Real Kyper & Bourne - Sens Punch Their Ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Episode Date: April 13, 2026

Former NHLer, co-host of the Coming In Hot Sens Podcast, and Sportsnet Flames analyst Jason York (5:41) joins Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne to chat about if there was any doubt that the Ottawa hockey club would make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, what we should expect from Linus Ullmark in the post-season, the best matchup for the team in round one, most important forward outside of Brady Tkachuk, how important will it be for the Sens to find success especially for Tkachuk's future, and if the Maple Leafs can learn from Ottawa's front office structure with former hockey players. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee weigh in on Alexander Ovechkin's potential final regular-season matchup against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Detroit Red Wings getting eliminated from playoff contention, and Brad Treliving and Jason Spezza getting named to Hockey Canada's National Men’s Team in Switzerland management group. 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.

All right, time to go up a notch here on the Real Kipper and Born show. It is the national edition of our program. We are live on Sportsnet. Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, 960 and Calgary. And streaming always on Sportsnet Plus. Also available if you can't catch us live, Spotify, Apple podcast and YouTube, where we always appreciate a thumbs up from our loyal listeners. during the break.

I was really intrigued as Justin Boren will pick up the conversation off air on the detailed explanation of how I'll be watching the Vancouver Canucks a little earlier next season. I'll try again. BC no longer has daylight savings time. Therefore, I believe,

we get to watch the Canucks games an hour earlier out here in the East Coast. But then they must change time. No, they never change time, but we do. This is where it really derailed for. So it must change. Are we three hours in the summer and then two in the winter? You're looking at me like a guy that I would understand in time zones.

I'm still worried when I'm texting people. I'm like, I think it's three hours behind. You're coming on our show or three hours ahead. I hate time zone. Yeah. I don't know. I tried guys, but I think we get to watch Connux games earlier. I think we should talk about Augusta instead of.

Is there a chat line in the YouTube that can explain this better than Justin just did. I was just trying to recite Carolyn Cameron's talking point from last night. That's all I tried to do. I don't actually know anything. This hour of Real Kipper and Born brought to by Bet365. In a few minutes, we'll welcome in Jason York. We'll talk Ottawa senators who clinched a playoff spot in the meantime.

Did you win any money with Rory winning the Masters? I got to tell you, I am financially ruined from the Masters. You'll never recover from this. Pools, outright bets, everything, like just didn't make a cent back. Like, listen, I had Cameron Young on an outright. I had, I put on some on Scotty Sheffler. I had Russell Henley. I had some guys near the top.

But Rory just stuck it. Stuck a dagger into my heart and said no. And CBS has taken a beating, eh? On which, like, the camera angles and the players they started following. I'm less bothered by all of it. I just wanted to know where Rory's second on 18 went. It just needed at some point to be told. So the 18th, I thought, was not great.

But the thing that bothered me the most was for the final pot where he marks it and it's an inch, but he marks it, did they not have somebody on the other side of the green? Because when he... You didn't know that it went in. You couldn't see it went in. And he just kind of stood up. I thought he missed it for a second. I was like, did he miss that tapping?

I thought they could have had a camera on the other side, whatever. Just thought someone would have been in Nancy's year. Like, it's in the bunker. And he'd been like, oh, that's not by the green? It was just, I mean, anytime Rory's involved, like I don't really like Rory particularly, but anytime he's involved, it makes her fireworks. And it was great, man. God, the Masters just rocks.

That ruled. It's the best. Oh, my God. Just, like, listening to the birds chirp. I'm now at the point of my life where I noticed the birds chirping on my TV as you watch a low-angle putt. I looked up the weather. It was 29 degrees there yesterday. I was like, really?

So the nice, so pleasant. And the nice thing about the Masters. and I just, I love the no phone thing. Yes, absolutely. It's just everybody is so locked in. Actually, actually, it was at my sister's 50th birthday party on Saturday night and I had had a couple beverages with my buddy, Scott. We came up with a great idea for a bar.

We hadn't had anything to drink, I promise. The no phone bar. We called A-Man Corner and you can't bring your phone. And you just go in there and you sit at a table. Provide the argument. And you talk to each other. And your phone's in a locker at the front. And your buddy goes, yeah,

When the Leafs, you know, last won the cup in 68, you're like, no, no, he's like, no, no, I was there. And you're like, wait, can't Google it. He's got to argue. He's got to argue. Probably a lot of fights in there. That was the best. Anyways. We're never getting there again, unfortunately.

But that's just what's so special. I actually don't know. Lock boxes for the phones? Never been. I'm going to assume that they. I don't even think you should bring it. Just go naked like the good old days. They're just sitting there and they're locked in and they're just every moment, they're

fired up because they're just watching. It's amazing. I got to go to them. High schools are doing this, right? No phones? I don't know. Some high schools, I believe, are no phones, which absolutely they should. You just need to go.

Like, I think the best day to go is Thursday and Friday. I'm not even sure. Like, if I had a choice, I'd take Thursday and Friday over Saturday, Sunday. Just too much going on on the... Yeah, just gets a little goofy at the end, but I think... The real secret is I don't love going to golf tournaments. Really? Yeah.

