Spittin Chiclets - Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 519: Featuring Jack Michaels and Arber Xhekaj

Episode Date: August 20, 2024

On Episode 519 of Spittin’ Chiclets, the guys are joined by Oilers play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels to talk about his broadcasting journey, and his wild time spent in Alaska. But first, some big news for our super producer Mike Grinnell as he announced his engagement over the weekend, however, he somehow broke his toe in the process when he forgot the ring! (Congratulation Mike and Alanna!). As the NHL season approaches, offer sheets are flying, and a big trade deal announced with Patrik Laine gives hope for Montreal fans as some fresh offense is exactly what they need. Speaking of Montreal, tough guy Arber Xhekaj joins the show with an unreal story about how he got his first contract and what to expect from him this year. An episode you definitely won’t want to miss. 00:00:00 - START 00:18:47 - Offer Sheets 00:34:08 - Jack Michaels Interview 01:20:48 - Patrik Laine was traded from Columbus to Montreal 01:29:13 - Could Gabriel Landeskog be making a return to the Colorado Avalanche? 01:35:25 - Russian Goalie Yaroslav Askarov requested a trade from Nashville after being sent down to the AHL 01:41:35 - Arber Xhekaj Interview 02:49:13 - Ryan Getzlaf joins the NHL’s department of Player Safety Support the Show: PINK WHITNEY: Take Your Shot with Pink Whitney VIATOR: Download the Viator app now to use code VIATOR10 for 10% off your first booking in the app. SPORTCLIPS: Sport Clips. It’s a Game Changer. LUCY: Get LUCY shipped straight to your door. Visit LUCY.CO/CHICLETS and use promo code CHICLETS to get20% off your first order. Subscribe for another 15% off & shipping’s always free!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. Cheers, you love They say you're drunk at speech It's just so the thought 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

What up, what up? And welcome to episode 519 of the Spittin' Chicklets podcast Presented by New Amsterdam's Pink Whitney The pink lemonade flavored vodka that we talk about so often That we drink so often, that we drink so often, that we enjoy so often, and that we love so much. We got to shout out the big old bottle, the big 1.75 liter. And we got to shout out New Amsterdam and Pink Whitney's support for this podcast in allowing us to do this as a job and make the content pieces that we get to make and go on the trips that we get to enjoy. So shout out Pink Whitney.

Shout out New Amsterdam. And shout out my boy Biz Nasty. What's up, buddy? How you doing? I think we drank a full 1.75 liter on that golf course where we had our latest sandbagger with Schmaltzy and Heat Daddy, which what'd you think of the trailer, buddy? Pasha was absolutely cooking before he took off to Europe for his third or fourth wedding of the summer. Pasha sent me that over, and I just, you know, I was expecting a normal little trailer, and all of a sudden, I'm seeing mushrooms,

I'm seeing little worms and little animals with golf balls, and I'm like, wow, this man decided to get in that lab before he went over and mushed my team Chelsea at St at Stanford Bridge in the opening game of the Premier League. Now, granted, it was against Manchester City. Not much of a chance there. But, of course, Pasha was there to mush me. And he did a great job. That is Wednesday night at 6 o'clock on all channels, right?

And everyone, I don't really know how to describe this sandbagger. People have been asking, when's the next bagger? When's the next bagger? A lot of Pink Whitney was drank in the first, I think, seven holes. I want to say maybe six birdies. First nine holes, six birdies, something around there. Where, as I've mentioned a million times and kind of complained that it was 630 a.m. tea time. And by the time it was, I say, 8 a.m., it was 109 degrees.

So drinking Pink Whitney after drinking the night before and barely sleeping and then getting up and golfing the night before the month before this is after the stanley cup finals and and and then there was a little bit of a layover and then all of a sudden we're in vegas we're there for the draft and and probably pretty much the end of a month-long heater. So this one gets off the rails very early. It was a blast. And like you said, we celebrated with a lot of Pink Whitney. You can head over to all of our channels to check that out. We dropped the trailer on Twitter, Instagram.

Obviously, you can find it on Rumble, YouTube, all the good stuff in order to follow us along on social. So Biz, that was also being filmed when our fan base just despised us. At that point in time, we had to be disliked more by our fans than anyone's ever been disliked if they consider themselves a fan of someone. So there might be some moments where you might be reminded of the hatred you had towards our entire group in the run to the finals and the madness of R.A. in the locker room and Oilers girl and all the mistakes we made along the way. But I do think you will enjoy this bagger because Heat Daddy and Swish Daddy and Smaltzy and Robbie Gucci, great, great dudes. Very interesting cats, I'll say. I think at one point I said, like, biz, like these guys,

I don't even really know what they're saying half the time. They have like their own lingo that's very funny. But by the time we got to like the 16th hole, I mean, they're looking for, they're finding every ball, which I don't want to give away too much. But I actually think there's probably a little bit more important of a story that we have to get to off the hop. And after our boy G came in last week with some amazing news of his girlfriend

finishing chemo and being on the other side of a valiant fight, especially with Grinelli's mom going through the same issue, he hit us with a double win. He hit us with a double D on. And he comes back and it's not his girlfriend anymore. It's his fiance.

What a shift a ship a best week ever i mean who's had a better week than g yeah best two weeks of my life boys it was amazing it was unbelievable i can't i just can't get over not do you want me to run through it all i can run through the whole weekend so where to go down because i mean the picture was beautiful i don't know you hire a photographer you got to organize all this stuff. Yeah. So I told Whit when we were pretty drunk in Edmonton, I think. I was like, I got the date.

I got everything picked out. And mind you, the photographer canceled a week ago. So I was stressing all last week. I had to book a new photographer. But I did it in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, right on the beach in front of her grandma's house. That was really important to me. It had to beach in front of her grandma's house. That was really important to me. It had to be in front of her Nona's house. She's very close to her Nona. So that was very important to me. So for months now, I've been telling Alana that we have this chemo party planned for her. It was all about this chemo party planned for her on Saturday.

Little did she know she was actually planning her engagement party. So I had her plan basically this big chemo party. She was inviting all of her friends. We were going to take this boat called the Mimi six. It's this big fishing boat. You take it around the inlet and point pleasant down the shore. You have a bunch of drinks. It's an unbelievable time. So she's been basically helping plan that for weeks. Now that's on Saturday. So all my friends and family came down on Thursday. So from Thursday to about Friday afternoon, I was down the shore trying to play like, holy shit, I can't let my friends and my family run into Alana down the shore. So I'm like taking screenshots of Google Maps being like, no one can cross this line. If you cross this street, we're fucked. So like all day. And then I'm like, I'm telling Alana like, oh one can cross this line. If you cross this street, we're fucked.

So all day. And then I'm telling Alana, oh shit, I got to run to the store real quick and grab some Pepto-Bismol. And I'm going there, going to talk to my mom. My mom's helping me plan everything. So then Friday rolls around. So Friday was the big day. So around four o'clock all day, I was stressing. Around four o'clock, we go to our favorite bar. It's called Wharfside Patio Bar. It's right in Point Pleasant. And I wanted to go with just me and her five best friends. I thought it was very, very important to me for her to be with her five best friends during this whole thing. You're just being a fog? Just being a fog.

Friend of girl, for anyone wondering what a fog. Okay. Yeah. I was wondering too. I didn't want to stop at Grinnell either. Go ahead. Keep going. So, so we get to this place and my whole time, I'm just like, okay, when, when we get to

this bar, I'll just, you know, sneak out. I think I was like, it'll be so easy. She turns around and I sneak out. Terrible planning by me. So we get there and like, she's just facing the door the whole time. So I'm like, fuck, I need a game plan. So I'm like,'s just facing the door the whole time so i'm like fuck i need a game plan so i'm like all right i got the shits i was like i got a shit so bad right now and like and then i get nervous and i'm like over talking about the shit so i'm just like fuck i'm like do i go in this bathroom alana like or do i go inside like i'm gonna get all sweaty i'm like getting i'm

like getting into details about her about like the shit I'm about to take. And I'm like, I got to go. I got to go to the bathroom inside. And she's like, okay, yeah, yeah. Go to the bathroom inside. So I walk out, I go to the bathroom inside. Well, go to the bathroom inside. I just walk home. So mind you, while this is all happening, all my friends and family, my mom, they all went to the beach. They went to the house on the beach to set everything up. So they're on the beach. My mom, Alana's mom, Alana's dad, they're setting everything up on the beach, the flowers, the candles. They're with the photographer. They poured rose petals all the way down. Oh my God. It was beautiful. It was so perfectly done. So I walked back. I actually meet up with one of my friends. We walk back and I'm just taking

it all in. It's my best friend and I walk back and he's like, buddy, and you guys know Gooch. It's one of my best friends. And he's like, dude, you're getting married. You're getting engaged. This is crazy. And it was crazy just to sit there and walk back to your best friend, take it all in. So we get back to the house and everyone's there. All my boys are there. I have a couple of beers with them. My dad's there, all my friends, my mom, who's so awesome. And then it's time. Did she text you like, where are you? Did you fall in the toilet? She's like, where are you? Are you okay? Do I need to come check on you? Do we have to have the restaurant come check on you? Are you

okay? So I'm like, finally, I answer her and I call her and I'm like, hey, I love you so much. I want you to get up from the restaurant. Everyone knows what's happening. And I want you to walk to the beach. She's like, what? Are you shitting yourself? Are you okay? And I'm like, I'm not shitting myself. Just walk to the beach. And she's like, oh, okay. So her and her friends, they corralled, they get her going. They get her to leave the beach and they're walking back. Now her friend, she still has no idea. So her friend, they're probably two minutes away from the spot. And I'm in the place. I'm ready to go. I'm in the yew of flowers. I'm talking to the photographers. All my friends are waiting in the distance. I'm preparing what I'm going to say. And her friend texts me and she's like, she still has no idea. So I look at the photographer and I'm

like, she still has no idea. And she's like, okay, time to put the phone away and take the ring out. And so I give her my phone and I'm like, I'm like, oh my God, I don't have the ring. Oh, you fucking idiot. Holy shit, I don't have the fucking ring. And she's like, what? I'm like, I don't have the ring. And I don't have my phone now

because I gave it to the photographer's fiance who just walked like a hundred yards down the beach. I don't have my phone. So I can't text the girls being like staller. So I sprint as fast as I can up the beach, just fucking running as hard as I've ever run in my life. As I run around the corner, I clip my toe on the fence, just absolutely shattered my toe, shattered half my foot's like broken couldn't walk for two days it was a nightmare but i'm like then i'm like limping back i'm like running dragging my foot on the beach i get the ring the fuck was the ring i i i hit it in the toilet yeah i i hit it though i because it

was in my golf bag for like three days and then i went golfing so i had to take it out and i stuffed it in her brother's like underwear drawer and And I, it was like under everything. So I just never went back and got it, but fine. So I sprint up, I get it. I run back to the beach. I'm sweating right. As I like, get back to the spot. I see her turn the corner with her friends. Great timing. It was great timing. And she starts walking down and it's just like the world stood still for like holy fuck we haven't even gotten to the wedding yet i know it's like i i have this like intrusive i always have this intrusive like thoughts in my head of like you're doing it wrong you're doing something wrong like this is gonna go bad like and for like for the first time when she was walking

to me it was was just pure happiness. So were you waiting on one knee or did you go down when she got there? So I was waiting there. And at the last second, I looked at the photographer's fiance who was there. And I'm like, what do I say? Fuck, I don't know what to say now. And he was like... All that planning and you didn't plan on what to say?

He didn't even have the ring biz. It kind of just like went out the door. And he was like, that planning and you didn't plan on what to say he didn't even have the ring biz it kind of just like went out the door and he was like buddy just talk to her don't plan anything just talk to her so she came up and i was like can you believe this like i've been lying to you like we've been planning this for months like i love you so much like i'm gonna be the best husband like this year has been so tough. And then I just got down on one knee and proposed. And then

everyone at her house just went fucking nuts. And she turned and was like, who is that? Who's here? And I was like, all my friends, all my family, all your friends, all your family were having a big party tonight and she was just over the moon she was just so happy and it was it was totally oblivious to any of it

going on like she believed your fucking pepto-bismol you had the shits hook line and sinker like are you always told me prior because remember i texted is today the day i believe i said it's today the day you're like wow you remembered that yeah pump my own tires on your engagement story but i think i think you said at the time like i want her to know that i'm doing it did you and i was like no dude it's so that that i think was the best thing i did so she's actually actually filmed a video of this her friends all filmed her it's actually going like super viral on tiktok but she i wanted her to walk back with her five five best friends that was very very important for me that where like i had that moment with my buddy of walking back kind of taking it all in i wanted her and

her five best friends to sit there and walk back and be like oh my god it's happening you're about yeah girls love that shit they love that shit i don't know girls though they're like i'm not engaged yet fuck you bitch but they didn't it right as she she got up like right before the beach they kind of all stopped they huddled her friend like took a took one of her bracelets off and she's like oh my god is it happening and they all just start crying and and i think that was really important for me for them to have that moment as like, you know, five, six best friends. They've grown up together, like enjoy this moment together.

And then it was awesome too because then Saturday we got to do the chemo party. So we got to do the chemo engagement party. It was awesome. Especially being able to celebrate in honor of Alana and my mom. I did a really nice speech for them. Atta boy. There you go.

And then after we all went to DJs, it was unbelievable. I can't take fun, Anthony, and DJs enough. On the iconic DJ sign, it said, congrats, Mike and Alana. So that was a huge surprise. And one last thing is Larry Flowers. I got to give Larry a huge shout out. Larry gave me like Larry. So I me and Larry at the stadium series in March. We had a long talk about what I wanted to do, the type of ring I wanted type of Alana and Larry talked for a while. And then Larry

called me out of the blue like two months ago and was like, buddy, I got the diamond like this is everything you talked about. It's a perfect diamond. I'm going to give you the best deal ever on it. And he's been, boys, he's been like, I made the process. I don't have many friends who have proposed yet already. So he's been walking me through like everything.

And just he's been such that the deal he gave me was fucking incredible. So shout out to Larry Flowers if you need to go to him. But just the best weekend of my life. Best two weeks of my life. I'll give you a call in about 10 years Larry that's so we're gonna be we're gonna have our first uh spit and chickled wedding oh yeah that's why were you you were married before this all got going with or around the same time we got married uh 2017 so was the show going yes that was the year i retired yeah we had just started but you did like a surprise wedding it is surprise wedding yeah i don't know if we were close enough to get

the invite at that point yeah yeah you weren't getting the look for that one i don't think i'd still get the invite what is biz on the show by then i know i just retired that year and that was my first year with the coyotes but gee But, gee, that's an incredible story. I mean, the fact that you kind of half got her to organize her own engagement is a veteran move. I think a lot of people are probably listening, saying, that's pretty genius of you. So the fact that the last week of your life, man, what a whirlwind, and happy to hear the breakdown of everything going down, buddy. That's incredible, a magic weekend for you and your family, and one you'll never forget. whirlwind and and uh happy to hear the breakdown of everything going down buddy that's uh incredible a magic weekend for you and your family and one you'll never forget and that's cool how you cut

like the getting the proper pictures because the picture you guys had that beach looked unbelievable it looked like it was basically the wedding ceremony how perfect it ended up it's been a crazy ride it's it's and i can't thank you guys enough either it's been it's been a gnarly gnarly ride. Thank Barstool too because you wouldn't even know her if it wasn't for Barstool, right? Shout out to Gaz. Gaz, day one at Barstool.

Well, day one of when I was working in the New York office. First day, he walks me down. He's like, hey, like, you're supposed to sit upstairs, but you can sit here for the rest of the day if you want. And I sat me next to Alana

and I just kept going back every day. Wow. Oh, great. Now we're going to get a call from HR now. if you want and i sat me next to alana and i just kept going back every day and wow we're gonna get a call from hr now gas on the hat on at the wedding too goes from a six to an eight good night jim kite with that lid on hey that wedding is gonna be bananas though boys that'll be okay so in in the shore too or at the shore i don't know how the fuck you say it is that what are you gonna do i think we're open to anything i think we any chiclets fans out there

want to give us a deal on a place wits backyard yeah right fall in the sinkhole never to be seen from again we got we got we got those like uh beach um what are those what are the guys walking on the beach with looking for stuff in the sand? I'm looking for the ring like that as his body's underneath my mush. There is one thing you're going to be involved in, though. What? Bachelor party. Oh, very happy for you, G.

I guess getting to celebrate a spit and chiclets wedding, not to make it all about us, is going to be a hell of a time. I do want to see that video you're talking about that's going viral. Send me that. Send it over. I want a list of the bridesmaids first thing on my desk next Monday, please. Remember the story Ned told about the guy who like sent out, what was that? He like sent out

the scouting report of all the bridesmaids. You're the first Grinnell boy that'll be married, correct? First Grinnell boy, yep. Yeah, she's the first in her family, too. Oh, this is going to be a banger of a party. I already have Stu Feiner texting me about it. He's like, I can't wait for the wedding.

It's going to be insane. You should do it in his backyard is where you should do it. He's got all that acreage out on Long Island. He could throw a party. What a bad idea. It isn't a bad idea at all, actually. And I saved you one, Witt, in your backyard. No lawsuits from the sinkholes.

End up on the putting green next thing you know it. In fairness, though, like in all this good news in Grinnelli's life, on my side, my Edmonton Oilers, I mean, we get absolutely, what's the word, ransacked? Is that a word? Surprise attacked? Just like torpedoed by Doug Armstrong, our boy biz. Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues decides to just light the NHL summer doldrum boring days of August on fire.

On Connor McDavid's wedding weekend steiner's riding the monarch being diabolical dreaming up this fucking plan and then drops the hammer on connor mcdavid's wedding weekend we're off we're off and running for the best the next best regular season in nhl history are you kidding me what is this move with i I don't know. I saw Sarah Valli. He was the first tweet I saw of it. I think he had it first. Not sure exactly. I saw it.

