Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Shaping Expectations for Auston Matthews

Episode Date: October 10, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne are joined by Gord Stellick (6:05) to get his thoughts on the debut of the new look Leafs roster, how long it could take for Auston Matthews to get acclimated with his new linemates, how the Atlantic Division is shaping up in the first week of the NHL season, and the current state of the Leafs' power-play. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee discuss the expectations for Matthews' scoring this season, the uncertainty of Easton Cowan's spot on the roster, before going to the text line to hear your questions on which Blue Jay would most likely translate into becoming a hockey player, Fraser Minten's Boston Bruins debut and more!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

It's the Leaf Hour edition on the Real Kipper and Born show. Nick Kippreels, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandale, Jake the Snake Shultz. We're live on Sportsnet 360, SportsF590, The Fan in Toronto, and streaming always on Sportsnet Plus. Can't catch us live. There's always Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. This hour of Real Kipper and Bourne brought to by Bet365. In a few minutes, someone familiar to the Real Kipper and Born show for many, many years, our very own Gord Stelik,

former Toronto Maple Leaf General Manager. And now analyst for SportsCet, 590, the fan. Awesome. Yeah. I was listening to Barubei's thing this morning. Are Kippers, clippers? Have you got a few for us? Not good?

No. I really, I don't know. He gave us the goods the other day. He was so good. I thought he was fine. He warmed up. Slow start, warmed up. I, like you guys.

I played with him many, many moons ago over a short period of time when we were prospects and Hershey, Flyers organization. I mean, I don't know the man well today like I did back. then, but I did get a sense that he's not overly thrilled up until this point with where the team is at. That's just the vibe that I got. Okay. You know, I had someone else tell me that they got that same vibe. And the other thing that kind of makes me think that's true is their eagerness to add guys,

right? Claiming Sammy Blaze, when you have Pizzetta, Robertson, Cowan, Yarncrock, and camp not in the lineup that's when they claimed them you know clearly they're still not happy with the depth guys it's crazy the other thing that's the other thing that stood out for me one way the other thing that stood up for me stood out for me when we talked to him is that i said there's a there's a clump of guys you know in that range of 10 to 12 10 to 13 minutes who can jump up and he gave me east and Yeah

So I think I think as a coach He's been around long enough Where I'm not suggesting He's closed my Fix-minded But sometimes they just

Slot you in where they think you're in And you cannot go to any other level Nor do they envision you Going to any other level And I'm not saying that's the case For Nicholas Waugh or Joshua or any of them, but I just get the sense that he thinks he knows what they are

and what they can give. And then it's like, you know, where do you go now for another 18-minute guy consistently? I'd argue they've got a couple things wrong. One of them is, you know, Camp being relegated to a non-NHLer at 28 years old. We've seen him be a good NHLer, and they didn't use him as one.

They don't value him. No. Which I disagree with, though. Yeah, McMahon was a healthy scratch to start last year, and he kind of defied the where they saw him, right? He climbed up and got himself into the mix, but they didn't think he was much of a guy. So it is, it happens, right, where they just sort of decide not.

And I hope that's not happening to Wah here, who's looking like, you know, played 13, 14 minutes. He's a better player than that, I think. But will, like, be the first guy you go, to on a third line. It's going to be like Yarn Croc's going to be the first guy they move up. I was thinking about it and I know you guys

laugh at this and whatever but like and I've said this as well but it's crazy that Nick Robertson can't get a shift in the top six. I'm just looking at the way shift. The way they just distributed is what I'm trying to say the ice time like one forward over 20. It was Matthews played

2031. Nice played 1930 William but like it's 17, 15, 14, 13, 13, 12 12, 12, 11, and then it's Nick Robertson last 10, 40 for ice time. They have three guys, I guess, that they're comfortable playing up in that 18, 19, 20-minute range, and it's Nize, Matthews, and Nielander, and then Tavares is just under that at 17. But there is something to that. I think Tavares will go up.

If they have more power plays, he'll get up higher in that range. But it's an interesting thought. Okay. I can save the question for Gorder to ask it now. Okay. Just what do you think Elon Easton Cowan is as a 26-year-old in this league? What is he? I think he's a top six player.

Like to me, I wrote an article today that to me he's Yanny Gord with a bit more offensive upside. Gord was small, competitive, 25 goals, 55 points. I think he's going to be better. I think he's going to be better. So maybe he's a seven. Yonnie Gord is a third second and a half third line. So with more offensive upside, Cowan is a second line center, 75 points. I think he could.

Even better than that? Better than that? I think he could. Yeah. 30 and 50 for 80? I don't want to say like a superstar, but he's going to be a very good top six forward in the National Hockey League. Okay. But it's going to, it may take a little time here.

There's a maturity level, mentally, physically, emotionally. Doesn't look like it's this year. But my point was Gord's 26-year-old rookie. It's gotten better. last year. Yes. It's getting steadily better. But just not there to be a guy that you can count on this year. Correct. I don't know

what happens in March or April, but right now. Not right now. All right, let's welcome him in. The man, the myth, the legend. He's wonderful. He's talented. Put your hands together for the lovely

Gordo Stelic. Good. Marty, welcome back, brother. It is great to be back. So I love to talk about fourth lines and seventh defenseman and third goal tennis. It's great. Well, that's why we picked you. Oh, okay, great.

