Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: We're Bacccckkkk!

Episode Date: October 1, 2024

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee return with the first Leafs Hour of 2024-25! The guys open the show by discussing what will be different about this version of the Toronto Maple Leafs. What have they seen in preseason to indicate how Craig Berube will change the team's structure? Next, they move to Mitch Marner's contentious summer, how much is riding on the Maple Leafs superstar's season and a potential future contract to remain with the Blue and White. Does Marner's situation parallel at all with what William Nylander went through last season? On the Nylander front, Nick, Justin and Sam close the hour by discussing the Swede's potential move to centre and whether the Leafs will stick with this plan.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.

doesn't that sound familiar i'm upstairs i'm like okay i mean what I do? Shoot this show right out of a cannon? Tell everybody how excited we are? Or do I just look at the two of you and go, what's up? Good to see you again. Hi, everyone. I'm excited. I'm very excited to be back.

Are you nervous or excited? Because I got a little nervousness out of you earlier. I will say that last year I was cripplingly nervous. Like I was never been more nervous. Oh, yeah. You look back at that first show. I was red as a tomato. I was sweating.

I was terrified. But now I was equally as nervous today. Were you really? Yeah, I was. First day of school, bye, boys. I felt the butterflies pulling into the underground parking. I felt it. It's been since July since we've talked to each other.

A lot has happened. It's nice to see you guys. I'm home. We're excited. And it feels like a million years since our last show. And then I get here and it feels like I just left yesterday. Yeah, it's true. But I mean, listen, I was here.

You guys went on your sabbatical and I stayed here. You can tell us what's going on in baseball and basketball. We'll jump back into the hockey. It's hockey season. It is. So let's officially welcome everyone in to our fourth year edition of the Real Kipper and Bourne Show. Friendly reminder that in the first hour, we go all Leafs. Of course, that

is on Sportsnet 590 to fans, Sportsnet 360, and Sportsnet Plus. And then we go into our second hour, which goes nationally, and we do a broader scope of the National Hockey League. So keep in mind that at the top

of the hour, we're going to welcome in stanley cup head coach paul maurice wow a media darling who can replace us all tomorrow if he packs it in he's won a cup now he may choose to but uh awesome that uh we are all back together that is awesome. Is that right? Nobody will find that here. That's shocking information. That's not us. Right. But what are we? Unity.

Chemistry. Great skill. We are providing insight, analysis, and the fan's voice, and layering that onto the reality show drama that is the Toronto Maple Leafs. I mean, you could cut and paste all our shows from the start of every year. It's kind of the same thing, right? Like it's like, wow, they're different this year, but it's been pretty similar.

So once again, Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. God, I've gone like three months without saying that. Sounds really good. Derek Brandeo, of course, right back at us pushing all the right buttons jake the snake schultz around as well so we we got the band back together

we do and that uh that's really exciting we have an unbelievable list of topics to get to what turns out when you don't do a show for three months you miss a few things which is we should thank you know rogers for not dragging us in the first day of training camp because we what we what we're able to do is establish all these amazing storylines and there are a ton yeah and between now and july July 2nd. We'll try to cover some of them. But it is like the news and information out there and the storylines, of course, with your Toronto Maple Leafs. It's where do we start? Should we do an overview? Where do you start when it comes to either where the Leafs are now

or what we've seen since being eliminated by the Boston Bruins in Game 7? Fundamentally, Kip, is the question not are they different? Is that not where you start? You know, they have a brand-new head coach, Craig Berube, takes over. Is that the biggest change? I think so. Yeah, I think so because people were screaming for change. Us on this show at some point,

much like what Blue Jay fans are probably going through right now. They want heads to roll. They want someone to be held accountable. Did the Leafs do enough to hold or maintain some accountability without any major major changes besides sheldon keith i guess what you're asking me is they didn't trade mitch marner is that is is it enough without a major core change or tavaras for that matter whatever you think it could have been other than this, is that substantial enough?

I listen, I'm going to go ahead and lay myself, put my head in the guillotine first and say, I think they're different enough. Wow. They've done everything to be as different as they possibly can without changing the actual thing that would make them different. I also believe, and this is where I'm just launching 9,000 steps ahead,

but I don't believe that a great player like Mitch Marner is not going to have a great playoff for them at some point. I don't believe, I believe that there is enough here. They're among the teams who can get there in July. We could easily keep going on Mitch Marner. We will get to that topic of conversation. But let's start with initially what we talked about. Craig Berube and the feel and the change

and how it will look with Craig Berube behind the bench compared to Sheldon Keefe. So the things you can expect is you can expect more north-south hockey, less east-west puck possession, whatever. They're going to rim it some more. They're going to dump it in a little bit more. They're going to check. That's going to be more of a priority.

The other thing is player accountability, which Sheldon every year tried to make a thing, right? And I think we can anticipate seeing more of that, including from the core guys. And that's going to be the test early is when Matthews has a bad game, is there going to be repercussions or are they going to get 25 minutes still just because they're down a goal in a game? So we'll find out.

