Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Feeling Out Florida Before Game 1

Episode Date: May 5, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee check in ahead of Game 1 of the Leafs' second-round matchup against the Florida Panthers. They discuss what's changed for the Leafs since the last time they met in the playoffs in 2023, the team's underdog mentality, the importance of a strong start, how to handle Florida's physical style and their expectations for the core forwards. Later, former NHLer and Panthers analyst Bill Lindsay (37:56) discusses what led to Florida's 4-1 series win over the Lightning in Round 1, how they've grown since their Stanley Cup win last year, Sergei Bobrovsky's clutch playoffs so far 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.

Giddy up, round two, game day for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Welcome to the show, Real Kipper and Bourne, Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo and Jake Schultz. Jake the Snake. We go large with the Toronto Maple Leafs this hour, our Leaf Edition live on SportsNet 590, the fans, SportsNet 360 and SportsNet Plus on this Monday. This Easy Monday. Shout out to our friend Jeremy. Looking good.

Over at Easy Monday. Yeah. Who's a huge fan of the Real Kipper and Bourne Show and threw us a T-shirt or two. Is that golf shirt also? It is, it's an Easy Monday as well. Nice stuff, Kip.

He's a big fan. So I'm driving, or I'm not driving, I'm walking. I went to the gym today at Young and St. Clair with my buddy Tony. How often do you go to the gym? Once or twice a week. Really? Yeah.

What figures? Well, it's the playoffs, right? And this guy starts honking his horn at me and he's waving me over and I'm like, I'm ready to go like, dude, what's your problem? And he's waving me over and he's honking at me and I get in there and he's like, you'll never believe what I'm listening to right now. And it's our podcast and it's your voice and he's listening. And then like, I don't know, I

assume his wife is calling him and he's hitting the ignore button. I'm like, you don't want to take that call. He's like, Oh my God, Carmelo. I think his name was Carmelo. He's going to play with the Raptors. He is pumped right now for our show today and the Toronto Maple Leafs facing the Florida Panthers in game one at home. So Sammy, are you ready for this? Are you over your? Feeling of relief out of the first round you're ready to attack round two

How are you guys feeling? I have a very interesting Sort of feeling and sense today. Are you guys feeling about the least chances to win? It's just in general really because I think last round was great and then as scary as it possibly can get for a few days and You know, I just it's a much different feel going into this that I had even in the first round I don't know. It's a sense of calm almost. How are you guys feeling? I even in the first round. I don't know, it's a sense of calm almost. How are you guys feeling? I didn't get out of the first round what you got. Okay.

At the end of the day, they won four-two in wins, and although it's unfortunate that the two losses kind of crept in all this bad past feelings. It's one loss. Sorry? Game four was a normal hockey game. Game five was where the ghosts came. kind of crept in all this bad past feelings. One less. Sorry? Game four was a normal hockey game. Yeah. Game five was where the ghosts came.

Okay. Yeah. Whatever the case is, for me it just played out the way it was supposed to play. To me this is now, this is the start of the playoffs. Yeah. Well, and I think that is sort of the, a change from two years ago when they went into the second round to play Florida where a lot of the vibes if you guys remember was they finally slayed the dragon now they're gonna start rolling and this is the Because Florida was actually down to Boston that year had the miraculous come from behind. We didn't look at them as

Defending Stanley Cup champions. They almost lost in round one. We kind of thought they were just Florida. But this year it feels like they know what they're in for. This no surprises. This is the dragon they have to slay. Right. And so it doesn't feel to me, Kip, that like they're going into it with this. Oh, they're the favorite and they should beat this team.

Whatever it feels like everyone in Toronto. And we talked with this before the show, all your friends. I was in 97 people of people say- Which we barely do. Right, but 90% of people say Florida's going to win this year. Yeah, you asked me, have you talked to anybody that believes that the Leafs can win? And I said, no, I can't really find anybody. And that changes the vibe. That for me is, it's a very freeing feeling where the Leafs, I mean, we we can get some of the Matthew Kachuck stuff later about not being

underdogs and all this whatever the Leafs are Clear underdogs in this series and myself. I know all my buddies all everyone that I talked to thinks that the Leafs there's a couple you know there's a couple idiots out there that think the Leafs are gonna win, but I just It's a freeing feeling. Are you calling them idiots because they think police are gonna win My friends, okay, but I do think that People are just kind of like yeah. Well We're not supposed to win. We've seen them lose a bunch they lose again to Florida

I mean, it's not the end of the world But if they win, hey great like I really do feel like it's not apathy because it's the second round of the playoff It's excitement, but people are sort of reserved to if they do lose It's not the end of the world kind of thing as opposed to losing the first round to Ottawa or Boston or whatever It's it's a different feeling and the different feeling still has to come JB from what we experienced over 82 regular season games that there's there's a different feel to the way they play, the style that they play.

