Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Big & Mean Buy-In

Episode Date: March 7, 2024

We have a deal! Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee kick off with a review of the Leafs' trade for Joel Edmundson from the Capitals completed earlier today. They discuss the team's focus on physicality, what he can bring to Toronto, where he fits into the lineup and what moves may follow. Have the Leafs done enough to keep up with their improving contemporaries? Then, looking back over the Leafs' sleepy 2-1 win over the Sabres last night. Finally, NESN Bruins analyst Andy Brickley (33:58) discusses Toronto and Boston's playoff collision course, their focus at the deadline and the market for Linus Ullmark.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.

less than 24 hours until the nhL trade deadline day is complete. Still some meat on the bone. And we're going to break it all down for you in the next two hours. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Jen Rolnick, Austin Mackey. In for our Derek Brandeo, who's out with the sniffles. Sniffle-itis. Yes. Sniffle-itis. All right, Derek. Deadly case of the sniffles? Sniffle-itis. Yes. Sniffle-itis.

Deadly case of the sniffles. Get better. Get better soon. In the meantime, plenty to dissect, including the Toronto Maple Leafs in a thrilling 2-1 overtime win. Who wrote this?

Burgundy, he'll read anything. Oh what do you mean it was a tight one goal game they went to overtime austin malley is the game winner what a performance by 34 all right all right we'll get that we'll get sheldon keith's overview of the game on our first Kippers Clipper. But breaking news, Joel Edmondson, a big, rugged defenseman, albeit with a left shot, is joining the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs made the trade today. The Capitals will receive a 2024 third-round pick

and a 2025 fifth-round pick. So, tell us what you think, JB. Oh, boy. You know, you wanted to see what the Leafs would look like post-Kyle Dubas? Here you go. Big butchers on the back end. Can't make a pass, but, boy, will they be big butchers on the back end can't make a pass but boy will they be big butchers in their own end uh you know he checks a lot of boxes for what they needed big guy kills penalties

playoff experience play 22 games for the blues when they won the stanley cup another 20 plus games for the canadians when they went to the cup final his game has fallen off a little bit third pair guy for a not very good capitals team um you know doesn't do a lot of the puck movie stuff well but boys he's i guess another labushkini type back there they got uh they also knocked uh 50 off of his contract so there's actual still money uh to be uh played if they choose to make another move between now and 3 p.m. tomorrow. But I'm with you. Listen, game changers, no. But guys that can make it a little bit more difficult

in Boston or Florida, whichever one comes the Leafs way in April, yes. I mean, let's go back to Gutis. Like, you're not thinking too much about Gutis until you see him four or five times in a row. And those type of guys matter in the playoffs. Yeah, it adds up, right? When you play Labushkin, Benoit, McCabe, Edmondson,

all of a sudden you've taken lower lumbar crosschecks for four straight games you get into five six and seven where the leafs have typically i know they got by tampa but typically lost maybe the other team is the team that's a little hesitant it doesn't want to get to the middle as quickly maybe sammy what are your thoughts he's big mean man yeah a lot of guy he's big mean man i i like the addition i do i just i've watched so many different playoff series over my life where the big guys often go past the little guys you know it's just like the size and the playoffs it really does change the game slows down a little bit you want a guy that clears

the front of the net and is proficient with cross checks and can kill penalties like this isn't a move the needle move for me like i really don't think they're a ton better i just think they're a little different maybe in the fact that they're a little harder to play against i like the move he comes in and he's the biggest defenseman you have now yeah and you know he kills penalties this team is 22nd in the nhl i haven't checked today but 22nd third somewhere in there in the pk you know if you're protecting a lead like you got some guys you feel like can go over the boards now he's not a breakout guy you know he's not a tape to tape passer i am worried about and hard off the glass yep and that's fine but i am worried about the

time the leafs may have to spend their d zone because labushkin can't break the puck out now edmondson can't break the puck out like you just you don't want too many guys who can't break the puck out so i'm not going to say i'm not a little worried about that but i get the idea that it has not worked with this team having puck movers on the back end and puck movers up front they're trying something different sam you said different for years people have been saying they just this isn't working they need to be different this is different it's too many any worried about any worries about this guy staying healthy oh yeah and how hard can he push game in, game out?

You know, I don't worry about how hard he can push game in, game out. If it breaks him down, the tendency for players, and I experienced that when you're not 100% or you're not feeling great is you back off, right? And you just hope that the threat of you is enough sometimes to deter your opponents in 2021 he missed 27 games the next year he only played 24 total games year after that he missed 21 games this year he's missed maybe 18 games or something like that like he misses game so in both the cup runs that he was a part of he played in every single contest

for his team and you just kind of hope you get a lucky run right i mean and you you're the guy too who said you need nine or ten yes oh no no i'm all i'm all for it yeah i'm all for it absolutely and in a perfect world you'd love that he had a right-handed stick in in his hands he does play the right side or can play the right side does Does it bother you that this, well, I shouldn't say does it bother you, does this push Lilligren out of the lineup? You know, it is crowded with left-handed shots now. So you assume it's Morgan and Labushkin. Yep.

