Spittin Chiclets - Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 566: Featuring Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk & Zach Hyman

Episode Date: June 3, 2025

On Episode 566 of Spittin’ Chiclets, the guys are joined by Florida Panthers Sam Reinhart and a quick guest appearance by Matthew Tkachuk to talk about the road getting to the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row. Zach Hyman sat down with us to discuss his season ending injury and just how resilient the Edmonton Oilers are this year. It’s the Whitdawg Vs. The Sonk Master Yandle. 2nd year in a row we’re witnessing the Florida Panthers face off against the Edmonton Oilers. This is an episode you won’t want to miss. 00:00:00 - START 00:00:25 - FINALS PREVIEW 00:49:24 - SAM REINHART INTERVIEW 01:09:24 - MATTHEW TKACHUK 01:14:40 - CUP PREDICTIONS 01:25:35 - ZACH HYMAN INTERVIEW 01:50:42 - QUICK HITS 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 RHOBACK: Use code CHICLETS on https://rhoback.com for a generous 20% off your first purchase through the  end of this week  BODYARMOR: Available for a limited time - grab your BODYARMOR Chill at 7-Eleven or a store near you. RO: Connect with a provider at RO.co/CHICLETS to find out if prescription Ro Sparks are right for you and get $15 off your first order SPORTCLIPS: Sport Clips. The haircut experience, dialed in for guys. It’s a Game Changer. 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. Must register new account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFORE placing min. $5 bet to receive $300 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Token expires 6/22. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 6/22/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.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, spitting chicken 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 Boston sports. Our white whale Sydney Crosby. Shave his head. Shave his head. Shave his head. Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, R.A., Mike Grinelli, Spitton Chicklets. What is up, folks? Welcome to episode 566 of the Spitton Chicklets podcast, and we are getting ready for an epic rematch

in the Stanley Cup final. My Edmonton Oilers versus Keith Dirtbag, Florida Panthers, just an incredible series we have lined up. The third rematch since I believe 83, 84, when Gretzky played the Islanders. But guys, it's Pink Whitney time, it's Pink Whitney season, it's summertime, it It's June and it's time to drink some pink

Well, I'm over in Nantucket right now. I see kids drinking it over here. I swear to God I see the new label everyone go check it out It pops it pops in the aisle now the new label looks better than ever I think they might have taken off what a legend which was kind of ridiculous that was on there to begin with Considering it's named after me, But go check out the new label, go check out all the sizes, enjoy yourself a nice fresh pink Whitney while watching the Stanley Cup final in mid-June, which is crazy. We can maybe get into that, but guys, what is going on? Never a doubt, right, Biz? Never a doubt that the Oilers should get back. Buddy, congratulations. I mean, from being down 0-2 against the LA Kings

to right now, it feels like this team's flipped the switch. But I mean, all credit goes to you in being the hardcore fan that you are. Congrats, buddy. Getting Big Cat on the train as well. No, no, no. He's not. He's a liar.

Oh, he's trying to reverse mush? He said, he said, and I don't know if it was during a recording, one of our streams or another time, maybe when the stream had ended and we were still talking like, I want McDavid to lose, but I want him to lose in heartbreaking fashion. Like he was rooting, he was rooting for them against Dallas because he wants him to lose in the final. Like he's a seriously deranged, fucked up asshole.

I know, I know. Should we ban him from the podcast? I mean, Yanz is loving it right now because his Florida Panthers are just licking their chops and trying to go back to back. Now, also I saw that Dave Portnoy bet a large amount on the Oilers to win in six games. Is he also trying to do the same thing as Big Cat? No, I think he just wants to win money and I would be just disgusted that he decided to bet Edmonton. But he's had this kind of incredible success with future bets. I mean, not maybe very recently, but he had futures. I mean, what were his big futures that I can't think of? Scottie Scheffler winning the Masters. I think he had the people winning the NCAA basketball.

Celtics last season maybe, maybe Michigan winning it all. I don't, but either way, as a guy who's, who's hit a bunch of futures, I'll take it now. He loses is no matter what, if the Oilers don't win it's sick. So I don't, I mean, I, this is going seven. This is going seven guys. No doubt in my mind, but I, I am just so excited going seven. This is going seven, guys. Wow. There's no doubt in my mind. But I am just so excited going in to see this rematch because I'll say, and we'll get into how the series wrapped up, a bunch of drama, especially coming from some handshake line drama, some goalie pulling drama in the West.

But these are the two best teams by a mile in the NHL. And it's become quite evident throughout the playoffs. And in the regular season, you couldn't say this, obviously neither team won their division, but they are the two best teams. And to see that Florida's able to get back to a cup final for the third year in a row, and that Edmonton was able to grind through

a bizarre regular season and then dominate the playoffs, it's just a great, great story. And even, forget being an Oilers fan. I think if you're a hockey fan, you gotta be fired up. Now maybe some people say the markets aren't great. I don't care. If you like hockey, dude, you're about to watch something legendary.

Yeah, and I think the fact that we get a rematch and also just like the whole four nations thing, Canada versus US, Canada hasn't had a cup in over 30 years, like adds a little bit of extra spice in my opinion to it. And just going back to this kind of like, in my opinion, a bit of an improbable run by Edmonton where like the, the team and how it looks is complete,

a lot different from the start of the year. And also going back to last year's Stanley Cup final, like adding Wolman, Klingberg, Frederick, like how many different guys up front the fact that Kane didn't play in the entire regular season and how he's looked. I'm sure they're gonna have Jeff Skinner in the lineup at some point here having finally scored his first NHL playoff goal. He played over a thousand NHL games regular season to finally get his first playoff goal. So kind of just like Like you can't you couldn't have been as confident to get back to the final the the first game of playoffs as maybe as you were

Last year buddy first after the first game of the playoffs I mean talk about the second game of the playoffs at least the first one they Charged back and then blew it the last shift and then you're like, alright Well, at least they showed how they can really turn it on in the last shift. And then you're like, all right, well, at least they showed how they can really turn it on in the third against LA. Then they get drummed game two. That's when it's like, all right,

maybe this year it's just, like if you're an Oilers fan, you cannot sit there and tell me after game two in LA that you had any confidence whatsoever of them making, not only- You're like, we're losing McDavid, losing McDavid dry cycle gonna ask for a trade. That was you. I think you said this is it.

You never panicked. You never panicked too hard. You weren't like, you know, a typical, you know, maybe Biz would have panicked if his leafs went down too old, but like you, you called it how it was. You stuck with the, your, your crew. And I don't think, unless I, my memory isn't, is it right, but I don't think, unless my memory isn't right, but I don't remember you kind of panicking too much.

I think that I was completely panicked on the inside, but I did a good job of, you know, it's being a leader and it's showing up. And you know, if you remember when I was on the Oilers and I was carrying that team around on my back and we were winning games, like you have to lead from the front. So I'm not going to show panic inside. I was nervous inside.

I was nervous. Now, I'll remember I'll go back to them. Then after game two, our group chat, I believe Jeff, Jeff Jacobson, Biz brought up McDavid's gone. Jeff Jacobson talked about the complete destruction of the ice district in Edmonton that was tied to McDavid and the Oilers. And now he's going to and boom you know what happened they've gone 12 and 2 since and they're rolling into the Stanley Cup final now do we want to go back to the other two series or do we will well I feel like we give a little

bit of a double rest or the two teams that have made it and then go back to a little bit of the chaos and what might be a potential coaching firing. The guy who's been in the conference finals, the Western conference finals, I believe like the last six or seven years or six of the last seven years. So incredible run for DeBoer, but definitely some drama on the Dallas Stars end. But before we get there, like, yeah, it's like, I'm sure there was no question that you thought that Florida was gonna get back to the dance,

especially with the pickups they had. And it's just remarkable they're able to play that much hockey in the last three years. You go from getting that eighth seed, from Walt Kachuk firing up the squad on a Canadian road trip before they play Toronto, to all of a sudden knocking off the President's Cup champs, or President's Trophy champs, excuse me, and the Boston Bruins,

and then boom, rattle off this many series win in a row. Yeah, I think going into playoffs, like the only thing that scared me a little bit with this group is the amount of hockey that they've played. And we all know how hard playoff hockey is. It's two games per every one, right? And these guys have played a ton of meaningful games, a ton of hard games. You know, the core guys have been there the entire time.

Bob's played a ton of hockey, but I honestly think these sickos love it so much. They just want to be in, like, they probably don't even enjoy playing, you know, regular season games where it's kind of just like, you know, PA games, I used to call them. you just go around, you hit a guy, you know, it's a back to back. And but these guys, like they want to play games where you're getting punched

in the face, you're getting crosschecked from behind. That's when they really, you know, come to who they are and not shocked by it a little bit. I'll tell you what, though, Tampa scared me a little bit in the first series. I don't know if it's just because so many people had them winning or whatnot. I mean, once the puck dropped, it was kind of evident who was the better team. But yeah, not surprised, really, just especially with the pickups, right? Like Brad Marchand, like unbelievable pickup.

But the biggest one for me has been Seth Jones, especially with, you know, Ekki missing some time at the end of the year and him just being able to, you know, hold them afloat on the back end. And then, you know, you know, Marchies came into that third line and made them probably one of the best lines in the NHL right now.

And they're, you know, the Florida Panthers third line. So unbelievable moves by, you know, Zito and his crew of getting guys over. And yeah, this series, it stinks that it feels like it's a month away from even now, but I'm so excited for it. Biz, I'm sure you're excited to get back on the panel

and talk some hockey, but we need to get this started, Biz. I've heard like crazy predictions all the way from Florida in five to somebody who predicted Oilers in four, where that would be, I would be, my jaw would drop. Yeah, I just saw your face, Yance. I couldn't believe the text when it came through. I'm not going to say it on air, but I will shoot you a text

while we're recording the show, because I want to see your live reaction. But, uh, before we hop into everything, I just want to let you guys know I'll be playing through something in the finals. Not, not everybody's going in healthy. Really nobody. No, not that, um, for the first time in my life, uh, once I hit 40, I I've gotten gout. Wow. Congrats. That means you're in the upper tax bracket. I think it's the King's disease. King's disease. You know, you drink, but you don't drink. It's the red meat.

It's the red meat. I go hard on. I usually like when we're doing the panel, when we go in there, I usually just do a couple of stakes every night. Like I, I, I don't. A couple? A couple? I do an eight ounce at the start of the night and then I do a 12 ounce like towards the end of the night.

Like we're there for seven hours, right? We're there for usually two games. Like when we do the one gamers, I'm only doing one stake. Why are you laughing? I think everyone's laughing. Two stakes and a knife? I think everyone's laughing. I think everyone's laughing.

I think you're so... Yeah, buddy. I've been on road trips with you where we go out to dinner five nights in a row and you hammer steak every night and it's like, I don't think this is that normal. And just based on your reaction of you thinking it completely normal, I mean, you're just describing you're eating 20 ounces of steak seven, eight nights in a row. So. At 10, 30, 11 o'clock at night. Him just saying, yeah, a couple of steaks each night. I think it's like maybe a steak and then people probably look to take four or five days

before another steak, but you were banging two steaks and then 24 hours banging two steaks again and then 24 hours later banging two steaks again. Yeah, it's a lot of red meat, I guess, right? I think it's probably sodium. Is it salt? Unless you're a lion, you shouldn't be eating that much meat.

Yeah. So it's funny because Liam McHugh would see me doing this, and about halfway through playoffs, he goes, have you ever gotten gout biz? And I'm like, no, what's that? Kind of like, what do you mean? Like the rich man's disease? And he's like, yeah.

He's like, yeah, you're eating steak every night. I'm like, no, I usually just go grab a salad and I do little to no meat. Usually I do maybe a little bit of chicken or just keep it full veggie in the afternoon. And then I just wait tonight to get like my protein fix like that. And I don't typically eat a ton of carbs like just to try not to crash because we got three games. Yeah, well, I'll have like a baked potato. So so this is steak fries. So I get, I get home, I got finally we get to come home.

They take the shackle off, you know, allowed to leave the desk at TNT. And I thought it maybe I had a stress fracture in my foot. I've never been in so much pain in my life. I couldn't even walk on it. I'm like, ah, ah. So I called the doctor, the doctor,ertol, who we had in Arizona. And his calls, he's like, pictures and he goes, have you ever had gout before? And I'm like, nah.

And he goes, I think you have gout. So he called me in some medication and obviously if you could see it right now. It gets pretty, yeah, it's pretty fun. Just had a cow hoof. And that's compared to like, if you see this side, like not, you could see all the bones and yeah I mean that your foot looks like one of the two steaks you ate everything so I got to cut down

on the red meat or you can get a better look at it there I go fat that fucker is buddy so that thing so my Mike Commodore he's been getting gout for a long time. And he would tell me, because I was like, what is it? He's like, oh yeah, it's too much red meat, too much red wine. And then I said, oh, what's it like? He's like, buddy, it's some of the worst pain I've ever been in. And this is a guy who battled through the NHL being a physical monster his entire career. And I was like, really?

