The Athletic Hockey Show - Cale Makar's season to remember, Tampa Bay Lightning laundry list of injuries and it beats working, for Kyle Bukauskas

Episode Date: June 29, 2022

Rob Pizzo from CBC Sports and Sara Civian and Jesse Granger fro. the Athletic marvel at the season that was, for Colorado Avalanche defensemen Cale Makar. The roundtable breaks down the Avalanche 6 game Stanley Cup win over Tampa Bay, the Bolts laundry list of injuries and they offer their opinion on this years inductees for the Hockey Hall of Fame and why the Hall needs to change the way prospective members are nominated.Kyle Bukauskas from Sportsnet joins to discuss his Stanley Cup playoff run, he takes us behind the scenes of his job as Sportsnet's lead rink side reporter and talks about the infamous interview with Sir Charles Barkley, ahead of his and Sportsnet's coverage at the draft in Montreal next week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's going on, everybody? Welcome to another edition of the Athletic Hockey Show, the Wednesday Roundtable Edition, where for the first time, we have ourselves a Stanley Cup champion to talk about. I am Rob Beasel from CBC Sports, joined, as always, by Jesse Granger. How are you, Jesse? I'm great. How are you, Rob? Waiting for hockey to start again.

I can't stand this time of year. Sarah Sivian joining us from Raleigh. Are you the same way, Sarah, or do you like the break? See, Sarah, we? We've been doing this show for a while now since October, and this is the first time you've muted your mic, so I'm going to call you out on it. Now the Sarah's mic is on as you like the break. Rob warned us to mute earlier and I nodded in my head about it. We're back.

I, with that said, that is where my mental state is at. So I'm ready for a few weeks of break after the draft, of course, but we'll get there. It's that weird feeling. Like last night, I kind of, you know, I'm finished eating dinner. You're kind of doing dishes. You're like, oh, there's nothing. Even on days off, you're still thinking about future games. But yeah, there's nothing because for the first time in 21 years, guys, the Colorado

Avalanche are your Stanley Cup winners, just five short years after finishing dead last in the NHL. And you always hear about rebuilds and, you know, convincing fans that something's going to happen. There's always that five-year rule. Well, they really took it to heart. Second time ever a team went from. dead last to Stanley Cup champion within five years. The last team to do it, Quebec and Colorado back in 1996. We'll dive deep into this, but your first impressions after that cup was raised and now the

playoffs are all done. Sarah, we'll start with you. I just think it was like, obviously we see the list of injuries that the lightning were dealing with, but at the same time, I just felt like the abs earned it, especially that third period of the last game. It was just, they were perfect defensively. They were great offensively. I loved that.

McKinn was the one to score that goal. And it's like after he had like six shots a night, it was just, Kail McCar. That's all I got to say. Kail McCar. Yeah, it was, it was fun. To me, it was like, I don't know, my initial impression is it was just like it was a satisfying end to the season,

more satisfying than we've had the last couple years. I think the best team, I think the best team in hockey won. which I think was also the case the last couple years, except for the Cup final was a sham the last two seasons. I mean, Tampa Bay just absolutely steamrolled Dallas and Montreal. It was never a series. There was never a shadow of a doubt who was going to win that series. And there was just something empty feeling about those. So the fact that we had what, in my opinion, were clearly the two best teams in hockey.

And like Sarah said, I don't think Tampa was at its best in this series. I think they were severely hampered. And if they were at their best, we probably would have gotten seven games. But the fact that they battled in, kept it, made it, made it entertaining, made the avalanche really work for it. And then we saw the best team in hockey lift the trophy. So to me, it's just, it was a very satisfying way to end a really fun season of hockey. They were as advertised. They were exactly what we, like, you know, the abs are who we thought they were.

You know, I do this thing on CBC before the season starts on our regular CBC station, not the sports department. And they always ask me, who's going to win the Stanley Cup? And I go, I'm going way out on a limb here and I'm taking the Colorado Avalanche. And they were texting me saying, wow, great prediction. I'm like, not really. I took the best team in hockey and they did what they were supposed to do. I've got a list here of what I call on my notes stupid av stats. And by stupid, I mean, they're just incredible.

16 and 4 on their way to the Stanley Cup, finished with a 9-1 road record, which is tied for the fewest road losses by Stanley Cup champions since 1987. Their power play was ridiculous, 32.8% clip, highest rate on record since 1978. And they never, not once, trailed a series. The only other teams to do that, the Kings in 2012, Detroit, 2008, and Edmonton in 1988. So like I said, as advertised, but Sarah touched on Keel McCarr, Consumite Trophy winner.

Am I the only one who feels like he is not even midway up on his trajectory for being just awesome. I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg. No, that's the... Jesse? I'm excited about kale. Jesse, you go curse. Go, Sarah.

I, oh my God. Do you guys hear that? Sorry, there's people weed walking outside of my door. Okay, they, as I'm distracted, but kale Macar is literally showing us what the future of elite defense is and that like, it's kind of roving. It's positionless hockey in a sense. He can be offensive, but he's also defensive.

And he has won, what is it? The Hobie Baker, the Calder, the Norris, the Stanley Cup, the Conn Smyth. How old is he? 23. Somebody likes you when you're 23. It's pretty ridiculous. I mean, so like there's the saying that you always hear from scouts and coaches and execs that an NHL defense, You don't know what a defenseman is in the NHL until he's played 200 games.

