Real Kyper & Bourne - Vally's View: Connor Hellebuyck vs. the St. Louis Blues

Episode Date: April 29, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne welcome back Steve Valiquette (5:50) – analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG, CEO of Clear Sight Analytics to break down Connor Hellebuyck's numbers in net against the St. Louis Blues' offence, what adjustments he needs to make, why he's not changing his stance on Linus Ullmark, reasons to have started Joseph Woll in Game 4 against the Ottawa Senators, and both Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens losing their starters in Game 3. Then, Nick, Justin and Sam McKee discuss Rick Tocchet not returning to the bench for the Vancouver Canucks and the future of the franchise, before wrapping the show with a look at Aaron Ekblad's high hit on Brandon Hagel.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, the real Kipper and born show goes national. We are live on sports at six 50 in Vancouver sports at nine 60 in Calgary. This hour of real Kipper and born brought to you by bet three, six, five, Nick Kipper, Justin born Sammy Mickey In a couple minutes. We'll welcome in Steve Aliquette analyst with the New York Rangers MSG CEO clear sight analytics plenty to get into including our Jersey so For those of you that don't know and there's not many of you because you all this again Not the Jersey you all send text messages to

Sammy to change the Jersey and he did he remembered this time Well, cuz I sent a reminder on my phone so I don't forget but the things the thing that you missed as we went from leaf edition hour to national hour is Okay, what Jersey am I gonna put up? We're like the Oilers. No, it's too small. No, I'm putting up Vancouver I'm like Vancouver Yeah, they're not even in the playoffs playoffs their coach is leaving can't put up Vancouver We're on there put on I Don't care if that thing would hang from your rearview mirror. It's going up. It's oilers and look we got

Put it on your side because it can't, there you go. There you go, there we got, there we're good. We're well represented. Did you get any messages the other day that like Montreal fans, the other day we had We had the captures, yep. We had the captures, yep. They were sour at us.

Hey guess what? I said it was a bad idea when it happened. You know who made that decision? Talk to me baby! Well, listen, to be fair, our guest was covering the Washington Capitals. That's right, that's right. It was tied to our first guest.

So the whole block was towards the Washington Capitals. Therefore, Washington Capital Jersey. Guess what jersey you're gonna see tomorrow? Washington Capitals. No. Montreal Canadiens? Yes. Do we have one? Soon as you remind me to bring one in we have one Oh, do we but it's it's just a little bit bigger than the junior small that we have our producers mini kids jersey

Anyway, good times. All right LA they're going back home. Mm-hmm It's somewhere that they're very comfortable in winning more so than I think any other team in the league. I think they can't, they've blown it. They've emotionally blown the series. Yeah, agree. Like how can you possibly, how many goals would you need to be leading by in the third

period to feel okay? A lot. Yeah, like a half a dozen. I cannot get a feel for the next two out of three games. It's also wild because like Pickard's in net. Deuce Skinner's been the guy, he's the guy that at the trade deadline they didn't move on from the third straight game. Got dry saddle scores in game four. McDavid went right to Pickard. Celebrate the win, like they're in on this guy now. You think they're done, Helly? I felt like that after the game,

but I'm starting to kind of think that it's still a defense that is suspect in Edmonton. Yeah, well, how about the Kings? You're talking to me about the Kings and what they're doing. I know, that's right. So I am totally on a pick them right now Yeah, the other Kings are rolling out Joel Edmonton like he's prime Chris Pronger I've been very confident throughout at the start even when they're down to nothing

Like I really didn't believe that they could go down like this and I still believe I I Think the Oilers are gonna maybe win two in a row here Win it in six. Geez Well, I mean they go back to Skinner I bet they win tonight Done like they this is the the biggest must-win game for the Kings like in their franchise in a long long time I just want to shout out my boy Jack Michaels from you know when I played the Alaska Aces back in the day He was the the play-by-play guy there. He's really made a name for himself some great calls. It's a big moment Yeah, he's he can't

Listen he's he's got a team that he could hit the high note It really helps that you got this roller coaster of a team where they're never really out of it. It's crazy, man. What a squad. The Oilers are some squad. Avs in trouble? Yes.

I mean, how could they not be? The worst part too is Dallas is just getting stronger. Like Ranton broke out, Marchman got on the board, Wyatt Johnson was good, Heisken is practicing, it looks really good. He's not playing this series. You don't think so? No.

But I'm doing cutbacks in practice. No, he's not. Everything I hear is that he will not make it in time to close out this series. How good did that goal feel for Antin? Yeah, oh man. Great pass, fires at home, like just to go up three zip against the team that cast you off.

How good would one more win feel against a team that really started this mess for him? And you know, I should, I didn't know we were gonna talk about this, but how many points does Natures have in this series? Does he do anything? Did you see the clip of no is the answer he is no goals three assists. Did you see the clip of? McKinnon Charlie coil come back to the bench and that guy's a psycho talking about a chickpea pasta whatever And basically will them back in that can be passed or live with him until it's the funniest thing in the world She yelled a teammate about the type of pasta date. All right, so gross. It's Tuesday

Let's go to our next guest scuba Steve Valakia Analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG and clear sight analytics Hey, how is your scuba trip last week? Listen, boys, I highly recommend either, you know, a father son trip or take your family. It's a five hour online course to get open water certified and three days of testing in the water compasses going wow, that's of even 130 feet I can go down to a valley.