He's like, I can't even walk on it when it hits, but I didn't know it got that swollen. Can you even get a shoe on? Uh, I can, but it's, it when it hits. But I didn't know it got that swollen. Can you even get a shoe on? I can, but it's pretty painful. So I'll be battling through that the next couple of days to be ready to go for Stanley Cup finals. I'll probably be maybe in a walking boot going up to the panel and Edmonton. But shout out to Liam McHugh for giving me the heads up and being like, hey buddy, I think you should back off some of the red meat. But that's one thing, like I know you laugh all the time about like the fitness and this and that, but this summer I gotta dial in the diet,

like figure out exactly what I should be taking in at my age so I don't end up getting shit like out. I think your diet's great, I think it's just, you can't have two steaks a night. No, you definitely can't. I think he's frozen. I need to. No, I have 46't. I think he's frozen. Uh, I need to. Now I have 46 ounces of steak every night.

Go Leafs, go. They eat steak. That's what's holding us back. Dude, Wendell Clark had steak eight nights a week. Oh, wait, sorry, seven nights a week. There's only seven days in a week where he ate so many steaks. He's my idol. Go Leafs, go.

Hey, and you know he's getting a steak or like steak on his salad too. Him saying he gets all veggies sometimes, we've all been, I've never seen him eat all veggies. He is a protein monster. Crazy amounts of protein, which I did kind of learn through him is like protein monster. Crazy amounts of protein, which I did kind of learn through him, is pretty necessary.

I didn't realize how much protein you're supposed to be having. But I remember the first time, or one of the first times Merle's was on one of our trips, we had a lunch, right? And he got a 12 ounce New York strip at lunch with a baked potato, and Merle's was like, whoa. Kind of like we all got sandwiches. then at night he ended up getting like a ribeye and Merle's is like you double steak he's like I eat steak all day

every day and and I think Merle's was like that's so fucked up but I was just like oh that's what biz does like this is what makes him so strong so I mean looking back this my internet won't work. Nothing's going right for me right now. Your internet has goat. Biz, I think once you get it once too, like it's there forever. Like obviously you can manage it,

but like once you have, if you're doing a double steak night, like your fucking hooves are gonna be barking again. I think you can get goat in different areas of your body. This one just hit my right ankle. My left side's fine so it's weird how it'll just hit one area but either way we don't need to keep talking about my my playoff injury and what I'll be battling through come Stanley Cup playoffs. It's impressive though you should throw the walking boot on for the for just just to show what you're going

through to remind the viewers at home. Like it's not just the players battling through injury. I'm going to be scrapping in in the ice district, too, after the first two games. I got a couple of brawls lined up. Public appearances. Speaking of injuries. Just such a kick in the dick about Zach Hyman. Yeah, and I feel so bad for the guy based on like how he plays and what he means to that team.

And you kind of remember, or you forgot about the Amazon series that had come out, that had followed everyone last year. That was incredible. And you know, the episode or two episodes around the Stanley Cup final was with McDavid flipping out after game two and Hyman after game seven where it's just a bunch of oilers are heartbroken and he's talking about like we will be back and you know you have somebody say that at the time and I don't doubt that he really truly believed it but you know it's just like what else are you going to say you just lost well he calls it and then he gets just run over by Marchman.

And you knew right away, guys, you could tell it was either shoulder, wrist or elbow, but you knew it was something where he's done. You see a player get hit like that and just immediately go down the tunnel, like can barely hold their side or arm. And I was like, oh no, oh no. And then it comes out, surgery out for the season. But he had been playing. He hadn't been scoring early on. He turns into this maniac running around hitting everyone. Then the goal scoring started picking up.

He had two goals. And what was that game three? My mind, it feels like a month ago they had the Dallas series, but incredible, enormous loss for the Oilers. And at the same time, they get Ekholm back. So at least it's a little bit of like, we're not getting completely hosed here. Different positions, I know, but in terms of leadership in the locker room,

very similar, a veteran, an enormous presence. So just feel bad for Zach Hyman. And in terms of your team, Keith, sounds like everyone will be okay. Luster Reinen left game five, but everyone seems to think he'll be all right. I believe you said he was caught by a spotter, and then Reinhardt is good to go.

And so, are there any injury concerns on your side, or just kind of Luster Reinen? Mikaela looked like maybe it was like an AC joint separation of the shoulder, like maybe like a grade one, grade two. He went in pretty hard, and he's a big guy. Are you hearing anything? No, I mean, I haven't really asked around.

That's what it looked like. And, you know, I got a middle school education. So I thought it was an AC joint from my professional background. But I was shocked that him and Reinhardt played in that in the last game against Carolina, just because it was like, okay, let's maybe try to win one more without them. And then if they need to battle, but I think these few days of rest have really helped. I was actually really shocked that they were back. I thought they were gonna have to start

even this next series without them. Reinhardt's looked bad. Mikolas looked bad. Like Biz said, just like a big body going in at that weird angle. I just thought like his, you know, all the hockey guys have the Raptor, uh, shoulder with the AC. Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah. And I thought he was gonna, he was gonna have that and it's brutal. Like, like, especially when you're playing. Yeah. That's just both sides. Kinda, but what are some there? That's goat. Oh, yeah. Sorry. That's the goat of the shoulder blade. Yeah. Yeah. That's just a both sides kind of, but we're on there. That's goat.

Oh, sorry. That's the goat of the shoulder blade. Yeah. Oh, actually that's a full leg sticking out of his bicep. For those of you watching, Biz was showing off his AEC joints, which I'd say a lot of, I'd say 80% of NHL players have those AEC joints popping out just from taking hits over the years. But yeah, shocked that those guys came back. Obviously you need them to be healthy. You need them to play well. Mikola, who has been arguably their best defenseman in this playoffs.

Like if you don't have him going into this series, especially against whether he's going to have a McDavid or Dreisaitl, like you need him. And it's obviously huge that he got that game in. I don't think he looked 100% in that last game against Carolina. But with these days of rest and getting them ready, knowing their trainers and all the trainers in the NHL, but Florida, especially amazing trainers there.

So they'll have those guys back ready to go. And I mean, Reinhardt, you're right. And that series had been such madness. And the way they went after Ajo after the hit that he put on Reinhardt, you're right. Like, and that that series had been such madness and the way they went after Ajo after the hit that he put on Reinhardt. But I was like, oh, right. I really might have torn his MCL getting hit from the side like that. Biz, I know you had had that injury and I've had every injury now. Now that I've had Gout,

your last one, very true. No, not the L5S1, just the G.O.A.T. But I thought Reinhardt might have been fucked on that. And then Keith, you're right. I figured, well, I'll hold them out. If somehow this goes six and they can't get the victory in game five, then you put them back in then. But no, I mean, and in that game, guys, Carolina gets out to a two, nothing lead.

I was kind of like, oh, shit, I think this thing's going. I think this thing's going back to Florida. And then can they get it back to Carolina for game seven? And Florida just took that game over. I think that the past Barkov made call and I think that play got the group track going, not just our Chicklets group chat, but ours at home, Keith. Barkov might be right after McDavid,

and I think Leon's right there, but it's not as far off as people realize. And after, this is the third year of the finals, I think everyone's like, all right, this guy is just so much better than the world knew about or thought he was a couple years back. Now doing it in the playoffs the way he does it, and that pass and just bitching Orlov in the corner,

and then I don't know who he made go behind that, like Robinson Chase. Oh my God. And then to not only just pass it, he lays it out to where Verhege has to go get it. It was just one of the plays of the playoffs. It almost like baited Verheggie to come out. It's like, come out from behind the net.

Yes. You leave a little carrot for you. He put it at the perfect speed. He put it at the perfect speed for him. Like I said it on the live stream, like, you know, guys, you talk about some players like, oh, he makes players better. Barkie is that guy. Like he put that puck only where he made Verheggie go get it

to score a goal, the back door tap and it was, it showed off his skill, his patience, his, you know, his vision, his unselfishness and you know, his, you know, he dumped the puck in originally, right? And got it or did he hold onto it? Yeah, so it was, he dumped it in I think, right? It was a given goal in the neutral zone. It was actually started out in the D zone

by Bobrovsky, who made a great overpass on his backhand. He didn't really have much time with it either. And it was a great little one touch, and they transitioned so fast. And then he goes on that given goal, goes down the ice, and takes Orlov on a little trip around the net, and then just leaves him in the dust. And yeah, I would say a tough series for Orlov overall.

I think he's hitting free agency this summer, but you know, let's hope it doesn't take any money out of his pocket. The fact that I thought he responded well in game four. Game three was an absolute nightmare as well. But yeah, it was tough sledding for the Carolina Hurricanes and probably a lot of frustration from Rod the bod, given the fact where you talked about it. They're up that two nothing lead.

They're playing great. It seems like they'd established their game, coming off that game for victory. You bring it back home, you got the crowd into it, and then boom, all of a sudden off the rails. That's the thing about Carolina and not having those, those quote unquote superstars we talk about.

It seems like if they let their guard down for one second, it's boom, pucks in the back of their net. It felt like that way the year prior against the New York Rangers, where they were able to expose that. And then obviously again with Florida. So yeah, I don't know. I don't know if you guys wanted to get into the kind of the handshake line nonsense. Like what would happen there?

One of the crazier most bizarre times for a coach to like make this statement. Like first off, let's go back to the some of the audio that came out of Maurice miked up on the bench. It's some great. It's like pretty good content, like how he's talking to Florida throughout the game. And then he's kind of talking about right before Kachuk's goal that made it 2-1, the nice tip he had. He's like, Chuck, he's in his spot. Chuck, he's in his spot. Like almost narrating how they play and how they need to play and how he talks to the team. And he's mentioned before, like he doesn't even really have to call out the lines. Like they're just a machine.

They're a well-oiled machine. But after the game. Now, mind you, Paul Maurice has. He's gone through the handshake line many, many times in his career before post playoff series, the coaches, they go out and they meet in front of the benches and then they go and they have the second meet. Biz, you kind of brought up, maybe two meetings isn't necessary.

Maybe you don't do the first one, but that's just the coaches as the teams are talking to each other. But nonetheless, he meets Bryndamore and decides to say, not only am I not gonna go through the handshake line, but only am I not going to go through the handshake line, but I don't think you should go through the handshake line. Now, buddy, listen. What a power move.

That is like, that is like, I don't know, what is a good analogy? Like you just dummied him in five, you dummied him in four, two years prior. Like this guy, if anything, you want to just be like, hey, good series, man. Like just try to be cordial and good game sportsmanship. No, it's like, I'm going to tell you what to do

after I just dummied you. And it's, to me, no wonder Bryndamore was probably fucking fuming. Oh, fuck. Think he slept that night? Oh. He probably wanted to attack him. That vein on his forehead doubled.

It split. The vein on his forehead got gout after that comment. And I think that Bryndamore, you know, right when the camera panned to them, we were texting, what's going on there? Because nobody has, what are they arguing about? Then you're just waiting to find out. Well, it comes out that Maurice doesn't think coaches should shake teams' hands when, buddy,

you've been doing it your whole career. And he says after, it's just for the players. It's just for the players. I don't think that's completely wrong. The players were out there battling. But I said on one of our streams, as a player, you finish a playoff series and it's a hard fought battle. And it is everyone. It is the coaching staff, it is the training staff,

it is all these guys who make up the team. It's not just the players. Yes, they're out on the ice battling, but the treatment and the game planning and everything. It's like I respected and enjoyed shaking the other team's, the other coach's hands. And it was just a crazy time to bring it up. Like almost, if you're gonna do that, you have to say it to him before the series maybe or something, but if you lose and then have the coach who beat you for the second time in two years to go to the Stanley Cup final, then tell you what to do,

you have a right to basically grab a stick, break it in half and try to stab him in the jugular. He could have done that and not got in trouble, I don't think. He's like, hey, we're not gonna shake shake hands. You're not going to shake hands. And I'm changing your neutral zone breakout from now on. Next, next training camp. I'm going to email you over what I want you guys doing. And listen, my, my lake house, um, we need a new doc bill and you're going to come over after you don't shake my player's hands and you're going to build that

doc and you're going to shut your dock and you're gonna shut your mouth. And then we'll see you in the Eastern Conference Finals next year and maybe we'll get to six. See you later Rod. Rod, I mean poor guy. My thing is I bet first series maybe he wanted to do it but him and Coop had a little bit of beef. Remember there was some.

No they did shake. I saw that they made up. That's what I'm saying but maybe he wanted to do it in the first round but him and Coop had that beef going on, so he didn't want to bring it to him then. Then the second round, you can't ask Chief to do something because he'll punch your head in. And then the third one,

because Rod played for Maurice, right? So maybe he- I know, but Maurice seems like such a smart guy that he'd be like, ah, I did it the first two rounds. This would be a really weird time for me to bring this up. Unless- Exactly. Unless like something that Rod did throughout the series two rounds. This would be a really weird time for me to bring this up. Unless, unless like something that Rod did throughout the series that really pissed him off. Maybe it was a whole, maybe it was fetch bumping

Bobrovsky early on. Like maybe it was like, he was like, you know what? I'm not going to shake this motherfucker hand in the line shake. I don't know. There has to be something that made him do that, because it seems like he's on top of absolutely everything. Or he's just fucking with everybody.

Because with these press conferences doing, it's becoming more and more animated with, like from like, if you're going against them now, it's going against them. You've had enough. So I knew, you know, they're when they closed that out, he pulled this handshake stunt. No, we're not going to shake hands. Like I'm going to tell you what to do.

