Real Kyper & Bourne - The Life of a First Overall Pick with Erik Johnson

Episode Date: April 15, 2026

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee react to Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness ripping his team post-game after their loss in the season finale to the Washington Capitals, before being joined by former NHL defenceman and ESPN Hockey analyst Erik Johnson (19:01) to chat about the glaring differences in interacting with current players as part of the media, his decision to step into working as an analyst after his playing career, what it's meant to him to play even a small part of a Stanley Cup winning team, the playoff picture in the West, and the mindset of a former first overall draft pick in the NHL. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam discuss Chris Pronger's recollection of being traded to Edmonton in 2005 from his newest book, and whether he should've revealed how he signed the contract.  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, let's get her going. It's the national hour on the Real Kipper and Bourne show. We are live on Sportsnet. Sportsnet 650 and Vancouver 960 in Calgary and streaming, always on Sportsnet. Plus, if you miss our show, can always catch us live on Spotify, Apple podcast, and YouTube, where we always appreciate a thumbs up for Sammy. Sammy? And you a little bit, not me.

This hour, Real Kipper and Born brought to you by Bet, Bet, 365. in a few minutes. We'll welcome in Eric Johnson, former National Hockey League defensemen and now star of ESPN hockey. And he's got this thing going on. I wouldn't like to hear that. Yeah, no, PK's old now.

Is he? Yeah, he's old. Abochy. He's with me now. He's signed at ESPN, by the way. Anyway. Did you do his contract? Like, what he's so excited about is,

like he's making more money. Giving you all the ESPN insights I got, pal. All right. Don't look at me. I really killed whatever he was going to say. We're good, we're good. I don't know. What do we have tonight?

Everybody's swatted. Everybody knows who's playing? I am working the Ottawa Senators versus Toronto Maple Leafs hockey match. Everyone is going to be riveted to their television, I assume. Ottawa's not dressing five regulars. The Leafs are trying to lose.

That's okay. Why would anybody want to buy tickets to game number 82? Because you might see the best game of the year. It could be a bad. Yeah, it could be a monster game. Yeah, it could be a playoff game. And today you can really walk up and pick one up for a nickel. I like the chances of it not matter.

Not mattering anymore now. The three, I'm kind of disappointed that, like, it got settled so quickly. Yeah. Well, Ottawa just one and one and one. It's that, it's the third point, boys. Yeah. I know. L.A.

L.A., how many, how many, regulation wins. 22 regulation wins made playoffs for the Kings. 82 games. Yeah. That's remarkable. 60 times they couldn't have across the finish line. That's pretty amazing.

And I mean, we do have set playoffs in the East, right? All of them are set. Ottawa versus Carolina, Buffalo versus Boston, Pittsburgh versus Philly. Oh, my God. I know. And then what's the other?

Oh, Montreal, Tampa. So, who, it's the best series of all. I, yeah, I think laundry-wise, Pittsburgh, Philly. I mean, if you, You had a, at the start of this season, had told me that Pittsburgh and Philly would be playing in first round of the playoffs. That would be one of the most unlikely outcomes of the season. The NHL themselves, Bettman, would have been drooling at that.

How many times do we come on this show and talk about Sid having to get Sid out of there and being like, Sid's never going to make the playoffs there and all this stuff? And we somehow. Is he going to play for the abs or the Canadians? And we somehow didn't make it on their montage of them making fun of people, thankfully, that every team has to do now. I think we should agree that if you make a montage, you can't lose in the first round or get abused. You can't hold everyone's feet to the fire, dunk on everyone and then just go like lambs to the slaughter for some teams.

So hopefully Pittsburgh and Buffalo can. I do like Pittsburgh, I think. I do and I like Buffalo. I like both those teams to win their series. It's funny where that fine line is between the success of Pittsburgh or if you look, like, you would have picked the Islanders over Pittsburgh at the beginning of the year.

Yeah, maybe. I don't know. The Islanders weren't very good. No? I want to pick them both. Schaefer was a shock. Yeah. It's just now

everybody's so excited and feeling so good about Pittsburgh and not a great feeling about the Islanders. Yeah. It's just that fine line of how much do you want to hang in there and how much do you want to like regroup or retool or rebuild, whatever you want to call it.

It's just such a fine line. And I don't know what's Pittsburgh going to look like in another year and a half, two years. Is Sid still playing? Is he retired? Is he still managing 90 points? But they're in the ideal spot where they are now due to stock their cupboards with picks

and they've got prospects. But they also get to have their cake and eat it too where they get this last magical playoff appearance with Sid, with Gino, with LaTang, the three guys that have been there for a million years, they get to have that too. They get to get the playoff game. It's like, God, Dubas did a good job.

Do you think Philly can beat them? No. I think they can. I think it's a coin toss. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's a series for sure. Yeah. Really better goaltending, I guess.

