Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Eeking Out a Win in Edmonton

Episode Date: February 3, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on the Leafs' 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night to snap their 3-game skid. They discuss the longevity of this winning formula, Joseph Woll's statement in net, the top line's 200-foot game, Morgan Rielly's effort and much more. Then, they get into Leafs' trade targets at centre and whether they should look into Brayden Schenn as a potential option at the deadline. Later, Sportsnet Leafs insider Luke Fox (34:25) weighs in on Canadian fans booing the American anthem, shares the latest injury news on Mitch Marner, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz, and evaluates Craig Berube's season behind the bench so far.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.

Let's welcome everybody into the real kipper and born show. This is our leaf hour edition. We are with you for the next two hours. Wherever you're watching listening all of our platforms like live sports net 590 the fan sports that 360 and sports net plus we're glad you're aboard what a busy weekend I am Nick Kiprios he is Justin Bourne he is Sammy McKee and Derek Brandeo and Jake Schultz. Okay, jam packed weekend. Yeah. And like, of course we've had some trades that we're gonna discuss, some not even hockey related, but we will discuss them in the next two hours here.

Why Friday night? And then you go into Saturday night, Marquis matchup, Matthews, McDavid, Toronto, Oilers, and Sammy goes to a wedding. A wedding. Disappear. Because two people are in love. Sammy bailed on Toronto and Edmonton for love. I will say it was lovely.

I do love weddings and I had a fantastic time. And I will say I was blown away at the amount weddings and I had a fantastic time and I will say I was blown away up the amount of people that I should care about Lee's talk. I got the amount of messages So what did you do? What did you do? So there's no show? No show. You left everybody out to dry So I tried to watch the game on my phone at the table and I had it going but you're not really paying attention And then I saw them make it 4-3 and I'm like I'm going to the bar.

This is tomorrow's problem. I'll deal with this tomorrow. Tequila! So I got a cold high and I hung out with my friends but yeah it was great. This is good. He saved all of his takes for us. Yeah, I watched the game yesterday. It was a really great rewatch. Knowing that they won the game It was a lot of fun. So shout out all the boys. Shout out Vic. Shout out his lovely wife Amanda amazing wedding To suggest that we've watched every leaf game live would be a just a flat-out lie impossible

How are you on replay watching? I'm I'm I'm not great. Yeah, it's hard. I'm like it's There's the one game you and sammy I looked at the group chat and it was just like killing the Leafs and they end up losing three nothing And I gotta go home and watch them score zero times and lose. I think it was Ottawa or something I was I don't know if I can do it. You know, you're gonna watch like Nothing happen. Yeah, and it's like yeah He sat there with good intentions and watched the first like three minutes and it's just like the device You know, I loved it. I really enjoyed it. I think it's you know, I was able to you know, you get to flip through the commercials

Yeah, the commercials are it's good. It's a bonus to get through the question I've really you know, I did it was a good game lots happen lots to talk about so it wasn't too bad Okay, so we'll start there. And of course, some trades also. Like, is it no one's allowed to trade if it's not Friday night? Is that the way it works now? That's a good news dump time. But you would think that that these teams would be proud of these trades and they would want to all the attention possible for acquiring great players, but I Don't know could be a coincidence. It's been Friday at dinnertime I forgot those trades even happened after Luca Donchich got traded in the NBA

I honestly like I thought it was a huge moment for like them trading all this up But was that Saturday night? Yes. So did you get were you two tequilas in? In the car on the way home, and I had our boy. Were you at bunk? I was with JD Bunkus, and I was scrolling Twitter, and I looked, and it popped up, and I read it three times, and I said, oh my God,

and it just went from there. What would bunk do? Oh, we were both like, he said, it's fake, it's fake. We were just like, it's fake. So it was a crazy weekend for transactions, but yeah, the hockey trades, it's one that was rumored forever, so we'll talk about it more with Haliford in the national hour But yeah crazy crazy indeed in the meantime the Leafs

now Second time in a short period where they end a three-game skid hmm so it was a dramatic that it wasn't probably as pretty as I would probably think Borubi or the management team would have liked but wins a win. No? You know what I liked about this is this was a separate this separated Borubi and Keef. I don't know if you guys saw Berubi postgame, but he said, basically, you guys battled your asses off. We got big blocks, big saves.

We scored big goals. Like that's a win. And I liked that because yes, Kip, we had sit here and go, they were outshot by 20. You know, it was 18 to five in the second period. The Oilers carried the play. Pick it all apart, fine. But it's like, I think this is more towards what you're looking at in playoffs, on the road, intense environment, get a lead, can you find a way?

And they found a way. Let's listen to Barube's overview of the game, alluding to what you're talking about there, because I agree with you. I thought it was a really good synopsis of the game. Clip one, Barube, please, Derek. Yeah, well, we got the game. Clip one, Borubay please, Derek. Yeah, well we got the lead. I thought that, you know, we could have made a harder push, you know, and thought that we let them come at us too much and they're a very good team. We know that. We got great players, so. But, you know, we did a lot of good things, but

I think that we could have been more aggressive with the lead. We got that 4-1 lead right away and, you know, I would have liked, you know, I'm not critiquing wins because wins are wins and they're good, but you know, we could have pushed a little bit more on them. But the world was great. Guys battled. It was a battle, playoff type game.