Like, you've got your experience of Canadian, but you're walking inside the ropes with the road for the road. I don't like following. Yeah, that's fine. But to me, it's like, I love knowing what's going on in this hole, that hole, where's the chase? You know, it's all happening at once. And when you're there, it's tough to have that picture. I think the ideal scenario would be to win the master's tickets and go on the practice round or one of the first days. Enjoy it, see it.

And then find a sick Airbnb near there, put the feet up and watch and kind of experience it around. Airbnb does it right. Let me tell you. I'm telling you, buddy. There's a reason I said that, brother. All right. Golf talk. No more golf.

Oh, no. One more question. Okay, let's just guess right now. Yorkies played Augusta or he has not. I'm going to say, I'm going to guess no, but it seems like odds are in the no camp. I think there's a 50-50 chance he's played it. Let's welcome in. Jason York, co-host of Coming in Hot Sense podcast.

Got the bucket on. Yorkie, have you played, have you played Augusta? Yes or no? No, Kipper. I have not, but I've been there. I was there in that 2012, the year Bubba won out of the pine straw. Oh, yeah. That's a good one.

Oh, yeah. We were right there. We were set up. We were set up on the par three and then the par five before coming in, I think 15 and then 16. It was, have you guys been? No. Have either of you been to a guy? No.

Be careful. It's unbelievable. It's heaven. Like they've got these guys that cruise around in jackets. I call them the Masters Police. If you do anything like run, they'll come over like, excuse me, sir, there's no running inside Augusta. You're warned once. And I think if you do it again, they press the button and you disappear through a tunnel.

Dude, Rory teed off in 14 and some guy gave it that, give me back my son. And I was like, oh, they're going to kill that guy. That guy might be dead now. Borny, like, even, like, you go to the bathroom, they open the door. They're like, enjoy your peace, sir. Like, it's unbelievable. Like, the hospital. No cameras for you, but big brother's there.

I got to go for the piss. Right, right. Things are so cheap there, too. You get the cheese sandwich for a couple bucks. You get a drink for a buck. It's amazing. It's absolutely amazing. But I heard now if you want to go, it's big bucks, like big bucks.

So we know where you were in 2012. Where were you in the sense? Clinched, eh? Where was I? I was watching the Masters. Was it ever in doubt for you? I mean, we've watched how even a team like Columbus came oh so close and they got into their winning streaks.

And yet they, you know, they're not mathematically eliminated yet. But like Philly gets a point and it's over here. But talk to us about this grind of the Ottawa senators getting in. It's, it's crazy what they had to do. So once it in doubt, for sure. sure. Like if you looked at what they had to do, I forget the day. Did you go back to early January? They were in last place in their division. Last place. And Detroit was in first. They were in first. So to think about that. Yeah, Detroit has fallen so far. And Ottawa just had to do

so many things. We had Drake Batherson on our podcast this morning and he's like every single game was do or die. So many things had to go right. But I tell you, you got to, you. You got to, got to give a lot of Reddit. I know it's always about the players, but the job that Travis Green did, fellas and his coaching staff, like they coached that group up. No Sanderson,

no Shabbat, and they lost Tyler Clevin. And to win, like they did, when the pressure was at his highest, it was crazy. They had no goalie for six weeks. Allmark left because of some mental health reasons,

but they just, you know what? A lot of good coaching. A lot of guys stepped up, but absolutely. Like honestly, I thought Columbus with the job Rick Bonas was doing. I'm like, okay, these guys are probably going to get in. They're going.

They're humming. And they still might get in in their division. But no, it's been super impressive and pretty historic run. Like you've got to go back to that hamburger run with Matt, with with, Hammond was pretty good. But next to that, this might be the next best late season comeback this franchise has had. And you know, this definitely was one. that the numbers kind of saw coming.

They played good hockey most of this year. I think a lot of people feel like a healthy senator's team is as good as anyone in the East. How healthy are they? Are they going to be able to throw their best fastball here? I think so, Barney. I think Brady Kachuk's going to be fine. I know he left the last game. Thomas Shabbat.

I don't know how he's playing. Like everybody knows he's got a broken bone in his arm, but they must have got some kind of witch doctor in there or something because The fact he was able to play is crazy. But Tyler Clevin, I think, is going to still be out a little bit longer. But for the most part, like they're big guys, like Stetsla, Pinto, Batherson, Chuck's going to be fine. And the big guy for me, Barney, I know you love him.

Jake Sanderson, Jake Sanderson's back. Like, he is, I remember we talked, I think you guys had me on a couple years ago when we were talking about him. And he is just what he can do for that team when he's, he's in the lineup is I think he's right there with the best in the game right now as far as defensemen go. Top five for sure.

