Real Kyper & Bourne - Ovechkin Chasing to Breaking Records with Brooks Orpik

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne are joined by Brooks Orpik (6:47), former NHL defenceman and two-time Stanley Cup champion to chat about his playing days with the league's new all-time greatest goal-scorer Alexander Ovechkin, the evolution of his scoring abilities, durability of hockey players, and the Washington Capitals' front office continuing to build around the Great 8. Then, Nick, Justin and filling in for Sam McKee, Daniele Franceschi discuss potential playoff matchups across the NHL divisions.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.

Here we go back in town. What's happened since I've missed a week. JB a world war three is on the horizon. We're all broke. The Leafs are going to win the cop. A few things. We are live on Sportsnet. Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, Sportsnet 960 in Calgary.

This hour of Real Kipper and Bourne brought to you by Bit365. Nick Kipriel's back after a few days at Cabot St. Lucia, where I've mapped it all out for you guys. I can get you on the course. You just gotta promise to buy a $10 million home. $10 million home. I don't think I can get one for that there. Just starts all right around then. So I thought maybe you were there meditating, getting in touch with yourself in nature. Yeah, sounds like you played 6000 holes. I did play a lot of holes. The batteries are rejuvenated. Good. Good. Just in time for

Daniele to step in for Sammy McKee, who's on his way to somewhere really warm to. We're like the Panthers. We need everyone fresh. You know, you take your breaks now. You started this, by the way. Yeah. Hey, listen, I'm not complaining. I green light, bud. You got gotta do. All right. Major story on the weekend. Grade eight, surpassing Wayne Gretzky, becoming the all-time goal-scoring king of the National Hockey League. 8.35, when you start putting up the numbers, they're eerily similar in terms of games played.

And- Beat the record in the same games played. Although someone said that 31 years apart 31 years apart Gretzky with Chris Gordon his last eight games And I think his career games played total is what Obies is now So he actually would have got to the record quicker, but anyway, I digress in a couple minutes we'll welcome in Brooks or pick former NHL defenseman two-time Stanley Cup champion and of course teammate of Alex Ovechkin will get his thoughts on just what it was like watching him.

Also, what is nutrition? How does he stay so fresh for so long? I wouldn't tell you. Let's hear his diet. What did you see in one of his press conferences? He's like cracking open a beer? I did not see a video of him this past weekend where he was not cracking open a beer. So, shameless man. Right there in the locker, shameless. Cameras? He's like, no, first thing.

You can do whatever you want, I guess. Yeah, you can. You know, it's become apparent how much of things were just decided by social norms and whatever and you can just break them apparently So have at it. I Think the the greatest thing I can say about watching this thing evolve yeah from You know a thought in the sky to the reality of it to this past weekend is I the reality of it to this past weekend is I always thought that this one would be tough at his age now because of this transition of the hockey club and it's

getting old and he's already lost Backstrom oh she's not there now and you're you're gonna try to chase this and it would play off of what our game is all about, team and winning. And he did this with all the attention around him, and they've managed to turn themselves into a top team in the National Hockey League. Like I thought it was one or the other. It's the record, and then the team's second.

We thought it was gonna be a sad spectacle of the team being built to get him the record over the next few years. It's been anything but. Like for him to do this and the team still hold a top position in the National Hockey League and to be bona fide Stanley Cup contenders while he's still doing this is like,

I don't know It's just like a movie script and like merciful the way that it happened quickly like you put Kretzky and Betman and we got Sean Reynolds on the chase for you know, the great chase or whatever and Like I think they started it when he was four goals away and it was like three games later. He just done You know, we're not on some awkward journey Three games later, he just done. We're not on some awkward journey. We had conversations on like empty net, would he take the empty net?

And I'm like, he's loved empty nets for like 60 or 70 goals in his career. Why would he not like it now? But he called his own shot on it as well, which he can. Touching the top of the dot or the circle from his spot. It was very fitting, fantastic celebration. I thought the whole thing was really well done. I thought, you know, couldn't have been executed better on all fronts. Very classy. Wayne Gretzky too with the way he handled everything. And

the Gordie Howe pin on. Absolutely. Like just to a tee perfection in terms of all class standing there going through the process, whatever you feel about him otherwise. I mean, that's different. But in terms of handling it, I think it's emblematic of the game. Like the sport, right, as a whole, and the way it's about passing the baton, passing the torch, and being present,

and as he said many years ago, I'll be the first one to shake the hand of whoever breaks it, if it happens. And sure enough, center ice right there, he does it yesterday, just unbelievable moment, unreal moment, really, really cool. And by the way, you mentioned the 31st anniversary, I think it was, 31 years.

21 years ago to the day, or excuse me, yeah, 21 years ago to the day, 2004. That's when the Caps won the draft lottery, exactly to the day to earn them the right to select Alex Ovechkin and look where he is now. He's the per ever since Not bad. And that did include two shutdowns Yeah, full lockout. Yeah, and half a season. The guy is He's Russian machine never breaks, right?