A lot of credit to their team. They're very good. You didn't like it. Well, good. You didn't like it? Well, not that I didn't like it. I just think that it's been going on for a long time where the other team's really, really good and tons of credit to them and finding a way, but like, wouldn't have been the worst thing to say

that we can't just think that we're going to find ways to win like this. It's just not going to happen in the playoffs and we're only fooling ourselves if we think that this will work in the playoffs. It's just we've got to play harder. We've got to find ways to balance it out and to continually rely on our goalie to do what he did last night. It's not realistic.

I mean this was the Leafs formula when they win this year. They get goals from the top six guys. You know, it's Marner and Mc, uh, McMahon, Knies. We got to have the other one. One of the top guys, Willie probably. I don't remember. Willie? Willie, yeah. And, uh, and they get saves. That guys, Willie probably. I don't remember. Willie. Willie, yeah.

And they get saves. That's like the formula for a Leafs win. If those guys don't score, they don't win. So yeah, there's definitely some concerns about it. The one thing in particular is just how much the Oilers carried the play. There's 90 shot attempts at the Leafs net and 44 the other way.

So Leafs ended up- 90? 90, the Leafs ended up blocking 24 shots to the oilers seven Yeah, so yeah, they you know, they packed the bus a little bit and tried to hang on and did hold on needed a overturned call in the blue line there, but You know find a way Wow Joseph Wall is the is the way yeah, it was like what a goal it was It was fun to watch I will say that that

watching him is if you're a leaf and I Come on, like when was the last time you've ever seen that type of yeah performance like Over and over again. How many how many how many games of the Leafs? gotten again. How many games have the Leafs gotten point wise because of those guys? It is concerning that the high danger chances against are much higher than they were at the start of the year where we thought they had straightened up their defending. Now it's

just really Woll defending or making saves. I was watching that game and thinking about his US teammate national team program there is Ottinger. I was like that game and thinking about his us teammate national team program There is Ottinger. I was like, are we sure he's worse than on Jer? Like am I maybe I'm pretty excited about wool, but like I'm not sure He's not just as good I tried to figure out because I've seen it on the internet from smart people But I tried to figure out where to find the goalie steals save steals that because I feel like there's one out there and

I don't know how I went to one out there and I don't know how I went to money puck and I couldn't figure out my money puck is the most intimidating website in the world to me as a as an old-school hockey fan I was so scared on there trying to figure it out but if you broke down the Leafs in terms of how many goalie steals they've gotten this year quote-unquote I bet you it would be more than they've had combined in the last like so three or four years without think about it Stollers and him you can think of five games they wouldn't know one without them so like I was just gonna ask you what what is what's the

number what's the number of points he's just throw five games so that's ten points that's ten points where one goalie made the difference. Would you agree with that number? I think it's a pretty fair number. I agree. Sure. But they're on the team too. I also like that point.

You're allowed to have good goaltending, which the team has never had. I know you are allowed, but it's very rare. Definitely. It's rare, but there are guys who sustain that ability right? They are that good and you know, we've seen Vasilevsky in the playoffs and just Erkin in the playoffs and you know, Bob recently It's like either you believe that this is not who wool is or you believe this is potentially a way for them to find a way Through I know I'm with you. Yeah, you don't want to count on getting great saves. That's a risky plan He's just so sound positionally, like the puck just hits him up

high so often made such a great shoulder save on Perry, the slap shot and there was a slap shot from Perry that he just catches with the shoulder like, and not obviously has spectacular ones, including the one at the end of the end of the game on Perry, the one cross crease on Skinner was it, that he went cross crease and got right before they scored the second or third goal. Like he made some spectacular saves.

But he's just so sound. So like in the right spots at all times, like kind of a robo goalie in a way. Did we play Borubi on Joseph Wong? We did not. Let's have a listen to the head coach on his star goaltending. Just the battle, because the way they play, you know

I mean they move that puck around and they shoot a lot of there's a lot of temps that are coming at the net and I thought he Was fighting for fighting through traffic and fighting for the puck battled hard Obviously made some great saves from competing. Yeah, and he does. I think Kelly on the broadcast talked about how he abandons his form when it gets desperate.

