Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Snapping the Slump in Style

Episode Date: January 17, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on the Leafs' 4-3 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils to snap their 3-game losing streak. They get into the Leafs 'out-Keefe-ing' Sheldon Keefe, Auston Matthews' regaining his scoring touch, the power play finding a way, Morgan Rielly's waning confidence, William Nylander's effort inconsistencies and more. Later, they answer your calls on the Leafs Line!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.

Alright, here we go. It's Friday, which means I can go a little off the rails. You know why? We got Doug McLean back. I don't know where he's been, what he's been up to. He cheated on us. He's been on other podcasts without our written permission. But we got him back today.

His contract with us sucks. It really sucks. He's got a bad deal. Oh, it's the worst. Top of the hour. You're not going to want to miss it. Doug McLean back. In the meantime, you get the three of us for our leaf hour edition on the real kipper and

born show we are live on sports at 590 the fan sports at 360 and sports net plus Sammy McKee Justin born Austin Mackie you know how I know it's awesome sure I got a 60 second warning that the show is about to begin. What a pro. What a pro. And Jake the Snake shows, all right. You wanted this three game losing streak over, Sammy. So you got it last night. Willie Nylander, what's the big deal? Puts the game away with his overtime goal And the neil and areist outcome possible Sheldon kief

Doesn't get it done Didn't get a win against the Leafs. So how where is that measured in? Letting the air out of the balloon a little bit for you Sammy in terms of what the pressure the The weight of a three game losing streak. I got to tell you, it felt good. Needed that. For myself, for Leaf fans, for people that are in the organization. I don't know, like those two goals by Austin Matthews in the third period in a January

game felt big. I can't really put it any other way. Like it just, you know, you lose four in a row, heading onto hockey day in Canada, heading into Montreal to play the Habs. Red Hot Hubs. Eight, one and one in their last 10 games. They're feeling some kind of way. That last thing was a big win and their stars delivered,

but yeah, I'm feeling pretty good. Yeah. Happy they won. And on top of that, like a fun hockey game to watch. Kip, you and I did some games this year on the regional broadcasts, Philly, Philly, Islanders, Islanders. They saved the best one for you. Whoa, buddy. Where it was like taking a hair dryer to the eyeballs.

Just ugly. Yeah, nothing happened. Just ugly. Some things happened. So that was a really good start. And then, you know, Austin Matthews look great, you know, and I just thought they skated and pursued pucks in a way that was fun to watch. Nick Robertson I thought was a hound. Like they skated well last night.

It was good to see. Good answer. Can I, before we get even further into this least conversation, just remind people that it's the least line today. And if you're listening now, like it'd be a very, very late edition, but we do it every Friday. So I just want to make sure you want to call in now you could potentially it's very late I've got all my list here of all the ones I've listened to but it's gonna be good if it's got a good

But there's a life you're watching on on sports center you and sports that plus Four one six four one three four one four four Four four one four one and there you go So there you go if you want to call in before we get into this, let her know. And the whole idea is that it's your message. You're not leaving us a message and then we're gonna like read your message out.

It's your voice, it's your energy, it's your personality that will make it to air on our show. Let's drive the bus today. There we go. All right, let's go to our first Kippers Clipper on our Off the Rails Friday. Craig, what do you think about tonight? I thought we battled hard all game. You know, that's that was the biggest thing for me. Our battle or second and third effort in all zones. Yeah, and and that was evident. Like I said, I really liked the way the guys tracked Pucks.

I thought New Jersey trying to break Pucks out just had a hard time. What are you smiling about? You didn't like it. I saw your text, you didn't like it that much. Two points, it's over. I'll tell you what kind of surprised me that after the game, the way I felt about their win

in overtime, it felt a lot like a Sheldon Keefe hockey game. It felt like the Leafs beat Sheldon Keefe with his own type of hockey. It felt like what I've been watching the last couple of years where it's, they're going but they make these mistakes. There's a few odd man rushes. The first goal was atrocious. And it was like, that's the Leafs that I saw in the years past where you just shake your head and go, what was that?

And then as the game progressed, the Leafs find a way to get into it and they find a way to outscore their mistakes and they're never out of the game because you've got three guys out there, but Matthews, Marner and Nylander to find a way to get it done. That's the way they put a hundred points together the last three or four years. But we have been saying that that has been absent and they've been needing some of that. Like you want to have the elements that Ruby's building into the system with still having that with keeping this and they hadn't had it. No, but like.

Look at the first goal. It was atrocious. That's a bad goal. We never saw that bad goal for 42 games. We didn't. They were good. They were tight. But I mean, they haven't been good. They haven't been good for 20 years.