Benoit McCabe. Benoit McCabe on the right side. Edmondson Brody. Unless you did Brody Edmondson, or unless, however you want to mix those up, but then if you put Lilligren in, maybe Benoit comes out, or Edmondson comes out.

Listen. Or Brody. Oh, thank you. I was just about to say that. Okay, Brody's on the last year of his deal. He's not coming back. You're not re-signing him. It's okay if you want to put him in the stands a few games.

He's not bad. That's a good question. Has he been bad for Brody's expectations, or has he been NHL D-man bad? I go the latter, my friend. Wow. Yeah, I think there's some nights that I don't think he's top six now. Whew.

Yeah. I mean, this is a guy you counted on to top pair. I don't see any sense of urgency in his game. I don't see a lot of crispness. Like, he was earlier, he was money in terms of what you expected game in game out like it was never about the offense it was never about running anybody over but somehow some way he managed to move the puck or keep it out of danger when i no no okay when i looked at sport logic data for puck retrievals the last two seasons prior to this,

he's been among the best in the NHL, like top 30, at going back and successful first place, getting the puck going the other way. This year, last time I checked, he was a bottom 20 guy in the NHL. It shows. See, that to me, that just... And defending the blue line same split that that took so much that takes so much away from what he has been all about yeah like if he doesn't have that retrieval if he can't skate back and then either make a good first pass or skate the thing out of his own zone

himself then where's the contribution yeah it's not net front protection or leaning on guys it's tight gap at the blue and now if his skating has fallen off that eliminates that gap protection the retrievals so i don't know i'm torn on it because it's far it's hard for me to believe he's gone from top pair he's second the nh or on the leafs in time on ice per game this year, 21-53 per night, you know, to a guy you can't use. Yeah. To me, there's just, if he's on the team, there's just too much of a relationship there with Keefe. Like, I don't ever picture him having,

Keefe's just going to play him. That's the thing. If you're worried about him, it's like a money ball situation where you take away the toy. I think he's going to play him if he's got him. That disappoints me because you're adding, you're not subtracting here. So it should just be more of a natural feel that there is an internal competition now on the blue line. That if you have eight deep, then you're fighting for your job and if you take one out of the lineup and geo i'm not

sure where geo fits in all of this since edmondson's come on board here but he's on the outside looking in yeah and he wants to get back in and there are some nights whenio's fresh and healthy and he's good out there, right? He can block shots. He can add great leadership at times. He's competitive, good hockey IQ. But not top four, right, anymore, or logging 18, 20 minutes. But between him, Edmondsonmondson brody and benoit like create boys it's up for

grabs we got 20 games to go and i'm telling you last night not overly impressed with any of you on the back end so play well keep your spot don't play well next man up yeah you know the the Leafs D is going to be about treading water by and large and getting the puck up into the hands of the forwards because you look at Florida say Forsling Ekblad Mikula Montour Kulikov Ekman Larson you know like it's just a totally different the amount of talent on the back end compared to the Leafs and they're just going to have to tread water. Protect the net front. Give your goalies a chance to make the first save, and hopefully they don't have to make a second one.

I do like that aspect. That, you know, ideally, there's not going to be a lot of second-chance opportunities for these goalies who you're already not sure about. So do you think that they're still defense shopping, or this is it? Someone, go ahead, Kim. I'd be disappointed to hear that they're still not shopping

or looking at ways to add more depth here. I had someone say they didn't think anything else would happen on D. I would think that if there was, it would have happened by now. Right? And the feel over the last few years is they don't need another five, six, or seven D. They need a top four. Yes.

That doesn't appear like it's happening unless Tree Living pulls a rabbit out of his hat and lands a Pareko or Brett Pesci. There's not any vibes, rumblings at all that that's going to happen in less than 24 hours here. So I can tell you that I'm hearing that they are shopping for another depth guy, probably in that third or fourth line. Someone like, right now, Nick Dowd's out there. I like him a lot.

You do, right? Yeah, it's face-offs pk and can play various sides right yeah he's a winger he can take face-offs too yeah so he could really help with the pk yeah but he's expensive still and washington doesn't have to give him up i think he's got another year on his deal at 1-3. But is there another type of guy like that out there that can add some more depth up front that isn't going to kill you? This all screams to me, tree living saying,

I know I can't make it look like I'm not going for it. Like I know that we can't sell. We have a good team we're competitive we have to add but i don't want to blow my brains out here and give up our first or give up cowan or give up mint and it seems to me like this is a tepid endorsement of this group at best i think they would give up their first as they tried to calgary for tan of but there's just there's nothing out there it's, you can't just give up your first for the sake of

trying to show everybody that you're trying your best or you're in or you're... You just can't make it up. No. There's just not anything sexy enough out there. Well, Barberchev's sexy as hell and fits. Maybe not

cap-wise, but uh what would his price be i think like two firsts no you're thinking of bush bush nevich is that what i yeah that's that's that's who you're thinking of sorry sorry sorry that's okay yeah that's okay yeah st louis so there's some rumblings about him and the r. Yeah. Now, the Rangers gave him away, or they traded him. They went for Sammy Blais in a first. No, a second, I think. A second and Blais. Do you really think that he's going back to the Rangers

with Chris Drury there, and what, you're going to pay a first and a top prospect? Because it's very expensive for that guy. Yeah. It's like... Well, he has another year, 5'7". Yeah, two firsts or first, and I want... I don't just want a B prospect.

