Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Treliving, Parros Speak at NHL GM Meetings

Episode Date: March 17, 2026

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee get set for the Toronto Maple Leafs' matchup against Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders. They start with Craig Berube's comments today about what he'd like to see from the team down the stretch and whether the Matthews incident will impact roster decisions in the offseason. Then, they weigh whether the Leafs should add a voice to their management structure and review Brad Treliving's availability from GM meetings. Later, former NHLer and MSG analyst Cal Clutterbuck (27:00) stops by to share his thoughts on the Matthews/Gudas situation, what to expect from Schaefer in his first game in Toronto, the Isles' playoff hopes, and Patrick Roy's influence behind the bench. Finally, Nick, Justin and Sam listen back to George Parros' availability, where he talked about Gudas' suspension. 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, we got a game day. On the real Kipperman Borne show, Leif Hour edition of our program. We are live on SportsSat 360, 590, the fan in Toronto. Streaming always on Sportsnet Plus. Also available, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, where we have a ton of loyal watchers and listeners. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Jake the Snake Shultz, and Gomez Adams.

Andrew? Andrew. You sure? Yes. Because you sued me last time on that one. I know. What did you call him? His name's Andrew.

I called him Alex. Alex. See? Yeah. We got it right today. Got it right. We're on fire. We are on fire.

Toronto Maple Leafs get set to face Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders. Notice J.B., I didn't say Bull Horvatt and the New York Islanders. Didn't say Matthew Barzell and the New York Islanders. I said an 18-year-old kid, a teenager. How was he still 18? It's March. Stefan Rosner, the Islander said, the following Islanders were born within two hours of Toronto.

Schaefer, Sezicus, Ritchie, Horvatt, Pellick. They got a bunch of guys that are Toronto boys. And a little motivated tonight. Yeah, why not? And they're in the thick of it. They're in the fight. All right, listen, we got a jam-packed show. Jammed.

So much content. Valley at the top of the hour. Cal Clutterbuck will join us to tee up the islanders in about 20, 25 minutes. but no one's more excited than our very own Sammy McKee because we came in here and we twiddled our thumbs and we looked at each other and like, oh my God, what are we going to talk about? And Sammy's like, boys, we got a ton.

Okay. I mean, we kind of do. Like on the sliding scale of now until the end of the year, this is very high on the scale in terms of things that we have to talk about. Really? Well, big day. I can't wait. First of all, first of all, it's not a game day.

it's not often where has George Perra's ever spoken before in front of microphones. Yeah. When? I think every year there's a GM meetings and he's down there presenting. Infrequently is there.

But it's coming off. It's coming off a very, very high profile suspension. So I get where you're going. Okay. So we have that. Okay. We have the general manager of the Toronto Maple Police

addressing the media at said, GM meetings. Nice. We have the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs still talking about the Matthews situation. That's nuts. And that's pretty much it. So what are we to start?

By the time we get to Cal, that's good to go. Where do you want to start? I'm torn on this because I don't really, I guess we got to get through this Matthews stuff with Barubi just to put it to bed, right? They're still talking about it. I don't know if it's ever going to go to bed from here on to end. Well, no.

see your point. It's going to be relevant to the next year. All right, Sammy, where's our clip? Where do you want to start us? There is some responsibility on you guys to have some idea what you want to do. Buddy, I'm so grateful for a guy like you today. You've gone full bobcat. You show up at 355 hack of dart and come in here to a show. That's her at here now. Thank you, Mom until I'm going to me. No, I'm picking up your energy.

Okay, okay, okay. So say I wasn't here, say I wasn't here, what would you two guys talk about? The weather? I don't know. You're such a savior to us. Just thank God for you. Just really carry us, pal.

All right. So where is the spin? Where is the energy? Where are we diving into? So CJ this morning at Morningskate. Yes. Asked Barubei. Like, do you guys?

Are you guys still talking about this, basically? And clip three there, Andrew, if you could play it, this was the answer from the head coach. It's something we've talked about almost daily, about, you know, getting in there for each other and being physical and hard to play against. And when somebody, you know, takes advantage of just the other night with the goaltender in the Buffalo,

OEL is right in there and we have everybody in there. That's what we need to look like all the time. Okay, I mean, I get it. But it's a little late, but better late than ever, I guess, just to kind of finish out a look that ultimately won't play too much in, I think, decision making next year. Is that safe? Is that fair to say? Well, can guys go out there and say, oh, I get it now. It took me 65 games.

It took us out of the playoff mix. it took us an incident that thoroughly embarrassed us. But I get it now, Coach. See, it feels to me like for Ruby's embarrassed. Because like if this was this important, then it would have been made important to the team, that he would have been on it throughout the year. And I know he said the comment that he has mentioned it.

So maybe he has their attention more now than he has in the past. But it does feel like he's trying to play catch up and be like, this is important to my team. This is something that I've. Not to totally dismissive, but like we are in a huge development stage for a guy like Easton Cowan, a couple of Marley's can come up. They can pick something up out of these 15 games still and take it into next year.

