Real Kyper & Bourne - Quinn Hughes' Canucks Future + Pressure on Auston Matthews

Episode Date: September 23, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee pick up on yesterday's conversation around offseason contract drama with a look at Quinn Hughes' situation with the Vancouver Canucks. Then, they discuss the Toronto Maple Leafs' netminding position with Anthony Stolarz eligible for an extension and Joseph Woll taking a personal leave, the pressure on Auston Matthews this year, and whether there's concern the Leafs miss the playoffs this season. Finally, they review the Leafs' camp roster, including the bubble players, where Easton Cowan fits in, the New York Rangers naming J.T. Miller captain, and much more.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Is my mic on? Are we good to go? Sammy, am I going to have to open it up, repeat it again because my mic was off? I'm hearing you my headphones. Yes. Let it fly.

Just day two. Yeah. No flaws yet. 10 seconds in. Nick Kemprios, Justin Boren, Sammy McKee. I'm just playing with you there, Derek Brande.

and Jake the Snake Shultz always doing a great job for us on the Real Kipper and Born show. Sammy wanted me to remind everybody just a little bit of a backup. Not that long. Just five feet, five feet. Fifth season of Real Kipper and Born

and we're glad you're bored for the next hour. Pretty good opening. You think? Okay. Our show yesterday. Can I ask you guys if you got similar messages to me because I got a few people texting me and being like,

boy, you guys were aggressive yesterday. Did it feel aggressive? No. It felt like we were maybe pent up and just excited to be here. So maybe a little more emphatic on some words. Aggressive? I was real happy the end of August, early September, because you're watching everybody go at it,

especially on the Internet, right, on social media. I thought you weren't on there. And everybody's going heavy on the start of the season. and then Connor, of course, is the biggest sports story in Canada, for sure. And everybody's got something to say about it. And here we are still quiet. So I get that pent-up feeling that you're talking about because it felt like it had something to say.

Kind of a volcano went off yesterday and all these thoughts on McDavid and Karell. And we didn't even get to Quinn Hughes. But it was very funny to be like, I am so excited to be back and put it on the internet and then have people be like, the morons are back. It's like, oh, yeah, this.

I forgot about that. Lousy opinions. I forgot how many lousy opinions you guys had. Built up so many. Oh, my God. So many coming. And then I had, I was on with Gord Stelick today on his show.

Oh, how's Gordo. Yeah, I'll tell you how Gordo is. Kipper, we're all looking forward to your real Kipper and born, show, when does it start? I'm like, you know, no, no, no, no, no, no, let me, let me rephrase. Everybody, it's a can't miss show. All right, real Kippenborn. When's it get started, Kipper?

Yesterday, Gord, thanks for the support, Gord. Thanks for a can't miss show, eh? Gord, apparently you missed it, Gord. We'll stop on. He'll find us all he wants. He's coming on. I ended, our segment was saying we're looking for to you coming on the show, like, in January.

Yeah, when we're going to get, uh, when we're dried out. When we're really desperate, Gord, we'll have you on the show. Not desperate today, though. We, uh, we didn't get to everything yesterday as much as we got to a lot of things. Quickly, big week of baseball in the city. And we'll be all over it, two night. We'll be all over it on sports, that's 459 the fan. But six games to glory here.

Jay's got to win four of them. If the Yankees win all of theirs, I think that's how it works. Four game. Magic number is four. So got to win four. Yankees got to lose a cow it's you know magic number is four so gonna be some stressful games coming up here people so everybody just try to keep it calm keep it between the lines also games back could go to three it could go to one yes how are you feeling at one after tonight horrible horrible like I just I can't tell you how excited I am for a

two different viewing experiences tonight on the laptop a nice easy Leafs preseason game seeing all the stars yeah versus the torture zone on TV of the Toronto Blue Jays in a pennant race. So it's going to be a good night. Who's on the bump tonight, Sammy? This guy. Oh, the gauze, man.

Yeah, the gosman. Gras on the hill you had. Do you guys really think they look that much like? I don't either. It's just the hair. It's the hair, yeah. It's the hair. I don't think they look like at all.

Greasy mullets and off you go. Okay. Okay, yesterday, like we said, we came out of the gate a little bit with what will continue to be the hottest story in the country, Connor McDavid, his future in Edmonton. But there's another pretty good player in this country that people are asking questions about.

Quinn Hughes. Yeah. Do you think Quinn sat there in the last few weeks going, hey, Connor, thanks, pal. Oh, yeah. Thank you so much because nobody's really bothering me lately. You know, do you want to play the clip? Quinn Hughes talked to Elliot Friedman and Kyle Bukascus,

I just had a little discussion about his potential future here. Why don't we play that clip now? Yeah, let's do it. Do we have a chance to keep this guy? I think that's what every Canucks fan wants to know. Like, what are you thinking? I mean, I've really enjoyed Vancouver. I'm very thankful.