He's willing to just get in the way, find a way, and at the end of the game, that's certainly what you see. So, like I mentioned to you last week, and you got a little bit Not cross at me, but you gave me the hairy eyeball. This is what gives me hope Yeah, this is listen. This is what I I watched a game like that last night and you could picture that game in the first Round against some upstart team that's red hot. Yeah, 45 shots against you Your star power takes over your goalie steals it for you You've seen that like you're not gonna play as badly

I didn't think the Leafs were very good for you've seen that, like you're not gonna play as badly, I didn't think the Leafs were very good for most of that game. But. I'm not about to call him Dominik Hoshik. Okay. But that's the type of goal-tenning that took Buffalo once upon a time

to a Stanley Cup final, right? Yeah. Where you look at the team and you're going, huh. But this guy in that gives you a chance every night. That's the type of goaltending. He's given the Leafs a good portion of the season. Yeah. So to take it away from the crease and look at some other things that happened in that

game, one of the most noteworthy ones to me is Jake McCabe plays over 30 minutes. You know, against top guys, big minutes, the play he makes on McDavid late, who's busting wide and he hustles and gets a piece and drives him into the end wall. I thought a great game from McCabe. Somehow gets his hip on McDavid's hip, even though he kind of beat him a bit and knocks him off stride. It was a beautiful play. I mentioned this yesterday on Twitter, but I'll say it to you too.

With the cap going up, that contract all of a sudden looks like, and I know he's older, and I know it's a longer term one, but like $113 million cap, and you're paying him what, four and a half? He's actually been super cheap for them because he had been retained previously. And deferred. That's right too. Yeah. So yeah, you're getting a nice cap hit on McCabe for

years to come. Now, there are concerns with the D. Obviously, OEL leaves with injury. They've called up, is it Dawson Mercer? Is that how they called him? No, they called Dawson Mercer. That's a different team. He plays the Devils. Dakota Murmus. Dakota Murmus. Same initials and sounding name. But yeah, so they called him up because all of recommend Larson left the game So is considered day to day they didn't say I have anything worse than that Ruby immediately after the game was like Yeah, they said day to day lower body. I was like, oh my god, you can't even wait till Anyways, so yeah. Yeah Yeah, and other than that, I thought Power Play was good.

They got a couple net front goals out of Knives and McMahon, which is encouraging. How did, like, of course, it's hockey night in Canada Saturday night. The build up was McDavid versus Matthews. Did it play out the way you thought? Matthews and Marner, four points between them. Did it play out the way you thought? Matthews and Marner, four points between them. At the end of the day, points are points and wins are wins. But how did you see that matchup?

I thought they were awesome. The third period in particular, I thought like a ton of touches were great. Like outside of that line being on the ice, I felt uncomfortable. But I really liked how they looked and how they played defensively in particular your thoughts similar not similar. Yeah, I think Austin's still kind of I just don't see that consistent push that consistent threat like i'd like to but uh Yeah, I kept I thought he was really good at all the center Iceman things, you know taking pucks away getting out of their own Well, they're protecting that lead. Yeah, how about you?

I think nice is hugely important to that line where I just like those two guys can do what they do and They have such a hard time. I find in a lot of these games getting to the middle of the ice You and Marner for sure Matthews and he doesn't necessarily either that one season where he was tipping a million pucks and get into the center of the middle of the ice But doesn't feel like that happens as much recently and I thought that nice Really brings that really opens up the middle of the ice because he's just a cinderblock and for the net and the goalie scores in the power play You know watching was he crumpled in the corner on the pocket?

Yeah, I just, you know, you watch him play and you know, we were watching them lose. Was it three in a row and he wasn't in the lineup? And you can mention to Boris and he's clearly a really important guy. But I think it's scary how important Matthew Nise is to the team. I just what he brings the element he has in terms of that power forward, his physicality in front of the net. Like I really, really liked his game on Saturday. I mean, he scores a big goal.

He's just thick neck, kind of a mutant out there. He's been really good. All right, let's go to Craig Berube on his thoughts on McDavid and Dreisaitl and the job that his hockey club did against them. Well, I mean, we had, well, we had two lines probably most of the time against them tonight And I thought that they did a good job for the most part It's hard to handle those guys. They're very good players

We know that but you know our D did a good job against them and When our forwards whatever who was ever out there did it, they tried to stay on them, get above them, not give them too much time and space. So overall, keeping them off the score sheet goal-wise, they had some looks, obviously. You can't get seemed twice in the dying second, six on five, like, hey, McDavid is looking for Leon. He's looking to get it back door to Leon.

That was a nice gift going offside. Yeah, for sure. I know, but it's not easier said than done. It's McDavid and Dry Settle, and he's punished guys for 34 times this year. Has he scored another goal this year, other than that one? He's so good from that spot, and he almost scored earlier in the game.

He fluttered one. just like there's no defensive strategy that shouldn't include Like one guy's on Leon that no you guys just on him now. You're right five on four everywhere else You're right, but they you know, it's it's hard to it's hard to You know easy to say it and then once you get out there and he's going downhill like that But I mean, yeah It's easy to say it and then once you get out there and he's going downhill like that. But I mean, yeah. You know, in terms of red flags on that game, Domi played 10 minutes, played three minutes after the Oilers scored their first goal, I think, in the rest of the game.

