Real Kyper & Bourne - Flyers' Closeout Stage, Oilers Stay Alive, and Brady's Future in Ottawa

Episode Date: April 29, 2026

Former NHLer and co-host of the Snow the Goalie podcast, Chris Therien (4:38), joins Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne ahead of Game 6 between the Flyers and Penguins, with Philadelphia a game away from closing out their first-round series. He discusses Matvei Michkov's apparent return to the lineup, Rick Tocchet's impact, his confidence in Dan Vladar, and potential consequences if they blow a 3-0 series lead. Later, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee discuss the Oilers keeping their season alive with a complete effort over the Ducks, Brady Tkachuk's comments on his future in Ottawa, and the Habs' mentality heading into Game 5. 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 on the national hour. The Real Kipper Endborn Show. We are live on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet Plus, Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, and live on YouTube. You can always download our show wherever you get your pods, Apple, Spotify, loving YouTube with a big thumbs up. In a few minutes, we'll welcome in Chris Tarian, former Philadelphia Flyer, co-host of Snow the Golly. Flyers podcast. Yes, of course. As all our guests are, Sammy. You're right. All of them.

So many friends. Nick Kiprios, Justin Boren, Sammy McKee, this hour of real Kippernboren, brought you by Bet365. So the Flyers completely in control and we'll get into this with Chris soon, but like, what do you think? Game 7?

This thing has game 7 written all over it? One of those things where like these game 6 is, feel like game 7th because if you lose at home in Philly and then you go into Pittsburgh, it's a tall task after that. Let me ask you this. Let me ask it to you this way. There's three games tonight. Montreal, Tampa Bay,

Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Mammoth Vegas later on. Which game, like which team has the most stakes tonight? Which is the biggest game for the big, each, what team? It's funny because, like, Utah, if they lose, I think they're cooked. But the stakes are low because they're Utah. Correct. And it's the first year in.

Yeah. Vegas has the most at stake for me. Yeah. Tonight. Because you lose and you go back to Utah. Are you kidding me? Papa? No, Vegas.

You're right. Oh, this team. When you make significant trades year after year, it's just to win the Stanley Cup. Fire your coach. Not to sneak into the second round. No. Fire the coach as well.

Yeah, eight games to go. You know, Montreal, Tampa is probably the best played series. Both teams tight defensively, not a lot of room, very similar. Stats are even all the way through. That one just can go either way. It's a great series. I'm really interested to see if Montreal can go back to Tampa now and just not look like something slipping or their energy is down off of that.

one-sided overtime, and if they can just kind of pick up where they left off, especially in the first two games in Tampa. Like to me, that'll show tremendous growth. And that they may ultimately lose this in even seven games, but tonight will make me understand, like, how much the program has advanced. They're earning a lot of, you know, don't question the Montreal Canadians. pretty good. Like, every time there's questions, they seem decent.

The one thing, right, you're still waiting on Caulfield, Suzuki, Slavkovsky to have an even strength point heading into game five. It's hard to believe. Yeah, and the fact that it's 2-2 with that is very impressive and speaks to how well the rest of the team has been, but at some point, they're going to have to do the work.

And, yeah, it should be a, should be an electric one there tonight. You know, you watch Caulfield score 50 plus goals and Suzuki had 100 points. And then you watch him kind of struggle production-wise, of course, especially five-on-five, like you said. And is it starting to feel, and we went through this

through the whole Toronto Maple Leaf era, where it's like, you know, everybody's screaming, no shows, no shows. But as you kind of see other guys make that transition from regular season to playoffs, does it speak a little bit more of how the game changed and swings and how much tighter it is and how much harder it is for stars to go from regular season to playoffs. And I don't know how it is in the NBA. I don't follow it enough. But

best players, though, usually, except if you're James Harden. Like usually the best players. It doesn't, it doesn't tighten up for their stars like it does our stars. Well, so much of, in the NBA, they get the ball. Like, you can get the ball in the hands of your best guy. In the NHL, you make sure guys don't even touch it. Like, you're, you're hitting McDavid behind the. play, slowing him down, and making sure he just doesn't get a touch. Okay, as promised, Chris Terrian now

joins us, Philadelphia Flyer, alumnus, co-host of Snow the Goley, Flyer podcast. Chris, how are you, my friend? Doing good, guys. Hope everything's well up north. Oh, yeah, are you kidding me? Peachy, buddy. Peachy. Peechee.

How peachy is it down there? With a couple of losses after a terrific start out of the gate in this series for Philadelphia Flyer fans. Yeah, well, I can tell you there's an awful lot of confidence in the air about them getting a home win tonight to close out this series. And, you know, it hasn't been easy. It's a young group.

There's a lot of young players on the team. They're getting their first experience. Some of them at playoff hockey. And I don't think that they, I don't think hockey's made to be as easy as the first three games of this series went for them. And now they're up against it a little bit. It'll be up to Pittsburgh to come in here and try to find a way to win a road game, a big road game.

