Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Slip vs. Sharks + Discouraging Injury Updates

Episode Date: December 12, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on the Leafs' 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks in overtime. They discuss the concerning trend of blown leads, Oliver Ekman-Larsson's injury, first impressions of the William Nylander-led third line, Auston Matthews' poor backcheck in overtime, and Dennis Hildeby continuing to prove he belongs. Then, they revisit Anthony Stolarz's extension and whether the Leafs moved too quickly in locking him up for four more years. Later, they look ahead to the Leafs' Saturday matchup against the Edmonton Oilers after they swapped Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry. Finally, Nick, Justin and Sam hit the Leafs Line to answer your calls and questions!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Is it Friday already? Really? Sure is. God, time flies. Nick Kiprios, Justin Barnes, Sammy McKee. Jake the snake show Derek Brandeo. It is off the rails Friday.

We're back. Which means we found Doug McLean. He's alive. He is alive. Top of the hour. He's having a good time somewhere. And if that doesn't do it for you,

how about Paul Maurice, head coach of the Florida Panthers is going to join us as well? Sammy's going to be in the national hour. Yeah, great. Sammy, you good with that? Yeah, I mean, you guys like it, so. Awesome.

Well, wherever we find you All over the world We're glad you're joining us Wherever Sportsnet 360 SportsNet 590, the fan in Toronto We're streaming on SportsNet Plus And of course Download us when you can

Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube Nick Kiprios Can we say the YouTube thing yet? No, no, no, never mind. No, no, no. Not say anything, but anything. Okay. Good tease.

Good teas, great teas. I, Nick Caprios, had the pleasure last night of hanging around, maybe one of the hottest celebrities going right now. Sammy McKee at the game last night. Sorry, you couldn't make it. I know you were busy doing the Vancouver Canuck game, but we missed you. And how was the experience at the game?

I tell you what. Showed it to Gibby or guy? It was like hanging out with a beetle. Please. right he's got a recognizable look you know this is my nightmare what was it like you shut up no no no no no no this is

can we get a picture yeah okay oh yeah but didn't even have you take it we don't want you in it no no I didn't even she didn't even ask me if I could take it for she just said I don't want you in she didn't know who we were

no she wanted just you she had like at least 14 beers. She had no idea who either of us was. She was like, what's your name? We had the her in front of us. We had the coach behind us. We had quite a section. Oh, you had someone. We never walked together because Sammy had to stop and take pictures. It was fun. It's okay, Sammy. It's okay. It's okay. You know, I feel like a little bit like the guy that Bill Frankenstein. I think he names Frankenstein, to be honest. But anyway

That's a Frank I created the monster She's so hot right now We had fun Did you watch the hockey game? We did? Did you go to the Shire Club And talk to Gibby and we got to remember

It's Gibby Night in Canada Which means that there's going to be The Drake's room there The Shire Club involved Where At the end of the day I'm like Gibby like get out of this room you're watching it on a TV no bigger than this screen right here in

front of me on my computer that's the ultimate slap in the face to the rest of us let me tell you when you get in there the game becomes secondary it's tough i forgot there was a hot i was like oh yeah we got to go back yeah but then they bring these like tiny little sandwiches oh my god the tiny sandwich right and it's like then then something else is coming out and it's like you love free stuff so a tiny sandwich we were hammering away oh yeah i was you cover sandwiches Sandwiches, my thing. And they were like, oh, we got to do a Leaf Edition show tomorrow. We were good boys.

We were in our seats by the 18-minute mark, second and third period. We were out there right away. You've slandered a lot of people for not being there. That's why I had to run. That's why I had to run. Okay, there was a game last night, which made us race to those seats fairly quickly. And what we saw last night, I think, was a winnable game that turned into a lost point. point, right?

Not a, it should have been two points we felt, hey, Sammy. Did I give you your line? Yeah, yeah. Maple East losses when leading by multiple goals this season, they had five already this year. They had four all season last year. Five this year leads the NHL so far. So we're two months into the NHL season

and at least have blown five multi-goal leads. Yeah. That's not pretty. And that was one of the calling cards of this team last year that if they went into the third period with the lead, the game was essentially over. I don't even remember what the record was last year, but it was, they never lost in that scenario.

And they're losing a lot this year. So that's a lot of points that they've cost themselves. So where's the first finger pointed for you? Is it the blue line? Is it like the goaltending for the most part has been their most reliable position? Was again last night? Can we? What's at fault when you see those stats?

Well, I mean, you don't have Chris Tanna or Brandon Carlo or your two shut down guys along with Jake McCabe. I mean, it hurts not being able to put those guys out and say, shut her down. I think that's certainly a factor. Even if you have OEL at the end of the game, maybe that has something to do with it. But I said this to you before we turned the mics on.

My opinion from last night, nothing has changed on anything. Like, did we learn anything new about this hockey club last night? You know, any thrunt takes? Yes, I do. Willie calls him Thrunder. He did. He was like, I thought Thrunder look good out there. I was like, Thrundrunder is an elite nickname.