No question in my mind. Top five. Yeah, I'm with you, Kipper. I'm with you. I think he's there based on the fact he's not just a points guy. Like, sure, he can get points, but I actually think he's a better defender

than offensive defense. Two ways. He's got Duncan Keith qualities. Right? That's a great comparison. You go back to Duncan Keith. Competes the same way. but yeah that's a great comparison

Borny in terms of the goal tending it's been well documented with Allmark when he's on he's great when he's off no one really knows for sure in terms of where he is

when he's coming back but they are there's good as anybody if this guy's on and I'm not sure Sammy wants to hear this but I think they would have had a much better chance maybe last spring to knock off the Leafs

if that guy actually showed up in that series. I think he had two good starts, Kipper, and the other ones were not so good. So this is, like, the way he's playing right now, this is the best he, I think it's the best he's played since he's been in auto. He had, you go back to that run last year when they got him. He had some good moments as well,

but he just seems like he's in a really good spot right now. Just the way he's, he just looks calm in there. And you don't need to be spectacular the way Ottawa defends. They don't give you a lot. But that's going to be the key. And if you look at for the teams, they possibly are going to have to play.

There's question marks there too, right? You look at Carolina, whether it's a good possibility they could play two similar teams, question marks about the goaltending there. Buffalo Sabres, they could play them. Is there question marks with the goaltending there? Well, you don't really know, right?

So you look around everywhere, but There's very few teams, you can say, besides Vasilesky and a short list of guys. Yeah, they're pretty well set in goal. I think there's question marks everywhere. So who do they want then? I mean, you mentioned the question marks, but like this Carolina team pretty fast, pretty, you know, effective. But again, the goaltending, who do they have the best chance? So just, you know, I don't know for sure the probabilities of this,

but it could be one of, Montreal, Tampa, Buffalo, Carolina, Carolina, right? One of those seats. If I was to pick my poison and I threw that out there and a lot of people don't like it because when they play this team, they get a lot of fans in the building, which I don't think will be quite as bad because I believe the Senator's season tickets. There's only going to be about 3,000 available. I think they match up best against Montreal.

But the probability of those teams playing, I don't think are high. but I just every time they played Montreal, they played them hard. And when they lost this year, they didn't get goaltending. So I think if they get goaltending, that's the team they match up well against. I don't buy the Carolina thing.

Sure, Ottawa can beat them. But they're a first place team for a reason. They're extremely well coached. And Carolina never seems to lose in the first round. They do it later. They do it later. But they, they're a team that, sure, there's question marks in goaltending,

but I like that Carolina team a lot. Brindamore is a great coach and they're deep. So for me, it would be probably Montreal. Then I'd want to take Buffalo, Tampa, and probably Carolina lost. The sends as they head into playoffs, like looking at who is going to, you know, Brady Kachuk is just meant to be sort of a playoff performer. Up front, who do you have past Kachuk is kind of their most important piece? As far as forwards or forwards, yeah, forwards only.

You know who's had a, like obviously Timmy Stuxle is the guy that makes it go on the offense. He's had a great year. He's really elevated his game. He's gotten a lot better defense. That's the easy answer for you. Yeah. But the sneaky answer, I'll give you two players. Okay.

One is Shane Pinto, who I think's had just an outstanding year, two-way player. I think he should be in the conversation shortlist for Selke this year. That's how good he's been. Wow. He, he, his, his, well, you've seen his number is boring. Yeah, yeah. They're off the charts. The analytics, the matchups.

There's been games where he has not gotten an offensive zone start. Like, always starting in the D zone, tough matchups. To me, he's really, really important. And the other guy is Michael Amadio. Really? Sneaky, sneaky, good. But same thing. When you watch the Sends a lot, like I do, those two guys have got the matchups

all year. And if you look at how good this team's been defensively, there's one thing that sticks out. Those two players and Nick Cousins is on their line right now. They get the hard matchups. They shut down the other team's top players. And they're just two guys that don't get talked about enough.

Really, really smart, under the radar, sneaky, good defensive players. I know you mentioned Brady Kachuk a little earlier with the injury. And yeah, everything indicates that he'll be ready to go for game one. But how important are these playoffs for Brady, for the relationship moving forward,

two years left on his deal, how Ottawa fans feel about him? Like, is there any correlation to success here in a long-term situation still forecasted for Brady Kachuk in Ottawa? I think Kippa as a player, you know, you always want to be. do well in the playoffs. And I think what, I think what happened earlier was a little bit blown out a proportion, like people, there was a little bit of noise around it, right? But he spoke after

one of the games. It was about a week ago. And you can tell this guy cares. He loves the community, loves playing there. And whatever happens, like, who knows what's going to happen in the future. But all I can tell you is watching him the last month here, he's really picked up his game. He's really elevated it. I can't wait to see him play in the playoffs. Like I think this guy, like you guys said, he's tailor-made for playoff time. And it's going to be exciting. And, you know, whatever happens in a couple of years,

who knows, I don't have a crystal ball. But I tell you, they're here right now and here, I think he's going to have a great playoff. Yorkie, we finished our Leafs Hour, but obviously they are the fellow team in the province. There's some disarray, I guess, right? No GM here right now. What are your thoughts on what's going on with the,

What's the state of the Toronto Maple Leafs? Oh, buddy. I'm feeling for you guys in Toronto. It's getting harder, Yorkie. It's getting hard. You're like everybody else, just outside of Toronto, man. Everybody's loving it. No, you know what?

