Spittin Chiclets - Spittin' Chiclets Episode 19: Featuring Taylor Hall from Barstool HQ

Episode Date: February 24, 2017

On this week's show, Taylor Hall of the New Jersey Devils stops by Barstool headquarters in Manhattan to join us for the entire Facebook Live episode. Hall candidly talks about his time in Edmonton, his adjustment to New Jersey, what it was like living with Whits, and tons of other stuff. We also have plenty of laughs as well to cap off #ChicletsTakeManhattan week.You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/schiclets

Hey, Spittin' Chicklets listeners, you can find every episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. This is episode 19 of Spittin' Chicklets, brought to you by Barstool Sports, and brought to you by Martin Bow. If you're like me, an older guy, you haven't probably bought jeans in quite a long time, go out and get a pair of Martin Bows. They are the most comfortable jeans in the world. Mikey Grinelli, I come in all dressed up. I got dolled up. I put my Martin Bow jeans on today.

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We're live, dude. This is crazy. We're in the studio. This does add some serious excitement. Instead of a smoky haze in a living room in South Boston, we're live in Manhattan, and we have NHL All-Star Taylor Hall with us. My past roommate in a different life in Edmonton, and it's great to see you, buddy. Thanks for coming.

Thanks for having me on. Oh, it's a pleasure to have you on. So experience of coming into this office, I mean, I walk in and the elevator opens, and then just 30 people stare up and look at you. I was so intimidated. I felt like a peasant. Literally no one says anything. They just look at you.

Yeah. And you're like, I thought I was coming to a party. I'm like, oh, people are going to be drinking and they're just down on their computers working. I guess this is what it's like. Yeah, like confetti cannons and stuff. Like, you know, Bart Simpson thinks he's going to Mad Magazine. It's a wild scene. You walk in and it's like an iPhone factory in here. And the lady in the front, I was like, hey, she's like, what?

I was like, holy shit, man. What am I doing here? But it's a great honor to be in the front I was like Hey she's like what I was like Holy shit man What am I doing here But it's a great It's a great honor To be in the studios And before we really Get into it Dave isn't here

So I can't fucking Shoot on him What I We went out of I came out of my way To come to Charlestown I cut a stick

You know my knobs That I used to use So I used to use When we played I had a I have like a wooden piece That you I shaved down So it's not as thick As the shaft of the stick Because I'm not used to Holding, when we played, I had like a wooden piece that I shaved down.

So it's not as thick as the shaft of the stick because I'm not used to holding a thick shaft. Of course. I know. So I had Grinelli come pick my stick up, tape it up. I brought a twig here. I took the extension out. Yeah, the shaft. Yeah, that took me forever.

And he's not here. So apparently he needed to get his tooth out today. I mean, I find it a little convenient. Everyone else says he had no idea we were coming. It is what it is. Well, he knows where to find you. You're across the river. It's bullshit.

It really is. So Halsey, give us some dirt on this guy. He's always talking shit. There's no dirt. I mean, tell us everything. Give me a topic. What was it like? I mean, was he a slob living with?

I wouldn't say a slob. Not the cleanest. It was entertaining, to say the least. I mean, this guy is 30 years old, and I'm like 21, and I am way more mature than him. Well, let me go quickly. So Halsey's number one pick. We're all excited to meet him. And I meet him on the first day of training camp.

And we're both waiting in line to see the dentist or some shit. And I introduced myself. And something ended up happening. Where at that point in the conversation did you chirp me? Remember? Oh, no. It was like my first night out in Edmonton. We were out together.

Yeah, exactly. That's what it was. The team went out together. We're all drinking. And he kind of started giving it to. The team went out together, and we're all drinking, and he kind of started giving it to me a little bit, and Sean Horkoff, our buddy, he's the captain at times, like, hey, show him a little respect. This guy played in the Olympics.

Halsey goes, yeah, he played fucking three minutes a game. And I couldn't even not laugh. I'm like, this mother, this fucking kid. Remember that hat on you had? You were trying out those... Oh, yeah, the sally cap. Train conductor hats. He always wears one, too.

He was shitting on me for wearing this thing. And looking back, I'm like 18, and this guy's like 10 years older than me, been to the cup finals, Olympics, and I'm just giving it to him. Probably a little bit too cocky for my age. But it's kind of why I really fell in love with Halsey, because I was like, this kid doesn't give a shit.

And then Eberle was like, by his side, they would just laugh at stuff together. Are those still natural chiclets? My two front ones, they're veneers now. Me and you, we both got the front veneers. Was it from chirping veterans? Did someone crack them out on you? How did you lose those? No, they just kept getting chipped and chipped,

and then I got traded here, and the dentist is like, hey. He's like, we're out of Canada, bud. You can get your teeth fixed now. Yeah, seriously. I don't think Edmonton wanted to pay for my teeth, so as soon as I got here, they were like, yeah, no problem. So what's, like, obviously you just brought up New Jersey. Now, Edmonton, New Jersey, man, I can't imagine two different locales. So what's the adjustment been like?

I mean, what's the biggest major difference other than you can go out in public in New Jersey and not get mobbed? What's the biggest difference from Edmonton to New Jersey? I mean, the weather. Like, it's 15 degrees today. Wait, hold on. Hold on. He's getting all European. No, no.

I have a great—he taught me a great trick. Do you remember the trick he taught me? It's times two plus 30. It's actually—it's like-to-five ratio plus 32. What? He's smarter than he looks. I'm telling you. He's got these little things sometimes.

He can always smart you. It's 15 times two is 30 plus 30 is 60. It's 60 here, right? Yes. Beautiful day. Nine-to-five. That's what I do now, nine-to-five job. Yes.

Yeah. Beautiful day. Nine to five. That's what I do now, nine to five job. But the biggest difference, I mean, just like pressure is a lot different. You know, in Edmonton, it's just like a fishbowl. Yeah. And you can't even – we couldn't even go to the mall by the end there. And for here, it's just, like you said, being able to walk around.

And, I mean, we have like – we get fans, we get media and stuff, but it's nothing. I mean, I could go 10 games goalless, and in Edmonton there'd be reporters every day asking you about it. He'd be burning steaks at his house that we lived at. Score a goal! And here you can just... The other thing is, though, how great is the travel in the East, dude? Okay, so we actually, our first 50 games of the year, we spent like 32 on the road.

It was insane. So I couldn't get it. I was like, oh, this is brutal here. But since January 25th, I've spent all but two nights in my own bed. We go to Philly. We go to Long Island. We play the Rangers. We're just busing there

and back it's crazy and i'm really starting to tell at this point in the season that my body is just feeling a little bit better than it would in edmonton flying around like 4 000 miles a month it's crazy people don't people don't realize like you think of yeah the eastern and west conference have different style of play, but in Edmonton, and for the Ducks, too, and for, like, Stars, every flight is three hours. Yeah. Besides when you play Calgary and those California teams. And there are some teams that, like, they don't leave the East Coast

after, like, a certain part of the schedule. No, and you're in your bed all the time after away games. Yeah. There's a couple teams, actually, in the West that have sneaky, like, terrible travel, like Dallas. Yeah, Dallas no one even thinks about. Dallas is nowhere close to anywhere, like Phoenix. These teams, that's a lot too.