They say, give a guy 200 games because defense more than forward takes time to learn. It's more complex position. You have more responsibilities. It's just there's a steeper learning curve. So Kel McCar is only 178 games into his NHL career. So we still aren't sure if this guy's going to be legit or not. No, it's ridiculous. 178 games into his career and he's got every trophy you can win.

Sarah just listed it. Like, there's nothing else. He's, he's, it's only downhill from here. There's no way, I mean, he's won every trophy you can possibly win. He's only 178 games into his career. He does things on the ice that it's not just, he's not just a stat collector. Like, he passes the eye test. He does things no one else can do.

There's no other player on the planet that can skate in the ways he does along the blue line. It's so much fun to watch. And like Rob said, he may not even be as good as he's going to be. Now, you know what's funny. sometimes people will accuse hockey of being overcoached nowadays. And I'm one of those people. I feel like he's brought creativity back to the defensive position. You just don't friggin know what he's going to do.

He sees five options in front of him and picks the best one. And more times than not, that ends up on a highlight reel because it's incredible. And that's what, you know, we're going back to the Bob Yor Paul Coffee days where you're like, what's he going to do when they get the puck? I feel that every time Kail McCar gets the puck.

And like you said, Jesse, he's not just a stat collector. And I don't mean that as a shot at other defensemen who, you know, rack up stats or other defensemen who are playing within a really structured system. But I love that he's been given that leash to be himself. And like I said, I think he's bringing the creativity back to defensemen that I don't think we've seen in a long time. It's so evident on the power play. And it's like you gave that insane power play stat.

And you see McKinnon zone entries. and then you see what McCar can do with those own entries. And it's very, it's like a micro-wism of what their team was last season. And it shows they are just so dominant. Yeah, it's crazy. I mean, I know this may be like prisoner of the moment, but I honestly believe it. I think he's the best defenseman in the world.

And I think Connor McDavid's the only player in the world. You can argue, it's better than Cal McCar right now. I think he's probably the second best player in the world. And at the beginning of the season, if you would have given that ranking, would McCar have even been top 10? I mean, I know we had high expectations going into this season for him. It wasn't like we didn't know who Cal McCar was, but we didn't realize he was this elite level prior to this season. It's crazy how fast he's gone from being a good defense. Like I don't, I think before the year, most people would have said Nathan

McKinnon's probably the best player on the Avalanche. And when they were lifting the cup, there's no doubt in anyone's mind who the best player on that team is. And it was Cal McCar. 23 years, 239 days. That's how old he was when he won the Kansmite trophy, youngest defenseman in 52 years to win it. That defenseman, 52 years ago, was somebody by the name of Bobby Orr. The third defenseman to win it the same year he won the Norris,

the only other two guys to do it, Bobby Orr and Nicholas Lidstrom. Third player, 23 years of younger to win it, the only two to do it, Bobby Orr and Serge Savard. And his 11 points in potential series clinching games, the most ever by a defenseman in one playoff year. If there was any doubt he was going to win the Khan Smyth.

Just listen to some of those stats. Just absolutely incredible. 29 points. Before we move on to a couple of other things from the playoffs, the lightning, Sarah, you touched on the injuries. We get this every year.

After everything said and done, you get the laundry list of this guy had a broken this, this guy had a sprain that, this guy had a ruptured that, and the lightning were no different. Kutrov MCL sprained brain point with a, quad tear. I don't think in any way, shape, or form they or anyone are using that as excuses.

But, man, that was a beat-up, that was just a beat-up hockey team that just happened to have to play arguably the best team in hockey this year. Yeah, that's a lot. You wonder, like, is the team really benefiting from all these guys who are hurt playing? But at the same time, who else is going to be playing with that many people hurt? So it is, it's a really tough one for me. And I do think we need to, I know people aren't going to like this. And I know players get, take a lot of offense to it sometimes because they're putting their heart and soul on the line.

And I don't think there's any, like, I think that is a very noble thing. And I think it's brave and like very just outstanding. But at the same time, I think the NHLPA needs to protect them better and have better kind of acceptance of you don't have to play with certain severe injuries. You know? Yeah, I guess my thoughts on it was, I kind of disagree with you, Rob, a little. I thought they did use it as an excuse. Really? Maybe I was being overly critical.

So, like, I'm a big fan of John Cooper. And just the last two years, three years, I guess, including this run, it's been fun for me to watch Tampa. I'm like, I like when Tampa's winning. I like the players in the room. I like John Cooper. I thought they were a little salty. I thought they were a little excuse ridden in their post-game. thoughts. I don't know. That was just my initial reaction watching Cooper and watching Kuturav,

they seemed a little salty, looked like a team that hadn't tasted defeat in three years and forgot what it's like. And I wasn't the biggest fan of the way they handled it. Not that it was this huge and I'm trying to make it this huge controversy where all the lightning are complainers, but I did think that they could have laid off the injure excuses a little bit and given a little more credit to the best team in hockey in their post game. I thought they did a little bit of that. throughout the playoffs and that bothered me more. I mean, I mean, the game four overtime goal rant from John Cooper. And I understand there's an element of let's get everyone focused on the fact that we're

not down three games to one in this series. Coaches do that with the media. That one seemed a little whiny to me. I just felt like there's been times I've been covering the playoffs, I guess, for longer than four years, but like with the athletic for four years. And I just, I feel like there's been times in press conferences. I could tell, okay, this coach is like, it's over. Like, they're going to lose this series.