I just, I think the whole tone of the training camp has just felt so much difference with him in charge. I don't think you could picture a more different person from Sheldon Keefe than Craig Berube. Just in terms of, you know, I've been keeping up with all what he's been saying. And it's not a ton of things, quite honestly. And, like, we were famous for playing all Kippers Clippers or whatever. Are they in trouble?

Are my Kippers Clippers in trouble? Yeah. That's not for today. I say yeah one a day kip short clips that's what we should start calling it are we gonna have to pull some sheldon keith out of the trickle trunk a devil show i just think that like the word salad stuff from sheldon where he would talk for 13 minutes every morning and give you a breakdown on every little thing that he's thinking and what the team looks like you're not gonna get that anymore with brube and i don't think that's a bad thing necessarily for the team success maybe for us it could be a bad thing but i do think that it's just a different tone kippy what do you think from what i've witnessed already out of the exhibition games uh much different style to your point north south dump and chase and it it feels different i think

uh i think they're gonna dummy it down for them and to the point where sometimes it's not going to be very pretty so and and and the other thing too is though like you know where is that fine line between you know dump and chase that fine line between, you know, dump and chase north and south? And, like, I don't want to watch Mitch Marner go north and south and dump it in. I don't want to watch those Willie Nylander. Like, where is that fine line between letting them still do their thing while holding them accountable

but not stripping them down of that world world-class talent well he is saying that he doesn't want to take the sticks out of their hands he's saying that he wants to let them create and still have that flexibility but it is a tough spot when you're the coach and you're saying to these guys okay make plays do the skill things but also don't make mistakes and keep it simple you know you can't really have it both ways So does that mean certain players are going to have different rules? Like is Nick Robertson going to be able to cut back at the blue and try to hang on to it? Probably not.

Is Mitch Marner? Probably. So I think it's tough to be the coach when there's different rules for different players. Yeah, it kind of gets back to the conversation we've had for three years about Team A and Team B. Right. That's a great point. will you meld the teams i think that there's a you know those guys

the top guys they're capable enough to play pretty much any style they're all really good i don't i don't have any worries about that i think it's more about if you can get the buy-in from the under guys like the mcmahons like the holmbergs who you who turned into craig who turned into craig berube for a preseason game where he slew foot and guys and fighting all of a sudden. So if you get the buy-in from them, then maybe it looks a little different. But yeah, what were you going to say, Ken? I was going to say that, again,

I'm watching a team that's pushing the narrative on tougher hockey. Like I saw a much more from top to bottom physical team and I saw an emphasis so far in preseason to finish checks. The only thing I wonder now is for some of these guys that have gone five, six, or seven years where the emphasis has not been hard hockey to now go into that mode.

I don't think it's a coincidence that we've seen a couple guys get hurt already. oh yeah john tavarez i'm watching john tavarez play like he's he's out to prove something enough to know he has to show the coach he can play he's finishing checks harder than i've ever seen before but he ends up getting hurt and i'm wondering if this is the year where those bumps and bruises start really showing up with north and south but is this not the year where you totally would be okay with that because if you look down the lineup at the bottom you got lawrence who you like and reeves and uh holmberg and mcmahon and camp you have a lawn doer a laundry list of guys who will play physical and if you you know

you incur an injury or two that's all right we got we got next man up here a little bit i don't think they're gonna ask matthews to throw 200 hits there's not necessarily next man up if if you can't kind of fill in and replace some of these guys that may be irreplaceable and we know like marner matthews and they're not gonna ask mitch to run into anyone well but mitch mitch will go out there and play harder because that's what's gonna be asked and he's not gonna be one of those guys mitch marner will not be one of those guys saying okay i'm gonna watch everybody else do it i'm not gonna try to do it myself and tavaris is in a position now where if he's if he's going to be a a third line centerman he's got to reinvent himself yeah you know our uh our guy da we did a show with him the other day he he's never been a fan

if i'm not mistaken not to put words in his mouth of having the elite players on the penalty kill out there blocking shots right remember when tortorella tried to make the city block shots i think craig barubi is going to ask these guys like the first penalty kill units was matthews and marner nylander went over the boards next he also threw reeves out there for a couple yeah but like you know and uh tanev's out there blocks a shot with his hand to me like when you buy a shirt you buy it to wear it when you have players you have them to use and i i think you're right that he's going to use these guys they're going to block shots they're going to kill pennies they're going to hit people because

they're hockey players and that's what they're there to do so i don't think bubble wrapping makes any any sense i just think you maybe you're rolling that you cross the fingers and say you hope you don't get by the bit by the injury bug this year so the question is to both of you and it's pretty simple is that is it better this way like is this team the right match for that style like you know sheldon keith we didn't love him but the other style didn't work i guess you gotta try something else but is it better yeah all that matters is if if that style can come up in a game seven and you let your game breakers hopefully find one bounce that you were talking about earlier and everybody else does the meat and potatoes thing,

