Real Kyper & Bourne - Jets & Leafs' Offseason Outlooks with Jason Bukala

Episode Date: May 19, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne welcome in Pro Hockey Group & Sportsnet's Jason Bukala (8:25) to chat about the end of the Winnipeg Jets' season, what type of players the organization should look into in the offseason, Nikolaj Ehlers free-agency future, Jake Oettinger's performance in comparison to Connor Hellebuyck, and why Seth Jones was a perfect fit for the Florida Panthers. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee take a quick look at Mitch Marner's market outlook on free agency, Jack Eichel's next contract, and the Edmonton Oilers' outlook as the lone Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.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 into the national hour on the real kipper and born show. We are live on sports at six 50 in Vancouver and sports at nine 60 in Calgary. This hour of real kipper and born brought to you by bet three,, MacCiprio's Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee as we wrapped up our Leaf Hour edition of our program. I'm sure. Uplifting stuff. Our yelliest hour yet.

For those of you that aren't Leaf fans out West, no need to download it. Well, I would disagree. I think today, the annual day that the Leafs get put out. Shot in fruit hour. Is arguably the most exciting day of the year for everybody that isn't a Leaf fan. The feeling I get whenever I'm on any social media

or talk to anybody who's not a Leaf fan, people hate the Leafs more than they like their own team. Like people would rather, anybody but the Leafs more than they like their own team. People would rather, anybody but the Leafs. And it's like, I've been hearing it so much from Ottawa fans recently, Ottawa fans on my ex being like, taking dates, like, you lost to these losers. You lost to them. But you're gonna take a victory lap when the Leafs,

give me a break. You're gonna take a victory lap when the which give me a break which Which richest organization in any sport isn't the most hated? Yeah, that's fair Yankees Cowboys Yeah, come on. I guess that's fair right Celtics Yeah, maybe like this. They just got better for six billions. I feel like they gotta be the richest. That's a good point keeper It's this is natural. It for six billions. It feels like they gotta be the richest. That's a good point, Kipper. It's the richest. It's just natural. It's just natural.

It's just, there's always a little bit more arrogance coming out of the team that can generate the most money, even if they don't win. That bothers other markets. Yeah, but I do think there's a lot of people listening to this in our Calgary market, in our Vancouver market, if you're in Edmonton today that like listen I'm sure I went on with Jason and

Mike in the morning out in in did you not today but like after they lost game five They love this leaf. This is like they were I was like, that's a good day in Vancouver. Hey boys like oh, yeah Congratulations Canada in a couple of minutes. we'll welcome in Jason Buchla, Pro Hockey Group and of course, Sportsnet, former NHL Scouting Director, including the Florida Panthers who are advanced to the conference final yet again. He has a pretty good sense for who's gonna be a good player.

Did some good draft in there for the Panthers. How about the ratings juggernaut that is Dallas, Edmonton, Carolina, Florida for the NHL? I mean, can you do worse? I'm interested. Great teams. I'm wrapped fully in, but if you're a US based team, tough draw, ESPN. You're like, you know cup final Edmonton, Carolina Dallas Dallas is a big market. Dallas is your best bet TV mark for the US. This is your best bet for sure Andry bad laundry. I like no, it's just there's no I don't know Yeah, you know if you put all these rosters on teams with more history They would be such a more exciting thing like I think there's some really good teams left, but you know, it's like Florida and Carolina is that set.

You're probably right. You know, no one wants to hear this from me. Before we go anywhere and as we wait for Jason Buchla, we need some Jets talk right now because as I'm watching Dallas win in overtime against the Winnipeg Jets. I couldn't help but think that 15 or 20 years from now, outside of maybe the Dallas market,

no one's gonna remember who won that game, but everybody's gonna remember that Mark Shifely played that night with a broken heart. shyfully played that night with a broken heart. And to me that will stand the test of time far, far beyond the game's outcome. It is hard to watch that game and feel like there's a just and loving God. You know, that was an atrocious ending. Like just his head sinking as they score in overtime was literal like waterworks, like tears. I have to tell you like, you know, I my classic move after any Leaf playoff loss is immediate

TV off. Yeah. When that goal hit the back of the net, I was like, I don't need to see anything else here. That was awful. and he but I mean to be fair He does get the amazing moment of scoring earlier in the game I'm sure he won't really look back on that with you know he has that moment the smile on his face was an incredible moment, but like For him to even play it's just it's heartbreaking stuff Yeah, that's uh I talked to I've got a couple close family and friends that are Jets fans and this one really hurt, you know, the everything kind of went wrong that could go wrong Morrissey is out in that game halfway through the game, something like that.

So they're missing him in the big moments. That hurt. Shifely has this happen, you know, for the big game Hellebuck struggles on the road. So when I was quick story here, maybe When I was 19 years old and playing in North Bay and my parents come up to tell me that a cousin I'm really close to family cousin was killed in a car accident at Age I don't know 24 25 and, and it was devastating to our family. I leave North Bay, I go down with my family for a few days and, you know, the funeral.