I want your grade A prospect. Yeah. So they've got this one at Boston College, if I'm not mistaken, who's lighting it up. The Rangers do? Yeah, Perot. Does that make sense? Yeah.

So that's who they're asking for and it's like uh that's a big ask for a guy that you traded for a second yeah was it drury that traded him too like i think it was a slice of humble pie to say we'll take the guy back and we'll pay him yeah yeah i mean gorton was long gone i think but don't they um yeah like haven't they been linked to Gensel too? Like, they feel like they're really aggressive. Yeah, and I just, I understand where Leaf fans are coming from in terms of feeling like you're getting left behind a little bit.

Yeah. Like, I get it. And I just feel it a little bit too. And, you know, you see big sexy names going to big sexy teams, and you're like, why can't we have that? And the reality of the situation is it's not really possible, unfortunately, for the Leafs to do it. Yeah, you spend time looking at what they have to trade.

Yes, it's nothing. Yeah, they have nothing. That's why it took me three and a half hours to come up with four. It took me a long time. It didn't have to be 20 player trades. Wow. Well, I wrote an article today for the Toronto Star. Oh my God.

And it goes to what you're saying, that as much as I've sat here and said, you got to find a way to go all in. It's just not possible when you really kind of reflect. And trust me, it took no pleasure in rehashing Kyle Dubas' tenure here. But when you... A little bit of pleasure? No, no no smiles no no smiles no nothing but at least it gives you knock it off you too i'll put you in the corner i'll do this i'll do the rest of the show by myself. All right. See if you guys behave.

Beat up on me. All right. All right. But it speaks to why it's so quiet. Yeah. And that was the whole point of just revisiting it now. So people can understand, including me, to go back and say, hey, you can scream all you want.

Go in. The guys are in their prime of their careers in Matthews and Marner, and this is the time, but it's just not happening with what Brad Tree Living walked into. That was it. All-in works a very particular way. You either win the pot,

and you have lots of money, and you're very happy, and you won, or you have no chips left. That's the definition of what all-in in poker is, right right and that's year three or four or five of all-in yeah you turn your pockets inside out you got the bunny ears and they they showed a lot of all-in the last few years too yes probably the year that you really needed to be all- in was this year the guys are no it's against montreal everyone's do you see i don't i look back and i'm like matthews wasn't quite ready and marner

wasn't quite ready and they were still learning how to win and compete and oh no there's six or seven years not four like that's a big two-year different to to to work on your craft and to to get your skin thicker and it just seems like now seem to have been the time that you in hindsight of course it's all hindsight i really hard when you win the division going away in that canadian division yeah to not say fool's gold a little bit maybe. I mean that division sucked. You thought the blue line you were going to win with Hall. I saw that part of your article which I was like what are you talking about Kip? Like Muzzin was awesome.

Peak Morgan Riley. Justin Hall was a very good player for them. Then who was the other named TJ Brody. Brody was great early in his Leafs time. Yeah not for me. I would kill for that decor right now. Oh really? Oh yeah. Justin Hall back. The guy that can't play in Detroit right now oh really oh yeah justin hall back now the guy that can't play in detroit right now yeah three years ago was really good player

for the leafs oh boy jake muzzin was i mean as good as it got for what you're that type of player that time yeah the the jake muzzin thing was a tough one just with the injuries and how it played out i think if you play that out a few more times, it doesn't end up as bad as it did, but it's a tough one. You're talking about Dubas a lot, and I read that article, and it is a tough spot for Brad.

And I don't think people... I'm going out on this, but I don't think Brad has a ton to play with, and I think there's a lot of pressure on him, clearly. And it's just people are going to kill him if this is it. If this is it, I think he will be... I try to write the article for them to understand that maybe they shouldn't kill him.

And you can sit there and say, oh, my God, he blew it with Bertuzzi and Reeves and Klingberg. But those aren't game-changing decisions on a one-year deal yeah dubis made decisions that came back to haunt this team years years later that had a long lasting effect that to me is a huge difference here yeah i didn't agree with a lot of the article just because i feel like in that space that you have to write that article there's not enough time to provide context for a lot of what happened over that time talking about all-in seasons and you know one of the examples being

like the carolina trade where they give up a first yeah just unload a guy it's a loo contract for sure it's all in yeah you got to get rid of a guy. No, you don't have to. Marlowe was used. No. He was used. You didn't have to, Justin. But you know why they got rid of him? I'm okay to pay Jansen and Kapanen.

