The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Crunch Time ft. Robert Thomas & Erin Ambrose

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

Jeff Marek is joined by Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues and Erin Ambrose of the Montreal Victoire. Discussing the Blues playoff race, the angst around the trade deadline, Rob's development as a player, the success of the second year of the PWHL, the Victoire's dominance, and much more...Shout out to our sponsors!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼 Tim Hortons: https://www.timhortons.ca/rollupReach 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.

If you will indulge me and welcome to the program, everybody watching on YouTube in the chat, maybe listening on your favorite podcast platform, welcome to the program. If you will indulge me to kick off the show today, once again, and I swear I'm not going to lead the witness, I'm just going to ask a couple of questions to Zach Phillips, who will be on his way to Nashville tomorrow, traveling with Nick Elberg. I know he's looking forward to that. Here is what I'd like to ask. Where did you play your minor hockey? York Simcoe Express.

Okay. And our guests today are Aaron Ambrose and Robert Thomas. We'll start with Aaron first from PWHL Montreal. Le Victoire. Where did Aaron Ambrose play her minor hockey in OMHA? That would be the York Simcoe Express. Okay, alright. And Robert Thomas, point-per-game player, St. Louis Blues, where did he play his minor hockey in the OMHA? I believe that would be the York Simcoe Express. Okay. So what is your booking strategy for the day? So we should expect Connor McDavid and Sam Bennett and Warren Fogel and Quentin Byfield

and Chris Cherney. You just tell me, Daniel Sweep maybe, former tough guy for the Owen Sound Attack. You just tell me where I should stop here. Dan Catanacci, former drafted by the Buffalo Sabre thing. He plays junior, Sault Ste. Marie, Downey. You just let me know where you want to stop. Is this going to be a hot and cold running YSC show for the next YSC alumni?

Quinton Byfield. Yes, New Hook. Yeah, yeah, keep going. Barclay Goodrow, maybe I think he played YSC as well. So that's pretty good. I think so. Okay, yeah, keep going. Barclay Goodrow, maybe, I think he played YSC as well. I think so. Okay, very good, Zach. All right. Listen, while I got you here, as I mentioned, Robert Thomas is going to be coming up here

in a couple of moments. Also Aaron Ambrose from the Montreal Victoire. One thing, Philly, that I wanted to get to early, and let me make sure that they tee this up properly. So coming out of the general manager's meetings, one of the more profound and emotional things coming out of it was Tom Fitzgerald, New Jersey Delfos general manager, whose son was cut with a skate,

which is always difficult to discuss and the visuals are always frightening. This is all under the umbrella of what happened a couple of years ago in England with Adam Johnson and we all think back to 1989 with Clint Mallarchuk and then 2008 with Richard Zedek etc. And we've seen plenty of skate cuts as well. An interesting story on Sabres Live with Brian Duff and Marte and Biron, who by the way are just outstanding studio people for the Buffalo Sabres. Like

the Sabres are blessed with a lot of good things. As we mentioned yesterday, we kind of pinata them a little bit, but they got really good things around. And Duff and Biron are two of them. Throw Dandaandelion and Rob Ray in there too. So on Sabres Live, they brought up a really interesting point, Marty Baron did, about resistant sock technology and Josh Anderson. All right? This is stunning.

I'm just gonna turn the recreation over to a clip here from Sabres Live. This is Marty Baran talking about Josh Anderson and Shane Pinto in that Montreal Ottawa game yesterday. Here we go. Incredible that this was the first time in his career that Josh Anderson wore cut resistant socks. He had never worn cut resistant socks in his career and somehow they've been educating the players to wear that. You got Tom Fitzgerald the GM of the New Jersey Devils pleading for the league to mandate cut resistance neck protection wrist protection and socks because Casey Fitzgerald, former Sabres got a cut to the neck this year playing in the AHL. So as a fodder and as

a GM he says this is what we need to do. So all of these put together Josh Anderson says you know what I'm going to try these socks the last few days. He decides to wear them and it saved the season. Maybe saved his career. Boy, I mean, I don't even know where to begin on this one. First of all, this was, so last year, speaking of minor hockey, my oldest kid, sorry, my 2010, got cut on the wrist. Just went into a corner with a guy, hit him and the kid's foot came up and slashed his wrist. Went to think anything of it and he's going to the bench and he's kind of looking at his wrist and we get there. He gets to the bench and all of a sudden they realize, oh man, he's been cut on the wrist. So hearing Tom Fitzgerald speak

earlier this week about it, that resonated with me as a hockey dad and hearing Marty Baran talk about Josh Anderson, just like thank God that he put the socks on, because you look at Pinto's skate digging into his Achilles. And I think we're all on the same page that Eric Carlson hasn't been the same player since Matt Cook sliced the Achilles with that unfortunate incident in the Pittsburgh-Ottawa game. And it just goes to show you, like, the players now are you know big strong fast blades are going all over the place that it's not just throat cuts it's also wrist it's also Achilles it's all over just above the knee we've seen players sliced as well

and I know Philly that players don't like being told what to wear like they don't like being told this is what I wear and this is this is it not for Adam Johnson's we guys threw on Neck guards and have subsequently taken them off Some still do but it is it's it's still it's still pretty rare and I understand the players Push back because they want to wear what's comfortable what I think is lost in all of this and I was saying this on the what's chaos What chaos podcast earlier on today? with DJ Bean and the great, the great, the great. I think that he's, I just call him Black Bean, like Blackie and

have you ever heard that before? Pete Blackburn and DJ Bean, I just call him Black Bean. It's Black Bean podcast. Anyway, the point that I was trying to make, I was making it earlier is the one thing that's left out of the conversation are the fans. The fans that have to see this. Right? It's not this isn't just about the players and I think about Malarchuk in 89 in that game and he came back like two weeks later to play and he's talked about how he wasn't mentally prepared for it wasn't emotionally prepared for it but he wanted to get back in the game actually told me one of the stories that Clint mentioned to me years ago you know this is all the era before cell phones right before texting guys and there he

said they're playing against the St. Louis Blues and they're doing the pregame lap and going around and around and he sees Steve Tuttle who is the guy that sliced his throat and he's they're about to skate towards each other and Tuttle has this look on his face like I'm so sorry I don't know what to say and Malarchuk was trying to figure out a way to break the tension and break the mood and he's approaching Todd little and he comes up to me he says geezdle your cutthroat man and like just like totally dissolved all the part But like a couple of things from that too like Jim Pizzitelli was the the trainer for the Buffalo Sabres at the time Vietnam

Medic and it's a good thing it happened when it did early in that game in the first period Because Pizzitelli is right there in the first period He He's able to get to Malarchuk, put pressure on the neck and stop the bleeding and essentially save his life. We'd all hate to think of what would have happened if that would have been the second period and Pizzitelli wasn't able to get to Malarchuk as quickly as he did. Would we still be here saying that Malarchuk was in a place to say, hey, tuttle your cutthroat? Probably not. And one of the things that I think of is all those people that had to watch live in Buffalo and had to watch on television. Nobody wants

to see that. And I think that gets lost in this conversation as well. That nobody needs to, you shouldn't have to go to therapy after watching a hockey game our accidents gonna happen. Yes, absolutely Our injuries gonna happen. Of course injuries gonna happen. This is a really big tough strong violent game. I get it But I don't think it is much of an ask considering how Catastrophic it can be and we do have evidence of it and even just Josh Anderson last night in that Montreal Ottawa game to ask the players to put on neck guards

