Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Arms Race in the Atlantic

Episode Date: March 5, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee kick off with their reaction to the Lightning (re)acquiring Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken as the Atlantic Division improvements begin to put pressure on Brad Treliving. They discuss the remaining difference-makers on the market including Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle, and what the Leafs should be willing to move. Later, Golden Knights reporter Danny Webster (37:19) helps tee up their matchup against the Leafs tonight and projects how Vegas approaches Friday's trade deadline.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Getting ever so close to a trade deadline, why are you giving thumbs up? Damn, he was hanging the jersey while we were on air for the first time today. He got busted At least you've got the people at home a thumbs up. At least he got the right Jersey up He did that's good. And we are off and running on our leaf hour edition of the real kipper and born show We are live on sports at 590 the fans for set 360 and sports net plus Nick Kiprios Justin born SportsNet 360 and SportsNet Plus. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo, Jake Schultz with you for the next two hours. Top at the top of the hour, we'll welcome in also

Don Waddell, president of Hockey Ops, general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets. You know, last time we had him on, he gave us some, like some really good tidbits. He did. Including Olivier, who was not going anywhere, and he said, we love him and we're gonna sign him. had him on he gave us some like some really good tidbits he did including Olivier was not going anywhere and he said we love him and we're gonna sign him and sure enough he he did yeah he was a man of his word on that he

basically said he's he's gonna be ours and he is okay it's game day for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they are back on the road again back on the road again a lot of that there's songs somewhere there I just can't wait to get on the road again. Back on the road again. A lot of that. Isn't there a song somewhere there? I just can't wait to get on the road again. You think they're singing that? They just got home and now they're back. I saw Tavares have a quote about

feeling like they were on the road even at home. You know, you come home, you do your laundry, you repack your bag, you go out again. It's not really a home visit. Awesome, Matthew's talked about how much he missed his dog. Matthew says his dog? Yeah he misses it. Leaps in Sin City tonight to take on Vegas Golden Knights. In the meantime kind of looked around in the Atlantic division and they see some teams improving. Sammy Tampa Bay.

Yes. Lots of talk about Yannick Gord. Yanni Gord too. Yanni. Leafs may have been interested in him. Lawton, we hear. Shen's still out there from St. Louis, I would imagine. Albeit it seems like it's really cool and

nope doesn't happen for Leafs fans. They watch him go back home to Tampa Bay. Yeah, it's a you know if you're we're doing the Leafs so we'll talk about it purely from the Leafs angle here. This thing what other angle that's right. This thinks if you're a Leafs fan watching a guy who is a proven playoff performer and third-line center in Yanny Gord I mean works kills penalties one of those guys and Bjork strand is a huge addition for them as you know someone who can score a Cushy real goal total for them and be have a lacked offensive depth and they don't anymore I will say the Bolts are sneaky.

They're third in the NHL in goal differential. They're better than people think. They might be one of the best teams in the league with this deal. You got to avoid that two, three matchup in round one now, Kip. This trade isn't going to be a downer for you for the next two hours of our show, is it? No. I think if we maybe... I would love a trade to happen during our show. I remember specifically the year that they traded for Luke Shen and the year they traded for

Traded Ang Vol and traded everybody on the team that happened during our show and it was really exciting I love that about sports radio. Yeah, so I would like for that to happen, but I will say that optically Having the two teams that you are Directly competing against on the road to potentially going deeper in the playoffs than you have in a long time have significantly improved in the last four days you really if you're Brad true-living the amount of pressure on you is crazy mm-hmm because we talked

about yesterday when I tried to do my fake trades and I couldn't come up with anything good it's impossible to trade from but your entire fan base is frothing at the mouth Like we are frothing. Did you tweet something? Reacting to the trade. Yeah from a leaf angle. Yes. What was that? I didn't read it. I I'm sorry. No, I was in a bit of a rush from from the leafs angle. Uh, I don't even remember what I tweeted. How about that? Oh, would you like me to pull up your own Twitter? Yeah, sure. What did I say? Get going hold on just play the jeopardy music I will say that

When it comes to the trade deadline, it's not just trying to improve your own team You have to out improve the guys that you're trying to get better than so that bar is now kind of unattainable for the leafs Like if they get better they can get I think there's a lot of time still here better than Gordon Bjork strand Oh Jones well different if yeah, not better You tweeted couple thoughts post-gourd. Yes cool. He's going back to Tampa Bay for him Yeah, it is price is super high But Ford's are in short supply the market is a little bit more bit more buyer friendly for once But leafs waiting this long to shop as the shelves clear not great Bob

Avoiding two three round one matchup crucial. Yeah, so that's yeah the Avoiding like that one Avoiding the two three matchup is crucial, but I do feel frustrated So you you think they should have jumped in a lot earlier? Yes, it was obvious they've had shortcomings and deficiencies and other teams are shopping now if you're If you're looking for something in particular or you have a name in particular Mm-hmm. You can't really just go out and do something for the sake of trying to be first either.

