Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Projections After Three Games

Episode Date: October 15, 2024

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne, and Sam McKee start the off-day edition with an update on Jo Woll's mysterious injury and Oliver Ekman-Larsson's move to the first power-play unit. Then, they play a game of True or False around different Leafs' season props. Former Leafs GM Gord Stellick (28:40) hops aboard to discuss Steven Lorentz's early-season opportunity, Chris Tanev's impact, why it's too early to panic about the stars' production and power-play stagnation and whether Stolarz has claimed the starting job with Woll out.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.

All right, let's get her going. Real Kipper and Bourne Show Leaf Edition. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo, Jake the Snake Schultz. Yeah, you left a book outside and Jeff Blair's saying, you know, he thought maybe you had forgotten it or something. No, I just had read it and now it's free to the public. Anyone can have it. Not really. Not entirely true, but it's still free to the public. No, it's not.

Look at our chat line. I sent you a picture of the book. Oh, what did you do? What did you do? You have money on it now? What's that? Read the sign. Free.

Actually changed my mind. Ten justin ford yes i fixed your sign you know it's not the first time in our career that i've said something is free and you said you can't do that for free i've been working with you for four years trying to get you to understand value. You really have. And your value. And I'm grateful for that. But your first instinct is free. Maybe I don't respect myself.

Is this a therapy session? Is this a therapy intervention we're having? I think $10 for that book is a good deal. It's, I mean, 30% of... What is it? Jacket price. $30 or $40? Yeah, I don't even know. What's, I mean, 30% of... What is it? Jacket price. $40 or $40? Yeah.

Don't even know. What's a book cost? I think $35 for it. Justin Bourne's book was $36 for the hardcover. Last book I bought was the book. For those of you that forget, we are live on Sportsnet 590. The fan. Sometimes I forget that.

Sometimes our conversations, like the one we just had 30 seconds ago, can prove that we forget sometimes. Good start. We're also on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet Plus. Yes. Alright. Great show today. Gord Stelic will join

us in about half an hour. Awesome. And then at 5pm when we go national, we go deep in the valley steve aliquette analyst for the new york rangers msg and will be breaking us down what he's seen in the first few games out of certain goaltenders, including Joseph Wall. Hasn't seen much out of him. Stolarz. Yeah.

And the Hilda Beast. And everyone else around the league. We got Allmark showing up in Ottawa. Valley has lots of stuff for us. So always look forward to those conversations. So, Sammy, I take it Kippers Clippers might be a little dry today or did did coach broovy talk dry as a bone so coach broovy did talk i did and it's dry i will say that i came to the realization today when i arrived at the office around noon you know what a life by the way just showing up waking up at the crack of 8 a.m every day showing up to work at noon great life but that we are

maybe gonna have to get a little bit creative with our first segments because you know like we talked about last week when the least played the devils sheldon keith did a lot of our work for us in terms of providing you know 10 to 15 minutes every morning of him talking about stuff and us brube talked for 240 today half of it was updates on willie feeling sick so he's on a practice john devaris is feeling better so he's at practice. Looked a little lethargic because he was sick. And then talked about Joe Wall.

Made a weird comment about the power play drill that they were doing that's really not visual. And then here we are. Max Petri likes to shoot. That's why I'd be good on a power play. That was the breakdown of what he had to say today. Thank you for the AI summary. So we had an orthopedic surgeon on last week, Dr. Jason Smith.

Do we need to get a flu doctor? Maybe. Just to break down, like, what are the signs here? Doctor. Could be. Besides a runny nose, what else can we look forward to? Seems like they got some issues. It's going through the clubhouse right now.

But, yeah, Neal under absent. Hopefully he's available tomorrow. JT's back. Yeah. So did you have one clip that excited you? No, but I got one clip. It didn't excite me, but it's a clip. It's about Joseph Wall, which is the great mystery

and one of the only things that really came out of practice here. So, Derek, if we could listen to the clip from Berube on Joe Wall. Yeah, he's improving. Like, you know, I think he went out there again on the ice today. No issues after yesterday on the ice, which is great news. So, you know, it's a good chance he could be with us in practice tomorrow morning. Good chance he could be in practice doesn't sound like good chance he's playing in the hockey match

from i saw david alter sent out a tweet about it saying that he doesn't appear close to returning and wall was on the ice with goaltender coach curtis sanford but didn't field any hockey shots no shots with the puck towards him but he was on the ice so oh yeah that doesn't sound great so it's clear that even if he gets a pain-free uh practice on tuesday it's not enough to start him on wednesday no but take a look at the schedule because it goes it, it's quiet this week for the Leafs, which you can tell by the energy of our show. Hey, no, no, no. Let's stir it up in here.

How do I get that Marner contract? We got the first ever edition of True or False coming up here. We do. I invented this game today, and it's very, very high, high IQ invention by your boy over here. True or false questions. But we have the first ever edition. So judging by your hat, you most definitely watched the football game last night.