None. That is so cool. Hard pass. Oh, he froze on him. Guys, guys, oh, I'm sorry. That's okay. You got me? We're here, you're back, you're back. It's like being on the moon is what it's like

when you get down to 80 plus feet below sea level. It's insane. It sounds cool, so you get the feeling of being claustrophobic, but also around things that want you to die. This sounds heavenly. What a relaxing trip you must have had. No, you guys will love it.

Highly recommend it. Well, we're glad you're back on your regularly scheduled Tuesday, and I can't think of a better day right now. We need Valley. We need Valley, and we need, at the top of the list, Jets Talk, because we've gone all season long with Hellebuck, Vezna, Mr. Vezna, Mr. MVP, and who saw two pulls in this series out of Scott Arneal. I don't know, boys. We've been talking. We've been talking Hellebuck all year.

I don't know boys. We've been talking. We've been talking Hellebuck all year. We start start anywhere with this story Okay, I got I got to tell you it's it's a black hole of information and video I I spend way too much time on Hellebuck. I don't know why I think there's such a fascination Fascination there because of the way that he's represented in the league and playoff performance I think and I said this before the series, it was a bad matchup against St. Louis for him. Winnipeg as a whole is defending very well. Only Toronto is defending better as far as quality of scoring chances against their goalie

than the Winnipeg Jets are playing in front of Hellebuck. So and that's where Sammy just rest easy like the Leafs are fine. You should see how great they're playing defensively comparatively speaking to everybody else. We'll get to the Leafs. He doesn't want to hear it. Oh yeah they're totally fine. Nothing bad could happen. You could bet your Trailer Park, your RAV4, put it all on it. Sammy, it's fine. Oh, kidding aside. So, Hello Buck, how about this one? Okay, we'll start with where the pucks are going in. Okay, in the upper third of the net, he's allowed 15 goals so far in the playoffs. In the upper third of the net, 11 goals.

Nine shots over the glove, eight have gone in. 10 shots over the blocker, three have gone in. Only two goals have been scored in the middle third of the net, and only two goals have been scored in the lower third of the net. Everything is being elevated on scoring chances. St. Louis, that's a team of operators for me.

They're not getting as many scoring chances, but nobody's converting at a higher rate on their scoring chances than St. Louis. They're really making him pay. Now, I said he was second easiest chances faced, that's a fact, but last in expected goals. He's allowed eight more goals than he should have in this series based on the quality of chances that he's

faced, which is last by situation. Nine goals are in offensive zone play. So when you're playing against the Winnipeg Jets, you don't want to play off the rush against them because you won't get anything. They were the best team in the NHL at shutting off rush chances against. St. Louis is smart, just like when they won in 2019 where they played you in the zone. I remember bringing this up on a previous show where one of their coaches told me back then that they would have a three on two that postseason and still dump it in and muscle

you down low and wear you down and try and create certainly offense off of having control, but they didn't mind battling to get pucks back either for checking 5050 wins back check giveaways takeaways. Now on the point shots. This is where they're having a lot of success. I'm sure you guys are hearing about it in your circles. Last year's playoffs, 18 screens faced, seven goals against for Hellebuck

in the loss against Colorado. This playoff, 14 screens faced, four goals against off the screens, and five off of the broken plays. So nine of the goals are just coming off the points. So I went to look further into what shots are coming in from the point. What are teams doing this year in the playoffs? There's always a theme to it. And it's really been the death of the slap shot. 55

slap shots only taken so far this year that have gotten through to net front, but 266 sifters, right? Like compare that to our day, Kipper, where everyone was just bombs away from the point. I know. You know, because it was always about, we want hard and heavy shots because we don't want them to block it. And now guys are able to move laterally and slide the blue line and everybody can do it. But that's a huge number for me. And I think that's a big factor in why St. Louis is having so much success. They've had the best net front in the postseason so far. St. Louis has, you know, and I heard this back when I was a player,

it was a meeting with Lundquist, Benoit Allaire, myself before every playoff. It was guys, I just want you to understand 65% of all goals are going to be scored off of point shots screens deflections broken plays it's how the game changes in the postseason so we would prepare for it so the game changes from regular season to playoffs but hellebuck's not so what has to change moving forward the biggest thing that I'm seeing from looking at the video kipper is that he is backing up in his crease and others to errors. You can make as a goalie trying to battle through

screens. You can back up and sink into your crease and make yourself small. That's what hellebuck is doing or you can advance too much and try and get too aggressive and then get lost in the pile not be able to recover on a rebound or a broken play and that's Darcy Kemper. Kemper's playing at least a foot further out at the top of his crease that he was doing at the regular season hella buck is playing a foot deeper in his crazy that he was doing in the

regular season like it's sometimes what we do born because you're looking at the play you're like I don I don't see it, I don't see it. I want to back up and give myself a little more time and you get smaller. I think it was the Falk goal. Do you remember that one where bounce off a pionk? Like if you're aggressive and tight, then even the redirect will find a piece of you and stop it.