I just retweeted immediately at first thought. I said, what the hell is going on? And the offer came down from the Blues, and they signed Philip Broberg to a two-year deal worth 4.58 each year, and they signed Dylan Holloway to a two-year deal worth 4.58 each year. And they signed Dylan Holloway to a two-year deal worth 2.29 each year. Now, I listened to Elliot talk on 32 Thoughts. And basically, the way he described it is for what Broberg prepared to get, it was like a 250% increase salary-wise. And I believe from what Holloway was considering he would get or planning on getting it was around 100% he said on his show and very happy for those guys right like whenever you see

a player get get paid I don't think all fans necessarily feel like this but I know all players do it's like good for you great great great for these guys they get a bunch of money they get a bunch of guarantees and also if Edmonton does decide to match, which we don't know yet, I think they have until tomorrow, I think. Yes. Or today, as you're listening. You can't be traded for a year. So it's like these guys lock up some big-time security

and some more money that they thought they were going to get. So good for them. Good for the fans around the league and good for hockey because I think we've had the discussion before that I'm surprised there aren't more offer sheets because it not only could help your team and your organization and getting a guy that you really wanted that you weren't able to get via trade,

but you're also fucking over another team and you're putting them in a situation where, all right, well, you do want to match it. You're going to have to trade guys. Now we've seen Edmonton make some moves. They moved on from Cody CC. So they've done some things where it looks like they will match. But from what I'm reading,

it's a lot easier to sign Holloway than it is to match Holloway than it is to match Broberg. But the Broberg I saw in the playoffs, it's like, you need this guy, but you can, and no offense to Holloway. You just simply can't replace a Broberg right now. I love Holloway's game.

I think it's a kick in the dick either way if they can't make it work to bring both guys back because it just felt like the year where those guys had gained that perfect amount of experience where you get them on this bargoon for the next year or two, maybe on maybe on a bridge deal and from my understanding it was going to be a one-year deal for both guys that's what it sounded like but to maybe eventually getting them paid what they deserve because if if we see the broberg that we saw in playoffs like fuck dude if you get him at four million that's still a bargain so my understanding is they get rid of cody cc off the books for 3.75 and also what my understanding is there is a way to make this work where they can match both of those offer sheets

if they had a vander kane on the ir like the conversation was last week but i believe that would have to last the entire season long so do do they do they pull a Vegas Golden Knights and do the LTIR special do you not go to Evander Kane and say hey buddy we're gonna pay you four sheets take the year off maybe get what you need repaired repaired and then ease into this thing get in the perfect amount of shape to hit the ground running come round one of the playoffs now I don't know if you would agree to that I don't know the significance of the injury but there is a slim chance that they're able to bring both guys back. I, another thing too, wit is I think that this is also a number where we don't see it as often because if the player is good enough, the, what you're offering them in order to be that matched has

to be a certain amount of money. And when you get up into that crazy amounts of money, you're offering them in order to be matched has to be a certain amount of money. And when you get up into that crazy amounts of money, you're sending back like a bunch of first rounders. I don't believe the compensation for Broberg coming back would be that crazy. Second rounder. That's a nothing burger, right? Because they're in that four million range. So for the St. Louis Blues to kind of jam them up like that

and not have to give up much in return, I can't even blame them. But what I got to ask you is, if Ken Holland is in that seat, do you think Steiner and do you think Doug Armstrong pull that move off? That is the question. That is the question of,

is it just a giant fuck you to Stan Bowman? Is it more about your team and you're looking at a Western Conference team and you can kind of hurt them while also helping yourself and it has nothing to do with the GM? But as Elliot mentioned and many others have mentioned, the St. Louis-Chicago rivalry when Bowman was in Chicago, the whole thing for me that's odd is that our boy Bob Stauffer came out, and I believe he mentioned that Ken Holland was kind of instructed to re-sign these guys during the season.

But it's been made clear that I don't think Broberg wanted to, and he wanted to finish the year and see how it went. And God, did he finish the year probably better than he could have ever imagined. Basically being the number, the second or third best defenseman on the team in the playoffs, right? I mean, you look at Ekholm and you look at Bouchard and how good those guys were. But Broberg, game seven, he might have been the best player on the ice for the Oilers. So I don't know if it happens if Holland's still there.

I don't know if Holland was told to resign him and then kind of brushed it aside. There's so many sides to the story that we just don't know not being inside the room. But the fact that Bowman takes over and it's like, hey, welcome back to the NHL. We're about to offer you two of your best young players. Suck on that. It's interesting. But I mean, do you think he came into that seat expecting that that might happen? I mean, he's probably.

Why does. First of all, why does first of all why does there need to be loyalty there because for st louis you're getting two great assets in return for not giving up much you're worried way more about your future oh yeah and if you're hey and if you think that you were qualified for the job here's your fucking first test we're not going to let you ease into this thing you're taking over a juggernaut you have two valuable pieces and you're jammed up against the cap dance puppet dance let's let's see hey there has been a ton of um i think criticism on maybe some of the moves that stan bowman made as chicago gm other people would argue like well he helped put the final pieces together to help him

win three stanley cups so hey that's irrelevant at this point. Let's see what he can maneuver outside of this situation. And I think that if they bring back Broberg and they don't end up bringing back Holloway, I'm pretty sure you score that as a win. But I was so excited to see the upside from Holloway after what I saw in playoffs last year and the way he's able to hound pucks. I think that he has a good motor. He can skate like the wind. Doesn't seem to tire out. And I feel like he's got a little bit more offense to his game than a guy like Connor Brown.

So you need these guys who have been in that locker room and these pieces that you know that work there, that fit in and get along. And even to further it and go back to the CeCe thing, my understanding is last year that Cody CeCe was going to be dealt at the deadline and that Bryce Seidel was so close with him, he went in there and he was like,

nah, nah, nah, nah, you're not trading Cody. A bunch of them. Did you not hear that as well? Yeah, I think we were talking about that at the time. And then when he scored that goal, the bench went nuts after the deadline. Yeah, Cody McCarr. I do think that

man you know when you're like oh go with your gut reaction like go with what your gut says like when I saw that offer sheet I was like match both of them right and I'm so not in the mix of dealing with all the contracts and the dry sidle extension and the McDavid extension the year after that and understanding all the pieces that have to go together to put this perfect puzzle into into a Stanley Cup champion but when I when I saw those guys in the playoffs I mean I remember one of the hallways scored a goal against LA highlight real goal in the first round like you're like this kid can skate big I I was just like match them both match them both that's just kind of blind I don't want to lose either one of them. But if I had to pick, it would be keeping Broberg. And now that CeCe's gone.

Now, the one good thing is in that trade for CeCe, this kid Ty Emberson, apparently there's some real good upside with him. And he was, I believe, drafted by the Coyotes. Had a tough year in Tucson when he turned pro. Went over to the Rangers. Got put on waivers. San Jose picks him up at the beginning of last year, up and down.

But he had 10 points, 30 games with the Sharks, right around 19 minutes played per game, and played pretty well for being on a horrible team last year. So maybe they're looking at it like this guy could step in and give us good minutes and be a part of this team if we can't match the Broberg I can't wait to see what happens but yeah it's like welcome back to the NHL Stan Bowman what are you gonna do and even though this is happening to my squad I do think that maybe we see more of it moving forward because like when you look at this one the whole league's like yes it makes one of the best teams in the league have to make a tough decision.

Now, if you're talking about big players and three first-round picks going back, I think then it's a little bit crazy. And for the most part, with really high-end talent, teams are going to match no matter what. So I think it's more likely to be these guys, a little bit in the middle, right? Where it's like, oh, you got to decide. Do you want a second-round pick for Broberg, a little bit in the middle, right? Where it's like, oh, you got to decide. Do you want a second round pick for Broberg and a third round pick for Holloway? Or do you want to sign these guys to a little bit of an overpayment right now

and then stick in a little bit of a jam as a team that's already right up against the cap? So I think as an insurance policy, at the probability that they lose Holloway, they end up going to get Vasily Podkolzin. Yeah, from Van. From Van. And I think he's probably a poor man lose Holloway. They end up going to get Vasily Podkolzin. Yeah, from Van. From Van. And I think he's probably a poor man's Holloway

to describe him the best. My understanding is he wasn't even going to make the 12-man forward roster for the Vancouver Canucks at a training camp just based on all the depth and everything they got going on. How is he going to make Edmonton then? Well, because there's a little bit of separation from the top end talent

to the bottom based on salary cap that's how and um the other thing I asked Elliot Friedman about I texted him and I said do do they have to sign those deals and he said no it takes two to tango like they like Broberg and Holloway have the opportunity to say, hey, no, we're good. We want to stay here and take our one-year deals. Now, I'm pretty sure that the PA would lose their fucking minds. And the agent would be like, wait, what? You're turning down over 9 million for a one-year deal for 1.7?

What are we doing here? So I probably should have followed this up with Elliot, though, is you're allowed to sign an extension when you have less than a year remaining on your deal so what if they signed the like a one-year deal with Edmonton let's say they're qualifying offers that would have been offered to them or whatever the the bump you said they were going to get on those one-year deals to keep their AAV downs so they could make this all

work moving forward what if they just sign the the one year deal and then they extend in training camp? Is that like, is that plausible? Do you, and do you understand what I'm saying? So you can essentially work out a, a, a, a, maybe even a little bit more of a favorable deal for both guys from a longer term perspective. It gives you that one year to work and figure out the books moving forward, but yet you still got them on the one year aav that they wanted to get them on to make this thing all work do you understand what i'm saying yeah but from the team side it's like we got you this year what like why aren't we gonna why would we give you another contract right away as opposed to seeing how you play because they're still let's

say as much as these guys look good in the because. Because you're not being gutless by saying, I'm taking the offer sheet and bye-bye. You're being a good soldier by taking the one-year deal with a handshake agreement that you're going to sign them to whatever you agree upon, let's say, in training camp for the extension purpose. But why wouldn't you just wait and do that in training camp and have the, do you know what I'm saying? I don't get

like the signing and then like doing another one a month later i'm saying based on the fact that they have the opportunity as players to say no we don't want to sign it so all of a sudden the agent and the pa are pissed but you're just squeezing in for the one year and then you're re-upping because from my understanding the rule is the minute j 1st hit, you have less than a year left till July 1st remaining on your current contract, you have the ability to re-sign with your team. So if they want it to be good soldiers, turn it down, get the AAV under for this season moving forward,

and then, based on doing that handshake deal, get the future earnings secured with, obviously, Edmonton, assuming they want to keep these guys long-term, then do it that way. Do you get what I'm saying? Am I going fucking crazy here? Sort of and sort of not. I just think it's maybe so unprecedented.

I don't get your brain and where it's at right now. I just think you're thinking like, hey, this is proberg talking like hey stan i did you a favor not taking that deal because i want to be an oiler but stands like hey buddy thanks a lot but that doesn't change how we feel and we haven't offered you a long-term extension like do you know that would be the but that would be the proposition from all the olive branch you're saying well yeah, yeah, your handshake agreement saying, I'm getting you out of this jam for this year,

taking a lower AAV, and then you're going to secure my bag moving forward, bitch. Yeah, and as a GM, I'm saying, you better play your dick off this season. I want to see some good puck moving ability, shut down defense at all. I want you to go to the net and scoreving ability. Shut down defense at the Hall. I want you to go to the net and score some goals, and we'll chat around Christmas.

Well, then they're saying, I'm taking my offer sheet. Fuck you, Stan. I'm going to St. Louis. We'll see what happens. I mean, who knows? Maybe this news breaks while we're kind of sitting here chatting. But the thing is, too, buddy, is I think that your payday and your exposure getting to play with McDavid

on this team for at least one more year probably presents a bigger payday in the future. So that to me is maybe in a crazy world why you would consider declining it, which probably won't happen. More so Holloway than Broberg because it's tough to, I mean, all of a sudden you're making four sheets where you would have made a million and a half. I think we've gone on this long enough. I'm sorry if I confused you a little bit there with that. That's okay. That's okay. It was an interesting storyline

that we have not seen much of in the past. So I think it's actually probably time to throw it to our first guest. And we sat down during the cup finals in Edmonton with Jack Michaels who was the voice of the Edmonton Oilers who started as the voice of the Oilers as a radio guy when I was in Edmonton and he goes into his story and how he was replacing a legend and you know he's an American guy that's that's announcing a Canadian team's radio games and just a great interview he's gone on to become very successful, very good at his job. He's got some great calls.

I thought this year when they won the Western Conference, it was fabulous how he called it. I think he was back on the radio once the games go national after the first round. So Jack Michaels, we want to thank him for his time

and I hope everyone enjoys it. Even if you're not an Oilers fan, pretty cool story of how he got into the business and how he got into calling NHL games if you're interested in something like that for a future. So for right now, we'll throw it over to Jack Michaels. All right, it's great to welcome our next guest.

After graduating from Ithaca College, he began his hockey and outs in Korea, heading to Colorado Springs, and then on to Anchorage, Alaska to make his bones. After calling 919 programs, he joined the NHL ranks here in Edmonton. It's an absolute pleasure. So welcome to the Spittin' Chickens podcast. Jack Michaels, how's it going, my friend?

I was not expecting such a formal intro. Oh, he's the intro guy. That was very, like, clinical. I did Crosby's. That was my one way of the fam. I did the Crosby intro. That was quite clinical of the fam. I did the Crosby intro. That was quite clinical. I don't even know what to say.

Thank you so much. I guess the surprise to me is I didn't know you were an American. Yeah, you went to Ithaca and you found yourself in Edmonton. So every year I'd go to Boston because, well, Boston area, because Ithaca played Springfield or, as he knows it, the other year it'd be almost in college american international so you'd have you'd have you know you'd have those two schools every year in football so i was in the area quite a bit and ithaca is either you're either from new york city or you're from new

england and you go to that school so it's a very popular yeah ton of doing is that the one that's in uh the tom green with road trip yes yep yeah is that the campus no it's not that's in the Tom Green with Road Trip? Yes. Is that the campus? No, it's not the campus. And then there they go. They go University of Ithaca, I think. Ours is Ithaca College, but same town as Cornell University. And yeah, a lot of doing with there's nothing. Now, this might be a dumb question. Is that a broadcasting school specifically?

There's a fair amount. Brendan Burke, who does the Island Works, went to Ithaca. Carl Ravitch on ESPN. Kevin Connors on ESPN. Oh, really? There's some Ithaca guys out there. Nick Nixon, the Hall of Fame announcer for the LA Kings, went to Ithaca. Yeah, we got some troops.

That's Central New York, Syracuse University there. That's right, yeah. How about the Cordica Jug? Did you announce any of those games while you were there? Absolutely. What's that game? Ithaca got three out of four. Ithaca College over Cortland.

We kind of gave state school the whole chance there. So, yeah, it was a lot of back and forth. I find it interesting that, according to the internet at least, your love of hockey began. You're from Pittsburgh area when the Penguins drafted Mario Lemieux. Absolutely. And you just hopped right in kind of? I did.

I was a football guy. I went the other way. I was one of those guys. Steelers? No. Oh, shut up. I was one of those guys who had to be different. And for whatever reason, the first year my skull was hard,

the worst MVP in the history of the National Football League happened to have an MVP year. His name was Brian Seip. Oh, Cleveland Browns, the number 17. That's what everyone heard. He was my favorite quarterback. Yeah, I know. It should His name was Brian Seip. Oh, Cleveland Browns. The number 17. That's what everyone heard in the playoff. He was my favorite quarterback. Yeah, I know.

It should have gone. Brian Seip. So a cardiac cancer. They had a big year. You had a future on them with the MVP. Exactly. So I went Browns.

I'm the one guy from Western Pennsylvania who decided to go Browns and I paid for it and never showed up. Oh, you've been tortured. You've been tortured. And he came to Canada right after, right? But hockey- hockey wise i went from a guy with no chance never played oh never i mean you've never played uh never i mean i still can't skate 1981 i'm on the cover of my

hometown paper pushing a chair in the learn to skate program that's the closest i ever came to ice hockey immortality but uh yeah i went from a guy who could not buy a date in junior high or high school all of a sudden i got a little mini pack to the penguins late 80s early no problem i thought it was my personality at the time but pulling off the popcorn trick at the igloo yeah it was the tickets yeah but we all off the popcorn trick at the E-Gloop? Yeah, it was the tickets. Yeah. But we all know the popcorn. It's amazing. We all know the popcorn trick. Just watch it more and I'll go end to end.

Yeah. This is the only play they're up to. You didn't successfully either. Thanks for the trick. I never was able to pull it off. So it was me. What I think it's incredible that what you do, you don't really think about what you got to do to get to the top level.

I mean, 919 pro games, you get your chance in the nhl when you started doing it did you understand to get to my like highest goal i'm gonna have to grind for a while well i wasn't talented like you so well you're pretty talented i knew it wasn't gonna be a cup of coffee right i played in the coast yeah i played in the zone easy come hard to leave right? And that was no question in my case. You know, I grinded away and just – What was the first gig? The first gig was in Colorado Springs, the Colorado Gold Kings at the Broadmoor Arena.

So that was when Colorado College was still in the WCHA. It was that league. Obviously, you don't want to hear about that league. No, no. It was always the best. Yeah. We tried getting a coast team in that town. Colorado Springs, the Big Horns.

Exactly. No, it's actually the state animal. Yeah. We saw it work out. It is. We got pigeon tossed. Yeah. So, yeah, I was there.

You know, 2,000 fans a game. Knew that wasn't going to last. They went belly up in the summer. So, a choice of either anchorage alaska or greenville south carolina and i'm the greenville was they were called the ground they had like eight r's in there and i was like i don't think my dad the english professor would go for that so i'm gonna go i'm gonna go alaska roll the dice and you know only game in town it was a blast and they got great fans there great fans and great people as you know the alaskans in the nhl are one but like six or seven of a kind uh were you there when they won it uh i was there

when they won it the year after we had gomer you know gomer's friend of the show oh yeah we're best i'm not a name dropper he's literally the only nhl player that i would say i'm really good he's the best great he's the best guy Like, no one dislikes him. Yeah. And so, yeah, we became close in 04, 05 when he was up there during the lockout. Some guy took a run at him, broke his hip. Yeah. And then he came out in 05 and 06 and had the best year of his career.

That was where he got the 33 and 84 points. Oh, yeah. He signed the huge ticket after that. Signed the huge ticket after that. My buddy Justin Miser was on that Alaska team. Justin Miser was a very good friend of mine. Great guy. He's the man.

A great guy. I've kind of lost touch with him, but Miser would know. Oh, he's unenviable. So you kind of got used to where you are now, and Edmonton being the only ticket in town when you were in Alaska. Well, I would say the biggest adjustment for me, Biz, was moving from the contiguous U.S. to Alaska. Alaska to Edmonton was duck soup.

Going to Alaska, it's a different, they call it the last frontier for a reason. Like, if you want to complain about the weather, they'll tell you where the airport is. If there's disputes to be had, they don't mind driving 20 minutes outside town and whoever comes back. Figure it out. Like, if they had to vote again, I don't think they'd vote for statehood. I'm just telling you that right now. Like, yeah. So, like, people having Donnie Brooks all the time.