And it should be better than what we experienced two years ago with this team. So I don't believe that they're going to win this series, but I certainly believe that they have a better shot at winning than they ever did two seasons ago. Yeah, and that's I agree. You know, what's crazy about two seasons ago is they didn't play well, right? They didn't get the best out of some guys, whatever. But you look back at those games and the scores were I think like four two three two two one. It was all that dug them in the hole three nothing. Yeah, they ended up they lost every game. They never scored any well, they scored two goals in every game in the five games

But my point was they went to overtime twice They won a game like they kind of hung around even though they weren't the better team I do feel like a little bit more preparation expectation, whatever I'm not as sure that this is like Florida's winning this series. I I Got us as a pick them, you know I I feel like there's a lot of good things that the Leafs have going for them including the defense are better the goaltending is Better. It's just two good teams boys Yeah, I think the Toronto Maple Leafs are eligible to win this playoff series

I think they're allowed to do that like I do think that there's a world where you know They get some great goaltending the goaltending the Stars perform. They can win this series, but like we said They're big underdogs Panthers. I mean I printed off the the lines for the Panthers you guys today their forward group is Stacked it's stacked up and down there. It's on one of the pages and maybe on the back page if you guys can find it It is a stacked group of forwards where you picture who the least third line is going up against what that third line is And then you look at the top two lines for them. It's a daunting task, but you get to the final eight teams in the playoffs. You're playing a really good team, but this is probably the best team.

The least are probably playing the best team in the league. One of the things go ahead, I was just going to say I, I don't have them as a pick them like you right now, I do have Florida as the favorites, but I believe that tonight and Wednesday could turn it into a pick them series. These two first opening games will tell us everything we need to know whether or not the Leafs truly have a shot at winning this series. And you know, Florida's got a record if you, so like getting the first goal, getting a lead,

playing in that position is gonna be so big. Florida's record since the 2023 playoffs, when they lead after the first period is like 23 and 0. And when they lead after two periods, it's 15 and 0, or they might have those numbers flipped. But like, this is a team that when they get leads, they win, they put you away, they're pros. Sorry, that's 15 and 0 first period, 22 and 0 second period.

So they put teams away in games, they put teams away in series. I agree with you, Kip. You can't leave Toronto down to nothing and have me say that the Leafs have a prayer. Not a prayer. I'm okay with a split. Split would be okay, you'd be in the series.

A split would definitely take them into Florida, feeling like they can win a game there. And I think if the Leafs were to come home in game five with 2-2, I think people would feel really good about anything can happen in a best of three right now. I had no more home game fives with a chance to three right now. Yeah. I had, just, no more home game fives. With a chance to do something great. No, no, no. No, home game fives have not treated this roster well.

Okay, we won't go there. No, let's talk about home game fives. We won't go there. We'll focus on game one. Thank you. And we'll focus on Craig Bruby with our first Kippers Clipper of the week on being underdogs after winning the Atlantic division.

No. Well, anytime you're playing the Stanley Cup champions are going to be the underdog, right? They've proven they're a great team over the last few years. And, you know, they are a really good team. They're very good team. We're a good team, too. And like I said, we're approaching this business like we've got to go out and do our job and play the way we can. I like the thing where he says, we're a good team too. That was one thing I was going to say a few minutes ago, where it's like, when three quarters of the league

is golfing and you're down to eight teams, it's no longer, where is this team bad? Where are we going to have this massive advantage? They're not bad anywhere, but it's, are they as good as our best? And thes best, the elite players that they have is pretty damn good. And depends if you put the Leafs decor side by side with this Florida decor. I think I take the Leafs. You got Belinsky's and Schmidt is their third pair tonight. Kulikov and Mikhala, Seth Jones. No, listen, it's good. I like Mikhalela a lot. Yeah I like Mikaela too but. Scary guy.

I just named four guys and you liked one. Yeah yeah. You know so it's like, I'm just saying, the Leafs have good players too and they're not gonna be bad anywhere, is your best better than their best? Yeah. Do you wanna listen to Matthew Kachuck's on?

Matthew Kachuck. And will your team play their best? Yeah, on his thoughts about being underdog, Matthew Kachuck? Yes absolutely. Clip one please. Lou May was just saying that any time you face the descending champs you're the underdog. I could Chuck. Yes, that's a point place I don't think we are I mean we're on the road here to start so they obviously had a better year than we did So we're gonna relish that role and hopefully come out with insert Intel for Brady

Yeah, yep Yeah, yep. They're good at what they do, right? It's an underdog off boys. They're trying to toss it back and forth here bulletin board material. Who's an underdog? They had a better year blah blah blah. I love this stuff. Ultimately doesn't matter but I love it. Puck drop all that goes away and it's just outside noise as Austin refers to it. Yeah, we got- Not just him, coach does it too. Yeah, no, no, no.

It's a team mentality thing that does that. We got Craig Brew, we talking about home ice starting here and we talked about not necessarily needing two, but you certainly can't get zero. Let's hear home ice as an advantage. Well, I mean home ice. I mean home ice I mean

you know I don't know that's a good question I really don't know I really don't have an answer for you with home ice. I think that you know our team when I look at our team we were pretty consistent at home and on the road I think that's very important because you need to go on the road and you need to win games. But we played really extremely well at home, too. We've been a real good team at home, too. So you don't need to change your game home or road. You want to play the same game.

