Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 529: Featuring Bobby Holik

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 529: Featuring Bobby Holik

Release Date: October 29, 2024
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, Mike Grinnell
Guest: Bobby Holik, Former NHL Veteran and Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion

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I. Episode Overview

In Episode 529 of Spittin’ Chiclets, host Ryan Whitney, alongside Paul Bissonnette and producer Mike Grinnell, delves into a diverse range of topics spanning hockey anecdotes, personal stories, and current sports events. The highlight of the episode is an in-depth interview with Bobby Holik, a seasoned NHL veteran known for his outspoken nature and championship pedigree.

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II. Personal Stories and Banter

A. Childhood Antics and Family Memories

The hosts kick off with lighthearted banter, sharing amusing stories from their childhoods. Paul recounts his father Merle’s humorous approach to Halloween, where he replaced Bailey’s in coffee with pink Whitney (“[01:19] Paul Bissonnette”), leading to quirky decorations and unexpected surprises for neighborhood kids. Ryan echoes similar sentiments, sharing his own tale of being punished with endless painting tasks after attempting to hack down a cherished maple tree (“[02:13] Ryan Whitney”).

B. Weekend Highlights and Sports Observations

Ryan and Paul discuss their respective weekends, touching on various sports events. Ryan describes attending a Dallas Mavericks game featuring Luka Doncic, marveling at his seamless play despite a chubby appearance (“[04:13] Ryan Whitney”). Paul shares his relaxed weekend, which included watching the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to attending a hockey game for Lacrosse player Rafy, expressing disappointment over the Leafs' recent performance but maintaining a positive outlook (“[05:33] Paul Bissonnette”).

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III. Current Sports Highlights

A. NBA Insights

Ryan provides a detailed analysis of Luka Doncic’s performance against the Boston Celtics, highlighting his ability to control the game without a visibly elevated heart rate (“[04:48] Ryan Whitney”). The discussion touches on Doncic’s versatility and smooth gameplay, drawing parallels to Kai Jones’ finesse on the court (“[05:33] Paul Bissonnette”).

B. NFL Bloopers

The conversation shifts to the NFL, where Ryan shares a viral blooper involving Tyreek Stevens of the Chicago Bears. In a Hail Mary play against the Washington Commanders, Stevens’ premature celebration led to a failed sprint and a tipped ball, culminating in a humorous yet embarrassing moment (“[06:30] Ryan Whitney”). Paul adds context, noting the improbability of such a play and the ensuing fan reactions (“[07:02] Paul Bissonnette”).

C. NHL Team Dynamics and Strategies

Ryan and Paul delve into NHL strategies, particularly focusing on the concept of "sandbagging" — teams purposely underperforming to secure favorable draft positions. They reference their own experiences playing on sandbagged teams, discussing the subtle manipulations and the challenges of competing on high-caliber courses like Red Tail (“[13:29] Ryan Whitney”). The hosts emphasize the importance of team cohesion and the often-overlooked nuances of team strategy.

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IV. Interview with Bobby Holik

A. Early Life and Defection from Czechoslovakia

Bobby Holik opens up about his upbringing in the Czech Republic, detailing the hardships his family faced under communism. His father, Yaroslav Holik, owned a butcher shop that was nationalized in 1948, forcing him to work in a brick factory to support the family (“[80:35] Bobby Holik”). Bobby shares his aspiration to play in the NHL from a young age, fueled by his father's resilience and the impending revolution that ultimately allowed him to defect and pursue his hockey dreams (“[93:12] Bobby Holik”).

B. NHL Career and Influential Coaches

Holik discusses his NHL journey, starting with being drafted 10th overall by the Hartford Whalers in 1989. He recounts his experiences under legendary coaches like Herb Brooks and Jacques Lemaire, emphasizing the pivotal role they played in his development both on and off the ice (“[122:49] Bobby Holik”). Holik highlights the importance of leadership, team play, and maintaining composure, lessons he continues to impart in his post-retirement coaching endeavors (“[141:51] Bobby Holik”).

C. Overcoming Challenges and Emphasizing Teamwork

Reflecting on his career, Holik emphasizes overcoming personal and professional challenges by prioritizing team success over individual accolades. He recounts pivotal moments, such as adapting to trades and maintaining a team-first mentality despite evolving team dynamics (“[146:01] Bobby Holik”). Holik underscores the significance of consistency, discipline, and the ability to learn from both victories and defeats to achieve long-term success (“[148:16] Bobby Holik”).

D. Post-Retirement and Personal Life

Holik shares insights into his life after professional hockey, focusing on family, mentorship, and personal growth. He discusses his involvement in youth hockey coaching in Wyoming, his passion for bird hunting, and his work with CZ USA as a spokesperson (“[150:47] Bobby Holik”). Holik also touches on the influence of his father and mentors in shaping his approach to life and sports, advocating for integrity and continuous learning (“[152:50] Bobby Holik”).

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V. Memorable Moments and Team Discussions

A. NHL Team Performances and Player Movements

The hosts analyze various NHL teams' performances, including the New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, and Florida Panthers. They discuss strategic moves, player contracts, and standout performances, providing keen insights into team dynamics and future prospects. Notable discussions include:

• New York Rangers: Valuing Igor Shesterkin’s performance and potential contract extensions, emphasizing his critical role in the team's Stanley Cup aspirations (“[30:55] Paul Bissonnette”).

• Winnipeg Jets: Highlighting the team’s defensive prowess with players like Orion Komar and Rasmus Andersson, discussing recent sandbagging tactics and strategic player placements (“[13:29] Ryan Whitney”).

• San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames: Critiquing management decisions and player performances, urging teams to prioritize strategic acquisitions over tanking for draft picks (“[45:59] Ryan Whitney”).

• Florida Panthers: Celebrating Jeff Vinik’s generous bonuses to employees and analyzing the team’s strong start, led by goaltender Bobrovsky’s record-breaking wins (“[175:18] Ryan Whitney”).

B. Player Spotlights and Anecdotes

The conversation includes spotlighting players like Cale Makar, Zach Hyman, and Shawn Horcoff, discussing their impact on their respective teams and memorable in-game moments. Paul and Ryan share humorous anecdotes and notable plays, enriching the discussion with personal observations and fan interactions.

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VI. Concluding Remarks and Future Episodes

As the episode wraps up, the hosts express gratitude towards Bobby Holik for sharing his extensive experiences and insights. They hint at upcoming content, including interviews with other hockey legends and deeper dives into team strategies. The conclusion reinforces the episode’s themes of resilience, team cohesion, and the ever-evolving landscape of professional hockey.

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Notable Quotes

• Paul Bissonnette at [07:02]: "That was worse than any of those touchdowns where the guys dropped the ball at the one-yard line. Way worse, because... it's a bonehead play and you're just so excited to score and celebrate."

• Bobby Holik at [80:35]: "He was a fighter against the communists and stood up for what he believed was right."

• Ryan Whitney at [04:13]: "Luka is chubby, but so silky. It was like Joe and some big guys with a little bit of chubbiness to them, but they could throw their weight around and get rebounds."

• Bobby Holik at [141:51]: "It's not about the effort you put out, but what you give back."

• Bobby Holik at [152:50]: "Every book that I read is full of earmarks and underlining. I have to go back and sometimes I screenshot certain parts because I'm gonna need it eventually."

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Conclusion

Episode 529 of Spittin’ Chiclets offers a comprehensive blend of personal stories, expert sports analysis, and an inspiring interview with Bobby Holik. Listeners gain valuable insights into Holik’s illustrious NHL career, his unwavering dedication to team success, and his life lessons post-retirement. The hosts effectively balance humor with in-depth discussions, making the episode both entertaining and informative for hockey enthusiasts and casual fans alike.

For those interested in more detailed stories and expert opinions, subscribing to the Spittin’ Chiclets YouTube channel and following their latest episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube is highly recommended.

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Note: This summary intentionally omits repeated advertisements and promotional segments to focus solely on the content-rich discussions and interviews.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey Spit and Chiclets listeners.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You can find every episode on Apple.

[Ryan Whitney]

Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime.

[Bobby Holik]

Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is Barstool Sports.

[Ryan Whitney]

Our white whale, Sidney Crosby. Shave his head.

[Bobby Holik]

Shave his head.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Shave his head. Ryan Whitney, Paul Vincent R.A. mike Grinelli.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spittin Chicklets. What is up folks? We are back, episode 529 of the Spitting Chicklets podcast. Hey Barstool listeners, did you know Discover.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide?

[Ryan Whitney]

That's right, 99%. And every time you make a purchase.

[Paul Bissonnette]

With your card, you'll automatically earn cash back.

[Ryan Whitney]

That could mean earning rewards when you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Buy those last minute tickets, those overpriced concessions, and that takeout you ate at home after you bailed on meeting your.

[Ryan Whitney]

Buddies at the bar.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, wherever you spend game day, remember it pays to Discover. Based on February 2024 Nielsen report. Learn [e-mail] credit card.

[Ryan Whitney]

And we're back. What an amazing week of hockey we had. But biz, how are you doing, buddy? How are you getting settled in Scottsdale?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, don't forget to mention Merle started putting pink Whitney in his coffee instead of Bailey's. That's kind of the new thing, I guess. And if you run out of treats for Halloween, just give the kids some nips. Just put it right in the oil. Right in there. Right in there. What do you, what do you put them in now? Those little pumpkins, the carved out pumpkins.

[Ryan Whitney]

The plastic or, or just like, you know, even, maybe even pour some in like a different bottle so the, you know, it's like apple juice, but it's pink apple juice. Don't worry. Don't worry, Mr. Reynolds. Don't worry. And then his kids just waffled and walking around the neighborhood. This is probably not ideal either. I think you had mentioned another time not only to, to really be Zen and to, to maybe meditate while my kids are screaming in the house, but there was another thing you mentioned recently to do was that was, I think, was it edibles? Was it give a kid an edible?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, 100 milligram. Well, if you want to get some work done around the house, you know, maybe, maybe you want to, you know, paint one of your bedrooms, you know, just shut them down for a couple days.

[Ryan Whitney]

How many of my, how much painting you think I've ever done in my house? Me personally?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. I don't know. Have you, have you, have you never painted before?

[Ryan Whitney]

I Got, I got stuck painting something growing up as a punishment. I don't. I actually, yeah, I think it was because I for some reason like was like trying to hack down a tree in my front yard. It was a beautiful like maple tree too. And then my dad saw me and then, you know, the, the, the. The woods ruined forever and I had to paint something as a punishment. I, I have a.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You know, I thought maybe you had damaged it. It kind of. Oh, it just reminded me. I remember my dad got this brand new green Aerostar van. Remember the Ford Aerostars? You gotta bring those back. Classy van. And I, I had a bike and he used to hang them on a hook in the garage and, and I said, hey dad, you mind getting my bike down? He's like, yeah, give me a minute, I'm doing something else. Well, I got impatient. I took the bike down myself and I was wheeling it out the garage and the handlebars on both sides.

[Ryan Whitney]

Right on that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

On the brand new van and in my mom's car. He was not you. Oh, both cars with the handlebars trying to split the D. So the, the, the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Your impatient side has been around long before pro hockey.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Exactly. They're very impatient. But as far as my weekend, it was pretty relaxed. I think I was in bed at about what, 11:00, 11:30 on, on Saturday. That was after going to see the, the Sun's home opener. I got to see them play the Dallas Mavericks. So I've gotten to see that Joic guy who ended up winning MVP last year. And then. Is it Doncic?

[Ryan Whitney]

Luka Doncic.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Luka Doncic. What a fascinating player.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I, my one game I was at, I was watching the Dallas Mavericks against the Celtics. He's like chubby. He's like a big chubby guy, but so silky.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I was. It was kind of crazy. He played most of the game like normally guys are subbing in and out. I would say that if any of the star players. He was on the court the longest, it felt like he dropped 40 piece, but he just had his hands all over the game. And what was. Yeah, it never really felt like his heart rate got super elevated. Although maybe the, the movements didn't look fast. The way that he was able to stretch out and just maneuver out there, it was fascinating. Kind of like, kind of like Joe as big guys, but both guys have a little bit of chubbiness to them. But if they're able to kind of throw their weight around, get rebounds, great mitts on the guy too. And Then it was cool seeing Kyrie Irving and his handles. And then Devin Booker wasn't playing. The first game I'd ever went and watched, that was last year. So all the stars were on display. Kevin Durant had a huge night for them, and it was. It was a good time. I went with my friend, Coach Dar, and she treated me to the game, so it was a great experience. But other than that, a very relaxing weekend. And throughout that whole process, got to watch that leaf scheme game. I went to Rafy's hockey game beforehand, was watching the leaf game on my phone, and then obviously saw that they tied it up late and then lost to the Bees, but little disappointed in my Leafs lately. Dropping three in a row now, but we don't need to start there. We don't. We're on a positive note right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, let's go into the Oklahoma City Thunder, start in five, and then we can go through the rest of the NBA. And that. That was breaking down the NBA. Actually, the. The best NBA. Some of the best, funniest, sporty news of the weekend came out of the NBA. And when I got to see Dwyane Wade's new statue, oh, yeah, that was tough. I mean, Keith Yandel texted the group today, like, can we not do something about statue technology? Like, how in this day and age, are the statues this bad? I think somebody sent a Ronaldo, a Cristiano Ronaldo one where he just went home.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like, yeah, it looks like he's missing a chromosome in that one.

[Ryan Whitney]

The Dwayne Wade one.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Though.

[Ryan Whitney]

I saw somebody on Twitter kind of put the statue as a meme on the. On the famous picture of him throwing that alley oop to LeBron. But that was great in the NBA. And then before we really get into hockey, and I do have something to say about my weekend or week. One of the best bloopers I've ever seen in my life. Tyreek Stevenson of the Chicago Bears.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, God, this is brutal.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, I can't get over this video. And for anyone who doesn't know, I think he's a safety or a cornerback on the Bears. And the Bears are up a couple points. I think two points, whatever. Three points against the Washington Commanders. There's no time left. It's a Hail Mary play. And this clown is in the back of the end zone talking shit to the Commander's fans, just laughing at him, going like this. We got you enough.

[Bobby Holik]

Where.

[Ryan Whitney]

Where he ends up having to sprint over once the Hail Mary.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was the craziest part. Doing it before the snap. Okay, maybe, maybe that was their fan section where there was a lot of them. And he's trying to hype him up to, to close out the win. Fact that he's still doing it. He turns around and the wide receivers of halfway down the field ran their routes and then he's like, oh. And then he sprints over with the fact that he gets his hand on the ball and tips it to the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Best karma moment ever.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was worse than any of those touchdowns where the guys dropped the ball at the one yard line.

[Ryan Whitney]

Way worse, Way worse. Because in that you're, you're, you're, you're. It's a, it's a bonehead play, it's a stupid play, but you're also like so excited to score and celebrate this one. You're blatantly like, the game's over. And the best part of the clip is you could see some Bears, like pointed Bears fans pointing to him like, buddy, the play, the play. And, and then like after it came out that he was apparently supposed to be following, it's like Noah Brown or Nolan Brown, the guy who caught it, like that was his guy. The whole place just an all time, all time NFL blooper. And, and I saw your tweet because.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was off, I was off Twitter for the last 24 hours and then I opened it up today and saw you'd posted about it. Now coach say anything post game?

[Ryan Whitney]

I guess he apologized on Twitter like immediately after the guy. I, I don't know. I actually, I, I didn't. I'm not following up like Bears post game reports. I just, I've watched the clip a hundred times. Like, and he, and like then like at one point he just does this one like, nah, we good. The ball hits his hands, it's like, oh, it's just so beautiful. So beautiful.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I think that's also a nice way to bring up, you know, we're talking football and basketball. 31st ever sports. Equinox is happening to work recording on Monday, but that's going to happen tonight, I think, I think I forget who's playing the Steelers. I think it's actually the Giants playing the Steelers and then the Dodgers. Yankees. Like that's awesome. Like that Freeman story of him hitting Jackson back to back games. I didn't realize that. Both of his parents are Canadian. His mother who unfortunately passed away, she was, I think she was born or raised in Peterborough, Ontario. So he actually represents Canada when he plays internationally to, you know, obviously represent his family and where they're From So just a fascinating story and what was it? The first ever walk off grand slam in.

[Ryan Whitney]

First ever grand slam walk off in World Series history. I couldn't believe that. I couldn't believe it. And it was. I watched that game because I was. I was over a buddy's place. There's this thing. You want to hear the dumbest, maybe the dumbest thing that I've ever heard of an elementary school doing was Friday night. This is around where my son goes to school. There's a little pond like I'm going to say to walk around the pond is 0.75 miles, three quarters of mile. Oh, three eighths, baby. Let's get back to that. Three eighths, baby. So three quarters of a mile. So they. The week before Halloween on Friday you meet at the playground. There's a dj, there's pizza. The whole school's there. And I believe it includes another school because there's so many people. And then they decide, all right, let's walk around the lake. You know, the water of body. Very safe for kids just to set the scene.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like how many soccer moms we talking here around?

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm talking, I'm talking. There's 504 to 500 kids like running around the playground in the fields. But. But then let's walk around the pond. But let's not do it right at 5:15 when the whole shebang starts. Let's wait till it's pitch black. So we're going to do that. So just the dumbest, like just. I'm like, we're walking around a body of water with, with kindergarten to fifth graders and there's no parents around. Hilarious. Ridiculous move. But I long, long winded. I'm over at my buddy's house and this all leads back to the World Series. Jesus wit. So we're at my buddy's house and my buddy goes off. Just put in the bed on the Yanks. I love the Yanks tonight on the road getting, getting money or + 120 or something like that. And then my other buddy sit down and goes, buddy, two seconds ago I pressed the Dodgers. So they're immediately going against each other. So now I'm invested. Now I have no money left because Murley's game of the year in the Swedish League lost this past week. He's been very hot. I believe his game notes picked for Saturday were undefeated. But he screwed me over, so I had no money. So I couldn't bet that game. That game. I mean, Giancarlo Stanton hits this bomb Yankees are looking great. All of a sudden it's tied up. And then, like, the way it ended with a grand slam in game one of the World Series. Dodgers, Yankees is very cool, too. Like, some people probably hate the fact that it's these two super mega paying stars.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's what. It's what baseball needed. I feel like baseball was a little bit. Ever since they implemented the shot clock or the. The pitch clock. And then now you get this. Like, I. I haven't been invested in baseball in a long time. I care what's happening in this. This World Series. And just the. The Oshanti factor and the fact that he's a gambling addiction. Oshanti.

[Ryan Whitney]

Are you thinking of Ashanti? Ashanti and Shohei Ohtani.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Shohei Otani. I get. I struggle with the Japanese name.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's okay. That's okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

She had some bangers. That's a new one. She had some bangers, man.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, my God. Geez. Rest in peace.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But I think that summarizes the sports equinox very well. We kind of touched every sport. We touched football, baseball, basketball. And now before we get on to hockey, golf, sandbagger.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, dude. For anyone who hasn't watched yet, I don't really want to give it away, but I think we have to at this point. I mean, who cares?