I would say that. Thrunder bolt when he scores. Kipper turned to me when we were sitting there. He said, Benoit Thrun, not sure about that. I was like, I could have to go ahead and agree. You know, but like I say my opinion changed on nothing because goaltending is still good, you know, the team Matthews, the same guy's been all year long. The team

looked pretty good, controlled most of the play till they didn't. Few got away. I don't know. What changed for you guys? They got a power play goal. All of Reckman, Larson, pretty much, I don't know what point of the third period he got hurt in. But pretty much from the time he went down until the end of the game, the sharks had the puck way more. And it felt like they had a push right as soon as he got hurt. Felt like the leaves couldn't get out of their own zone for a while.

that was the big change for me there's an argument that OEL's like their best defenseman I don't think there's an art I think it'd be stupid to argue I'm just saying we know Morgan logs a lot of ice time and at the end of the day he still has to be considered their number one defenseman

but OEL's a one two for them you certainly feel better when he's on the ice than any of their other D this year he's been greasy you know getting points he's been very good so the update on OEL do you want to listen to that? Yeah, sure.

Just while we're talking about it. Clip number four, please, Derek. Not bad. Like, you know, it's, I think tomorrow we'll know if, hopefully you can get on the ice and see how it feels. You know, that's what we're hoping. And, you know, we'll go from there. I think Dragger reported today that there was maybe, like,

it was a more positive outlook than they were at once hoping for. Yeah, you could see he looked like high ankle to me. Like they fell on, his guy fell on his left, his gate. Kind of leaned into me a little, but maybe a high ankle for me. For watching him get off the ice and then hobble to the dressing room. Yeah. This guy's like going to try it tomorrow. I'm like, it's short of a miracle for me, just short of a miracle for me if this guy can play.

He seemed like he knew something was wrong. That was one of those like, I'm in trouble. Just let's, yeah. Yeah, just so kind of look on his face, just the sort of. acceptance of something that had happened. I'm surprised to see that it's... It's great news. I mean, I'll give him credit for going back out there

and giving it a try. And I think it says a lot about where their decor's at. Like, if you're going to have him at 60 or 70% that's probably better than any of the other options that they're going to try to fly in there. See, it's too early for me. He's too... You need him too much.

Yeah. To bring him back. No. No, no, no, no. High ankle sprains. He's going to feel this for the rest of the year. I'm telling you he's going to... Well, if it's a high ankle, he wouldn't

be trying it's going to be it's going to be messy from here on end for him so so look at his left so give him some give him some time if it is high ankle we don't know though they didn't he we don't know but if it was high ankle boys he'd be he would not be trying it tomorrow high ankle is they one of the worst could have tweaked his knee yeah yeah maybe that was it yeah so but here's the other thing that kind of bothers me too and not bothers me but is concerning is that like ohel's playing too much he's just again i know you can look at their lineup and see a lot of things that you don't like and we did this with the goalies they're playing too much but oel cannot play 21 22 minutes yeah he is uh fourth on the team in total ice time at almost 21 minutes 2042 playing less

this season than he did last season. It's too much. They were lying. Three mil. What a deal that was. Yeah, I know. But like, on a championship team, he's a four or five. Totally.

On the Maple Leafs, he's a one, two. Yeah. Okay. I just think this is a circumstantial thing. Like, Borny said off the top that the reason that they've probably blown a lot of these leads is because they don't have Chris Tanev and Renan Carlo are supposed to be their two shut down guys. He's thrust into a bigger role because of the injuries. And then... Huge role.

And they're asking a ton of them. They are. And then, you know, you play a lot. You get hurt and you got hurt last night. Okay, let's go to Craig Bruby on third period troubles and what he saw particularly last night. Yeah, third period, we weren't, to me, we didn't come out and dictate how to play the game,

turn pucks over, passive. You know, we didn't finish them off, in my opinion. Didn't finish them off. To me, you got to go score the third goal. You know, you can't just be like, all right, we're going to hang on for 2-0 for 40 minutes against the Celebrini and the crew. So I thought they stopped pushing forward, which is a problem. And to me, that's coachable. And then I think with two minutes left, I don't know if I need Nealander and Joshua and those guys, those two on the ice.

So I thought Willie was a lot more engaged, looked pretty focused. I think if I'm not mistaken, he played his most ice time last night of the year. what a message got uh there's one shift in particular he was all set to there's a offensive zone face off and oh yeah we're laughed yeah we're laughed because he just he went to go line up on the face off which is a really good body language signed to your coach don't change the line yeah and then they changed it on him and he looked real pissed oh yeah i liked it i liked it for no other reason like this guy's ready to play i think that was early too eh sammy first it was a first period Yeah, first period, so it was like, okay, he's ready to go here.

Yeah, their line carried the play. I think their line had like 80% of the- Yeah, they're really good. Yeah, they were in the Ozone lot. But Willie did take, $21.57 last night. Willie did take a little heat, right, late in the game for not getting the puck out. Yeah. Yeah. Being a little soft.

