The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Hockey Show: Princess Claire Is Here

Episode Date: January 16, 2026

On this week's episode of The Hockey Show, Princess Claire and the gang break down the New York Rangers' struggles and celebrate the careers of Sergei Federov and Zdeno Chara after their numbers were retired in Detroit and Boston this week. Ethan has a stat of the week about the Edmonton Oilers' shutout loss to the New York Islanders last night, and Rosa En Un Minuto breaks down Rose's epic week for the show. In wins and fails, Abby Murphy created one of the sickest goals we've ever seen, Tristan Jarry lost a game for the Oilers in calamitous fashion, and the Panthers visited the White House. Then, Shawn DePaz of What Chaos! joins the show to discuss the revitalization of his Buffalo Sabres and what has contributed to their charge up the standings. He also makes a guarantee about their season and tells us what it's been like seeing their show blow up because of Heated Rivalry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Folks, I'm getting hungry, and you know my favorite part of any meal, snack, or game day app? That's right. The goat, or should I say the greatest of all time? Frank's Red Hot! It's got the perfect blend of flavor and heat that elevates all foods from wings to Buffalo chicken dip to even ice cream. That's right, I said ice cream. And with a roster of flavors from OG to sweet chili, you can put that shit on everything.

So make every dish the greatest and eat the goat. Can the Buffalo Sabres pull off a miracle? This is the hockey show. David Drook of the Hockey News is here. Ethan is over there and Rose is on the University of Miami campus trying to stay out of trouble. This is the hockey show. You can follow us on YouTube at the Hockey Show DLS. You can go to TikTok at the Hockey Show 7 and on X Instagram and threads.

Hockey Show DLS. The soap opera, that is, the New York Rangers, continues. They have lost nine on their last 11, and the fourth consecutive game. For the fourth consecutive game, the blue shirts have given up four goals or more, including a 10 spot against the Bruins on Saturday. It's been a disaster in Madison Square Garden. I thought that the win for them in the Winter Classic was supposed to be like the big turning point for the Rangers when they smoked the Panthers 5 to 1 at Lone Depot Park. Five straight losses since then. They did score four goals the other night, but they gave up eight. Yeah. It's a, what have they given up? In those four games, they've given up, let's see, 15, 19, 27 goals in four games. How about just the two games where they let up 18?

They let up 10 and 8 back to back. 30 goals and five games. Man, it's been a disaster. They miss Igor. Over there and, man, it doesn't even matter. It doesn't even matter that they had Igor. They're still dead last in the conference, 46 points. and I have an idea

since we haven't been doing too well with puck luck lately I get an idea okay we're doing the opposite of winning people money but I have a plan in 28 of the Rangers total losses this season

17 of those losses had a margin of defeat by two goals or more so that's over two thirds of the losses right okay and the 17 Rangers losses at home

11 of those games had a margin of defeat being of two goals of more. Okay, I think I see where you're going with this. Right. So, again, over two-thirds of losses. Right. So most likely, no matter who is in the net for the Rangers, whether it's Jonathan Quick,

ego of Shosturkin, or the other guy who is Spencer Martin, who at the backup goaltender right now, most likely they're going to give up two goals or more. So my plan is, my tip to everybody, bet on the ranger's opponent against the spread for the rest of the season. Do you agree with that? You know, the logic is sound. But here's the problem.

Well, maybe it's a problem, maybe it's not. All right here, because our betting record, as you kind of alluded to, is not the best. Right. Oftentimes we bet on something the opposite happens. So, by doing this, are we backhandedly potentially saving the ranger season? By betting against their opponents and betting, on the Rangers losing with our track record and the

reverse curse that we do, we're going to bet on the Rangers and suddenly the Rangers are going to start winning a lot of hockey games. So, if this happens and we end up losing money on the Rangers' success, I expect whoever's in charge, James Dol, I don't know, whoever's in charge of the Rangers, cut us a check. We're helping you guys get in the playoffs. If this happens,

cut us a check. All right. So also, what Dave is also saying is fade. Fade what we're talking about. Well, either we get our bets right or the Rangers succeed. One of the two will happen if we go forward with this. The Rangers are much closer to having the first pick in the draft right now than they would be to making the playoffs. So I don't think you're going to have to worry about.

Oh, ye of little faith in our betting prowess, Ethan. Right now they're 10 points out of the playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They are just nine points ahead of the last place Vancouver Canucks. By the way, have you seen the bottom of the west? Yeah, they would have a bit of time in the east and it was gross. Yeah, they would be having a lot more fun in the West than they are right now if they're in the east. But who would have thought before the year that the Rangers would be

more in the running for Gavin McKenna than they would be to get back to the playoffs? I think a lot of people kind of expected they would be on the fringes. They might even bounce back and make the playoffs this year. I wasn't necessarily one of those people, but it has turned ugly fast. And it hasn't really, it's not like Mike Sullivan has provided a huge coaching for them because they just can't score. And that Winter Classic, you mentioned, Dave, that's looking like more of a one-off

where the Panthers just kind of had a bad night, got a little caught up in the spectacle, had a bad night, then the Rangers being a turning point, or even for the Panthers' sake, it being the other way for the Panthers, because they played pretty well the last couple games, which we'll get to later.

Yeah, the Rangers being five points out of a playoff spot in the West. Can you imagine? If this was COVID season, it would be a much better situation for. Can you imagine having a 15, 9, and 2 road record at the midway point of the season? Six games above 500 on the road midway through the season and you're dead last in the conference. Yeah. What the hell?

Yeah. What is that? Yeah, they're not going to catch Pittsburgh. Five wins in 23 home games. How are we doing? Hey, Rose is here. Oh, Rose just came back. Hey, again, with some, are you eyes still puffy?

