Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Pelley's Presser, Tre's Role & Leafs Line Finale!

Episode Date: May 23, 2025

On the final Leafs Hour of the season, Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on MLSE president & CEO Keith Pelley's availability following the dismissal of team president Brendan Shanahan. They discuss Pelley's optimistic outlook, the decision to forgo the team president position, how Brad Treliving's role will change and what to expect from the franchise going forward under Pelley's watch. Finally, they close out with one final trip to the Leafs Line to answer your calls and questions!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Welcome into the real Kipper and Bourne show. We're live on Sportsnet 590, the fans, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet Plus, Nick Kiprails, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo, and Jake the Snake Schultz with you for the last two hours of the season. Of course, all season long, one hour Leaf edition, one hour national covering the rest of the league. This will be our last Leaf Hour edition of the season. No more Leafs, no more Hour.

Come next week. What's the deal? We are on three to four Eastern time. Every day for an hour. Blue Jays coming your way, four to six. Yeah, and we're off next Tuesday, Monday. The Jays are playing during our show. So we've got a four day week next week,

three to four, talking about the Florida Panthers just absolutely smoking the Carolina Hurricanes. Maybe talk a little bit more about the Oilers, but yeah. Are we gonna do the thing? Are people doing the thing? Okay, they are. They're doing the thing.

You know what I mean by the thing? Oh, they're doing it. Where they mopped Tampa, and now they're mopping Carolina, and the Leafs really gave them a run. Okay, that's the thing? Yeah, that's the thing. Okay, because I was thinking Adam's family. No, this is, you know, boy, the Leafs are the team that really is closest there without

There is close. They're a game. They played three terrific hockey games against Florida. Yeah, three and a half even I Would say three and three quarters Right. They just needed that, the second half of game three. So by this logic, they're only half a game, a quarter of a game away from a Stanley Cup. Yeah, I gotta tell you boys, I tried last night and I saw, who's it that scored the third one?

Bennett maybe, Verhaggie. He had two, so yeah. Yeah, Bennett. When I was like, oh, guess I'm gonna watch OKC in Minnesota Timberwolves. Can't do it. I just, I can't, I'm really sick about it because I know that I do think the Leafs would be doing this.

Yeah, I think they'd be. People are really like, oh, you can't say that the Leafs would be doing this. I'll say it, they would be doing it. Carolina played two crappy teams on the way to the conference finals They've won how many lost is it 14 straight conference finals games They have an easy road every year and then they play a real team from the Atlantic and they get barbecued everything

And it's the Leafs are way better and they'd be up to nothing and we talking about them going into the weekend up to nothing So that's the thing Wherever you are watching and listening, we're glad you're aboard for our last hour talking Toronto Maple Leafs. And what that sound you heard is Western Canada being like, yeah!

Yeah! So in other words, Sammy, you have less than 60 minutes to get everything off your chest regarding your Toronto Maple Leafs or forever hold your peace until September. Well, big news today. Big news today. MLSE President and CEO Keith Peli addressed the media today after parting ways with longtime

president Brendan Shanahan. Just to touch on the thing, he did mention in the press conference. I know he kinda did the thing. He did the thing. Carolina, who's not doing so well, right? Against Florida, it's like, ah, that's the thing. He brought it back around again.

He did it twice. He did it at the start in his opening statement and then towards the end he's like, but you see them Florida Bay I gotta tell you I said this last year around this time and It didn't prove to be right with the coach. They ended up firing the coach but I Don't like saying these words But my my run-it-back radar started tingling a little bit. Oh, yeah

Like that maybe he would want to and unity chemistry great skill But my run it back radar started tingling a little bit. Oh yeah? Like that maybe he would want to? And unity, chemistry, great skill. I just, I don't want to. I don't think a lot of the fan base wants to. But I don't. Okay, what does that mean? That they're gonna try to sign Mitch again,

that they're gonna try to bring him back. They're gonna try to keep everything status quo. This is the thing. If Florida does well enough against Carolina, the thing is that people are gonna go, whoa, whoa, whoa, you can't blow this up. And so my sarcasm for the first, whatever, four minutes of the show, comes from a place of,

you can't almost, no one cares if you like, if Phil Mickelson doesn't say, I would've won 15 majors except Tiger kept winning. Tiger kept winning. He wasn't good enough to be Tiger in those events and the Leafs here continually have come up against Tiger. So until you can find a way to become Tiger. How do you become a Scheffler? Yeah sure you don't get to go boy we're this close like now you wasn't enough. Pick another guy. You need to improve.

