The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Porter Martone Is a Problem & Playoff Hockey in Buffalo ft. Kyle Okposo & Greg Wyshynski

Episode Date: April 21, 2026

Jeff Marek is back with a fresh edition of The Sheet, joined by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski and former Stanley Cup Champion Kyle Okposo. Wyshynski kicks things off by breaking down the early storylines from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the marathon Hurricanes vs Senators game and the controversy around the potential offside on the tying goal, the Philadelphia Flyers shutting out the Pittsburgh Penguins, Porter Martone’s impact, and Jason Dickinson's big night against the Anaheim Ducks to open their series. They also look at the Dallas Stars evening their series with the Minnesota Wild and what it means moving forward. Later, Kyle Okposo joins the show to discuss what playoff hockey means to the city of Buffalo, the emotion of experiencing the postseason after such a long drought, and the atmosphere surrounding the Sabres as playoff hockey returns.#NHL #StanleyCupPlayoffs #CarolinaHurricanes #PhiladelphiaFlyers #BuffaloSabres #DallasStars #MinnesotaWild #PorterMartone #GregWyshynski #KyleOkposo #JeffMarek #TheSheet #HockeySHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼 Ninja: https://www.sharkninja.ca/ninja-crispi-pro-6-in-1-countertop-glass-air-fryer-rose-quartz/AS101CRS.html?utm_source=Meta&utm_medium=Paid+Social&utm_campaign=H1NinjaCrispi&utm_content=NinjaEN&dwvar_AS101CRS_color=cdb9b8Reach 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/@FNBarnBurner🚨 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-faceoffReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Man, that always catches me off guard, I know, right? Oh, my God. So Zach had some spare time on the weekend. So I put that. I mean, is there enough scratch left for us to stream the show? The graphics package alone, like it may have sapped the budget. Come into like Bob Costas and an Olympic-sized studio coming into that theme. Like that has like a certain Olympic vibe along with.

Hey, two things I want to talk to. You're looking live with sold out whatever the name of the arena is in Raleigh. First thing you have to do is do a quadruple time check. maybe a quintuple time check to make sure you cover off all the zones, which is, I did Olympics a couple of different times studio and got used to being a nickel and dime Brian Williams doing multiple zone time checks. Anywho, two things I want to talk about today. I'm going to talk to Kyle Posto a little bit later on about the Buffalo Sabres and the fans.

I want to talk about slow sueyes and I want to talk about dogpox. You know what? I did not bring my Canadian Dakota ring with me, so I am at a loss right now. Slow suicide passes and Oh yeah, slow suicide And delay of game puck over glass Do you know the first Dogg and slow sueyes

The first hockey blog I ever wrote for Was called trolley tracks No As in as in you put him on the trolley tracks I always think about that Because I remember as an American At the time I had no idea what it meant

And I thought perhaps the owner of the blog lived in San Francisco I didn't realize that I had all this hockey and now I understand all of it. And getting all of it? Oh, well, it helps when we do the pod together because it's literally like podcasting with a sentient glossary. It's like all these words come my way. And I learn about them.

I just don't know what they mean. Well, you know what? One of the things, just as a quick aside, we're going to get to what happened last night. I do want to talk about Puerto Martone. But, you know, we got on to last night. One of my favorite things to watch in the NHL and we'll see it again tonight. And I really wish that there were microphones and a camera in case it's the same. And I haven't, now I haven't checked to see who the referees are in Tampa, Montreal.

But what I loved in game one between these two things was seeing Marty St. Louis and Francois Saint-Laure screaming each other in French. It is one of my favorite things now to watch when Marty gets his Frenchon with the Quebec referee, Marty's from Laval, and just watching them scream at each other in French. It is one of the more interesting dynamics when we have the HABs in the playoffs, which is when they advance and there's more national media covering Montreal. You have to sit through the first 25 questions that are all in French and then the English language people get it too. Hang on. We got Freddie Lequieu tonight.

So we got all right. Perfect. All right, Marty. Go for it. Fill your boots, Marty. And so my thought is always that like the Frenchies are getting the best stuff. And then we get kind of like Marty San Luis reconsidering his words and saying the more sanitized version. You know, he's sitting there with the French.

He's being like, Tavernac. Getting the good stuff. Yeah. And then when we talk to him, he's like, well, I thought the officiating was pretty good. You know, everybody's got challenges. He like lathers on the salt before he talks to our Francophone, Kebacrofins. And then like cleans that washes his tongue before he talks to, well, you, for example. Yeah.

Without question. By and by the way, do you buy the idea that Tampa Bay was only a few stupid penalties away from being okay in game one? Because honestly, I looked inside the numbers. Yeah, no, that was Montreal's game. Montreal was plus eight in high danger. Shot attempts and they were chasing the game a little bit. The other thing, you know, and this is kind of surprising too. And it started with Josh Anderson right away.

It's seemed as if Montreal has gone into Tampa and said, we're going to play part of their game too. We're going to try to get them a fight. We're going to, like, Arbor Jack guy, I'm convinced, is dying to fight Corey Perry. He cannot, I don't think Corey Perry is going to give it to him. But like, and I don't think, to be honest, I don't think anyone on Tampa right now wants to fight. Like, obviously, they want to win this series. And I think looming in the rain here.

They want to hit. They want to hit, absolutely. Right. I don't think it, I don't think they want to fight. I think part of the background noise to all this is they've just had. three first round exits. And what does a fourth first round exit mean for the Tampa Bay Lightning? Anyhow, I want to get to this coming up in a little bit here.

But let's share with the viewers and the listeners was coming up on the program today. The Blueprint, powered by Fanduel. Download the app today and play your game with Fanduel. You've already seen him. You've already heard him. He might have already giggled once or twice. He is Greg Wyshinsky from ESPN and ESPN.com. It might have.

Come on. A little giggle something. We will talk about Porter Martone. Here's my question. Is Porter Martone, the next Corey Perry? pause on that for one second. We'll talk about the playoffs around the NHL. We'll talk about being a Buffalo Sabre

with someone who was a Buffalo Sabre. Back before the Buffalo Sabres, we're a playoff team, and that is Kyle Leposo. We'll stop by the program here. And I love his hockey DB because it's, you know, Islanders, Islanders, Islanders, Sabers, Sabers, and then that last one, Florida Panthers, and then there's a Stanley Cup beside it,

which is just so nice. Do you think when he signed that, by the way, when he signed that one-year deal with the Sabres in that last season, and there was a clause about if you win the Stanley Cup, you get $500,000. You think for a second that he'd be cashing that when he signed that with the swords at the beginning of the season. Like your Pat Reesaw in the age, you're going like, ah, we'll throw it in there for giggles. Nah, next thing you know, Poso's playing on that line with Ryan Lomburg, I believe, on that four-clam.

Ryan Lomburg. And was that, was that Evan Rodriguez in that line, or is he up on the third line? I think, I don't remember. But the point, point being is that he was a... He was the old guy with that a cup that year, man. Stanland. Was Kevin Stanley? Stanland.