Got a ton of it, to be honest. And now you thought about this game like three hours ago. That's what you're telling me. That's the prep that you put into it. You know when I did think of this, when I thought of it, when I went on our wonderful Sportsnet website and I pulled the audio from Craig Berube and saw that he spoke for two minutes, I'm like, well,

we're going to need a game. We're going to need a game. So I recreated it about two hours ago. So, yeah. But before we get into it, it like you're talking about next week they play monday tuesday thursday saturday next week monday tuesday thursday saturday oh it's a great week so is stolar is gonna play three of the games because he plays because it's pretty obvious he plays tomorrow he plays saturday and then then how do they break it up he'll play

wednesday saturday and then one of monday tuesday and then it will has break it up? He'll play Wednesday, Saturday, and then one of Monday, Tuesday. And then Wall's got to be back by then. By Monday, Tuesday, he's got to be back. Okay. Right? He's on the ice. He's practicing. He's feeling good.

Give him a few days here. So this Saturday, Rangers. Yeah. No Wall. No Wall. I mean, if he's still not taking shots even, Kip. No, no. He might practice tomorrow.

Okay. And so if he takes shots tomorrow. Yeah, yeah, sure. Is that how you want to start him against one of the best offenses in the league on Hockey League Canada? Saturday night at home? Yeah. Okay. Why not?

No, you're right. There's no good time to start. Get going. Stolar's both games this week for me. Yeah? Yeah. Regardless? Regardless. There's no good time to start. Get going. Stolar's both games this week for me. Yeah? Yeah. Regardless? Regardless.

He's been good. He's played, you know, they have Wednesday and then Saturday. I think he can play those two games, and then you figure it out next week. So then Monday night is against Tampa, and then Tuesday's in Columbus on the second half of back-to-back. To me, that's a good spot for either Hill to be or Wall on the second half of the back-to-back against Columbus, and then you go from there.

Okay. There you go. That okay there you go that sounds good goaltending um we do have a one other clip max patch already weighed in on the comments that sam made uh the power play are you interested in what max has to say about that uh we do do we want to just mention quickly what the power play now looks like with tavaris back in yes let's do it all right but then it's hard because Nylander was away again today so so then you don't really know fully what it's going to look like but yeah today at practice is OEL at the top Matthews Marner Pacioretty Tavares so gotta believe patches is in for Nyland under there and just oel in for riley is the switch but i am interested that tavarez is back there and nize is not i do feel bruby falling in love with with nize let's listen to what max patratti has to say about that i mean there's some chances

and then you get frustrated and and you probably over complicate things and it's just a matter of you know good players trying to make a, good players trying to make a difference, great players trying to make a difference. But, you know, the skill and this power play, it's bound to happen. It's going to come. And then once it does come, confidence takes over and goals start pouring in. So while, you know, I'm being asked about this, it's really not a concern in my mind

in the sense where I know what we have in this room. These are some of the most elite players in the world, and it's going to come. Patches knows how to love the voice-off in the media. He was going to say, this is the best I've ever seen. And then he stopped it. He was. If you go back and listen to that clip, he was about to say, this is the best I've ever seen. Or ever been a it. He was. Yeah, for sure. If you go back and listen to that clip, he was about to say, this is the best I've ever seen.

Or ever been a part of. Or ever been a part of. And then he was like, wow, I already said that it was the hardest group I've ever been a part of. Or ever been the best group ever. Like, you know, I think he maybe caught himself a little bit.

He wants to be positive for the boys. He's excited. He's happy to be here. But it is kind of tricky now for Ruby because I think the intent all along is to get a second unit feeling like they're not on Team B, which he's been able to do. I think the likes of Nick Robertson and a few others have had ample opportunity on a power play that they never saw the light of day really with Sheldon. But the tricky part moving forward now is finding a way to get the big boys going and maintaining that.

Because the longer they go with the struggling power play the less chance you have of pulling them off the ice after 50 seconds i mean the longer they go with it yeah the longer they struggle the more they're going to want to stay out there for one more rush right right so yeah what what what's been a hard 50, 55 seconds in coming off, you run the risk of one of them saying, listen, I'm feeling the heat right now. I mean, I'm making 13, 12 sheets, 11 sheets here, and I got to put a puck in the net here.

The Leafs power play is one of three or four teams that has zero goals so far. They haven't shot one in yet. But to me, the Craig Berube coming here was going to be all about actual merit, actual rewards and punishment based on what happens. That's great to say, but it doesn't really work that way. Well, then what are we doing? No, no, no. No, no, no, no. But you should have kept Keith.

No, no, no, no. You're right. It is. But you also look at a guy, again, who's making you. You've got to get your stars going. You've got to get your stars going. And you've got to be sympathetic to them a little bit of the pressure that they feel making so much money. And you're going to.

There's a gray area there somewhere that's all i'm saying is that you're kind of caught between the message that you're trying to send as you just alluded to and the one that says okay just maybe another 15 seconds because you're it really i mean you're supposed to be the guys that are leading this charge on this power play. Do you think Morgan Rielly would be pissed about game four? He's already off the power play. Do you think he feels misunderstood, wronged? I think it's just happened so often now.