That's why they got rid of that contract. You didn't have to get rid of him for a first. You could have just sucked it up and held on to him. Why did you feel the need to give up a 13th pick overall to get rid of was he that awful was he horrible he was pretty bad it wasn't much so just suck it up you're better off to have held on to him and take a seth jarvis well yeah yeah then then take your chances to open up to me this is playing results playing results of how the draft went as well. Like Jarvis ended up being a very good player.

Anybody, there's a chance that there was going to be anybody that was going to be a very good player with that pick. I get it, Lou. You overpaid for him. But Kyle didn't have to give him away for 13th pick overall. You're right. It would have been curious to see what happens dominoes-wise. You probably don't keep certain guys,

and now knowing those guys didn't pan out very well, it's like, yeah. That's how valuable that first-round pick was. Yeah. And I think, because you see people say, like, the Leafs are in bad shape, and then people automatically do the whataboutism. It's like, well, look at Tampa, and look at Boston.

But the thing for me. It's like, well, look at Tampa and look at Boston. But the thing for me, the biggest difference, and the Leafs don't have as much to show for what all they've traded for at the deadline. Like, Tampa still has Hagel. They traded their first-round picks, and they have Hagel who's on the team who's contributing. Boston has Lindholm, who's like their top guy. They have Jeannot.

The Leafs have McCabeabe who is a good player but that is all they have to show for all these trades that they've traded all these assets for and that's why you're constantly bringing guys up from for one-year deals and team A team B but a lot of what those you know when you do the compilation of here's what picks went out and here's what picks came in a lot of that is you don't see the player retention. You get to have Jake McCabe at the deadline in an all-in year because you pay for attention. You get to have Ryan O'Reilly at the deadline who was great for you and helped you in a playoff series

because you pay for attention. You know, these are costs that came with getting these players for all-in. When you lose all-in, it's going to go bad. Can I admit something? I really wish Ryan liked it here. Ah, that'd be nice. That one hurt. Hurt. That one hurt. With one will smith meme here why don't he want me yeah it's wish it's okay if you felt like that was the need at the time but kyle needed absolutely 100 reassurance that ryan

you're going to become a ufa and you're not going anywhere. Yeah, we're spending this. How is there not a contract negotiated just prior to the deal that either is signed right away or sits, but how do you not have him back? How good would the Leafs look right now going into Boston in the first round with a Ryan O'Reilly right now? He could have had him for Bertuzzi's money, right? I mean, I know that he was offered the same money here.

He didn't want it. He chose that. But presumably Bertuzzi money. But you don't make that trade without it. Because I already got burned on Nick Foligno. I can't go back to the well and do it again and have you walk. Yeah. That one hurt too.

The Foligno one hurts. But again, Foligno got injured here. And, you know, they're a player away from winning a series. They lose and, you know, they lose by a goal in game five or whatever. I'm just saying, like, there are. That was the bad race, the Columbus year. No, it was the Montreal year. It was the Montreal year.

And they don't have him in that series or Tavares. You know, like. Well, he played, but his back was. He couldn't barely walk. Yeah, he fought Perry afteravares. You know, like... We played, but his back was... He couldn't barely walk. Yeah, he fought Perry after the knee. You know. And I think now, correct me if I'm wrong, is the fifth pick now gone in 2025?

Yeah. Which means that they get to sleep in more that draft year? For 25? No, they got to get up early. Don't they have the first in 25 that draft year for 25 yeah they gotta get up early because they don't have the first and 25 or they don't have the first they don't have the first they don't have the second they don't have the third they don't have the fourth my bad yeah that's don't even bother showing up i guess this upcoming i think they got it i think they still have a i think they have one fifth still. Because it was a Chicago fifth round pick. This year they have, I mean, they have seven picks in the draft next year.

Yep. And then it goes off a cliff. All right. We're going to have Andy Brickley from the Boston Bruins, color commentator, Nesson. He's going to help us tee up the back-to-back. Or not the back-to-back. The back, Buffalo back. Just ignore Buffalo. It-to-back, the back-Buffalo back.

Just ignore Buffalo. It never happened. We haven't mentioned it yet. It's been 25 minutes. What would you like to mention from that hockey game last night? Game stunk. Yeah. Okay, let's go to Sheldon Key for our first Kippers Clipper

of his overview. I mean, obviously, we weren't great tonight. We didn't move the puck very well. And as a result, didn't generate much. And when we did have opportunities to generate, I thought we overcooked it a little bit, tried to overpass it and didn't shoot enough. But, like, that's the last time we played these guys who gave up nine.

So you can understand why the guys were a little gun-shy tonight, you know, and be a little more careful. So I think that hurt us a little bit offensively. But to your point, you know, you're playing a tight game. You know, the next mistake could be the difference. And I liked how we stayed with it. I thought our third period was our best period. So, you know, to that end on a night like tonight, stay patient.