That's the that's the gag and he is insanely healthy. For people who bet against him getting to the record, like myself, it was never based on ability. It was always longevity. Who can be built like a whiskey barrel, throw the most hits in NHL history for a forward and still be successful when they're 40? And it's like, ah him, he can.

I remember watching the game live, Washington. He's in Utah and knee on knee, I think McBain, if I'm not mistaken. And it's like, well, there's a site we don't really see that often. That guy limping. It's the beginning of the end. Limping.

And I don't know what he missed. 14 games maybe? 16. 16? All right, that was close. Okay, as promised, Brooks Orpik, former National Hockey League defenseman, Stanley Cup champion, and of course, teammate of the Grade 8. Brooks, thanks for joining us, man. How are you? I'm doing great. Obviously, an exciting day yesterday. I was down there Friday, so I got to take that in and then it was my one of my daughter's birthday yesterday So had to miss out on the festivities yesterday, but it was definitely fun to watch it

It sure was and you know Justin just mentioning how what a great touch it was in terms of the celebration the stoppage. It wasn't too overboard I think it showed it the right respect Just your overall thoughts in terms of having him as a teammate and watching his storybook career evolve and to still do it at his age, like what stood out the most when you first met him or watched him or played with him?

you first met him or watched him or played with him? Oh boy. Uh, there's a lot in that. Yeah. Not, I mean, I think just the way that he's kind of evolved, uh, when he came in, obviously I played against him for 10 years when I was in Pittsburgh. Um, so I knew how physical he was and how almost reckless he was, um, at that size. Um, kind of how you guys just touched on it. I think the goal speaks for itself. I think the durability is the thing that has just amazed me playing against him and then playing with him

and then seeing some of the stuff that he was able to play through and talk to the trainers. I mean, I remember a couple of knee injuries that they told him two to four weeks and then two days he's back playing. So to play that style for that long and then be that durable, obviously he had the freak injury this year with the leg. So I thought that would derail him a little bit because he was on that crazy pace before the injury and at 39 years old to come back and

pick right up with that pace in the middle of the season was was incredible. Brooks, I also missed it yesterday because of my daughter's birthday. So happy birthday to your daughter. But was there ever a time where you guys would watch this guy and go, how does that still work? How does he still shoot it in from that spot? Like teams know you've defended it a ton on the PK, I'm sure. But it just for some reason, teams cannot defend the OV shot from that spot.

Yeah, I mean, we still laugh at it a little bit. Why do teams not just put a guy on them? And some teams try to do it, but he doesn't, he just, he needs such little space and time to get that shot off. And I think as he's gotten older, I don't know if he's necessarily gotten smarter, but he's changed the way he's played. He obviously his legs have slowed down a little bit, but I don't think he's as dependent on his legs as some of these other guys are to create opportunities.

And then he's had the good fortune to have and good passers that get him the puck in those spots. But you see a lot of like goals down around the net now and tip-ins and he's one of those guys, you always hear people say, oh, the puck just finds him around the net, but that's not luck. I mean, those guys' timing and their ability not to get tied up is something that just goes to their intelligence

around the net. If you were coaching or playing, would you suggest suggest taking him away and playing a four on three? I certainly would. We had a great power play when I was there with Nicky Backstrom and Kuzi, and then you had the three righties with Carl Sinocchi. Justin Williams was there for a little bit. And then obviously Ovi, but I think when you have a guy who's that lethal and with that many goals, I think it's tough to kind of

stomach when you give that up. I'd be a lot better off giving it up to somebody else and making somebody else beat me. But obviously, there's a lot of great players and coaches that that have faced them and he's found a way. So, you know, we opened this up by talking about his durability There's a lot of great players and coaches that have faced him and he's found a way. So, you know, we open this up by talking about his durability and his longevity. And when we associate those words with athletes, it's usually these like freakish, you know, nutrition first, get my sleep type guys. Tell us about Ovi off the ice because you know, when we see him in videos,

guys tell us about Ovi off the ice because you know when we see him in videos like he scores the 895 and he i've seen him have 32 Coors lights since that happened. Oh your bag of chips aren't too far off either right? Yeah it's uh it's not exactly the Gary Roberts uh habits off the ice. Just it's just yeah i mean he's a freak of nature you know like and like, and then you got to try, I'm in development now with Washington. So we're trying to tell our prospects, especially the Russian guys that this works for one human being and that's it, you know. So it just defies logic what he does a little bit. I don't know if picking his spots is the right term to use, but he probably conserves his energy a little bit. But then he, I think he's definitely gotten smarter as he's gotten older and knows he can't play this the same way or he'll, he'll probably hit a wall.