Your eyes are still puffy. No, sorry. Yeah, they're still, but it's more. because I was with Tony outside and I just gave in. He made your eyes puffy? This job makes my ass puffy. So what can we do? Yeah, well, that's true. Having to deal with us all the time. Yeah, sure.

Let's move on to the retired numbers that have happened this week. Two of them, one in Detroit, one in Boston. The number 91 for Sergey Federoff has gone up to the rafters at Little Caesar's Arena. And the number 33, a very famous number in the city of Boston, this time for the Boston Bruins, has gone up in TD Garden for Zadano Chara. Now, Fedorov's red ring tenure did not end well. It ended in 2003. He ended up signing an office sheet with, who was it again? Anaheim, didn't know, Anaheim? I believe, yes, it was Anaheim.

At 13 seasons, I mean, 13 seasons in Detroit, I mean, he is a beloved figure there. So it's good to see that all is forgiven between Detroit and Sergey Federer. So his number goes into the rafters. It took him 16 years to retire his number. Man, did you even remember that Fedorov played for Columbus, Washington? Washington, yes. That's how he ended his career in 2009. I'm looking at his stats.

He spent like three seasons in Columbus, parts of three seasons. Like what? Well, Columbus, I just. you know, very forgettable franchise. 185 games in a Columbus Blue Jacket's jersey. And 133 points, yeah, 113 points. Yeah. By the way, two-time Selky trophy winner.

They used excellent defensively. Let's not forget that. Hard trophy winner. Three-time Stanley Cup champion, Hall of Famer. And also in Boston was O'Chara, a Norris trophy winner, and got his one Stanley Cup. The captain, his number goes up in Boston. and talk about that for a second.

Well deserved. I mean, that Boston team, they only won one Stanley Cup, but that Boston team was really good for a good decade plus, with Bergeron and Marchand, Nathan Horton was around back then. Tukarast was a, I mean, he was a little eccentric, but certainly fun to watch. But, no, I mean, look, for Boston team, and I know how we feel about Boston teams here in South Florida,

but, no, I mean, Charo was that team. Like, they're not winning without him that. that scary, massive presence on the blue line, like taking two strides, getting from zone to zone. He really came into his own, a Hall of Fame guy. So, yeah, I thought that that was well deserved for Chara in Boston. I thought that was cool. A lot of people give the credit for that locker room almost exclusively to Chara

and that being one of the best locker rooms. And I was listening to what chaos yesterday, and Pete and DJ were kind of talking about it and his presence and how it's contributed to the Bruins. And it seems like it's in a way, contributed to what the Panthers are now because Brad Marshan learned at the knee of Zedaino Chara and kind of saw how he ran a locker room. And a lot of the things people have said about what Brad Marchan has brought to the locker room are the things that people say about Zedano Chara

and what was learned from the Bruins. So in a way, Zedano Chara, I think, has had a big impact on how the Panthers are right now in terms of the camaraderie that they have in the locker room. Big Z is a prime example of what it is to be a captain. He was a man. M SCA Award winner as well. And here's a guy that in the offseason, he came in strong. He's the toughest training hockey player, especially at that size that anybody has ever seen. And I think the Bruins really took to that. Lead by example kind of guy.

And when you're the captain, when the spotlight's on you and you can still go out, first guy and last guy out kind of mentality, and then go on the ice and always have your teammates back. That Bruins team, like that was a good personification of it. like a Boston hockey team. Yeah. Like they had plenty of skill, but they didn't take any shit from anybody. Yeah, classy, classy guy, Big Zee is.

And congratulations to both Sergey Fedorov and Zedano Tcha. Let's move on to the Panthers then. The Panthers. Kikiri. That was a rooster. That was a rooster sound by the rose. Yeah, yeah. We were mixing the Panthers with roosters because since we are all Cubans today,

and I became Cuban, I'm from Guatemala, so I'm becoming Cubans just for one day. But, kick it. C. The Panthers are now on a four-game, four games into a six-game road trip, which they are currently two to an O-on. They, again, they beat Ottawa and they beat Buffalo on the road. And I was a bit, the Panthers have actually done well against Boston in the last 10 games.

But I was kind of worried about them going into Boston, but they managed the Buffalo. But they managed to do well in that game. The Panthers stopped off at the White House yesterday before going to Carolina today, and they continue to stay afloat as reinforcements come along. They also have extended the contract of a defenseman Uvis Spilenskis. What are we looking at here right now, and do you have any other updates on the team, David? Well, it looks like everybody's getting close, right? And the Panthers, they made some moves. I think they're making some space on the roster.

Noah Greger, Jack Stinika, I believe, are bound to be heading back to A.HL. Charlotte, Toby Bjornfott also, they're getting healthy, right? I mean, the blue line, they need to get Seth Jones back to Mitri Kulikov. We'll be back after the Olympics, Seth Jones, hopefully before. But forward-wise, I mean, Brad Marchion and Matthew Kachuk are like right there. They're hopefully playing this weekend. I mean, at this point, it's just like, you know, what are we doing? They're on the ice. They're practicing. It looks like they're okay. Yeah, Marshine had a, he had the non-contact. Jersey on, but he'd end up participating in drills. He wasn't on the ice for the morning skate today, per Jameson and the guys that are up in Raleigh. Cichuk was there, but not taking line rushes, which may or may not mean anything. Maintenance. We'll see.

I mean, look, we've talked about it ad nauseum, how this team gets so much more deadly with their depth. So adding just one of those forwards and increasing the top six into a top nine, basically, that's going to go a long way. So even though, like, we're just kind of ringing our hands. hands right now, like waiting for these guys to get back in the lineup, they're right there. Florida is relatively right there. I mean, what is it, Roy? They are five points out of a playoff spot right now with three games in hand on the Bruins. So just right now, just stay close,

get hot, get healthy, and I still think things will be okay. This is a big weekend for the Panthers. These four-pointers are so important, especially against two good teams from the Metro in Washington and Carolina. I thought the last two efforts have been a lot better. They're kind of getting used to life without Seth Jones, but also last week we saw what life without Seth Jones can be like, and it can be very difficult because the Panthers were having a very hard time offensively and defensively. They've looked better the last couple games, though. It'll be interesting to see their effort after this long kind of stretch without any games. That's why there's so much distance right now between them and the wild card teams.

