The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: Best Of the Panthers Journey to the Stanley Cup

Episode Date: June 28, 2024

We have spent the last several months covering the Florida Panthers run to the Stanley Cup. There were ups. There were downs. There were great takes. There were horrible takes. There were moments where our friendships and our company nearly came tumbling down. But after the journey of a lifetime has come to an end, we've put together the best moments of the ride to listen back to together. Plus, take a listen to our first ever interview with Matthew Tkachuk from when he was JUST acquired by the Cats. Was this the true Witty-hates-the-Panthers origin story? Did he hate Tkachuk before he ever stepped on the ice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's free. Yes, you heard that right. From the Christmas lettuce to the juiciest apples, Loblaws is committed to fresh, so you get the best fruits and veggies. Look for new value programs when you shop at Loblaws, in-store and online. Conditions may apply. See in store for details. Now's a good time to remember where the story of Tequila started. In 1795, the first Tequila distillery was opened by the Cuervo family. And 229 years later, Cuervo is still going strong. Family owned from the start, same family, same land. Now's a good time to enjoy Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila.

Go to Cuervo.com to shop tequila or visit a store near you. Cuervo, now's a good time. Trademarks owned by Begle. S-A-B, the C-V. Copyright 2024, Proximo. Jersey City, New Jersey, please drink responsibly. This is the Dan Leventor Show with the StuGuts Podcast. What do we call the opposite of the parade of gas bags?

Celebrating greatness. That's no, that's too honest. It's still I guess a parade of gas bags, but the gas bags are right. Parade of champions. Parade of champions. What you're about to hear is our best work when it comes to covering the Florida Panthers this year.

We wanna take us back down a little trip down memory lane. We've had fun with this Panthers team. So you're gonna hear a smorgasbord of content that we've done around the Panthers. Then you're gonna hear one of my favorite interviews that I've ever been a part of. We talked to Kachuck right when he signed with the team. Witty was still with us.

Maybe it's why Witty ended up hating Kachuck and hating the Panthers. I'm convinced it is, having watched back, by the way. You're gonna see the seeds of all the Witty stuff in this interview with Kachuck. He should blame you for that, by the way. Not Matt do Kachuck. Yeah, that's true

That's trade in South Florida history Other than Loveron Yeah, absolutely. So we're gonna hear the the origins of that. This is the parade of gas bags smorgasbord. Enjoy You have some hot takes today Joe chestnuts a fire He calls Connor McDavid overrated before the show Yeah, no, I love it Roy. Let me explain it to you And not that you need to you know more about hockey and this is coming from a guy That's watched Connor play six times right if that

I looked up. I love you. I looked up all his stats. I know how great he is in terms of numbers. My attitude is they're hollow numbers. He's been in the league a long time. Nine years. This is the ninth year. They haven't won anything with him. If he's going to be the next Wayne Gretzky, how about you should be raising a few cups. Wayne Gretzky took like five years in Edmonton to win four Stanley Cups This guy comes in as the next Wayne Gretzky his nicknames include the Chosen One and McJesus Okay, he's a great player. He scores a lot of goals He scores a ton of assists, but it hasn't translated to making Edmonton a powerhouse in the league They're in the final.

It's a team sport. If you're gonna blame anybody, blame the front office. They don't have a good goal tending. But Skinner was good during the conference finals. Roy, if you're the next Wayne Gretzky, if you're the best player in the world, you should make the Stanley Cup. Which he just did.

He just did, yes. But to Greg's point, it took him eight or nine years. Yeah, for the first time. He'd only made the West Finals one time previously in nine years So I think Gretzky's first or second year Roy with the Oilers the I owners had won four straight They were you know dry for five going for a fifth straight and they lost so the four Stanley Cup They beat Edmonton, but everyone knew that Gretzky was coming. The next year, the Oilers played the Iowans again. Iowans going for five straight.

Oilers beat him. I think they swept him. And then Wayne Gretzky was off and running. That's what Greg is saying. And when I say Conor McDavid is overrated, the only thing I mean is, this is a guy with such hype that he needs a Stanley Cup win to catch up to that hype.

Right now, he hasn't done it. I'm not saying his career has been a disappointment, but he hasn't gottenley cup win to catch up to that height right now he hasn't done it i'm not saying his career has been a disappointment but he hasn't gotten the orders to where they probably expected to be in their ninth year with mcjee's with almsley canada after greg wrote this and talked about another show canada was very upset let's play that clip is this the most ridiculous hot take ever? This is Mick Ridiculous.