You can't be content. You need to, I'm fighting back against complacency. So yesterday, yesterday was a big deal. You got rid of the guy, the guy that was in charge, the guy that the buck stopped with, he's gone. That's not significant enough change for you It is it's a huge change provided but ultimately

none of this changes if they somehow like Bring back Mitch Marder with a contract and it's the same they bring back to Tavares to bring back my like it's the same thing You could have anybody running it you could have doesn't matter. It would still be the same they bring back to Tavares to bring back my like it's the same thing you could have anybody running it you could have it doesn't matter it would still be the same product on the ice that's that part of it's not gonna change to me I I don't know where this newfound confidence of signing Mitch Marner was from I'm not listen I'm not saying that I think it's going to happen I'm not leaving don't happen with Brendan Shanahan and Mitch Marner gone will that make you feel like I mean it's going to happen. I'm not gonna happen with Brendan Shanahan and Mitch Marner gone

will that make you feel like There's more that that's a good start for a change Let me because those are both objectively bad vix knows that both those guys are leaving. Yes I mean, I think the the answer there though is yes because a couple years ago when they lost to Montreal or was that the Year that they fired Dubas no No he got another year after that. Okay so then they lost to Florida in the second round. Florida in the second round. Then they moved on from Dubas it was like everyone kind of agreed it was time to change the core whether that was Willie whether that was Austin Mitch whoever

they need to change the core they change a GM next year we're gonna change a core they change the coach the core keeps staying the same, they change the GM. Next year, we're gonna change the core, they change the coach. The core keeps staying the same, well they change other things. So to answer the question, other changes but not the core would not be good enough. Okay, so. Right? Yes, I completely agree.

Okay. But what I'm saying is that for it to look different, for it to be quote unquote better, I guess, or just different, you're letting one of the most accomplished hockey players, Stanley Cup champion, 11 year president, and 100 point selkie level defensive player in his prime walk out the door for it to be better. Which really makes no sense.

Correct. But I agree with the thing that doesn't make no sense. So it's a weird spot for Lee fans to be in What I said if you do damned if you don't correct what I said about the run it back stuff is just The way Peli talked today It was a lot more like, you know, we were right there kind of thing than I expected. That's what I would say he also came up with Clip three, let's have a listen.

Keith Pelley today. I think I said to you last year that good simply isn't good enough. And that's the case here. And having said that, we made some strides this year. And I have incredible confidence in Brad in only his second year as the general manager. I talked to him just a couple minutes ago.

Unfortunately, Brad couldn't be here. Things I said happened very rapidly. He's in Calgary right now at his daughter's graduation and the first time that we have a chance to get together will be Sunday evening for for dinner. But I think we made some strides in Brad's only second season here as the general manager. Similar, I did have a great opportunity to spend a bit of time and have dinner with Chief last night. And we certainly made some strides under Chief. under chief. Yes, we won the Atlantic Division. And we came one game to making the conference finals

and beating the defending champions. And a pretty good Florida team that seems to be having their way with the Carolina Hurricanes right now. that seems to be having their way with the Carolina Hurricanes right now. Kipper? Okay, so... So good is good enough. No, that's not what he said, but he's...

Yeah, I don't agree with him within one game. Like that one game was like- Miles away. Miles away. It was two games. Yeah. Correct. And you lost a combined 12 to two in those two games.

Yes. And that's what kind of feels like the separation between earth and the moon. What's hard is like- For many fans. For many fans. Yeah, I- You really, when you get beat that bad at home. You're really not that close Yeah, yeah, and and what's hard is like so much of it is semantics and like I appreciate

You know putting a shine on the Leafs. You're the you're the guy that's absolutely fair But you know to say they took a step this year. They were definitely different, but I mean three years ago They had 115 points two years ago. They had 111 step this year. They were definitely different, but I mean three years ago they had 115 points, two years ago they had 111 points, this year they had 108 and they won the Atlantic because the other teams were worse. You know, I don't know, they lose in the second round again.

It's- God by far the easiest draw in the first round because of that. Yeah. Kind of got a little sputtery in that series before they ultimately won it. Yeah. And then you lost again. I don't know, like a stride is okay. that series before they ultimately won it. Yeah. And then you lost.

Like a stride is okay. They didn't get worse for sure. They were the same team they've been. This time last year, I believe that he had confidence in Brendan Shanahan a year later. He had to move off of him. Okay. He's got as he was quoted today, incredible confidence

in Brad Tree Living. Should he? Well, I don't know, you know, like what's the, we talked a little bit about this in the past, but so he without without that layer of person to, a hockey person to hire a GM and say, this guy knows his stuff, does that change things for you now that it's kind of up to him who he's? Well, I understand if you're Keith Peli that,

for whatever reason, and I think you brought this up, that it just, it seems to, everybody seems to be at different stages, right? And it could certainly be deemed unfair to have let Brad Tree Living go on such a short period of time. For sure. Right?

