Real Kyper & Bourne - Isles Look for a Coaching Bump

Episode Date: April 6, 2026

Former NHLer and NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp (5:25) joins Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne to chat about the New York Islanders hiring Peter DeBoer as head coach to replace Patrick Roy, if he can finally lead a team to a Stanley Cup win, the New York Rangers' late-season resurgence, teams who have had a great start to their year now dropping games during a playoff race, if the Ottawa Senators can go on a deep Stanley Cup run if they make it in, if playoffs dictate Macklin Celebrini's Hart Trophy case, and if 'coaching bump' is a real thing. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee discuss the Columbus Blue Jackets dropping in the standings and race, and how the Ottawa Senators control their Wild Card destiny.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Welcome in to the national hour of the Real Kipper and Bourne show. We are live on Sportsnet. Sportsnet 650 in Calgary and streaming always on Sportsnet Plus. Can't catch us live, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube, where you can give a thumbs up for our boy Sammy and J.B. Me again, nothing. Come on. Come on. Yeah, no, nothing. The last hour.

No one likes. No reward. This hour of Real Kipper and Born brought to you by Bet, by bet 365 in a few minutes. We'll welcome in Mike Rupp, NHL network analyst, former NHL or Stanley Cup champion. Give us the goods on the New York Islanders.

Penguins too, maybe. Penguins too. The Washington Capitals, what happened? Buddy, you can tell us about the Rangers, the devils,

he's all over this stuff. Our boy, Sid, with his 21st straight point per game season, which I think is more impressive than 20, 30 goal season. He also put Matthew Kichuk

on his keyster, which is fun. Also, big, big, week on the network here of Sportsnet with the Dodgers in town. Oh. Yeah. It's going to be a lot of really nice memories that we get to relive over the next three days

on the broadcast. With Heinemann behind the plate. I don't just respect to him. I've actually seen somebody. I forget who it was on Twitter edited it. Like, you know, I mean, I don't even want to go down this road. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, Vladimir came to the dish and he hit a very loud out that off the back kind of looked like it may be leaving the morning.

Someone has made a edit where that. does leave the building. And so it's like, oh, and that Blue Jays win the world. And it's the most heartbreaking thing in the world. So we're going to get to watch that home run that tied it. You're going to be okay for the next three days? I'm actually, no. You know, right back to the smokes?

No, I won't smoke, but I'm not going to watch a lot. Okay, good. I'll catch him in Milwaukee this weekend. Anyways. So we're going to get Mike Rupp up momentarily, but in the meantime, just your original thoughts because I did get a number of texts going. Patrick Waugh, is that real?

Is that a fake? Everybody kind of assumes that something looks legit and it's not anymore because it happens so often on social media. But your initial reaction to, is this true? You know, my initial reaction is I have kind of been sitting on, you know, because I don't watch all the Islanders. I don't follow them the way I follow the Maple Leafs because we have an hour of Leafs every day.

But every time I watch the Islanders, they look insanely disorganized. And so I've kind of been waiting to be like, should I tweet something about this wall? Like ask someone, why do they look this bad? Like they've got a bunch of veteran guys who know where to stand to quote Mike Babcock. It shouldn't look this bad. And so for me, I've had that in the back of my mind. Expectations were raised by some early season success. Okay, but and we'll get it.

We'll ask Mike Grip too. But how high were they raised? Was this a playoff team expecting to go to the playoffs? Then why fire him for a four-game losing streak? Well, it's not for the four-game losing streak. It's we know that we want to move on from this guy. Pete DeBore is available. Maybe we can get a new coach bump.

Kip, at the worst time of year, if they'd won one of these games, they'd be in control of their own destiny to make playoffs. So I think it's, if we're going to do this anyway, let's just see if we can't catch lightning in a bottle here. and Sammy, you got some sound for us? Hold on, I'm just text with her boy. Mike Rob, give me two seconds.

We do have some sound. Did you want to play it now or did you want to play it after we go to Mike? No, we got time. Is he ready? No, he's not ready yet. Okay, then let's have some sound.

Let's talk. Let's listen to Darsh. Darsh, there's two clips from Darsh. Where are my clips here? Clip one on the decision to fire, Patrick. Clip one, Matthew Darch. Well, it's, it's never one game, right? Like, it's never one more.

You're evaluating the team throughout the year. I just felt like the last little bit here, we weren't as sharp, but we didn't get away with as much as we did before. Because let's face it, we got away with some stuff during the year. Our goaltender's been outstanding and all that. So I just fell at this moment in the last little bit here that we were sliding a bit. And this is not only about this year. It is partly about this year because do we feel?

fully control our destiny now, but what we control is the four games we're playing. So moving forward, I felt put us in a better situation and a better opportunity to win those games to be in the playoffs and going forward. You happen

to have three days off. They have four home games to finish their season. And basically what he said there is once Elias Seroke can stop being a superhero, we started losing and I did it. Needed to address the underlying issues. Now, I know you're a big Gua booster.