He's learned how to manage it, and how many times have they come back to him? Yeah. He's like, to manage it. And how many times have they come back to him? Yeah. He's like, you'll be back. You'll come crawling back. Just like the rest of them. Crawling. You'll come crawling back. This is a perfect spot to go with true or false.

Here's a question for you. How many of you got of these? I got a bunch. More than we need. But I got a bunch. Okay. Seven trues and three falses. This is how Kip did school.

There's no one here to take this for you. The first one is will the Leafs finish the season with a top five power play unit in the league? Is that true or false? True or false? Okay, they'll finish the... Top five power play this year. False. They were seventh last year.

Um... they were seventh last year um I'll go sixth this year so false false I just think they'll catch fire at some point here it'll be good enough to get them into the top five they're always floating around it you go two for three tomorrow night

and you're like right on track OEL will have to be that guy then yeah for that to happen yeah and i think he is don't you like i i really haven't seen enough of it to definitively say that yeah they're the one they're gonna be a top five i i haven't seen enough of it the one one wild card for me is Nyes. Is Nyes, what is Nyes going to be this year? Is he going to be disappointing where he gets 46 points and, you know, is just this strong guy? Or does he become a guy that they get the puck to in front of the net?

He's been a finisher in his life. Like, if he becomes a presence on the power play, they could get there. Okay. Second question? Second question. Top five PP, both Kip they could get there. Okay. Second question? Second question. Top five PP, both Kip and I on false. Okay. Max Pacioretty gets both of his bonuses this year, after nine games and after

35 games. Great question. Oh, that's great producing. Thank you. So, he makes, is it 300 grand? I think so, yeah. 313 grand for playing 10 and 313 more for playing 35 those are his contract bonuses which will go against next year's salary cap which they don't want to pay him unless they're getting value thus far yeah is he gonna get in 35 hockey games

yeah i think i think the team's strong enough that he could kind of ride this out all season i don't like the implication there you don't think he's gonna play well he's just the team's strong enough that he could kind of ride this out all season. I don't like the implication there. You don't think he's going to play well? He's just the team's good enough that he can hide? Oh, I think there's going to be some nights he's just going to be, yeah, not great. But I think the lineup, again, is strong enough that he can find a way to chip in, I don't know, 10, 15 goals. Which keeps him around and keeps him hitting those benchmarks. I think yes.

I think I agree with you that he does get there. I feel like they're looking to have a layer of scoring past the big four guys. If he's healthy he kind of does the right things in a way that a veteran coach would keep him around and you're right he's got that sense to shoot in 10 or 15 over the course of the year one of the clips we didn't get to yesterday was brube talking about patch ready start to the season so we have it we can play it and then you guys can listen off of what he says here you go a little up and down but

overall not bad. I mean, he got a big goal in Jersey, which was good. That's his bread and butter around the net and scoring goals and things like that. The last game, I thought that him, Holmberg, and McMahon had a good third period in that game just with their strength down low in the offensive zone and killing time hanging on the pucks creating you know a couple opportunities here and there nothing too great but it was um you know possessing time in the offensive zone with their big bodies so that you know that's got to be a big part of this game so does that clip do you have um do you have a true or false around Nick Robertson?

I do. I do have a true or false. Because it ties into Max Pacioretty for me. Okay. I will say that he said little up and down is interesting to me because game three, he's willing to criticize him this early. It really means he's not, you know, unimpeachable. Torn in the 35 games.

Do like 67, 29, 74. Go ahead for Nick Robertson. Nick Robertson finishes the season as a Maple Leaf. False for me. God, these are good. Thank you. False. False.

Wow. Yeah. And i go back to if if he feels like if i feel like patch ready is going to stick around and if bruby's going to be that guy that says yeah you know some good some bad out of patch ready, then that lends me to believe that he's more up to play like 50 games or 60 games. And, you know, just I get a sense that between him and Nick Robertson, that they might go back and forth if everybody's healthy. I feel like, you know, this organization had what a lot of people looked at from the

outside and went just a bunch of guys there there's kerfoot and there's robertson and there's lilligran and all these kind of just whatever parts and you know you watch them enough and you appreciate some little things they do but i can see bruby coming in being like don't need that don't need that you know i don't know if if you can just listen to what he thought when when bruby just spoke moments ago about patch ready about down low holding on to the puck exactly right and you know creating he wouldn't talk about just him shooting the puck in the net no like if it's not they're not shooting in they have it down there they're heavy they They're big. They can control. They can protect. That doesn't fit into like a Nick Robertson.

Robertson legitimately needs to be a 25 goal scorer. It really, for me, it just comes back at the end of the day. I think the guy on a lot of shifts has the heart of a lion. He does. But he's still light. And he also started the year not wanting to be here, right? He asked for a trade. And I believe that deep down, he still wants out. Oh, for sure.

He just wants to play. If I'm Nick Robertson, put me in the worst team in the league. I want to be an NHLer who's relied upon, who scores. And he could, like, on an Anaheim, on a Columbus, he could be left alone for 15, 20 games, and lo and behold, you can look up and maybe see him potted in, like, seven or eight goals in 20 games. Absolutely.