Absolutely. I said, I'm all about click bait, reader engagement, pandering to the home crowd. I get that. And maybe it's working because here we are talking about it. So it's mission accomplished. But if you know anything about hockey, and I'm assuming Greg might, you know that one player, no matter how great he is, cannot get it done and win a Stanley Cup on his own.

Not McDavid, not anybody. But McDavid clearly is the greatest player in the game. He is generational. He's one of the best offensive players in the history of the game already. He has proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt. So Greg, I'm sorry. This is preposterous, outrageous, ridiculous, and just flat out wrong. So I know the Miami crowd might eat it up

going up against McDavid, but if you are a hockey writer some point you look back at this article this headline and say that was not my finest journalistic moment this is ridiculous and wrong jury is still out on that we will find out together whether or not it was your fight is journalistic moment right what has happened since then? Greg. It's my favorite part of it. Greg. Well, the Greg Cody Show podcast put out a bee sting. What? Yeah, we call it a bee sting. It's BEE stands for bonus emergency episode. Okay, because I couldn't. Does everything mean anything? Just bee sting, you know, that kind of thing. I like it.

Did you back down at all? Did you double down? I'll let you be the judge of that. We do have a clip here. Let's see if my dad doubled down or if he backed off a little bit. Oh Canada, so sad I riled you up. Sad that Conor McDavid for all his stats has not lived up. Sad that your McJesus has never raised the Stanley Cup. Alright! He doubled down! I'm not going to back down. I mean, come on, it's a one-sided

feud. You know, Canada hates me. I love Canada. My name is C come on. It's a one-sided feud. You know Canada hates me. I love Canada, right? My name is Coté. It's a popular name and in French speaking Canada. Is it? Yeah, and you know, I'm one of them I love Canada visited there. I have French Canadian ancestors that kind of thing You know, yeah, well say Catherine Street and my aunt Arlene used to sing Robert Goulet songs in France When I was growing up in the kitchen, should be singing a song in French. I'm like, what are you doing, Auntie Arlene? But now that Canada is being all Judgy McJugstein

over Greg Cody, and now that they're, you know, they think they're holier than thou, I hope the Panthers win. Oh, finally. And I hope that Canada never wins. You're really the Panthers? This is what it took, Greg Cody being criticized. I hope that Canada never wins a Stanley Cup again.

And these miserable Canucks up there, who think that they're better than the rest of us, that they know hockey better than everyone else, get the show. How about you get the cup, which you haven't for 30 years, and you're not going to this year, because Connor McOverrated is going to choke and vomit all over himself all over again, because he's

no Wayne Gretzky who did it all on his own and needed no help ever. Hockey. Greg Cody, we will go to you now. You have one minute. The floor is entirely yours. At some point, I'll get some production elements for this and we will execute it even better.

But the floor is yours on this victory lap. Go ahead, the minute starts now. Yeah, I think one minute will just about do it. I'm over-medicated right now. I try to take a victory lap every 30 years or so, and I took one in the early 90s for my Dan Marino column. Proved to be accurate because he never won a Super Bowl. Now 30 years later, Conor McDavid, Conor McOva rated has never won a Stanley Cup. So I'm taking a victory lap for that too, because that two nil down doesn't look like he's going to win one this time either. Also taking a victory lap for the latest Greg Cody show with Greg Cody podcast cuz it's a killer Wow. I cry talking about my own dad

How embarrassing? But anyway enough about me I'm gonna schedule another Victor lap for about 30 years when I'm turning a hundred I haven't decided yet what the topics gonna be but I'm gonna figure out how to be right again in about 30 years You'd be right about being alive still. That kind of thing. That's how you stick the landing. All right, thank you, Greg. He has gotten, he has learned through reporting, Greg, you can tell the story, he has learned through reporting that McDavid absolutely knows who's insulted him and the nature of the insult

because Greg Cody has a take that no one else has, which is that the best player in hockey, is it three time MVP? The best player in hockey is overrated. So, overrated and underperforming. Which may be synonyms, I don't know. You know, we don't want to split hairs. I think you're going after the wrong star in this series so far dry sidle not only no No, he has chosen the right star Chris. I'm just saying in this series though

Mcdavid even though he hasn't scored yet Mcdavid is flying around like Mcdavid playing much better than dry sidle in this series Well dry sidle don't get me started on him the the filthiest player in the history of hockey Oh God, come on. I'm on the German Come on, i don't want to get that i don't know i'm not sure yeah series yes so on but let me tell you my reporting on on how mcdavid knows about who who i am and what i said and and it's of course the reporting of another reporter alex bombgartner from mom five Reason Sports was in the elbow room after game one. And he sees somebody else tells him that's Conor McDavid's dad at the bar. So Alex sidles up to him, wants to buy him a drink. They get to chit chatting.

