The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Peterka's on the Move ft. Pierre McGuire & Rocky Thompson

Episode Date: June 26, 2025

On this episode of The Sheet, Jeff Marek is first joined by Pierre McGuire to break down the JJ Peterka trade and what it signals about the flurry of moves happening around the NHL. The two dive into the latest free agency buzz, the unusual trend of players announcing their own trades, and what to expect under the new CBA. They also preview the upcoming NHL Draft and discuss how teams are positioning themselves. Later in the show, Jeff welcomes Rocky Thompson, the newly named head coach of the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Thompson reflects on his coaching journey so far, shares what excites him about this next chapter in Bridgeport, and lays out his vision for the team.#TheSheet #NHL #HockeyTalk #JJPeterka #NHLTrades #NHLFreeAgency #PierreMcGuire #RockyThompson #BridgeportIslanders #AHockeyLife #NHLDraft #CBANews #HockeyRumors #HockeyPodcast #JeffMarekShout out to our sponsors!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Ninja Kitchen Canada: https://www.ninjakitchen.ca/products/ninja-crispi-4-in-1-portable-glass-air-fryer-cooking-system-zidFN101CGY?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=olv&utm_campaign=25Q2-Crispi&utm_content=en👍🏼Budweiser: https://www.budweiser.ca/ca_enReach 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.

This episode of The Sheet is sponsored by the OCS Summer Pre-Roll Sale. Sometimes when you roll your own joint, things can turn out a little differently than what you expected. Maybe it's a little too loose, maybe it's a little too flimsy. There's a million ways to roll a joint wrong, but there's one roll that's always perfect. The Pre-Roll. Shop the Summer Pre-Roll and Infused Pre--roll sale today at ocs.ca and participating retailers. Grandmate is one of those days where we do away with the preamble, we do away with all the niceties off the top and maybe a mild joke here or there. When you have two very special guests with a lot to get to, you want to get to our update and our outline right away on the program.

Apologies for anyone who likes the banter between me and Zach off the top. You're not going to get it today. What you're going to get is what's coming up on the program. Daily Outline powered by FanDuel. Make every moment more with North America's number one sportsbook, FanDuel. And we've got two perfect guests today. Pierre Maguire, my partner for tomorrow on our draft watch along, will be aboard. Rocky Thompson, the new head coach of the Bridgeport Allenders will be here.

JJ Perturka will be discussed. A new CBA will be discussed. Rizers and followers and maybe trade speculation at the draft and oh yeah trades trades trades and more trades and with that we will bring aboard Pierre McGuire who will be with me tomorrow starting at 7 o'clock Eastern for our watch along draft special. Pierre McGuire joins me now on the sheet. Pierre, first of all, salut mon chum, ça va? Ça va très bien mon ami. Great to talk to you. Great to be your partner going forward for this draft. Tomorrow, there are two really important days on the NHL calendar. One's the day the Stanley Cups awarded. Yeah. And the other day is the draft. because you're welcoming all these new bodies into the National Hockey League

I always loved the draft whether I was working it whether I'm working in it whether I was broadcasting it I love the draft It's it's one of those days where it's always a good news story, right? Like that's I was saying is that on the securitism price show today and they're like, why do you want love the draft so much? And it's like well, everything's a good news story. The parents are happy, the kids are happy, the teams are happy. Everyone's got smiles. Like, you know, all the tent pole events around the NHL, how many days you look at and go, everybody's happy at the end of it. You know, like that's what draft is.

But, but as, as you and I have, have discussed, I remember, you know, having this, this conversation, actually the gym and the Montreal, Montreal draft. I remember having this conversation, actually at the gym in the Montreal draft. This is the week where you gotta figure out who's being honest and who's lying and who's telling half truths and where the truths are. Winston Churchill would talk about the truth at wartime. And there's one great quote that always stuck with me.

He said, at wartime. And there's one great quote that always stuck with me. He said, at wartime or during war, the truth is so precious she must be attended to by a bodyguard of lies. Are we seeing a bodyguard of lies this week to quote Winston Churchill up here? Well, I don't know about the bodyguard of lies, but I love that quote. And you're very eloquent in your presentation. But here's the thing, Jeff, that I've seen

a lot of fluid drafts, like you've seen a lot of fluid drafts. So I think we can pick the first four guys. I think we can, but I don't know that. But I think we can. So if I'm gonna do the first four guys, I'm gonna do Matthew Schaefer, you gonna agree with me?

100%. I'm gonna do Michael Misa, you gonna agree with me? Unless San Jose has that pick and play, yes're going to agree with me? 100%. I'm going to do Michael Misa. You're going to agree with me? Unless San Jose has that pick in play. Uh, yes, I will agree with you. Okay. So now we're already seeing, we don't know. Anton Frondell, you think he's going to go first for him? You know, I think that Schaeffer is a lock and I think the closest thing to a

second lock in this is Anton Frondell to the Chicago Blackhawks. Okay. And then do you think Porter Marton's going in the top four? Is Utah keeping the pick? So you see what I'm saying? We're all over the map. This is why I'm presenting this. Yeah. And I, again, to be transparent, Jeff and I talk a lot, and this is one of the things I talk about. I think one of the fastest moving guys in this whole thing, Jeff is Caleb Dainway.

I agree. I really do. Yep. Now, um, he's had, I want to say it's like seven different interviews or meetings, whether it's, you know, regional or Kyle Davidson or whatever, meetings with the Chicago Blackhawks. Now I still think they're taking Frondell, but nonetheless, they have had an extensive meeting background with, with Caleb de Noaille, the

Moncton Wildcats of the queue. The other, you know, the, the other team that I, that I wonder about is the, are the Nashville Predators who spent, like Barry Trott spent a lot of time around Moncton at the Memorial Cup. And I don't necessarily think it's just to put everybody off the scent. Like there are some things that managers do to put everybody off the scent. I don't think that that was one of them, but I'm, I agree with you about Dane

Wye. So that's at five is where Nashville's picking. Yeah. That's kind of like right in the wheelhouse for Caleb Dane Wye. So, and I look at, he was really young when I knew him because my son and his older brother were teammates in Quebec. Elliot's playing in Philadelphia. So, and I watched the father play with Marty Berder in St. Hyacin with the Lakers. So, I could go a long way back with the Dinhue Um, but what I'd say is that's right in his wheelhouse.

But you said before that was so wise. What happens if Utah trades the pick? Why not Utah? Like Utah, right? Then it's everywhere. What is it? Is it like Utah has a, I want to say four, maybe five first rounders that aren't in the lineup yet.

Like there are some teams, I always talk about teams and, you know, how many green bananas can you have? Like at a certain point, coaches, coaches like, look, we need teams, we need players. We got to put, we got to put this team together. And now you're seeing Utah bring in JJ Paterka. We're going to get there in a couple of seconds. Um, I believe that the Paterka deal, you know, opens up a

right shot space on the blue line, perhaps for someone like Aaron Echblad. And all of a sudden the first pair is Echblad and Sergechev and you're off to the races and you're talking about a playoff spot for Utah. Like I look at Utah right now and say to myself, Matthew Schaeffer is the best player in this draft. The Allenders won this draft. They get Matthew Schaeffer.

But look how many spots Utah moved up. In some ways this has found money. You can make your pick or you can use it to get something that's going to help you next year as you make a playoff push. So I'm not even sure that Utah makes the pick. So I don't know. I'm agreeing with you. So I don't know either.

And you know, you talked about Paterka. It's a great acquisition for them. Yes. I understand some people in Buffalo are wondering, could we, should we, what are we getting? I get it. Josh Jones, a very useful player again, going a long way back all the way back to the brick tournament, watching him play or to the Quebec PV tournament, watching him play.