I knew Edmonton was going to get to I didn't know it'd be in five, but it's like, all right, we're facing them again. And I'm sick and tired of Paul Maurice. Now, let me get ahead of this. Third all time in NHL wins. A complete legendary coach in the game of hockey. And the guy can talk with the best of him. And he gives press conferences that are entertaining.

And he gives quotes that reporters love. And he's reached another level in terms of like, not making content. I know that sounds insane. He's reached another level in terms of like, not making content. I know that sounds insane. He's reached John Cooper status. But even more so, like, yeah, you're right, you're right. But even more so where, listen, everyone is talking to me so often

because of all these playoff series we win year and year and year after year. I'm sick and tired of it. And maybe if the Oilers weren't about to play him, I really wouldn't care. But I'm dreading, dreading a Panthers win in game one. And then Maurice up there with his like monotone voice as he's sitting there making the reporters laugh, talking about how his team will shotgun a beer

and then they'll show up to the library to read a book and then they'll fucking stab the goalie in the back of the neck Is they're trying to just draw a call? I'll be I'll be Maurice I'll be stuff you be Maurice. Hey coach, you know, what did you think about that game one loss? I know you know Skinner gave up 10 and you know what anything you need to see from your group Am I Maurice? Yeah. Yeah. And we just won.

Yeah. 10, nothing. You won 10, nothing. And Skinner gave up 10. Yeah. You know, I just had, uh, I can't do his accent, but you know, you know, you know, Barkey's playing great. Ryan Hart, Rhino is out there.

You know, we, we know, we know what we need to do is this team. This team's been around, you know, guys, we've been around a long time, guys. We've just been doing this and doing this, and this group, I trust this group. And you know, we're on the bench, and we're just, we just know, we just know what we can bring. We know what each line brings.

Listen, I'll tell you right now, when I was coaching in fucking Junior B when I was 12 years old, you know, I saw, I saw guys, and they knew how to win in the playoffs and listen, Edmonton, they'll come back stronger tomorrow, but so will we, so will we. We know what to bring. I don't know.

I just. Not bad, not bad. I'm 12 years old. I'm not as well spoken as him. I'm trying to think, he's very good at giving it a. I was hoping for a crazy analogy. Because I can't think of it, because that's the thing about him.

He is so good at his job. And when I say content, like he knows he's creating conversations and he knows he's saying things that are gonna make reporters and fans laugh. But I'm sick of it. And this is just because of how good they are. You know who could play him as a head coach in a movie

Matthew McConaughey Yeah Just like the way that they talk like somebody else Go listen to the way that Matthew McConaughey narrated his own own book that he really he trying to sound like Paul Maurice is so unfair that guy's IQ compared to mine. It's like is so unfair. That guy's IQ compared to mine. It's like the guy is, he's an excellent coach and an excellent quote. All I'm saying is my team going back to back against him in a rematch, I'm sick and tired of him. And I actually think if the Oilers pull out this cup win, he would be so gracious, I believe, as a coach of a losing team. I think he was when they lost to Vegas, and they had no one healthy, and he's just,

I can't get him off my TV. There has to be other fans that are sick of him because they just keep winning. And then their team, your team, Keith, is just so hateable, these fucking Panthers. I respect them. They're a phenomenal hockey team. I fucking hate them. I can't stand them. They're a phenomenal hockey team. I fucking hate them.

I can't stand them. I want them to lose so badly. I don't want to see them win again. I need the Oilers to win this. This series, to me, I am like stressed out going in because, one, I want Conor McDavid and the Oilers in the City of Edmonton to win a Stanley Cup. Since this kid came into the league, watching him, I've never had more fun watching hockey than watching Connor McDavid. And if he has to lose to the goddamn Florida Panthers

in back-to-back years, and the fucking rats coming down on the ice, and Maurice's quotes, and the fucking noise, and Keith banging the drum, I can't picture, I can't stand it. I can't stand the thought of it. I need the Oilers to end up beating this team and ending this Florida Panthers dominance. I have to. But as a guy who grew up in Boston

and you root for the Patriots, you see them dominating over the years and even Belichick, remember his press conferences? You would've hated them. If you weren't a fan of their team, you hated them. And I think Witt's got a little bit of this in his blood right now. He's like every other NFL team

when the Patriots were winning now. So it's the season. And it gets even worse when your team's playing them. Then it becomes even more, where you're just like, I can't picture. Now, guys, I think that this series is going to be one for the, I think people picking either team in four or five are crazy. I can't see how that would happen.

I mean, the only worry when I talk about Florida and talking to people leading up to this final, like they talk about how they're lunatics, they're animals, and the way they bully teams and beat teams up. That's actually not what scares me. Bob is what scares me. Because when Bob gets in these grooves, I don't think you can beat him. We've seen it.

Now, we also have seen times where he does lose it a little bit, right? Like think of games Four five and six against Edmonton last year like all of a sudden he had to reset the two days off for game seven But at the beginning of the series game one of the Stanley Cup finals last year It was one of Edmonton's best game of the entire playoff and they got bobbed So I'm petrified of that guy just showing up and just stealing the series. That's my number one concern.

Do you believe Maurice Yance when he said that he feels like both teams have improved? Edmonton more so defensively. He said that Florida, his own team, has gotten better defensively, but also improved more consistently offensively as well. I, yeah, I 100% agree. And I mean, you look at both teams,

I think last year it was the Connor McDavid show, right? Like he was on a different level. I think he had 40 points, right? In playoffs or something crazy like that, where it's just stupid to wrap your head around. And he's getting more help offensively, but I think defensively, especially when, when Skinner's played well, like they're dialed in,

like, you know, Nurse isn't making crazy plays. Bouchard's been really good defensively. Obviously getting Ekholm back's only gonna steady it even more, but even guys like Stetcher, we talked about him on the stream. Like he was a guy who came in and looked like he's been there for 10 years, the way he's played just simple hard

they're not trying to make crazy plays like I Even in the the last game that they played they tried to force a pass I forget who the D was tried to force a pass to McDavid the Dallas went down It was Kulak Kulak it's like that was kind of their one like they didn't make a ton of mistakes like that, trying to force things. Like they played a way more simple game. So I do agree with that offensively. I think mostly just for Florida,

he said offensively that they've gotten even better. And I think that that strictly comes from, bringing over a guy like Marchi who's, helped that third line be amazing. They're getting depth scoring, you know, Greer has been great, Gasevich been great. So I think just all four lines for them have been humming. They're not just, you know, counting on Reinhardt,

Chucky and Barkey. It's kind of, it's getting sprinkled all around. I think Benny has the most goals for them right now. In the playoff, I think. Yeah, he's been, I think he's like, analytically the best five on five player throughout playoffs so far. Hey, Lee, and your whole third line, they all have 12 five on five points.

That's crazy, man. And I feel like their third line was their best line throughout the first two rounds of playoffs. And then and then and then everybody was talking about how Kachuk was a little bit quiet in round two against the Leafs and we knew that he was gonna show up against Carolina especially how they were able to to kind of dictate down low around the goal line and Specifically around the blue paint where where I felt like that second line really elevated their play

Against Carolina we talked about One coach's decision on the eastern side about the not the handshake line. We got to talk about a big one in the Oilers Dallas series pulling Jake Ottinger after those first two goals Pete DeBoer. I tweeted out right away I said it on I think we were doing the live stream like this could potentially be a fireball offense, losing your starting goaltender who has an eight year deal that kicks in next year. I thought it was ridiculous in the fact that both goals,

it's like the sea had parted. The D, one D goes over to one side, they go weak side to weak side, and just basically two breakaways. And yeah, maybe not the best of goals, but in that instance to pull your starter to me is insane because in the three games prior they'd scored three goals or two goals. Excuse me. They got shut out three, nothing, the one game.

So they'd only had two goals in the last three games. So definitely a lack of offense and no run support for Jake Ottinger. And then after that start, you're going to yank him. And then after that start, you're going to yank him. And then after the game, the fact that he had, like what he was going to say, cocked up and loaded, told me that he almost had like this premeditated idea before the game of if this goes a certain way, I'm yanking him where I don't know what he has

against Jake Ottinger and maybe not thinking he can win the big one, but how about the rest of your fucking team showing up the three games prior? Like how about that when he was standing on his head and giving you an opportunity to win? So I don't know boys, I'll throw it over to you and what you have to say about it, but considering the market for coaches has been reset where Sullivan I think is making close to 7 million, you know, talk, it got paid what he got paid. Maybe he's thinking, hey, I'm going to get canned here and re up on a new deal. Yeah, he has one year left, I believe. As an Oilers fan watching the game,

I was so happy he was pulling him like you can't pull your guy at two,. Two nothing in the NHL these days, seven minutes into the game is- With 52, yeah, 52 minutes left in the game, what are we doing? You're like at home, like you're, now, Biz, what was crazy, well actually before the post game,

he calls the timeout, all right, and he's kinda talking to the team, and Autinger obviously had skated over, and then, all right guys, let's go, boom, time he's kind of talking to the team and Ottinger obviously had skated over and Then all right guys, let's go boom timeouts over Then I just starts going back to the net and it was almost like he either forgot to tell him right when he brought him In for the timeout or he just like snap and he's like night boom and he kind of gave him like you're on You're done and it was like and on just on the way back kind of and then I watched as the Smith got onto the ice You watch the handshake, right and Audenger gave him like

Not blame. It was more just like yeah. Good luck. I think he was shocked I think he had no clue what was just happening that he's getting taken out of the game and then it pans over and Audenger's standing sitting next to Ray Ferraro Give him a headset who was breaking down why he got pulled. Just one of the crazier scenes I've ever, for a star goalie. Now, here's the problem. Say DeBoer had decided to do that the way he did it, and the game ends, and he goes in, and he just says, listen,

I'm trying to get a spark. Who knows what he could have said? But he decided to goes in and he just says, listen, I'm trying to get a spark. Who knows what he could have said, but he decided to say, and he says here, I didn't blame it all on Jake, but here we go. The reality is if you go back to last year's playoffs, he's lost six of seven games to Edmonton and we give up two goals on two shots in an elimination game. Yeah, because your fucking defense imploded. That's a pretty big sample size.

What about the three games prior? You fucking, like, I love the bore, but this is like, this is a weird fucking quote. And what about last year when Edmonton ended up just dominating on their penalty kill and your power play couldn't score and you lost the series to them in six. So yeah, I know he hasn't beaten the Oilers, but to blame him. And then after like a crazy polling, bring him up and bring up his record. To me, it's like, wow, like this guy, there's obviously some sort of disconnect between Autinger and Deboer.

Right. Right. And, and, and Autinger did a hell of a job. I thought in his post season, you know, wrap up with the media. He really kind of could have made it a lot worse a job, I thought, in his post-season wrap-up with the media. He really kind of could have made it a lot worse, Biz, I think. Oh, definitely. It's probably nice that he had a few days to cool down. And I thought I thought he spoke from the heart. He talked about how it was an embarrassing experience. And I don't know if we're allowed to roll the full clip.

But Elliot on 32 Thoughts said there was a lot of Dallas players that were upset by DeBoer's comments, which leads me to believe that there's still maybe an opportunity where they decide to let him go. You don't want to lose faith in your starting goaltender. Maybe since then, DeBoer and Autinger have been able to sit down and hash it out, but there's a lot more guys in my opinion to direct your frustration towards because I regret it. But the board doesn't do that and he doesn't say the things he says in post game. I don't think there's any reason

to blame the bore for that loss. I mean, Wyatt Johnson, young player, he had a couple of great playoffs going back to last year and even the year before that. Like he set an NHL record for worst plus minus throughout the course of a run. Like he had a tough postseason. Did he make some big plays and did he have some clutch moments in that Colorado series and in the second round as well against Winnipeg? Absolutely. But he wasn't at his best. I think we can all agree.

Like I really thought given that the, you know, Father time is ticking for Jamie Ben, like, I thought we were going to see one of the best playoff performances we've ever seen from Jamie Ben against the Oilers. At least going down with a fight. I didn't see anything from him. Like mind you, he just had a kiss first kid. Like I can understand sometimes when that happens, like, there's a lot coming at you from a personal life standpoint.

So maybe there was like that was affecting them personally. But I mean, are there other guys that you could direct your frustration towards outside of Jake Ottinger? And mind you, like I just said, only allowed two goals in the course of three games. Or sorry, only got run support two goals over the course of three games in the three games prior.

Yeah, I think Dushane, I wanted a little more from him, maybe. And you just never know what's going on with guys, too, what they're battling. Robertson started heating up. Robinson did. Once Ludwig came on here and you guys lit the spark under his ass, he was lights out. But yeah, you can't, too little too late again, especially against that crew.

Like you get you're down a couple of games like it's going to be hard to come back against the Edmonton Oilers. Like they're just they're a well-oiled machine. You know, I talked to a guy who used to play for Dallas and he was just like. Disgusted and shocked that they pulled them and his his biggest thing was how, like the way that if, if your team sees you panic like that as the coach, which it's quite obvious, pulling your starter seven minutes into an elimination game at home, you're panicking. Because like we said, two nothing, buddy.

This game is still completely alive for us. But the team sees him do that and they're like, what are we doing here? Like, the Smith, like how many time, how many playoff games has he played? It's just a crazy decision. And, you know, he also kind of said he doesn't know how to adjust. Like, that's what he thought. Yeah, I just was very surprised that that series ended that quick. And credit to Edmonton and how good they played, but I thought there was going to be a lot more from Dallas.