But if they falter next season, if they have a bad year, if they're just close but not close enough to even, you know, I don't know if Mitch is gone and you don't replace those points and John Tavares gone, you don't replace those points, could they miss the playoffs? And then where would Brad Tree Living be next year at this time? Like could you really see if the Leafs take a significant dip next season that he'd keep his job after the season? Yeah, I mean, it depends.

Are you chasing? Are you kind of chasing this thing? To clarify the stages thing, like I just look at one of the defining parts of Brennan Shanahan's tenure was sort of impermanence to me where Shanahan came in the first year and he didn't hire anyone, so he just wanted to evaluate things for a year. Then he eventually, right, he hired, after that they got rid of Carlisle and he hired Babcock,

but they hadn't hired a GM. So the GM didn't get to pick their own guy. So then they hired Dubas who didn't pick Babcock. And then they hired Lamarillo who didn't pick Dubas. And then, you know, eventually it was like Dubas, you know, it happened with Tree Living. Tree Living ends up with Keefe who he didn't pick. It's just this like a succession to people

who like don't have their people. And now we're in a position where it feels like Peli's the guy, didn't pick Tree Living. Just like, I would just like some sort of like, we all have the guys we wanna have. Fantastic point. You're absolutely correct that it just doesn't, it doesn't, it's never really slotted correctly.

So maybe he likes Tree like that. So maybe one of the reasons why they're not getting a president is because the first thing everyone's going to say is, well, Tree's not his guy, or he never hired Barubey. And now you lift all of that by Keith reaffirming he likes these guys, he believes in them, and they're staying. But, here's the but, is that if they're staying,

they're under tremendous amount of pressure to find a way to keep this thing going that Brendan has, which is stability. It's not in it. Making the playoffs is never an issue. Yeah. Right. So you better make sure it's not an issue next season or else Keith, Keith Pelley's gonna have to do another press conference to announce that he's needing a new general manager. Would he later hire a president? You know, and look, I'm throwing stuff at the wall

and I think Tree has been... As we all, as we, all three of us do. I think Tree's been good in his two years, the decor is better, the team's good. To your point about the president's thing, we do have a clip on that, Derek. Peli Clips 6 on if he will replace Shani. My plan right now is to not replace Brendan and Brad will be our GM.

Whether he takes on a larger role is something that will be determined down the road. But the reality is we're a different organization because we have multiple teams. As a result, when you have multiple teams, you have centers of excellence. And that is from your commercial side, from your ticket side, from your marketing side, from your communication side. So there are many teams as you know that has presidents and general managers and don't have separate presidents and general managers similar to the National Basketball Association. There's not a right and a wrong way to do it. But at the same time, there's no real need

at this particular time to make a haste decision. So everything that we will do will be methodical, and if we feel that we need to make a move like that, then we will. But at this particular time, there's no plan to do that. I have the utmost confidence in Brad True Living and Craig Berube as our coach. So, can I ask?

What centers of excellence means? No, I mean, there's a lot of. Jargon. There's a lot of bumble-dumble there for me. It's not for my level of intelligence, I would say. It's above me. But here's what I'll say. The Leafs got eliminated on Sunday, right?

It's now Friday. So this guy that you have all this confidence in and all this, like the guy that's running the Toronto Maple Leaf, we haven't heard from him yet? It's actually insane. They're gonna go a whole week without having Tree weigh in. It's really, like. Well, he's at his daughter's graduation

and we respect family for sure, but it's a tough one to miss for Brad Tree living here. Well, but if he knew he had to be there, could we have that chat with him on Wednesday? How is he not sitting up there today, fellas? Thursday or? Well, he was with his daughter at her graduation, which is clear, but I understand it.

I assume they'll be a pressure coming up. If I was Brad Tree Living, it would've tore me to pieces to have to pick today between my daughter and standing at a podium to take it like a man, for sure. Yeah. a podium to take it like a man, for sure. Yeah. And, you know, it,

and again, I'm not judging you, I'm not judging Brad Treeliving. What I am telling you is, it would have been a really hard decision. Yeah. It would have been really tough to me to tell my kid, I'll make it up to you. Well, yeah, okay. Like, I don't wanna be incensed. Oh, I'll come back for breakfast. I get it up to you. Well, yeah, okay.

Like I don't wanna be insensitive. I'll come back for breakfast. I get it, I don't know if kids, I don't wanna be insensitive, so maybe I'll just shut up. It's a tough one, Sammy, it's a tough one. But just, maybe. I don't think it's, it's a big job. It's a big job.

