Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Late-Season Line Jumble

Episode Date: April 14, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and the returning Sam McKee look back on the Leafs' pair of wins over the weekend after sharing their thoughts on Rory McIlroy's big win at the Masters. They discuss the defensive effort against Montreal despite being short a defenceman, Craig Berube's late-season line shuffling, how the team manages players' workloads ahead of the playoffs and positive signs from Morgan Rielly. Then, the three weigh in on whether 'this year is different' for the Maple Leafs. Finally, they dig into Auston Matthews' recent play and the Leafs' plan in net for the postseason. 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.

We are live and in color thrill Kipper and born show leaf hour edition on sports at five 90 the fans sports at three 60 and sports net plus Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Derek Brandeo, Jennifer Rolnick, and in, off, vacation. Where I don't even think it was a real vacation, it was to hide from me because he lost something that meant a lot to me. Just to you, eh? I'm not even gonna get into it.

Well, you know what? I needed a full hour to calm down, and then I wanna hear your version of losing a very important jersey, but we're gonna do it at the top of the national hour. How do you make them wait, eh? I just, I gotta still collect my thoughts Sammy I don't know how I feel about you right now

Hey, and I don't want to say anything. I'm gonna regret. Okay, that's fair. All right, that's fair Welcome back by the way. Welcome back. Sure. Yeah, thanks. Yeah. Thanks. Thanks Yeah, I'm really really happy to be back as I lie to both of your faces really thrilled to have left to come back Yeah, and like I said, we'll address it. So you collect your thoughts as well. I have spent an entire week collecting my thoughts. I have been panicking about this very moment for a full week and now I have to wait longer. I have to do an hour of radio without being able to just get through this.

It's the wife, we need to talk, but can't now sort of thing. Well, just tell me later when we can. No panic though, in the Toronto Maple Leafs who sweep their back to back. So that's good news for Sammy and everybody in Leaf Nation. Yeah, did that happen? Cause I didn't have much yesterday. It happened on our watch last night, myself,

JB, you of course, David Amber and Elliot Friedman had to pretend we watched the game while we were watching Rory. That was compelling. With one eye. Compelling theater. I said, I'm not coming back down on the league again, but like

NHL head office, New York City, you can never allow a 5pm start on Masters Sunday. With the leaderboard being? Ever again. McElroy, DeChambeau, Corey Connors, like everyone you were interested in Canada. And not to mention, I don't know if you noticed what the NBA did yesterday, but the NBA had every single team play yesterday as there was like the final game of the season. So every there was a 130 tip window and a 330 tip window.

And there was every single team in the NBA playing on Master Sunday. Really? Yes. Done by five though. Well, I guess yeah But I mean there's lots of good things happen before five o'clock. Yeah, like it was a pretty amazing situation It is a statement. They're saying we're afraid of the NFL. We're not afraid of the Masters Yeah, I would be really interesting to see I mean the ratings on that in terms of what actually happened I mean, you know that the ten people that watch your guys you show religiously did a really good job

Our show was also a defensive masterpiece. This is a tough one. We'll get into what we witnessed. I will say I did at least talk with JD yesterday and I was a pretty good boy. I put the masters on my laptop. I had the big screen at home on the Leafs. I had the sound on the masters but I was paying close attention to Leafs. I'm a professional.

But I'd be lying if I said my eye didn't wander quite a bit Yeah, like we obviously watched the Leafs game Because golf like you need to tune in for a swing for 10 seconds and then you're back What's your biggest takeaway boys from Roy Winning? Um That life emulates or golf emulates life where there you get kicked in the teeth and then you have a chance to recover. Yeah. That's what I got out of yesterday. Love that. And I'll say that, you know, I'm going to spin it to a Leafs conversation and that you've never, you know, you're a loser, you're a choker,

you've never won until you win. It's not, and this is something I fight with you about, that a thing happens, you're like well They're this or the you know, they're chokers or this Rory's a choker or whatever and That's fine that these people build up their reputation But it doesn't mean that's what's gonna happen next how okay first of all you're comparing Rory to the Leafs I am yeah, that talented expectations. Rory's already won majors. He's now a handful of guys that have won the Grand Slam. The sixth in all time. Okay, sixth, not a handful.

But Kip, it's a greater point. You make it about Ovachkin. Ovachkin was in the league for 14 years before he won it. Whoever's calling him a choker or a loser is a loser. I totally agree. But I did like... Calling him a choker or a loser. Yeah is a loser. I told okay 35 years old and everybody was ready to pounce on him as the biggest Choker in the history of the game and it's just wrong. Yeah, it's just wrong That is fifth. It was his fifth major. Yeah, it's just wrong

Gun to my head though and, never thought he would have won. I never thought he would have ever have what it takes to do what he did yesterday. Sammy, you gotta calm down. You're a trendsetter now. I mean, when you call somebody a choker or a loser, you know, it has a ripple effect and it's just wrong. You're abusing your platform, Sammy,

with the Leafs and with Rory So scared to you you're just ready to call everybody losers and chokers, that's not true. That's not true Did you learn something yesterday? I learned that I Didn't dislike Rory as much I would say that. There you go. Well, I mean, our mutual friend, Brent Gunning, is a die hard Rory fan. And that turns you off.