And then, like, we're taking a bus to go play Long Island. It's great, man. That's actually nice. Do you guys ever take the train? No. I think sometimes Philly will take the train. Yeah, that's like the old school way. That's like they used to do it back in the train. That's like the old school way. That's like they used to do it back in the day.

It's like Bobby Orr, you know? Bobby Orr used to take the train to play the Canadiens. I heard Mel Schmidt was their conductor back in the day. Now, Taylor, when you were in Edmonton, obviously they drafted a lot of young guys, talented guys, forwards, forwards, more forwards. It seemed like they kind of just drafted all you guys and put you all out there and just kind of expected things to happen.

Did they put too much pressure on you guys' shoulders, you think? Like, just, you know, a young collection of forwards and they just expected, like, this, you know, magic to happen without really giving you all the complimentary pieces you need? I mean, Witts can talk about it, too. I don't think there was the right mix of players. Like, you've got to build from the back end out. And, you know, as a forward, you can only have such an impact on the game. And, you know, I will say that I think we could have used some better defensemen.

100%. It was the worst D core. And that's not to chirp wits. I mean, wits was playing on half an ankle, buddy. Half an ankle. And, you know, like the first year that I played with you, you were unreal. And then you got. That was the end.

I got hurt at Christmastime. And we just, we didn't have, the forwards myself, like we didn't do a good enough job, but we didn't have the veteran back end presence that we needed, especially when we had such young forwards right every good team has good defensemen and you look at most stanley cup winners they have a stud on the back every single stanley cup winner has like every i mean you look at char with the bruins dunkey to all the blackhawks dowdy you have to have like a stud and then after that all those teams have really elite number two guys. So like you said, you really do have to build from the goal out. We had Dubnik, who at the time would be like he is now one game

and then be like an East Coast League goalie the next game. So he was young, and he didn't have the confidence, and Habiboon was still there. Habibimbuzin, the best nickname ever. That guy is the man. He was the man. He was like the most misunderstood player I ever played with. Like when guys are

out there like, hey, how messed up was that Javi Boulin? I'm like, no, this guy was like the most prepared player I ever played with. He was 2004. Lightning at Calgary. The brick wall. Yeah, the Booin wall. Yeah.

I said this. People were like, how miserable is that Russian Javi Booin? I was like, he's actually the nicest guy in the world. Every day he runs an hour on the treadmill. He's shredded somehow. He's not really Javi Bambouzin. It's not an accurate nickname. That was a consmite-worthy effort, no four.

Brad Richards won it because he had a monster of points, but if they had given it to Javi Bowen, nobody would have killed it. Back to Edmonton real quick. Do you think the media was fair to you there? Yeah, I have no problems with the media and how they handled me. Right to the very end, even when I went back, they were all, you know, they defended me really well. Because we weren't sure, because we were talking before you came on,

and we didn't know if it was not national scrutiny, because last year there was the Bruins, you know, trade rumors. Everyone in Boston was talking about Taylor Hall coming to the Bruins. And we just didn't think that was fair. That was fair of, you know, I don't know if it was fans or media to to put you in that light and you know is our a was you've done everything right since you since you were in edmonton um yeah i mean they just needed it they would just talk about trades because they're so bad it was just constant rumors they're still like i mean they're in a

playoff spot this year and eberly and nugent hopkins are in trade rumors all the time it's just the way it is in a canadian market but i always found that all of those guys all the media guys in edmonton like the tsn guys sportsnet guys i never had a problem with them and the stuff that they wrote i always found even if it was criticism i always thought it was fair um i don't think you can say that in some markets like montreal and toronto like those guys are cutthroat that's way different but in edmonton it's a step below that and i always found them easy to deal with is boston in that market is boston cutthroat no because it's maybe for other sports but i don't think hockey exactly hockey's the it's the the difference in hockey media in canada and the states the States is astounding. Really? Every single day in Edmonton, and like he said, Toronto and Montreal is very, like, it's like they need to make up stories.

It's like six pages a day. So even in Edmonton, you'd go to the rink and you'd have practice. After practice, they'd open the doors to media. Twenty people are in there. At least. Maybe 30. It's like the NFL here then, essentially. And you go to Jersey practice or you go to the Bruins and there's like six, you know?

And just naturally, it just isn't... Every practice day in Edmonton, the next day in the paper, there's five pages about the current state, the Oilers, the last game, the lineups, that game, the lines in practice. And at some point, you're like, I'm going to Joey's trying to get a steak and some guy's telling me I suck and I should ball him. What we need to do on the power play. Yeah, oh, my God. Like a slap shot.

Remember the spaceship thing, whenever we'd get back from a road trip? So, like, we just used to just crack jokes. Like, we'd just be talking about Edmonton. We're like, God, it's like 1970 up here. Like, holy fuck, they're just getting music that was, like, released three years ago in America. So we would go home from road trips, and if we ever landed before 1 or 12, we'd try to shoot quick to get the last claw at a bar. And we'd walk in, and people would be like,

Holy shit, Hall! Whitney! You guys played tonight! How are you here? We're like, we took a flight home. They're like, oh my! They couldn't even imagine. We used to just be like Yeah we took this spaceship To get back to the bar here At Joey's 1.21 gigawatts

They had no idea Like they were just like And then remember the Ferrari They had in the West Edmonton Mall Yeah Yeah West Edmonton Mall

It had like a Lamborghini To show off By the way West Edmonton Mall Has seven Aldos in it Really It's a mile long I think It's one of the biggest malls in the world.

There's a swimming pool. No, there's a water park, amusement park, and there's also a gun range. That's where we used to go shoot guns. Bowling alley. I love Canada. I love Canada already. Yeah, exactly. I'm a big Canada guy now.

But I did want to bring up that I went through it the same way you did. When you get traded the first time, right? Like I remember in Pittsburgh, you've grown with a certain amount of guys and you have all these jokes and you're so comfortable in the locker room that it's just kind of shocking. And I think that you probably had to deal with the thought of just being in a different place. It wasn't even the fact of where you're going.

It's all about like, oh, my God, I'm not going to be here anymore. So was that hard for you or was that yeah it was really hard um different than you i got traded in the off season so i had a lot of time to like that's different um it's almost easier how i just got to hop in and play yeah exactly so i had all summer to think about it i had training camp and everything so it was it was really it was hard at first and uh you get drafted first overall to a team you never think that you're going to get traded five or six years until peter shirelli comes to town can we can we talk about that oh these can we talk about shirelli let him shirelli was always um like that one of the things that i was really shocked at was when i got traded was

shirelli trading me because even when I was getting drafted he loved me then we always had a good rapport and like our year-end meetings he told a couple guys maybe okay you might get traded we need to you know shake things up and he didn't say anything like that to me so that's why I was really caught off guard when it kind of happened. Yeah, it was just shocking. I remember I was in England on a golf trip on a bus with 16 guys, like 12 of them current NHLers. And Subban trade happened. It was your first. I was first.

So you were first. And I was like, holy fuck, Horak. Halsey got traded. He's like, for who? I was like, Larson. And everyone's like, who else? Who else? I'm like, just Larson.

