Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Fighting Florida for Division Lead

Episode Date: March 13, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look ahead to the Leafs' matchup against the Florida Panthers tonight in a battle for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. They discuss whether the team should rush Chris Tanev back, Max Domi downplaying the game, the Leafs needing more physicality from Matthew Knies, and whether the Panthers are 'the team to beat' in the East. Later, former Panther and current Panthers analyst Ed Jovanovski (32:17) helps tee up the Florida side of tonight's matchup and discusses Aaron Ekblad's suspension, his confidence in Sergei Bobrovsky, Sam Bennett's looming free agency, early returns on Seth Jones 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.

Welcome in to the Real Kipper and Bourne show. This is the Leaf Hour edition of our program. Nine games on tap, always fun when it's game day at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nick Caprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Austin Mackey, Jake the Snake Schultz with you for the next two hours. Toronto Maple Leafs welcome in the Florida Panthers for their second matchup of the season. The first one didn't go so well no remember that score the score was 5-1 and mid-november five one couple of empties though maybe Sammy feel like there was like it was a closer game than that but I mean when was it yeah like November 7 yeah it doesn't exist in many more leaves might feel a little better

coming into this one, especially watching Florida maybe come down to earth a little bit blowing a two-nothing lead in the third period to Boston Tuesday night. Yeah, or is that wishful thinking? No, I mean, that's a good thing But the previous four games to that loss they played three playoff teams pretty good opponents and they allowed one goal a total over those four games so defensively they've been extremely good prior to losing three to two to Boston so yeah they're still doing a lot of things well I would say the other bright spot though is no Echblad no Marchand no Kachuk. Yeah, so you would think that takes some of the bite out of the Panthers a little bit

That's positive and where are we? Sammy McKee on Chris Tanev coming into tonight's game Would we like to go to the coach to get his extremely? Detailed update on him very much. So, okay, let's play that please. Kemper's Clipper 1. What's Tanev's outlook for tonight? Game time decision. Okay. You can't get three words out faster.

Game time decision. Yeah. Can I put words in your mouth? Oh yeah. Alright, here's Sammy's words If he's a game time decision, he shouldn't be playing. Yeah, he's not good enough to be back it was only what three or four days ago where it was

Probably not going as fast as we'd like or as expected or it was before the Utah game Yes, it was. That there was a little bit, and this was Craig Berube basically telling us that there might've been just a, dare use the word setback, but a slower progression than they were comfortable with. So, I'm with you. Like as much as we

think it's a big game and it is, you cannot jeopardize this guy. Yeah, you better be 100% sure that he is good to go here and can take some. He might have to take a few hits tonight. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure you've played with a ton of guys who got their shoulder tape before literally every game. You know, it's just like once it starts, once you've got a tear or a strain or whatever, it's not one of those ones that just like, and the bone is healed. It just is always susceptible.

And the part of this that really is somewhat concerning and potentially infuriating if you're a Total Maple Leaf fan, we have evidence this very season of a decision that was made very similar to this, where Austin Matthews was banged up and he had been in and out of the lineup. This was post his trip to Germany.

And he came in that night against the Buffalo Sabres, where there was a game time decision. All of us sat around here and said, really, we're game time decision in December or November, or whatever it was, and then in that game, I forget who it was, cross checks him right in the back, and he misses six more games right after. We've seen this happen already this season

with an important guy for the Leafs. I understand the gravity of this game and don't get me wrong. It's as big as a regular season game you can have in March. But boy, you better be really sure that he's ready to rock with Sam Bennett breathing down his neck when he dumps the pocket. Well I think the point you make right there is the one we should talk about which how big is this game? Because you know, it comes down to whether you think

the division must have, if it's not that big a deal. We do have the max Domi clip, which I think we should play, where Domi clip won here, where he doesn't think it's that big a game. I don't know if you, yeah, play the clip, and then we'll, Domi clip, please. We don't. Oh, it doesn't matter to us. We were just play the clip and then we'll uh, the only clip please. We don't.

It doesn't matter to us. We were just trying to beat every team we play against and every game is just as important. So, um, focused day by day and game by game and contest tonight against the defending champ. So, uh, it's gonna be a full one. So that's in response to, uh, whether he's concerned about the race for the Atlantic division title that S doesn't matter to us. whether he's concerned about the race for the Atlantic Division title that s doesn't matter to us I I don't get that he's downplaying how big of a game it is

because he does talk about a good test and Stanley Cup champions so it just sounds to me that he wants to protect a bigger picture here than just focusing on this one game. So that's to me. It's just a, it's a protection. Like you, you can actually have a great game and lose. You could, I don't think that he's, he's taking away the gravity of, of, of how important the game is.

