Real Kyper & Bourne - Matthew Knies' CBJ Debut + Mike Babcock's First Two Games

Episode Date: October 2, 2026

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee begin the second hour discussing Matthew Knies' Columbus Blue Jackets' debut before bringing on former NHL president, general manager and head coach Doug MacLean (5:11) to chat about the sustainability of Jack Roslovic and Kirill Marchenko as Auston Matthews' linemates, Mike Babcock's return to the NHL and first two games, the Oilers' goaltending issues, Gary Bettman's comments around no-trade clauses, and Vancouver and Calgary approaching the season as a rebuild. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam read listener's texts including if Connor Hellebuyck would be a good fit in Buffalo, if we're witnessing a regression in Matthews' game, and much more! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All right, once again, we kick it up a notch on Off the Rails Friday. It's our national hour on the Real Kipper and Bourne show. We are live on SportsNet 590, The Fan. Streaming always on Sportsnet Plus and YouTube. And you can catch us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you download. This hour of Real Kippenborn brought to by Bet365. Nick Kippreel is Justin Bourne. Sammy McKee in a few minutes.

We'll welcome in Doug McLean. We'll also take your text, 595. 9, 90, and we will read them as fast as we can boot Doug McLean off. Love text. You've gotten really good at this. That was a great intro. Nailed. Hit every beat I told you to in the break.

Just Bing, bang, boom, boom. I'm just really excited. It's Friday. I think we're all excited. It's Friday. Shout out my Uncle Don, my great Uncle Don, 90th birthday tomorrow. So, there you go.

Shout out Uncle Don. Plenty to get into, of course, with Doug. around the National Hockey League, but, I mean, we've got the Columbus Blue Jacket, Jersey up. They're off to a great start. Matthew Nyes, quite the performance. You okay, Sammy?

Are you okay? It's just... It's just awkward for you? No, it's just really unbelievable. I don't know if other fan bases, like I don't know, tell me if they do, but I don't know if other fan bases go through what Toronto Maple Leaf fan base goes through

in terms of former players going other places. I think this year it's going to be particularly bad because there's so many guys that used to play for the leaves playing somewhere else. They changed the whole team. Nize is gone, Nick Robertson's gone, Joseph Wall's gone, all these guys are playing for different things. And all of them were like

amongst their best players on the ice for their respective clubs. The highlight of the whole thing was Emil Andre with a shot pass from the assistant. Come on, we can't get a break. Andre is going to become a 50 point D man. Next thing, some guy from a. Sweden's going to be sending me Pally Yarncrox sniping for Brinas? Why can't an ex-leaf just go and suck somewhere?

They never do. But that's just... Well, when they do, you don't hear about it. That's the way it is. It's okay. You know, I guess it's okay. I'm happy for Nyes. I loved Matthew Nyes.

I thought he was going to be part of my life for the next decade. I have nothing but good things. They didn't. They didn't. They didn't. And it was like everybody, there was someone in the organization that had it out for him. No kidding. And they...

I, I, you know, I, I think analytically, they thought he sucked. Yeah, he didn't drive play. He was, you know, he got numbers and he did the things that you notice, but he didn't, wasn't on lines. When he was away from Matthews. Oh my God, Jake. We cut the Matthew, Nyes clips.

I know. Is this the longest clip we've ever played? We have 400 angles of Nyes's goals last night. This is the longest clip we've ever played. When Nise was away from Matthews, his numbers were bad. When he wasn't playing with really good players. So they don't believe that he's a driver of play, Marchenko, the opposite.

Fentilly and Werencki any good? Fantilly is excellent. Werencki good? Are they going to play together a lot this year? Yeah. Crab. His number should be good.

I think it's safe to say after watching, that net front presence is Matthew Nises. And he couldn't get on the power play in Toronto and own that front of the net. Yeah. Because that was John Tavares.

Getting traded to Columbus has to be a hard thing And a lot of cities have a unique thing about them. And they put the mic in your face after you find out you're traded. You're going to Columbus. You know, what do you have to say? And it's like, I'm really looking forward to seeing the, you know, just what are the things that you're excited about when you're going to Columbus?

You talk to Porty every day. Well, Pordy, that's the highlight. But like, he and eyes is just like, yeah, I've heard the fans are great. Cool, let's do it. Yeah. You know, and he handled it well and played well. Off you go. Buffalo, on the other hand, is your goaltending going to hold up?

Are they missing Byram and Tuck? Yep, yep. Well, maybe not Byram. I don't know if you saw that stat from last night. Can you do what they did last year, including 109 points? Yeah. And then miss the playoffs this year?

Yeah. Well, they can if you make one hell of an addition. Goalie, goalie. Oh, God. It feels like it would have been done by now. Yeah. What's the hold-up? That one just makes sense if they don't believe in their goal 10.

