Spittin Chiclets - Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 486: Featuring Sebastian Aho & Elliotte Friedman

Episode Date: March 5, 2024

On Episode 486 of Spittin’ Chiclets, the guys are joined by Elliotte Friedman (01:04:40) to talk about the upcoming NHL trade deadline; which teams are looking to add some new players to make a push for the playoffs. There’s so much to talk about with the trade deadline just a few short days away, Dallas, Detroit, New Jersey, New York, Toronto, Nashville, and so much more. But first, the “Mur-Man” Matt Murley is on today’s podcast and is absolutely humming about the Elias Pettersson deal. After, the guys also breakdown one of the biggest fights of the year, Rempe vs Reaves. We’re sure you saw that viral KHL clip this week but did you know the same guy once cheap shot Murls back in the day? Later on, Sebastian Aho joins the show (02:39:09). We caught up with Sebastian back up in Toronto during All-Star Game Week to talk about his career, upbringing, and if this is finally the year that the Canes make it over the playoff hump. Lastly, some breaking news dropped in New Jersey and the boys had to jump back on to give you their thoughts. Will New Jersey make playoffs this year or will P**** be getting Biz’s name tattooed onto his body?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. Well, she's your love. They say a drunken speech is just sober thoughts. I like to poke the bear, I like to stir the pot. But then you come on in and take it up a notch You hit me with a cheap shot, a cheap shot Hello everybody and welcome to episode 486 of Spittin' Chicklets Presented by Pink Whitney from our friends at New Amsterdam Vodka Here in the Barstool Sports Podcast family

How goes it everyone? Big week in the NHL We got the trade deadline on Friday. Fighting appears to be back. Merles is back, too. Let's say hi to him. Dumber. Dumber. What's going on, buddy?

How we doing, boys? Been a long time being on the mothership here. How's things, pal? Good, good. I'm down in Orlando Airport right now. If you don't know what that is, that's Stockholm. I'm flying back to New York tomorrow, so I'll be in upstate New York until the end of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals.

So like the airport there, you could just use a lounge to get internet? We're staying at the hotel. It's actually pretty funny. Yeah, but the hotel I'm staying at, there's three of them in the terminal. The one I'm staying at, the business center, is right in the lobby with no doors, nothing, so it would have been been chaos i asked the front desk lady for a room she said no but go ask the other hotel they'll give you a room said that doesn't make sense i don't stay there but i anyway i came over here i talked english i think they didn't want to listen to me anymore they

gave me this giant conference room so here i am it's nice okay so you i was gonna say you look like you're in a conference room that's why i asked asked you that. Now, what's been going on in Merle's world? I mean, obviously you've got the EBR crew, like everybody rides. How's the gambling been lately? Are you up? Are you down? Have you been on a hot streak? Have you been following Mr. Ice's advice?

Where are you at? Yeah, Game Notes is doing well. We just came off a 4-1 Sunday. Huge day. The only miss was Crosby anytime goal. So that was a nice Sunday. I have been riding with Mr. Ice. He finally got off the schneid last night with an absolute charity cover with two empty netters. But yeah, he's back.

I always ride with Mr. Ice. I love that. How many in a row had he been down? I think I want to say it was six. Could have been seven. But did you see him? He went to church. He went to church Sunday. Took a video.

He says, I don't like to do this, but one time. I need one. Inside the church? Yeah, sitting at the pew. Portnoy texted me, was Elio crying after that hit last night? I was like, I think it was close. And then he broke his glasses. He could barely rip his shirt.

You could hear his daughter yelling in the background. I'm like, that guy needed that win more than anyone I've ever seen. Hey, since we're on the topic, I think there's a strong possibility that myself, you're probably going to be coming. Obviously, you guys are invited. The IceCon that is going on on March 24th, the Dallas Stars are playing at the Mulder Arena in Tempe. We're going to be doing something at the DraftKings thing.

Well, it's Elio's thing. He's throwing it on. So they got a bunch of tickets. You can buy tickets to the Mulder Arena through Elio and go support the whatever. What does he do? What's it called? He's got 200 guys coming or people coming,

and they're all going to wear white T-shirts, sit together for the game, and just bet the overs. And then if the over hits, everybody rips their shirt off, right? That's kind of how it's all going down. I think so. So I'm going to be a part of it. I'll be there on the 24th. Witt, I think you're pretty much on board.

Yeah. It's going to be a blast. But so what's the whole three plus three equals seven? That's his motto? Yeah, because you know what this a bunch is. Let's see if you can guess it. Okay. Oh, obviously, if it's tie, it goes to overtime,

and then somebody's got to score. But do you get a point for a shoot? If it's a shootout win, is it an automatic win? That's a goal. Yeah. No they count that well it has to be a you know they have to give it one goal to win the overtime game in a shootout or ot so once it goes to three three no matter what that thing's done unless somehow it's over seven okay all right all right interesting i didn't know that they credited a goal for like the shootout. I just thought you would have fell short on the overbet. Why are you laughing? That's not that crazy. What are you talking about, buddy?

You're a legitimate NHL analyst, and you didn't know if a game went to OT, 3-3, and then went to the shootout, the final was 4-3? Yeah, no, no, no. I meant from a gambling perspective. I didn't know that they would count if it went to a shootout to like basically you get the over. I would have assumed obviously if there was an OT goal scored. But once regulation's done, I didn't know they would have credited it from a gambling perspective.

Oh, so you're saying if OT ended in the game and in a shootout and it was 3-3, then maybe like the over-under would be a wash? Yeah, that would have been my assumption. So that's kind of nice. It's a guarantee in the house. Okay, so I get the whole... Is there anything else he gets behind? No, just overs. Making pizza and overs. Okay, alright. Yeah, because the shootout goal

doesn't count for the guy, so I could see why you would probably think that, you know what I mean? That's kind of why I thought that. Nice little gambling tidbit. So it's going to all be brought to you by DraftKings. So we'll see you. If you're in the area, come out. I don't know if it's a sellout March 24th. And I think it's a late game, actually.

I think it's like a 7 o'clock their time. So we'll have all day to party at that DraftKings place next to TPC. Yeah, I'm on the fence for that. He's got a guy from Czech coming over for it, JC. It's wild. One other thing I wanted to clean up from last podcast is I got a text

from Powers, the head coach of ASU, of the men's team. We talked about this big brawl that went down in Alaska. It was a crazy brawl in which two players were essentially expelled from school too or just the team? I think it was just the team.

Just the team. It was just the team. Okay. So I remember you saying they illegally left the penalty box. I just thought that meant to leave the penalty box to go fight because fighting is illegal in college and then you get tossed out of the game but what these players had done is they got a 10-minute misconduct in which it was explained to me it's kind of ran like a madhouse there so like the like one of the moms is basically running the pa and the penalty box doors where it's like kind of a shit show and so the discrepancy was is they got a 10-minute misconduct with 16 seconds left in the period.

So these players that ended up fighting should have been sent to the locker room. They shouldn't even been in the penalty box. So the puck ends up dropping and there was a whistle five seconds later. So now there's 11 seconds left on the clock. Well, these two players who are supposed to stay in the penalty box, you can't leave the penalty box unless the penalty expires. They get the doors open for them. And in the video, it clearly shows the lady who's working the door just opens it.

So I don't know why she would have ever opened that door for these players since their time hadn't expired. She wanted to see it tilt. So these players got on the ice in the midst of another scrum when they were still... That's why... it that to me is worse and i'm kind of on power side where that's a bit more of a shit show and something that really wasn't explained as far as a discrepancy with do you not agree because normally folks if you're

listening you get out after a whistle after a 10 minute misconduct so my assumption is they'd already served the full 10 minutes and that was the next whistle that they were waiting to get out. And like, yeah, then they're, you know, release the hounds. But they left. I just wasn't, I wasn't sure. I don't think I just like heard R.A. correctly. I thought it was one of those things where they're both getting out like during the play,

because it looked like the play was going on almost. And they went out and just immediately started going at it. But if you get a 10-minute or any penalty and leave the box that's what i'm saying that's such a crazy discrepancy what they left the box like before their time was up yeah that's fucking nuts like i'd never i would never have done that i would have waited to is all said and done so when powers hey hey dickheads like do you actually know what happened i was like oh shit okay yeah so i feel bad i feel bad because the kid who did it dm me was like hey thanks for having my back and then i got that text so like now right under the bottom back under the bus

see you i don't have your back anymore kid you're an idiot go get your ged at davenport university where i went but you could bounce at the sundowner okay and one other thing i want to get ahead of and it happens later in an interview with elliot freeman awesome just over an hour he's a fucking beauty ah so good is i felt like i jammed him up when saying that considering he's working these crazy shifts during this crazy time for him go get the time massage and automatically he thinks that I'm getting tugged to this this I'm going to say the name it's called Thai royal massage and there's more than one of them now they're getting busted now there's gonna be the FBI they ain't getting

busted because it's not a rubbing tug it's not I'm not I'm saying I'm I'm paying homage and respect to the art of Thai massage where they work with their feet and on the bars to work out your posterior chain. It just so happens to be a massage that I get tons of like response from. And every time I say that, someone kind of look at me like I'm going to get my cock tugged off. I am now going to start gaining offense to. So I just wanted to address that right off the hop. And for all you Thai masseuse out there who aren't getting the fucking respect you deserve,

I got your back. I know you ain't flapping. What do you think our Thai masseuse listenership is at? I don't know, but I strongly recommend it. And here's another one. There was a viral video that all these people are sending me online of a couple sitting outside at a time and all they hear is is beating cheeks the guy was beating cheeks on that thai

woman no buddy at some point in the massage they start slapping you to give you a different sensation they ain't crack who the fuck cranks off somebody's horn like that it's like what no i think it was a noise of him just putting her on the workbench and like going to town on this woman. Get the fuck out. No. Buddy, every single time. Some Thai fried rice and a little action during your massage.

Every single time. Pineapple included. Anybody who's gone for a respectable Thai massage will know exactly what I'm talking about. As soon as they're done massaging the area, they finish with kind of that slapping stuff to kind of like, oh yeah, shake it out, shake it out. It's all part of the process. So for them to act as if somebody's getting brought on the workbench, no.

I want to say that when I'm out for IceCon, you can bring me to your spot, but I feel like if somehow my wife hears this, I'll get divorce papers the minute I come home. That's a fucking brilliant idea. I think we should all go there the night before for like a pregame. They don't got the steam and stuff. The real Mr. Ice shooting. 200 Mr. Ice lieutenants showing up, a line out the door.

Yeah, that'll be great. Robert Kraft's like, what is this place? He flies out to Scottsdale. Yeah, the Thai Massage 2000, just Bukkake Fest. So at the beginning, I didn't believe you. I didn't. But at this point, you're so adamant. I 100% believe you now, dude.

That's what I'm saying. I wasn't fucking lying about this. I was telling my... I wouldn't make that up for content. This is my genuine, natural experience to being experienced with actual time of Shaw, not the tomfoolery that everybody suspects I'm talking about. So I'm done. Those are the myakalpas I had for this podcast, by the way.

I'm more worried about not you getting arrested going to this place. Now I'm worried about you spending your life savings. You're at like 14 a week. You're going to be spending your whole paycheck at this place. No, no. Okay. So that's not to,

not to take anything away from the four seasons where I stay in Atlanta, but they just simply can't do what these ladies do. And especially for at what the cost that they're charging. It's just, they're, they're, they're phenomenal. And, and, uh i don't know where i was going with that or what even the original question was you just asked oh my life

savings if i did it at the four seasons as much as i do the time massage maybe but no it's not even that but and that's like my one thing that i splurge on myself for now like you know how some women like some women like uh shut no shut up women you know some women like handbags like yeah that's my handbag that's my handbag not hand on my bag that's my handbag that's my that's my birkin bag my that's my birkin ball bag. Anyway, I'm done with the fucking Thai massage. Sorry. Anyway, I've said my piece. What up, guys? It's Wit here, and it's time to talk about Pink Whitney. The people at New Amsterdam Vodka created this drink.

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Hey, Merle, Chicklets TV this weekend. I'm sorry, Game Notes. Are we doing a little trade deadline special? Is that in the works or what for Friday? Yeah, there's some stuff in the works because we're always at Friday at 11 a.m. We all know the deadline is 3 p.m., so we'll get some rumor boys going this week to lead into that. And then we'll see if any of them come true on Friday. So, Merle, this is exactly why we want to have you on. I

mean, it was a long intro there, but the Pedersen news drops before that. You had their wah inside and you didn't drop it. So you kept that one in the holster. You dropped the Pedersen one. Rumor Boys is just taking abuse online. What do you have to say for yourself? How do you think the whole thing shook out? Yeah, so I think I reported on that. It was two or three months ago.

And it wasn't a done deal. He wasn't negotiating. He didn't want to negotiate. It was done. The only thing I think that happened is, number one, they threatened He didn't want to negotiate. It was done. The only thing I think that happened is, number one, they threatened him with that trade to Carolina. You think, that could do it right away. And then once the number got over 11 million, it was like, okay, it worked. We got him over 11 million. And I think the the most deciding the biggest factor was our guy tocket i think he completely changed everything there he saw the way it's going other players have

changed the way they're playing and acting and it all changed in the last few months and uh i'm happy for him he got 96 million and uh maybe give some back to timra for us i i i think that i i would speak for all of us and that we really really hope throughout this show that somebody else fucks up and we could torture him for it so in the end like i would be like oh i hope this doesn't happen so i could torture merles but i gotta give you a little credit in the end you were wrong but i mean there was trade offers for him so it's there's some sort of truth to what you said. I mean, obviously, maybe not some sort, but there was a little bit of like,

all right, maybe this guy isn't going to return. I think that was your overall explanation or what you were trying to describe when you originally broke this news. Correct. So, Merle, my thought was, you mentioned talk, and I think that's a huge element to this. Do you think that you were catching that wind around town from Basie Potenti where his sediments were in the summertime? Because I don't think it's any surprise to anyone that there were cultural indifferences in the locker room. And I don't think from people who had been there in the past, they were able to kind of mend the relationships and kind of form this core that was united. And I don't think that they were until talk got there and those differences were worked out. And obviously the team is having success.

Not everybody on every team is going to be the best of friends. Like sometimes guys are going to butt heads. And maybe it stems from an original misunderstanding and it just kind of got worse and worse from there um and i think things were probably a little bit unorganized before talk in in that you know the new regime have been in there rather for to be a complimented as well so to think that peten, I would have assumed that going into this, I think that he was basically like, well, I don't, I'm not forced to sign now. I'm going to see how this all shakes out for this year. And I think that there was a strong possibility at the beginning of the year

that it was probably leaning towards, he wouldn't have been returning, but at a certain point too, it's like he fucking got what he got in signing bonus. He got what? A little bit, a hundred K more than what Nylander got. And you can't be stupid enough to turn that type of money down. And let's, let's be real here in three or four years, if he's not happy with where he's at and we'll talk about the fan base and where he's at in a second, what's saying you don't have all the control as a player to just be like, hey, I don't want to play here anymore.

I want to trade. I know the injury with Aiko played a factor, but it kind of might have happened with him anyway. These players have a lot of the leverage. So get your money in the meantime, play in a place where you can win in the meantime, and then worry about the rest later given all the other factors involved. That's kind of where I ended up sitting on it.

I love the deal. I think he's incredible. He's one of my favorite players to watch. He's creative, smart, his shot's amazing. And in four years, who knows what the cap's going to be at. This could be a hell of a deal, right? I think it already is, just to have him sign and everything. Heck of a deal.

But the best part about the deal, elliot goes into this a little bit is man they were one in five in their last six games probably one sunday night like they were trash they were fighting the demons all the noise from the outside which i think any player would say and coaches and gms like once the noise starts coming in on the outside about contracts and trades, it's kind of a disaster. Guys try and maybe won't admit. Guys try not to think about it and maybe won't admit it. But it affects you. And all of a sudden, they're struggling.

They hadn't really done that all season. And boom, this news drops and it's just this weight's lifted off the entire team. It's not just him. It's not just Alvin and Rutherford. It's just everyone's like, like oh no more questions about this no more is this being the side story now we can hopefully get back and and and they win they went on sunday i mean they kind of just squeaked by the ducks but still they're all right let's see if we can get going again and from a management and organization perspective you're thinking i'd

rather in the end this be an overpay if it is not saying it will be i think it's a great contract rather than the the ladder of like trading them and like it's just a fucking shit show and bring the whole morale down and i don't blame the organization though for reaching out and trying to find a return because if if you eventually and as elio get to don't like as far as the money's concerned if you don't end up wanting to take it it's just like whatever i guess we're getting long-winded about it i'll pass it back over i think neilander got neilander got like 20 more million in bonuses though but still crazy for him to get the bonus money that he got being in vancouver and outside of a toronto market yeah

so all things considered i know i got long-winded there and a little bit sidetracked, but Merles, I think that this was a lot closer to what you're saying than it wasn't. Yeah, I was wrong. It was tough to see. I want it to be right, but I'm happy he's happy. I'm happy for the Canucks. I don't think it's the end of the story like you guys are saying. We'll see in three or four years if he's still there, but it's just the perfect storm.

Things have happened. Boom, boom, boom. And he had to resign, and I'm rooting for them. I had them making the playoffs this year, so, but it's just the perfect storm. Things have happened. Boom, boom, boom. And he had to resign. And, you know, I'm rooting for them. I had them making the playoffs this year, so I'll be rooting for the Canucks. You just won't find a top-tier Canadian player anymore, though, take any type of hometown discount.

Like you just said, based on the distraction and the media surrounding you all the time and everything being scrutinized, why would you take a cent less than what you can get? And that's why I don't think that the cap situation is going to change with the state tax thing. And that's why I think Canadian teams will always be at a disadvantage because they have to pay their stars every goddamn cent of how annoying that is. He had to essentially rush his contract situation because it was becoming a distraction. Like, that's fucking crazy.

because it was becoming a distraction. Like, that's fucking crazy. It's almost going to come back to how Edmonton locked up Leon to one of the best deals in the league right now because they signed him and they overpaid him at the time. And now you're like, oh my gosh, this guy makes $8 million? That's what you got to do. It's like one of those deals that Jersey's kind of handed out. Like, oh, that doesn't sound like they're worth it now.

And then they grow into it and you're in Canada and you're like, this guy's not really crushing us cap-wise. But yeah, it's awesome for Vancouver, though. It really is. Because you didn't want to see this season go by the wayside because of Pedersen and his contract. And now

they can be like, alright, we got our group. Maybe even they add a little bit more. There is a sense of Lindholm's kind of... It's been a little slow for him to get going there though. They got to figure out him, get him going somehow. Yeah. We haven't actually given the particulars for those people listening. Elias Pedersen signed an eight year, a $92.8 million extension comes out to $11.6 million a year. Deal starts next year, runs through 2032. No trade protection the first year, but he has a no-move clause for the last seven years of the deal. 47 million of it is in bonuses,

45.8 million in salary. It's the fourth largest contract in the NHL for total dollars after Crosby, McKinnon, and McDavid right now. And Pedersen has 398 points in 387 games, and he's got 18 points in 17 playoff games, and he'll be 34 in the DLX bias. I miss a hell of a deal for Vancouver, like you said. But wait, I love watching this guy play too. And Biz, I got on good authority that the team actually bonded over Hayden Pasha and his dopey fucking takes.

That's how they ended up getting along after all that shit. Nobody's had a worse season. Oh, by the way, JT Miller. Hey, bleep out his name. No more mention of him. It's over. Bleep it out. JT Miller, first player in Canucks history to record three seasons

with 30-plus goals and 50-plus assists. So suck on that. Boop. That's shocking to me. I love it. The Sedins didn't do that. That's wild. Yeah, that was a wild stat.

One of them had two, but not three. So Saturday night, Biz, I think you might have been the first guy to call that Revo and what's his name? Rempe were going to be going head-to-head Saturday night. And it took a little while for it to come, but it did come. You know what I'm talking about, Biz. Oh, no, no. Yeah, no. I was just going to say, usually when we do our roundup calls on this, we were talking about it.

Like how Rempe has revived the heavyweight division. And I think I even said G, or G might have said, hey, when do they play Toronto? And then we were thinking of obviously Montreal. Like when's Toronto playing Montreal next? So all of a sudden, I think that the percentage of fighting was supposed to be way down. But since he's been called up,

the percentage of fighting in the nhl has like astronomically went up so they might actually tie last year's total now that it's gotten this late charge but yeah it's uh the the energy like i talked to people who went to the game and they said the energy going into it just felt different knowing that you're gonna have these two heavyweights in the nhl going at it well at least in the east a huge game both teams are fucking on a heater right now and the fact that you're going to get this 21 year old kid who it's like the jeremy lynn situation everybody's fucking talking about his anytime his name is mentioned online the clicks and the views are fucking going through the roof he's fought four times in his his first seven games and the fact that probably the heavyweight champ in my opinion in the league right now Revo is

Toronto and it's there it's just like going into it it was fucking hype and Revo challenged him off the start Rempe's like no no turning it down and then buddy people keep saying like oh this Rempe kid like oh big deal he plays three He's useless. Buddy, the way that this 6'7 kid can move and how fast he can skate, I'm telling you, he can make an impact in a playoff series if he's able to get in on the forecheck and fucking hit a defenseman like he hit one of the most solid D-men

in the league, the Russian bear, Labushkin. So, and then as a response, after saying no all game, you know, Rempe gets sent out there. And it was funny how he looked back to the bench and La Violette gave him the nod, kind of be like, all right, kid. And fucking Rempe answered the bell. Like to me, that was the perfect hockey game.

Although it would have been cool to see it end in overtime, but shootouts kind of ruined it for me. But still, 4-3, there was a fucking big hits, fights. Like, you know, it had it all. And it was a fucking unbelievable Saturday game in the Mecca of the hockey universe. And this 21-year-old kid continues to impress. And I thought he handled himself unbelievable in that scrap.

A few times I got a little nervous. And the reason I say Revo's the heavyweight champ is just the way he was able to fucking get away from those jabs and also generate power and he connected with a few of those bombs. If you want to call it a draw guys, call it a draw but I would say advantage Revo and until

you're dethroned I still think you're the heavyweight champ. So that's kind of my breakdown of everything Saturday. I thought it was a fucking unreal hockey game. I loved it. Oh, go ahead, R.A. I want to ask you, people being dramatic about him, oh, he's fighting too much, they got to lay

off the kid, or is the kid just doing what he wants to do? I mean, like we always say on this show, nobody doesn't have to fight unless they don't want to. Are people just being like fucking, oh, think of the children, like being overdramatic or what? What's your take on that that let me address a couple things first the fight great question though all right i liked it i like it i like it it's been a discussion kind of around the league first off in terms of the fight he did a way better job protecting himself i think that he was like

all right i can't really do what i did with olivier who beat his head in, right? But Olivier's tough as shit. But he was just, there was no defense. All right, I can't do that anymore with some of these guys. So he did an awesome job. Revo was incredible. He ducked a couple and then came over the top. And yeah, in the end, Revo, I think, got the W. But it wasn't a knockout.