[Paul Bissonnette]

We got sandbagged.

[Ryan Whitney]

We got sandbagged. But beyond what. What, like, sandbagging is one thing to sandbag the way Rob Shrimp did to do us that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And. And.

[Ryan Whitney]

And sometimes you tip your cap because after he told us, he's laughing, by the way, when you watch the video. He's winking. After he's like, hitting par fives and two. Like, he knew the whole time, but he's like, yeah, I got you, guys. I got you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's what the London Knights do wit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Exactly.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Sandbag the whole ohl. We got sandbagged at Red Tail. Now, there was a lot of first. The first time we've ever been sandbagged. Probably the first time we've played a course that nice. Like a private course. People are telling me that Sean Connery's passed away, Correct?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. I think it's probably good for him that he's passed away by now, too. He had some tough clips back in the day talking about domestic violence, but go ahead.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Those. Those. We won't. We won't get into that. But no, she. We just took a bit of a right turn, but apparently his favorite course, where he would just fly in, bring the chopper in, and play there and then take off. So the exclusivity of this course and the fact they even let us on the track now. I had a putter toss. I was so frustrated with these goddamn. On top of the pin placements, in which I've had a few members reach out since watching the video saying not only were the greens tough, they hosed you guys with the pin placement.

[Ryan Whitney]

I told, I said it to the guy walking off one of them the second hole. I said it to him, yeah, they're.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Going to catch me a near point in the future doing donuts on these greens. That's how frustrated them. And there's no way they're ever going to let me back given this putter toss. But talking about the sandbagger and the in the story, specifically one of my favorite ones, it was a blast. Hanging out with Preston Shrimp Ramp. Probably the, the most surprising story was the fact that Hunter put Brendan Press to shadow Sidney Crosby in the Memorial Cup. No, no, Brandon.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

BRANDON Shanti.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Brandon O'Shanti. The fact that he had him shadowed Crosby the whole game with Presti was unbelievable. Like, I, I, I, I couldn't believe my ears when he told me that story.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I love that. Rusty's a funny bastard. Like, I kind of forgot when I said the one hole. I'm like, right before he had a big shot, I'm like, chirp, I'm chirping. Biz and so sure shit. Like, great job on the editing posture. The video was awesome. And then you chirp his barrel and he's like talking about my, like, very quick. Right. It was just classic here. And then the Iginla story he told us. So for anyone who hasn't checked it out, we got owned. I think it ended up being that we lost six straight holes to lose five and four. So we were in the, in the middle of the match, and then like, my dad's all over me. He's like, you took his shot away because you were so bad. I'm like, yeah, I took his shot away like it was. The guy had no business getting any shots. I should have been getting shots. I took his shot away and I still hit it in the woods. You what? What, what really sucked for me, and I just want to apologize again, was you were unreal in that bagger, dude. Like, your irons, you were. One time we were 175. And usually that's like, I'm hitting four. You hit a seven pin high. I'm like, I am wasting a generational performance by Biz. And so I'll try To get you back.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I feel like I wasted it myself by three and four putting everything. That's how. How I felt about it. But if you haven't checked it, checked it out, go on our Spit and Chicklets YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe up to355,000 subscribers now. Witty Dog giving update. And why don't we bring on one of the most talented members of our team, Pasha, to talk about not only the edit, but maybe a few other things that are going around.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I got something else I want to ask him about, but talk about the sandbagger and how you think it.

[Pasha]

Was a great sandbagger. Like you mentioned, it was one of my favorites. Old school hockey guys telling good stories and it's fun. I believe if you count the two scrambles that was our 25th one we've done. And you know, I love them. They're just such fun productions. You guys make my job easy with how silly you are. So, you know, it makes the editing process easy. But yeah, if you have, like you guys said, you haven't checked it out, go watch because I think it's a really good one.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was gonna say the fact that he's able to put together these masterpieces are probably the only reason our fans still somewhat like him. But the reason I love getting them on the podcast and then when we cut these clips is just reading all the comments is get this guy off the podcast. And it just.

[Pasha]

Yeah, well, no, if you click those profiles, they, they all say NYC or Connecticut or what. It's all these Rangers fans that are rattled.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, well, Pasha, I do want to say from, from the first sandbagger to where it's @ now in 25, I mean, you're improving at an amaz. Like you're, you're, you're getting better and better and you were good to begin with. So, so that's the good news and great job. Worth every penny we pay your stupid ass. Bad news, Jack Hughes, I'm going to say posterized a little bit. And now the devil's got off to a flying start. And then they're giving up loads of goals to the Capitals and the Lightning. They, they, they really figured things out Sunday night. But in Detroit, Rasmussen decides to wrap a goal around to empty on into the empty night. Let's seal this thing. And Hughes makes a great attempt as a leader to go back and try to finish his hit and stop this goal from going in. Well, he runs into a fucking train. And then not only does he get bodied Right in front of the net. Rasmussen stands over him and flexes. And I. I texted the group chat within two seconds. Biz, I said, pasha, what is this? Where is your team? Where is the fire? Do you think if Patrick Kane got ran over and stood over like that in the Blackhawks days, somebody wouldn't have jumped him? So I'd love to hear your response.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Jack. Hugh. Jack Hughes had to get up and do something.

[Ryan Whitney]

He got up and was most angry. This is.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Maybe it's time to hit the gym a little bit more. I know he likes to skate a lot, but maybe it's time to put a little bit more muscle on.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just like you're skating.

[Pasha]

Rasmussen is twice his size. In business words, this is the biggest nothing burger story ever. Like, Jack is making a hard play back for the puck. If he didn't, he'd get chirped for. Why didn't he go and try and save it? Runs into a guy twice his size, obviously gets knocked over. And then Rasmussen, he's all hyped up because he got his first point of the year. Stands over him like, you know, let him enjoy his 15 minutes of fame. I had to Google him to even figure out who he was. Is he a forward?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Is he a d. Here we go. He just signed an extension last year. He just signed an extension last year.

[Pasha]

Nothing burger story ever.

[Bobby Holik]

Okay?

[Pasha]

Like, he ran over a guy half his size. He fell over. Sweet. Like, why you don't.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You don't care about the lack of the answer?

[Pasha]

I told you in the group chat this morning, all the Devils jumped in, the refs pulled him away. It's 10 seconds left in the game, and then they didn't put him out or any of the Detroit Stars out the rest of the game. And I guarantee you, next time these two teams play November 29th, I guarantee you Curtis McDermott fights Rasmussen.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What about the Truba train leaving the station again? Your boy, he's been playing well. What do you think?

[Ryan Whitney]

Great. He's playing great. And, Pasha, I really, really missed your take on this hit. He's playing solid, dude.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's.

[Pasha]

He's playing okay. Like, he racked up a few points in the first few games, but from what I understand, last night you texted me asking questions. You are now trying to figure out under the hood metrics. And if you look at his under the hood metrics, they are still not good. But going back to that hit. Clean hit, clean hit. Oh, I love big hits. I love fighting in the game. That was never my beef. With him, we don't need to, you know, beat a dead horse. But clean hit the guy. Put himself in a vulnerable position, head down, no awareness. I had no problem with the hit. So it was for once. For once wasn't a dirty hit from Truba.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Pasha's kind of pulled his head out of his ass. And Rangers fans might take a liking to you at that. You said that. Now we're going to let you leave, but before we do, we got to ask you one more thing about the Rangers. And you could be nice in your approach. This one pretty big bargoon contract for La Fernier. La for your.

[Pasha]

Yeah, exactly.

[Paul Bissonnette]

More.

[Pasha]

More reasons to, you know, butter up the Rangers fans. Hell of a player. Hell of a deal. I love that deal for the team. This guy is a. Is a rising superstar. I love his game and the fact they got him for what, 7.45. Hell of a deal. He took a team friendly deal. And then you know what? The money you saved on that, give it to igor, give him 17, maybe even 18.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it's about time to say goodbye to Pasha.

[Ryan Whitney]

Take. Take a hike, Pasha. I just wanted to talk about the sandbagger first also this week before we get back quickly into the. Into the hockey cheese Chiclets. You at chickens University at army's dropping, which the way he described to us. I'm very excited to watch. Sounds like it's funny. Gets emotional. Just very impressive what those guys do at West Point for army hockey. And he was at Michigan at Yost. What is it? The kids of Yost Is that the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Why don't we get them on? Jump on.

[G]

Children of Yost is what they call them. Crazy. Crazy fan section. Yeah, we were at Michigan this past week and it was pretty cool. Got to go to the big house. First college football game, Michigan vs. Michigan State. We were down on the field, hit Yost arena. Traditional unreal barn. Got to chat with Red Baronson which is legendary Michigan coach. First guy to wear a helmet in the NHL. So it was an unreal video that's coming out in a couple weeks. But we do have, like you just said, we have army coming out this week. Very emotional video. I'd say moving is the right word. Hit the trail of the fallen at the end of the video. But yeah, that'll drop Wednesday around.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What's the trail of the fallen?

[G]

So trail of the fallen is unbelievable. So the whole video, all day, everyone keeps saying you got to hit the trail the fallen. You got to hit the trail of fallen. So at the end of the day we did this two mile hike and it was like a, I think, I believe two and a half mile hike up. Really, it's a really directly up mount up. Like you're like basically climbing a rope up this. During this hike it's really steep and when you get to the top, it is the most scenic view you've ever seen. And there is a American flag at the very top of this mountain and all under the flag are these rocks and on each rock is you're supposed to carry a rock up the mountain. When you, when you do the trip, if, if you know someone who has fallen in the line of battle and you, you write their name on the rock and you know, if you have their dog tag still or something along those lines, you put that there. So it's, it's really moving to be up there to see, you know, someone's name, Vietnam War with their dog tags hanging on there and you know, all these different rocks and all these different stories of all these different people who served our country, who, who made the ultimate sacrifice, which it's, it's. And then the coach just like right when we're up there, it's sun setting and coach, Coach Brian Riley, it's his final season. 21 years just gave like out of nowhere gives the most like emotional, like inspirational. And this was filmed, we filmed it all.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it was incredible to be all dropping on the, on the chicken YouTube channel.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's awesome.

[G]

It was unbelievable. So yeah, Wednesday around noon, that's dropping. And yeah, army, those guys are a different breed. So it'll be a fun video.

[Paul Bissonnette]

People are loving these chiclets you videos. So great job, G. Glad you had a great weekend at the University of Michigan. I'm sure they handled you a nice duffel bag to promote their university and getting all the top recruits and let's keep her moving, baby. Keep moving the chains.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, we got a bunch of stuff to get to. But you did bring up quick to Pasha, the. The extension or Alexis lafreniere. I love it. I was shocked at the responses I got on Twitter. I said what a deal. I don't exactly remember my tweet word for word, but then there was a ton of. What do you mean this is a good deal. Look at the points. He had 57 points.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He hasn't hit the 60 point mark. Shut the fuck up.

[Ryan Whitney]

How dumb, how dumb are certain people on the Internet? I mean, what a ridiculous question. Everyone knows the answer, but it's just. I said this deal is insane. What a Bargain. Chris Drury doing God's work for the New York Rangers. And a bunch of response coming where I have to write how dumb are some of these replies? When the cap is over 100 million in four years, this guy will be getting 75 to 90 points while making 7.45. Wake up. I think that this deal is exactly, exactly what the Rangers needed. Like the Rangers are looking like this is an enormous win for us. You've seen what this kid has done and I was hard on him at the beginning biz. Do you actually, do you know who his trainer is back home?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you remember Steph Dube from when we were in Pittsburgh?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, back in Wilkes Barre? Yeah. He was, he was good boys with Talbot and obviously with. Yeah, with Tarian as well. Tarian loved them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh yeah. And brought him and Nazardine. They're very close as well. So I didn't know that, but that's his trainer. And two years ago, after they had lost in seven to the Devils, he had no points in the playoffs. And like reading about this a little bit, he came, he, he starts training. I think it was 10 days after they lost and just Dubai's talking about it and saying this. It just. Something clicked, something changed. He was so pissed off and so angry at how poor he had played in the playoffs, how he hadn't popped off yet. He then goes back last year. It's his third coach in, in four seasons. Right. So because he came in with David Quinn, then Gerard Gallant was there. Well, Laviolette's there. Height. Philip Heidel goes down. They put him with Panarin and Trocheck. They've turned into a dominant line. Last season they played more minutes and scored more five on five goals than any other line in the league. I think after what he's proven and how he keeps getting better and every year is more points. This year it's eight points in eight games. He doesn't play power play.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's the key right there.

[Ryan Whitney]

These are regular. These are.

[Paul Bissonnette]

People don't realize how, how hard it is to score five on five in today's NHL. And I, I couldn't agree with you more. Everybody was messaging me after I said it was a Baron like guy hasn't even hit the 60 point mark. The biggest thing for me is like maybe he wasn't producing especially early on, but he learned like the fundamentals of the game where he's a responsible player. Like he's nowhere near a liability out there. So if you're getting 30 and 30 every year and you're paying a guy seven and a half who's not playing power play, getting that many points. That's a Baron contract. And if you've watched any Rangers games over the last half of a year, going back to last year when obviously last year things started really clicking for him and he gained that confidence. And even into this year where I know he's playing with some pretty high talented players, but you watch certain shifts where he's the one driving the line, he's the one making the big play to, to separate the guy from the puck, to get it back and to keep it alive in the offensive zone. Like going back to the other night. Like sometimes Sean Aver Avery does great breakdowns on his Instagram. He does and he does. I like watching him. Right. Because he's bang on and he's.

[Ryan Whitney]

He does it for Tampa. He does him a lot for Tampa. The Rangers in Toronto. I think. Oh no, he's Tampa Rangers.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. And he was doing it for the Rangers the other night and he, he did a great breakdown of how La Frenieri separated the guy from the puck. Then he was the F3 up top, keeps the play in the zone, moves it down low, takes a hit and then he's the guy to go to the net, score a goal on a given go. So he is just firing on all cylinders. And I don't necessarily when guys play the way that he care if they get 90 or 100 points. He is a very well rounded player and this is going to be a bargain contract like you said in three, four years. I even think it's fair market value right now, if not a little bit of a bargain and, and great job for him. Like you said, sometimes like players when they have that type of offseason and year or not, when, I mean offseason, postseason and they, they struggle, maybe they go poopy pants and they don't go work harder in the gym and it's everybody else's problem and their FAU not playing with the right guys and I'm not in the right situation. He took it upon himself to go and dig in in the off season to, to have that, that the ability to come back and have a bounce back year like he did last year. He's earned everything he got and it's very hard when you're the first overall pick to overcome those demons. And we actually have a story later on about the Dylan McElrath, the guy who was drafted 10th overall in the first round. That's a very fun story. But we're going to save that for later and, and you almost hope to see the same thing for, for, for Shane Wright as well, who was supposed to be the first overall pick who went up, ended up going fourth overall and he spent time in the minors. So it's not always going to click right away for these guys and you got to give them a little bit of time to season. And this is a guy where it's, it's finally clicking and I couldn't be happier for Rangers fans. There, I said it.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I said it.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right. Well, there's also some news with the Islanders going around a little bit, but I guess the final thing is he was drafted. He didn't play for like nearly a year because it was Covid. Then he came into league in the bubble and you've seen him take off. I'm, I'm easily ready and, and willing to eat my words that this guy didn't really have what I thought a future star would have. He's looked phenomenal.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well there. I mean, if we're talking teams off to a hot start here at the beginning of the podcast, I think if we're talking Rangers, like I know we talked about Igor rejecting that contract extension. The longer he keeps playing this way, the, the more the dollar is going up. Right now I think he's got what, a, a two point. What's his goals against average right now this season? 2.4. Maybe even a little bit lower with an. I think he's got. Now maybe. I think he's got a 9:40 save percentage over six games. So I, I don't think that the 12 and a half, $13 million mark is, is out of this world. And I know people think I'm crazy because maybe he's only going to play 60, 65 regular season games, but there's no way that the Rangers are lifting a Stanley cup if it's not for Igor. And his play has proved that so far this season, just like the last. And he's numbers.

[Ryan Whitney]

He right here he is.916, 926 save percentage, 2.16 goals against.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There you go. That's fucking.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he's got a shutout. And it's, it's kind of funny that he's actually doing the exact opposite of, of what LA Frontiere is doing because granted he's ufa, it's different in that sense. But he's like, I'm not, I'm. I'm gonna prove and up my, my worth game by game where LA Frontier could have easily done that. I mean, if he. If he thinks that he has reached a different level. He's point per game right now, like, what if I go get 75 points this year? But it was more like, I like the security, I like where I'm at. I want to do it. Igor's not looking at it like that. He wants to break the mold and he actually has already been offered the largest contract in goaltending history. And he's like, no, no, no, no, no. I show you more. So it's been incredible to see what they've done. I was an idiot about them, kind of. I think in the pre season previews, I maybe was looking at like, who do I think can win the Stanley Cup? And I didn't think of them. And then now I'm back to thinking like, they could if Igor got that hot. Now Pasha's probably losing it. And Rangers haters are like, they can't get by the in the East. They can't beat the Panthers, but we'll see because you know they're going to be there right in the end. And they are the regular season champions, of course. Don't forget they're true. Don't forget that's true.

[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

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[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

It comes in leggings, tops, these amazing skort dresses. I'll be wearing YPB Studio Flex to.

[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

I'm not someone who sets resolutions, so I love that. YPB by Abercrombie is made to bring.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Your personal best all year long.

[Ryan Whitney]

Add YPB to your routine. Shop online or in store. What else? Oh, Winnipeg. Oh, mea culpa, baby. I think I just got to keep saying mea culpa every episode until they lose. I was wrong. I was wrong last year. I'm wrong this year. Your team is a wagon. I believe that They've now won 16 regular season games in a row over the course of two seasons. They finished with eight last year. Then they got rocked in five games by the ABs. But then now they got eight in a row this regular season. The.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The.

[Ryan Whitney]

The record is the Penguins 17 and like 92, 93 of across two seasons winning games in a row. So maybe they tie that. What do you see? Do you think it'll continue? I will say the Power play is around 40, 45%. So you know that's going to level off.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean, yeah, it'll level off a little bit, but we've also said that about the Oilers sometimes in the past where they were clicking at that high of a range.

[Ryan Whitney]

Those two teams, you don't want to do that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know, buddy. I'll tell you right now, I like their top nine way better than I like the Oilers top nine. I think they have so much skill distributed on their top nine, you're crazy. And I think they have the best third line in hockey going right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

I agree with chemistry, I agree with that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You know, need a rider. That's trades looking like a steal. Appleton and then of course Lowry, who if he keeps playing like this, buddy, he's a shoe in for that four nations tournament. You, you'd be so stupid to not even have him as a fourth line center.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hold on him or Tom Wilson.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think you have.