I mean, when I came to Vancouver, I don't think anyone thought I was going to become what I have become. That's happened because of the people in Vancouver management, coaching. You know, I've had three great coaches between, Bruce, Greener, and Rick, and management's been, you know, kind of gave me the keys to the kingdom a couple years ago naming me to see and very grateful. As far as this year, I just feel like last year was a failure and I want to propel my game even further and propel my teammates even further and see what we can do.

And as far as that question, I mean, I'll answer that, you know, with my actions next summer. But, I mean, you know how it is. anything can change if we have you know a terrible year this year that's probably not going to be very fun but if you have a terrific year you know that's what we want

that'll be really fun like two years ago was really really fun so just leave it at that I really they do a pretty good job the kids today of being politicians dancing that was actually pretty wild to be like do they have a chance to keep you

in Vancouver and in being like As far as this year goes, let's just hope it's fun. I've enjoyed my time here. Which I remember Mitch Marner saying quite a bit of me. What tone is scarier to you? McDavid tone or Quinn Hughes-Town? That one. Totally agree.

Totally agree. They're pretty much the same to me. Yeah. You think? Yeah, of course. You know, I... It's just there's nothing... 85 or 90% of the time when...

teams resign their players it's i don't want to go anywhere i love it here yeah that's it and both of those guys it's like almost the opposite they're just going so out of their way to avoid saying i love it here i don't picture myself going anywhere else i think if over the course of the last 30 years or 40 years we can find handful of guys going into their last last last year of their deal saying I love it here you know I really want to work something out and I hope we can and I hope my age you know and I don't want to go anywhere that's that's not you don't get that vibe anymore anymore no and I will say like there's he's obviously going to be here for this season and he wants to be I think there's the chance that if the team is good and they're

competitive we said this with Marner last year right if they do big things and he feels like he's at a part of it and they got a chance to win the next year and the next year and he sees that, it sounds like that's there. But he also, it does sound like a breakup where you're like, I've enjoyed our time together. You know, it's been great. I think we might be better friends. I don't care about you a lot.

We've got to make it really clear, though. It's not you, it's me. They're not, you know, Quinn Hughes and Connor are not in the same position. Quinn Hughes is not eligible to sign anything right now. Connor is. There's a huge difference here of one year to two years.

Like really Quinn would be within his rights to say, hey, Elliot, don't worry about my future, bud, okay? I'm under contract for two more years. You know what can happen in two years, Elliot? Come on. Just donate it. He has the ability to say

that. That I'm not a free agent. I'm not a free agent next year. I'm not even eligible to re-sign right now. So let's just play. His contract is for $7.85 million a year. He might get a $10 million raise in two years. With the cap, what it is, as a guy who's perennial Norris contender,

no one in the league, maybe McCar controls to play like him. So, and McCar is two, are they the same? Hughes is a 25-year-old with two years left, and McCar is he is 26 and has two years left as well at 9 million two years left both of them yeah at the same time same time you'd be looking at 18 20 million dollars for both of them I don't know those are crazy numbers but yeah they're not if the caps well the caps going up the way it's going up and they're the unequivocal two best defensemen in the NHL and they're

prime ages yeah so I don't I don't I don't get the panic feel i don't get to me quince a ways away here so i let him enjoy the year well we'll get oh gosh it's just like it's too early for me and vancouver to feel like oh no oh no but i do well i don't know i don't agree with you it's not that far off because this year has to be fun he has to be enjoy himself this year and if it's looking not fun at christmas it ain't gonna get fun Like, do you think it will be fun for Vancouver? I don't know. They're a real question mark to me.

Can we watch PD play first for the first 20 games before we decide whether Quinn's got a future or not? Yeah, that's fair. They are, to me, a very question-marked team that if everything goes right, they got one of the best D, they have a fantastic goalie. Pee can be good. They've got guys.

They could be good. Can I also see this one going the other way. They got decimated by it. injuries last year. Yeah. I know the media is generally feeling like if Connor feels like this is a great team and, you know, he's got a nucleus that could play for the next three or five years. He's going to resign.

And if he doesn't, then he's going to leave. Like, are we just leaving it on Quinn Hughes and the success of the team? As the Trump card on whether. or not he stays or goes is that is so if it's not fun this year but it's fun the following year then he stays or he goes yeah he says he needs two fun years i think what i one bad non fun year to a fun year and it's a surprise parties and what is it he's kawai he's a fun guy there is a very i think an uplifting sentiment behind a lot of these superstars points that if you're winning they will come They will stay, they will, players want to be on good teams of good players.

They win around, they make the playoffs, they win around. Does that last as a fun year and he resigns in July? That would do it. See, I do think it's. Don't buy that stuff. I don't, I think they just start thinking about what they want and where they want it and who they want to be with. They're having two high-profile brothers in the league.

