Real Kyper & Bourne - Oilers Lose McDavid + Personnel Surplus with Doug MacLean

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with a look at Connor McDavid's injury status in Edmonton before being joined by former NHL GM and President Doug MacLean (4:02) for Off-the-Rails Friday! Mac gets into the overpopulation of teams' personnel staff around the league, potential NHL expansion, the Leafs' depth, the Rangers' long-term plans and much more! Finally, Nick, Justin and Sam close out the week by discussing the value of an NHL franchise before going to the text line to answer your questions!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.

Taking it to the weekend on the real kipper and born shows. We go national here live on sports net six 50 in Vancouver sports net nine 60 in Cal Calgary this hour of real kipper and born brought to you by bet 365 Nick Kiprios Justin Bourne Sammy McKee in a few minutes we'll go off the rails with Doug McLean we had a caller in our first leaf hour who did an impression of me, which can't be that hard. How are we gonna play these all the time? The guys can't do it. Okay, that was Alex. I do love that.

Alex, can you do Doug McLean next week? That one, you're gonna have to do your homework on. Entertaining. Yeah, if you didn't hear it, our Leafs line that we do in the Leafs Hour, we really want to take it to the National Hour because it's entertaining getting the calls. We'll work on that. Yeah, I got to set up the answering machine so it says both or maybe get a separate line. There's some work that goes into it, but we should get a national line.

It's coming. That would be a lot of fun. Especially for playoffs. We're going to do text 59590s though. Yes, we'll do some text as well. All right, plenty to kind of wrap up the week, including, I don't know if there's a bigger story right now than the Edmonton Oilers right now

with two of their star players out of the lineup, Leon Drysaddle and losing Connor McDavid last night in the third period. Yeah, out for maybe a week, up to a week, somewhere in that realm. Any concern that that is something that stretches on or? How can you not be concerned if you're an Edmonton Oilers fan

and a dozen games to go to the Stanley Cup playoffs and is this week to week? Is it day to day? Is it? Sounds partially caution, right? Is this a blessing in disguise? If he can, if he can, if he can rest. Oh, that looks groiny for sure. Is this, could this be something,

as long as it's not long term, could this be beneficial to Connor McDavid to finally get a rest? You know, this is the first time they'll both missed a game since 2015 16. So it's been a long time. It's uncommon. Yeah, I think a little rest for these guys this time of year is not the worst thing. You know, particularly it doesn't look like they're going to catch Vegas. You're probably gonna be in the two, three game anyway. Let them rest, get well, be at their best all over, come playoffs, makes a lot of sense.

Yeah, they have 85 points. LA has 83, they're right on their tails. They have played two less games, so there's definitely the potential that they fall into the third spot in that, but I'm not sure that they're too concerned with home ice against the Kings or whatever, but yeah. I mean, they're only three points back of Vegas. So like I guess they did have, you know, designs of catching them.

Yeah, but I don't know when asked if they'd play if the next game was a playoff contest, Nal Block said, I don't think they would. Wow. So, you know, they're hurt. I don't mind some of the guys now on the team just looking at each other and going okay, we Gotta figure this out now without These two horses. It's not a bad thing. It's not a bad thing. I think a Nugent Hopkins I think of Adam Henrique two guys in particular that have to now be

Like the leaders down the middle. And I mean, Hyman's only been back for a couple of games, right, so he can take a crack at finding it. You know, if this means more opportunity for any Arvidsson, Skinner, Kaepern and whoever it may be, they're basically saying open auditions here to be the most important next pieces by the time we get these guys back.

Okay, as promised, we deliver here on the Real Kipper and and born show. It's Friday, which means we pull people off the beach We did that with Doug Armstrong and we will do it again with Doug McLean former NHL president GM head coach World renowned author and now use a a teacher last to staple on the real kippenborn still a teacher Doug so I just an award-winning author and scholar Doug McLean I'm trying to turn on my studio light here there's my studio light there's it you know though the the wrinkles show up more with that light So listen, I got to apologize. I I didn't get a chance to do my hair and get dressed up I I finished a quick 35 minutes swimming and I had a sauna and I was racing to get up here to get my studio Set up so I apologize for not looking quite as good as I typically do well

My apologies you're better at putting on sunscreen than Doug Armstrong. I can tell you that. I'll tell you what these GMs, they really work. They go hard. I've been to the GM meetings. It is just horrific that nine to 12 day. It's really tough. It's not easy. And you can see what they come away with, what they accomplished there. The hardest working guy at the GM meetings was Dean Lombardi, who gave a speech and he's retired.