But I think, you know, like Dave said, it's all about just being in striking distance at the Olympic break, coming back from the Olympic break, getting hot, getting healthy, and seeing, you know, all they got to do is get in. And if they get Barkie back, anybody, you know, it's anybody's guess what will happen. Not having Seth Jones, that is major, major minutes lost. I mean, that is major, major minutes lost. And, yeah, and offensively, he has provided basically the most out of everybody on the team from the blue line. So he's been their best defenseman this year on both sides of the ice, on offense and on defense. and losing him has been so critical because like you mentioned, Roy,

he's had to eat, you know, they don't have anybody eating those critical minutes that he eats, and it's just been difficult. They looked like a different team without him. Hopefully these last two games are more of a reflection of what they'll be like without him, because those looked like solid defensive efforts. I agree. I think that we're fortunate, and we talked about the depth earlier,

but we're fortunate that they have an Nuvus Belinstestis or even a Toby Bjornfought, Donovan Sabrango, like these are. aren't marquee type guys, but they can come into your lineup and they can keep your team from falling apart. And that's real, like, the Panthers are losing all-star level players. Like, in terms of their forwards, potential Hall of Fame type players, like, these are top, high-end guys that are coming out of the lineup and they're still maintaining. So, again, discredit to Bill Zito and his staff are finding guys that can keep the ship afloat

because it's been a disaster of a season injury-wise and they're still right there. Yeah, it's just a spackling of the holes being filled through injury. instead of the actual plugging and fixing. But it might be, might be enough to get the Panthers into the playoffs. Yeah, and as we know, just get in. That's all you have to do. If they're healthy, is there any team that you would not want to face more than the Panthers if they're healthy? What have they shown that they can do in the playoffs over the last three years?

Yeah, exactly. We found that out three years ago. So, yeah. Thank you to Chicago Blackhawks, by the way. Peter Merazek. It's time for puck luck. It's brought to you by Draft Kings. draft kings, the crown is yours. David, can we actually win money this time?

Yeah, that's the plan. Although... Bet against the Rangers. Step one, bet against the Rangers, especially if they're at home. Yeah, I know puck luck hasn't gone our way, but I know, I got a little crazy this week. I wanted to play it safe, and instead I gave you a plus 760. Let's see. But the logic is there. The logic is there. Let's go through it. We're going to take Colorado on the puck line tonight against Nashville.

They lost it home Monday to Toronto, so you know. know they're going to be pissed. It was their first home loss since October 23rd, Roy. Today's January 16th. So Colorado's going to be a little bit pissed. They've had four days to stew on it. Nashville is in trouble. So Colorado on the puck line, we're also going to take Marty Nietzsche's in that game over two and a half shots. He's hit that over in three or four overall in six of his last eight on home ice. I like Marty Nietzsche's to light up Nashville tonight. Nashville also gives up about mid-range shots on goal. Dylan Larkin. San Jose has given up the second most shots in the NHL,

and Dylan Larkin has done over two and a half shots on goal in three of four and in 14 of his last 19 home games. So I'm taking Dylan Larkin over two and a half shots. And then to add a little sauce to the parlay, we're going to take Tampa on the money line at San Jose. Tampa's won 11 straight games overall. They're playing suffocating defensive hockey. St. Louis overall isn't exactly a high-storing team.

Vasties probably in net tonight, so I'm like in Tampa. All those combined plus 760. Please, let's make some money tonight. Okay, it is time for the hockey. stat of the weak rose. You are currently playing with my daughter? Yeah, I'm going to say what I'm teaching your daughter. Come on. Roy, you just put it out there.

Roy, you forgot to mention the most important guest that's in studio today. We have Claire. No, put it on, put in Roy. Look at that. Rose is the best. Then the cracked chickens. Kid a key, kitty. Then you have the Claire show. The Claire show.

Starry Roy Bellamy. This is the Claire show, by the way. That's the title of today's episode. Why, there's a son, there's a son on my face. Yes. Okay. Oh, your daughter sees you like that, so thank you very much. Thanks.

The Harkin. What just happened? The music just faded out. Anyway, go ahead, Ethan. Hello, gentlemen. We were talking to. Welcome back to the Hockey Saturday of the week. Thank you.

Hi. All right. Missed you. All right. This comes from Jack Michaels, the Edmonton Oilers, play-by-play announcer. One of the greats in the game. The Oilers lost 1-0 to the Islanders last night. It broke Connor McDavid's 20-game point streak.

He had 46 points in those games. However, the more interesting stat from that loss is that this is the first time the Oilers have been shut out at home by the Islanders since Billy Smith shut them out in game one of the 1983 Stanley Cup final. See, that's a miss right there. That should have been a trivia question for us. I guess so. They play the Islanders once a year in Edmonton. In Edmonton.

That's still 43 years that they haven't been shut out. They've been some good goalies that have played for the Islanders potentially in Edmonton over the... I'm thinking, like, D.P.P.V. They've had some decent goaltenders that can pull a shutout. Yeah, that is true. But 43 years is... That's insane. That's including the playoffs as the Stanley Cup fine.

Rosie. Are you happy about the Islanders doing that or because you go against the Islanders? I am not happy about the Islanders doing that. I would never be happy about the Islanders doing that. Especially this guy. But they set out Edmonton, that's good. Yes, and I needed Edmonton to win.

I had like a seven-leg parlay last night. Oh, we're back here. And that was the only leg that missed. You should stop betting because every time you bet. This is a great call. It's a great call. That's a mean thing to say.