So I think Easton Cowan reminds me of a young Gord Stelich with Slonico Kofier and the 5-2 hat trick in the hat trick and a 5-2 win over Scott's Chicken Villa. That's what he kind of kind of reminds me of. So not Yanni Gord, a young Gord Stelich. Okay, so a lot of talk the other day when we had Craig Brewby on. was the fact that he lost Scott Lotton and then all the lines went into the bingo-bango ball kind of, you know, bingo thing

where you just start picking out lines. Were you surprised that it had that type of domino effect? And to Craig's credit here, he didn't say it was just, I just needed to change a few things up and parts of it had nothing to do with Scott Lotton. Yeah, no, not surprised by anything, right? Now, I mean, you look at it. First of all, on the high end, you don't have Mitch Marner. So you're trying to figure out how the fit is with the elite three and the elite six.

Scott Lawton is a guy that they were making an effort to find a spot where he can succeed, right? Because you gave up a first round pick. It never quite mesh for him. They believe in him. I still believe in him. So when you do lose those players. And I also think he just wants to, I don't say experiment, but the whole thing is about trying. Remember last year they were talking about Nielander being center at this point,

that it never really happened. So I think, though, you want to try out different options. So at this time of the year, I'm not really surprised. So what do you think of how they filled in the new look roster this year? Do you see this as a team that's better or worse? We had Rupp on earlier. He thought they were more suited to playoffs, but maybe not as regular season friendly.

Where do you have them? So the team toughness part, which I think Tampa Bay showed the Florida Panthers. So everybody figured to play the Florida Panthers, they're the epitome of team toughness. And everyone's got to up that. We saw it firsthand in the playoffs against them. That doesn't mean Ryan Reeves or Wayne Simmons or Matt Martin. It means team toughness.

And so I like those components that they've added. So there's the sum will never be better than the individual Mitch Marner, but they had to try something different. So I like that component. I think, you know, one game, again, it's only one game and it's really one play. But the fact of Oregon Riley was jumping up, the way he played. I mean, to me, that's the biggest. question about the existing group, as far as the complementary group goes, I like what they've

done. I mentioned to the guys the other day that I thought it was a quiet night for Austin Matthews. Do you think that there's going to be a little bit of an adjustment here moving forward until that right side of his gets settled in? We saw Max Domi for the most part during training camp. Machelli steps in there 24 hours before game one. He didn't have a scoring chance. until the empty netter here, you know,

or do you anticipate, you know, big weekend coming up for 34? So the weird thing, Kippey, and Justin, is, I mean, I guess they don't owe it to you to tell you what the injury actually was, but usually at the end of the season, everything comes clean. So, you know, is he going to have this mystery injury again?

I don't know. Like, I'm very bullish and big on Austin Matthews. And, yeah, we kind of expect to me. We're not going to have as many of those fun games and more. We're not going to have those games walking back from Scotia Bank Arena. Wow, 6-2, Razzle-Dazzle, the Harlem Globetrotters beat the Washington Generals because it's going to come down to Austin Matthews, Mitch Marner, who's no longer here. But that group needs to have a Vladdy Guerrero-type playoff performance.

Okay, that's really so. If Austin Matthews scores 15 goals and plays like Bladdy has so far in the playoffs, I'd be happy. So the going for 70 and all those things, that was fun. But it's the other components need to come together. I got to believe he's healthy. It was a quiet night, to your point. It wasn't like a kick-ass season for him last year. So I'm going to sit back and try to see what gives.

If he gets 15, they ain't getting in the playoffs. You know that, right? Well, 15, and then he's hurt for 60 games. Okay, I don't know. I'm not calling for that. Okay, yeah, if they get 15 goals. Good point, Kippey. We didn't do very good in math,

but that would be a basic question that would have got us 51 at George Vanier. so you know a lot of people are kind of holding their breath waiting to see what this team is do you think there needs to be a trade still like that top six we're talking about can cowan become a guy this year that plays real minutes for their team or is there still a shoe that needs to drop for them to be a real contender oh and by the way to answer the eastern cowen question justin i'm really big on him that whole world junior team got the crap kicked out of them after the juniors like You know, it really did.

They really unfairly got maligned, you know, about, oh, can these guys play or not. So I've been big on him, and I'm going back being big on him. So the other part, what was your question again? I was talking about Houston Cowan. Do they need to make a trade for the top six? Do they need to add something, or are they good enough? Could Cowan be that guy? Can they be good enough internally?

In my defense, Justin, I just had my last rabies vaccine last Saturday. The infamous raccoon guy that I had about. a month ago. You get a raccoon bite? What? Honest to God, yes. I got bit by a raccoon. No way. How the hell did that happen? Well, it kind of goose me in the back, you know, on the lake. So I went to North York General at 3.30 in the morning and they called Toronto Public Health. And it's kind of like a lane about being spongeworthy. There's not a lot of this vaccine to go around.

So anyway, I had to take about five shots. And it's crazy now. Like I don't sit on a fence anymore. I leap over them. My neighbor caught me in their garbage bin. You know, There's been a lot of side effects. I have been the only guy on your show ever who just completed five rabies vaccines. So there. Change your moisturizer. Our very own trash panda. This is amazing.