Oh, he made a pretty nice play in that Vegas game the other night. Yeah, he was the old guy without a cup. Obviously, we've got Brent Burns as our preeminent old guy without a cup. Claude, Claude. Claude Drew as well. Claude. Come on deal on. I want to say, Clude.

Where do you want to start as far as these playoffs series goes? All right. I want to talk since the beginning of the playoffs. I want to start with, you know, who felt really bad last night in that Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars game? you know, it felt really bad on the Minnesota side. Zach Bogosian. Because of the past, the Yakov-Trennan. Like, I look at that play and I say that, like,

and the minute he releases it, I'm sure he knows it, he's like, oh, I should not have made that. It's a beautiful hit by Blackwell. It is a textbook, gorgeous, shoulder to shoulder, all of it, trends down. Listen, he's been on the giving side of these types of hits for a long time. No one's going to feel bad for him. But there was an element.

outside of the fact that it was shoulder, shoulder, and not shouldered ahead. Do you remember back in 2010, Joe Thornton and David Perron? In San Jose, St. Louis, and then all the nightmare that happened online. Now, size differential between the two and Peron didn't see Thornton coming out. But when I saw the hit last night, I'm like, oh, man, that's Thornton from 2010. But at the same time, the person feeling bad there is Zach Bogosian, who made that pass. For sure. And I assure you, the minute he let go of it is like, fuck, I should have done that.

You didn't even mention the most famous thing about that Thornton hit, which that Thornton hit began the short-lived, but occasionally still cropping up theory that suspension should last as long as the injury to the player. Remember that? Yeah. Was that the beginning of it? It was definitely the one that got the most attention because Perron was out forever. And a lot of the people on both sides of the argument were like,

well, if Peron's out forever, how come Thornton didn't get anything basically for it? And then the Thornton people were like, Thornton got two. How could you possibly keep them out for as long as Peron's out? I mean, the play was what it was. Yeah, Thornton got two for that one. Yeah. I was of the mind that that was, again, like in the Zach Bogosian example,

that that was the defenseman's fault. Minnesota jumps, Minnesota loses rather. Dallas jumps back into this one. Any surprises in this series for you before we transition to Porter Martone here? I liked the fight from the wild last night. Like, I mean, it's probably going to go seven, right? I think that's what I had it as, and I'm not probably the only person that had it as seven. But the first Faber goal was incredible and not necessarily what you default expect from Brock Faber.

But, you know, for them jumping back in the game and really putting the pressure on the stars, and the stars responding to their credit, I mean, getting the goals from the guys that you need to get goals from last night, it's the way the series should look. Game one, not the way the series should look. Game two a little bit closer to what we want out of the series. And listen, I am now of the mind of it is a ticking clock for the Minnesota Wild. You probably want to get a good lead in this series before Rupé Hens can come back. Because that's how important he is that Dallas team.

Yeah, he is. And it's not going to be in game three. Probably not in game four. But they're a different team when he's in the lineup. And I think he'll be back at some point in the series. A faster team. Like that's a speed dynamic. Like face it, he's one of the fastest centers.

Faster, more defensively responsible. I mean, check the boxes for what Rupéhance gives you. Yep. Okay. It's always interesting in playoff times. When you say something that you say probably every day when you watch hockey, but everybody knows exactly what you mean when you say it around playoff time. Was that offside?

No, it wasn't. It wasn't. And I defer. To my colleague, my friend, the man who I once admitted to him that he made me cry in 1994 as a young fan, Mark Messier. Because he said, if this is not control, then how many plays are actually offside in a given game? Like, how is that not control? That's insane. They blew the call.

They blew that call. And then they made a, I can't say they blew the penalty shot call. We'll get to that in a second. But this is control. This game should have been over, shouldn't have? See, here's the thing. And this is why I wanted to talk about dog pog, delay of game, puck over glass. Everybody wants all these calls on review to be like delay of game puck over glass.

It's obvious and apparent. And all we can do is agree on it. This is still an interpretation. Because at that point, it is. Because there are some that will say the puck is rolling off of his stick and he is not controlling it. Now, I think that, me personally, I think that's fine. I think that's good with that. But then don't forget, you're talking to the guy that when it comes to offsides,

I've always believed, and I still do to this day, close enough is good enough. And no, it's not like the puck goes over the red line for a goal. That is different. The origins of the blue lines for offside were just to keep players honest. So there's no egregious zone entries. It happened with Matt Dushain, and we all went crazy and said, need to have a mechanism for this and to which I submit. And last night was a protein shake for your boy, Jeffie.

Is this better? Because I remember getting an argument after argument about the Matt DeShane thing and just saying it's a mistake. Mistakes happen all over the ice every period. Leave it. Don't because now we're going pixel by pixel. And now we're all banging our heads against the wall over this one. Why are you banging your head against the wall?

Oh, because it feels good when I stop. That's what we're all saying. But the difference is that even if you want to say that the offside reviews are good and important, we have the technology and we should get it right. And we go pixel by pixel to see where a guy's skate is. There's no right. That's different than this. There's no right.

This is subjective. Yes, that's right. Again, it's like gold tender interference still too. Yeah. We all assume that everything goes to review is going to be obvious to everybody. And it's like puck over glass. it is not. It is still an opinion.

It is still a judgment call. Just like a trip to me is not a trip to you and a high stick to you is on a high stick to me. Everybody calls everything different. For me, that's the beauty of the game, the fact that it's gray and it's not black and whites. Wait a second. High sticks aren't black and white.

The stick is up or the stick is not. Yeah, they are. Well, the call you saw in game one of Montreal and Tampa. To me, that's an effect of Hagel getting in the way that propels the stick. It turns into a high stick. So what's the call? Because technically, you're right.

That stick was up. Who made it go up? Well, the interesting thing on that one was the timing because you could make the, the argument that they were making was that the interference penalty happened before the high stick. So one should nullify the other. And if you watch the replay, it actually is kind of simultaneous, which is nuts. Now, this, we can, there needs to be a discussion about the subjective calls on offside. We do it every day. It doesn't.

We do it every day. Last light doesn't make any sense. No, but here's the thing. Why should that be reviewable? Why should you be able to judge control like that? It should be keep the reviews for the black and white plays on offside. If you have to start subjectively claiming control or not control, then I don't think that's nearly in the, like you mentioned, not nearly in the spirit of the rule that was established because Matthew Shane was in Guam by the time. That's the time.

I'm all in favor of reviewing the rulebook at the beginning of every year. It's one of the things that I always do before every season. This is how exciting I am. I read the rule book. just to try to refresh myself because you get old you forget things. I'm all in favor of changing the rulebook

every single season. I think the rulebook should be there to reflect the taste of the modern sports fan and that's what your product should do. So I'm all in favor of doing it. And if you want to do that, that's fine. But as it is written right now, that's the rules that we've all agreed to play by this year.