It wasn't anything incredible or insane. But you know what? He probably ended up getting the win but rempe did amazing what i took away from it was how revo mentioned today he didn't fall asleep till 6 30 in the morning after the game he was so fired up and jacked up but then his next quote was that kid's gonna be a menace in this league for ryan reese to throw out that type of talk and compliment like that's a pretty big deal for a guy who's fought everyone, who's been able to be in the league a long time,

doing a tough job. He's given credit where credit's due. That kid is so long, and like Biz said, he's such a good skater that he's going to be a lot to handle for a long time. Now, I'll go back to the hit that caused that fight. That is a penalty. I'm sorry.

He jumped. I actually freeze-framed it. As he's making contact... You're a freeze-framer? Well, I wanted to see if he was in the air after the hit or prior. Both his feet are in the air as he's hitting the guy. He's 7'3", probably not necessary to be in the air when you're hitting that guy. No, I think you're good.

You're good on the size. What? No, I agree with you. He's good'3", probably not necessary to be in the air when you're hitting that guy. No, I think you're good. You're good on the size. What? No, I agree with you. He's good on the size. Yeah, I mean, why is he jumping? Now, hell of a job to have the explosion and be able to get to Lubushkin that quick. And I think in the end, though, that's probably a boarding or a charge. Okay?

Now, man, if you're on the Rangers, you love that. Who cares? We'll kill that one off. That's kind of what the guys say in the room. Hey, a penalty like that will kill that one off, boys. You knocked out their brand new defenseman, and you set the tone. We're down a goal, right? So that was a penalty in my mind, but still, that's exactly what Laviolette wants from him. That's exactly what he'll be able to do in the playoffs, as Biz maybe mentioned. he let wants from him that's exactly what he'll be able to do in the playoffs as biz maybe mentioned the fighting aspect okay shut the fuck up everyone okay this guy is choosing to do this he's an adult

he's in the nhl okay i want to fight people saying like he shouldn't be fighting he shouldn't be the guy is going out willingly and and totally knowing the circumstances and what could happen and fighting people. When did this turn into like babysitting hour on the CBC? It's like, what the hell is going on? The guy wants to fight. He can fight. I don't even understand what we're talking about. It's like, I feel like this pitcher should stop throwing fastballs.

He might hurt his curveballs. He might hurt his elbow. Like, buddy, shut up. This is is pro sports the highest level of pro sports and this kid as biz said last week doesn't want to go back to sobby sub land in the minors he's in the nhl if he wants to fight every game the rest of his career who is anyone out there fan fan, media personality, I guess besides his coach who could be like, stop fighting. Nobody should be able to in any way tell this kid what he should and shouldn't be doing. It's his decision. He wants to be in the NHL, and this is how he's making a name for himself.

So those people need to shut up. And he's getting that, you know, let's say five minutes of ice per game. You only have that five minutes to make an impact. That's it. That's all you get. So that's why you see him. And I guess you could, I didn't like to call it a charge because he was the F1 four checker.

And the minute Labushkin kind of looks north, he has the right to skate towards his check at full speed. And like the problem I had was, was the fact that he did jump and, and what I think he's been doing a good job of so far is towing the line. But the next one where he's coming out of the air a little bit, now that he's had the bastion one, and now he's had this one where he hasn't been suspended. I don't want to say there's a target on his back,

but it's like, Hey, you got to fucking tow that line. Cause the minute you come off your feet again next time, and the result is probably the same. you're probably looking at getting games. So I watched it, Biz. I actually slowed back the actual before the hit too, before I screenshot guy. He does a crossover and then he goes three hard strides.

So maybe not a charge, but a board. It was a two-minute penalty is all I'm saying. So that's another one that I question is a charge but a board it was a two minute penalty is all i'm saying so that's another one that i question is when people say a board it's like labushkin got the puck he turned up ice and he had time to get off the wall like it's like you're telling me in the midst of going to your check it's it's it's uh rempy's responsibility to make sure how far his distance is across from the board especially when he's facing north. The only reason Labushkin ended up eating the wall is because as the hit came, he kind of turned.

I mean, he ate the dasher, right? That's a big human to be coming at you that quick. You're just like, where do I go? And that's why I view him as so valuable is his skating and how he's able to close so quick. So, fuck, I mean, he's able to close so quick. So fuck you. I mean, he just,

he's a monster out there. So overall, I, I just liked the fact that he also answered the bell with Revo after that. That was the old school element where he didn't hide behind the referees. He didn't hide behind not answering the bell. He fucking fought the other team's tough guy. And until before he did it from a non-organic useless standpoint,

he became a factor in the game to the point where Revo had to go out and address that. He's a tough guy. And until before he did it from a non-organic useless standpoint, he became a factor in the game to the point where Revo had to go out and address that. So my final two things. My final two things. He's in the box, dude, right? So Revo, the Leafs are up a goal. Now Revo's like, all right, well, this kid just injured one of our defensemen. I'm going to fight him.

But what happens? The Rangers end up tying it up. Well, Rempe's in the box. And the video was great. Rempe stands up in the box. He's so fired up. So it was the Rangers that are looking at it like, dude, not only did you go out there and answer the bell, we ended up tying it up. Change of momentum.

Showcheck scored a beauty. I think Lafreniere had three points right after I pumped his tire last week. Yeah. My second thing. What was? Oh. In terms of like maybe fans right now are listening rangers fans probably love this but other fans like why are you talking about this guy so much well here's why in the playoffs of the lockout season merles and i were on wilkes-barre

and chris neal while not being the size of rempy, he was an absolute machine. He was a cigarette machine on the ice murdering people. He injured three players on the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. Knocked them out for what would have been the playoffs, dude. And it was a six-game series. Concussions, separated shoulders. Like, Merles, you remember that. Yeah, he concussed the one guy. So the other D, his D partner, went to fight him.

And he dummied that guy, broke his orbital bone. Those two guys in one player. There's a chance he can really change a playoff series. I mean, I don't know. But in the end, that's the recap of Saturday night. And then Saturday night finishes off out west with the Pittsburgh Penguins blowing a game to Calgary Flames on Meeker Kiprasov night. The Penguins, guys, they're dead.

And we got to shout out Grinelli. Grinelli in the August podcast said the Penguins aren't doing shit. So he was right about them. It's like sad. The first time in back-to-back years, Crosby won't make playoffs. They wasted. The players on the team wasted the greatest performance we've ever seen in the history of the NHL by a 36-year-old player.

Is that a fact? I think from a stats standpoint, yeah. And like what he's doing and they might have like factored in all the other fucking analytic stuff or whatever, but I think even from a point standpoint, I mean, buddy, he's been a force. Like, I could, if it wasn't for these other guys going freak mode, he could probably be a consideration for MVP for what he's done for the Penguins.

And it's, and then the Edmonton game was just, that was the true icing on the cake. It was just a shellacking out West, and yeah, an embarrassment. I think in the end, in the end, I mean, it's hindsight's 2020. It's so easy to sit here and say this now, but might've been time to move on from Gino. Gino is kind of a shell of himself now.

And, and then the Carlson deal, man, like in Grinnell, he said it like, they didn't need that contract they didn't need that player they they could have added so many different pieces and and it's just been a disaster I like the fact that Dubestow went out and took that swing to try to bring in another piece of the core but yeah like you said it's uh oh man and then like my understanding was the reason that they brought Tanger and and Gino back with obviously with Sid was because they wanted to make sure they kept the fan base coming. They wanted people in the building. They didn't want it to kind of have too much of the dark days, especially at the fact that a new person was buying the team.

But how in keeping this core, let's say with Carlson, those three guys how quick you think you can rebuild uh to to a team that's like relevant like with not many years with not many prospects and draft picks so what so sid is good at the level he's at now for another two years three years but it goes to waste on what like a that's why i just it's like i understand loyalty to the penguin crest but fuck man it'd be sick to see him go collab with nate out in colorado i know i'm beating this drum but if this ends up happening this could be this will be your what is the the word my mona lisa my mona lisa but it wasn't even me it was it was darren dragger who started it originally and i'm like fuck i'm like yeah if they if they get bad enough we're like why would you why would you let that type of talent rot it would be sid deciding it's just he's a loyal guy anyway the fenway sports

group buying the penguins when they did is like buying a house like in new orleans right before hurricane Katrina it's a disaster oh i mean it's a hell of an analogy and I don't mean and obviously like that was horrible I'm not sure I want to take anything away from that but no no it was talk about the timing of buying them yeah if they wanted to keep Malkin and Letang then they had to take lesser deals they can't they couldn't take their market like that seven six million. They had to be like Bergeron, take $1 million each if you want to stay and be a pain. You made enough money, you got the cup. The Louis Vuitton's not cheap, Matt.

If you don't have enough money after everything they've earned, then there's a bigger problem. Alright. Yeah, Sid, 32 goals, 31 assists in just 59 games. And I'll tell you, Biz, the goaltending, not the issue with this team this year. Team save percentage, 9-10. 278 goals against. 7 shutouts.

Leads the league. Only 6 teams have a better save percentage. Only 7 fewer goals allowed per game. So for all the knocks the goaltending has taken over the years, there definitely hasn't been the issue with Pittsburgh. Just everything in front of them. I think that they definitely should have won the series against

New York 2 years ago. They should have beat them if they would have had a healthy goalie. I think that if they had a chance at maybe winning another cup, I think that Hextall fucked it up by some tough decisions that kind of just trickle you down a place where you're very vulnerable. So I can't put the entire onus. Dubas doesn't deserve any fl any flack maybe other than the carlson move but that was also probably done out of desperation because of the other ones before it i'm not if i'm not a dubious uh what do you call it like a dubious excuser a what a hater no but

the other word you made him your enemy at one point yeah i'm not a goobest apologist. Quickly, before the next topic, I will say this. When the issue with Matthew Joseph on Ottawa punching or the whole mishap with Dylan Larkin earlier this season, we learned pretty quickly that the Detroit Red Wings fan base is rabid, to say the least. I mean, these people are crazy, and I love it. As I've said many times, Detroit was my team. Steve Eisenman, my favorite player.

I switched to a defenseman, Nick Lidstrom, the best jerseys, everything about it. I've gone on and on. When we didn't discuss the Detroit Red Wings last week, I got more hate messages than I've ever received in my life. So Detroit fans, I apologize because after that run that they'd been on, and unfortunately they then go out and they lose to the Islanders in a winnable game, and then they get the absolute doors blown off them by the Florida Panthers. I had somebody tell me, a scout for a Western Conference team,

he told me that the GM of his team, when they were flying down to Florida, they were just on the phone catching up, and he's like, all right, I got to go. We're getting on the flight to Florida. We're going to play the best team in the NHL. So the Florida Panthers, understandably, like Detroit, you're not there yet. It was a big test game.

It was an awesome game, too. Since football's ended, these Sunday 3 o'clock games that ABC has are so good, and the game started off. It was playoff hockey, man. It was 0-0 in the first. Detroit got a goal called back. But in the end, Florida just out-muscled them. Well, there's a chance they meet first round, too.

So it was kind of like a message being sent. How about Kachuk's masterclass? Sherratt took three minor penalties against him. Yeah. Just nonstop in his face. Cousins was being cousins. And the Panthers are just on a different level. But Detroit, good for you guys. I mean, right now, I don't know what the odds are. It looks like Detroit should get into the playoffs. I really hope this doesn't mush them. Guys, you could call me a mush. I don't want to be mushing

right now. I love this team. Raymond has popped off this season. That's a guy who's going to keep getting better and better. A Swede, smart as shit. Merle saw him back when he played in the Swedish Elite League. He's got everything in his game and he's getting better. What sucks is not only do they have these back-to-back losses at home, they Larkin's out two weeks, boys.

Larkin's got a two-week injury, lower body injury, which is just a kick in the dick as they've lost two in a row. He's been fantastic. Biz, remember last year when we were talking about his deal and what he wanted, and maybe he wasn't necessarily deserving of what he was asking for? I take all that back.

Yeah, he's blown past what he's being paid based on his production and finally getting the brinket, like a respectable 40 goal scoring winger, right? So he's with him. He's proved that he's worth more than what he got. And at the time I said, I thought that he was a second line center on a Stanley cup winning team. Well, the way that I think that they're going to be built in with the, the, the, the fair contracts that they have, I think that everybody's going to be paid accordingly and he's actually slotted perfectly.

We were talking about this before we hit the play button too. Given with the fact that you have Stevie Y as a general manager, I think that they're going to be able to lock up Raymond and Sider cheaper than what people expect. Now, what that number we're talking about is, I wouldn't be shocked if Iserman could get Marit Seider down in the seven and a half range, right?

I know, but I don't think his agent would let him take eight years at that. I think that would be a mistake. Sure. Then I view Stevie Iserman being the type of guy to say, hey, here's a bridge deal. I can't just kind of hand over you this type of money. Larkin had to go fucking earn it. What type of precedent are you seeing?

And especially at the fact that when Sider stepped in there, they were slim pickings. So he was kind of doing everything. And he had this unbelievable rookie season. We can't take that away from him. Last year, it felt like maybe it was a bit overwhelming in your sophomore year handling all those responsibilities he doesn't exactly have to be that number one offensive option on the back end now i feel like goss despair takes a lot of that pressure off him right so what exactly are you

paying for are you going to pay some guy that is that is normally going to get paid for doing absolutely everything and another thing i said before we hopped on it kind of he he comes off for are you going to pay some guy that is that is normally going to get paid for doing absolutely everything and another thing i said before we hopped on it kind of he he comes off as like a petro to me his high-end offense isn't hot like that like the the highest of ends but he's like a number two guy but yet he's a bitch to to play against and he defends well and he could fucking penalty kill and he brings all the other intangibles. I think Petro's better offensively than you're saying. I think Petro's a true number one D-man.

I know, but... Okay, but do you not think that they have Shea Theodore to kind of alleviate that stress from him there? No, no, I agree. And Theodore maybe runs that power play a little bit better, but... Okay. So it's just like, do you,

I view it as a true number one where you don't, you're on an Island where you have really no choice and you have to do all those things. And I, I, I would view my car as a true, he's putting, he's a one in every single position and he's making nine and a half.

So are you my car level? No. Take, I think, I think that with with who Stevie Iserman is and the way that he's trying to establish the culture I think I view it more from like a little bit more of a Boston shape and I wouldn't be shocked if those two guys he gets them at a reasonable number and this is just kind of a double barrel going to the whole team in general I think of any of the young teams that were looking to make that leap into

making playoffs. Stevie Y did the best job of going out there and getting guys and putting respectable veterans in positions and helping round out the young guys games, but also holding their own like the Perrons, like, you know, Comfer like that caught like Not each of these guys. I feel like Fabri's a gamer too, but he doesn't command a lot of them. So all these guys are being fairly compensated, yet they all bring something to their game. And the biggest takeaway too is they weren't a pushover against Florida.

They fought back. No, they did. When two guys jumped on Patrick Kane, fucking, there was three Red Wings come over to protect Caner. They've established a good culture. And that's probably my biggest takeaway from this bubble team. Who's had probably surprised a lot of people. And to talk to Patrick Kane guys like this guy, like, I think a lot of people wrote him off based on the surgery that he had. And he took, he had the same doctor is Andy Murray, the other player that had came back from this and had had. And he had the same doctor as Andy Murray, the other player that had came back from this and had success.

And he's exceeded everybody's expectations. So just overall, this season will be a success regardless if they do anything at the deadline of what their next wave of core can take away from everything they've experienced this year. A plus, and it's awesome to see. And I'm glad you mentioned the pushback. Because if you remember, last year they were in the hunt, and they played Ottawa back-to-back

and took two of the biggest beatings of all time. And then Iserman, I don't think publicly he said it, but it came out like, why would I add anything to this team after those two games I just saw? And then this year, yeah, Florida got them 4-0. Florida's incredible. I was dead wrong on them.

I picked them and missed the playoffs. But don't worry about that. You have a culture now. You've got a team sticking up for one another. It's completely opposite of last year, and it's been a lot of fun to watch this team and watch that barn go nuts. They're scoring at will.

They're one of the highest scoring teams in the league, which I think Newsy said he was almost a little bit surprised about. So Detroit fans, lay off me. I apologize. That was our takes in terms of how special a year that's been. Now hopefully finish this job off, get Larkin back, get into the playoffs. You never know what can happen. But congrats to the Red Wings fans on finally having a little success.

It's been a tough, I don't know, what, seven, eight years since they've been in the mix. Merle, you got anything on them? And they got that prospect in Sweden, the superstar D-man. Ari, you brought him up last podcast, Alex Lyon, too. But Merle, go ahead, whoever wants to. Yeah, I mean, I'm the biggest mush. I had them last year making the playoffs. It was my big bet of the whole season, and I mushed that.

But don't feel bad about Florida. The only guy that had him in our whole entire crew making the playoffs was the guy's name we can't speak of. So none of us, nobody had him. So once again, the top team in the league. We disrespected the culture that they had built last year, and we thought the pieces they lost and with the injuries coming in, they have just, that's a tough.

So we're all as bad as me last year saying Boston wasn't going to make the playoffs. Well, Boston broke the record for most points of all time. So we're not quite there yet, but we're close. And actually, us being that dumb and that stupid, it leads me into my next point, okay? Rumor boys. Rumor boys. Rumor boys.

We're down. We're down bad. Now, what I don't understand is, and I'm speaking to you fans out there. I'm speaking to you fans who get so pissed off when we talk about different things in rumor boy stuff, which I think it's pretty open to most people with a full brain that we're, like, joking around. We're throwing things to the wall. We're just whatever. Why do fans, all you guys listening or girls why do you get so upset when a rumor's out there about one of

your players favorite player not favorite player doesn't matter i don't understand as a former player why it rattles you that much because if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen and us saying something would never make anything happen so i i don't get the anger like i sent out this tweet about brady kachuk and these senators fans are losing it i didn't make it up somebody told it to me and they're all coming at me oh r.a probably texting you you're blanking out his name no a guy who's told me legitimate things three or four things that have come true told me that so i I tweeted it out. And Senators fans want me dead. I don't understand. Why does it make you that mad if a rumor's out there? If it happens, it happens.

If it doesn't, it doesn't. I'm speaking to you guys, and you can let me know why it makes you so upset and it pisses you off so much, but it's a tweet. Who cares? And in a player's instance, I think you actually got Petey paid an extra $10 million, dollars merle with your rumor which wasn't kind of a rumor so if anything it's benefiting the players and you guys should be happy about that because we're a players podcast right wit yes i just find it so funny how mad

people get i'm gonna do it more because it makes you so mad if anything it's like hey if you let somebody know you hate your nickname that that nickname ain't going away. If you're letting me know how much you hate me because I'm saying certain different rumors I might be hearing, then I'm going to do more of it. R.A., you mentioned last podcast, Alex Lyon. What a run he's been on. Now he's dragging two teams back-to-back years in the playoffs.

Sid could have used him. Unbelievable. They brought him in last summer, a two-year, $1.8 million deal. Making less than a million a year. Stevie getting banged for his buck. He started 29 out of 60 games so far. 18-9-2. 274 goals against 9-1-2.

Save percentage. Two shutouts. It's just crazy that this guy, you know, I mean, I don't think calling a guy a journeyman is a disrespectful term, but I mean, that's what he's been really for his career. What he did last year in Florida, what he's been doing in Detroit. And we've seen it around the league too, Biz, what Lindgren's been doing in Washington. Brain fart and fucking...

Oh, you're okay, buddy. That's two good examples. All right, they had Huso and Reimer. Detroit brought him in to be the starter in Grand Rapids. Exactly. That was probably the idea on this. And he saved their season. And the other thing I was thinking. Marty Jones up in Toronto.

He's a guy who's bounced around. I mean, he really saved Simpson. I was baking earlier. And by the way, Toronto fucking waved him. Anybody in the league could have had him for, what, $3.5 million. I saw that on the outline, R.A., which is a great point. Because of what he's done since. He's unreal right now. But at 3.6 or whatever his deal is with what he'd been doing, he had the yips.

I also understand why nobody's grabbing him at that time. Yeah, but I think given his track record, I don't think he's been a disaster during his career. I mean, I'm really shocked that a team didn't grab him for that fucking price, man. Three and a half million dollars, especially with all the goaltending issues we've seen in a lot of teams this year. I'm shocked, but hey, it worked out for Toronto in the long run.

But just real quick with Detroit, 11 forwards have at least 10 goals on that team right now. They could have as much as 13.7 million in cap space to make some deadline moves. They got a full compliment of draft picks and very, very deep prospect pool. So I wouldn't be surprised

if Steve Uy dips his toes into that end of the pool and tries to go for it a little bit this year. Michael Rasmussen, he just signed a four-year extension. I think he's making 3.2 a year. A lot of fair deals and guys contributing. It's great

to see. Motown in the mix. I thought you were going to sing a little Motown for us we mentioned that trade deadline in the introduction it is this Friday had a couple deals so far Chris Tanev sweepstakes he ended up in Dallas it was a three way trade Dallas got Tanev and the rights to UMass goalie Cole Brady

Calgary got defensive prospect Artem Grushnikov second round in 24 and a conditional third in 26 also retaining half of Tana's salary New Jersey are going to get half of half of Tana's salary 1.125 mil and Dallas is fourth in

26 with their trouble he might not play until Tuesday I guess he has some visa issues going on he's going to wear number 3 he said which is kind of half of 8 because he used to said, which is kind of half of eight because he used to wear eight, which is kind of funny for a hockey player. But how big of a pickup is this for the Stars, Whit? It's huge.

It's absolutely huge. And I saw this everywhere. So it's not my point, but I totally agree with it. When you thought of Tanev and all the different teams he could go, yeah, there was teams that definitely could have used him. But didn't it seem like he just fit in perfectly with Dallas? It was just like a Dallas star. It makes total sense that he's there.

And now, man, you look at their D, they have everything on their back end. Like one to six, probably as deep as anyone else, I would say. And you got like Heskinen's your superstar. He's your guy. He's your Makar, right? He's your number one dude that can do it all and play 30 minutes and just be all over the ice. And then you got Tanev. He's a PK guy.

He's shutting people down. He's blocking shots. Ryan Suter's a veteran. You remember him against Minnesota last year. He was a beast, and that series was a war. And then all of a sudden this year, Harley, right? Yeah, he's been awesome. Thomas Harley, yeah.