So the trade, the trade, okay, the trade. Okay. Again, you know, Nick Falino, Ryan O'Reilly. Like, I mean, no, no, no. But, you know, it's different if Brad Marchand's available or Seth, Jones or something like that. You want to get guys with term. So even though Fraser Minton looks like he could play well with Boston,

at least Carlo had term, McCabe had term, Lawton head turn. So I'm more of that, not the hired gun thing. But yes, you have a little bit more flexibility. Not the kind of money people think, but without Mitch Martyr's contract. So I think Connor McDavid said that to the Edmonton Oilers. Like everybody's looking that if you can do what Florida did last year, like real trades, not cosmetic ones of the trade deadline, that you want to be in that big poker table.

You're watching and listening to Gord Stelich, who's foaming at the mouth as we speak. Hot-heavy on the Toronto Maple Leafs. A good sign, I guess, Wednesday is Stolars is kind of picked up where he left off in terms of a consistent look of making some key saves at the right time for this hockey club. outside of what it means moving forward with no Joseph Wall,

but your overall assessment of where we thought the Leafs goaltending was prior to the season starting and where it is today. First of all, how about Brad for Living? John Tavares, Matthew Nyes, Anthony Stollars, those contracts. And how about Anthony Stollars saying the grass isn't greener on the other side? He kind of did a Connor McDavid. And Kippey, what are like, and Justin, because you guys played the game.

and I always, when I talk about goaltenders, I talk about their deportment. And that's where Freddie was very cool. I like Freddie being cool. Jack Campbell, you were cheering for, but it looked like he'd won a silent auction item every game to be goaltender for the Toronto Police. Like, it was thrill of a lifetime.

You know what I mean? And there were the ups and downs and that. So I've liked Stoller's makeup, and I like the fact that he legitimately seized the brass ring as a real solid backup in Florida and then getting a crack as a number one. So obviously depth is still, You got to be deep in gold.

I have no idea about the Joe Wall situation. I don't think you do. Maybe you do. I don't care about the situation. I'm more mean about his availability and timing to come back. But I'm really bullish on Anthony Stollars. And if that tandem is in sync and back, like we're going back to God rest of his soul, Bernie Perrot and Jacques Plunt before you guys were born.

But in the 1970s about having like a real, real elite goaltending tandem at the same time on the Toronto Maple Leafs. And I think goaltender for the Leafs, They have some advantage that this leaps decor may not be offensively, I don't know. I don't say gifted because there's some skill there, but they just don't play that way. But what a great solid decor in terms of veteran experience and shot blocking, whatever. It's a very playoff style, playoff built decor, it feels like to me, Gord. Try to remember how many years ago it was that I remember there was a play, and there were two leaves behind the opposing team's net, and they were Morgan Riley and Jake Gardner.

And they kind of looked at each other, said, aren't you back? aren't you flying the plane? Isn't one of us supposed to be flying the plane? And so that kind of embodied the kind of support the goaltender was getting at the other end. So the kind of things, and, you know, they did it against the Ottawa last year, and they did it for the first part against Florida. Like they played their best style of playoff hockey. Well, they got deeper in 23 years than they ever have.

But, I mean, because of those two games in particular, we kind of forget about that. But part of it, Justin, was that style and paying attention to it and committing to it. And I like that Craig Barubi just says, you're not going to say a lot of things, except there's a few non-negotiables, okay? And non-negotiable means non-negotiable. And the team knows there's a few non-negotiables. Otherwise, you can freelance,

trying to allow skilled players, be skilled players, whatever may be, but there are some non-negotiables in the Craig Barubi team style. Gord, only a couple of games into a long season, or, you know, if you don't get off to a great start, the season can shorten up real quick here. but just quickly in terms of what you've seen so far. Florida, no Barkov, no Kachuk,

and they seem to kind of pick up where they left off last year playing this stingy game. Tampa Bay we all had is still a very dangerous team, but somehow some way, you know, blowing leads like they did last night makes them a little bit more vulnerable. How do you see the Atlantic shaping up with the Leafs and being in a position once again to sit at top after 82 games are closed out.

Yeah, and how about Boston kind of giving early signs that they're not going away? And man, Detroit and Buffalo, you want the definition of sad starts by teams that didn't need sad starts. But on the flip side, like last year I thought coming first was really important. I'm not saying it's not important this year.

I thought it was to prove something, to do something, to get home ice advantage, which until those final two games, they kind of did, they kind of did use to their advantage. So I'm a little bit about, okay, it's going to come down to game number 83. More so from Florida. If they don't have Barkoff, man, oh, man, that guy blanketing whoever your best player is and still getting some offense, you know, that's going to be a big loss.

But I'm the Atlantic, man, I'm like, first of all, way better than the Metropolitan. There'll be five teams that come out of it. I thought at the end of last year, the Tampa Bay Lightning, were the best team the last 20 games. I thought the first 60 games it was the Toronto Maple Leafs. And then when the playoffs rolled around the Florida Panthers said, okay, move away guys. move away, hit his us once again, and they steamrolled over everybody. So they're not going to do it for 82 games.

Okay, but, you know, if they're going to do that in the playoffs, again, I think Tampa Bay gave an early indication with those two exhibition games that, okay, we're going to give a little bit steam back. And I think Toronto also knows that and what have you. But I just think it's, I don't think coming first has to be the utmost priority for the Maple Leafs, but I see all those teams in it.

And if one of them to fall, like heaven forbid the Leafs, or like Tampa Bay, like out of the playoffs, that's something I wouldn't expect, but you never know. There's going to be one or two huge disappointment somewhere. Totally. You know, I'm trying to think of things for the Leafs where, you know, they've been so good on the power play for so many years. And I'm just, you know, what they need to do to get to that level they had last year.

