Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs vs. Habs: Rivalry Night in La Belle Province

Episode Date: January 20, 2023

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee take a look at the Leafs' big win over the visiting Jets, and debate whether or not the Leafs-Habs rivalry still has any juice. Later, Doug MacLean stops by for his weekly 'Off The Rails Friday' visit, including a chat on Ilya Samsonov's goaltending prowess so far this season and how the Leafs should proceed between him and Matt Murray (40:58). Afterwards, Maxim Lapierre joins to tee up Leafs at Canadiens on Saturday night - what does the Bell Centre feel like when the Leafs come to town (1:05:19)? 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.

it's just more than that real kipper and born on a friday which means one thing two hours from now i don't have to see your ugly mugs for two full days ah what a delight you know what else it means tell me off the rails friday doug mclean all that all that means is just less preparation time goes into the show it's really all it means for everyone out there means at least for a good 15 minutes we can just throw it to doug and and know that we don't know where the hell he's going or what he's gonna say could talk 10 minutes about pickleball yeah his investments the porsche the rv and it doesn't really matter to us no that's fine i

look forward to hearing about that we'll talk some leafs we'll talk some bruce boudreau in the second hour maxim lapierre former nhl co-host of sammy help me out here la po poche bleue. La poche bleue. Was that... Sammy's delivering my line up that I forgot. Was that French accent enough there? Did you catch that? I think it's French for blue balls. Yes.

I actually told Maxime that you're doing the interview in French, Kipper. So... Bonjour. Je m'appelle Justin. What else you got for me? Don't look at me. You got any French at all for me? Un petit peu.

Okay. Close enough. That's a little bit. That, of course, is geared towards the Leafs, Montreal, Saturday night. Always exciting. Is it still? I think so. I'm excited. It is. Montreal Saturday night always exciting always fun I think so I'm excited

it is and it doesn't really matter that Montreal's in the bottom of the standings there's something still there and you know what it is whose head is Arbor Jack I gonna punch off that's

that's and there is always that element which I buy into that any team can win on any given night what we know for sure is not any given team can make the playoffs after 35 games in the regular season close that we know for sure point system tough to climb the ladder nick kiprios justin bourne, Derek Brandeo, Jen Rolnick, and Sammy McKee. We're here for the next two hours for your sheer enjoyment.

Kipper, I played at a classic Toronto barn this morning at 7 a.m. St. Mike's Arena. I'd never played there before. Incredible. Never played at St. Mike's Arena before. I've played in a million Toronto barns. I've played all over the city, but I got invited to play at a skate there this morning, 7 a. Mike's Arena before. I've played in a million Toronto barns. I've played all over the city. But I got invited to play at a skate there this morning.

7 a.m. puck drop. You got kids now? You got to have a 7 a.m.? It's just a great time to play hockey. It's awesome. You've been there to... Never stepped foot. I cannot believe that you're a Toronto guy and you never stepped ice.

Or been there to watch a game. So the thing that blew me away was... The corners. Well, yeah, and that they played junior. They had an OHL team in that arena, which is crazy. We used to practice there all the time. It's Leafs. We just jump in a TTC bus, and they take us down there.

It's an amazing rink. What do you mean jump in a TTC bus? Like public transit with other people? No. No. They would... It would be a TTC bus bus but they rent it for an hour that's good see you can make a little money off the lease like that in full gear oh i love that

i you know so we stopped i did my chair traveling and we'd stop at red lights and there'd be people thinking that they're gonna get on the bus and they they'd look at the door and then there'd be wendell clark or doug gilmore going no no no no next bus and they they'd look at the door and then there'd be wendell clark or doug gilmore going no no no next bus and they're like okay uh my eyes playing tricks on me was that wendell or doug gilmore telling me to go and wait for the next bus well that's great there's actually when the least remember they used to that outdoor practice i think have they done that in a while babs they used to do it at i used to do it at jake gard a Babs thing. They used to do it at Jake Gardner's family's thing. They used to do it at Nathan Phillips Square.

They used to have the outdoor practice, and they would go from the Scotiabank Arena up to Nathan Phillips Square. So it's super easy on the subway. But there's a really amazing photo that someone took of Freddie Anderson. I wish I could know how to look it up. There's a picture of Freddie Anderson in full gear, sitting with, like, computers sitting beside him. I love that.

Like, it's such a classic photo. It just, you know, kind of sticks out. Represents Toronto. I love that. Anyways. All community right there. I love it. Just love it.

Love it. Did you love last night? 4-1. Sounds like it was a convincing win, and there were portions of it where you liked it a lot, but where did it overall stand for you? A couple good signs for me right off the bat, and we'll get into this in more detail,

but Austin, Samsonov in net. JB, let's start with you on the 4-1 win last night by the Toronto Maple Leafs. You know, I think you look at the shots and a lot of people would be like, ah, Winnipeg took it to them and they did. I thought Winnipeg really came out and looked really good in the first period,

but the quality of chances that the Leafs generated, you know, they're too good. They're too good to not score a few goals on those looks and they played, you know, they didn't give up a ton the other way. Sammy was really good you know i i have this theory about elite players if you're one of the nhl teams that has a few elite players on it which i don't know how many teams have more than one not that many there's a few games a year where you just win because your elite guys did something elite you know like matthews goes out and does what he does

marner gets a shorty and it's like okay well now you're leading the game and it's easy to play when because your elite guys did something elite. You know, like Matthews goes out and does what he does. Marner gets a shorty, and it's like, okay, well, now you're leading the game, and it's easy to play when you're up. They have elite guys. That, to me, was an elite guy win. You know? Like, the Winnipeg Jets have some elite guys, but not quite on Matthews and Marner level. Before we pick up maybe what Sammy and I think about Matthews last night,

let's go to Sheldon Keefe for a Kippers Clipper and get a sense of what he saw out of his star centerman. I'm sorry? What did you notice about him taking over? I noticed the puck hit the mesh. You can play the second, Matthews.

It's probably the game that's looked closest to him last year in terms of him dangerous, in terms of the way the puck went in the net, and a few of the other chances that he had as well. I mean, he could have had four or five tonight. So, I mean, I would say that, but I don't know if I would say it's his most complete game.

He's played a lot of really good hockey, despite not playing at the same rate offensively that he has last season. Okay, so in a nutshell, Sheldon really kind of validated all those weeks and months that we sat and said, just Cousin doesn't look like Austin. I know, we were like heathens for suggesting it but he didn't he didn't last night he did he did and you know what it wasn't the goals for me that made him look that way it was bringing the puck up through the neutral zone with speed fast and he hasn't looked fast to me the first period

play where he picked the puck up in his own zone willie's on his flank and he's got the the shoulders going the heads up he's skating hard flying flies it out to the to the half boards where willie is and then he goes straight to the net with his stick on the ice and willie finds him good save by hellebuck but it just like right from there i was like oh man he's really got the feet going tonight and that's what the feels like the difference of going north has been the difference for him all year and he looked like he was doing it well last night the play right off the face off where he absolutely undressed mark shifley oh that's right poster material that's that's it right like the elite you remember his very first game when he scored four goals and i don't know

i don't know whose pocket he picked back then. Sorry? It was Eric Carlson. It was Eric Carlson. It was. I've heard him. Look at you with your never-concussed brain. Let me tell you where he was before the game. Let him set the stage for you. It was a Thursday.

There was a slight rain. One of my all-time regrets is not going to that game. But that's essentially what he did last night to Shifley. Yeah. Is I'm taking the puck right now and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. And then he goes in there and then he finishes it with an absolute rocket five hole on a pretty damn good goalie.

Like that's the part where you said, oh, right. Oh, right. Oh, yeah. McDavid, Matthews, Matthews, McDavid, McDavid, Matthews. There's the OK, who's better today, this week, this month? Yeah, there were moments this year where it was embarrassing that we had ever had that conversation, you know, but it's you're reminded the flashes look that good. So encouraging. I've heard people talk about the whole load management thing. You know, now he's come back after a couple of days off and he's got Pep in his step, and he's shooting it hard,

and he's scored a bunch of times. And I don't know. Maybe it's coincidence. Maybe a little rest doesn't hurt. Do we have another Kippers Clipper of Sheldon Keefe talking about Matthews and what he noticed? Well, no, we have Matthews talking about himself. Oh, okay.

Then let's go there. Yeah, I mean, I think it was good just Matthews talking about himself. Oh, okay. Then let's go there. Yeah, I mean, I think it was good just to reset and physically feel better mentally, everything. You know, it's no secret. It's a bit of a grind throughout the season. And, you know, sometimes a little bit of rest can kind of go a long way. So, I mean, I've been feeling good lately.

And, you know, I just want to continue to get better as a team, get better individually, and string along some wins. Hey, sorry. While we were listening to that, someone sent me the picture of Freddie. On the TTC. Isn't that a great photo? That's a great photo. Thank you very much.

I'm not spinning this in my day, but usually those comments that we just heard him say were usually reserved for someone over 30. Oh, yeah? About the rest and how it's been a long season. But, I mean, after six years of being the guy and still—

Is it seven now? In his mid-20s. Yeah. He does speak of a guy that I could use a day off every once in a while it's funny too just the way this season has gone and the way last season went where he hit all the personal milestones and now it's all these years of first round exits and all the pressures on the playoffs i think there's probably more of a and where they are in the standings there's probably more of the like okay what are we playing for tonight? So as early as what last week, we had heard he's not 100%,

and there is something that could be lingering. And then there's this week that suggests a couple days off kind of cleaned everything up. Is that what we're led to believe? I guess if you have a bad back, and I'm the only one guessing that, but like, you know, and it feels better and you can move better. I'm not on the back train. You think risk.

Doctor said I need a back of the enemy. Where did you find that? That's how big. It's an old one. I've been sitting on that one for a very long time. I missed it when JB referenced it. I'm not basing that on knowledge of what I know, what I don't know.

It doesn't strike me as a guy that has got back issues. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, whatever it is, he's looking better. I told you. If I'm a betting man, I go wrist. Yeah. Okay.

