Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: The Minten Bowl Kicks Off Mentors Trip

Episode Date: March 24, 2026

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look ahead to the Toronto Maple Leafs' matchup against Fraser Minten and the Boston Bruins. They listen to Brandon Carlo's comments on the Minten trade and revisit the trade with the benefit of hindsight before welcoming in Gord Stellick (12:52), former Leafs GM, to help tee up the game. Gord discusses what Leafs fans should look for down the stretch, the future of the Anthony Stolarz/Joseph Woll tandem, and the potential financial implications of the Leafs' closing window. Later, NESN Bruins analyst Andy Brickley (33:25) stops by to discuss Fraser Minten's growth in his first full season in Boston, Jeremy Swayman's bounce-back year, and much more. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

All right, giddy up here. Game day, boys. It's a real Kippron-Born show. Jake the Snake Shulks. Derek Brandeil. Nick Kippreos, Justin Bourne, and our very own Sammy McKee, live on Sportsnet 360,

the fan 590 in Toronto, streaming always on Sportsnet Plus. Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube. The Maple Leafs are in Boston tonight. To take on Sammy, Fraser Minton, and the Boston Bruins. Yeah.

Yeah, great. Fraser Minton will be censoring their top line between David Pasternak and Murat Kuznadinov. Good job, buddy. I think I did that okay. Easy for you to say. Yeah. Okay, let's just kind of start there with Fraser Minton

because the other day, Brandon Carlo was kind of asked about the criticism around the trade today and, you know, it was yesterday at practice. We got it. Okay, we got it? Yeah, I mean, a veteran producer when you get asked at 358 for a clip, sometimes we're pulled together. Actually, 359 and a half. Hold on. Before we get into this, okay?

Yeah. I just want to make it very clear to my leaf fan friends that are listening to this that I know this sucks. And I know you don't want to hear about this. And there's articles every day now. CJ's writing articles about the trade. David Arnold's write it. He's got the it factor.

Like, this is kind of what you do now because there's nothing else to talk about. So now it's just thrown right into all Leaf fans' faces where Fraser Mitten now is like the next second coming and we have to do it. And we're about to do it. I'm just saying I'm sympathetic towards my Leaf fan brethren and sisters. I don't really think it's all that fair to go to a guy like Carlo on it. But we'll get into it after we just do this response. Play the clip. So there you go.

Brennan Carter. A little bit, but the same sort of thing with things that are outside of my control. I'm trying not to pay attention to it too much. but yeah, just try to bring my best each and every day, and that's all I can control. How do you do, I guess, to tune it out? Do you have a trick or anything? No, not necessarily.

I think, you know, if you're in the NHL environment, there's going to be a lot of things that you need to tune out throughout your career. So just kind of put it in the category with most of those things and just continue forward. Okay. By the way, I think I read today that Carlos, like the only one close to being a plus player on a team that's just buried in minus.

is. Oh, Minton is? No, No, Karlo. Yeah, Carlo. Yeah.

Let me find the, it was Luke Fox that put the tweet out. So. Well, it's funny because I was going to approach us, go ahead if you have the tweet. I do.

Maple Leafs are minus 29. Brandon Carlo is plus nine. He's the only Leafs defenseman minimum 12 games played, who's been on the ice for as many goals for as against 3636, despite only starting that 45% of his shifts

in the offensive zone. Well, that's funny, because what I was actually going to bring up is Everton is talking about this whole thing, like, you know, world's worst trade, right? Carlo, they gave a Minton. Minton is an immediate NHL player. The draft pick could be very high,

which you didn't know at the time. But when it happened, a lot of people did criticize it. I'm not saying no one criticized it. It wasn't panned, though. The athletic had it as a B-plus grade. You know, I myself was like, you had to do what you had to do.

I mean, did you want to go into the playoffs and the least chance to win the playoff? It went in a cup with Philip Myers, your top right-hand shot, D? Because that's what they were staring at. Last year, last year. It was a must.

And, you know, we're all sitting here hindsight's 20-20, of course, and Brad Tree Living's getting ripped, head to toe on it. But to your point, J.B. And, you know, you Sammy as well, I think we're on the same page. At the time, it wasn't horrible.

So what I wanted. It wasn't horrible. And I want to follow up with that. They needed a right-handed D to Sam's point. Yeah, and they struck out on some guys. I would have loved them to do something sooner, to be more aggressive early. There's a lot of things. Yes.

That article today that CJ wrote talked about how they first engaged on this at 2 p.m. on deadline day. That's the part that kills me. Yes. But we knew that. We knew that Carlo was Plan B. He chased. generously.

We talked about it. I didn't know it was that late, boys. going to be honest. They were in on Rasmus Anderson. Boston also. Ristelainen as well. They were in on a few things, but Anderson was the guy he was chasing. Yeah. No questions

asked here. Boston also was tangled up in a lot of Brad Marchand at the time. Sign them, keep them, trade them. What can we get? Is there another team we can get besides Florida? So they, the Leafs were

on the back burner of this. And You make an excellent point, Sammy, or Justin. It was just, it was too late to start thinking about the devil and the details. Totally. And which is going to kill them, right? Because of the top five protection, not top ten. But again, if you're Brad Tree Living and you know that you had to have had a right-handed D no matter what, then, like we didn't all sit here a year ago and said,

oh man he should have he was okay to do it for a top 10 but don't do it for a top 5 no like that's not a deal breaker yeah but hold on that's that's his job not ours yeah that's a team that's a team that finished first in the atlantic and was one of eight teams maybe just on the outside of six who could maybe win the Stanley Cup. So it wasn't that big of a deal from 10 to 5 because we never thought they'd ever get there. And the difference here, you know, the risk involved is that it wasn't a top 5 protected pick that season.