It's not winning around or two that gets to decide for me. well i do think that it's success related so yeah okay but i also think it's really easy to make that claim let's say i want to go to the u.s i'm american i want to play with my brothers this would be a cool thing i'm going to make that happen at some point in my career but i do think if you have a chance to win a stanley cup you might not throw it away so he may be like i kind of think i'm going to go but let's see if we're great i don't think in the next two years he's going to be able to read the tea leaves and say, oh, my best chance to win a Stanley Cup right now here in Vancouver.

Besser, DeBrus, Cain, Garland, Heidel, Hoaglander, but that's their list behind PD as their top offensive players. Heedle at second line center would scare the heby-jeebies out of me. Yeah. Can this guy... Heeby-j-ge-spelled with the C-H-Y? Can he... Can he...

Can he stay healthy until November? Don't know. Stay tuned. That is a big question. Demko, you mentioned Dempco, he's apparently healthy and feeling great and he's good to go. So they're in 9.5 million in their crease, which is not crippling between Demko and Lankan. But Lankan's under contract for five years now, Demko, obviously with four at $5 million per. No.

Demco? Yes. Yeah, they signed. higher than that. Oh, 8.5. So he's five this year, 8.5 than three years after. Yeah, you're right, you're right.

And I like that deal. Oh, yeah, 13 million in the crease after this year. I really, really like that deal at three years. For Vancouver. For Vancouver. And even if you needed to go to nine. But, like, that short term, that short term gives you enough of a window to definitely find out whether or not

he can overcome. come his health issues moving forward. And without making a major, major commitment. So I think it's good for Vancouver. All right. Speaking of which, Toronto Maple Leafs... We've been good boys. We've been an hour and 15 minutes into our show.

We haven't really mentioned the Leafs. So here we go. Yeah, you're right. You've been okay with that? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine with it. It's a lot more fun than doing... Marner Watch this year.

Wow. David watch. Just transferred a little west, that's all. Speaking of goaltenders, Elliot Friedman, I think, put out a report or at least was heard on his 32 thoughts talking about the Leafs and Stollars trying to sign a new deal.

With that comes the news today about Joseph Wall, Sammy, that he has left the team. Maple Leaf statement on Joseph Wall. The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that goaltender Joseph Wall has taken a leave of absence from the team to attend to a personal family matter. No additional details will be provided at this time

and we ask that his privacy be respected. So there's a statement from the Leafs on Joseph Wall. Just off the top, we hope everything's okay with Joseph Wall or a family member or whatnot and it's a short stay away. But without knowing anything, it puts a I think it puts a

ton of strain on on stolors as is yeah you know it's totally unrelated to anything previous so it's tough to be like this guy you know because he has had some

injury stuff where he's just surprisingly been away this is obviously separate Joseph Wall Joseph Wall do you remember last year well the playoffs

the year before this time last year yeah he got hurt he was expected I think to start in Montreal. Yeah. And then the Hildebeast showed up in Montreal.

Yeah, that's what happened. Like opening night, opening night. And then Hilda B started the second game in the season against the devils. Might have been a groin or something. But this is unrelated to that. No, but what is related is you just don't know with this guy. Yeah. Right?

You just, for whatever reason, there's just a, there's just a, he can't get rid of this being unreliable. Yeah. You know? But I mean, I don't know what he's doing. And I'm not, I know this has nothing to do with anything collectively, but it's just every time, it seems like every time there's a scenario where you think, you know, everything's fine, it's not, you know, and I don't know, it's just something he can't shake off right now.

Well, hopefully, you know, this one is like, all right, he's back. in a couple days and had to clear up something or whatever. But it is interesting because Stolars is very much in the limelight right now, contract status up. I think we would all expect him to sign and be comfortable with him signing. And I'm going to guess you're going to say shorter term, though. You don't want to see length as a... I don't want to see length.

I don't want to... For me, I get that there's a... It's not a great market out there for goalies, and that puts a ton of stress on the Maple Leafs. But this is a guy who had a great season last year, but still is within his window of looking like a very good, solid kind of backup. There's no look of a starting goalie. What I mean?

I think he was, I mean, excellent for... Starting goalies play 45, 50 games, Sammy, not 30. Yeah. I think he got a second place to Vesna vote last year, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah. He just, he's still in his window of being a 30 plus kind of guy. So if you're going to pay him $5 million, is this the year now he jumps to start 50 games in his career? Well, you're right that he should.

He started his career high was last year with 34 starts, which isn't a ton. And he was, that's not number one goalie status. He turns 32. in January of this season. So there's 31 right now. But they also... I don't think they're treating him like a flat out starting goal. No, if you were a 926 over 50 games, they'll give you $10 million.

Yeah, you're a $10 million guy. You did $9.25 the year before. Insane save percentage two years in a row. And they have Wall. I mean, whenever Wall comes back from whenever he... I mean, I think they kind of treat it as a tandem and they're paid as such. Like, what does Wall make? Three and a half?