I really did. And I know that Heskinen's coming back from injury. He's not really the same. The right side of their D isn't great. They don't even have like a ton of cap space, I don't think either. I think they're kind of in a little issue cap wise. Well, Jamie Ben comes off the books, I believe, but then a few like the rotten and deal kick in. He signed an extension. Why Johnson will start making eight and a half. So things will get a little bit tight and yeah, I just it was just a crazy fallout. Like bringing in a backup goalie,

like in the regular season, whatever it is, what it is, because that goalie's probably played in the last week, maybe five days in playoffs. Like Casey DeSmith hasn't seen action in over a month and a half. Like he just gets practice shots every day. Like, Autinger's been your guy. And I do remember too, in the first series,

you were like, okay, I got Dallas and in Colorado, they're gonna beat up on each other. As an Oilers fan, you're thinking, okay, they're gonna beat up on each other. Then they get Winnipeg, that's a gauntlet of a series too. So it's like, they kind of had a really tough road and maybe they were just done, like physically, mentally.

Like that first series, when in that first series it was like physically, mentally, like that first series, winning that first series is like, holy shit, like kind of everyone was like, oh my God, how did they even win that? And then you go and beat the president's trophy winner where your goalie stands on his head against the guy that he's fighting for the net for in Olympics. So maybe they were just physically mentally done.

I agree with you, Ian. That central is a fucking wagon, man. They had to beat both those teams. It takes a, it takes a lot out of you. And yeah, I, I, I tend to lean towards that, but like not taking anything away from Edmonton either though, like LA, tough series. And then to, to dismantle the Vegas gold Knights, the way they did. That's the one advantage I like for, um, for Edmonton and the fact that they were able to win their last two series and 10 games. Pretty impressive.

Gee's saying here that they they only have five million dollars in projected cap space for next season. They got to sign Ben, Duchenne, Granlin, Blackwell, Dodonov, Maverick, Borks and RFA. Gee's saying he thinks he'll get offer sheeted because of their cap issues. So kind of that's I mean, that's a good, good amount of bodies there that they got to resign with not a lot of money available. So yeah, I mean, Dabour probably sees like, wow, third Weston conference file in a row or down to not in seven games into game five. We're about to get eliminated, like seeing all of this kind of come to an end.

Possibly it is it is very surprising, though. You would have thought that Dallas would have. I mean, they got to that Cup final in the bubble, right? Like that was against that was Tampa's first cup, I believe. And then you kind of thought the way that they had prospects coming that you'd see them competing for a couple of other cups in the next few years. And they just ran into some wagons and the Oilers the last two and Vegas the year prior to that.

So I don't know. We'll see what happens. But the two best teams are here. I think with that, I mean, we're very lucky that we were able to get Sam Reinhardt to join us on the pod. So I think we could chat with him a little bit about the run so far, his health. I'm sure he won't get into it, but what he's thinking going into the cup final.

So let's throw it over right now to one of the best defensive and goal scoring forwards in the league. Sam Reinhardt. This episode is brought to you by Body Armor Sports Drink. This summer, cool off with Body Armor Chill, a bold new way to hydrate with no artificial dyes, flavors, or sweeteners. I got the Frozen Berry sent to me. It's incredible, tastes amazing, awesome bottle, and I'll tell you right now, there is no better

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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 GameTime app today. What time is it? GameTime. We welcome now very special guest, friend of the program, Stanley Cup champ looking to do it again, back to back, four nations champ as well this year just keeps adding wins to his resume. Sam Reinhart, what's going on buddy? Game winning goal of game seven last year.

How you feeling? How you doing? And thanks for joining the show. Very good. Yeah. Thanks for having me. Nice to still be here in June. I know seriously.

So we were talking earlier this show about, and Keith brought up how, how much you guys love playing. I think the clip came out of, of Bennett on the bench, maybe with you just saying like, Oh, I wasn't ready to be done yet. Right. So it's become so addicting to you guys playing this late. That's gotta be part of it. Like, I just don't want it to end.

I love this team that much. Well, for sure. I, yeah, I think, uh, I heard a little bit of the clip. I think it was with Ferhegy, but yeah, um, it's certainly a feeling regarding this room. Um, you know, uh, especially, you know, throughout the playoffs, there's going to be times when you're exhausted and, and, you know, you kind of got that mental and physical battle, like can you still keep going? But, um, you know, and then you kind of snap out of it. So, you know, we feel like got that mental and physical battle, like can you still keep going?

But, um, you know, and then you kind of snap out of it. So, you know, we feel like we've got energy right now. We're, we're excited to still be playing. You ever played through Gale? No, but I remember in junior I used to get those calluses on the big toe, like he got there and it was the worst putting your skates on every day. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I'm bad. So he, he told us he, uh, during the broadcast with TNT, he does a 20 ounces of steak a night, so he's doing a 12 ounce and then an eight ounce, uh, at midnight, so he clearly doesn't know the effects of, uh, eating that much red meat. You're part to blame for it, right? Oh, I stress the and fucking your Florida cathars stressed me the fuck out. You got, you got to get on my program. Don't cut out the red meat, but nights before games and you'll be good to go.

Wow. So you're done with red meat night before. Yeah. I just, it done it for, done it for a long time. Just it's, it's, that's 80 to I guess now a hundred steaks. Less than a year. Pre-game meal is still just pasta chicken. Uh, cuddle pasta too this year.

Um, well, right now you had like 77 goals last year. I mean, yeah, what the fuck? Why did you change a thing? These eight o'clock games started getting to me and, uh, I just had to eat boards throughout the day, so I just kind of kept it going this year. I think the old school eating a steak before a game is kind of like ended when you left the league with.

We still have it though guys. Like I've never seen anyone, but we still, I, we probably waste about 30 fillets every game day. But maybe, maybe management comes in later and, and, and chomps it down. No, you know, you know, lose taking them home. Baez eats those steaks after you guys, even overnighted. Shut the fuck up. Well, Hey, that probably speaks to what your organization's about there in Florida.

Always looking for that next edge. Like it feels like from like a recovery standpoint, it's clear you guys are doing something in order to have played this much hockey in the last three years. Yeah. You guys are still firing on all cylinders and the fact that you recovered from your injury in like two fucking days. Yeah. I think it starts individually having that drive. And then I mean, you, you see all your best players, um, you know, taking care of themselves.

And, and, you know, like, like, like you guys said, it's pretty demanding to play this much hockey, but to be able to still feel good at this time of year is important. So, you know, I think it's pretty infectious for guys coming in. Um, you know, it's almost contagious that that's, that's how you treat yourself. That's how you prepare. And then I mean, we're given everything we need to be successful here from the organization.

So it's a big combination. Rhino heaven, um, you know, your dad played in the NHL, your brother, uh, yourself, but your dad played a lot of his career in Calgary. Like, was there some, you know, homegrown hate for Edmonton growing up? Cause you know, those battle of Alberta, like those run deep. Yeah. We're looking for a good spicy quote. So make sure you fire off.

Honestly. So we grew up in Vancouver. He finished there. And he actually retired before we, before my oldest brother was born. But it just so happened at one point, I was actually a Calgary flame growing up or Calgary fan growing up. What my other brother was a Vancouver fan. And my oldest brother was actually an Atlanta fan just randomly.

And my dad played there for a year before going to Calgary. But, so yeah, I think, you know, my mom's from Calgary. Certainly that side of the family is, is, is, is happier when, uh, you know, it's the oiler for beating. So, uh, hopefully we can do it again. Obviously first round kind of shocking to most hockey fans, five games against Tampa, everyone, a lot of people pick Tampa. A lot of people had to go in seven and then the conference final it ends up being five.

But that second round against the Leafs, take us inside the room, you know, heading back home down oh two, like after the second game ends, shocking, I think that people would see you guys in that situation. But was anything said was, was it more we're going home, we're still fine? Like, what was the vibe like then? Vibe was, vibe was actually really good. Um, you know, sometimes, sometimes it can be a little more stressful being up and you're trying to close out a series at the pressure kind of shifts. Um, sadly we've been on both ends of it.

Um, you know, in the, in the past, as you guys saw last year, but we were very comfortable. We, we, we got outplayed in those first two games and we didn't like our game at all. Um, you know, we're with, with our coaching staff, we're, we're as comfortable with any of that after a loss, they're going to get us right and they're going to make a couple of tweaks. And I think, you know, there's a couple of things that they pointed out that we've adjusted, that we've been carrying over for the last couple of weeks in the Carolina series and we're going to keep going forward with it. So we've always said here, it's the losses that ultimately how you handle those and how you approach shows and how you come back from those is what, you know, separates you this time of year. And we feel with our staff and how you come back from those is, is what, uh, you know, separates you this time of year.

And, and, and we feel with, with our staff and how we go about things, we're one of the best at that. So, um, you know, it was kind of a good shift in that series and, and something we've carried over. And that probably goes to show too, like you guys playing on the road, it never looks like you're the road team. It always looks like you guys are in control. I don't know if it's the coaches are just the way you guys play but

Just going to even start in this series on the road like as a fan of you guys It doesn't worry me at all because you guys bring the same exact intensity every game You don't waver from the way that you want to play. Is that coming from you know, Paul or is it just within you guys? Sorry, I think it starts with their rate, what he came in. Um, you know, the, the, the messaging so clear, um, and then as, as you see yourself have success in those situations, it just, and then go through certain things and have that experience. It just helps out that much more.

No one's going to sit here and tell you that they don't want home ice. Everyone wants home ice. We would take home ice over the road, any given series. But I think there's a factor to it that people don't realize as much that, you go in on the road, it's almost like holding serve. The pressure kind of shifts to that home team. Certainly in some markets, it's harder than others that, that, you know, we always say tied or better kind of, you know, going into the first,

go to the second, uh, tie or better. You don't have pressure shifts on, on, on the home team that much more. And, um, the more comfortable you could be in those situations, the better off you'll be, uh, you're not done in a day. It's, it's, it's the same ice for we feel comfortable no matter where we are. Rhino what's up with this fucking Mika La guy? Like he's just, and how did he get his nickname? The condor.

It's crazy how he's been able to accelerate his game and all of a sudden he looks like fucking Bobby or out there. It's crazy. So I, I. Attributed my hot start last year, um, to, to Meeks. He came in and training camp just the way the lines worked. Um, I always started against, uh, Meeks in, in drills. So we battled for, for two and a half weeks going into that. And he's such a competitive guy. He's, he's, I mean, I'm sure you guys see his personality a little bit, but, um, he's

such a funny guy, but you know, he's such a competitor. Um, what are the worst guys to go against in, in practice and, and serve the other that translates to the game. So, uh, he's a gamer too. I mean, it's, it's big guys like that, that can move, that can skate and, and can handle a puck that you don't want to play against. So, uh, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a gamer too. I mean, it's, it's big guys like that, that can move, that can skate and, and can handle a puck that you don't want to play against at this time of year. What, how'd you get, how do you get his nickname? The condor.

He's seven feet tall. I think, uh, that was, uh, that was Moe's nickname for him in meetings. He would, cause he, he just flies up the ice and through, through the play sometimes and he's got the big condor wings and he just comes through. That's where that name came from. When, when, when Paul first dropped it, were you guys just fucking dying? Yeah, it's, it's one of the ones that stuck for sure. Everyone talks about the third line this year, right?

Like the two fins and then you got Marshawn. It's incredible what they've done. But I look at the fourth line and and Greer was in Calgary, Nosik was in New Jersey, but Gajdjiewicz was a part of your team, didn't play any playoff games. He is a nail gun. Last year, could you even see, wow, this guy could be in if we weren't so deep? I could see him being a big part of our team moving forward.

Because for me, I didn't know much about him. And it's like, wow, he was there last year, a lot of regular season games, but didn't even need him in the playoffs. Yeah. I mean, that's something we've learned over the years, uh, going through it against me, I guess just so depleted that something management, you know, obviously addressed, um, had the depth last year, you know, those, those guys, those three noser, gaj and, uh,e were so dominant near the end of the year.

And you know, two of them didn't even start playoffs. I mean, you got Sturvey coming in, you got Sam waiting who could step in. So you need guys like that. I mean, you're talking about a third line. I mean, they can be a first line any given night. And I don't think people realize that like, like you go back to a Toronto series or something and, um, Let's not do that. Let's not do that.

This guy's packing during the interview. That's what you did to him. You ruined the guy. I have fucking gout, bro. I've been fitting on my ass for fucking two days. I thought I broke my foot, man. I'm battling man. Stanley Cup playoffs. it's gold.

Yeah, but you know, people don't realize what it, you know, the stress it takes off some of your top guys having that, that any given night, you don't need to produce, you know, you're going out against McDavid, Dryside, Matthews, Miron, you don't need to, you might not need to, you know, cheat to offense. Cause, cause, cause you know, someone's, someone's out the end of the day, if you're going to win, someone's going to step up. So, um, just to have options like that and, and, and guys jumping in at the right moments and producing is what you need.

Being a Canadian, what's like the most like white trash Florida thing you do now living in South Florida? What he said he was going to talk once and you can't even get a question in anymore. Go back to packing biz, beat it. Buddy, you know, biz rhino. This is how it works. He's flossing right now. He's got his teeth out.