And one of them is that power play was so good. Mitch Marner ran it from the top. Gord, I don't know how you feel about putting Morgan Riley back up there or if you'd like to see them try another five forward power play, whether it's Matthews or Nealander up top. What are your thoughts about how they can get back to being a real threatening power play? I would like to see them try Morgan Riley again. And you're right.

I mean, Mitch Martin, but you're giving Matthew Nyes and others a chance to play a more significant role. So again, you know, the sum maybe being better than some of the individual parts is what we're looking at. It is weird, Justin, because, you know, they've had times where that power play seems to be, you know, clicking at like a 95% efficiency and then it's clicking at 9.5% of it. efficiency for the next month. So there's been that lack of consistency. So I'm, and too much pressure is put on the assistant coaches, but, you know, in the case of Mark Savart or whomever, they know the players.

He certainly knew what to do on a power play. And he's had a year to, you know, get his feet wet. And now some different players there. And I'm confident it's something that should be a power asset for them. Did the shorthanded goal, Montreal scored in the opener, uh, cause, probably Brubi to not be in a good enough or a great mood, you know, moving forward here. I mean, it's, it was an ugly, short-handed goal to get up. Yeah, yeah.

So, Kippy, again, at the end, the key was to their point, they get, like, short-headed goal is a big momentum killer. And I remember when I used to, I know they have the stats for it, but when I was doing, you know, stats before I would keep it. And when you scored a short-hander goal, you were something like 11-0-3 or something, or 7-0-0-2. Like, it really is a momentum changer. But the key was they found a way to win the game. They found a way to win the game at the end of it. They were behind. They gave up that momentum, short-handed goal.

It wasn't like the prettiest of wins. The two empty-neck goals kind of inflated the score. But they found a way to win. But those kind of things are the kind of things that have to happen on less of a scale, that kind of momentum changer in the regular season, because you had a few of them against Florida in the playoffs that all of a sudden swung the series. It was a couple of little moments. that all of a sudden flipped the series in the Florida Panthers favor.

Okay, just your assessment so far, we had Mike Rup on in the first hour talking about the Leafs and what the things that he likes moving forward for them. And they kind of went around the different faces here. So give us an early kind of thought on Machelli, Dakota, Nick Waugh, and what you've seen so far. Okay, I don't count the exhibition games. And so, you know, none of them I'm going to look at as the steel of the year.

But I've liked the makeup, what I've seen on the ice. What I like the best is, like last year the New York Rangers had a lot of white noise, okay, and they never got going. The Boston Bruins started the season with Jeremy Swamen, Jim Montgomery in doubt, Brad Marchand's contract, they fell out of the playoffs. Every year the Maple Leafs had, Mitch Martyr's contract, Austin Matthews contract, William Nealandard's contract. Oh, my God, it's Duby's last year. He doesn't, oh, my goodness, you're going to live. as a general manager like every year we had this crisis for 82 games we had too much white noise and we've got no white noise and that's the part i like the best awesome stuff gordo um just to close

out our segment i just want you to know that raccoons can bite when they feel threatened cornered or during a feeding interaction were you were you chomping down on a dante's fiesta When this happened? No, no. Boy, how much, I don't even if Dante's fiesta is still going. We've given them so much commercial time. I was at the cricket. It came up on the patio on the cricket club,

and actually it was a baby raccoon. That's why I was scared. It didn't have its mom. But the kind of attitude, obviously, by scaring him, is what the Toronto Maple Leaf players could take as incentive, that they should play this season the way I face down that raccoon on that warm summer evening and endured five doses of rabies vaccine.

That's a great life lesson for them. Really good one to end us on a Friday. Gordo, thanks for doing this, pal. Hey, guys, take care. Looking forward to it. Go J's as well. I'm loving the baseball fever. Oh, yeah, thanks, Gordo.

Appreciate it. He is Gord Stelich. Only one of a kind. I live near. Although Brother Bob's pretty close. Okay. I live very near a Zante, a Greek restaurant, which is excellent.

So there's two things out of that interview that I loved. I mean, first of all, Raccoon bite is one of the wildest things. Well, we're never letting that go. No. That is brought up for the rest of his time on the show that we are talking about that 100%.

Yeah. I mean, do you guys deal with raccoons, obviously? I got videos of me. They're holding my hockey stick. I'm trying to push them off my garbage cans. They're all over my yard. I've had an interaction where I went to, like, open up my garbage can to throw in a thing.

And it was in there. And then I had to like tip it over and have it run out there. They're massive. They are the biggest. But they're huge here. And some of them are very. vicious yeah yeah you don't want to see him in the daytime that's for sure they're not doing

great in the court got bit by baby though i mean if the one in my back if the one in my backyard bit me what uh i would perish because it would eat me alive it's so big the second thing he said i love that last thing he said about how it doesn't feel like an all or nothing year because of there's not a big time free agent on the on the way out dubus isn't on the last stand or whatever like there does have a it does have a bit of a feel of that like does that So you're okay, if this is year one of something towards getting the team in year two or three ready for another run? That's a fair, that's a fair pushback. And I don't know.

I don't know how to answer that question. But you know what I mean? Like it doesn't feel like we're like going into this year. It's the last season of X, right? Yeah. I get, you know. I do feel like in many ways it could be the last. Of what?