Oh, sorry. No, I am the same. So, same here. She's telling the guy who's at the sponsored betting segment on our show to stop betting. I mean, that is a good point. It's sponsored, so he actually has to do it. All right?

It's time for Rosa in Un Minuto Rosie. Please play the music. Please. Music. And voices. And voices. Okay. So today I don't have a team because you know what?

I forgot my team. So what I'm going to give you is a recap of what I did in the week. So do you know? Look at Claire. Yes, she's giving me the energy. It's all about the canes. And right now I'm rooting for Mendoza. So people are really against me.

But you know why I'm rooting for Mendoza? because you're very room for the U. So why go with everybody? I will always go where nobody goes. So that's why I'm going with Mendoza. That's my bit. And let me be. My grand is a bit.

So don't hate me. Thank you very much. This was less than a minute with Rose about the canes. Not the hurricanes, Carolina hurricanes, but the canes here in Miami if you know them. All right. That was apparently Rose in a minute. Now it is time for Rosa in a minute.

Can you do that in Spanish, please? And Roy. Buena, well. I'm going to tell me. I'm going to confront Mendoza and the Huracanes, but the fact that I'm going to go to

Mendoza and all all the one is in front of me. Because, the fact I'm going to go to the U and why I'm going to go to and that's my bit. So, Mike Ryan is on how with me, but what we're doing to

let me do, and also I have a rooster and then it's more beautiful. And, yeah, that's it. Because if you guys know the hurricanes, then you'll know.

Okay. That's that. There you go. Rose, I didn't, do you guys want to know, the Spanish sayings I learned from Rose this week? Not really. Yes, please. All right, go ahead.

No, I'm not going to do it. Oh, you're not going to do it. You, coward. You have to get the bleeps out, and I don't want to do more work. You don't have to bleep the Spanish words? Cool. Oh, maybe you have to bleak down one naturally. You probably have to.

That's why I was, at Tomar Port Tit. It's... Me cago in the Tiet. Oh, you got to do that at the end? No, you bleep the wrong word. You bleak leech and not. You bleak milk? She goes...

She goes, mecago, they'll be. No, there you go. It's time for wins and fails of the week. Dave, what you win? Abby Murphy. Oh, well, there you go. Yeah. Abby Murphy is my win of the week.

She's getting ready to light it up for Team USA at the Olympics. She's right now been lighting up the NCAA for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. She scored an assist. Assisted. She scored an assist. No, she scored the assist. Earned an assist. It was like a Sasha Barkov type play.

Against the Rangers, yeah. She flicks the puck up in the air and then just as the defenseman reaches for it, she knots it back down on the ice, do the defenseman leg. Nutmeg. Reaches out with one arm to corral the puck as it's going away from her and then flips her wrist and sends a perfect pass across the crease through another defenseman stick leg hole, the triangle, the Dorito, right to her teammate. Who was it?

Oh, it's Bella Finale. And swore this great goal. So I don't know. I'm just excited to see Abby Murphy in the Olympics. I'm happy for what she's doing with the gophers. And that was just so sweet. That might be the greatest, like, individual play I've ever seen. Yes.

That is so nasty what she did. I can't even, I still can't believe it. I've seen it 100 times this week. You know what else that's called? Bad defense. Really? I think, I think there's no defense. There's no defense for that kind of play, dude.

There's no defense for that. That was unbelievable. On Saturday prior to the Red Rings-Canadian's game, James Van Riemstike showed up to the bell center. And I repeat, Sontra Bell. No, God damn it is the Bells center. The arena is called Santa Bell.

The arena is called the Bell Center. It's the Bell Center. Don't hand me in the metric system, all right? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Batman. And the reason why he showed up to the Bell Center wearing a Batman costume is because he wanted to celebrate his son's fourth birthday. And it was a jester to his son, Liam. So Liam, there you go. Your dad is a superhero.

All right, Ethan. My one of the week, guys, this is one of, we talked about maybe the greatest goal I've ever seen, greatest individual skill play. This might be the greatest hockey video I've ever seen. This comes from the Hershey Bears minor league game, the Mighty Mites game in the intermission. This has been everywhere this week.

It was on the Levitard show. We talked about it. Look at this scrap between these kids. Just coming in. my favorite part is the two kids on the same team that start fighting each other for no reason. Just an absolute mayhem right here. The goaltender walking around, just head hunting. I mean, this scrap is amazing, dude.

This is what every kid dreams of, right? It's going out on the ice and just scrapping. Like, yeah, sure. Scoring a goal in an NHL arena, fine, dandy. That's great. A bunch of kids have done it. How many kids have gone out there and just gone to war with each other? That was awesome.

I'm not crazy for wanting to normalize this. Like, for I want kids across two nations to see this video and say, next time I'm on Mighty Mites at the Pepsi Center or wherever. I'm whatever that's called now, ball arena or Joe Lewis, Little Caesars, what, God, I'm. Little Caesars, Ball Arena. Yep, yep, yep, you got there, you got there. Nassau Coliseum. No, no, no. The next time the kids are on the ices that don't exist any.

No, but like seriously, can you imagine if that became like a thing? And every time kids did this, they're just like bleep storm. goals. I'm going to go out and level somebody. I'm taking that kid's helmet off. Yeah, you have a goaltender. You need to back up your team, man. What you doing? Right? Like that one goalie was like flying and like where, you know, come on guys. But no, seriously, that was cool.

Rose, do you have a win this week? Did you even think of one? Yes, yes. Is this rooster over here? You got a winner in that rooster. I think I'm going to end up keeping it and now I'm going to take it home and everybody's going to be like, where's that rooster? Don't tell him. You're going to put it outside your door?

