Real Kyper & Bourne - Oilers Return to the Conference Final

Episode Date: May 15, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne are joined by former NHLer Rob Brown (6:45) to chat about his former team Edmonton Oilers advancing to their second straight conference final, how both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard played a role in their playoff run so far, why the team has excelled behind Kris Knoblauch's adjustments during a series, and how the Oilers could match-up against the Dallas Stars or Winnipeg Jets. Then, former goaltender and Stars analyst Daryl Reaugh (28:45) stops by to discuss what has fueled Dallas' success so far against the Jets, Thomas Harley's evolution, and Miro Heiskanen's presence since returning to the team.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.

Welcome back into the national hour of the Real Kipper and Born Show. We are live from 4 to 6 Eastern on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet Plus, and we are streaming for listeners on the alt stream on sportsnet.ca sportsnet app. And once again, upload it to all platforms, including YouTube. Sammy. The YouTubes. The YouTubers.

Ever go onto the comments there? Everyone's on. A war zone. Absolutely not. Yeah. No. Are you nuts? I'm just asking you, cause they're.

Buddy, my mental health's worse enough. I don't need that. I don't need that. I started doing this my mom calling me and being like they're saying There once in a while you want to spend time once my while my boy Donnie will fire me a funny one Yeah, or like one that he's like this guy was being really mean am I Donnie? Some of them can be pretty funny and clever though too. So confirmed comment reader. So if you're commenting. Every once in a while I can poke my nose in there.

Every once in a while. Every once in a while, just for a good chuckle. As a reminder, this hour of Real Kipper and Born brought to you by bet 365 in a few minutes, Rob Brown, former National Hockey Laker, does a great job covering the Oilers for Ched. We'll talk to us about the comeback boys in Edmonton, who now, Sammy, first Canadian team to go back to back

conference finals. Since when, Sammy? Since the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early 90s. Correct. Really? Nice accomplishment. Nice. Yeah, I mean, the Oilers.... Correct. Really? Yep. Nice accomplishment. Nice. Yeah, I mean the oilers- Does this feel different?

Listen, I'm still reeling after that Leafs hour, trying to like gather myself to talk about the very excellent Eddington Oilers. No, no, we're going out west. Can you hear the chuckles? Oh yeah, no, people still love it. You hear the westerners loving the Leaf woes right now? Did you want to play before we get to Rob Brown,

the Connor McDavid clip that I grabbed? Or do you want to play it after? No, let's play it now because, yeah, sense of frustration a little bit from the captain, Connor McDavid, despite going to the conference final. Let's have a listen. How many times are we going to answer this question, really?

Like, honestly, that's frustrating that we keep talking about this. We can defend. We can. You know, we've showed that time and time again. You know, come into a tough building and win a one-nothing game when it matters most. We can play that way. We can score goals. We can, whatever it takes, we can win games. Okay. I'm convinced Connor, you don't have to tell me twice. I'm convinced, uh, against LA last night, one, nothing on the road. One, nothing on the road.

I mean, I think the way some of those Kings games looked, it would have been a fair question. But in this series, it's not a fair question. The Kings, when they needed it, they shut it down. Sure. Sure. But it's crazy. We're, you know, we're talking about that Panthers D with like big Mikaela and long Jones and strong eclad and forzling the way he skates in these great D and it's going man cool act Bouchard nurse stature wallman Klingberg They you know, maybe you don't love the names as much but they as a unit have been Really really good Klingberg clingy clinger

never in a million years, but that I like Yeah, I thought he was expensive at I don't know one two or I'm like Yeah, I thought he was expensive at I don't know one two or I'm like But he's coming in and he's giving them Solid minutes. How many minutes do you think John Klingberg played for the I've been to Oilers in their series clinching victory last night? 20 2140 2103 20. Oh, yeah 20 and he played the game before 1236 and then in game To you played 24 30

Yeah, he's paving in those hips out there boys. They're looking Resurfaced the by ready to go Kapanen. Oh, yeah here. Oh, that's the beauty of these. Say you could be a forgotten guy and then score one goal to the net front screen. Try to get tip. Go to the blue paint. Stop dig, dig, dig playoff overtime winner. Looking Hill just no shot soup sandwich in there. Yeah. Captain actually misses the first swipe and keeps going He looked all road hockey goalie right there

aiden hill Oh, what if you like not the pad the pad's not even it's in the net. Yeah Kevin's had a circus of a run here, you know team to team and trying to find his footing Couple clutch goals from him in his career He scored a double overtime winner for the Leafs last time they went to double overtime. Backdoor from Brian Boyle. Yeah, scored a World Juniors clinching goal for Finland. That's right.