Well, I mean, we'll keep an eye on it, but we'll see if he needs more days off. The question is, how do you get this Matthews on April 19th or whatever the first game of playoffs is? Like, do you need two games, two days off the week before? Perfect. Give it to him. Right.

Like, what do you need? How do we set you up to be this version? We've got all-star break. We do know that he's going. They announced it last night. Since what I'm getting is he wants to go. Really? I don't think he gets announced if he doesn't want to go.

Yeah, you think they go to him first. Or he wants to now revisit that if he wants to take the days off, he'll do it a little later. That's not the way these things work behind the scenes, I can assure you. How about Willie Neal and they're not getting in? That shock you? Yeah yeah you know what let's we'll talk about the all-star and all of that a little later on in the show i don't want to get into that agreed right now yeah but uh it does there is a sense that he does feel better and whatever possibly has been bothering him is a thing of the past which means to your point

in the grand scheme of things is this what we're going to see in the back half now more days off or is this the guy that can get back on the i don't know should i say 50 goal pace so he's on on pace for i think 44 45 somewhere in that realm right now with 24 what's what's a hat trick due to that i know on the weekend yeah well if he's got you know 38 games left and is that where it seems like his game's heading your goal per game pace is that where is it heading there do would you like to see a long stretch here where he can score 12 goals in 10 games would that make you feel better going into yes i would like that very much yeah i just want him to i think he gets 50 i think that's a fair prediction i just it was a breath of fresh air to see him look like that

last night and i really do like what you guys said off the top about how people were saying oh he's the same guy oh look at these metrics look at these metrics and then his coach comes out and it's like yeah that was that was nice i don't like it that was fun i enjoyed that so uh really good night for matthew he's currently 15th in the league in scoring he's 14 or sorry 15 behind mcdavid is there any chance 15 goals 15 goals back of mcdavid how high can he climb with mcdavid on pace for 70 yeah yeah i don't think that's a possibility i think he'll probably finish 10 to 12 goals behind mcdavid i still think it's all said the top five in the league he's seven goals out of that out of the top five anyway Anyway. Another night where it's Matthews and Marner leading the charge.

An amazing shorthanded goal by Mitch Marner last night. Let's go to Sheldon's thoughts on what he saw out of that goal. He's just a very good player. He's got great instincts. Great instincts, first of all, to create the turnover, to catch you in the transition transition to go the other way. You know, you look at the play he makes tonight. I mean, he's just reading where that puck's going to go,

and he's there to meet it and catches you going the other way. And love that, you know, in that moment he, you know, like he looked to the pass. It wasn't a great option in terms of the spacing that was there. And big-time shot. So that's a huge moment in the game. Obviously, it's a very dangerous power play on the other side. And then for us to turn it like that, it's great.

So, yeah, he's just a really good player with those great instincts that puts him in those. Was it ever a great play i love it it's almost as if he can he understands and reads the game probably as good as anyone i've ever watched to be honest with you like even in my era like he is so smart that he can almost he can almost and and on that play it's like he baits you to do what he he wants you to do that's i mean that's why he's first over the boards on the pk he really i think you know i actually wonder why more offensive players can't utilize their ability to see the game offensively defensively like now you're on the other side of the puck what does

that guy want to do? Like Marner has such a great ability to put himself in that guy's skates and be like, I know where he wants to get this puck. You know, I don't know why other people aren't able to do it. Marner has an unbelievable sense for it. But there's, and you watch him on a lot of nights

when it's not going well, but he's still the first forward back covering up for other guys. He's so conscientious out there that when there is a deep pinching up, usually he's the guy back. He just, it's important to him. That's why, because sometimes it's just not as important to other guys who just think that they are there to score goals and not,

not really put both sides of the puck in an equal frame. And I think that's why they feel like they can run a five forward power play. Does they feel like Mitch is a guy who's able to, you know, make those defensive reads. I wonder, do you give any credit to Mike Babcock for when Mitch came in the league and said, you know what, you're going to be a PK guy.

You know what, we need you to be a defensive guy and sort of forcing that element of the game onto him. He was that guy in London. Yeah? Yeah. I mean, he was that guy. I mean, I covered the London Knights. I watched him in a Memorial Cup. He was that guy.

He was a PK. He was drafted on the basis that he was that special of a talent to warrant being rated so high and that he could play offense, he could play defense, he could kill penalties, he could lead, he could score. So I think it's just a matter of when they woke up. When they woke up? Well, you know, he didn't start. You know, I'm not getting into all this with you now,

but it took them like a long time to wake up how good he was. Yeah. Including to the point where they didn't even let him play the first year. Yeah. It was just like he couldn't even get a real NHL exhibition game. That's how pissed off Babcock was that he didn't get Hannafin or Proveroff as a defenseman. So once they figured it out, that's when he took off. It's worked out pretty good.

Yeah, I think, okay yeah 11 million bucks and it's also worked out that uh uh am i reading this correctly he's the first nhl player with a 20 game home point streak since joe sackick yep 2001 that's courtesy stevie felon sportsnet stats is that like uh it's a weird one but i didn't put it in for you. Is that really kind of like a big deal, having a consecutive now home streak? I think, to me it is. I think it's important to win a lot of your games at home if you're an elite team. I like to win the games wherever you play. I just think there's so much randomness like baseball stat. I don't like, I'm with JB on this.

I don't want people to think I play well. But they do. At home and on the road. He's one of the best players in the league, Gifford. Like, I think people know. I just think it's somewhat important to have your best players playing at home. I just wouldn't make that big of a deal about this being, like, a really, really important record. Well, you know, home road splits are actually quite interesting.

Well, hold on. Before you get to that, because it's a very interesting conversation, important record well you know home road splits are actually quite interesting well hold on before you get to before you get to that because it's a very interesting conversation yes i just wanted to ask about marner and that the improvement of the shot has because we've talked about that for every feels like every training camp for three or four years he's like oh he's great passer great passer but when's the shot gonna come and it was kind of that conversation wasn't really there as much this year and it seems that his shot really has improved like that shot last night beats one of the best boys in the league clean bar down off the rush like that he didn't like in the years past he's kind of cutting that

to the middle or sort of trying to find the pass like his first instinct look up shoot like that is a newer part of his game that's really grown. Really has. You know, I love the idea that he was on a two-on-one with Kampf, and he was like, why would they rather me shoot this? Yeah. I mean, that was an easy decision. I think it's just a lot of things as well.

He's getting stronger and stronger. He's become a man at some point, right? Just getting stronger, and yeah, there's a sense that i i can shoot the puck as well and he has scored a couple from tops of the circles already this year has he not what did he finish scoring last year i mean he's a 35 35 goals he's a top i don't know whatever that is top 20 goal scorer in the league you can't get there if you can't shoot it so who's courtesy of that record who Who would you say? Stevie Fallon.

Yeah, Stevie. What's his consecutive point streak against the Atlantic Division? And also, I want to know what's the record for consecutive point streaks on a Saturday? Well, I don't know. Is that true? I don't know. I'm just trying to make it up. It is extremely baseball to be like left-handed pitchers in October in a south-facing field with the wind blows.

Well, as an aside, it's a big NFL weekend this weekend. Trevor Lawrence going up against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, 3-0-5. In Buffalo? No, it's in Kansas City. That's where the Kansas City Chiefs play. Trevor Lawrence is the quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars. 41-0 on Saturdays. 41-0 on Saturdays.

There you go. Just a little note for you. All right. Just a quick story on like home and away, home and road. So I'm in my first year. I think it was Lindy Ruff, who's now the head coach in New Jersey, and I think we're playing Buffalo one night. And I don't know if it was Neil Sheehy.

And there was like an offside faceoff. And Neil just stands up. And he's about five feet from Lindy Ruff. And he says, yep, Ruff at home andindy on the road and i'm like there you go that's why you don't want to be known as a guy that only plays well at home right there that's a hell of a chirp unique credit where credit's due yeah all right um samsonov ready to go again saturday night, two in a row, and this isn't back-to-back. What do we make out? Oh, before we get into that, let's just talk about last night.

Another stellar performance. Really good. Out of Samsonov. You know, when Winnipeg came at the Leafs out of the gates, the early portion of the game, That's when he was really good. You know, we know he came in cold the game before and looked really good. Kind of allowed them to hang around the game

until Matthews and Marner blew the doors open. But yeah, interesting to me that, you know, this is getting him another game. We were talking about home and road records. 12-0-1 at home with a 938 save percentage. What a homer. What a homer. What a Lindy at home. Not allowed to do that. That's bad though. No, it's rough

at home. That's right. Sorry. You don't want that. You don't want that. You want to be bad and like that. That doesn't matter that he's good at home, right? Let's go to Sheldon. We'll go to Sheldon Keefe on what he saw out of what his new number one goalie he's terrific I mean in that first period I thought I I thought we were

I were on our heels a bit just with their speed the pace that they played with their best players especially um part of it is they're really fast the part of it is I thought we we played into that a little bit too much. So Sammy had to be really strong. I thought we did a good job of not allowing a lot of the shots to – like a lot of the shots he faced were straight on. They're still dangerous shots, they're really good shooters, but we didn't allow much in terms of side to side or them getting in behind us and in clean.

So it allowed him to get some really good action and get involved and engaged in the game on some dangerous-looking chances, yet I thought they were manageable, and he was really solid on them. And yeah, without a doubt, that allowed us to get out of that first period and get going. J.B., you talked about Winnipeg being a very dangerous team in the slot,

and for the most part, they held them to bay. And Matthews had a great block. Do you remember that one last night? Where he just sat there and played goalie. Maybe don't turn your wrists to the shot there. Made you a little nervous? I was like, oh. He turned his wrist the wrong way.

I was like, oh, man, use the protection on those gloves, Mr. Matthews. Do you see if Andrew Kane is not wearing the wrist protectors, the Kevlar wrist protecting sleeves that you can wear? He's just going right back at it. What are the odds, he's saying? Well, I know. It's not none. But it's probably zero.

Not zero. Well, you've been playing one way for a long time and really good at it. It probably drives you nuts. Gets you all. You got to make. You get to keep playing if you have wrists. Did you get out of last night that Samsonov was telling everyone, this is my net.

