Real Kyper & Bourne - McDavid's Mental Toll

Episode Date: November 12, 2025

Former NHLer and Sportsnet colour analyst Garry Galley (3:25) joins Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne to chat about if Kevin Lankinen is ready to step into the role as the Vancouver Canucks' top goaltender with Thatcher Demko out with an injury, the demand around Connor McDavid on and off the ice, why the Montreal Canadien's goal this season is nothing more than reaching the playoffs, and the buy-in from the Anaheim Ducks. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee touch on the reasons why Nikita Zadorov did not want to fight Max Domi, and who they would choose to start an NHL franchise today. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

All right, let's kick it, kick it up a notch on the Real Kipper and Born show. This is the national edition of our program. We are live on SportsCet, SportsSat 650 in Vancouver, 960 in Calgary, and streaming on Sportsnet Plus. Our show is always available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube near a download wherever you are. This hour of Real Kippoor and Bourne brought to by Bet365. Nick Kippreels, Justin Boren, Sammy McKee, in a few minutes. Gary Galley, former national hockey leagher, does a great job on Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada.

We'll join us. I'm sure he'll want to talk Vancouver Canucks last night, who lost not just the game against Winnipeg, but Thatcher Dempgo for two or three weeks. He left after the first period, what is believed to be a lower body injury. We assume he pulled something. They say it's not related. He didn't pop something. Ugh.

Poplitis. Oh, my God. I mean, if you're listening in Vancouver right now. You didn't like my joke? No, you know what you'd love because they hate the leaf sarer. Go listen to our leaf sour. Yeah. Yeah.

That would be some easy list. Chicken soup for the old soul. Oh, we have. If you're in Vancouver right now, drive it along the seawall, you're like, you know, I can do something. Yeah. I can do something. Because you don't want to talk about this one.

No. That would be a real problem. Yeah. Yeah. Listen, they've been through this before. What do you, you know, we talked about Stolars and his injury-proneness. Yeah. Could this just be unrelated?

Nothing to worry about if you go. That's the sense. And if that's the case, then that's real good. But this is why, you know, Lankin and, you know, he's a good goalie. Well, they didn't give him no money. You know, they expect them to help. It's, this is why you have. yourself covered and it can be expensive as you just mentioned

four and a half million bucks but it's that's some serious insurance and we're looking at another team in Canada in Toronto which they're looking at Joseph Wall coming in and you hope that he can pick up where he left off but no guarantees there but if you're vulnerable in that like you have no shot at uh at still making people believe you can make the playoffs that's that's just a reality in today's nchel yeah it is and you know this is the exact reason to your point why you spent the money they spend you know quite a bit on their crease this year it's only nine and a half next year it'll go up to 13 million for their two goalies so um hopefully demko's like you said a couple weeks in lankinen holds the fort down

yeah and you know the other thing too that you got to keep in mind is this is this is where teams have to be smart with term on contract and Dempco was nice enough to re-up and not push them hard on a long-term deal, but it looks like a really smart move when you're still dealing with a guy that's injury-prone. Yeah, I mean, just 29 years old, but to only get three years with his numbers,

speaks to something everyone is aware of, right? That no one is sure how long he's going to be able to do this for. All right, let's welcome him in. You're good, Sammy? I'm just going to say how many teams are in front of the Vancouver Canucks in the playoff picture. now and minus 10 goal differential. Let's welcome in Gary Galley, former national hockey leaguer.

Hockey Night in Canada. Sportsnet always does a great job for us. Gals, how are you, my friend? I'm doing great. How are you guys? We're good. We're just discussing Dempco and unfortunately everything that he's gone through the last little while.

We hope that's not the case this time around, but they are talking about maybe two or three weeks here. this is why you sign Lankenen, I guess, right? Well, every time you have a player in a position that is the utmost importance as that position, you always try to have something to fall back on. Some teams do a real, even you look at the NFL, right? Your backup quarterback.

Some teams have a backup quarterback. You can drop them in there and everything looks fine. The offense will run pretty much okay. And then you have a guy who was in there and everyone at home goes, oh, this game's over. This isn't going to happen. So every team strives to have somebody to step in

and be able to hold a fort when needed and when called upon. And oftentimes we get some really wonderful stories throughout the hockey season of players that step into positions and play out of expectations and really step up their game and are able to really make a huge difference in the team moving forward. That's what you hope for as an organization. That's what you hope for as a team. as a teammate, you know, to have your other teammates back in situations like this.