But he retreats. Yeah, you said it. And listen, I could break this down from a technical standpoint. What it looks like when you're in your stance is that you are elevated, you're standing on that old crease line, and that's only four feet out from your goal line.

The top of the crease, the arc is six feet. So that's why getting for Kemper out an extra two feet is hurting him. That's why the goal's challenge call two happens, because he's just getting tied up in traffic so often. It's gonna happen. Now, back to Hellebuck, because of where he's playing, because he's choosing to play there,

he's not able to play in a blocking mode. He's not able to use his size kipper. The way that you would want to play this is if the puck goes to my right, I'm still on my edges. I'm still on my skates. I just shuffle step across and now I confront the puck and be big not for anything but Stolar's his goal against on the overtime winner for Ottawa in game four.

I thought he should have done the same thing when Stolar's is at his best, he's on his blades, he sees it coming across the layered screen that was in front of him, and he just comes across on his edges, so he's on his feet for a split second longer, and then he's coming down with the puck. But as soon as you, you know, you guys can see me on the screen here, as soon as your arm separates from your body, this can go in, this can go in, the puck can hit me in the middle of the chest and find a way through my arm. It's like nothing is there to protect you. You're about as big as I am in my tracksuit right now. So for the big guys to play their game and to believe in what they're doing under the pressure of the playoffs, that's what always to me is the separator. Did you believe in your

game enough? Right? Yeah. Yeah. Did you hear Hellebuck say that he studies goaltending more than anyone else in the world? And did that offend you? Oh boy. I didn't hear that. Yeah. Hey, you know what I say? Be like me in high school, high school study less. Just focus, focus on the hockey puck. I don't know. I don't know. To that point, Marty, he's not spending six hours looking at video and not before the Kipper and Board show. I hope you're not either, by the way. I got one more on him. One more last one on Jet's talk. Now, here's the overall high danger chances. Again, goalies in the NHL won every three. That's the average for everybody. Hellebuck regular season, Vezna trophy Hellebuck one

goal every 4.8. Do you know where he's at right now in the series? One goal every 1.5. Yikes. It's brutal guys. Like, Oh, anyway. All, all right jets talk. We're done. Okay Big game for the Ottawa Senators to extend this series tonight in Toronto All mark they come in with all mark. He beats stole ours for the first time Is that enough for the Ottawa Senators to say? Yeah, we we now got the better goalie here moving forward and we're gonna gain a lot of confidence out of that No, no, not at all. Okay tried Ottawa fans. I'm sorry. Yeah, you know what? Look, I'm not gonna back off of where I started in October on all mark It's the same for me when I see this guy get scored on right now

I'm sorry the body language that I see is I just want it I see is, I just want it to be over. I just want it to be over. Sammy, rest assured, he just wants it to be over, okay? He's faced eight east to west chances in the series. Five goals have been scored. And I think that if the Leafs can elevate their, not fancy offense, you guys, it's not it's not fancy, but it's break down Ottawa with a couple of recovered pucks in the offensive zone, maybe off the forecheck, just where everyone just loses structure for a split second, then zip it east to west. As soon as their D skates are facing their own net, zip it east to west. And I see Elmark right now as being vulnerable. However, however, I also don't think he wants to get embarrassed out there

because, you know, it's a long summer. And he is and does have the ability to steal a game in this series. I thought it was going to happen in game four. But to me, that's not a steal. I think he's got a steal in him. That's the one point of caution maybe for the Leafs. He hasn't stole a game yet and I expected him to steal one and lose four and right now he's he's one one that he didn't even have to steal.

So that that just bothers me a little bit. And by the way, Kipper, you know, I listened to the show. I was with you 100% on going with wall. Oh, come on. Yes. And I'll tell you why. Yes. No, I swear to God. It gave born and serious man. Like, you know, whether it's real or imagined, you have to do things differently. It hasn't worked for look. You look at the Rangers one cup in 85 years for the Leafs of course, we're in the same conversation. Haven't won since 67. You know, like stick to what's worked during the regular season with one eye on

what's important to Stolarz. I believe in Stolarz all the way. And when I'm watching game number four, here's what I see. Slow on his recoveries. That's always the first sign of fatigue Slow and getting up with the improper leg if Stollers is moving to his right He should be getting up with his left leg

