Spittin Chiclets - Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 551: Featuring Mathieu Olivier

Episode Date: March 25, 2025

On Episode 551 of Spittin’ Chiclets, The guys are joined by Columbus Blue Jackets Winger Mathieu Olivier to talk about growing up and realizing fighting could be a huge part of his game, treating an old concussion to help him score goals, and what it’s like playing with so many Russians. But first, Sheldon Keefe made some choice comments in the media about playing better, Montreal is battling for a spot on the playoffs, and the wild card odds are getting intense as we come down the stretch. The NHL is discussing it’s all-star game format and after the success of the four nations tournament who knows what the future holds? All this and more on this weeks episode, you won’t want to miss it. Don’t forget to check out Game Notes live on Thursday Morning this week (03/27) as well as our recent Chiclets University visit at Minnesota featuring first round draft picks Jimmy Snuggerud + Sam Rinzel. 00:00:00 - START 00:00:25 - Chiclets Updates 00:14:18 - Around The League 00:50:00 - Wild Card Race 01:09:11 - Mathieu Olivier Interview 02:24:58 - GM Meetings 02:45:34 - Quick Hits 03:07:54 - NCAA Brackets 03:24:04 - ETC. Support the Show: PINK WHITNEY: Take Your Shot with Pink Whitney GAMETIME: Download the Gametime app today and use code CHICLETS for $20 off your first purchase BODYARMOR: Head on over to 7-Eleven & use the 7-Eleven app for Dollar Day Rewards & get your BODYARMOR Flash I.V. for a buck! https://www.drinkbodyarmor.com/flash-iv-sports-drink/ DOVE: Shop now at Walmart. RHOBACK: Use code CHICLETS on https://rhoback.com for a generous 20% off your first purchase through the end of this week DRAFTKINGS: GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, [phone] or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $200 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: dkng.co/dk-offer-terms. Ends 3/30/25 at 11:59 PM ET.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. Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is basketball sports. Our white whale, Sidney Crosby! Shave his head! Shave his head! Shave his head! Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, R.A., Mike Grinelli, Spitton Chicklets. How are you? Welcome to episode 551 of the Spitton Chicklets podcast presented to you by Pink Whitney.

Oh baby, Pink Whitney and the NCAA Tournament, they kind of go hand in hand. If you're sitting around watching hoops all day the past week, who wouldn't want to sit around and have some drinks all week with some Pink Whitney? The big bottles, the little bottles, the medium bottles, the shots, the mixed drinks, doesn't matter. Golf, skiing, there's still skiing going on.

There's still springtime skiing going on in certain places. I've never been, sounds awesome though. But Pink Whitney, when it's involved, it makes it better. It makes it more fun and it's all about Pink Whitney. That's why we're here, that's why this show exists. So thank you so much to Pink Whitney. Go out to your local bar and get a shot.

Take a shot with Pink Whitney. Not a boy, not a boy, Whitney, snap it around. It's great to chat with you guys right now. Actually, NCAA Tour, I don't remember a year when it seemed so kind of boring. I know it's all about the upsets and March Madness. Now, I didn't catch every game as all the guys in Barstool Chicago did at the gambling streams,

but I didn't see really many upsets at all. I kind of was looking for exciting endings, didn't see many of that. So let's hope moving forward as the better teams are now in the mix and what they call biz the sweet 16. Yeah. No, no, that I didn't come to the NHL is going for you. Just had a nice taking over March madness because of all these wild card races. The hockey's just taken everything down. What the fuck did Keith say while I was talking? He brought, he brought up your super sweet 16 birthday party you had.

The guy that's not into birthdays had a week long birthday party. No, no, no, no, no, no. Hey, listen, Jeff Jacobson and Jackie Carls forced me into it. So I was like, all right, I told you guys I'm not the birthday guy. But after doing it, it's completely

changed my outlook on it. So you guys will be at 41, 42. One time, years ago maybe, you were almost, I think pissed off you were getting happy birthday tag. No, I guess I don't want to be on my fucking phone all day. I believe that my birthday gift should be at the fact that I get to get away from my phone. You know? I mean, how am I getting chirped for this?

Yans, what do you have to say for yourself? I think you could always, if you didn't want to look at your phone, but I mean, honestly, you're on your phone all day, every day. Yeah, you're, you're on the phone. So I don't understand why it would be any different, but maybe it's just nice as a friend to send another friend a birthday. I'm not looking for a text back saying thank you or whatever. It's just, you just want to send it out there. I don't think I have to get back to everybody.

That's why. That's like the Merry Christmas ones. Those drive me insane. If you send Merry Christmas to like a bunch of people, like, yeah, I hate to say you're a scumbag. I know it's all in good intentions, but you're a real scumbag. I do that every year. I text all you guys Merry Christmas.

That is perfect. That describes it perfectly. Yeah, no shorts. I love texting people Merry Christmas. Wait, how about this goes from me saying I'd like the day off from answering texts back for happy birthday to with saying people who send Merry Christmas group texts belonged to be shot into the moon here. And if you send Happy Easter, there should be a firing squad at your door.

By the way, I saw there was a guy in some state recently that was on death row, he chose firing squad as the way to go. Did you see that story, Keith? What? I did, I kinda respected it. I guess so, how are those things still allowed? What do you mean like they hit the button and it just cooks you cooks you I don't think they hit the button

They take a finger and pull the trigger a bunch of them. Oh, they do like five guys There's like five shooters or whatever say ten and there's nine You know bullets that aren't real bullets, so they don't know who actually killed them, so you don't have that guilty conscience. So there's nine blanks and then one real bullet and they all shoot at the same time. Get the fuck out of here, actually. I'm not kidding, Biz.

Now Biz, most people, most people, it's crazy that this has gone all the way into how you end up spending your final moments on death row, but they'll put a needle in your arm and you fall asleep and you're dead. That's the way to go. Yeah, that's what I would think. Well, no, this guy wanted a firing squad,

so if you send me Happy Easter, either way, I'm sending those guys to your place. No rubber bullets. I don't know what's worse, that or the fact I thought you meant they lit him on fire. Well, yeah, that would be really impressive. That's what I thought you meant. I thought you meant they just spoke. It's like, wow, that would be really impressive. That's what I thought you meant. I thought you meant like they just spoke.

It's like wow, that would be a really sick way to go. That would be the sickest. That or drowning. Oh God, Jesus. You know what, Biz? We were somewhat on fire, a little pun or play on words. Thank you for getting us out of that. You and I were in Halifax.

You and I were in Halifax, Nova Scotia. So we went out there, Keith. It was the Progress Club's Sports Charity Dinner. Now we didn't know much about it at all going in. This thing is as impressive as any dinner I've ever been to. Over 1,300 people there. And where did we have it? Is it the Convention Center, Halifax?

Convention Center? Yeah, just downtown, the newer one. It's like about a stone's throw away from the hockey arena. The downtown's not very big, but a beautiful city. And how hospitable is Halifax? You can't beat East Coast people and just their kindness and their welcomingness and everything they were able to put together in order to raise

a million dollars they donated this year to an amazing cause. Special Olympics, and when I'm drawing a blank on the home, the Windsor. King's Meadow. King's Meadow, it was in Windsor, Halifax, is where the home is. Yeah, and so there's, I think, I believe,

10 special needs people that it's a fully staffed house. This dinner's been going on, this progress club, over 50 years, an amazing time. It was myself, Biz, Jeremy Ronick, Jackie Barrett, who won 13 or 15 gold medals in this. 15 medals, 13 of which gold in the Special Olympics. Keith, he back-squatted 625 pounds. And it was incredible to see.

This guy gave up. He gave a nice interview. We were with Rod Black, correct? Rod Black, legend. What a guy. All-time bus driver, Keith, for this entire thing. Tessa Benalm was there, legendary gold medal winner, 2010 Women's Winter Olympics in Van. So it was just a fantastic night. And it was funny because JR was chatting us up beforehand. I think

he had been years prior. Somebody showed him a picture at like the same dinner. He's like, I don't remember that. He didn't remember being in Halifax the first time. It's my first time in Halifax. I said, Joe, you were at this dinner a couple years back. He's like, 15 years ago? That doesn't count. He goes, you wouldn't have believed him unless they showed him the picture.

So that was what reminded him. Did that guy get all of his events in weightlifting, all of his medals? No, he started as a swimmer. He started in swimming. And then I don't remember exactly what happened, but I mean, he's a tank of a man. And he just got into weightlifting

and just smashing records, smashing them. And to see this guy, how strong he was, and then Biz, who called you out? Center, center ice. Jeff. Jeff. Yeah, one of the members of, yeah, one of the members of that house, just a beauty,

he actually had a full-grown beard and he shaved it like the day before the event. He even took off the sideburns, looked like who was the old coach for the Brampton Battalion? Stan Butler. And he came up and at the luncheon, he goes, I wanna arm wrestle Ryan Whitney,

but he thought I was wit. So he called me out and I was like, that's the biggest insult I've ever received. Like, show me a little respect here, especially on my home soil. So I had to arm wrestle him up there, and he gave me the, oh, what's that over there? Hook line and sinker, and then slammed me down, man.

Those guys, they got some strength. Jeffy embarrassed me, but we'll be back next year, and I want a shot at the title. You gotta be careful arm wrestling. My buddy tore his bicep at the member guests last year down here. Yeah. Like you can't, if you're an older, older guy drinking all day, while drinking, you might as well be somebody sending happy Easter texts. Right? Like that's it. What are you doing? Arm wrestling at this age?

I mean, maybe the young bucks can rip that off. Um, they like their pops out in Halifax a these dogs and I showed up I got picked up I landed Wednesday night I don't know It's like 930 got to the hotel is like 1030 by the time I go to the hotel and I knew the next day we Were doing stuff in the morning afternoon and then the gala was at night So I check it to the hotel and I'm just looking to go up there and finish season three of The Wire and pass out.

And the guys, Guy Bennett picked me up, he's like, everyone's in there, everyone's in this room in the hotel bar. I was like, okay. And I walk in and these guys are like, take this gummy, get him a drink. I was like, fuck, no, no, no, no. So I ended up kind of irishing after 45 minutes. I was like, yeah, no, no, no. So I ended up kind of Irishing after like 45 minutes. I was like, yeah, yeah, just like snuck out. The only way to leave is you get older.

People, I think they understand this. You have to Irish on people like you wouldn't believe. And I'm talking Irish exit. I'm talking, you don't even look at somebody to give them a wink goodbye. You just pretend you go into the bathroom and disappear. Yeah, it's your unbelievable. I'm a professional.

Professional. And he won't even answer his phone when you're calling him when he's at home. Like he doesn't even exist. It's completely dark. It's like he's got four different lives going on. You probably have a different family I don't know about. Shut the fuck up.

Califax, an amazing city. A mini Boston-ish. like it reminds me to say, the people, one million times nicer. But it's awesome, and it was great. Biz and I said we'd love to go back. Actually, a former teammate of ours was there, Steven Dixon. Oh yeah, Dickie, oh my god, this guy's funny. One of the funniest bastards you'll ever meet,

like his voice, the way he tells stories. And I told the story up there, because I think Biz mentioned, oh, Dicky, where are you at? Where are you at? We knew he was there, and everyone ends up pointing. And I brought up the story that Keith, he used to, he's the hairiest bastard ever there.

Hairiest motherfucker, Sasquatch. He would shave his chest, he would put a V-neck on and shave just the V-neck. So like, if he's meeting ladies out, they think he's got a shaved chest. You pull the V-neck back a square centimeter and there's just hair busting out. So he would do, and I think he would nair his back. Oh, he did everything. He did. I don't think laser, lasers to that degree existed back then. Like they haven't, they hadn't invented like the hair remover or the tattoo removal lasers.

So he was doing there, like he had hairy triceps even and he would trim them in the sink. So he would clog up our sink so we couldn't even use our sink in our house. I used to live with him and Dan Carcillo. It was the greasiest house you could imagine. No one, to the point where then he started doing it in the nearing in the shower and then it would start clogging up the shower. So we didn't

even, we had to fucking bathe in the fucking sink in the kitchen for crying out loud. I had to live with this guy, but I told Whit like, Oh, he did give me my nickname and Whit's like, Oh yeah, show a child guy over here. Thanks for the nickname. Just carving me on stage. Yeah, we were actually really ripping each other on stage. We were going at it. Yeah, we were actually really ripping each other on stage. That was pretty funny. They were loving it.

They were loving it. They were like, geez, these guys are friends. I'm like, yeah, we're best friends. But as in the other- Hey, doesn't he know the all-time trick is if you're shaving anything, you do it on the road in the hotel room, so you don't do that.

He had to do it every week, though. That's what I'm saying, it would grow back. Like he shaves it Friday in Hartford and by Sunday in Wilkes-Barre it's all back. So I don't even blame the guy. Yeah, so we were calling him out for about three minutes of that interview on stage with Rod Black. But going back to attend it all, just incredible hospitality,

great job what they're doing over there in Halley. And I believe there's two other progress clubs throughout Canada. There's I think they're both the both other ones might be in Ontario. But if I'm getting that wrong, my apologies. But what you guys are doing is awesome. And it was you know, we're grateful to have been a part of it. Yeah. And J.R. was I was asking J.R. like just like the difference in the game now, kind of it. Yeah. And J.R. was I was asking J.R. like just like the difference in the game now

kind of like old stories. And I asked about Dirk Graham. I was kind of looking at the Hawks like 92 roster right around that time. He's like, oh, Dirk Graham, that guy was tough as nails. He goes he had the most legendary pregame speech before one of the Cup Finals games that I've ever witnessed, that I'll ever witness.

I was like, really? He came in the room, he's all emotional, he's like, you're going to get the best game I've ever played tonight, boys. I will be the greatest I've ever been on and on about how good he's going to be. Went out and had a hat trick in the first period. I was like, what? That's gnarly. He's like,, like after this insane like two minute speech where he's saying how good he was gonna be for the guys in this room, he goes, oh get the first period hat trick,

we lost six five. I had my guy. He was minus six. I had my guy. They're all power play goals. But yeah, great weekend and Biz, your, that was Thursday, your weekend, it took you to hockey night in Canada. I mean talk about dressing down. You got the tie way undone

You got the ambassador jacket you make this ridiculous video about the Leafs screaming at the camera And what do you know the Leafs blow a two nothing lead to the in the league Mush nasty and full effect. They got the ambassador Was it to nothing when you did that video? An incredible night. Just mush nasty. Mush nasty in full effect. I got the ambassador jacket on. Was it two nothing when you did that video? No, I did that coming into the game. So we were up two nothing.

And I even mentioned that San Jose game. I said, this one feels, right now, like one of those ones that comes back to bite you in the ass. And they were tied with Florida at that point for the division lead in the Atlantic, right? Same amount of games played. And they get an easy one right on their Platter they go up to nothing and then the fucking wheels fall off man

I tell you just unbelievable and you had to know that Nashville was going to be coming hard, too Did you see Andrew brunette's quotes? Yeah, so he had called them out on Friday. I believe or yeah and kind of like Directed it towards the leadership group and the veterans. And then even O'Reilly was asked about it. He goes, honestly man, he goes, this is the state where you start getting angry, four losses in a row now. It's been a shit sandwich of a year. And he goes, but like, I'm not playing good. So how do I get mad? Like it's like you, I mean, Yans, I'm sure you can correlate. you're a type of guy who would have talked at some point, but if you're not bringing your a game,

like you can't really be the guy in the room who's raw, raw and shit. Yeah, it's tough too. Like not every leader, you know, is speaking up in the locker room in between periods and you're getting the guys going like I'll say Barkey for instance, he's your best player in, you every night every game the entire year 82 games But he's not gonna come in and start if you're on a four game losing streak

He's not gonna come in and start yelling at guys be you know be like hey you got to play more like me He more leads by example, and then you have guys like me who might be struggling But you have to say something and then in your mind you're like are these guys even listening to me a minus seven the last Three games like you know, but I think when you have to say something. And then in your mind, you're like, are these guys even listening to me? I'm minus seven the last three games. Like, you know, but I think when you have good teams, yeah, when you have those good teams, everyone kind of, you know, when you're all pulling from the same rope and it doesn't matter where the message is coming from, as long as it's the right message and we have all been a part of those days when the coach comes in flipping

out, you know, when you're on a tough stretch and it's never fun, but you know, it happens in a long season, whether it's the coaches flipping out, the GMs coming in flipping out or the players flipping out. It has to happen. We've had plenty of coaches flipping out and we'll get to that. But going back to that Leafs debacle, that was a trap game up to nothing like they were against San Jose and then they give up five unanswered So just some brutal goals to lost coverage, you know bad pinching by the f3 forward

So kind of disgusted because you know, you know what? It brings me back to it it brings me back to the whole leak interview and he was talking about when they they just kind of didn't have that energy to Like win those last couple games to win a Stanley Cup and he looked back to prior series where they're like, fuck man, we should have been more focused going into that one. We had to do the extra travel, play the extra game. And that took kind of a little bit of wind out of our sails in order to get over the hump, like.

Buddy, you got an opportunity to get like a freebie up on, on Florida and they they're dealing with a couple of injuries. And then you do that. Those are the games you're going to look back. If you end up playing Tampa and you go to seven where it's like fuck We could have had we could have had a wild card I'm not saying that's gonna be a layup But we both know that Florida or or Tampa ain't gonna be that so just a shitty night to be a Leafs fan But hey still a lot of runway left here and we got a lot more to get to other than the Leafs

Yeah, and like nobody really seems to be playing that great right now in that division. I mean, Tampa's lost two in a row. Yesterday, Sunday, I thought the Panthers were gonna lose to the Penguins. They're down 3-1. They got all these guys out of the lineup, and that's kind of an animal win by them, right?

We're not losing to this team right now. We're trying to win this division and you end up getting the two points out of it. So that was impressive. Saturday night was wild though. We had a bunch of crazy things go on and I think the craziest might have been post game in New Jersey where I haven't seen a player

make such an innocent quote in my life as Kovacevic made when asked What do you guys got to start doing? I believe he said, you know, we just got to get that playoff mentality going and I'm paraphrasing more just like when he finished the interview He's probably like oh that was I didn't I didn't say anything bad I just just totally trying to get the boys going here and when asked about it Sheldon Keith, oh just just I guess blew a gasket. He's like Start playing better. Why does he worry about his own game like watching it made no sense I was so confused and I guess like you could look at it

Maybe maybe Sheldon Keith thought his quote kind of made it sound like he wasn't getting the team ready to go playoff wise and it was a hell of a sound bite though. Yeah, so I was on Hockey Night in Canada and right away when we were in the back and we saw it, like Elliott was like, holy shit, I looked at BX. BX said first thing, he goes, he hates when they go to the room and they ask the players for comments and then bring it back to the coach. And most of the time it's maybe being a little bit misconstrued on the way back and maybe it's being kind of teed up in order to get that type of reaction.

Now I kind of agree with Elliot where I don't think he was doing that. I think he's just kind of, you know, saying, you know, do you think the player is right in this situation? And buddy, that is just stress. This somebody needs to get Sheldon Keefe a bong, like get him a ketamine bump before he's going into these fucking interviews. He has to put on the moon boots and just chill out a little bit. And the Liam brought it up on our weekly TNT call, because obviously we're going to talk about this. Like this is a big story. Like you would think with having lost Hamilton, Seigenthaler's out, Jack Hughes is out,

he would be having a lot more lighthearted approach in the fact that I don't think anybody's gonna hang this season on Sheldon Keefe. I think most Devils fans, they would try, I think most of them think that they're gonna go in and get throttled by Carolina. I think everybody of them think that they're gonna go in and get throttled by Carolina. I think everybody thinks that. And you got tough injuries at the wrong time.

And it wasn't your fucking year, but tons of runway left. But to now all of a sudden take that approach and kind of put a lot of the focus now on you being like, oh geez, maybe no wonder these guys are gripping their sticks a little bit tight and things haven't been going well given the adversity. Like this guy was, this guy's wound up like a kite.

And then to send her out a guy who I think like for a young player has been one of their more, more consistent players. Like maybe he had a tough couple games and, and like a couple turnovers where they're resigned. Like, but Jesus Christ, Keith, like I thought this was a little bit over the top. And I mean, we're going to talk about Montreal, but we go from the game one of that night to seeing him like doing little shoulder bumps with Caulfield on the way in playing tummy sticks, like making his players feel loose to, to what you see there. That was just, that was nuts.

I think that's a great way to lose a locker room is to do something like that. Cause if guys are on the fence of whether, you know, they're loving Sheldon Keith, the way he's coaching, that's going to tip them the other way. Cause you got a young kid like that. My, the way I took it was not that young. He's not that young. Oh, 27. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well you got to play a guy in your team. I think it's even worse that he's not that young. I. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. All right.

Well, you got to play a guy in your team that doesn't... I think it's even worse that he's not that young, I'm saying. But my thing is, their games right now all mean something. Towards the end of the season, when you're playing, the coach, every meeting is, hey, tonight's a playoff type game. Tonight we got to play, be playoff ready. It's a playoff game. He's probably just repeating what the coach said before the game and then he checks his Twitter feed after and he's

Absolutely. I would have been like what the hell is going on. What did the reporter tell him? I said clearly Obviously Sheldon Keefe hates this guy and hates his game but like And then he just walked out right he didn't even finish even finish the thing. That was the best slash worst part. That's what I'm like, I think this guy needs to cut it in half. Oh, he ended it on that? That was the end of the press conference? He walked out, did you see the PR guy?

The PR guy's like, oh God, here we go. And I don't think the PR. I don't think the reporter was trying to stir the pot or anything. I agree. He was just saying, yeah, you gotta be you know playoff ready and like yeah he's like what that motherfucker say what no I was actually imagining like running down the hallway he must kind of hate him because I was picturing like if a reporter went up to Terrain in Pittsburgh after a loss and he's like so we just talked to Ryan Whitney and asked you know

what they need to do and he mentioned being a playoff ready Like he might have just puked immediately like been too upset like physically emotionally to even say anything Cuz I give a guy you don't love if a reporter is talking about a player You don't love giving quotes after a loss like all of a sudden the yeah, the coach's head is just spinning with anger Pasha is Pasha on here get well. Yeah, are you? On Posh, I'll tell you. Pasha, is Pasha on here? Why don't we get Pasha? Oh yeah, well yeah, are you okay having this guy on? I'll tell you this, Pasha. If Montreal gets in, which I hope they do, and they get Washington, they have a way better chance. Anyone playing Winnipeg on the West has a way better chance than the Devils have against Carolina. This could could be a minus four fifty type line before this series.