And then just as I'm leaving to go back up to North Bay, my uncle, the father, calls me over and he goes, you got to score two goals tonight in Belleville for George. And that's all I was left with. I played that night in Belleville, I scored the first goal and it was late in the third and I needed to get this goal. And I did score it. You did. And I started bawling on the ice. Like I'm talking waterworks.

I never felt so much emotion and just his, you gotta score two goals for George. You gotta score two goals for George. You gotta score two goals for George. That's all I kept repeating the whole game. And I'm telling you, I don't know how Mark Scheifele did it. I don't know. I mean, that's your dad. Oh my God, yeah.

No, like I can't, so on the bench, do you find yourself drifting, like, you know, thinking other things and staying to stay in the moment? I cannot believe he was able to do that. And I don't know, 12, 14 hours, I don't know what it was, but it was, and I don't know the whole story, but it's all indications was it was unexpected and shocking to Mark and the whole organization.

And I get it. I get his feeling of my dad would want me to play and no one can judge that. No one can sit there and say it was a right or wrong call. It's what's right for you. And for him to have been able to participate and actually score a goal in that moment, oh my God, I just cannot, I cannot believe what he was able to do. I wonder, Kip, how Jets fans feel.

Obviously they feel for Shife Lee and love the guy and they're excited that he's their captain and be back next year and all that sort of stuff. I wonder how they feel about the whole season. Like, are you able to be critical of the Jets? This feels like such a overreaching story, not overreaching, but just far reaching story. There's some criticism to be had of the Jets that we need to get to at some point and for sure we have time

All right Let's go to Jason Buchla pro hockey group sports nets done a terrific job all season long for us and continues Throughout these playoffs books. How are you man? And where are you? You got a new set well Yeah, you know, I am you know, listen, I'm here for you guys all the time, right? You know that? Yes.

I had my Monday golf thing with my buddies here, but I peeled off the fourth hole to come into the Champions Lounge, crush a chicken quesadilla with a lemonade, and here I am with you guys. How'd you hit it the first three? This is, what's that? How'd you hit it? First few holes. And here I am with you guys. So how'd you hit it? The first three. Oh, this is what's that? How'd you hit it?

First few holes. Birdie to hit a heck of a chip shot. Gagged one on three. Made par on four, which is the hardest fall. So we'll see how I do from here on out. I'll keep you posted. This is the Champions Lounge at the old Sculpting Country Club here. I've never been in the Champions Lounge.

So here I am. Well, thanks, buddy. Lounge at the Old Skolf and Country Club here. I've never been in the Champions Lounge, so here I am. Well thanks buddy. Bukz, let's start with the Winnipeg Jets because I know it's a bitter disappointment, but when you factor everything in, I gotta think that the fans at this stage of, I I guess where this group is Shouldn't necessarily feel like leaf fans today where things are coming to an end. They're gonna get other opportunities You know down the road here, correct? Yeah, absolutely So lots done pack obviously with the Jets. I I was listening to you guys before I came on I just have

to give a shout out to Mark Schleifli as well. That was just gut wrenching TV for me. It really was. And you're just not human if you didn't think that that was gut wrenching TV. So that was tough to watch. But I digress. In regard to the Winnipeg Jets themselves, guys, the thing that they do extremely well, perhaps better than any other team in the National Hockey League, is they insulate the organization through the draft and they draft and develop. So when when Ehlers hits free agency, you know, Dmitry Rushevsky, who's expiring at Moscow Dynamo in the KHL, I'm hoping that they get him signed and they bring him over. Now is he gonna be a top six guy? Maybe. He's gonna be middle six at worst.

So, you know, they start to, they have things on the horizon that will help the team. And then of course they've got guys that are assigned to very friendly contracts, Winnipeg jet type contracts. I'm not, I'm disappointed in the jets. You know, if I want to take the micro right now, I really, like I had them go into the Stanley Cup final. I really felt like this was as good a chance as they would have they obviously suffered through some injuries Morrissey is a huge one And and they they couldn't quite get the goaltending that's required and that has to be a talking point

I don't know what you do about it per se But you hope that that's gonna be different going forward and I hope that was gonna be different this year I think everybody would agree with that. So yeah, the Jets are still in a good spot. They really are. I think they're gonna be fine going forward. When Kevin Shoveldale gets on front of camera and talks about the tragedy of Shifely's father passing

and talks about the Jets being a family, there isn't too many organizations in the NHL that are as tight-knitted as the Winnipeg Jets. And they're gonna be something to deal with going forward here. There isn't too many organizations in the NHL that are as tight-knit as the Winnipeg Jets and They're gonna be they're gonna be something to deal with going forward here. Well, this is kind of the Jets question Is it not it's like they're so tight-knit that people said at the deadline despite where they were because of where they were in the standings They don't want to shake up the room too much. They just make fringe ads They get luke shin Brandon Tanev, right? This this group is this chemistry group But you get to playoffs and the other team has the best guy They get Luke Shen, Brandon Tanev, right? This group is this chemistry group.

