The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Breaking Point ft. Brian Burke

Episode Date: January 17, 2025

Jeff Marek is joined by Brian Burke for Burkie Friday's on The Sheet. Discussing the JT Miller benching, John Klingberg joining in the Edmonton Oilers, defensive defenceman, and much more!Shout out to our sponsors!👍🏼Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/Stream the full conversation with Adam Copeland on Up Close with Stephen Brunt belowApple Podcast: https://apple.co/41DCXleSpotify:https://spoti.fi/3DrZs2cWatch: https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401Reach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Flames_Nation🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Okay, welcome to it once again, this is The Sheet. Thanks for joining me here today. Thanks for joining us. I always want to include Zach Phillips here playing the keyboards in the background with Small Town Strip Club. Did you know he joined the band? He's trying to make ends meet. Playing hockey with Pavel Barber.

Doing his own shows here, producing his own shows here at TNN, also playing with Small Town Strip Club. Okay, so the very latest is, just before he got on air here, this was, I believe, broken by Darren Drager at TSN, John Klingberg is joining the Edmonton Oilers. Don't expect him to be in the lineup tomorrow when Edmonton faces off against the Vancouver Canucks. More on Vancouver in a couple of seconds. Yes, we're going to talk about JT Miller. Calm down. Don't worry. We're going to get there. We all saw with our own eyes what happened last night between the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings.

So don't expect them tomorrow for the Oilers against the Vancouver Canucks. They'll get him into town, get him around the team, get him ready to go, and then he will start with the squad. This is affordable. Oilers are in LTIR right now as we know. I don't think it's that expensive of a deal by any stretch of the imagination, probably coming in under two. So we'll see. You know know this is maybe some Evan Bouchard insurance for the power play. This is more offense from the back end you know one of the things that has been said about the Edmonton Oilers that in the offensive zone essentially it's a three man operation when Bouchard is there it's a four. This does give them one more weapon back there as well so it's not just a

three-man a three-man gang when the others are in the offensive zone. So more on Klingberg coming up in a couple of seconds we'll talk to Brian Burke about this and other questions as well and we got a lot of good questions for Burke. So Burke is always a lot of fun. Burke stops by here in about I don't know between five to 10 minutes time. So we'll get into it with Brian coming up on today's show. In the meantime, Zach Phillips, before we go any further, because we have a lot to do,

let's get right to our daily outlines brought to you by FanDuel. This is what is on the docket for today. Daily outlines brought to you by FanDuel, North America's number one sportsbook app provider and the number one story of the day is Ovechkin versus Marc-Andre Fleury. So we're gonna talk about Ovechkin and how many goals he has scored so far, 21 away from Gretzky, and we'll talk about him scoring again yesterday. We just mentioned John Klingberg more on him coming up in a

couple of seconds. By the way, spot quiz for anybody. So if Vetchkin scored the most goals in his career against Marc-Andre Fleury against Verwain Gretzky, it was against Richard Brodeur of the the Vancouver Canucks. More on the Vancouver Canucks coming up shortly. Brian Burke, as we mentioned, is going to be aboard, former NHL general manager, now the executive director of the PWHL's players association. Brian loves taking questions and we're going to do it again here. We finish each and every week with it and it's become a fan favorite. JT Miller. I'm going to save the line that I heard from one manager this afternoon about JT

Miller for a couple of moments here, but you do kind of get the feeling that this might be the end about JT Miller for a couple of moments here but you do kind of get the feeling that this might be the end for JT Miller and the Vancouver Canucks and we'll explain why in a couple of seconds and does the future of JT Miller involve Simon Nemec, former second overall draft pick, can't find his way into the New Jersey Devils lineup that is a murderer's row of defensemen and he can't find his way in. I get the frustration. You know it wasn't that long ago he played 60 NHL games for the New Jersey Devils and now he's frozen and blocked specifically by Jonathan Kovacevich. More on that coming up in

a couple of moments. So we'll talk about Miller, we'll talk about Kovacevich. I would like by the way Zach to park some time to talk about Mark Edward Vlasic, who says something along the lines of, it's ludicrous that there's not a defensive defenseman of the year award, or in essence, a selkie trophy for blue liners. We'll get there in a couple of moments. But as we did mention off the top, JT Miller. And is this the end for JT Miller in Vancouver? Like this has been a tough week for the Vancouver Canucks. It's been a tough month for the Vancouver Canucks. Outside of the win against Toronto, sorry Zach, on Saturday, things have not exactly gone swimmingly for

the Vancouver Canucks. This week, pasted by the Winnipeg Jets, last night curb stomped by the Los Angeles Kings, and do we have the clip, the first Jets, last night curb stomped by the Los Angeles Kings and do we have the clip the first turcot goal last night that got everybody riled up and for good reason? Well show this one if you're watching on YouTube, way in if you're in the chat. You've seen the highlight of it. Watch JT Miller high on your screen number nine, just going for a coast and a spin and have a look at it again. Here's the replay. Let's just get some straight legs in the defensive zone. Like Besser's no better too. Like Besser

had his own issues out there as well. But the thing about JT Miller is this has been consistent and about an hour and a half ago I was talking to one manager and we were talking about JT Miller and I said did you see the turtcot goal that's got everybody up in arms and he goes no and so he called it up and he looked at it and he paused and he said a line that I don't I got to share with you guys it's just it's just too funny he said that looks like it's 11 o'clock and there's beer in the room not the NHL. It's 11 o'clock and there's beer in the room not the NHL. That was the clip of me that we showed that was you and Barber. That was you and Barber just doing fly-bys on Powerful

Barber not wanting to get you know you were like those guys like you see this there's all kinds of great video of the the 80s and 90s of players defensemen specifically trying to check Mario Lemieux but they get like close enough and then they back off because they know that Lemieux is gonna just like make him look stupid so like he was like his own enforcer no one got near Mario Lemieux because of the way he was kind of like deke them out twist them up and they'd be left you know sort of spinning like a like a pretzel like Pavel Datsyuk did the Logan Couture so many years ago so that was... Mary was his own enforcer that way guys were scared to approach him. So the JT Miller stuff was and we got a sort of a

collage of things that we want to put together here and like there's all kinds of rumors about JT Miller in New Jersey like I fully am of the mind that the New Jersey Devils would be slash are interested in JT Miller, someone like someone like JT Miller, specifically JT Miller, for a couple of different reasons. One, New Jersey is looking to go far in the playoffs this year. This is a go-for it year and that's another one of the reasons why Seamone Nemich can't find his way into the New Jersey Devils lineup. But the other is, listen, we just saw this the other day, the New Jersey devils taking on the Florida Panthers. I think that there's an understanding in New Jersey and with every team around

the Eastern Conference that if you plan to go to the Stanley Cup, the road goes through sunrise. The road goes through the Florida Panthers. And if you don't have the same type of muscle that, um, that the Florida Panthers do, you're going to come out the short end of the stick. So to all the rumors that are around today about the New Jersey Devils, I think we all see them and I'm not sure you feel about this one, but I would understand it if at the end of this we saw a Vancouver, New Jersey deal. But again, we'll see where this one goes, but after last night's act, and I'll turn

it over to you after this, it does feel like this is either the end of the road or the beginning of the end of the road, but like something has to happen at this point. Yeah. I mean, I it's no secret. I titled today's show breaking point. Like it feels like that, that was very, I mean, it was Al burger put it out first. And I agree with it. It's very like reminiscent of pure Luke Dubois at the end of his time in Columbus and there's that infamous shift where he You made fun of me. Like did you break a sweat in that skate? Shift of pure Luke Dubois like that is bad clip by JT Miller that shift of pure Luke Dubois was the full shift and I don't know if his knees bent that that was the same vibe And I think that's kind of one of those like this can't happen anymore moments Lugtuba was the full shift and I don't know if his knees bent. That was the same vibe.