I don't even know if you'll win a game. Well, yeah, I mean, that's not any groundbreaking. The best players out, their best offensive demands out, their best defensive demands out. Like, you know, even the coach lost their mind. No, I mean, I mean, Markstrom has been terrible since he came back from his injury. And like going back to Keith's quotes, like I didn't like it either. I think he has reason to be frustrated with the team. It's kind of three

tough showings in a row now, even though they beat Columbus at first game, but the third period they got caved. But to me, I honestly think like outside of Heesher and Bratt, I think he would have had a similar response if anyone gave that quote. I think it was more kind of like talk is cheap, go out there and perform versus like specifically about Kovacevitz.

Like he's been pretty solid. The team has a lot of issues. Like I just mentioned Markstrom being the main one right now. He's been brutal. The bottom six has been brutal. That's kind of more on Fitzy, but I really don't think Kovacevitz is a problem. And, and boys, things have changed a lot since game one when he called him Kovashkin. Have they not?

Like, holy cow. Oh, he called him Kovachkin. Have they not? Like, holy cow. Oh, he called him that? Yeah. Keith called him, cause he scored a rocket once in game one and someone's like, oh, Kovachkin this and he goes, oh, you mean Kovachkin? So he's got one goal. Is that his only goal this year? Yeah.

It's like he keyed his car. It's like he keyed his car, made fun of his wife or something like that reaction. I still think Kovacevich is probably like, I don't believe that the reporter gave my actual quote. Also, it was weird. Also, if you're Keith, like today, if you had practice, that's the first thing you've got to go over

and you've got to talk to him, right? No, he hates his guts. He ain't talking to him. Hey, no, he goes up and the guys are like, oh nice, he's kind of apologizing, but he's in his ear and he's like, speak to the media again, you motherfucker. You'll be in the coast. Yeah, I don't know. It was weird. There was a lot of names ahead of his that I think deserve that kind of treatment in the, you know, getting publicly called out over Koba Savage. So it was definitely weird. I would have loved to have seen him talk about it to his names ahead of his that I think deserve that kind of treatment in the, you know, getting publicly called out over Colbus.

Have it. So it was definitely weird. I would have loved to have seen him talk about it to his captain like that. You're saying that he would have said that regardless of any, you're telling me, I said outside of he sure. And Brad, like a couple of guys, I think most guys have like, you know, he had heard that quote, I think his reaction was more just like, he would have said it to Marks room Marks room is a scary motherfucker. I kind of hold.

I kind of would liken to like Marks room has been brutal since he came back from injury. Oh, Pasha. All right. Pasha just like Keith throwing all his players under the bus now. Oh yeah. This is an organizational problem. I would like to take a second though, to pump the tires of Jesper brat. You know, Jack Hughes gets out, they get gut punched.

They could roll over. This guy has stepped up. He just broke Scott Stevens' franchise record for most apples. And- Not hits? Oh, thank you very much for saying that, uh, Ryan Whitney. Jesper Bratt is the only player in the NHL with over 80 points and over 80 hits. The only player in the NHL.

Wow. Okay. That's cool. That's a stat right there. No, that's a stat. This is a guy who people just NHL. Wow. Okay. That's cool. That's a stat right there. That's a stat. This is a guy who people just, oh, he's small. He's soft. No, he's hard to get off the puck.

He throws the body around. Elite playmaker, great skater, one of the most underrated players in the league and for the audience listening, this is a guy who in Montreal at dinner, Ryan Whitney and Matt Murley said would not crack power play one on a good NHL team. I don't remember that. Holy fuck. It was a late night dinner. I don't remember that.

It was a late night dinner, but you guys, I do remember being owed $4,200 by somebody on this podcast. Thank you very much. And that was not, it's 42 if the Rangers get in if the Rangers Had wheels should be a bicycle. It's not okay Pasha. You know what? You know what if I said that I take it back How about that? Okay, perfect. Yes, but Brad very fun to watch dynamic The team is just miserable to watch and Kovacewicz Imagine next game and the media comes to Kovacewicz after he just starts running He's like, ah

He's like no English no English. They're like dude you're from Hamilton Hey, it reminds me of I had my coach in the miners Pat Conniger this guy hated my guts Oh, so much Heated my guts so much. He got his tires slashed at his apartment. He had a team meeting. He's like, hey, just want to let you guys know, I have video surveillance. If anyone wants to, you know, fess up to this now, there'll be no issues.

Everyone's like, what is this guy talking about? He calls the captains and he was like, hey, go tell Yans if he wants to admit to it now, like everything will be fine. He thought I keyed, I took his tires out. I keyed, uh, his tires out. I'm like, what kind of knife did you use? Yeah. I'm like, I don't even know where you live, man. Like, what are you talking about? He's like, Hey, we'll see. I'm getting the video.

It was your uncle. There's no chance he had video. He is no, it's like, it's like my dad, big Dan Whitney. I crashed my car into a basketball hoop in Ann Arbor when I was out at the program, and I called him, I'm like, Dad, I just came out of the movies and somebody buried my car, what do I do? He's like, where were you?

I told him the movie theater, he's like, all right, I'm gonna call over, I'm sure they have video cameras. And then I was like, oh no, I remember just like closing the cell phone. It was like the first cell phone ever and I was sitting in my billet house. I was like, what do I do? He knew there was no video. He just knew I was lying. I had to call him right back. Oh my god, you cave day. Yeah.

And then my billets kicked me out of the house for that crazy crazy sequence of events for you. No way. Yeah. That was the reason was the reason? That was like the first reason. It wasn't even their car either. The other reason was I obviously these people weren't huge fans of your boy, but I I didn't read a book that we were supposed to read and do a report on for Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. So I called my billet mom. I was like, hey, I'm reading this book. I don't really get it and the teacher told me if I get the movie that it'll really help me understand from my report I have to write.

So she called the teacher and said, did you tell him to get the movie? And the teacher's like, no. And next thing you know, all my stuff was packed. They packed up for me, dropped it all off at the A squared ice cube arena. And I pulled the George Costanza. Yeah, I know. I should have just gone back. Wait, why did you need her to get you the movie?

Because I was going right to the rink, right? And then we were going to be at the rink till frigging who knows when. Because then you'd actually go to school. Now they don't go to school. We were going to school. And then we'd go to the rink. He's not a speed reader, Keith.

And then I just figured I'd watch it right when I got home. Nice, maybe a cup of hot chocolate. Do my book report. Oh yeah. Nope, I had nowhere to live. I got home nice, maybe a cup of hot chocolate do my book report Oh, yeah, I'd know where to live. I was homeless for a day. Oh, so yeah, that's a fun. I love those billet stories oh, there was one I won't say the name but He like there was this like blanket downstairs in the basement on the couch He had the room down there and he basically had the basement to himself and he would tug off down there and he would just fucking blowing that like the blank and he basically had the basement to himself and he would tug off down there and he would just fucking blow in that,

like the blanket. And this guy needs a firing squad, that's ridiculous. A blanket? He wouldn't just grab tissues? The billet mom came down at one point and was like, hey, do you mind stop doing whatever you're doing to the blanket, it's a family heirloom. Oh my God, Oh my God.

No, this might be the, that might be the most like, hockey culture has a problem story I've ever heard. Just putting the VHS off. VHS is in cranking. Those are my mother's ashes. Got grandma's quilt just firing. Loads off in the family patches on the quilt things walking around the basement. Yeah, that was my college blanket

Pasha we're done with you and your devils get the fuck off the podcast. Oh, what oh hey top to bottom under the hood Not a lot going on there. No, but justper Bratt, that's a pretty, pretty legit, legit step. He had one thing to give positivity wise and you knew it was coming. And I actually teed him up chirping, uh, Scott Stevens, that he broke since we over already covered the Leafs. And we probably won't go back to the, about their, uh, them falling off the rails the other night, a couple of bright spots, obviously Matthew Nyes being one of them, uh. They gave a stat.

There's only three players in the NHL with 25 goals and over 150 hits. And I believe it's Tom Wilson, Brady Kachuk, and now Matthew Nyes. I think they have a unicorn in Matthew Nyes. Me and BX are talking about in that segment you mentioned where I was all fired up about the Leafs, where we talked about him specifically and like he's the type of player that makes me miss Hyman less like we didn't have a good net front guy We didn't have a puck count on the fore check and a guy who is relentlessly working I think the high end for this guy is like the sky's the limit and and he's a dog and he's a type of guy you Need in order to win

so so fired up about having this guy. And we were talking in the text about it. Like he's probably gonna get like eight times nine. Like that's a number that's- I think he's gonna get, I think he's gonna get offer sheeted. Dude, don't say that to booze. Everyone's saying, the first time I saw this, I think it was Nick Kiprios on a Twitter clip.

And it was basically like, you saw what St. Louis has done. We'll get into them. What an awesome story that is. But those two players, Broberg and Holloway, like you give the offer sheets and it wouldn't, it's not at all near the money that Knives would get and I'm assuming Toronto would match but it's just like he's so good and with the cap going up I think that what you've seen from the guys at St. Louis, like maybe offer sheets now will become a much bigger thing, a much more popular thing because like, how else are you going to get studs? You can't get them anymore.

They don't end up going UFA. And why these guys have leverage, like the Wyatt Johnston one, not to say he wasn't getting that money, but like that's the type of guy who would get offer sheeted, right? If it got to past Julyst and so was nice. But I mean, it seems like he's, he loves it there.

He's been so good. There was a tweet also. I read that Minnesota two years ago, I believe I think they had Logan Cooley. They had nice, they had Brock Faber, um, like the kid, Jimmy snuggle roots still there, like they didn't win at all. That was, there's another couple of NHLers too, like that team, the fact they didn't win at all. That was there's another couple NHLers to like that team. The fact they didn't win it. And we'll get into college hockey exciting time of the year

in a little bit later. And the fact that G just went to Minnesota for the Chicklets. Oh, yeah, G, that was great. Maybe not the best time to drop it. Yeah, I mean, I dropped it on on day one of fucking March Madness, the biggest mind's ease move in my Chicklets fucking eight year reign. What were you thinking? It's like, hey, well, so there's a few reasons why.

Let's drop a sandbag during the final round of the Masters, guys. Yeah, drop a Chicklets episode on Super Bowl Sunday. It's just the dumbest thing ever. So it had to go out before the end of March. So I didn't want to drop it next week right before the tournament, because I thought it would have got lost in the shuffle with March Madness and the college hockey tournament and the NHL. So I'm like, oh, we'll drop it this week.

Ideally, it would have been Wednesday, but it wasn't done by Wednesday. So we're like, all right, fuck it. We'll just drop it Thursday. I thought Chick-Lich-U was a wagon. I thought we could go up against March Madness and we did it. We can beat the NFL Sundays too. Yeah, you're right on. You and Bill. Yeah. You're right on.

We're coming for you, Cabell. Yeah. But surprisingly the video is not doing bad though. I mean, it got 100,000 views. The facilities are insane. Hot tubs, cold tubs, the saunas, the oxygen bikes. It's insane what they got going on there. Just like all the NHL players that have come there, like more guys that have played a thousand

games that have gone to Minnesota than any other school. Like that's pretty cool. Oh shit. Yeah, that was a cool stat that you had. That was nice. Yeah, they had no idea. I was rifling off those stats and they looked at me like, what the fuck are you talking about?

Wait, I was thinking when you were talking, like talking to those guys about, you know, the guys that had been there before, like when you were at college, did you know like what NHL guys, well were crazy like hockey you knew a lot but are there guys who were like oh Chris Furey went here I had no idea like wait are you saying that some people go to a school and have no clue that like a former NHL stud played there it seemed like with the two guys that G had they had no clue

about the history of the team I don't think that's a requirement just worry about your performance on the ice. Some of these guys, like all they actually know is hockey, like especially the ones who are at such a young age and they're phenoms because they're so dialed in. I don't necessarily think it's like disrespectful to not know the history. I think if you're like a-

There's so much though. Some of these schools have so many like random bullshit facts, like Minnesota, everywhere you go, like there's some type of memorial of like an NHL player the 1980 Olympic team her Brooks there's there's it's a lot to congest well Kovacewicz just has to worry about start playing better I think that Minnesota is like a true blue blood call like a power program so G great job on that. Thank you. Thank you. You and fishy Yeah, awesome job fishy back to Saturday night. I Am so all in on the Montreal Canadians right now

Like I think going to the four nations in Montreal and I hadn't been to a game since I played there 13 years ago, maybe you always said it was your favorite building too. It was my favorite building to play I played well in there. I had a couple goals in there, a couple assists. I also took the biggest hit of my career that we talked about on the Amazon night we did, but I loved it. And then going back there, I was like,

holy shit, I just forgot. And I think it's the number one crowd, and maybe you guys will disagree, it's the number one hockey IQ crowd. Like, you'll watch a Canadian's game, and right now when they're in the mix, like nothing's better, the noise and the vibe in there, little plays that in many arenas,

90% of arenas people have no clue what it was, they get like cheers there, right? Like, I'm not saying block shots either, something like that's obvious, I'm talking like a little beautiful short breakout pass, like the crowd's like, ah, like, you notice that they really get the game that they're following Along and they go down for one to the Colorado Avalanche the Colorado Avalanche are just they're just something else right now

McKinnon's like not even scoring at the rate that we've become accustomed to they're still winning and It looks like it's done third period for one and they come storm storming back. Biz, were you guys following along with that? What did you think? Did you get to see any of it? Yeah, that was the game we were more focused on because of just how much value it had as far as like standings and especially what it meant to Montreal. And you get to watch like fucking McCarr, McKinnon and all the new guys for the lineup with Colorado.

And buddy, like I'll start with Suzuki. He's probably been their MVP all season as far as consistency and what he's brought. And I feel like he's kind of that silent assassin doesn't get talked about enough. And now with them in the playoff mix kind of starting to get his recognition and and probably the next guy over it's probably between Lane Hudson and and Cole Caulfield. And it kind of reminds me of Washington, how they, I wouldn't say they had like snubs necessarily, maybe Logan Thompson, but Suzuki a bit of a snub

for Canada, some people thought, didn't get the phone call. Cole Caulfield had as many goals as he did at that time, didn't get the call. So it seems like that rest and a little bit of chip on their shoulders has kind of, you know, made them fucking a little bit hungrier down the stretch here. And I mean, it kind of brought up the debate in the post show

at Hockey Night in Canada with Ron Elliott and Biaxa about Lane Hudson and Rookie of the Year. Like what he's been able to do, especially down the stretch, like they lost Goulet like he played just over 28 minutes against the the abs the other night plus two player like getting difficult minutes Like I think if he's able to keep doing what he's done the whole season long And I mean there's it's probably a three-headed race right now with with Dustin Wolf and celebrini But if they sneak into playoffs man, I think that he it's his trophy to lose essentially at this point So great to see them playing as well as they played down the stretch getting everybody involved like the vorac was a healthy scratch a little bit wasn't playing great. He's elevated his play. Josh Anderson. So overall from and I'll go back to what I said before about Sheldon Keefe and how he was kind of a snapshot on the press conference. Well, that same night they got St. Louis showing up to the ring the same time as

Cole Caulfield and he's chumming it up with his players. So a lot has to go to be said about him making them feel confident, getting them all on the same page after a tough start and and really getting this group into the position that he's got him and making them feel comfortable working with them and keeping that that that good mojo environment there in Montreal. So fuck, I think, I think they have a over a 50% chance to make playoffs right now. I would love for them to get in, but to go back to Lane Hudson, what he's doing as a defenseman, as an undersized defenseman coming in this year, he's got. 55 points on a team.

I mean, they're a good team. No one probably had them making the playoffs this year to start the season. What he's doing with that group. I think he deserves that. The Calder, uh, obviously celebrating. He's having an awesome year too, but he's kind of one of those guys you expected it from, um, which, you know, you shouldn't take that away from them, but I just think as a defenseman, a young skilled defenseman like that to come in and

to be able to put up the numbers that he's been able to do and not look lost at all. I know he's a minus player right now, but it's still like he's, he's been solid for them in all three zones. And Marty too, like you see them there, they almost get to have a fight and practice a couple of days ago with a wifi and and, um, the Zeti. And then after you see Marty in the, cause you know, as an ex player, like you just want that to end and then guys laughing, you see him like in the pile with them laughing, hitting them, getting them going. So he's, I think he's pushing all the right buttons with that group.

He, uh, you know, he, I think everyone in that locker room knows that he's done it all too and been there and done it. And I couldn't imagine like those undersized guys like Caulfield and Hudson playing for a guy like Marty, who in his era coming up when there was, you know, there was no undersized guys, like the amount of tricks that he's probably teaching them of just how to protect yourself, where to keep the puck. I think Marty, if they make the playoffs, Marty, you know, should be up there for Coach of the Year as well. And a sad storyline for the Canadians was Brendan Gallagher brought up that his mom passed away earlier in March and just gave quotes about how much she meant to their family and cherishing memories of her.

And then he goes out, he ties it up with about six minutes left against the Islanders. I think maybe Thursday or Friday. Just to see what he's done, how long he's been on the Canadians. That guy's a heart and soul guy that's battled so many injuries because of the way he plays. You think his mom and dad have a lot to do with raising him to become that type of player, to have that drive, to have that commitment, to be able to play like that for that long. And that was pretty incredible. Then you see a fan who had, I believe won like a- Hockey fights cancer.

Hockey fights cancer jersey from the Canadians, reached out to Brendan Gallagher and said, hey, I'd love to give this back to you. And he wrote them back. Yeah, let's do a jersey swap. So such a classy move by that fan, thinking of his family losing his mom. So that was just, that was really hard. And it's cool to see his team kind of get around him. And he's pointing to the sky,

touching his heart after he scores big goals for the Canadians as they try to get in. Slavkovsky, he has, I think, 14 points in 13 games since the Four Nations break. It seems like just like last year, he kind of really turned it on in the second half. So they have some special things cooking in for St. Louis. Wait, wait. He had a really interesting quote. You're of some sort. Brady about Brady. Good shot. I'll let you take it away, Biz. It was awesome. Yeah, no, I was I was going to pop in and say that.

Yeah, he said that, like after watching Four Nations, like it was kind of like a a bit of an epiphany for him, saying like, that's how like I want to be known to play hockey. Like I want to be able to bring it every night like that. And you know, that's a kid at a young age who's admitting being inspired by a guy down the road's play and how he thinks he should approach it night in night out. And I mean, Brady's even a little bit banged up right now, but he ends up fucking scoring the other night he's getting in the mix getting in on the forecheck and also like Slavkowski man like he's a fucking young kid still like imagine a couple off seasons in the gym for that guy and then him having a bit of that mean streak like a Tom

Wilson or a Brady Kachuk that could be a fucking force to be reckoned with and he had two goals the other night with and I want to throw it back over to you how much emphasis do you put on for the rookie of the year like let's say Celebrini still reaches the 30 goal mark and gets like 65 points even though he hasn't played a full season you've put a little bit more emphasis for Dustin Wolf and Lane Hudson and the fact that in these last 10 15 games like they have to bring it or if they don't, their teams don't make playoffs, like do you put more emphasis for the trophy on that?

Yeah, but I kind of look at, Dustin Wolf's been incredible, but not playing every game to me has some sort of effect. And Lane Hudson, like, I mean, he came into the season, he wasn't on the first power play. And I think maybe two weeks into the the Chicklet season, we were like, Matheson was there, we're like, all right, he's going to take that over. And it happened quick. And now the way he's played, how quick he is, I feel so vindicated in a way.

Now, I was just going off what I saw at BU and the assistant coach, Kim Bramvald mentioned to me, yeah, he's going to get 50 points next year. And I was like, what? I think he said 50 to 60. I saw him Wednesday at BU's practice before I went to Halifax. He's like, remember what I said to you? I'm like, yeah, dude, I kind of thought you were crazy. So just to kind of see him in college and then see him doing the exact same things now, he's my guy. I also think it does hurt a little bit. Celebrini is in San Jose. The team is really struggling. Ten o'clock. They even play a lot of 1030 Eastern start time.

They play 730 out there. And then you got Lane Hudson in the top three hockey market in North America getting a team into the playoffs. So I think he's your guy right now. I believe Hudson is plus 100. Celebrini is still the favorite, minus 120. Celebrini and Will Smith and William Eklund have all been phenomenal lately. And San Jose's future, I think it's going to be nice coming up here. I really like what they're doing.

But Lane Hudson as a defenseman playing that many minutes, playing that well. Also, the crowd, they're obsessed with them too. But it kind of goes into what you were saying about St. Louis. You know how we've talked, like the NHL is not a developmental league. Like, you're not there. The AHL coaches are working with you. It's really about producing better players, helping guys improve, helping them become NHL regulars. NHL, it's like, hey, buddy, it's winter, go home, eat what you kill, figure it out. We don't have time. I feel like St. Louis is probably the best coach at just helping guys improve.

Just his past, what he had to do to become a star in the NHL, being on waivers, being told they had no chance. And then now, it seems like guys are making huge leaps with him. And that's something that shows this guy isn't just winning games as a coach. Like these players are improving and yeah, they're young. They're going to improve naturally. But he just seems like someone you'd love to play for. Like credibility and calmness, like take over every time.

Like it's almost like the players, like when he speaks, like they don't want to let him down. That's the feeling you want to have as a head coach. And I think he's earned that respect and not only how he works with them, but like how he treats them. He treats them like they're his buddies. Like I'm sure there's time to crack the whip, but man, that's a, that's as big of a players coach as you'll see. Now going back to the lane Hudson argument, like I get what you're saying. Like Dustin Wolf, I think, I think like if he probably played half the amount of games right now and played well, he'd hit the 50 mark, which if his numbers continue or even get a little bit better, what did, what did all Mark play as far as

games when he won the Vezna? I feel like him and him and Swain and shared the net. Yeah, but that's other goalies. Like I'm saying like in the argument of like players who are playing every game compared to a goalie who's not, like I just always lean towards the guys who are in the lineup every night. Okay, yeah, I guess it's a little bit more difficult. Like typically it takes goalies, like when do you often see a 23-year-old goalie who plays that many games with those numbers?