Yeah. Yeah. So I think that's kind of their plan and whoever's not going to the playoffs. Four times three, four, two, five times three. I've heard he's going to get more than that. Well, there was a recent goalie contract that somebody decided, I'm just trying to think off the top of my head, but I just, I think I would like to see, I know he's got a good track record or whatever, but.

Here's your 15 mil, three years. Okay. Feels, you know, I. Feels high. And not necessarily feels high, but I think Kipper has a point with the lack of starts. Even if you got overpay, maybe to your point, I said four and a half. If you go five, yeah. Okay, I think I can live with five times three

Lankan is 30 years old So about the same age He got four and a half Numbers aren't as good But he's played a lot more games He's he played 51 games last year Or if I'm Brad Tree Living Okay, Stoli

Bet on yourself I'm offering you five times three If you can put together Between 45, 50, 53 games And it's looking making good, I'll bump you to seven and a half, eight million. Yeah. Do it for two years.

And losing him last year to me in the playoffs was the turning point of the run, really, to me. Because I don't think Joseph Wall was very good coming in after that. And I thought he was brilliant for a lot of the games that he played in. And he was a real, I don't know, like star on the team. Like everybody kind of looked at him. He was playing really well. And then Bennett balked him and he never was back.

$9.26 regular season. He was a 901 in playoffs. three, seven games pretty good. Yeah. Bunked on the head and then Woll was a 8.806. He wasn't very good. You know, or whatever he was.

So I know save percentages and everything, but there's no doubt that losing Stolar's hurt them last year. Yeah. You just sign him and hope if you can get 40 games of that number okay. But then now is it Dennis Hildeby who just signed a contract as the next guy? Again, you like to exact him off. You hope, if Joseph Wall needs two or three weeks. Like, you're just going to go with Stolars and Hildaby to start?

Probably. Yeah. Or do you go pick up a goalie? No, they did that last year with Hilda B and Stolars for the first. Hildo B's, he can't play in the NHL right now, I don't think. We'll see. I mean, if you're judging it off of last season, you're 100% correct. But I think, you know, you have to hope for a bit of development, a bit of him growing up a touch

and being able to maybe be a backup, no? Like, I think there's a world where he could be the first week or two of the season as backup. was a, you know, six games, 878, say, a percentage for the Leafs last year. 9-08 with the Marley's. And then he didn't play in the playoffs for the Marley's, just one game because I guess he was up, right? Like he spent time on the bench.

Yeah. I think, again, if Joe Wall is out for a prolonged period of time, man, that's going to put a ton of pressure on Stolars to play 3 or 4. And I don't know where he is. But like, you should be able to do that. No, he, why? Based on what? He's their starting goaling.

Or right now. Just because you get named a starting goalie doesn't mean you're starting goalie. It means that you have no other choice but to put you in that. So in your opinion, it's like we're not to handle him with kid. He's been a pro now for how long, 10 years, 12 years. He's never played 40 games in the NHL, but now he will. That's what you're telling me. Well, I think a lot of it has been he's been behind someone better.

No, he's also been hurt. He's a little damaged. Okay? there's knee issues here. A pebble on the knee last year. There is a lot of, there's a lot of wear and tear on this guy. Yeah. And again, you know, you want to give him four years or maybe five years on a knee that you're not sure of.

It's funny. His numbers are so good. And he's made 142 NHL games at a 9-70. Yeah, I know. That's like Hall of Fame if you can do that, 600 games. I know. And if you can score two goals in the opening game, you're on pace for 100. totally it's such a good point i know debunked totally debunked you're right so did you want to talk

about matthews sorry did you want to talk about matthews sure absolutely because you got me to dig these clips up and yeah i i found them fascinating uh this was uh him talking to the media the other day when he was this a mashup of both of them of the two mentions of uh Mitch marner so uh Derek, if we get that clip, Matthews, clip one. And maybe you guys will ask a couple more Mitchie questions here for the next couple weeks, but hopefully that'll die down here shortly. If you have a habit of pre-game staying out as late as possible, you and Mitch always did, have you thought about how that will change?

Are you going to ask someone to stay out with you, or do you can change things up this year? I mean, see what happens? See what happens, I guess. Yeah, you got two more weeks, and then we're done with these questions. Love it. Love that. Counting down the days. Love it.

I'm giving them a big thumbs up, Boston Matthews, telling the media, shut it with the Mitchie questions, okay? Because I think if I'm, okay, are you surprised by this? You know, yes. Okay. But he zags so often when you expect him to zig. That's true. Surprises.

All right, finish with that. I think he was asked about warm-ups that he had a thing. with Mitch in warm up and will you find a new little warm up buddy it's like okay that's the best question you have if you're in the media

seriously really really that's your concern we need content that much that you need to go and report on who is little buddy's going to be in warm up now come on no come on

who asked that question one of our guys I think, I think it was Kevin McGrant. I think. I'm judging my voices. Oh, he's a buddy of mine. Oh, you're dead. Okay, he's okay.