I think that's really important. I know it's right home in front of our fans, but we want to play our game that's gonna make us successful, whether it's at home or on the road. I do believe it's important though that first goals, leads, it's a fragile home base. The first part of that clip, Derek, if you can play that first part of that clip And just I mean home ice I mean Tells you all you need to know it's not an advantage. No, no, it's not an advantage. Yeah

You can't you can't lose this crowd is My message to them. And that doesn't, it's okay getting down one nothing. It's okay even losing one out of two games here. Often believe that the majority of the fan base can appreciate sometimes not if you lose, but how you lose. Of course.

And as long as they don't lose them with their attention to detail, their effort, their competitiveness, they should be fine at home. Here's why underdog status matters. It's because when the score is close, the team that's the underdog is winning, right? That's the, you get good vibes going We're hanging in there

We're hanging in there and you start to form this belief and that For me is what Florida has to be wary of with the Leafs is if that team starts to believe they get into their up A game in the series or they're in a game late It's not gonna be like oh, it's not inevitable that we lose this thing like everyone says and I think you'll get some belief Out of them. So we also have Maurice on the same time. There is a way that you know Florida can just Take the life out of you pretty early where if they have a convincing game one victory here tonight You can I'm sure that's what Maurice is telling them be like you can break their spirit pretty easily

Which is a sad thing to say but it but it's kind of the way it goes. Not a ton of Paul Maurice Kippers Clippers today. What's going on? You're staying away from him or he's just not into it as of yet? I can't believe me and my boy Paul are back at this. You must've been cut in this feeling like not again. Not again.

But he was pretty reserved today I would say like I I didn't think he was full. He didn't give you the full Maurice today I wouldn't say like he talked a little bit about you know The the kids stuff with Marner having a kid and like oh We have we're kind of that same a window where we have lots of guys have a good He was very jovial today not really in his fully formed But we have a couple like the playing in Toronto stuff's interesting So you play play clip one for for playing in Toronto. Oh the excitement of the the situation the

Playhouse is different than the regular season. It's exciting when you come in here I think players come into here and there's a lot of family for a lot of them But then this is a completely different feel the energy. It's a fun time of year obviously to be But then this is a completely different feel the energy. It's a fun time of year Obviously to be involved in games and then The way the playoffs are structured. These are all division rivals. So we have a history with each other now and It makes the story I think more interesting. Oh That was really boring Really that, I'm telling you.

Really boring. That was the tone all morning. That was his tone. So that's not the Paul Maurice we know enough. I mean, he's listen, he knows how long he's got here. He this is his dream scenario, because there is no one better. Maybe maybe Cooper at working the media, changing the narratives in his favor, saying stuff that people take and clip and use and talk about.

He is a, he's elite at working in this market in terms of like, I mean, listen to the play clip, play clip two please. This is on Borubi. On Borubi's personal would be one thing that I mean quite a bit different looking team than they were just on different names on the back and I think there's more patience in their game in that maybe in the past it was an attack mindset

kind of offensively all the time and now they're more patient They'll put more pucks deep. They'll be more patient with the pucks out So a bit more I would say maybe a more of a mature game There you go. So he's not he's really not biting it So and part of it to me if I'm a Leaf fan like It's a bit more respect for the opponent than in years past, where he's just like not really into giving bolt and board material,

he's not going full Paul Maurice before the series, he's not like, I don't know, it just felt like a different tone from him listening to him this morning that he's got a little bit more respect for the opponent. That's maybe what I'm reading too much into it. So I got four things that this series is gonna come down to and I know we're gonna talk about all of them at some point but I got Leafs power play versus

the Florida penalty kill. Florida penalty kill they take the most penalties of any team in the NHL was dynamite in round one. The Stars being good for the Leafs, the goalies, you still ours to outplay Bobrovsky, and this meanness element, which is the thing everyone associates with Florida, is the grit and wear you down and jaw and rats and can the Leafs hang with a team like this? And Sam, I know you got that clip from Craig Barubey

and he was asked about this meanness element. Let's hear that. Clip 7. Compared to most teams, they play a meaner game than most teams play. Or a harder game. They play a hard game. I agree. They're, you know, they four-check hard and they're physical and they're in your face the whole game. I don't necessarily think it's mean. I mean, that's just their game. You know, I think our guys, we're a physical team too and you know we got to go out and be physical ourselves. We got to initiate as much as possible and yeah you're gonna get

banged around and they're gonna come and they're gonna hit and they're gonna do all you know. That's just part of it and I thought you know Ottawa did the same thing to us. They were physical. They're honest They're they're hitting and I thought we handled it. Well Can't how'd I do with PPPK stars goalies mean I I'll tell you the one thing that I'm most Intrigued and made find out maybe the first five or 10 minutes that would tie into all of yours, is how is this series gonna be officiated?

