Real Kyper & Bourne - Olympic Rosters Review with Doug MacLean

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne welcome in former NHL president, GM and head coach Doug MacLean for the first Off The Rails Friday of 2026 to discuss Sam Bennett's snub off Team Canada's roster, how USA Hockey have constructed their Olympic team, who would replace Bo Horvat if he can't participate, Leafs' playoff chances, why Buffalo Sabres fans should continue to be satisfied with Lindy Ruff leading the bench, concerns with Linus Ullmark's leave of absence affecting the Ottawa Senators, and Brad Marchand escaping a one-game suspension after his hit on Mike Matheson. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee head to the text line to hear some of your comments, questions and much more! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

All right, it's 2006. This is our first show nationally on the Real Kipper and Born show. We are live on Sportsnet. Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, 960 in Calgary, and streaming always on Sportsnet. Plus, if you can't catch us live, it's okay. Don't worry about it.

Don't fret. Spotify, Apple, Podcast, and YouTube. We'll look after you. This hour of Real Kippin-Borne brought you by Bet365. Nick Kipriot, Justin Bourne, and our very own back after a 10-day mandatory absence. I cleared waivers. Semi.

McKee. Cleared waivers. I'm back. Welcome back. Got my conditioning stint in. You're our Troy Stetcher. Oh, yeah. You're going to just come off waivers and be the best player.

High praise. High praise. Handle the tough minutes here. for us. This hour of Real Kipperman Bourne brought to you by Bet365. Also, we will be taking texts. Yeah, 59590, text us. Make sure you get them in early so I can get them organized before we do it.

We're going to do it after Doug. So 59590, get the text in and we'll read them after Doug. So there you go. Right, all right. Doug McLean, former NHL president, GM and head coach will join us on this very Friday. In the meantime, 2006, New Year's resolutions. Come on, boys. to me.

What are the personal goals and promises? I'm really glad that Sam or anyone didn't ask us to do like a New Year's resolutions for the NHL or something. You don't like those things? No. Okay. Yeah. I don't really believe there was a whole res.

If you want to change your life, that's great. And I wish you the best of luck. And maybe you need that impetus to do it. But for me, personally, it doesn't mean anything. I find that when you make grand proclamations about anything in life, you often don't achieve it and you become upset at yourself. So I just don't make goals. Okay.

So I can't really be too disappointed. But actually I do have a goal. It's to add one more color into the lineup. So Kippert's happy. Oh, yeah? I'm going to add a color in. I'm not sure when. I'm not sure what color.

But I'm going to add a third color. Maybe blue. Maybe green for a bet 365, a little green. A little money. I'm going to add a color in the new year. Do you add a resolution? Do you do anything like that? Yeah, of course.

Yeah? I got to pick something. Okay. I am going to be more sensitive to other people's feelings. Really? Ann Marie? Is that what's happening here? She wrote it down for me.

What about Willie's feelings? But we're in a tank top. You weren't very sensitive to those. You're already screwed up here. Starting now. Actually, my wife could have wrote that one for Doug McLean, too. Well, yes, very true. You guys can have some sensitivity.

training together. Olympic? We'll get into Olympics. Oh, yeah. We got an outdoor game here. Huge deal. So it just seems like these things are, I don't know what this is, number 45, 50 maybe in the league since we first thought.

It's a part of the league. It's a lot. Yeah. It's kind of worn off on a national scale, but these things are incredibly popular locally and I don't know, it's a ballpark, right? So what are we looking at, 35,000? Yeah, probably around there. Right, around there.

I mean, people are crapping all over it. Are they why? That's cool that they're trying to do it in Miami. I like that. I mean, a lot of fans, mostly of North teams are thinking that, you know, it's just like, oh, winter classic, winter classic, but I don't really care. Something different. Who cares?

Let them do it. My take of the Winter Classic, who cares? Let's not make Doug McLean wait any longer. He'll leave. He's going to kill me. So welcome him in, former NHL President, GM, head coach. And, you know, Emery. Emery wrote me to, um,

be sensitive to other people's feelings for New Year's, but I'm passing it on to you. So here's the deal, and I had to get this out. Happy New Year to you guys. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. All that's good stuff, but I

forgot to plug my iPad in, so you got me for 15% on my iPad. When it goes dead, it's over, okay. Okay, so 15% I don't know if it last, but that's what you got me for. 15% of my time.

Do you just plug it in now? Okay. I don't have a cord long enough. It's a brand new year. The slate's completely clean. Like, what do you want to paint today around the national hockey league? We can go Olympics. We can go outdoor game.

We can do the Leafs in Austin Matthews back now, being the second best player in the world. You know what? I'd like to go to Olympics to start. And I'm really, because obviously of my Panther connections and living in South Florida and following the Panthers to a degree, I cannot believe this. And I'm sure you guys have talked about this until LaCauss come home. But I don't believe this Sam Bennett exclusion from this team. I'm sorry.