He scored the overtime winner against Russia, I believe. So he's had a knack of scoring these overtime winners. He's fast, he's strong, he can shoot, does a lot of things good, which is why it's frustrating that they don't get that all the time. No, Mark Stone too. That's a game changer Captain Vegas hitting a bit of a fork in the road themselves where you know kind of some of their stars Yeah, no, well, that's just it now. All of a sudden people are saying Vegas too old

Well, you know stone can't really stay in the lineup and I guess Ikel still a good age but you know when they were so successful as Marchesot and William Carlson and Riley Smith and I their D is still good but Petrangelo is not getting younger. I love Vegas for no other reason than like they just they put so much pressure on other teams around the National Hockey League to get like it's embarrassing first of all a lot of other organizations to have watched Vegas

Go to a final in their first year and then win a Stanley Cup mere years later, and it's like Good on them. They they have such a they may have the highest bar the highest bar Yeah, out of any team in terms of the expectations out of Kelly McCrimmon and George McPhee to want to win every year and then be crushed when they don't. And all that praise and the Oilers dismissed them. They're waking up today shocked that they're out of the playoffs right now. We got Brownie. That is the great mindset. All right, from one great mindset to another,

let's go to Rob Brown, who might have some time off now, depending on if series get closed out or not, but Oilers could have themselves a nice rest here, Brownie, on what wasn't really expected, a fairly short series against Vegas. How did you see it play out? Well, I am pretty excited about having the long weekend off.

It's been tough. We get all the late games out here, so we get late games that goes into overtime, going a bit at two in the morning, then up the next morning on the ice. So I am so excited it went short. I thought the Oilers would win the series, but I did think it was in seven. I didn't think they could win it this early. Having said that, all the games were close and the Oilers just seemed to find, as you guys were just talking about, clutch players came up at big moments.

I don't think anyone saw after this series started, Skinner having back-to-back shutouts, Kaepernick coming out of the press box and scoring the clinching goal. You got Stetcher on the back end who came into this series and I thought was very, very good in this series. He had the trust of the coaching staff from the very first game.

So, so many unsung heroes. And if you want to be a championship team, you need that. And I think that's the Emmett and Eulers right now is a very, very confident group going forward. So Brownie, if we had someone sit down and played every Rob Brown on Kipper and Bourne interview from this year, there were times I think where we were like, I don't know about this Oilers team and we kind of know about this Oilers team now, right? Like I know you've always been an optimist and you've seen that this potential has been there, but what has changed for them to hit the high note to find exactly their potential?

Well it's funny, I know that, I don't know if you guys had the soundbites from Conor McDavid last night, some of the questions he was a little, uh, snarky. I know. And the answers and the questions were along the lines. Well, have you guys finally figured out how to win this, this way? And I mean, the others went to game seven last year of the Stanley Cup. Lost by a goal.

They lost by a goal and played very well on the road in the final game. Easily could have gone their way. And over the course of that playoff run, they won a bunch of different ways. So they felt that this team was going to be a contender this year. They ran into some injury problems. Goaltending wasn't always great during the season, but the question marks that all the press and media had and the social media and the fans had, the others weren't worried about that. And I think that's when you saw some of the answers by and the fans had, the others weren't worried about that.

And I think that's when you saw some of the answers by Mick Davis, some of the answers by Nurse. This was our expectation all along. So what has gone right for the Edmonton Oilers this year? Both goaltenders have stepped in. Stuart Skinner, who I don't know if anyone has taken more abuse on social media than Stuart Skinner here as in Alberta and Edmonton the last little while, he quieted a lot of the noise with back-to-back shutouts. They got, you know, their backup goalie came in and went 6-0. And in a series, if before the series you would have told the Vegas Golden

Knights, you're going to hold Conor and Leon combined to three goals in the series. They're going to be just six points each in a five game series. The power play is going to be one for 11, including a five minute major you're going to kill off. The Vegas Golden Knights probably think we probably win that series in five games instead of losing it. So without Connor and Leon being Connor and Leon, which we expect them just being only really, really good, not great. The Oilers won a series on the back of the third line of Kane and Hendrick and Connor Brown on the fourth line. I think it was game one or two for the fourth line scored two goals. Kaepernick came from the press box and he was so really, if you're the press, he was the 14th forward because Jeff Skidder played ahead of him.

He's the 14th forward, his first game back after sitting nine games, he's playing with a guy that could win the MVP this year in Leon Drysettle. So he goes from 14th forward to playing with Leon, helps shut down Jack Eichel in game four, and then scores the game winner in overtime. So they've just got contributions all throughout the lineup. And this team is deep. This team is talented. They can win a 7-6 game. They can win a 1-0 game and right now they're just brimming with confidence and they should. You're

watching and listening to Rob Brown, former NHL forward covering the Edmonton Oilers for Ched. So you can talk about players going from kind of goats to heroes and, you know, same thing sometimes with management in terms of the decisions that they make that ultimately we can all question and then they find a way to turn out. And you know, Trent Frederick to me was one of those guys where I'll be the first to admit, how could you trade for a guy hurt? And where's his value? And when is he gonna be worth the price that you paid?