It's a good slow for this podcast. Adjusting to the taste of the modern sports fan. Listen, I like, there's a thing. I think I can I interject? I want to ask you, though, about that. I've always wanted to say, call it rising to new depths and sinking to new heights, then VSW. That's the one.

Sorry, go ahead. The thing I wanted to ask you is because there's another facet of what happened last night that I find really interesting. Okay. 29 seconds went by after Jordan Stahl's alleged offside and Jenkowski's, scoring what was supposed to be the game-winning goal. How many Jay Feaster tweets did you get by that goal? I know. Seconds.

That is 29 seconds of attempts to clear the zone. 29 seconds of potentially the goalie freezing the puck. 29 seconds to the puck going out of play. 29 seconds. Almost half a minute passes between the offside and the goal being scored. And you say to yourself, Jeff Merrick, at what point do we just say that the zone entry is immaterial? because the defensive team had enough time to take care of business themselves. Yeah, I've thought a lot about this.

You ready? I don't think I've ever talked to you about this. How long have you known me? Too long. Yeah, it's probably true. And it's about to feel even longer. It's about to feel like, oh, Snowville, I spent a week there one afternoon. Okay.

I've always wondered, like if I had, and maybe there's a way to do this with AI. But on zone entries that are really offside, but don't get called. To your point, in this case, 29 seconds between the entry to Jenkowski scoring. That 29 seconds, the status of that in a game really is it doesn't matter. Like if Jankeowski hadn't scored, the game just would have proceeded. But anything that would have happened in those 29 seconds, like a goal scores, a goal is scored at that 29 seconds, it wouldn't have counted. But the play still continued.

How much non-real hockey time is used up in every single game that doesn't get accounted for because it wouldn't have counted if there was a goal? Do you ever think about that? I think about this all the time. Like what are the games that have the most unaccounted for hockey time? Because if there was a goal and it came back on review, it wouldn't have counted. But this happens all the time. How many minutes of the game? Essentially, what I'm asking is, how many minutes of a 60-minute game?

Don't count. Or could not count. Could not count. Have the potential to not count. Correct. That's a great question. You see, this is, I don't know. I'm so happy I lit the fuse on this one because the bomb that exploded is glorious.

Confetti came out of the bomb. What a great idea. What a great question. How much of the hockey that we watch is fake because it is premised on an illegality. Correct. And it doesn't matter what's, how much in a 60-minute game doesn't actually. count. I know we got Kyle real quick, but real quick.

Penalty shot counts. I mean, as far as the penalty called goes, but that's fake time. That's no stats count, no goal counts, no nothing counts, but the penalties do count. And I often wondered also about that. I understand that the rule's in place because you want to make sure there's a penalty shot if someone earns one. If there's a major, you can't go whack a guy in the head with your stick and then be like, well, it was offside, so this never happened.

Exactly. But like, minor, like a holding call. Yep. Like minor penalties. Like they all count in fake time. But like, should they?

Pick it up in a second. Because I do want to get Kyle on. Again, I'm happy to have the change the rulebook conversation. But that would entail opening up the rulebook and tearing pages out. Let's get to someone who has won the Stanley Cup.

Let's get to someone who played with the Buffalo Sabres. And let's get to someone who's a great talker and a great ambassador for the game. He has Kyle a Post. So Stanley Cup champion with the Florida Panthers who played a sizable chunk of his career with the Buffalo Sabres. And Kyle, thanks so much for joining us today. Are you, I don't think you're surprised at the reaction of Buffalo Sabers fans because these guys go crazy. And, you know, like, they're like, I can't tell you, Kyle, how many people I've talked to who were there who said, like, someone lit up a joint beside me or someone was smoking behind me.

It's like, these are hockey fans, right? your thoughts of what we're seeing with the Buffalo Sabres fans right now. Oh, it's just a long time coming. So much pent up energy and emotion. And like if you've ever been to a Bill's game, you'll understand that sports is just different in Buffalo. It's part of the fabric of the community. Like if you walk into a barbers shop on Monday morning

and the Bills and Sabres have lost on the weekend, like everybody's pissed, everybody's mad. Like, that's all people are talking about. It's part of the community. And that's what makes it special. And so you saw all the videos and everything from pregame during the game and just really happy for the entire community of Buffalo. Totally. Greg.

How jealous are you that this is the Sabres team that gets to do this? I mean, you guys all played there. You all knew that if you could get over the hump, that this could happen. How jealous of you are you of, like, Tage and all them being the ones that finally got to do it? you do realize that Kyle won a Stanley Cup. Like I think if I like, you know, at the end of all of it, there's a ring.

The name. Kyle bled, do this. Kyle bled blue and gold, baby. Cut him and he bleeds blue and gold. Like this is a man who had an amazing amount of pride being a saber. Hey, I'm not jealous at all.

Honestly, I'm really happy for the guys that, um, are there and have, have put the work in and, you know, been a part of the change. And,

and, And if I look back on, you know, my time there and my career, like I, I poured everything that I had into that city, into that community, into that team. And, you know, I would like to think that I had a very small piece in, you know, just teaching those guys how to be, you know, a good group of people. And, you know, they're great ambassadors. You know, RAS, Dahlene is a great leader for that team. but the core that they have, they're special people. They're really good people.

And so I'm not jealous, honestly. I'm just really happy for them and the community. You know, they say that it's an old art saying, but I think it applies to sports. You know, all art is a collaboration. You don't do anything on your own. You don't create anything on your own. And for a team like the Buffalo Sabres,

whether there are some players that are there or in your case, some players that are not, like the effects are still there. The thing about you can, Kyle that I was always told is further to Greg's point. You know, one of, you know, outside of how you played, which was, as we all know, like intense every shift, one of the reasons why you were so important there is you'd been through a lot, you'd seen a lot, you'd experience a lot, and younger players could lean on you.

And you were someone that they could talk to. But here's the interesting thing that I was told, too. It wasn't just players. There was like other people in the organization that would be like, let's get Kyle's opinion on this one. And that's unique, as you know, in the NHL. Is that accurate? Yeah, I would say it's accurate.

I mean, I've always had, I would say, an analytical mind and a pretty objective mind. You know, I knew when I was playing well. I knew when I wasn't playing well. But I was kind of able to look at the team and where we were at and give an honest assessment. And I think that once people kind of figured that out, then they started to pick my brain on a few more things that weren't just hockey. And I just, I don't know, I took a lot of pride in just doing the right thing and leaving a place better than I found it. That was, you know, I got a picture in my basement that says leave it better than you found it.

And that's really what I tried to do in Buffalo. And there was a lot of work that went on behind the scenes, different conversations about the director. about, you know, the franchise, everything. And I just tried to give my honest opinion. And that led to some conversations that, you know, at times were uncomfortable, but I can look back on it and say that, you know, I felt like I did everything I could to really help, you know, move that franchise forward and in a better place.