Well, that to me is a coaching thing, and I don't know who you turn to for your, who you think your best defensive forwards are, but we're down to a couple minutes here. Let's just, you know, finish this thing off to use Barubi's words. That puck's got to get out. Yeah. And there's a play right before that where Lorenz went to, you know, we're right behind the night at the best angle. And he shoots it, comes off a stick and, like, oh, that's in the middle of the net.

And I don't know who somebody got a touch on it. And it just, like, just scented off the line. But just like looking right down, it would have ended the game. And, I mean, again, the power play, they get one last night. But then they get a golden opportunity in the third period when somebody hooked, walked, going towards the net. And they get the- Celebrity took a-

Oh, yeah, no, that wasn't the one I was talking about. There was one later in the game. The later one was weak. And they just, you know, there's been so many times this year where we've talked about or their power play. Just go get us one. Just put the game away. It's the sharks.

Like, I know they're having a better year than they're supposed to, but there's so many times last night we're like, holy crap, these guys are a long way away from being any good. There's still the sharks. There's still the sharks. They're not ready. Go out there, snap it around, shoot it in the net, make it 3-1, end the game.

You're supposed to be a great team, and it's just the power play stuff. They get one last night. Congratulations, whatever. but just just infuriating. It's infuriating. Okay, let's just close off on Willie with the head coach, Craig Bruy's comments

on what he saw last night out of Willie Stiles. I've seen him play in a while. You know, he was engaged. When I see him skating and handling the puck and keeping the puck and doing things he did tonight with the puck, I know he was ready to go. There you go. Coach liked him.

So it is very funny all the talk about Willie's on the third line. It's like, what was that mean? nothing it just means he's playing with different guys on a couple occasions i thought like when i played for keenan that i was going really well and then i get shut down yeah and it was frustrating and remember talking to glen healy in back of the bus i'm like god i hate like he's like no no no you did your job he looked at you and said that's i got enough out of you now and your work is basically, right? And I don't know, maybe that's the way

Craig Brewby should look at Willie and say, okay, I got two points out of you tonight. I'm there. I don't have to have you on the ice with a minute and a half to go, not fighting hard enough to get a puck out. Yeah. Is he rewarding him?

Is he, or can he just say, and I know you made the point, okay, if it's not Willie, who it is. I don't know. It's Lawton, it's Lawrence. It's somebody. Matthews, it's nyes. Exactly.

You know, there's some options. But just, I don't know if he felt like he was rewarding him for, you know, but he didn't get the job done. Yeah. And then, you know, I mean, a lot of people, including me, had a little bit of an issue with Austin's back check. And I know it was a minute shift, but he had the horrible turnover, three on three.

I'll say this about the three on three, though. I was just happy someone tried to beat someone after how. how badly it started. It's like if you don't try to beat someone. I booed when Neil Leonard brought the puck back out. I booed. It was like if you all skate slowly, nothing's going to happen.

Someone's got to slash. Someone's got to do something. So I admit, I was like I was happy you tried something, but obviously it didn't work. You know, we've been pretty critical of Matthews on this show, obviously. But I would say that being there alive wouldn't,

it didn't make me feel a whole lot better about the way the captain's moving. around out there. Yeah. Because, you know, I've been to games in years past when he's at his best, and you can't take your eyes off of him, where it's just the dynamic movement and the danger. Like, you know, I don't know if I should say this, but I was thinking to myself last night. What was the conspiracy theory of, uh, of Paul McCartney, like, on the cover of, oh, the cover

of, uh, Abbey Road, but he's, like, wearing bare feet. And they, like, the theory was that they replaced Paul McCartney with his brother. Like, did they relieve the real Austin and German? And this is Chris Austin, his brother playing, like his twin brother playing. It's just, it's not the same guy. I know he shoots one in, whatever. It's a wide open that. He taps in.

He gets a goal. It's just, it's insane how much different he is as a hockey player. Like, it is, the fall off is unbelievable, boys. And I get, I get that, you know, again, he might be a little winded, but the back check. He's got a piano on his back. He just can't skate. And he stopped skating. he actually stopped skating once he's over the blue line

and if he would have just kept his feet moving he would have been there when Wenberg was there he would have had a better chance to tie the race to the puck and that part of that dynamic part of his game to Sammy's point is just not there I got two things on this you're that's not the way we've seen him back check in the past when we were talking about

what a great 200 foot point 200 foot guy he is Yeah The two things are that It's a bad clip in particular because he is at the end of a minute shift So I'm going to give him a tiny bit of this However the other

The part two is you're right You still keep skating Even if you're tired you skate slowly You keep your feet moving Push the feet a little bit Yeah you just keep making At least for PR Yeah literally just for the visual

So you don't end up not moving your feet as they tap the puck in the net. So there's that. Then there's the other thing, which is Sammy's point and he's going, you know, that he looks different or whatever. It does feel like we're at the start of these,

like, what could have been stories for the Leafs when Matthews was X, because now Matthews is Y. You know? I mean, you're watching old clips trickle into your Twitter feed. It's like, oh, my God.