[Ryan Whitney]

They're not both, they're both not making the team, I don't think.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What do you mean they're both not making? You could have one guy as an extra. Like, like.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, that's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It could be an extra to start the tournament, man. And given the fact that the, the. The US team, especially up front, they got some disruptors there. You're going to need some guys pushing back even on the back end. They got some guys who physical. They got McAvoy. You got to disrupt that back end for Team USA. So I think that if I'm looking at it, you always don't want to go too one dimensional with SK skill out the wazoo. You need some guys who are going to, you know, be a thorn in those guys sides now going back to Winnipeg. I mean we, we touched on them last week, man. They're getting incredible goaltending right now. They got that good one two punch on the back end with. With Pian who's played incredible so far this year. You always know what you're going to get from Morrissey. But I think it just comes back to our Neil and their team overall. I think that early in the season sometimes some teams get a little bit sloppy with their, their coverage and their D zone and not playing in struct that they took that momentum they'd gained last year over the course of the regular season and they brought it right in to start this year and, and you know, they, they don't give up as much as other teams do. They know how to score in different ways. I think it was army last year. Who touched on how good they are off the offensive zone cycle and how they can generate offense there. You're talking about their power play. Well, I mean, you talk about one dimensional. You can't be one dimensional just scoring there. So they found a way to. To incorporate their whole lineup as far as providing offense. They're the back end, they're getting Vezna caliber goaltending and it just seems like the culture has. Has kept going the way that it was established with Arniel taking over as head coach. So I like them, man. That's the biggest Maya Culpa going right now as far as teams that I had missed in the playoffs and. But I do think that they play tonight. It will be their ninth game. So by the time this podcast comes out, they might have suffered their first loss, but to start the season eight. No. After whatever happened in playoffs last year, it's just kudos to them and the leadership that that group has now. I think that we actually have Rick Bonus coming on TNT this week, so he'll probably touch on what it was like coaching there and, and the group. And he says, we made it very clear to those guys, if you don't want to play here and you don't like being in Winnipeg, let us know. We'll get you the fuck out of here. And everybody who's playing there is bought into playing in Winnipeg. And listen, it ain't for everybody. It would in, in some guys cases be a very difficult place to play. It's cold, it's dreary. The dog days of the season could be extra extended. Chris Drury, Is it Drury? Is that how you say it?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it's dreary.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Dreary.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was five French Canadian. Would you give me a goddamn break here?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, Shanti Drury, baby. Little League World Series.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hooked on phonics. Didn't work for me. But overall, very impressive from the jets so far this season. Witty. What do you got on them? So I guess Nikolai Ehlers is the only guy who they try. I guess they're trying to sign him to an extension, but he's like, no, no, no, I'm gonna wait till after the year. So he might be the only guy that. That maybe doesn't enjoy playing there as much as the other guys. Or he's like Igor and he's waiting for his payday.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ehlers is a. Is a water bug out there. He's got 10 points in eight games. Yes. Oh. Oh. They're playing Toronto this evening and I want to let everyone know there's eight games tonight, which is not common for a Monday.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Usually.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's it's a pretty, I feel like slow night in the NHL. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays being the big dogs. If, if anything happens in any of these games, we'll be hopping back on. I'll be getting back on here later. So obviously we're through Sunday. But in terms of the jets, this article and it's written by Murad that Atez A T E S I I I I I'm so bad with names I butchered it for sure. But it's good. It's on the athletic and it's talking about Scott Arnel and his analytics summit and his aim to evaluate I'm chirping you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh yeah? You want to fucking come at me? Hey, you piece of shit.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was like the guy talking shit and then the ball going off his fingertips.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Karma, Karma, motherfucker.

[Ryan Whitney]

Inside Scott O'Neill's Analytics Summit and his aim to elevate unbeaten Winnipeg Jets. So it goes into this that he had this entire group summit this, this summer talking about analytics. And it stems from last year. The Avalanche had dismantled the jets in the first round of the playoffs. In Colorado's head coach, Jared Bednar was loud and proud about his team's analytical advantages. Bedner said Colorado changed its forecheck as a direct response to its preparation for the series. So Colorado used analytics so to perfection against them last year and Arnel is like we need to get better at this. We need to use this better and we need to simplify it. Where they went in all confused about if the article goes into way better explanation of what they did. But it's interesting. Pasha's probably got the Jergens and the Kleenex out right now we're talking about analytics but talking about like figuring out what's a slot shot, what isn't to really dial in their entire game and who they play against and how other teams play. I thought that was interesting. Like to see that they're starting this strong. And Arnel also mentioned that he kind of thought he had to do it all in Columbus. That's where Call me Call me's been rough on Scott Arnel before. I think he was a little bit on the on that people can learn.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And grow and evolve.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what he says. He says he he tried to do everything and he had to be a part of everything. He talks now about trusting his assistants way anymore, which makes sense to me. Like your, your stress level trying to control everything would would kill you. Like you got to have belief in the guys you hire. And it seems like they really do have something brewing there now. Can the playoffs be different? Because Winnipeg jets fans, it's. They. They're successful in the regular season. It's playoffs. It's son. See ya Kapoof. And now let's see if it could be different. But Hellebox. Unreal Helle Buck, I guess starting goalie for Team usa. It's not a stretch but. But that's a tough competition. You're talking about Team Canada and Wilson and Lowry goaltending in Team USA is crazy. You got Hellebuck Ottinger. There's just. There are so many different options for that team. Whereas Canada. Who's Canada's starter? Biz, who's your starter?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'd go crazy. Bennington.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I give him a bag and say go out there and do your thing, brother. That's what I do. I would fucking. I trust he's away. He. He loves it when the. When the competition is at its highest. That's when Bennington shows up.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the Blues. Good buddy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They. They do. They. They compete hard. They compete hard. And obviously Robert Thomas going down is not ideal. I think he's got like a fractured ankle or something. Hopefully it's not too long, but. Yeah, man, that's a great double wrister for the jets and a team that we probably don't talk enough about and maybe we can get one of the. Maybe we can get Kyle Connor the Electric Factory back on and talk about how the season's gone so far. But I mean we'd be hard pressed not to mention Schle as well. Who's. Who's been off to a great start. So lot to prove for that jets team. I also going back to your comment about the for check. I also thought that they got roasted off of the rush. I thought when. When Colorado's D were joining the rush, they were giving up the line easy and they were getting so many scoring chances off the rush.

[Ryan Whitney]

So they said in this same article that they started the series off putting it in deep because they said they. They thought of Winnipeg as having like. Like defensemen that were a little bit on the slower side, which I could agree with. So they got it in deep and they got him backing up and then they took over the. The possession and the offense. They just them back and then got all the room they needed.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah that second layer coming in most of the time it's a defenseman activating. Like go back and watch the goals from last year's first round. I bet you they get throughout the whole ser series probably six, seven goals off the rush in a five game series. They just opened up the floodgates on them, so. But that ain't this year. No more fraud squad as of right now. Unless our guy behind the scenes has to say anything about it.

[Ryan Whitney]

No.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Maybe we'll get a text after this pod comes out.

[Ryan Whitney]

No more fraud squad. But I guess I'm talking about history with the, the winning streak throw two seasons. Kind of a joke when you get trucked in the playoffs. But we also are looking at history in another way biz, and that's in a bad way and that's the San Jose Sharks, who I believe are trying to become the first team to start an NHL season with nine consecutive losses two years in a row.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hey man, if you're going to do it, go big.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, well that, that leads us into the Flames and we'll get into that. Like I, I know what you're saying, but when you hear about Craig Conroy and the Flames, talk about like them not wanting to be a part of that, there is an argument to when it gets that bad with young guys. It is, it's, it crushes you, dude. It really. And if you don't have a strong core of veterans, which I'm not talking about their, their veterans specifically at all, like that wears on guys. That can change development and you just hope that they get it turned around a little.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It sucks.

[Ryan Whitney]

Celebrini goes down like that. They had the excitement. They had a three goal lead in the first game of the year against the Blues and blew it. No pun intended. So now, now it's like they got to get off. They gotta, they gotta get a win.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Because I, I think that if you're a fan of the Sharks and you're in that organization, you want to make it as miserable as possible for two, maybe three years. And I get what, listen, I get what you're saying, buddy. Like you look at Chicago and I like the moves that they made this offseason to surround Berdara with competent players, learn how to win some championship pedigree in there, bring in more veterans that he can snap it around with so the power play could be overall better and you're not dealing with like a 1520 win season. But, but buddy, make it quick. Make it extremely painful. Get those first and second overall picks because those are the players that are going to change the foundation of your organization. That's what's going to do it. Smith, I know you got Celebrini and maybe add in one more special player. Like I forget the kid's name. The kid playing at bc. There was a clip that came out of this kid. I thought it was AI generated.

[Ryan Whitney]

I sent it to you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was that Jack Eel playing in his gear. It looked like it was Jack Eichel.

[Ryan Whitney]

But was there some sort of editing where his his head is that still.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He was looking at the banners in the rafters while controlling the puck the whole fucking shift. So if I'm the San Jose Sharks, I'd be putting pucks in my own net in order to get this guy. So as much as we want to be critical and as much as it's miserable for Sharks fans, just be dog for one more year. Get this kid. And I think your guys future is going to be so bright. So keep doing what you're doing. Off with this limbo nonsen sense and Tank. Tank. Tank at the Shark Tank, baby.

[Ryan Whitney]

You can take. You can tank and not get 47 points like I would 65 points. You're tanking, bro. You're horrible. 47 last year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

If that clip was not AI generated, I would try to lose all 82 games. What if you don't change my best.

[Ryan Whitney]

We know it doesn't guarantee you get it. And then you're stuck with some. Some bust that's just Tanking in the tank. He's drinking in the Tank. He looks like a dead shark in the tank by the end of his career because he won nine games a season for four years. It gets exhausting. It gets exhausting. You gotta be not 47.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's when you just gotta trust the process and you gotta trust Batman and the fact that he pulls out that magic ball. But you did mention the Flames. You want to move off to them or you want to keep talking about the Tank?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, the. The Tank at the Tank. That's. That's going to be an interesting follow this season. And everyone knows they'll probably be last. I just think you hope for some of these guys you get a little bit of a run. You win seven of 10 at one point throughout the year. Just something to build on and gravitate towards as you're looking to the next season. And remember how we played some good hockey at that one stretch. Not just business. Tanking at the tank. Saturday night. $10 come watch the. The Sharks tank at the Tank and then just lose 10 nothing against his 1 and 1.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Make sure the other guy gets his 1 and 1 and just lose every goddamn game. Now shifting over to. To Calgary here's what I'm feeling from Calgary. I'm feeling like they're this year's Philadelphia Flyers. I feel like they're gonna. Oh, when did you say that?

[Ryan Whitney]

I believe I said it last. Last episode, if not two episodes ago or it was on the group chat. So I feel bad right now, interrupting my.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Ok, you know what? I'm going to hand it off to you. I don't want to steal your thunder.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no, you take it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't want to steal your thunder.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're not. You're not. I don't know why my ego got in the way there, and I. There probably isn't even evidence of me saying it on the pot. I know. I thought it, though, so I'm more giving you a tap on the back. Good job.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All right. All right, Ray. But speaking of young talent, been very pleased with that Zari kid. Like, I love the way that he controls the puck. He's got good offensive ability. But I think the story right now is Rasmus Anderson leading their team in points. He's got 10 points in eight games right now, and every time he's scoring, he's doing stare downs with fans in the crowd. Have you been seeing this?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. It's a great celebration.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What do you make of it?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it's amazing. And it's only if a fan nearby has the opposing or that team's jersey on.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Correct. I think he did it to the Pittsburgh Penguin guy and then all of a sudden there was maybe a little battle going on the rest of that game where they ended up coming back and, and beating a shootout. But it's a great story to start the year. They're the Kings of Alberta right now. Other than your, obviously, because your Oilers are dog shit.

[Ryan Whitney]

How are they dog ship is what? How are they dog shit?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, just compared to what we're expecting out of them. I mean, they went to the Stanley cup finals and they're not exactly that hot coming out of the gate to the point where they're not even the best team in Alberta. They're not even the best team in Alberta.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're. You're. You actually have serious, like, mental, mental problems. If you're thinking that the Edmonton Oilers right now aren't turning a little bit of a corner and looking a lot better. You're crazy. You're crazy. Yeah. They're not 10 and oh, I mean, okay, like it's a long season build toward the playoffs. Look at last year and what happened. They're figuring it out. They look good. Leon. Two Goals and an assist on his birthday. They win in Detroit in overtime. Like things are happening. Work the Penguins go ahead back to Calgary biz. Don't. Don't bring my Oilers into the mix. Your Leafs have plenty to worry about.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, yeah, they do. Okay. We won't go there yet. But as far as Rasmus Anderson, I mean probably could potentially be a nice deadline pickup for somebody. I don't know what the future is in Calgary. They've. Why are you laughing?

[Ryan Whitney]

Because nobody needs him more than the Edmonton Oilers.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You think that he might go there, down there?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't know if that will ever get done. If Craig Conroy would ever end up agreeing with Stan Bowman and like help.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I thought that was a faux pas to.

[Ryan Whitney]

To make. It's happened before. I think Grinnell, will you look it up, please? It definitely has. But Rasmus Anderson, I only laugh because he's exactly what the Oilers need at right D like to a T. So if it could ever happen. I think his cap it's 4.4 for.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The next Very cheap. It's very cheap. It's cheap for what he's doing right now and he's got a certain edge to his game. Not a liability defensively at all. And the fact that he can do this offensively, I don't know if he's going to sustain this. Although he. I think his career high is 50 points so it's not like he's not accustomed to putting up decent numbers. But I think that overall he's probably been the catalyst to their team right now. Very happy for Hugo and what he's doing after. You know, you have the year last year that he had and then you see your old team go off and win a Stanley cup and then he's doing what he's doing. Kadri has been off at the start. Another guy who maybe they could part ways with if the team's willing offer a big enough return at the deadline. I think he could help so many teams up immensely. I would love, love, love to see him back in Toronto. Don't think that's going to happen the way things left. I think that the other story too is the. The 1A, 1B. That's my favorite saying when it comes to the net and miners with Ladar and Wolf and you know they don't. I don't think Calgary has a ton in the pipeline that is a as a pro, as a proven prosthet prospect. We mentioned Zari, but this Wolf guy, he went down to the American League. I think he was Goalie of the year, back to back years in the ahl. And then so far, his number so far in his four games that he's played and shared the net with vi, he looks fucking awesome. So things are definitely looking in the right direction for Calgary. But like you said last pod or on the group text, I think that. Yeah, or. Or in your own brain. Ashanti. I think that at some point they are going to fall off a cliff and. And they're going to have to do what they. They need to do in order to prep for the future. But it's got to be fun being a fan there, getting off to this unexpected start and being the Kings of Albert.

[Ryan Whitney]

So do you believe that those fans. Because I've seen rumblings that the fans are actually like, no, stop winning. There has to be a fan base at least divided, if not more so, wanting them to win, but some of them being like you and say, no, no, no, no, no. Get better odds for first overall.

[Paul Bissonnette]

My understanding is the moves that they've made over the last couple years, especially last year, were incredible in preparation for the future. I think having those like the Anderson around and, and Kadri around, off on some of these other young players they do have on the team and, and make things a little bit less painful for the fan base and around the city. I think it's perfect what they're doing now at the early part of the season. But I think that you have to look towards the future and if there's a big enough return, which I think that there will be for some of these pieces they do have, especially given Rasmus Anderson's cap hit, I think you have to look towards the future like that is that building up their value to get good assets in return is just important as what they end up doing at the draft and these draft picks that they accumulate.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you gotta get a lot for. You gotta get a lot for them, then you're gonna.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You're gonna get a lot. So I, I think that they're in a good spot now and man, there's not. There's nothing better than starting out the season hot when you had no expectations. The mojo and the feeling around the ring like, have you seen clips of the bench, like Huberto smiling again?

[Ryan Whitney]

He looks so happy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

When's the last time we've seen that?

[Ryan Whitney]

I know the guy can probably go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

To Tim Hortons and not get mobbed about the fucking power play, for Christ's sake.

[Ryan Whitney]

The Justin Kirkland story too is so cool.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's just like 10 years later. We talked about it already. The serious injury he had from was it a car accident? I believe Grinelli mentioned. It's like this kid's getting his chance, the team's having success. I do agree with you though. In the end they will remember I used to say the all the time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And then memes gave me the Do.

[Ryan Whitney]

I still say that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Memes. Memes gave you the Linkin park treatment memes.

[Ryan Whitney]

Speaking of memes, just a disgusting tweet of you on the face of all these club goers and partiers in the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm gonna knock him out when I see him for posting.

[Ryan Whitney]

I almost like threw up. I was like, oh this is bizarre. Just biz is everywhere. Women, men, he she's different hair, different mustache. I was like, oh, and memes has a sick mind to do worse. So Calgary. Good for them. Good for them. But yeah, we'll see where that ends up going. Are you feeling lucky? Well, get ready to try your luck with Jackpocket, America's number one lottery app. With Jackpocket you can order Powerball and Mega Millions tickets right on your phone phone. They even have official state lottery games every day. There are millions up for grabs right on your phone. New customers can get a free lottery ticket using code Puck P U C K that's code puck. For a free Powerball or Mega Millions ticket, don't wait. Download Jackpocket now for your chance to win big. Good luck gambling problem.

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[Ryan Whitney]

About I don't know 9-15-ish started really talking NHL futures Matt Murley said the Vegas Golden Knights are crushing everyone this year year and he has been repeating it over and over and over and he looks like a genius right now and he's really bullying us in the chat. Just after every box score at home they put up 17 goals. Here you go boys. Vegas still 18 to 1. I wonder if that's changed on the DraftKings sportsbook. I think that getting that first round loss and actually rest was was the biggest thing for this group. They're healthy. Mark Stone leads the league in scoring bids is but I want to talk about the Shea Theodore extension which yeah this guy. What a find. What a deal. What was Anaheim Thinking, giving up on him. And I think there was more that went into it back at the time and. And I don't know.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that they gave up Montour, too, at that time. It's like they didn't protect any of their good D. Like, what the fuck?