It's a big job. It's the general manager of the Toronto May Police. Rome is burning here. I know. Maybe just save the press conference to win the general manager that you have all this faith Yeah can be there. I just it's a really weird look to have the president sit up there and be like, yeah This guy have faith that is like, oh, but he couldn't be here today. He couldn't be here today

It couldn't be So essentially what I got out of today was Okay, forget about titles, forget about what the business card says. Brad Tree Living is now Brendan Shanahan. The buck stops what I got out of today. Buck stops with Brad Tree Living now. He is the final say, he is the guy

that makes the final decision on everything And all he has to do is I guess report to Keith Pelly to get a stamp of approval on everything and essentially He is now the new President if you want to say yeah without the business card like a major corporations where they like fire a person and they're like Everyone just does more now. You know, we're just without that person. They're not getting replaced. Good luck to everyone else.

No one's getting raises. Carry on. Look, I mean, we're in a room, just the three of us. There's a bunch of cameras in here, just us three. Yeah, it happens. It happens. Is this a start of maybe just streaming everything down now? For the record, I think it's a good thing to do that.

I actually think that these organizations have become bloated and in a lot of ways it's like, we're the wealthiest organization, so let's make sure we have all the people. And it kind of gets harder to make decisions with all the people. At some point you like to have a guy who says yes and no and gets it wrong sometimes,

but at least he can make a decision. What's that saying? Analysis by paralysis? Yes. Or is it the other way around? No, that's right. No paralysis, I don't know, whatever it is. Whoever gets the point.

That's what it is. Let's analyze it. That's what happens. Yes, it does for sure. And so I don't mind the idea that if Tree Living wants to do something, he can do it. That's cool. I do think it does make you go, wait, what does the president do? Like, presumably Shani was out there doing stuff.

So Kelly's going to, or Peli's going to be a busy man, I guess, if he's stepping into that role. Okay. That's how we feel. How does Keith Peli feel about who will replace Shani? He spoke of that. We played that already. Oh, did we play that already? that's how we feel. How does Keith Pelly feel about who will replace Shani? He spoke of that. We played that. Oh did we play that already? That's the last one. Okay all right. You want to go where Shani went wrong? You feel that's necessary? We don't have to do that I guess. I mean it was the last question of the press conference they asked. I think it was Rosie asked him

kind of like you know why is he what went wrong? Okay, why is he not? Let's have a quick listen. Quepay. I don't think it's, it's a one word or a one phrase or even a paragraph answer. At the end of the day, Brendan had a lot, has added a lot to this organization. He has revamped it, he has put it in a really good position in so many ways. But it's about results. This is a results-driven business.

And it's about winning championships and sometimes you need change in to get to the next level and that's what we feel that we needed right now. Well said. It's that simple, right? Performance, you underperform, people lose their jobs. It is unique to professional sports because if there was not wins and losses clear as day to say success failure,

you can easily sell Shanahan's time as the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs as a success. You know, like whatever the metric you use that isn't just wins and losses, they were good, the professionalism and the brand and whatever you want to say, they've done a good job by the alumni and all that. But this is professional sports, you didn't win,

you had a long enough turn, thanks. Yeah. So our boy Luke asked Keith about the relationship between the fans and the team. I thought this was his best moment. Keith. Yes. Keith Pelley's best moment on the podium was addressing Luke Fox's question.

Clip five, please. It's a longer clip, but it's a good one. Clip five. It's one that we've talked about, and it's one that we've talked about and it's one that we've talked about over the last 24 hours, but it's also the one that we've talked about over the last 6 to 12 months. We launched a new program. You're maybe familiar with it. The Fan Access program, which launched at the beginning of the season, I mean at the beginning of the playoffs. We now have 13,000

fans in fan access 50% of them have never been inside Scotiabank Arena You know that there is an opportunity if you've been on fan access, which is going to grow significantly You know that we're giving away tickets And you can join Fan Access for free. There will be in the neighborhood 150 tickets next year that will be given away on a game-to-game basis where people can enter into draws. What we need to do, and you see it outside with the younger demographic, with the tailgate party.

And by the way, Fan Access, the age group is 15 years younger than the age group of our season tickets, so that's pretty significant. And I think the biggest thing is how our players relate to the fans and it's going to be something that that and quite honestly how we relate to the media. You know I understand the importance of of the media having worked in it for so long. You know we we need to embrace the media we need to embrace the the fans and we need to be out there more. We're gonna have a full detailed plan and we'll work on that in the off season. But that's really a priority for us

is how we relate to the fans. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that, Keith. I gotta tell you like, the numbers that he laid out there with like the tickets and all that stuff, you know