Okay? Good one. And that's what people really should be looking at. What if they're mean, how mean will they let them be? How tight are you gonna be on the most penalized team in the league? how tight are you gonna be on the most penalized team in the league? Does the officiating favor the Leafs

or will it favor the Florida Panthers? I'm still seeing some calls, boys, the last few games where I'm like, I don't really know about that call. The call on Drury in the third period of the Colorado Dallas game was a crime if If they call it tight, hmm At least if huge advantage to the Leafs if they call this series tight and then you allow that power play

To back them off. That's the only way you're gonna get the Florida Panthers to back off How mean they are is how tight will the officials? How much rope will they give them? Yeah to be mean so one of my favorite pieces of like analytics work I've seen Dom Lucision of the athletic did Penalties called per game and per round in the first round penalties There's a lot of them in game one six seven per game You know five six game two and it just goes down towards game seven where there's like an average like three penalties called per round and as you get deeper in the playoffs, they call a little bit less same arc of calls and

Until the finals where they try to call as few as possible My point is you're gonna get the most calls in the first couple games Yes That is your best chance to make Florida hesitant to take penalties and if you score on the power plays in game one or two maybe they go boys we got to be disciplined and that would be key to get them to back off the meanness factor. I do believe though the league is okay with Florida having this bully. Oh, it's a great element of hockey.

It's a great element of hockey. They don't want to lose that. If they are mean or nastier than the other team, it's okay, especially in this era of three fights and nine seconds to four nations. The league saw that generated. Everyone's on like talk shows at night three fights in nine seconds at four nations. The league saw that generated everyone's on like talk shows at night and they're like, do more of that.

More? Again. More physical it is, more controversy there is around hits and not hits is okay. The league's comfortable being uncomfortable with the Florida Panthers pushing that envelope. But if the Leafs can get a couple of calls in their favor, they do have a chance to have that power play back them off a little bit. So we'll find out. We'll find out.

There's going to be first few shifts, first 10 minutes, you're going to get a feel of how hard Florida comes after you and where that cut line is of, no, you're off the ice for two minutes. You know what could be an advantage for them is Florida chose Kucherov to attack on the power play. Kucherov plays the flank and every time he got the puck, even if he got it clean, they just went at him. And so he didn't have time to do that thing

where he sets up and has a good time and all that. The least advantage is they would probably target mariner in that way Because matthew doesn't handle it mariner handles it but mariner's up top And if they want to come all the way out you could stretch out that pk a little like there could be some room On the inside in the bumper for guys, but they will target those guys for sure. Yeah, if they've played them before they've had success against them before Are they ready for it this time around? They're going to try to take them out But yeah, like we all know the no like it's just they're going to be on those two. I mean, yeah I look when they're on the ice

They're gonna I mean they're gonna challenge them Echblad literally threw a flying elbow into a guy's head and knocked him out of the seat like they're gonna try to Inflict pain. Yeah, I mean look at the last time these two teams played in a playoff series Matthew Bennett just Straight up, you know suplexed Matthew Nyes into the ice and took him out goodness on camp they all through some Gracie was they are a Dirty dirty team and they are going to continue to be dirty and it's gonna be like you said Are the refs gonna call it? Are they gonna let them get away with it?

Are they're gonna be suspension conversations in this series probably I wouldn't mention Marsha and Marsha and is on this team Yeah, like it's just third line there which is a good an incredibly good third line like Lucerne and Lundell and and Marsha and versus whatever third line the least we're gonna put out there in the series probably when you look at Domi McMahon Yeah, and I'm sure they'll try to match the lot in line against those guys as much as they can as opposed to but I just I really am Nervous for that factor where as a leaf fan

I've watched for to get away with murder for many many serious. They will be murdering like I mean look at last year again Bennett literally flying Punch into the face of Marcian, knocked him out, nothing. No suspension, no like, they get away with way more than any other team does. And as a Leaf fan with guys with stars who don't necessarily love that, that's the part I'm most nervous about. Is that like, they can get away with this stuff.

Last time they played in playoffs, Mitch Marner led the the core four and points with three. Matthew said to Willie had three as well. Sorry and five games Tavara said one Yeah, so no one scored one three points five games Do you break it down if you were just to focus on the forwards for a second here? Is it as simple as saying that Matthews has to play Oh play bark off Marner has to play Reinhardt Oh play Barkov Marner has to play Reinhardt Willie has to outscore I

Don't know Bennett and Kachak combined. Yeah Is I think you get down like that? I think if the cancel those guys out and hope you win the margins see I don't think their margins are better I think that's what I mean. I have to be better. Yeah, I don't think their margins are better. I think they have to be better than those guys. They have to be better. Yeah. I agree. I've never seen Madden better than Barkov. Can, uh, can McMahon