They're like, what the fuck? They're like, what? That's a joke. And else I'm like just Larson they're like what the fuck they're like what that's kind of a joke and then the Subban Weber thing happened and I just remember being like oh what a day in hockey and then Stamkos and then Stamkos signed that was a crazy that was all that was that day yeah it's crazy crazy now are you pals with Tyler Sagan I remember that the lead up to that draft was like endless who was gonna go number one I mean you guys can have a support group now getting traded from Peter Chiarelli. Yeah, exactly. Stay up, Peter.

No, I like Seggs. And we came to Boston before the draft. Then we came there together. We toured Fenway, and we stayed at the Liberty Hotel. I really like Boston. I like that city a lot. Yeah, we've got to get you down in the summer. Can I ask you, does any part of you, like you said, you know,

you don't ever expect being number one overall, getting traded after five years. Does any part of you wish that you went two overall and you went to Boston? You'd probably have a Stanley Cup. I think, very true. But it's tough to say, dude. Because Sagan scored those goals against Tampa. He's a righty. Maybe Halsey coming down that side doesn't score on those goals.

Maybe Halsey puts in three when Sagan only put in two. Very true. I don't know. I know that when I was in my draft year, I was hoping that Boston was going to win the lottery because I really wanted to go there. Bobby Orr is my agent. Kind of touring around there, it was a sick city.

And I knew that they had that left wing spot that eventually was going to need to be filled and that would have been a prime place to play. Sagan had that city on lockdown. He ran that city. Meanwhile, he needed to be on lockdown. Yeah, but I still, I mean,

I'll say it a million times, Blackhawks could have traded fucking Kane when he was running around. If you're partying and you're 19 years old and you're hooking up with girls and you get mad at someone for them, you're an idiot. No, and I'm just breaking balls. I've long said the Bruins butchered that by not publicly embarrassing him first. I mean, they just kind of did it out of nowhere. Whereas Toronto and the Zemkadri was screwing around. And they benched him for three games. I mean, they just kind of did it out of nowhere. Whereas Toronto and the Zemkadri was screwing around

and they benched him for three games. I mean, that's embarrassing for a player when you can't play like that. The Bruins never went that attack. They just said, fuck it, we're done with you and they got rid of him. It's like they never played that last Trump card. Remember when I started getting scratched the last year of playing together?

I got scratched our last year together. It was the lockout. Yeah, lockout year. It was our last year of playing together so i i got scratched our last year together um it was the lockout yeah yeah it was our last year together so uh i got scratched probably 20 games into the 48 game year and i'd never been scratched as a pro i was like holy fuck like this you know it's just so depressing and halsey was really nice like dude don't worry about to worry about it and then i kept getting scratched then by the by like a month or two later where i would sit there i'd be playing tiger woods and he'd come back. He'd be going to the game.

He's like, you playing? I'm like, no. He's like, sorry, bro. It was just like we just totally watched me fall down the tube of healthy scratchville. And I was like, the only thing that was good is we used to play Tiger Woods, me and him. We'd play like $500 Nassau. I love that game. That's a hell of a game. Oh, my God.

And we would be pressing on 18, and I was getting really good being a healthy scratch. I would get extra time to play. This guy was getting mad at shots I could hit. I remember it like it was yesterday. If we had Venmo then, that could have been ugly. Yeah, true. Remember how good I was out of the sand? This guy goes in the bunker in that game, and you're like, oh, he's done.

He's putting it to an inch. I'm like, fuck you. Screaming. Eberle is like trying. No, Eberle, by the everybody would be playing his guitar but ebbs is the worst guitar player i hope he listens and buddy but he plays all the time he's the guy at the party that breaks it out hold on hold on let me play stairway to heaven you're like no no stairway denied turns off the live music so or turns off the music so he can play live, and it's just a buzzkill. That's the worst. DJ buzzkill. So I have a question for you about earlier in your life and career,

but I do need to tell everyone that he had one of the best chirps all time to Glenn Anderson. I don't know if you guys know Glenn Anderson. Oh, Paul Fama, Edmondson's heyday. So Glenn Anderson, by the way, would come to Edmond in random nights and party, and he would go to after parties, right? So one year he goes, and it was when Poker Face by Lady Gaga was really big.

So there was this after party at this house, and all these people there, and Glenn Anderson's like, I want Poker Face on the entire time, on repeat. People were kind of laughing. Dude, how old are you? It plays and shuts off. He flips out, what the fuck, I want i want poker face on so he leaves it on the whole time so he'd always be out and about at bars and halsey scored his first game winner that night it was a saturday night and we go out we're out at this bar after we're drinking and

glenn anderson's loaded he comes up he's saying hi and he's like hey congrats on your game winner your first game you just only got to get 65 more and you can tie me. He's the all-time leader in game-winning goals, whatever the number was. Halsey goes. He was being very rude the whole time. He was being so rude. He was so drunk. And Halsey goes, oh, yeah. Congratulations on scoring the 4-1, the fourth goal in a, what did you say to him?

In an 8-3 win. Congratulations on scoring the fourth goal in an 8-3 win in 1985. 57 ties. Glenn's like this. That's hilarious. I'm pretty sure that Kevin Lowe called him and was like, hey, don't go around the young guys anymore. Yeah, leave the young guys alone, dude.

You were good. It's over. That's what's so hard. People just can't let go. Especially when you were like a legend in the top. It's time to let go. He wasn't a slouch either. He's got a pretty good resume. He was an amazing player.

Yeah, for sure. He was great. He just got loaded and be rude. Yeah. But I wanted to ask you, and I wanted to start asking guys that we have on that played or play. I thought about this. Tell me what you think about this. Big J. Journalist?

Yeah, he's a big media member now, you know? What about the question if we ask guys, when did you – do you remember when you were like, I can play in the NHL? That's a great question. Do you remember the moment you were like, dude, I can fucking do this? I think my 15-year-old year. So the year before I went to the OHL, I got really good. And I think it was then Bobby Orr came to my house. I was 14.

And I think then I was like, okay, if I don't play in the NHL, then something went wrong. And I went to Windsor the following year as a 15-year-old. And I think I scored four goals my 10th game there. And I was like, okay, I got to not only play in the NHL but go really high. But I was a pretty, like I always played on the top team growing up, but I was never like the best player. I was good. I like, you know, I remember playing against guys like Cody Eakin were better than me growing up.

Guys like Braden Shen were better than me. We're all the same age in Western Canada. And then I moved to Ontario. Guys like Duchesne were better than me. We're all the same age in Western Canada. And then I moved to Ontario. Guys like Duchesne were better than me when I first started. And then I started getting pretty good around 15. So then you went, what year, what'd you get drafted in the O? 2007, I went second overall. O'Reilly went first.

Ryan O'Reilly went first. To Erie, yeah. And I went second. Sezikis went third. Cassian went fourth. Andzikis went third. Kassian went fourth. And Duchesne went fifth. That's pretty sick that an OHL draft, all five guys have good, solid careers in the NHL. Growing up, sorry.

You're going to ask the same one I am, I bet. What was your parents' approach growing up? Were they like hockey parents or did they just let you go if you loved the game, let you go at your own pace? Or did they push you? Now, your dad played in the CFL, correct? Yeah, like my dad trained me all growing up and still. like hockey parents or did they just let you go if you love the game, let you go at your own pace or did they push you? Now your dad played in the CFL, correct? Yeah, like my dad trained me all growing up and still does. Yeah, he's an animal. My dad would build rinks for me and he never played hockey, but he was a big athlete. And I wouldn't say like he pressured me or anything, but he definitely pushed me. Right. And I'm glad that he did.

