Real Kyper & Bourne - Opening Week Overreactions with Mike Rupp

Episode Date: October 10, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee review Thursday's slate in the NHL, including the Red Wings' rough first impression, a scrappy game between the Canucks and Flames, and Alex Nedeljkovic's late-game gaffe for San Jose against the Golden Knights. NHL Network analyst and former NHLer Mike Rupp joins the show (14:25) to discuss the Rangers' outlook this season under Mike Sullivan, what to make of the Penguins and Bruins' hot starts, why the Leafs are built for the postseason, and whether Stuart Skinner can be the man for the Oilers. Later, Nick, Justin and Sam discuss Kyle Connor's hat trick after signing long-term, Andrei Vasilevskiy fading for Tampa Bay, and Matthew Schaefer's debut before answering your questions on the text line!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.

closing out the week on the real kipper and bourne show season five nick kipper hills justin born sammy mckee jake the snake shultz derrick brando we're live on sports net 650 in vancouver sports net 650 in vancouver sports net 960 in calgary and streaming always on sports net plus you get a chance to not catch us live find us on spotify apple podcast and youtube and give us a thumbs up remember those or three let's go this hour real kippern born brought to you by bet 365 in a few minutes we'll welcome in mike rock n hl network analyst former n heller and a key get yes we're pumped to have them today i don't think we did maybe had them on all last year no you couldn't find them with a searchlight

I mean, listen, I think he does like a six-hour show every day on an HL network, so I think he's kind of a busy guy. The man is doing analysis. Yeah, so, but I mean, it's not looking forward to having him. No Doug this week, unfortunately. Doug was traveling. He got the Canadian Thanksgiving. It's the Canadian Thanksgiving.

He's with his kid, too. Yeah, I think he was doing, he's going with him for some trip. Yeah, quality time. Yeah, yeah. We'll give him quality time. That's allowed. That's his payment. Quality time.

Yeah. 14 games last night, though. Busy. A lot of hockey. A lot of hockey. channel surfing. Did we learn anything shocking for anyone? Here, let's do this.

Okay. Every NFL season, the week one happens. And there's like the huge overreactions where it's like the overreaction Monday. So it's overreaction Thursday or Friday, I guess today. What is the number one overreaction after one game played of the national? Okay, Justin Bourne first. Red Wings stink. Brutal.

Steve Eisenman's in trouble. Yes, they're not. That bad. They are that bad. I went through this year and I wrote two sentences on every team in the NFL. And to write that, I had to look at all their rosters, read some other previews, get a sense where they're at. And I'm like, what is Detroit's plan? So if you've already eliminated Detroit, do we just give Pittsburgh a birth in the Stanley Cup final after?

Oh and O for the pens. Don't let them get hot. No, no, because there's different. Are they good? Are it's Pittsburgh better than we thought? No. Okay. But they're better than Detroit.

they are better Wow Yes Who's on the Red Wigs Raymond's is what The 40th best Forward in the league

Maybe Larkin What's he 50th best I don't know Who's on their team They've been bad for nine years Moe Mo is a I do like Mo Sider

Yeah okay Great defenseman Totally like Mo Sire too Big stud Every team has one good player Anyway Sorry that's my week one Overreaction

Okay that's a good It's a good overreaction I mean I'm looking at their forward cord. I don't know if it's that huge of an overreaction. My biggest question is they've missed us seven years in a row. Yeah.

Shouldn't you have guys that are here now? The prospect guys, and I'm sure our boy Bukes, we've got to get on here soon, would tell you that they do have one of the best young prospect pools in the league and they drafted very well, much like Stevie Eisenman did with the Tampa Bay Lightning, right? where like they set up with the point draft and guys that they brought up throughout that. It was all well with, but at some point you kind of got to flip it into those guys playing well.

And like Raymond is part of that, I know. And so is, uh, so was cider. Yeah. But outside of those two, it feels like it hasn't had a ton of countries than Josh. And, hey. And Gibson looked like. And I do think Montreal is a decent team. Yeah, sure.

And Gibson, boy. They, yeah. Look good, though. Looked amazing. So 28 teams, 14 games last night. Yeah. We'll get into a few here. but tonight we have how many games?

A zero. Can somebody please explain to me how we go from 14 games to zero on a Friday night? They really don't like Friday night games. Like you look at the schedule third year, they just don't play on Fridays, Thursday, Thursday, Saturday. Yeah. But why?

Zero. But why? I mean, zero is wrong. That's it. We've got an Olympic year. We've crammed training camp. We've crammed in a few games here on back-to-backs for a lot of teams. Look at Calgary.

Oh, my gosh. Wolf's starting both games. The need for Dustin Wolf to go back to back and then, yeah, tough night in Vancouver. But, all right, so, and then, like, we're backing off a Friday night. Like, why not schedule six or eight games? Like, who could spread it out? I don't know. I don't understand the aversion.

But tomorrow, I think this is why. I think they want to set up these odd special days. Tomorrow, every single team in the NHL play, 16 games. And 10 straight hours of hockey, I think, from whatever. And what I call it the frozen frenzy? Is that what we're doing? Is that one? Is that?