You gotta really get your guy. And I don't know, it's, Gord. Was not their guy? Not their guy. I feel like there's 10 teams this year, because the standings are so close, there's like 10 teams who think, we have a chance this year, we have to go get someone. There's not many sellers just the way that it shakes out this year. And

so there's so few guys. Once you miss out on a couple guys, it feels like now it's like everyone for Brock Nelson or you're skunked. You know, like what's next in the... But if they land Brock Nelson. Yeah. Okay. Okay yeah okay land yep I don't know I mean do it for you for the moon and say ranting in like well yeah listen that was a long shot that one is a long shot for probably no other reason is that I don't think they have a roster player to really give up of liking. But yeah, Brock Nelson would be a significant step up. And center, like it's at a premium right now,

center Iceman, the Leafs have been focused on a center. There's not that many out there, Lawton's out there. I'm gonna throw a name out there that I think I may have added even on my trade board with Boston's loss last night to Nashville. Coil? Coil. That's a good one. So I do like her. I like oil coil like oil big strong to a two way Complete top six can shoot in the second power play Right-handed shot center Iceman nice buddy. Give me coil and Carlo. Okay. So today my article Sorry, go ahead. Just one more yeah please please please on Boston yeah I

really hope that that tree living in and Sweeney can get on calls I hope Boston doesn't sit there and go it's the Leafs it's a rival I'm not willing to send them there because I think that's closed minded and every team should be what's good for me now, not where I can look and see a guy that I just sent them for the next season. You look at players that go try to sign one-year deals to win a Stanley Cup and try to predict who's going to be great or whatever. It's impossible. So for these teams trading a player to say, we don't want to trade them to them because it's going to help them at least win a cup,

you can't know. You just have to get the best return you can. So I hope you're ready. And that that would be an option. My article today was just forward and D pairs if the Leafs were to shop at one place. So Donato and Connor Murphy from Chicago, Lawton and Rista Lanean from Philly, and it was Gord and Alexiak from Seattle. Yeah Alexiak doesn't fit my understanding he's really off the table. Is he okay? Yeah he's got another year he's Seattle's

gonna want to try to make the playoffs next year you don't necessarily give up those type of guys for picks and and prospects. Yeah they did the Gordon Bjork strand though didn't they I mean I first I guess is different I've had a big difference between kind of guys that play 12 to 14 minutes can fit anywhere between the second line and third line those are are dime a dozen compared to an Alexia. So Charlie coil makes 5.25 against the cap this year with another year. And then you mentioned Carlo. He makes it 4.1 this year and then two after that.

So I mean, that's how much money coming onto your cap, the amount that you have to get rid of, the retention. Is Boston gonna retain in the division for two guys? Like, I don't understand how the math could possibly work on that for the tournament. Going forward, you could just say, okay, well, Coyle's gonna be Tavares now. Yeah, oh no, for sure. But this year, you have to get a third team involved

to retain money. You know, you try to have them take back. I'm sure, you know, Camp to me is almost like... not untouchable, but you really do need him in the bottom half of your lineup. I am glad you said that. I don't see what you have as an option. Holmberg is your 4C without Camp. He hasn't played center though. He hasn't been tested. He hasn't been battle tested at center He's been on a wing the whole season if you told me in November

We got to get him ready at a center ice position because we may have to move camp out I would have bought into that right not now No And camp is a guy who you know he plays 15 16 minutes a night for them He kills penalties takes these own draws. He's he does he fits a role for them so young croc to me is left young croc and Max Omi right at salaries that can move the needle. Yeah, I think a

Lot of the perception of Brad for living coming into this market was the tire kicks. Yeah. And I think I didn't really know that as well, but after last deadline and heading into this deadline, myself, and I think I can speak for some Leaf fans, are getting increasingly frustrated in the reports that the Leafs are seriously interested in this guy,

and they're seriously interested in this guy, and it's like, well, if they're seriously interested, let's push one over the line here. You see what Julian Brizwa just did, and is it an overpay? Certainly. But, you know, are they way better than they were? Five hours ago. Yeah. Yes, and they already have two banners hanging they have the pursuit They're going all in loosen them up to take these swings that makes you hit more home runs and they hey

They had a massive swing and a miss when they tried to trade an entire an entire draft class or Tanner Janow that did not work out well for them But they also had a grand slam when they did it for Hagel and good row and I'm looking back at I don't know I think I saw you repost this tweet, but since 2018 They've had two first round picks. They've made two picks Nolan foot and Isaac Howard Yeah They've had two first round picks. They've made two picks, Nolan Foote and Isaac Howard. And they've been incredibly competitive

throughout that entire time. And it just goes to show that you need to hit on seconds and they value having players now and trading first. I do think Leaf fans are way too protective of all that 20-27 firsts, that 20-26 firsts. So you're worried about eight years down the road when Mitch Marner's not signed yet. When like Austin Matthews is 28, not getting any young.