[Ryan Whitney]

What were they doing? I don't know what was going on. He's one of three original Vegas Golden Knights players that were there for the first year in the run to the Cup Final. Do you know who the other two are? One's easy. I don't know if you'll get that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That are. That are still there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There's three of them, I would guess. McNabb.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. That's the one I didn't think you'd get or wasn't sure you'd get.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And then Kolasar wasn't there. Maybe Roy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nope.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wait up, wait up, wait up. Oh, Carlson, Carlson.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wild Bill. Yeah. So you got. You got all three pretty easy. So he's been, since he got there, just the smoothest skater, puts up points. I think defensively, his numbers get, like, questioned a little bit, but the way he's actually moving the puck, getting it out of his zone, jumping into the play. Right now, he's running the power play. That deal while being 37 at the end of it. Maybe at the end. It hurts right now. It's awesome. And it gives them Hannifin locked in at, I think, 7.5 ish. He's 7.4 and Petro's 8.8 for the next six years.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Up after next year. Correct. That'll be his last year at the end of next year. But the fact that you have this year and next year of those two guys. Yeah, I think Petro's up. Up at the end of the 25, 26 season. But the fact that you're paying none of them more than $9 million and you're able to spread around to have a 1, 2, 3 punch on the back end like that, you'd have to say that they're probably at this point maybe the best decor in the league, if not top three. It's crazy. And then each of them takes the focus off of one another, where maybe Hannifin last year when he came in, and even in playoff time, it seemed like he'd taken up that power play play and maybe a little bit too much of that time away from Theodore, where I feel like each of them slotted in the perfect spot now. And I think the one other thing with it's like, health, like he's been healthy over the last year and a half and that's been important. I want to say in his last 82 games he has 71 points. Jay Theodore so it's crazy. His top end offensive ability is incredible as far as getting production from the back end. And you mentioned his defensive side side. Well he doesn't really need to be unreal there. He's not a very over overly physical defenseman either. But another Baron contract for the Vegas Gold Knights in which was conducted by Pinky in the brain. I'll always go back to McPhee. I will always. Have you seen the clip that just went viral?

[Ryan Whitney]

No.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Of McPhee snapping him and McCrimmon are there with the owner Foley and I. It's probably a first period turnover and McPhee's fucking losing his mind. Probably ready to try to.

[Ryan Whitney]

What's that from a recent game like this past week.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think this clip came out like three days ago. If, if G can send it over to you.

[Ryan Whitney]

G send it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's just the Pinky in the brain aspect of these two and how they work and how look at, look at their top scorers right now outside, outside of Shay Theodore you got Eel Stone, Barashev, Hurdle you got look, might as well throw Hanifin in the next Petra, Angelo. All these guys were, were acquired via big time trades. So they, these, this GM and president, they put their nut sacks on the line and they make very hard difficult decisions and boy do they get it right every goddamn time. Because Hurdle even looks like himself again after he didn't last year come playoff time. So they are just all systems go baby.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hurdle, Hurdle does look great and, And Theodore has 296 points in 450 games on the Golden Knights. He's got eight points in eight years and their power plays at 36%. Also the final one that I wrote down was that they're paying the fifth most money to defensemen in the NHL in terms of like cap percentage and it's only actually going to be more so next year when when Theodore's deal kicks in. But I, I get that like pay money to have a good defense, to have three legit guys that can move the puck and play pppk like spread it out. I love that and it's worked for them so far and now if Merles is correct they're going to do it again this year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I believe their philosophy is the back end and strength down the middle and I think that that's kind of the formula in order to Win now and then. Those centermen can distribute to the puck, to the guys in the wings. I mean, fucking Barbershev might be a point per game player this year. Guys making $5 million and he'll put you through the N1.

[Ryan Whitney]

Petro has two more years after this year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, I thought he was done. 25, 26. Good for them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Holy shit. 26, 27. And then he'll be 38 years old. You wonder, like, can. That's a. That's a long time from now. But he is doing it unreal for. What is it, 12, 13 years now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's a tank.

[Ryan Whitney]

So the wild biz my squad kind of this year. I like watching these guys. I get just such a Billy G fan that now I in Capri Soft, I. Every episode, I'm going to keep talking about it. One of the most fun players to watch in the league. He's dominating when he's out there. But it's Gustafson. It's their goalie, and he apparently was very close to getting traded last offseason or maybe the summer before that. I don't remember exactly. I got to check this out. Gee, look it up for me. Apparently there was a very good chance he was going to be traded. And then now he looks. He looks phenomenal. And he snort. He scored a goal. I. I just. I think the team's fun. I think that Zuccarello has always entertained me. The way he flies around out there. Hartman's a rat. Like Foligno is awesome. Felino was chirping. Biz, you sent over some words he had, right? Who was that for?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it was Hathaway. He was saying, yeah, he's got to do, like, do stuff like that on the ice to stay relevant in this league. So he's getting a little bit spicy. That was a barn. Bur they ended up losing against the Flyers. I think that's the Flyers only win of the season. But I agree with you with. They just kind of seem to have that mojo right now. Flurry, the perfect backup. Guesson is playing a lot more this year like he did two years ago when he had that incredible run and when he first ended up coming on the scene. Capri Soft is a human highlight reel and can drive any fucking line. He could drive. He could drive a line with me. Me as me as his other line mates, if there's two of me. But I haven't watched a ton of their game. But the fact that they're doing this and they. They had the absence of their captain.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spurgeon, he's still out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's still out. And the fact that they have the 14 million going against them on those buyouts, it's just remarkable. I think it just speaks to the culture they have going there and the mojo they have in the locker room. I haven't caught a lot of their games. I've been watching a few other teams instead. But I would have to rely on you for what? More of what you've seen from the rest of the group. Group?

[Ryan Whitney]

I haven't seen that much of them either. But the games I have watched, it's been good. I couldn't believe they lost to Philly like that. And the Philly Meov continues to produce points. He's actually like a piece of out there too. I love it. He's kind of, he gets. So now it's like, oh, man, I, I, I got a war with Flyers fans, but I, I actually like watching this guy play, even though I don't think he's the smoothest skater. And I would never compare him to Capri off the way he glides through the ice, but I actually love his game and he's going to get a ton of points. But I hate the Flyers fans. So now I'm like all in on him as well because I've created this entire thing in my mind. So. The Wild, though, I just, I don't know if it can continue all year without Spurgeon like you need to. My, my friend in Minnesota said, I don't. He almost shouldn't be captain. He's never playing. I mean, this is just one fan's opinion, but he's, he's never in the line lineup. I, I, I don't think that they'd ever think about something like that. But they do need him. They need him to actually get into the playoffs and make a run if they, if they want any chance. And baldy Billy G. What do you say? He thinks he could be a 50, 50 guy. Yeah, he looks great out of the gate, so it's a fun team to watch.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think his, his pushback was just like more consistency and that's going to come with, with overtime and maturing as a player and the fact that he's off to a hot start where he really struggled early on last year. I mean, that's huge for them. That's like, that's incoming superstar up front along with Capri soft. So the fact that they have both guys clicking on all cylinders, just huge for that lineup right now. So good. Mojo in Minnesota.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's for sure happy for those guys biz Dylan McElrath. Did you see the. Did you see this guy firing up the team before the game last week?

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was the first game of, of, of a back to back where we ended up having them on the Wednesday broadcast. So Tuesday they went, I think the game was in Philadelphia. In order to get the B.O. he had an incredible lineup read and you could just tell that there's something brewing in Washington right now. I had them missing playoffs. I actually said they look better on paper, but I didn't think given the fact that New Jersey was going to be in and then we would probably see a push from the Islanders and also the Penguins that they would be the odd guys looking out. But right now, early on, these moves that Washington's made along with McElrath being up and, and, and bringing that element to the team on the back end and of course it goes without saying Carbon I think it was Elliot Friedman on his podcast was just raving about him and Carberry. I I just feel like he's got that magic man. He was a guy who, he actually won a championship in the coast with the South Carolina Stingrays. Guess who his coach was?

[Ryan Whitney]

Who?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Bednar. A lot of, A lot of NHL coaches have gotten their, their start with the South Carolina Stingray. So they. Yeah, there you go. There's another one. Right. So he wanted as a player there and then he ended up coaching there. I actually wrote it down. Kind of like his, his journey he wanted as a player. He spent five years there as head coach after that. Then he was three years in Hershey as the head coach, so was already in the organization. Went to be an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two years. And then now last year, obviously his first year there was, I think it's at a certain point getting consideration for winning coach of the year. The Jack Adam didn't end up making the final three, but early on this year, man right back to his winning ways and firing up this group. And if you saw the clip after those back to back wins against the Flyers, him giving Pierre Luke Dubois the puck, scoring his first goal as a capital it was pretty moving. Like you could tell how happy he was for dubois. And then just to see the smile from Dubois and the hug and the embrace they had, it seems like now he's found a comfortable home after having a nightmare last couple seasons or at least last year. So it just feels like and even with OV having a slow start, the fact that they've, they've gotten off to this hot of. Of a start is. I think it's a testament to Carberry and what he's been able to do there. I mean he's one of these young up and coming coaches that maybe people didn't expect to be hired where he's taken the reins and run with it, man. And he's got these guys playing hard.

[Ryan Whitney]

They took a tough loss to Tampa. 3 nothing. Tampa, they look phenomenal. Vas Levsky hasn't even been that great. But Kucherov and the rest of the. The lineup that's hopped in. Gensel fits in perfect. But it's Hagel. It's that Brandon Hagel deal and how good he's been since he's been over there and like looking. Why did the Blackhawks ever trade him? I mean looking back now, so stupid.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Was that he was making like a million and a half last year in the year before it was. I did. I want to say there was two first rounders going back the other way. So that is pretty enticing. But shout out to Tampa scouts and the way that they're able to pry these guys making nothing. They got Blake Coleman a few years back when he was making nothing with New Jersey. They just are able to go scout and pry those guys. And I know first round picks are, you know, they value them high, but they use them very, very, very wisely.

[Ryan Whitney]

Tampa just continues to, to, to retool. Like I did think it could be a struggle this year, but Genel's actually money and, and then it leads you, it leads you into Stam coast and his struggle and, and how he's going back. He's there tonight. Well, last night, as you're listening Tuesday morning and it's probably tough going back and, and, and kind of having to go through the emotions and the questions from the media and the standing ovation, which he all deserves and I'm sure he'll definitely appreciate. But if you're doing it as your team's winning and you're lighting it up. Now granted the team has turned it around a little bit. I think they've won three straight. But his numbers haven't been great. That's what probably makes it hard going back there. Do you know what I'm saying? Do you think it could even help him after this game's over with to just really move on?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, maybe it's one of those things that's been lingering in his mind and once he gets this off his chest, it's like now they can just refocus and they have, they have been a little bit better ever since starting out 05 and yeah, sometimes these things could be more of a distraction, but a lot of emotions going into this one and I'm sure, you know, he wants to win one for his squad and prove his old team wrong. Just to go back to that Dylan McElraff story like we ended up getting him on the post game, it was an awesome interview, but a guy who was drafted 10th overall by the Rangers and wasn't ever really able to crack the NHL roster, I think he's played now that this podcast. I think by the time it's over with he's going to be just over 80 games in the NHL. But that's over the course of what I think it's been 14 years since he was drafted. So for first overall pick and I actually played against him in the ahl and, and you know, man, if you're a high draft pick and you're playing in the ahl, you're getting chirped every game about being a high draft pick and not making it all bust this, bust that. So the fact that he was able to play as long as he did down there and continue to develop and continue to add to his bag, he ends up going over to Detroit's organization, winning a Calder cup with Grand Rapids. Then last year ended up going to, to Washington Capital's camp and ended up signing a two way, right, he ends up going down to Hershey. Well, boom, they ended up winning two years ago when he went to camp, he got sent down. He was the captain of the Hershey Bears. They win another, you know, he wins his second Calder cup, well, they end up winning it back to back. So the guys got three Calder Cups. And then finally this year after, you know, doing so much for the organization, he finally gets his chance to establish himself at the, at the NHL level level with this team. And he's been great so far in, in the, in the time that he's played. He ended up having two assists in that game against the Flyers in that back to back and that's why we ended up getting him on. So just to hear his story and through all the, the resilience and, and, and the effort he's put in to finally get his chance at this age. It's just a really, really cool story. And among all the other ones going on, you talk about Jacob Chickren trying to find a home and he's on a contract. Prove it year he's off to a hot start playing with John Carlson, which maybe some People were a by because they're both very offensive. But that pairing has worked out great so far that they've been playing together. That McMillan finally having a breakout season and coming through for McMichael. I call McMillan, for Christ's sake. Ashanti O'Shanti. What the fuck I got going on today? Dylan Strom. Buzzing.

[Ryan Whitney]

So dreary out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's so dreary. It's so goddamn dreary out. But it's just cool. It's a cool story and they're off to a hot start, so I figured they deserved a little bit love of love along with Dylan McElrath. So if you. If you haven't heard that interview interview, go check it out online or. Or dive into his story in general because it's a fascinating one.

[Ryan Whitney]

I maybe think for him getting chirped in the minors, it wouldn't have been as bad because he just. He'll. He'll. He'll punch your eyes shut, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I fought him twice.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you? How'd those go?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Good. I would say even you could go watch them yourself. And.

[Ryan Whitney]

And is this you saying you want them and you're just trying to be nice?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I would say they were both pretty even.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Yeah, I'm gonna pull those up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm gonna pull those up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Biz Mar responded. Brad Marchand, captain of the Bruins, responded to the discussion about Monty kind of snapping at him on the bench. And we chatted about this, but the one thing we did forget to mention is it is surprising Monty's lame duck coach right now. Like, he hasn't signed an extension. He doesn't have a deal after this year. Like, that has to be definitely weighing on him a little bit. You.

[Bobby Holik]

You.

[Ryan Whitney]

Even if you say it doesn't, you're still thinking to have security as a player or a coach, it matters, right? So I don't know if that. That maybe ups his stress level a little bit. I. I know him a little bit. It doesn't seem like it would, but Marshy ended up saying it was no big deal. And. And he totally understood. And. And would have. Would have wanted no other way than Montgomery also snapping on him like he would anyone else.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think we saw a few of these examples over the course of the last week. You saw Berube going out at the top line for Toronto. You saw Sealers. Is it Sealers? Am I pronouncing this properly? Steelers and Torts And Torts were going at it. So I just think that these are nothing burgers that sometimes like social Media clips people are trying to pop off with, with posting about it. Oh, my God, the coach and a player arguing. Like, I talk about Mike Stuthers all the time. He was one of the favorite coaches I, I ever had. And he would fucking snap on guys. He kept guys accountable nonstop. If you want to win a Stanley, you don't think fucking Paul Maurice is calling guys out and keeping guys accountable. Obviously the stress level is a little bit down when you have a lineup that good and not a lot of mistakes are being made, but maybe in the early season struggles that Boston has had, you know, something needed to be said. That was in the game against Utah where the goal ended up getting disallowed back. But Marshawn had a turnover at the blue line, so fucking Monty gave him an earful. And I mentioned that we got Rick Bonus coming on TNT and we were going to talk about him with that. And he talked about it where he's like, man, he goes, when. When I ended up getting the job with Winnipeg, the conversation I had with the players on the phone before I even got there was, we want to be held to a higher standard and we need to be held accountable. And if you're not doing it to your top guys, what does that tell your bottom six? And you can't just tell your bottom six and not call your, your top guys accountable because then you end up losing your bottom six. So you have to treat all of them, especially the guys at the top top. The way that Monty has, the way that Barubi has and the way that Torts has, where it's like, if you're not playing, the way that the systems have been explained to you and the way that your approach to the game is from a team perspective, give them a earful. That's. These guys are. These guys are paid enough money and they're grown enough men where they can handle a tongue lashing in public if they're playing the way that they're playing. Am I? I mean, you used to get your cage grabbed at BEU and all you were getting was free tools, tuition.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what I was. Well, and books. I. I think I look back looking at the Montgomery Marshawn one. It only made any news because they were like, he put his hands on the players. Like there was actually people like, yeah, it's actually touching the player. He barely. He put like a little hand on his shoulder. They're like, imagine back in the 60s and like coaches probably choking guys out on the bench, like, let's go wake the up like big dudes deal. Big deal. If you got a, if you have a coach that like flicks the guy's shoulder like, we're not talking. I love the cage. I got. What did I call it? Jack Parker used to get cage treatment. He'd just be shaking it and I loved it. All of a sudden I'd be ready to go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I guess you gotta love the comments online. It's like, oh, if this happened in a regular workplace, it's like, what are you talking about?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, like I'm looking for a stapler behind the, behind the coffee machine from.

[Paul Bissonnette]

HR at the Bruins facility and explain her. That's one. And see what happens.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I, it's just like to compare it to real life is crazy. So the, the nothing burger, your, your, your comment of nothing burger, I agree with and I think keeping it old school. Not that we promote coach violence on players, but keeping it old school biz. We interviewed an old school beauty and a Stanley cup champion. And talking to you after, I think we agreed it was one of the most interesting, entertaining interviews interviews we've ever done. I mean, these old school European guys, they're amazing with how they became so successful in the stories of their lives growing up. So anything, anything you have to say or do we throw it to Bobby Holik now?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, just basically to piggyback what you said, just, you know, raised in a, in a difficult time and just the fact that he was able to play as long as he did and make it to the NHL. You're going to hear some of these stories where, you know, you guys enjoy your, your new twigs and your new skates and getting decked out with your new gear year. This guy came up a different way in mad respect to Bobby Holik, and we can't thank him enough for coming on and, and also spending as much time as he did getting interviewed. I think we went well over an hour and some just crazy iconic chicklet stories and, and he might be, might be one of the, my, my top 10 favorite interviews I've ever done. So enjoy it. Bobby Holik Whip. Before we go any further, I got to talk to you guys about DraftKings Kings. The quest for the Stanley cup starts now. The pucks dropping on the 2425 season. Get in on all the action right now at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League. It's super easy for first timers to get started. Try betting on something simple like picking a team to win. Go to DraftKings sportsbook app. Select your team and place your first bet. And if you're new to DraftKings, listen up. New customers bet five bucks to get $200 in bonus bets. Instantly download the DraftKings sportsbook app now and use code Chiclets. That's code Chicklets for the new customers to get $200 in bonus bets. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-36. Connecticut help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play.

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[Ryan Whitney]

We are now pleased to be joined by a veteran of over 1300 regular season games, over 140 NHL playoff games, and a two time Stanley cup champion. Born and from the Czech Republic, Bobby Holik. Thank you so much for joining the show. How you doing today?

[Bobby Holik]

I'm great. Thank you for having me.

[Ryan Whitney]

So where are you coming from? Because Biz and you have a little connection. Biz met your friend out in Jackson. I don't know if you're out there or Florida, where.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, I'm in South Carolina right now. We've been, yeah, Jackson. These are, has been our home for 30 years now. Spent some off season during the play times. Lived there full time. This is the retirement, I mean full time, you know, excluding the travel and all that. But yeah, I haven't seen Biz there at all because he's, I think he's hanging out with a different crowd. The only thing we have in common is our friend Arthur.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I've been hanging out with the Million Dollar Cowboy. You're out in the backwoods trying to shoot stuff so you could, so you could feed your family.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, I know that's, yeah, definitely. Million Dollar combo bar is not my thing. And, and yeah, I, I like the outdoors there and that. Definitely great play. It's been a great place for our family. Go home.