But I really feel like it's all about the Flyers tonight, guys. It's going to be an electric building. It's going to be wild in there tonight. And I really think they're going to try to use that energy to get one over on the pens and certainly have a good start, which is something the Flyers have not done a lot of in this series thus far. So one of the big stories in game five was that Matt Veemichkoff was a healthy scratch. Sounds like he is going to be back in tonight. Oh, go ahead.

Not to cut you off. But, Chris, can you just give us a background on the situation with Mishkov, especially with this thought that, I don't know, missed a bus, late for the bus? Like, what is the background before we ask you if he's playing tonight? I don't know anything about any team infractions, guys. I have not heard that. I saw whispers of it the other day on X or Twitter, but that's not been confirmed. I mean, from what I've heard and what I know, you know, he wasn't playing with pace. He wasn't playing with speed.

It was hard for guys to play with him in the lineup, the way that he was playing in the first three games of the series. And the Flyers needed to make a change. They wanted to get Alex bump in. He came in last game, scored a goal, was probably the Flyers best and most productive forward in that hockey game. I don't think there was anything that went on. I just think they wanted to get a fresh face in there

and try to add some pace and some better defense to the lineup. Yeah, it's a fascinating sort of subplot of the story. as you head into this game here, does the specter of Sidney Crosby sort of loom large that this guy has such a history with the Philadelphia Flyers? Is there any fear of Cid? Always have to be aware of Sidney Crosby. He's one of the all-time great players in the history of our game

and he's proven it many, many times over. But, yeah, I mean, obviously, if there's going to be a catalyst in Pittsburgh tonight, if they're going to come in here and do something special on the road, but it's probably going to come off the stick of Sidney Crosby. That's just kind of how the penguins are built. That's the kind of player he is. So I think the Flyers are going to have to be aware of him.

They're going to have to do a really good job defensively on him. And more importantly, stay out of the penalty box. That's where Pittsburgh gets a lot of their energy from their power play. They click to 24% on the season. And that seems to have given them a little bit of life in the series when they were down was their power play. So I think combining those two things, being able to check him and also keep them off the power player are going to be two keys

to this hockey game tonight. for the Flyers. And just the last couple of games, just not getting to the middle of the ice for the Flyers here. What has struggled the most in your eyes these past few games? Missed opportunity, Skipper. The Flyers have had plenty of odd man rushes. They've had chances in tight.

They've missed the net. They've missed opportunities on breakaways, on two-on-ones. And to be honestly, that's been the difference for me in the last two games in this series. even the third one where they won, the third game the Flyers won in this series, game three, they still were missing opportunities to finish. And I think they have to be a little bit better with that. That's really put them behind the eight ball, I think, in these games. The chances have been there, they just need to finish them.

And they have not done a good job of that, especially the last two games. Yeah, it's been one thing that when we talk about the Flyers here, a lot of it seems to center around like Rick Talkett and the changes he's made, the culture and everything there. Campbell, this is still his first year. It feels like he's been there for five years. Tell us about the roller coaster year from start to now for talk. Yeah, I mean, it was a growth year, I think.

You know, where he came in and there was some people here at the beginning of the year that they were trying to sort out. He came in with two new goaltenders, you know, in terms of his eyes, you know, where Vladar and Erison were both, you know, splitting games early in the year, trying to figure that out, trying to figure out the puzzle that is Matt Faye Mishkoff, trying to get him to be a more responsible player all around. you know, working in some of the guys that have been here before, building confidence with some of the veterans,

and then incorporating a lot of those young guys that came up later in the season, Barkie, bump, you know, keeping Andre, you know, Emil Andre on defense, moving him forward. There's been a lot of things, you know, and then the team, you know, hit a wall in January into February up to the Olympic break. They were nine points out of the standings, and then they had to have an absolute run for the ages to make the playoffs. and get back in this thing, and they did that.

So I think it's been a wave of emotions, a wave of up and downs this year. But I think talk has been a huge part of what this team has done this year with this coaching and keeping the team together, keeping them unified together and believing in what their abilities are. So, you know, it's a great taste of first-time playoff experience for a lot of guys, and they're presented with a great opportunity to win a first-round playoff series and move on. And what about the phenom there, the Porter, and what he's been able to do come in and really be so impactful so so quickly here.

What is it the most? Yeah, you know what, Kippar, I've seen some, you know, fair share of young kids come in teenagers. He's really seasoned, like he really gets it. You know, he goes to the front of the net. You know, he can be disruptive, you know, when he's on his shifts. You know, he gets under guy's skin a little bit. But his shot, his wherewithal on the ice,

and his ability and knack to get to the front of the net, been uncanny. I mean, he's really, really been good. He needs to get back to that tonight. It hasn't been the best two games for him in games four and five, and I expect to see him play at his best tonight in game six for sure. But he's been a revelation for this team and for this, the fan base in this town there. Itching to have someone like come in that comes in at a young age and really shows a flare for the dramatic. And he's done that. He's been an exceptional hockey player for this team. As the games get bigger, any concerns over Dan Vladiv Ladar, who hasn't really been in the big spots before,

but has been a wonderful goalie this year? Yeah, he seems, you know, he's got a really calming presence about him. You know, he doesn't seem to get too high and too low with the way he performs on the ice. He always talks about his breathing during games, letting things go when they don't go his way in the course of a hockey game if a bad goal goes in, he bounces back.