For sure. Like that's I would be lying to you right now. If I told you that wasn't the part of the reason that it's changed it a little bit. Yeah. But I was texting reverse jinxes to Gunner all day long about, oh, he's got this. Oh, you can't lose. How can he lose this now? Like, what's the what's Nance's call going to gunner all day long about oh, he's got this. Oh, you can't lose now Can he lose this now like what's the court's? Nances call gonna be like all this stuff, but I will say I felt awful Forever rooting against him the second I saw the reaction when the putt drops in the second play on the first playoff hole that

It mean you can watch sports your whole life. You're not gonna see many more Emotional reactions to anything like that. That was beautiful I almost cried and I don't even like them and I almost cried. It was beautiful I can't imagine how exhausted he would be Oh my god, you know you hit some of the sweeping hook or the draw around on 15 to 4 feet or whatever Or whatever was 8 feet and he missed it. But still it's like some of the shots he hit it's like it's his it's a lock And then it's gone again and boy It was it was compelling with do we have Paul Maurice on our show?

Did you guys ask Paul Maurice about like you ever let yourself? Think about what would have happened. Yeah, we had a kid a great answer about right It's like how he was gonna be the biggest You know to blow there are three in the final. It's like you ever think about That and he said something like I don't even let myself go there Whatever. I don't think Rory will ever let himself go to if he had a blown that with a flip wedge into the 18th anyways Good tournament Really good. Yeah, and who enjoyed the Carolina game?

Well, it was I did yeah rather difficult, but if we say that it was a game that started out maybe as ugly as the Florida game earlier in the week and then to rebound back in the second and third period, I thought showed a lot of character for whatever reason they could not get it back on the rails against the Florida Panthers in that same similar kind of start but they certainly did yesterday. Yeah it's uh you know it is becoming a strength of this team is this like shut it down you know they just shut out on the Saturday night and then one goal against on Sunday high danger chances are just down down down as you know the farther they get from having Brandon Carlo, but get McKay back you start to see a Version of the Leafs that is a playoff team where it's like well, everyone's been saying they want them to be

defensive and heavier and 13 guys who fought and they they don't allow chances. There you go I guess you know Carolina's not playing for anything So I think there's maybe a conversation that they took their foot off the gas a little bit or whatever But I did think Saturday night in particular was pretty impressive the defensive effort against Montreal Canadians who've been hot coming in well and they have five guys in their decor and They all it was a really good effort to shut it down. Yeah, I went to the game

Thanks to a Colin invited me a good friend of mine. Okay, you in the seat. I was in the seats Wow Few people asking me about whether or not I was gonna kill you That's fun. I still don't know if I'm out of the woods for a killing for a killing for a 0-0 score it was a very good hockey Stuff happened in the 0-0 game. There was a lot of intensity. There was a lot of back and forth

Both sides had ample opportunity to get the first goal It had a good vibe What I got out of Saturday night was, Lee fans are ready. Yeah. Yeah, they're ready. Okay. Like just excited. Excited.

There's a feeling of, it's a different feel and it has more to do with probably style of play and just the fact that they're ready to triple down, quadruple down. So what you're saying is this is the year. What I'm telling you is if we're judging it on the American East division in baseball, there's a chance. Maybe it has nothing to do with how good you are, but maybe how

Sometimes other teams are having some issues as well So two things to note first is you mentioned something that I've had mentioned to me and Sam said mentioned to him Is that our buddy edge watches the show Adam Copeland? Yeah, we got to have him on we love and appreciate He was there Saturday night that's so cool I saw him in the alumni box and big fan of the show that's nice doesn't miss it that's nice yes did he say anything about the Jersey jokes. He did mention that he's big fans of Justin and mine. Okay, good, good, good, good.

The other thing though that I will note is hockey thing. Three different left wingers have played left wing on the second line in the last four games. So, you know, they've had McMahon there, they've had Domi there, they had Jaren Kroc there. That's still not settled. They've had some very different looking lines down the lineup McMahon Holmberg and Robertson Lorenz Lawton and Jaren Kroc. So it is

interesting to me that he doesn't change the lines much but right now things seem more in flux than they've been all year long. What do you think about that? I don't feel great about it. Yeah. I don't. I would have really hoped that McMahon would have locked in that second line. Like, note, note, I'm not giving you any opportunity to take me away from a top six position.

I think they think he's so good, it's their best chance to give them a third line is to not have him on the second line. Like I don't think it's like they don't think he deserves that spot. I think it's a compliment that they're like, if we put him down the lineup, we can have another line. And they want it to be. I wish they sorry not to interrupt.