My reaction to it is not based on Domi or what Domi's saying in this instance. It goes back to years of watching Keef. We do have the, I don't even want to say the advantage, almost the disadvantage of having been here for this last nine year run. Where Sheldon Keef for years, he'd be a big game and he'd say, well, you know, we're more focused on we play, we're more focused on the result. We're more, you know, the guys kind of felt like they downplayed everything. And you wanted there to be some games, some stakes where by the time you get into playoffs

where you can't deny their stakes, all 82 games, you haven't played a game you said mattered. It's like, I think it's okay to say tonight matter in all honesty though I do believe that there's a sense of protecting that if it doesn't go well it's not the end of the world. And yeah okay so to me it's like well we had this big game we lost 5-1 and now where do I go with my comments we pooped the bed. Yeah and that's okay. Is it okay to fall short of something and be like we need better next time. It was a big game and we failed next time we can learn from it Okay, I I do see a side of that but I just think that it might be a little too early for that

Especially that you play them two more times. Yeah, that does so You could lose tonight and win the next two So let me ask you out of the three remaining games with Florida like do they need five out of six is three out of six Okay for you. Does it are we gonna read into these? Three games starting tonight as difference makers on how we think this will end up being in the playoffs I think those are great questions. Are they? We have one game in hand, two points back. So they could conceivably,

here you got the standings up on the screen. They could conceivably split the points with Florida, go three, three. Three, three. You know, or however that would end up working out with overtime and stuff. But they can split the points and then make up the other two points along the way.

They can. But I mean, this is the opportunity to make them look. It's four point swing, right? You have the opportunity to make immediate games gains without having to do it in your other games. And it's setting this scene, setting the table for us versus you and the potential playoff matchup. Are you reading into starting tonight on if the Leafs could

knock them off in a seven game series for sure I I think you'll always have the caveat of worrying about what happens when the Leafs in the playoffs I think that's always gonna be there but like you said the last match was in November hmm this is the first chance that you've got to look at them in a really long time here and like you said they have three matchups before the end of the season, including tonight. This is a real time to, you know, quote, not to go full Shorzy here, but set the tone.

Like you have to show that you're not gonna back down from these guys, that they're the champions, you know that. And you wanna show that you belong with them. So you are downplaying it. No, I'm not downplaying it. Me personally, I think it's a wonderful Opportunity tonight to reset your confidence like it a lot of things Haven't been looking very good for the Toronto Maple Leafs the last little while including blown leads here

Yeah, and I don't know how far we need to go back to find a like solid convincing to go back to find a like solid convincing 60 minutes and I'm not sure what if that's even possible tonight but have they had one since coming out of the break good question I mean in Carolina Chicago I guess they're okay but like it hasn't been convincing really good question thank you but in saying that finding a way to beat them in regulation tonight would go a long way for them, I think, moving forward, especially going into whenever they play next. I think that's great framing, reset your confidence and, you know, sort of establish, you know, I asked you yesterday, what is their game?

Which is I do find a Craig Bruby clip on getting away from their identity. So once again, what do you think is their identity and what will it look like to beat Florida tonight? So we established that they are a dump and chase team, that they are pretty good at it compared to a lot of teams. That's something they need to do better is for check. But also I think their identity is unequivocally if you look around the league top heavy, they need the top guys to be awesome. And you know, Matthews we've talked about quite a bit hasn't quite been there. Marner's games taking a little dip maybe you know compared to an unbelievable start to

the season. But there's more there. Nylander, I think for you, in talking to you, you don't think he's... To me, I really believe that he could dominate a lot more with his skillset, for sure. That's part of the identity. So can everyone dump and chase?

Can the top line dominate? Can you get the saves? I think, yeah, that's what we're waiting to see. Why don't we go to Craig Berube in clip three and what he thinks. You know, the last handful of games, I think we've gotten away from our identity a little bit with in terms of putting pucks in deep

and for checking and going to work. So we're trying to get that dialed back in here and play that North South game. North South it is. Listen to our show yesterday. Yeah, he clarified what our identity is. That's handy. And the other thing for me,

just way too much time in their own zone. Broken plays, bad passes, and then counter attacks on a team that often is not closing gaps, meeting at the blue line, giving up the first six feet inside their blue line. Like, that's not gonna get it done here. The idea with North-South is that it doesn't take a brilliant play. You shouldn't get hemmed in your zone. It should just get out and get moving the other way sometimes.

