Real Kyper & Bourne - Parity Panic

Episode Date: February 21, 2024

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with the Bruins and their recent struggles as the absences of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí finally start to take shape. Eddie Olzcyk (2:24) joins them to tee up Boston's game against the Oilers tonight, Edmonton's stretches of inconsistency, Paul Coffey's impact behind the bench and a look at teams' deadline outlooks around the league. Finally, they regroup with Sam to chat about the panic-mode Penguins, Dubas' presser, potential landing spots for Jake Guentzel and if Crosby should be made available for trade.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.

it's the real kipper and born show national edition we are live on sports at sports at 650 in vancouver and sports at 960 in calgary this hour of real kipper and born brought to you by bet 365 nick kiprios justin born sammy mckee and in a few minutes we'll welcome in eddie old chuck just give me a chance just give me a chance tnt tonight good game right he's got was it boston edmonton boston versus the oilers now is he are we under the impression that boston is who they were last year and this year and now they're just going through a little bit of a funk or maybe a little more concerned about uh holding on to a top spot in the atlantic well as things

currently stand the boston bruins are slated to face the toronto maple leafs in the first round and i wouldn't say leafs fans are as fear-filled as they would have been previous matchups, right? This Bruins team lost a ton of players in the offseason. We're really held together by spectacular goaltending for the first few months. They've been struggling for a little bit here. Just four wins in their last 10 games. They have been passed by Florida for first in the Atlantic Division.

And yeah, I think they're a step back from where they they've been it is kind of remarkable though that we thought with the loss of patrice and krejci that there was going to be this major drop off yes how can you not but it goes from winning the selkie every year for half his career to gone no bergeron no creche no taylor hall no nick felino i mean there's like seven players if you go through the whole list that were pretty important players that they just they're not didn't replace they're not the the bruins that the least have lost to in the first round no they can still do that oh without question and most likely will yeah i mean i wouldn't say most likely but there's pretty good ruins that the Leafs have lost to in the first round. No. They can still do that. Oh, without question. But they're not the same team. And most likely will.

Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say most likely, but there's a pretty good chance. But yeah, it's tough, though, that the Leafs are playing at 10 o'clock, too, because it'd be a great after option where you watch the Leafs game, and it's a flick back option for you. Yeah. Between the two late games. Couple of good late ones tonight, anyway. Ooh, and we have Eddie O.

Okay, let's welcome him in. He wanted a chance. We're giving him a chance. He says, just give me a chance. It's Eddie O. Give me a chance. Borny, how you doing, buddy? I'm doing well.

I'm here too. Good to see you. Ed Zo, I'm here too. I know. Who canceled on you today, Kipper. That's what I want to know. Pull me out of the bullpen again, buddy. You text me yesterday and then the red light went on and I'm like, we're getting Eddie O tomorrow. Teen up the big Oilers Bruins game. He's sitting in his hotel room. Did you finish shopping? Did you go to the mall?

Did you ride a roller coaster? Edzo at the mall? Speaker 4, no, no, I'm not good. I'm not good on roller coasters. Kipper. I'm not, I'm, I'm soft. I've always been soft. I don't, I don't need a roller coaster. I got a, I got enough roller coaster in my life and let alone go on some ride that probably would get stuck. If I ever got on a roller coaster. roller coaster nice well but good to see you guys i hope you're well yeah we are pal and then you're kind of teeing up a game that uh you know if both teams found themselves in a stanley cup final would we be overly surprised uh or you know at this point of the season is it more unlikely what are your your thoughts about the game tonight?

I mean, look, I think it's got a chance to be a heck of a game. I think it's going to be very entertaining. I think both teams certainly want to be better defensively here recently. I know when the Oilers went on there, what was like a 50-game winning streak, whatever it seemed like. It just seemed like it was forever. They won every game, and they were only giving up what, two or less, I think, and, you know,

more than half the games that they won on that incredible streak. But I think recently here and just being around both teams this morning, I mean, I think both sides would, you know, would like to probably be a little bit better defensively here than they had the last couple of games. But if it isn't, it's probably okay for us because we're doing a game down here on TNT in the States.

And, you know, could we have a 5-4, 6-4 type of game, 6-5? Yeah, I mean, I could see it. And both teams are going to generate. Both teams are going to give up chances. And whether or not the goaltending cooperates on either side, that will probably be the determining factor. So I think it should be one hell of a game here in edmonton tonight yeah we're looking forward to it i'm trying to get a sense for what to make of this oilers team in terms of you know stanley cup contending legitimacy you

know they had their terrible streak and then their great streak they've been kind of on and off you know they've added cory perry not sure how you feel about that addition farther down the lineup but where do you feel like this team is it wasn't hard a few weeks ago to be like maybe they're the best team in the NHL but maybe that's a bit high praise for him yeah well I would say that um I think for Edmonton if they are going to make a run and when you look at what they've been able to do here, you know, why, why wouldn't he be able to go on a run or a heater? I mean, the West, you know, I think through Vegas, if they could ever get healthy, you know, I mean, I know they lost last night to Nashville, but I still think,