I want it. I think, yeah. I think that's probably what he was wanting to tell everybody. But this goaltender situation has been so fluid, it's hard to know which direction it's going to go in. I would not be surprised if tomorrow night he goes out there and lets us stinker. You know, like it's just, I don't know.

It just feels like it's so unpredictable both ways. Our group chat, our YouTube chat has him at a 50 or 60% of the people have him as the starter for the Leafs. Now 30% have a tandem and 10% of Murray is the guy. Hold on for a second. Okay. Because this is to me,

you know, we've got a lot of kippers clippers all week. This is the one that I'm going to remember this week. The most. Okay. And this is Sheldon talking about his goalies and maybe some thought behind where this thing has been, where it's at, and maybe where it's going. Let's have a listen.

Yeah, I don't have a theory, no. I'm moving to say I think, you know, the way the schedule has fallen for each of them, that's just sort of the way the games have gone. And, you know, they found their groove in each of those spots. It wasn't a plan or anything like that for us going into the season. It's just kind of how the schedule fell. And we've been, you know, pretty much alternating. It's just kind of how the schedule fell, and we've been pretty much alternating,

and at times there's some doubling up there. But, yeah, it's definitely a thing. It's something we're looking at, as we've talked about a little bit with Murray. We're trying to get him a little more action at home. We've been trying to look to get Samson off some time on the road and all these kind of things. But whatever it is, I'll take it. We don't have a theory,

and it's something that we're going to look into. It's like, okay, we don't really have a game plan, but we're just going to kind of roll along with it. This is the throwing stuff at the wall stuff. We talked to it yesterday. Listen, there's enough of a sample size here now with the home road stuff that you press. Press.

Like, you're on a heater, fuel. Oh, I said, sorry, I get the electric shock. Sorry, electric shock. Yeah, sorry, heater. We're doing okay. You're quick on that. I think you just kind of got to ride this out. I guess they're going in the face of that

by playing Samsonov tomorrow night in Montreal. But to me, it's... You want to get him some looks on the road. It's something that... I'm starting to get really nervous now about that. That this conversation is the same one we're going to have at the end of March. I know, Kev.

I know. I feel the same way. There's a chance that... Don't want to be sitting here doing that. What the goaltending situation looked like for the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first 40 is going to look exactly the same way. They're going to get their wins.

They're going to get their points. Matthews may get 50 goals. Marner may hit 100 points. And yet we're going to still feel the same way about the goaltending situation as we do today. What would you say? Well, here's the thing. At least last year, you felt like Jack Campbell might be the worst goalie in the league.

You don't feel like that about either of these guys, you know, assuming things kind of continue the way they have been going. But no, it's not comfortable. There'd be a quicker pull in playoffs, though, wouldn't it? But the difference is that you knew Jack Campbell was in, and you hoped like hell he could catch fire and get you out of the first round. He came close.

It just didn't happen. Yeah, he was fine. It wasn't horrible, but you knew it was Jack. Is that better than having an option if it's not going well for a guy? That's a great question. I think

we will find out. Stay tuned. I do believe, though, that it's just one less thing to think about. I'm a starter guy. That you know who that guy is. I'm a starter guy that you uh know who that guy is i'm a starter guy i don't like him can i can i go on the other side of this please you know who's better just play him like if you're at when you get to the playoffs guy do you know who's better

no no like by the time the playoff starts you're gonna see who has better numbers it's gonna be established somebody'll be you go two sides to. But you go in the first game. Hey, that guy plays like crap. Other guy goes in. I don't think there's that much to think about. We may know who might be better physically by the end, but we might not know who's stronger mentally. Well, and also if one guy's a 920 and one guy's a 910,

but the 910 guys played better the last two games, who's better? You know, like it's a crapshoot. And to your point, if you start with the wrong guy and you lose by a squeaky stinky goal, now you're down one. And you're hoping the other guy's not bad too. This is the most, to me, this is like such

a meaningless conversation. It's just whatever. You're a meaningless conversation. I don't like, oh, this guy's the guy. Whoever makes the goddamn saves is the guy. I do, no. I don't like, oh, this guy's the guy. Why? Whoever makes the goddamn saves is the guy. I do not care. And it's like, if only or that's it.

It is that simple. The difference is what you can base it on during the regular season. Do you have faith that the guy's going to bounce back even if he has a stinker and give him the consecutive start? If I'm being quickly ilya samson i was crying in his or do you bail if i am being completely honest i have exactly zero faith in either of these guys so to me it's you said earlier though that you like that matt murray even after a bad game is like willing to so game one against the tampa lightning at scotia bank arena uh they win the game whoever that goalieotiabank Arena. They win the game.

Whoever that goalie is gets to play again. They lose the first game. The other goalie plays. If they lose 5-4 with three bad goals, do you still put the other? If they win? If they win 5-4 and one guy gives up four bad goals? If he wins, you get to go again. That's the dumbest.

That is the dumbest thing in sports. And you know what else happens, Sammy? On the basis that maybe they both have mediocre back-to-back games, both of them, then you got you bailing on both of them and crapping all over the team. So you'd rather... You haven't stuck with anyone in the process, right? So you'd rather just have Jack Campbell with his 6.04 save percentage

in playoff overtime for the Leafs, just stick him back out there. I'd much rather have two good goalies or two decent goalies than one bad one who's your starter. I don't know. This conversation is just, to me, anyways. Can we read into anything that they're coming back to Samsonov and if he has another solid start that he starts playing two out of three? You know, I think it might be McKee.

He could win 10-9 tonight and start the next game. And for the rest of the month, they're going into the All-Star break. You're telling Matt Murray, no, sorry, I had your opportunities. The last three weeks have not been good for you. He had your opportunities. He's like, I'm a 9-20.

What do you want? Or a 9-15 or whatever he is. But, or does he, does Sheldon try to play both sides of it until he gets to the place that Sammy's talking about? Yeah. Like, oh, no, no, no, no.

Matt Murray's been great. It's us. We only pulled him because of the reaction that we wanted to get from the rest of the team. It really had nothing to do with him. Or do you just

push towards samson off if he's that good and let him gain that that longevity that long stretch yeah i i do i i don't know the answer i am interested we have a quote from keith on playing them as home and road goalies like actually using that way we played it we did We did. We played that one. That was the one that I said. He's like my uncle Louie sitting in the Tim Hortons having a coffee talking about it. Sounds right. Sounds right. I just like, I don't know why it's such a big deal to set to put in the other goalie.

It's not. If you're listen, the Leafs are going to play well enough defensively that they've shown this year that they're a better defensive unit they have great it's not going to come down to one of the goalies if he has me it's going to come down to the top guys against tampa bay like it always does listen they got horrible goaltending last year in the playoffs jack campbell wasn't horrible yes he was what do you have an 890 in the first round? He was terrible. And it's like, guess what? They had terrible goaltending last year, and they were a whisper away from beating them.

Right? So, anyways. Love it. I love it. Do you? Well, that's what you got to hope. Listen, no matter what Samsonov or Matt Murray do between now and the end of the season,

they will not get the edge against Vasilevsky or Allmark. And honestly, the chances are both healthy in round one. Can you close the gap? Can they close the gap enough where they can still be the second best goalie in the series and find a way to win because that's what they're going to be asked to do yep i still find i still am holding out pumpkin hope for all mark i'm not fully convinced he's this okay vasileski i know what he is so all mark i feel like has pumpkin potential still today. I wrote an article on Willie Nylander and the idea of taking the puck across the front of the net through the crease.

Anytime you get a chance and you're on the wing, sticking out your leg, putting your shoulder down, taking it across the net with which Nylander has done this year on the three on three goal on the three and three goal. But I clipped like six, seven instances of him doing it throughout the year this year where he hadn't,

I don't think that was part of his game before that. Like I'm bigger, I'm faster, I'm coming across the net. That to me is going to be a big thing against like Tampa Bay and Vasilevsky because Tampa has big D and Vasilevsky is a fantastic goaltender. And one of the best chances the Leafs have is to make his life hell. And so you got to think of it from the Leafs goalie perspective is can these guys make it easier on one of those guys so it's not so important but the Leafs actually to just sort of jump all around on this first in the NHL in inner slot shots under pressure as in when people are on their backs they're going to go to the dangerous areas offensively useful or useless i i know useful because you can see it it's more more so than it's been there in the past

so they obviously have to take care of their own end to protect either one of these guys but if they can make vasilevsky's like hell or all marks hell at some point they got a chance man boston it'll lose sammy dial is it'll lose and it's ridiculous they won in madison square garden on a back-to-back last night are you calling it right now on january 20th that this is going to be um a race for first place in the atlantic what do you mean toronto and boston you're the cind Cinderella's going to strike midnight here, and you're saying that the Leafs and Allmark... He just thinks Allmark's going to... No, no, I think the Bruins are an absolute wagon

of the highest order. They're an incredible team. Yeah, but if... But I do think that Allmark... Allmark, listen, like, he was the Buffalo goalie for a long time. Matthews kind of owns him. Like, to me a there's a pumpkin

recipe with all mark if there is a little pie maybe boston stops winning and the leafs can close the gap well no but i i don't think they can win enough the gap's already too big can i just say that the leafs as constructed there's no one in the lineup right now that makes me wince that makes me go like ah mulgan like how's that gonna work or you know or patan or you know someone who's like i like the look of their bottom six right now didn't like angvall last night mcmahon comes in and changes the dynamic there he's interesting for them i'm i'm a fan yeah i see big i see heavy gets on the puck I don't know who he had early in the game, but he came in and he thumped somebody.

Yeah. And. He also created that chance for Engvall that Engvall put off the inside of the post. What I like about him too is he can force other guys to go. He's my teammate, but I'm competing against that guy for some minutes. Yeah.

That's interesting, for sure. Like Engvall, Aston Reeves, Hunt. All of them. Yeah. I don't believe in that bottom six against Tampa. I'm in a bad mood, I guess, here today. But those guys, it's just. No.