And I'm, like I said, really just happy for them. Let me jump in with a frivolous one here really quickly. Black and red. or blue and gold. I love the goldheads. When we brought those back, when Rask dead, the one day, he's like, we're evil in those jerseys.

And we really embodied that. So I love the black and red. All right. You guys are both wrong. It's obviously the buff of slug. Who doesn't like an angry cashew net on the front of their jersey? Kyle, you were there 2016 to 2024. So you were there for a good chunk of the drought.

Was, did you guys, within the room feel the weight of that drought? Was it more of us thing that fans and media paid attention to? Or was it something that you guys were cognizant of the fact that you hadn't been in the playoffs for several seasons? No, we knew. And as the years went on, and it just got heavier and heavier, I would say. And then you'd get later into the season, and then it would weigh on you more because then you would hear it from more people in the town. And I spent my summers there for the last four years that I was there, four or five years that I was there. So I would talk to these people in the summer and, you know, talk to business owners, you know, members

of the community, avid Sabers fans. And you could feel everybody in the disappointment at where the franchise was at. And, you know, that was one thing I tried to do also was, you know, just give fans and people that I knew like a glimpse into like some of the things that were trying to, you know, go on behind the scenes and things that we were trying to change as a group of players. But there was, there was a definite weight in the room and you can feel it. And it's hard when you've had success your entire life as a hockey player and as an athlete. Like most of these guys in other junior careers and college careers. careers, youth careers, like they're special players.

They're phenomenal players. They win a lot. And then you come and do a situation where there hasn't been a lot of success. And you're just like, okay, why not? Like what's happening? And it can be a lot. So you definitely feel it. You know, this has been such an interesting season for the Buffalo Sabres going on the run.

Even though they started their run when Kevin Adams was still a general manager, Yarmou Kekalayan takes over. And it's attached a rocket ship to their backs. and it was turned into the best story that we saw all season long. But, you know, it seemed like every time the Sabres won this year, it was like Kevin Adams could puff out his chest a little bit more. Like, yes, don't you see? Like, this is, like, I don't know if Kevin Adams is going to win the GM of the year.

I'm pretty sure he's not, but you can make a pretty compelling case for the guy that should win the GM of the year isn't even a general manager anymore. What was your relationship like with Adams? And when it came to trade deadline before you went to, the Florida Panthers. What were the conversations like with you and Kevin and Patryson? Like, how did that all work? Well, it was, well, Kevin, let me say, is a phenomenal person.

He's a really good family man. He's got a great heart. He wants to do the right things. And he's just a really good person. So him and I connected on that level very well. You know, I've got four kids and really enjoy being around. my family. So we we definitely bonded over those ties. And when I was on my way out, I knew it was going to be most likely my last season. And, you know, we had chatted a little bit earlier in

the season about, you know, potentially moving if things weren't going well. And, you know, with me being the captain there, I wanted to make sure that I was doing, you know, right by the team all the way through the season. And, you know, Kevin did right by me, the organization did right by me at the end and I kind of had the choice of where I wanted to go and Florida was it and you know we were able to work it out so I was probably a bit more involved than most players when it comes to getting traded just because of where I was at in my career and Kevin did me that that courtesy of sending me to Florida and yeah I can't say enough about you know the Pagulas and and Kevin at the time and the way that I was treated on my way out it was it was first class all the way

you know you arrived in buffalo in what was it there uh 2016 2017 so if i had said at the time the sabers snap their playoff drought you're probably thinking jack eichel had something to do with it you arrived when in his second season in the nchl you were there for all of it with the benefit of hindsight what did you think about the ikel era in buffalo and then what do you think about what he's been able to accomplish in Vegas uh jack I love Jack. He's just a phenomenal guy. He wears his heart in his sleeve.

And when he was younger, he was such a talent. And he had so many areas in his game that were just unlike anything anybody else on the ice could do. How explosive he was, how easy he made the game, how he can dissect the game with somebody on his back, was at a level that nobody could really hang with? Other than honestly, Sam, like, Sam's one of the smartest players in the NHL. I mean, you've all heard Paul Ries to talk so glowingly about Reinhardt and how good of a complimentary piece and how smart of a player he is.

And, like, him, he got Jack. And so those two were just a ton of fun to watch, and it was hard, I think, for Jack in the beginning of his career to, you know, to find that, you know, chemistry with a ton of people just because he saw the game so uniquely. And so when, you know, everything happened when he left and that's been well documented, and when he went to Vegas, you knew how talented he was. And then when I watched him play when he got to Vegas and then when they went on their run, I was so proud of how much he made his teammates better and how much he made the team better

because of how committed he was to the two-way game. And it just, you see it in all these star players that have gone through their careers that were really high point getters early and that they may have sacrificed some of the offensive upside for the team success.

And that's why hockey's so special is because it truly takes a team to win. And like Steve Iserman is probably one of the most famous examples in Detroit in the 90s. Like he really changed his games in order to win. And Jack's, Jack's no different. So I'm, it's been so much fun to watch his career arc and,

and the special player that he was, he is now, and he will continue to be in the future. You know, that's a really interesting point because we always hear, and Eisenman's a fantastic example. I think Jack Eichol is a great example. players will always say, like you did this, Kyle,

like players will always say, I'll do anything to win the Stanley Cup. I'll do any role. I don't care. I'll change my, like, but it seems like every player says that, but what they leave out is, but I'll only do it on my terms. You know, like, I'll change. I'll do, I'll do whatever it takes as long as I decide what that is. But you're right.

Like, it's the, and Ikel's a great example that. I mean, the way he played in Buffalo is, I don't the way he plays in Vegas, obviously. Like, how difficult, I'm curious, like, how difficult is. that to do to say all right swallow ego time let's win a Stanley Cup well there's there's some guys that have a tougher time with it than others and every player really with the exception of maybe a few go through that at some point in their career like I remember my 600th game and I got benched like I was playing horrible just not good and I got benched for the third period and I'm just like

oh my gosh like this is wild like you've been like a top you know two line guy your whole career and then it's like all right you can kind of see the writing on the wall so what do i want to do do i want to like maybe bounce around like get bought out or do i want to adapt be a great teammate learn how to be a great teammate become a leader for this group figure out how to teach these young guys the game and change my game so i can still be effective like i had to make that decision and then so when I got to Florida and, you know, I had my first meeting with Mo and, you know, he's like, you know, I'm not sure how much you're going to get in the lineup. And it's like, all right, that's fine.

Like, I don't, I've been through this before. Like, I know how to handle it. I know how to be in the room. I'm not going to sit and be sulky. Like, I came here and I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. And there's some guys that, you know, have a different path figuring that out than others. But for me, it was, you know, like you got two choices and I tried to go down the path that. I thought was right.