I loved the game a lot. If I didn't like it, he wouldn't have done it. But I think he saw that I had potential. And from there, both my parents were trying to keep me on the straight and narrow. I never had a problem as a kid doing that, but they helped me out in everything I needed to do for sure. Is it the straight and arrow or the straight and narrow? Straight and narrow.

Okay. I got it right. He totally thought it was straight and arrow. I thought it the straight and arrow or the straight and narrow? Straight and narrow. Okay. I got it right. He totally thought it was straight and arrow. I thought it was straight and arrow. I thought it was straight and arrow. Fuck. I was just going to ask, Witt talked a few episodes ago about not why I didn't go to the NHL,

but why I didn't succeed as a hockey player and why he did. He had that drive where he's shooting pucks before school every day, after school every day. Was it like that for you? Did you ever, you know, feel yourself going above and beyond as a kid, you know, as opposed to all the other kids? Yeah, like I'd go to hockey tournaments and, you know,

how everyone plays mini sticks in the hallway. Like all the kids are doing that and and I'm taking pregame naps and having BioSteel before games and stuff. I'm like 12 years old. Usually we're going to McDonald's. He was doing active warm-ups and crushing BioSteel and doing wrist curls before the games. Looks like it worked.

I had a backyard rink, and then if I had a minor hockey game at 7, I'd be on the ice at like 4.30 for half an hour, just kind of warming up, and then my dad would take me to the rink. But you loved it, right? It was all stuff that I loved to do. I mean, I was a pretty huge nerd until I got into junior, and I kind of learned how to be a hockey guy and be one of the boys. But until then, hockey was pretty much all i did big hockey i was the

biggest nerd too i remember in high school just having absolutely zero game with girls and being like i'd be like i have hockey i don't need them yeah and then you get to college and guys are really good hockey and they have girls i'm like oh shit now i gotta start learning how to do this yeah that's what i'd be like i just i'll be good at hockey and eventually i'll i'll get girls because of that but that'll get it done for me in high school i remember a girl came and asked me to prom she was like two years older than me and i couldn't get a word out like that's how i'm in grade nine oh that is the the thinking bag i'm like oh i gotta go do some push-ups sorry i can't wait let me ask you what like now you've been removed from the NHL for two or three years, what is something that I wouldn't realize I take for granted a lot?

Oh, so much, too. How much time do we have? What's a couple big things? Going out to dinner on the road with your buddies. I would do anything i almost want to just like see your schedule and then like be like all right i'll just kind of go like on their road trip and randomly be in those cities so i can have dinner the night before game with halsey and stuff because you just don't have it anymore it's so at home even my buddies at home everyone's all my friends i mean

they're married they have kids on the way or they have kids. And so I don't even like do much anymore. And so you miss so much like just being out, being out to dinner, dude, playing the credit card game. I would love – I would take a loss in credit card game to have a dinner with the boys. No problem at all. And that and the flights, the flights because now whenever I'm flying, I'm just this muppet waiting in security asking for they ask it for

a apple juice on the plane she's giving me that midget can I I'm sitting in middle row

it's just that stuff just I get this guy a filet yeah seriously cards having a life's a bitch you get on the plane

there's sushi there's there's chicken quesadillas. There's candy. There's ice cream. There's cereal. It was pretty much like you could ask the flight attendant for anything and she'd get it for you. There was no like, oh, we don't have it.

If you wanted it, they'd just go get it. Do you guys get boozed up on those flights? Are you guys drinking on the flights now? We don't have alcohol. Yeah, so that's changed. So when I came into the league, there would be six beers under every guy's seat after a road game. Now, if you played the next night, there wouldn't be. And then it slowly started changing. But even at the end, when I was with him, if we had a Western road trip and then played L.A. last game and then flight home, there'd be booze for us.

But it's kind of crazy because you don't really think about like everyone's getting in cars and driving home after. I think that started like changing things a little bit. The guy passed away. Steve Jason down in Carolina. Yeah, that kind of opened some eyes. So like you start thinking like, all right, well, these guys are all crushing 20 beers on this flight.

My first year in Edmonton, there was anything you wanted, no limit. And it was free, like free pour. Yeah, I know. Anything you wanted, no limit, and it was free, like, free pour. Yeah, I know. We would just have bottles of Grey Goose and not even have, like, just be like, oh, splash me a crayon at the end of that. It was Newfie pours.

Exactly. So, Till, I'm taking a look at the Cap Friendly page, assuming it's correct. Now, you don't have a no trade clause, a no movement clause? Correct me if I'm wrong, but, like, if you're under 25, you can't have that. I forget how young you are. It seems like you've been around for so long, but I forget how young you still are. That's what's crazy. I'm 25 now. Okay.

Is this your sixth, seventh year in the league? Isn't that nuts? And you're 25. Same age. Would you guess we're the same age? I wouldn't. Not even close. No.

Not even close. What about you, Marino? What age? I wouldn't. Not even close. Not even close. What about you, Marino? What do you think? Like, not even close. Have you been given assurances that you don't have to worry about with the trade deadline coming up? I know locker rooms start to get antsy. I mean, if they told you don't worry about it where they already got you. I don't know.

If they want to trade you. It would be fucking stupid if they did, but I didn't know. You mentioned Shirely didn't give you any warning like he did with other players, and I didn't know if New Jersey might have said, you know, the deadline's here, don't worry about it. Last thing we want to do is. I think at a deadline, you never see those moves like I was traded for. You don't see those happen at the deadline.

Right. That's more draft. I think more and more it's starting to be like gms meet at the draft i think that's where the first conversations between shiro and shirely happened were uh the second day of the draft so um i mean if they i don't know if they wanted to trade me i guess they could on the deadline but i i would be shocked i think there's a few guys in our room that know they're probably going to get traded and they're having that dialogue with their agents so on deadline day you know what's a few guys in our room that know they're probably going to get traded and they're having that dialogue with their agents. So on deadline day, what is it like in the locker room?

We've talked to Whit about it before, but do guys come to you as, like you said, you're probably not getting traded. Do guys come to you and are they like, you think I'm going to get traded? What do you think? You know what the weirdest thing about deadline day is that we're watching TSN and we're watching Sportsnet and we see the trades happen on the TV before guys even know about them. That's what's brutal.

That shouldn't be like that. But it'll only get worse at this point. That's not turning around. Twitter and all that. But the deadline, it's so funny because when I was in Pittsburghittsburgh and i was like one of the the core guys my first three years i was having good seasons i was like you knew i wasn't getting traded i was like oh i'm not getting trade i'm part of the core i'm 24 23 years old this is great fast forward i get traded i got traded the first time the week before the deadline from then on the deadlines the rest of my career were the worst

days ever because now you're like, oh. And it's different for him. But I was like, got to Anaheim. I'm like, okay, I'm good. I got traded the next deadline. And I also, that deadline, it's 3 o'clock, it ends. But stuff always comes in until 3.30 because technically if you have it

into the league before 3, it can then whatever. So Bob McKenzie tweeted out at two 50 Eastern. It was 1150 in Anaheim. We had a game that night against the avalanche. Anaheim's decided to hold on to Ryan Whitney and James was new ski. They won't be traded. I was like, Oh yes.