I don't know. It's going to be. in my room now. Oh, okay, you're going to sleep with the rooster. Yeah. I was about to say it. I was about to say the other word for the rooster. You're lucky that Claire is in there. Thank you.

You're absolutely lucky that Claire's in there. David, what's your film? Oh, God, the last 30 seconds. My fail, earlier this week, the Oilers were in Nashville. It was a good game. It went to overtime. Three to three.

And that's when Tristan Jari did something that I generally would advise against, Roy. Stay ass in the crease, man. Right? Well, this didn't even make sense, and you guys are going to have to go online to watch the video. But there's a picture right there that we're putting up on the screen. You can see Roman Yose. He's about two feet from the puck.

Tristan Jari is about, oh, I don't know, a mile from the puck. And that's when he decided that he's going to go out and play the puck. It makes no sense at all. He got knocked on his ass. Roman Yose ended up getting the game-winning goal because there was nobody in the net. Just a big mess. Like, I don't know. What are you thinking?

Just stay in the crease, buddy. This is overtime, too. Yeah. Three on three on three. From the lead to crease. Between Tristan Jari, Stu Skinner, and Evan Bouchard, does any team have more calamitous mistakes than the Nashville? Excuse me, the Edmonton Oilers.

I mean, both teams. You could say the Predators as well, but maybe when Georgiev was in San Jose, but... Have you guys seen Skinner stats over his last, like, five or six... He's played well the last few games, right? He has. We mentioned the Rangers earlier in the show, and I want to point out something specific from this week in the 8-4. lost at home to Ottawa.

Jonathan Quick gave up number six, gave up goal number six before Mike Sullivan decided he had enough and he got replaced for Spencer Martin to a course of booze at Madison Square Garden. And funny enough, it was a milestone night for Jonathan Quick as it

was his 800th start of his NHO career. And after giving up six goals on 17 shots, I don't think that he will be taking that milestone puck at all. So, yeah, the trainer can, like, probably put in his back pocket or whatever and used it for practice the next night. Ethan, what is your – I'm sorry. No, just real quick.

Crazy Jonathan Quicks that. 800 starts out of 819 games. That's crazy. That's insane. Straight into the starters net. That's crazy. He has come on in relief less than 20 times in his career. That's crazy.

Ethan, what is your fail? Roy. You're going to have to be quick here. I know, I got time. The whole thing, the whole thing with the, I know I don't have a lot of time, but I have time to fit in what I want to say. This whole thing with the White House, it just really stinks. It's very conflicting. You want to see your team celebrate their championship.

You want to see their team, you know, get to do the whole thing. But people have overreacted to the whole thing. The Panthers wore red ties because the Panthers color is red. That's it. They wear red ties when they go to the Stanley Cup celebrations the last two years. They wore red ties when they go to the White House. They did not wear red ties to do. dress up like Trump.

Okay? So all those people out there, my fail of the week, is for the people that made a big deal out of this because this is their uniform. I know Roy, you had a problem with the Panthers not being extremely uniform in their red tie look. You got to wear blue suits, man. Blue is your secondary color.

You got to wear blue suits. And there was a mesh mask of black suits and blue suits in there. Gabby uniform, you are a team. And yes, I mean, I hated the fact that they were there, but it's tradition. So then wear... I don't know what to say other than that. whole thing is...

Wear a tan suit. Wear a tan suit. Wear a tan suit and piss everybody. Like the winter classic pants and gloves. Wear tan suit, blue tie, red shirt. Boom, done. Panthers. The whole thing was the fail of the week.

Just the whole whole thing. The entire thing. All right, if you are watching on Draft King's Network, check out our YouTube. We don't have a fail of the week. Thank you very much. We don't have time for that. I'm sorry.

But if you are watching on Draft King's Network, check out our YouTube channel. Because coming up next, we have Sean to pause from what chaos to talk about his. awful little sabres coming up next. Well, actually, that's my fellow the week. You guys thinking that you don't have to... You know what?

I quit. Yeah, you can take your rooster with you. Rose is acting a little cocky right now. Oh, no! Oh, no! No! I don't even think she heard that. No!

Happy New Year, everybody. 2026 is already getting off to an incredible start because you want to know how I rang in the new year? It was with a bunch of friends in a Dallas Hotel Locker. lobby bar ordering a bunch of Miller Lights because that's how you do it. That's how you make special memories. Miller Light has been by my side and many special football memories this year. And hopefully we get to write a few more memories with Miller Light.

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Minimum odds minus 500. Prizes, either bonus bets that expire in seven days or single-use profit boost. See official rules at dkng.com slash live millions for entry period and free method of entry. Sponsored by Crown Gaming Inc. Sean DePaz is a very capable producer and he produces the What Chaos podcast. They talk hockey on that one. And very famously, he is a Buffalo Sabres fan. And very surprisingly, they are having a excellent season,

a major, major turnaround. They have won the 15th game in the last 17 when they beat Montreal last night. And within that, they had a 10-game winning street. Losing a string, I'm sorry. This is last year of Savers. But they had a 10-game winning streak this year. within that 15 out of 17 game winning

a trend. And quite frankly, it's looking like they have some sort of 2018, 2019, St. Louis Blues vibes. Oh, bold. I like it. I certainly like that. I mean, I can't disagree with you. It does seem like a switch has been flipped

a little bit. I was in the building last night for the Montreal game and the atmosphere there was unbelievable. And the Tapers just looked like a good hockey team. Like it's, They've had over the Strout periods where they've won a bunch of games, but it's proven to be a fluke, and it kind of felt like a fluke. Right now, they are playing really good hockey. Like, everybody is participating in playing good hockey.