It may not seem Significant. Well, it's not not to my buddies at Rosedale or your golf course, but to the kids It's their only maybe at Lakeview But what I will say is it's at least an admission that they need to do better Yeah, and I By far. Yes of this press conference, which I was not a huge fan of Listening to that answer. I was like, okay He at least understands that there is a fracture there and that it has to be mended So I have to take it per game. Yeah, I got a full credit. It's a that was a great thing saying Keith

many years at TSN he was the man who Brought the country the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 like he I didn't know that oh yeah. Oh yeah, you ran the whole show Anything good happen at that Olympics. Yeah, let's Google it. Yeah, okay at that Olympics? Yeah, let's Google it. Yeah, okay. He get, he understands that, you know, he understands that and it is a major problem. This team far too often over the last couple of decades have presented themselves as unlikable is the best term that I can use I get from salute gay I would say adversarial that is with the fans the perfect word. Okay, that works too at odds that works and

There's only one Stanley Cup champion, okay, there's 31 Losers and they've had some 31 Okay, there's 31 losers. And they've had some great years. It's hard. Not everyone leaves not winning the Stanley Cup with the distaste that the fans here have had in the last week. So even if those games are close, you don't. It's 100%. You don't't have it's not all or nothing

here you could still for sure you can still not win the cup not when the cops go that was a great it was great thank you you gave your heart out but too many too many moments like we saw yeah to this season. But he needs to fix that in a hurry here. And huge, huge thanks to Luke for asking that question. Hey, can I? Oh, sorry. Okay, just one more. One more. Just again, the accessibility to these guys is all but disappeared. We have been on the air for four years.

How many Leafs players have we had in four years? I think we've had, I want to say five. Jack Campbell we had once. Justin Hall. Do we have Justin Hall? We had John Thavarez when he got his 500th goal. 500th goal or 1000th game. Okay, whatever. Oliver Eichmann-Larsen when he got a thousand games this year. And Willie Nylander once.

Do we have Willie in his contract? Maybe after he signed his contract. Maybe. Maybe, yeah. I know, but it's been years. Okay, the mere fact that you can remember all of them in four years is horrible. Horrible. Horrible. And it's not that it's not great. They're not great guests. They're not great guests. And the fans deserve to hear from them. For sure. Absolutely. You're still the stars. You're still, we never had, have we ever had Matthews on? Have we ever had Marner on? Have they ever, have they ever asked us once? Have they ever volunteered? Hey, by the way, we notice you're the only show going where it's exclusive one hour talk about our team.

Maybe we can give you somebody? To talk about our team, maybe we can give you somebody. To talk about that team from the team? Maybe. Yeah. No, no. Never heard from anybody. Well, we had, I mean, we had Trilving on once, we had Borube on once.

Okay. But we got, it's not a lot. It's not a lot. And I'm not saying that I want a roster full of players, I'm just saying that you have this vehicle. Be proactive about sending your message, whatever that message is. We wanna be the hardest working team.

We wanna be accountable. We want whatever message you want. Hey, come on any show, not our show, go to TSN, go anywhere, but just get out there and reconnect with your fans. I think their argument would be, Kip, that they are speaking to the fans a lot. They do post-game, they do pre-game, they do all these things, and it's just,

that would be their argument towards, okay, they do get to talk to the media, but it's just a completely different thing. I'm just saying, that's what the argument is. Do you know when you go to the practice facility at MasterCard, they pull the drapes down? Okay. Okay?

Like... So you can't watch practice? They can't watch practice. Like, what do you got? Like state secrets in there? Somebody might see them doing their two-on-one drills. Is there a code? Is there a red button anywhere with codes? Like, what is going on here?

At least they stopped playing music. The other one that I wanted to play that I thought was good was him talking about being in the building for game seven. Yeah, that one interests me a lot. So actually there We we crowd can we play? Electricity in the building and I've heard this from so many people Hadn't hadn't been there even over the last number of years and understanding I haven't been there the electricity prior to the game and during that first period was

palpable and, you know, unmeasured before. And to go from that euphoric moment to the way that we felt in the third period was very difficult. And yeah, I was saddened by it and I feel that I need to take some responsibility for that. Love that answer too. I mean I like it but does he need to? Does he do anything wrong? He's new. Maybe the captain could say that.

Right, okay, just someone just saying it. Literally anyone saying that involved at the least makes you feel good. Yeah. That's a fair statement. Right? And yeah, I mean, I've gotten multiple messages from people that were at that game that said it was unlike any Leafs crowd. They'd been around the electricity. A guy, a guy text me and said that no one in that building gave up on them until the fourth goal in

the third period and that's when it really turned. He said it was the loudest he's ever heard it after they scored that the one goal to make it 3-1 Domi scores. That was the only moment. And he went bananas and then immediately it goes in. I'm glad he was in the building for that. Yeah. To see how much people care and then healthy. To see how much people care to begin with and see how much that type of performance pisses them off. It's the perfect experience. You know, you talk about people caring, we're all pretty invested in this too, and care. And so that's where a lot of the frustration comes from. And I would say we talked about like the,

over the years, the stages you talked about, how it's, you know, maybe seemed inconsistent at times. It feels frustrating when you watch someone new come in here and be unfamiliar with what has gone on or why is it like this or we're not sure we're going to take a while to evaluate. And I think there's a lot of people who have been so entrenched in it who's like, ask around, read something. We can tell you.