Like I just gotten there. We weren't even in the playoffs at the time, but I just was like, fuck, I don't want to trade again. And I, I checked Twitter. Fuck 20 minutes later, I, yes. Like, I'd just gotten there. We weren't even in the playoffs at the time, but I just was like, fuck, I don't want to trade again. And I checked Twitter. Fuck, 20 minutes later, I'm traded. I got a phone call, and it's Bob Murray, GM Anima.

I don't know if I've told this on this podcast before. I think so, but let's forget it. He's rolling. And I said, I traded you. I was like, what? Where? And he goes, Edmonton, sorry. I go, holy fuck!

No! And I called my mom, and she was like, no! No! She goes, that's so far. I'm like, I know. Believe me, they're in dead last place. Doesn't that make you feel wanted, though, when you get traded so much? No, no.

It really, that time, it didn't. I don't think about it like that. Yeah, for some reason, you don't. And that's what, like, people tell you. Like, hey, that just means they want you. But at the time, you're just like, yeah, but it means that they didn't want me. Right, right. So that part is just difficult.

But I'll be on Sportsnet trade deadline Wednesday. Wednesday, right? I'm hoping it's on NHL Network. I don't know. Usually they show TSN or Sportsnet. Yeah, NHL Network usually wires in one of the Canadian networks. But it's 8 to 3. Yeah.

It's like a big holiday. 8 to 3. It's myself, Colby Armstrong. Big Jay Jerno. Yeah, Big Jay Jerno. And I think Bruce Galov's on with us. Oh, yeah. We got to get him on here as well.

He's bananas, man. He's crazy. He's getting paid by the Flyers longer than Bobby Bonilla's getting paid by the Mets, I think. Not longer than Rick DiPietro by the Islanders. Oh, God. Ricky D. Their agents, man. Getting bought out is actually incredible.

Because then you get another contract, usually, and you're getting paid by two teams. Yeah, Parenteau got bought out by Montreal, and he said last year he made like 200 grand more than he would have. It's perfect. It's unbelievable. So you guys are, right now, I just looked, you're eight points out. Is it eight now? It's eight out, because the

Bruins won last night, but that's doable i mean we gotta we we have to win like five in a row at some point here you probably have to go you got 22 left i'm assuming you gotta go 17 and five which you could do it i mean it is doable um and that's that's what we're shooting for like that like i said if we win five in a row then it's like okay we're right there you don't have to look at at leapfrogging that many teams. We don't have to win five in a row right now, but at some point there has to be. It's going to have to be a streak.

Have you been impressed by Corey Schneider in that? Yeah, he's amazing. He's undercover. Oh, he's so good. Nobody realizes it, really. Yeah, and we're not the best defensive team in the league. He faces some serious chances every night. Every single night.

I think people just kind of, he sneaks under the radars in a league goal. I think that happens, too, in this area. You know, you've got the Rangers, you've got the Islanders. In New Jersey, sometimes, the Devils sometimes become like the third brother around here media-wise. And, you know, a guy like Schneider, he is a great goalie. Flies under the radar a bit. Rangers, Devils, awesome. We haven't played them at home yet.

Oh, so tomorrow's Your first experience of it Yeah That'll be sick Battle of the Hudson Nice That'll be real good These guys are gonna be there Hopefully I'm there

You know I just got Another job You know guys I'm so busy nowadays I gotta go into The NHL network Check me out tomorrow night Quick plug

Taylor I gotta ask Who's the best player In the NHL Crosby Crosby Yeah McDavid's close How much longer is it How much longer is it Crosby's league?

As long as he wants? McDavid? In five years from now, I think you'll be saying McDavid. But if Sid heard me say that, if he hears that, that's like when he heard that I said he wasn't going to get fifth. He's got kids on those checks. Remember when I said he wasn't going to get fifth? I told you this story, didn't I?

No. In Pittsburgh, the year he won MVP, his second year, he had like 118, 120 points. He had 38 goals, though, and he had so many assists. And I told Talbot, I was like, I don't think he'll ever get 50. I'm the biggest Crosby fan there is, but I was like, his stick, dude, he's got a straight curve. It's terrible. I was like, I think he'll get 100 points every year year but i don't know if he'll get 50 goals talbot and i technically bet ten thousand dollars but that just kind of ended when this ended when you see what happens here so then i

got traded and i went and told uh getzlaff the story and he was like laughing so go to the olympics getzlaff tells crosby i. I'm like, Crosby comes out. He goes, heard you don't think I'll ever get 50. He was like smiling. I was like, oh, yeah, I did say that. I don't think he's like, all right. Oh, no, he had already done it. And then he found out after and he's like, oh, yeah,

I heard you didn't think I'd ever do that. I was like, yeah, sorry, man. Check the game notes, bud. I got checked the game notes by Crosby. What a mush. Halsey always, remember you asked me, how good is he? And I was like, dude, you don't even understand. And then you got to

play with him in World Championships, right? Yeah, I played on the line with him and he's amazing. It's crazy the shit he doesn't practice. Yeah, he's just so powerful and he's like the most skilled grinder you'll ever see. Superstar grinder. Yeah, he plays the game in the hard areas all night.

It is effortless when you watch him. He's just so silky smooth out there. Dude, when he gets the puck down low, there is no defenseman in the world. He just gets really low, and his legs are this big, and he just spins off guys. But then instead of spinning off him and then running to someone else, as he spins off, he knows exactly where somebody else is, and he gives him a pass through the legs or through a guy's triangle. It's so fun to play with him. Now, you haven't gone through free agency yet, but how much?

How many more years did you sign? I got three after this. Three after this. But how much, and this goes for you as well, but how much goes into when you're about to sign a contract? Like, holy shit, I could go play with Sidney Crosby, take a little less money. Do you think about that? I never experienced unrestricted free agency because I signed a long deal

when I was restricted, and when I became unrestricted, I was out of the league. I got a tryout offer. He'll go through it, which is crazy. You're going to be 28 or 29 with 11 years in the league as a UFA. Boston's real nice in the fall, too. I don't want to speak for other guys, but you have to look at your situation, especially if you've made money.

If you've made your money, then if I haven't won a cup by then, then that's all I'm going to chase. You know what I mean? Exactly. Because that's what it's all about at the end of the day. Come play for the Pats. You got any All-Ride Hamiltons? I got a ton.

I got some good ones today. So All-Ride Hamilton is a little segment we do. It was actually created because of him, if you remember. You started telling a story about how, because Rear went on a tangent about millennials. Then you started telling a story about how when you were in Ed on a tangent about millennials, then you started telling a story about how when you were in Edmonton with him and Eberle- Remember you wouldn't watch Tommy Boy with me?

Do you still have- I still never seen it. Isn't that nuts? I feel like you feel towards me now. Are you a big movie guy? The current movies, like me. That's how I am. You know what the craziest one I ever heard was?

Is Connor McDavid has never seen Slapshot. No, dude. Wow. Living with him last year, he's like, I've never seen it. I'm like, bro, that's crazy. Did you make him watch it? No. Because it's so old.

Yeah. The movies he tells me to watch, I've seen the previews and it just looks so old. But now I know how I sound. Yeah, but Slapshot. How are you a hockey player not see Slapshot? Yeah, he's got to watch that. Yeah, that's crazy. Ridiculous.