Don't go up there with a Biden sticker. No, no. Don't. Don't. You won't. Witt's got one on his bumper. You won't come back. Witt's got one on his bumper.

You won't come back. Swing and win. I got the win. Me and joe alaska they declare it like the bull with the poles open like you don't have to wait you might have to wait for like two votes which i already say never go there yeah yeah what was the like the biggest adjustment outside of like the weather or anything like that just the whole acclimated to just that whole culture well the thing with alaska is you do there is a sense of isolation because your commute is a three-hour flight to seattle i mean think about it like you're you're nowhere near to begin the trip

yeah just to begin the trip and that's that's the way it went down in the miters is we would like the seattle airport was like our home like that and then you peeled off to la and salt lake and boise idaho and vegas and so it was a great league from that standpoint. I racked up the frequent flyer miles, met a whole bunch of people. As you know, the one thing Canadians don't realize is they think, oh, major juniors, but minor pro. There are so many people you meet in minor pro. It's a surface.

It is amazing the people you meet up and down. And that's why you have to be hopefully a pretty decent guy because those people can eventually help you. Yeah, you get weeded out. Or they say, don't have a union on your way up. Exactly. How I got the Edmonton job was a former ace. His name is Ryan Bass, Beastie is his nickname,

good friend of Gomer's. He played a few games with the Philadelphia Flyers. He happened to be the next-door neighbor of the chairman of the search committee. I got lucky with you others. They had never hired for the job before. As you know, Rod Phillips had been here 38 years. Hall of Fame announcer, Stone Cold, Mortal Lock. They never hired.

He basically raised his hand in 1972. He has. At Rexall, they had a banner for him. Is it still in Rogers? Yeah, absolutely. He was a legend. Hall of Fame, announcer, person, all that, and they just were looking at everyone.

So when I met you, you became the radio guy here when I was playing. Great guy. I knew right away you were going to be a TV guy at one point, but I'm wondering, through the climb up, was there any moments you're like, fuck, man, this is a grind, or did you love it all the whole time? Did you ever think like, I don't know if I'm ever getting up top. You're talking to a guy that once had his flight cancelled

with the team behind him, because I was the travel guy too, because of a volcano erupting in Alaska. I mean, he said it one time. I mean, I don't know if I can do that. It's a season. You'd be like, when I was putting up dasher boards, I was thinking this is what I went to school for four years.

I got to get an insurance job. Sharpened skates, calling the game. I mean, just unbelievable. I mean, when I went to the boot and started to do the game and the minors, that was the best part of my day because I was making – You're doing so much. CHL, as you know, you're getting guys on planes to American League. You know, people are saying, I don't want to room with this guy.

You know, where's my $30 a day for per diem? I mean, like you're dealing with the. Everything. Of everything. And you've got to be. And, you know, on the road, you're hanging with the coach, the trainer, and the equipment manager. Those are the four guys.

That's your staff. That's it. So, yeah, to answer your i mean gomer like that i remember the second road trip we're on a bus ride from like bakersfield to san diego it wasn't even that long of a ride it was like three and a half hours he's like this is i don't know we got a helicopter i mean he no he quickly was like this is gonna be a little bit more than I imagined. I thought, hey, I'm going to play with all my Alaska buddies. That'd be one of the yogurt treatment. Oh, yeah.

Only the home games. The best story I have about that is, you know, the year he played, Alaska wrapped up the top seed, and so people were dive-bombing to get out of the last couple games, and we were in Vegas to finish up the regular season before playoffs. And, of course, Gomer was first on the list. So he comes up, let me do color with you. Oh, really?

Yeah. I don't know whether you remember a guy named B.J. Young, minor league player, but he was on the Terry Ryan Red Deer team, that Red Deer team in the 90s. So it was a pretty notable reputation. Yeah, there's a whole look up red. Like, there's, yeah, they've got a reputation. But bottom line is, is some huge dude comes up right up in the middle

of our broadcast, middle of our broadcast, and he's getting Gomer's attention. Gomer finally takes the headset off, and the guy goes, you tell BJ the cowboy's looking for him. So we did the rest of the game, like this 6'8", 300-pound So we did the rest of the game, like this 6'8", 300 pound, we did the rest of the game. And I remember we went down right after the game. Even

Gomer was freaked out. Hey, BJ, the cowboy's looking for you. BJ's like, eh, F that guy. You're like, I don't think that's a cowboy from Brokeback. Yeah, that's the kind of stuff minor hockey, like, yeah, it happens. Yeah, while we're on minor hockey, the coast is one thing, and did a lot of time there a lot of soggy so did you ever think at least going to the ahl and get out of alaska the problem was is alaska's only game in town and

i'm doing everything i'm selling sponsorships i actually believe it or not i made more money the last couple years in alaska than i did like my first year in the end no shit i carved out a nice little kind of gig for so going to the american league for 40 grand a year when i have a wife and two young kids it was out of the question okay yeah not gonna happen we we've talked a lot about alaska i want to know uh wildlife experiences anything crazy up there oh yeah i have a i have a picture somewhere on my phone of a moose jumping after my dog. I dropped the camera to go get the dog. It was the old digital camera age. And when I came back, like, I don't know what happened.

I must have adrenalized or whatever. But, yeah, there was a picture of literally midair jump after my dog. Yeah, moose are calm because they don't like the deep snow. So in the wintertime, you're driving along, you pull up a stoplight. It's not uncommon to be like that. And they can get going. It's all good. They're mean.

They don't like, but they can only go in straight lines. So if you ever irritate them, it's just a zigzag. You don't even have to zigzag. Step four feet. Steep roll right past. Any video or picture? Did that get to Biz on the ice? Well, I was going to say, Biz was known as playing in straight lines,

but out of necessity. Any video or pictures of you juking a moose or no? No. You wouldn't snap one then? Yeah, but Alaska, it was an exotic place. You know who had a girlfriend up there

who actually did a period with me? Boston Zone, Steven Tyler. Oh, no shit, huh? I don't know whether he's still dating. They had a long-term relationship, but yeah. And he came on during the game? How'd that go?

Oh, it was beauty. I mean, he was great. I mean, Alaska, usually they don't. Again, you see, we had Elle up there shooting the, what was the bear movie that was chasing Anthony Hopkins all over? Oh, the beer. No, the beer. Yeah, yeah.

Not cocaine there. sorry this is pre-cocaine yes we are oh great move i thought you're on the shark natal route there my god yeah took a right took a right turn but uh but yeah steven is, and we had a whole bunch of people. They were kind of freaked out by them, so they were taking the pictures. Usually, Alaskans don't give you the time of day. It's the best place to be a celebrity because they don't really care. They don't give a shit. Yeah. You're a big Aerosmith fan.

That's right, Biz. You were a big Aerosmith fan before that. I grew up in the 80s. I mean, I do recognize the one album. They had three tunes that were basically the same tune. Perfect Vacation. No, remember they had Cryin' Crazy and Maze. If you

break it down, those are actually the exact same song. The Armageddon song's one of them, right? That was a little later. That came later. But they had that three song situation. That's when MTV was huge.

They were on the top ten MTV. Wayne's World, back end of Wayne's World. Alicia Silverstone. She was in all the videos then. Yeah. Who wasn't? My first ever concert, Aerosmith. Yeah. Have you always had this energy? I could see where your cadence comes from, right? When you're calling games, have you

always been this, wow, whoa. No one wants a sleepy, mellow, nice broadcaster, do they? No, no. I don't think so. You guys are going broadcaster no no i don't think so bring it i don't think so at least have to toss in the odd f-bomb or something right i mean you can't just you can't just show up and you know what so i never eat i mean believe it or not i never eat before games it's after yeah yeah before, that gets me into trouble. But actually, before the game, I like to go on hungry,

because again, you don't want to be sleepy and satisfied. So when you got the job here, you're replacing a legend. You must have took some heat, right? Were there fans? Who is this fucking guy? I didn't like the whole, you know, it was like, why did we have to go get an American? That kind of thing.

But that, you know what I found's it's probably not unlike a player if you do you you put in the work you're a good teammate over time yeah if you can't expect it right away you're right you can't expect it right away and as you might remember i was i was probably a different guy those first couple years that you know you've grown into your career as a broadcaster, no doubt. Also, who was I to come in with the same kind of personality, which I always had. If you remember those first couple years, I was all business. Just let me earn something before I start cracking jokes or whatever. Let me kind of put in my time.

I mean, I'm a rookie again again even though i'm 35 years old like yeah i'm to these guys who the hell am i in fact i remember sitting down with penner like oh and he could be a little rough if he wanted to not talk he would just silence and like 10 minutes into the interview he goes who exactly are you yeah just like yeah but you know him he's very dry he's not a mean spirited guy but like that was a check as if like hey don't assume everything make sure you introduce yourself i still do that to this day like even with guys i mean some of them are like seriously jack like i've known you 14 like you've been in the locker room a lot you don't have to keep in

but like yeah when i'm in an opposing room i never assume anything you know you try to try to be that guy and then if you get to know him obviously then you can have some i mean and then when you cut when you came to edward then you were having to put cherries on top of some shit sundays i mean what do you think of those team what do you remember about those teams well we were getting shrugged yeah i mean i honestly the one year the one year habby was playing out of his mind we were in the playoffs the day of the deadline exactly yeah so at least we had something going 100 100 and and i mean i'm not just saying this because i'm on the show but honestly that team might have taken a baby step forward might have

been a playoff contender you got hurt and that kind of yeah you know you were having a real good season you're a big plus player on a on a you know a fairly ordinary yeah we were doing all right but a little bit along okay and and uh again those are the kinds of things that happen like you know they were cursed it felt just new just rookie year was having a great year and then it looked like a sniper in chicago got him yeah he was in chicago and tripped over the blue line and separated his shoulder. Yeah, and he would have been the call.

I think he would have won the call to that year over Landiske. I mean, people, again, it was one of those things, and Nugent is still, to this point, still underrated. It all goes back to that first year. In other words, we had enough. We had some good players, but not enough to be a serious contender. And remember, Nugent and those guys came in in when what did you have in the western conference i mean marty hansel might have been the sixth best center and he was a giant six foot six 230 pounds how would you like

to play that if you're nuge coming in at you know six one and 195 or what he had no protection you had and then you had kopitar and kessler and the siddines which would skill you to death i mean there was no relief get slough i mean it was it was ugly back then for those young water teams they just didn't have the muscle they didn't have the veteran guile that you know obviously all of a sudden the others today or you know they're the oldest team in the league how did that happen? But it somehow happened. Like, Jack, when did you realize you had the pipes like that you do have? Did someone point that out to you?

Did you kind of realize someday, you know, I get a pretty smooth, velvety voice here? Well, I think in fourth or fifth grade when I kept being the kid that got moved, except instead of the other troublemakers, like I was always the guy who got moved. And I wouldn't ask my teacher, even like at the age of nine, I was kind of pissed. And I was like, hey hey why did i get moved like i wasn't you know i i wasn't throwing my buddies under the bus but i kind of was i was like hey that wasn't me and they're like well you can't whisper like you're you're the worst with irish whisper so yeah well and my mom is irish so you know i yeah so hey this guy sucks yeah he can hear And again, my lack of athletic ability.

I think I started to just and you're an only child and you're trying to get in the mix with, you know, the cool kids and junior high. So you just start elevating your voice to an obnoxious level, the likes of which no one has ever seen. So eventually you become heard. You just demand to be heard. And that's when I was like, yeah, it's a ball involved. you just demand to be heard and that's when i was like yeah it's a ball involved i would say that the the maybe the the favorite edmonton personality at least within the internet is the stoff the stoffs a legend right and we all love him we know him like yeah what do you remember about first meeting him because some of the combos with him i could go on and on about how the stuff he says

you're like a little off i could sit with you all day they broke the mold i mean they broke the mold with that dude i i i kind of joke because as he knows a lot though oh oh no you know everything about the oil oh 100 i mean i've never met a bigger fan in my life than stop but i i kind of joke that i believe he might have been like created on the set of like terminator 2 because like if he walks along you'll notice one arm's down here and one's shaking over here he's kind of like and he doesn't sweat like we were in fort lauderdale the other day and i'm leaking like albert brooks from broadcast news probably not a good reference for here for me yeah yeah like for our vintage yes people these guys are like what the but in any event bottom line is I was leaking, and he's not sweating. I've seen some pictures of him sweating.

There's a legendary fan on this YouTube, and he's leaking. Okay, yeah, I think he's kind of part cyborg. I really believe that. And that certainly goes for his brain. Louie calls him the brain. You're going to have Louie on a little bit later. Like, he does soak up and remember everything this one that's right oh yeah he's a little he's a little glist he might have just had some drinks the night before

he's glistening there but yeah all-time character i the edmonton sports media scene is you know is is filled with character it is yeah it is you got the spec everyone reads spec yeah oh yeah no i i mean it's it's you know what it's a great town to be part of because you know they care like that's the one thing is what i do which is pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things but it matters here yeah and i would be lying if my ego wasn't fed by that like it's important to me that people think it's important like that people think me calling a hockey game is is fun and they get behind it and that and that can't help but make you feel good right that that what

you do matters yeah and i think that's what i love about being in this city is yes i have a trivial job it's not even a job it's whatever but it is it means something to people yeah they they live like they listen with their relatives and I think that's kind of cool. It is, yeah. How do you toe that line of being a fan but not sounding too much like a homer, like our friend in Boston? Well, he's paid to be a homer. Yeah, but you're kind of a homer, but you still want to keep it pro a little bit, correct?

Go back to Witt's teams. I mean, did I really want to talk about a team that was out of it? In November. You gain an appreciation for who you're playing against i mean all those guys like i said i mean i you know a lot of a lot of you know my colleagues might not have had an appreciation for like how good of a player marty hansel was for instance but when you're on a bad team when you're broadcasting games for you know a team that's nowhere near playoff contention you start paying attention to it almost by osmosis you start paying attention to the other teams because

you don't want to slag your team you want to build up the other team so it's like okay i can understand why they're losing right oh and here's why okay here's why here's how many so and the other thing is like i still believe the nhl's got the world's greatest athletes i really do and you honestly like yes there's the odd bad game where you're like, boy, neither team had it that night. But most nights, there's eight or nine guys on each team that are just unreal. And I still kind of remember that.

Maybe it's the minor league background, but you've got unbelievable players. And again, when you're broadcasting for a subpar team, you can't help but look around. I mean, that Pacific Division back then, every team had eight or nine unbelievable guys. The West was really strong. That's why Chicago and LA basically traded the title every year.

It was just that good. I was going to go back to you said the people care in town. Obviously, a big responsibility for you is to talk about the current team, it was just that good i was going to go back to you said like the the people care in town obviously a big responsibility for you is to talk about the current team but also like the history of the team and they've had so much success so how how much time did it take you to get to learn all that coming in or were you more of a hockey historian where you were aware of their cup runs and and who helps who had a helping hand and a lot of those guys too are still around so i'm sure you were able to learn off of them you see you guys don't know what it's like you and biz don't know what it's

like to act and to be a nerd you're athletes you're you know never never had any trouble yeah never had any trouble you know the dating scene or anything i don't know about that but for guys like me like yeah absolutely and here's the thing is i, the Penguins were lousy when I first started watching. So who do you hate if you're a Pittsburgh Penguins fan? You hate the Flyers. Who do the Flyers play? Two Stanley Cup finals right when I was getting into hockey, Edmonton. So who's your second favorite team by accident?

Yeah. Edmonton. So I knew all of that. Like, I would. And plus, like, you're lobbying your parents. Well, I want the, you know, can I watch the second game of the ESPN doubleheader? And then, you know, all right, we'll let you watch a period. You know, it's really cool.

I can learn about, you know, just make up stuff, right? All I wanted to do. And I just remember, like, this iced over, you know, well, let's send it out to Edmonton, Alberta. Top E's would be on, you know, whatever. You know, and it was inevitably like edmonton calgary edmonton whatever and and so yeah you started following the team it wasn't just hating the flyers now you're kind of behind the oilers so by the time i got to where i was affording tickets my dream was obviously and i think all of us would have loved to see at some point an oiler penguin

final it never happened but that would have been i mean for me late 80s early 90s that's what i was always hoping for yeah is edmonton pittsburgh in the final let's even in 90 when they got the bruins like maybe the penguins so lemieux mess even though gretzky was gone right like it would have been it would have been cool so that's kind of the answer to your question where i was i was you were well was dialed. And the other thing about being here once you get here and and wit knows this because he was here a short time. But those guys are unbelievable, like unbelievably approachable. Obviously, you know, you work with Gretz all the time. It it says something when the best guys in the history of the game are the best guys.

Right. Gretz like Paul Coffee. It says something when the best guys in the history of the game are the best guys, right? Gretz, Paul Coffey. Couldn't it be kinder to me? And he's in the midst of it, but he still comes back even now in the crucible of the Stanley Cup final. Spent an hour on the plane chatting and just he's a good guy. These are good guys. And maybe it's just being secure in their own skin what they did as good guys and maybe it's just being secure in their own skin what they did as players or maybe it's just they were phenomenal people and edmonton was

so lucky to have that big of a group of phenomenal people and all of them are great like you know yeah and they're all still around like not all the time but they'll be here yeah when i was here at least you'd see him randomly and you're right they are approachable they'll come in the room talk to the guys and then and it does make the organization pretty cool because it goes back to their great teams and their greatness, and you look forward to that happening again. Like a passing of the guard. I mean, you brought up Paul Coffey.

Could you have envisioned him hopping behind as a D coach and him being tenant of that, too? Well, I wasn't sure how that would work out, to be honest with you. I wasn't like, oh, it's a slam dunk success because he hadn't done it. But the one thing Paul does, and I should have known that because we had become friends by that point. We were good friends, and he's got an old school mentality. And I know that a lot of people initially always say, well, you can't talk to those players like the way you once could.

I think when you've got a resume like Koff, he does communicate. I don't know. Like talk it a little bit. Because they did it, it makes it a little easier to be the bad guy. If it's somebody who never played, whether that's right or wrong, but if it's Paul Koff, you Rick talk it, you're like, all right. That's the background. You don't want to be known as the guy buttonheads with Paul Coffey.