Head to head. take out, you know, cancel Verhagy? Is it Knies? Uh, yeah, Knies is a different element. You know, like that's someone who can do some of the Sam Benedy type stuff. And I know that's a super high bar for him but like to me Nice and McMahon have to be the key in this year's on the left side for the Leafs

because they are big and heavy and they can lean on people you know but they have to go to another level yeah I just in terms of like offense we shouldn't undersell the fact that like Florida's leading goals or point getter had 80 points and Sam Reinhardt and then 70 for Barkov, 57 for Kachuk, like you know, Verheggie's 53. The Leafs top four guys get numbers, you know, and so yeah, breaking even with those guys would not be good enough. And when I know it's a high bar and these guys have the experience and all that, but

like if we're sitting here going, well, you can't ask him to be as good as Carter Verheggie. Yeah, you can. Yeah, you can. You know, so there is, there's just, he's just, Mcmahon's gonna have to have a series of his life. If he looks like he didn't get six against Ottawa, I would be happy. Go in on the four check, win the puck for the puck for your fear line play in the offensive zone But that's against Ottawa sure was

I just don't the thing that I really don't want to see and I just don't want the least to look scared of these guys. Mm-hmm And in games past and like, you know, I didn't watch that the one the last game these two team played I was enjoying the beach in Hawaii, but I heard it was horrendous and I heard that they were never in the game They didn't want to be in the battle. It's a different time. It's the second on the playoffs I understand that but I think the fear is is that They hit early and the least kind of go away that they don't want to be in it They don't want to be in the fight against the dark, you know, that's that's what I mean

We're talking about positive and negative like that. That's worrying me. Yeah The X Factor also could be a max Domi because he can play different ways We've seen a side to him that could look like a Florida Panther I'm excited for right and he threw the biggest hit of the year against the Panthers on Is he a guy wheels off? Would you play would you like to go see him challenge Bennett? And I'm not saying in a fight, but just shoulder to shoulder or, you know, a scrum.

If a push comes to shove and it's a fight, is that the look that was missing two years ago? You know, what's hard is it's like, they're just not, he plays in such an admirable way, but he's not in that weight class Right like he's not the size of Sam Bennett. I know he's got more Fighting the dog than anyone per 60 But but taking Sam off the ice for five or seven minutes is a win for Max And he takes in that group of people in that team that would do it is a joke

Right Oh, Chuck. Go Bennett. Anybody can get Marchand. Yeah the ice Yeah, he should be out of his mind in this series. If he is a quiet series. I would be disappointed March and Pull someone off the ice. Yeah Yeah, that's a Zer anyone else his role for Florida no for the Leafs anyone else can do that I know Max can like can anyone else McCabe on D certainly can put a game he'll do it for you you know and he wouldn't dare joking okay don't joke Ben one McCabe, maybe Lorenz, Knies, McMahon, Domi. That's all I got for ya. Yeah, I know, I know.

And that's why it's probably best that they focus on things that they can make themselves most successful. But you know, you go through this lineup. McMahon has to drive, his speed has to show, and then he's gotta take it to the net. You go through this lineup of Florida's though. Like Verheggie's not like that and Barkov's not like that and Reinhardt's not like that, nor is Rodriguez. So it's Bennett Gichuck, the two Finns on the third line are not like that, Marchand

is. So like, you know, they don't have 12 guys that are like that. The one thing I will note and I'm see if I can find this on my phone really quick, the guys who have left there over the past couple years, you know Gudis Montour cousins stall Lomburg they've had a lot of grease that is not there and I'm not saying they're not still greasy Their core is greasy. Yes, but they have had had a lot of surrounding grease that I'm not sure is as greasy now Well, we got Bill Lindsey coming up after the break, right? Yeah, we got.

We'll get we'll get his thoughts on on where Florida is compared to that team. You're talking about a few years ago. Even last year, I should talk about the cold ending a little bit here. That's yeah. Before we go. It is one of those like, well, it needs to be good. Round one goalie stats, Sergey Barovsky, four wins, 2.21 goals against, 901 save percentage. Anthony Stolar's four wins, 2.21 goals against,

average 901 save percentage. Wow, wow. Look at that. Exactly the same numbers, and that's courtesy of Luke Fox on Twitter. So thanks, Luke, for that. You hope that a few days off here for Stolarz has him reset and he can still be that goalie that you've seen all season long. So, you know, I talked about Joseph Wall at some point making an appearance here.

If it is, it's going to have to come off of maybe a tough start for him. Maybe two tough starts. I don't know where that cut line would be for a Borubi in a series like this, but... I hope it's early. You got to think that if the Leafs have any chance to extend this, at some point we're going to see Joseph Wall, but right now it's... Don't fix what ain't broken. Yeah, but you can totally see a world where a healthy and fresh Joe Wall comes in and is very good. It's an advantage of theirs.

And I think Kip, if Stellar's is bad tonight, I think go to Wall and get him too. We did see signs. We did see signs of maybe a guy that maybe looked a little tired towards the latter part of the first round. And it certainly was bending, but it didn't break by any stretch here. So I

See why you're going back to Stoller's. Yeah No lineup changes for them over under One and a half games for Joseph ball in the series Over Over Yeah, I you know, everyone says that four is the favorite. If you lose a couple games, I think it's... Two and a half?