Like I can't understand that perception. Like Cowan's one thing, sure you've seen him. You've seen him, but like if the Leafs traded two first round picks for the package that the Seattle Kraken just did, they're way better and you took nothing off of your team and you still have your prospects. I don't, people are way too protective

of the first round picks, in my opinion. Yeah, yeah, I agree. The defenseman, Oshawa, Danford. Danford. Yeah, he's gotten some attention too. He's had a couple good battles for Oshawa. I don't know whether or not anybody believes that he won't be anything more than maybe. So I'm known with Buchla.

I've seen him play three times this year. Like the size, like the handedness. Surprised he's a first round pick. That's what I would say. So that's my point. That a lot of people think that he'd be, it'd be great if he could fit in in your third pair down the road. Bingo. Right. But you can find third pair guys you know. You can go down south

to the NCAA and sign a free agent. Right. And get a guy like that. You can sign Boris Valle or whoever they sign. Aurora Borealis? They just signed a guy. Yeah, so that's how you make up for giving away some draft picks in all honesty, but you hope that you can hit one. Well, and you're faced with a choice with the way that Tampa Bay and Florida are operating and it's that they are going in, you're tied with them in points with Florida. They've gone in and got Seth Jones. This other team's gone, got two good forwards, a couple points back you. You can either say, ah, these are great cup winning teams who are getting better. We're just going to cross our fingers and kind of hope we can get lucky.

Or you can stand up and fight, you know, you can go, yeah, okay, well, we're going to need someone to we're going to need if we're doing doing like a an arms race here, we better buy some nukes. Or at least, I don't know, a BB gun or something would be nice at this point. Yeah, I think your point is well made that and I think Kipper you disagreed a bit but I do just going back to like it just feels so late and scary now. Where you now it's Wednesday at four. You have two days here to significantly six and a half hours. Great math to significantly improve your team. And it feels like the pressure has never been higher. And everybody else knows that you don't think you don't think Danny Breyer is like, Oh, I just his two biggest rival general managers made huge additions and he's barking up my tree. You

think the price is going down boys? Did Brad tree living kind of let us know earlier this week with a temper the expectations here because we have, we have we have Toronto that doesn't work I know Temporary Temporary the biggest fan base in the league who's dying for success 10 of those expectations I'm not saying it's right or wrong Sam What I'm telling you is that

At least he was He appears somewhat up front about it Like we shouldn't be that surprised now It's Wednesday Going into Thursday Going into Friday at 3pm appears somewhat upfront about it. Like we shouldn't be that surprised now. It's Wednesday going into Thursday, going into Friday at 3 p.m. that they really haven't made any significant changes. And we've had this conversation on for like two and a half years now they gotta change it up. They gotta... The work for me would have been in the off-season, making hard decisions. I can I get Marner's contract moved? Can I find a team that'll sign him that he's willing to go to now and get something going here? A decision on Morgan Riley. You know where

I stood on Tavares' contract in the last year, whether or not you could move it or shrink it significantly and pick up a retention on it if you moved them. And those to me would have been major decisions. You're not getting those now. No, but Kip, I think you can say or they could say that they made those decisions when you were asking

them to make them and maybe their decisions were that they believe that this group could win. Bingo. And if that's the case, you need to support those guys and give them a fighting chance. You know, they're going to do something between now and Friday. And it'll probably cost a minton or a Cowan, but there's just no way they're going to watch Seth Jones and this recent trade with Tampa Bay and, you know, go and get you a sixth or seventh defenseman and call it a day. I don't believe that for one second.

No, I sit here fully confident that the Leafs are going to improve. They're going to get a better player forward and a better player defense I do believe that that's gonna happen. They've got something in mind. Yeah clearly that they're waiting on or sitting on and You have no choice but to sit here and wait and yeah, you're probably right that it's not them waiting and sitting at this point It's let's say Philly said yeah, we'll do Lawton and Risto But we're just gonna wait to see if someone beats your offer. You know, we're two days away here. Let's just sit around and wait. And that's probably where you're at. That's exactly what's happening. Yeah. And when you factor in what we watched last year with Walker,

remember Sean Walker, like this guy went from okay, who is he again, to Bobby Orr. And if I remember, they got a decent price for him and that's their style now. They're gonna turn Lotton into Walker and they're gonna just have everybody bid up and then take the last final offer. But this goes back to why now you've waited too long. Because if two months ago you said,

hey, let's have that conversation about Scott Walker, Sean Walker, whatever. Scott Walker. You know, like, let's talk about this guy. We know we have a need, let's make this happen. I think you have a chance to get it done before there's, you know, they don't know if that guy's gonna get hurt. They have a chance to get something for him.