Anyhow speaking of players Aaron Ambrose aboard and Robert Thomas aboard you have a thought on that one Philly I Agree a hundred percent. I was wearing the cut resistant socks like as soon as you could wear them The rest stuff wasn't a thing. Uh, I don't think when I was playing yet, so like that protection wasn't there. It might've started coming in when I was like wrapping up, but that was kind of it. If it was there, probably would've worn it then probably should wear it now to be honest, but I agree. It's one of those things where it's like, if you can reduce the risk of it, you

should be doing that it like, this it, you should be doing that. Like, this is something you should be doing. You know, it's not like something that can be completely eliminated, but you can do your best, you can do your part to make sure it doesn't happen so often or as extreme. Why would this not just be common amongst players and leagues all the way through whatever age group it is? I get that players don't like to be told what to do and what to wear and they're comfortable with what they're comfortable with

and this is how they make their living. I just want to point out that nobody needs to see that in a hockey game. Anyhow, on that cheery note, welcome to the program. Daily Outlines presented by our friends and partners at FanDuel. This is what's coming up on your program today. We remind you, make every moment more

with North America's number one sports book, that is FanDuel. So coming up on the program today, we've got a number of things to go over on the show and a pretty interesting, you know, last day at the NHL General Manager's meetings in Florida. We'll get to some of those in a couple of moments. We will get to some of your emails

at thesheet at nationnetwork.com. In the meantime Robert Thomas from the St. Louis Blues will join us here in a second. Can the Blues actually do this? The surging Blues also Aaron Ambrose, a tough one last night they lose to Boston in a shootout that is the Montreal Victoire. Aaron Ambrose the defending defender of the Year in the PWHL will stop by. The playoff picture, clear as mud, although congratulations Montreal Canadiens. Right now, the only Canadian team not in a playoff spot,

Calgary. And it's probably gonna be either Calgary or Vancouver. Right? Maybe? St. Louis? Some of your emails at thesheet.nationnetwork.com. A couple of interesting ones, including one about colored ice. And you know that that hits me where I live, Philly. So we're going to get to that here in a couple of moments.

Where do you want to begin before Robert Thomas joins us? I want to talk about Stankoven first. Perfect. Because that's the big thing that's been happening. I saw them on What Chaos? Talking with those boys. I saw Matt Larkin had an article come out on DFO so I want to get your thoughts on all that, especially considering you were the one who had the inside track on everything that was going on between Carolina and Dallas. That was an interesting time. Okay so Matt Larkin, and I really encourage

everyone to go read this at our website, Matt Larkin did an interview with Logan Stankhoven. The trade from Dallas hurt Logan Stankhoven, but the excitement in Carolina trumps it. Like I'm cheering for Logan Stankhoven. I know that he probably thought he was going to be a Dallas star for life. You know, I don't know that Jim Neal necessarily wanted to move any of the kids off this team, the Borks, Bichelles, and in this case Logan Stankhoven as well. But when you have someone like Mika Rantanen who's being offered to you and is willing to sign a contract extension, all of a sudden, best laid plans of mice and men.

But in this interview, and I just want to show you a couple of passages from it. Some really interesting quotes from Logan Stankhoven about how surprised he was. Stankhoven, I was definitely pretty shocked leading up to the deadline. I don't know if you had seen or not but our general manager Jim Nill was pretty confident in his words saying, quote, our young guys are kind of untouchable and quote, not really gonna trade them or put them on the trading block. So hearing that as a younger guy, you feel pretty secure and safe, but that wasn't the case.

Hockey's a business and in his point of view, you're trying to make the team as best as possible and you want to try and win the Stanley Cup. Winning is all that matters, right? So I was definitely shocked by the trade, but I couldn't be happier now being in Carolina. It's been great so far. I've really enjoyed myself. Wow! That is always, always interesting when you go back at the, at the, your former team's general manager like that by saying, you know, I kind of thought that Nil was gonna make sure that everybody who was a kid was gonna be off-limits. I

understand Jim Nils position in this as well. There's only so many chances you get to bring in someone like Mikko Rantinen. And whereas you know, you go into trade deadline, you're not planning on moving Bork, you're not planning on moving Lee and Bachel. You're not planning on moving in this case, Logan Stankhoven. But man, how do you go back to your fan base and say we had a chance to get Mikko Rantanen and we passed it up with all due respect because we didn't want to move Logan Stankhoven And you don't know who Logan Stankhoven is gonna turn into but still

That's that's that's a tough spot for Jim Nill to be in I'm sure they're going in the deadline. He didn't want to touch any of those kids Just do it with other players and draft picks essentially. He traded a couple of draft picks as well as part of that, first rounders, as well as part of that deal. But I don't think that he had any desire going into deadline to move any of those kids. You have a thought on Stankhoven saying, our GM said he wasn't going to move us, but here I am in Carolina.

Yeah. I mean, it's a pretty honest response. I'm kind of glad that you get to hear that kind of stuff. Again, it's like what I tell you, you want the players to and people in the league to speak freely and tell us honest answers and then when they do a lot of times people are like, I can't believe the guy said that. But this is one I can believe it. I think it's good. Yeah, this makes sense. Like this is good. Good for good for him for saying that. It's

probably true as well considering like he did come out and basically say, yep, we're not moving these guys. That was basically everything we had heard. And then all of a sudden, Rantanen is being moved again. Probably pretty shocking to have that happen when you've kind of, I mean, I can't say for certainty, but you've probably been told you're going to be here forever. We want you here forever. So to find out all of a sudden. The whole organization adored this guy. Like trust me like the respect and love for Logan Stankovic. Dallas was deep. This could not have been an easy decision for Jim Neal whatsoever. I would have I would have loved to have been in the room when they had the conversation about moving Logan Stankovic. That would have been an interesting one.

And then finding out via Twitter definitely is a Probably not the way you want to do it, but probably more common nowadays than what it normally was so that's yeah Because I'll tell you what like everybody who's in the NHL now have all been part of like when there are kids that trade that line Finding out about trades of NHL is before they got to the NHL. So anyhow, speaking of players, we got one of the NHL's best joining us right now. He is Robert Thomas from the St. Louis Blues. He joins me on the sheet. Robert, first of all, thanks so much for stopping by. I know you just probably finished practice and you're hopping on with me right now. So Aaron Ambrose is going to be joining next. Zach Phillips is my producer. So this is your Simcoe Express Day on the sheet here with yours truly. Before we get into the NHL, memories of playing YSE and if you have a story or two about Zach

Phillips, go for it. Oh geez, that's a long time ago. Obviously I'm so pumped he's on the show with you now. You know, such a great guy. And obviously we've had a good relationship since junior Jeff and couldn't be better and happy you guys are rocking the show. So we've had a lot of good memories. I don't even know where to start.

Let me ask you this. Okay. You're not a hockey player right now, Robert Thomas. You are a scout. Okay. So like put on a black shirt and a black jacket and get a bad cup of coffee in your hands and give me the scouting report on young Zach Phillips, my producer.

Zach Phillips, I would say responsible player, two-way guy, good stick, could make plays too. Hell, it was always in the right areas. That's what, that's what read my scouting report. Good guy in the room. Great guy in the room. They don't flood the room. Yeah. No.

Thanks so much for hopping on today. First of all, here's the question we're all asking about your team. Can you guys do this? Like give us the vibe in the room here. It's a really cool story. The perico injury is really unfortunate and horrible timing, but what's the mood in the room?

And obviously you guys think you can do it. There's a belief there, but give us the temperature of the room right now. Yeah, this year's been kind of up and down for us. You know, we obviously had a coaching change early in the year. We battled a bunch of injuries and, you know, we had a bunch of new guys come in and, so it takes a little bit of time to adapt. You know, once we made the coaching change,

we felt like we were playing really good hockey. We just weren't able to find a way to win or they would score with, you know, a minute left and we'd lose. So our results were kind of based on how we felt like we were playing. You know, we went into the break, came out, obviously Colton and Benner had a great Four Nations tournament. Benner came back. He's been unbelievable for us.