It got better. It's more of the same. But it got better. It's not more of the same. I'm thrilled. It's more of the same but it got better it's not more of the same i'm thrilled it's more of the same with the like you're gonna go into a playoff series again with kerflet nangvall and these guys yeah you are but it's also holmberg and mcmahon i know i listen we're talking about the bottom six we're talking about the best of a bad situation.

That's what we're talking about. And it's not going to magically get better here. You're not going to magically go out and find a guy like his experiences, Maroon or Corey Perry or Belmar. But can these guys come in and give you some youth and enthusiasm and energy? I don't know. I mean, yeah, maybe. I just want someone to go get in on the puck, go north-south, and buy time.

Zach Aston Reese had the Leafs hit of the year last night. I don't know who he hit, but he nailed somebody hard. Yeah, he did. And then someone chased him around a little bit after that? Not really. No? Disappointing amount of grease in that game grease free nothing vegan meal so winnipeg tired a little bit i thought in the second period for the start and i guess maybe halfway through where they kind of give up the goal i thought their play really dipped from the first shifley didn't look great uh got walked and then turned it over on the power play to give Marner the...

Not a big Connor fan, Kyle Connor fan. No. I'll save my thoughts on him. By the way, what a shot by Connor, though. I had a shot. Yeah, he just... There's a couple times I saw him. He looks like a couple guys used to hang out with Barry often.

I saw him push a little snow. Oh, yeah. A couple times. Yeah. No, Connor's a great goal scorer. Okay, we're going to take a quick break, which means we're coming back for Doug McClain. Oh, boy.

No idea where this show is going from here on in. We're also, Sammy, we're going to take some tweets, some YouTube comments. Texts at 590590 on YouTube. Make sure you mention me So I'll read your comments If you want to tweet me too You can do that And in the meantime give us a thumbs up

We like How many you see How many thumbs up Sammy do we have right now Good question 57 I'm calling for 80 By the time we come back. All right.

And a rating and review. No, I'm not. I'm just pushing my luck here. You are. All right. Thanks for listening. Mac after the break when we're back on Real Kipper and Born. This is Real Kipper and Born on Sportsnet 590 The Van.

Just before going to break, I called out all our YouTube followers. Wow. And I asked them to up our thumbs up. We're at 57, Sammy. Sammy's busy. Doing stuff. 57, and I asked to get to 80. We're like almost 150. Wow.

What? I underestimated YouTube. Yeah. I shouldn't have done that. I apologize. Thanks, everyone. Appreciate it. See how popular we are?

That's what our boss checks in every day and goes, oh, 80. I don't really like him. 150? All right. You know, in his heyday, probably would have had a few thumbs up, but probably more thumbs down is our next guest, Doug McClain, former NHL president, GM, head coach, and lead analyst for Sportsnet. Ratings must be struggling.

You need me on? Always on a Friday when we stop caring. Just a great way to send it off for the weekend. That's right. That's right. That's right. And did you do your homework last night? I'm having trouble focusing. I'm having trouble focusing.

I'm watching. I got the stock market on there looking at the stocks and trying to focus on hockey. And I just looked. You know, I looked tonight. What about Pittsburgh and Ottawa tonight? How big a game is that for both those teams? Especially Ottawa, if they want to get in

and make some subtle changes on some buying here for a change for this organization at the deadline. Mike, Matt, Dub. Anyway, it's your show. It's your show. No, no, no. No, I'm okay. We've got you for the next little while.

We're not going anywhere anytime soon, and you've got to work for your, not money. What've got you for the next little while. We're not going anywhere anytime soon. And you got to work for your, um, not money. What else do you work for? Uh, I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what,

my, my pickleball game, because of it's gotta be the yoga. That's changed my athletic prowess because my golf game has gone to another level. My pickleball has gone to another level. Like now I'm a feared, in our condo building here, I'm a feared pickleballer now in the unit.

Who did you tweet a picture of playing pickleball? Who was that guy? Because I thought it was an ad for the movie Cocoon. You didn't see, you couldn't see what it says. Joe got me the T-shirt. He got myself the T-shirt and Gary, our friend from Connecticut, the T-shirt. And it says on top of it, professional dinkers. And in case you're not aware, dinking is you play at right at the net and you go back and

forth over the net that's called dinking so she got me this shirt professional dinker okay we're gonna get into toronto we promise everybody um i got nowhere nowhere to go after your uh your dinking comment but before that ottawa matt dumba he's been linked to ottawa healthy scratch the other day do you really buy that ottawa where they're sitting in the standings would make a move like that well you know what i guess you look at ottawa and you say when's the last time they had a playoff appearance a playoff run. It's really, I'm sure it's got to be weighing on them there. When is the right time to pull the trigger here to try to get them in the playoffs and do some damage. Once they get in there, you like their team,

you like their young group. They paid their young guys a lot. They brought in, you know, we've talked about the brinket. They brought these guys in. This is, to me, they've got to make the play. They're not like the Leafs anymore. You know, the Leafs, when they're trying to get in after being so dreadful. I mean, this is big

for Ottawa to try and get in, but when is the right time to pull a trigger to bring in a dumb guy and pay a big price for him? You know, they've got assets they can move, and there's no doubt about that, but when is the right time to pull a trigger to bring in a dumb and pay a big price for them? You know, they got assets they can move and there's no doubt about that. But when is the right time? And I think it's, you know, they've got to look if they can win tonight against Pittsburgh and get closer. But this is a grind to get in. Them and Florida are in a dogfight to get into the playoffs along with a couple of other teams.

I mean, Buffalo is still in the mix here as well. So, you know, that's the challenge. When do you do that? And Dorian, to me, you know, he's had a great summer. He walked around. I mean, he had to buy all new clothes because his chest was puffed out so far. So now it's pressure to get in you know so you know and dj needs a playoff performance so i

just i'm hoping they're going to get in but i don't know if they can and i don't know you know i mean over the next few weeks they got to make a big decision maybe deb can help him out uh who helps get you guys uh get deb Berman to set him up. For sure. So what's the deal with Ottawa's got to get in the playoffs? We're talking about this. They're eight points out of playoffs right now. They got eight teams to get over, six teams or whatever it is.

Doug, is this about trying to sell the hockey team or is it about trying to win games? You know what it's about? It's about saving your job okay and as great a job as pierre dorian did he's got new ownership coming in i mean if if you make if you make the plows that's then it's a no-brainer he he probably gets to keep his job but it's hard to believe that his job is probably on the line with new ownership coming in because lots of times they like to bring their own hockey people in or at least the top of the food chain hockey guys in.

So, you know, I don't want to see anybody lose their job. But, you know, there's a lot of pressure in Ottawa to get in. And I like a lot of things they did. But, you know what, We've talked all year. They've been looking for a defenseman for a form five months and all last summer to fit with their group. So I don't know when, you know, but to bring in a non-restricted free agent, you know,

I don't know that that's the move they should be making. We're talking to Doug McClain. I don't see Dumba, but anyway, we'll see. Okay, can I go now? Sure. We're talking to Doug McLean. Dumba, but anyway, we'll see. Okay, can I go now? Sure. We're talking to Doug McLean, former NHL president, GM and head coach and top dink over 70 in the elite Florida league.

Dinker. Dinker, sorry. Mac, we saw Samsonov come in in relief against the Florida Panthers do a heck of a job. Heck of a job last night against Winnipeg, starting against Montreal. Is there time now in the back half to groom this guy to get ready to face Tampa Bay Lightning?

Wow, that's, you know, I saw it somewhere that, you know, he's really good at home and Murray's really good on the road. And that's not something you like going into the playoffs. I mean, it's nice. It's great. But you want your number one guy, whoever that is, to be 100% ready to play in the past because you're going against maybe the best goaltender in the NHL and maybe the best shutdown defenseman. I was watching Matthews last night and marveling at his play and how great he was. And all I could keep thinking, can Hedman and the goaltending in Tampa handle Matthews when he's on top of his game? That's the million-dollar question. The goaltending is going to be unbelievably important.

It's great to see Samsonov playing so well right now. He's had his ups and downs. Murray's had his ups and downs, but they both have had good years. So it's a really tough nut in. The top six are even with them in Tampa. Hedman is the wild card, and the goaltending is the wild card. Can they handle and overcome that? That's the way I see it.

And you know Tampa is going to make a deal. They're going to make a deal, like the Hagel deal they did last year. Turns out to be a great deal for Tampa Bay, and I'll tell you why quickly. They pick up Hagel, they give up two first-round picks. You know what their thinking was? Okay, we give up two first-round picks. You know what their thinking was? Okay, we give up two first-round picks that we think will be 28 to 32 in the draft. Okay, so they're really closer to second-round picks. And you get a guy that can play in your top six and your top nine for sure

for $1.5 million, which is unbelievably critical. So that, to to me is great cap management when you're moving out picks and you're bringing in a guy that is at a million and a half cap friendly and this is a team in my opinion has a three-year window i thought it was a brilliant move as you watch hagel play in cap management yeah so giving up the picks but they got a cheap guy to play in their top six and nine. So to me, you know, what are they going to do with the deadline when they really believe they've got a three window? They're going to be aggressive, I think.

I think they will. Yeah, it's almost like you use those picks because it's like an entry-level contract in terms of cost. 100%. 100%. And I mean, you know, when you analyze it that way, you say, oh, it's a pretty good move. I mean, if you had to pay him three and a half, it's not a good move. You know what I'm saying? But at a million and a half, it's a real good move. So, you know, when you break it down that way, it makes a lot of sense. So what happens, you know, this is going to be a phenomenal matchup. And i'm i'm am i picking toronto to win i i sort

of am but geez home ice is critical but you know there's a lot of ifs all right well let me take you across the continent then to the vancouver situation we have to get your thoughts and what's going on here you've been in every role coach president gm right now it's just such a mess and poor bruce boudreaux is out there damn near in tears in an interview today what is jim rutherford doing what are the canucks doing in vancouver it reminds me when i was close to getting fired in in columbus, and I, this, uh, my executive assistant brings in a, an envelope and, and I, I say, what's this? She said, well, just come in in the mail. And I looked and it was from Craig Patrick and he was applying for my job. His resume for the ownership. And I'm like, so I'm making a bruise. I'm thinking, oh, well, poor Craig.