Do they need to go back to more of that where they just go, okay, throw it up the boards and don't worry about it, we'll just find a way to score at the end? You gotta find the balance. That's what they're working on here, is they're adjusting this dial. Last night, ozone possession time, New Jersey had it in their end for 429,

Leafs had it in the other end for 829. So almost double in terms of ozone possession. They had the puck for a night and that to me was like I Know what you're saying? Yeah that you don't want to be the team That's on the wrong end of the turnover scoring chance battle, which it felt like maybe they were but it was an inspired Effort back half of the seat back half of the game not the front half of your game Yeah, why does it take one of these four guys being out for them to really look great sometimes? When Matthews is out, they look like they're more involved, everybody's playing great,

everyone's getting more ice time except for the fourth line didn't get it done last night, but the third line's contributing. You know why? People are coming up and down the lineup. I don't know, maybe less put to share. I don't know. It's just they look so much more, inspired isn't the right word, but they look so much more like I Don't know a team. I don't know how to explain it, but they look better

Sometimes and a lot of time with their record first the guys in the route They look better when one of these guys is out and Tobar's goes out and these three guys have their best game that they've had In quite some time with Matthews Marner and Nylander, so I don't know. It's an inexplicable one for me. They they love being the go-to guys, right? They love to get their moments get their area and then go make their play. That's how Austin put together 69 goals Right and that's people though He looked he looked the same way last night when he was scoring 69 goals. Give him a little bit of room and he'll find a way to take four or five steps towards the

net and shoot it in. That's him at his best. But for Matthews, it's other stuff right now too. He's skating better. So I'm like, I actually wrote today about Riley, Matthews and Woll. And Matthews, I think it's some of the other stuff that's encouraging, but I watched all his goals so far this season.

Those are the only two, the last two, against Dallas and Jersey that he's caught the puck, shot a rare shot, and beat a goal like clean. So I'm encouraged, the shot seems to be coming back, the pursuit of the puck, blocking shots again. All right, let's go to Craig Brewby on Austin Matthews and follow up what his thoughts are with from yours, JB. He led the way, you know, I thought that he was dialed in, he was working, shooting, attacking,

doing a lot of good things, you know, and, you know, we need that from our leader. Yeah, he was a a better performance there. Yeah, it just it's nice to see because we're having the conversations Like we're having ltir conversations for a month and a half here And I found it interesting is like closing remark on that short sentence from our leader Yeah, I don't think he's done a very good job of leading so far when we have seen him. I think that's a bit of a reminder. You are our leader. That's what you need to do. That's what's expected out of you.

Yeah, maybe that could be, you know, it's, like I said, the puck pursuit and the other stuff can always be there. You're not going to shoot it in twice every night. But if the other stuff is there, he's as effective a player as it out there Power play any better for you. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Okay coming around a little bit. I think Clearly get it up to the top get let Mitch Marner look east-west Just seems like they had more control of it. There's a lot more purpose in it. Why don't we go clip two here on the power play.

The power play, which has struggled. You draw a penalty and get a power play. Power play in the last 10 games is 23%. It's not struggling. I get what you're saying. It's struggled at times in games where we have two or three power, we're looking at Vancouver where it struggled. You know, but I get it. Go ahead. Sorry. Oh, it's okay

I understand what you're saying as well But to drop and get one Yeah, no, it was huge huge goal and again. And again, you know, power plays, there's plays, I get it, but it's getting into the net with numbers around the net. They scored a goal the same way, you know? You gotta shoot pucks, you gotta have numbers around the net.

It doesn't have to be complicated. Okay. Our boy Lance Hornby from, I think it's the Toronto Sun, I think he's with. Yeah, got under his skin a little bit there. No, it was great, the full retreat on that, which I don't blame Lance one bit. It's like, yep, yep, yep.

He's trying to defend a little bit, Mark Suvart too, right? Right. He, there's no way they're not, they don't know the conversation around this, and it's every day, and it's every question, and they just, he's clinging to that at 23%. I know, I know, and it's every day and it's every question and they just, he's clinging to that at 23%. It's what he thinks.

I know, I know and it's like, someone really should say it's not the 23%, it's the 77 that looks like your guys have been wearing blindfolds. Exactly. Okay, that's what it is. I'm not gonna make Lance Hornby say that to Greg Barube. Okay, how do you feel about the 77% when you're not at 23%? Yeah, it's not it's like

So they're 20% on the year 20.8% on the season 18th in the NHL Yeah, it felt a little if I may Felt a little Sheldon Keefe where we used to say that it's like yeah You know that we did get respect in the handshake line sort of thing where it's like Let's actually you know give ourselves some credit here. I think a lot of that has to do with just being in Toronto. And when there's these certain beats of a season that are talked about amongst media and fans,

and you get asked about it every single day, and you talk about it, you're bound to get defensive about it. Like, there's no way, there's no way you're human nature. You're not gonna start to get defensive, right? And he looked up the 10 game stat, he's sticking to that game, that game 10 stat and he's going with it. That's how I work as a writer too. You find a convenience sample size and off you go. 10 games it is. Bobby McMahon made big fan, you know that. Yeah.