You know, that line with Robertson and McMahon, it's just becoming clear as you watch trades happen around the league. Like, Ruby can't be loving that line right now Trying to figure how to make that work. Yeah, I thought Saturday nights another example of You've got to do something here at the center ice position you need you need something here moving forward and that line was between Holmberg and moving forward and

that line was between Holmberg and Max or whatever. It's just it's not getting it done right now. Yeah I thought like every time that that they put the Robertson McMahon Domi trio on the ice was probably the worst minutes that the Leafs had like I just I really didn't think that they yeah Really had much sustained anything. I tell you though, I have moments where I'm like, if it's Domi or Robertson going over the boards, I'm not sure who I want right now. Max is struggling. I do like the fourth line that they put together. That Lorenz-Kampf-Holmberg fourth line works for me.

It plays heavy. Big, strong, long sticks. They had a shift in the third period, I think, with about five minutes to go, where they had them pinned for a minute. They munched the minutes off of the clock, which helped. And they could have made about five little slips up by the blue line,

and every time there was a play, obviously there, they just held on or put it back low, and it was like, I hated it it back low and it was like I Hated it offensively, but it was like that's exactly kill the clock Yeah, that's exactly what the coach wants them to do and Lorenz I don't know. Maybe you can think of the one even but Lorenz had Holmberg in the high Exactly had the puck on the wall and it was like he's there. He's there. He's there He's just not gonna give it to him. Yeah, he's making the safe play

And I think that that bodes well Lorenz will be there in playoffs on the fourth line, he's there, he's just knocking to give it to him. He's making the safe play and I think that bodes well. Lorenz will be there in playoffs on the fourth line assuming he's healthy. Lot of talk last week about Riley, thoughts on him in the game on Saturday. Ends up dash one to get an assist and he ended up with an assist, yeah. Two shots on goal, played 22 minutes, two block shots. Yeah, I thought he put pucks towards the net. Yeah. I he's definitely conscientious of of trying to be involved a lot more, which I'm I'm okay with. I'm open to it because it's not necessarily you just sitting back either. You're trying to be proactive here to get things going your

way. It's a start. We'll see where it goes tomorrow night in Calgary, but I expect to see more of the same where he's, he's pushing he's, he's pushing it. What else can you do? It's still it's. Yeah, it's not it's not a good look on this hockey club. What is he dash 19 18? Yeah, lots. I don't know. It's just it may cost him a few more dashes to try to get out of this on the opposite side. Yeah, he's minus 19. There's not going to be a game where you're like Riley's back baby. You know, like he's needs to chip away and layer one brick on the next to rebuild and it's gonna take some time for them. I think they may have to go shopping.

Yeah. It's interesting. I saw that San Jose trade. They do. Yeah. San Jose traded for Grandland and CC for a first. And I know Cody CC has been through it and the public floggings in Canada, but I like that trade.

I would have liked that trade for the Leafs Maybe not CC as much but she's played minutes for a team that went to game seven of the finals last year Yeah, kill penalty. Yes had a primary assist on the only goal they scored in that game in game seven by the there is no doubt in my mind if if Brad tree livings working on something right now it is Trying to find your centerman that you like and what he got on D that can package this thing. He will find a similar type of trade with a centerman and a defenseman in my opinion

moving forward. Yeah. It's just getting thinner and I'm getting worried as JT Miller moves, as Mikhail Granlin moves, obviously, Ranton and Anachos move. There obviously ranting in a natures move. You say there's only so many guys that can move. The Islanders are suddenly competitive and not looking to trade. You know, you start looking around the league and you're squinting and going Scott Lotton the answer.

Like, you know. You guys know how I feel about that type of centerman where it's like you're locked in to go trade for Scott Lotton will cost you probably a first or a second and a third. What about if you gave him Rista Lane? I don't think he's high enough. Yeah I know. I don't think it's gonna like if the leaves don't score like is Scott gonna come in and help that? No, it's not like he jumps over the boards. You're like, we got a chance to get one.

You need a centerman that can almost push John Tavares down. You're almost literally only talking about Dylan Cousins. You need somebody as good or better than John Tavares. Who is that? Yeah, you're right. You mentioned the name of cousins. We've dropped Kadri's name before. That's the type of impact I think player that they should be going for.

And... Kadri just said they're not doing okay Kadri I don't like the fact that Braden Shenz got I don't know two or three years left on his deal and after this two after this and he's already 33 yeah not thrilled with it but how good would he look this year do you coming in I mean that's the name that I had brought up last week. Do you think that's a name? I do.

You think they'd six and a half this year and three more after? Oh, it's three more after. Three more after? Yeah. Can you get St. Louis to eat some of it? They don't retain, do they? They don't retain, but times are changing.

Three more years. Yeah, that's scary. That's the type of impactful guy. Ryan O'Reilly. That's the guy that excited Lee fans two years ago. You try to sign him, didn't wanna stay, but that's better than the names that you just got me. Shane's gonna finish with 20 goals this year, you know and 45 50 points

But he also the thing with shan is he does a lot, right? He also hits and he's a character guy and he can do whatever you need him to do by and large but So can I at least need a blockbuster? they do So the question that perfectly kind of uh part or par off that, and that's not the word I'm looking for, I got the gambling mind. Anyways. Doesn't not work.