And we just kind of found this little mojo and the things that we were doing before the break. We're turning into results and now we're just, we got a ton of momentum and we feel great. And the belief's always been in our room with how good we are and how good we can be. And now everyone's seeing it. You know, you mentioned Four Nations.

I mean, it's such a galvanizing tournament for everybody. And just an absolute home run for the NHL. It was, uh, I would imagine fun to be part of as an NHL are watching it. Like here's the thing that I want to ask you about though. Okay. So we see the two fights off the drought that Kachak brothers, uh, go and okay. So like that's to be expected. What went through your mind when you saw Pareto say?

Okay, I'm gonna do this with JT Miller because he doesn't do this very often at all No, he doesn't but when he does it's He's scary what he does there's something that switches in his head I remember was and he was last year he fought in San Jose and it was right in front of our bench. And I just remember seeing something flick in his eyes and he was, he was terrifying. I didn't want anything to do with him. It's interesting that San Jose and his eyes go roll back in his roll back in his head and he just goes for it. Yeah.

So it was, it was really cool. Um, obviously the nicest guy in the world. But he's got some competitive fire under there. Thoughts on Jordan Bennington in the world. But he's got some competitive fire under there. Thoughts on Jordan Bennington in the tournament? I mean, there was a lot made about him all tournament long. Like I was I was saying the same thing. Like there was always one moment in every game where you're like, Bennington's awesome, awesome, awesome.

But there was that one moment. And then in that final game, he erased all doubt for everybody. Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing is we we've all known it for years. Um, now everyone knows that is in those big moments, he always comes through and he always steps up and rises to the occasion. And, um, yeah, I think everyone saw it in that final game. Some of the huge saves he had that kept the game close and ultimately led him to the win in overtime. So, um, he's a special competitor and, um,

I'm glad everyone got to see it. Um, kind of sucks. He's our, he's our secret weapon and the cats are in bag now, but, um, yeah, he's a special player. But players know like everybody in the NHL knows like in the last couple of years, she's been like right in there with the Vezna conversation like players know how good this guy is right? Yeah I think I think everyone knows how good he is I think one thing that people didn't really recognize is how well he played that plays the puck he's like a third defense back there. Now teams aren't

dumping the puck to him and yeah he's something he's really worked on the last couple of years and it helps out our diaton. Someone in the chat saying, ask Robert if Jake Neighbors is going to be a stud. I think he already is. Yeah, he is 100%. You know, he's a guy that he's got a lot more skill than people think. People think of him as a hard worker, checker, all that stuff, but some of these goals he scored this year

and he's really developed in his puck possession. He's making a ton of plays. He's comfortable with the puck. So many things that, I mean, he's still so young and it's still only gonna get way better, but he's a real heartbeat for our team. Let me ask you about Jim Montgomery. You know, when the coaching change was made,

I don't think that anybody was surprised. I think many of us all thought that eventually Jim Montgomery was gonna end up as a head coach of the St. Louis Blues at some point. We didn't know it was gonna be this quickly, but nonetheless, there it is. What has he meant to you? Like, is there anything specific, like, okay,

this part of my game is different now, or I learned this from Monte. Like what's different Robert, about your game with Monte behind the bench? I think a couple things. You know when I look back when he was an assistant coach, with us he really took a big step with guys like Buchnevich, Kyra, and myself.

He really took it in his arms to really help us and take that next jump. I think a lot of us give him a ton of credit for that. It's different when he's an assistant to a head and he can really take on those challenges and really help us out. So those guys, us three were kind of really comfortable with him in that way.

And I think he just freed up a lot of us in the way we play special myself he's worked a lot of. You know on the two hundred for game being better in the D zone how to. You know i get the tough matchups most nights so how to kind of manage that in. and be on the right side of things and not kind of cheat for offense. So Mies taught me a ton, obviously as an assistant coach and now as a head coach and it's been amazing having him back. You know, it's interesting,

you mentioned you get the tough matchups. I think about, you know, whenever I watch St. Louis play, I always think like, man, look at Robert Thomas has in the Western Conference. There's like McDavid and Dreisaitl and McKinnon and Rupe Hins and Mark Shieffley. It it's like there's no nights off free robert none. It's always fun you love the competition you love playing it gets us boys and yeah absolutely i mean helps the preco injury stocks but. obviously the Pranko injury sucks, but having him on the back end, he's an absolute beast

and seeing him in practice every day. And I don't think people like playing against them. He's so fast, strong, and he's got a long stick. And yeah, so that injury has sucked, but at the same time you got Broberg and Falker, you've really stepped up and taken on that role and kept their momentum going. You mentioned Broberg.

What did you make of the offer sheets in the off season? That's like, first of all, from a media point of view, that's ball or move. Like, all right, Army, like that's, here we go. There's some juice in this squeeze. What did you think about it? Yeah, I was really excited. You know, we hadn't played against those two, so I didn't know too much about them.

But whether it's guys you know in Edmonton or guys that played against them in the finals, everyone was raving about those two and just the skill. And you know, when they get a big opportunity, they're ready to take it. And they've been really good for us to say the least. I want to ask you about, life always changes when you become a new parent, take it and they've been really good for us to say the least. I want to ask you about life always changes when you become a new parent, obviously.

You're a new dad. I know your parents are thrilled to be grandparents. How has that, not just as a player, because your rhythms are all different now, I'm sure, but like, how has that changed you as a player? How has that changed you as a person? And congratulations. Yeah, thanks.

Honestly, it's been one of the greatest things. It might sound bad, but I promise you it's a good thing. Your life kind of changes. Your whole life's not hockey. And I think it allows you to have a good balance. You spend your mornings at the rink, you're able to be more focused on it. And when you get away from the game, we're able to kind of reset a little bit

and spend some time with the family and it gets your mind off things. And it makes you perform better and have a different perspective on kind of whether it's issues or the way things are handled and stuff like that. And I think it just matures you quickly and it's been an amazing year and yeah, it just keeps on getting better.

So there's not like in the back of your mind, you're not saying yourself, you know, if she's a right hand shot, we add 15% to the contract. Let's make sure she shoots right on. Is there, is there some hockey dad popping out yet Robert Thomas Definitely whether it's we had a hockey or sports dad. I'm already thinking of You know you're in the summertime your tee times and teeing it up with her So there's there's lots of things we're always thinking of you know, right my wife Jen played hockey growing up as well. So there's definitely going to be hockey in there somewhere. That's awesome.

You know, the last couple of days has been really warm here and like we're living in the same area. It's been really warm here. And so everything's melting and you know, the rink in my backyard is pretty much done and all the pucks are emerging from all over the backyard, right? You know, that vibe is like, and you know, Scott's picked in my backyard is pretty much done and all the pucks are emerging from all over the backyard. Right, you know what that vibe is like. And you did that. Scott's picked up pucks in the backyard

for a number of years. What was that backyard rink like for you? And who else did you share that ice with? Yeah, you know, obviously Zach would come over a lot. We had a bunch of our YSC team that would always come over a lot. We had a bunch of our YC team that would always come over and play. But yeah, the pucks always line up on the fence in the springtime when the snow melts. For me, you know, obviously my dad played hockey. My mom didn't. So that's kind of where I learned

how to play. Wasn't so much, you so much watching from your parents or watching TV. It was just playing on the backyard rink. A lot of the kids in the neighborhood were a couple of years older. So you kind of learn how to survive out there. And I think it helps you develop skills quicker and whether it's small area games or tight turns, there's not much room on a weirdly shaped backyard rink. So that's where I learned how to play and really fell in love with the game.