But, you know, I mean, this is the most games he's played in the season ever, guys, you know, at a high level. And, yeah, I think he, you know, I think he's been great. You know, I think he's a couple of fluke goals in each of the last two games probably didn't help his case with a penguin scored the one where he turned it over in game four. And then the goal last game that went off the stanchion behind the net and fell in behind him. But he's a guy who's been a leader on this team. He's a vocal guy in the locker room and the players have really loved playing in front of him. And just for me, Bundy, the growth of Trevor Zegris, there was a level of frustration out of Pat Verbeek and Anaheim for, for, for,

few years and just how important is he tonight, you know, being counted on as one of the faces here? Yeah, I mean, you need that big playmaker, right? You know, that's a guy that could dish the puck. That's a guy that can score a big power play goal. So, you know, I mean, it's important that that's one thing tonight, guys, I'll say. And there's some guys that have to step up. Travis Connecting is another guy. But I think with the, when you talk about those veteran guys, this is their game tonight. This is, you know, this is the kind of game where you're veterans, guys that have made an impact through the course of the year and early in this series need to really rear their head tonight and show themselves because they're not going to

get it done without some really good veteran presence. I include Christian DeVorek in that group, Owen Tippett, guys that have shined through the year need to find a way to shine tonight in game six. Last one for me, Bundy, and that's just if we were to go back to the Philadelphia Flyer fans in September and say, would you take a game seven, loss in the first round of Pittsburgh, I'd think they'd be okay with it. But how would they be blowing a three game lead and losing in the first round? Yeah, big, big difference, Kipper, in that question, right? Like, you can lose in a seven game series if it goes two, two, one, one, and it's going back and forth. But nobody, and I mean nobody wants to lose a series. You had full

command of at 03. And that's why tonight for me, this game is monumental for this franchise, for this group of players. It's an opportunity for them to put an exclamation point on the series playing in front of an incredibly loud, energized building. They'll have themselves an opportunity tonight. But if you asked me with the fans, if you said going back, they would not be happy with having a 3-0 lead and losing in 7. Nobody would. If they lost in a traditional manner in game 7, I think they'd be proud of this hockey team. for the most part and hoping for big things down the road, but in no way, shape, or form,

will anybody be satisfied if the Flyers lose this way in seven games? I enjoy the big one tonight, buddy. Really appreciate your time for stopping by. Thanks, guys. Good to talk to you. Keep in touch. I'll be out again soon. Thanks, man. Appreciate it. Chris Tarion, former Flyer, co-host of Snow the goalie. So four teams to come back from 03, do you know? The Flyers were in,

recently weren't they the flyers did it yeah Boston Bruins what year 2010 2010 okay Florida just did it to okay not recently no if you if you remember in that game in game seven they were down oh three in the series and they were down three nothing in game seven yeah yeah the most recent one to do it is the LA Kings against the 15 2014 2014 the Islanders 75 Islanders and the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs won four straight to win them Stanley Cup in the final. Wow.

Yeah. So Florida over Boston, it must have been 3-1. Yeah, it was in the first round. In the year, they ended up playing Toronto in the second round,

they were down to 3-1 and they came all the way back. I just, I can't help but think about the Oilers. Mm-hmm. When they were down 3-0 to the, to the Florida Panthers, and they come all the way back.

Right, too. And they lose in game seven. I'm sure that one will. I mean, they still could win. You get it to game seven. You still got to get it across the line. you bring it all the way back.

Yeah. Still need a big one out of Sid, Latang, Malkin. Yeah. They're still there, bread and butter. He's had a lot of, Sidney Crosby has had a lot of incredible accomplishment voice, but to orchestrate a 3-0 comeback. Yeah, this one would be.

At this point of his career against the team that he hates the most, that the fans hate him the most, like this would be a real sort of late career feather in the cap to orchestrate this. It's a long way to go. Is it Tigers 2019 Masters or what? I love that comparison. I hope just the on the court exploits are similar. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, that would be interesting. Yeah. I mean, I like Rust. I like Raquel, but like Mantha, I'm not sure. Rizzo, I'm not sure, you know, some of these guys who haven't proven that they're big game playoff guys yet, which, you know, Brazil is young enough and new enough. So, use them.

Did you want to get into some of the audio from last night from McDavid? Yeah. and about the oils. We didn't have been talking about the oils. It was an impressive win for Edmonton from start to finish. They just came out and said, thanks. We're taking that. Yeah.

There's a part of me that says that just Anaheim just got a little overwhelmed. They were feeling something because they were a no-show, especially with their goaltender right out of the gate. Just needs to remind you guys that yesterday on the show, I said McDavid will play. two points in the win. You did say that. And it was noted, I think, in social media.