Stay committed to it, not get frustrated, not deviate, not to beat ourselves. You worked the game last night. Was it you that used the term sleepy? Yeah, maybe. Yeah, it was you. I also... Because I'm like, you nailed it.

Post-game after Austin Matthews scored, I said that might have been the first good play he made last night. Have you seen Austin Matthews play that bad before? I mean, that was the theory on the broadcast. Mike is not on. I said, was he sick? Yeah. Because what was going on?

I don't know. I mean, just couldn't win a puck battle turned it over just sammy caused that he didn't have any like energy yeah that's what i kind of felt like just he didn't you'd be hard pressed to find a worst game he's ever played and so they did have sick guys mccabe was sick yeah camp was a kind decision well that's definitely the giving him a pass version or trying to understand why he played like that. If I'm Sheldon, I would have snapped on them last night. I would have. I would have given it to them.

Come on. Maybe he did. You mean like in the media he would have done that? No, behind the scenes. Maybe he did. No, he did not. He didn't. No.

He did not. He did not because you don't come into the press conference and talk about being careful and patient and not deviate. You just say you're disappointed and not having more of an effort, for God's sakes, effort. Like, I think, who broke down Willie Nylander? I did. Okay.

He was their best player. He was their only player. Yeah, but at the end of the day, effort. Like, I think, who broke down Willie Nylander? I did. Okay. He was their best player. He was their only player. Yeah, but at the end of the day, you're saying, okay, here's Willie trying hard. Yeah. And here's Willie trying hard again. Yes. And let's pat him on the back.

He's trying hard. Yes. If you follow the man's career, this is a notable event. I know, but I'm saying that, like, you'd be hard-pressed to find a lot of other guys wearing the blue and white just to show the same thing yeah i get it you're not gonna play they're not all a box of chocolates over 82 but you kind of got fed a little bit by the boston bruins in my opinion you didn't really show up there and yeah they were good for a bit of it but you're right

it was ultimately wasn't great wasn It wasn't great. Yeah. You got to get ready to go play them again. And I'm not saying it's the be all end all tonight, but you got to start getting ready. You're going to play this team or the Florida Panthers. And to me, you got to be able to kind of push yourself a little bit now. You can't have these type of games where you just go, yeah, maybe it was the flu or they just to me i i would have tried to get a reaction out of them because you're going to need to push these guys a little bit here yeah i do want to hear the clip keith were you looking

past the sabers because i think that's a reasonable thought going into this week where you got the bruins and the bruins and the trade deadline you You're like, oh, I'm going to do this. Okay. Let's see what Keith has to say. Clip four, please. You know, I'm hoping that some of why maybe we weren't great, maybe we were saving a little in the tank for tomorrow night and looking past what we were trying to fight that and not do.

But obviously coming off the game on Saturday, you know, you can understand why we maybe were looking ahead a little bit. But, like I said, glad that we stuck with it. I was thrilled that we kept talking about it. You know, we're going well. We're 10 minutes from points. We're five minutes from points. You know, we're right there.

Stay with it. We got our one point. And, you know, got the second in overtime. So, you know, to that end, it's a good night. It's a successful night, a successful night, and we'll move on from this, try to get out to Boston as quickly as we can here right now and be ready for tomorrow. I would have hoped that he would have accused them

during the game at some point in the intermission to go, boys, you're looking past this team, and I want it to stop right now. And I don't care what you need to do but you start manufacturing some emotion here some physicality drive it up don't just fall asleep until we go into a uh a shinny game three on three and then have our top player who didn't show up tonight score a big goal here because that's that's always the recipe i got bad news for you uh in psychology terms i believe they this you would call this reinforcement some sort of they got exactly the outcome they wanted they didn't have to put maximal effort in matthews

gets a goal from marner g winner interview after the game They talent them way themselves too. They did enough. If you're sleepy in the first round, you've got to be able to go in there and rattle their cage and get a reaction the next period. But don't let them sleepwalk

through that game. If the Sabres had their usual FU towards the Leafs that they did not have tonight, I thought they were dreadful for most of that game. Not a lot of jam. Feels like a team that's ready for Cabo. It looked like game nine in an exhibition season of 10.

They just looked like they were not, and if they had anything, they would have beat the Leafs last night. They should have beat them. That save Samsonov makes at the end of the third period and stares down Tage Thompson in overtime. Without those two plays, they would have lost. Is it

a light switch tonight? They just turn it on and they're going to be good and competitive against the Boston Bruins and everything's hunky-gory and hunky-gory. Hunky-dory. No, hunky-gory maybe... Hunky-gory? Well, hunky-dory. No, hunky-gory maybe. It could be very gory.