Evander Kane, we weren't even sure if he was gonna find his way in the lineup at all, necessarily make an impact. And both those guys have completely changed the look, in my opinion anyways. Yeah, you're right. And they became a team with a little more swagger through physicality. I mean, in my era, there's no way I come back from 10 months off and play a game, let alone

play as well as Kane has been. He's been dominant, driving his line, a physical force. He, he, he creates swagger for this team. He drags his team into a fight whether they want to or not, if he's on the ice, there's going to be a scrum. Um, and then Frederick just, they become tougher to play against and he's only playing nine minutes a night. It's not as though they brought him in. He's playing 20, 21 minutes, playing nine minutes, but in those nine minutes, he'll be physical.

He'll get involved. He'll finish checks. He'll punish when he hits someone. He's like a farm boy where he, when he hits someone, you feel it. And you look at some of the huge acquisitions the others made last summer. Arvidsson, not playing right now.

Jeff Skinner, not playing right now. Emberson, not playing right now. Josh Brown didn't play right now. Emberson not playing right now. Josh Brown didn't play all year long. But some of the subtle changes they made during the season, getting a Frederick, getting a Kapanen, getting a Klingberg who I think has exceeded everyone's expectations. So it wasn't the big splashy ones that have been a difference for the Oilers. It's the Stan Bowman subtle ones and they've just fallen into, they just fit in nicely with this Oilers team.

I said before, the biggest thing that I've seen with this Oilers team since Chris Knobloch has took over, the adjustments he makes as a series go on second to none. And sometimes you question it when you saw the lineup, Leon with Kaepernick and Coleson for game four. I'm like, okay, you got your leading scorer type guy with, who's got 50 goals scored. He's playing with a guy who was played nine minutes the game before in the fourth line and a guy from the press box. You're like, why? Yeah, well they shut out Eichel and then the next night they scored the game winning goal. So Knobloch and the coaching staff is as good as any, if not better than any other coaching staff when it comes to adjustments during the series.

And the last one to six series are proof of that. So with all the goaltending questions, the Pickard injury ends up kind of working out like they get to give Skinner has a rest, He gets to come back in and now it kind of looks like the best version of himself. And I would say good Skinner is a very good goalie and he looks confident. He does. He was. He wasn't blocking pucks. He was swallowing pucks last game. And he just laser focused. And he had to block out a lot of noise because when Pickard went down with injury

here, the social media was huge and there was this big, huge sigh, oh my goodness, we can't with Skinner, but I keep forgetting that Skinner took them to game seven last year and was great in game seven. And when Skinner is on his game, very little movement. He's not flailing around. He set for the shot. He's reading the play. And I think right from the very first shot of last night's game, it was a shot. It was high. It wasn't a completely difficult shot. But he just snapped it out of the air, brought it back in, handed it to the ref, and it's like, okay, I'm ready tonight.

So the fact that Pickard got hurt allowed knob lock to change without having any controversy. They go to Skinner and even with the game where they lost with the goal late at the end of the game and everyone was blaming Skinner for that goal, he just rebounded and stopped with the next 47 shots in a row. So I believe this is Stuart Skinner's crease and things are going to have to go sideways for him to come out. Brownie I assume that Edmonton Oilers fans will just love to see Dallas and Winnipeg beat each other up here for another what three games but by chance they don't and Dallas comes out of this, are a lot of people already talking about the matchup?

They are. To me, if they play Winnipeg, they're going to be playing a very, very good hot Winnipeg team because they will have had to have won three straight games. And a tired one. And a tired one possibly. A tired one. True. Winnipeg to me, I think is the more physical of the two teams and that will be how they will come in and play against Edmonton. But I agree. I think Dallas is probably winning the series. What Dallas has is a fantastic goaltender.

I've watched a couple of the games. Auditor has been excellent. I think Winnipeg and Dallas have been pretty even in a lot of the games, but Dallas's goaltending has been better. The difference between this year's Dallas team and the team that the others beat last year is this team this year has a superstar. They got a lot of really good players in Dallas and had a lot of great ones last year, but they got Ranton now. And this is the Ranton that Carolina was expecting to get, and it didn't fit there, but Dallas has got them. And the games that I've watched,

he's not, I think I'm seeing more from him now than when you saw him with McKinnon, because when McKinnon played with him, McKinnon had the puck all the time and then Rantanen would get open and Rantanen would finish. But Rantanen is now a playmaker and a goal scorer and he's a big man that you can't push around. So it will, they will challenge the Oilers. They are deep. They got good defense

Heist gonna if we if he gets back up to full speed, he's one of the best in the world But again is what I said with against you guys with you guys last time I have a really hard time betting against Connor and Leon and if it's Dallas, I still believe The Edmonton owners are the team is gonna come out at the end You mentioned earlier the adjustments knobobloch makes, you know, here in Toronto, we're watching a Leafs team that keeps kind of banging their head against the wall with the same lines, the same structure, and just believing that their best will be good enough at some point.