So I go a long way back, you know? Um, and at the time Josh was playing for a team out of LA. He wasn't playing for a team out of Arizona. He was at the Quebec Peewee tournament where he played for a team out of Arizona. So again, very familiar with the player. And so he's a useful player. He's going to play on your team. Michael Kesselring, I watched him play at New Hampton prep for four years. Watched him play at Northeastern university for two years. He's just getting into it. He's a 25 year old right now. He's just getting into it.

So before everybody prejudges a trade, be fair to Buffalo. And I think be fair to Utah. Let's see how this all plays out. It's not one of those where you can declare an instant winner, but I think what Billy Armstrong did in Utah made his team a very real contender for a playoff spot. I do. I really. They were, they were one of the teams that I

think we circled and said like, look, this is the year where Utah starts to go for it. Utah slash Arizona with all the draft draft picks and players, uh, uh, accrued by the, the old Arizona coyotes here. Like they weren't that close. They weren't that far away when they moved from, from Arizona to, to Arizona to Utah here.

So I'm with you. I think that the Utah Mammoth are going to be a player at the draft. I think they're gonna be a player on July 1st and they're gonna be a player next year as they push for a playoff spot. Couple more things on the draft and then I do wanna talk more about this,

the Perturka deal and a couple of other deals that we saw today. And, and oh yeah, like all of a sudden there's a skeleton of a CBA and it's like the fourth story. Like we finally, Pierre, we finally have a peacetime CBA. It's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll get to the CBA. Yeah, we'll get to the CBA. You know, Brady Martin is an interesting name. There, of the, of the Sioux Greyhound sort of in the Sam Bennett mold. I was really impressed at how a smart this kid was at the combine.

You know, when he was asked who he would best compare his game to, he said Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson, which just happens to be what every team is looking for. Right now. Um, James Higgins is another name that's in that top mix. Certainly you mentioned Porter Martone. Wouldn't be surprised if the Islanders try to, as everyone's talked about, not just draft Matthew Schaeffer, but also try to get another pick to bring James Hagens home. Matthew Darsh, the new general manager there. Let me ask you about Darsh. Now he comes from Tampa, you

know, working alongside Julian Brizbois, not just because it's McGill and I have a lot of respect for McGill, but he comes from, he has backgrounds, but he went to a very, one of the more respected universities in all of Canada. He's no dummy. He's really smart. He knows hockey. He played. He understands the game at a lot of different levels, obviously. He's a rookie general manager. You've worked in a lot of different areas of this game. How much is Matthew Darsh getting tested right now by not just other general managers

who think maybe they can get one by on the new GM, but by agents as well? You ever thought on that dynamic of the new GM? Absolutely. I think it's so well phrased. The answer is everybody's his friend. He's probably getting more calls he's never gotten in his life. And they're all testing them, every single one, including the agents, by the way.

One of the good pieces of news though, I think he's been exposed to a lot because of his time in Tampa. And it wasn't like they were a neophyte team. There are a lot of veteran people there. You talked about Julian Breezebaugh. Before that, there was Steve Eisenman. In that group, there was Al Murray, who's one of the best amateur evaluators we've ever had in the history of the game. He's been surrounded by some really good people. He saw the do's and the don'ts of what to do in business. So do I think there'll be this little feeling out process? Yes, I do.

The Hagens thing is interesting. I'm glad you brought that up too, Jeff, because at seven, I believe the Boston Bruins are picking and what ha and I think that's probably where Hagens is going to fall unless somebody goes off the board. What happens if the Bruins want to do a deal on, let's say, I don't know, Noah Dobson? Then all of a sudden. Noah Dobson's in play, isn't he? Noah Dobson is definitely out there.

And I think there are teams that around trade deadline thought they were either close or were right there to having no adoption. So I don't think this is anything new with no adoption. I'm trying to figure out where all of this comes from. I don't know. You get the feeling that there's a piece we're missing here. Is there a clash with the coach? Is there a clash with something I don't know a clash with something? I don't know. Um, and if it's a coach, does it go back to the QMJHL? Again, I don't know.

But for whatever reason, the long-winded way of me moving along the conversation. Yes. Noah Dobson, I think is in play and by the sounds of things, you know, is even being asked about when Lou Lamarrillo ran the team. things, you know, was even being asked about when Lou Lamarillo ran the team. Oh, I can tell you right now when coach Lamarillo was running the team, there, Noah Dobson was out there and part of it was the financial demand that they were putting on the team. Lou's a big believer in the internal cap.

As you all know, he ran it for years in New Jersey. He started it in Toronto and I think he was putting it well into play in Long Island. Noah Dobson's original demand for 11 million I don't think sat really well with internal leadership of the outers when Lew was there. I only bring up Boston because number seven I think is where Hagens falls and secondly Brandon Karlo got traded out of Boston so that opens up a second right-hand defense spot for a player like Noah Dops and you insulate Charlie McEvoy on the right side and your team is deeper. And I, I'm not saying the Bruins put themselves out there, but here's what I

am prepared to say when they did their press conference at the end of the year with ownership, Cam Neely and Don Sweeney, they said, we're not just going to be a playoff team next year, we're gonna be a real competitor in the playoffs next year. Not with the team you got right now, you're not. So you better get, it's not draft picks that are gonna make you that team right now

for next year, it's gonna be real NHL players. One other name I wanna get your thoughts on quickly, and then we'll get to Paturka. Jake O'Brien. Now Jake O'Brien, listen, put up a ton of points for the brand for Bulldogs of the OHL, playing with Merrick Vaneker, who's a Chicago Blackhawks draft pick. Caleb Malhotra comes in next year, he's draft eligible, he'll play on that line. That'll be a line that'll just tear up the Ontario.

How about Nick Lardis? How is Nick Lardis on that? I know, 70 goals. 70 goals for Nick Lardis. It's pretty good third round pick too for everyone that thinks they're a draft genius. That's off to Chicago. Oh, 100%. It's off to Chicago on that. Absolutely. Do you ever thought, when you look at Jake O'Brien, and by his own admission too, he's got a lot of work to do putting on size, he's got the frame for it, you just gotta put on

the weight now, kid. You ever thought on Jake O'Brien through all of this here? I do. He's a point getter, there's no question. And I think he's learning how to play in all facets of the game, but you can't take away the peripheral vision, the skill, and especially the power play stuff that he's so good at, especially he and Lardis. But if I could for one second, and your, your reference points in this are so good.

I think when I watched Jake O'Brien play, I'm watching another guy play that's in the NHL right now, and it's Dylan Strom, at the same age. Dylan was one of those guys that made Mitz Meda teams when he had the man advantage. He was really good at it. I think you would agree on that. And I see a lot of similarities,

but look how long it took for Dylan to finally break through at the NHL level and really be a go-to guy. Right. It took a while. That's kind of where I see Jake O'Brien. It will take him a while because of his size, I think, and when he's going to be ready for the, for the wear and tear of the, of the NHL and listen, I'll be

honest with you, Pierre, I look at this draft class, I don't look at anyone and say they're going to play in the NHL next year. I think there's one guy that could, and I don't think they'll do it. I don't think they'll put you in the NHL next year. You only, you know, you only play 17 games this year. Yeah. I just, I don't see how you do that to the kid. That's exposing to a lot. I'm going to say this.