But I think he's still on pace for, if he would have played all 82, he was on pace for 56 goals, which is just crazy at this age. Yeah, it's crazy. So is he like a hard worker in the gym compared to yourself? Uh, little bit different. Um, like I'm here while I was playing with him. He like he was still playing a ton of minutes when I was playing with him. It's probably a little bit less now. But he let me he would always kind of pick his spots depending on how the game won or how his body was feeling. But I mean, he's just such a naturally a big guy and like

the overall power that he displayed was so unique to go along with his skill set. You're talking we're talking. I was about to, so I haven't been at work in a week, Brooke. So I've been on vacation. He's been golfing in St. Lucia. I think my mouth is still on the golf course in St. Lucia.

Let me ask you something in terms of when we thought about this record a couple of years ago, I had always thought that it was either going to be OV's record that becomes the top priority or rebuilding this team becomes the top priority but you can't have both of them at the same time and this organization through Carberry and of course his coaching staff and general manager Brian McClellan, they had their cake and they're eating it too right now. How is that possible in your organization

that they are able to get this guy his record, Ovi's able to get it, you know, obviously for himself, but not at the price of team and winning and putting yourself in a position to win a Stanley Cup that to me is the most impressive it is and it's I had nothing to do with it so it's all the all the proscouts obviously in the management but yeah if you watch the first half of last year and then the team and Ovi right I mean I forget what it was Ovi had like eight goals or something at the All-Star game and he he really hadn't had a great year up until that. I mean, he was dealing with a lot of other stuff, too, away from hockey that I think affected him a little bit.

But then he went on that crazy pace at the end. And then the team snuck in to that ace spot, which surprised a lot of people. And I think coming into this year, all the moves that with the new guys that came and everybody kind of seemed to work out, um, which is usually never the case, some guys work other guys for whatever reason, it's just not a fit. Um, but right from day one, um, the, the, the teams played great. And I think Ovi was probably re-energized a little bit by the, um, by the success of the team and then team and then knowing that the team probably had a chance to win this year.

So I think that helped him and then obviously the chase obviously galvanized the group and helped the group. So it'll be interesting going forward here after he achieved that to see if there's any sort of emotional letdown with the team or with Ovi. So the management there gets a lot of credit as they should as does Carberry for, well, the management gets a lot of credit for the roster changes that were made going into this year. Matt Roy, Manjipane, Dubois, a lot of players came in and made a significant difference

for the team. But arguably the biggest change has been like this protest and McMichael are unbelievable players for the Capitals that I don't know that all of us outside the Capitals thought would be this good. What are you guys doing? How do you help someone who's already a good pro get to the level they're at now? Yeah, yeah I think that's been important right like with especially with the salary cap and then with I guess it was an aging roster a couple years ago and now it's gotten younger with some of the guys who brought in through free agency and then

obviously with the infusion of some of the guys from Hershey but now Hershey is a unique situation where it's an affiliate and there's a lot of pressure from the Hershey company to win as evidenced by winning the Caller Cup the last couple of years. So it's always an interesting balance of trying to get your prospects the right amount of development time and there's a lot of good veterans down there that are crucial to winning. So I think that's something, trying to find the right balance of not taking away development time but also having your prospects in a

winning environment I think is something that's that's been important for our guys. Brooks we we talk about this generation and the two leaders are Sid Crosby and Alex Ovechkin and not only did you get to play with both of them you You want to Stanley Cup with both of them? Are you the only guy to claim that? surely Yeah, I guess so Came over with me. Yeah, but he wasn't in Pittsburgh yet. He came over from Dallas. I think after we won in Pittsburgh. So Yeah, definitely. I guess I am. Yeah the only guy unless it happens again here, but

That's pretty cool. Yeah, it's pretty cool Yeah, and talk about two superstars that go about achieving success in completely different ways, you know, so I think that But I think those two guys have a lot of a lot of respect for each other Even being as different as they are so we cover the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first hour of our show This is is year nine, I think, of their core trying to get over the hump. You know, they've made the playoffs nine straight years as of this year, and they can't quite break through. The Capitals did that for a lot of years. Very good. Couldn't quite break through. Is it just keep knocking on the door,

eventually you get lucky, or is something changed in terms of mentality to get a team over the hump? Well, I don't know if there's a concrete answer there. I think every group's a little bit different. It's funny, because obviously you go back to that definition of insanity, right? So there's always a lot of external noise and pressure when you come up short.

With our group, I remember after 2017, I thought for sure they were going to make a lot of big changes and they didn't, they kind of tinkered a little bit. Um, but no, I like, I think you just, um, you got to go through some disappointments before you get over the hump, unfortunately. Um, and then I think if you look at ours in 2018, we wound up coming back. We were down three, two to Tampa, beat them. And then Tampa, I think it was, was it the next year or two years later

that they got swept by Columbus there in the first round. So it was a sort of a similar roster and situation. And I don't know how those managers didn't cave in and blow it up. But obviously both those guys saw something that they stayed the course with it and obviously paid off for him. But yeah, I think it's a little bit different. I'm in Toronto.