He introduces himself as a local journalist covering the Panthers. And McDavid's dad gives him a side eye and goes you're not that Greg Cotet are you? No way! Wow! So you know. Are you public enemy number one in Canada right now? Except in little pockets of Calgary where they hate Edmonton maybe they like me there but otherwise yeah I'm trying not to be Greg gloaty here you know I don't want to gloat it's two games McDavid could spin a hat trick in game three and everything changes but for now I stand by what I said about him

being Mc overrated simply because for all his numbers for all his stats nine seasons without a Stanley Cup and based on a two nil Deficit looks like it might complete that complete that run and still make them coupless Gonna tell you Chris. This has been a superstition masterclass and you know exactly what I'm talking about That's why my beard is so long. I am in it to win it and Hopefully on Saturday because I don't want to do the Monday thing I don't want to do the Monday thing and I know Chris has his reasons why he wants to do the, well it's Tuesday right? The game's on Tuesday.

Yeah I don't want to do the game five thing. Chris wants to do the game five thing only because he's rooting against Roy. Yeah I want Roy to come back here miserable. What? I just think it'd be funny. Why? I want that train to it, I'm back.

Roy wants to be there when they hoist the cup and he will be Unless it's in game six. No, I don't want that. Yeah, how far are you willing to take one game? I just want Roy to come back from Edmonton with his tail between his legs So that you can be in person with the cup either. I want to be there too. Yeah, okay Why won't he be there game six because I don't think the budget is One budget the budget only has one game to Edmonton for Roy and he's going up there for for game four. Well, that sucked. That sucked. Yeah, that was that was bad. That was that was an ass-kicking. Yeah, I have the score sheet right here

And it's it's not good Eighth one is the final and most importantly on the score sheet is Connor McDavid's night a goal and three assists finally got his first goal of this series and most well not most importantly but 32 assists on these playoffs that breaks a record Wayne Greske had that pretty spectacular for Connor McDavid Mr. Mcover aided setting McRecords. Oh my good God. I don't mind anyone disagreeing with anything I've written. And I'm used to it. And I have thick skin for it.

And I would say if, and I don't read comments, social media comments, if somebody I don't even know calls me an idiot, who cares? When somebody I do know calls me an idiot twice, how about you control your emotions? No, I'm serious. Oh, that's what I want to hear right now is calm down. OK. That's what I want to hear.

I mean, you're a- Your skin is so thick you bumped into a door and started bleeding today. I don't believe you for a second. And no, I'm sorry. I've told you for two weeks now how this has bothered me. And when you did it, I wasn't here to check you either. So no, I will not apologize for doing something on air

because you've made my entire life performative for everybody else. I care deeply. And if you want to keep running this bit and your jolly friend over there wants to keep ramping things up because you are just a member of the family and you are sitting next to Charles Manson. bit and your jolly friend over there wants to keep ramping things up because you are just a member of the family and you were sitting next to Charles Manson whoa jolly be careful with jolly that's coded my dad does have thin skin but

thick toenails am I right dad yes you are right about that no I'm not gonna apologize I wouldn't expect you to apologize then you're a giant infant okay you have no control over your emotions You have no control over your emotions when you're calling someone, you know an idiot. I don't deserve it. Okay I don't deserve it. All right, and you're a fool for saying it. Okay You're a fool. Yeah, I was kind of falling Right now you're locking in on yeah Let's drop the gloves pal Thanking me for what every day for what I've done around this character and the second shit gets real for you You want to come at me and call me a fool?

Seriously, Jeremy seriously Years to your career you want to call me a fool wait a minute you be toiling away you Michael your mark You owe me everything you owe me everything you have added 10 years You're a rude young man. You're a fool. You're a fool. You're a fool. I already called you a fool.

You can't call me a fool. You're an idiot again. It's a fool on. You're an idiot twice. You're an idiot for dismissing how much I've helped you. You are a fool. You're nobody. You are an infant.

You have no thick skin. Here's the thing, Greg. All right, and please, I'm trying to say it's the nicest way possible Okay, if the Panthers lose this series You're going to be remembered for this people are gonna be so angry They are going to remember you for this you you've had a great career here I a legendary writer for the Miami Herald and that should be your legacy that should be what everybody remembers one day wow Greg Cody amazing writer represented the Herald and South Florida but if the Panthers lose they're gonna remember you

for this I like that you should have the McDavid is over oh we're having something here what's happening back there what just happened who just walked in and handed Mike a manila folder? I've been served what happened? yeah someone just walked in and handed Mike a manila folder. I've been served. What happened? Someone just walked in and handed Mike a manila folder. Who was that person who just came in? It was a random lady.

