Tets, Kazoos, and Stanley Cup Vibes | with DJ Bean & Pete Blackburn

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan – Episode Summary: "Tets, Kazoos, and Stanley Cup Vibes | with DJ Bean & Pete Blackburn"

Release Date: May 1, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Casuals with Katie Nolan, host Katie Nolan teams up with her friends from the sports, comedy, and entertainment spheres, including DJ Bean and Pete Blackburn, to delve into the whirlwind of sports events leading up to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Straying from the traditional sports commentary, the podcast aims to make sports fun and accessible for everyone, avoiding the stereotypical "old men in suits" narratives.

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Major Sports Stories Update

Katie kicks off the episode by addressing significant off-the-field controversies, notably the escalating investigation into Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordan Hudson, highlighted by a contentious CBS interview.

• Belichick and Jordan Hudson Controversy

  Katie recounts, “The Belichick statement didn’t really clear anything up for me” (04:30), pointing out inconsistencies between statements from Belichick’s team and CBS. With notable investments by Hudson since dating Belichick, skepticism grows, leading to widespread speculation about the nature of their relationship. Brady adds insights on the peculiar choice of matching Navy gear, suggesting it might be a PR maneuver gone awry.

  Isabella expresses frustration, stating, “I'm really sick of people doing abnormally normal things” (06:03), emphasizing the discomfort surrounding the age gap and legalities despite the relationship being consensual.

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NBA Playoffs Rundown

The conversation shifts to the NBA playoffs, where Katie and her guests dissect the elimination of the Lakers and the performance of various teams.

• Lakers' Exit and LeBron's Future

  DJ Bean humorously laments, “They didn't even get a chance” (07:55), discussing the Lakers' shortcomings and speculating on LeBron James’s potential retirement, predicting a “12-month goodbye circus” (09:44) should he decide to step down.

• Cavaliers vs. Heat and Pacers vs. Bucks

  The hosts analyze Cleveland’s sweep over Miami, with Brady expressing sympathy for Heat fans (07:17), and delve into the Pacers' victory over the Bucks amidst concerns over Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential trade due to depleted draft capital.

• Unique Altercations

  An unusual altercation between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tyrese Haliburton’s father is highlighted, with Isabella describing the encounter as “super Dance momsy” (12:07), adding a layer of personal storytelling to the sports discourse.

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Stanley Cup Playoffs Deep Dive with DJ Bean & Pete Blackburn

Transitioning to the heart of the episode, DJ Bean and Pete Blackburn join Katie to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Stanley Cup playoffs, covering multiple series with enthusiasm and expert insight.

• Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues

  Katie explains, “The Jets are quite a bit better than the Blues” (35:24), though acknowledges the unpredictability of postseason play. DJ Bean concurs, betting on the Jets due to their superior regular-season performance despite doubts about their playoff consistency.

• Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars

  The series is dubbed “the most dramatic team in the NHL” (35:47) as the hosts discuss the Avalanche’s strengths and the Stars’ resilience. Katie remarks on the Avalanche’s potential curse tied to the President's Trophy, while Ryan humorously critiques the Stars’ playoff unpredictability, ultimately siding with Dallas for their Game 7 prowess (36:17; 37:47).

• Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild

  Analyzing the dominant performance of the Golden Knights, Katie attributes Minnesota's resurgence to strategic roster changes, recommending them as a rising team for new fans. Ryan humorously predicts the Knights’ victory, emphasizing their consistent contender status (43:29).

• LA Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers

  The Kings’ faltering performance is thoroughly critiqued, with Katie highlighting pivotal mistakes such as misguided coaching challenges (53:08). The Oilers, led by star players, are favored to advance, with Isabella and Ryan expressing confidence in Edmonton’s strategic gameplay (56:35; 57:01).

• Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators

  A contentious series between perennial underperformers, the hosts predict a dramatic collapse for the Leafs after a promising start. Ryan sarcastically celebrates the potential downfall, highlighting Toronto’s infamous playoff struggles (64:57).

• Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers

  Despite initial disinterest, Katie and Ryan find entertainment in the series' intensity and rivalries, predicting a seven-game showdown (69:19). The Panthers' aggressive play and unusual incidents add to the series’ unpredictability.

• Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens

  Reflecting on Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking season and its aftermath, Katie criticizes the Capitals’ lack of focus post-achievement. The Canadiens’ youthful exuberance is praised, though their inexperience poses challenges. Ryan remains optimistic about the Capitals’ victory while acknowledging the Canadiens’ spirited performance (75:22; 76:06).

Notable Quotes:

• Katie Nolan [35:24]: “The Jets are quite a bit better than the Blues.”
• Isabella [07:17]: “My heart is with You. But the Pacers move on.”
• DJ Bean [53:08]: “They started the next face off down a man.”
• Katie Nolan [64:57]: “They should lose this year. If they lose, I’m running out of reasons to think why they lost.”
• Ryan Reynolds [69:36]: “They have just traded instances of them being super dirty to one another and being very, very ish.”

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Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, Katie encourages listeners to support emerging podcasts like DJ Bean and Pete Blackburn’s What Chaos, which offers a dynamic take on hockey. The hosts emphasize the unpredictability and excitement of the playoffs, urging fans to stay engaged and enjoy the unfolding drama.

• Podcast Promotion:

  Katie and Ryan highlight the availability of What Chaos on YouTube and podcast platforms, inviting listeners to subscribe and join the vibrant discussions (84:08).

Final Thoughts:

This episode of Casuals with Katie Nolan masterfully blends humor, insightful analysis, and lively banter to deliver a comprehensive overview of the current sports landscape. By focusing on the Stanley Cup playoffs and featuring expert guests, Katie ensures that both casual and devoted sports fans find value and entertainment, transforming the sports experience from "homework to recess."

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Notable Exclusions:

Ad segments, promotional content, and non-content sections such as advertisements and outro announcements have been omitted to maintain focus on the core discussions and analyses.

Transcript

[Katie Nolan]

Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nelson Report.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Isabella]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Required intro rate first 3 months only.

[Isabella]

Then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] hey Isabella, did you see I got this shirt as a gift when I went to Michigan for a ad conference a couple, like a couple weeks ago. Do you like my shirt?

[Chris]

No. And I don't know why you hate me.

[Isabella]

What do you mean? It's just, it just says I know.

[Chris]

And you wear it on the, the, the first day I see you since they won and beat my team. And you know, what's my first thought.

[Isabella]

And the day they're gonna play again. They're playing tonight.

[Chris]

My team's gonna win. They're gonna pull through. Maybe for some reason they just have good luck at Pistons.

[Isabella]

Yeah, maybe it's possible.

[Chris]

Also, don't you have, aren't you a Celtics fan? Like, why are you worrying?

[Isabella]

This isn't a, this isn't technically a basketball shirt. It's just an orange circle that says Detroit in it. So it's not really like a Pistons shirt. I just, I didn't even think, you know, I just was wearing it because it's comfy and.

[Chris]

Yeah, maybe I'll just stumble upon a Florida Panthers shirt in my closet.

[Isabella]

Isabella hello and welcome to Casuals, the podcast that loves sports and wants you to love them too. I'm Katie Nolan, the lady that loves sports the most here today with my producers. We have guests coming up. We're gonna do a hockey thing. But look, a lot has happened in sports. And so before we get into that, it felt irresponsible to not talk a little bit about some updates on big sports stories. So we're going to get you caught up on that and then we'll go deep into hockey. Don't run, don't leave. Hockey's great and fun and I got two of my favorite people who talk about hockey to come talk about it in a fun way with me. So it's going to be great and we're all going to enjoy it. First of all, obviously legally obligated to tell you that if you want to reach out to us here at Casuals, you can do that. You can email us casualswithkatienolanmail.com you can leave us a voicemail 646-801-0043 or on socials. We are CasualsThePodcast, right? I didn't write it down. Casuals, the podcast. I thought I'd remember that one off the top of my head. And then we all learned together that that's why I write things down. Okay, the big stories that we need to update. So the Belichick and Jordan interview on CBS that we talked about with Katie Rich that has now, everybody is now investigating into this relationship. I will say, I guess it was weird enough that now even men are like, something's up here. Because before that it was very funny watching a bunch of men in sports known to perhaps date a little younger than themselves go, I don't see the problem. They're in love. And then now after the CBS interview, they're all like, wait a sec, is this elder abuse? Very funny to see the switch, but welcome to those people. I saw one report, I don't know if you guys saw any updates. Bellich, quote unquote, Belichick put out a statement. It read very much as if it was, I don't know, written by the woman who claims to be the COO of Belichick Productions, a company that doesn't exist. And that woman is Jordan Hudson, his, his 24 year old girlfriend. I the, the statement didn't really clear anything up for me. It basically said that they accused CBS of editing it to create a narrative that Jordan was too involved and that what really was the case is that they were promised they would only talk about the book and these questions weren't about the book. So Jordan was just trying to keep them on track. CBS also released a statement that was like, no, that's not true. They knew beforehand. And we even confirmed again afterwards that with the publishing company, which is who they booked the interview through, they confirmed that they were, it was a wide ranging interview and they Were allowed to ask about what? Whatever they wanted to. So not looking good for Team Belichick, I guess. I also saw a report that since dating him, she's invested like, eight. She's bought $8.1 million in real estate. Something's going on. Every. Everybody I've ever talked to who has had an interaction with them has always classified it as off. So this feels like a story that's going to develop really quickly. And I guess we should keep an eye on. I don't know. Brady, did you see anything on, like, UNC's involvement? I know I saw they were, like, alarmed and maybe looking into it.

[Brady]

Alarmed, but, like, they've stayed out of the process of this whole interview. Like, I found it weird that Bill and Jordan were both wearing matching shirts of a D1 school that neither of them work for or go to. Or like, Bill is the coach at unc and they are both wearing Navy.

[Isabella]

It's also a branch of the military.

[Brady]

It's a branch of it, but it's like Bill's. I know, like, Bill's dad coached at Navy. Bill grew up in Annapolis. But I. I find it strange that, like, both of them show up in. In Navy gear. Like, you work somewhere else, man.

[Isabella]

It's probably better PR that's like, you know, if you're gonna show up and be weird, where's somebody else's gear? We don't want that coming back to us.