Last one for me, like Buffalo, as you said, is a special hockey market. We always talk about on the show about how back in the day, they would drive a national television rating based on how many people in Buffalo are watching hockey on a given afternoon. Like, it's crazy. It's so exciting that they're good again. Do you see this as the turn-the-corner moment? I mean, like, Kevin Adams famously had the, we can't attract people to Buffalo because they don't have palm trees here.

how much is like the enthusiasm in a market and like players are watching this they're watching a bunch of knuckleheads doff on their tops in 30 degree weather and it's snowing outside in April during a playoff game watch party like how much of the enthusiasm that's put on corked in that market can compensate for it being Buffalo New York it can help a lot it's it's so different than you know some of the other stories that you've seen around the league you know, the Schenner won has been documented with the Islanders and there's excitement in different markets based on where they're at. And Buffalo historically hasn't been able to attract some of the top talent for various different

reasons. But it is a phenomenal. You weren't saying that in the mid-2000s when they were winning in President's trophies and, you know, early the late 90s and 99 when they go to the finals and lose. Like it was a desirable place to play. And, you know, at the same time, was Florida the most desirable place to play? Like, probably not. You know, like, guys weren't going there.

And so it goes in swings just like your team arcs. And when you do come out on the other side, I think that, you know, teams have to do a good job in, you know, marketing their markets and their capabilities. And with social media, you're able to do that, you know, tend to. now and in a much grander scale. But there is definitely an excitement about the market, and I'm sure that it will probably attract more players. Okay, I'm not going to ask you for... Eric, can we shout out Kyle's backdrop for a second?

Stanley Cup in the frame. I know. The head of a lion in a portrait behind him. He's in a giant leather chair. Dude, you have the CEO set up right here. No, he's very impressive. I got a bunch of toys. poison shit behind me.

You've got the CEO set up. It is pretty good, man. I've been on Zoom's a lot. I'm working. I'm working at the Soul of a Lion. So like I love a big red wine guys. Anybody knows me. And so Dow's Soul of a Lion is that, like,

that's the wine and had it painted because I just loved it so much. And like I, like my wife actually bought it for me. before my last season. And she's like, just how you got to play it. So just a little backstory on that one. Oh, nice. Did you and Zito bond over wine, by the way?

Did you crack open some rare bottles with Billy when you were there? I didn't really just because it was all business when I got down there. And then I had to be at dance trials in Minnesota like right after we won. So he was trying to win a Stanley Cup. He had a $500,000 bonus. do so. So he was focused. My favorite Florida, by the way,

wine story, Igor Laryonoff, I don't know if he still has his own wine label. Slapshot, Shiraz, would have been one. But he had like an exquisite wine cellar at his home just outside of Detroit. And one of the contingencies of waving his note trade to go to Florida was they had to bring the wine cellar. I think he only played like 20 games with Florida, but I don't know how much they had to pay, but Larry Onoff had it brought.

I'm not going to ask you for a team. I'm just going to assume that it's the Buffalo Sabers, but I'm going to ask you about a player. Kyle, last question for you. Brent Burns, Claude Jureau, Matt Socorlo, Jared Spurgeon. There's a lot of candidates, Matias at home. Like older players that haven't won the Stanley Cup yet. Is there a player in the playoffs that you're like, oh, I really hope this guy,

much like we all cheered for you with the cats. Oh, yeah, Kyle got his got his cup. Is there a guy like that for you out there on the spot? Yeah, I don't know if I can, I don't know if I can narrow it down to just one. especially with my role at the PA, but like, you know, it's so much fun to watch, you know, all the, all the older players just because I pretty recently went through it. And it just means so much, like the perspective that you get when you're at the end of your career and how difficult it is to win, especially when you haven't.

It's just, you know, it's just a little bit different. I think that when you're a younger player and all those guys that you just listed are phenomenal. and all would be, I would be happy for every single one of them. I think Jamie Ben is another one. Yes, that's a good one. Matt DeShane. Matt DeShane would be there, Dallas. Yeah, Matt DeShane.

Those are some good ones. Yeah, they've all just put their bodies through so much. Like, Burntz, he's got the game streak. And, you know, I know Jamie's been, he's dealt with a lot in his career. And, yeah, I would love to see any one of those guys hoist the silver mug. Okay, Kyle. And you know what they're going through now. by the way, Kyle, you know what they're going through?

They're going through getting those questions from idiots like me deep into the final. When you think back to yourself in the driveway, you know, planes. What did you think about what you? I swear to God, by the end of your run with the Panthers, I thought you were going to strangle us for asking you so many old guy without a cop questions. I will say this. If I don't, the old saying is the hands go first. I don't know, man.

That was some exquisite stick handling. I really got to say. That answer was some really toe drag here. That was some good stay. You still got the hands, man. The hands don't go first. Kyle, thanks so much for stopping by and talking to us today. Really appreciate it.

Enjoy the playoffs. You got it. Thanks for having me. Enjoy the games. There he is. Caliposo, who I've always maintained. God, he's good. Loved him as a player.

And it's funny, too, because in that setting, you know what I can see? And just listening to him talk. And again, like I was told, like, there were a lot of people. not just players, but like people above the office of the coach, for example, who would go to Ocoso for advice. I've always thought that that guy was going to be a general manager in the NHL one day,

if he wanted it, if he wanted it. Okay, so here's his first season with Buffalo, okay? Yep. Biles was the coach. Yep. He's got Eichael O'Reilly, Reinhart, Rasmus Ritalin, pre-crisis of Ander Cain. he's got Matt Moulson there

he's got Marcus Felino there he's got Gorgensen's there he's got all these guys there Demiichi Kulikoff is there I mean it's just like it's I didn't get a chance to ask him this because we had other things to talk about

like how awesome his setup was but the amount of talent that man saw walk out the door in Buffalo during his time there now granted at least one of them bared some fruit in the fact that Ryan O'Reilly returned to H. Thompson. But like, it must have just been tough.

You know, not only are you in the dumper every year and you've got this playoff drought going on, but you got to do all these guys that, remember when Ryan O'Reilly literally like lost his smile and gave that press conference in the locker room? Sean Michael. About just like, I can't, I can't do this anymore. Like, for Kyle to have lasted as long as he did there, I think it speaks to his character, but also it speaks to how crushing it must be to have been with the Buffalo

Sabres during that drought to have so many talented guys. Because remember, like, people forget the Eichel thing. Like the Ikel, the inciting event for him leaving Buffalo was not the surgery they wouldn't give him. Because he asked out a year earlier. Correct. And so, like, it's got a, and it must have been really tough for guys like Ocpo. Ocoso and Pamanville and all those guys that were there for as long as they were to

watch so many guys just leave because they couldn't take it anymore. Or because they didn't want to get, because the team didn't want to pay them anymore. probably the other part of it too. Well, like that's why, like I hope that this isn't, and I think we're all on the same page, I just hope that this isn't fools gold, right? Oh, they just settle back to being like a borderline play. Like, I don't think that they will. It doesn't feel that way.

And with all that young talent, no one really thinks that it will. I just hope that it is like this now for a nice long stretch, like a good long, like 15 year run where the Buffalo Sabres are around the top of the Atlantic Division. Just because of all. There's something to be said for enthusiasm, man. Like, like, look, like Edmonton. for example. You get to play with Connor, you get to play with Leon.