No, no, no, I wish they would have probably looked at this in like February, March. It's not like the last three games of the season makes me want to pull my hair out. Okay. Yes now they're gonna be like There's an idea in the last three games of the season yeah It's it's funny. They got all these guys jockeying for spots. You got nice Matthews Martin is a lock Tavares and Nylander a lock and then you got seven guys that are kind of swirling around camp is gonna come back at some point Is there is there another guy that's out right now? Patches yeah, so we had this conversation last night on our on our leaf Show last night with David Amber and where are you on Max Patchready?

Yeah, I actually I kind of went into that segment with an opinion like a thing planned to say because that's how you do those segments. But you made a you convinced me that I think I liked your answer better than mine, which is he hasn't played in two months. Who he's 230 pounds and 36 years old or whatever he is. Are we gonna just plop him in game one where the Ottawa Senators are going boom, boom, boom. Everybody's flying, you're chasing now Sanderson,

you're chasing Shabbat. And. That's a fast team. When I'm watching Nick Robertson play both in Florida and Tampa Bay. He's hunting the puck. That tells me that they're ready to put him in in game one. And I don't know what game two or game three.

And I'm a firm believer of 23 man roster. At some point you're going to get in at some point that but I just I'm not taking out Nick Robertson to put in Max Petruredi. Wow. Imagine seeing that two months ago. I would have thought maybe there was an opportunity for Max to get back in there and get some reps in. I just think it's too hard at this point to get him in. Let the series develop, let it, you feel it out. If you want to go a little heavier, you go to him. It's crazy. Like Landis Goggs in the American league right now.

Oh, big shout out to him. We'll mention the national hour. Yeah, fantastic. Score the goal. Yeah. Really cool. But like I was kind of hoping right now, Patrick, Eddie be playing for the Marlies, you know, that he'd be getting shifts and, you know, back up to speed, whatever.

Yeah. Because it is, it is a little bit terrifying to put him in. Now, one thing with Nick Robertson, he's, he played the first six games of the Boston series last year. He was not a healthy scratch They he had zero zero zero. It's a Sam Mitchell Sam Mitchell. Yeah zeros across the board he does add an element of Speed and tenacity on top of being a threat to shoot it in the net. He's a dynamic player They don't have a bunch of those. The only thing I would kind of look more so is like at some point is it

Jarnkrok out and Pacioretti in. Yeah. And further down the line, I think they they really like Jarnkrok, though. Yeah, they like he's also a guy that can play fast. Yeah. Right. He can get in on a four check and although he's coach tells him to do not running anybody over at least he can press somebody to pass the puck faster than they want to. How about Scotty Lawton absolutely ruining a crossbar

last night? I love that move. That was the most like this is going to be for pure catharsis. I'm a frustrated player. I'm going to try to rip this in. See, I didn't get a frustrated player on that. But I thought it was a carefree slap shot. OK, let's let it fly. I'm so tired right now of overthinking.

I'm just going to go in there and blast the crap out of this thing. From the forward T's. He was at the hash marks when he let it go. And for it to hit the bottom of the crossbar and go straight down, he's a millimeter from a goal. I think a little millimeter. I think it was a great sign for where he is. I'm not overthinking this. I'm not gonna go in there and pull it forehand, backhand two or three times and watch it blow up like a you're right you know a grenade yeah so I'm just gonna go in there and shoot it and he just flat-out

beat Freddie so how about this he's you know we've had three guys play left-wing with Tavares and Nylander not once since the trade if they said hey can we see if Scott can have a little run you know could he be the guy who goes and mucks it up and gets the puck and does the right things make room for the goal scores? Yeah, give him a chance. Give him a chance. Give me I just don't I know again play one, you know Two games left. It's just too late to To go there. Oh, there's Domi gonna start playoffs there

It kind of feels like it does it feels like Lawton will play fourth line with Lorenz and Yarncroak But I mean they're not the they're not last night I think they played almost 16 minutes that line like I think When I looked at it last night, I can't remember the exact online. Yeah, why don't played 15 something They had no choice, but no, but for sure. I mean Saturday night. They went 26 and a half minutes while other play other teams are resting Their star players they go and play Mitch 26 and a half minutes Yeah

And it's like playing shifts on the fence like do we need to do this in late April and early April? Well, there's a case to be made that they do, you know search this divisions. Oh, there's a case to be made that like I Just met all hands on deck. Yeah, right everybody on deck for for tomorrow night in Buffalo. Yeah, they cannot lose the two games in a row and they can't allow any Type of life for Tampa Bay. I gotta tell you I think they're gonna play awful tomorrow night I think it's like Buffalo's an eliminated team, supposed to be an easy game. You just need a point and even if you don't get it, maybe Tampa loses one, you know,

just feels like a sleepy. This is a rare disagreement on Leaf eggnights. Great, great, great. I think they'll just kick the crap out of them. It's gonna be 85% Leaf fans. They know the situation, Buffalo reeks. I actually think they will show up tomorrow night. Okay, that's great. I would love to be right. I do I feel that could be

Yeah, okay, well how about it's one of the other because it wouldn't Mitch gets his hundred points and everybody's resting. You know what? They've done a nice job of downplaying all of that stuff, including I think Matthews has got some milestones too, does he not? Like a 400th goal or something? I gotta tell you, I could care less about that. Oh, and listen, it's great.