Um, and I think that's kind of one of those, like, this can't happen anymore moments. I did have a thought and I want to know where you're at on it. And if it's kind of like, okay, you can handle this. I think of JT Miller and have traditionally thought of JT Miller as this fiery, fierce competitor hates to lose, never give up kind of mentality. That's kind of the brush he's being painted with here. Watching that yesterday, I think that's completely unacceptable, not just from a standpoint, but from a guy who gets painted with that brush and gets looked at like that.

That's giving up. That's giving up on the team. That's your expectation of who you are. That's giving up. That's giving up on the team. That's your expectation of who you are. That's so unacceptable in, no, I don't care, it's not just the NHL. Junior, AHL, if you're playing minor hockey, if that's going on, that's not something you can tolerate as a coach, as teammates, as an organization.

I don't think that's fair to his teammates or the people putting him on the ice people paying money like and That to me is frustrating especially watching a guy who is Mostly known as this like well, we've seen it Who's kind of that's the thing because it's because everyone's seen it before like, you know that there's that potential in there But for whatever reason and now we're getting there like GT Miller has gone through a lot this year Personally and privately make up your own minds about about JT Miller. Yeah. But it does very much feel like again like I go back to that manager's line it's 11

p.m. and there's beer in the room. That's what that's completely what it looks looked like and there have been plenty of nights like that where it's looked like it's 11 p.m. and there's beer in the room. Yeah. It's a good line. Yeah. The other thing is John Klingberg is now a member of the Edmonton Oilers. Again, I mentioned don't expect to see him in the lineup tomorrow against the Vancouver Canucks. There it is, Klingberg to Edmonton from Elliot Friedman.

Unfamiliar with this gentleman. Are you surprised he didn't make it like to E-M-N or something like that? E-M-N or something like that? E-M-N. Yeah, I'm a little bit, to be honest with you, I'm a little bit disappointed in Elliot that he didn't do it. He actually spelled Edmondson correctly.

Maybe he's maturing in his old age. And as we like to say, as my barber used to always say, those aren't gray hairs, Jeff, those are wisdom hairs. In Elliot's wisdom years, he's becoming more responsible and actually spelling things properly. So a few teams around this one, the Toronto Maple Leafs were in on this one. Edmonton ends up getting them.

I think Dallas, interestingly enough, used to be a Dallas star, they could use help on the right side. I think Dallas was into some extent on this one, but I don't know that they were prepared much like when they're trying to negotiate a long-term deal with him. They weren't prepared to meet what Klingberg wanted financially, but I do think that his former team, the Dow, one of his former teams, the Dallas stars, um, we're around on, we're around on this one. And Gary McCabe says, you're cool with Elliot, right? Uh, I Dallas Stars. We're around on this one.

And Gary McKave says, you're cool with Elliot, right? I'm sure he can't come on the sheet. I haven't even asked, but am I cool with Elliot? Yes, absolutely. Elliot and I are 100% fine. We still joke around all the time. So don't worry about that. What else do we have here in the chats?

Jeremiah Klingberg to Edmonton is a non-factor IMO. Doesn't make a dent in the Western Conference and for that matter will not even be close to the biggest move of the trade deadline. I think that's, oh and Alex in Kingston is asking Klingberg terms. I don't know specifically the exact dollar amount or how much is involved in bonuses,

but I can't see the oilers going higher than two on John Klingberg. So we'll see where it all, the decimal point ends up on this one. And it would just, I'm assuming it's just for this year, that it's just this year. And then, you know, things work out for Klingberg, maybe parlay that into something longer

with the Edmonton oilers. Again, my thoughts, it's Bouchard insurance on the power play. It's another offensive weapon in the offensive zone where sometimes I would say the majority of times it's a three man unit. Like it's three guys getting to work offensively and not so much the back end unless Evan Bouchard is involved. So there is that one. Yes. Jeff, with Edmonton here, you add another offensive defenseman. Uh, there they can't be done defensively, right? There, there.

Would you not assume that Edmonton would look to continue to make their defensive core stronger defensively here as well? I'm just asking speculation wise. Yeah. Um, I don't know. I don't know that specifically. I know they did want to add more offense and they've addressed that with Klingberg. I I never really think that they're done done done until trade let's put it this way I know this is not the last move that that Stan Bowman makes with the admin team are they going to be as you know is it going to be as massive as like a Ken Hall and Matthias at home deal I don't

know about that I don't know they're going to do anything major like that. You know, they're still, you know, they're still waiting on a Vander Cane too, which you know, the way that everybody will spend it is, you know, it's getting a free agent. And the other thing about Klingberg as well that we should mention here, and I was on Securitism Price today talking about Tony D'Angelo. I'll get there in a second if you want. But the thing about Klingberg with the oil is it doesn't cost him an asset. Not that it's a quote-unquote free player because you have to pay him and there's cap space ramifications obviously, but it's a free player. You're not giving up an asset to get John Klingberg in.

And again like I don't know what the decimal point is but I can't imagine it would be that much of an onerous. You have it, is it out? What is it? Yeah, Draeger put it out one minute before it went live. Oh, did he? Okay, what is it? Yeah, Klingberg contract with the Oilers, one million pro-rated salary and $350,000 bonus.

Okay, so for Capra amplifications, then that will probably come in around 1-7 maybe? Somewhere in there? We'll see. Yeah. So, okay, very good. So there's the, the compensation, that is under the two that we talked about. So there's the, the compensation now.