Well, I don't know what a disappointing season does. does for Brad Tree Living or Craig Barubi or just the makeup of the team if in fact, you know, does you feel comfortable that if it is somewhat of a disappointed season, Brad Tree Living gets to keep going on here? Yeah.

Yeah, probably. I mean, like, how, I mean, who's in the first round? I mean, that's old hat around here. He's fine about that. Do you really believe that? I do, yeah, don't you? You do?

I'm sure he's only had a couple of seasons here. You're going to get rid of him and bring in another new guy to start it all over again? I don't know. Yeah, I think that's a possibility. Well, they gave Dubus seven first round exits before they got rid of him.

That was not Keith Pelly, who said we're just not here to sell jerseys. Yeah, until they kind of were. Until they were like, oh, but how about the captain's, the new captain jersey? Austin Matthews, available at real sports. I, like. And unity.

I'm not, we're not, we're just speaking over. the course of this season here and how you feel about like are they already in year one of a reset and you yeah you might be right i think they are you could be right that this could feel like the first year of a reset and maybe brad gets the next two years have to imagine what that means though you know reset typically means you sell assets acquire younger you know or picks or this is all this correct me if i'm wrong i mean they're they're now going by this is the biggest team in the NHL? Yeah, they...

But are they one of the oldest teams in the NHL? No, but they're not far off. They're, you know, there's 10 teams older than them, but they're 22nd. Maybe 5 or 6. Yeah. That's old. Yeah, they're older.

They're definitely old. They're old. Totally. Well, that's what happens when you trade every pick for five years. So how does one of the older teams in the National Hockey League now get two or three years? It's not happening. You're like TANF has a six-year dealies and year two of. Riley has a 70.

year deal he's in year three of or two you know tavares just signed a four year deal your old guys are here mccabe signed a five or six year deal you're going to be older you know in in some spots and i don't think it helps to get randomly younger and others yeah it's okay to be older just not old right well just not old you just can't be like oh i guys washed yeah can't be washed yeah that's fair but i i just i think it's a little bit refreshing to not have the start of every season and be like, this is the last stand where we talked about Marrner. That's more fun.

Nielander. It feels a little less toxic, is what I'm getting at. It does feel that way because for years, everybody's saying blow up one of Marner, Matthews, Neelander, or Tavares, and now one of them's gone. And that alone makes it feel like it's different. Different. And maybe just, you know, no matter how you feel about Mitch,

it's a different coat of paint. Yeah. Yep. And that in itself makes it feel rather different. It's almost like you had to throw the hordes some red meat here. Like everyone was clawing for so long. Top, you know, the core four doesn't work. Like you just...

It's the key here. Key three. We're at the point where we don't care what name gets plucked. We just just make it one. You can't keep doing this. And someone went, never ran. Okay. So as Mitch and the president went and everybody's like, okay, we can give this a chance.

Well, we'll give it, you know, a year. We got what we wanted. So let's pretend to enjoy it, whether it's working or not. We'll give it October at least. We were one game in here and they won. So plenty of reason for people to feel good right now. And the good news is they got Detroit the next two games. Who I opened the show by saying.

Yeah. So you've got them 3 and 0 to start the season. I do. Yeah. Me too. But I mean, you lose to bad teams. That happens. But you just like to, I am curious why Easton Cowan is not playing

because Detroit to me is the perfect. time to play. Let's do game time and then we'll take a break and we'll have that conversation a little bit more and then we'll do some text as well. Let me get my sheet here because I've only read this a hundred times. I bet our listeners could do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, probably. It's game time. Presented by Bet365. Visit the app Flitest Odds

and see why it's never ordinary at Bet365. Must be 19 Plus. Ontario only. Please pay responsibly. So we are a hockey show and I would do some hockey stuff for tonight. But unfortunately, there is no hockey. So, of course, I have to look at my true passion right now, the major leagues of baseball. And tonight is game five of the American League Division series. The Detroit Tigers are traveling to Seattle, to take on the Mariners. How did Seattle, like, at the trade

deadline, it's just... They got everybody. It was unbelievable. But the tigers tonight in Seattle are favored, and for one reason only, because they have the hogs. on the mount. They got Terrick Scoobel going tonight, who is an absolute stud. Minus 120 on the money line for the Detroit Tigers. The Seattle Mariners are plus 100. I think there's been a lot of conversation about who the Jays would rather play. I think the Tigers are an easy answer. The Mariners sneaky on the Jays, the big dumper.

He's really good against the Jays. Their pitchers are good against the Jays. Easier travel. I think you want the Tigers. So it'd be a little happiness hedge plus money with the Mariners who are plus 100 tonight. So it's going to be fun. I can't wait. And I guess I don't have to watch any hockey tonight,

so I'll just go straight into the baseball. So there you go. Do you watch Raleigh hit the homer to the guy wearing his hits, dump here, 601, and then takes a shirt off. He's got a 62 shirt. And did you see that that he went down into the locker and got a picture with it? That's awesome. What was the tweet that you retweeted where they put all the relievers on the mound?

Yeah. Oh, the Jay's bullpen day? Yeah. Cool. Yeah. And that gave you an idea of all the different angles of the pitch coming into the plate. Yeah.

