Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Holiday Special

Episode Date: December 21, 2023

On the last episode before a break, Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with Gord Stellick (2:57) for some holiday cheer! He also looks at tonight's Leafs' game against the Sabres and Buffalo's bleak season so far. Then, PJ Stock (14:48) gives a player's POV of the holiday season. Afterwards, some thoughts on Samsonov, Keefe losing confidence in him and if the Leafs might consider bringing Matt Murray back into the fold. Later, Sens' analyst Jason York (32:59) reminisces on Christmas time around NHL locker rooms and Jacques Martin's return to the bench in Ottawa. Finally, former NHL exec. Mike Futa (43:26) shares memories from Christmas in LA when he was with the Kings and looks at the teams that have fired their coaches and if the moves were warranted.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates. 

let's welcome everybody in to the real kipper and born show christmas edition wherever you're watching wherever you're listening sportsnet 590 sportsnet 360 and sportsnet plus from four to six eastern we are glad you're along for the sleigh ride oh nice it's uh it's our last show before we we take off for the holidays. And it's a different show because Sammy's giving me no lineup. I really have no idea who's coming on the show because Sammy, for the next two hours, has built in guests throughout our show that will go off like a tea time every seven minutes.

More like 15, 10, 15. Okay, all right. It's like at Rosedale where there's a little more time in between. There's an old Pam O'Shanter. Just a vague tea time show up where we'll get you out.

We've got some Christmas hats on, but you guys went one step further with a Christmas t-shirt. You're wearing Scarborough green. Reppin' Scarborough Golf and Country Club. Yeah, I went. I couldn't lower myself to a Christmas sweater. You couldn't, eh?

But the hat's fine. No. I don't know what's going on on the screen there. It looks like we've got a star wipe going on. 1980s music video. My golf course closed today, finally. Rosedale just closed? Just closed today. Damn. Yes.ale just closed? Just closed today.

Damn. Yes. That's a good run. A historic run. Yeah. The world's on fire. It was like 13 degrees last week or something. Second week of April to December 21st.

That's a really good Canadian run for golf. It's unbelievable. I saw some sort of long-term winter forecast here, and it's like, yeah, it's supposed to be cold early January then a big thaw late in January. And it's like, isn't that, then we're like almost at spring? Are you guys getting longer starting today? Yeah.

Our first guest is ready and waiting. No way. Oh, wow. God, I look like a skin with this hat. This is a terrible Christmas. This is an awful Santa hat. We have good hats in the third one. I gotta be honest with you. When I saw that hat, when I saw that hat, I'm like, I ain't wearing that one. We're going to give that one to Sammy. He's nice.

Plush. Look at my guy. He's an idiot. It looks like there's a cat on your head. It's like Christmas vacation. The electrocuted cat is there. I was told. I also wear my Grinch shirt because it's my only Christmas-themed shirt.

And I've also been told that I have the body of the grinch so that's good you're that guy yeah anyways would you like to welcome in our first guest i'd love to yeah i don't know how it's you bud it's you wow gourd stellix electricity is in the house on our Christmas show. Now, Merry Christmas. I don't have a hat. Seeing Sam's hat, I'm kind of glad I don't have a hat. But anyway, great to be on your Christmas show. So what is going on at the Stelic household as we speak? I envision a lot of baking right now.

A lot of baking, yeah. Are you doing the baking? A lot of baking right now. A lot of baking, yeah. No, I... Are you doing the baking? Kids are adults now, 24-20, so they got their own stuff going on. But we smartly are having people over the 23rd. So that, you know, usually do Christmas Eve, but Saturday the 23rd, a bunch of people over. So a lot of families, So it makes it less complicated. They can do other things on the 24th.

And right now, just going to some friends tonight and really enjoying kind of a fun second year in a row after a couple of COVID years, right? That you're able to get out and about and see everybody again. Christmas Eve, Eve. I like it. So how has the holiday season changed for hockey teams since you were a GM of the Leafs? Like now there's a Christmas freeze. There's no transactions. What did it used to look like when you were the GM of the Leafs? Yeah. You know, Justin and I mean,

Kipper would experience that that you just had the, you had the 25th and 26th over and off. I mean, so it's like the afternoon, the 24th you went, or excuse me, the 24th and 25th over. So the 24th, you went, or excuse me, the 24th and 25th over. So the 24th, you went in the office. We go out for some beverages. I actually got stopped in a spot check once on the way home. I was a little worried.

Oh, boy. Anyway, all was good. I'm sorry. What was that last night? I was putting all my Christmas presents out of the backseat at 3 o'clock in the afternoon just for the Bayview extension going on the parkway, but all good. And then it was like we'd have a big ball hockey game and then the 25th was the one day you know everything was just settled for about 48 hours then boxing day we always had a game it was close by or was at home you go to detroit or buffalo so i like the extra

day off for you know i so i i get you know gives guys a chance to come home but i i just found like it's a hectic hectic frantic pace every day's the same you know there's monday wednesday saturday it's all the same and then for a couple days you get to enjoy stuff with family and you know justin and kippy if you if you win those last couple of games it's like it's funny christmas like if you win three in a row or something you you're in a great, great mood. I remember coming home once after December 23rd and one games in Chicago, St. Louis and man, everything's,

everything's going great. But if you lose a few, you know, you're kind of a, you're, you know, it's, it's not fun for a couple of days,

but I've always liked that. We kind of, in this hectic world, get a couple of days to, to breathe and enjoy family in France. We're talking to Gord Stelic, former general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. How about the last few days before Christmas?