Well, you got, we got a couple of C2s that, uh, unfortunately the battery dies this time of year a little bit too much, but of all the plays you you've seen Barkov make, that dish to Verhege at the end, like that had to be one of the best you've seen in your four years playing with him. Yeah. I mean, it's. It's every night, huh? It's, it's, yeah, it's, um, you, you see it more when you see teams that play man to man, I mean, I go back to that New York series we played last year and they were a heavy man to man team and I was almost just laughing in the ozone throughout that series.

Just, I mean, I'm, you know, high F3 at the net or something and you're just watching him kind of get a guy on his neck and, uh, he's taking him for a ride. But you know, those, those are the types of plays and in those big moments that, um, that that you need this time of year. And plays in those big moments that, um, that, that you need this time of year. And when you got someone like that, that can do it all. It's, it's obviously important and huge help. What about Bob?

Like, I mean, he's. Great movie. Besides, yeah, great movie. But besides, I mean, the first two games against Toronto, obviously wasn't his best and then since then it's just old school Bob, what you used to see him. But like for a guy that sees him every day and I had the pleasure of playing with him, like he's doing this every single day, which people don't realize like he's one of the

hardest working guys in that locker room. No, it's crazy. And that's what you want out of your goalie. I mean, he, he, a lot of nights has to be your best player. Um, you know, a bit of it's how we play in front of him. You know, when you look at games one to two against Toronto, why he doesn't have the success he has, but it's the timely saves.

I mean, we're such a tight cap team. We're going to give, we're going to give that chance eventually. And he's been in there when you, when you got him back there, you got that confidence to play such a tight cap game and, and, and take away some time and space, knowing that when there's a breakdown, he's going to be there for you. But the work ethic, like you said, that, that, that he has day to day is, is something, you know, I've never seen before. Should we have a Pasha hop on and ask a question?

Bring him in. Yeah, I got a question for Sam. Hey boy, how you doing Samson? Like the tarp. Where are you? Oh yeah, obviously. Are you going Homer Street? Where are you right now?

Yeah. Yeah. Homer Street. Will you request to trade to the devils? Well, no, speaking of, uh, speaking of that, can you touch on, uh, Boquist? Cause he's one player that I did not like to see leave New Jersey. I loved his game and he's got five points and 11 playoff games. That's great production for a fourth line guy.

Can you talk about what he's brought to the team? I mean, a fourth line guy steps in and plays first line when, when guys go, he's, he's, uh, Yepé is what we call him down here, but we've, we've been wondering all year kind of how he hasn't, um, stuck around with the team. Uh, I mean, he's been so effective. He's so fast. Uh, he competes, uh, um, I'm sure you guys remember the goal. He scored the game winner in game three.

Uh, he just slides by guys and, uh, slippery, very slippery. He really does it all. So, um, that's another guy that can jump in and really play anywhere. So, um, you know, when guys go out, like when I miss a couple of games, you're, you're really not as concerned because you got, you got guys like him that step right in there and, and, and fill roles and can kind of do it all. Take us through, you get Seth Jones, happened a little before the deadline and then deadline days ending and boom, it breaks.

Brad Marshawn, like all the battles you guys have had with him, the Bennett Marshawn incident, like had to be kind of shocking. Had you heard rumblings? It was a possibility. And if not, like when that news broke, the team had to be fired up based on what he's done. The player he is. Yeah. Jones, we had heard, we had heard there was a possibility a little before.

Um, I mean, he's, he's, he was at a spot where you can kind of control a little bit. So we knew there was probably only a couple of teams. He would have, um, you, when you put a guy like Kevin in, in, into our system, it's, I mean, we're just licking our chops for saying we got this guy for another five, six years. He's a horse. There's no, there's no other way to, to describe him. He's such an animal. He can play 26 and probably play 32 if he really needed to. Um, so you get guys in different situations and they just excel.

And, you know, I think people kind of forget the type of player some guys are when they go to a different organization and they're in a new environment. So we're obviously thrilled to get a guy like him. And then, yeah, like you said, it was, I think the only day off it was an hour left of the trade deadline. And, um, you, you started hearing the rumors and then it was another four hours went by and we didn't know what was going on. Uh, I remember Chuckie texted a couple of us telling us, Luci was, Luci was going back the other way and we were all devastated. I didn't give Luci a big hug. Barky had called me, I called Barky. I're like, what's going on? We lost this guy

Like just so sad that's something Chuckie was doing at the fuck Like six or seven people I said like someone asked who's it for is like but loose in a first or so is so funny but and was at four is like, but loose in a first or so is so funny. But that's how deranged he is. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So funny, but, um, those are, it was a tough couple hours. And then finally you realize speaking of deranged people, Hey, you said

loose, the Rhino back to Boston. No problem. Great on Q. What? Um, I was just telling them about the loose deeper marshy trade. Austin, no problem. Right on cue. What? I was just telling them about the loose steeper marshy trade. Oh yeah. The deadline. Hey, now is your turn to talk to your way.

A sick animal. Yeah. They boys, uh, I think that got back to my connection a little rough. I just want to come and say hi boys, but yeah, yeah, I'm happy that we can keep marshy and, uh, and didn't have to give up Lucy either. Nope. Just want to hop on, say hi, keep the tradition going. I knew you would. I don't necessarily love this. Not going to lie. This worked last time.

Now you're going to shove me in a locker like you did for Biz. Actually, are you two guys part of the Dairy Queen Blizzard Mafia? Is that, are you guys a part of those trips? I'm I'm I missed it game game two was it might have to jump on this series yeah no I'm we're we're part of the chocolate chip cookie crew at the hotel in the lounge so yeah no no Dairy Queen for us we keep it we're keeping it nice your body's a temple math or part of the honey train. Yeah Biz he came on to be nice to us and you gave it to him. You were the one who gave it to him You don't remember how it went. Yes

You turned it into a 60 minutes with like Vladimir Putin hard-hitting questions not calling Kachak Putin Just saying how you would question somebody in a legit and I'm just saying Matthew. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks a lot. Great to see you song Was that before a finals nuts here? Well, hey, let's say boy Toronto sign off The door here with my gout Sam I hope he forgets his passport. I'm neutral. I won't be tarps off on the Jumbotron this year. I'm hanging up the tank top. Witt can have it. Good luck to both sides. No, thanks. Are you gonna be buzzing down the terminal

in the golf cart? Maybe. There you go. Timmy will take care of it. Alright, Ryan. Oh, this business done. We've kept you long enough. I'm assuming it's Monday afternoon, you guys are leaving tonight or you're leaving tomorrow? Not tomorrow morning. Oh wow, all right. Long flight and this series should be a legendary one. Appreciate you coming on, man.

Congrats on all your success, it continues. We thank you for joining the show and I'm gonna say good luck. I'm just a man of honor, good luck. You're a good man. Play hard. Appreciate it. Thanks guys.

Good luck, Rhino. See you, Rhino. Guys, it's Whit here and it's time to talk about RO sparks, a two in one prescription treatment we've been mentioning lately for stronger, harder erections. RO sparks dissolve under your tongue, meaning they hit your bloodstream faster than pills, so you can get ready for action quicker. You know the action we're talking about.

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What a player. We appreciate him coming on. Guys, let's kind of give some predictions here. I'd love to start with you, Keith. I'd love to get your thoughts on this series, where you think it's going to go and how many games is it going to take your team to beat my team? Yeah, like we said earlier, I think this series

is going to be amazing. One for the ages, just with how well these teams know each other, the rivalry, the, you know, McDavid storyline going in the last year, flipping out on TV, on the Amazon dock. So I think there's a lot of great storylines. I'm not I'm not really prepared to say how the series is going to go till after game one. I think the Panthers win in six. I think that first game is going to be a, I think it's going to be a six five game.

Like the goalies haven't seen a lot of shots. I want that. I know, I know you want that. Even Bob, I'm confident in Bob being able to settle in and figure it out after that. Skinner, I don't know. So you kind of don't hope that. But, uh, yeah, I think it's going to be an amazing series at the end of the day.

I think Florida is just a little bit too deep. Um, and they know what it takes. And I think Florida takes it down in six. Damn. This what do you have? Well, I don't want to piss you off. Cause last time you cannot change a thing thinking it might piss me off. You have to, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no like David winning the big one as I still am. Like I care about Connor McDavid winning a Stanley Cup as well as Edmonton Oilers and bringing it back on Canadian soil. I agree with you guys. I think this is gonna be an incredible series. Like last year was, last year was an iconic series.

You know, coming back all the way down 03. I just feel like a little bit more rest for McDavid and Dry Cytl coming into this one is going to be huge. I feel like the fact that they have home ice is gigantic and that they got to drag Florida all the way up north in that travel schedule where they can get that early pounce on the series. I'm going to say Edmonton wins game one for that reason, and that's gonna be massive. I just look at that stat of the greats of Wayne losing in the final to the Islanders and then beating them the next year, Crosby losing to Detroit,

going back the next year, finally winning it. These guys are able to learn so much from these experiences and make the necessary changes that they need to make in order to finally be successful and win. And these guys have been doing it their entire careers and lives. So I just can't see McDavid losing again in the finals. I'm going to pick them in seven games. I cannot wait to see how crazy that building is in Edmonton for game seven. Like Whit, you have to be in Edmonton if that happens. Oh, if it goes seven, I will be in Edmonton.

No doubt. I don't think there's anyone more happy in the state of Florida than me that you're picking Edmonton. And that's fine. Maybe big Cs. That's fine. That's fine.

And once again, I'm just picking that. I'm rooting from a distance. I do still have the Edmonton Reathers crop top in case you do want to wear it with. I'll hand it off to you. I gave it to Kujo's kid. He actually has it right now. So we'll definitely get it on site

throughout one game this series. But yeah, I agree, though. Florida's a better team, but so is Edmonton and they're going to figure it out and find a way. And the biggest X factor in this series is going to be Stuart Skinner. And I feel like he is just going to go nuclear and he's found something and he knows what's at stake and he doesn't want to cost it for, for Connor and staff. So I, I got oil oilers in seven.

Yeah. I think, I actually think Florida's forwards are better, obviously Marshawn. And I know that, so Jones comes in, you lose Montor and you bring in Seth Jones and he's been phenomenal, but I think OEL was better than Nate Schmidt is. So I almost think that Florida's defense was a little bit better last year. Mikko has been better, though. Miko, but now he's got a little bit of an injury, but he has been better than last year as well. So, so me, but either way, like OEL was a force in that entire run,

including the finals. I think the Oilers are a better team. I think Stan Bowman deserves a ton of credit for the Wallman trade that really went under the radar at the time. He's been awesome. He's been excellent to get Ekholm back paired with Bouchard. Forget the McDavid. So McDavid's had these Gretzky-Crosby discussion around him since he's 10 years old. So like that's how crazy sports is. This is actually happening. It would happen the same way as the two people he's been basically compared to his entire life.

Like only sports could give you that type of drama. That's what like has me so excited about the series. I'm with you Biz. I cannot see him losing again. If he were to lose again and then somehow get the Kahn Smythe trophy again, he may smash the trophy. That makes me sick to my stomach to even think about. But Game 1 is enormous to me. Actually, I don't like Biz saying he thinks Edmonton's going to win, but they were 2-1

at home last year and they looked phenomenal. I think that in Florida, it was a struggle. They were one and three. They got dominated in game two. So if you start this series at home, you've earned that right, and you go down 0-1. Then game two is a complete must-win. Even then, you go back to Florida. They got their split. So game one really sets the tone for this entire series.

They had to travel up. Also, Shodor, I don't think we mentioned that the Panthers did the Goudreau 5K So like game one really sets the tone for this entire series. They had to travel up also showed her I don't think we mentioned that the Panthers did the the good row 5k walk I believe as a team the other day pretty awesome for them to see that I saw all the guys in their t-shirts awesome for them, but I I think Edmonton get I think Edmonton gets it done I think that you're gonna be able to control the matchups at home the way they did. So you can get Barkov away from McDavid. Barkov at home, I think McDavid only had, was it one or two points in Florida with Barkov on him, every shift Maurice has him out there.

So you're able at least at home to get away from that and you can kind of control the matchups. You can have hopefully like Leon's line, like I'm looking at the rosters right now and trying to think of matchups, okay? I think you'd want in Edmonton, McDavid to play against Bennett, Verhage and Kichuck, okay? Because I don't think like they can handle his speed, right? And I think it's pretty noticeable that Matthew Kichuck, while still playing great, he's been battling an injury since Four Nations. Last series, he looked faster. Last year, I will

say. He did look better. Looks like he's got goat. He's got the goat. I also look back to last year and man, Kane was basically in like a body cast. McDavid and Leon were both real banged up and obviously McDavid left practice earlier, a little bit early on Sunday. So like there's cause for concern there. But I think overall Edmonton is much healthier than they were last year. Hyman withstanding. So like last year you go in and you're dealing with Florida who's so difficult to play against

and guys are banged up. They're healthier this year. They are deeper at forward, right? They have Leon playing with Kaepernick. So like if you put Kane on that line and Kane's healthy and played, Kane's got to be a little bit better, I think. I think Kane will- We need crazy Kane.