I'm just, I really appreciate, is it Jim Rutherford who always does the early moves, right? It's like January every year he seems to go get Phil Hronick or they did the Miller deal early. The other Petterson, Marcus Petterson and Drew O'connor deal that was in start of feb maybe yeah like you have a chance early on i don't know anyway it gets tougher around now now you have to sit and wait to see if you're the highest bidder there's

no denying what you guys said earlier i think sam that that like there is like he's feeling it right now he may have a game plan he may stick to the game plan but okay you're in the job for pressure you're in big market you want to be a part of this whole thing? Yep. That's pretty reasonable to expect, I think, from media and from fans. All right, let's get the captain, Austan Matthews, thoughts on the trade deadline. I mean, I think, you know, if you look at our division in particular, it's obviously very tight and, you know know we know

management's gonna do the best that they can I think all we can do is just trust in them I mean of course you'd love to see a boost I think with the way that we've played this year and the position that we're in right now I mean we feel really confident really good about our team and our group but you know this time of year obviously it's always you know you see teams adding and you know you want to you want to add as well. So I'm sure the management staff and stuff are doing a lot of thinking right now, doing a lot of homework and stuff like that.

And, you know, just leave it in their hands. I'm sure they'll do what's best for the team. So yeah, well put. Yeah. As if there wasn't enough pressure on Pratt. The captain says they need a boost. The captain who's literally said nothing noteworthy in four years. That was the longest answer he's ever had.

I mean, the only other noteworthy thing he said in four or whatever many years was when he said that the fans were quiet during the Reeves fight. They've been two times this year. And the longest clip he comes out he's like, yeah, we need a boost. Yeah. Well, you know, it's funny having watched both those guys in the four nations like Marner and Matthews and Suddenly, you know Marner has this moment of like in a big pressure stage where people went Wow

we made some great plays and he makes great play with Sam Bennett who's a Stanley Cup champion and been in the Moments and Connor McDavid who went to game seven of Stan You know like it helps to have great players with you to help you look great. And I'm sure these guys are going we're good players, but like we could use everyone you could put around us to help us look good. Give us a chance to have success. We have a max halberd score two in a game seven one time. Yes, give us that guy who you go, okay, you know. Alex Irving gets an OT winner.

Unless they already think they have one in Homburg, or, no, I'm just telling you, though. That's the way they think. Is that the way you think? No, I wanna make a trade. Yeah. And I like Homburg, but. Me too.

I don't like the way he's developed, like this hot and cold, and sometimes I love him, and sometimes you don't. Yeah. I don't like the way he's developed like this hot and cold and sometimes I love them And sometimes you don't yeah, I don't know I will say the way the Leafs line up is shaking out if you add a center man a good like a third line center and A good second pair right shot D good team like the the fourth line tonight against the Vegas Gold Knights is Lorenz camp yarn croc. That's a very good fourth line in the NHL. You can win with that. You know, the third line then, if you have McMahon, Lawton, Pacioretty, take your pick

of who you like, Holmberg. With that, pretty good. Domi? Yeah, Domi. Yeah, but I mean, he's, like we've said multiple times before, outside of the core four forwards, he's making the most. So like, is he not on the team in your scenario? He's not, no.

I'm also... No. Okay, good talk. I also, though, am concerned about the heaviness and the wear and tear on Matthews and Tavares in the playoffs. And that's why I always thought that I have to, I have to get something closer to say if Tavares went down, I like Coyle better than I would like Lotton in there.

That's all, right? Yeah, yeah. And I like Gord, I like Gord, but you know, 33 years of age and he's not that big and he's not what he may have used to have been. Yeah, used to be in Tampa Bay. You know, they're taking a bit of a chance on him to get 11 goals in 80 games last year. He's not light on fire.

However, he is a guy who's performed under pressure in the past. The coil one is really interesting to me. And the reason I like the wrist Elena and one on the back end Yes, cuz everyone say they can't get any points from the back end. He's had a 40-point season He gets a minute of power play time shoot the park you shoot it, you know So the other names I've given you guys like Connor Murphy, you know, they're defense defensemen Yeah, you know Risto at least has a little bit of offensive upside to go with being a giant and PK guy and all the rest. Just looking at Charlie Coyle's playoff production, wouldn't, I would say that he might fit right in.

Oh no. Yeah. But you know, I'm a big believer in, it doesn't happen until it happens for a lot of guys. You know, it's. Yeah,'s, some people figure it out. I'm just saying one, one, two, two, three, two, one, one, no goals in the postseason. Like it's not like he's exactly been a playoff ace.