So it's all relative to where, like usually goalies don't develop till 26, 27. Like rarely are you seeing this situation. So there's still some meaningful hockey left to be played. But if it goes to where because Goulet is not there and they're relying on late Hudson, the way they did last game, and he's playing 25 minutes down the stretch and he plays like he did the other night, I think given they're in playoffs and how much ice time he's playing,

it's, it's his trophy to lose at this point because he is going to play every game. Would you not agree? Yeah, I think getting them in the playoffs will be a huge, huge factor for Hudson. But it's also too like Celebrini, have they ever done a split? Like two guys win it or no, he can't do that?

They have to tie on volts, which is rare. Yeah, unless Celebrini was like a clear cut, like he had 40 more points than him. But like, if you're, if a demand somewhat close and points and, uh, in numbers and gets his team in the playoffs and playing me to meaningful games and meaningful minutes, like you said, biz, I think, I think it should be leaned more towards him. Not that I love Macklin celebrini, uh, you know, just as much as you all do, but I just think it's Hudson's to lose now. Gee, I would love if you could look up,

I should have done this before the show, has there ever been a year, a two year stretch, where two finalists for the Hobie Baker were also finalists the next year for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year. Forget them being teammates. Like there's no way that's happened, but I don't even know if it's happened

with just two players up for the Hobie, then two players up for the Calder. That's what's kind of crazy. So maybe you could try to look, I don't even know, does ChatGP do that? Ask Sheldon Keefe. Unreal, impromptu trivia question, that was genius level stuff.

That was great. Holy fuck. Staying in the East wild card guys, it was kind of, I think the West has quickly and surprisingly become a little bit more exciting just based on like, Ottawa has kind of taken over, right? I think Ottawa and God, the Sens fans guys, they were furious at me.

I think two shows ago, I was like, let's go, here we go, you're in. And then they had a little bit of a skid, they figured things out. I think it's safe to say, don't kill me, that unless things go completely sideways, the senators are in. The senators are in and they will face the winner

of the Atlantic division. Now the next spot, we've been rooting on Columbus, one of the coolest storylines of the year after what they went through and they've just hit a wall and it stinks. We have Mathieu Olivier on the show guys. It's over an hour. We did it Wednesday last week, unreal interview. This guy is classic. His story's amazing and it just sucks that Columbus can't figure it out right now. I think they've lost six in a row. They have three of a possible like 18 points in their last nine games. And somehow they're kind of still alive, but it does suck to see them

hit this skid right now. I think people were kind of waiting for it to happen. And then at one point figured maybe it's not going to happen. So I don't know what you think of that team is Detroit. Also, Detroit, man. Jesus. These guys, what's going on with them? It's now turned into basically five teams for one spot. Somehow the Islanders are alive. If the Islanders get the playoff.

Please no, please no. They are just lurking, aren't they? And the fact that they're doing this without Barzell too, man. They trade Nelson and no Barzell. Like, man, just a savage, greasy team who brings you down right into the mud and mucks it up with you. That would be a boring team to watch

and a team that maybe they'll just anaconda choke hold Washington if they end up sneaking in. So, what I think about the team is I think that we're doing everything in our power to give them a Chicklets bump. Like this is us telling Columbus nation, we love you guys, we love your fan base, we love what your team's about,

and we are giving you every bit of power and energy to get you back in the winning ways, because it's gonna be a hell of a push to the end. The way that St. Louis is playing right now, I feel like that's the only spot available. I don't think that Minnesota can be touched, right? As much as they've been struggling and as boring as they've been, they're probably going to get that first wild card, correct?

I think so, but God, who knows? They actually had, who did they beat? They had a huge win over the weekend. I'm drawing a blank. I'll check right here. But yeah, back to the east, it does seem like, I don't know, Detroit has just kind of disappeared a little bit here. The Rangers somehow, let's talk about the Rangers. Let's talk about Saturday afternoon. I tweeted

out Igor Shosturkin should have got 17 million a season. I don't know how they won that game. Vancouver was dominating them. The shots ended up 39 to 12 and the Rangers won. Also, maybe one of the best games Quinn Hughes has ever played. I know it sounds crazy for this random regular season game. I think he hit right around 25 miles an hour, which is like the fastest anyone's gone this season.

And as he's going end to end doing it, Rosen's like holy shit he didn't swear this guy can fly he's just flying around everyone but sure enough Shasterkin just sitting there and then JT Miller gets the empty netter just kind of buries the Canucks in a huge game for Vancouver like I don't know what's going on in Vancouver right now Pettersons now hurt He left that game, I believe. And it's just like, nothing can go right for the Canucks this year, Biz. Nothing at all.

Oh, man. Did you see Quinn Hughes break Rempy's ankles too? Oh. On the blue line. That's how I looked going against D-Men like that. Like, you go out all confident. I'm going to pressure this guy, make him make a play. Whoop. Whoopsie daisy. Matt Karkner made you look like that. Like you go out all confident. I'm going to, you know, I'm going to pressure this guy, make him make a play. Whoop.

Carpenter made you look like that. I think anyone know Quinn Hughes would have legit. I would've lost my soul. Dislocated. I would've lost my soul. It just kind of feels like last year, everything went right for the Canucks. Whereas this year just nothing is and they can't, I mean, they've dealt with injury bog. They've dealt with their fair share of drama, you know, games like that where they dominate and can't pull a win out of their ass. But man, that's gotta be a frustrating season if they end up missing out.

But it's not looking good, man. I like, I really like the St. Louis team boys. I really like the St. Louis team. I watched them play against the Preds they look phenomenal they have now won six in a row. Kairoo gets his third straight 30 goal season like when he's on his speed and we saw it in that fat remember we saw him in Vegas before the fastest skater. He had all his buddies in town he's I'm gonna pay my tab tomorrow at

Hacasaun with the fastest skater. Goes out and beats McDavid and all the guys. Took it down and he's flying around Robert Thomas. This is, Pareko's out, right? He's still injured, they're doing this. Bennington, I said a couple weeks ago, like Winnipeg having the season they had only to deal with St. Louis.

And then maybe Murl's on game notes, he's like, this is kind of, Keithls on game notes was like this is kind of Keith said it I think this is kind of like when they won it like who knows what what could happen with this team but I I counted them out I think they went over Monty went there they had a great little run and then they kind of hit the skids and then now everything's flipped again a lot of is being made about their schedule is pretty easy right now yeah where they got the Preds they got the Blackhawks they got a couple And then they're just whipped again. Oh, a lot of is being made about their schedule is pretty easy right now. Yeah. Where they got the Preds, they got the Blackhawks, they got a couple different games where it's like, Hey, this is a lot easier than say Calgary's schedule, but it doesn't really matter.

Hey, put them in front of you. You still got to win the games, Keith. Yeah. And those like Biz said about that Toronto game, those trap games, you know, sometimes late in the season when you're playing the teams that have nothing to lose, they can come up and invite you in the rear end. But I think a lot of this in, you know, obviously Bennington having confidence in himself after the four nations.

But I think the group, like their whole team, everyone in the NHL was watching these games and they're watching Bennington, you know, making saves against USA in the finals, just playing unbelievable, winning them that championship. Like their whole group was probably like, all right, boys, we got the Jordan Bennington from 2000, what was it 16 or whatever. Like, this is our time. We got to go win some games here. And he's came back with the ultimate, uh, confidence in his own game too.

So cool story there. I'd love it too. Cause Monty obviously being friends with Murls and, you know, from everything you heard, just being a beloved coach and, you know, Robbie Thomas, their whole team is just like a, they're a group that you want to root for. They, it just seems like a, you know, St. Louis, a blue collar town. They play that type of game.

They always have, it's never a fun building to play in. And whoever has to play them with, they get in a first, first round. That's not going to be a fun series because they've been playing must win games for the last two months. It seems. Yeah. And they're all in that perfect age where, you know, I think they're all in like 26, 27 year old, their whole, the core group.

I mean, Shenner's getting up there, maybe butch, Navy a little bit, but I feel like they've been rejuvenated by that that young core squad but I just wanted to go quickly back over to the East too because you talked about Ottawa being in that spot and It looks like they are gonna make playoffs They do have Columbus three more times to close out the season So Columbus to a certain degree does control their own destiny if they're able to win season. So Columbus to a certain degree does control their own destiny if they're able to win. Like even if they're able to get like five of those six points, like that's a that's a big swing and gets them back in the thick of things. So going

back to that string. They got a big one against the Islanders tonight. Yes, yes, that's a huge game. Who would have thought Islanders Columbus on March 24th would just be this enormous game with playoff implications. That's why we play the games St. Louis the last thing I want to say after watching the game like it seems like their lines have rounded out perfectly But the biggest thing is Dylan Hallway is he has 58 points, buddy You guys got a new score in overtime the other night or is it? Broberg?

Broberg or Hallway? No, it was the other Oilers guy that they got. I think Oilers fans right now... Let's get into it. Before we go to Olivier. Let's do it. The Broberg one, I kind of get. It was over 4 million bucks. I understand it.

The Hallway one, just around 2 million dollars. I don't get that. I don't think any Oilers fans understand. Say he hadn't had that nice run, he's playing with Leon in the playoffs, he looks great. That's what you were like, what the hell, you got to match this. Even if he hadn't done that, you could say, all right, well, I kind of get it. We haven't seen much from him yet. We're not gonna match it. You'd seen it.

You'd seen the speed, the playmaking. This is the absolute worst case scenario, what's happening right now, where he's not only, he's not only playing, he's completely exceeded what Oilers fans would have been disappointed with in St. Louis. If he went and had 45 points, it's like, oh, we could have used that he might get 70 points and

And it's crazy two million bucks one point. Isn't it 1.7? Is it not even to I think it was 1.7 for two years and that's what I can understand is like like The whole roster for Edmonton and keep in mind they got Frederick out right now Kane will probably be back towards the end of the first round if they even get there if they don't get beaten five by LLA and then obviously Connor McDavid and Leon out so that's a lot of guys coming in but if Jeff Skinner and no insult to him is making three million dollars like why didn't Holloway exist in your plans there and then it goes back to like oh Ken Holland didn't you know didn't sign

these guys before it even got to that point where like did he already know he was on the way out or the way they were treating him is he like fuck you I don't give a fuck and then his buddy Doug Armstrong's like you we've talked about this before do you think that Doug Armstrong ends up doing that if Ken Holland still the GM of the Edmonton Oilers, and you go back to Broberg. He said he would do it to his mom, remember? Okay, fair enough, but buddy, Broberg was their best defenseman in the finals against Florida. I thought he was better overall than Bouchard.

Okay, say he wasn't. He was their second best defenseman. To me, that is such a big fumble. They got older, they got smaller, and they got slower. Like, Skinner's played well over the last couple games, but we're talking about McCloud, we're talking about Fogel, we're talking about Holloway, Broberg. Like, are all these guys not 6'2",

like 200 pounds, maybe over? Like, what the fuck is going on? Maybe a little shorter, but. Why would you want that much turnover on a team that just brought you to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals is beyond me and to something that we're gonna look to as a complete fumble if this team's not able able to get out of it but hey a big win without McDavid and Leon in the lineup it was the first time I believe it's ever happened when since they've been playing

together where they were both out due to injury it was the third time it's happened both times before it was when one of them was either resting and one since they've been playing together, where they were both out due to injury. It was the third time it's happened. Both times before it was when one of them was either resting and one was injured, or maybe they were both resting for playoffs. So they're two and one now. Big win against Seattle. I thought Nuge was awesome.

He had a slow start. He's hot right now. He's hot. He's fine in his game. So maybe these big guys and those four guys being our lineup is not the worst thing for these other guys to get feeling good, get the mojo going and hopefully propel them to another run. But with this is

it's the feeling the feeling this year is so different. So different. It's like, oh, my God, like, I think seeing those two in St. Louis, seeing how disappointing Arvidsson and Skinner have been overall Louis, seeing how disappointing Arvidsson and Skinner have been overall, and then just like everything that's happened this year is just like, oh fuck, like what happened here? Now, who knows, right? Like I was talking with Stoff, I was like, dude, I'd love to see like an 8-2 run here, going into the playoffs, get some mojo. I don't know what's gonna happen. It sounds like Leon will be out until April. I don't know when McDavid's back. We don't even know what's gonna happen. It sounds like Leon will be out until April. I don't know when McDavid's back

We don't even know what happened to Leon McDavid's. What's Stoff's mood like? Was he confident? Was he said, oh we're gonna Turn around. Always confident about them. Always confident. A man of his stature They don't lose belief man. Yeah, he's carrying that whole city on his back Yes, Leon and Conor were out, but Stoff was in. So I'll tell you right now, Stoff does not bend. So it's just weird. It's so... Holloway pisses me off way more. And it's kind of crazy being in defense when you think, I love Broberg, but 2.2 is the deal two-year deal too it was two years too he has 58 points my apologies one of the fastest

players in the league like what the hell are we doing here so also last thing before we throw it over to Olivier I was just looking at numbers so right now Leon has 49 goals, right? So he'll get 50. I mean, I assume he's going to be back and get one, no doubt for him. But last year, there was four 50-goal scores, and there were 17 40-goal scores in the NHL. This year, there's only going to be one 50-goal scorer. And at the most, at the most, that's being pretty lenient

with what I think could happen the rest of the way. We might get nine, eight, or nine 40 goal scorers. So kind of a crazy drop off. Well we talked about it with Mr. Ice, and that's a good time to segue to IceCon before we go to Olivier, but goal scoring was way down at the start of the year. I think by almost like a whole goal, and it was fucking.

He went on like a 18 game losing streak for picking overs. So I don't know if it was just like, guys were just ice cold. I don't know if it's cause goalies improve. But I think the weirdest part about it was I believe that even save percentage was down. So like not only was goal scoring, but save percentage.

So just a bizarre first half of the year. I have felt like games more recently have been like crazy. Like even the other night on hockey night in Canada, five, four, five, four, like there was a Edmonton's game was five, four against Seattle. So was Montreal's a five, two for, for Toronto. So I feel like later in the season, it's getting a little sloppier. Oh, I watched Chicago Philly a bit yesterday. What was that, pond hockey? You have never seen a pond hockey game. You haven't seen a pond hockey game like this on a pond in your life, let alone an NHL rink.

It was 4-3 with like 18 minutes to go in the second period, I think. It was crazy. I guess I haven't been watching much blackhawks. I've been paying attention to the other teams, but Bedard's on the wing. So that other kid's playing so interesting to see that they kind of moved him over despite his face-off percentage

going up because of me. But Whit, I think we've kind of went long on the front half here. Should we send it over to the nail gun? Yeah, I have a couple. I just have a couple things. So when I asked if two Hobie finalists had ever also been two rookie of the year finalists the following season. Lane Hudson wasn't even a Hobie finalist last year. He completely made that up. I don't know how he was and it was Celebrini, Cutter, Gaultier and Jackson Blake who's nasty on Carolina. He is sick. So they were going to talk about them after the break. Okay. Okay. Okay. Eight game here. Oh, Pat Maroon. Yeah. Pat Maroon.

Chicago Blackhawks Pat Maroon announces his retirement in a pregame interview with Darren Pang in St. Louis. Very kind of emotional moment. You could tell like it's time for me and my family to go on to the next chapter and just talking to Pang who was the blues color guy when he was on St. Louis and his three Stanley Cups in a row, one with St. Louis, two with Tampa. What a run. And then Maroon scored in that game against Philly on Sunday. Very happy for him, man.

And I imagine how tough it is, but I kind of like how he came out and did it with around 10 games to go. Hopefully get some stick taps from all the boys he's playing against and just get some credit at the end here. Yeah, I think it was Panger who maybe mentioned like, hey, are you thinking about playing next year? And he basically said no to Panger. He goes, man, what an opportunity to maybe do it this pregame. The fact that your family's here in St. Louis, like this is where you won your first Stanley Cup and brought it home. Like, and then yeah, they had that interview. I think we should actually play it right now.

Well, Pat, you're 840. I think y'all gave, how does that feel? Feels good. Yeah. I mean, obviously we all know the circumstances and, uh, I mean, 840. I would have never thought. What are the circumstances for you? Oh, I mean, for me, I just think I, I laid it all out there every night.

And for me, I just did everything the right way and I try to play an honest player and, um, yeah, I mean, it's going to be an emotional night for me tonight. Uh, obviously we all know what's going to happen, but I accomplished everything in my career that, that I would never thought, and I bet against all the odds, everyone doubted me. And like you said, I'm 840 M. When you look around here and see so many friends and, uh, old teammates, what's it like for you? Uh, uh, it's tough.

It's sometimes you got to give up everything, you know know and everything you dreamed of your whole life and I just know it's time for me and it's time for my family to go start a new chapter in our lives and you know to get to have a special moment tonight and be in St. Louis to have my family come in town and I want to Stanley Cup here and you know I'm just going to finish this year as every game is going to be my last game. You know, like I'm going to play as hard as I can and do every I can to keep winning hockey. And yeah, it's this is all I know of anger. So it's, it's, it's tough. I mean, no, no, it's hard to go through things like this.

You can't really process it, but, um, I think it's, it's best for me. My family is go start a new chapter. Really proud of you, pal. Thanks, Peter. I love you. Thanks for everything. So just obviously very emotional and a guy who just based on like, not only the work he's put in as a player, but from an entertainment value as well, like he, he deserves to

get a little swan song on the way out. Some, as you mentioned, the stick taps and some love from the boys and go out in that type of fashion. Not many guys get to go out on their own terms, and it seems like he's going to be able to do that. And just a legend, three cups. So congrats to Patty. I'm sure he's going to be doing media in his post-career

because he's been doing all those commercials, the glass commercial with the Ric Flair there in st. Louis So what a career what a run and looking forward to getting them on to talk about it Yeah, considering our interview with him. I mean he he got kicked off a team in the AHL It's pretty incredible what he ended up doing. So congrats Patty and with that We're gonna throw it over to to business number one heavyweight in the NHL, a true nail gun, Matthew Olivier, who got a six-year contract extension at three million a year, 18 million bucks for this guy.

Awesome story how he became the player he is, and an incredible insight medically to something that he's been through in his career and how it's changed his game. So with that, Matthew Olivier. What up guys? This episode is brought to you by Body Armor Flash IV. Body Armor Flash IV is packed with electrolytes and provides faster and longer lasting hydration with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or dyes. After the week in Halifax we had, we needed some Flash IV. I crushed one on the way home.

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Call 888-789-77777 or visit ccpg.org. Please play responsibly. We are and responsible gaming resources. See dkng.co. slash audio. We are now pleased and honored to be joined by business favorite player in the national hockey league and a man who deservingly so just secured the bag for the next six seasons, Columbus blue jackets, Ford, Matthew Olivier. What's going on, buddy? Not much guys. What's going on? Is it Matthew or Matt's your both? Yeah, it's originally a French version, but no one can say it in English.

So I'm actually surprised you're your French is like, you act like you can't speak anymore. You still got it. Eh, I can't speak English or French. I kind of like 50% of both. So both, uh, yeah, both languages. They say I'm a little bit dyslexic, but I still have the accent.

I can still speak it better, or sorry, I can understand it better than I could speak it. But yeah, but we're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about you. And you actually grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi, or at least were born there because your father was a hockey player. And from a young age, you were just traveling around as a family going to wherever he was playing hockey,

correct? Yeah, that's right. Yeah. So I was born there. I was like, I moved back to Quebec City when I was like three months old. And then we bounced around. We were in Oklahoma City for a bit, then Houston,

and then bounced around for a couple of years, ended up in Germany, and then moved back to Quebec when I was like seven. So, uh, grew up all over the place. So he retired when you were seven, you guys went back home. Where was your first time like skating, like maybe first year mites or anything? Was that in Germany or were you not even really going yet? Yeah. First, first year I played organized hockey was in Germany.

So they didn't have like a starting age there. It was just whenever you were good enough to start playing, you could get out there. So I think I was like four or five years old and I was playing with older kids. And, uh, I just remember it being like great. Like I didn't feel like I was younger than anyone. They were all like nice to me and I was just playing. So I was just happy to get it going. Was your dad a nail gun as well as the kids say?

He, he was different than I am. He was like a smaller offensive D man, but he played like in the coast in the 90s. So he always told me that he had to be absolutely insane because, you know, he had to create space for himself. So like he'll pump my tire, my tires ever now and then, but he always tells me he was crazier than I am. And he'll always have that over me. So still scared of him to this day, but

have you ever seen his wires cross? Like when they did, would he go crazy? Yeah, I seen it a couple of times. Um, so when he, like, when we went back to Quebec, he played in that, you know, Quebec fighting league for a bit. So when he like, when we went back to Quebec, he played in that, you know, Quebec fighting league for a bit. He was like, he was, uh, he was one of the best demon league. So they kind of just left him alone.

But I remember this one time he's like skating up the ice and some guy was like going after him, whatever. And some guy just like, you know, grab his stick two hands and right in the back of the calf. And I just remember like him turning around gloves were flying everywhere. And he was just like full UFC mount on the guy, just a scup into town on him. And, uh, yeah, next thing we know, like I think a day or two after he was going to get some cup of coffee at Tim Hortons, the guy walks in like full raccoon.

Like the guy he got on the ground, he's pumping his ice. Yeah, the guy was working. Yeah, he's pumping him. Yeah, the guy, they like actually had a cup of coffee together and stuff. So I was, I remember that was like, well, that's, that's insane to me. So I'm actually looking right now. I can't believe I didn't check this before I asked you the question because one year on the Oklahoma city blazers, he had 302 penalty minutes.

Okay, there you go. With 40, like, and then the next year had 48 points at 51 games. So, yeah, he he had probably has the right to tell you, buddy, you may be tough, but I still got that dad strength on you. Yeah, I'm never I'm never going to try him ever in my life, even even if he's older than I am. I've seen some stuff just bother me. Was he coaching you like when you did start, when you, when you guys moved back home? Yeah, yeah.

He was, uh, he was helping, you know, coaching either head coach or just helping out. Um, he was coaching the queue for a bit there. He was four years in Victoriaville when I was like in Dewey Bannum. So he was helping out when he could, but, um, yeah, he was obviously coached most of the way. That's what I was going to ask you. When he was in Victor, you, you weren't with him? No, he, I joined, I got into the league the year he left.