But you get to playoffs and the other team has the best guy. It's so hard. So is this a team that needs to find a way to land the elite guy? And I don't even know if you can because Winnipeg has some challenges in doing that. But can they, can a group like this win in today's NHL? Well, that's a, that's a loaded question isn't it because there's a lot of layers here going forward guys and my biggest fear right out of the box as an executive is where can we go in relation to the salary cap and our business model like

does it work for us? The NHL's business model is trending up clearly and the salary cap going where it's going to go in the next couple of years benefits the big market teams, the Rangers, the Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens are going to have tons of space. Or even the Calgary Flames into a new rank. Think about it for a second. The Winnipeg Jets don't have that local type

of influx in cash. People don't like to hear it, but it's a reality. And it's not me putting down the Jets. It's just the reality of their environment there. So two things, it's hard to attract that big, like it's hard to attract a ranting in there or somebody, you know, that high end caliber guy to come play to Winnipeg first, in Winnipeg first of all.

Second of all, what's our internal budget gonna look like? And I'm curious to see where that goes. I hope I'm wrong, I really do, because I'd like to see them do exactly that for me. Capitalize on what they have, hopefully hit a home run, go after a guy that's that really up-rational on player. They have great players there, but they don't have a superstar.

They don't have that outside of Hellebuck in regular season. So if I'm sitting in their shoes, I'm targeting guys that I know are gonna be comfortable in that type of climate and environment, like Finnish people, the Swedes. There's a certain player type. It's not gonna be Jacob Chickren, born and raised in South Florida,

that's necessarily gonna go play for the Winnipeg Jets. Nick Ehlers has turned himself into quite a player, and there's no question he's gonna get a raise off his six million, but should Winnipeg seriously consider bringing this guy back? He's gonna get a raise so Nick Ealor's for me as long as I've scouted this guy going back to his Halifax days when he came over as an import there. I love his dart and dash guys. If you look at his statistical, his history, statistically, he's never been that guy

that is beyond 80 points every year. Like, he can bank it, you know what I mean? Like, he's never been that. Couple things, maybe it's synergy with his line mates. You know, Velarde, a healthy Velarde is gonna make people around him better, for example. But, you know what, I think they gotta go for a different type of player him better, for example. But you know what? I think they got to go for a different type of player personally for me.

I don't know that you can have Kyle Connor and Nick Ealers on the same roster at the top of the food chain, pay structure-wise. I think that they got to get something that's kind of in between that kip or something with a little bit more grit and growl but still can push the play offensively to be a harder out when you get to games against the Dallas Stars and playoffs.

And you have to go through that extra layer of everything to get pucks to the net. So you know, in game five, whatever it was, a game, yeah, game five in Dallas, you know, the 3-1 game, you know, on balance that was their best game of the series I thought. They did a lot of things well but they couldn't really crack it and I think Ehlers fits into that category so I'm not overpaying on that. I'm curious to see what he gets on the open market. I'm sure that teams like Seattle are gonna be fishing in those waters. Let's talk about the other side of that series a little bit, the Dallas Dallas Stars Thomas Harley gets the OT winner great shot kind of a coming-out party for him

You know this past year people figuring out who this guy is has he been? Pegged to track as one of these elite guys that it looks like he is quickly become Well, I think that if you talk to Sammy, he's always had him pegged exactly that way. For me, from a team building perspective, I would say I was hopeful more than super confident, I guess is the best way I can put it. I loved his length, loved his size, everything that you see right now, the way he's playing, that I was hoping for that, Borny, but I would be lying to you if I sat here and said it was a slam dunk for me.

So having said that, you know, his coming up party really was the Four Nations, wasn't it? When they dropped them into that lineup and you saw how well he played there. This guy's a star on the horizon. Boy, oh boy, they locked in Lorde with those two youngsters like Harley and Heskinen for I don't know how many more years going forward

They're he's a special player. He can play all situations. He's got way more bite than than people realize And obviously he's got that offensive pedigree as well. He skates he gets there He competes at the hardest days and you know You guys have listened the three of us have talked about it, Sammy too, like for me personally, because skill gets downgraded, you need skill in playoffs, but it gets downgraded to a degree because your skill never rises to the occasion if you don't have the extra push through.

If you don't have the grit and determination and the extra push, it's never gonna work. Thomas Harley has that in spades, so he's gonna be a player to watch going forward for many years. And you also need the better goaltender most often than not. Is this series going to also be remembered as Jake Ottinger just being better than Connor Hellebuck? Yeah, I think it is. I think it is. I think that's a fair statement. And, you know, it's not... it can be very easy for me here

just to pinpoint Hellebuck and say that, but let's also give Ottinger some credit here. His game has grown as the playoffs has rolled along here. The Dallas Stars game has grown as the playoffs have rolled along here. And they're gonna be, as now we get into the Edmonton series, Skinner's coming back into being the best version of himself.