I really like Shree. And I felt bad seeing him get fired. He's a good man. I know him a little bit personally from back when I was doing Flames games. And I thought when he put that team together, I liked a lot of the things he did. He was like there was more grit. look they're going to be tougher to play against. I love some of those deals when they brought Carlo in

and they made the defense better. But things just didn't work out this year for whatever reason. Like, I think if you talk to most people, they like the moves back then. Now they don't work and you start pointing fingers. But I think they'll get it figured out. And we'll see. Like, I don't know what's going to happen in the future.

I do like Barubi a lot as a coach too. Like, he didn't all of a sudden become a bad coach. Like, he won. He's not too far removed from that Stanley Cup in St. Louis. So I'll tell you one thing. I'm fascinated to see what goes out in Toronto. What's going to happen with Matthews? What's going to happen with Willie?

Like, to me, that's a big one. When I watch the Toronto Maple Leafs play and I see some of the games and the body language of Willie and Ailander, it just makes me wonder if he's going to be a long-term fit there. I think Matthews, the way it plays two-way now defensively, he doesn't. get enough credit for that. He doesn't get enough credit, but I have a problem when I watch Willie play and the body language, the turnovers, and to me, something has to change there. So when it comes to the Leafs, it's all about what kind of structure we're going to see at the managerial level here. Compare that to the structure in Ottawa, obviously led by

Michael and Lauer, but all hockey guys, right? Steyos, Poulin, Damios, So tell us about the dynamic of that and maybe what you see that works or some of the challenges as well. On Kipper, you just you just hit the nail on the head right there. You pre-effice that question to me. They got hockey guys. Dave Poulin, who is Steve Stales brought in, is a hockey guy. And I thought that was a brilliant move. Like you go back to him when he was a player with the Philadelphia Flyers.

He was a captain. He was a heart and soul guy. He understands what it takes to win in the league. even Stevie. Stevie Steeleys was a grinding defenseman that knows what works and what doesn't work. I think that's vital. I think you need players like that, players, former players, that move into those positions. And it doesn't always work. Not every ex-player is going to know his stuff as far as the off-ice and the management and the hockey ops.

But Steve's a smart guy. Dave Poulin's a smart guy. And they brought in Robbie DeMio, who is a big part of their pro-skilling, So there's hockey people in there. And I think you need hockey people when you're on an organization. Yorkie, is there anyone where you played with them and now they're involved in front offices? And you're like, that guy?

Listen, I've been in hockey dressing rooms. I know that not everyone who's good at hockey could do those jobs. Do you know who I always laughed at? And he's a really smart guy. It was when Burge was in Montreal, Mark Bergerman, because he was such a funny, practical joker, always... water skiing behind the Zamboni. Right?

Water skiing behind the move. Right. And you're like, this guy's the guy now? Oh, yeah. And but like a smart guy. So does anything surprise me in this game? Not really. But that one, just because he was such a practical joke.

And then he ends up in one of the toughest hockey markets on the planet in Montreal. We're under the microscope about everything. But now, like to tell you the truth, nothing surprises me in this game, fellas. Just in terms of before we let you go, Yorkie, you know, you mentioned that you think maybe Ottawa might match up well against Montreal, but you look at from top to bottom here with 16 teams and it's pretty wide open, don't you think?

Like more so than maybe other years where we could see Ottawa, Buffalo maybe in a conference or Stanley Cup final just as easily as other teams? it's it's crazy when you even when you look at the western conference like who's coming out of that central like that that is you got minnesota you got colorado you got vallas like good luck those guys are going to beat the snod out of each other but as far as eastern conference goes with florida out of the mix this year sure tampa's got experience but they're a little bit beat up i know they got gold in Vasilesky, but I think it's, I think any team that qualifies for the playoffs this year

has got a chance. Like even the Boston Bruins, like Marco Stern has done a great job in there. They've got Swamen, Buffalo's hot, Carolina. You got to think sooner or later, Carolina is going to break through, don't you? Or is that just going to be the old San Jose sharks where they just never do? But it's, it's, I think anybody that's in, the East has a legitimate chance this year. I can't Kipper, I can't remember a year where you're sitting down doing your hockey pool and you're trying to figure out who your four teams are and you're going to pick players, I don't really have a clue this year. I think it's that wide open.

You know, I do too, but this is the first year I've looked at the Oilers, well, earlier in the year and I was like, I don't know, I don't see it. And here we are going into playoffs. And it's like, who's going to beat them in the Pacific? And the Central is going to beat the tar out of each other. And it just feels like we're going to see the oil. is going deep again. I mean, we certainly should if Dry Settle comes back.