Bodies, just legit top six bodies. I don't know what they would demand. Yeah, you don't want to be. Don't. Send it away. Oh, boy. Don't was awesome. What would you want?

Zach Benson. I mean, I love Don't. Don't be, if that's like a centerpiece of a trade for Hellabuck who wants out, if you could get Don. They're not going to get him, though. No, they love them. It's just crazy. He's really good.

It's 10 years. Zillion time, Vesno. There we go. Okay, this is important. The views and opinions expressed by our next guest, such as, like, the oldest profession in the world, are solely his own and do not reflect J.B. Sammy or me? Okay.

Let's welcome in our next guest, Doug McLean, former NHL President, GM, the head coach, and a very, very popular, viral kind of guy all week. What a wimpy show today.

Like, talk about sucking up and, oh, yeah, Travis, and John, Jake, and Sammy, so excited about what a great interview it was. Sammy? Get her ass, dog.

Come on. Are you ready to pour water on all of it? I'm not going to mention McKenna because I know how paranoid he gets about McKenna, Sammy. So I'm going to stay. But listen, I've got something very important to say. As you know, Jill and I have been married 49 years. No, we don't know, but thanks for sharing. Wow.

And it's closing in on a big one. What a saint. We communicate extremely well. And we've chatted a lot. And I've decided, and I wanted you guys to be. the first people to know that I'm going into therapy. Is that right? I'm going into therapy.

So as of now, I'm a recovering know-it-all. No, we need you to know it all. It's why you're here. I just want, because I've been coming on this show so often, all of a sudden I'm knowing as a worse than ever know-it-all. So I'm a recovering, know-it-all now, and I'm going to do therapy for.

So what you're saying is that you either go in therapy, or you don't get to 50. That may sum it up, but she's very tolerable, to say the least. I think tolerant is the word you're looking for. Tolerant is the word. Okay. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time we've got you on air

since the big trade, right? Murchenko for Matthew Nyes. You've seen them both play now. Just your overall thoughts on the trade. I, you know what, I like it. I like it a lot for both teams. I mean, he made it abundantly clear he didn't want to be in Columbus. A popular guy there.

I mean, teammates liked them. I talked to some people in Columbus thought he was a good guy, you know, and this caught them really off guard as to the fact that he, you know, that he became so, you know, adamant about being out of there. Like, was it, was it the last 10 games of last season? that created this when, to be quite honest, he was a no-show in the last 10 games. When they need it, maybe more than one point from them in those 10 games. All they had to do was win one game to get in the playoffs.

And I would dare say that Bonas' explosion had something to do with Murchenko's play in the last 10 games. But by the same token, a hack of a talent. a pure shooter, but he also plays a fairly complete game. So I like him. I like him. I don't know Matthews and he, I mean, he's a shooter, but he also does other things. You know, I'm anxious to see how it fits. Nyes, I thought he was exactly what the Leafs needed, somebody that would at least go to the net at playoff time.

I mean, how many years, what is it, eight years in a row we've watched nobody go to the net, nobody crashed the net, Nobody get in front of the net unless it was John Tavares. And, you know, I thought he was exactly what they needed if he grew into that. I think he'll thrive with Van Tilly. Last night he was playing with Johnson on the wing, real good-looking line. I think he'll thrive there. A lot of less pressure, I guess. So I like the deal for both teams.

I hope Marchenko is what everybody says he is, because the last thing the Leafs need is another. a fancy guy that doesn't perform when it's on the line. The last thing they needed, from all indications, he's not like that. So that's when I'm anxious to watch. And I'm also anxious to watch who they put on his line. Because I'm telling you right now, with Roslovick in your top six, you've got some major problems.

I'll say that right now. He is not. He's there because he's Matthew's buddy. Marchenko's there. Everything's about, let's do everything we can for Matthews to make sure we can get him re-signed. Let's do everything. I haven't liked his first two games.

You haven't said he hasn't done much in his last 20. He is such an important guy this year, Matthews. Such an important guy. If this team is going to have success, it's, and I don't care. if the analytics say he's skating better. Yeah, no, he's got to be and he's got to lead

and he's got to be the guy. And Ross LeBick is not the guy to help him get there. Let me tell you that. I just want to go back to one more question for you as a general manager, president, on NISE. And how difficult is it to develop a guy

like Nize and then just make this decision at age 23. I don't think he had 250 games under his belt and just decide that we think we know what he's going to be moving forward and we don't like it. Like at 23 and I get Marchenko's 26 and he's supposed to be better. He's three years older than. I mean he's making 12 and a half and the other guy's making seven and a half. So we get that part but what we don't really get

for sure is do we definitively know that Nyes is going to be at age 23? No, nobody really does. And I think, you know, with Chica coming in, like, let's not forget, this is his dubus drafted him, right? Dubas drafted him. And he tried to trade him, too. He tried to trade him.

They all tried to trade him. Well, Dubas tried to trade him? Yes, to Chicago for Mark Andre Fleury. Yeah. And Hagel. Well, whatever. Yeah, no, just for adding Hagell in there.

Well, it's kind of an important note. It's a little better. Yeah. You know what? I just think he's a young guy. You don't know. But listen, this is, this is, for me, it, you know how important it is for Chica and Jimmy Hiller and company to,

for Matthews to become what he was two or three, two years ago? It's critical for this franchise. He has got to come back. So what do you do to help him? Marchenko will probably help him more. That's a good point. I think it's all about Matthews. I really do.

And they've got to surround them with the best possible people. And when I see Ross Levick out there with him, I just cringe. But anyway, that's just my own opinion. As you guys know, I used to be a know-it-all. Now I'm just a guy. Okay, well, I need you to relapse for one second here and tell me, how do you feel about the Leafs spending assets at this point of where they're at? Like their cupboards are almost bare.

They're kind of going for it. They might trade for a D. Well, I really, I thought Nick made a great point yesterday. And that was trading nyes for a top four defenseman. And I don't know if it was Nick, because you guys interrupt each other so much. I can never know who's talking at times. I just, I thought that was a great point. If you're going to move a guy like Nyes,

do you not consider at least getting a real number one or number two defensemen? Because I love TANF. I don't know enough about the guy with the bomb from the point. Radish. You know, he doesn't look, he didn't look great in the first game. And I mean, I understand he's trying a kid, nervous. He's got the big shot. Hopefully he becomes a starboard.

for them back there. I still don't think they've got a 1-2 defenseman. I was sort of surprised with Chico raving about their back end. I think their back end is really suspect.

I really do. I don't think they move the puck anywhere close to good enough to create offense for their forwards. I've said it for two years or three years. But look,

they're solid veteran guys. I agree with them on that. But I just don't, I don't know that there's enough mobility back there to create through the neutral zone. and be the team that Matthews and Nielander, and these guys need them to be.

All right. So let's take it across Canada. Oilers, two games under their belt. Three points. Nothing to complain about. Bouchard's hot. McDavid's a bunch of points. A goaltending suspect,

like just the same old song and dance, Matt. Babcock is such a genius. He's such a genius that he's decided this year he's going to play with ever goaltender. He's that smart that he thinks he can win without a gold-ed-eater because they haven't had any in two games. It was scary watching those two games. I mean, seriously, who would ever believe 6-5 and 9-7 after going through a train, albeit shortened, after going through a training camp with the genius Babcock, and you give up, you win 6-5 and you lose 9-7,

to the Vancouver Canucks, who may be the worst, team in the NHL, although Calgary, I think, will really battle them for the worst two teams in the league. So I structure, all I've heard is structure. Oh, my God, where was the structure last, the last two games? So he'll fix it, I guess, or somebody will fix it. Somebody told me the ownership, we're at the game, the first game. You know, the owner flew in from Arizona, wherever he is. So he must have been real excited.

It's, it's, it was, it was scary to watch that team play in every aspect. Who, who is leading 8-2 to the worst team in the NHL, maybe, or one of the bottom, they were last year, I should say. Winning 8-2 and you almost blow it. So, Mac, you've lived this as a, as a, you've lived this as a coach. What does Babcock think after this? the second game in terms of now going to talk to his team or the media. And, you know, am I Babcock? This is ridiculous.

Or am I Babcock to, hey, two points is two points? Like, it's only game two. And you got players now waiting for you to listen to you. How important is it to, I don't know, yell or not yell or be aggressive or not be aggressive in game two? I suspect they're about the same as I am right now. They would like them to talk a lot less. I suspect that's what that's what they're all hoping for right now. Because, hey, the great thing Babcock's got going for them,

the pressure is solely on the players. Because they're apparently, according to Mark Messier, they're the guys that wanted them. They wanted them. And I think it was the owner who really wanted them. And they agreed with the owner if the truth was really known. But we'll see. But if they don't fix their goaltending,

I don't care. I've got to be careful because sometimes they say things I don't mean to say. If they don't fix their goaltending, even the guy that walks on water couldn't win with that team. They got work for you there. They're pretty hurt. We'll give them a week or two. I mean, look, Jari had a couple of good runs in Pittsburgh.

He's been banged up. He came in last year. what's he got, an 850 save percentage since he's come in? And the other kid who they throw him in there last night. And I mean, everybody thought he might be the answer. You know, I had heard some good things about him. And then it's a disaster again. So I don't know where they go, but there's no structure right now.

There's nothing there in the last two games that would indicate anything that Babcock's talked about has got through to any of these players. minute 40 second shifts you know wait a dry sidel floats to the bench on a line change a minute 40 in

and see what Babber has to say he's supposed to yell at him he's supposed to call him out that's what he's supposed to do yeah yeah well it's good luck I watched a lot more of San Jose in Florida and they went at each other

they were going after Celebrini and it was it felt like a playoff game one of the only ones I've seen so far in a week. And I didn't. And Barkov goes down, Mack. Did you see him go down? That's the only highlight I saw this morning was Barkov going down and it made me it.

I was really nervous when I saw that because he looks like he's hurt. And I hopefully, hopefully it's not serious because he's such a gem. He's such a gem of a player, gem of a person and the consummate leader. I hope he's okay for the panthers sake, but more for him. He's that important to them, as you guys know, more than I do. But hey, Celebrini, Smith. I mean, and what about the kid that scores the winner in overtime drafted, late draft pick? Luca Cajoni scores the winner in overtime who was drafted, I believe,

a hundred and twenty second or something from the Portland Winterhawks and he's five foot nine and he scores the winner in overtime hell of a junior player but to see him score the winner in the highlights I thought wow has he come a long way so Luca Cagini remember that name no chance that's it Cajoni I think Cajonioa big Cajonis oh yeah Sam's always got to correct me oh yeah oh yeah There is a recent interview with Gary Bettman where he talked about, I actually think it was with Marquesi and the boys in Futa,

where he talked about the rise in trade requests and he said the notion, now where you can select where you want to go and you can demand a trade, that was never the original intention. If this becomes a problem, it's something we're going to have to discuss with the Players Association.

You have Brady Kichuk and Hughes and Werenski and Larkin and Hellebuck. What do you make of this new issue? I chuckled about it because I was heavily involved in the no trade, no movement clause department. And went through an investigation with the league. Me and Berkey, who, by the way, has forgotten all about that had happened. But anyway, that's okay. He's very selective in what he remembers, but that's good.

I got a chuckle out of it. You know, but it does bother me a little bit. that you know, Hella Buck with four or five years and Larkin with four or five years. But you know what? Did you and Berkey? Gary better get used to it. The players have got some major control going on right now.

Did you and Berkey also invent the loophole of using the waiver wire as a way to get out of no trade clauses? Because that wasn't the intention of waivers when it first came into the league as well. Exactly. So I think Gary, you know, he's, I think he'll just, if I was Gary, I would let Bill or whoever is new, the next guy is deal with that issue and just, you know, just leave it alone because the guys are, the players right now are on a high. They're riding a unbelievable high when a guy that plays 14, 14 games in the league gets 7.2 million times six. I know he was a hell of a defenseman in the American League, but whoa, I think the pendulum switched a little bit towards suppliers right now.

Yeah, fair enough. What do you make of the two teams in Canada that are going to try this whole rebuild thing? Like, how do you go into an 84 game year with Calgary and Vancouver being like, we're not going to try to win? That's a tough vibe, isn't it? That's really tough. I mean, look, I picked, I really did in my preseason poll, I had Vancouver and Calgary as the two bottom teams in the league.

And I just, you know, it makes it really unfortunate for two unbelievable hockey towns, you know. You know, I love, I think Ryan Johnson, I think the whirl of them, I had them as a player in Florida, we drafted them. You know, I've known them for a long time. the world of them. I think he's going to do a real good job there. Craig has tried to do good things in Calgary. New building coming in Calgary. That may save them. But I think I just look, I read through their rosters guys, and especially Calgary, like I don't know anybody. You know, and I'm a know-it-all and I don't know anybody on that team.

Tell us a lot to be in. And then I look at Vancouver and I, oh, I mean, they've got some high-end guys there, you know, three or four high-end guys, and then there's a massive, massive drop-off. So, man, he's got his hands off. If they're trying hard and they entertain and people think that they're getting better even though their

record doesn't show it. Have you ever listened to talk radio in Calgary in Vancouver? You know what playing hard means? It's winning. It's winning. Hey, Vancouver fans, I guess, have been spoiled until the last number

years, but I think it could get really ugly in both cities. I really do. There's too many good teams right now, and I just, I just, I don't know, I look at them and I, and I, I'm telling you guys, I'm worried about this whole salary structure. We're going to have a top 10 and a bottom 10. Where's this heading, you know, from a financial perspective? I know, you know, you know, Canadian dollars, American dollar. I think it's, I'm a little nervous heading forward where the league's going. Mack, you've, you had a long career in the National Hockey League, including the Detroit Red Wings, one of our storied original six teams.

And in my era, like top three, right? Right up there. What's going, what's happened to them? What is going on here? You know what? It's unbelievable. what the demise of Stevie Eisenman. It really is.

I mean, Stevie, I know for a fact that Kenny Holland asked Stevie why to come back to Detroit. When he was at his pinnacle in Tampa Bay, Kenny wanted Stevie to come back. He played golf one day and he said, Stevie, you should be back in Detroit. Why don't you come back? I'm going to step down. I'm going to move on. and I think you should come back and be the GM. Who would have believed that the transition happened

and Kenny moves on to Edmonton and then to L.A. And Stevie, it was a disaster. And how did it happen? To that franchise, all Mr. Illich cared about was winning. That's all he cared about and would do anything to help the team win. that team last year was $11 million below the cap. How can the Detroit Red Wings be $11 million below the cap

unless making money is more important than winning? And, you know, they've got to figure this out big time. And I don't know who the new GM is going to be, but it is a big job, a big job in their place. And I'm telling you, it is. And you know it, Nick, as well as I was there five years. It's one of the great franchises in the NHL. How terrified are they watching?

A black cloud has been lifted with Stevie leaving, according to people inside the organization. But I'll tell you what, they've got to fix this. Ten years out of the playoffs, guys. Who would ever believe that? Well, and how do you have Simon Edwinson sitting at home? And you're just watching guys like Tristan Linosa and for 7.2. How have they not

got Edvenson back in the lineup? The Larkin thing is unsettled. It just feels like there's business to handle there. I mean, is there some, where's he from, Sweden? Yeah. I'll never forget when I flew over to Sweden

to meet our first round pick. Remember Erickson? Anders Erickson. Yeah, defenseman. He was our first round pick in Detroit. So I'm just saying maybe they should fly over there. Like I did to meet Anders. I flew over.

over to meet Anders, we go out and I said, let's meet at this cafe and have a, you know, sandwich and a govi. I show up, and Anders has got a much yellow Canadian hat on. Come on. I said, Anders, Anders, do you know that we drafted you,

Detroit? Now, I know we had a big head and it was hard to get hats to fit them, but get a Detroit Red Wing hat, Anders. Hey, you should have brought him one. What? You should have brought him one and a golf shirt. Well, I would have

thought he would have got one at the damn draft or something, but anyway, he had a Montreal Canadian hat on. Anyway, so I ended up having him years later and he lives down here in Florida. He's a great guy. But anyway, just a... I thought that was a little better story than the one last week.

Really good. It's super safe. Go to Detroit, wherever he lives, Skeletia, or wherever the hell it is, and get them signed and bring them back. I think that's fair.

This doesn't make any sense to me. None. So imagine you did have a few phone calls this past week then. You know what? I'm telling you, it's getting nauseous, the requests I'm getting because of this show. I can't go anywhere. Nauseous is a good word, by the way. I can't go anywhere.

Without people mentioning. Kiprios and Bourne and off the rails. And some even mentioned Sammy once in a while, you know. And anyway, by the way, try McKenna with Matthews. Put him up with Matthews and put Roslavic down. Try that with the other guy on the other end. And, you know, what's his name? Marcheco, Murchenko.

Marcheco, Matthews, McKenna. Just try it. And move cowen up. And let's try that. I'm in. Move some of these other guys out of the way. Their bottom six, everybody's raving about their bottom six. And I'm saying, uh, it looks like last year's to me, but with different names.

That's the only difference I see. So anyway, let's see where it goes. Yeah, you're not discouraged by Tampa Bay, are you? I don't care about Tampa Bay, really. I got them picked as, I got them, I got them making it in the top three spots. You know what the worst thing about the playoffs? No. Is a lousy team is going to get in to the playoffs

because the number three hole in the metropolitan is wide open to like umpt team teams. Caroline Washington, I've got one too. Listen, and who was getting... The Jays were in last place and they had a chance at a playoff spot. That's what I mean. So a lousy team is going to get a chance

to get in the playoffs and a lot of good teams are going to miss out because of the last place. the Metropolitan. Okay. Listen, really appreciate you keeping it fairly clean this week. Yeah.

Yeah, I just got a note from Berkey. Miss this, sorry, was swamped. Thank you. That's the nicest note I got from Berkey in a couple of years. Oh, that's the best. Okay.

Have a great week. Get a Mackey here. Thanks for doing this. Thanks for having me on, guys. Doug McLean. I appreciate it. I'm anichel president, GM, head coach. Blah, blah, blah, blah.

All those things. We hit through another week. Yeah, that's good. I know he's still listening. He always just listening. It's the return of game time, boys. Wow. Oh, yeah.

It's game time, presented by Bet365, home of the three-goal early payout. An official partner of the NHL must be 19 plus. Ontario and Alberta only. Please play responsibly. And this year's contest is, can you memorize the read before Sammy? No.

No. Oh, yeah, you can. Don't work. Day one on the first. I'll be reading this on July. first. So I thought we could look at some of the major trophy favorites

for our first day here and go through some of them for you. The Calder Memorial Trophy. The favorite is Porter Martone. Close. It's Gabben-McKennah. But God McKenna is a plus 270. Porter-Martone plus 280.