If he can continue on to do that, which is going to be a requirement for the Edmonton Warriors to have success, because of Jake Oettinger. And Oettinger, he's a big body, guys. He's, you know, he's not busy. He's playing between the posts. He's making big, timely saves. They're not giving up much though either, right? The Dallas Stars, they're on time. That save there that you gotta just show on the play. Sometimes you gotta be lucky to be good, like diving across any of the button under your stick.

But if you watch them real closely here, that one there, that's the lucky save. But if you watch them outside of that, the routine saves, everything's between the posts and he's eating everything. So yeah, that's a really good team. Like that is just a really good hockey team and all four teams are real good. Here sitting in the Final Four, the Dallas Stars though, they're just programmed a little bit differently, I think, than

than than Edmonton, a la, you know, Florida in the East. But Carolina's only played 10 games, so Carolina's been sitting around resting and this plays right into their hand with the way that they they play the game Yeah, just one note on Ottenger like you don't realize how big he is until you get him in a handshake line The guy's like six six. He is huge. Okay. He's huge. He's huge. I Did not know he's a big body like Like big bodies and understand body Yeah, and and you know there's something to be it's curious say like let's think about the Goaltenders who are playing here in the final Bob Ross. He would be the smallest

Because I do believe that the NHL is trending back to some of these smart boys Wolf and Calgary for example Goli's, Wolf in Calgary for example, Saros in Nashville, but you look at the big guys that are left, Skinner, even Woll coming out of the Toronto series, obviously Auden, Freddie Anderson, I don't know, love him or hate him, like he's got a 930 whatever in city per cent so far in playoffs and he's a big body as well. Bukes, the best player for the Florida Panthers in game seven, in my opinion, was Seth Jones. And I got to tell you, I did not see that coming. They make a move, they win a cup, they make a move to get this guy who plays 24 minutes,

scores a goal, scores two goals, if we're being honest, one of them gets called back. But like, you know, are you surprised to see what he looks like on a good team? 100% surprised. Absolutely. I have a bias against this player guys. I've had a really hard time shaking it So I again, I don't want to be I don't want people in the fraternity to say oh you're contradicting yourself Because you're talking to Kipper and born. That's not the way it is Yeah, I have always thought that he was a part-time defender. Like I really thought he was a part-time defender. Laze Fair lacked a lot of detail. I wasn't sure if the grit and determination that is required to be a star player, like he's getting paid star money. Let's not forget that. 9-5 and he's now Florida's 2-5 I think Chicago 8. They're sitting on 7. How great is that going to age if this

is the version that you're going to get moving forward? I didn't see it. And now when I see them roll out Jones and then Ekblad, you know, back to back on the right side and then whatever else they throw in there with their mixture, yeah, like this is really surprising to me. He killed plays. He was involved offensively. More importantly, it's curious.

It's really, it's not curious, it's fascinating and it's in, it's reassuring to see that when games get really hard and the stress level goes up, some guys brains don't cave and he was one of those guys, Borny, that I was always thinking, not sure and he's proving me wrong so far in playoffs if that makes sense. Like sometimes, you know, you're under stress and bad things happen all the time. That can't be said about Seth Jones. He's been really good. So far, he's proven me wrong.

You know, and the one thing that I look upon now, and maybe I need to be a little bit open-minded more, but you can take someone who's really struggling, but if you put them in the right culture and the room's strong enough and the system struggling, but if you put them in the right culture, in the room strong enough, and the system strong enough, and you slot them in a particular place, you can turn to someone's career around. And I think that's just exactly what's happened.

Do you think the success so far of Seth Jones would force other teams to look at assets that they wouldn't look twice at and go, yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe we can turn a career around just like we did with Jones. Yeah, probably. No, my answer is probably because it's a, it's a copycat league and people, people will do that. They will absolutely do that. They'll look around and they'll...

Now I would counter that by saying this. So he was part of the leadership in a really regrouping organization in Chicago, right? Everybody knows that. It is what it is in Chicago and for whatever reason, that's spoiled. And then he comes here and he's going to be held accountable. And he doesn't have to be the alpha dog He just has to be worrying about himself played his game to the best of his ability actually elevate his game You know like I look in Toronto and it's a totally different situation

I know you guys probably went through the whole Toronto discussion and I don't want to regurgitate things for you But I will say this if I'm a buyer and I look at the Mitch martyr situation and I say to myself You've been part of that leadership group. You're a star player during a regular season, can we get you to go to another level? I think that that's where the contradiction lies for me there because when you come from a situation like Seth Jones' day in Chicago and now you're insulated with what they have there, the Barkoffs, the Echblads, you know, they bring in Marshawn. Well, go down the whole list, the Chuck, Bob Roski, and Nett. You go through that.

Kipper, you've been there, man. You don't wanna let that guy in the stall beside you down, right, and I think that it's gonna be still different for everybody, but I do know that the NHL's a copycat league, so yeah, they're gonna try and regurgitate a career. Get guys, look at how happy the guys that leave Buffalo. That's a good example, right?