So that would worry me too. But while Yanny Gord had seven, six, I mean like he's a cup runs. There's just certain guys that are, they just all play for Tampa and Florida. Nick Paul. Nick Paul, Sam Bennett. He's just those cup runs. There's just certain guys that are they just all play for Tampa in Florida Nick Paul Nick Paul Sam Bennett, he's just

Yeah, just guys that are that type of guy anyways Anything else from tonight you want to talk about? Uh, we have The Leafs not just trades. Yes On the show the other day I talked about the minutes versus one of the worst teams in the league and Ruby you got a clip of it the usage of the player usage of the other night you want to play that Ruby on on men's played on and on on the big boys well

yeah you know like I talked the other day about it overused them in that game you know circumstances you know with power plays and everything that went on over time but no it's obviously I it's a concern for sure and but you know they're used to playing lots of minutes they got good motors so you know they had good energy today. Alright good, he's aware of it right? He's just aware of it, right? Yeah, he's aware of it. I do worry about the haves and the have-nots and what it says to the have-nots is Come on

Like I want to play too. Yeah, that's all yeah I would to keep if I felt like it was a consistent thing I feel like he's had a better balance and they've had in previous years by and large. Yeah, you just There's just no need to play that much against the Sharks on a Monday on the second half back to back We do have him on the deadline to does he say anything about it? He does he's coy. Let's play it This is a team, you know top the division How much of your guys earned a boost at the trade deadline? Do you think earned a boost? Yeah. We're all looking to better our team if we can. That's the best

way I'll put it. How philosophical. Everything every little bit helps. I love the player. I love that player. I love that player He's a hockey nerd Those are great jobs They are so I mean their Leafs do have a matchup with it against one of the least bet the league's best hockey Teams tonight they do the if I had to pick one team to win the Stanley Cup It would be the team the Leafs are playing tonight really Yeah, I'd pick Tampa the Vegas goal really you've jumped over Florida over over Washington

I've watched them a lot recently. They've just yeah, I know and better know and Gensel's unbelievable in the playoffs They just got another playoff guy like it. They are They're the best team in the league. I would pick them to win the cup. Baselowski, Hedvins. Anyways. See, I would go with the blue line of Petrangelo and this Nick Hague is big and I think he's like at home kind of light. Another dream ratings final for the... Hannafin, White Cloud, McNabb and then they're missing Theodore. McNabb and get Theodore back. And they're sneaky right now. Between now and Friday, 3 p.m.,

Vegas, I think, will be sneaky. I think they gotta do something because they don't have enough scoring. Yeah, Ranton and the Shen brothers will probably be on there. They could get Ranton in. For sure. They would be the type of team that says.

You retain again. No, no retain. Yeah, you retain. You retain and I don't know. They'll have to take a roster player though. That's the thing. They'd have to give up something of significance. So I don't know who it would be.

It's obviously not. Could it be one of those many D we've been talking about? I mean to give them, and if there's one team that's going to part ways with a significant part of their franchise, there's been no more cutthroat, or other than I guess the Lightning who let Stamkos go. But yeah. See, that's the thing. Whether you're the Leafs or Vegas or any type of team that contends is like, they need a

roster player back. For Rantman, yeah. Carolina has to look, Brendan Moore, you know, Dundon has to look Brendan Moore in the eye and say, I got you player back. It's not Rantanen, we tried. Yep.

But it's as good as Natures. But I got somebody back. I think that's the bar, is it needs to be someone as good as Natures. It's not gonna happen. You're not gonna get that guy. As talented. Yeah. Off of a team that is in the playoffs. needs to be someone as good as nature's. It's not gonna happen. You're not gonna get that guy as talented off of a team that is in the playoffs.

I don't think it's happening because- What about if you have a contract negotiated? You say to Ranton, agent's allowed to talk to a team, it's a non-playoff team, he's agreed to extend with the Rangers, I don't know, it was a non-playoff team that would do it. You know, then you could get a guy, a team who says we're gonna miss playoffs but we'll do it for Ranton. But it's not Anaheim.

It's not like why would you, why would you, why would you rush into that when I could just easily take my time and pick it in the off season when I can actually go and actually visit you. I can physically go. And I can't see Randon getting traded. I just can't see it. I think it's fair. I think at this point, it's a fair comment that if Dundin's gonna eat a crap sandwich

for screwing this thing up, maybe he says, I'll do it. Oh, I'll do it in July. I'll take the heat in July rather than now. Yeah. I also wonder if you're not better off if you're them just saying, look, we'll give you 15. Like, you know, we need you to stay here. Okay.

And then it's the opposite. You don't want to know move, you want to sign the 15 and then get traded in a year. Great. And we'll give you a move clause. We have to trade you with it. You can't just at this point put it all in. It's about the money.

It's not they don't make enough. That sounds contradictory. The spread between 12 or 12 and a half to 14 or 15 isn't enough to say I wanna take the next seven of my years in my prime and be here. To make an extra one per year. Which is why, by the way, the Marner thing has bothered me to the eighth year is so overrated. So overrated new thing.

You've decided. Yes overrated wonder what the timing is on his. Rantinens 35 when this retires. Okay, you think he's not playing again? I think 35 is pretty old. I'm not so sure about it. I'm not sure he's going to get another 14. Okay, so he gets 10 or 11.