But you also get those images of multiple viewing parties all losing their minds during game one against Anahe. Yes, you do. Like there's something to be said for these markets where you feel like you're going to be part of something that's exciting and fun and well supported. I mean, look at Minnesota's pitch to Quinn. Minnesota's pitch to Quinn is we are the state of hockey. We have the attention. We've got the fans. We've got all the things that you love about this game.

The people in this market live and breathe it in a way that other markets might not. And I think that's a selling point for players. I really do. I do. I think it is very much. I don't think that we give that enough concert. I don't think that we pay attention to that enough. Because normally when you say insane fan bases generally, I mean, every fan base is different.

But like every fan base in Canada is nuts. And it's volume too. Like I'm sure you've seen the images of Montreal Canadiens fans in cathedrals watching the Montreal Canadians. Like if there's any team that effortlessly mixes their culture and religion and their sports seamlessly like an Olympic diver into the water without a ripple, it's Montreal. Everyone has their own sort of flavor to it. and generally it's insane Canadian teams. And as Brian Burke always reminds me, you would be shocked,

Jeff, how many Canadian players have all Canadian teams on their no trade list. That's wild. I have to run to go meet my new personal hero, Sunday meta in a second. I know.

The new general manager of the New Jersey Devils. Can I get you... Can I get your thoughts up really quickly before you punt? I want to get your thoughts on... I guess I wanted to talk more about. I'm on Porter Martone. Yeah, that's what I was going to say.

Okay, so I'm DMing with someone this morning and you said like, don't... And this is someone that, knows his father, Mike, who was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres. Real tough. But this person was making the point that, you know, don't be surprised if by the end of his career, he becomes like this generation's version of Corey Perry. But with better boots.

I think he so perfectly fits the flyer aesthetic. Yes. That you could tell why people had been salivating all. all year for him to finally arrive. He is doing the thing that we've seen only a handful of other guys do, Kail McCar being one of them, where he parachutes into the season and it's just like fully formed. In McCar's case,

he parachuted into the postseason and was fully formed and made a difference for the Colorado Avalanche. He is a shot of adrenaline. I mean, they already were trending in the right direction. I picked the Flyers to win the series in six. I think it was one of only like three. people at ESPN to do so. Because if you look at their numbers since the Olympic break, they've been really stout

defensively. They completely shut down the inner slot, which is where the penguins like to go. It wasn't a very good matchup for the penguins. And I thought the flyers were trending in the right direction. And Porter was one of the reasons why. And him having the offensive impact that he's having in the series, like somebody mentioned to me in our, where I did the thing where I asked the player, the GM, and the coach about what they thought about the playoffs.

and they use this term to describe the sabers, and it might also fit the flyers, which is that sometimes they're just too young and dumb to know any better, to know that you don't belong here, you don't deserve to play this well, you don't deserve to go on this run. And, like, they're stout defensively. Yeah.

By the way, I ended up putting Vladar Fifth on my heart ballot, and I'm already taking shit for it. I know, I'm already taking shit for it. But anyone who watched the flyers this year knows that he fixed the one, huge problem they had in that lineup. And he was great. And so far in this playoff, he's been great. He's the best off-season acquisition, either him or Anthony Amtha.

Like, that's it. And I lean Fleda on that one. But now you have a thing where they're flexing. Like they got swagger. Like Martone's sticking out his tongue, you know, Patrick Kane and or Michael Jordan style. Like, it's a little bit of that flyer, swagger, that flyer energy. and it may just be because they're dunking on the penguins right now. I'm going to game three tomorrow night, by the way.

I'm really excited for it. But he's a big part of it. He's a big part of this sort of like injection of attitude that you've gotten in this Flyers team. It's not a secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins at the draft were trying to move up. And they were talking with the Buffalo Sabres. And I think they were going to try to parlay that up to something higher as well. And it is believed. And the evidence is before you of the World Championships where Caldubus brought Porter Martone.

By the way, dad's from Sue St. Marie, if you're looking for the Calduba, Sue St. Marie connections and all these types of things. And it's believed that that was the player that the Penguins wanted. So are the penguins the team do you think is in the most trouble right now, or is it someone else? Oh, unless they can figure out a way to score the Ottawa Senators, because now they've squander. know, this is going to sound awful. I don't know how many great goaltending performances Linus Allmark is going to turn in in the first round, but they've used up two. Outside of that first goal, he's been really good. Lina's Allmark, I don't know, man. I've seen this story before. I've seen this story before with the hurricanes where they play games

at home and they look like, how does this team not have five cups? Because they get the last change and they feed off the crowd and they're fast and they're nasty. And then it gets away on the road. Yeah. Yeah. And I still think Ottawa has enough enough to build on from those games. Like it's frustrating. And especially when you get the absolute soul crushing moment of the hurricanes winning a game, then not winning a game and then having a penalty shot that they don't confer.

Like you should win that game if you're Ottawa. But you didn't. But I do think that going home, they're going to have enough to build on. I think the penguins are in serious trouble. I think they are too. I think the penguins are in trouble. Get off the bat there. Yeah.

I get it. I know. You got a point. Get out of here. Go see Sunny. And like, now it's- Look at producer, Zach trying to get, trying to do right by me by saying I got to get in a car and drive to the rock. And he's like, it's 150 now.

Zach, God bless you, sir. Because you know it'll be 215 by the time we get done with this bullshit. No. And I'll have this the best conference. I want to get you there on time. I want to get you there on time. I appreciate that. The New Jersey Devils have a new general manager.

So this is an important one. I'll be watching this one online. To anyone watching MVSW or listen to in your ear, in your ear holes, I'll be in Philly tomorrow night. You can stop and say, hey. I'm always happy to talk hockey with anybody who listens to the podcast. And he's got Dan Vlodar, fifth on his heart ballot. Don't forget.

So love your boy, Greg Wischenski, kick me in the dick, whatever you want to do. You know, I've used to. to walking through MSG and someone be like, hey, wish. And then I'm like, hey, what's up? And then they go, devil suck. I'm like, all right. It's coin of the realm. I told you're my favorite.

When I was going through the CBC and somebody like, hey, I-desk. That was always, not even like a human being. Just, hey, I was the, me and Scotty Moore's identified as the desk. I think someone called me that too during the Vancouver riots as we were dodging, like, cops on horses and meth fights and fires. And hey, it's the eyed desk guy. So crap. Oh, hi there.

Almost clean-shaven producer, Zach, trying to get Greg Wyshinsky out here on time, knowing full well that that thing was winding up to be another half an hour conversation. Just harsh in the buzz. Here comes the narc at the biker rally. My name's Officer Zach. What seems to be going on here?

On any other day, I know it's fine. Let's just let it flow, let it go. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the conversation starts picking up again. I'm like, uh-oh, pump the brakes. Get him out, get him out. Get him out. Get him out.