I could nail down several sequences in the game where he's getting up with his incorrect leg back to the overtime goal He's late after first save to get to his post He doesn't get all the way to his post. The puck goes to the point, and to me, he's casual out. He's not out, set your feet, set your eyes, be ready to see a play. And you could say that's a seeing eye shot. I say all day long, I expect a save there,

and I know I get a save there from him when he's at his best. The harder you work before the shot, the easier the shot will be. If there's a breakdown there, he's late, he doesn't seed, he doesn't get a long enough look, he doesn't get his quiet eye, and now it's by him. But I know that when he has his rest, he's got his physicality, those three pillars are success for him. He's got a great technical game, he's got great compete. And then that physicality mindset there, it has to be there for him to be successful. How important Valley was the extra

day off for him and the timing of the two to the two day space between game four and game five. So let's I, I think it's everything because like this guy with his size, what is he not 240 pounds, six, seven, two 40, you know, like I played at, I played at two 20 and a layer got me down to two 13 because they thought the impact on my knees and hips was just too much, you know, dropping down 300 times every day in practice. They had a clicker on us. Henrik and I talked about this a few weeks ago when we saw each other last,

about how much we used to just like pound ourselves because we didn't get days off like the guys do now. Regardless, 240 pounds, I think the heaviest I played was 230. You can certainly feel a difference. That's a lot of weight, fellas, and you know, it's a lot of, it's a big body to move around. I know and I'm telling you I'm gonna be watching for

this tonight if he's beating his passes setting his feet and his recoveries are quick then you know he's at it. But if like let's hear hear me out on this. Bad goals this year in the playoffs right? Teams are not winning these games. It's almost like we're at a state in the NHL where goal-tending everybody's good, but we don't have we don't have the elite that we once did, or at least we don't have the separation. Right? Like we don't have Brodeur, Lundquist, Luongo. We don't have those guys. Nobody's stealing a series, right, fellas? Like nobody's stealing a series. Now, look at the goals against in the series so far where one guy's let in a bad goal and the other guy has not

Blackwood's allowed two bad goals in the series. He lost both of those games Gustafson he allowed two bad goals Markstrom's allowed to he lost both of those games Pickered actually which is interesting because he's allowed two bad goals in the two starts, but he won both. The only team that's outscored their problems is Edmonton out of all the teams. Vasilevsky, two goals, bad goals, lost both. And now a bad goal. Hear me out here because you might remember this one. Game two against Vasilevsky was a Nate Schmidt nature one timer from above the top of the circles. You might say great shot or what have you but guys, I'm

telling you our side everybody else. Yeah, you remember the one walker everybody stop in that fell as I looked up the numbers afterwards and it was 3124 shots from there off that one timer above the top of the circles Kipper this year only 33 goals were scored 1.1 percent chance to score. I'm telling you if he gives that up I know that Bobrovsky gets a shutout at the other end in that game, but that's the difference man last night Valley last night the Seth Jones goal. It's like it's like you said the arms up it can go over here It can go over here. I think it was going wide and he redirected it in the net.

That's not the Vasilevsky we know. That's a complete stranger. I know, and well, we did see it with the Leafs beating him that way too, right? And you know, guys, let's go back to games played again. Who played the most games this year? Vasilevsky, Hellebuck, these guys are, I think in today's game it's too much. The east to west is too heavy, it's too demanding, the condensed schedule. I think the teams are gonna

learn next season not to play their goalies over 60 games. It's crazy, I think it was 63 for Vasilevsky, 62 for Hellebuck. So plus Four Nations for Hellebuck, right, Barney? Yeah, that's true. Hey, it's been a lot of hockey. I guess at the the Oilers end of things, can Calvin Pickard be the guy for the Oilers? Can he give them enough to get through this round and maybe

more? No. And the reason why I say no is because I still believe in LA. I believe in what they're doing. I believe in the vision. I believe in the way that they've added their offense. I believe they're so strong structurally, defensively, and have been for four years,

but now they've got that layer of offense. I believe they still break through on him. And I don't think that Edmonton can outscore their problems forever. The biggest wild card in that series for me is Darcy Kemper. You know, I felt like in October, November, LA insulated him well enough to get off to a really sound start where he could build his game. He took over November, December, January, February. I give him a lot of credit. He was one of the worst performing goalies in the league last year.

One of the best, you saw that he was named as a Vezna finalist today. So look, I'm with you on the whole thing there. The only thing that might unravel everything for LA is Kemper, and that's what we're talking about here. It's wild because goaltending in the playoffs, the margins are so thin, fellas. If they change their game to over-challenge or they change their game to shrink in the playoffs. The margins are so thin, fellas. If they change their game to over challenge

or they change their game to shrink in the net, everything just comes apart. And I think oftentimes they don't even know they're doing it because when you're in the heat of it, guys, you're just so stressed and trying to get lower and get your stance together and you get wide. And then pucks like this start bouncing off you. And that puck right there is one that would typically

Get swallowed so it's the end of play So I wonder about how he's gonna react and I you know, that's the only wild card there in that series for me Valley I gotta ask you about the game the other night with Logan Thompson and Montemar where they both left, right? And I'm like now we're never gonna see them again the rest of the playoffs so both of those either the hamstrings off the bone I went in or this other guy's got no ACL left and and Thompson is at 48 hours later fresh as a daisy I don't okay so. So you're going to walk me into something that I'm going to say, but this is your union. This is your goalie union. I have zero tolerance for a guy leaving a

game and being able to play again in the next month. Okay. Like that sensitivity chip was lost the launch. You know, I always struggle with this one. So what do you think I'm thinking at home when I see that? Right? Kipper, I'm thinking, all right, with this one. So what do you think I'm thinking at home when I see that right Kipper? I'm thinking, all right, is this why Cassidy and the board didn't want him on team Canada? Like what's what's the deal with this guy? I don't know him personally. But of course I'm wondering like if you're leaving like that, you're done. And then he comes back to play like, okay, seriously.