How large are the changes that Knobloch is making in these series? Is it substantial from game to game? Oh, it's substantial when you think of the lineup like Leon Dreissel who, to me, I have him in the top three in the world and I think this year might have been the best player in the National Hockey League. And in game four against a very, very good Vegas Gold Knights team, his line mates were Putt Coles in who had played on the fourth line the previous number of games and Kaepernick who was in the press box for nine straight games. And that's who you just put out

with Leon Drysettle who could win the MVP. And I'm like, I don't know about that yet. The line worked and it's Knobluck could figure that out. He put Stetcher in who'd sat for the first, I think nine games as well, an undersized defenseman playing against a big Vegas Golden Knights team. And Stetcher came in and was excellent. He was able to get out of trouble because of his speed, of both his feet and the speed of his brain. He thinks the game well. Putting in the midst of games, all of a sudden he's decided, okay, here's a face-off. This is who I want out there.

And just everything seems to work for him. I think the biggest thing for for the Oilers is in the past when things would go sideways they would get frustrated and at times would take undisciplined penalties. I think with Knoblok you have a very calming influence in the dressing room and on the bench and I think they've taken his demeanor as part of their identity now. Nothing seems to bother. This is a very disciplined hockey club. They rarely take silly penalties. They don't give you freebie power plays. So Knobloch just, he understands the game. He understands what his team needs at any moment. He's made goaltending changes in the past. Last year he changed away from Skinner, went to Pickard

and Pickard came up with a huge win in the Vancouver series. And again, this year goes to the backup goaltender and the backup goaltender delivers six straight wins. So Knobloch has got his finger on the pulse of this team and everything he's done so far has worked out. And sometimes it looks like, okay, you're trying to think how does he figure this is going to work. And at the end of the night, you're applauding him for having the guts to make what you would think would be a difficult

decision. Yet afterwards you're like, okay, actually that made sense now that I see it from afar. So he's a veteran coach without the experience of years of being a head coach. He seems to me, they won the first series. I thought LA was a fantastic team, but they got out coached by Chris Knoblok. In the second series, I think Bruce Cassie is a fantastic coach too. And a couple of the games could have gone the other way and the others won the overtime games which was a difference in the series. Brownie we know that in Dallas Miro Heiskenen comes in and gives like that organization a shot on the arm coming back with the thought that they got their number one guy back. What would Ekholm do for Edmonton and how early

do you think we could see him in a potential conference final? It would be huge. There was a lot of people that didn't think the Orbs would get out of the first round without Ekholm. Yeah, I'd be one. I'm raising my hand, Brownie. He's that good, Kepri.

Seriously, he is that good. He's a guy that when things are going sideways in a hockey game, okay, let's get heck, echo him out there. He will settle the team down. You put him out first minute of game, last minute of periods, any important situation, he's on the ice and he gets the job done time and time again. So having him come back, it will be huge. It just gives you, you're adding your number one or two defensemen to a defense that has already played really, really well. I would, you're going to see him in the third round. I don't know when. I mean, they have been really quiet other than saying he's light skating lightly. He hasn't skated, I believe with the team yet. It's on his own. This is a huge advantage having all these days off before the series starts. It's

just a longer stretch for him to get ready. I would hope and I would think that when he comes back, he will be a 20 minute a night guy. Plus, I don't think they will bring him back a minute earlier than they need to or want to. I don't think they're going to force him back. Oh, it'll be important against Dallas. I think they will bring him back when they feel that he is going to be in for the duration. And if he is this Edmonton Oilers team, which is already really, really good, we'll get that much better. Last one for me, Brownie, not sure how much of the Toronto Florida series you've taken in, but the cats, what do you think? Edmonton, Florida, they, Florida look as good as last year. I think Florida is better than last year. I think if you look

at Florida's third line, you got Brad Marsh and, uh, that London and I can, I can't pronounce the kids name. Yeah. They all played in the four nations cup. There's the whole third line. It was in the four nations. And so they're deep. I think the addition of Jones on the back end You mean there's a guy that can log 20 29 minutes Bobroski has been fantastic in the last few games that I've watched him play I think Florida is better than they were last year and they won the stop it Sammy's gonna cry