Well, it's also not just about being the bad guy. Here's one of the things, and Chris Knobloch deserves a ton of credit, but Paul Coffey came in. The defenseman didn't sit all together. Coffey changed the room. I'm sure maybe you guys already knew. Oh, no. Day one, so when they made the change chris knobloch's a

head coach cough went to chris and said hey do you mind if i sit all the d together and chris is to his credit wasn't you know he doesn't seem to have an ego at all exactly secure in his own skin so he said absolutely cough do what you need to do so he sits all the defensemen together and he i mean and you're gonna have louie on and he'll tell you the same thing he just told the d like hey and he built a team within a team and and cop was the kind of guy i think you would love play for him he's like forget the forwards like they're gonna get all their credit anyways we can make plays too like start making plays we are capable of being a really good decor and it starts with do the things you always did. You were all-star players at some point. Have that same level of confidence.

I'm never going to pull you. I'm never going to sit you down for trying to make a play. If you're tentative and indecisive, then we're going to have problems. But go out there and show the people why you're one of the world's best defensemen, one of the top six playing on one of the best teams in the NHL because that's what you are. So forget all the accolades those guys are gonna get and he loves but that's what you do right you build a team within a team internal competition and like never trust the forward stuff like that like it's all it's our team within the team and as a d-man wouldn't you have loved to hear that

oh yeah i was just like off the ice yeah change yeah exactly like for once you've got a guy now not just talking about one 120 point and trust me i mean leon and connor great teammates like that's it wasn't a slight on them it was just hey puff your chest out a little bit yeah we're different mindset too right and the d the d really took to it i'm telling you it made a difference and again i don't know what about the X's and O's. Obviously, Stewie's done a great job with a penalty kill. I mean, they just had a long streak, snapped a club record streak for penalty kills.

So I think X's and O's would be maybe his specialty. But Koss' ability to communicate, I think, goes far beyond what any of us thought. Again, first-time coach, you're kind of, well, let's see how it works out. And he just dove in there with both feet, put in the work, and got on a level with the players where I think they really have embraced and respect. And for you getting to do every game, you're witnessing McDavid nonstop. So all these people in the East that see the highlights, you're seeing every mcdavid non-stop so all these people in the east that see the highlights you're seeing every play 82 games a year it's amazing to get to announce that

i'm sure but is there anything that like people maybe don't know about him that you see do you know what i'm saying like within the team like he seems so quiet and reserved and then he explodes on the ice but i don't know if it's a little different when he's around the guys and not everyone not all the media is around and stuff well I think you guys have kind of seen a glimpse with some of those post-game interviews. He does have a dry sense of humor. I don't know whether you caught the question. They were asking him about the prospects, and he's like,

yeah, I was talking to them, and they said they really enjoyed the combine, and he was like, I don't know what the hell that means. You don't have to give me the stock answer. I'm like, you don't have to say you enjoyed the combine. Why would you, right? So he's got a dry sense of – I'll tell you this, though, and it goes for the whole team. What you don't see about McDavid and Drysaddle in terms of the total leadership,

they did something kind of silly for me last year. I hit 1,000 games, and we were on a road trip the next day. So it was one of those where we played and then right on a road trip uh the next day so it was one of those where we where we played and then right on the road the next day and conor mcdave was the first and then not the last because literally every guy on the team said hey congrats on a thousand yeah so imagine like little things so i kind of took that as like that's what makes a guy such a good leader like why would he bother paying attention first of all it's like for a broadcaster it's much less of a milestone players well you

know you're not eating before games that's a that's a big that's a big thing you get for up for a soccer fun i used to push wit out of the way to get to the buffet line afterwards uh which made things a little awkward at times but a bottom line is is i just thought i appreciated that like i i was a little kind of self-effaced like hey you didn't need to do that like during the game they did a little thing but then when the players took time out to kind of say that like that tells you you're dealing with a good group of people right yeah and and that's i think one of the things that's made edmonton good the last couple years is they are not one of the younger team and i'm not saying a young team can't be a good group of people, but we're talking about fully formed adults.

We're talking about guys who have interests beyond just video games and playing hockey. They, a lot of these guys have conversations. I mean, Zach Hyman has spoken out on a few things. They're, they're fully like,

you know, they've either got, you know, spouses or now that some of them have kids they're i think they're just they've grown up they've grown up and i think all of us remember like as you grow up you do have more empathy towards people and it's an easy group to work for for that and i'm kind of rambling a little bit but that's no you're asking me why is he making his own beer runs that's a well that was the one what the fuck is going on i don't know i don't know

what's that's but that's him too right he's not big time and i mean if i'll tell you right you got people making you beer i'll tell you right now i'd have louis grabbing me first of all first of all i know he's not gonna drink it because he's still sober oh okay but secondly i know that you know he'd probably have to you know ask his wife to go with him and then she would pick me out a good beer so absolutely i would utilize that right so i mean that's the thing is uh he is he's he's a down-to-earth guy and the fact that like again you just remember little things like that especially when you're on the periphery of the team you're not in the locker room all the time i mean mean, as you know, there's a separation, right?

I know the guys to a certain level, but I don't intrude on their lives. I don't get their phone numbers or anything like that. So when they do take time out, it means a lot. We have to probably clarify the people listening to this. This is after the playoffs. This is going to air. So it's currently 2-0 for the Florida Panthers. How are the Edmonton Oilers going to get back in the series

and will they? Well, I think they can and here's why. Florida is a very good team and I would say the same thing about Edmonton Oilers going to get back in the series, and will they? Well, I think they can, and here's why. Florida is a very good team, and I would say the same thing about Edmonton. You're talking about two elite teams, but I don't think either of them are so overwhelming that you can envision them losing four out of five. I mean, Florida lost four out of five as recently as the end of March, beginning of April. I mean, it can happen so in other words you're not necessarily playing like the 13 hawks or the the 20 lightning i don't mean any disrespect to either team but i think they haven't won it and

there's not this aura of invincibility yet now who knows one of these two teams might end up running off three cups in five years. We don't know that, but at this point, you can envision a comeback in this series. I mean, Florida's clearly the better team. I don't see, I don't know how you could make that assessment based on the fact that Bobrovsky absolutely stole game one. For 32 minutes, for the first 32 minutes, Edmondson was skating rings around Florida. Now, it happened to be 2-0, but the shots are 24-8, and in that situation, sometimes the shot clock lies. Shot clock didn't lie. That one did. I mean, Edmondson totally dominated that game.

Now, Florida came right back, and again, as I told a bunch of Oilers fans after Game 1, hey, Florida's not thinking, oh, that was the blueprint in Game 1. They're going to come out much better. So Florida was much better in game two, but I don't think they're appreciably better. I don't think either team is appreciably better than the other. Now, one

may handle this particular series far better than I would have anticipated, because I'll tell you what, the one thing that would have surprised me entering the Stanley Cup Finals is a short series. I did not think the Oilers would steamroll the Panthers and I didn't think the other to be true I will say this I go by the adage maybe it's old school or whatever series doesn't begin until road team wins a game Edmonton's got to win one I went on a little rant the other night after game two and saying like you have two generational

talents and it's Crosby Malkin when they were down 0-2 the second year against Detroit if if they don't show up and light it up then they're probably done but they're that good where I just can't picture tomorrow night them not like having a big night like I they're the type of players that that don't end up disappointing in what seems like the biggest moment of their career. So that's my thing on it. Now, if that doesn't happen, I'm completely wrong once again, but... And there's a track record of it. Your comments aren't an opinion. They're actual fact. I mean, McDavid... Crosby had no points through the first two games in 0-9. Right. But also, McDavid and Dreisaitl are two of the four leading scorers in the history of the game,

points per game in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The other two guys are 99 and 66. If you don't know they who are, check another podcast. So, I mean, they will produce. Now, what I would say to you, Biz, is they've got to get guys. They've got to have their Lundell. They've got to have their Rodriguez step up in these moments. So they're going to need more than just those two.

They can't win it with just those two. I agree from that standpoint is they could beat some of the other playoff teams they've faced with just those two going. They're not going to beat Florida, certainly not four out of five, with just those two going. They're going to need a Florida, certainly not four out of five, with just those two going. They're going to need a team, and they're going to need some of their guys, again, to fashion the kind of work

that we've seen some of Florida's supplementary players fashion in the first two games. Do you enjoy in the playoffs, once it goes national, where you're doing back to the radio? I'm covering the Stanley Cup final. Yeah.

I mean, you could ask me to, I could sing the games. Do you announce them different? No. Okay. I mean, you could ask me to, I could sing the games. Do you announce them different? No. Okay. I mean, not in terms of passion, but obviously on the radio, I'm painting a picture. Yeah, so you do have to give more detail. A lot more verbiage, a lot more, yeah, TV is-

A lot more airtime too, right? Well, yeah. I mean, for me, I'm driving 90% of the show and then Stoff pipes in. hey, I'm driving 90% of the show and then stoff pipes. And when I'm on TV working with Lou, it's more of a casual conversation. And I know Louie doesn't spend a lot of time in bars, but what we like is the feeling of, hey, we're inviting you in. Get a seat between us. We're up on a stool.

We're watching a game. That's how we envision the telecast. On the radio broadcast, you've got to be ultimately detailed because you're you're not seeing anything i'm i'm your guide dog basically right so yeah while we're on this subject i know there's a lot of listeners out there would love to be in your position someday what's the best advice you could give somebody like that if you're thinking you're getting wealthy don't choose this profession i mean that there's no i mean there are some wonderfully talented people that

i suppose took a shorter road than i i would tell you there's there's not a lot of shortcuts i mean you you've got to put in the time and you need some luck i mean there's a lot of quality announcers out there that haven't had the chance to do what i do not because i'm better but because they didn't get the break i got i mean that's your buddy who's the neighbor of the guy trying to find a radio announcer it's like exactly like you need a little luck you do and and i mean that's a tough thing to tell a young person especially now i'm you know it's it's they they want that instant paycheck they want that instant gratification that instant more than ever yeah it's and i'm not i'm not criticizing them i get it like i think that's one one of the things we've seen out of social media is you can become an

instant star doing whatever it is you do on instagram or tiktok or whatever you can self make yourself but but in this particular game you you've got to put in the work you've got to put in the miles and and you've got to get a little bit lucky. And that's like a lousy thing to tell someone. I mean, basically what I'm saying. Well, it's the truth, though. And it's like, you know, you dream of being in the NHL. There's 600 roster spots, whatever. There's 32 of you.

And so it's like it's looking at like trying to be a GM. Like there's just so few spots. You've got to be realistic, I think, and be willing to grind knowing it may never happen. That's the thing. Even for players outside of maybe the top 100 in the league. And I would think you'd agree with me, Whit, at some point you need a coach to believe in you.

Rob Scuderi. There you go. Certainly you, Biz, like you needed a coach to be like, Hey, this guy has something. He had Twitter.

Well, I actually had the opposite. They were like, you can't play D anymore. You can't even play your position anymore. I just needed the coach to believe in my backwards skating. Yeah, there you go. I mean, honestly, but you do need help from certain guys

that elevate you into a platform where, hey, now some of my abilities can kind of take over, and I can take it from there. It's all adrenaline adrenaline your call that went crazy viral the last i think what minute 30 of 06 against dallas incredible like you can't you can't plan it because it's 2-1 you don't know what's going to happen so at the end of that you must just be breathing heavy right like that's emotion that's just energy the entire it was a great we have to give a mouth-to-mouth that that's where that's where the pipes come in and and louis would be the first to tell you that guy never gets tired like

i mean i do i'll i'll yell all day you like if it's like he's seen me on the golf course if i get rolling and you know and feel like giving you the gears a little bit i'll go all day long like i am i am the worst kind of person to be around other than that circumstance especially if i said so i've got you on the ropes a little bit that's well that's what happens when you go to college like yeah you gotta know how to take one and get yes you get a group of buddies and it's just they're just waiting for you to say something wrong and then it's like eight people like you idiot you know i mean that's the way it goes right and that's the kind of buddies that I had.

So certainly when I sense any kind of weakness, I'll keep going. So no, the pipes, thankfully, they haven't given out just yet. I'm sure everyone around me is looking forward to that day, but right now they're still going. Even after games. To Bill Brask. Well, he was on an unreal job, man. It's great to have you on.

You got anything else? One last, I don't know if you have a contract situation, but we got an opening in Boston just now. Long discussion. We're going to Boston. Celtics. What? Wow.

Tampering. This is tampering. This is bad karma, by the way, down 0-2 in the Stanley Cup. What else should we be talking about? We're dropping away. I know. Well, it's on ABC. But yeah, we do have an opening.

Well, Jack Edwards is gone. They haven't replaced him. He's aware already. All right. He knows what to talk about. All know. Well, it's on ABC. But yeah, we do have an opening. Well, Jack Edwards is gone. They haven't replaced him. He's aware already. He knows what to talk about. He's aware. He retired. The Bruins are a team in the NHL. Went off to the Leafs.

Went off to the Leafs. All right. This is great, Jack. Thank you so much. You do a great job. And congratulations on all your success. I appreciate that. Thanks so much for having me on.

My pleasure. It was all ours. What's up, guys? Before we go any further, I need to talk to you about Viator. We mentioned Pasha's on his little excursion trip over to Europe right now, and Viator helped a ton with that.

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Thank you very much, Jack Michaels. Awesome interview. We enjoyed our time with him, so we want to say thank you to him. And just quickly to wrap this thing up, this tweet from Puckpedia says, And just quickly to wrap this thing up, this tweet from Puckpedia says, for the Oilers to match both, this could basically get them a compliant roster opening night.

Kane to long-term injury reserve, which obviously would have to be all year. So that is a question Biz already brought up. Matthew Savoy up in the NHL. Derek Ryan down in the AHL. And Troy Stetcher down in the AHL. So, yeah, I mean, if you say it like that, it's like, oh, that could work. That could easily work. But it's just –

Yeah, play with three lines in 5D all year. Just to squeeze these guys in. There's just so many different things. It's so hard. Being a GM, man, people think I think it's somewhat of a cakewalk. I think it's got to be one of the most stressful things you could ever do, being involved in pro hockey. It's just trying to figure everything out and being the man in charge

who has to take the credit or just get shit on when things go bad. So they're paid handsomely, but it's not an easy job. Speaking of GMs making moves and players moving around, Patrick Laine is a Montreal Canadian biz. And I won't say shocking, considering he was given permission to talk to teams, him and his agent. Him and his agent did talk to Ken Hughes in Montreal. And kind of they obviously were satisfied in the discussion with him

on where he's at mentally and physically. And the Canadians traded Jordan Harris from Montreal along with a second rounder, I believe. Montreal got a second rounder with line A, kind of basically to take that cap hit off of Columbus's hands. It's a lot of money. With Montreal being very deep

at the defensive position with prospects, I kind of love this deal. I love this move. This is like, Montreal needs goal scorers. They need size. Now line A can be such a dog and be so lazy and there's times you're like, what the hell is this guy doing?

But if he's focused and he's determined and he's feeling it and you got a second rounder in return, which could also and I'm not sure exactly what year the second rounder is, but Columbus could be horrible again. I mean, that could be a really high second round pick if it is this year. Maybe it's the year after. I don't know.

It's exciting with him in Montreal because of that fan base and what they're starting to crave and how that team is looking to the future. The fan base has been patient, but they also love a flashy goal score. They love a comeback story too. Yeah, they love a comeback story, and now this guy's going in, and the skill has never been questioned. The shot has never been questioned. The size, the reach, he's got it all.

It's does he want to play. And now with a guy like Martin St. Louis, who seems to be very, very good at getting guys fired up and getting guys excited and giving guys specific roles on what i need from you these new age style coaches i think that this could be a pretty cool story and i think you could see line a if he's in shape and he's focused if he gets 35 goals would anyone be that surprised no at least i wouldn't be when i agree with you in the martin st louis thing too like sometimes with i don't want to say soft is the bad word but sometimes some of these new skill guys need to to be coddled a little bit and i feel like martin saint louis has probably seen

his fair share of guys exactly like them like him throughout his time playing so for him to come in and try to get the best out of them i don't think that's going to be that difficult uh he's had a few off years and maybe lacked a little bit of motivation. I think that fan base is going to spark, especially if he gets off to a hot start, a couple goals in the first couple games. They're going to fall in love with this guy, and it's a no-risk move.

You had to fill in some of these top-line roles with some competent guys and take a little focus off the other young stars in the lineup, and hopefully he teaches them a thing or two so i i love it i i think this is a team that i'm starting to fall in love with i know a lot of ottawa fans think we're fucking crazy based on where we think ottawa is versus montreal they seem to think they're going to be a bottom five team uh for the next five years i could see a lot more growth and maybe a surprise team in the East to be able to nip one of those wildcard playoff spots. Maybe I'm talking crazy, but they have good young net mining.

They have a good young decor and they have a lot of young forwards that are out to prove a lot. Like think of how many people were shitting on Slavkovsky. So he's got to be coming off with a chip in his shoulder. I mean, you know? Yeah, I do. I think that they're, I don't think they're playoffs yet. I'd be shocked if they're in the mix for the playoffs.

Now, maybe with 30 games to go, they're, you know, right there a couple points out, but I just don't see them making it this year. But if this year is a growing year and like, yeah, like I said, like in March, they still got somewhat of a chance, even though you're like, that doesn't look great. That's a step up. That's all you need. When these organizations are going through these years, it's just it's tiny little baby steps. It's like one step forward, two step back.

But then all of a sudden it becomes a little bit easier to see the future and see what's going on. But now, like, up front, when you think of Suzuki, who's totally proven himself as a point producer, he can play defensive hockey, he's a great player, good captain, from what it seems. I mean, we interviewed him. He said about three words. But that doesn't matter when you're a captain, right? You can be a quiet leader. But then Caulfield and Slavkovsky making that jump after i was ripping on him last year how how good he looked and most importantly kirby doc coming back now health has been an issue

for him but if that kid is able to stay healthy like i think right there adding lining to that crew and that core there could be some big time jumps this year from development and in developmental wise for guys that are like all right we see a bright future here now i like what you're saying about kind of no risk now it's a bunch of money but that's not that's really not like montreal they're not in any sort of cap jam right now that's a front wipe that's a front wipe for the, just a quick front wipe. Yeah. That's a couple days of beer sales. Like, I think Montreal trading Harris just made sense. Like, this one thing I'm reading, like, Arbor Jack, Justin Barron,

Jaden Struble, Lane Hudson, Logan Mayhew, our young defenseman, like, his spot was already a little questionable. Like, it's an asset that you're able to move. Kind of similar that when I was traded from Pittsburgh, it it's like we got latang and goligoski we don't need this fucking freaky ankle big-eared punk we don't need this guy anymore get rid of him and bring in kunit so sometimes when you have a surplus of at one position it's a lot easier and then you're taking this risk of like oh dude we could we could be getting the 40 goal guy now it hasn't been a 40 goal guy in quite a while but a new surroundings and i did appreciate what don waddell said in that like we don't want anyone here that that doesn't want to be a part

of the columbus blue jackets like we need people who are proud to be playing here who want to be a blue jacket who want to have success here and get this team turned around and And when he made it clear, I don't want to be here anymore, it's like, all right, buddy, we're going to do whatever we can to get rid of you. And they did. So it's an exciting move. It's just like if he'd gone to, say, there's 25 teams he could have gone to where it's like, all right, let's see where it goes. But when you go to Montreal, it just adds to the kind of mystique

of what is the storyline going to be and you did say if he gets off to a hot start then all of a sudden the crowd gets behind him now there's another side of that if he plays bad yeah he plays bad no I think it I don't think it'll be that I don't think it'll be as as bad as you think because the expectations overall aren't there I just think it adds another exciting storyline for the Montreal Canadiens going into next year. They handed over Slavkoski, the big deal. They got Lane Hudson coming in.