Is it every 15 minutes again? They went. Let's check. 16 games tomorrow. Are they all spread out with sporadic starts? Actually atrocious. Oh, no. 1.30, 4 p.m.

And then seven, seven, seven, seven, seven, seven, seven, seven. Wow. Okay, so it's not for anything special. Wow. What are we doing? What are we doing? Anyway. Go ahead and get the fuck out?

It's a dumb week. I don't get it. I don't get it either. There's got to be some explanation. For the first week of your season, where, like, you've had this great momentum to start your season, all the teams are playing, and then have the, like, which started Tuesday night. Three days later, your league has started

and you have no games? This is very weird. Followed by two games in the afternoon and then 11 starting at 7th, basically. Anyway. So yeah. Let's go back to last night, though. Okay, let's stay with Calgary in Vancouver.

Yep. Cagre put a heck of an effort in Edmonton. I know it probably was a big ask to, find a way to stay in a hockey game 24 hours later. Yeah. But Vancouver looked pretty solid and Demko looked very solid. Yeah, if Demko's really good and you know who really impressed me and it's not just because he scored twice that Heedle, he's big and he moves well and he can make plays. The big thing with him has always been health, right?

Yeah. Like if he could put together a healthy season for them, give them a legitimate centerman. That would be wonderful. You know, I don't know how Pete he's going to do this year or whatever, but that sure helps. Besser had a nice one. A couple of greasy hits in that game. Yeah. A couple of greasy.

But other of them were that bad. One went from a five to a two. They both did. I don't know if they officially, did they officially both have fives? I think they initially called us. I think the Weaver hit. Weiger, sorry, Weiger hit on Patterson was originally a two. I can't remember.

It could be wrong. But the other one went from an announcement of five to a video down to two. Yeah. At the end of the day, I think they probably got both right. Yeah. I mean, there's shoulder contact. It's unfortunate distance from the boards for Pedersen in particular. But at least he wasn't hurt.

Yeah, I thought they were both kind of turny hits, which I hate. Where it's like, you know, you got a guy kind of on your back. And I know it's a fast game out there. But, you know, exposing the back when a guy's about to hit you, is it's it's the most imperfect thing that they try to officiate in hockey where it is a hit from behind but there is some responsibility

from the guy getting hit but it's still kind of dirty like it's a very gray area and it felt like both of those hits for that. Definitely back when I was a kid there was a lot of emphasis on don't turn your back to someone coming to hit you and then we put the stop signs on the jersey and it became a force field and it's like,

can't hit me now. Yeah. Chunky, was it Chunky soup that sponsored them? I think it was Chunky Soup stop if I do remember correctly. Anyways, yeah. You're looking at me like I'm crazy. No, no. Yeah, you're doing.

Okay, okay. Yeah, and the other thing, too, is, I think, uh, on the first one with Weger at Pedersen knew, like he, he knew he was there. Yeah. You could see it. At the end of the day, he didn't get a chance to set his feet very well and fell off balance. And actually he had some, he had, he was very frank on where he thought the hit was. he totally exonerated McKenzie,

said, you know, I got to be ready for that more. His post-game comments were good. The one on Zeri? Sorry. I say sorry. I think you could say either. You say it fast and confident. Very, no.

Yeah. That one I thought, yeah, he had less of an opportunity to know about his surroundings and seemed a little bit more on the numbers. Yep. I like that's Airy, by the way. He's going to be a really good player. He's competitive as hell. But to your point, tough night for the flames. You know, season just gets started and you go back to back.

In Edmonton, in Vancouver. Division opponents. Like, that's a tough start. Speaking of tough starts, first impressions, Alex Nadelcovic, welcome to San Jose. I think he's been pretty good, though. There's the first game of the year. It's the first game he played for them.

No, I know, but I think he's had a good camp, and I think he's had a good exhibition. He started the home opener. He started the home opener. No, he had some momentum coming in. Is that right? He did. But here's the problem for goalies.

He's like, we only remember the bad ones, not necessarily all the good ones. Was there more or less momentum from his camp than there wasn't the puck that Jack Eichol flipped from center ice that went to the net to tie the game with two minutes left? God. Puck just kept going on the net. It was. In O.T, he was out of his camp. It was, uh, it was, it had that feeling of the Edmonton Euler game with Patrick Stefan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, did it ever. I remember. Yes. Name correct. Yes. Where San Jose had

the ability to put the puck in the net, not once but twice last night, and end it. And they missed it. And although the circumstances were a little different where in Edmonton years ago, it was a straight down the road. It was a, it was a, it was a, it was a, it was a, it was a, a clean goal. Yeah. Right? I think the stars won that game in the end though, by the way. I think they did. I think they wanted to shootout anyways. Okay, I can't remember. But this one was like a gift.

It wasn't like it was earned off of just one great play or one great finish. It was just like the gift. Yeah. They handed the game. That's tough too for team like San Jose is trying to build some good vibes and momentum. I watched the last two periods of that game. They looked in the game. They're flying around. that got speed, that Celebrini looks breathpating. Will Smith's awesome. So, yeah, that's tough.