[Ryan Whitney]

I've, I've never been lucky enough to go. I want to go out at some point, but it feels to me like it's really popped off last 10, 15 years. But you mentioned 30 years ago you started going out there. Like how did you even first hear about it or decide to visit it. And, and I guess you were early to the game.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, we, we were not as early as some, but not as late as others or, or as recent. But we heard from a friend and this is way back before we had our daughter, we had any dog. We had, not that just two of us, my wife and I, we just drove out and we immediately found the community being the, the best part of it. You know, there's a lot of beautiful places, but it was a great community then and we just, we were there for a week. We bought a little house and we spent our off seasons there and it's been, it's been a great ride since also.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Bobby, my understanding is you had like a brand deal with, with like a gun company from Czech Republic. So were you into hunting before you went there? And like, were there other things other than the community that drew you into it? Like, were you hiking maybe back home in the Czech before? Like, what, what was it that really drew you in from like the, like the hunting side of.

[Bobby Holik]

Well, I was always outdoorsy, even in Czech Republic. We have some mountains there. We, we lived in a beautiful. I grew up in a beautiful part of Czech Republic which is not that well known. It's called, direct translation is highlands along the rivers. We had some beautiful woods and hills and we camped and hiked and you know, did everything outside as kids. And, and I always liked the outdoors and the, the hiking part was. I mean, it's limited in Czech Republic, but it's, it's good. It's. It's good, good opportunities for that. But coming to United States and being able to go to Jackson Hole, obviously you take it to another level. But I was never much of a hunter because I just was outdoorsman. And I don't think I'm still much of a hunter. I just. Actually, my favorite part is bird hunting, you know, because it's a challenging. It's a. And there's some great challenging terrain and great challenging opportunities for. To do that in Wyoming. But I, I didn't start it until I retired because as you, you know, probably, or a lot of listeners will know, most of the hunting seasons are in the fall. And I was busy, you know, with training camp and the season, so. And yeah, I work for a company called CZ USA there. These are, you know, Czech. Czech Republic made firearms and they import them here as a. And I was a spokesperson and I, you know, I participated in the fundraisers and, and shooting tournaments, mostly boarding, plays trap and skeet. And it was fun. About 11, 12 years I did that. It was a, it was a hobby to turn into a part time job that kept me pretty busy other than with other things that I did.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's funny you mentioned bird hunting. We just interviewed a couple days ago one of your former teammates. Pat Verbeek, the current GM of the Ducks biz, is actually into bird watching. But Pat mentioned that he's an enormous bird hunter hunter. And he was talking, he was talking all about his dogs. He said he's got two amazing dogs. One flushes them out, one goes and gets him. Do you, do you, do you get like you have a dog that helps you out with that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, he gets the horses.

[Bobby Holik]

Our work with horses. I don't have the bird dogs. I have friends with amazing bird dogs and I usually hunt with them. I have some friends in Louisiana, in Arizona, in Wyoming and I'll, you know, I'll bring them along. I have the spots and I'll bring them along and, and, or they bring me along in other states and we kind of work that way. I just didn't have time to properly train and, and keep a bird dog or two.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Was horses something that you were always in love with because like when you ended up moving to Jackson, eventually you got a ranch where you had quite a bit of horses on property, you know.

[Bobby Holik]

Well, I didn't, I never loved horses. I just fell in love with my wife and she did it all, all of her, all of her life. So I just kind of married into it. And then our daughter was born and you know, I was busy playing. She was, they were spending time together. So our, our daughter fell in love with riding and, and they did it for a very long time until very recently. Our daughter is a, just graduated from medical school, so she started her residency and that's when it kind of, kind of quote unquote fizzle out for her because being a doctor is kind of a busy time and being in medical school was very busy. But she tried for a couple of years. She showed and competed. She still loves it. But again, I kind of, I fell in love with the women that ride the horses, like my wife and daughter, not necessarily the horses, but it was a great transition for after the retirement I had so much to do. We had two horse farms and I just kept, you know, I was the farmhand and it was long days and every day and just awesome time to, to do it because when you stop playing, you know how it is, it's like, what do I do now? So I had plenty to do and we kind of slowing down now and downsizing, but that's just life. But it was, it's been amazing to see my family enjoy it so much and being part of it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

After I retired, where could you imagine Seabiscuit just chilling in the stall and all of a sudden Bobby Holik comes.

[Ryan Whitney]

Over for a ride.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's like, no, no.

[Bobby Holik]

He's like, no, you know, you know what you are like, my back hurts.

[Ryan Whitney]

Trainer.

[Bobby Holik]

No, no. He speaks English. The horses sense your intensity. And I was fairly intense. I am, but I'm trying to be less intense. And the moment I walked in the bar in their stalls, even though I was trying, having good intention whether take care of them or clean the stalls or whatever it is, or load them on a trailer to ship them, you know, drive them somewhere they knew when I was around because they all tensed up. But my wife and daughter did the show jumping, you know, which is the jump, those big jumps. There was no racing, there was no wrenching. It was a really, you really define English. Equestrian riding. So that's what they did, show jumping.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, you mentioned your playing career and what an amazing run you, you had. In doing some research for our interview with you, I, I noticed that your father, your father, Yaroslav Holik, he was a great player himself. He won the World Championship in 1972. And I didn't know like, did he push you? Is that who you looked up to? Did he play mean and hard nosed playoff style hockey the way you did your entire career?

[Bobby Holik]

Pretty much. He was the, we were same type of players and he was probably more reliant on that intensity spoken intensity and, and the kind of. At the time he was way ahead of his game as a rough player, but he also was very skilled. But for him to be successful, he had to find a way and you know, it was basically be the, be the meanest son of a gun on the ice. This way he's got a little more time and space to display his skills. His brother, my uncle, was far more skilled and, and better skate and everything. But my dad felt like I got to play this way to really create the time and space I need to show what I'm all about. And I felt the same way. I wasn't the physical part of my game. Basically setting the stage had to come first for me to be able to utilize my skills. I didn't have the skills of Steve Iserman or Joe Sacking or even Patrick Eliash or Martin host Marion Hosa. I had, I had good enough skills, but I had to set the stage first. That it's not going to be easy. And then most of the teams, most of the players kind of backed off. Look, abate and I had an opportunity to tune, to have some success.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So right from the beginning, you were like that at an early age. Did you always have the size or was there a gross spurt? Because, like, even from talking to Arthur the first time he met you, he's like, biz. I thought I was walking up on a bear. Like, this guy looks like a bear. And then you even alluded to the intensity where he said when you would jump on the drills with the kids, he said that something would just like turn on you, where your intensity would go to a certain level where it was almost like it was instilled in you and you didn't know how to shut it off when you were on the ice.

[Bobby Holik]

It was the hardest thing of it all to be coach, volunteer coach for more than 10 years with whether it was the high school or juniors on any, you know, more recently, I wrapped up another season of the trap Shooting Club 4H in Wyoming. And that's, that's by far the hardest thing was the, to moderate my intensity. Because when I do, when I did something, I did it like the best I could. And not that I didn't do it best I could with the coaching, but I. To work on that intensity in that. Yeah, you're right. The moment somebody passed me the puck or jump in the drill, it's just holding it under world. And I consciously worked on it. And at some times, sometimes it was, it was too hard. I couldn't, I couldn't do it. But I, I, I was aware of the, that was like my quote unquote shortcoming as a coach, where the intensity sometimes was probably higher than it should be. But I was well aware that I have to. My expectation of players have to be. Of the players I coach have to be a little lower or different than the expectation of myself.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And was that something that was kind of instilled in you, like, from a very early age? I mean, I know you talked about like your father saying you need to play aggressive in order to gain a lot of space for yourself, but was it that always that switch when you hopped on the ice, like it was time to work and it was time to focus and no around.

[Bobby Holik]

Absolutely. I, My dad was awesome teacher and of course he was a great father, but also a teacher and coach. And he said, you know, when you do hockey, you give it everything you got, but it's not everything. So I, I developed this ability to. When I lace up the skate and grab the stake as you walk into the ice, I was just like in the zone and it was awesome. But that's not good for life, so I had to work. It also taught me as a mentor or as a father that you know, in life you have to, you take the skates off, you put the stick on the rack and you walk out of the ring and you have to be a husband and a father and a teammate and a friend. So I, I got it early in life so I could manage it in a. And I thought I had a perspective pretty good. I've done pretty good job doing it. But yeah, I had a great example. So genetics played a huge part of it. And also my dad being, being so wise and learn, not only being great at what he did, but he never stopped learning. And then he relayed the messages to me. So I'm grateful for to have. To have that like I did. And, and I owe him a lot. And so he's passed away almost 10 years ago. But when I do something, I do it the best I can because I, I want him to be proud of me, you know. And no matter what it is, whether it's cleaning our stalls or playing hockey or coaching kids, no matter what it is you do, you do the best you can.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's a great message. Like talking to my son, it's just like, hey, I don't really care if you're good or bad, just try your hardest. So hearing that, that's how you were raised at me make sense for your to hear and know about all your success. I'm curious about your dad. So in 72 they won the World Championship. That same year is when Russia played Canada in the amazing Summit series, the eight game series. So I mean that Czechoslovakian team was so good that they beat Russia in that World Championship. Like they must have had some incredible talent with your father and other players.

[Bobby Holik]

So my dad was part of that World Championship, but he was a little too old. And then the Czechoslovakia world won and another World Championship in 1976 and also 1977. They also played really competitive games against the team Canada I believe was in 1976 Canada Cup. I think they were in the finals and it was very, very close. And my uncle was on that team and another gentleman who was my mentor way back then I played with his son as, as kids and he also got few World championships as a player. And also as a coach of the national team, he won a few world champions. So the 60s and 70s era or the generations of my dad and my uncle and their peers, they were just phenomenal, phenomenal hockey players. Unfortunately, the world was. There was two worlds, there was the west and it was the East. And a very few times depends paths for us. So not. Not enough people knew until they're one of their teammates. Vasilov Nadamunski came over and showed the world that there's a good. There's a lot of good hockey players in Czechoslovakia.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Bobby, what were the. What were the resources like you as a kid? I want to say what we talked to Chara and you know, he had to have stuff handed off to him from like the bigger club. So did you have like, like, you know, two, three sticks on the rack, new skates every year or, or was it hard to get like supplies a hockey standpoint at that time in deck or because your father played? You had access.

[Bobby Holik]

I had access, but it was still. You better take care of it. I mean skates or sticks, he would, he would have access to it. But no, nothing like he was here in the United States or Canada or even Sweden, Finland. It was very. You had to be very resourceful, forceful. One of the things that I keep telling, the story I keep telling people is like my grandmother would sell a little pocket on my hockey pants because I had a one puck and I brought the puck to the practice ring and everybody else had a one puck. And if you lost the puck, you went home without a puck. Because when you were doing drills without a puck, you put the puck in your pocket. It was, it was in your. In the front of your hockey pants.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That is unreal.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah. So. And to this day when I'm at the ring, I was just recently, what in April, May on a Wyoming select. The kind of a event where you select the new 16U18 for State of Wyoming and I go around the glass, I pick up all the puck that it were when it came, went over the glass and fell behind the board. To this day, because I'm like, you know, I had one time, I only had one puck. And a lot of times we got into fights with kids because we were fighting for a puck. Just to be able to practice with the puck. Who wants to skate without it?

[Paul Bissonnette]

That is unreal story.

[Ryan Whitney]

You would have puked when one of my, my, my good buddies, Chris Verstig, Stanley cup champ, he was healthy scratch for the, for the Panthers with me one day was just flicking every buck out of the arena.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He wasn't happy about getting bag skated.

[Bobby Holik]

Next time, next time I'M at the ring, I'm gonna. For one of the first thing I'm gonna do is walk around there because there's so many pucks and you, you know, you can end up with 10, 15ps just walking around the ring. Once you just throw it on the ice. And it just feels good to see multiple parts out there that everybody has more than one.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Do you have any other crazy stories about having to like, maybe like, walk to the rink certain amount of miles just to get ice time? Like any other hardcomings, I should say.

[Bobby Holik]

You know what? I checked. The Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia is a hockey country. It's a. It's a national identity. We people love hockey. I. We actually travel with my family and I, we traveled in early late May, the day we landed there, the day after they won the most recent world championship, which was in Prague. So. And it was just like people of must have thought, that's crazy. You know, I want to this. And I'm like, no, it's. That's. That's what the country lives for. In the 60s, during the Cold War, in the 70s, even 80s, that provided such a hope to the whole nation if the national team did well, if we got a medals, even the world juniors, you go home and you're like, that's what you do because you represent a country, you represent the underdog. So you, you, you. It's one of the motivating factor was that we were going, you know, and Jagger, Yerem, Yager and Reicho and even Dominic Hashi. There's a bunch of players that we play together as, as youth, as they say, or juniors. And you go somewhere and you pull together even more than ever because you're representing small country, you're not representing yourself or the team. You represent the country. And I firmly believe that was part of the motivating factor where we all excel in the international stage because we represented something that we've represented underdog country.

[Ryan Whitney]

We, we interviewed Jagger once. He told some great stories growing up. And I noticed you were drafted the year before him. You just mentioned him and, and, and any other guys like that were of your age, that you came up together that made it to the NHL. And even with Jagger, there must have been memories of him at such a young age, already so dominant that you were like, oh, my, my God, like, this kid's gonna play in the NHL. I think I could play in the NHL being a year older than him even.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Were you on a squat plan? He was doing a thousand squats a day.

[Bobby Holik]

No, I was a Different program. Yeah, but it's not easy either. Like I was at a cottage again. We were there in and end of May, I was showing my daughter and son in law there was a river at the bottom of the hill where our cottage was. And we would, when. When we couldn't get any rain because we had these tanks holding rainwater and it didn't rain for a while, it was dry. You would just take two buckets, you walk down to the river, fill them up, walk up the hill, dump them in a tank and did that all day or couple days until you had enough water in your water tank. So not necessarily squads, but carrying buckets of water up and down the hills, it was the same effect.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What about him? Just like playing with him growing up like, like you, you talked about how your skill maybe came a little bit later. Was it evident not only did he have the size, but his skill was just at another level for that age?

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, absolutely. I remember, I actually remember very, very clearly the first time I ever saw him play. And he was younger than myself and my peers and so we were in. I don't know if it was in Clanda in his hometown. And you think, oh, it's hour and a half away. But you know, when you're a kid in a small country like that, it's. It's a long ways away. So one time we were in the same place, same tournament, saw him skate and everybody knew the difference between good players and I was pretty good youth player, but the difference between good players and the great one. That way he won, you know, he was the great one. I don't not taking anything of regrets but at the time you're like, wow, I can see the difference. This kid might be really good. And then, you know, three, four years later we ended up on U16 team together and U17, 18 and 19, we were teammates and, and friends and world juniors at the national team. And then we played against each other for long time and almost two decades and then a little bit together in New York and that was incredible to be playing again with a player that you played 10, 15 years prior as a kid for U16 or U17. That was that again, I remember it very well and I'm not, I'm not, I'm not that much of a hot historian or remembering all these stories, but certain things he just don't forget because it's that special.

[Ryan Whitney]

So a lot of guys your age, or a little bit older even that grew up in Europe that we've talked to, they. They mentioned The NHL really wasn't even on their radar or in their dreams. It was playing for the national team and the club teams like your father and your uncle did. When for you, at what age were you like, I can get to the NHL. Guys from around here are playing in America and Canada now, and I think I can do this. Is that, is that when you're 10, 11 or is that actually closer to the draft for you?

[Bobby Holik]

No, I was in a different situation because my dad was very outspoken. He was a anti communist, very outspoken because of his childhood memories when the communism, you know, was established and they took over his dad's business and all that. So he had a terrible, terrible experience as a child with communism. So all his career he was, he was very outspoken about the regime and at times he was persecuted. Not at times, all the time. But there was a, you know, during his prime of his career, he was just. He was too good for the regime to kick him off the team. So for me it was day one. The goal was to play in NHL, to leave for United States or, or Canada, both, preferably United States. Land of the free, land of the opportunity. And because of the country didn't treat him or the regime didn't treat him well or good. Not that he, he didn't deserve it, but that was just the times they lived in and he would not. He was all about honesty and integrity and you know, communism is all everything but, but that. So he, he caused trouble. He. There's actually book out there now. It's called Freedom to Win. A gentleman from California, Ethan China, he wrote it about my dad, struggles against the regime in the 60s, 70s, during the, during his career and the way they grew up and what happened to his, you know, to my grandfather, his father. And again, it's called Freedom to Win. Not that I'm really selling stuff, but I have to say that that story is so good that if you read it, you get it. And I came from a little different background. I wasn't really embracing the national team or the Olympics. All that I was embracing to opportunity to do, to defect as soon as I could. And my sister did that in 19, I believe, 1987. She was a professional tennis player at the time. So we were raised with the idea of, you know, there's a better world out there for us. And that's. That's America.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's incredible. And I wouldn't consider that selling at all. It sounds like it'd be an amazing read for what your dad went through and just to go a little Deeper into to it. What was the business that your grandfather owned and what happened? They came in and just took it away and.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, well, he was a lifelong, lifelong dream of owning his own butcher shop in a small town where they're from, where my dad and uncle were born. And so he eventually, I don't know the years exactly, but it was like mid-40s, maybe early-40s, 1940s, and he finally had the opportunity to buy one and he had his own shop and him and my grandmother ran it and. And my dad was born 1942 and you know, they were successful at their business. In 1948, the communist came. And as if you know anything about the type of regime they are, they nationalize everything. That means they take your store, they put somebody else, some party loyalist to run the store and you're out. And he ended up working a brick factory or something just to be able to provide for his family. But it's a really, really great story. And that kind of. When my dad was six years old, it kind of traumatized him so much that he was, he was such a fighter against the communists. As I said, he had secret police had the files on him and, and all that stuff. So we, I grew up in a little different environment and so my goals were a little different than other players.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You said that your father was outspoken. Obviously he had a platform because he was a player player. Was there any consequence for him speaking out? Like, would they?

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, he was suspended a couple times for the national team in his prime. And at the time, players didn't play long, that long. So any year or any time in tournament, any Olympics you miss then, you know, it's costly, but he cared. But not enough. What, what he cared about was to be true to himself and to stand up before what he believed was right and the regime was wrong.

[Ryan Whitney]

It just makes like what kids go through in America and Canada now and all over the world a little bit. Just you appreciate so much what, what your dad went through and his dad. And like nowadays kids don't have enough sticks or they don't like the time of their practice. It's like, no, we were fighting against a communist government. And it's incredible to see him fight through that and always stick to himself and for you. So leading up to the NHL draft, considering you'd always want. Wanted to. To defect and become an American citizen someday and play in America, you must have been so excited for the 89 draft. You went 10th overall. Did you know going in you were going to go that high where Were you for it? And you must have been ready, right, to get to Hartford once you found out they selected you?