Guys that'll left Buffalo. And look where they've gone. So I know you gotta get back to the golf course. One last question from me. That does make me wonder, are teams aware of the threat of handing players too much too soon? Because these teams that are bad,

that suddenly get their first premier guy It seems like they've rushed to give them the captain's here that give them the long-term deal And those are the players it feels like to me who have trouble meeting their potential They're like, okay I've already got all the accoutrement of a star player without having ever really become one Yeah, I I think that that i'd say it's 50 5050 on that, Borny, to be honest with you. Where I sit and I'm more old school about it, if you haven't earned it, you don't get it. And I need you to go through the, I need you to crawl before you walk, walk before you

run and then all of us re-examine our salary cap and who's going to be there on our hardest day. And yeah, that's a real thing. Guys don't, guys haven't gone through enough hard days before they're giving that pot of gold. And that's ass backwards for me. I don't like it that way. The league is, it's hard though, because people in the league are doing it

and there's tons of risk. I don't like it, I think you have to earn it. And you know, that's my take on it. on it, but I'll end it with this, I'll let you guys go. My contradiction, if there is one there, is that a guy like Matthew Nyes, for example, going to RFA status, to me, he's proven and earned it in a short order, where I'm more comfortable in giving that.

That's different, because he's earned that to me. So it's not that I don't wanna give it, just earn it, and I'll give it to you. I just need your professional advice as a former scout if you're looking at a UFA list. And we know Marner now is a legit 100 point guy, but would there be any hesitation because of the lack of success on this guy?

Would it affect his market price at any point if you were a scout looking at Marner? Or is this guy just gonna ring the bell July 1st? He's gonna get paid, but he wouldn't. If I was in contender, if I was a contending outfit right now, I would be offering him probably less than the competition out there. Somebody's gonna overpay for that

because that's just the way it is. That's the way the league is. I don't, I'm not one of those guys, Kipper. So I don't wanna be overly critical, but it is what it is for me. And if I'm in contender status, it's not like when you brought the truck to Florida and it's not like when you brought the truck to Florida and it's not like when Rantanen went to Dallas.

So you know, conversation for another day, probably the Rantanen, I remember they asked them to waive his no trade and imagine what Rantanen would have looked like in a Toronto Maple Leaf uniform. I'll just, I'll give you that as an example. And so then I say to myself, well, Rantanen's at 12 or whatever he's at. How can I, how can I over, how can I go past that? If I'm a contending outfit, knowing what I know so far in the, in Mitch Meyers career, how can I go past a Stanley Cup champion going to Dallas, having this type of a playoff, making that number? How can I do that in good, in good conscience?

I can't. Great stuff as always, Boock. Thanks for stepping aside whole number what? Four did you say? Five? Get out there. Get out there. He's already gone. I'm on my way boys. All right, thanks. Jason Bucola, pro hockey group at Sportsnet. I feel awful. I can't believe he agrees to do this when he's I I would Deliver him puts a lot of pressure on him a lot of pressure yet something on him or something you got dirt Yeah, he loves me. Yeah, he says yeah, it's not to love well, I mean listen to the first hour Hey, you know one thing we didn't do in the first hour. Oh, and I did see an odd line on this I don't think it's available in bet three six five, but Mitch Marner next team

of this combo power ranking of potential Yeah, I believe the the one I saw had it Carolina Toronto, Carolina, I know Utah Carolina, Toronto. Carolina? I know. Utah. What was it?

Detroit. I don't know. What do you got? Colorado is the most common one I hear. That one would be interesting to me because they kind of drew the line on no one passing Nate and you know, maybe he'll go there for 12, I don't know. I mean, there's so many factors, including the- If I'm Nate, I'm like, guys, move on.

We need good players. Don't worry about me. Yes. Get the good player. We just saw the guy that you weren't gonna pay a little bit more than me stabbing dagger into my heart. He's the current cons my favorite. With a hat trick in the third period of game seven,

I guess to us. Yeah, get the good guy. And I get a lot of this comments from people who's had enough of Mitch Marner where it's like, good luck in Buffalo or good luck in Chicago because that's where you're gonna have to go. And it's like, no, no, because that's where you're gonna have to go. And it's like, no, no, that's not where

he's gonna have to go, and there's gonna be some teams that are gonna be willing to move money out to make room for him. And I would say that there's probably legit 15 to 20 teams that would be willing to find the room to sign Mitch Marner. There should be 30. Can I ask you a question, Kipper?

Yeah, maybe I'm underestimating it. There should be. Can I ask you a honest question? How much of the FU factor will there be with him in choosing a destination? Is there a resentment with his camp towards the Toronto Maple Leafs and would that have any determination in a possible on station please I'm asking is he gonna sign embossed please give me

oh so you're saying would I just pick a team to spite my former team with that would that play into the decision at all? No. Okay. Nobody would ever do that. There's family, there's consideration. There'll be consideration on, can I win here? Do I like what I'm hearing? Are they saying all the right things? Can I take a visit?