Okay, as we stand by, is Berkey there yet, by the way? No. I'll let you know when Berkey's here. Let me know when we get Berkey. So one other thing that's, well, a couple of things from last night. First of all, Columbus Blue Jackets, I can't stop winning. By the way, Dean Evison, I know we're handing

the Jack Adams trophy to Spencer Carberry, and for good reason, he's been fantastic with the Washington Capitals, and he's the clubhouse leader to win. Was Dean Evison gonna make this thing interesting? Like shots on goal, 25-8 going into the third period last night they ended up 34-19. Sixth win in a row for the Columbus Blue Jackets. I know it's the San Jose Sharks but they win 4-1 and they

continue to roll. We mentioned Alexander Ovechkin the lone goal last night as the Washington Capitals win one nothing over the Ottawa Senators. Levy Marillanin surrenders the 179th goal so now he's beaten Yarmer Yager and scored on the most amount of goaltenders in the history of the NHL. I mentioned with Wayne Gretzky he scored the most goals in his career against Richard Bord, 29. Number two, Mike Liute, 23 goals and then Kirk McLean. So two of the top three

that Gretzky scored against, Vancouver Canucks. And let's not forget too, that's when the Smythe Division basement dwellers were the Vancouver Canucks. Team wasn't good for a long time, so no surprise that Berdour and McLean are top three. Then Don Bopre, our friend Greg Millen, a Millsie. Bill Ranford, Don Edwards, Mike Vernon, Ray Jean Lemelin, and Mario Lassard. Lassard would have been with the Los Angeles Kings. That is interesting that over just over 202 of the goals that Wayne Gretzky scored were scored against those 10 goaltenders. So just over 20% of all Wayne Gretzky goals were scored against those 10 goalies. Yesterday Mark Edward Vlasic

said something pretty interesting and we talked about a couple of these players yesterday. We've talked about this, we've had this conversation a number of different times too and that is he said something like it's outrageous that the NHL doesn't have a defensive defenseman award which I've lobbied for for a long time. Again I always believe that trophies, awards, these types of things are part things are part of the marketing machine for the game and celebrating certain skill sets. As we've pointed out, the Selkie trophy itself was created specifically because they wanted to give Bob Ganey something. Bob Ganey does this one thing really well, can we please give Bob Ganey

make an award for Bob Ganey, that's the origins of the Selkie Trophy. But if you came up with a Defensive Defenseman Award, specifically in the NHL, I would have to think about sorting them, but this is the group that I would put together. We should probably do more on this on a later edition. I think number one would be Jonas Seigenthaler of the New Jersey Devils. Jonathan Kovacevich would be in that. The Kings number one pair of Vladislav Gavryakov

and Mikey Anderson would be there. Braden McNabb for the Vegas Golden Knights. He's not getting a lot of headlines, but from a purely defensive point of view, he's amongst the elite. And Chris Tanev of the Toronto Maple Leafs. That would be my cluster. That would be my group.

I don't know how I would have to organize those. But if we're talking about doing a Selkie trophy for a defenseman, that would be my list. And with that, we will bring aboard the one and only our Friday staple, our favorite around here. And he loves answering your questions. The one and only Brian Burke joins me once again here on the sheet on a Friday afternoon.

Burke, how are you today, my friend? Good, Jeff. I'm at the Capitol Grill in Beacon Hill outside of Boston. So the lighting is a little odd, but don't be. It looks like a funeral home or something in odd, but don't be a... it looks like a funeral home or something in here, but don't be alarmed. You look like there should be like black curtains behind you or something like that. I'm like, you're at a crematorium or something, Bricky? What are you doing? I know. What are you doing, pal? It looks like a funeral home.

I'm very much alive. I like the way the camera looks up. It's almost like it's like Brian Brooks' Phantom of the Opera. You should have like a purple half mask over your face or something like that high up in the high up in the gondola. Hey I was just mentioning before he came on the idea of a best defensive defenseman award. Mark Edward Vlasic who passed career hit career game 1300 all with the

San Jose Sharks mentioned that he in his mind it's outrageous that there isn't a best defensive defenseman award. Now you might look at that and say, okay, he's trying to give himself an award here. You know, years ago he would have been in contention for that. But what do you think about the idea of, essentially, Berkey, a Selkie trophy for defenseman? Well, I mean, I'm getting sick of too many awards. There used to be five or six, now there's 18. It's going to be 30 before long. I wouldn't oppose it.

Like philosophically, I understand the rationale. I don't think it's outrageous at all. The pickles, I don't think it's outrageous. I think it might be an oversight, but it's been talked about for a dozen years or more. They said the Bobby Orr Award for offensive defenseman, but lose a little bit of translation for me in that Bobby Orr was a great defensive defenseman. Bobby Orr had 53 fights. He wasn't just an offensive player. Bobby Orr was a complete player and a really good one, a great one. And so to me, if you say we're going to do, we gonna reduce the skill level, so Chris Tannib would be my vote if it were the

defensive defenseman of the year. But Chris Tannib, I would say, has a lower skill level. You need to play that style than Kyle McCarr does. So why would those trophies be on a par? So to me, I would say take it with a grain of salt. I wouldn't fight about it. I don't care enough about it to fight And I'm just curious like through your history as well and defensemen that you've seen and maybe Rod Langway is the best Example of this, you know historically if you're gonna pick a name for a best defensive defense like who are and Maybe just maybe even just go through your teams Like when we look at Anaheim will focus a lot on Niedermeyer and Prongers certainly,

but I always say there was the big three with you guys, and I'll always throw Francois Beauchemin into that conversation. But when you look at all the teams that you were involved in and the blue lines, which were the stay at home dogs, the defensive D that you always felt didn't get enough credit? Well, I know every Swedish player's gonna nod their head

when I say this, Mattias Ollen was best defensive defenseman I ever had. I never got any accolades at all. Shot blocking machine, physical hip checker. The last of the great hip checkers, hip check's a lost art because they admit she looks so silly, people don't try it anymore. Mattias Ollen was a great, excuse me, was a great hip checker. So to me he would be the best defensive defense and I ever had I know right away

Francois Beauchemin will be raising his eyebrows I had a couple other good ones too, but I would say the TS Olin's the guy no one ever talks about him He's so long. He was quietly an excellent player Let me um, let. Let me transition here but talk about another Vancouver Canuck and that's that's JT Miller. I'm not sure if he had a chance to watch the Los Angeles game last night but I mean that wasn't exactly a command performance by Miller. Tauket sending him to the end of the bench. He barely played, didn't crack double digits. I know Tauket tried to

give him as soft a landing as he could afterwards, but I mean, we all saw the barking on the bench and it feels, Brian, like this is, we're either at, what did Churchill say, it's not the end, but the beginning of the end. This is after the Blitz in World War II, but like that's kind of what it feels like. Like whether we're at the end or the beginning of the end, something feels like it's it's happening or has to happen now with

J.T. Miller. Yeah, I think it's a breaking point, too. I would say last night, because I've said till now, these two should be able to sort this out. You're dealing with real stubborn people, too. J.T. Miller, I don't know. Well, he's a stubborn guy. Toc, I know well. He's a stubborn guy. They're reaching a point now where it's so public that the break has to come at some point. I think you've gone beyond the point of no return with this pair of players. And I say a pair because there's two players involved. But I know one thing, and neither one of them has covered themselves with glory. I think Todd would like to have back some of the things he said and done. And I know JT Miller would, but they've got to sort this out.

Got to move on, I think. Let's get a couple of questions in here and then we'll get to more of the news of the day, Berkey. And I know I'm going to say one name and it's going to trigger a story with you. I'll let you get your jacket off and get warmed up on this one because I think you might take it. It was freezing in here and they turned the heat up but now it's hot. Brookie's gearing down and playing a beer league game here.