All right, so are we ready, boys? All right, so Alex Rubin asks. Ruby. Ruby asks, why are goalies always next level crazy, and what's the best way to harness that crazy? All right, Hamilton. All right, Hamilton. I think it's just because they're in the net by themselves.

It's just a very individualistic spot. Even though they're on a team, it's just because they're in the net by themselves. It's just a very individualistic spot. Even though they're on a team, it's... Yeah, you're not really on the team. It's the same as a pitcher in baseball. I heard that they're the same personalities. Because you're sitting there all game alone. If your team's doing well, you're just not even doing anything. And I notice for goalies that when you lose, it's your fault. And when you win, the

goalie doesn't really get much credit. Like, not often do you talk about a goalie and a win unless it's a 1-0 shutout win. And every loss, it seems like, ah, could have had that one. But they are weirdos. Weirdos. Schneid is the most normal goalie I've ever played with. Doobie's pretty

normal. I wonder if a lot of goalies are younger brothers who got thrown into duty because their brothers needed a guy to shoot on. That wouldn't surprise me at all. My oldest brother was the goalie. Then they make it and the brother who was shooting on them was just a scrub.

Got to play in the O though. Babe, I play in the O. Play in the O. Alright, so Chris Passarelli asks, who's the most underappreciated superstar in NHL history? Roy Hamilton. Superstars are kind of appreciated.

The most underappreciated player in NHL history I'll go with? Mike Gartner, 700 goals. I just thought of Mike Gartner. Didn't win a cup. I just thought of Mike Gartner. That's weird. He was on the 93-94 ranges, and they traded him to Chicago. He has 700 goals. 700 goals. Talk about good. I just thought of Mike Gartner. That's weird. He was on the 93-94 ranges and they traded him to Chicago. He has 700 goals. 700 goals. Mike Bossy. Mike

Bossy doesn't really have his... Goals per game, he's like fourth all time. Is he really? Yeah. Yeah, I think Bossy kind of gets his due though a little bit. I mean, Gartner... Bossy gets mentioned more than Gartner, but Bossy won four Cups. Yeah, part of the big dynasty.

Who else is there out there that was just PJ Axelson, Dmitry Kovartolnov? I don't really know. It's tough because when I think back, I just think of the superstars. I don't know a lot of the guys that made. And there are so many guys who play and have great careers, and they just don't win a cup just being on bad teams, having bad luck, and whatever. The worst thing about that is, too, you meet some of the worst guys that won the cup, and then some of the best guys never won. Like Glenn Anderson?

You just think of guys. It just had no business. Matt Cook's got a cup. Fuck Matt Cook. What the fuck? Let me tell you. Actually, this is when the Bruins beat Vancouver. I was out there doing the Big J journalist thing,

and I swear to God, I was walking down the hall, and Rafi Torres was walking by me. But he's a great guy, though. He just had the most crushing defeat of his career. I walked by him. I had to restrain myself. I had a Bruin shirt on. Why did you hate him so much?

He was just kind of a dirty play. Yeah, but did he do anything to a Bruin? No, you were more just respect to the league. Well, yeah, he was, you know, just kind of a dirty play. I mean... Yeah, but did he do anything to a Bruin? I don't know. You were more just respect to the league. Well, yeah, he was, you know, he was a pretty dirty guy.

The best was when all the Bruins fans cried when they didn't get the trade deadline one year. Yeah. It was like, you didn't get Rafi Torres.

It's like, dude, I mean, you know, he's not a top six guy. But yeah, he was just one of those kind of dirty players. I heard he was a good guy, but, you know,

he wasn't... There were some hits. Some of the hits that used to be thrown, and even by our boy Armstrong, they were just like you could – I can't believe now that those hits were illegal when you're just crushing people in the head with your shoulder. Scott Stevens. Scott Stevens, all of his hits are suspensions.

You can't blame him because it wasn't a penalty. Oh, at that point, he was doing it as better as – They were highlights. I mean, the know, with Korea, he comes back to life and then he sniped. There's no recollection of that goal.

I mean, that's legendary, but it wouldn't happen nowadays. I mean, knocked out in the Stanley Cup and the fog comes on the glass and shit. It's funny bringing that up because I didn't play.

What's it like with the Sporters now? I don't know. Knock on wood. I haven't dealt with it. But anyone on the bench, they'll take them right off even if you say you feel fine, right?

Yeah, it hasn't happened on our team. Oh, really? McDavid was pretty upset with it that one time. Yeah, he got taken off for an overtime or something. Mike Smith, too. He was complaining the other day. He took a shot off the dome and they took him out late in the game. They take you out if you... Yeah, the spotter said get him out of there.

They pull you right out. Goalies, too, huh? That's bullshit. If you're fine and then after taking one off the... You got a mask on. I'd be pissed if I paid for a ticket for that game and, you know, the guy gets pulled after a minute just because they think he's... And he's like, I'm fine. I'm not concussed. Start throwing up. I've seen guys take

some pretty bad hits and they don't get taken out. Yeah, so it's definitely right. That's when the doc in the crowd that's watching was texting. He missed that one. All right, so I like this one a lot. Nathan, King Nate, asks, what was the most ridiculous pickup line you heard on the road from one of the boys? Oh, I have a little story.

Yes, please go. I was like, our second year playing together, and we're finally like we're boys now, me, you, and Ebbs, and we're out at the bar, and you're like, you've got a couple of drinks, you're buzzing, and you're like, boys, I love going out with you guys. You know why? We're like, no, why?

He's like, because you guys never want to talk to the girls that I want to talk to. I've always said that. I've never really because you guys never want to talk to the girls that I want to talk to. I've always said that. I've never really argued with guys. They always want these certain girls. I'm like, nope, I'm fine. I'm fine. You guys can fight over her.

I'll find another one. I never really heard any lines per se from guys. I mean, I definitely, Ebby definitely had some awful ones at some point joking around telling us stuff he would use. But I don't think that anyone would ever really. You guys don't really need, I mean, lines that much. Your line was you'd always tell girls, you're out of my league. Yeah, that's actually a solid one because you say you're out of my league and she either goes, yeah, I am.

So you know that you have no chance of that. Or she goes, no, I'm not. And you're like, I'm in. You pretty much figure out where you stand immediately when you say you're out of my league. I'll have R.A. videotape me tonight doing that. You had the straw story that was brutal. I have a great straw story, but that's bad radio. That's bad radio.

But it would make you laugh, bro. Yeah, but a girl, I don't know, man. R.A., I know you got some crazy pickup lines. R.A. said earlier, we were on Barstool Radio, he just said, I'm Brian, nice to meet you. Yeah, I mean, like I said, the idea that you're going to just use one line, a girl's going to go home, especially, like, you know, a guy who's not in the NHL like yourself, you know, you've got to work out a little more. You've just got to have a little personality. Yeah, just give your name, say what's up.

You can do it yourself, but say if you're out of my league and you'll know right away. But that's not the I. am. That's not to say move along. I didn't drop some cheesy words. Feel free, you don't have to answer this, but I've heard Crosby's terrible with women. No. Is this true? No. He's got a girl that's cool. I heard this years ago

too, but I love that. Where did you hear that? I would love to. If you say HF, what'd you find? I would love to be with him when somebody told, what'd you fight? I would love to be with him when he was, somebody told him, like, Crosby's awful with girls

and he was like, really? No shit. Yeah. No way. You've been telling people since. I heard Crosby's terrible with women.