[Brady]

The whole statement of, you know, we were only here to talk about the book rings out as, like, the words of someone who's never done an interview before. It was like it had big energy of like, Matt Harvey telling Dan Patrick, I'm only here to talk about Qualcomm. Like Matt. Matt Harvey just showing up and not wanting to answer any questions about the Mets or his elbow and just wanted to talk about telecom services. Like, no, these tours, people don't want to just hear about your book. They'll mention the book, but that's not how this works. And Bill's been alive for 73 years and he should be aware of how this works.

[Isabella]

I've done so many podcasts lately. Forgive me if I've said this on this one, because I really can't remember, but I am truly sick of people doing abnorma normal things, especially people we've known for a long time, acting abnormally, acting out of the norm for their usual behavior. And when anyone asks a follow up going, like, what? It's our personal business. It's like, this is abnormal. The age gap that you have is allowed. It's legal. It's abnormal. We have questions. Kiss for me, that's still where I stand on it. The NBA. We got to update the the first round of NBA playoffs seems to be pretty much wrapping up. The Lakers are out.

[DJ Bean]

Chris, you hate to see it, do you? You hate to see it. I hate that I, I jinxed them. And they are out. It turns out that when you have a star player who's 40 and a half and you have someone who likes to smoke hookah and drink Arnold Palmer's as your second star and you have a bench that's incapable of scoring 10 points in a single game if even if they're not a recipe. Exactly. Even if they're not given a chance, turns out that's not a winning recipe in the NBA playoffs.

[Isabella]

Who would have guessed?

[DJ Bean]

Who would have thought.

[Isabella]

Did you see, did you see they the press conference beforehand? They asked somebody asked JJ Redick the most disrespectful question I think I've ever heard in an NBA press conference. But they said, have you considered, will you be leaning on your assistant coaches when it comes to substitutions tonight in the fourth quarter? Have you thought about maybe asking someone who works for you? And J.J. was pretty, you know, he felt the disrespect. And I'm pretty sure he walked off because he was like, are you implying that I'm inexperienced? Which kind of.

[DJ Bean]

He has so much experience as a podcast.

[Isabella]

Yeah, exactly. I could coach.

[Brady]

He got dealt a bad hand though, because, I mean, they, the team traded their only center. When you trade your tallest guy in the middle of the season to go get Luca, who is a better player but is also not a tall guy. And then you run into a team in the playoffs that has 7 foot 12 Rudy Gobert in the middle. And Rudy grabbed 24 rebounds last night. Like he could do whatever he wanted. Like, JJ's just playing with an incomplete team. He had no one to go up against it with. I, I, I do feel bad for the guy. And then like the front office made a good deal for the long term, but by the time they traded for Luca, they had no way bringing in an actual center.

[DJ Bean]

They tried bringing in Mark Williams from the Hornets and then that got nixed.

[Chris]

Nix.

[Isabella]

Next.

[Chris]

That's all my brain knows. Next.

[Isabella]

Poor Lakers, I think was Brady's point. I wanted to let you finish the port. The poor Lakers.

[Brady]

Oh, man, I root for LeBron. We graduated high school this same year. So anytime he is still a functional human being, I'm like, I'm still a functional human being.

[Isabella]

I can do it.

[DJ Bean]

I also like how there's some uncertainty now about LeBron's future. I just can't see any world where he checks out without doing the 12 month goodbye circus the same way.

[Isabella]

Oh, yeah, that's a really good point. We're not.

[DJ Bean]

Things like that. He's not going to just call it quits now.

[Isabella]

Yeah, he's the type of guy that's going to let you know he's retiring and then stop in every city and get every jersey sort of a key to this. Or like a. They'll do a highlight package and everybody will say goodbye to LeBron. So that does. That makes a lot of sense. But congratulations to the Timberwolf.

[Brady]

And Jim Gray have the opportunity to do the funniest thing if they were to call another press conference and announce that this will be right. This. LeBron. Just run it back. You have one more shot. Like, play the hits, man. Let's run it back. Let's do your retirement decision and don't even retire. Like, just do the. Like go Wolf of Wall street and just call a press conference.

[Isabella]

Just. But when he does, he should. So I'm taking my talents to the Villages. I'm retiring. All right, so the shout out to the Timberwolves. Look, here's the thing. Everybody that hates the Lakers, which is like, there's a lot of people. The kind. One of the sneaky, most insufferable things after they get eliminated is that for the next three days, any clip about the Lakers people will just about how it's not about the Timberwolves and like how we're focusing on the team that's no longer in it. Like, I've already gotten comments on me and Katie Rich's discussion about the Lakers, which was before the Lakers were out. That's like, move on. Stop talking about them. And it's like, guys, it's check the date on the clip. You're embarrassing yourself. So congratulations in Minnesota. Cleveland swept Miami, so they're done. Sorry to insufferable Heat fans. The Pacers beat the Bucks in five, which really sucks. I really feel bad for Bucs fans because Lillard is hurt. They think now he might be out for the next year. There's conversation about whether or not they'll need to trade Giannis because all of their draft capital has been traded. I don't think they have a first round pick until Trump's fourth term. So they've got. It's a tough outlook for Bucs fans. My heart is with You. But the Pacers move on. Did you guys see that altercation between Giannis and Tyrese Halliburton's dad?

[Ryan Reynolds]

We.

[Brady]

We do. We need a new angry basketball dad. Like, is that a void that needed to be filled?

[Isabella]

I don't know. It was just so strange. I think everybody there was like, apologies. Right? Everyone has. It's all good and cleared up. But I saw it live in the moment. It's. Isabella. Did you see this? After the game, Giannis is kind of. It's like the game ends and Giannis is standing on the court and a bunch of people are sort of swarming because they. The. The win has happened, but Giannis is standing there kind of like, processing the fact that his season is over. And Tyrese Haliburton's dad, who was sitting, like, under the net, basically had got. He had, like, a big flag, and he got up and came onto the court and then just, like, stood in front of Giannis and, like, waved his flag. And it was like. It was just strange.

[Chris]

Wait, and I'm assuming Tyrese is on the other team.

[Isabella]

Yes.

[Chris]

Okay. Okay. That's weird.

[Isabella]

Isn't that strange?

[Chris]

It's like dance moms or something.

[Isabella]

And I'm not even saying. Yeah, she's right. It's super Dance momsy. I was gonna say. I not alleging anything about anyone involved in that situation. I thought about it in my world, and I could imagine if my dad was hammered, I could absolutely see him do that.

[Chris]

Wait, did he actually. Did they actually, like, get physical or was he staring him down?

[Isabella]

I think they. He just was, like, yelling at him and, like, in his face. But I could see my dad do it, thinking he was being like, I'm.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hyping up my daughter.

[Isabella]

And then me being like, hey, dad, that was actually really not really not good. Why'd you do that? But, yeah, that was just an interesting. You love when you see something you've never seen before. Boston's moving on. Thank you. They beat Orlando in five games. They will move on to play the winner of Knicks pistons. Which game? Six of that is ten night. Thursday night at 7:30 on TNT. The Knicks are up three two. Isabella knows she's our resident Knicks fan, but they are in Detroit. How you feeling, Isabella?

[Chris]

I'm excited. I have my jersey behind me on my couch laid up.

[Isabella]

You have it, like, laid out because you're gonna put it on later?

[Chris]

Yeah, every single game. Whenever I get nervous, I'm like, I need to put my jersey on.

[DJ Bean]

Whose jersey is it? You guys are Jalen Brunson.

[Chris]

Everyone. No, everyone makes fun of me for this Jersey. It's a J.R. smith jersey.

[Katie Nolan]

I wouldn't make fun of that at all.

[Chris]

Ok. I just. This was when like I first started to really like get into the Knicks and it was like at that time I just. Number eight is my favorite number. So then I like J.R. smith. So that's the one I got.

[DJ Bean]

Greensboro Zone. He went to college in North Carolina. A and T to play. To play golf. So he lived in Greensboro for a little bit.

[Isabella]

Shout out, shout out, shout out. Also shout out. OKC Sweat, Memphis. I think we already talked about that. Maybe we didn't. Clippers, Nuggets also tonight at 10:00pm Denver's up 3, 2. So that should be interesting. They. They could close it out tonight. I don't know. That's been. Kawhi being back has been very fascinating to watch in that series. And then Warriors Rockets. That's three, two Warriors. Game six for that is Friday at Golden State. I think that's at like 9pm so that's where we're at. I think I said everybody. That's happening in the NBA. We also have an update on the Shador Sanders prank call. So we have since learned the NFL has fined Ulbricht, the defensive coordinator, the father of the. One of the kids who made the call. He's been fined $100,000. And the Atlanta Falcons have been fined as a team $250,000, which is pretty high fine wise for the NFL for some context for bounty gate. The Saints got fined as a team $500,000 I guess in 2022. I must have missed this story. But they got fined $350,000. The Saints for faking an injury. There was like Cam. They alleged that like Cam Jordan faked an injury. Team got fined for that. The pats got fined $250,000 for spygate and famously a million dollars for Spygate. Deflategate. You know what, Isabelle? We don't really have time. I'd love to get into it. Oh, I'd love to get in. There's just all this other stuff.

[Chris]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's.

[Isabella]

That's fine.

[Chris]

That's fine.

[Isabella]

And I wouldn't even media it later. I wouldn't even both doing that. It's. We can. I'll catch up some other time. Okay. It's really not a big deal. I saw a headline that said Megan thee Stallion is opening her own Popeyes. Like a franchise that feels beneath her.

[Chris]

This I'm interested in.

[Isabella]

I know I gotta look into that Because I was like, I don't think she needs to be a franchisee. I think she could just. That feels like not her, but I'll look into it and I'll update you. Isabella, here's a hot take. You know, we'll call this a mini, mini yap. A little yappy. Do not show me a watch party in the same city as the game that I'm watching. Like, if I'm watching a playoff game and that playoff game is in, I don't know, New York, don't also show me a live reaction. You know, sometimes in a broadcast, they'll go live, look at the fans that are gathering out in wherever. If it's the same city, I don't want to see it. The. You have one chance at the atmosphere. If you're the home team and it's in the building, I do not want us.

[Chris]

I disagree.

[Isabella]

See, why. Let me. Can I tell you why I think this.

[Chris]

Okay, go.