The Skinner thing, though, he's been to the cup final twice in a row. Played some big games. He's 28. It's not nothing to say a big guy who's been there and has some experience that he can't be very good. I mean, Oilers fans probably,

we're one of the bits we're going to do on tonight's broadcast, and I won't give you my answer. It's like, what are the most wild playoff outcomes that could happen? And one of them is definitely Stu Skinner wins a Stanley Cup for Pittsburgh. Against the Oilers? Against the Oilers? Oh, my God.

You know, there's. Yikes. Jari as an 860 in the final. Like, oh, my God. There's some potential for some wacko stuff. So this should be a good, good playoffs. Carolina and Ottawa, first time they're meeting.

Is that right? First time ever? First time ever, yep. Whose goaltending do you like better? Would you rather have Linus Almark, who won avesa's in a trophy, who's been hot for the last two weeks, or three goalies in Bousie, Anderson,

who you just need one to be good? But you got three, you don't have one. Yeah, we had Steve Aliquette on yesterday, who gave us an amazing breakdown. If you guys have not watched it. His answer was, they're all bad. Go download it. Does he say Boosie was like a bottom five goalie?

Well, his, and O'Mark's career save percentage in the playoffs is, I don't know, 860 or something he mentioned. Like that's going to be a bit of a theme here. Coin toss again, right? I would have picked Ottawa against anyone in the playoffs, but Carolina probably. So I think that's going to be a really good series. I don't think there's a series out there.

We got no sweeps in the first round out of the east. Oh, okay. Yeah. In the West, Colorado is going to lay waste to the Kings, we assume. But I don't think they're not finalized yet. The West isn't finalized. If I'm not mistaken. Can we get the West standings?

Yes. If playoffs started today, you'd get Colorado. LA, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Utah, Edmonton, Anaheim, Night Night Night, Anaheim, Night Night King's. And then Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Utah, Vegas is pulling together.

I know. I know it was like a mail-it-in Monday for the Dallas Stars. He still beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, but I'm nervous for them. For Dallas? Against Minnesota. Are you? Yes.

They're exciting. Minnesota. They can score. They play physical. They got a couple of good goalies. Yeah. Can they, is Dallas going to be a team that's going to take their runs at Quinn Hughes? Or is he going to quarterback this thing? I don't know. Dallas feels like they've been the same team for five years.

Like they don't have the same elite guys, but they're very, very good all the way through. Maybe they don't have to play Edmonton in the conference finals. That probably would. It would work out. Yeah, well, to get through the conference final, you've got to beat Minnesota in Colorado. Yeah, which seems like a tall task. Tough sledding.

We're just working on Eric here. Did you want to do the bonus stuff? Yeah, I think it's definitely want to get that in because Rick Bonus, we all know since coming and relieving Dean Eveson in Columbus. It was really a feel-good story for the organization, for Rick. They went on this massive winning streak, got themselves back in playoff contention, and then it just went sour the last week and a half. They lost their spot.

And Rick Bonas had some very choice words for his hockey club that I don't know if I've ever heard that type of emotion. Let's have a listen. Rick, you've been a part of a lot of games and a lot of seasons. Have you ever been part of something that's as frustrating as this has been down the stretch? No. And you know, I got to just look at the statute. Three hits, 23 giveaways. Like, I don't know if I'm back, but if I'm back, I'm changing this culture.

These guys, they don't care. Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn't bother them. How can you go out and play like that? Should have done this about a month ago. But this is why we are where we are. This is why we're at the playoffs. That kind of effort.

Losing, you have to hate losing. I don't care if it's a meaningless game. I don't care. Show up and compete. Three hits, 23 giveaways. What else you want to know? Three hits, 23 giveaways. I mean, insane.

As long as that, type of speech or comments were repeated and the first time was in the dressing room to those guys I loved every second of that. Yeah, he didn't come out there that hot without having just done it. Coaches are scared today to do that, I think. Yeah, it's a fun part about being 70. You go, I don't care. Yeah, that's maybe the most valid point right now.

Yeah, you're right. I feel like your mic is not currently on. we can flip that on okay so 16 months ago Patrick Linae said these exact same things about Columbus I don't know if you remember that but he left there and he had some quotes he said

I feel like I was just tired of losing and just giving up when it's December to focus on next year they're a little too satisfied and too comfortable with where they're at it wasn't a fit for me so he came he got killed for criticizing Columbus but that guy was just there he was just there Can I

I don't even know if I really feel this way But can I present the other side of this? Okay This is the second time He's done this After game 82, right? Yeah, there was a Winnipeg. There was a big Winnipeg one

Two, three years ago. Yeah, with Wheeler and Then he came back, right? Did he come back after that? I don't know, but he was right about that Winnipeg team by most accounts. He was. I just, what are saying?

It's part of a shtick. I don't know. I just felt a touch over the top. Just a touch. Like a little bit like he doesn't have a contract for next year, wants to show that he's big rah-rah guy. I don't know. I just something about that felt off to me.