I want to deny that, but I definitely have been doing that. I don't think you can be, like, that good at hockey and be that bad. Yeah,

I mean, you can't be a total fucking social stooge and you still, you're gonna gotta get laid. Everyone's, like, just hinging on every word you say I mean, you can't be a total fucking social stooge and you still, you know, got to get laid. Everyone's like just hinging on every word you say. Like, you'd just be like, hey, I'm Sid. I'm going to be covering a game like 20 years from now and he's going to be like, so you

think, so you think I'm bad with women? And he's going to have a rocket right next to him. He hears all. Yeah. All right. So last one here. Actually, we have a few more. Can you think of any moment...

Fuck Tyler ass. Can you think of any moment in hockey history that is better or equal to the miracle on ice? All right, Hamilton. Oh, Halsey will hate this one, being Canadian. No, I don't think so. I mean, it went beyond hockey. Yeah, 37th.

37th, I don't know. 1980. Yeah, like you said, I mean, it went beyond hockey. 37th. 37th, I don't know. 1980. Yeah, like you said, I mean, it went beyond hockey. The social ramifications. I mean, how many people got turned on to hockey after that happened? So many American kids did. I mean, I'm sure a Canadian kid, Taylor, can chime in here, but I'm sure they don't care about it too much up north.

It was incredible. I mean, when you look at what's – it'd be like a bunch of kids that go to like – It'd be like the Barstool team from this office beating an NHL team. Kids who played hockey here beating an NHL team. And it's just crazy to think that all those Russian guys would have been like superstars in the NHL, but they just never got a chance to do it. That's crazy to me. It is.

I think that's kind of an undersold story. There was the documentary a couple years ago, the Red Army doctor just did that. That was last year, I think. There's a 30 for 30, and then there's one that Fetisov did. Yeah, the Fetisov one. They were great, and I think that's something that a lot of hockey fans aren't aware of, that those guys, I mean,

they were essentially a professional team, the Red Army team, and they were better than most of the guys in the NHL. It was a shame we didn't have them in the league back then. And they were trained, like they did training. They were all conditioned. They were animals. They were like innovators. They had 10 days off a year.

Yeah, they were like innovators with a lot of that training stuff. They were doing a lot of stuff way before they were doing it in this continent. People forget that the Russian-U.S. game, that was shown on tape delay. Yeah. Now you think about, like, how the fuck was that game not shown live on TV? And someone ran into a pizza shop that my dad was at and was like, they won, they won. And my dad was like, holy shit. He said he still, like, didn't believe it.

He watched it like he didn't know because he didn't believe the guy, but he had already been told, which is just... Tape delay. Yeah, that's bizarre. That's like the NBA was on tape delay in, like, the 70s. Like, that's bizarre. That's like the NBA was on tape delay in the 70s. That's insane. That's weird. So I had one, but I just came across this one, and it's really good.

Swags asks, Stool Chicklets, who is the NHL version of Pauly Shore? All right, Hamilton. Pauly Shore? Do the NHL kids even know who Pauly Shore is? I don't even... How does that guy think of Pauly Shore. Do the NHL kids even know who Pauly Shore is? I don't even. How does that guy think of Pauly Shore?

When was the last thing he was in? Is Michael Rydus still in the league? Kind of does sound like him. Yeah. Those Newfies, though, they talk. Pauly Shore, what does that even mean? What does Newfie mean? Newfoundland.

Newfoundland. Oh, okay. So Newfies can drink they're the most beautiful collection of human beings on the earth yeah they are it's and when they're together so they are speaking english but it's like not like when they talk to you wouldn't understand one word it's like a u.s equivalent of newfoundland like it can't be florida boston boston i think a ton of Newfies actually live in Boston. Well, New Finland, it was like

Ireland until 1960 or something like that. And then it became Canada. Yeah, something like that. I didn't know that. Well, I just know that people get loaded from Newfoundland. There's a street in St. John's, the capital, and it's like the most bars per capita

in North America. Like it's like three blocks long and there's like 50 bars. That's crazy. Have you been? George Street, right? Yeah, George Street. No, I'm supposed to go up to Cleary's tournament at some point. I mean, Cleary's hockey camp at one point.

I did Teddy Purcell's golf tournament there a couple summers ago. And it's just like the people there are so nice. Yeah. I went to his golf tournament brought my clubs didn't play golf went fishing went tuna fishing on this big boat for like six hours didn't catch any fish but had a great time had a great time i didn't say a bad day at a time than a good day at work how's your head there's no scar yeah i know do you guys remember When he got stepped on Oh yeah Oh yeah man That's unbelievable huh

Can't even see it anymore That doctor Like It was a random doctor In Columbus right Yeah he's A plastic surgeon But he was at the rink

Like He's doing his job there In case anything happened But only like Five teams in the NHL Have a plastic surgeon That comes to the games Every night

And they were one of them And he's like It was such a straight cut but only like five teams in the NHL have a plastic surgeon that comes to the games every night. And they were one of them. And he's like, it was such a straight cut that he's like, this is the easiest one I've ever had to do. Usually he's doing like car accident victims and like, you know, pulling branches out of there. And you said it like didn't even really hurt, right? It was really swollen. So much swelling, it came down to my eye.

I couldn't see. That's why I missed a couple games. Yeah, I remember that. Who was it that fucked up? Cory Potter. I mean, I'm a little surprised that doesn't happen more often, especially when you've got Mario Lemieux doing figure eights. Well, he ruined it.

Now you can't wear no helmet in warm-ups. Yeah, you can. Every team. The best part of the league is wearing no helmet in warm-ups. Guys love doing that. No bucky warm-ups. That's why you play the game. The Rangers aren't allowed to because Keith Yandel got traded there,

and he was going out for his first game. It was midseason, and the guy's like, hey, just chuck your helmet on. Keith's like, nah, I'm all set. And he's like, no, you got to chuck your helmet. He's like, no, dude, I don't do that. He's like, no, we all, no one can do it. He's like, oh, are you shitting me? How are you going to get the flow going, chewing the gums,

cracking the gum like Stevie Lama style? Vern Fidler told me that Peter Forsberg, when he got traded to Nashville, like that last time, he wouldn't not wear a helmet in warm-up. They had a team rule and everything. It was like $1,000 fine. He played like 20 games there that year when he paid 20 Gs. With that flow, though? Yeah, I think he was making like 15 a year.

He's a fucking legend, man. I got like a Jew fro. He's a fucking legend, man. I mean, he... I got like a Jew fro. I look terrible with no helmet on. The Swede reputation was kind of weak anyways, but he obliterated that. Like, Swedes aren't tough, which is stupid. He's the most underappreciated superstar of all time, then.

Yeah. That's my guy, because he was... YouTube is highlight tape. Somebody has like an eight or nine minute clip on there. Him and Datsouk's YouTubes are the ones you could just sit there and watch over and over. Datsouk should be up there as well. Yeah, Datsouk. I love that guy.

He's filthy. I love that guy. Who else has been the most impressive to you that you've played against the NHL? Another guy that you've been like, holy shit. Remember you loved Kessel. The first time you played against Kessel, you were... I still think he's unreal. Yeah, same here.