Here we go, folks. So I know when I mention one name, you're going to get fired up. So it's a good thing you took your jacket off. You might want to roll up your sleeves in a couple of seconds here. So this one comes in from Quinn Huzz He says hello. Hang on me. Could sub here. Hello, sir, Burke. I forgive you for Martin bro shoe We'll get there in a second. My question is do you think you know where I'm going with that? My question is do you think Kevin Biaxa could or should

become an NHL head coach someday? Before we get to the Marten Bro shoe story because it is a great one and I hope you're as salty as possible about it. Your thoughts on Kevin Biaxa? Could he, should he, become an NHL

coach one day? I think he could become an NHL coach one day? I think he could be an NHL coach or a GM. I think he's coaching his son Cole. Yeah. I don't think he has any interest. I don't think Juice has any interest in going to a team because he's coaching his son as a real good young player and a real fine young man too. I met him last year, so I don't think Kevin would be interested in that right now, but and I mean, you gotta remember, I drafted Kevin. He was a so-so player, turned into a really good player, a real cerebral player. He was a grunt, but he played better than a grunt. He could run a power play, he killed penalties.

He could explain to other players what was going on on the ice. He had that rare intellect and personality, so I think he could do whatever he wants, but I don't think he's interested in doing it right now. You gotta remember, a lot of these guys have $20 million in the bank. They're not interested in going through the screen

that I went through, or other guys went through, or they're getting fired and the public disgrace. They're not interested in that. They have to overlook the money side of this and say it's something I truly want to do. You know, Kevin told me something interesting a couple of years ago. We were at Hockey Night One Night and we were talking about Cole

and we were talking about my kids playing minor hockey and his kids in youth hockey, et cetera, and back and forth. And he's coaching, as you mentioned. And I said, Juice, tell me one thing, I don't think he'll mind if I say this. I said, tell me one thing that you do as a coach that you don't think anybody else does. And he laughed and he said, tell me one thing that you do as a coach that you don't think anybody else does. And he laughed and he said, there's one thing that I do at practice that I

don't think any other coach does. And I said, what's that? And he says, at the end of a drill, when I'm describing the next drill, I don't let my kids take a knee to recover. And I said, why not? He said, one of the things that we never teach, and Kevin knows this as a player, is the feeling of being tired and having to stay on the ice. And he said, I'll call my kids in after a hard couple of laps or whatever,

and they will stand there. Because to me, that's them practicing, being caught on the ice, maybe it's second period, long change, and I want them to know what that feeling is so they get comfortable with it and we work on that and practice they all hate it they all want to take a knee I don't even know if he tells them that that's why he's doing it but in his mind because as a player you never get a chance to practice being out there too long oh look at the shift a buck 32 32 minutes. Oh, this is crazy. He says, that's my way of teaching these kids what it feels like when you're on the ice too long. Do you

have a thought on that one? I thought it was, I thought it was pretty, pretty ingenious. He's a really bright guy. I think that would work for Kevin. I'm not sure it's necessary. Depends on how long you stay at the whiteboard. Now you get me going on another pet peeve of mine, the whiteboard. If you do five minutes at the whiteboard. Now you're getting me going on another pet peeve of mine, the whiteboard. If you do just five minutes at the whiteboard, standing is too long. If you do four minutes at the whiteboard, kneeling is too long.

Do your whiteboard in two minutes or less for God's sake. Yep. And do your first drills in the room. Like when the kids hit the ice, they should be ready to do a drill right away. Don't get out there and shoot. Three set packets of five drills. Yes. Here's the first five drills. Don't spend. drill right away don't get out there whatever, it'd be a Z drill. They can name them and they'll know what they are by heart. They know about 40 drills by name.

Just give them five drills and say, we're starting with the nickel back, we're doing the pentectin, we're going with the cam loops, whatever, and then do that. I agree with you. Instead of spending the first five, 10 minutes just working on crossbars and empty net goals

while the coaches all guffaw at the penalty box. Okay, I gotta get on this one then. So you mentioned that you answered the Kevin Biax question. Can you address Quinn's point? I forgive you for Martambro shoe. Now, when you were the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks in a waiver draft, you surprised, shocked a lot of people.

I had my eyebrows raised, certainly like, what's Vancouver doing taking Martambro shoe Can you tell us the reason why you took net minder Martambro shoe? Yes, we had a deal worked out with the islanders to get Gar snow Garth snow the deal was all set Mike Mulvary called me the night before we had done the deal Three days before we'd agreed to it. I said, you're gonna deal them to me, get a pick and that way you won't lose them in the waiver draft.

And he said the night before, we were driving to San Jose or Santa Rosa. The NHL had us in training camp that year in Santa Rosa, California, home of Charles Seltz, the famous Minneapolis cartoonist. Yeah, peanuts. And we were at the rink, peanuts. Yeah, the famous Minneapolis cartoonist. Yeah, peanuts. And we were at the rank of peanuts. Yeah, the peanuts guy.

He was a Minnesota guy. Anyway, we had the deal all set. I called Mike Milbury. I said, we all set. He said, no, Charles doesn't want to do the deal for Garth Snow. So I'm like, Mike, I'm screwed. I haven't made any contingency plans. I'm screwed.

He said, that's too bad. So we took Martin Brochure and then had to sell it as a good choice, a logical thing that we'd been working on for months. We hadn't even talked about Marten Brochure. Great kid, by the way, wonderful young man, but couldn't play a lick. That was it.

Was that the, like how many different times did you have to, did you get sort of backed into a corner where you had to make a move that you didn't plan on making, didn't wanna make, but then you had to sell it to your marketplace or sell it to your owner that this was the plan all along? That was really the only time. We got into a deal with St. Louis too,

where we're talking about two different players. I'll have to refresh my memory on this. We're talking about two different players. And'll have to refresh my memory on this. We're talking about two different players and John Davidson was the president of the team. I think Doug Armstrong was the champ, I think. And we were talking about two different players. We were talking about one player and they were talking about a different player with very similar names. And we ended up finally hit the wall and said, what are you talking about? This guy doesn't even play. He didn't play in junior. He played college. And we're like, what are you talking about? This guy doesn't even play, he didn't play in junior, he played college. And we're like, what? We realized we were talking about two different

players from the get-go. I'll refresh my memory on that and tell you that story. It's better than right now. Let's pause on this one. One of the things that I did, I mentioned to a couple of people this week that I was going to, I haven't, I can't believe in all these years, I haven't mentioned this one thing to you that always makes me laugh whenever I go to his house. So down the street from me is Mikhail Grabovsky. So Grabbo, when he's playing with the Maple Leafs, met a girl from Pickering, they end up getting married.

And then when he came back from Europe, settled just where I am on the sort of border of Stouffville and Uxbridge, he got a really lovely place at Musselman Lake. So I ran to Grabo at the gym when he first moved back and he said come on over we got a rink, we got a you know pond and sauna and the whole deal and so I go over to Grabo's house and it's it's gorgeous. Like it's this beautiful home and he's got like the half a rink with with three chill, Berkey, and a basketball court.

And I mentioned like the pond and it's gorgeous. And I knock on the door and Grabo opens up and he said, I'll never forget this. He says, Jeff, welcome to the house Berkey built. Do you have a memory of Mikhail Grabovsky? I like gravel. I made them all take small numbers, lower numbers. So I made the deal for Phil Kessler. I told him 35 and below our cup team.