And I don't know if I'm always right on that, but that was that moment for me with Cooper. Because I'm like, why are you complaining about this? Like, if you were confident that your team is going to win, and it's valid, like, I don't, like, talk your shit. I don't care. But I just think it shows that you're kind of losing faith in where the series is going. And you're grasping at straws. Yeah. This wasn't a 20 minute.

press conference where someone happened to ask, hey, look, it looks as though this goal shouldn't account it and he's answering a question. He answered one question. He was emotional about it and then stormed off. And it just felt exactly what Jesse said, like a team that hadn't lost in a long time, suddenly against the ropes and seeing no way out. So yeah, I guess we're seeing them make these excuses in different ways, but they've played 71 playoff games over the past 23 months. that's but that's almost a whole season in 23 months of playoff hockey the most ever by a team over three post seasons. So yeah, there were times where they looked tired. Yes, there were times that they looked like a team that had played a lot of playoff games. And that's why we don't see

three beats very often, right? Right. And to me, it was like that it's a testament to their depth. I mean, their depth. I mean, like point was out. He's arguably their best player. I mean, he's an awesome player. And guys like Pilat and Sirelli stepped up and played really well. They just ran into a team that has the same star power and they were all healthy and clicking at the same time. Like, I think Tampa has nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, even with all those games they played, all those injuries, they were still a really good team all the way to the very end. Yeah. I think it's kind of okay to use injuries as somewhat of an excuse. It's like a reason. It's absolutely a reason. They didn't at least push it to seven games. Right. All that being said, I mean, you look at their

core with Stamco's Vasilevsky, Headman, Kutrov, Point, all coming back. They've got Pilat, Paul, and Ruta to sign in the offseason. It's not crazy to say that this team is a Stanley Cup contender next year again, right? It's going to come down to filling in those role spots. And to be honest, I think over the last three years,

no one's done it better than Tampa. They've gone out and they've gotten a maroon. They've gotten a Corey Perry did it pretty well this year. they have been very, very good at saying, okay, we don't have much cap space. Let's find some veterans to fill two or three spots and they've hit on them. Those guys have come in and sometimes it doesn't work when you bring a guy in and you're expecting to play a certain role. But for whatever reason in Tampa, whether it's either they're good at picking the right guy to fill the role or they're good at coaching them into that role. Whatever it is, they've done a good job of that.

If they can do a good job of filling in those depth spots and finding the right guys, they'll be right back contending, I think. Before we move on, a couple things. This is an unofficial record, but I'm just assuming it's a record for the shortest amount of time to damage a Stanley Cup. We've heard all the stories. We've heard them all Ovi denting the Cup doing keg stands. And I remember it really came to light in the 80s with the Oilers who claim they are the reason there's a keeper of the cup because there was a picture of the cup completely dismantled after a night of parting with it. But Nicholas Obakewbell dropping the Stanley Cup as they go for the pick. you're denting it, putting a nice, I saw it right away.

As soon as it happened, it's dented. It's flat on that side. I was shocked. No one was saying anything. And then slowly it started coming out. But do you have any favorite championship story, championship trophies being destroyed stories? Anything that's sticking your head? Because for me, the OV keg stands, I see that in my, I see that in my sleep every now and

again because it was just, it was hilarious. I can't even remember what team it was. us, but I know I've heard the story that it like got, it fell off a bridge and like spent the night in like a creek or something, the Stanley Cup. I, I would have to look it up. I wish I had looked it up before the episode, but I'm pretty sure that happened. My favorite is the Kelly Cup, the East Coast. Like a few years ago, there was drama where they lost it in the ocean and then the owner just was like, we're not giving it back. So they literally were like, okay, I made a new cup. Like, I could be getting some of the details wrong, but I'm pretty sure. this one team just kept it. And they were like, all right.

Glenn Healy told me a story of 94 team. They snapped the top off the cup and tried soldering it back on. And as they were soldering it, they were some of the engraving got ruined. And they claim they're the reason for the keeper of the cup. I mean, they just, they just need somebody around that thing. Because, yeah, I remember the picture seeing it in Maryle Lemieux's pool and people sleeping with it. people going crazy. And again, the 80s Oilers, there's a famous picture of a strip joint.

The Stanley Cup getting a lap dance. So, yeah, that thing's been around. And if we could write a book, it'd be really, really a fun book to read. Anything else from the playoffs that really is going to stick in your heads, guys, before we move on? Because I want to talk Hall of Fame as well. When you look back at these playoffs, other than the avalanche winning, with something that's going to stick in your head.

Sarah? Definitely, Kail McCarra, but we already went over that. I think, I mean, obviously, I cover the cane. And so I'm thinking about how they should have got past the Rangers. I don't know, Jesse. What about you? This is like kind of random. And this is just obviously me going to my sweet spot with goalies.

But Jake Ottinger in the first round was a superstar. Like just superstar. I mean, could not have been better. And sometimes we get a little glimpse of someone in the playoffs. And we're like, oh, wow, like maybe that guy's going to be a better player than maybe we had projected. And I feel like that's that moment for Ottinger. Now we'll see how he how he follows.