You know, like back when he, because he's on pace for 70 points or so. I don't even think that high. Is it, yeah, 30 goals and 768 points or something? I don't know what it would be. 58? No.

Is it that low? Geez. But either way, the point stands, right? It's like he's playing in the games, so he's not too hurt, but what is it? What's the reason that it's, anyway, we beat it to death. Yeah, he's on pay. He's got 13 goals in 25 games, 21 points and 25 games. He's on pace for 40 goals and 65 points.

Yeah. 40 goals pretty good. It's awesome. But, like, you know, when you've had the finest steak from Barbarian, then you go to Sobies and you buy a, you know, a cut for 10 bucks. Well, said. It's not quite as good. You're like, if I had just had this, I would think it's good.

But unfortunately, I had the other thing first. And when I'm paying Barbarian prices for the Sobi steak, I'm not quite as satisfied with it. ESPN's projections have them at 68 games, 36 goals, 22 assists, 57 points. So Elite Prospects has him at 77 games. So that would be assuming he never missed another game. So if he plays the rest of the season, he's got 40, 25, 65. That's pro-rated if he can't miss five games out of every 30 or whatever.

Yeah. Blown away by Hildaby. Yeah. Hildaby live is, he's massive. That guy is a massive, massive, massive human. He's moving around well, making me feel unreasonable. I want to say unreasonable things about him. like I'm really like I'm really yeah he's very confident he's pushing out into the play now he

yeah he looks great I just you know um when you hear the latest stole our stuff you're like yeah they're gonna need this guy last year last year there was a lot of talk about hilda be as well coming along and there's a lot of talk even around the league that this is the one place where the leafs look really solid here and this was when obviously stolars was still going and Joseph Wall still had that trajectory where we were like yeah, is he the number one goalie? Well, no,

Stolars is, no Wall is, Stolars but I just, I don't get the four-year deal for Stolars. I don't, I never got it. I've always said to you guys like

I get it. He was still he was still on a last year of his deal so like sorry he still had a this year left of his old deal right why did you need to race to sign him to a four year deal my whole point in all of this is with with hilda be coming on so strong here you could have had a little a different look different options moving forward here on who stays who goes I'll give you a full backing on the you had another year you didn't have to do it necessarily i i guess the defense of it would be that the year before he was uh what was the state percentage he's

unbelievable the year before i don't mean with the leaf still even before so he's a 925 in 27 games with florida the next year at the leafs in 34 games he's a 9 26 so the idea i think is that if he comes in this year and they play him 40 some games and he's a 9 whatever okay It's going to cost you $8 million. Not a chance, $8 million. He would be one of the best goalies. No, no. If this year he was a top goal in the league.

Five, $4,8, $4755. If he was one of the best goals in like three years in a row? One of the best. I mean, what is the best mean? Well, was you not last year? Okay. But at least, even if it's somewhere in the middle between my five or your eight, It means, it means we're sitting at the top of the Atlantic division.

It means he's shown he can be healthy. He's shown he can be great. Exactly, all of it, including that you're not going to poop the bed in the first round either. Yeah. And I would have kept you hungry. I would have kept you pushing. Yeah. I don't know what's going on with him.

No idea, right? But. The natural. reaction for any athlete would be I got a better chance of playing at 75 or 80% without a contract than I do with a four-year $15 million

contract. I just think if they would have just waited it out and come to the conclusion that even if we had to pay him a little bit more but I'll get proof. I'll get information on your durability,

predictability, dependability, and now I got nothing. I've got nothing. You know what I have? A $15 million anchor around my neck. That's what I have right now. But here's, I think if I'm tree and I hear you saying that, I go, you know what a good backup goalie in the NHL costs?

About $3 million. And this guy, if he can give me 30 games, we got Hildeby's, you tell him he's going to be this new superstar, great. We'll have Hildeby and. But I don't have him. I have him gone, disappeared. He can be a backup at his salary. Stolar's salary, if he gives you 25 games, 30 games, backup numbers,

he's making backup money, and you know he's very good. So I think it's like the worst case scenario is you have a good backup at 3.25 million in the mind of the elite. I need to trade one. I can't trade Stolars right now. If he would have just been on the last year of his deal and I could have brought him back healthy for two months, somebody might have taken a chance on him in March. but I don't know I don't know if anybody

trading Stolars because he'll be so good Who's going to take Stolars Even if Stolars comes back And is this really I think so If I was the Oilers I'd be like I'll take Stolars

Well we'll get into the oiler I disagree there though Like if Stolars came back And was good this year But I mean People are asking him at practice today If he's done for the year

Like that's what happened But the thing is It's like if he came back Kip I don't know when in March and we're posted a 920? You can trade him in the offseason 100%. Come on.