That's it. And I'm just presenting that side of it. You know, even if that were the case, I think the fact that he is so competitive and wants to do that job that bad that he would put on that act. In the case he's doing what you're talking about, reflects the guy who cares and loves it.

I get it. Yeah. I don't find it disingenuous. No, I don't. So, yeah, I get you're saying, like, what do you've been here? Five minutes and, like, you can figure all that out. But, yeah, maybe he can. He's been around the game that long.

And I don't think we looked at that and said, oh, you're wrong. Like, there's something fundamentally wrong about this organization that they can't get back in. They're just always this team That finds ways to lose Yeah And the fan base It should be a concern for the fan base I wonder who he's talking about

You know in his mind there's like two or three guys You know you're not talking about 18 guys That all want to lose Don't care about losing Who is that Yeah Specifically you know who's been there Boone Jenner's been there

Monaghan Charlie Coil's going to have some attention this This summer He's going to sign I mean, he's going to... But remember, when was that what we had bonus on our show? And he came on and he said, I think one of you two asked him,

was there a guy that when you got there surprised you or... Remember he was like, over the top, a fuse of praise of coil saying that that was the guy, he was the guy that surprised him the most, so it probably wasn't coil. And I mean, there's a couple coaches have sat out the... What's the Kent Johnson? Not Kent Johnson.

And the other one that they drafted high, too. Fantilli has had the... I don't know, it just... Maybe there's a culture thing now. But we don't have to talk about it every day because it's not the least. No, no. Just one more point. Like, they're going to have to figure a few things out because, like I said,

Coils UFA. Yeah. Marchman who's come in and gave him a little bit of a presence and some sandpaper. He's up. And he's going to get money, eh? He is going to get money. And the other one is sneaky Fantilli needs a new contract. He's RFA, right?

Yeah, he's RFA, right? but are you going to go by him unrestricted years? Does he jump to $8 million, $9 million? Yes, I'm Columbus. I need elite talent. Yes, I am. They paid Proverov a silly amount

because they're trying to keep, they're doing, it's like Caprizov light. Boone Jenner. Boone Jenner could walk too. Yeah. And does he improve off of 3.7? And what kind of market is that? They got deep pocket.

it's there. Can I ask both of you guys, if you are Don Waddell, who was so nice to send us a jersey that I left in the bus, was willing to, was we, he asked you guys, or you were him, sorry, and you watch that. Yeah. And he doesn't have a contract. Are you more likely to bring him back or less likely to bring him back? Because he says he's like, when I, I would put in a culture or whatever, it's like, so when you just first get there, are you trying to be Mr. Nice guy to kind of change it over and be a player's guy. But now that they're out of the playoffs, you're going to flip the switch into being a mean guy.

Like, would that make you more or less likely to have them back? Because I don't know. I don't think that speech would have an impact one way or another. Okay. For me. But, you know, my hiring was probably just very different from some people's in general. Like, I don't. Was it Doug McLean that told us they were like on a boat or he rented a boat or he had a boat?

and got a call that said, do you want to come back to coaching kind of thing? And I'm just sitting there going, does a guy get off a boat in Florida to go to a place where he'll only sees himself for a few months and then wants to shut it down? No, he wants to go coach, right?

And do you hire a guy to come in like that and know what you're kind of getting? And not that you hope to have avoided that press conference, but you know he had it in him and you let him go out there and do it. And then you don't want him there anymore. Like I think it's just completely set up for him to come back, is my point. And I think, you know, him and torts were both kind of strange hires, right? If you're like, what do you mean you're just coming here to be a substitute teacher?

And in the case, though, that it was what you're saying, that they're not a substitute teacher, that they are the decision you're making, then don't you just pay the guy and give them, don't make them a lame duck. So I don't know, that's kind of weird to me. To me, they said, let's see who's on the coaching market this summer

and make our decision then. And I think that still may hold true. Cassidy, you want to go coach Columbus? I just love that you go full Shoresy. That's when you know you're mad. The boys don't hate to lose. That's like a full Shores sequel. That is such an...

That's a true classic hockey line. I love to win. They don't hate to lose. Did you guys want to, because they asked, I mean, we're no in the national hour, but it's relevant, Barubei, kind of been on the hot seat. They asked him about it today at the morning escape for the game 82.

Did you guys want to hear Barube's thoughts on? I do. Absolutely. All right, let's play the thoughts from Barubei. Clip three from Brubai. Everybody hates to lose. They don't want to lose, but you have to really, I think more than anything, and I'm not in,

in Bones' head or what he was thinking. or whatever. But for me, it's like losing has to hurt. And it's, you know, it's got to be vocalized in the room by your players. Like, when you're losing and you're not winning, things have to be said in a not so nice manner. And when that happens in a locker room, things are bound to change. You know, you've got to challenge each other. And, you know, it's, he's not wrong. Is that something that needs to improve around here?

I don't know. I'm not going to talk about all that. Like, I'm not, I'm not getting into that stuff. Barubby probably felt like, is it, Robin Williams at the end of Goodwill hunting? And he goes, son of a, you stole my line. Like that thing, he's like, a guy stole my whole, that's what I was going to do. Do you think? Maybe not.