[Isabella]

Because I don't want us normalizing it. Being unable to. You're not being able to be a Ford getting into the building and having to gather somewhere else. The fans should be able to be in the building creating the atmosphere, and then the away team should have the like, oh, I wonder how those fans are reacting. Let's go to see. Let's go to Detroit and see where those fans have gathered to celebrate. I don't think we should normalize, like, making ticket prices so high that people that don't even care about the home team make it into the stadium. And then they have to show us an energy shot of people elsewhere celebrating the game. I want to see the home team gets the chance of the home audience. That's your one shot. And then the away team gets a reaction shot. Isabella, you can make your argument now.

[Chris]

No, I see what you're saying. I agree. All I'm saying is it's like, yeah, it's fun to see other Knicks fans outside of MSG and get really excited.

[Isabella]

That's totally.

[Chris]

But I don't think that she. I don't think it should be priced out.

[Isabella]

I do not like anything that will help us normalize the fact that the people inside the building aren't as hyped up as, like, the real fans who are over here in this bar or something. I just feel like that's not good. It's not a good look. And while we're criticizing things happening in playoff broadcasts, you're watching the something finals on espn, brought to you by ESPN bet. Get that out of my face. ESPN bet. Can't bring me the finals. I'm sorry, that's just not. That shouldn't be possible. It's a sports book. You can't bring me a sporting event if it's brought to me by you. I don't trust. I just don't like that. Oh, and then, you know, I feel like we really build to all the saddest, worst stuff. I saw this clip online. It's just an update of a story that we've been talking about. This is a clip that I ran into online because I don't know where News Nation is or how to find it. But on newsn, I believe it's Bill O'Reilly. Is that a Cuomo? And then Stephen A. Smith. And on the phone is President Donald Trump. Chris, play the clip. Stephen A. Smith may run for president, as you know.

[Katie Nolan]

Do you have any advice for Stephen A.

[Isabella]

If he launches the run? No. Stephen A. Is, he's a good guy. He's a smart guy. I love watching him. He's got great entertainment skills, which is very important. People watch him. You know, a lot of these Democrats I watch, I say they have no chance. I've been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates and I will tell you, I'd love to see him run. You're going to have to take me out. You're going to have to take me out before that happens it. Please God. If this is the timeline that we are going towards, someone has to take me out. I can't, I can't do it. I won't be here for this. I can't. That clip alone made me pull some of my hair out. I feel insane.

[Chris]

Has he actually come out, like event being serious about running?

[Isabella]

No, but this is, this is exactly how they do that. This is the slow play of the. Once President Trump tells you you run, what's Stephen going to do? I don't think I'm going to run. Of course, also I'm pretty good at picking candidates. Didn't you just lose an election for a Canadian? Didn't, like you just completely blow the Canadian election by endorsing a guy and then everybody went, oh, that's right, I'm going to actually go this other way.

[Brady]

But also him picking candidates, like if I'm, if, if he's, he's all, he's also said he's going to plan to run again. So he's picking a guy he wants to run against. Like, if I'm picking my own like one on one basketball opponent, I'm picking like Tom Cruise. I'm like, yes, this is who I want to put on there.

[Isabella]

Forgive me for asking, because I swear I do not want to get into it. But he can't run again. I assumed if he was doing this third term, that would just be a hostile takeover. You can't run again.

[Brady]

I hate this conversation so much.

[Isabella]

Me, too. Let's talk about hockey. See, this is how we do it. We start by talking about something no one wants to talk about.

[Chris]

My tummy hurts.

[Isabella]

And then we offer hockey as a backup. And then everybody falls in love with hockey. Here it is. I see it now. It's going amazingly. Okay, so my two friends, DJ Bean and Pete Blackburn, they host a podcast called what Chaos. It's a great hockey podcast. These two are hockey super fans. They know everything across the league. I wanted to ask them to kind of just clean up the the segment I tried to do on my own the other day and give you guys better information on the teams that are playing and who you might root for if you don't have a team and what their outlook is. So we go through the first round. There's some this. We recorded this Wednesday night before the games, so there is a bit of an update to the information that they give. I'll hit you with that at the end so you don't leave here misinformed, but it was a good conversation. They're so fun. I love them. Their podcast is called what Chaos. All right, let's go listen to my chat with DJ and Pete.

[Pete Blackburn]

Hey, everybody, it's Rob Lowe here. If you haven't heard, I have a podcast that's called Literally with Rob Lowe. And basically, it's conversations I've had that really make you feel like you're pulling up a chair at an intimate dinner between myself and people that I admire, like Aaron Sorkin or Tiffany Haddish, Demi Moore, Chris Pratt, Michael J. Fox. There are new episodes out every Thursday, so subscribe, please, and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Isabella]

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[Katie Nolan]

Is here to keep you on the couch this basketball season. With pre game rituals and post game interviews, it's hard to find time for everything else. Let Instacart handle your game day snacks or weekly restocks with delivery in as fast as 30 minutes because it's bad luck to be hungry on game day. Download the Instacart app today and enjoy. $0 delivery fees on your first three orders. Service fees apply for three orders in 14 days. Excludes restaurants.

[Isabella]

Pete Blackburn and DJ Bean are here. They are our hockey ambassadors here on casuals. Pete, dj. Hello.

[Katie Nolan]

Hello.

[Isabella]

Thank you for doing this. Yeah, so I tried to do a segment the other day to get people hyped up for hockey playoffs and I just. I was all by myself and I didn't do a great job and I felt like, who would I want to hear it from? And obviously first answer was you. So I figured. I've asked you here today. It's kind of weird because we have to be full disclosure. We're recording on Wednesday night before the games for that night, and this is coming out Thursday, so we will be a game behind. But it doesn't really matter. We'll get to it. It matters in some series. But I think, like I was gonna say, we go through each series and you can tell us like the storyline of it, how it's going, what you think's gonna happen, the stars of it, the funny stuff about it, and then maybe we make you make picks. Huh?

[Katie Nolan]

That's the dream. Fantastic.

[Isabella]

Let's do it. You're okay doing that? Like nobody. Disclaimer. Nobody cares who you pick, right? That's like, I feel like people get so touchy about being like, ugh. Do you want to say anything before we dive into the games?

[Katie Nolan]

Hi, my name is dj. This is Pete. We've got a show called what Chaos. It's a daily hockey show. We have guests such as Katie Nolan on. And tell you what, this is a podcast, but it's really. It's really just a few friends talking. You know, it's one of those types of things.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Unprecedented.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Maybe even having a laugh.

[Isabella]

Right?

[Katie Nolan]

No, fuck you.

[Isabella]

Okay, let's just go through what game by game start in the West. Does that sound okay?

[Katie Nolan]

We're a Western Conference podcast.

[Isabella]

Really?

[Katie Nolan]

Because it's more fun.

[Ryan Reynolds]

It's the better conference.

[Isabella]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Superior.

[Isabella]

And why is that?

[Katie Nolan]

Better players. And also we're kind of night owls, so we like games that start at.

[Isabella]

10Pm it's the best part.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And if you're on the east coast, you get like, it's. We call it a tuck. The last game in the night. Like, the last chance to enjoy the sport you love. Like, I feel like the west coast has a nice, special place in our heart because of that.

[Katie Nolan]

When you can watch a 10:30pm Sharks game, that means nothing as you try to fall asleep, and then you can't fall asleep after because that Sharks game ruled so much. That's what a tuck is.

[Isabella]

The Sharks, I feel like, had an eventful season. I feel like anytime we discussed a hockey story that went kind of viral this year, it was something to do with the Sharks. Why is that?

[Katie Nolan]

They were the most exciting bad team in NHL history. They had a borderline historically bad season, but they have such fun, young players, and they're eventually going to be good. So while you had teams like the Blackhawks, who are actually better than the Sharks, struggling and everyone there hating their lives, you had the Sharks that were like, we've lost eight games in a row, and also we're going to rap about Christmas. And everyone's like, oh, the Sharks rule.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Is not an exaggeration. They did an incredible Christmas music video. They had a viral sleepover with two of their young stars and Tyler Tifoli, who is in his 30s. Like, on the surface, if you're not a sports fan, that sounds super weird and creepy, but that's the beauty of sports. Things make sense when they live in the sports world.

[Katie Nolan]

Technically, literally, they were asking for it. They were. Asked him to do it. They made him do it. He did not want to.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They said, if we all score goals in this one game, we're having a sleepover tonight. And guess what? They all scored goals in that one game and they had a sleepover. And the old guy had to text his wife and be like, I'm sleeping with two teenagers tonight. I will not be home.

[Isabella]

Oh, wild. They didn't make it, though. They're not with. They're no longer with us.

[Katie Nolan]

They just missed the playoffs. 40 points. Just by half of the league.

[Isabella]

I have another random question before we do this. I just realized you're my hockey people. What's going on with Blackhawks games not being on TV in Chicago? Do you know?

[Ryan Reynolds]

I wish. Yeah, they have, like, their own now. They have their own network, like the Chicago Sports Network or whatever it is, and they carry the game. But it's the. The only problem is, is that I think a lot of the cable providers don't support the channel. So, like, the channel exists sort of like on its own on an island. And it's not on tv. So if you want to watch the Blackhawks, good luck.

[Isabella]

That sucks.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Are great.

[Katie Nolan]

Our mutual friend, I assume Jun Lee, recently made a video about how hard sports is to watch these days.

[Isabella]

It's crazy.

[Katie Nolan]

You can be a fan of. Of Team x and like LeBron, has talked about difficulty finding games. We had Trent Frederick, then of the Bruins, now the Oilers on our show this year, and he was. He was saying that when he was hurt, he was trying to watch Bruins games and he could not find it, didn't know how to get it on whatever he has. Like to watch Bruins games. I have to pay for Fubo, and that's the only thing I use it for. And then I have to do YouTube TV for other stuff. So this guy was illegally streaming his own games. So Blackhawks fans, welcome to the rest of the world.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Well, it is funny because this is our second year of doing this podcast. Year one, we were both on cable and we would just complain about how expensive cable was, but like how it was worth it because of the ease. And then in year two, we both cut the cord and we spent a large portion of this year just complaining about how difficult it is to find what games are on what apps and having to subscribe to a million different things.