It's funny to me that Ascarov can't get more involved. Like, he was a huge name, right? Like, that was the next one for goalie prospects. Yeah, he was rated really high. What do you end up going, top 10? I don't know where he got picked. Oh, yeah. I can tell you very quickly here.

Quickly before we get. He drafted first round 11th overall by national. Oh, not top 10, top 11. Yeah, big, big commitment. That Patrick Steffin thing, you reminded me, one of the great calls of all time by Peter Lubardius. Yes. And he's coming into ice it.

And he blew it. I think the top of his lungs. I have some, it's one of the greatest calls. For the miss. The puck hops at the, like, it's. But he's hot dogging it. Shoot it in the net. I don't know.

He's just trying to steer it in the way Willie's empty net I was last night. You know, you just. Patrick Stefan Zag. Love it. He's just staining it into the net. Next time we get a goalie on, you know, our show, we got to ask him just in terms of just the mindset for goalie after you've given up that goal.

How do you really recover from it? Because I can tell you as a player on a bench, you don't get to recover it in my mind and many of our teammates' mind when a goal like that went in. No, what do you mean? I mean, like, you can play well for the next week or two weeks. But that thing will remain with me and us for, like, a long time. It's the most unjust position in sports.

You can't get over. It's not easy, it's not an easy goal to let in and get over with some of your teammates. It's not. You know, and you know what's backwards about that is, like, you can play badly as a player. like a good example is I didn't think Max Domi was awesome in playoffs for the Leafs for a while and then he shot one in the net

in overtime and everyone was like this guy is a playoff performer and this guy not only that set up Max Patch Ready for the biggest goal of that series in front of the net where he comes out, pass it to him shoots it in, that's a big play. A couple moments but generally I didn't find him effective it's the opposite of goalies where it's like you can have

one good moment as a player and people go not bad. As a goalie this is such a great moment And everything's like, don't care what else you did. That's such a great point. And who's the pitcher for the Phillies last night? Oh, my God. You think that's going to stick with him for a little while?

Oh, my God. I can't watch it. I can't pitchers throw out of the anything but a set. Go to first. There's two outs, brother. He's a professional baseball pitcher. And he threw the ball like he did it for the first time in his life. He looked like an actor in a scene playing a pitcher.

It was like a shot, he was trying to shot put it. I honestly, I just put myself in the shoes of every Philly's fan, and I can't even watch it. I can't even watch it. It's sickening. Yeah. It's a, that is a good thing about Philly, though. They're super forgiving.

Oh, they'll forget. Yeah, they won't forget that. They'll forget that quickly. All right. Send him to Miami. Mike Rupp, NHL Network analyst. One of the hardest working guys in sports. Rapper.

You, you worked so hard that we gave you last year off. what's up boys how are you are we I'm good I'm good I'm happy the season's up and running yes exciting time right now you're talking a little baseball we got the jays something to follow there and football season of course the NHL so it's a good time to be alive it is we're just talking about goalies

and how it can make a team feel especially the guys on the bench when you let a bad one in the Delvich last night let's in that soft one from Eichel from a thousand feet away and just how in your experience like I can't even recall too many goals like that over my career of 12 years a goalie letting something like that in but what are your thoughts over the over your career if you saw that well I heard you talk about you're never going to let them live it down you're going to let a little bit of time pass yeah yeah you know what it's not today it's not today it's

It's not letting them live it down. It's, there's, there's just a built-up trust that you, you work weeks and months and maybe even years over between, you know, your forwards and your D and your goalie. And then if a couple of those kind of go in, it plants the seed of doubt. Yeah. Yeah, it's such a fluky. I mean, just that play in general, just the fact that they had those opportunities to put it in at the other end first, you know, and so, yeah, you get some, it's, I don't.

don't know i mean i've i've certainly been in games where that has happened um i almost i almost would rather a play like that than the wrist shot from the the boards out at the blue line that's no screen and goes in you know what i mean like this one at least you could chalk it up and say wow what a crazy play like ones an actual hockey play going in from distance uh or weak ones in that regard maybe a couple times of those those are the ones i would maybe lose trust in that i actually don't think i would lose i don't think you're thinking anything different i i'm letting a little bit of time pass because i'm sure he's embarrassed today that people are talking about it

but then i'm razzed i'm in practice i think that's the best way to getting over and maybe the first shot it's so sensitive i don't think i could rub that in maybe maybe hey you know what warm-ups uh first shot in practice i'm just doing high flippers for the red line and just let all the blitzers off it off we got to work on it Obviously. I think the unspoken is what makes it awkward. Hey, man, listen, we're good. Let's laugh it off.

But it was a tough one. And I hate that, too. That's my boy from Cleveland, Alex Dundalkovich, a Browns fan. We share a lot in common. Well, you probably, yeah. You've got to really know the personality, right? Absolutely. So I know you're on the East Coast, and I'd love to get some thoughts in the Metro.

I'm not sure where the Metro's at this year. So you've got some Rangers ties there. What are your thoughts? New coach? in New York. J.T. Miller is the captain. What are your thoughts and what the Rangers are going to be this year?