and I know Mark Stone got hurt. I didn't see if they're, you know, what the reports were today, but you know, he didn't finish that game last night and I still think that I believe the West still goes through Vegas but you could make a case for Vancouver you could make a case for Winnipeg you could certainly make a case for Edmonton Dallas right I mean Dallas is probably going to do something on the back end and try to bolster up their defense a little bit and getting back to Edmonton Borny I I would wonder and I guess I would ask you guys is would it be fair to say that they might be in the market for I don't know maybe another top six forward if they

can somehow you know figure that out when it comes to the gymnastics of the salary cap. I think, to me, if you can push down the depth or push down players maybe into their depth, which is probably one of the biggest question marks that they have on the back or up front on their bottom six, if you can add another guy like a top six guy guy then all of a sudden it'd be like now now they can play with they can play with anybody and not have to count on just connor and leon and and you know we know what hyman brings and you know when kane is really playing like he's such an effective player so um long-winded i would say that you know why why can't they it seems like the defense is playing the best that they've played in a long, long time.

And, yes, you have to give Coach Knobloch a lot of credit, but I don't think you can underestimate the impact that Paul Coffey has had on this blue line and these guys and in getting them to really buy in. And I had a great conversation with cough today. And, you know, he just, I think he believes in challenging guys, but I think he really feels there's a healthy competitive balance there. And, and the guys push one another. And I think it's, it's shown up here. And when you look at at home and nurse really the, you know,

those guys are kind of the glue guys on their back end. And when those guys are playing well, it seems like the Oilers play well. And, you know, you probably camouflage a lot of deficiencies that you might have is when you can really play well without the puck. And I think that's one thing that this team has been able to prove is that they can win low-scoring games. And they're better defensively than maybe everybody thought they were earlier in the season.

And the numbers probably bear that out. Were you able to get a smile out of cough at all, or just a chuckle or something that, uh, he showed that he's enjoying himself. Oh, he's kept. He is. I look at, I, anytime I'm around him, I'm always smiling because he's, he's smiling and he's laughing and, uh, talking about the old days and him standing behind the bench. And look, he's been around this team for a while, right?

Whatever the role was for him as an advisor or whatever it was. But I think he's got obviously tremendous respect from everybody inside that room. But I think that's probably helped him in this position where he's had relationships with a lot of guys. And, but I think he's, I mean, he's loving it. He is. I mean, I just feel, you know, feel the passion and feel the ability to be able to help make a difference. And, you know, the one thing he told, you know, he told myself and Johnny Forslund and Jackie Redman this morning when we had

our little, you know, a little greet with, with, with cough was, was that he like, Hey, look at like mistakes are going to happen, right? Like, you know, you're a defenseman and, and, you know, you're going to make mistakes and the puck's going to end up in your back of your net. But, you know, it's almost like a reliever. And these are my the back of your net. It's almost like a reliever. These are my words, not his. It's almost like a reliever in baseball. It's like, look, you're going to give up one in the bottom of the ninth and you're going to lose the game. Or you're going to give up a game-tying run. What's your next shift? What's your next pitch? What's your next inning?

I think when you have that, obviously the resume of Paul Coffey, but then also the ability to be able to let your defenseman know and just say, hey, look, I'm going to make a mistake. It's OK, but we're going to learn from it. So I think he's loving it, Kipper. I really do. Obviously, he's done a really, really good job with the core guys that they have on this team and get a chance to really help mold these guys and look at who is better offensively and be able to see and read and be in every situation than a guy like Paul Coffey. So I'm happy for him, and he's doing a great job.

No question. We're talking to Eddie Olchuk, Stanley Cup champion, top hockey analyst at Edmonton, teeing up the brunes and the oilers on tnt edzo we were having a conversation on how wide open we think this season is uh for a potential stanley cup win and you know we just watched vancouver lose three games in a row i think for the first time all season we're seeing seeing Boston lose, what, four out of five. And we're just wondering how active, if it's as wide open as we might think, will be the trade deadline come March 8th.

Yeah, I think it is wide open. I mean, I would say in the Eastern Conference that, to me, without hesitation, is the Florida Panthers. Like they they just are a machine right now and they've got it going on. I saw them. I can't even I don't even know what days it is, but I was I saw them play Pittsburgh recently. That's all I know. And like they they've got it going on. Right. Like they can play any way you want. And Bob is, you know, obviously the goaltending is is very good. It's playing. They're playing very well defensively.

If you want to play a 7-5 game, they'll be more than happy to play that type of game. If you want to play a 2-1, 3-2 type of game, they can play that. And if you want to go ahead and get down and dirty Kipper and Borny, they're willing to go ahead and do that too. So to me, I think in Eastern Conference, you know, barring any injuries or, you know, anything like that, I don't know what you guys think, but I think it is the Florida Panthers right now and everybody else. And I, it'll be interesting to do what the Rangers did.