You really like that. I do like him, yeah. I mean, could he be in that category of eventually he wears on guys? He certainly could. There's rumors of that. There isn't that sense, though, I think, from a few of the guys that have commented that it wasn't a, he lost the room situation. But someone that could probably speak to it better than me is our next guest.

Let's welcome in Mike Rupp, NHL Network. analyst former NHEL and of course Stanley Cup champion. Rupper, how are you, my friend? I'm good, boys. How are you guys doing? Okay, so scale the 1 to 10, your surprise face on Petroquois being unemployed, half a dozen games to go? I was kind of surprised by that.

You know, I think most people probably were just because of the timeline of it all. I don't know. It kind of takes me a bunch of different places. Like I started thinking to myself, I don't know how many people. thought that this would be a playoff team before the season started and they kind of held that position for quite some time and I just think that maybe the way the games have looked as of late like they've had some real question mark games you know it's not generating shots not even getting shot attempts on that I mean a lot of things and in that would insinuate that they

couldn't score goals and that to me has probably been the least of their problems all season long as their defending has been bad. So when you combine those two things, I always go back to this. And we interviewed Matthew Darsh, and he kind of went a different way with the answer to this. And I don't know if it was him just kind of doing his job and just kind of skirting the question.

But I asked him, I said, with the emergence of Matthew Schaefer and what's gone on this year and having a Vezna goaltender, is there some pressure maybe that is new in regards to feeling like you got a strike in the entry level deal of Matthew Schaefer? And just because like all of a sudden you're sitting here and you see how great this kid is and what he is going to end up getting as far as financially, I wonder if that opened up this window right now that maybe pushed things along a little quicker. And he kind of said no, no, that this team is, you know, their age appropriate guys.

They're at a certain age where that's what making them go for it. Now, I didn't, I don't know if I bought all of that. And maybe now this is just a move where they're thinking, hey, this is one of three years, Matthew Schaefer entry level. Like, we got to make a move here just to get in. So I don't know. That's at least where my mind kind of goes. So, rapper, here in Toronto, it's been like a lot of indecision, right? Like they haven't pulled the trigger on Bruby when it's.

times earlier in the season you thought they might they haven't done it with the GM they didn't make any big proactive trades everyone's kind of nervous to move i've admired matthew darsh that he's been able to go in and be like yeah few weeks in dobson's gone we're doing this the coach like he's being aggressive but i will say on islanders twitter some people are pretty frustrated about the moves they've made particularly palat suci and shen my thought and you can tell me where you think if you think i'm way off base here but i i think he sees atchston coming and and Eklund coming and Schaefer's Young and kind of like not so bad to have some good pros on this team.

We've been around and have the experience. But what would you say to Islanders fans who see those ads and go, God, aren't those guys past their prime and they don't help us where we're going? Yeah, I mean, I hear what they're saying. I also think that they're just kind of going. What I said Matthew Darsh's comment was on the other thing is saying that they have basically paraphrasing a bunch of 30-year-olds,

right now, if they're going to win, that that's that groups prime or that's the window on that group. So maybe they're just kind of doubling down on that. And I also think that some of those moves, too, especially the Shen situation, I wonder if that's reading the tea leaves on and Anders Lee with the potential of him not being back. I don't know. It's hard to, it's hard to see like this season has been such a pleasant surprise, I think, on a lot of different levels with the Islanders that in the way the Eastern Conference is. We've talked to you guys have probably talked it all year long where it's open. It's available.

And I don't think it's the most daunting task, especially in that metro division, just getting in and making a little bit of noise. So, you know, I understand maybe it's a little bit of a page out of what this Islander fan base is seen for a number of years now, just kind of doubling down on the aging players. but right now the way that the team is constructed, like I don't really blame them for it, to be honest with you. You're watching and listening to Mike Ropp-N-HL network analyst, Stanley Cup champion talking New York Islanders. So we're all kind of surprised at Patrick Caw gone.

And then there's the surprise of Peter DeBore who has done everything as a coach, except win a Stanley Cup and you know to your earlier point about Anders Lee who's turning 36 Palmeri Sezica Shen Palat

Pajot Pajot all like in their mid-30s like what is Peter DeBore thinking about how close is he going to be to a Stanley Cup on this team and is that just as a big of a surprise that if he was going to handpick and he was at the top of everyone's list

as the next coach coming in, that he would go to a team with half a dozen guys in their mid-30s. I would assume that that when you're sitting there thinking about that has to cross Peter DeBore's mind. But then you also have Matthew Schaefer. So like that's the X factor in all this because you have all that stuff. And there's a lot of players.

The way I've always thought and kind of explain the Islanders is, and I like them this year. I've really wanted to see them make the play. they still do want to see them make the playoffs. I've always liked a lot of their individual players. I just didn't like them all together, if that makes any sense at all. And so they've been fun. They've been showing a lot of character all year, but I agree with you.

I think that that is an organization where you can sit there and think to yourself, man, is this really where, like if Pete DeBoer was going to be, or Bruce Cassidy is going to be on the top of everyone's list and all those things that we talk about, was this the pick that you wanted? I think because of Matthew Schaefer, and the term on the deal. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I mean, I think you sit there and you grab a hold of the opportunity when it's there.