He's a guy that is a lot more realistic from going from the third line to the front line to being a Powerplay guy. I know I got killed that I made a suggestion last year that someone should offer sheet this guy, but I think. Who, Holmberg? No, it was a Holmberg one that was in Ohio. No, McMahon too. You didn't say McMahon. No, you didn't say should offer sheet this guy put I homework I know it was a Holmberg one oh man too and oh you didn't say my man offer sheet did you I think it's the Holmberg one you know no no no no man I told them you're an idiot for signing a 1.2 million dollar that there's

you have been which proven right the value of him if he was now going into ufa this year if he somehow would have signed a one-year deal Give him four by four. Oh my god all day long Oh, no, somebody would he's up pace for Single like every portion of the season he misses 15 games take the money, but he missed seven He misses 15 games take the money, but he missed seven years ago He's closer. He is closer to being like a three million dollar player than he is a one point two million dollar player Okay, okay. All right, but regardless you play my point in all of this was I really liked them Yeah, and the Leafs stole them which is good for them, right? Good for Lee fans Okay, let we'll do the clip and then let's talk who I can't believe we haven't talked

Well, yeah, so let's do McMahon clip three. Oh, I you know with Bobby He's he's been a good player for this year score, you know scoring some goals and things like that. So The idea that is I wanted a big guy in that bumper just for net presence and things like that with nice With kind of how our power plays set up. I want two big guys at that net. Mcmahon also played a bumper with the Marleys and he can rip it. So it's a great spot for him. Yeah, Morgan Riley watching another guy go out there before him.

Probably doesn't feel great. No, I don't know if that's the right plan either long term. Like I still feel like in playoffs, you're going to have Morgan Riley up there. But there's some things I was trying some things. I shouldn't complain. Did you see Morgan have Morgan Riley up there, but Things I always try some things I shouldn't complain did you see Morgan pushing the envelope a lot more again last night like jumping into plays I'm gonna take 13 shot attempts seven on net last night, and that's much more active. So you're I mean That first goal. I don't want to keep going back to that first goal, but he was instrumental on that first goal Do you just words there just got to live with that sort of stuff.

Listen, he's minus 15. Like, Tanovs plus 14. They're on the same team. He's on a bad run. He has been on the Ice Sports Estates, tweeted for 10 goals against and won four in the last 10 games prior to last night. So yeah, he's had a tough run.

A tough run? That's a little bit more than a tough run. Yeah, he's had an S-word run. He's been... We can't swear. Yeah, it's been bad. But I do... When I watch him, I don't think he's in physical decline.

Where it's like he's older and he doesn't skate like he used to or he doesn't make plays like he used to. I don't think he's in physical decline. So I think this is mental right now for him. Whether he's got a lack of focus because he's very far removed from a contract in both directions or because it's January and everyone says regular season doesn't matter or whatever, he doesn't seem dialed in to me. And to me, it's a major problem as they move towards a deadline because the plan was Tanev was going to be your partner in playoffs. And if he doesn't make that work by then, now you got to go get Riley a partner again for the seventh straight year.

And if you can't play with Chris Tanev, who can we put you with? Prime Chris Pronger? Like as I wrote my article today, it's like he needs to show them he's okay soon here. So last game was at least an offensive step in the right direction for Riley. In my home on Myers Island, the roof blew off in a hurricane last night.

So it's not gonna create- Property valuation seriously depleted. I'm okay with him having 13 shot attempts and doing whatever he can to kind of get himself going here and they're gonna have to, Craig Brewie's gonna have to find a way to open it up a little bit for him and take some chances. I mean in that capacity maybe last night was a good thing for the hockey club to remember that they once were and still should be again, this high octane kind of offense

led by world-class talent at the forward position. Yeah. Play that play that he made to Lorenz and it ends up in your net. that's just he's obviously fighting his confidence Fighting his decision-making like he has all the time in the world move your feet your skating Hammer another reminder for me of Sheldon Keefe hockey this stretch pass guys is not doing it for me Well, he hammers that one Morgan Raleigh or any other defensemen down low and having guys blow zones or push past the blue line or standing still.

God, I hate it. Yeah, I hate it. I hate the stretch pass. I hate it in particular because sometimes they're so stretched, someone will tip at the zone, then you got guys flat-footed at the blue line, can't forecheck it, so you're just handing it right back. It's like watching ping-pong. Yeah Bring back the I used to call it when I was marking plays. I as a video coach I used to call it the neutral zone swirl because once you do that you stretch it It gets tipped and turned over and then they do the same thing the other way and then you do the same way and I Always knew I'd be doing neutral zone regroup Regroup neutral zone, you know, sorry neutral zone for check regroup neutral zone for regroup. NeutraZone four check, back and forth, back and forth.