Sammy's crying right now. I already know come on. I don't think I know come on now And you know what I I cheer for Toronto in a perfect world. I'd love to see the Leafs and the Orlers in the finals. I think the entire country was shut down for two weeks. I really hope. And I hope I I'm fortunate out here working in Edmonton. I get to see Connor and Leon play on a nightly basis and I get to see superstars at their best. I know how good Marner and Matthews are and Nylander and Tavares. I hope that at the end

of this series, maybe we're seeing, look at how great they were in game six and seven, and they took the Leafs over the top. I'd love to see that because I know what it's like in Edmonton when things are going sideways, how loud the media and the social media gets. I can't imagine what it'll be like in Toronto if it does not go Toronto's way tomorrow night. So I hope Toronto comes back in this series, but they're going up against a Stanley cup winning team that knows how to win and they're healthy. So I don't, I'm not holding my breath that Toronto can win, but I do hope I I'd love to see the Leafs and I'd love to see their stars turn it on for two games here and get this series.

Well, for now, there's still breath, which is something to be said after last night. Brownie, terrific stuff as always, man. We're going to be leaning on you throughout the conference final. Hope that's okay. Love having you on the show, pal. Anytime guys. Take care. Thanks, Brownie, appreciate it. Rob Brown. Oh, that's so good. Yeah, this is, here's the difference between them and last year is there's a real feel that Connor and Leon don't have to win it for them every night.

And what do you think the value is of having been there, been through it, know what it takes now. They've seen it right to the bitter end. Yeah. They know what's ahead of they just took care of Vegas and five. That's no small thing. Rest up for a week while Dallas is hoping for Winnipeg to just lay there. They are dying for a Winnipeg win tonight. They're going we need a win while you have Shen Stanley You know Lowry all these guys doing their thing. Absolutely Before game time just a reminder after the break. We'll have Darrell Ray Dallas star TV analyst He'll help us tee that one up tonight in Winnipeg. So he's there getting ready for a big game tonight game time game time, baby

It's game time presented by bet365. Visit the app for the latest odds and find out why it's ever ordinary at bet365. Must be 19 plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. So I just want to quickly bring up the series odds for the Florida Panthers and the Toronto May please. So I'm quickly doing it here. What you're not gonna be able to what's your guess? Series odds like for the Leafs to win the second round plus 600. They are plus 525 to win the series. The Florida Panthers if you want to bet on them, they are minus 750.

Whoa. Okay. I will you really feel I will, that is nasty. I will give Bet365 or beloved Bet365 credit where I was making fun of them and I was saying their beliefs are disrespected and they were heavy favorites. Nailed it. The Panthers are heavy favorites all the way through. Never let me get a good price on my happiness hedge.

Never got to do it. And now you look at it, it's like, God, it's almost like the gut that's figured out. I'll tell you what, I watched 10 minutes of that game last night and immediately went and bet the Leaf to score zero goals in the game. Oh my God, really? Oh, you lost money when Nick Robinson.

Nicky throws in the back end of the minute left. Oh my God. Cost me like $100. No. So they're like, come on. Well, I bet like 10, the odds were massive that they would get a goal, you know? So I got great odds and plus eight or nine.

So yeah, leaves huge underdogs, uh, as they've been all series. So, I mean, you can't expect to win as such big underdogs. What are we so upset about? Uh, and to get two games on the ice tonight, both on sports and of course, Carolina, look, uh, looking to end the Washington capital season. They are big favorites minus one 65 as they've been all series long. also made fun of them for that so maybe bet 365 knows more than us and the Dallas Stars are in Winnipeg Winnipeg big favorites tonight minus 130 on the money line Jets come on stars plus 110 I would love to watch more of this series give me a Jets win tonight minus 130 come. Come on, Jets, Jets talk.

Go Jets, go, you got this tonight. So anyways, that was Game Time presented by bet 365. Visit the app for the slides and find out why it's ever ordinary at bet 365, but for 19 plus Ontario only, please play responsibly. All right, let's take a quick break. And as we mentioned earlier, Daryl Ray, Dallas Stars TV analyst,

will join us right around the corner after these words. More Real Kipper and Boring coming up next. 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. and we'll see you next time. Bye. Real Kipper and Bourne brought to you by bet three six five in a few minutes We'll talk to Darrell Ray get a real feel for the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets and he is ready Darrell How are you man? Looking at tonight's game and wondering Is it really possible that Winnipeg could go?

I guess this quietly if push comes to shove how do how do we how do we talk about tonight's game? Yeah Kipper I mean it would be surprising right I'm sure they're hell bent on trotting out the same game that they did in game two which was what they'd done throughout the regular season against the Stars, especially in their building where they just don't give up anything. They build a lead. All the things that made them the best team in the regular season in the entire league. Hellebuck stopped everything. He was excellent in that one. One of their top players was outstanding offensively and that was Nick Healers. And the Stars are likely wanting to put together one of their good, just everybody

on board, road games, special teams and goaltending, maybe be a difference maker for them. It certainly has been in past and I think Jake Ottinger is probably thinking in his mind that he's going to have to be as good if not better than he was last game in order for them to close him out because they're throwing everything at him tonight. Razor, we watched round one and it looked like Colorado might be able to take advantage of a somewhat weakened Stars team.