I did the Rangers IslandIslanders game, the stadium series at MetLife on Sunday. And when you look at Panarin and Sabinijad and Kreider and Fox on the back end, it looks like Shusterkin has kind of found his game. I would look at the Rangers, I think, being very active because I still think that they need some help with the center ice position and maybe another maybe another another d-man on the back end there's no reason why the rangers can't you know to make another run so i look at those two teams and go would i be surprised if either one of them is in the uh in the cup final no i would not um but i think it is it is about matchups it is about staying healthy and you know

maybe who's the team that steps up and uh makes a big move at the deadline and all of a sudden the new jersey devils acquire jacob markstrom you know some kind of a move like that where all of a sudden a team gets in and you sit there and go yeah you know like you got to play who you got to play but that's a much different team if uh if you can add a a huge piece so i would say it's the Florida Panthers and everybody else right now in the East. Yeah, the Markstrom and Devils thing is really looming. That Devils team seems like there's a lot there for their lack of success. The team going up against the Oilers in your game tonight,

Boston, you didn't mention there, the Leafs looking to them going, God, are we going to draw the Bruins as a first-round opponent yet again? They didn't fall off quite as much as we thought they would to start the season kind of struggling a bit more of late you know where do you slot them in compared to the previous version of the bruins which had 136 points or whatever it was last year yeah i mean i heard you guys talking i mean just with the losses that they had and you're're not going to, you know, you're going to take a hit in every aspect of your team is when you lose the,

you know, forget the leadership and the all worldness of Patrice Bergeron, but, you know, David Krejci coming back and be able to make plays through the middle of the ice. And you're probably, you know, you're playing guys probably more than you should in certain spots and, and guys are elevated into roles and, you know, you make some moves, you bring some guys in and, you know, look at it is Donnie Sweeney and Cam Neely. Are roles and you know you make some moves you bring some guys in and you know look at it is Donnie Sweeney and Cam Neely are they you know would they like to add you know

a piece or two for yeah absolutely I don't think there's any doubt but you know I think when you look at the goaltending there I mean that's the one thing you could really lean on Barney and like like the Bruins like I think they're very comfortable in playing and, you know, playing in those lower scoring games, but, you know, do they have enough help there with, you know, with, with, with, with Marshan and posture knock and, you know, with Charlie McEvoy on the back end. So, you know, can they defend as well as they've done in the past? Yeah.

They've been going through a tough time here, but you know, I think anytime that the Bruins get in, you know, I still think that they, but, you know, I think any time that the Bruins get in, you know, I still think that they would be, you know, they're going to be a tough out just because of the guys and goal and, you know, the difference makers that they do have. And, you know, maybe, you know, maybe just find different ways to, you know, to win. And you don't have to, you know, Patrice Bergeron wasn't going to be there forever and Grachy, you know,

being there and then leaving and then eventually coming back. So, you know, I like the Bruins team. It'll be interesting to see, you know, what they do with guys that they have are unrestricted and then what they do, you know, as far as cap space and everything else, Lynn home is not here. He is not, that was a, you know, he got hurt in their last game. So that's obviously a big void for them. You know, right now, them um you know right now because you know i don't think he's played as well as he did last year or when he came the year prior at the trade deadline but

you know if you can you know if you if you can run out uh lynn home on you know on once set a d and then have you know mcavoy come out i mean they're in a pretty good spot when it comes to the guys on the back end. So yeah, there's some holes, but you know, every team has holes and you know, can you just be able to plug them enough to give yourself a chance to, to, to win around and move on. So it'll be interesting to see how the Bruins, you know, play down the stretch and then into, you know,

into the trade deadline and then obviously in the playoffs. Eddie, you got tonight, Connor McDavid. So plenty of greatness in obviously in the playoffs. Eddie, you got tonight Connor McDavid. So plenty of greatness in your hockey game tonight. Just recently with another back-to-back hat trick for Austin Matthews. It seemed just prior to that, he was kind of on the outside looking in when you thought about an MVP type of year. Not anymore, Kipper. Not anymore. Right there with Nate

and Connor Kucherov. Yeah, 100%. 100%. Look, if this guy, that being obviously Austin Matthews, if he scores 70, he'd be hard pressed not to give him the MVP.

I don't... Look, when's the last time we had one? Early 90s? Yeah, I think 93 or something like that. It's been a long time. Yeah. Regardless of what Nate and Connor end up, like would they have to kind of pull back a little bit here for you? Or just no?

The number 70 wins. Yeah. Look, I mean, those three guys. I mean, look, we know what Connor is. Obviously, we know that. I mean, he's the greatest right now. But guys are having unbelievable seasons in Kucherov, right? I mean, Kucherov's got 33, 34, whatever the number is, points ahead of,

I think it's Braden Point the last time I checked. But that's large, without a doubt. And McKinnon is obviously, he's played on a whole other level and we know how great he is. But I think when you look at the year, and if you took, I think if you took Austin Matthews out of the lineup for the Toronto Maple Leafs, would they be in the playoffs?

They would not. I would argue that they would be a bubble team. Yeah. 25% of the goals. Yeah. Right, right, right. But I mean, I guess you could maybe argue that, you know, you could probably argue that with obviously Kucherov.