Yeah, I mean, I think they'll certainly be better, but I feel like that's an easy answer because I think things were really not great last year. So it's going to take a minute. It's going to take a minute. It's Mike Sullivan is a details-oriented coach, and I feel like the way he coaches, we're not just looking

for that new coach bump that we see maybe in the middle of a season. It's different. I almost find that I was thinking about this the other day because we have a few new coaches or new to their teams and we always speak on the new coach bump in the middle of the season when a coach gets fired and there always is this kind of initial springboard for a hockey club and I feel like that that happens

because the guys are in season A, their legs are there, the timing's there like even if you're not playing well at least you're feeling the game I feel like to start a season there's no new coach bump. It's because you're trying to be not only you learn in the new systems and everywhere you're supposed to be and what you're

supposed to do on the ice, you're also trying to feel good. And me, I know as a player, it took me a couple weeks to really feel like I was in a groove coming out of training camp. So yeah, I don't know. The Rangers are going to take a little bit of time. I still not convinced with their back end the way

it's built, but we'll see what they do with that. But as far as J.T. Miller, the captaincy there. I think that was the absolute right move. I'm excited to see some guys on that team bounce back this year because they have really good hockey players that had all collectively off years last year. That's a recipe for no success.

Just speaking about J.T. Miller's captaincy, clearly you like it. I'm just wondering around J.T. Miller now when you think about the Ranger room, if in fact that J.T. on occasion can get too emotional. Is there anyone else in that room that can go up and help J.T.

or at least maybe settle him down, or is that guy not really there? I'd have to assume that's Vinny Trocheck because of their relationship. And, you know, those guys grew up playing youth hockey in Pittsburgh. And another Ohio boy, J.T. Miller, born East Palestine, Ohio. which is right outside Youngstown,

and there wasn't a ton of hockey there, so he played in Pittsburgh with Vinny, and they're really tight. So I think Vinny Trocheck would be that guy that can, I don't know the whole dynamic of the relationship, but hey, bud, like you and me, look at me. Now is not the time or this time. I'm sure that those things are in check there.

We've talked about it before. I feel like this is a team that needs a little bit of that. I'd much rather try to real JT in, then try to get reaction and get guys to step up in certain moments, whether it's emotionally or by gameplay. So, you know, Mike Sullivan's got a good grasp on him, having them at Four Nations and understands. I'm sure there's a lot of research done just from what happened last year as well.

So, yeah, no, it's a great question. I think Vinny Trocheque would probably have to be that guy for me. Yeah, the U.S. expression, rather tame a tiger than paint stripes on a pussycat? I think that's something like that. That's better. So looking around some of the teams this year and expectations, there's a couple teams that I feel like got written off going into this year. Pittsburgh's going to stink.

Boston's not even trying to win. Pittsburgh's two and all. I know. Boston's good too. That's my question. You need Sullivan out of the room. What are we dealing with here? These two teams are they maybe not bad?

So, yeah, I mean, it's great starts. I mean, I've ever going to poo that. I mean, that's the, you want to win hockey games. That's the goal every single night when you go out and those teams are right now. I still think that the beginning of the seasons every year, it's their fun storylines. I'm not saying these are fun. I'm not trying to, I'm saying individual storylines, you know, like Justin Brazo. Brazo, I mean, he got him three goals.

He looks awesome with Gino. He might have an incredible season, but 20 games in, we start to learn things about players individually and teams, I feel like. these are things like Gino Evgeny Malkin looks awesome right now he looks awesome every year at the beginning he's healthy I think that's the biggest thing he's fresh and his legs are going good so I think between the

two teams the team actually I've been impressed with maybe a little bit more because I think Pittsburgh has that they have the skill they have more than one guy it's probably Boston I'm actually pretty impressed with Boston I think Boston's been fantastic but they're I really

believe I saw Cam Neely come out the other day said they're going to be a tough out and for me that's sometimes just feels like what you're supposed to say when you're the head of an organization but they actually might be a tough out this year I think they might surprise some teams because they're kind of scrappy group there so I love the storylines but it's I'm not I'm not going to say that either of those teams are going to be playoff teams because I still probably feel pretty strongly they're not going to be you're watching and listening to Stanley Cup champion Mike Rupp does a great job on NHL Network.

Okay, Robert, we've on occasion had a bit of a bold statement or comment on this show, but I rank yours right up there with this one on the Toronto Maple Leafs where they lost a hundred points and 24-minute

man in Mitch Martyr. You say that this is the best lineup they've had in a long time. Yeah, yes. Where do you go? Like, where are your first thoughts on that?

So it, when I say that, that is with the goal in mind of winning a Stanley Cuff. Not skill-wise? I mean, no, that that's foolish. Are you saying, I am not saying that they are a more talented team now than they were before Mitch ends up going to Vegas. but that's where maybe there's maybe differences and opinions on what wins and what doesn't win in this league

with fans even because fans are going to sit there and say, well, I want a more skill. We are a better team. Yeah, you might be a better team. We've seen that here. That's been the story. There's never been a lack of talent.