It was incredible. It was really cool. It was legitimately eight unique, like an octopus. Very, very cool. I mean, you have to give Jay's credit for that. Like, everybody was kind of like ballpen day, but it kept the Yankees off balance all night. Maybe you said this yesterday,

but no one saw the same pitcher twice. I think all the Yankees, every at bat saw a different pitcher. Really? Yeah. And they had a different guy to face the middle of the order every time. Like, Judge wasn't seen it. I thought it was great, which the thing that scares me is it like, that worked great.

You don't do it again? Again. What a fourth starter. We'll see if Bass is on the CS roster. Maybe some bobbish out action on the CS roster. We'll see. That would be nice. We'll see.

Anyways, that was game time presented by Bet365. Visit the app for the latest odds and see why it's never ordinary at Bet365. Must be 19 plus Ontario only. Please play responsibly. All right. We'll take a quick break here.

And when we return, we'll get to your text. Text, text, text, text, text, 590, 590. 590. Anything you want. It's fraud. Who knows? Give us your best Dougie Mac impression in a text. Who knows where this segment's going next?

So don't go away. Real Kipprin-Born after these words. Hey, it's Matt Markezy. And I'm Mike Futa. We're discussing the top stories of the day across the NHL and the hockey world. Weekdays at noon. It's the fan hockey show on Sportsnet 590

The Fan and wherever you get your podcast. It's Friday. Which means we've got 12 more minutes. Wow, 17. But who's counting? I've got 12. You got 17. You can tell you're punting when we get...

I'm out of gas. When we get the 350, you're out. All right. I can handle that. I mean, a long weekend for us. Thanksgiving Monday. We do have Monday off. There'll be no show on here.

Baseball related as well. If you're looking for release content, me and Bunkus will be doing lease talk after the 4 o'clock puck drop. The 4 o'clock? Yes. Reliefs. Monday, 4 o'clock. Yeah.

Very strange. Kind of into it. But you know what sucks? The ALCS game two is that either 438 or 505. Come on. Yeah. What are the odds of that? So they're both going to, the downtown core, again, is going to be unbelievable.

Both home games. Oh, yeah. Nightmare. Yeah. Yeah. So it's, I wouldn't, wouldn't drive downtown on Monday afternoon. But yeah, so if we won't be on Monday and then we back Tuesday, break everything down. Lots to talk about Monday, boy.

Holy small. Or Tuesday, sorry. I wonder, like, if the Leafs wanted a 4 p.m., the league wanted a 4 p.m. I think it's the first Amazon game, too. I think it's an Amazon game. Yeah, but it's a holiday, right? So, like, it's like, they put lots of games on holidays in the States.

Yeah, I like the idea of, like, you're all sitting around after Thanksgiving, dinner. One o'clock, no, one o'clock would have been better. I'm looking when the Jay's first pitch flies. I'd really wish it was at one. Yeah. But anyways, so yeah. Did you guys want to talk about count a little bit? Hold on.

We just had a talk off air about Matthews and what he needs to be this year for the Leafs to have any chance. Was that one of your questions? Somebody texted it and said he was literally a hologram last game, which I thought was funny. Well, I said I didn't say that. No, he was.

He was quiet. Yeah. He was just quiet. Yeah. Yeah, but I think it's important that we kind of put that out there. Like I thought he skated well in first game. You didn't think he was good. Listen, I'm past, I'm past skating well,

shooting well just past that like he needs to be a threat out there it's he needs to look like he can be a threat and if he can't again i can't i can't recall like zero scoring chances for the big guy yeah that's all no not very often that's for sure the the thing though that the point that was made off the air that i wanted to bring on the air was just if he's last year's austin matthews and he's what you think he looked like in game one They've got no shot this year. They're in big trouble. Yeah.

Like in terms of winning the cop or whatever, like they're not. He needs to be better Matthews. I mean, it depends if he's missing time and he's scoring 30. The Leeser legitimately have a chance of missing the playoffs, I think. Yeah. Is that fair? He misses time and only gets 30. They're a wild card.

Yeah. Yeah. Not enough offense in the. I don't know if he needs to score 50, but he's got to be. Sniffing it. He's got to be around. He's got 45 to me is a solid. Be great.

And what's funny about when you get 40, 45 goals, that means there's a bunch of other chances that didn't go in, like you're around it more. So here's to hope. Cowan. Cowan, yes. So the coach talked about him. Today.

So, I mean, I looked at the lineup today. He is skating as an extra again with Sammy Blay. And that was today at practice. So, I mean, that's not written in stone, but he's not taking a regular shift on one of the lines at practice. and so the coaches asked multiple questions about him Derek I think I put the clip in there yeah I did could you play the first one please

how close is Cowan to playing number two well he's close and like he's got a great attitude he works hard he had a good practice today you know that's decisions that we have to discuss and make and right now we'll see what happens tomorrow okay and then and then there was a follow-up asked about Cowan and could clip three please Derek you know I love Cowan and we all do

and he's going to be a good leaf I'll tell you that he's going to be a good hockey player and he is a good hockey player but we got to the team's the most important thing and we've got to make decisions and they don't always please everybody

I am unpleased displeased that's the word I love that player I love the guy was that Braden Shann you're talking no no Shann you're right hear that the second clip

to me seems a little bit short about it I know he's just short in general, but like, this is exactly what I was talking about before this season. We haven't even played game two here yet. And there's multiple questions, every scrum, because we look for stuff to talk about every day. And you go just like the reporters go down to practice

and they're looking for things to ask about. It's just such an easy thing to be like, when's Calvin plan? When's Calvin plan? When's Calvin plan? Why isn't Calum playing? That's not for today. That's not for today.