Yeah, I mean, I think you got to learn from those failures or disappointments. If you don't then they then they're looked from those failures or disappointments. If you don't, then they're looked at as failures, not disappointments. And then every year, I mean, I think anybody that tells you that when they go through a Stanley Cup winning run, you definitely get some lucky bounces along the way. I go back to the first round against Columbus when we lost the first two at home, and I think we won game three in overtime, but we were a poster crossbar away from being down 3-0. When you look at this Washington capital team today compared to the one that won the Stanley

Cup, not that it's not led today by Ovi still, but Ovi doesn't have that same cache, I think that physical at his age that he would have had, you know, a few years ago, what in your mind really makes this Washington capital team tick today when you think about from the net on out? I think when you look at it, I think the piece is just fit. And guys have really bought into their roles, which is unique. And then they've been knock on the knock on what they've been relatively pretty healthy this year.

So guys have kind of been in those roles and in positions in the lineup for a lot of games, which has helped them. But yeah, no, no, I think right from especially the sixth defenseman, there hasn't been much change there at all. So I think I think having that continuity is really helped them. Hopefully they can continue that the rest of the season into the playoffs. But yeah, the health and then I think guys, there's just been really good fits all throughout the lineup, which has really helped them. Yeah, protest went down I think on the weekend, which may be one of the few times that they've lost a key piece.

Hopefully he'll be ready to go by the first round. Yeah, that was one like even going back watching the replay of it. It's tough to really even see the injury or see the skate cut. So, um, I don't, he was walking around after the game. So I thought he was fine. And then, and then learned obviously he's out for a little bit here, but, um, yeah, hopefully it's not too bad because he's had a great season for, uh, especially for a younger guy.

Hey Brooks, great stuff, man. On, uh, on the historic, uh, Sunday the National Hockey League. Thanks for doing this pal Yeah, no problem. Thanks for having me guys. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot or pick Boy he's a solid defenseman man. What a great career. Yeah, you know you think about what teams are looking for at the deadline It's always like that guy. That's essentially the trend track down. So Did we know what protest's injury was? No, no, just a listed lower body, I believe. Yeah.

That's it. Just see how I kinda tricked Brooks. Right? You got a little more info, intel. I just kinda just said, hey, you know, got hurt. And he goes, yeah. A cut on his leg. I'm sure that'll heal up just fine.

But we are very interested for Washington. We can hope so. What a weird year in the East because like the Capitals could get the Montreal Canadians and then play the winner of Carolina who traded away Miko Ranton in New Jersey who doesn't have Hughes or Hamilton. Yep. You know, there's a path there for the Capitals to put it together and then play whatever husk comes out of the Atlantic. I mean they've got a shot this year, this Capitals team.

Which, you know, I'm not going to call you out, but you've never really bought into Washington. I still don't. I still don't. I get texts or tweets people you hate the capitals yeah I hate the capitals I call balls and strikes you know I said to me they don't look like a team who I think is that much better than Tampa Bay or Florida or Dallas or Colorado or Vegas they're in a group of good teams who have a chance. I think Brooks nailed it. Colorado or Vegas they're in a group of good teams who have a chance. I think Brooks nailed it they just have a bunch of guys that look like they just can play off each other and relate to each other and

Magic. Well, yeah, there's they got some secret sauce It says and they let you know, there's some wide shots of Ovi like he's not moving I'm like I bang my phone. Is it stuck? Have I got a pinwheel going? No, it's just OV not moving. The power, there was one from last week, Power Play. The whole two minutes, I kid you not, everywhere from the top of the slot

to between the circles, didn't move. Like the puck goes down, he did not move. Everybody changes, he stays in the same spot. He's 39 years old. It's loaded for when you get it into the, when you can load the cannon, the cannon is ready. But the cannon on 895 looked like something, like when he was like 20.

You could just tell, like he lost no zip in 20 years on his last shot that broke the record You know, it's really he got so much on it. Yeah, he did it's the whole thing is incredible He actually very very narrowly missed the hat trick against Chicago late in the game got a piece of Razak I'm a goaltends for that. I break question piece of, I don't know who goal tends for that. Great question, Borny. I don't know. Definitely not Merazic. Not Merazic. Soderblom or something like that.

But anyway, he just has such a knack for it, man. You know, a lot of these guys, I say like Austin Matthews, doesn't have the hardest shot, doesn't have the most accurate shot, but you know, he gets in the right spots. He knows where to be and he does have a great shot still but Ovi for a while didn't he win the hardest shot contest like he's I don't know if he was ever Spencer Knight by the way that's who was oh sure yeah that's whatever yeah but like he's he's had the whole package and he just shoots and he shoots and he shoots and he shoots and eventually I don't think you hot I don't think Ovi's shot was ever recorded. At least, I don't remember ever being recorded as like one of the hardest shots.