[Katie Nolan]

Pete, I'm getting it back. And I will call back to a moment just before we started recording where Katie has a microphone that is a newer version of an old microphone and it has a feature where if you touch it, it will mute. Nobody wants that. It's just a new feature. Here's what I found. When you are a cord cutter and you used to. You have to use like a Roku remote or whatever. Roku remotes, fire stick remotes, all of those are so more sensitive to. If you lean on them, turn them upside down, do whatever they assume that you want to exit whatever you're doing. I never had that issue with a Norma cable remote. And now if I breathe on whatever streaming remote I'm using, I have to start at square one. And Lord knows I don't know how to do that. And now I'm the latest old white person who doesn't know how to find the game that he wants to watch.

[Isabella]

Oh, my God, you sound. You have to stop. You're making us.

[Ryan Reynolds]

This is what our podcast is, by the way. We start on like a sports topic and then it just becomes a neuroses.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. You ever realize how life is hard?

[Isabella]

Only for me, though I still have cable. I'm not even proud of it. HLN last night. How'd you do that one? Because I didn't realize HLN's SD. I skipped over to HLN and I thought I was watching a game from, like, 2001. It looked crazy.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I. I was on my computer watching it. I just typed into the YouTube TV thing, like, HLN clicked it, and it was HD. So maybe you just need to watch on a computer, not a tv.

[Katie Nolan]

Twice.

[Isabella]

Cable loses again twice.

[Katie Nolan]

Pete and I got stuck on a game finishing when another one, when it's on the channel that another game is starting or whatever. So once this game ends, you just gotta flip to another channel to watch your whole game. And we stay on the channel that is now showing something new. And both Pete and I, in different locations, watched, like, 25 minutes of a Peyton Manning documentary being like, when is this game coming back? They took a TV time out two minutes into the period.

[Isabella]

It's been long.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, it was. It was truly incredible. And DJ texted me and was like, oh, Pete, by the way, the game is now on this channel. And if he did not text me, I think I could have gone 30 minutes more. Because the reason that I missed it, I went outside to smoke a joint and came back. And so, like, I hadn't considered that the channel might change.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I knew that I didn't do anything by accident, and I was melting into the couch. I could have watched 40 more minutes of Peyton Manning.

[Isabella]

Time just moves differently. You don't know. You're like, has it been a commercial break or an hour? I can't tell how long I've been listening to Peyton Manning. All right, well, now that we've told you, it's impossible to find these games if you are streaming, let's go ahead and tell you all about them. So we'll start with the jets and the Blues, the Winnipeg jets and the St. Louis Blues. They are playing tonight. So somewhere it's 3:2, somebody is up 3:2 in the series. Right? We just don't know who. What, What. Tell me what.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. The story of this series is two things. You have a Blues team that makes the playoffs when it shouldn't make the playoffs. And when that happens, typically, they then go on and win the Stanley cup. Shout out, 2019 Boston Bruins fans. The other side of it is you have Connor Hellebach, who is the best goalie in the world. But just this very year, if you watch the Four Nations Tournament, you saw that in some big moments, he can be fine. Last postseason, he was bad in the. In the playoffs so far. In this series, he was great at home in Games 1 and 2 in Winnipeg. When the series shifted to St. Louis, where again, the Blues made the playoffs by the skin of their. You know what's. They fired their coach. They don't have a great roster, but they were just hell bent on getting there. The Blues ran over the Jets.

[Isabella]

Skin of their teeth. You know what's. Did you just, you know, what teeth? Or are you talking about their.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm doing the Jimmy Kimmel thing where you just censor a word that didn't need to be censored and then you're like, skin of their foreskin.

[Isabella]

Don't let me stop you. I apologize. You're absolutely right.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. Connor Hellbach bad in those two games got pulled. This is all coming in a season in which Connor Halibuk might win mvp. Those votes have already been cast. Pete strongly disagrees with him potentially being an mvp. A lot of people do because goalies don't play that many games and he is stunk. So he talked the other day about how he's going to be okay because nobody has studied goaltending more than him. We discussed on our show Wednesday. That just makes him a fucking nerd. Or it makes him like LeBron talking about reading all postseason. This is an interesting one. I do not think the Blues are dead.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I mean, it really, like, that's a long winded way of saying that the Winnipeg jets were the best team in the regular season. They won the President's Trophy. Connor Helbuk was arguably the best player during the regular season, but they both suck now. And that's not new because that happens to the jets almost every year.

[Isabella]

Explain the President's Trophy to people who might not understand its power.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So it is essentially like the best regular season participation trophy for the woke generation. It's your. It's your participation trophy for winning the regular season, which really doesn't mean a.

[Isabella]

Whole lot, but it tends to carry with it, you know, a bit of a curse.

[Katie Nolan]

So there's. There's considered a curse with the President's Trophy.

[Isabella]

And are you anti curse? Guys? I could see this being a thing.

[Katie Nolan]

I kind of disagree with it because the Blackhawks won the President's Trophy and they won the cup because they were fucking awesome. And in the NHL. One of my favorite things about the NHL is even if you're good, you don't always look that much better than everybody else. So the best team in the regular season can go up against the 8th best team in the regular season, as is what happened two years ago and lose. Like teams that win the President's Trophy generally lose because only one team wins the Stanley Cup a year. But in a lot of cases, they kind of crash and burn because the expectations are so big on them.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I would say that's pretty, pretty accurate.

[Isabella]

Okay, fair enough. So you think if you had to pick who's coming out of this series.

[Katie Nolan]

Our producer Sean declared before the Blues even fired their coach. But when we thought they might fire their coach, Sean declared they're going to fire their coach and make the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup. I think the jets are quite a bit better than the Blues. So if all things are equal, the jets should win this series. But, hell, a buck in the postseason and in big games scares me right now.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So I'll say the Jets.

[Katie Nolan]

I'll say the jets win, but it's way closer than it should be already.

[Isabella]

Okay, fair enough. Where next? Colorado, Dallas, the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars. This series is. Dallas is up 3, 2. And they don't play again till tonight, which is Thursday. Thursday night. Talk a little bit about this series.

[Katie Nolan]

This was the series that broke Vegas. That broke, or gambler's brains, I should say. And I know that you are not the biggest gambling podcast, but I will.

[Isabella]

Say, but it does exist and is fine.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. So odds makers didn't know what to do with this because Colorado, for my money, was the most sensible Stanley cup favorite coming out of the West. Dallas was in the Western Conference final last year and went to six games. And all Dallas has done since then is add Colorado's second, second or third best player because Colorado traded Miko, ran in to Carolina, who then couldn't sign him, so they traded him to Dallas. And now suddenly, this superstar player that Dallas had and wanted to keep forever is now playing them in the first round. Dallas stunk, though, late in the regular season, lost seven straight to end the regular season. They're without their number one defenseman in Miro Haskin. And so everybody thought, while Dallas is awesome, they are very hobbled and just in a weird way, they're not going to get out of the first round. And they have been awesome, have greatly overperformed. They were also without Jason Robertson, one of their top scorers, and they have just far exceeded what anybody expected from them. I still think Dallas wins this series, or, I'm sorry, Colorado wins the series, which maybe it's over by the time this comes out. But this has been the. Like, this should be a Stanley cup final instead of a first round series.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I mean, this one had the most juice, like, two months ago, and then before the playoffs started, lost a lot of juice based off of Dallas being in a bad way heading into the playoffs. Here's the thing about the idea of Colorado winning, though. Colorado would need to force a Game seven in this series, and the Stars are coached by Pete DeBoer, who famously never loses Game Sevens. He always gets to game Sevens, and it's always in a weird way, and they probably should have wrapped up a series before it gets to Game seven. But when it does get there, he always wins the winner take all. Game seven. So it is an uphill battle for the Colorado Avalanche right now, and they were the ones who kind of, like, sold out to really go for it at the deadline this year, and now they might be looking at a first round exit.

[Isabella]

The story we talked about from this series already on this podcast was Landiscog coming back. That's been very cool to watch. He had a goal and an assist, I think, the other night, and just watching the way the team reacted to him, that's a very cool story.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Definitely. We got sick of it, though.

[Isabella]

Yes, okay.

[Katie Nolan]

But the lead up, not. Not him himself, but every story about the Avalanche had. Don't forget they're getting Landiscog back for.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The last two years.

[Katie Nolan]

Are they getting Landiscog back for the last two years?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Two years, people. Colorado Avalanche fans have been like, but wait, we're gonna get Gabe Landiscog back any moment now. And at some point, you hit a point where you're just like, all right, talk to me when it happens. And then it was another year and a half and it finally happened to this postseason. It's a great story. He's a very handsome guy. He worked very hard to get back to where. Where he wanted to be. People didn't think he'd be able to play again. Here he is. He's effective. It's a great story. And we can all finally shut up about it.

[Isabella]

We get it. You're handsome. You came back from an injury that no one's ever come back to.

[Katie Nolan]

Hockey.

[Isabella]

Hockey from. Okay.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The other big story is that the Dallas Star's most famous fan is in jail. There's this guy who sits behind the Dallas Stars net and he bangs on the glass very loudly.

[Katie Nolan]

Annoying.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Which is like, you're not.

[Isabella]

Is he in jail for that?

[Ryan Reynolds]

No, he is in jail for dui. And we only know that because he released a statement on his Twitter account that said, I am going to jail because I have A dui.

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Ryan Reynolds]

We should not know that.

[Isabella]

What?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yes. Now, Dallas Stars players during the series have commented on. Yes. Commented on his absence. And I believe Matt Duchenne, he's a player on the Dallas Stars, specifically said that one fan who has been removed from society, which is the funniest way to describe somebody who has gone to jail.

[Katie Nolan]

He said, there's been a lot of viral moments in this building. There's that other guy that I've heard. He's not in society anymore.

[Isabella]

Society anymore. Wow.

[Katie Nolan]

Good.

[Ryan Reynolds]

There's always stuff going on with the Dallas Stars and their fans because one year, I guess, like the last two years, there was a. A large breasted woman that sat behind the. Behind the bench. Became very popular then.

[Isabella]

Large breasted woman is so creepy. Keep going.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And then there was a. A doppelganger behind the bench this year. Somebody who dressed up to look exactly like the Colorado Avalanche in a row.