The other kid who just signed as a defenseman got the six-time-six groulet. Goulet. Goulet. For the past couple years I really honestly Didn't give a flying fuck what was going on with the Montreal Canadiens where now all of a sudden Going in I do I think that they

Could be a surprise team and If you're the Buffalo Sabres or you're the Ottawa Senators if they finish higher Than you in the standings you're an absolute Fucking joke right That's those teams Gotta be praying not to finish below the Montreal Canadiens because their fan bases will be fucking blowing up.

They're going to be going crazy. Could you imagine being a Buffalo Sabres fan and seeing the Montreal Canadians finish higher than you in the standings in this upcoming season and not making playoffs again? You're going to flip your fucking lid. That's a season ticket cancellation waiting to happen right there. Lindy Ruffer not with.

So pressure's on. And Detroit. We are all over Buffalo and Ottawa. What do you mean, buddy? And it ain't going to stop if they don't start doing something. That storyline along with Detroit is not going away, buddy. These fucking teams have been in limbo far too long. And if you're going to see a team like Montreal,

where they were a couple years ago, surpass you based on all the expectations those three organizations we just said had, we're going to see fireworks, boy. Well, we might see some other fireworks in the trade department. I don't know. Do you have something else to say quickly?

Well, I thought the fireworks you were going to bring up would have been in Colorado with Mr. El Capitan potentially coming back for next season. Buddy, I got to be completely honest with you. In thinking of Colorado, we've kind of seen their cap issues. There's some uncertainty there. But it's been so long. You haven't seen Landis Gogg playing so long. You almost forget.

And then you see these quotes that he could be ready for the season. And it's just like, I just hope for his sake, forget the fans who obviously need their captain back in the team, but I hope for him. It doesn't end the way that it kind of looked like it could, or looks like it could. It's like,

that's a guy who's given his heart and soul ever since he came into the league. He's fought, he's played ever since he came into the league he's fought he's played physical he scored big goals he's a stanley cup champion as a captain and he's possibly going to be back and what that would do to that room dude because we know the nate dog while dominating he is an intense intense human and i bet you that there's sides of that team who, when Landis Cog's in the room, it's like somebody that can maybe calm him down a little bit.

Maybe I'm off base here, but maybe Landis Cog's like one of the guys who could be like... Enough. Enough. Relax, Nate. He had a little bite of a Snickers mini after the game. It's okay. He had two goals. So I just want to see Landis Kog because of the way he's kind of carried himself throughout his career.

You're left thinking it can't end like it looks like it could. And injuries are just a part of this game. But from the sounds of it, he's worked his bag off to even have the chance of possibly starting the year. But I would love to see him back. And that just changes that team completely. So I hope I don't get in trouble for this or get Tyson Berry in trouble.

By the way, I'm in Victoria right now. I got a chance to see him. His wife's about to give birth. I mean, I would imagine by now she might have already given birth to have their second child. So congratulations to Tyson Berry. But we were talking about the Nate dog. And I'm like, what the fuck is this guy doing for training nowadays?

What next level has he brought it to? And he goes, biz. He goes, on game days, he doesn't even skate anymore. He goes to the pool. He goes underwater. And they do these tumbling exercises where they kind of, buddy, they kind of spin him. And all of a sudden, he's got to catch where he they kind of buddy they like kind of spin him and all of a sudden he's got to catch where he is and like get back so he has like way more social awareness so it

helps for his vision on the ice and just scanning and being able to like get back to base that that's where these fucking guys are at now brother i mean you're talking snickers bar no this guy's going michael phelps in the pool underground doing spins like it's the fucking Matrix. Synchronized diving. Kind of like, yeah. Him and McCarr have to just figure out like the diving routine. There's no more pregame skate. It's going off the 30 meter fucking diving board and just making sure we're in sync going into tonight's tilt against the Dallas Stars.

Maybe Tyson Berry was fucking with me knowing that I probably was going to go chime in about this on the podcast. So maybe he's like, I'm just going to be an amazing move, which either way, we got good content coming your way. So as they say, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. No. So

tumbling. So I will be joining the pool and the tumbling exercise before chicklets cup. I'm going to after tri and the tumbling exercise before Chicklets Cup. I'm going to add that. After the triathlon or before? Before. Before. I need a little bit more. It's actually going to help me with my social awareness, too.

But that's the best part. Your social awareness? Social and spatial awareness. Both of them. The pool. You think it'll help your game in the bar maybe a little bit? I'm feeling great trying to wheel this girl tonight i did 14 tumbles at a 10 meter next one tumble over the

next one um so yeah so i know we kind of got off track between landis but completely agree buddy he's the guy in the locker room that can calm things a little bit more down. He's so well respected. He's the ultimate Swiss army knife in a sense of you want him to play net front, he'll do that. You want him to win pucks below the goal line, he'll do that. If he needs to fight the other team's tough guy, we know he's willing. Can he score big goals? Yeah, he can do that. He can make plays. So he is just an absolute honey badger that if they can get him back at seven million bucks playing the way that he was when he was fully healthy now my understanding what was wrong with him was it was a a knee that that wasn't tracking properly like the knee wouldn't track so it would constantly be causing him pain and you know from a hockey standpoint with your

knee flexion a decent amount of time your your your knee is going beyond your toes so if it's not tracking properly that's just going to fuck you up and cause pain every single stride so i don't know what they've done in order to cure that or if it was just more of a time thing but at the end of the day if he can't even if he can't play hockey if he can go life without pain anymore that's the biggest thing. That's numero uno right there. So it could be a huge lift. It's so true when you're playing. I got to get back.

I got to get back. I got to get a healthy plan. But then later on when you're where we're at, it's like, oh, fuck, man. You just got to make sure you can live a pain-free life. And I mean, waking up with pain every day is nightmare fuel. But it is weird that for one of the teams with true Stanley Cup aspirations, the top team in the league in Colorado, like they got crazy question marks going into this year.

It's Landis Coggin. Will he be able to give it a go? Will he be able to be the player he once was? Will he be able to play at all? And then it's Nachushkin. Like, will he get reinstated in november so it's it's an odd year as like a avalanche fan to be like we don't we don't really know where we're at we have these two two of the top five players in the league and mckinnon

mccarr but we're not sure like where we're gonna be come come december of january this season so a lot of questions like this this year's nhl, I don't know if it could possibly be as nuts as last year, but camp storylines are already buzzing around different cities. Another city with a big camp storyline, I guess not as big because he's been in the AHL, but it's Nashville and their goaltending super prospect of Yaroslav Askarov. Askarov, I hope I'm saying that okay. Biz, most kind of eye-opening thing for me besides his numbers and how dominant he's been in the NHL,

and now he's requesting a trade and he will not report to the AHL in Milwaukee. I think looking at pictures, he's added a neck tattoo since he became a pro. Oh, yeah. Bad boy. He's got a monster neck tattoo. And in pictures a few years ago, he doesn't have it. And now these current ones, I think I'm seeing an enormous neck tattoo. Neck tattoo people are fucked up.

I remember that. And no offense if you got a neck tattoo out there. You could look phenomenal with a neck tattoo but neck tattoo people are like i don't i i feel like neck tattoo people are like i'm never really gonna have that legitimate of a job where i need to look present well maybe this comes off as super offensive but i don't know if like a true finance or businessman is like walking to a meeting with a neck tattoo. And like the clients, like we need this guy. Now,

if you're a starting goalie in the NHL or you're like a UFC fighter, yeah, it's pretty sick. Yeah. What do you think? Remember? Bugsy had one that just came out of the shirt. Like it was like,

it was like one eighth of a neck tattoo. And I used to tell him that's just to remind everyone. There's a lot more beneath what you think this is. Little mini neck tattoos all about. So maybe this is like as Karov is going to be a future superstar and like in Sons of Anarchy in the summers. Don't know. Yeah, it definitely screams like I don't really actually give a fuck. And then meaning it like asking for a or saying to a team, if you try to send me to the A, I'm fucking out of here.

or saying to a team, if you try to send me to the A, I'm fucking out of here, and saying it to a guy like Barry Trotz, where I don't think he takes those types of public comments and actions very well, and we've seen that in the past. If he's a bad boy, in my opinion, fucking get him over to Anaheim. I like Cutter. Buddy, Gibson, they got this young core group coming up they got some

unbelievable pieces and you got this kid with a chip on his shoulder like i love gibson and i think he's done a great job there for as long as he has and in the last what four or five years they've been absolutely brutal and it could just be a bit of a mental fuck let him go off and like win some games and have some fun in the latter years of his career and get this askarov in there and get these young bucks buzzing in anaheim to me that's the move if i'm no you got this kid who's gonna be out to prove something now it's almost like bringing brisgalov back another fucking wild card russian when they had him why Why you got to be so mad, man? Huh? Why you got to be so mad? I'm looking at, see, because no matter how amazing of a prospect he looks like,

without true NHL success, it's very hard to look at somebody and be like, this is our future goalie. Even if he had one stud year in the NHL and requested a trade, like Jack Eichel, I'm just thinking of very proven players that are like, I don't want to be here anymore. It changes things. But he hasn't really proven it yet. And he could turn out to be a three-time Vesna winner. But if I'm a team that has a high prospect pool, I'm looking like San Jose, Chicago.

It's like, all right, we already like San Jose. We got Celebrini. We got Smith. We have pieces. And then this could be our goalie, Chicago. It's like, all right, we already, like San Jose, we got Celebrini, we got Smith, we have pieces, and then this could be our goalie. Chicago, we got Bedard. They got so many young guys in Chicago. This could be our goalie. So then it's like he's coming up with everyone else as opposed to a team who's like thinking of competing now.

That wouldn't make any sense to me. Like some people threw around Toronto. Grinelli mentioned he read something of like maybe some this is also a rumor boy that that's rumor boys gee I don't Grinelli might have read that in the sand at or in the bathroom taking his poop before his engagement of Mitch Marner to Nashville for as car off in a first round pick seems a little crazy to me but Grinelli's throwing it out there and and to correct you I think when you were talking about him early on, you said NHL numbers. You might have meant AHL numbers and or in the KHL. No, I was saying he doesn't have like NHL numbers yet.

Okay, okay. Maybe I misheard like a dummy. And he has played some games, right? But he hasn't like proven it. No, no, no. There's nothing there to hang your hat on. But I mean, half these fucking GMs are sending over the eight times eight after 100 games played in the National Hockey League.

So who gives a fuck, right? Seems to be like everybody's on that regimen nowadays. But hey, a little spice in Nashville before the season kicks off. I mean, they showed that they believe in Soros. They give him that extension. They keep the band back together. And I think the writing's on the wall. And i don't see a world where that can't exist why not give askarov the the net for 25 30 games the first couple years like what's the what's the big deal here because like i think

you don't want to guy you don't want, maybe you want the healthy competition, but it's like, you've, you've signed this guy for eight years, seven years. Saros like, what's the point in, in not, and what's the point in having this kid who could be a stud?

Like he's looking at it. Like I'm never going to be able to get this job. Like it's hard. Do you know what I'm doing? That's hard to do. Yeah. Well, my bet would be is is bring him in keep him up because you never know like health of goaltenders like he pulls a groin next thing you know he is a starter he gets to get all these games and the next thing you know his values

through the roof everybody wants him and or who knows man i mean fucking maybe you got a great one-two punch at least for the next couple years, where you can keep his salary down. But then, you know, by the time he's up for a big deal, then, hey, or even before that, just leverage. So I like the fact that he got ahead of it, though, and he's like, hey, fuck, if you guys want to send me down, I'm going to fuck off back to Russia. I think that that was pretty much it,

other than the Wi-Fi story Exactly, Biz An awesome story I think everyone who's seen maybe Different sports guys buy their parents' houses And things that you get to witness Of athletes paying back their parents For all the sacrifices they gave

Well, Arbor and Florian Jackey Presented their dad with his dream car this afternoon And it's a beautiful blacked out What is that word? I want to get my car Arbor and Florian Jack, I presented their dad with his dream car this afternoon. And it's a beautiful blacked out. What is that word? I want to get my car. Jet black. Matt black.

Matt black. I mean, I'm a guy who wants his car like that. I don't even know what it's called. I think it's kind of a neck tattoo thing to have that Matt black look. It's awesome. But they were able to present their dad with his dream car probably something that he's like talked to them about years and years ago or recently i love this car and like just being the two guys that they are they took it in and they're like dude we're gonna get this for him someday we're gonna get this done a mercedes-benz amg c63s i mean i can barely even read the name i had a mercedes-benz at one point i had a sl 550

white and i called it the cloud it was like driving a cloud it was incredible but now i'm a family man and i got the big old suv you've had some pretty sick whips throughout i had some sick whips i had some sick whips and um i gave my dad my old escalade so i don't think that's nearly as cool as buying him a mercedes-benz amg c63s yeah come stay come stands on the back seat just gross just like just lucy's breakers everywhere all over the house it was just but all over the car excuse me i just love seeing this stuff i i actually somebody was telling me a story of somebody who like saw a clip of an nfl player bought his mom a house or he like brought her over saying i'm gonna look at a

house and then he's like what do you think mom and she's like i don't like it and he's like well i already bought it for you oh no at least at least at least the jack eyes knew that their dad wanted this this weapon of a vehicle and i think that the fact that this news broke today and we interviewed this kid what was it about a week or two ago yeah about two weeks ago i hate i want to get your your take on this and i hate being the guy trying to pump up everything. But if you've had complaints or maybe issues with some current players being a little quiet and reserved, which I totally get. But as a listener, you're probably like, I just want a little bit more. This is the opposite of that. This is a current player who came on and let it fly with us.

And it was an awesome, I believe, over an hour, hour conversation. And hearing this kid's life story, it's not only incredible to hear, but it's uplifting. It makes you want to be a better person the way he's approached his life. And it's just cool to see that him and his brother did this special thing for their dad on the day we were going to drop the interview anyways. And over the course of the interview, he tells this incredible story about how his first contract ended up being signed and i won't ruin it but uh just very refreshing to get a young guy really open up and you know the stories were incredible and very meaningful and i think a lot

of young players can take a lot away from this we've even ones who haven't been drafted about his approach and and how he he you know he took how he took it upon his own hands to get to where he is now and all the work and effort he put in, along with a lot of sacrifice from his parents, which he shares. So thank you to Arbor Jack guy for coming on, and we will no longer be calling him Wi-Fi. He doesn't like that nickname. I got carved out online from all the all the montreal fans so we're

hanging that one up and uh arbor jack high montreal canadians enjoy before we continue guys i need to talk to you about lucy lucy is the obvious choice for the true nicotine pouch connoisseurs that's why they're the official nicotine pouch partner of barstool Sports. Lucy pouches go up to 12 milligrams strength and have a unique shape that feels great. The Lucy Breakers are the only pouches with a hydration capsule in size. They're a totally new kind of pouch, only available from Lucy. And as I've given these out to buddies to try, everyone comes back raving. All the different flavors, apple cider, espresso, it's unreal. And the flavor lasts so long compared to the competitors, the gas station pouches.

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Long overdue, freshly signed new two-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. And according, Biz, long overdue, freshly signed new two-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. And according to Biz, a top five toughest player in the National Hockey League, Arbor Jack. What's going on, buddy? Not much, man.

Thanks for having me, guys. What do you make of that ranking? What do you make of the ranking? Top five is good, man. That's good. Second year in the league, top five. That's great stuff. Yeah, it is.

How's the summer going so far? Where are you spending it? I'm guessing you're training with your brother, who's also a Montreal Canadian based on his contract. Yeah, I'm over in Hamilton. Me and my brother, we train in Burlington together. He's a beast too, man. He'll surprise a lot of people.

He had to fight me growing up his whole life. It'll be interesting to see what he too, man. He'll, he'll surprise a lot of people. And I mean, he had to fight me growing up his whole life. So it'll be, uh, it'd be interesting to see what he does, man. I know most guys, uh, maybe call you a wifi nowadays,

but before that nickname, it was the sheriff and junior. And now we're going to get into all that, but just like how excited are you to finally get some security? I mean, I know it's been a long road for you. You were undrafted in the OHL, undrafted in the NHL, and finally you get this two-year, one-way deal

with the Montreal Canadiens to give you a little cushion and a little bit of, I guess, confidence in you as a player to keep growing in the organization. No, it's awesome, man. It's such a good feeling to get a little bit of security here and kind of extend my trial to another two years to hopefully get locked in long term but uh it's it's amazing and uh couldn't be happier to be a Montreal Canadian based on the

past and your history in the game like the way you say like keep my tryout going is that how it's been for you since you're 15 16 like every year I'm out to prove myself there isn't much security even if there is it would be your mindset to think otherwise. Yeah, that's how I've always been. I didn't get drafted to the OHL, and then I went to Junior B tryouts, and they can only take two 16-year-olds. So I was like, all right, this is my tryout here. I've got to make this team and then get an invite to a couple of OHL camps. I'm trying out there.

And then draft comes around, NHL draft, don't get drafted. I'm like, like okay there's another way so i'm always trying to you know i was gonna ask if you've always been a scrapper and then going back to what you just mentioned your junior b uh you're the one year you spent with the saint catherine's falcons you end up making the all-star game there and then you end up getting in a dust up in the all-star game like how how the hell did that all go down yeah that was that was a funny one so yeah i'm in the all-star game and i had an okay game but it wasn't great and then i was like you know what like every ohl team's in this building like i gotta do something

so this one kid that was he was pissing me off he me and him go at it in season he's another 16 year old on the other team and he was kind of slashing the back of my leg i turned around whipped the mitts off we went at it and then literally as i went to the room like the guys were still on the ice as i walk in the room i had three scouts like knocking on the dressing room like is our brain here and i had to talk to them right after it was my first kind of chat with the uh with ohl scouts I was pretty hilarious. It's amazing that that's like a true thing. It might sound ridiculous. I remember going up to a top prospects tournament, like OHL draft age.