The highest number on that team was 35. And like like Getzi and Paris, they wanted high numbers. I said, no, you got to take lower numbers. When the twins came to Vancouver, I made him take 22 and 33. Yeah, got to Anaheim. to to take a lower number as well. So I said, okay, I gave in. So we had five higher numbers within a week. And still to this day burns my ass. So we did it that way. What number would you have cared?

What number he ended up taking? Or did it just that? Anything under 35. One of the goals had to be 35. The other one had to be one or 30. See, once upon a time, like a younger Jeff would have said, Oh, Poppycock. But you know what?

I love seeing maybe it's just a novelty now. I love seeing lower numbers on players, but would you go as far as to saying the single digits are for defensemen and the double digits are for forwards? Well, the problem there was Scott Niemeyer was wearing 27 and a half. So I would have, if I thought it through back in the day, if I'd become a GM 30 to a a a a a a a a

a perverted a little bit but that's what I would have done I would have stuck with it but I didn't think of it in other vision or the guts. There's no thing of it in the guts to make guys do it. We got a bunch more here really quick so Jake submits this one hello sir I was curious about your thoughts on Sackick and Forsberg over your term as general manager have any good stories or times you were just shaking your head watching these two like Peter Forsberg's flat-out full stop one of my favorite players of all time and how do you not love Joe Sackett a thought on these two Berkey from your time well the Peter Forsberg people don't mention this enough he was

a very physical guy oh yeah he initiated he started the reverse hit not started terrorized first guy ever saw do it but pure Forsberg mastered the reverse hit and the thing in Norway or whatever the breakaway, the shootout move. Oh, yeah. The one on Kray Hirsch, Lillaham. Talk about what an intense competitor he was and what a vicious competitor he was. This guy played it hard. I loved Peter Forsberg as a player. I loved him this whole career. And Joe Sackett was just a quintessential great player, great playmaker, great shooter, great, great teammate, great guy. So it was awesome to watch them both. Do we have some civilians breaking in, Berkey?

Yeah, I got some civilians breaking in. They got to go. I'm in their space. Oh, we got a little bit of time left. He can... Are you like... There's a sign on the door that says like wine club or something like that. Are you in a wine cellar, Berkey door that says like wine club or something like that.

Are you in a wine cellar, Berkey? No, I'm in a restaurant. I'm at the Capitol Grill. You're on the move? We're on the move. Hang on. All right, all right. We'll see where we're going.

This is the action shot of Brian Burke progressing through the restaurant. He's been booted out of the wine cellar and he's making his way to a quiet place in Beacon Hill here at this lovely establishment where he can regale us all with great stories about netminders who played, I don't even think he got a dozen games in, players like Martambro Shu and looks like he's frozen right now. So we'll get to him in a couple of moments when we reconnect with Berkey. As we mentioned he's on the move. Once he unfreezes we'll get him back here. We got a couple of really interesting questions that we're gonna get to when Berkey comes back including one here about... man people still ask about this one. There's a fascinating story attached to it as well. 1992 and, oh, here we go.

We have you back, Berkey, where'd you go? Where'd they put you? I moved to a restaurant. The cellar's being real nice. Oh, okay. So a nice civilian. I'm in another room in the wine cave at the Capital Grill. Well, open up a nice bottle of Cabernet and and get

ready for this question. So Mark Feldman Berkey submits this one. I have a question for Berkey. In 1992 he is credited with canceling the brass bonanza. Curious how, why, and how did the fans react? If I remember correct, I was the ripe old age of two months. So a two month old Mark Feldman, when you canceled the brass bonanza. What's the backstory on this one with Hartford? I just knocked over a place setting. Not easy, folks.

Not easy being Ryan Burr. Yeah, no, being Ryan Burke. Yeah, no it's tough. Five star restaurants for lunch every day, yeah it's tough. So we got to Hartford and I asked the players, what's one thing you would like to change here? The way we warm up, anything like that. And one of our captains, who is a current NHL GM, I won't name him but he's in Anaheim, the a wonderful song, but the players felt it was minor league and American hockey they'd like,

and we should get rid of it. So I got rid of it. I took the heat for it. I didn't tell anyone for about 10 years, but I got fried for that. As soon as I got fired, as soon as they got fired, I didn't really get fired in Harvard, so they got replaced. But as soon as I stepped aside in Harvard, they replaced it, put it back in. I got fried for that, but it was our players came and asked for it. Yeah so they um the captain in question we're not going to say who it is but his name rhymes with Pat Verbeek then? Sounds a lot like that yes. Oh okay good but we're not going to say who it was who actually sat down. And Patty Verbeek was a great captain for me I loved having him. Yeah.

He scored goals he was a leader I'm not surprised scored goals. He was a leader. I'm not surprised he's doing well as the GM. So I'm not signaling him out. He was representing the player vote, but the players came to Pat said, you're the captain, get Berkey to get rid of this song. So we got rid of it. People hated it. People love that song. They hated what I did. I know questions about it. People still stop me on the street. Why did you order Brass Bonanza? Berkey, Mark Felbin who just wrote in says, I was two months old when you canceled Brass Bonanza, but they grew up to love the song. Mark Felbin, find something else to do. Get a hobby.

His hobby is picking on Brian Burke on Friday afternoons here on the program. Okay, so Harrison Clements writes this one, Hi Mr. Burke, over your time in the NHL, what have been the main benchmarks you've seen that indicate a rebuild will succeed or fail? And here's an interesting one, on that same note, how much luck do you feel is involved in a successful rebuild or retool? You know, luck's, hang on, let me pause on this for one second, Berkey. Luck is one of those things that we never like to talk about because we always, I know I do, I always want to pretend that you can explain things, that this happened because of that, you should have seen this. When in reality, whether it's a game itself or putting a team together, how

much is just flat? I mean, the lottery for the draft is one, but like how much flat out is just luck involved here? A lot. But you can't over time. Lock luck should cancel out. It shouldn't be something you use an excuse or or take for praise if you're lucky over a period of time, because it's like drafting.

Everyone says, oh, Tampa Bay drafted better than anyone else for two or three years. and and So their curricula or certified points that you would use to say to your team, here's our goal for the season. We're gonna try and go drop our goals against 5.2 per game or whatever. You know what? Pause on goal differential for one second. There was that one year, and this was the symbolically

the beginning of the end of that most recent Chicago Blackhawks dynasty. There was that year where Chicago finished first in the conference and Nashville finished eighth. And you looked at this one, you said, okay, well, this is gonna be a steam roll. Like Chicago is gonna roll right over Nashville until you went to the point that you just brought up.

If you look at gold differential five on five was almost identical. And as you know, like in the in the in the postseason, there's no three on three overtime. There's no shootout. That just continues. And there were a lot of people that pointed at that and said it looked like it was going to be a blowout. It wasn't. Nashville ended up winning and we probably could have predicted it.