And by the way, when Anderson leaves that game, Nothing pisses me off more than him leaving that game from that head. Okay, you know how bogus that it was for me really hit 100 times harder than that. Kerry a from Wilson the other night that's ahead that's ahead. The way that Anderson got hit he's fine get up playing leaves the game and what even gets me more fired up is he was performing at the highest level of all goalies in the elite this year, excuse me, in the postseason this year. He's playing great.

And now you're going to lay it off on Kachetkov? That's not a hit, guys. Not a hit. Do you remember what I called it? Arms don't go up like that when you get smoked. You get smoked, you curl, you kind of like crumple. You know, the arms come up like that when you get smoked you get smoked you curl you kind of like grumble You know the arms come up like that. I'm not buying I I reference it as a forceful nudge Oh my god, that was like a maitre d taking to my meat of my table at the restaurant

You've got goalie Doug McLean on today Should be on Fridays Yeah, right. I know that stuff drives me bananas. I hate that stuff. I don't play you gotta play one more Let's rip on Ottinger now. What do you think? Is Sammy doesn't think that's a good hit or what? I think, go on Sammy. Oh, it's fine. I know Freddie. Freddie disappears. That's all I know.

Blackwood versus Ottinger. Ottinger's another guy that I don't think got to 60 games this season but was close here. Is he the key here to close this thing out for Dallas? This is a good conversation and I wanted to have this conversation because when you're evaluating a goalie with them playing at their best, you need to know what it looks like is a good conversation and I wanted to have this conversation because when you're evaluating a goalie with them playing at their best, you need to know what it looks like and what it looks like is it looks silent and deadly in their stance. Like I mean, statue silent

feet under them, quiet. The puck is arriving. They haven't moved yet. These three guys have given up the most rebounds in the postseason so far. Blackwood, Markstrom, Oughton-Jer. And for three different reasons, they all move differently off the release. I call this setting twice. So you have your stance, and by the way, Stolar's, just switching quickly gears to Toronto, I think his stance looks terrific.

Like, you remember in mid-March when he had that slippage, and I was like, ah, he's way too wide, he's gotta get his feet back under him. Right now, he looks terrific. Like you remember in mid March when he had that slippage and I was like, he's way too wide. He's got to get his feet back under him. Right now he looks great. So I feel confident in saying that he's going to come back and perform. Blackwood, he loses his net. His first stance is set. I'm watching it. And I'm saying to myself, all right, dude, just stay there. Stay there. Then he moves one more. And I'm like, Oh, man, you just gave up short side like no

wonder, you know, and so he's just losing the middle of his net. That's why blackwood gives up more rebounds. Why does he give up more rebounds? Because when he loses middle of net, he's got to reach when he should be receiving. He's reaching and punching out rebounds when he should be receiving the puck. Markstrom, Markstrom is getting low spread out and really squeezing his stick to make saves. You can't try harder to be a goalie and make saves but if you do you get wide and you have those arm holes and that's why he's given up more pucks through his body than anybody else since the

Four Nations but he's still pressing and he's not playing terribly and he's not certainly not sinking the Devils but he's giving up a lot of rebounds and pucks are still going through him and he's going to have difficulty on point shots because he's getting low and spread out. He's still not playing at the level that he was at his best last year or in Vancouver. Ottinger. This is interesting and it's nice that we're on camera because you can see my hands here. And let's just say these are his feet. These are his skates in the ice before the shot.

Before the shot's taken, take a look at the camera from behind the net, especially after goals, they use that camera, the flex I believe they call it. Now, as soon as that shot's about to come off the stick, he goes like this. And then he's stuck. He's 100 committed to going down. If that shot comes to the stick, he goes like this. And then he's stuck. He's 100 committed to going down.

If that shot comes to the net, he's spread out and wide and it's going to spill off of him. If the puck is passed, he has to butterfly slide. He can't arrive on his feet because he's so inside edge, strong heavy and sold on shot. That's why that series, it was never one where I was gonna say Blackwood's gonna steal it or Ottinger's gonna steal it.