But yeah, these are tough moments in a hockey season when you lose players to injury. And you really don't have anyone to replace them. You've got to hope that that next person up, and that's the mentality, steps up in place to their capabilities. Yeah, that next person up thing is obviously very important. Two teams in Canada were kind of thinking they would have some next people up that didn't quite work out. Edmonton. Both had success, playoffs, all that, you know, obviously varying degrees of it, but both kind of did like a retool this off season and built around their cores with some

different guys, both having quite a bit of challenge, quite a few challenges out of the gate. Do you think that this is just both teams figuring out who they are, early season, waiting for chemistry, or are they worse than last year? Edmonton has a habit of doing this, no? I mean, I kind of feel like this is the third season in a row. We've seen Edmonton kind of sputter out of the gate. And I mentioned this on your show before that sometimes the games you play in the first 10 or 15 games of the season that you play, especially if you're a team that's gone deep into the playoffs, those are hard games to emotionally get up for and get ready to play. And the teams that you're playing against who didn't make the playoffs or are striving to get where you had gotten the year before, they're more dialed in, they're more focused, they're more laser sharp. and the team that has been to the finals now a couple years in a row

is maybe not emotionally as tied into the games as they should be. And it's not something that you actually can realize or catch. It shows up in the win-loss column and shows up in the way guys play and it ends up that these games just don't seem to have the charge and the energy that you're used to playing in. So they've got to figure it out and they have done that over the last few years. So you've got to think that when you have two of the top, you know, three or four players in the world on your team

that eventually they will find a way and get themselves back in the hunt. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, I mean, Eastern Conference is a strange animal. I think there's maybe only one team in that whole conference that's below 500. I think everybody other than Buffalo, I think, is 500 or above.

And when you look at winning two or three games in a row can catapult you by five or six teams. for Toronto, yes, it's not a good looking start. But, you know, it's something that if they can, in the next game or two, they can catch a bit of fire, they can put themselves back in a good spot and hopefully get some confidence. I don't know what people see from the outside in. It's hard to know unless you're a fly on the wall in the locker room

or you're around the team a lot. So a lot of times it's just what you kind of see from the outside. But, you know, there's ways you can give information. You can, you know, put sugar and honey on it and smooth it in. and there are times in a season where you smooth your information into your team and let them absorb it, give them opportunity. And then there are times you drive it in like a nail and you keep driving it and driving it. And to me, it seems like the expectation was that this team knows how to play when this season started.

And I think there's a bit of disappointment that this team isn't playing to their capability. So now it seems to be it's getting driven in with a nail and a hammer and how the players absorb it like that and how they play from that is going to be the tell-tale sign, whether the kind of the bit of the tailspin continues or they kind of kick themselves out of it. They certainly have enough talent to have a better record than they have. But as you know, and talent isn't always the reason why you win. And certainly for Toronto, and again, a team that made a lot of changes.

When you go back to even a year ago, you know, or two years ago, look at the amount of changes in the front office, to their team, to just their core now with Marner gone. There's just a lot of things this team has to get through and get back to where they think they should be. Now, whether they think they should be somewhere and they're not a good enough team to be there, I think that's going to spit itself out in the next 15 or 20 games.

I think we'll have to wait that long to really know. But, you know, it's one of those things where right now they certainly don't look like I thought they were going to look. you're watching and listening to Gary Galley former national hockey leaguer does a great job on sports night and hockey night in Canada gals I just want to follow up a little bit on

on what you said now you played almost 1,200 games you know a lot longer than me do you recall in your career or even watching other top athletes go through maybe a funk where it's just I don't know if it's a fatigue factor

or what but just where it just doesn't look like they have a ton of energy or it's less about it's less about you know being in this fantasy world and more about just going to work every day because I watch Connor McDavid this year

and Austin Matthews to a certain extent they've been in the league probably like 10 years and maybe Pedersen a little bit less maybe eight or nine years but I think of Connor McDavid right now and I think about his last 18 months, 20 months, two Stanley Cup finals. You know, how much training did he have

in the off-season? He got married. There was a wedding for dry-siddle. He's flying all over the place. The summers are short. How much training did he have? To your point, four nations, Olympics coming up. The demand on him, whether it is for commercial purposes or the league wanting him to be the face of something somewhere,

is there a certain point, like even in your career, and I know you weren't Connor McDavid or one of the top faces, but you can hit a rut? Well, the answer, obviously, is yes, you can. Whether that's what's happening or not, it's hard to know. The crazy thing is, is every player wants all that on their plate.

Like, Connor McDavid wants to be in the Olympics. Connor McDavid wants to be at Four Nations. He wants to be a big part of it. He wants to win a Stanley Cup. all those things Connor McDavid really wants. And certainly I'm not Connor McDavid. I can't really tell you if he's fatigued

or if he's not as emotionally attached to the games as you should be. It's one thing to come out and I'm not saying this is Connor McDavid. I'm saying for any player who gets interviewed post-game or talks to people and says hey, we're not playing well enough, we've got to pick it up or we've got to give our heads.

Whatever the comments are about the team just not perform into its standard, it's easy to say the but it's it's not so easy like to attach yourself to it if you're not emotionally attached and to win at this level you have to be emotionally attached did you see any of the video clips of the weddings over the summer in Montreal for the Canadians the guys you got married there like some of the videos in clips were were fantastic the energy and the fun they were having and you know and they came out this year and look at the cert they've had I mean I think I just think that you can let any little thing bother you it's the mental strength that the person has regarding whether it's a person that plays 30 minutes

a game or a person that only plays 10 minutes a game, you still have to have that attachment and that laser focus to play those minutes because those are all important minutes. When you're out there, the minutes are important. So it could be anybody who's just not really attached at the time and you don't even realize it.

I'm not saying these players are going, oh man, I'm just not they don't even realize it. I just think it's kind of something that settles in. It's not a malaise. It's more just it happens. And it can happen to great players. It can happen to third, fourth line players or guys who are in and out of the lineup where they just can't seem to find it.

