Real Kyper & Bourne - Which Teams Are for Real After Two Weeks?

Episode Date: October 22, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on Brad Marchand's emotional return to Boston in the Panthers' win against the Bruins before welcoming former NHLer and Hockey Night in Canada's Garry Galley (13:20). They discuss Matthew Schaefer's impressive start to his NHL career, the Senators' early-season struggles, and which teams' hot starts he's buying into. Then, Nick, Justin, and Sam discuss the Mammoth's playoff chances this season, the Leafs' decision to move their weekend games to accommodate the Blue Jays and the World Series, and whether it's getting late early for the Sens.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.

Here to get you ready on the real Kipper and Bourne show, another night of National Hockey League games without any World Series to go up against. Till Friday night. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo, Jake the Snake Shultz live on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, 960 in Calgary and streaming always on Sportsnet Plus

and also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. This hour of Real Kipper and Bourne, brought to by Bet365, busy night in the National Hockey League. We're going to have Gary Galley join us in a few minutes to figure out where we, stand on six slash seven games of the season. Yep. And how early is too early,

especially with the focus now on, I guess is it still American Thanksgiving for you guys? Maybe we should go to Halloween for some teams. You know, you can lose it pretty early. Starting to get a little spooky in this city. I'll tell you that much. Well said. I like a real emotional night.

talked about this in our show yesterday about Brad Marshang going back and debating would there be booze at all? Would he have there be any ill will towards him leaving? We got it right.

And first of all, pretty good video. Yeah. Right? Pretty good video captured a lot of his great moments as a Boston Bruin and oh man did he just crumble in a puddle that video showed me one of my favorite things about him

there's not many few better there not many guys better at the toe drag ever getting to the net from the outside his his toe drag to backhand hand like that that play that he does is just one of the best i love too that his first career goal is a short-handed goal like he's just that embodies a lot of hit the way he plays too um and you know he plays with his heart on his sleeve kip and i think it's fitting that he played with the tears in his eyes last night that was it worked perfectly can you guys remember just anecdotally can you remember somebody reacting like that no return video no that's the most i've ever seen the player i mean pull up pull up anything emotional for mark massier and you're going to see water works galore sure but you think about that like after they've

finished playing where they come back and it's like the Jersey retirement night and that's when you really see it. For a guy on the bench, water works. Like he was like, like you look like that. Brad, though, he also has my eyebrows kind of where he really can do the puppy dog. It's all very dramatic, you know?

It looked really like he was so sad. And listen, I could look at a ton of commercials and be like, I'm a commercial critique. Yeah. Okay. the one with Tim Horton's with him in it with the teddy bear he's so good that that one gives I give thumbs up to that one

because it's he crushed it he crushed it he just crushed it because he is this guy that can laugh at himself get away with you know pulling something like that off not many can no do you guys so you sent me the clip from TNT last night

about the him getting asked about regrets it's too We have the video. Like, it's two minutes and 30s. Is that too long? You guys want to play it? It's good. Yeah, play it.

All right. You want to play it for us? Yeah, yeah. I didn't listen to it. Let's rip it here. Let's rip it here. Let's rip it. I'm dying to ask you about if you have any regrets about the way the whole thing

went down. And then part of him, he said, hey, just want a Stanley Cup with the new team. He's 37. Got a six-year contract. But I'll ask you anyway. Any regrets about the way everything went down leaving Boston? You know, you're the first person to ask me that. Yeah.

I think, which is kind of crazy. And, you know, it's funny you say that because today was actually probably the first time I ever thought about, you know, if things were different. And I don't think I could say that I regret it. You know, it worked out incredibly well. I mean, we play the game because we're competitors and we want to win. And, you know, the whole reason that we do everything we do to try to get better and improve and become the best version of ourselves is because we're chasing a Stanley Cup. So I don't think I could ever sit here and say that I regret how things played out. I think they played out exactly how they were for me to win another cup.

And I'm very, very grateful for the way that things played out. It could have played a lot different to the way that, you know, coming down here and could have had a much different experience, but I had some of the best months of my life. Some of the most fun I've ever had playing hockey. And I got to make incredible friendships and relationships and build incredible bonds and win a cup. you know do i wish that um you know at times you know i i guess i would say that um i think if we

went back i think both sides would have done things differently um you know i think is how i would say i think i let my uh emotions handle some some aspects of negotiations that that maybe i would have done differently if i go back but um but i wouldn't go back i guess if if i could put it that way I wouldn't do it differently if I could because my family and I got to live some of the most incredible memories that we'll ever live through together. And, you know, one thing that I was thinking of going to the rink today was, you know, the sacrifices that, you know, like my kids have to deal with. And all of us that have kids and play the game, realize what those are and the time that we're away. And I think them being there for the cup is what makes it worth it. and, you know, the move

and having to go through that to win a cup is worth it. So, you know, if I was in the situation going through it, I would have handled it differently. But I'm happy with how it played out for sure. Glad you pulled that up because I did not hear it. I did not watch it. I went to the game last night.

And, yeah, just when you think you want to, like, be mad at him or pissed off at him or hate them. like he he finds a way to come through i i really enjoyed listening to that out of him yeah i thought it's interesting that he said that he let his emotions get the better of him during some of the negotiations um that's ego yeah it's i told you this it's it's it's it's all ego and you know what i found interesting just i didn't mean to cut you off but what i also found interesting there he said like that the bruns would have done something different yes did you catch that yes

for sure. And so it does feel to me like it was fairly contentious and that he was open to staying in Boston had they both been able to sort of manage their tempers or manage their egos that he could still be a Bruin. It just happens far too often. Like, again, just watching him. By the way, if I'm a Bruins fan, I hate what I just heard. Because I'm like, wait, we lost him because you guys couldn't manage behind the scenes? You're 100% right. And I'll throw this at you and I would have I would have asked him this I'm hopefully someone else

still will okay if the Boston Bruins offered the same contract as Florida did after you won the cup would you have signed it six years with an AAV of what five I think just on was it just under five

maybe you know look it up quickly like pulled up pretty quick like okay so maybe yeah Maybe you might have had to bump it up another 7% for... 525. 525. So let's just say, okay, no state tax benefits in mass like there is in Florida. So you've got to go up another 8%, 7%.

So now you're at 55, 56, 5, 7. I think he signs a six-year deal all day long in Boston. And that would have got the deal done. Yeah. And now the Bruins fall to 3 and 4. Like if they have Marchand instead of Florida, maybe they get that win last night, and they're four and three.

Look like me after the Jays clinched World Series. You know, and the sauce pass he makes to Lister Rainen for that goal, where it was unbelievable. He didn't want to leave, right? That's the part that if there's just a hint of regretment, it's just because you envision yourself shutting down as a Boston Bruin. And, you know, he speaks,

he speaks of the comparison to, you know, potentially have, would have missed out on an amazing experience, right? Yeah. In Florida. For him, his family, they got to share something that they'll remember the rest of his life. He had an all-time summer. It doesn't, it doesn't go that way for 98% of the guys.

No, that is such a rarity. That's the only way. That you can leave an organization with that emotion. go somewhere else and hit a home run right away. I don't even know how many comparisons we've had in 20, 25 years. The only one that came to the top of my head right now is another Boston Bruin. Ray Bork. The only one I can think of that left a team and then hit it.

Now, he didn't even hit it the first year. I think they got the, in year two, he got his Stanley Cup. Yeah. but anybody else that leaves. Yeah. And the hard part, Kipp, is it's not like, you know, we talk about Florida and this destination, oh, he's in the Miami, you know, or whatever,

he'd be at the beach and the sun and all that. Brad's got a wife and kids, and they're in one of the best cities in the United States in Boston, and they're in schools. Yeah, he's got a teenager, right? Yeah, like it's really not the same as saying, oh, this 25-year-old Russian who just joined the, league went to, of course they chose Florida.

Well, yeah, of course. It's different when you're set up in a city of their family, let alone a city like Boston, which, in my opinion, is a wonderful spot. And, like, being a living legend in that city where it's just like you, I saw him talking yesterday. It's like, I went to the same coffee shop every day and they'd write something different on my, on my coffee

and like, I just say routine and like all that stuff that you have, you just, that be hard. Anything short of winning the cup, you probably would still be like, ugh. And you know, on top of that is he had spent weeks, if not a few months listening

and maybe even on occasion our show going he can't play anymore. Right? Didn't belong on Team Canada. It's too fast for him. Wasn't a huge contributor. Found a way to keep the guys going, whether they were showing clips

of him in the dressing room or leading a you know, whatever. And he, he, was hearing it he's done now if he goes to florida by chance they lose in the first round or uh he he's not resigning there and certainly not for what he got it's true and now he's on his third team in six months yeah right he's a he's a he's a leaf that's what he is you know oh my god he's somebody he's somebody else i tell you after russian least last night made the right choice sure be not

nice to have them or yeah or that that aspect should be nice to take an opponent's head helmet and like rip the straps off it or something i'm also interested in the backhand spot a sauce to open ice that the teammate skates into and can i tell you is that the weirdest goal we're going to see all year how does that happen with 30 seconds left the guys are the hash marks when it hits a skate off that's as bad as it gets so and that to me if you're the bruin's who's a team on the fringe trying to like get it back that's a killer yeah just a a killer. Against a division opponent. That's a tough one.

How are we doing on Galley? Gals. Working through some technical difficulties. I don't know if you want to save it for after then. Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders last night. Oh, we were waiting 30 seconds for us. Do you want to save it for after? No, I mean,

we'll talk about it more and we're certainly going to get into it with Gary Galley, who spent his illustrious career as a defenseman and the challenges first breaking in the league. And why haven't we seen any hiccups out of this guy? All right, here he is. As I mentioned, former national hockey leaguer,

close to 1,200 games in the National Hockey League, color analyst for Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada. Mr. Gary Galley, how are you, gals? I'm doing great, guys. All right, we got a ton to get into for sure, but let's pick it up where J.B. just left us off with this 18-year-old DWS kid who looks like he's been in the league for almost as many games as you were.