Holy shit, he's got 15 goals? 14 goals? Yeah, 14 goals, yeah. I mean, and Lindell's been there forever, and that's another guy who can throw in some offense while also being an awesome defensive defenseman. Ottinger, and we don't talk about Dallas enough. It's one of those

things where I don't really hear from many Dallas fans online, and I know I'm just talking about online, and there's plenty of fans. Well, they got the Glassbanger. That's the one you hear from. Yeah, maybe we've gone after him so hard after the playoffs last year that they've all shut us out, and they're all fans

of the Glassbanger, but this team is going to be right there. Probably, I think that they're right now the favorites to come out of that division and be in the Western Conference final. They were able to do it last year and couldn't muster up much against Vegas, but man, this team has every

single thing you need. They have forwards, they have defense, they have a great goalie, and now all of a sudden, they got stankhoven. Have you seen this fucking kid? Did you see this kid's first four games, Biz? Yeah. Holy shit. All right, let me tell you something.

5'8", so he's small. And that's probably why he didn't go in the first round. Like I tweeted out, kids, it doesn't matter where you get drafted. Do you think for one second, after maybe being disappointed that he wasn't a first-round pick, do you think this kid didn't look at that as a fire and look at that as a slap in the face

and just say, wait till people see what I can do in pro hockey? Because it's taken him about three minutes this year to figure out the NHL and how to score and how to create plays. He went to the AHL and dominated all over the place. I read a stat that with primary points for a player under 21, he's the most per 60 minutes in the history of the AHL. Like dominating games.

Right. And then the best part was somebody sent me a clip of against Winnipeg. I think it was Winnipeg the other night. Gets back on the back check quick as hell. Lifts the stick of a player. Turns it over. Comes back over the blue line. Makes a sick little play.

Ends up going on the net. Banging home the rebound. This is a dog. And you're adding this kid. Now, people were wondering. They sent him back down. That's all on paper. That's all just moves to just figure out the cap as they figure out, like, towards the deadline how they're going to make everything move.

Come game one of the playoffs, this kid's in the lineup. You got Robertson. You got Hintz. You got Pavelski. Sagan's having a good year. Ben's the captain and the leader. They have two first lines based on their scoring. Dude, they're unbelievable.

With the Duchesne pickup, he's making nothing on a Bargoon contract. So, like, I talk often about when the wings are good, the league's better. When the flyers are good, the league's better. You want the Canadians to be good. Yeah. Like the original six teams for money in this league, you want those teams to be good. The flyers aren't original six, but they're a big time franchise. So we don't talk about the stars enough, but partly it's just because it is a quiet team. Like they just go about their business. There's not a lot of stories coming out of there. They're just consistently really good. So we probably should have been speaking more about that team

and their depth and their chance to really win it all this year. But it's almost wait until the playoffs and watch what these guys do because they have everything. Now that they got Tanev, I don't even know if they need to go out and do anything. I mean, it goes back to the draft and developing too. I mean, they got they got Ottinger Haskinen and Robertson all in one draft and then you see what

they've gotten with Wyatt Johnston and then now you see what they got with this guy. It's just like and this other kid Maverick Bork in the minors who's sick Harley like there ain't many teams pulling this many diamonds out of the rough outside of like a top three pick that are going to be like you know doing what fucking Robertson's doing.

So it's just amazing. I don't know who their scouting department is or who's making these decisions, but holy fuck, get him a raise. Merle, who was telling you about Mike Johnson? Monty told me about him. I think he knew about him before when he was with Dallas. He knew all about him. He said, this kid's going to be a Bergeron-type player.

I brought it up on here He knew all about him. He said, this kid's going to be a Bergeron-type player. I brought it up on here before I talked about him. They didn't even get a good chance to scout him because I think his draft year, he played like 16 games in junior because it was all the COVID lockdowns.

So they had the book out on him and they took a flyer on a guy who played 17 games and boom, lottery. Scratch-offs. Cash for life. And how about Mason Marchman? How about Mason Marchman?

Yeah, he's a piece of shit to play against. Toronto had him. Florida had him. And look at him. We just named 10 forwards that are just game breakers. Like, let's go through. Sagan, Pavelski, Robertson, Hintz, Wyatt Johnson, Stankov now, Marchman, Duchesne.

This is ridiculous. And then we already talked about the D. What were we going to say, Murr? I apologize. On paper, they don't even send them to Austin. He just hides in the hotel room when he's sent down on paper. I meant to ask Elliot that. I don't know if you technically

have to go. I think you have to get a flight and they have to show it. I remember hearing guys would have to fly across the country, touch down. That's what sucked about having the AHL team all the way across country rather than maybe having it in the same state. But imagine being in Dallas and they're

like, hey, we sent you down. He's like, oh, shucks. I got to go to Austin and stare at 4,000 rockets and eat great food. Well, that's the thing. That's the luxury. You might actually want to get the send down. Yeah, well, I think that's a nice little double wrister for the Dallas Stars who we don't get a chance to talk about.

But a great move by Jim Ngo. One more on Dallas Stars. You're so high on them to win the division. They're tied in points right now with the Jets, but the Jets have three games in hand. But if you go over DraftKings Sportsbook, you can get Dallas plus 220 to win the division. They're tied in points right now with the jets, but the jets have three games in hand. But if you go over draft King sports book, you can get Dallas plus two 20 and win the division. I love it.

Love it. Uh, we mentioned already, uh, Toronto got LaBouche getting a deal last week. Wow. What other deal? The devil's picked up, uh,

Curtis McDermott from Colorado, uh, for the rights to Russian forward, uh, as the Cobb bar dock off in a seventh and 24 Merles, this move too late or way too late to get this guy now? I mean, come on. I was wondering if he played goalie or not,

but I get what they're trying to do is get a big guy that can maybe block some shots because their goaltending is terrible. I just don't understand that move at all. It didn't take care of what the problem is. Or cave their face in if they run Bastion the way that Rempe ran Bastion. I think legit he probably picked up the phone the day

after that game and started negotiating that deal. No? Maybe. If you're going to have a team as soft and as skilled as the New Jersey Devils, you better have a fucking Curtis McDermott. And you might even want to put him on Jack's line for a few fucking

shifts. I agree, R.A. It's too late, but it's a great move and you need, especially the way that East is forming out. I'm going to be honest, guys. Holy fuck. This Devils team, that was a pathetic. Blame injuries all you want, buddy, but they don't fucking

go to the inside they don't generate nothing in the middle they were the fucking high-flying offense last year that was you know beating you off the rush and everything was clicking and ready to go and hey commend them for having a great first round series against another team who was playing a little bit run and gun but jesus christ man this is fucking. And it ain't just goaltending. It's the breakdown after breakdown after breakdown. Gee, the one against LA the other night, like all five guys are in the offensive zone

with their thumbs up their ass and then Deneau's just like at the far blue being like, what's up? Breakaway in the back of your net. The season in a nutshell is they pulled the goalie down 4-1 and didn't even put out an extra man. Did you see that?

Jack Hughes has to puck. He's like, what the hell? And then they go offside. The camera goes to Jack Hughes, and he's just like this. Motherfucker. It's like Lindy Ruff. You just never saw this year coming for them. But I guess looking up and down the roster before,

you should have seen it's soft. They got no goalie. I saw who sent on our group chat their goalie stats side by side. It's the worst two goalie stats I've ever seen. They're both at like 890 with like a 3.8. There's three of them. Yeah, I saw that during the one game. All three of them went up there.

They're all brutal I mean the man who shall not be named as I mentioned I will be videotaping him getting that tattoo my mood just changed when we started talking about the team because of him well in that case Biz maybe we should send it over to our friend

Elliot Friedman right about now we had an awesome conversation about the trade deadline a whole bunch of other shit so let's send it over to our friend Elliot Friedman right about now. We had an awesome conversation about the trade deadline, a whole bunch of other shit. So let's send it over to him right about now. Before we continue, guys, I'm here to talk to you about BetterHelp. A lot of us spend our lives wishing we had more time. And the question is, time for what? If time was unlimited, how would you use it?

The best way to squeeze that special thing into your schedule is to know what's important to you and to make it a priority. Therapy can help you find what matters to you so you can do more of it. I've mentioned before on this show in terms of myself and my own life, talking to someone can make a huge difference, whether it's to get things off your chest that you wanted to chat with somebody about. You don't feel comfortable talking to one of your friends, whether you're going through a problem that you really don't know how to approach or handle, and you're really not maybe necessarily ready to bring it up to a family member or a friend, talking to a professional and being able to actually get an opinion that is from a doctor that can really help out you sort through your life. And everyone knows, man, life can be really hard at times. It feels like you could be overwhelmed. It feels like you can have a million things and you can't handle it all. So for me personally, it's made a huge difference.

I recommend highly to anyone just not feeling like yourself. If you're down in the dumps, if you don't really know why, it can make the world of difference. And that's why BetterHelp is here to help you. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Learn to make time for what makes you happy with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash chicklets today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com slash chicklets today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash chicklets. Well, it's an absolute pleasure to welcome this guy back to the show.

It's at least his third or fourth time on the pod. Not sure, but this intrepid reporter for Sportsnet, you see him in Canada all the time. He's on Hockey Night in Canada all the time. And his trade deadline, everybody's beating down his door. And we have him on the Spitting Chickens podcast today. Elliot Friedman, welcome back, buddy. How you been, my man? I look better than I feel, I think, which is probably very scary.

Welcome to the club. How is that possible? It was a long night last night. I was up late writing, and I'm a little wobbly this morning. This could be a really good interview, really good interview, even better than normal. Elliot, do you think we could talk sports and then get in the Thai masseuse to come live in studio?

I think you need – have you ever done the Thai massages? I think it could help. I have done certain Thai massages, but I'm not sure we've done the same ones. No, Elliot, fuck off. Exactly. no, everybody keeps teasing me about this. I ain't getting the other side of it. I'm just getting the posterior chain worked on. So I just saying from one guy to another and who hasn't been getting a lot of sleep and

maybe needs a little like stress reliever. I think the Thai masseuse would help you out. I appreciate your concern. I have had the walking on the back before. It is fantastic. It's unbelievable yes um elliot i'm wondering uh getting into the hockey stuff now the past few years it's it's changed where so many of the deals got done prior to the deadline day and i want to say you know around eight years ago ish like deadline day was just a super bowl and it was deal after deal.

And then now it's changed a little bit where teams want to have guys for a little bit longer and wrap up the deals quicker. But it seems like this year we could be leading to a more action-packed Fridays. Is that a possibility in your eyes? I think so. And one of the keys, Ryan, is that the teams don't have a lot of cap room. A lot of the buyers don't have a lot of cap room like a lot of the buyers don't have a lot of cap room so in these cases if you're not paying someone to be a third-party broker like for

example Carolina did for Labushkin then you know how are you going to do it unless you wait until the absolute last minute now Whit I will tell you some teams have said to me that they're worried this could be a little bit of a dud because if you take a look at some of the teams in the East who want to make moves like Toronto, like Florida, like Boston, like who was the other one people mentioned? Oh,

Tampa Bay. They don't have a lot to trade. You know, Tampa Bay in particular Noah Hannafin. And I know you guys love the Boston guys. He apparently feels he's a little bit too pasty and wants that Tampa tan. But the Lightning don't have a lot that they can trade. Like if that was an easy deal to make, I think it would be done already. So I think that's one of the issues facing some of the Eastern Conference powerhouses in particular.

They don't have a lot to move. So what they do have to give up might be a little more costly. Have you heard any rumors? And we've talked about this. Biz was the first one on it last year. And he's kind of gone and convinced me this year about the Bruins maybe parting ways with Allmark. Yeah, I don't think that's impossible, Whit. I don't.

Because like you said, they don't have a lot to give up. Well, that's the thing. The Bruins don't have a lot of draft capital, but they have players. And you guys know the Bruins. There's some teams... It's funny, I was actually having this conversation this morning. People talk to me about teams that are unafraid to make hard decisions. And I talk about teams like Florida, not afraid to make hard decisions. Tampa, not afraid to make hard decisions. Vegas, not afraid to make hard decisions. Boston, not afraid to make hard decisions.

to make hard decisions. And you know what a Canadian executive told me this morning? He said, all those teams you just named, those are American teams. And he says, that's one of the biggest challenges in Canada is your choices get scrutinized a lot more harshly than the U.S. team's choices get made. But Boston's one of those teams. Look, put it this way. I think they want to sign Swayman.

That's not going to be cheap. And there's a limit to how much you can pay your goalies. They have a kid, Bussy and Providence who needs waivers next year. One of their, they don't want to lose it for, for argument's sake. If they decide he's the guy they're going to move,

they don't want to lose them for nothing. So they have to make a decision. Also look flurry off the market Fleury, off the market. Saros, off the market. Markstrom, Calgary all of a sudden says they want to keep them, although we'll see. So if you're sitting there with a goalie that you could move and someone decides they need it now, you've got a piece that can get you a lot. And that's what I think Boston's weighing. Now, they're also sitting there and they're saying, this is our biggest strength and goal.

Do we want to hurt ourselves there now? And the other thing too, guys, is that Omar has a partial no tree. And I am under the impression that middle of the season, it is going to be very hard, if not impossible, to get him to waive during the season. The Pedersen situation, how did that all go down? Were Carolina serious contenders? And do you think that pushed Vancouver to have to pay him to a number

maybe they weren't originally comfortable with? What was the weight? Why did it take so long? Was it always just money for Pedersen? No, I think it was always just when he wanted to do it. You know, you guys really understand this as much as anybody does. You guys are in your dressing room. You've got 20-something guys there.

You generally know where everybody stands. Like you could point at this guy in this stall. He's happy here. This guy in this stall, he wants to play more. This guy in this stall, he'd rather be closer to his family in X city that you can go all the way around and you know where everybody stands. But everywhere you go, there's always going to be maybe one guy where you point at and you say, I have no idea what he's thinking. And that guy in Vancouver was Patterson. Like I'll tell you, players said last week when they heard he was going to sign, they were surprised. Not because they thought he hated there or anything anything but because he just didn't share information like i think petterson was going was getting was going to sign in vancouver this summer i believe that now but his position was i don't need to do this now

i have another year before i'm a ufa so what's the big deal? So what happened was last weekend, Sunday, Monday, around that time, Patrick Alvina, GM and Jim Rutherford pulled them into a room next to where they practice. And they just said, you know, Elias, you're stressed out. You're not playing well. Our team is stressed out. We're going through our first slump. Think of all the positivity you can create if you sign. There's too much noise. The media is talking about this. They're driving us crazy.

And they said, look, we just saw what happened with Matthew Kachuk and Calgary. We do not want to go to the situation this summer where you tell us, you know what, I want to leave. And even though Calgary got good players for Kachuk, they were stuck. They didn't want that. And the other thing is, look, I think this. I don't know if Jim Rutherford actually would have traded him, but he wanted at least to make Pedersen think it could happen.

And I do think that the Hurricanes believed for a time there was a possibility a deal could get done. So they told him all this. Pedersen listened. He said, look, I think I'm leaning towards signing. And they said, sleep on it and let us know. He called them the next day and said, I'm going to stay. And that's when it got done. So Paul, I think the issue was he was going to stay and that's when it got done so paul i think the issue was he was going to sign but he wanted to sign on his timetable and the canucks wanted to accelerate it and the canucks went to carolina because they thought they were a serious contender in giving a good return and they had to protect the fact that hey man if they go to him with the information that they want to sign him

and he's still like eh, they could have potentially traded him if he wouldn't have signed before the deadline? Yes. Well, first of all, Carolina made a legitimate offer. Do you know what it was? I don't, but I suspect that. Yeah, you do. Yeah, you do.

They have great prospects. Yeah. Well, that's the thing. They have maybe the best prospect pool, but it was NHL players too. I think there were two NHL players at least and prospects. Put it this way. I think that situation in Carolina will you're not grinding anymore out of me. Because I'm just not sure. And I drive enough people crazy at this time of year. I really want to limit it.

We love this. This is legitimate. We just make shit up. Hey, I think it's a lot less stressful to just make shit up like us, Elliot. Why don't you just jump on the rumor boys back? Because he has credibility, dude. I know. Who cares? It's just

like, you know what it is, Biz? There's a limit every week. I have a pretty thick skin, but everybody has a limit every week of how many people you want yelling at you, in addition to your wife, right? So at this time of year, I really try to keep that number

down. Okay, since we never talk about Carolina. Oh, and by the way, I wanted to tell you, I ask people, do you think Jim Rutherford really would have traded Pettersson? Because I'm like, they could win the Stanley Cup this year. You can't trade Pettersson when you can win the Stanley Cup. And most guys were like, no, we agree with you. Don't do that. But I got to tell you, a couple of the guys who have known him for a while,

they said if anybody had the brass ones to do it, we agree with you. Don't do that. But I got to tell you, a couple of the guys who have known him for a while, they said if anybody had the brass ones to do it, it would be him. Yeah, but to me, that was what I was so confused about because you just trade him in the summer if he won't resign. And then it's going to still be a monster deal in a return form. It made no sense to me that they would trade

him before the deadline if he wouldn't sign. I mean, obviously you heard otherwise, but to me, it's like, do it in the summer look i don't know like i said i don't think they would have done it but the point is they had to at least create the impression that they could do it it's all it's all leverage but i think the most important thing guys is as you know sometimes after negotiations there are hard feelings that press conference said to me there were no hard feelings everyone's happy and they move on and they won last night um i was gonna go already quickly to carolina like so yeah to me they've made the eastern conference i don't know what three times haven't won a game i feel like the power forward is one

thing that they're missing obviously they, they're hungry to do something. Shvetchnikov has been unreliable in the health department, and he's kind of the only power forward they have. Is Bucinievich or Tarasenko a strong possibility? I feel like Bucinievich would be a great fit. Are they kicking tires on that? Yes. Well, they don't like rentals, Biz, if you look at their history.

So Bucinievich, if he's truly available, he fits. He's got one year left, right? Yes. Well, they don't like rentals, Biz. If you look at their history. So, Vucinavich, if he's truly available, he fits. He's got one year left, right? Yes. He fits with what Carolina likes, a thousand percent. Tarasenko doesn't, though. Well, the thing is that I would say this, that Carolina, historically, they don't believe in rentals. Not at a big price. You know, they'll do like a third or fourth rounder, but they won't pay for believe in rentals. Not at a big price. They'll do a third or fourth

rounder, but they won't pay for the top rentals. You said something there, Biz, that I agree with. At what point in time do you change? I think they're really good. They've got a ton of free agents on their roster after this year. Sooner or later, you have to say, okay, we're

going to break our principles a bit to go for it. think about last year Florida they got to the final they were totally out of gas they did an unbelievable job they were out of gas I I gotta think if you're Carolina and you were watching that Stanley Cup final you're thinking we could have given Vegas a better series but why did they lose they didn't have the scoring they could not score against Florida. So if I'm Carolina, I'm sitting here and saying, we've got a great team.

We could win. We've handled all of this craziness and gold this year. If there's ever a year to bend and go for a Tarasenko or a Gensel, like I think Gensel would be dynamite on that team. This is the year for me for Carolina. Yeah, and they couldn't get to the inside on Florida Like I think Gensel would be dynamite on that team. This is the year for me for Carolina. Yeah. And,

and they couldn't get to the inside on Florida because they don't have a lot of power forwards. Everything was from the outside. And I think that year they had like, they led the league in goals by defenseman. They just like, they weren't getting that shit done anymore, but that's,

that's for another day. Jordan Stahl is going to beat the hell out of you, by the way, if we're saying that they don't have any power forwards. Well, he's on the third line, though, right? He's a third-line center, so he's not in that top-six role. So, you know, you need someone in that top-six role,

like a Shvetchnikov and maybe even one more. And the reason I said Tarasenko is you said that, like, the returns aren't going to be where they were. And, like, Tarasenko is kind of just – he's a bit of a wild card. And I figure he'd probably be pretty cheap right now. Well, and and also he controls it right like he's going to decide where he wants to go auto is not going to interfere with that like he's not going to cost you as much as buchenevich or organza is going to cost you

that's for sure for sure elliot we have the usual you know pending ufas this year but it seems like a lot more guys with term again mentioned this year are we going to see a lot of guys with term get dealt this year you think they could um like vitrano like but i heard the price on vitrano is really high it should be really high yeah it should be he's good and don't forget last year verbique you know he held adam henrique he said look if you don't pay me what i want i'll wait so that's what he's kind of done with vitrano um the price on buchinavich is high. The price on Vetrano is high. You know, there are some teams that always prefer term. Like, I think teams have gone to Calgary and asked about guys like Anderson,

Rasmus, and Coleman, and Calgary's like, no, we don't need to do that. We like those guys. I do think there's some guys with term out there. I'm trying to think of who else. Like, the one team, and I don't think they're going to do it now, R.A., but I think Ottawa could be really interesting in the summer, just taking a whole look at what they like and what they don't like. You lit them on fire with your tweets about Brady Kachuk.

I don't see that yet, but I do think they might consider something bigger with one of their guys with term. I'm glad you brought that up. I got a text from somebody who's been pretty reliable. I go, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And then Senators fans are going nuts on me. I said, I agree with you.

But I'm glad you brought that up because I had to address that. But I want to go out to Denver because they had that cup run they were incredible it sucks with Landis Kog now who knows if he ends up showing back up and is ready to go but I can't

see them sitting by quietly and at least not like it's the windows right and that's why you said Carolina you gotta just change something and you have these small windows so Colorado what are you And that's why you said Carolina. You got to just change something and you got these small windows. So Colorado, what are you hearing? That's another place that if you throw Gensel on Colorado, it's like, holy shit.

Because I feel like they just need something else up front. Elliot, Crosby? Tell me Crosby. No, that's not happening right now. Just say Crosby. That's not happening right now. Lay off the dust, Paul. No, no, no. You know what, Biz? Just a second on Crosby.

You know Crosby really well, okay? Here's my question to you. And, Witt, you know Crosby really well. R.A., you know Crosby really well. You look at him. You said Malkin extended, Letang extended. Do you see Crosby giving up on those guys after they all extended long term? Bring him with them.

No, bring him with them. After last year, after this year. Put him in the carry on. If next year. Now, here's the thing. I think he's so loyal. And I think being on one team. But selfishly as a fan, I just want to see him somewhere else.

Because I'm pretty sure. I don't think anything is going to be happening there the next few years. It's unfortunate, but they just don't have what it takes to, let alone win the Cup, make the playoffs. Yeah, I just can't see Crosby abandoning those guys. Well, definitely not now. I got to tell you, Biz, an overhead, a suitcase with Malkin and Letang

and it is not going to fit in the overhead bin, by the way. That's not going to fit in the carrier. That's true. I meant to say underneath. In a crate or something. Just on Denver, you see all these videos with Landeskog? Are you not convinced he's going to try to play in the playoffs?

Absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised. I have no knowledge that it's going to try to play in the playoffs? Absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised. I have no knowledge that it's going to happen, but I watch all these videos of him skating, and I think he's going to try to play in the playoffs. I really do. So that also ramps it up. They're hard for a second-line center.

I think they've looked at Henrique. I think they've looked at the two guys from Arizona, Kerfoot and Bugstad. I think they've looked at some other second line center. Basically, if there's a center out there, I think Colorado is looking at them to play number two behind McKinnon. They were in on Tanev, so I've wondered D. And I think Fleury would have ended up going there potentially if Fleury was available, which he isn't now. So I do think they're looking hard at the 2C, and they will add. The question to me is how big do they go?

Elliot, if you had one hockey wish from a genie in a bottle, would it be Crosby to the abs, though? What would be your hockey wish if you could make something happen? I've got to say my hockey wishes and dreams do not involve trades. I don't know. I'd have to pick something else more inventive. You know what? Honestly, I want to see him finish his career in pittsburgh

on a good team i really don't know if that's happening yeah yeah but you might need another genie um i'll tell you i'll tell you this biz i asked i asked um mckinnon if we'd ever see him play with crosby and he was like he kind of looked at me like, you cannot seriously think that I'm going to answer this question, do you? I love that you asked that though. He said, yeah, on the Canadian Olympic team. Smart guy. Smart guy.

I love that. We'll get to that later. Okay, so I want to go back to Canada though. Markstrom, what was he so upset about and what about upper management fucked that whole situation up? Like he was pretty irate. Yeah, this is what he was mad about. You know, as you guys all know, it's easier to move when you're single as opposed to when you have a family. And he has a family now. I think if he was single, this wouldn't have bothered him as

much. But I think what happened was he thought he was going to New Jersey. He thought that deal was happening. They went to him and they said, look, if we can get this done, would you consider New Jersey? And he said, yes, yes, he would. And so he got it in his head. And then it didn't happen. Now, I thought it didn't happen because the flames and the devils were arguing about how much the retention would cost. But someone else told me it didn't happen because

the flames went on a tear. Markstrom was playing great and they decided, you know what, we're going to go for the playoffs. But whatever the case, he was told, I'm not getting traded. You're not getting traded. And so he got mad about the fact that he said, if you're not going to trade me, why would you come to me and tell me that I could get traded? Like some guys, they don't care. Some guys care and he cared. So that's why he was upset. Now, I don't know where this is going to go over the next week. But the one thing I do know is this. New Jersey is prepared to wait on him. They like him. They've targeted him as their goalie.

And if it doesn't happen this week, they'll try again in the summer. Is it true that he was like pretty much had a verbal agreement to sign with the Oilers before he signed with the Flames? Yes, that is true. I woke up.

I went to bed that night with saying that Jacob Markstrom is – actually, I shouldn't say that. I think it was two nights before. I went to bed, and people were like, Jacob Markstrom, Oilers, book it. And then I woke up the next day. I don't know if my notes in front of me were something like this. I think it was the day before the deadline,

and the same person texted me and said, scratch the Oilers. He's going to Calgary. For less dough, I think. For less dough and less signing bonus. He signed a six-year deal with the Flames. I think it was a seven-year deal with the Oilers. I think the money was similar overall, but the bonuses may have been different. Yes. I was just going to stick with Mika Kiprasov quickly. Cause he was in Calgary and they had that awesome night for him. He played nine years there. Like, I don't know how many of our younger fans know the impact he had there.

And just like who this character was like, do you have any Mika Kiprasov stories or, or anything just since we're on the topic of Calgary? Well, the one I shared the other night is, first of all, as a member of the media, we didn't know him that well at all. He made a joke during his media conference. Peter Hanlon is the longtime media guy there, and he said, Peter, thanks for sending out Connie and again let it talk so I didn't have to.

He was like that. He was not crazy about talking to us. But Jim Playfair, who was an assistant coach and later a head coach there, he told a story about driving on the highway in Calgary. And he turned and he looked at the next car and it was Kiprasov. And while Kiprasov was driving, he had his glove hand up and he was like doing this. He was like doing this. So Playfair said to him, like, what were you doing while you were driving?

He said, the, I was working on my glove hand. Uh, the pebbles were coming up and I was pretending I was catching them. And that's what that guy was like, man. And I gotta say,

they told the stories about tequila. Apparently he was a legend. He was legendary. I heard he was like during that run, they went on, like he was just kind of partying with the city as if he was a legend he was legendary i heard he was like during that run they went on like he was just kind of partying with the city as if he was just kind of a normal fan where he would be at the bars just hanging out with the fans ripping darts drinking tequila getting fucked up and like and and then uh i was talking to mike commodore too and he said uh like during the lockout he would just show up as a player to these open skates

so like people around calgary would be like is that fucking mika kiprasov we just skating as a normal player like in our our men's league game at 11 o'clock at night banged up so he was they said he used to live out on like a farm and he would just ride on his lawnmower and cut the grass and drink beers like he's just an interesting character he's perfect for like he's a goalie that's number one but the the guys who knew him said he was perfect for calgary like he was just like a calgarian like and he fit perfectly with the aside from like being a cowboy because i don't know if he was a cowboy but he fit perfectly with the image of the city. Perfectly was what I was told. So staying in Alberta, I got my Oilers lid on.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Leon can sign an extension July 1st. Connor can sign an extension the following summer. Yeah. They're all in. Everyone's pretty evident. There's been a million reports.

They're first-rounders in play. Yeah. The issue would be they have to trade people from their roster, right? What are you hearing on them? I have to think there's going to be noise there no matter what come Friday at 3. Did you watch that game last night?

Oilers-Pittsburgh? R.A. had one of the tweets of the year. He said he was watching a nature documentary of oil workers bludgeoning penguins and nobody was doing anything about it. Bravo, R.A. That was a good stuff, man. Okay.

I think they could have won 10-0 and talking to someone in Edmonton, like, they almost let up a little bit. I guess Pittsburgh didn't get in until 3 in the morning, too. No, they had a plane issue, but still, like, you know, like... That was a drumming. Yeah, you know. Okay. I was watching the game.

Watch the 5-0 goal, CeCe, and watch the oiler bench. Okay? They go bananas. They love them. Well, you know what that says to me is that those guys know. They know. They know. Like, they're looking at this and saying, if we make a trade, it could be him.

saying if we make a trade it could be him and that's their way of saying we we love this guy and we support him like that's so when you talk with about someone might have to go out to make the money work you know they know he could be one of the guys so they had they made an offer for Tano first rounder, but Calgary had to take a player. Okay? Calgary didn't want that deal. I believe they've done something similar with Philly with one of their guys, Walker or Seeler, that they have said, we're interested, here's the first,

but you're going to have to take a guy. What I can't figure out with is like, they were clearly in big on Tanev, but who is the next person on their list? I think they like Gensel. Most of all, I'm just,

I just don't think they believe they're going to get them. So that like they've, they, they've offered it. I think they've talked to Anaheim about two guys, Henrik and Carrick, both of them. They've talked about, obviously, Bucinavage, Toffoli.

I don't know that Toffoli's going anywhere. They're in on all these guys. What I'm trying to figure out with is who's at the top of the list because I think they're looking at two forwards and a D, and I think they've made their decision. They're going with Skinner, and I'm perfectly okay with that. I'm okay with that, too. Here's my thing.

Sorry, Biz. One sec. I went on Oilers Nation, and I was talking about the upgrade on D. My thing with CeCe is, yeah, the fans get on him. But in the end, if it was Tanev, yeah, no doubt. That's a big-time upgrade. But I don't necessarily, with the team and the mojo and how much they like CeCe, are willing to have them deal him for someone like Walker or Cedar. I don't think that's a big enough upgrade to mess with what's going on in that locker room.

Sure. To come out of hell and come into possibly winning the division if Vancouver keeps sliding. Well, I think that's what they're weighing. I do. I think that that's exactly – that's why – like you would think that since they made an offer for Tanev that D is their first priority. I don't necessarily think that.

I think Tanev was their first priority, and that's why I'm trying to figure out like who's kind of next. The thing I'd say too about the CeCe thing is it would not surprise me. I don't know that this happened, but it would not surprise me if some of their players had said internally, we would prefer if CeCe stayed. He's a ride or die. That's awesome. I don't know that, but it's been kind of hinted that they have had conversations about who the group is.

No, I heard McDavid and Leon drop their jerseys off on the coach's desk like Rudy, and they said, he's gone, we're gone. That's what I heard. I don't know what's going to happen. I'll go with that. I'll see who calls and yells at me for that one. I don't know what's going to happen,'ll see who calls and yells at me for that one i don't know what's going to happen but there's rumblings like jason gregor i'm friends with him and he's really inside that team but yeah there's something going on with kane there and he doesn't like his ice time and if there's any sort of time to get out somebody who's possibly bringing down moods i

don't know if you can move that deal but that that's something I wouldn't be shocked at. I'm just saying it. I have to say that I don't necessarily disagree with you that anything is on the table for them. Here's my thing about Kane. He's been very quiet lately.

In the playoffs, you need guys like that. You need him going. If you watch the game they lost in Calgary, him and Kadri, they have a thing. I don't know what this is, but they didn't play great that night, but he was engaged. Kane is one of the best four-checkers in the league,

and the playoffs is all about four-checking. I understand that maybe at times they might have considered doing something there, but you just tell me how. Now, again, he's got to be playing great. They need him to play great, but tell me how they're a better team without Kane against Vegas or LA or Vancouver. No, they aren't. Just show me the deal that makes them better.

They aren't, but if he's playing third line and he's pouting, that is negatively affecting the team. So I agree. When that guy's on, and it goes back to when he crushed Kadri and hurt him in the playoffs. So it's like he's playing angry and engaged. He's an incredible player. But all of a sudden, there's him and Leon are going at it on the bench.

So I don't know. Like I'm saying with you, like there's just anything's on the table with them because it's win now mode. Yeah. Well, to talk toughness too, I heard from somebody, Braden Shen. Could that be a possibility? What? I heard Braden Shen come up for the Oilers.

I'll say this i i did hear that earlier in the season that that name did come up to me but i i was told like just how on earth would you make that work like that's when biz takes a sip of water yeah like that's not my i'm not the capologist buddy i don't know I just throw names out and I get help. But biz, like in a vacuum, a thousand percent. Like why wouldn't the Oilers want a guy like Braden Shen? But I just don't know how it all works. That's my question. It's not a bad fit for Edmonton at all. It's a great fit.

I just have no idea how you can do it. Well, I mean, this is just hypothetical here. If you guys were saying the Kane problem, if that's actually a problem, him and CeCe out for maybe, and maybe they could also address the D situation on something also coming from St. Louis, Braden Shen, I don't know.

I'm just spitballing here with the rumor boys. St. Louis has definitely tried to move a defenseman. They tried to move Krug last year and he blocked it. There's no question that the Blues... The Blues are open. The problem with the Blues is all the guys they've tried to trade, there haven't been any nibbles.

And all the guys they don't want, the guys that everyone wants are the guys that they've made it very hard to trade. That's kind of where we are right now. Elliot, the Flyers have been a pleasant surprise this season. What do you see them doing? Stan and Pat being a seller or buyer, what do you think? What do you think, Greer?

I think they kind of stay on Pat. I don't think they're going to get rid of any guys. I mean, they got a good shot getting in the playoffs. Why not try to ride it out? I don't think they should pot with anybody, unless the deal is just that good. I think you smoked crack before you came on. I think I disagree with it.

They got to move some people. They got to move. What do you mean? They're trying to tank, right? Well, here's where I think R.A. is right. Whoa. Yes. I do believe that the Flyers have discussed if there's an inexpensive ad in goal and up front like doesn't cost us a lot

to get that their players deserve to be rewarded for how well they've played this year like for this is why i don't think toronto's put martin jones on waivers because they know a team like philly is going to claim them and so because they another goalie. But if Philly can get an inexpensive goalie in terms of what acquisition costs, I think they'll consider it. If they could add another forward that doesn't cost them much, I think they'll consider it.

Because I do think, like Jones and Breer, they've played, you know how much Tortorella pushes those guys. They think their group deserves to be rewarded for how well they've played. I have to say this, the Flyers are kind of getting disrespected a bit because all those teams behind them

in the Atlantic think they can catch them. There's no way they're going to last. You know the Islanders are sitting there looking at them and saying, there's no way they're going to last and we're going to catch them. I think that they are considering adding a bit walker is term uh last i heard they were looking around four years and he wants the fifth

sealer i think is a little bit of money i think they're he's higher than they want to go and you know it's it's poker like this week is poker it's like who the players and the agents say we want this the team says we're only doing that the team players and the agents say, we want this. The team says, we're only doing that. The team says, we'll trade you if we get this. The other teams say, well, we don't want to give you that. Who blames first? So the one thing I did get kind of told

was that it seemed less likely that Lawton would go. I heard the price on him was really high. I think some teams really liked him, but I heard the price on him was really high. And you don't want to him, but I heard the price on him was really high. And you don't want to end up like Klingberg. If you're playing poker, you got to know when to hold them.

Know when to fold them. Islanders Flyers, April 1st could be an incredible hockey game. I think there's one team that can get them, and I think it's the Islanders they think it too they do

they think it too I was going to ask you about you got another one? I was just staying in the Metro they go grab Tarasenko and Kane last year so Drury's obviously up to something again, I think probably all the same names we're kind of chatting about,

but they'll do something, right? I heard Alex talk today. They like that Novak guy in Nashville. They really liked him, but he's signing, I've heard. I reported on Saturday. He had a sick goal the other night. A little fake pass brings it to his backhand. I don't know a lot about him, but he can really score.

He's a really talented guy. So that was the guy I think the Rangers really wanted because he's talented and he doesn't make a ton, but I heard there's an extension coming in national with him. I think they also looked at Alex Tuck. I think a few teams have looked at him, but I've heard Buffalo's not really interested in doing that right now. They're not interested in moving Tuck.

I think you're wondering about does he Tuck. So, you know, I think you're wondering about, does he pay the price for Vetrano? But, you know, they also could use some depth. Like, as much as I love watching Rempe play, like, do you think that fourth line is good enough to win in the playoffs? Okay, so here's my theory on

Rempe. In a playoff series, he could blow out two defensemen's shoulders on the other team so I actually think he's a valuable piece he is a fucking mutant out there and he can move did you see how quick he closed on Labushkin so saying like is it a Vegas fourth line where they're playing 10 minutes and they're effective and if if they get a good turnover shift in the offensive zone they could work any team's first line? No.

But I don't know, man. You're going against, like, he's like a torpedo. So that's how I view him as being effective, him. And I was going to ask you about that in general. Like, I feel like sometimes the Canadian media likes to kick up the dust on the fighting stuff and, like, oh, he's 21. Like, he's fought four times in seven games. It's like he's also running around crushing guys through the boards.

I want to talk about this in a second because I'm glad you brought this up. But let me just answer the Ranger thing. So I do think, Whit, they're going to try to find a high-end guy. I do. Like if Vetrano makes 3.65 next year, if they can fit that, the problem is there's other guys who have term like Riley Smith, but he's at 5, which is at 5.8. I'm just not sure how high the Rangers can go here.

But also, they know Colin Blackwell. They know Kevin Rooney. I've kind of wondered if they would bring those guys in as depth guys. The other guy I kind of wondered about was Tyler Johnson, but he's at 5 million, I think. That's a tough one. But I do think he's going to do two or three things. Look, they can win.

Like, you can't – I had a really good talk with someone the other day. He said that the thing about that panics you as a manager at this time of year is you look at – you know what your weaknesses are, and you know if you don't win the Stanley Cup, those weaknesses are what's going to beat you. So you sit there and you say, I better address my weaknesses because if I don't win, I know that I should have done this now. And I think that's what Drury will do. Absolutely.

Now, you know, about the whole Rempe thing, my only concern with Rempe, Biz, is that, you know, when I was watching his fight against Olivier in Columbus, someone texted me and said, this kid does not know how to fight yet. Like, he doesn't know how to do it. And that's the only thing that scared me.

Like, if you're going to trade, because, you know, we knew it. And that's the only thing that scared me. We knew that Reeves was on the schedule last week, and if you're going to trade bombs with Reeves, never mind the other guys he already did it with, you have to know how to protect yourself. I thought he did really well. He started grabbing the arms. So that's why I

was concerned, Biz, because I was just worried that he was going to get killed because he didn't really know how to protect himself so that was my concern but the one thing i completely agree with you with and i see it with what you guys do every uh day is that there is a big change uh on the sides of the border about what kind of coverage is acceptable. Like I look at some of the things you guys put out and I would be like, I would be on the unemployment line tomorrow. We're not as bad as heat daddy.

We told the line a little better than heat daddy though, don't we? I don't know. It's pretty close, but I would be, I would be on the unemployment line if i like i wish um there were like i don't know if i would do everything you guys do and i say that as a compliment but i wish there was there was a bit more of a line moving in canada because there's no question

that when it comes to just about anything, like in the United States, it's like the whole world's a stage, right? Like everything, it's all entertainment. And like everything is entertainment. And up here, we're not quite like that. We take things a lot more seriously. And there's no question in my mind that that plays a role in hockey coverage, a thousand percent.

I felt, I felt like the energy leading into that game though was, was something else for a regular season game. It was a great game. Like it was a great game. Like, it was funny, like in the morning,

Rempe and that other big guy, Edstrom, they stayed on the ice long at the optional morning skate. So they walk into the dressing room at the optional morning skate so they walk into the dressing room at the same time and they're both massive guys and their stalls are right next to each other and there's a whole there's a media horde waiting around rampy and he turns to Edstrom and he goes they're all here for you and Edstrom just rolls his eyes and just like whatever but it was you know like he's a really nice kid like he seems like he's got a real

real good head on his shoulders yeah he'll learn and going back to like he doesn't really know what he's doing i mean when i did it in junior for the first couple times i i fought a lefty i didn't even know what the fuck that meant i thought everybody punched right and i thought and that's the reason my nose is halfway around my head so you kind of have to learn by doing you know that's the thing. You learn. You get a few bops along the way and a few black eyes. But I was going to ask you not about a trade but expansion.

What are your thoughts on Coyotes moving to Utah? What percentage are you at? And also on the fact that whether Atlanta is going to happen or not. Well, I think Bettman's going to Arizona soon. I do. I do think he'll go and he'll meet with the team. If you were to guess, are they playing there next year? Just a yes

or no. You don't want to get in trouble. This is not about not wanting to get in trouble. This is about, I know whatever I say is going to be a headline somewhere. And it's how much aggravation I don't, I want to deal with. We got memes behind the scenes here ready to tweet you. You know what?

You got to tell memes. The other day, I actually thought Witt was on Rogan. Oh yeah, he texted me. He's like, how was it? I was like, holy shit, memes got you good. I actually thought Witt was on Rogan. I texted him. He texted me. He's like, how was it? I was like, holy shit, memes got you good. Oh, my God. You're a boomer.

You're a boomer. The boomer got you. You know what? Yeah, I did. I have to say, I don't get caught a lot, but I'm listening to you. I'm like, this is crazy, but it could happen on Rogan. It's not like it's impossible that that'll be gonna happen so yeah he totally he totally got me um i texted when i go how was he goes you idiot that was a that was me elliot's like how are the shrooms where'd you

get them rogan would have been like why did i get 10 000 downloads this episode i'm usually getting eight million yeah yeah you know what wait i was i was thinking about that too i was like that's Rogan would have been like, why did I get 10,000 downloads this episode? I'm usually getting 8 million. Yeah, yeah. You know what? Wait, I was thinking about that too. I was like, that doesn't seem like – but good for you, Wade. Suck on that, Wade. Suck on that.

Wade and I have both joked that we were so bad on the Pat McAfee show, we were never invited back. Never got invited back. Yeah. So it's just funny. It makes makes me laugh that is so good um i look i they were just here and uh they were in the middle of losing 13 in a row or whatever it was and they've now won two straight but i i can see it's it's weighing on them like they think it's a possibility. That's what I'd say.

Like, they – and I have to say this too. None of this stuff happens without the league's approval. Does Bettman decide? Will he be the guy saying you're not playing here next year? Well, yeah. Ultimately, it's his call. Okay. Ultimately.

Like, I'll say this. I'll say this. When Atlanta moved to the Jets in 2011, they didn't announce it until the end of May. That possibility, they were preparing for it for months.

At the very least here, they're preparing for it. I do think we will have expansion at some point. You know what, Biz? Honestly, I think Atlanta, that could have a lot to do. I look at your other employer, and if TNT's in it for the long haul, I could see the NHL wanting to be in Atlanta. It's great synergy.

I'm going to try to get a mascot job here. Be the team mascot. R.A. had something on the outline. A something on the outline what's a thrasher do the bird no i don't like what's it does it make what sounds it make or is it a fate is it a fictitious bird all right give me it give me that i've never seen a fucking thrash before not bad hey i Hey, I got some competition. Are you submitting a resume too? You think they'll go back to the same name, Thrasher, or they'll do something different? That's the dumbest question I've ever heard, dude.

You think they'll go back to the worst team and organization in league history? They wouldn't go back to naming it the Thrasher? God, no. What if R.A. did that sound? Possibly. I don't know. All right, back to my question i think the mascot would actually be ra making that sound that's what i'm saying that's i don't know like it's just the mascot the crack pipe um what about uh uh buchi had a tweet and

wrote it down it was back in the day four of six teams made the playoffs. 16 of 21 made the playoffs. Now we're 16 of 32. It's money. It's more interest. Are we ever going to get more teams, maybe 20, making the playoffs? I am completely in support of that. I have spoken to owners who are

completely in support of that. I think it is... I think it would make more money. I think it is. I think it would make more money. I think it's better for television. I've heard there's a lot of players who don't support it. Really? Yeah.

Well, Biz is shaking his head. I'm saying it would be a disgrace if they changed the best thing in professional sports, which is the NHL playoffs. I think it would make it better. What about two out of three for the 9 and 11 and 10 and 12? if they change the best thing in professional sports, which is the NHL playoffs. I think you could make it better. What about two out of three for the 9-11 and 10-12? Or 9-12, 10-11? 16 wins. Half the teams make playoffs.