I have no idea. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Mike, hold on a second. Did someone come up to you right now and just say, are you Mike Ryan Ruiz? Or did they identify? Did they do that? Were you just legally processed?

Yeah, which is weird, because we have security here. Wansett, McGillicutty, and McGillicutty Were you just legally processed? Yeah, which is weird, because we have security here. Wansett, McGillicuddy, and McGillicuddy from the offices of Wansett, McGillicuddy, and McGillicuddy Esquire. Please be advised that our law firm has been retained by Greg Cody. This letter constitutes notice of our clients

complain against you for your age discrimination and elderly abuse. All right, we have made it from Amarin, Bracken, right? Oh, wow. Look at him right there. Yes. Oh yeah. Yes.

There is Greg Cody. We wanted to bring him in. He is doing his personal victory lap. The, the, you can see that he's outside and he's doing his personal parade. Where's the people? Where are the fans? Well, they're, they're late arriving.

On the plane back to Edmonton. Some of them are sleeping. Some of them flew back to Edmonton. There's Greg Cody taking a personal parade. It's a little bit different than the one that the Celtics had, slightly. It's early. Well, you know, these things require planning. Word will get out There's Greg Cody

Tire show Greg do you want to say anything to Randy Moller out there as you take your victory lap today? Yeah, I was glad I was glad to hear Randy say that McDavid probably ought not have won the Conn's fight. You got to give it to Bob I think for the reasons Randy said but you know the best news is McDavid didn't get the trophy he wanted the Panthers stole that one from him they didn't steal it they earned it from him and so it's a happy day down here happier day down here in an Edmonton you know McDavid continues to pile up fantastic numbers with nothing

to show at the end of it and so this postseason of his was really a metaphor for his career and that is what makes him overrated oh no hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey big fan right now. Yeah, it's not a fan of yours That's just someone in the cross. I see you ma'am. That is They're not there for you they're just crossing the way Yeah, you got somebody you've been stared Yeah, you got somebody you've been stared some There's a little sadder than three people waving Randy thank you. Congratulations. We are thrilled for you, sir. We're very happy for you. It's been a long long road, buddy It's gonna be a long week. Thanks for having me on guys All right, much love Randy Moller's been around our show for a long time and we really do love the energy he brings. He once showed up at a poker tournament of ours dressed in a bear costume

and never announced that it was him and then just ran out. That's something he did. Greg, give us all of your other thoughts here as you take this victory lap all over Miami. You've begun the parade before anyone else has begun the parade. Give us some of your, some other thoughts from last night. My thoughts from last night, it was a well-earned victory. The two goal scorers were guys who needed to step up and they did. Barbrofsky played a fantastic game. The last three minutes of that game, I thought they pulled, I thought Edmonton pulled their goalie at least a minute too late, but the last three or four minutes of that game were about as exciting a three or four

minutes as I've ever seen covering sports down here for 50 years. It was electric, it was just nerve-racking down down to the bone what a finish to the season what a wonderful game seven i think it's a a great all kidding aside i think it's a great day the florida panthers for panthers fans for south florida sports in general what a wonderful time uh... you had someone behind it seemed like you were a it was gathering momentum you had a car behind you but they now made a left turn to that bar

was trying to get past Greg Cody Everybody wants to join the parade There's no one in the parade but you know one wants to join it that car that just left did drive through a considerable amount of flooding Greg you feel vindicated? How scared? Hold on a second. Hey, hey, you too. Thank you. Chris, how scared was your father? Do you have any idea how scared he was in the press box? Because he was legitimately fearing harm that someone would harm him after the game

if they lost. He was trying to act, when I talked to him, like he wasn't feeling the pressure of the whole McDavid thing. And I was feeling the pressure of it. So I don't know how he wasn't. But pressure of the whole McDavid thing and I was feeling the pressure of it So I don't know how he wasn't but he's such a ridiculous shot right here honest appraisal You were scared you were scared last night, right? I just told people that you were telling me hey Dan You might have a liability issue on your hands if I get hurt after the game tomorrow night or last night Because someone hurts me after the game after they've lost

after the game tomorrow night or last night because someone hurts me after the game after they've lost. He's too engulfed in the celebration. It's hard to hear with the crowd. Thank you. Another fan over there, thank you. Yeah, can he no longer hear me? He doesn't care. Must be a coincidence.

We'll come back to him in a little bit. Mike, are you enraged that Greg Cody gets to take a victory lap here, that he gets to celebrate as if he was right all along? Thank you. No, not at all. I love your back. That's what you do.