Maybe that's part of it with the Islanders, too. Like the way this season ends, there's going to be other coaching changes when this season ends. And I wonder if they just wanted to get ahead of everything. But I think Matthew Schaefer gives you that ability to be in the now a little bit, see what you can cook with right now. But then also, you know, those things, Justin, you mentioned, too, they've got some pieces that are kind of up and coming, too. And then they got some really exciting pieces coming along.

So I think it's a little bit of both and you got some term out of it. Yeah. I like that Cal Richie they got too. And Simon Holmstrom can play. They got some young guys kind of a weird somewhere in the middle team. You good on Islanders there, Kipper? All right. Well, looking around, let's just stay in the tri-state area right now.

the New Jersey, or sorry, the New York Rangers are starting to win every game and look a lot better at an odd time of year. Is it Adam Fox related? What have you made of their sort of resurgence of late? I'll tell you what, they've been fun to watch.

They've got some players that, I mean, last week that Adam Sikora, watching him play, the smile on his face, what he brings to the table. I mean, yeah, the one game he got a goal, got a fight in the game, And then he just seems to be providing energy and a youthful movement here that Hemelosh is, he's a big boy.

He can play. Like he can play very big boy hockey. And he's got some really nice skill too. So you start seeing these pieces in there. Will Cooley we've known about it. For me, it kind of makes it a little bit of exciting for the Rangers because I think the fan base has been wanting some of these players to be in certain situations. I'll even go back with Lafranier or dating back for his whole career. I mean, it's been a team that has had the mindset of being somewhere and not always having those opportunities available for kids.

They're giving those under 24, under 23 young players opportunities now. And it's, is it garbage time? I mean, you can say that about around the league. And I don't know how much you look into it, probably more for veteran players. But, I mean, this is no garbage. I want to see players thrive and I want to see a team doing well. I think it's been great. Gabe Perrault is, man, he's talented and he's getting some really good opportunities now too. So now Adam Fox and the veteran guys there have been around.

I think it's going to be a very interesting summer because I think that even though that they look like, all right, they've got some direction here as far as some youth getting opportunity. I still think there's going to be a hard discussion with Adam Fox this summer. I think it's going to be Adam Fox led. I think he wants kind of some answers on the future of this team. And I think there could be a trickle down on that. I think that from what I heard, there was stuff with Gavakov wanting to kind of know the direction here too. And he's the new guy on board.

It's not necessarily what he's signed up for. And we'll see what the summer brings. But right now, I think it's good stuff. I mean, you're seeing young players. They're playing with energy. And there's times in New York where you don't always get that energy. So I think it's very good. Robert, we both have been around as players long enough to have experienced a team that it was expected to do well in the playoffs,

a team that was chasing for the playoffs and a team that was right out of it. And I'm watching around the league now and teams that have shown flashes of pretty good hockey, Detroit, Columbus, even Washington up until going into New York and playing against the Rangers. And it's like, what happens? time of year when teams start laying an egg. How do you explain it? I don't know. I don't know how to.

It's like you battle, so you see some of these teams. And I know that Buffalo's been the top of the league and that's kind of the bar, the run that they've been on or maybe that's just who they are at this point. But then you start going across some of the other teams, whether it was, you know, you had Ottawa doing it, Montreal doing it. you just start rambling off some of these teams that were just playing such good brand of hockey Columbus being one of those and then and then they kind of just hit a wall and you start thinking like I don't know in human nature I'm thinking man you battled yourself back into this mix to be involved

now you can you can see the light at the end of the tunnel like I don't know I don't know what happened I don't know how things just fall off like that and then all of a sudden it's it's a struggle It's a struggle in these games. And is it running out of gas? Is it, this has been, I will say, this has been the strangest year I've, in the NHL for me following hockey. I don't know how you guys feel. This is like, I don't know what it is, year 11 or 12.

I'm not, for me, covering hockey. I don't know if I've seen anything like it in both conferences. Everyone's going to say what you want to say about the Pacific and you've got some, something there that the East has been, it's just been a very head-scratching season. Now, is it great? Yeah, we got tons of teams that are still involved here, and we've got five games left or whatever the circumstances are. That's all great, and there's still a lot of teams in different configurations to get in.

But it's hard to realize who's who. How do you know who's who? Like, you sit there and you look and how incredible. I mean, we're talking about great nights and having, you know, Martone get that overtime winner there for Philly. And all of a sudden, you sit there and you look up in Philly's third in the metro. and at the end of the day, I sit there and I look, I'm like, is Philly a good team? Like, you start looking at some of these teams in here.

Like, it's the regulation wins. You've got teams barely into 20 regulation wins. I'm like, wait, hold on. We're almost at 80 games in almost 75% of the games you can't win in regulations. Like that, that's me, would scream you're not a good team. Right, right? But I don't know. I don't want to poo-poo it because that's just where it's at right now.