And we see that for a bunch of different teams. I actually think this year those points are going to be missed. I don't think that, I think Mitch makes you a better team on a night-to-night basis in the regular season. It's not to do with Mitch, cut Mitch out. They've built a better bottom six. This is a bottom six now that I feel that can make a difference in the postseason.

I think the Florida Panthers are a perfectly example, the way they approach things. We use whatever term you want, greasier, grittier. We've seen Toronto get gritty before, but these are actual players who've had some success. I feel in the playoffs, just having big moments, they've got those guys. I don't think it has to be the big guys. I think they have a team now that has specific roles. Maybe that's a better way of putting it. And the game is changing a lot, and a lot of times we have players nowadays miscast

where you're playing a player, maybe the bottom two lines are the farm club for the top two lines. That's not going to win in the playoffs. You have to have the players that think the game a certain way, playing particular roles, being able to sit there and maybe play 11 minutes a night, but be effective in those 11 minutes. They have guys that can do that. So that's what I meant by that. This is a team come playoff time. I think that you're not going to have to look at the same guys all the time. And I think it's a very well-built.

Honestly, probably outside of Vegas for forward depth, I might like Toronto. They might be my second favorite forward-depth team in a national hockey league. And who knows, I might be dead wrong the way this season plays out. But I think Skye Lotton getting more and more comfortable, having a full season. Nick Waugh, I think, is going to pan out really well. Dakota Joshua is an intriguing one to me. And then you go on some of the bigger guys that they've had, burst on the scene, maybe taking the next step. Matthew Nye is Bobby McMahon, I've loved.

So, yeah, I think this team's going to be a much more difficult out in the postseason. They might not have as much regular season success as far as point total, but they're closer to a Stanley Cup right now, I believe. You know, Rapper, these guys, these teams kind of take these steps in the rebuild to getting into playoffs with some consistency. And then the expectations change, right? For the Leafs, it's like, okay, how do we find that next level around two last year? How do you get farther?

Watching some of these other teams, and I have in Montreal in mind right now, they've made this transition from the rebuild to a team that made the playoffs and kind of what's coming next. They play Detroit last night and win 5-1, a good showing there. There's rumors about Crosby this year, and people are like, what about Montreal? Maybe he'll go to Montreal.

He loved them as a kid. I don't know, what are your thoughts on A, where the Canadians are at, and B, your boy, Sidney Crosby, if he's going to go somewhere or not, because that would be a match that people, Habs fans would love to hear. That would be incredible.

I'll start with the first thing. Montreal was so fun to watch. What a special year last year was, and how special Nick Suzuki was down the stretch. I mean, I don't know where you guys are at on him, but I mean, I think he's an elite centerman in this league now. And I thought he was a very good one before, but what he did last year down the stretch,

almost willing that team in some regards. There was that two games, I think it was like March. It was something like March 30th and April 1st, both against the Florida Panthers, home and home. And he basically willed them, will them the two wins. In their comeback fashion and the third period, it's all Nick Suzuki. And I loved it, but I love Lane Hudson's season. I just think that last year had something special to it.

That's going to be very hard to replicate. And I don't love, I think they have question marks as far as, it's almost the same thing to where we were talking about before. You can't just slap talent. and say it's going to work. Like now all of a sudden you're getting into a season where where's Patrick Lainey fit in to the scheme of winning on a night's night basis or into the playoffs or even Demadov, elite talent.

I'm not sure how trustworthy defensive zone, which is fine if you're getting points. But you start looking at the lineup. I have some questions. I have some questions on the back end. I think this year when expectations land, it changes a lot. And they were playing. They were just fun to watch because it wasn't supposed to happen. And, well, now everyone's crowning that it is supposed to happen.

They've arrived in some regards. I'll be honest, boys, I think it's going to be a grind to make the playoffs for them this year. I don't know if they get in. I think if they do get in, it's because the Metro's a fairly weak division. And maybe that only pumps out three teams to go into the playoffs. It's, it they have a lot. It's all part of the growth for them. But I think they got to pump the brakes a little bit as far as some fans ready to say this team's, this team's there.

I think you might get disappointed. rubber we just spoke moments ago about a crazy goal in san jose last night we saw another bizarre goal in edmonton's opening game with coleman poking a loose puck through skinner's pads is this just shaping up to be another year where everybody questions the edmonton oiler goaltending and the only way this thing gets addressed is either one or two ways you get another goalie to step in or Skinner wins a Stanley Cup but where is this conversation headed in your eyes I was I it was brutal the other night because it's you know that that question is always going to be there but you're hoping that it doesn't happen in game one yeah you know what I mean like let's let's everybody wants to get their feet wet

and get into the season a little bit and the way it happens and I give him a ton of credit the way he handles himself in the media and he takes it and I think he started his media scrum with all right let's just get it out of the way I love this kid and I think they love him loving him doesn't mean that he's the right guy to lead you to a Stanley Cup

and this is where it gets tough it's like I root for him I think he's a good goalie but that it's this storyline has been written since Stuart Skinner got in there and it was written before him. It's always been, that is what the storyline is going to be. If they don't win a Stanley Cup,

that is what it's going to be about. We don't have the goaltending because they have all these other things in place in some regards. I don't think, I still think there's room to get better on their player roster, but when you got Connor and Leon

and they're able to just will this team to Stanley Cup finals two years in a row, it's like you're almost waiting for it to happen, man, I feel bad. It's, it's, I don't know. To answer your question, I think it's, I can see an equation where Stuart Skinner is part of this solution, but he's got,