Yeah, you never really have those goalies and stuff out there. You just have little nets. So you try and make as many passes into the net as you can. So I think that's where some of the way I play comes from. Did you play well in Peterborough with those weird tight corners because you played in your backyard,

you know, to either go back to London on nights days, play well in Peterborough because of those tight corners? Yeah, the square corners in Peterborough. I only got to play there a couple of times, played there more so in Hamilton at the end, but yeah, an interesting rank. It definitely was a weird feel. You're being very diplomatic right now.

I applaud you. Yeah, it wasn't the most fun, but I remember they used to take advantage of it all the time where you'd rim one on the boards and somehow I'd end up in the slot. So I remember seeing that a couple of times and I was like, oh, that doesn't seem fair. Okay.

Let me, a couple of things left here for you. One, I have to get in because I'm really curious about this and I'll frame it this way. I remember talking to Trevor Linden at hockey day in Canada. I can't remember where we were, Winkler or Northwest Territories or somewhere. And I said to him,

when did it really dawn on you that you were done, that you were retired and you're never going back? And he said, it didn't really feel like I had retired until I was at the dentist getting my teeth fixed. Because there's no point in fixing your teeth when you're playing because they're just gonna get messed up anyway.

He goes, at that moment, I felt I was retired. And I'm always curious about players that do their teeth while they're playing. Like you have great looking teeth. Why'd you do that? Ah, geez. Um, I, I, yeah, I lost my, I guess, three teeth in junior. And, uh, to be honest, I was just sick of just having one tooth missing. Um, and so I was, uh, I remember the story cause I, I didn't want to spend the money and get the teeth fixed

because I knew I was going to lose them again at some point. So I was waiting for someone to hit me in the mouth. And we're we're playing in Calgary and there's actually Pranko high stick me in front of in front of the net. Now it took out a tooth and a half of mine and I was miked up for the game and I remember getting this little clip sent to me later because I got off and I was like, did it get my teeth? And he's like, yeah, I got one and a half years and I was like, yes, I get my teeth now.

So that's kind of my story. You win. Yeah, so they're all pretty much bridged together so if I get hit again then you just take them out and put new ones in and that's kind of how it goes That's awesome. You win. All right last question for you. Let you get on with your day I know all your days are busy, especially now as a new dad Zach Phillips hop on last question to you Zach Phillips you're on with former teammate Robert Thomas. Go ahead last question is yours Rob teammate Robert Thomas. Go ahead, last question's yours. Rob, can you tell the people that I did not pay you to say anything that you said when you first got on the show here today?

No, you did not. A couple of winks though in the text messages. No, I appreciate you hopping on here and thanks for doing this. I have one question for you though. You have won at every level that you've played at. Stanley Cup, Memorial Cup, OHL, World Juniors, you've won everything like that. What does it take to be the winner that you are, Rob Thomas? What does it take behind the scenes to be as successful as you are? Hmm. Ooh, skating. behind the scenes to be as successful as you are. Hmm. Ooh.

Skating. Yeah. Honestly, it's teamwork. There's no other way to do it. I've been very fortunate enough to play with so many talented players and great teams. But the one thing they all have in common is just there's a feeling in the locker room.

There's a feeling on the ice when you're playing with each other, you're having so much fun because it really takes everyone. I think the teams that are the closest are the ones that are the most successful, not only in the short term, but long term success. That's the one thing I can't stress enough is teamwork. Well, as we like to see around these parts Robert there's there's no I in team but there's two I's in invoice that's what we say here in the media anyhow Robert thanks so much for stopping by best of luck the rest of the way with the Blues it's a fun ride man like good luck getting this team

getting this team in there always a delight watching you always a delight having a conversation as well you'll be good. We'll talk soon. Yeah. Thanks guys. We'll see you soon. There he is, Robert Thomas. There you go, Zach, hop on there. Hop on there, Zach, talking around. You ever think that when you're playing YSC with Robert Thomas one day you'd be interviewing him? Or do you think it would be the other way around? No, definitely not the other way around.

I knew from pretty young that Rob was a pretty special player, so it was definitely not the other way around, I'll tell you that for free. You know that two story is hilarious, wanting to get dental work for free so Terry Ryan told me a great story about this. Now he told me this on the air so it's not like I'm telling stories out of school. So Ambrose is coming up here like, okay I got seven minutes to tell this story. I love this one. So he goes to, I think goes to Dallas Stars training camp and he

needed to have dental surgery and he was talking to someone at Dallas and said like, you know, I need to get my teeth fixed and they're like, well, you're not under contract here. The only way that will fix your teeth is if you get hurt during practice. And so Terry goes, okay, all right, okay. So he he said he went back to his hotel room Terry I love him. I love him. He goes back to his hotel room. He's got a bottle of rum He's got a hammer and a chisel He's like Fuck it up to his tooth. He's got the hammer

Can't do it pours a drink has a shot. Okay I'm gonna do this now. Puts it up. Ah, still can't do it. This goes on and on and on for a while. He keeps having a few more drinks. And finally does it. Knocks out a couple of teeth.

Okay? Says he goes to the skate the next morning. Okay? Has his teeth. makes sure that he doesn't talk to anybody, he's like, so no one can see that he's lost him. Puts his teeth inside his hockey pants. He said, first lap, he goes, burns around the rink and fakes it he trips and does like a header right into the boards. Goes into his hockey pants and pops out his two teeth

and comes up and he's holding his two teeth and Dallas ended up paying for all of his dental surgery. That's so good. I would not have the balls to do it. I'll tell you that. I would not have the balls to do it. Like being a kid and like pulling the tooth out is one thing.

Smashing them in with a chisel is nuts. Yes, T.I. is the nuts. That's nuts. I'm glad we got that story from Rob though because I remember when he got the teeth done the first thing I thought was, what are you doing? Why did you do that Rob? But that makes a lot of sense and that's hilarious too. That's a good story to get. We should get TR on to tell that story. Give us a teeth story, TR, and TR's the best storyteller in the business. Anyhow, listen, I'm with you on, Robert Thomas is a winner. Everywhere he's got, now he played up too, right?

Growing up, he played, always played up. He was a year younger than me, so he played up with me. Yeah, I was told that he played two years up a couple of years too, or maybe he was just APing two years up, I don't know. But he was always someone that would always play up no matter what level he was at. You know the great Berkey story with Yager with that, eh? Playing up?

You know this one? Interviewing Yager at the draft? This would have been the 91, interviewing Yager at the 91 draft. And so like Berkey's, I don't know if you ever talk to Berkey about how he does like the interviews with the kids, like the combine interviews, and I've been've been part of like I've seen him do it it's it's pretty intense and so he's interviewing Jagger and he says how many teams have you been captain of? Jagger says none never been a captain and so all the scouts are on oh red flag no leadership abilities blah blah blah writing it

down and Jagger goes because I always played three years up they're not gonna make the young kid the captain. Jesus. Three years younger than everybody like okay yeah fine yeah yeah no wonder you are never captain of any of your teams. Standing by for Aaron Ambrose from the Montreal Victoire of the PWHL. A couple of things that I wanted to mention. One, we mentioned this briefly yesterday with Greg, because it just sort of happened while we were on the air with Wish. And that is the Kremlin readout of the conversation

between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, proposing hockey games between the NHL and the KHL to which the NHL wisely said we're just hearing about this now and it would not be wise of us to comment. If I'm the NHL I'm absolutely terrified about this being a story. I don't want any part of getting involved in this whatsoever. I think that it is fraught with not just spectacular controversy and major issues, whether it's severing relationships with the IAHF, heck, severing relationships with Canada. I think if you're the National Hockey League, you put your heads down right now and hope that the story goes away. And you hope that none of

your players lip off about it. Like your JT Miller or Ryan Souter said, I think this is a great idea. Oh, God. Yeah. Just or if the president decides to make this an issue and take runs at the NHL over it. Like this one is just there's just landmines everywhere with this one from the NHL. I'm just like horrified at what I heard. Break yesterday and want no part of it. None. You know what I could see? I could see like a alumni game between like players from the Miracle on Ice and those influenced by Miracle on Ice or Jeremy Roenichs of the world playing against

like some old timers from the Soviet, the old Soviet Union slash Russia from the 80s and early 90s. Maybe you can see something like that. But NHL, KHL, I'd be horrified if I was the NHL. And I'm pretty sure that they are for this to become a story. I don't think the NHL wants any part of this,

nor should they. No. The thing that I would be the most worried about is just do not have any players say anything, or like be open to the idea publicly. That's the one where then, oh yeah, that would be pretty cool. Don't do this to us. Don't drag us into this. Guys, guys, no. That's the one where you need to avoid that at all costs. I'm pretty confident here the NHL is smart enough to not involve themselves in this in any way.