Did you find it as distracting then as perhaps maybe what the Leafs are dealing with going into Buffalo? Buffalo absolutely gets annihilated by Columbus here. And while you think it would be an easy game for the Leafs tonight, Gord, is it a bit of a trap game as well for them? Yeah, you know, and first of all, the Buffalo game, I remember once in all honesty, whatever reason,

our December 23rd game was in Vancouver, and we took commercial flights home. So I was worried the morning of the 24th, weather is always an issue in vancouver and it'd been canceling flights so we came home and then someone called and said can you get kevin collins the linesman and sold out flights so we had an extra ticket we got him home so as the travel guy back then that was the most pressure i faced was would we get everyone home and why the hell were we in vancouver on the 23 geography-wise, it makes a lot better sense that you're in Buffalo.

I know there's another game on Saturday as well. But, you know, funny one, Kipper, that it used to be you go to Buffalo, and what would the crowd be? Would you say like 60-40 Buffalo fans, like 40% very vocal Toronto fans? I think tonight it will be 75% Toronto fans because the Buffalo fans ain't coming. I mean, they're tired. This is the third freaking rebuild they've had. So it's going to be like a real, like it could be an ugly, ugly night in Buffalo if Toronto

gets going. But to your point, it does seem all of a sudden, you know, about letting sleeping dogs lie or something and that just when you least expect it. And Buffalo buffalo they've always had the least number ryan miller dominic hashek i mean they don't have those goaltenders anymore but that was a big reason why they had the least number for so many years but yeah you got to show up and play okay they're a wounded dog i know but you got to show up and play and all of a sudden this could be the best possible outcome uh or it could be an ugly ugly night but yeah

you got to show up and play have you seen buffalo's fans grow dispassionate at all like i know it was a a great it's a great fan base period but god what are we a decade into this and like is it i think attendance isn't great right now do you see this really wearing on that group yeah you know there was a when the buffalo sabres joined the nhl about a third of the fans were from southern ontario but they've always had a strong fan base and actually it's funny it was reminiscing with bruce boudreau on our nhl network radio show about i remember march 1981 we lost 14 to 4 in buffalo oh my four one of the rockets just couldn't get the bounces, eh?

Yeah, tough night. Yeah, couldn't. It was only 1-0 in the third period. We helped them. They got nine goals in the second. But Bunny the Rock had come over nine days earlier at the trade deadline. And I remember the next day, I'm listening to Buffalo radio. And they played back all 14 calls by Rick Jennerette.

Oh, my. I was kind of smiling in a pathetic way because they were loving it there but i do like there were there was a buzz these are the most these are really passionate fans these are when the nhl stanley cup finals on generally american ratings are the top the two cities involved if they're american and then buffalo and philadelphia area as far as being hockey fans so and and they've been really put through the i mean screwed as far as being hockey fans. And they've been really put through the, I mean, screwed as far as the hockey team goes that, you know, you can do a rebuild. We did it in Toronto, and they're doing it in Chicago.

They did it in L.A. and New York. But then a second rebuild, and maybe now a third? So, no, they're saying show me. And they're pretty loyal, and they've been tested beyond however they've been tested before. They had, think of how long Lindy Ruff and Darcy McGeer were there as the general manager and coach, and they were under the salary cap, and they put out a great product there.

And, yeah, it's, I never like to see things get ugly, okay? I don't, in all honesty. So I really don't want to see that tonight or any other place. And you know what else nowadays, guys? I don't remember, Kippy, that they ever would say fire Kippy, fire Justin, fire Stella. Like that just seems to be the newest thing that – Check our mentions, pal.

You know why they do it, Gord? Is because the fans are now educated enough over the last 15 years plus that they know if we chanted trade this guy, trade this guy, you're not going to do it because there are no trades anymore. You're locked into bad contracts. So this is the easiest way we can hold you guys and some accountability. So they go after the coach. So if you have a bad show or their chance of fire,

Sammy, does that resonate in the studio? We chant it. You would be very, I mean, just read the comments. Look at my hat. I'd fire me. He has a national TV looking like this.

Sammy in 18 months has gone untouchable now. Yeah, right. We've got to let him go. We've got to get on with you guys. All right. Sammy, what you're wearing today makes you untouchable. That's what I can say.

There you go. Last minute Christmas gift. Chris Cuthbert said he's hoping he gets it under his tree. So, if his son Justin's living or living, I know he's living, if he's listening. I'm alive, Gordon. And hopefully living. Find the book for your dad. Not too late at all to stuff that into a stocking there.