Like, it's just so much easier to just let them go feel it a little bit with the Marley's and then come back up in a bit. It just feels like such an unnecessary very distraction right now for me. It's just shocking because he said, well, surprised because on our show yesterday, he said,

we need him playing. Put him on the lines and play them. Put him on the lines and play them. Oh, you're going to scratch Nick Robertson. Oh, he's never seen that before. He has been okay. I think,

I think right now whether he's not, he cannot, Craig Bruby cannot get past game two. That's all he's looking at. Well, he wants the best line.

You know what, coaches tend to be short-sighted too. Well, that's fine for the coach, but it isn't for the GM. You're just going to have this kid watch hockey all year because you're thinking about game two? Maybe for the first week. But I think there's parts about the Leaf game right now. Craig's not happy with. He wants the best lineup today to win Saturday. Okay, well, you just yelled at him.

Well, I'm saying it's not good for the GM. I don't think he's worried about Brad Tree Living. He's worried about two points and having the best guys out there. And if Callender are one of the best 12, what's he doing? Yarn Crook's the perfect example. He thinks his best chance to win is put a guy in there that we all had on waivers, traded, done.

I thought it was like sneaky great in the opener. It is their best chance to win when he's in. And now he's once again put himself in a pretty important player for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But you cannot develop Cowan and still think. think that this guy's an important player for you like there has to be some give what do you mean you can't develop you can't have young croak and cow went together in the lineup according to him

i well okay that's a made up thing from then who then who then who no who's coming out cowen should come out and he should play for the tronel marley's tonight and he should have 19 minutes of ice time tonight is it tonight or tomorrow okay whether that happens in a in today or in a week i i don't think it's make or break his career no it's and that's fine it's so just just leave him out for another game. I just, you just want them around rather than being with the team, starting with the Marley's and being a part of that.

I'm not okay. I'm not okay a week and a half, and we're still talking about the same thing. Yeah. But I think we're okay for five days, seven days isn't going to make or break whether or not he's playing for the Marleys or sitting in the stands. It's not, but then I think they should reveal some sort of plan.

I thought you meant he should be in the lineup Saturday night. No, no, no, no. I just want him. He will. He will. To be one of the other. They're not going to, they're not going to let him sit.

Yeah. He is, he is the only grade A prospect they have. I know when you need to develop him. And he's not quite ready. If only there was a league where you could play him in the same city that where he could go and play 18 minutes a night against adults. Relax on the,

we're in the maker break for Cowan to play a game in the next 48 hours. I don't, I don't want him to. I want him to play for the Marley's for the season. come up at the end. That's the ideal. Let them get overwrite. There's a very good chance that it could happen.

There's a very good chance that you can go down there, light it up in two months, be back up here by Christmas. Ideal scenario. You don't know. Totally. We don't know. And that's fine. And I'm okay with everything with Easton Cowan up until this point.

Yeah. Okay. And I love him too. Cowan? Cowan. Yeah. Love him. You can't trade him, by the way.

You know? I know you guys are calling for a top six winger. He's the only guy everybody wants. Can't trade him. I mean, we could put a pin in that conversation. For the right price, I think you could. And you're one of our rebuild. Trade the top prospect.

Let's do some texts. Which Jay's player best resembles a hockey player's mentality? Ernie Clement. Easiest answer ever? That was what I said. It was either Lucas or Clement for me. because Lucas stayed in the minors, grounded it out,

people called him up over top of him. That's what you have to do. Yeah, it comes through in the right spot. Those two are for me. Yeah, you need scrappiness, competitiveness. I actually liked that when Clement got hit in the shoulder almost in the head the other day, he was not happy. I'm trying to right now, that's a regular season game.

Bench is clear. Yeah. He's going out there. 100%. And he literally had like Guerrero being like, we don't need to change the momentum. No, we're up. This is not the time to grant the fight to the other team.

Are you effing kidding me is what he says? I was going to hit in the head. What the F was that or something of that? You have an answer to that or are you just going to keep looking at? Clement. Kirkie? I'll be totally honest. I don't care.

I was reading something. I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Okay, that's fair. I just watch J's player best resembles the hockey player's mentality. What was the question on the text line? Oh, okay. You said barger? No.

Yeah, barger. Why? Because he looks like Arbor Jack. He's built like a brick, you know what house. Okay, that's fair. I like that. Uh, all right. Jay from Mississa Saga.

What's up, Jay? Is it fantasy for the Leafs to consider acquiring Adrian Kempe? It seems the Kings are changing direction with Kopitar retiring. And Kempe would be an amazing fit with the top six. Your thoughts. I love him. Fantasy, though. Fantasy land.

Just love him. What's the scenario where the Kings who were trying to be competitive in Copatars last year? I can see the Leafs signing him, July. Signing him. Signing him. July. But he's, he's a, he's a UFA. They're not going to, I mean, if they stank, they'd trade them.

13 mil for Kempi? They're not trading them. First of all, it's Kenny Holland. Count in a second. Is must win mode. That's true. True. Good point.

Good point. Kenny's 70 and still a GM in the league. He's not looking at the five-year rebuild. Early returns, but with Frazier Minton playing well for Boston, how bad could the Carlo trade be for the Leafs? And that's from John and Guelph. You know, I know this sort of thing is coming. Carlo is great.

