Real Kyper & Bourne - Capitalizing in Washington with Head Coach Spencer Carbery

Episode Date: March 17, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne are joined by Spencer Carbery (10:15) – head coach of the Washington Capitals – to chat about his team's strong performance throughout the season, how Alexander Ovechkin is as a player and leader in the locker room, his goal record chase, the Caps' reestablished blueline and Rasmus Sandin's transformation. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee discuss the Calgary Flames' path to get into the Wild Card and the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.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, let's kick it up a notch here. It's the national hour on Real Kipper and Bourne. Live on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, Sportsnet 960 in Calgary. This hour of Real Kipper is brought to you by bet 365. All right, boys. Good weekend. Great weekend. Yeah.

You? Yeah. Really good. Beautiful weather here in the city of Toronto. How'd you dream about golf? Totally. I got a call or a message from Brett Kissel. Oh yeah? Cool. Who performed last night at the Horseshoe Tavern, which was spectacular.

This is... Did you go to the Horseshoe Tavern? I did. Oh my God. You went out? I went out. And to a cool place, no less. No, no, like this is like two legends coming together. I can't believe you went to the Horseshoe Tavern.

I love the Horseshoe Tavern. Oh my God. How'd you not call me? I don't have my wife's away, buddy. I wouldn't have been down there slugging beers with you, no problem. Brett went to the lefty late in the game out of the bullpen and I went there, my wife, my son, and a couple of friends,

and it was spectacular. That's awesome. He is so good, so talented, just to watch the passion that he has for music. And of course, we were brought together through his love of hockey. Many NHLers, current and past, very good friends with him.

And to sit and hear stories, and the admiration he had for stomping Tom and Gord Downey, of course, of the hip. And he told this amazing story of like, the love he had for Johnny Cash as a kid growing up. And he wrote him a letter and he got a he had for Johnny Cash as a kid growing up and he wrote him a letter and he got a return letter from Johnny Cash the day Johnny Cash passed away.

No way. And I'm like, cool, cool. That's so cool. So cool. Why was he playing it though? He's a pretty big deal. Is it like a special event for him to play at the horseshoe? It was I think a family and friends VIP.

You know, sometimes they get together and just hang out past The tour is the side you'll never That the side you've never seen tour is coming up for him He's boys and my boy Chad Brownlee there a couple of Canadian hockey boys making it in country music Kessel did like straight up play-by-play analysis for us on Sportsnet Oh, yeah one year in the Oilers where I think in playoffs it felt like every other broadcast they had him Way in him we're getting them on for the playoffs. Well, definitely Definitely get that done. So big shout out

Bk, thanks for doing that bud. All right, sorry didn't invite me sour Sammy he said friends and family. You're neither apparently apparently. I get along well with people, Kep. Or I would've crushed it down there, buddy. Yeah, he said he loves our show, me and Bonnie and that other guy. No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I love you.

All right, in a few minutes, we'll welcome in the head coach of the Washington Capitals. So far, I don't know, is there anyone close to him in terms of a potential coach of the Washington Capitals so far. I don't know, is there anyone close to him in terms of a potential coach of the year, Spencer Carberry doing an unbelievable job. They are toe to toe right now with the Winnipeg Jets for number one president's trophy. We'll ask them in a few minutes if it means anything

to go for it. Yeah. 15 anything to go for it. Yeah. What, 15 games to go? You want to hear about the elevation of Rasmus Sandin into a legitimate number one D? Yes. Ovi now eight behind. He's at 887. 887, which has him within eight of breaking the record.

And just to answer your question according to our beloved bet 365 he is minus 900 to win the Jack Adams for coach of the year. Yeah, it's as lucky as locks. Yeah, for NHL Awards. I would say you know the only thing that could really dent that is if one of Montreal or Columbus were to get in when preseason I think both teams were Completely written off guys watch the Oilers last night. You're done with broadcasts You watched it closely, but I did you were at Brett Kessel kissin kissin Kessel, so you weren't watching it. Yeah Good win for the Oilers. I thought yeah, I thought that they look pretty good. I thought McDavid was really involved

It's a you know Rangers aren't great, but they'll take any wins. They can get I thought they looked pretty good last night Yeah, we just spent You know, Rangers aren't great, but they'll take any wins they can get. I thought they looked pretty good last night. Yeah. We just spent the last hour, obviously, leaf talk on our show and the conversation of Austin Matthews having an off year. But so is Conor McDavid by numbers. Yeah. He's still going to end up with 105 or 110 points and maybe 80 assists. But I think he's a dozen back at Dry Side.