[Bobby Holik]

Oh, I wish it was that easy. But you know what? It wouldn't. It would probably wouldn't be as much fun. So that day I forgot about the draft. At the time when none of us were. We were still on the other side of the Iron Curtain. We couldn't just really go to America, to any western country to participate, you know, to attend a draft, NHL draft. So I was home. My parents were somewhere at a cottage, something. I'm like, you know what, it's Saturday. I went for a bike ride. Not a motorcycle bicycle, not an electric bike bicycle, just a regular bicycle. And I paddled for most of the day. I went, you know, we live in the very hilly car part of the country. It's so much fun. Still remember those days. And I get back home and I'm in the kitchen. The only phone we had was hanging on the kitchen wall. And some of the listeners won't understand that, that there was these things attached to the wall with a cord. And phone rang and I pick it up and somebody said, I don't even know who he was. And the. If there was English in Czech or Czech. And they said, oh, you were just drafted by Hartford whales 10th overall. I said, great, thank you. I hung up. I had no idea. I really didn't really think about it that much because I was still behind iron. I could. I would have to defect. Okay. And I was just. And kind of. And going for my mandatory military service because I wanted to serve those two years and then defect after the. The consequences was. Were a little less if you serve the country, at least for the mandatory service. But six months later, the revolution came, the freedom came. So I was released and I was fortunate enough. People say you were lucky. I'm like, well, lucky is when preparation meets opportunity. So I was prepared and opportunity came. But that's not my quote. That's Magic Johnson of the LA Lakers. But so I came over here and, you know, things were great. But if the, if the revolution didn't happen, if the freedom didn't come to Eastern Europe, I would have to serve my two years in military. Pray for the army club, like, you know, Red army in Russia. We had a team like. Team like that. And after I served, I would defect after. If nothing changed. So that was the plan. I spoke English at the time, or at least I thought I did. And. And I was ready.

[Ryan Whitney]

You had defected prior to the military service. Like, is that something where you can't go back. Is your family affected? Like what would have happened to those people?

[Bobby Holik]

So for me it was like if I planted at two years there in an elite level and the national team, it helps me to become better hockey. And I also kind of checked this box of serving it would the consequences. You probably couldn't go back. I. I don't know. We didn't want to take that chance because ultimately to play with the top players in the country and a national team, world championships or, you know, it. It was beneficial. So there was like, I'm just going to be patient, I'm going to go when I'm ready. But things change. And I went and I was ready anyways.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Who else there like helped you prepare you for that next level?

[Bobby Holik]

His name is Joseph Augusta. He played for the national team. He. Ironically, him and my dad didn't really get along. They were kind of, not necessarily rivals, but just my. My dad didn't get along with anybody, you know, so. So especially and, and Josef Augusta was. I played with his son growing up as kids for a long time he played I believe on the left wing and we played together for years. And then I kind of move along faster and I started playing for the professional team at 16. And Robert Ryko, you guys remember from Toronto and Calgary, he plays same thing. We were like the same generation. A YAGS was there after us. So. But this gentleman, Joseph Augusta, who he. He meant. I didn't realize that there's something about it because I came to the NHL, I had number 24 in Hartford, you know, good couple of years, years, other great things happen. But then I get to New Jersey, my part of my career, and I got number 16. And looking back now, 30, 35 years later, that's what the gentleman that I'm talking about, he. He wore number 16 and he helped me so much as a mentor and not as like preparing me for the NHL. They didn't know what NHL is going to be like, but they prepared me, you know, my dad and my uncle, by this gentleman, you know, Joseph, they prepare me like to be the best man I can be and best hockey player and just, just be able to handle life. And yeah, it was just ironic that him and my dad were not never best friends or not even much of our friends. There's. In the book, there's a story why they didn't, they didn't have a best relationship. But he helped me so much that I, I have to mention him along my dad and uncle because he was that influence. Again, not Necessarily knowing what nh, what he's going to take to play in NHL, but just preparing me, giving me the skills to be the best I could be.

[Ryan Whitney]

When you got over to Hartford, I imagine it was just excitement. I'm going to play in the NHL. Was, was your first game maybe a little emotional because you know how much it meant for your father to be over there and his son was able to do it and maybe he could have played at the NHL at a different era. Like was it, was it an emotional time when you made your debut in the National Honda Hockey League?

[Bobby Holik]

Of course it was exciting. And again, one of my biggest challenges even then was just to contain mine, contain my excitement, contain my intensity because I was just naturally so, not necessarily wound up, but so naturally I love the game so much I love playing the game that you, you get this natural high and. But it's not always being about the most wound up. It's. It's a composure control you, your. I consider those my strength. But you also have to be in control of them. You can't let them control you, you know, and eventually I believe I got pretty good hold of it or balance where I could be more consistent. But it doesn't happen, you know, with the first couple of years, no matter if you hide draft big, whatever, you have some great games, you have some good games, but there's games where you just, you just invisible and it's because you cannot handle handle. You cannot find a balance. You know, you have to learn that. You have to watch older players, you have to watch how they prepare, what they do after the game or what they say after bad game, what they say after good game. There's got to be consistency and it takes a while. But by my probably not but the cup year in 95, I think I was in a really good place where I consistently provided team what the team was asking me to do.

[Ryan Whitney]

What's wild to me is that a 19 and a 20 year old in the NHL at your size in the power forward error back to back 20 goal seasons at that age and you're traded the, the Whalers acquired Sean Burke for you. You must have been kind of shocked, I would say because that's two really good years for a guy who's only going to get better and better as he gets older.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, it happens all the time. You know, I, I always said I, I was at Brian Burt's office and he was telling me that I was a big part of the team's future. And two weeks later I was traded and I, I said that story many times. And eventually I was watching some junior hockey in 10 Canada after I retired and Brian was there. He's like, I, you know, I really didn't intend to trade you, but it just came up. And the trade and the players, you know, in return of the, of trading you were, I believe that they're going to make our team better. I am like, yeah, I, I understood that it was business and I almost felt fortunate that it happened to me early on in my career. Because you're like, okay, I'm here to do a job, nothing personal. And if they, they think they can get more for me, it's actually a good thing because the other team wants you more than the current team. So it just kind of puts it in perspective. And again, it's a lot of, a lot of things that young players don't know. They know how to train, they know how to eat, they know how to sleep nowadays. They know how to sharpen their skates or what they should be sharpening at, but they don't know that it's still a big business. And sometimes there's, you know, coach won't play you as much because he needs to play somebody else who's being showcased. Or there's so many things that young players don't know and it takes a lot of times too long or they never learn the kind of insight of the game. And that's, I think it's important to teach skills, conditioning, it's all great. But everybody teaches that or everybody coaches that, but the inside of the game, like, how do you, what do you say after you win the game? What do you say after you lose a game? What do you say when you have a great game or bad game? You have to be consistent, you know, and. Because that's gonna kind of put you some on the next level and there's just not, not enough of that. What is in junior hockey or even the in with the prospects today before.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We move on to your time in New Jersey, you played one AHL game for Utica, Utica Devils.

[Bobby Holik]

I had a bad fracture. I had a hand surgery and I was out for, in my third year, first year in New Jersey. And then Herb Brooks, great Herb Brooks, he's like, you know what, you need to warm up or get used to the game, game speed again after so many weeks. And like, you should go to Utica. So Lou flew me to Utica for one game. We had a. Weather delays. The snow, the, the plane got stuck in the snow. Whatever long it was, it was Horrible. And I played. I didn't know where I was coming or going. And I got on the plane, I flew back, and I played in New Jersey. Next day, it was just her Brooks. You know, he needs. Was speaking over her Brooks. He said, you need to work on your skating because legs feed the wolf. And you'll never forget that. It's, it's Herb Brooks or it was Herb Brooks. And you know, he was ahead of his time with some of his things, but we had him for a year in New Jersey and it was great to coach, be coached by him, but not necessarily great results.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What was your first impression of, Of Lou?

[Bobby Holik]

I thought Lou was great from the day one. And I think he was my best boss to this day because he was from the same mold. Work hard, pay the price, good things will happen. And then as a general manager, he was so awesome because he eliminated all the distractions that come to young players or professional hockey players world. And all we did was show up at the ring. We train, we practice, practice, we pr, we traveled, we played. And he's like, that's your job. That's all you do. I'll take care of everything else. We had the best travel schedule, we had the best meals, we had the best hotels, everything. It was. And then, then we just didn't worry about it. We just, I think everybody who, who was good team player loved playing for Lou because he puts the team for, you know, like 35 years later or 30 years later. I got to explain that we have to wear socks certain way or tape them certain way or the pants or the jerseys or the helmets. And people like, oh, it's, it's about control. He's a control. No, he's not. Control freak. You on team, the team comes first. And if the team has policies, self imposed policies, you follow them. If you don't follow them, you know, that in player, you know, got a lot worse for us. Work for the team.

[Ryan Whitney]

Losing it, lose at his ranch right now in Jackson.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He still makes you shave, doesn't he?

[Bobby Holik]

I. Yes, I shaved. You know, all, but I, I don't. Yeah, I feel like it's my responsibility to look the best I can. And you know what? It's getting a haircut, dressing better. I mean, that's, it's all part of it. I came from that background. My dad was the same way. To me, it was not. People like, you know, this guy, this coach is gonna be tough. I'm like, after growing up, he checked with probably my dad being my coach and my mentor. Is going to be walking the park. I want it hard, I want it. I want demanding environment. I want discipline, I want responsibilities. Makes you a better man and makes you a better hockey player.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You ever get called in one time to get yelled at for a pee pee whack from Lou?

[Bobby Holik]

I don't think not, not off the ice activities because I was just too, you know, I don't drink, I don't party. I read books, I go to museums on the road road. Like you're not going to get in trouble for that. I got into trouble because of, you know, my lot of ties and because of evolution of your career. Things happen but off the ice, no, it's, it's. There wasn't me.

[Ryan Whitney]

You get to Jersey and that year you guys make the playoffs. Losing the first round. But I'm wondering if you, if you could see what was to come because the following year you lose game seven with the Stefan Matteo wraparound, then you win the Stanley cup right? When you got there that first season, could you see the pieces in place and everything moving towards a dynasty type type type situation in Jersey.

[Bobby Holik]

Herb Brooks was great, great person, he's accomplished great things, but it was not, it was not the match. We started adding the players and you know, the optimism and just at atmosphere, enthusiasm. Everything was going up, but it just wasn't quite there. And then, then that following summer he went. It was a big, big, big deal. Hi Jacques Lemaire. And that turned a franchise around and following even though Jacques was there only for five years, it's. It just turned Jacques prodigies like Larry Robinson, you know, they carried on that pop, that franchise for 10, 12 years of success of Eastern Conference dominance and, and ultimately three cups for them. I only want two with them. But you could tell that Jacques Lemaire was what that organization needed. Jacques Lemaire and his philosophy on life philosophy on, on hockey and everything else. And there are certain things that I believe. I don't know that Lou had to compromise with Jack. But to have Jacques as a coach, that, that was, that was the key. Without that it wouldn't happen. As I said. And Larry Robbins and this is prodigy and then. And these guys were not only great coaches, they grow great teachers, great mentors and other people in the organization learned from them. And it just went on for, you know, 10, 12, 15 years.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think what's wild is. Is people, people think of Jacques Lemaire and his coaching career and winning the cup with you and coaching the Canadians in the wild. But he won eight Stanley Cups As a player. And it's like, it's just wild to think about. So I'm guessing, as he was your coach, like the things he would tell you guys, little things that would just help you win a game that weren't necessarily all structure based. It must have been so impressive because of the success he had as a player. Just passing that along as a. As a coach.

[Bobby Holik]

Coaching is one thing, teaching is another. And Larry and Jacques were both amazing teachers, and they brought Jacques Caron for to be. He was not a goaltending coach. He was Marty, Marty Brodeur's coach. And that was all good for us because it kept Marty going at his best. And again, not only great coaches, but great teachers, great mentors, because there's more to it than just like, okay, this is how we do two on one, or this is how we, you know, come back. Check. That's. That's just part of it, just being able to learn how to handle the. The grind of the season. And again, it's not only when you lose, you're like, okay, we need to do better. But when you win, and when you start winning, that's even harder. How do you stay balanced when you have all that success? And those guys had some success, you know, multiple, multiple, multiple cup rings. So we kind of like listen to them because they've been through it not once, not twice, eight times or so. And I don't know how many Larry has as a coach and as a player, as a. Larry Robinson is a coach, player and assistant coach. I mean, 10, 11. So you. Those are kind of type of people. Again, there's other people who have that kind of success, but these guys were just amazing teachers. And to this day, day. To this day, I think about what they taught us, and I try to use it when I coach youth.

[Ryan Whitney]

That next season when Herb Brooks is gone and Lemaire comes in, what was the thought like going into that series against the Rangers? Because it's the Eastern Conference final, they got the 1954 curse, and then all of a sudden you're up 3, 2. Messier makes the guarantee. We interviewed him recently. He kind of talked about saying that before game six. What do you guys remember when you read on the paper, like, Messier guarantee a win?

[Bobby Holik]

Well, he had nothing to lose. If. If they lose, we move on and they go home. Nobody's gonna go to his house and say, hey, Bass, you guarantee that he's gonna win? Okay, I'm not. I'm not taking away from anything, away from his performance on the ice. It was amazing. But you can, you know, like you guys in the, in the media or biz on the between in air mission reports or whatever you guys do there, you know, during the playoffs, like, you can say whatever you want. If it doesn't happen, nobody's there with microphones, like, hey, you said this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's not true.

[Ryan Whitney]

I guarantee everyone remembers everything. The Internet's undefeated.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I, I guaranteed a Chicklets cup win last year. And Whit's been all over me ever since. So people do remember it sometimes.

[Bobby Holik]

So when he said that, like, you know, you say a lot of. He had to. He was a great, He's a great leader or he was a great leader. He had to inspire the team. And then also inspired it by, by his performance. I got to give him credit there. Going to the game seven, it was like, okay, we still have a chance. But when it, when we actually lost, we were, I thought, you know what? Maybe it was our time. And then we, we learned from it. And the next year we were just dominant in the playoff. There was no way of not, not winning it. So. Because, because maybe we had the difficulties the year before more. But you know what? You have to learn from it. If you don't learn from it, you're gonna, you're gonna repeat it next year. We didn't, we. We went, we went through and we, we set the record at the time of the 10 road game. Road wins, I believe. I think it's been done before. But our. We play 16 wins, four losses in a playoff run. So that was pretty good run, you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Know, and you swept, you swept a powerhouse in Detroit and like people were picking the Red Wings and it was their time and all their skill and the rush, Russians and I mean, it just turned into domination. I was actually YouTubing one of your goals in that series. Nice little give and go. And what was the message going into that series on how to shut that team down and how to take away all the weapons? They had no time.

[Bobby Holik]

You know, nowadays I, I've been out of the game for a while, but everybody's time and space, time and space. Back then we were like, let's get after them. And the moment they touched the puck, we were. One of us. Will was on them. Not only straight hit, just good angle. So you either had a hit line up for a good hit or angle them to the back to the, to the boards. And I remember that we were just give them no space because we were just like bees, just constantly getting going at them, going at them, just working Working, working. And every one of us, no matter how good the player or how talented they were, they, we, we all play the same way and then we, you have, you know, Scott, neither Myers and Neil Broughton at the time, these are game breaker type of players. So as long as we played as a team and played as hard as we could, we had the players to put us on the top. And that's what happened. And I always say about the 95 team, that was the best team I've ever played on. There was no better team as a team. We've had better players on a team like in 2000 or 20, but we strictly won in 95 because of the team team effort and team play.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So we were, we were falling around Edmonton for the playoff run and wits a big oiler's guy played there and they go all the way. Losing game seven and you just mentioned like, you know, maybe it wasn't our time. So you said the next year you guys had figured it out. What was it that you figured out in order to finally win the Stanley Cup?

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, it was. We need to be tighter, we need to be stronger, we need to be more consistent. You know, going to the conference finals, game seven against heavily favored team was not good enough. There's so many more things you need to do better and the mistakes you make. Or maybe it was seven games against Buffalo Sabers in the first round that caused us not to have enough energy in the conference finals. We learned that and it actually happened again. We won in 2000 and in 2021 we made not similar mistakes but other mistakes that we all learned from. Unfortunately for the franchise, they won again in 2003. But like those are, you know, we've played seven games against Sabers. No, that was for 94. I don't know, I don't know. It just sometimes you play too many games. Instead of putting, putting the series away, you just, you play another game or two, you know, instead of sweeping or doing five games, you play seven. You know, it's you, you play in some games you play with too many shorthanded situation, you might kill them all but you have the same players on the ice wearing out and they might not have the juice when it comes to that. Serious, it's so much, so much is involved in a playoffs that you really, really have to be on top of everything, every step of the way, every single day. What is practicing, whether it's traveling, what is, whether it's games. So you learn if players and teams who learn they have more success than down the road.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Was Scotty Stevens the most intimidating guy to play against during that era? In practice, if you were coming through the middle, would he bury you the same way he buried Lindros?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bobby Holik]

And I. I would. He would. Me especially, because we were extremely competitive. I remember the days you. Next time you have Gomez, any of the players on from that era asked him what it was like to practice when we were doing drills, and Scotty and I were going at it just all out, because you know what? You practice the way you play, you play the way you practice. So we bought. Maybe that's a little too old school because nowadays different, but that's what makes you better because you practice sometimes. The game. Games were easy because I didn't have to play against Scott Stevens. I didn't have to shoot on the net against Marty Brodeur, you know, like every game. Ask Marty next time you talk to him. I was very, very competitive. I would. I would. As I crashed the net in the games during my career, you know, against the opposite goalie. I would do that to Marty in the game, in practice, just not for. Not for his betterment, for. For me. That's what I do in the game. I'm not gonna stop doing any practice. You know, you. You. Some. Some peers, some. Some teammates, they're like, this guy is an ass. He works too hard or he plays too hard. I didn't know any other way, you know, so again, I didn't have enough skills or talent. Talent to just rely on that. I. I had to set the stage, be physical first, and then I had some time and space to. To use my skills, but not. Not one or the other. I had to do it all, every single day to even. To even be competitive, to be. To be consistent, to be, you know, helping the team to win.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the year after you guys won it, you missed the playoffs. You were really coming into your own. Your three best years in the regular season were those final three before the next Cup. But as Sakura came and Elash and Gomez did you start seeing, like, all right, there's something else brewing here. Like, it's not a one and done for this, for this organization.