Yeah, yeah. Who are they most likely to match up with in the first round board? I mean, currently they're slotted against the Ducks in round one. Yeah, yeah, and the Ducks are young. But you know what? The Ducks can get some sneaky good goaltending from time to time. I know the same percentages aren't that good. I still

don't trust Eminton's goaltending to tell you the truth. And it's sure they're probably going to score enough to win on the first round and McDavid's He's a freak and he's going to will that team. But yeah, I'm with you on that. Like they've got such talent, but I don't know. Sooner or later, like maybe one of these years,

they're going to get knocked off early. But it's so tough. Like, are they going to make it all the way to the finals again for a third straight year? We'll see. I just think in both divisions, both conferences, I just, I'm having a hard time picking a favorite, maybe Colorado. But again, like, you look at, I saw Minnesota play off. a couple weeks ago and I was impressed

with the Minnesota Wild guys. That team is, I know they're not extremely deep down the middle but boy they play hard and they are extremely well coached. Yorkie, great stuff as always, my friend. We'll be checking in on you throughout the

first round, especially watching the Ottawa senators. Thanks, pal. Yeah, anytime. Anytime. We'll take care. Thanks, York. You appreciate it. Former National Hockey Leagueer, Jason, York does a great job covering the Sends on his podcast coming in hot sense podcast. We should get an unbad senator's jersey because they're going to be in the mix here.

And that one is just not a good one. That one brings back. They listen to the show too. The Sends? Yeah. We could use a nice white Ottawa Sederate shirt. Their jerseys right now are as nice as they've ever been. The team has as good a chance as anyone.

If we're on a deep run, we're going to need a fresh kit. Why is it when we talk about like that? cheering on Ottawa and Montreal. You look like you're having a bowel movement. Because I can't do it. I mean, that jersey brings back tons of great memories of them getting beaten to a pulp by the Leafs. So I like that jersey. Going five hole on Patrick Lillim.

What is going on? I got to tell you, I really like those Sends teams. I would even classify myself as a Sends fan back then. I'm telling you, they got a nice mix. They got a nice mix of size and toughness. They're tough. team. I think so?

Yeah, they are. They play hard. They play hard. Greg Batherson, Pinto, those guys have Edge. Cousins. Cousins. Yeah. Except when they get greasy.

Ellers the big boy. Guys get knocked out. They don't do anything. I like Clevin, Mont and Paul. No. You're still talking with the Leafs. Lars Eller, big fan.

Yeah. Loved him in Washington when they when they won the Stanley Cup and he played a wonderful role. He scored a huge goal for them. Right? Yeah, he did. Was it a game?

I think he scored one in game five for them. Maybe the winning goal. I'm not making. Devonthe Smith-Pelly had a huge goal in that run. Yes, he did. Anyways, that was Capstock. It's game time. Presented by Bet365,

an official partner of the NHL bus for 19 plus. Ontario only, please play responsibly. Big one in Toronto tonight for a lot of reasons. But specifically, it is a huge spot for the lease to lose. They need to lose the last two games of the year. And they will,

is if they lose the last two, they pretty much guarantee themselves. They guarantee themselves a top five pick. Well, they need help. They'll finish fifth. Okay. The lottery.

I mean, finish being the bottom five. They're not guaranteeing anything. What's the percentage that they move back? 58.8. And 42 up. Or something like that.

Or is it the other way around? Yeah, it's like, yeah, 42 versus 50. 42 they keep 58, they move back. And British Columbia's daylight savings. Too much. Anyways, excuse me,

getting choked up, thinking about this. If you're a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and you're worried about them winning tonight. They're all talking about how they've got to get a win for the act for actiumov who's starting tonight they got to get a win for Morgan Riley's last home game Joe Bowen's last game if you're more money on the board if you're worrying about a potential L tonight I mean a potential win which would be an L happiness hedge isn't the worst bet you could make

the lease are plus 165 tonight so against the Dallas stars actually not even I'm surprised they're not like plus well the stars are the stars are checked out they don't have heikin in like they're probably going to be starting some guys that aren't necessarily best guys. This high skin and injury. They said maybe could be back for game one, but like maybe could be back is not necessarily what you want to hear. Anyways,

uh, give me the, give me the leaves tonight to break everybody's heart at plus 165. And, uh, that was game time. Is that my bet 365. An official partner of the NHL must have a team plus Ontario only.

Please play responsibly. All right. We'll take a quick break here. Plenty. To discuss in our NHL news and notes, including the Detroit Red Wings. out yet again on the outside looking into the Stanley Cup playoffs

we'll discuss what may happen in Detroit also Team Canada the world championships have two new leaders maybe two guys that you wouldn't necessarily expect me and Sam we will dive into that what about did you see the agent poll I love agent pole

agent no we should be a little agent poll too flat act than agent pole Oh, really? Okay, dig it up during the break, buddy. Yes, sir. So much more do not go away. It's the real Kippen-Born show. Dive deep into Toronto Sports and the NFL, the J.D. Bunkus podcast.

Subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program. Nick Kipprejo, Justin Bourne, our very own Sammy McKee. Working? Yeah, there we go. This is very exciting. We got a new segment on the show. it's time now for the Accura performance matchup,

the 2026 Accura MDX, precisely premium. So you're looking at a matchup around the league, and the one I have tonight is Carolina in Philly to take on the Flyers. Obviously, a huge game for the Flyers. They will clinch a playoff victory with a win, a playoff place with a win, which is hard to believe. I think even a point might do it. No, it's not a point.