Hey, can I get three? Three and a half? Yeah, I think there's a better chance of seeing Joseph Wall in a game five or game six. Yeah, like if they lose tonight, I don't think Joseph Wall starts game two, does he? It depends. It just depends on what you see out of Stolarz. But there's no way Barube hasn't been seeing what we've all been seeing. For sure.

Right? Like, I mean, he's been good. He was good enough for them to win. I gave you those numbers. They're not world-beating numbers. But he was good enough to beat Ottawa. But he probably saw the slippage. I mean, that goal that he lets in against Peron

in game six, third period, probably shook him to his core, but I I want to believe distance Rister was worse. Yeah, these have to be amongst The hardest decisions coaches have to make but they are tough and you are paid to make them and you know We'll get into this a little bit more in our national show, but you know Connor Hellebuck at times, I think Scott Arneal probably should have pulled him, didn't. I know it turned out great for him when it was all said and done in game seven, but like, that's when you put your cojones on the line right now as a head coach, when you have to make those tough, tough decisions on who gives you the best chance to win at a particular time.

The only thing Borubi has going for him that Scott Arneal might not have had is Borubi can go, I don't even know which of my guys is better. You know, like it's not really that controversial. The confidence in Joseph Wall, who has not played in a while, who's just waiting, who's got that energy and that feel of like, I'm gonna come in here and I'm gonna kick ass. I mean, that's a gift to Barube. It's just a matter of when do you go to it. And I mean, much like a baseball manager or any,

it's about the feel. It's about, it's not just numbers, it's about your eyes, it's about the feel, it's about the feel it's about it's not just numbers it's about your eyes it's about the feel it's about feeling the flow of the series and when you pull the trigger because once you pull the trigger it's really hard to go back the other way is it not yeah right the the general feel is that you do it and a guy gets blown out but that that to me would be the least of Craig Barube's worries is that Joseph Wall comes in and is worse or it stinks. I don't see that.

Weird stat of the day for me is, you know, Gustav Forzling is their like best defenseman, plus 33. Landel and Lester Anan were like both plus 17 around that. Bennett and Verhage, minus 15 and minus 14 for them this year. Wow. You just named the two best defensemen for Florida. Give me the best defenseman on the Leafs

and the second best. Well, I know Morgan Rielly's is hot garbage. Tanev. Who's their best defenseman? Tanev. Yeah. Who's their most important defenseman? Chris Tanev.

Second. Jake McCabe. Third. Simone Benoit. No, I think it's Morgan Rielly. Tanev and McCabe plus 31 plus 23. Yeah. Ekman Larson plus 14. I have McCabe plus 31 plus 23. Yeah Ekman Larson plus McCabe fourth, okay

Riley Riley for Minus eight he scrapped and clawed his way back boy. I got back in there. That's it. That's it. It's it He's fourth going into this series for me most important defenseman on the Toronto Maple Leaf after Carlo is after Carlo Can he get himself back up in this series? Yeah. Yeah, it's a fair question. You know, he's produced offense for them in the playoffs past. Can he be there?

Can he be important? Thought he was good early in the series and it kind of looked a little bit like the regular season later in the series. But so are we doing a pick now or are we going to wait for the national hour to pick our number? The series yeah Do it now you go first you do you go first mr. Caprio's I'll take Florida in seven Wow You know I feel like it's either Florida in six or least in seven and I want to

represent positivity on our show so So give me Leafs and Seven. I listened back to our picks from the first round today because I'll bring it up with you guys in the national hour and I picked the Toronto Maple Leafs to win the Stanley Cup so it'll be pretty hard for them to do that and lose this series. So give me the Leafs and Seven. All right. Seven games all around. Are we ready for a break? Yeah, let's hit a break.

Okay, we'll hit a break. We'll return Bill Lindsay, former NHL'er, covers the Panthers as a color analyst. the Panther team. We're going to get a little bit of a break. Are we ready for a break? Let's have a break. Okay, we'll hit a break. We returned Bill Lindsay, former NHL er covers the Panthers as a color analyst. We'll get his thoughts on what the Maple

Leafs can expect tonight against the Stanley Cup defending champions that more when we return to real kipper and born. Hey, it's a list for a fire and I'm Justin comfort. Join us as we discuss the most important sports stories of the day and tee up the biggest games of the night. It's the fan pregame, 6 p.m. weekdays on SportsNet, SportsNet 590, the fan in wherever you get your podcasts. ["Sportsnet 590 The Fan"]

Welcome back to the program. Nick Kiprio, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. Welcome in Bill Lindsey as soon as he set up shop here. He's going to give us all the secrets on how to beat the Florida Panthers. If anyone had them, they would be very valuable. What do you think MLSU would pay for the secret to beat the Florida Panthers? 10 mil? It is quite shocking that they shut down Kuturov and point. Very shocking.

You know, they're to me Kuturov's as unshutdownable as there is. He's deceptive and sneaky and competitive. You know, he has his moments, but I don't know. I don't know. It's concerning about Florida's defense. There was that one thought that Hedman did, by the way, play with a broken leg. Like, first of all, like, you know, there is a part of me that just... There's not anyone else. The media can't wait to figure out who's like hurt or not hurt. And they're ready to put a picture of a guy with a wrap around his ankle.