[Katie Nolan]

It's not. So there's a guy that dresses like the Avalanche head coach and stands behind the him. And it was cool. And I saw it this year and I came in and I was. And everyone was all excited, and I was like, sean, did this already happen? And Sean was like, I thought I was going to lose my mind. This already happened.

[Isabella]

Right.

[Katie Nolan]

And we looked it up and there's a guy that just does it. A guy just. I mean, the more I explain it, I'm like, it is very cool, but. But I just felt like I had deja vu. This is this guy's thing. He gets tickets and he dresses up like the opposing coach, and that's.

[Ryan Reynolds]

That plays the hits.

[Isabella]

Okay. Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

And his costume is just like. My hair is gray like that guy.

[Isabella]

Yeah. I was gonna say they don't look different enough to turn into a costume. You could kind of play four of them at a time. I feel like in the same outfit.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm sending you. You've seen him. Yeah. I'm sending you a picture either way.

[Ryan Reynolds]

No, you don't really have to extend yourself.

[Isabella]

Right.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a Caucasian man.

[Isabella]

Oh, okay. I have seen him. You're right. You're right. And the thing is, he doesn't look that much like him. But that's neither here nor there.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, it's like a cheap Halloween costume.

[Katie Nolan]

You white, you Jared Bednar.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Exactly.

[Isabella]

I wonder if he's married, because you can't really take a date to a game when you're like, and this is weird, but I am gonna have to dress up like the other guy over there.

[Katie Nolan]

It's the classic David Putty situation. We can go to the game, but I'm dressing like Pete or Jared Bednar.

[Isabella]

Who is coming out of this series. Did you already say my.

[Katie Nolan]

I could be wrong by the time this comes out, but I just have such a hard time picking against the Avalanche. I love them.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I'm going to say Dallas because of the Game 7 factor. Also, Dallas probably will get to a Game 7 because they're the team in the playoffs that just loves to take games off, which is electric. Like they can lose seven to nothing on one night and then come out the next night and kick the crap out of you as well. So never know what you're going to get. It's the best.

[Isabella]

Sometimes you just need a little bit of a nap game, you know?

[Ryan Reynolds]

That's right.

[Isabella]

You just need to take a little nap. Okay, let's go to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Minnesota Wild. Vegas is up 32 in the series. They were heavily favored, right?

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, yeah.

[Isabella]

But it was. I mean, last night was. I would be so frustrated if I was a Wild fan.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. So the. The Wild, in a tie game, scored the go ahead goal in the final minutes. Ryan Hartman, great goal. Cool. Running man celebration. It was challenged because Aiden Hill, the Golden Knights goalie, or I'm sorry, it was reviewed because Aiden Hill, the Golden Knights goalie, said it was kicked into the net. So they reviewed it. They said it was not kicked into the net. Okay, cool. Let's go on with our lives. Nope.

[Isabella]

Nope.

[Katie Nolan]

The goal gets challenged for offsides. And just barely. The Gold. The Wild were offside. And I'm a big spirit of the rule guy where if a player holds up and is trying to stay on side, then fuck it. Yeah, okay. You were kind of on side. All right, whatever. There aren't a million goals in these games. Let's let this one count. But it gets overturned, goes to overtime, and of course, the Wild loser. I would be. I'm with you, Katie. I'd be apoplectic, definitely.

[Ryan Reynolds]

It's also the Wilder. An interesting story because nobody gave them a chance, but through like the first couple months of the season, they were in first place and they had the guy who looked like he was going to be mvp. Then their entire team got hurt, basically. They barely made it into the playoffs, but they got healthy right before the playoffs started. And then they came out swinging. And. And for a lot of people, including myself, I was like, damn, okay. Didn't really know or remember that the Wild had it like this. And then I was like, okay, this is a Young team that might surprise us. But then Vegas punched back and now they have a series lead.

[Katie Nolan]

When we did our season preview for the Wild part, we did our ad reads, we did our ad reads during the Wild part because we were like, like, it's not. We're not going to talk. We have to talk about the Wild a lot.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So they've never been interesting.

[Katie Nolan]

Tell you about Shady Race.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They've really never been interesting. And like, Minnesota is an unbelievable hockey state. Unbelievable hockey state. But their NHL team for some reason has. Has never been particularly good or interesting. And now this season, for the first time in forever, they seem like they're both good and interesting.

[Katie Nolan]

And the fun thing with the Wild is they gave matching 13 year contracts to two players a long time ago and they were huge money and they didn't totally work out. So they bought out both of those players and they have all this dead money on their books forever and it comes off the books this summer. So the Wild have surprised people with how much better they've gotten this season. And if they want, they can now go and spend a bunch. So if you're a new hockey fan and you're looking for a team to kind of adopt, that's on the way up. Minnesota Wild aren't a bad pick.

[Isabella]

What is going on with their goalie? Because he's sick. He left the game. He's back. He's fine, apparently.

[Katie Nolan]

Gus, have some back.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I had the question. I had the question. Yet last night or two nights ago when this podcast comes out, it's third.

[Isabella]

It's Thursday afternoon.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Time is construct. How sick do you have to be to leave a Stanley cup playoff game 40 minutes in pooping your pants like Tuka Rask afterwards?

[Katie Nolan]

I was gonna say this is a sensitive subject because Katie Nolan half ruined my life when I was covering the Bruins.

[Ryan Reynolds]

You got any reports for what happened to this goalie?

[Isabella]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

I regret this about Tuca.

[Isabella]

Everything. I regret everything about that. And let's just leave it at that.

[Katie Nolan]

Shout out, Tuka goat.

[Isabella]

Shout out, Tuka. But yes, I would have to be pooping. But that's just me. You know, I'm a born athlete and I've got a heart. My heart's always in the game. I would. I'd have to be like, it's gonna drip down my leg and they're gonna see.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I mean, that's marathon runners do that all the time.

[Isabella]

Okay, so do you use that as an excuse often? Is this like a. You had that ready to go? So are you often just pooping and going marathon runners do it.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty sure the last time you responded to one of my tweets, it was an admission that I shipped my phone.

[Isabella]

Oh, my gosh.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So, yes.

[Isabella]

Oh, my God.

[Katie Nolan]

Marathon. He was like, marathon one is do it all the time. It's okay.

[Isabella]

Oh, my God.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm in fifth grade.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I didn't talk like that in fifth grade. I only my pants.

[Isabella]

Okay, who's. So who's winning this?

[Katie Nolan]

It has to be Vegas. Yeah, it has to be Vegas. They. They have been the team that's been under discussed as a cup contender because it just goes without saying that they're always a cup contender. Nobody really needs to dissect and analyze why they'll be okay because they're just loaded. And in doing that, we didn't realize we were actually sleeping on the wrong team, which was their actual opponent in that series.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They do have the goalie in the series that has yet to his pants, metaphorically or literally. Although he does really like coffee. Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

He's a big coffee guy.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Vegas Golden Scully loves coffee. So it could happen.

[Isabella]

That's asking for it. And you know what, Minnesota, don't feel sad if you don't make it out because next year you're gonna get all that money and you're gonna be great. Okay. That's me. Just saying.

[Katie Nolan]

Mitch Marner. Loading.

[Isabella]

I feel bad. Okay. This is my favorite series of this, which is crazy. Cause going into the postseason, I thought this again. But now watching it, the LA Kings versus the Edmonton Oilers. This is the, what, fourth year in a row that these two have faced off in the first round. And Edmonton has won all three previous. So I was kind. Am kind of, I think, rooting for the King. Dj Listen, I know that you're an Oilers fan, so you're not. You're not going to want to, but I'm like, kind of rooting for them. I'm like, happy to see they're putting up a fight. Can't let them do it to you four times in a row.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Ryan Reynolds]

We love the Kings. The Kings are great to us.

[Katie Nolan]

Big time. Kings respecter. I am an Armenian man, and the LA Kings love them. Some Armenians, they have Armenian Heritage Night every year. They invited me this year. They were like, yo, Deej, you the system of a down, guys. What do you say? So Kings are great in my book. We've had.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Don't look up what happened at Armenian Heritage Night. During this year's case, they accidentally gave.

[Katie Nolan]

Them scarves that were made in Turkey. But oh, my God. It wasn't their fault. It was not their fault. And as an Armenian, I forgive. Okay, So I am a King's respecter. We've had Quentin Byfield on the show. We've had Jordan Spence on the show, who is one of the more interesting guys in the league, if you want to look up his story. But. So I respect the Kings and I want good things to happen to them when they are not playing the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings have been or were, I'll say, because they've quite chunked it in this series. They began as the darlings of this postseason because they had their national anthem performed by the Koreatown Senior and Community center harmonica class. That's right. Non professional harmonica players. People who are still learning how to play the harmonica in a city where they.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They don't have any famous musicians.

[Katie Nolan]

No musicians in L. A. Couldn't find one. Chad Smith is literally sitting in the front row. Couldn't get him or any of his buddies. We're gonna get the Koreatown Senior and Community center harmonica class to play the anthem. They played it. Everyone sang along. The Kings won game four in wild fashion. They were then invited back to do.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Game two, Game one, wild fashion.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. They were then invited back to do game two. And Katie, do you know what their response was?

[Isabella]

The no D.J.

[Katie Nolan]

What was, was, we can't. We have to rest because these are old women in their 70s and 80s. And I don't know what happened, what wheels were greased, but they showed up in jerseys, did it even better the second time, and they have become celebrities. They have now shared that the Koreatown Senior and Community center doesn't have a lot of funding. And now they have all this attention on them, like they could use a few dollars. So I've donated. I'm trying to get all my Oilers people. Donate. Everyone who's listening to this, I'm sure there's links wherever you can find them. The Kings have posted it. This has been the feel good story of the playoffs. Now the feel bad story of the playoffs has been the LA Kings because they were handed two straight games by an Oilers team that was in the Stanley cup final last year. Forced game seven after being down 3. 0, have two of the best players in the world, including the best player in the league this season. Leon. Dry saddle. But there were a lot of injuries. I mentioned Trent Frederick earlier. They got him at the deadline. They've been trying to find a way to get him to sort of work out. It hasn't Worked out so far. It seemed like if ever. If ever there were a one series period where the Edmonton Oilers were ripe for the picking, it was now. And the Oilers were horrible for the first two games. And even though the Oilers came back in game one after being down 4 0, they still coughed that up and gave the Kings the game. But since the Kings went up to nothing, it has been a disaster for the Kings. And now it's almost as if. And I don't think that this series is over. It's almost as if the hockey gods are really fucking with Kings fans in the cruelest way. Because it got to the point where, if you like the Kings, you think it's finally over, we are finally going to beat the Oilers. And instead, what it looks like is you're just going to lose an extra hurtful fashion in.