that tends to have a better recipe of success than the wheeling and the dealing. Game seven, Stanley Cup finals, Florida Panthers score twice. Two to one win. You know, Reinhardt shoots one in, Carter Verhage shoots one in. You don't need to get 10 you know those games and they kept a 97 off the score sheet right every game in the first round every game in the first round for the least was two one or three two they're all tight checking games you just need you don't need

five goals from these guys you need one or two at the right moment it's not it's not that big of a difference so i guess the question is, though, how do you find that offense? Yeah. Because they haven't done that in the postseason. How do you find that offense while playing this way? This is Berube's challenge. How do you allow them to create while still saying,

go run into people? Pressure on guys like Matthew Nyes, who's 230 pounds and playing on the top line. Yeah. Listen, we can go anywhere moving forward here. Marner. So. Marner.

Got to go Marner. Got to go Marner. You do? A hundred percent. Sure. I spent the whole last season trying to not. What did. Let's just go back from.

From what. Happened after. Game seven. To. Today. from what happened after game seven to today so time are you are you surprised where the situation has landed less than a week opening game wednesday night no i'm not surprised the The more I have thought about the Mitch Marner situation, and like a lot of people who cover the Toronto Maple Leafs, know I'm going to have to talk about it, have tried to write about it, and the more I think about it,

if they were going to do something, they missed the window. And once you get to this point, Mitch Marner is an exceptional talent. He kills penalties. You know, he gets selkie votes. He gets 100 points. He gets.

He's never got 100 points. He gets railroaded in this town. He's never got 100 points. Come on. Boys, he's never got 100 points. You can't say he's got 100 points. He's never got 100 points. He gets hammered in this town.

And he, there's some reason he should, but he's an elite player and not many people, not many teams have a guy like him and so you can't just say i'll play with the string and let him leave he'll leave he will definitely leave yes he's too good you can't trade him you can't let him leave to me i think you say i believe that this guy's gonna figure it out in the playoffs at some point and i think you gotta pay him i am i think I'm pretty surprised that we're heading into the regular season or just heading into the season

with Mitch Rutter still in the lead. I would say that the smoke at the end of last year was way more than years past. I felt like it was the worst it ever was. You're hard-pressed to get a guy in the prime of his career who's a legit 100-point guy. Let's face it. Who's never scored 100 points. He is. He's a legit 100 point guy and let's face it he's never

scored he is he's a legit 100 point guy 27 and and he had no support at the end of the year right no comment either no comment or you know it was not we're going to try to sign him every superstar gets we're going to try to sign him we want him back i mean he didn't get any of that so they let him down they were mad at him uh you had just mentioned just seconds ago that they may have missed their window to trade him i don't think they missed it i just think that there was no window when it came down to it you want to make calls of course he's got his no move and he has the final say but was there anything that they you think that they brought him?

About a move? About a move? And what team would trade for a guy without knowing for sure that he would resign? Well, I mean, teams take that chance, right? They trade for elite talents and hope they can get it. They do at the trade deadline, but they don't do it a year before and give up the farm. You know, it just felt like before he had the chance, that before the full no trade kicked in, was their only window.

That would have been it. And then the other option is to make life so miserable for him that he doesn't want to be here and it's not fun. Which, you know, I already have people messaging me about the thing I just said about him. About how it's your worst take ever. What, about just paying him? About paying and keeping Marner, because people have seen enough in the postseason of this group falling short, and they just don't believe.

They don't believe he can pull through. I'm surprised at the lack of, you know, I thought this was going to be way more of a circus with him going into this training camp and the questions surrounding him. And he addressed it right off the top at his media day thing said that it wasn't going to take it the the questions on his contract addressed it off the top said that he loved being a leaf said all the right things but like i i just feel like it hasn't like have you been fielding questions every day about marner's contract i just the willy thing last year versus it this year feels like night and day

in terms of how much you're gonna realize too that people are basing that we've seen this movie before this is willie all over again right yeah trade them don't trade them don't give in too much not enough but he ended up signing when right february january uh it was pretty shortly after that sweden trip wasn't it was around he ended up signing when? Right? February? January? Really? It was pretty shortly after that Sweden trip, wasn't it? It was around January. This is going to take the exact same path. Okay?

If you had a chance, like, even if they had a chance to sign him right now, you would never do it. Why? Why? Why? Why?

Because, because you, you're damned if you? Because you're damned if you do. You're damned if you don't. You don't have to, first of all, you don't have to sign him. Right? And if you did, how much of a bump up is he going to get? How much of a pay cut do you want him to take? There's no benefit.