So, uh, then he, he changed jobs. He became kind of the head, uh, hockey ops guy for the development in Levy, which is where I grew up, just South shore, Quebec city. So kind of became like the head guy there and helped develop kids to the cube. I know it was before your time, but had you heard of the legend of Keith Yandel and Monkton at that point? I did.

I did hear the legend of Keith Yandel. Also, Yans, I don't know if you remember this, probably not, but you socked me right behind the floor and that my first year in the league gave me the fake, uh, the fake rim around with the fake slap shot on the control breakout. And I bit on it so hard. You just scoot right by me. That's your welcome to the league moment, dude. Yeah.

You're gonna get the guys that are playing their first couple of games. You got to get them when they don't know, they don't see it that often. So I'm sorry for doing that to you. No, you're all good. It was the COVID season. So after a couple of times I stopped Biden on it, but only took you a few times.

Hey, yeah. That's what he used to do. Check the game notes and he'd see the guys who only played a few games, who he could get. So when they were first on the four check, it's like, oh, yeah, here we go. Oh, yeah. No, I got I've been on it hard. No one gave me a heads up. So I guess that's on me, though.

I should have known looking at like your numbers in your career. Like, I guess your dad played to that. You know, that probably has something to do with you playing and falling in love with the game. Like when you were younger, were you a real skilled guy? Were you always flying around? It seems like your speed is like your biggest asset. So like as you grew as a player, like what came first, what came last type stuff?

I kind of just developed everything later than usual. It's funny you say that my speed's good because I remember when I was getting drafted to the queue and they were saying like it was horrendous. I couldn't skate really well. I had to do a lot of power skating and a lot of coaching lessons. But I think I was always a smart player, you know, kind of top one, two players where I was, you know, coming up, but never really like highly touted. Just kind of barely got drafted in the queue.

Not that time. I think they drafted only eight rounds of, of 15 year olds. And I was like a seventh round pick. So it was like just through like summer hard work and kind of just grinding through it that I just kind of built it year after year and kind of became the players that I am today. Playing five years in the queue, like that's a, that's a grind, right? And, uh, were there any times during that where you were like, you know what?

I'm going to give this up. I'm going to go try to find a new job. But you always set on, I'm going to make it pro, you know, fall in the footsteps of my dad and make this thing happen. Yeah. I was always set on making pro. I think I always believed I could, you know, maybe the NHL I was, I didn't know. I knew it was going to be a grind actually, but I knew I had like kind of a style of

play that fit well professionally and I could at least give it a shot. So yeah, that was always the goal. I mean, I kind of ditch school a little bit during the queue, but that's just because I play hockey. So CHL education. Well, for some guys took it seriously. The three that did ended up winning scholastic player of the year. But I'm looking at your hockey DB, right? And so you entered the queue,

like your offensive numbers weren't there, but nor were your PIMs in the beginning. So was fighting something that you eventually incorporated to your game later in the queue, or maybe you were doing a little bit, like how much were you fighting in your early days there? When I made the team, I was kind of in and out. I think I was playing every other game or something like that. And I was trying to find a way to get above the pack of the other guys

I was rotating in with. And one day I just kind of looked at the other team's lineup and I said, I should probably try to get a fight going, maybe something that will help me or at least, you know, show the coach that I'm willing to do whatever it takes. And I got absolutely pumped, but I never got scratched again. So, uh, it kind of started from there. Yeah. Where I just figured, you know, maybe that's something that if I do it more in

the others, maybe that gives me a little bit of an edge and then next thing you know, they kind of gave me a little more confidence. So I started getting a little bit of, you know, some points here and there. And then I just kind of elevated my way up to the third line that year as a 16 year old. So, so had you been doing it before you even got to the queue at all? Like you said, you ended up getting beat up.

Like, was it, so it was just a conversation you had with yourself. Was there any NHL player? Maybe you saw kind of doing it where you're like, maybe that's the way to get there? Was it a conversation with your father or no, it was just you kind of coming, having an epiphany. No, my dad never told me to do it. I remember I called him one day early in the season.

I was like, what do you think? Like, do you think it's a good idea? I've been thinking I should probably try something else. And he's like, well, try it. You'll see. I mean, you've been around it long enough. You know, uh, you know what impact it has on a team and on guys, but, you know, just be ready to assume the consequences.

Like I had taken boxing lessons, but nothing like on ice or anything like that wasn't in my style of play at all. So yeah, I just kind of built it over the years where kind of really became part of my playing style. And yeah, I mean, I just figured at some point it was so every time I do it, I'd get some more, I'd get like more space out there, be more confident. Like it's weird how I just became this. Positive thing in my game where I was just like, I think I need to keep doing this.

And being a young guy and doing it all of a sudden, I don't know what your relationship was like with your teammates, but did you feel that initial response from them too and the respect they have for you and like the, the, the, the satisfaction you got from that, if you weren't contributing offensively? Yeah, I think I did. Plus I was playing with like, I was on the fourth line with like two absolute nail guns, like just guys that were there to chuck them.

And I was in the middle of them. And I remember like before doing it, I was like, what, what am I doing here? Like I should be doing this. Like I'm playing with these guys, right? I'm, I'm like leaving them with the job by themselves and then. Yeah, they kind of just liked it. Obviously they were encouraging me and stuff. with the job by themselves and then yeah they kind of just liked it obviously they were encouraging me and stuff and then I I was playing well and then I

kind of elevated to third line and I just figured I'll keep doing it because it's worked so far. I got a two-part question first is simple do you remember the name of the guy who pumped you first fight in the queue and two like Biz has talked before how Dennis Bonvy was really important to him, like kind of teaching him how to fight. Did you have one of those line mates of yours, like after practice, do little stuff with you? Yeah, the guy that pumped me was Trevor Stacey. This guy from Kennewaukee, Quebec, who I think was a first rounder in the NLL, the lacrosse league.

Wow. Not to chirp the guy, but I think he had first rounder in the NNN, NLL, the lacrosse league. Wow. Not to chirp the guy, but I think he had zero points in three years. He was just an absolute like, take it easy on those types of guys. He just got his name mentioned. He's all fired up. And then, well, I just looked at, I remember looking at the game notes. That was bad mistake.

And I remember seeing like another 16 year old who had a lot of pins and I'm like, oh, this guy will fight. I had no idea. Right. It was like, Oh, this guy will fight. I had no idea. Right. It was like so early. Little did I know how I was on my knees after 10 seconds. But, um, yeah, guys that helped me while I was like around my dad, he was around the other pros in Quebec city.

They had a good group. So, I mean, I remember Donald Brashear was there. Um, and you know, I forget all the tough guys that I was around the log room when he played in that, in that league, but all those guys, you know, watching him over the years and stuff, I picked up a few things here and there that I kind of was asking them questions. Um, I don't think I've ever been on the ice actually physically one on one working on it, but just, you know, picking things here and there from those guys

and hearing them talk about it. That league, that senior league, like they, the crowds were unreal, right? Like people loved it. Like I imagine the atmosphere in there was pretty electric. Yeah, it was, and it was good hockey because it was all old pros that came back from their careers that just wanted to keep going. And, uh, it was good money. He didn't have to practice during the week. It was like, you just show up, play a couple of games, get us some

extra money in your pocket. And basically from what my dad's told me, he would just work during the week and his paycheck, he wouldn't even touch it because he would just use the money from playing the games in the weekend. So it was like a great gig, good hockey, especially the lockout year was. I remember it, like he said, like it was AHL caliber hockey. It's obviously changed, but I think like probably the bottom four lines and maybe one D man that were like there to put on a show and fight, they were the most paid

guys, obviously that's why the rinks were full, but, um, it was really good hockey for sure. And then you go, you go to, you know, you don't get drafted. You signed with Milwaukee is, and I think it's so impressive that you never played any coast games, you know, as a, as a bottom six guy coming in. Like was there ever, was there one certain guy, like whether it was a scout or someone in Milwaukee or Nashville's organization that you knew believed in you and that kind of helped you get your footprint in there? Yeah, there was a couple of things.

Uh, well, first of all, the, the scout that dropped drafted me in Moncton is the one that had started inviting me to rookie camps in Nashville, JP Glod, uh, is his name. So he kind of, obviously I owe a lot to him for, you know, giving me chances here and there. And I think my first rookie camp, no, I kind of, I I owe a lot to him for, you know, giving me chances here and there. And I think my first rookie camp, you know, I kind of, I think I had a good camp, gotten into a fight and got noticed by the staff there. And for what I've been told later is, you know, they kind of needed a big, tough guy

to come in and round out the team down there in Milwaukee. And obviously they thought of me, it was my only offer on the table. So I took it in the heartbeat. But, um, yeah, I just remember thinking. I'm probably going to start in the coast because I have a one way AHL deal and you know, you know, you have all the two ways and, and, but I remember thinking it's out of my control. I, at this point, just show up to camp, do what you do and we'll see how it goes.

And, um, yeah, never, never really looked back. I was just going to quickly go back to that last year, junior, and fast forward to now you 16 goals this year, like that, uh, the offense you've put up is five times more than you've ever scored. You had 16 goals right now, but that last year junior in Sherbrooke, you had 27. Was, was kind of getting that opportunity offensively in junior. What maybe gave you belief that you could eventually get it done at the national hockey league level, knowing obviously it's such a big jump and

you're going to be back on the fourth line. But the fact that you were able to do that your last year junior, there was clear, there was some offensive ability in you. I think so. I was, I was never an offensive powerhouse, obviously, but you know, I had a good shot. And weirdly enough, this is, this is, you know, I don't know if many players have talked about this, but my 19 year old year in juniors, I was missing a lot of chances where it should have been auto, auto goals,

like coming in back door, tap in stuff like that. And I would be getting passes from like a certain angle and just miss it. And somehow, some way I met someone that was working in neuro neuro training and kind of working with a concussion, maybe like, uh, guys that have issues with that. Sure enough, I get tested and I was completely out of whack. My depth perception was not set. My eyes were glitching all over the place and did some, did some work, did some exercises to fix everything.

And then I come back the next year and it's all going in. And so I kind of just, I wasn't completely fixed. Obviously I still had some stuff to figure out, but I probably had a concussion that messed up some stuff visually. And then just kind of, I've been treating it for years and it's been slowly and slowly getting to a point where now I feel like I don't even have those issues anymore. No shit. Yeah. And it's all coming together this year.

You didn't notice it. Like, it was more like until somebody pointed it out, a doctor, you were like, oh fuck, like this makes sense. I thought it was like normal. So like I'd be, I'd be watching TV and then my eyes would just kind of like glitch one way or the other. Like I'd be, I wouldn't be able to stare at a certain point. And then like, once I got tested, they were like, yeah, you're not only you

need some work, you're completely out of whack. And so once I did the stuff, I come back the next year in juniors and next thing you know, I'm not missing the net. I'm not missing those open nets. They're all going where I want them to go. And I'm like, okay, this should have been done years ago. But I mean, it's it's crazy. But yeah, that was a big part of the turnaround offensively for me. And funny enough, I just kind of kept doing it in pro hockey and this year it's

kind of like the same vibe as I kind of had a breakthrough last summer. So the original reset, like, would you go to a physio and you'd be there for an hour doing all these different exercises with a doctor? Would you have to leave home for like a week process? Do they like study your brain? Like, how does that all work? So I would go, I would go to this, um, this neural called neuroactive. And basically it's an hour and a half away from my house.

I drive there once a week, um, do about an hour and a half to two hours work. And it was all based off my results. And it was all like, kind of like a line pattern would go through a screen and I'd get like a electrical shock through a nerve that's affecting this one. It's like super advanced stuff that I got a hundred percent lucky to fall upon and, and get that therapy kind of. And then it was like instant, instant relief. And, and you felt that, that it was as a result of all the concussions

because of the fighting you'd been doing. Like was it, it wasn't like that before necessarily? No, it wasn't from fighting. I think I got, I got hit when I was 14 or 15, a bad one. I kind of fell backwards and I hit the back of my head on the boards. And when I came back home, my parents thought I was high. They thought like, they were like, they're like, where's the drugs? Like, where you hanging out with Bizz?

And I'm like, nah, I just got hit in the corner. But that was like, I'm pretty sure that's what it's from because I'm, I think that's when it kind of all started on the ice where I wasn't really finishing well. But obviously from hits and I don't think from fighting much, but you know, like just playing the game, I think it probably got worse over the years. Wow. So you correct this, you go back, you have the 27 goal season and, and from

there on out, you're now able to just do all those exercises on your own. Cause you know what to do in order to kind of reset things or do you still go back there in the summertime or, or do you have a new guy that you go to? No, I go back there in the summer. Yeah. I work with him. His name's Philip.

He's developing this program. I think they're, they're trying to get it to a point where it's successful for everyone, uh, which would be great. But, uh, yeah, that was like a big turnaround for me as far as like figuring out, you know, it was a weird thing. My dad would watch me play, he'd be like, I don't know why you're missing these. Like, these should be automatics, but you're missing all of them. Not like once in a while, oh, you miss a big deal, right? So then it kind of all just made sense.

Do you remember how, like who you met or who kind of introduced it to you? Yeah, so this guy Phil, he was a friend of my dad's and he kind of just he's you know in sports science and he's a chiropractor as well you know does a bunch of different things and obviously he he's helped me. I think he's working with Montembeau as well in Montreal. So he's trying to like I think they're Establishing a baseline. I'm kind of like the first one of the first few guys and then they'll I think they'll eventually try to make it A bigger thing that it is now. That's an unreal story. Yeah, it's Hockey specifically there's just so much movement, right?

And like you said tracking the puck and finding it through sticks and lanes and like, it's just, I mean, I know for when I was out there, I felt like absolute chaos as a forward. But yeah, that's great that you ended up figuring that all out. Now, I want to go back to the fighting side of it. You did mention you took a little bit of boxing. As far as training earlier when even when you were playing junior, watching you fight now, man, you're a nail gun. You talked about your line mates and junior, you are the heavyweight champ

of the international hockey based on not only performance, but how active you are. You look like you have it all figured out. What are you doing in the off season in order to prepare to fight all these heavyweights in the NHL? Well, like you said, I did boxing for a bit, but my, my boxing coach, he used to be golden glove in Canada, but he's, he my boxing coach, he used to be Golden Glove in Canada, but he's passed, like he can't do it anymore. His body is just his shoulders and all of it.

He can't really hold the pads anymore. So I haven't worked with him in a couple of years, but I think, you know, the base has always been there. I think it's just experience. At some point I kind of just figured out what worked for me, you know, what didn't work for me as well. Um, and I don't know this year and even last year, I kind of just figured out what is the best way for me to go about every fight and I just kind of try to focus on myself and not the other guys.

You know, like I used to watch the, you know, the fights on YouTube and all that and be like, OK, what's this guy doing? What's this guy doing? Now I just kind of do my own thing. And it's been a big turnaround from there as well. Do you do you have a like a memory of your first time getting called up, your first NHL game? And I mean, it must have been exciting because you had 10 goals that second year

in the NHL and you finally get a chance. I mean, that's quick. One year in the minors. And then you're kind of having an opportunity. Like, do you remember the phone call or your first game or anything? Yeah, yeah, I remember. I can't remember the exact road trip,

but we were in Chicago, O'Hare, taking a flight to Iowa. I think we were going to Des Moines. Middle seat. Yeah, that's C 13. Um, and, um, yeah, next thing you know, yeah, I got a call from David Poyle and he's like, um, you're going to fly to Iowa, but you're flying out to more morning, uh, to Nashville. And then I had practice that day and then played the next night against Winnipeg.

So obviously calling everyone and calling my dad, my mom, my sister, um, you know, getting everyone, everyone down there. Um, I think I had like 15 people, which was great. My parents made it. My grandparents made it. So it was, uh, yeah, it was really, uh, yeah, really cool. Really cool to have everyone there. And, uh, um, I didn't think it was going to happen that fast.

I was like shocked. I was shocked because a couple of weeks prior, our AGM was telling me like, you're, you're doing pretty good. If you keep going, you might get a shot. And I remember thinking there's no, no chance, no chance that happens. I'm years away from that. Like in my mind, I was like, it's going to be a grind and yeah, happened a couple of weeks after that. So that was,

were you still on an AHL deal? No. So I, so I signed that a deal and then I think in February, they, they offered me the entry level contract to finish the year and then the next two years. So it would have been like, uh, basically just half a year where I would have been in an AHL deal. And then I kind of fell on my entry level. Did they give you a signing bonus? They did.

Yeah. Oh, fucking right. Yeah, they did. They did. They, it was some weird thing where the contract wasn't, it wasn't approved because it was too late in the year. So they, they gave me another HL contract to modify my first one. And then the set, the, the entry level deal kicked in at the end of that season.

But the bonus was part of the AHL contract as well. So that was kind of nice. That was a good summer right there. Oh yeah. It helped round out the year. Cause let me tell you, when you're at almost league minimum, AHL, it's goes away quick. And I would imagine Milwaukee is a pretty good place to play in the AHL

And I don't know if you had a girl at the time, but it seems like a great party city Like very down-to-earth people and very good support of their AHL team great bar city for sure. Yeah No that first year I was single and it was it was super like bar scenes great people are afraid are great and there's like three streets where it's just like bars all the way down and It was super like bar scenes. Great people are afraid are great. And, um, there's like three streets where it's just like bars all the way down and, um, you're not going to find like clubs or anything like that. It's all just like basically Packer bars and you walk in and watch some football and just have some beers, play some bar die. It's good. You're like, Hey, you're like, Hey, um, it's this, but it's this game.

That's like, I think it's just in Wisconsin where you, Hey, you're like, Hey, um, it's this, but it's this game. That's like, I think it's just in Wisconsin where you walk in and it's basically just dice and you play against the bartender and whoever else wants to play. And if the bartender loses, you get a free round. So yeah, yeah. That's a drinking city, right? Yeah. Oh yeah. Sure. Like pure whiskey, drinking city for sure. Yeah. If you breathe, you get a free round. Um, I could see you. I could see you saying like, Hey, if, if, if you, if you get called up to Nashville, is that

a good bar city too? Guys are like, Holy shit. Yeah. Well, that's why they put it there to prepare you to go to Broadway. That's exactly it. Just a precursor. There's nothing like this. Um, I kind of want to go back to the fighting a little bit because like so many people are obsessed with like the fact that you've kind of taken over the heavyweight crown and, and like fighters preparation. Do you get nervous before games? Are you pretty much looking at the lineup sheet across the way and saying, yeah, tonight's probably a night that I'm going to go and basically go tap them on the shin pads and ask, like, what's your pregame process leading into the game?

Yeah, so I think I don't get as nervous as much anymore, but I do obviously look and you're like, okay, tonight there's obviously a couple of guys on the other side or this guy's there, like you're aware of it. I think my approach now is not necessarily to ask guys is kind of just to make it happen. So have an impact on the game and kind of throw a couple of big hits, you know, kind of create some momentum where they feel like they need to do it. Obviously it's tough to do that night in night out some nights you're

going to ask some guys to go, but, um, that's kind of been my mindset. Uh, last two seasons, I'd say instead of going around and asking them, just trying to, you know, make a difference and have people react to it. I would imagine they're tapping you on the shin pads more given like you're playing like 15, 17 minutes now. Like I, like that's, that's wild for a guy who's chucking them as much as you. So that would be very envious from a guy across the way being like, look at that. Look at that role player getting 15 minutes tip. Come on, throw me out there.

Well, you know, I don't want to, I don't want to get away from it though, cause it's like my identity. It's what got me here. You know, I don't want to be like all of a sudden. Like I'm playing more, I'm scoring a little bit, like, I don't have time for this. You know, I, I feel like it's been such a positive thing for my career, my whole, my whole journey so far that if I get away from that, you know, it's kind of just kind of getting away from what got me here. So I think it's always going to be there for sure.

That's awesome. I feel like a lot of, a lot of the fighters, when they get a little success, do want to play more, telling the coach they could be on the power play and stuff. So that's a, that's a great way to, yeah, that must be nice. I mean, it must be nice being the guy. Yeah. It's, it's nice to like, obviously I'm getting the tap and shoulder often and, and stuff, but with, with Dino, it's what's great about him is he's never telling me, you know, don't, don't fight.

Either, you know, he's not telling me to do it, but he's not telling me not to do it. It's all on my own terms basically. And so that kind of freedom for guy that plays the way that I play, it's so massive. You're not overthinking. You're not double, you know, you're not kind of stutter stepping your way on the ice. So, um, yeah, that's huge for sure. Now you were traded over to, uh, what, two summers ago, three summers ago to, to Columbus.

Like how did that go about? Like, did you, did you have a feeling you might be dealt and like, it must've been kind of hard, right? You make it in Nashville. It's one of the best places to play in the league. Great crowd. And all of a sudden like you're traded. Like what, what was the story on that?

Yeah. So that's another kind of story where a little bit of an injury bug where, so that era in camp, so I made the team, the COVID year, um, had a few minor injuries that year where I missed some games, but overall I was with the team the whole year and poised to make the team again and hurt my back in camp and took a while to figure out what it was, but basically herniated the disc in my lower like L5S1. Oh Jesus. Oh, interesting.

Yeah. And the disc was protruding on my sciatic. So my left leg was just completely like dad couldn't use it. Couldn't walk for two minutes. I had to like lay down a lot. And so I was fighting it all year and, uh, trying to put off surgery and trying to play through it. And it was just not a good decision.

I should have just gotten it fixed right away, but long story short, I got it fixed in February and at that point I was already, you know, I was back in Milwaukee and, uh, I come back in March with, which was great because they had to do it endoscopically instead of just opening you up, which, you know, fast track everything. And next thing you know, my legs feeling normal again. I'm feeling great. And, uh, so I ended up getting called back for playoffs in Nashville. We get swept by Colorado, go back down Milwaukee, losing the second round, I think.

And I kind of knew at that point, like I'm going to need a crazy camp to get back in kind of the mix right now, cause they already had a Chanel who was a good buddy of mine, but he kind of had taken over that role there. Um, obviously had a great year. So it was kind of written in the stars that I was going to, you know, probably get moved and, um, David Poyle was obviously super nice to call me a couple of days in advance, be like, Hey, I'm getting some offers. So just so you know, you're probably going to get moved and, um, David Poyle was obviously super nice to call me a couple of days in advance, be like, Hey, I'm getting some offers. So just so you know, you're probably going to get moved.