We're not just being, like, carried by one guy. It's a great time to be a Sabres fan, that's for sure. I say, the major difference between the Sabres right now and the Blues team of that year is the firing. They fired Mike Yoder, head coach, and the same. Fabers fired the general manager, Kevin Adams. That firing, was that the point in the season where everything turned around? I mean, it's hard to say otherwise. I mean, I will say like the 10-game win streak technically started two or three games

before the Kevin Adams firing. So, you know, it's kind of hard to say that it was entirely that. But it certainly seems like since that point, there has been a wake-up call within that locker room and now everyone is putting forth an effort or has reached a new level that they weren't able to prior to firing Kevin Adams and hiring Yarmou Keckleine and so I don't know obviously I'm not in the locker room but it certainly seems like that was a flip I know Tage Thompson has said publicly that like Yarmos came in there and basically told every player on that roster that they're expendable and they might not have had that feeling under Kevin Adams

who is known to be a really nice guy, which is awesome, obviously, but maybe not the best trait to have when you need to make hard decisions. And so, I don't know, maybe there was some kind of wake-up call when that firing and hiring took place, but I'm not, I don't need answers.

I don't need to know what changed. I'm happy they're winning games. You don't need answers, you need results. I need results, exactly. Do you give more credit to the Kevin Adams firing or the joke that was made about Buffalo and heated rivalry? because that has also been linked to like the 10, they're like 9 and 1 or maybe even like 12 and 2 or something at this point since they made that joke and heated rivalry about the Buffalo hockey team at that point.

Yeah, I mean, why not both? Why not both, right? Like maybe there's a sense of, hey, this GM might trade us. And also we got to we got to put on for our city a little bit who was getting trash talk and trash talked in this major pop culture thing right now. So I don't know. Maybe it was both. But like I said, I don't really need answers. They're winning games.

So whatever's motivating them to win games I'll take at this point. All right, Sean, here's the real question. Let's say the playoffs start tomorrow. Buffalo's in, right? Yep. Who's starting in net game? Assuming everybody's healthy. Who's starting in net game one?

Because you've gotten solid play from Colton Ellis, from Alex Lyon. He's not Georgia if I tell you. From Ukle-Peco. Like, obviously UPL is the goalie of the future or whatever, but I mean, they've all been pretty solid. So in your opinion, game one, tomorrow night, who's in net? It's tough. I would say if we're looking at the whole body of, work from this season. You have to say Alex

Lyon, he's been our best goaltender this year. UPL's been playing really good recently. But honestly, all three of our goaltenders are playing well, the team's been playing all recently. So it's tough. I think Alex Lyon is more of a veteran. He has

much more experience playing big games than either of these guys do for sure. So like I think that's kind of the one you have to start with, but I will say it's going to be a short leash. I think ultimately you're going to go into the playoffs without Colton Ellis, I would have to say. Just because

you know, UPL is kind of your guy that you have committed to long term, longer term, I should say. And then Alex Lyon, I think, gives you the best chance of winning games right now. So Colton Ellis is probably the odd man out there. But the leash is going to be short for whoever plays because all of the goalies have played really well. And I could see it being kind of an Oeler situation where you end up needing to turn to a backup for big games in places you're not hoping to be turning to a backup too. Well, the savers have some decisions to make very, very soon.

Alex Tucker is going to be a UFA after the season. Jason Zooka, Bo Byram. Alex Lyon, included, and Jordan Greenway are going to be UFAs in two seasons. They have eight players on the roster right now with three years or more left on a contract. So they are going to have to make some decisions and the host in the draft. So they're going to have to make some decisions. as well. What do you see Yombo Kekulina in doing? I mean, the Alex Lion one is tough. He's an upstate New York guy. People like to say he's a

Western New York guy. He's a Buffalo guy. It's not true. He's from like two and a half hours away from New York Syracuse. And he's a really good player. But when you hear the numbers that he was asking for, like upwards of $10 million plus, 10 million a year plus, like and you look at the players that they're going to have to sign, like they're going to have to figure out a way to sign Josh Stone who or keep Josh Stone when he becomes an RFA who's like been probably the most important Buffalo Sabre this year, um, which is not something anybody I think saw coming. Uh, but it's unfortunate. I think they're kind of in a situation right now where they have to be prepared to let Alex tuck walk because he's too important to this team right now

to trade him when they're playing really good hockey and I think have a chance of, uh, I'm not ready to like sincerely call them a cup contender yet, but I think they have a chance of making a playoff, making noise in the playoffs. You got to keep Alex talk around for that. But I think the number's too high to keep him around and keep this team in a place to win in the future. So I think, yeah, I think you just have

to kind of be prepared to let him walk and take care of some of those other guys who maybe not as important individually as Alex talk, but give you a better chance of winning when you have a more well-rounded roster. Hadrick and two assists with Tate's Thompson and last night's win against Montreal.

USA! USA! He's been a new L. He's a local leader in that locker room, and he will be for Team USA as well. So glad he's going. Yeah. He's not scared to tell everybody how he feels. I'll tell you that right now. Is this guy the most important, well, I mean, is this guy the most important

a guy in the team right now? Other than goalies. Other than goalies, apparently. Yeah, I mean, it is hard to say otherwise, you know, leading goal scorer, definitely the best player on the team. But it almost feels unfair to other guys on the team. say he's the most important player on the team. Like, I think if you ask a lot of Buffalo Sabres fans, they're going to point to a guy like

Josh Done who seems to have brought with him. Like, you know, he's, he's the legacy. He's the, in an endearing way, I guess, of Shane Done, who is known to be this hard worker plays the game the right way and, like, doesn't get negative even when he's in bad situations. And like, Josh Done seems to have brought a lot of that energy to this team. And that's exactly what this franchise has needed. And he plays unbelievable hockey.