It's great because nobody's really pushed that narrative at all and that was the one that sunk them last year It's just like he's if he were at the end of his career and can he get 400 before he retires? He's gonna get 500 600. This is just gonna be another number on the table. I don't care at the boat 400 hundred points for Mitch Great I'd love to see him get it get it over with and hopefully rest and people now Kip had made a point sorry Elliott made the point off air yesterday about Resting players is that the Leafs don't exactly have the luxury of doing it They're up against the salary cap and so you can't sit out a player who you then have to pay for no

They're they're pressed tomorrow night. Yeah and plug someone else in you'll be over the cap So you can't voluntarily rest someone and you can't put guys on LTI are right now because the end of the season So resting guys is gonna have to be Camps staying out or him coming back. I don't know how they do it mathematically Is available I think tomorrow night That would be good. Also check now whether he plays or not I don't know where they how comfortable they are if he wants to sit them out one more game, but he probably could have played on the weekend if it was really important.

So those guys are off LTIR though. Like McCabe is available and Camp is available. Patcheretti cannot come back because he is on LTIR. They'll take him off their way over. So there's no chance you'll see him pre-playoff. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I mean, you'd think a team that has been in a position to win a division would have been a lot more comfortable to rest some guys down the road here. But it hasn't really been close until recently.

And it's cap stuff, is it not? Like once camp's back, someone can sit out who's good. But if, like if they wanna go 11 and seven, if McCabe's back and they put in McCabe and put out, put somebody out, like they can do it that way, like. Yes. Go 10 and eight.

Like just find a way to get somebody some rest. Right. If it doesn't matter. But that's the big thing. If it doesn't matter. But that's the big thing. If it doesn't matter. If you lose, if you do this and lose and lose Thursday night and by chance lose the division, people are going to come back and go, what were you doing? Well, you don't rest anybody tomorrow, flat out. Tomorrow is all system. Like you said,

all systems go. Yeah. Yeah. It would be really, yeah, God, it would be nice if they could rest guys, but God, it would be nice to lock this thing up. Can have a couple of days. Couple things I wanted to ask you guys about. First thing is Morgan Reilly, who had a good weekend, I think. Good on this last game.

Good on Montreal, good against Carolina, producing at least. Do you feel a change in him heading towards playoffs since they've gotten Carlo? He's been a lot better. Like are you encouraged heading towards playoffs so we may see like the playoff Riley? I don't think you have much choice but to think he has to. It's just a must. I still don't feel like he's playing as quick as he did at the height of that first round a few seasons ago.

To me, there's still too much thinking for him. There's times in his own zone where he has the puck and his feet aren't moving and his head's up and he's looking for either this stretch pass or someone to kind of come in underneath them. I just I think he's at his best when he's just playing quick and I'm still not there with him. I like the pass he made to Matthews you know he got the puck in a pretty dangerous area and made a pretty good pass out. I often complain that he passes to the wrong guy at the

wrong time and that was a nice nice system good offense I mean even at his best so boys. He's never been a great Own-zone guy. He's never been the guy like but at least The production is coming along with that like if you can get the product you need to take the good with the bad of him And I thought he looked really good on the weekend. I did it's it's imperative that he He's the closest thing that that the Leafs can have to go against a Jake Sanderson and a Thomas Chabot. Those guys are really dynamic when they're feeling it. They're skating, their ability to turn up,

make a first pass, jump in on plays, shoot the puck. Like, at least they'll have their hands full with those two guys to start this series. Yeah, they need to lay a licking on those guys every four check. One thing to note from Jonas Segal, wrote an article today, Morgan Riley has blocked 38 shots since the trade deadline, same number as Chris Tanev.

Wow. In two more games than Tanev. And one other one that I wanted to bring up. But he ain't paid to block shots. He paid. Seven and a half million bucks. He's paid to do the opposite of that to shoot them in the net Morgan Riley five on five with Brandon Carlo may police outscoring opponents 12 to 8 Riley five on five without Carlo leaves out scored for it 50 to 47. So there's been a slight improvement on the on the five on five That they still for me spend too much time in their own zone. The good thing is is that they are