So I was like, okay, that's fair enough. Like I knew what kind of year it just happened. So I just didn't know where and, um, yeah, Columbus was, it was awesome. Um, Brad Larson called me right away and was like, here's what I need from you. Yeah, it's been awesome. That's the tough part that you always have, like even the best players, there's somebody trying to take your job, but there's guys with just so much security and someone in your role at that point, like you come up, you're doing well, one injury and all of a sudden, like there's the anxiety of like,

dude, I'm kind of, I kind of lost my spot, right? Like that has to wear on you a little bit and make it tougher to be like, you just can't get comfortable, I guess I'm trying to say. Yeah, but at the same time, that year, it taught me so much because I was, obviously I was fighting injuries, I was just in one in general,

and I was away from my family for most of it. Um, I had a newborn and a one year old and they were in Nashville and I was in Milwaukee and I was like up and down and the whole thing was just a mess that year and so it taught me a lot about, you know, not only playing through things, but knowing, knowing when to be, okay, this is clearly not okay. Like I need to get fixed up here. Um, and also just, you know, when, when I was going to make it back to, you

know, not mess this up. So was there a point in, uh, in when you got over, uh, to Columbus and obviously everyone now knows you're a fan favorite there. Everyone loves when you're on the ice. Was there a point like in your first year or two where you were like, oh, wow, they, they really, they really like me here and this is a fun place for me to play. Yeah, I think so. Well, I got obviously our room, we'd have some really good leaders and I got along with everyone really well right off the hop and, um, you know, it was pretty obvious

right off bat that they were going to value what I was going to bring. And I think they needed that part of the trade was that the year before they were getting bullied a little bit and then I kind of got brought in and they signed a goody, uh, the brands into a deal. So they want to kind of take care of that aspect. And, um, yeah, they, right from the start just felt obviously everyone, uh, from the fans to the organization, like, okay, we, we've seen this guy play.

We like them and we love what he brings. And I just kind of wanted to keep building on what I had with the team and wanted to show that I could bring some offense eventually and all that good stuff. So, uh, but right from the start felt very comfortable, very welcoming here. the team and wanted to show that I could bring some offense eventually and all that good stuff. But right from the start, felt very comfortable, very welcoming here. And then this camp, Dean Evison comes in, like there had to be, every player I think has a coach where it's like, oh, that guy really believed in me. And I'm guessing right from the start, he loved you as a player. Did you guys have a chat in camp preseason at any point where he told you

what he expected and kind of what he could give you and how much he appreciated your game? Yeah, a little bit right after camp. But I think, well, we, we, he didn't coach me, but I had him for a few rookie camps in Nashville, cause he was in Milwaukee and the year I came in, he got the job in Minnesota, so we kind of just missed each other there, but he knew of me, you know, he was part of the recruitment process and all that. So when I got here, he knew, you know, what kind of player I was and what I could bring. And I just had, I had a really good camp.

I was, you know, scoring goals and I played, I think I played all the road games too. I got, I got the old, uh, tough, the tough schedule. Yeah. Um, but after camp, he just, you know, came up to me and was like, what, it was the simplest conversation ever. It was just like, whatever you did in camp, just keep doing that. The best feeling in the world, man. Have a good year.

It's so I was like, perfect. So, um, I haven't had many, uh, many meetings this year, which is probably a good reason, uh, a good, uh, good thing. Can you kind of describe and go through the year? Obviously it's been a bit of a roller coaster. I mean, all the way to the fact that you guys are in the playoff race right now, uh, the tragedy that happened to start the year, uh, the outdoor game. So there's just been so much along with what you've been able to achieve.

So just from a Columbus fan standpoint, who was listening to this, can you just kind of go through how incredible the journey's been? Yeah, yeah, obviously the summer was just a nightmare. I mean, John was close to everyone on the team. He was obviously a big leader for us and not only like just with the guys, but, you know, everyone on the team. He was obviously a big leader for us. And, um, not only like just with the guys, but you know, everyone on the team, all our wives and girlfriends were close to Meredith and the kids as well. So, um, it's good that, you know, she's around the team this year. We've seen her a bunch and seen his family, which is great.

Um, but I think our approach to it right from the get-go is just, you know, go through it together, everyone and, uh, be open about it, talk about it, you know, talk about the good stuff, the bad stuff. Um, and really just, you know, remember John for what he wanted to do. And then that kind of just kickstarted our year into, um, you know, kind of surprising a lot of people and then bringing John into the outdoor game, uh, which was, you know, phenomenal. I don't think I've ever been a part of such a cool events and seen anything like

it, um, but he's always, John's always around us and that was like the big number one thing this year. And we always joke around about all this stuff you do and, you know, just walk in 10 59 for an 11 o'clock meeting. Like everyone's sweating and losing their balls because he's not in the meeting. And the next thing you know, he just walks in like, what's up guys? Just sits down, you know, like just not a care in the world. Just wanted to be with his family all the time.

So he taught us a lot and we try to think about him when, whenever we're going through some tough times or stressing out, obviously he taught us a lot and we try to think about him whenever we're going through some tough times or stressing out. Obviously he taught us to just enjoy life. That was kind of the kickstart of the whole year and obviously what we've been doing. One of the toughest parts is how close him and Sean Monahan were and he comes over. It absolutely sucks he's out injured right now because what a season this guy was having. It was just incredible to watch and witness. How much has he meant to that team?

I mean he's been around the league a long time. He's been a good player every year he's been playing. So has he helped you guys a ton like in the room and stuff? Yeah, yeah. Obviously a big reason why he came over to us was to be with John. They were best friends. So it's tough meeting a guy like that. You meet him at one of the hardest times of his life.

But, um, you know, we just try to make him feel as welcome and, and obviously support him as much as we could. And, um, you know, Monty to his credit from day one in camp on the ice, you couldn't, couldn't tell what was going on. He was dialed ready to go. He's obviously been around for a long time and helped us, you know, our team so much. And he's done a lot for our young guys. Like they, they look up to him big time and they've seen how he plays and how he's so

good defensively and then turns it like puck goes the other way, you know, chips in with points every night. It's just like crazy to watch that this guy just accomplished everything on the ice and, and going through what he was going through off the ice as well. I mean, just peaks to kind of player he is and the kind of person he is. So yeah, our young guys have been, you know, kind of taking a page out of his book all year and he's been big for our growth this year, for sure. Yeah.

I just think what everything that you've guys have done for the Goudreau family this year, just goes to show you how classy of an organization it is there in Columbus. But I wanted to ask you about probably my favorite, uh, player, if not, my favorite defenseman, one of my favorite players in Zach Warren. Ski, like how good is it? Like, I believe he should be in the, in the MVP race. You know, no offense to, you know, your whole team, but no, these other guys have,

you know, superstars after superstars playing with them. And he like to watch him play every night, he's so smooth. He's so confident. He makes everybody else better. And I don't know, like just what does he bring to that team? That he's looked like a different player since attending the first chicklets cup is what he's trying to say. Yes. You got a chicklets bump.

Is that what you're saying? Oh yeah. Uh, he, he's everything to our team. I mean, as simple as that. And, you know, he, we got fab row off waivers and I knew fabs from Nashville, but he had some experience with Yossi. He was his partner for a couple of years. And he came in and he was just like, I know exactly how to play with this guy.

And then Z obviously just stay the fuck out of the way. Go ahead, bud. I got the rest. So, uh, but he's been like, obviously his offensive numbers are crazy and he's just insane to watch like how good he is night in night out and what he does on the ice. But his defensive numb, like he's been dialed in everywhere on the ice. And he's been a big reason why we've had more success than people thought this year. And obviously I think he should win the Norris for sure and should be in the MVP. Um, I don't think it's a question. Like just what he's done for this team.

And it's, it's incredible. And he's so dial. He came into camp this year. There was something different. Like he, I don't know what he did this summer, but like he was always nasty, but he came in this year and I was like, whoa, like this is another level. Like he, he came in, this is a funny story. We like couple of us, like late night snackers, like not too far from the

cookie box, you know, I mean, like I like, I like a good glass of milk with some cookies at night, you know? And he comes in and he's like, like, guys, have you tried these, uh, Yasos or like, what, where are those? He's like, yeah, those yeah. Greek yogurt bars. He's like, yeah, Greek yogurt bars. He's like, they're unbelievable. Telling you like, they'll scratch, you know, they'll scratch the itch, but you won't like be eating like crap all the time.

Like wit. Yeah. Next thing, next thing, you know, like Coralli's on the train. I'm on the asshole train. Next thing you know, we got half the team just following Z for just like small stuff like that. No free ads. Yeah.

No free ads though. No, no, no. This we could do free ads. I get the, I get the cookie dough one. I'll take it anytime though. He, you know, like it, it's a small story, but I mean, that's the type of guy he is. He just brought us into like the little details that make a difference at the end of the day. So another guy that that's just taken off this year and it's kind of an interesting story is Kent Johnson. So he he was the fifth overall pick played right out of college that season, just like nine games. Then the next year had a great rookie year.

And then last year it was like something was missing. They send him down. But like talk about a guy who answered the bell. Did I don't I don't think he sulked or complained. And then this season, he's right around a point per game. So like, what's his ceiling like? Like what is he as a player? And do you remember last year? Like it's big news of a fifth overall pick after a good rookie season gets, gets sent to the AHL. Do you remember that? He he's such a talented player. Um, you know, his vision,

his playmaking skills are off the charts. Um, but you know, his vision, his playmaking skills are off the charts. Um, but you know, like sometimes it's just, it's just hard to find your rhythm in this league offensively. Like guys are so good defensively. And, um, I think he, he kind of understood he wanted to get stronger. And he came in this year. He definitely did that the summer gained a few pounds, you know, he looked stronger, quicker when we were playing those three on three and four camp, I was like, Oh my God, this guy's going to destroy the league this year.

Um, and he, he had a hot start and he's been having a good year, but he, he's his whole life is hockey. Like he just eats, sleeps hockey. Uh, he's one of those guys, like after the games, games over, like I like to just sit in my seat and be like, oh, I'm done. Like think about it tomorrow. He's watching the shifts, like slow motion, watching everything where you missed the lane, stuff like that. So he's really dedicated to his craft and great guy as well. Like just, just a really cool kid.

So I watch him every day and I have no idea what he's doing. Cause I'm like, this is another level of hockey IQ that I, I cannot comprehend, but he's great. So I'm just like, do whatever you do, man. That they'll do. I'm surprised you didn't ask her out. Corril Marchenko. You've been fucking talking about this guy.

Not nonstop. I was talking about him last year and now I'm like, Holy shit. I kind of look like I know what I'm talking about this guy not nonstop. I was talking about him last year and now I'm like, holy shit. I kind of look like I know what I'm talking about this guy. Well, and for wrong call and then like, what's the story? I saw some story like Fantilly was playing with them. So they're calling him Fantilly offers. Like they got the little Russian mafia going on. Well, yeah, yeah, we have like five or six Russians.

So obviously that's kind of going on right now. But now many of them have like random buddies and track suits hanging around the locker room? Oh, he, he March. He's one of those guys. Oh, walk into those white. Nice. Sure. Do they have any random Russian buddies who are always in the locker room? No, no, they're, they're enough as it is. Like we don't need that. But, uh, yeah, no, but he, um, yeah. So I guess Monty was playing with him in a Verankov and so Monty became Monahanov. And then when Monty went down, like Fantilly came in and they were like,

eh, I don't know, like, are you going to have to earn that name? And he's been, he's been doing pretty good. So I guess he, I guess he's still Adam Fantilov and I guess they, they got Andre Fantilov if we'd make it to the playoffs. I guess money just went right to the top. That's like a bonus in the cage. He's going to get the Putin gold card. If we're going to have a whole team trip to Russia, I think we might be the only team that might be able to get there. But, uh, seriously,

like he, he, uh, he's like every day he's just like, so happy to be there. His English is good. Like for a Russian guy, like coming over, like talks to everyone, very vocal, uh, obviously leads the way out there. So he's a beast, man. Like just puck battles and stuff. It's like really like small detail stuff that he's, he's unbelievable. Obviously he can score like any way he wants to. So I think it's the way to go. If you're going to have like a few of like, you know, Russians, Finns or sweet,

you might as well just bring in a bunch. Yeah. It sucks if you're just like one, if not even two Russians, like I feel bad for the, who's the rookie there? Meachkov. Meachkov. Like they eventually brought in Kuzmenko, but then shipped him off, but oh man,

like we had the Czech mafia when we were in Arizona, we had like five Czech guys, so it really feels like it works, and they feel like they have their own little community, I'm sure, in the locker room. Yeah, they got their own dinner crew, no one's getting in that for sure. And they're carving everyone on the team too. Oh yeah. For sure. For sure. Oh yeah. Everyone's getting it. But you know what? Like you said,

Biz, if it weren't for all of them, I'm pretty sure Vronkov would have had a harder time coming over. Like his English is better this year, but last year was like zero. Like there's no way this guy's talking. So it would have, it definitely helped him. So that was that. How did they get him in the fourth round by the way? Like he's fucking huge. He looks like he's like 230. I mean he had 18 goals last year. He's got 20 already this year and it was a late pick. He's unreal in front of that. He's like smart too, like really smart player. And he's hilarious.

Like one of those like just, he doesn't even talk English and everyone's just lying. He calls himself Big Boss. That's his nickname. And then I guess this contracts after the end of the year and he's in RFA and he's like Big Boss, Big Money. Like he's always like, he's always like going around. Like he's-

He's- The more I listen to you, the more I listen to you, the more I want to be on this team. I say, Oh yeah. He just looks like a shit. That's how he is. Big boss, baby. Yeah.

Big boss, big money. You know, he doesn't even need an agent. He's going in himself. Oh yeah. No, I wouldn't want to negotiate with that. Just stares daggers at you all day. Is Provrop cause he's more American than most Americans that I know. Is Provi running with the Russian guys or is he running with the American?

Yeah, he's taking care of all of them. Yeah. Okay, good. Taking care of all of them. Obviously he's helping out and stuff. Cause, cause well, Verankov, his real nickname is Ronnie, but he calls himself big boss, so it's, I mean, big boss doesn't get the meetings at all. So you always hear some like Marchenko or Provirov in the back, like But he calls himself big boss. So I mean, big boss doesn't get the meetings at all.

So you always hear some like Marcinko or Provi or in the back, like translating something in Russian. So yeah, Provi is just kind of like, yeah, like you said, he's like, you wouldn't even tell he he's Russian the way he speaks. So this sounds like a fun room. This sound, this is making me miss hockey big time. Who's running? Who's running court?

Who's the conductor in the room? Honestly, probably me. Nice. That's why you've got three times six. Holy fuck. I'd probably be running it. Me and Booner and Goody probably. Something like that.

Like more like some guys that little louder. Yeah. Z would probably just be sitting in the corner laughing, but. We hung out with Fantilly at the draft in Nashville and him and his family, just first-class, unreal people. So he must fit in, fuck, just like a glove. Yeah, he's great. I get along with him. Like he's, he's a great, not only player, but like just a great kid, hilarious. Like a goofy young kid, kind of of like, you know what I mean?

That's what I thought when I met him every day, every day. Like he tells you one from his antics. Yeah. He's not too bad. Now he's got a girl now. So he's settled down, but he hard launched his girl. Oh way. It's the outdoor classic. I saw Twitter like, Oh, Fentily hard launch. Cause all of a sudden he's skating around. So much shit for that. I was like, dude, you just got hard launched. That was hilarious. We, we gave a, actually the reporter that, that posted it.

It was like his, like no offense, Matt's, but it was like his most interactive posts that he had were like, yeah, you had to hard launch a guy. Matt's to get the fucking clicks. No, he, she's, she's, she's a nice gal too. She's awesome. But he's like, it's all, it's great. I always sit down with them and warn. I like, all right, what you got for me?

That's the only reason I lasted as long as I did. Cause I actually had stories to bring to the locker room. Yans Ray Whitney, I'd have to tell all these married guys what, what the hell was going on. Like my, my, my cock rings at the fucking my 40th birthday party. What's been chirping me. We've been talking a lot about on the last couple of weeks, James van Riemstijk. Is this guy not a treat or what? I fucking love them.

Unreal. The treatment. He, how much treatment does he get? All the time. It's insane. It treatmer. How much treatment does he get? All the time. It's insane. It's great. We're on the road and you're like, we're going to dinner and next thing you know, Reamer is 30 minutes late because he's getting treatment somewhere.

I mean, yeah. I mean, he's been around forever. He's got to have the right recipe. And he's been huge for a room, like massive, like just came in him and Jack Johnson, both of them just like, just veteran presence that we needed and guys that, you know, small stuff that make a big difference, they've been massive. And JVR is having a good year putting up points and stuff like that. Front merchant.

Yeah, he's, he's good. Like he's yeah. Mass massive for this team for sure. And a treat off the ice as well. I get, did we really talk and dive into like, when you found out you're going to get this big contract? Like, I mean, man, like from the start of the year to now, and then getting that, like you must've been just like, your jaw must've dropped when you heard the number, not to say you didn't deserve it and you haven't earned it, but that's such a big

number and long commitment for maybe a guy who's had your role in the past. Yeah. Well, we had a, obviously I knew it was going to be free agent. So my agent and I talk and we're kind of spit balling numbers at the start of the year and we weren't really near that point. And then as the year went on, you know, we kind of look like how it works. You look at comparables and all that good stuff. And, and we were just like, I think like we could probably ask for this and this and this and, um, yeah, but I think it's a combination of everything. Like everything fits so well in Columbus.

Like my role with the team, how I get along with everyone, um, just how we love the city so undercover, like it's got a little bit of everything for everyone. Right. Like young guys have Ohio state and then you got like great suburbs for suburbs for the families, fan bases, unreal, like everything kind of worked out where we didn't really want to leave. I mean, obviously it's a business. We knew it was a risk, but, um, and the negotiations just kind of went well.

We both sides just kind of said their number and figured out something that worked. And, um, yeah, I just know over and never w there never was a point where I was like, Oh, I don't know if it's going to happen. It always felt like we were going to make it happen here and, um, done with all this great and obviously my agent did a good job. So, um, but yeah, I mean, I'm, I'm just thrilled that I'm here like for six year protecting these young guys that are just absolute studs, right? Like Tantilly, Johnson Z is still going for who knows how long.

Seems like he's never going to die down. So, like, just I'm here to protect those guys and obviously create space and just, you know, be that presence for him. So, I mean, that's all I can ask for really. Guys, we need to talk right now about Roebuck. Let us introduce you to Roebuck activewear. If you've ever seen those incredible floral polos for spring golf, yeah, those are Roebuck. If you watch the Sandbagger against Bob Does, the spitting chiclets won, the win we had, the second version, I was rocking a beautiful floral polo from Roebuck. It's amazing how it feels, so easy to swing,

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20% off hoodies, joggers, and more with code CHICKLITS. Yeah, I'm so happy for you, man, especially after talking and getting to know you a little bit here. And because I was wondering the way your season's gone and the type of play you are. And it's it's quite obvious that like you're kind of a unicorn now. Like you talk Tom Wilson yourself, like the game has changed so much that if you can do what you do, there's just not a lot of guys like that. So there was a lot of rumblings that you possibly, you could have fetched a haul at the deadline, right? But it's good to hear there was never even a question

about the negotiations not going well. So you didn't have to deal with the stress of like, oh, are they gonna trade me so they don't lose me for nothing? Yeah, I think it was early on, sorry, I'm moving around here. I don't know if you can edit it. No, we'll do a little a cribs episode too. Yeah, exactly. No, our cribs not great, but um, oh, my wife is, my wife,

my wife showing up with the kids any minute now and they're going to walk in and start screaming. So I just went to her room, the work bench. Yeah, exactly. There was, there wasn't, um, it's a head print. A lot of fingerprints above that. There's cash everywhere. I don't, I'm not sure I like this background right now. I might have to, I might have to. Did you get them with the stripper pole?

No, yeah. It looks like that, doesn't it? I've actually said that before. I got to figure out a place to do this one. Here, I got it right here. Perfect. There you go. Now I don't look like a degenerate working off those cookies. Yeah, exactly. I'm off them now. I'm on the yassel train. I told you.

All right. I'm going to check you out. I'm ordering those summer right now. They're yeah, they're nasty. Anyways, um, yeah, so no, I didn't think I was going to get traded to answer your question because I think it was just, it made sense for everyone. And they were like very, very early on, maybe 20 games in a year. They were like very upfront, like now we want to keep you like we want to make this work. And I was upfront with them. Like I believe in what we're doing. Obviously love it here. Um, just want to make sure that it works out.

And obviously it was about getting something that works for both sides, but like there was no, like, I don't think there was a time where we're like, I, we might be on the move. Like it was, it was going well. So I just had one more before we pump your tires on the way out. Cause this has been awesome. It's been great getting to know you and deserve everything that's came your way. Um, like who have been the toughest challenges as far as fighting at the

national hockey level, like who, who are you like, Oh God, I'm not going to have as good of a pregame nap knowing that this might happen tonight and anything that you, uh, you want to say on that. When I fought Looch, uh, it was my third fight in three games and I got pumped. And I was like, after that, I was like, Oh God, what just happened? That was a tough one. Obviously Deloria every time is a hard one. You got Curtis McDermid.

He was in devils now. Revo was obviously a big one. Um, Gajdjovvic doesn't get enough credit. I feel like, um, you know, I'm forgetting a bunch here. I think Ross Johnston and Anaheim's nails. Jeannot still like absolute nail gun. That was fun playing with him that one year. So,

have you guys, have you guys fought each other being buddies with Milwaukee? Not yet. Not yet. But I will say, uh, when we were in Milwaukee, we were on the same line and that was a treat. Oh my God. Absolute treat. Whatever corner was going to get in the back. I think I did have to play against them when they were in Nashville together.

Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. We had like an absolute, like that team in Nashville was just pure, pure fighters basically. We had, uh, Borowicki was there. Yeah. The Borowko. Oh my God.

He was so tough. Yeah. So nails. Great guy too. I saw him at the airport the other day. He looks like he's Russian. He beat you up. He, he trains like trains on the heavy bag every day.