I'm from Boston. And my dad's like, hey, if you get in a fight, it just looks good. And as a kid, you're like, I guess so. But no doubt you saw it proof. Like the scouts come looking for you. And that, I guess when you went to the oh they knew all right this guy's willing and able it's always been a part of who you are

yeah i mean like it was it was actually crazy they literally pulled me out and they're like holy shit man this is the all-star game like you're throwing the mitts off like you know you get suspended in season two and i'm like yeah like it's all all good. And then when I went to the Kitchener's camp, I was trying to go everyone. And I was like, you know what? I got to do something that stands out from these other guys. And that's kind of been my pathway is just find something that other guys are not willing to do. So that's kind of how I do it. What I'm impressed with, though, is I guess this isn't meant as an intel, but you can play, too.

Like the way you shoot the puck. And that was one thing. It's like, oh, I heard about this tough guy in Montreal System. And they sign him. And he worked a summer job. Where was it at again? Costco. Costco.

So the whole storyline was amazing going in. So I started watching you. I'm like, he can move. He can move the puck. Great shot, as I said. So when did you realize, like, all right, it's not just going to be the fighting aspect. Like, I can play too. Or was that the role growing up?

You always had the skill, but the other side was just part of it. I think there became like a few years where everyone started growing and I was kind of stuck. And I didn't hit my growth spurt yet. So I went from the biggest guy to the smallest guy real quick. So then those years i think were big for me just like i'm like okay if i'm not going to be a big big heavy strong tough guy like i got to be a skill guy so i really dialed in like the hands and like i studied all the offensive defensemen and i was kind of i was kind of going on along the route where i was going

to be an offensive defenseman and then and then i grew and now I kind of – I wouldn't say I'm an offensive defenseman, but I have a little bit of skill in the back pocket for sure. Who were you watching? Who were the guys you were trying to emulate, and what game footage were you watching? I was watching Drew Doughty and Eric Carlson and all those guys, and their little moves at the blue line, and just kind of how they carry the puck up the ice and what they do and i was i was watching their games watching their highlights i like zach

wierenski too i was watching him a lot so he's pretty you're gonna go up to lane hudson and camp be like buddy i was you before you were you that was my game hey we're gonna we're gonna be asking that guy to show us some stuff for sure. Oh, yeah. Exactly. You're of Albanian descent. Is that correct? Your father's Albanian? Yeah, so my mom's Czech. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, there's not many former Albanians to play in the NHL. I think the only name that popped up online was Taitomi, who's partly Albanian. Is that fiery spirit in the Albanian blood? Is that kind of – what's Albania like? I know nothing about it. Uh, where my dad grew up, it's, they say it's like the toughest town in, in all of Albania. So it's, it's pretty hard nose. I mean, back when he was growing up, there was a lot of war and that's kind of how he

had to, he ran away from home. Like he didn't want to go to war. So it was, it was, it's pretty crazy to see kind of where he's came and honestly it's funny because his favorite player was ty domey obviously because the albanian descent and and uh the best part is he got to meet him this year and they hit it off and they took a picture like doing the eagle like that so my dad like anytime you mention ty domey he's gonna tell you like he's the best guy like we hit it off right away and my dad's funny he's like fresh off the boat so it's like he's got the thick accent and

everything so he gets he gets excited so it's awesome when did your dad come over how old was he i think he was in the his 20s when he left and then he went to england for a little bit and then he came over here i read a story with that actually it was this year and your father doesn't normally call you on game days apparently but it was february 17th of this past season and he goes uh you gotta get one for kosova and i guess it was uh it just a line that you were playing on the day where it was they were celebrating independence and now kosova is that a bordering country of albania and is that where your father's from yes yes he's from kosovo so but they're like their nationalities all albanian

so yeah he's from there he gave me a call in the morning i was like what's this guy calling me on a game day like usually usually calls me after and he's like it's kosovo independence day like i want you to get one for us. And I ended up scoring that game. Pretty nice shot. So I talked a little bit about it in the media. So no, I was awesome. That's awesome. All right.

So he comes over. He's in Canada after being in England. I don't know much about the Albanian men's ice hockey team, but I'm guessing that your dad never played, didn't know anything. And he gets you into the game. Like, as a youngster, what's he telling you? He can't give you tips on how to stick handle, right? Yeah.

No, so when he came over, he ended up in Toronto, and he saw everyone's crazy for the Leafs, everyone's crazy for the Leafs. What is this hockey? So he didn't know nothing about hockey. It was more my mom. So her brother, pretty high level. I think he

played i think he played with yager at one point in some kind of junior league or something and so he's around the same age as yager is so they played together and their dad would always go goalie for for uh pond hockey and all that so my mom was big into hockey so she told my dad uh kids are getting into hockey because my dad is big and saw on soccer so and he said i don't know what it is but sure let's do it that's unreal was um i guess was it a little bit discouraging at the fact that you weren't drafted to the ohl were you expecting to given with where you were at at that period of time i know obviously going off to junior b was a big step for you but before that

like was there any signs that you might end up in the ohl not really i mean i was i was a really good player when i was younger playing in hamilton and i was i was probably one of the top top players in kind of this area and then as everyone grew i moved to toronto and i i started playing hockey there and then uh they had all their guys in the GTHL, and that league's like crazy competitive. So then I kind of fell down the roster, and I was playing a five or six role. And three years of that, it kind of slipped away a little bit,

and all the guys were coming in the room saying, yeah, you guys talking to any scouts? Because we're talking to scouts. I was like, I haven't talked to not one. Not one phone call, nothing. So I don't even think i had an agent at that point so i didn't i didn't expect to be drafted but when i watched the draft with my one buddy we were like looking at the guys that were getting picked up and we're like okay we're just as good as them like like there's a chance for us like maybe the draft isn't it but no there was there was definitely after the draft

there's definitely a little bit though kind of where my career was headed so at a young age you can kind of start seeing there is politics involved like as you mentioned there's gthl kids and their dads know people and it's like it can be you know you're basically like undeservingly not getting drafted so were you were you like aware of that? Were you more like, I could get there. It's just not going to be as easy. Or were you more thinking these kids are actually that much better than me?

No. The biggest thing for me is I always thought like, I always think I'm right there with like, if they can do it, why can't I, you know, like, like I always thought like,

yeah, I'm just as good as this kid. I'm just as good as this kid i'm just as good as this guy like i'm right there like i don't see him doing that much more than me i don't know if i'm delusional or what but in like even when i went to montreal's camp i was like i fit in with these guys like why can't i play i can make it this year you know so that's kind of just my mentality of those three teams of the scouts that came up after that junior b scrap was one of them kitchener and how

did you end up there because i i actually talked with uh jay mckee who was your coach there and he filled me in with a few stories but before we get to that just like how did you end up getting to such a good organization in the oh uh so i know they weren't one of the teams i think the three teams were like guelph london and somebody else. I think Barry maybe. But I had a chance to try out for a few teams because their camps were all on different weeks. So my first camp, I went to Guelph's camp. And then they wanted to sign me out of rookie camp. But they were kind of like, our team's going to be stacked.

I don't know if you're going to play every game. You might be up and down with Junior B and OHL. And I was like, was like okay i don't want to do that at least they were honest about that yeah and then i went to uh hamilton bulldogs camp and like it's funny how i ended up there after but i went to their camp and then they were kind of they were all scrambled because they just won the ohl cup and they had guys going to nhl camps and they were kind like, we don't know what we're going to do. I don't even think I got an invite to main camp, to be honest. And then I went over to Kitchener's camp, and they were like, we really liked your rookie camp, but do the same thing at main camp

with the actual guys on the team, and you have a good chance. And that's exactly what I did. How many fights at that camp? Yeah, just gooning up. Were you gooning it? So, and that's, that's exactly what I did. So how many fights at that camp? Yeah. Just doing it up. Were you doing it? No, I, but I think I, I gave a guy a cross check and chipped his tooth, but I didn't, I don't think I had any fights at that camp.

My brother had like three, three in one game at Kitchener's camp. Oh, wow. Florian. That's incredible. They pulled him in after he, well, like he also tried over Kitchener and so they pulled him in after that game and they're like, buddy, like, you don't have to just fight.

Like, we know you can fight. Like, this next game, like, no fights because he literally fought three guys in one game. Like, I think it was back-to-back shifts. That'll get you a lifetime ban in the O now. You can't even call a guy a pussy anymore no no you're done that was probably after you guys left they changed all the rules they had to yeah too much yeah too much sheriffing going on out there exactly yeah what um like i

went to kitchener actually this past season and like incredible organization awesome pedigree of players that they've developed in the past i think think they've won a couple of Memorial Cups. What was it like from a daily basis getting to go and train there and develop all your skills with one of the best CHL programs in the world? Yeah, like you said, it's one of the best programs in the world. And honestly, it's like I've heard firsthand that it's better than a lot of even American League programs. Like it's, the treatment's top-notch.

They're so professional with everything they do. And just going there, using the facilities, that's my favorite part I've ever played in a junior. I know I played there, which I'm a little biased, but it is unreal. Every game, they're packing the odd. It was just an honor to play there. It was awesome. So you have to deal with

undrafted. You're at all these different camps. You're finally with Ketcher and boom, COVID hits. And it was a disaster for so many guys. We've talked about Wyatt Johnson and barely playing his draft year and you dealt with it directly. How did it come about where you realized, I'm kind of fucked.

Next year, I don't know where I'm going to play. I don't know what's going on. Take us through that whole scenario yeah that was pretty wild so my ohl career kind of was my first year i played 50 something games i think i had three points i played like 20 30 games on forward fourth line couple shifts a period like it was it was tough and then my second year is when i started to get better and better and then and then after after that second year is like kind of when i started taking off covid hit right away and i think i honestly think if i would have got a playoffs that that year i think i probably would have got picked up by a team but

since i didn't they were kind of like they i was still unknown because i did talk to a lot of teams after that after that season and that was like not my draft year but my the year after so it was my 18 year old year and then yeah covid hits i was like what am i gonna do now my buddies are all going to play in slovakia everyone's everyone's getting out of town like going to play somewhere i'm like i try to go out there and then they wanted me to pay like a couple thousand a month i was like i i don't got no couple thousand a month for you guys so so yeah albania yeah yeah exactly but no i was i didn't know what to do and and that year i think was a big year for me kind of where i separated myself from everyone it's because everyone kind of took it easy and and uh laid back

a little bit and we're like ah it's just covid like it's gonna last a long time and for me i was i was grinding like i i was probably in the best shape of my life during covid like i stayed at home like my mom's feeding me like a machine. I'm working out every day. I was going to work. I had such a steady schedule. It was a good year. Me and my brother, we stayed on the rollerblades

and found a couple of rinks that were open and we could skate on. It was pretty wild. That's what Zeev Bouyan said when we had him on. He said he took that time during COVID to do the exact same thing. Now, were you just chucking weights in the garage with your brother? Yeah. My trainer, he moved his gym to his house.

So he kind of moved everything to the backyard. So we'd go in his backyard and we'd work out. It was a wild year. Some things would open up for a bit and then they close right down. Yeah. I had no idea what I was going to do. Cause I'm like, how am I supposed to show anyone that I've gotten better?

You know, like I'm just on the ice with four guys maybe. And yeah, it was wild. It seems like that comes natural for you where you have that self motivation, but what do you think propelled you at that time to just like take that stance? Like, was it motivation from your, from your family, from your brother pushing you? Or was it just this internal thing where it's like, I have to get to the next level and I'm going to

put all of my resources into it. And not only that, the reason that I found out of you, but found out about you to begin with was during that time you were training and staying at home, you also ended up getting a job at Costco. So it kind of you're you're living like basically like a grown-up life yeah yeah i was i was like a normal kid i wasn't a wichita player anymore i was nothing i was just a normal guy like working and training after training before work so i was i would wake up i would i would wake up go to the gym and i go on the ice right after, and then I'd go to work 5 to 10 at Costco. That's kind of when I set my schedule in. At first, I was just working and working out when the rinks were closed,

but no, it was pretty crazy. I was like, I got no money. I got to get a job. I can't be sitting around all year. I ended up working there for nine months, and then I got fired. So I ended up working there for nine months and then I got fired. And they closed a bunch of the departments and only had the food open. And I was kind of the lowest ranked guy there.

And they're like, yeah, you're gone. I heard you kept showing up late because you were so busy training and then on the ice. And then you'd show up late and the lady's like, hey, you need to quit out this hockey stuff and start taking your job at Costco a little bit more seriously. You could be employee of the month if you really put your mind to this. That was wild. I was driving from hockey straight home, shower, grab my food, eat in the car, drive straight to work. I'm showing up five, 10 minutes late, but I told them, I'm like, guys, I'm chasing a dream here. I got pulled in by one of the managers one time. She's like,

you know what? Everyone who comes to Costco, they say this is not their end all be all. I said that too about myself. Look at me now. It's a great place to build your way up. I know my kids play high-level sports. I know what you mean but like it's

like you just got to come to reality at some point and like and uh pick whether it's costco or hockey because we can't have you like not committed to costco and i was just like i was like stunned when i walked out of there i was like what's happening like i got i got bitched around so hard in there i was like i can't even believe what's happening right now got bitched around so hard in there. I was like, I can't even believe what's happening right now. I don't think you can make a million bucks a year putting flat screen TVs into people's back seats, buddy. I don't think so.

I don't think you're that good at that. I had a dream too, Arbor. It was to be the number one server of pigs in a blanket around ILA. Focus your mind towards Costcoco you're doing the sampling no no we didn't have those because uh okay yeah but i was doing everything like yeah try the new covid cookies yeah i would stand up front with a clicker and count how many people are walking in the store for eight and a half hours i would i was pushing but i had to get off the buggies because my back was so mangled like i'm like i can't even ski like my back is completely twisted up here because uh i'm pushing 30 buggies at a time trying to hurry

up trying to get over there boa rock in all seriousness like you are chasing a dream at that time where everyone was i mean everything, everything's canceled. Everything's closed. That had to be the furthest you felt from the NHL. Like, I don't know what's up next year. I'm not drafted. Were you able to kind of grind through that? I mean, obviously you were able to, but there must have been moments of wondering,

like, what am I chasing actually? Exactly, man. That year mentally was tough because I think what helped is they kept saying like the oh is gonna they're gonna open up in a month so then everyone's grinding to get there like then they close down they're like okay we're gonna open up in december and then they didn't do that they're like okay we're pushing it to january they kept pushing it so we had something to kind of look forward to and then when they completely said like we're not playing that was like i was like oh my god like what am i gonna do like i don't know i'm i only have an overage year like i don't i have no idea what i'm gonna do so that was kind of tough i just i just

stuck with it and and ended up working out pretty well but it was it was definitely a dark dark at times for sure where where do you get that internal drive i sometimes get long-winded with my questions and i asked you about five minutes ago like where does that personal drive come from uh it comes from my parents for sure i think i mean they came here with literally nothing like my dad had zero dollars in his pocket same with my mom like i don't even think they had a suitcase like they they started a whole life and we see it day in and day out how hard they work and to put two two boys through hockey like like we're not millionaires here like we don't have we don't have that much money we're getting

by day to day like like uh taking out bank loans and all this stuff just to get the boys through and it's i think that that's that's a big motivator for me and my brother. Before you end up going off to Montreal in that last year of junior, Jay McKee, who was your coach in Kitchener had moved on to Hamilton and you ended up getting picked up, getting to go play in your hometown. And then, and then you guys ended up winning the OHL championship. That must've just been a complete whirlwind and probably put your name on the map in order to make that next step. Yeah, I couldn't, I couldn't have wrote a better story than that it was so after covid i i got a few calls to from team saying to like come to their camps and we ended up going with

montreal because we kind of saw the d that they were into we saw the edmondson the chariot weber petrie like big strong guys that's kind of who i who i was modeling my game after and so i ended up going to their camp signing out of their camp and then going back to kitchener again traded to hamilton my hometown we ended up winning it so it was like i couldn't have wrote a better story than that it was it was unbelievable do you think in that playoff run because it's four rounds in the o and then you're in the memorial cup you played well enough because your numbers were phenomenal in that playoff like season do you think that's when like all right i've already been to a montreal camp

like now i'm really showing up where more teams calling no i was already signed so you already signed that okay nice i didn't know that no this is this this is a good story i can tell you guys so i love it yeah so i went from covid so then the draft happened the covid draft i get a few calls before and they're like okay we're interested like you know those draft meetings or interviews i had a bunch of those before that draft so teams were still taking notice from my second year where i kind of started taking off and then after the draft didn't get picked again um i had i think toronto called me florida called me and then um and then that was it so me and my agent were talking and we were like okay like we were checking the prospect pool and we're like okay like let's

go to Florida let's go to Florida um after that I was like wait just give it a second like wait a few days he's like no like we can't keep the NHL teams waiting like and I was like just give it a second like something's coming because I knew Montreal was super

interested and that like that's my favorite team that's where I wanted to go so i was like wait a bit wait a bit and then they end up they ended up uh calling me and saying like trust me come to our camp come to our camp like you do well like good things are gonna happen come to our camp so i went straight from covid and my first my first game was against the Ottawa Prospect team, like whatever, rookie tournament. I went straight from almost two years of no hockey, and then that was my first game, and I was lost out there.

So wearing an NHL jersey too in that game. I was so nervous the whole time. I got out there. I just worked at Costco three months ago, and I'm putting on a Montreal jersey flying around I got absolutely rocked twice like I had no awareness of where I was on the

ice like man I haven't played a game in two years like whatever so I played that first game didn't play well this is going to be a little bit of a long story but I want to tell you guys okay so so I get rocked twice by the same guy This is going to be a little bit of a long story, but I want to tell you guys. So I get rocked twice by the same guy.