I had question marks about both guys and I still do. And if there's a reason why I say at the top of the show here, it's not like it used to be. Everybody's good, everybody's solid. There's some top guys, but it's not the separation that we once saw saw in that I'd say ten years ago before a lot of the top guys retired Buddy that that deep dive water pressure took you to another level as playoff performance today Valley I'm telling you it's been a couple of weeks since I've been on TV You nailed it you nailed it awesome stuff Valley be good boy all

right Steve is over and out we're just getting started baby you're in the first round all good that is Steve Valakette CEO clear site analytics he was he was like Doug McLean on fire three Emmys behind him not by chance those jet stock those numbers were the upstairs numbers I forget what exactly what they were but like Canada took a bit of a beating was it segment if you noticed all mark took a lick eight shots or nine shots eight goals up there good lord. Yeah, you're six eight in there. He's huge Stand up a bit God, that's good stuff game time baby. It's game time

Is it about bet three six five visit the app latest odds of find out why it's ever ordinary at bet three six five That's been on team plus on terror only Please play responsibly. so just looking at a couple of the series here I thought it was very interesting if I'm just quickly pulling up to see who the favorite here in the Edmonton Oilers and LA King series is because I think the obviously the Kings would have been heavy favorites going into game three going into game four. They were been favorites in the series Bet three six five is just as confused as you it is minus one ten on both sides. They're like we have

no idea and I agree with them or their started year is cup faves I feel like and So it's just you know You look at that number and we're going into game three or game four, you wouldn't have had that. The other one that's tied two, two is the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights. And as I guess, as you would imagine, the Vegas Golden Knights going into game five in this series,

for the rest of the series, they are minus 260 to win the series. Vegas is? Yes. Boy, Minnesota got healthy and that Erickson Eck is good. Kaprizov's Humminboldy's good. I should have won that game Yeah, sure. I'm not getting that one game kind of slipped away from them. Yeah, and it's almost Tampa Bay like yeah, we're just slipped You almost had one instead of two two you don't know you don't know if you pay or not

I think that number is probably correct and just looking at the other series that's tied to to Gets underway tomorrow. So it's not that big a deal for today, but the Winnipeg Jets and st. Louis Blues the st. Louis Blues are Plus 150 to win that series now and the Winnipeg Jets are minus 180 So I still believe in the Jets. Okay, Jetstock Jet stock love that. I mean they gotta win the series They gotta win this series I think they'll have a lardy back next game and that'll help quite a bit I do think hella bucks gonna and just have a game to the two Canadian

I'm sorry, there's three Canadian teams, but the two Canadian matchups night the LA Kings are favorites on home I says you'd imagine minus 125 Edmonton owners plus 105 you could do worse than the oilers at plus money tonight and the Ottawa senators on the road to take on the Leafs try to stave off elimination Playoff time is the only time we use the word stave by the way is plus 150 the Toronto Maple Leafs are minus 180 favorites tonight on home ice to put away the Ottawa senators I'm not saying they're not gonna win but I am saying don't make that bet That's you know, it's a lot of juice to pay for a team that struggles putting teams away

Anyways, that was game time is that my bet three six five visit the app for the stars and find out why is never ordinary bet Three six five must be 19 plus on terror only please play responsibly. Nice job, Sammy. Thanks, bud Okay when we're gonna take a quick break here when we return so much on our NHL news and notes including a phone hearing for at blood What is going on between Tampa Bay and Florida? We will take a deep dive in election analysis Including who's not playing

For the Tampa Bay Lightning next game plus for all of you in Vancouver Sportsnet 650, Rick Tauket will not return. We'll get a thought or two on where the Vancouver Canucks go and some of the other rumblings we're hearing around the Vancouver Canucks. Things are rumbling. Oh, they're rumbling. It's rumbled, uh-oh.

That when we return to Real Kipper and Vorn. Oh, they're rumbling. It's rumbled. Uh-oh. That when we return to Real Kipper and Vaughn. Hey, it's Matt Marchese. And I'm Mike Fuda. We're discussing the top stories of the day across the NHL and the hockey world. Weekdays at noon. It's the Fan Hockey Show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan and wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program. Nick Kipper, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. This is our national hour of the real Kipper and Bourne show. It was announced today that Rick Tuckett will

not return the Vancouver Canucks as head coach. I'm not sure people are overly surprised when you consider the the baggage that has followed the Vancouver Canucks all season long. I think Vancouver was prepared to step up from what everything I gathered that I don't think the money was that far off is what I was told as early as yesterday but whatever that gap was 750,000 a million whatever it was it was enough for Rick Tauke to say no I'm done. And you think at the end of the day it's money or do you think it's we don't like the practice facility I don't like the working arrangement with management or do you think it's we don't like the practice facility? I don't like the working arrangement with management or owner.

I don't like I don't like it. I like I think they're yes. I think it could all be sprinkled. It could all be sprinkled. Yeah, check. I don't know if I don't know if there's ever been a coach in history that turned down a job because of a practice facility. Oh, I struggled for a while. that turned down a job because of a practice facility.

Oh, Long Island struggled for a while. But when you mix it with everything else, yeah. I also had heard, as far as Jimmy Rutherford's concerned, he may be contemplating his future as well. Really? Well, at his age right now, whether he's locked in or he's made a decision to stick with the program or, you know, long term, he still sees himself there. Last time I heard that you may have been contemplating where his stand is moving forward in the organization.