I would bet that on average, Tage Thompson shoots it harder than him in a game. You know, like Ovi just, he comes off funny because of that big toe hook and he whips pucks that are close to him. You know, everyone talks about Ovi and the one-timer from the top of the circle. I bet if you put together a highlight reel of shots within five seconds of a one face off, I bet you he's got 40 goals, 50 goals. Just comes back that little wrist or his. Yeah, like the one we saw yesterday. Exactly.

And we shot like that. He catches it there off a one draw, just whips it. And Sorokin's pretty good goalie. Like it's like it's the whipping action clean clean Unroken sir. Oh, he has sir. Okan for his stick Someone said he's gonna put together a museum or something Hey, he asked broken for his stick and sir Okan said I'll give him his glove and all I could think of like if I if You're so can like get something from him. They asked him that and over he's like, no, he didn't ask anything. I took I'm going to take the stick like they held the puck.

The you know, they scored the goal with and it was immediately worth a million dollars. Like it's a million dollar pocket. You get your hands on it now and it's probably worth much much more than that. So yeah, you can have that stuff can I have you got Mark Messier's elbow pads from when you won the Stanley Cup. I never asked for anything.

Get over his jock. You got to have a piece elbow pads from when you won the Stanley Cup. I never asked for anything. Get over these jock. You gotta have a piece of them for that trade. You got valuable stick, you want this? Get him sign a puck for him. But you love this merchandise stuff, eh? Oh, well, buddy, it's a whole world. It's a fascinating world. But it's a piece of history.

It's not just a merch, it's a piece of fish. That's right. Is that important delineineating is that like what's been reported that the puck is worth a million now or more? I would think it would be I'm sure it's more I saw a million somewhere Okay, he keeps that puck correct. It doesn't go to the Hall of Fame It's yeah, I think yeah, that's a good question museum. Okay, that's a good question. You know what's weird about this too? I know baseball's slightly different because the ball, home run, the ball is caught by somebody.

Yes. But even in other sports, right? Think about the most important pieces of memorabilia often get given away or somebody claims it and then they get sold five years later and all of a sudden it's going for some astronomical number. Hockey? It never happens, which is great. I think that's perfect. And then they get sold five years later and all of a sudden it's going for some astronomical number hockey.

It never happens, which is great. I think that's perfect. But I do wonder actually what happens with that puck. If he keeps it, if it goes to the hall or what goes to the hall, what he keeps, et cetera. His teammates should have been like locusts. So just my Ranger game seven jersey, which I got to play in the Hall of Fame. Took it. Do you not have it?

I don't have it. Well, it's yours. You can get it back from I think I believe at the time the question went I you know, can we have it to put it up and I'm like, yeah And I think it was yeah, you can get it back if you want it. I would imagine yeah, but it's pretty cool that it's there Yeah, you know one of the coolest things until somebody offers me something for it One of the One of the coolest things about Clark Gillies. So my father-in-law passed away today's his birthday. So he passed away three years ago two three years ago now three years and He when he passed away they're like, alright, so what does he have for memorabilia,

whatever they have a charity, they're going to do some auction. He's got nothing. He gave every piece away. People say, we have a piece for a silent auction. We have a piece for this auction. We're raising money for this. Given away all his gear, gave it all the way over script, which I think is pretty spectacular and probably how it should be handled.

A lot of guys had that mentality. And just to bring it back to the Hockey Hall of Fame, it's an amazing place. I've been there since I was seven years old, a thousand times, and you walk in there and it's like you're going in there for the first time and you're seeing all this amazing stuff and it's because players were generous enough to say bigger picture stuff right? Yeah. It is unbelievable. I love that place. It is really cool and it makes me

mad at my son that he doesn't care about the stuff. No not yet. Oh, yeah. He's eight. He's like, yeah, okay old skates Honestly, I remember being that age and being fascinated with that stuff that was yeah and and having it here in our in Toronto Yeah, yes, we are in Toronto in Toronto Growing up as a kid that was that was really cool Yeah, and you go in and and every few years then you have different artifacts and new things that would be added Yeah, they do a great job. They do And you go in and every few years then you have different artifacts and new things that would be added. Yeah, they do a great job. They do. Did you collect, when you were a kid, anything?

Pucks? I got a maple leaf puck when I was seven and I like, there's not too many times that I'd let anybody touch it. Yeah, I've got some stuff like, you know, dad played, I've got a Gretzky autograph stick, I've got a few sort of items like, but not not a ton of stuff. Yes Yeah, I didn't have that connection. I had to go like beg strangers. You had to earn yours Yeah game time It's game time presented by beth 365 visit the app for the latest odds and find out why it's never ordinary

Bet 365 must be 19 time Ontario only play responsibly So five games on the ice tonight in the National Hockey League I think the the one that's the most juicy attractive matchup St. Louis and Winnipeg Yeah, I talked about number one team in the league in the Winnipeg Jets. Jetstock, I know you guys, Jetstock. Are they? Well, I mean, statistically.