It was in the next season where you don't know what you are necessarily. And there were plenty of underlying signs that said the Leafs aren't as good as the results this year. You know. But not this. bad. Not this bad. Certainly they didn't think this bad, which is why it should have intended. Did the Florida Panthers think they were going to be when they top 10 protected or the Spencer

Knight trade? Like they also, you know. And the Leafs have top 10 protected every other deal. Every other deal is top 10. So the part, that's the part that kills me is that if you start this negotiation at even 11 a.m. or whatever, you get to a point where are the Boston Bruins saying no, over 10 versus 5? Maybe, maybe not.

Is it 7? eight, nine, can you grind? First of all, it's it's the Leafs who in any negotiation, if you got a 50-50 split, lucky you, but there's somebody that's

holding a little bit more of the cards usually in a negotiation. Well, they'd be fine to keep Carlin. And it was the Leafs that came calling at the last second, desperate. Yeah. So Brad

I don't think Brad was in a, a position to lose the deal over 10 to 5. Well, yeah, I mean. Okay. And in hindsight, these are the things you're on the hook for when you don't have what your plan A is workout. You're 100% right.

100% right because it's like you were going to get Carlo at all costs. But it's the all costs that will probably cost him his job. So the question I wanted to ask is, is there a chance for redoubt? for this trade. Is there a chance? So Carlo makes 3.4 or something like that this year and next year. Brad got all of that right, including how low he is and how many minutes he can play

and the type of player he is. Like all of that was okay. Even the first rounder was okay. Like if Fraser Minton becomes, let's say the Leafs fall into the bottom five. They keep their pick this year. They pick fourth or fifth. They get Keaton Verhoeff or whatever. that feels pretty good.

Carlo, can he play 20 minutes a night for you and your second or your third pair, wherever it is you like them? And if Minton ends up being a 50 point forward, like is there a world where you go, yeah, or is it just, this is a joke, this is the worst trade they've ever made, this is a laugh for forever,

no matter what from here. Well, it's a good question. You're not factoring in the other things that it cost you. You would have had, you would have had the defenseman already just based on your performance this year, right? Oh, you're saying if you didn't do the deal at all. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Like it just cost, it's still too expensive. Yeah. J.B. Absolutely. Even with your first round pick and Carlo for the next few years, it just, it was too expensive. Too many assets went out the door when inevitably your play dictated.

You're getting a top five pick, not that you needed to make a trade to get it. Well, I think, I mean, the most likely outcome, as you detailed in the tweet you sent today, is that you're going to give up Fraser Mitten, who they all love. Like a Selky contending 65 points. Every single person that's ever talked about the kid adores him. I mean, I sent a rude tweet yesterday. We liked them.

We all, everybody. Everybody. And the most likely outcome is that, like, they get the sixth overall pick and somebody reaches on somebody and Keaton Bearhoff drops to the Boston Bruins, and they pick him at six. And he's the best right. He's the best right-hand shot defense in the league for

15 years playing for the Boston Bruins. That was the least pick. That is the most likely outcome. That's the most painful. No, no. I mean, well, when has there been the most non-painful outcomes that's the Toronto Maple Leaf? Whether you think it's fair or not, and I'm not even sure where I stand on this, I just hate the fact that Carlo has to

answer to it. I think that's BS, to be honest with you. To shove a question like that in my face, I'm like... Was it a question, are you hearing about it? Are you... Yeah, how's it affecting you, the criticism of what you're hearing about the trade. And it's like, hey, buddy, they don't ask us our opinion on whether they should do it or not.

I think you're spending too much on me. Okay. I don't think I'm worth that. Yes. Whoa. Whoa. Oh, yeah. In hindsight, I would have never done it.

Yeah, I stand. What can't answer? Can he give them? It's like, will you get traded? It's a go ask somebody else on, on what was worth it or what wasn't worth it. Don't come to me. But if it's affecting his play, if the negativity around it is becoming an influence on how he's affected,

it's relevant. So, I don't know. Again, I don't know whether it was fair or not. Yeah. Right? And maybe to your point,

it is fair. I just wish he would turn around and say, what do you want me to say? Yeah. What would he expect me to say? No, I'm playing well. I think I'm playing well.

I feel healthy. Right? He was hurt. Yeah. He went, took care of business. He's never played better hockey for the Leaves. He's the ultimate, if you don't notice him, he's done well.

So, I mean, there's Oliver Beckman-Larsin who's been far and away the best guy on the blue line. But Carlo's been okay. I mean, what is he, though? He's just not flashy. He's just, you're never going to get. He's also no-edge. He's another big no-edge guy. You're just never going to have things that you point to, and you're not going to have these moments.

You're like, see? You can win a cup with him as you're 60. They were looking for a minute munch. Sure. Yes. Right? Because if you had talked to anybody that followed him with Boston, their biggest issue was that he was not as physical as they thought he should be at times.