He's allowed to ask that question. But anybody under 35 I'd have a problem with. I think it was McGrath. You know my point, though. It's like just enough. His play and the wins will determine if he needs to answer anyone. more questions on Mitch.

Day two, day four in training camp, come on. Leave him alone. Let him get ready for the season. He's got new teammates. Again, he goes, he scores three goals in the first ten games and they're three and six.

That's a fair question. Do you miss them? But now, come on. Interesting. Yeah. So I agree with a lot of that. On our website right now, there's an article by Emily Sadler, eight NHL players under the most pressure in 25-26. It's very good, like everything she does.

And Matthews is listed as one of the guys are the most pressure on him in the NHL this year. And I don't dispute that at all. There's a pile of pressure on him now this season. Captain, Mitch has gone. What do you got, man? Like, it's coming down to you, right? They need more offense and they're losing a huge offensive piece. So for him, I think it's, I think it's, I.

I'd like to see him comment on the Mitch stuff, and even now, say, I don't want to talk about it. But in season, he's going to have to answer some questions, right? Like, to your point. How is he scoring? You're right, but he's not going to score 82 straight games. I don't know. There's going to be a stretch of six where he doesn't,

and people are going to go, are you missing them? I have no idea what it's going to look like. Just going to have to me come. To me, that's the biggest, the biggest question I have. Okay, he's a very, he's one of the most skilled scorers in this generation. he's going to score goals but what are they going to look like what are the goals going to look like this year

are they going to be do care? Yeah I do care I do care shoot him in the net well is he is he trying to beat three guys on one play is it more of an individual effort is it more giving goes

where's where's Matthew Nyes in his ability to still score 50 goals? Is it with Machelli? Is it with Max Domi? Like, what is, if he's, if he still has a chance to score 50 goals or maybe even 60, what does it look like? Is this guy going to go out there now? Feel the pressure that you just spoke of and now feel the onus to do it himself?

Yeah, that's good question. You know, I think one thing with Nize is he passes the podcast. for whatever reason he has liked dishing him the puck and when he's at his best he scores in every different way the year he scored almost 70 he had I think 13 deflections

a pile of back hands a bunch of like a whole array he can score any way you want to do it so yeah it'll be interesting to see I don't think the solution on that right side with them is diet Marner like I don't think it's like oh we got Micelli he kind of does what Marner does it's like you're not going to it's not how that works

flexial you know they we might have a new flexial they don't have the guy for that spot right bobby mcmann is their best bet and he's not they're not going to put him there they're just not i think the thing that'll be really interesting because this is something you've talked about forever kipper

when he plays with marner that marner plays more of the center role than matthews did the tremaker well and transporting the puck right like how often would marner bring the puck up the ice for that line. So I think some of the best hockey Matthews ever played

was at the end of the 2023 season when Marner was hurt and he was playing with Bertuzi and Domi. Remember that? And he was the center and he was passing way more and he was distributing way more. I think that's kind of what you have to hope for. And here's the biggest thing, boys,

you got to hope he's healthy. Yeah. Like if he's not healthy, this season has a chance to be scary for the Leafs. So if he's healthy, I think they'll be fine. but so far so good at least the reports in this this year's camp for better than last year's camp

I mean everybody's the best shape of their life I think he I think he uh I think he just basically squashed it already a little bit without being forceful saying he feels great and that's it but I don't necessarily want to

I don't want to start hearing if he's had a bad week that he must be hurt please tell me you guys won't do that on this show no no i won't do we do that ash yes yes we did i think i think he's been given the i'm joking i think he's like the key talking point he has been given the benefit of the doubt and i think i think sometimes he he used it and he played it i don't think there's anything wrong with saying that i agree but i think it's going to be a long long year for him in terms of

the pressure of being the number one go-to guy in Toronto having the Marner sort of shield taken away from him and Olympics boys is he going to be the is he the captain of they already named that he is the captain I'm pretty sure he was the captain of the four nation so like he's the captain of the USA team

going to the Olympics is in Italy like flying across the you know across the world to go play more hockey and then coming back here like it's a long big to get to the first round as a It's just, and you just hope he stays healthy through it all because it feels like if Matthews misses 15 games again this year, 20 games, it could be a little bit scary for a playoff picture.

Yep. Right? Are you worried about that with the lease? Missing the playoffs? Yeah, because, you know, that other fans, of course, love to hate on the lease, but the no-marner thing has really kind of appealed that conversation. Tough to see them as better. It's really hard not to think at least that it's going to be much tighter.

especially with Montreal and Ottawa and I don't know where Buffalo is they have to be better they just have to be better Detroit Detroit has to be better they have to be they're going to steal more points

from everybody so what does that mean like where do you you know with Mitch with no Mitch Martiner there where is Toronto in the Atlantic here that decor having Carlo for the full season on that decor

The Leafs DeCore is so solid, so good defensively, so veteran. Like, they're not going to be there. They don't have a go-to guy. No, they don't. But they have the same go-to guy they've had every year getting 100 plus points. And Morgan Riley, he's still there. So I've heard, I mean, I saw Nick Waugh at the least golf tournament saying that Morgan Riley isn't the best shape of his life. He's buzzing around the pre-camp skates.

