these two groups? Maybe but certainly they could hang on to him. You know, I think his play is dipped since the JT Miller trade. They were really good tandem together.

I think that the noise does affect Brock a little bit. He's he said that before that it can seep into his game. It seems like we're talking about him every year at this time. He's the longest tenured Canuck. He is scored at a pretty good clip since becoming a Vancouver Canuck. But you know I could see them hanging on to him and just using them to see if they get the playoffs and you know I guess chance losing him for nothing in the offseason. But I wouldn't blame Brock either like I wouldn't blame Brock either. Like, I wouldn't want to leave two years on the table at 15 million bucks total

at the end of my career or near the end of my career either. So, you know, it's gonna be interesting to see what happens. Because he is a player that the market loves as a person. But I also know that a lot of the market doesn't want to see the Canucks go to eight years or seven years with his player at this point. So Dan, we're just talking about, you know, in Jack Hughes' case in New Jersey, if he's out like we think, Tom Fitzgerald all of a sudden,

it's gotta be a buyer to try to get something comparable, even a rental. So I'm curious, I know injuries, there's never complete disclosure or clarity, but what is the sense about Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko as far as their status goes? Well, I can't say, I mean, Demko, I think, has skated three times now.

He didn't travel with the team in the last road trip, which was a disaster of a trip, one and four on that one. You know that Quinn missed six, came back for two, and then couldn't play the final 10 minutes in Seattle. And the head coach said yesterday, he's tweet something and it's not related to the injury that caused him to miss those six games. They're hoping he will practice tomorrow. They had a day off today.

They're hoping he'll practice tomorrow. But let's be honest here. I mean, they were just starting to ramp him back up to get back into the form we saw him at the start of the year and middle of the year. And then he goes out again by tweaking something. I mean, I just don't know how much stress you can put on this guy. He seems to be carrying the team by himself when he's out there. As for Demko, the fact that he's skating is good, but you know, you feel bad for the guy, but this year it's been a lot of stops and starts it's been one step forward two steps back and if i was him seeing now that lanken has signed that

contract if i was him i'd make sure i was 100 healthy by the time i came back and i'm not saying he's come back before he was 100 before but he should absolutely make sure he's 100% before he comes back again for this team this season. As far as the blue line is concerned here without Quinn Hughes, how do you picture it without any significant change on the back end? Well, I mean, I guess they got to go with what they have right now. I think that if they are going to make a trade, Suzy is the name that you see potentially being moved out to free up some salary. They really like what this Elias Pedersen has brought. They haven't taken him out of the lineup. It's kind of been more, I mean, Juleson's now gone for the season, hernia surgery. So I guess they'll go with what they have. We've

only seen Victor Manci one time. So they do have some options on defense. And I will see this like, I mean, Tyler Myers, he's had his moments where he's taken heat in this market. He has been excellent again, recently for this team. So I just, you know, you're going up now. It's not just them in Calgary, it's Utah and St. Louis as well. And if you have to go another stretch here without Quinn Hughes or whether Quinn Hughes, it's 70%.

This club's going to be in tough, but considering the way they've had problems scoring and unless they can somehow add some scoring pop, it's going to be real fight to the finish line with Hughes without, but without them, I mean, that might just be too steep a hill to climb. You kind of mentioned it that it seemed like a nice tidy nine-team battle for eight spots for a long, long time and now St. Louis very much in the picture and just obviously if you're Vancouver, just go win your games. Okay, take care of it that way. But how do you handicap the Calgary Flames and the St. Louis Blues teams at the three quarter poll

this. I mean, we just saw they have some dynamic yo seem to be starting to e the genders, of course, K So I like them as a team on the rise. St. Louis, I mean, maybe the Binnington Bump, they definitely have some experience in that room. And maybe right now, Army is saying, listen, you guys have to blow the doors off me with

an offer for Pareco or for Shen, because I got a shot at making the playoffs here and I have a goal-tenant that's done it before who's very confident after the four nations. So I would say if I'm handicapping it, I like St. Louis better than Calgary. And I probably like St. Louis a little bit better than Utah too. But I mean, Dustin Wolf's been all world, but they seem to be kind of in the situation. Vancouver is Calgary. they're having trouble scoring. Merv, let me ask you about Rick Tauke and his future and the level of maybe frustration