I get the Cooper connection. I get the anti-Panther connection. But this is, to me, Kahn-Smith winner, Stanley Cup final. three years in a row, two Stanley Cups in a row, one of their best players. Did he not score the tying goal in the Four Nations to get them back in it? I mean, what is going on here that this guy doesn't make this team? I'm sorry. Look, I think they did a great job in the selections, but I don't get this one.

I really don't. Yeah, I think they knew they were opening themselves up to a little criticism with that one. I am curious to know, you know, like if he was off all of their list, What change between then? I don't know if you saw. Paul Maurice had a quote where he said the last 27 games of this season have been the best of San Bennett's career.

He said he had a slow start, but he's been awesome for two months. And without Barkoff and without, you know, Kachuk. He and Marchand have been the glue to this team. They've been the glue. And I, you know, I just am disappointed to see a guy come to the Panthers and turn his career around essentially.

with the Panthers and not make the team. I also, the other one I'm bothered a little bit by, and I, and maybe I'm probably wrong in this, but I see Theodore who has not had a good year. I see Sanhine who has not had a great year. And I see Schaefer not on this team. And I know Schaefer probably will get there because if Taves is not there,

my understanding is they've told Schaefer he's the next guy. Is that right? That, well, I'm not telling you, it's the truth. I'm just telling you what I heard. All right. You know, this kid, this kid has been better than those guys since day one of the season guys. And I know he's a kid. I get all that.

But this guy is special. We had, Mac, we had Chris. Celebrity's on the team. Why not Schaefer? We had Chris Pronger on the other day, on the day of the announcement. And we were just going over, like, his era his blue line three or four guys

capable of winning Norris trophies and all these are good defensemen good solid national hockey leaguers there's just there's this head and shoulders and the drop off is rather significant between Kail Makar and everybody else including the Theodores

and there's a tremendous amount of pressure on Kail Makar to carry this blue line I see these I see a group of these guys as five six guys you know there are five six guys that are on this team ahead of a guy that could be a game changer yeah there's a big drop off from macar there's no doubt about now if taves doesn't go uh you know schaefer gets there and all this conversation's a waste of time according to

you know according to me you know so we shall see i understand canada have told quite a few guys to be ready what do you think that means five guys six guys 10 guys I would think it's three or four guys to be ready in case, you know, you've got the Horvath situation. You've got a couple other situations there. So what you do is you tell 25 guys that they're one of three or four guys, that we've told to stay ready. Yeah.

Yeah. That's how I, you know, like, you know how many guys I told they were the last cut? Yeah, it's so true. So then let's, you know, we can go back to Canada if we want, but the U.S. team was named today. and the one that everyone's talking about is Jason Robertson. And I'm just going to say the thing that I feel like everyone is avoiding saying, they must just not like them.

See, this really bothers me that you just said that. Because it's your whole bit? Because it's the next thing I wanted to bring up. Everyone's going, oh, it's a, the penalty killing. It's like, they just don't like them. You nerdy guys always get ahead of me, you know? And I like it. No, I agree.

I mean, they must not. How good is this team that this guy doesn't make the team? And that makes me a little nervous. I'm looking today going through the lineups, and I'm thinking, USA look awful tough. I mean, their blue line is terrific. Their gold tending is better.

And other than McDavid and Crosby up front, their forward group may be better. You know, if you take, you know, the McDavid Crosby always sets up apart. Don't forget the East Coast and McKinnon. What they bring to the table. So, yeah, the U.S. is a real good team.

Sweden is going to be a real good team. I mean, look, it's going to be an interesting another guy brought up to me today Dowdy being on the team. I love Dowdy. I love him.

Everything he's done for the game and done. have beat them out for fun the last three years in the first round or second round of the playoffs. Boucher has outplayed him in every one of those series, and people don't want to touch Boucher because he makes the odd big mistake. He plays the same way as all the Oilers do, but he takes the brunt of the mistakes. Even with this team, Acombe even makes mistakes because they're so bad defensively up front. Now, I'm not a big Boucher fan, but I was just a conversation I had. today was somebody.

Mack, Drew Dowdy is there for his presence as much as anything else here. He, if they got Sid Crosby for the forwards, he's the voice,

he's the guy that can calm people down on that blue line. I want, I want Dowdy on the team. I'm just saying what somebody mentioned to me and brought it up.

I love Doughty. I love everything about him. I don't even know them as a kid, but I certainly, I certainly appreciate what he's done. No denying that. Now, any doubts about some of the guys who are on? Cole Cawfield doesn't make the cut either to go with Jason Robertson.

Some of the names I've heard people be critical of are J.T. Miller, of any Trochequechek and Miller, both Rangers guys, yet Adam Fox didn't get on. But any thoughts and any of those sort of fringe guys? I didn't really follow the U.S. team that close, to be quite honest. I've been sort of just watching, you know, Canada. The one other comment I heard today was the next guy after Schaefer that makes a team

is Baderd. Have you heard that? I have not heard that. Is that? Do you think so? Well, see, if I'm wrong at both of these things, then Sammy should dump me on this Friday show. Sorry, pal, you can be wrong on everything.