It might still be 16 wins, though, Biz. No, I'm a traditionalist. I think that that's just... You're a traditionalist? I think that that... just, you're a traditional. I think that those, those sex before marriage, I got to tell you, I have listened to every single one of your podcasts and that is the craziest thing I've ever heard that you are a traditional from a sense of

like, uh, changing the size of the net. It's like, it goes back to just, no, I think that it would, no,

I think half the teams making the playoffs is a lot of teams. It's more than what baseball is. I believe it's more than what football is. Yeah. And no, I think it gets a little bit like basketball and cheesy and watered down. Where it's like the 20th seed wins the Stanley Cup. It's like, fuck that. It shouldn't even have been in playoffs.

Biz, let me explain what I think would have to happen here. And I'll tell you why you're probably right that it shouldn't even been in playoffs the biz let me let me explain what i think would have to happen here and i'll tell you why you're probably right that it won't happen but number one everybody would make more money it makes your tv deal more valuable business like i'm in nights yeah two extra nights like this is what i would do You end the regular season and then what I would have is I would have 10 at 7, 9 at 8, both conferences, back to back,

higher seeded team gets both games at home. First game, you play 60 minutes. If that team, the team that wins, the team that loses that game has to win the next game. If that team wins loses that game has to win the next game, if that team wins the next game, sudden death overtime, first goal moves on.

Holy fuck. I kind of love it. If the first game ends in a tie, the team that wins the second game moves on. So the first game is 60 minutes, no overtime, and it decides what's at stake in the second game. And if you have a split or two ties, one game, overtime, sudden death to move on. I love the idea.

If we do get expansion, it'll probably make sense. I wish everybody's mind was this easy to change. He's very easy to persuade. It was the money comment, though. You know what the problem is? Bettman is against it. When he was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame, I asked him like five questions in a row about it,

and finally he just said to me would you just stop this it's not happening and as far as i know that's never changed but i mean but it's also interesting you said that you've heard that owners are very much open to it because you talk about uh money uh yeah okay i i think that sometimes when you get through the dog days of the season 82 games i would rather see less regular season games played if that was the case, and then more impactful playoff games. That would be my opinion. It's possible, but does that mean, like, say we go back to 72 games.

Does that mean players will drop their salaries? That's never happening. I mean, the NFL is trying to add an 18th game now to the regular season. Yeah. But just imagine two nights at the end of the regular season with games that matter like that. Yeah.

Because it's kind of like we treat the first round as March Madness. You're saying you can extend that excitement for longer. Two days. Which is what March Madness did with those play-in games. And granted, they're not always great games, but college basketball fans are in and involved. And the advantage, too, is that if you're the higher-seeded team,

it's not like you're sitting there for a week off. That doesn't happen. You play game 82, one night off, then game one, then game two, one night off. The top team is only off for four days, which is what normally happens

anyway before the playoffs. You have the advantage of licking your chops where this team that you're playing just played two games. That's where you get the advantage. And GMs would love it because if they're the ninth and tenth seed, they're like, I made the playoffs. Yes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's no small incentive. And also a little bit more of a bonus for getting that first and second seed. So if you win your division, you kind of get this a little bit more of a bonus for getting that first and second seed, right? So if you win your division, you kind of get this a little bit more of a layup where there's really not much advantage other than home ice from a first to eighth seed right now. Yep.

Okay. All right. Damn. Damn. What a breakdown. Thank you, Elliot. You got my wheels spinning. I think I'm on your side now.

I think expand playoffs. Oh, my God. I wish all my arguments were this easy. Brilliant. When you're fighting Marek, you're in for the long haul. Oh my God. Do you have any other ones? I got a couple more here. Yeah, I do.

Talk about foreign substances, Marek. Back to the expansion talks. Say there was expansion and they're going to pay that crazy fee, whatever it's going to be, half a billion or probably close to a billion. I know Marty Walsh, the union president, said that the players are going to try to get their hands on some of that. Do you think that's a possibility at all?

That's not going to happen. No, I don't. But what they'll say is, look, it's 46 more jobs. That's their tradeoff. I don't see that happening. I understand why he says it. I understand why he tried to fight for it. I don't see that happening, RA. I understand why he says it. I understand why he tried to fight for it. I don't see it.

Okay. Another one. I asked about Philadelphia. They had a surprising year. Same thing with Nashville. They kind of surprised people so far. They got, I think, almost an 80% chance to get in the playoffs right now. Do you see them making a move, Stan and Pat, making any sort of moves at all?

What do you think they're going to do? Well, you know, RA, a couple weeks ago, they had a lot of guys out there. They had Saros out there. They had Novak out there. They had the two defensemen out there, Carrier and Favreau. They had guys like Trennan. And now I think they've kind of pulled everybody off.

You know, Saros not going, Novak signing. There's been some rumors on the weekend that some other guys may sign too. Someone said to me they wouldn't be surprised if they add. They've been looking for scoring for quite some time. It's amazing. That whole U2 thing, how crazy it was, and they're unbeaten since then. I give those guys a lot of credit.

I know people would have totally tanked their season if that had happened to them. I give those guys a lot of credit. And Nashville's looking at it like maybe we should add guys. So I can't believe we are where we are two weeks ago. But they've pulled all their guys off and they're thinking about adding. What's your screen time like? Do you keep track of that? Does it tell you?

It does. So I got it on Sunday morning. It said your screen time was up 27% last week too. And I looked at the number and I said, it's not humanly possible. How many hours? Last week was over 17. Oh my, a day?

Yeah. That's fucking, what? That's like, that's like a school. I'm'm gonna be doing studies on your brain i'm not worried about rempe i'm worried about you you should be in concussion protocol it was this time of year it's crazy it's it's really you don't you don't really get a lot of sleep because you wake up. I've told this story before.

There was a time when I turned off my phone and I missed the heads up about that day that the Leafs traded for Dion Phaneuf and they traded a bunch of guys to Anaheim. So I missed that trade because my phone was off. I don't think I turned my phone off for almost a decade after that. It's crazy. At this time of year, it's probably not the right for a human being to be wired that way. But you're hired to do a job. That's why you're the number one guy. You're a hockey mad scientist.

You're just like mixing your potions and shit. Well, you talk to GMs and you talk to owners too. So are there any GMs though that if you text, you know you're not getting a response? Iserman. No, you know, I'll say this about Iserman and we've had our battles before but if i text him like just saying hey like if i asked him what a move like i said like when patrick kane was signing

you know i i i can't remember if i was the first one to put it out this morning but it was quick i sent him a note saying hey look i just hear Kane's going there. I know I'm not getting a response to that. But, like, for example, last year I sent him a note. At the end of last year I sent all the GMs a note for our last podcast. It was early July. Are you done and who's your breakout player next year? And he got back to me on that. Like, if you're asking him, like, Lou Lamorello, like, if you want to talk to him, who's your breakout player next year? And he got back to me on that. Like he'll,

like if you're asking him, like Lou Lamorello, like if you want to talk to him, he'll get in touch with you. But if you ask him about a move he's considering, you're not getting anything. Does he make you shave and then get on FaceTime? See, talk to him when you had your beard.

I did not get any comments from Lamorello when I had my beard. But I did have people say to me, you couldn't play for the Islanders. I've told one of my favorite Lamorello stories, and I've told before. I don't mind sharing it. So a couple of years ago when Tavares signed with the Leafs, I wrote that the Islanders asked the Leafs to do the league to do a tampering investigation and I wrote that and literally I'm not joking like three minutes after I wrote it my phone rang and it was him and he was like

Elliot I would like to know about that we definitely did not do that and I would like to know about that. We definitely did not do that. And I would like to know where you heard that. And I said, give me a second. And so can I call you back? And he was like, yes. So I made a couple of calls and I found out that the league did do an investigation to just make sure that everything was on the up and up. But the Islanders didn't ask for it.

The league did it on their own so i was right but i was wrong and the problem was i was wrong about the island oh no so i called him back first of all i corrected it i changed it and then i called him back and i said look it's already been changed and um he said that's all good but I would like to know where you heard that from. And I said, I'm not going to tell you. And he said, you don't understand. I would like to know where you heard that from. He tried to bully you? It wasn't.

This guy called Bussinet. I would not call it bullying. But I would say he was persistent. And finally, I said to him, it's a line I use with everybody. but I would say he was persistent. And finally I said to him, it's a line I use with everybody. I said, you have to understand that you need to know that if you ever tell me something private, that I won't hold to pressure and give up your name

if somebody else gets mad. That line always works. Except he said to me, the problem with your theory is that I would never tell you something privately. And I had to laugh, but I just said, you know,

I'm, I'm not going to tell you. And I think he, ultimately he understood. Yes. Elliot, are you familiar with the libel laws in the state of New York? What a guy,

man. So he is, so he's sharp as a way. He's old. He's as old school as they come. He's like a mob boss. He is as old school as they come. But you know,

I'll say this, like I have never felt that I was ever treated unfairly by him. Like if you call him, he gets back to you. He, he won't tell you like, like, like one of the others,

I remember was, he was the one who signed Nazem Qadri to a long-term extension in Toronto. And the Leafs didn't put out the money because he does not believe in revealing the money. Well, it was like, this is Toronto and we're going to find out what the money is. And eventually we all did. But he said to me later that he was uncomfortable with the amount of people

that were calling him and asking him for the money. And that it was, there was, there was generally, there definitely was some internal conversation in the organization. Like normally if he says, we're not putting out the money, everybody's like, okay, whatever you want. But I think in Toronto, it was kind of like, no, we have to put out the money.

He admitted to me later that was very unusual for him, that people were trying to explain to him why in Toronto that was not going to be allowed to work. Does he do it with the Islanders now? Like, I feel like Barzell. No, they don't put out the money. Like, nobody knows what Barzell makes? No, you find out.

No, but, like, I got to tell you, like, when they signed Barzell, like, I got it eventually, but he, like, he didn't put it out. Like, I think if I remember correctly in the Codry case, eventually Toronto sent out a note saying, okay, this is the number. Or they, they told people this was the number with

the others. They're not telling anyone. We have to find it out some other ways. It's he's like, you know, he is who he is. And, but like,

I'll say like, I've, I've never felt threatened by him. I know he hasn't been happy with me at times, but I've never felt threatened by him. I know he hasn't been happy with me at times, but I've never felt threatened by him. So mob boss is probably not the right term to use.

No, I bet you he would love it. It wouldn't surprise me. He likes that people are intimidated by him. I bet he does. Yeah, he isn't intimidated. Grinnelli just texted me that there's rumors the Swayman deal could be getting finalized here. And he went through that arbitration hearing. He wasn't too thrilled about it in the end. But have you

heard what that number could possibly be? So I think it's a big number. I think it's a big number. And you know what? Let me just see. Is that out there reported anywhere? This is a bit of a rumor boys report. We're also hearing

eight years at seven years per. That's what I'm hearing right now. So he's getting 15 years? That'd be 56 million, Biz. No, no. I know. Grinnelli kept saying years. I'm like, can we...

Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen.

Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen.

Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Go back and listen.

Go back and listen. Go back and listen. Yeah, yeah. It's going to be in Russia. It's going to be in rubles. They're going to pay him in rubles. Did you finish the answer on that? I'm actually just sending some people some notes on that to see if that turns out to be true.

If you get a call about a trade, you have to take it live on Chicklets right now, by the way. People would never talk to me again. He's like, I've been on for an hour. How long are you guys keeping me? You get cancelled. A couple more things. I was going to obviously ask you about the Leafs, but Kings

goaltending. I don't know. They don't have any cap room, Biz. They got no TIR space. The other team I'm hearing, I think they've looked at the goalies. Sorry, I just got a note I had to check. I think they've looked at the goalies. Hold on one sec. I have to mute you guys. Sorry, I just got a note. I had to check. I think they've looked at the goalies. Hold on one sec. I have to mute you guys. Oh, no. Let's go. Let's go. Hey, okay. So we're

going to speculate as to who this is about. Just by the look on his face. Actually, it might be Lou. I think he's got his phone tapped and he probably got hurt his name. We just see a hitman come from behind the screen, put a bullet in his brain. He had to fit the Florida. Yeah, the ski mask. The ski mask come about. I bet it's about the swimming report. Yeah, exactly.

Oh, fuck. No, no, no. Oh, my. Oh, there's the hit man. Oh, no, no. Be careful. Oh, there's the hitman! Oh, no, it's his wife! Be careful! Oh, was that your wife?

Yeah, it was Steph. Oh, we thought it was a hitman. We thought it was Lou who sent over a hitman because your phone was bugged. Oh, we thought it was over. Steph, you want to say hi to the Sweet and Chicklets guys? What's up? She's like, I don't even want to say hi to you.

Yeah. I haven't even want to say hi to you Yeah I haven't seen you in a week And then I always say I always joke Whenever it's really busy or I'm out I'm out of the house it's a good break For my wife's boyfriend He could be here

I wouldn't even notice The Leafs Tell me you believe in the toronto maple leafs something feels different biz is this not the first year where you've looked at them and said they're better than the sum of their parts like look at what's happened on d look what's happened in goal and they haven't fallen apart like i actually do think there was a time this year where they were like it doesn't make sense to buy but now like the way they've played you can't argue with it they you name a defenseman they've looked at that they have looked at every defenseman out there particularly a right-handed

shot um they're looking at everything they can on the they to get Zdorov and Tanev together. They did try that. Yeah, right before Zdorov was traded. That one fell apart over retention. They couldn't figure out how to make the money work. They were in on Tanev. The problem is they offered a bunch of picks for Tanev, but they were all later because They don't have picks.

Aside from their first round of this year, they have no picks. They don't want to trade Nyes. They don't want to trade Cowan. They don't want to trade Minton. There's a limit in what they can do. Elliot, I want to ask about Patrick Kane. I know

you said you don't think he's going to sign an extension with Detroit. Do you actually think he might end up back in Chicago? No, no. I said he may not sign it right now. Okay. In season. I could have said that a lot better, R.A. I don't think it's necessarily going to be done before the deadline,

but he's obviously very happy there and they're happy with him. My point was I never saw a day he would go back to Chicago, but after watching the way that night unfolded and how the video they gave him and the ovation he got, I kind of wondered if there would be a possibility if it would ever happen.

But my point about that was that I just don't think he's going to sign. He may not sign by now, but the Red Wings fans shouldn't panic that that means he's going anywhere. I could have said that a lot better. What about the Iser plan? Is it finally a little bit more motion going on? It's been a little bit of a stall for Iserman, but does it feel like it's made a lot more progress this year with Newsy being on the bench? Yeah. By the way, you're like

Newsy's twin brother, eh? I'm looking at it right now. Oh yeah, Newsy's going to love that. Look, I think he's managing like a general manager whose job is to make the playoffs. Look at the guys he's managing like a general manager whose job is to make the playoffs.

Look at the guys he's added. Merrick said they're looking for a mean defenseman. I think that's true. I've wondered if they might be looking at a goalie, even though they've got three of them there. Lions saved their bacon this year. But, you know, they, like, Iserbert is so tough. It's so, like, he's like the new Lamorello.

Guys are really terrified of pissing him off. Like, I've heard in the past that he snaps when things get out there. So guys are really careful. When they didn't release – when they were the only team that nobody knew about the Kraken, that was when you were like, all right, something's different here. And, you know, he loved it too. I guarantee you that he loved it. I remember when the Vegas team did their draft,

like all those picks got out early too, and the last one to get out was the Jets. And the Jets were so proud of that. They were like, see, we don't leak. And I guarantee you, Eisenman was watching that whole thing, and he was loving it. Loving it. I had two things.

Who was the phone call with? I can't answer that. Eastern Conference or Western Conference? Eastern. Eastern. Eastern. Back to Canada, was going to ask you about Winnipeg and the recent meetings with Bettman.

If this was as bad as it is now for another three, four years, could the possibility of Winnipeg moving or being shipped out of town be a possibility? Three, four years. I mean, we could all be hit by buses in three, four years. The thing that was amazing to me was that normally Batman goes into these markets and the owners, the good guy at Batman's like there to take all the heat and here, Mark Chipman, the owner, he's the one taking the heat and Batman's like, what's everybody talking about?

It was very different for me. Look, I think he's really committed to Winnipeg. I don't think he likes teams moving. Like, all you have to do is watch Arizona to know that that's the case. He does not like that. I think he really – look, I think one of the things that happened in Winnipeg, guys, was that they were so successful right away and everybody wanted there. I think sometimes you forget that you really have to work at it.

And I think even the Jets have kind of admitted that everybody was coming to us. Our phones were ringing. We didn't even have to call anybody. And sometimes you get complacent and look, I've heard everything like they're talking about sprucing up their in-game experience. Their social media has gotten a lot better. I think that's what the message is. Take care of your house before worrying about anything else. Yeah. Like me, like weren't they trying to charge people for giving their tickets to somebody else other than them?

Like there was a fee associated to it. So just like little shit like that, that wears on people where they're like, like, you know, yeah, yeah. You were the hot ticket in town when you first got here,

but now that you're 500, it's like, fuck you for doing shit like that. Well, it's right. That stuff does really anger people. There's no question about it. But look now, guys, what's the best thing you can do to get fans in the building? Win. And they're winning games. And you look at the building, it's excited again.

I don't think you should ever say you should never threaten, you know, we're going to move until you know that you've done everything possible and there's just nothing left. And I, and I think even the jets would admit there's stuff that they can do. Not if you ask one current player, who's in a playoff position,

he thinks they're frauds. I heard, I heard, I worried. I heard about that. Like I've heard people say that about the Bruins. I'm like, I'm not saying that to Brad Marchand. Not on this podcast.

You watch your mouth, Elliot. That's another fan base coming at me. I said, I didn't say it. I didn't say they're frauds. So I was like, yeah, you can tell Brad Marchand that. I'm not telling Brad Marchand that. Yeah. And Elliot, I was just going to say, the, the live show, like, obviously it was an honor

having you there, man. It was like the Avengers got together. I thought you handled it like you're a fucking G the way that you handled it. What were your reactions after maybe digesting that? I told you guys. I told you guys that they were going to boo us. You said that to me, and I'm like, what are you talking about? Everybody loves you.

Well, like, I'll tell you why. Like, I understood us. You said that to me and I'm like, what are you talking about? Everybody loves you. I'll tell you why. I understood it. I totally got it. I really did. First of all, you guys are lucky and I know you guys know it. You guys have great, loyal fans. You have built up your brand.

Your fans love you. Now, I think there's a crossover. That's fine. I think there's a crossover between some of our fans and some of your fans i'm sure think there are people what but your fans bought tickets for that place that night they wanted to see you they did not want to see me they did not or jeff they bought tickets it'slets and Friends, so I don't give a fuck what the 10 drunk guys thought. I don't know if you've ever seen this video before, Biz, but a thousand years ago when I worked at the score,

we had an XFL party where WWE wrestlers were in attendance. And I don't know why, but the first shot, the limo pulls up, and I get out and walk in, and everyone booed. They were like, I don't want why, but the first shot, the limo pulls up, and I get out and walk in, and everyone booed. They were like, I don't want to see Elliot Freeman at the third angle who was there that night. I totally got it. I loved it. I appreciated being included. It was a real honor.

The best line I heard was, I didn't realize, and I have no problem with it. I didn't realize it, but you guys put the video out there of me doing the shot of Pig Whitney. And one GM texted me. It's like, this is like when my grandfather goes to the bar. He says the same thing about Jeff swearing, too. People never heard him swear before. He dropped the F-bomb. It's kind of like when they had me and DJ Colleen at the match.

People were like, why the fuck is this guy here? I got to tell you, I watched that. The best was you had to put out a video of him denying that he thought he was playing. Just step into it. But he did think. No, but he actually did think he was playing. Yeah. So, hey, it took me.

I was on the podcast. No, me, I was on the podcast. No, Elliot, I was on the podcast the next morning and they like already teed me up with it right away. And that's why I asked you like, how long did it take you to kind of like decompress and like, like remember everything that happened. And like,

finally it like settled in where this guy was just on his own fucking planet. Thought he was playing the full match. Got one hole against Barkley in the afternoon as kind of like a nice gesture. Well, Barkley beat him the first hole, so he was hounding Barkley to do a best of three. So Barkley has to do the full broadcast that whole night, so he gets roped into like an hour and 45 minutes of content

with DJ Khalid, and then Khalid beats him, and he wouldn't let it go the entire night it's all that came out of his mouth is how he was blessed to have beat Charles Barkley like so so so because he's beaten that so much and he's kind of getting a little bit painful is they asked me to do a hit later on and they the cameraman's asking me to get out of the car and I'm like well what about dj and they're like no no they don't want him on this hit so finally they end up going like live to air with me and then i walk right over to cut right back to collie and i'm like how was it beating barkley

today and they were not happy and that was the last time they showed us on there so talking about being in a place where like you know it's just like such a a weird spot and i guess it kind of made me think of that so sorry for random no i was laughing my head off when i saw that but some of the golf fans online were like get these fucking guys off the air that's the fun of it yeah exactly that's, exactly. That's the best part. No, guys, I loved it. I really appreciated being included. You guys do unbelievable work. It's an honor.

You're a G, man. You're a G. Great having you, man. One last one. Where does Hannafin end up? Where does Noah end up? I think if it's his choice, it's Tampa. I do think so.

And I think Tampa wants him. But, all right, like I said, if that was an easy trade to make, it would be done already. Right, right. Elliot, good luck this week, man. You're in one. You're in one. See you later. Thanks for everything. This is awesome. Thanks, guys. You too.

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and redeem code CHICKLETS for $20 off. Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Man, huge thanks to Elliot for jumping on us. It's a treat to get a guy like that to come on a show and have a little fun in our sandbox. So thanks to Elliot for jumping on us. Great stuff. But Merlis, I got to go to you. KHL, was it a soccer punch or what? What was it? Buddy Robinson, South Jersey native,

played over the KHL. This dude, what's his name? Gregory Pannon. Do you know any of these participants? Yeah, explain the backstory, Merle. Explain the backstory. Yeah, so this Gregory Pannon, the only time I've ever, I would say,

taken a dirty hit. I think I was knocked out. You can check the video. I remember everything. I didn't get concussion syndromes, but I fell to the ice. I was on my knees when I was playing in the KHL and this guy came and elbowed me and my head banged right off where

the glass and the boards meet and I was like buckled. That was you in that video that you sent over? Yeah. He took four strides when he saw you on your knees. That was the dirt. Did he get suspended? Yeah, he got 11-game suspension.

I forget how much money it cost him. It was a wild scene. And I don't really remember everything, but I know I didn't want to lay there, and they tried to bring the stretcher out. And I was like, no, my parents are watching. I got to get up. And I started walking out the Zamboni end, but then I was like still in it.

I was like, oh no, I'll ruin my blades if I step on there and I won't be able to play the rest of the game. Meanwhile, I'm just delirious. The two traders are holding me up. They brought me off. I just had like stitches in my head. I had no headaches. I play, I ended up playing three or four days later with no problem.