Not going to comment in any way. They're all smart enough people involved in there. And I'm not trying to say that the players aren't smart enough, but you said it a few times, Jeff. What's the term? Hockey dumb? There's dumb and then there's hockey dumb. You don't want that to peek through at any point because even if some guy's going to

be like, yeah, it would be cool if we had the best NHL players take on the KHL players, and they they're not thinking about it at all It's a quote get out of your bubble. It's a quote Don't say it don't don't don't hey Canada's kind of doing pretty good right now hey as far as the NHL like only one team on the outside right now the Calgary flames Yeah, I mean, I don't know how much the Flames want to be flirting with just being on the outside spot. Like I've talked about, I think you want to be in or way out.

But it's good. It's good for Canadian markets, hockey related revenue. It's good for Canadian markets hockey related revenue It's good to kind of flip the bird to the people down south who say Oh, it's Ken the hockey belongs in the States because the Canada hasn't won a cup You know put more Canadian teams in there Give us a shot Even if you get all seven and I don't know that any of them got like with all the respect everybody specifically Winnipeg in Toronto I don't know what they have a legitimate shot but a team that I know has a legitimate shot

at the Walter Cup are the Montreal Olympics. Wait wait wait wait we just got a text there's a fire alarm going off in Erin's apartment right as. No way just as she was about to come on. Right as she was about to come on she just texted me and said fire alarm going off So just give me like 30 seconds here to see if she's okay these things We'll see Go check on Amber. Sorry to do that to you Jeff

No, no, no, no, wait go check on Erin and and her dog Henry. That is way more important than me. I'll just I'll just filibuster and tap dance a little bit. She's good? We're good now we're good now. Yep. All right. Sorry about that. That's all right I just want to make sure that that Erin's all right. Here she is number 23 from the Montreal Victoire of the PWHL the one and only no stranger to this broadcast or broadcasts elsewhere she's kind of a media star now. The one and only, no stranger to this broadcast, or broadcasts elsewhere, she's kind of a media star now. The one and only Erin Ambrose joins me now on the sheet.

Erin Ambrose, what's going on with fire alarms in your building, you okay? I, yeah, I have no idea. It might be a regular thing. I might have gotten an email about it, just missed it. So if that happens again, I apologize. That's okay, here's, here, I'm always concerned about your health, but also I'm concerned about

Henry's health. Is the dog okay? Yeah, he wasn't enjoying that actually. Fire alarms. He doesn't usually, but he was on the bed and there was some good grumbling going on. So now he's on the couch. We'll see. Okay. Well, first of all, how are you? Um, haven't chatted for a little while. Uh, I know

tough one last night. That's okay. You're not going to have a perfect season, but nonetheless, Boston's playing some great hockey, Toronto's playing some great hockey as well. But as far as many, if not all, are concerned, you guys are still the top dogs. And the PWHL. Does it

still feel that way in the room? Yeah, I think so. I think if you look at the standings, obviously that helps kind of reiterate it, reiterate the feeling. But we have just had a little bit of a dip. I mean, I don't think we've won in regulation in a little while,

which is something we would like to get back on track with. At the same time, I think we're learning a lot about ourselves. I think we're learning a lot about the way we need to play and learning a lot about our opponents as well.'re learning a lot about the way we need to play And learning a lot about our opponents as well So like you said, you're not gonna have a perfect season and be great to win every hockey game But sure apparently the game of hockey is not that easy So we're learning that in a lot of different ways

Okay, really quickly before we get back to the PWHL and I want to ask you some NHL stuff as well Just had Robert Thomas on, uh, former member of the York Simcoe Express, uh, Zach Phillips is my producer as you well know, former member of the York Simcoe Express. And I'm talking to someone who also was a member of the York Simcoe Express. When I say YSE to Erin Ambrose, what comes to her mind? Championships.

Um, specifically 2007 OHF championship. Chris Trinney on that team with you as well, Sean Walker. Yep, Connor Chris. The goalie! The goalie! Yeah, the goalie, Connor Chris. Chris, Sean, trying to think who else kind of. I mean, we beat Marley's in the semifinals. I think it was an OT.

I think Connor Crisp scored the goal. Marley's had Scott Lawton, Matt Finn, Adam Pellick. Connor Brown. I always thought I always thought Finn was I always thought Finn was going to be like a significant NHL or did you not? That's like the guy. I thought, oh Oh man, this guy's, this guy's going to be good.

Yeah. I mean, he had a great junior career in Guelph. Leafs picked him up in the second or third round, I think. And second round pick. You check. Yeah. Yeah. You, you looked that up, but I agree.

He was there. He was their stud defenseman. Um, and then Adam Pellick, he always, he amazes me because he was, he was a quiet guy that nobody really knew about, but in the best way possible as a D. Like you never talked about him because he wasn't putting up points or anything, but I think it's exactly what he does in the NHL too. And you never talk about him because he's just, although he is an all-star, you just see the consistency in his game. How many of your ex teammates from York Simcoe do you keep in touch with still?

Quite a few of them. We actually did a golf tournament a couple summers ago, so I got to see a lot of the guys. There's one guy that I probably keep in touch with most besides Chris and Sean, which is Taylor Chick from Aurora, Ontario. He actually came to the Battle on Bay last year in Toronto. I had to think of the name there. So Taylor is one that I see every so often and they put on a golf tournament a couple of years ago, which was really fun. PWHL at large. Takeover Tour has been a major success. It's sold out buildings everywhere. We're all wondering about expansion. I'm sure the athletes are wondering about expansion. I wonder about Seattle, Vancouver, Denver, and mixing up time zones and spreading out

the PWHL. How much of a conversation is expansion amongst you and your teammates and other players in the league? It's definitely something that we all kind of bring up every so often. Obviously there's a lot of excitement around the league and there's a lot of excitement around expansion. It'd be a phenomenal thing for our game to have it happen. And I know, especially when we were on our West Coast tour, when we stopped in Seattle, Vancouver and Denver. Obviously we talked a lot about what it would be like

to have teams out there. And I think when we get together as a national team, like we'll chat about it and say like, what did you guys think of that city or this city? And for me, obviously as a Canadian, like I've been so impressed and so proud of all the turnouts in the Canadian cities. Like you said, we've sold out pretty much all of the buildings that there's been a game in Canada. And then for the US ones, like they've been great.

Seattle was so much fun to play in. Denver was a great crowd. And then to see Detroit top the Denver attendance record, like it just keeps going back and forth. So it's pretty cool and it's really exciting to see. And I think there's one or two stops left. I think they go to St. Louis soon. St. Louis at the end of the month. Yeah. Yeah. So it's just been phenomenal. It's great for us to get out to new cities, obviously for the part of expansion, but also just to get more fans, to get more people involved and see our game. We always say that once you kind of watch a game, in Sierra game. Um, we always say that once you kind of watch a game, um, you're, you're hooked. It's a product. We've always known that. Like, like, I can't pause you on that. It's not just watching game. It's go to a game. Like the thing that I noticed is just how different the vibe is.