And I just think the hardest thing is we've had great hockey, we've had comfort of me. And I mean, I buried the Flyers. I buried, I buried these teams like five weeks ago. And they're coming back and I give them a ton of credit, man. It's fun. But I don't know who's who. I don't know who's going to do anything in the playoffs. I would hope that the playoffs would not be kind to these types of teams because otherwise, what are we all doing?

I know. I know. But they can't all lose in the first round. Like, you know, looking at some of these matchups, someone's going on to the conference final that we're all going to go, God, really? Yeah, it's crazy because I was looking at it too, and I love, I love Anaheim, love what they've done all year.

But you start combining, like, their goal differential and their regulation wins. And, like, usually when we look at the standings, for the most part, you've got, if you're even or plus in the gold, differential department like you're in and then literally where the cutoff line is we always see minuses that give or take like you always have the outliers to get in i mean we had Washington whatever was two years ago that went in at like minus 30 something so and we're going to have it again this year with the minus teams getting in but at least it gives you a ballpark then you look at

the regulation wins think about this anaheim could win that division and have a negative goal there differential not even just like into the into the red like significantly into the red. And you can sit there and they could win the division and have 25 regulation wins. You know what I mean? Like that, in that division, them having, say, 25 regulation wins could be like the fifth most in that division. So like there's nothing that our measurements or whatever form of this we like to have in our own minds to look up and decide, all right, this team's this or that team's that. Everything is screaming. That team's not in good. But they can win the division.

So I don't know, man. It's fun. It drives you nuts. But that's where we're at right now. As far as teams, and I'll include the wild card spots now, as we look at Boston and Ottawa and Utah and Nashville, let's include Ottawa in that mix. By far the best chance to be that conference final team. you're talking about J.B. Give me,

give me a team. What, as far in each, the conference finals? Yeah, just to make some noise and that is legit. You mentioned,

what are we doing here if one of those teams can get through, but like, which one is the most legit for you? Well, for me, it depends on matchup.

Like I, I was sitting there thinking to myself, like if Ottawa, if Ottawa can, can get in. And most likely that will be wild card two. As we stand here today, that would be Carolina. I would be nervous if I was Carolina with Ottawa.

I think Ottawa, the way that Ottawa has played this year for the most part, if they can get just that, if they can get decent goal-tending, just average goal-tending, I think they can upset a team like Carolina. And Carolina is a heck of a hockey club. Like they are a good, good team. But I just think that certain matchups can be just more difficult. And I think Ottawa could provide that. I think that Ottawa has bigger bodies.

I think Ottawa is a little scrappier. Oh, they're tougher. They're no question tougher. Yeah. So that's the one to me. And if you look at that, I mean, if you're Ottawa and you get absorbed in the metro and let's just say in that world that you're able to beat a Carolina then we got Philly or we got Pittsburgh yeah

you know what I mean like it's not it's not the most daunting daunting path for a team so I think them and then out west it's always it's always been about wild card one in the in the in the Pacific or sorry in the Western Conference wild card one which is Utah and I think you got to you got to avoid playing in that central division. So that's another one. But I don't know, man.

All of a sudden it's like Evanston Oilers starting to look like themselves a little bit more now. And you could totally see them going on a run. But there's no team that I would really say would be a surprise to go on a run except Ottawa. If Ottawa can get in that spot. Now, with that being said, if Ottawa doesn't make it in the Islanders or the Islanders would go against a team like Carolina, I think Carolina has their way. Like it's just the matchups and I think Otto would be a tough one for Carolina. Rapper, how do you feel about the, I don't talk about the NHL awards here?

So the end of the season is over, I don't know, whatever it is 11 days. And so people got some decisions to make on that. One of the things I'm hearing people say is like, if San Jose gets in, Celebrini would get my heart vote. How do you feel about playoffs as a kind of a cutoff line for a heart trophy winner? I guess the big thing for me is, is, It depends what the other guys are doing, too, you know? If it's a close call, like, I've started all year, and I kind of feel like it right now,

like if San Jose would miss by, I don't know where that cutoff is. Is it one point? Is it two points? Like, what does it look like from here on out? I mean, San Jose, you got seven games left. If they are just missing, it's still Macklin Celebrini for me. I just think the way that the award is the way I perceive it, and maybe that's where I get hung up and people kind of perceive it a different way,

that is what it is. It's Macklin celebrating when you go to the next guy on the team, all those things that we've used as measurements in the past, where the point differential between guy two on the squad, or just what he's had to be on that team for a team that doesn't have another superstar right now. And that's, but I don't know. I don't know, like, if they miss by, if they end up missing by five points, six points, does that take it out?

I mean, maybe, I guess, yeah. But I just don't, they're that team. I think that the clean cut for me is they get in, that's your MVP. And after that, I think you got a lot of guys you can have in that conversation, you know, if, wherever that is for each voter, is it, they miss by more than three points. then give it to someone else. But I don't know who that other one is because all year, all I've been focusing on is what he's done.

And for me, that's what the heart trophy stands for. Rupper, one more for me. And that is the fired coach bump. And like, how legit is Vegas moving forward here that it appears that maybe the shackles are off them a little bit? Yeah. It's a real thing. I mean, I think.