I'm glad you mentioned that, that very specifically goal differential, because that one has always been for me, and I'm guessing for you too, that one's been a real huge indicator of success or failure for me. Yeah, and you go back to when we won the Cup, we played Vancouver, we beat them four games to one. So history books will look at that series and say we steamrolled the Vancouver Connects and only won one game. One of those games were two, there were two double overtime games in that series. Two double overtime games. Vancouver won one, we won one. Vancouver wins both those, all of a sudden now you're playing for a game five. So there is a great deal of luck involved.

You look at the game when we played Detroit in the conference final, Scott Nienmeier scored a goal. He shot a puck at the net. Nick Lutzer put a stick down on the ice. It hit the stick lying on the ice, bounced over Dominic Hastic, falls in the net. Now we got overtime, Tame Luslany scores, we win the game. If we lose that game, we probably lose the series. So there is luck, but not over time. Over time, good teams are good. A few more I want to get to here in the chat in a couple of seconds, but I do

want to ask you about a couple more things going on around the NHL right now I mean the Alexander Ovechkin chase continues and it seems like every you know every game There's a new stat or something new that he's done So he scores last night the only goal of the game 1-0 Washington beats Ottawa and Levi Marillanin Levi Marillanin gives up the lone goal. So now Ovechkin has scored on his 179th goaltender, breaking the old record of 178 held by Yaramir Yager. I know a couple of weeks ago we talked about Ovechkin and you talked about how you like how excited he is

when his teammates score. You know I went and had a look at you know the numbers of goaltenders that Wayne Gretzky scored against and the top 10 you know it's Richard Bredour, Mike Lioud, Kirk McLean, Don Bopre, Greg Millen you know two of the three were Vancouver Canucks that was the the the smite division it was a different era and we had a question earlier this week and you're way more qualified to discuss it than I am and that is somewhere along the along the way the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference sort of changed how they played hockey where the

East was a little bit looser and the West was bigger and tighter checking. I have no idea why that happened or how that happened. Do you have any idea why, Berkey? I think a lot of it was a couple it's a copycat league when a couple teams got bigger, when we got bigger, all they got bigger right away. I think there seems it's a copycat league when a couple teams got bigger when we got bigger all they got bigger right away. Yeah I think there seems that it's a copycat league and I think team said, okay It's an arms race all of a sudden and I'm saying it started before us. I'm not I'm not taking credit for it But you go back and a team adds a heavyweight

All of a sudden that team has to add a heavyweight. So the team adds a second tough guy So I never liked one guy. I never liked having one guy who fights too lonely a job and of teams has gotten bigger and uglier on purpose, by intention. So I see it going back that way a little bit now. I think the West is getting a little bigger again. Yeah. Um, from the... Okay, I want to ask you this one. So Coach Rausch in the chat said this.

Berkey said this a few weeks ago, and it's my new favorite line. So this is, he's quoting you, Berkey. Quote, I love Harry Sinden. He's a great guy and I love talking to him but I got one hand on my wallet when I do. Like that's a great line. That's hilarious and you've had a bunch of these. One of the things I keep hearing about these Friday shows that we do is I just like I love hearing Brian talk. He's got great lines. He always makes me laugh. I don't think I've ever asked you this one before, Bricky. Who makes you laugh? Who makes me laugh? Neil Smith. Neil Smith is one of the funniest guys

I've ever seen in my life. And he does classic impersonations. He can impersonate anyone. He used to do the Prof. He used to do Gary Bettman. He used to do Jimmy G better than Jimmy DeVolano. So Neil Smith is one. Doug Armstrong is a funny guy. And he and George McPhee would be one and two, I'd'd say as far as making me laugh. Doug Armstrong has a wonderful sense of humor. He show he doesn't show it as much as you'd like him to show. He's got a great sense of humor and George McPhee he's just a holl. Um I've uh I've made the point before speaking to George McPhee that pound for pound, he's either the toughest or certainly one of the toughest players to ever

play in the national hockey league. Agree or disagree? Agree. He fought everybody and he beat most of them. He got draws against guys who give him 30, 40 pounds away. Fought out of his weight class all the time, tough as nails and fearless. the educated, calm most of the time, but then he got in a fight with a coach, remember? Yeah, Lauren Mullican. So that was Chicago Columbus. I mean, I love George. I think George is one of the best guys in the game. I have all day, all the time in the world for George Mufi. Okay, one more as we leave you here this Friday afternoon to get back to your lunch. You're in Boston. What's this weekend looking like for you? One more as we leave you here this Friday afternoon to get back to your lunch. What's this, you're in Boston,

what's this weekend looking like for you? Set the table for what Brian Burke has when you say goodbye to all of us here. Well, I came here for a meeting with the PWH Elson business, not with them, but with a potential broadcast partner. And then I'm going to a game tonight at Boston College, Providence College, my alma mater is playing

at Boston College, so I'm gonna go see them play and then they play again tomorrow night at PC at Providence. So I'm gonna see a game tonight, we're taking a bus down, see a game tomorrow night and then I'll come back on Sunday, so I'm excited. I haven't seen my old team play probably in seven or eight years now.

So would you go and talk to the team then? No, not unless the coach asks me to, no. Okay, how often do you get back to Providence College? How often do you visit? Well, when I was, it used to be a gym, I'd get there more often, so I did more scouting. Since I left the gym, ranks less, so probably once about eight, seven, eight years ago,

that'd be it. Yeah, you know, I was thinking of you yesterday. Doug McLean was here, and you know, you talked about the brass bon, eight years ago, that'd be it. Yeah, you know, it's, I was thinking of you yesterday. Doug McLean was here and, you know, you talked about the brass bonanza a second ago. He was talking about the Canon and the origins of the Canon because the Canon features prominently in the Stadium Series jersey for the Blue Jackets. And he said today, like this morning, he was having coffee with Dale Tallon, Ron Hextall and Jeff Rimmer. So we'll close on this one. What do you think that conversation sounded like? Ron Hextall, Dale Talon, Jeff Rimmer,

Doug McLean. I don't talk much when I have breakfast with Dale Talon. I left him out. He's one of the funniest guys ever met. He can tell stories all day. And I tell a decent and Towney's a great guy. And who's the other guy? Jeff Rimmer? Jeff Rimmer, yeah. Play-by-play voice Columbus. Great booster of the Columbus Blue Jackets. What a voice for his team. Yeah. And I hate the cannon. I hate the cannon, Jeff. Listen, Doug McLean did. I think it was his final act as manager. The Booster Club wanted it, and I think he wanted to punish everybody in Columbus that was going to turf him. He okayed the budget for the cannon. I think that was his final

his final missive towards Columbus was green lighting the cannon. It's been 30 years right? You know it's coming. They squirreled. You know it's coming and still makes you jump. Drives me nuts. You'd think an intelligent guy would get used to it but you don't. It still gets you every time. Still a surprise. Just like we all know that the past two of Etchkin, Carlson to Etchkin is coming. He's sitting up in the same spot, he hasn't moved and he still scores. Everybody knows it's coming. Listen, enjoy your weekend, enjoy your meal at Beacon Hill there and we'll talk to you in seven days. Have fun at the the Friars games this weekend.