You're stuck with us. Doug Armstrong. I don't have no power anyway. Doug Armstrong talked about having like categories in terms of style of play to to replace people here. So Bo Horvatt, the reports are that he should be okay, that he's looking at maybe a couple of weeks,

not a month or two. So you're telling us maybe Badard could go in for Bo Horvad or would that be more of a Sam Bennett in that category? Yeah, I would think if it's, I think if it's a Bo Horvatt, it's, I would hope it's Sam Bennett. You know, if it's this more skilled guy, I think it's maybe a badard. I mean, I don't know.

I'm just, again, what I heard, you know. We like what you hear. Yeah. We do. I hear too. You know what I get to hearing anything. For a guy that's out of it, I hear way too much. We, we do.

Way too much. You know, some of these teams have as many as 20 games to go. Like, somebody's getting hurt. Yeah, 100% and they're making plans for this. Army and the guys are definitely making plans for this. Now, here's the critical situation for you guys and your Leafs. So when I look at it today, 42 games left, Leifes have played their 40th game. I've got the Leafs and Ottawa, both teams have to go 6-3-1.

in every 10-game segment to finish the season to make the playoffs. 6-3-1 in every 10-game segment. That's, with all the three-point games, that is really challenging. That gets some 95 points, 96. That gets them 95 points. So that's what it's going to take by the looks of it today.

So you had thought maybe not, but, you know, they've got to consider 6-3. Ottawa is 6, 3 and 1 in their last 10 with their losses. They're 6.3 and 1 in their last 10. And I think Toronto, I'm not sure if Toronto's right there or not. Can they keep that up for the next four segments? If they do, they should have a chance to get in the playoffs. And we had the debate in the last hour for what?

And to what end? You know, like if it's not going to be a, should they sell anyway, if they're going to be a sacrificial lamb in round one? You know, I'm sort of, I was sinking watching the game last night. some games their goaltending is terrific and some games it's awful their defense you can't count on them their forward group you can't really count on them what is there to hang your hat on

right now and I know their power plays the division the the eastern conference basically is not that great maybe hang your hat on that everyone else stinks it's mushy middle time there's a lot of there's a lot I mean, we look, all us so-called experts are upside down in the standings today compared to what we thought they would be. And you look pretty seriously at that when you're making predictions going into the season.

And they're upside down, essentially. So, you know, it's going to be, it'll be a fun situation to watch. I watched Shifley play last night. I watched him play his tail off. And I'm thinking, okay, Mark Stone with his injuries is a Shifley guy that could be there with the way he's. played lately. But how do you take Shifley over Stone? I don't because Stone's a guy

that can win it for you, you know? And he's a game breaker and he's a winner. But, you know, it's really tough decisions to make, to make the call on these teams. There's no denying that. Matthews looks a little better now. I mean, can you see him

hitting his... You know what? All he needs he only needs one thing in my opinion. One thing only. Oh. He needs Comrie and gold. again on the line. I mean, you've lost seven in a row, and I mean, I felt so bad for that kid last night in goal. He's not a kid anymore.

He's a veteran backup. But, I mean, that was frightening to watch. And then, you know, the kid, Toronto goal makes the big blocker save at the end of the game to keep it, you know. How do you go from the best team in the NHL 12 months ago to the worst team in the NHL in 12 months. I don't think it's ever been done. When I watched that bench last night, it was a despondent group on that bench. I mean, something's got to give here.

I haven't heard anything from Chevy for a month. There's got to be something coming here that Chevy's going to come with a statement or Arneal. I mean, what are they going to do to shake this up? I watched the debacle last night when they sit Luke Shen out where, you know, for whatever it was his 1,100th game or whatever, and I'm thinking, how is the chemistry on this team right now? How is the mood of this group when you've got a veteran guy that's probably what I know, the little bit I know, Luke Shen would be one of the most popular guys in that team coming back to where he started his career and doesn't dress and his family's in attendance, like seriously. That's right out of Mike Keenan's book, that one, right out of Mike Keenan's book. The, you know, while we're talking about teams that struggled, I'm going to flip it around on you a little bit.

Buffalo Sabre Talk. 10 straight wins. I'm going to read what Sammy wrote down here. Should they rehire Kevin Adams? Well, Kevin, I fit, you know, Kevin wins four in a row and he gets turfed. Keck-elan comes in. He hasn't added a coach. He hasn't added a player.

He hasn't done anything. But he's a genius. You know, I don't. think Bergeron, I don't think, I don't think Mark Bergemon has done that much and I guarantee you that Josh from Columbus hasn't done anything yet because he's a contract guy unless he's working on tuck, which he might be and he's a good quality guy. But what is going on? They do have one thing there that we never talked about all year. They have the fourth winning this coach in NHL history coaching their team. That's what they have. Yeah. The fourth

winning his coach in NHL history in Lindy Rob. And all people have done is rip them for the last few years. And all of a sudden, maybe things have calmed down. There's a breath of fresh air. There's the players think there's hope,

you know, and the guys that aren't signed think there's hope. And bringing the, you know, making that change itself. I don't, I don't,

I'm not criticizing Kevin. I know how tough the job is. It's one of the, it's one of the, it is a unbelievable. And especially when things go south, you'll wake up in the morning and it's like you've got your blinders, you've got horse blinders on. You're thinking, oh, my God, what have I got a face today? I got the media after me.