Just an absolute nail gun. Great person too. Um, so we had him, we had Ben Harper, we had goodie at the deadline. That was just on D and then we had Yakov Trennan, me, Janelle, big Mike McCarron. Oh, just, just meat sticks. Janot, big Mike McCarran. Oh, just, just meat sticks. Luke Cunningham was on that team. Cunningham can fight. So like all absolute meat sticks.

But, uh, yeah, that was a fun year, but yeah. I mean, to go back to your question, um, yeah. Gina's up there and, you know, probably forgetting a few, but there's some, there's some guys pretty much everywhere now. Like, and there's been a little bit of a revival of it. I think, I feel like there's not as much hate towards it where people are embracing it and are in the game of hockey is turning back into the way it's supposed to be. So it's great to see that you're on top right now, man, and doing your thing.

And we were so happy for you. And this has been an awesome interview, man. I didn't know what to expect, but the stories of the locker room, like Whit said, it kind of makes me miss being in there. So it's great to see that Columbus has established an awesome culture to kind of coincide with that Unreal fan base, because that's one of the most underappreciated fan bases in the league.

Yeah, big time, big time. They fill up the building. Even the last couple couple years, obviously, we're like bottom of the East and they're there every night. Always packed. Always packed and yeah, no, they're unbelievable. So we can't wait to give them a reason to cheer even louder. I'm really happy for you, man. It's pretty cool to see. I'm not getting the Russian tag. You're not getting the Russian tag? No, I'm my happy for you man. It's pretty cool to see.

I'm not getting the Russian tag. You're not getting the Russian tag? No, I'm not that kind of player. Although they do get excited when I fight. They get big time excited. They're always the first ones up. They're like five more years. They used to watch that in the back of their house, their barns.

That's how they did it over there. Five more years of training your eyes. I actually got one more Russian story for you guys. Oh yeah, let's go. Yeah, I just thought about something. So I guess in Russia it's pretty standard. I mean, I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that.

I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going more Russian story for you guys. Oh yeah. Let's go here. I just thought about something. So, so I guess in Russia, it's pretty standard for guys to be on their phones, like during, in like between periods and stuff. Yup. I guess they like just check their phones or whatever. Well the one kid had it fall out of his pants this year.

Oh yeah. So that was, so that was Veronkov's old team. So that's where I was going. So big, big bosses on his phone between warmups and first period. And I'm like, was he looking at like stats sheet? Cause we don't really get the game notes anymore. At least in Columbus, we don't. So I'm like, maybe, maybe he's just looking at the lineup or whatever. And this guy's watching a video of like a Russian bear just eating

something in the backyard. Straight watching a reel about a bear just dumbing some poor animal. And I'm like, Oh my God, this guy's got a hockey game. And I love this guy. He's my new favorite player. Big boss. So yeah, anyways, that was my, that was my big boss. If they got five Russians there, they should bring in a bear. Fuck it.

Keep it at one of the guy's houses in the basement. Anabaza. Anabaza. You'll probably have something going. I don't know, but I'm not, I haven't been invited in the inner circle yet. I'm working my way there. No, I was going to say you, you need like a couple more years of your, of your vision training in the summer and they might give you a look.

But if you miss one tap in, it's done. You're done with those guys. Done. If Russians give you a tap in and you miss, it is maybe the most angry people can get. I have a mouthful of what the fuck. Get the red dot on your forehead when you're leaving the rink. The fuck you matches on the bench are unreal when they're in Russian. I'm just sitting there laughing, looking at it.

Can't stop. Yeah. Just, just, but it's great though. We should get a Russian five shirt made up for the Columbus blue jackets. The new Russian five. Elvis is Latvian, but he speaks Russian with Russian with them. So I think we're going to have to make it the Russian six, the starting six, the goalie. All right. Well, Hey, that name speaks Russian with them. So I think we're gonna have to make it the Russian six, the starting six with the goalie.

All right, well hey, that name hasn't been taken, so perfect, we're not gonna get sued. This has been unreal. We're gonna get you on if you make playoffs. Sounds good. I'll try. Bring Fantilly or Big Boss with me. Bring Big Boss.

Bring the Big Boss on. Yeah, sounds good. Hey, congrats on everything, dude. Really happy for you, and we've been saying all year We were rooting for the Blue Jackets to get in so keep it up man. Awesome. I appreciate it. Thanks guys Guys we need to talk about game time for a minute The best part of college basketball is here and we know you're as excited as we are to watch some big upsets throughout the tournament. We're going to need the third and fourth round to give us a little bit more upsets, but game time's here. And while we're streaming in the cave, all the Barstool Maniacs in Chicago sweating out, sweating out games,

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option when you see the super deal icon. What are you waiting for? I'm gonna buy those Predators tickets and hang out with Elio and root for goals right now with Game Time picks. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account and use code CHICKLITS for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code CHICKLITS for $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. What time is it, G?

Game Time. Thank you so much to Matthew Olivier. Guy has deserved all of the things that have come his way in pro hockey, and a great person. Really had a blast chatting with him. Go Blue Jackets, come on. Although we have said we really want Montreal in,

so one of those two, let's say that, one of those two. I was fascinating, or I was fascinating. It was fascinating to hear about the neurological stuff that he did. That's nuts. And how much it changed everything for him, for him to take the initiative to go do it. So, fuck, there's probably a bunch of kids who heard that

and are like, oh, I need that shit. Fuck, I need it. Yeah, every kid who misses Tappan's like, I just gotta get my brain fixed. No, dude, you got no hands. He didn't even, somebody noticed it for him. He wasn't out seeking it, right? It's, you know, someone comes up to his dad and says,

hey, I think you should try this. I think it's dad. Oh, that's right, it was his dad's buddy, wasn wasn't it yeah, and then it works son can't like well I mean even a follow-through with the fact that he's driving an hour and a half and like putting the time like fuck man That's up Roi on that was pretty good I guess 18 shots in the bank for an absolute nail gun and I said he's the heavyweight wit because Not only is he winning every fight. He's the the most active too and he's getting 15 minutes a

game now so he's not just this like fourth line player knuckle-draggers this guy is very effective he's got a career high in goals right now I believe what last time we talked to him he might have been at 14 I think he's at 16 now so like just remarkable turnaround this year and finally getting some ice time and, and making the best of it. So you got a good one there in Columbus and you got some, you got some games that you can make work for you. Ottawa three times. Let's go CBJ.

Biz, he, he just looks in obviously you're the fighter out of us. He just looks so calm in the pocket. He looks like a boxer that's just like waiting, waiting. He's not afraid to like make that first move. He's just like in the pocket. He looks like a boxer that's just like waiting, waiting. He's not afraid to like make that first move. He's just like in the pocket. Like where, you know, I think in no offense to you, you were more like squirrely, like grabbing guys.

Like he's just like, it looks like he's, you know, in bed at night, just like. I fought like I stick handled, right? Very choppy, sloppy. He looks very confident. Like you said, in the pocket, it was interesting to hear him say that he doesn't really care to watch the other guy he's fighting. It's more about what he's bringing into the fight. And you could just tell he's going in with

that killer instinct. He's throwing those hard, quick punches. He's able to, he's also to able to use his, um, his leverage hand to almost pull the guy in tighter. And sometimes those guys who are compact like that, working in close is almost more of a benefit. So his ability to go over and under as fast as he's doing and having the control of his body in which he does, absolutely remarkable. And once again, it will always come down to willingness.

He just has the, he's seeing red, he's putting on the jersey, he's going out there, and he's expecting it every night, and he's like, oh yeah, you want a fucking shot at the title? Let's go. Gladly, gladly. Gladly. Also, we should've mentioned in that little Saturday recap in Montreal, Colorado, awesome fight.

Keaton Middleton ends up like roughing it up behind the Montreal net, and Jacki comes in. Great tilt. Jacki smashed him down at the end, maybe gets the win, but that was an awesome fight. Yeah, I think it was, it was a Josh Anderson who might be battling a little bit of injury. He got, he, uh, Middleton kind of went after him net front, protecting the goalie. And, uh, and then all of a sudden Jacki was foaming at the mouth, gave him the shimmy shake, they dodged the referees, and then they just started throwing the haymaker.

So I would definitely say edge to Wi-Fi on that one, although the fans hate when I call him that name, but I don't give a shit, I'm calling him it anyway. Yeah, some good action there. So definitely feel like people are so much hungrier for fights ever since the ordeal at Four Nations. Everybody wants it. Everybody wants them, the fans,

the players love watching them, some of the players love doing it. I certainly didn't, Keith certainly didn't, and it kinda leads us into LA and Boston. And we'll get to the GM meetings in a sec, but the LA Kings smashed the Bruins 7-2. I mean, the Bruins are horrible. They're right on their way to getting a top five pick, which is actually I think what most Bruins fans want. That's perfect,

but they are just horrible right now. And in the midst of the game, Jeremy Swainman, he starts shaking the gloves at Darcy Kemper. And Darcy Kemper comes out of the crease and says, all right, let's do it. Goalie fights are, I think, one of the most exciting moments you can have in hockey. I'd rather a goalie fight than a goalie goal. They're both awesome. But two goalies squaring off center ice, that's an awesome scenario every time.

And the refs break it up. The internet was aghast. They were furious. The fans watching at home were pissed off. At least if the Bruins are going to get pounded, let me watch a fight between Kemper and Swamen. Keith, were you the one? Yeah, you texted the group that apparently this is like a no-no. The refs are told to break these up.

Yeah. So you see it every time. You even saw it with Flurry. When Flurry was trying to fight, was it Bennington a couple of years ago, the refs got in right away. So that's the first time I reached out to a ref about it. And then obviously with this one too, and they're, they're told the owners do not want it. Like your most important player breaks his hand in a fight.

That's not going to mean anything. So my proposal was if there is a goalie's gonna go at it at center ice, the two backups should have to come off the bench and go meet at center ice and fight each other. Or a tag team match or just a backups fight. Just the backups fight. The, the, the starters started like, you know, are it shaking the gloves and then you look over the bench and the backup comes out.

But what, what if, what if Eric Comrie starts it for Winnipeg? He's like, come on, hellbuck. It's your turn, buddy. So it's basically like if the real starters in the game backup fights, if the backup's playing, the backup tilts. Backup fights, yeah. OK, OK. That's my proposal.

He's like, oh, shit. He's starting another one. Binington gets his backup into 14 fights in one season. That's my proposal. The guy sitting on the bench, he's like, ah shit, he's starting another one. Binnington gets his backup into 14 fights in one season. Olivier is the backup goalie for Columbus. Oh, I wanted to see that though. And then after, I'm so confused by the quote by Zadorov. He was asked if he believes, gee, can you play it?

Do you guys appreciate that Jeremy stuck up for Lusini, you know? I don't know. Is that what it is? Okay. Okay. I don't know. No comment. Zdorov seems very confused that, like, they're even mentioning that, that Swayman's trying to, like, stick up for teammates and gives the no comment. Biz, did you, well, how did you take that? I don't know. I saw the video and, like, I don't want to mess up whatever teammates and gives the no comment. Biz, how did you take that? I don't know, I saw the video and I don't want to mess up

whatever the context was. Maybe he was, like you said, confused by the question. People were trying to make it out as if though he was kind of like, maybe almost like, kind of rolling his eyes at the fact that Swain was trying to protect a teammate. I won't take it that way until he's asked and maybe confirmed or denies. So I won't take it that way until he's asked and maybe

confirmed or denies. So I don't want to hop on that one. I don't want to get, I don't want Zdorov acting like Sheldon Keefe all of a sudden on me. So I'm just going to stay, I'm going to stay away from this one. Biz needs to start podcasting a little better. Let's have him worry about that. I almost feel that he got so upset because I feel like he thought like the reporter was almost taking a shot at him

Like hey, it's kind of your job. It's your job to do It's your job to defend these guys and you have your goalie doing it Like what's going on here type thing and he's kind of like no fuck off. No question It's that okay, but who knows? That's why it's always good reading all the comments underneath because people have different opinions on like how it was taken So I definitely agree with G I felt like it was more something like that then then he was actually carving Swamen It seemed like some people thought he was kind of taking a dig at Swamen, right?

Is that is that what you're trying to insinuate? Mr. Boston hater? Well, I I don't I don't really know How he was taking it, but yes, people were kind of saying that. Almost like, dude, just stop the puck. We just need you to stop the puck. Just a horrible year for the Boston Bruins. I can't wait to see Marshaun start playing for Florida. But the GMs, they were in Florida. They were having their meetings,

and Gary Bettman was asked about the possibility of switching up the playoff format and this guy has dug his heels in on this one. He's made it very clear, like telling everyone, I like it how it is. It will not be changed. We did chat about how it doesn't change that much. It seems like every year it would pretty much end up being one through eight the way it is now. It just sucks on years like this when you get Dallas Colorado in the

first round but Keith Bettman has said it's it's gonna remain with the divisions and and figure it out that way. Yeah I think it's also tough to kind of question him too with where the games at right now and the rivalries I think you know the games in such a good spot with you know the ideas that they've been running with the last few years. So I personally would like 1-8 because if I'm a 1 seed and I got to play a team that, you know, a team like Dallas as opposed to a team like St. Louis, you know, I'm pretty pissed off. So it's one of those things I can't question I can't question his, uh, his logic on it.

It's, it's working so far that it's making, I think the rivalries are, um, getting bigger and better. I don't know if that's just cause the game's so good or the matchup wise, but yeah, for me, I just, I can't question his, uh, his, his logic behind it. I'm pretty much exactly where Yans is on it. I was far more critical of it before. I also think that was coming from a player mentality where if I'm a two playing a three,

I'm furious because I just played 82 games to gain some type of advantage. And like, you're telling me all I get is home ice and I got to play Colorado. Even if they, like if they do get home ice in that situation. So that's kind of where I was coming from before, but now that I'm a fan and I'm on this side,

and at the end of the day, it's about the fans, we're going into round one, which, you think of March Madness, those first few days, it's just absolutely chaos, right? When will the most people be watching the game of hockey in the first two rounds of NHL playoffs? So to solidify the fact that you're going to have some really, really good matchups, not only on the East

and Western games, like you're not going to get like the NBA product where a lot of times when the ones and twos are playing the sevens and eights, like you're, you're getting five games, four games in most cases. Now that is the basketball product where it seems to be a lot less, what's the word I'm looking for? The parody doesn't seem to be as good. But yeah, so I've now leaned back towards

what Yans is saying where I really can't question the mentality of the league because everything they have decided, including the point structure where listen, we were in the dog days, but it's hard to be in the dog days when literally five teams in the east are competing for a wild card spot. You don't know what the first round is gonna entail,

whether it's gonna be a Kachuk Bowl, whether it's gonna be a battle of Ontario, or even going out west where you're gonna get this team like St. Louis who looked like they were dead to rights while they've snuck in before in a spot and then look what they've done. So it's just overall like I went back last year saying that that was the most exciting

NHL season of all time like I think we're right back to that argument based on everything that's happened including the four nations the Ovi Goldchase what is he seven away now that's still a a hot topic. Fighting's up the passion and the game's back. Like there's potential for six Canadian teams to be in playoffs. If Montreal and the flames make it. So yeah, man, going back to the original topic, keep it the way it is. Keep the point system the way it is. Everything seems to be interesting. The full 82 at this point.

I go back and forth, but one thing on the way they have it now that is good is you are guaranteed some very special matchups within the division early. And no matter what way you go, one through eight or the way it is now, the finals can always end up being two teams the league is not thrilled about. Like if Winnipeg plays Carolina this year, Gary could have a stroke in his office, right? And that can happen no matter what. So you have the first round and now you know, like all right, we're getting some sick rivalries within the division early and we're guaranteeing some sick matchups, because we don't know what,

we don't know what two teams is gonna end up playing for the cup, so I see that. The other thing that was chatted about all the insiders were mentioned. If I had to go to Carolina for the TNT finals, like I might need private security. Yeah, that's true. Imagine you going to a Houston's in Carolina.

Oh my God. I'm done. I'm dead. You might as well bring my parents in. I'll say my final goodbyes. He just throws Yolanda in front of the Irish traveler. But boys, as, as messy as that whole situation was, my favorite word,

did that not galvanize the group or what they rattled off eight in a row. They got dummied by LA, but you're bound to have a let down game. But then they go right back to their winning ways. So it's Halsey. Looks like he's fitting in great. They're Patrick Patrick, uh, Jan Kowski. People try to say that the Rotten and deal included Taylor Hall. My understanding is it was kind of like a, like a third rounder for Taylor Hall and that was it. That was a separate deal.

I thought that's what I mean. Yeah. Now Chicago had taken some of the money for run to half of Rotten and his money. So maybe it was like in the midst of that three way. I've been involved in a lot of three ways lately so I'm getting a little confused. If you people listening heard the story

that this guy told us before we started recording, I'd tell you to go park your car before you listen to it. But it was not being recorded. It was not being recorded. Great three way trade there though, Biz. Great three way trade. to it but it was not being recorded it was not being recorded great three-way trade there though big great three-way trade well as my joining only fan so you guys might be everybody one I posture posture refused to be my cameraman so I'm currently looking for somebody new

fish is probably I want a job he's already in your room I got a password already yeah trust me I know the ins and outs on how to post. Post during March Madness. Hey, G's like, no, Chicklet's you, Chicklet's you. It's like, nah, we're on a greener pastures now, buddy. G posts a Chicklet's you as the puck drops for the gold medal game in the Olympics next winter. The other news that the insiders are mentioning is expansion.

Now, would love both of your opinions on this. So, I don't even know the name. Some big hitter came in in Houston. And there's going to be a team at Houston at some point, and there's going to be a team in Atlanta at some point. It seems like that's, I don't know what year this will happen, but the cap's going up. It'll go up even higher if you get two more teams in I don't know though

Like I'm watching Philly Chicago yesterday, and I'm like cheese Yeah, that's where you got to worry yourself about watering it all awful, and then you're getting two more and I Guess making more money for the players. I'm all in because the players will make more the salaries will be higher The cap goes up awesome. I want players to make money become rich, but the product guys with two more teams Where are you sitting on that Keith or biz? I heard even up to 36 teams. No, that's crazy I don't know I you just feel like Houston's name has been thrown around so much lately that at some point it's got to happen, right? And for a two billion dollar, is that what they're saying for expansion

point five to start like it by the time Atlanta comes around it might be one one point seven closer to two like that is so much fucking money you know the other owners are just salivating at that because when it's a zero players get zero zero but more contracts. That's where these new CBA negotiations are coming up. That's where there should be definitely never be any escrow. Former players should have insurance paid for. Like, fuck off.

If you got two more teams coming in, we're talking a total of $3.2 billion in revenue for the owners, give me a fucking break if these former players don't have insurance. Like, this is going to be a very pivotal moment for the NHLPA to understand where this is all going money-wise and secure their bag just as much as ownership. Now, it seems like the fans always lose in these situations.

I had Josh, one of our behind-the- scenes camera guys here yesterday, he mentioned that the Leafs are jacking up ticket prices like 20% next year. I saw that. Like holy fuck man. Buddy, Edmonton is like, I think one of the most expensive arenas too, beers, how, what they, it is, yeah, you're right. Maybe there's an opportunity with those two expansion fees coming in for there to be a little bit of a pause on

Jacking up prices for these fans like maybe there's a way for everybody to win here because like when I heard that I'm like Are you fucking kidding me? It's gonna be like corporate meetings going on in there Just wolfed wolf down below and then the corporate meetings during the game Nobody cheering on what the fuck's actually going on on the ice, but I'm watching Yeah, it's uh, I think I agree with you though, wit, I'm concerned about watering down the product. I do think that maybe if it isn't rushed and let's say it's like four or five years from now, I think with the growth of

hockey in America and even with the amount of people who are coming from overseas, like it seems to be another wave of Russian players coming out too. I think that that maybe it's not, it wouldn't be a bad time for it align with that. Like it's college hockey's grown, the viewership's grown, there's better players coming out of the States. I think that it will be a good opportunity to expand. But I think that ultimately if it was my decision and taking out all other factors, I'd actually like to minimize the amount of teams. I would want more talent on the ice all the time than watering it down. We don't want any bisonets out there. Let's just put it that way. Like that's the gap.

Well, hence why the four nation did so well is because people who knew nothing about hockey, when you're seeing the best players on the ice, it's a different level of viewership, right? You're seeing just every player on the ice is a superstar where, yeah, I don't know, because as a player, you want more teams, that's more jobs, more opportunities for guys to make it. But, you know, for us who have to watch these games, like we're the ones who would have to suffer, you know, watching like Philly, Chicago, a couple, or whoever the teams are in the next few years. It's it's that's more on us.

So I would feel bad for more for us in the media side than the players. Okay. So here's a question for you guys. Um, gone to your head. You have to take out a team from each conference in the NHL currently who are who Buffalo. See, uh, I would would I would take out Long Island before Buffalo yeah cuz the same with the history and I talking ret are you talking to relegate them or they're they're done they're not only if you had

to snip one team from each conference currently yeah I know but like I feel like this Sabres have better fans than the Islanders. Agreed. And the Sabres deserve to stay more because they've never won anything. The Islanders had that dynasty. It's one of those two. Out West, Phoenix is already gone. Oh man, that's a tough one, dude.

Is it though? I would say Man-O-Zay. It's not just because they're in last, because when you go there, there's just like absolutely no trim. Love their goal horn, love the shark tank and everything, but just- You know what, after playing for them, playing for them, it might be Anaheim. just I you know after there's a drone for them playing for them It might be anaheim and I feel bad. I was a duck. I was a duck for one season

What are you living in? I don't know man the LA is already up there. LA is right there. I Think Anaheim and San Jose should combined Make one team get a team back in Phoenix get a team back in Phoenix. Get a team back in Phoenix. No more San Jose, they can play in Anaheim area. Just a little nicer, more trim for you, Biz. Yeah, I don't know, I would probably say Anaheim too, but I always liked going to Anaheim. It is, Newport Beach is just a special place.

You have the True Gonna Love It restaurant. Have we told that story on the pod? For sure. We'll move love it. We have the True Gonna Love It restaurant. Have we told that story on the pod? For sure. We'll move on here. I don't even know what you guys are talking about. All I'm doing is picturing Houston playing Buffalo on a Sunday afternoon in four years. And they both have 37 points just battling it out

for last place in the league. And the whole league, all the fans being like, what are we watching right now? This is the NHL Biz is getting minutes. He signed. Darlene's the GM of the team. They signed an only fan star Paul Bissonnette for a one game contract to fight Olivier Gets all his teeth knocked out but still has an only fans video dropped that night from some of the tremble. You're a fucking idiot. Yeah, I I don't know.