Anyway. Did anything at all, like did you hear of anything, topics that maybe haven't been discussed? Did anything at all, like did you hear of anything, topics that maybe haven't been discussed? No, you know what, I listened to the dribble about the three on threes and the, you know, I just, you know, the goalie interference, they've clarified that, there's's great now great questions to ask So the coach on the bench has got to be in his head ask

Those four questions about what the you know, what the goalie interference situation is and all the gms are on board I I think it's good to refresh it before we head into the press because it's always the number one controversy goalie interference But there's something I want to talk about something that's really on my mind okay and I want to I want to talk about it because I read uh Borny's column on ice tilt okay ice tilt it's called now we used to call it hard work and outwork the other team. Now it's called ice chill. So I look at teams, okay? I look at teams and I go, how, and I'm trying to do a study on this, how have things changed in the last number of years with the personnel that have now moved into front offices? President of Hockey Ops, some teams have three assistant general managers.

Then they've got a video scouting staff. They've got an analytics staff or data engineer staff. They've got player development staffs, like every retired player now becomes a player development guy. They've got skills coaches. They've got performance coaches. This is the dubious factor. They even have a chef. They have a chef. I forgot about the chef and a concierge to get the guy's tickets on the road. Like what is, what a ripoff this is to the owners. Like I'm sure. No, no, no, no, no, no. Hold on for a second. Hold on for a second to the guy that can't pay for the hold on. That's why the tickets are expensive and the players hold on. Hold on. They need, they don't get hired without the owner signing off on it. Okay. Okay. And, and this is, this is the joke of it all. They

think this is really improving their teams. I just watched the trade deadline. How many better trades were made with all this personnel? How many better, I just did a book on drafting, how many better draft picks are made because of all this? And then I read an article today on how baseball is really serious about trying to get rid of these data engineers and get back to basic baseball. And that, you know, I mean, it

is a ripoff. I'm sorry. Not to force coherence on you here, but what does this have to do with ice tilt? Let me tell you. What are you ripping on my Justin Bourne, by the way, on the ice tilt? Oh no, I love the article, but it tweaked me. I love the article because it was normal. It made sense. That's why. Except Dallas, who we think are going to win the cup, have the least ice tilt in the league. But here's the beef I have. And it's the final thing I want to say. I've got buddies who are lifers as scouts, okay? And you know how hard it is for a scout in the NHL who does 225 games a year all over the world

for them to get a raise. It's a joke and it's really ticking me off about it going on in the NHL. And all these, I talk to them, I talk to all kinds of scouts. And I'm telling you, it's a joke how hard it is for them, some of the hardest working guys in the organization to get a raise. Okay, I got a bit of a- End of my, and you know what? If I was, I would bring Elon Musk in and his department of efficiency

and go through these organizations. You're all gone. and his Department of Efficiency and go through these organizations. That's what I would do. Hey, the only guy you'd keep is the chef. You've got to keep the chef. Yeah, you've got to keep the chef. Okay, I got a bit of a theory, okay? And it has everything to do with a salary cap and presidents or general managers or owners going,

I can't put another diamond to get another guy. So how can I look like I'm trying to improve the team? So I'm going to build everything around off the ice. I got nowhere. I can't put any more money into the players. Where else am I going to put it to build? Do you think Larry Tattenbaum said that to Dubas when he added 50 people to the staff in Toronto? No, Dubas told him that it's a, it's a bill of goods they're selling. Come on. And I want some data. You got you data engineer experts.

Show me how the drafts are better. Show me how the trades are better. So to get lot, you give a first round pick and a prospect. That's a better trade than we used to make with those staff. You know what stands out to me, Doug is prospect, that's a better trade than we used to make with no staff? You know, what stands out to me, Doug, is like, there's, let's say there's 250 of the best hockey players available to be drafted at the draft. It's still gonna be the same 250 kids, whether you pick them, whatever the order is.

I think the idea is to be, to get the best ones sooner so you're right more often. And I agree with you, I don't know that they are. I don't know that there's any evidence you're getting the best, but it's still the same 250 kids. You're not changing the quality of the prospects. So I don't know. Yeah. Anyway, I think it's great.

Look, all you guys get jobs. I think, you know, I wish the hell I would have went and did my engineering degree. I wish I would have, you know, so I could be a data engineer in the NHL. Why do you wish you've done anything different? You're living a pretty good life. Yes. You tell us every Friday. I just have been thinking a lot about the role of the GM. And I really want to see some I really want to see some data on how all this extra stuff has helped and what it's done. I know what it's done. It got Kyle Dubas, five, six, seven million a year in Pittsburgh. I just, I don't get it. I don't understand it. Three assistant GMs some teams have, like, come on boys, what's going on in our game? The NBA is the very same. The

NBA now have a team, a group that travel on the road and practice because they don't want to wear up their players practice. Now they bring a team on the road that is their practice team. And I said to somebody, no wonder you never win any damn games. You practice against practice players. You don't practice against NBA guys. Come on. Are you okay with the, them shutting down the traditional draft and going into something a lot more, I dunno, compute virtual. No, no, I'm really disappointed in it. And I know where it came from. Stevie Y came up with this idea. He wanted to be in the war room.