I got the ownership after me. I got the fans are after me. It is one of the weirdest feelings you'll ever have in your life. But it's one of the greatest jobs you can ever have. You know, the last time you were on our show, you suggested maybe. be that the Leafs make a tweak maybe on the bench and you may be suggested, I don't

know, Mark Savard and poor guy loses his job when you say that and now he's his Twitter handle has a picture of you and him on it last time I checked. I don't think I don't think I call his name out but what bothered me to

no end? I remember saying it and then I saw Mark's new Twitter handle and is he and I on the desk at SportsNat. Oh yeah. It's back to him in a Bruins jersey. I think word got out to him that, you know, you suggested maybe that Leifes make some changes. I, my sources tell me that Ruby didn't want to do it

and Tree didn't want to do it. And the president has flexed his muscles. He's that, Keith Pelly? Keith Pelley, you're suggesting. Yeah, I mean, yeah, you got to. Well, his jobs to hold people accountable, right? Yeah, I don't think there's anything. anything wrong with it. I don't care who made the call. I mean, it's obviously things like that

happen. I feel bad for Mark. I don't really, I don't know them that well, but I've always liked just worked with them. I don't like, I don't like to see anybody lose their job, but it, I think when I said that I, did I also say Pelly has to step up to? You know, I mean, I don't know, you say a lot of stuff. Yeah, you can't keep track of whatever you do, do not keep track of what I There's certain things you should keep track of. No, no, it's too hard. I want to know what's going on in Ottawa. Okay.

Okay, because I picked Ottawa to make the playoffs. Well, they lost their goalie. Yeah, they lost their goalie. So, like, okay, what is, where is he? Is he coming back? What is going on there? I've never. Nobody, why is it so high?

I don't know. We've dealt. with this all season long with the Leafs. It's not uncommon. It's not uncommon now for guys just to, I don't know, take a break or go deal with some other things. You know what's uncommon?

That a guy's making $8 million a year and he's getting his check every two weeks. That's what's uncommon. And I can't imagine the owner is liking that very much. And he's got three more years at $8 million. I just like to know what is he coming back in a week because I happen to be a bit of an Ottawa Senator fan.

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, there's been no reports at all. This doesn't seem to be a suggestion that he's physically ailing or dealing with anything, you know, wellness-wise. So I don't know. You're right. It leaves a lot of people hanging, and we went through this with the Leafs covering in our Leaf Edition hour.

But it's the new world, Mac. It's the new world. The teams have nothing. They have no other choice. but to say we support this and we stand behind them. That's all you're going to get. And we keep sending the pro-rated $8 million every two weeks. So the senators then do you think deeper problems?

I watched the kid play last night. And the only thing that bought, I thought the kids stood in there. I mean, the team was awful. And Ottawa were awful in the first period. Then they battled back and played hard, hard, the second, third. and he was blocking shots. The only thing that bothered me is he's watched

Allmark too much and he's all over the net. He's all over that at Light Allmark and I'm thinking, oh my God, he's watched Allmark too much. Now, you know, so hopefully he'll get that out of his system and he'll carry them. Here's to hope and for the sense. I can't make sense of them. Also, on a more positive note, keeping it in Canada,

Edmonton Oilers now leading the Pacific Division. Are they back to being Canada's best hope put a Stanley Cup? Yeah, they're just, there's something that, I don't know. I mean, with Tricy-Syield and David and the group, they're always going to be there. I mean, they're always going to be right in the mix with that group. They're getting like the Leafs now.

You know, they've gone to the finals twice in a row, and it all comes down to what they do in the playoffs. We all know they're going to get there. I mean, last year they were in last place, first 25 games of the season or whatever it was. and they get in. We know they're getting in. We know they're going to, you know, advance,

but do they have a chance to win? I mean, look, they're playing pretty well. They're playing pretty well. You should trade for Troy Statcher. The one thing I did want to mention to you is the hit. You sound nervous. You said, did I say something wrong? You sound like you're uptight.

No, I'm not. Maybe it's that green grinch shirt you're wearing. I like that nice forest green. That's sharp. You got the forest green. that's a Peter Malar. Ooh, nice

golf apparel there. I know that that's not cheap. Very, very nice. Did you manage to see the hit on Matheson by Brad Mishand? No, I didn't. Okay, well, he's out of the line. He didn't play the other night.

Montreal is absolutely wild on it. Well, you can't, you can't knock Brad out for the outdoor game. Come on. But there's got to be a little. and what he was going to get away with that game before. Brad must have known it and was like to hell with it. I mean, Brad must be shaking.

I mean, remember all the, remember when he was in the slew footing mode and he was slew footing everybody around the league and getting suspended and then Cadre and him? Oh, but anyway. McKee took this as proof that the Panthers bias is real. Here you go, Doug. Can you see this right now? Ding.