I do like the players getting more money. I also think at the end of this CBA, if somehow former players are getting their insurance paid for, Marty Walsh may bring up Matt Murley's name in the press conference. Nobody has talked more about this. And I still think knowing Murls, the true mush, they might end up passing this with guys who have played a certain amount of games

and it'll be one more game than Murls played. That's how it may end up going down. Like how many games did Murls play, 70? It's like the guy at Shawshank who kept writing, it was Andy who kept writing the letters to get more books. Andy Dufresne. Murl's played 62 games. It's going to be like 65 games or more has their health insurance paid for the rest of their lives. Since we kind of went off the rails a little bit regarding that topic of expansion, what were some other things they discussed at the GM meetings that are worthwhile?

No All-star game. They talk about the all-star game. Yeah, they talked about next year somehow doing a skills competition thing, but not having a game because they're all taken off from there anyways to Torino. So, yeah, like after this year, it's really hard to imagine there ever being an all-star game again. Maybe you just always just have a skills competition, like a skills competition on steroids or some crazy stuff.

Now, granted, they've done the shots on the beach when it was in Florida, that was brutal. I feel there's another way that they can generate revenue. Like, they're better off, honestly, doing another outdoor game as opposed to putting the resources. Like, I don't mind though, people are like, oh, another outdoor game, another outdoor game.

Not every fan base gets to enjoy them. Like you don't always have to go do the exact same cities either. Like the one Columbus and Detroit, like that did great. Like what about some non-traditional markets doing it there? Like to put the resources into something that where like, majority of the time the players,

yeah some of the players who have never been to an all star game and they're young and they're like, wow, this is cool. Especially if it's in a good location. But fuck, I mean, yeah. Didn't you go to like two of the worst ones, like no offense to the cities, like three, you went to Ottawa where Raleigh, Houston, San Jose, San Jose, San Jose, Carolina. Yeah. San Jose. No. San Jose. You went to San Jose. Carolina.

Yeah. San Jose, Carolina and Ottawa. Yeah. Those were your three All-Star games. I mean, think I'd rather get a happy Easter text. Guys, what would you think about... And I brought this up on game notes. What would you guys think about potentially doing a mini Olympics, 23 and under?

You said it's great for the young guys. World Juniors? It's almost like World Juniors, but for the guys that are in the NHL that a guys that are someday going to get to play in the Olympics, they're not just there yet, but it would be good to, you know, people obviously like rooting for their country. That's something that we can get behind and it's a good way to promote the young guys. I think that you just give them that one, considering that there's going to be the World Cup every two, then Olympics, then World Cup. I think you give them a year of nothing,

like allow these guys to rest. Maybe in those years, you go to 84 games during the regular season. There's also a word that they're talking about starting the season earlier, correct? And- Biz, I don't know. I thought it's gonna remain October.

Correct, for now. But I think that there was discussion maybe further down the, going down the road. And I think right now what they're doing is they're waiting for basketball to make a decision because my understanding is basketball might not even start to like November, maybe even consider starting after Christmas. Like basketball to me is something that you'd want to consume in the summertime. Like by the time mid-July or mid-June hits, like most people are checked out of hockey, man. They're just not in.

They're going to the beach. So why, get your designated days during the week, the Tuesdays, the Wednesdays. Sundays. And the Fridays. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to start the, listen, I know we joke about that, but I'm saying you can avoid that, but yet still have entertaining games on and not combat with NFL.

And at the fact that you wouldn't be competing with the NBA, I believe that you would get more eyeballs just because of that alone. So I think that people are checked out by then. And I also think that those years in between, give these players a little bit longer between games to recover. It doesn't always, there should be no four and threes in a year with that, like where there's no all-star game.

Like none of that shit. Like there should only be like maybe five back to backs. Like let's keep the product better in regards to not wearing these guys out. And you could, if you're telling me that there's too much lost revenue from one all-star game to make up for it, you could do something else in order

to make up that revenue. You can. G just wrote here, Elliot Friedman also mentioned that the CBA talks are gonna begin like in April and that there was discussion, it says, of tax credits, like a higher cap for the higher tax markets like California, New York, Canada.

So I've been saying, they kind of do, they have to do something about this. I think a lot of people argue it's not as big of a deal as people make it out to be. Yes it is. I don't know, yeah. Yes it is, because not only are you, it hurts probably Canadian teams the most with it with and let's just be plain honest,

it's not pleasant playing in Canada. Fans know about your business, everything is the end of the world, it's non-stop. You saw, like you're telling me you're gonna pay 50% tax playing in BC dealing with that media circus every year if you have the chance to play in Dallas, Florida, any of these other places, you should be at least getting paid market value to what those other teams would be paying them or have the opportunity to, and if they don't do it,

it's gonna continue to kill Canadian teams. It's going to. And I know the dollar's shit right now, so it's probably a bad time to bring up the Canadian markets, but if it gets back to 25 cents on the dollar shit right now, so it's probably a bad time to bring up the Canadian markets, but if it gets back to 25 cents on the dollar, you need to see your Canadian teams thriving. Like you got to.

So this is something that has to happen. The fans are still gonna be all in people's business and know everything about you, no matter what the cap is for those teams. I know, but you shouldn't be getting charged a tax on top of that. Where the team could be able to offer you more money to keep you, you're just simply not gonna put up with both. If you're getting the money, you're like,

ah, okay, I could put up with this and stay there given the fact that I'm not basically taking a hometown discount because I'm getting taxed 11% more because I'm getting offered the same deal by Florida or even less. So that's just becomes sketchy when like if somebody were to be traded, like then it's like I guess you could figure it out. But then it's just kind of madness of like, does the salary drop depending on where you

go? That's a, that's a great question. And one of those, the kind of like loopholes where you would see GM start to exploit that if they didn't figure out maybe like he has to spend at least one year, full year in your organization till when he does get traded it's at the whatever rate it's at. Yeah. Whatever.

Yeah, it's definitely a storyline now. It's definitely a storyline where you see guys making a lot more money when their salary is actually less than somebody in a place like Massachusetts, New York, or Canada. So, kind of crazy there, but we're on to the quick hits. This is presented by Dove Men's Plus Care. Finally, a scrub design for men's needs. Add the new Dove Men's Plus Care body and face scrub

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find it at Walmart. They're all over the place, these Walmarts. Find it at Walmart today. I can't believe I forgot to mention this when talking about the Oilers. I'm sorry, just to quickly bring this up. This Carney guy, Mark Carney, is that his name? And I, this guy is out there at a pregame skate.

And I'm telling you, people are coming at me on Twitter like I don't care which way he leans politically. It could be the right wing guy or the left wing guy. You don't have a politician on the ice during pregame skate. Not to mention a politician who can't skate. He's shooting absolute muscles off his back foot. I couldn't believe it. You can't skate, he's shooting absolute muffins off the back foot. That's what I looked like. Weak wrist, humbiz. That was me.

I couldn't believe it. And I don't care which way he leans politically. You have people who are insane about politics now. They hate people on one side, they hate people on the other side. Don't bring politicians on the ice, let alone a practice day. We're talking pregame skate.

Do you think that like Ryan Nugent Hopkins wants some politician standing next to him before a game? You have your preparations. You have what you need to do that night. You're thinking about what you need to get accomplished in the morning to be ready to play that night. And you got a guy standing next to you that half the country hates. What the hell are we doing? The Carney curse.

I'm telling you, it's amazing they've won a couple games since he's skated. I couldn't believe it. What are the Oilers thinking? And I'm told that the guy hates oil in Alberta. So maybe go to like Toronto or something. I don't know where he's maybe a little bit more popular. Politicians on the ice for pregame skate is worse

than sending a happy Easter text by a mile. And I couldn't believe it happened. So I had to bring that up The good news is is at least they're even it out that Pierre poly of is actually singing the anthem The American anthem at the next the next Oilers game singing both apparently I said the American but it's both I just read so at least they're snapping it around and they're not just being Favoritism to one person. Can you imagine if like Ted Cruz was on the ice with the Panthers?

Like what are we doing here? Have some kid on the ice or something. Hey, Barky, go back door if I got it at the top of the circle. Mark Carney's asking Knobloch, like well, what's the PK formation? Can I get in the mix on a drill? No, dude, you're a politician who can't skate.

Get off the ice. Craziness. Colorado inviting Biden's kid him and the Jews can get off the rails. Colorado is gonna get out of the rail. Then Hunter Biden showed up at practice and we can't find the true skin. Oh, Jesus Christ. I'm glad we saved this for quick hits. Oh my God.

Yeah. The carny curse. The carny curse. Ted Kennedy skating with the Bruins in the seventies. Next thing you know, Bobby Orr never plays a game. We're like, what happened? Oh, they brought a politician on the free game skate. Oh, the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to-

Oh, the JFK files came out. Did you guys read those? I didn't read them. I saw on Twitter that apparently everything's what people have always thought. I mean, I don't know. Think we're gonna stay away from that one. I guess that he wasn't the only shooter, though.

I've been to that Dallas book depository. We had a game there, and I went over there. People are like, what'd you think? You think it could have been one guy? I'm like, I don't know. I was just checking out some books. I was trying to find a book that I was looking for. I didn't even know he was killed there.

JFK, yeah, Biz, forgot about that. Good thing you brought that up in Quicks. The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to court Mitch Marner If the Toronto Maple Leafs winger hits free agency this summer, that's from Pierre Lebrun I think everyone's gonna be courting Mitch Marner Yeah, that's no surprise And I think that given the way that everything is shaken out that he deserves to go here what the other offers are I mean, of course because he he's an unrestricted free agent,

but just that maybe how he's probably felt a little slighted based on performance, yet them still asking him to wave the no move and move on to a different team, considering I would say that he's probably been the Toronto Maple Leafs MVP from the start of the year till now. People might say Nylander was extremely dominant, especially in the gold department early on,

but I just feel like from front to back, you could argue that it's Mitch Marner. And if not him and Willie, well Willie's got his eight years, right? So he's got his bank secured. But yeah. Piz, question. Yeah.

What if you could only pick one? Knies signing 8.5 times eight, or Marner signing 8.5 times eight or Marner signing 13.75 times eight. Yeah, you gotta stick with Knives. It's just like he just adds. Really? Wow. Yeah, I mean come on man.

You're talking about a significant. Mitch is not gonna like hearing this. I don't know man, it's like, Knives is nice when he's playing with some stunts. So you're telling me that you should be paying, Nyes is nice when he's playing with some stunts. You're telling me that you should be paying a winger, regardless how good he's played. I think playoffs will have everything to do with my answer, but if you ask me that right now, Nyes is something we don't have.

We don't have that. We have a guy as good as Marner on the wing and it's William Nyland, you know? I think that Bobby McMahon could be a 30 goal guy too. I think that where you, yeah, I think you just kind of need a power forward. And that's one thing they're really lacking. If you get rid of him, like, one of Toronto's biggest issues is how soft they've been.

While he not only scores goals, he hits people. Like you saw with the White Cloud stuff, like he could even chuck them. He's a lefty. He'll handle his own business if he has to. So you can't get rid of a guy like that, especially coming off of entry level and getting them in at a number like eight and a half where you said he might get offer sheeted. I just don't, I think that Marner is going to get 14 million in free agency. I think he probably could go be the superstar of a smaller market team. And that's pretty much how it's going to shake out. That's where I'm leaning anyway.

I feel like he's a guy, no matter what, even if he was leaning towards signing back with Toronto, that he's going to test the market just to feel the love, see what's out there. And I don't know at the end of the day, but it's like, are you ready? Is this, is this his last season with the boys? I've mentally been prepared for that since the offseason things changed the way the season started then to hear they tried to make a deal at the deadline like that and the fact that it gets out well I guess it got out because they fucking asked them but yeah that's just kind of

the writing on the wall for me. We talk about deciding not to sign players with Hallway and Broberg in Edmonton. I think Kiefer Sherwood not being signed by the Nashville Predators is an all-time fumble for this season. He broke the record for, the NHL record for hits in a season. Crazy, and Biz, what was it, like 1.5 he wanted? He wanted 1.5 from Nashville, and my understanding is

that they didn't want to pay him as much as they were paying McCarran. And I believe McCarran's what, their fourth line center? And he's a big guy, he can chuck them, he plays physical, but I think we can all agree on, like, based on what we've seen this year, Kiefer Sherwood is a superior player. Like Kiefer Sherwood, the way that he plays

and the Energizer Bunny that he is and how he forward, I would say he's a $3 million player. And the fact that they got him locked in for one more year at one and a half, I think that Nashville management and what they did, man, they're gonna have to give themselves a very strong look in the mirror. And the worst part about it is like,

this might just be the beginning. Like they've committed to these older players to be able to get the job done and bring them into a playoff position. And now with 15 games left, you got their head coach asking them to remain professional for the remaining games. That's, you're out there, you have their head coach asking them to remain professional for the remaining games. That's a, whoo, that's when you're moving off of guys for 1.5 who are doing what they're doing and you're signing these

big tickets to old guys, you, I don't know if they're, I would, I would imagine that trots based on what he he's been able to accomplish in hockey has a few bullets left in the chamber in order to turn this around, but not many more if this is how things are gonna proceed, because it's like not only are they not gonna make playoffs, this team was abysmal to watch. And I know they beat my Leafs the other night,

but every fucking Preds game I watched reminded me of last year, them in playoffs against Vancouver. Like 20 shots a night, like slow, boring, Islanders 2.0 hockey. Right, am I being too critical here? Yeah, they could have easily, they could have won that series too. Like, I mean, Shelovs like saved Vancouver against them.

It was who was gonna hypnotize the other team with their boring play the most. That was who was gonna win that one. I mean, she loves like saved Vancouver against them. Yeah, that's right. It was who was going to hypnotize the other team with their boring play the most. That was who was going to win that one. So he broke the record was Jeremy LaZanne had 383 hits. He got his 384th. I played 459 games and I'm almost positive I didn't get 384 hits in my career. He had it in one season. Crazy. I do remember going to Madison Square Garden and I'd get like three. They were

very kind of... what's the word? What's the word? Where they'd give them out easily. Oh freebies? Yeah like that's not the word. Jerseys like that too. That's why... Generous. Generous. Oh okay. Generous. Generous. Yeah they're a little generous in MSG but that's an incredible number just to be running around killing people all season. Um, seven goals to go. So sure. Just talking about Sherwood, I think, especially for that group, you know, you

look at that group, they're, they're a softer team and I think he brings guys into the fight a little bit more. Like when you're, if they didn't have him this year, I think they'd be way worse off than they are now. Like, you know, you, you see a guy like that going out every night and getting four or five hits every night, like you have to, as a player on that team, if you respect your teammates, you have to up your level a little bit. And I think he's bringing that to that group and he's been a huge part of why they're, you know, still kind of in the hunt a little bit.

Actually G just wrote here, uh, speaking of Vancouver a little bit. They announced Demko is back tonight. Well, last night for people listening Tuesday, um, first time since February eighth and Pederson and Hoglander who left the game, uh, injured, they got sent home from the road trip. There's four more games. That is bad news for the Xenox. Trying to squeak in the playoffs. So Demko, I mean, what do you make of that wit?

Like I don't know what's wrong with PD but like you go to you go to New York, you know He's been playing a little bit better lately I think that after the first period they had JT Miller stats and it was like the hit he thrown like two or three hits and They were both against PD and and then all of a sudden PD goes down the tunnel like I don't know what what he's injured with but like Like I don't know man like break Brady's fucking you plan on one Brady Kachuck's playing on one hip But he's on the bench open the door for the guys like you Yeah, you would think too because it's, like I'm not leaving the game.

That's what I'm saying. I'm at least going to sit on the bench here. Challenge them to a fight for fuck's sake. Miller also gave a shove to Quinn Hughes in that game. Who knows? They could just be fucking around, but just gave him a little hit against the boards after. Yeah, Patterson, that storyline isn't going anywhere. And yes, he's been a little better, but what he's making and how he looks all season, it's

crazy. I mean, Jeff Jacobson, he's a huge Canucks fan. He's like, I am at a loss for words at this point of the player that we're watching compared to the years prior and what he did before that contract. It's a wild story, but yeah, that sucks. I mean, four games, if you get sent home, you're not coming back on the road. So now they get four games without him. At least Demko's back. I'm rooting for Demko to fuck that guy's been through a lot He just cannot stay healthy. I hate seeing players being injured that often

I just know what it's like to kind of go through that a guy who's rarely ever injured is Alex Ovechkin I know he was this season, but he's been a horse for 20 years. He's got seven goals left. It is turning into something where when you wanted it to be next year to have the summer storyline be the OV chase and when he'll do it. Now I'm kind of rattled if it's like, I didn't agree with you then. Now I'm like, it can't be next year. If he needs two goals, like it just takes away a lot of the excitement for me. Now what he's done this year, missing games. It has to be this year now

I'm just a little concerned that if not only if it happens like they can't prepare for it and put it on the pedestal It deserves maybe my opinion on that has left just kind of at the excitement overall about the Washington Capitals and what they've been able to do and that they might win the president's trophy. But it might be one of those situations boys and I think it was Army who might have mentioned the group chat like this could be like a massive nut burst and then like you just got no more energy left for playoffs. Like they let out this huge nut and then like you got the spaghetti legs. You know everybody's been built up to this to to this moment. And then boom game 81. Yeah, we're on the ice.

We're celebrating the locker room. Like we just want to play off series. If not the Stanley cup, pop the champagne. Yes, we, I am score Alex Ovechkin and then losing five first round slugs. That, that would be my biggest concern. You don't want the, you don't want the cum legs. Yeah. that would be my biggest concern. You don't want the cum legs. Yeah, I think that that group, they've been, I don't think that that could

rattle them that much. I think just the way that they've handled their business all year with, I mean, the chase has been talked about all year and kind of died down a little bit when he got hurt, but it's been at the forefront of the whole league all year. So I don't think it would hurt them too much. I still think they could lose first round no matter what, but I don't think that

that's, I agree with you when it has to happen this year. Yeah. It'll just be, it's still this insane record. It'll be incredible, but if you need two or three goals next year, it's just so different. They have, they actually have the Jets tonight in a battle for the president's trophy, those two teams. They got the wild. He should be able to get one against them. He's got the Sabres. He could get four that game watching Buffalo play.

They got the Bruins. He actually might break it in the next next four games. They go wild Sabres Bruins and he's got the Blackhawks. He's got the Blue Jackets twice. It is 12 games left, those seven goals. Not shocking at all if he does it, but that's not easy. And the crazy thing is it truly might come down to the Penguins, the final game of the year,

where Sidney Crosby, guys, is about to also break a record that is just mind blowing to me. He needs two more points to guarantee himself his 20th season at a point per game player, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record of 19 years doing it. That is out of control. To never ever, this would mean in his life he's never been below a point per game.

Like I'm talking, he certainly wasn't below a point per game when he was nine. No. certainly wasn't below a point per game when he was nine. No. Right? When he was 11 years old, he was probably three or four points per game. Yeah, they don't really fall around kids with CBC with a camera crew if you're below a point per game

when you're 13 years old. It's not really part of the criteria. 20 years, dude. He's also leading the league in five on five points like that's that's the craziest stat of the season The fact that he's leading the hardest the hardest to score or get points in the NHL five on five It doesn't happen a lot now just with how good teams are defensively where goaltenders are at and he's got what 51 you said Oh, I didn't say the number. I didn't say the number. I just mentioned that he's leading the league. Yeah, it's crazy. And God, you know, we were talking about recently when would he ever leave and so many people have said he never would. I think part of it might be he's so insane.

He's obviously an insane human being to be this good and this dedicated and driven. He might actually think like every season, like we can win the cup. Like I can carry us to the Stanley Cup. Maybe that's why he's never going to leave. Cause in his brain, he's like, no, we can do it. We can do it. Cause I can do anything, anything I've ever wanted to accomplish. I have, and I'm going to get Pittsburgh and other Stanley Cup.

That really might be what's going through his brain. Sid the kid, 20 years in a row with over a point per game. Crazy. Insane. The league announced the Penguins and the Predators will face off in a pair of games in Sweden next year. It's part of the Global Series. What'd the poor people in Sweden do to deserve that?

You're sending over the Penguins in Nashville? They don't sell out the game? Well, they got Forresburg. What other Swedes do they have? Carlson. Yeah, Carlson. Ricard Raquel. Yeah, Raquel.

Okay. But it's all about, I guess, all the Europeans, right? Yeah. Were you on our team when we obviously we did the Prague? Yeah, I was on every team that you were in. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, you're there every time Sent down and he made the team Remember remember we went to Prague there was like 20 Czech guys both teams. Oh my god It was um, yeah, cuz we played the Bruins. It was unreal

That was one of the funnest trips ever we were hanging with the Bruins guys We like hopefully we just split these like we get yeah, andins, it was unreal. That was one of the funnest trips ever. We were hanging with the Bruins guys. We were like, hopefully we just split these. Like we each get a, yeah, and we did. It was perfect. And they won the cup that year. Yeah, and we won the toilet bowl. You know what's wild is, so the year I did it with the Penguins,

when I played 15 games, I did the world premiere games where we played Ottawa and Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup. And then I did it with the Coyotes and then we played Boston and then they won the Stanley Cup. A little fun fact for all you people out there. Didn't Florida start the season last year in Finland or was that this year? And they won. I can't even remember.