Can I go see neighborhoods? That's what happens this time of year. I'm just picking your brain on that one. I. I'm just having a baby for the first time, you know I think that you know It's unlikely that he flees to Anaheim with the child and you know, the family's like it seems like they're a close family Yeah, I don't know personally but it seems like they are I imagine being relatively close East Coast Detroit Buffalo. I don't know, something like that would be.

Detroit would make sense. I think he's open to, if he's looking for a fresh change and a new atmosphere, I think he'd be open to the Western Conference. Colorado. Colorado would make kind of sense, but it would have to be a different philosophy. They would not pay ranton in. Now all of a sudden, do you turn around to your fan base and say, we're kind of wrong, we didn't want to pay ranton, but we're going to give Mitch Marner 13.

We're going to give him the playoff mule. Right? Check out this guy who he paid. Imagine he took last in Colorado. He's like, I don't think I want to take class to be part of it. The one thing that's very much different than Willie Neelander is that Willie was always about a number and the money. You hit the number, I'm signing.

That wasn't the case with Mitch Marner. It wasn't just about the money. And that's why he may... scene that we may not now but he made but if you read if you read the tea leaves they really wanted to sign them and he did not reciprocate I mean I think that's why they tried to trade him right yeah because they knew now at this point if we're offering them really good money here and he doesn't want the eighth year that everybody else can only offer the seventh,

then this guy's just looking for a fresh change. Yeah, I think it'll tell you a lot about, the destination will tell you a lot about his. The one thing is that it's really hard in today's NHL to pick who is a good team with a long-term good future. We said going into the playoffs, 11 teams could win the Stanley Cup Yeah, like it's tough. You know, we sit here and go who's gonna be good make our prediction start of the year

You're picking a team based on who you think is gonna be good. It's pretty risky You got to have some I like this location this organization this yada yada. So by chance He does pick like Montreal. It's not just not long You're gonna like freak right out. No I'm really not. Oh my god if he picked the Canadians you wouldn't freak out. Grow up. Know yourself a little bit. That would be hilarious. I don't think he would pick Montreal. Would he? That would be he would get the Tavares on Long Island treatment in Toronto. That's only a question I think he could answer right now.

No idea. I don't know how I'd feel about that. Free agencies, free agency. It's very seldom guys like run it. When it's all said and done, when they're dangling 90 to $100 million in front of you and you turn it down and you still could go out there and get clipped in the eye, hit

your head, and it could change tomorrow on you. Like that is, that's one ballsy move. He's going to love being the belle of the ball. They're going to be courting him all over the league. The courtship. The courtship will be wonderful. It's game time presented by bet 365 visit the athlete is taught to find out why it's ever ordinary at bet 365 miss 19 plus And terror only please play responsibly the first line. I would like to break up is

How many days I make it through this week it is setting the line at three and a half See if I make it to Friday Tomorrow night the series, which seems very fast. You would expect that the Western Conference would have opened first, because both those teams have been off for longer, right? Yes. Weird decision for them to go,

but the Florida Panthers open tomorrow night in Carolina as an underdog. Plus 105 on the Moneyline, the Carolina Hurricanesdog plus 105 on the money line the Carolina Hurricanes are minus 125 on the money line gotta tell you early lean there don't eat the Panthers as an underdog after watching that so I'm on Canes come on and just to look oh god no oh these storm surge go do that down three one in the series that was a weird move uncool. I Love Tom Wilson's funny though. Not a good move and just looking at the Stanley Cup favorites

The Edmonds and Oilers are the outright favorite plus 230 Florida plus 240 Dallas stars plus 275 and the Carolina Hurricanes are the fourth team at plus 330 so not given the Carolina Hurricanes much while they're giving them the worst chance of the four teams remaining and yeah that was game time because I'm a bet three six five visit the outflat of stars and find out why several ordinary at bet three six five must be 19 plus Ontario only please play responsibly okay let's take a quick break and when we return we'll get through a few NHL News and Notes including Ovechkin coming back and Jack Eichels

looking for a new contract. I want to get your thoughts on what you would pay. What do you think? A lot. Don't. You know the number? You know the number? Much.

After the break, when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Hey, it's Ben Ennis. And I'm Brent Gunning. We got you covered on all things Leafs, Raptors, and Blue Jays every weekday morning, six to nine. It's the fan morning show. Sportsnet 590, the fan, and wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program.

Nick Kiprio's Justin B Justin Bourns, Sammy McKee. Just before the break, I mentioned Jack Eichel as a reminder, this hour of real Kipper and Bourne brought to you by bet three, six, five. Let's make sure we get that in. Uh, Michael's eligible for contract July 1st. Sounding like they're talking. Here's a guy that, I'm not sure we, not necessarily gave up on him

when he was leaving the Buffalo Sabres. There was a surgery involved. It was very controversial. Messy. Messy. But it turned out OK for him, going to Vegas, including with the Stanley Cup, and now in a position to sign a new deal.