I feel really bad about it to this day. When I was in Hartford, we drafted a player, Robert Petrovitsky. Oh yeah. And I really felt our coaching staff was good enough to develop him. And so we didn't send him home. We kept him. And I look at it now and every time I've seen Robert over the years, I always apologize to him. That's on us. It wasn't on him. We rushed him. I don't think we gave him a fair chance and his career was never as good as it

should have been. And I've always told him that every time I've seen him, I've always felt bad about it. Yeah. I'll tell you, you touched on something that's really interesting here too. I've, I've felt like this for, for a long time. We focused so much on the drafting piece and we think that the drafting piece goes to the playing piece in the NHL, but there's also the development too. And I know a lot of teams get blasted,

oh, you missed on this guy, you missed on this guy, that's a bad pick. Were they really bad picks or did they just not get developed? It's not the scouts that fell down. It's the development piece wasn't there for these players. Like some teams you look at, you go like, yeah, one guy from this draft that played 15 games and that's it. Then the next year at all your picks, nobody played and all that. And I look at it and I say, this is a very well scouted league.

I don't think the issue when you look at something like that are the scouts. I look at it more, the development piece isn't there for these guys. And that's out of their hands. One, I completely agree. This is the unseen pieces in there for these guys. And that's out of their hands. One I completely agree. This is the unseen part of the National Hockey League right now, because we are rushing players because younger players are cheaper. And the cap is now finally going up. So you always want to have young players coming through your organization.

So I'm going to use the Florida Panthers as an example. So let's just go here. AJ Greer, I think that was his third team. Thomas Nosek, I think Florida is his fourth team. Jonah Gajdzevich, I think it's his third team. And then look at the rest of them. Look at the rest. Look at all those guys like Gustav Forslund revelation right now.

Yeah. What, what happened? Sylvan Lefebvre is what happened to him. You look at the forwards upfront. How did they improve? Uh, I'm going to say Jamie Kampon and I'm going to say, uh, it's one more route to, I'm going to say those two guys. So as much as I respect and love Paul Maurice, head coaches don't do that

development stuff, head coaches have to deal with the media. They have to deal with the headaches of all the pressure of handling the team. Guys have a bad day. You guys have a good day. He's dealing with all that, but the assistants have to run the development part. I think Florida's done that as well or better than anybody. To your point, I think the development part is overlooked and a lot of scouts get blamed for bad development.

I really believe that. Amen. All right, Buffalo and Utah. It all began, well, they got the Whispers about it last night. And JJ Peturka for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring, right shot defenseman as you've noted. At this time of year, and then in the off season, let me frame this this way, Pierre. I really don't like to make my mind up about teams until I see the entire body of what a general manager does

in the off season. Just like I look at Vancouver and right now, like Rutherford and Alvin are getting knocked for the Evander Cane trade. I keep saying to myself, I don't keep looking at these as one-offs. Look at the totality of what an organization does leading into next season.

So let me temper it that way. Right now, it's not a great looking trade for the Buffalo Sabres. This is a frontline guy in JJ Peturka. I think we can all look at him and say like, what's the minimum for him next year? 35 goals on, on, on a team like Utah, probably. I would say, yeah, probably. Right. And, um, Josh Stone is not a first line player. Michael Kesselring is going to probably line up with, with Owen Power. And it's the kind of defensemen that Owen Power probably should be playing with.

But right now this one tilts to Utah. If we're doing like hot take right away, who won, who lost? How do you see this trade? It's one of those you're going to have to wait and see. The other part that nobody's talking about, De'Von Levi, who's one of their top prospects at Rochester, he played with Michael Kesslering at Northeastern University. So there's a sense of familiarity there. And you have to think that De'Von Levi is going to be in the NHL next year.

So that's a positive thing. I'm sure they picked his brain. One of the things that I think Buffalo has actually done well, they've evaluated American-born players extremely well. Josh Stone, even though his father's Canadian, Josh Stone's American kid. And you look at Kesselring, same kind of thing, American kid. They're really good at that. It started with, I think, a mandate from ownership by Mr. Pagula. We're going to be experts in certain areas, and one of those are going to be American-born players.

Because if you look at a lot of the guys they've added since Mr. Pagula has been there, American-born players. You know, like I'll use the last one. Josh Norris comes to Buffalo from Ottawa. He's an American- born player, even though his father's Canadian. So I'm just saying that, like that kind of, I think that's kind of infiltrated their organization. There's something there.

And let me give you another example. So the year that they drafted KC Middlestad, this is again, this is, this is when, when Gis Elvaro and Randy Sexton ran it. Um, all the scouts the night before, everybody was in agreement, you know, the night before, okay, who we taking? If Martin Natchez is available, we're

taking Martin Natchez. Comes time to make the pick and Boderold and Sexton stand up and say, okay, we're taking Casey Middlestad. All the scouts went, what? We're taking, I thought we disagreed, we're taking Martin Natchez. Uh, okay, boss, we're, we're taking Casey.

But you're right. Like when, when, when the Buffalo Sabres get a chance, their default setting is go to the American kid. You're right. So I think it's early to judge a trade. So I wanna give it full opportunity to flourish. Michael Kesselring has never played better than what he's done in the last calendar year.

That's true. Jeff, he's been really good. That's true, you're right. He's been really good. I'm just, he's been a, if you look at his career stats, he's mostly in the last calendar year. That's true. He's been really good. That's true. You're right. He's been really good. I'm just, uh, he's been a, my, if you look at his career stats, he's mostly been a minus player cause he's tried to do too much. That's the first time at a real high level. He's been a plus player on a non-playoff team. That's hard to do, as you know.

And I thought he was important for the Americans when they were overseas at the world championships this year. They went to gold medal. So hats off to him for that. But here's what I'd say. Josh Stone's going to be a very useful utility player for them. He's not going to be a first line dominant player like a JJ Paterka can be.

Okay. So we'll see what, uh, what happens next with these two teams. Yeah. Do you, do you buy my theory now that that right side spot is open on the blue line with Aaron Echblad and a lot of cap space still for Utah does that make sense to Pierre McGuire? It's a hundred percent. It does the only caveat I have to disagreement What happens if Florida does something and finds a way to keep Aaron Echblad?

It's it's outside of that. I think your theories holds a lot of weight. I'm with you. I just don't know whether... And I keep trying to figure out, okay, so if this guy's eight and then we'll see what they give Marchand, like how much money is left here unless they make a move, like is Aaron Echblad coming back for six? Or six and a half? I don't know that I see it. Like I know what you mean. I'm sure Echblad would love to someday. But that's why that caveat is if he decides to stay there. Cause I think they're going to do everything he can. But I love your theory.

You know, you look at it, Sergei Chev and him, that's a good start for them. That looks good. That's a really good start. Andre Turing, he just became a real good coach. Why? Did they get another goalie? I think that's going to be part of their plan. I do think that's going to be part of their plan. I really do.

I think they're looking for a goaltender, certainly. Okay, a couple of minutes here with you. I know it's bizarre, but here we are. The skeleton of a new CBA is out there, and we're all sort of wrapping our minds around the idea of, like the, the skeleton of a new CBA is, is out there. And we're all sort of wrapping our minds around the idea of, you know, 84 games, four year extension, um, playoff salary cap, whatever that looks like. For the first time since Gary Bettman took over in 1993 from Gil Stein, previous to him, John Ziegler.

We have a peacetime CBA and one that's not done with the lockout and one that's not done with a hammer. We have one that's done between the NHL and the NHLPA well in advance a year, over a year of the CBA expiring. What do you think of that? I think it's fantastic for the growth of the game. I think it's fantastic for a league that's really going in the right direction.

And I think there's one thing that helped it along. I could be wrong on this. And if I am, I hope somebody from the league will call me. I think with expansion potentially coming very soon with Atlanta and whether it's Houston or some other team, I think the league made the point to the player association hands off of that money, but we're gonna make good on other things. And so everybody picked their battle.