The vibe of the PWHL games are so, are so, it's so different. It's funny you say that though, cause I'm pretty sure a guy named Jeff Merrick was in Montreal and didn't come to a PWA. My kid had to come home to skate. My kid had to come home to skate. I know I was going to go on the Saturday. I just hear excuses over there. I just hear excuses.

Blame my, blame my 2010 blame TJ. Don't blame me. He wanted to had to go home to practice. Um, here's what I, here's what I do, um, wonder about. There's 20 games remaining in the season. And like, look like last, like, like I look at, I look at, um, I look at last season and last season was the sprint. Okay.

Like last season was like, let's just get this on and let's do this. And I think you and I talked about this before, like the feeling of going through a full season with with like everything and when does it feel like a grind? Like it happens in the NHL around like January, early February, where it's like, who were grinding it out? Like at various points this year, did it feel that way for you? Like what does a season feel like? Yes, it has felt like that a hundred percent. Based on our game yesterday and my body today, like it's a grind right now. I feel like we've had an odd schedule. Like we all had the week off

at different points in the season and ours was really early. And we've kind of since our break to be honest been in a big grind. So for us it's kind of getting to our World Championship break. So we've got three games left before Worlds. And I think that that's going to be a big one for a lot of people to reset. And we've got three games after the break. So a good amount of time to we've got three games here to make a big difference and kind of keep our lead in first and then obviously disperse for the world championships. But it's just finding a balance. And sometimes it's so hard. Like there's certain things you want to do.

But off days are so precious that you don't ever want to give up those off days in any way. And the travels been tough. But again, we wouldn't change it for anything. We don't want it any other way other than maybe a little bit smoother travel at times. So I was wrong. There's 19 games remaining. Yeah. Good math on the calendar. So I was one game off.

Like, look, if you want me to get things, I've said it before, like if you want facts or if you want me to get things right, I'm going to have like if you want facts or if you want me to get things right, I'm gonna have to ask for more money. Like, I'm sorry, that's just the way it goes here Ambrose. How much are you and your colleagues talking about Italy? I wouldn't say it's a lot of conversation. I think it's tough for us, especially Italy. There's probably going to be some conversation about it, obviously, when we go to a world championship and if people are back together in that situation, that's going to be a different

situation. But with not having centralization this year, it's the first time our national team's ever gone to an Olympics without a centralization. So that's going to be a very different feel for our group. But I know that there's a lot of steps that we're taking in order to make sure that that group is as prepared as we can be when that group gets to Milan. And then, I mean, it's great. Like we have the league and we want to be playing meaningful games which we will be doing all the way up until Italy and I mean for me I know that it's something that I want to be a part of more than anything I want to be able to go to an Olympics and have my family be a part of that and that's a huge goal for me but I also know that

the only way that I can get there is by having success with Montreal and playing the way that I need to play with this group. I should have mentioned off the top, the defending Defender of the Year as well. Thank you, sir. Stop being so humble, Aaron Ambrose. You're allowed to take a compliment. You're a very good player. It's somewhere back there. You can't quite see it.

What's that? It's somewhere. Where do you keep it? Somewhere back. Is it there? Oh, there you go. Yeah. OK, speaking of international hockey, I want to get your thoughts.

I know it's been a while, but still, like when we think Canada, USA, like on the women's side, this has been there forever. Like the hockey hatred, that rivalry, the intensity. We may not have seen, you know, fights off the face off, but it's always been there. What did you make of Four Nations? And what did you make of that Saturday?

Cause I know you were playing in the afternoon. Um, what did you make of that Saturday in Montreal, Canada, U S and what did you make of the final? What'd you make of the whole tournament? Well, I would just like to ask if I haven't listened enough of you. Did you change your tune? Did you change your opinion on it?

I did, I did. I went into it skeptical. I went and I was happy to be proven wrong. Completely happy to be proven wrong. It was amazing. It was a fantastic tournament. Like you said, I was able to be there on the Saturday night for the Canada US game. And for me, I've never watched a live game that was better than that. I've never been to a hockey game

been in the arena that was better than that game. And I think it was everything. I got asked I got asked by somebody a little while ago if they feel that the Canada US at Four Nations and where we're at in the political world will translate into more hatred towards the US for us as a group with the women's side. And I said truthfully, it's never going to be like that. And I also think that it was not even about the political side of things with the four nations. Like I think that was just it has been so long since they played best on best. And when you have the personalities and the rats on both sides that want to be able to do what they can for their team and for their country, that's going to produce what it did

at the Bell Center here with obviously those three fights in nine seconds. But the thing about the politics around it, like I don't think it's anything that either team invited, but that was just sort of thrust upon them. I think maybe a complimentary question, how about that, that I would ask you about that would be, do you think that you'll get the same thing?

That the politics of everything will be thrust on both Canada and the United States next Olympics That's a great question Like again, it's not you try. No, it's not your choice. Yeah, right No, and I don't think anyone's gonna vocalize anything, but it's just look it's Canada United States and I don't think that the president's gonna Stop talking about 51st state and tariff this tariff that yeah yeah like I I know that I think that

afternoon game before we play or before the Canada US game was uh we played New York and they booed the national anthem at our game and that was the first time I think that it had happened for us and I just remember standing on the blue line being like this is them at our game. And that was the first time I think that it had happened for us. And I just remember standing on the blue line being like, this is uncomfortable. But I also like, I understand why Canadians are doing it. I know that it's not against any of the Americans that are on New York, any of the Americans that are on our team in Montreal. It has nothing to do with the hockey players.

It's against one person. It's against one person. That's what it is. And so I understand that side of things, but I will say as an athlete, it was so uncomfortable. And it's something that you never want to take away people's freedom of speech. I guess that's kind of speech. But it's just an uncomfortable situation. And I think for us as a group, you like passionate fans, you want passionate fans. And then as for kind of going forward, there's possibility and probably a high probability that it will happen. Like you said, it just kind of gets thrust upon you.

But I think as athletes, especially as female athletes, there's a lot of things that get thrust upon us and placed on us as burdens almost almost and we are the ones that have the voices we are the ones that can talk about things but also understand that we're human beings like yeah we're athletes but we're also human beings and at the end of the day like like, I love being a Canadian. I love being from this country and there's nothing more that I take pride in than getting to represent this country. Did you talk about that before the game?

Like, hey, this may happen. No, we didn't. I don't know if there were questions about it in the media at all either. And we didn't talk about it afterwards either, really. It wasn't until that night when I was at the game with my D partner, Katie Tabin, when it happened again at the Canada US game that I was like, oh, forgot to talk about that.

Whoop, slipped that one by us. Hey, you know, we saw on the PWHL this year for the first time, even though it wasn't called as such. Should have been called as such. "-Should have been called a fight. -"Hahaha!" "-It should have been a fight." "-Totally should have been called a fight." "-I think Jill Tanya is mad that it wasn't called a fight for her.

I think she wants that fight in her record book." "-I thought, I'll be honest with you, I thought Comfort was gonna have the first fight. I really, really did. Yeah, it was a good choice too. I really did but, um, your thoughts on the first one? You know what, I obviously played with Vana-Vanisova, Vani-Vanishva, I'm not, still not sure how we pronounce her last name, um, played with T last year when she was here in Montreal for a little bit, um, part of me is not surprised

that it was Jill. Obviously, her brother Brennan has done, had a great career protecting a lot of his teammates. And I gave Jill a lot of heck afterwards because she was in the box. There was a video of her in the box trying to teach her her teammate. And I'm like, Jill, you didn't even grab her collar. You were just chucking haymakers. You didn't grab on for one second. So don't even pretend like you knew what you were doing. Okay, so who's next then? And is it number 23 E Ambrose?