It was, it was Iserman and a group of GMs that come up with this idea. He wanted to be in the war room. It was, it was Izerman and a group of GMs that come up with this idea. And you know what? Hey, it's an important day for them. What's it based on? Like saving money? No, it's based on distraction. We want to be in our war room.

We want to be in our war room with our people. We don't want the distractions of all around that building and so on. I'm telling you, it's a big mistake. We were unique in the NHL because we had it. I was in Montreal, I was in LA last year, or I should say Vegas last year for the draft. It was spectacular.

Hockey people all over the city, hockey fans all over the city. It's a great spectacle. It's great for your hometown season ticket base. It's great for your fans of the league. And now I'm supposed to go and do a conference in LA this year at the draft, a speaking engagement. And I'm going to be there, but there won't be one other hockey person in LA except for the 40 prospects and their guides.

And the chef may have to go with them. They may send the chef. He comes everywhere. So he goes everywhere. So I'm going to be in Vegas at the draft, where there's no, or I should say in LA, where there's no draft. And I've got to do a hockey conference at the NHL draft

when it's not there. Great. I'm really excited about it. It is, you know, you only have so many events as a league to showcase and for people that are memorable. And like, think of the story Luke Robitaille told us of his draft. So many people have these draft moments. And now, I guess the idea they're

going to zoom into these kids' living rooms while they'll be with their families and all that. Gary doesn't like it. He's gone on record. I think they're going to go back to the traditional one next year. Stinks of this is your year. This is one draft. This has one and done written all over it. I'll start getting to cancel my, I'm going to cancel my speaking engagement and go next

year. I guess see if they'll do that. The one thing that, you know, you can't argue is that it's a hot commodity having a franchise. Now we're starting to hear Houston. We're starting to hear Oklahoma City. We're starting to hear open Twitter today and someone said 30 16 league. I said, I'm sorry. 1.5 billion Mac. You're back. Mac will need you.

New Orleans, New Orleans, New Orleans. Yeah. At, I don't know, a billion and a half, two billion. A far cry from what yours was 80 million. Ours was 80 million expansion fee and Minnesota's was 80 million. Nashville. Well, I remember Florida and Anaheim were 50 million. I'm not sure what Nashville was, but ours was 80 million and I remember We had a 20 million dollar Start a startup dollar. That was my budget to start the franchise was 20 million dollars to to start to put staff in place to get Season ticket organized or get hire all the people it was a 20 million dollar budget

80 million and I just saw columb Columbus are valued at a billion 180,000. I'll tell you a great story. So the first year we play in the NHL, 17 million payroll in Columbus, and we made 22 million profit. 22 million profit was what we made in the first year. And I remember the owner who paid 80 million in his account and saying to me, wow, we could pay this off. We could get our money back in three or four years. What they forgot and what I explained to them that 17 million was our first year. By year six, we're the salary cap was 39 million. And today, Columbus would be spending well, on player costs, they're probably 100 million

in player costs alone Not you know salaries of 83, but your total player costs are probably close to a hundred million So when it goes to 114 is that what is going to next year 114? So player costs of what? Yeah, two years I think it may have goes up seven and a half and eight and a half to nine and a half the next three years Like they're lining up the the billionaires are lining up apparently. I know I think it goes up seven and a half and eight and a half to nine and a half the next three years back there lining up. The billionaires are lining up. Apparently I know. I know it's great. It's great. I mean, it's, that's the growth of the game. I think

it's terrific. I don't begrudge it. I think, you know, I mean, Batman has, has, you know, we've talked about this forever. When you see NBA teams go for, I watched Boston Celtics go for $6 billion, $6.1 billion the other day. You know, so, hey, it's, it's, they're in demand and that's great. I think it's great for everybody, especially the 35 staff people I just mentioned that have been added to the teams since I left the league. You know, it's amazing. Really good for chefs too. By the way, I have one other thing and I thing. And I know I'm probably running out of time because we want to save 10 minutes to say goodbye. I think that the Leafs have got to figure one thing out.

Okay, I've watched now, I've been doing this show free for what, five years? That's right. Four, five years. We haven't been on for five. Get it right. Okay. Okay. Okay.

And I haven't seen the Leafs yet go into the playoffs with a bona fide third line that can play playoff temple ice tilt hockey. That's that's what they've got to play. They've got to learn to play that ice tilt hockey, where they dominate on the four check and all the elements that you talked about in your great article. They've never had a third line to do that. Yeah. And they have a chance to put a third line together. And now they're trying to make a third and fourth line. Get your third line set for the playoffs. Take some lumps till they come together as a group and figure it out. If you're going to play Tampa and you're going to play

Florida and you're going to play whoever in the first round, you better have a third line ready that's going to compete. Can Scott Lawton be that guy? Well, Scott Lawton, to me, don't judge Scott Lawton on his first three or four games. You judge him game one of the playoffs. That's what you got him for. You didn't get him to play. I mean, so Bob McMahon, to me, I know he can play higher in the lineup. I love him as a third line player. I love him as a third line player. I love him as a third line player.