You look at the number of goals that guys like Tage have scored because of plays that Josh Dohn has made, where he's getting not even primary, but secondary assist because he's going and retrieving the puck. He's such a like a hard-nosed player is always in the right spot. So yeah, of course, like on paper, Tage Thompson, the guy that's going to the Olympics is our best player, our most important player. But there's a lot of guys who I think have been very instrumental to this team being good and not just good, but sustainably good, because I don't think you can do that with just one player, kind of. of like carrying you. Tage Thompson, kind of a throwback player. Like, we're sitting here kind of thinking about who he reminds me of. He's like a skinny Keith Primo almost.

But like he just strikes me as like a 1980s, 90s power forward type of guy. Just fun to watch. Yeah, I mean, when he's like on, he's like, I mean, he's the biggest guy on the ice most of the time. He's able to be physically imposing and he knows that. There's an awesome highlight from earlier in the season when they were playing Detroit in overtime. and he just chases down Alex De Brinket,

throws him into the boards, gets the puck away and sets up, I think it was Alex Tucker for the game winner. And when he's doing stuff like that and is on, he is like genuinely one of the best players in the NHL, at least best offensive players in the NHL. Like he is, has so much skill and is so physically imposing

and knows how to use both of those. I think you see a lot of times when you got certain guys, like it's a criticism, Owen Power has gotten a lot where he's highly skilled, but he's also a big D-man, but he doesn't use his physicality in a way you would like him to. Like, Tage Thompson is able to do all of that, and it is definitely like, the team would not be here without Tage Thompson being one of the best players in the world. Buffalo is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2005-06 team.

That team came off of three straight years of missing the playoffs, and then I'm going to a conference final that year. That was the first of back to back. Now, the Sabres haven't made the playoffs in 14 seasons. What do you believe to be the difference here? I mean, I do think they're going to the playoffs this year. And it just is like they go ahead. At this point, I feel good.

Like something will have to go wrong for the Buffalo Sabers not to make the playoffs, which is definitely not out of the realm of possibility. This is a Buffalo sports team after all. We've got a really big football game tomorrow. But yeah, I mean, what's different? I don't know. Like I was saying earlier, I don't really know what ultimately flipped the switch, but they're winning hockey games and they're doing it in a way where it's not a fluke.

Like I think a big part of the Kevin Adams tenure and where things really went wrong for him is that he was expecting a lot of these young players to make big steps. And that included guys like Dylan Cousins, who he eventually had to move off of. but he included guys like he committed to guys like Matthias Samuelson, who now is genuinely having one of the best years of any defenseman in hockey. Like he's had he said he's already set career highs in goals and assists, um, is going to score double digit goals this year as a demon who's,

and he's never done that before. Like, like these guys that I think Kevin Adams were hoping would step up have actually started to step up now. And maybe that's because, you know, they realize that they could get shipped out of town at any point if they're not stepping up. Um, and that's something that you almost brought. So I,

I just think that there has been whatever it is, like a noticeable shift in the energy. Like there is an actual identity for playing or that the Buffalo Sabres bring. And they're like, they're not an easy team to play against anymore. And they take pride in being Buffalo Sabres. Like I think they take pride and playing for the city of Buffalo. And like, and now the atmosphere at the arena is incredible. And I think that's the first time a lot of these guys have played like fun hockey. And it is, you know,

I think there's a lot of little things that have added up to it just being a different kind of, a different franchise, honestly. Like the crest isn't poison anymore. Hi, Sean. Hello. I'm Rose. How's it going? Nice to meet you, too. You could have been in here the whole time.

Our producer's back. We don't need you to come replace Rose. You took your Rooster and you left. I mean, come on. What's going on here? Look at me being a producer. I just produced a show. Yeah.

From outside, so. Yeah. We saw you on the screen, yeah. Yeah, thank you very much. All right, Rose. Thank you very much. You ever anything to add? No.

I'm just introducing myself, Sean. That's great producing there, Rose. Yeah, there you go. Thank you. Dave? Well, I wanted to piggyback on what Sean was just saying before Rose hijacked the show for a minute. Without a rooster.

Yes. Oh, there is. Rose is very cocky today. Rosie's the rooster. Again? Yeah, well, I don't know if it got on the first time. Oh, okay. Well, there you go.

Anyway, Sean, I'm sorry. I wanted to... You see what I have to deal with Sean? Okay, go out. You're the chaos. He deals with DJ and Pete. I think he knows. It's funny about doing.

Wait, you are DJs and Pete's producer? Yes! Oh my God, we have so much in common and so much trauma in between. Yeah. Trauma! You understand me. Talent's tough to deal with, right? Talent's tough to deal with.

Wow, you understand me now. Unfortunately, we don't have much of that here. Dave? Dave, go please. So getting back to the Savers and the playoffs. No, Sean, have you ever been to a Sabres playoff game at home up in Buffalo? No. I mean, they haven't been to a playoff since I was a trial. And I didn't mean that as like a setup or anything negative.

So I was in a same situation growing up as a Panthers fan down here. I had not been to an NHL playoff game and I was in my adult years. So my dad took it upon himself to say, okay, this year we're going to a playoff game no matter what. This is back in 2007. So my first ever Stanley Cup playoff experience was, Sabres, Senators, game five of the Eastern Conference Finals. Yep, that's it right there. And even though Buffalo lost in overtime, the arena, the atmosphere outside, like hours

before the game with the tailgating in Buffalo and everything, then going inside, and that place went berserk when they tied the game late. Just such a cool experience. So since you haven't yet, I'm excited for you to go and to be, because I'm imagining like it's going to be like 10 times more insane just based on the fact they haven't been in so By the way, there's no excuse why Buffalo lost to Ottawa in the conference final. Ray Am. And Ottawa going to the Stanley Cup final and getting blasted by Anahe.

No reason for that. No excuse. Yeah. That's why, you know, I am unapologetically a Sabres fan. I have three teams that are absolutely like no-goes for me. And the Ottawa senators are one of them, the other two of the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although I'm not being a Toronto hater, I suppose, is not particularly unique in 2026. But yeah, I mean, the atmosphere is going to be incredible.