But a guy that can still play 17, 18, 19 minutes. He's averaged 19, 17 this month, 19, the one before, 19 the one before, 20 the one before. Like, he's playing. All right. We got Gort Stelich. We got Dandy Brickley to tee up the Boston Bruins tonight for us as well. And then Steve Aliquette, top of the hour. Pretty loaded program.

Yeah. Yeah. Is that his plan tonight? Is that as in? Yeah, that's exciting. Yarn Crocs out. All right. That's something.

Do we want Perubi or are we going to go to... I think Gordo's going to be there in a second. What did you think? Gordo, one of the biggest fans ever of Jake Gardner, will be excited to watch this game. Yeah, we didn't even mention that. Yeah, Jake Gardner, that's a TD garden. All right, let's bring him in.

Gord Stelik. Does a terrific job for us. Maple Leaf analyst for SportsNet 590. former general manager of the Maple Leafs. So it's, what do they call? They don't call it a father's trip. They call it the mentor trip, right? I thought that they just did all these,

this variety of trips, but no, this is a bring whoever you want to bring trip. All right. I think. So that was Sammy's reference, Gord, that Jake Gardner's somewhere floating around the TD Garden. They didn't, they didn't ask. me or you to come, that's for sure.

Well, you know, imagine these trips, Kippy. I remember your parents talked about how well they were treated by New York. The Rangers in the Stanley Cup final. I thought that was really neat and they weren't doing trips back then. And yeah, you know, Justin, they seem to, I don't know if they alternate fathers, moms, whatever, but then the mentor

thing is kind of a neat one that you can bring someone that's been important in your life. And yes, I really liked Jake Gardner. Okay. I saw Jake Gardner for what he was. Don't get me wrong. And unfortunately the Leafs could be going back to an era where one of your top two D is Jake Gardner as you don't quite make the playoffs.

But I was a big, big Jake Gardner fan, especially off the ice, but I liked them on the ice too. Okay, I'll kind of open this up to all of us here. But we'll start with you, Gord, just in terms of if we're going to see a massive change with, you know, this decade with the players moving forward, or we see a different version of it this summer. And we've seen the Leafs battle the Boston Bruins on a couple of occasions. Like, how much does still 2013 stand out for you as whatever they've gone through in 10 years? There's just that and everything else for you?

Or is it just a mixture? So you're a Toronto sports fan. And thank goodness you have the Raptors coming through the one year. You're Toronto sports fan and you can't get over game seven of the Jays against the Dodgers because it's piled on in a bigger way going back to

like I remember like you know you're gonna there they were going to next round the playoffs I was euphoric as a media member just whatever not just as a leaf guy euphoric and who knew that was the start of a constant

battering a bevy a bevy of fan abuses the way they went out I'm not saying the players deliberately abuse the fans but how much can you take? And you still go back to that one, home and cooled out.

And who wasn't that the breakaway, a marginal player that could have had anyway? Matt Fratton. That's it. Matt Fratton. Then you kind of go, could James Reimer have held on, you know, got to slow things down, whatever.

And then you thought, okay, we're that close. Jonathan Bernier in, Dave Boland in, David Clarkson, the big free agent signing, and you took one big step for a man, and Mankind took a big,

Leifkind took two big steps backwards. So then you, you had to kind of go at it again. And disappointment after disappointment after disappointment. Then Boston, the puck is dropped. Mitchie Marner, Morgan Riley, the goalie. Where the hell are you? David Pasternak puts it in again.

Like at least, and then last year, you don't even add any drama to it. You just go out and say, okay, we got a game seven, but we're going to treat this like the worst game of the season. That was a new. That was a new format. This is going to be our worst effort all year of our 100 games. So give them credit, it was a new effort. sadly, sadly, the residue permeated in the star of the regular season.

So it shows like your manifesto. That was unbelievable. Do you want my health card number? So, Gordo, I'd love to get you. You typically have such a positive take on where things are at with the Leafs. I've been talking about how it would be really good for them to get a bottom. You get into the bottom five and get a top pick. You know, who's going to be a part of things next year?

what are these guys, what should fans be watching for over the next four weeks or three and a half weeks, whatever it is, trying to look towards next season? Okay, I had a guest column in the Toronto Star. I guess Kippey's not writing this week. He got some writers blocks, so they took one of my columns. And I just, I just today. And I phrased it property. I didn't say this is the worst leaf of all time. I said this is the most disappointing season of all time.

And I actually gave back ownership some props because I, They said the Harold Ballard era was an era unto its own. Steve Stavro had the money shorts. And the teacher's pension fund were so orgasmic, just saving money for pencils and that, that they didn't care what they put on the ice. So you had three different ownerships that really, you know, the priority wasn't on the ice.

So, Justin, your question was, back in 85, look forward to getting Wendell Clark first overall, had Ally Frady, Todd Gill, Russ, Russell, Steve Thomas, you name it. And more current, 2016, look forward to getting Austin Matthews overall. and you had Nazim Caddy, Morgan Riley, William Nealander, Mitch Marner. So I remember 2016, the last weekend of the season, PA Parento was the only leaf to get 20 goals. That was neat. There's nothing like that this year, okay?