Lawton's had a history of being a solid, competitive third line guy. Is it Domi or who is it? Robertson, I'm sorry, he's not a third line guy that's gonna play against Florida and those big teams in the playoffs. He's a good player. He's a useful player,

but he's not a third line guy to have there. Can I give you the best, I don't know where you put them. Can I give you the best third line in Canada right now? Josh Anderson, Dvorak and Gallagher. Yeah. Those are the type of players you need right now. Like that they seem to be the hottest ones right now. And you know what? We've talked about it for years, guys. The third line becomes a very, very important line at playoff time because the big boys tend to get shut down. And they've got to defend and they've got to be aggressive and they've got to be physical

and they've got to be in your face. It's what everybody, we've watched playoff hockey for years. Guys, it changes by 25% the intensity level and it goes up from there. So figure it out. Don't toy around. Get a line together and go for it. That's my only advice. I mean, I'm tired of giving advice to everybody. Jeez. I go to the pool today. I got to give them and I go everywhere I go. I'm giving advice, you know What's up, dude? Hey, just hey, it's the same advice every day down there by the pool Geritol it'll really help

Obviously, I should have been sitting on the same Shale ounces army and told him to put some sunscreen Special advisor to this army needs army needs those sun shirts sun shirts And the big hat that's what army needs because he's like a landscaper. He's he's fair skin, you know, yeah All right, well we were uh, we we worked the game last night and you know We've been by the way, do you guys have any questions? Like I I sort of took over Do you guys have any questions you'd like to ask me? What are you again? Yeah, like, go ahead, Jay.

I was just going to ask about, you know, do you feel any better about the way Matthews has played lately for the Leafs? No, I don't. But I feel, I feel better that he, he went in after the way he's played, he went in and talked to the team. I was really proud of him to do that. I think it's, I don't know how many way he's played, he went in and talked to the team. I was really proud of him to do that. I think it's, I don't know how many times he's done it. I've never heard it before,

but I think it's important that he goes in and tells talks to the team because I think that really helps his game as well. I think, I think if you go in and do that in front of a team, then you better be ready to play your best games. And I think by him doing that was a positive for the group. Because he is the captain. He is the I guess the leader. Has he been as good since he's been named captain? Maybe they give that C back to taveras for the playoffs. I don't know. I mean, going on on there. But anyway, look, I think it was good for him to do it. And I think it helps his game. As long as you get Dry Sidel and McDavid back for the playoffs, which hopefully is the case here, but is this kind of a, can this be a blessing in disguise a little bit for other guys on the Oilers that these two guys are out in the next few games to kind of put more, I don't know, pressure might not be the right word, but more empower them more. when we've seen Malkin and Crosby go out so many times in Pittsburgh or a LeTang go out

and the team that, you know, Crosby would go out, Malkin would pick his game up, you know, LeTang would go out and somebody else would pick their game up. I don't think it hurts them. I just, I'm a little nervous how much Skinner is going to pick up his game. As Borny said before, how much Arvison is going to pick up their game. Henrik, I mean, what's he got? How many points has this guy got this year? And I love Henrik, you know, but he hasn't done much.

They've got a group of guys that have got to, as a group, they've got a lot of guys that have got to be a lot better. So there's a bunch of Canadian teams that I don't think preseason, we thought would be playoff teams for sure, but Ottawa could get in, Montreal could get in, Calgary could get in. Calgary could get in a surprise thoughts on these teams.

What about Washington? The last team to get in the playoffs last year and the first team to get in the playoffs this year, how, how much of a turnaround is that Montreal has been a great story. I was critical of them before I, I thank God, Marty St. Louis gave up the jogging up the stand doing interviews and he focused on the ice. Thank God he did that. He must have hurt our show.

But you know what they've done. They've been a great story and they've been fun to watch. I don't know that they're a threat in the first round. I don't know that they're going to get in. I've watched the Rangers bother me like what is going on with this group guys like I watched them the other night. It is painful to watch the energy from that team. It is painful to watch it. So there's some real issues there. Columbus looked like they were going to get in. Mersleekens had to take, I don't know, he took a week

off with his wife. She was pregnant So he had to you know, he's back. He was back last night I mean gave them a great performance, but I need him at the top of his game for them to get in So, I mean, there's some real questions. I mean, it's such a dogfight right now. It's unbelievable It really is that Rangers team kept like Paneran's got another you another two, this year in the X and then Zabandaj has got a bunch of years. They're lifeless. Is there- They're a mess.