And I don't see anything about expansion fees being shared to the players. I think that's what the league wanted. On the other side, there were a lot of things that the players association wanted. And I what the league wanted. On the other side, there were a lot of things that the players association wanted and I think the league compromised on those and that's why I think we have some labor piece. I think one of the smartest things the NHL did was make public three numbers. 95, 104, and 113. well in advance of negotiations. Guys, this is what we're looking at for the salary cap.

And all the players went, whoa, I think that went a long way to Labor Peace. The guys knew what they, what they were, what they were looking at. And all of a sudden, to your point, if the players association thought about getting a piece of the $2 billion expansion fee for Atlanta, Houston, wherever else, that kind of went away. We're not willing to fight over it because we know 95, 104, 113 is out there and waiting for us. Yeah. And I agree with that.

I think that was the biggest thing that created the Sabre Harmony that you're speaking of. And in my 35 years in the league, this is probably the best relationship I've seen between the NHL and the NHL PA. And I think part of that is because of Marty Walsh. And I think part of that is because of Bill Daly and Gary Bettman. I really believe that. Don't disagree. Peace Time CBA. Who would have known? Pierre, look forward to tomorrow night. Monomi, we'll talk then.

Can't wait. Can't wait. There he is. Can't wait, my man. Take care. which by no coincidence are also some of the most requested clothing items by homeless shelters. So far, Bombas has donated over 150 million essential clothing items to people who need them. Bombas doesn't just do good, they feel good. Each sock and slipper is thoughtfully made with the softest materials. Every pair of underwear is designed to feel effortless and each t-shirt is destined to become your new favorite. If you have big workout goals, Bombas makes socks engineered to optimize your sport, plus compression socks to help you recover faster. You can try all these comfy items risk-free

because Bombas has a 100% happiness guarantee, which means you're covered for life. Reach out to their happiness team for easy returns, exchanges or replacements. So to feel good and do good, go to bombas.ca slash the sheet and use the sheet for 20% off your first purchase. That's bombas.ca slash the sheet and use the sheet at checkout. They greet Pierre McGuire who will be with me tomorrow for our watch along draft special. We know Schaeffer is going number one. Or do we? Yeah we do. We know Schaeffer is going number one. A lot of exciting things happening with the New York Islanders.

Zach, do we have bud to do? And do like janitorial work here real quick? No sheep was going number one. A lot of exciting things happening with the New York Islanders. Zach, do we have Bud to do? And do like a janitorial work here real quick? No, no Bud. We're all good. Speaking of the Islanders, they're poised to make big news tomorrow and the Islanders organization made big news earlier

this week by announcing Rocky Thompson as the new head coach of the Bridgeport Islanders, the AHL affiliate to the Big Squad. Rocky joins me now here on the sheet. Please welcome to the broadcast Rocky Thompson as the new head coach of the Bridgeport Allenders, the AHL affiliate to the big squad. Rocky joins me now here on the sheet. Please welcome to the broadcast Rocky Thompson. First of all, congratulations. You know how the coaching fraternity feels about you and you know how a lot of media people feel about you as well.

When things went sideways for the Philadelphia Flyers, I don't think anyone looked at Rocky Thompson. He said, oh, he's going to have a hard time. But did you think that? Always nervous. There's no doubt. But I kind of was viewing it as a potential opportunity. It's been five years since I was a head coach. And quite honestly, I really missed it. When you're an assistant coach, you assist in the culture of a team that your head coach wants to institute. So you do your best to support that. Sometimes it aligns and but really you're not in control of that culture.

And so as a head coach, it's one of the most important things I just feel like. And it's always been a big strength of mine in the past. And so I'm really, really excited about that opportunity to do that again, to do it here in Bridgeport where they've started something new from the top down to us there, so I can't wait to get started. It's an interesting time for the Islanders too, and Bridgeport's going to be a huge part of this. And you know, we were just talking to Pierre Maguire before you came on about,

you know, drafting is one thing and then we tend to ignore the development side of things. And Rock, I'm sure you've seen plenty of players that, you know, when they're identified and they're drafted, they look like can't miss, but then that secondary piece isn't there. And so when they get to the NHL, you say, ah, the Scouts didn't do their job, but that's not true. It was the second part that didn't happen.

Do you have a thought on that? Sometimes guys come in and they're just not ready yet. And they need a little bit of time in the American League. And I think in the right environment with the right opportunity and the right supporting cast that you can develop players. I had a number of players with the Chicago Wolves that people felt like these are not going to be NHL players. I had a number of players with the Chicago Wolves that people felt like these are not going to be NHL players. Nicholas Haag or Zach Whitecloud, Dylan Conglin, Keegan Colisar. So these were all players that people thought they weren't first round draft picks. They weren't of

the high pedigree. Some of them were just free agents out of college, but I give them so much credit that they worked so hard. They were so receptive. They wanted to be better and they wanted to get to the next level. And those are examples of guys who were able to do that. They did it in a winning environment there with the Wolves. We ended up not winning the Calder Cup, but we got a couple of wins from it. And they took that experience and went to the national league and a couple of years

later, they were important parts in a salary cap era where they were low cost guys that were really able to help assist Vegas in their Stanley Cup wins. So I take a lot of pride in that because that's our job down there is to develop these players, to create a winning culture, and then ultimately have them move on to the next level and have success and help those NHL teams. You know, this is an interesting time for the Islanders because it seems like it is a transition from the top on down.

Lou Laramurillo has moved on. This is now Matthew Darsh's team. And whether it's, you know, Isaiah George, who's, you know, knocking on the door to being a full-timer in the NHL, he's probably there now. The team is poised to draft Matthew Schaeffer, and maybe even they get someone else in the top 10, and maybe even bring in someone like James Hagans. Cole Iserman is going to be a huge piece of the future here. And you're starting to see like, okay, whose timeline are they going to do this on?

Regardless of who that is, there's going to be like this infusion of youth that comes along with the New York Islanders. As a coach, how do you approach that? Knowing that, okay, this is going to be a team that's transitioning a little bit here. There's going to be more kids and there's going to be a lot more young faces in Bridgeport. What does Rocky Thompson do with that? So excited about it. Those players that you just named, they have things that I can't teach them.

But what comes with youth is sometimes an experience and certain things that are very teachable that helps them translate and things that you can teach in a short period of time when it comes to play without the puck. So that that's always excited me. And in Chicago, we never really had those first rounders we did with Eric Branstrom and Cody Glass, but they were kind of moved on a little bit quicker. And so creating a foundation of play without the puck so that when they do get called up, their skill sets that they already have, like Cole Iserman, for an example, like it's an elite goal scorer. You can see when to score that many goals as a true freshman in college.

It's absolutely incredible having Richie from the OHL, who's a big body player, very skillful. I can't wait if I do get the opportunity to work with those players to help their development at an expedited pace so that they can get up to the national league and do what they need to do to put the New York Islanders over the top and help complement the older players and the good players that they currently have on their roster. I'm glad you mentioned Calvert-T2. That's a name that I probably should have included in there.