I mean, Craig's a friend of mine, but he wanted a job. And, you know, I guess he thought I was getting fired and he was applying for my job. Look, I don't like the fact that Jimmy threw Bruce under the bus a year ago. No structure. And, you know, I didn't like it then and I like it less. When's the last time a GM has ever said, well, yeah, I've talked to some people about the coaching job. I mean, if you do, you sure don't say it. Right.

You know, to a media group. And I'm thinking, you know what? And Bruce is hearing every bit of this. Bruce, whether you think he's a good coach or great coach, nobody deserves to be treated that way. I'm sorry. And I just don't like it and you know they're joking on tnt with talk last night talking saying oh you're still here you're

still here we all everybody knows he had to give 30 days notice at tnt you know so what's really going on here you know and i like rick talkett but his resume certainly doesn't jump out at me as being a savior for the Vancouver Canucks. You know, as I said the other day, Thatcher Demko has won three games this year, and he's got a save percentage in the 800s. And so all three of their goaltenders are under 900 save percentage. Talk about coaching. What about the goaltending? Other problems they have.

So I didn't really like it. And I like Jimmy Rutherford. I like him. He's a friend of mine. But, oh, man, I just don't get what's going on there. It's just bizarre. We've known Jimmy, Mac, we've known Jimmy for a long time. And, yeah, he's one of the more personable guys you talk to.

And, you know, he'll give you the time of day. And he's built up this reputation for being one of the good guys here. Does this hurt him in terms of his, you know, his legacy and the way we'll remember him? Well, look, Jimmy's a Hall of Famer. He's won cups. You know, he went into Pittsburgh and made some pretty solid moves. But he did have Crosby and Malkin and Letang and on and on and on there. Look, Jimmy's a good man.

Just the pressure in Vancouver is over the top. I've never seen a market that gets scrutinized like Vancouver does. It is unbelievable. But listen, this is a team. Well, it's vicious. Toronto has got great fans that support. This is a tough, tough market. And this is a team that go to the final four with travis green

and then they give away markstrom for nothing tanf edler toffoli i mean come on well you know what look what they gave away and all of a sudden they're wondering why they're not as good they signed tj miller to your deal and now they don't have the money to sign Horvat, who's one to me. God, he was going so... Crave to have in your organization, you know? You okay? Anyway. Can you just pick either in the hot tub or out, but every

time you jump in and out of it, we lose you. I said that Jill, I may have to come out on the patio to do this interview, and she's trying to read said that jill i i may have to come out on the patio to do this interview she's trying to read out there she said if you come out and talk on this patio because you don't have good service in your den you're in big trouble so you got to take what i can give you put jill on we'll just have jill on for a segment you know it seemed mac when when we first started talking about teams tanking,

it would be like, no, we've got too much pride and we're not supposed to do that. And then as the years went by, it became more acceptable and to the point where now teams even admit it almost. Yeah. You know? And I just don't understand for one second, at this point of the season for vancouver

again to your point a little bit why race out there and hire rick tocket next week why just not bring in maybe mike yo to clean it up and revisit everything in the summer i agree 100 and i don't want to see a guy like Rick not get a job, but why, when, when you've got Connor Bedard, a Vancouver guy who really wants to play for the Vancouver Canucks sitting out there. And as Jimmy said, you know, they said, why aren't you tanking? He said, well, I thought we were tanking. I mean,

we've got 10 teams in the NHL that are having meetings every day about tanking 10 teams. Why don't we had 10 teams saying, Oh, we are having meetings every day about tanking. 10 teams. When have we had 10 teams saying, oh, we should tank? Like, come on. This is the new NHL. Let's tank. You know, let's tank. It's mind-boggling to me, but that's what the NHL is now.

It's tank to improve, I guess. Yeah, I know. Now, if you're not trying to lose, people are like, aren't you trying to win? You know, it's almost going completely backwards. You know, I guess, you know, when I look at the Vancouver situation, though, Aquilini stands out so much to me as like, what has his involvement been?

How much has Jim Rutherford been hamstrung by, you know, not being able to make the decisions he wants to make when he wants to make them? Has he been trying to embarrass the owner into getting to fire the guy so he can hire a coach? I don't think Aquilini would say one word to Jim Rutherford. I really believe that. There's not a snowball's chance you bring Jimmy Rutherford in

who's won three Stanley Cups as an owner and you stand over him. You know, I don't get that. I was shaking my head when he had Lindon there as a great Canuck and he put the run to him. Like, come on, what was the thinking there even then when that happened? So I would hope Aquilini has learned to keep his hands out of the hockey side when he's got a guy as experienced as Jimmy there. I don't think he's saying anything to Jimmy right now,

except we've got to fix this. That's what he's probably saying. I don't think he's telling Jimmy what to do. Not a snowball's chance he is. Do I dare ask you about Columbus? Well, you know what? The headline in Columbus today was, you know, we're in 32nd place. We're ahead of Anaheim, you know?

I mean, they're winning because they're in 32nd place? Oh, my God. But it's the same thing. Look at Columbus, guys. We just talked about Vancouver. What about Columbus? They have that great playoff run. Dubois is a horse for them.

Panarin, Jones, Atkinson, Foligno, Anderson, Sabard, all those guys left Columbus after that run shortly after or over a period of time. And now, you know, to me, those guys were pretty good players and have all gone. I mentioned Panarin, didn't I? Yeah, I mean, look. Well, they went and signed.

They got Johnny Goudreau. I mean, they paid a pretty heavy price for what was thought to be the top winger in the league. And a playmaker. And so tell me this. You guys are the geniuses. I'm just like a guest. Laine's got one power play goal this year. Is that true?

One power play goal this year Patrick Laine's got. Look it up Sammy. Playing with Goudreau. Let's tell him he's wrong. That's crazy. That's not very good Doug. You think you could see changes there? Big changes?

Well, there's got to be a lot. I mean, a fan wrote in. I just saw it on Twitter this morning. A fan wrote in and said that listed all the reasons, you know, injuries, travel, schedule, Doug McClain. Those are all the reasons why they're struggling. Well, you got one of them, right? Haven't I been gone 10 years? I'm still one of the reasons they're in trouble.

I think it's 10 years. I don't know. Anyway, so hopefully, look, I'd love to see. I mean, I'm praying that Bidard gets, you know, that Columbus get Bidard and it helps get them going again, you know? I mean, anyway. It's tough business, man.

If I find out there's a resume of yours on someone's desk in Vancouver, you're in big trouble. Big trouble. Resumes here on our boss's desk. Right? Yeah, there's no resumes of mine going out, I'll tell you that. I'm an author now. I'm a full-time author now.

You don't want to come back to Sportsnet? Are you serious? I'm bracing myself for impact on that. You know, as you get older, you have prostate issues, and you have to get up in the middle of the night and use the bathroom. So I'm up using the bathroom at 4.30 in the morning there a couple weeks ago, and I'm thinking to myself as I'm standing there, I'm thinking,

three years ago, I would have been up waiting now for my Uber to go to the Toronto Air Force to fly to Toronto to help Kiprios look good. No, I'm good. I'm good. I don't even know where to go after that. Okay, so just keep your resume to yourself then.

That's fine. Exactly, exactly. Happy birthday to Grapes. By the way, happy birthday to grapes. 88th birthday. That was a legend. Don Cherry turns 88 today. I believe.

Make a cake. You don't even know my birthday. That's brutal. No, I don't. I don't. But anyway, all right.

I don't want to have any more. Pickleball at 5 o'clock what's up I had a big match today and this guy that's a super he's like I told you I'm becoming a threat here but this guy that beat us this morning he's 78 so I got to continue to

work on my game you know but it's coming it's improving all right go away good luck with all that dinking out there Doug But it's coming. It's improving. All right, go away. Good luck with all that dinking out there, Doug. Yeah, you dinker. Take care, guys. You're doing a great job.

I love listening to you when I'm on. Yeah. See you later. When I'm on. Take care. See you, Doug McClain. That's a great line. Look at this picture you got when I Googled your birthday. This is what they've chosen for you on the internet. By the way,

Nick Gabriel's people also search for me, Doug, Jeff Merrick. All right. I don't know how you feel about that. Is it the golf photo? No, it's him, I don't know, looking like he's half asleep on the Oh, yeah, that one. I have picked up the vibe that

it's kind of dissipating a little bit, but there is a time when you two can look at me and get a little nervous. About? About something I might say. Oh, yeah, okay. That's fair, yeah. Yeah. Okay.

But you get one every Friday when he comes on this show. And I see it. I see it every Friday around 345. It's like, and Sammy, you know Sammy. Sammy's like, just please, nobody get us fired from this show. Please, just, I need this job. I like to flip up the table and hide behind it. When you said that, think about his foresight,

and then he went quiet for that. I was like, oh, boy. Morty said it best. I was bracing for impact, too. I was like, oh, boy. Bornie said it best. I was bracing for impact, too. I was like, oh, God. Hold on, baby. God, that was funny today. Holy.

Maybe you want to pick up on Vancouver, or we'll do that after the break. I do think we need more time. Let's do it after Maxime. Okay, we got Maxime. La Pierre. La Pierre. Ponche bleu. Ponche bleu.

Don't say it like that when we have him, okay? I don't know. How do I say it? La ponche bleu. Okay.. Ponche bleu. Ponche bleu. Don't say it like that when we have him, okay? I don't know. How do I say it? Le ponche bleu. Okay. Le ponche bleu. The blue ponch. There you go.

You're good. Habs rebuild. Marty St. Louis. Slavoski. Cole Caulfield not going to the All-Star game. What's he got? 27? Oh, yeah.