Seemed to at least you know since the Florida game positionally sound they take a they take a big part of the middle of the ice Away, and if they're not blocking shots or goaltending is there But what the hell happened it just Man I Nothing nothing the puck dropped and then they played in their own end and then 60 minutes of game time later was over I'll miss that one. Nothing happened. They had nothing going the next thing I wanted to ask you guys is a sort of a general conversation. Maybe one that we'll have throughout the week, but my lot of my leaf fan friends and Leaf fan people that DM me and all like, like you

said in the crowd that people are ready for it. There is a general consensus that and I'm going to say these words that this year is different. That this year is different. And you know, I would be lying if I said I didn't have a little bit of that hope in my own mind I'm not letting myself go fully there but do you guys believe that this is a different version here's why yes you know because of the magical you know every year it's felt like they're trying to do something in

particular and falling short of it and whether that be you know Marner getting to 97 and 99 points Matthews getting this 69 goals and then never quite winning the division. Oh, sorry So basically this is the year they're getting there, right? They're hitting all that they're gonna win the Atlantic Division Marner Ria has two games to get a point like they're gonna hit these milestones and start the positive vibes They defend better and that better goaltending Ria has two games to get a point. Like, they're gonna hit these milestones and start the positive vibes. They defend better and they have better goaltending. To answer your question, yes, and for only one reason.

They're goaltending. That is it for me. They have, from the start of training camp, right up until this point, stole our son, Wall, have been terrific. And I've stopped counting how many games that if we switched goalies, and the latest one was yesterday,

say what you will about the game yesterday, you take Freddie, you give him back to the Leafs, you take Joseph Wall, you give him to Carolina, Leafs lose yesterday. Well, they're down three, nothing after one, for sure. Lose. Yep, they were better in the second, but you're right and that to me is The major difference right now There's a lot of stuff that I still don't particularly like

including the power play to me is either go big or go home when it's bad, it's But ugly Their entries yesterday were atrocious. If I'm who the Ottawa senators, I'm showing game film of the Carolina Hurricanes PK, which by the way is the best in the NHL, against the Leafs. And I'm saying, stand them up at the blue. You know, we need all four up at that entry.

They try to kick it out from Matthews on the dot line to the wall, or Willie a dot line to the wall. And it's's if you knock it out of the air, get it sticking the lane. If they're going to play this kind of rope a dope and take some punches and block some shots and an uppercut here and their goal tenning can continue to do what they're doing. They got a chance here. That's that's the game right now, but I wouldn't put too much stress on them starting in game one.

At least they're playing a wild card team. You know, like at least it's not Florida or Tampa. I mean, hey, likely not. Yeah, that's a start. Yeah, I'm not like I'm not totally convinced. Like obviously Ottawa is a better option than Florida, clearly. But I don't know how much better of an option it is. I really do think that Leaf fans' worries

are fair ones with them. Yeah, they're a good team. Right, they're top 16 in the NHL. They can beat you. So you're less worried about it, Kipper? You know where Ottawa would worry me if I'm the least is That third line mmm, the third line of Pinto and

I'm audio and I'm audio and well Pinto's a heck of a third line Centerman great Greg's down there too. Like their bottom six, I think has a chance here to be different makers. And, you know, do the Leafs have a Nick Paul now to step up? Because I think Shane Pinto has a chance to be like a Nick Paul for Ottawa. Yeah, I will say one thing that hasn't happened in previous playoffs is when you look at some of these teams

You look at a deep air and you go Alright, they at least have a couple guys that you can eat up and that hasn't been the case is you know, Florida has it was So good and you know, Boston's been able to put it together Tampa, you know that Cleven and Manston Paulo Monson Paulo there there they can play and they're going to be good players in the league. Clevin for me, every other shift is Greece, Rory's round the other day. Great play. What the hell is that? Great play.

Oh my God. You know, you don't you can't give the Leafs too many, too many opportunities. And they got a couple of guys who might make mistakes, which can be the difference. And Brady Kachuk's just sitting there waiting and resting and waiting and he's gonna get shot out of a cannon and Matthew Nyes has to be kind of the Leafs version. Well he has been. Like I mean he's... That's quite the battle. Right? Yeah. He's got to match him. I do worry that Brady Kachuk's first ever playoff game is gonna come at Scotiabank Arena.

My favorite Down Goes Brown once in a while does these oddly specific prediction pieces and one of them today was that Brady Kachuk is gonna do something that it's borderline Suspendable and then Leafs fans and Sens fans are gonna argue about a thing Kachuk did at some point. God, that's fantastic. It's going to happen where it's like he's gonna do something borderline greasy Leaves are winning a game for one or something that guy is like put a bell on him So, you know where he is at all times Yeah, score gets out of hand either way watch out head up him Cousins Ridley Greg like they are a they're like that's the thing. They are a good team. Ron's no sweetheart They have some nasty nasty people on that team that are wanting to inflict pain

Just what was that kid they called up from the Marley's no Quillen. Oh Cousins, I mean it ended up hurting cousins worse, but like they're looking to hurt. So yeah All right, we'll take a quick break Sounds good still plenty more on our leaf edition, including a few Kippers Clippers. We bring Sammy back. We didn't even get to one, I don't think. No, we didn't. Not one.