It's really good. Yeah. It's really good. It's really good. Gordo, thanks, buddy. Hey, love the show. Appreciate being a part of it. Merry Christmas, you guys and your family and all the viewers out there. Merry Christmas, Gordo.

Thanks, Gordo. Thanks, pal. So, yeah, that's great. The book thing was nice for Gordo there, and we're just waiting on our next guest. I just wanted to bring this up since we have a couple seconds here. You really lit the internet on fire with your Dubas piece today, Kippy. You did it again.

Holy people are commenting on that one, bud. Yeah, listen. I haven't checked. How are the comments? Are they good? It's an excellent article. It's very good. I just basically said that kyle dubas uh lost an

opportunity to kind of bridge or mend a little bit and and and move on i i wasn't a big fan of him just on the radio silence and yeah maybe maybe to his point it's like i don't want to pour gasoline on any fire but i think you could have come out and had a canned statement on how much you're willing to talk about what happened uh but just move on off of it i think it would have been enough you know i a lot of these things like a lot of relationships when there's trouble or misunderstandings or the best thing you can do is just as quickly as possible talk about it you know sort through things it doesn't make it a big deal the more you let it fester it just gets worse don't go to bed angry just you know and i agreed yeah you give up on that eventually but the the idea of your piece i i did like that um you know

that he didn't do himself any favors i do wonder if he felt and this is just me thinking on the spot here if there was nothing he could have said that he would have won. See, I disagree. I think there could have been. Yeah. And I think, again, for me, it would have been more of, if you really want to show a little humility and say, listen, I'm human, if I could go back, I would have maybe made a few different decisions.

But I can't. but there's growth in it there's a learning process and yes at times i can get a little emotional whatever the case is there's ways of not getting into gory details or he said she said scenarios to show growth moving on. And I think they come back in April. Does he speak to the media then? Does he not? The other thing, too, is if I'm the Fenway group and you are going into the biggest hockey market in the world and you are representing us,

deal with whatever you have to do, but you're also missing an opportunity to promote our club, to tell people about the Pittsburgh Penguins. You are our face. You're missing an opportunity to represent us here. So how long do you go without doing that in Toronto? I'd like my president of hockey ops to want to talk into the biggest hockey market in the world at some point.

You know, part of it is probably on his behalf and F you just to the media that maybe he feels misrepresented him or, you know, didn't whatever it is to say, I'm not feeding your machine. See you later. It's small minded, JB. And I'm not disagreeing with the way he can feel. Yeah. But that's not the solution. Not the way he can feel, but that's not

the solution. Not the way a president should handle something. It's not an adult decision. It's an immature temper tantrum kind of position. I agree. And it's no good. We're all adults in the room here. The only thing I would

argue with your piece, go ahead. We got a guy. We have a guest. All right. Yeah, our next guest. Oh, PJ Stock. Ladies and gentlemen, PJ Stock. Look at this sweater. I don't even want to know what else it says. That is a fantastic sweater.

Thank you. Actually, it's hard to find an adult sweater that doesn't have just Merry Christmas on it or Happy Holidays. The bottom says package. Is that right? I have a Christmas package for you. It's for Kemper. It's for Kemper. That's nice.

So what is going on at the Stockyard right now well we have this is my favorite time of year i actually uh i should have had this upstairs i i believe it or not leave a christmas tree up all year round um that's just a tree no it's it's a well it's decorated as a christmas tree I have one at the cottage as well the ornament on top we change and put people's faces on it and different but I just Christmas

is I know the world we live in right now is what terms you can use but Christmas for me is about happiness my best memories growing up as a kid and family and friends has always been around this holiday and and i i i love the idea of of of gifts and and everyone getting together and and celebrating and drinking and eating too much and everything uh and and just everyone so happy and i i leave my

christmas lights up because it is i'm when happy. So at night, there's not a better lighting in your house when the lights are off besides your Christmas tree or your Christmas lights. And it also helps you get home when you've had one too many. Yeah, so luckily I do it in my home so I don't have to go home.

Yeah, you know where you're going. Yes, that's right. So all the best to everyone there at the station, you guys, and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Hanukkah,

everything. Yeah, you too, PJ. We really appreciate that. It's, you know, it's the same sort of feeling and vibes on the holiday season.

Give us your experience as a player. You know, were you able to still feel that festiveness with your NHL clubs? Did you do Christmas parties? What was the experience like in the NHL? Well, we did. It was funny, Kipper.