Never had another problem again. But yeah, he's a dirty, dirty guy. There's another time you can YouTube it. He ran Kozin was his name. He used to be a Maple Leaf. Brandon Kozin. Yeah, I remember him. I think he took out Talbot's niece somewhere along the line.

This guy just gets suspended every year. And against North Americans, he's doing it. Yeah, there you go so this so this clip that went viral the other day is the same guy that did that to you the guy that got suckered yeah okay so you were happy to see this guy get suckered now i don't know how many of you saw the video it's it looked like the guy who suckered him he was like he was kind of like looking to his hands like he was going to do a magic trick and this fucking guy who suckered you he got like roped in where he was like kept like looking closer and closer as to what he had in his hand and next thing you know the guy just goes and clocks him

in the face so why was he skating towards him that's what i'm saying like if you have a beef and you're just going at the guy like chin first. He was leaving with his nose and chin. And then he just gets clocked by this mutant. Was the other guy Russian? No, it's Buddy Robinson. He played in the NHL. Oh, okay, okay, okay. I remember him on Cal State.

He's a mutant. He's huge. So Pannon was like knocked out. You see him kind of crumble. And then somebody else came and fought Buddy. And then Buddy dummied that guy too. How many games did Buddy get for doing the magic trick sucker punch? I haven't seen yet. That's what they're deeming it.

Did it not look like he was doing a card or magic trick in his hands? He's like, I'm going to pull some Russian gas out of my glove, bink. All right, so that was the connection. That's the KHL News of the Week. But on the YouTube, check it out if you're listening on the podcast because we're going to throw up this hitty through on Merle's. It'd probably be 20 games in the NHL. He blatantly sees you in skates and just runs you while on your knees,

head into the dasher. Yeah, I embellished a little bit before that, so I think that's why he was really maybe upset, but it was just totally uncalled for. I was having a great season. That was a season I was doing good, too. Cost me a game there, but everything went well. People are mad at me on Twitter.

I'm like, the guy deserved it. They're like, nobody deserves to get suckered. It's the same guys getting mad at fighting, like Rempe's fighting. Fighting's part of the game. It's not going to go away. I don't know anymore. Yeah, Robinson, he got a fine, and they said his actions merited an apology,

but he didn't get a suspension, didn't get disqualified or nothing. He went to, yeah, he went to Lake Superior. Did he apologize? Like, did he send him a text or something? Well, it's, the audience says his actions merited an apology. I don't know if he said a formal apology

or fucking how that worked, but he didn't get sussied at all. Yeah, he played 62 NHL games over six seasons, Ottawa, Calgary, Anaheim, Chicago, and his brother's on the Sabres, Eric Robinson. That's his brother. He fought again. They played today. Buddy Robinson fought Yevgeny Temkin today.

I just looked at Pannon, or Pannon, whatever you say his name. It's his 20th year in the KHL. No! The first three years in the league, it was just the Russian Super League, and then he's got like 15 seasons in the KHL. Oh, wow. Yeah, because it was almost like he was doing

that Apollo Creed thing when he's sticking his face out like Darren would if I can punch him. Yeah, not where you want it. He fucking took the bait. R.A., I got to ask you about your team, and I deem him your team. Obviously, you have a future on him, but that doesn't narrow. He fucking took the bait. All right, I got to ask you about your team, and I deem them your team. Obviously, you have a future on them, but that doesn't narrow it down.

Not at all. You always talk about the Preds in the group chat. You love Saros. You love what they got cooking down there. They're 8-0 since this whole ordeal of them trying to take ecstasy and acid at the sphere. But then isn't that what happened? There were some shrooms or something. Well, Ari loves them because he was going to be acid at the sphere. Isn't that what happened? There's some

shrooms or something. R.A. loves him because he was going to be dealing them the stuff before the concert. When they got canceled, he lost a bunch of money. Oh, God. Sorry, R.A. That's all right, buddy. They had a terrible fucking game. Barry Trotz and Andrew Burnett said,

so long to you two. You guys aren't going to you two anymore. And then what did they do? They went on the road. They had their first ever 5-0 road trip. I mean, they didn't just fucking go on the road and win five games. They went into Vegas, beat them, went into St. Louis, beat them, went to L.A., beat them. And then they got home, won their first two games at home as well. Eight in a row.

Saros, he had a tough start, had a couple bumpy fucking sessions during the season. But right now, 6-0 his last six starts. Given up only eight goals, 9-5-4 save percentage. Before the streak, they were four points out of the playoffs, but right now they have a 79.6 chance to make the playoffs per money puck.

They just got the perfect blend of youth and veterans right now. Again, obviously, Saros got his game back. Brunette? Yeah, Brunette. He's kind of like, he's basically like, learned from his,

whatever mistakes he's made. There was a good article about him in The Athletic and just kind of, you know, he just said, like, you got to talk to these guys different. There's no more dictators.

You got to be a little more, you know, soft with these players now. Yeah. And he's just been fucking, he's got the secret recipe right now. They just signed Tommy Novak also to a Bria $10.5 million extension. But this team, man, if you've got Saros,

they can be a playoff spoiler, no doubt about it. I wouldn't surprise me at all if they went to the Reds. You forgot the most important part. In this 8-0 stretch, Mr. Puck lined Jesus himself. They've won every single game by at least two goals. How much money would you have won if you'd been on the stretch of puck line with them? Like how much extra juice you get?

There were probably a couple plus 250 plus 300 nights on them on the puck line. Easily. Morals, where have you been on this? Were you not on it? I was on it once and that was it. It's pathetic, but stay tuned later for my two plays of the week.

But hey, listen, and it goes back to, you know, we had a debate about this. Pathetic, but stay tuned later for my two plays of the week. Okay. Maybe something involved with the Predators. But, hey, listen, and it goes back to, you know, we had a debate about this. Do you think they were being too hard on them? No, I didn't think they were being too hard on them. I would have just said, hey, we're going to keep going to this Sphere event, but let's fucking pick it up after.

But I'm a soft pushover. And the old school ethics and mentality worked in this instance, and it's made them a fucking playoff team. So bravo to Trotz and everybody with the Nashville Predators. This is a sneaky team that you don't want to play against with a hot goaltender. Yeah, I can't argue with the

results. Ryan O'Reilly, man. I remember he signed there the offseason. He's got 51 points in 62 games right now. He's been having an unreal season. Like I said, they just got this perfect blend of youth and veterans. And how about Ryan McDonough, man? What's he? I don't know. What's been having an unreal season. Like I said, they just got this perfect blend of youth and veterans. How about Ryan McDonough, man? What's he? 35, 36 years old, still getting it done out there. He's just

a perfect quintessential defensive defenseman who also can throw a little offense in the game. He's kind of like Tanev. I compared him. I said Tanev might be a little bit of a poor man's McDonough, but I feel like they bring the same thing. They're that good four. Shot blocking, getting lanes,

always making the safe play. Also, Nyquist. Nyquist had those years in Detroit. He's a great player. Then they trade him to San Jose. They went on that little run, I think in 2018. Signs with Columbus and the tough years in Columbus.

Then he's on the wild. It was kind of almost like when Nashville 2018, signs with Columbus and, you know, the tough years in Columbus, you know, and then he's on the wild. And it was kind of almost like when Nashville signed him this summer, I was like, I don't know what he has left in the tank. He's been awesome. And Ryan O'Reilly is just a hell of a leader, great player. Like, we've talked about him nonstop for years now. But it all comes back not to Saros, but Yossi for me.

Like, we talk about he got his Norris trophy. He had that 95-point season or whatever it was. But, like, even if he's getting 60, 70 points, and I'm saying even. Like, that's still an incredible year. It doesn't even have to be that record-breaking, like, out-of-this-planet offensive season for him to just dominate games. Like, he's so good with the puck. First off, you can't hit him.

You know, he got those defensemen out there. Like Lidstrom was like that. Like you take runs at him and he's just, even if you don't even think he sees you, he sees you out of his, his, the corner of his eye. And he's just always dodging hits. He's snapping it up tape to tape. Possession wise, like he has the puck constantly. He's getting out of his own zone, carrying it all the time. And then on the power play, he has the puck constantly he's getting out of his own zone carrying it all the time and then on the power play he has a cannon and he's just awesome the perfect player to really kind of not only like lead them right now but get them out of the troubles

they've been in like he's one of those guys that you throw him on the ice you got to play him a little bit more than you maybe want to because every time he's on the ice good things are happening so he's just one of the best in the world at what he does. Is it Lozon, R.A.? Remember him on the Bruins? Yeah, Jeremy Lozon. He's turned into a big-time hitter in the NHL. Head up when this dude's on the ice.

I read an article where he's talking about, yeah, I've just gotten better and better at the timing of it. Throwing a big hit, it's a skill. Because the timing's everything. And you've got to, it's a skill. Because the timing's everything. And you've got to catch guys at the right time. You've got to have your angles correct. And all of a sudden now, he's running people over. So it's a really cool team.

It's funny. I look at their third and fourth line. Mark Jankowski, Tommy Novak's nice. This is just listed on Daily Faceoff. Luka Evangelista, Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, and Kiefer Sherwood. It's kind of like, ah, but they're getting it done. You know what I mean? You read a couple of the fourth line names, you're like, who are these guys?

Glad you brought it up. Hey, they're probably listening in the car right now. Ah, jeez. Well, we're talking about them. Could have just left us out of this. Well, we're talking about them. And as maybe the fourth line guys, you're like, who are these guys? And now all of a sudden you're like, Jesus.

Shout out to these nobodies. They're having a hell of a run. So Brunette's obviously figured out a way to get through to these guys. And he's had success as an assistant. He got screwed over by the Panthers in a way. He has that season and gets let go. But now he's got his chance again and he's running with it. And Trotz, success just follows that guy.

I mean, he does it in Washington. He goes to Long Island. They go on these great runs in the playoffs. Now he's in Nashville turning them around quick. So it's amazing to see. And Elliott mentioned that they had Saros' name out there, and now they've got to be thrilled that they didn't end up trading him. Don't go on a losing streak before Christmas.

You might cancel it. No gifts for your kids either. They didn't end up trading him. Don't go on a losing streak before Christmas. You might cancel it. No gifts for your kids either. Yeah, I think the trade talk, it was nothing really there. Prats had said, we're pretty safe in saying he's going to be here. I think, you know, you got to do your job and hear out if they got a fucking deal that was going to blow him out of the water. Well, they got the next Vasilevsky in the minors. So at some point he's going to get traded. You better tell your old lady's water not to break.

We're going on a three game slide here. Don't you be celebrating any kids coming on this world. You can't name your kid till we win a game. Yeah. Oh, fuck. You love that ask her off, huh? Wet body. This guy is unbelievable.

You seen his numbers this year? Yeah. He's an opposite hand guy, I think. Right. I think he plays with the other hand. I don't know. I just never can trust those goalies. Who's the last good one? Tom Barrasso? Jose Tador?

Your whammy guy? Yeah, I still just, I don't know. I just can't trust him. We'll see. Saturday, Washington Center Evgeny Kuznetsov was cleared by the player assistance program to resume practicing with the team. Then surprisingly,

the Caps placed him on waivers. He did clear waivers. So he was assigned to Hershey. His first time in the AHL, GM Brian McLennan said on Saturday, that was the whole plan from the get-go. He's set to be the highest salary player to ever lace him up in the AHL. Once he does play,

he's got 17 points, 43 games. He's at the lowest output of his career on pace for 32 points. He's got one more year left at 7.8 million AAV. His salary in real dollars is 8 million. Biz, how do you think this plays out with Kuznetsov? Does he stay in the minors? Do they bring him back up?

Does he get traded and they eat some salary? How do you think it ends up? I don't know how it's going to play out, but I think this is a prime example of a guy who was obviously poopy pants about his situation and then acted accordingly and kind of thought that he could just kind of do what he was doing and he would just remain where he was at. And they kind of probably got to a point where they're like, ah, see you later. You know, if you think that, you know, if you think the grass is greener, here's the American hockey league. So go eat some soggy subs for a little bit. And I don't know.

He, I don't know. I don't know. It also never came out as to why he wasn't happy in Washington, but this team is like, they've overachieved this year. I don't think anybody expected them to be even remotely fighting for a playoff spot yet.

They are with the fact that they had no production from Ovi in the first half of the season. And then Kuznetsov has been basically extinct. Like he's not, he's clearly not bringing any type of effort to where he gives a shit whether this team makes playoffs or not. So they're probably looking at from a mindset

of like, I don't care that we're paying them whatever, 7.8 or 8 million bucks. I don't want his negative energy around our players who are younger and also helping us fight to try to even earn a playoff spot. So it's just a wild situation. I don't, I want to know what the fuck he's so upset about and to why he doesn't want to fulfill his contract in a place where he had success and won a Stanley Cup. It's more about the just like showing up and putting effort in for me,

Whit. Like I don't know about you, but like it's just not the way to handle yourself when you're making that much fucking money. And he got sent to the debt minors as a result. Yeah, well, I mean, those pictures came out right it was after they won the cup I think and I mean I think that when they won the cup man you remember how dominating

he was? Skates like the wind so skilled and yeah I mean you sign a huge ticket and you think it's going to be easy and you're into some bad things off the ice and I mean it just catches up to you now his future's in his hands, dude.

You got two ways this can go. You go down to the minors. You realize, I fucked up. I'm down somewhere where I never thought I'd be. I got to turn it around. I'm going to work my balls off. I'm going to dominate in this league. I'm going to figure out a way to...

Obviously, it's over in Washington. And I'll be somewhere else. I can revive my career and get going again. Or Or he's like, I don't give a shit. I've made about $50 million. I'll go back and play for Ska or Seska and I don't care anymore. So that remains to be seen, but I hope the guy's healthy. I mean, obviously he's got, he's got a problem or had a problem. And I don't think something like what he's been dealing with, like drug use-wise, is going to be fixed in how quickly he was in the player assistance program.

Like, that's a lifelong thing, battling an issue that I'm sure he's had for a while based on, like, the actual photo evidence we've seen. So, I mean, you don't want guys' careers to fizzle out the way his has. I mean, especially when you see somebody with that much talent, the way he could dominate a game, the Birdman celebration on his big goals. So I think that if he decides to like, all right, it's a reset button, and this sucks, and I'm down here ordering chicken parm subs that are warm and wet and soggy, and then I'm driving to Wilkes-Barre for a Sunday 3-3,

but I don't care. I'm going to get back to the NHL. Then I think he could get back to the NHL. I would guess, though, he ends up being bought out in the summer. Things could turn quick. You can go from raising a cup with the Washington Capitals to looking at fake magic tricks

in the KHL. I don't know. It's your choice, right? Yeah, absolutely. Well, we got a second interview. I think it's time to send it over to Sebastian Ajo, boys. Sound good to you, Biz, or what? Awesome. Yeah, let's do it.

We talked to him up in Toronto a couple weeks back. So enjoy Sebastian Ajo. All right, before we go any further, here's a few words from our friends at Verizon Fios. You already know that Verizon is the network America relies on. But did you know you can get the network you want for your phone in your home? Get Verizon for both mobile and home and save. Listen, I moved into this place a couple years ago. I got internet from a company we're not going to talk about. It was terrible. I switched over to Verizon Fios. It's been unbelievable since the boys used to goof on me for my slow internet. Nuh-uh. Those days at

Dunzo. Well, R.A., there was a point, R.A., where I felt like, and I remember exactly, actually, at your first apartment where we first started recording Chicklets, you were using your neighbor's Wi-Fi. So the fact that we have this elite, elite Verizon Fios Wi-Fi now that has you cruising on StreamYard here just makes a producer's life super easy. So good. So smooth. No problems whatsoever. You can make sure whatever it is that you're following, this year's Oscar movies, the hockey playoffs, the Shops football draft projections, it's all good, whether you're at home or not at home.

And when you switch, get a great deal on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad, and Apple Watch SE. The network you want on the tech you love. Simply better together. Only on Verizon. Visit your local Verizon store to shop or learn more. All right, our next guest is one of the league's bright young all-stars. This Finnish forward was taken 35th overall by Caroline in the 2015 NHL draft and joined the team as a 19-year-old. He has since averaged nearly a point per game for the Canes, and he's here in Toronto for his third all-star game. It's a pleasure to welcome to the Spittin' Chickens podcast,

Sebastian Ajo. Congrats on another all-star game, brother. Thank you so much, and thanks for having me. A pleasure. I read you're not going to be eligible to win the million dollars, though. That must have pissed you off a little bit, huh bit huh yeah what's the deal with that what do you guys have to do during the the skills competition nothing i mean i i don't think we have anything to do there so uh yeah i think to be honest i i like the idea that they try to you know make this

event better and create new new stuff but you know i i'm already here so i might as well like that's what i said that was his so i liked it because i figured it would get guys so competitive without thinking what he said like well everyone else is just gonna be like what the hell are we doing yeah i mean yeah exactly so like this is we all travel here and only only a few guys get to get to uh have a chance to win that money price but yeah whatever it's uh at the end of the day it's all for the fans so if the fans love it it's then fair enough but uh we'll see that's a great answer the the very safe answer the thing is though like the league picked eight guys and then the other

four you know they're getting voted in by the biggest markets right like that was a little unfair like yeah amazing fans in in carolina it's just different in terms of like edmund turner toronto for like the voting online oh yeah but um i actually wanted to ask you a non-hockey question because the last few mornings there's been a place here called other ship and we've been hooked up it's sauna and then cold plunge back and forth just to re re-energize and being finnish yeah our Merle's is telling us that's like a part of the culture there right absolutely like did you grow up like everyone you knew all the apocalypse you're just jumping in the pond in the winter yeah that's uh yeah even summertime the water doesn't get too

too warm it's still an ice bath yeah refreshing uh but yeah that's basically the way I like to do it's just the steaming hot sauna like very very hot not and going in and out so i know some guys like like to sit there a long time and take a time but i usually just like uh get it really really hot and then kind of go in and out and uh take a cold plunge in the in between some of the craziest teammates i ever had were finished like just the way they like crank vodka now when you're back home in the summer well you have a boys night on saturday and then sunday it's like hey everybody hits up the sauna and doing the contrast is it like a like a bonding thing for the males i think it's just for the whole nation okay not just the males uh yeah i mean sometimes even sometimes even the weekend nights in the lake house, you kind of spend half the night in the sauna.

And so I think it's pretty unique. Not a lot of other countries probably. We call it cock talk. It's going a little cock talk. Like Keith Yandel. He calls it that. When I play with Keith Yandel, like I would be a healthy scratch and I'd have my suit on after the game.

And he'd be like, Hey, take your suit off. We're going, you know, a little cock talk in the sauna. So I would gear down, I would grab beers and I would go meet them after W on Saturday,

especially. Yeah. Um, but aside from that, I was, I was honored to hear before we started recording, you said you listened to some of our shows. Now,

which ones have you listened to and which one of us has the worst takes? Would you say about and on the podcast uh recently i watched those uh golf things i've watched a few that few the matches i was obviously uh you guys played willie in uh in carolina how big of a choke job was that oh yeah have you ever seen him shank a shot no that's uh that's so unlike him so uh yeah the pressure did it make you want to like play us and be like i know what i would have done in that moment and it wouldn't have been fuck up and shank it like justin williams i mean mr game seven yeah i couldn't believe it because i played a lot of times with him and he's always clutch up

he clutches up every time i'm you know he's uh i'm usually his partner and we more often than not we win so maybe he just had a tough partner you know it was it was also the uh it was a late it was a late late in the round right we we'd had the drinks flowing so that always adds a different element you know i think i think cole brought him down is what happened cole he didn't have i told you bad part told you, bad part. Exactly. He didn't have Ajo. Do you hang out with the alumni a little bit? Because they have a great group of guys there. Bates Battaglia owns the one bar.

And obviously, I just mentioned Cole. Do you get to interact with these guys quite a bit? You see them once in a while, maybe on the golf course or sometimes at the rink. But yeah, other than that, not really. I got a question in terms of this weekend we're hearing reports that everyone should be expecting an announcement for a world cup of hockey how exciting for you is that right to like be able to play best on best for your country and like it's been a long time so i'm assuming you're really looking forward to that yeah i mean to be

honest that was my growing up that was my always my biggest dream to play in the Olympics for Team Finland winning something for your nation that would be that was always my you know

my Stanley Cup you know growing up so but yeah obviously later on growing up

this Stanley Cup is probably not probably it is like the biggest goal right now but especially kids in Europe.

And I feel like it's such an easy way to grow the game too, like watching your own country and, you know, best and best. I think it's great stuff. So I really hope we get to, you know, play best and best. And obviously for me, like I've already missed, I don't know, two or three Olympics because in my age so i uh obviously uh hopefully we uh can get it done um we talk a lot like when talking world juniors and finish the the team and like the culture over there and the players it's like they're always defensively responsible right and similar to sweden in a way

but fins are hard to play against like growing up was that always something where it wasn't just offense and skills and like from a young age it's defensive side of the puck and and being responsible in your own end like was that always part of how you were raised playing the game yeah I would say probably after age of I don't know 15 14 then you like really uh you start bringing the system a little bit into it and then it kind of i think it's also like it's 50 50 it's part part how like we've been taught to play the game but half of it's probably just like how we are as a as yeah hard-working people yeah and like just uh i would say like team first like you know you don't want to that's taught from a young age there yeah

yeah definitely definitely like no one's above the team it's all yeah that's pretty cool and yeah sometimes

there was like before you know guys like I don't know Barkov Barkov and Leinen that are kind of like

our generation I was thinking about that like why we don't have a guys like who you know really step up and i i was thinking about like is that the issue like everyone kind of like a team guy like we don't really have those superstars but um i guess uh now the new generation has you know we have a really good players who plays you know in the top you know roles in the top, you know, roles in the top team. So I think it's, we've done something right as a country for sure. Yeah.

Well, like what was the development? Like you said around 14, 15, that's more when the systems are being implemented. Yeah. Or is it more skill based before that? Yeah. And like, what's your guys like summer program? Like, did you play with like a club team growing up? Like how did your, your life cycle in hockey

work? Yeah. You, so basically you play for your hometown and there you go through the juniors and you hope at the end you, you can make the top or the, you know, in the Finnish league team. And yeah, it's just very easy, easy, you know, like after school you go to practice and and uh everything works pretty flawlessly it all comes from the top team down right yeah exactly so

that's everyone wants to make it on the top team and uh yeah you just start from the whatever under whenever you start whatever but like every year just go uh to the next level to the next level and then and and your town owned your rights like that just kind of how it went no like no you can if you want to leave you leave right but this is how you know uh well i was very unfortunate uh no very fortunate to have uh you know pretty probably like one of the top organizations in the in the whole country and very good players around me so uh it was kind of it was to me it was a no-brainer always to stick to that system and being in that organization

had anybody like who had like ever played in the league and like you know maybe a hall of famer played in the organization that you did in finland Like who were the, who were the NHLers before you that laid the foundation that maybe you looked up to? Uh, Pekka Rinne, Jussi Jokinen. Uh. Shootout master. Shootout master.