No Robertson first, no Heiskenen, think Steggen was a little late entering the series, and all of a sudden you sit there and look at the Dallas Stars and go, oh, like they're kind of loaded again. Have they been gaining strength as playoffs has gone on? Yeah, I mean, it's sort of the year of that, Justin. Like, you rarely in past in my mind have seen teams actually add to their group either immediately at the beginning of the playoffs or as it's moving along. And the Stars certainly fit that mode this year. You know, Sagan was out with hip surgery. You had Robertson who got injured in game 82 and then he comes back into the playoffs.

He had Hayskin and it was out for three and a half months. So it is a little odd that way. They survived at times in that series against Colorado and one of their real strengths is their penalty kill and their ability to stop momentum with that within games. And, and they just stifled the, the avalanches power play outside of McKinnon. I mean, nobody did anything against them with the extra man and, and they, they relied heavily on that. And the former avalanche star that is a Dallas star now, and when Miko

ran to and went to a different level to to a level that I don't think most of us have ever seen before where a guy just takes things over and basically says you know crawl on my back watch this hold my beer whatever you want to put in there and and just took things over and then he carried that into into game one in this series and on into the series. It's just been an incredible addition to the Stars. When we talk about Ranthana and what he's done and how the market in Dallas has taken to him, of course we know Dallas is Stanley Cup champions with the greats of Neuendijk and Modano, Darien Hatcher playing like a mule that year.

How does that compare to, you know, what Dallas star fans are seeing with this new wave led by Rantinen? Yeah, that's a good question, Kipper. Like, you know, I would add back then, uh, Yuri Lettinen, who was as instrumental in things as, as anybody, you know anybody. He rode shotgun with Madonna and Hall. He was the quintessential Dallas star. You're thinking of a group that had Bob Ganey and the selkie ownership that he had with Montreal. You had Guy Carmino and then the Selke ownership that he had. And then you had, you know, your modern day guy in his prime and in your Eletinen. Uh, you know, there's some similarities probably because that, that group back

then from, you know, the disappointment of losing in game seven to the Oilers in 97 and then on into, you know, pretty deep into the playoffs the following year and bow out to Detroit. And then they went in 99 and had to add some pieces. And then they go to the final again in 2000. And you look at this team that's gone to back to back Western Conference finals, you know, built up some experience and probably some calluses along the way. And now you add into that mix a guy like Rantanen and they, and as you mentioned earlier, like

getting healthier as they move along. This isn't done yet by any stretch against Winnipeg, but they must feel like they're in a better spot than they were a year ago when they were forced to actually overplay their defense. They rocked five defensemen most of the time in the playoffs last year, and this year they're really super deep at that position. In some ways, I guess you could look at it and say, well, they've swapped out Joe Pavelski, who is obviously in the 11th hour of his career for a guy like Miko Ranton, and who's just getting going. Yeah, that's, that's worked out pretty well.

You mentioned that decor and the changes there, how deep they are. I just, the evolution of Thomas Harley to me, I don't know, you've watched it happen. So you've kind of seen him coming and all that. It kind of felt like for a lot of Canadians watching Harley at the Four Nations and being like, oh, we have another one of these great guys. You know, should we have been shocked? Has he been this good as he seemed to everyone then and since then? Yeah, he you know they did their draft and development with him.

It was like a master class where you know, he showed all kinds of ability offensively and to play at this level, but they they wanted to make sure that that he had his base defensively and and spend a little longer. I think Jim Nell comes from that old school, uh, Detroit, where they used to talk about wanting their prospects overripe once they moved up to the national hockey league and, you know, spend some time down there focused.

They just wanted him to focus on being a better defender. And you can hear him even now when, when he gets interviewed, he talks about that first and foremost like you know I want to he wants to be that guy like he he was killing penalties For the Stars and Miro Hayskinen was running the number one power play and then when Miro It damaged his knee and went out of the lineup. It was really the first time for Harley to sort of spread his wings offensively at that side of special teams.

And the power play took off and he was a major, major component on it. You know, plays against all the other teams best forward lines, runs that side. In the playoffs, he's playing both sides of special teams, heavy minutes, and he can take heavy minutes, uh, and he can, he can take heavy minutes. So it's almost like they have now with the opportunity to, to, uh, fill that void of not having Miro it's like they have two number ones and man, that's quite a luxury to have a couple of guys who can be like a one man breakout because he skates so well and delivers the puck so well.