We almost always had to be back on the 26th in the morning, super early in the morning. So my family, we would celebrate it the night before. So we do our, instead of doing a christmas dinner uh with our family on the 25th we do it on the 24th uh wake up in the morning do quick gifts and and go and it's it's funny as you get older and now that we have kids and santa and everything in the process of you can't really change the date. Cause remove anything. My kids are younger because right. So,

right. So it was, I go back to the, that those phases and how we had to get around it. But again, we always had like two days off. I was lucky. I was always in the Northeast with teams that I played on Montreal,

Boston, Philly, New York. Worst case scenario was like in a nine hour drive, but I prioritize my family, prioritize my family came home. Saw my parents, my brother, my sister, cousin, New York. Worst case scenario was like a nine hour drive. Priorities my family. Priorities my family. Came home, saw my parents, my brother, my sister, cousins and we'd always do

fun stuff with the team which is fun. It's just I love the comfort of being with my family. It was fun but you... I'll tell you one thing. it was hard to play hockey around those that time which is you know you'll love to think that everyone's heads are always into it and you

want it to be into it but sometimes you're you know you're two games away from christmas and you're looking you're so excited for that time that you're kind of it's awful to say that you're looking past it but your your excitement about those two days or sorry two days at home maybe three four days before you get there sometime take over some of your brain space um but i it's just a great time around the year in the league everywhere sports a great time to get home now there's a watch there used to be new year's was the big day to watch college football growing up. Right? We had the big ball games.

So that was the other big celebration. But now you got stuff on Christmas. You got it all between. It's a great time of year. As two guys that dabbled in the American Hockey League, it was always when you were really young that you wanted to be with a big club for no other reason to get the NHL gift instead of the American Hockey League mug. Significant swing there. Do you remember some good ones?

Oh, my God. With the Leafs, we got plane tickets anywhere you wanted to go. Really? We got a lot of airline tickets. Anywhere you wanted to go really we opened a lot of airline tickets anywhere you wanted to go yeah oh yeah i got a bunch of travel stuff like a you know yeah luggage and backpacks luggage and that was a big deal back then when you're making only like 90 grand or 100 grand a year. I still have my stuff. Yeah, in 1980, it was okay. We should have taken the, you know, they're giving you tickets to fly away and me luggage.

Maybe we should have taken it up Seinberg. Hey, there's a few players on our team that I'm sure they wanted those one-way tickets. One-way. Stay in Fiji. We don't need you. It was a great time. Did you guys ever do Secret Santa as a team?

I don't think we ever did. A couple times we've done it. We used to do it in college. It's a disaster. It is, eh? Well, you know, it always gets personal with someone. Yeah, I can't remember anything too off the charts. We have too much time in college.

You guys are actually playing games in the NHL. The difference also is the American Hockey League, too. Like, we'd play three games in a row. Then you have, like, four or five days off. Then two games in a row. And so we'd have some bigger parties in the American Hockey League where they'd just be crazy. In the NHL, it's more professional.

You know, it's, I don't know, it's proper, maybe. You know, it's hard to get Gretz to be chugging beers out of bongs and beer bongs. Guys are holding the beer bong. I don't know, those 80s Oilers had some stories, it sounds like. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I guess that's right. You're in Montreal. How's the mood with the Canadian fans this holiday season?

I always do. I always work too hard for when I'm about to come on this show. But I was going through Instagram today. And no, I didn't really have time to go through to proofread it. Because, I mean, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. But Michael Terry, after 150 games, had 192 points, which is the all-time best. They have Marty St. Louis after 150 games, only has 132 points, and it's the all-time worst which is a crazy stat yeah um because the mood around the team is way better than it's been in a long time despite them being so in struggle mode let's just say in this rebuilding mode. I think other times, the expectations were always there

and now, like I've been telling you guys, I don't have them there. Some of the fans do and they get really excited about it. I always have to remind them that they were 32nd in the league two years ago, you know, and that's why they got the first overall pick and we talked about Slavkovski. It wasn't a McDavid or a

Bedard or a Crosby. It's going to take some time. So my expectations aren't there. But the city gets a little excited time and time after time. And this is a great example of a worse start in, like, team history. And it's kind of, you know, hey, it's the Kings. They didn't play good last night. It's fun. It's, you know, so, you know, there's actually an article out today

that Marty says the team's finally hitting their stride and he feels good about them. It is what it is, right? Are fans in Montreal, before we let you go, are fans in Montreal scared to raise their bar after watching Ottawa and Buffalo going to this season with aspirations of maybe making the playoffs or winning a round or two

well no they've the problem is we were i was doing tv the night and they're talking about you know hey we're two points out of the playoffs and i'm like that's not the way to be thinking you don't want get 10 points out of the plot it's great for the players to be in these games where they have meaning and how you have to try and but at the end of the day if you're gonna lose lose the right way but lose. You know, if they add another top 10 pick to this team as the drafts this year are supposed to be a little bit deeper, it's just adding foundations and talents to this team that is, you know, let's be honest, they're in need of some years and some help and some depth. And they don't have much in the American Hockey League.

They don't have much on their team. It's a transitional phase that they're in. And it's, it's, it's good. It's good. It's a good vibe right now. And it's the city's behind them, but it is amazing. If it's, that is true. That is off to the worst start. It's Marty is amazing at the way he's been able to convince everybody. Yeah. Well, that's important, right? Do we have time? Are we, we got to go? We got to go? We got to get going here.

I got to go. I got an eggnog. Got to kick him out of the party. I got an eggnog. I actually, I didn't have an eggnog. I'm just kidding. Guys, all the best to everyone there. Happy holidays.