Uh. He was coaching the world junior team too, I think. Yeah. Yeah. He was, uh, you know, create hockey mind. Uh, Joni Pitskanen,kenen he uh he's from there so but i probably say renee and yokan and they uh you know i got to you know work out with them later um when they were

back in their careers we uh we skated together and and kind of show uh show us young guys how it's done and all that stuff so i think it was pretty good you coming up like um you know like were you always kind of the best player or like 10 and 11 12 or did you have a big jump at one point when you were a teenager like what was your kind of career arc like in terms of being dominant or actually kind of being one of the lesser guys and just working and getting better and better um i'd say like early on i was probably the one of the top guys uh age of i don't know 17 year before draft i probably had my worst year like in terms like i thought like uh i wasn't the top guy anymore maybe

in like international team and stuff like that and uh yeah i had a i played only like a half uh half a season in the top top team and played some of the juniors and they kind of tossed me around there so it was kind of a tough year but uh especially the draft year right yeah like i want to go high so you're kind of battling both to be honest i never thought about that really yeah i was back then it was more simple life you didn't you just played hockey i know kind of like you didn't look into going first round or being a top pick at all not at all i mean i it wasn't i knew like it's not really like something i just want to play hockey you know like it's that stuff comes it's great and like i never like had any it wasn't that

important to me to be in a first rounder to be honest like i knew i thought it was it would be cool to be in a first rounder but like i never like stressed about it or thought about it so is that a personal trait a good thing yeah you seem very calm demeanor like you i don't know i think stress in your life no i think i definitely stress but stress about hockey these days more you know like obviously you you know you you get paid more you get you know all that stuff so it adds up like i thanks much for all all right thanks bish the cheap guys in carolina matched it though they said we're matching anything yeah exactly it's uh yeah it's i still love the game i love everything about it but it's just uh

it's it's different for sure you know you have more expectations and you know all that stuff so it brings it brings a lot of stress. You gotta be nice though. If you're playing in Carolina, if you go on like a three, four game pointless streak, like you're not hearing it. Like that's probably a real big advantage. Like the fans are like crazy and they're passionate, but yet you're not dealing with

the media circus to cause even more stress. Cause you look at some of these guys in other places, it's difficult. Yeah. You have that added, added pressure of media. I'm sure it is. Obviously I haven't ever experienced that, so I can't really tell how it is.

But heard a lot about it. So, yeah, I believe you. We got to interview Rod Brindamore at the All-Star Game last year. Me and R.A. did. Biz was in one that day. I was up till 8 a.m. having a real good time. And then, yeah, by 10 o'clock i asked two two questions in an hour interview i looked a bug-eyed like rod does but he's just like this but it was it was cool

to talk to him and like he's so intense right so i imagine as a coach it's probably nice to know that like this guy not only has your back but like he just cares so much about winning, that every day he's showing up prepared. He's in the gym before you guys. How's your relationship with him? It's great. Yeah, I really love playing for him. He's fair. He's tough.

He expects a lot, but at the end of the day, he's very fair. You know, he's tough. He expects a lot, but at the end of the day, he's very fair. You know, all he asks is, like, just put your body out there and work as hard as you can and, like, do your best job. You can, right? So, like, it's very simple. He pushes us a lot, but I think it's in a good way, in a fair way. And, yeah, like I said, it's, I mean, me and him,

we have a great relationship. We talk a lot, sorry, Biz, just quick, like about Carolina and playing man on man in the D zone, right? Like it's a hard thing to do. Like you got to be good skaters. You got to be really trusting each other. But for you- I have a hard time.

Yeah. Like at the beginning, was it tough for you? Like, do you enjoy it now? I'm guessing it's sometimes it's like sometimes it gets your guys' transition game even better when you're causing those turnovers. Yeah, I mean, obviously played that system for a little while now, so really don't think about that stuff anymore. You just play.

But yeah, I think it's just there's a lot of ways. There's a lot of systems there's a lot of systems but you know how you can play hockey and i think it's just more that you uh you get all 20 guys to you know you buy in so i think that's the probably the main main thing and for for a new guy to come over how long is it usually taking them to adapt to that because some guys have never played that yeah before and maybe you guys have a little bit of a chuckle on video when you get a new guy and he's just getting exposed the first five days yeah he's got his fucking head head on a scruple the whole time he's a trainee yeah what's going on you're fucking

saving private ryan yeah the beach scene no it'll take some time uh for sure uh actually that's pretty funny to say that i don't want to sure anyone no do it come on it's got michael michael it was so funny early on uh i mean he's good now uh but like you know first month is probably and he was even struggling a little bit offensively where he's gotten back up to pace and he's actually been a lot better the second half of the first half of the season. Yeah, definitely.

Yeah, he's been playing good for us. But yeah, it's just a few of those meetings, like you said, Vance's head wasn't in the swivel. So, yeah. That is so funny. Is it nice having a guy on your team who who stirs it up like that like i we call like dragging your team into the fight where maybe some games get a little bit like yeah lethargic where it just seems like he'll be you know mixing

it up with the blue paint and being a pain in somebody's ass, chirping. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I hated him playing against him and just brings that good... He's such an emotional guy. The swings. Yeah, he can have the best shift in his career and the next shift he could break his stick. I'm like like what is

going on here but uh uh no it's all good now that i know that guy i i pretty much know how that what they expect but uh yeah it's i think it's good but you know i have like you said like not all the games go your way and uh sometimes that gives a little spark when when one guy goes and then throws the you know he's out there and like in front of the net kind of being crazy guy so uh it gets gets guys going when you came over like how was your english was that like really hard at the beginning i mean it's it's great now but must have been a tough like jump when you came over here originally boom you're in the nhl very hard takes It takes a lot of energy to process everything and then just get to know the guys.

Probably the best thing that happened to me, a couple of the Swedes invited me to play cards on the plane. So that's so casual. You just throw cards out there and you're not thinking about it. You're always having conversation kind of thing. So I remember after that year, my English kind of got better and ever since I don't have to think about that so much.

So I was going to ask if it was TV or anything, but it was more just talking to the boys that it just slowly became easier. Yeah. Cock talk. Cock talk. Exactly. Sebastian, tough ending for the squad last year.

You guys left it all out there. Florida was just unbelievable. Brodsky was unbelievable. What kind of message did tough ending for the squad last year you guys left it all out there florida was just unbelievable brofsky was unbelievable what kind of message did rod have for the team after you know such a tough end of the season when you guys left it all out there yeah it was a tough series obviously got swept but uh three ot's and yeah it's every every game was like one goal game and And obviously Florida definitely earned it and deserved to win the whole series. But it was just so weird. Like it was the feeling in the locker room,

like we just got swept. Like that's crazy that like we were right there in every one of those games. But that's how hockey works. You know, just you have to, when you have those opportunities, just try to make the best of it. And obviously we have a good team again this year, and same core, you know, we've been through quite a bit already.

So I really hope that one of those experiences that we've gone through, that's one of them, that they're going to help us in the future. It was funny. The internet had a blast with Rod saying, we didn't get swept when you did, but you make a good point. It wasn't like four dominated.

That series could have been 3-1 you guys. I watched the whole thing. We covered it, right? It seemed like a late game bounce here, just like Bobrovsky standing on his head. I think every game was a one goal game, and it was very low scoring too, right? Yeah. Yeah, it was very low scoring.

Both goalies played, Freddie played unreal for us and obviously Bob Bobrovsky for them. So, uh, yeah. What is, what does Brent Burns bring to that? Oh, I was going to say, what, what did you think when this guy showed up? What about the backpack? The frigging backpack? He has literally everything you ask

like bernie's gonna have like you name it i don't know like some crazy stuff oh yeah i got two what's the most random thing you've seen come out of the animal i think it's pretty weird that he has like i don't know he he's having like everything obviously probably half of it is like recovery stuff, like legit stuff, like rheumatics and all that. But then he brings his coffee makers, his own coffee. Sometimes he has some meats, probably like, I don't know if he has guns in there, but like.

Have you tried? Beef jerky. I'm a big coffee guy. Have you tried his coffee? Is he a coffee snob? I've tried it like for one for one sip but guys who uh who had like a full cup they say they say that it goes right through you so oh it's like a creatine coffee his coffee's meant to do like just clean out your your tubes i have no clue or is it

just maybe because it's so caffeinated i don't know i don't know that much about coffee but i heard that he really likes his like organic yeah yeah yeah he's making that stuff were you one of the guys who got to golf with harry styles yeah what those that guy is a he's a mega ship he's like taylor swift what was that like and what kind of a guy was he um first two holes probably pretty it was was kind of, probably a little awkward. Were you intimidated? Yeah. I mean, I was, yeah.

I mean, a little bit. But, yeah, it was, but, like, by the third hole, you know, like, we all had, like, a couple bad shots. And we, you know, started throwing clops and all that, like, golf stuff. You know, golf is such a great game for that. Because, like, it doesn't matter who you are. You just, you always do the same stuff. And you because like it doesn't matter who you are like you just you always do the same stuff and you hit bad shots no matter who exactly and and actually after that it was great we uh you know got to know him a little bit and asked a lot of questions about his life and funny enough he was he was asking you

know a lot of questions from us too like how's how's our life for uh you know a professional athlete and it's actually a lot similar with what they, what they have kind of like artists taught those guys, they, they have the travel, they have like. Yeah, they can relate. Yeah, exactly. So, uh, yeah, it was, uh, it was pretty cool. He probably needed some tips from Brent Burns

about recovery. Like if you've ever seen one of his shows, he's just sprinting up and down, shaking it for the ladies. He's got every girl in the crowd throwing their bra and panties at him. Have you ever, have you seen any of this Harry Styles stuff? I've seen just like his outfits and stuff. It's just like rockstar stuff.

Would you ever wear some of the stuff that he wears? No, I couldn't. You'd never throw a dress on or nothing? No. Well, no, I'm saying if GQ called and they're like. Yeah, no, I'm not. I'm not. Like, I'm pretty actually lame when it comes to like i'm always wearing pretty just nothing nothing too flashy

i think the boys back in finland will probably give you a little shit if you were that dress and all right would you would you put on like lingerie if they said you were going to be on the cover of rolling stone magazine i'm listening i'll hear it i'll hear an offer yeah a bondage outfit with like a gag ball would you do that every man has his price bill paul so um r.a had a playboy subscription or subscription when he's 13 subscription yeah i did yeah it was i had an opportunity so i took it yeah what do you what do you think of that what is that what do you playboy is like yeah yeah i know but what was he he had a subscription when he was 13 oh okay is that odd that's a lot yeah that's fit i'm a little odd too

it works out do they even have like magazines like that in finland like they had playboy international they must have a finished version back in the day i would imagine yeah i would think so i never saw an issue of it but i just like what are the what are the biggest cultural differences you'd say like i know the finished guys i play with they were obsessed with the heavy metal music yeah is that a stereotype or i think it's still big i don't really listen at all uh especially yeah i would say like a couple i don't know 20 years ago probably 10 years ago it was very big uh i don't i think it's now now it's the top charts like on the spotify and

everyone listens to the same music kind of kind of thing you get sucked into it too the algorithm yeah are you listening all this the top 100 or whatever well i'm i do listen some finnish music still but um over here i think i i'm actually getting a little bit more in the in the country music too so i'm actually it's been talking i'm going all over the place with the music what's your theory it's like the only good music out right now yeah there's not much like good new music besides the country music you know we got the morgan wall and zach bryan that's the combs i feel like there's a big come up of a lot of whereas like there's not other good original music like but but before the game like if you're getting fired up um like you listen like you listen into rock rap or the country is it or is it anything

uh it's probably like anything. It's rap or EDM. EDM, okay. Yeah, that's what I liked before. Who's got the aux cord in the room? Who's got it? Niche's had it for a while. Bun's had it for a while.

And then- Bun takes music. Bippy and Lemmy, you had it. That's pretty early for a guy to take over the locker room music. So has Bunting with his personality fit right in given the emotional swings kind of the the court jester where everyone's like oh my god this guy's a maniac yeah i mean yeah yeah he's fit right in um i think nitchy was hurt for uh for a little while so i need a new guy and he uh he stepped up so yeah it's uh and then when nate came back did he take it back

over? That could be an awkward relation. It's like basically power play one. You know, you're getting mad about power play time. You're going into Rob's office or Rod's office, excuse me, and arguing about who's got the aux cord. Yeah, I want to say he did take it back, but I'm not quite sure. It's

pretty much the same music, so can't tell. You got drafted to team Nathan McKinnon. I don't know if you talked to him yet about any particular guys you want to play with. I know Crosby's on the team, Kiel McCaw, Kaprizov. Any guys you're psyched to get out on the ice with? I mean, all of them. Yeah, exactly. Pretty good lineup there.

No, it's, yeah, all of those guys, but probably especially McKinnon on what level he's playing this year it's it's unreal so uh uh hopefully get at least one shift with him have you played in colorado yet this year yeah i didn't play that game oh really yeah in colorado right now he's like just stay away from him yeah at home at at least. Everywhere, I guess. Yeah, he's been pretty. What's it like going against him? What's your mindset going into a game? Just stay above him?

Just try to hit him as much as possible? Yeah, like any top player in the league, you want to take the space away. You take the time and space away. But yeah, I think, i think well centers go against center but like at the same time like i think uh forwards go more the matchup is against the d and then uh so i don't really have to worry about too much with the forwards right i pretty pretty much worry about the their d d core but uh as, yeah, you want to probably be aware

who you're out against and just try to... I think the best way to kill the skill is take time and space away. Kill the skill? I like that. I've heard that. Does Rod say that in the room? Is that what he

says? I don't think so. No? I just came up with it. You ever get heated with them? Like battles where maybe you're having a bit of conflict from like a, I don't know, a systems perspective or a play here or play here? Me personally? Yeah, Link.

I mean, it's healthy to have some fuck you matches once in a while. I haven't had really any issues with them ever. So, yeah. I wish I could give you a better answer. No, no, it's good. No, it's good. That's the truth, yeah.

That's a healthy dynamic. It's a good thing. I mentioned your third All-Star game. Has it been a lot crazy here where it's in Toronto, just so many more people, so many more people in the hockey world around? Has it been a little almost overwhelming at times? I mean, yeah.

You kind of knew it when you saw it's in june also like this shit with us yeah expect that all that stuff but yeah it's all good yeah i think so far so good uh who's he gonna ask you um oh so growing up like did your dad get you into the game did you have brothers and sisters you played against like what was your kind of like intro to hockey? Your parents or guys from your town? My dad, for sure. He was a player himself? Yeah, he played pro.

He played a little bit in Sweden. Oh, okay. I was in Finland. And yeah, I grew into hockey. I loved watching him play. And obviously after a win game, he took me in the locker room. Oh, that's awesome. There's nothing better than that feeling in the locker room and oh there's nothing better in the you know that feeling in the in the locker room after win it see all the

guys yeah exactly just walking there like i was such a man like probably just three i don't know four or five year old and i was walking there like i owned the place and uh it was just uh yeah i definitely just grew in the, loving the game. So I know the cases for me and I know playing with Sid, like after games, you know, you're talking to your dad, like it's just been that way your whole life. Obviously he's in Finland. Are you talking to him after most of your games? Like he's obviously like your biggest critic, your biggest fan. So are you still involved with talking about like your actual game with him?

Yeah. That's cool. involved with talking about like your your actual game with him yeah i uh it's cool i think it's crazy that he's uh i think he's watched every single game except one my initial career and it's 1 a.m when they start right 2 a.m yeah usually and uh that was because he was flying to to raleigh to watch come see me so he missed one game he's probably pretty pissed about it but it's i don't know how he does it he obviously it's middle of the night and he always waits me to text after the game that's awesome so uh he's definitely been my you know biggest supporter and the whole reason

probably or because the reason why i even play hockey and and all that so uh yeah i actually uh we have a great relationship, but when they, when it comes like that. So you just chop it up after and, you know, after a game, you'd say, I know I thought you were weak at this and maybe let's work it out in practice moving forward, like stuff like

that, like going back and forth and chiseling away your game. Yeah. It's, it's not like that anymore. Like growing up, he probably was commenting more like, how should I play? Now it's more just like... Support system.

Yeah, support system. He doesn't really... He was a stay-at-home D, so what are you... He can't really tell me how to score a goal, right? But no, it's definitely more, it's just the support system. You weren't great in the dot last night. Dad, you were off the glass and out every night.

Leave me alone. Have you even stopped the drawback, Dad? Do you have a friendly rivalry with the other Sebastian Ajo, the defenseman? Yeah, just look at each other and eyeball each other up and down. Which one's the better Sebastian Ajo? I thought it was funny when we first played, when we were 15. But obviously, we played against each other a lot of times in national teams.

So by the time we were in the NHL and all the fans and media noticed it, it was kind of— Were you the same age? He's a year older, but I was playing a year older in the national team, yeah. So you're sick of answering that question, is what you're saying. yeah yeah yeah basically yeah it's like a nice way of saying you guys have a hang out like shoot the shit just have a laugh because you have the same name but just all the i don't know it was like sitting on a grove sick name i don't know yeah you too man yeah great job buddy yeah no i like it all right all right he's a That's what you, that's what often you meet. Someone has exact same name from a different

country. All right. Just came out with a movie. He was in a movie. What were you, what was your, you were a Zamboni driver? Zamboni driver. Yeah.

Yeah. He's a, like he's done a Shorzy. Have you ever seen Shorzy? Never seen it. It's like a, a, a spinoff show from a show called Letter Keddie and this Canadian guy named Jared Kiso created it and it's based around hockey and all the silly things that happen in junior.

So already has kind of been on a, an acting mission lately. Yeah. So you have to check those out. He can't stay. So I got into hockey movies and TV. So I'm going to get there somewhere. He usually asks the guests what you watch

and consume. Like, are you a big Netflix guy or what do you watch to on television? I watch, well, i actually pretty much every night before i go to bed i usually put like it's just a show on the tv or on the phone just like something all like i've seen a thousand times like friends to fall asleep yeah exactly friends is your show one of them is friends you like ross i like I hate Ross. Yeah, it's not my favorite. That's Johnny Goudreau's favorite.

Yeah, really? That's when I was like, Jesus, Johnny Hammond, she's Ross? But yeah, I watch pretty much everything, but I usually have a few other shows that I don't really have to pay attention to much. I just put them on and kind of relax that way. You got a good a good vacation spot right like sometimes the european guys are going to barcelona or like

where do you go on vacation when you're back home in the summer oh uh your favorite spot to go favorite spot i do like italy uh but i still uh yeah there's so many places you want to see so i yeah i'm young guy so i kind of like to switch it up you like traveling though yeah i do like someday when you're done playing you'll be traveling a lot yeah absolutely do you do i mean obviously you're in the middle of this amazing career but like sometimes you you think about like things like i could see myself coaching i'd like to be in management you ever even thought of anything post-career is it just right now it's all hockey i was gonna ask him if you didn't play hockey what would you do oh i like that what would i do

i would probably yeah i didn't really have a backup plan i was like i i'm gonna make it pretty much all in for hockey that's a good mindset uh yeah i wasn't but i wasn't bad like in school or anything like but it's just uh i always just't but i wasn't bad like in school or everything like like but it's just uh i always just thought like i'm gonna play hockey for my and i guess it worked out for me and uh what could i be i don't know honestly i did not i could not see myself in a in an office job or any of that i i think I'm a pretty active guy. If you weren't in Toronto this weekend, where would you have gone on vacation for a few days off?

Actually, I was in Mexico. I went for four days. Where did you go there? That's where you go, right? I go to Cabo. You ever been to Cabo? I've never been to Cabo. I've heard very good things.

Yeah, Cabo is like, yeah, it's a little bit drier. Kind of like my throat right now. But yeah, it's like that desert heat, but then the ocean's there, they got good surfing. The water's a little bit dangerous, but like, I don't know, I think over the last 10 years, like per, per capita, it's got the most billionaires on the earth.

Like the most billionaires have residency there where you, you go there any big week or weekend like there'll be you know 250 300 private jets in the in the airspace so it just it popped off i think it's got the most like six star or six diamond michelin restaurants and stuff so i don't know why people are going there or flocking there but you because you started going because i started yeah i started this any guys you're looking to catch up with this weekend why people are going there or flocking there. Because you started going. Because I started, yeah. I started this. Any guys you're looking to catch up with this weekend?

Maybe old friends or guys you haven't met yet? I mean, not really. I mean, I guess you just hang out there. I think that's, you know, one of the cool parts about these events. you uh get to know these all the great guys and great players so uh and yeah just hang out with them last thing for me is um it's just it's it's been tough to watch and see like freddie anderson right he's battling and and has has have the guys tried you know like hanging out with him because oftentimes you're injured you just you

don't feel part of the team right like have you guys been staying on him keeping him positive at least yeah at least you know he's been at the he's been around okay he's been working out there which is you know great to see uh and uh he's in he's been in a good good mood good given the circumstances obviously and uh now that he's cleared i'm uh i'm sure he's uh full of energy and kind of i i think it's just awesome to see that he's uh he's already you know come this far yeah well we appreciate you coming on i just got a couple more uh the fendi shoes are you a big fashion guy oh you follow the trends like did you see uh louis vuitton uh drop with uh pharrell did you see that collaboration do you follow that on

instagram no i don't follow that but um i've been trying to be a little bit better, you know, just catch up on the trends and yeah. Is that because you're like a single guy and you kind of- Not a single guy. You got a girl? I have a fiance, yeah. Fiance? Yeah.

And you're getting married this summer coming up? The next. Where is it? Where's the wedding? I don't know. It's got engaged during Christmas. Oh, just recently? Yeah, just recently.

Congrats. Thanks. RA is an ordained minister if you need a guy. He'll be free of charge as compensation for this interview. I don't know if he'll want me doing any vows. He may steal one of your sticks or something. He'll do a great service. Yeah.

Well, this has been great. I don't think I'm going to have any more guys. No, it was silly. It was fun chatting with you, buddy. We hadn't yet. And you're a hell of a player and you guys got a great team and i wish you guys luck i i think that this year could be the year you guys get over the hump because normally you guys come fucking flying out of the gate yeah you're sure you guys stumbled a little bit but you guys are finding your groove right now yeah absolutely thank you very much to Sebastian Ajo. Hell of a player.