Now the difference between you wanting to sign and not sign is guaranteeing $4 million. Well, pretty big swing to say he's going to be a $10 million guy at 35. Who knows? If this guy doesn't get hurt at 35, everybody's gonna still want him. The guy's a stud, he's a horse. If you believe that these guys are going to continue to play and earn. He's not falling off the face of the earth unless he has a significant injury at 35. We can talk about that in seven years.

It's possible to prove you wrong right now. I can tell you that. Let's make a bet. Hey buddy, if we're on the air in seven or seven years. It's impossible to prove you wrong right now. I can tell you that. Let's make a bet. Hey buddy, if we're on the air in seven or eight years. We should go. Anyways, we should stop talking about the Leafs. We should go to our gas.

Okay. What do you got? You got some mounts? No, no, I got nothing. I've had nothing for four years. That's fair. That's fair. None of us have.

Break. Break. Break it up, baby. You're the man. Break. When we return, we'll get more out of Vegas and the Leafs tonight on Real Kipper and Bourne. podcast. Welcome back to real Kipper and born actually welcome back to born or in the key as we cut to Kipper who is not present on the other side. Kip, you know, he's making calls on behalf of the show.

There's a lot of interest out there. I mean, he has no concept of time. Just having a Chat about things we are awaiting Danny Webster golden knight writer from Vegas Review Journal and chat about tonight's hockey match a little bit and about the Potential trades that they might be making we talked a little bit earlier about Could they be a potential Miko ranting and trade partner? Can I read you a clip from Julian Breeswa, who obviously made a big trade today to acquire?

And I wanna know if it's the same one that I pulled up, because there's a couple doozies. This one is almost a PSA for a lot of my Leaf fan friends that are listening to this show right now. I'd rather have a full lineup of good players than a bank of a ton of draft picks, because I think ultimately what we're trying to do is win hockey games.

You know. What a concept. I understand that a lot of the reason the Leafs are where they are right now is because they traded away some picks, they didn't hit on first round picks. I understand that. But where you are in your competitive window,

this is what you do. This is how bad teams get multiple first round picks. This is how it kind of works. This is what you do. This is how bad teams get multiple first round picks. This is how it kind of works. This is the rotation that- It's communism. The good teams trade away their firsts to the bad teams while they try to win. Exactly.

And it's like, that's just kind of how it works. So I love that quote from him. I do too, but there's another aspect of this that I think people have the perception of a first round pick, like whatever the first round pick is, is a big deal. But here's what Julian Breezeboy says, all first round picks aren't created equal. Like the first pick in the draft is not the same as the 32nd pick in the draft.

There's a huge discrepancy in the value of those two picks. At the end of the day, what guides us, what drives us is trying to win championship. And that's really hard. In order to do that, You need a lot of good players I do feel like that gets lost in the whole shuffle because Breeze blood doesn't see it as they traded to first They traded to 30th overall pick correct and I think With you know, you look at the bottom of the NBA draft. It's not quite as I

Think the bottom of the NHL draft, you can still find, the first round, I mean, you can still find guys, it's not as quite as bad as the NBA draft is. NFL drafts are studs everywhere. But yeah, like, you're much more likely to be fine, with parting with a 30th. Yeah. Like, you're not gonna like lose sleep over somebody

if you're losing the 28th or 29th or 30th pick, and you go to a Stanley Cup final, or you go to a conference final, and you have all those moments. The value created like there's a lot of people that have those advanced models on value created by draft pick slot and it's like first, second, third like in a pretty precipitous drop from like you know gigantic value, tons of value, lots of value and then fourth and fifth starts to level out six to 15 there's a slow down then fifteen on it's a second round pick basically correct and that trait

You know it does vary year to year, but I have heard that this year at that level It's not that great so not only is kipper gone My exasperated technical director Derek Randerson he answering man That opportunity Director, Derek Randerson. He ain't answering, man. We'll use that opportunity to go through our cliff list. Oh, God. What a mess. Okay. Well, on that note, we have Kipper back in the house. We also have Mr. Webster, I believe is calling in. Okay, well we'll have him momentarily. Captain Marner get traded? No, nobody got traded. Oh, you're gone for a long time, all good?

Yeah, all good. All good. Hot dinner plans tonight or what? We're awaiting Danny Webster, who we're about to have. What's that? We're awaiting Danny Webster, who we're about to have in two seconds here, so. Okay, so like I'm gone like a minute,

you guys are in full panic? No. What's going on? It was like, Wayne's World when it was just Garth and Wayne's not there. What's he saying? I forget, it's a great scene though. It is really good. Really good, really funny.

No, just, you know, I got a call and I'm like, yeah, I should take that call and just find out what's, can I find anything out? And who was it? It was a team thinking about ranting and oh, that's all. No big deal. Yeah, no big deal. I just wanted to gauge their interest. Oh, let's get to our guest and then we'll follow it up.