Plus, when we return, we'll tell you when we believe Game One will start, what night. Oh. All right? We will. Okay. Plenty more when we return to Real Kipper and Born. The best Blue Jays show out there, period. Blair and Barker, be sure to subscribe and download the show

on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program, Leaf Edition. Welcome back to the program leaf edition. What do you guys you guys want a few clips for Saturday night your overall thoughts? Sammy Saturday night. Um, zero zero score. I like you guys we just mentioned a little bit during their first block. I did think it was an incredibly entertaining game. I enjoyed it thoroughly tight and I thought the Habs were pretty limited by the Leafs defensively

and credit to them they only had five Demon. So because of the stupid like, it's just these rules. What a dumb rule that is. It's just... And we don't have enough bodies to play. What is this? This is a zigzag? It's like NHL.

What a guy. It's so stupid. All right. Let's go to Craig Berube on his overview of the Montreal game. Clip one, Derek. the You know nothing off the rush. Um, you know, just the forwards did a real good job of Getting above people tonight and our d were really good. I thought I'll take a a negative angle if anyone wants to hear one. Yeah, which is I haven't really liked matthew's game lately Um, he really he's good against tampa bay but didn't like him in florida didn't like him against montreal didn't like him against carolina

He was good against Tampa Bay, but didn't like him in Florida, didn't like him against Montreal, didn't like him against Carolina. Last night he could not pass the puck. I honestly, Kip, sometimes you and I talk about his passing, and I think he's a good passer, you don't think he's a bad passer. Last night was an atrocious display of passing from Matthew Spur. Alright, so you saw at least something that I've seen. He pulled the pin out of every pass and launched grenades to teammates. It was a tough night for him. So to me it's less about that and more about the energy. You know he looks so good when he's going, going, skating, chasing and I didn't like him. I think he's just the one guy that can't get this and Morgan maybe too, can't get the regular season over fast enough. And yeah, anyone else would love his 30

goals. But it wasn't a year to remember battling injuries and whatnot. And we assume he's healthy now. But this is this is one guy that needs a clean slate going into the playoffs. And I hope he can have that look of a threatening 60 goal score because they're going to need it. Absolutely. He saw some flashes. I mean, this once in a while he still shows you like I don't know who it was against last night in Carolina, but he pulled the puck towards the outside and he just like about to but he pulled the puck towards the outside and he just like about to drop the shoulder to go towards the net.

And it just, you see that flash and you're like, where is it? Like do it more. But I don't know, maybe there's a world where he's saving himself for, he knows he has a certain gear that he's gonna get to with whatever injury or whatever has been bugging him. He doesn't wanna completely, you know,

exert it before the playoff start. I mean, that's the most positive spin but maybe he's just not playing good maybe like maybe he's just not playing well there's a lot coinciding early season injury brand new coach captaincy it's been a weird year for him but I thought he settled out and had a really good stretch in late march you know and just to pick up on the passing too there are also flashes I've seen where he's passed the puck better than he has for me. Him and Nize have found a little thing in the Ozone.

He's also found some areas behind the net when he's not focused on wrapping it around that he's found guys in small seams. Yeah, and it feels like it's often Nize. He's like, you know, wearing guys on his back and he's a target there. It's in his scope when Matthews is thinking, shoot, Nyes happens to be in that range. Well, Nyes, I mean, he's just as a cinder block that gets right between the hash marks pretty much at will.

So it's kind of easy to pass to a guy like that. Him against Chernak was really fun. Him like, churping at him, whatever. And give Montreal full credit, both them and Calgary have done an unbelievable job of fighting right to the end. It looks like still Montreal is going to make it. I don't think Calgary will. But for me, again, watching Montreal live, that they're close.

I'm not convinced that they're going to make any type of real noise in the first round, but they could extend a series against Washington, in my opinion. Yeah. But still not quite there. To me, I saw it felt like an undersized team for me. Yeah. Well, sure. Maybe that's because you watch Cole Ca about there who's who's nasty nasty dynamic Yeah, very tiny. Yeah Suzuki small there, but they don't have some white boys. Yes. He's very small. But you say tiny tiny just kind of hurts

Wow, guys tie. That's a guy's tiny. That's a that's a tough one But I will say like as a leaf fan When he has the puck near the slot he is on the short list of like leaf killers that really horrify me when he's got The potluck guy is dangerous I mean you don't get to be on the top line of an NHL team at that size though being absolutely Filthy with the hands, but he's really he's really scary with the puck on a stick and just one note, too I think they play Chicago tonight where demidovs expected to make his National Hockey League debut and this one's gonna be real interesting in terms of How much he plays and how good he looks and how early he made

look like a threat out there and be in a position to look like a threat out there and be in a position to, to eat some meaningful minutes here for the Montreal Canadiens moving forward. I got, he's, he's a different beast. I'm telling you, you know, who is moving down to the fourth line as a result is Laine. Yeah. Now Patrick Laine has been related to fourth line with Jake Evans. Yeah. Which like, I didn't think he was very effective.