But I don't know if it's going to happen here. Better happen soon. Both false on Nick Robertson. They're both false. Okay. This is Joseph Wall. This is looking way down the road. Okay, can I just finish though?

Yes, please. Like, again, credit to the Leafs and Nick Robertson for turning himself into like an asset, right? There's something there. Can you package it with a little grin can you throw in a draft pick and turn it into something else maybe not today or tomorrow but come american thanksgiving when teams figure out they don't they need some scoring is when i think he becomes a little bit more valuable of an asset and credit to you uh for the Hannibal Buress meme that Nick Robertson was at his all-time trade value

at the end of preseason. Why are you booing me? I'm right. Trade him. And now it's like, how many? It's three games. Hasn't been awesome. Hasn't scored yet.

It's like, well, he's starting to turn back into Nick Robertson. Rick Norbertson and the Evil Twins. Yeah. Joseph Wall. Joseph Wall starts game one for the playoffs for the Toronto Maple Leafs. True. Yeah. Joseph Wall. Joseph Wall starts game one for the playoffs for the Toronto Maple Leafs. True.

Easy true for me. Yeah. Ooh. You're torn. That's how good these are. I'm going false for sure. Ooh. We haven't been getting

your opinion on these. I know, but the reason I ask this is because it's impossible to depend on him. It's impossible to depend on him. It is, but he's available then. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. But I, I, you're betting against his injury. Yeah. I do believe the, I'm going to go, I'm going to say yes.

Only because I think the, that's not, it's true. True. I think it's still true because that's where the focus and the push has been all along here. Yes, be healthy. And for him to be the guy, the 11 schmil, he's the younger guy.

He's the guy they've developed. He's technically set down. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Save percentage of playoffs is through the roof. He's been awesome when he's there. Jake McCabe signs new long-term contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs before the end of the season. Yes.

True. Yeah. I heard they made great progress. The only thing was, again, could you figure out term? How many years does he want? Six? Does he want five? Sure.

Six is asinineine that gets me a little i got a little score is it four is it four was he 31 before before moves the aav up guys right four moves the aav up that's the problem so you know if i told you just turn 30 if i told you this time last year or this Christmas that Chris Tanov, the Leafs were going to sign him to, what did he end up getting, six years? Yes, he did. You would have looked at me like I had three heads. And I did.

I did. Yeah. But bad contracts don't make other contracts good. You know what I mean? It's like just because that's silly doesn't mean silliness over here isn't silly. It's just more silliness. Listen, I also would like to say, I love Jake McCabe.

I think he's perfect for the Leafs. Love the way he plays, competitive. I love his upside all around. I think he has great years ahead. You know, like, he can get $5 million with his eyes closed. On the open market? Yeah, on the open market. No doubt.

No doubt about it. So what are you willing to pay him for four, five, or six years? So you're right. So is it four times seven, but we'll do six times five? Six times five and a half? Yeah, that's the way they're thinking. So I would believe that it's just a matter of structure right now and we know money matters to this hockey club and put a letter on his sweater

will you so judging by your answer true you're true yes okay we're actually in lockstep here kip and i which is not like us austin. Austin Matthews ends the season with over 50 goals. True. Yeah, true. Easy. Chris Tanev is the most important Leafs signing since John Tavares. Free agent signing, I should say. TJ Brody was very helpful.

Who else did they sign as a free agent to even compete with that? Give me a list. I mean, you guys cover the Leafs. Neither of us have good short-term memory. We've both been in the head too many times. Like, Google free agent signings for the Leafs here? I feel like you guys would be good. Yeah.

I'm trying to think. The biggest one has to be Brody by dollars. You can see it. Like, in those first few games, you can see that they've made a big difference. For me, even watching them up against New Jersey, where it would have been hairy last year or the year before, right? And now it just seems like being up 3-1 with Craig Bruby's system of north-south lens.

A couple of grown-ups on the back end, adults in the room. A better protection strategy. Yeah. Yeah. No, it does. It feels safer. It's built right into them. By the way, if you talk to Leafs fans right now,

that is the one theme I'm picking up. There's a lot of people just saying they feel better about the team. They don't feel like it's built on stilts on the beach or something. It's a little more cement base here. Stilts on the beach. That's really good. Never heard that before. You heard that one before?

I just made it up. You did? Yes. Wow. That's pretty good. Just as good as True or False. True or False it up. You did? Yes. Wow. That's pretty good. Just as good as True or False. True or False is wonderful. Last one I got.

All right. This is a good one for the last one. Mitch Marner will sign a new contract before the end of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. True or False? You would. You absolutely would. True. False. True. False.

Oh. Oh, my God. Yeah. False. False. Wow. False. Wow.

That's an exciting one. False. Okay. I think. For our opinions on this, please check out Monday's show. Yesterday's show. Was it Monday? No. Yes. Yesterday was Monday. Check it out from

410 to 425. You can listen to us have this conversation. So you are comfortable if he signs long term? What's comfortable? I'm not comfortable with him leaving for nothing. I'm squirming regardless of what the contract looks like, but I'd rather have it than nothing.

