Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Effort Inconsistency

Episode Date: November 4, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on the Toronto Maple Leafs' comeback win over the Pittsburgh Penguins after being down 3-0. They get into the effort disparity between the first 40 minutes and the third period, the Leafs' 5-on-5 offence, the defence corps' all-around struggles, and power play woes. Later, Nick, Justin and Sam go through the mailbag and discuss the chances that Nick Robertson gets traded, when Joseph Woll will be back on the ice, which of Craig Berube or Auston Matthews is most to blame for the Leafs' inconsistent play, and much more.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. 

it's the real kipper and born show season five back in our regular time slot four to six p m eastern nick kiprios justin born sammy mckee derrick brandale jake the snake shilts oh frank the tank frank the tank forgive sammy because i literally walked past jake on the way down Yeah. What's he doing? I don't know. But, you know. Picking up those free King's Hawaiian rolls in the loss.

How much leeway do we have Sammy to drown his Blue J Sorrows for the next little while? I don't want to talk to the whole week. I don't want to talk about the Blue Jays. I'm fine. I'm asking J.B., how long leeway do we give you to sulk and drag your lip around the building? I did 72 full hours of grieving. whatever the end of game seven till the end of our show yesterday and I have been so much better since then

I haven't really been talking about it I've been feeling better I've been waking up happy okay I'm okay good I'm all right I'm fine I enjoyed the Leafs game last night he heard us talking to someone about it for one minute was like I gotta get out of here yeah I think you're doing great pal listen I don't want to listen to it don't get me wrong but we're glad you're bored wherever you're watching wherever you're listening sports net 360 Sportsnet 590 the fan in Toronto streaming always on sports

Net Plus, and available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Yeah. The YouTube. Okay, I got to be honest with you. Like, I've already peaked. I'm done. For the past month, we've been done at 4 p.m. Now we're just starting at 4 p.m.

And I'm tired. It's been a really exhausting sports run with the late baseball nights. Last night, I worked a couple of games. So that was a late night. But it's just like, you know, we need to catch up, get back into our routine here. Amazon had the puck dropping at 10 to 8 last night. So game did a 7.30, 10 to 8 start. What's what's going on here?

Drop the puck. Did the Leafs help us last night with mounting a comeback to create enough energy for us today? Honestly, it helps, yeah. It does help. It does help. God, if they had gone out. You disagree? No, I don't disagree.

Oh, God, if they had gone out in the third period like they went out in the first and second, Oh, I mean, we'd be doing another moratorium sort of thing in here. Eulogy, that's probably better. The Leaves have had quite the reputation for not being out of games over the last little while, but this didn't happen very often in their history, right? A three-goal comeback? Well, you know, it has happened. Ten years ago.

What are your stats? I have right here. Monday marked the fourth time in franchise history since March 19th, 1977 that the Maple Leafs rallied from a three-gold deficit in the third period to win in regulation. The other two instances were December 8th, 1946 and December 2nd, 1943. So in regulation. So to win in regulation is key there.

Yes. You and I work the game. Tons of overtime games. Tons of like tie it up late. That's why it felt the way it did. If they were down five Cobb to Columbus. Yes. And then they needed it.

And then they'd win it in overtime. Yeah. on a willie breakaway somehow and everybody would go home happy but this was regulation yeah that's why it's so unique but I will say when it was when they were down 3-0

I was watching hockey with David Amber and I said to them in years past it would have felt like the leaps were never out of it and I said it just feels like there's no chance for them to come back and then you know same old leaves in a good way same old leaves

in a good way can I ask you both but also a bad way first what is it with this era of leaps hockey that the desperation only ever really starts when they're down three nothing or four nothing or like this has been a calling card of this era of leaves hockey where if you bet them after their most embarrassing games you'd have made a fortune oh my but like just that was that was in game where they felt like they needed to get you know smacked around a little bit but what is that? Can we go to the coach first? Sure.

And then we'll try to figure it out after I get to hear what he has to say about last night's contest. Clip one. Yeah, well, I didn't think the first period was that bad. But I made a mistake on the first goal, second goal. It's a bounce. But what upsets me is we come up. out in the second period down to nothing you think we're going to make a push and we didn't and they controlled the whole period with the buck down to nothing they got out shot 6 in shot

attempts after that he thought the first period wasn't that bad because he's comparing it to the second period that's why you sure about that's such a useful drop he he doesn't have an answer and we can sit here and answer Sammy's original question before we went to the clip and it's there's no answer there's no answer that you can come up with that will satisfy anybody on how they were so flat going into the second period down to nothing

so say what you will about whatever he thought he saw in the first period that second period was as bad as I've ever seen and I was there at the game and I'm telling you that we weren't that far off from jerseys being thrown or

a waffle box well there was a let's go Blue Jays chance there were let's go Blue Jays chance and guys fans that turned it around that's going to be the chant to turn the things around yeah but it wasn't it was it was it was close to get in ugly

Was it, like, just restlessness in the building, murmurs and people being like, what's going on? Yes. Are they this bad? Yeah, and it was. Were you in the alumni box or with people? I was in the alumni box. Nice. But, you know, when I was sitting down and I was focused.