And who knows? Every player needs more games, less games. I don't know if you have a sort of rule of thumb, like defense player needs more games, less games. I don't know if you have a sort of like rule of thumb, like defensemen need more games in the American league than forwards do. It's kind of like a general rule that I've always felt. Do you have rules like that? Like, you know what, if you're a defender,

you're gonna play a little bit longer in the American hockey league than a forward would. Like, is there an easier transition depending on the position? I think it's less rules, more of a process. Like, defense is a very tough position. I would say center is another tough position because there's so much more responsibility

without the puck that can get exposed if your checking ability isn't where it needs to be, or even just processing information without the puck can be somewhat of a learning curve. And so it's different for everybody, but sometimes defensemen, that's why you never want to give up on defensemen too quickly. You want to see progress, but things don't always happen overnight. Incremental progress is important when they have a good skill package and a foundation underneath them coming in, that our job is to do it as quickly as possible, but we do have to exhibit patience because sometimes it takes a little bit of

time for other people or certain positions. And yeah, and you don't want to ever miss out on a guy because you were a little bit impatient. I want to get to one of my favorite stories of you and that's the 2015 Fort Lauderdale draft story and the presentation that changed your life. But I want to get there in a second. But first, one of the things that I've always admired about you as a coach, whether it was as an assistant in Edmondson, as a head coach in Windsor

with the Chicago Wolves, with the Philadelphia Flyers, etc. You seem to have like a real natural curiosity about things. And the one thing I've never, and anytime anyone asks me like, what's Rocky Thompson like as a coach? I always say he's curious, but he treats information not as if it's a final destination as much as it is a temporary staging post.

Like he's willing to say, this is what I believe this to be right now, but I'm open to change my mind. Not a lot of coaches like changing their mind, Rocky, but I've never felt that you are someone that made up his mind about really anything. Like you have like beliefs, you have a certain way about you,

but there are elements in the game that if you're not curious about them, they'll go right by you and you'll find yourself left in the dust. And I've always felt that one of the reasons why you endure is you have a natural curiosity about things. Has it always been like that with you? So like there, it's like you said,

there's core things that won't change with me without a doubt, but I always want a competitive advantage. And so that's why I read so many articles. I like to get different opinions from whether you're, you know, a numbers person, an analytics person, to Bobby Clark when he came into our room and I could sit down with him in the room and just talk for, you know, an hour

before we go out on the ice. And so just how they would use to do things. How did you take face offs? Just anything and everything in order to get a competitive advantage. And like you said, sometimes old things work, and then sometimes new things work. And it's our job as coaches to absorb that information and try and translate it and to, to apply it. And I think if you're evolving as a coach without changing the core principles that are important to you, that you're gonna continue to have success as this game evolves. And you can see how the game changes

and how styles of play change. And sometimes they change back to how things used to be, but it's just trying to stay ahead of that curve, I think is so important. And the more you talk to people, the more information you get, the better you're gonna be. Okay, let me ask you though, because when you were at the Philadelphia Flyers,

the alumni is a prominent part of the Philadelphia Flyers. So you're around and like to your point, there's Bobby Clark and there's Paul Holmgren and there's Bill Barber. Like what are the needs? Like I'm curious, give us a little idea of like what those conversations are like. Well they're different every time. Sometimes we're just socializing and then sometimes it gets into hockey because I'm curious and here's the thing.

I mean I was a fan right and the way I played I never got to watch them play because this was before my time but I always got to see them on videos of the Rockum Sockums on cherry videos, where things I grew up with that I kind of resonated with me being a physical player. And now I'm sitting there talking to them, you know what I mean? And I'll tell you what, they're just, they're such great people, all three of them. And they, they really treated me so good. And so I could go on and on. Like sometimes it's just stories about when they were playing and what Philly was like back then during the seventies. And sometimes it gets more hockey related with what we're doing and, you know, their opinions on what they see with us. And that's why I think it's just so great to get different opinions, whether you're new school or old school.

I think they's just so great to get different opinions, whether you're new school or old school. I think they're all valuable. And those guys, they're winners, and they were winners for a reason. And they've been in this game forever outside of their playing career. So the experience they have with players and managing and the types of players that they had

over the course of their 10ures as managers or coaches. I mean, it's just, it's so invaluable. Did you ever hear the, uh, the Fred Shearer bacon and egg story? You told me that one. Okay. So did I tell you, I'm trying to remember, like, did I tell Rocky that story? I guess the, the, the, the chicken made a contribution, but the pig made a commitment. I wish I wish, and he's no longer with us, of course, but I wish

I had a chance to talk to Fred Schiro. I wish I had a chance to talk to Anatoly Tarasov. The larger than life figures and some of the great coaching minds of the game. Who are the guys that did it for you? Who are the coaches that even just now you look at and you go like, Oh man, I could learn so much from this guy. In my coaching career, I was with the Edmonton Oilers organization. I kind of worked my way up there, but Billy Moore's was there and Billy Moore's was a Claire Drake, um, protege, if you will, and worked with him for years at the, um, yeah, university of Alberta. So outside of Canada, I think people in Canada that are a little bit older knew who Claire Drake was. And Claire Drake

was way ahead of his time. And so was Billy. Yeah. As you know, I mean, I think he is in the hockey hall of fame now. Yes. Yes. And justifiably so. It probably should have been a lot longer ago that he should have gone in. But, um, just like I said, and Mike Gabonet is a really close friend of mine. And so we're kind of like hockey nerds. So Mike and I, who is Clared Drake's grandson, who coaches at the university of Omaha, Nebraska. So we get together and Mike all has his grandpa's old books and we'll talk about systems and then he brings up these one, one, three left wing locks.

And it's like, well, that was old, you know, that was things they used to do back in the day. And then it was so old. It's new again, you know, so, so whether you're like Mike and I talk about it. And then we talk about his grandpa and Gino Briaco. I got to get to know when I was in legendary Penguin. Oh yeah. I'm so yeah. Absolutely.

Yup. And, and Gene just loves hockey, uh, detailed again, was another guy who was way ahead of his time and how he viewed the game at that time, uh, in the eighties and the early nineties. So, uh, but Billy Moore's was really instrumental in, in myself in the development of players, um, the arts and the sciences, he calls of coaching, where there's a blend of the two is obviously we know the science of coaching is the X's and O's and the, to dumb it down, the art of coaching is the Jimmy and Joe's, your culture, your relationships. And

I believe with the science of coaching, you could be the best knowledgeable coach in the world. If your players can't listen to what it is you're saying, you're never going to get them to perform it, but you can have the art of coaching down and even get rid of the science of coaching and your team can still have success because those guys will compete so hard, they'll play hard for each other. Now, when you can blend them both, now you got something special. And so I was able to learn that at a young age and continue to learn along the way. You know it's funny listening to you talk about you know the the old days and where the trap came

from. I would hear stories from old timers talking about Hap Day was doing this when he coached in the 30s and all of a sudden like the devil's discovered us like they were doing this in the 30s. Come on like get over it. By, Clare Drake went in in 2017. So he's been like that was, and you're right, like Clare Drake could have got in much sooner and that's how influential. And if you talk to anyone who had any passing with Clare Drake, everybody sings from the same hymn book

about how great a coach, great a man, everything Clare Drake was. Now, let me close on this one. So one of my favorite stories and favorite moments, this was pivotal in your life, a presentation you gave at the coaches clinic, Fort Lauderdale draft, the McGavid draft 2015. And Warren Reichel and Bob Boogner, I believe were there.

And right away it was like, can you please come to Windsor to interview for the Spitfires coaching gig? Can you share that story with our viewers slash listeners? So, so I had a year left on my contract in Edmonton, but, um, the whole staff had been let go and I didn't know my fate at the time. So I reached out to George Kingston and I was like, I was concerned I was going to lose my job.

And so I knew the perception of me as a player because of the way I played the game, to me, it was all psychology. I really wanted to intimidate the opposition because I wanted to, you know, have my team have the most success possible. So I had the long hair, I had the braids. So I was like, I got to change the conversation of myself because I mean, that, that worked back then, but people, people thought I was crazy. And really I'm not I was just good at those those types of things right and so changing that

perception of me was difficult outside of the people that have worked with me so the Edmonton Oilers I'd only been in their organization so they they valued that but a new coaching staff was coming in and so it's like anything you don't know, you don't know the guy. So I thought I got to get myself out there. I'm going to do this presentation. I'm going to do it offensive on offensive concepts, essentially is what it was. It was a skill principles and adjustments. So offensive play is really what it was there.