He's been making a nice paycheck for a lot of years in the NHL. I doubt he's in desperate need of That part of it. So and if he's not feeling supported or respected or whatever the words may be I that I could see that So we're gonna get now what we're gonna get talking back as an analyst. He's not gonna take another job, right? There's no good job openings. No, I don't think any any original six teams. Oh, there's only is it boston? Is there philly is Is there the Rangers? The Blackhawks? Oh my God. There's some juicy jobs out there right now.

And it's a great time to be a UFA coach that people respect and covet. Really good time. If we think about guys that are walking away from sure jobs, like Sullivan in Pittsburgh or talk it in Vancouver. I got to think that they have some idea of what's out there or who's interested.

So with talk it the link is the Philadelphia Flyers with Sullivan. It's the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins. I got to think if for Sullivan if it's just strictly about who's gonna step up and pay the most I could see the Rangers Setting a new bar for head coaches in the vicinity of seven eight million dollars a year Oh for a head coach. That's nice. Yeah, I know I Know when the Rangers the way they operate. I don't know if they'd blink at that number

You know awesome candidate like it's just yeah multiple time He was coaching a crappy team in Pittsburgh button heads a little bit with Dubas. He was the coach of USA I like he's like the Quintessential American coach being the quint the coach of the quintessential American franchise makes a ton of sense I don't like the direction of their roster No me either, but I how do you turn down the Rangers the most money and the New York range? to Central American franchise. Makes a ton of sense. I don't like the direction of their roster. No, me neither. But how do you turn down the most money and the New York Rangers?

Just to go back to Vancouver for a second, like you wanna talk about Fork in the Road here. Now, if Talk It's gone and Talk It's a Jimmy Rutherford guy and he brought him over from Pittsburgh, where does Jimmy go from here? Where does Where does Jimmy go from here? Whereas eventually Quinn Hughes go from here. This is Quinn Hughes like Rick target. I don't think there was any Debate about that like where where is this organization heading in the next few years? Maybe we should have thought they were a game away from the conference final last year and have since lost the coach

They lost JT Miller. They're going to lose Brock Besser. Elias Pettersson is a different human talking about their president. Who knows what is going on? I Demko's injury situation strange. Hughes talk now. Boy, what a year. Quite a year.

You know, it happens fast out there. I guess that was a disaster a year. Quite a year. You know? It happens fast out there, I guess. That was a disaster calendar year. Yeah, it's tough to do worse, really. Okay. Okay. Sorry, guys. Sorry, sorry.

We didn't do it. Hope the sun's shining there at least today. Messengers. It's the messengers. Busy night for you last night on the network as you covered the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers in the early game which saw a couple of hits yeah, including a one that Brought Aaron at blad back to NHL discipline. Yeah Hearing I believe all that forearm to the jaw

I'm not sure if the hearing just happened or is about to but there's a real sense that he'll be lost Next game. Yeah, I would hope John Cooper perhaps his best coaching moment whether How the game went or not the passion he showed Justifiably and frustration of his player and then they go out and score two only I don't think I've ever seen a egg headed lawyer type guy. He was fired up. Look like that. Yeah, the Cherenac goal to make it two one, they flashed over the bench and he was fist pumping.

That's how you do it. Run up and down the bench. I love seeing that from him. So I wanna get your thoughts on this because as I pulled into work today, I did hear that the Tampa Bay Lightning made it public that Hagel will not be available next game and you know why do we have sound well we have the sound from him last

night okay get it get that sound last night we'll pick it up I'm okay no play we don't have it playing we don't have it Oh, we don't have it. Okay. Yeah, he just said why you asking me about it. If you're asking me. There's a reason What do you think of it? So as I heard the news that Tampa Bay announced? Hagel not playing next game my first thought was Okay, when was the last time that happened? Well, of course it's for suspension purposes. Okay. Yeah, 100%.

Our guy's injured, just so you know, and that factors into suspension. So, spend him. 90 point guy, Selkie nominee. Is it going to work? I would hope. These Panthers, man. Like, if he skirts the law on this one, we've got a real... So, hold on though. Gary's favorite team, it's a real narrative. Like I you know, yeah, Mika. Lashaw got a game, too

I know he got kicked out of that one, but that was rotten. No, you say no. No, I'm yeah me neither Five and a major kicked out of that game. I know he was a little Long the boards and oh, yeah, I just drove his face into yeah, and he got heavily penalized for it. It happened more Is that the announcement will that Will that take it to two games? Will it take it to three games two games for sure I know I know with suspensions like they won't use the PED thing In relation to this I don't think or will they like does that?