It could be very gory. He's both hunky and violent. I don't often have a great feeling about games, but the second half of back-to-back, playing a lot of hockey, flew in the room. You feel like tough night? Could be a tough night. But then they might win because we don't know what just you know what boston's gonna bring like boston they turned

around 24 hours they had a big win against the the leafs and then or yeah and then they played the other night lost edmonton Edmonton in the last minute. But it was a good game, and they had lots of push, and they had lots of energy, and they showed up. They haven't made the trade yet, right? Like you're expecting Boston to not just go quietly through the deadline. Well, that's the other thing too, and not to go back to the Leafs leafs again on in terms of you know how limited

they are but but you know boston's got something up their sleeve and you know carolina's got something up their sleeve and tampa just lost out on hanafin so they may have something up their sleeve that's uh that someone's good someone's getting better or deeper the west right now is getting way better total arms race colorado is i mean different squad yeah totally different team than they were three days ago oilers got better vegas getting way better you know in the east here it's like florida made a move yeah they got Teresanko. Teresanko. Yeah. And they've been linked multiple times, too. Are they getting better? Gensel.

They've been linked to a few times, I've seen. So that wouldn't be fun. No, that would hurt. We should go to break. Okay. We will go to break, according to our producer, Sammy. When we come back, Andy Brickley will help us tee up Boston Bruins tonight for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

First round collision course, we'll find out after the break. The best Blue Jays show out there, period. Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Alright, let's welcome in Andy Brickley, Boston Bruins color analyst for Nessun as we get set to watch the Boston

Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on perhaps a first round collision course. Andy, what do you think? Well, that's the expectation from where I sit, that this will be a first-round matchup. And I think it's great hockey. I think it's entertaining. I think there's a great rivalry that's developed over the last decade plus.

And, you know, I love when both teams play well and may the best team win on that particular night. And that's the expectation when I go into the garden tonight to watch a Leafs team, I think probably needs a regulation win, maybe more so than Boston does. Yeah, I think that's fair. What are your thoughts on where this Boston Bruins team is right now? Do you think it's going to look much different after the deadline here in a couple days? Well, that is my expectation.

I think they've been in the process over the last several weeks of trying to obviously identify what their needs are, and they're plenty. And then which players can you acquire, and how do you go about affording it? I wouldn't say the Bruins are in an envious position with lack of draft capital and pretty tight to the cap as it is. So it certainly lends itself to, you know, a hockey trade of significance when you start talking about pending UFAs.

So I think that's where the Bruins are. That is my expectation, that there will be some transaction because again, when you look around and you see what the competition's doing in the East and teams are fortifying, I think you need to keep pace. Andy, one of the strengths over the last few years has been the goaltending between Swayman and Allmark, but sometimes all good things must come to an end and Swayman's going to be set to earn another contract he's younger

everything points to the direction of allmark leaving would you be surprised if he's still a bruin past uh tomorrow at 3 p.m eastern i know the market's shrunk a little bit around the league when it comes to goaltending but there's's still some teams like L.A. looking. Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't know, maybe you guys can better educate me on goalies of that caliber getting dealt at the deadline. I can't think of too many times where that's happened, and I know from what I understand and from what I hear that Moxham was on the move, that it looked like there was a deal done for him.

That would have surprised me as well. I get the contract situation. I get what Calgary's trying to do, but I would be really surprised. I thought if they were going to deal, oh, Michael, what happened last summer, if they're going to deal them, I think it would happen in this coming season, this coming off season. Yeah, that would surprise me. I understand if that's something that they want to do. I mean, he is definitely an asset that would get you much in return i get the concept but i would be surprised yeah brick looking at this uh bruins team you know we've talked so much here about bruins culture you know and patrice bergeon was obviously the embodiment of it but they're just on the right side of the puck hard

to play against it just felt like no matter who they put in, they kind of had the same, they played the same way. Is this Bruins team still that? Do they still have it living on through Marchand and Berger on there? Or has it changed a little bit with the absence of so many guys that left last year? Yeah, first of all, the culture still is very strong. And you make a good point. You know, Marchand's a good leader.

He still has his stripes that he has to deal with. He'll always be that kind of player. But, you know, there's good leaders in that room. And then the young guys that are coming, that next layer of leadership, the Charlie McAvoy's of the world, you know, they're in that growth stage of becoming a major voice in that room and a leader on the ice. That being said, it's different.

You're definitely right. It's different. It doesn't have that confidence level, and it shows up in the games where they give up leads in the third period. They can't win big face-offs in the third period. They're leaving points on the table on games where they've played well in order to have leads in the game after two periods. You don't have 37 throwing his skates over the boards. You don't have 33 on the back end doing the same, which is the way it was for 20 years. And, you know, there was just that real confidence that, you know, that made its way through that

locker room out into the ice. They knew that they were going to lock teams down and they knew they were going to, you know, collect their two points on nights where they deserved it. And it's been different. It's been different this year. And that's an area that in these next whatever it is 17 18 19 games before the playoffs that that they need to be better they need to be mentally tougher in those situations and that's where the leadership comes in we're talking to former nhl player now current analyst with the boston bruins andy brickley so i thought the loss of Patrice Bergeron and Krejci would have had a bigger effect in the standings than they have, which is great for Bruins fans. But it has shown up in protecting late leads, hasn't it?