So I started the thing out. I go right behind Scotty Bowman, who kind of does the introduction to the whole thing. And I'm like the keynote speaker at the beginning. And so I mean, I'm sweating, obviously, right? Scotty's right there and stuff. So the first thing I said is I'm like, I have a picture of me. I think I had knocked down Oli while when my arms are in the air and my hair's all over the place. And I said, I said, now I know what you guys are thinking. You're thinking how, what in the round world is this guy going to teach me about offense? And I said, I said, this was my first shift in the NHL and it was quite an offensive shift and it was me throwing, you know, drawing hands with Christa.

But at the end of the day, the feedback that I got from it and there was a, every coach was there. Even to this day, when I was interviewing with some jobs, uh, at the national league level as an assistant, uh, some of the guys brought up seeing that presentation back then, and that it, um, it really started to change the conversation on myself from time, uh, how I was as a player to what I've, uh, developed into and was developing into as a coach. And so Boogie saw that right away he came up to me and he said, he goes, how would you like to be

a coach of the Windsor Spitfires? And I was like, well, you're the coach of the Windsor Spitfires. He goes, I got a job with Pete DeBoer. I'm leaving. I'm going to San Jose, but I really want you to meet Warren Reichel Bundy and, um, so met Warren, obviously we hit it off. And then they brought me to meet the ownership group and the rest was history and we ended up winning a championship there a couple of years later.

You know like how much, because like the moment after it's over, the story of that draft is of course Conor Mcgavid, he goes drafted for his overall etc. but like the buzz around like the hockey people is like, did you see Rocky Thompson's presentation? Like you were aware of all of what they were expecting. We were expecting that guy that when he dropped his gloves, his eyes rolled back and rang no sale, he was a shark out there, just saw the whites of his eyes. No, but like it was like, it was one of those moments. Cause I've, I honestly, Rock, I've been to plenty of those.

And what happens is a lot of guys are just sort of there to be seen sometimes and coaches start talking and then it's like, Oh, wake up, wake up, wake up. Another cup of coffee, please. But like with you, it's like everybody's straight in their back and started listening and you know what it's like, like that's rare, especially with that group, like that was a real, that was a real big moment for that annual event. Huge. So it was fortunate and yeah, and you got to put yourself out there sometimes.

I was talking with a coach just today and he asked me that and I brought that up. He goes, what can I do to help myself advance to the next level? And I said, put yourself out there. So that, because I had to put myself out there. That's not easy thing to do. It's hard getting up in front of 1500, 2000 coaches that are Hucku Hall of Famers. Yes.

And you're like, how am I going to say to them that they don't already know, you know, like that could have value. And, but sometimes you got to take a chance and it can be rewarding in the end. And so, yeah, I was fortunate. It was great. Listen, this has been great too. Congratulations on the Bridgeport And so, yeah, I was fortunate. It was great. Listen, this has been great too.

Congratulations on the Bridgeport gig. You're gonna do great. You're gonna get some really cool young players to work with as well. Looking forward to seeing what the Bridgeport Islanders have in store next season with you at the helm. Thanks for doing this, Rock, and good luck, pal. Thanks for having me. There he is, Rocky Thompson, the head coach of the Bridgeport Allenders of the American

Hockey League. I'll tell you what, one of the, I think I mentioned this on the show the other day, Zach, about one of the first conversations I had with Rocky. I was working at CBC doing a show and Tyler Dello who was doing analytics for the Oilers called me said hey Rocky I don't they're in they're in town to watch them to play the Maple Leafs and it's like hey, we're around the corner We're gonna go to hey Lucy have some dinner. Why don't you come and join us? Like yeah, sure. That's great And honestly we sat there me and Rocky and Tyler and I think I think Rocky was way obviously way more interested in Tyler Because he was fascinated with and this is sort of the the early the early I don't say trend the early phase

of analytics becoming part of the hockey lexicon and the hockey conversation and he just gobbled this up and I remember talking to Dello after him like this guy's this guy's gonna be a head coach This guy is just like gobbling all of this up now when he played Rocky was a totally different guy Rocky was like Oh, yeah rocks rocks different now He was like he was scary tough You know I was talking to one guy today. I'm like hey, I've got I got Rocky Thompson on the show today he's like I was like legit scared of

him. I would fake that I was him but I was like this is a tough guy. I was really scared of Rocky Thompson. A lot of guys were. He had the great look too man. He had that great great look. Kind of like you right now. You're kind of frozen here on the program here. All right, we have a few things to get to on the program here. Want to remind you about a couple of things that have happened today. The JJ Paturka trade has gone down. Zach, you still with us by the way,

but you're frozen on the screen. JJ Paturka goes to the area from the Arizona Coyotes. The Utah Mammoth, in exchange for Josh Stone and Michael Kesselring. Something I think we mentioned on the program the other day was have a look for Daniel Tarasoff, the backup netminder for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and could something happen there? Could he end up getting moved? And he did. He's off to the Florida Panthers. That would be an association with Bill Zito, formerly of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and also to make way, more than anything else, make way for Jet Greaves, who is the

goaltender of the future and maybe even he grabs the net next season off of Elvis Mers-Leakins. So that'll be your battery in Columbus next season unless I'm missing something and Columbus does something here with with Elvis Mers-Leakins. Also Mark Edward Vlasic on waivers for the purpose of a buyout. You know what? on waivers for the purpose of a buyout. You know what? I think people really forget just how good, once upon a time, Mark Edward Vlasic was. Mark Edward Vlasic was like all-star team good,

and was like Team Canada team good. He was never flashy, never like did one thing better than everybody else. He was just a really good, solid, safe, steady defenseman. Really good defender for a long time and that San Jose Sharks team which everybody, including myself, every year said, this is the year the Sharks are going to do it. The Sharksarks are gonna win the Stanley. He was a key piece of it. Because I know we always focus on Thornton and we focus on Marlowe, Pavelski, etc. Man, he was good. Mark Edward Vlasic was.

But it looks like that's most likely the end of the road for Mark Edward Vlasic. Riley Smith, one-year contract Vegas, $2 million there as well. Is there anything that we've left off the program so far here before we get to our friends at Ninja Crisp? I think I lost internet for like 20 seconds there. You did. That's why I was out. But in that time, did we do, Frederick Goudreau was on the move there to Seattle.

Seattle wants a full team of third liners. You said it. It's my first thought. We'll see what Botterill does here. By the way, I do think Seattle is going to at least try to do something big. I don't know if it's gonna be at the draft, most likely July 1st or into the summer, but Seattle is a team that is gonna to, like, Baudrill's

going to do something here. Yeah. Baudrill's one of those teams. Like, Utah, you watch, and they're starting to make their big moves here with JJ Peturka. Seattle is the other one that you watch here to make some big moves. And the other one, oh, Jamie Benn. Not a surprise in a bonus-laden, like, 35-plus bonus-laden deal. Not a surprise and a bonus laden, like 35 plus bonus laden deal. Not a surprise at all.

Alright, I think we're going to actually get to the question today. Because yesterday we did the Ninja Crispy inbox. And we read it and then Wish and I just started talking. Yeah, there was a bunch of other stuff that started happening. No, because we're sloppy. Like seriously, dude. Sloppy show, sloppy host. Okay here we go, time now for the Ninja Crispy inbox presented by the Ninja Crispy 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer.