I had moments in my career where I struggled for no apparent reason. I couldn't really figure out why. And it would bother you and you go home and you think about it. And you know, Nick and certainly Borny, you know, as well, like you take this game home with you. You don't just leave it at the rank. You know, and I zip the bag up and I leave the room. I forget I'm a hockey player.

Like, this is a bunch of crap. I mean, this game stays with you all the time. And when it's not going good, you can't get rid of it, even if you try. It's sitting around you like a bad odor. And it's amazing how fast it can turn too, because we've seen that too where all of a sudden something happens. And it's like you said, oh, a goal went off the seat of his pants and it went in. And all of a sudden he scored 10 goals and 10 games. You know what I mean?

like it just sometimes it takes the littlest thing you don't even know what it is that turns it around but there has to be some patience and for players you have the kind of stardom of a Connor McDavid you're going to have all the patience in the world for players like that right so that that's something where that's why I said I'm not too worried about him what you guys mentioned earlier about the other guys the supporting cast players the guys that they really need to step up and play to their capability to support the upper end, I think those are the players that you have to worry about and make sure that they're, you know, that they're locked in and ready to go, you know, you know, forcing it, forcing it, it has to come naturally.

You don't force it. You can't. I'm going to be that person. No, it has to come naturally. And if it's not happening, it's, you know, it can really show up in the play of a hockey team. Well, and the other side of that coin gals is like, that's kind of what's going on with the Montreal Canadiens. I know they lost last night.

But like, you know, this year, it's all good vibes. And you say you take it home with you. You take that success home too. And every meal you're out with the guys is more fun. You look forward to getting back to the rink. And that makes it easier to be there. It just winning really does heal all. And for the Montreal Canadians, I think getting this taste of real success,

I think it builds on itself and it leads to more success. They're fun to watch. They're just a fun team to watch because they don't, they seem to be like they're playing with the house money. even though they're not. They're earning every bit of it. But it seems like they're just out there playing with the house money. They're, yeah, we're just going to go.

We're going to throw this young talent out. But that's not really the truth because Marty has done a wonderful job there. Not just Marty, but you've got to go up to the management, coaching staff, everybody. They've done a really marvelous job. But Marty's personality rubs off on this team. And he's not a knee-jerk reaction person. He doesn't listen to outside noise at all. And that's what I really, really like about him.

As much as the outside noise you can get in a place like Montreal or Toronto, he tends to absorb it and he decodes it and he spits out information that basically is what he believes is going on with his team and what he believes he needs to do with his team. And his team, I think, super appreciate that. And he gives them opportunity to be successful. He lets them make mistakes. Even though they're a few years past being that young team we all knew,

he's putting his finger down in other areas and expecting more. We don't hear about it or see it, but you know the players know it. And they've got some players who are really starting to develop some nice 200-foot games, young players who are showing signs of being really good smart players. You see it and some of the decisions they're making.

And you know what? How about the backup goalie? We talked about backup goalies. Like the backup goalie is... I think you may be the starting goalie soon. Well, I'm just, I mean, and again, there's something Marty San Luis. Hey, you know, Montobo didn't know how to stop playing goalie overnight.

The guy can play goalie. You got to give him an opportunity, you know, he's going to give him every opportunity to be Samuel Montembo. And I think as a player, you really respect that. You want that opportunity. But for Dobish, like, are you kidding me? Like, he loses one game and he loses it. Like, I'm like, what? The guy is, if he hasn't have the start he has, maybe we're not even talking about this.

So there's where a guy comes in and plays, I wouldn't say, over his expectations. Because I think they really like him as a goalie, but he's playing to his ex parte. expectations and maybe a little bit above, and it's given the Canadians a bit of breathing room, and they play for each other, and it's really obvious, and that's really million fun to watch. It's one thing to get out of, if Marty St. Louis challenged them to get off to a good start, the next challenge is now managing success a little bit here, and if their eyes, they are as good as they think they are, and a lot of people are sitting there going, okay, why can't

Montreal challenge for an Atlantic division right now? how difficult or not how difficult will that be on a young team and they're coming off a fairly disappointing effort last night but again now how do they manage that going into the next few games against Dallas and Boston that's a challenge isn't it well the challenge for any good team is to never lose more than what does he say never lose more than two games in a row you never want to lose more than two games in a row you want to you want to you want to shoot back as sweetly as possible

for the teams that lose a game and jump right back and win a game, they don't create these losing streaks that can put dense in your record. So for the Montreal Canadiens, there is no way that I would believe that the management team and the coaching staff sat in a room before the start of the season that said, hey, we're going to win the Atlantic Division this year. That should be a goal of ours. It is not. They're thrilled that they're there, I'm sure, but in my opinion, I don't think they're putting that kind of lofty goal on these bunch of kids yet. I think they want them to get in a good sport. playoff spot, hold that

playoff spot, get in the playoffs. And all the series that I did last year, that first series in Washington, I keep remembering that series. Even though it didn't go long, it was an absolute battle. And for a lot of people that thought, you know, the smaller,