I don't know if he is the solution. So what does that mean? Hunter Ingram. Ingram's a fascinating one. I love the move because you're always going to be looking at it. I don't know if, I think it might be a long season of just always revisiting the goalie market. What's available,

you know, are presenting itself in different markets. It's unfortunately going to be following this team because a lot of people think and look at it. You get one game away from winning a Stanley Cup two years ago and to being that close last year, there's always a what if. What if that was a strength of theirs? I don't know. I feel bad for the guy. He's got the great demeanor for it, but it's that is what is going to be the narrative, regardless of it's deserved or not.

for sure it is it's it's been funny watching what wins in the n hl lately i wonder if you think the pendulum is swinging back towards toughness you know you look at the four nations face off kicks off in such a competitive manner and that's such a big part of a game between two highly skilled teams and then you see the florida panthers kind of brutalized people on their way to getting to beat skinner and the oilers a couple times do you think there's a little bit of a swing back towards oh yeah this is still a game where intimidation matters toughness matters or do you think it's just going to always progress more towards the speed and skill side?

Yeah, I mean, it's never going to go back to where it once was, which I don't want it to. But I think what we're seeing the last few seasons is it's very prevalent still. It matters. When you get 18 skaters on a night-to-night basis, all playing the same way, whether they're tough or not. And they've got each other's backs and playing a particular. particular way kind of starting things and running their mouths and doing things it's it matters i think that's what makes that florida panther team so difficult um yeah i think teams are starting to react to it now

i'll say that's that the florida panthers has been one of the most i've enjoyed watching them more than any team i've seen probably since i've started playing in the n hl too just as far as the way that they all have this belief and play a particular way and what I meant by that before is not all the guys are tough. I mean, you've seen some of these guys playing other markets in their career

and I wouldn't say they're tough but together they're kind of fierce, man. There's not like one tough. Gajavich is like the one guy on their team who can drop the gloves in any given moment. They don't really have other guys, but they're all willing to do it.

They're all willing to do certain things. And I wonder this in the preseason when we started seeing that riff-ref with Tampa when your team's going to have enough of it? You know what I mean? Like that's my question. It's like Marchana is putting out those things in the postseason with the Stanley Cup and he's got that, what do you have that logo or whatever on his shirt that was said,

Euler Stink and whatever. I mean, hey, you earned it. I love them. I love that team. But like at some point, you got to start letting them know you're not going to stand for that. And it's not in the playoffs. You can't all of a sudden just like, oh, today we're going to play tough again. No, that's who they are.

they wake up looking for ways to piss you off. Every day, 365 days a year, not just today in game one of the Stanley Cup playoffs. That's their nature. That's who they are. So my point is, let's, I think other teams, they should have to run a gauntlet through 82 games because of, and almost have to pay for all the shenanigans they pulled last year. Until that's done, no, they're still going to win. Oh, no one's going to touch them.

So, yeah, it does matter because they're the only team that's doing those things. It's a better league, more interesting league with the Florida Panthers in it right now. Yes, 100%. Awesome stuff, Rapper. Really appreciate you taking some time for us. Definitely not a stranger on this show, man. Anytime, okay? Yes.

I'll be ready to jump on any time. And, boys, I hope your Js get it done. Yeah, there you go, rapper. That is Mike Rupp, unlike our Steve Aliquette. doesn't come on with the opposition cap on. I thought it was a fascinating maybe difference between the teammates that you both guys were. What do you mean? Well, Kipper, I mean, you're like, ah, I'll be afraid to talk to him.

I actually let in a goal like that. And Ruppers like, I'd flip one in on and be like, oh, you can save that one again? Yeah. Like I just thought it's like, there's different approaches to that. I thought that was fascinating. Been on occasion to be accused of not being the most sensitive person. No. No.

Nick Hi, Kiprios? Stop it. No way. Stop that right now. But I wouldn't dare go up to a goalie within 24 hours and go and joke around over.

Yeah, I think it totally is goalie status dependent. Like if your goalie is Lundqvist later in his career, you can rave him about it. He's not going to lose his job or his paycheck or he's fine. I can't see Connor McDavid,

you know, having fun with Skinner at this point. No, because it's like, yeah, that could have ended my career. career here, you know, like that could have been maybe not so funny. So I think it's situation depending. All right, just a reminder of this Friday. We're going to do texts, right? Yes.

So, uh, we're going to do them some here. We're also going to do some in the Leafs hour coming up. We'll do lots of text because we do on Fridays. We got to get the lease line fired back up soon too. So maybe once the, once the Js are done or maybe we'll get some crossover calls. I'm not sure how many people are calling it about the lease right now. But we'll try to do some lease line, but text in 595. And, uh, we'll do some text after the break, talk about a couple of the other games too.

as well. So, yeah, $5.5.90. Tax, tax, tax. Let's have it. All right, quick break here. Yes, sir. Catch your breath, everybody. We're a real Kipper and Bourne after these words. Hey, it's Ben Ennis. And I'm Brent Cunning.