You could argue that obviously with Connor, but you still have Leon. And you could argue that with McKinnon because you still have Rantanen and Makar. So I think the team that would take the biggest hit out of those four guys we're talking about would be the Leafs. Now, that's just my opinion.

And when you start talking about how many, I mean mean 70 goal scorers in the history of the game handful talking you're talking espo you're talking brett's you're talking mario you're talking solani you're talking bread hole three different times right i mean mcgillney like solani these are, it doesn't happen. So if he gets 70, I would, like, I don't, you know, I don't, if I had a vote and he gets 70 goals, all due respect to everybody else, but look at, I would give it to Austin Matthews if he scores 70 goals, because we don't see this very often. Like we, I guess we just expect him to score 70 goals.

Well, you know, he's had an unbelievable, and I hope he gets his 50th at home in front of his family and friends and, you know, in Arizona and what have you. But I don't know what you guys think, but I think if he gets 70, he would have my vote and all due respect to everybody else in the years that they have. For sure. Yeah, no, I feel the same way.

We were having a conversation in our first hour about trying to get some help for the Leafs top guys at the trade deadline here, and they don't have a ton of assets. One thing they do have is this Easton Cowan, who is, you know, Sam McKee says he's the best player in the OHL this year. You know, he's been spectacular for them.

Where do you sit on the idea of trading someone who looks like a surefire good nhl or now to get someone for you know a maybe team like the leafs saying that maybe the 10th best team in the league do you think it's worth the risk to trade a player a young potential star to get help for a guy like matthews now yes because there are no guarantees. Because there are no guarantees. I think there are no guarantees, right? I mean, they're expected to, at least, I mean, again, on the outside looking in, I don't know what Channy or Trees

or anybody, you know, on the inside, what's the, you know, the end game here. But I'm sure for the fan base, it's like, we're not, this isn't about, you know, this isn't about next year or two years from now. Like, it's like,'t about you know this isn't about next year i mean or two years from now like it's like okay you know the sand in the hourglass is uh is dwindling here and and if we can add you know whomever that might be and we think that we can get to the conference finals and you never know from there so um you know all teams are built

differently and everybody has different philosophies but if you got a chance you can So, you know, all teams are built differently. Everybody has different philosophies, but if you've got a chance, you can bolster up the team. I would say let's go for it. Two names I'll give you. Joe Neuendijk. Is he available? Jerome Aginla.

Sorry. What about the deadline moves? Joe Neuendijk moves from Calgary to Dallas. They win the Stanley Cup. Again, that goes in as a Hall of Fame career in Calgary. No one regretted that trade. I like that. That works.

You happy with that, Edzo? Remember that one, Edzo? Yeah, that's right in our wheelhouse, Kipper. Those guys are right smack dab in our era. Look it, for me, you'd be all in. Like, you push your chips all in. Like, it's really interesting, like, when you think about it. But, like, I know Pittsburgh did not come up here, but boy, oh, boy. Like, somebody's going to get Jake Gensel.

And this guy's numbers in the playoffs are just, like, Borny, you know, like, his numbers in the playoffs are just, like Borny, you know, like his numbers in the playoffs are just like, I mean, they're Hall of Fame. Like, like, like that's fact. Like when you look at what he's done in the playoffs and he can get healthy again and whatever, like, and he's going to get paid. He's going to get some, he's going to get fresh powder next year and rightfully so. And you know, is he going to be nine plus, is he going to be 10 million? I have no idea.

I know he's a little bit older obviously obviously, than than than Willie Nylander. But he's he's proven that he is a big time player and super intelligent IQ off the charts. And be really interesting to see what Kyle Dubas does in Pittsburgh, because I think moving forward forward because look at they're a bubble team they have been a bubble team if they don't if they don't make it again there's they're not making a playoffs next year either so like i think anything is on the table at pittsburgh i mean that's the way that's the way i would handle it i think that's the way that you have to look at it and go hey we don't make it again like look they haven't won a round since, what, 18? It's been a while now. Yeah, it's true.

They haven't got past the first round, I think, since 18. So my quick math tells me that that's a lot of playoffs. This is a run and a half here where they're not used to this in Pittsburgh. So where does Gensel end up and what happens in Pittsburgh moving forward if they don't make the playoffs for the second straight year? Okay, Edzo, one more and I'm going to let you go because I know you got a lot of prep work for Boston Oilers tonight for TNT. And that is the OV question because he scored two last night.

He's got 18, but eight of them in the last eight games. So writing off Ovi a little quick for some. I'd say that again. Kipper Ovi two goals last night. He's got 16, but eight of them in the last eight games. And I'm just wondering if, if some were ready to write this guy off. No, I don't, I don't think so. I mean, why?

I mean, every great player, every goal scorer goes through stretches where it's not happening, right? And look at it. Think about it. He plays every power play. He plays probably 85% of every power play. He's going to get his looks, and he's on a heater now, and he's going to go on another heater before the end of the year,

and then he's going to go on one next year. It's just the way that it is. I mean, so, yeah, where there's some people thinking, well, you know, like he's going to only get maybe 12 this year, and he might only get 15 next year. And he's still going to be 30 shy of Gretz or whatever the number is. Like this guy's a goal scorer. And look at what's going to go is the body and the feet before the hands do.