And then on top of that, I think Pete DeBoer talked about it after the Four Nations, that you know, difficult spot for him to have to jump into those games, the last minute, you know, pending whether you're going to play or not going to play and brought in late. And he's so chill, like he's very laid back and he's probably one of the individuals that could handle something like that and not get all frazzled by it. So pretty unique and special, really special young defenseman.

You're listening to Darrell Ray, Dallas Stars TV analyst, the Stars and the Jets tonight, 9.30 Eastern Sportsnet CBC game five so Darrell you mentioned Miro back of course great everybody's seeing there the number one defenseman superstar the promise I think from Pete DeBoer was to make sure to manage his minutes back I think he was under 15 minutes but could we see that expand what did you

see out of Miro in that first game that can make us believe that he can get to the level that he was at quickly here off of that lengthy knee injury I saw a slower Miro Haskin in which was shocking, you know, like so many times when a player has like a step or sometimes two steps on him, he skates so well that he'd just catch him and he uses his stick like it's just an extension of his arms, like it's organic and uses his feet so well defensively. And he couldn't catch Kyle Connor on a, on a little race up the ice. You know, Ottinger managed to make the save on it, but it was just weird seeing that because it, that never happens.

Understandable like jumping back in and coming off a knee injury. And he was at least a quarter step behind a little bit, but he, he's such an incredibly cerebral defender. He can sort things out in his mind and figure things out quicker. He anticipates so well and he's in such a good position all the time. He was certainly relying on that in his return. I suspect he'll get a little more comfortable. I don't think they want to weigh him down, but that's always score affected in these games. And it was just good,

I think, for everyone on the star side of things to see him back there, have that poise, the ability to hang on to a puck and make a play, especially on the power play. why you know I think his only point in that game came on the power play and you know the game slowed down and kind of stationary in the offensive zone probably feeds his game better right now and he'll only get more comfortable and better as it moves forward. Razor what did you expect you would see from the Winnipeg Jets in this series and what if anything has surprised you about their play after four games? Yeah, I mean it's a good question.

They were so impressive at times in the regular season. I just go by the head to heads with the Stars where they, a couple of the games in Winnipeg here were like over midway through the game. Like they just had, it was like checkmate. They had them, the Stars couldn't get going. They wouldn't allow them to get going. There's such a terrific team with a lead. You know, those things, I guess one of the things the stars have done well so far in the playoffs in my mind is they've, they've taken the opposition strengths and sort

of made them weaknesses, if you will. You know, they did that against the avalanche where, you know, one of their huge strengths, they were sizzling with their power play and they just stopped it in its tracks and they made sure that Kale McCarr couldn't beat them by himself and the McKinnon tried and he couldn't do it. And then you look at this series and you know, they, they want to make sure that Connor Hellebuck doesn't just dominate things and they've done that.

They haven't allowed the number one power play in the league in the regular season to get going. They've only scored one power play goal. So they've been really good at that. On their side, they have to feel like they need something more from the guys that were so consistent offensively for them in the regular season and know that big save at the right juncture that has been spotty at best From Hellebuck to have that return to where you have to earn everything you you sift past them and that hasn't happened yet Darrell speaking of the goaltenders here Ottinger a few years ago made that remarkable debut I think of a lifetime there versus Calgary

right and it was one for the ages here it is there some thought that Autinger can hit that type of level again here and not to get ahead of ourselves but if you're gonna play this Edmonton Oilers team now man, it's almost gonna Dallas may need that type of goaltending that Ottinger provided in a game seven versus Calgary a few years ago Is there confidence that he can he can hit that high note? I Think I saw something on social media that this is actually the anniversary of that game seven Wow Against this this date. Yeah, would have debut. He almost beat him by himself. Like they, that was a massive advantage on the flame side offensively and he had them all bunged up. Oh boy,

did he ever. With his brilliance. Yeah, definitely. I'm always a firm believer in and if guys do it once they can do it again you know, and he's a more mature guy obviously now with a ton of playoff experience Where you know when you watch him like last game? the Jets were the better team but he's he's so good and comfortable at reading when to get out and attack guys and cut angles, when to stay back. I think that's probably the maturity of a netminder just getting more comfortable in

pretty uncomfortable situations, I would think, with all that traffic and high-end guys coming around. And he just looks placid back there at least he Did last game I I suspect they're gonna you know send bodies and and vulcanized rubber at him repeatedly Tonight and and try to test them a little more But like his rebound control all the mature things at that position. He's been really good at And he's a very driven individual. He's got his big long-term contract now. He stated it after the game in Dallas after game four.

He's got two things on his to-do list, two boxes basically, and they're nothing to do with anything individual. He wants to win a cup and he wants to win an Olympic gold medal and he wants to be the guy in net for it. So that's what's on his plate looking forward and he certainly has the ability to back it up. He's shown that. So between a superstar and Rantunen and the Stars being a game away from a conference final and Brantanen and the Stars being a game away from a conference final and an NBA first pick overall, correct Sammy? Yes, good good time for Dallas star fans, right?