Issue affect the you know recent suspension history no I don't yeah you don't think so they don't cross over but you know what I think hurts him is just he took a big run at Hagel earlier in the game in a really bad spot everybody's running everybody well sure make that claim but this is the guy who hurt one of their guys and took a run at earlier missed him Then he sees the same guy later and delivers a pretty direct remind me of the bedded on our shand whoopsie punch I Guess I'd have to follow up extensively on the hagel injury, but my first thought was a game again a game I

Thought so that's minimum for me. I'm okay with it. You know, I... It depends on Hagel though, because you're right. If Hagel can't play the rest of the series, how do you have Ekblud come back? It's really when I went back to Hagel's hit on Barkov. And if you knew for sure, if Barkov finished the game, or you knew for sure he's just playing the next game

maybe you could get away with a $5,000 fine, but You don't know and I I do think it in that instance It plays a big part if a guy's available to come back or not It's crazy that none of the officials made a call on the ice And I know the ref who looks like he's looking at it There's someone crossing it can if you don't have the right angle. It looked like a shoulder It does and it I think the example of Bennett like the 63 there and 11 right in front of them Sammy. It's true. You can't see through bodies

We don't know what he's seeing here In fact his head's not even looking at that and And it is, it's a forearm to the neck that catches the head too. It's just not principle point of contact. You're not picking the head off there. There are three other guys on the ice. I guess you didn't see him going like this towards the ice with his arm extended,

looking right at him. I don't think he saw that and chose not to call it. I don't. But that type of punch happens 10 or 15 times. I hate that. It's just not at your head. BS. It's in your shoulder.

It's in your ribs. Okay. Okay. It's everywhere. That play is everywhere. Yeah. You finish your check. That's a natural.

Yes. Pushing yourself into the head. So it's just one that caught the neck and the head. I'm sorry, because I've seen in my mentions two or three times today. That happens, you know, three times a game. Yeah, mostly mostly mostly in Florida, not in the area that we're describing. That's where it happens. But the action of going to finish a check is shoulder arm. You're pushing yourself right in.

You're coming through with your forearm a thousand times why he's able to sell that little, you know, you're selling. It's a hockey play that went bad. sell that little you know you're selling you're selling It's a hockey play that went bad. Yeah, that's what you're selling one game suspension Yeah, okay the most with Hegel announced that he's not gonna be in I can live with the one thing My original tweet about it was people being like inconsistency in the series whatever and see you got one miss call in the series They missed it on the ice the guy made him pay if you're the officials watching Ekblad score Okay, I don't think but to me you got one missed call in the series They missed it on the ice the guy made him pay if you're the officials watching egg bud score Okay, I don't think but to me That's fine because you're not kicking him out of the game for that

What do you mean? I don't like in the game I think if you're calling my game for that I thought it would have been a two-minute elbow and then you look at It after like I didn't think that like I would have I want me they didn't see any of it It was they were either blocked off or they just didn't see it. But if they see it. And it's not, you can't watch it on a video. But if you see it and they do like to go up and look at it.

So you're supposed to guess that it was an album? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, Kipper. Cause when they call it now. Give it a five. They can give it a five and they review it. But they're guessing it's a five. I'm saying in the world, Kipper, that they see it, that the ref that's looking right at it in that video sees it.

Oh, okay. Do you have a hypothetical? Yes, a little hypothetical. Okay. If they see it, they call it a five and they review it. And they bring it down. Do you think they're going to keep that as a five? Yes.

Okay. I'm not convinced. I'm not convinced. Fair enough. Whatever. Other stuff. Hyp other stuff hypothetical. Hold on Oh, I just let's just dive in a little deeper. The former Panthers are so dirty. I love A dirty how does Tampa Bay blow that? Sammy you know what? He's having some playoff moment you saw

Buddy I am telling you. Marc-Andre Flurry. Yeah. That's who he is. He's Marc-Andre Flurry. No, he's not. Because Marc-Andre Flurry could take it into 36, 37, 38 years of age.

No, but Marc-Andre Flurry had like five playoff years where he was a dog. I know, but like... Really bad. Vasilevski, to me, is starting... I'm starting to see a little, he's only like 30 years old. But he's up for the Vezna, he had an unbelievable season.

I know, but like. He's not the same guy. He's not the same guy. The fear factor is gone. The fear factor is gone, that's the difference. Where in the years where he was unbelievable, guys had no belief that they could score. I'm starting to get a theory now that like,

big goalies like this and it's to what Valley said earlier, like they they're up and down, up and down, up and down. I eventually I think it catches up on the bigger goalies. Hmm. We need data on this. Right. I just that goal that Seth Jones scored last night.

Not in it, not on his worst. Look at him pull himself together he's like oh shouldn't have not even on his worst day a few years ago would we have seen that go in on him yeah oh yeah by the way they canceled the All-Star Game they canceled the All-Star Game people do you hear this the New York Islanders they can't what are they gonna do they're doing they're doing like a according to Newsday who spoke with the NHL commissioner, they will not be hosting a 2026 All-Star Game at UBS.

It'll be a 2026 Olympic kickoff event instead. Can they still fill the building? So what are the owners supposed to do? You promised us a game. Lovely job today, boys. Great job on the news and notes. As a reminder, this hour Real Kipper and Bourne brought you by bet three, six, five. Thanks to them.

Enjoy your night, everybody. Big night in the National Hockey League, and we're going to do it all tomorrow on the Real Kipper and Born Show. Please win, Leaves.