And I'm like, that's on every day for the last three years of his career. You know? Yeah. You guys got a tensor bandage. Woo! Okay, let's welcome in Bill Lindsay, former NHL'er, covering the Panthers as a color analyst does a great job Bill thanks for joining us man. How are you? We're just speaking seconds ago about the Florida Panthers Taking down the likes of Kuturov who's regarded at times as one of the best players on the planet and

You know, there's leave fans wondering like oh god they did that to Kucherov and point what what could they do to Marner and Matthews here but what did you see in that series that made it look so easy against Tampa Bay? For the most part, sorry, I got things moving on. No problem. I'm just going to figure it out. I'm just going to score myself up. There we go.

For the most part, what I saw in that series against Tampa Bay is that Paul Maurice, with the rest down the stretch for the players, he was making sure coming into this postseason that everyone was gonna be healthy, 100% ready to go. He didn't matter about the standings. And you could see that defensive structure and that style that they wanted, that it was on point.

So he wasn't concerned about where they were gonna finish. He understood that being healthy for that game number 83 was gonna be okay. And talk to him going down to the stretch, he said, we're absolutely fine. We've been losing some games, but everyone's coming back. We're looking to be ready to go and we are fitting to be right where we need to be

come game number 83. And it all resolves around that defensive structure for the Panthers and what they try to do. So against Khrushchev off and against point, it's time and space. Don't give them a lot of room. They're one of the best teams at controlling speed through the middle of the ice. They make you dump the puck in and then it becomes a battle of attrition along the walls. you dump the puck in and then it becomes a battle of attrition along the walls. If you don't have the willingness to play along the walls and win 50-50 puck battles, it can be really hard and that's what they were able to do against Kucherov. Point, Gesell was pretty good, but for the most part, you were able to limit the damage. How does this version of the Florida Panthers stack up with the

two teams that won and went to a Stanley Cup final. Pretty good. We had to see where everyone kind of fit in with all the pieces and we're still waiting for Eklad. We had him for a couple of games. Going to miss him for this game of the opening series series, but waiting for what Marsha and this whole team and Jones and waiting for the injured players to kind of recover and Kachuk. What would it look like when they got into the postseason? How healthy would they be?

And once they got there, you could see that there was that instant chemistry that they developed along the way. There's a potential that this team is maybe better than the last couple of years. It's been a long, hard battle that they've had to fight through with all of that, but potentially this team has the potential

to be better. That would be bad. Oh yeah, we don't want to hear that. That wasn't helpful. Stop that talk right now, Bill. Sorry, I got this phone moving all over. Buddy, all that matters is what you're saying right now. And in terms of this reputation, most penalized team,

Craig Brewery was asked the other day, of this reputation, most penalized team. Craig Brewery was asked the other day, how mean are they? And yes, we see it out of Bennett and Kachuk and then they added Marchand, but outside of that, right? Outside of those three names, are they really that mean as a club, as a whole? Well, there's a toughness throughout the group,

a meanness, and you know, Nick, it's about as good as anyone. That once you have kind of have that insulated that starts with Bennett, there's a team toughness and a team bond. And if you want to beat the Panthers, they're gonna hit you, but you're gonna have to earn it.

They're gonna take a piece off you. And that's kind of their mentality, that they wanna wear you down. The physical, I would say it's partially mean, but it's a whole built-in concept of the club of where they're designed to play under Paul Maurice. That they built into this system. You gotta dump bucks in,

you gotta hit everything in sight. You got to play this defensive brand. And then there's the chatter with guys like Marshaan and Bennett that just kind of goes into that. Mean, I wouldn't say naturally overly mean, but I would say team toughness is really, really the strength of this team. So the, you you know no team has

playoff success without great goaltending. Bob everyone in Toronto was hoping he would get worse over the last two years. He hasn't. How do you look in round one and what's the evolution of his season been like? You look good in round one. Made the stops when needed to. That's the thing about Sergei Babrowski, critical stops at the times when you need it and there were certain points and flexion points in that series that he was better than the Vasilevsky when it came and this was a perfect example. We have a 3-2 lead here. They're starting to press into that period in the second and just two dramatic saves that you couldn't ask for and the Panthers were trying to hang on to this.

We're finally able to extend that lead on large part of the goaltending as Sergei Vabrovsky. He doesn't care if it's four, three, four, four, one, nothing. It's on about the next goal. And I love that mentality about him. He is able to shake anything off. He's been a veteran, been around it for a long, long time. Oh man, those last couple of saves against Tampa Bay

were absolutely lights out. So what version are we gonna see out of Seth Jones? Cause the Leaf fans wanna see the one that was like minus a thousand in Chicago. Yeah, Seth Jones, he's done a good job of eating minutes with Eklat out. We're glad that we have them and have that kind of ability to do that. But with Eklat back, preferably Seth Jones gets down around 22, 23 minutes a night.