Thanks for having me on, Jeff. There he is, the great Brian Burke for all you civilians joining us every Friday here on the program. Had a little walk and talk there with Burkee Zach a couple of seconds ago as he made his way through the restaurant. What did it say on that door that was behind Burkee? Did it say like wine club or wine cellar or something? Like did you just like pull up in like a wine closet Burkee something like that. Did you just pull up in a wine closet, Berky, to do that today?

Okay, so Berky texted me right before the show and goes, driving there will be close. And I was like, driving there? That's what right is we're going live. I'm like, driving there? What does that mean? And then I see him on the camera I see obviously before everyone else I see him like he's in a wine room what's going on? And then Jeff listen to this I don't know if you caught this in the chat wish unless it's a parody but it is wish in there when he's walking he goes am I high and J rock replies I feel like you ask that every morning that was fun do you like that martin Bro shoe story? Now, I've heard Berkey tell that story,

the Mike Mulberry story about the botched trade. Now, the owner stepped in and said, yeah, you're not trading Garcino to the Vancouver Canucks. And it left Berkey. I've heard him tell that story. And you gotta get him sort of deeper in the evening when he just like, just starts chewing and spitting and just like the F-bomb start coming out

about how the actual conversation went down between Berkey and and Mike Mulberry, but you know, he's at a nice restaurant I'm sure he doesn't want to put any salt on his tongue upset anyone try to have a nice lunch But I've heard I've heard that story before Zach and it's a it can get pretty pretty salty It's like when Patrick Burke was on with us earlier on like a couple of was a month ago or two months ago and he was saying like you know like it sounds like everybody hates each other when they talk to each other on the phone in the NHL. It's like oh no no we're best of friends. Oh like that's just like this just or when like Burke or did Burke Jr. picked up Big Brian's

phone, Big Burke's phone, Glenn Sather started spitting at him. Oh hi Patrick. Oh yeah sorry about that. So yeah tell your dad that I it's just the way that everybody I think used to talk I'm sure it's more civil now Than it ever used to be but I remember When I used to work with bill waters and we used to do the leafs lunch show at 6 40 And I remember we were sitting around the office and he'd get a call from whomever And like the minute he picked up the phone it'd be like Talon or Rutherford or something like that. And I swear, like they wanted to kill each other.

And they're like, okay bud, both talked to you in 10 days or talked to you in seven, it's just like, you just spent like five hours like hardcore destroying each other and screaming. And then I was like, all right pal, we'll see you at the restaurant. Nah, appetizers are 5.30. It's just, what, what, I'll tell you what, there's another, there's one, see you at the restaurant. Nah, appetizers are 5.30. It's just, he's a good,

what, what? I'll tell you what, there's another, there's one, you wanna hear a good one? Okay, let's go. So there is one, I can't say the name. There's one, there's one current general manager.

And the story that I was told, and this guy is like notorious for when he picks up the phone, just like starts losing it on people. his wife says to him like you need to stop talking like that like that's horrible language that is terrible and he's like what do you mean why do we got to stop because you're not gonna have any friends if you talk to people like they're like no one's gonna like you're not gonna have any friends and in the line of the year He spins around and says f them all but six to carry my coffin if I got six when I'm dead. I'm just fine

That's all I need six. It's all I need F them all but six to carry my coffin Yeah, that's good, that's's good that's a good line anyway okay on that lovely note a couple of things to promote here um i i want to i want that's, it's like civilians for you. F them all with six to carry my coffin. Okay, up close with Stephen Brunt. I want to make sure that we mention this.

So episode two, so episode one was with Keith Peli. That raised some eyebrows at a certain place where I used to work about the nature of what would have happened if they did to get the NHL rights package. That was a news making podcast. That was great, It's a great way to open up by Steven. Episode 2. We played the clip the other day and had Steven on. It's with Adam Copeland, who you'll know better from WWE fame as Edge, Orangeville's own, huge hockey fan. So I finished

listening to it yesterday. It's an awesome podcast. It is fantastic. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. Um, you can watch it on our leafs nation, YouTube channel as well. I highly recommend it. Even if you're not, you don't need to really need to be a pro wrestling fan to enjoy this one. There's a lot of hockey content on it. He talks a lot about hockey on it. Um, but the stuff about growing up, like obviously be blunt, like really poor.

In orangeville and not being able to afford to play hockey. Always wanted to play hockey but his single mom and couldn't afford to put Adam in hockey and he got into to professional wrestling. It's a heartbreaker when he talks about his mom. I'll be honest with you Zach. It's great. The whole podcast is fantastic. Highly encourage you to check that out. So glad that you know we're all sort of collaborating on this same network with Stephen. Up close to Stephen Brun, episode 2 Adam Copeland. And also, and we'll play a clip here, and we'll

come back and talk about the two games on the go around the NHL tonight. Down to Irf with Irfan Ghaffar in conversation with both Mike and Spencer Gillis. Mike, a former agent, Mike a former general manager with the Vancouver Canucks, and Mike an almost executive director of the NHL Players Association. Here's a clip Mike Gillis specifically talking about the late Rick Rippon, this part of Down to Earth, Irf Angafar in conversation with Mike Gillis. Have a look.

I think we're only scratching the surface on mental health issues, particularly in the world of social media and pressures that weren't around 15 years ago that have been growing exponentially. And so the pressure on people that are elite level performers that are in the public domain is even that much more enhanced. And I don't think that a lot of the programs are really progressive in addressing how social media is

disaffecting athletes and people. We went through a really troubling situation with Rick Rippon who we all really liked and admired and was a great teammate and in hindsight I wish we had some tools that are available today, but still you need to get in there and be part of the solution in the most profound way you can be. Sometimes that's hard to figure out, but I do think there's a lot of room left to understand the issues and address them appropriately. Down to Irf with Irf and Gaffar in conversation with Mike and Spencer Gillis. If you're not familiar with Spencer,

actually we should have Spencer on the show, we should have Mike on the show. Spencer is an agent, has his own company and represents amongst other athletes, Sarah Fillier of the New York Sirens of the PWHL. He has a whole stable of athletes in the PWHL that's become sort of a where he's got his foot in the door and doing some really great work there. So very much looking forward to that conversation. You can by the way get that podcast wherever you

get your podcasts or get it on the Canucks Army YouTube channel. So check those two podcasts out. Steven Brunt up close, interview with Adam Copeland and Down to Earth with Irrfan Ghaffar, both Mike and Spencer Gillis. There you go. Okay, elsewhere really quickly here, let's get to the games on the go around the NHL tonight. There are exactly two.

This brought to you by FanDuel. Proud to connect fans to the major sports moments that matter to them. It's like Feast or Fam in the NHL with schedules as we know. It's Friday, not so much. Wednesday they're just a couple for a national light. There's a bonanza on Tuesday, a bonanza on Thursday. Saturday is Saturday, specifically in Canada, and it is what it is.