Hey, he's among the least effective five out five players in the league. Yeah, didn't really notice my whole lot Saturday night No, so hey No, it's a good job on the power and the penalty kill to to To take away his he hits the line neck three times That helped I will say that you mentioned the penalty kill I think the Ottawa Senators have drawn the most penalties three straight years correct in the NHL. So they Get a lot of power plays the least penalty kill will be tested and it has been not as good as you would like it To be yeah, that's it. That's putting it lightly. Yeah, so they really have to figure out the special teams

Hey before we get it you talking about the you tease something for the break. Oh The scheduling yes, that's right now according to what I'm hearing from the league, oh is that The teams that play Thursday night Which concludes the National Hockey League season? The league doesn't want those teams playing Saturday night no that's that makes a lot of sense so therefore conclusion game one for the Toronto Maple Leafs will open Sunday night Sunday Tuesday Thursday Saturday

night Sunday the Easter Sunday, Sunday night, first Leafs playoff game. Hey, a lot of families. No, like, I'm not religious, but at all. Just ask it. You do say, oh God, a lot. Well, I'm a fan of the Leafs. Yeah, but I, you know, it's just, it's not the exact same cachet as the first opening night battle on Saturday, Sunday is a day of rest. It's not a day of excitement. You've not you do recognize the Sabbath.

It's a day of rest. It is. Sunday is not a day for the first playoff. That's okay. Go ahead. Go ahead. Not to rip on again, the NHL schedule maker. Yeah.

Oh boy. But is there a team out there that a Saturday night would mean more to than Canadian markets and Toronto being your biggest one? But doesn't it feel like... How do you schedule the Leafs on a Thursday night if you don't want them to open up on a Saturday night? But doesn't it feel like people are... They're watching that one regardless.

They got those ratings. Those are in the bank. There's no one who would have watched Saturday who's not watching Sunday. regardless. They got those ratings. Those are in the bank. There's no one who would have watched Saturday who's not watching Sunday. No, I don't know. I don't know what the data says. You're gonna have to talk to some bean counter up here. But I do-

Even all over Mr. Hatsos Patros. Patros, oh, that's terrible. Oh, I know, and he's Greek too. Well, sure sounds like it. And we're buddies too. And we're buddies. He's definitely not like an Owen Sound native. I'm really hoping he left that portion of the scheduling to his assistant.

Yeah. Yeah. And he's like, Oh, I wouldn't have done that either. That's silly. But listen, Saturday night, game one, Stanley Cup playoffs. That's what I think every, Canadian market wants but Ottawa so that takes away Ottawa it takes away Toronto leaves Montreal in a position Edmonton will not play Saturday night because the Kings play Thursday night if that holds

true that the Kings won't play 48 hours later then so they do Edmonton and Toronto on the Sunday that's so you're like again based on if the information is correct on not turning over teams what are playing Thursday night start on Monday like there'll be a series that doesn't start till Monday if I had to guess and I'm be the Leafs. But so right now we're looking at Leafs ends. Tampa Bay, Florida, Washington, Montreal, Carolina hurricanes versus New Jersey Devils, Winnipeg, St. Louis, Dallas, Colorado, Vegas, Minnesota, Kings Edmonds. Okay.

Love it. Hey, oh, what else you got? Well, I was just going to say, you know, I was just going to say that the back to back stuff, what was their final? We can play the clip, Borube, clip nine. I'm proud of the group for how they responded this year. I think our record was 10-4 and 2, maybe, on back to back

this year. Pretty good record. You know, it's tough, tough a lot of times with the travel and where you're at and everything. So guys done a good job of, you know, being smart and playing the right way and defending and not, you know, opening it up too much, you know. And I think I saw a sports net stat that said,

John Tavares led Led the league and back-to-back points points or goals. Yeah, it's like 19 points and 16 Back to backs. He's the exact guy where you'd be like, yeah, he's old. He's not gonna have success somebody told me in your face somebody told me that Seattle Kraken had like 11 or 12 back-to-backs and they're like, oh 11 and 1 hey Has anyone had did anyone have a less relevant year in the league than the Seattle Kraken? Did one interesting thing happen that team was an expansion team last year's or first year second year third year Yeah, whatever. What's the changes coming there?

There have to be changes but to give go ahead. No, I was just gonna complain about the crack Well, I just gonna say to give the least credit Back to backs is what basically got Babs fired They were losing on the second half of every back to back that night that season They were losing points They're having two points back to back points are really important the plate least played a ton of them and they were really good in them. This plays into Sam the idea that they were an offensive team who needed their legs, they needed to create, to score, to outscore teams. This year, if you're a defensive team, you can just kind of pack it in and hang around.