Right to the brain. Oh. Not very clean. I think, I think, Mack, there's a sense that the league, the league at times can look around and go, you know, we're missing a little bit of physicality when it comes to a lot of teams. But Florida has it. But do they not have to suspend one guy every once in a while just to keep everybody honest? Three one game suspensions this year? There's been nothing. They've got to keep George

awake somehow. Somehow. But here, you know what, I was talking to somebody the other day and I watch a lot of games as you guys do and I'm really really tired of the of the pretty game I am really getting tired of it I mean I I I'm and people have mentioned to me lately do you think we're going to get back to more physicality is it going to come back things go in cycles is it going to come back to the game I don't mean the brawling but is there any chance it's there in the first round back it's there in the playoffs

I know but we got 82 to get to the first round can we get some of it in the regular season seriously I mean I feel sorry for you you're on the you're on the you're on the show doing the games you guys and I'm thinking oh my God you must be bored out of your mind

you know what the biggest thing I've seen and I thought it was maybe more of a leaf thing but it's around the league that you can you can watch a game go in that midpoint of the second period and you're seeing eight shots on goal 10 shots on goal no no one no one wants to get a puck to the net and let's say think they think they can score yeah I know and I but then when the like you said when the you know listen if if barkoff and kachuk were playing for the panthers since day one you wouldn't see a big

change in their game from their playoff game till their regular season game you wouldn't see a big difference. Tampa Bay, you don't see a big difference from their regular season to their playoffs. There's too many teams that are, you know, maybe Edmonton have got to do some more of that to get ready for the playoffs or some. I just, I'm missing it. That's all. I think the game has gotten really soft. I really do. And it's, every game looks the same to me almost every night. I actually think that everyone kind of agrees you to hear. And I think that if you're a young kid coming up or a coach, the value is not in being skilled anymore

because everyone's skilled. The value is in the guys who have this edge. And I wonder if that will become a more coveted quality guys and they'll start developing a bit. Everyone is skilled now. I don't, you wouldn't believe and, you know, I was in the NHL for 24 years and I,

you can't imagine how many times that it was talked about. Grit, toughness, character. I got to believe it's still the same. I've got to believe it's still the same. It was really a critical

aspect of scouting. What is he going to do when the game turns up a notch? How is he going to perform at playoff time? And you know, there's certain teams that do it and there's certain that aren't. A quick one before I let him go unless you have one. You go.

I just want to ask about can you remember a team like the Colorado Avalanche being this much better than the rest of the league? Two regulation losses in 39 games this season. Nathan McKinn is plus 51 right now. Yeah, I'm blown away by how good they are, and especially when they're doing this good with two relatively not unknowing goaltenders, but certainly not the type that you think you need to win the Stanley Cup. And they've been able to do it with a total team game.

McKinnon is on a mission. Everybody talked about how is he going to respond with the big guy gone, you know, from the trade last year. And it hasn't affected McKinnon. McKinnon's on a mission to bring this team back. So they're, I haven't watched them a whole lot, but they they're a wagon right now. They really

are. We should let you go because you and Jill got to pack the car up and get to Miami for this outdoor game. As I said to John Shannon today, I don't even want to go to an indoor game, little alone an outdoor game.

Well said. But, but I would have considered this one because I could have wore short. I could have wore shorts. How is it? Is it warm down there? No, actually it's cooling up. It's really, it's really, oh, don't even bring that up to me. That means me and Don't Jerry are in the same boat on that one.

That was a joke. But anyway, I'm checking the temperature so I can give you a total update. Rate as of right now, yeah, it's cooled off. It's only 68 here right now. So it's going to be a cool night in Miami. It'll be a really fun night. And I bet you you have. Oh, it's going to be spectacular.

I bet you. I forgot to tell Jill that we're watching that game instead of Landman tonight. My guess is if you went to your drawer right now, you'd pull out 10 Willie Nealander undershirts right now. Like, what is going on, boys? come on like serious I'm not even impressed with your guys your guys dress is a little sloppy today too

yeah yeah is that a dude you know honor him or what no Peter Miller year we can all afford the Peter Miller gear back guys great job had three warnings come up battery low on the screen here you made it you made it I made I feel so

so good and cheers to a happy new year guys it's been fun and uh soon ending? No, no, no, no. We're just getting started. 2026 every Friday.

And wish Sammy. Sammy's not on the set, so wish Sammy a happy new year. We will last night. I get a great happy new year from Sammy, and then the next sentence is, can you come on? He's got to butter you up first. Thanks a lot, guys. We're doubling your salary.

We're doubling your salary in 2026. I appreciate it. Thanks, guys. Doug McLean, everybody. Oh, my God. Get rid of him. I can't believe they didn't suspend Marshad. He really didn't like that one.

What more do you need? What? He hit a guy in the head with his elbow. Targeting. He's got a nice video of him. He went and got everybody aboard. He can't suspend him. No, I mean, he's never done anything.