Okay, we'll use it. For a living, I'm seeing a little bit of it from Calgary fans. I'm seeing it a little bit kind of out there bubbling up amongst Lee fans as sort of like the tire kicker here, where a guy, I don't want to make a cross-border comparison But much like the Jays at times that are seemingly in on a lot of things but then when the dust settles after the trade deadline a lot of the good players are on other teams and that as a reputation I've heard from Calgary fans and You know, it's starting to bubble up amongst Lee fans any thoughts on that

The fundamental difference is that in Major League Baseball, Toronto is Columbus, you know, we are not yeah and in hockey We're the Yankees. Yeah, you know, it should be people being like I want to be a part of that They have all the money, you know, we should be the Dodgers. Yeah So it's worse is that point these baseball they have an excuse to not land the big one. I mean, you talk to people in the league. Have you ever heard that? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. That's out there.

It's out there. Oh yeah, for sure. And I mean, I'd have to go back and really revisit everything he's done, but it doesn't seem overly unfair. He's made a couple big. He does. He has a reputation for making like way more calls than other GM's like this guy will talk like to everybody Mm-hmm, so it's like

You know you you rather go one for five than one for fifty, right? Yeah, it's batting average is way better Yeah, the other way around but he will He'll take his bat off the shoulders on everybody and anyone. And if it appears that he's in on everything and doesn't end up with something, it's only because he swung the bat so many times. But he needs to come up with something between now and the trade deadline.

There's just no way that anybody could look at this hockey club or the way they played Saturday night and go, yeah, they're close to being ready to make a major push here. If you don't wanna put all the weight of the world on Joseph Wall or Stolarz when he comes back. Particularly when you really make clear that this is about the Stanley Cup

and being with the best teams at the end, at least the final four four teams and a team like the Oilers, they're not done. Oilers are going to add someone, they're going to add some D. Did you see anything Saturday night that suggests that they can win the Stanley Cup? I mean, it's the same answer in that, yeah, you know, I saw a couple of guys that make you think they can win the Cup. Couple of guys. I didn't see a blue line and I'm not sure I saw a couple of guys that make you think they can win the cup. Couple guys. Yeah. I didn't see a blue line and I'm not sure I saw a goal tanning. Yeah.

Skinner, I said to Sam in our chat, sometimes it looks like he's using like a worn out velcro pad when you're playing with a sticky catch. He has such some of his nights are just like, holy. But I mean, he was huge for them in a lot of big games in the playoffs last year. But you catch him on the wrong night. And you you're like they'll never win anything with this guy Yeah, it's kind of don't know you don't really which is not that's exactly what you want in your goalie Yeah, having no idea which guy we got tonight No, I I do get the feeling though watching this team that they are in bigger need of a bigger trade

Well, let's be real the Leafs are a plus nine gold differential team after 53 games, 52 games. So 30 games left, they're plus nine. You know, that's not great. That's a pace to be a plus 15 team. Those are six, seven seeds. Those are not Stanley Cup winners. Teams are plus right now in the league, teams that are plus 53, plus 64, plus 40, plus 29, plus 28, you know, plus nine. and say what you will about oh we don't like plus minus in the end you will sort the standings and the best teams are at the top. Talking to an executive over the weekend I'm like how many times how many teams do you

think could legitimately win the Stanley Cup? 13. He gave me 11 Stanley Cup. 13. He gave me 11. Yeah. 11. Yeah. That's a lot.

It's a huge number compared to... It's usually half that. Did they say the Leafs? Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Nice. Was it Brad to the 11?

That's one third of the Leaf. Was it Brad to the 11? No. No. In saying that, like we can also, and I said to him like, out of the 11, how many of them like have major flaws? He said, 11. Yeah.

Right? So how many of them are going to repeat? Zero. As much as you'd like to improve here, here and here because it's exposed once a week They're all all the same like this is part of that that that Meteorocrity of the league today is that there's nobody that's really really great or or or the holes that they have are not necessarily plugged. No, this is April 2nd 2019.

I've got an article that says why this is the year a weird ass team wins the cup. It might be St. Louis Blues won the cup that year. I feel exactly the same this year. Exactly the same. It's going to be it very it could be the Leafs here It could be the Oilers year. It could it it ain't gonna it could be anyone Well, I mean look at the best team in the league by friends have been saying that for no Usually you're so far behind the best teams. I'm just saying though. I'm just saying though like it's it's what it is wide open

I'm just saying though, I'm just saying though, like it's, it's, it is wide open. I actually think, I said, but those words. Do the Leagues have a better chance this year because of that? Yes, yes. If you're run, do I have a better chance running against my son's grade three class or the guys in the Olympics? You know, give me the kids in Beaumont Public School. They got a better chance against a bunch of average runners here. Yeah, I'm looking at the top two teams and points percentage in the league It's the Jets and it's the cat heading like that You can get to a Stanley Cup final beat anybody and I know so many Lee fans myself included