Have you ever thought about him signing in January and then the Leafs losing the first round? He's bagels. He's Sam Mitchell across the board. Sammy's a puddle, man. We're checking Sammy into a clinic. That's true. At least then you have an asset to trade when we run him out of town.

But his full no-move clause is going to make that top of the new contract. Anyways, the last one seems anticlimactic, but Oliver Ekman-Larsen leads the Leafs in scoring for defensemen. Seems true. Seems a lot less... Should have just ended with the Marner one. Yeah. Yeah, he does. True on that for me. Okay, boys. The very

first edition of True or False. I thought it was pretty good, okay? Hey, listen. Anytime, you just need that first edition of True or False. I thought it was pretty good. Okay? Yeah. Hey, listen. Anytime, broobies, you just need that every day for the next seven months and we're in the clear. Great. Great stuff, guys. There you go. Okay, true or false, I mentioned Dante's fiesta when Gord Stelic returns after the show.

After the break. It's gonna be true. That is the lock of all locks. With my extra peppers. Gord Stelic, analyst for Sportsnet 590, the fan, former general manager of the Leafs. Coming up next, more real Kipper and Bourne after these words. Hey, it's Ben Ennis. And I'm Brent Cunning.

We got you covered on all things Leafs, Raptors, and Blue Jays every weekday morning, 6 to 9. It's the Fan Morning Show. Sportsnet 590, the the fan and wherever you get your podcasts welcome back to the Leaf Edition. Yes. That's for Justin Bourne's followers.

I get a lot of tweets. Like, you guys talk a lot about the Leafs. Like, the show's about the Leafs. We're in Toronto. The next hour is broadcast nationally, but not this one. This is Leafs. We're in the Rockies. Duh.

Where we seldom mention the Leafs. Yeah, that's right. Until Sammy brings them up. The second hour we try to avoid this. They hate us because they ain't us. Thanks for listening, though. All right. True or false.

Gord Stelix is like the best guest we've ever had on the Real Kipper and Board Show. True? True. He's the guy. Let's ask him. He's great, too. Let's welcome him in. The lovely, the talented. Put your hands together for the guy. Let's ask him. Great, too. Let's welcome him in. The lovely, the talented.

Put your hands together for the lovely Gord Stelic. How are you, pal? I am outstanding. How are you guys doing? Happy post-Thanksgiving to everybody. That was a good one for you? No, it worked a bit. You know, I've got to be honest.

You guys have both been in the States. We get ripped off here. The American Thanksgiving's a million times better. As I said, happy Thanksgiving, but I'm lacking sincerity about that. You know, I love being in Canada and being Canadian. Americans

do Thanksgiving. Right. It's a day with a day in between and parades and football. We've got to work on that, Canada. So I take it you're not one of those guests that just raced at the last second to put your earphones on and join the show. You were actually listening to our show the last 25 minutes or so. I've been listening since 1 o'clock.

I get very excited for the chance to come on. We did a segment of true and false where, you know, Sammy thought about it maybe half an hour before the show. And I got to say, probably the best idea has ever come up within four years. True. Low bar, I guess. True. You want to take a crack at a couple?

Why not? Let's go. True or false? Yeah. Oh, I got to go here? We're going to add his name to the list. Which one do you want? Which one do you think was the best question, guys?

You have to praise me here. What do you think was the best question? Wow, you know which one I want out of him. Marner? Oh, yeah. Okay. Mitch Marner signs a contract before the end of the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

True or false, Gordo? False. Jeez. Wow. Okay. Give us the reason. I'll take potpourri for 40, please. Take Paul in the block?

Yes. Why? Why? Why? What's the point? For Mitch? You know, like, let's see. He's the Kawhi Leonard this year.

Let's find out. You know, if they go big in the playoffs there, you can get a King's ransom anywhere. I don't know. I mean, what's the number? He wants the big enchilada if he's willing to. And I don't fault him for going hard for whatever the number is but if he wants to come close and equaling austin matthews that's a little bit problematic getting

all that in place so i want him back don't get me wrong but i um whatever i just i just have a feeling this one's going to go down the wire it went down to the wire last time but he was a restrictive free agent compared to unrestricted jb you still buy into the don't lose an asset for nothing. Yeah. Yep. I'm still on team. Cap space. What's that?

Cap space. You do. I just think it's really hard to spend that in a better way in the UFA market. I just think it's hard. You know? Yeah. No, no. It's two different, two different things.