He has no history. He's got no history in the league. The benefit of the doubt to Brad Marshand is bonkers. Do you get a fine? Dude, it is. 100% outdoor game-related. Too bad. They're running a business.

Don't do dumb stuff. Running a business. Too bad, man. That's a joke. You're talking about fairness, not business. No one should have been. Mathis is out. He's out.

Is he? It's a total suspension. Yeah, I mean, I also saw that Matthew Barzell absolutely chopped down. Stop. One of the most egregious slashes of all time. It was, Bobby McMahon glances a guy in the shoulder. Kick him off the tour!

And this guy just gets a, gah, gah! He stabbed him on the ice. Paul Bunyan. You're not doing any gardening work. You have no idea what a chop is or what a little... It's absurd. Kick him off the tour. Bobby McMan.

Little clippers. Game time? We'll do game time before we go. Oh, boy. It's game time. Presented by Bet365. Visit the app for latest Dodds and see why it's never ordinary at Bet365.

Must be 19 plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Yeah. Over under crimes committed by Florida Panthers outside tonight At the arena at the rank Or it's indoors, but kind of outside Over

Let me see What the line for that game is tonight Like I said, they're playing at Lone Depot Park I think that's what it's called The prestigious Lone Depot Park In where the I believe the Miami Marlins play their hockey The game

The Florida Panthers are minus 150 favorites the Rangers are plus 125. I don't know if you guys have seen any pictures of the ice. Wouldn't say it looks great. And I saw the AI-generated joke memes. Yeah, it's very good. But the pictures of the actual ice doesn't look great. Will Cooley kind of crying about it already.

So give me the under in this game. Yeah, that's a good bet. Under 5.5 is the number. It is minus 105. So give me the under in that game tonight. Two good goalies. Crappy ice. Outdoor game.

give me the under and a nice 3-1 win for the Florida Panthers. I like that pick. That was game time. Presented by Bet365. Visit the athlete of sods and see why it's ever ordinary at Bet365. Mr. 18 plus. Ontario only, please play responsibly. While you were gone, I told people to take the over on shots or saves made by Joseph

Woll the other night and it was like, no-brainer, nailed it. So I'll just get a pat myself on the back. Oh, wait a minute. It gets Winnipeg. No, no. Oh, okay. I heard that you did a good job. He did.

Great job. Oh, did you do it one day? No, one day I did it. Yeah, and then you're like, you got to get the kid in here. I did it in no days. Yeah. Yeah, I don't think you've ever done it. I see you butchering it.

And I'm like, why would I want to do that? So I told everybody to text. And it's just all Leafs text. It's a national hour, man. Let's get some. I want Whitehorse. I want New Brunswick. I want Saskatoon.

Colonna. Do it. Everywhere. 590. 590. Send us your text and we'll read them on air when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Welcome back to the program, Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne. Sammy McKee.

If you're watching on, I'm feverishly trying to change the channel to get away from the Jay's highlights because they can't look at it still. Still a pit of your stomach. Did just get to watch St. Louis beat Vegas, more than the dying moments of that game. Vegas is like one in five or something. Not having that good at you. Harder.

or three drops below an 880 I just saw say percentage but 900 is now the magic number it was like 910 912 oh yeah all of a sudden the goalies are starting to go south a little bit on their average hey I'm sure

you guys talked about it a lot and you talked about it Mac talked about it a little bit too I can't believe they left Sam Bennett off the team boys I am I'm apoplectic about it I got, hold on.

Have they not been watching hockey for three years? We had a little bit of a discussion on this and then we went to Doug Armstrong on the day of the announcement. But I want to throw this by you because he wasn't buying anything I was saying. I said that a guy like Sam Bennett is actually more dangerous than even a guy like Tom Wilson because Tom, you know, is coming.

But Bennett is that sneaky, dirty, like accidentally on purpose kind of guy. Best in the league at it. The best in the league. By far. And Justin's like, well, this is the Olympics. They don't do that. And I'm like, yeah, I think they might still do that.

So you think he shouldn't be on? No, I think he should be on, but not because he's going to cheap shot someone who doesn't see him coming. I don't even know what you're arguing here. My argument is that he finishes his checks. And yes, he can do that without taking a penalty. He does it. The NHL referees, we listen to Doug Armstrong.

He's the cleanest player in the league. We listen to Doug Armstrong saying NHL referees, NHL players, NHL called game. Why wouldn't you take a guy that can do that and get away with it constantly and not keep your opponents on their toes?

This to me is like, I really love the like F-150, the new Ford. I love this truck. It's awesome. I love everything about it. What's your favorite thing? I like it's windows.

You know, it's like of all Sam Bennett does being like, oh, he's sneaky dirty. I don't care about the windows. You think that's all that he brings? He's a big-time gamer. He can score. That's why I want him there. He can score.

He can hit. But this is the X factor. The dirtiness. This is the X factor. Yes. The dirtiness. It's an insane thing to say. He is, honestly, he's Canadian identity.