We need crazy Kane. Exactly. He's going to have an enormous impact on this series. If Edmonton's winning the cup, I think you look back and say Evander Kane was one of their best players in the final. On D, right? Like, Ekholm getting those games against Dallas, that's great. And now five days between game one and the end of the Western Conference final. So he should be a little bit better. I thought he looked a little better as that series went on in game five there. But I just think it's Edmonton's time, man. I think it's also, if you look back, Crosby, he lost in 08, won in 09, then got his first gold medal in 2010.

That would be the same for McDavid if Canada were to go home and get a gold medal last. And I think Gretzky, when he lost in 83, beat the Islanders in 84. I think later that year in 84 of September, was that his first Canada Cup win? So that's like, maybe he'd won a Canada Cup prior, I could be wrong on that, but the parallels

between Gretzky Crosby and McDavid, and then it turning out to be this similar, that to me is just like Goosebumps City, that's what sports is all about. And you've talked about McDavid, and I tried explaining to Bree, my wife, all about this and how crazy this rematch is. And she kind of said, and until he gets a cup, he's not considered like one of the

great ones. And I'm like, no, it sounds nuts. And if McDavid somehow doesn't win a Stanley Cup, he'd still be known as one of the greatest hockey players ever, what he did. But if you don't win a cup, man, and how many chances are you going to get? Right. Yes. If he resigns, I would be shocked. players ever what he did, but if you don't win a cup man, and how many chances are you going to get? Right? Yeah. Yes. If he resigns, I would be shocked.

And I think he'll resign. I would be shocked if they're not back in another cup. But buddy, when you, when you're that close last year, and then you grind to get back against the same team, I don't think players like this, let that moment go without taking full advantage of it and getting it done. And I think Edmonton gets it done in seven games and what will be the craziest atmosphere maybe ever in the city of Edmonton. Great breakdown with and I wish you luck, man.

This is this is going to be one for the ages. You had some hockey Illuminati shit in there. You had some crazy. Well, don't even mention that motherfucker when I'm talking. You had all, witty. So I cannot wait to see this. It's going to be... And Stuart Skinner, the resiliency that guy has shown.

It's... What was the tweet here? Let me see if I can find it. So the last two years, you guys know, he was pulled against Vancouver, right? And he was pulled against in this... Last year, and then this season, he was pulled against Vancouver, right? And he was pulled against in this last year. And then this season he was pulled against LA and Pickard comes in, wins six in a row. Ah, shoot, I didn't save the tweet.

His numbers since being pulled in both years are nuts. Like low two goals against, 920-ish save percentage. So this is a guy who's been ridiculed by the whole city at moments. And around the league, you can't win a cup with Stuart Skinner. So that's a driven person that I think looks at it now like, I got to beat Bob. I have to win that matchup. So I can't wait.

With that, I think we could throw it over to Zach Hyman, unbelievable guest for us to get. Sucks for him that he's injured. Let's throw it over and chat with him right now about his thoughts on the series, the season, and how he feels. Guys, it's Witt, and if you're talking haircuts, there's only one place we should be talking about, and that's Sport Clips. It isn't just where you get your haircut,

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talking to us injured, but we got Oilers, forward Zach Hyman. 54 goals last year, five goals in the playoffs this year before the injury. What's going on, bud? Thank you so much for joining and how you feeling? Yeah, thanks, but appreciate it, guys. I'm good. I'm good. Obviously disappointed with the circumstances, but excited to be back, excited for the guys. And yeah, this is what we've dreamed of for a year. So we watched the game and we kind of talked already this episode.

We hadn't we hadn't had an episode since your injury that right when you got hit, it's it's the immediate skate to the tunnel that as like former players, you know, that's that's really not good. So you just must have known right away. Like, could you was it more like you went to move it and it wouldn't move or was it more just the pain sent you right to the locker room? Take us through that as painful as it might be to talk about it. Yeah, no, it's all good.

I knew right away. It just popped. Yeah, Marchman came right through my hands and the full contact was on my wrist. And yeah, I just knew. You know, as a player, you know when something's not right, and I knew right away. And yeah, it's unfortunate. So right then and there, the emotion of the playoffs, the adrenaline, did you get emotional right then knowing that your run was done?

Like, I hate to bring this stuff up. People are just so interested. Like that that has to be a moment where you break down a little bit, knowing that like your chance to bring anything more forward for the team is and you can off the ice, but on the ice that that probably hit you hard. It's it's hard like it's. I don't know if I grasp it in the moment. Like I think in the moment you're, I can play through it. Like whatever it is, um, I'll be able to play and, and, uh, quickly

realized that, uh, that it was something that I needed surgery. Um, and then yeah, like, uh, the guys came over, um, in the intermission just to check up on me. Like that's kind of what guys do when there's a serious injury and I, and I kind of broke down, like it's, uh, it was hard. Like I was emotional, but at the same time you're trying to keep it together because you guys got to go out there and win a period. But that's kind of the realization where it's like, fuck, like my, my on ice, like I can't help anymore.

Like the, like I'm, I'm on the shelf and I'm here to support in any way I can, but, but I can no longer go out there and that's, it's heartbreaking cause it's, it's the thing you want the most and, and, uh, and you just want to be able to help. And, and, and, um, yeah, it was, it was tough. And you did though. I mean, like just mentioned it before you hopped on just how, you know, maybe the, the scoring wasn't coming as easier than as easy as last year, but yet you'd evolved where you had over a hundred hits and you were really doing it all for this

team. Now, was that something that you felt like you needed to bring more of these playoffs or was it maybe just because of the lack of goal scoring, what other areas can I help out in and, or maybe going back to last year's final, like what can we do more in order to put ourselves over the edge? Yeah, honestly, I think it was just, it's just like, I think we all want to win so bad, like we were, we were as close as we could possibly be last year. And it's, it's, it wasn't like I was going out there and looking for hits.

It was just, I'm just going to finish every check that I can and like whatever I can do, not change my game because you want to do what makes you successful. And, and, um, going to med and creating space and doing all those things and scoring when I can. But I get in the for check and maybe times in the past, you, you don't appreciate what the investment is of, of, you know, bumping AI every time. Like, you don't have to go out there and kill a guy, but if you're hitting their, their top defensemen, every single ship, and they know that you're coming every

single ship, like, yeah, and you know, like, that's not fun. Like, that's not fun for a defenseman every single shift and they know that you're coming every single shift like and you know like that's not fun like that's not fun for defensemen but you know like so that that's kind of it just developed and I just said I'm just gonna keep coming every shift I'm gonna I'm gonna just hit somebody every shift if I can and if it's there and I'm not gonna chase it but yeah I I didn't look at the totals until after the game and it's like I don't remember having 10 hits a game, wherever the case may be. But I was just playing hard.

I know Whit talked a little bit about it before he came on. It's just your speech last year talking to the guys after that loss saying, we're going to be back here. Is that something that you knew that group? If it's an eight game series, you guys could put, it's like one of those things. Or is it you were kind of like, you know, we got McDavid We got dry settle we got myself like we have the makings of a group that can be in the Stanley Cup over and over

Or is it just I mean obviously you say the right things after game, but it sounded like you meant it from the heart Yeah, I mean the locker room silent after am I that for I mean I don't know how long and you you hear hear the other team cheering, you're, you're on the road and, um, you know, Connor goes and accepts or doesn't, like, he comes, like it's everything. You just see all these guys that you love and care about so much. Um, just broken and like, and I was also, and, and it's kind of, there are no words in that moment, but it was just something that I felt like I had to say just because I truly believed in the group

and do believe in the group. And I knew that we had the makings to continue to knock on the door every year and be back. And you earn that in the league. The league is so tight. There's so many good teams that you just have to every year and be back. And you earn that in the league. The league is so tight. There's so many good teams that you just have to every year, put yourself in a position to have a chance. And you don't know if you're going to get there because hockey's crazy.

It bounces injuries, whatever it is. But I just felt in my heart that that we were going to be back the next year. I know we're going to win. And I still believe that. And, and, and I'm and I'm here to support the guys in any way I can. I'm gonna act like I'm playing even though obviously I'm not but man yeah I just I love those guys so much and they FaceTimed me in after the the Western Conference final win which I was emotional about that too because I wasn't expecting it. I was on my couch post-surgery with my wife watching and, and, uh, man,

they're just a special group of people, um, that we have here. You guys have proved that. Um, but I want to go back to the first round and, and, you know, game one, you have this miraculous comeback and then they score like the last shift, but you're like, all right, whatever. We figured it out in the third. We'll be fine. Then game two goes the way it does. Doesn't seem like much panic in your group and you're going home, but there had to be a little like, oh, Jesus, like,

what did we just get ourselves into here? Yeah, I mean, no, we weren't really playing that well, either. The years the years and it's a little bit of a weird year because we've had pieces coming out of our lineup the whole year. We've been banged up for majority of the year and we kind of have this, the group that we had together for that round. And ECU is out, one of our best defensemen obviously. And we kind of had to figure out what type of team we were in the playoffs and get hot in the playoffs, right? And I think Klinger comes in and Klinger starts to look like the Dallas Stars Klinger, like he's playing unbelievable.

We just had pieces come in and things click and obviously a lot had to go right for us in that series. Going down to nothing isn't fun. LA was a great team, but we were able to kind of figure out what made us successful. Um, picks coming in and just comment six and oh, like there, there are so many things that have to happen on a playoff run and so many guys that need to step up that when, when you do, and you maybe don't remember all the little things, but the guys who play remember everything that happens and so many things have to have to happen, so many guys had to step up for us to have a chance to come back in that series. And then once we won that series, we were

rolling. What were your thoughts? The two moments in particular, Bouchard keeping on byfield. That was insane. And then what was your reaction to the goalie interference call where they doubled down on it and you're like, Oh my God, we got another power play. Yeah, I think I think we talked to Kane on TNT right after and he's like, oh yeah, we knew we were going to score on that one and then you guys scored like nine seconds later. So that was like just an insane like twist in the series

and then propelled you guys obviously on to victory. Yeah, that's sports. There's certain moments in sports where you just know that something's going to happen even, and it does. And for us like you know tie that game weight and then the challenge goes our way obviously and you just we just knew we knew we were gonna score didn't know it wasn't that quick, but but yeah, obviously a huge turning point in the series to be able to get that win and then

game four I think just Bush's keep is is a series saving keep, right? Like you go from being down maybe 3-1 to 2-2 and having all the momentum. And the flip side like as a, as an Euler fan, I'm sure you've experienced some devastating losses with us and on the flip side, like when you lose a game like that, we know what that takes. So we lost game one of Vancouver last year. That took a lot out of us when we're up three, nothing. And like those, those are some of the hard ones to swallow and to come back from. So on the flip side, we knew that winning that game was, was a

big dagger for, for the Kings. I know going against Florida was probably difficult in the finals last year, but going against the harmonica ladies, was that probably the, the hardest playoff battle you've ever been through? Oh, yeah. It was a little shocked the first time and then I figured they'd be coming back until, uh, until we could put them away. So, um, yeah, I'm glad, I'm glad we were able to solve the harmonica ladies, but yeah, they were, uh, they were there. Did that kind of fuck you up game one? Cause you're expecting this emotional anthem.

And then all of a sudden it was that and it's, it was just, it put a weird vibe in the building, didn't it? Yeah, it was weird. I, I didn't understand it. I mean, I think it was probably weird for them too. Like they're probably like, what was going on? But I worked for them obviously. So they just rolled with it.

And don't forget, shout out the Korea town community center, Monica T. I want to represent the great people. Um, busy sticks. I had it. I was lucky enough to get, get to play with Corey Perry and that's, um, you know, MVP, Corey Perry, you know, 50 goal guy dominant. The fact that he's still doing this, that was 15, 14 years ago. Like I take, take us kind of through how much he loves the game, what

he's like in the room, and basically like his skill around the net for a guy like you who can tip and play great in front of the net, he adds something else to it. It must be great for you to even watch. Yeah, I mean, that's the guy that I grew up watching, right? Like, he, um, and he, yeah, he plays a similar style. Like, he knows where to score goals, like in front of the net. And that's, you know, coming into the league, that's kind of the player that I wanted to emulate. And yeah, you can't say enough good things about him. You don't play the way he does at his age if you don't love the game. That's first and foremost. He loves the game. He loves it.

He takes care of his body. He really does. And he's just got an elite hockey brain. Like he just knows the game. He knows where to be He's evolved over time. Like he goes from a guy who's probably playing PKP 25 minutes a night to a lesser role And then now a bigger role, right? Like I don't think anybody had an almost 120 goals this year and now close to leading the playoff in goals, right? It's um It's remarkable. But it's I think it just speaks to how dedicated he is. And also, who goes to that many Stanley Cup finals over and over again? He's on winning teams, and he's a big part of winning teams just because he's a driver. He just cares so much. He's a huge part of our team.

And I think just the reason he can still play is he just thinks the game better than anybody. He's just so smart and good touch. Has he ever gotten gout? You know what? I don't think so, but if he does, I guess I'll be asking you about it. He, uh, he's pretty flexible. Isn't he? Is he stretching all the time?

I heard he's got this crazy stretch routine, kind of like Paul Korea. Oh yeah. He, I sit next to him in the locker room. So we're, we're locker room buddies, but, uh, yeah, he, he stretches. He does all of his perky stuff, but, uh, it keeps him young and keeps him flexible. And it will, I mean, the guys gets hit with the puck all the time too. Like when you're in front of that, you get hit, you get banned, you get bruised, and he just doesn't miss miss a beat, doesn't miss a game. And yeah, he's pretty cool. Do you think considering you won't be playing in the finals that we could put

Shaq Hyman in your Jersey and just let him skate, even though he's not on the playoff roster? I would love, you know what? We got to bring Shaq on. I mean, Shaq's got to get to Edmonton. We got to bring him in. I know. I know.