After Game 82 tonight, he just finally lets it fly. Oh, absolutely not. God, it would be. Absolutely not. As the kids would say, it would be cinema. It's just that would be a total act. And that would be like, it's not of his nature. It's just, it's over.

It's just over. And, um, it's over. Yeah. it's just I believe that Rick Bonas has got a lot of juice still left in him and we'll we'll face a few of those guys by

by next September. Yeah. Okay, as promised, Derek Johnson, former national hockey leaguer now, star of ESPN. Eric, how are you, my friend? Hey, guys, thanks for me out. I'm good. So you star a little loosely, though.

How's the gig going, man? And like you, you're looking pretty good. I got to be honest with you. And you can't show up John Tortorella like that, you know, maybe with the jacket and the button down shirt, you know. I mean, it's tough for him to go stand beside you, isn't it? Yeah, well, I played for torts, obviously. So Kipper, it was kind of easy for me to be able to give it to him

and really not know, well, I knew he wasn't upset. I just, it's kind of like a front that he puts on, for the media, but we talked before the game, and he really did say, no stupid questions. And I go, well, I'm going to ask you this. He goes, no, no, don't tell me what you're going to ask me. And in hindsight, he might have rather known because he would have for sure told me not to ask him

why he was wearing the stupid track suit last year and then decided to switch to the suit. So do you have any insight on that? Like, are they making them wear a jacket and tie? They have to be. I don't know. I mean, they've relaxed the dress code everywhere else. I don't know.

Maybe, I don't know. Maybe it's, but in Philly, it was like as casual as you could get. I mean, the players, we wore track suits when I was there too. It was awesome. Eric, the, you know, the transition you made to media, have you been surprised by what guys will or won't give you in those interviews? Like, you know them and you know what they're really like. Have you been surprised at how shut off?

guys of B or maybe how open they are. No, I kind of expect to get a lot of the cliche answers, but what I've tried to just go back with that is if you say get pucks in deeper on goal, this interview is over. And I've said that live a few times. Like to Rattan and I was, I was interviewing before the game and he, you know, gave me the total BS, pucks in deep, bodies than that. I go, that's all you're giving me. Really?

We played together almost 10 years. That's it. that's all you're going to give me. So, no, it's fun. I think it's like you play for so long, you get a repertoire with some of these guys, and they'll give you a little more than they might give to somebody else.

So might as well take advantage of it while I can because after a while, you know, you won't have played with anybody and they might not give you much. So hopefully a lot of my former teammates and opponents continue to give some good answers because it's been fun, just to kind of humanize the interviews a little bit more.

So when I played, E.J., I never turned down an interview because I thought they would never ask me again, right? Did you ever have that seed of, yeah, maybe I could do this or it might be an option? Did you stumble in it? Did you have nothing better to do when you're retired? Yeah, funny. Good question, Kipper. So I wanted to play another year this year, and I only had a few PTOs, and I didn't want to have, I didn't want to do PTOs after the career I had had. And I did well enough and played long enough that I just wasn't interested in doing a PTO.

So I did a media camp a year ago, the NHL put out in New York City. And that was kind of my first thing where I thought I might like it. and then Scott Lennox, who's a producer for SportsNet, hockey games, we had lunch one time. He's like, you'd really be great at this. We need analysts fresh out of the game, you know, whether you do it with us at SportsNet or you do it an American network. Like, I think you'd be awesome at it. And so I'd, you know, put it in the back of my head and thought maybe this is something down the road that I'd be interested in. And I had an opportunity to work with Danny Barrier this year in Philly.

And Danny's like, we're talking about what I'm going to do, help the deal. defense player development yada yada he's like we'll fly you out economy puts you at the staybridge suites i'm like uh i don't know about this man this year i think i think i'm going to i think i'm going to try tv and see if i like it first and right up right up front and stay in the nice hotels but uh yeah i just was you know thinking that let's give tv a shot i know i want to stay involved in the game i know i want to continue to be busy you could only just do the golfing and the traveling so much. Not really.

Stay stimulus. That's just my, I thought I'd throw that in. Not really. Well, for me at least, for me at least. But, yeah,

TV's been great. It's been a great transition, been really fun, fresh out of the game, being between the benches, every game. Like, that's been really great for me.

Some guys that might not be great for because you miss it. I don't miss it. So I think it was a perfect timing. That's great. I'm curious to hear about that part. You don't miss it. my career ended much younger than either of you because I was bad.

But I was 27 or something and decided, you know, I was ready to be done. But not a lot of people, it doesn't end that way for a lot of people. You won Stanley Cup. You had success in your career. You made good money. Do you feel like you just sort of did all you had to do to get where you are? Yeah. And I think I would have played another year for sure if the right situation popped up.