So the Pittsburgh Penguins facing off against Buffalo Sabres at Key Bank Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins, of course, most recently waving and he cleared Tristan Jarre, netminder down to Wulx Berry, and the Vegas Golden Knights facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes. Freddie Anderson, Zach, has been activated from IR. Dustin Tkarski sent down to AHL Chicago after Carolina Dustin Takarski Was he fourth? Wrong with the Buffalo Sabres last year and then couldn't make it with Ottawa and then into and then ends up Carolina Hurricanes end up losing to the Buffalo Sabres

Anyway, he's down to AHL Chicago Piotr Kachetkov gets to start tonight for Vegas and Carolina anything spicing your chili here today Zach I Mean normally honestly Jeff. Yes tonight Not so much tonight is like tune in tune out might try to go play some pond hockey the biggest thing that I'm gonna be looking for here is Vegas Carolina just given the two teams and here is Vegas, Carolina, just given the two teams and a return of Freddy Anderson. But like, I wish I could add something special or like fun to what you just said. I don't got anything.

There's two games here, man. I look in at Vic, what he said in the chat, the Nick Alberg is that 51 games this week, 41 on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Yes, I know. Alberg is great with that stuff, man. He's awesome. Look, Pittsburgh Buffalo, it's the, well, Saturday. Yes, I know. I'll burgers great with that stuff, man. He sees he's awesome. Look, Pittsburgh Buffalo. It's the well, someone has to win cup.

And as far as Vegas, Carolina, it could be a preview of Stanley Cup. So maybe spread that way. I'm off to the CIA center tonight in Brampton to go see the steelheads and the Owen Sound attack. So I'll have a full scouting report on Porter Martone. I'm going to be like that guy that sees one prospect one game and then makes up his mind. I remember, I'll tell you what, I'll tell you my favorite story about that. I remember this would have been what year? It was the year that your Toronto

Maple Leafs took Yuri Tolusti and the guy they really wanted was Brian Little. And I went to St. Mike's so St. Mike's was facing off against the Barry Colts, because Little was playing for the Colts. And I remember I was standing beside a Maple Leaf scout, and we were shooting the shit and blah blah blah blah blah. And like halfway through the first period, he folds his book and he goes, well, I'm leaving. And I go like, where are you going?

Like we're at Bathurst in St. Clair. There's like no other games that you would want to see. Like sometimes a scale will stay for one period here, two there, and then hustle somewhere else. You got like, where are you going to go? Like right in the heart of Toronto, like still going to be like an hour or whatever to up Oshawa. If you're going to go see a general's game or like what?

And he's like, nope, my general manager just walked in. He's gonna see one game of Brian Little and he's gonna make up his mind. I've watched this kid for four years, but it doesn't matter, because my manager is gonna watch him for one game and then totally make up his, I'm gonna be that guy. I'm gonna go, I mean, I've seen Porter Martone, but just for the purposes of this conversation, I'm gonna watch Porter Martone for one game and then totally make up his I'm gonna be that guy I'm gonna go I mean I've seen Porter Martone but just for purposes this conversation I'm gonna

watch Porter Martone for one game and to come back with a full scouting of pork so all it comes down to what he's gonna do against Owen Sound in the OHL tonight Zach how about that yeah maybe the find that irresponsible make or break I don't know I saw we're gonna push the narrative Monday. Yeah, just hammer it, just hammer it. Anything from you before we wrap up? What are you cooking this weekend? Saturday night, Montreal Leafs. I will be doing Leafs Nation After Dark

and I will be joined by none other than the golden muzzy Nick Elberg on the post game show. You can find that over on the Leafs Nation YouTube channel. So please come join us over there. You want me to hit you with something quickly before we leave if you've got a minute? Yeah, I do. What you got?

I just got to go sharpen my kids' skates, but that's good. Okay. I saw this before we came on. Coach Chippy, breaking the St. John's Seedogs. I've named Coach Chippy as the 12th head coach in team's history. What did you think about that? I think that's fun.

So first of all, St. John's Seedogs always do stuff like this. So can you pop that back up again? So on the left-hand side, like to the to the right of Coach Chippy, camera left, that's Trevor Georgie. So Trevor is, he used to be the general manager of the team. He is now the team president and works with the parent company as well. When you talk about young executives, that are sort of like the next wave

of young executives in hockey, in the NHL, front and center is, for a lot of people, is Trevor Georgie. So the team is owned by Scott McCain of McCain Fries. You like your fries? Get your McCain fries, cheap plug there for McCain. They're always doing stuff like this. Like he'll do like pro wrestling themed nights.

Like he's one of the more innovative, he has like a really strong sports marketing background and a really creative. He's got one of these, he's one of these guys has like a lot of creative bones in his body and he's always thinking about stuff like that. When I saw that today, I was like, that is so Trevor Georgie. And one day Zach, that guy is gonna be like a manager

of an NHL team, again, if he wants it, him and McCain do a lot of outside hockey work as well. But Trevor, Trevor George, it didn't surprise me because that's just the guy and the thinker that Trevor George is. And I got to tell you, we were talking about Pavel Barber yesterday. Yeah. Coach Shippey made this career out of YouTube videos and that's right, more Instagram and TikTok, right? And all the kids watch and NHL players watch it too. It's so good. And he cranks out the Leafs ones after every and they're all home runs. They're all funny

They're all edited really well. He's such a dynamic guy He's hilarious like I've had parents come up to me and say hey, do you see the latest coach Chippy? I'm like you're in your 50s. You show me coach Chippy video Yeah, it's true. The guy's awesome. My uncle, unfortunately is a Habs fan. After the Leafs lose every year, he sends me the coach Chippy videos. Whatever Chippy puts out, I've gotten it.

I've gotten it for like five straight years now. A Chippy video. After losing round one. I'm like, thanks. Thanks. Yeah. Not surprised. Good on the St. John's Seedogs for doing that one.

He'll make his debut tonight against Charlottetown, the Islanders, and become the first content creator to coach a game in CHL hockey. Attaboy, Trevor. Attaboy, Trevor Georgie. All right, thanks to Brian Burke, Burke as always for stopping by on Fridays. The sheet going off the air on behalf of Zach Phillips, on behalf of everybody here at the Nation Network.

You know the schedule by now. Monday morning, morning cup of hockey, 9 o'clock Eastern and then noon for DFO Live and then right here 3 o'clock. That is your sort of network programming day and whether it's the Karrison Price, whether it's Barnburner, whether it's Soilers Nation every day like there's tons to get and everything that Zach's involved in of course tons to get to here so while you're here take a good sample around I think you'll be impressed as I've always said I'll put it up against any any broadcaster no one's doing hockey better than what we're

doing here at the Nation Network. We're back Monday, three o'clock Eastern, noon Pacific. The sheet returns. So we'll talk to you in a couple of days. Have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy the two tonight and then the million games on the week. Talk to you later. I was keen hours last night, every day this week, every day this month

I can't get out my head, lost all ambitions day to day Guess I can call it a ride I went to the dark man, he tried to give me a little medicine I'm like nah man that's fine I'm not against those methods but I knew It's me, myself and how this gon' be fixed in my mind I do wanna break it I turned on the music I do wanna break it I turned on the music Thanks for watching!