Like, I just don't know how Doug Armstrong was, which game was it in Montreal? Was the one in Montreal with the fights? How does Doug Armstrong watch in one of the most high, intensity games in my life, that first game against the States. How does he watch Sam Bennett trade blows with Brady Kichuk, who's out of his weight class,

at Center ice, at the Belster? Then, score the game-tying goal in the gold medal game, when the game was slipping away from Team Canada, they win. And then he won the Khan-Smith, and he's like, I'm good. What? It's Cooper. It's all Cooper. There's no way it's not Cooper.

It's insane. The guy that scares you the most is the one that you don't think is coming. And that's Sam Bennett. I think, you know, Sam, there's a chance that they can make the case that they're saying, look, he's a 50. Oh, but Sorrelli kills penalties really well

and his goals on the ice percentage. Oh, blah, blah, blah, blah. How about the Kahn Smyth percentage? How about shooting the puck in the net and big games percentage? Was that a John Cooper? No, I saw somebody tweeting at me the other day that's like, oh, he's expected goals on the ice

when he's blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, who cares? No. Do you not watch hockey? No, Sirelli, I don't think that... Oh, they're really good to get on the penalty kill. There's no logic in knocking Sirelli. There's no logic in knocking Srelly.

Yes, it is. He shouldn't be there over Bennett. No chance in the world. Well, I, the coach who has won all that John Cooper has won. He says this guy's more useful to me than that guy. The one bubble cop and the COVID cop, the two fake cops. Yeah, those are great cops. Okay, well, then... How about the real back-to-back ones with the best player on the Is being Sam Bennett?

It's insane. For two months. Listen to me. I'm, I hate the Panthers. Listen. I can't believe he's not there. I want Sam Bennett there, too. I'm trying to have a conversation about the pros and cons

of why he should and shouldn't be there. I think there's legitimate reason to say... God, I've missed you, Sammy. Me too. This passion is good, but they're sitting there trying to break it down the versatility of who you would use when and what situations or whatever.

The implication you're making here is that Doug Armstrong and John Cooper are bad at identifying good hockey players. No, that's not what I'm saying. Yes, it is. They're identified. Hold on. What is the case?

What's the case? That they hate the Champ. You missed on Sam Bennett. Well, okay, well, then that's what you're saying. Why did they miss? Why did they miss on him? Because John Cooper hates. It's either that they hate him because they think he's a bad person or what's the,

or because they're so tied up in their own teams. I just think it's John Cooper hates him. John Cooper hates him as a man. I think there's a lot of politics that go into this stuff. I talked about this with Bunkas today. A lot of politics goes into this stuff. where he said this to me that it's a hard conversation for John Cooper to go back into his room

and be like, I took the blood rival over you. They could have cut Bo Horvatt. It wasn't Sorrelli or... But I like Bo Horvott more than I like... Sullivan and New York. Insane things to... Sullivan and New York did it to Adam Fox. Yeah, I know.

And we should have done it. We should have done it. So you think that it was that he didn't have... It had to be Sorrelli over Horvatt or Suzuki or any of those guys. And he didn't have the balls to go to him and say, you're cut. I like Corvatt? I like Corvette.

I think Horvatt. Do you like Horvatt more than Sam Bennett? No. No. How about Anthony Sorrelli? You like Horvatt more than him? I do like Soravrelly. I think he's got more of an offensive upside than Sorrelli and he does a lot of the same thing.

I agree with that. No, he has way more offensive upside. Of course, but Sorrelli wins Memorial Cups and Stanley Cups driving 70% of the play the other way every time he's on the ice against top competition. Horvat doesn't do that. I just know that I watched that gold medal game and I sent multiple treats. They're like, more number nine and red, please. More nine.

I want him on the team. He's on my team everywhere. I'm just saying it's insane. I think there's some happy guys going to line up against Canada and not see Sam Bennett. I just, I love Doug Armstrong as a hockey guy. I just, and I love him calling on a show. And I'm just like, how have you watched hockey for the last three years and determined that Sam Bennett is not one of the 12 best Canadian forward?

This is my point. This is my point. If we could talk about it, there's a reason he did it. Yes. And so it has to be passed. They don't have the balls to do it. John Cooper and Doug Armstrong, they're men. They could have told a guy if they thought he was better.

So there's a reason. And it's utility, practicality. I agree that it's wrong. I disagree with it. Until you get punched in the nose. I want him on the team if you're listening. But Tom Wilson's there to punch noses too. But I just, I think that, I mean, Tom Wilson's having an unbelievable year and he's

But Tom Wilson didn't replace Sam Bennett. No, he didn't. Well, so hold on. You don't think that they at one point said, we have a, a guy who does this now that we have Wilson. We have a guy who does it and has more offensive upside so we don't need a redundancy here. You need more than one guy.

Well, I think it's more likely that they said we'll take Wilson instead of Bennett. That's fair. That's fair. God, I love these conversations. It could appear that way now for sure. I get it, but like I want both of them. I want both of them. I do too. Having three lightning guys there

and not taking one of the best hockey players in big games on the planet to the big games is a tough visual. And we're all going to get him on the team. They're not going to zero injuries from near. It's the principle. It is. It is. A reminder of this hour of Real Kippermborn brought to you by Bet365.