Goes down to Evar Stanberg at plus 550. Who came on and picked Cool Hudson? DA. The A. Plus 900 for him. want to go down the list, you can maybe get a little bit of value there. You don't really need to do the Selke. It's the favorites Barkoff, but he may be out for a while. The next favorite is Nick Suzuki at plus 400.

You want to know the big one here. The Hart Trophy. It's a really surprising name. You probably won't guess it. Really? Celebrini. Oh, it's Connor. It's Connor.

You're kidding. Yeah. Yes, I was kidding. Connor McDavid plus 225. Nathan McKinnon plus 350. Macklin Celebrini. third favorite plus 475 and a little bit of value here boys so I do say so myself Keita Kutrov 12 to 1 Leon dry saddle 11 to 1 so maybe a little bit of value there

and the last one I'll bring up Norris the Norris want to do Norris yeah I want to do Norris yeah Kail McCarr Quinn Hughes Evan Bouchardt Evan Bouchard plus 450 has 100 points through two games so maybe a good bet right now Bouchard's got it he's going to right now the two game the two game say he's going to be a hundred point guy this year and this one's right Pretty safe. This one's really interesting. They have the

Vesna Trophy odds. The favorite is still Connor Hellebuck, a plus 500. Don't you have to actually play? Don't place that bet, right? Well, I mean, if they think he's going to be playing soon and he goes to a good team, like, I mean, how many games

has yet to play to win it? Yeah, you're right. I guess if it happens in the next, like, two weeks or something. Okay, he's not playing, though. Doesn't it feel like he's not playing? Like, you need it either this week or he's not going to play this year. He might not play this year. I'll play this year.

Right? We don't suspect he's going to get traded next week. Well, I think it's either going to be in the next couple weeks or... And he needs two weeks to get ready, maybe longer. And he's a goalie. Is he not playing right now? Is he not taking shots? He's not...

I don't know what he's doing. Where? Who's shooting on him? I don't know. The guy at Tim Horton's. Moose? Got the moose shooting on him? And my pick for Vezna, Sergey Bobrowski, 40 to 1, tied with Wieness-Lormick at 40 to 1.

All right. That was game time. Presented by Bet 365, home of the three-goal. payout and an official partner of the NHL must be 19 plus Ontario and Alberta only. Please play responsibly. Okay. Catch our breath when we

return an interesting night for Jack Hughes. Oh, God. Okay, can you just save it for after the break? I think you know where I'm going. Have you guys heard of these like romance novels now? Oh, that? Yeah, I have.

Hot for hockey books. Yeah. I have heard. Yeah. I thought you I was praying this is something you didn't see. We actually talked about it instead, let's not bring it up. I was praying this didn't make it in your algorithm. Oh, crap. We're bringing it up. Right after the break, you're not going to want to miss it.

Crah. After these words. Everything you need to know about the Blue Jays, Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back in. I can't even look at you right now. Stop it. We're going to have a very serious conversation here.

Okay? Make sure you say a sponsor before we get into this. Okay. Do they want to be a part of this? Yeah. This hour of real Kippenberg brought to by Bet365. Very well. Nice to have you back.

Yeah, it is. I wonder if Bet365 is thinking about getting in the romance novel business. I'm just, I'm stalling for Derek because we, in our natural way, oh, he's ready. The only people who should be in the romance novel business is the romance novel business. Are you growing up, were you guys into

Harlequin romance novels? Yeah, so much. I'm just asking. Listen, we're just making talk here because they are very popular. We all went to the grocery store with our mom and saw the ones that were on like the thing there by the aisle, you know the ones? No, man, I'm old. I read Archie comics.

Okay, well, like, When I used to go to the old A&P, that's not a thing anymore. I don't know what it's called now. It owned sound. They used to have this, like, rack, buy, like, where you checked out. And they had all the smut there. Oh, yeah. It was, like, the smut books or whatever, which I think are, I think are quite popular still.

Fabio, so. Fabio says, Fabio is what Derek says. Is that that sounds like that sounds like that's not? I'm flabio. And he can hit in the face by a goose on a roller coaster? Is that a thing? NHL is launching. is launching Hot for Hockey Books,

which is actually starring real players. Okay. Right? Hot for Hockey books. So this is clearly, listen, this is a multi-billion dollar industry, and clearly they're trying to capitalize on

where this industry is really gone. And honestly, the heated rivalry thing has been, it's one of the most, is it the most successful Canadian television show of all time? Like, it's a massive thing. They're trying, It's brought way more people into the game.

Women more interested. They're trying to. You can see the league being like, how do we strike? The NHL's released, I guess. I don't want to play this. No, it's out there, Sam. It's out there. Okay, so this is, I think,

I think this is a sample of what Israel being kind of sold. Let's have a listen. Hot for Hockey presents Chasing Connor, featuring Connor McDavid. It was supposed to be a one-night thing.