I think it's a real thing. I mean, that one in particular, like, you know, John Tortorella is going to come in there and he's going to, he's going to say, he's going to demand everybody block shots. Like, that's his first and foremost that he always says. You will block shots. So everyone's going to be blocking shots. I don't think you're going to be changing all that much. I don't think he has changed all that much. And maybe it's just whatever he coach does is that provides a little bit of a fresh start.

You can kind of recalibrate together at the same time. but I've always thought of torts, especially this time of year. He's a unifier in that room as far as getting everybody thinking on the same page and kind of, you know, they may feel differently about him if he's back in year three in January. But right now, as far as kind of uniting that group, galvanizing the group, he's a perfect guy for it. So, yeah, I think that all of a sudden now, I mean, you're going to have to start seeing some, some play on the ice longer than a couple games

look like they're ready to be a playoff team getting their saves but he's a player like or he's a coach that I think a guy like Mitch Marner we know he had the big five point night you know Brian Boyle and I were talking about it when it went down

and just both of us having Torts as a coach like I think people would probably assume that Mitch would not be a Torts guy I think a complete opposite. Torts loves guys who have defensive sound game who I know he's not

a guy that's going to look a certain way but he also loves skill and if you can put those two things together he'll run with you he'll play the wheels off you so I think you'll see a really good Mitch martyr here and I think we're going to see a much better Vegas team so yeah

they can go on a run I wouldn't be surprised at all if that's a team that's in the West finals Rupper great stuff as always man thanks for doing this for us All right, boys. Thank you. Thanks, Rapper.

As Mike Rupp, NHL Network. Does a great job. Yeah, no, it really does fantastic stuff, and he's thoughtful. I'd never rep, then. And Tortorale is that type of guy that he's also on his best behavior, right? It's a very, very respectful coming in, as Rupper just said, loves his best players, leans on them, and we'll go. Absolutely.

Right to Mitch Martner and Jack Eichael and Stone and say, boys, it's your team. Go. Do you think he'll be there next year, Tortorella? I don't see him going there and having the energy to go through just this short window without thinking long and hard that he wants to be there. And I'll include Rick Bonas as well in Columbus. I just don't think if you've got the energy to do it on a short,

term basis, you have it for at least another year. I mean, it's a, it would be quite the ass to say, come coach eight games for our team and two playoff rounds and then, ah, we're good. Listen, in a perfect world, you'd hire Tortorella and just month to month. Yeah. Right? Just like renting an apartment. Totally.

Right? Fully furnished, month to month. We'll see how we feel at the end of the month. There's a new Toronto sports fan nightmare. looming here, big time, with John Tortorella being hired there, and them getting smoking hot. And like you said, totally empowering Mitch Marner. And Mitch Marner are getting smoking hot and him being the best player on that team when they make a deep run in the playoffs to add to this banner year for Toronto sports. I, my spidey senses are totally tingling on this, where they were crap.

We weren't thinking about it. Well, at least the Vegas Golden Knights aren't very good. and they're not doing very well. And Mitch Martner now, how many points does he have under? Six. Like, he was unbelievable that game. He's on fire, looking like the best version of himself. It's looming.

They're going to, they just beat the Oilers 5-1 in that game on the second half, the second or double header on Saturday night. They looked awesome. Yeah. There's a real concern. The X-Factor is like any other team now from here on end. And we'll include Colorado or. Share a goalie.

Right? Golly. Golly, goalie. Guess what? Oilers don't exactly have Vaselowski back there. Like, it's... Anyways, game time.

Game time. I talk about these horrors of the Toronto horrors of the Toronto May Police here. It's game time presented by Bet365, an official partner of the NHL

must be 19 plus. Ontario only, please play responsibly. Four games on tap tonight in the NHL, I guess highlighted by the late one, two somehow playoff teams

going up against each other here. well, I mean, they're not both in the playoffs, but they're fighting for a playoff spot somehow. The LA Kings are hosting the Nashville Predators. The two teams are tied at 81 points, both in 76 games. They are eighth and ninth in the standings.

This is a big, big, big game. Large, marge. I'm just trying to pull up. Just 22 and minus 26 goal differential. That's insane. Theater. I think it's going to go to overtime. So

The Kings are playing. Yeah, so. 31 times. Yeah, it's an automatic. So it's probably going to go to overtime. The other thing I wanted to bring up, like I said, the defending World Series champion, LA Dodgers in town to come here and parade around

and talk about how much better they are than the Toronto Blue Jays, blah, blah, blah. They are here to take on the Jays. You're not going, are you going? No, I'm not going to any of the games, no. I'm not going. It's Max Scherzer on the mound for the, The Jays tonight.

I think it's Robleski for the Dodgers. I got to save the Yamamoto, I think, is Wednesday up against Gosman. No. Yeah. I'm not watching him throw another. Yeah. The Jays are underdogs tonight, as you would imagine. Plus 110 on the money line.