All the best. And to our listeners, don't be shy to tweet them over the holidays. PJ Stark. You too, pal. Merry Christmas. That was really good. He's dressed. He was dressed. Okay with the Christmas guests so far?

Doing terrific so far. So I just wanted to ask you guys a couple quick leaf things just to sneak it in because we got our next guest after the break. But did you see what Keith had to say about Samsonov starting tonight? I did. I don't know if... I don't have the clip. I'll just read it to you. Yeah, please. He has to play. We have to get him going here that's really it when i asked about him playing your coach goes i mean he's got to play that's all there is to it we just we need

to figure this out yeah he's not very patient right now with uh samson off and he also didn't even bother going through the motions of like we think there's a lot there and he's ready to he was just like no no no uh he tried that maybe about a month ago so at least i think sheldon's smart enough that he can say to himself i i've played that card already you know what this is to me this is the you're handing the guy the rope and you're saying i'm not gonna hang this guy yeah but if he wants to do it with his own play you can take the opportunity and run with it but if you need the rope here you go i i don't think he's i don't know what you do so if he goes out tonight he's terrible then what man so we gotta get that hat off your head i don't know but we're here probably like look what i got hair looks like now look like an idiot without it.

In my article, I do a... In my article that you can find on my ex-account, my Twitter account, Real Kipper, is also in news and notes. And I was talking about Matt Murray. I saw that. I saw that.

He's our next guest. I'm going through Kip's article today. I get to this. The first line of whatever is like, I'm not sure Matt Murray's done this year. I think you should be writing. That should be, you buried the lead. That's not a footnote.

Boys, he's feeling good. And he's young. And he wants to keep playing. If he wants to play this year, they're hooped. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Time out. Time out. How could they financially?

They'll never financially recover from this. They're ruined. I didn't get that far into the news and notes on he'll get through trade deadline. He'll get to the side where the cap doesn't matter. But doesn't it matter until the playoffs? does matter to the playoffs right well i think the field the team i mean i don't think he'd see a game in the regular season but i think he'd be in a position where he could start playing for the marlies he can take a two-week stint down there and he could be available as a third, fourth goalie. I can see him hoisting the cup with the Oilers now.

They claim him on waivers in April. I thought you'd like that. That one. I know it said they liked it. No, I don't like it at all. I don't like it at all. I read it and I was stunned by it.

Anyways, we should take a break. All right. More of Sammy's surprise Christmas list on the real kipper and bourne show don't go away everything raptors before and after the games the raptor show with will lou subscribe and download the show on apple spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back in to the real Kipper and Bourne Christmas edition. Before we take off for the next little while, back in the new year.

Is that true? Oopsies. Well, it is for our show, but and i are gonna do we have one game one hockey yes that's what i'm trying to say well it's uh bernard that's like sammy you shot us out of a cannon with two amazing guests to start our gordon our party i'm just working on uh one of our other guests right now so yeah i just the matt murray thing kind of just caught me off guard.

And this hat. I haven't thought of... Shut up. Take me seriously, okay? Grinch body, got the tooth cut, whatever. Anyway, sorry. He's not 35 and he doesn't want to retire. Matt Murray. Matt Murray.

Matt Murray was struggling to stay healthy for most of his career. Getting older doesn't tend to retire. Matt Murray. Matt Murray. Matt Murray was struggling to stay healthy for most of his career. Getting older doesn't tend to help that. Not playing doesn't tend to help your goaltending. I think by the book he had his hip surgery, but I don't know what's out there officially, but he

may have had two hip surgeries. It's fine. It's fine. Like Beverly Hillsly hills man you just go in there and you say you want to take a little off the chin and the next thing you're working on your nose and your high cheekbones and your calves it's like you're reno-ing your house you got to keep a few walls so you can say it's a rental not a rebuild and so matt murray went in there and said while you're at it take care of this this and this and by march he'll start skating again okay so he's on the leafs books for 4.687 were he to hockey again this season

um his recent statistics not great you know no this is about just putting yourself in a position i think to you could play again the league if someone wants to give you a chance and whether or not the leafs or in any other team want to bring him back next year i'm sure he would do what all the rest of them have done now and that's play for i don't know a million bucks even if it starts as a pto and gets yourself uh still he's got some good hockey games under his belt and if he's feeling healthy and pain-free for the first time, there's a very good chance he could resume his career next year. I mean, he is a 6'4", 29-year-old, two-time Stanley Cup champion. That is the full resume for him if you want to give him a chance.

I, you know, I think I'm within my rights to stay skeptical that he'll be able to do it, but I think it's great. I don't think, you know, I don't'm within my rights to stay skeptical that he'll be able to do it, but I think it's great. I don't think, you know, I don't like seeing injury cost anyone's career. So hope that works out. Tonight, Samsonov will get his chance once again. And you like his chances against a team that's really looking mighty tough right now, the Buffalo Sabres.