It's the leaf. It's the leaf. It's not happening in a vacuum. So I think it can be frustrating at times that it's like, we just got to evaluate and like, you know, really see what's going on here. It's like, ask anyone. Ask anyone in town.

Yeah. They'll tell you. Like, you go to any Tim's or any- You go to Tim's and say, what's going on with the Leafs? You'll get some answers. I promise. And you know what? They won't be that far off. You'll get some answers. I promise and you know what they That far off don't bend your ear, but it won't be garbage. It'll be close to the problem And a donut and a donut quick double double. All right

We'll take a quick break here and we return we got plenty more to chew on for the Toronto Maple Leafs including going in the next season and what you expect and including going in the next season and what you expect and where are they? And the Leafs line. Plus I think we got Keith Pelly still talking about Marner and Tavares. Plenty more still on the Real Kipper and Boren show Leaf Edition. Do not go away. The best Blue Jayce show out there, period. Blair and Barker, be sure to subscribe

and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. ["Leaf Hour Edition of The Real Kipper and Bourne Show"] Welcome back to the program, Leaf Hour Edition of The Real Kipper and Boren show. At Kipper, it's Justin Boren, Sammy McKee. Leaf Line coming up also at the top of the hour. Doug McLean off the rails Friday. I do believe he's back in PEI.

Oh, so that means. Oh, no, that's new. That's Newfoundland that has a weird time zone, right? Like a half an hour, an hour and a half again. Sammy, before we get to Leafline, just in terms of moving forward here, the storyline for sure will be Mitch Marner up until July 1st, but like where is,

where do you guys see the, if we were to kind of call the Leafs a 400 relay race, where's the Baton next season? Is it on the last lap? Is it halfway through? Do they get a reset on the lap or do they have to go and try to win a Stanley Cup next year? Like tell me where where where the but where did Brett Brendan tree? And Shanahan passed the baton to tree living.

If we if we compare it to a relay race here. It's funny. It's funny that the hell. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry. I mean, I'm trying. I'm not a relay race here. It's funny, it's funny that- It's a hell of a way to put it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry, I mean, I'm trying. I'm not a professional host, people. I like having this conversation before we see what Tree Living does. I think it's really important to have it now

because it'd be really easy to see him lose Marner, lose Tavares, sign, whatever, Bennett and whatever Brezzo from Boston and us go well Stanley Cup's not the goal you know they they lost Marner they got Bennett but it could he reset yeah and in two years get this team back to a Stanley Cup does he have to do it next year? Why would we move the goalpost to now just just lowering the standards? Just make sure you got enough cap for next summer when Conor Mcdavid is a free agent. So you're telling me then the batons reset then you know? I

mean it's gonna really hurt when Conor Mcdavid signs a four eight year fourteen and a half million dollar contract literally on July 1st. So your focus would then not be next year, the year after? I'm joking. No, tell me though. Every year has to be the focus. This is like, you've traded every first round pick. Willie's 28. Matthew's is prime age.

27, eight. Like you have your old D-Core that's locked in. You have two goalies that are locked in. Like this is the time right now Yeah, it's still it's still go time. Yeah, I can see a world where they finish like seventh play through the metro next year or something and they're like so with the cap going up and the presumption that Marner's leaving then you're gonna have to just go to free agency and improve the roster because you've

got you got no more first rounders for the next three years. You've lost two prospects in Grebenkin and Minton. You have Easton Cowan. Unfortunately, had the Amarov situation. So I am just saying that the only way that this team really improves has to be through free agency because the assets that you've let go to improve the roster at the trade deadlines have taken a toll on your organization. Yeah. Yeah, it's big. You know, the one thing I wonder about in terms of ads is Aaron Ekblad.

Like if you were able to find a way to move Riley's deal, if you were able to move his deal out, whatever, get back forward, seventh rounder. Does that guy move well for a big man? Like I'm watching him laterally on the blue line and his hands. He's 29. Those guys usually have some good years. He's in great shape. from laterally on the blue line and his hands. 29, those guys usually have some good years. He's in great shape. Pedigree guy, yeah, great shape.