not as physical Montreal Canadian team was going to get run over. The Montreal Canadians didn't win that series, but they took a bite out of the Washington Capitals. And they took a bite out of them. And so they've got a taste of the playoffs now. So in my mind, I would be more like get in a playoff spot. And like you said, Nick, take on the

success and play with success and continue to have success and moving into the playoffs. That what I would think is the goal for that young team. And if they win the Atlantic Division at the end, well then that's just gravy on top of it. But I think that they're more realistic and hopeful that this team is going to be a playoff team, but it's how they get into the playoffs. Let's don't, you know, skid sideways into the parking spot, you know, at the end of the day, just to get in,

let's get ourselves assured in down the stretch so we can play properly and get in the playoffs and be ready to go. Yeah, I was thinking about some of these young teams, you know, like 10 years ago, when you went on that California road trip, it was a nightmare, right? You had the Daryl Sutter coach Kings, Joe Thornton, Stan Jose Sharks,

and Getslaff and Perry and Anaheim. It was a misery. And then it got really fun for a little while to go there and play those teams. As of today, all the California teams back in a playoff spot, are you a believer in the ducks and the sharks? You know, other than the Central Division, everything just seems to be topsy turdies.

Central Division kind of looks like you think it could look. Everything else, if we talked about this the last time, and I kept saying, when I come on next, let's see where everything's at. Well, not a heck of a lot has changed other than some good teams have fallen a little bit and some of the other teams are still hanging around. You know, like I look at Anaheim and, you know,

For their fan base and for their young players who have been through quite a bit over the last few years. And you could say the same thing about Buffalo. You could say the same thing about a team like Montreal over the years of the last little bit with that struggle because they're going through the rebuild. That it's nice to see them having some success and feeling what success feels like. And what that feeling is because once you get it, you don't want to let it go. It's harder to pull it out from under your fingernails when you have it. and you figure out how to do it. And I think, you know, where Anaheim's going to end up at the end of the day is hopefully

going to be a lot better than last year. Does it end up being a playoff spot? I don't know, but I do believe they're going to have, you know, a pretty good run and much better season than they had. And that will bode well and tip your hat to, you know, to Joel Quenville, who's been out of the game for a bit and has stepped in and it seems to be doing a marvelous job there. I don't think that's a surprise to anybody. but those young players have bought in.

I think they've, you know, adding Crider, adding some of the pieces that Patty Brubique has added there has really given that team a bit more confidence and some grit. And, you know, they finally did the Gibson deal. That's gone. That's a lot of oxygen out of your room that you're getting back. Like, you're just a lot of little,

sometimes it's just a bunch of little things that happen that create the big swell, right? And I see that happening there in Anaheim. And, you know, it's good. And Los Angeles, man, when they started to struggle there for a period of time, I was like, whoa, this could go like really, really bad in L.A. And then all of a sudden, they've turned it around. And with a guy like Copey leading there, you know, that, you know, he's going to put everything pretty much on his back. And especially being his last year, they're not going to want to let him down in any way.

So that team is going to battle hard. Anaheim sitting at the top of the Pacific, did they have a woe moment last night playing against Colorado where they go, okay, we're good, but like Nate and Kale, yeah, we're not quite ready for that yet. Well, they didn't have the Edmont-Torler moment against the abs. True, true. That was a lot different a moment. That was a pretty scary moment.

So I was watching parts of that game. I was flipping. I was watching parts of that game. And I really thought Anaheim was holding their own there. They were holding their own for large parts of that game that I don't think they, I was. I think they, they're feeling it. And win, lose, whatever, I think that they're going, okay, they feel the change in their organization.

They feel the change on the ice and on the bench. And like I said, I know that sometimes losing can just become losing. And winning is the same way. When you start to win and you figure out how to do it and you feel that feeling of it, I really believe this is a team that you got to, you know, look at them a lot like Montreal. all. They're just a young team that is just excited to be

winning and playing better and they don't want it to stop. So yeah, you're going to have a few little bumps in the road, but those are the things you've got to keep an eye on. You know, how big are the speed bumps? Are the speed bumps a loss or two or just one and they start with? Or are the speed bumps three or four losses or losing four of the next

six? Those are the things you'd worry about if you start seeing those. And that's that adds Chicago to the mix, too. You know, like, look at Chicago, what's happening there. Like, you know, Connor Bedard is, it looks like a different player. I mean, not that he wasn't playing well before, but I'm saying like he just looks like such a more confident player.

Whatever he did in the off-season, and I heard that he really pushed himself and he really did a lot of things to prepare. Whatever he did, he has come into this season with the utmost confidence that whatever he felt was holding him back, he doesn't feel is holding him back anymore. Oh, you can see the work that he put in. Oh, yeah.

He's faster for sure. And, you know, it's crazy is it's not just Bedard. the top five in scoring. Top four is Bedard, Leo Carlson, and Macklin Celebrini, all chasing Nate McKinnon. NHL's in a pretty good place for a few years going forward here. Well, Olympic picks are going to be painful for some people. Yeah, who do you leave all?

You know, like you always want to be part of the management of a team like that, right? Part of the coaching staff, because it's an honor. It's an absolute honor. And these guys, they know it. But along with that, as you guys know, come extremely tough decisions. And you welcome those tough decisions. That's exactly what you want. You want to have the toughest decisions.