I think it was, honestly, I think it was Kaselek on the sentence. Yeah, so he hammers me twice in one game, and then another guy was pushing me around, and I didn't do anything. So after that game, there was a few Montreal scouts, they came down And were like Hey we heard you were this big Tough guy from the OHL We saw you get a rock twice And we also there was 30 guys upstairs Who saw you do nothing about it right

So I was like oh my god I was like oh my god I gotta do something So get in the car Call my agent I was like I gotta fight someone Tomorrow I gotta do something like So in the car call my agent i was like i gotta fight someone tomorrow i gotta do something like so then the next game uh a guy was coming down on me and i hit him and it was like an awkward hit like i blew the guy up and he was down on the ground screaming next thing you know caslick turns around we get the mitts off we like i haven't fought or whatever two years too i'm like

here we go and he's like a big boy like at the time he was i think he was bigger than me at that time and everyone was kind of scared of him in those games and whatever we have a good fight and and then the guys kind of walked by me and gave me like the props didn't say anything just gave me like the the knuckles and then i played well in that game. I played well in the next game. They invited me to main camp. I play. So then they put me in the game against Toronto Maple Leafs.

So I literally go from, once again, working at Costco, two years of no hockey. And then I'm in the Rogers Center putting on a Habs jersey about to go play the Leafs. So I'm just in, like, I'm in the Rogers Center putting on a Habs jersey. We have to go play the Leafs. So I'm just in, like, I'm lost. We get out there, like, I can't even feel the puck on my stick. Like, I was so nervous. And I didn't play too well that game.

I think Jonathan Tavares is out front of the net with me, and I didn't even want to give him, like, a cross check to box him out. He tipped once, scored. I went in that game, like, dashed two, and then, oh, whatever. didn't even want to give him like a cross check the box melt he tipped one scored i went i went in that game like dash two and then oh whatever on the or no like a funny story too was uh so i get on the plane and i think me and ghouli are like the only two young guys there that like they kept for the games and everyone sits down i'm like we're talking to each other like okay we're gonna let everyone sit down and then we're gonna find a seat on the plane because. I'm like, we're talking to each other. We're like, okay, we're going to let everyone sit down, and then we're going to find a seat on the plane.

I'm recording the PJ on Snapchat. I'm like, let's go. I made it down from deviled eggs to PJs. Fuck you, Carol from Costco. Look at this. Yeah. I was like, Carol, look at this. I'm wearing a tux.

I'm going on a PJ right now. So I was like, let's let everyone sit down and then we'll grab a seat so everyone sits down and what do you know the only seat available is a card seat beside to foley i was like no way i gotta sit there super no way yeah and it was the seat facing everyone too so i there was no seat so i walk up up to Foley. I'm like, hey, man, like, is anyone sitting here? He's like, nope, all you. I pop a seat. I'm facing every guy.

They're all looking at me, shaking their head. Like, what is this guy doing? Ghouli's like, what are you doing, bro? I'm front row. Ghouli was loving it. He's like, I don't know. I just lost my per diem pack, though. Ghouli was loving it in the back.

He thought it was hilarious. I thought this was go fish. Yeah. So I'm at the card table or whatever And then yeah so I didn't play that good I was pretty nervous And then after that game we went back And we played an inter-squad game And I played pretty well But I knew I was getting

Sent home because I saw my Stick bag like my sticks were all all taped up in the room. I saw all my spare sticks taped up, so I was like, with the other guys, I was like, oh, I'm going to get sent home here. So we had a practice, and there was only one more game being played against Ottawa. And we had a practice, and in that practice, I was like, I got nothing to lose. So I went right up to Richardson. He was the D coach at the time

and I was like hey man like I need another game like I I don't care what it takes I need another game like I was like that was not my that was not me like like I was nervous I was starstruck like I haven't played hockey in two years like I'm not making excuses for myself but just give me one more game, please, whatever it takes. And then I guess he went in the coach's office and told them, this kid wants one bad. So they ended up putting me in against Ottawa.

And even after I signed, I talked to the trainers on Montreal, and they said, yeah, you were going home after the Ander squad game. You were done. And I was like, I knew it because I saw my sticks taped So I asked him for another game Nothing to lose if he sends me home He sends me home whatever at least I tried So I get I play against Ottawa and I play like a great

Game like I played good in the inner squad Game and then now I played another good game And then right after that they call me in the office And sign me No fucking shit it was insane like you were done dude have you talked to them did they have that plan or did did you taking that initiative and asking for that kind of just sparked them to be like this is the type of attitude we want that's what we want that's what we want i i have no idea but

i did talk to the trainers and they said yeah we had your we had your sticks all taped up like you were you were heading home so i played like the red and white game i played really well in that game but even after that i think i was i was still done and then i already crossed your name off that's what you know what i mean like going into camp like yeah i tried that one time and you know where they sent me The fucking coast I didn't even get to go to the A I was just in the wrong organization Give me one more Yeah so basically

It was like give me one more story And I think Rich loved that Like he's a guy who loves that stuff And he already liked the way I played So I ended up playing really well against Ottawa Like I played a great game And then after that they they're like, okay, Burge wants to see you. They call me in the office

and he has his mask on. He's like, we're going to sign you to a three. We're going to sign you to actually a card. And I was like, for my heart's sake. And I was like, can you repeat that? I was like, where's the parade?

This is awesome. He said it so quiet. It was like where's like the parade like no this is awesome like he said it so quiet as i was like pain and i was like did this guy just say they're gonna sign me like what is happening and then i got to go great story yeah i got to go back to the hotel and my parents were there because they want they came to watch the ottawa game so i literally opened the door to the hotel and like i I looked at my parents. I was like, guys,

like we did it. We did it. Oh, and then my mom like breaks down my dad. They both start crying. And like, Oh, buddy,

that's incredible. What a story that is. That was probably my favorite moment of like, I have like my favorite NHL moment. That is there. Like when I just got to walk in and say, guys, like we did it.

I'm like, I was like, what are you talking about? We did we did what I was like I I'm signing like I'm a Montreal Canadian yeah fuck I didn't expect to cry on this pod Jesus Christ Wi-Fi you're bringing it all man oh that's an emotional story I haven't told I haven't told that story to too many people but no it's that was a special moment for sure. That was crazy. I was just going to ask quickly, at that camp, was Weber still around? Who were the vets you got to hang around with on the defensive side where maybe you picked some skills up off of?

Who made you feel a little bit more comfortable around that group, especially at the fact that you hadn't played a game in two years? I think Sherrod, Savard. I think Petrie. Petrie was there weber wasn't there edmonton was there so i got to kind of just go off of what those guys were doing and my d partner was chris weidman for for the last game so he ended up being my partner my first year too so it was pretty it was pretty funny but no i was it was crazy and from my understanding he's the one who gave you the wi-fi nickname like how did that store do you like the nickname or do

you like the sheriff better i don't care like whatever the people like i like you know it doesn't matter to me i don't get offended by anything but no he didn't he didn't give me the nick he didn't make it up but he he brought it to the team He found it Found it on a comment On one of the pictures of me I guess At camp And then the next day we go to the rink And he said like wifi password

Like for the rink And it was jacki72 And then the guys started calling me wifi But they don't really call me wifi anymore But the legend grows We interviewed him a long time ago house and then the guys started calling me wi-fi but they don't really call me wi-fi anymore but we interviewed him a long time ago biz and then the whole the whole uber story broke remember in the bank and then we had to burn it because the uber thing came out i like he's such a good dude i'm like oh this got burned by an uber camera no at least if you're in an uber with

them he's probably like, heads up on what you say. I think I've been in an Uber with Biz since, and he's been like, dude, who knows what's filming right now. Oh, I just say, hey, let's tighten the ship. Tighten the ship. Every time we get in, he's like, every time we hop in the Uber, he's like,

is this being recorded? Alright, alright. He's dialed. When was the first time you wore a fedora i don't know who it was that i saw and that kind of inspired me but i i don't know i saw a guy do it in the nhl once i don't i can't recall who it was but and then i went to h&m and i bought like a 15 dollar like black fedora for per junior and i started rocking it and that was kind of that was kind of my thing and i honestly i still wear that same at the games and like people are like that hat's awesome like 10 bucks each and i'm boys yeah people think it's like an 1800 fedora yeah yeah

that was a costco employee giveaway of christmas season yeah so i got i got some nice custom hats now but yeah that was that was kind of my main hat and i always wear that one so i love that well correct me if you're if i'm wrong but your first nhl fight was the cassian one right yeah so that's when everyone i i remember just being like what the fuck who is this cassian's a tough guy they're down three nothing first period he kind of goes up to you and and you gave it to him like it was for a tough guy to like to see someone like Cassian kind of get beat up in that way like you made a name for yourself and then all of a sudden it's like Deloria is coming uh Olivier's coming like you had to know right away all right well this is going to be my role and I'm willing to accept it I thought

after that fight I honestly thought I was going to be my role and i'm willing to accept it i thought after that fight i honestly thought i was going to fight every single game like the next game was jamie ben he like me and him were running each other in the corners and i like i like grabbed mike are we gonna go like screaming at him he's like relax settle down kid like yeah you're a big boy but calm down bud and like i honestly thought was going to fight every single game. Like I was, I had such adrenaline because, um, in that year's, uh, rookie camp, I fought a guy on Ottawa and like, I think I, I knocked him out and then I go to main camp and I fight another guy in Ottawa, beat him, fight another guy in Ottawa, like back-to-back games.

So I had three fights going into Cassian. So I'm like running on an all-time high. Made the roster and then that game, Cassian wants to go. We're up 3-0 in the first period. Bell Center is like buzzing off the charts. Oh my god. Yeah, it is

buzzing. And then get to the bench. The coach is like, hey, there might be some guys who you're going to want to challenge you. get some energy back like and i look at the coach i was like if they challenge me we're like i'm gonna go up as he started laughing and then next thing you know live for a face-off against cassian he's looking at me and i'm just smiling and i'm like i don't know why but i was just like i was smiling i'm laughing he's like what the fuck are you looking at and then I was like I'm looking at you like and whatever he got

pissed at that and then off the draw I guess he told uh Weidman like hey man I'm gonna beat the shit out of this kid like and Weidman's like hey man like he can hold his own like it's not gonna go how you think it's gonna go right so and then whatever face off goes he looks at me he wants to go how you think it's going to go right so and then whatever face off goes he

looks at me he wants to go and center ice we just throw down so that that clip i watched it last night getting ready to interview you so you go to the box you can tell the bell center's bumping and then you see robida he goes down and says something to to saint louis and then like burrows is kind of laughing so you definitely told told him, they're probably like, this fucking guy's an animal. Yeah, he literally said, guys are going to challenge you. We have this game. 3-0. We're okay. And I said, if someone challenges me,

I'm going to take care of myself. I got it. I think I literally told him, I got it, coach. So then after he went down the bench, he's like, I told you they were gonna fight burrows loves it he's laughing so i was pretty hilarious if you play for the habs your celebrity status you're like a new york yankee in new york the moment that fight happens when you would go

out in on the town after that was it a different type of celebrity where did like everybody know your face now did you find you feel that energy from the city and the fact that they're like oh yeah we got our guy it was insane yeah it was like something else like got people chasing your cars after you pull out of the ring they're like oh wi-fi like it was it was nuts and like still to this day like when i do like signings and stuff or someone catching me in the street like you p cassian like they love that because i think he he ran montembeau or something and there was like a whole whole thing about how like montreal didn't step up to that like nobody stepped up and fought him and i guess i was like their savior for that so that was that was pretty yeah it was pretty funny is it there I think

it was G telling me before we hopped on about Slavkoski where it just so happens like the first part when you first got there he was getting lit up every game and you ended up fighting the guy who would hit him so all of a sudden you had to start buying you dinners or some shit yeah yeah he was

like obviously he's used to the european ice so it was tough for him like to see the ice and and he was obviously like he grew up always the biggest guy right so he didn't he didn't have to have his head up or anything and guys are all like you know you saw with the dart this year like guys are they want to take his head off like they're all trying to take his head off and every time he got smoked take his head off. And every time he got smoked, I was there. I'd miss off right away. But yeah, he started buying me a few dinners. So it was pretty funny.

Well, so this year, this past season, you had a little bit of explosion, right? Somebody like me, not sure of kind of who you were, and boom, you hear about it. Like I said, I'm watching you play. I'm like, he's playing with an edge. He can play. Going into this year, expectations are sky high, and you end up getting sent down to

the minors for a little bit. So I'm just wondering, as somebody who went through that as well, it had to be a little bit of a tough blow. I was flying so high, and all of a sudden, my game's not where it needs to be. So when you went down, where your your numbers were phenomenal was your attitude as good as I imagine where it's like all right this is just kind of a it's it's a little chick in the armor here like I'm fine I just gotta find my game yeah I mean like you said like it was only highs like from from the first time I signed with Montreal like winning the championship making the team out of camp

whatever first season going well obviously I had a shoulder injury but like everything was just going up and then that like hit and like my world got flipped upside down I was like oh my god like what do I do because I got hurt I got hurt for three weeks and then as I was coming back like I didn't even get a game or anything like I started skating with the team and then as i was coming back like i didn't even get a game or anything like i started skating with the team and then right away they were like they're going down to the minor so yeah that was a little bit more of conditioning then because if you if you've come back from an injury and it happens that's not as bad as like minus three three games in a row and going down yeah no i i wasn't playing i wasn't playing as good as i did the second half of the

season when i got recalled but i wasn't playing bad it was just more of like a like a you're not like don't get comfortable here like we want more from you we know you can give more like don't get comfortable because like boom just like that you're gone you're packing your bags you're going down you're going down to laval so i think it was more of that and they didn't give me a time frame or anything and i think that's a good thing because if they gave me a time frame i maybe wouldn't have taken it as i as i did but no i got down there and i got close with the boys and as soon as i i got close to the team like i i loved it and i was i was working my bag off. I was like, I'm not going to act like I'm better than anybody else here. This is my new team, and I'm here to protect you guys and play the game.

That's awesome. And you got to play with your brother as well. He was there, right? No, he was there at the end of the year. Oh, you missed him? Yeah. Yeah, I missed him. Yeah.

What was it like playing in Laval? I mean, because they haven't been around as far as an ahl team very long and they must have very passionate fans and do they pack the building oh man like 10k every night full barn like they rock the place like it is unreal like a lot of people that maybe can't afford a montreal ticket or, or, or maybe it's too far for, for a far of a drive for them. Like they go to Laval games and they are just passionate. Like they, they rocked the building.

Like first time I stepped on the ice, they were going nuts. And I was like, I was like, all right, this is great. Like, no,

it's, it's, it's, I think it's the best rank in, in, in the AHL. It's awesome. That makes it a lot easier biz.

Oh yeah. And like tall toinghamton back in our days yeah bridgeport there's a hundred we there was a there was like a snowstorm in bridgeport and then we did a game everyone put in 50 bucks in the locker room to guess how many fans and i think elaine nazardine won he guessed like 60 people and 60 people oh yeah buddy um but to go back to you and i know that your your role is a little bit more defensive in the nhl but you talked about the skill set you had at the the younger levels like when you're playing in the ohl and even before that were you able to at least get a

little bit more ice time and maybe play in that what like three four role and and kind of get that confidence back as well yeah when i went down there i was i was playing at that one two role so i was out there all the time i was power play guy and i did play power play in the nhl too but second unit like you know second unit and we don't get out much but um yeah i was playing first unit there and like yeah i just got to play my game and obviously with the more ice time more confidence more touches i started i started getting that offensive swagger and i put up put up some good numbers there so it was it was good so it's only going to be your third pro season but it's such a young team and and suzuki being the captain being that young it it's like the whole

vibe around the the organization so you must feel like a leader already. And Hudson's coming in. That's a younger defenseman. And Gouley, you mentioned, even though you spent a little time in the AHL, it must feel to you as like, I'm a leader on this team now and there's a different way to approach things. Yeah.

I mean, I think when I went down to Lavelle, I think they're even younger than Montreal. So it's like a junior team down there. So it was, it was a blast to be around. And I think because I, I got sent down, I kind of brought my knowledge and whatever I learned from the NHL, and I was kind of sharing it. And I think down there is where I took like a,

I started taking on that leadership role again that I had in junior. And yeah, I think with all the young D and young prospects we have I think yeah we're third year guys like we're we're starting to become like the older guys almost in a sense and I know it's just our third year but like you said it like the team's so young that yeah I definitely feel like I have to take on a little bit of a leadership role and kind of set set in stone what we're what our uh our idea of of where we're going. And so, so you did get surgery this off season. You've had two shoulder surgeries now. Are,

were they on the opposite shoulders? Yes. Yes. The right one was the first time in the left was this, this past summer. And, and you talked about how you, you're really focusing on trying to stay healthy the full season.

I mean, as everyone would like what like precautions or what things are you doing maybe differently in order to do so? Like was, was maybe the training in the past a little bit maybe archaic or something where you were you kind of jammed yourself up a little bit yeah i think i think it was just the way i used to work out when i was when i first started working out and we would all try and lift as heavy as we can and we're doing power cleans and all this kind of crazy stuff at a really young age. So I think that also had wear and tear on my shoulders. I think when I was fighting in junior, I always had some issues

in my left shoulder. It would always bother me. And I think just the wear and tear over the years, so now that they're both healed, I think it's going to be great. Good to go. You're feeling as good as you've ever felt? Yeah. Like after I fixed the right one last year, like it felt brand new and it felt,

it felt awesome. So now I got both, both feeling great. I've been asked like by friends or random people, like best experience on the road in the NHL. Always. I say Montreal, like you don't get it.

I try to describe the bell centers. The seats are, it's like straight down where they're right on top of you. They're rocking like fix you by Coldplay coming on the ice. I don't know if they still do that. That may sound ridiculous, but if you go to the game, you'll know what I'm saying. Your time there, like every game, it's so easy to get fired up.

And then the crowd, it just must be incredible to experience that for 41 games a year yeah it is it's a treat every single time you they play that song for us and we're like play that song they fired up we we all come flying out of the tunnel like no like i grew up a canadians fan so i was watching watching them my whole life and it like to be to be there now it's it's pretty special and i always tell people My friends from home They're like, oh you're going to play in Buffalo We'll go to a Buffalo game

You guys have to make the drive It just hits different in the Bell Center It's staying on the blue line For the National Anthems You're just looking around You're like, holy shit You know what I'm saying They're just right on top of you It's like like the odd and yeah the odd the odds like that too the steep stance like they're

like right on top of you and you feel it they're so loud they're so loud uh martin saint louis it must be incredible to get to play for a guy of that stature but also just the way he carries himself it seems like he's the most approachable guy especially especially from a young guy standpoint where sometimes you enter the league and you have this hard-ass coach where you don't really know where you sit and maybe you're not getting direct advice from him because it's got to be the assistants. But he seems to be working with you guys firsthand and just the most approachable, lovable guy. Yeah, he's amazing, man. The way you see it, that's exactly how he is.