I think you can, Sam, but it's a lot harder with a four-year deal in $15 million. Listen, I'll acknowledge that. I'm just saying. I think someone would take him. I also think it speaks to what the Stolars Camp thought of his prospects that they were saying, yeah, we have another year left, but we're going to do four years at $3 million. That they didn't think that he could come in and play 50 games in, the type of numbers i'm throwing around like a fool yeah but no you like i mean you to your credit

kip you did say this at the start you said bet on your the bet make him bet on himself make him bet on yourself and at least push him and i think i don't know let's know maybe you just be hurt still anyways so let let's hear what craig bruby has to say clip nine on stolars is there serious concern his season could be in jeopardy uh i wouldn't go there um but but, you know, he's not going to be on the ice anytime soon. Just tell us, please. I wouldn't go there, but I also wouldn't not go there. Can you just please tell us?

So it's a concoit. If it's a concussion, if it's a concussion, nothing. Nothing changes for them. But for us, at least people stop asking questions. So, well, these things are mercurial. We don't know. We don't know. Anybody else find it really strange that we don't find about Carlo,

who had surgery December 3rd until today, really? Yeah, I was like, oh yeah, he did have surgery eight days ago. Isn't it? What? Most teams can go. He's scheduled for surgery before it happens. Did you see the headman release today?

Yes, elbow surgery. Victor Headman, surgery, elbow, out until November, February. Yes, he's going to play in the Olympics when he comes back. Why is this so easy for them? And it's so difficult for the Maple Leafs. It's an organizational thing. They just don't want to do it. They don't want to tell us.

The headman one's crazy, though. They're like, don't even ask him with the Olympics. He's going when he's back. I mean, it feels like we're all doing all negative stuff. But, I mean, the TANV thing today, there's another update on TANN. All right. Let's listen to it. Craig Brubees.

Clip six. Yeah, Tanny got his imaging and all that. And he's getting a second opinion, which we'll get here soon, hopefully. And then we'll go. from there what the decision will be what do they say about second opinions what i mean yeah you didn't like the first one yeah good to get second opinions smart doesn't usually mean there's some people out there that's still optimistic that this season won't be lost in the case that he needs surgery or i don't think surgery would be season ending right so

But the coach yesterday. Or he can hopefully, I think, don't overread the second opinion. Okay. Second opinions don't necessarily come just because you don't like the first opinion. Okay. Guys today, no matter what, like to hear a lot of opinions. You're supposed to measure twice, cut once, I believe, is an old carpentry rule and goes for your... It's fine as well.

So the days of just, the days of just dealing with your team's head physician or orthopedic surgeon or whatever are over. These guys like reassurance and then more reassurance. I know, God, we have so much to get to. I know, I want to talk about Marshall Refai because I'm hearing his name and he's going to, he's supposed he's back. He's a healthy one. He was hurt, right?

Yeah, I'm not sure if he's quite back. Okay, let's hear the coach then. Sure. Yeah, it's a clip about him. It's a minute long. Yeah, no, he's getting, yes, very, he's going, he's doing well. Playing when he gets ready to play is, I don't know yet. When he was in training camp, where was he in the mix in your eyes?

Refai? He's always in the mix since I've been here, like as a guy that, you know, can give you games and be ready to play. You know, the guy like him, he gets in there and plays some games and gains confidence. You know, who knows? He's got a lot of ability. He can skate. You know, he's a physical player.

But, yeah, I mean, you look at all the injuries we got on the back end right now. I mean, you know, those guys are important, right? We all know that. We see that now, how important these guys are, because they have. happened and you know he could be playing how many games you think why was that important to hear so you wanted to play it yeah i do want to play it so a couple things on it one is that at least legitimately do have going into the year had like 10d that like could play in the nchel at least which is good 10 six or seven d yes they had like oh it's no good well okay it's no good we need three

we don't need 10 okay well they had enough that they could survive this injury, just put in the next 7th E. But I remember watching Refai preseason last year, next year being like, this kid, like this kid, he's big, physical, okay, they got something here. Saw tweets about him today. Someone was like, I like this kid, whatever. All right, I'm going to go look up to his stats today.

27 years old. He's played one game in the NHL. He's played two. Two games of leaves. I was like, 27? He's plus one. When did that happen? Plus one.

I thought this kid was one of their, yeah. Well, he's a little green, but he's over the hill. Yeah. Take a look. There's a lot of guys breaking into the league now at 27 to 30, 31. I like the player. They need it. They just need it.

They just need people who can put on a jersey and play. I hope he's awesome. We call him lightning. Lightning and Thrunder can play that one of the weather out there. Oh, that's another boo for him. Lots of boo. What else is that? I want to bring up something else, but I forgot because of that.

drilling refi clip that we played um you know do oiler stuff boys yeah that's what i want to bring out thanks yeah i mean we're gonna do it in the nchl hour yeah but it'll we got joseph wickland he'll hog the whole thing we won't even get a word in joseph wall he practiced today and not playing tomorrow night he's not not playing tomorrow night but is double a yeah no but a chance i think for the next game they play tuesday i think against chicago next yeah so i think maybe there's a chance for that. So that was what the clip was on him. Tough game. Oilers. But Oilers, now they got Jari, probably an energized group.