You want a half a dozen guys that are playing so well that it's excruciating to tell them that they're not going to be a part of it. Because they're out there proving that they want to be and that they can be. And, man, I'm certainly glad it's not me having to tell some of these guys at the end that they're not going to be a part of it. If this continues to go the way it's going and what are we like 90 days out or something? like I think less actually now right January 1st or something

yeah like could you imagine if these guys keep on that kind of roll like it's going to be awful tough it'll it's going to be you guys are going to have some really good shows and that goes down gals before we let you go you mentioned speed bumps can you tell our Sammy McKee that the Leafs are just going through a little bit of a speed bump and they're they're just going to be fine moving forward Sammy no worries Sammy the training wheels are still off the bike

They're still riding, so we're good. When they put those training wheels back on, it's never good. So just they're off still, a little wobble, little wobbling, but no scuss. No, no, no threat of miss in the playoffs for you with the Leafs? I don't think I would be on that road yet. No, not at all. Okay. It does feel like we're chasing them on a wobbly bike, though, and they're about it.

There's a wobble going. There's a speed wobble there for sure. A little sweet. You know when you let your kid go for the first time to let that seat go? and you know that your wife's going to kill you if they wipe up. Which kid, the first or the third? Yeah, the first one. You got smarter by the third one.

You let the older kid push him. Good point. Giles, great stuff as always, man. Thanks for doing this. All right, you guys. Take care. Thanks, Gals. Gary Gowley, former National Hockey League.

Great analysts on Sports Net and Hockey Night in Canada. I watched a bit of that. ducks and avalanche after i was finished being a wolf on leaf sock that felt like a different sport than the leicester plan well the pace of that game and the just this the dynamic players it just was like oh my god the least it to play these teams it's funny because ducks look good the gals is right like they hung in they hung in there they're heavy

they hung in there they look happy anyways the brandon shanahan era toronto may place the idea was that they saw where the game was going speed and skill and they went all in and it's almost like they got too far ahead of the curve and now they started to get heavier and meaner or whatever the idea is slower and you're watching the young teams i'm not sure that was the idea but you're watching them go oh yeah like they you know and all of a sudden it's like that's a pace man there's some of these that anaheim too is easily uh top what is bill simmons called oh the league pass league pass they're they're the league pass team for the nashel and the sharks and sharkies yeah but you're

Look at those teams, and you talk about how they're big and, you know, fast and young or whatever. Like, ducks still employ Ross Johnson. Sharks have Ryan Reeves, habs have Jack Guy. Like, they all still have a guy that can go out there and punch your face in. Yeah, that's like, six minutes. That's what I ain't. But the threat is there. Yeah.

Right is there. They should get Ryan Reeves in Toronto. Is that what you're saying? Yeah. See, they'll take them back. You think Austin would have liked them last night when Zoroff was bearing him in the boards? You think he wouldn't have liked to see Ryan Reeves on the bench? I think he would get more value out of that

than Henry Thrun right now. Henry Throne. Yeah. That's a guy, by the way, that release got in there. The amount of messages of getting, just call up Villanove and Thrun, I'm like, oh, my God. Game time?

Little game time, Sammy. All right. It's game time. Presented by Bet365. Visit the outflitest odds and see why it's never ordinary at Bet365. It's a 19 plus.

Ontario only. Please play responsibly. I was panicking, looking for the read while I was actually saying it out loud without the reed, so maybe we crossed a bridge here today. Game on Scotia Bank Wednesday night hockey tonight, our good friend, Justin Bourne, on the panel tonight with the Oilers in Philadelphia on the first game of a seven-game Eastern road trip. Yeah, it's a long one. The first game.

The Oilers, first game. So they, as you would imagine, the Oilers are. are pretty big favorites tonight, minus 1.35 on the money line, flyers plus 1.15. I wouldn't say, you know, I saw enough from Columbus, that Columbus game to be like, oh, the Oilers are back, but you'd have a hard time getting me to bet on the flyers against the Oilers tonight. Other games on the ice, Devils in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks, talk about speed there in that game.

Devils are minus 160 favorites in that game. That's a big number. And the Tampa Bay Lightning are taking on the New York Rangers in Tampa, lightning our phase minus 130, Rangers plus 110 on the other side of my line. And I had to give a quick shout out to our boy, Valley, who called. Like, just sickening stuff.

Robert St. He went out of his way to call it to Robert Stingold yesterday. He's like, hey, do you got your statement coming up? I'm like, yeah, we do. Who's next? A few people noticed on social media I saw. Yeah, I got like some bet slip DMs. I'm like, I probably should have done this.