And there's Angvol on those teams that you were doing that for. Oh yeah. A lot of regroups. A lot of regroups, so that was a tough time. Mitch Marner, fastest leaf in history at 700 points. It's kinda, I don't know, is it a big deal? Like, nobody made a big deal out of it, TV? This one to me is the bigger one. This was on NHL's the stat on their like media site that he became the eight fastest active player to reach the 700 point milestone behind McDavid, Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Dry Cytl, Panarin and Nikita Kuturov. That to me like I mean the Leafs

history and like this like they haven't had the best scores and, you know, the history of the Leafs is the history of the Leafs. That to me is really incredible. Should it be a bigger deal than it was? I think- I think it's just that it's like an arbitrary number. I don't know, Mike Johnson, TSN, did the game last night and I think, I don't know, a couple minutes later,

he's like, basically, he should enjoy it because Matthews will pass him. You made some reference like that. Yeah. Which, I don't know, I mean. Matthews needs 17 points in the next 30 games. Per cent of the deal. Yeah, he'll be faster than Marter.

Really? Yeah. God. It's amazing that they're both on the lease at the same time. Yeah. awesome. It's almost like they should have won something. So Austin should beat him by what, 10 games or something? They were close.

Yeah, so he's got 30 games to get 17 points and he gets over a point per game, so he'll get there pretty handily, whatever the number is. The one thing that you got to keep in mind though is for the majority of Marner's career, he killed penalties and Austin didn't. So that would mean that more chance for points with five on five play, right? Like significantly more minutes for Matthews. Like we're talking like half a season minute minutes more. Is that right? Yeah, it's like. You think Matthews has more ice time than more Mitch? Over the course of the last six years, seven years,

if you did five on five minutes, even strength minutes to go out there and produce points, Marner would be behind Matthews significantly, right? I don't know. So yeah, but I'm just saying though, like if Matthews, if Marner did not kill penalties and he just strictly had more minutes on five on five, you know, those numbers would probably be a lot more improved. Yeah, but it's really nice. And if he wasn't killing penalties, he probably wouldn't be about to make $14 million per

year. So that's a pretty important part of his game. We're not talking money. I mean, we're talking points. That's what makes Mitch Marner Mitch Marner is that his ability to do it all. Like if he's not killing penalties, then he's not the same. Yeah, I mean, it's just for me, it's, it's quite remarkable. And obviously the numbers, the difference of even Sundin and Sittler, you know?

I mean we're talking about the best ever. That's why it's so heartbreaking that we have to have these conversations weighed against the playoff failures. Where the first three or four years of this, it was complete euphoria. Where you're just like, I can't believe the Leafs have these guys on their team. And after a year, after a year after a year, you're still love them. You still enjoy it But like there's this feeling of impending doom

What's the the calendar flips to April that you almost can't enjoy how ridiculously great? So it's funny because my article today is about somewhat appreciating now Matthews over this time since he came into league in 2016-17 he's third in game winners. I was saying he's actually a clutch player. Yeah. Like by, I don't know, everyone says, you know, playoffs or whatever. Regular season he's third in game winners, but he's actually first in game winners per game right there with McDavid Dreisaitl who are just behind him. You know, way ahead of McKinnon, Ovi, Sid, like in terms of like game winners per game.

So it's like, you got to appreciate these guys. Got your Mitch is in his prime. He is as elite as it comes at producing points and Matthew's shooting it in the net and how it's just, we do need to sometimes zoom out and be like, you got to watch this team all year long. It's an entertainment event. Yes. They are entertaining. It's an entertainment event. Yes. They are entertainment players.

Well, it's an entertainment event. It's a business. They drive sponsorship, pricing and ticket. Like people go to pay to see them. Yes, absolutely. Over 82 games. Yeah, man. They're making them a really marketable event.

And that's why teams pay these guys is because there's not too many that you could say, I want to go pay to see him. And I will say, if you haven't gone to see a Leafs game, Mitch Marner, almost every time I go to a Leafs game, it's like jarring how good Mitch Marner is. When you see the size of him compared to the speed of the game and what he does how often how it's stuck to him Yeah in real time in person or the edge work, right? Yeah He's he's sometimes he just shows off with the last night. They're the edge work thing They scored the third goal the time

Loops around he's showing off brother you come on Come on guys Entertainment my friend, but I was like what do we need the 17 edges in the in the Defensive zone anyways, but it is anyway, so there's our least appreciation. Oh, how positive was that boy? Speaking of Entertainment you'd also pay to see Willie Nylander skate Willie Nylander live is also no no No, you don't know if it's a game where you'd pay or not some gives you days You want your money back? We're not talking about the eight years that Sammy mentioned two days ago, right? Wow, I would be talking about them after I watched him shove it into the middle for a breakaway on a power play

I was talking about it then. Yeah. All right. Let's go to Craig Brewby on this Willie's breakaways Um, I think he reads the game very well. He's got a real high hockey IQ with reading where he can get open and take advantage of people. That's a great play by Mitch, too, to read the change and get it up to Willie. Willie had a heck of a game. I thought that he had second and third effort on

pucks. He was working tonight as everybody was. I thought the whole team worked, competed hard. You know, it's a good team over there. They got some real high-end players that can do a lot of things. Thought we checked well and kept at it, kept at it. we're down, but we kept playing, kept working. The IQ can drop significantly when the breakaway route doesn't work and the puck never gets out of your own zone. But he knows what to do. It's funny, he was praising, he was praising Marner for that pass. And I was doing the same on Leaf Talk.