It'll be a tough game. Without your top defensemen. Well, they're going... Edmonton's better with Zach Hyman. It's just... Right? They're just... They're tougher. They got R&H back. They got Heimann back. They're way better. I'm not thrilled for the

Tristan Jari. For them. I don't feel like we should do this. Why not? You don't want to do it yet? You just want to do it again. Well, I mean, we're going to talk to Doug so but yeah we can we can we'll get Doug's comments and i don't it's easier to do it now okay massive win for Pittsburgh first off agreed like you got two goaltenders that are kind of mid no it's yes perfect drop kyle dubis did very well i mean goalies are kind of interchangeable you're selling it to crosbie everything's great and you go you add breck coolac who actually

pretty good defenseman you get a second rounder you get that salary off the books. It's good in every direction. Skinner's been to two cup finals in a row. Say what you want about his performance there. He's got experience. He's 27. He's big.

Both guys, you could flip for picks at the deadline if you want to. Again, Kulak and Skinner, you could probably click somewhere else. Absolutely. They're on. Oh, wow. Look, we should send Dubas to play. Oh, no, no. GM of the year.

GM of the minute. Our little boys growing up. But from the Oilers perspective, I'll just say, they have. to do something. It's someone else and the else that they got. I hate that. Well, hold on.

The someone else they got has a higher save percentage than the guy who went out over his careers. A 9-11 career saved percentage in Jari. So I get that you have to do something. But when it's to the point where you're just, you're okay with it, but you're not feeling great about it. You want it to be Bennington bad. It should have been Bennington.

It should have been. 100% It should have been Bennington This is such a half measure I think Jari might not have 10 playoff games He's 30

He's never won around Yeah Okay how do you go from Stanley Cup finals to a guy who's never won around Listen I think it's They just traded Stu Skinner

For more expensive Stu Skinner Like I just I think they're so similar Like Jari has a bit better pedigree I guess but like oh he definitely does but skinner's been in the minors last year but it's a 908 for wilkesbury yeah what's your point that he played for wilksbury he was on the moxbury skinner was playing in the literal family cup final sent him to the miners yeah sure did i i just he has saved percentages in the years before that guy he's a 909 919 909 929 929 9201 like he's not a hobbo he

hit a bad stretch of hockey goalies are weird i think the biggest argument that you can make and the one that Kipper hates is it's not maybe better, but it's certainly different. It's a different energy. It's a new guy. It's something for the team to rally around. Like it's, they're taking a shot. I get Bennington his having a horrible season. Rancid.

Like the worst goal in the league. Like minors for him now. Yeah. Not actually. No. But at least I can look people in the eye and say that this guy has risen to occasions. Yeah. Delivers.

And he's completely. Petitive as hell And I like my chances When he stares at 97 and 29 In the dressing room To To play

You're preaching to the choir I'll tell you this Kipp's right Yeah, I know Extremely right Yeah, totally agree And if I'm gonna lose I'm gonna lose with a guy

That I know has been a winner before You say you won the Four Nations Like a minute ago It hasn't exploded as a goal And I'm gonna go to Tristan Jari And say hey buddy do something you've never done before. No pressure, Tristan.

And do it soon. We need you to pick up Connor McDavid and Leon Drysettle. They need help. Can you do it, Guy, who's never done it? He's like, no problem. No pressure. I mean... By the way, one thing I do like,

Edmonton guy, Jari. He lives there in the summers. And he played for the Oil Kings. Yeah. So, like, he loves the area from the area. I think he'll be welcomed by the community. But so is do Skinner. I'm really hoping that the leads just shoot six past them tomorrow.

You can strike lightning here. Maybe it's, it works out. Before we go to break, who wants to win a bunch of cash we'll doing the best thing this holiday season? Sports 5-9 to the fan is all in supporting the 50-50 fortune for sick kids. It's a 50-50, so the more money we raise, the more kids we can help, and the more holiday cash you can win. The current take-home prize,

as I quickly pull up the 50-50 fortune.ca is over $427,000, boys. Buy your tickets to 50-50 fortune.ca or text the word money to 59590 and we'll send the link right to your phone 18 plus please play responsibly standard message and data rates may apply lottery license raf 151 8410 doing it right now literally yeah that's a good that's it might be time to maybe time to throw a couple bucks that changed i mean i bought i bought 20 bucks worth the jays care one at game seven i was like this is my ticket to joy and freedom i hate the 50 50 they don't do it every game why just give it to someone It was literally $20 million.

Yeah, well, give 20 people $1 million. It would be a lot more happy. I personally love our 50-50. I personally love it. Yeah. You know what's happening now? What's that? We should go.

You spend money at the dome. But when you go to leave games now, you don't reach into your pocket at all now. What do you mean? I mean, why would I? You're taking me to all the place I don't have to. Oh, did Sammy ride the coattels last. Oh, yeah. Whatever was like, hey, want a beer, want a beer, want a beer.

650 the subway there and back I refuse to pay for his subway This guy's forcing me to eat in the alumni He's got to eat you got to eat I'm like I don't want to eat He's like eat eat so it's not all right We'll take a quick break when we return We go back to our Sammy's leaf line On this Friday

Also get ready Doug McLean he's back in our national hour Paul Maurice head coach of the Florida Panthers as well. Plenty more. Don't go away. It's a real Kipperman Borne show. Hey, it's Aylish Forafar. And I'm Justin Cuthbert. Join us as we discuss the most important sports stories of the day and tee up the biggest games of the night. It's the fan free game. 6 p.m. weekdays on Sportsnet, Sportsnet 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcast.

We're back. Nick Kipperyl's Justin Boren, Sam and McKee. What was I paying attention? Oh, Sam just said the phrase. I should have been a lawyer. Was that an option for you? I knew. You got to read. I got to read at a sixth grade level to do that.

Buddy, you got to, like, you got to do one of these. Listen, I can't even type a lineup. You can't even type up something. What are you going to do? You can't type a lineup up. Literally lawyering is like fine trim work. We're not going to type the bar. Buddy, I'm telling you right now, if it was between you and disco, Dan, who needed to get me off murder?

I go with Disco Dan. All I know is I've heard Sam's pretty effective at the bar. Yeah. Oh, hi-oh. Let's start with Jack's dad in Guelph. Hey, Sam. This is Gap from Guelph's father. He just wanted you to know that his name's actually Jack.

He really liked that you guys play his message. Thanks for that. Or the kid. And I just wanted to touch up your discussion the other day on suspensions for the leaves and related conspiracies. You know, I know you were. side and conspiracy side. Kipper was saying there's just a lot of eyes on Toronto.

But the truth is it's kind of somewhere in the middle. And it's not so much the suspensions. It's the officiating in the big games. And I think that the reps are afraid to be seen to be favoring Toronto and that tends to lead

to those types of calls against us. It's something my brothers and I have deemed to be the anti-biased bias against the Leafs. And feel free to use that term. moving forward because i think we're going to see it again this spring all right man have a good one bye thanks totally agree on the do you remember gap from golf the kid that called and said they can't trade away the it was the is anyone obviously wasn't gap another reason why i cannot be a lawyer

it was impossible to make it out i'm sorry jack jack you back i can't find it quickly enough but i believe the leaps get the least power plays in the league over the last like five 10 years They want to be seen as favoring. I think they're the eight least penalized. Or maybe over since, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. But I feel like they're low. They're low. They don't get a lot of power play.

I love that theory. Kipper? Here's my solution to all of this. Just have a better team. Okay. Have a better team. Leaves have sucked for 10 years. Be better.

And you'll overcome all of this. Just be better, Sammy. Just be the Florida Panthers. Get every call. Yeah. be the Florida pants. And then we won't have to listen to you wine. Just suplex Matthew Nyes and take him out and get no suspension.

Until that happens. Knock a goalie's head off. Good to go. Let's go to Tom from Oshawa. Question for you hypothetically. If 34 dominates at the Olympics and wins silver, not gold, would you go to him and ask him if he wants out and pick some teams? Would you trade him prior to the deadline while you have a chance?

Second question real quick. Sammy, rounded Augustine National where you get to play the course or Leifes make the cup final. Sophie's choice. Love you, boys. Merry Christmas. First off, what does the Olympics and silver medal

have anything to do with Matthews and trading them? Not sure, Tom, but I still like it. He's protecting Sammy. Yes. The silver medal. Oh, okay. I don't know. But let's say it's the gold medal.

Then you definitely trade him. If he beats Canada and has a big moment, it's irrelevant. So does there, silver, you trade them? The colors are irrelevant. If he beats Canada in any big game. It's just the question he's asking. Should you trade him?

Okay. No. I think the chance for him to bounce back and be extremely good player in the league versus finding it elsewhere are very slim. I think it's probably too early to have this conversation. Or too late. This summer he's going to be two years away from a contract.

And I don't know if it's a scenario where it plays out like, Connor McDavid's where he signs another year or two or he wants out like Marner did or the Leafs want to sign him to an eight-year deal. I think it's his his drop-off has opened all of that up to be visited sometime in the near future, just not Olympic near. I think the other question, very important question.

What was it again? Would you rather play around at Augusta National or see the Leafs play in the couple? final and this there's one answer that you should select so if the answer was if the questions were win the cup or play at a national i'm taking the cup 10 times it 10 but playing the final doesn't guarantee anything so i'll see it the first tee baby yeah that's the answer i mean i'll see it the first t i'll be at amen corner about two and a half hours how quick it's the equivalent to the play at the plate oh jeez

You say that's the Leafs, how the Leafs are going to lose? Is that hitting the post in overtime in Game 7? It's got to be closer than that. It has to be a goal called back in overtime. A puck being pulled off the goal line? Yeah, maybe. Like that's across the line but doesn't fully cross. Yeah.

All Gibby wanted to talk about last night. Oh, I KF, this. I'm like, Gibby, please. You're killing me, man. But there is a question that's related to this question, which I think is very good. Would you rather play Augusta National? Yeah.