No, no, no. Oh, no, no, it all depends on the results of... I have MoneyPuck in front of it. me here, which is crazy. If they lose an OT, their chances go up 1.8% to 82.3%. So they're not really. Rick Tockeet has done an incredible job with that Flyers team. It's funny, before the show, I was like, who do the Flyers even have anyway?

And you guys kind of own me? Yeah. Like, yeah, they got lots of guys. It's good players. I'm not sure if we owned you. Well, Samheim and Ristelaine is fine. I know. They're good players, but they're not labeled superstars.

No. They got a bunch of minutes. And he coached them out of the swamp. And looking at their lines, like Michkov's just still in the fourth line. He won't give in. I know that Martone swooped in and they were like, Martone. Yeah, you're the second line center now, brother. So if they lose in regulation tonight, their playoff chances drop 24.9% from 80.5 to 55.7.

And the last thing I'll bring up before we go, dating back to November 26, 2021, the Flyers are one, nine and seven in their last 17 games against the hurricanes. Hurricanes have owned them. Big one for the Flyers tonight, and that was the Accura Performance Matchup, the 2026 Accura MDX, precisely premium. Beautifully done. So it's still Washington that has a heartbeat and Columbus, barely. Yeah. So they got an outright win now.

So they need a loss of any kind by the Flyers tonight. And then I think Washington and Columbus play tomorrow. Yeah, they do. They do. Wow. Last playoff spot in the in the in the Metro is up for grab still and I got to tell you I'm really hoping it's the Flyers I know everyone's gonna be like all they want OVie and Sid in their last match or whatever give me the Flyers Flyers Penguins is a

Flyers Penguins let's go and I'm all in did you what you make of the whole the spectacle of Ovi and him not wanting to shake hands at the end and him at the same time he's taking pictures of the guys sign in sticks for each other do you think Ovi's done did you read into that at all I think he's in a top of tough spot. I don't think he knows. Okay. I don't buy that for one second.

And I don't buy that John Tavaris didn't know he was leaving the Islanders. And I don't buy that Mitch Martyr didn't know he was leaving out of Toronto. Okay? Yeah. They're all no. You think Ovi knows right now. Ovi, the decision is done already. Then why would he?

It's not like he's waking up and going. I don't know. Maybe tomorrow. He knows. May have not told anybody. He's not tipping his hand, but he knows. I think in this moment, I believe he's done. They all know.

They all know. That's what I feel. You think who all know, like all the players know, but not everybody else. They all know when it comes to these major decisions that they've had a year and a half to think about. They're not leaving it up to like the weekend. What does he know? He's done. I'm leaning towards him shutting it down.

The only reason. go 60, 40, he shuts it down. The only reason I don't entirely believe what you're saying is because people don't know their baby name till their baby is born sometimes. Like, you got nine months, pick a name. But some people just don't want to make that big decision. I don't know. I could see him Brett Farvin it too.

Retiring and then coming back. I want to just take you down a scenario here, okay? Let me have it. He comes back. He says he wants to come back another year, okay? So now, with everything that you just experienced in the last week, week and a half with him and trying to figure out, did he pick up pucks with the trainer because it's his last game

or what we witnessed the other night, you're going to go through a whole season of that. He doesn't want that. He doesn't want that. Why do you say he doesn't want that? And he doesn't want the farewell tour either for a year. I don't get that take. Why would he not want that?

He's been one of like the biggest attention guys there's ever been. The tint advisor, the hot stick. I'll tell you another thing too. That's all hockey. I mean, the all start of game wearing the thing, the glasses. He's not that guy. Okay, I disagree. I don't think he's that guy.

I think he is that. The more we talk through is the more convinced him he's gone. Thank you. I just think some of these things we're talking about. Why is he doing these sort of things, these extra things? Is it just in case? and then he's going to come back and do it again with Sid next year? It would be the most tiresome farewell ever.

It's already tiresome watching him. Take two minutes on a power play. Can you imagine the whole season now? No. And I'll tell you another thing, too. I'll tell you another thing. The Washington Capitals, don't sleep on the Washington Capitals. They're going to come back next year.

They get rid of Ovechkin with his nine and a half. Get rid of them. Okay? I'm sorry. That's a bad. If he retired. If he retires. Dynamo.

If they get rid of his nine and a half million, let me put it that way. Okay, if they get rid of that, that cap space and they go out there and they're smart with it, they're back. They're back. They got a good goalie. Good goalie. Good decor. They got Chickren who's scoring 50, 60 points and scoring 25 goals.

They got some good young kids that, that, um, the pro. Sorif. Sort of. Sort of. Sort of. What a steal. What a steel. off of Florida. That guy's a player.

Michael, protest, yeah. So they, they're on to something. They just, they just, they don't need to spend next season watching this kind of a farewell circus. I also think it's like, you know, Messi came over to the MLS at the end of his career,

but he came over before he was like bad, right? He wanted to still be decent when he came over to MLS and be a star. I don't think Ovi wants to go to the KHL and be a second or third liner. Like, I think he wants to go light it up if he's going to go play there. Yeah, I mean, K.L's pretty good league. Is he going to go over there and dominate it?