But when Connor McDavid comes to town, things have a way of moving quickly. He's fast. He's electric. And just when you think you've got him, he's already gone. Tune in to the NHL all season long for more hockey love. Connor signed up for that. I need a shower. I mean, I don't know who that's for.

I mean, do you think there's an audience for that? I do. I do. I think that. Their research has to say. that there's an audience for that. Listen, I don't want to do the thing, but like, you know, oh, no.

It's a thing, like, the hockey world right now is... There's one for Gritty, the mascot. There is one for Gritty. I was hoping you didn't hear that one either. Okay, we gotta play it now. Are we taking text? We gotta play it. Hot for Hockey Presents,

the summer I turned Gritty, featuring Trevor Zegris. Trevor Zegris came to Philly looking for a fresh start, but after battling with Pittsburgh in the playoffs last year. He found out how gritty things can get. One heated summer later,

Philly's pretty boy is looking a whole lot grittier. Tune in to the NHL all season long for more hockey love. Boys, boys, what are we doing? Do you think we should go into the business for ourselves? Is that what you're implying? Philly's pretty boy is looking a whole lot grittier. That's going to be an unbelievable job. When he gets at a fight earlier,

or later this year? Oh, man. I made a few calls, and I don't think that this is completely on board with the players. Well, I just got to feel like if you're Connor, you're like, all right, I get like you're using my name, but my wife doesn't love that that's out there or whatever. Someone told me, don't be surprised if this gets shut down.

Yeah, you think? Is it pretty likes it? That's insane. I think gritty's into it. What are we doing? I don't know what we're doing. I mean, it's... There's a very specific community

that would like the gritty one, I think. Yeah, I think there's a lot. Okay. We're going blue, boys. Okay, it's Friday. This is the most awesome. What are you, Jack Hughes now? I'm just thankful we had this conversation after Doug.

Yeah. Oh, my God. Hopefully it's not on the Zoom still. Okay. Jack Hughes. A lot of talk about an awkward interview last night. between AJ from ESPN, yes. And Jack Hughes, I believe it was after the second period.

No, it was before the game, wasn't it? No, I think it was during the game. I thought it was during the game as well. It was first period. Intermission. First period intermission, Jake? I think maybe first or second. It doesn't really matter.

Anyways, I don't know if we have to, we don't have to play it. We have video. Okay, play, play it. It's great to see you healthy. It's Rapian Bellwrap and use plastic cutlery this year. Does that sound good? I mean, I think that's a weird joke, big game. A lot of people had opinions on this.

You know? I think she tried something. It went over like a lead balloon. And I think it was a good learning experience for it. Yeah, I saw two tweets that I liked about it. One was like, there's no heroes in that exchange. Like, I don't think he was particularly awesome about it. I think he handled it great.

Yeah. I would have just, I don't know what I would have said to her, but I would have been extremely defensive on it. Yeah. There is, as a teammate, you never go down anywhere, joking or otherwise on someone else's health. You know why? Because tomorrow it could be you.

Yeah. That's why. You don't touch it. You don't make fun of anybody with their health. Yeah, the other thing I saw was someone said, like if Biz said that to him, it's probably a different reaction. No, she's not biz. No. She's not biz.

Biz has gotten away with a ton. We know that. But she tried to be one of the gang and she didn't pull it off. Yeah, that's fine. I just, I can't stay at Jackie. I guess it's just the thing before the game where he blows everybody off for the autographs and he's running through the crowd. And it's like everything with him in the last year has just run.

brought me the wrong way. Do I think it's a great question? No. Do I think she probably should have done that there? Maybe she should have, like if she had a known him, it's a different thing. I don't know what the relationship is. I think they both come off, not good, but I just take the nod to Jackie side. Yeah.

I agree with everything you just said. I just haven't loved his last year. It doesn't help him in that situation. There's another thing that went viral where now the big thing for home games. I don't know who started this. Maybe the New York Ranger started this, this red carpet before the big game. where the fans are all over the place. You walk through and he plows through the fans.

Yeah. Great food is a nice stop. There's one woman or girl that turns around and says, you know, what a, you know what? Yeah. I just. Right? That's not helping him either. No.

I just think it's a bad night for him. I have. The thing is, he goes on to score the overtime winner. It's not like he was rattled by it. Nobody better at three-on-three hockey than they. This guy, this guy loves three on three. He is. Just get him there.

Should never be played in a big game. We know that all too well. Chasing Jack. No, no. Do some messed up titles of that name. No, no, no. But that's, that's, I guess, who he is, I guess. I mean, that's.

It's going to be interesting to see. I think when things are good, he handles things. You know, he seems like a pretty amiable, fun. guy and when they're not good, I think not as much. I have people's skills. Boys, love the show. Listen or watch every single day. Oh, thank you.