Yeah. Locked in. I was locked in. And the most common theme, like, no effort. Like, you can live with mistakes. You can live with a lot of things. but like the lack of effort to try to push we only saw in the third period I mean that's I think a lot of people get bristly at saying

oh they're not trying they're not they're not but like I don't know how you can watch the second period and watch the third and not have that conclusion that's different level of completely completely that's why I mentioned last week to you guys like with Austin too he's not working hard enough and then and they weren't working hard enough and i include austin in that second period as well and then in the third i'm watching austin try really hard with that talent level and his ability to shoot a puck again and his ability to penalty kill which was a hard working penalty kill a couple times he cleared the puck and he just took charge i saw a guy trying really

hard set up a set up new ander for the for the three two goal like he was just He was all over it. But how you can come out at home in that second period and just lay down, what did they have one shot on goal for like? The total for the two periods was eight. Six was in the first. So I guess that makes two in the second.

But maybe not even one halfway through the game. Yeah. Like, okay. That is, there's nobody in the history of the game that can explain that. No. But I mean, the one thing I have written down here I'm thinking, you know, you're going, nothing explains this.

There's no way to make sense of it is that it's personnel based, right? This has been a long-running, consistent trend of this group of players, whoever the coach is, that, you know, kind of wait until you get down, and then you have a lot of talent, you turn it up a notch, and, oh, look at that. And Stolars made a save some saves that kept this thing from four, five, nothing into the third period. He made a big save, like two minutes into the third. There was like a rebound, and he came across the ball. blocker i forget who it was that he made a save on maybe rust but it landed on his stick in the

sweet spot and he made a really good save so uh go to brooby well let's the clip that you were talking about about like you don't know why this happens um terry koshan koshan asked him why why does 60 minutes allude you tonight and clip three let's let's hear that Derek what do you think uh 60 minutes alluded to guys tonight I have no clue I don't have an answer for that right now. Like I said, the second period, I mean, they got the puck and did whatever they wanted with it.

And we didn't check anybody. We didn't knock anybody off the puck. And when we did get it, we gave it back to him. I mean, it's not good enough. And that's the guy that is right there with him. And he is clueless. Yeah, there's this element of like, you know, being in like a bad relationship with someone. Like the coaches are just befuddled by it.

Like, I don't know how to fix this. Started good tonight. This is just the way they are. I don't know how I can't change them unless they want to change sort of situation. Oh. Well, doesn't it feel like that? Like we have some of the heart. Sheldon Key was a progressive, thoughtful guy.

Craig Ruby is an old school hard-nosed guy. both guys have looked at this team and gone, I don't know why that happens. I don't know why I can't make it stop. I don't know a lot. Here's a question, though. Is this us watching this team every night and other teams do this all the time too?

It's a good question. Is it a fair one? Because I don't know. I don't think teams that lose a lot come from. The flames don't do what the Leafs just did. Yeah, it's true. It's fair. I think there's something to it for sure.

You know, that we're just like hyper-focused on this one Well, yeah, we are hyper-focused for sure, but there's a sense that there's a, we got a lot of teams and we got a lot of meteorocrity. Yeah. Yeah, no, that's right. I mean, the parody is unlike anything. Yesterday we said there's no teams below 500 in the east. So there's a lot of mediocrity.

A lot of teams have their issues and they know where they'd love to plug and they just can't. and mid yeah we're the mid HL right now totally that well that win took the leaves from

well they were tied for last to third place in the Atlantic division yeah so but here is something that's interesting and I'm going to take a small victory lap because you challenged me on this probably three weeks ago can the Leafs score can they be there where are they going to get their offense and I said I think they could be a top 10 scoring team this year

and you went, no way. They're first in the NHL and five-on-five goals four. That sounds just like Kipper. They're first in the NHL and five. No, I don't think they're the best team, five-on-five. They're first in the NHL and five-on-five goals. Five-on-five goals scored. Really? Yeah.