Doing his strut biz, his skating strut. Yeah, his, his sneakers. We still have that big stick in the back room. So he, we got them ready. What I was hoping for is maybe Kate's could get off his wallet and hire a shack to DJ because he DJs right. I think he charges like 50 to a hundred K for a set though. So I don't know if he can afford that. And then also send the plane for him and Chuck. Cause if you got to experience that atmosphere, that building, the roof might come off game one, like that has to be the loudest building that you've ever played in.

Yeah. Oh, it's, it's unbelievable. Listen, I think those two are open to it. Um, let's make it happen. Like I got a child in my hands now, obviously I'm not playing, so I'd love to shoot the shit with them and watch the game, bring them out to Rogers. Have the boys addressed in the room how the loyal Oilers fans out there are just going toe to toe with each other after big wins? Have you seen these videos of the Moss

pit? And I think it's just almost fights of passion and love to the oil, but have the guys noticed? It's bum fights. Yeah, we've seen it. It's a, it's wild. I mean, lots of passion in the city. So and, and you know, I think that's, that's another great thing about these playoff runs is, is it just shows, I mean, first of all, Edmonton at this time of year is beautiful. Like it's awesome. And it's an amazing city.

And I think people don't really know about it. It's pretty hidden. Like when I was signing here, he was like, oh, it's really cold and not much to do. But man, like the fans are unbelievable here. The city's unbelievable. Food here is great. Like it's an amazing place to raise a family. I can't say enough good things about the city and the people. So if you want to come to watch the best hockey, I mean, no better place.

If you want to come to watch the best hockey, I mean, no better place. And obviously you, you know, from Canada, you've only played in Canada and seeing that the Cup hasn't been back there since 93, like not only for Edmonton, but what do you think it would mean for the entire country for you guys to bring it back there? I mean, it'd be, it'd be special. Like I think, um, it's due, it's due for sure. And, uh, hockey's can this game. It's, you know, Canadians love hockey. It's, it's, it's what we live for ever since I was a kid. That's all I wanted to do was, was lift the Stanley Cup and, and, and be a hockey player, right.

And, and I've had the, the good fortune of playing in two amazing Canadian cities and Canadian markets and, uh, wouldn't trade it for the world. And world and the city of Edmonton, the people of Edmonton deserve it and hoping that we can we can bring it home. I think one of the storylines with has been the fact that you guys have been getting that depth scoring. It hasn't been able, you guys have just relied on 97 and 29 in order to get it done. How was it bringing in a lot of these new faces and what's made them get so easily acclimated to the group and, and help you guys provide that secondary scoring?

Yeah. Um, I got, I think things just clicking at the right time. Like I think throughout the year, um, Leon really carried our team. Like he was, he was unbelievable and he has been in the playoffs. And obviously we rely heavily on him and Connor and, um, and that's kind of always been the safety valve, right? But I think in order to win, you want to really win, you need, you need a team. Like you need guys stepping up and you need, you need guys stepping up during injury.

Like we were missing our, one of our best defensemen and we had guys step up throughout the whole playoffs. Like I mentioned, Plinger and, and Stetch, like those guys stepping up big time coming in and, and just filling huge roles. And then on the front end, like you can't just rely on the big guys. Like if we're able to win series against, you know, Dallas and Vegas, because we have great depth and depth and everybody was talking about how they, you know, their depth was going to be better than our depth. But the reason we won those series in five is because we had scoring from all four lines, like timely scoring.

And, um, and you know, look at the Panthers too, like they have that great depth too. The two teams in the finals are teams that have scoring throughout the entire lineup. And I think it's, it's the reason, you know, both of us are here. throughout the entire lineup. And I think it's the reason both of us are here. Take us through when the boys first heard or saw Evander showing up in Rolls Royces, Ferraris. And then I think Connor Brown was with him for one of them. We've made some jokes.

But where did this come from? When did you guys know he was going to be doing this? First of all, I heard Kainter told him it was going to be a tractor. And that's why Connor Brown showed up. And then he was surprised with a Rolls Royce or Ferrari or whatever. You know what?

I don't know if you guys know Kainter well, but he loves the flair, right? Like he's a guy who makes hockey fun outside of hockey, right? He brings a different type of energy. A lot of guys are serious and very methodical with their process. He's a guy who just loves life and, and loves having fun, obviously. And, and, and it's obviously a hell of a contributor for us. Like he, he brings it every night too.

So he missed him throughout the whole year and he came back for playoffs and he's going to be a Vander, like that he's going to bring his flair. And his flair was showing up in these fancy cars. And remember when he came back, Brownie was actually walking to the rink. It was a planned thing. And, and Evander, you know, pulled up like from the hotel, the hotel from our hotel at a crypto in LA is like a 30 second drive, like two minute walk. And, and Evander's driving by and he pulls down his window and Brownie's walking. He says, get in.

So Brownie gets in and, uh, and we didn't know Brownie was going to be in it. And then we saw the Insta like an hour later from the hours and we just started dying off, he's like, he gets in and he's like, all right, boy, let's go to the rink. And it's like, it's a, it's literally like a one, it's like a one lane drive. I get two seconds, but it was, it was quite, it was classic. Is he paying for, like, how did he line that up? I don't know. I don't ask questions.

I just, uh, that's a, that's an Evander question. I'll leave. He's got his secrets. He won't probably won't tell me, but he's got, uh, I wonder what he's going to bring from the finals. Like he's got a new career every, uh, every game. So that was the one thing that we'd heard is that your group really embraces his personality and what he's like.

You said he's a flashy guy, right? And maybe in some locker rooms that doesn't mix because hockey guys are a little vanilla, but that's really cool that you guys have embraced them for like who he is and yeah, that's allowing him to show his true personality. But saying that, do you guys rib him hard in the room about all this shit?

Yeah, for sure. I mean, that's, everybody does. Like, yo, that's hockey banter, right? Like, we're all over each other all the time. Like, that's the beauty of a closed locker room. These guys are chirping each other all day long. But yeah, I think Evander, like, I think he's matured a lot. Like, he's a dad now of four. Like's he's really grown up from i guess the way people thought of them in the past but he still has that fun fun side to him and i think.

During the course of an eighty two game season along playoff from like you need guys who bring a different type of energy and. Can we have a lot of guys who are obviously very serious and and dialed in and and to have a guy who brings a different type of energy. And, and we have a lot of guys who are obviously very serious and, and dialed in and, and to have a guy who brings a different type of energy is, is refreshing. So it's, uh, it's been fun. And like I said, he's been, he's been a horse, excuse me, a horse for us and, uh, and we're gonna need him. Um, of the guys that you've brought in, like there, there's a crazy amount. Who's the one that surprised you the most? In what way?

Just like everything, like as far as like how much game he actually has on the ice. crazy amount. Who's the one that surprised you the most? In what way? Just like everything. Like as far as like how much game he actually has on the ice. Cause some of them, like Trent Frederick played in Boston, right? Like you maybe don't see him as many times per season and just maybe personality wise that people don't really know what these guys are like behind the scenes. I mean, there's so many. Like we're a character, we're a team of, of almost miscasts at time. Like we bring in guys who, who are at different points in their careers. Um, and they, they get a revival in Edmonton and I think, um, it's a credit to our group and, and being able to just make guys feel comfortable and make them feel like themselves.

Right. I think it's really important. I think there's lots. I mean, my favorite is probably my favorite story is probably Clinger. and make them feel like themselves, right? I think it's really important. I think there's lots. I mean, my favorite is probably, my favorite story is probably Klinger. Like Klinger went from, he came in on a one-year deal. I think he played 10 games.

He was on the IR and I think people pretty much wrote his career off. Like I discussed, he's never gonna play again. Like he had his chance in Toronto, a chance at Edmonton and now he's just, he's like a top two defenseman. It's unbelievable. He's come in and just kind of said, screw it, and is just playing unbelievably.

Like him and Wallman have found incredible chemistry and for a guy like that to come in when everybody's written him off and just prove everybody wrong is pretty cool. And I just, and he's a them off, um, and just prove everybody wrong is, uh, is pretty cool. And, and I just, and he's a great person. Like he's, you go from being like a 25 to 28 minute player a night in Dallas, to they being on however many different teams he was on and then to find the success he's found in Edmonton, like. Couldn't be happier for a guy like him. Zach, we can't thank you enough, buddy.

I, I, we, we do need to sit down with you one time and go over your entire career and maybe that'll be in the future, but Just gutted for you man Honestly, like it's just such a kick in the dick as an Oilers fan not that not to have you out there in the final And as a former player like I'm really sorry you went through it But as Biz said you did so much to get him here and we appreciate you taking some time dude So thank you very much. No, I appreciate you guys. Thanks for having me on.

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That's quite evident. Guys, onto the quick hits. Jonathan Taves, he's coming back. He told his agent, Pat Berson, he's officially coming back next season. I'll throw it to you, Biz, first. Where do you see him landing? Like, we know where the leafs. For how much are you paying him?

Biz? I'm well, he's going to be staying here training the summer at my pad. He likes to hang out in the Scottsdale area. So he's taking things very seriously, but. Give him some steak. Yeah, high protein diet, only steak. But I'm so happy for this guy, man. Like it's obvious that he missed playing the game and had to take a step away.

There were rumblings about maybe like post COVID effects and how that was affecting maybe his body and his recovery. Eventually, I'm sure we'll get the full story as to why he needed a time off that he did. But you go from the highs of highs and having to step away from the game, it's still a relatively young age after what he was able to accomplish,

whether it was with the Chicago Blackhawks, Team Canada. I mean, this guy has done it all, right? So the fact that he gets to come back and finish on his own terms, and hopefully it's with a winning team and contribute in whatever way he can is going to be awesome. And ultimately it just comes down to the human being and him being happy.

And I feel like when he's playing hockey, lacing up his skates is when he's at his happiest. So shout out to Jonathan Taves and more guys like this around the league is just good for us. Right. So at a certain point, he has said that he will come on the pod, but I don't think his story is quite finished just yet. So I'm hoping a guy like that would sign with the Leafs just from his sheer experience. And, you know, why are you laughing? You need guys like

that in the locker room to rub off on this team in order to get over the hump. Like where the fuck? I know, I know. You want him in Edmonton? No, I'm, I'm, I'd love to have him go to camp at Edmonton. I don't know like if he'll be signing it, like will he have to sign a deal or will it be a PTO? It's kind of hard to give a deal. Obviously for what he's accomplished, maybe not, but why would he go to Toronto? Like, you think he wants to deal? He probably wants to win.

You think he wants to, and forget the fact that he wants to win. Like, you think he wants to deal with that madness as he's trying to come back? Very good point. I think you're crazy to think he would go there. I think he'd be crazy to go there. Like, dealing with that microscope as you're trying to think he would go there. I think he'd be crazy to go there. Like, dealing with that microscope

as you're trying to just get back in the mix. He fucking went to Chicago, original six franchise, one of the biggest markets in the United States. Yeah, he's drafted by them. He was playing at the fucking house that MJ built, the United Center, over 21,000 people every game. Yeah, but when he came in. He's used to being the big smoke.

No, when he came in, it, there's anyone who would be used to coming in that type of environment, it would be Jonathan Taves. So that's all I'm saying. I'm making my pitch as the ambassador and you guys can say what the fuck you wanna say. Okay? So, I will really agree with you on

the highs of highs that he's felt. We've talked a lot about being an NHL player and it ends and it's an empty feeling and it's hard and that's for somebody like me. Being who he was and having it end the way he did, that's just got to be almost unbearable at times. It reminded me of a video popped up on my Instagram. It was the song Linger by the Cranberries, but it was somebody else singing it.

And it was highlights of Cain and Taves and their cups and their goals and their parades and to this awesome song that was, and I was like, oh my God, like you kind of forget, like this guy's a true legend of the game, a hall of famer, and the way it ended, like just, you're sick to your stomach for him, right? So for him to be able to come back and feel healthy enough

and do those retreats where, what was he, in India, and he spent all this time just like trying to find himself, I'll say, and get healthy, and you're just really happy for him that he's at a place where he can say I'm ready to come back I'm ready to give it another go so that that's the coolest part for me and I'll go to to game notes this week where they were talking about it G said Anaheim with with Q kind of like make sense right good weather so you know for your body that's gonna help that's gonna make a difference as opposed to being in a really cold place

where maybe you don't feel as good as you're older and having Q there and having young guys that he could really teach and Anaheim wanting to make a big step next year. We don't know what type of player tapes will be, but I, G said that and I was like, I could, I could picture that. I really could. Keith? Yeah, I could see that. That makes a ton of sense. And, you know, Q obviously knows what he's getting and know what he could bring to the organization. But I think it goes back to what you said about McDavid with just like

these top end guys just have something in them that's different from everybody else. Like we all played the game, loved it. That can hurt them more after because of what's in them. That created who they are. If that does that make sense? 100 percent, because it's all they know, it's all they care about. Like, you probably know more like, is he married? Does he have a family?