What do you think he's worth? It's crazy, because this year, I feel like his reputation has taken a big swing. So they win the cup this year. So he has one season over 70 points. Sorry, in 18, 19, he had 82. This year he has 94 points. Suddenly he's gained a reputation as a guy who plays some defense as well. And he's a center man. He's gonna be expensive, but I do have some concerns Health being one of them. Mm-hmm. You know, I I don't know. I also feel like a guy on a good team He's put a positive energy and on a bad team. Maybe he's not

He makes ten sheets a year currently. Mm-hmm. He has another year on that and you want to give him eight more after that presumably He has another year on that and you want to give him eight more after that presumably Eleven and a half he if I'm his agent, I'm like, it's not he's getting a higher raise than a million and a half Okay, I don't want to give it to him if I'm his agent. I'm like, so, you know, I've I'm asking for the Matthews Av right totally reasonable. Yeah, I said I'll just got 14 Like underneath that I don't agree with him. I think he'd be he'd be wanting to close in on that range of 13 14 I don't know if if again you factor in

taxes and cheaper cost of living and whether or not You go, okay 12 here is like 14 and a half in Canada, right? But the thing is, is will he is even considered as Vegas's best player? Because when I would think of the Stanley Cup, I think of Petrangelo and I think of Mark Stone. Yeah, same here. And so you look at the last three years in the NHL, the leading point getters, most guys have 230, 240 games played. Jack Eichel has 207, so he's not that far behind. He's 31st

in points over that time. Like he is not a pure, you know, he's, he's kind of like Marner in terms of output. Like he's a not a goals guy, cis guy. And he's used defensively like Marner too. Yeah. Yeah. That's newer for sure. But so, I don't know. I, like you said, he's not like the guy to me on that Vegas team. So I don't want to, I don't want to give him the guy money. I worry about his health. I get why his, if I'm his agent. Me Justin Bourne can stuff into sock like I'm not even close to what I would be asking for. Matthew's deal totally makes sense that sort of money.

I get it. But I have a little bit more concerns with him than I would. I don't know other players are those kind of numbers. All right. I don't know other players are those kind of numbers All right Oilers we mentioned the lone Canadian team that's still left in the playoffs I haven't mentioned them yet just been resting and getting healthier at Colm for game three

Maybe I can't wait for this series. This is gonna be hockey I hope they're not too banged up and bruised to give us another. Sorry for my, for sort of my sports net friends. I will not be watching tomorrow night. So just. You can't? Too soon? I won't be watching the Panthers. But I cannot. I cannot wait to watch this. It's a, you know, there's a little rivalry between these two teams. They've played a bunch of big games. They played a series last year that was really good and close and tight. Like they got ranting now. This is going to be an excellent series. Excellent. Excellent series. Edmonton continues to be the team that just tough to make sense of. You know what I mean? Like in the regular season, people had him pegged as

good, bad. Otherwise some of their fans all over the management, all of a sudden the team looks brilliant and well put together. management all of a sudden the team looks brilliant and well put together. The one thing that might be scary for Edmonton fans might be the fact that somehow some way Dallas was able to get through Winnipeg and not have Matt Duchesne or Jason Robertson catch fire. Like these guys couldn't had a tough time putting the puck in the net. Wyatt Johnson as well, didn't exactly light it up here if these guys get going here and

Maybe ranting it doesn't exactly hit the brakes This Dallas team will be tough. They're really they're better than they were last year when they faced them, right? Is it is it concerning that Stu Skinner is? An 884 in playoffs understand that he kind of found himself a little bit like... Yeah, he's gonna have to get out of the gate here. Like Skinner and Pickard, like it's... Still questionable. For sure.

Still, we're not sure. We had Valiant who was like, here's the save percentage of the goalies in playoffs for the past 10 cops, 930, 920, 930, 930. They're at an 880 as a team or something around that. So can they win? Of course. Like David, Dry Saddle, and Skinner was great in last year's playoffs, he can do it.

But maybe there's some concerns. Yeah. All right, Ovechkin says he intends to keep playing for the Capitals, 21st NHL season at age 40. Not really surprised. He's got another year on a still a very expensive contract. He's shown that he could put the puck in the net. He joked that he was going to go to Hershey.

That's a good joke. Very good. Didn't know he could joke like that. It's a good town. I want to call their cup there. Yeah. He would enjoy it. It smells like chocolate when you wake up in the morning.

I had one try out there in the American League and I tore my MCL I don't like it as much as you My knee hurt Puck battle down low my skate caught a rut and I got pushed over backwards and You're on a PTO for the Hershey Bears independent. Yeah, and they were part they were part of Washington's farm team Yeah, but they were taking extras. Yeah. So would you have gotten a contract with Washington Capitals?

I was hoping, no, I don't think so. I was hoping to just kind of stick around and earn something over the year. That was a year, who was there? Jay Beagle, my old college teammate was there. I ended up in Redding, who was, I don't know, was there an ECHL affiliate when you played there? Probably not, ECHL probably wasn't even.