Was it? Oh, yeah. Yeah, someone, one guy tweeted. One guy. Our one listener. Tony, really? Yeah, some, there's one dude who tweeted us and we, yeah. So, um, the guy that everybody's like, we've, we've talked about him on this show,

but everybody's praising him, including McDavid, including the coaches, his Pog Coles. And I know we're, we're on in Vancouver on the radio, so sorry to you guys. But, I mean, they're all praising them. I actually saw people mad at Talk It retroactively about Podkoulson. Oh, because it was... They got rid of a bunch of Russians when he was there and talked in like the Russian guys. They got rid of pods and old pods ends up being unbelievable. Now...

Is there any parallels? I just talk it in Russian. Is there any parallels that you would care to draw Justin Buller? To be honest, that was not my intent at all. But, yes, Podkolzin has been more than found money. He's been a found... lottery ticket for Edmonton. Yeah, that was a hell of a shot, too.

Let's play Knoblock Clip 3 from last night on Putt & Colson. Knoblock Clip 3. He improves every line he goes to. Whether it's the first, second, third, or fourth line, he has always improved it. And a lot of it is just being able to play simple. Like, he's a good player. He has good skills.

He saw on his goal. He catches a knuckler pass. catches it, releases it right away, and puts it in a really small area. You know, obviously you see the physicality. He's responsible defensively. Yeah, he brings everything. You know, I think there's a lot of guys that fight to play with Pod Colson because of everything he brings.

And, you know, tonight he was good tonight also. I mean, can the coach be more complimentary of a player? I know. That is a... I love that, dude. What is this? What's his contract guys? Is he up for a new deal?

Let's look right now. That's always a fun game. I did that with Caputin. I'm like, this guy's a player. Oop, UFA. No,

I don't know. No, he's locked in. Puds is? They should hope so. Where is he at here? He has. What's he made?

He's got law. Oh, yeah, he's totally locked in. What's he make? He makes a mill, but next year he'll make three in the next three years. Oh, what a deal. 2.95, actually.

Open Mark. How old is he? Oh, 25? 24. 24. Yeah, he's a $5 million guy. Yeah, he'd be. He's coming into a 6-1-19.

He's coming into his own right now. He's just had a 20-wall season, almost 40 points, playing over 15 a night. And that's dry-sidal. I know we don't have the dry-saddle clip, but he was like. We have a McDavid clip. Drysaddle was like, you know, he does everything right. He makes the game easy for me. There's more offense to come.

He's going to unlock that yet. It was just like, whoa. Let's play McDavid. clip on the best player on the oilers apparently Pud Colson McDavid. Potsie was great. Potsie's been great he's been one of our best players all playoffs long and

plays really really hard you know it's a big goal there great shot. There you go one of our best players I know and he has been absolutely fair it's still and

you know the setup on Pud Colson's goal Bouchard yeah His patience with the puck is unbelievable. I know sometimes it can mean turning the puck over on occasion. There was a good interview with Luke on a hockey night with Paul Coffee and Bush. And coffee's completely right when he says,

as long as you're on the plus side on the things that you do well compared to the ones that don't, you're good to go. That one where he walks the line and slides it to McDavid who holds the goaltender before giving it to Drysidal. It's like, the only one I ever played with that could do that, those type of things consistently, right-handed shot,

Zuboff. Really? Yes. Sergei Zuboff. I think one of the most unrelated players ever. Now, did you do it with a dart in his left hand? Yes. Many times.

Impressive. God, Sergei Zubb. And he's the only one where, they're pulling. Pulse doesn't race when it's on the blue line. And it can be a problem at times. Like people said that about Cabberley, right? You know, for years.

Yeah, but Caberley was not into Bouchard and Zubov territory. Much different. But Zubov played 164 playoff games, 117 points. Thomas Caberle, very, very good. Yeah. Just not that class. But people don't get these guys whose heart rate doesn't go up. Yeah.

They can't relate to being in a car accident and being like, well, Just wait for this. And with all due respect, man, it's still last night, Bouchard, McDavid, and Drysadle. Their backs are against the wall. Like, maybe the best playoff warriors ever.

To beat the Oilers, you got to beat those guys. What is McDavid and Drysadle now in career playoff games? What, just record-wise? How many games, playoff games, if they played, like 100 110?

Drysidal has played in his career, 101 playoff games. And how many points? 55 goals, 95 assists for 150 points. Okay, no, no, no. Think about that now. He's 150 playoffs. Okay, and McDavid's probably right there

with a little bit more, maybe on the bone. Let's look. Okay? I look, no, no. When I get to just type in names to HockeyDB, this is my true. Keyword cap. I want you to think about that.

Every time they step on, the ice for a playoff game, they can give you 1.5 points a game. Connor McDavid has played the exact same amount of playoff games as Leon Drysidal, 455 goals, 111 assists for 156 points. 1.5 points per game. And like, it's not like they've been more evenly balanced than, say, I'm thinking to the Leaf score 4 where it was always like, there was no one behind them, so everyone keyed on them, they're all keying on these guys too.

part of it's the power player they're very good than the power player it's it's not that's they're allowed to be good on the power no yeah they're allowed to be good there right yep like that that's Gretzky stuff it is it's it's legacy and they're not 30 years old

they're gonna have to do that they're gonna need 1.5 for two more games like we've talked about how hard it is in these playoffs for when you're in elite player to keep getting points no one has done it like these guys and Bouchard

Bouchard's point Let me type in Bouchard. Let's go up from the regular season. He's better in the playoffs. He is better. Yeah. Evan Bouchard, how many, he has played 80 playoff games in his career is 88 points.