Or have Tiger Woods come play with you at your local course? Augusta National. Boy, play around with Tiger. At Lakeview, it would be pretty cool. It'd be pretty old time. You know what? I'm taking Augustine National. I'm taking Augusta, too.

I am too. I'm just, there are stories out there, and I don't know Tiger. You could ask. You could. You play with Rafael on the doll. You almost did. You could 100% get on in Augusta National. I believe it fully.

If he could get on, you don't think he'd have been there? I think he could get on if you really push. You got enough guys at high places. Come on, brother. Come on. I don't want to work that hard. Oh, yeah. Let's go to evolve.

I will get on there before I'm dead. That's my mission, for sure. My only thing on my luck is very short. Okay, hold on, before we go back, I'm going to ask you a question here. I'm going to do our own mailbag. Okay, it's the same similar question that we had, but I'll turn it on you. if Austin Matthews goes to the Olympics and lights it up and looks every bit

apart of 50 or 60 goals How pissed off would you be? Oh my God, I've said this 100 times The most pissed off would drive me insane I would be so mad Well, so the implication you're making is that he's not trying right now I don't know No, I'm not making any implications

You think he's not trying No, no It's the implication lazy, it's the implication I'm not saying any of that And maybe it has to do with You know, he needs better players around him I don't know.

It's not, it's, why? Well, because he's slower and he didn't shoot at his heart. This present. This president, look, he's had Nick Robertson. He's like, come on, guys. Come on. Kip, he can't move like he used to move. He doesn't shoot it as hard as he used to shoot it.

I'm not saying that that's not the case either. And I've noticed that, trust me, and I've pointed it out a lot. We know. But is there a chance, is there a chance that he can go to the Olympics and look way better? Definitely. I mean, if he's playing on a line with, you know, I don't know who and who, but yeah. Would you have him with? Oh, man, I had him on a load of Matt Boldie and.

Yeah. There's a chance. Yeah, there's a chance he looks good with those guys. Who do you play with the Four Nations? I can't even remember. All right. Let's go to a classic. Let's go to Yvonne and Edmonton.

Hi, Sammy. My dear, it's Yvonne from Edmonton. Just want to wish Kipper born in yourself a happy new year in America. Merry Christmas. Anyway, I know I'm calling during the lease line, but anyway, do you think we got to get rid of Skinner? Like, he sucks. Anyways, my poor orders aren't doing very good. But congrats on your lease are getting up there, but hopefully we can too.

And, yeah, that's just my main concern. Do you think we got to get rid of Skinner? Let me know. Thanks, guys. Take care. Bye. Yvonne got a wish I love that

Derek please he socks as a drop please thank you let's sneak in Marlina from the Niagara region She's not on Marlina from Niagara region Sorry Derek

And this message is for Kipper Even though Sammy's my favorite You always say that This is Sammy's Toronto Maple Leafs What is your favorite team, Kipper? Yeah, Kippur. And go, Leaves, go. Yeah, Kippur, what's your favorite?

I did grow up a Leaf fan. Yeah. A Daryl Sittler fan, a Mike Palmetier fan, a Borya Salmi fan. So they are my team. I just don't have as much ownership as a guy like Sammy does. That's interesting to say you don't have as much ownership that you played for them. You know, like you would think, but you've seen how the sausage is. made.

Yeah, a few games. I wish I played longer. I wish I stayed healthier. I broke my leg. I suffered a concussion. But, listen, still putting on that uniform, one of the greatest moments of my life. You know,

you know, like I didn't play NHL games, but I did play an exhibition game and I got to put the Islanders jerks on, which is really the only thing I needed to do to feel like, all right, I made it a lot farther than I planned. I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

My first game in Dallas. I kept looking down and seeing the crest. I'm like, did my mom just buy this from Eaton's? Yeah. It's from the Sears catalog? Sears Catalog? Consumers distributing. The old eat from the old byway.

I don't think we have time for anymore. Right? Yeah. Just staring at this crest and playing my Atari. I can't. Yeah, I was through John Doe from Parts Unknown. Hey, guys. Love your show.

I have a little trivia complaint about Craig Baroovie. I don't know the trivia part. How come he always. calls the goalie, the goalie. He never calls them by name. That kind of bugs me, and I'm wondering how you guys feel about that. Like a guy who always refers to his wife as the wife? It's like a dismissive.

I think it's just the goalie. I mean, he's the goalie. That's what he is. He is the goalie, and the goalie was good. It's very Canadian. I have no problem with it. Cooper does it too. Cooper's called Vassie goalie for 10 years.

He always calls it. What was the caller? John. John Doe from Parts. John Doe. Have you seen the size of Craig Bruby's hands? They're like his feet, but he can say whatever he wants. Not too worried about hurting feelings

out there. All right, good stuff, boys. All right. Swarming up. Yeah. We go off the rails next. Doug McLean right back at you on this Friday. And Paul Maurice, head coach

of the Florida Panthers, All coming up next as we go National.