We'll see if he continues to quarterback that number one power play. But Seth Jones is fit in, not trying to do too much. What you've seen in Chicago is a lot of minutes a lot of time in his own end with the Panthers You don't have to spend as much time into your own zone That allows Seth Jones to kind of freewheel get up on the ice get up on the attack Do his thing and have a little bit more energy throughout the course of the game and that's ideally Where you want it if he gets paired once that by getsi gets back with Mikala, Mikala is 6'6", Jones is 6'4", you got a really strong pairing that can skate well, long reach, defend. So I'm not sure that you're going to see the Seth Jones in

Chicago. The motivator cuff has been put back on. It might have been torn a little bit. It might have been torn a little bit in Chicago, but it's gotten stitched up and it's all better for Seth Jones. That's too bad. Well, that is a very concerning thing for the Leafs because he can be very helpful, the way he skates. He's a nice player. Not sure he plays a huge role.

The last thing I wanted to ask you about was just the penalty kill of Florida. Regular season they were 10th, but at net PK they were fifth meaning when they scored they they must score some short-handed goals along the way how threatening are they on the penalty kill with the addition of Marchand and everyone else there yeah they did score a lot of those short-handed goals were early in the year yeah and Reinhardt was involved in that but with the addition the penalty killer is deeper and better because you addressed it not only with Marchand, but Nico Sturm.

And what happened is now with the penalty kill rotation is that it's not always Barkov and Reinhardt. They will get out there. They will be put in certain situations, but you're gonna see Sturm and Lulz-Srin and come over to the boards first, almost all the time. So that's the one big change. And then Lindell, Marshand, a lot. And then Reinhardt and Barkhoff kind of when you need them.

So that kind of slots into that area where you can save some ideas. And it's for Barkhoff and Reinhardt where you don't have to quite push them as far. When you need them, they're out there to do the job. But the additions of Sturm and Marshand is really really lengthened out what you're able to do rotation wise you can go six deep into a rotation now with no problem or maybe before it was four and occasionally you would go into that five

six combination on the penalty kill. Bill one more for me and we're running out of time unfortunately but I want to ask you about the team toughness of course there's a phrase that goes around the RCMP when they get it they're attacking criminals it's they always get their man. Is that what happened to Hagel with the Florida Panthers and is there a message to the Leafs or anyone else that plays them? I don't know you go after the captain something's gonna happen. I'm not sure I went in there with the intent I can't get into a player's head and I'm not gonna tell you that thing But we understand that if you go after a player like a bark off There is going to be some sort of pushback from from our squad and you don't want players to sit out and go head hunting

Ideally like hagel said it just just get out there drop the gloves kind of sort it out that way the old fashioned way and that's the way our team normally does things is that we're just going to settle it well if you want to that that was over the edge they did go after a bad hit against Hagel but that in playoff time is kind of going to have to be dialed back. And if you are to sort things out, I hope it goes if there ever is that kind of situation again, that it gets done immediately and just it doesn't have we have enough players that can walk over to Hagel and say, let's solve this drop the gloves.

Let's get it over with and put that behind us looking forward to game one tonight, Bill'm looking forward to talking to you again, maybe throughout the series a little later. Thanks for doing this. Yeah, thanks. I'm a beauty on this iPhone thing. You're doing great, buddy. Thanks. It's crazy, but I appreciate it. Enjoy it. All right. Appreciate your time. That is former national hockey leaguer Bill Lindsey over 700 games. The NHL. Yeah. You're not expected to be an IT guy where you're a NHL hockey player. Guess I just could've called him, feel bad now.

Sorting out the phone, it worked, it worked. It's always nice to see a pretty face. 8 p.m. puck drop? Yes. Why again? Well, because it's now regarded as maybe one of the greatest ping pong ball show in history. The lottery. No comment on the show in history. The lottery.

No comment on the rest of them. The NHL lottery show, right? Listen, this is gonna be. Ping pong balls. Who doesn't wanna watch ping pong balls? Buddy. I would love to watch it tonight on Sportsnet. Yes.

Seven o'clock. Can't wait to watch those ping pong balls. I believe the New York Islanders have at least a ball of ping pong in there, so I'll tune in. Could the draft water be an email? Well, I appreciate them wanting to make things an event that are eventful, but it is tough to celebrate the teams who've really stunk and often on purpose. Don't take away...

The Sharks again! ...Bill Daley's. This is Bill Daley's show. Sorry, Billy Boy. Maybe the Red Wings will land a Hail Mary. Are they anywhere near it? Do you remember they flipped the card up before commercial break and let out the first pick or something? Didn't that happen a few years ago?

Yeah, there was some. I think those were the Oscars. They got the wrong movie. They got the wrong movie. Janet Jackson's outfit. Super Bowl. Ping-pong ball. Maybe Bill Daly will have a malfunction with his wardrobe today.

Maybe that'll help get the ratings up. It would. Okay. Don't go away. The Valor cat, our favorite on a Tuesday, clear site analytics. We'll get the Connor, but no Connor, a hell of a bucks story. I got Connor, but dart on my way. We're going to talk about Connor Bidart as well.

So much more when we return to Real Kipper and Born.