And I was like, that's a great pass, great heads up pass. And then you see the below angle of it. And you're like, oh my God, good change devils. Oh yeah. You see Keith's reaction on the bench to his own team. He just went. Like you just, when he was a great pass,

he put it on the tape, two lines or whatever. But it's like, what was that change? It never There's there's not too many Lineups, you'd want to go against and the Leafs when it comes to River hockey soon as they got the puck the the Devils I was like the Leafs will never see that hockey puck again, and they almost Hit posts with the puck into in the post. He hit so I I don't know halfway through the game even when the Devils were up I'm like they're gonna find a way to blow this.

They were just mishandling pucks. They were just they didn't look good at all either though. Yeah you know I think a lot of that was Leafs pressure. I thought you know they really put the weight of the four check on them. Yeah definitely not crisp all the time, but yeah, the Willie thing. We should talk about it. The Willie thing. This is why when we talk about him,

I just like, I'm almost done. The Willie discussion, I tried to be done. We got dragged into it the past few days. Oh no, we. By me. But like, he is what he is. Oh my God, I said that two days ago and I'm trying to tell him that like we laugh we laugh at Willie

Yes, we laugh with them and Adam I don't but it's like how much it but when it's going bad like you just as I said There's gonna be a stretch where he sucks for a long time and you just kind of you gotta live like Willie and just roll with The punches he is the perfect sport talk radio athlete. And he's a lightning rod. He's always been a lightning rod in this market. I've gone from loving him to hating him, defending him to killing him a hundred times over my

life. I can't get a read on him. Nothing will change. Nothing's going to change. Not till the day he's retired and beyond. If they lose in the first round and he says, what's the big deal? We'll try again next year. Would you be that surprised?

No. I mean, a little bit. That would be pretty intense. But yeah, go ahead, Borny. You know, the attitude of like, what's the big deal is what allows him to take, I don't remember what I said yesterday, but I felt about it expectations and standards and it's not good enough and whatever. Like it comes from everywhere and for Willie, it is just water off a duck's back and he gets another breakaway and he

shoots it in and they'll see you tomorrow. I was just going to say, it's okay until it's not okay. So the one thing that Willie has not been able to do to your point in eight years is prove that you can win like that. All I know and Leafs Nation knows and you know this is they scored two goals in game six, Willie Willie one goal in game seven Willie Willie Willie Willie But not enough Willie Willie Willie Him just more more than how about the other guys do some well he does

I want I want more from all of them if Willie gives you two and one game six and seven I think it's fair to look at the other people go. I like the guy was pretty I hate that I hate that So you don't like the guys to score when it counts. I hate that you're you're you're cherry picking off of a guy that Just hasn't done anything more than anyone else anything less than anyone else they're just The same and that's not the same as the other guy is the exact same there is not equal in points They're with their all equal in points second assist that you like so much Oh, you get in the net for the team

They're all equal in points and they've all lost except for one round Yes, years grab these other guys and pull them into Mitch's story Yeah, it really has been the guy against Florida when they lose in five games He ran he had the puck the whole series he was the only guy who pushed so that's why when he does it's not going great guys go yeah ah it's Willie being Willie okay but we'll forget about the headaches or the fact well see that's entirely forget about that too that's fair too here's what I'll say going out there in the media in Toronto saying not a big deal eating it for two days

But I'm idiots like me and then scoring two including including the big and the game winner is pretty big time Like that's you know, you got it. Okay. It's it's three on three hockey Neutral zone Mitch found him he puts it in Okay, if we can't real hockey but I'm not taking away I'm not taking away the fact that he played better and he was more focused but if you can't like I can't sit here and just crap on him when he's in his bad stretch and then he comes out and he gives him two big goals in a game that they absolutely needed and I can't give him credit then I'm not doing

that's not fair that I'm not doing it, that's not fair. Then I'm not doing it, like I'm not being fair. Until he wins like the rest of them in meaningful playoff rounds. So now I'm going back to defending. No. Yeah, I know, you're right. I didn't wanna do this.

Like how the hell did this happen? They're still all in the same boat for me still. I know, Cameron, we know. The team is the team. Absolutely, they haven't got where they need to be. He's not exactly like I said before. He's not exactly Clark Gillies out there. Like, you know, he's scored one or two more goals than the other guys have scored. It's not like it's unbelievable. And the trend is, to your point, with everyone else in Leaf Nation, that you accept them, you don't accept them. You're pissed off at

him. You're laughing with him. I don't think that many people are laughing. Oh, listen, I think today they're all loving him again. I think what happened for those, whatever, however many games it was, doesn't excuse, I mean, last night didn't excuse that. People that were upset about those eight games were very right.