[Bobby Holik]

You know that. That's the one. I came up with the saying, I'm your first line setter. We don't make the playoffs, I'm your third line center. We win the cup because, you know, I believe if I play on the third line, you have a pretty deep team. And, you know, they got Arnad and Gomez came game and towards the late 90s and finally I find myself playing a third light center. Doesn't I didn't feel any better because I, I thought I was the best third line center in, in the world or in a cup in the league. So you, you can only do what you can do. And I thought that was my, that was my role, that was my spot and that was my sort of sweet spot. I think you, we all have to realize what our roles or kind of limitations are and play with you can still be great, but you just have to be you at being great yourself, not not playing somebody. Everybody wants to be a 50 goal scorer. Biz does, don't they?

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, Biz just wanted five.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I would have taken three.

[Bobby Holik]

Only few of them can be. So I was like, I don't want to be at 40, 50 goal scorer. I can be a player that contributes different ways. So.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, Bobby, you've been dropping a lot of quotes this podcast and I got one for you. Don't score too much because then they start explaining expecting it. That was one that was passed on to me from Dennis Bondy.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, well that happened to me. I had 29 goals in 97, maybe 97, 98. And with 16 games left and they're like, well, you're gonna be 30 goal scorers. Like, no, I won't. No, just kidding. I just couldn't score for rest of the year and I ended up with 29. So I never became a 30 goal scorer and it still worked out for me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh no. That that was your closest opportunity to get the 30. Yeah, I want to. What made Marty bro there so good? I've heard stories that he was able to. Anytime the puck was coming, he would control where it went with the rebound.

[Bobby Holik]

Well, he controlled with his rebound because he worked on it. That's a, that's a skill. That's not a. You can only do that when you are able to do that. His strength was the work ethic and his desire to be the best he can be. Not necessarily best in the world. He ended up being best in the world, if not best ever. But it's that, it's that I'm. If I'm going to put this gear on and I'm going to go on a ice, I'm going to be the best I can be. And you do that day in, day out for 20 something years, you're going to get good result. That's what, that's what kids, I work with kids a lot, don't understand that when they're like, oh, doing my hardest every single day. Don't worry about tomorrow. There's. There's plenty to worry about tomorrow. Worry about doing it today. Be the best you can be today. And I think Marty had that approach as he was. He first put his pads on when he was probably 4 or 5 years old. And Scotty Stevens had the same approach and Nina Myers and Elias and Hosa, I mean Hosa. I gotta play with Marion in Atlanta and that. That's one hard working hockey player. And he was complete player because if we was just. Yes, he had talent and everything but there's a lot of talented guys. But man, he was a. He changed. Chicago Blackhawks, they had a lot of great players, but he made them, he made them Stanley cup contenders be not. I'm not saying single handedly, but they needed a player like that. Without him I don't think they could have won.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You must feel blessed to have gotten to play with that many guys in one locker room. I'm sure most championship teams have that. But like looking at that roster and all the guys that you had it out and you're staying with the, with the mentality that they brought to the rink every single day. It must have made it so enjoyable. There was no anchor.

[Bobby Holik]

I absolutely agree with you. I was blessed with the opportunity to be next to the guys in the same locker room. Not only players, the coaches, the trainers, everybody. It was my time in the NHL. My time in hockey was. It cannot. It couldn't be better. I feel the same way. I was blessed. It was, it was just, you know, what was it? Because I got lucky again. You. If I wasn't. I believe if I didn't give hockey everything I had it I wouldn't be the same. But when you. It's. It's always just like life. It's not what you get out of life. It's not what you get out of lucky hockey. It's what you give it. That's what you have to start with. And I felt comfortably retiring because I had nothing more to give.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're like a motivational speaker. I'm really enjoying this. It's. And it makes sense as to why you had so much to success. But going into 2000, you guys meet Dallas in the final and they had a offensive juggernaut as well. Right. And so it was your job, I believe from Reading like you were going to shut down Madonna and you were able to win the Stanley cup shutting him down. And Sakura got injured and Eliash was there. So you got to win it with other Czech guys. Like what do you Remember about that series, Was it a similar message going into that as when you played Detroit?

[Bobby Holik]

I think we were more mature, more experienced team than we were at the time and we still have a bunch of players on the team. From the 95 championship. There was additions. It was young play. You know that was a 95 was just like amazing team to get an S2000 was the team was. We had much better player with Gomez, Elliot, who else? Ralski, Madden, Colin White. There's a lot of youth on the the team and the combination of veterans, the mid, middle, middle players, you know, mid level players and the young players made that team what it was. And yes, it was great. I was in Prague month ago. We had a meeting with or sat down for a coffee with Patrick and we've been friends for a long time. He, his first year he played on, on my left wing or our left wing, Randy McCain, myself and Ed Patrick and we always say with kid Iran, he had such a great career because he got a great right start, you know and those some great, great players and. But they were young. We had to, we as veterans had a responsibility to not only play certain way but practice certain way and act certain way. So they stayed focused and, and you know, kept their eye on the ball so to speak. Like, because it's a long, long, long game.

[Ryan Whitney]

So bring me through the locker room when you find out with about a week to go in the season in first place that Robbie for tor fired and Larry Robinson is going to be head coach. Because that was not just shocking for the entire hockey world, but I'm guessing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

For you guys that's a crazy move. That's a Lou move and it worked.

[Bobby Holik]

I'm. I'm not kidding. I said what took so long?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wow.

[Bobby Holik]

You could. Because I could tell and I'm sure other players wanted to tell. I just was more, more vocal about it.

[Ryan Whitney]

What was missing.

[Bobby Holik]

Robbie was a great teacher and but to. To I go back, Robbie and Tom Rennie were very similar in what they do. They help so many young players become better players. But sometimes you need something else. Different personality, different, different style to go to the next level.

[Ryan Whitney]

Different message almost.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, I just, just handle the player. Between Scott Stevens, you have a big difference. You have, you have players like Patrick El who was like three years in the league or Peter Sikora or Scott Gomez who was a rookie. And then you have a Scott Stevens who's been around for maybe 15, 18 years at a time. You can, you can't treat them the same way. You have to you have to know how to treat these people, players differently. The, the coaches who. I, I remember coaches coming to the locker room saying in training camp, I'll treat. I'm treating everybody the same. And I'm like, oh, this is a. That's. We're in trouble. Because you have a. You need all kinds of players. You need rookies, you need veterans, you need guys who just came up from the minors. You have to know who you. What your. Who and what your players are and then deal with them that way. Robbie was great, but we had, you know, quite a few. It was a veteran team with young players and he just, again, same thing with her. Brooks, great guy, great coach, but it wasn't the right time. And Robbie was great for all of young Arian players, but they're not. There's more to, to the team than that. And we just couldn't. We just. As the pressure went up towards the end of the season and going into playoffs, just before the playoffs, us. I think he was not quite comfortable with, with, with, you know, leading the team.

[Ryan Whitney]

I always had a tough time in being confident enough in myself to maybe call out other guys. I wasn't, I didn't fight. I wasn't overly physical. But it seems like you were opinionated enough and in your style, were you confident in saying to somebody in the room at an intermission, you got to get going, we need more from you?

[Bobby Holik]

I was, but what I had to do first is to different my best. I couldn't, I couldn't do that. I know some players wanted to do that and when they did that, but they were at times maybe thinking a little more about their personal statistic and all that. I can honestly say Today, you know, 15 years after I hung up the skates, I said, I always put the team first. It didn't maybe didn't come across always the best way, but I never really had intentions of like, I'm going to play certain way because I need to add my statistics or I'm going to be free agent. I said, you know what? I'm here to play hockey. It's a team sport. And that's how I grew up. That's all my, My dad was. So it wasn't like a stretch. It was just. It's in my blood and. But to ask others to do more, you have to do absolutely the best you can. And so that makes it a little easier because they see that Dusty, when it was great at it, he wouldn't, he wouldn't say anything for the longest time because You. He would just lead by Exactly. Example. But then when it came down to it and he said something that was necessary, then he said it, and everybody's like, okay, we're putting our tail between our legs, and I'm gonna do. Gonna do more. We have to do more.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That seems like a type of guy. When he talks, you listen and you shut the fuck up. Who is. Who is the craziest guy you've ever, ever played with? Well, let's go back to New Jersey. Like, were there any wild cards where you're like, damn, with the way they run things around here? Like, how is he kind of getting away with doing everything? And he's doing like. Like, Scotty Gomez seemed like a bit of a wild card to me.

[Bobby Holik]

Scotty was a. He's a great friend. He's. I think he's doing really well. He's a. He's coaching up in.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, he's buzzing.

[Bobby Holik]

Ser. Yeah. So he's doing what? I talked to him maybe a month ago, and it been long conversation. I'm glad to see him maturing and doing really, really well as far as coaching goes. When he first came in, I immediately felt. Felt for him because he was. He couldn't be more out opposite, but he was in the same situation because he was himself. He wanted to be himself. He wanted to be Scotty Gomez. And suddenly people would be like, you know, who is this guy? Why. Why is he so happy? Go lucky. Doesn't he no care? Is he lazy? But I could see the goodness in him. He. He was a team player. He wanted good, but he was just different personality. And sometimes in hockey, especially, because it's a very kind of old traditional game, especially the Canadians, the old school boys, they're like, you got to behave certain way. You have to. Otherwise you. You lazy or you don't. I wasn't that way. I came from Eastern Europe. I came from Czech Republic. I wasn't, you know, brought up in Saskatchewan or Toronto, Mississauga, you know, and they looked at me. I had a little bit of issues with my own teammates off the ice because of, oh, you know, the way we are. You know, there's something wrong with you or you don't care or you don't like that. Well, Scotty was the same way, but he was opposite of me, like, different. So I immediately. I remember that it was no hesitation. I was like, I know what this kid's going through. I'm gonna. I'm gonna be there for him. And we became grand, great fans throughout the years. And and yeah, what he was going through is where people were judging him on his kind of outgoing personality and they thought that it applied or it makes him not as good of a hockey player or not as good of a teammate. But opposite couldn't be true. So I related to it and again I, I was trying to be there for him throughout his, you know, first few years.

[Ryan Whitney]

The following season, I mean you guys run into Colorado and I would say since you'd already won two in the past, whatever it was five years, it's Ray Bork going for a Stanley Cup. I think nobody was rooting for the Devils besides Devils, Devils fans. You must have felt part of that and not, not necessarily being the underdog, but being the bad guy and then dealing with all that and, and having just won it the year prior, how tired you guys were. Even though it went game seven. Did you feel like you were just a step behind in that series?

[Bobby Holik]

Yes. And I'll tell you why. Because you know a lot of people, that's why I sitting here in my living room, I'm not doing another working in hockey because I'm probably a little more analytical and cerebral and I think for myself more than most hockey people. So I'll tell you why. We played too many games early. There was a back to back finals. You know, we were, we won the year before going all the way to the finals. But it's not the finals that was, that caused us. It was the previous few rounds where we played again too many games against teams we shouldn't have. We played it at least extra game against Carolina we played, we, we play Philly. We were down 3:1 in the conference finals. We had to, we pulled out of there was that. I don't even know. Just too many, you know, examples like that is just sometimes you play one extra game in a series, then you play another extra game, then you play overtime because you just didn't have a best game. You played double overtime. And when you do the back to back finals, you like, you know what game six I remembered like three very well. First period we overwhelmed Avalanche at home. We were up three two. We won in Colorado, came home for game six. First 20 minutes. We were all over them. With minute left they scored kind of a weak goal. I'm not saying Marty, it was Marty's fault but you know, it was a. It wasn't like they outplayed us and completely dominate us and won the pier. No, they scored and I could tell on the bench, I could. We were deflated. We. Because we tried we gave it everything we had and after that we lost game six, then we lost game seven. We were just, we were just done, you know, like Panthers last year, you know, they played a lot of tough games the year and when, and then when they got to the finals, they weren't even competitive because you just run out. That's why you have to learn and do the right things all the time. Because the playoffs will kill you before you get to the end. And sometimes you're up to nothing. You end up tying three, you go to overtime, you play tight overtime for, you know, period and a half or two or three, whatever it is that's going to get you down at, at the end.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you have any feeling or inclination that that following season would be your last as a Devil? You realize maybe that Lou wouldn't be willing to pay what you could get on the open market? Or did you go in thinking I might be able to resign here?

[Bobby Holik]

That was my priority. I wanted to stay, I want to stay in New Jersey for long time. But again I learned it by two years in when I got traded. I kept remind it's business sometimes you just. There was no salary cap but I believe Lou had his own self imposed salary cap where it's Marty, it's Scotty and it's everybody else. And I thought that, you know, I, we. My agent contacted him and I wanted stay desperately but at the same time I was my only opportunity to really maximize my earning potential. So I couldn't afford to stay for a lot less. I, I was staying, I would, I would have loved to stay for less, but not lot less. So ranges came through. It was a great signing. Yeah, they did great decision.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Were you shocked when they paid you that much dough? Like, no offense to you, you had an incredible career, two Stanley Cups at that point, but what'd you get like nine a year at that time?

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, yeah, no, it's, it was that and Toronto was very close, New Jersey was very close. But the way they structure it because of the potential lockout and all that. So it's, it's a, it was a great decision for, for us as a family. It was great decision for a lot of things. Unfortunately, I'm very, very not disappointed, but sorry that it never worked out. I would have loved to have success in New York because it was a great place to play, great people, great fans, great city. It was, it was fantastic. Everything about it except the results. But you can't always get it what you want.

[Ryan Whitney]

Devil's fans, you must have heard from Them, Right. Like you're gonna sign anywhere you go to the Rangers. It's just, and it's a business decision like you've mentioned, but God, that must have been tough for devil's fans to deal with. You must have kind of felt some.

[Bobby Holik]

Of that heat winning up a cup next year. He's their pain. They won the cup in negative the following year, so.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Very true.

[Bobby Holik]

That's how, that's how like life works. You know, everybody gets what they want if they work for it. And they, they won the cup. And I got what I kind of, I got the financial security that I was looking for, you know, from, from New Jersey initially because I really, really wanted to stay there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Your payroll was over 100 million?

[Bobby Holik]

No, it wasn't 100. It was like in the 70s, I believe in the 70s. I don't know exact number.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was crazy.

[Bobby Holik]

Yes, it was only Detroit and New York had it. But I'll tell you what happens with players. Players don't change. I sign as a two way center, probably the best third line center in the league. I signed with New York Rangers for big money, a big signing bonus and you know, opportunity to play in New York. And, and as I said, the money in Toronto was very similar. So I, I had other choices. I wanted to play in New York. It didn't work out. But what, what changes is the plot, the, the media perspective, the fans perspective. They look at you, you know, six months prior to, not even four months prior to that I was at, I was a two way player in New Jersey doing what I was doing for whatever salary I had and everything was great. And then the same player, you know, going into camp in the fall, but they're like, well, but he's making four times as much as he was the year before. He's got to be four times the player. No, that doesn't work that way. It's just, it's. And media gets into it and fans get into it. It's just like it's same old player that, that was making this. But the way the free margin was free market, free agent market works, you get more because you got that far with the success you had. So. And it happens all the time. You see players maybe not as much now because they get young players to long term deals because of the salary cap and all that, but at the time it happened all the time. Time where players sign contracts and everybody perspective changes and you don't change as a player. You could, you could do exactly the same thing. You could have the same numbers and it'll be like, oh, he's not the player he used to be.

[Paul Bissonnette]

In your press conference when you signed it, were you trying to remind everyone like, hey guys, like, I know I'm making nine here, but I'm a third line, two way center here. Let's not get crazy.

[Bobby Holik]

You know what? I was crazy enough to think that people would think that way, that they.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Would have got a ahead of it.

[Bobby Holik]

Yeah, I should have. And then I'm looking back, I'm like, okay, this is what happened. Everybody's perspective changes because your contract change. You could be the same player. You could, you could do exactly the same thing. Which my second year in New York, that I didn't get hurt, I had the same numbers, I had the same kind of statistics that I would have previous seven years.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was it ever tough mentally for you in New York? The team's not winning that much. Like, did you struggle a little bit with dealing with all that stuff?

[Bobby Holik]

The bad part was that I, that I thought that would have been great place to have success. Not, not because you're famous, but because the city embraced the team so much. The fans and they're so loyal. And the Garden, especially the pre renovated Garden, was a great place to play. That's what I thought. The energy of the city was amazing. So I was like, if we had only a little success, this would be really, really fun. But it didn't happen. It happened. You know, life is such. And we're all moving on.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You ever seen the Woody Harrelson meme?

[Bobby Holik]

No. I'm not into memes much and I can't really tell on this small screen, but maybe next time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Woody Harrelson, right. Wiping his tears with $100 bills.

[Bobby Holik]

Okay, I didn't do that, but. And I didn't cry either. I just wanted really for the team to be better and maybe, you know, have some success and just didn't happen. That's okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And I guess we got it now because we're, we're there. Atlanta, you got to spend three seasons there or the better part of three seasons. What was it like playing in a non traditional market like that all of a sudden going from like Harford, you're basically in that whole New York, Connecticut, New England area your entire career and all of a sudden you're down in non traditional market in Atlanta.

[Bobby Holik]

I loved it. I loved Atlanta at the time. Great beach people. I think the organization was good. I think the problem was the ownership was there was multiple owners who couldn't agree with on anything. So kind of A misdirection. But I, I didn't regret it at all. It was a great opportunity to experience different market staying in the East. I, I was in the Eastern Conference all my career. So I, I felt again felt bad for the city because people were supported. It was just kind of mismatched manage. And that's what happens. You, you, you know, a lot of times you look at the teams and like, oh, these players, they got to get rid of this. You know what they need to get rid of the general manager or the owner or the coach, because the players are not at that level. Because they are either selfish or lazy. They're there because they work their butts off to be playing in an NHL. But the sum of the decision that are made, either, you know, the coaches or the general manager, you like, wow, how can that be happening over and over again? And they just either trade players or they release them. It's like it's much easier to get rid of or change players than it is the GMs or, or the coaches.

[Ryan Whitney]

I guess when you realize that, that maybe your career was coming to an end. I know you mentioned just with what you had off the ice, it really helped you your first year away, but was it hard to realize, like, all right, I don't know if I have this anymore. I don't know if I have the passion or want to do this.

[Bobby Holik]

It wasn't about the effort what came to me. It was just like, you know what? This is not going to get any better. I'm 38 years old. I did such a great career, probably far beyond that I ever thought I would get. And again, I was not going to ask for more. I got far more than I ever get, ever thought I would out of hockey. So it was just like, you know what? It's time. It's time to go. And as much as I love playing and as. As much passion I had for the game, it was never everything in my life. So there was other things in life that you, you want to experience and be around and, and you know, you move on. It's. I would have to be a player or former player to constantly rely on what I did in 1998 or 2003. That's a long time ago. I want to, I want it to be somebody who's okay. I've done this. I've learned. I'm financially secure now. I want to be for my family and help them out and support and whatever. As, as well as they supported me during the, during. Those were easy decision. I Was like as I said, I got far more out of hockey than I ever thought I would. So. And I had nothing, nothing else to give. So it wouldn't be fair to the game for me to stick around.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Bobby, outside of family and obviously retiring, like was there any other goals that you had when you came out that you were able to achieve? Like what else have you done in your, in your post retirement saying that you had other things that you wanted to go move on to?