So the Sabres last year were third in the nhl in goals four per game third this year they're 25th so that's been the story of their season they're the guys who had career breakout years tage got hurt yeah but he's played 24 games and in those games he went from 1.2 points per game to 0.6 something you know tuck last year was over a point per game he's well below skinner was a point per game he's below cousins has regressed they can't score i think i don't predict this often but i think leafs wouldn't win rather big tonight i i think yeah they should but like the problem is every time we say i get nervous i never say that i get nervous against a team that got humiliated i gave before and they will be on their best behavior

their head coach granados feeling the pressure and he's not i don't think he's gonna let them get in and and be loose off the bat here will farrell in the dressing room though the everyone needs to calm down from old school that whole bit you know it's he's going to be fired up and notoriously it is always been rather tough for the leafs for whatever reason and even if the crowd's 50 50 or 60 40 70 30 their way there's it's always a tough historically it's always been tough to go down the qew and get two points so it sounds like some of the reason it's so many leafs fans is not like a lack of desire there so much as there's just a premium to sell those tickets to leafs fans right like you make your season ticket money back by selling a couple leafs tickets

and the other thing and you're more of a football guy, Sammy, but are the Sabre fans going, hey, I'm going on the Buffalo Bills side right now. I'm really having a lot of fun with this team. Bills are in a fight to make the playoffs. Hey, we got our next guest. It's looking a lot better, though, now with big wins. Next guest.

Next guest now on our Christmas edition of the Real Kipper and Bourne Show. Oh, he just dropped. Oh, is it kevin you were on a roll sammy you got a dropped call i actually want to say that's the first one all year and we had it on the final day it wasn't a call though i had him on screen had him on screen it must be someone older who yeah older i was thinking doug mclean old though oh boy we have no i think he's going uh he's going without the ear but ear buds sorry guys can we hear him yorkie can you hear us i got you guys

very nice very merry christmas welcome to the christmas show how are you oh i'm good, Bort. You guys are looking merry. You got the Santa hats going. I love it. Yes, yes. We got the one that Sam's dog chewed on his head, and we're all good. I know props after being in the business for 20 years.

So how's it shaping up for you and your family this holiday season, Yorkie? I got an easy job, man. All I got to do, well, not that easy. I just got to buy a present for my wife. I'm like you. I got older kids now. So they're just coming home. One's home today. One's home tomorrow from Western.

And then, you know, they're just back to see their friends. So as long as I make sure I get my wife a nice present, I'm all good. Everything else is taken care of for me. So it's an easy Christmas for me. And what about when you were playing in the NHL? We asked PJ his experience. We had him on before you about being an NHL player at Christmastime.

What are some of your memories from that time of year that stand out from your time playing in the league? Exhausted. Like, just two days off. What a break. Yeah, like, that's what I remember from the league. You just, you play so much. And then, although I will say, Secret Santa in the NHL, I do miss that.

There we go. That was my favorite time of Christmas, Barney. The Jap gifts for the guys on the team and always some pretty good ones. Anything stand out that you can remember that's arable? They weren't always

appropriate, as I recall. Do you know who I gave the best gift to and I put it down as anonymous. Back when I played in Ottawa, I found, hopefully he's not listening because, you know, we're kind of buddies. But I found a little Sesame Street figurine of the couch. And I wrapped it up special for Jacques Martin. I don't know.

He probably knows today it was for me, but I always thought, you know, there's a little bit of resemblance there between Jacques and the Count from Sesame Street, so that was one of my better ones. And Timmy Thomas, back when I played in Boston. Timmy, you know, as goalies, we all know this goalies had unique body shapes right you got skinny ones you got chubby ones timmy was a little bit of the chubbier uh body body shape

and he loved his burgers he loved his burgers i used to call him the hamburglar so i went my way to secret santa because i'd always buy guys a few extra gifts stopped off at mcdonald's on my way to Secret Santa, because I'd always buy guys a few extra gifts. Stopped off at McDonald's on the way to Secret Santa, wrapped up the burger, put it under the tree, especially for Timmy. So he got himself a nice burger for Christmas. Did he eat it is the question. Oh, he had it. He loved it. And, Cameron, you know this. You always have the cheap guys on your team, right, too, eh? Oh, yeah. So the cheap guy would always get the wallet with the nail hammered through it.

A pair of jeans with, like, really long extra pockets for old Johnny Longpockets. So, no, Christmas, Santa, I love it. I miss that. So that's my biggest thing I miss about the holidays in the NHL. So, Yorkie, if you were to give that same present to Jacques Martin after blowing a lead and losing to Arizona and going 0-1 in his comeback, what kind of mood would he be in right now if you gave him the same gift? You know what?

I think he's pretty good. Like, he had a chance to come in and kind of evaluate up top before he jumped on the bench here. So he knows there's some work to do with this team, especially on the basics. Listen, guys, they were practicing line changes yesterday in practice. Changing on the fly. And I remember doing that when I played for him.

So he's taken this school. It's like old Rodney Dangerfield back to school. The guys are going back to school, and they're going to work with the basics. Jacques is a patient guy. He doesn't think this is going to change overnight. So I think if you're going to give him something for Secret Santa, maybe a little more patience because that's what it's going to take. Is the market patient?