21 goals, 67 assists. My God, he's over a point for game in the postseason. Yes. So far from my mind. So that's, that last night was typical Edmonton Oilers on how they win. Like, what do you do, gather backs?

If Anaheim Leons that dude Does not shut that down And the other factor of course Is that you can't give up Five goals a game And last night they shut that down Like can they go into Anaheim

And keep them Three and under Oh let me just check recent history Yes I love They've years of playoffs now They've shown they can do it I love McDavid's clip

On the on them trying to survive Clip 3 please, Derek, from McDavid. I mean, you've got to be grateful for just getting to the next day. All we did is survive one more day. And the pressure is still, pressure is on us, but, you know, it's a big game for them, too. You know, I'm sure they'll be feeling that, too. It's close-out games are tough, and they're building.

I'm sure they're not going to want to come back to Edmonton. So pressure on them, but we've got to find a way to survive another day. I love that. Just a little applied pressure. But he's right. There's a ton of pressure on the ducks. Like you're up three, two against the Edmonton Oilers. Nobody saw this coming.

Everybody picked, everyone picked Oilers in five. That was like the number one pick. Now you have a chance to close them out on home ice. And here come three of the most prolific scores in playoff history. The best thing the ducks have going for them is that their coach has been there many times. It's a great point. Been through the fire. Yeah, he's going to have to.

he's going to have to calm them down. He'll know which direction to push, whether it's fire him up or calm them down. But yeah, no, it's going to be fascinating. Game time, boys? Yes, yes, yes. All right, it's game time. Presented by Bet365,

an official partner of the NHL must be 19 plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Three games on tap tonight, three huge ones like I brought up. Montreal in Tampa Bay. I pulled this up and I got to tell you, I'm pretty surprised by this line. Tampa is a massive favorite.

They're minus 170 in this game tonight. Don't bet that. That is a shocking number to me. Here the Montreal number now. Plus 1.45. Let's go. Listen, I'm not sure who's going to win this game, but for me, it is much more of a coin flip than those two numbers.

So, I mean, if you're worried about the halves going on a run and your release fan. It's an awesome spot for a happiness hedge. That if they win this game, heading back to Montreal, possibly Friday night with the lead in this series. Right. Kind of scary for release fans and for the bolts,

so that's a big one there. How about this? Sorry, Sam. There's, I actually went to the company gym for the first time today in a long time. Really? I did.

They have a tack board and all the four teams in the Eastern Conference. And this is take attack and put it in the team you think is going to win, you know, come out of the Atlantic. Buffalo, Boston. Tampa, Montreal. Where would you put your tack rate?

I thought it was, any of the four teams are a reasonable pick. Buffalo. Most likely to come out of, I don't know. I don't know. I know. I've never been so, like, I don't know.

I still like Montreal to. I put it in Montreal. I put it, yeah. Real. I lost my tack in Montreal. I like Montreal's chances tonight. Yeah. Okay.

And if they're going to do that, they need some Nick Suzuki, him to kind of break out. Give me two points for Owensound Attack alum, Nick Suzuki at plus 185 tonight. And that was game time, presented by Bet365, an official partner of the NHL,

must be 19 plus. Ontario only, please play responsibly. All right, we'll take a quick break. Utica. Utah. Utah.

Utica. Marley's minute coming up here. Sorry. Hey, they advanced past the first. Yeah, let's go. I thought it was 1988 and I'm playing for the Hershey Bears.

Baltimore skip jacks coming up. Utah and Vegas on tap as well tonight. And the Vesna. Do you vote for the Vesna? No. Thank God. They do. Yeah.

Only Valley should vote for that. It's a Valley. It's a Valley. It's called Valley News. We'll mention the three finalists for that. Plus more when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Hey, it's Blake Murphy. It's on Matt Bonner.

Join us weekday mornings at 11 as we break down all things Toronto Raptors. It's the Raptor show on SportsNet 590 The Fan and wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back in studio. Nick Kippreos, Justin Boren, Sammy McKeigh, it's a real Kippenborn-born show. Sammy or Jays are just the bats of Awoken. Yeah, this will be three straight series wins now. They're heading into Minnie, I believe, this weekend, who's kind of scuffling. of two and eight in the last 10.

So be a great chance for them to kind of get back on track here. Trays back. Things are coming back. George Springer, RBI, base knock coming off the bench. Yeah. My boy, Brendan Bell is wet. My boy hit a home run. Yeah. He's a backup catcher.