They're a mess. Is there a world where somehow Peter Labialett survives this and they just do as much house cleaning as they can with the roster? Typically, I don't think that happens, Mac. I listened to an old interview from Jordan Galan the night after the night They lost to New Jersey in that series. Okay, and you are get fired after the series, right? And he said that guy said what do you think about this roster with all this talent?

how could you lose to New Jersey for straight and Joard left that they reported said How could you lose to New Jersey four straight and George looked at the reporter said Talent. Yeah talent talents great But if you don't have talent that works hard, you don't have any chance And I'd rather have a hard-working group than just a talent group and you know what he hit the nail right in the head and somebody replayed it in New York the other day and they were hoping that la Violette and the GM genius there saw it during and you know thought about what the makeup of this team is big-time

talent I watched that series closely Fox didn't show up Panarin didn't show up I mean Savannah that didn't show up. I mean Savannah that didn't show up. It was unbelievable. Yeah talent Regular season Crier didn't show up. I mean it was unbelievable that series you probably watched it It was pathetic and they haven't changed they haven't changed You had a lot of energy today a lot of probably pent up and you know what I'm gonna tell you one I'm gonna tell you one other thing. I Hate that. He wears a hat on TV. Do you? Mean he's a good look. He's a big good look and he's one of those

You know he reminds me of those players of dudes to show up the training camp that looked so great in the weight room and So great till they got in the game. The weight room? Just can't play. You know, in camp play. Can't play. That's what he looks like. Can't play.

You're a weight room guy that can't play. I'm not a weight room guy that can't play. You are with your hat on. Oh sure. Okay. The third man on the deck could leave his hat at home instead of wearing it on air. I like that that guy offered no explanation, no follow up, nothing. Just please stop doing that. This is something that blew me away. I remember I'll never forget this when I was working for

Florida. I might have told you guys this story, but it reminds me of your guy there. What's his name? Sammy. I go in, I'm director of player personnel for the Panthers after, you know, in my first year and I go into the dressing room and I meet Roger Nielsen in the dressing room, okay? Roger, one of the legends of the game, one of the legends of the game. So I'm in the Florida Panthers dressing room and Roger Nielsen the head coach is wearing a New York Ranger t-shirt So then I start Columbus I Start Columbus and we're in on our first road trip in Calgary and I'm down having a coffee like it's six in the morning You know because you obviously you can't sleep as a GM trip in Calgary and I'm down having a coffee like it's six in the morning, you know, because you obviously you can't sleep as a GM. So you're down there at six in the morning and

Dave King comes down to the lobby, our head coach. And I look and he had been a system with Montreal the previous year. Dave King in Calgary, Columbus Blue Jackets, first road game. Dave King shows up in front of me having my coffee with a Montreal Canadian sweatsuit. And I said, Dave, like what happened to the five sweatsuits we gave you in training? Did you sell them and you had to get your old Montreal Canadian one out? Like what's going on? You know, seriously.

Anyway, anyhow. Dude, what's your rule? Do you keep old team? That's my feeling. That's my feeling on Sammy. Do you keep old team gear, Doug? No, I, Hey, the minute I got the minute I got fired, people at PEI were lined up outside my door to get all the, get all the gear, the gear. But he hasn't thrown out one sports net shirt, golf shirt, jacket. I, I'm a sports net guy through and through. They're getting a little, the problem is the sports net stuff starting to get a little out of style, you know, do us a favor for next week. Come up with an idea for the NHL all-star weekend

because they're really like scratching their head right now. Well, I think Putin and Trump are working on that all-star game. Is that what they were walking on? Kremlin talk. Is that what it's going to be? Like seriously? I know. I know. Okay. On that note, let's get rid of Doug McClain. I don't like Trump. I don't like Trump There he is on a Friday That was Kremlin thought yeah with Doug McClain. All right, you know, I'm exhausted right now like I came in like a little tired on a Friday, but he

he I Got nothing left. That's great. We literally didn't even need questions I do think though that he has a point about that We used to make fun of the how many cooks in the kitchen and not even the cooks part of it Like they're the chef part of it. Yeah, like when we went through one of our bits We used to do like when we were on radio is we would scroll through the Leafs Personnel page. It's just it's a few scrolls down like all these different titles and whatnot I remember when Dubas got that job the theory being like you can't spend more money on the ice

How can you make your team better off the ice and it was like? It got a little inefficient and the answer is you can't really you're only say this guy's you know And it's good. Yeah, it's got to be good scouts And they got to know what they're looking for and they got a match what you want to envision a team to be and it's not Quantity its quality Game time game time. It's game time to send my bet three5, visit the app, play the odds and find out why it's ever ordinary at bet365, bet319+, Ontario only. Please play responsibly. One lone NHL hockey game tonight. Great night

to go on a date. Great night to go to a movie. It is the Columbus Blue Jackets in Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins. And if you want to watch the game Which I'm sure you would love to because it's on sports that tonight you can watch it the Pittsburgh Penguins are Minus one 15 on home ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets who are minus 105 would not recommend that no also Pittsburgh wants to lose in Columbus wants to win that was relevant to me at that bet So that's the only game on the ice tonight and as you we've talked about a bunch Well, I guess I only met it brought it up once we are in the thick of the NCAA Basketball tournament in the States. We have a March madness on in our studio. We're all rocking and rolling. We love it so much the