People would sit there and go he didn't even watch october or november but you know what he's gonna do we all know what he's gonna do he's gonna have 110 point then you make a tough decision then you have to make a tough decision they did the same thing for willie they shopped willie this time last year they shopped him and then they came back he got shot out of a cannon. Willie there like, earn it, Willie. He was like, okay, you want me to try? And he did. He was on pace for 127

points. So when he signed him, it was like you had to sign him. Come January, Mitch is on a 120-point pace and then you may have to make a hard decision. But Kip, if he's on an 80-point pace and you offer him 10-5 he's not going to sign it he's not going to sign it you know so if he's not playing well

he's not going to sign if he's playing too well you don't want to pay him 12 or you know 12 and a half or something crazy it's do you think he's going to stay on a long-term deal i think hold on kip is going to beat us down all year long and walk him to ufa no i'm not you're gonna hold his hand to the finish line listen there's too many we are back there's too many unknowns right now i want to see him and craig bruby together okay i want to see what kind of goaltending the leafs get i want to see what kind of goaltending the Leafs get. I want to see what kind of captain Matthews ends up being this year. I want to see it. Give me October, November, December.

So they're not even talking now. There's no reason to talk. Play. Okay? There's no reason to talk. If the Leafs turned around and gave him 12 and a half, this town would go nuts. And'd be it'd be all over again you're not worth it you lost pasternak on the back check you stink you don't why do you need that are you doing impression of me kippy yes why do you why do you why do you want to do that now

yeah why don't you wait till i'd like to see to see Rantan go first. Let's see what Rantan inside. Get through October. Get through November. Let's see. Right? And if he wants to stay like he said he wanted to stay, then find a number. This is part of walking into UFA.

Keep the noise quiet until it's late. What's the number, in your opinion, Kip, that's not going to piss everybody off? Is there a number or is the relationship too frayed that no matter what the number in your opinion kip that's not gonna piss everybody off is there a number or is the relationship too frayed that no matter what the number is he's let's get with the like he could score 70 or 80 points he ain't taking a pay cut so he's at 10 9 now i'm fine okay okay totally fine yeah so he's gonna take a raise. The question is, is how big? Like, are you okay with him ending up being between Willie's 11.5 and Austin's 13.25?

I mean, yes, if it's below 12, that's between. Yeah, if it's 11.6, I'm thrilled. I don't know. You know, yeah, I mean, if they paid him $12 million times five years or something, I didn't live with that. I can't live with anything above that, I don't think. The playoff success is just not there. Yeah, I know.

And you've got many, many years as a gauge to say, even if you got him at 11 or 12 or 13, these are the wrong guys. They can't get it done. So imagine now you're in January and you just signed Mitch Marner to $90 or $95 million, $100, and they lose in the first round. You think you want to be Mitch Marner walking around this town? Do you?

Probably not, Kip. Are you kidding me? They would... He's toast. But that's why I'm surprised he didn't want to. He's going to be a great Blackhawks. You got to think about this stuff because it's not fun.

It's not fun. I don't think he's had a ton of fun the last year, year and a half with the ridicule that he's taken much more than matthews or kneelander this guy has been a piñata on social media well above matthews and kneelander and at the end of the day he's got more points than them in the playoffs if that matters to, if it's a priority. How can it not matter to them? I agree.

It probably should and it would to me. If it matters to him, is it not logical to say, maybe don't squeeze the team for every damn nickel you can and maybe try to be a part of a solution. Play for 11 and a half and people would love him. The other would be loved. The problem with that is that... Hometown discount. ...that he's not even the best player on the team.

Matthews is. Why didn't Matthews do that? I think he did. Where did he do that? He's the highest paid guy until next year. Dreisaitl a minute later signed for a million more years. But he's not... Dreisaitl kicks in next year at $14 million

when the cap could go up to $9,500 million. When he'll be making $13 million. But not only did Matthews insist on being the highest paid guy in the league, he's not even signing eight years. That guy wants shorter so he can go back and get more money quicker Mitt should too they all should but if the head doesn't do it

then what do you think the rest of the troops are going to think I think there's a case to be made that Matthews is 2 million more per year than Marner in value I think there's a case to be made that he didn't take the most he could he's the highest paid he's the highest paid than Marner in value. I think there's a case to be made that he didn't take the most he could. He's the highest paid.

Until everyone else dies. He's the highest paid. Yeah. I mean, Dreisaitl just got more than him, and Matthews is a better hockey player than Dreisaitl. Dreisaitl just took every damn penny he could, right? Like 14 for eight is a massive number for him. You can say he's a better regular season player. He's not a better player than Dreisaitl

from start to the end of the year with playoff games i mean i mean the dry sidles it shows up in the playoffs matthews hasn't shown up in the playoffs well yeah the oilers get two first round buys and they play the kings every year and the canucks every year they don't have to play in the best division in the sport every year so there's a bit of a difference there oh i mean the king they play the kings or beat them like a drum and get 40 points every series again So, okay. And not to throw it off topic here, but, you know, you got Sid Crosby. Okay. I think it's ridiculous that he did not get a raise.