Yes, they they are loving life down there. They've again they they've been able to Witness the team taking, you know lengthy runs and that's ignoring the 2020 bubble when they played in the Stanley Cup final. So there's a little bit of expectation that's built up down there and they enjoy this group. They like the way Pete DeBoer team plays. They're fairly giddy up. They like to pressure all over the ice. I think most teams are trying to move in that direction now and they've embraced the Finns. Somebody said to me the other day they should play three anthems for the game. Not a bad idea. Keep them happy. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, it's it's pretty good. It's pretty good time You know springtime hockey and in Dallas, Texas is a blast and the stars would like to give their their fans a lot of it Here going forward awesome stuff. Have a great call tonight. They're always sure appreciate your time

Yeah, thanks boys enjoyed it as always they're already appreciate it the Dallas stars Yeah, they're gonna be a handful going forward. So you mentioned Them getting the first overall pick the Dallas Mavericks You forgot to mention the other part of the Dallas Mavericks story where they traded away Yes a generational beloved superstar for nothing well not for nothing, but in the grand scheme of things didn't fare well He didn't so good for nothing, but in the grand scheme of things. Who didn't fare well? He didn't.

So, there's definitely, so there's definitely, probably the general manager, Nico Harrison, has probably had some conversations where he's like, Did they get out early in time? I was right, I was right. Just like the Leafs should have done. Got out early. Ah, anyways.

You guys missed the first hour for just joining us for the In the Jell one. Yeah, it wasn't pretty. I'm so happy that's over. We let them know. But you know, you talked through it. It's like therapy, right? Yeah. Now you're ready to reload and get hurt again.

You know what's great is that we'll know when we come in here on the holiday Monday. Yeah. We will know. Okay, so tell me what the Jet fans are feeling right now. Terrible. Down 3-1 in a series. But they're going home? Yeah. Hello Buck will be great. Yeah, but then they get in a series. But they're going home? Yeah.

Hellebuck will be great. Yeah, but then they get, I mean, just let me check the schedule. They gotta go back on the road. But I love the way that works out. I love the way, because you go home, a game you should win, you know, whatever, you do your best, then it becomes,

if we get that one, we get to go home again. The Jets should feel a lot better than Leaf fans. No. I mean, the Leaf fans have a statistically much better chance to win their series than the Jets do, right? They've got one extra win. Like, I mean, listen, statistically doesn't,

I don't think the stats bring in a lot of the ghost factors we've been talking about here, but I think you're excited about a playoff series game at home, you're excited, but there's existential dread in the back of your mind with Jets talk, no? Like you're like, I don't. Buddy, we, too, at home, Hellebuck has been good-ish. And there's more here from this offense.

You know, a couple guys took a while to find themselves in the series or in playoffs. Velarde and Ehlers were injured, they're back now. I still feel like it's a team that can sort themselves out. Dallas is obviously kind of max capacity too, but start with one. Isn't there a Seinfeld episode where Jerry's girlfriend looks good in certain light?

And then is the light different on Connor Hellebuck at home? And when he's on the road? What changes fundamentally? Tell me what. He has the best bed of all time at home. Like his bed is worth 15K. Like he just sleeps perfect. It's custom.

And then he gets out on those hotel beds and he's like, oh me back! And he just starts falling all over the place. That's gotta be it. That's gotta be it. That's the case, the Jets are paid to ship the bed. They would, you know, drag it around with us. To fly that bed.

The best version of you. I don't know. If at all possible. It's weird. Give me a score. I think the Jets win tonight. I don't know. If at all possible. It's weird. Give me a score. I think the Jets win tonight. They have to win. Yeah, 3-1.

3-1, 4-1. We failed to mention that there is another hockey game tonight. Carolina and Washington do play tonight. I mean this sincerely. There is. OK. I actually was typing a lot of I got here today. So sour.

And I'm like, what's on TV tonight? I'm the Kings won that series yet I was like I actually like had the thought of my mind happening in a way I get a yeah time 7 o'clock Yes on sports net so give me a score games on an eight Washington. Who cares to who cares? That's my score They've got a win Stanko Van Hattrick Wow Wow. The Rantlin bowl in the cup final on the horizon. Our thanks to Darrell Ray who's joining us. Enjoy your hockey games tonight as Sam reported earlier there is another game. Yes.

Carolina and the Hurricanes. A little over an hour on Sportsnet. Don't go away, just hang out from our show right into the games and we're back tomorrow. Do it all over again. We got Doug McLean on Friday. I'll text him he's traveling all over the world. Off the rails Friday. Oh yeah we'll'll find him. He's got a lot to say. Okay. Enjoy your night everybody. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening.