Real Kyper & Bourne - Wrapping Up Round 1 with Doug MacLean

Episode Date: May 2, 2025

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne welcome in former NHL president, GM and coach Doug MacLean (4:10) for his Off-The-Rails Friday appearance! Mac gets into what led to the Kings' collapse vs. the Oilers, this offseason's coaching carousel after Rick Tocchet's Canucks divorce and Mike Sullivan landing with the Rangers, the Jets needing more Connor Hellebuyck ahead of Game 6 tonight, how the Leafs approach their second-round matchup against the Panthers and much more. Later, Nick and Justin regroup with Sam McKee to discuss Brandon Hagel's comments on Aaron Ekblad's hit and answer your questions on the text line!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.

Welcome back into the studio. It's our national show on the Real Kipper and Bourne show. We are live on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, Sportsnet 960 in Calgary, right across your Sportsnet platforms. Download us whenever you can't catch us live. This hour of Real Kipper and Bourne brought to you by Bet365. Today we'll also take some texts. Sammy?

$5.95, $5.90, text us. Get them in early so we can get them organized for the last segment. We'll take lots of texts, not just about the lease, nationally. Oilers, jets, Habs, whatever you want to text, text us. In a few minutes, we'll welcome in Doug McLean on our Off the Rails Friday. Plenty of takes, I'm sure, for him. We'll just sit back and welcome him in and I don't know, we'll go for coffee or something while he goes on.

Sure, we need like cardboard cutouts of ourselves or something. In the meantime, let's discuss four straight wins by the Edmonton Oilers off a team that we thought would have been better prepared than any other time that they've met the Oilers in a Stanley Cup playoff round the Los Angeles Kings. Let me do my best Doug McLean. Really LA? Really? I mean, seriously. Pretty good. I mean, really? I mean, come on LA. Like what?

You're not squinty enough. It comes down to two things, boys. Two things. Challenge failed clear. Byfield doesn't get it out past Deschard. The challenge from Hiller on the goal on the goalie interference. Yeah, a couple of key moments. You can't open the door and let the Oilers get their foot in

there again. And that's what guys like that do. They take advantage of your mistakes and your worst moments and boy, did they ever. So let's give the Oilers some credit here because I will remember. I will remember. I will remember the oilers in this series more so than any other time with players around McDavid and dry saddle. Then those guys carrying the load.

Yeah. Last night, I think three points for Connor Brown last night and Those guys rallied around those guys our Browns a hockey player man. He loves this I think the team rallied around their two superstars and and basically made a decision that we are not gonna let them down I think it's pretty funny that Matias the emmer the only time he'll ever be mentioned in the same sentence as Mario Lemieux But he went full of Mario Lemieux. Yeah, the fake leg up to his skate buddy. Yanmar can playoffs is like maybe he is very He is an unbelievable playoff performer. Yeah, so now I mean they're they're on to Vegas

But it feels like they're getting things sorted out like Trent Frederick got on the board Kane has been involved for them but there there was a stretch of the hockey game last night where you're like okay is anyone gonna play defense at all I know is is this a different looking can either one of these teams like continue to win like this can they go to a conference final or Stanley Cup final if they're just gonna sit there and exchange chances? I will say having covered the Toronto Maple Leafs over the past bajillion years in playoffs, watching the Oilers games has always made me feel like, why does it always look like this? The Kings are the best defensive team in the NHL outside. Winnipeg had a lower goals

against but Kings were right there but they they turned them into a like they turned it into a track meet yeah well the Kings tried to go at him with 4 4d yeah you know and that's that was not sustainable for them them losing those two games and they had him down and out buried him but yeah full credit to the Oilers they they seem to stretch teams out and be able to score on just about whomever. So now you get the Vegas Golden Knights and who would bet against Edmonton ever? Okay, let's welcome him in. Doug McLean, off the rails Friday.

NHL, former president, GM, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Oh no, you're starting off with I'm sour? Well, you know what? I picked LA to win the series sort of. The team, I watched them a couple of games. I mean, there's too much Hollywood in that group. Too much Hollywood. Who's Hollywood for you? I don't know.

They all played like Hollywood stars. I mean, give me a break. It was ridiculous the way they played. And coaching, Jimmy Hiller, I coached Jimmy in Detroit, but me a break. I mean, it was ridiculous the way they played and coaching Jimmy Hiller, you know, I coached Jimmy in Detroit, but a couple of monumental mistakes. And you know what, you get them down to nothing and they go to Pickard and goal. I mean, full marks to Pickard the way he played and the way he battled and the way it was almost like the team rallied around him and really, you know, it was good to see.

And like you guys said, I mean, their secondary guys come through. I saw Arvidsson, I ripped Arvidsson a few times this year. He made some big time plays at some critical times in this game. Boucher came around and made some big plays. You know, you can never bet against Dreisaitl and McDavid because they make a lot of guys accountable in that dressing room and their leaders that we saw last year going to the finals, their leaders. So you can stuff to count them out. But I don't know they Hollywood, the Hollywood stars didn't come out to play.

Is that something that will haunt Jim Hiller? Well, you know, when you're a first time coach, it stays with you a little? Well, you know what? When you're a first time coach, it stays with you a little bit, but you know, Jimmy proved this year he's a pretty good NHL coach, you know, you don't expect to change there. Do you? I, if there's a change there, it wouldn't surprise me. It might be in the, in the front office. Rob, there has been some talk about Rob Blake stepping down even last year. Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me.

Not get fired, not get fired, but stepping down. That wouldn't surprise me. The way it's been described to me is Rob Blake's always been on one year deals. That's it. And it will really be his decision when it's all said and done. Yeah, exactly. So we'll see. I mean, it's funny. You know, I was looking at Seattle today, Dave Haxel, and I see his name out there for a coaching job now. And I'm thinking, man, talk

about a step back. Haxel gets that group in the playoffs. And Dan Balsma comes in with what's her name? What's the assistant's name? Jessica Campbell. I hear that the coaching there this year was scary bad. That's what I've been told by a lot of people that people were shaking their heads, what they were trying to get them to do in the power play, what they were trying to get them to do defensively. They're all gone. I think in, and I think they've retained Jessica.

I think that's how it's been left in Seattle. Jessica, is she going to become the head coach or is she going to stay as a system? I have no idea. Are they doing interviews there? Was there six open jobs? No, eight maybe. Is that right?

Eight. Yeah. Doug, you're back in. Yeah, I'm back in Watching a few of these games. I wouldn't Surprise me that I make it a call. Oh man. Oh man. There's okay. All right You brought up coaching. We've got a lot of listeners in Vancouver Are you surprised not surprised Rick talk it to no longer?

Associated as a head coach anymore there No doesn't surprise me in the least as a matter of fact I think I may have mentioned on this show through four months ago. He's gonna end up in Philly Yeah, you guys don't you got to take save the clips and run them every once in a while, you know, okay great, you know You know just run them back. But anyway, look what a what a debacle Conference final last year and lose in a tough series and this year it is a debacle all season long I don't get it. You know, I don't get what's happened there. I mean look the Miller-Peterson thing was allowed to get out of control You know Quinn the talk of Quinn going with his brother,

Jimmy brings it up. I'd never heard that. I guess it's out there, but Jimmy brings it up. I mean, it was just one debacle after another and why would talk at stay? Well, why would he, you know, when there's eight other jobs available? I mean, they've got to fix it. I mean, I said it to you guys, one Canadian on the team, Patrick Alvina is a general manager.

I mean, with all the people Jimmy Rutherford knows in the game, like, come on, what's he? Anyway, I just, I don't get it. It's a mess. One coach vacancy that we can take off that list is the Rangers. So Sullivan, like, I guess they parted ways in Pitt knowing that there was a bag of money waiting for him

with the New York Rangers. Everybody is led to believe that he has now set a new mark for head coaching positions that what I hear could be north of $7 million. So does he say to Kyle Dubas, I want out or does Kyle say we want to make a change? Kyle made it sound like it was his decision to go buy one of the better coaches in the NHL. Why? So you can deliver them on a silver platter to the New York Rangers who are in your View you play against in your conference. Like what are they what's going on here? Who makes that decision?

Well, like who's he gonna put in there that's gonna turn this franchise around Clearly, I think both of them aren't on the same page on the amount of time it would take to turn this franchise around. And I don't think Sullivan was willing to kind of wait as long as maybe... So are you telling me he quit? Dubas said he fired him. Whatever the case is, Mac, at the end of the day, Sullivan was very well liked by the ownership group, had a good relationship with the ownership group ownership group, Sullivan really wanted to stay. He could have stayed. I think Sullivan interviewed Dubas for the GM job.

Wasn't he on the interview panel? Is that right? There you go. What is going on there? Anyway, I had a great chat with Kyle a week or so ago there. I mean, I'm thinking, you know, he tell me, you know, they're going through a rebuild. I said, yeah. I said, I've watched Detroit go through it for eight years now. Buffalo go through it for 14 years. Columbus go through it for 20. You know, it's not easy.

You know, it's not easy. I'm sure he really appreciated that from you. You may want to start with a really good coach. That's what you may want to start the rebuild with if you possibly can. Player coach. That's what they need now. A player coach and Sid. They do, they have one of those already. Sid. And Malkin and Letang. There's a number of them there.

So what do you make of the coaching carousel that's out there? I know your boy Jard Galant is someone you like quite a bit. You got a spot for him or what? You know what, I'd love to see him with the Bruins. I don't know what they're gonna do, but you know, he's had... Look, I mean, the Rangers fire him after he took them to the conference final in his first year and the next year they lose out to New Jersey, which was a pretty good team. And they fire him in Lavielette, to talk about a gong show. That was the ultimate gong show I've watched with the Rangers under Laviolette this year. So look, I wouldn't, I mean, yeah, I'd like to see him with the Bruins. There's any of the jobs, he would be a good fit.

All he's done is gone to the finals in his first year in Vegas. He went to the conference final with the Rangers. Yeah, he deserves another chance. For sure he does. And I look at the list of names and after the top three or four, we're back to the run of the mill average coaches. I mean, I hear the Carl guy, now I heard his name today, maybe in Anaheim. Yeah, in Anaheim. And that makes a little bit of sense to me because they've got such a young Young group in Anaheim and they've got some great young players I can see that much like what San Jose did with their coaching hire last year. So I that makes sense to me

Joel Quenville does not make any sense to me in Anaheim Joel Quenville makes sense to me with a veteran team I heard it makes sense to the league if he comes back that he goes to a Team that doesn't have a ton of coverage Do you think that matters? I? do But you know what when the league makes a decision that Stan Bowman and he are allowed to come back Then they should stay out of it. They had they had all the power They've made the decision

that they've been reinstated, apparently, have they, with Joel? Has he been... Yes, there's no way that you're interviewing without it. So then, so why would they be trying to determine where he should go? Well, they're not, Max. I know they like to place GMs and coaches. I know that's part of their job description. They're not dumb, Max. They're not dumb. They know, they know. I know that's part of their job description. They're not dumb, Mac. They're not dumb. They know where,

some markets would create a lot more noise with Joel than others. That's just, that's just kind of a no brainer. Why don't the league let the owner make that decision? And the GM make that decision? Why? I'm not saying they're making any decision. I'm just telling you what they probably like to see in a perfect world is, is Joel come

back into the league without a lot of backlash. That's all. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's good. They place most of the GMs and coaches anyway. So that's part of the job description, I guess with Betman and Daley. Hold on tin foil hat right now. The league's placing GMs you think?

Come on. Who do you think the owners phone when they're looking for a GM? So they call Gary and say, Gary, who should we get? There's recommendations made Mac. It's been going on for a long time. The owners depend on Gary and Bill Daley. I'm not criticizing them for making the GM calls because look, let's not kid ourselves. The owners get in the league because of Gary. That's how they get in the league. And why wouldn't they rely on him to help them find a GM? You know, the people that are in the front office at the NHL have got a pretty good feel as to who the GMs that are available.

And I, yeah, they, yeah, they make lots of recommendations. There's no doubt about that. Okay, let's get it back on the rails here with a little hockey here, Winnipeg and St. Louis. Colorado and Dallas, of course, and a critical one on Saturday night here. Where do you see, let's start with Winnipeg and St. Louis for you. Well, St. Louis have been really physical. I mean, they have been hard on Winnipeg and

I expected them to be going into the series, that they would be physical. I hate the thought of seeing Ehlers and Shifeley as question marks tonight. That bothers me for the Jets. I love what they've done in St. Louis. Army's done a heck of a job in his last year as GM, retooling that team. I think it goes seven games. To me, the guy that's got to step up is Hellebuck. When is this going to end for this guy? I mean, an absolute star in the regular season.

He goes through the Four Nations, doesn't win that. Binnington outduels him there. Not his fault, but he was outdueled by Binnington. He's got to get it done. I feel for him because he's got to somehow, someway get over this playoff, the haunting of the playoffs for Hellebuck. It's got to happen and they're a nice team. I love how they play but going in there tonight with potentially a couple key guys out of the lineup is not easy. And you know I like what Chevy's done. But look, Chevy, what's going to happen with Chevy? Is he not in the last year of his deal?

And I mean, this guy 14 years in the league as a GM and the job he's done there for me is phenomenal. And are they going to are they going to step up and pay Chevy what Chevy's worth in today's market? That's going to be fun to watch too. What are you hearing on that? I have not. All those rumors. in today's market. That's gonna be fun to watch too. What are you hearing on that, Kip? I have not.

All those rumors. No, you're the scoopster today because I didn't know he was in his last year. Like talking about like, you know, using like golf handicaps, like Chevy is giving strokes to everyone out there with the Minnesota, sorry, Winnipeg thing. Like how many players have them on the no trade list?

How much harder is his job than the next GM in the league? It's unbelievably challenging. There's no and that's why I'm saying in 14 years this guy and this guy is a pure hockey guy a pure hockey guy and and you know, he's paid his dues, you know in the in the International League system in Chicago and Look, I think he's done a marvelous job there. I really do. And that's, you know, I, you know, look, I feel,

I like Doug Armstrong. He's a friend of mine. I'd like to see Winnipeg win this series. I really would. For Chevy, to be quite honest. Colorado and Dallas last night, we saw one of the weirdest game winning goals. It was, it went off of Sam Steele shot it off Blackwell's shoulder.

Sam Steele shot it off. It was crazy. It was Steve Smith, Edmonton Oilers behind the net kind of deal. I know, I know this, this is a, this series is a is a toss-up two really really good teams To me the guy that's been a little disappointing for me is Ottinger I you know, I really have liked him as a goalie and I'm seeing like a lot of holes I'm seeing a lot of pucks go through this guy that is caught me off guard and Blackwood, you know, he hasn't got a great resume.

I mean, I know he was good in Jersey at times and I was a little surprised they'd pick him to be a Stanley Cup goalie, but hey, he's played pretty well and Otter to me has got to be better. And you know, listen, Dallas is doing this without Heisken and Robertson, not your Robinson, their Robinson and they're doing it without that. You know, without him. That's two of their top players. I mean, Colorado should have got to take advantage of this because Dallas get those two guys back in the next round. They're going to be dangerous. Yeah. And Rantanen was an absolute horse last night.

An absolute horse. So, you know, that's a toss up for me and it'll be interesting to see, you know, where it goes here. Yeah, Ottengerd to me, remember that series he had against Calgary? Like it was off the charts. And we knew he was gonna end up with a good contract, but I mean, he signed what what eight years at $66 million.

And I don't think he's been good ever since he signed that contract like he should be. And yeah, and he's, you know, this is, look, this is a tough, look, you're going against Nathan McKinnon and company. It's not an easy task to say the least. They got, you know, it goes back to this two three thing like give me a break I mean

The teams are losing in the two three hole anyway. I'm not gonna go there I've already had my chat about you know the great job. They're doing at the league I don't know you know I can't pick on them now after the great job. They've done everything else you know We were talking about Canadian goaltending there with the Hellebuck thing, and I wanted to direct that to the baby jersey behind me here, the Edmonton Oilers. They went with Pickard for four games.

Do you think they give... Skinner was the guy they decided was their guy somewhere along the way. Do you think they say, okay, he got us through, now we're gonna give Stu another chance? No. No?

Stu will get his chance when Pickard... you know, when Pickard goes south and you know, who knows, you know, next series is going to be another tough series. I mean, I'm really, I'm really anxious to see what happens there. So they're playing Vegas, right? That's in the next round. So I mean, Vegas had their hands full with Minnesota. Minnesota got healthy. Minnesota played really well early in the series and then they let it slip away a little bit like LA. And, you know, Nick and I were talking, I mean, Stone, how do you

ever say that Stone and Petro Angelo aren't just unbelievable leaders? Nick mentioned that to me today. They've got a pretty good group there. The Eichel Line came alive. They weren't very good early on. The defense, Hannepin, wasn't very good. McNabb weren't very good early on. They come on. So some people have picked them to win the Cup. I mean, I watched a couple of pollsters picking the Cup winners there. And a couple of pollsters picking the cup winners there. One guy picked Winnipeg to win it, one guy picked Vegas to win it. I never got asked to pick who I thought. I must have missed that show.

We'll get you on that email next year. Yeah, I must have missed that email to pick my spots. But I noticed I just went through the sports net. I went through the sports net list the other day. Somebody sent it to me on their picks. I don't, I don't know. Every one of them picked Tampa to win the, to beat Florida, which caught me a little off guard except one guy. One guy didn't pick Tampa. No, there was Rory to our sports net.ca editor What did born pick who did born pick sounds like you have that answer already in your pocket?

Hey, I know I think the only guy that picked floor picked Florida in that series was Sam McKee wasn't he? Or was it you Nick Nick? It was somebody. Mac, they didn't ask me to pick big picks either. All I know is I'm taking heat today because I picked the Kings in six and it was based on you. So like I made a mistake listening to you.

Well, that's the only pick I was able to make was that one. It's the only one I was asked about that series. How surprised were you that Florida had the ease to advance over Tampa Bay? You know what, being realistic, I thought it would be a really good series. I really did. And it wasn't even close, guys.

It wasn't close that series to me. We're talking about Hall of Famers, Kucherov, point. I know. I know. I know it was announced today that headman had a broken leg. Did you hear that one? He played it. He pulled a Bobby bond. Did he? He tried without the game winning goal. Yeah. I mean, seriously, I didn't know that, but Kucherov had a horrific series. Point was okay. Hegel, you know, that was a loss for them. Unfortunate loss for them. They shut them down.

Florida are a vicious team to play against. What about Matthew Kachuk? Didn't he miss the last two months of the season or three months? Yeah, he was really hurt. And you watch him and it's like he hasn't missed a beat. I mean, was that a holdout till game one again? Have we witnessed in another LTI? He couldn't have played April 17th. No way. No way. He couldn't have. But I'll tell you what, he comes into the lineup and they're a different team and Bennett who Nick's always loved and always wanted Toronto to get Bennett.

He's, he's become a horse. This guy. And, and I haven't even mentioned, you know, Marshawn and he started to feel comfortable too. Isn't he? Oh, like you see the play made on that goal the other night, the play he made on that goal So that passed where that were unbelievable play. Where can the Leafs? Beat them or at least extend this series as far as they can where in in what way do you see? Well, they've got to figure out how they're going to handle Florida's four check because it's a ferocious for check. I mean, I've not, they may be the best for checking team I've seen in the league in the

last 10 years. I'm telling you the way they go at you and their defense doesn't have to be as good because they're in the other teams end so much that the ice tilt is must be extraordinary for the Florida. I'll give you an update at the start of the second round. Don't worry. Okay. I appreciate that.

But look, I think I think Toronto has got to be able to handle it. And look, I was impressed with Toronto's look Toronto's blue line stood tall in the Ottawa series. They really did. And that group of six Morgan Riley, I mean, Carlo was a great pickup because he calmed down. McCabe and Tanniff. Morgan Riley, McCain and Tanniff. Benoit, you know, we talked about Benoit four or five

months ago on this show that I was starting to see a guy that was playing really well for them. And Solars was terrific as well. Now Stollers has got a match up against Goalie Bob. And Goalie Bob is focused in right now. So that's gonna be an interesting matchup. Toronto's blue line versus Florida's with Jones. He played 28 minutes the other night. He played the best game I've seen him play since the trade. Jones was really good.

And up front, they're vicious. So Toronto, I really like what Verube did some subtle changes. He put, he took the pressure off the core, whatever they're called. He took the pressure off them. And, and all of a sudden, their lineup finally looked like they had a bottom six. Patchoretti going up in the top six and allowing McMahon to go to the bottom six. And Lawton has come on and played an important role. He's played hard.

Domi, yeah, Lawton has played exactly the way he should be playing. Domi's made some plays. I got to tell you, their bottom six, I said for five years in Toronto, they got to tell you their bottom six. It's the I said for five years Toronto they've never had the right bottom six and finally they've got a decent bottom six So that's going to be interesting to see how where that takes them matthews I don't know what's going on with matthews, but sammy better figure it out soon. I mean because

I he's got to be a lot better than he's been. Nylander was good last night. He was horrible the game before. And Mitch plays, plays hard. I know people are down on but Mitch Marner plays hard. And John DeBarris has played. He said Nylander have got to show more consistency for me. And they're in going to be it's it's paid. They're dangerous and they can't the Leafs haven't the Leafs are one of the few teams that have a chance to go head to head with Florida because of their talent, because of the big plays they can make at critical times. So we'll see. You're upset you didn't

get to make picks. How many games did the Leafs win? One, two, three, or four? Oh, zero is also an option, Doug. You know, and it wouldn't surprise me that it could be a six game series. I know one thing that the, I think that the Leafs coaching staff, well, Savard's there. The Leafs, I was gonna say the Leafs coaching staff

is tougher, but then, you know, I forgot about Savard there, and who's the other assistant? Lane Lambert and Van Ryn. Have you caught a little bit of Barube and Savard on the bench and trying to calm them down? It kind of looks like sometimes Biff and McFly sometimes. I would, I would never criticize anybody for being goofy behind the bench. I had a little of that in me, but when the power play scores, Savvy gets so excited. So excited when his power play scores, and I don't blame him.

I don't blame him. So look, I thought I thought Perubi did a good job in this series. I did. And I thought Travis Green did. Ottawa stood tall. Look, you know, it was a high seed, the number one seed versus the the seventh seed. I thought Ottawa stood tall in there. I hate it. The call last night they missed with what three minutes left knocking the stick into the hand. There's you see that? There's two, listen guys. No.

There's two calls that are automatic in the NHL. Two of them. Okay. Puck over the glass and knocking the stick out of somebody's hand. Automatic calls. You're not getting that call in a critical six or seven. The knocking out of the. Well then don't call it, if you're not getting it then don't call it in the regular season.

Okay. If you're not getting it, they call the puck over the glass in in the seventh game They did it Edmonton and Carolina a few years ago custom the cop So if you're gonna call it in the regular season and never miss one of them Never miss one of them and they miss that one with was it three minutes left. Come on I thought you stood pretty tall on this segment until that last Comment on a non call for knocking a stick out of hands. Well, I'm just getting back at Steve Walkum

because he runs around, he's got a tape of me on his phone. I told you that. Have you been spitting gum at somebody? Oh no, Steve Walkum, who I love, Steve Walkum, by the way. Oh yeah. He has me on a voicemail on his phone. He's had it for 15 years he told me and every time he gets down in the dumps and things aren't going well he plays the tape of me phoning him at 11 o'clock at night going ballistic on the phone ripping him a new ass.

So he plays that and he said, Doug it just makes me feel better. plays that and he said, Doug, it just makes me feel better. Is there is there anyone you don't love before you rip them on our show? I didn't rip them. I'm the one that phoned them. And what about Mike Murphy's at the NHL Alumni Bank when he said in front of a thousand people there two weeks ago that I was a nutbar as a GM on the phone. front of a thousand people there two weeks ago that I was a nutbar as a GM. That guy, that Mike Murphy, always told it like it is, baby. I love Mike Murphy.

Good God, Murph. You have to, you know, NHL alumni, I had 10 calls. And Scott Morrison, sitting next to him at the head head table after Murph said I was a nut nutbar calling the Leafs so much and Scott Morrison and Santa next to him my my co-writer says he hasn't changed that's what Scott said. Any chance that we can get you to cover the Leafs and and Florida for us an exclusive like sideline reporting for us we'll we'll send you well we can't get you a ticket to the game, but we can send you to the like parking lot.

Listen, I would love to do it, but today I played 18 holes with Jack Armstrong yesterday, my last golf game. Hello. And I, hello. And I cleaned the barbecue today. So what's that tell you? What's going on when I cleaned the barbecue?

What's that mean? You're heading north? I'm heading north on Tuesday. I'm heading to Canada on Tuesday. Well, we're taking, well, actually we're going to stop in Cincinnati, then to friends in Connecticut, and then we're going to go to Martha's Vineyard for a little visit. And then we'll be home May 20th. How much should they pay you when you're not here?

We'll be on the road. You'll have to get me. Sammy's going to have to find me on the road all over from your RV, from the RV, right? Have you got the RV? No, I sold the RV. Oh, come on. All right. All right. All right. All right. Max vacation coming up the next month on the real kipper and boring show. All right, Mack. Thanks for doing this pal. Hey guys. Thanks a lot for having me on. I really appreciate it. Yeah, you sure do. Yeah. All right. Doug McLean. Anything he says, I don't believe them anymore. Game time. Game time. Game time. Is it about bet three, six five visit the app, play the odds and find out why it's ever ordinary at bet 365

Must be 19 plus on terror only please play responsibly. So we have a game six this evening 738 p.m. Puck drop pregame on CBC and Sportsnet hockey night in Canada ETS jets jets jets the Winnipeg Jets are in st. Louis to try to put away the blues They are minus 105 on the money line the st. Louis blues minus 115 pretty close there Blue the blues are slight underdogs No, shay flea though This one going seven totally agree. I This one going seven. Totally agree.

I, Connor Hellebuck, is gonna let us form muffins. I called it. Dude, Nick Ealers is back. Ealers is my guy. There's gonna be some, there's gonna be a muffin or two from Hellebuck. Don't you, don't you say that. There's gonna be a muffin or two from Hellebuck. He's brutal on the road to the playoffs.

He's brutal. He's brutal. He's been brutal. When the pig wins. Now I know why you whispered. He's brutal. He was capital B brutal in those two games there. Statement Hellebuck game tonight. Oh, okay. Okay

for the record you are The positive guy. Yes Yeah fire and ice baby and then tomorrow night Sat on Saturday. We have a game seven between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars We have a game seven between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars. The Dallas Stars are underdogs on home ice. Plus 115. The Colorado Avalanche are minus 135.

So interesting number there. I love a game seven in any sport, but it's particularly in hockey between those two teams. This series always going seven. They should have started this series in game seven It was never not going. What was your prediction for a Stanley Cup final? Tampa Bay is this like preseason or post predictions we did Go okay, but how about at the beginning of the season at the beginning of the season do you remember?

Edmonton Edmonton Toronto, yeah, Do you remember? Edmonton, I think. Edmonton, Toronto? Yeah, no Edmonton. Edmonton, Tampa. Tampa? I don't, they don't ask me. Nah. You?

You were Dallas. Dallas. At the beginning of the year, I had Florida, Dallas. And then, for some reason, I'm an idiot, because I wanna stick with what I picked, I forgot I picked out Dallas and I put Colorado Oh, yeah, good picks. So I'm kind of covered So you're gonna be smart either at the beginning of the season or in my post and just the last thing I'll bring up quickly the they have some of the

Sorry to Win the series. I'm trying to pull this up quickly. The, some of the series for the second round here. The Washington Capitals are actually underdogs in that series, plus 145 in that series for the full series. Edmonton and Vegas, minus 115 Edmonton, minus 105 Vegas, close series.

And the Toronto Maple Leafs plaster this on the white board in the down at Scotiabank arena starting on home ice are big underdogs dogs plus one 50 the Florida Panthers are minus one 80 in that series. So there you go. That was game time. It's not about three, six, five. Is it the athlete? A thousand find out why it's ever ordinary at bat? Three, six, five, must 19 plus Ontario only please play it responsibly all right let's catch our breath here and when we return we'll get in a little John Cooper what's his future like in Tampa Bay Sullivan's gone how far is coupe away from parting ways with the Tampa Bay Lightning plus tax tax, tax, 595 90. Yep. Back when we return after these words,

everything you need to know about the blue J's Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program. Nick Kiprio's Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. It's a reminder this hour of Real Kipper and Bourne brought to you by bet three, six, five, as we get ready for an all important game tonight, St. Louis and Winnipeg and then that leads us into the weekend Colorado and Dallas. Hey, I wanted to bring up a tweet I just saw. Okay. Chris Botta, long time islander, guy, pal of mine, says Lou Lamarillo never had any intention of retiring and he has not ruled out remaining in the game if teams are interested. He has spoken with several colleagues around the league who reached out after his time with the

Isles ended. Boy. Yeah I think I think it was mentioned to me that perhaps the Islanders would have liked to find him something as an advisor. Internally. Yeah and he's you know lose an all-in guy. It's crazy too, because like, you know, he would love to live in that area. Like that's, you know, he spent a lot of time in the tri-state area. You think he would be like, yeah, yeah, like, oh, sure. Keep me around, stay a part of this. But he wants to be. The guy.

The guy. Is there a team? It's a good question. We're, we're at, we're stretching the limits of is it a good idea Blackhawks I Don't know. I don't know. I mean I have so much respect for the man can knocks But I don't know when someone's talking about all those when it's not up. Yeah. Yeah, right Have no idea. I don't either. All right. Anyway, stuff that was interesting.

OK, we had a text about John Cooper, so I thought I read the text. Maybe then you could talk about John. Sure. OK. This is from Larry McKay. Oh, Larry in. I just said his full name, but he's Larry in Caledonia. John Cooper is just what the Blackhawks need and have needed and needed in a coach. They must pursue him.

I was hoping they would pursue Sullivan when I heard he was available until I heard Kippers insider info on the Rangers. The time is now to build these young players. The Hawks have had and Cooper is a great fit. I agree. Every team would benefit from having John Cooper. If he doesn't want to go anywhere then... Well, the extension was just for one year, right? So you don't sign an extension for one year and then walk away from it. So I don't think we should be too surprised

that he's coming back next season. But this next season will be the fork in the road. And it's probably set up for him to probably part ways after next year. It would be what, 10, 11 years, 12 years longer. Yeah, he's there in 2013. Oh, gosh. Okay. Yeah. So this year, something at 1213. And it is a long time. I think Sullivan was at that point too, where it's like, maybe I need a fresh change, a new challenge, a new doubled my salary challenge.

Well, that's, you know, switching. Can't hurt. Employers tend to do that. Yeah. That's interesting. It'll, Temple Bay Lightning as well as a franchise that has managed to stay in the thick of things every year for how long have we talked about them

as a contending Stanley Cup team and the assets that they've turned into, given up first, second, thirds and fourth picks all these years and I don't know, are they at a fork in the road too here because they still have guys in their prime and Kuturov and Point and, but I don't know what happens after next year. Yeah, tough to know, right? It is, and I think part of if you're a guy like Cooper is picking, you're drafting the next team that you think has got a good run of playoffs ahead of them.

Good core. It should not be underestimated that Florida targeted Pointe and Kucherov. Okay, they shot them right down. And there's no question in my mind, they're going right after Marner and Matthews. Game one. Okay, get ready boys, they're coming after you.

Better be ready. So talking about the Tampa Stars, talking about the targeting stuff, they guess they were doing locker cleanout day today in Tampa and Brandon Hagel had a pretty impassioned speech about what happened to him on the ice Yeah that ecblad forearm shiver. Yeah, let's hear it. I mean, it's it's a long clip. We'll get my hair it It's about it's like two minutes and 30 seconds So bear with it and he's kind of drawn out and he sounds like he maybe just got hit in the head recently

But listen to the clip, but it's really good. Love it. Brandon Hagel. Listen, I know there's accidents in hockey and there's hits that are made that your shoulders down maybe catches ahead. The sports of fast. It happens very often and you don't like to see it obviously. But I don't know, it's tough because you only got one of the things up here. You only got one of the things up here. And I guess for myself, I don't know, that was as purposeful as you could possibly see a headshot, to say the least and if with the situation with what was going on of course yeah I'm

all for the playoffs is trying like we're not everyone knows how the playoffs works hit their top players try and do something but try and do it clean and hopefully you get a good it happens in the playoffs like it's the reality every player thinks the same we're not it's not anything anything different it hasn't changed it's been going on for years it's it's hard to win a Stanley Cup and and it's hard to do it when all the top players are in the lineup but I don't think anyone's going out there to purposely try and injure someone.

And I thought that was the case on myself, which... All right, I've had enough. Is there anything else? No. Was it just more of that kind of thing? Did he say anything more? He went on and talked about how he wishes that if if he had a broken arm he could have played, if he had a broken foot he could have played,

if he had something, it was like the head shot. But he also, I believe he said that he's got something coming for him or something like that about Eklat. Yeah, but I mean, did he specifically talk about Eklat? Yeah, that's what he was talking about there. He just said it. When you cut him off, he was like,

yeah, I didn't think that was the case with me. Okay, why wouldn't he think that was the case with him? If that's the case, then I guess I don't have a bad memory. Okay, this is a guy that targeted Barkov. Yeah. Like, the heart and soul of Florida, you took a very healthy run at hurting their heart and soul captain. Where do you think that they're not coming after you? This team, Florida, with all of their bulls, where did you think they weren't coming after you?

Here's the thing from that we didn't get to that I did like was he said, I would have answered the bell if he would have said, let's fight. I don't care if I would have got my ass kicked. But you don't get to choose how I want to come after you. Sorry, you don't. Yeah. And once you cross a line, and he did, he crossed the line. He took out with the intent to hurt Barkov. That's how you hit in the playoffs. You hit to hurt. Okay, puck's not near you.

I'm committed to this hit, whether you have the puck or not, and I'm gonna do it. You don't get to choose how a team wants retribution. You just got to show up whenever they come. And I'm sorry, I have no sympathy for Hegel getting a forearm from Ekblad. That's how teams do it. That no, I'm sorry, that's how the Florida Panthers do it. Okay. And just be ready, gracily.

Just be ready. This is how sometimes you have to make a decision whether or not you're going to hurt your team or help your team. Somehow some way works for Florida. This reminds me of the speech in, what's it? Did you order the Code Red from, was it a few good men or something like that? And he's like, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall How dare you criticize the manners in which this is the way the Florida Panthers have won

They stick together better than any team. I've seen probably in 20 years Okay. Yeah And they get away with murder after him you go after all of us. We are gonna get you back that's what they told Hegel. And they did. And you know what? Echblad and the rest of the team. Best two game suspension I could ever take.

That's what they're thinking today. And it makes us better, stronger, makes us stick together. Now I don't agree with the idea that Hegel doesn't have the right to be mad about it. Buddy, you can be mad all you want. I don't care. Yeah. Don't care. Yeah.

And that's just him being mad about it to me. It's like, you know, if you wanted to fight, I would have fought. Of course you have a right to be mad, disappointed, whatever. It's coming for Echblad is the implication. I think there's some foreshadowing from Where did you not know that? That's what happens Well, I mean they were chasing him around. He probably did know when he just got caught Buddy, I follow in Grandfury. I know what's coming. Mm-hmm from Tony twist and all the rest of them pronger I know what's coming

Just take... Hey, just be ready. Just be ready. You hit Barkov. You knocked him out of the game. We didn't know whether he's going to come back or not. Yeah, that's a malicious hit. I thought he was done. I thought he was done I do take. And you think you have a right to decide how they're gonna get retribution on you? No, we decide. Yeah. Not you. Yep.

Agree. Yeah, I think you could argue that the Barkov hit, which you guys will disagree with me, was a hockey play. The other one wasn't. No. I've said this many times. At the end of the day as a teammate, I don't care if it's clean,

I don't care if it's hockey, not hockey. You try to hurt one of my guys, I'm gonna try to hurt one of your guys. And specifically you. It'll be fun playing that game with Florida. You can't play that game with Florida. The Leafs can't play that game with Florida. They will lose that

is not their game hello boys Jeff and the schwa here any thoughts on London Knights first Oshawa generals that's the final going for the OHL championship that's the CFL here's what I'll tell you the London Knights featuring the Leafs prospect he's in count they went 12 and 0 through these the OHL's Western Conference they trailed for 1556 one series 1359 one series in 56 seconds in one series going 12 and 0. Easton Count crushing it. So what do you think the hunters do with all that money? Ah spend it. Not on clothes. I don't know. It's a problem I'd like to try to sort out once in my life.

Okay, the most successful two human beings in junior hockey history. Yes, for sure. It's just unbelievable the run that they've had. It's been great. Good for them. The attack led for the longest out of all three teams by the way. What do you think is going to happen tonight? Jets?

Game seven? Game seven. It's over. Jets get it done. It's going back, it's going back to the peg baby. Our thanks to Doug McLean at the top of the hour. Did we have anybody in the first? No, oh the Leafline callers. Oh the Leafline callers.

Courtney. Courtney. Hey, how about Sharpie guys? Oh yeah. So apparently they think I'm- I don't think we have that much time. They think I'm a kleptomaniac. You are. Because I steal your pens. They sent me a ton. Thank you Sharpie Canada.

Really appreciate it. I'm looked after. Have a great weekend everybody and we're back on Monday. Real Kipper and Bourne. Thanks.