You do? I do think it's ridiculous. Hey, do this one. Do this one in negotiation. I think it's embarrassing of our league to have a system where this guy has done what he's done still scoring 90 points amongst the best players in the game and he can't get a raise standing ovation for that take totally embarrassing totally but he comes across as a hero because he wants to give the team to come

across as listen he's sid crosby i love him. Nothing against him, but the perception is, you know, why wouldn't Mitch do a thing like that? And it's like, well, he's at the top. Right. Okay? When the guy at the top does it, then nobody underneath can claim different. But when Matthews is at the top of the Leafs and he doesn't do it,

then Mitch doesn't do it, then Mitch doesn't do it, then Willie doesn't do it, and then there's just that domino effect that's been around for like seven years. Well, it started with... Not divisively. Wouldn't it be impossible for him to have his own personality and decision-making

and choose to play for a fair or even discounted deal? Like, because Matthews did it, he has to? Maybe he should watch his own bobber and not worry so much about Matthews all the time. That's not the way it works. Years ago, wanting the captaincy, wanting matthews not the way it works though you know that i don't know if i think so so just it's it's whether or not now marner's in a position where you know is there a comfort zone are the fans backing them off or you know is there a good feel like when nylander signed there was a it was a good feeling the leafs were hot he was in sweden scoring these ot winners

do ot winners and you know they paid him at the absolute peak of his power he's wearing he also got his white undershirt dollars no trade every single day. He got it all. To see where you are come Christmas time before you make this decision. You know what I would like to see? I would like to see Mitch have a year where he's like Jack Hughes and he has like 130 points a season. I think he can do that. Playing with Matthews, his skill level, his time of his career, I think that's there for him.

And it might become a different conversation if he's a top three point guy or have a Kucherov year he can do that he's good enough you mentioned the relationship with Berube and this is something that's been brought up to me by buddies over the summer you don't think it's just going to be a good relationship like Berube's been like yeah

he's a 100 point winner and kills penalties in a silky level defense. Like, yeah, I'll keep putting him over the boards. Like, I think it's a funny – I do too. Yeah, so. Yeah, he's not going to be like, Mitch doesn't fight. No, no, no.

We want the good players on the ice. So, yeah, he'll get his love. Yeah. But, again, you know, this isn't year three of a build or year four of a year build. It's like we're into like the eights. The window's going. The eights, the nines,

and there's already people that believe that you can't win with Mitch Marner, Nylander, and Matthews together. That person might be right. So now you're going to sign him to an eight-year deal and you've proven nothing? What are your options other than that? That's it. This is the argument I have with all my buddies now

that are anti-Mitch Marner. It is to trade him. It is still to trade him. Will he be amenable to that? I don't know. Because if that's the conversation, I would think we'd have a lot more fun here.

Yeah. You know what conversation I don't like having with people? He doesn't have to be traded. He can just say, I'm staying. Yeah. I don't like the conversation

where people go, let him go and go sign two six million dollar d men and it's like oh god you know you know go bring brady shea and whoever else like the leafs are not better without mitch marner they're not their d is pretty good yeah if you the bigger point there is look at ufad every year and tell me the two guys who replaced mitch marner for for the same i agree it's. It's not there. I agree. Not even close to there. I agree.

We're all agreeing that he should stay. It's not a hot start for us. It's a great start. No, I'm not convinced that this group could win as is. No, you're not. No. I mean, I think you know. What do you mean? So you think they're going to do it. I think there's still may

I think the jury's out and i want to i want to watch and see you know what kind of goaltending support that they get and how how things kind of shake out here but i mean they to me that core group doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt that's fine but i think this is a better team. I actually think it's a significantly better team than they've had for the regular season going into the year. And I think if they can win a division and set themselves up to play whatever the Kings or whatever. Yeah, a wildcard team.

It can change the conversation. Talking layups and first rounds, they had the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Montreal Canadiens a couple times that were supposed to be layups. So we maybe shouldn't talk about that. But I'll take my chances against, you know, last the columbus blue jackets and the montreal canadians a couple times that were supposed to be layups so we maybe shouldn't talk about that but i'll take my chances against you know last year's washington capital i know we're awful i know we're back because for the fourth consecutive year you've started a show with if correct yeah there's a lot

of ifs that's all there is on day one if four years doing the real kipper and born show i haven't got a clue when we're going to commercial break right now. We could go right now if you want. You're the producer. Yeah, let's hit the break, Kippy. Throw it to break, you're a professional broadcaster. Okay, what else are we going to get into? What's next?

What about Nick Robertson next? Nick Robertson? You want to do that next? No, Willie at center. New captain. Willie at center. New captain. This is the most predictable thing ever that we

were like oh we got all these things to talk to this okay let's take a deep breath let's look around the room we're back yep more real kipper after the break hey it's matt marchese and i'm mikeuta. We're discussing the top stories of the day across the NHL and the hockey world weekdays at noon. It's the Fan Hockey Show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan and wherever you get your podcasts.