I'm not totally dismissing that. Sure. Yeah, like I think it's good that it's important. I would say my one concern is like, are they going to make decisions? based off this incident this summer. And if that's the case, does that mean they're going to go out

and try to find the most punchy, punchy guys they can? Or is it... Well, the thing is, that's what this year was supposed to be. I know. That's what's like the most infuriating part about all this is the buzzword at the start of this year, in the summer last year,

was the DNA, the DNA change. Yeah. And that, you know, getting rid of martyr and bringing in more capable bottom six with the guys that are bigger and maybe not tougher, obviously, but bigger and whatever, this was kind of the objective going into this year. And then in that year,

you have by far your most famous moment for not sticking up for one another. I think that makes it a tough pill to swallow. But to your point, I don't, I just think it means like they're maybe going to like trade Willie or trade Riley. And move the guys that were on the ice. Just a crazy connection to me to be like, you know,

we need to get rid of more Marner types and get more. But I mean, like the Willie talks already out there, right? Like, I mean, you mentioned that it was even there at the deadline. Like, it's going to kick back up here. Riley's going to kick back up here. And it's easy to look at those are the two guys that were on the ice that didn't jump in, blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying I want them to trade Willie.

I'm just saying it's going to kick back up and that is going to be a reason it's talked about. I get the incident and I get the attention it's given. The Leafs and then the focus. But you don't get rid of Morgan Riley because he didn't step in on that incident. You get rid of him because it's just time. It's over. Okay. And you don't, to your point, you don't just get rid of Willie possibly and just say that you got to go get a two tough guys or three tough guys instead of having that talent because he didn't jump in there.

either. Right. Like, it might have been the cherry on top, and it might be the spotlight, but it's, it has really nothing to do with the changes that you really have to make. You know what it is? It's the flipping over of the rock in your yard, and you see all the gross potato bugs under there? They were always there. But you just didn't have to look at it until you flipped it over, and this flipped the rock over.

Indirectly. God, that's so good. You're right. Indirectly, it is a reason why. you're in this place, but you're in this place because your team just wasn't good enough. It wasn't deep enough. It wasn't tough enough, of course.

And it's just being highlighted now because you guys were, you misread a reactionary moment. I read something, I forget where it was, but it was talking about the type of guys that they've brought in up front to try to be these guys who could play and have toughness. and it's been Michael Bunting, Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzi, you know, none of them...

5-11, 5-11, 5-11, 5-11. You know, like, you're bringing in... They did try the Nick Ritchie thing. Right. But, like, to me, that's the size of the dog in the fight versus the dog in the fight. That's not right. You know what I'm saying.

It's got to be your bowl. And you can't have one of them. You just don't need four of them. Well, and it would just... It's hard to find guys who are big and play tenaciously and produce offense. So they have typically gone out and got either big or guys who produce offense.

And they just haven't found many guys who are a combination of it, which is why I'd rather work with Matthew Nyes than Trado. Because he could do it. Okay. Let's do a follow up to that last one. This is a question that Luke Fox asked his questions in the clip here. So let's play four. Clip four there.

Five to six points since Austin went down. Like how much are you looking back at that moment as a point that snapped the guys to attention? Sometimes it's a wake-up call, you know, it really is. I can't allude to that's why, you know, but I think if I look back from that game on and how competitive we've been and how physical we've been, it's a big difference.

It is really, I mean, they are playing way harder since and they're winning games since. Like, that's not an accident, I don't think. I wish this wake-up call came, like, maybe in November. Right. When they were, you know, had a chance and we all thought that they might be a playoff team. Not saying they wanted to need to hurt Matthews then, but just like some kind of wake-up call. You know, we've all covered this time of year for the past 10, 15, okay?

And you can go down every year this time of year where you can look and pick teams that have just such. and then There's It's a sense It's a send Every year They're horrible all year And then it's been

Buffalo at times It's been like we There is a trend That just For whatever reason The edge is off It comes off Nobody expects anything out of us

We're all trying to We're all just trying We're all squirrels Just trying to get a nut here And it It can often look like this With a lot of clubs And again, how much do you want to read into that to, yeah, let's take it all back again in September or October?

Well, you shouldn't read any of the... No, bad. Don't do that. What you should do is look at your club and go, this was here all along. It's the same guys. Why couldn't the coach get it out of them? Right? This is something they were capable.

If you needed less pressure, that was one of the options you could have had. If you needed more pressure, also an option. Yeah, if these guys were capable of playing really hard and looking like that, like a winning team, but they weren't doing it for some reason under this coach. You should probably bring in somebody else to try and get this version out of them earlier. Exactly right. Right. Not like, hey, we're winning now.

They figured it out. There's no. Can I just clarify something? I'm going to ask you this question because there's not a run they can have here. That's going to like save jobs. 14 and 0. You know what, Sammy? I know behind the scenes, you hear stuff like,

yeah, they're thinking about it or, no, there's no chance they're bringing them back. But until you know, you don't know. Which one are you hearing? Do you want to say? I don't want to say it. No, you know, because it's just, I saw Kip having a good thing. That one I wanted to let him off the hook.

Gerbil was running on the wheel, aren't? Yeah, listen, anything would be just a guess, a guesstimate. I guess. Yeah. But I don't want to do that right now. All I can say is they're here and they're acting accordingly. And there's what real decisions are there from here on end, by the way. I think there's two real.

What's that? There's two really. The lineup, the lineup on a daily basis. Oh, you mean during the season. Yeah. For coaches and general managers. Until you're told otherwise, you just conduct business. like it's your job

and it's going to be your job next September. Let me ask you, do you feel like a recent piece by in the athletic that the Leafs need a guy, a visionary, a Brendan Shanahan. Doug Armstrong just turned down his hockey Canada position and I joke that it was to focus on the upcoming Leafs job.

Every talking about Chris Pronger taking a more significant position somewhere in the NHL getting into the side, I do. You do? I do. Okay. 100%. And I just, I look at when Brad Trier leaving came in, it was to work with Brendan Shanahan.

And if you look around right now, there's a lot of that going on. And I'll only just, I'll use Montreal as the best example out there between Jeff Gordon and Ken Hughes. And in my feelings, that's what all teams should have. not necessarily just the Toronto Maple Leafs. But when Brad was hired, it wasn't for him to be that guy because he is the general manager, but now he's the president and the president of hockey ops. And it's him.

And then after that, I know he's got some lieutenants around him, but the one with the biggest voice is Craig Barubis. Not anybody up there in his office beside him. And it's just not enough for me. No, I mean, the Leafs, say what you will. people talk about, oh, you know, us in the Leafs or whatever. It's a different organization. It's a different beast.

It's a bigger machine. It is huge. And it's a big ass to have tree, be the guy to be all those different roles. And I think this is the rare operation where you need a few people. And experienced people would be good. So even the system alone between Craig, Brubie, and Brad, it's really set up for them to fail. You know, if those two guys have the most powerful voices,

in the hockey department and the hockey decisions, it's set up for them to be at each other's throats, if you ask me. When you got a guy that obviously is the general manager and the architect and the builder of this roster, and then sometimes you look on the ice and certain guys aren't where you think that they should be, and then you factor in all the losing. Like, it doesn't bold,

Well, for them to have a cohesive kind of feel moving forward here. It's set up for them to be at each other's throats, if you ask me. Let me ask you both this question. So, for example, this offseason, if they're hesitant to get rid of Bradshaw living, for example, and they brought in Pronger, man, X, or Doug Armstrong, or whoever the big hockey, sexy name is over, and they brought that person in but kept Bradd's living? Is that something that you guys be comfortable with? It's interesting.

interesting thought exercise. Yeah, I think it depends how strongly, how strong a position the new guy had. We're going a totally new direction. Here's what we're doing. What do you feel like Tree, his responsibilities are? Like, I think a lot of us have felt that, like, Alveen in Vancouver hasn't really had a lot of input in some of the decisions.

It's been Rutherford, right? Like, there's some of this, oh, new GM, but, like, it felt like Rutherford was making the calls. We even heard someone talking. about they called the Canucks to make a trade and Alvin was like that's not up to me. I got to like pass you off to Rutherford. Yeah. It still is the buck stops with me, right?

There has to be one main guy for sure. It's just a matter of how much you trust and empower people around you and where you need to say, no, that's my decision and this is it and it's final. I mean, it's not an easy process, but I still, you know, despite Alvin's lack of success or Vancouver's lack of success, I still think it's more of a, then you're dealing with reputations, character, you know, what have you done lately kind of thing? But just if you have the right people around you,

I think that's still the best way to go. So the day of the GM meetings, Bradford Living, spoke to, I think it was just Kyle, Gascas, There may have been some other. He was asking the questions. I guess we were talking about the plan going forward here. He also asked, because there was that report, I think, Fridge, that he addressed the players about Matthews. Kyle asked him about that.

Go either way. Let's go with clip two, the one on the boat Matthews first. Clip two. There's a report out there that, you know, after the hit last week and the immediate response from it, you would call some players after the game. Was that in fact true? And just why was it important to you, if so? Yeah, I'm not going to get into it.

Any of those things that happened? Kyle behind closed doors. I talk to our players all the time, and certainly it was an incident that, like a lot of things that go on during a year, there are certain times that you feel that you have to address things. So we talk to our players all the time, but to get into any of the specifics, I'll pass on that. Other than the say, you know, between Craig myself and the,

players it's been addressed. So, so yes. Okay, excuse me for one second. Yes. Okay. So, reporting that he made calls to players now is newsworthy? I don't think it's not. I think it's

newsworthy. You don't think it is? Okay, like, Is that the coach's job? No, it's not. Don't you assume that either the message is getting through? Like, I just don't, I don't get it. I don't get that.

Well, let me ask you. Who was the GM of the Rangers? I never got a call from a general manager unless I was traded. I know. And like I've been around. I've been around enough organizations that I, how often was Lou Lamarillo in contact with Brad Boys? But they text each other all the time.

They do. Oh yeah. I believe texting. They text each other all the time. If they called like, what's the big deal? What is the big deal that they called? The players text with tree all the time? General managers do text with their.

players now. That's just a norm now. That's just the new world. Really? But I just don't think GMs are as consistently in contact with their players as a coach. It sounds like Tree is maybe more involved in the room. And we actually have another thing here where it sounds like, no, that's not. That would be a meeting. That would be like, hey, go see David Poyle in the office or Paul Holmgren, whoever was in charge at the time. Go see Cliff Fletcher. I've got nose call. I've got nose. But, I mean, wasn't necessarily, you know, newsworthy. Yeah.

I don't know. Yeah, I think it depends. If he's, how involved should a GMB in the day-to-day with the players? Well, whatever he feels, that's a big deal. Not having anybody respond to your captain while he lies on the ice. I agree that. It's a big deal. And that is worthy of a general manager going into a dressing room,

addressing the team, or having certain individuals come and meet him. Or a text or a phone call. I think if it's nothing. We assumed it was one of four of those things. Oh, I never thought about you a second of my life. I mean, did you count the players? Like, I mean, okay. Yeah, what if I did?

Well, I mean, if he didn't think it was a big deal, why wouldn't he just say, yeah, I did? I don't know. Because it's not your business. That's why. It's not your business. Yeah. That's the best answer.

Okay. That would have been a fine answer. Who did you call yesterday? Let's talk about that. You want to know? Right? Because I call nobody ever. Except not my business.

I call Ali. That's the only person I call. Just not my business. I also call Ali. What was I going to say? I had something I was going to say about. Oh, yeah. So there's been all these like reports that Tree's been really mad about the knee and like going to the league and he's really mad about this and he's really mad about that.

Like, could you just be mad like publicly? Like, can we see you be mad? Like, wouldn't that help his persona if you came out and be like... But then it's a show. Then you're talking about a show to appease you. And that's no good, Sam. I know that people were disappointed in Broobie's comments about it and, you know, that they weren't forceful enough that they were...

You got a lot of... It is what it is. Nothing we can do about it now. That sort of stuff. People didn't love it. People were mad. Let's get the third true living clip there, Andrew, on the plan. forward with him.

Well, listen, we've had a disappointing year. We know we understand that. I know everybody wants the answers today of saying, okay, how does, you know, what are we going to do with everything? You're evaluating lots of stuff. And like I said, we've got a month or so left of the regular season. Certainly we want to see some people that we've got within the system in the Marley's to get some opportunities up. We've got to manage our recalls. But as we get to the end of the season, we've got to have a plan and we will have a plan to move forward.

But today is not that day and you work through that with your staff. There's always lots of reports out there, lots of erroneous reports of things we're doing or not doing. But we'll continue to work through the rest of the season. And when we get to the conclusion, sort of do the review and the autopsy and move forward. The one knock on Brad. We will have a plan again. No, not that one. Okay.

That's my knock. No, my knock is today's not the day. When is the day? Every day. Yeah. Every day's the day from here on end. Okay. And again.

Whoops, this is the day again. The one knock again on Brad is that he over-evaluates, he over-analyzes, and he's sometimes slow on decisions. And can't have that. No. Can't have that. moving forward. If he stays, if he is still the guy,

again, maybe bring someone in who can just nudge him. Like make a decision, stick with it, and let's go. Just a pair of spurs, just to kick him in the sides once in a while. You know who's really decisive? Doug Armstrong. Well, it is funny.

You know, you look at Bill Guerin, whatever you think of Bill or the Wild or whatever, it's like, they said, hey, we don't like this Parisian suitor situation. They're gone. We're moving on. We want to keep Caprize off. It's going to cost a million dollars more than whatever. Okay. Like you just got to make some decisions at some point. Speaking of Dillig Aaron, I have with that article in the athletic the other day. Oh, yeah. Oh my God. You guys see that? They're interested in Noss and Matthews in Minnesota. And check me my watch here. Still under contract for two more years. Interesting article.

Old Terry tampering with the. What was that? I didn't read it. Oh, I mean, it's. He mentioned. mentioned Austin's name? Well, the article is by Michael Rousseau, who's had in the show and does great work. And he had just mentioned that, you know, Bill Guerin wants to make big swings, and he's saving up his chips to make big swings.

And when he's using Austin really get along. Went out of his way at the Olympics to prop him up as a leader and all this. Aaron thinks Austin's awesome. Lots of dots getting connected. That's what I'll say. No, no, no. It's fun stuff for people to think about. It's juicy, but as a leaf fan, it pisses me off.

Does it? Well, I mean, let's just say, for example, a Toronto, let's just pick any Toronto. Let's say our boy, Luke Fox went and the lease were sick and Quinn Hughes was thinking about leaving there. He was like, all these, their best buddies and Trilliving was saying all these great things. Everybody in the sports media world be like, oh, Toronto tampering, tampering, tampering, la da, da. And the wild guy, Russo does it. It's like, oh. No, no one even, you didn't even see it.

Like, you didn't see it. Why would it charge Russo with tampering? Well, I love Russo, but you can't be pissed off until Russo writes what the Leafs might be getting back for him. Well, yeah, they'd have nothing to trade. They just trade away all their good players. Well, they just said that they purposely didn't do deals at the deadline because they're keeping things that would appeal to someone who might want to trade a big star, perhaps. Which could fit well for Toronto and Minnesota. Totally.

Until you know, Sammy. Well, Russo's all over it, so we'll get him on to talk about. Anyways, let's go to break. We'll get the cow and then we'll maybe do some, do some pero stuff after Cal. All right. Sounds good. How was that?

Producing boys. But he's producing and hosting. Unfortunately, I have many more things to say. No, no, we still got some time. All right. They'll meet on the bone here, boys. After the break. More real Kipprinborn.

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. your podcasts. Welcome back to the program. Nick Kiprios, Justin Boran, Sammy McKee.

Let's welcome in Cal Clutterbuck, former National Hockey League, are over 1,000 games. The Islanders in the wild doing a terrific job now covering the New York Islanders for MSG Network. Cal, how are you, my friend? Doing well. Doing well. How are you guys doing?

Good. So I'm just, I'm looking at your stats in over 1,000 games, which is an incredible accomplishment. And for whatever reason, I just was curious to look at your penalties. minutes and I thought for sure you know thousand, 1200, 1400, 700, pretty respectable, but a

couple of years where you had 10 penalty minutes in one season. Granted, I know you didn't play all 82 games but like how good a guy like you play that hard and not trip someone six times? Well, that's where the 10 penalty minutes came. Yeah, no,

I don't know. I if I was out there taking penalties I wasn't going to be I wasn't helping out much and I killed penalties mostly so if I spent more time in the box than I did killing them I wasn't doing my job there you go listen hottest topic of course all week was the

Goudas and the Austin Matthews incident you know a guy that played the game like you I'm curious to hear your overall thoughts well my thoughts on the hit I guess definitely an avoidable situation I think, you know, being a guy who hits a lot, you know, I talk about all the time. I always wanted to have, you know, a plan B, regardless of how committed I was to hitting somebody.

I always kind of was ready to get out of it, you know, especially when you're talking about a guy like Austin Matthews and, you know, Radco's coming out of the corner. You've got to know that Mattie's probably going to try and make some kind of move either one way or the other. So, you know, he just was unprepared to change his direction. obviously he was beat and tried to get a piece of him and ended up ugly obviously. And then as far as the, you know, the response from the Maple Leafs or lack thereof. And, you know, unfortunately for Toronto that the lack of a response is going to get a lot more attention than if it were to happen anywhere else. But that being said, if you play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, that's part of your responsibility

is knowing that that's going to be the case. But, you know, I think it's disappointing for anybody who, probably as a fan of the team to see the lack of immediate response, I think just because it's a sort of a, it's a little tiny window into, you know, where the mindset of that team is at currently at the moment. And it's probably not a favorable one. So tough look.

And you know what, though, since then they've, you know, they've obviously played well. Looks like they're playing a little harder. I've watched their last couple games. They've beat some good teams. You know, sometimes it takes an incident like that for people to get the message. but yeah it was a tough one the other night I was on coast to coast actually with

PK and Annie Petrillo when it happened we talked about it at nauseam so you know unfortunate situation you know I actually think that's a great way for us to get into Toronto a little bit we are on in the Leafs Hour and so love to get your thoughts on

I believe you're from Welland if I'm not mistaken so you're an Ontario boy you're very familiar with what happens here and the noise you know some people say that it's not a place that would want to play. Some NHLers have it on list. They wouldn't want that heat. I don't know how you would have felt if you had the opportunity or how you feel about it

in general. Is Toronto something that you think other NHLers, it's appealing because it's near home? It's Canada. What is the general vibe from other players? I think it varies. I think there are definitely guys who probably don't want that. I probably went through stages of my own career where I didn't want that. you know but at the end of the day I think it would be an honor to play for for a team you know the team that whether I am I grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan because I'm you know I grew up with a French Canadian family so you know I was anti-leaf from the time I was born

but it really doesn't it really it's first of all it's not really a choice there are very few people that get to kind of choose to come here I guess when the grand scheme of things for me I think what's difficult about it is is that And over the last seven or eight years, I think that there has been a team on the ice that's very good, very talented, and had chances to go and do things. And I think some of the criticisms, especially in the last three or four years, maybe slightly unjustified. If you look at, you know, the teams that ended up beating them in the playoffs, by and large, would go on to win Stanley Cups. So it's difficult to kind of label them as, well, they're unsuccessful. But to deviate from sort of the path and the plan that they were on,

I think was a little bit potentially premature in my mind. Because, you know, I always felt like every year they had a team that was probably good enough to do it. They just weren't able to do it. And then, like, once you get into the playoffs, it's got to be difficult for those guys, especially once they get closer, like, it's ironic because the closer they get to closing out of a playoff series, the more noise comes out. And so, you know, it's got to be nerve-wracking for them. it's got to kind of creep into the room.

But I just think you need a group of guys that are, or at least a group of veteran guys who are very keen on just having a team kind of live in the moment and try and get it done. And I think that's the way I would try to go about it. But, you know, whether they were able to do it or not, they had good teams. You're watching, listening to Cal Clutterbuck, who covers the New York Islanders for MSG Network.

So if you had two tickets, would you lend them to Matthew Schaefer tonight? There's a guy that has no problem playing in Toronto for at least one night? Yeah, he's got a crew here tonight. Somebody said he said he's got a thousand people coming. I thought he was kind of, I thought he was joking about it. And then I was on, I was on with Carlo Coliochho this morning. And I was like, you know what, to be honest,

there's 18,500 people he's got there tonight because everyone in that building is going there to watch him. Yeah, good point. It's one of those nights where, you know, his first chance to play, to play here. And again, as a visiting player, even growing up in Ontario, there's definitely a special feeling

and a pedigree when you come come here for the first time. I remember my first time. It was the Air Canada Center back then, but, you know, it's a special place. And obviously, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a special place in every Ontario's, every hockey player

from Ontario's background and heart. Yeah. Cal, the Islanders made an interesting move with the deadline, getting Braden Shen. Wanted to get your thoughts on kind of where they came from. Like it felt like the Islanders, you know, you guys had a couple of great conference final runs and kind of hanging on. And maybe we're going the wrong direction. And all of a sudden this past summer, everything kind of swung back the other way.

Were you surprised to see them go get a veteran contributor like Shen? Given that, I don't think a lot of people thought they're like in their cup contention window yet. I could be wrong there. The East is wide open. But were you surprised at what they did at the deadline? No, I don't think they're, you're right by saying they're not in their cup contention window right now. But if you look at them, this is sort of the transitional period. You've got, you know, Matthew Darsh comes in, takes over for Lou.

Our conference finals teams were, we're well put together teams a little bit on the older side. If you look at the majority of guys on those rosters, you know, half of them are probably retired. And half of them moved on. And, you know, because of COVID and the cap crunch, we. unfortunately had to sort of disband that team a little earlier than I'm sure we would have liked. And then, you know, the core was left to kind of try and figure it out, but I think it was a, it was a kind of middle of the road roster with for a couple of years higher expectations than were probably deserved. And, you know, you try and get younger, you try and get faster.

And I think this particular period is Matthew Darsh's chance to sort of ramp up the ability to do that. now I think the Braden Shen move is a move that is a transitional period move. If you look at a lot of these guys coming up, a lot of their prospects, you've got to figure they're two or three years away. They're probably going to be getting into the lineup, trickling into the lineup. And I think what Matthew Darsh wants is he wants a string of veterans who are still capable, who've got a pedigree, who are able to sort of take these guys under their wing for two

or three years so that when you know Matthew Schaefer turns 22 or 23 and the window really starts to open that some of these prospects are ready to go and at that point you know guys like Braden Shend and Kyle Palmieri will be you know probably ready to move on but you need

some leadership and you need some guys in there to be able to sort of teach them the way and bring them along for a couple years while the window might not be right there for a Stanley Cup you make that trade for Shen it's certainly to make the playoffs here but how does it feel right now with

Pittsburgh's big win I guess last night over Colorado but Columbus is coming on big time here so how nervous are the islanders you think you know I think they're just as nervous as you would think that they are but I think they've kind of taken an approach in the mindset that they just got to try

and take care of what they can take care of and they do have 10 of the last 12 at home they've got some tough teams coming in. But, you know, I think it's one of those who, you know, when I was playing, I always used to try and look at the number of points that you'd need to get in and sort of work backwards from there. So, you know, if it's 99 this year, the Allenders need 18 points in 15 games. And, you know, if I was in that room, I just put the number 18 on the board. And every time you get a point, you erase it and put the new number down until that number

gets zero. I think that's the only way you could look at it if you're the islanders. And, you know, they're blessed to be in a position where I didn't think they were, they didn't think they were going to be in probably September, even with, the addition to Matthew Schaefer. So, you know, I think it's all kind of gravy for the owls right now. And then the influence that Patrick Waugh has had on this organization has been pretty notable. I think he gives him a pride and a direction. Maybe you can fill us in on your thoughts on Waan his influence,

but it seems to me like even if they were going to miss the playoffs, he's been a really great energy for the Islanders. Yeah, he's, he likes to use his forces. and I think, you know, and he likes, he likes exciting hockey. He likes to have those guys go out and do what they're going to do. And I think for the, you know, the stars on this team, a lot of the method, the last little while has been more so about structure and defending and not turning pucks over. You know, all the things that, you know, do need to go into a team when you're talking about

trying to win consistently and going on cup runs. But I think for right now, he's allowing those guys to go out there, be creative and they're responding to that. And I think it's been, you know, it's been really good for Schaefer as well. I mean, you know, he broke the record for minutes played by an 18-year-old defense or 18-year-old in National Hockey League

the night at like 29, 24 in regulation. And I'm just not sure there are other coaches on the planet that are going to allow him to go out there and play 29 and a half minutes in a game. But he's done it. You know, if you look at the list of the top 10, his name's on there seven times. I think he's been over 29 minutes, like five times.

So he's letting the kid play. And, you know, if you're an Islander fan, it's exciting because you get to see him for half the game. Your ticket prices become worth it pretty quickly. That's right. Cal really appreciate your time stopping by. Have a great call tonight. And we'll catch up to you again real soon here. Thanks for doing this, pal.

Boris, thanks, thanks, guys. Appreciate it. Thanks, I appreciate it. Clutterbuck, New York Islanders MSG Network. He played 29 minutes plus the other night. Yeah. That's mental. Yeah.

So I just, just noteworthy that, you know, what Cal said coming in. So, of course, I look at my career and anyone else in this Toronto area, there's your first NHL game, there's your first NHL goal, there's your first playoff game, Stanley Cup playoff game. There's being on the ice when you win the Stanley Cup. And then for a kid in this area, there's your first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's a thing.

It's a thing. It's a milestone. Big thing. And I remember feeling like just a kid on Christmas Day. You're nervous or excited? All of it. All of it. Just coming to the rink, of course.

What made it extra special to me was the same building that you grew up watching, Maple Leaf Gardens, walking in. And just saying, I'm... That's really cool. playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. To have gone to a game as a kid in a building and watched a game. And then come back with your stuff in a bag. To play in that building is like that like makes me emotional.

That's like that's very. And I scored, I didn't score the first time I played against the Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens, but I did score against Grant Fear at Maple Leaf Gardens. And a goal that is just, you remember like it's yesterday until the day you die. That's really cool. We do have a clip, I think, of Matthew Schaefer talking about playing here. I find it very interesting. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Let's play it there. Do you have a favorite memory growing up coming to this rank for watching the leagues? Yeah, I mean, I think there was a video actually of, I was super young. It was me and my dad took a video and I was just chanting, go, Leaves, go, or whatever, when I come up. But, I mean, it's funny because times have changed and, you know, now I'm an Islander and things like that. So, yeah, I mean, I honestly, I think just, you know, coming to games, obviously this was the closest, one of the closest, I mean, here in Buffalo we're probably the two closest NHL teams that I could go watch.

So I wouldn't come to do a lot of games, but I mean, my dad was a Leafs fan growing up. So, you know, obviously, you know, watching them a little bit growing up. And I think now we're all Islander fans now. So, yeah. Go Leafs, go, you stand. Sam's anti- tampering until it's a Leafs fan growing up. Go Leafs go, you say.

You might not come off the ice tonight. Cue the video. I'm coming home. There's a lot to talk about Chalios, could he play the whole game? Because there's some nights he played. He can go well over 30 minutes. Yeah.

Obviously, shifts are long and you need time to breathe. I think a doubt he's playing part of his career like that. So Sutter coached both those guys. And he talked about how Dowdy would come to him after playing 26 and go, you got to get me more. Like, I'm sitting on the bench. I'm ready. Like, could a guy play 40 minutes a night? I bet you he could.

You know who could have? Duncan Keith. Yeah. The way he just skipped and skated and it was those guys that skates so well, it's so easy. Seth Jones. So did you guys, we have a little bit of time here. Do you want to hear George Perros talking about Goudis? Do you want to?

I don't, but you do. You do. Well, I feel that it's very newsworthy. Is this going to end up just a Toronto thing for you? Well, you know, we're in the Leafs Hour. Right? Yeah. We're in the Leafs Hour.

You know what I'm talking about when it comes to you and chip on the shoulder you have for this department against your Toronto Maple Leafs. Let's go to Peros clip two, Andrew, on his decision to suspend Goudis for five games. Let's play that. No, I feel confident in this decision. We came to it, you know, for a good reason.

You know, when we evaluate these plays, we look at the play, not the players, all right? And then we look at if we determine in that play was worthy of supplemental discipline. We then look at the history of the players involved and if there's an injury or not. This is how we come to make all of our decisions. We did this and made this decision

under those circumstances, felt that this was the appropriate response and so I stand by it. Yeah, I mean, I do, I guess if any question I have is it becomes relevant who did it. And I know that they determine the play in isolation was it a suspendable play

regardless of who it was and then they move forward? Can there be just a few guys where you can determine the player first and the play second? Totally. Where you go, okay, you're your third suspension, benefit of the doubt is gone. From now on, any close play, we're assuming you did it. You know, we're assuming intent.

I don't know. Guilty until proven innocent. Let's do, and then the other clip I wanted to play is on the Gouda suspension process. Let's go clip four, please. So there was the general understanding there was an injury on this play. It seemed very obvious, and I do get an injury report at the time when I decided to make a have a hearing. After that point in time, I call the team and let them know we're going to have a hearing for the play of the offending party. Then I'll find out what the injury information might be.

So the assumption was that there is an injury on this play. and having that information and feeling that way about this, knowing that there's likely an injury, I still decided to have just a phone hearing for that. So, you know, it wasn't like I decided to have a phone hearing, found out there's an injury, and then wished I had an in-person instead, if that's what you're asking.

So there you go. You know, we talked about this. It doesn't sound like they're looking for an overall summit on, No. Player safety. No. This is the way it is. Suck it up, Buttercup.

I think you made a good point before the show is that because he almost never talks publicly about a decision, if you have no regrets and no commentary on it, what's the why comment? Like it's just... We'll play in the national hour at some point his response to what McDavid said, which is more of a national story, I think, as opposed to those two leaf ones.

That's probably the answer is that McDavid spoke out so he felt the need to... But the, I mean, the answer is, process is perfect. We don't love our process. We're perfect. We're perfect. If you're willing to come out, I just, I completely, all this did was piss people off more. Like there's just, there's no, if you think your processes are good, you think that it's fine. I just, I have no idea, like the lady Doth protest too much. Like I just, what's the point of a press conference if everything is perfect? I just, I, I don't know. Yeah. It just seems a little, it seems a little It's tricky.

There's just a just a hairline between one side or the other. There's right now it's hot because it's Austin and Connor. Connor and we're seeing some stars getting hurt

and now the big question is like are we doing enough to protect our stars? And it's like there's a physical game man. You don't get complete bubble rap around you because you're a star. You are just as eligible to get hit

and hurt. And that's what happened to Leon Drysidal. People are pissed off that fourth liner like Ozzy wine blat. What is it, Sammy? How do you pronounce that guy's last day? It's Weez Blatt, I think. Whatever. He takes him out and it's like, we lost a star. Well, no, you lost a player.

It is. And you're eligible to lose players on clean hits. I think the example are commonly given is like, yeah, but I'm sure Gary's going to be thrilled if the Edmonton Oilers missed the playoffs because they missed their second best player because some third, fourth liner took them out. That's the way it is. And that's the game. Yeah. It's different than the NFL where a quarterback can't be touched, right?

They're a unique position that isn't in the muck the way that all NHLers have to be. NBA stars might be a better example where they get a little quicker whistle on some of those calls. But if I have to sit there and watch Connor McDavid cry like Luca Donchich, I'm going to change the channel. So. There you go. You're going to get some stars injured. But there should be, I think you should take it into consideration who's getting hurt when you go to give out a long suspension. The fact that I do.

That's where I'm at. Like if you take out dry saddle, and I don't even think that dry saddle play was dirty. I'm not even saying, but for example, you take out dry saddle or you take out Austin Matthews for the whole year, maybe she can get an extra game for that. I do. Is that not fair? If you ran the simulation with both guys, no name bar and either guy. guy, you know, the play is probably a game or two. But there's probably some math.

Yeah, but guess what? They do have name bars. Yeah, no, they do. They do have name bars. But then you're calling subjective. Really interested in anticipating when Austin is made available and his comments. He's not going to say a damn thing. No, I don't think so.

You think he's going to say he thought it should have been longer, but what are you going to do? When your aging comes out like that, and Connor McDavid comes out and you guys happen to have the same agent and you say nothing, not a good look. He's not going to say nothing. He's going to say, yeah,

I thought there should have been more games, but they made the decision they made. Okay, well, then... It'll be boring. It'll be, I can promise you it will be boring. But he's had all this time to think about it, spice it up a little bit. Oh, a little performance, a little act?

Maybe you should do like a little TikTok about it or something. But about all these skits going on right now? Yeah, that's what he should do. Like everybody, are we missing something? Should we do a skit? Should we dress up and pretend like we're doing something? I'm dressed up like I'm a leprecha on today because of St. Patrick's Day. Everybody's going Saturday night live on us now.

What is that? No comment. Sammy. Sammy's a TikTok influencer. I am. Big time. Like 1,000 followers. Nice.

Yeah. Million. All right. influence our watchers and listeners to stick around as we go national Sammy because we got Steve Valacette. Go. Next. Do not touch that dial.