it up next year, but I come away from the playoffs. Aside from the stars that played in the cup final, the guy I'm most excited to look to see next year is Jake Ottinger. For me, it was what might have been had the Edminton Oilers made the Stanley Cup final. What Connor McDavid and Leon Drysidal were doing. I mean, you guys see this. I know it's a podcast, so I'll let people know there's a framed Gretzky jersey behind me. I'm a big Wayne Gretzky guy. Wayne Gretzky's playoff points record was in jeopardy. That's bananas. That's not something I thought. thought I would ever say in 2022. And I really, what might have been had he made the finals and records could have been

broken. That would have been a lot of fun to watch. But anyways, the Colorado Avalancher, 2022 Stanley Cup champions. That's how I'm going to wrap that up. We did have the Hall of Fame class of 2022 announced this week, guys. So basically it breaks down like this. The Sedeans both getting in on their first year of eligibility. Roberto Luongo getting in on his first year of eligibility, Daniel Alpherson, again,

in on his fifth year of eligibility, Finnish women's hockey legend, Rika Selenon, two bronze medals, she gets in, and Herb Carnegie, one of the best players ever to not play it in the NHL, mainly because of the color of his skin,

going in. So the names get released. First reactions. Jesse? I think it was kind of what we expected. I think, obviously, the highlight of the group

is kind of Luongo and the Sadiens and I thought that that was pretty much what we expected going in. I know we're going to complain, and I know we've got some people. It's what we do best. That's what we do best. But I think when you, like, we complain about the, the, what it takes, that I guess the bar you have to clear to be considered hockey Hall of Fame. And I think that we can argue that bar.

But if you look at where the bar is, I think all these people belong. All these people in, Rodbredmore. I think we'd go through this. Every year. And I just think there needs to be more cohesiveness about what we're voting for to get in the Hockey Hall of Fame, right? I feel like people are on different pages when they're voting about it. And I feel like I feel like we just need to kind of make a statement on what gets into

the Hall of Fame and what doesn't. Like are we being strict? Are we like it needs to be reset. Yeah. And that was going to be my next question as I was listening to your answer. Are we too far? have we gone way too far because you hear this every single year well if so-and-so is in the hall of fame you have to put this person in the bar that jesse's alluding to yeah um and it's

every hall of fame in different sports does it differently hockey throws 18 people into a room and says you need 14 votes to get in mainly these people are putting their hands up for their buddies and i know it's been talked about a lot this week is that the best way to do it. I hate it. I'm not a fan of it. Um, I it's definitely not the best way. No, it's just not guys. Like there's just too much bias. And, and you're right. Like Sarah, it's Sarah alluded to there. We have to set a line. Look, are certain role players important, you know, as far as winning a Stanley Cup? Sure, they are. You've got that third line guy that kind of does the dirty work who's blocking shots, who's doing things. Do you need that guy to win a

Stanley Cup, of course you do. Is that guy a Hall of Famer? No. The Hall of Fame is supposed to be the best of the best of the best. Not the guys who, well, that role player, you're not winning a Stanley Cup without him. So every single year we do this. And every single year, certain players just keep getting knocked down the list because

the bottleneck gets, you know, tighter and tighter. And I know Sarah's answer this question. So Sarah will start with you so you can just get it out of the way. Fill in the blank. I can't believe blank is still. not in the hockey hall of faith. And give a quick reason why. I wouldn't even let me finish the question.

Rod Brindamore, because he changed what it meant to be a hockey player. And now hockey players model their, or try to model their workouts after him. He's never skipped two days in a row of working out since he started knowing how to work out. And he, like, back in his day, it was like the heavy beer drinking, sig smoking, days of the NHL. And now it's kind of more green smoothie, take care of yourself. And I feel like he and his longevity

had a huge factor in that. So it's more than just the points, but he does have more points than a bunch of people in the hall already. Yeah, so I'll be predictable by going with a goalie, but I'll be unpredictable. So I grew up an Aves fan. I'm in the middle of watching the 30 for 30 Red Wings and Aves.

So this is almost sacrilege as someone from Colorado. But I think Chris Osgood needs to be in, the Hall of Fame. I mean, 400 wins, three Stanley Cups. I mean, yes,

he had a bunch of Hall of Famers in front of him, but the guy won three Stanley Cups. I mean, how many, and to me, goalie is the position that gets credited with wins

similarly to like quarterbacks in football. Are there any three-time Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, not in the Hall of Fame in football? Absolutely not.

That would be insane. The fact that Chris Osgood's not in the Hall of Fame is crazy to me. I'm going to sound like a broken record, but the fact that Alex Alexander McGilney is not in the Hall of Fame is bananas. Triple Gold Club. Over a point of game.

He's got better stats than so many players that are in there. I'm starting to believe that it's something we don't know about. I mean, 2009, he's been eligible since 2009. 76 goal season, everything. McGilney just blows my mind. And we're going to argue about this every single year the Hall of Fame comes up. But something we're going to argue about later in the. show, whether or not Calabakoskis has the best hair in show business because he got a pretty

good endorsement during the playoffs. We'll talk to him after the break. All right, guys, as you know, we've been doing this show since beginning of the year. Usually when we have a guest on, my intro is very simple. I say, you know, what they do, what their name is. And I say, welcome to the show. They say, thanks for having me on. And we start talking hockey. But this one stumped me a bit. There are so many things I could describe when talking about our next guest. The man with friggin awesome hair, the good looking man,

or the Canadian Tom Brady. And all of those are true because Charles Barkley said those are true. Kyle Bacoska is joining us on the athletic hockey show. How are it, Kyle? Oh, good. I feel like I picked a bad day to wear a hat. But anyway, I wanted to see the hair, yes. I wore a hat because I didn't want to get shown up with the best hair on this podcast today.

I didn't need to, I guess. No, Sarah, I got to say, every time I've pumped my fist, each time you tweet fact about the outrageous reality that Rod Brindamore is still not in the hockey Hall of Fame. I know that you guys were talking about it in the last segment. And I quietly support that just because, I mean, I feel I'm outwardly biased given we're from the same hometown

and I've gotten a gnome a little bit there, but keep banging that drum. I appreciate it. Campbell River, baby. That's right. That's right. We got to get you out there. I will.