Tune in next Tuesday. Well, yeah, but like, you know. We'll make you some money. Well, I probably should have listened to him, considering I am doing the picks. Anyways, that was game time, presented by Bet365, visit the athlete of the odds and see why it's ever ordinary. A bet 365 must be 19 plus Ontario only. Please play responsibly. I can't do J's stuff anymore in the in the bet 365 because there's nothing really like I can't,

I'm not going to give up the World Series odds again. But the J's new. that's like trickling into my Twitter feed and like that they're going to be really aggressive it's kind of helping me forget about game seven yeah like I'm starting to get into transaction oh they're going to spend a ton of money you think jays you think so if they have to

yeah they're not stopping now they're splashing they're splashing they're splashing money won't be an issue how many home dates did they get over that playoff run they must be like oh when we're good we make a lot of money um I just think they need really good reliever a bow an outfield bat and a start

those four things. No problem. No problem. Are they out there? Yeah. The Ray's released this guy is psycho Pete Fairbanks who's always owned the Jay's

really, really hard heater, crazy eyes. I like them. That's a guy I want. They only had a guy or two who threw 100 and everyone they face coming out of the...

He throws 100. Hard. Anyways, you can go. Tonight on Sportsnet, Edmonton and Philadelphia. Yeah, I get to ask Leon Drysettle a question. What would you ask them?

You guys got any advice for me? I'm leaning towards asking him if he adjusts his game at all when it's a mac david on your line night or a hey you're with pod colzin and rosslovick night like do you have to yeah just ask him you know you guys barely got by the other night you know late is this a must win a must win against philly try that one after he's been to the yeah cup final back to here's like no you know what kipper and borne and mc sam are really really sick of talking about your stupid slow starts. What do you think about your slow starts? Ask him that one. More inclined to ask him

about his beautiful practice hair the morning. He does the bucketless warm-up. Oh, yeah. It is. Pre-game at 7 p.m.? Oh, yeah. No, we're on at 7. All right. And you're in for hockey Hall of Fame or Jen Botterill tonight. That's a ton of pressure on you. That is, you know. Are you going to be okay? Well, listen, I don't know. All you can do is just, you know, it's enough. All right. Still more on Real Kipper and Bourne, including Nate McKinnon conversation. You mentioned the young guns all around them. But who's going to take over, Nate, who sits at the top of the mountain right now? I'm afraid of that guy. He's a competitive hockey player.

That and more when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Hey, it's Ben Ennis. And I'm Brent Cunning. We got you covered on all things, Leifes, Rafters, and Blue Jays every weekday morning, 6 to 9. It's the fan morning show. SportsNep 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back to the program at Kipreels, Justin Boren,

Sammy McKee. Reminder this hour of Real Kipperman Bourne brought to by Bet 365. You talked to... Go ahead. I want to ask you a question. We watched that Leaves game last night. Yeah.

Passed has scored the 400th goal of his career. Yeah. And the bench is cleared. His bench cleared for a team celebration. $400. Fives, of course. Of course. John Tavares.

Team didn't clear for that one. Is they not? No. Oh, yeah. Well, they had their lunch fed to them. Another reason the leaves are connected. 400. Come on.

He's going to get $600 in his career. I know, but it's still, come on, it's a big number. It's a milestone. I'm okay with it. You know what it? Yeah, I don't know. If it was Matthews 400, you'd be like, this is so right.

It's the MLB's four champagne celebrations on the way to winning the world series. Goggles? Yeah. Do they have goggles? All right. You won the division. Usually I'm the grump on stuff like that.

No, because you know what? We're opposite on that. It lowers the bar. You have to request to the NHL in advance. 300, not a chance. Really? Yeah, you have that true. They had to clear it.

The league cleared it. else that's just delaying a game. Has there ever... Too many men? Too many men. Yeah, too many men. Delay a game. So many twos.

Minor, minor, minor, minor. Anyway. I see your argument a little bit. If they banned 400 goal celebrations off the bench, I wouldn't be crushed. You're right, though. It's not like he's 38 years old. Past him I get to 700 goals.

Yeah, like he's one of the games all-time elite 28 or something. He's really good. Nobody sticks it to the Leafs like him, eh? He's the number one leaf killer. He is. For sure. There's no...

Did he score a big goal at any point? No Bergeron. Are you joking? No, Marchand, and this guy still can go and do that. I'm surprised. I'm surprised that his game has evolved to the point where it is without the support that he had. Like, I thought that he would be a different player with those guys. I actually thought they were going to show games seven O2 winner.

What a move. That move is very much my, I love. love that move yeah you like that you you pulled it off a few times like the i'm showing shot going backhand like everyone else does and just i don't think i could ever have done that in the prime of my career i don't think i scored 62 i didn't not not shifty like that he shot it through goalies hurts i had to i had to punched it in the net yeah i had to like carry it over a goal line like a running back sometimes but not that that's a heck of a move no i i i i don't know i just i wouldn't say, it goes far as to say I like him,

Passion Act, because it's, but I think, I got some respect for him. He's really changed this game. Great player, man. I want to stay on the Boston Bruins for a second, because last night, another leaf killer. Steve's? No. Literally.

Literally? Well, at least hurt, he hurts the Leafs. He doesn't kill the Leafs, but he hurts them. Taking out Matthews, Lotton, the game before that at home. Yet he talked about not fighting Max Domi

Yeah Right As a teammate of his Well you want to play it Where they played I know you do I know you do You're spoiling it

Talked about Teammates Spoilers With the London Knights Let's have a listen To Zedoroff He's my ex-teamate

You know I've been One championship Ohichol FM I'm not gonna fight my friend I mean I see what he's

doing And the way player he is And his dad They've been great to me. So, I mean, I have respect to Max there to go after me. Because, I mean, from my style and then what I did to his teammates, I guess. But like I told Max, I'm like he's way, way, I mean, shorter than me and smaller than me.