That's what you do after you win. After you win. Another car join the parade. He is out of control with ego and he does feel validated even though Connor McDavid... He won the Con Smite in a losing effort and set the record for points in a postseason breaking record. But he did go pointless in games one, six, and seven and yeah they had him in a vice. The Dan Lebatard show with Stu Gotz is sponsored by BetterHelp. The impact of social media on mental health is a topic of growing concern. What do you do when you get caught up wishing your life looked like someone else's?

Comparison is the thief of joy and it's easy to envy other people's lives. It might look like they have it all together on their social media, but in reality they probably don't. Therapy can help you focus on what you want instead of what others have, so you can start living your best life. It's helpful for learning positive coping skills and how to set boundaries. It empowers you to be the best version of yourself. It isn't just for those who have experienced major trauma. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try.

It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. Stop comparing and start focusing with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash D-L-B today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash D-L-B. Howdy folks, it's Mike Ryan, and as you know, I've been telling you on the air about the

Game Time app. It is where I go exclusively for the secondary ticket market and I've been there a lot this summer between the hockey playoffs and summer concert season. I've been spending a fair chunk of my time on this app. Why though? Because I know they got the low price guarantee. I know that when I open up the Game Time app, this is the premier place for value in the secondary ticket market. I get all in pricing, just a little touch of a tab up on the top right of my app and I get no surprises at checkout.

Zone deals, flash deals, I made an impulse buy for game seven of the NHL final and I absolutely loved it. I'm a world champion! Game Time is an authorized ticket marketplace of Major League Baseball. So why don't you take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase.

Terms apply, again, create an account, redeem code Dan for $20 off your first purchase. Download Game Time today, last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Dan Libertard. Our Panther group chat, we're confident against the lighting. This is a different team. Download Game Time today. Last-minute tickets lowest price guaranteed. Don LeBretard! Our Panther group chat, we're confident against the Lightning. This is a different team. You're a Panther group chat though. No, I think, no, but dude, you're so wrong on that. We've been terrified of this team forever.

And I think there's a different energy where the Panthers, they want the Lightning. Stugats! I want t-shirts made for this Panther run, what could be this Panther run. Our Panther group chat, we're not afraid of the lightening. That's a tagline for World Raw 3. This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] All right, we are here with the Panthers, Matthew Kachuk, and we have to start in the

obvious place. Have you ever had an awkwardly intimate interview like this before? No, I mean, I just got done practice, but I'm sweating more sitting next to all you guys. You smell great. You smell fantastic. Granted, this facility doesn't smell great, so maybe I'm just like numb to it at this point.

Do you get used to a hockey locker room smell? I think so, yeah. The worst smell though is when you're younger and I didn't really have an appreciation for like how poor of a position I put my parents in but sweaty gear in the back of the trunk and like sitting there nourishing it's awful. So hockey parents they deserve a lot of credit. Lysol, Febreze, little axe body spray to tone it down, a little bit of baking soda.

Everything, I think, yeah. Yeah, especially the longer the game goes by, it smells awful. It's just more like, it's just gross, you know? Yeah, what do you smell, now that you're a South Floridian, where do you smell worse and get more sweaty? Practice or just walking to your car from the facility? Right.

Well, I go to St. Louis in the summer. Pretty humid, so I am used to it. It competes with down here? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it does. We pride ourselves on our sweatiness down here. We're very offended by it.

It's hot there. But I saw like three Buffalo Bills just die on the field on Sunday because of how humid it was. Yeah, no, that looked. I like how they put the road team right in the sun. That's a very good tactic. We should consider that at the FLA live. Just cut a hole in the roof and just beam the sun down on the opposing bench.

It's not a bad idea. Howdy's gonna get on that. All right, good. How are you liking your time here in South Florida? Obviously, this is a hockey market that has some reputation nationally. Small, but passionate and growing. You obviously came into town in a huge blockbuster trade, one of the biggest that we've seen in recent memory.

Out goes a club legend in Jonathan Hubertau. In comes Hugh. How have you navigated filling in those skates and making South Florida your home? I've absolutely loved it so far and each day it's gotten better. There's something new that happens each day that I'm like, I have to pinch myself. I'm like, do I actually live here?

Play hockey and make money and compete and do everything down here. Like it's a dream location. It's visiting all the teams throughout the years. We playing in the West didn't get a ton of time down here in Florida. It'd be like one game out or one day out or back to back. So never really got the appreciation for it, but it's got to be the best place to play in the NHL. It's not even close.