That's for sure. Like that's just the reality of it. That's what goes for all the great goal scor know, for all the great goal scorers, like your hands are always going to be there and you're always going to be able to score. It's not whether or not you can just get there enough and get there is like you used to, but for OB he's yeah,

he's, he's fine. He's, he's fine. I know we're letting him go. I just want to fill you in Edzo. He's actually been on the ice for 96.1% of the capitals power play time. 96.1. Not a joke. power play time 96.1 not a joke okay is that 96 percent canadian i was doing the

yeah that's with the exchange rate yeah so what's the order again enzo that disappear at the end of your career your hands your feet your legs or your wife no no no no your career, your hands, your feet, your legs, or your wife? No, no, no, no, no, no. Your hands are the last thing to go. Hands, okay. And the wife? For you, it was your look. You're a good man, Enzo. Thanks for doing this.

Love you guys. Thanks, Enzo. Appreciate it. Eddie Olchuk. Former teammate. Yep. Fun guy. Yeah, Enzo. Appreciate it. Eddie Olchuk. Former teammate. Yep. Fun guy. Yeah.

No kidding. It was awesome. I was just... The Ovi thing. I was watching... I watched the end of the Penguins-Islanders last night, and we go straight to Ken Reed and Ivanka, and I'm watching that.

They're showing the highlights, and just everyone that goes in, I'm like... Just wincing at over the goals how many we weigh now it's like 56 away I'm like oh Jesus there were some games you watch this year you would never have thought eight goals and eight games would ever be in the possible yeah in the in a formula moving forward in his career. You know, he was, he's been slow at times, but can still shoot it in the net. Well, and that's the thing is that shot, like the other day he scores one off the faceoff,

which he scored, everyone talks about his one-timer. His off the faceoff wrist shot goals, he's got to have, I don't know, at least 70 of them. Where he just catches it in traffic and it's in the back. In traffic, how did he even get that off? And it's in the back of the net. In traffic. How did he even get that off? Yeah, the goalie's still looking through traffic. So he's going to finish with what?

27 goals? 30 goals? Yeah. Is that 16? This show is just open. Are you on board with rooting against Ovi here? I don't know. I want to cheer for him. Yeah, I'm going to cheer for him yeah i'm gonna cheer for him yeah i am all right

i can put politics aside yeah it's not even come on it's an amazing achievement of what he's done over the course of his career come on if i'm i would i'll put off-ice politics aside, but like as a born and bred Canadian, like I don't want our national, I don't want a Russian guy to have it. It's like they're our biggest rival. It's always been the case. Like I, you know, I don't, I've never liked Dolby for that reason since we killed him in the world juniors. He was wearing that tinted visor, never liked him.

So I want him to have it. I want Gretzky to have it. That's how it is. I'm okay with that. People can cheer. People can cheer against them. So I want him to have it. I want Gretzky to have it. That's the way it is. I'm okay with that. People can cheer. People can cheer against them. It's good. Right? Okay. Let's take a quick break or are we going to go to... Let's take a break.

Okay. Yeah. Take a quick break. You okay? JB producing the show today. I like it. Taking charge. JB says we're taking a break and when we return we're back with more Real Kipper inborn. Get smarter. When you listen to hockey, talk the hockey PDO cast with Dimitri Filipovich,

subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. nick kiprios justin bourne sammy mckee just going to break you remind me of my wife wow i don't know what to do with that no no no no me finish. Let me finish because she's like, you don't check your text. Oh, yeah. Right? And I'm like, well, I do, but when it's convenient. Intermittently.

Right? Yeah. And my apologies to you because as we went towards break, I didn't check any text messages and you sent me one that said, go to break, my nose is bleeding. check any text messages, and you sent me one that said, go to break, my nose is bleeding. Yeah. I truly, I need to get it cauterized.

Like, I need to go do the thing where they actually, like, burn it in there. Because it's a daily thing. I don't have the Jake McCabe going right now. I got it out. I think I got to stop just in time. But I may bleed at some point. I'm glad you pulled the tissue out of your nose right before we went back on air or else someone's going to think I punched you in the nose.

And actually, yeah, we could have done a nice bit there. But, yes, I am at risk at all times of having a bleeding nose. So it must have been my third or fourth year at Sportsnet. And I'm on the desk. And I'm working with Bill Waters, and his nose starts bleeding. Bleeding. Bleeding, bleeding.

Yeah. And I could see from a monitor, the camera guy kind of shake a little bit to get him off the air, like get the look off the air. And yeah, the whole studio was kind of in a bit of a panic. Well, and that's the thing is I've actually said this to my wife because it happens so frequently i was like i don't know what'll happen but i think i'm just gonna sit here like mccabe i'm gonna have one of those big plugs in my nose and you're all just gonna deal with it it's a hockey show and we're still on the air

they just won't show them and then all of a sudden like there's camera people and producers trying to get him a tissue but you know they're under the desk trying to get him a tissue and all you could see is like the hand like we were this is like uh watching the adams family it was like the hand what do you call that thing the thing the thing yeah and it was like trying to get him a tissue yeah and i should be okay we got to make it through 20 minutes. I said, Wilbur, like, are you okay? He goes, Nicky, don't tell anybody this, but I just plucked a few nose hairs right before. And I'm like, Wilbur, I ain't telling a word. Your secret is safe with me.