It has. It has. And I had that same feeling, too. I mean, you look at this team coming into the season, you say they get some really nice parts, they get some really nice plays. Pasternak, he continues to produce. You know, you're wondering who's going to play center, who's going to get that guy the puck,

who's going to let him do what he does best, who's going to be able to be in the middle and distribute and still be able to protect him as far as having a 200-foot game. And whether he's playing with Charlie Coyle or he's playing with Paolo Zaka, they've done a nice job. Those two players have had really good years. They're real good players. But are they elite?

And are they guys that you can count on in the final minutes of a hockey game? You would like to think so, but it hasn't happened to the degree that a Bergeron or even a Krejci would be able to deliver in those situations. So you hope there's growth in that area, but I am surprised happily that they've been able to amass as many points as they had. They had a great start to the season. I don't want, I believe the first 10 games, October, November, December. I mean, it was, you know, they just had winning records.

And that was a lot on the back of the both goaltenders. They're both goaltenders were really, really strong the first half of the year, the first four months, the first 40 games. And then coming out of the all-star break, the Bruins game, their team defense, their coverage, their willingness to cover. I hate doing replays when the Bruins give up goals in this, you know, four black and gold jerseys right around the goal scorer. Nobody's doing it.

I mean, it's not Bruins hockey. That's not the way they defend. You know, they got to be more committed to the defensive side and being on the right side of the puck. You know, if they did that, then, you know, they'd be challenging. They'd still be ahead of Florida if they had that in their game, but they haven't had it over the last 14 or 15, which is why I was really impressed with their performance in Toronto.

The other night they needed a game like that. Yeah. Swainman played very good, no question about it. But I thought they were far more committed to the defensive part of the game in that game, and that's the way they need to play more consistently. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. They did look solid against the Leafs. We do have you on during our Leafs hour, so I feel obligated to ask, how's JVR at this point in his career?

He was beloved here. How much has he got left in the tank for the Bruins? Well, it was nice to see him play his style of game the other night. He was pretty humble about the recognition that he was getting. Hey, look, he went to the University of New Hampshire. That's my alma mater. Of course, I'm going to go to bat for this guy. No, he's still got great hand-eye.

He's got great reach. He makes plays from the tops of the circles down, around the goal line, in front of it. He was snakebitten in the early years. He was getting the chances that he normally gets, but he just wasn't finishing. But he's continuing to make plays. They wanted him on that top power play unit to work the front of the net,

to have that low play available, to retrieve pucks, keep plays alive in the offensive zone. And when he's at his A game, he's done all of that. But you know where he is in his career. You know his age. The foot speed needs to be constantly worked on. When you get older, you've got to continue to evolve. You've got to keep up with this young man's game

and the pace of play that is the National Hockey League. And he's doing his best. He's been versatile in the sense that he's moved up and down the lineup. Some nights he could play on the first line. Other nights he's playing on the third line. But I think for the contract that he signed, up and down the lineup. Some nights he could play on the first line, other nights he's playing on the third line. But I think for the contract that he signed, for the term and the money, he's delivered. Andy, one more for me.

We know Brad Marchand's the captain, and he is the face of this team right now, but how far off is Charlie McAvoy? Yeah, right around the corner. You know, Brett's Brad 35 now um you know he he obviously just played his thousands game and and he talks about no end in sight you know no reason he can't play 1500 is his mindset but those are hard minutes you know i mean that kid competes when you're talking about brad marshall he competes and competes and at his size you know i don't know

what his longevity is and i think as mcavoy continues to play anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes a night, particularly in the big games against the best teams, against the toughest opponents, individual opponents, you know, he ascends to the leader, to the leadership. It'll be his team probably in two years at a maximum. And I think it's something that he desires, something he wants, something he's growing into. He's not there yet, but he's getting there.

He could use a little help on the back end. They miss Hampus Lindholm, even though he wasn't having the same year he had last year. McEvoy does need some help back there. I don't need him to be the leading body checker on the back end on this team because I want him on the ice. I want him healthy, and I want him with the pucks. But, yeah, it'll be his team within two years,

Max. How far is Lindholm? What's the latest on him? He's skating. He's skating. They haven't indicated when his return is, but I think we're getting pretty close. He's skating, and my expectation is sometime this month, obviously. Andy, have a great call tonight,

but not too great. You know what I'm saying? It's a Leafs show. Yeah, no, I understand. I'll tell you, the league have a great call tonight, but not too great. You know what I'm saying? It's a Leafs show. Yeah, no, I understand. I'll tell you, the league's a great place where the Leafs are good, so I'm excited. Okay. All right. Andy Brickley, everybody.

Thank you. Thanks, Brick. Appreciate it. Where do you want to go? We only got a few minutes left before we break and bring in our national audience here. How about Samsonoff? I just had a quick thing about the Bruins.