They were allowed to be critical of the way it was going. And even the first period of last night, it was going that way. And it's infuriating that Willie isn't bothered by that. Yeah, he doesn't care. He doesn't care. Yeah.

Did you catch his post-game interview with Mother Teresa? No tarp and then the big towel over his head. He looked like Mother Teresa. Like what? He's one of a kind man. I'm like one of a kind. And they asked me, they said like, hey Austin said like no one gets as many breakaways as you. What's up with that? And he's like, I get a lot of good passes. Oh those darn kids today. This guy man. God. We should interview his dogs one day.

What a perfect, perfect sports talk radio analyst. I told you, there's gonna be a pet trip one day. Okay, they're way past dads and moms and mentors. Everything left is pets. Somebody sent me a DM, I forget when, that Connor McDavid's dog or somebody's dog was at one of the games recently. So it happened. Yes

Well, I think they had a ceremony didn't they have them on the ice ceremony Hello buck hello buck had played like a certain number of games and his dog was in the tribute video His husky gave a hook into the camera a subtitle that congrats Okay, let's get to break because we got title that congrats. Love that. Okay let's get to break because we got Leafline coming up. Sammy he says he's picked a few beauties in there. Alright. Again my morning on Friday like I look forward to sitting on my couch drinking coffee and listening to my Leafline fans. Are we gonna get more opinion than questions? Don't answer that! We'll get, we'll get the goods after the break.

You're watching and listening to real kipper and born everything you need to know about the Raptors and the biggest stories around the NBA. Smith and Jones, subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. The follower to call in and leave us a message your voice Your attitude your opinion your question. So I We have awesome aki on the board today Derek's not in You know ride the levels and all these because they're all different levels of people yelling and not yelling and all that stuff So keep an eye on that one. They're all interesting. Do you guys want to start ready when you are? I'm never gonna be ready Let's start with the only way to start will in Montreal. It's a me great to hear your voice

My name is Will call from Montreal had a bit of a fun thought experiment to run the boys through on this Friday afternoon So I was thinking if kipper inborn were both like assistant GMs of the Leafs and they were tasked with trading themselves from their prime onto the Maple Leafs today who would they each replace like what role would they play on the team what would be their cap hit and sorry just second here Leo stop playing with the dog get dressed go to school stop playing with the dog, get dressed, go to school! Sorry. And finally, Sammy would be Shanahan, and would he approve the trade or not?

Thanks so much, guys, for listening for the last three years. Always love the show, have a great day, boys. Cheers. That's how you know someone's listening. That's an out, I thought it was listening to me. Yeah. That was outstanding. Thank you for that.

Wheel of Montreal, way to go, Mike. All right, you go first. Yeah, I'd replace Nick Robertson and I would make less than him, score less than him and be a waiver claim. No one would claim me actually. I said my first thought was you were Robertson and you were Lorenz. No. No? But I scored, my prime. I scored

17 goals. I'm a man buddy. Yeah a 17 goals I scored one season. It's pretty good. That's when I jumped the shark 17 even strength goals so and I he said at the end of that while we were laughing that I'm Shani and I get to make the decision if I approve that and I do approve That yeah I think I think you would run into a few more people than Bobby McManwit I think you'd play with a little bit more of an edge, but I could use slower The most offensive thing I can say about myself is I remember watching Jimmy Vesey in the NHL and being like You that quick vanilla Yeah, all right ready

All right. Okay. This is second one. This one didn't leave a name, but it was a good call. So, Nameless in LA is next. Hey fellas, I'm a movie producer out in Los Angeles and I wanted to give a quick shout out to the Canadian volunteers helping with the fires. It means a lot. I watch your show every day. You guys are the best in the business. I'm a diehard Devils fan and it looks like both of our teams need three seat Who are you thinking for the Leafs? Buke style Lawton Nelson or are you looking for a defense event and really quick Who would you rather lose to Bruins or Sheldon Keith in the playoffs? Thanks fellas. Bye. Good questions So Bruins or Devils is is the one as one and then three see who you like

Hey shout out to the Canadians that are going down there and help. Yeah All right, they're doing an unbelievable job nameless in LA good questions. No, I don't know. He didn't leave his name I cry a couple guys out there Cukes does not high-end enough for me agree never loved there never loved him Lawton seems to check a lot of boxes. I think he is versatile the way that Domi is, but maybe a little bit of an upgrade. Big as lot. I don't think he's huge, but he goes to the areas he needs to. He does things the right way. Like he's a... 6'1", 190. On Hop PDD. Loughton enough or you need it to be Nelson? Can Loughton create? Can he, if I need him in a top six scenario,

can he go out and, the Leafs have suffered over the last month, wins or losses otherwise, I need more creativity of the guy that I'm gonna go spend on. Don't think now's not that though. I know, and you probably know him better than I do. You know, he shoots it in the net.

I don't know if that's a good thing or not. He's Matthew Nyes. And also... That's concerning. Would you rather... But I need a playmaker. I need somebody that can pass the puck. I've already got Austin, who's a shooter.