All right. Danny Webster, Golden Knights writer with Las Vegas Review Journal. How are you my friend? Doing good, guys, how you doing? We're good, we're good. All right, so where are we on Vegas? And like you look at their team, it looks stacked. They look like they're ready to go,

but what are your thoughts going into a trade deadline? Yeah I think this is probably going to be one of the one weird years where the gold Knights are going to be very quiet going into the trade deadline I don't expect them to make the big splash which is which is weird when you look at the last year even the last couple of years and you see them try and make the big fish. I think that's weird when you look at the last year, even the last couple of years, and you see them try and make the big swing for the big

fish. And I don't I don't see that as a possibility. Now they don't have their first round graphic for the next two years. They pretty much mortgage their future. To get Noah and a fan and Tomas Earl last year. The prospect pool is fairly thin. I don't anticipate them incorporating any of the remaining top prospects in the deal. But the funny thing is that, you know, I say they don't

have their first two or the next two first round draft picks and then you see Tampa Bay just give up their 2027 to land and two first round picks to land Yanni Gord and Oliver Borkstrom. So and two first round picks, Delaney, Yanni Gould, and Oliver George, Olivia Borkstramp. So anything really at this point might be on the table, but for the Gold Knights, their roster, for the most part, is relatively healthy, which is, again, another interesting caveat

with this season for them. And they're just in a position where I think if they're gonna make an addition, it's probably gonna be in the bottom six in addressing the penalty killing. Danny, give us the state of the Vegas Golden Knights for Leafs fans who don't get to see them a whole lot. Right now they're four points up in the Pacific division.

Are they looking like the Stanley Cup contender we've become accustomed to them being? I think so. I think when you look at how they performed in December, that was probably the one month that really stood out where they went 10-2 and they were they were taking down a lot of the top teams. You know, they beat Winnipeg at the time, they beat Minnesota. They were challenging a lot of the really tough teams atop the league. And then they go into January. Right out of New Year's, they lose to Montreal.

And then they go on this little bit of a tailspin where they're not losing games by a lot, but they were losing games in general. And they were losing games that they really should have won. And I think ultimately that's what kind of tempered the expectations a bit. But coming out of the Four Nations break, they've won five out of their last six. They won two really big games against New Jersey and Boston right before the break. And they've come back out of the break. They beat Vancouver. They give up four in the third period in Los Angeles last Monday, which was

what was deemed an inexcusable third period by everybody involved there. And then they almost squandered a 5-1 lead against the Chicago Blackhawks last Thursday. And then suddenly it's to the point where is this team what we saw before the break or is this or what we saw in Chicago kind of what we anticipate going forward and then they come back and beat New Jersey 2-0 on Sunday in a very strong defensive outing on both sides and great goals coming from Maiden Hills. So I think right now when you look at the landscape especially in the Western Conference they are definitely up there as one of the top contenders in the Western Conference to get

back to the Stanley Cup Final. I do think that when you look at the likes of Winnipeg and Dallas and Vegas, those are the top three. And I think Vegas has a strong case to make that it could be the top group among those three. So whether they add a lot at the deadline in the next couple days, whether they choose to just kind of stand pat,

they feel that they have a group that's strong enough to make a deep run when we get in April. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Sin City to take on the Vegas Golden Knights. Danny, thanks for joining us, man. Really appreciate it. Of course, okay. All right Las Vegas Review Journal Yeah, this uh this Golden Knights team that you like so much. Yeah, the Leafs have actually handled them pretty well

Invent it is so typical of the Leafs. It is go in there. I go in three and win tonight And they are they are more than capable. You know, you thought I was in bad shape after coming home from Detroit. Imagine me going to this game in Vegas with a lot of Leaf fans. It would be fun. It'd be a lot of fun.

I gotta tell you, as a player in the minors going to play in Vegas, a lot of fun. Didn't win much, a lot of fun. What was the? The Wranglers. The Wranglers. What, ECHL? ECHL, yeah. What was the? Wrangler's what? ECHL yeah, what was it? What do they play of the Orleans Hotel?

Yeah, it was like the locals gamble so really you'd walk through the casino to the arena which was in the building That's fantastic midnight games. No, they did they did not all the time But they had a couple midnight games a year and people be on They did not all the time, but they had a couple midnight games a year and people be all juiced up It is they need a 30 for 30 on the on the Wrangler's it is pretty remarkable Their story like right from the get-go. Yes, and how how fast they got good Yeah, it's like unbelievable I mean right from the start you know even the start, the tragedy that right before their

season started and then their captain, yeah, England, who was from there. Yeah, Derek, in there, the whole thing. I could just was a storybook, even the foundation, even that, that, that expansion draft that started with Marc Andre Flere Flurry and just You start with that guy and you just shot it out of a cannon Yeah, and now those original names are etched in stone for eternity as heroes in Las Vegas. Yeah, you know, they're a cool

in Las Vegas. Yeah, you know, they're a cool, you know, part of the NHL's history now. I know there's a lot of fans of long-time teams like Maple Leafs fans who are like, the hell with them, you know, they're new, they were handed a cup or whatever it is people say. It's a cool story that they did what they did, you know, being this competitive, this aggressive. When I was there a couple years ago, I think I told you, maybe I told you this guy on air, but the guy, the Uber driver was in a gold night's hat