So maybe it's a new Morgan. baby's a little older now How many times have we heard that? He's not churning by How many times have we heard that over the years And I'm not talking about Morgan But any like spring training It's a joke

I'm just I'm joking That's I know And this is just in general When you hear someone say that It's like Okay so like Where you've been that? You're like you know

Why were you in better shape in the past? Right It's like A lot of these guys Shouldn't it be a given here? People are paying 200 bucks you're getting athletes that are in good physical condition every year. But it's also just the natural progression of your 21, you're 22, you're 23.

It's like, oh, he's stronger this year. It's like, yeah, that's how aging works. And I don't think Morgan. Until you're 30 or 28 or something. Yeah, I mean, Morgan's not playing it up. It's just, I guess, the media just, the media loves, you know, using that catchphrase, you know, of best shape, best shape. I heard he's down four and a half pounds. I did hear that.

I think I put that on this afternoon. Four and a half pounds. I go up and down every week four and a half. Depends on how much I'm running my bike. Just to finish off on the playoff thing, it seemed like you were wavering a little bit on. No, what I'm saying is that right now, if you were to break down the east on best team.

Yeah. Florida. If you did three tier. Are the Leafs in your first tier? Yes. So you have them with Florida. You have them with Carolina. You have them with Florida and Carolina.

The Leafs. 100%. Totally. See, I don't. Not with those two teams. I have those two teams in Tier 1. And then I have the Leafs with a whole host of, God, the division, the conference wasn't great last year, boys.

No. And it's not going to be going to get this year. If them, Washington. Jersey. The Leafs with Washington. What? out like, I do.

They still have Washington won the conference last year. I know, but I don't, I don't see them up with Florida and Carolina. Yeah. Washington. No,

I don't have, no, that's what I mean. Florida, Carolina are above and then there's a tier of teams I see them. Tampa is somewhere there. They'll always be there. They'll always be there.

But I just have Toronto, I think more of a comparable with Washington for me than I do with Florida or Carolina. I think you probably would expect. a bit of a step back this year in the regular season from Florida? I think Caroline is going to win the president's true. Yeah.

And then lose to Florida in the conference finals. Probably. Maybe. They run through the crappy metro and lose to Florida in the conference final. But like every year. I think a lot will have to do with this, the production of Machelli and then, Dakota.

Please don't let a lot of it hinge on that. Nick, Wa, those type of guys. Joshua, Waugh, and whoever's there. Pick another guy. Not to get too philosophical here. They're maybe not. We're going long here. They may not be better, but they're definitely different and sometimes different.

And they'll be tougher, they will be tougher to play against. Totally. They will be. Chemistry, great skill. They're bigger and heavier and stronger. They're big, they're D solid. Yeah, they're not going to be a fun team to play for one. Okay, we got to take a break.

Yeah, we better, I guess, yeah. We've talked for 35 minutes. So we should probably break. All right. You heard the man. More Real Kipper and Bourne after the break. Hey, it's Matt Marquesie. And I'm Mike Futa.

We're discussing the top stories of the day across the NHL and the hockey world. Weekdays at noon. It's the fan hockey show on Sportsnet 590, The Fan, and wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back in to the Real Kipper and Born show. We are in full flight. After taking some time off, much needed time. I was willing to work all summer, Jay. Justin Boren, no.

Absolutely not. Too much of a diva for that. Not to get two leaves nitty-gritty, but I'm going to do it. I'm going to ask you this. Oh, boy. The bubble guys that everybody thought was 100% gone, camp, yarn crock, Robertson, all still here.

Will they break camp with all those guys? So many forwards. They have 15 NHL forwards. they got to get rid of some salary and they're going to they've been trying with camp and yarn crock but this time of year everybody wants to see what they have first before deciding on anything yeah that's why i think cowen like almost definitely starts at the marleys 15 forwards you need a second for the league to sort out we got to get rid of a couple guys no no that's not true at least i don't think so i think there's a chance cowen can start and

I I believe that yarn crock and camp could easily be put on waivers and you hope that they get claimed do you want to get rid of the two million bucks oh you don't think they're worth more than that I think it's more important to get rid of the money yeah than it is

to pick up a fourth or fifth around pick in that case I could see cowan starting too it's just like you know I thought Cowan was sorry um camp was maybe the one guy that Barubi didn't understand didn't get you know, didn't see the years where he was an effective defensive checker,