I'll be there. So fishing, hiking. Sorry, Rob. No, no, no. You just keep listing off what you want to do once you get Sarah out there. But we're going to talk obviously a little bit of everything, saying like a finals, playoffs, everything else.

But I do want to touch on, you know, what we alluded to earlier in a bit of your gig. Ringside reporting, you got to be ready for anything. You never know what's going to be thrown at you. But is there any way to prepare for that Charles Barkley interview? and where that thing went, because not only did all the people I know who follow hockey and watch hockey say, hey, did you see that Charles Barkley interview with Bacoskis? But I mean, people who don't follow hockey saw that thing. That was one of the most amazing ringside interviews I've ever seen on Hockey Night in Canada, but how do you even prepare for that?

Well, you don't. I guess that's the fun of it. And once again, kind of hits home the fact. a great reminder of just how much cashé and popularity that he has and that he transcends television and sport and all of that. Because I don't know if there's a bigger star in that world than Charles Barkley these days. So just to be able to meet him was like such a thrill because I'd never dealt with him in any capacity in the past. Obviously, I mean, I was a little bit too young to really appreciate, you know, the prime of his playing days. But certainly now as he's transitioned into television, you admire what he's done with, with T. So and it kind of came together, not last minute, but it was like, I don't know, an hour before the game we got word that he was going to be there. So we thought, oh, that's cool. Maybe we should look at trying to get him on the on the show. And then we had to kind of maneuver with the NHL to make it all happen. And then they said, okay, this is, this is a go in the second intermission because he was on the ESPN panel in the first. And so we went up to where he was sitting in one of the suites. And yeah, I just, I sat down and introduced myself and he was great. Like, yeah, whatever you need. need and then and then I stand up and I'm like all right you're ready to do this and then he stands up and

it was like wow he was just a massive human being and we're kind of like boxed in the corner there and anyway I mean he was clearly enjoying his time I mean you know the story's been told about his his friendship with john Cooper so he's there you know supporting the bolts and I think it was just good for for hockey to have Charles Barkley in the house and yeah I had no idea where where the interview was was going there but I thought it was it was funny like kind of lost in some of the other comments. I thought he made some really good points. He's like, you know, for all the kids out there, just always worry about be the, you know, be the best version of yourself. Don't worry about what other people think.

And I thought, wow, that's really beautiful advice. And then, and I know in the back, you know, as I'm kind of trying to do my rough timing in my head, I'm going, okay, this has already gone too long. I've got a wrap. And then he just kept going. And so at that point, you're not going to cut him off. And he was very, I don't know, I guess the lighting did me some favors in that suite there what, but he was very, very kind in that moment. But honestly, for such an imposing figure, like, and for myself, never meeting before, he was, you know, very gracious and made me feel comfortable and welcoming, standing

next to him there. So, yeah, that's, that was a career highlight. And I'll always be thankful for him for that. Yeah. And it's just one of those, like you said, the fun, the fun of the job. And, you know, my friends who aren't big hockey fans sometimes say, I'm really frustrating person to watch hockey with because I'm not necessarily watching the game or the analysis.

I'm watching it like a broadcaster. and I'm watching it like, oh, they went too late to this. And, you know, that's what I do with, you know, I've been in your position. I was lucky enough to do that job myself. And your game five standup where you walked and you were getting the atmosphere, you know, in the arena. And you were finished it and I'm not kissing your ass because you're on the show. I turned to my wife, I said, that was a hell of a standup. And then David Amber goes, how do we top that, Elliot?

That was a hell of a standup. And I thought, oh, that's great. Walk us through a little bit of your prep for huge game. like that because obviously there's the obvious storylines, but you trying to get the feeling to us on the couch is a difficult thing to do. And I think you do it really well. Yeah, I appreciate that. Rob. I mean, we both know Sherelli Najak quite well. And I worked with him for a number of years. He was a long time producer at Hockey Night in Canada. And so he was instrumental in kind of teaching me that side of it, right? Like when we would go into games on Saturdays or in the playoffs,

like that 45 seconds to a minute that you'd have at the top of the clock before the game started to kind of set the scene. He would say, that's our commercial, right? So for the viewers watching at home, how are you going to sell them on watching the game that we're at tonight? And you always say, like, just make it memorable. Like, we've got to give them something to remember. And so that kind of was my, is always the base in my thinking to try to come up with that. And honestly, one of the things that I'll agonize over, you know, more than any interview or any interview. game story is like, how do you try to make that the best it possibly can be just to kind of

kick the night off, right? So it's not always perfect. Sometimes you're like, ah, we could have done this better or whatever, but I mean, that's just like, as long as you're trying to put in the effort to make it as good as it can be, then at least you're, you're on the right path. And over the time, I think, you know, you'll start to get it. So with that one there, I mean, I just think it had been such a story over the playoffs, right? Like how good the crowd had been there at Ball Arena. And you could feel it being in the building and the fact that it was game five and the Stanley Cup was in the building for the first time in the series. I just, you know, I threw it out there. I'm like, well, let's let's get a little mobile, right? Like instead of just, you know, being down at the corner