There's no question. You want the player, you want the player, But this you know, this this problem has become because they've acquiesced every time when everybody wants top dollar. You know, and you look at the Dow stars and I don't want to get into the no state tax and all that stuff. You know, you play up here, you're getting American money. You're getting like 40 percent on your dollar, 40 cents. So whatever. I just mean things have fallen in line in certain situations in a salary structure. And here you can't you can't be on the high end the total high end forever and of course with tabaris coming off it does give you some flexibility but anyway i thought i'd mix it up a bit why not there you go um mine is not true or false question but i want to get your thoughts

on a personality the leafs have acquired here in stephen loren Lawrence um really you know proud to be a Leaf a big personality off the ice you know give us the history of guys like that here in Toronto you know it people come in David Clarkson wanted to be a man of the people and wanted it to go his way it doesn't always go your way when you start out like that you know what are your expectations for how it's going to play out for Lawrence and the Leafs here well i love it it's kind of like a poor man zach hyman in that zach hyman was the local guy that came with what we thought was a different role but very quickly found a much bigger role i'm not saying steve lorenz or lawrence i know it's been pronounced both ways but you can't go wrong we brought in wayne simmons joeon, you know, these kind of people, Matt Martin, you know, whatever.

Just a lot of more veteran guys to fill in your third and fourth lines. And, you know, not local guys. I mean, Simmons was a local guy, but kind of a bit older, different kind of role. So I like that. I mean, the third and fourth lines have constantly been changing every year. And you want to get a little bit of an identity. I mean, teams like Boston have had a consistency to those lines over the years so i think he's been the perfect kind of fit and i always think like kippy knows if you have a stanley cup ring there's an intangible

part about the more it's not the be all and end all but there's an intangible part about those guys that have experienced it and gone all the way that's a plus to your hockey team. I totally agree. Being around it, being part of the process, even if it was a limited role. Do you see yourself in him? Sure, but obviously on this hockey club, like right from the get-go, he's getting much more of an opportunity than a token fourth line seven minutes.

I believe he was up to 15 last game, which he also led the first pk on many occasions so this guy it's clear uh barubi can move him up and down depending on what he sees out of his opponents but he is he there's a comfort zone there that uh i think this hockey club still looks at him and goes this has found money well it was a different era but you know mason raymond had that one year that he could play on any line here he got the big contract in calgary and he never really you know parlayed it into how but just that kind of flexibility and being able to play different lines play certain rules and i think that kippy that and justin that's significant and that's a bit of a different option I also liked

last game that Pontus Holmberg got moved up but after the first period he had a very tough first period against Pittsburgh very quickly they flipped in with Max Domi and Max Domi like in the first minute courtesy of a bad line change by Evgeny Malkin, really. But whatever came out and capitalized getting the puck to Nylander. And I'm liking that fluidity and that kind of versatility. And, you know, not putting it in a blender, you know, having some thought and reason and strategy about how to maybe mix the lines up, deploy them, have some different looks. We talked a little bit before the break

about what Chris Tanev has done for the back end, and I feel like we haven't talked about that addition enough and how it's changed what it is the Leafs look and feel like a little bit. You know, Morgan Riley has always kind of been there for them, but do you feel like Tanev is going to become their Mr. Reliability? Is this like the guy who just, again, isn't in the conversation so much, but actually changes the material makeup at the core, something we've talked about for years, they haven't been able to change.

Yeah, and as we look at, you know, Timothy Lilligren, another defenseman, doesn't look like he's going to be developed from within, and Razem Sandin's already got traded last year. I mean, all these forwards keep coming up and nobody on the D side. And, you know, Justin Hall has a good year and then falls down. Brody kind of at the end fell down. You know, you'd like to maybe have had a Joel Edmondson type year a little bit longer. But so, Justin, I agree that there's a little more bite.

They spent a little bit more money on him. He does all the team things well, the physicality, the blocking shots, the fearlessness, the guy that was not the flashy star. He was never drafted, took the long route, both the Tanner brothers to come. So I think it's a very welcome different spice on a D core that every year you're excited about the forwards, you're hoping the goaltenders stay healthy, and then you're kind of worried about the depth of the D. And you still, there is maybe reason to worry about the forwards you're hoping the goaltenders stayed healthy and then you're kind of one worried about the depth of the d and you still there is maybe reason to worry about the depth of the d but i consider him like a really really blue chip ad for tanf to look even better

does that mean that morgan riley should start looking again as a 60 or 70 point guy. Like he was, I don't know, three, three seasons ago, four seasons ago. Like how important is it that, that Morgan goes back to being that guy? Yeah, big time. I think cause every, every team needs that and you seem to maybe have a one B that I don't know if all the Rackman Larson, you view them as competition or it just helps to take some, you know, add to some of the D from the, or some of the offense from the D side. But I'm really big on Morgan, Riley, Kipper, and Justin. I'm quite frankly, if you would have asked me a year or two ago, who should be captain, I would have said him would have been my choice.