They're hanging on, they're up by a point, yes. Right now, yes. Yes. But the St. Louis Blues, the hottest team in hockey. 12 game winning streak, looking to make it 13 tonight. They are dogs on the road going into Winnipeg plus 1.45 on the money line. I actually like Winnipeg plus 145 on the money line. I actually like Winnipeg in this game for me personally because they're coming off a

bad loss against Utah on Saturday, four to one. I kind of like them home ice get it right. 12 in a row, not 13 for me. I tweeted before the show, Kip, I think there's a case to be made. This is one of the most important weeks in Winnipeg Jets history. Oh bold claim I know. Do you think if they blow this? I think Colorado gives them a tough series like 50-50 maybe 51-49 for Colorado. This week will be remembered as the down of the season. Well, no. But if it doesn't, and they draw the Minnesota Wild,

I mean, heavy favorites should win that matchup. You let the other teams in the central beat each other up. You hope they're, you know, they're hurt more hurt than you. I think the Jets have a chance this year to win the Stanley Cup. I think they need that favorable first round matchup to have the best chance at it. If they get caught by the Dallas Stars this week... It is crazy that you can play almost 82 games, have the season that they're having, and have a negative kind of feel going into the last 10 days. I wonder if they win.

They have three games this week. But you gotta butt. They play St. Louis, Dallas, and the Edmonton Oilers. I get it. It's just, it's really strange that you can have this season and you could be scared about your first round match. Well, because Colorado has 98 points, but Colorado wasn't Colorado

until Colorado Colorado did the deadline. They did the thing, and they're a different team. And now all of a sudden they're a Jarena. Monster. Yes, very scary. So it's like, you know, win the division. Yeah, I think that's. Sorry, I derailed your game time.

No, no, you did not. I'm gonna throw, I'm just gonna, little bonus, little bonus item, provided they play tonight, because there's rain out in Boston, the Jays and Red Sox. And what I'm looking at, very simple, Vladdy got his deal.

Vladdy got his deal. He got it, it's great, everybody can be happy. Has yet to homer this season. Plus 525 tonight to hit a homer at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. If they play, that's the one I want. Half a Billy. Oh, he hasn't have a home run this season. It's oh, there you go. God, that's terrible. Come on

11 game 11 laddie. We got flatty buyers remorse already No, you know, it's not like he's a leading the league in homers. Of course, you're paying him. It's like, all right Let's let's let's start to let's see put the first tally on the board here. That was game time That was game time presented by bet 365. Visit the app latest odds, find out why it's never ordinary. Bet 365 must be 19 plus Ontario only play responsibly. Nice job, Disco. Okay, we'll get into the standings more in depth

and what we can expect the rest of the week as JB has noted a very important week, not just for the Winnipeg Jets, but other teams. And what does Vladdy do with 500 million US? All when we return to the Real Kipper and Bourne Show. Hey, it's Blake Murphy. And I'm Matt Bonner. Join us weekday mornings at 11,

as we break down all things Toronto Raptors It's the Raptor show on sports net 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcasts The Gabriel's Justin Bourne Danielle Franceschi in for the vacationing Sammy McKee for the vacationing Sammy McKee. When do you think we'll miss him by Wednesday, Thursday? No slate to you. No. Hey, if you didn't miss him, then we got a problem. To some extent, right? That's like a relationship observation. It's like, they've been away for a week and I still miss we're gonna get through a Maple leaf team playing in Florida. Hmm is tap of obviously in the Panthers, but

Yeah, it's always nice to play. Well, we'll be able to just enjoy it rather than have him be like Yeah, but when they don't play well, I kind of enjoy it too because Sammy cries in his spilt milk because Sammy cries in his spilt milk. Gives me the cat. Meow! He doesn't care. He's on a beach somewhere. Alright, so, lots of talk around the league now that maybe some teams are tanking to pick their opponent. Yeah. And Biz, did Biz think the Florida Panthers are tanking?

Yeah, a little conspiracy theorist action. That's for sure. We do have the clip. I mean, we want to hear it. No. No. Okay. We won't hear.

I put, by the way, zero validity to this, to this theory, this conspiracy theory. They are, they are hurting. They're hurt. They've played a ton of hockey. Reinhardt didn't play. Barkov's not playing. Kulikov's not playing. Ekblad's not playing. Kachuk's not playing.

It's a third of their lineup. Tough to win a whole lot of hockey games when you're missing five of your top six or seven guys. But I do think it brings to light a similar point to the Edmonton Oilers that yes, they're likely to be healthy in time for playoffs, but can you be at top speed when you've all been hurt? You know, is it okay to just be in the game? I think these teams are at risk of falling behind early.

You know, and for the Oilers and Kings, LA wins a ton at home. So if you're gonna open up in LA and these guys haven't been around, but Trent Frederick is back. He did play a game. So we're, they're getting out there. Is he back out now?