Dodgers minus 130. Jays need to win. Jays need to win in the worst kind of way. Jays are sick. They're throwing up. They're ill. Physically, I mean, sick team. It made me ill watching on the weekend, boy.

That was game time presented by Bet 365. an official partner of the NHL must be 19 plus Ontario only please play responsibly So if I gave you like Two of the best seats in the house You still wouldn't go? I mean is that an offer? Yeah, he'd be there sure

Okay I'll go to more It's not because you're Emotionally like scarred No it's emotionally scarred No it's emotionally scarred I just I don't go It's April man I don't know

It's too early I'm just checking on you Sammy It's even when I went there for that afternoon noon game and it was quiet. It just felt a little early to be in there. The mood was off and the Jay's stink. It's not going to be fun this week, I don't think. So, no, maybe I wouldn't go.

Fair. Okay, fair enough. All right, we'll take a quick break. When we return, we'll get into the Ottawa senators and their legit chance at a playoff spot and talk about Leon Drysidal and his return to the Edmonton Oilers. That and more when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne.

dive deep into Toronto sports and the NFL, the J.D. Bunk is podcast. Subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back into the studio. Nick Kipriels, Justin Boren, Sammy McKee. Real Kipprin-Born, Nash Flower. How about the bump the Flyers are getting with this Porter Martone? Love them, boys. Three points in four games, including the game-winning goal in overtime. Heardis told he robbed him of a great, Sally.

He was turning around. I'm glad he did. Go to your teammates. I mean, it's their first NHL goal turned to the crowd. He's about to drop to a knee and he puts his arm around. I'm let the kid have his moment. I'm not. I'm old school with the Kelly.

Go to your teammates. He's got to do the thing where he put it. And all the kids do, yeah, yeah, yeah. A reminder of this hour of Real Kipperman Boran brought you by Bet, 365. So he's got how many shots on goal do you think of the kid? has in four games. I haven't brought to me.

Three per game, so 12. Yeah, 20. Ah. 20. Jeez. His debut five against Detroit, nine against New York Islanders one, and against bosses five.

It starts like that that just make everybody believe that their next draft pick in the first round is going to, like, save the team. It's also, but you got to get in the top ten. With him, though, I love this guy for the Flyers. Like, he's got Kinev vibes. He already had a ref,

grabbing them and basically telling him to calm down and, you know. I like that he's 6.3, 2, 14. Yeah, a lot to like there. I got to tell you, and Flyers fans, cover your ears, him and Cutter Goce would have been unbelievable. You know? Just big, shoot it. Flyers, you know?

Oopsie. That hurts. Anyway. But Martona is still a wonderful addition for them. I've seen people making jokes about talk it already, like looking past Meechkoff to stare lovingly at Martone. You know? Much more what he was looking for. But you've said this a ton.

You, like, that's where you got drafted. You have a lot of respect for the flyers or whatever. Like, you want them in the playoffs over Columbus. Sorry, Columbus or other teams. It's like, you want flyers in there. You want Philly. Philly rocks. I like when they're involved.

Columbus limping. Yeah. They got unreasonably hot for a really long time. And you know where they're, their cold spell coincides with Worensky. Like. You struggling? struggling. Struggling.

I think one point in his last six games. So between that and if you have a goalie that kind of disappears, and I think that's what happened to Washington the other night, I think this Logan Thompson has masked a lot of troubles in Washington. He's been really good the last two years. I actually think so Rapper in the first place. part of the hour was talking about how everyone kind of looks the same, seems the same, how can you tell who's any good?

But then you got these weird runs. And like if you, you know, play roulette enough, it can come up black ten times in a row. Columbus getting that hot. Is Columbus that good? I don't know. The Buffalo Sabres, are they going to be this good next year? You're, you, you still think they're not as good as. They just give up a ton of chances.

I don't make it up. Oh, no, no. You know, the Anaheim Ducks. There could win the division. Are they going to be back there in that spot next year? Probably for the Ducks, I think. But, yeah, there's questions on some of these teams that are, like, having these awesome years where I'm like, I'm not sure next year's...

A couple more things... Ironically, the team I do believe in is Montreal. A couple more things at the bottom of the playoff race there. Did you guys see the Detroit Red Wings come all the way back against the wild? Yes. And then Patrick Kane take the worst penalty of his career? It was horrible. They go in the power play, score with their...

the minute left the wild does, Caprizov goes bar down. What do you think of, like, you got to, you got to call it. I think, of course you got to call it.

But you think that, like, I think if it's anyone except Quinn Hughes that he tripped going back, you might have dodged one for the future Hall of Famer. I'm just saying that it was Quinn Hughes, too.

Detroit has like a reasonably, like they got Columbus, Philly, New Jersey, Tampa, Florida. But, I mean, you... It was a penalty. Yeah.

I'm not saying it wasn't a penalty, but I've been around the game long enough to know that some guys could get a bit of a benefit of the doubt here. For sure. Patrick. But that's spot. Two and a half minutes left, really? And it's a tie score when there are seasons on the line. After he scored a nasty one to tie it.