[Ryan Reynolds]

In game three, the Kings had a lead and they gave up a goal. What period was that? Third period, late in the game, they gave up a goal, and the LA Kings coach, in a panic, challenged the goal, thinking that it would be like a Hail Mary to maybe take it off the board. It was a horrible challenge. Everybody acknowledged it. The second that he made it, they're like, this is no chance. This goal is coming off the board. Of course it did not come off the board. And when you get a challenge wrong from the bench, your team gets a penalty. So they started. They started the next face off down a man. The Oilers scored 10 seconds later, took the lead, won that game, and immediately everybody was like, that. That challenge could be a turning point in the series. The Kings went on to lose two straight games after that. The Oilers players were asked after the last game, after game five, was the challenge a turning point for you guys in the series? And they were like, oh, yeah, that guy's a bozo.

[Isabella]

Oh, my God, Grady.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Little moment. Oh, the NHL.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Isabella]

What did the bozo say?

[Katie Nolan]

The bozo said, oh, no, that's a great part.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So that was the first bozo move by the coach. Then in the next game, the Kings were great for the first 40 minutes, absolutely caved in for the third period. And then after the game, that's kind of become a trend. So after the game, the media asked him. They were like, what do you need to do so that your team stops getting caved in in the third period? And his attitude was essentially like, how dare you ask me this? And everybody in the world was like, that is the most fair question on the planet. Yeah, we've been. Anybody who's been watching this series would have that question for you. So Jim Hiller, the coach of the LA Kings, the. The most stonks down on anybody in the NHL playoffs of any. Any person involved.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, it's a bummer.

[Isabella]

I was gonna say it's never a good sign when your coach is clearly in denial of reality. That's not something you need in the playoffs. You need him to be able to assess the reality of what's going on and change the game plan.

[Katie Nolan]

I saw a.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And not get mad at the media.

[Katie Nolan]

I saw a tweet and in this series when the Oilers were really struggling. So like I said, they were down 40 in the first game. They came back, still lost, they sucked in game two. And the the Edmonton coach, Chris Knobloch was frantically changing his lines. He benched Jeff Skinner who is like the feel good story of this season that he had gone his whole career. He played over a thousand games, had never played in the playoffs. So he took a one year small money $3 million deal so he could play in the playoffs with the Oilers. And after one game Chris Knobloch scratched him and he hasn't played since. So everyone had all these questions about Chris Knobloch and they were mad at him. And Hiller has somehow surpassed that. I saw a post from a Kings fan today that was Jim Hiller is playing checkers while Chris Knobloch is playing checkers. Jim Hiller doesn't know how to play checkers. It's like these two coaches who are trying to have a mid off and one is just like no, no, no, I will mid so much harder.

[Isabella]

Okay, so who wins this series?

[Katie Nolan]

I. My guess guess is the Oilers. But I am. Last year, throughout the postseason I was very confident. This year I am not confident. I am still kind of worried. But my guess is the Oilers.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I'm going to say the Oilers. Then I'm going to say that like the LA Kings are going to have to go like play in the Swedish Elite League to escape the Oilers for a couple of seasons.

[Isabella]

Absolutely brutal. I guess you can. They could take solace in the fact that like they existed in this run existed to make the Koreatown Senior and Community center some money. That was the. It wasn't all for nothing. You did a good thing. Now figure it out. Go away and figure it out.

[Katie Nolan]

Make like the Koreatown seniors and learn.

[Isabella]

Take a day off.

[Katie Nolan]

No, learn from it. Yeah, rest and then learn from it.

[Isabella]

All right now we have to go to the east, which less exciting.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Oh, depends where we start.

[Isabella]

Well, I also just have so Much hate for so many of these teams. I don't do a good job of putting down my Bruins fandom when looking upon the east. And I will say I've noticed a dearth of too many men on the ice penalties in the postseason this year, and our presence is missed. I really do feel you notice that.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, welcome back, Boston Bruins.

[Isabella]

So the only one team is already through, the Carolina Hurricanes. They beat the New Jersey Devils in five games that game last night. Well, I guess it's two nights ago when this comes out. Went to Double O. T. I just a little side story. Our producer, Isabella, was looking for a team and she lives in Jersey. And she was like, maybe I should root for the Devils. And I was like, I don't know. I don't think they're supposed to make it out of the first round forgetting that they have a player named Brat. So then I was like, oh, maybe you should root. We could get you a Brat jersey. You could root for the Devils. And then so last night I was like, hey, Isabella, if you're not doing anything, your kind of team is like, in overtime for their life. They have to score here. If they don't score, their. Their season is completely over. And so she tuned in and then. And then they lost. I felt really bad about it. But she tuned out by second overtime because the first overtime ended and she was like, now what?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Didn't even get to see them register a shot. Probably because they got absolutely worked in overtime.

[Katie Nolan]

Isn't that the game that makes you a fan, though? Like, if Isabella watched that whole thing and she watched the overtime in which Jacob Markstrom, their goalie, was just under siege, just getting killed, and you're like, you spend 20 plus minutes talking yourself into, like, maybe they're going to pull this out, and then they lose that heartbreak. Now you're a fan.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah. At least she can definitely say that she's not a bandwagoner. Tuned in at maybe the worst possible time. Lowest point in the season.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, but the Devils were never going to make a run this year. They. They lost their best player. They've had a ton of injuries on their blue line. At the beginning of the season, it looked like, you know, they got Sheldon Keefe, who had been fired from the Leafs. He was a. He's a good coach. They finally got a goaltender. Markstrom, they haven't had one for a while. Next year. Next year they'll be okay when they're healthy, I think. And then Hurricanes, they're on the other side of it. I mentioned Miko rant and before they traded for him, thinking, we're finally going to get our big superstar scoring winger. And he didn't want to stay there, so they had to flip him. And they were the kind of. They were kind of left without a dance partner going into the trade deadline. And they still were like, fuck it. They always recover from who they lose on defense. They're a good defensive team. They still. They get. Taylor hall has been a good addition for them. Sebastian Ajo is a superstar. They're a balanced team that, That I think was still the favorite to win the Stanley cup coming out of the east this year.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They're always in the mix. Like, they're. They're one of those teams that has been hanging around for years at this point. Have not always a bridesmaid, not been able to get over a certain point. They always lose in the Eastern Conference final. There was some changeover this, this, this past off season. And so this year has a little bit of a different feel to it. I think the most interesting thing about the Carolina Hurricanes is they are run by a genius. They are run by a legitimate genius, not a hockey genius. A guy who has, like, worked for NASA and been like an insane kind of scientist, mad scientist. He looks nothing like a hockey guy. He has, like this curly red hair and looks like the biggest nerd you've ever seen. And he has just decided, I want to run a hockey team.

[Katie Nolan]

Like, Pablo should do something on this guy yet.

[Isabella]

Why? What is. What was the, like, inciting event?

[Katie Nolan]

I think it's like some Theo Epstein shit where I really like this confidence that if I want to do something and run a business later, I'll run a business later. I fucking love Puck, so I'm just gonna do this for now and see if I can. And the job that he's done, like, I don't want to go on a whole Miko rant and thing, but this is a team that has always struggled to find this superstar player to kind of call their guy and ran and didn't want to sign with them. And they still traded for him because they were like, we just want to see what it feels like to have the guy. We're going to trade a lot of stuff for him, but we just want to see what it's like, even if it's for a little bit. And they had to sell him at the deadline because he did not sign with them and take, like 85 cents on the dollar. But they were like, fuck it. We tried. It didn't work out. And I love that. So I want the Hurricanes to do well because I want that kind of chutzpah to be rewarded at the very minimum.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They're an interesting like social experiment. Can you allow like the smartest guy in the room to create a successful hockey team?

[Katie Nolan]

Another thing about the Hurricanes is our friend John Feidelberg exists on that team in the form of a guy called Seth Jarvis. And he is an exclusive looks wise or.

[Isabella]

Or mentality. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Although the. The GM kind of looks like Feidalberg a little bit. But. But Seth Jarvis is this incredible like vibrant, amazing personality. So fun, so funny, so easy to love. And he fucking hates that you love him. And he's like, why? It's just me. I'm so fucking stupid. God damn it. And we're all like, God, that makes us love you even more. He is the face of the league for my money. He is such a great personality. A fan favorite it and. But he still got a little bit of that. Like it's fine that you love me then I don't need to.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I just don't tell me. Yeah, he. And if anybody watched the. The Amazon documentary that followed around players at the beginning of this year or I guess at the tail end of last season, but aired at the beginning of this year, Seth Jarvis will be the star of the next season of that show.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Isabella]

That's exciting.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. And he's been on our show a few times, so check it out.

[Isabella]

Well, I was gonna say. Weren't you. Weren't you the star of that show last.

[Ryan Reynolds]

That was meant to be like a self plug. But yes, I was involved with that show.

[Isabella]

You're the star. I said so thank you.

[Katie Nolan]

I was involved.

[Isabella]

DJ had barely saw you behind the camera. I don't know. I didn't see you once.

[Katie Nolan]

I didn't do it. I said no.

[Isabella]

Wow. You turned it down. Of course. Of course. All right, let's do the battle of Ontario. This was much hyped. The Toronto Maple Leafs. Boo. Versus the Ottawa Senators. The big question on this for me, are they really going to blow this?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Can't say no.

[Katie Nolan]

They right. They can. I don't know that they're not going to. I think that they're going to win this series. I'm a fucking.

[Isabella]

We're talking about the Maple Leafs. For anyone who doesn't know it is. They have a difficult time in the post.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They always do this.

[Katie Nolan]

The Maple Leafs can't do anything right no matter what they do. And a lot of the time when they fail, you're like yeah, they failed because they're the Maple Leafs, but they also failed because they don't have any fucking defense. Like, that's not a Stanley cup team. Their dumb fans got too excited about them. They lost because they should lose lose this year. If they lose. I'm kind of running out of reasons to think why they lost outside of there's something on that sweater. Because they do have the defense this year, they do have the goaltending this year. They do have superstars on offense, as usual. If they blow this after being up 3, 0 to a senator's team, that is glad to be there.