They are honoring the 2011 Cup winning team tonight. So they're going to be charas in the building, quad Julians there. Just to haunt the Leafs. They are going to be loud and proud. Bergeron

will be in the building. And he'll be playing. They'll be like, my God! And he just comes out and plays first line center. Love it. Oh, yeah. And he'll be playing. They'll be like, Oh, God. And he just like comes out and plays first line center. Love it. 20 guys in blue and white should be thinking us against the world tonight. Let's go beat them and just ruin their night. Piss on their wheel.

Is Edmondson playing? I want him playing immediately. I don't think he's going to make it. He's more number 20. Bad number. God. Samsonov in that tonight? No, I don't think so.

It would be Joel, probably. Yeah. You okay with that? Yeah. Are you changing your mind on Samsonov at all? Not really. No? Listen, who knows what it's going to look like in the next month, six weeks like if samsonov can play like he did last night and hold this spot i i

don't know how you don't have him as a serious candidate to start especially if but you got to get walls games in you've mentioned this in the past it seems like they're going to rotate one one game here one game there until you find out how good one guy can be. Yeah. You know, we got to the point where it was like, it doesn't matter how good Samsonov plays. I'll never trust this guy again. And then he's 8-1 his last night and looked good.

Is that enough, though? No, it's not enough. But it's enough. I'm listening. For sure. And he's earned that right. They stunk last night, for the most part, the Stabers. But the thing that I did like,

and this is the only time I'll bring up the playoffs in that game in the same sentence, but to me the thing that jumped out to me was the clutch safes. Like at the end of that game where they'd been carrying the play, the Leafs had been carrying the play, it comes down there and it's a hard hard wrist or redirection. He makes that big pad save, and then in overtime, stares down Tage Thompson. You kind of, like,

you need clutch goals in the playoffs, but you need clutch saves that kind of help you, and I just, those are big saves. I liked it. We had someone, yep. Yeah, go ahead. We had someone tweeted us just, you know, we were talking about that third period last night. The Leafs were really good in the third last night. To their credit, about, just, talking about that third period last night.

The Leafs were really good in the third last night. To their credit, they gave up three shots. You know, they were in Buffalo's end for 16 minutes or something. It was a nice, quiet game. It was quiet. Nobody got hurt. The ice didn't get scratched up in their end, and they stayed patient. Just a bit of breaking news. The Leafs announced they've acquired Kane's unsigned pick,

Cade Weber, in exchange for a 2026 sixth round pick. So there you go, boys. That's from Frank Cervelli on Twitter. Stacking up the assets. Okay. Cade Weber. Unsigned pick, Cade Weber. Okay.

The sound you hear is Googling. They got Cade Weber. What did the Leafs shoot Buffalo like 6-0 to start? How long did it take them to get their shot? Cade Weber. Cade Weber, yeah. Please. And then they ended up getting outshot 9-6 in the period.

So it was one of those. I thought it was a good start. I thought they forechecked really well. I had a pack all built on their great forechecking. I didn't know because they fell apart. Cade Weber is a 6'7", 208-pound left-shot defenseman playing in his fourth year at Boston University. It was a fourth-round pick, 99 overall,

by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2019. I like this. There you go. Big. Yeah, that's big. That's what Brad wants. He's tired of the Smurfs on the blue line. 6'7", 208.

We get it, Brad. You like the... Look out, rim thing. You want the large men. The big, mean men. He's got a lot to make up for. Yeah. I remember the Leafs pre-Dubas were like,

let's draft Keaton Middleton. He played-Dubas were like, let's draft like Keaton Middleton. He played for the... He was like, yeah, you need guys who can play. Hopefully this guy can play. The Penticton Vs

in your neck of the woods, isn't it? That is. There you go. Short 40 minutes. So, yeah, we're good on Samsonov. All good.

You want to hear or no? No. Do you want to hear anything? I want to hear what you have to say. For Samsonov? Just in general. More than these Keefe clips of him saying nice things.

Well, first of all, I'm really excited to see the Leafs reaction at puck drop tonight against the Bruins. Yeah. So. Not giving up a breakaway nine seconds in maybe? That would help. Okay. That would help.

But just the sense of urgency to say okay a couple games got away from us let's let's take it up a notch here and a huge challenge uh they got coils shut down matthews in toronto and marner didn't look like marner-esque saturday last saturday night against uh or uh sorry tuesday night against boston monday and Marner didn't look like Marner-esque last Saturday night against, sorry, Tuesday night against Boston. Monday. Monday? Yep.

I'm horrible with days. Yeah, whatever. It's a good challenge for them tonight. Well, this is the thing, Kip. It's like, you know, we need to see against the good teams. This is, you know, when it's like a measuring stick night. And Morgan needs a good night tonight, too. That would be great.

I'd like to see that, too. All right. Our thanks to Andy Brickley. It's the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. We're not going away. We go national next. Plenty more to talk about as we get ever so closely to the 3 p.m. trade deadline. Back after this.