Florida Gators my pick to win the national championship They tonight against the number the, Norfolk steak are minus 20,000. So not a great bet, but I'm going to say right here, almost a sure thing. Nothing could go wrong with that. If you want to bet on Norfolk state, it was the 16 seed only one time it has ever happened. I believe it was Virginia lost to somebody with the name Golden Retrievers, I believe they were called. So there you go.

Really? Yes. They, something, I forget the name of them. But anyways, plus 2,800 for North Fork State. And the best game, I think, coming up this weekend, Justin Bourne, his Johnnys, Rick Pitino, and the St. John's, what are they, the Red Storm? Yeah, the Red Storm.

Versus John Calipari's and the Arkansas Razorbacks. Your Johnnys are minus 300 favorites going up against John Calipari's Razorbacks who are plus 240 on the Moneyline. Fun stuff, I just, I got the, I think I got the Johnnys at plus 2400 to win the tournament. There's 28 yesterday, but halfway through the game I booked.

I love it. So lots of great games this weekend. Good golf, good hockey, good sports weekend. Anyways, that was Game Time presented by Bet365. Visit the app Play Us Dodged and find out why it's ever ordinary at Bet365 with 19 Plus. Ontario Only, please play responsibly. So I entered one NCAA March Madness tournament

and I won it in 2006. Picked based on colors or what? No, my wife's from University of Florida, so I picked the Gators that year and they won, I think it was 2006. Yeah, it would have been Billy Donovan with Noah. Yeah, exactly. And Al Horford.

And everybody's like, how did you know? And like, whoa, like it was like, and I'm like, yeah, Noah, I just had a funny feeling about Noah this year. I became the expert. And I'm like, I just picked him because my wife went to that school. There's a lot of people making picks,

like myself, based on very little information. Okay. Yeah, go ahead. What do you got for us, Sammy? Nothing, I was just, I got texted by our friend, Brent Gunning, during our hit with Rah McClain. That was not Rah McClain, it was Doug McClain. He big-timed your name in there,

you just got him right back. Ron, Ron, what's his name, Doug? Exactly, he deserved that, by the way. But that he was saying you should pick up the Costco driver they had in stock in Toronto, the driver, the Kirkland driver in stock. Really? Yeah, I'm thinking I might have to

go check out the Costco and have a look at it see if they got a stiff left yeah there you go okay as we bring it down the stretch here on the real Kipper and born show we'll go to a few texts when we come back 595 90 we'll also get some sound from JT Miller who talks of a fresh start. I'm not sure how fresh it is coming off a leaf loss, but we'll discuss that and more when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne. Covering the Blue Jays from an analytical perspective, Jays Talk Plus with Blake Murphy. Be sure to subscribe and download Jays Talk on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your

podcasts. -♪ ROCK MUSIC PLAYING -♪ Welcome back to the program. Sammy, did you not get messages at the top of the hour to change our jersey. I did. Yeah, you did, but you were a little late on it. What jersey? Do we have to go back to the tape?

I mean, you'll see Doug's face. There's no tape. Oh, no? No, I, it's that way fingered. It was good. All right. I'm still holding out, boys boys for a Columbus blue jackets Yeah, and in Jersey that we saw

Lebron James. Yeah wearing it. I think I think that's where it went I think Donnie would all send ours to him to Lebron. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's what happened very similar people us in Lebron Yeah, I'll tell you what's not happening is him his team playing tonight and you requesting on game time to go on date night Yes, but hold on isn't Le brawn part of the Fenway group I mean from Akron, Ohio right he's in Ohio like isn't he but you know but like isn't he it's like Doug I don't know those guys. I'm pretty sure he is I mean I don't know if I could Google that I think so Cuz I think he owns a piece of Liverpool, and I think they do so yeah that probably makes sense so he pulled a Roger Nielsen. Yeah! He's wearing a rival jersey.