V. Just call him V. For vendetta. Not like I talk on the radio saying words. Time now for the Accura performance matchup, the 2026 Accura MDX, precisely premium. Mammoth versus Golden Knights, game five

tonight. A couple things. Jack Eichel, who has 49 points and 44 career playoff games. So he can become the fourth fastest American player in Stanley Cup playoff history to hit 50 career points. The five players to hit

the mark in fewer games are Kipper, your former teammate that you say is one of the best players to play with, Brian Leach. Kevin Stevens I feel like has a very underrated career Yes agreed Brett Hall who was born in Belleville

Patrick Kane and Craig Janney So there's a four I loved Craig Janie There you go The Golden Knights own a 4 and 2 record in game 5 When a Best of 7 series is tied to 2 So they haven't had a ton of these But I mean they've just been in the playoffs so much to start

So Ikel just seems like that dude man I don't know what to make up Vegas they sometimes are like yeah that team can win and then there's other times when they're I guess their stats are good right they out shoot out chance they do all this and they find themselves down 3-1 yeah I mean they're a

bit of an enigma they definitely have lots of talent and I guess Torts trying to put that together for them right now Utah is like the opposite of Vegas to me right there no real superstars kind of a group of guys who are scrappy. Vegas seems like the guys who, you know, the pressure, the talent, the money, the... You know who's disappointed is that hurdle.

I thought he was a, like, a mule. He should be a playoff type of warrior. He's played 14 minutes a game. I think 12 the other night. It's like, what is wrong with this picture here that this guy is big and strong?

He can skate. He can look like he deserves to make $8, $9 million a year and can't find them 13 minutes. The biggest difference between this biggest team in the year's past is just a decor. You know, you just... A one guy.

Well, yeah, it's... It's Petrangelo. Petrangelo. For sure. But it's just, you know... The addition to Marner and Anderson should offset that. Luzon.

Yeah. It's a lot of Cossack. and Ray McNaft. I don't know. It's just not the same as it used to be for me. I don't know for Lee Sands. Marner is still trying to find it pointed even.

strength. But he's playing a ton. They're 20, almost 22 minutes a night. Playing center. Never was able to do it here. Never was allowed. Never gave a chance to do it here. Willie or him never allowed to play center. And he plays with that Dorof Dorof Fav. Like,

this guy is he's a disaster if he's not shooting it in the net. Dorfayev? Yeah. He's using in the net a lot. 40 goals. But he can't, he's he's a turnover machine and he's, I think, I watch him enough. It looks like a liability to me sometimes out there.

Yeah. But he can shoot it in the net. He sure can't do that. That's it. But they got some issues. That was the Accura Performance Matchup, the 2026 Accura MDX, precisely premium.

So Brady Kachuk spoke. We've now entered the news and notes, sponsored by Brady Kachuk. It's funny our show. is like a guaranteed 20 on what the Leafs are doing to their GM followed by guaranteed 10. He left. He caught a flight really early.

He didn't stick around for locker room cleanup or whatever you want to call it. With good reason. Wife had a baby. Congratulations to the family. So he felt compelled to still talk to them. They hunted him down. But he sat up there for 27. minutes at the podium.

27 minutes. That's a podcast. It should have made it an episode. Wingman. Next. Is that what it's called? Wednesday wingmans or whatever it's called? That's a long time. That's in a really long time. And they just peppered him? Yeah, they did. And shout out, the person who I referred to last time, who was Grill and Steve Steyos, it was Julian

McKenzie of the Athletic. Oh, nice work. I feel bad that I didn't show him out at that time. But yeah, I mean, he was the whole media was there, asking them the questions, asking them the questions everybody wants to hear, and he set up there and handsome. I mean, the big flashy clip that's happening is about the rumors and all that and about him leaving. If we want to play that, Derek, it's clip one and then we can kind of react off. Of course, I wasn't here for, you know, everybody's meetings and the other day. And so I haven't had the chance to talk to Steve, but I mean, I feel like I've answered this hundreds of times that none of that. I feel

like I've never shown. I've never said. None of those things ever came out of my mouth. And quite honestly, it's just getting frustrated. It's becoming a distraction. And I have been fully committed to this team, to the city. And it's just becoming a distraction, frustrating to deal with. You have been or you are?

It's the first thing I heard, too. We're so cynical. That's what I heard, too, boys. God. Sorry, it's the first time I've heard those clips. Yeah. That's where my brain went. Well, you're looking for a guy to just go, I want to be in Ottawa, you know, and I know

he mostly did that. So I think senators fans, from what I understand, are very happy with hid the way he went out there, right? Listen, I have to say, you know, there's a really comparable situation here in Toronto where Austin Matthews went out at the end of his locker, whatever, whatever it was, locker room clean out here. And I'll tell you what it wasn't. It wasn't 27 minutes.

And it wasn't 27 minutes of I want to be in Toronto. It was, who knows, what was it? I can't predict the future. No, but you can help dictate it. I just, I would know, these are words that I never thought I was going to say. But I would respect the way Brady Kachuk did it today. Like for him to go up there and eat it for 27 minutes is crazy. That's crazy.

I think we're just, we're in this world where we want one-stop shopping, man. want to go in, we want to fill the tank with gas, we want to do grocery shopping, we want a hamburger. And it's like we want it now. And these guys with two years on their deal don't have to give you one-stop shopping. Yeah. They don't. And they don't owe it to anybody.