So the game I am looking back to and the one that I remember is actually in October, October 21st, the first time that Tampa played in Toronto where they were so unbelievable on all facets of the game in terms of physicality Curing the puck dominating just a great goaltending every single thing. I Want to see that tonight? Like I would love to just see it feels like they don't play particularly well against Florida in the regular season or in the playoffs And I just would for my mental health for leaf nation's mental health heading towards the playoffs It would be so nice to see them have a brilliant game tonight

I will say it would go a long way it really would it would but that's when kit made a really relevant point of That's a very hard way to play 82 times. We watched their success and that was like the first not criticism The challenge was can you do that that often can you do it ten times though you're right yeah I don't know if it's happened five times since then where they've looked that dominant physical tip screen dig sort of hockey okay who who needs to step up and and have a real physical presence for the Toronto Maple Leafs in your mind. Can I start?

Yes, please do. Jake McCabe. Yeah. I think if he can come in tonight with some sandpaper and be that guy on the back end that makes it real tough, and he can go shoulder to shoulder with a lot of guys, I think if he has a really strong, confident game and sets a tone back on the blue line

to me that's that Hopefully bleeds into the lineup. How about you? Yeah, that's good I think Matthew Nyes is probably a worthwhile note, you know I did the Canucks game last night and I know we'll talk about that in the national hour But one thing I think we noted was that when things started to go bad for Vancouver, it was like, who on the Canucks is going to stand up for Quinn Hughes? And you start going through the lineup and they didn't have a lot of guys. Sushi's gone, De Harne is gone, JT Miller's gone. They don't have a ton of those guys. I started asking that question about the Leafs and in playoffs against a team like

Florida, who's it going to be? Jake McCabe comes up, you know, Matthew Nice can do it physically But doesn't a ton Lawton's gonna have to you know, I like the fourth line right now of Holmberg Lorenzen can't fit none of those guys do it my my they have to show that they will do it My answer is nice for me. Like I I thought what he did with White Cloud right in Vegas I thought that was such a wake-up call for me in terms of what he can do and in measuring if he can come If he can have that moment Against Vegas and white cloth and then come in and have another type of moment like that tonight fight again, though I don't care what it is. It doesn't have to be a fight, but it has to be

It has to include a very large presence of his physicality. You'd like to see him tell someone to shut up. Whatever the case is, if we go back less than two years ago when Sam Bennett is driving his head in the ice. Play on. No penalty or suspension. All good. Stop it for a second okay and just look on to man-on-man okay okay don't we're in the school playground

right now yeah stop looking for the principal well okay principal should have stopped it should have yeah go back that moment, and it's like, I'm not that guy anymore. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not that guy coming out of college that's all green now. I've got some mileage, I've got some sandpaper, I've probably got about another 15 pounds.

It's coming back to revisit the bully after high school when you're like, oh, I got bigger and you didn't like how much How much difference and we always say hockey players have long memories here How much of a difference is white cloud to nice to Sam Bennett tonight tonight? And I'm not saying he needs to go after him or fight him, but you're not Taking advantage of me. You're not driving my head into the ice anymore. Those days are over. I'd like to see that kind of message sent.

I just want to see. So that I agree would be great. But I do think it's going to be important in these three games against Florida where you can't let them call your bluff. Like they're going to have to punch back.. They're gonna have to rally around any incidents. They're gonna have to show show Florida that we're not gonna be the Sedin's on the other end of the Marsha and rabbit punches come playoffs. We're gonna be here for each other because they don't have as many guys as willing as Florida probably does, but they do need to show that they'll

collectively be there. Then we go continue down the list I will clarify though. Not sure about I want to see nice. I know fight Bennett. I don't know Doesn't have to I know but you know what I saw enough like like real anger when he fought white. That was not a fight to say, hey, my coach told me to do this, so I'm doing it. He went in there with purpose. Throughout my career, I know who's fighting for just for fighting, and I know who's fighting

to rip my head off, okay? Big difference. And the guys with that real anger who want to kill you in that fight You know and you know the guys who are just doing it for the sake of doing it what I saw At an eyes with white cloud was like like real it was next-level stuff for him I'm not saying that he has to fight Sam Bennett, but if he did, Sammy, if he did, and he had a little bit of that piss and vinegar that he had against Vegas, that's next level stuff for Matthew Nyes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yeah.

Be a big help, no doubt, because you go through the lines. It's not many. McMahon's going to have to be a little bit more like that. I also, I'm going to go ahead and call out Steven Lorenz. Totally. Steven Lorenz, we don't need this guy. You know, if you're the Maple Leafs, we don't need him to win the Lady Bang. It would be okay if at six foot four or whatever he is, he got mad at someone.

I'm with you now. It just doesn't stop at at Nice and McCabe it you got to go down the list McMahon is a big guy too good to see Ben was much as you don't love the Superman punch good to see him Involved in that way. They're gonna need guys like that Lawton. Yeah another guy Capable in your face type of guy. Just haven't seen it for the first two games. And once again, hey listen, his head's spinning.