In theory, yeah. Can I tell you something? If I was in charge of a club and someone came wearing a different logo, I would lose it. I think so too. I would be like, I can't think of anything more disrespectful to-

This whole thing is us against the other teams. But it's a company that's not paying you, we're paying you. Like what part don't you understand? I, you know, I asked Doug that because I have a friend, former player too, and he says he keeps max two pieces from wherever he's played. Like I'm sure you have something Rangers do you have something capitals you have everything you got everything yeah kept it all but you but you didn't wear one will you played for the other oh

absolutely not yeah I got all my university stuff so LeBron James became a partner in Fenway sports group in 2021 part of the Red Sox Liverpool Football Club LeBron a billionaire definitely think so no question how about the Celtics six billion and it's old. Yeah who bought him a guy never heard of chiseled something chiseled. Yeah right, but like it's crazy though like what a NHL team I guess the Celtics is like the Leafs, right? That's like a premier franchise commanders commanders are six million as well

It went ahead of them. Yeah, but this the check that you get stroked from TV money in the NFL is even way better than basketballs, but the brand Celtics is Global right? It's a Yankees. Yes, it's one of the few brands. Must be top 10 for sure in the world. I would think so. And then Commanders, Commanders were sold right after being not the Commanders. So what would the Rangers go for?

4? 2.5. No, probably more. You're right, 3 or 4. The Leafs are amongst the top Ten or twelve in the world too in the world. Yeah, I guess yeah, we often don't think about soccer Maybe I speak of the money the revenue generated but they are up there trust me It is a machine like you've never seen before

as far as hockey goes. Yeah, because they were recently like based on a sale. I forget what their valuation was. I got to think that the Leafs alone could probably go for six, eight billion. Geez. I do. I do. I really believe it. I mean, I'm looking down the company. I'm looking down the list here on the Forbes, and there's no hockey in the top 50. Now, basketball with the Raptors,

obviously with the championship, and basketball being international. Like the NBA is truly international. The NHL is, I mean, we've got Sweden, we've got Finland, and we've got a few countries out there that that know us well in the NHL, but it is not internationally driven like NBA and now where NFL's going with many multiple regular season games overseas. Right. Very different. Top three most valuable franchises in the world for sports?

Yankees. Yes. Man City. Manchester. Dallas Cowboys number one. Dallas. Three the Knicks. Four Barcelona.

Five Real Madrid. Six Golden State. Lakers. Patriots. Golden State? Yep. New York Giants. Is that ten?

That's ten. That's ten. and no mention of the Leafs anywhere Go ahead state. Anyways, that could be wrong. It's just a list I found on Google. Uh, let's do some text One new text. All right this hour real kipper born brought to you by bet 365 I love San Francisco. They moved it. They took it away from the real fans and gave it to the rich Uh, I love kipper, but what is he smoking today? Gold matters gold metal. I'm taking it on the chin gold medals matter now when it comes to getting in the hockey Hall of Fame Tavares has to how many does Claude Drew have zero? Whoa to Harris in the hockey Hall of Fame drew nah, okay still love kipper Still love the show

Hope case helps for sure. Yep. I won't I don't want to take anything away from from those moments for sure and Conference finalists now like a final even better would sure make it a lock for either fella right some sort of NHL deep success How about this one? Hey boys? I just want to get your thoughts on the bottom teams Chicago San Jose Anaheim which of these teams is more likely to make the playoffs next year. I Like zero. I like San Jose zero with those two kids. So I like San Jose's rebuild the best. I think they got the best pieces and the best prospects.

But I think Chicago is very desperate. And I think they're going to spend as much as it takes to get competitive and keep Connor Bedard happy and try to turn this thing around. I think it's most likely that Chicago is better once Marner's on his wing and You know, they added a defense bit of some variety. I just don't couple their kids I don't like what I've seen out of Chicago since drafting Connor Bidard first overall. I don't I don't it's just I

Definitely concerned not his game log It's just I Definitely concerned not his game log not Not liking the way he was brought in didn't like the way and you I told you guys from game one I'm like, this is really not good. I'm watching him come in with security guards to his first NHL game like he's like the king I'm like he's he's, yes, he's a very important player now and you're gonna build around him, but you cannot make 19 other guys feel like

this guy's just walking in and having the red carpet rolled out to him. I think in many ways it's not been very good for this organization. 14 Blackhawks games since the Four Nations break. He's been pointless in 10 of them. Really? Yeah. And now they can make a really big mistake by going out there and thinking that they're going to spend on free agents and thinking that that's what Nashville did they got Stamcoast Brady Shay

Ryan O'Reilly Luke Shen and their trash Terrible not good. You're right. That's a that's a great example. I'll spend all this money here We're gonna turn the corner careful what you think also a cautionary tale for the Toronto Maple Leafs With lots of cap space this offseason. Yeah the darts minus 37. Really? Yeah. How many empty nutters?

So weird. Only one of game to have empty nutters. Eric and Arilia, what is going on with the interference in the NHL again? It's getting very bad. Obstructing the four check. I hate it. Why is no one talking about it? The league needs to crack down on it again. So Brian Burke, he used to kind of like some of it. Why is no one talking about it? The league needs to crack down on it again.

So Brian Burke, he used to kind of like some of it. He didn't like the idea that with no interference, guys are flying in at each other at a million miles an hour. But lots of interference is kind of, it bogs our game down, makes it bad to watch. We gotta get Berkey on next week. Yes, let's do that.