It is definitely not me. We all know that that is not in me. I'll give one shot. Who's it gonna be? I can skate faster scared than you can angry. Who do you think our next combatants could be if you were gonna handicap it? I got Comfor still. I got no names. No names. Come on. Make a headline. Give us a headline. Ambrose You don't want to make a headline. I'm not giving anything. Give us a headline. Ambrose says, next to fight.

Nope. Nope. Cause it'll be on an Instagram reel. And I'll be fun center. And I'll probably be getting a call from somebody in the league about it. Very good. Listen, continued success. Your team is still the class of the league. I know, listen, Boston's nipping at the heels. Toronto's playing great. And it looks like Sarah Nurse is still the class of the league. I know, listen, Boston's nipping at the heels, Toronto's playing great, and it looks like Sarah Nurse

is on the horizon and coming back to play, so that's all good news for this league. You be well, and we will talk soon, and I hope that the rest of your afternoon is fire alarm free, both for you and for Henry. Thank you, I hope so as well. And I'll just say that I'll be sending the bill for this microphone, because you haven't given me

enough heck for not having it before, so I'll send the bill your way. I'm so, I keep telling people that I'll be sending the bill for this microphone because you haven't given me enough heck for not having it before. So I'll send the bill your way. I'm a sore. I keep telling people, like, listen, I'm not trying to wrap up your career. You got a lot of hockey to play. But when you're done, like there's a reason like that. Hope it works well. Yeah, it works well. Send that to a delich. He's only too happy to pay for that. Me, I still haven't even spent my communion money.

Alright, you be well. Thanks Aaron, be good. Aaron Ambrose from the Montreal Victoire of the PWHL joining us here. Did you know, Zach, that she played for YSE as well with Chris Czerny and Sean Walker? No way that fits in the theme of the show. Yeah how about that you know who didn't play YSE? Me! Didn't play YSE. Thanks very much. A couple of things here before we get to that. I can't believe that was the question I had for Rob by the way. I can't believe that was the question I had. I didn't know I was asking you a question. Come on dude you know I know we you a question. That was the one I had to come up with. Come on, dude, you know what?

I know we haven't known each other that long, but you know I'm gonna spring that one on ya. You know what that's gonna happen, right? I know. Like, I remember. I should've known. One of the best sort of media initiations that I did, me and PJ Stockton, we used to do the show

on Saturday evenings, Hockey Central Saturday. We used to do the show on Saturday evenings hockey central Saturday we used to call it the the world's greatest pre pregame show because it was on before the hockey night in Canada pregame show so John Shannon was out West used to be me John and PJ Paul Bromby was our producer and Colby filled in for John while he was out West and so me and PJ worked out a deal. Last 90 seconds of the show, this is live television, okay? Live television on Sportsnet. We stood up and left and just left Colby on set. There's video of it. I should find it and get it. Colby for 90 seconds. And he's like green as grass. I think it might have been his first year in the industry and

PJ and I just stood up and left and let him close. 90 seconds, not the most responsible thing to do, but 90 seconds of network television before the Hockey Night in Canada pregame show. Just heads up, like I tend to do shit like that. You know what Kobe did? He started thanking people like it was an Academy Award speech. I wanna thank Paul Brawby, our producer. Like, what is this? And I was like, you asked pretty much everything

I wanted to ask. So I was like, I think as it went on, I was like, okay, that's it. And then you talked about the teeth. That was the one thing I wanted to know that I was kind of holding on. And then you said that I was like, okay, that's it. And then you talked about the teeth. That was the one thing I wanted to know that I was kind of holding on. And then you said that, I'm like, I started asking and I was like,

I don't even know where I'm going with this question. And then yeah, of course, like that's what I ask. That's what I ask Rob Thomas when he comes on the show. What does it take to be aware? When in doubt, when in doubt. So Rob, we're having a debate here. Are you great or really great? Like what was that?

I don't know. Holy shit. I'm happy for you, Billy. That's how I'm sending you down. By the way, everyone, Zach is going to Nashville tomorrow. Zach is, this is the Leafs Nation vacation. Maple Leafs facing off against Nashville Predators. It's gonna be a great time. So give us a time and temp. Give us the 555-1212, the 411. Give us the info on what's happening in Nashville.

So breakdown is we will be there landing there tomorrow morning. I will be doing producing sheet show. Then we're watching the Rangers, we're watching the Rangers Leafs game at Carter Hutton's bar, Love and Exile wine bar there. So people are in the Nashville area. If you're there, I know a couple of people have reached out to me. John Bankert in the chat reached out as well. They're going to be there. You can come by, come to the bar, come say hi. Like we'll be there. Producer Vic and I will be there. Nick, Rosie, everyone's gonna be there. It's on Rosie's tab?

Let's hope so. Okay, very good. Hi, I think Alberg was putting it on his tab actually. Oh, that guy squeezes the beaver on the nickel till it squeals, don't get that guy. Come by, say hi. I'll be doing a post-game show at the bar after the Leafs Rangers game tomorrow night.

Friday, another show for us, the Sheet Show there on Friday. And then Friday with Berkey, correct? And then Friday from 4 to 6 Central time doing a live Leafs morning take show. So you can come by and see that as well. And then Saturday night we're going to the Leafs Preds game in Nashville. So it'll be cool. It's gonna be a lot of fun. I've got a chance to meet a couple of the people who watch the shows whether it's the sheet or Leaves morning take or after dark. It's always a fun experience So really excited to kind of get out there and meet some people and first time I've ever been in Nashville

So I'm also just personally really excited What you're gonna find about Nashville is the people are all great and I've said this from from day one of their existence Some of the best people you will meet in the NHL work for the Nashville Predators it has been that way from day one like they are salt of the earth like honestly some of the best people you will meet in this industry work for the Nashville Predators I hope you get a chance to meet some of them because they're there and people in Nashville are tremendous, super nice. Like you're honestly dude, you're about to have a great experience.

If you've never been to Nashville, you're about to have a great experience. It's so cool. And more guys, like more guys now that have played there are choosing to stay and live. Right, like Ryan O'Reilly and his brother. More and more guys are saying like, you know what, this is great. And the other thing too is,

and I know they sunk a lot of money into this early and it is now starting to pay off dividends, although there has been a split between the junior preds and another organization. The minor hockey there is excellent. Minor hockey there is great and there's always a lot of like minor, what we call it minor hockey in the States,

youth hockey tournaments in Nashville, which is really great to see really really good junior program junior preds really strong really good I'm excited I'm excited yeah it's like st. Louis too right like a lot of those guys go there and they just stay there forever like that's where they end up staying after their career good spots Nashville I Nashville, I'm excited. I will report back. I mean, tomorrow I won't really have anything to give you about what it's like.

Friday on the show, I can give you some insight as to my first experiences in Nashville. Give your liver a rinse, my friend. Give your liver a rinse before you go. Okay, a couple of emails here before we get to the games of the night and wrap things up here because we're being very rude about people's time. The sheet at the nation network dot com. What do we have today as far as emails go young Philly?

Colored ice. Colored ice is one thing we got an email in from so if you want to get to that one. Do you want me to read it? You want to read it? How do you want to do this? Oh boy. Give us the bullet points. Man there's a lot. There's a lot in this one. So this is from a fellow, Zach, as he pointed out, but a conversation about Colored Ice was brought up on the pod recently. Made him think about the local ECHL team, the Kalamazoo Wings and their Pride Night. Organization has a long tradition of doing unique colored ice games. Google the McDonald's sponsored yellow game. In more recent years they made history by painting the ice with pride colors for their annual Pride Night game. Used to run an in arena audio for the team. And he says, I do not know if they were the first, but I also believe the idea for the green

ice game for St. Patrick's Day gained traction due to it being a popular Kalamazoo K-Wings tradition starting in 1982 though I wouldn't be surprised if Jeff has the true answer tucked away in his curious brain somewhere. Love the pod, keep up the good work of fellow Zach. That is Zach Perry. Also not the only, yes not the only sprung truther he also included. I like that one sprung truther. Okay so as far as okay first of all I guess not the real answer but the most recent answer is yeah 1992 Kalamazoo Winx. We'll always consider the first but here's the technicality. You knew there'd be something like this. So I think it's 1947 or 46, somewhere in there, the NHL started coloring the rice. And they still color the rice.