And good goal team, having two good goal houses. That's it. Like once you, there's not much of a drop off. There's not a tremendous feel of a drop off when you go to your backup goalie with Stolarz and Wolves this season. Who is you even referring to? Yeah, I mean, there was a, how many, didn't Murray get a few this year? Two starts. I feel like those are both in the second half of back to back. How many did Hilda be start

felt like a couple in the second half of back to backs? So November? Yeah, it was a while ago there's a while but it's give them credit they've been good on back-to-backs did you want to play the clip clip on Dakota Murmus no no oh on because one of the guys in it practice was sort of or after the game was kind of trying to like ask about the challenge of having the two goalies and kind of like alluding to the game one thing and you can play the clip on like there's a controversy is that what you're telling us in Toronto they're

trying to drum up a goalie conversation controversy and this was his answer to that play clip six I don't know if it's a challenge I think it's a good thing we've got two capable guys are doing the job have you guys been talking about this at nauseam about who to start in game one we have on the television that just said we're on TV right now yes yeah it's just not a debate for me right now they've really shaped up stole ours to to start this thing I agree totally but and I I still believe that there may be a window where you lose game one and overtime and stole ours is really good and you go right back to him in game two.

I just... I would be lying. Like I'm a Stolarz guy, been a Stolarz guy from the start. But Joseph Wall's really good is really good. And it looks really good. It looks really in control. It's quiet. He can... He can come out of the bullpen and mop up. He was really good last night, or against Carolina. I really see it. So do you think that is like the, I mean outside of play, Stolar has been really good,

but you think it's much easier to go from Stolar to Wall than it is from Wall to Stolar. Yeah. I just think that's the way it's, like I said, I don't have any other way to describe it, except that's the way it's shaped up. I also know Wolves puts a lot of emphasis on he's the mental side of the game and being ready and he's a competitor. You're not gonna offend him by starting the other guy. So, first round series,

Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, I'll set, we're going to do bet 365 next hour, but two and a half starts for Joseph Wall in round one. Here's the connection is if it's over, they're losing, right? What do you mean? Yeah. If he plays three games, they probably have lost the series because Lars has got the hook. So that means he's probably lost two games.

Yeah. I don't know. Okay. Yeah Well, we got lots of time to get Game one to even consider Goalie change I will say the Bennington thing of the four nations kind of changed my thinking on the goaltenders where that he was You could have pulled him after a couple games But he wasn't bad and they just stuck with him and showed faith and trust and he rewarded them for that belief So I'm with you Kip. I think that makes a lot of sense before we go for before I forget stuck with them and showed faith and trust and he rewarded them for that belief.

So I'm with you Kip, I think that makes a lot of sense. Before we go, before I forget, as everybody knows that listens to shows in Hawaii, over for five days, spectacular. But I got a DM while I was on my way there from a guy who owns a coffee farm there named a coffee farm. Yes. Awesome. Called Kona Lisa coffee in Hawaii in Hawaii And he he's a huge he's from Toronto huge fan of things Gus huge fan of the show and he said hey, man

Would you love to come to the coffee farm? I was like that'd be cool, but I have literally four days here and like the drinks are great. The pools are I'm not gonna invent because it's a different island or whatever and I said thanks for everything and he's like, where are you staying? And I told him we're staying and I came back from the pool one of the days this guy Gus He sent me like a box full of coffee like in a you know Yeah Trump Leslie fans everywhere boys like that. I just call it Lisa coffee. Yeah, shut up, but you know, that's awesome

I think it would be I Just imagine where people would be coming in the stories that you would hear from people If the Leafs ever made the final or ever made the conference final the people from all over the world that would fly back But we're never paying for coffee again Yeah, yeah, but it's just like we're gonna have it shipped from Hawaii. I just think it's like I think it's life amazing That's just like some random guy has a coffee farm in Hawaii. It's like here's some coffee. I love the lease I listen to your show every day that blows my mind. So thanks man. Yeah, that is that's super cool So I hope the coffee's good. We have no problem getting it over the border didn't tell anybody

So like we went with Ali's work Ali's work event and they like, you know, it's like a big deal so they give they give you all of these things like you get all this cool stuff and like Regardless, we got a bunch of stuff on this Friday morning. We started to pack We had to go to Target and buy another suitcase We got so many things we had two large suitcases full of crap. What? I'll tell you what, but some pretty cool crap some pretty cool stuff big boxes of cool things.

That's awesome. Let's just say that sounds like a lovely trip. Yeah, I could play golf. It was fun. You did. I did. Yeah. And how's the course?

Expensive like Cabot sent St. Lucia. Well, I don't think you paid for that. So it was more than that, yeah. But- No, no, was it nice though? Oh, it was nice. Off the water? No, it wasn't. It was seen, it was by the resort. It was fine, it was close. A 10 minute walk from the resort,

I could play at 6.30, be back at the pool by 10, it wasn't a big deal. But rental clubs, 89, 49, 40. All right. 49, 40. Yep, got through the first hour, we didn't discuss you losing a Jersey, which almost ruined my master's weekend and how you went so long without sharing this story. And you finally did, but not to us. You got a lot of explaining to do in the next hour. So do not go away.

Real Kipper and bornne after these words. Back national.