Was that this year or last year? I think it was this No, this year was Dallas and was it Dallas, Florida? Yeah. Yes. Yes. I think Florida might have been two years in a row Yeah, because it was after Barkov won it. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay Anything else in the quick hits? Are we done quick? Yes quickly. I read uh Do you guys know that because we're talking about presidents trophy you know Washington plays Winnipeg president's trophy so the last team to win the Stanley Cup after winning the president's trophy was 2013 that was the Blackhawks but it was a shortened season before that it was actually 2008 when the wings won it they beat the team I was on, the Pittsburgh Penguins. So it's like, who cares about the President's Cup,

I guess, right? It's kind of wild though that two in the last, what is that, 18, 17 years, and one of them wasn't even a full season when Chicago beat the Bruins in 13, so kind of crazy, I didn't realize that. Quick hits, biz, Hurdle, Thomas Hurdle, dude, he's been on fire. I wonder what you thought

about this hit. This is Hurdle's last 10 games. 1-1, two points, then he had an assist, then he had a hat-trick, no points, then he had two assists, then he had an assist, then two games without any points, then he had another hat-trick, then he had a goal last night, but boom, he's out. Hit from behind behind I believe the players name was a meal Lilleberg kind of like I don't think he meant to hurt him at all and he's he pushed him from behind when he was almost right next to the goalie but it did not look good he's getting up kind of hanging his shoulder a little bit but that's a brutal injury he's been on fire yeah fuck man that's a tough one like

any especially when a guy's going that fast to apply any type of pressure at the back and extend your arms. Uh, you have to take accountability. I guess. I don't know. He probably get like a game, maybe maybe two. Fine. Maybe because they took, they changed it from a major. They gave him a major originally and then he changed his little, that little cross check, man. And hurdles already on his toes there and he goes so hard under the wall there.

I think that's a little bit reckless. I'm not saying this guy's a dirty player that just like, especially at the fact hurdle is going to be out. You can't do that. You can't push them on the back of the pant like that. Fuck. And like you said, man, he'd had a hat trick the one game. Like he'd finally been coming into his own because last year he came over in that trade from San Jose, kind of rushed it a little bit being injured.

Didn't have the best playoff, but he almost looked like a little bit slower, maybe not in the best shape, especially for those big guys who, who that can happen quickly, but fuck man, that's such a hard loss that they lose them for a long period of time. We all know like you get that little shove and when you're going full speed it is absolute Panic time when you're like if you get that little shove It's just that one little ounce and every player knows what you're doing You know, you can get them off balance that way so you hate to see that especially

You know guy like hurdle who you know, I've never seen him really do anything too dirty to anyone, he's an honest player, and they need him. They need him batted in the playoffs, the way he's been playing. Let's Jack kind of not have to do everything, and Stone can kind of find where he's at. So that's a tough blow for the Golden Knights. Yeah, so he has 31 goals.

His career high is 35. He might have broken that. It's actually only his third year scoring 30 or more goals. I would have thought that was a little different. The NCAA tournament bracket came out, guys, but before we get to the men, we have to shut out Kirsten Sims. Did you guys see this Wisconsin versus Ohio State women's national title game? Insane.

So Biz, Mark Johnson, who was on the 80 Olympic team for the US, he's been the coach of the women's program in Wisconsin for a long time. They've had a powerhouse for years. So they're down 3-2. They get a penalty shot with 19 seconds to go in the third period. And he's standing on the bench and he's like, who wants it? And I guess like all the players right away, they're like, Sam, Sam, Sam. She throws her hand up.

Boom. I want it. She went down and probably scored the nastiest breakaway shootout penalty shot goal I've seen this year. Like it was Patrick Kane in Patrick Kane's prime. Some people are saying like the puck went backwards. It maybe shouldn't have been allowed. I thought it was just your momentum

had to keep going forward. She put the goalie in the corner biz, ties it up, 19 seconds to go, then she gets the OT winner for Wisconsin to win the NCAA title. No way. Unreal moment, you gotta see the goal dude. Last name, Sim, what's her first name?

Kirsten. Kirsten, sorry. How do you spell that one? Talk about like the pressure. If you have, oh, you raise your hand to go down with 19 seconds left and to pull a move like that. Like if that's me, I'm shooting it 100%. Either missing the net, hitting the goalie right

in the chest or scoring, no in between. But imagine like you're coming down with that many stick handles and you lose it or whatever. Like the, I just love the fact that she trusted her game, knew what she was doing. Ice was choppy too. Like it wasn't, that wasn't easy. She had so much confidence to like try that move. Cause yeah, Keith, there was 30 stick handles in two seconds.

And then the final, like I finally thought she's going backhand. Goalie slides over. Nope. Right back. It was gross. She then the final, like I finally thought she's going backhand. Goalie slides over. Nope. Right back. It was gross. She had the whole net. She's had to slide it in. And then she gets the OT winner.

So just an incredible final championship game. Was that at where the Gophers played G? Wow. Yeah, it was. Great patience. Yeah, damn. And then she's selling to the crowd. Women Gophers have a sick arena.

Yeah, that is a cool arena. Mariucci Arena? So they play at the one right next door to it. It's attached to Mariucci. Goal first have a sick arena. Yeah, that is a cool mariochi arena. So they play at the one right next door to it. It's attached to mariochi. I think it's called Riddler Arena or something like that, but it's really cool. Okay. Don't they have three girls on there, like the same line that are up for like the whole be Baker for women's.

I saw a girl want it from there. Gee, look up her name quick. They, they. Wow. What a celly too I just saw I saw the the penalty shot and then the game winner and OT great job is like rebound to find that there's 19 seconds left to tie it up you're pulling a move like that oh me no I mean anyone like think about I'm even thinking Patty Kane or Sid, like they're going to keep it simple. Go to them, go to a move that they,

you know, it's nothing too crazy. You messed that up. It's like, what are you doing? I know, I know. You tried that. She's like, Nope, I just know it works. The confidence is amazing. That's a heartbreaking loss for Ohio State, dude. You're right there. I do know. Gee, how did they get the penalty shot? Was it a trip on a breakaway?

No, covered up. Covered it in the crease. But Casey O'Brien, the girl who won the woman's Hobie Baker called the Patty Casmyer Award, Keith from Milton, Massachusetts. Wisconsin girl, Milton Mass right there. What? What? Keith, Milton, I think they had, Wisconsin girl, Milton Mass right there. What? What? Keith, Milton, I think they had, I think, three different girls teams, like youth teams, won the state tournament.

And then the high school team lost in the state title game. So Milton, Massachusetts, producing some good hockey players. What, since we're talking about the women's hockey, that PWHL is cranking. Like they're already talking about expansion. They do these little like these pop-up tournaments in different cities like get the teams to kind of see and engage interest if like what cities would want to maybe have a team. I don't

know if it's gonna happen in Colorado but they were packed to the tits there like it was sold out barn like I apparently they might get one There's other rumblings maybe Seattle, so I don't know where expansion is gonna take them right now They got six teams, but I think that they're gonna quickly move to eight. They're selling out tons of games There's more energy at the the the female game in Toronto Then there is in the lower bowl at the Toronto Maple Leafs games. They play at the Ricoh, is that what it is? Where the Marlies play?

Yeah, the Ricoh Coliseum. And Tessa was telling us they could no doubt sell out the Leafs Arena. Yeah, Rogers Arena. Totally. That's awesome. Yeah. I mean, every time I just think Air Canada Center, it's just, I don't know why, I cannot figure out that, Rogers.

NCAA Men, guys, I'm very excited. It's an awesome tournament every year. Six Hockey East teams got in this year, just quickly going through. We got BCs, the number one seed, they're playing Bentley. In that bracket, Providence plays Denver, so there's a chance that BC has to play Denver to go to the Frozen Four incredible final game last year in Minneapolis. Western Michigan plays Minnesota. Western Michigan. Where did they come from? I think they're I'm Jeet. I'm guessing they're a little bit of an older team, kind of like Maine, but they have a wagon, but they got to play Alex.

Keep an eye on Alex bump. Fifth round draft pick of the Flyers. He's been incredible this season. Biz loves that guy. Waystern, they call it, right? Does everyone just get shit-faced at that place? Waystern University? They're playing Minnesota State, and that bracket Minnesota plays UMass. So, geez, that's a tough matchup for Western Michigan if they end up getting Minnesota.

UMass was good, too. Are you guys going to St. Louis? Did we already mention that? Yeah. Yeah. The Game Notes guys will be there. We'll be there. Thanks. So I have the mini golf tournament for Barstool that's on Thursday. Maybe I'll try to fly there depending who's in the Frozen 4. Frozen 4 is great. Awesome tournament. I mean, wait, I think BU is the biggest question because they're a team that

wouldn't surprise me one bit if they're playing for the Frozen Four, but it also wouldn't surprise me if they get bounced by Ohio State. Like everything's really changed since this goalie came in and Pandolfo has been pretty hard on them with their hockey East performance. But like, I don't know. I mean, am I wrong? Am I wrong to say that? Hey, what would you say to the boys right now if you got to go in there and talk for like 30 seconds a minute? Like how would you address the team going in right now? Be like Jim Harbaugh in the Anaheim. Did you see that? That was incredible. Unbelievable. I'd go in and say, boys, you had two finalists for the Holby Baker last year and Lane Hunts and Celebrini and they're not here anymore. And they'd say, what they, Lane wasn't a Obie Baker finalist. You say shut the fuck up I'm

talking. Can you get can you get the hell out of our locker room? Yeah I actually I turned on I went to USCHO like college hockey online it was probably like 1030 Saturday night to see scores and I noticed Michigan State and Ohio State were going into the double overtime or the first overtime of the big 10 title game. So I clicked that on. It was awesome. Isaac Howard, this kid's an animal, the Iceman. We talked about him at his draft when he said, I'm the best looking guy at the draft. I wanted to be the best dressed as well.

Tampa Bay picked him first round. He scored the winner in double OT. Ohio State looked good. Like they were deep. Um, that's going to be a tough first game for BU. And then if you do win, Michigan State, I imagine, takes care of Cornell. Although Cornell's coach, Mike Schaefer, he's been there forever. They had to win the ECAC Championship to get a bid in the NCAA. They got it done. They beat Clarkson. So like, who knows, this legendary coach, like what if somehow, like this is the year

he gets his first national title in his last year. They were going nuts. He was like covered in water or Gatorade and he's holding the ECAC trophy. He's going nuts. My brother Sean, who played at Cornell for Mike Schaeffer, he's like, he wasn't acting like this when I was there. He's hard ass just giving it to us all the time. But he realizes, my career was done if we didn't just win this game. The last bracket that we haven't tried about Maine, they get the three seed overall in the tournament, the number one seed in Allentown. They play Penn State. Awesome program. See what's happening there.

Essentially a home series for Penn State, though, right? Like super close to campus. It's I mean, Maine fans travel very good. They took over the greatest bar the other night after the hockey championship. The band was playing in the bar and everything. They play out of Lehigh Valley's barn. It's just an out to an hour. Talked about, you know, they have these, they have these four brackets and what do they call

it? The neutral site regional. No, no, I know. But are they playing out of Lehigh Valleyys Barn in Allentown? That is where they're playing this series. But that's not where Penn State plays. It's a joke that they do this. This neutral zone. The neutral site games is a fucking joke. The fact that they're playing games in

Manchester, Toledo, Ohio, boys. Are you kidding me? Like, what are we? Listen, I will say people there. Toledo, Walleye fans are hardcore. So I would imagine that they sell it. And I love the trim there. I've never spent a night in Toledo.

We were always in and out because of how dangerous it was. You said Manchester, New Hampshire is hosting games? Yeah, we always do. Oh, yeah. I mean, did win a Call of the Cup there. But yeah, I don't know about these neutral games. You think so? I don't know if it was a neutral game. You think so? I didn't know that.

Biz, you know who's very good for Maine? Enormous, flies around, hits everything that moves? Kale McCarr's brother. No, I thought he was going to UMass too. He transferred from UMass to this season, came to Maine. So, dude, this guy's a machine. Maine won hockey East with ease. UConn drummed BU in the semifinals.

Maine drummed Northeastern and then Maine took care of UConn. UConn's also a program that's, it's pretty cool what's happening there. They finally got their own rink. Cool new arena, right? They have Mike Cavanaugh, who was an assistant at BC for a long time. He's the head coach. And I think if you have a nice new arena, they possibly will have pretty big NIL money based on the basketball program. And you have this mid-fairfield program, which is for sure, if not top three, a top five program for developing

players in the United States, they might be able to start grabbing some studs and Yukon could turn into a wagon. Well, Quinnipiac too though. It's not like Connecticut hasn't had good college hockey because Quinnipiac's done well too. And that's why that first round game, Quinnipiac-Yukon is awesome. It's like the battle of Connecticut just to start it off. Yeah. All those fucking 33 year old firefighters. And he said that his son made that mid Fairfield team and there's a woman that

has coached this like one group of team and they haven't lost in like four years. It's the 2012 mid Fairfield team. I think last year they played up a year. So against 11s, I don't know if they ever lost this year. They played with their age for Quebec, they don't lose. They won Quebec with ease. Apparently, like one of the parents, that's another thing about that mid Fairfield program. I mean, there's a lot of money around there.

Greenwich, Connecticut, all that, Westchester, New York. They have an enormous pool of kids to choose from and they have a lot of money. I think there's a parent on the team with a full NHL-sized arena at his house that they're practicing at every day. Also, talking about our buddy Donley, his son, he's a 20-20. They had 60 kids, 20-20.

They're turning five this year, and they had 60 kids come to tryouts for a team. What? Like a full squad base. Next year Wyatt will be doing like Divo. Like they play like against each other cross-sides. Like no, mid Fairfield has a legit team with tryouts. How do you even have tryouts for four and five year olds?

Like what do you do? Like these kids can't imagine Wyatt at a trial. He'd stab the coach. Who eats their own boogers? Half the kids raise their hand. All right, you guys get cut. All right. Whose parent has their own plane? Wait, before we move on from college hockey. Who's still wetting the bed?

We do got to mention Brad Berry, like legendary North Dakota coach just got fired. I mean, pretty surprising, I would say, but at the same time, not so much. I mean, a guy who's never finished below 510 seasons there, won a national title in his first year, the only coach in college hockey history to ever do that. Five regular season NCHT titles, five NCAA appearances. I mean, kind of a guy that like was looked at as like almost like a legendary coach right now in the college hockey game. So on the negative side, that yeah, they haven't made the tournament the past two or three seasons. So yeah if you're North Dakota you're not in the tournament you're it's just not

it's not good. That's what that's what North Dakota is man. They're they got to be a powerhouse. Could have could hack stall be going back. That was my suggestion. Actually I think Dave hacks stall. I think I, he's tried the NHL twice now. I don't, I wouldn't necessarily say a head coaching job is coming across his table anytime soon in the NHL. So why not go back to where you played? Why not go back? He was at a game at ASU, like supporting that night, right?

What? You were with him that night at the North Dakota Arizona State game. I went by one of the boxes and he was in there. I didn't, I hadn't, I remember he coached college hockey, but I'm not as dialed in as you guys. And then it just obviously made sense that he was there watching the fight in Sioux. So is that, do they still call him the Fighting Sioux?

No, unfortunately not. They're like the Fighting Hawks now. It's kind of a thing. Oh, Fighting Hawks? Okay. But two more names for this coaching job. Jared DeMichael, assistant at UMass now. He's an assistant at MSU I think he'd be great and here's one crazy one. You guys might think I'm nuts for

Jonathan Taze he wants to give back to the game. He wants to get back next year, but he's playing He's texting me is he is he definitely coming back to me the other day? We're going golfing this week in Arizona. So I'll let you guys know. He's playing. He's skating in Arizona every day, G. I just think- He's playing. If he's playing, then yeah, we'll cross him off the list. Starting with the gargoyles. It's going to be our first line of center.

That's where it all begins. We'll give him an A. We'll give him an A on his sweater. We'll do a bobblehead night, man. Chuck's on A. Billy Ryan told me that, won hockey East, right? Yeah. And he said that like they're not a great team. They're all just like third liners grinded up.

But he said that their coach is amazing. That's Murl's best buddy. Benny Barr. Benny Barr, yes. So Pete, this guy, he recruited and built a national champion at Union. He had moved on. He recruited and built a national champion at Providence. He moved on. He recruited and built a national champion at Providence, he had moved on by the time they won it.

And he had recruited and built a national championship team at UMass and he had moved on. So he hadn't got, he's like brought in all these players and they've ended up winning, but he hasn't won one yet. So that's why it'd be pretty cool. And like I'm rooting for BU, but he's a great, I've known him for a long time. Awesome dude.

And they have a great goalie. Just the absolute best guy in the world. Real quick story about Benny Barr. I actually texted him a couple months ago and was like, hey, Benny, my little brother really wants to get into coaching. Could you send me over just a couple bullet points that I can text over to him and we'll help him with his coaching interviews. He said, what's his number?

I sent him over my little brother's number He jumped on the phone with my little brother for 90 minutes Just picking his brain teaching him what to do when you go into a coach's interview What systems guys want to hear that their team's gonna be playing nowadays? So just like a salt of the earth best guy in the world Everyone should be rooting for Ben Barr the hockey world needs more guys. There you go. That's for college hockey Thursday Everyone should be rooting for Ben Barr. The hockey world needs more guys. There you go. That's incredible for college hockey Thursday

Thursday at 12 Eastern game notes 10 a.m. Eastern a little earlier 10 a.m. 10 a.m They will have an entire preview of the NCAA tournament coming up So those guys are so dialed in G will be there Pasha will be there Merle's an army check them out Thursday 10 a.m Finally our last thing, the Chicklets four play match. It is dialed boys. I thought you were gonna mention you were going to IceCon in Nashville. Oh, that's another thing. Wow, you thought you had the sweater on right now?

I was gonna go with it. I'm gonna back out. You're not going? You want me to go, then I'll rebook the flight. I just like, I'm, I'm on the road for a long period of time. I, I, I got two days at home coming up Thursday, Friday. I was going to leave Saturday morning to meet you there or I get the two extra days rest. What do you think? But you know,

What's going to help us more in the sandbagger? I think getting the rest. Cause I might be more than likely I'll be paying golf with Jonathan Taves. Okay. Then, then you, then you go home. I'll take care of Chick than likely I'll be paying golf for Jonathan Taves Okay, then you then you go home. I'll take care of Chickleton represent ice con Keith. You're more than welcome to come I have a flight Sunday morning from Nashville to Atlanta to get ready. I want to play golf on Sunday in Atlanta I need to play around a golf before the fore play match. That will be Tuesday, April 2nd.

It's a 27 hole bonanza. Nine holes, three on three scramble. Nine holes, three on three alternate shot. And nine holes, one on one. Myself first Riggs, Keith first Frankie, Biz first Trent, here's the wrinkle. Here's the wrinkle. Oh baby.

There is 27 holes coming up. Stroke play. Yeah motherfuckers. Yes, yes, you just heard, you just heard correct. No more hey, you hit it in the woods, you chunk it out of the woods, the team's on putting for birdie and we're hitting our fifth from the fairway,

let's just end the hole, we lost the hole. No, it's ball and hole golf. We will have one score as a team for the nine hole hole golf. We will have one score as a team for the nine hole scramble, we will have one score as a team for the nine hole alternate shot, and we will have three scores individually that adds up to one total team score of what we shoot. So apparently all the fans that talk to foreplay a lot online, they say play around ball and hole. We want to see what you'd really shoot. People say that all the time so we're doing it so I guess

when Riggs and I play yes we're playing against each other but we're really playing against the course if I could somehow go out and shoot a 39 and he shoots 44 that's a that's a five-shot lead for our team in that match right so it's a little different than match play, but you could see some numbers, right? Are there any strokes being given up on either side? Are we figuring that out when we get there? Are we basically just saying? I don't know, I think we're all pretty even, dude.

I think like, right around there. I would say me and Trent are very similar, right? Yeah, I think you're both probably. He lives in Florida now. I play probably 12 to 15 rounds a year now, I mean I got I got two rounds and since November 1st, I mean I but this would only make it better guys This is that's why I got to play Sunday in Atlanta. Actually a guy reached out wrote me DM Would you like to play at Atlanta Athletic Club? I gotta write him back.

Please, please, God, I'd love to play with you. But the fact that it's stroke play, foreplay versus trickles, now what's nice about this is if somebody has a big lead going into the singles matches, like dude, somebody makes an 11 on a hole, like you're right back into it. So it is not match play, it's foreplay versus trickles, ball and hole. It changes

everything. I've played stroke play tournaments. You hit one out of bounds. You got to re-T. You hit another one out of bounds. You got to re-T. Then you're standing there. No, no, no. We're not going to the next hole until you get one in bounds, get it on the green and put it in the hole. So let's see how this goes. I can't wait. It's going to be fun, but I wanted to announce that to everyone. The course looks like there are some hazards too. I looked't wait. It's gonna be fun, but I wanted to announce that to everyone the course the course looks like there's some hazards Too I think that water water everywhere. It's true lined. Yeah. Yeah. No, this is this is no There's gonna be some numbers I'll say this bring my 7 iron in my putter

7 iron my 52 and my just get off the tee biz you get off the tee, you're unstoppable, right? You know how to get off the tee in golf and tee up a girl you met on riot. You can do both of those things and we'll win this. So very exciting time of the year in hockey. Very exciting time for chicklets and golf season beginning golf to finish it up. Victor Hovland won the tournament this week

in the Tampa area. He on Thursday told the media, basically, I'm so lost. I have no clue where the ball is going. And then he won the tournament? And then he won. That's golf. Then he won the fucking tournament. Like, that's golf for you right there. He goes, my whole life, I've been able to pick a target and then decide

if I want the ball coming in left to right or right to left. And I can't do it now. And it's driving me crazy. And then he won the tournament. So that's golf right by how many strokes Two shots. It was him and JT We're just high like yeah, we're tied. He was like lighting it up Sunday He bogeyed the 18th hole as Hovland birdied the 17th hole behind him So he had a two-shot lead on the 18th hole and he got it done. But that just describes golf.

Like, oh, I'm lost. I have no clue. And then you hit one shot, something clicks. You're like, I'm back. Stupidest sport in the world. But I love you guys. Everyone listening, thank you. Thank you so much.

We love you. Pink Whitney, Dove Men, Paul Scare. Anything else, boys? No. Hell of a pod. Yeah, great job. Appreciate the college hockey breakdown and once again to the gentleman of the progress club in Halifax.

We thank you for all your hospitality and the amazing day that you brought into our lives and what an amazing cause and what you guys are doing. So thanks again. Great pod. Yans, you look great. We'll see you Monday I want in next year okay that's a deal yes yes yes yes yes yes yes love you guys have a great love you boys Even if I could go away I don't know any other way

This feeling is so hard to wear I don't know any other way Even if I could go away I don't know any other way This feeling is so hard to break I'll get you some new