Like, you did it as a defenseman, breaking in what things, what are the challenges of an 18-year-old rookie now playing a position that is 10 times as hard to break into the league as me as a left winger? Yeah, I think definitely it's a tougher position. That's why you always hear people say it takes, you know, four or five years for a young defenseman to. kind of get his feet stable in the national hockey league to learn the league to learn the tendencies in the league um you know things like that so i i do agree to somewhat with that but

there are deviations of the norm and everything and there's always going to be uh you know some young kid that comes along that just has his head on straight um is coachable um he's able to take uh information and adapt it into his game immediately um those are the things you look for a defenseman along the lines of, you know, Eckblad came in and did it, you know, and Schaefer is doing it now. Like he has the ability to take the information and adapt it to his game and get it going quickly and makes himself somebody that the coaches feel responsible and they're comfortable with and they're giving him opportunity to jump in there and play

these big minutes and take on these responsibilities that you would see with a veteran player. So you've got to tip your hat, Tim. I look at Dahlene and Buffalo, I thought, was a little bit slower out of the gate. I would look at power a little bit slower out of the gate. This kid seems to be a step ahead of that. So it's impressive for sure. I mean, I was in college playing when this guy is stepping into the National Hockey League. It's like watching Trey Savage pitching for the Blue Jays. I kind of, you know, I look over at my son beside me who's 25 and I said, this guy's younger than you. He's pitching in the world. He's pretty crazy. Yeah. I know.

It doesn't make you feel bad about where you're at in your own life sometimes. 18, was I literally in high school? Like, he just turned 18. It's crazy. So what is it that, you know, the, a guy like him has? I guess I want to ask him about his confidence. I don't know if you saw him on the mic after the game. You know, they ask him about the Islanders fan.

He takes the mic from the host and, you know, like love the Islanders fans, whatever. Like, he's got this sort of swagger. And I look at some of the best young players. They just have this confidence that, well, I've. never had in my life, nor have I deserved to have it, but is that what it is that makes all the difference for a young guy? Well, I think you have to look at this. Yeah, this kid has been brought up the right way, you know, and probably the village that surrounded him did a real magnificent job. And I think the things that he's been through has made him a stronger human

being. And I think that he is comfortable in his own skin. And he looks at life differently than maybe a lot of young kids his age look at life. And I think he sees the bigger. picture and he's going to be himself and be the best version of himself and he makes no apology for it and i don't think you should have to i think that's why i think everyone's kind of endeared themselves to him and not just the islanders for drafting him but you know he impressed patrick waugh you know he's impressing uh guys who are playing against them uh i think when you hear the comments of some of the guys that have played against them they're saying man he's playing like he's been in the league for 10 years and he just has this uh this this this this internal confidence

that he makes his decisions and he lives with them. He's not second-guessing himself. He's fully in control of what he's doing. And I think, you know, the start that he's had is super impressive. And I'm really glad to see it because certainly all the interviews with the young man coming up to the draft and getting into the training camp for the Islanders, you know, I mean, he said all the right things. And you wondered if he was going to be able to back it up.

And he certainly has. and he's having a good time with it. He's enjoying life. And I think that's something that more players, young players, need to do, is enjoy the moment that you're in because, you know, you have to, because you never know how long the career goes

or what's going to happen. So enjoy every minute of it. And he seems to be doing that. You're watching Gary Galley, former National Hockey League, color analysts with Sportset and Hockey Night in Canada. Switching gears to the Ottawa senators, no question,

a loss of their captain and Brady Kachuk can alter. or what that team will probably look like for the coming weeks. But last night, you think Connor McDavid would come in and there'd be a ton of energy around that. But what was described, I think, after the game, was kind of a, no energy, right?

No, like low energy. I think the head coach, Travis Green, describe it as like kind of an uneventful game. I mean, I was surprised were you to hear that? Yeah, it's like a malaise almost, right, that's sitting on your team. I got to tell you, I think everyone in Ottawa was pretty excited from what they saw from the Ottawa senators last year. They made a significant step. Some of their young players got some playoff games under their belt, which are so, so important.

You ask any young team that's stepping into the playoffs, those games are worth, worth 25 games. I mean, it was playoff games. So they certainly got to a point where I don't think they want to take any steps backwards. So along with that comes expectations. I don't think their training camp looked that great. I think the games they played in the preseason did not look all that great. I don't think they've looked like a team that is coming back and ready to take steps forward and get going. I think they're a team that's having trouble trying to find that emotion in their game that you need to have in order to play at this level. You have to have an emotion. You have to have that fear of losing that drives you to win. And it's just something

that it looks like it's not there. I mean, sometimes what it looks like isn't what it is, but it's hard not to see that there's something missing here that this team hasn't been firing since the training camp. So it's not just going to pop in and go. I thought Almark stepped in last night and played really well in the third period and gave them an opportunity to win that hockey game, even though they had, you know, they were down and they came back and got into that game. It looked like Edmonton was really flexing there and Allmark, you know, was the kind of goalie he needed to be.