I don't have any quibble with John Tavares or Austin Matthews, but I've just, I've all, he's the one guy that is the oldest guy of that group that really have found a comfort zone here. Like Nylander, you know, I believe Marner has to a different degree, but Austin Matthews, and there's just a real comfort about being a Toronto Maple Leaf. But yeah, the offense is a real plus. If you can get that offense, and he's had a couple years, it's like someone who bats all of a sudden, you know, 320 one year and then goes down to 260 the next few years when they're in

the major leagues. And yeah, you'd like to get those bigger stats and maybe this is going to be a way like, like, like that Luke Shen connection for that brief period of time was just a great connection with him that really has seemed to jive. And I think they have the opportunity for this to work on a, a bigger piece than just from the trade like trade deadline on in like it was with shen gordon you've got a unique perspective and that you've seen the the leafs for a lot of years and the way that they've been revered in this city the way that they've

been maybe reviled at times it's kind of you know it's up and down but there's always a lot of attention around it i want to get your thoughts on how the best way to sell this team is now. It feels like public relations these days is quite a bit about making sure there are no bad stories rather than, you know, getting the team out there for promotion stuff. They did recently do something, I think, at a soup kitchen, which is awesome. So I guess I want to know the difference era-wise that you've seen this Maple Leafs team, how they've been sold to the public and how they've been received. Well, the fact is, because you get the, you know, let's go to the grassroots, okay, in the trenches. And the difficulty about, and Kippy was in New York and Toronto,

but I think he's a great example understanding here is that, okay, it's a high profile. So when you're places, you get noticed all the time. They always talk about it being a tough place to play, but you get your ass kissed unbelievably. You don't like that. That's the thing people don't realize. Like, you know, the fans, they're not really tough. They show up all the time, but you get your butt kissed

and you get one playoff round and you kind of lose context and perspective. And I think, I think all the time, but you get your butt kissed and you get one playoff round and you kind of lose context and perspective. And I think the difference, and I think they've ridden that two months the last number of years, that when they got eliminated by Columbus, eliminated by Montreal, it was like, oh, who's saying this crap against Mitch on social media? Like, no, you should be pissed off. How the hell did you blow those series?

And I like the fact that Sheldon keith said you know what he did a hell of a job but we didn't get to the next level yeah all of them every one of them morgan riley austin matthews mitch marner william kneelander you have never got to the next level and you know justin i had this uh analogy i thought a couple of years ago that it was kind of like the uh the teenager that the dad the parents give him the car and he phones and says oh you know what i just wrecked your car oh don't worry don't touch it you can drive mom's car we'll take it in we'll take care of it and a week later he wrecks mom's car oh don't worry look at uncle nicky's car don't don't just whatever we'll we'll take care of it for you and that's what it was

like after some of these playoff losses what the hell come on Come on. Come on. Don't say we turned a page and you learned. You didn't learn. That's why we're still here. It's unacceptable. That's the kind of part. Stop kissing their ass when they get eliminated in the playoffs. You don't have to vilify them, but it's not acceptable. It's not good enough for this team, especially

in 2024. Is this why you took the bus a lot when you were a kid? One crashed car there's a lot going on here kippy you know that right still waters run deep a ton um we were talking before you you came on about uh a leaf power play that has this the stats to say it's a top five top seven power play but we've seen it at times especially with this group disappear when it was needed the most so what do you make out of their oh for start in the first few games on the power play where's your level of concern about getting this thing going well it's no question hasn't been very good. I put in perspective his three games. I'm very, very biased because Mark Savard did a great job broadcasting,

became a great friend, and I find there's too much emphasis on assistant coaches anywhere about, you know, whether it's a certain thing. It's the guys on the ice that have to do it. He's a very smart guy. The way he saw the game, I really appreciated it. He really did. He's also maybe, you know, and Kippy, about having an elite player as a coach.

Like, he may be the most skilled assistant coach they've had in quite some time. Like, when we did the games, he really appreciated the Marners and the Nylanders and all they can do and what they can bring. So I think there's a certain spice that he's going to bring to the mix. Not just there, but the other things about the elite players but it seems to be something that it goes for six weeks number one in the league and then it goes for four weeks number 20 in the league and unfortunately it's been number 20 every year in the playoffs let's get part of the problem so part of it get some of that consistency whatever that level is and have it play out in playoffs. You're getting more than two goals per game in the playoffs

if you're getting that in the regular season, which I expect. So I'm not too worried about it. He's trying to quick hit, I noticed. One thing, it seems like they have a bit of a set play in the first 10 seconds. They try the quick strike. I like that. That's something new. And then after, it seems like they're not staying on for a minute and 40 anymore.

It seems like they're giving the second unit a little bit more time. Last game, I like that. They were only on a minute. Then when the second unit went off, they put them right back on when the penalty ended. And I think it led to a goal against the Penguins. So there's a fueling out process going there. Do you think, you know, related to this matthews has zero points through three games do you think that's connected to trying to play differently under a craig barubi system or do

you think it is pure happenstance it just hasn't gone in so far pure happenstance i mean he was the best player on the ice i thought saturday yeah and that you know and that's great when he could be the best player on the ice and the team wins the game and he contributes and he's not going for 70 goals. I'll take four playoff games like that in a playoff series that, you know, Austin gets hardly anything, but because of the way he played, they got those four wins. So I actually viewed it as a positive, you know,

just the way he went and played. And that's the whole thing. Now, you know, this year, they all know what, you know, those kind of personal milestones. They've really all achieved them. They've achieved next contracts. They want to stay here. Let's be talking about in May,