If Torts was still in Philly, I would have definitely been back there, but things just didn't work out the way. That's totally fine. Very grateful for as long as I did play. So, yeah, I think you just look back on your career, and it's such a short moment in your life. And you snap your fingers and it's over, even though it was almost 20 years. But I knew I wanted to stay involved in hockey in some way, in some capacity right out of the game. so I'm not sure if that really answers your question because I kind of forgot what you said anyway.

What was the question? Well, for me, it was just a matter of I felt like I had played enough hockey and I was too injured. But for you, it's a matter of you kind of checked all the boxes. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I think, you know, it was maybe if I was chasing that Stanley Cup, it would have been a different story. And I would have tried to grind it out for another year.

But I was almost 38, played a thousand games. won a cup so I was kind of like I'm good and the way it shook out I couldn't be any more grateful if if you told me I would have the career I had when I was six years old I'd sign up for it every day of the week so the way it ended I'm completely satisfied and grateful and I wouldn't have it any other way for sure the way the transition's been too it's it is amazing like whether or not you're a superstar just won the con smite or you're a plug like i was in 94 it is truly truly remarkable, Eric, what the difference can be in the way that you feel the rest of your life, the way you look at things, if you've been a small part of a Stanley Cup championship, right?

I mean, I'm not making this up. It literally changes your life. 100%. Yeah. You are 100% right. You know? It was almost like you be. I became like more of a complete person or version of myself after that.

And I don't know why, but it just felt like everything came full circle. And once you accomplish what you want to accomplish, it's just like, wow, there was, it was more relief for me in a way. Yeah. Closure is the best way. Closure, a type of closure. Yeah. It's funny. I'm doing Daryl Sutter's book and I asked him his first thoughts when he wanted to stand the

cup and the only thing he said was finally. Like just he could be done like he was content with a career at that point. So let's pivot to the NHL right now. Your former team, the avalanche, got to be the front runner right now. I'm sure you're still in touch with some of those guys. Tough path, though, coming out of that central. Yeah, I think they're in a good spot, though, right? I think, man, I mean, they could actually get lined up with Edmonton, though,

if there's still some eyes to dot and teased across as far as matchup. I mean, they could play Anaheim, they could play L.A. they would sweep both of those teams in my opinion, no disrespect to them. Edmonton, if they get the goal tending, that could be a different story. But it looks like it's going to probably be Anaheimer, L.A. I think they'll have no problem with those two teams. And then that second round is going to be a complete war, just because you're going to see one of Dallas or mini.

They're going to beat the hell out of each other in the first round. If that game doesn't go six or seven, I'll be shocked. Like probably most other people would be, but maybe they'll have a bit of an advantage because they could sweep L.A. or Anaheim, or L.A. or Anaheim in the first round and maybe have some rest. And if that Minnesota-Dalice series goes six or seven, you know, they might be picking on a wounded animal in the second round.

I don't know. It never shakes out how you think, and it's never as easy as it looks, even if you sweep a team or win for one. I remember playing Edmonton and the Western finals in 22, and we swept them, but I think one or two games went to overtime. There's a couple one goal games. You lose one of those games,

and you're like, holy hell, like, is the momentum swinging back to the other side? So these series are so tight, whether the games go six or seven or not, there's so many little moments in games where you're like, could this swing the momentum the other way? you know, it's such a fine line, but the abs are in really good shape. Their only question mark for the abs is their power play has been bad all year,

but it's been very good since the deadline in the Olympic break and since Cadbury came over. Their power play can be just average. They'll be fine, and they need to get goaltending. Can Wedge would carry them the whole, not series, the whole playoffs? Don't know. Blackwood hasn't been great lately for the abs. He's found his game maybe the last few. but they're going to need both those guys in the playoffs.

So we'll see what happens, but they have every right to win and they're the favorites for a reason. You're watching and listening to Eric Johnson, former National Hockey League defense, Stanley Cup champion and superstar on ESPN. He could also do motion pictures if he chose to, but he chose not to. EJ, one more for me, just in terms of going back to being the first pick overall and then watching a guy like Matt Schaefer

and just comparing the mindsets of coming in with that title, there's only one of you, right? It's like the heavyweight champion of the world. There's just only one first pick overall. And then what you endured during your first year and what Matt is and the comparisons and then ultimately his season this year for you. Man, what he's done this year,