And you're like, oh, my God, showtime. And then showtime, hook time. And then the sense. Another defenseman. Yeah, so Clevin took a slap shot in the face. I'm not sure how. Indefinitely. Indeatinely.

They just can't catch a break. Sanderson is back, though. So. They are, I think, the most dangerous team amongst the ones fighting for a playoff spot. I don't even think it's close. The only one is the goalie, Allmark.

And you just have no idea when this guy is going to check out. Totally. but he could also check in. Oh, yeah. And then you're laughing. Who do you want if you're Ottawa? Let's say Ottawa sneaks in.

You got Tampa Bay at 104, Carolina at 100, sorry, Tampa Bay 102, Carolina 104. Those are the top seeds. But Buffalo and Montreal both have 100 points. Could be any of those teams. I'm looking at this playoff picture right now. And I would absolutely love them to just pause this right here.

Boston and Ottawa, the two wild card spots? Yeah, you get Tampa against, you get Tampa against Boston, Carolina, Ottawa, whatever. But then Buffalo, Montreal, Philly, and Pittsburgh. Really, really good. Pause it. Yeah. Like, just pause that right here and just go to the playoffs with that. Like, those two series would be unbelievable.

The Islanders and Columbus are going to mess that up for you, Detroit? I mean, some of the best playoff series of the last 20 years, remember those Pittsburgh Flyers series? Oh, yeah. They were circuses. They were all over each other. Circus. I don't care who Carolina is playing in the first round.

I'm picking the other team. I'm sorry, but. That's the most different thing. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, just watching Freddie give up balloons for rebounds is enough for me to go. I'm not sure where you're going. They have five games, four of which are on the road.

And I know a lot was made out of, you know, Keith Pelley's press conference. He brought up Tulski's name. And, you know, I'm like, can we just see what this team ends up looking like before we like make him the greatest general manager in the history of the game? But Kipper, if you're looking at it from a business perspective, that Keith Pelley seems to be looking at a lot of this from a business perspective, as is right, as the president of MLSC, They're consistent.

They're in the playoffs every year. They're one of the best teams in the league every single year. And they've won multiple playoff rounds. And it's no different than what you said about the Toronto Maple Leafs for nine years. Exactly. And then... I'm not disagreeing with that. And then Midnight's race.

Yeah, well, or you don't get rid of the guy who helps you get in the fight every year. He's been there since 2020. Yeah. No, and... Well, actually, I shouldn't say that. He's been there since 2015, but... You know, are you just changing the... a goalie away from this team getting better?

Is it just getting one more power forward in there? I'm not saying that they're on legit, legit, but I just see some flaws in their lineup still. I think if you're ever going to point to a year, if we're doing a Carolina conversation, I think if you're ever going to point to a year, that's their year, it has to be when boogeyman's not there.

Because they have coasted through the Metropolitan Division for a couple years in a row here, where I can't even remember they beat the beat the cap. and they've beaten the teams that they've had to beat. And then they get to the conference finals, and it's Florida, and Florida runs them over, and they have no chance in that. Florida's not there. I know Tampa plays a similar game, but they're still not the Florida Panthers.

I don't know. If they're ever going to have their year, it feels like this kind of has to be it. I do feel like one of the silliest things you can do is be like, they just go to conference finals. You know what I would do for the least to go to the conference file every year? I don't know. I just, I get why from a business perspective, what the Carolina Hurricanes do

would be incredibly enticing. Have 105 points every year. Nerds would tell you that, you know, it all kind of comes down to when you get in playoffs. There's some breaks involved and goal-tending certainly is one of the elements, but you just kind of got to be in the fight

and hope your number comes up. Kippa, what did you make of a freege on headlines on Saturday saying that Nashville's like, hey, can we talk to him? And they said, I don't know. That is strange. Nashville would ask to talk to their GMs. What do you?

He's our, What? It happens all the time. Does it? Yes. Yeah. Like just a perfectly successful guy. They're like, we talk to the guy that's doing great for you?

Before. No. No. Hey, good chat. You don't think Toronto's making calls right now to teams with guys under contract. They're just, you want to get out of a contract? You have some money issues. You got some cash issues.

We can take them off your hands right now. And completely wash you have millions of dollars. Those are real conversations. So you're talking about like GMs that are having to go somewhere else and say, hey, look, you guys are, he, he sat you up. Can we have them now? Like the Leafs, I mean, would they be talking to somebody that's under contract? Like what if Tampa Bay loses in the first round, John Cooper coach Leaves next year? They talk to him about that?

I can't see that, but keep trying, Sammy. I've only tried every year that shows that around. That's Julian Breezebois that you have. Boy, he's available. How about Bill Zito? available. It's Sunny and Bill together. What's the worst that can happen? No, yeah, you're right.

They say no. Yeah, this is the same thing about like, you know, just asking the pretty girl out. It can end pretty badly and end in the line. It doesn't always just get a no. But I do think it's worthwhile, certainly, to pursue those guys. The Lord of Panthers front office, heavily coveted right now.