Carlo is, how often you get a 29-year-old 6-5 right-handed D? I read in the Athletic, you might win the Norris. He's a very good immediate defenseman that helped him on a cup run and they have term with them. I just think, Fisherman is going to be the ex-captain of the Bruins. That could be a problem, too, for sure. That's part of the risk. That's a problem that you don't have to worry about today.

I mean, I worry about everything. By the way, if Minton's on the Leafs, he doesn't get on the ice in overtime. I don't think. Like, who, how was he on the ace in OT? It's a good point. It's a good point. But I like, I like to. He's going to be a really good player.

He's a smart player. Great hockey IQ. Yeah. I did like him a lot, like in moments with the Leafs last year. You see it. You definitely see it. Just don't be Patrice Bergeron. Don't, yeah.

Just please, God, don't be Patrice Bergeron. Can't watch him shut down. It can't be too karask again. I can't have it. And the other kid there, the Russian kid there. Grubankin. He's healthy. That one, yeah, he's a work in progress for the Philadelphia Flyers,

but he's got some upside in him. He does. I didn't think he skated well enough. No way. I mean, but I don't, I'm not a scout. I don't compare kids at that age typically, but watching him skate, it's not pretty. But he's competitive and he's funny.

JR and Mississauga. Hey, boys, why were the Leafs not in on Jack Roslovak instead of keeping yarn crock on the team? Rossovick is a right shot and can also center could have been a good fit on the right side with Matthews and nyes I knew it knew as a numbers game but 1.5 it seemed like very doable if they wanted to move off of Yarncrook

Expensive Jimmy Visi going to help I've never been blown away by Jack Rossovic Career high 20 goals I just think I think the Leafs have enough of those guys right now I don't mean that to sound disrespectful you're just searching for a spot and he's a good player and he's talented.

Yeah, I don't know if he'll ever be a legit top six player. No. It doesn't help what you're trying to do here. He's not tough. He's not, I don't know. How many goals did he have last year? Nine. Nine and 60 games.

Rossovic did? Yeah. I think he's going more than that. He's a type of guy that'll play. I thought he had one 20 goal season? Yeah, 22 a few years ago. He'll play four games to the Oilers on the way to the final. Like in the playoffs?

Yeah. Yeah. 1.5 is not bad. This is a non-leased one, but an interesting one and one that I agree with. Hold on, can I just say one more thing? Yes, please. 1.5 for Roslovick is the ultimate

like where we've got room, whatever. Like it should be 1.2 or 1-3. It's like we've got money and you're just like not being careful of your money. It's payday. Like I said yesterday, it's like me at the J-shop after a couple caught waters. Like I might as well give it to him.

We got it to money. I'm not. You know, if you're McDavid, you're like, yeah. Just a reminder, this hour, Real Kipper and Bourne brought to by Bet365. Wayne from Milton, the group lobbying for an Atlanta hockey team. What are they seeing that we aren't regarding the viability of a successful franchise? Great question.

A new location that's never been discovered in Atlanta? I don't know. A population of Greater Atlanta area is 6.5 million people, and that was many years ago. Someone's going to have some very deep pockets to go and pay. what should be, could be $2 billion for expansion and then build a $2 billion stadium. Yeah. You know, by all accounts, stable ownership

and putting the rink in a better place is, the league wants to be in the big metropolis. I got an idea. This is a wild one, a place where it might work. Mark them. Oh, man. I got this wild idea. So it might work there.

So yesterday you showed me this story about the Zamboni driver in Detroit, who's going to court right now. Did you do research on this because I did it? Yeah, yeah. This isn't AI? No, no, I think it's going to court. And listen, I mean, he claims to have had like a weak bladder. So, you know.

You want to do some clarification for the story, Kipper? Yeah, what is it? Me? Yeah, you showed it to me. Yeah, but I didn't, yeah. Well, a Zamboni driver relieved himself in the Zamboni entrance. But it's going to... In the drain.

In the drain. But it's going to court. It's actually going to court. There's a jury of like three women and two men. A jury? Is that why there's all the signs of the subonies that there's ammonia in the area? Have you been called for a jury duty? I have been called for jury.

I've never actually had to do it, but yeah. Have you done it? No. No, but like... Give me a murder mystery. Give me espionage. No, I want to pee down the drain. Give me spying.

Don't give me. Don't give me urination. My number one case would be that man has urinated in that drain for 35 years. Yeah. Oh, listen. We don't know that. It could be justified. He could have a weak bladder.

You don't know. Listen, I wish me to bring that out. Do you know if they're live streaming this? Live stream is that we're doing? You want answers? I think I'm entitled. You want answers. I don't know.

No. We got raccoons and live streams today for you. Raccoons. bite is an electric It's next level. All right, boys, so we're coming back on Tuesday. That's right.

No Monday show. No. Jay's series score on Tuesday when we come back. They'll have played once. Split it. Played twice? They're not too Cobb in Detroit.

And the least will win how many games against Detroit? Also. Split. Split. You know what? Detroit's are going to come really hard at the Leafs Saturday dinner.

They're going to have a push. They're going to be ready because they were embarrassed. Okay, our thanks to Mike Rupp in the first hour, NHL Network. And Gord Stelictricity, who's always fun on the show, and we wish him a speedy recovery off of his little baby raccoon bite. Oh, my God. Thanks, Gordo. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for listening. Have a great weekend. Happy Thanksgiving to all here in Canada. Thank you.