The league definitely wants him over there. David Pasternak and Austin Matthews. I'm sure they'd rather have Cole Coffey. How many goals does he have? 27? Who cares? The lack of Montreal Canadian respect out of Sammy right there. Well, I wouldn't expect any different. We'll get Maxime to talk about

Sammy after the break. You're watching, listening, Real Kipper and Born on Off the Rails Friday. This is Real Kipper and Born on Sportsnet 590 The Van. Montreal Canadiens. Let's welcome in Maxime Lapierre, who does some tremendous work covering the Montreal Canadiens

on La Poche Bleue. Did I say that correctly? Let's go to Maxime on that. Maxime? Sammy, where's our guest? Hi, guys. How are you? Hey! How are you, buddy?

I was too impressed by your French right now with the La Paz Blur. I thought I said it so bad that you said, I can't do this show. That was actually great. Good job. Thank you, my friend uh how are things going for you covering the team and the overall vibe of the montreal canadian season uh it's been fun i mean it's been a really good start for us for the team i mean that we were uh surprised a little bit with the young guys we had and a few injuries and it's really the first season without care price like being the center of attention and we we lost a few veterans and all that so i think we've been

impressed especially by our young decor but uh now we're really seeing the team they were supposed to be and i mean we were expecting a tough season and it is a tough season but at least for the first time in a lot of years we're seeing a bright future and what are some of the bright spots that you see because you mentioned that you know any part of a rebuild involves a little bit of losing i guess maybe that would be part of the bright spots is a high draft pick coming yeah uh we've definitely mentioned connor bedard a few times here in town but uh uh you know the the focus is on this guy a lot, but there's so many good players coming in

the next draft, so I think the Canadians, with all the young guys they already have, it's a really important year when you're talking about the draft, and hopefully, I don't want to say they keep losing, but they keep sticking to the plan, because still

when the first time Gorton and Kent Hughes, they came in town, they were talking about respecting a plan of developing players and be patient. And I think that's what they're doing. And it's a really tough market to do that, to be honest, guys, because it's easy to critic the team and just saying we cannot afford to lose again. But this year, I feel like uh can't you just did this uh half season uh commentary that the this week and they they don't show anything they don't show sign that they're going to change direction and that's i respect that

because the reality is since 93 when we won the cup we never had a team that's a an actual real contender to win the stanley cup and is there a sense that the montreal canadian fans are on board they're not used to this in other markets they are but to actually tell you that we're not contending there are no stanley cups in the near future and you're just going to have to be patient. Is there a feeling like this could go for two or three years before it kicks back in? Or the sense is that the fans would like to see them maybe as early as next year play meaningful games. I don't know what that means.

Maybe even knocking on the door of the playoffs. Yeah, that's a good point. And I think starting next year, from the feeling I have in a way in the city, I think starting next year, we need to see a big step in the right direction. Whatever it's signing a good free agent, a young free agent, hopefully to respect the plan we have. But yeah, we all know the fans here in Montreal.

They're passionate. I think this year they understand as long as the guys are working on the ice and they don't quit. I think they didn't like that little sequence where we were losing games 6-1, 5-0, and 7-2. But now if the teams compete and Cole Caulfield scores a goal once in a while, I think everybody's happy in town and that's all we need. But I think in September they're going to expect changes,

and part of those changes are the veterans that are not playing really well right now for a few years in Montreal, and they want these guys out of the team, and they're going to have to trade them or get rid of them. Well, I expect the Montreal Canadiens fans would be okay with a win on Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, even if the plan is to get a high draft pick. What are your thoughts on the Leafs and what they've got going on this year?

Do they look any different than the team that has given disappointing results in the playoffs the past six years? Well, you know what? I feel like this year they faced adversity early in the season, and I think it's a good thing for them because, obviously, every season you face a little challenge. But I felt like this year they really had a chance at the beginning of the year to get rid of whatever players

or coaches or the GM and just change something because people were panicking a little bit. Anyway, that's the feeling I had from Montreal, and they stayed patient, and I think that's a good thing. Now the team is probably top five teams in the NHL. I think they have a legit chance to win a Stanley Cup. They're a great team, but at the same time, looking at the standings, they're probably going to face the Tampa Bay Lightning again this year in the first round.

And I think that's their biggest challenge because they're going to make the playoffs. They have a good team. Hopefully, they've learned from that in the past. And it's a good thing, too, the on the other side the team like the lightnings that that's what they did right they were patient they kept the coach when they lost after uh they lost in four against columbus in the playoffs and it was a big turning point for them as an organization i have a feeling well people in montreal are not gonna like that but i have a feeling this year might be the year for the Leafs to at least win the first round.

You know, Max, you played enough games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and to know that no matter what, no matter where they sit in the standings, and that means either side, there is always something a little special. The few times that I got to experience it, for me, it was always coming down the elevator to the hotel lobby and you walk into like hundreds of people and it almost felt like a like a like a mini gray cup weekend or something yeah in montreal sorry you know and uh i assume no matter the feeling tomorrow night for the guys would would be the same especially on the montreal side that uh yeah it may be a tough year but you know this could be one of those wins that we

remember yeah i think those are definitely the little victories that you want to have during the season that it's uh i think it's great for hockey and you're so right every time there's a big game and whatever it's in montreal or toronto you feel like everybody just took their car and drove either to toronto or montreal to support their team and it's it's in Montreal or Toronto, you feel like everybody just took their car and drove either to Toronto or Montreal to support their team. And it's basically like you forget the season. You just think about the history of the two teams and you don't even care about the standings.

You don't care who scored a goal. It's just about chirping your friends from Toronto or getting chirped by your friends in Montreal. And those are great matchups. And at the same time, this year, I feel for young guys, whether it's Suzuki or Caulfield, it's great to see guys in Toronto, the way they change over the years.

You look at a guy like Marner, Matthews, even Nylander. I think they got so much better if you compare it to three years ago. And it's a good way or a good place to look at for young guys, the young guys we have in Montreal, because we forget that they're great hockey players in Toronto. It's not because they didn't win the first round in the playoffs, but they're bad hockey players. And just the way they skate, the way they handle the puck,

they're more physical, I think, more responsible defensively. And there's definitely a lesson to be learned from those players what would have you made of the evolution of cole caulfield this season guys putting the pucks in the net an extremely high rate and and with that what do you expect a next contract to look like for him yeah uh he definitely took a big step this year i mean last two years when he came with the team, he was basically always waiting to receive a pass or to just get a free scoring chance.

And now I feel like he's working hard for them. His skating really got way better. He's way stronger on his skates. I think he's always been really agile on the ice. But now I feel like he's stronger when he goes on the forecheck, and he definitely learned a lot from Marty St. Louis about all you have to behave on the ice, even if you're a star player,

and he's just going to get better from that. Now the contract, obviously, that's the hot topic in town right now. I had a discussion with my good buddy here, Guillaume Latandresse, about that. We think he's definitely going to ask for more money than Nick Suzuki if he's on a pace to score 50 goals. I mean, scoring 50 goals in the NHL, you basically compare your contract to maybe five, six, seven guys in the NHL. It's rare to have a goal scorer like that so i would say the the minimum

is going to accept is eight million a year for sure i don't know about the the length of the contract but if if i were him i would i would definitely not accept less money than that max i had heard about six weeks ago that they were really pushing that nicks our captain. He's at seven, eight. It's not, it's not a good look. If you pass them, we need you around seven and a half. Yeah, that's going to be a tough call. And I feel like the longer they're going to wait, I feel, I feel it's going to, it might become a problem because if he keeps scoring that way and you're, you're talking about

your contract and you're at 40 goal at one point with maybe 15 games left what are you going to do you you're not gonna i don't think you're going to accept that if you're called call phil's agent at least i don't know i might be wrong but if you're a 50 goal scorer or 45 goal scorer in the nhl and let's not forget nick suzuki signed this contract where when we had issues with the cap and all that and i feel like now it's got a way better after the pandemic and all that and the the cap is going to go up in the next few years so i i'm saying no way he's going to accept the same contract and next is a team wow that's interesting stuff here it is the you know the another guy there who gets a lot of attention and justifiably so right now, is Arbor Jack.

Has he been the most pleasant surprise this season as a real contributor? 100%. I feel like the emotion he brings to the ring, fans love him. And you know what? We all talk about the great story about the guy that worked at Tosco and can fight anybody in the league, but the reality is he's a great hockey player. He skates well, he defends well, he's got a good shot.

He even played on the second power play unit here. So he's a really nice project, and he's still very young, being 21 years old. I think he's going to be the glue for this team in the future. You always have your captain, your leadership group, but there's always that funny guy that does everything for his team. And every time he talks in the dressing room, everybody respects him. I think that's Arbor Jack for us.

He's going to be a very, very important piece in being part of that core unit. Right now we have Suzuki Caulfield, Kirby Doc, that's playing really well lately. Gouley, I think Gouley, he's a type of captain, you know, unit right now we have suzuki caulfield kirby doc that's playing really well lately ghouli i think ghouli has a he's a type of uh captain you know like he came maybe later in suzuki but if you look at the team suzuki is a captain but ghouli might as well be a captain in the nhl one day so uh things are looking great guys i think our decor i think our fours we're gonna need at one point other veterans to come in, like younger veterans to come help this team.

But with all the prospect, I think the future is bright. Wow. And just, again, on Jack, 21 years old, calling out Gudis, who's 32 and probably got close to, what, 400 or 700 hockey games for not fighting. I'm like, I love this guy. I don't know if you guys watch all the games, but I think he would like to fight three times a night.

They're probably holding him back in the dressing room or something because he wants to fight every hit or every time somebody touches his teammate he's right there and you know what, this guy, I think he's enjoying the chance he has to play in the NHL didn't get drafted junior didn't get drafted in the NHL

I think that's his way to say thank you for giving me a chance and he's always going to act that way towards the Canadian organization just because they gave him a first chance. Max, one more for me and still on the topic of the Montreal and their future. Winnipeg played here last night. Prior to that, they were in Montreal and I had heard the buzz from the players after the game on Pierre-Luc Dubois ending up being in Montreal, was off the charts.

What are you hearing? Obviously, I feel like there's interest. Definitely, he's a good player. He's a big player. Lots of skills. There's always rumors. But I personally think both sides are interested. I would not be surprised.