Until now. Until national television. Until 2024. What's the cutoff? 20 years? Yeah, no, you've passed the statute of limitations. Exactly. You're good.

Fun times with Bill Waters. Game time? Game time. Game time. It's game time. Presented by Bet365. Visit the app for latest odds and find out why it's never ordinary.

Bet365 must be 19 plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Now, you know what I'm going through tonight. This is... If there's a Sammy pick of all Sammy picks on game time, I'm going to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hold on, can I call it? And the Arizona Coyotes. Kerfickle.

Oh, yeah. Flexio. Flexio, baby. He has eight all year. He does not do a lot of the goals. He's got one in his last five, so he's hot. That's red hot for Alex Kerfoot. It doesn't matter if he hadn't scored since he left.

Tonight is the night that he scores a goal, and the number for that is not great. Plus 320. But they probably know that they're going to get some action on this because Leaf fans know that there are a few things that former Leafs like to do more than score against the team. So give me an Alex Kerfoot goal tonight for sure. Have they not seen the Coyotes this year at all?

No, they haven't. And then they play them again next Thursday. Yeah, at home. Sweet. So. But a decent schedule for them. For who? Leafs.

Yeah, they've had a little softer pocket here for sure. And two more that i like for tonight the buffalo sabers are in montreal the buffalo sabers should not be favored by minus 150 over anybody habs on home ice give me the habs plus 125 and the last one is the game that's on sports net one tonight with the edmonton oilers and the boston bru. Oilers are pretty big favorites, minus 135. Boston coming in there, plus 115. They've been on a bit of a tough stretch for them. But I don't mind the value on one of the best teams in the league at plus 115 heading in to take on the Oilers.

And that was game time presented by Bet365. Visit the app for the latest odds and find out why it's never ordinary at Bet365. Bet365 is 19 plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Beautiful. There you go.

All right. All right. So. Pittsburgh. Pick up a little bit of the conversation we had earlier with Edzo, the Pittsburgh Penguins, as we know, heading a little south this season. Everything's great. Kyle Dubas

met the media. And we've got a little sound to that. What do you want first? About Gensel? No, I want us a little first here. Let's all put our loafers on in Kyle Dubas' shoes

and ask us, okay, why do I want to speak to the media today? And your answer is? Noise. Quiet the noise. Quiet the noise. Quiet the noise. See, I'm the opposite. You just made it louder.

Yeah, that is like putting out a fire with kerosene. Yeah, like I don't understand. That's the logic though, right? Why you would go and meet the media. He did it so little here in his final year. But isn't this fine? Like, don't we want this more from general managers to come out and talk about their teams? Yeah, selfishly. Yeah, don't we want this more from general managers to come out and talk about their teams?

Yeah, selfishly. Yeah, selfishly, 100%. So we could then grab what we can and then beat them over the head with it. It's an entertainment product, after all. Did you... Okay, nobody has an answer then why Kyle Dubas would want to go lose four to five and then meet the media. No. Okay, because I can't figure it out i think last night was tough i think you know they lose a game to a team that's directly in front of them in the

standings where they have a chance to you know win a game and regular they didn't have the chance to win the game in regulation but if you beat them in regulation last night you get a little close to a playoff spot you can kind of sell some hope a little bit more that's in pittsburgh last night and they they come back make a valiant effort after we were talking about how they were done and they come back score two goals they lose in overtime i just think that the way that team is constituted he took like this offseason was a win now offseason for them, right? Where it's like you think about all the moves they made. It was a win now, we're going to win. They traded for Eric Carlson.

Yeah, they signed Ryan Graves, that long contract. Yeah, they tried to, Graves. They bring in Riley Smith. They signed. Achari, Cookie. They bring in, they re-signed Tristan Jari to that long deal. Like I think there's just a lot of win now moves, and you're not winning now. And i think last night was a big spot okay so now we've got our answer why he met the media

to me that's why because he needs to backpedal i 100% think pedal on those moves yeah or just justify what's happening no there's no justifying it. You're losing. You're not justifying anything. What you're saying basically is my plan A sucked, and now I've got to come up with a plan B. Okay. The first one was preaching patience, and we're going to try to win now. Also, I think there is some measure of preparing the fans for what's coming.

I think maybe a bit of a decision gets made last night where you're going, if we're not going to be able to win, then we're going to have to sell some guys. And maybe the fan base should know that we're a little hesitant. Don't talk about playoffs. Playoffs. Eight points out of a playoff spot. Yeah.

Playoffs. Okay, what do you have for us? Did you see the report yesterday from our competitor that they're listening on all non-core players? Okay. So that got brought up to him today at the press conference, and this was his answer. I think it's clip two, Derek. Yeah, I didn't see the exact verbiage or wording of it.