at ice level, as you would typically would do, let's be in it and try to give a bit of a feel of just what the crowd's like because it was, they were ramped up even before the game started there. So that was just kind of the idea and you have some ideas in your head in terms of what you want to say and you're going over that in your mind as you're standing there on the concourse waiting for the hit to come and people are kind of looking at you as they're walking by to their seats going, what the hell is this guy doing here? But yeah, and then you get the throw and it's like you just go. So that was kind of the inspiration behind. It was trying to just, you know, give some love to the crowd and how good they'd been there, that playoffs and just a little

flavor for the audience of just kind of what the building was going to feel like for that game. That's awesome, Kyle. To kind of stick with that, the feel in the buildings, you were obviously there for these big games. On TV, this felt, I use the word satisfying end to the season, this felt like a bigger cup final than the last couple. Obviously, Tampa rolled over the last two opponents. Did it feel, did this feel bigger? I don't know if it was because of the pandemic and we didn't have full buildings. I don't know if it's the top two teams playing each other. But to you in the buildings, did this feel like a bigger cup final? And I guess what are your biggest takeaways from that? series overall. Yeah, probably a bit of everything there, Jesse, only because, right, like two years ago, it was just everything was about it, was bizarre, it was empty, it was in Edmonton. And then last year was a truncated season, and there was that feeling of, you know, Montreal was the Cinderella team getting there, but you kind of felt certainly after the way game one went that the outcome was, was inevitable of who was going to end up winning

it. And this year, yeah, as you say, that it was kind of the two teams that were probably the favorites going into meat and so often that never ends up being the case. There's an upset along the way and a surprise, but the fact that they got there and it just seemed there was the history of Tampa going through, you know, for a three-peat, which I've never seen in my lifetime. And a lot of, you know, current hockey fans now where I think we're long enough past the islanders of the 80s that they haven't seen it either.

So there was some intrigue on that side and on the Colorado side. It was just trying to knock the door down. I don't think it had been as long of a run as like. Washington in 2018 and finally getting there. But certainly you had that feeling of this is a core that had been together a while now, had been, you felt good enough or close to good enough to win, but ultimately coming up short. And so one of those teams were going to satisfy, you know, what their goals was. And one was going to be just a crushing defeat.

So I think that probably added to the magnitude of it, of it all. And it was just, it was for a game that, or a series that had two absolute blowouts in two and three, I still found it was incredibly compelling for all those reasons involved. Buildings both ways were good. It was some wonderful breathtaking hockey for large stretches of it. And you just, you admire, like, again, having the great opportunity to kind of follow the Stanley Cup playoffs from beginning to end for a few years now. You just get so much more appreciation for the last two teams that are standing. like I'm I'm exhausted now like I don't even play I have no idea what those guys go through and you know we kind of heard from the tampa side the injuries that they were dealing with we all saw the pictures of valenachushkin's foot and the fact that he still played is mind blowing so with all those things considered I thought it was just it was really really entertaining hockey to watch and I thought the right team won in the end so that was kind of my my takeaway it was just a it was a wonderful final

what was, I thought, are really entertaining playoffs. And the fact that the two best teams were left standing at the end, I think it just made for all the better product to watch in the final series. You know, a lot of times when the playoffs are done, it feels like such a blur because, you know, we're just so into everything. Like the Battle of Alberta feels like 10 years ago to me right now. Like it just felt like finals aside,

something you think about when you think back to these playoffs. What's really, you know, kind of going to be in your head? from this point on when someone says 20, 22 playoffs, aside from the finals? Is it what you saw in the Battle of Alberta? Is it McDavid? Is it what, what's something that really sticks in your head? Boy, well, I guess, yeah, the beauty part is that there's a number of things. And so in terms of, I guess, what I got to see up close, I mean, I think just the whole,

and I'm not trying to turn this towards a Toronto conversation here. But I just, I think that that first round series was, was something that really stands out my mind only because like I was I was in high school when when the Canucks went on their run in 2011 and it was like trying to finally get over the hump of Chicago after getting beat by them the two years previous and they had the three nothing series lead now of a sudden there's a game seven it goes in overtime and just you know what would have happened had they lost that and how many people would have lost their jobs likely the trades that would have come everyone knew that everything was riding on on that one game and they get through it and then all of a sudden it was

like it felt like they weren't going to be stopped and ultimately you know The Bruins found a way to drag the series into the mud and they just couldn't come through it. But I had those vibes for Toronto this year. I thought if they could just find a way to get through Tampa in that first round, you know, maybe there was a similar path for them as well to reach the Stanley Cup final. And so just the way things had unfolded and they were up a goal in the third period of game six and how that ultimately slipped away and just the tension around game seven. And once again, it was just the most.

Marvel at how Tampa closed that thing out and being able to follow them the last couple of playoffs and see a lot of their games. Once again, was just a great reminder of how great of a team they are, even though they ultimately came up short this year. That really just sticks out in my head. That third period in Game 7 there in particular, which was just like championship caliber close out from the two-time defending champs and a Toronto team that was like once again thinking this was their year to break through. And the final horn sounds and they're left with the same feeling.

all over again, you know, regardless of how you feel about the Leafs and their history and their fans or wherever you stand on it, I just said it was very compelling and stuck with me still as we sit here on the end of June. What's something about covering a cup run that the general public might not realize? Well, Sarah, as you know, just the assumption of the glamour of it all, right? Like, You get to watch some great hockey. You get to see some wonderful things that everything around it, you know, the flights, the middle seats, the long travel, the delays, wondering where your bags are, checking into a hotel and the room's not ready.

So you've got to wait. Like it's just all the stuff that comes with the travel. It's not easy. So I think, you know, everyone here I think knows knows kind of what that all goes with. And so just the compounding fatigue over time when you're doing it for two months, it gets real difficult. And so it's that funny feeling of when you're in it, you know you're tired, but you don't want to think about it too much. You know, you've got to keep going.