Yeah, let's get him on. We haven't had him on in a while and we'll get into that. But it's so hot and cold, right? Because we love the four nations because they didn't call any penalties. And it's not like we sat there and we watched a lot of interference that it was so noticeable. We're like, these guys are getting away with murder. It was just- They're getting good at interference. It was just right, if that was possible, but you can't have it both ways here. I like fighting through a few things. To me, it's just like, a guy has a clear lane on a four-check,

like the guy without the puck shouldn't be allowed to just like play defense I I've hated that But yeah, I don't know it's a thin line, but we said the other day penalties are way way down The other one that stands out to me is reverse hits you and I talked a little bit last night We didn't do it on air but about Ekman Larsen He got penalized for the one on high more not penalized for the one last night Then someone did it to camp last night. Is it loud or is it not allowed?

It's allowed. I think. I do too. The one that Oliver Ackman Larson didn't get away with on Highmore, he was a lot higher. Highmore couldn't get to the puck. And he left his feet. He jumped. Peter Forsberg. So, Yeah, he didn't have contact with the puck yet. Like it was like he didn't give him the room to.

Yeah, if you have the puck. Yeah, like there are ways of disguising it a little bit more. For sure. And that's the difference between a call and a not call. I'm sorry, I just happened to have Bedard's page open. L, L, L, L, L, L, six last. They never win. Oh. They never win.

They never win. Nothing ever good happens. God, I hope they get a pick. And the league needs Chicago like back. That's a big market. If not back, just not awful. Can't keep throwing them on national games and outdoor games if they just- Who has line meets been?

They're like, oh, it's Bidard with Kurashev tonight. Okay. I mean this is an interesting question, but who would each of your favorite teams be outside of the Leafs? I wouldn't say... Would you say that your favorite team is the Leafs? Well it's the National Hour and I'm very... I know it was easy for you. Very objective. Not like Sammy. Don't please... I want the Canadian teams to win. Islanders easy for you. Yeah, very objective Like Sammy Don't please I want the Canadian teams to win you with Sammy. Yeah first and foremost and not just a man It helps not just the station out, but it's fun good in the country Islanders

Certainly like obscure teams. We like we like Utah love Utah Yeah, that was gonna be my pick but I think the only non-player the Kings the only non-leafs team I've really really rooted for hard was the again love flames. I think is there a better. I got a better question for you That's a good one. I used to love the Heatley senators. Oh, it's like Alfredson and That's maybe my least here a team of all time. Are you being serious or you're trying to get that reaction? No, I actually did really oh my god. I hated them. They were my least favorite team of all time. Were you being serious or were you trying to get that reaction out of me? No, I actually did really like them. Oh my God, I hated them. They were my least favorite. Is there, so I think that's a better question.

Is there a hate team? Go ahead. I got a soft spot for the Washington Capitals. Yeah, that makes sense. Because I broke into the league with them, plus what a great story. Like Doug just mentioned it. They were the last team to make the playoffs

and they're the first ones this year. It's like it is an incredible story as big as anything right now going on in the league from start to finish. And I think you and I know guys at teams and so you root for those people to have individual success. Is there a team you hate? Is there a team that you would say most Canadian teams That you would say... Most Canadian teams I hate. I don't want to see that team have success. Yeah, let me start. Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver. Let me go down the list. This one's from our...

I root for the Rangers to fail. I hate the Rangers. Yeah. Oh yeah? That's so mean. It's... I own their blood. Literally, it's like one of the few things I remember my parents being like here's the thing you believe all right though that team is bad. Okay, so oh I Don't have that feeling but there's some teams that you can watch where you can go Okay, you deserve to lose because you just can't get it right. Mm-hmm, right and it's

For me, it's the Buffalo Sabres. Oh See, I have a major soft spot for the Sabres. I want that one so bad night and Was it Rob Ray on the call? Oh my god, poor can we find that so he's like, what was he screaming? They're on the power play with the goalie out up a goal. You have some no no just say yeah You said and so if you just give it to them your five on three down a goal and raise will give it to him give it to him the puck give them the puck instead they shot it in their own net give him the part of that whole thing was the momentary silence after the announcer says that it goes and then he goes give

him the puck. Buffalo is such a fun team in the playoffs when they get going. Are you sure? When's the, I can't even remember. It was in standard. They keep shooting themselves in the foot from our boy, Chuck Nelson. What comes first? Sammy smoking a dart for a lease championship or Sammy smoking a dart for Jay's championship? Neither. Not many darts in his future. Hold on, Sammy. Hold on, Hope, my friend. All right. Great way to finish the week, by the way. Brought our energy right back up. All right. Our thanks in the first hour to all our callers. We got to work on a national call-in show as well. And then of course on a Friday, Doug McLean never disappointing us on Off the Rail Friday.

Have a great weekend everybody, we're back on Monday.