At 30 goals, is that like a bad year? Is it an off year? How would you describe Connor McDavid's season? Yes, I mean, he's got 1.41 points per game. Most people would say that's pretty exceptional But I mean there's no it's a decline in his production. There's no doubt about it. And I mean he's yeah He's not scoring as much so I don't know, you know Call it Matthew's ask if you will where you go still a great player and obviously he controls the game at a different speed than Matthews

Yeah, definitely a little bit off and strange to see him 15 points back at Leon Drysidle You know, he's played five or six fewer games. Can I ask you? This is a maybe stupid question, but watching that Oilers game last night. What are your thoughts on? Jacob Wallman defenseman wearing number 96 two numbers. Do you are you a number snob by any stretch of the management? What are you thinking? I just think it's a total hot shot number. And for me, a defenseman wearing 96 is crazy. It's fine.

I'm not like, I just judged the guy morally based on it. It offends me a little bit. But it does offend me. One less than McDavid. That's so true. Like, you know, McDavid's on your team and you're 96, maybe it's stupid. But it just draws me the wrong way. I got to tell you, I got to kick out a littlearyll will be in like none of those numbers for you kids

I'm so past numbers now that yeah, it just Whatever the number is it's Yeah in my day you had a high number in that you're getting cut Seven days into training camp. Yeah, if you like Right, you know, do you remember though like Nylander joined the Leafs you were number 29 into training camp. Yeah. You don't want to be number 65. That's a bad sign. Yeah, I was gonna say. Right? You know, do you remember though, like, Nylander joined the Leafs, he wore number 29.

Because Lou was like, you're not wearing 88. You're not one of those guys. You're not a, you know, Eric Lindros all time. Because for a long time, it was, everyone kind of wore the low numbers until you thought you were whatever.

Gratz could do it because he was Gratz. So who was like the best 96? All right. Yeah, Pavel. Oh wow. But Pavel didn't start right he didn't start 96 10 10 and then he went to 96 yeah, he elevated he reached another stratosphere as wal-man done that I Just saw one of the things there's like of course he can for sure like whatever He's 96 in San Jose I don't I mean

Was he 96 in San Jose? I don't, I mean, to be fair, I gotta tell you, I have no idea. I didn't watch many of his games there, but anyways. The important thing is, Sammy, he can skate a puck out. Snap a breakout pass. He also smunched some, right? Yeah. A game or two ago. And that was a good pickup, right?

Big time. And they paid for it, though. He wasn't cheap. Yeah, and hopefully a guy that they're gonna have for a while. They're he's gonna be a big if they have success. He's gonna need to be a big part of it. So big pickup for sure. Okay, so we're waiting on Spencer Carberry, but like just

between me and you before he comes on like you think like Washington this year. No, no, what I'm asking you. No, are you one'm asking you. No. Are you one of those guys that says they've overachieved during the regular season and that bubble's gonna burst in the playoffs? Or do you believe in them? I think over the course of the season, you're almost forced to wrestle with, I didn't think

they were this good, but it's not like they got hot over a weekend here. Like we're into 65 games and on track for the president's trophy they have built something pretty impressive here and frankly preseason predictions were really hard with a team that rebuilt in the way they did Loubois, Manjie Pane, Duhame, Bavillier, Sandin, Chikrin, you know Matt Roy like they're a different team than they were in the past couple years. So you know, is it McClellan there? No, it's not.

It's Chris. Damn. Either way, who's that winger? The GM for Brian, Brian McClellan. But isn't that another guy now? Anyway, they're give them credit. They did bring in the right bodies to help them out You know when they Patrick under Chris back under McLean. Yeah

Yeah, I'm just the the subtle pickups that yeah, yeah thought and Pier look to blah. We're just looking at a trade to salvage his career right right? Just to get a guy in there to look like you're not a complete write-off, which it felt that way when he left Los Angeles. This capital seems first in the NHL and goals four per game, 3.63. Yeah. You know, Dubois has found a way to be effective even when he doesn't score He seems happy and content there and then

McMichael and protus. Oh, right. Those are didn't you mention those two right took massive steps Let's produce on pace for I mean he's he's become a very legitimate dangerous contributor They've quietly tied up their goaltenders on long-term deals But the other thing there Kip is sorry to kind of go back to it, is like, if you win the East here, you're getting a team that's like, it could be Columbus, Montreal, the Islanders, you know, it could be a team that, you know what I'm saying, they're just not that good. And at that point, if you then play out of the metro,

the Carolina Hurricanes kind of had their mess up with their, at that point, if you then play out of the metro, the Carolina Hurricanes kind of had their mess up with their, at the deadline, and then the Devils are hurt. Like you can see a path for this Capitals team. Just wait here, okay. Okay, as promised, let's welcome in the head coach of the Washington Capitals, Spencer Carberry. Hey, Spence, thanks for joining us, man. Much appreciated.