Unfortunately, they end up losing it in overtime with the penalty and the wicked slaper there by Walman, but it is frustrating for Travis Green. I think this is a coach that expected to see. a team taking steps forward. Losing the captain is a big dent in the fender. No doubt about it. He's an emotional guy. He's the emotional leader of the team.

A big physical guy that fills a lot of the criteria of what the game plan is for the Ottawa senators. And they're not going to have them for this foreseeable future. So they've got to step up and start playing a better brand to hockey consistently. And I think emotion and energy is a big part of it, especially to start the season. Normally, there's an energy and an excitement. but we've seen a number of coaches call out their teams earlier. I mean, this has not been like, coaches are not waiting for Thanksgiving. They're attacking their teams after two, three, you know, one game was McClellan.

He didn't like one game and he just went after them. Like, you know, you want your team to play to the level that you believe they're capable of playing to. And if you don't see it, coaches aren't wasting any time now. A very average or below average start to the first 10 or 50, games can cost you to playoffs right off the hop and um you got to be really careful i just want to follow up quickly on all mark and last year we saw a stretch i don't know just around christmas where we were like oh my god he may be the best goalie in the world that's how good he was in in a window uh in a stretch and you know last night you mentioned him giving the chance to win and that's what

you probably would expect every night that he's in um but he's got a save percentage, I think, of $8.54 right now, and that's certainly, they're not going anywhere with, if that stays anywhere around that. Training camp, you mentioned training camp. And he was the first guy to go in a few days after and declare that he's, I don't know, bad summer, bad start, just I'm the worst player, whatever. And I'm just, it's almost as if, man, did that just kind of set a tone or, you know, just, what do you see? out of Allmark that he's got an 854 save percentage, which he should never have. Yeah, you hate to have your goalie be so honest with the media.

I mean, you know, I mean, we've seen it in Toronto. We've seen it in a few places. The honesty of the player, right? Yes. Like, you know, I've been really crappy. I haven't played well. I should have, you know, I should have this. I should have that.

Like, and beating themselves up. It's funny, Almark reminds me of a goal score where, you know, a streaky goal scorer where, you know, he goes through moments where he just doesn't look the greatest. then he goes through these long stretches where he's invincible and he's like just the best goalie in the league and then he'll have this little lull and he'll have, you know, a half dozen games where it doesn't look the sharpest and then he'll turn it on for 15 games and look like you can't get a puck by him. You know, he doesn't seem to be the type of goalie that is going to be consistent for long, long periods of time. He has this roller coaster type to him, but when he gets on and he gets going, you hit the nail on the head, he could be incredible. and be the top goalie in the league. But they need a more consistent allmark.

They need his numbers to get better. It has to start there. That has to be where it starts. I think defensively, they're trying to shore up defensively. I think they've got to be better defensively. This was a team that you think could score goals. They're going to be okay scoring goals.

You know, you didn't doubt that. And then you lose Kachuk. Some guys have got off a little on the slow start. So it's time to get her going, Because, like I said, there are teams out there right now that are really in jeopardy of being out of a playoff spot in the next week or two if they don't get it turned around. Guys, it's funny, I was looking at the standings today. Oilers, three and three, leaves three and three, Dallas, three and three, Kings below 500, Tampa below five. You know, like, there are teams that are kind of scuffling out of the gates, small samples, and the whatnot.

but, you know, how long can you say it's the start of the year for? How long can that go on for before it's like we just might not be very good? Yeah, and injuries happen like Kopitar and you look at some of the teams that have been dinged up a little bit. Sometimes they'll get out of the gate a bit slow if that is the case. You look at a New Jersey team that's healthy and running now. They look really good and used looks like himself again. Like it's just really, you know, the energy and emotion of the team is what's so important and I think some of these teams that we're talking about have been to the dance

and been to this you know in long runs in the playoffs and are experiencing that and they're just not too concerned about a slow start they know they're going to get it going they feel they you know that they have what they need to get it going it's just a matter of time before it clicks into place and that's that's all good and fine for those teams who have had you know great seasons and great runs before but when you look at the you know national predators and you look at the new jersey devils who you know who struggled a bit last year and had a ton of of injuries. When you look at the Detroit Red Wings, when you look at the Buffalo Sabres, I'm sorry, there is no time for that. You need to kick into gear early and you need to get