They color it white. Yeah, because it was hard to see the puck with the grayish ice which is the actual color of ice. I think it was 47 they started painting it, maybe it was earlier than that. And then when Hockey Night in Canada debuted in 1952 they found that the white ice was too bright for the cameras So they infused the white with blue To make the puck appear more so the NHL has always used colored ice Going back to the 40s. It's just been white So which one do you think is right?

Kalamazoo in 92 or The NHL in some year in the 40s when they started to paint the grey ice, which is the color of ice, white. And then when Hakan and Canada debuted, they colored it blue. Infused it with blue. So what's the real answer? I won't bias the jury. Yeah.

Ice it- oh by the way, Philly, ice isn't white. I don't know that actually. Yeah. I said, oh by the way, Philly, ice isn't white. I don't know if you know this. Okay, I'm just, look at the cubes in your freezer. Is it white? They come out, oh, these white, oh. It's like the conversation is water blue, or how does the water get like that? Yeah, yeah.

Well, because I was gonna say, you would probably be familiar. I'm gonna localize this one and alienate people, I'm sorry. But in Barrie, there is, I don't know if they still have it, but there's ranks there where the ice is gray. And it's because they don't paint. They don't paint it. Yeah, so the ice is gray.

But yeah, I don't know. I thought that was interesting, that that was a good email. All right, let's see, we have one more, or are we getting too heavy on time? Let's do one more here. We'll wrap this one up quickly on this because it's quick. But hey Jeff, great show. Love the Daily Podcast. On the last episode with Greg,

he gave us the top five food-related hockey names. Bob Beers and Père De Joux. Père Joux. Père Joux. Rankings. Père Joux. Père Joux. Yeah. But here are a few more. Will Butcher, Rico Fata, Larry Goodenough, Wacy Rabbit. Wacy Rabbit, oh I love Wacy Rabbit.

Wacy Rabbit, great guy too. Never played in the NHL. But Swiss player, Gianrico Cola, keep up the great work, Greg Savoy from Australia. So yeah, you know what, there's one that we really missed on. I don't have time to grab the name of the person that sent it off to me, but it's true.

I'm gonna see if there's a, I'm gonna see how much of a gap there is between us right now, okay? Okay. There's one name that we totally forgot. And you should be number one. Should be number one. There's a former goaltender.

His name is Kari Taco. T-A-K-K-O. Does that name resonate with you? Do you know Kari Taco? You ever heard that name? K, then you're gonna love this part of the... A lot of people right now that are screaming at you, I'm sure, in the chat. Do you know who Kari Taco was traded for? Oh, no. Bruce Bell. Oh no. Bruce Bell. No. It's a true story. Taco Bell trade. Imagine that Bob McKenzie tweet. It's my favorite. Taco for Bell. Yeah it's a legendary trade. Curry taco for Bruce Bell. It's almost as if the two managers got together and said, we owe this to hockey. I don't want to trade this player. You don't want to trade this player, but we owe it to hockey to have a Taco Bell trade. Kari Taco for Bruce Bell. Go to your hockey DB.

Go look up either guy. It's a true story for those of you that don't know. This is the wonderful thing about working in the industry for as long as I did. Every 10 years you get to tell the same stories over and over again. Because it's like a whole new generation of people Don't know about the Taco Bell trade No, and that one will be a fun fact that I'll pull up. It'll be my bar trick this weekend Is that gonna be your bar trick? Do you know that they traded Taco for Bell? Taco Bell? So the Taco Bell burger. Come on. You gotta know that man Rosie. Geez. I'm ashamed for you Oh, they're talking about Alperga. Come on, you gotta know that man.

Rosie, geez, I'm ashamed for you. Start pulling that card out. Start pulling that one. All right, games tonight, there's only two of them. And young Zach will be working one of them. FanDuel, proud to connect fans to the major sports moments that matter to them. Roster updates, courtesy of Daily Face Off's

fantasy Twitter slash ex feed. And listen, I'm gonna turn the recreation over to you on this one to TS up I think the Avalanche look outstanding to me they look terrifying and we said Peter DeBorey yesterday talked about they may not get high skin and back until the second round I don't know that Dallas will be there if they have to face and they probably will well they will like no one's no one's catching Winnipeg they only I'm only a matter of home ice we're gonna get Colorado and Dallas in the first round

Avalanche are facing off against the Maple Leafs Kraken are taking on the Minnesota well hey by the way 100 legs Shane Wright popping in two goals while playing on the Chex notes fourth line last night for the Seattle crack, and I know they spot-dutied them all over the place, but fourth line For Shane right last night still snaps in a couple. Avalanche and Maple Leafs. I know Tron is coming off a big win against the Calgary Flames, where we were looking at bridges and seeing which floats fit underneath, but Avalanche are good, man. Avalanche look really good.

How are you handicapping this one? What are you looking at here young Zach? Look, I can't really say it much better than what Craig Borube said because he also only talked about one of the guys that you have to worry about. He was asked about, you know, how do you slow down Nathan McKinnon tonight? And he's like, well if you find out let me know before the game. That's pretty much what we're looking at. Can you stop McKinnon? Okay, you've succeeded at mission one. Now the other guy, Kael Makar, can you stop him?

And if you've done those two things, you still have to worry about does 34 and 16 want to show up the way they did the other night? Because if they didn't play the way they did against Calgary, that is. Yeah, you've got a shot. If they don't, you might get run out of

the building by the avalanche here tonight. Scotia Bank library as it's often referred to. Could get a little sleepy on a Wednesday night Jeff if they don't start on time here tonight. I'm looking for this one could be a dynamite game this one could be awesome and I'm looking forward to After Dark in case things don't go the way Maple Leafs Wanted yeah Hey bud great job booking the show today I look forward to having other members of the York Simcoe Express your Sam Bennett's your Conor McDavid's your Quentin Byfield Morgan Frost and Quentin Byfield tomorrow. Okay, very good. Yeah, let's go follow that. I mentioned like Daniel Sweep. Give me Daniel Sweep, man. That guy was tough.

Huge, six foot eight, playing junior. No one's out. Who's that? Good Lord. All right. Thanks for Robert Thomas for stopping by. Thanks to the St. Louis Blues for making him available. Much appreciated. Thank you very much to Erin Ambrose, as always, and the Montreal Victoire for making her available. Thanks for joining me today. Again, a little bit long. We should just say the show is like this long and just call it a day. Thanks to everybody in the chat. Thanks for everyone watching live on YouTube or in the archive or on your favorite podcast platform. Merrick signing off. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Only a pair of games tonight. Enjoy them. We're back tomorrow. Young Philly in Nashville and he wants to work. You hear all the shows the guys doing? I get told them like Philly you got the job. It's okay take a couple of days. Guy's a worker. We got a worker bee folks. Thanks for joining me today. Back tomorrow 3 o'clock Eastern for the sheet. Tomorrow morning 9 o'clock Eastern. It is of course yours and my favorite program. Morning Cup of hockey, daily face-off live at noon, and then our act three. Got it?

Got it. Good. Talk to you later. I'm not against those methods but you It's me, myself and how this gon gonna be fixing my mind