No, is he, well. I don't know, somebody said maybe he's. He played seven and a half minutes. I did hear that he he got hurt again I did get hurt some kind of update. I saw yes, did you? Yeah, okay latest perfect. This was from Chris Knobloch immediate return not going to happen For Trent Frederick. Oh, man. That's all right. I have you previous injury flared up. Oh, no, that's not good That is not good

It's really bad, you know with all due respect Trading for a guy that's on the shelf like that You better be sure Yeah, it just felt like one of those scenarios though where It could be just like found money You know, you just like grab this guy who no one's thinking about and all of a sudden at playoffs, wha-bam! It's exactly what we were looking for.

Like re-aggravated the same injury that's kept you out. His foot, his ankle. Months. Both McDavid and Dreisendlman. So it's a high ankle sprain. Yeah, probably. Yeah. Came back too soon.

All right. Well, high ankle sprain, he's cocked. I'm guessing. I'm just, that's just me guessing. Yeah. I don't came back too soon. All right. Well high ankle sprainy. He's he's cocked. I'm guessing I'm just that's just me guessing Yeah, I don't know what he has. Okay, but if that's the case, it's where it the broken bone would have healed by now. Yeah It's a good point. Yeah, when you re-injure high ankle, it just it might be another six weeks Yeah I think boring your point about them going on the road and you play the Kings and you don't have home ice and the Kings, you know, if not the most dominant team at home. They have five losses. It's insane, insane how consistent they've been and you go you play there. Now Saturday they get shut out by LA.

Different scenario obviously no McDavid no dry side but yeah you don't you don't like that draw. You do not like that draw at all for the Edmonton Oilers, especially if their top key guys are only going to have, never mind a handful, less than a handful of games before they have to play meaningful playoff hockey and not in your own barn. No, no. Go across continent. Go to the opposite coast and play a team in their building where they're really good. That's tough. It felt like there's a couple of teams this year where they could

have had these really weird rocky starts and then salvage things and it would be like, okay, they had to go through that, but now they're healthy. The Canucks were that for me where I felt like they may figure it out. They move on from Miller, Petterson thing and it's all going to get sorted out and then Hughes is hurt, and it just never happens. And now, what a season for the Canucks. You know, what a wasted year. The Panthers and the Oilers are a couple teams where it's like, it's gonna come together

for these two teams who were in Stanley Cup final last year. They're both pretty hurt, pretty close to playoffs. There's never a guarantee that they get it back on track. So that would be good news for a lot of other teams. The other team, I would throw the Rangers into that mix too. Absolutely. Because I think they were certainly a team with high expectations and then they make all these changes.

Then they have a little resurgence, but now they've kind of tapered off and it's like, okay, so what happened here? They're the weirdest team in the league to me, the Rangers. Like I thought that was gonna be a team that would Know doing the president's trophy last year, and they traded Truba got Miller he does out made all these huge moves and there is just might consider it a one-off and then Load come back next year

They could be that that team that Finds its way back in the mix definitely could could like there's talent there but they are curious. You know who disappointed me this year there was that Keandre Miller. I thought he was going to be one of the games. Premier Sanderson type guy. That whole defensive group really took a step back. And he there's something going on with him. Oh yeah?

Well, he just in terms of like, Yeah, he's just, he's not right. He's not, I don't know where his head's at. I don't know if his focus, but he should be one of those young, really good defenseman coming into his play right now. He should be a top young defenseman right now. He's still there.

He's only 25 years old and an RFA this summer. He's not a Dallas. Harley. Harley. He's not Harley. No. Right? But he kind of felt like he might be Harley early on.

Oh, yeah. Yeah two years ago in the playoffs Never mind being good and serve it like he was stud impact incredible really good really goes to show what confidence does, you know, you're feeling yourself a little bit and Not there for him right now. So what does this talk about all mark calling? Out the media, you know the best part of having Yelley here is? He like finds stuff I haven't heard of. It's in the lineup. I'm like, all right.

Disco, what do we know about this? I thought this was really interesting. So he has a 30 save shadow yesterday. Anton Forsberg the night before had a 40 save shadow. Insane, incredible performance. Sens don't allow a goal the entire weekend Yeah, and then after the game where things are going great right now in Ottawa teams playing well, right? They're surging. They're right on the door of

Challenging Tampa and then there's this weird interaction that occurs between a reporter and Lena Solmark in the availability I left the question in on purpose so we could hear the context of it. Perfect Let's play the clip, Derek, and then we'll react. Does it feel different than being in Boston though, Linus, where, I don't know, they were expected to make the playoffs the whole time, but it just seemed to be automatic, whereas here, this is a team that's grown up together and they're trying to get across the

finish line? No, not really. I think it's just the media overall that's been doing their job and not doing their job when it comes to following this team and writing things and saying things that I feel hasn't been fully, how should I say, fully the truth. And so I'm happy now that the guys now that have been there for a long time,

like Shabby, Shaqy, for example, I think those two have been there the longest, and now have an opportunity to play really meaningful games and get into a position where you can battle for the Cup. Can you elaborate on that point in terms of things that Maven said or written about this team? No, that's for you to think about Like how he ended it there I don't know what that means like we should call him brismarck like he's got he's got some little hints of Brisgalov and some started the year with the cows thing and It wasn't that bad for me

No, it I disagree. It's not that it's that terrible The words when he says writing some things that aren't the truth is the implication that it's done intentionally to me yeah, but I don't know there might be a kind of a Language barrier to where he's not finding the right words to say what he wants to say. Yeah. And that's what I've kind of picked up. Let's just pick some people in Ottawa to blame.