I had another GM mention it to me today or ask me about it clearly. I think we've received a lot of calls on a lot of our players, especially as our team has been in the spot that it's at. My view of it, Rob, has been to, I feel like out of respect to the group here and what they've accomplished, I'm trying to be as patient as possible and give the group the time, and I've outlined that to them to show that we can really make a push and make a run at it.

As we've continued to kind of stay level or drop, you know, we look up today at the standings, it's a daunting task. Is the group capable of it? Yes. I think we've shown this year that we are, but we're running out of time to show that we can do it consistently. So as we've had, you know, coming out of the all-star break, you know, we lose two or three.

Last week is the same. We lose two or three. The calls from teams that are – these are really good players here. So teams are calling more and more asking, are they going to be available? And so, you know, that's – it's my job to listen to it. But I haven't – you know, there's been no discussion about these guys are and these guys aren't available. A lot of teenagers calling and asking about a litany of our players.

So why aren't they all just available? Free Sid, just do it all. You're not going anywhere. Free Sid, I love it. You're done. Did he give us the impression that, like, he's still going to be a little patient here? Is that what you got out of that? Well, I think he is paying lip service to those players

while also saying, you know, kind of being a carnival barker and drumming up business here. You know, like everyone's available. You know, you've had 53 games. You are who you are after 53 games absolutely so where where do you think you're gonna wait a little longer i mean they have a couple games in hand on the teams they're chasing if they won them both then all of a sudden there are four points out of a playoff spot you know could they sneak in and do what florida did last year they have enough playoff

experience are they talking themselves into you know not giving up on a team that has playoff experience verbiage or wording of it i don't want to accuse our good friend kyle of fibbing okay okay but who outside like the core is sydney evgeny malkin, Chris Letang, Eric Carlson, I guess. Eric Carlson, I guess he's part of the core. Oh, yeah. Just because of... I don't even know what core means. No, but that's what he said.

But, like, who outside of that would people be kicking down the door for outside of Gensel, I guess? Like, is it Brian Rust, Ricard Raquel at $5 million, Riley Smith at $5 million, Jeff Carter at $3 million, Lars Eller, Drew O'Connor? he says they're good players here they're good players here he says well then why aren't they winning jansen harkins like i look at this cat friendly page and i'm like suck who are who are the guys that people are kicking down the door for ricard raquel geez there would be a number of teams that would want malkin and letang at a song well yeah right you're not suggesting that would be possible i'm i anything's possible if you have the right conversation with them and i don't understand for one second. And again, Malkin was not Kyle's signing. And Letang was not his signing.

Nor was Raquel. So you can go back and say, I appreciate what Ron Hextall and Brian Burke were trying to do, but this is not my deal and I need you to lift no moves and trade lists. I think it's Brian Burke who actually says that he would never go to someone who had a no trade and asked him unless someone else signed it. He was a new GM and then he'd have that conversation. So I think, yeah, Kyle would be able to.

What was the other one? Did he mention? Well, it's the Gensel thing where he basically said he's traded. He has. You want to hear the Gensel clip? That's my reading into it. We have clip one, please, Derek, on Gensel. I understand how valuable he's been as a teammate, person in the community,

contributor to helping the team win Stanley Cup and so on and so forth. So it's important. But at the same time, we have to take stock of where we're at and be realistic about the fact that one of the issues we have is we need to get younger. We have a lot of guys in their 30s signed. Some of them are some of the best players in the history of the franchise.

It's tough with Jake, as I've said to him, because he's an excellent player and playing at an elite level but we have to find a way to continue to have those solid veteran guys but also continue to get younger at the same time. Oh my god. Word salad. Are you kidding me? He said be realistic about where we are

and we need to get younger. We need to get younger. This is the guy that went out and got Carlson seven months ago. Hell he signed. This is the guy that went out and got Carlson seven months ago. Hell, he signed. This is the guy that went and got Riley Smith. How about Achari? Achari.

Achari, the heavy feet. And then you got the gall to come seven months later and say, we need to get younger now? Seriously? We're all looking for the guy who did this. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. That makes no sense. Well, yeah.

No, it doesn't. It makes no makes no sense well he is backpedaling you mentioned that this may be a bit of a backpedal and i think that's what's happening he talked about genzel playing at an elite level right now he's been a great contributor here like yeah that's exactly the sound so someone's gonna get genzel so we had uh edzo on before and he talked about genzel's playoff numbers yeah it's done oh my god yeah so in regular season games he's a 0.93 um points per game he's a even point per game 58 playoff games are you looking it up 58 playoff games 58 playoff points 38 playoff goals so he's a better playoff performer than regular season performer. And way above in terms of goals per game. So how are you going to get younger?

Because last time we checked, Pittsburgh doesn't actually have a ton of stock. Right? They're not Arizona loaded up with a gazillion draft picks here. So how are you going to do this? I don't have a lot of assets. And you only got what? They're old. They're missing playoffs.

Six years on your contract? Seven? Sam and I for a show are like, you know what he should do is he should go back in time and not run his mouth in his press conference and just be, you know, not get fired from his old job. Because this job is harder, the one he has in Pittsburgh considerably.