Oh, man. Let's go eject, eject. Too much oxygen in Merrick's room right now. I got to go, got to go, get to go, get to go. Well, Greg won't stop either. I mean, I know I'm bringing all the behind the scenes to the front. Greg won't stop either. So I know that you'll go and then Greg will go and then you'll go and then Greg will go.

And then Greg will go. And the next thing, you know, it's 210. And Greg texts and says, what the hell I was supposed to leave at 145? Dude, you're supposed to like release me at 145. Like, what the hell, producer, Zach? What was up there? Anything good? Oposo was awesome, eh?

He was great. What a great talker. He presents so well. He looks great. Greg's right. The room that he was in, he looks like a modern day Glenn Sather and Bampf. Like, oh man,

he looked good. Poso looked good. I saw him in the background and I was like, oh, the boy's got to see this background. So soon as I had the chance to go full screen to him, so he was going to be right up both of you in with his alley. I thought so because it was like as early as possible you went to a single on a post so I'm like I get it you want to shine the guest and all that but like Zach is showing off the office here. I saw the Stanley Cup and I knew it wasn't in the one frame and I was like you gotta go fall on this guy, the lion.

He's awesome. Stanley Cup. Yeah, he was really good. I thought he was really well spoken and just the conversation about Buffalo and being in there and leaving the place better than he found it. I thought was really interesting as well. Yeah, where a lot of players just left it. Just like burn the bridge on the way out too. Peace out.

Check me out on Facebook. I ain't coming back. There's a long, long list of that happening. Anyway, he's one of those guys that wherever he went. People loved them. Players loved them. Fans adored him. And carrying on into the postseason as well,

every time you talk to him, every time you see him. You just get that like, oh, yeah, there's Coloposo. Like, I wish we could see that guy more because I really like that dude. Again, like I say it legitimately. I could see that guy working in the front office yesterday. Yes, it communicates well, like knows the game, smart dude. I don't know.

Anyway, big fan, big fan, big fan, big fan, big fan. What are we doing now? What are we doing now? You're in charge. You're landing this thing. You just tell me what to do. I just go around. Let's go to our friends at, what do you think about that.

Hey. What do you think about that? Always glad to welcome back our buddies at Airbnb because we've had such a great time with them, most specifically, as you'll hear here, back when we were in Muscoqa last August. Welcome back Airbnb. Or do we welcome back Airbnb?

Because the video seems to not be playing one second. So what's going on? It's on the screen. For me, Jeff, it's just not playing. So maybe we'll hold on Airbnb for a moment. That's on me. there's a hand up on that one. I don't know what happened, Jeff.

That's all right. I just won't play. Well, let's just remind everybody here that, I mean, I've used it a number of different times. Okay. The one that I always like to talk about is the first time and that first experience, again, baseball tournament. And it was a couple of families and it's like, well, we could all get a room or we could just drive back and forth, but why do we book? on Airbnb. And it was the smartest thing

that we ever did. And now wherever we go. And as a matter of fact, we did that for Minnesota as we were trying to get to the world of juniors. Stephen Ellis got there early and had a couple of days

and it's like, yeah, don't get too comfy there, Ellis, because me and Zach here, me and Philly are coming to mess the whole thing up and, you know, you can't walk around in your big Lebowski wardrobe

anymore in your housecoat and white Russian. Sorry, you can't do that anymore. And then we just couldn't make it there. So we got to enjoy, you got to enjoy the residents like for the entire week of the world juniors as you and i stared at each other drinking bad coffee at the airport i got a new one here jeff so i think this one should

let's play this here now and go for you know zach it's that time of year again where kids hockey really starts to wind down bittersweet right maybe a couple of games left maybe a tournament but that's about it you know i've got two boys that play hockey you played minor hockey at a high level and i'll tell you know what the truth about all of it is right What's that? Do you remember the games or do you remember the travel tournaments? Tournaments, hands down. They were the best.

Right? For players and also for parents. And what our family started to do a few years ago is book places on Airbnb. I remember when we started. It was a baseball trip in Barry, Ontario. And one of the parents asked if we wanted to book on Airbnb together. Sure, let's give it a shot. Best decision.

You know why? Why? Laundry. Baseball uniforms get dirty. Having that washer dryer right there was a godsend. Plus, the kids had an absolute ball. Pardon the pun. Been booking on Airbnb ever since.

And hockey tournaments? You need all the space you can get to air out of hockey bag. You know that. So, yeah, you book places on Airbnb too, right? Yeah, I book places on Airbnb all the time. A bunch of my old minor hockey buddies and I are all kind of getting to that age here. now everybody's getting married so we just booked a whole home together for this summer for a wedding it makes it really easy it gets everybody together in one spot you remember that place we booked

on Airbnb and moscoka last summer for work right how great was that place was gorgeous right on the water clean spacious and the big bonus hot tub yeah that place was perfect he start the day in the water you end the day in the water nothing beats it was easy too. We just showed up, picked up the key, and that was it. Really simple. You know, the next time our family is away, we're looking at hosting on Airbnb. It's super flexible, practical, and helps cover the cost of a vacation, or building another rink in the backyard next winter. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.ca.com slash host. All right. We'll keep you employed for one more week.

I was, to explain what happened to people, I reorganized the computer and clean up all of our files and everything. Oh, yeah. The way that it works is when I put one video into a new file from a file it wasn't previously in, our system can't find that file anymore. And I relocated the file. So it was just sitting there, not playing. So I relocated it.

We're good. We're good going forward. But we should list those files. on Airbnb then. It's so simple. Exactly. Tie that all in. Okay.

So we got games tonight for anyone that's watching live and not listening or watching in the archive. By the way, did you have a thought on either of those, like, whether it was the offside thing from last night or the Blackwell hit on the Minnesota-Dalice game? Yeah. Well, the Blackwell hit I don't have too much on. I just love the hit. It was a... Except if you're Yacobt.

Watching it. If you're trending. You're not a big fan. But it was a dead stop of emotion for both guys. Like it wasn't Colin Blackwell just going through Trennan or a guy spinning out. It was a collision that came together and then just dropped back down for both guys. Perfect hit from Colin Blackwell, as you mentioned already. Shoulder to shoulder.

That's fine. But perfect hit. By the way, hang on, pause. If you sent, I don't know if you guys play full contact in your memory. Men's League. But if you were Begossian and you sent that pass, how awful would you feel the moment you released it? Oh, terrible. I'd be apologizing a million times for that. Oh, I'm so sorry that I Oh, dude, that's on me. That's on me. That's on me. That's my bad. Yeah. That was through the middle, through the middle, play off hockey. You're playing a physical team and you fire a

Trenton's looking behind him. It's like even if he wants the puck, you're like, buddy, for your own safety, I am not giving you this puck right now. Yeah.