That watching game five and game six from Joseph Wall last year had everybody dreaming I had people mentioning Bennington had people getting he's played like 10 playoff games and has like a Bennington had people getting he's really like 10 playoff games and has like a 920 like he's Unbelievable in the playoffs and it really lets you dream So we'll see but I don't know like I just it could be the year that a weird team wins and the least I'm a grudging you said that was just so little believe you all buddy. I can't ever go there I can't let my mind go there there a three nothing shadowed away from you feeling different. Sorry. That's the way that's the kind of year It's been yeah Joseph wall has played seven playoff games and he's a nine thirty three safe percentage in those games 170 you've got this stat that says Maple Leafs have won 12 straight offside challenges since 2022, but hasn't everybody yeah

You've challenged. I mean this I mean now everyone gets everyone. Yeah, I know but I put it in there Yeah, it's great. It now everyone gets everyone. Yeah, I know but I put it in there. Yeah, it's a valid set Yeah, oh, no, I'm not saying it's not valid. I'm like it just seems so Once you get past the excitement of the building or whatever whether it's the Leafs or anyone else once you get past it and then you See offside challenge. You just know it's coming back. I've changed on this I've changed on this we need to negate them after like 15 seconds. If everyone's still playing and we're everyone you're still in the play like it's not off

the offside rush. We've sort of reset five guys are in the zone. I don't know what the cutoff is but like it didn't affect the play that ended in the goal and I know people will say well they called it offside. They've worked so hard to get more goals into the game. Yeah. And then they take them out off of a whisker. It's McDavid, try settle, back door,

this game's going overtime. Just kidding. I would, I gotta tell you, re-watching it, and like watching it after, and just watching all those Edmonton fans are just so fired up, and I just knew it was common I was like, you know, you know what the best was, you know what the best was listening to them all whine and complain about the Leafs owning the times the time of the game and

Then coming out laying an egg like that to start the game. Yeah anything for the Leafs Right. Yeah. No, you're you're right. Like come on guys Yeah, you want to stick it to, guys. You want to stick it to the Leafs. You want to stick it to Sportsnet. You want to stick it to, you know, Kevin B Exa for his comment to Dry Cytl that, you know, anything for the Leafs. Is that what he said? Yeah. Yeah. Great. Show up to start the game. Yeah, anything for the Leafs. No, there are a bunch of grumps over there. They're the grumpiest team the leader guys are grumpy's good Yeah, but they're really good. Are you so pissy? Yes, they're pissy

Devin didn't pissies. All right, which go we got Luke on the other side. We'll call it We're gonna find Luke Fox our leaf reporter for sportsnet.ca as the Leafs may be on the ice and the of the night. It's the fan pregame 6 p.m. weekdays on sports that sports at 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcasts. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. Tariff pause guys. Trudeau just tweeted tariffs are paused. They're paused? 30 days. 30 days. Yeah. He giveth and he taketh away. Put into our sister station City News 680 for more on this. You don't want to do it ourselves? No. Let's talk about the new border plan. Any thoughts on booing at hockey games? Yeah. I mean, hey, we're upset. Did Austin Matthews get asked today? Maybe by our next guest. Oh, really? Look, I don't know.

He's there. All right, we found Luke Fox. Deep in Calgary. How's it going, pal? Doing pretty good. I'm sitting inside an empty saddle dome right now. And you know what, I'm gonna miss this whole place. Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure sure you are but no one else in Calgary will I assure you of that Alright, so where do you want to start? Did you? you know Justin just gave us the news that

the tariffs are in Holding powder of 30 days. Did you did you dare ask a question? Did you dare ask a political question today in the Leaf dressing room? I did not. It wasn't me, but yeah, Awesome Matthews. Awesome Matthews was asked. Just in light of, you know, the Canadian sporting events, the American Anthem is starting to get booed. We saw it with the Raptors. He, you know, he's captain of Team USA, plays for major Canadian market.

He got asked just open-ended if he had any thoughts and he said no, he's no interest in getting political. I think it's fair to ask and I think it's fair to not answer. So we move on. Yeah, I don't know outside of no comment. You would never get in on that. I mentioned no comment about a week ago for JT Miller and it I think it worked out okay for him. Yeah, no comment. Yeah. As far as the prep work goes into Calgary tomorrow night, what can you tell us on who's feeling well, who's not feeling well? Yeah, it's pretty interesting and Craig Rube is keeping his

cards close to the vest. So it was no surprise that Oliver Ackerman-Larson didn't practice because he left last game only played about five minutes and then suffered a lower body injury and after the game it sounded like he might miss a little bit of time and then they recalled Dakota body injury. And after the game, it sounded like he might miss a little bit of time. And then they recalled Dakota Murmus up from the minors, sent Fraser Mitten down. So they wanted an extra defenseman on the trip. So I would be stunned if he plays,

but the surprise was that all of a sudden, Mitch Marner needed a maintenance day. And he looked pretty great in Edmonton and didn't seem no obvious injury. Brube said he thought he was fine in the game, but he needed a day off today, which opened some or raised some eyebrows. And then afterwards, Brube did not say, oh, he'll be fine. He's playing tomorrow.