And they don't owe telling you, I really, really want to be here or otherwise. No, they just don't owe anything to anybody. No, they don't. But we can observe, like, if you ask me, how, you know, how happy are you with your wife? Are you to say, yeah, like, yes, I love, I'm staying married. I love her. She's awesome. I'm not going anywhere.

I can't predict the future, honey. Yeah, you know, well, we'll see. Yeah, she's a nag. She's telling me, I'm a mess. She's telling me they don't take the garbage out. Like, what do you want? Well, I'm just saying, so these guys are, they don't owe anything. They don't have to say that.

they're not saying, yes, I'll be here for sure or whatever. But if they were going to be there for sure, they could just say it. And so the fact that they don't say it leaves it open to us going. So let's just use, I don't know, many ways, all three of them as an example. Okay? It's, let's go to Austin, okay? I'm looking around. I don't know who my GM is.

I don't know, like we missed the playoffs. We have no first round picks after this year, potentially for two more years. for two more years. Like, I'm telling you, I can't predict the future because I don't know how I'm going to feel by the end of the summer. Totally.

I don't know how I'm going to feel like Christmas. I don't know how I'm going to feel a trade deadline day. Right, but that opens us up to go, well, he's not, you know, not definitely staying, which is all people are saying. You're fine to give your opinion or speculate, but you, we, whoever says that, says it without any,

facts, any credibility, any, like, you know, and I know Biz went off on it. On this today? No, the other day, on Brady not going back. There's no effing chance. Correct. He's going back. Like, if I'm Brady, I may give Biz a call and just say, hey, Biz, you know, you're causing me a lot of headaches right now. and if it's not true, then deal with it.

But like, or Biz could be on something and he doesn't want to deal with it or is not ready to admit anything. But there's ways of cleaning this up too behind the scenes a little bit. Yeah. I don't know. I just, he signed an eight-year contract there. Yeah, and he's got two more years. He's got two more years.

He's given him a moment. And Austin just signed, or he has, two more years and Connor just signed for two more years. That gives you lots of time to still make a decision down the road. I also think Brady just had a kid in Ottawa, right? Like these are factors. He's not, I'm not sure. Jersey.

What's that? No, Brady Kachuk just had a kid. In Jersey. Oh, was the kids in Jersey? They're not in Ottawa? I didn't know that. Sorry. But anyway, they had a kid.

They're not likely to be like, hey, let's move to Texas. What's a kid's name, Sunny? Jokes, jokes, jokes. I'm just joking. Just joking. Just joking. I'm just saying I doubt he wants. wants to pick up and move this summer.

A lot going on in his life. I think the sense can be good again next year. It's really, it's not up to him, though. It's not up to him unless he forces the issue. No, it's only up to him. They said they're not trading. Yes. So it doesn't appear like he's going to,

it's really hard to sit up there for 27 minutes and then turn around in a month or two and go get me out of here. Yeah. That one's a tough one. And his brother didn't do that in Calgary. So there's no real... His brother wasn't the captain, though.

I think next year, like late November, early December, there's going to be much stronger conversations depending on how Edmonton, Toronto, and Ottawa come out of the gate. That's really well said. There's another one too on his next steps in Ottawa. Clip two, please, Derek, from Brady. For me, I just want to talk to, you know, Steve, and I know we're going to talk, and, you know, he just left to go to, you know, U-18s and just to talk about, you know, our normal conversations usually at the end of the year about, you know, our team and what he thinks and what he thinks in my own game. And, you know, I talked to Greer this morning, and I know we're going to talk in a couple weeks when, you know, we all decompress a little bit more.

And, you know, for me, it's just having those conversations about, you know, our team where we can improve, where I can improve. and, you know, all that other stuff. It was just, you know, a distraction to, you know, what we're trying to do. I like the talking about where I can improve, you know, like there's room for everyone to get better. That's great. I like the distraction part. I honestly, I listen to a lot of this. And I, I mean, it came across well, boys.

Yeah. Came across well, so. Kudos to Brady Kachuk. Ugh. They plug my nose. I say that one. Every time you play your nose guys leave, right? Yeah, I know.

Anyways, you want to do a couple clips about the Montreal game tonight? We also have Boston Buffalo stuff. Whatever you, Montreal is more relevant to our audience. Any word on Dobson? Is skating? Yeah, there was some of us. Did they say anything at all on them? No, but I have a great clip about Martin, with Marty St. Louis.

Reporter was asking him about the Slavkosky hit. Sorry, just let me interrupt you. As early as game six on Friday or possible, game seven. Okay. Let's play the Marty, the clip about the Slipkowski hit. Clip one, Mark, and say, Louis.

I believe there's always a defining moment in every playoff series. It seems like maybe that moment occurred Sunday when Crozier hits Lapkowski. I know you're going to disagree with that, but it just seems like the team was not the same after that, it seems like it galvanized Tampa

and it took some... If you let that moment define the series, you know, you're putting yourself in the bad spot. Don't let moments like that define it. You write it. Yeah, so he's saying basically you're right until we change the narrative. Which is a great way to look at it.