There's not even a side show, whatever. You know, hey, come see PA Parento, who will never play up the game here, be the only guy to get 20 goals. This is, and again, I'll be a glassout full guy, but you're sitting there with what went wrong in the season in the boardroom. And you start to look at the papers, and instead of what goes first, you throw up on them. I mean, that's how you feel. You kind of go, I cannot believe all this stuff went wrong. Then you wipe them off, probably get them reprinted. And you kind of go, okay, let's go back at about, you know, just what still is good, because that's important.

And just, hey, it just got collectively. Things fell off the rails. They came on the rails for a little bit. But then, like Doug McLean does every Friday, they went where they started off the rails. Fair enough. Where are you, Gord, with the goaltending, you know, Saturday night, Stolars leaves after warm-up, then we hear you went to the hospital only to be released and returned to the team and travel home. Is it possible that whether it's Brad Tree Living next year or somebody else coming in,

that you're going to go back to Stolars and Joseph Wall and say, hey, let's give it another try? Didn't Willie Nealander hit another goaltender once and they had Yeah, Garrett Sparks. Carrots, that's right. So maybe Willie shouldn't be in the warm-ups, which I think he'd be fine with. Okay, he may be the one guy. Again, Kibby, you know, like, hey, look at me. Look at me, glass half full guy.

I wrote one program article this year, and I wrote this being a goaltending tandem, comparable looking back to Jacques Plont and Bernie Perrant, decades ago. That's what I, that's so they got me hook line and sinker last year about having a goaltending tandem. So again, that is one of those things that what, what is it? They're both signed. You're not going to land a big name goaltender. I mean, you look at Columbus, Jet Grieves all of a sudden becomes that guy. You know, maybe one of the guys from within becomes that guy just like Jetgreaves has in Columbus. So there's no big fish to come here. The hope has to be what, like a lot of things, what was in 2024, 2025 is one.

more indicative of these guys' goal-tending skills. First of all, Joe Wall, and not belittling whatever the issue was, but started the season, he just disappears. And that kind of, again, set the template for a lot of things, just not starting right and at the end of the season, not finishing right.

I know you mentioned decades ago with Jacques Plont and Bernie Promp. You're safe to say over half a century ago. Well, yes. But seriously, okay, either of you guys come up with a better tandem. two goaltenders. I know you what it is.

Then last year, stole ours and Joe Wall did. And, you know, you got Curtis Joe, she got Ed Belfour, but you don't have a tandem. So yes, 50 years ago, and yes,

I am proudly the historian that way. And that's my story. I'm sticking to it. I like it. The check went through. That's all I care. And next week you'll write a column trashing them.

How about that? That's what we'll do it. So on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the huge names you were just referencing, Leaves fans are looking at some of the call-ups now and going, can we keep this guy? Is this anything?

So Bo Gru's been in there, Quillan's been in there, Pousetta's in, is there anyone so far that you're like, okay, this is going to be a part of the solution here? No. Okay. No, no, but be part of the team, yeah, and maybe. Like, they need the Zach Heimann thing. The guy that comes in a nondescript trip,

trade from Florida, plays a little bit from the Marleys. Now, that's way best case scenario, but something like that, You know, one or two hits like that that becomes solid NHLers. Sadly, the Stanley Cup dream, which I held, and it was a very reasonable thing to hold for the group is gone. Now it's about you can't do a rebuild. You've got to kind of do some kind of retool

and maintain respectability and hope you can grow incrementally. You got no Macklin-Cellarini Cup. That's Austin Matthews. That's Mitch Marner. You had your chance in the stack fishing pond there. and you did two pretty good hooks. You're not there for a while. I know people are hoping be in the bottom five now

and get a top five pick and see how that plays out. But I don't think they'll get there. You know, Gord, you sit there. You've had one of those rare views along with Doug McLean of being an executive, a general manager. Behind the scenes at this point, many people thought that they would have had a coaching change, but that didn't happen.

Is Brad Tree Living coming back? or not, we don't know. Where do you think it's leaning towards? What do you think is going on in their assessment so far going into these last few weeks? So my column started off

just about back in 1984-85. Dan Maloney was the head coach and a guy I loved, he's since passed, but with 12 games left. I know I've said this on the show before, but he's getting the skates tied up right around now and just for practice and says, Gordy, don't you wish the season could end?

yesterday. Okay? And honestly, that's how they're feeling. Because it is, you might as don't work in a morgue right now than just be around there. It's like being a zombie and all that. So I think what's different was having the youth before, you

had some, you had some chips in play. You knew. They were already in play and you're going to go back to the card game with some pretty good cards and, you know, the maturing process and now. So behind the scenes, things that you never expected to be on the table, everything, or on the table. Like I can't see Craig Brewby coming back. I have zero against him. I have no idea if the

players aren't playing. I don't know. They just don't seem to dig his style. I don't know what it is. And I don't think he digs being their coach anymore. And I love the guy. And I think he's a solid NHL coach and get a crack somewhere else. That's no indictment by me. The general manager, he said it starts with me. And again, I have empathy. I've been there. I'm not here to trash anybody. But all of a sudden, his body of work is not that impressive. The guy, with snot at the expense of guys with skill didn't cut it and also I and Kyle Dubus did a good job making the cupboard bear but you made it further bare so all of a sudden you know you're you're you're part of it that you had it okay the unthinkable happened but you always got to try to be ready for the unthinkable or you got to figure out why the unthinkable did and obviously it's it's some everyone's accountable top to bottom include Keith Pelley had a lot to say when he came a couple years ago I'm not taking shots of people I'm just saying that from top to bottom, this is a very, very

different animal than anyone thought it would be. And there were some pretty big promises and big things that were said. So, Gord, one of the things I find myself wondering is like, over the past, call it 10 years, 9 years, whatever this run has been, it's been

very successful. They made the playoffs over and over, 100 points over, you know, basically competed with the best teams and in many cases lost the team that would win a cup. A ton of success, my point. We come out of this today after all that success. And over that time, it feels like the Raptors passed them in being the cool team.