That shape was life. Pedigree guys like him usually have good early 30s ahead of them. What about his few years? Wonder why he got so much better. All right. Hey, you want that on your side, don't you? But you know, like if all of a sudden it's him instead of Rilead and you look at the D pairs,

that is a jungle to get through back there. Different thing. You know like if all of a sudden it's him instead of Riley and look at the deep hairs that is a jungle to get through Back there different thing, you know So what you're telling me is a cave and bread and wall bread tree livings gotta absolutely keep his foot on the paddle That's your very much paddle. We're all pal. Yes. No breaks. This is my opinion. Okay, okay Unless you want to tamper with Connor Mcdave Could you do this on her? Unless you want to tamper with Connor McDavid. Could you do the lease line? Tamper.

They tampered through us. We'll help. The lease line is brought to you by Muskoka Bay Resort, a top 10 ranked Canadian course part of the Freed Golf Network. Let's start boys with, let's go to Martin from Etobicoke. Quick question. Everybody's talking about Marner testing the open market, which after this decade I'm totally content with. Just curious as to why more people aren't talking

about a potential signing trade, similar to how Tree Living facilitated the Kachuk trade from Calgary to Florida. Doesn't Marner want to leave on some sort of good terms and have the Leafs get at least something in return for him? What's to say his exit will be any different from JT's nasty exit on Long Island? Anyways, thanks guys you three buck, but Samma Key rocks the hardest. Oh Thank you Martin. Thanks, brother. No question you you picked them again this week. I forgot to cut that part out. That's okay That's all right. I Don't see this is that big of a deal. What's that? Okay, so aren't leaving no no if Marner

Marner's gonna go out there and he's gonna shop himself to 20 teams He's gonna eventually find one and then at the last second Whatever team it is, Utah, like Chicago, I don't care, whatever it is, they are going to make a call to the Leafs and say, we're signing them. And it's this for seven years. But we want to stretch out the AAV, so we want the eighth year. Can we give you like a fourth round pick? Can we give you a fifth round pick? And the Leafs are going to go, what do we care? Like take the asset and then it's done.

Do you, but what were the, what was the circumstances that Kachuk, they were able to get Weger and Hubertow? It was a year away. Was it a year? It was a year away. Okay. It wasn't like straight UFA. Matthew Kachuk went to Brad Tree Living and said, my contract, I'm a UFA in one year,

why don't you move me now? Yeah, okay. And he was smart enough to know that I can't walk you out the door for nothing which do you think fortunately is happening here well fourth round pick he said maybe they should do a sign and trade sign then not trade him like psych but like a fourth or fifth round pick, what if you know, can you dig in? Yeah, whatever. Okay.

Would that soften the blow for Leafs fans? No, no, no. Come on. Come on. Okay, go back and do your draft pick. Unless you get Braden Point with that third round pick. Then yeah. Wouldn't mind a pick.

Sure. Get it. Yeah. Getting Patrice Berger on with that third round pick then yeah wouldn't mind a pick sure get it yeah getting Patrice Berger on with that third round pick I let's go to let's go to Nick just Nick oh Nick tipper JB Sammy right on from the 16th T a beautiful Cabot st. Lucia Wow getting I'm in my car in 50 degrees Chicago as I'm now off it. That being said, as a Blackhawks fan, I'd love to see the Blackhawks throw out a colossal number, a colossal offer sheet at Matthew Nives this off season over signing Mitch Marner. But that being said, now that I think about it,

what team is it worth it for to throw a, you know, 13 to 15% of your cap at Marner at? For a player of his stature, you know, he's a smaller player without any bite. Is it really worth it for teams to throw out a number that he's asking for right now? Thanks guys, love the show. Nick, the short answer is yes, he's worth it even if you don't think he's got the bite of

other players that can get that feel this time of year. This guy is a hundred point guy. Yeah. And while many Leaf fans have taken for granted just making the playoffs, there are 16 other teams, 17 other teams that don't. Yeah. Okay and when you start looking at the pricing of Gates and revenue during the playoffs and you're starting to put in 20 30 million dollars a night in the playoffs for your team depends on your market of course but yeah he's worth it yeah yeah I mean clearly financially no-brainer the it didn't you know I'm curious to see what Marner chooses to do like what sort of team because like it's gonna be fascinating like elite competitive teams right now that are in the mix that may move money for him

often have guys who make quite a bit of money and they're gonna want someone to I I see a scenario where he signs for 12 million a year somewhere yeah that you know where I love you know what I've been thinking about that'll drive people crazy you know what I've been thinking about that'll drive people crazy. You know what I've been thinking about Tampa oh Yeah, John Cooper loves him. I've been thinking about that a lot recently. Hey They all called a for like Leafs to go to the World Championships. I think the story that I heard was Was Tavaris was ready to go