So I would start up. He's like now we had to wait our six. Yeah I know you shut your I'm sitting in Disney last week and he's like, you know, we're not quite the team we used to be Wow Kipper when you're on the phone with and you're you know high-flute and friends Kipper, when you're on the phone with, and you're high-fluting friends. Yeah, I was on the phone with Betman. This, Julian Brizwa is doing a press conference right now, and I read this quote to Borny, but I'll read it to you. He said, I'd rather have a lineup full of good players

than bank a ton of draft picks, because I think ultimately what we're trying to do is win hockey games, you know? It's a mentality that a lot of Leaf fans should probably. Yeah. We keep waiting for, like, life to catch up to these guys, reality to catch up to these guys, and it doesn't. Like, Tampa should have been after the pandemic

and there are Stanley Cups, like, the fall off, and then the rebuild, and it's like they they dodged that. I know it's like the guys aren't ancient like is you know there's not like Gensels over the hills I mean with Pagels was 26. Oh that points done. He's washed up. Oh he's kidding.

Kuturov really slowing down. No they're they're obviously very, very good. I maintain that they're the most hurt by the flat cap because they did have to lose guys, but they've paid draft picks to get other good guys and keep coming along. Free agents, right? You just balance the books. You find a way to get a free agent. And Gantzels, like, yeah, lights out on that.

I think... Best forward for me for team U.s. grabbing him most of the games I think that there was this perception with the Leafs that when they finally got elite talent like two guys who are top pick your number talents and four really good players that it was like the Oklahoma City Thunder who eventually traded Westbrook and Durant and Hardin and Everett Like if you just left them together It has felt like that with the Leafs or it's like if you just leave them together long enough the win, right? That talent has to win, right?

And we're getting to this point now where you watch another teams You have to keep pounding getting the next guy the next layer and that's why we open the show with urgency today we want to see that because we know this isn't enough and there is a world where if dubas stays and the all the years of and of Punches in the face that he took in terms of this roster and all this stuff that it looks Totally different if he stayed in charge and I'm not even saying that's the right move But a true living coming in here, wow, these guys are amazing.

To your point, it was, you know, when he left, it was like something has to happen. Yes. And Dubus leaving was the thing that happened. And then this off season, it was the coach. Yeah. Next off season, trainers? I don't know.

We got a giveaway. On Saturday, March 15th, the Toronto Marlies will face off against the Charlotte Checkers at 1.30 PM, where the Marlies will take over Scotiaank arena for a can't miss showdown and we are giving away a pair of tickets To enter for a chance to win these tickets text code word checkers to 595 90 standard message and data rate supply Today's code word is checkers test this into 595 90 and your chance to win a game tickets to next Saturday's game Should you not win? Oh, sorry my bad Should you win you'll need an email associated with a Ticketmaster account in order to claim your tickets if you don't win tickets

With us you can still purchase tickets to the game at ticketmaster.ca. There you go. Hopefully Fraser Minton still in the lineup Yeah, hey question for you. Who is the higher value trade chip Minton or Cowan because Minton feels more can play on your team today Cowan higher ceiling. Yeah If you think that Cowan is this scoring machine that he's been in London then it's him still so it's a a preference thing, what you believe on the show. What you believe. Where is, this is where your scouts come in

and this is where, I think Brendan Shanahan was physically in London earlier this week to watch either Cowan or Danford because it was London, Oshawa. You know what happened? What happened? Cowan had a hat trick, including the overtime winner. or Dan Ford because it was London Oshawa. You know what happened? What happened? Cowan had a hat trick, including the overtime winner.

Yeah. All right. So maybe he was there contemplating on which one to give up this week. The projection for Cowan. I mean, it's a great theory. Why else would he go? I mean, I love going to games in Oshawa

It's fun, but good popcorn. Maybe that's I think from a scoring perspective. It's cow and all day long still, you know He's on pace his season pace is 49 games played 30 goals 34 sys 64 points He's not having a monster. Yeah last year. He had 96 points, but it was only a like it felt like yesterday He was on this like massive point consecutive streak right Right. Yeah, I don't know the leading school leading goal scorer in the OHL by the way is 120 points Sammy our national hour is coming up and you got a general manager who's not on the phone will be with us That's kind of cool

Exciting exciting Don Waddell will be with us. That's kind of cool. Exciting. Exciting. Don Waddell, Columbus Blue Jackets. And also I will share whatever I can off my phone call that had you guys twiddling your thumbs while I was away. So I'll share that. Thank God you came back. More when we return. We go national on the Real Kipper and Bourne show.