I'm sure there was. Yeah. And we all ignored it. Yeah. Hopefully we'll never get sent there. CHL affiliate when you play there probably not you CHL probably wasn't even I'm sure there was yeah and We all ignored it yeah, we will never get sent there don't even tell me where it is it's bad energy fair enough I don't want to go there Is not going there mm-hmm speaking of Washington Capitals news Alex Alexia. Yeah, what happened? Got in a fight 330 in the morning drunk and they put him in jail Okay, Alex Alexia have just signed a two-year deal with them lost some teeth and playoffs had an altercation last night and was arrested for And lost more teeth. I don't think he lost. He's a large dude Any drunk in public? Oh, yeah

Hey the fine and move on right I forgot I just looked over I forgot the change of Jersey again Well, it's kind of the last day you get to have to Jersey at all. Don't worry about it. If you forget an effort today it's crisis mode. But hey go ahead no no buddy oh you okay um I get the the fan support especially from celebrities but this Justin Bieber behind the bench. Here we go. Here we go. Here we go. There he is again.

I get he's buddies with players, but there's 18,000 seats. There's boxes everywhere. Did you really need to go right behind the bench? If you're a kajillionaire and you want the cool seat, that's a cool seat. Or a seat in the house. Could Austin not be looking through Mark Savard's neck? Could Austin just send him a quick tweet and go,

Hey pal, just anywhere but there, please. It's hard enough as it is. With your orange coat National Superstar is just like Jamiroquai I don't know why he was wearing that Insanity, could you just put on a dress hard enough as it is? I hate and he's taking selfies everywhere He's pumping up the crowd like a Samat Sebastian Maniscal. Oh bed for me right now. This is great. I hate to admit kipper

I do hate to admit this to you because we haven't been doing this a lot today Totally agree totally agree. Just it's just it's game seven. It's not come on. It's not Thursday in February I guess the flyers don't get this by the glass or what we get you love us, but buddy it's better than like the guy in Colorado who's doing like the look-alike contest like whatever is funny. There's The Dallas there's a certain lady that's on the glass in Dallas and maybe a little bit more distracting at times I think these are all entertaining things and Drake that's what I was gonna say if we're talking Celebrities that ruin the least chances it is obviously Drake because he is a horrible sports better And he bet on the Toronto Maple Leafs you bet one million dollars on the Toronto Maple Leafs to win that hockey game last night

I don't know how he has did did he he put that out himself I don't know how it got out, but I saw it on everything So yeah, and I mean you you put on his Instagram put it out before the game or after the game Yeah before this is like Floyd Mayweather used to like share when he won a big bet Yeah, like how many are you placing and not winning? Yeah so Sammy did you bet last night in the game? Yeah, did you? I did. Yeah, how'd it go? I won my bet. Oh, yeah Let's say my mother listens to the show. You wanted to lose your bet. It is a

Classic there aren't many better spots for a big-time happiness hedge and I made a big-time happiness hedge and I'm not happy. No, it didn't work, but it hedged it and it had absolutely so let's make our picks Oh, yeah, right for the Conference finals starting up tomorrow night. The Florida Panthers are in Carolina Nick Kipri, okay only one of us had Florida beaten the Leafs in game seven. Oh What a controversial pitch Wow you picked a minus 240 favorite I also picked Florida to win the Stanley Cup

Mm-hmm. So I yeah, I can't I can't go against them right now. So I got I got Florida. I'll take them in six Yeah, you know, it's one of those things where it's like you pick In with your heart or your brain. I'll use my brain and say Florida in six I hate to it's not fun for the show, but I do agree Florida in five. Is there not just Somewhere outside of the Leafs like you're just not ultimately impressed with this team Come on, Florida. Oh my god. Yes kipper. they're a team full of dogs they're animals this close to a dynasty very close this close to a dynasty now yeah it's gonna really hurt when Brad Marsh and signs way under market value there this offseason you know no where's he signed the lease but he ain't signing

in Florida no pardon me he's telling us this at five fifty three and a half at a 90 seconds. It's not happening They really they don't have the money for him. He's going somewhere else Toronto New captain you don't want strip. I strip Matthews. Give it to him. Let him deal with the media every day buddy He is he's proven his worth still his value play for the Canadian. Okay. Yeah, I could see that He's gonna he's gonna make some money I don't know if it's on a three or four year deal

but someone's gonna have to give him the extra year that he could not get in Boston and They will pay five and oh against the Leafs in game sevens if his sole purpose is to ruin Least fans he should go to Montreal. Mm-hmm Or to Toronto Oil. Oilers and Dallas. I gotta go Dallas. Wow. Yeah, and I'll take Eintracht now. He's back in my good books.

I refuse to bet against McDavid Drysler. Game seven, Edmonton. Oilers and seven. Oilers win the cup. All right. We've proven that life goes on for Sammy outside of the Leafs on this national hour. Love you boys. Good work team.

Thanks to Jason Buchla who joined us, Pro Hockey Group, Sportsnet, former NHL scout. We're back tomorrow on the Real Kipper and Boran Show. It's Tuesday, right? We got a little valley tomorrow. Valley day tomorrow. All right. Give us a rating and review if you get a chance.

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