If I get Tavares back, he's blue paint, redirects, but he's not... Willie, Nyes, McMahon, all all shooters I need another facilitator hmm Kutra I would rather see the debt the the Leafs lose I think to the Bruins again I don't and I don't think you could lose to Sheldon Keefe in first round playoffs and sleep at night better to dance with the devil you know than the devil you don't maybe give me a first round loss of words. What's worse? What hurts more? God no Well, I think I'd rather see them loose to Sheldon Oh Yeah, cuz you I mean I do cuz I love a narrative you cook the next day you'd be on fire

I love a narrative you cook the next day you'd be on fire Think I think you kind of know the feeling already go with the feeling you already know than the new one Let's go to the next call Mike in Northern, California. Hey Sammy and the boys that love the new segment I just wanted to call in after the game on Thursday night watching Leafs and Devils and I love to talk about hockey gear and how we never pay attention to it as hockey players growing up. But since now I'm a PGA Tour coach and all I'm doing is analyzing swings and the equipment is such a huge part of the golf scene, I was watching the game on Thursday night and noticed that Morgan Riley is using a different stick. I'm kind of like Kipper where I had no guys handedness

off the top of my head and I noticed that Morgan Riley's stick was all blacked out. Now I was used to usually having a white tape job through the center of the stick, a white knob and this thing was all blacked out. I also know it was a bit longer, so I wanted to hear from you guys if you think that. Well, first if you noticed it, but then also if you guys might think he's trying something new, a little bit of a longer stick, maybe a little bit more velocity on the shot and trying to work some magic as he's been slumping a bit. So anyway, keep up the great work. Love the show. Longtime listener from Northern California by way of Sudbury, Ontario. Love you boys.

Okay, Mike, forget Morgan Riley. What kind of courses can you get us on? Entirely the way we're at home. You're a PGA coach in Northern California. We need to talk. DM us, Mike. Okay? Where are you at? We're coming. I mean, I could use your style. You're a PGA coach in Northern California. We need to talk. DM us, Mike. Okay? Where you at? We're coming. I mean, I could use any style. You had me at PGA coach.

Did you notice that? I think, cause I did. So you guys are freaks and it was three seconds into the game when McKee's like Morgan's using black tape. Yeah. And I was like, God, what? That one went over my head.

Really? Yeah. Left, right. I'm good. went over my head. Really? Yeah. Left, right, I'm good. Yeah. Past that. Once it was pointed out to me, I was like, yeah, that looks different. It has to be all superstition and change of energy.

Break us, right? Do something different. Yeah. You might should know with, you know, all the gadgets that they have and... Put your jeans in the other pocket. Change in your pocket and tint cup it all the way. Yeah. No, sometimes you're just out of ideas and you're like, I don't know, maybe this will work. Did you guys use a longer stick or a shorter stick? I hate everything I use now looking. I used a shorter stick and it was very stiff. When

I was scoring all those goals in junior short stick? Yeah, and then they stopped scoring and I Still kept the short. Just kept it a hoping and hoping and hoping I hated the feel of Trying to handle it in by your feet. Yeah, like, you know as someone who was trying to make a play here there I don't understand it. You see guys like badar or Zuccarello's like using ally afraid He that sometimes would be so frustrating to go grab someone else's stick on the bench just to change it up. Love it. Let's go to John from Curtis Austin.

Hey guys, John here originally from a small town called Curtis, Ontario. Red Wings fan coming in peace. First off, I'm a huge fan of the show. I do wish well for the Leafs and cheer for them. Second of the Wings. Hence why I listen to the show and every talk or episode of Leaves talk Thank you. Bit of a spicy question How are you and Leafs fans gonna feel when we watch Austin Matthews

Look better than he has as a Leaf all year in the Four Nations tournament I think he likes a certain type of stage and attention and I think he's gonna be lights out for the tournament Leaving Leaf fans wondering why he saved it for this. Do you see any potential controversy coming? Anyways, I love the show guys. You all do a fantastic job yourselves and with the guests you have I look forward to it every day I hope the show runs for many years to come. Thanks for doing this and have a great rest of your show Thank you. Wow, awesome John like nailed it. We never never even dawned on me. Oh, he didn't?