Not so much. I think they were crying to get DJ fired for a long time. This market has gone through a lot. You go back when, when Eugene Malnick had Pierre Dorian trading away Mark Stone and Paggio and all the stars they had in Ottawa. And it's just been so long since they've been in the playoffs. So people are impatient, but I think now there's a little more patience. They made the coaching move.

They got Alfie on the bench bench which the fan base absolutely loves so yeah they're they're not so patient but they are i guess it's a it's a two-sided answer i think i think i think they kind of realize where they are right now fellows they're not going to be a playoff team well and is the intent then with martin to get them into that mix at all or you think this is just like a concession in mid-December? No, no. Like, they still have games in hand. And obviously the plan is, like, you know,

just look at St. Louis, right? They were in last place going back to when they won their cup. Yeah, yeah, going to run. Yeah, the plan is to go on a run. But I think, first and foremost, the plan is to get this team playing with the magic word, more structure. And I think that's plan number one. Get them playing with more structure.

Get them playing more on the right side of the puck. And then hopefully get back into the playoff race. For sure. For sure. We're not giving up on the playoffs. But I think realistically speaking, if you look where they are, it's going to be tough. Okay, one more before we let you go. Give me a name right now that would suit what this ottawa roster

needs right now for a next head coach we assume that jock's just holding the ford here craig berube is it uh gruden uh who's with the marlies right now another uh young mind that uh does not have nhl experience. Patrick Waugh. What? Give me a name here. I love John Gruden, boys. I've known Gruden for a long time. We played together in Ottawa.

Is he ready to be a head coach? I don't know. But I'm not a big fan of you keep recycling coaches. I just look at what happened in New York Islanders when John Gruden was the D coach there. I look at the season Boston had last year when John Gruden was the D coach. I'm a big believer in your, after your goaltender, your defense or your most important players.

I think Gruden is a fantastic D coach. Would he be a great head coach? I think so. Cause I think defensemen are the smartest guys around. All right, Yorkey, thanks for doing this, man. Happy holidays. Thanks, Yorkey. Great guy.

What a great guy. I saw you saying Berube in your little piece today. What a sense. I hear there's a few guys that want craig broovy john gruden seems to have a lot of friends in media in ottawa well i mean it's a great point as the you know you're the d coach for the boston bruins last year yeah doing a pretty good job yeah the defense is very good you know and the head coach is very good too. Yeah. I'm not saying, I don't know anything about it.

I know there's some issues with putting the puck in the net in Washington, but Carberry coming out of the Leaf bench is looking pretty good right now in Washington. It's very uncommon. It's typical for coaches to have their most success in their second stint in the league. If you're a team that's ready to go for it, well, maybe Otto is not. I don't know. Close enough.

He had a Secret Santa thing going on. Yeah. I mean, that's hilarious. The count is pretty good. The count's good. I like the cheap guy stuff. Yeah. That's all.

You got to get creative sometimes. Just working on our next guest here. Talk amongst yourself, fellas. Okay. Let's talk about the coaching thing a little bit more. Yeah. That's all you gotta, you gotta get creative sometimes. Just working on our next guest here, talk most yourself, fellas. Okay. Let's talk about the coaching thing a little bit more. Yeah. Yorkie saying,

you know, he likes this unproven guy. What do you, what do you think Ottawa's expectations are? Cause I thought this was supposed to be, maybe they're in the Leafs category this year type of year. I, you know,

we spoke earlier in the show about Buffalo with Gord and you end up with a fan base that loses interest quickly. I don't think that new ownership group now led by Michael Anlauer can afford now the next 30-plus games to just... Yeah, I don't believe that for a second. There's advertising to sell. There's boxes to sell. There's reservations and restaurants to be made here.

And if you lose that for a year, then you lose momentum going into next fall. Well, these games are huge coming up because they have so many games at hand. They're just so far behind the rest of the league, so it looks like they're way, way, way out of it. They need to win their games at hand to show people that they're in the mix. They need an Edmonton Oil to run. They need something like that,

Kev. Eight, nine, ten games in a row. Yeah, they've lost five in a row at this point, but God, there's so many. Don't have much time for next guess, but we got him. Let's go. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, this guy.

Now, this guy is the king on the Internet with Christmas pictures. And right. Like, he's a festive gentleman. You are. You love this time of year. Do you not? Mike Fuda. Oh, absolutely.

But I don't have a hat. You guys look so festive. I got to be honest with you. I thought for sure there'd be like a tree in the background and maybe like Rudolph. I'm literally, I started off on this venture. I was going to go, I was supposed to shop in Oakville last night and meeting up a friend. I went to the pump house in Oakville, had a couple of beers. I was going to go to the Leaf game in Buffalo and I just couldn't get up for it. So I stopped at a friend. I went to the Pump House in Oakville. Had a couple beers. I was going to go to the Leaf game in Buffalo, and I just couldn't get up for it.