going. For the Ottawa Senators, you made the playoffs last year. Okay, you've got to get going now. Like, hello, you know, you've got to get yourself in a spot where you're not scrambling to get in the playoffs at the end. But certainly the loss of Brady Kachuk is a big loss. I think the shaky start for their goal 10. There's been a lot of things you could look at, but again, it's not like hit the panic button, but you know, you've got to start to see things turning relatively soon here because the start, as we know, is so important, you know, ask teams that have had rough starts and it's hard to catch up. So Detroit, Montreal, with their five wins, have put everybody else on notice in the Atlantic this early for you? Yeah, I mean, sooner or later,

guys, the changing of the guard comes. Sooner or later, the teams that have been drafting all these great players and the teams that have been building up this surplus of young talent is eventually going to rise. It's going to start to take off. And if it does it, and that's been the frustration in Buffalo, right? They've got all these draft picks, all these young, and then it hasn't worked out. And then they've traded them away. And they've gone on to be stars and win cups in other cities. So it's been frustrating. But for Montreal, they've stuck to the game plan. For Detroit, the criticisms that have been taken there, they've stuck to the game plan. Regardless of the success Montreal has had, the plan remains the same. But Marty gets to push a little more.

He gets to push some guys a little more that he knows a little bit better and he understands a little bit better and he knows what they're capable of a little bit more. So you're seeing that push from behind the bench and he has the respect to do that. And I think McClellan in Detroit, you know, he's challenged his team to say every year you're saying the same things over and over it's time enough is enough it's time to step up and be counted for and then they went on this incredible run so sometimes it just takes someone to show you the trees that are in the forest um to understand it and and and then you go okay like this is on us this is our this is something we have to do the coach can only take you so far and the players have to be uh have to implement

the system uh the culture has to be good the game plan has to be good those are all things that have to be in place. And I think they are there. It's just a matter of them going out and executing it and getting it done. And it's nice to see it happening. And I'd like to see some of the teams in the divisions change and see some of these teams get up into the playoffs. I think it'd be exciting. Well, I'll name about a half dozen teams that are above 500 right now. And you let me know if any of these you think are the real deal. Anaheim, Philly, St. Louis, Seattle, Chicago, Utah, Pittsburgh they're all above 500

yeah it's hard isn't it it it's hard to buy in and I get it because you know and Pittsburgh's just a great story because you know everyone's been chatting about you know is Sydney going to go as you want to get out of there as you want to win another cup

and all Sydney looks is happy he steps into his Pittsburgh penguin jersey he steps onto the ice surface and he looks happy and he competes and that's what he loves to do. He loves to win. And that's just something that leaks and spreads through that whole locker room and everything that goes on there. So it's really nice to see the start they've had and see Malkin playing like he's playing. And can that stay for the whole season? Well, we're going

to find out. You know, the new coach, I'm sure, is even though they love Sullivan, it's the breath of fresh air to get a new coach and listen to new things and a new game plan and just a different way looking at things. So the other teams, you've got to expect they're going to get better. They're going to have to get better. Now, when do you buy into it? Well, there you go. That's going to be the question. Like, I agree with you. When you're reading them out, I can tell you're not even confident reading them. Well, there's a couple that I'm sure are there now. And it's just tough to be like, Philly? You know, Anaheim? Like, it is tough to get on board. Just, yeah. Go ahead. Sorry, Gary.

No, no, I'm going to say, yeah, I agree. Because when you're reading them, I was thinking to myself, what am I going to say here? Like, you know, you got to give credit where credit is due. These guys are off to a better start that they've had. So tip your hat to that. They're fed up a losing. So they're going to battle harder. And the harder they battle, it's going to make the runs at the end even better.

So I hope these teams continue to battle and put together a good solid record. So at the end, we're looking at four, five, six teams battling to get in the last two or three spots. That's what makes it exciting. One more for me, gals. and that's in the Western Conference. Let's talk about teams that we knew and expected to be top teams in the West, Colorado, Winnipeg, Vegas. Now, is Edmonton Oilers still there for you?

They're a notoriously slow starter. They notoriously get off out of the gate a little bit slow. You know, I always used to get the question, you know, how hard is it to play regular season games after you've been to the Stanley Cup finals and you've had the emotion and that excitement of the Stanley Cup playoffs and going to the finals and vying for the Stanley Cup, how hard is it to reload and get ready to go up to start of the year when the game one and game two and game three when you know that this isn't the same kind of games

you've been playing and then you've got to kind of say look it you got to play 82 to get there again and for edmonton the last few years it's been slow start so i think it's kind of the same thing even for for macdavin you know and and dry-sid on these guys i think it's just a little bit out of the gate slow i think they're going to be fine they'll eventually get going and they'll eventually climb in with those other teams um you know Vegas obviously to me everyone just keeps mentioning Vegas over and over like they're the favorites um they feel like they're the team that's going to come in. Obviously, what happened to the Florida Panthers is something that I guess you see when a team goes three consecutive years into the Stanley Cup finals. It

ravages your bodies of your players and it beats them down. And even though they look fine on the outside, injuries seem to follow. And unfortunately, for the Panthers, they've run into some injury problems that are going to be really hard to get through. So they're going to be an interesting watch at the end of the day. But everyone I seem to talk to, to is like Vegas Golden Knights look like they're a team that's going to be right there at the end. Great stuff as always, Gals.