trying to balance this whole season out and where you think he is short term or long term for this organization. Well, I mean, I'll say short-term. I think you're right. He's probably at his wit's end a little bit. It has been one heck of a season from cancer diagnosis to personal leaves to in fighting to injuries to your top players, to trying to get guys going. So I would think probably he's had easier years. Like he spoke yesterday after the skate. And although he wasn't specifically asked about Pederson, he just asked about

what he sees needs to see more from guys and all the things that he said, he was probably speaking directly to Pederson with, with the ones he was saying. So I think he's had a tough year, a frustrating year. You know, there is another year, team option. You know, and I don't think, you know, Tauke is a quitter. You know, I think he still likes this job, likes this market. I don't know what else might come up out there. Boston, is that a better situation? Osako is not going to be around.

He's just an interim. So I have a tough time saying what will happen beyond this year, but man, when this year's done, I hope that Rick has himself a good, quiet couple of weeks because he's deserved it. If he had here, it would have been pulled out by now and he'd look the way he does.

You alluded to the fans earlier, so I'm just, you know, so the overall, hey, all Canadian-based ones, big cities, are tough markets, and I'm just, I'm just, you know, so the overall my hey all Canadian based ones big cities are tough markets And I'm just I'm curious like what where where the fans are how they're split I mean is there optimism are they fed up like what you know? Cuz man last year talk about riding high with the playoff success and then to and to start the season that way and then to Be in this kind of this kind of predicament that seemingly there's no end of right now.

Yeah, I mean, I think there's some frustration with the fan base as well, just because there was hope going into this year. Like, there was legitimate hope. I think only Edmonton and maybe Colorado had better odds to make it to the cup final at the start of the season. So the betting markets were even on them. And just with everything that happened, some of it's unforeseen, of course. But of course, when it was Miller versus Pedersen, the market was split.

Some people were Team Miller, some were Team Pedersen. So you pissed off half the fan base there when you made that one trade. And now it kind of seems it's gone to team Pederson versus team talk it that you can't coach the offense because the team can't score so Not only was there some in fighting with the team. There's been in fighting with the fan base And it wasn't that way 12 months ago because everything was going right This year just seems like everything has gone wrong

it almost seems now in 2025 that there are challenges for every Canadian market, probably led by taxes more than anything else for potential players to be traded to a Canadian club. But do you think with everything that's gone on in Vancouver that many guys would be nervous to go into that scenario right now? I don't, I mean, I don't know. It's a good question. I mean, I still think the city is desirable, but you're right. I mean, the tax situation, I mean,

the one thing that I ever hear though, when people talk about like getting tax more in a Canadian market, it's true, but you're also living in a Canadian city, getting paid with American dollars. So, you know, your money, your money's going a lot further in that, whether you're renting or if you bought or something like that, I mean, your money's going a lot further. So I always kind of weigh those things out as even, but you know, I think team players will go to a team that wins, that has a chance to win, that they like the coach. And these are all things that, you know, the Canucks had going for them in the summer this year, not as much, but I always think that if the, you know, the situation on the ice is good, you're going to get players, right? I mean, that's just

the way it is. I mean, people want to play in Edmonton right now. I'm nothing against Edmonton, but before they were winning, Mcavid was there not a lot of guys did. So I just think that if they can somehow turn things around the ice that won't be a problem if they can't there's going to be some issues. Well, it won't help you but our daughter moved to Vancouver a month ago, but she doesn't play in the NHL. So sorry, but so she she's like you get out there now give

it give me a one or two good stories like one or two of that you know what we're at the 60 game mark and This has been whether it's a pleasant surprise or just beyond Quinn Hughes obviously or just you know a solid solid performance Well, I mean Quinn Hughes is the obvious one I mean, I think he probably could have been before these injuries in the heart trophy conversation Just because with him on the ice or a top three Team without him their bottom three team So that was one I still think the brusk has been a good story

He's on a career, you know a path for career high goals. He's been the streaky guy we've seen And you know what I got a I got to throw some flowers to Connor Garland. I Just think that he day in day out he competes he plays much bigger than his size he's consistently a play driver. So I think Garland has been a good story for this team too and then if you're looking at the young player like Elias Pedersen he went in the lineup and he has not come out and Rick Toggett does not want to pull him out. So I think that that's a positive story too. And then if maybe if you look with Tom Volander maybe coming before this season's over, who knows? But you know, as opposed to last year, there's fewer good stories, but there are still some pretty good ones.

And the fact that they've gone through all this and like we talked about before, Joshua cancer, Forbert leaving his father died, Besser month gone concussion, Miller absence, Hronik hurt, Hughes hurt again, Demko hurt. Through all that, they're still right there in a playoff spot. So I think that they have a chance to put a lot of garbage behind them with a good 20 games here.

And I think that that would do a lot for the players in that locker room, even if they lost first round in you know not so dramatic fashion to Winnipeg I think it would do a lot for those guys in the room just to to come out the other end and say we had maybe the most difficult year ever and yet we still found a way to make it in the playoffs so I think that that that's really a good goal for the players on the ice as well. It's going to be a fascinating finish here to the trade deadline. Yeah, I tell you what, it's never a dull moment out there, is it Murph?

No, no, no, I've been hardened by the last decade. Somehow I think you guys wouldn't have it any other way. First 10 years were gravy, West Coast Express, the twin, the Solongo. Hang in there, Murph. Hang in there, buddy. Really appreciate it. Thanks for doing this. All right. Take care. So, love that guy. Now you got the Winnipeg Jets who like, never lose.

Never lose. But like... Like almost like a perfect season right now. They need to talk. Maybe just a little controversy. Well, do we need controversy out of Winnipeg to talk to them, Gord? Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt. I mean, the two last perfect seasons, the Boston Bruins a couple of years ago and the Tampa Bay Lightning when they played Columbus in the first rounds, that they were first round exits.

So I don't know, you need a little bit like, you know, like you guys looking for your phone charger earlier, you know, something, some bite. What does that say about our society that we're not talking about Winnipeg, but we like to talk about like the fire sale or the, you know,

think like the world's blowing up, Gord. What does that say about us? Well, I think it's more the sports analogy stuff because everyone, if you're a fan, you're a GM of all of your teams you're a fan about. So if things are going well, you just sit back, enjoy it. You still say, geez, we haven't done it in the playoffs. Like Winnipeg, Carolina, Toronto, our three teams that have never, in recent history,

haven't matched up playoff success to regular season success, whereas teams like Florida have and whatever. But yeah, I don't know, whatever. It's like, it used to be about when it bleeds, it leads was the kind of story for tabloid magazines and you know, whatever. And basically we like the trade rumors, the salacious stories, what's going on there? Why are these guys not getting along? Sort of like your wife Lisa,

she's attracted to the bad boys. That's swell. You're a bad boy, Gord. Ha ha ha. As a City News 680 alum here, working for there for two years, if it bleeds it leads, it's the way it goes. But here, if we're going to do, our new favorite segment, Kipper, is Jets Talk.

And we're going to do some Jets Talk. They are 42, 15 and 4. 88 points in 61 games so far this year, plus 71. 23, 5 and 4 at home this year. 19, 10 and 0 away from home. Unbelievable season. Nathan McKinnon scored a Connor Hellebuck in the championship game, the four nations.

No, no, no negative in Jets talk. Only positive, only positive. By the way, what gang would it be? Hellebuck just has to win four rounds. That's the only thing left. They're gonna get the worst team in the West in the playoffs, right? In years past

They've been in that two three matchup where they've had to go up against the like like the Avs last year and all these other Get it's much like the Leafs get an easier first round matchup let Connor Halliburke get his legs under him and some big Games and go from there. I I do have a good feeling about the Jets this year I really do what gang when I belong to kipper as a bad boy wouldn't be a very good one It wouldn't be a very good one It wouldn't be very tough one. Give me the commercial break and i'll remember a few happy days gangs. That's uh potsy and Ralph whatever the ones that come in with the windbreakers To arnold's yeah, let's do a game time quickly before we go to break. Uh, it was game time presented by bet 365

Visit the app play the sods and find out why it's ever ordinary bet bet Three six five was 19 plus on terror only please play responsibly I was looking at the Leafs game tonight at least our huge favorites on home ice as you would imagine but I forgot that there is a returning player for the for the San Jose Sharks The Lily pad Timothy Lilligran making his the San Jose Sharks. The Lily pad. Timothy Lilligran making his triumphant return to Scotiabank Arena with all those amazing memories that he has made with the Trotter Maples.

And as all Leaf fans know, listening to this, there is nothing like a returning sort of fringe player. There is no power they have, like scoring against the Leafs when they return. So I am going to test those powers With a Timothy Lilligrim goal tonight at plus 1,400 there has been a million guys that have come back against the Leafs and scored a goal against them when they used to play For them so I am testing the limits of that by picking a Timothy Lilligrim goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight thoughts

What's gonna be on his video? They'll give him a longer exclude some bad pinches That's right. That's right So they're gonna give Timothy Lilligran a longer return video than they did for Mitch Marner for setting up the winning goal for in Team Canada and the four nations face-off. That's great. Anyways moving on ouch Excellent game tonight in Florida the Tampa Bay Lightning in Florida to take all they're always in Florida, but they're in Sunrise to take on the Florida Panthers. They are underdogs against the Panthers plus 135 the Florida Panthers minus 160 so a really good matchup there and sends desperate for a win in the

Washington take on the Capitals We'll talk about this a little bit after the break but OV only 10 away now from breaking the all-time goal scoring record. Unbelievable. Anyways, that was Game Time presented by bet 365. Visit the app for the latest odds and find out why it's never ordinary. Bet 365 must be 19 plus, Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Okay, we'll take a quick break and when we return,

we'll get into the latest I have on sports.ca updated list of who may stay, who may go, moving target you would have thought by now, Gord, the buyers and the sellers would be well established. Might not be the case just yet. Changed on the weekend. Yeah. Changed on the weekend. We'll get into that and more.

Brad Marchand, staying or going in Boston? We discuss next when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Everything you need to know about the Raptors and the biggest stories around the NBA. Smith and Jones. Subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Nick Kiprios, Gort Stehlik. Last time Kipper.

Last hurrah. Sammy McKee. Closing time. As a reminder, this hour of Real Kipper and Born brought to you by Bet365. So Gord, we're're gonna get into maybe the little discussion on the Boston Bronies, but I want to lean a little bit towards your stint as a general manager in the for the Toronto Maple Leafs and you were part of some trades and Just the whole

What are general managers feeling today? Going into Friday and how much pressure they may have on improving the team or making a big splash or getting into a playoff scenario? Take us back to your days with some of the trades that you made and maybe some of the pressures that you felt to make them. Yeah, and so a couple years with New York, mostly with Toronto, right?

And only two years in Toronto being in the big chair, but a part of it before and other things. And again, the one good thing, and even before our cap era, I always talk about Ken Raggett in the sense that he was wanted by Bobby Clark in Philadelphia, Jerry Meehan in Buffalo and David Boyle in Washington. So that's what you want when you're taught.

So it ends up being an ongoing dialogue that, okay, you know you got a couple of suitors in that case we're going to make the trade. The suitors know that you're not BSing them because quite often there's elements of poker that go into it as well. So that was one neat part about the whole negotiation process to try to get the best deal probably like Chicago tried to do with Seth Jones right? Was the Reagan a trade deadline deal? Yeah, yeah, two first-round picks. Yeah. So anyway, but the other part, you know, 21 general managers back then, there's 32 now, but there's still things about being human. There's still some

that are gunslingers. I think Jim Rutherford's one. They're still like, you know, they like to kind of, you know, just, just you know, kind of said yeah, I like it I know Patrick Alveen is a general manager, but I mean, you know that attitude there is pressure from owners as well I don't know how I'll use Boston as example again I have no idea behind the scenes and can't nearly certainly very or pressure from a president as well Whatever about you know, hey, are you doing something? And quite often, general managers might feel that kind of pressure. Then there's others about am I sending a message in the dressing room, you know, like, they're going to receive this player well, or, you know, it will disrupt the chemistry, what's going on. So you're looking at

all those different kinds of components. And then you also Nick, what's happened is, you've got a lot of balls out there and you have to start bringing them in a bit, okay? You got to start bringing them in a bit so you can't be talking 12 prospective deals. And then all of a sudden, bing, one still might happen from left field. Like all of a sudden, Tom Fitzgerald in New Jersey now, if Jack Hughes is injured. All of a sudden he's on the phone. So, and it's funny, I talked to a couple of general managers, current ones as well,

because I wondered how much, you got way more people now, way more people, but still they said, no, still one-on-one when we're talking, because stuff gets out there and that, even though that can be unwieldy, like it was hard to talk to 20 other general managers, it's hard to talk to 31 others as far as, so it's, there's time management that comes into play

But it's exciting Kipper. It's exciting. You're like it's all consuming just like the fans are and and people see you and they talk Jeez, what are you gonna do and all that? It's a It's like in no other sport like no other sport has the same same vibe or energy around the trade deadline Whether you're working for a team or in the media or being a fan. The one I wanna ask you, and I'm not even sure if it was a trade deadline, but I know you get asked a lot about

Cortinal for John Korda. Yeah, yeah. Just in terms of you willing to give up a skilled player to get that type of toughness. How bad was it for the Leafs that you felt like you needed to get a tough guy in there? Were they getting their asses whipped every night? Like, with the pressure that you needed

to get them some reinforcements, how bad was that back then? So, that trade was in early November. Okay. And also my reality was I had a coach that I inherited in John Brophy who I really liked quite a bit. So he valued John Kordak from the 1986

when Kordak played a significant role in the playoffs especially, and Brophy had been in the Montreal organization. So anyway He and Russ Cordell didn't get along and when Russ was a healthy scratch a couple of games I kind of said to Russ look look just I'll try to I'll try to help move you somewhere Okay, this is gonna be my one casualty I already had another a few I was able to save like for you saw me for example, whatever

So I I made the trade in a big way based on the coach and that was an inexperienced move by me. Okay, that was an inexperienced move, but I'm still, I take some solace that I didn't grease the skids for both. Now I should have learned from an unpopular trade when Punch Imlak traded Lanny McDonald. He sent him to the Colorado Rockies, so you never saw him, right? You saw Russ Cordell every Saturday, Montreal Canadiens kicking someone's ass, whatever, so you never saw him, right? You saw Russ Corden every Saturday, Montreal Canadiens kicking someone's ass, whatever,

as you went back up to your office. But I hadn't made the trade that way. I got the coach, the player in question, the player, we didn't have a lot of pre-scouting to know the player had some bigger issues around it. So it's sort of taken a life of its own because there was Kordak wearing the dark hat, Russ Kordak wearing the white hat,

and it wasn't that simple. John Kordak, you talked to Cam Neely, played with him in Portland. I remember when he was getting inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and I used to sort of host those, that kind of weekend. And he spoke extensively and passionately about playing with him in Portland

and what a good player he was and all those things Do you think just one more thing on this? Do you think that that's going on as we speak today where it's? Maybe the experienced ones the Coopers Barube in Toronto, they are going Get me this guy get me that guy again, the pressure that a general manager could feel now to appease. Yeah, well, exactly.

And the thing, you know, Doug McClain has a funny line. He tells other GMs, stay close to the owner because they'll turn on the coach, okay? But if the owner loves the coach, then all of a sudden, and Pat Burns pushed on Cliff Fletcher, and Cliff was like a serious general manager experience. No, Pat Burns worked the phones a little bit talking to Pierre Lacroix about something, you know,

whatever, technically tampering behind the scenes. He wanted to get Mike Ricci, right? A trade deadline, right? Whatever. And so stuff like that happened. I don't know how prevalent it is nowadays, but there have to be some, like John Cooper would be a great example.

But I think also that's a winning organization. So they're in harmony about things. Like when you're a losing, a organization that was losing, you're sort of grasping at things, trying to fix things. When you've developed a cohesive group together, LA has a really cohesive group. You know that? And that's how you win. And that's how you kind of ride

it. Like the Jays did for a number of years way back when in that. So if you're Doug Armstrong, for example, and you have Braden Shen right now, how many teams do you think Kipper are calling on Brayden Shen? Like do you think he's fielding daily? Yes, I do, I do. And I think any team that's interested in a centerman would have to make that call. That's your job.

So if you're, yeah, I mean, so to your point, when you're talking about this reggae trade where you have all these people calling you three different teams, like that must be such an incredible, but you don't want to trade your captain at all, like especially because you're in a playoff race. But like to be sitting there with, at the deadline, with what everyone thinks is sort of the prize

of the deadline, you can really set up the future of your franchise here for a couple years with the right move. And if you have multiple teams, that's gotta be exciting for a general manager. It really does. Well, and again, the cap wasn't a problem back there, but I'll tell you Sammy and Kipper, what I'm sure is the same now that was back then,

so when you talk to the other 20 general managers, just like now if you talk another 31, so you're calling Kiprios, you just would check in, right? How's it going? How's the family? Blah blah blah, you know, a bit of a slump, but we're getting going now. You go, you anybody on our team What do you like on our team? You know you before you said goodbye and I'll tell you who you're interested in my team And this would be in October November December January like always there'd be just that kind of thing You leave after meeting one of the other general managers with a sense that okay You know they they like a guy we have down in the American Hockey League. They like Sammy, whatever it may be.

They could need a left shoot shot defenseman. So okay, store, store, store, you know, right, right, right, whatever. So you got all this stuff. That's the big master plan. And then, like I said, as it goes on, then sometimes all of a sudden, hey, this team's struggling a bit. I'm going to call Nick Kiprios. You know, they're 0-5 and 2 in their last seven.

Whatever. I'm going to... See if they're all five and two in their last seven, whatever. I'm gonna- See if they're ready to make a decision here of some kind. Like Serge Sabart called me, whatever, basically, and just, you know, kinda like they're feeling the pressure. When you say Jimmy Rutherford, that he's like, you know, he'll pull the trigger, right?

Yeah, gunslinger. Cliff was a gunslinger back in the, you know, certain GMs were gunslingers. But there's others that need that build up, right? Maybe it's from October, November to March. Maybe they just need reinforcement. They gotta hear from their scout. They gotta hear from, you know, the concession stand.

It was methodical. Popcorn guy, he can't do it on his own. He needs. Chevelle Dayoff has got the reputation of being methodical as well. Like he's not a big gunslinger. Yeah, yeah. A bread tree living in Toronto makes tons of calls,

but doesn't have the reputation of being that guy right now. I'll tell you one that was off the charts. I don't know who the comparable would be now. Phil Esposito when he was running the New York Rangers. So he would say, so there wasn't a fit. They'd go, who do you like? Who do you like elsewhere? And actually a guy I liked was Bob Rouse.

He was playing with Minnesota. And actually Toronto got him later on after I was gone. Like, hey, I wanna do a three way. What do you want? I'll talk to Louie Nanny and then we'll try, like I can't follow everything, whatever. Any player, any other player, Phil was thinking on the other level about,

okay, we'll get a three way trade. We'll figure it out. I'll work out something with minutes anyway It didn't come to fruition, but he would just talk about a gunslinger. He would just come at it What was called trader Phil right? Yeah, you know and and that that would he would come on that okay? Okay? What about Kretzky? Shake him loose from the Los Angeles and maybe maybe get him our way

Oh, I mean you mentioned going back to the coaches and players forgot about this. It just came to my mind, but you literally had Craig Brubay Three days ago or four days ago that Friday or Thursday be like, oh, I love the player Oh, you know, it's just a great guy and he went on for four four so I bet you that would be constituted as a as a Coach saying something that maybe a general manager would hear, and it would happen like a week ago. Well, and Doug Armstrong would work that, he would know,

but of course Brad Trilliving's been around, you know, Brad Trilliving handled a very difficult situation, all that happened in Calgary, right, and now this year you're seeing with Hubert or coming around, you know, he really made the best of it, but yeah, certainly, Doug, Ruby likes this guy, Ruby likes this guy, and Brad knows the coach likes this guy, so it made the best of it. But yeah, certainly Doug, Ruby likes this guy. Ruby likes this guy. And Brad knows the coach likes this guy.

So it'll factor a little bit. Can Don Sweeney make the best of it right now knowing that he's still very much looking at a potential situation where if the team gets on a decent run, they can make the playoffs. But where are they going past that? And is this the time to collect assets? So does he stay with trying to convince Brad Marchanda,

possibly go to Colorado? Well, go somewhere and then we can re-sign you in the summer. What you can do now, because you're not tampering, he's your property, you can say, hey, you'll come back to a stronger team because we'll get a future You think Brad owes that to the Boston Bruins? No, Matt Sundeen went through that in Toronto, right and Cindy Crosby's going through that That hurt Matt's oh my god. Yeah, I still have friends that talk about that

Yeah, what do they name them the Muskoka? Oh, okay five. Yeah, but he was just one of them there were five that had the no trades I don't even think he was just one of them. There were five that had the no trades. I don't even think he was a Muskoka. He went home to Sweden. He's got a bad rap. But yeah, and so that's why I think it's been handled well in Boston.

But the other point, Nick, there are two points out and they got all this history. Like there's something special and it still is there. I know they've lost Bergeron and Char and that, but they're still in element. And they've lost Lindholm and McEvoy this year. McEvoy too, but they've won with those other guys, that culture thing.