I don't think anyone expected, but it's pretty, it's pretty impressive. I wasn't close to that. I never was. He'll be, you know, he looks like a Eastern Conference version of McCar to me. And it just seems like he's got a great head on his shoulders. He has that swagger and in-factor about him. And I would love to see maybe the aisle sneak in there

because he's really breathed some life into that franchise. I think they needed a guy like that. And from my perspective, I think I was way too mental. immature for that that type of pressure at that age. I didn't really, I mean, some people would say I'm still an immature kid, but I mean, I didn't really fully mature and, you know, comfortable with all that stuff until my mid-20s. So, you know, going through that, yeah, it was a tough first few years, but at the end of

the day, as I got older, I just, once you become, comfortable with yourself and who you are, then I think that's kind of when I started to become a top defenseman in the league. But it was a rough first few years, you know, not on a good team, injuries, not playing very well. And then going to Colorado was really the best thing that happened to me playing there for almost 15 years and winning a cup. So, you know, it made it sweeter coming out the other side, though, because I really appreciated how hard it was and the grind and a lot of it was my own fault and doing and whether I was ready for it or not. But I think as I got older, you know, I just accepted what I was and tried to be the best

at it. And, you know, at the end of the day, a lot of people would sign up for the career I had. So I'm pretty proud of it. Do you feel like going number one overall is a burden? Like if Gavin McKenna is the big name, is that going to make it harder to have success in the league? No, I mean, I think it all depends. Like, you could be. second or third and go into a way better circumstance where you have a lot better players around you. Or you could be drafted to a team where the cupboard's bare and it's going to take a lot longer, right? Like, look at, look at Bedard.

Like the covered, like, wasn't super deep when he got there and it's taken some time. He's still a hell of a player, but that team hasn't taken the next step yet because a lot of the pieces that they had still need time. So I think it just depends. A lot of time it's circumstance or a lot of times it's just you have a generational player like McDavid or Crosby or something like that where your team is just automatically

going to be a lot better when you get those guys. But I think a lot of the time is circumstance. So I don't know. I think it kind of seems like a stud. I think he's going to be a great player. E.J. you're in big trouble, man. This segment went so well. We're just going to bug you now for,

the rest of the season. I got nothing going on. I love it. I love it. Hey, thanks for doing this for us. Anytime. Take care. Thanks, your time.

I appreciate it. That is Eric Johnson, who does a great job on ESPN right now. Just in terms of your question about burden or, when you talk about those players, they've been special probably their whole life. They're built already to handle that. They want it. Totally. I can't relate.

But like, you know, as an undrafted player like yourself, you know, and I was in those NHL dressing rooms and, you know, for a couple of years, getting a peak during training camp and even being in the American League and seeing, you know, the opportunities that drafted players would get over an undrafted player. Just getting drafted is a tailwind, right? That helps out. I do feel like there's a level where it becomes a bit of a headwind, where expectations

are so high for you that if you're not doing XYZ, people are immediately down on you. So I don't know that it's always a tailwind. Game time. Okay. I don't think EJ is going to have a problem in this industry. He'll be fine. I think he's going to do pretty well. It's game time.

Presented by Bet365, an official partner of the NHL, must be 19 plus. Ontario only, please play responsibly. All right, guys, you know where I'm going here. Happiness hedge time. Oh. Toronto Maple Leafs play what can only be argued. UDaz, one of the biggest must-lose games in the franchise's history since Monday. They are playing the Ottawa senators in Ottawa.

You can get a great number in the lease. The Leafs are still plus 175 underdogs in that game tonight. I know they stink, but... Wow, Ottawa is not playing five good players. It's not playing anyone. They are minus 200 in that game. Still a good plus money. If you want to win a little bit of money,

if the least actually find a way to win this game, plus 175 is a great number. for a happiness hedge. So, you know, coming from experience, the guy who's done a happiness hedger or two in his life. Yeah. It's a great number. That was game time presented by Bet365.

An official partner of the NHL must be 19 plus Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Sam got a new set of golf clubs based on betting on Montreal. Did you go large on? No. Well, listen. Sticks? Oh, no, no, I didn't.

Over the past, I don't know. Betting against Toronto sports teams has paid Sam well. Montreal, I mean, I remember that one. I was rich. Panthers first year I was rich because they were huge underdogs. Yeah. Made a lot of money on the Dodgers last year. Anyways, let's go.

It didn't help your happiness. No, I think about it every day. Not the money. Sorry. Okay, we'll take a quick break. When we return, we'll get a few more NHL news and notes, including Adam Foote, head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, not too worried about his future.

Plus, Chris Pronger. versus Kevin Lowe. You've been following that one? Two friends of the show yelling at each other. I know. It's going on. Oh, my goodness. Let's discuss.

Jerry. Jerry. More when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Everything you need to know about the Blue Jays, Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program.

That Kimber Hills, and our very own Sammy McKee. All right, boys, time now for the Accura Performance Matchup, the 26 Accura MDX, precisely premium. So you mentioned it a little bit off the top of the hour, but

the Ottawa Senator is facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the playoffs. These two have never met in the playoffs, which I find somewhat weird because they've both been kind of good around similar times, but anyways, the Sends fought in the last 30 games of the season, the Ottawa

Senators went 26 and 4 to fight their way back into the playoffs because I think they were last at one point. They were really way down there. I remember that because I was making fun of Sends fans and didn't go well because now they're back in it. They're making the playoffs for the first time in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011, 2012, 2012, 13. Carolina has won two of the three regular season matchups this season.