One of the things that makes everyone the most upset is, you know, I don't really do a ton of talking out there. I play physical. I've played the same way my whole entire life. But when you're producing, when you're scoring, when you're winning, that really pisses everybody off. So we're going to hopefully do a lot of that this year. For the rest of this interview, can we pretend our audio guy, he doesn't have a mic today,

so I'm calling you an audio guy. Whitty is sitting right here. Can you just pretend he's an opponent? Yeah. You know how you get under an opponent's skin? Just the rest of this interview, do things you would be doing to an opponent. You know, like a little, just a little, you know,

just, yeah, there you go, exactly. Exactly. Just don't. Charlie horse? Yeah, yeah, just, exactly. Yeah. You don't like this? Yeah, have a go.

I have a go, I have no problem. Have a go. Don't, no, you missed it. You went a little wider. Wow, oh no, no. That's what I'm talking about, just, yeah. Man question, just punch him in the shoulder. A Catholicism, you were a big Hubert O guy,

we're gonna get it out of you. You're going to become a Matthew Kachuck guy by the end of this Matthew. Yeah. Yeah. That would have been great. I would have said, go for it. Have you been to a Flanagan's yet?

Yeah. It's really the most important question. You're not a local yet. Oh my god. Can we go after this? Can we take you to Flanagan's? Of course. Have you had a rock and rib roll?

Yeah. I have not. It's our local. It's like a chain locally of a sports bar. Great place for a beer. Yeah. Gotcha. We're not sponsored by them at all, either.

We just love it. If they want to sponsor us, we're happy to. We're at four. You get the Green Cup. It's happy hour, I believe, 18 hours of the day over there. The rock and rib rolls. Oh, you've got to get the black and Philly chess. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Let's go. We'll get you local. You've also got to go to a and Philly chest. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we'll get you local. You also gotta go to a highlight game with us. We'll get that going too. I'm not sure if you're familiar with highlight. We actually own a professional sports franchise.

We're reigning champions. It's SESA Cyclones. Anytime you wanna come to the owner's box, you're invited. Why is he laughing? I don't know. And I'm gonna hold you to that. Absolutely. Get into the Maroon 5 question.

I'm gonna circle back. Fat Pat. Yeah. Yeah, it's gotta be Fat Pat. Yeah, how much do you hate Kuturov? I don't know him. I have- Just say 10. I have hated playing against him.

And this year, I mean, he's their best player. So him and their goalie are their best players. So we as a team hate them, yes. Yeah, the goalie has been very frustrating. So I've researched your game and I understand how you could have maybe changed that series a little bit against Tampa. Obviously, we got to get through that hurdle. Roy and I are kind of built the same way that we didn't want it

if we weren't going through Tampa. That means a lot to us. Yeah, I have worked up a very healthy dislike for the town. I try to hold my breath the entire time I'm there, except I'm at Burns steakhouse. That's that's a very good place Take us have you been a burn steak? There are right but Vasilevsky Then they cheat a couple years ago with the Kuturov long-term IR situation they He cheated right here. We're just leading the witness over here. He's going to pour water on all of us.

Matthew, you're a strict Matthew. You're not a Matt. I love that. I'm a Christopher by the way. I'm a Michael too. I'm a Royal. Royal. Yeah, that's my name.

Yeah, we're all like strict first name guys. I even have two first names just for shits and gags. But in hockey everyone just adds a Y to most people's names so kudos to you for avoiding the Matty trap. Why are you so strict with Matthew? Is that your nickname? What is your nickname? Well I've always said like people call me Matt. Some people occasionally call me Matty but growing up my mom's always called me Matthew. But my buddies call me Chucky. You guys are my buddies. So that is your buddies. Yeah.

You guys are my buddies. Chucky Lewis. No, everybody I grew up with in St. Louis, still Matthew. But in the hockey world, it's all Chucky. Chucky. I like that. You guys are my friends. Yeah.

All right. Not this guy. Yeah, I'm not this guy. No, that guy. We do that. That's how we say hello to him. He is a wet blanket. I hate him so much.

What are the chances being in the same division with your brother that we get you guys with the gloves off this year? Zero. Really? I know. His mom would be angry about that. Yeah. We would never do that.

I was looking up at you. Everybody thinks that, but we would... I don't even... I saw one YouTube clip, because I was trying to find one. I was like, have they fought before? And it was one where he kind of got you down and you gave him like a stick tap, like, yo, that's the closest you can find on the internet of you guys. Yeah, we'll never, yeah, we'll never put ourselves

in any position like that. We both compete super hard and we'll finish tracks and everything, but we're not, we're not like that. Playing the way you play, getting under opposing players skins, have you come across a player in your career where you, you know, flat out, I didn't like the guy playing against them and then you had to be teammates with them.