Nick Caprios. J.B. Sammy. The Kipperios. J.B. Sammy. Back in a familiar spot here on The Real Kipper and Warren Show. Just a note, too, if you can't catch us live, you can download our podcast from any of your major platforms and also YouTube as well. We're going back up again. The YouTubes. The YouTubes. The YouTubes.

Yes, we're on YouTube again. And also, I have some preseason tickets to give away. So hold on a second here. All right. The 24-25 NHL season is just around the corner, which means you can catch your Maple Leafs in preseason action on Saturday, October 5th. The Leafs take on the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena.

And we are giving away a pair of tickets. To enter for a chance to win these tickets. Text today's code word Kneelander to 590590. Standard message and date rates may apply. Data rates may apply. Again, today's code word is Kneelander.

Text us to 590590 right now to enter for your chance to win. And if you don't win with us, you can still purchase Lickits for tickets for Leafs preseason games at Ticketmaster.ca. Almost got through that one. Don't get Lickits. Almost got through that one.

I'm rusty first day. But yeah, Nylander, $5.95. Buddy, this is... When do we open up next Wednesday? The 9th. 9th, my birthday. This is still our training camp. Yeah, we're all just stretching it out here a little bit.

Exactly. Building up the cardio. We're going home tonight. We're putting ice packs on. I'm going home tonight and watching playoff baseball in my underwear. That's what I'm going to do. Okay, though. Sounds good.

Good segue into Nylander conversation about, once again, going back to center ice and i think he practiced on the wing the other day did he not but that had to do with tavaris yeah not being out uh the coach talked about so if you want to hear it a clip a first kippers clipper with craig barubi and this is actually a uh pretty good one there's just the only thing you have to worry about is he was standing very close to the glass. So there's a couple of pucks hitting the glass. But if we could have it, Derek, it's Berube clip three on Willie playing center. Listen, it's a work in progress is the way I put it.

I mean, it's not easy to just switch it over and play center. Like it's, you know, it's a lot more on your plate. But, you know, I think he's done a pretty good job of it, to be honest with you. And, again, throughout the season, you know, it'd be nice to have a right-handed face-off guy. You know, we don't have one. So it'd be nice to have, you know, so really he's going to keep working at it.

There you go. A couple of sights and sounds of the two thoughts. The one thing where it would be nice to have a right-handed centerman is just wish casting. You know, if you don't have one, you don't have one. You can't just pretend that a guy can play center. And the other thing is, you know, coaches are very careful of the media and the early going.

They don't want to be critical of new players, let alone their stars. So it's a work in progress. It doesn't mean nothing to me there. I'm curious what he sees that Sheldon obviously saw, that they're like, God, we want this to work, of new players, let alone their stars. So it's a work in progress. Doesn't mean nothing to me there. I'm curious what he sees that Sheldon obviously saw that they're like, God, we want this to work, but there's something there. Sleepy.

Pretty, very positive as he should be, right? That's, come on, you got to go in. But there's zero like evidence so far that he's doing a pretty good job. I mean, what's he played? One game, two games he played one or one game two games we did the one game together he took the draw in the offensive zone as the winger you jump on the lost draw and he like went into the corner and was like ah that's my guy and like was

on the heels of his guy it was like you can see him working through a few details and then he got you know so paled by nick robertson in the Oh, my God. Kipper killed him on the air. Oh, I heard it. Yeah, listen. And once again, I wasn't at my best. What? No, listen. I had so many people texting like, Kipper's bang on. Yeah, I know.

No, listen. I'm not backtracking. Oh, you're filming a Sheldon here? No, I'm not. I'm not backpedaling on my comment. Okay. on my comment, but I needed to do a better job of saying that it was less about Nick Robertson because I made it sound like he's Bush.

That was a Bush move, but it's not Nick. It's what they do today. That play is Bush. That play is Bush. Not Nick Robertson. I like Nick. I think he's working hard

and he's put himself in a position to be noticed again and he's climbing up a ladder and and good on him i give him full credit on that i hate that move i don't want to see it out of anybody yeah right that's mine but that was also the dumbest use of it I've ever seen. Yeah, the puck was in the offensive zone. Preseason. Yeah. You know, Willie has his guy.

Last time I checked, Willie doesn't need any help skating. No. I agree. If Willie decides he wants another gear, he'll try harder. Right? Yeah. But, like, I mean, what is it, a relay race? Right?

Am I watching Andre? I agree. I hate it. The grass? The grass and and his uh olympic team pushing each other and handing batons to each other i think it's a horrible look it also you know i've heard people who like it it for me it just puts you off balance like i've never unless you get a dead center of gravity push it's the only place where it's somewhat acceptable is if you're chasing back on a breakaway

and you have a little bit of a chance to catch a guy or get a stick on him and Buddy pushes you from behind. That's the only time. Mostly it pushes guys way over their skates. Anyways. So Willie at center. Willie at center. So this is not new.