This is going to be what the goalies boys. I think you talked about it a little bit. Linus Olmark's playoff numbers. I wrote here, aren't great. He's played 15 games. He's 5 in 10. 328 goals against average and an 8-8-5 save percentage. Would you take Brandon Bussie over him, though?

Brandon Bussy has, I wrote in bold letters here. Brendan Bussie has never played a playoff guy. I have my own little personal sheet. Yeah, yeah. So go ahead. Omerk was so bad against the Leafs in the first round last year. He was horrible. Horrible.

If he showed up. They had a chance. They had a chance. For sure. And, I mean, I think about that the first game when they lose seven to the Sends. And he was just the goal even that he led in against Patch Reddy. Frederick Anderson's playoff numbers that I looked up. Probably not as bad as you think.

Way better than I thought. Yeah. He has a, he's got 46 and 35 record. 240 goals against and a 914th. That's so many games, too. It's a massive sample. Because you forget how long he's been around. He played for the docks for all those years.

But they always. When in the first round? Who? Carolina. Oh, Carolina. Yeah, Carolina. They always, I'm sorry, am I behind here? I was like, the train passed me and I didn't jump on.

No, you're good, you're good. Yeah, it's just Carolina, like there's, the numbers are in the first round. Yeah, they've been very good. I thought the one stat that you had in here about the senators, so since they first made the postseason in 97, no Canadian franchise has been in the playoffs more than the senators. 18 times, right? Yeah, since 1997. And the last thing I'll mention

Cochecov, right? He is in 10 playoff. You can't say that normal. You always say that hard syllable. It's Kachakov. He's in 10 appearances, four starts, a 360 goal against an 860 save percent. So he hasn't been particularly good.

Yeah. I know when talking to my buddy Chris Jetty is a Sends fan was just saying that like reading some of the stuff around the Sends, they feel like last year they kind of weren't ready, right there first time with this group getting back in playoffs and they took a bunch of dumb penalties and ran around and feel a little bit more composed and know what to expect this time around. I'm sure we'll do picks, but the Sends are going to beat the canes.

Anyways, that was the Accura Performance Matchup, the 2026 Accura MDX precisely premium. You haven't brought out the schedule yet, have they? Saturday night. I'm seeing some local reporters trickling in with some times maybe, but I haven't seen anything confirmed, but I don't think. It's crazy. Final games are Thursday and Saturday. I love it. Okay, from final games Thursday to like roughly 12 days,

you go from 32 teams to like eight. Yeah. Like it does, it's quick. After you're through the first round. It's great. It's fun to watch, but in a very short period of time, only eight smart teams and the rest of them are idiots. That's why that 12 days, that 12 days is the height of the sports.

sporting calendar. Oh, like, we're in it right now. Yeah. First round of the NBA, first on the NHL, Jay's Masters. Just elevated event this weekend. You know, the RBC Heritage golf tournament. It's like 24 teams in 12 days

become really stupid, right? And need fixing. This is a monster video coach time right now. Oh, yeah. You got to prep. You need all the systems of the other team. You need individual package on each player. You need tendencies.

Your coach wants stuff. It's crazy time. So I mentioned before break, two friends of the show, Kevin Lowe and Chris Pronger kind of, you know, butting heads. Remembering or misremembering. I'm not sure which one it is, but this really goes back to Chris Pronger who launched his book, his memoir earned, and he talked about 2006 departure in Edmonton. And in his book, he kind of talks about the story of how he ended.

it up there and how he went from signing a one-year deal in Edmonton to a five-year deal and spoke of signing it basically under the influence. A couple pops. Yeah, but it wasn't, the storytelling didn't kind of frame the Edmonton Oilers or the city of Edmonton very good. And I think that's where he kind of got himself in a little bit of trouble. Well, two thoughts on that. One is that it'll move books, right?

We're talking about it. However, he's made lots of money and probably doesn't need book sales to do well. Yeah. But he was interested in an executive job. And I'm not sure what that does for him, you know. We've been fortunate enough. We've gone through the process of writing a book. And you've got to be careful.

You know, at the end of the day, you got to be careful. on what you want out there and what you don't. And I got to think if he could do it all over again, he probably would have painted going to Edmonton in a different light than he did. Well, they went to the Stanley Cup final, right? Yeah, like the experience there could not have been that bad. And yeah.

In game seven, the hardest I ever rooted for a non-Trono team, they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in game seven. And, you know, it is... No, go ahead. It is sort of, you know, I never would have done that. So I want to ask you, when you went through your book, did you write stories where you're like,

oh, this is great? And then you woke up a few days later or you had someone else tell you, are you an idiot? You're not putting that in your book. Yeah, the first time, my first draft, I just wrote. And then I figured I would go through and be like, okay, cut, cut, cut. And yeah, the longer you get to, okay, this is the final cut. It's like, God, am I going to say that about that person?

So I... That's interesting. I love the experience of writing a book. And, but I'm an all-in guy. Like, I just can't write a book. I got to know how the book works, how it sells. Except reading your notifications. You're not all in on that.