He's looking down, seeing a crest that he never thought in a million years he'd see. It plays with you. I've been there. First home game tonight, by the way. Probably a few butterflies. Right? You've got family. It's so tough to be patient and let the game come to you while being aggressive.

Everyone's like, be aggressive, but pick your spot. Where's mom and dad? Where's my cousins? Where's my sister? Like he's dealing with all of that right now. So that's okay. But he was brought into the lineup because he had the style of play to go up against a team like this.

And that's, that's where it's got to start. Yeah. If he's not, if he's going to be an 18 goal guy, goal guy you would like to see a little bit of the physical element too. So the fans love him already doesn't need to impress him but just do the right thing. We got a clip from Craig Bruby on Scott Lotton. I think Lotz is a straight-line north-south player that's you know what I you know he's become I think coming out of junior was probably a little bit differently, but that's what he's become. He needs to go out and play that way and Max can make plays. We all know that.

He's a good passer and sees the ice extremely well. So with him and Bobby on that line, I feel like if they can get in there and forward check and create loose pucks and get it to max it and get to the net. That's what I tell these guys, get to the net. That's where the goals are scored. Yes, you get opportunities in a game where there's breakdowns and you'll have opportunities to shoot a puck and score. But a lot of times, you know, these guys like you just take Matthew Nyes, he scored most of his goals 10 feet out from the net and just get to the net. They're big bodies and, you know, Max does a good job of, you know, from the net and just get to the net their big bodies and you know Max does a good job of you know making plays and getting pucks to the net. So that's what I'm looking for with that line

Yeah, I'd be talking about that sort of thing too that like you don't need to go out there and score But you need to set up everyone else to score, you know Put us in a good spot play in that end get on their deep We're not passing slot passes with McMahon in the middle of the right And what I do like about that line is if McMahon does catch and shoot one you can rip it in good spot play in that end get on their D where passes slot passes with McMahon in the middle of the right and What I do like about that line is if McMahon does catch and shoot one he can rip it in you know Like you looks like it's been a while for him here. Oh, yeah, he's ice-cold He's got ten games or something without a goal Yeah, yeah, whatever. I just want a dirty greasy game tonight out of the Leafs

But you know Florida without please tell me that they're built a lot better for that than you've seen in 10 years. Just give me that. No, they're not. Oh God. Well, they're not. No, I'm not even gonna watch tonight though. No, there's no, they're not like,

you know, Luke Shen, Kyle Clifford, Wayne Simmons, whoever you think, they don't have those guys there. But I like their fourth line in a different way. I just Scratched a little bit of the surface on a few of the guys being heavier and bigger and more first years Also all of their core four guys. I've always said this all it's for years of sports Then you can't tape grit to the core of the guys who are on the ice the most they're going to play 25 minutes a night in the playoffs, and they're the guys who have to fight through the screen, the traffic. They're the guys who have to take the hacks and the whacks.

So Lawton's 12 minutes isn't going to matter nearly as much as Matthew's saying, I'm going to power through that and park in front. And Marner's saying, I'm not going to shoot from 45 feet. I'm going to try to get to 25. that's where the grit has to come from so so who's Marner and Matthews who's got who's got the weight right now to show up who's got the weight yeah out of the four guys right now Tavares Nylander like who has to make a statement tonight I think we'd all like to see Matthews back in action. He's shot one in the net at five on five in the last 15 games.

His five on five scoring lowest rates of his career right now. And he has been, I don't know for how long, 10 years? Like the best five on five player in terms of defending and scoring and not happening. So whatever the reason you'd like to see him start to figure it out down the stretch. Yeah, so some interesting comments today from Ruby. He got asked about the Panthers being the defending Stanley Cup Champions

and you know, when you were the Stanley Cup Champion, do you remember having the target on your back and like was it harder going into different places as a Stanley Cup champion and his answer that was very interesting clip for yeah I guess like you know you you always want to beat the team that won last year I think as a team going in there I I find the Toronto Maple Leafs have a target on their back every night it seems like and we don't get an easy game, it seems like, especially at home here. I mean, these teams all come into Toronto and a lot of, you know, a lot of the players are from here and family and all that.

So they get gunned up and geared up to play us. I mean, I, you know, I find it's a tough night every night with Leif. You can't, it's almost like they're, the team's a byproduct. What they really like is the attention that the media gives them. That's the juice. Whatever the cause of it is, it's a reality. It is a true thing. People who have come through here and coached, I think Sheldon Keefe at one point when he

was going to Jersey, he said, now I get to see what it's like in the real NHL. Outside of this weird bubble here where everyone comes for their couple playoff games per year. Follows you to the supermarket. Yeah, it is a different beast here. And yeah, guys, guys get up. There's no doubt it's different. So yeah, they have a target.