We got you covered on all things, Leifes, Rafters, and Blue Jays. Every weekday morning, 6 to 9. It's the fan morning show. Sportsnet 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back to the program, Nick. Bruce, Justin Boren, Sammy McKee. All right, where do you want to go? Well, let's just quick shout out to Kyle Connor

signs his contract, shoots three in the net last night. That's got to feel good. A lot of tukes on the ice and noticed. Ran out of time. Yeah, it's already minus 40 in Winnipeg. Yeah, it did run out of time. Probably a little disappointing that they couldn't get the win, but playing a pretty good team.

Yeah. Ranting and starts the game off exactly where he left off in the playoffs, just scoring points. Immediately one of the best contracts in the league. It's actually funny looking back at that whole Colorado rent and stuff and then how the market shifted immediately after he signed. And now it's like, oh. Good to pay Natchez 11 and a half.

Yeah. You know what? They're going to end up if they sign Natchez, they're going to have to give them what they weren't willing to pay. No. Rantanin. No, they can't, they cannot. Whatever they were, whatever they offered Rantanin, they have to be under it by a nickel.

They cannot, they can't give him the same money they tried to give. A lot of numbers are right. Try to think out my brain. Yeah. If they said Randon, we'll give you 11.5. There's a real, there's a real belief that the $6 million player last year is now the $8 million player. And the eight's the 10 and the 10 is 12. nature's ain't 12 million dollar player

the market could get him that though if he chooses to walk from whatever he thinks is a low ball offer from Colorado yesterday's price but it's not today's price that's true words

they got to trade him then right this is the Carolina that saw this coming Carolina was like, we're not paying Naches for eight years. You know, that's kind of money? I was watching Kyle. But he's, he's going to score 80 points playing with McKinnon. Yeah, it is.

80 points is in the ballpark between 10 and 12. You know why? Because he can keep up. Yeah. Flies. He flies. Kyle Connor just always reminds me. Remember when they scratched him in the final of the Four Nations face off?

What a bad mistake that way. was. They did? Yes. For Chris Crider. No. Yeah. And Barack Nelson.

For Kachuk. Oh, right. And then Kachukes played five minutes. Four. Yeah. Four plus. Classic. That was the decision.

That was the decision. Yeah. Oh, but this, well, at least it didn't come down to a tight game where they could have used a goal. Holy smoke. Thank God. Olympics is going to be fun. You know?

Tex? Hold on. One thing we should note as well, I got my buddy is a sense fan telling me going into this year. Shane Pinto. Shane Pinto. Look at Shane Pinto's a heavy year. Pinto last night, two goals and assists. Game winner. Game winner. Really nice wins. He was lighting it up. Yeah, beat the Leafs in that preseason game, right? He was one who barbecued Matthews. Twice. Two goal deficits. In Tampa Bay. This is this Ottawa team. Pretty good. Pretty good.

I'm like that D a lot. Starting to believe that. that the shine is off Vasilevsky. Yeah. Like, this is just, it's. At some point. These type of games last night. He just shuts it down. Have been very noticeable over the last year.

You know when it started? 14 months. Yeah. These playoffs. When they beat them in six games. It started with whatever back issue he had. Which started in that. and then he had that big surgery and he missed a bunch of time.

He's never been the same. Boys, his career numbers are baffling. And then he had a year where he's 900 and then came back last year to 921 again. But if he's starting to... But he's not... Okay, numbers aside, he just... Those type of games were automatic for him to close out. Totally.

And they're not anymore. Nope. And he... I have it totally on... He's just not that healthy. that he's not feeling... I know, but they try to protect him during training camp this year.

He's only 31. Never mind. No, but... He's only 31, but he might have the body of a 37 or 38-year-old. He's played 10,000 games in his career somehow. Yeah. Oh, I know. And he's... You know, that whole Gumbie style, stretchy. There's one guy that could claim wear and tear on a 31-year-old body.

It's him. Yeah. And this... all those years where he didn't want to take a day off where he played all those where he wouldn't even look at Cooper and Cooper didn't want to pull him out they might be paying the price for it now today you know he's played 540 NHL games now that's that's a lot of hockey in an era where you only play 50 60 a year and those big men to get up and down he was excluded from that number and he's played a ton of playoffs yeah big men Getting up and down 6-4, 2.30. Anyways, we'll keep an eye on that because

That'd be, you know, a lot of teams The Atlantic got the ears perked up, like, oh, Veslefsky not good, that would be nice. Too bad, but Brofsky still exists. He does. And he doesn't age. He's only getting better with age. Like, even last night, Florida,

just shuts it right down. I gotta tell you, didn't catch a ton of that one. I think the Flyers are going to reek and Panthers can be pretty good. Not a lot to glean out of that one. No. But, like, it's like a playoff. game for them last night to

just need the one goal and they got it and then just shut it down. Yeah, Marchand, a floater from distance. Just going through last night a little bit. Iles, Schaefer starts, play 17 minutes, gets an assist. They lose, unfortunately, but

decent start from the kid. I thought that was good. The Wilde absolutely beat the brakes off the blues. Yeah, and I had the blues. Parade is off in downtown St. Louis? Matt Boldy's a star. Yeah, he's a star. He's going to be so good for the states. Yeah, that one was as stinky for St. Louis as Detroit's.