That the organ, like, it kind of became, I don't know. Like, does it feel like the vibe about the Leafs is somehow down, even after all the success? Like, other organizations, they, I know often like Chicago won cups before they bottomed out. But like, you get to eat off your success for a bit before everyone goes, what a joke organization. They haven't been a joke. But it just feels like... But they also haven't been successful. Well, it depends what you term success, I guess.

Like, you know... Coverage final, Stanley Cup final. Been able to be invested for a decade. Which in Leifes, as long as I've been alive, that hasn't been the case for the Leafs. So back when I started with the Leafs in like late 1970s, 1980, I took business courses at University of Toronto. And I would take those courses and then come

and it would not apply in the slightest to Harold Ballard's Toronto Maple Leafs, okay? the business model you could not wreck that leaf okay and sometimes we take phone calls because you answered the phone back then and they'd always go like they people would ask for crap and whatever you could go oh well the one of you guys are losers i'm going to call the jays you know now you don't phone anybody nobody's going to help you but anyway so so the jays they won world series and that but that no that that thing is it's all you don't get an argument is it a hockey town or not it's a great sports town but the leaf thing it has the the deepest roots the deepest fabric okay

But right now, yeah, the sexy team are the Jays. They're the sexy team, okay? They are right now. So the average sports fan and Justin, unlike the other two instances that I talked about, 2016 and 1985, I believe this is the first time what the market will bear cost-wise. You know, a pair of golds next year are $720 for a pair for a regular season game. And I just, you know, my friends in that, I'm hearing that, you know, you know, it's, they, they tolerated the price increases while the team was really good.

Just like last year, if the Js weren't really good, I don't know how a lot of those new amenities would have done, right? And that's the thing nowadays. You're demanding, you're asking for a big dollar, which is great. But also, I think you're more in peril if the product's not there on the ice. So, I think off the ice, they've got a bigger job than they've ever had historically to do. We're older than these guys. And we can, we can go back. decades, as you like to say, where it just didn't matter.

This market was almost recession-proof and bulletproof, whether they made the playoffs or not. You're saying those days are over. Yeah, yeah. No, the tickets were always hot. Season tickets were like gold bars. And I'm just as an average guy right now, okay, an average guy. I couldn't find, I can't find anyone to get in my, I had a season ticket package. It's been dwindling cost-wise, whatever.

And that's just the fact about the guys, you know, they still love the Leafs. But as far as if you only got so much money to spend. And I'm just saying that's a new reality. That that's just a new challenge. I believe that they're going to face. But most sports teams do. That's kind of the model, right? And that's why Justin, I go back to 1980 that.

And again, way better owner, like way, way stable ownership nowadays than Harold. But just basically, you couldn't, you couldn't wreck the demand for, you know, on regular TV, sold out all the time and an ongoing demand for tickets for a team that Biden didn't make the playoffs most years back then. That's not the same right. I don't think that's the same right now, and that's happened rather quickly. All right, Gord, really appreciate you stopping by, pal.

Thanks for doing this. Can you hear something about the potholes, Kipper? What's going on with the potholes? I've written letters, Gord. Okay, okay. Get on it. Just drive slow. Gord, drive slow. Hey, no, you don't have to worry about Gord.

Drive me too. Don't. Way to go, Justin. That's a softball. That's just a date. The only thing I recommend for potholes with you is you get a rope to climb out just in case you fall in and can't get out. You're so slow. Okay. I'll find one.

I'll look right now. Thanks, Kipfee. I'll see you, Justin. Everybody. We should go. All right. Do you have a reflection that you have? No, just the challenges right now for this hockey club on and off the ice, as Gord alluded to, man.

It's going to be a challenge. Can I tell you what the answer is? Let's hear it. Think long term. You cannot have some short-term fix. Try to keep butts in the seats, yada, yada. You've got to build a winner. Okay.

By the way, 2013, always worse. The most pain. Always. It's not even close. Even watching the overtime goal, you know, off the bank. Like, obviously all these in the moment, pain. clearly, but just the 2013 thing was so unexpected and they were just in game seven and Cadry shoots it in to make it for one. I'm like, oh my God. I don't want to do a manifesto on it, but there's like

teenagers almost now that weren't born when it happened. It is funny. So can you just remind them if they're listening for the first time? No, I'm good. No, go to YouTube. Type in worst loss ever leaves, you'll find it. I'm not talking about it. Come on. Four one. I still have to flip the channel every time I highlight it comes on. They're up for one with 10 under 10 minutes to go. I think it was either Nazim Cadry

banged in a rebound of a Phil Kessel banged in a shot off a Nazim Kadri rebound, one or the other. They went up 4-1. Puck started flying in the net. Matt Fratton had a breakway

to make it 5-2 when it was 4-2, flubbed the backhand, had upstairs all day. Then they tied it late. Then Patrice Bergeron scores in overtime. And then it goes to grapes after

have me crying in my beer and him screaming, point! You got to come. I was like, Graves, man. I know. I know Graves. He was just screaming point. Cold notes manifesto deluxe right there.