Is there anyone here on the Panthers maybe like you had a little something with but now because Barkov I think was quoted, he's a guy that when you play against him he pisses you off and now he's my teammate so like I love having him. So it's like, do you have you had those any awkward interactions where you had some stuff up when he was an opponent but then you had to be teammates with them. No, I Have I could say nobody I could say everybody like it's what you're out there You just see like I got the best players too Like I always had a tough time playing against Bob like I could never score on Bob

About Bob and I still can't really score on them in practice Like you brought up rad coat always played hard on me, but like I respect that like I love it So it's rare that you take it out off the ice like you're just playing the I've never you never take it You don't have anyone in the league. They're like, I'm not gonna name names, but I hate that guy Braden point It's it's hard to it's hard to put me on the spot and think about somebody like that I mean, I've always. Nice to look at you. You know, like the past few years,

I've hated playing against McDavid, not because he does anything other than scores. He's very fast. He's very, very fast. You know, I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but I've watched him. That guy's good. Yeah.

But like playing Florida twice a year, Barky always played really well against us. He hated playing against him because I'd never had the puck. Like it's that type of hatred. It's not like I hate that person as a guy, you know? Yeah. I was watching the playoffs and I saw,

obviously you have such support from your family. Your brother was in the Sands. He got a beer sponsorship just out of, man, dude was getting after it. Yes he was. Who's the best chugger in the family? Your dad probably. No, I would put me.

I would put me up there. Yeah. Yeah, I would do me up there. Yeah Yeah, I would put me up there Brady. He put on a nice performance though at my games last year in Calgary Like he was he had the tall boys going. Yeah, we could get a little deal I have a tradition felt like we've had a sponsorship with Bud Light our whole lives Like I but I'll tell you about the triple Hobbs brood in a little bit Yeah, the Panthers actually have a tradition at their arena that they probably shy away from because the camera cuts have been quicker They show somebody in the audience and this is not a new thing in hockey and you got to chug my wife is the champ Yes, I mean

Roy did it in the press box Yeah, you got it like we went to my wife is insane Yeah And I apologize on the front end of anything she may scream at the ice when we're trailing behind. We were in Washington DC when we won our first series in forever. So I'm just getting it out of the way. If she chugs and screams something in your vicinity,

just, we're trying to be a hockey town here. You know, we're just trying to grow. I'll help with that. And she's gonna help with that too. Keep doing it. Yeah, absolutely. No, she'll run up and like bang on the glass. So I'm telling you right now, I apologize. I love the passion. She hates now. I love the passion hates Tampa

I love the passion. Oh, it should be she thinks Pamela's worse than Maroon 5. We gotta get That's a threshold you went to high school with Jason Tatum. I did. Um, can you text him right now? Go heat go heat That's how you would know Media day early in the week. He'll get BAM on a bio to text Braden Point, like, go cats. So what's more hatred here, for Tampa or for the Celtics? Well, right now, Tampa, because I'm looking at all this Panther stuff.

Because I'm looking at you right now, when the eyes chuck, it's Tampa. Honestly, though. Honestly, well, the Celtics thing goes way back. But recently, it's Tampa. Last few years, it's Tampa. It's kind of bizarre. Like, for the firstics thing goes way back. But recently it's Tampa. Recently it's Tampa. It's kind of bizarre. For the first time in playoff history outside of maybe one

other series, the Celtics finally got one over on the Heat. So now that's like, OK, this is a real rivalry. For us, Tampa always, the banter advantage is, well, you guys never beat us. We've got to go through them and show it. And you're a huge part of that. Big agitation. No pressure or anything. No, like I really want to beat those guys

Every time I go up to Tampa, they're very rude to me and they're they're they're always teasing me and my wife My wife is like a little pit bull. I gotta always stop her from getting into fights. Yeah. Yeah, usually we're down and it's just Soul-sucking experience. I need you to make this hopefully after this year your wife and go all the way around on them That's it. I guess it's Chuckie on the way out here. What's your favorite hockey movie? Um, I like miracle American kid American and this is I thought that like I don't know why I thought but coming to play in the US Like I don't know why like in can't in Calgary we had a lot of Canadians on the team so I'm like oh when I come down play in the US like they'll be you know more Americans

there's three you know you're the greatest American Florida Panther we've ever had we were doing the inventory I think David Booth played for the US men's national team but we haven't really had much of that down here in Florida I think I can safely say you're the greatest American Florida Panthers. Well I will be having a lot. Let's be honest I mean David Booth who was a nice player. Is there a difference in style with American hockey and Canadian hockey and European hockey? I'd say there's more difference between how the Europeans play when they're younger but once they come over to the US it's all pretty similar but I'm excited because now playing in Florida it's it's closer

to st. Louis where I'm from so I'll be having everybody down this year I already got every weekend booked so it's gonna be great you gotta go work out now what are you working on today? What are we thinking? Chess and Try? Today could be an R&R day. Oh yeah, yeah. It's been a tough day. Today could be a Flanagan's day. Yeah R&R day. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I get it. It's been a tough game.