But it happens. You know, good teams have bad, bad games. Cains look good. A couple here. First one is Sammy, love you guys, always going to get on with that. Is the lease hour always going to be in the second half going forward this year? And I thought I would answer that question now. Because people are asking about a lot of those DMs.

It is not going to be like this forever. We're just kind of in a holding path. as far as the Js go. Trying to get as close to prime time as we can. Once the jays are done, you know, in early November after winning their third world series championship. Yeah. Once that's done.

We'll go back to four to six. We'll go back to four to six. Eastern. Eastern. And the lease hour will be in the four o'clock hour again and the national hour be from five to six. So just right now, we're just so we can pump out the two hours that everybody was desperate for when we were only doing an hour.

We've done it. We're doing it this way. I don't need to explain the workings of radio, but that's that. Tom and Niagara Falls, it would be great if the major leagues of baseball would have teams follow the NHL tradition of shaking hands at the end of a series. Your thoughts.

Totally. Why not? What's to lose? It's an amazing tradition and it means a lot. It's cool to respect your opponent. Love it. And then, Vladdy would just be going through going, ah, jankies.

Okay, him and Ortiz. And Ortiz. Amazing. Some of the best TV. It is even great theater because, like, Jeter and Arod kind of played along with it. What a panel. But for the first two, they were, like, laughing.

And then by the last one, they were like, okay, like, holy. That, that, does a panel get any bigger than that? The best players ever. Pretty star-studied. It is a truly incredible panel, and they have pretty good chance.

It's like almost the same as when you guys do at least regional. It's like pretty much the same amount. Exactly the same. That is a different level. Wow. Yeah, that was awesome TV. What did you guys think of Tave's debut? You know, I think he legitimately gets a pass,

and gets some time here to got to find a piece a little bit. Can he play 18, 20 minutes a night? I don't know. I think if they're going to win the Stanley Cup. After all these years? I think he's got to be a 17 plus guy. You do? Yeah, I do.

Right? I don't think he can do it. Maybe he can't. What did he play last night? I think he played a lot. You know, they are without Lowry, who's a key centerman for them. That's one sort of thing.

1819 last night. That's a lot. That's quite a bit. But you know what? You make a good point with Lowry. It'll come down. They don't want him to play 18, 20, a night. I can assure you.

At his age and the fact that he's been off all this time, that's not the wish list to start game one and game two. It's just like such an intangibles guy. They asked him after the game like about how it felt to get back in it. And he goes, you know, it's fun to feel good and play well and I've got to do those things. Is there, is there anything out there on Carter Hart at all? I haven't heard anything. Yeah.

And Vegas. That's fascinating. We haven't heard anything there, October 10th. No, you think teams didn't want to look. I hear it's coming. Really? Yeah. Oh, really.

Like how, what's the time frame, any idea? Well, I think officially they can't do anything to the mid-October. Well, I think they could have. I think they can announce it, but they can't. Well, you've got to be careful with that because there's going to be backlash for sure. Totally. It's just a matter of how much and how quickly do you want it and how hope, how quickly do you think it can kind of just disappear?

I mean, they, like, in Carolina, that's what I was going to say. McLeod, a spot, the backlash. Yep. And now he's in Russia. Yeah, he went to KHL. Vegas is known as Sin City. Yeah.

Yeah. Like that, if you can't, like minimal hockey coverage compared to bigger county markets and a appetite for maybe some mistakes, they'll be okay. Vegas, you know, they've got three out of four points. They've given up some goals. They're, uh, the backup there, that Schmead,

You had a few good moments last night. They're not going to try to win the Stanley Cup of Schmead. Schmead. I don't know. You looked pretty good. Made a couple good saves of that. What would you, what kind of contract would you give him?

Carter Hart? Yeah. One year, one year. Now he'll get two years. I'd like to see him 10. Two years I've heard people say make sense because you give them the chance to play and then you can re-up after the first year.

Yeah, that works out if you want. I could see two years, two million. Yeah. Per? Per? Or, like, so two years, four million, total? I could see that. My, like I said to you guys yesterday,

Allie, my wife was at the Sharks game. They gave away a bobblehead for the opening night, and it's Will Smith and McElwine in hotel beds, like side by side. It's the bobblehead. But why? Because there's a picture of them in a hotel, and they made it like the thing.

Hey, teams are getting too weird to their bobblehead game. She's bringing it. It's all bring it in, show everybody. Can't wait. Show and tell. Isn't that weird? Super weird. Just do the playing hockey.

Just pick one, then do the other. Yeah, it's very weird. Our thanks to Mike Rupp from the NHL Network for joining us. We still got an hour to go here, folks. Don't go away. Text, text. Text. We'll join us, and Sammy wants your text in the second hour.

Plenty more still on The Real Kipper and Bourne Show. Don't not go away. Thank you.