And that's just, you got to be good. They've been very good. Do you think that that like contributes to some of their shaky home results? When, you know, they're like, for example, they lose to San Jose, that comeback game when a guy from Curtis, Ontario and a guy from Scarborough, Ontario shoots it in the net and a quiet Monday night game on the first game back from a trip. Like, I wonder how many results over the past 10 years they've has been due to that. He's going to the fifties.

Yeah. Well, yeah, sure. What is it? A game a year? It cost them maybe. Maybe. I mean, they've lost a lot of those games that out of conference weekday opponents like that has been a, like I used to call it the Leafs TV games that they would have where they

would just lose these crappy teams of the Ontario guys. You know, the net least stunk for a long time. For sure. There's no question. But even in the Matthews era, I just think it's really funny to have the coach come out there and give a lot of fans confirmation on what they believe. Yeah. Right?

Where... A new coach has been in other markets and he's like, this is different. The other teams are playing. And it's... Maurice was talking a little bit too. I listened to Maurice before playing and it's Maurice was talking a little bit too I listened to Maurice before we came on and he was talking a little bit about how like It was funny when he was doing the scout after they were the year before they actually became champions We'd be like I watch a team's five games before

ours and I would see their energy levels go way up when they're playing against us because they knew what kind of game that we were playing sort of Things so it's similar probably with the Leafs where you watch these teams and then they come into Toronto and it's Evans all The same as they sure split the best game they played in a month You're probably throw your wake-up call. Yeah, it's interesting closing in on almost a week already since the trade deadline. I guess Just zipping by as lies't it? I suppose we're, what, four weeks to the playoffs. Where are you guys now on the Panthers?

I think we got a clip from Craig Bruby talking about the Panthers. Have we played that yet? No, we haven't. Let's go to that, and then we'll discuss where we think the Florida Panthers are to win the division or defend a Stanley Cup. You know, Florida brings that certain game element,

you know, hard for checking team. They're in your face the whole game. There's not a lot of room out there. That's what I expect. You know, they're gonna dump pucks in and they're gonna for check and, you know, they're tight on you. They don't give you a lot of time and space out there.

So it's gonna be a battle, your wall battles and we need close puck support. And you got to simplify the game against this team. Bang on. You know, I was going through some numbers for Florida. Eighth best in goals for, eighth best in goals against, like 12th in power play, you know, the eighth or whatever in penalty kill.

They're good in everything. They're great in nothing, but their ultimate strength lies in that physical nature in a seven game series where you know these guys are going to punch you in the mouth and come at you. And so I don't know that you can do that over a season. So evaluating their like roster and record, it's really tough for me because they're better

than their results in terms of how much you fear them in the playoffs. As far as replacing a few key people, especially on the blue line, we know Oliver Ackman-Larsen's here now. We watched Montour, I think, put together a four-point night to beat the Montreal Canadiens last night. Did he win our four-sides? I don't know what the guy got, 15 goals already Montour? Yeah, he does. Fastest overtime goal in the history

of the National Hockey League. Yeah, pretty cool. Great D. Hudson. Pretty cool. But he is no longer a Florida Panther. We saw them get Seth Jones coming towards the trade deadline. Is this the team to beat right now for you?

Yeah. Yeah, it's hard to say it's not. You kind of leaned towards Tampa Bay, didn't you, a week ago? I think Tampa is probably the best team. They've got a bit of a step back here, quite it off. Like if I gun to my head who I think is better on paper, I'd probably say Tampa. But ultimately they're the Stanley Cup champions and you know, I think team to beat and best team are two different things.

The decor thing is fascinating. Like Ekblad is going to come back in game three of the playoffs not having played hockey in six weeks or something. Who knows what you're going to get from him. And then, you know, their bottom pair is Uvis Belinsky's and Nate Schmidt. Kulakov and Mikala are their second pair. You know, yes, Forsling and Seth Jones are a great pair. I like Mikala. Yeah, I like him too.