So, like, I'm not saying they're good at it. I'm saying they're not going to be bad at it. Yeah. You sure about that? I respect the start. what I don't necessarily feel like is a proper judgment is the teams that they've played so far

well said and when they start seeing good teams you're going into the third period J.B and you've got like seven or eight shots on goal in 40 minutes against the team

that we were we all predicted would be the worst tank team in the league. I mean, I don't think that's a fair conversation to have now after the start that they've had. All their good players are playing great and we're playing great in that game. That's not the point. The point is, though, like... They've been one of the best teams of the league. Okay.

But that doesn't... But that doesn't stop from us thinking that this is still a team that's going to miss the playoffs. Yeah. And they still are considered maybe one. of the worst 10 games 12 games ago we thought they were the worst team in the league sammy so they get up to a good start great good on them jari they couldn't find anywhere to play him they sent him to the miners and i got news for you george vezna up until the third period and jari in the third that guy looked exactly like the guy that got sent to the miners last year in the third

period so i'm just saying that for a sample size right now they that my concerns for them scoring were the same ones that i see them constantly outshot or looking for a goal in the third period yeah and great the floodgates opened up great and there probably won't be a team that that struggles putting the puck in the net but i'm still not convinced with that that lineup outside of Matthews and Nylander, Karen, the whole freight last night, pretty much. Yeah. Where the rest of the offense is going to come from?

I got two things that I think are super valid. The first is your point, that their competition, they've been at home and they've played the sixth easiest schedule in the NHL. So yes, I don't think they're the first five-on-five scoring team in the league. I think they're probably, again, inside the top 10. But the other element of this is goals against at five-on-five. they're the second worst team in the NHL. They've scored 35, 5 on 5 goals.

They've given up 34. So I just gave them praise for putting it in the net. They're plus one. So they have no problem trading chances. Goals, goals, goals, goals, going in both ways. So whether you're Willie or Austin, who else has been around for a long time? John Tavares, Morgan.

How many times over the course of, I don't know a handful of years here we've said this is a team that likes to trade chances or like outchance their mistakes or you know just

outscore their problems right get more chances than the mistakes and you hope that you're one or two ahead of it and last night's I think that example that they give up a ton stole ours was good enough to

kind of keep them within range of three goals because three one it's a brand new hockey game we know that it was proven last night but you're just you'll never win that way you'll never win that way and even even the first goal that pittsburgh gave up right it wasn't a it wasn't a great pressure five guys pressing hard momentum you know it's coming it was a stretch pass For every stretch pass that's worked like that, for Austin and the team are Willie, let's go find 150 that didn't. Sure. I mean, it was a good pass.

It was a great pass. And it's a type of great play that they can make because they have great players. But really, if you compare the ones that they couldn't make, it's not really true. It's just if you throw it up enough, one's going to finally hit. But a lot of them have led to. rushes right back on them so it's just the percentages of this is the way you want to play

right you have no problem with the Hail Marys you have no problem with the stretch passes but it's not right like it's not at all their coach does not want to play this way that's all I've seen yeah I've seen stretch passes like crazy somebody's telling them to stretch pass and somebody's not stopping it

honestly I don't know if it's true that they stretch pass more than other teams or what but it's I don't think when you hear the coach in his postgame interviews he ever says one thing we need to do is more stretch passes like it seems like a lot of direct chip dump get on it for check something's causing these turnovers something's causing this inability to get in cleanly

and then sustain a forecheck for me it's the neutral zone not commanding it not coming up together They're not making two or three clean passes, the chip and chase or, you know. But let's do Brubi. Just before we move on from the, because you were talking about the competition, and you guys are having a conversation, I didn't want to butt in with it. But like, isn't everybody's, if you're doing a strength of schedule,

isn't like between the sixth and the 25th, probably like the most even it's ever going to be right now? Yeah, because everyone. Just everyone has the same record. That's fair. Yeah. Like, I don't know. Like, I mean, the habs are 18 points. And I look at their schedule.

And it's like, yeah, they've played nothing but tomato cans to start the year. It's just, you know, like, I just think they're the second easiest. I just don't think there's a ton of great teams. And like, I don't know, the strength of schedule thing. I mean, you just got to win and try to win the games that are in front of you. And the Leafs have done a okay job recently of that. But I don't know. It is great.

They've won four of their last five games. Yeah. You know, and it's, you know, we're all over. No question Saturday night. We talked about it going into the weekend that they got to win, right? Just to kind of calm things down. And now they've stretched it out to two.

It doesn't matter how it kind of looks four months from now. It'll be a distant memory. But the two points will have been there. I do think that's true that it's like, you know, getting some of these points while you're ironing out the wrinkles is great. It buys you that time and alleviates the pressure and lets you do some different things. Well, I mean, they win because they're good players who make the most

and are their best players play great. Teams do that often. Yeah, but we wanted this team to feel like, I mean, one of your favorite things, one of the best things that we ever had come up with in the show is Team A and Team B. And you want this team to feel so much less like that because they have all this depth in the bottom six. And it just feels like it's a smaller Team A.

Right? Like if it's not Matthews, it's not Nylander, Tavares, I guess Nyes, those four, It feels like it's going to be tough to get. Maybe Robertson moving into team A. Did you see the post game with Matthews giving out the belt? He was inspirational and saying four lines. That's our team. Yeah.

Yeah, I saw it. Did you see it? Wasn't that inspirational. I did love, I did, it's the best he could do. I did love Cowan. I did like him giving the belt to point out the penalty kills. Like, yeah, Pucknor. Knorr.

He knows what he's talking about up there like that. Riley didn't want to hear it about the record. Have we played Chiefs? What do you want? how he wants his team to feel after the game? We haven't played it yet. Let's play it. Clip four. You always want to feel like, and this happens throughout the season,

it's a good comeback win, right? Like, you know, guys played in the third and did what they're capable of doing and came back and won a game, and that's a good feeling. But, you know, you have to understand that you're going to get down in this league in times by a couple goals or whatever. or bounces, whatever happens. And it's the response that's needed to get back in the game.

Now, we got that response in the third. I don't understand why we never got it right away in a second. That's the frustrating part, you know? And that's all mental for me. It's all mental for me. I wonder some of it is like Pittsburgh really taking their foot off before the third period or something? Because presumably the Leafs came out and tried in the second period.

could have fooled me they did look good too Carlson looked good Malkin look good you can see why they got off to a good start how about they're moving the puck the pass Sid made cross-ice head up

on the tape to Carlson bar down I watched that play like ten times Carlson's ability to get up the rink in that moment to sniff out that weakness when he decides just to be really good

and I don't think Sid could have hit him more perfectly in stride like it was in this week And also bearing. That was so nice. That was a really nice goal. It was. Trying to figure who to blame on the least for that.

And A, you have Benoit trying to be, you know, the ghost of Quinn Hughes, who's still alive, down the wall. It's like, Simone, love you, pal, but sometimes it's not your time. That pairing of him and Myers is not one of the most. I got to tell you, though, it entertains me. Oh, yeah. You just never know what's going to happen next. Yeah. I don't even know what entertaining means.

Well, I mean, listen, both guys want to go up the rink, want to take slapshots, want to body check guys, okay with punching guys, we'll turn it over, could give it to the other team, and it can happen, that's hockey. Yeah, they both are. It's a high event. Way too high event. Way too high event. Okay. Who's struggling the most on the blue line for you in saying that if you were ranking right now struggles? I feel like you have a name in mind.

I know you're going to say. I think we'll all say the same name. You're going to say Carlo? Yeah. I don't agree. No? No. He's already, he got positioned as the whipping boy from like a game or two. We do not agree.

And now everyone's ready. Okay. Then Benoit, who? Yeah, Benoit and Myers, both guys I haven't loved. But like, I don't know. I don't think any of them have been particularly good. Yeah. I think that's been part of the issue.

I've been under a lot of, they blocked too. I mean, they... I'm worried this is what they are, though, Cap. Like, is Riley ever going to be anything different from this guy who makes some good plays and gets 40, 50 points and is one of the only guys who's a minus on the D-Corps? No TANF now. No TANF, yeah, like, McCabe and Carlo aren't going to become...

Like, I don't know, do you think they need to have to add a D-Man this year who can break the puck out and skate and... Yeah. But we've been calling for that guy for a very long time. Yeah, five years since the show started. They were looking. They were calling for these guys. It was Carlo, though.

They settled on Carlo last year at first in Minton. You know, he's supposed to be a top shutdown matchup D-Man, right? Long, right-hander. But they had TANF already. Like how many of those you need? I think that's a very fair question. I did love his end of game. though, Carlo, where

wears two, I don't know who shot the first one, Clapper, hits him, then he goes down below the dots, battles, and then goes back to the same spot and eats another one. It's like, I mean, that's what you need out of him. But what's going to be left of these guys if you're playing like

82 games like this? Well, that's probably Kipf, the thing that they most need to address is how do you play in your own and less? Like by percentage of time spent you know there's 100% of the game and what percent are you in each zone

they're in the D zone way like in the bottom third of the NHL like there and their end way more than the good teams so how do you play in the offensive end more? What is it is it more of a possession game is it more of the Sheldon Keefe hang on

don't go north so much is it different personnel is a different strategy just play faster to get to pucks faster move them faster I think your point about stretch passing could

if you bring guys back farther you come up as a unit better it's much easier to get after pucks if you've got speed with the guy who's putting the puck in rather than someone's standing skill still yeah could be a neutral zone change

it does feel like there's a huge gap between the forwards and defense a lot of the time yeah that's what I see sam like it's just a stretched yeah the like the forwards come in with the on the opposing team they just feel like they have all day in the slot we probably need to look at like

distant skated stuff like it feels like the forwards aren't coming all the way back because you got to skate the whole rink to do what you want them to do which is good they should skate the whole thing but like right now it's a lot of like you only have to come back to the center red because they're going to try to pass at the up there uh my man game winning goal that's got to help his confidence should help nick robertson's confidence what a hockey player yeah listen he's uh i consider him one of the hardest working guys on the team yeah there's no doubt about that so that's a good sign i don't know where it's going we don't know where it's we don't know what the game plan had been for the last year year and a half play don't play

play top line, play fourth line, play healthy scratch. Like this guy has just been a merry go around for him. Is this now the time where he is now locked in? I mean, this is the opportunity that he hasn't got that Craig Stimson mentioned that it just let's see. You know, I know it's the cruel expression about give a guy a rope and see if he, you know, whatever, does something bad to himself with it. Because it's like if he's not able to have success, then you know.

But at least the regular season is for trying to find out what you have in guys. And he's taking advantage of this opportunity. It's not just that he can shoot it in the net here. Ooh, he beat that guy off the wall like he was a house player. I know. That was impressive hockey. Did you guys, a couple of practice things before we hit the break? Sure.

Robertson's with Tavaris McMahon at practice Nise Matthews, Nealander Machelli back in Got to do that for Utah Micelli back in Lawrence Lott and Domi is the fourth line

Cowan Blay and Yarncrock on the outside looking in obviously Mirmus playing with Riley but Carlo wasn't there today he was having a maintenance day same as store lars but still a lot of shuffling going on and also Oliver Beckman Larson top power play unit

Like that, I think the most interesting thing to keep an eye on here is with everyone healthy, three hockey players have to not play every game. Like, players. Cowan and Yarncrock are good players and Blaze the other one? Yeah. Yeah, and I mean, he's serviceable, but so assume Blay is going to be the guy who's out almost every time barring injury. Then you're going to see Domi and McMahon and you're going to see some of these guys who don't have good stretches, not play. We have a clip about that.

Clip six, please, in the competition with the. forward's deck. Competition but yeah a lot of guys but we got you know we got you know Lorenz and Lotton could be good to go tomorrow so like I said that's great and you know again you know it's decisions that

we have to make night in and night out with the lineup and you know it's never easy nobody wants to sit out they all want to play all the time but reality is that's not going to happen but in saying that everybody's still important

they're all still important and they got to understand that that there's going to be games where certain guys maybe don't play and there's different reasons but we still need everybody that's the message for me I really do hope

that Robertson's out of that mix for a little while here just give him a chance to find it yeah I mean he's been awesome I just don't know if like is this different than it's been other hot flashes he's had over the past a little bit.

Oh, for sure. For sure, because that's a meaningful game. That's close and he's on a good line. And they, you know, I think typically he's been kind of garbage time. I think he can hold his own. I just don't know when push comes to shove and. And Ruby looks at him and says, yeah, I could win with you. I could beat a Florida team in the playoffs with you.

I can, yeah, you're the, like, Lawrence. Big kid, heavy kid. that's one thing Nick is not and I just think it's held him back with his coach for a very long time and he's he can play hard he can work hard he just can't grow but on the other hand you can't play players you don't have and you have to put the best team you have on the ice and if Nick Robertson is one of your best contributors I agree he has to go so I don't mean go I mean to play he needs to be out there so but that hasn't been the case in the past and no can i have another point about playing florida you have to get there yeah and he's helping you get there for the first time for the first time in a while yeah getting there is in question more than i thought it would be so you got to get there and he's been lighting it up for him so you got to give him i mean that was one of the best plays he's ever made taking that puck to the front of the net you know

bobby shot it in good for bobby i think either you two standing there probably yeah that's a good spot but uh yeah yeah Just before we go to break I think it was only just one power play Yeah But we see OEL back on it again And Cowan off for nice

We're like Where are you with this thing I don't know It's not good Well it's not good Is it 30th now? They have four goals four And two goals against

And we've played 13 games So they're plus two on the power play Well it's not good There it is Yeah I get I it's like watching

a merry go around yeah so I did back down to OEL again I did a dive into their like some of the stats underlying stats on the powerplay and stuff they're getting as many shots as last year they're getting as many high danger chances as last year I don't think they're getting as many

clean looks which is something Marner would have facilitated like no pressure looks they were not great at setting up in the power play last year they're really bad at setting up in the power play this year. They can get it into the neutral zone. They just can't get it set up from there very well. That's a big part of the problem, right?

Last year you hated that they couldn't win draws on the power play. Yeah, yeah. They're 31st. They are. Just ahead of Carolina. Yeah, that's. Carolina is skilled. 9.4%.

Machelli is this skilled guy that you were hoping that could come in and just find a way to somehow muster up 50, 60 points. Good call yesterday. Yeah, that one was kind of building up, I think. Be interesting to see what he does tomorrow night. Like, you think automatically that's your old team. You should go back into the lineup? I don't think so.

I do. I think he's 13 games into his tenure here as a leaf. He's got a three-year contract. I think you at least show him the respect to giving them the chance and not embarrass them in front of the old team. Give the chance. They were saying on the broadcast yesterday that Bill Armstrong was in the building last night. Oh, is he?

Yeah. He's already pretty embarrassed. Probably saw him in the press box. Hey, Bill. You just traded for him. Can't say, oh, he had 12 bad games and now we're going to, I think that's pretty embarrassing. I think you got out of respect given the game.

All right. We'll go to break. I can do a few mailbag questions because we don't have a show on Friday because we're doing the Easter Seals stuff. But, yeah, so we're shortening everything up this week. So instead of Wednesday, we're doing Tuesday, so we're doing a mailbag. I have a few questions from Twitter X. But if you want to text in 595-90, sneak a couple more in before the end of the hour.

We'll do that. How are we out of the basement on Easter Seals? I think we're doing well. I think we're doing well. No, no, we're not. Not good enough. Not good enough, Sammy. Listen, I'm not going to shame all the wonderful people that have already donated.

No, no, no, no. We thank goodness for them. Yes. They're doing a tremendous job. Yes. Are we going to put the board up? We'll do it after the break. We'll do it after the break.

That's why I'm a good host because I listen. who have donated. I listen to the producer. All right. Sammy's mailback coming up next when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne. Hey, it's Blake Murphy. And I'm Matt Bonner. Join us weekday mornings at 11 as we break down all things Toronto Raptors.

It's the Raptor show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan and wherever you get your podcasts. Back to the show. It's the Leaf Hour edition. The Real Kipper and Born show, Nick Cabrillo, Justin Borenz. Sammy McKee. All right, Sammy, what do you got for us? Why is it sometime? Check one, two, check one, two.

There we go. Your mic doesn't work. Because Derek hates me. He's been working with me for 10 years. He's like, I've heard enough of this guy's damn voice. Yeah, like, I just don't want to listen to him anymore. So I'm sure there's lots of listeners that agree. All right, Real Kipper and Born are...

Sammy, no more baseball. Yeah, thank God. Real Kipper and Born are playing in the Eric Lindross. Celebrity Classic in support of Easter Seals, Ontario. Nick and Justin, along with other SportsNet personalities, I think Aylish is on the team now. I saw her signed up. I think maybe Cuthbert is playing with us as well.

So there's some people from the squad. They're starting to show up. We'll be taken to the ice to raise money for this great cause. You can support our team fundraising by scanning the QR code on your screen there. I'm just going to quickly go to our team page and see if I can give a shout out to some people who have donated. Let me just quickly check here. I can do that.

I can do that. So Simmer gave us a bunch of money. Gordon Gibson. Janice Born. I think I know that name. Andy McKee and Marianne Alton. Thanks, Mom and Dad. Anita Black.

Jean LeBlanc, Kevin Tracy, Michael Burke. Pete. Oh, boy. Ulisthorne. Andy Anthony. Brenda Gardner. Lots of names out there of people that are donated to us. That's Gibby.

Gibby. Oh, Gibby. Oh, Gibby's in there? What a guy. Oh, Gibby. Oh, Ghibby. What a guy. So there's just.

been tons of people. Thank you, pal. And we've already, I mean, listen, boys, we've read 3,600 box here from just our listeners and our, my parents donated, you know, your mom, Janisborn. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just, it's really nice. Awesome. So I appreciate it through and through. And yeah, so just scan that code and keep donating and Kipper's embarrassed about us being the bottom, so he doesn't want to be there anymore. So get us up the leaderboard, okay? Sounds good, Sammy. Good job, buddy. Yeah. So, uh, there you go. Anyways, want to do some questions? Yes, I do. Okay. This is a good question.

This is from Ethan on X. In your guy's opinion, what do you think is more likely to happen? Neelander finishes the season with more points than Marner or Robertson sticks with the Leafs for the rest of the year? I think that's a no-brainer. Robertson sticks with the Leafs the rest of the year. Is it? What are you going to get for Nick Robertson

that makes you better this year? and Mitch Marner plays with very good players on a very good team and he's a very good player I don't know he's he's ahead of him

Willie is ahead of him yeah both those players should be over 100 points and then flip a coin really I mean injuries may come into play but

Willie this should be the year that Willie can get to easy to 90, 100 points. Yeah. Yeah, I think if he's healthy, he'll be a 90 point guy. As far as 40 goals.

As far as Robertson, if he kind of continues on trending where he is heading right now, I think that there's a potential that he could be involved in a package. Okay. So I know we've had this discussion before on if you want to sell him individually, what could you get back a draft pick can he work his way up from a fourth to a third or a second or you know whatever the case is or between now and March

the Leafs could sit there even potentially in a playoff spot and go I don't think we can get through Florida and Tampa right now and we pair them up with Actyamov and a pick and Ben Danford yeah whatever and Ben you know I don't know

I don't know where Joseph Wall is at that point. But he... What do you mean about Joseph? Well, we haven't even mentioned this guy and I've been driving lately, being late. I need to bring this up on the air. Are we...

What's going on? He's just... He's been back for a long time now. At least a week. A week. But he's been a waste. He missed training cap. He got nothing.

I'm not asking him to play in a game. I'm looking for an update. I think he's been on his own working out and skating, I think. you think we do a leaf show every day we had a conversation on joseph wall and it was mid-November it was late november right it was not november 5th but wouldn't you think they would say hey he's progressing we're going to we're going to get him in the marlies their best strategy is the one they're using right now they keep their mouth shut don't move and no one'll notice we're here just leave him alone when he's ready to speak, he'll

they'll address. Just like the team to give us a plan. Like, hey, he's going to be available for hockey on. I don't know. Maybe something on Instagram with Ryan Leslie. Look for it. Maybe they put them on, maybe they'll put on waivers or not, put them down to the minors and let them play down there for a couple games.

Eventually, I think he has to. Yeah. But just to go to my original point is that the one thing that they probably need more than ever is for Joseph Walt, not only to come back or contribute, to the team, but turn himself into an asset again. And you think they'd trade them? I'm, listen, all bets are off.

All bets are off when it comes to trying to win a Stanley Cup. So think about if the Leafs want to improve, and you talked about the blue line, and we talked about maybe adding a score, how many true attractive assets do they really have? you ask for a literal total i don't know some not many two i mean i don't know

do you consider he'll to be enacting of assets not not not attractive not like yeah come on everybody's chomping to get to him yeah not many then not many because like you're not trading cowan now but cowan's going to be a player in the league i'm not you need two good goalies no question but beggars

Can't be choosers right now when you've emptied the cup over the past five years of trying to win a Stanley Cup. Joseph Wall, if he can get to a place where he's attractive again, and there's a shortage of goalies, maybe you make that hard decision in March. Maybe he wants that, and that is where he is now. I don't know. But that's my whole point is get him in the lineup, build him back up and go from there. If he's not injured, get down to the Marley's. Getting some hockey matches and... Where am I at here?

From Ryan Hanson on X. Of these four names, who is most likely to start game one of the playoffs? Cowan, McMahon, Robertson, and Micelli. What a shame to include McMahon in there, who is of course the answer. Cowan, McMahon, Robertson, Mitchellie? Yeah. I mean, McMahon, this was on the first line a minute ago.

Can I find out who... who are they're playing first. Is there a team where it wouldn't be McMahon? And you'd put Machelie in ahead of him? I would really hope that it has to be McMahon. Yeah. It has to be. The only chance it wouldn't be is if Easton Cowan makes himself very important.

He is the highest ceiling of all four of those names. He is, but he's still light. He is still light. He's still not strong, man strong yet at 20 years of age. And that's the only thing is sometimes, Robertson and Cowan can get bounced around a little bit out there. Here's a deeper one for you, boys.

Do you think the Leaf's issues this year rest heavier on the coach or the captain? Personally, I do not see any Craig Barubi hockey playing out there in those first two periods last night. It didn't even look like a team sport. They look like a bunch of strangers, quite frankly. So the question is, more on Brubi or more on the captain? I think it goes

I think in general not just not just Barubi and Austin but with any coach in the top player when a player looks like he's out of sync or he's they're going to look at the coach and say is he getting enough out of him

is he playing a style of system that he's happy with all the questions will go to the coach first for me it's it's questioning Barubi and what he's not doing to get the most out of him before it goes to Austin where it's like we're questioning you. I guess I'll take the other side of it where you know going into the year

what Barubi was going to ask for and he asked for the same things and he's pretty give him credit. He's consistent and predictable. And so for Matthews, I think there was some pressure that it was like, now you're the captain, now Mitch Marner's not there. Now it's your team to take in this. new direction and the new direction so far hasn't been very good. Okay, predictable up until who's my great winner.

It's true, it's true. That was the least, the least predictable about Craig Barubi is, okay, Max, in, out, Machelli, in, out, Robertson, in, out. Honest question, honest question. Would you have done it any difference so far? are like if you were the coach he's trying that's kind of how i feel about it you're just playing the cards you're dealt totally like yeah but i would have i would have left guys in longer than three days you know you almost got to like commit to it in the coach's office and say we're going

to do this for three games just three games if it sucks if it's great if it's whatever we're doing this i know it's really hard to do when it sucks for two and a half games to stick with us through the third but early in the year man if you want answers need some sample size so good point by you so does i'll ask you guys okay just quickly like machelli does he can he save this season and and be that 50 60 goal point guy or is it just like have you seen enough what have you seen And a dozen games. I'm going to tell you this about the leaf. I believe that a lot of what their depth is,

that they are well built to upset a team in the playoffs. I think a guy like McMahon can surprise you. I think Joshua could have a moment or two. He can finish. I think Waw could. I think Lotton can. I think they have these guys that could have moments for you down the lineup. I haven't seen it with Macheli yet.

I've seen him make plays here and there, but it's on the perimeter. It's sauced through the middle. I don't. I have a hard time seeing a situation where it works out. Yeah, I agree with just not in the dirty areas. And never going to be. Like, his game is going to have to be pulling Pucks out with some tenacity out of piles,

finding these guys. But when he's not finding those guys in some dangerous areas, doing things really well, like being in his spots, being F3, I don't know that he's had to do that in his career yet. We'll see if he can learn. Maybe he can, but I haven't seen it yet. This is from one that's right up your alley, Keper. Uh-oh.

From Aaron and Orangeville. Are the least lacking right-handed forwards? The balance seems off. Doesn't matter. They have two righties. Young, young, yarn, crow. And? And Nick, Nick, Nick Waugh.

You caught it. Yeah, those two. That's unbelievable. I'm a left-handed guy. That's unbelievable. I, if you had a gun in my head, no chance. The other day, Tavares made a play and I was like, oh, he's right-handed, or sorry, left-handed. Like, I watched him for years now, and it just had never processed.

Oh, my bad. And William Neander's righty. Yeah. Sorry, my bad. That's three readies. Duh. Um. Does that matter?

So are those guys all playing right side? Yeah, by and large. So you got one guy playing his off-wing? One center play. That's a righty? I don't know. I just, I'm asking, I'm asking, it would help. I mean, I'm asking the hand of this guy.

If you had the same one last year. Yeah. That would be good. Yeah. I'm more inclined now to think about right D and left D now today, right D or right shot forwards than ever before now. Maybe it's because you pay attention a little bit more to the analytics, maybe, I don't know. Yeah. Handedness definitely became a thing on defense, but I kind of think that as a forward, once you cross center ice, basically, you're a rover.

You can play wherever. So if these guys can get it off the wall, you're fine. Most of them can. I don't think it's a huge deal. Maybe it's not ideal, but not one of those things where it's like, they'll be way better if they get a right-handed shot, not like a bat in baseball. Yeah, but if you're a left winger, I think you'd be a lot more happy playing with a right-handed center, right? because the pasts come easier to do. Anyways.

Yeah, that's it, boys. There you go. Sammy's mailbag. Good to be good to have that. Thank you. Good to have the Leafs Hour first. Yeah, it does. Good to be back in this time slot.

I got here so early today. You peaked too early. Well, I just got here. I'm like, oh, crap. Like, I don't need to be here for another hour and a half. It's kind of doing the old show hours. Yeah. I'm getting here, but that's all right.

So tomorrow it's Utah for this group here. And they play tonight, do they not? They do. They're in Buffalo. Yeah. Second half to back. One fadeaway question on all these conversations about personnel. We talked about Max Domey.

He scored two goals the other day for against Calgary. But his ice time down, finds himself in the fourth line right now. 11, 12? Yeah. It might have been in the tens. But it was lower. I am curious to see, I think he's second lowest plus minus, maybe the worst among forwards. I am curious to see, I don't know.

what becomes of this? If he's going to get more opportunity, if he's going to be a guy who... I mean... 1120. 1120, yeah. Yeah, that's another one that he's searching right now again. All right.

Nice job on the mailbag, Sammy. Thanks, bud. When we return, we go national. Steve Aliquette set to join us for his regularly scheduled Tuesday. We'll go around the National Hockey League, particularly in Canada. check up on which

goalies are hot, which ones are not. Mm-hmm. And some talk on OV. Is he in decline? Finally. A very slow start to the season. Maybe we'll ask Valley why. That more, when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne.

Thank you.