Oh, it's way, like pickingic carlson was asinine it was stupid from the second it happened yeah we all and everyone knew it it was pretty universal i was like wow that was aggressive but some people were excited about it because they didn't give up that much but it's like yeah but look what you got you gotta pay him 10 mil for It's a fascinating what if. If he were still the GM. Oh, he didn't say anything. If that Monday press conference doesn't happen. I would die to find out what Sid would have thought of that press conference today.

Yeah, so Eric Carlson is owed 10 million from the Penguins. What do you think Sid's thinking right now, listening to this, going, like, I'm on board. Yeah, just get rid of, get younger. He's still young enough. I'm on board and I charge $15 an hour for babysitting. He's like, the Mile House City is starting to sound a lot better. I'm going to go play with my Coal Harbor buddy, Nathan McKinnathan mckinnon i am just like that's the thing about this we're all dancing around the all retool this is gonna be scorched earth very soon no what well i just said they're not gonna trade

sid they're not that scorched earth. But how old's Sid? This is barreling towards scorched earth. So at this point, you should be listening, not just to the core players. Every single person on that team should be in play, including Sid. You need Sid's permission to get out of bed in the morning if you're the GM of the Penguins, let alone trade him.

You don't think, Sid, they're like, hey, you want to go to Colorado? No. You do? Yep. You don't think, Sid, they're like, hey, you want to go to Colorado? No. You do? Yep. I don't know. I don't know anymore. I don't.

This is Sid's call. I would think Kyle would be avoiding Sid in the hallways, by the arena. I hope he's not upstairs near the offices because I need a full report where he is because I'm on the other side of the building. Like Ace Ventura walking by Mr. Shikodance with a palm frond just sliding by Sid. It's a good thing that it's like well documented how superstitious

Sid is and like you've seen his like exact walk-in every day. He walks in the exact same way. So just avoid that. They're good. You're fine. What does Sid want to do? I'm not sure he knows yet. They got the chutzpah, the temerity,

to ask him that in Pittsburgh? I would be a lot closer to wanting to leave and have one more crack at winning a cup at the level that I can still play at than participate in what Kyle Dubas suggested today. Four of the next five games the Penguins have are against non-playoff teams. They got the Canadians, the Kraken, the Flames. I put the Flyers in there.

I think they're a non-playoff team. You know, can they run together some wins and then try to make playoffs? Maybe even add? This is like one proud organization too. Really. Dubas is looking to win what happened last season. He wants to show that he got the better hand

of how it all played out, right? Can I tell you, from a Leaf fan perspective, we don't get a lot of wins in this world. We truly don't. Like, it's, you know, we've been beating down our whole lives with everything. This is a really, really great outcome for Leaf fans. It is.

Nothing tastes more delicious than Chardonnay. It is. So he leaves the cupboards bare here in Toronto. Yes. And then he goes and basically does the same thing in Pittsburgh. We suck. We got to get younger. After we trade for Eric Carlton.

It's just, I'm really thrilled that he didn't go there. They just got sick. And they're great. They just stink. And a lot of the reason they stink is because of him. So there. Great. And that's good.

It's a win for Leaf fans everywhere, which is rare. So enjoy it. Wow, your bar is so low. I know. It is truly. It's pathetic. Yeah. It's pathetic how low it is.

I know who I am, though. I know. I know who I am. Anyways, that was a solid 25-minute conversation with the Penguins. All right. What else have we got? We got a lot of stuff. So the Vancouver Canucks finally lose a match, or three in a row for the first time all season. R. Steve

Baines played his first NHL game, which was very cool. I didn't watch the whole game, but what I saw, man, he can move. He can move. He's hard on a forward check. Created some good things for them some good battles against the wall really nice story from surrey um large south asian population there he's representative of that community so very cool and it's like i mean it works out perfectly it's on like the mentor

father yeah it's just like that's incredible you'd love it really and he set up bluger he could have had two nhl assists in his first game. He set up Bluger in the sweet spot twice, and he just pounded it into the blocker. Austin Matthews scores, becomes the first player to 50 goals this year. Absolutely. That is a lock.

In Arizona, you mentioned earlier in the show, it's not always 1,000%, right? You can't have your pedal down to the floor, but he'll have the pedal down tonight. I think I would expect. Yeah. It's not often that you're imagine being so good at hockey that you are a large favorite number, a goal on a NHL game three tonight.

I don't know if they're playing in one of those three quarter size rinks, aren't they? NTR or whatever they call just like that. Two hours gone on the real Kipper and Bourne show. Didn't bleed on the air. didn't bleed on the air. Our thanks to Eddie Olchuk, who gets ready for the Oilers and the Bruins tonight. Bill Armstrong, general manager of Arizona Coyotes, in our first hour.

We thank him as well. We thank you the most for joining us, wherever you're watching and listening. If you get a chance, give us a rating and review. We'd love to hear from you. Get your thoughts on Sammy and JB. I'm off limits. Fair. Have a great night, everybody.