Conn Smythe Trophy consideration for being one of the top players in the playoffs because there's not one of them that you've ever said, wow, what a great playoff by player X. Not once. So whatever it takes over these 82 games that maybe incrementally helps a bit i'm all for joseph wall's back on the ice gourd the feeling that we had on our show right from the get-go where it was kind of skewed towards joseph wall kind of being that guy and i don't know what that meant for stolars 25 30 35 games but has this

small window this crack that stolars has come through so far changed any of that moving forward here for you or is this still kind of leaning towards finding a way to get Joseph Wall ready? You know, it's changed in a week because game one, you know, I was filling in for Eilish, and I was pretty critical at the end. It was a 1-0 loss to Montreal, and Samuel Montemar had a hell of a game. But I'm looking at this Leaf team where we left them last year, and where we left them was Joe Wall couldn't play game seven, and he can't play game one this year all of a sudden and they couldn't score goals like they couldn't against boston so they didn't

and nobody got the david pastinek overtime goal against montreal so i viewed it even though just like those are the kind of different things and the one is injuries do happen but man oh man if we're going through this again i i find it very disconcerting hopefully it's a one-off but I really like and we've talked about it Anthony Stollars was one of statistically the top goalies in the league last year he's he's not a two he's certainly a 1b and I like the way both of them much earlier than we thought embrace getting an opportunity to play goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs so I I love Joe Wall as a goaltender, but just to not be able to start the season,

even if it's a minor thing that all of a sudden can't be, I'm thinking whatever games you were thinking, like for some reason, if you're thinking Joe Wall 55, then you get it down to 45 that, you know, they really, and Stolarz, who knows, you know, he could be the guy at the end. I mean, there's no bona fide number one guy right now in the Toronto Maple Leafs as big as I am on Joe Wall. It's not something he's gone out and claimed yet.

One last true and false before we let you go. Do you dream about eating a Dante's Fiesta? You know, I don't know where Dante's is gone. Yeah, the Dante. But you know what, Kippy? know where Dante's is gone. Yeah, the Dante's. But you know what, Kippy? I'm doing a little better. I would have the Fiesta about half or a third, and the rest I'd have in the fridge.

And, you know, it would last a few more days. Unlike my sports desk days in the boardroom where I felt, you know, whatever was on the plate, I had to eat. And then you guys covered me on the panel as I sat there bloated. But you're looking great, by the way. I would never. I'm feeling great. I would never do that to you.

We'll see you Friday, right, Gord? Where are the clubs? Let's go clubbing. All right. Sounds good. Hey, Gordo, thanks for doing this, pal. Thanks, Gordo. See you, guys.

That is the one, the only Gord Stelictricity. On fire today. On fire. On fire. On fire. Ironically. He's buying into my, like, come on. Let's go win a round. Like, go big or go home on, you know,

whether you want to move forward with Mitch Marner, Willie Nylander, and Austin Matthews still together. It's a terrible idea. True or false, Sam Bennett plays the Leafs next year. I don't know. What are they going to do if it works or it doesn't work? It sucks after that. Do you have to pay more money if it works and less if it doesn't?

The other one I had was true or false, Timothy Lillard plays a playoff game for the Leafs this year. Oh, my God. What's beyond false? No, I think that ship has sailed. Okay. Yeah. Getting back in Wednesday.

Big debut. Yeah, I actually, listen, I think he's a fine player. I don't mean this to be disparaging the hockey player. He makes $3 million, and they don't play him in the playoffs. So, fine player. They just didn't work here at that cap hit for this coach. What are they going to do when Yarncroft's eligible? And they're going to have to do it.

They got to juggle. They got to trim. Somebody like a bad guy. Jeff Gallulli's coming through the dressing room, taking our knees and creating cap space at some point. Well, boys, I would say, if I do say so myself, we're not having much to talk about today. We had a good leaf sour.

We did. We did. Thanks to you. Yeah. I am the producer. Okay, and just one note on the Buffalo Bills game last night against the Jets. Can we

run one play without a penalty? Oh, it was painful. Come on. Jets in the red zone were a disaster. It was a good Monday. Amazon had their game of the week. First one ever.

But Monday night football. Great. Yankees. I can't wait. Well, I guess there's a couple hockey games. Kind of a fun sport night. Tonight on Sportsnet is just an unencumbered baseball playoff game. Yankees-Guardians game two on Sportsnet.

And let me interrupt that. Sportsnet 1 has the Raptors. Hockey Central at 6.30. We got the Oilers tonight. You got the Canucks tonight. You got the Flames tonight. Those are late ones. Sportsnet Hockey. Unencumbered. Playoff baseball is what I'm telling you right now. Tonight. Get the feet up.

You do you. Oh yeah. National hour. Do we guess if the Oilers go 0 for 4 or not? Oh my god. It's the biggest game. It's such a big game. You're going to win by 11. Must win tonight. Must win. All right. Don't go away.

Because like I said earlier, we're going deep in the Valley. That's a weird statement. Steve Valiquette. Is that a movie or something? Where am I getting that from? I don't know, buddy. Not sure exactly, but it's the start of a title of a segment, which we need to work on.

True or false, good day in Bern. Steve Alliquette. When we return to the Real Kipper and Bourne Show, don't you dare move.