And that's usually the case with maintenance days. So I think we're going to be on alert tomorrow morning. It's he takes the morning skate and do a group. They said tomorrow. The other curious thing is he didn't commit to a goalie. So Anthony Stoller's went kind of went through a starter's routine. He's looking really good. And sounds like Ruby hasn't decided.

Did he go back, back to, who was fantastic with his buzzer-beating save in Edmonton? Or does Anthony Stoller start as early as tomorrow night or does he wait until Seattle? Because it sounds like he is going to play one of these games. Any thoughts? Seattle Thursday and Vancouver Saturday. Any thoughts on the Marno thing? I kind of would lump him right off the top of my head with Oliver Ekman Larson where something's bothering them.

So I go three things. I go hamstring, groin, hip flexor. Yeah, something that's just a constant sort of annoyance. Factor the turnover, factor jumping on a plane, factor in things maybe tightening up a back, tight back. Something's just... Yeah, not like a fractured bone or anything. No, no, no, no no something's bothering these guys see if it can settle down in 24 48 hours and and go from there.

So Luke, what's interesting there though is, you know, sometimes when they have a guy that they know is going to play, they just plug any old placeholder in there. And they had Max Domi in Marner's spots. So in Marner's spot in the top line as the facilitator. So I think they're cautioning against maybe having to use Domi up there. Yeah, give him a night. He's certainly put in his share of work this year. So with Stolarz being a possibility then, it seems like he's back and healthy. It would make perfect sense for him to get an opportunity now if they want to get him in before the four nations right?

Absolutely and I think he will whether it's not if it's not tomorrow night. It's gotta be in Seattle and see how it'd be maybe a saucer. Entry way back into action just because I don't think they have a ton of offensive punch, Calgary, you know, really will be amped up for this game. I mean, they're in a playoff fight, just made a trade, the room's got a boost. The crowd here is amazing. The Seattle crowd, you know, it's a little tougher. But when the Leafs roll through the Saddle Dome, it's like 50-50 split, much like Vancouver and Edmonton and the place

is rocking. So I think the easier way might be the Seattle Starter Stolarz. If we do see Stolarz, is it perhaps a peek into how this thing will play out no matter how hot one guy can get. They're very careful and weary of putting too much on their shoulders, maybe protecting them a little bit. Yeah I think it's gonna be a bit of a rotation quite honestly Nick. The schedule is gonna be crammed again after they break for the four nations. They got two goalies that are, have been playing well whenever they've been healthy. I think they're just going to share the net. I think it's going to be very much like Omar Consuamon in Boston last season. And you

make sure both guys are rested. Neither is proven to be a workhorse in this league. So it's the smart play. And then you push the decision of, of who's the number one in the playoffs down the road, who's playing the best at that time. I think absolutely like the Leafs have shown every indication, not just with the goalies, but with everyone that they're using rest and recovery as, you know, more than, more than I've seen in the past. They're being extra cautious,

and that applies specifically to the goalies who've bailed them out in so many games. Lucas, we sit here after 52 games, leaving us 30 to go. Are your impressions of Craig Barubey different than what you had anticipated the least were getting when he became coach? A little bit, a little bit. And what I would say is I think the reputation

and the buzzword coming in, I remember his opening press call, but there's a lot of talk about accountability. And I think for many of us, that meant, oh, he's going to be stern. He's going to be strict. And I think to be, he's going to be strict. And I think he's just gone about it in a very different way. He's extremely personable, both with reporters, but also with the players.

Like, you know, I saw him go up and have lengthy one-on-one chats today with Matthews and with Tavares. And I think he just has a way about him that the players respect. He carries a presence about him, but I don't think he's as hard as maybe some of us thought he might be publicly. He's extremely protective of them whenever he steps in front of the microphone and maybe he's a little bit harder edged behind closed doors and yeah, yells and swears and demands people pay attention to practice. But he just has a calmer way about it than than than his predecessor did. And

that's partly because he probably has feels less heat and has a little bit more job security. We're talking to Luke Fox NHL on sportsnet sportsnet.ca. Luke, your latest addition to sportsnet.ca has how NHL NHL on Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca. Luke, your latest addition to sportsnet.ca has how NHL's biggest ever cap leap affects Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs. You go on to write that it's not crazy to suggest that he could even earn more than Austin Matthews. Of course, when I said it about a month and a half ago, I'm like the biggest idiot. You didn't know what the cap was gonna be. Oh I knew what it was. Oh yeah. Well then you should do that on our show because that would help our ratings. I did I told you a

hundred million dollars. It's not a hundred and thirteen is it? No next year should have been a hundred and two. This is still under the number, right? This is still artificially kept down at 95. Five, it should be at 102. Luke, my point is that you say no problem, right? Not crazy at all to think about Mitch Martin are now making more than Austin. Yeah, like if he wants market value, he can get that.