[Isabella]

Oh, boy.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah. And the thing about the Leafs is that it's not just that they fail, because failing over and over again is not interesting in and of itself. They fail spectacularly. And they always give their fans so much hope before flaming out and ripping their hearts out. And they continue to do it in the most creative and unpredictable ways possible. So by them going up 3 to nothing in a series against the Ottawa Senators, who are, like D.J. said, kind of like the new kids on the block who are just kind of happy to be there, they've got a young team that doesn't have a lot of playoff experience, they barely snuck into the playoffs to be with. So for them to go up 3 nothing on an Ottawa Senator's team that looked like it was dead in the water, to then completely pack it in, look lifeless, allow the Senators to get back in the series and give them hope. If they lose this series, it is going to be incredible. Incredible levels of panic and dejection and just cinema. Allout cinema in Toronto.

[Katie Nolan]

So cinema.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Everybody outside of Toronto should be rooting for that to happen.

[Isabella]

Yeah, I don't know. I'm like, I'm wondering if they're ever going to get to a point where I feel bad. And I'll just tell you, I don't feel close to that yet.

[Ryan Reynolds]

No.

[Isabella]

You know, certainly not this season.

[Katie Nolan]

Do the feel bad thing for the Kings.

[Isabella]

Yeah, okay, I can do that.

[Katie Nolan]

Have fun with the Shaden Freud of the Leafs.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I mean, like, I, as a Bruins fan, I reserve the right to not care about a single feeling involved with anybody associated with the Maple Leafs. Yeah, I reserve that right. Like, I like players, I like teams that have like this awesome comeback story or like exercising demons. I usually like that crap. But as a Bruins fan, I have no room in my heart for that to happen or anything good to happen to a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

[Isabella]

I just don't also just like, isn't it Leaves.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Isabella]

What are we doing with that?

[Ryan Reynolds]

What are we doing? You got that? And then, like, the new team in Utah is going to be named the Mammoth instead.

[Isabella]

I saw that. I saw. They gave it away. They, like, changed their. I think they did that on purpose to, like, break the news.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't know. They changed it back real quickly. I'm just glad that there's finally a team that has Ma'am in the name. It's for everybody. Hockey, you know.

[Isabella]

God, you're the worst.

[Katie Nolan]

Enough of this. This patriarchy.

[Isabella]

Sure. And that's. Yeah. Just reminding everybody now that you're halfway through the podcast. That one's dj.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Thank you. I appreciate that, Katie.

[Isabella]

Okay, so who's gonna win that? I almost. I don't even wanna say. I don't even wanna say because I don't wanna jinx what could be the collapse that I pray for. But who's gonna win that series?

[Katie Nolan]

I'll say it's trending in the right direction for Ottawa A because they're winning. And they weren't doing that early in the series, but they actually played well the last game, which hasn't been much of a trend. And their goaltender, Lina Solmark, who won the Vesna a few years ago as the best goalie in the league, has been not a great postseason performer. Got a shutout last game. So there's. There's still a lot of reason for hope outside of the the Leafs are chokers thing. If you're a Senators fan. I still think the Leafs win, but I'd like it to go seven sends in seven.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Lena all mark. Two more shout outs on the way.

[Isabella]

Oh, I like that. All right. You guys are split again. I don't like when you do that, but it's okay then. Now we have the battle of Florida. And, guys, when I tell you you couldn't pay me to watch a single one of these games, I have rooting for a sinkhole. I can't stand these two teams. It's a scourge. However you pronounce that word on the league that we've got two floors. I hate it. I hate it. But it's the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Florida Panthers. And Florida's up. Well, actually, wait, when's that game? It might be over by the time this airs. It might be over because that's tonight. Right? So if Florida wins Wednesday evening. Right?

[Katie Nolan]

Yes.

[Isabella]

Yeah.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The whole time.

[Katie Nolan]

You're good.

[Ryan Reynolds]

The whole time concept is just really.

[Isabella]

I'm so confused of what day it is, but, yes, I think it's possible that it's over. I guess. So.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Can I sell you on. On why you might be missing out? You said you're not watching any of this. You dislike both these teams. You dislike their players for the most part. You are missing out on them disliking each other and trying to kill each other.

[Isabella]

Okay.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And they have just traded instances of them being super dirty to one another and being very, very ish. So it's been a fun series to watch as somebody who doesn't particularly care for either one of these teams and kind of is also rooting for the sinkhole. They're. They're kind of killing each other in this series and it's been awesome to watch.

[Katie Nolan]

You don't want to see Brad Marshawn do. Well.

[Isabella]

I. So I haven't. I've managed to avoid seeing him in that jersey. It's truly. I don't. I truly don't have any interest. It makes it. It is. I'm deeply. That's like a. It just would unseat my reality. I would feel. It just is wrong. It's not right.

[Katie Nolan]

I think the thing that would break your heart the most and it's been the biggest adjustment for me when I watch Brad Marshawn with the Panthers is that it isn't that he's not on the Bruins anymore. It's that he's not like the guy and the face of the whole operation and the leader of it all that he is really like he's gone somewhere to be the fifth or sixth best player on a team.

[Ryan Reynolds]

If that.

[Katie Nolan]

If that and God bless him, he should like on that team. They're loaded and I hope he wins another cup as long as it doesn't get in the way of a team that I want to win the cup. But it's just so strange to. Not because he's had so much power and leadership and control over everything that he's probably influenced all these guys who are maybe ahead of him in the pecking order. The Matthew Kachuk's of the world. Well, so that's what's kind of strange for me.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Me to see that part of it is the strangest part to me. Not that he's like the fifth or sixth best player on the team, but more that he is just fit in so well there and he gets along with. With Kachuk and Bennett and like is just.

[Isabella]

I can't. That's the thing. You're making me want to throw up. He can't get along with them. We hate them.

[Ryan Reynolds]

But it is the perfect example. And we always knew that Brad Maran was this guy. It's the guy that you love to have on your team, but you hate him if he's on any other team. Like every. Everybody looks at, at Bennett and Kachuk saying, I hate that guy's guts, but I. If he was on my team, I would love him. So when Brad Marchand goes over there and fits in perfectly, you understand what everybody was getting at when they said they hated Brad. Brad Martian for so many years now that he's not yours and he fits in with the team that you hate the most. It makes you sick.

[Isabella]

Absolutely sick. So fuck them both. Who is. Is this series over by the time people are listening to it? Do you think Florida wins?

[Katie Nolan]

I am praying it goes seven games because here's another angle of the series we have not discussed. In game two or three. Aaron Ekblad returned the defenseman for the Panthers who was suspended late in the regular season for using PEDs. Ooh, steroid guy. In game four. It was in game four. Yeah. His second game back, he threw a very dirty hit on Brandon Hagel who earlier in the series had thrown a dirty hit on Sasha Barkov and got suspended for that. Ekblad was given two games for this latest infraction, which means we can have twice in the same series Aaron Eckblad returning from suspension. I just like that. I hope it goes seven games and that like a third of the series is us being like, well, Florida's getting.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Aaron Ekblad back and Brandon Hagel is still hurt. Hurt. So if it does get to a game seven and Aaron Ekblad returns, you have the. The availability of them seeking vengeance on Aaron Ekblad for hurting their teammate.

[Katie Nolan]

Also, the coaches have been doing press conferences as each other the after one of the. Who did it first? More. Yeah, Paul Maurice, after Sasha Barkov was hurt, was asked a question about a hit or something and he said, said our guys only hit guys who have the puck, which is a shot at Brandon Hagel. After Matthew Tkachuk took a shot at Jake Gensel, John Cooper, the Lightning coach, said, I don't know. We only hit guys who have the puck. And then in the next press conference, Paul Maurice was like, hey, I heard what he said. My wife thought it was funny. And then everyone gaffaded that. So they're just doing this weird role playing thing and that's funny.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, they're both a little annoying.

[Isabella]

Paul Maurice is more than a little annoying. He's more than a little annoying.

[Katie Nolan]

Who Wait, Maurice or Cooper?

[Isabella]

Maurice.

[Katie Nolan]

How is it that I've come around on him? I was the one, the team.

[Isabella]

I just hate it. It's not rational. It's not based in fact. They hurt me. They hurt my big brother. They hurt my dad, they hurt my mom. I hate them. I hate him. I hate them. I hate each of. I can't root for a Kachab. You'll never catch me rooting for a Tachuk.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't care if you don't know.

[Ryan Reynolds]

What about against the Leafs?

[Isabella]

I don't care. I don't care against the Leafs.

[Katie Nolan]

You know, the Leafs are going to do it to themselves anyway, so. But in case you don't know, folks, Paul Maurice, the coach of the Florida Panthers is Johnny Joke man. He uses all of his press conferences to make little jokes in a very George Clooney esque delivery where he gets up there and he's like, hey, well, I guess we're. And no matter what he says, everyone laughs at it. It drove me crazy last postseason and these guys told me, lighten up, he's funny. I've now come around on him. I like the little jokes and they're sick of him.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hey, if, you know Sean's not.

[Katie Nolan]

Sean supports him.

[Ryan Reynolds]

If you know any famous comedians, you should have them do reaction videos to Paul Maurice's press conference. Yes, I will read his stand up routine.

[Isabella]

I will. I'll peruse my Rolodex and see if I can think of anybody nice. Okay. Did you say who was going to win this?

[Katie Nolan]

I think I had the Panthers winning it initially. So why change now?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, Panthers.

[Katie Nolan]

A lot of people thought the Lightning were going to win this series because the Lightning had a really good regular season. But Panthers, they've gone to the Stanley cup final the last two years. Won it last year, and they're pretty loaded. They also got Seth Jones. Shout out that guy. Guy.

[Isabella]

Shout out that guy. Okay, so then this is the last one we have to talk about. This is also might be over by the time this is airing. The Washington Capitals versus the Montreal Canadiens. Ovechkin, obviously was a big story of the season. We talked about him a bunch on our podcast because you know the hockey story that breaks through it this. Is it still rolling or does it feel like they ran out of fire on all of that? Like, is he still doing well?