Sammy. Sorry. Get some texts going here. Calm down. Our beloved. Okay, this is a great one. Texting from Calgary. We were all in on team tank at the start of the year.

Now the flames are suddenly in the hunt for a playoff spot. question for kipper and borne how does it play into the room to trade vets like rasmus blake coleman while the team is in the hunt most fans are hoping to make those trades of veterans but curious the message it sends cheers boys thanks for the message while the team is in the what the playoff hunt the hunt i understand that they're one point out but yeah but i mean we i mean what was the don maloney was like albert you know we're not trading anybody and they've been trying to win and they're not like god i got to be honest as i started that answer i didn't realize it was this close that My God, there's a whole mess.

It's not their time. Other layup line for the oilers. It's not. I can appreciate that you want to protect the integrity of the rest of the season, but it's not their time. So I hate saying this

and I'm not suggesting that they tank, but like you got to flip for more assets so you can be ready in two or three years. It needs to be practical about where you're at. There's this mushy middle. We get that and you want to call it parody. Okay, call it parity.

But we still have a lot of teams that aren't very good. They're not on solid foundation. They don't have a strong core. And you can play with Fool's Gold. Yeah. 10, 12 teams. Yeah. And I include the Leafs and Winnipeg last night.

Entertaining games. Right. entertaining game, fun. You found two points, but that's not championship hockey, and I don't know where it's going to lead, but we got 15 teams right now that can, yeah, crawl into the playoffs.

There's literally a chopping block for lambs. They're just cutting necks off in there, and there's 15 lambs waiting to get in and be like, me, cut my head off in the first round. True. It's like, who gets to play Colorado? Yeah, who wants to come in and get mauled by, you know, Dallas. Well, Dallas is good at the wild problem.

I just, I don't, but I, I think we talked about what their ownership kind of feels like. And like, they always want to make the playoffs and they're always, so are they going to trade those guys? They better. They better. They better. They kind of did last year, right? They pivoted a bit. They traded some of their, did they?

And I think the only reason why Cadre is still around right now in Calgary is because they haven't got the right offer yet. Yeah. Still waiting around. This is from the Okotos, Okotos, Alberta. Okotokes. Is that right? Okotokes. Oketok.

If the ice is that bad in Florida, the league shouldn't have an issue with the ice in Milan when it goes there. Great show, guys. The ice in Milan is going to be gelato. It's going to be in. Coded with lemoncello. That's all you're going to get. Like I said earlier, I don't know what they're at.

45, 50 of these outdoor games. At a times, the ice has been challenging, but they've they've pulled these off yeah and like i gotta believe they got the chillers rammed up and i know they have a temporary tent over it like two i think chillers or two something or they've gone to another level in florida so it's got to be as cold as it can you pull off the tarps yeah yeah yeah off you go a few sleeveless undershirts i think in the stands tonight i think a lot i think the players the scratches would be justified in being in tank tops although it's 60 degrees in there and that's still kind of a crazy thing to wear it's 60 Brady and calgary and cal

over under 10 regulation losses for Colorado this year. Well, it has to be four times worse in the back half than they were in the front half. I think under. 10. I think it's, yeah, I see under 10. I was actually eight or nine. For the first time I had the thought, do you think they just don't regret the ranting and thing? They're like, we got it right.

Like NACIS was the perfect fit here? Isn't he plus 40? Plus 40. Yeah. It's been remarkable. And, you know, that Brock Nelson, I'm telling you, it didn't look good when he got there. And then it didn't click in the playoffs. But, man, has he been a nice fit there too?

This, the whole random thing kind of worked everywhere a little bit so far. Like it's, Dallas is okay. Carolina still got their picks. Dan, it's been good. I don't know. I sure wish it worked here in Toronto. Didn't work in Toronto. That would have been a great.

Toronto took the L on that. That is an all-time what-if, what they would look like right now. Probably a little better. Yeah, but you can go back and say, what if the Leafs got Gretzky, you know? Why didn't they get Gretzky? Didn't he say they play for free? Because they were going,

because the Leafs were in a transition with ownership, and there was, I think, a shift of public money to private money. There's something weird going on there. Wasn't it? Was it when he said with the Rangers? He went to, he was going to. St. Louis? No, St. Louis to the Rangers.

Yeah. And it could have been St. Louis to the Leafs. So there's your more what-ifs, Sammy. It's only the greatest player of all the time. What a killed for a least. Ariel Boy. Leaves-Gretzky jersey would be a popular one. That might have sold a couple of jerseys.

Sammy, it took a while for you to warm up, but you're back, buddy. You're back. Great screaming about that. Yeah, well done. Good screaming. No. No, we're kinder, gentler show in 2026. We're sensitive show now.

We're sensitive. I want it to be more sensitive. Gee, sorry. All right? Working on. our thanks to the ever popular Doug McLean. All right, enjoy your outdoor game tonight. Enjoy your weekend and we're right back here on Monday.