Anytime. Thanks for having me on guys. Okay. So, so many places that we can start, but so far let's just go to big picture here. You're a team that got off to a good start and has not really looked back. And now it's a two-man race between you and the Winnipeg Jets for the president's trophy with what about average 15 games to go and and where's the focus on that is it something you guys talk about do you does it motivate

you or you quietly look at it and go I don't like the record of teams that have won this thing in the past and won Stanley Cups as well? We've talked about it as a staff and we've sort of just gone with the same approach with our guys that we have all year. Is we haven't talked about big picture, playoffs, records, haven't even gone to segments. We keep it very, very short term. So give you an example like this week,

we just come back from the Western trip, which we were kind of focused on those three games out there, come back home, and now we've got a three game home stand. So we just kind of focus on these next three games at home, playing well in those scenarios, building our game, wanting to create an identity at home, which is going to be important to make sure that

we continue to make our building a tough place to play in and teams have a hard time with it and feel like they're suffocated with pressure and all that stuff that our game brings. So that's we're a real short term focus team to answer your question. Carbs, it's Justin Bourne. I don't know if I've seen you since my fly up at the University of Alaska Anchorage. You've come a long way from hanging out with Matt Hanson and Chris Fournier. Exactly. Your days hanging out up there with Matt Hanson and Chris Fournier, you've come a long way. Could you have imagined back then that you would end up where you are now? Is this something you always saw for yourself?

Absolutely not, Bourne. Absolutely not. that you would end up where you are now. Is this something you always saw for yourself? Absolutely not, Borno. Absolutely not. Never even crossed my wildest imagination to be coaching in the NHL and haven't done it now for 14 years. Could not have imagined it at any point back then. Well, the the Jack Adams would be a nice feather in your cap and something that would be well deserved for this season.

Is that something you've put any thought into at all, probably more focused on team metrics this season? Yeah, yeah, really am. And we have such a unique team that, you know, we've gone through so much over the last two years, you know, probably having followed us a little bit last year in the making the playoffs, but also the goal differential and some nights it didn't look great. We frankly didn't look like a playoff team some nights were playing against some of the better

teams in the league. But the way that we grinded through it and especially down the stretch, found ways to win. And then this year, it's just provided a ton of challenges for us as coaches to try to, how can we help this group take the next step? And we don't have four or five guys or a handful of guys that are going to be 120-point guys and 50 goal scorers. But what we do have is we've got a team. So that, you know, takes a lot from our coaching staff. It's an amazing job of getting everybody on the same page because we need every single guy every night.

And that's sort of the strength of our group is the group and us being a deep team that plays four lines and and goes two goalies deep and 60 deep You're listening to Spencer Carberry head coach of the Washington Capitol So you you come out of your your rookie season as a head coach and you're staring at one of the greatest record chasing situations in the history of our sport in in Ovechkin and you want to make the team better like how many meetings would you have had with your coaching staff on how do we how do we go about this where it looks like we want to help Ovi get in the best spot without making it look like it's all about Ovi.

Yeah, I can tell you we've met and talked about it a lot and talked to him personally about it a lot. And this is it's the best thing that goes unnoticed about O is he's through this all, he's so coachable and, and honestly, dead honest truth, team orientated. It's you'd be amazed. And the stories will come out when he's retired about, you know, in the off season, it's all about free agency and who we add in and how we making the team better. And that's literally what he talks about. He doesn't talk about, he doesn't ask me, he doesn't say, you know, I need this, this, this, I need to play here. It's about how can we make our team better? And I think maybe one of the things I don't know if I've told this story before, but at

the end of last year, we got swept in the first round and and oh had a tough first round series against New York and For for him when we met at the end of the season and him being you know going into now his 39 year old season the start that he had the previous year He took it upon himself at 39 at the spot. He is in his career Changes a little bit of his workout routine, makes some adjustments, goes, I have to find a way to be able to start better. I've got to train a little bit differently than I did at 27 years old now at 39, makes these adjustments, goes back home. And then he comes in this season and completely flips. He's on fire right out of the

gate. And so it just again, it just speaks to the greatness and the uniqueness of all and what he's doing and what he's accomplished. And anytime you doubt or think I think he's running out of gas. He puts immediately to bed. He's done that throughout the season even coming back from the injury. That's awesome. You just, like, combined with Ovi have the most interesting team because you guys took on a number of new players this year where people weren't sure where or how you guys

would fit them in and almost everyone has had success. But I do want to ask you about a couple guys internally who've taken big steps in Alexey Protest and Connor McMichael. Did you know that their ceilings were as high as their performance this year? Oh, that's a really tough one. I, Mikey, I've always known the production and always believed in his ability to produce because he's done it at every level. Now a lot of people thought where he was picked and you know he's probably going to be a third line center in the NHL like that was sort of but if you get to know Mikey as a person, I coach him as rookie year in the American hockey league coming from London, you find out very quickly that if you doubt him and if you put limits on him, he's the

type of player that very, very confident, self-motivated and just finds ways to deliver and produce. So I always have never doubted that he was going to find a way to be able to produce at the NHL level at the top six clip, which he's doing this year. And pro is interesting because I would say the production offensively, I can't sit here and say, yeah, I knew he'd be a 30 goal score and produced in the way he has after. But I did, you're very confident that he was going to be a good NHL player. Like I had zero doubts about that. He's a Belorussian that when I coached him as rookie year, when he came to Hershey as well over from, um, Europe and like,

crazy focus, crazy work ethic that, um, you don't see in a lot of young players and just self motivated like this guy every day on the ice, working trying to fine tune his game and even in film wants to be coached wants to learn always asking for more and so with his size and how much he's worked on his skating and how much he's worked on a shot you're not surprised that him having the success that he's had. I want to touch on your blue line for a believer that championships are when built from the net on out. The goal

tending has been great, but this revamped blue line in such a short period of time. Spence, I've always been a big fan of John Carlson. I think he's still to this day underrated, but totally agree. But the the the support that he's gotten from particularly Jacob Chikrin to me is off the charts. And I look at even Sandeen, another guy that couldn't fit with the Leafs. Chikrin couldn't hit fit with Ottawa, but they come to your team and around Carlson and Matt Roy and the rest of the group, man. This is a one tough blue line. Yeah. And, and I to echo what you said, John Carlson is such an underrated defenseman in every situation. A lot of, a lot of people that don't watch him on a daily basis, just

acquaint the first unit power play in the years that they've seen, um, film with him there and, and, uh, replays of that. It's he does so much more and I would argue He is way better Defenders so smart good with his stick plays heavy minutes against teams top lines. No problem So he's got that multifaceted Defensive plays in every situation just so underrated and. And then I think you're spot on with Chicky has done a really nice job of coming in and alleviating some of those offensive minutes from John. So now we can deploy him a lot of ozone starts with Dylan Strom's line. And it just, it cuts down and doesn't make John at the point he's at in his career have to log 27,

28 minutes a night. And that's been a huge help for us. And Chickie's been awesome for us since the start of the year. The skating and his ability to walk the line and his shot is just so elite. I couldn't agree more as well with Rastus Sandin. It's taken a huge step. Because I coached him the two years I was in Toronto and the him now of where he's developed and how hard he's worked his game. He's a five on five now minute eater. He's not an offensive. He can add that part,

but he is so good breaking pucks out, defending with his stick, intelligently with his feet against some of the best players in the NHL. And so those guys have been Marty Fay, Arby, same thing, underrated defender. Those guys have been huge parts of our success this year. Spence, just for either a coach or a player out there watching or listening, how does a guy like Saddine go from being on a bubble or a fringe player to someone who can really solidify a spot on a hockey club? Is it mental, physical, like

Yeah, where does it begin? You know what it was? You know what it was? He looked at himself honestly in the mirror and he and he was honest with himself and said because early in his career he wanted to be Eric Carlson. He wanted to be the guy that would run the first unit power play and make all these plays off sensibly and get a ton of points. And then it got to a point in his career. And I think when he came to Washington, it's like, I can have a long, successful play on the national team do all these

incredible things in my career with being a great defender being able to break pucks out constantly and add a little bit offense maybe I'm not Eric Carlson maybe I don't need to score 90 points and and run a first unit power play but I also can be an elite defenseman of the league not doing that and I think he really embraced that. And now defensively, like he can penalty kill, he can play in all these different situations where I remember in Toronto, he was a little bit sheltered from. He didn't, you know, you had to be careful about who he went out against.

And you know, he wasn't put in those situations. And now I think he's just really embraced and understood that I, in this role and doing this as a defenseman in this league there's tremendous value in it and I can have a great long career in this league and and be thought of as really really successful. That's great stuff man well listen we really appreciate you taking some time out for us today and wish you the best of luck moving forward. Yeah, thanks, Carbs. Thank you guys, you guys do a great job. Listen all the time.

Appreciate it, good luck to you. Spencer Carberry, head coach of the very good Washington Capitals. Can I tell you who doesn't like Spencer Carberry? Absolutely nobody. Everybody loves Spencer Carberry. Anyone you've ever talked to that's come across him? Yeah, awesome. I don't like him. Yeah, anyone you've ever talked to that's come across them. Yeah, awesome

I don't like them. Yeah, just talked about how you know another classic least guy that they traded too soon When if someone else and figured it out Sick. Yeah on the heels of Fraser Minton get in. Yeah scoring a natural Time, you know, they traded. Yeah future Patrice Berger on for marks. I'm saying when the When the students ready the teacher appears something like that. When the students ready is that? Yeah. Okay. Yeah I like that. And he's just that that goes you can sit there and blame the Leafs they were dumb for letting him go. It was a

good trade at the time. If you guys are not ready and you can only wait so long, I get the fact that sometimes it's just not meant to be in certain places, in other places, it falls into place. It could be a coaching style, it could be a confidence thing, it could be when you, to Spencer's point, it could be when you're ready to look in the mirror.

That's the number one thing But I also think that when Someone when you see someone come up and you think of them as like Sandeen coming in the league and you see them rise up and try to get better It's really hard to see them with the same Objective eyes as a new set you trade them somewhere else and and they say okay Here's what he is now. You still kind of thought of him here as like, ah, he's this young guy hasn't found it.

You know, a new perspective, a fresh start for him went a long way and you don't know if that ever happens. I look at his time on ice from the last three seasons. So in 2022, 2023, he was 2259 and 19 games after he got traded there. Right? That would have been when he got traded there. And then last year he was 21 Oh seven and he was finished dash 13, 23 points this year. He's played 67 games. He's 1858. He's a plus 19, right? Where he should be. They got, they bring in chikrin. They bring in Matt Roy. He's slotted properly doesn't have to play a ton it's like yeah, you know He's in the right role and he's playing really well. So yeah good for him

That's as I watch Simone Ben watch how to break it off the glass Okay game time game time game time It's game time presented by bet three six five visit the app latest odds and find out why it's never ordinary bet three six five Let's be 19 plus on terror only please play responsibly All right, so just seeing what's on the ice tonight leaves flames at some point. I'll give you these flames right now these flames 730 tonight on amazon, which means they'll drop the puck at 8 45 pm. Good to know, uh, the leaves are

minus 205 favorites on home ice. The Flames coming in fighting for their playoff lives as a plus 170 underdog. The total is reflective of the way these two teams have been producing offense recently. 5 and 1 half? It is. The over has slight juice in the over, minus 120 on the over.

Under 5 and 1 half is plus 100 So not a ton of value either way there, but they think it's going to be a low scoring game. So That's that's the least picture. I'm looking at the other action on the ice tonight Not a ton of great games buffalo in boston playing In the earlier slate devils in columbus columbus fighting for their playoff lives. They're an underdog at home against the Devils. Lightning hosting the Flyers, big favorites as you would imagine there. And later on the Minnesota Wild hosting the Los Angeles Kings and the Kings boy. They look pretty good right now. They're minus 155 favorites in Minnesota taking on the Wild. And that was Game Time presented by bet three, six, five, visit the

app for the size of find out why several ordinary bet three. Bet365 must be a team plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Okay we'll take a quick break as Sammy mentioned. Two desperate teams I think for points tonight at Scotiabank Arena. We'll get in a little bit more of the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs. Also ranting in back in Colorado and this story just will not go away. To quote everybody's favorite kids movie let it go let it go. What movie is that? Frozen? Yeah. Not yet. We'll talk about that and more when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne. The best Blue Jayce show there. Period. Blair and

Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. As a reminder, this hour of real Kipper and born brought to you by bet 365 Nick Caprio's Justin born Sammy McKee. Looking at that Western conference, the blues and the Utah hockey club. Go right in the mix of things. Before we get to the bottom, I got a text on the text line for a request for gets talk and I will say still good

another win another win. Oh and Mark Shifley signed an autograph for my nephew so I'm what a guy way to go anyways back to the bottom. Okay we just had the head coach of the Washington who's gonna win the president's trophy? Jets. Jets. Jets stock. Of course. You really want that thing? No. I mean, yes, take it. I do think that the one thing hockey fails at is we under-celebrate the president's trophy. It is a monumental accomplishment in European soccer. That's it. Nobody even, like, they under-sell a conference championship. Yeah, for sure. I mean, they are currently in the lead.

While the baseball players put on goggles. Yeah, division title. Woo! Well, they play for three years every season. They should, their season is so long. 82 games, grinding, fighting, playing. You come out on top over 31 other teams. Every round.

Let's get every round the players to celebrate, like the baseball players celebrate. Goggles on, champagne everywhere. And it's so funny, guys. We'll win massive game 7 OT to win the second round. They're like, well, it's just part of the process. It's on the way to our ultimate goal. You know. I can't wait for the next round to get underway.

Yeah. good. I'm okay with that. Good. I'm okay with that. So Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, one of four in an Eastern road trip for the Calgary Flames. Back to back tonight and the Rangers tomorrow night. Then New Jersey, then the island.

Yes. So how many, how many points they need on this Eastern trip for you, Calgary? Well, let's break it down here. The Flames have the most games left in the, of any team in the NHL, 17 remaining games. 71 points. They're gonna have to get to call it 91, 92.

So we're looking at 10 wins over 17 games, maybe 11 wins would definitely get you in. That would get you 93. I think 11 wins is the answer. So Kip, if they finish the road trip 500, two and two, they're okay. They can come home and get to work on Seattle. Boy, tough stretch for that. Dallas, Edmonton, Colorado.

Yeah, they're going gonna be searching for points here It's gonna be a grind down the stretch for the flames who like I said left a lot a lot of hockey games left I I do all those standings are gone, but I do worry about the the wild They're there, you know, they have a bit of a cushion here Oh, but I'm could fall but there's some teams that are pushing hard and I would imagine that they'll be playing each other a little Bit here like they they lost a lot of guys, you know Kaprizov hasn't played like they're they're definitely the bottoms been falling out for them for quite a while the fact that they're only six points up you know it takes a lot to lose but the thing is there's four

teams behind them that can do it so the one thing I have noted several times I tweeted about it today st. Louis who kind of sold at the deadline but didn't sell, thought maybe they would, then they didn't really. Their schedule coming up, they got Nashville, Vancouver, Chicago, Nashville, Montreal, Nashville. They have a stretch here of six games where they should win five times. They're all of a sudden a very realistic playoff contender which Couldn't have said pre Montgomery Do we?

Do we look at the Calgary Flames who can't score dead last night and look at The pressure on Dustin Wolf right now. He's had the last three starts There's Toronto. You give him a break going into New York on tomorrow night. Yeah. I think. You're asking a lot. Lidar's been good for them.

Yeah, no, no, no. Listen, they're in it. Yeah. They're playing meaningful games. They're trying to become the second team since I think 2005 to make playoffs while finishing last in the NHL in goals. But you ride Dustin Wolfe.

This is it, he's young. Yeah, you're not gonna get many, this is an excellent chance for them to make the playoffs. Like this is where you never in a million years thought you would have been. Like think about the start of the year, people were picking them to be one of the worst teams in the league.

Yeah. And you're right there You got a press press press at this point and they got frost and Farabee with the intent of being pretty good now someone No, Zari is still suspended and someone else is hurt I will find that shortly, but so they're missing a couple of guys tonight going into Toronto But yeah that back end of Weger and Anderson that they've got some pretty good defenders and a good goalie so you see Kadri's goal today at practice and he was going crazy you know and like that as much as everyone else no to me Anderson blows a wheel I didn't think

he got like dangled that bad yeah it was a great move but yeah that's where we're at now well practice dangles here's what I'll say the greatest angle in my life against Kevin Hatcher with the Washington Capitals and there's practice no cameras Yeah, well, I mean that could be a complete lie Would he agree like that's where we're at right now we're Like Christian for office practices. It was a beautiful move. Yeah. But so, yeah, also, you know, watching the flames a little bit more lately,

Kadri's great right now. He looks really good to me. Like he's one of the guys that helps them be somewhat dangerous, but more than any other team, they have to get to the net front, bank it in off guys. It's gonna be one of those nights tonight for the Leafs, D, can you clear them out of the house so you can't, you know, to make it easy on Joseph Wolfe,

who by the way is back in. Leafs handled them pretty easily when they went out there, so maybe they can repeat that. The one thing that I think sometimes guys don't get enough credit for is when, the one thing that I have a lot of respect for for Naz is that he signed obviously a huge contract to go to Calgary, but the commitment to want to be there, like legitimately want to be there, and not wavering off of it, not going, can't win here, get me out of here. Like that's, to my knowledge, that's never happened.

And now that they look like, I don't know, maybe they're within a couple of years of competing, not five, at least that's where it seems to be trending, especially with fantastic goaltending and the thought of being aggressive in free agency and watching Washington turn it around in 18 months that he's never been that guy. What to me is the tough part for the Flames now is this season was one of their rebuild years and it does take them out of the running for like a big impact draft pick.

You know whether they get in or out they're going to finish 14th to 20th in the league. You know so they're going to get they're not going to get a top five pick this year. How do you get that top end talent? Calgary is not currently a top 10 destination in the NHL for free agents maybe new building having some success maybe they become that. But right now it's like, that's the thing they're missing because the young guys they have that are really great, Zeri and Pospisil and Coronado, you know, a number of, yeah, and Wolf, they got good guys. But how do you get the guys who when you're going to have to go up against McKinnon, McDavid, you got to play those great guys. So what's

the next step for the flames start with the playoffs? You know give the exposure to your current young guys, and I guess hope you can Find a guy along the way in free agency and but to go back to your Cadbury point Kip feels like if he had have been said that he was thinking about one howdy would have somebody would have traded for him Like somebody would have been knocking down that door not like he was gonna demand it but if there's any rumblings or if there's any concrete Conroy got calls sure but it's it's it's between two general managers and talking about value but there are some guys that do make noise behind the scenes yeah but

let's also talk about the value of winning. Like if you're the flames and you're bad this year, maybe Kadri says, I don't want to do this. They're too far away. Maybe he says, okay, you're getting calls. I'm willing to go. And then you lose Kadri and that stinks. Adding to that, the Ottawa Senators, we've just added,

Wayne Scanlon is going to start writing an Ottawa Senators column per week on top of, you know, we have people writing about the Senators You know Alex Adams right now doing good work So it's like we're adding coverage on the sense because they're winning it gets so much more fun when you win guys stay People talk about you more you're in the mix. It matters. It's March seven Canadian teams could make playoffs seven if Minnesota tanks are we pivoting to a bit of sense talk? Okay, before we go into that, we will for sure, but like, I'm watching the Pittsburgh

Penguins go on a heater right now. Oh no, are they hot? You fools! What is the point? Stop that! What is the point? like Why are you like? Why did you call Jari up so he could win four in a row and Okay, I guess you're like we're gonna lose anyway. It's like What's the point? You're right. They very badly need to finish last. Yes one four in a row now. Yeah

Yes, it's too Jari. Yes, it's to stunk the whole season and I get that you're trying to tear five points out of the playoffs. I get that you're, you're, you're, I don't know, you're trying to get him back. Like once upon a time, he was a decent goaltender and maybe still a good one if he can clear his head, but this is not the time now to bury your a potential topic no you're right and and I had saying this because 20 years ago 15 years 20 years ago I hated the thought of tanking I still do but if you're gonna be bad miss too much value in tanking they need to like kick the leg out from this table they're building here. Just let this thing collapse and Okay, next did Ottawa senators love I Wouldn't go as far as to say love. I thought they looked really good. So I was senators like coming in hot

I give him some love some respect not love respect. Okay close enough. What'd you like Sam? What do you what do you see with this? I can't believe the Sabres traded cousins to the sense. Oh, that's gonna hurt That's gonna hurt. It's going to hurt for sure really he's big massive. He's really big and He's sneaky well goes to front of the net heavy. Yeah, he he moves the needle He's perfect for them and it's like Norris is on the shelf with an injury Cousins has a 30-goal season under his belt. I understand he's 23 years old or whatever he is like. I'm not saying he's going to be that guy every year, but he can sure be close.

The other thing that stood out to me Saturday night when I watched them is the pace of play controlled by Jake Sanderson and Thomas Shabbat. Like they are game changing guys. Flow, style of play, everything. When they're out there, they're so dangerous. Strange team for me in that like they're kind of fine everywhere. You know, like they're like,

they're as top lines go, Kaczuk, Stuczla, Giroud is good, but if you pick the top line on every team in the NHL, maybe it's the seventh or eighth best, and from there every other line's okay. Deep hairs are okay. They're just solid. They're, you know, Travis Green has them playing good hockey,

and I thought Al mark was really solid except for his Extreme rain every one whoopsie. That was it was so funny when he just was dropping his head before But no, I thought he looked really good could have rattled him but it didn't know yeah I mean he was wonderful in the third period. So this what they paid him all the money for. He's been great. They've kind of pulled themselves out of the playoff race. They're so far ahead. They're five points up on the wild card two spot so yeah they should get in. Old Ann Lauer get some playoff Gates. All right I did tee up yesterday's contest between the Dallas Stars and Colorado where it was Miko's

return to Colorado where he'll have many many more going back into the Western Conference but McCarr the difference maker in overtime but this one this one can shape up to be a very good potential first round. Oh my gosh they're loaded and and we'll get the other stuff. Do you see Landiscaug skating today? I did. Not skating, the lion. Yes this will definitely call for a doctor doctor doctor segment. We gotta get the doc on. Yeah but, how can you not get excited when you watch that when they? put it out that He's been gearing up to

Try to come back. How early is he ready to start and Playing games as early as this week next week Can my salary cap wise or does he need to be here for another month? Yeah, I think they're I I think the play all along was to leave his salary open They got less than a million in cap space right now then this would have to be uh after playoffs. Yeah, I That's they all along they've had they've left it open. I don't know what Brock Nelson did to them. That's jumping on a moving highway for a guy that hasn't played in how many years, putting him in there against the Dallas Stars.

You know the last time he skated in a gel game he won the Stanley Cup. Yeah, it's a long time ago now. Three years. Yeah, it's like that's... It would be the coolest thing ever. Oh my God. To see him come in. But that's the thing with the selling cap.

Play fourth line, play eight minutes. It is a very rare and then work his way up injury that he had cartilage Transplant right full. Yeah replacement or whatever you call it. Like here's new cartilage We need a doctor It's funny to hear the like because Ranton's game. It's a moose moose, but like They're Are they moving them are they saying moose like what's that what's going on here?