[Katie Nolan]

They ran out of fire and had no fucking idea. It happened. After Alex Ovechkin broke the record, they just started losing games and they were still partying and celebrating and doing events and Doing like, they had no idea what was happening. When they went out and played hockey before the game, they were happy. They'd go out, lose a hockey game. After the game, they'd be happy. And it's not just the Ovechkin of it. It's the fact that this year's team is an island of misfit toys. There were so many players going into last postseason where you'd say, where's that guy going to go? And the Capitals got all of them. And it, again, I'm not saying. I didn't say, like, where's that guy? Like, who's going to get that guy? Meaning, like, who's going to take Pierre Dubois? Who's going to take Andrew Mont? Like, all these guys. The Capitals took all of them. And it looked like the aftermath of an expansion draft, and somehow they went out and had the best season of. Of any team in the Eastern Conference. They ran out of gas big time. But like I said, I don't think they know that. And good for them, because it carried over into the postseason. The good vibes. They're playing a Canadiens team that. Speaking of teams that are happy to be there, a young team that maybe arrived a year or two earlier than we would have expected. I always thought that. I thought the Capitals would probably get through Canadiens. The only thing that they have going for them, other than that they're young and they're fast and they're fun, is there. It's the. It's the Canadiens. There's this magical thing about them. And also, they've got a kid, Ivan Demidov, who they took fifth overall last year, who is a Russian hockey player who looks like he's playing a different sport. Both endearing and derogatory. He makes plays that make you say, does he know the rules? Is that legal? Or is he. Is he, like, a trick artist? What is this A trick artist?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah. That team, that Canadian team is just full of a bunch of children. It's awesome. I know that that's, like, a dirty thing to say as a Bruins fan, but that team is so fun. Cause it's just a bunch of young kids who are having the most fun playing hockey. And it is electric. They are not a perfect team. They can't defend very well at all. Although I have been pretty surprised at how they've been able to hang in there in this series against Capital's team. But, yeah, they're probably, like, ahead of schedule. They're probably gonna lose this series. I wish that I had, like, three more hours to tell you what's going to happen in the series, because if the Canadians end up winning tonight, like right now, while we're recording this there, that series is going back to Montreal, which is the most electric arena in all of hockey. And they do have a real, real home ice advantage in that building. If they get back there, I think they might win game six, and then it goes to a game seven. And at that point, maybe the Capitals are rattled, maybe the Canadians have a little bit of momentum behind it, and maybe the Canadians win this goddamn series. I have idea.

[Katie Nolan]

A crazy thing about the Canadiens is home field advantage exists in different sports and manifests itself in different ways, I should say. And in hockey, the big advantage is that you get last line change, so you get to dictate who plays against whom. And for some teams, that's the extent of what home ice advantage is. In the case of the Canadiens, it might be unlike any other thing, like NYF's, NYCFC, and major league Soccer has a huge advantage because they play Yankee Stadium, and it's like this weird dimensions that only they know. Other than that the Canadiens are the biggest team in terms of home ice advantage because the game is officiated differently, because it's so mad in there that I don't know if it's intimidation or what, but, like, just factually, refs call a different game. They are so afraid to piss off that crowd. Canadians get a bunch of calls, and I kind of find it charming. I should hate it, but I think it's kind of cool.

[Ryan Reynolds]

If you're listening to this and the Canadiens won Game 5, make sure you tune in to Game 6 on Friday night, because it is going to be a scene.

[Isabella]

And if you're listening to this and they lost, sorry we wasted the last few minutes of your life. You can't have them back. All right, So I guess on that one, we'll just hope we. I don't know. I don't want to make you make a call when it could very well be over by the time this airs, but would you.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I still say the Capitals.

[Isabella]

Okay, Capitals.

[Katie Nolan]

I did place like a. I want to say like a. Like a $10 bet before the playoffs, because the Canadians weren't in the playoffs and they had the most ridiculous odds. So I bet, like, $10 that they'll win the Stanley cup, which they absolutely won't, but if they do, I win, like, $40,000 or something.

[Isabella]

Crazy.

[Katie Nolan]

Who are Canadians fans?

[Isabella]

Crazy. Oh, my God. I was rooting for them not to be in because I wanted The Blue Jackets to be in. And I know that, like, that's what we needed was for the. Was for them to lose. And I love to. I'll never pass down a chance to root against the Habs, so. But yeah, good. $40,000. If I can get a little piece of it, I'll think about rooting for him.

[Katie Nolan]

Hell, yeah. Break you off a little something.

[Isabella]

Thank you. Okay, so look, the games are starting, so I'm gonna let you go. But I want. I want our fans to have a team they can call their own. If they wanted to ride with a team for this postseason, I don't know if you both would pick the same team, but if you could pick and pitch one team each or if you both pick the same team to our fans so that they can put their rooting interests somewhere and maybe give a shit about Hawk.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a tough one because I want to give fans a team they can see play many games. But this season, I have absolutely no idea not only who's going to win the Stanley cup, but who will win one more round beyond this. The. I'm an Oilers fan. My pitch for them is that they have two incredible players and they are the most, bar none, they are the most dramatic team in the NHL. So if you want highs, lows, hating yourself, hating them, hating your loved ones. Edmonton Oilers.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I mean, like, he's biased. I'm unbiased. I will back that up. I just think that for. We do a show that is centered around hockey and chaos. They're the most chaotic, never boring team. Whether they suck or whether they're amazing, they are always fun to watch and you're getting your money's worth. So I will back jump on the oiler span wagon.

[Katie Nolan]

They might be done by. Not by the time this comes out, but like, they might still lose.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Also, sometimes there are boobs.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, yeah, that's right. Do you remember the boob lady last year?

[Isabella]

Yeah, but not this year. You're not going to see any boobs.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Not yet. It was. It was pretty deep into the playoffs when you saw the boobs last year. So holding on to hope, there was.

[Katie Nolan]

A thing where the. Before games three and four, a bunch of older women in Edmonton busted out kazoos. They were like, la has harmonicas. We have kazoos. And I was like, edmonton already has a thing. It's that one lady.

[Isabella]

Whip them out, ladies.

[Ryan Reynolds]

That's right. I mean, I previously in this. This podcast referred to large breasted woman. Now I've moved on to boobs. Yeah, that's personal growth.

[Isabella]

It's good. It's like less creepy somehow. Just boobs. And it's not as bad as tits. Tits feels too abrasive. And I.

[Katie Nolan]

Did you see the Scottish Leafs fan? Oh, she came all the way from Scotland to see a Leafs game and they lost. And she said they lost because they were distracted by my huge feckin tats. And I'd never heard the term tets before, but that's what she said.

[Ryan Reynolds]

DJ's words, not hers.

[Katie Nolan]

Exactly.

[Isabella]

It was like a good bad impersonation. It was like really bad.

[Katie Nolan]

What I'll say is I was not doing a Scottish voice. I was saying the words.

[Isabella]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's fair.

[Katie Nolan]

I would never appropriate a Scottish voice.

[Isabella]

Okay, that's DJ Bean. That's Pete Blackburn. Their podcast is called what Chaos? Tell everybody where to find it and what to do with it.

[Katie Nolan]

We like if you do it on YouTube because we do have this nice set and a lot of it is visual. We will realize halfway through an episode that we are only showing pictures and then. And talking about the pictures. So I don't know, that's probably kind of charming.

[Ryan Reynolds]

If you're looking for Excel, for going to YouTube.

[Katie Nolan]

Also subscribe to our Instagram wherever. But YouTube is just search what chaos hockey on YouTube.

[Ryan Reynolds]

It is also a podcast. So if you are interested in only the audio, all the normal places you find podcasts, we're there.

[Isabella]

Goodbye. Thank you for talking hockey with us. I love you guys and I'll. I'll talk to you soon.

[Katie Nolan]

Bye.

[Isabella]

Okay, that's it. That's hockey. You love it now, don't you? Oh, you're sick. You love it. Washington did end up beating Montreal, so sorry about that. That's. And Florida also won. So Tampa Bay is out and I tuned in as they told me to and I saw Marshand in a Panthers jersey and it wasn't worth it. I wish I, I wish I maintained my abstinence. It's disgusting and I hate it. Check out what Chaos. That's their podcast. Pete and DJ are the best. They are probably my closest friends. I've never met in person person. I've known them for like 10 years and I, I have to keep being reminded. I. I've literally never met them. I'm gonna be shocked when I find out how short Pete is. Chris, you have an update too, about you've been pushing darts and, and, and, and the only sport probably less popular here than hockey, but we're trying to get these movements going and you've Got an interesting update on people's ability to be fans of darts.

[DJ Bean]

We do. So there's only a month left in the season. We're getting to the pointy end of the PDC darts season. There's four weeks left of the regular season, and then we got a week of the playoffs. I just discovered through our Discord, by the way, Katie Dolan, Discord Shout out, that you can actually stream it for free on FanDuel Sports Extra, which is a channel on Tubi. So initially when we spoke about darts, I thought you had to sign up for the PDC TV subscription, which cost like $13 a month.

[Isabella]

Month.

[DJ Bean]

But you can actually get it for free on the FanDuel Sports Extra channel on Tubi. So if you go into Tubi, which is free, you can just search PDC darts. You can catch that every Thursday. I think it's at 2pm Eastern. This is the perfect time to get into it. It finishes at the end of May. The playoffs are May 28th. So, you know, catch the tail end of the season here and then. And then we'll end the playoffs at the end. The pointy end.

[Isabella]

The pointy end, yes. This is the podcast. That's what Chris says they call it in the Commonwealth sporting world. That's it for the podcast. Don't forget, you can email us casualsaidenolanmail.com if you want to leave us a voicemail at 646-801-0043. On socials, we are casuals, the podcast. We're so happy that you're here. We hope that you love sports as much as we do. We love you. We mean it, and we'll see you on Tuesday. Bye.

[Pete Blackburn]

Hey, everybody, it's Rob Lowe here. If you haven't heard, I have a podcast that's called Literally with Rob Lowe. And basically it's conversations I've had that really make you feel like you're pulling up a chair at an intimate dinner between myself and people that I admire, like Aaron Sorkin or Tiffany Haddish, Demi Moore, Chris Pratt, Michael J. Fox. There are new episodes out every Thursday, so subscribe, please, and listen wherever you get your podcasts.