Good way to get your text, Fred. I'm a huge Sabers fan and loved last season so much. After so many years out of the playoffs, but I'm really concerned if they can repeat last year, Hella Buck would change my worries. Thoughts? Now, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think they got bad goaltending last year, did they?

No, but they got, I mean, they, it was kind of lying and, you know, in UPL, and they were kind of just going through different guys. Yeah. You know. I'm going to give you the team save percentage last year. Last year, they were, had the third best save percentage in the NHL. So, you know, it went well.

If the goaltending drops off, it's a real concern. If you believe Hellebuck can be that, certainly that helps. I don't like the idea of, to me, they're too thin after losing Tuck and Byram to go lose. Maybe it's Don. Maybe it's Benson. It's not Dome. It's not Benson. There's no way they're going to give up.

I know, but those young players for a 33-year-old. Power. You know what? They're just like Montreal. They can dream all they want, but you don't have, right now, you're not willing to give up what other teams want. Right. So Krebs doesn't do it.

McLeod doesn't do it. I'm not sure Jack Quinn would do it. And what's the delta between what Helibuck's performance is going to be in UPL? Like, is it that big that it's? It's worth giving up in one of those guys. Yeah, you got to, you got to just go with the, we're getting an MVP kind of guy. Yeah.

You can argue, well, he hasn't really done anything in the playoffs. And it's not valid. His numbers are better than people think. I know he hasn't, like, carried them, but his playoff numbers are not. I don't think they're just, maybe I'm speaking out of pairing. He was really good the year that they lost to Vegas in the conference finals, probably their best chance.

In the past three seasons in the playoffs, he'd been dreadful. below 8, below 900, say, you know what stands up for me is Mark Andre Fleury did that, had some amazing playoff years, had some stinker playoff years, like it's a hard sport. I hate to say it, but probably cost it a cup.

Oh, man, here's some real lean years for his. There's that one series against Philly. Remember where like every game was 8, 6, like last night in Edmonton, but, yeah. Need a couple of stops. Got another one for us? Since Helibuck isn't getting paid fine, how does that affect Willa

Winnipeg's salary cap. Is it like LTIRing? Great question. I assume it's just not on the cap. Suspended player. Let's look into that before we can. I don't know the technical rules. Honestly, I think it has to stay on.

Well, I can look it up immediately right here. Right. Winnipeg Jets. If you look at their salary cap pitcher, he is not listed. He's suspended, inactive. I don't think it's counting. I don't think you get to write it off anyone right now.

I don't know. I'm sorry to answer that question. Matthews is still moving like he has a lingering injury. Is his stock... This guy, Frank from Fergus. Is his re-sign stock dropping if he doesn't score in the next few games? I'll buy that he's slowing down.

He's getting older, whatever, but like, I don't... There's nothing about him that looks hampered. I don't think. Have you seen... a moment we were like, oh, he doesn't, he looks hurt. I, I don't look the same. Yeah, I agree. I don't see the same dynamic movements that I saw in his earlier career.

But he's almost 30 and he was 22 and 23. You're going to be a different. But does that mean that it slides to 40 goals from 60? Yeah. Or does it mean 60 to 30? Oh, I don't know. I mean, I assume he's still a 40 goal guy. He's 33 last year in, what, 50, 60 games or whatever.

I'm really tired of the narrative that we have to blame some sort of injury to a guy who just isn't getting the job done. And they're doing a little bit with Vladdy. Yeah. The Jays. And I'm like, just paper over it. He's not playing great than. Boss Atkins said there was no injury. Okay, good.

He scored 27 goals last year. Uh, Shisnerkin, Shawin in the net last night. Oh, that was fun. It's pretty cool. It's a good night for the Rangers, right? And then unexpected one, everybody thinking Tampa was going to come in and... crap, I should have grabbed the Cooper clip. Cooper's mad, too, right?

You see what he said? It's like it looked like this game interrupted our summer. Yeah, he said it looked like they were like annoyed or incontinence. Yeah, yeah, right. Twelve days ago, the guys were on the beach. It's true. Like, it's, come on. Quick.

It's, honestly, I think we're going to see more of this. I'm not sure how guys. How guys are dialed in right now. It looks like the league isn't dialed in because of such a short training camp. Yeah, I mean, completely predictable. I can't believe there's teams who still haven't played. Montreal played the Leafs that first night. They haven't played again.

How long until it looks normal to you, Kep? Yeah, maybe another five game. Okay. Wow. Five games tonight, bunch on Sportsnet, New York and Detroit, Washington, Carolina, St. Louis, Dallas, Anaheim, Vegas. Our thanks to John Chica, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Travis Green, head coach of the Ottawa Senators.

This guys got a hot day. I'm on Hockey Central in 30 minutes. And Doug McLean as well. Chasing Justin. All right, have a great weekend, everybody. And we'll see you Monday on the Real Kipper and Born Show.