And even like, you know, like that, so who knows? And Swainman gets going, you're two points out. I know that's crowded there, but you know, you've felt the pressure that can Columbus and Detroit withstand that pressure. You know, like Detroit's always come back to the pack. Maybe this is the year they both go through. So anyways, a lot of arrows, but I still think if you're Boston and even the New York Rangers, you're still thinking, we expect it to be to the pack. Maybe this is the year they both go through. So anyways, a lot of arrows, but I still think

if you're Boston and even the New York Rangers, you're still thinking we expected to be in the playoffs. And as of today, there's still just two points out. I think it's interesting you mentioned the trade to Colorado or trade somewhere else and then go back. You know, that doesn't happen a ton. And I think I would be very wary, especially if it might be Colorado going there, playing with McKinnon being on that team being in that environment

It's like yeah, he's like yeah I'll sign back in Boston in the summer for sure Don and then he plays for You know however many months there goes to final or something. You know, God forbid wins the cup He's like, yeah, you know, this is pretty fun. I think I might stay here. I enjoyed this a lot He's not unfamiliar with the area. I think he's owned a home if I'm not mistaken Didn't know that Colorado didn't know that Oh big time Hunter right so he hunts out there really and he hunts guys knees He's trained he's trained

With the altitude out there. It doesn't Sydney to, like Sydney's trainer goes out there, right? They go there too, so that's why they talk. Okay, I gotta tell you one call. Get the Nova Scotia three together. So it wasn't, I don't know if it was a trade deadline call or not, but Lou Lamarello was a general manager of the New Jersey Devils. So you talk about someone who does things,

and this is, he's new, like I was kid about it. We started at the same time, he lasted 30 years longer okay as a general manager so whatever you know I had other things to do so anyway he he called he called me Gordy I get Gordy I we got a situation here we might have to do something with the player hold on I'm gonna I'm gonna close my office door close the office door I'm not gonna not gonna say the player's name, but the player was like, talk about French. I almost had to find like, where is this? The player had played most of the year in the American Hockey League. But as he goes to close the door, I'm going, Ken Danico or something like that.

You know, like whatever. Anyway, and actually, I looked later on, this player did mysteriously just kind of disappear from a hockey, but I just, you know. He's the original Rovada Island, wherever you went. Talk about, that's where lunch bag let down came from. Part of the sales job, right? Yes, yes. Come on, it's selling a car.

And one time, like it weren't cell phones back then, Lou couldn't we talked about somebody I was away in the afternoon he couldn't get me and then also I look and he's in the press box he couldn't get me so he flew to Toronto just got the game so you know no wonder they won right no wonder they build a winning organization there also he also fired a coach went down and caught he also fired a coach and it went down himself. So. Yeah, but they won.

You know, they developed a winning culture there. And I got a lot of time and a lot of respect. Just to be clear. A lot of people, a lot of people, especially with his work ethic, his commitment. The guy's been. Still doing it. It's his life, right?

Well, and like him and Brian. He's a lifer. Him and Brian Burke are the two guys. When you get kicked in the onions, they're among the first calls. Now, Burke, he stays with you, right? I mean, whatever, but that's tough. Like, it's easy when you're riding high,

but when there's been some adversity dealt your way, all of a sudden, no one's returning your calls. It's a very different world. So you appreciate the ones that are quick, and he is among those. You think he's a seller, Lou, this week? Boy. Yeah. Nelson?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, what else can they buy? They got the coach last year, they did Bo Horvat. I mean, they seem to have some of the, like they had a lot of pieces that expiring contracts and they stayed like Anders Lee and all those. But I, you know, it seems, it seems there's too much sameness to me with the New York Highlanders. Five points back with five teams in front of them. Not jumping that many teams. That's

tough. Yeah. Gord, fabulous week with you man. Thanks guys. Really appreciate it. You know this this comes above your work at the NHL Network NHL Network radio morning skate morning skate, which I think I might be scheduled on Yeah, you're warning who said who is the guy who's on top of the trades now? You got the trades boards going you're the guy the trade tracker So we are we appreciate landing you as we're not we're not breaking up anytime soon court. Okay, okay That's good. We keep trying to, but we keep, you know, we're like Simon and Garfunkel. We're kind of like the hockey version of that.

So Sammy and I are looking forward to Justin Bourne coming back with multiple Mickey Mouse stories, right? Yeah, wearing his rags, because that's all he can afford. Going to Disneyland. All right, once again, our thanks to Gord Stehlich this week. Justin Bourne returns tomorrow. Have a great night everybody.