Like, I'm not going to sleep. It's a lose-loose situation for me if I fight him, right? So there was no point for me to do anything there. Okay. Give me the NBA too little. I am from the school of Brad May. Derek, are you listening? I am from the school of Brad May.

Let's have a listen if you can dig that one up quick. Oh, that's a lot to ask. Wow. I'd fight my mom to win another Stanley Cup. One more time? I'd fight my mom to win another Stanley Cup. This guy can't fight Max Domi, an ex-teammate from years ago, and Brad can fight his mother today to win another Stanley Cup.

But honestly, that's the only answer I want to hear. That was the most condescending, dismissive. Yes. like, you know, it's just like that little fella, he's a friend of mine. I'm not, you know, shoo-shoo. You know, like, it's the big giant who's just like, I can't be bothered sort of thing.

Yeah, I mean, it's wrong on many accounts, I think. And I don't want to hear that. Oh, you, that made me out. I thought that was the funniest thing ever, because I thought he's clearly. I don't want to hear any player saying that I won't do whatever it takes to win a hockey game. He, but like, I think he's shown over his career he's got a pretty good sense of humor

and he's got a pretty dry guy. Like I think that was purposely what you're saying. I think he's being like, that's my old teammate, he's too small. But I think that's what he was going at. I do think there's something in the NFL. I think there's a level of truth to it. You do?

Well, yeah, I do. And I know, and I know Max and Ty have like really helped this guy. Oh, really? Yes. As a member of the London Knights. Yeah. I heard that story years ago.

Interesting. How he was very connected to the Domi family. So I do believe that there's a level of truth to it, which is okay, because I've had friends, right, that I've played against competing. I just wouldn't never publicly say that. Who's your best friend that you fought? Is this the death of no friends on the...

You know, one of the hardest fights I had was Scott Stevens when he got moved to St. Louis when he left the Washington Capitals for a million bucks at the time, by the way. and we're getting killed and Brian Murray's in there saying Scott Stevens is having his way with you and you know he owns you and then like okay if I had enough of that and yeah I went out specifically or the team the team and but when I ball stay on you longer than a split second he's talking to you too so I'm like I can't have that I just can't have that

So you fought Scott Stevens. I fought Scott Stevens. And you guys are friends. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I just think of, and I know I referenced it often because I just did the book with Sutter's, but he's talked about how the six brothers were in the NHL and they wouldn't talk to each other at all.

And I believe a pair of his brothers did fight at one point. But like they don't. Primo brothers fought. Primos. Right. So not just friends, but like it didn't, you couldn't get caught being a pal with a guy. on the other team for a long time and that's changed now and I think

it, you can see it. You can see that in today's NHL that you have friends on the other team. It's tough in hockey. You know, like in baseball I get it. You're not physically competing for every inch the same way. Think about all the conversations over the year from

first baseman Well, that's Washington in game 70s chatting guys on first. They're laughing but there's an acceptance there, right? That drives me nuts. Well, we're a hockey guy. So, yes, of course. But the puck goes into the corner with Scott Stevens or someone who you've had beers with a million times over.

You still have to be willing to kill him or you won't come out. The last thing you wanted to be accused of in my era was a deal maker. Yeah. Right? Okay, I don't touch you. You don't touch me and like none of that. If you ever, if a teammate ever felt like you were cutting deals out there, you were toast. Yeah.

it's funny uh so my dad speaking to baseball my dad and clark uh gillies obviously knew each other and they were younger from houston getting drafted to the astros they played each other uh rookie ball in covington virginia at like 16 17 years they played with each other there yeah they both got drafted by the astros and that's where they made each other in that bizarre and then so they went back to the w hl and my dad was like yes because you can you know they're friends now kind of an agreement that clark's not going to murder you I think you probably had some of those relationships where maybe some guys, not that they would let up on you,

but they weren't going to kill you, you know, weren't going to seek you out because they didn't hate you. I think that's just human behavior. That's human nature. Wasn't Baroubae going to kill you? Yeah. And Bill McCurry saved me.

After a day show. Oh. Oh, on the ice. Oh, gosh. I think he's got a few issues with his players first before he gets to me. I don't think there was. worried about us. No, I don't think so either.

I mentioned Nate McKinnon. Yes. Best player in the league. Just Gary Galli, we had a conversation on sometimes players hitting ruts, I guess, in their career. Like, this wins his rut when his legs give out at 42? But he's eating chickpea pasta. He's going to play at least 40-something, yeah. He's one of those guys that, like, is a hockey nerd and a nutrition freak, and he's just going to do this until, yeah, until the motor runs out.

It would be really hard taking the night off with this guy in the same dressing room as you. Yeah. If you could pick. The pressure you would feel to hold a standard with his is maybe the reason why he's already a Stanley Cup champion

and maybe a second one this year. Little tease for the broadcast we're doing tonight. We're going to look at players who you would start your franchise with today. You know, you're trying to win a Stanley. As many Stanley Cup as you can, you know, can think, hey, it could be Gavin McKenna

if you wanted. It could also be Sidney Crosby if you want it. Just who would be the guy? McKinnon's got to be in the mix. You know, like I know he's older. You're probably going younger. So you're assuming that you're starting with all of them at 18 years of age. No, no. Right now.