Rangey. Yeah. And Forsling is like, quietly like their best of Espen. Yeah. I actually think he is. The greatest waiver claim in the history of the National Hockey League. Forsling, Jones and Mikala, pretty good 3D there but Kulikov Schmidt and Bolinski is like I don't know they're beatable this is not the you know Canadian Four Nations team. I think Bobrowski had a period to forget as well in Boston Tuesday night but because he got over the hump last year and won the Stanley

Cup does that give a huge psychological advantage for having a guy like that now on this team still? Or is he hit and miss for you still? He's still a guy who could really be terrible. Like I, he's high ceiling, low floor, don't know what you're going to get. And in playoffs, kind of roll that Dyson. You hope you have rolled the pot at the craps table for a while, but he can roll snake eyes. So it's scary if you're Florida leaning on that. They did go out and get who Kackenon and Vanecek, two goalies just in case. I mean, it's three years here now where his playoff numbers have been good, right? Like 21, 22, 9, 11, 22, 23, 9, 15.

Last year when they won the cup, 9, 0, 6. Before that it was an absolute adventure, but he really has dialed in come playoff time. And you look back to the time the Leafs played them in the second round, I think it was that game two where they lost 2-1 or 3-2. They were, it was a really close game and he was unbelievable. He steals that game. where they lost two one or three two. They were is a really close game and he was unbelievable.

He steals that game. He was really good in that series. So yeah, these are flip switch to me. You mentioned flip switch flip. Yeah, you mentioned a black may be coming back after what six weeks and maybe feeling rather refreshed. There's Kachuk that has the potential to be very fresh. There's Kachuk that has the potential to be very fresh. And then there's Marchand who some believe

that could play in two weeks. But there's another guy resting as well. Surprised he didn't push it so he got to talk to the media for 15 minutes today. It's his favorite thing. He's gonna be in media when he quits. I will say all he wants to do is talk. These guys who you're saying could be fresh

Could be real rusty like listen if you don't know is round two and they both have five games under their belt It stinks but round one. It's still a big ass to step in and be yourself Okay, we're gonna take a quick break here and when we return at Jovanowski former NHL defenseman Almost 1200 games in the National Hockey League. Wow. Panthers TV analyst will talk Seth Jones, Marchand, Kachuk, and the Leafs' chances of beating Florida tonight. That and more when we return toays, Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Nick Kipriels, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. Joining us now, Panther TV analyst, former NHL player of over 1100 games at Jovanovski joining us. Jovo, how are you, man? Thanks for coming on board. Yeah, no problem. Kipper, how are you guys doing? Yeah, we're good. We're looking forward to tonight's game and based on everything that we saw going into the trade deadline last week, two teams that have aspirations of going deep in the playoffs again. Were you surprised or was the feeling all season long that that Florida just was not satisfied with a cup last year that they were always committed

to try to put together back to back championships. Well, I think when you look at this team right before the trade deadline, they were playing really good hockey. And I think, you know, as a team you recognize, you know, how can we reward these guys, you know, to add where we think we're have a little bit of a deficiency and, you, and, you know, obviously one of those areas where they felt they can prove is on, on the backend, uh,

big acquisition, uh, prior that is bringing Seth Jones in. Um, I think the Nico Sturm trade, um, you know, is obviously one of those sleeper ones. I think just watching a couple games really, really smart hockey player and with that fourth line now with Gleer and Nosik is pretty good makeup there and obviously adding Marchi I think kind of speaks for itself. You're bringing that experience. Cup winner, a competitor and where he slots in that would be kind of the next kind of story. But overall, I think the team is really satisfied where they're at, especially when these guys come back. Yeah, just on that, before we get into maybe Seth Jones,

but just Aaron Echblad, Ed, his 20-game suspension for a PED program violation here. And I take it for face value that he tried to take something to help him recover from injury. I'm asking you Jovo, are you surprised that it doesn't happen more often with the guys the way they get beat up over the course of a season on you know how easy it is to slip up on something as simple as a band substance? Right and that's how you know quick and you know Aaron's comments that you know is really

shocked but except responsibility and I think ultimately at the end of the day it's nothing that I'm telling you that you haven't heard. You're responsible for what goes in your body. And I think, you know, anytime there's something to question, I mean, you just ask, but it's, you know, Monday morning quarterback and it's done. And, but I think the guys around the league understand that.

It's obviously something I know how, I don't know how they're doing it now but when I was around You know, you're given that training camp and just hear the messages basically watch what you put in your mouth or in your body and It's just unfortunate such a good kid and You know, they're missing you know, it's playing great hockey, he was quarterback in the power play, obviously with him in Forsling, getting a lot of those minutes against top lines, and just doing a remarkable job at both ends of the ice, so it's a loss,

but it's something that you look back on, you learn from, and it's probably a lesson around the league as well. Jovo, how do you feel like the absences of Ekblad, Kichuk, and Marchand affects this team's odds of having playoff success? I don't know if it affects it. I think when you look at this group, I mean, you're, you're, you're hoping that at some point they're all kind of back in the fold, you know, and, and in March, he's a couple of weeks away. Eki is what it is kind of where the games fall. And Matthew was kind of unknown. Hopefully we see him right at the start of the playoffs. Um, I,

I think when you look at this group, they're so deep. And I think with these remaining 17 games, or wherever it is, I think they're gonna hold it tight together and really kind of show their depth moving forward. And for whatever they have going into the playoffs, they're an experienced team. And I think a little bit of adversity can go a long way.