Okay, and they just did at the airport enough. He's at the airport and I think they booked him a flight. I Listen I mean This is what I heard and tell me what you heard. Okay. I'll tell you what I heard not what you know They they booked him a flight At the airport, but they booked it so it was after the Denmark game just to make sure and They were supposed to be ten mark and he was supposed to go and join the team He wants to be in the Olympic and they lost Oh Went back home as they're just sitting there watching that game in the lounge. Yes, I'll turn around

That's funny. Let's go to Matt from Sudbury. Like a narrative that I think is not hit on enough. Um, the Leafs have lost in the best division in hockey in the playoffs for the last X amount of years. Um, and especially two years ago, and then this year losing to the Florida Panthers who are turning into, you know, a modern dynasty. The Panthers have beat Edmonton. They shut down McDavid last year. They are kicking out all the top teams and I feel like the Leafs get a disproportionate amount of hate in terms of the top guys not producing.

It's because they're playing the best teams in the league right from round one in the Atlantic division. And after having said all that, I will 100% acknowledge we still need more from the guys. We still need more from that core four. I don't let them off the hook, but I do feel like it's an under hit narrative. The fact that they have to beat themselves out of the Atlantic division.

Thanks for the time boys. Matt from Sudbury, one of the most intelligent comments you'll ever find on those show other than mine. Columbus in Montreal. Okay, he. That's it. He hit it. He absolutely, no.

That was a great. No, no, the pandemic doesn't count. Oh yeah, I love it. Hey, I'm here for it. Empty building. Cooper's got two asterisk cups out in Tampa. I'm here for it, I'm here for it empty building Cooper's got two asterix cups out of Tampa. I'm here for it I'm here for it that this Florida Panther teams as good as anything probably less 30 or 40 years

It's a part of their story. It's a part of their story for sure. There's no question. Thanks, Gary Appreciate it brother. It's just They're really great. It's great rivalry Tampa Bay really really good I mean they got those teams at their peak Boston really really good. Yeah Lord, I'm really part of their story for sure, but you got to beat the best to be the best Team was a little Leash weren't ready to win. All right quickly Nick Robertson line up quickly Terrace and Hamilton quickly

Look at much of a Leafs take right now. I guess I'm excited for the offseason because there'll be changes. But my real reason for calling was just wanted to say thanks to you guys for a great year. You know, being a Leafs fan, it's more than just being a fan of that damn hockey team. Part of being a Leafs fan is a fan of that damn hockey team. Part of being a Leafs fan is being a fan of the banter and the talk radio and just the whole vibe of what it means to be a fan of this frustrating team but man do you guys make it easier. Thanks for keeping it fun. Thanks for making it feel like I'm sitting around with a bunch of buddies just shooting some you know what about our favorite team keep it up boys. It's been real love the Leafs line

Love ya. Bye. Bye Terrence one of the ace pal appreciate one of the one of the things I've been consistent working here at sportsnet is Misery loves is misery loves company. Oh boy does it. It has been a good Leafs here. It's been a lot of fun. The engagement this year with listeners has been through the roof. We took strides this year.

Yeah, the Mailbag Leafs line. We were right there. We were right there. Great. Appreciate that, Terris. The Leafs line was brought to you by Muskoka Bay Resort, a top 10 ranked Canadian course, part of the Freed Golf Network. And a reminder to golf fans out there, Sportsnet and Muskoka Bay Resort have come together with an amazing contest. Text the word Muskoka to 59590 for your chance to golf at one of Canada's top 10 ranked golf

courses with a night in an incredible three-bedroom villa for you and three friends. Just text the word Muskoka to 59590 for your chance to win and visit sportsnet.ca slash 590contest for more details. Standard message and data rates may apply. Nice job, Sammy, and nice job on the Leaf Line and our thanks to Muskoka Bay Resort. So next week, we're still going to do the lease. I got to update the message, but we're going to do more Leafs. I gotta update the message. But we're gonna do more of like a

a Canada line, NHL line. So we'll try to keep it more. Now that our Leaf Hour edition of our program is done for the year, are we gonna allow him to talk about the Leafs? Oh geez, yeah, I don't know. Or do we just? Next week, next Tuesday, when Triliving talks,

well, like, sorry, like, sorry, Valley, we're blowing you up, it's all leaves all the time. We're gonna have a tree presser next week, presumably. Listen, sorry, Tree, I shouldn't have said you didn't come to graduation. Listen, you're very John Cooper here. Listen. Ready for some more Paul Maurice now?

Oh, come on? Can't wait. The Florida Panthers unstoppable. We'll get into that with off the rails Friday, Doug McLean next as we go national on the real Kipper and born show. We love you.