Sure, appreciate your time on our show. Thanks for doing this. Hey, guys. And the next time I'm on, we'll have to read that list again. And maybe we're more thumbs up and in, right? A little more positive. Appreciate it, Giles. Thanks, man. All right, guys. Take care.

That is a familiar voice to hockey fans on Hockey Night in Canada and Sports Net, Gary Galley. God's honest truth. I didn't read that list in for it to be slander. Okay. Can you read that list again for me? Yes.

Okay. No, no, no. Hold on. Okay. Okay. Without looking, we've got 32 teams in the league. How many today are either one game over or one game under 500? Did you say without looking as I'm currently looking?

Well, I'm not looking. Give me a number. Many. Oh. I'm going to say. Can I say, come here for all your hockey. Can I say, I told you there's 32. Can I say 21?

21. What's the number? You know? 16, 17, 18. You're not far off. Oh, you don't know the number. No, I don't know the number. I don't know the number.

Hell of a quiz there, Kip. From number 15 to 26. What's that? 11, 12. How many are the ones that you just mentioned? Well, yeah, all the ones I just mentioned, basically. Utah's. Seattle is 3 and 2.

Chicago's 3 and 2. Vancouver's 4 and 3. And 3. Philly's 3 and 2. Blues 3 and 2. Like all those teams are. I will say, watched a bit of mammoth, Colorado last night.

Oh, Mammoth. Like Mammoth. Mammoth 5 and 2. Just beat Colorado. I had Mammoth making the playoffs. Love that Gunther. I think he, like maybe not this go round.

Maybe not this go round, but maybe next. He's, he's. Team Canada potential. He's got, Team Canada potential. Not this time. No, no, no. But the next one.

I think he could score 35, 40. Oh, yeah. He rips it. And that's why they signed him. Like, he's, what, in 45, 50 games, they signed him to an eight-year deal. I love the kid. He's got his,

or they've got as clean a cap sheet as exists right now, if I'm not mistaken. And if I'm not mistaken, he was part of the Oliver Ekman-Varsen deal from Vancouver. Is that right? I think that, like, when they traded for him. And I think-and-I'm sorry, there's Vancouver people listening. I think he's from, like, Vancouver. Like, he's from in the city, potentially. One game below.

Sounds bad. $500 or one game above. Like, that's why it's kind of still early. It's so early. It is so early. And, you know, a lot of those teams that are at the bottom, like, it's, it's, It is funny this time of year to go to the bottom of the standings. Look at the bottom 10 teams.

Tampa, Ottawa, L.A., Rangers, Dallas. You know, like, Islanders are in there, too. He was in that trade, just to confirm. He was. With Connor Garland. Connor Garland and Oliver Reckman-Larsson to Vancouver, and he was part of a big package. His draft picked his rights, so.

Minnesota Wilde, L.A. 2, there, 3 and 3. And he's from Alberta. Oh, my God. This has been the Gunther Hour. Sorry, I just feel like I was lying to our national audience. should bring it up. Yeah. Should take a break?

Oh, yeah. Quick break? Yeah, we should break. All right. We'll take a quick break. When we return, the National Hockey League moves over a couple of games

because of the Toronto Blue Jays. We'll explain that when we return to Real Kipper and Bourne. 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. A reminder this hour of real Kipberin-Born brought to you by Bet365.

Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. So the NBA in the NHL getting the hell out of the way for the Toronto Blue Jays. It's like when someone's about to win the Masters. And they're closest to the hole. And they put out to make room for the champion to have their putt out. It's almost like the Leafs should have got it. Remember this fast year of the Masters Sunday? Leaves were playing Carolina at 6.15 p.m.

Oh, yeah. And remember you guys were on the end? It was like Rory in a playoff of the career grand slam. It's like, oh, and, you know, cock and yemi gets it deep. Friday, you and I will be handling regional Leafs. Yeah. Toronto in Buffalo. Come on.

Carolyn Cameron, Elliot Friedman, yours truly, and Justin Bourne, and they go from 730 to 7. They do. That's the best that they can do. 7 p.m. start. They were asked for 5. They said, not a chance any earlier. But they got 5 the next day when they go from 7 to 5 on the Saturday.

And that is because the Leafs have a ton to say Friday night. It's on Buffalo. Yeah. It's the home. team that really has the finals say you have to games can't be closer than 22 hours and start time so if you go 7 to 5 on Saturday the Friday had to go back a half hour to so that like okay just got into the window I mean it's hard it's it's 730s just for people on a Friday night to get to the game so that's the best that they could do is is half an hour we would have preferred

2 p.m. Yeah, that'd have been nice. I would have preferred not at all. Don't play the game. Leaves forfeit. We saw the game against the devil. Could it just be like a rain out? Play it at the end of March?