I can't really say right now guys that this has got to have too much effect on them. Jovo, a lot of people up here regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs feel like they need to win the division here. They really do want to. It's funny, we think that too down here. Yeah, yeah. They really do wanna final. We think that too down here. Yeah. Nah, you're fine.

You guys give it a second. That was my question to you. How hard is Florida pushing now to avoid Tampa Bay or the Leafs? Right, a good team's gonna go down early on if you look at that scenario. Absolutely, I think it's right there. You look at the standings, obviously we know what's at bay.

With Toronto, with the games remaining against each other, how important these games really are. But absolutely, I don't know if there's one person that's come out and said, yeah, winning the division is number one priority. I think the Panthers are comfortable playing whomever, but absolutely to get an opportunity to finish one and face a wild card team,

not saying that you're just gonna rip through a wild card team, we know how this game is. But I think winning the division, there's definitely some importance to that. Yeah, it seems like it should be a big deal to a lot of people involved. So how confident are you that Bobrovsky can continue this run of like getting hot in the playoffs?

He's been very good in the postseason for, I think Sam was saying three of the last four years, he's been red hot in postseason hockey. Well, I don't think you're worried too much about Bob. I think it's just the way he prepares and knowing what's at stake. He's your number one guy, right? And I think he's so committed on helping this team win

each and every night. I mean, a little bit of a setback last game, there in Boston, a couple of grade A opportunities that many coltenders is gonna stop, but he's been excellent and he's been dialed in. He didn't let up a goal, you know, in a long while there. So I think it's, you know, not only his play guys, but the defensive, um, you know, awareness that this team has played with for a month or so now, really stifling teams.

And it's so evident up there because you can just see nullifying plays in the neutral zone, not really giving a team an opportunity to spend any extended time in the offensive zone and they're attacking very quickly. So this stretch of hockey for the Panthers has been really good.

He had control last game, like I said, but overall everyone's pleased with the way things are going right now. You're listening to Ed Jovanovsky, Panther's analyst, as we prepare for Florida, Toronto tonight. So I'm not sure how much you paid attention last week around here in Toronto on the Mitch Marner story, but Jovo it was a bit of a gong show

In the last week and I'm just wondering a similar scenario where you've got a very good player in Florida heading towards unrestricted free agency and How has that been played out in Florida with Sam Bennett? A little less distraction I'm sure in the last week and a half too. Yeah, everyone likes to beat this one up a lot. This is a question I seem to get a lot about Sam Bennett and yeah, I think the situation obviously, you know, the place speaks for itself. He's a very valuable player, you know, to the Florida Panthers. And I think moving forward, I think when you look at two situations, depending

where, you know, the cap numbers are and who you're getting done, you know, there's, you know, it works both ways, right? You know, there's, you know, it works both ways, right? I think if you find a fair agreement between, you know, team and player, I mean, I'm not going to speak for Sam Bennett, but I would imagine that he loves it down here. Is that a lot of success down here? So I think his number one priority would be staying in Florida. You know, you have the ability as a player to test free agency and whether it gets to that point or not, I don't know.

I know Bill Zito is a very smart man. I think they all do their due diligence on kind of where they feel players should slot in. And I think that's kind of how this situation probably will play out. A lot of players in today's game or even in the past, you work to a point to get to free agency and no one's holding anything against anyone to kind of test the market and to see where it falls. But you've had success on a team and you'd just like to see, hopefully, that Sam Bennett can remain a Florida Panther.

So a new addition there in Seth Jones, while we're talking about player movement, how has Jones fit in on the back end? He's been good, guys. I mean, he's simple, letting the puck do the work, get back quick. He's a good mover of the puck, gets back hard. He can elude that, forecheck, and make that play. And that's where the skill comes in, not only with his size,

which covers a lot of ice in that defensive zone, but he has the ability to exit that puck and get going on the offense quickly. And there's a couple spurts there too, if he's had full of games that he has played where he showed that, you know, his shot is offensive ability to create is there. So that's a big pickup for the Panthers. You got him for term as well. He's been a great fit in and right now obviously handling that number one pair with the fours wing

When you look at Eklad and Jones both right-handed shots kind of have that similar build and kind of do a lot of the same thing So I think the adjustment for for fours wing is gonna be pretty good But he's certainly in a guy that's noticeable out there, especially in the defensive zone How he can defend. As far as the bottom six is concerned in Florida are we gonna be talking about Sturm and Nosik in a month or two months going those were quietly good pickups. Yeah that's what I said earlier on. I just watching, you know, Sturm, who's won a cup.