No, right now. So you just get to keep them for a short period of time? As long as you think he's going to be good for it. No one's going to pick Sid. He's almost 40. No, it's a perfect example. Something you wouldn't pick. Right. But you might pick McKinnon. He's 29? No, I'm going for the youngest guy.

He's 30 years old. I'm going for the youngest guy. Yes, many cracks. The best youngest guy. So Celebrini would be at the top of my list. Yeah, he's at the top of a lot of lists. To me, it's like, Celebrini could turn into guys that currently are that. Connor McDavid, Nate McKinnon, but he might not.

I think he's destined. Yeah. I do. Yeah. he's just he's special yeah you know what's going to be really fun at the olympics celebrini macdavid and crosbie playing on the same line or mckinan playing on this i meant to say mcannon you know the what rink are they playing it uh they're playing the ball hockey rink the ball hockey rink ted reeve maybe uh i was going to ask you as we get closer to the canadian selection so we're

six weeks away with that happening your thoughts on celebrini on badar on the kids. Yeah. You know. I think you can only take one. Why? Because it's because there's something to experience and there's something to being a little bit more seasoned

and there's not enough room to take three of them. One thing is you can take more guys on the Olympic roster than the 25 versus the roster. So you'll take an extra D and extra forward. So one extra forward. Connect knee, surround. Kelly, you could three, four, there's a number of guys you could add.

I'm telling everybody right now, I know how this goes, and you guys do too. There's going to be some infuriating selections on this team that people are going to be pissed off about. And they will be pissed off about them until they win. I think Tom Wilson will make the team now. No.

You know why? We talked to Ryan Getslap on stage at the Lindross event, and he's a part of that whole thing. And he said that I think like Big E, like I love guys like Tom Wilson. I think they're important. But there's something to be said that it's double IHF and not NHL sanctioned. Yeah, they're not fighting.

We ain't seeing three fights in nine seconds. No head hits, even if you hit the body first. Tom Wilson is having a great year. 16 points of 16 games plus six, nine goals, seven assists. Not like he's not having a good year. No. But like Suzuki is on the team. He's like the Selke front runner and well over point per game.

Shifley is MVP candidate by most of our agreement. those two are locked we like celebrini how many guys can you add yeah and i think ben are you on returning i think i was listening to one of the telecasts that maybe and someone mentioned uh hegel's not on the team right get out of here i'm just saying they got some people want hagel off um so you think he's on yes serrelli right and those are really is a tougher call but they look at the head coach i know and all sirelli does is win win win win matter what. I mean,

legitimately everywhere he's ever played. And Tampa's going again. I know. I don't know. I just hope it's not the Tampa Bay Lightning bias that they just take them all. Buddy, those are good hockey players. Like it's point on the team?

Point is like a lock. Was he one of the guys that are who was named? I don't know if he was named, but he scores 40 or 50 goals a year. Not this year, bud. 90 points and. Not this year. He's got.

Selky. Three goals and 15 games. Dash 9. Yeah, they're all dash whatever in Florida. Plays for Tampa. In Florida, the state of Florida. Tampa and the Florida Panthers. They're all dash a million.

Sam Bennett's dash a million. I just think there's some regret. I like it. I do. I understand those guys. They have a role. But in years past, they've been really weird

with taking some guys because you've got to have a full team when you're, you know, they left Sid off in 2006 and they got filled in. The big question for me is, if Jordan Bittington is still in a rut.

Yeah. You got, he's going, isn't he? And you just hope he's, I don't know, okay? I don't know. Like Logan Thompson, to me, is the clear guy now, but. And nobody still has any definitive reason why he just feels like he's been excluded. No, but I think all the coaching staff there seems to agree that they've had whatever lack of faith in him at some point in their careers. though, he's surely overcome that by now.

You know who's going to be on the team? McDavid, who's going to be playing tonight. Yes, he is. I think he'll probably make it. Yeah, Conner's got a good chance. How about the German Olympic team, too? I think they're involved, and they got Stutzla. Stutzla?

Didn't say Stutzel? Because you're not Doug McLean? Stutzla? They got cider, they got dry sidel. Got some guys, J.J. Petrka. Got some guys. Germany's okay. Yeah.

This is going to be fun, assuming there's a ring for them to play in. Oh, my God. If this is a thing. It is a thing. Elliot wrote a whole article, but they're sending people over there to check it out and make sure it's going to be functional. So imagine they're just like,

we'll do the Olympic hockey. In a smaller rink in a different part of the way. UBS, after all. Yeah. Do it, Lull Island. Let's go. There's some Italians there. Oh, Schaefer.

Get him on the team. Our thanks to Gary Gowley. Former national hockey leaguer, always does a great job. Four games on tap tonight, including the signature one that will feed you. our very own Justin Bourne, Edmonton at Philadelphia.

We're back tomorrow once again on the Real Kipper and Bourne Show. Have a great night, everybody.