He really is. But you kind of... I didn't even think he was that unreal, you were... I still think he's unreal. Yeah, same here. He really is. But you kind of... I didn't even think he was that unreal until you were like, dude, he's incredible. And then I was like, fuck, he actually is. Does he have the quickest release? I mean, there's so many guys. Austin Matthews releases. It's up there now.

It's not Phil, but it's up there. No, Matthews is really good. Kessel beats goalies with snapshots from the top of the circle. Yeah, it's incredible. You don't have to be the strongest guy. He's really strong. Kessel? Like freakishly strong.

No shit, really? Yeah, you would never know. Yeah, well, all the jokes. He doesn't look strong, but he's got great balance, too. All right, Mikey, we got any more Hamiltons? No, we're all done. All right, we're all done, yeah. Dude, thank you so much for coming in, Halsey. Yeah, Halsey. right, Mikey, we got any more Hamiltons? No, we're all done. All right, we're all done there. Dude, thank you so much for coming in, Halsey.

Yeah, Halsey. Now, just one more. I know, like, you obviously go off of Edmonton. Looks like they're going to go to the playoffs this year. You got still feelings for the guys there that you're still friends with, or is it still like, you know, you have split feelings as far as, you know, what you want them to do. I know you don't want to root for other teams, but you've got a lot of friends there,

but they traded you. If the playoffs roll around and you guys don't get in, are you going to pull for Edmonton? I mean, if they win the Cup, I'll be choked. It happened to me. Yeah, and I think the first 15, 20 games of the year, every game they'd play, I'd be on my phone waiting to see how they did. Now I don't really care as much care as much um you know like i said if they win the cup i'll be choked but they're gonna make the playoffs right um you know

i got my own thing going on here so i'm getting used to it more and more but at the start of the year every game they won i'd be like oh my god yeah yeah but now now it's not so much. They're going to make the playoffs. I'm happy for guys like Ebbs. I'm happy for guys like Nuge and, you know, Connor not having to wait too long into his career to feel the playoffs. It's good for them. He didn't experience those years. He never had to experience any of those.

Dude, I looked at some of the records of the teams that I played on in Edmonton. It was like Colorado this year. Every year. For 10 years it's been like Colorado this year. What's it like to play on a team like that? It's awful. It sucks. January 1st, you're out of the playoffs.

And it sucks for the league, too. I mean, Edmonton was the marquee franchise of the 80s and into the 90s. And you want teams like that with that history. The league needs everyone to be good. It doesn't benefit anyone when there's shitty shots being called and shot. It's just an example of why I think

just because you're an amazing hockey player for a team, it means nothing in terms of building a hockey team. Nowadays, especially, just because a guy played and was a great player on your team, that has no effect on if he's going to be able to build a team. Nowadays, especially, just because a guy played and was a great player on your team, that has no effect on if he's going to be able to build a team. It's been

the old boys club forever in Edmonton for so long. McTavish is there, Kevin Lowe's running things. It just happens so long that people get comfortable. McDavid's changed a lot there. He changed everything. It's the same with Sid in Pittsburgh. It's so similar how every 10 years, guys like this come along. changed everything. It's the same with Sid in Pittsburgh. It's so similar how

every 10 years guys like this come along and Ovechkin's the same way. They change everything. Teams were a laughing stock and weren't winning and then these guys are so good that they make people around them that much better. Real quick, what's it like playing against Alex Ovechkin?

He hasn't really gotten much talk this year because of all the young guys. He might be one of the most underappreciated superstars of all time, and it's crazy in this day and age how someone could be like that. But when's the last time this guy didn't score 50 goals? Dude, yeah. It's unbelievable. I mean, he's going to be, I think, the best sniper of his generation.

And the way he does it, too. He's not just putting in goals out front. He hammers guys also. Backstrom, those two guys together, I think they're incredible. And I played with Ovechkin at the All-Star game, and he was such a nice guy. Was he? I've never met him. Just so happy and kind of Russian, but so nice.

Thank God I'm not there. Thank God I'm not there. He should probably just love him being in the States. He's got 552 goals. His parents, they live in Washington with him, but they don't speak English still. Really? Yeah.

My mom was with them and said that his phone kept ringing and his screensaver is Donald Trump. So every time it'd ring, he'd be like, Trump! Oh my god, that's freaking hilarious. My mom said they were great. They were awesome. Could he catch Wayne Gretzky in goals? It's not like...

No, I mean, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Something that people said never ever would happen. Gretzky's at 894, right. Yeah. Gretzky's at 894, right? Yeah, Gretzky's at 894, and he's 552. So what is that? I mean, if he can— This is a math guy.

It's 300 goals. If he plays as long as Mark Reckie, he stays in shape. I mean, it's not inconceivable. 342 goals. That style, though. Can that style last? No, granted, right now it looks like there isn't much of a chance, but in terms of somebody always saying that'll never be touched,

it's somewhat getting mentioned now. He has to have six more years of 50 a year, but he snipes 50 every season. It's not out of the realm of possibility. And everyone knows exactly where he's going to shoot from. One last one, Taylor. Living in North Jersey, before you got here, were you a Sopranos fan? I've never seen the show. I've got to watch it.

You've got to watch it. You've got to watch it. We sometimes talk shows. Are you on any shows right now? Not really. Netflix? This is really embarrassing. Uh-oh.

Oh, that high school high show you love? What's that show you used to love? You were talking about Drake was in it or something? Oh, that's a depressing high. No, that wasn school high show you love? What's that show you used to love? You were, like, talking about Drake was in it or something? Oh, that's a depressing high. Oh, no, that wasn't me. I never watched that. No, the high school football team you liked. Oh, uh...

Friday Night Lights? No, it was a different one, I thought. Maybe it was Ebby. I think it was Ebbs. Anyways, I've watched that Gossip Girl a little bit, and it's like a... I know it's a girly show. I watched the whole show.

It's pretty good, man. Chuck is unreal. It's a good show. It's entertaining, and you can binge watch it. Real solid show. Start the Sopranos. Yeah. Sopranos is actually sick.

It's legit one of the two or three best dramas ever. Plus, you live in North Jersey. You kind of got to get in tune with that. Is it all set in North Jersey? Oh, yeah. It's about a North Jersey mobster, Tony S in North Jersey. You kind of got to get in tune with that. Is it all set in North Jersey? Oh, yeah. It's about a North Jersey mobster, Tony Soprano. His family is always psychosis. He can go to the Bada Bing.

Yeah, he can go to the Bada Bing. Check that out. Well, I think that about wraps it up unless anybody has anything else. Taylor, honestly, dude, thanks so much for coming in, man. This has been great. Great player, better guy. Yeah. We can't say thank you enough for coming in and spending all this time with us.

It's been a blast. I would have been doing so much today sitting at home on my couch. Today was a day we'd go to the West Edmonton Mall and see if every Aldo were selling the same shoes. Thanks a lot. All right. Peace out. All right. Take care, everybody.

Oh, this episode, it's obviously live. Mikey Granelli is going to be uploading it, so I know everybody's been waiting. So for those of you who couldn't catch it on Facebook, it's going to be on iTunes. So when you hear it, you'll know. Yeah. All right, everybody.

You'll be listening. Take care. Yeah, right? Talk in the future. Talk in the future.