And the thing is like, keep skating. The thing is like, Bogosian's a vet. Like if you're like a 22 year old, like, oh, here's the boy,

I'm fired up. Okay, kid, he's not. He must just feel terrible. He just must feel awful for that one. Anyhow, tonight we got,

the office. as well, by the way. I'm with you, like, this is too much. We don't have to spend too much time on it, but it's just... It's what people ask for. Sorry, this is what you wanted. Sorry, now we're just calling balls and strikes. This is right.

No, sorry. And then it's camera on celebration. Look how happy the Keynes are. Look how happy the Keynes fans are. And there's Travis Green. Head buried in the iPad between his feet and like, they know. They need to start selling ads

on coach's heads for the cutaways to the benches. Because when they do cutaways to the benches, you used to have coaches like spitting and chewing and yelling at their guys. Now what do they have? You know, cutaway the bench, you see this. That's all you see.

You just see the coach looking down at the iPod. Stop with the cutaways to the benches. They used to be awesome. They used to be fantastic. You see Tortorella up and down the bench. Just chewing guys out. Just spitting. Just.

losing it, right? Michelle Bersh, Jock Demers, John Brofey, that era of great colorful coach, just losing it. Going crazy.

Now? And I hope you've been paying attention to one thing. We talked about it last week. I'm getting fired up about this at the end of the show. I hope you're paying attention

to something that is gone now. We saw it again yesterday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. What? No face washes. And when grab, guys, grab each other, they stare up into the stands.

Everyone was like terrified of confrontation now. No, the one I hate the most, it makes me sick is arm around the guy. I know. Get your arm off the guy. Me and the wife are having a barbecue this weekend if you want to bring the kids by. It doesn't even look like you're fake tough in that. You know how guys will.

grab somebody to be oh i grabbed someone i had somebody it doesn't even look like that it's the most phony look of all time i know the camera zooms out of the pile okay two guys are going at it they're giving each other shots camera zoom out of the pile and there's i don't know pick your guys it's usually some more skilled guys that are involved in those and then they've got their arms around each other they're both doing it hanging off each other okay that's great boys, let go, get on with your day. You might as well stand there with your stick over. I can drive on your stick.

Yeah, exactly. Who cares? You know, players used to get fined. This is a million years ago, folks. And I get it. We're better off for it, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Players used to get fine for fraternizing with players from the other team socially. Now, I know this was a not-so-suttle way to keep players from getting to

together to, oh, I don't know, unionize, but still, the idea of like legitimate animosity. Outside of a couple of guys here and there with each other, it's gone. Doesn't exist anymore anymore. Well, maybe we can ratchet that up tonight when the Montreal Canadians look to take a two-nothing stranglehold on their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Very much looking forward to that. David Pasternak and the Boston Bruins looked even up their series with Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabers.

Utah Mammoth. I'm loving this series, too, by the way. How about Sean Darcy with the fine for headbutting? Who head butts anymore? Vegas Golden Knights in Utah Mammoth. With no helmet on, by the way. On a guy wearing a helmet. Figure that one out.

That's like when you're just so mad, you just don't care. This is the hardest part of my body. I'm going to hit you with it. It doesn't matter that my grandkids' ears will be ringing. I don't care. I'm so mad right now. This is what I'm going to be doing. And the Los Angeles Kings in the Colorado Avalanche.

It's really. Is there not, I don't want to retroactively be like, why wasn't he kicked out of the game? Isn't headbutting a pretty clear and cut five in a game? Am I wrong on that? There was like four officials in there in that scrum, two of which were looking directly at it. One, I believe, was the official who was standing on the outside. I don't know which one it was, but he was standing on the backside. of it. And then the linesman who was grabbing

Rasmus Anderson when he got headbutted. Yeah. Is that not pretty clear? Just you had the guy? That's not up to that's not a gray area. You headbutted the guy. Yeah, it's not great. It used to happen, again, I'm going to be that guy again.

That used to be a common occurrence in fights. Headbutting, hair pulling, eye gouging, fish hooking, all these things. Used to be all just like part, all wrapped into your five minute major. The eye gouging one was bad.

Who did Dean Chinout? That is a talket? Trying to right. Was it Flyers Islanders? Chinoth, it was a talket? I think that was the last one we saw with an eye gouge. Oof.

But yeah, it used to be no holds bar. Yeah, used to be no holds bar. Half the league. I'm telling you. Should have been in prison. I'm telling you.

Like, game's so soft now. No one's fish hooking anymore. This isn't even hockey. I can't watch this shit We're going to see that tonight We're going to see one fish hook tonight And Jeff is on his living room couch This pop-up

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about Taking it back Right on Yeah Oh you got scabs on your knuckles Did you walk over here Merrick All right The sheet is powered by Fanduel

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free of charge. Does your soliloquy today involve carb loading with pasta? No, but I think you're going to really enjoy this one. Is it about food? I haven't eaten yet today. Is it about food? No, it's not. I know you're a big fan of jokes.

I do like a good joke. I wanted to try to incorporate that into today. No, you shower and I'll show. I just want to do punchlines. I'm a little new at. telling jokes on here, Jeff. All right, let's see what you got. And I don't think my jokes are as good as yours,

but what does a pirate say when his friend is talking during a movie? What? Arvidson. Oh. Arvidson. $5 for that turkey. Yeah, exactly. Hands up.

That was me, officer. $4.86. $46. Come on. R. Vidson. As far as hockey jokes go, I guess it's okay. R. Vidson.

You'll stumble into a great hockey joke here somewhere along the line. I know. But that ain't it, bud. I told you the pirate steering wheel a joke already. I think I may have mentioned it on the program here. Pirate walks in the bar. Bartender says, hey, pirate, you got a steering wheel around your belt. Bart says,

It's driving me nuts. Let's wrap the show. Fine. I'm glad Caliposo is still not on the program right now. He'd be in end right now if he was. He's watching this. He's like, what the hell did I join? Why am I going on with these bozos?

This is not doing anything for my career. Why did I do this? How is this helping? This is the show I'm on? What's happened to my career? I'm in the NHLPA. I have a mini Stanley Cup. I have a Stanley Cup.

I made millions and millions of dollars. People know me. People love me. He's represented by Pat Reeson in Seattle. I've got a photo of a lion on my wall. Now, I'm hanging out this dummy with pirate jokes. These two dummies with pirate jokes. Two dummies with pirate Arvids on.

Holy smokes. Chad, are you like... either. They're giving me F's. F minuses. That Zach guy is like second generation of his family to walk up right. Who is this undeveloped brain that I'm talking to?

All right. Let's wrap it up. Zach's dying to get off screen. And there you go. I turned around and there he was. Gone. Thanks to Caliposo for stopping by. Thanks, Voshenki, as always from ESPN and ESPN.com.

He returns on Thursday. the sunny META press conference underway if you're watching or listening live in about 50-50 minutes in New Jersey, so we'll be tuned into that. In the meantime, enjoy the game tonight. We're back tomorrow. 1 o'clock Eastern for Le Schitt

as we watch Les Habs tonight against Les Boltz without Victor Hedman. We'll talk tomorrow. One o'clock Eastern right here on the sheet. Hope you can join us.