So I stopped at a hotel. I'm at a Fairfield Hotel in Oakville, so I'm going to watch the game here in Oakville. So it's been a very nonproductive day. I talked to Sammy. I had it coming on and just being on the radio, but he said I had the FaceTime. So here we go.

Oh, we love seeing your pretty face. How's Sammy doing? I mean, last week, what did he go. Oh, we love seeing your pretty face. How's Sammy doing? I mean, last week, what did he go? I was listening to you guys, and I mean, I love listening to you guys. Eight days ago, you were tracking a flight with Otani. Oh, my God. Here we go. You know, we got a Columbus loss.

Sammy goes to see his boys play in London, and they get pancake eights too. And he still finds a way to bring that smell to work. So I hope he's better things with the Leafs tonight and obviously he enjoyed the 7-0 shellacking as I think we all did. But you know

better than anyone, junior hockey is a little bit of an unpredictable beast. They took out the starting goalie. I think it was a bit of a white flag. And it went that direction. They lost 8-2. Thanks for bringing it up. I talked to Hunts because this is the time of year they lost their top guys.

Like Easton Cowan, they lost their top guys to the world juniors. And then they went on a run. So it is. Junior hockey is crazy because they were in a bit of a rut. And then all their top guys went away. And they started laying the pounds on guys again. Yeah. There we go.

I want to ask you about what Christmas in L.A. was like. You know, you guys are a great team. You're in the NHL. Tell me about Christmas in L.A. Did you shop for the players? I really appreciate it. I'm already struggling with my New Year's resolutions, and you've got me thinking about what it was like to walk out of my deck onto the beach

as Santa Claus went by in his sedu. Yeah, it was okay. I enjoyed it. There's certain places, if I'd ever thought my hockey life was going to end up and I was ever going to make it to the National Hockey League and spend 14 years in Los Angeles on Manhattan Beach, it was pretty special, I'll tell you. And the team's playing great.

I had a buddy down, I guess they lost to Seattle the other night, but they've done a really good job turning all those assets around, and they're deep. They're really deep. Still not sure where I would have let go of Gabe Velarde so soon, but he's having a nice little stay there in Winnipeg so far. I'm not talking about firing any coach here, but the last few changes and the ability for teams to kind of get going a little bit,

and we'll see what Ottawa does tonight as early as game two for Jacques Martin against Colorado, I think a tough one as well. But does that give now ownerships or president of hockey ops another thing to think about if in fact they want to jolt their lineup and i look at buffalo right now it's like really underachieving here like is it easier today than it was even a few years ago to just make a coaching change i do think it's a little easier and i mean i've got a ton of time for stevie stay house and i think he's going to do a great job i didn't like the timing of this one uh for dj so close to the hall and in fairness

if i go back to the way this team's built um there's i still think it's flawed like you see the teams that have made the jump and obviously talks do an incredible job in vancouver but they really need to an approved for on their blue line and when you look at their blue line now i know susie's hurt but you know what's the kids they brought in a kid to play with uh who's the right shot d uh that's playing with her with quinn hughes like he's like this guy's fit in like a glove and then susie and then they bring in zadoroff and they've really worked on their back end and now you've got them putting up when i look at what ottawa added to their back end and i know shabbat's hurt which that they really the veteran presence they brought in to stabilize and i love love the chicken tray, but is Travers harmonic,

right? I mean, so, and I don't like the fact that people saying, you know, the coach, it wasn't a coaching problem in Edmonton, it was a goaltending problem, and then they start to go on a bit of a roll. Their defense is still a problem, and their goaltending is still a problem. In Ottawa, I think they're getting a bit of a pass on. They spent a lot of money on Corpus Allo and Forsberg, and they have not been consistently good,

and especially with a young blue line, the timely goals. So I think the goaltending really let DJ down as well, and I think Pierre didn't do a heck of a lot. You know, Dominic Caball cabalit for me only scores goals on teams that aren't winning yeah like that was what he did in czech republic i drafted this kid in the seventh round and i mean he got sent back from the kitchen arrangers and then he comes back on chicago when they weren't very good anymore and scores like 40 and almost wins the rookie of the year when he was like 28 or something like that yeah that's when we want to bury your

head and now they spend all this money on him and Tarasenko, and the money could have been spent on building up your blue line and then having some veteran presence that are true leaders around that group and to help guys like Giroux out. Anyways. Can you hear that, Foots? Maid service. It's maid service coming. Fairfield?

We got to go, pal. We got to go. Guys, have a great Christmas. Hey, one thing, too, really quick. Great shout-out to Elise for her statement early in the week. I know, Borny, you've been through a lot. I love your walking stuff, but that was a real heartwarming statement and lots of love and prayers for her over the holidays here.

Thanks, Feud. We appreciate you. Merry Christmas, buddy. Mike Feuda, NHL executive with the LA Kings in their heyday of Stanley Cup champions. I wanted to ask them what they gave the Kings for presents. Okay, we're going to take a quick break and we're going to continue

our Christmas edition of the Real Kipper and Bourne Show after these words.