PK, you know, they had him on the third line playing 15, 16 minutes and was good. Outside of the big forwards, he was the most, didn't he have the most ice time? Most ice time out of the core four or two years ago. So if they clear waivers and you still have them, they can go start with the Marley's and you can pull them up and

let teams get into their 10 games, 12 games. A couple of injuries, a couple needs. All of a sudden, you know, you think you're off to a slow start at a cost you a playoff season so you're going to make a tweak to your lineup go get camp if you're having trouble on the pk totally that's that's the way i i see it working out you do heedles your second line center in vancouver like camp's a nice player he's on waivers you're a great center

so i think there's windows for for cowan to get in there nick robertson to get in there that's what i was going to follow and uh a couple of those college kids uh hames is it yeah they like hames And I wonder what promises they made him To get him to sign in Toronto Instead of like Tampa Bay Pretty highly touted college free agent Sure they told him he'd see some NHL action at some point You could be right

But that's an awfully big promise If that's true And you're going to give him a spot Regardless of how it shows in training camp So we'll see Is he in the lineup tonight? Yep, third line center Okay

Leaves got their lineup lineup tonight Like pretty they only have I don't know two home games three yeah two two so we saw Ottawa

play all their regulars everybody plays the regulars at home they don't like to play them on the road and that's we're going to see this this game and I think Saturday are we doing the game Saturday we're doing the game Saturday yep and

against Montreal we'll see another that's here in in Scotia Bank we'll see another strong lineup Saturday this line up Saturday this line also has Cowan and Ben Danford. Now, you heard me last game while we were watching. I liked Danford. I liked his game.

And then after the game... Could he be a sixth defenseman? Yeah. I mean, I don't know about yet, but he's... They'll send him back to Osama. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know about yet. But I like what I see there.

And I think they're showing him that they like what's coming here. Yeah, the new Lilligrant. No, don't say that. Don't say that. No, better. He models himself ever Chris Tenn. Is he tougher? He says 10 has his favorite defense.

Oh, right. Listen, we could only hope. Lilligran's top pair I saw the other day on the sharks. So I think there's flexibility for kids to come in and make some noise. Awesome. Exciting. And Nick Robertson. How many goals this year, Borny, 30?

20 to 25, like every year. I'm not backing off now. 20 to 25. To me, he's... I don't have any year for the Leafs. I still don't see him as a Brad Tree Living type of guy. I have built the Leafs lineup, like I've sat there and made their lines, and it's, there's almost no configuration where he's in.

Like he just, which one is he in? Like the year, oh, we got Juan Joshua to have a defensive-minded physical third line. And Nick Robertson, no chance. Okay. Oh, the fourth line. Top line? Yeah, this is the only thing that was like, could he maybe? And Joshua are here to beat the Florida Panthers.

They are. Correct. And that's not going to be with Nick Robertson. Is Nick Robertson on their front? your line up too. So then your fourth line, it's like, okay, it's got Lotton now and Lawrence you just committed to

and camp and yarn crock and Cowan and we'll see. We'll see. We'll see. We'll be fun to talk about. Different. Lots of options. Little cultural shift continues with the New York Rangers

as they named J.T. Miller their captain. They did. No BS. Surprised. Like. Yeah. They brought him.

in for all the reasons in the world why he's J.T. Miller. So we shouldn't be too too surprised here that. We want that push your teammates in your face. Yes. That's what we want to be. So what at times everybody in Vancouver thought was a liability

is now an asset for the New York Rangers. And he's changed nothing about himself. How can that be? I don't know I mean we talked about how much do we talk about PD versus J.T. Miller last year that was in our national hour

that had to be one of our biggest conversation that we talked about. It was number one. I just, I haven't, yeah, I think I think all three of us maybe have picked aside on this one in terms of who we'd rather have on our hockey team. J.T. Miller? Yeah, we don't want J.T. Miller,

but he's also making $8.5 million, not 11.5. Sure. I just, I think there's a difference between having J.T. Miller and making him your captain. Yeah, totally. I think, I think there's two very different feels about your team. I think he's going to have to. He's going to grab Panarin by the collar, Zabana Jad, by the throat.

Yeah, at times if he thinks it's necessary, but there's also times when he's just going to have to think outside. The bun? Yeah. And be. Is that a vintage hat joke? You still got to be a little politically correct in a dressing room. You still have to.

You have to be kind of wily and smart. And the things that he may have gotten away and said in the past in a dress room can fly a little easier if you're not wearing the sea. But if you are, then it's looked upon a little differently. I think he's going to have to change his ways a little bit inside that room on picking his spots. Yeah. You know, he's presumably, he's gotten older and you get the chance at a fresh start and you realize sometimes maybe you've got to have a little softer touch.

with certain people maybe maybe he gets there for them they got some pieces on in new york but oh i guess if shasturkin's great they got at least one very good deep here in gavrakhov and fox 100th year for the rangers kip i know it's a big deal it's a big deal they invited you down there yet for anything years uh i'm here rangers always love a trip down to the big apple yeah maybe we could take that's cool they do they got like a jersey oh yeah they got a hundred different jerseys that you're going to wear and all that stuff yeah so you know i heard a crazy story this summer that back in the day in the original sixth day that you know they had like only a few owners owned all the six teams and the rangers were kind of treated like a farm system within the original

six like they didn't have as many cups right as like the red wings and some of those other teams that like really loaded off so are you saying like two guys owned all six teams or yeah kind of this is uh it's all coming in the book who are these it's all coming in the book the norris isn't the worst anyway anyway i'll tell you more about another time this is not the time for that conversation but i've got some historical info that's interesting thank you thank you for that tidbit yeah there you go so you were talking a little bit about the atlantic and you mentioned you're like oh you know the habs are going to be grabbing points and the sends are going to maybe the sabers maybe the Detroit at Red Wings.