It's been a tough game. It could be a Flanagan's day. Yeah, R&R. That means rib-ro-rib-ro-ro. Yes. Roy, any hockey nerd questions on the way out? Because Roy is our hockey expert here. He's got to go, but we just... Yeah, you had 12 power play goals in regular season last year, and you're going to provide

some net-front presence for the team. How is your style of play going to help out the Panthers on the power play? Because we knew during the playoffs that power play wasn't exactly great. So I believe that you're gonna change some things around here. Well, my thing and my dad obviously played for a long time and had tons of success and was one of the best goal scorers and always told me, go to the net, the puck's gotta go through you if it's gonna go to the net, and if you're good hand to eye and good around the net and good quick hands

you're gonna score lots of goals so I think if I could help with one thing on the power play it's just be around the net cause havoc always try to bring guys to me tell my teammates to get up there and we'll put it in did you mold your style of game around your dad I'd mold some things from him but when he was playing and when I could remember at the end of his career you know my guys were like Patrick Kane and I'm like I dad you suck compared to these guys. My mom's like nah you should have seen your dad when he was younger he scored 50 goals. I don't know if he was but your dad was good. Yeah but my dad always told me two things like other he was my assistant coach know if he was, but your dad was good. Yeah, your dad was. But my dad always told me two things. He was my assistant coach while he was playing.

So he was around. Every day we'd watch hockey, and we'd talk about stuff. But he always just said, compete and be a good teammate, and you'll go very far. Doesn't the puck hurt, though, when you stand in front of it? Yeah, I mean, you're going to be in front of it. It looks like it hurts. It looks like it really hurts.

It feels better if it hits your leg and goes in, though. Yeah. Do you ever just go, ah? Yeah. Not in the back of the world, man. Ah, shit. I'm not doing that again. That would hurt.

No, I mean, I don't know. If it goes in, it feels good. If not, yeah, maybe not. We need some ugly goals, but that thing hurts. What's the worst pain you've ever felt in a hockey game? Yeah, probably like a shot right off the toe. Oh, no. Yeah, that one hurt. Toe shot. Yeah. Or a slash a shot right off the toe. Oh no. Yeah that one hurt. Yeah or a slash in the back of the knee or something. Yeah. Who was

responsible for that? Cindy Crosby. I can't remember. Chuckie thanks for joining us man. Of course. Off to Flannys. Happy summer everybody, it's Mike Ryan. As you know, I'm a big fan of Miller Lite. I tell you about it all the time. It's summer and it is the perfect time to be grilling out there. Whether you're smoking, you're barbecuing, you're using charcoal or propane, please do so with a Miller Lite right next to you because it is what should be at the center of every backyard event this summer season.

Even if you're not doing the grilling, do it with a Miller Lite because any good time is made better by making it a Miller time. Miller Lite keeps it simple, undebatable quality, tastes as great as your barbecue and it's the beer that strips away everything you don't need and holds on to what matters most. With a Miller Lite in hand, grilling doesn't just taste great, it tastes like Miller time. To get Miller Lite delivered right to your door, visit MillerLite.com slash Dan or you can find it pretty much anywhere that sells beer. Celebrate responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories per 12 ounces. Howdy folks, it's Mike Ryan and as you know I've been telling you on the air about the

Game Time map. It is where I go exclusively for the secondary ticket market and I've been there a lot this summer between the hockey playoffs and summer concert season. I've been spending a fair chunk of my time on this app. Why though? Because I know they got the low price guarantee. I know that when I open up the game time app, this is the premier place for value in the secondary ticket market. I get all in pricing, just a little touch of a tab up on the top right of my app and I get no surprises at checkout Zone deals flash deals. I made an impulse buy for game 7 of the NHL final and I

Absolutely loved it. I'm a world champion game time is an authorized ticket marketplace of Major League Baseball So why don't you take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with game time download the game time app create an account use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account. Redeem code DAN for $20 off your first purchase. Download Game Time today. Last minute tickets. Lowest price guaranteed.