I don't know what dominate it, but he'll score a lot because he'll play five minutes every day, every game. Yager? Played at least 50. What part of Yager? Yeah, the part where it's like, I don't, I got nothing better to do. I saw a story somewhere that's like, Yager considering retirement.

Did he still do it? Consider it. You know, it was, I'm like, I actually, I had the conversation with someone like, let's say Sid wanted to play professional hockey until he couldn't anymore and just kept going down leagues with his ability. How could he play till he was 70, like in the East Coast League? Who Sid? Yeah. Could he play in the Southern Professional Hockey League at 81?

He could play for the Zigs at 80. I'll tell you that much. How far down could Sid keep playing? Anyway. That's a great question. I would personally shoot him before I would let him. him play 27 years of age. Chris Chelyos basically did this.

Wasn't he 47 in the coast at one point? One of the great YouTube videos of all time, if I implore you, if you've never watched it, if you're listening to this, miced up in the U.HL or the IHL, one of them, one of like the lifers down there when Darian Hatcher and Chelyos were down there during the walkout and just this guy chirping them,

it's one of the greatest videos ever. Give the kids a chance. Yeah, he's like, in the tanning bed with Chelyos. He's all over him. Anyways, I highly recommend it. Red Wings? Detroit, Red Wings. I've lost count.

How many years? 10? Is it 10? I thought this is 9. Interesting post-game interview from their head coach. Yeah. I just want to say, this team was the best team. My entire childhood teenagers, they made play playoff plus 25 years in a row.

Yeah, they were never not good. They were never not good. And so when they got bad for a second, it was like, all right, hang on. Here they come. No. It's been a bleak run. Anyway. This is pretty strong words

from head coach Todd McClellan after their last home game. I think I left the question in there, but they went to do their salute at Center Ice. They were booed by the fans. Todd was asked me to put it at postgame if we could play that clip now, Derek.

Over here. Oh, sorry. How do you kind of process? I mean, they go to salute the crowd at the end of the game and there's a lot of booze mixed in there. How do you kind of process hearing that at that moment, I guess? Well, this is Detroit, this is Hockey Town.

I've been lucky enough to be on the other side of it when they couldn't stop cheering for this team. And they're dying for that. They crave that. That's what they want. And I don't even know if they want a Stanley Cup championship anymore. They just want a team that's going to come and give them something to cheer about. And this outside noise stuff or whatever, that's inside noise.

Those are our fans in our building. And they pay to watch them. us play and we get paid well to perform for them. And they're fully entitled to their opinion and we deserve their opinion. There's no other way to sugarcoat it. That's what we earned.

What is the outside noise he's referring to? Probably just like here. The booze, get rid of Stevie Eisenman, blow it up. We're outside noise. Like what we are there. That's the noise. Yeah.

It's, those are fire. from the coach. I don't think McClellan. I think he's a pretty good coach. He's only been there what a year and a breath. I don't know how you have the collapse they didn't keep everybody. Like they were in boys. Like it was.

They were leading the Atlantic Division. I want to say third week in January. I was going to say around the Olympic break, they were in first place. And I think Yorkie confirmed that Ottawa was in the last place. That's a big gap to make up. massive swing. You know, they just, they can't score. They can't create any offense.

They're soft. Yeah. Okay. The Brinket, Kane, Lucas Raymond, like, right?

I don't know. Where is, where's the guy that pisses you off or annoys you on this team? Yeah. No, you're not wrong. It is,

pretty vanilla group looking through it. So I am curious to see how drastic they go. It's tough because you look at that Atlantic. If this is what Buffalo is even close, they're going to be back. And Montreal is going to be back.

Tampa Bay still got stars. Like the Leafs are retooling. Florida should be better. Like, just for Detroit. Oh, Florida's. They'll be back. Oh, my gosh. They get their health back.

And so they get Barkov back. Yeah. And so. And they're. top five pick that they're going to get this year. Florida might get the first overall pick. I mean, they're one of the teams in the bottom clump. So what happens to Steve Eisenman?

I'll show you a quill. What happens to Stevie Y? I think everyone's just waiting for us to say he gets fired, right? You keep saying who've moved up. Well, I can't see them firing. I can't, I can maybe see himself. Okay, resign. He could resign.

He could just pack it in himself. He could take a higher role up top. But does that make everybody feel like he's still the guy and nothing's changed except the title on the business card? Sean Horcoff, I've heard, could slide in there. Chris Draper, I've heard that could slide in there. But is it just more of the same? Well, it is.

It's just hard to believe that Stevie Eisenman would be named if the president or something, hand the keys up to someone else and be like, I'm just going to worry about ticket sales now. Like, you know, he's still going to be like, I don't know, what's straight for that guy? And yeah, like, we love Drapes. Drape's one of the- He's our dude.

100%, but like, I think Chris Draper and Steve Eider, he's not going to run something past Stevie Y if he's going to do it. Like, I don't know. Yeah. Just feels hard to believe anything would do it. I believe you could. Yeah. But like, I just find it hard to believe that Steve Eiserman's not going to be involved

in a decision that Chris Draper is going to make. I don't know. Either way, the, the fan. base wants blood. Oh yeah. They're pissed. They're pissed. Well, Todd certainly

lean towards their favor. Right? Every time I hear Todd McClellan speak, I really like the guy and he seems like he really gets it. I don't know. Just they had such a bad collapse. How does it?