This was a conversation that we had and with Sheldon this time last year. We're going to try him at training camp. It didn't get what felt like five minutes. Yeah. So I'll ask you, JB, why? So I heard some Nylander comments on this that it was less about Willie in Willie's opinion

and more about Sheldon saw the lineup with willie at center and didn't like it now do we have kneel enter saying that is that oh what are he buried uh sheldon a little bit i don't have that okay that's fine he basically do have him on playing center yeah we do but i you know i think the claim anyway is that sheldon didn't like the way his lineup looked with willie at center less about willie not being able to do it. I saw Willie do it in the minors in the American League and he was pretty capable at it. So I think by playoffs he'll have it figured out.

How many years ago was that? Eight, nine. He was 19. You're telling me that it worked eight or nine years ago. In the minors. In the minors. Yeah. And so you're comfortable with it. And worked is pretty nice. Of course. It's passable. But I mean minors and uh so you're comfortable with it worked as pretty but i mean i agree with them that they need to spread these guys out and that solves a lot of problems it solves a lot of problems if it works correct it could create a massive one sheldon wanted

nothing to do with it last year so willie's problem is attention span can you get him to not be a goldfish and to stay in it? I said, and Andrew Brewer wrote a great article about Mitch Marner being the better option to play center. And I think Mitch would be better over the regular season at center.

I think in playoffs against big, strong centers, Willie's paying attention. I like your chances of Willie doing better. This is a guy that feels like he's had two breakaways every game last year where he's poaching and hanging high and you just can't do that as a centerman no so are you willing to turn him into a a good 200 foot centerman and getting him down to like 30 goals you wonder if willie is like i got my eight-year deal for a lot of money i don't really care what the points i'll try this i'll try to be

a two-way guy and do you think he thinks like that i don't the other thing for me is like it is the hardest working position out there yes is he one of the hardest working guys on the team well perceptions off because he's so smooth you know it doesn't look like he's going all the time so the answer is no the answer is no yeah but i also think that it's a big skating position and it's a 200 foot skate from behind your own net to the other end and willie is one of the league's best and so maybe he'll be able to do it more capably than most players would be able to he's got what you need to be he has the status absolutely like hands strong yeah everything everything thinks it i just don't know like i think you're right about the playoff thing but he did mention that you know

it's like you'll have to ask my former coach about that. It's a tough look to have like the second coach in the third practice with it, move you back to the wing again. So it's a tough one to... Yeah. The burying Sheldon thing, I thought was a little bit unnecessary in day two of camp, but whatever.

Yeah. I don't think he really has a plan. No. Which progresses to a bigger picture at center ice and the changes that include John Tavares. So this past summer, John lost two jobs, right? Second line center, is that the other one? Yeah, absolutely.

Lost the captaincy, lost the second line center. So again, that now puts the Leafs in this predicament where, like, what does it look like and how successful can it be? This is a team that just isn't trying to get out of the first round yet again. It's a team that's trying to win a Stanley Cup. Is there another team with more question marks about center ice than what we're seeing behind matthews right now who's who's going to end up their second line center who's going to end up the third line center

who's going to end up on the fourth line but i mean they have quality players there kip where other teams they go we don't know who it's going to be i mean so who do the leafs go if if neil lander cannot play center if it's established that in in four or six weeks there's just not that comfort zone you go back to tavaris at second line centerman you get tavaris holmberger domey are your three options so to fill the middle two two lines you got three guys that can play center their camp is going to play your fourth line center. So those are your options. So I don't know. That's why they

want Willie to work so bad. Right. And like it opens up your whole team if he does. Tavares scored 30 times last year. He's not a bum. Yeah. You know he's got 65 points but a lot of them on the power play. He's not great five on five. Yeah. His line has not been able to outscore second

lines so far, which is why they're trying this. So, God, if he's your third-line center, you'd feel pretty good about it. And the other question, too, is Kampf. Like, right now, they don't... I can't believe how much I hear his name. Watch the games, people.

What? Oh, interesting. I love Kampf. Kampf is... He does everything the Leafs need and don't have. Camp makes too much money. That's a fair point. You don't watch the game very well.

By like half a million. No. It's two and a half. It's two and a half. Two, four or two and a half? Something like that. Two, four. Two, four.

For four years. Two more years at two, four. After this. The question is, can Holmberg do what camp does at 850 000 cheaper he's just not as big to me so who's not as homeberg isn't as big as camp are you nuts homeberg's a mule homeberg's yeah he's a he's a mule fire hydrant but to me camp is that like rangy stick and lanes defending diligent like homeberg'sg's fine, but I think Kemp is an impactful player on the defensive

side of the puck and the Leafs don't have anyone like him and the other thing is at least he's a natural centerman he's a centerman, he wins, draws, kills establishes a natural centerman Max in and out not overly natural

he's it he's it and Tavares right so I don't know his camp his insurance right now there doesn't seem to be a salary cap crunch going into the season because no there's not because they got the guys on long term yeah they're gonna LTI our guys Dewar's gonna go long term Hawk and Vaughn too. Yeah, so there's a window there where they don't have to, like, you know, make harsh decisions right now. They can sneak it in by waiving Timmons and keeping Refai as their seventh D, I think is the math on that.