He's awesome awesome his door's always open like i know it's nerve-wracking to go talk to the coach but honestly like once you start talking to me like oh here we go like i'm just chopping it up with the boys you know like that's actually like how it feels like but you care so much about every guy and he just wants you to be the best version of yourself like i think that's what's what's the best about him like he just wants like he sees that you have more and he's like give me more and i want every single value you know so i just it's awesome um i had a quick one this might be a rumor but i was talking to a snoop dog one of his like managers mike and you guys did a collab didn't you for merchandise

yes and then you went to a Snoop Dogg concert, and it just so happens that Ryan Reeves was at that concert. And then you guys end up in the back room waiting to meet Snoop Dogg, and you're standing about five feet from each other. How awkward was that, and how did that all shake out? Yeah, that's not a rumor. What a scoop, Biz. Yeah, scoop, guy, Biz? Yeah, that's not a rumor. That happened to us. What a scoop, man.

Yeah, scoop guy, bitch. Yeah, craziest scoop ever. So I went to the Snoop Dogg concert in Toronto because I wasn't able to catch the one in Montreal. So I went to the one in Toronto. We got brought to the dressing room. That's where he had his room set up. And Reeves and domey are standing

right there like five feet away from us and yeah i was just standing there and domey flies over and like says hi i was like oh yeah because you're out of his weight class you guys could be buddies yeah oh yeah we talk a little bit so he came over and said hi i was your summer gone whatever and i guess he walked back over to reeve and he's like, man, just go say hi. Like, what is this? You guys are standing here like idiots. You guys are just doing a stare off? No, no.

We were just standing there. Obviously, I knew he was standing there. He probably knew I was standing there. Revo's old school though, dude. Oh, yeah. So then he finally was coming up to me and we went for a dab. And then there's a whole squad of people that just walked through. So we're standing there so awkwardly with our hands up like, here we go.

But no, I got to meet him. He's a nice guy, a great guy. Obviously, he's an old school guy. And yeah, we talked a little bit and it was good. meet him he's he's a nice guy a great guy obviously he's an old school guy and and uh yeah we got we talked a little bit and it was good the the if you go to dap someone up and it's somehow like delayed or it's what do you mean i try to do it and then you go to give the pound and you're just both like what's going on but if you talk to the nba the nba on tnt guys they would probably tell you i'm the worst dapper on the planet.

Every time they go to give me one, I'm getting nervous. I don't know how to do it. I'm just like, take my fucking hand. Just take it. You're overthinking it, man. You're overthinking it. Overthinking it. Yeah.

I want that nice pop. You know, the kids. Yeah, you need that clap. Yeah. Yeah. I need that. So that's pretty cool. You got to do that collab.

Now, R.A.'s not here, and this is typically his favorite question. Who's the toughest guy you ever fought? And or have, yeah, that's kind of what he usually asks. So I figured I'd throw it at you. I mean, a lot of people want me to say Deloria because he got the better of me. But we didn't have such a great fight. We didn't have a long fight. We didn't have such a great fight.

We didn't have a long fight, but I think it would be him in a sense because I actually hit a guy, and then he grabbed me two hands, mitts off, and I look up. I'm like, uh-oh, and I shake him off. Kind of like you did to Revo. Yeah, pretty much, yeah. Yeah, he grabbed me, and he's like,

you ready to go, big boy? I was like, yeah, sure, and he's like you ready to go big boy i was like yeah sure and i didn't have a good grab and he popped me first shot right in the temple so i'm like can't even see out of this eye i'm like here we go and yeah so i yeah i want to say him he was my hardest fight because he i think he got the better of me there so but no revo strong like a lot of guys are strong even like Lowry, he was pretty strong. Tall. Geno's tough, too. Olivier, Olivier won't go down.

He'll stay up forever. So it's a lot of tough guys, man. He's kind of the guy that's forgotten about. Dude, he's the sneaky. When he got rempy this year, it's like, don't forget about Olivier. He could be up there. There's not many guys who would take on that guy. He'll eat as many punches as you feed him, and he's not going anywhere.

So he's tough. There has been a revival of the heavyweight division, though. Do you feel that? Do you feel like now half the games you're going in where you might get challenged by a guy who I just feel like there was this resurgence and i mean you could credit rempe i felt like when he came in it even ramped up a little bit more i don't know your thoughts or feelings on it yeah definitely man like he flew in and fought everyone so i mean that's even when i got in the league first like i was fighting everyone and then that kind of ramped

it up and then he kind of took it to another level. And I was like, like, yeah, I feel it for sure. But last year I didn't get involved too much cause I knew I had the bad shoulder. So that was tough for me seeing it getting ramped up.

And I was like, I can't be a part of this right now. But, but no, I was, yeah, I felt it for sure. I have a funny story about a Rempe actually.

So I get, I get, uh, I get sent down to the AHL. My second game, I think, in the league, I'm playing against Rempe, right? So he's staring me down all warm up. And he knew a guy on our team. And he's like, yeah, he wants to go. You guys are going to go tonight or whatever. And I was like, man, I just got sent down.

I'm not down here to fight. I'm down here to go tonight or whatever. And I was like, man, I just got sent down. I'm not down here to fight. I'm down here to get better, whatever. And first shift, he flies in and just destroys a guy. Headshot, replied side, everything in the box. Destroyed a guy. I love Reppy. I'm a fan of Rocky. I love the guy.

The guy he hit was half his size. I know. I don't blame him for the hit, but it was questionable. And he's like, whatever. The refs blow the play down. It's my second game. Refs blow the play down. I'm on the bench.

The entire rink starts chanting, Jack, God, Jack. The whole rink. chanting Jack! Jack! Your shoulder's mangled And then the jumbotron Puts me up on the bench This is like the Quebec Senior League The whole crowd's like You're going nuts I'm like oh my god

So I hop out there They're screaming even louder I go up to Rampe I don't even know what I said I just I gotta do something So I hop out there they're screaming even louder I go up to Rempe I'm like I don't know I don't even know what I said But I was just like I just had to do something man Like the crowd's loving it right now So yeah that was That was a funny story about him

You might have been in Laval forever Had you not done anything Oh he got sussied for the dirty hit Yeah he got sussied a few games So I didn't play him again So that was it What are you doing in preparation for the dirty hit yeah you got sussy a few games so i didn't i didn't play him again so that was it um what are you doing in preparation for the fact that now that your shoulder is good like do you take boxing lessons do you do any type of grappling like what are you doing to prepare for the fighting element yeah last year i did uh i did grappling for sure um i did i did

i did some boxing too i boxed on the ice and off the ice. The on ice stuff is pretty tough because if you're not grabbing onto the guy, you have no power behind your punches. You just feel like you're throwing noodle punches. I do some of that stuff. I think I'll be able to start that up again now. I haven't been able to obviously because I'm still in rehab. I think now I'm fully cleared to start so I want to get wrestling

With my brother a little bit Has George LaRock reached out? Yeah I've skated with him as well Like I did a one session with him Like Last year maybe last summer George is like just be a lefty And then just chuck bombs

At people Yeah I'm like he's showing us stuff But I, yeah, but that's great for lefties. We need to see the righties. There's not many lefties. But no, his stuff is pretty deadly, so he's good. You're listed. You never know what to believe on the internet. You're listed 6'4", 240.

Is that what you play at? Is that accurate, or are you right around there? Yeah, kind of every year i kind of started putting on weight but i i kept feeling good on the ice so yeah i'm six i'm six four 240 uh i mean i don't i didn't really have much else to ask you jay mckee did bring up a funny story where he told you to play exactly or do it do whatever you did last night do it every game and you guys you guys ended up going out to last call did Do you remember that one? What was it?

I think you guys were like 22-2. You guys were on this massive heater. He was just texting me some stories I was laughing at. I didn't know if there was an appropriate time to bring him up. Yeah, I think that was definitely one of them. We won every game in a row. We're like, all right, we'll light out for one or whatever. We go to the bar and Jamie Key's in there. We're like, game in a row and we're like, all right, well, like, well, I don't for one or whatever. And we go to the bar and Jamie keys in there. We're like, Oh, he saw us in there.

He texts us right away. At all boys. I was here first fellas. That's the rule. Yeah. He's like, suck it boys. I'm here first. Is there anything, any story that you thought we were going to ask you, which is a good one that maybe we don't know about?

If nothing, man, this has been an incredible hour. You're so generous with your time, and we're so happy for you just based on the whole story of you coming up and battling through all the adversity you have, being undrafted, and then finally getting a nice ticket. That story you told about coming in the room and telling your parents that you signed, man, that's all time. Thank you, boys.

No, I don't think there's anything else. I mean, I tried to share most of the stories I wanted to today to you guys for sure, but thanks for having me, boys. I guess my last thing is Montreal fans and hockey fans, they're going to see your brother come in with a vengeance, right? I got a buddy who was a scout in Montreal. he's like you have to see his brother and you mentioned the three fights in one game but i'm guessing he's gonna show up looking to take on any and all like challengers yeah he's he's not like he's not the same stature as me like i i think he's around 205 210 but i'm like i'm definitely heavier but he's got like long limbs like when he grabs me he's around 205, 210, but I'm definitely heavier, but he's got long limbs. When he grabs me, he's far away.

And he's tough, man. That kid is real tough. I think he's got a little more anger than me. He's got anger problems, I think. You got the check. You got the check. He's the real Albany. It went from Wi-Fi to the bandwidth brothers

Can I coin that? Yeah Sometimes I can pull a rabbit out of my ass The bandwidth brothers Bandwidth brothers He's a tough kid I watched a couple of his games as a junior I'm like why are you so mad out there

What's setting you off You're pissed every shift What is happening I'm just so mad out there? What's setting you off? You're pissed every shift, chirping guys every shift. What is happening? And he's like, I don't know. I'm just pissed off out there. I'm like, all right, keep it going. He's like, I dealt with you as an older brother all these years.

For every fucking kid listening, get a little bit of that in your game. Because even if you don't have the most skill in the world, NHL teams are starving for players like that, who can play with that fucking edge night in and night out we actually just uh interviewed pat verbeek and he was the same way where he played with that spark every night and that's that to me is what's needed a little bit more in the nhl and we saw the revival of the fighting i feel like it's going to be like a revival of almost old school hockey again the violence a little bit biz yeah yeah definitely like he's I told him

I'm like man like he was a like super skilled player when he was younger like best player his age like really skilled kind of the same thing as me and then everyone else grew and we're both late bloomers so he was like I'm not playing like dad I'm not playing like Arbor I'm not playing like Arbor

like I'm not gonna fight him I'm not gonna do this my dad would just carve it in him. I think me and my dad, we got it in him, and now he's an animal now. He's unstoppable. Exactly. Look what we've done. Thank you so much. We've created a monster.

I can't wait to see what your future holds in your career. Just to come on and give us an hour midsummer. We appreciate it. We're rooting for you, and good luck this season. Oh, thank you guys. Thanks guys. It was an honor,

man. Thank you. The sheriff. Before we go any further, guys, I'm here to talk to you about sport clips. Sport clips is the only place you can get your haircut. Brunelli,

you see his hair in these pictures of his engagement. Sport clips did that. And have you seen Fisher's haircut that we ripped on for like 20 minutes last week? He didn't go to Sport Clips. So that's the mistake he made. Don't be making the same mistake as the fish dog and make sure when you get your haircut, you go to Sport Clips. You can't be choosing anywhere else. It's actually easy because the stylists at Sport Clips undergo special training to be the experts in men's hair making, then the masters of mullets, the finessers of fades, and the understudies of the undercut. It's easy to have confidence in your look when you're in the hands of a pro. Just another way Sport Clips helps keep your head and your hair in the game. Don't make

the mistake so many do and not go to Sport Clips. Do it right now. Sport Clips, it's a game changer. Thank you very much, Arbor Jack. I'm very interested to see what he has in store for this year. Some of the tilts we could see him getting in. True leader in the room, I'm guessing. And we appreciate him coming on. Biz, I don't know if you saw some news of Getze, our boy Ryan Getzlaff, he joined the NHL Department of Player Safety. So always interested to see when former players get into that

and it's kind of a tough job. We had a long talk with George Paros at the finals that it is difficult, that you're kind of always the bad guy and that you're like, you're pissing off teams by suspending their players, you're pissing off teams by suspending their players. You're pissing off players by suspending them. Then you're,

if you don't suspend, you're pissing off the team of the player who did something to the guy on that team. And so it's a tough job, but gets the, and George, I think are pretty close. And it makes sense to me to have somebody that I really liked the fact that

George played as tough as he did and was fighting and gets laugh was a legit, mean, hard-nosed player. So it means a lot more coming from those guys when they are laying down suspensions or deciding on what to do for maybe punishment because it's like, hey, I know the game.

I played the game. I get it. And I still think that this is worthy of maybe a couple games off. So I think Getz will be perfect in that role. Might be one of the more difficult jobs in the NHL. And said it the fact that he gets to work with getsy his former teammate um it's just like you know it's it's a nice pair you know it probably really alleviates a little bit of stress just looking at peros and both well-respected guys who who know the integrity of the game right so it's it's the perfect and it's a good way for for getsy to

ease into working with the league too he might have higher aspirations but everybody's got to kind of pay their dues to some regard where i want to say brendan shanahan did this at one point you know you learn a lot about the structure and what's going on about the rules things that are happening behind the scenes to maybe one day be involved in management so a great way for him to get his foot in the door. And guys, it's nice to also have something when you're done playing. You know, something to get yellow to house, get back in the mix with the guys

and feel like you're back in the locker room again. So I'm glad we got the sandbagger when we did, buddy, because I don't think you're allowed to do it when you're working with the league like that. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I don't think we're getting nixed. I don't think old Georgie boy is going to be swinging up the wrenches with us anytime soon. Unless he can.

Unless he wants a piece of the action. Him and Gary will pair him up. Imagine that. Oh, we're just torturing Gary on the links. I asked Gary if he'd come on the podcast for an interview to open up the season. And he's like, I'll get back to you. Come on, Gary. It's out there.

Come on, Gary. He goes on McAfee and stuff. gary give us a chance ah we're not mcafee we're just a bunch of peasants down no i know but i'm not saying we're mcafee i'm saying that he's done interviews he's doing interviews very occasionally give your boy biz a chance to impress you with some of his knowledge when he says whirlwind yeah that's a that's a maya culpa i don't think mcafee called him kim jung betman so maybe that's the strike against me that is holding it back right now but i've uh issued a public apology i've actually in fact changed my uh twitter background to me and him at the tnt desk playing tummy sticks yeah he was laughing at my joke we're chumming it up i'm i'm in the good books with the league now, folks.

Okay? I'm not trying to fuck that up. I'm right under Gary's wing here. I think what he's trying to do is he's trying to take me under his wing to maybe take over as commissioner, because my understanding is he doesn't want to do it much longer, and I think he wants to hand over the reins. And then that's when I'll probably impose the franchise tag when I take over

as commission. But that's enough about me considering that we're here to talk about Ryan Getzloff and his new position, but that's nor here nor there. I don't have anything else with, I had a great weekend in Victoria. I didn't spend a ton of time here this, this summer,

but Vancouver has been a blast. And I think we got what? Two more pods until we got a best of time here this uh this summer but uh vancouver has been a blast and uh i think we got what two more pods until we got a best of coming out we still have a lot of incredible interviews coming your guys way i mean we got pat verbeek in the bank we got bobby holick uh we got charlie coyle those were great oh buddy we got uh great yeah kevin low god kevin low edmonton yeah we still have those i hope everyone enjoyed jack mich those. I hope everyone enjoyed Jack Michaels. I hope everyone enjoyed Arbor Jack. It's been a lot of fun catching up again.

I just want to end on a little bit of a sad note from my kind of crew at home. And I've mentioned a lot of times my friend group at home. Like, it's just, guys, we've been very close for, you know group at home. Like it's just, it's, it's guys, we've been very close for, you know, 25 years. It's, it's, it's a great group of people. And, and one of those is, is my buddy Bill Ryan. He actually works for the Montreal Canadians, does a great job with that organization as a scout. His brother, Mike Ryan, Bill was a third round pick to New York Rangers.

His brother, Mike Ryan was a second round pick. It was 32nd overall back then. It was the second round to Dallas stars. And they're from Milton, Massachusetts, two great guys, great players. And they lost their dad,

their dad, John Ryan, who was an unbelievable guy. Guy was given like six months to live close to six years ago, I think, and passed away this past week so last night we had his wake on his funeral this morning and it's just hard when you see somebody that's that's such a close friend and you see him hurting and i just felt so bad their dad was the nicest guy ever

he was so friendly he was a he was a cop in quincy massachusetts for over 30 years so seeing all the police out at his funeral today, they had the bagpipes going, they had all the respect he deserved. His friend gave an awesome eulogy and just talked about what he meant to everyone and how good of a guy he was. So I just felt so bad for the Ryans.

He had three boys, his oldest, John, also, and then Mikey and then Bill Ryan. Great family. And his dad's going to really be missed. And I just, I'm feeling, you know, you're feeling really sad for that family right now. I think he had 11 grandkids. I think it was 10 or 11 grandkids. So they were all there.

And it's just sad when you see a good friend go through something like that. But I hope and I'm sure he knows that his dad was just loved by all and you ran into this guy he was so quick-witted funny and just an awesome person so um i'm really feeling for the ryan family right now and john ryan will be remembered forever no doubt and actually one more thing that um that that was that was awesome to see was uh mike ryan he works for the florida panthers does a great job with them. And so he had his day with the Stanley cup Monday of last week, and he was able to bring it over and,

and got a picture with, with Billy and himself and his dad with the Stanley cup. And, and he passed away the next day. And I just think just to see your son be a part of a team. And, and I think Bill will get one someday, whether it's in montreal or

somewhere else who knows but it was just really cool that that's what his dad got to see you know his last day his last day alive so that was that was a special moment and they sent me over a picture that i was i was really happy to see that so that's that's incredible wit thanks for sharing buddy that's a tough weekend there yeah Yeah. So we appreciate everyone listening. And just one final reminder, we do have this Sandbagger. The Sandbagger Scramble will be Wednesday night at 6 o'clock Eastern on all of our social channels. So thank you so much for listening, and I hope everyone has a great week. But how much is 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 She hit me with a cheap shot, a cheap shot I bet she needs a detox to cleanse her mind Another week rolls in, we're on the road again And now the 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 Oh and I know she felt it Someone said she could have a free one on the chin Outro Music I think we need a deep talk.