I mean, being from here, most of the guys, they want to come back home at one point in their career. I think he would be right there helping that team. Right now, he's doing great in Winnipeg. I think he wants to win a Stanley Cup there because they feel like they have the team to compete all the way this year and they have a great team. But he's a restricted free agent.

That's my only concern for the next year. At the end of the day, Winnipeg has control on the situation for at least the next year. I'm not getting excited right now, but obviously I would love to see him in a Canadian

uniform at one point. This is really geared towards July of 2024. right now, but obviously I would love to see him in a Canadian's uniform at one point. Yeah, this is really geared towards July of 2024. You're right, he's got one more year, but could easily sign a one-year contract that will get him to unrestricted free agency a year from this July. Hey, Max, really appreciate your time for doing this, man. Thanks for playing along.

Yeah, thanks for having me, guys. Thank you very much. Thanks so much. Max Lapierre, former NHLer, and the podcast is La Pasha Blue. Let me just say, on Radco Gutis, because our boy Sammy's been on Gutis. I got Gutis 35 NHL fights over 10 seasons. He fights about once every 18 games. He's got fights against DeLaurier,

Austin Watson. I mean, it's not a bad fight card. Yeah, Pizzetta. I mean, listen, there's some middleweights on the card too, but there's some heavyweights on the card. So, you know, calling this guy a chicken or whatever. I guess Zach Gasson-Reach was just too much for him to handle.

Well, I think it was a strategic game situation. Oh, you see me diving last night? Do we have Jack-Eyer there? No, I have the quote if you want me to read it. Yeah, I mean, it's immediately available. I have it right in front of me right this very second. This is Jack-Eyer on him not answering the bell. He never does.

I don't know what's up with that guy. He'll be taking runs at guys' knees all game. He does play hard. I'll't know what's up with that guy. He'll be taking runs at guys' knees all game. He does play hard. I'll give it to him. But at some point, you've got to show that you're going to be able to do that. So basically, he just said what I said. I will say this about Gutis. Six feet tall.

He's not a huge guy. And his fight card does include Danny Gord, JT Miller, you know, some guys that are pretty middle-sized. Kyle Palmieri, Ryan Dezingle, you know, so he's, I'll call him a middleweight who's not afraid to once in a while tangle the heavies. Okay. I think picking spots has been around our game for a very long time.

Sure. And not many guys willing to fight anyone anytime. But there are times when you just have to step up. I did not watch the game so i can't specifically speak of it like i could a lot easier with aston reese and him uh tuesday night yeah but i get what um jack is talking about that. Here I am. I'm 21 and I've watched Ty and a few others of the heavyweight and just know that there is, there's a,

I'm not going to say there's a torch to be passed, but when there is a young and up and coming challenger and the circumstances call for it, you can't duck it. You can't. Jack guy's got eight fights this year in 40 games. I think you can't duck it, but I'm sure Gutis didn't want to fight him at all.

Oh, God, no. Well, Jack guy's 6'2", 195, according to his profile. But he's a... You want to play hard like that, though? I know. Still at your 32, and if you are at that point where it is kind of iffy, if you're going to take my knees out or not,

man, you want to go down that path. I wish there was more guys like Jack Eye in the league. Jack Eye is a great to be in a position to just have to have to hold an accountability for your actions that's all love max's point that he's a useful guy too like he plays with a power play for them we're like free agent i don't even know i got this guy come from no i think he was a free agent. Costco. He was... Yeah. His agent is Dave Kirkland.

Packing boxes at Costco. That's pretty good. Yeah. Someone texted and said, Arbor Jack guy is the best thing to come out of Costco since what? Listen. 64-inch screen. Oh, you can get a Bargoon.

For 700 bucks. I actually think my last TV was from Costco. I now follow this Instagram account called Costco Funds, and they just are posting, like, all the great deals at Costco. You got to get on that. Shat Guy's the Kirkland of hockey players. That's a compliment. Listen, I'm full Kirkland dad now.

All right. Kirkland wedges now is there um are you guys okay if if caulfield turns around and says uh yeah i'm making it eight and a half next year and you know what kip is at 7.78 and all your people with setting this standard oh he can't earn more than this guy can yes Yes, he can. I'm not saying he can't. But it's a thing in hockey that, oh, well, Brad Marchand, or sorry, you know, Patrice makes this, you can't earn him. Why can't I? You've got me wrong here.

I'm not saying that you can't, and I'd be happy for him to do that. Okay. I'm just telling you what the Montreal Canadiens and the angle of having this internal cap to keep things under control. And on top of that, though, there are egos involved here. Okay.

So is mine. So is mine. I know. But you're not in that room and you're not sucking up money that could go somewhere else if you don't hold a certain standard to make sure that you are worth the money that you paid for. That's the new dynamic of the nhl my day it's like hey good for you good for you you got it that's great now it's okay you want to ask for that but how's that affect me and how's it affect the team to win

i just hate the idea that anyone on your team should set a bar. Like, you look around the league. I am paid commensurate to people around the league. Just because a guy on my team is underpaid doesn't mean I also should be underpaid. Tough beans for him and his agent. And that's what Max was basically saying, is that does Cole Caulfield come in now and with his agent and go hold on for

a second the team sucked you guys needed suzuki to kind of prop the fan base up you gave him that he took it but now there's all this new money coming in. There's the TV money. There's the rink board ads. There's a streaming. And the cap's going up to $100 million in the next five years. I'm not dating my contract for eight years at $8 million or $7.5. All Caulfield has done is score. Everywhere he's played, you know, if he scores 50 this year, no doubt in my mind he scores 50 a couple

more times over the next few years like he's that's what he does he's that guy you are that guy pal you are that guy the system stinks oh yeah the system of the cba stinks yeah for so many reasons it it gets the players to play off each other it gets the fans pissed off because there's no trades and nobody can move and there's no the owners are in the cayman islands just like listening to everyone claw at home over nickels the system's clogged yeah it is it's all jammed up i didn't 27 teams within three million bucks of the cap or something whatever the number was yesterday. No bueno.

No bueno. Oilers beat the Lightning. What is that? Four in a row? Five in a row? Five in a row. The Oilers get Kane back, and all of a sudden they're a little feisty. They win a lot of games.

Zach Hyman on pace for 40 goals, but we don't need to talk about that. Hyman's like a top 20 offensive player. He bothers you. He does. Yeah, he does. But you see maroon kicking people around last night yeah he roughed up double double slewy last night got derrick ryan with one then he got connor with one do you think that uh knowing what you know about zach hyman that kyle would love a do-over to give him five million million? I said that earlier this week.

I always wanted to pay him. I wanted to pay him from day one. I just was a big, you know, like you looked at his offensive stats and I went, well, he's on the line with Matthews and Marner. Like, who wouldn't get points there? I understand now his other line is very good. But you have to be really good to be the guy they put with really good players. Yes.

And he's not disappointed in those roles. He's a guy who can play with them. There's a common denominator here. Two, three coaches have been like, four is good. Four coaches. Babs. And he drives it to the net. Oh, he's a force.

He's so strong. He's a dream power play guy. And a penalty kill guy. On his skates. He's a gym freak. He's one of those guys, too, that's just like 3% body fat. And like, in front of the net, perfect guy on a power play. And a gym freak. He's one of those guys, too, that's just like 3% body fat. And like in front of the net, perfect guy on a power play and a perfect penalty. Like a guy can play in all situations.

Yeah. Should have paid him. And he writes children's books. But you had to keep Pierre and Kerfoot for sure. Those guys are definitely more important. You are in a pissy mood, man. I am a little pissy today. A little pissy.

What else did we see? Maroon apologized to Kane in warm-up. Yeah, I thought that was kind of cool. Yeah, I like that. Yeah, I don't care. And then he goes around and starts slewing everybody. He really felt bad about it. He's such a dirtbag. I love it. A little bit of an Instagram moment. What's that? That one?

Yeah. A million times he can go and say something, text them, see them between dressing rooms two hours before. I don't know. Let's just get a little Instagram moment. I like it. I like that take. That's a very good take.

Everyone is very able to contact each other outside of warm-ups. So do we want to play these Bruce Boudreaux clips, or do we want to just do some questions? No, we do. Yeah, we do. We got to play them. We do. So Bruce Boudreaux is a cute golden retriever puppy

that the Canucks are just punting around the office. So do you want to go in order of the clips from the scrum today? We'll play the first one. He gets asked about his job security. Do you guys want to hear this clip? All right, all right. Okay, we'll go for it. I don't know yet.

I really, you know, I mean, I'd be a fool not to say that I don't know what's going on. But I just, like I said before, you come to work and you realize, you know, how great the game is. Microphone. Yeah. great the game is microphone yeah i feel like people have not been left to do their job in that organization to just say you coach you manage i'll be the president feels like there's something else going on do would you like the second clip oh yeah okay second clip well i didn't say anything today i mean uh um but, I mean, there might be things said tomorrow. You know, I mean, they know. I mean, you know, there's a lot of media here. I mean, it's, I mean, I've got my wife phoning me saying,

you're not on the ice. Is everything okay? So you guys are getting it out all over the country. So it's tough not to feel it. But, I mean, you just, look, if you love it, you want to go do it. And so, I mean, that's the way I shut it out is basically just realizing how much you care about the game and the players. Oh, boy.

Okay, can we finish this off before we... Last clip. I'm a little emotional just now. What does it mean to you to be head coach? I'll talk later. Thank you. Thanks, Bruce. Boy, Jesus, Sammy.

You want to play some funeral clips here? I said, do you want to do this? Who asked that question, man? She went right to the heart. What's it mean to you to be an NHL head coach? They probably sent the CHCH news reporter down there to get the tough question. Oh, God. Geez.

That's Roy Firestone making your guest cry moment right there. Oh, yeah. Well, yeah. And Bruce had a moment there. He's human. And that's what you love about him is he'll always give you that that human side he's not he's not built to you know give you a standard answer the guy will tell you how he feels there's a quality about him that's so likable i need like them to let him go john cooper to pick him up as

an assistant coach for a run to the cup and and Bruce gets to lift the cup this year. That's not happening. No, okay. How about Toronto as an assistant coach, maybe? Well, wasn't that a thing once upon a time? It was. He was available as an assistant? I just feel like, you know, he says it, but you can feel like what his wife is going through right now.