He also had his 400th career assist and the game stopped and he got to give the crowd away, but they cheered him Yep, that was nice. He also made a great play on a Dallas goal. Yeah, yeah, you got smunched at one point Yeah, no, I was against Edmonton. Never mind Mm-hmm. Yeah, so that that I mean imagine that this Dallas team as good as they are loaded and they're waiting on second to come back Someone Niko. Yeah. Oh, yeah Yeah, and then yeah get Landy back for Colorado. It would be better than the Stanley Cup final no doubt about it That's like a borderline all-star game right those two teams playing against each other in terms the amount of talent on both sides

It's crazy silly loaded. Yeah, and someone's And then very disappointed and the Jets just get to avoid that Yeah, you know win the whole kit and caboodle in the play there by the smoking hot blues with Jordan Bennington coming in the first Oh, no, I mean last time Connor and him matched up didn't end that well for him. Oh, please You loved that one anything to bring up the four nations. Yeah, that's great. Yeah Columbus sliding a little bit for you guys Yeah, the boss for the last five I think Yeah magic starting to a little bit for you guys. Yeah, the four, the last five, I think. Yeah. Magic's starting to dwindle a little bit.

They're still right there, but it is one of those things where we had on Don Waddell, and we were like, you gonna add? And he was like, eh. You know? Like, they don't think this is their year. They kind of know where they are in their hole. They added the guy that we were like,

please don't add him. Oh, what's his name from San Jose? They added Coonuhnen. Yeah. The Luke Kuhnen ad was officially the we did something move. But you look at the standings and it feels like the rain will talk to Valley a little bit tomorrow, but they lost last night, obviously to to Edmonton. But it does feel like they'll they'll get in in the sense we'll get in and that's that's all right. Who's that, the Rangers? Yeah. Yeah, you know, Detroit's the other team. I know Habs fans are like, what about us?

And it certainly could be Montreal, but Detroit, well, Detroit's schedule's actually very tough. Yeah, comfortable. It could be Montreal. Comfortable win for the Vancouver Canucks on the weekend against Chicago. The Blackhawks season cannot end fast enough for Connor Bedard. Yeah I legitimately like feel for him it's just playing out the string and

hoping that the Blackhawks spend like crazy in the offseason and add something someone somehow Mitch Marner. Oh gosh. you know that would be great for them Who else is available? EELers? Yeah, I like EELers. Yeah Yeah, they're gonna overspend. They have to overspend though. They're embarrassing themselves. You know, this kid's was at two years now in the league It's like okay. He can't finish 32nd or 31st. The only problem is is if a guy like that signs and he gets a lot of money it's You're not going to win anytime soon Well, the hope is that the skyrocketing salary cap allows you to a little more than it has in the past

But yeah, I get I get you know You might have to give someone an extra smell to sign there but it's better than what they've been doing given given the extra smell to Foligno and Corey Perry and those types. You just look at this free agent class, it's like, God, Marner's going to be very rich. You know? Like at the top, you've got the guys that you're talking about, but there there's some the there's a lack of depth to it yeah what I'll say but anyways so the Canucks the ultimate like just rough vibes team for me right now you know like they they put they played the flames the week before it was like the two differing teams in terms of like

what they should be the fact that they at the same place in the standings is crazy, but like, you know, watching P.D. last night, you know, nothing really happened. And they had like, I don't know, nine shots through two periods. Fox having a tough time getting that ship sailing. Quint, he was doing everything in his power. It's like dying out there. But you'll give P.D. a bit of credit.

He's heated up a bit since he's, I think he had four and five games before. Yep. Again, before they played. And he'd been shooting the puck a bit more like he's turned around a little bit. But I mean, when you're struggling like they are and you need goals and you've traded JT Miller, it's like who's going to do this? And it's like you. And he's like, meh, you know, like Besser struggling a little bit too.

But yeah, I will say it's a lot of times the media takes a hard time for, you know, being all over guys, being negative, whatever. But the people I talked to, you know, are trying to find positive things to say during this Canucks season right now. But it isn't pretty. There's not a time. Just get them in the playoffs and I think people would look at that as a bonus at this point in Vancouver in all honesty. Like even if they went fairly quiet in the first round they would look at all of that drama and go how did we even make

it? Yeah, it would be a success considering injuries and storylines and everything. Despite it all, that is the team that seems like most unlikely to be there in the standings. Together or like with Elmer's glue or something. The bottom two teams in the Western Conference Playoff race. Minnesota has a dash 10 goal differential and Vancouver has a minus 18 goal differential. St. Louis Blues are exactly even. Look out for the Blues!

A lot of red on the Western Conference. Flames are minus one. Alright, it's Monday. That's all I can say. How many games tonight? Four or five? Four or five. It's Monday. That's all I can say. How many games tonight? Sammy? Four or five? Four or five.

Five, Sammy? One, two, three, four, five. Five games on tap. Pick yours. And we're back tomorrow to do it all over again. And solve nothing. Have a great one.