So there are ways to keep everyone here, which is encouraging. But, yeah, we'll see how that plays out in terms of who they actually going to use patch ready tavaris seems to be the start of what they think might be a third line does that who does that include does that include nick robertson why do they like the patch ready tavaris combo i don't what am i missing there so i'm writing an article for tomorrow on nick robertson and this guy is going

to score goals in this league so are they going to be just may not do it with the leafs like he they need to keep kept they didn't jb where are they going to play him and where is he going to get his ice time to score like he looks good on a bad team but he can't find enough room here he hasn't in the past you're gonna play him the same way that you've played him before is is barubi now gonna take away some of the big boys ice time to fit nick robertson and more is that what you see because there is a possibility that he may not want to depend on his big stars as much as Sheldon. He does roll four more.

You know, last year Nick Robertson played 57 games and 11 minutes and 23 seconds per game. The only Leaf who played less minutes per game was Ryan Reeves, the Nick Robertson. Still scored 14 times. You guys know he can shoot it in the net if given opportunities. They don't score enough in the playoffs. I know he's smaller and you worry about him in the postseason.

This, to me, is a guy who is going to score 25 goals at least. One day. This year. For the San Jose Sharks. Wow. Yeah. I mean, if he got an opportunity on Columbus or a team like that, he... I'll take the under on that.

That's probably the better bet. But I'm making a bold prediction here, and I think if he gets some power play time and gets to play... Max Domi is not a locket left wing to me beside Willie Nylander or whoever you think is going to be there. I think there's more opportunity for Nick Robertson here,

and I think he can score this year, and I think if they let him go to keep the final year of Pacioretty's career coming off a year where he scored 4-47, they would regret it. I think they they let him go to keep the final year of Pacioretty's career, coming off a year where he scored 4-47, they would regret it. I agree with that. They're going to give Pacioretty a fair start. And if it doesn't work out, I think they punt very fast on Pacioretty. And that's why you can't get rid of...

A name like that. No, I mean, you try to move them. Maybe someone claims them off waivers but you know i mean it'd have to be a really rough start for that to happen and then maybe open up some room for for nick yeah that would open up a winger spot that seems to be where the battle is patrick he scored two and one in the first game and i didn't think he was very good he tipped one in and he shot one through the goalie's crest. You know, and everyone's like, ah, he looks... I'm less sold on that, so we'll see.

Do we think there's a reason he scored 4-47 last year? I think probably some pretty obvious reasons. Yeah. Age, pace. Two Achilles injuries. Don't love the way he gives the puck up. He's a great player, and maybe he can find it again, but I think I'd rather have Robertson be the trigger guy.

Does it look weird seeing 67 in the blue and white? What do you think about 67 as a number being worn by someone on the Leafs? I think this is my area of expertise. You swivel around here, Sammy. You think Canadian fans get a chuckle out of that? I think if there's anything that's going to exercise the demons, it's a former Habs captain wearing number 67 for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Wow.

Yeah. It's a positive. I didn't think you would see it as a positive. It can't get any more of a meme than that. Really? So, like, it's as bad as it could be, so maybe that'll exercise some kind of demon. I saw him.

He had some quote where he said his kids say it's the best of jerseys ever looked on him or something like that. I was just like, don't say that. You have a whole career as a Canadian.

Well, you try to get that PTO'd into a real contract. I get it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't do that. He's a Canadian. He is, but I think like,

you know, when you're a team that can't get a big goal ever in the playoffs, when there's a guy that scored, what was he, scored 350 goals in his career, that's a guy that you'd, maybe you can shoot one in the net in a big goal ever in the playoffs, when there's a guy that scored 350 goals in his career, that's a guy that you'd...

Maybe you can shoot one in the net in a big game. I don't know. That's probably what they're thinking. Right. They haven't had the most success in recent years bringing in the Thorntons, the Marlows, the Wayne Simmons, and the list goes on and on. Simmons had a cup, right?

No. But, I mean, if he doesn't start well, then you've got to seriously consider giving it to a younger player, right? But then that's when you worry trading Robertson away to keep him, and then patch ready is not good. You've just got to see if Robertson can do it in the league. And if not, then you can move on from him and trade him to whichever non-playoff team needs a scorer.

You got to give him a chance. Oh, they've given him some chances. Not enough. Okay. Is that a fast hour or what? Is that it? That's it. Is it already?

Oh, my God. Well, do not go away because we have got the National Hour kicking in with Paul Maurice. You're not going to want to miss that. Also, we'll give you, has there been a Patrick Laine update at all? No. Okay, I got one for you guys. Oh. Yeah.

All right. Okay. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. We didn't even get to McCabe's potential contract extension. We didn't even talk to McCabe's potential contract extension. We didn't even talk about the goalies. Wow. Plenty more when we return.

We go national on the Real Kipper and Bourne Show.