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talk about an email today unlike me and wish just blathering on like we did yesterday so Zachary what do we have in the inbox today sir? This one comes from Jack Dawson what is the reason for benches being placed on the same side I know what happened years ago I think opposite sides worked better, especially by putting benches entirely in the neutral zone at Capre Jack 94. Great question. All of this happened in the mid sixties. So what I want to tell a quick story about Chicago.

The Chicago Blackhawks, you know we always look for like home ice advantage and things you do that you can't do now because everything is standardized. But teams would like, you know, shorten the bench for the visitor's side or a Scotty Balmond would paint the visitor's dressing room. So the guys would get change smelling sniffing paint fumes and no one can figure out why the Montreal Canadiens just won every single game

Damn it. I digress You know the Chicago Blackhawks used to have before the NHL made them change the old Chicago Stadium On the Chicago Blackhawks bench there were two gates For players to go in and out the visitors bench had one It's for players to go in and out, the visitors bench had one. Home ice advantage. Eventually the NHL said, you're going to have to stop that. We can't do this anymore. Really, this really makes us look, this is too much of an advantage.

Shame on you Chicago, or rather good on you Chicago for trying to take home ice advantage to a whole new level. So until the mid-60s, who was it that wrote in? Was it Jim? Who was it? Jack. Jack. Jack Dawson. Okay, Jack Dawson. You're right. They used to be on opposite ends, opposing each other, until the NHL mandated, and this would have been, I want to say, 63, maybe 64, that penalty boxes, there would need to

be one penalty, sorry, two penalty boxes, well, originally one, we'll get there in a second, needed to be in the neutral zone. And if you have benches on either side of the ice and a penalty box on one side, then it's a quicker change for one team as opposed to the other team where the player has to skate across the ice to make a change. So it became an unofficial, well not unofficial, it became officially, it was an advantage for one team. So the NHL mandated that on one side was the penalty box and on the other side were the two benches. Now it used to be, and there are a couple of famous incidents here that changed it, there used to be that both teams shared the same penalty box. Like you would fight a guy and then you'd go sit next to him in the penalty box and

you just went on good faith that the players weren't going to do something dumb. But Bob Pulford and Terry Harper did something dumb and continued to fight. That would have been at, I think that one was at Maple Leaf Gardens. Pretty famous fight too, Pulford and Terry Martin. And then there was another one where there was a player for the New York Rangers, this happened at MSG, a guy by the name of Bob Dill. And he got in a fight with Rocket Richard. Rocketard knocked him out, right? Went to the penalty box. They brought Bob Dill to life.

And Dill decided he was gonna go for more in the penalty box against Rocket Rashard again. And Rocket knocked him out in the penalty box. And that incident became known as, and you can look this up, the Pickling of Bob Dill. One of the great headlines. The pickling of Bob Dill. One of the great moments in the history of hockey. And that it was because of that that they finally said, okay stop. You guys really need to stop this and we're gonna have we're gonna have two penalty

boxes. Now one of the great stories of NHL benches, I wanna say this was in the 30s. It was Con Smythe who ran the Toronto Maple Leafs and Art Ross who ran the Boston Bruins, his coach and general manager. So Con Smythe, imagine if this happened. You think of like teams trolling each other now, right? Brad Marshand thanking teams on Instagram.

How do you think this would go over now? The Toronto Maple Leaf, your Toronto Maple Leafs, led by Con Smythe, before a game in Boston, took out an ad in the Boston Globe accusing the Boston Bruins of playing sleepy boring hockey and if you want to see what a real team looks like come watch them play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night which infuriated Boston Bruins fans and what Con Smythe did is for the game is the manager of the team top hat tails on the Leafs bench

chirping fans for the whole game This used to be The NHL can tell that I really want to do a hockey history podcast. This used to be I really want to do a hockey history podcast. This used to be the NHL. The Maple Leafs took out an ad in the Boston Globe saying the Bruins play sleepy time hockey. Come watch a real team, my Toronto Maple Leafs, on Saturday night.

And guess what happened? The Bruins won three-two. Yeah, shocker. Yeah, that's not bulletin. that's literal bulletin board material. 100% it is. Cut it out of the paper. Cut it out of the paper. And pinned it.

Yeah. The Maple Leafs paid for an ad in the Boston Globe to troll the Boston Bruins and then lost the game. That's why, that's why this shit that they're dealing with now, that's why this is happening. That's why I'm going through this. Still to this day, it continues to happen. All right. Two things for you quick, Jeff.

Before we go. Okay, shoot. Two things. Yeah, what do you got? One, do you know what team still uses the benches on the opposite sides? I had to look this up to make sure I was right. That's what I was doing. It's not a, it's a junior team. Is it Peterborough Peets? Oh shit, I actually didn't think about Peterborough.

For some reason I feel like maybe they do. No, I'll check that right now. No. Who is it? The Aurora Tigers. I was just there on Saturday at the Aurora Community Center. Yeah, that's right. They are, okay, it's a Aurora Community Center. Yeah, that's right. They are okay. Junior 18. Yeah, you're right. Then we have that they have that big step down big big step down to get to the rink as well. Which you know, by the way, like when I was a little kid, like I'm talking like six, seven, we did the skate where you go between periods. Yeah. Imagine like six, five, six year olds stepping off that step

that people who don't understand. Jeff, you'd say probably like a two foot oh yeah I like a not exaggerating like a two foot yeah no it's a big drop it's a big drop like whoa yeah holy smokes also there's a question here I couldn't let it go by without us without me asking you before from the chat yeah, question for you. My parents used to call me Jeffrey when I was in trouble. What did Buffalo give up to acquire Jeff Skinner from Carolina in 2018? I'll let you answer it and guess who asked the question.

What did Buffalo give up in the Jeff Skinner deal? I don't know, what did they give up? I can't remember, can't remember that know. What did they give up? I can't remember. I can't remember that one. What was it? Well, I believe that was the Cliff Poo trade. Cliffy!

That's right! Second round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres. I thought Winnipeg was going to draft. Winnipeg was all over Cliff Poo that year. That was the year that he was in Buffalo, and when he got drafted the whole crowd was yelling, Poooo! That was the year that he was in Buffalo and when he got drafted the whole crowd he was yelling That was the second day because Austin Matthews went first overall the on the the Friday before oh that was cliffie a Cliff it cliff used to work out at the gym that I'm at with my with my kids. Yeah Colton?

No. Who? De Silva. See RDS was like Ryan was at the gym too and like Cliffy was there. Who else is there? Justice Dunda, Scott Kosmichuk, like all those dudes. Ryan De Silva was just probably a kid there barely old enough to piss straight looking at all these OH OHL guys, oh wow, one day, one day. Next thing you know he's playing for Blainville. Now he's your buddy. Yes. Yes he is. And now we never see him at the gym anymore. He's busy man, it's the summer. Uh huh, uh huh, I know. He's working at golf

tournaments. I know, I see him on Instagram. He's golf and I'm like he's going to weddings. He's busy man. He's busy. I know. I know. I know. Let him be. Don't be shy about coming in. Inclined bench, flat raise, anything. Take your pick. Let's go to Silva. Used to be an inspiration. This guy does TikTok dances after scoring goals. Infuriating benches.