I don't think 14th out of the question. And that's, and that's because it's not just the Leafs will have more cap space and that the caps going up, but you have 31 other teams that have tons of money. Say you're Ryan Smith in Utah and you're trying to sell a new fan base Say you're Ryan Smith in Utah and you're trying to sell a new fan base or say you're Davidson in Chicago and you're trying to speed up this Bidart issue, this era where they need someone to help them. Like there are going to be teams willing to offer Mitch Marner and Miko Rantaman, I think

closer to 14. And now on a max term deal, but I think what's going to happen is, Ms. Marner has to make a decision and the lease has to make a decision. How bad do I want to remain in Maple Leaf? And they have to just say, how bad do we want to keep them? If we want to pay them fair market value, it might be as much or more than Austin Matthews. And that comes with a whole other set of baggage in terms of optics and pressure and all that. Does Marner want that? Do the Leaps want that?

That's what I don't know. But I think on an open market, for sure he could get that money. For sure. And that depends on his priorities. And Matthews only signed for four years, right? Like generally you're buying more UFA years to cost that money. For sure. And that depends on his priorities. And Matthew's only signed for four years, right? Like, generally, you're buying more UFA years to cost more money. It's a lot easier to answer if you've gone to a conference final or Stanley Cup final.

That would help. But you know what, though, realistically, there's no way they're better without him, you know, it'll be interesting to see. But if he wants to go get that money in Utah, that's absolutely there. No doubt about as they had do you want to follow up on that at all? No, okay As they head towards the four nations face off here. You're seeing so many teams make monster moves Luke Do you feel like the Leafs are kind of I don't know There's only so many options for them. Are they are they falling behind by not having done something so far? I many options for them. Are they are they falling behind by not having done something so far? I don't know if they've fallen behind but they I mean there's fewer guys available right like they did have some level of interest in Todd for secondary scoring he's gone. Grant there was probably some level of

interest in Grandland now he's in Dallas I don't know if JT Miller would ever sit would ever really consider going to another Canadian team, but some names are getting struck off the old Kipper trade board there. And are the Islanders even selling Brock Nelson? We don't know. I mean, that somebody they win a cup. JB, you say no. I say no.

Yeah. So it's like, I still think they're going gonna add someone, but they might, I don't know if it's gonna happen before the four nations. They might just wait and see if there's a little bit more separation before March 7th. They have to add someone. It's just, I don't know who really excites you. Does Nick Bukestad excite you? Does an injured Yanni Gourvick excite you?

Like what other names are out there? By the way, way the islanders lose a bunches it could still happen we've gone back and forth like three times on the islanders. I know they went out there in there they went seven in a row now they're out again Barzol's hurt. All right Luke great job as always man thanks for coming in helping us out today. Okay have a good one guys. Thanks Luke. Luke Fox and Calgary covering the Toronto Maple Leafs sportsnet.ca and terrific article, catch it on sportsnet.ca where he backs up everything I've said. He must just love the show. Just loves coming on. So question for you. This injury news with Marner, you know, getting close to the four nations here. I mean We get an ailment talk here. Like are we is this Fab third they're gonna play on the fourth. I think the last game they play before the four nations is the eighth. Yeah

Wild horses to keep Mitch Marner from playing with McDavid. Oh my god, I know but if he's hurt. It's not happening. Okay. I don't know. Did he rip his groin? I hope not. Is it a disc out? Could you imagine though. It's a different ball game. You know, people prioritizing their own things in past years over the team stuff. You just hope. Like you're thinking it's more of just a knock than it is an actual like injury I have no idea about countries telling you man's usually under these circumstances mmm that you're on the road and you're

Racing to catch a flight you get on the plane and some place something's tighten up on you. That's all okay I don't know what what's going on with him yeah but I think I think it's day to day oh yeah I into the day today I'm sorry he hurt himself you know absolutely dancing six oilers on his way including Stuart on the way to the net there that's what I heard every conspiracy thought on day-to-day injuries and no I think maybe if it's if he whatever's bothering him mm-hmm he needs a night off it'd be fun to watch him watch the Leafs play without him give a night off right he's had he had one yet he's played every game right that'd be good bargaining leverage for Darren Farris. What if Domi goes out there

and gives him three assists, he has a hat trick, then what? Then you sign Domi to seven more years. Well, he's already got the long contract. Okay. We're already trying to get rid of that one. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Rantin. Make up your mind. I don't, you're yelling at me.

What are you talking about? All right, we'll see. We'll play it by ear. We'll see what news we get. But right now, day to day, Sammy. Day to day, baby. All right, our thanks to Luke Fox for joining us when we return. Mike Halford, co-host of Halford Rough

from Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver. Still tons of news coming out of Vancouver still. Hey. I know. Couple of deals. How many Pettersons do they have on the team Vancouver still. Hey. I know. Couple of deals. How many Pettersons do they have on the team? 10. Oh my gosh.

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