And so, like, even, you know, Tampa scores early in game six and you're feeling, oh, boy, like, we might be going back to Denver for a game seven. And so mentally you're already kind of preparing yourself for that. But then the game ends, Colorado wins. I remember waking up the next morning going, like, there's no way possibly I could have done another game in a series. Like, you just feel so spent. Like, it just, everything, you know, finally just. just kind of hits you. So it's just, yeah, it's just the fatigue of it all.

And again, like, it's, it's, it's wonderfully tiring because you're, you're so, so grateful to be able to be there and, you know, to be around, you know, our group that put so much work in to try and make the shows as best as possible and being able to spend time with, you know, whether it's folks like yourself that are, you know, covering various teams and get to spend time with them that you wouldn't otherwise see throughout the year and to kind of connect and just, spend time with people that you have a great deal of respect for over the course of,

you know, the most important two months of the season. That's all great. But yeah, by the time you're done, you're like, okay, time to sleep. It's a grind, as they say. Yes, I know. It's very real, as you know. It is real. It's funny.

We talked with this, I think, a couple shows ago where it's, you're trying to be nice about it because it is a grind. But as you said, people don't, they think it's just, hey, you get to watch hockey for a living. And we do. We're not complaining about it, but man, especially, you know, Tampa wins game five. And just the fact that you've got to continue on is just an exhaustion that people just don't necessarily know about. And just dealing with everything that comes with it. Following along Sarah's question, though, I mean, gives people a little bit of a behind the scenes about even preparing for the playoffs and for each game.

because I think a lot of people think it's such a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants job, and it is at times, but you know, you've got to deal with a lot of teams and a lot of players on a regular basis, and you get to know them. Yeah, for sure. And certainly, you know, having, again, having followed Tampa for the last couple of playoff runs, you're very familiar with them. Then there's also like, you feel like you've told a lot of little stories and tidbits in game. It's like, okay, now I've got to find more stuff to talk about.

and having Colorado working the Western Conference Final this year, already doing a series with them. You're a little bit familiar. But for me, at the start of a series, because there's kind of like three main aspects of my job, there's like the open that we talked about earlier, Rob, and then there's the in-game stories, and then, of course, the interviews too.

So at the start of a series, you try to come up with as many potential stories to tell in-game as you can. So you're talking to people, whether it's, you know, players at the rink and coaches, you're making phone calls to other people, that may have information that can help tell stories throughout the series. And so you've kind of got like that's your initial base, your list to kind of start with. And then after each game, you use up some of them and then you just try to replenish and you keep going, right?

And there's some stories that you'll have ready for game one and you don't use till game six, right? Just because that's all of a sudden now when it makes the most sense. So between each off day, you're either traveling or you're trying to think of more stuff for the next game or you're doing both, right? So when you go back to say game five, you're out in the crowd, everyone, you know, it's a great time, goes well, right, that was cool. And then it's like, okay, now what? Like, now there's game six. You're like, you've got to think of something else to do again.

And you want to be better than you were the time before. So there's that, that feeling of, you know, just a little bit of anxiousness and just, you know, a mild amount of stress where you're like, okay, now, now what? Where do you go from there? So there's just, the mind's constantly working. I think that probably feeds the majority of the fatigue because, again, physically I'm not doing a ton. but just trying to think of fresh ideas, not unlike if you're writing a column

and trying to think of something fresh to do the next time and to be better than the previous one that you wrote. I have no idea what that would feel like, but I imagine there's a lot of thought and time that goes into that too. So I think it's a similar feeling on the television side of just the mind is always thinking of something fresh for the next game. And you always want to be prepared for whatever. And then, like, so when Colorado wins game four to go up three to one, then the bulk of that next day and even, you know, leading up to the night of game five, it's just a lot of now extra prep of like each guy on Colorado to see, okay, if the Stanley Cup does get handed out, you want to have something if you're interviewing them on the ice, because you don't know who you're going to get there because that becomes a bit of a chaotic scene as well.

You know, is there a personal tie-in or something about the person, their journey, family, whatever it may be, then you can. can kind of link to the interview there because that's another big moment, the kind of crowning moment for us, right? The cup's been handed out and the emotion of it all. You want to be ready for that too. So it's a lot, but, you know, it's, it's great. It's, it beats working still. That it does. Kyle, thanks so much for coming on. We really appreciate it. Like I said, I really enjoyed your stuff not only this year, but the years passed and keep up the good work. And we'll talk to you soon. Great. Thanks, thanks, everyone. Big fans of each year. Thanks for having me on. Kyle Bacoscus, great hair, ringside reporter for Sportsnet.

Stick around after the break. They gotta go through our rapid fire topics, so don't go anywhere. All right, guys, your favorite time of the show in mind, rapid fire things we didn't get to in the first couple of segments. First one does deal with the Stanley Cup final. You heard Kyle Bukosk is talking about the chaotic atmosphere after a team wins the Stanley Cup. Well, Nazam-Codry was doing an interview with David Amber and Elia Friedman,

and it was all genuine, it was great. And then he said, anyone who thought I was a liability in the playoffs can kiss my ass. Send it on live television. That laugh is the reaction most people had. What did you think when you heard that? Sarah, we'll start with you. Well, I just think there needs to be more of this. I mean, I watch, even I watch Skip Baylor.