Used to be an inspiration. It's such a joke. Come on, what happened to you? In the gym, there's all- Used to be an inspiration. In the gym for the younger kids. I am serious about this. In the gym for the younger kids,

all the guys that played junior hockey. For kids my age, like my son looks up to all those guys, like Ryder McIntyre, who just finished up with the Peterborough Pete's, played the full compliment in the OHL, like he's the gym captain at the gym and like all the younger kids look up to him. It's good, it's healthy, right? Like there's a whole sort of progression, all of it,

Mack Lemmon was that guy once upon a time. He went to...he played Oshawa? Did Mac play Oshawa? Anyway, I mean, he went to a couple of Maple Leafs camps. But like all these guys are inspiration for all these younger kids, whether they realize it or not. Most of them don't because they're all donkeys when they're that age. And they don't realize that all like the 13 or 14-year-old kids are like, yeah, one day I want to be like that guy. I'm sure plenty looked up to Ryan De Silva

I would discourage it for him that donkey no way She's allergic to the gym once retirement hit that's he just said yeah gym with a G not a J Anyways, uh... Show up every now and then, Ryan. Cameron Gontz just got traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brendan Gontz for Cameron Popper. I was gonna say, you know, Cameron Gontz. Brendan Gontz. Yeah, okay, because Cam just retired.

Yes, I know. I was like, well, as soon as I said that... Gontz Brothers used to work out at the same gym. Gontz Brothers used to work out at the same gym at Bodysmith. Yes. Is this just a whole segment brought to you by Randy Smith's gym? Yeah. Just gonna run down all these Ryan De Silva, Cliff Poo, the Gontz Brothers. Gormley's own.

Brendan Gontz off to Columbus. Good family. Just dad runs the Markham Waxters as you well know. Has for years. Wonderful, wonderful family Okay, let's see what you come up with here The sheet is powered by Body Smith International no sorry the sheet is powered by fan duel home in the same game parlay make every moment more on fan duel

Fan duel proud to connect fans to the major sports moments that matter to them. What do you got? All right. The draft is coming up tomorrow night, as people know, and you should be watching it with us right here on the Daily Face Off channel, 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Truth. The Jeff Merrick alongside Pierre McGuire. The Pierre McGuire. And the Pierre McGuire, correct correct and I was trying to look because

Fandual has a bunch of draft stuff up that you can take a look at you could you can bet on some stuff Matthew Schaefer fun things Matthew Schaefer first overall okay no no I that stuff is like okay yeah that's fun sure like we can get into that I figured you like this one more. Okay, what do you got? Who will be? The first person to be hugged by the first overall pick According to fan duel the leading odds minus 200 parents Sibling plus 155

Got this Yes, I thought this is so cool. Yeah, we got to do this today good on Fandual. Oh wow This is gonna be maybe said maybe his brother. I think Gonna be Matthew Schaefer Sibling is a good bet here. You think his older brother? Yes I think his brother's a good bad here. Wow. It's either gonna be dad or bro. I'm gonna go with dad. I'm gonna go with dad. Are you

gonna go with older brother? I'm gonna go with dad on this one. Okay, so we'll find out live on the show tomorrow in real time. But yeah, how cool is this? That's amazing. I never would have thought about that for a second. I went and looked and I was like, there's no way. And I think, okay, this is an opportunity we have to take. We gotta do this. So I think brother, you think his dad. So Jeff with the parent minus 200,

which I think like it makes sense but I'm just going with like I think there's a greater chance maybe I'm just going maybe we're just going with parent because I am a parent you'd hope that he uh your son hugs you first. Beat it old man. Out of the way I gotta get up on the stage. The camera cuts you and your family hugs his mother first you standing there. I know just like Son son the guy that paid for guy that paid for all those sticks got paid for all those skates Paid for all that training all that ice time Don't even get a hug beat it old man

all that training all that ice time don't even get a hug beat it old man get to the top and kick the ladder down sorry old man you did nothing it's all me from here this is me kissing my mirror yep that's it hey thanks for everything and you get to be hugged second or. I was gonna say yeah, don't flatter yourself dad Yeah, the other sibs Maybe that's fine. That's great good on FanDuel for that one Yeah, I never would have thought I never would have thought of I never would have thought that they'd have that but good on Good other friends at FanDuel. That's awesome Okay, so tomorrow we're gonna be doing a regular show at 3 o'clock Eastern Brian Burke returns after a two week hiatus.

Looking forward to talking to Brian on NHL Draft Day. And then as Zach mentioned, our watch along goes tomorrow at 7 o'clock Eastern. One thing that I do want to mention as well is we have a new podcast on the Nation Network. Nothing to do with hockey, everything to do with baseball and stuff. This is super cool. Sixth inning stretch featuring Witt Merrifield and Lindsay Dunn, a different take on baseball. That will make its debut next Wednesday. We'll bring more information to you before then, but a new podcast launching here with Witt Merrifrifield who was one of my favorite Jays when he played so very much looking forward to that. Thanks to Pierre Maguire for stopping by. Quickly, quickly. What do you got now? What are you jumping all over me? Dylan Cousins on

Coming In Hot tomorrow. Oh right. Sorry. So Dylan, so you're too busy like taking texts from Ryan De Silva and like insulting me and stuff and give me like you know Cliff Poo trades. I heard Cliffy's coming back. Sorry. I mean come back. Do you see Kuznetsov is coming back? Hoping to play in North America next year? No, I didn't see either of those things. Two people you never thought would be in the same sentence. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Cliff Poo. But there it is. Thursday, June 11 time stamp 4 11 Eastern BAM Yep, but down in there. There you go. I'll go on it's going in the hockey Hall of Fame Where was it? Oh, yeah, thanks to Pierre Maguire for stopping by

Tomorrow Pierre and I at 7 o'clock Eastern for our draft watching along. Hope you enjoyed the interview with Rocky Thompson I'm really happy for Bridgeport really hope you happy for Rocky Thompson and I Hope you enjoyed the interview with Rocky Thompson. Like I'm really happy for Bridgeport, really happy for Rocky Thompson. And I know it's been tough going in Bridgeport. There's a new, there's like a new energy in the organization now. I shouldn't say new, well, there is a new energy and a different vibe right now with Matthew Darsh at the helm of the New York Islanders.

And there'll be probably more of an accent placed on player development at the American Hockey League level. I'm happy for Rocky that he's the one shepherding these young kids into their career into the NHL. Thanks to Rocky Thompson for stopping by. Thanks to all of you for listening or being part of the chat on YouTube. As always give the big thumbs up. If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel here, Daily Face Off on YouTube. Tune in tomorrow for our Draft Special

and if you're listening on Spotify, Apple Pods, whatever, always appreciate it. Thank you very much. Audio is my home and I believe we're going through the golden age of audio. Again, whether we wanna call it as such, appreciate every download and always appreciate your attention either live or in archive at YouTube or on the podcast.

Thank you, thank you. Back tomorrow with Brian Burke at 3 o'clock Eastern. Before we get there though, Morning Cup of Hockey at 9 a.m. with the Impact players, Johnny Lazarus and Colby Cohen. And then- Jeff, I think they're done. Friday. Done?

I think Fridays, they're done. So they just went back to doing Fridays and other done Fridays. I Believe so. Yeah, those guys are never beating the vacation allegations Well, their producers nickname is vacation Yeah, what a couple half-mile. Here I am putting them over. Oh, the Impact players. They get our start at first voices on daily face-off every day. Oh, they're off tomorrow.

Yeah. That's awesome. DFO live, dude? Me, Zach, and Berkey? Tomorrow at three? And then our draft watch along with Piano Blank. Hope you can join us. Yeah, that's it.

That's all I got out of words, out of ideas, out of sounds. So, enjoy. I hope you enjoyed this video. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope piano blinds. Hope you can join us. Yeah, that's it. That's all I got out of words, out of ideas, out of sounds. So enjoy the rest of your day.

Back tomorrow at three. I can't get out my head Lost all ambitions day to day Guess you can call it a rut 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 that's gonna be fixing my mind You