You really believe that? Habstalk. Let's have Habs talk. I do. Like you think the Habs are not... Demadov, Calder, Dobson. Yeah, I like the Habs. Norris votes.

I tell you what I don't like... I think they're going to miss playoffs. What I don't like is Allmark start to this season. Oh, my God. He was atrocious. We're like one game, we're like three days in a training camp

and one game in an exhibition. And you're listening to Allmark talk about his two days. He was the worst. player on the ice and then he goes and plays the first period against the Toronto Marley's in an exhibition game and like he looks like he has no interest being in the net it reminded me of Jack Campbell you know how hard he is on himself because you sell Allmark say I've been like terrible in camp it's been all bad and then he goes in plays that game and he's terrible and it's

like why are you doing this you don't need you're really good just be just goal 10 you're also one of the highest paid guys on the team you are a leader they don't Don't give your teammates that vibe. Also, just don't be trash. It's an option, too. Like, it's okay to stink. Remember last year he was all excited about the horses coming out of the barn? Fresh grass.

It's all part of the plan. I saw, yeah. I'm getting better here. I'm on the range. You're not even on the T-box yet. I saw, like I said, I didn't watch much of your show on Sunday afternoon. Heartbreaking. Sorry.

But I saw the goal Nick Robertson scored. And he had his, like, arm out. He was, like, holding his arm out. I'm like, that looks... Exactly like when Patrick Reddy shot one passed him in game six to win that series. He was already doing his like performative, how did I not get that move? And I only know that because of Aliquette. I texted Valley about it.

And he's like, yeah, yeah, there it is. That's a very Nick Robertson goal. Like a spot where like you would not expect someone to hammer a one time or something. He's just loaded. The kid that they had last year, I forget his name. Sogard, Matt Sogar. No, no. In Ottawa, the backup there.

Borsbro. And then. Oh. Oh, Marilin? Marilin, something like that. That seems right. He might be, he might end up being like more important than people expected this season. Yeah, that could be.

I mean, he was. And he had some, he had some good looks last year. Levi, Merilinen. Yes. Right. Good for me. Nice job. Thank you.

I know what I wanted to ask you? Me? Yeah, because you started with the Jays today. and we're going to end up with a little bit of talk about like what major league baseball is going to do now with the video review yeah you got the robot arms coming and all I can think of is a third strike call in the ninth inning and the crowd goes wild and challenge and then everybody races out and then it's like video review has overruled to come Paul and I'm like oh no not them too it's the worst part of watching the NFL right now and Sam and I were talking about this but like a big play happens you're like do I get to be excited there's you know there's a flag on every play is it do I get to be excited no it's like I you don't even know if you get to be pumped so I'm that's coming a little bit for baseball I do it the same

in the NHI want to get it right don't you like when you're I mean I'm watching a big least playoff game and they score a huge goal I'm like how is the entry was it a good entry yeah was the entry clean like when it's always closed and you hear simmer being like oh they like It was close. I'm like, no, don't say it. Are we not going to get VAR for hockey in some capacity? At some point, this is always going to happen. And people have been talking,

all the nerds have wanted robo-mumps for 100 years. Oh, we need the robots. It's like just baseball is the best human element sport. Get it right. No, get it right. I've got it down to get it right. God, betters. Say get it right.

And the non-betters go, if it's an inch, I don't care. I saw a stat that like, I don't know, 60-some percent of ejections in baseball are really. related to balls and strikes, so that's gone. Yeah, we're just losing what makes baseball baseball. It's like, yes. And having big dumpy guys scream out of the doggout and scream at an umpire's face.

I don't know. Well, challenge. It was actually strike three. Yeah, that does suck. I mean, but you got to get it right. Leslie Nelson and the police academy was it when he was the umpire. No, it was airplane. No, it was not airplane.

Yes, it was airplane. No, when he was the empire. Make a gun. Make a gun. Da, da, da. Airplay. I'm an idiot. Police Academy.

We're both losers on that one. Don't you remember his? Yeah. His antics? Yes. That's what we need. That's the human element. Please win, Jays.

Go, Jays, go. Enjoy your night, everybody. We're back tomorrow off the rails Friday. Do we find Doug McLean? Tomorrow's not Friday. Tomorrow's Wednesday. Oh, is it? Oh, my gosh.