He's got, I don't know exactly, roughly 400 games to the league. So he's a real headsy player out there. You can see in his work ethic, he's got size. He can really with that line, which has been evident with career and no sick is the way that they get in on the four check and turn over pucks and do that. But we all know in this league, there's always that third and fourth line guy in the playoffs that if a team has a nice run that that is really imperative for the team. And I think when you look at, when you look at the third line on the group with loose shrine and Lundell and, and Boquist now you're not even putting, you know, Marchie kind of

where's he's slotted in on all this. So I think these bottom six is, is built in a way where you're going to have a long a playoff run. Joe have a great, have a great night calling the game, man. Really appreciate your time on our show. All right guys, enjoy the game. Should be a good one. Thanks Joe. And if, if I look at the Leafs bottom line of Humberg, Camp Finlorens, like they're going to have to start having some big games.

Whatever 12 minutes, 11. It's got to feel like they're playing 20. You can play them. You can play them and they can hit and they can control the play. I would love to let them play together for five, 10 games. Check the numbers or they control and some play. I do think they can do that. Then it's just what do we what's the third line do? You know, the old McMahon Domey lot line. What's your thing?

What do you do? Score a little? Be a little bit rude and score a bit. Perfect. That's it. I would love that. Give us one goal every other game. And grind. And grind.

Just- Forecheck. Be rude. Tick people off. Scrums. Scrums. Don't get scored on. A Few dirty gloves in the face. If they can end a playoff series plus one at five on five and, you know, and annoy people,

I trust that the top six can outplay their lines, their matchup, whatever it is. The one, Holmberg, I do like that he went into the top six and look good and has that confidence to feel like I'm a you know I'm a good player I'm a top six guy that they put that I've put down on the fourth line now And I think he's been noticeably good since the four nations break. He's a guy that carries Put it on a stick and then drive to the net and and have guys Climbing his back to try to stop a fire hydrant and then also Yes, he got up there,

got that experience, handled the puck and looked good. He also can't look at the lineup and go, well, I should be up there. No. You know, and it felt like in past years, there were some fourth liners who kind of felt they should be up there. Although it is Yarn Crock into the top six again,

and I'm just like, we're doing this again. The other statement, the other statement that could be made tonight, Stolar's planting the seed that I'm gonna see you again boys and I've got your number now. Yeah, that can happen tonight, too. That would be really good. And I definitely think he can do that In just you don't want the Leafs goaltenders to fall off their game at all, right? Because they've been so good all season long.

But it will be fun going into playoffs to compare the Leafs lineup to last year. Because last year the third line for the Leafs was Robertson Yarncroc McMahon. Like something, you know, something not great. I forget exactly what it was, but... That can't be it. No, it can't. I can't remember anything. Can we Google that? How do we how do we do that? Robertson Holmberg Yarncroc. No, yes it was

Yes, it was Domi who played with Matthews and who's in the middle? Holmberg Was there center on the third line last year? So yeah, it's Then yeah, I'll take him on fourth lane wing Yes feels a little bit makes me feel better. Yeah, that's kind of felt to makes you feel better. Yeah. Good job How do you feel what Nick Robertson? Sitting out three straight here or whatever. It's been particularly. We said he wasn't pulled out for bad play

You're playing against the heaviest like meanest team in the league. We saw this a while ago. That there'll be opportunities hopefully for him down the road here. That he can get in, get hot, just be one of those spark plugs and energy guy. But on paper, it's a a good matchup for him What do you think his offseason contract negotiation is gonna look like he almost held out this past year No, it wasn't about money. It was about it was all right. It was about opportunity

It was not it had no is that right nothing to do with money. You just wanted more But let me go somewhere I can play okay. Well, how about next year in this summer? What's gonna change for him? Okay, he's an RFI with every other topic of discussion What is the end of the year look like? Did we win in the first round? Did we lose in the first round did did the team go to the third round? So Nick can go in there and said hey, we went to the third round I played ten games in the playoffs and you know let's go let's giddy up fair enough that's from here on end just win baby just win

Al Davis show all right just warming up here as we go national next PJ PJ stock figure what's going on to the Habs no how, I just- How did you nail him down? I told him that our show sucked since he's been on and that stroke his ego a little and now he's good to go. That's all it takes. PJ Stok, former National Hockey League or Hockey Night in Canada. Coming up next, we'll discuss Montreal, who are right in the thick of things. When we return to Real Kipper and Born.