Married to the game. Yeah, exactly. So like these guys, like they just fucking love the game. He has nothing else to prove in this game. He's won it all. He's been the game. Yeah, exactly. So like these guys, like they just fucking love the game. He has nothing else to prove in this game. He's won it all. He's been the captain. He's, you know, he's a sure hall of famer, but like it just shows you the love that these guys have for the game. And he knows he can, you know, whether he's going to a team to help him win or he's going

to a team to help them grow. I think him coming back in the league and, and whatever team he's on is going to reap the benefits of it. And I wish him nothing but the best of luck. He's been a great ambassador for the game the last 15 years or however long. And I hope he's just happy. And at the end of the day, I think he'll play well. Will he be the same guy? You never know. But I think if there's someone who could do it, it'd be him. Somebody in the Washington Capitals corporate sales department, he might be unemployed right now because there was a screenshot taken of an email sent to Washington Capitals season ticket holders that said basically like, re-up now because next year is Ovechkin's last season. All of a sudden the team comes out and says that isn't true.

Sales 101 right. I don't know. Yeah. It's kind of like, hey, buddy, you want to sell tickets? Tell everyone that the greatest goal scorer to ever live is actually done after next year. And he'll come drop them off at your place like Crosby does. Yeah, Crosby still does that incredible thing that the I remember showing up with the tickets.

I was delivering some tickets and the guy was just like, Oh, we're said. Yeah, he's like, oh, his face. He was like, oh, thanks. What's your name? Blousey at Hardy jeans on. Right. I get the fucking Wilkes-Barre Scranton penguin firing squad here to drop off my tickets.

Everybody else getting Gino and Sid Fuck is this turnover city? Cable guy yeah Can I help you so yeah here to give you a season ticket for what? But Ovechkin apparently it is not Definitely his last year I kind of believe that it is based on it being the last year of his contract him breaking the record It kind of makes total sense that last next year would be his last season, but I mean it's a run Oh, it was sorry. He's going to to for that last year hometown discount

But the capitals came out immediately and said that that isn't true So it busy right sales 101 that guy sitting like, I'm trying to sell season. Well, it was the end of the month, right? Yeah. Trying to get hit the sales quota. He's probably got a big weekend plan. Family vacation this summer. I'm going to get it paid for a man. A little down payment down payment on a new vehicle.

So the Buffalo Sabres, they hired Yarmou Kekalyanen as a senior advisor to general manager Kevin Adams, the team announced. So they've now brought in Eric Stahl, and that's closer to a player who's played recent and knows a lot of the guys who still play. And that's a guy who ran the Columbus Blue Jackets for a long time. They made the postseason five times in a seven year stretch under Kekalyanen's guidance in Columbus. He was actually the first European GM in NHL history. So Biz, you say you like it. You're happy with this one for the Sabres.

I just think he's used to being a GM and a not big market and working with- But like is a big market. Yeah, but I'm talking about like working within your, your means, like to try to attract people to come play in Buffalo. It's not, you know, not necessarily a team that has a shit ton of money to spend. At least they've been a little bit frugal with it. Like that's kind of what I'm talking about. You're talking to you.

You're talking about it being like a big draw on television market. Yeah. I just met more of like, you look at the Chicago's, the Toronto's, like the original six and then like the other top tier markets. Where it's hard to get guys to go there like Columbus. Yeah, it's just, especially like nowadays, like you look at, like I would assume that most top end

talent have Buffalo on their no trade list. So how are you going to sell this as a destination that guys want to come to outside of who they're drafting, developing? Because it's hard. It's hard to attract and especially with where the franchise is at right now. So he has experience building up a non-traditional franchise to at least making playoffs consecutive years in the role if that's how you want to gauge success. And also alleviate a little bit of pressure and stress from Kevin Adams because it seems

like it's a little bit overwhelming, especially with all the rumblings that have came out of there. But yeah, I definitely like the hire and I feel like he has had a lot of success in drafting and developing as well. And that's what they're going to need to do in order to get this team a lot better, because we know they're going to be drafting high. That's yeah, I'm happy for them. Yeah, the Seattle Kraken, they hired Lane Lambert to be their new head coach.

This was actually during our stream of Oilers Stars Game five. I think G busted on and said breaking news and to hear that I was like, oh. Very happy for Lane Lambert. Been around the league forever, has done a great job, got his chance as a head coach, right, lost it, now he's getting his chance again. And I just, to me Seattle does nothing for me.

They're kind of in an odd spot where they had all that success early on and maybe that was bad for them, right? Where you, I get you wanna get the fans of this new team excited and you wanna get season tickets sold and all that, but did it end up putting them a little further behind and not getting as high of a draft pick

as they probably should have had to really grow this thing into a true contender. Seems like an awesome place to watch a game. I still want to go to a game out. I think it's climate pledge arena. The team, they beat Colorado that year. Since then, there's just not much there that gets the juices flowing hockey fan wise for me, but happy for Lane Lambert.

And maybe he can kind of turn things around a little bit. I just don't know kind of where Seattle goes. I know Bauderil has now taken over his GM. So he's been around the game for a long time too, but Lane Lambert gets another chance. It's good to see somebody get another chance. Although I did send a tweet out about this Gardner McDougal guy. I, when is this guy going gonna be given a head coaching job

if he wants one in the NHL? I think he was the guy at New Brunswick and now he's in Moncton and his son's the GM. He just wins. This guy just literally wins everywhere he goes. And I'm talking about guys getting recycled in the NHL community. Does Gardner McDougal get a look?

Hate to take away from Lane Lambert here, but just bringing that up. No, yeah, best of luck to him in Seattle. Quickly change directions after the Dan Bilesmehire. I wouldn't say I was shocked by that one because he had success in the AHL in Palm Springs where they went to back to back Calder Cup finals. By the way, I want to call their cup.

I don't know how many of you know that. And it goes back to the Yarmou talk. Like, how are they going to address the head coaching position? I don't think Lindy Ruff is the answer of the future. So you kind of brought it up with, there seems to be a lot of recycling where I feel like at this point in time, it needs to be, let's see some new blood in here.

Let's see if they can get a little bit more out of these younger players and and and see if the Development can speed up a little bit, especially in Buffalo, right? So I'm interested to see who they end up changing the seat with but congrats to Lane Lambert Let's see if you can fix things in Seattle because ever since that inaugural season It's been a dip man, and and they've, they haven't been shy to spend the money either. They got Benirs on that extension. Um, uh, Chandler Stevenson ended up getting brought in.

Uh, who else did they bring on tour? So they've signed some guys and they've spent some money. So let's see if they can get back to playoff hockey. Yeah. And they get to court and net too. I mean, they, they got a good goalie hopefully in. Yeah. Like you never know when a team can turn around like that. Do I think they will anytime soon?

Probably not. But honestly, I don't watch a ton of them. Don't know much about Lane Lambert too. I think guys really love him as an assistant. Moving on with other head coaching spots, I was surprised, maybe not super surprised. Once Matthew Darsh became the GM of the Islanders, being a French guy, like Patrick Waugh's staying on. And I don't know if everyone thought that would

definitely be the case and maybe them being French, some sort of connection. He trusted what Patrick Waugh can do and end up, you know, being for the Islanders as a head coach. But I mean, I was kind of surprised. Paul Mary resigned. They've really stuck to, they've changed some things, but they stuck to Paul Mary, who's getting older, but he's still a hell of a player. But they resigned him and Patrick Wall will stay there.

And I think some people were wondering what would happen with him, but he's getting a chance under a new GM, which isn't that common. I feel like most GMs come in, they're going to want, they're going to want to hire a guy, but Patrick Wall be there and he'll get that full full season to figure out what he can do. And was this his full, was he brought in this year?

Was he brought in the year prior? Year prior. Yeah. So this was his first full season. Wow. What do you got? Real quick, rumor boys, I was just going to say, don't be surprised if the Islanders trade that first overall pick. I wouldn't be surprised one bit.

I think it makes a ton of sense just because in years past, there's been a definitive number one. People say it's Matthew Schaefer. People say it's Michael Meeza. Matthew Schaefer hasn't played a game since December. They have James Higgins. Merle says, Merle says, Harped on this. You have a kid in Long Island who is from Long Island, grew up a diehard Islanders fan.

If you could trade back, you know, two, three spots, still take Higgins and load up on more assets for the future. I think it makes a ton of sense for the Islanders. Okay. I get that. He's from the Island. I think if you're basing your decision on that, you're out of your mind. Me too, Biz.

I'm like, dude, if this kid, if Schaefer's as good as everyone says. And they like that marketability aspect, then sure. But that's the thing. I don't think he's the, I don't think Matthew Schaefer, people aren't sold on him being the real deal. So if you can get- Really? You're talking about the defenseman?

Yes. And I've heard a cool phrase and it was not everyone, every kid wants to be drafted first overall. Not every kid wants to play for the New York Islanders. James Hagan wants to play for the New York Islanders. I just think it's something to consider. Yeah. I think that if- Well, and more has to do with the fact that if they think he's good enough to be drafted in a top three pick and he can make changes on the ice for the organization. That's why I said, obviously finding somebody who wants to come play in Long Island is huge

and usually when kids are being drafted that high, they seem to be able to dictate their future a little bit more, especially nowadays. Shout out Eli Manning. But yeah, I don't know enough about how good these kids are to where you, if you would want to even risk moving back where it's like all of a sudden you give up on the Schaefer pick and he ends up being the next Chris Pronger and you did so because this kid's from Long Island, you got to pick them third because he wanted to play there. But I think there's an, it's interesting that San Jose has the second pick. San Jose is desperate, desperate for defensemen.

And I think that they would make a move to go up and get the first overall pick so that they could take Schaeffer. Then they fall back to two and then they have an array of options. I don't know. I just don't think it's crazy. OK, I don't think I think it would I think it would be crazy for the islanders to do it just based on the kid being from Long Island.

I don't know how good this kid is. I don't know how- Agree 100%. If they think that he's on par with Misa and Schaeffer, I get it. And I've heard that Misa and Schaeffer are noticeably above- I heard Schaeffer's the- Higgins as a player. Higgins, I- Incredible. Gee, you say you haven't, there's questions about Schaeffer are like noticeably above. I heard Schaeffer as a player. Hagen's. Gee, you say you haven't, you've heard there's questions about Schaeffer. I, besides him

being injured this year, I've heard he's fucking can't miss. So, and I, and I think there are people with Hagen's like, I think Hagen's is one of the best skaters I've seen at that level and that age. And, but I watched, you know, some of the NCAA tournament and maybe the Beanpot final and it's like, wow, if this kid's kind of in the discussion for first, second, third overall, I thought I might see a little bit more. He was in college a year early also, to be fair. But if you think they're all even, I get it. But if you at all think he's a step below and then you trade just because he's from Long Island like Biz said you're nuts You're not yeah, I would agree there

So with that guys What else we got here? Nothing really the Flyers they signed restricted forward Tyson Forester to a two-year contract three point seven five each year 25 goals this year, so that's nice. Maybe he pops off even more and Adam Boquist Signs with Paul Mary with the Islanders. Paul Mary got a two-year deal, 4.75 each year. Boquist one-year deal, 8.50. So guys, last thing, and I hate to do this to all you listeners, Treeliving came out, did his press conference and said, we got to change the DNA of the Toronto Maple Leafs. So Biz, I

don't know where you go from there considering you want to bring them all back. Yeah just I don't know we seem to not be on the same page right now. A little upset that he didn't consult me before doing that press conference but I'm gonna stick to what I said. If John Tavares wants to take a big hometown discount, he's more than welcome to come back, and I would offer Mitch Marner eight times 12, take it or leave it if you don't want it. See you later.

I don't think you can replace 100 points, right? You can't replace that, and I keep going back, people are like, Oh, he was a wrecking ball. Like, oh, he was this because I compare Ovi. They didn't win it till his 13th season. And as much as people want to say, Oh, they played different styles, like he was scoring 50 goals, hammering guys, da da da da da buddy, you'd be lying to yourself right now with the narrative on Ovi wasn't that he was one dimensional and he was selfish and all he wanted to do was score goals and he didn't play defense before he wanted to stay

on the cup. That's all everybody talked about. So I don't think I'm that crazy to saying, hey, this is what we have to offer you. We do want to bring you back, but we believe that your value doesn't exceed $12 million. Here's the offer. We're able to give you one extra year

as opposed to other teams. If you don't want it, you don't want to play at home anymore and there's too much pressure, there's too much this, there's too much that, or you felt disrespected, sayonara. Bye-bye. Enjoy your time in Vegas, LA, wherever you end up.

Maybe it's a little reunion with Dubas, but I have enough confidence in him at eight times 12 to hand it over and believe that he would get it done. Cause I don't want to see him as a Leafs fan, him to move on and then hoist a Stanley Cup somewhere else where we get left. That would be, that would be, I would quit the pod. So basically it's actually not a business two stakes for a night, 14 stakes a week. The game, the goat, it's the Leafs and Brad tree living. So I would say that pod. So basically it's actually not a business. Two stakes for a night, 14 stakes a week. The game the goat, it's the Leafs and Brad Tree Living. So good luck to you guys, Biz.

Good luck to the Leafs and let's have an incredible Stanley Cup final. Everyone, thank you so much for listening. We'll talk to you soon. 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 wait 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 someday