Rain out. Double header one day. Just get together. Rack it. You lost 5'2. Do it again. The Raptor's home opener also pushed back an hour or pushed up an hour.

On Friday? Yeah, 6.30. Instead of the 7.30. Is the least game? you said it's in buffalo on friday yes okay mayhem around here is going to be wild like absolute mayhem right right so so world series did you squirm your way into game one friday night yeah yeah i did did you beg no no did you have a cup in your hand on young street how did you get a this is a i think i can tell this story on here i'm gonna just i'm gonna we're gonna find out oh boy are we ever so

one of my really good buddies, Hughesy, play hockey, golf, baseball with him. We're very tight. His wife works for the Jays. And it's my understanding that the Toronto Blue Jays front office bought every team employee two tickets for every single Jays playoff game

this run. So that they have two tickets available to them for friends and family. And he, who gets those tickets, is taking me. Well, no, she, she works with the jays, she'll be at the game, she'll be working at the game. But she's not sitting in the seats and enjoying it where she could because you bumped her. You don't think he killed him?

Yeah, correct. Yeah. So, so, I mean, I think that's pretty cool of the jays that, like, to buy, I mean, that's a big spend on, on their employees. So that's what I'm getting to go. Thanks to the front office. So there you go. That's great. I'm going, and I'm, I am going to have to buy, like, conservatively five to eight cutwaters for Husey so that I can make up for the,

ticket which puts you equal not even with the ticket not even i don't know i mean like i listen i don't want to get too into this because i i don't really know who gets mad at me for this but the secondary ticket market like it's just completely unattainable like they they're it's you're now gone from where the alcs was attainable like i think there there's still a lot but they're like you're not ruining your life to go to a like some of these prices just not normal people could ever go it's it's hardworking People have no chance. It's gross. It actually is.

My buddy, who's a Brit, says that there, like for the EPL games or whatever, like the teams control the tickets, there's no secondary market. They control and resell. So this doesn't happen. This doesn't, you know, where tickets are six grand or whatever you're seeing online right now. They're saying it's the most expensive ever. World Series. In Toronto.

More expensive in Toronto than L.A. And the part of that story with the Jays don't physically run the playoff tickets. It's all major leagues of baseball, so they had to physically buy the tickets back from them for their own games or whatever. But, yeah, I just, like, why is it, why is it listed at $11,000 for a ticket? Okay, first of all,

$11,000. This isn't, this isn't a major league baseball. It's not a end of the market. It is. Ticket master. It is entertainment. Yes, totally. This is the way the whole world is now working

because it's the same problem with the NBA. We'll see if the Leafs ever get to a Stanley Cup. but stop laughing stop laughing you're in 2048 when they have a new court whatever it is that that ticket would be tens of thousands of dollars

yeah so concerts right we just went through that with the Swifty fans in Toronto at Rogers Center so like what were those tickets going for yeah six seven eight grand it's just like can't shake that one off

oh come on It's unbelievable, like, who gets to go to these events and who, it's a pipe dream. I get the idea that it's like what the market will bear sort of thing. Sure. And listen, if you're... For sports tickets in particular, it's feels. And there was the opportunity. Like, you can get in the queue, like people, tons of people got in and were able to buy tickets at face value or whatever. So it's not like everyone's paying 11,000.

It's not like it's going to be all like sheiks in there. Like, there's going to be real fans. But it just is crazy. Anyways. Anyways. Although, yeah, my, the two tickets I bought for games, six, the service fee on it to purchase them. Did you get him?

Not this for the ALCS. Just the service fee's $99. Like, to what? Service. Anyway. The service of lining someone's pockets. Email me, though. I'm just pressing send.

Yeah. What are you doing for $100? I don't know. Anyway. We talked about the sends a little bit with gals. You know, Allmarked last night. He said he was pretty good in the third period.

I think I saw their, they got the worst team. say percentage they look bad vibe they look team from hell they look season from hell team all mark looked like he was playing paintball in the o t winner he was like didn't want to get hit by that one yeah you know that was a quick evasive action he took how i mean progress isn't linear with these teams and they're they're the first year in the playoffs last year and everybody thought it was kind of an upward trajectory how how concerned are you boys about them because i i'm getting there yeah it's a really good question um the ottawa senators unfortunately

have had a history of this sort of thing where they dig a hole and then they kind of figure it out later in the year, but the hole they dug was too deep. The Kachuk thing was bad, but when you lose a bunch early, it becomes really bad because you're desperate. Yeah. I like that you said the progress isn't linear because they're getting better. I like their roster more than I've liked it, but boy, it's getting concerned. I think it just kind of falls into the conversation we had before is that we've had, we've got like half the league at one under, even, or one over. on the 500 bar

Gary Galley spoke of the Edmonton Oilers he said the same thing notoriously slow starters in about 12 minutes we'll go to our leaf edition hour of our program thoughts on like what you how you want to take their first seven games

that doesn't remotely look like a team that won the Atlantic division last year. And I know there's, Marner's gone and there's three or four new faces. Is it just that? But I do believe it's still too early to

find out who the pretenders are and who could potentially be a contender. I do agree. You know, and I've said this, I think, as recently as yesterday, that I like the whole goal differential thing. It kind of points us to who's like really stinky. Who's just had some early bad luck. They lost an O.T. They, you know, whatever. Like,

Bruin's goal at the end of the game last night. Oh my God. Three teams are in double digits plus and three teams are in double digits minus. The three teams in double digits plus, Colorado, Vegas, and Winnipeg. They're great. They're division winners, cup contenders. That's legitimate, right? Carolina's right behind them in one fewer game.