Now, really bad. Can you remind me, Justin Fulk here? They left it exposed? I'm protected, bud. I'm protected. I think it's in the last. lottery now, right?

I mean, yeah, anyone who's... That's a big one. We focus a lot. We focus a lot on Brad Tree Living, but in that pick going to Boston, but this one is a tough one as well. So on that note, Brad Tree Living has been named the general manager

of Team Canada, the World Championships along with Jason Spezza. Yeah. Cal Dubus sounds like he'll be involved. in some capacity. Oversee it. That's what he says. Tree will oversee it?

No. Dubus will oversee. He's the president. Or like, I think you'll like help with. All right. He's around. He's around.

Okay. Your first thoughts. Yeah, a lousy season. I'll be honest. My first thoughts are his last two stints have not gone well. So this is a, he's a great guy, a good man. And I mean, he's been around the NFL for you. So I don't know.

Listen, I, it's really tough because, again, I really genuinely like him. But the track record's been bad. So. I'm just surprised that, like, I think, do I think he's never going to work again? No, that's not what I'm saying here. But I'm just surprised that they would go down this road after such a high profile divorce with the biggest team in the country. I'm surprised that they would do it this year.

That's all. Like, he can do it again at some point. And I guess who were the other events? were the other available candidates? You know, in this case, he's the most experienced maybe, and that works in his favor? I think the tendency is to go that this is a reward to somebody who's had a great season or is at the top of his game. And I don't think they see it that way. I think they look at the availability to your point and go, okay, what's the number?

one challenge here. Right? Getting guys to come. Brad Tree Living isn't been named because he's on the top of his game or he had a good season. It's because he might be the best guy to pick up the phone

and convince somebody to come. This is a recruitment issue here for Team Canada. It's not a let's get the shiniest name out there. This will be one of the biggest challenges probably in a long time

because it's up against the Olympics and if a star gets knocked out early he ain't going right? I mean it's up against the Olympics. Just right after the Olympics. If one of the star players

from the Olympics on Team Canada gets knocked out early or is missing in the playoffs, it's highly unlikely he's going. Brad's job now is to convince players to want to come and Jason's another guy who can relate to the guy he's young enough he can pick up a phone everybody will listen to Jason Spetsa and I think it's it's built that Brad works the phones

he talks to everybody he knows everybody he knows every agent he knows every assistant general manager this guy can get answers quickly that's great perspective honestly yeah it is totally agree that does make sense it also feels like Spets is a guy that everyone is moving towards a GM job at some point, doesn't it? Like he's been... He's put in some time and it certainly doesn't help or hurt the success of the turnaround in Pittsburgh

whether or not it's got longevity, sustainability, remains to be seen based on the fact that, you know, three best players are still old. I do feel like Dubus's involvement says to me that he wants to be the GM

of Team Canada a proper. Like he wants to punch the clock and put in his time and show that he's a good Canadian, you know, like the players, you know, and those guys go to things. It's a tip of the cap. Pittsburgh's going to be in playoffs and I think he just wants to show. He's up against the fact that he's really had no success. Yeah. Right. And that, you know, there's a jealousy thing around the league too and we're still seeing it. Like there's a jealousy thing. Of course there is. There's a big one going on right now with these analytical guys and up against scouting staffs and ex-player. This is a decade-and-a-half long internal fight.

This is the constant. Yeah. A lot of these guys, like Tyler Dello, who was with Carolina, I believe was with Edmonton initially. He started with the Oilers back in the day. Devils too? Yeah, Devils 2, but it was with the Oilers. And, like, they just didn't want the information at that time.

It was 2012, 13, 14. They weren't ready for it. J.B., it's just not about the information. It's about, in our hockey world growing up, there was, you earn your keep. You, you, nothing's handed to you. You earn it. You show that you're getting better all the time and that you slowly. kind of peck away at something,

you don't just get handed the keys. And that's the issue with a lot of the friction going on between the analytics department and the ex-player or the scout that's done it for 10 or 12 years,

can't get a sniff. And then they watch Sunny who, you're not even sure if he knows how to skate, right? It's never scouted in his life, never done a lot of the things, that these guys have been doing behind the scenes for 10 or 12 years, and they go, why?

But it's because it's not a charity. You're not just saying, oh, you've worked hard. It's not make a wish. Who can help us win more games? But you're not even sure. You're not even sure if it's guaranteed that it's going to help you win games. It's not. It's like the NHL now where kids at 18, 19, 20,

they come in and they help right away. In your day, you guys, you had to earn it. You had to wait for your return. Yeah, but they don't, they, like, shape, shape. Oh, let's see we're just getting warmed up. All right. We'll continue this for two more months.

Our thanks to Jody Shelley, Jason York. Ten games on tap. Enjoy yours. And we're back tomorrow. Do it all over again on the real Kipper and Born Show.