That he would look great and then come back and look poor? No, that he just looked kind of average all year and he goes there. No, no, no, no, no. I never thought about the fact that how I would feel if I watch him go lights out in two weeks when we haven't seen it all year on any consistent level buddy Was it Willie at the World Championships? Where was it Willie? Yes the best player on earth

He was like hammering guys behind the neck and like he was physical He was representing Sweden hitting everything inside shooting in the net and he was like that's frustrating Yeah, so to answer John's question, it would go over like a lead balloon I've said this from the start and when I did JD's pod, we did preview to start the year. One of the things I brought up is what this is going to look like in this market with Mitch Marner playing for Canada and Austin Matthews playing for America at this four nations faceoff and the chance for you Kipper, I mean this is on the perception flip of these two guys in the market because if Canada plays well Marner's great with all these great players in kit for Canada, okay, but people are gonna start to it's gonna it's gonna flip

It's not it's not the first time in international history. We've seen this scenario play out Yeah, but different players are like this though kipper. No like two best players on the biggest team Yeah, just like this in camp in Toronto, but but it's happened with Montreal Canadians It's in Toronto. I don't know but in Toronto, but here. Okay, everything matters the most Biggest microscope. Yeah, where Marner goes through Canada Matt. They're playing against each other Marner I'll play math you three hockey, but if they're Bounce if they're playing okay, they're playing well nobody's gonna look and

And question it like they they can both look good. You just moved to Ontario buddy if Matthews is dominant He says these points in three games and people are gonna be Pissed or you're looking at one of them Marner wins the MVP and Matthews can't touch the pot Yeah, I guess or what's the chance of that? and Matthews can't touch the pocket like it's... Or what's the chance of that Canada or US win and it's by a narrow margin and everybody's actually played pretty well? That's fine.

But there's some extreme scenarios here, Kipper. Like that, listen, it's a fair question. So if one of them poops the bad, you're saying? I think the question, no, the question's about Matthews and would you think differently of him if maybe he's been holding back or he hasn't been trying his hardest if all of a sudden He can look like the greatest player in the world I think that yes, there is real risk great reputational harm been passed the question John from Curtis I'm not sure I

I'm not saying that you're wrong I just don't feel like it's gonna play out that way I don't think it will either but there's risk that it might okay so what would you give Auston Matthews letter grade this season as a Toronto Maple Leaf C plus B minus plus perfect season oh yeah for sure me too. Very disappointing. Every Leaf fan would say, like you mean he's missed half, like a ton of games.

I think he would probably be around, if he goes there and he is reinvigorated, A-plus-plus Matthews scoring, you don't think people in Toronto are gonna be pissed about that? No, I think they're gonna come back and say, he's still got it. Now he's gonna do it for us.

Kepfer, you don't know your market brother. He rises in big games like the you know his first game is a Leaf ever and winner classic. Just cancel the tournament. I don't even want to anyways let's go. I don't know my own market. Let's go to Bob and Bob Cajun. Hey guys Bob from Bob Cajun here. I Love the show. I have a music related question. After listening to some of Sammy's passion-filled commentary this week, I found myself a bit lost in my personal music playlist entitled Leafs Bangers, which includes such hits as REM's Everybody Hurts, Crime Me A River by Justin Timberlake, and my personal favourite,

Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who. My question question is do we know who is in charge of the aux chord in the Leafs dressing room? My assumption over the past week is that William Nylander is in charge and he's playing Bob Murley's Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright on a continuous loop. I'm also wondering how we as a fan base can advocate for Craig Borubey to cut that damn chord and throw on some fix you by Coldplay or is it no longer an aux cord and it's a precept playlist curated at the beginning of the season by Brendan Shanahan please advise thanks guys love the show outstanding outstanding I love that it's Bob from Bob Cajun too that's that was really well done extremely happy Canadian there's nothing I can add to

that it ain't Willie I tell you that back in the day was was all Nauzem Kadri every leaves Ryan if he's making a million Anyways last I heard okay. This is a longer one not that long like a minute. So let's play it quickly Kevin from Pickering, please We gotta start this earlier. Come for pay. How's it going guys Kevin from Pickering here. Love the show I know kipper doesn't want to hear this but the Leafs are cursed and I can prove it. 25 years ago MLS&E decided they were going to do whatever it takes and bring a Stanley Cup home. What's the first thing they did? They went out and got Ken Dryden to be president. And we all went, ooh. Not only Ken Dryden is a legend, but he's a really smart guy. And we all went, ooh, here we go.

And what happened? Nothing. Then they went out and got arguably the best GM in the league, in Brian Burke. And we went, ooh, Brian Burke, truculents, here we go and what happened? Nothing. Then they went out and got arguably the best coach in the NHL. Paid big bucks for Mike Babcock, Stanley Cup winner and we all went, ooh, here we go. And what happened? Nothing. Then they did it right. They bottom feed for years.

They get draft picks like Morgan Reilly, William Nylander, Mitch Marner. They actually win the lottery, and they get superstar Austin Matthews. And on top of that, they get the greatest free agent signing in Johnny T. and what happened? Anyways have a good afternoon feathers a beer Great way to end this trick is to not get people after they've done great things

Do we get someone earlier on the rise? Hey, that's us. That's us. We're on the way up. If it goes sour in April, that you got to start with nothing. Yes. That way there's nowhere to go. Oh man.

That was great. Great. Thanks for the calls. Great stuff, Sammy. And we're only getting started. Oh man, that was great. Great, thanks for the calls. Great stuff, Sammy. And we're only getting started. Doug McLean on Off the Rails Friday when we return to Real Kipper and Borg.

Great segment.