You embrace that it happened and it mattered. Oh, no. It turned. it. Can I just turn the energy right around? Years of watching the Leafs, you had a lot of the coaches and playoffs going, nah, that didn't bother us or a lot of scrums where, you know, guys, that was a non-thing. That was their number one move. And it was so frustrated because it was like, no, that mattered. We know that mattered.

That's a big spot. For St. Louis to be like, you just can't let it define it is, I think a great way to look at it. It mattered, but it doesn't have to define it. And he's saying all the right things for me. I think he takes the temperature pretty well. of his team. There was a few moments there where I wasn't sure that this was going to fully work out with him. Was it when he was running the stairs with Sean McKenzie? Boy, all the guys, everyone hated that.

Everyone hated that. That was the first one. Yeah, you were the first one. I was the first one. Oh, it's good for TV. It was good for TV. I know. Got the people talk and that's the whole point.

We're selling the game. So I was listening to Cooper this morning. There wasn't a ton of like, I wouldn't say really interesting stuff, but I thought this was interesting on the officiating in the series and it kind of was a commentary on the whole playoff. So play the clip one on the officiating in this series.

It's hard to say. I always say like I always believe the first round is that's when all the penalties are called. I feel in my time that it gets less and less. I feel it's been, I guess, equitable in a sense. I don't think, I don't know quite what the penalty, the PP time is, but it's pretty close. So whether we can debate the consistency, the miss calls,

I think both fan bases probably have a gripe, or they'll find a gripe. You know, my issue with the way things would be going, if there was a massive discrepancy between, you know, one team's got like eight more power plays. And so I wouldn't, I don't think that this series has deserved that. It hasn't gone that way. So can I ask, is it, why do they call it so tight in the first round?

Because he's right. He is right. Statistically, I know Domless-Hision did something on this at some point that most penalties are called first round, first few games, and then they kind of go down. Oh, you'll get three. Until round two. And then they... Three, four in the conference, late in the conference final or the Stanley Cup final, you'll see like four total.

You're right. Is that to keep it on the rails early? Because it's so... You're coming out of the gate, firing two. Well, yes, that part in round one for sure, for sure. You're shot out of a cannon. But I think refs really, as the games get bigger, don't want to be the story, which I know people are at home are going,

that makes them the story not calling the limits, but they don't want the players to decide. It's incredibly fast out there. I've been watching Tampa, especially for SportsNet Central. And it's the high sticks. It's jumping out of the way. It's going to attack a guy and you lose stick positioning for a split second and it comes in, it clips a guy.

It's like there are all these like incidental. You're just off balance by a fraction and your stick comes up. And it's like, you know, maybe somebody sells it a little bit more than usual. And it's like, well, not really a high stick, but it sticks high enough where I got to call it. It just feels like the penalties that get called as you move later on are the ones they have to call. It's a high stick where everyone saw it. It's a puck over glass. It's late.

The sticks will be down to. tonight. I anticipate that already the guys are sick and tired of these high-sticking calls, and they will do a better job. They'll be more disciplined. They won't find themselves off balance as much. I think the penalties come down tonight. Before I ask you this question, this hour of Real Kipper and Born is brought to you by

Bet365. Three games tonight. Who do you like in three? Are we going back to Pittsburgh? Are we going back to Pittsburgh? Yes. I'll take Philly's youth and enthusiasm. Phillies, so Philly's going to the second round.

Yeah. You know, that's kind of where my gut is at, but I pre-series pick Pittsburgh and part of it. What I wrote about it was that I didn't think Philly's young guys were ready. I'll just stick with that. Not going to waffle on that. So I'll take Pittsburgh, how are you? I like Pitt too. Yeah.

I said Pitt and five. I gave the worst. Crosby not scoring the empty netter. Last game was driving me crazy. He had both posts. What about Vegas, Utah? Vegas, Utah. We are in Vegas tonight.

Yes. I just, it's going to be Vegas. I think it's like a, they hand them one. Everything goes Vegas's way for a night. Yeah. Five Cobb. And the most, the biggest one, who do you like in Montreal, Tampa tonight?

So we're in Tampa Bay. Correct. Game five. I just think Montreal. all, man, I think these games have been so close, but... I think Montreal's just... When they're on, they're just quicker. They just look like they're better buzz.

To me, it's a definition of, like, that Montreal team has more... They're more dynamic, electric, more pace. But, you know, Tampa Bay is the veteran savvy. We've been here before. We've done this. We know how to grease it out. Like, there's no more Tampa goal to me than

Hangle up the net Kutcher off of us. Can it? Yeah. Anderson go in there and just Ruffle a few feathers. Can he look Tom Wilson-ish? I think if he could do it with consistency, he'd be a much different name in the league.

I've been a lot more money. Yeah. Although he's made a ton of money. It's Montreal and Tampa Bay on Sportsnet. Everything gets going. 7 p.m. puck drop. Cannot wait. Russian home.

Oh, plus rapies tonight. Go rapies. Big one for them in Cleveland. Big night. our thanks to Elliot Friedman, Chris Tarian. Enjoy your Wednesday night. And we're back again to do it all over again. If you get a chance, give us a rating and review.

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