The three teams at the very bottom are Calgary, San Jose, Ottawa. Ottawa is the only one where you're like, I don't think they fit, but it's not a good sign that all those other names check out. Yeah. on that pocket. And, like, there should, a guy like Allmark,

who's making 8.5, should never visit an 853 save percentage from game one through game 82. Making too much money for that. It's just like, it just can't happen. But I think, I think the only two teams I'm,

like, willing to say full out stink is Calgary, for sure. Unfortunately, for our Calgary listeners who are listening on 960, like they're, they're not i mean you i mean hey good year to stink you gotta get a better chance on mckenna and like boy gavin mckenna and calgary you know they get a new barn in 2027 yeah that helps 27 28 is their fresh start you know that's when they want to be good but you're a fan and you're in game

seven and you're one and six and you're like oh my god yeah you got to sell you got to sell i get it i get the whole thing and mackenna's out there and yeah wouldn't he look great in calgary and build around it. We're watching Schaefer and New York Islanders, and the vibe's different. Like one guy can change a vibe. Yep. Oh, my God.

Well, and Darsh, and like, things just feel positive all of a sudden. Matthew Darsh tomorrow, by the way. It doesn't make it easy to go, let's just tank and let's just mail it in. There's sponsors, their season ticket holders. There's the development of your room within

Breeding breeds, losers. I mean, losing, losing, losing, losing. Breeds losing. I was going to say, well, yeah, we got it. Losing breeds losers. Yeah. And you've got to be so, so careful.

Even when you say it, you got to be really careful and you don't screw it up. The foremost leader of trying to lose will come back to bite you. You cannot just go, now we're going to win and then figure it out. It's like, oh, we gave away everyone who anyone wanted. And you know, sorry, and you just know that there's. people waiting, probably including me, to go up to the Pittsburgh Penguins and go, yeah, all right, don't stink, finish in ninth place in the east, and get your 12th overall pick. And where are you then?

I mean, it's not great. You end up as the Minnesota Wilde, who for 30 years have finished between 11th and 19th. That is the problem, is that management and ownership have to go there and go, okay, why do we, why do we want to be just bad enough to be still kind of respectable? So, like, think of the ways the teams have bottomed out and bounced back quickly. Islanders got lucky with the draft pick. There's is just raw, raw luck, right? The Leafs did it with Matthews.

They bottomed out dead last, made the playoffs the next year. they had another player Mitch Marner coming into the league at the same time right so they kind of added two really good players right away Willie was Willie was right there like they had all these draft picks kind of coming these prospects coming I don't I look at the way St. Louis is trying to stay in the fight

the way Washington is trying to stay in the fight I know like they are finding ways to without tearing it all down hang around I think Calgary is actively trying to do that right now and it's just very hard to do. And they may have just missed on the bad side this year. And I think you give them a little bit more pause because they were supposed to be awful last year

and that team fought like hell and had the most points in the history of the league for a non-playoff team. Yeah, 96-point season last year. And they were not a similar, like they had more talent last year, but they were a similar group to what they had this year. And it just started out badly.

But Calgary's, Calgary still doesn't have that bona fide superstar. And that's why you need to. to suck out loud this year to have a chance at the best one in a while. Like he can. They should suck out loud. They should suck out loud. You have to. Coleman it up and like they just

don't have that next. Cadre led them in points last year is 67. And how old's Cadrety-five? Yeah. Getting up there. It's tough. Yeah. It's really tough. Boy, the Cadry leaves rumors. Everybody's just going to be throwing that out there all year again. That is going to be a daily conversation

for some Leaves fans for sure. Yep. Would you solve any problems? Probably not. Solve a couple. Depends on how many problems we cover in the next hour. That's true. Oh. Is it?

Yeah. We've got some stuff to talk about. There's some holes in the boat. All right. Our thanks to Gary Galley in our national hour. Coming up next, our Leaf Hour edition, Midweek mailbag. What does that mean, Sammy?

Well, I put in some, I thought it was a good time to get a temperature check on the fan base. So hot. So we'll get some, we'll do our own stuff. We'll get some from the text and tweets and then we'll get through it. Plenty more still on the real Kipper and Bourne show. Try to fix the Leafs in the next hour. Don't go away. Back after these words.