It could be reading stories that have a negative feel to him. Like, they're not quite ready yet, they're, you know, the inconsistent, they got to make a trade, whatever it is, whatever vibe he got, it was off of probably people that are doubting us. And that's what I get off of his comments. The mere fact that he just blew it off, that's for you guys to figure out, suggests to me that he doesn't have one specific thing

that he can turn around and say, when you said this, this was inaccurate. I think he's talking about somebody's feeling of, you're not as good as maybe you think you are, and then he thinks that they're great, and maybe they'll turn out to be great, and he could be right all along, and yet someone in the media felt like

they weren't gonna make the playoffs. This is the Bill Simmons, nobody believed in us team, right? Like, with such an advantage to be that team, and they have that sort of, y'all said we couldn't do it, for sure, watch this mentality. That's what I get out of this,

is that you guys doubted us, and we've never doubted ourselves. That's me considering you not doing your job. First, I love the way you interpreted that. Yeah. Because I think that's probably the most accurate interpretation. I listened to that like five, 10 times and I was confused at first because I'm thinking, what's the root cause here? Like things are going swimmingly. All the conversation surrounding that team is very positive. So where is it?

Do you think he doesn't like some people calling him Dr. Seasonoff? Well, I hope he doesn't. I hope he doesn't, because we had Curtis Joseph on in the first hour, and if you didn't catch Curtis Joseph Please download it or wherever you get your your pod and listen to it and he spoke of a guy like Bennington Who can play his best when people doubt him when you say?

Canada's goaltending is in trouble That feeds the beast Michael Jordan and I took that personally. And I don't know, maybe, maybe All Mark's tired of people sitting there going, doubting him or doubting the team, either making the playoffs or me staying healthy enough, or I don't crack under pressure. I mean, you don't have to go too far away from our show where we've had a conversation. It's like, what's wrong with this guy?

Why doesn't he, why every time he gets hotter, it's looking good, he finds a way to disappear. And it's not like it's not a legit question, but he may not like it. But if it's feeding him right now, it might be good timing. No, absolutely. It's, I think it's good that he's got that mentality and for the Sens, it's probably a good thing.

So we'll give him points. That team's fun. They're fun though. They're fun. And they're dangerous. We haven't heard the last from Al Mark. This is his first Canadian team too, and there's just more exposure.

Oh, I know what I was gonna say too. It stinks when everyone says, don't read the news, don't listen to the press, don't read anything about you, just go about your business. Because if you're a hockey player, you probably love hockey, and you want to follow it, and you got to turn on Sports Central, Sports Central or whatever. Right? So it's these guys hear things about themselves. They hear the skepticism. That's That's all.

I agree. Ottawa is going to be one of those teams where you hope they're inexperienced enough if you're playing them that they'll find a way to lose. But I watched that Jake Sanderson control the game back there. And so good. You know, Shabat, some of those guys right now may be coming into theirs their own Hudson's another one we mentioned in Montreal Montreal would be dangerous too for sure You know those are sorry much. I just I I appreciate what they've done. Yeah, they're incredible incredible runs. He's been so good You know Kip and I made some comments about Suzuki, I don't know, weeks ago. Yours were way stronger than me, by the way.

Montreal fans, you have every reason to be mad at JP. I actually watched that clip back and I'm mad how out of context he got taken. I was like, in passing, I think he's like the 25th best center. And then I was like, immediately I go, I think that's too harsh. And then people took the first part of the quote,

I looked after him. First of all, he's having a fantastic season. He's been amazing. I got him at like 13. 14. I started this whole thing because I said, on a championship team, I see him more as a second line guy. Like when they're winning the cup,

they'll get another number one. That's all. And it's like, now we get messages saying, what did you think, he's just not, now we get messages saying, what do you think? He's not 25 now. Every time he gets a call. And it's like, yeah, he is. Yeah.

But absolutely. If you did a list of the top centerman, you could go 12, 15 where you're like, yeah, legit. It's a good group. It's a good group. If we called him a top 15 right now, which he he's playing like he is. Yeah. Right. That's a compliment. All right. This hour real Kipper and born brought to you by bet three, six, five. Thanks for tuning in. We're back to do it again tomorrow on the real Kipper and Born Show.