Oh, it's awful. It's horrible. What they've done to Bruce is shameful. It's just a lack of professional courtesy. That's all. We understand it's a tough business, right? Yes. Anything is.

When you're dealing with the top of anything, broadcasting here, NHL, NFL, Major League Baseball, Google. We get it. We get it. It's tough. Yeah.

But be a pro about it. The way they're treating him is not professional courtesy. Yeah. And Rick Tockett is coming in. I was like, what are they trying to get Bruce to quit so they don't have to pay him? Like, is that why they're making it so uncomfortable and weird?

Come on. Please tell me that's not true. I mean. At this point? A sane, sorry, a lot of people would quit in this circumstance

and say, F you. You know, you're bringing someone in, you're interviewing people while I have the job, then I'm out of here. But then you don't get paid,

right? So. Did you hear Doug McClain make a comment about a window that Rick Talkett needed to tell TNT? You know what? I'm glad you brought that up. That caught my ear. He's like, everyone knows Talkett needs 30 days to tell TNT.

And I was like, no, I didn't. That's the second time I heard that there was something to do with his commitment to TNT that may have held this thing back. Really? Yeah. Wow. That's the second time I heard it.

I don't think that any TV deal talk would have signed, would have come with an out, you know, knowing that he's going to coach again. The out is 30 days maybe. Right? Have they called you yet to fill a spot or what? You waiting on TNT? I'm comfortable right here.

Send your resume. No. Well, talk still in the seat. Send a paper resume. I wouldn't have gone on air if I was him. If I knew that they were going to do that to me. I wonder again if that's contractual though. I don't know.

Again, I just. It's a mess. It's a mess. It's a mess. I don't think it's a good look from anyone's perspective. I think it's just a bad look all around. Can we get some fun questions now? Yeah, all right.

After listening to one of the most beloved coaches cry about getting fired. Anyways, the Canucks have now made a coach cry. Has that happened before? Anyways. We've made people cry on this show. I cry myself to sleep every night. Okay. This is interesting.

This is from SJ in North York. He's a great texter. Texts us all the time with stuff. He said, given the Leafs' current plethora of depth of D, which we can quibble on, would you be okay with including Sandin or Lilligren in a package for the right player? I've actually, I saw a version of this today.

Someone said, here's what I saw was a, you know, would you include Timothy Lilligren plus for Bo Horvat? And I was thinking to myself this morning, I'm not sure I would trade Timothy Lilligren for Bo Horvat. I don't think I would. Because Bo Horvat's contract's up this year. Lilligren for Bo Horvat. I don't think I would. Because Bo Horvat's contract's up this year. Lilligren's cheap. But it's not, it really doesn't have anything to do with Bo Horvat.

It has everything to do with what's the blue line going to look like without Lilligren. Right. And the answer is I can't do that. He's a right shot D, and otherwise it's Brody and hall now and brody's been injured you want to talk about moving sandin or lilligren for jacob chickren that's a conversation sandin in particular i was gonna say would you guys if you had to make the choice like we've talked about with them choosing lilligren over dersey if you had to choose between those two to deal is it sandin that you're choosing it's pretty crazy to say this i am now team lilligran so yeah i would choose sandin if one

of them i'll keep clean sweep i'll keep i'll keep the right-handed shot and i'll replace uh sandin with a package that would get me jacob chickering at six 4.6 for two more years to me that's a remarkable thing that all three of us completely agree. You know, at the start of last year, I was not talking like that. Agree. Development's been huge, so there you go.

Good question. Let me see here. This is from Skywalker Vader. I guess he likes Star Wars on YouTube. What team has the best chance to beat the Boston Bruins in the playoffs? Is it the Carolina Hurricanes? No.

Who is it? I have a team like the Capitals. Well, Tampa Bay obviously is beating a few good teams. I don't know. I just feel like the Bruins are experienced. They're able to handle the size, whatever. I feel like you need some. It's not going to be some quick young.

It's not going to be the Devils to me. So someone who's been there, someone who's bigger and heavy. Tampa's big back end, Capitals, the Leafs. I don't know. Let's do the Leafs in for fun. I would say the Leafs. I like Carolina. Do you?

Yeah, I like the blue line. With Freddie in that? Well, that's the, yeah, I mean, but you're also saying with Matt Murray in that? Yeah. I mean, listen, I think that's probably a wash, to be honest. Like, I don't think Freddie Anderson's necessarily going to be any better than either of those guys. They're big to me. Carolina.

Carolina. Yeah. They're big to me. Carolina. Carolina. Yeah. They're big. Rod Brindamore style. You know, they play a little bit physical. For me, the depth that Carolina has, they're one of the few teams that can go toe-to-toe in terms of depth. You go down their lineup and you get to Natchez and Ajo,

then it's Jarvis and Martinuk is a guy who's got 10 goals this year. And there are a lot of guys who score down the line of Jordan stall. Just to follow up on Carolina, Max Petruetti comes back and horrible blows out the same Achilles tendon. Was that it? I actually didn't hear what the actual, that's the, that's the impression that I had.

He's played five games for them and has three goals. And he just, well, you saw those non-contact injuries. He grabs at his leg. That's horrible. Just awful. If it is the same injury, I can only imagine what, like, even a medical staff or the guy that performed the surgery feels today. Yeah. Should we have let him go?

Well, no. I mean, well, of course you let him go and you gave him the clearance and you're saying I've rebuilt this and you rehabbed on it and you're going to be fine. And then he's not fine. Yeah.

I just, I would think it'd be just a sickening feeling. Well, so he comes back on January 5th. He plays three games. He scores twice against Columbus, scores once against New Jersey. Then he plays three minutes against Columbus. He had to get a different injury. Comes back seven days later, one week later against the wild leaves and blows out in Achilles again. So really sad.

And for Carolina, one of those things that's like that was supposed to put them over the top. That one extra guy, that one extra offensive punch in the big games, devastating for them. And I understand for the player too, obviously. They had him like his cap hits a seven, correct?

Yeah. But what were they So if they're LTIR, can they spend that money now? What was their actual salary on him? Were they actually paying him? Because Vegas picked up a chunk of it, didn't they? No, I don't think they did. Oh, it was all their money?

Yeah, they didn't trade anything for him. Because he only had the last year here. That's why. Yeah. It wasn't that big of a deal. Yeah. So his real salary is 5.25. His cap hit is 7. um i want to get into uh

maybe before we get one more just nhl all-star oh yeah we should write yeah let's just talk about that because i had i had talked about a month ago when we heard that as many as 12 guys would be voted in that we're gonna have some really fun names and we're gonna question who be voted in that we're going to have some really fun names and we're going to question who got voted in and none of it happened like every guy to sammy's point it was all pretty quiet and indiscreet don't worry but we'll tell you who got it can i be honest there was no vote sammy is the tinfoil hatting this one hard how could there have been there's no there's zero vote do you have them in front of you the all-stars i'm just trying to find it here i'm just trying to pick it up yeah i get every guy it's as if the league picked everybody the

guys who got in are the most deserving players in the league the atlantic it's matthews and pasternak and vasilevsky it's panarin and fox and sorokin it's Matthews and Pasternak and Vasilevsky. It's Panarin and Fox and Sorokin. It's Dreisaitl and Horvat and Skinner. It's Ranton and McKinnon and Hellebuck. There are no surprises. Yes, I'm sure all the people voted in the exact perfect guys on Marin. No vote. There's no vote. I disagree

with you both. What? No conspiracy. These are the best players. The people who know who the best players are are the voted for. That's how things work. Yeah are the best players. The people who know who the best players are. Yeah, that's how things work. Yeah, that's funny. You think the league? How dumb these people are, some of them?

Yeah, but they're the weird outliers. Twitter. You know the way they act. What did all the people that voted for John Scott die during the pandemic? There was no organized campaign that I saw online for anyone. One of my favorite lines is, think how dumb the average person is. Half the people are stupider than that.

Which I love. There's something rigged with this. The most controversy is the players that they originally named to begin with, like Seth Jones. Yeah. No, it's rigged. Meanwhile, that's fine. I'm good with this.

So what you're saying is now many learned from the John Scott experience, and now we're taking the voting seriously. Everyone voted for their own random fool. Everyone's like, oh, push for Pontus. He got 11 votes. They didn't even do an update on the votes. No, there wasn't one update. I never saw one thing between the time they announced it until

yesterday. And then they put it out like at 1030 at night or something. But I will say, if they did, in fact, there is no real vote and they just picked the guys, full credit to them for like, you can't give them any blame they're like what the fans voted and we didn't pick it i'm telling you based on

the the rosters that they picked you know what's coming next five on five thank god why based on the rosters because everything's gonna come back to like normalcy okay real all-stars real players deserving and playing real hockey can i say what do you think i love that idea and it's coming to toronto next year in a in a real market it has to be real hockey real hockey in a real market love it nhl all-star is back shooting meat pies into a gator's mouth. Can I just say, I saw Austin Matthews' quote of being named for the All-Star team, and he said, well, it's humbling. I hate that line, humbling. He just won the Hart Trophy.

Yeah, dude, he shot 16 in the net in the NHL. Humbled by going to the All-Star game for the sixth time. Boys, heading north, On Sound, Hockey Day in Canada. Hockey Day in Canada. What a grand event. Big day for my hometown. Going up to watch Own Sound attack. Take on the Peterborough Peets tomorrow night. Really excited. Andy McKee and family.

So kidding. You got the Bills? No, Bills are Sunday. I'll be home in time. Bills, Bengals Sunday, and Cowboys Niners Sunday. Give us some picks. Jacksonville. Who else plays bills? Cowboys. And I forget what's the other game.

I don't know. Oh, Eagles. I can't remember now. It's Friday. I'm off right now. I've already checked out to all our guests. Max,

Maxime, uh, LaPierre, Doug McClain, all of you who continue to watch support. We really appreciate it. Have a safe weekend. And we're back on Monday.