2013, ask any Lee fans. It'll always be the worst. Great job, Sammy. Great job, my friend. All right, let's take a quick break. Andy Brickley will join us to tee up the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. Commentator for Nesson.

When we return to Real Kipper and Bourne. Hey, it's Blake Murphy. It's a map honor. Join us weekday mornings at 11. break down all things Toronto Raptors. It's the Raptor show on SportsNet 590 The Fan. And wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program.

Nick Kippuris, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. Facing the Boston Bruins. Before we get to Brick, I, people, I got like four DMs about this jersey and about people in their YouTube chat. I left it as the Jays on purpose. It's the opening week of the Major League Baseball season.

Yeah, we're not going to do the whole week, though, are we with the chase? I left it up, yes. Why not? I'm not the producer. I don't know. When's game one? They're not happy? People are damn on me.

Change the freaking jersey. No, this is the one time in five years. He meant to do it. I meant to leave it. It was discussed pre-show. Actually, Mark Bofal, the producer of Blair and Barker before us, is like, you want me to leave it up? And I said, yeah, leave it up.

There was the discussion. There you go. That's the level of... And somehow, it probably has a lot to do with maybe being therapeutic for you. Well, I just love baseball. I can't wait. I love baseball. I watch 150 games regardless of the season.

You're not going to leave us for Blair and Barker, are you? As a third wheel? I don't think my takes on there. It would be very good. Barker just kill me. They're not very good here either, but we can keep your head. You'd be within an arm's length of barks. And I don't like your chances to make it by the All-Star weekend in July.

Yeah. Yeah. So, what a guy. Leaf stuff. Riley, back in the lineup tonight, OEL in the lineup. Pizzetta in the lineup. Okay. So we got some stuff.

going on here. Yarn Croke found his way out. All right, let's welcome in Andy Brickley, Boston Bruin analyst, commentator for Nesson. Brick, how are you, my friend? Thanks for doing this. Yeah, how are you guys doing? It's a little disappointing. I mean, it's always great it's Boston, Toronto, but it's a

little disappointing that I don't really look forward to a postseason between these two teams. Unfortunately, I'm not going to happen this year. F. Free W is saying. I say that in all sincerity. Oh, yeah. It's been great, Come on.

You're going to miss those upper cuts and left hooks, right? Really going to miss beating on you guys. And if we went back a year ago and we, let's face it, it's been a hot button topic here, where the Leafs are, particularly around the Carlo trade and whether or not they'd be dropping into a top five, whether Boston's going to get the pick or not. But, you know, setting that aside for a second,

and just Fraser Minton and where he was this time last year and where he finds himself in the Boston Bruins in a playoff spot and this guy on a line with Pastor Nack. Like what are the odds? Yeah, his growth as a player this year has been exponential. And, you know, I talk to people that were familiar with his game and where his ceiling might be. and the one recurring theme that I got in my conversations with his people that were far more on top of who the player was than I was,

was that he may not wow you with incredible offensive statistics, but this kid's a hockey player. And when I hear that, and then I see him play, and I see him apply the lessons that he learns game in and game out throughout the course of the season, And to the point now where the trust in him is that you can play him on a line with David Posternak. In fact, that he can protect David Pasternak when David gets a little too risky with the puck. It really speaks volumes of his hockey IQ, his maturity, his understanding of the coaching, the messaging. And to have that kind of growth in a young play is critical for any team in this league. You need young players that are inexpensive if you want to use that term. to be impactful players.

If you're going to be, you know, I don't know if the word's elite, but if you're going to be a really competitive team. And I've seen that in a number of guys for the Bruins this year. You know, you take a look on the left side on that line, and that's Marad Husidinov. The growth in his game almost mirrors what we're seeing from Fraser Minton. So those are some of the nice side storylines that have gone on this year in Boston with this reset.

And I think a lot of people are surprised. I'll put myself in that category as to how much the Bruins have won this season when you looked at the roster at the beginning of the year. So, Rick, give us an assessment of what the Bruins are this year. I remember Sportsnet somewhere did a board last season. It was like put all the teams in the Atlantic in categories of where they are and the Bruins were the only team in the rebuilding category at the time. You know, cut to a year later, they looked like a playoff team.

Where are they in their sort of rebuild contention window? Well, I think what they did or didn't do with the trade deadline, I think gives you a peek behind the curtain as to what they think, where they are and what their expectations are. And the plan that they put in place when they moved a lot of quality players and people out the door in order to get this reset. In order to complete or continue the plan, they're drafting this offseason or their deal-making this off-season will further the idea of the overall. organizational plan they put in place. But the fact that they didn't go out and get rentals like they've done in the past when they were a quality team that thought they could go all the way to the Stanley Cup final. They tried to add some years.

They really added and then only they go out in the first round. So it was a clear message to the Bruins fans, Bruins Nation, to the players in that locker room that we believe you're a playoff team. We're not going to subtract. If we could add maybe a right shot defenseman, a lot of those guys were on the move, this trading deadline. But I think everything that didn't happen around the deadline gives you a pretty good idea where the Bruins are in terms of the organizational plan, where they're heading,

what they want to do, what their vision is. But at the same time, the expectation is where it is. And that expectation can change throughout the year. But the expectation is that we are a playoff team. We're in the playoffs now. It's going to be a tough battle all the way to the end. But we believe with the group that we have and we stay healthy that it's going to happen. And that's also part of a group.

growth process for the players that are experiencing this for the first time, that it end up being, you know, part of that next wave of leadership, speaking of a phrase of mitten, that next wave of leadership for the Bruins. You know, they try to address certain areas. They wanted to be a tougher route. They wanted to be tougher to play against. You know, you look at you know, you look at Casso. You look at your door off.

You know, that's the type of hockey that you have to have if you're going to be the Boston Bruins. You have to have those types of players that can not only handle the rough stuff, but they can be good offensive. or good role players or good penalty killers or good third and fourth line guys. And they've gotten good results from them. Their power play needed to be better. They went out and brought in Steve Spott.

He gets a lot of credit for the messaging that he's given, his approach to what a man up should look like. It's been good most of the year. They're in a dry spell right now. That needs to improve down the stretch if they're going to get in. So those are pretty much the themes that surround this team coming into the year. They checked a lot of boxes where they perfect. No. Were there some games where you were wondering about this team's future in the short term? Can they make the playoffs when it didn't look good? The eyeball test? But this 7-3 and 3 after the break. And I know some nights it doesn't look good. And they had a couple of heartbreaking losses on a recent road trip in Jersey and Montreal. But these guys compete. And I give the coaching staff and Marco a lot of credit because the messaging has been consistent. It's been spot on. And the players play hard for the guys behind the bench. You're listening to Andy Brickley, Boston Bruins, analyst color commentator for Nesson as we tee up the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins.

The goaltending will see Anthony Stolars for the Maple Leafs. As far as the goaltending between Swamen and Corporalach, just tell us a little bit about it. More so Swamen because Andy, at the beginning of last season, we know there was a holdout. We know that there was a massive contract. And we also know that he got off to a terrible start last season. And, you know, sometimes we get accused of being too hard on goaltenders up here, man. But I can recall the Boston Bruins fans being all over Swayman on whether or not it was worth it to pay him all that money. But tell us about his year and the tantam of Corporalos Al as well.

Coming into the year, you know, it was a, it was, you know, a year of redemption, I guess you'd say for Jeremy Swayman. And he has so much believability in himself that he thought he could handle missing training camp, the lockout, the pressures of playing up to the contract. He never really got traction. You know, he had a bad year last year. And it was a learning process. And it was a humbling learning process. And he came in.

He had a great world championships. I don't know if you guys value that or not. You can go one way or the other on that side of the argument. But it worked for him. and despite that goal that he led in in the Olympics, and we like to tease him about that, he's been unbelievable coming out of the break, and he's really created a gap between, you know,

that performance and believability, you know, in having him in the net more often than not when it talks about Copa Salo. They're a good tandem. At the beginning of the year, Copa Salo made it clear he thought he should have played more the year before when Jeremy was struggling. The message was what we were trying to,

find him. We tried to get him to his A game, so maybe we overplayed him. He never got there, and then the trading deadline came. So the intention was to have maybe, you know, 55, 45, 45 percentage split coming into the year. But the way it stands right now with the premium on points, the expectation is Swainman plays the majority of the games. And you're not worried about Copa Salo getting his touches. So, but it is the National Hockey League. It is the condensed schedule. You do have, they have, I think, four more back to backs, three, three and fours. So Corpusallo is going to get his nights where he's going to have to deliver. But right now, Swamen is the clear cut number one. He's been one of the best gold centers in the

league. He's one of the best guys that has been able to make saves in a high danger variety. The percentage there has been excellent. I'm sure he's top five in that category, not to get bogged down with analytics, but I love his game right now. I think he's the Bruins' best opportunity. And I'd be curious to think what you. you guys would do going into this set. You got Toronto tonight, Buffalo tomorrow. They're going to split the games. Would you roll Swamen tonight, Corpus Island tomorrow or Corpus Island tonight, Swamen tomorrow?

What would you guys do? It's a great question and a long-running one here, but just get the points where you can and don't take any for granted. So I think a lot of people would say Swamen tonight. I personally think Swamen tomorrow, but what's that, Sammy? The leaves do suck. The leaves do sucks. I'd hold on to Swamen for tomorrow.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay with Swamen tonight too as well. Okay. All right. Yeah. Well, that's the way they're going to go. And I think that was the expectation from the majority of us when we were having a discussion this morning or yesterday as to which way the Bruins would roll it out.

Rick, really appreciate your time, my friend. Enjoy the game tonight. Thanks for doing this. Good to talk to you guys. Thanks, Rick. Appreciate your time. Boston Bruins. It's funny.

It's just the backhanded, right off the top about the least playing. But he was being serious. He was saying, like, yeah, they had great series. They have. Great series. So, when day you'll go on Boston radio and talk about the Bruins that way. They got way too many good people down there to do radio. They don't need me.

Do you guys want to do the Leafs Tank Guide for tonight? Yes. Okay. What do you want to do? Yeah, I also just want to talk a couple Bruins things to watch. So remember when Morgan Geeky was like, hey, he's going to, he could make the Canadian Olympic team. Yeah, he's scored since then or what?

Yeah, 41 games since he's got 14 goals. So he's slowed down significantly one goal in the last month. Okay. He slowed down. This Cousnadinoff, is that not like, well, this guy's top line with past all year long. He's got a little Zuccarello in him. He's 5-11 or 5-10 or a lot bigger than Zucrello.

Yeah. But he kind of reminds me of him. Yeah, he's got 30 points in 65 games. He's not, here's what I'm saying. Is Brick no longer listening? I think they're going to miss the playoffs. I think the Bruins are going to miss the game. Well, we got a big one in Detroit tonight,

the Ottawa Senators as well. Yeah. That'll go a long way. And Columbus seems to be the, the hottest of the bunch. Boston has five of their last 12 at home. After Toronto tonight, they play four playoff teams in a row.

I just, that lineup is, they got Swayman. I've seen their underlying numbers. They don't score. Listen, if they don't produce chances at all. I'm sorry,

but like, even Ottawa, and give Rimer for full credit, but like they had four shots on goal. But under different circumstances, like play your, you're star goalie back to back if you need to. You're talking about Allmer.

If Swamen plays tonight and has a decent to average night. Yeah, he can play again. Play tomorrow. God Lord. He's facing 12 tonight, so you could definitely play again tomorrow. I don't know. Sammy, you're so negative. Why can you be like me and J.B?

They're 14 against the Sends. Okay. Anyways, tank guide? Tank guide. Okay, so shout out to a guy on Twitter called Nize Guy on Twitter, because he just does it every single day He does the Leafs Tank Guide and now I'm just taking it from him

So you're contributing to the show You're a co-producer Yes So tonight The Leaves need to lose in regulation of the Bruins, pretty clear The Chicago Blackhawks need to beat the Islanders Do we have a standings board?

I can't sign up for that Okay The Blues need to beat the Capitals Yes Big one The sharks need to beat the Preds The Jets Need to beat the Golden Knights

And the Flames need to beat the Kings. If all of these happens, the Leafs would move from sixth last to 27th overall and be two points up from fifth last and three points up from third last, 30th overall. Yeah, that was a lot of events

you needed to go, a lot of upsets in one night. Yeah, listen, it's a long shot, but that's what we need. You know what I really don't care about tanking? You sure about that? Because I can't follow that. No, too much. It's too much. My head hurts listening to that.

I have looked at Staling's closely. It's not that crazy. the Rangers to win a bunch. Leafs, Blackhugs win, blues win, sharks win, jets, win, flames. A bunch of great teams right there, no problem. Rangers didn't do any favors. Holy crap, that was ugly.

I tried. I went into Amazon. I got the Amazon on. I tried to do it. It was just, it was painful. Otto's got 4D. Ottawa has 4D. Connor Shiri did. Let me tell you something.

That team plays hard. And if you really well coached and disciplined, you can miss a guy or two and still kind of look the same. But Travis Green has that team going. I have heard from many people in the Eastern Conference, many, two, who and talked to some other people that I threw this at who agreed,

is that no one wants Ottawa, that they think they're the best of Detroit, New York, Boston, Columbus. They could find themselves in a, in a final, but they got a really loose cannon in that. Yeah, totally. In Allmark. Totally.

No idea what that guy's going to be the best goalie in the world, the worst goalie in the world, or where did he go? I saw, I think, I mean, we're going to do it in the national hour, but I think I saw somewhere that it's a, maybe money puck, that it's a 26% swing tonight, this for playoff. Implications? Is that right? This Red Wings Ottawa game.

Oh, yeah. Like that's as big a regular season event as you can have. 26%. What's the tank website again? Tankathon. Tankathon. Tankathon. I got it up here if you want me to run one for you.

Let's see. How do we do? All right. Here we go. And with the first overall pick in the 2026 entry draft. The Florida Panthers pick first. I've gotten Florida Panthers so many times. Buddy, the Panthers are.

I got Washington, Brooklyn, and Sacramento. You've got to toggle it from NBA. Oh, shoot. I'm on the wrong one. Brooklyn. All right. And with my second try, Seattle gets the first overall on it. And the Boston Bruins get the sixth overall pick from the Toronto Maple Leaf.

I think the eastern... Chicago, Winnipeg. Well, I was looking at the bottom five teams. The NHL has the Rangers and the Blackhawks in there. You got to imagine they're freezing some amelopes to make those two happen. Otherwise, it's Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver. Oh, Toronto doesn't drive revenue for the league? Is half the reason the half the teams exist

Is because Toronto exists? Not many outdoor games, are they, Sam? Plenty still to get into international hour. Steve Aliquette, of course, lots of talk about warm-ups these days. We heard from me, we heard from Sammy yesterday. Our good

buddy, Craig Simpson, also voiced in Saturday night. And by attacks. But none of us actually played the position, but our next guest has. Steve Valakette will join us after the break. If you get a chance on YouTube, give a thumbs up

for Gord Stelik as well. Terrific. As always. All right. We go national next on the Real Kipper Endborn show with Steve Allicat. Valley up next.