Where's the money going? Who's going to edit it? Who's going to help me? Who's going to tell me what's a bad story? How it can come back and bite me in the ass? I need all of that. So I'm just not sure who was there for Chris Pronger to maybe be that set of eyes and ears to go. It may, this is a really good story when you're around a table, eat nachos with like three or four guys.

But that's where it needs to end. But, but see, people who are buying books want that. They don't care about Chris Pronger's future as a potential president or whatever. But Chris cares. Sure. Right? Totally. And I think in this instance, he might.

might have missed that point that if you want to pitch yourself an executive one day and maybe either work for Edmonton or or be a team that competes against Edmonton, let's not let's not put that in the book. If you missed it, Kevin Lowe. Which I got to tell you, I love Losey for doing it. He went on LinkedIn, right? I think LinkedIn. And, yeah, whatever.

And wrote basically a very long and thoughtful thing about how in retrospect he wished is he didn't do the deal then if he had known this is how Pronger felt about it and how he felt that Edenton was used as sort of a throwaway punchline. And basically that Edenton is a wonderful city and everyone who has played there for a long period of time cites it as a meaningful

part of their lives. He's a huge part of Oilers history, Kevin Lowe, and he has a ton of pride of being an oiler. Like, I love that he comes out and says that. Like, I'd be pissed too. I get it. Yeah. Like, hey, I did that deal and you were a good player for us. And I was right to do it and don't come out and make me and the hospital.

But the only reason you signed is because you're hammered. Like, it's tough. It's a tough one. Anybody. Both are friends and we're arguing about our friends. Anybody out there thinking about writing a book, talk to me first. Okay? There's no all the details.

Talk to me first. Few things I would rather do in my whole life than sit down. I have the worst ADD. I couldn't get through two pages. I can't read a book, let alone write one. I just say what you're going to say. I just got to rent a barn text for Pronger Kevin Lowe.

You get a barn fight going for those boys. Oh, yeah. Hey, both really dirty. Nasty dirty. So, Kevin dirty. Oh, my God. I don't really have any Kevin Lowe memory. All those old people were very talented.

Like, Dennis Pockems is a same way nasty. Like stinky, stinky, sneaky, sneaky or just dirty, dirty? Like, yeah. Spears. Both. Pitch phone. Both. Both.

Both. I remember going into Edmonton and, like, this is where he's won like five cups. And someone's chirping him off the ice. And he's stopping and he's chirping back. And he's like looks like he's going to take a stick and crack the guy over the head. And I'm like, didn't you win five cups in this town?

I'm telling him to keep going in the dressing room. And I'm trying to get him to like keep going here. Don't get involved with the fan. His Hall of Fame induction. That was the most surprising part is the amount of people who are like, instead of all the other accolades were like, So the prongers and the lowest, like, ultimate competitive, step on your head. Rick, bonus.

Oh, my, Rick would love both of them. I can't, if you're power-ranking the players that you would least want to go to the front of the net with in the history of the NHL, number one on that list, I think, is Chris Bronger. Chara, too. Charra, but, I don't know. Charra will also keep you out. Not step on your head, though. Not the way pronger.

Yeah, not step on your head. Yeah. Which he's done. Pronger. Oh, yeah. Anyways. We got a lot of really exciting game tonight. Leafs, Ottawa.

If you're listening to this and you're a Leafs fan, please do me the favor of listening to the final Leafs talk of the year. And please watch Borny on Sports said tonight because it's a... The Jeb Bush please clap of inspiration. We give you a lot of content over the years. Please be on there for us. One eyeballs and whatever you have to see. Please be there. Please be there for us.

This is like giving blood right now. We're asking people to give blood. Please be there for us. We're going to talk a lot of Ottawa Senators playoffs tonight on the broadcast. I can tell you that. Sammy. I'm turning you into a Montreal Canadian fan

and an Ottawa senator fan. You got 10K. I'll do it for 10K. Was you really? No. He's going to say American. 10K's not going to cut it for you to. Like, like, fan, like, wear a Habs hat?

Well, like, I thought it was, like, become a fan. Like, for life or just, like, play one on TV? No, just for this spring. Okay, well, sports, everyone's listening upstairs. Like, I'll do it for 10, okay. Bring a cup back to Canada. Come on, Sammy. And we're all Canadians this spring.

We have two things to do. During the NHL hour, we're going to make our picks. Oh, yeah. For the playoffs. Uh-huh. And awards. Oh, yeah. Heart Trophy.

Norris, Belke. They're goofy. They should get rid of them. You got to play a long. You got to make a pick. Get rid of them. Get rid of the awards. Just stop.

Why would we have any barometer of who is good at an award? You need an award to feel better about yourself? Really? That's what it is to pick up the confidence of Connor McDavid. Our thanks to Luke Fox from Sportsnet.com. And Eric Johnson. All right. We got through today.

Good hair. We get through every day. Easily. Sometimes I worry. I do worry. Have a great night, everybody.