Like I think Buffalo has a reputation of being a football town because of just how successful the bills have been over the last handful of years and how, you know, the reputation that Bill's Mafia has. But like, I truly think that this is a hockey town. Like when the Buffalo Sabres are going, like I have memories, faint memories, but I do have memories of what it was like in those 05-06 days when they were originally wearing the goat heads and you had guys. like Maximoff and Danny Villar and Brian Campbell and Ryan Miller like doing real things.

Jamie Key. Yeah, I like I remember I have memories of that. So like I know a little bit of what it's going to be like but being like a grown adult now and getting to experience that atmosphere. Like I truly like I don't say this as any disrespect to any other hockey fan base. Like I truly don't think there's anything like it. Like I think the but I think the Sabres when they have playing good hockey it's the best environment in hockey. It's like it because I walked I was walking I went to that game last night. It was like 10 degrees outside, like zero with wind chill, and I'm walking through the snow with 19,000 other people. And there was a lot of Habs fans there, to be fair, but like, because, you know, there's good hockey to be watched. And like, that's an awesome, awesome feeling.

And I can't wait for when there's, like, real playoff stakes. Will you, in your goathead Sabres jersey, body slam yourself through a folding table before game one of the playoffs? Sean did this the other day at the Bills game. I did do this. I was going to say. Will you do it for the Sabres? Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. I don't have a goathead jersey currently.

Yet. You got that starter jacket, though, right? That fresh-ass starter jacket. Yeah, it was I wore it out yesterday. I also have like a Sabres turtleneck with like the embroidered goat head on it. That's all this stuff. Yeah, but never to buff a slug. Never the Buffalo.

Oh my God. There's people that defend that thing. That's like one of the, genuinely one of the worst logos in American pro sports history, in my opinion. The only defense I have not, the only defense I have on that jersey is they won. They won in a certain section. The only thing that made that look good was Ryan Miller. That was the only thing that made that jersey look. What a badass.

True. You can make anything look good. Yeah. Yeah. Ryan Miller rocks. All right, real quick. As you can tell, Sean, I watch way too much what chaos. You guys are like my favorite show.

But you guys have become kind of the, I mean, you know, you guys have become kind of like the heated rivalry show. Could you have imagined at all when you guys were going to be, when you guys were like, all right, this is what we're going to do. We're going to, you know, talk about the show. And then slowly, but surely it kind of like took over the show. Could you have imagined? the whirlwind that it would be in terms of the popularity that you guys have gained because of this show?

No, I mean, it was, I don't think I can speak for myself, but I think I can speak for all three of us. Like, I don't think that was ever on our mind. Like, we were just, uh, it was something that's right up our alley. Like, we are big, uh, like, big, genuinely on like the inclusivity of hockey. Like, we want it to get, we want to grow the game. We want more people to be invested in the game. Um, and so, like when we see that there's a gay hockey show,

we're like absolutely, we're watching that, we're going to talk about it. And then, yeah, it just became like the biggest thing in the world. And I think, yeah,

none of us expected it to be as, as well received. And I, I could say, we've talked to several people involved with the show, like the authors of the books, the writer and the director of the show. Like,

they didn't expect it to be this big of a deal. So like, yeah, no, there was no way we ever expected. Like, it was just something that peaked our interest. And it ended up being,

like, genuinely a really good television show. And it peaked a lot of other people's interests. Yeah, we certainly got some new fans that have come along with that. But, you know, I mean, we're just doing it for the love of the game, I guess. Sean, tell everybody where you can find what chaos on audio and video, please. Yeah, what chaos on any podcasting platforms, Spotify, Apple Music, or Apple Podcasts? YouTube, we're live on YouTube every day, Monday through Thursday,

and then we release special bonus episodes on our Patreon on Friday. So you can find us everywhere. Social media at What Chaos Show? we're always pumping out new content, stuff like that. He is very famously a Buffalo Sabres fan, and we are happy for him and the city of Buffalo because now the young winning. That's Sean DePaz.

Yeah, we just let the bills lose on Saturday. Okay, thank you, Ethan. I'm trying to close the show here. Sean DePaz, thank you for joining us. Thank you. All right, before we get out of here, Rose apparently has something brewing for us here to close the show. What is it, Rose?

I'm trying to get out of here. Okay, first thing is I want to jump from a plane, so I need you guys to help me. That's not happening with me. I don't care. But you don't care. Give me whatever if I'm a sponsor and I'll jump from playing and I'll give you

hockey takes. I don't care what whatever. And second of all, can you please put the camera on Roy? And can you please show what Claire just did? Look at that beauty. She's an artist, bro. What an artist.

Wow. I didn't know that was color on that tell the show. This is the Claire show. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So that's on audio. she used to tell her shirt her to create artwork

and it's very beautiful. Watch it on YouTube. Yeah, watch it on YouTube. Thank you to Gino and Jason. Thank you to Sean DePaz for joining us to talk about the Buffalo Sabres. Thank you to Claire, Joy Bellamy, my daughter. Beautiful girl over there in the other studio. That's Ethan. That's Rose.

That's David. I'm Roy. Go Key Cains. We'll see you next week. Happy New Year, everybody. 2026 is already getting off to an incredible start because you want to know how I rang in the new year? It was with a bunch of friends in a Dallas hotel lobby bar ordering a bunch of Miller Lights because that's how you do it. That's how you make special memories. Miller Light has been by my side and many special football memories this year and hopefully we get to write a few more memories with Miller Light. Some of my most legendary moments have started that exact same way.

A buddy's house, a lobby bar, a game, no big plan. And then you crack open a Miller Light. You take a sip and you look around and you immediately recognize that you made the right call. Legendary moments start with Miller Light. Great taste, 96 calories. Go to Miller Lite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller Time.

Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.