Obviously, Sonny's name involved. And then who's the other gentleman there? It's kind of like, in NFL where there's a successful team like for example Sean McVeigh from the Rams every hiring cycle they're just like get the offensive coordinator from the Rams from Sean McVe like when you have success and you look like a good organization everybody just wants to pick off your night that's the ultimate rising tide raises all boats thing yeah like you win and everyone's like can we have your guys we'll pay them more shout out to the buffalo sabers clinching a playoff spot ending the longest

drought in NHL history that building is going to be rocking the only concern I have for them, boys, is we talked about the playoff matchups. If it's the haves, it's going to be 50% red. Yeah, that's a tough fight. Like, it's, it just is. Like, it's, they're going to take over.

And they're going to do their little thing where they try to sell the only this team and all this stuff. But les abetton, those fans are going to find a way. I do wonder, though, if Buffalo fans aren't also willing to match that ticket price that whatever Montreal fans are willing to spend. and just say.

They'll go above. I think? Would that be a worry? 14 years of saving money here. You should be. 14 years. A couple of. They spent it all in the bills.

Right. Yeah. That's right. Compound interest. Money doubling every seven years. I don't know. I just would just suck. Like, I mean,

much like the Ottawa senators last year, they did an okay job of keeping me fans out of there. But there were still a ton. Right? Yeah. So I don't know. I guess that's just the break. You're happy to be in the playoffs.

Kind of unavoidable. I think if you're Buffalo, you'd rather see Marshael in Tampa. Leon Drysidal. It's okay. I bet you he comes back game three or game four. I think he's... Yeah? Yeah.

I mean, isn't he have like the most famous pain threshold? Remember, who did they... Was it the flames? I would rush that guy back. He had like 15 points on a sprained ankle or whatever. Like he's... And they're likely to draw Utah. Ooh, is the wild card one?

That's a tough steer. series. Yeah, it's oil in five. Oil and five for me. I think, I don't know. These guys just have proven to me that there's going to be a switch. You know, if the oilers, if you spotted them 20 points right now, still wouldn't be the number one seed in the West. Colorado had 110 already with six games left. Yeah.

See you later. And just, we mentioned it a little bit before we got the Rapper, but just a word on said, boys. 21 straight point per game seasons still looks as good as ever goal he scored against the I think it was against Florida where he comes down the wing snaps it over the corner

I just You see the clip the penguins put out of Gino and assume it was Gino's son No Yeah and he was talking to Sid And Sid was like Did you watch warm up? He says this to Gino's son And he goes no dad never scores

When I watch warm up And Sid was like okay good Do that more You know he was like immediate instant Into superstition mode such a hockey guy. Good. Don't watch warm-ups anymore. Savvy.

He's going to go down for me as the greatest ultimate pro-N-HL player I've ever seen. I think he's up to seventh in all-time points. I'm just talking about the way he carries himself.

And that's not a knock against my era of Gretzky and Messier and it's not, it's just it's more, it's harder. today.

It is. With all the distractions and the money and the pitfalls out there and this guy is just pushed it all aside. What did they say about

Nick Lindstrom? They called him Mr. Perfect or Perfect Human. Sid's the same way. Like is there ever been a, I don't know. My favorite player of all time. This is not to like jinx it, but like there was a time

where I felt like Tiger Woods. All he cared about was golf. He was a golfer. robot. Please don't mention those. No, I'm just saying, like, we didn't know it just, this guy is a machine built to whatever. And then it was like, oh, my God, he's the complete opposite. Hopefully there's no marine training in St. We're 21 years into Stid's career.

I don't know anything about the man. Doesn't have social media. Goes back to, goes back to Dartmouth in the summer. Yeah. But his teammates know everything about him. Of course. It's like, Scottie Schaffler, where they're like, he has the opportunity to have all the trappings of fame. And he's just like, I don't really want that. I'm just going to shoot it in the net. Yeah.

Makes me like them even more. Totally. Before we go, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this. My sister, huge birthday today. I don't know if she wants to be now. I know the number. I don't know if she wants me mention this on national television. It's 50.

My sister. What's her name? Jackie. Jackie. My big sister, Jackie. Burt of Liseems Burns. Oh, was McKee. No, it's not.

Anyways. Happy birthday, Jackie. I love you. I'll see you tonight for dinner. All right, there you go. Happy birthday from all of us. And she looks younger than me. So, like, multiple times we've gone out together.

They're like, oh, is this your little sister? I'm like, no, it's not. She's doing great. Anyways, there you go. Buffalo at Tampa tonight and Nashville, L.A. are the must-watch games. Buffalo Tampa, really the only one. All right. And, of course, the L.A. Dodgers in town.

A win tonight, Sammy. And everything's a competitor, man. Everything's very square, right? With a win tonight? We're all even if they win tonight. I'm just not panicking. It's too early to panic. Our thanks in our Leaf Hour edition to Luke Fox and Mike Rupp from the NHL Network.

All right, not overly busy tonight with four games on tap tonight. Find yours and then join us again right at this very spot. It's a real Kippen Morn Show. If you get a chance, give us the ratings and review. We'd love to hear from you. Have a great night, everybody.