Oh, my God, Stephen A. I'm sorry, Stephen A for calling you Skip Bayless. Wow, that's, yeah. But, like, I watch him and Kevin Durant. go after it and things like that. I'm like, we need more of this and we need more players in hockey kind of willing to speak out and be sassy. And then you see like basketball players quote tweeting their own deals and I just love it. I have more of it, please. Yep, for sure. More personality in hockey and more. I mean, it's, it's cool to see guys prove the like, I guess,

general thinking wrong. I mean, that was like, it wasn't, it didn't come out of nowhere. I mean, this is a guy who gets suspended in the playoffs every damn year. You know, like, it's not like people made this up for no reason and cadries this port, but good for him for proving it wrong. Like, he deserved that criticism, I think. And, and you know what, when you prove it wrong and you finally, you break through and you're a big part of a team that wins a championship, rub it in everybody's faces.

I love it from both sides. Anyone who didn't like it doesn't like personality. And we talk all the time about the good bunch of guys in the room, pucks in deep players. We hear time and time again. I would rather hear stuff like this. A couple other pieces of news that came out this week. Luke Richardson taking on the bench boss role in Chicago.

Thoughts on this one. Jesse? Yeah, I think it was another safe hire. This is what the NHL does. I think it's, I think it has a very high floor. I think it has a mid to high ceiling. I just, I keep waiting for someone outside of the NHL to get one of these jobs. I was kind of rooting for it here in Vegas when they were doing their coach.

search. I was looking at Roberg, the guy who runs the Swedish Hockey Federation over there. I was hoping someone from outside the league would get a job. It looks less and less likely. But at the same time, I think this is, like I said, a safe hire that I think will go well. Yeah, it's not moving. It's like just not moving the needle from me either way. Good for him, I guess. It wasn't really on my radar, but it's like they're trying to recycle as many people who have had a little bit of even assisting coaching experience. So it's not something I look at and I'm gasping in horror, but we'll see how it works out. Exactly.

That's what I mean. It's just, yeah, I saw the news. Yeah, that seems about right. Bruins news, Don Sweeney, signing a multi-year extension. We talked last week or the week before about the Bruins starting over maybe and seeing the core kind of have their last chance in a Stanley Cup. What do you think of this new, Sarah? I mean, it's the typical course of events.

If you're firing Bruce Cassidy, it's because you're going to keep Don Sweeney, right? Because it had to be one or the other. So he's on his last straw here. And Weeks said we reported this morning that we can expect to hear some coaching news from the Bruins today. So that'll be interesting. Like they're looking at some college hockey coaches. And I'm just like not sure about that, but whatever. Ordinarily at this time of the show, guys ask you what you got going on over the next week.

But I know you're both heading to Montreal for the NHL draft. So we know what you got going on, but how pumped are you to head to Montreal? Jesse? So pumped. I was just telling Kyle after the last break. Montreal is one of my favorite. I keep kind of a power ranking of my favorite road cities to visit. Montreal's top five.

And I've only been there when it's like negative 30 degrees out. Like you walk outside and you're afraid you may die from the cold in like 30 seconds. And it's still top five cities. So the fact that I'm going there and I'm going to be able to go outside, comfortably, I could not be more pumped for this city, Sarah. I'm so excited. I'm excited to see everybody. This is actually going to be my first time in Montreal. Every time I've had the opportunity to travel there, I have been sick or like worked on a different story where I needed to be talking to other people. Like it was just one of

those things where it was like a day trip or the second half of a back to back where I didn't travel. And I've regretted it every time. But now I get to go in the summer. That is great. And we get to see all of our athletic colleagues. I mean, it feels like it's been forever because of the pandemic. We don't get to see each other all that often. It's a team here, but it's like a team on Zoom and Slack. It'll be cool to see everybody in person. What the hell are you guys going to cover?

Your teams don't have first round picks. Are you guys just scaring a free trip from the athletic? The Golden Ice do have quite a few French Canadians. So I'm going to Montreal more for that than for the actual draft itself, because, yeah, like you said, the Golden Knights do not have a first round pick. If they somehow do make a pick in this draft, they'll just be trading that player in the next couple of weeks. So not as concerned about the draft, but lots in Montreal around the Golden Knights. Last time I was at a draft in person in Vancouver, 2019, I broke the Justin Falk trade was happening.

Because when you're there, there's just people from every team. And they, like, you catch up with agents, you catch up with GMs and stuff. and they kind of want to maybe throw you a bone because you actually physically want there. So that is kind of a low-key thing. Maybe people don't know about about the draft. The draft is so much fun to cover. It really is.

And it's just an atmosphere you don't ordinarily see where literally as you're there, you're looking at a GM walk to another table. And you're going, oh, what are they talking about? It almost feels like high school. Like, you know what I mean? Like, so-and-so is talking to so-and-so, what's going on here? So, guys, have fun in Montreal,

working and have fun in Montreal playing because Montreal is right up there for me as well, Jesse. And that brings a show to a close. We're not going to have a show next week because of the draft. And these two will bring you a lot of great coverage to make sure you're following what they do. And make sure you follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Don't forget leave a rating and a review. You can subscribe to the Athletic Audio Plus on Apple Podcast. You get all the bonus content from the entire network.

You start with a 30-day free trial. then just 99 cents a month after that. And right now, you get an annual subscription to The Athletic for just a dollar a month for six months when you visit Theathletic.com slash hockey show. The Athletic Hockey Show returns Thursday with Ian Mendez and down goes browned. For Sarah, for Jesse.

I'm Rob. We'll see you next week.