We appreciate him coming in, sitting down with us at Gretzky's basement. But I got to go out to Alberta, my Edmonton Oilers, on a nice little run again. They had a tough loss on a hockey night in Canada to the Flames on February 24th. And then they came back. Huge win at home against the Kings. Awesome comeback win against the Blues with McDavid getting a sweet OT winner. Then they beat Seattle and then they just smashed the

Penguins. So that's four in a row. We're very, very close. I know we're nine points away from Vancouver, but four games in hand. The Pacific is not done. The Oilers could still win that division, no doubt. But how else? Who else do we talk about but Zach Hyman?

I mean, guys, seven year deal at five and a half, that's coming off, I think he had 15 goals that last year in Toronto, he was injured and then two years prior,

he had 21 goals both years. So a lot of people at the time would say, what the fuck? 38 million bucks bucks this guy's most goals ever is 21 he's on pace for 59 goals this season and every single one of them is in the crease if you want to score goals you go to the net but nobody who's ever uttered that cliche in the history of hockey has imagined anyone doing it the way hyman's done it and yeah all

you haters out there could say he plays with mcdavid okay well dude he's banging him home anyway it's a skill set it's a skill set and this guy i can't believe the maple leafs let him go because it's not just like obviously he set career highs each season in edmonton like it keeps going up i don't think he'll be able to smash this year whatever this this ends up at next season. But dude, it's not just the goals. He's fast as hell. He works his bag off. He's great defensively, hits everything that moves. He's always a pain in the ass in front of the net. And it's just been one of the, this sounds crazy, it's been one of the all-time free agent signings. You can't put it any way other than that because he nonstop is scoring goals in the dirty area,

in the mixer, as Merles likes to say. So, Biz, in terms of your Leafs, looking back, I think you tweeted out he's the one who got away. Yeah, he's the one who got away. That's such a cheap, cheap cost for what he delivers. And I don't think Toronto could have given him... He probably would have taken less.

And nowadays, those types of guys are so far and few between. I just talked about New Jersey. What do you think that they paid Timo Meier to be that guy for them? $8 million. He's making five and a half, and he's going to put up 50 fucking goals. So it's more about just like, yeah, I get that McDavid's able to find ways to get the puck to that area

of the ice more than anyone in the league and dish so in a way that that guy's going to be able to benefit from it. But listen, I haven't played with too many guys with that type of skill set.

A few guys maybe at the NHL level, I thought Martin Hansel was great in front of the net. I played with a guy in the American League, Michael Mersch. He was on our Calder Cup winning team where it Hansel was great in front of the net. I played with a guy in the American League, Michael Mersch. He was on our Calder Cup winning team where it just felt if you put it to the net, he just found a way to scoop it up and get it in

and beat the goalie. And if you seriously added up every one of his goals that year as far as distance that he scored from the goal line, I don't think he would have reached center ice just the way Zach Hyman does it. So it's crazy. You do the overhead view chart of where these goals are coming from. Every single one is in the crease.

There's like three outside of the crease. There you go. Look at, look at that. Look at it. You can't even see the net or the crease. It's just fucking all the goal dots. So it's, it's remarkable. And, uh, it's, it's Holland's best move.

It's remarkable, and it's Holland's best move and one that helps the nurse contract maybe not look so bad if you look at it from that standpoint. They kind of even themselves out. Also in Alberta, Mika Kipersoft was back in Calgary. His number 34 is retired Saturday night. The Saddledome is just the fourth Flames number to head to the rafters. Lanny McDonald, Jerome McGinley, Mike Vernon are the other three. His 305 wins, most

in franchise history. 319 wins, second most ever by a Finnish goalie after Pekka Rinne. He won the Vezina and Jennings back in 06. 74 games he played that year. 42-20 at 11 with a 2-0-7 goals against 9-2-3 save percentage. 10

shutouts led the league. Just an incredible season he had. Also, franchise all-time leader for games played, saves, goals against average, save percentage, ice time, and shutouts. Merles, I'll go to you on this one. He was at the forefront of this, sort of first wave of Finnish goalies. You had Vesa Toskala, UC Markkinen, Nicholas Backstrom. He was one of these guys that sort of paved the way for all these Finnish goalies. Yeah, he kind of got casted off by San Jose.

He went up to Calgary and just stole the show. The one stat I saw, he played seven straight games of over 70 games or something crazy like that, which will never be topped again. Seven straight seasons of 70-plus games? Wow. Yeah, that's ridiculous. You'll never see that again.

No, he had like a three hour stretching routine before and after every game or something wild like that this guy was a freak but he actually played one year in timra once timra always a timra lies petterson zetterberg murley kiprasov but um one funny story is all these finnish guys were on the team that year and it's the lockout. So they're all having a good time. The season ends. They're at this bar having a night. The owner's like, enough's enough. I'm out of here. Throws him the keys. You guys lock up. I'll see you tomorrow. Doesn't hear from him. He goes back in 10 in the morning, open up. He sees a bunch of feet underneath the tables. All the Finnish guys, like four or five,

just slept under the tables at the bar in Svensson's in Sweden. These guys, they had a good time. I heard Kiprasov could hammer the cocktails and he liked to get after it. He would hack darts with the fans during the cup run. He's just

an overall legend. Was he with Daryl Sutter in San Jose? Is that who brought him to Calgary? Because in his speech, he was sitting down there where everybody was at, and he gave him a huge thank you for bringing him over and believing him when he was in Calgary.

So I didn't know if maybe they crossed paths. I don't know if you can quickly look that up, G, or R.A. He did have Sutter and San Jose first. Okay, so that's kind of who when San Jose threw him to the wayside, Sutter had had that experience and said, I believe in this guy. Obviously,

he fucking did some incredible work for him, including he's probably most known for that year with 06. Was that before or after the lockout where he brought them to the run against Tampa Bay? Tampa Bay, that was 04 before the lockout. Oh, it was 04. Okay.

So, I mean, that was kind of the heater that he was on. But yeah, just a guy's guy. He thanked Jerome McGinley. He had some great words for Conroy as well. So just thank that core group of guys he got to play with. And that was a special time in Calgary and the last time they've kind of had that revival

since Landy McDonald won the cup there. I loved how you got to see the kid. You remember the kid who used to dress up as him? He'd be in the stands with a painted on beard and he would do all the Kiprasov moves in the stands. And then he's so much older and grown up now. I guess he paints goalie masks for a living. So he presented Kiprasov with one that he did for him when he came back into town.

And, I mean, I was reading a good article in the Calgary Herald about him. It's all these guys who played with him, different memories of Kiprasov. All of them are talking. There's different parts of the article. All of them are talking about, I guess, his flexibility was out of this world. Like Brian Boucher is in here saying the most flexible person I've ever seen in my life. different parts of the article. All of them are talking about, I guess his flexibility was out of this world. Brian Boucher's in here saying, the most flexible person I've ever seen in my life.

So I guess the pre- and post-game routine you're talking about, Merle, makes sense. Do you remember Brent Kahn? He was a high pick by Calgary. He's telling a story. This part of the article is how he was just unflappable. I guess he never got rattled. He was just so cool and calm and collected. So he says, I remember a game in Detroit in the second round of the playoffs. I sat

behind him on the bus, besides him on the bus after they lost 5-2. I'm sitting beside him and he's telling me jokes and they were funny. They were really funny. And you know, it's a big loss. It's the playoffs. We just got smoked by the Red Wings and I'm not even on the team really. I'm just here in case something happens. I mean, not even on the team really i'm just here in case something happens i mean if daryl sees me laughing i'm i'm in a lot of trouble and this guy's killing me i remember thinking to myself they just got pumped five two and he wasn't actually he wasn't particularly great and he's just back to his regular self telling jokes not giving a shit and then the next game he was first star made 50 saves so it just seemed like it seemed

like he was a guy based on this article that never really got rattled and another funny part about the flexibility and it's not in this article is like you said biz and murals the legend behind mika kipisov is that he drank like yeah it's pretty it's pretty old school hockey to hear about this legend getting his number retired and one of the first things everyone says is how crippled he used to get. Another thing too is they were worried about even doing this because he's known to just kind of not show up to things. He's very off the grid. And I think I mentioned it during the Elliot interview

how he lived outside of town and he would just ride his tractor. At least that's what Commodore told me. So he's kind of just this guy who doesn't really like that attention and just some unreal backstories as to who this guy really was. Finns are amazing. Finns are just, they go hard on and off the ice. Yeah, the other part of it is like on, what was that word? Unflattable?

Yeah, that's a big one. Unflattable. Unflattable. Yeah, I guess guess I don't know where they were, but he got lit up six or seven goals in this in whatever team was had a like a catchy song each goal like that.

Something like that. Somebody went back to the bus to like check on him, see how he was doing and he looks at him and he just started playing the song. He just doesn't. He didn't give a shit. He knew I would just turn it off and move on, which I wish I knew, and I wish a lot of players knew how to do that.

Oh, man. Well, congrats to Kipper anyways. Did you guys, I think one of the funniest clips we saw the last week, did you see when Steve Ott was on the bench and they happened to show his two kids on the Jumbotron? Hey, all right, quick, before we move on. So Larry Korpikoskiki he's a finnish guy

he was at like some gala in finland one time and i mentioned how he's hard to get a hold of and he like showed up to this gala but everybody was like dressed nice and he had like regular jeans on like a shitty shirt and like instead of a von dutch hat it said von bitch kiprasov kiprasov? Kiprasov. So that's just kind of like the stories. That was one that just came to mind, too. So I hear what you're saying, though, R.A. That was a funny Jumbotron moment where Steve Ott was. I think it took him a second to clue in that it was his kid, right? Yeah, he was looking up, and he had his shirt off.

He was going nuts, like waving over his head. He looks like an animal, just like Ott was. And he looks up, and when he catches it, you can see. It reminded me of on Saturday Night Live when they tried not to break character. Like, you could see he was, like, stifling a laugh a couple times. But that was hilarious. Probably the funniest thing we've seen all week on a clip. But I want to send, actually, a couple local teams with.

Best Elected Quincy College. They're at the AAU Division III National Championship in Westchester, Pennsylvania this week. So, just the second year of the program, the Granite they're called. So good luck to those guys. Also good luck to Mass Maritime Academy as well. The Buccaneers are playing for the AAU Division II National Championship. So a couple of local squads going to send good wishes to. And also I want to say get well to one of my oldest best friends,

my guy Paulie Myers. He's been a health nut for the last few years. He was doing a Sunday morning five-mile run, and he collapsed at the end of it. And a woman come over, started doing CPR on him, called an ambulance. They came, took him away. And it turned out this woman was on her way to her grandson's hockey game, and it turned out my buddy who collapsed, he coaches her other grandson on one of his teams.

So kind of like the hockey world, sort of serendipitously kind of got together and saved my buddy's life. So I just want to tell my buddy, Paul, I love you, pal, and I hope you get out of the hospital soon. He had to get triple bypass surgery. So I just want to send him my best wishes. And any other thoughts, boys, you want to share?

No. Final notes? Sorry about that, all right. No, he's doing good, man. It could have been a lot worse. So I just, a special friend of mine, I just want to give him a little love uh uh actually right back over to you watch the vlog it was the stadium series vlog on our spit and chiclets youtube channel and a little bit of behind the scenes of when we went and saw ra's uh the movies

and the late game so it was his kind of his debut and we got to watch it it was awesome uh and also ra where can you find that? On Amazon? It's on Amazon Prime right now. You can rent it or buy it. Unfortunately, it's not in Canada yet. I'm sorry that it's not there. I guess it's going to be there soon enough, but right now you can go to Prime, check it out, rent it, buy it, and let me know what you think

of it if you do check it out. We also have another vlog coming out. We also have another episode of Chicklets TV coming out next Sunday. And that'll be behind the scenes of everything from Atlanta, the Chicklets cast. It's going to be awesome. So that comes out next Sunday. You can find that on all video platforms.

Awesome. Nice. Love it. All right, everyone. Have an awesome week. I got a couple picks. I got a couple. Whenever I come on the main ship here, I got to give you guys a couple of picks.

This drops Tuesday morning, Tuesday night, two picks. Jets three-way minus 110. Preds three-way minus 130. Those odds are at DraftKings Sportsbook. See you Tuesday night. I'll be back in the U.S. Great seeing you, Murr. And great seeing you.

Can't wait to see you again, Biz. Good luck Friday, Sports Sports net trade deadline day. I think game notes will have something special going on. And next time we talk to you, we're going to have a lot to chat about because I assume in the next week we're going to have a bunch of deals or up until Friday. So as always, thank you so much for listening. Oh, breaking. Breaking. Oh, what do we got?

Hanif into the Leafs. No. See you, boys. Wow. We got Hannafin to the Leafs. No. See you, boys. Wow, folks. You thought this pod was over. We thought this pod was over. Hell of a little joke for Hannafin to the Leafs with your breaking news little trick you had up your sleeve. But then we got hit.

I was being silly. We got hit with some real breaking news oh my and it was that frank the tank pasha and the rest of devil's nation their prayers were answered and lindy ruff has been let go by tom fitzgerald and the new jersey devils initial thoughts biz oh i thought considering it taken this long that they were probably just going to wait to the off season for as like maybe a like a respect thing um one of the factors we talked about on the panel the other night is like i'm not in the organization i can't see how hand in hand he's working with these younger players in order to maybe address the the learning curve. One of the things lately, you saw it with Talkit,

and then also I believe Brunette made the comments of learning from his past experiences and how to communicate with this next generation. I don't know if that communication was good and where it needed to be. Now, I knew it was more of a possibility the later it went that if they did do it, it's because they have Travis Green there, who was a former head coach. He coached Utica all the way to a Calder Cup final,

finally got the job in Vancouver. Yes, it didn't work out there, but he's been floating around as a really good assistant ever since. I think it's wild to go back to last year where if like maybe the fan base isn't so aggressive off the hop that there's never the uproar. And then therefore maybe the run they go on to then reward him with a two-year extension. Because it kind of goes back to what just happened to Daryl Sutter. It's like they gave him the two-year extension and like they don't even make it. They're just giving away the money.

It's like a fucking cash for life ticket so something needed to happen but there are like so many flaws within the team right now we talked about it being soft they're young man like like luke hughes is going to be an amazing player but he's obviously hit a wall like their decor without hamilton is just so young and inexperienced, along with the fact that a lot of guys up front haven't ever dealt with this type of adversity before. Yes, the fucking goaltending is a problem, but look at how young they are too. They don't, like, look at what happened this year in New York.

Like if they didn't have a veteran in Jonathan Quick to lean on, like what if they had another young guy and both of them were fucking brutal. Like you never know what can happen. So having like older experienced guys around is important, especially, especially in the goaltending position. And it just seems like a lot of things have been like put on an Island. The youth, the youth have been exposed with their softness has been exposed and their nets been exposed. And do I think that Lindy rough was the answer? No,

I think the answer was Andrew Brunette and they let him go. That's, that's what I was going to say is seeing what Brunette's done. And granted, it's been in the last few weeks with Nashville, but you're like, Oh my God, we had this guy who'd already done it in Florida where now you got green,

who obviously is well-respected and people really like him, but he hasn't really had success at the NHL level yet with Vancouver as a head coach. Brunette had that Florida team buzzing, and obviously the playoffs didn't go as it was supposed to, but he'd had the success. He's there, and you give

Ruff the extension. But at the same time, they had that amazing turnaround. I mean, they were chanting fire, Lindy, first game of the season last year. And then you go on this run. Now, what's shocking to me is two main things. And the man, the Devils fan we know

who will not be named, he said this before the season. Graves and Severson were big losses. And they're not amazing players, but they're veteran defensemen who know how to play the game. They're better with turnovers than a lot of these young guys.

The speed of the game. They know how to play a long, full season. So Hughes has looked great. Nemec's looked great. But Hamilton went out, and then you don't have Graves and Severson after they moved on. You're like, we're in one right now.

Ball ain't fucking old either. He's young. Ball's wit in Edmonton right now. He's struggling. But, Biz, here's the other thing. If you play 61 games, you give up the first goal 45 friggin' times. Yeah, there you go. Like, that is where as much as I say, oh, my God, the guy's got young D and horrible goaltending.

The worst goaltending in the league, I think, combined. Yeah, how is this on the coach? What's on the coach is preparing these guys and getting them ready to go. And if you're going down 1-0 in 75% of the games, it's an uphill battle. I don't care how much we talk about being down 3-0 early in the current NHL, you're not out of the games. It's an uphill battle. I don't care how much we talk about being down 3-0 early in the current NHL.

You're not out of the game. It wears on you. Because what happens is guys start forcing plays. Oh, we're down again. And then another turnover happens. And then all the momentum's against you. And you're losing 1-0. So it's like at a certain point, Fitzy said, and I was saying before, before you hopped on,

I wonder if it was one of those similar to Edmonton instances. When they lost to San Jose, they actually went and beat Seattle, but they fired Woodcroft anyways. It might have been that Anaheim loss where Fitzy said enough. Or getting fucking worked by the Kings on national television. And then you got Mike Krusty ass chirping them. Or getting fucking worked by the Kings on national television. Yeah, so they're working by the Kings. And then you got Mike Krusty ass chirping them. And the pull the goalie and not put the extra man out,

that was the noose. The noose went around his neck. That was it, eh? When Jack Hughes is holding the puck in an NHL game, looking at the bench, I think that Pitsy might have had it. That was worse than me scrapping at center ice five on three. Looking back, the look that Neddy Haven gave. That was worse. Now, fans also talk about the holts.

Like the holt situation. He's not getting ice time. He's getting benched. And, yeah, Jack Hughes has become this incredible talent the last few years with Lindy Ruff. Jack Hughes was going to be an incredible talent with Frank the Tank behind the bench. I'm not going to give Lindy Ruff credit

for Jack Hughes developing into a superstar. That was bound to happen. But if you look at Holtz, that's one thing where this guy's got skill. You're going down early in games. The guy's scoring goals, getting benched. As a fan base, you're like, put him on the ice. And for the little amount of ice he was getting, he was actually putting the puck in the back of the net.

He was a pretty opportunistic player with what he was given. And listen, I don't know if I just got got by the internet. It happens a lot. Actually, I think it was a Bruins fan who got me with the fake quote by chara saying lingren is his favorite player to watch that was fake oh it's fake and then the the count all the account who tweeted it and the minions were like ah we got you you said that last week right i was like i think i left the pod i'm like i can't play chara but oh what was i just gonna say what did i get got with oh no you got got with something Yeah, hook, line, and sinker. I think I left the pot. I'm like, I can't believe Char said that.

But, oh, what was I just going to say? What did I get got with? Oh, no. You got got with something on the internet. Oh, no. I don't know. God, I forgot it. Did you just read something that made you laugh? I saw Frank the Tank put out a statement.

In the middle of it, he burped. And then he had the burp, post-burp voice for the rest of it. I forgot what the got-got was. And then he ended it with, Lindy Ruff, you suck, which I thought wasn't necessarily called for. Oh, yeah. I remembered it again. So on Holtz's Instagram, he reposted something

where it was basically like, can Lindy. Now, the Brat Pack sent that out, that he's a savage, savage Devils fan online. We hung out with him last year. He's the one who posted about it. So you just never know with these jock-sniffing accounts, right? It's kind of like the Martian in Ottawa. So I don't know if I got got,

or Holtz just genuinely had, like, he had public beef with Lindy. Like, he was bringing it to the to the gram as they say so overall i wish we had like a devil's correspondent on our podcast to maybe i know break it down better but we don't know because we used to have one but he just he got out of hand and we had to hold people accountable and sometimes you have to you have to gas people who are bringing you down as a brand. Negative energy. And unfortunately, this guy, I mean, he got himself fired right before the biggest news of the season broke with the New Jersey Devils.

And he's like, I mean, he wasn't even vlogging properly anymore either. Like, he was just kind of really, it's like he thought he turned into content and, and it just like his hot takes were worse than mine. And he's not the main guy. You know what? The final straw with not putting the sixth man on the ice with the pulled goalie. What?

I think the man who should not be named terrible chant at, at Texas, Arizona, that might've ended him. That was the beginning of the end. Yeah. You could tell he got very confident, didn't know how to dismount on the mic, so he thought he was going to go in there like the fucking rock

and then ended up like one of the Barstool employees at Improv, and that's it. It's over. It's over. The devil, hey, the devil, we talked about it earlier. It's official. Put the nail in the coffin. The devil season is over.

Is it, though? I think their schedule is too tough. But what if they go grab, what if they somehow get Markstrom on Friday? Apparently, I think Elliot said that's not going to happen. Maybe this summer, though. But the only chance our former worker whatever you want to call him jock sniffer has of getting back is if they somehow figure out a way to revive

themselves and make playoffs i don't think it's happening they're done like dinner they're done hamilton the the november-ending injury for Hamilton, that was just, talk about a kick in the dick. I mean, you got guys running the power play that will be awesome power play guys in the future, and Hughes or Nemec, but that was your guy. And their power play, I think it's approaching like all-time 30 to 40 game span worse.

Well, they scored a few in the last game. I think they're up to 11 or 12% since January 1st. That was the one thing that was slapping lipstick on a pig in the first half because they were humming. And I believe Travis Green was responsible for that. He's responsible for the power play. So we've rambled on long enough. Like we said, this has been a season from hell

for the New Jersey Devils. But hey, Fitzy, he's in a fine spot. This team has so many prospects. They have a lot of good pieces. It might not be next year. I don't know when the future is going to be bright. It might not be next year or the year after that, but at some point, it will be bright. Yeah, they're coming.

But all that, you need a goalie. You need a goalie. So if they don't figure that out in the offseason, this could be the same exact record next year repeating itself over and over. But Devils fans, you got your wish. Lindy Ruff, I mean, that guy's an all-time coach. He's been around the league forever. So, you know, it sucks to see him lose his job,

but Devils fans are smiling. Frank the Tank and the man who will be unnamed are happy people. Let's see if they can do something, figure it out, go on a run, and see what happens with Travis Green. It's an interim tag. I don't know what ends up happening with him as the head coach next year, but it's a story to tune into, and they got the Panthers next, so good luck.

The future's bright. See you, buddy. You can get liquor cheap, but how much is your love? They say a drunken speech is just so good I like to poke the bear, I like to stir the pot But then you come on in and take it up a notch You hit me with a cheap shot, a cheap shot Good night. Another week rolls in We're on the road again Thought I was safe and sound

In my minivan But I said something That crossed the line And I know she felt it Someone said she could Have a free one on the chin. She went below the bell. Shit.

She had me with a cheap shot. A cheap shot. She had me with a cheap shot. A cheap shot. I think we need a deep talk. You've been so wrong. I can't. Can't.