[Bobby Holik]

Well, the first and fore I retired the priority, the, the first and foremost reason was to be there for my wife and daughter because they were in the midst of our daughter's riding career and career in quotation marks. And she just something that she loved doing and we did it as a family, you know, it was a hobby, but she went really, really far with that. And the following about 10 years, 12 years, it was all about horses and competing and, and her going to school and being able to compete throughout college and medical school. And eventually they came to the end too because as I said, she's a, she just graduated from medical school and she's in residency. So it's. And that was the priority of when I retired and it was phenomenal being with them and seeing them work so hard and being dedicated to their passion like I was to hockey. So that was that. And then I got the opportunity to work for the gun company which was great because I always liked firearms growing up. I couldn't, I couldn't have any in the communism and here in this country and, and then I became, you know, youth mentor for firearms and safety and, and skills. So the teaching that I a part time coach, I coach high school hockey in Wyoming as well. That's where I, you know. No Arthur from a lot of different things, but most of it was about giving instead of getting. Because I felt so fortunate to be able to play hockey since I was like organized hockey from 5 to 38 and then professionally for 21 years, including the three years in Czech Czechoslovakia that I'm like, the fun is to give and what it was to give to my family or give to youth in Wyoming filming, you know, teaching them, coaching them. And I'm still the same way because I've done everything I could and beyond. For me it's. I really, really appreciate opportunity give or. And teaching and coaching is, is something that I never thought I would have so much fun.

[Paul Bissonnette]

One other thing you mentioned earlier on in the interview was that you like to read and visit museums. Now when you read now do you read in English oh, yeah, Yeah.

[Bobby Holik]

I actually, my morning routine is like, when I first get up, I get up really early to.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And I read 5am I heard yes.

[Bobby Holik]

Every day I read. I read a couple. English publication, not necessarily American. I, I read an American publication, Israeli publication, Czech publication, and then I read books, real books, and then I do some Spanish. And at 7, I get, get, get on with, with my life.

[Ryan Whitney]

Before we let you go, what kind of doctors your daughter becoming?

[Bobby Holik]

She's working to be a pediatric neurologist. You know, she's, she worked very hard to get there and she's working very hard to continue her education.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I just wanted to know any book recommendations for our listeners that you. That you think are like, ones that you maybe even go back to once you're to read that would help them through life or anything that they might.

[Bobby Holik]

Be going through through Dennis Prager. He's a, He's a. He has a radio show. He's a. I call him a philosopher of modern times. He helped me a lot in my, in my adult life or in last few years to kind of stay focused on what's really important. He's a, He's a radio personality. He's been as. I used to listen to him when we travel. He wasn't on the east coast, and then when we traveled to like, Southwest, like Arizona or California, I would listen to him on the radio. This is, you know, a long time ago. And he's just a very interesting person. As far as book goes, you know what? I have a hard time remembering the titles. Sometimes remember the title, sometimes remember the author. But every, every book that I read is full of. What do you call, earmarks and underlining. So I have, I have to go back and sometimes I screenshot certain parts of the book because I'm gonna need it eventually. So I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm a big nerd as far as learning. You know, I love to learn, so I, I try to. Not a typical hockey player.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And my last question is, is if you could recommend any museum on the planet, which one would it be? What's your number one?

[Bobby Holik]

It would be definitely hol. I would start with Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. and then saw. And then Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. Jerusalem in. It's also Holocaust. That put the world in perspective and, And a lot of people today have a hard time defining evil. They will help you tremendously because there's a lot of evil out there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Jen, we appreciate this because it's been a blast hearing about your life who you are as a person and your family. So thank you very much, Bobby.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Thank you for having me and perfect timing here. Before we stop the recording, Scotty Gomez says smartest guy off the the ice. Had the best talking line to a whole bench I'd ever seen. You remember what he's talking about?

[Bobby Holik]

Oh, yeah, but that's not me anymore. That's. That was me as a player. I've. I've worked very hard to get away from that. Most people hockey remember only that. But as you can tell, there's more to me than what I was like as a player.

[Ryan Whitney]

We.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We'll leave that to people's. What do you call it?

[Ryan Whitney]

He's moved on, Biz. He's moved on. Thank you so much.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Imagine Nation. Thank you so much.

[Bobby Holik]

Thank you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Guys. Before we go any further, I got to talk to you guys about Labat Blue. Labat Blue Light. Unreal. Pilsner. We were gassing the boys were gassing these things in our sandbagger with Andrew Raycroft and Tuka Rask. They were enjoying them. I didn't realize Tuka was that spicy. I think he had a little bit of help from our friend friends at Labat Blue. And we hope you guys take out a page of the Labat Blue Light book and enjoy your beers together so you can live life to the power of we. And you can find Labat blue [e-mail].

[Ryan Whitney]

Finder thank you so much to Bobby Holik. I think what I'll remember forever about this interview. One puck.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

One puck.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The podcast pucks.

[Ryan Whitney]

And missing the net in their backyard and not even going and getting them out of the woods and just leaving them. And this guy at one puck carried around his pants pocket. Amazing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's hardcore amazing. He deserved everything he got.

[Ryan Whitney]

I forgot to mention earlier Biz and you know, considering Bobby Holik was a devil, but I'm wearing the Mr. Ice necklace. Mr. Ice necklace from Icecon. Elio Mr. Ice, he was awful, awful. Making people poor on his over bets to start the year. So he hopped on a plane this past week 5am flight to Detroit where they played the Devils because he said he had to go live to get some goals and the game went over and I just figured after you got to experience Icecon and the ice people, I'd rock the necklace and kind of remind you that he's back.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I think the funniest part about it is once they tied at 3 3, he didn't even watch the end of the game. He just Left. He just left the building. He just finally got. Got off the schneide. Oh, my God, What a crazy thing.

[Ryan Whitney]

I. He said the video and it was going ot. He's like, oh, not even ot. It was. It was done. It was just like the game. He decides to leave. I'm like, I thought he'd at least be invested on the wings pulling it out. Nope. He's all about goals.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

So that cracked me up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So now, last year they did Ice Con or we did icecon because we ended up doing it at the Coyotes game. Unreal showing. We went to the Draft King sportsbook right. By TPC Scottsdale beforehand. Now I'm hoping that we do an IPCON every year.

[Ryan Whitney]

We are doing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm trying to convince Portnoy and Elio and the rest of the crew. I think that we should do it at the Winter Classic. It makes way too much sense. There's a DraftKings sportsbook right attached to Wrigley. It's right there. We can all march over. We could all have our white Mr. Ice gear on, and you could be at the Winter Classic. It's probably going to be snowing out. It's basically going to be literally icecon outside. So why wouldn't we do it there?

[Ryan Whitney]

I love the idea. Just it's in Nashville.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, he's already decided.

[Ryan Whitney]

I didn't know it either until just last week because I said to Dave, I said, the Porto. Or he texted me, ice is a disaster. Said there's not even to be able to be an icecon. Nobody be able to afford flights. And then I said, when is it? Where is it? He said, nashville this season. So I didn't know because Chicago to me would have been perfect. But I'm at least happy he won a game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All right, well, congrats to Elio and Mr. Ice and all the Ice people who finally won a bet. And now they can hopefully pay their rent. What else do you got? Got witty.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, considering Holique also bringing it back to him was a real pricking practice and played hard and practiced hard. We went out west. We go out west. I should say vancouver. And apparently J.T. miller and Elias Pederson got into it. This relationship has seemed like it's not gone over well since basically the minute.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Miller got worse when. When Talket wasn't there. And I think that last year it seemed to have been repaired a little bit. And listen, everybody could say, oh, this is a nothing burger. Like, no, no issue here. But with the way that Petey had been Playing to start the year, he finally scored his first five on five goal since Christ was a goddamn cowboy. And maybe that was the spark that it needed. But I just think that when you got a guy who competes as hard as J.T. miller does, not only in games but in practice, it could be a little bit frustrated when you have the, the, the guy who's been paid all this dough and maybe he's moping around a little bit. The intensity's not there. To be fair to, to Pedersen, I think over the last three games, his compete level, he's looked a lot more engaged, he's looked a lot better. I think it all started with that game against the Flyers in which they smoked him. I mean, who doesn't look good against the Flyers these days? But that's when it started turning the corner. But sometimes these things boil over in practice where you're not seeing that reciprocation and energy from a guy who's being paid the bid big bucks and he's not helping pull the rope. Given the course of a regular season 82 game schedule, what are your feelings? What are your thoughts on it? You saw Darlene do it earlier in the year and that sparked the Sabers. They're three and one. I think they're three, three, one and one. Since he ended up scrapping with, with Krebs.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. And that was actually like a low hip check that started the entire thing. This one I have no idea how. But you, you said it all perfectly. I hate to agree with you this much, But I think J.T. miller is a little psychotic on the ice in practice and in games. And that's a compliment kind of the, the, the way you look at like this guy is a competitive dog that never.

[Paul Bissonnette]

McKinnon does the same shit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Exactly. And I think he looks at, at Peterson and his, his caught like is how good he, how good he can be. And then to see him not give it at all, it just probably drives him insane. I wonder where Quinn Hughes is on this thing because he's the captain. Reading books. What? Reading. He's reading books. But obviously he's you. When there's division like that or disagreements like that and how two people play or how two people view playing with each other on a team, the main leader, they're going to lean one way or the other. I would, I would tend to think he's probably be like, we need to see more out of you, Petey.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That you know what Quinn Hughes is thinking. I ain't winning. If, if J.T. miller's not here. So, yeah, I better, I better agree with what J.T. miller has to say about the situation. And it, it seems like, like the reason that Quinn Hughes is captain is because he's calm demeanored. Right? And you need that from, from a captain. It's the same reason that Landiscog was captain and, and McKinnon was an assistant. Nothing against how either of them lead because you need both types of guys in the locker room, but you also need that J.T. miller to go to a guy who doesn't mind confrontation to a guy like Petey and saying, listen, we need you all invested. We need you going 10 out of 10 at practice and in games, and we need you setting the tone because this is a hard cap league and you're making 11 goddamn sheets, buddy. That's what's happening right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Little bit bit more.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's making what, 11? Five.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I think right around there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Jesus Christ. It's even worse than I thought. But, but ju. Going back to the way we started the podcast about La Reier, you got to get to a point where something snaps something, something switches. And if that switch goes off in, in Petey's head, he'll be a beast because he can skate like the wind. He's got an incredible shot. His skill, skills are out the yin yang. What I think is missing in him is that dog. And when you pay a guy 11 and a half million, he better have that somewhere inside of him. It might take a few more years to untap, but it better be in there, because if it ain't and you're paying a guy like that eleven and a half million. So I look forward to seeing those, those memes or the memes where it's Petey and then a look inside his stomach where you got three different pit bulls. And then with the caption saying he got that dog in him, boy, you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Think that's where it's going?

[Paul Bissonnette]

You don't think he got it?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no, I, I, I, I think that, I think it's in there based on how he looked when he came over and dominated this league the beginning of last year. I was raving about him before he came over. I think Merls or it might have been Jeff Marek who originally told me about.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But if, Listen, as much as I love Mitchie Mo Marner, he could put up 100 points, but I also can't say he's got that dog in him. So that, that's what Petey was doing. I don't know if he had that dog in him. You know what I'm saying?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, I'm gonna say dogs. The guys with the dog in them, they don't care what anyone thinks about them outside their teammates and their, and themselves. And Elliot was talking on his podcast about, I don't know if he was told or he maybe thinks I, I, I don't remember the exact way he worded it, but that Pederson's somebody who is reading everything about him. And that's interesting to me, hearing Elliott say that. Who knows what's going on with this entire league and all the players and whether or not it's him reading it or he said friends sending it to him. Dogs. Crosby's, McKinnon's, Legends of the Game. They don't, they're not, they're not reading press clippings about themselves or Crosby's. Listen to Spitting Jiggles or articles. I hate to say it, B. Sid ain't listening. And if he does listen occasionally and then his name comes up, he shuts the thing off. Those players. And this is coming from somebody who didn't do that, who did it the other way, who was always worried about everyone, what everyone thought about me, fans and, or message boards growing up. That is just looking back, so disappointing that I took part in and caring what, what anyone, like, what truly successful person is going to be listening and caring about all these different comments from outsiders about them. I, I can't see it being common within truly successful people and champions in sports because they're about their business and they don't care what's going on on the outside. And if Pedersen is doing, doing that, that is something that will hinder him. This was, I, I had no clue about any of this. And Elliot was talking about. And he said the same thing, but to me, after doing the opposite of that and, and knowing my experience with caring.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He said that he's aware of the fact that he does read into it, or that's his assumption on base, on, on what he's heard. Like, how is it framed? Because I didn't listen to that part. So that's what I wish.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what I wish I could remember. That's something.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Socks. Okay. That's okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Probably. Probably knock. I guess that's the difference.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, that's from all those true sources, all those concussions that Squanto has been giving you. You probably lost a little bit of memory in, in that regard.

[Ryan Whitney]

I had Squanto on the ice today. He's kind of buzzing around there. He always skated with one foot Just push his left foot. But he'd get going pretty quick. But his right foot wouldn't move. It was like me at the end turning like a Titanic.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I kind of got the Georgia Rock going.

[Ryan Whitney]

He did okay. I got him out there today. I said, hey, just run to me as fast as you can. Bing, bing, bing, bing. He starts kind of running on the ice toward me. I'm like, Squanto. And then like he goes against the boards. Go, Leaf, go. Go Leafs, go. And then immediately he's like, spook Lee, this, this song. Oh, my God. Grinnell, I might need you to add this song.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Song.

[Ryan Whitney]

This Spookly Pumpkin song about not fitting in. And Spookly's a square, but the rest of the pumpkins are circles and he doesn't fit in.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And we're officially off the rails. Where do you get this song from?

[Ryan Whitney]

Glee. That's, that's all day with. Go, go, Leash.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spook Lee, I need to pull up this song. I might have him come up here and sing it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But bring them up, bring them up. We need squat to appearance right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'll see if he can come up and at the end, we'll see if he can.

[Paul Bissonnette]

By the way, I wasn't gonna bring it up, but the reason the Leafs are on a three game slide, it's cuz you're a. And you won't give him the goddamn jersey. Give him the jer. Give him the jersey right now, live on, on, on this podcast. Give him the goddamn jersey right now and have him sing the song.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's a birthday gift, Paul. And his birthday's coming.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Buy your own birthday gift for your kid. That's my gift. I, I, I determine when he gets the gift.

[Ryan Whitney]

You don't. Here's the thing you don't understand. Understand. When the kids are three, I determine everything. Everything. Everything. I determine everything.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Look at me. I'm the kid.

[Ryan Whitney]

Parents. If grandparents sneak in, you can't do from out in Scottsdale. I'm not giving him the jersey yet.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You. I'll get on a one way flight. I'm the captain of the ship now. I'm Squanto's dad. I'm Squanto's dad right now. There's a reason he's got that dark skin color. Buddy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bobby Holik]

You.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. My life falls apart.

[Bobby Holik]

What happened?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Imagine. Imagine House. No. Oh, I'm driving your Escalade. Hey.

[Ryan Whitney]

No good. I, I want that thing to get stolen. I'm trying to get it stolen. I actually can't say that. If I ever get stolen insurance. I won't pay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, great. You'll just have to buy a new one. You rich?

[Ryan Whitney]

Staying around the league. Staying around the league.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What were we just talking about? Oh, going back to. To. To Pederson. So you don't know exactly how you heard about that, but if he is listening and he does listen and he reads every.

[Ryan Whitney]

I would say everything.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They're playing the Carolina Hurricanes next. That's tonight. So maybe he gets an early pod drop. I would just go out there, go, go ask Brent Burns to go. Just go. Go up to whoever Carolina's toughest guy is, tap him on the shim pads, throw down. Even if you get beat up. I did my whole fucking career. You'll get back to the locker room. Every player in the locker room will be like, rights Petey, right? That's the spark that he needs. And then he'll go on an absolute heater. That's my theory. He needs to drop the mitts and get everybody back on Petey side.

[Ryan Whitney]

I. I don't hate it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You gotta go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because he would be. It would be just a weight off his shoulder at the end, get some of the stress out and the teammates. He'd probably go on like a 20.10 game run.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I would go up to Brent Birds. I drop my glove, I'd pull on his beard, and then boom, you're off and running.

[Ryan Whitney]

Before we continue, guys, hockey season is back. It's in full swing, and we can't wait to get out to some of the games this fall. With the help of Game Game Time, the official ticketing partner of Barstool Sports, there's no feeling like seeing a breakaway goal in person. And Game Time can help. You know how much we love Game Time. Now with their brand new gametime Picks features, they're making it even easier to get to a game. GameTime picks filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets for an NHL or college hockey game near you. Just pull up your chosen event and turn on the GT Pick setting at the top of the screen. Or browse the best local Game Time pick deals near you on your GameTime app homepage. The Winter Classic is coming up at Wrigley in a couple months. We will be there. I can't wait. It's thanks to Game Time. And Game Time is running a couple special zone deals. From now till December 2, you can get 10% off bleacher seats and between 20 and 25% off seats in the home plate area. So bleachers is fun. Your party, you're ripping it up. You get 10% off there. You want to sit a little closer to the action. 20 to 25% off this home plate area seats. Get your Winter Classic tickets now with Game time. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code Chiclets for $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again create an account and redeem code C H I C L E T S. That's Chiclets for $20 off. Download the Gametime app today. What time is it? Game time. No surprise whatsoever. Down in Florida, the Panthers signed Paul Maurice to a multi year extension. This guy, Amazon star turns into a media darling, wins a Stanley cup after what felt like forever in this league without being able to get one. After losing in the finals. Maybe the biggest, no brainer or nothing burgers you like to put it news because it was just so obvious it was to happen.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean the ride from him resigning as jets head coach to finding the perfect landing spot with the perfect group of guys in Florida. And you mentioned him being a media darling. Probably the most entertaining head coach in a long time. I mean you could maybe give that to Torts but from at least a positive perspective and not completely carving his team all the time. The clips from the Amazon series of him getting down with the, the trapper and the blocker on like what an unreal guy. And, and he was so entertaining throughout that entire Stanley cup run. Well deserved extension. Now you didn't mention a number. Did they mention a number?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't know the number.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that he's, he's a guy who should be being paid north of 5 million and if at this point his contract is structured where he's the highest paid coach in the NHL, well deserved because he's finally hit his stride and finally found his team. And I would say that most people have them potentially returning back to another Stanley cup for their third season in a row. So just a wagon of a team and they, they lock down. Think about the players and, and now him that they've locked up long term. They got forsling, they got Verhagi, they got Reinhardt. You know Bennett's coming like this is a, this is an incredible core that they have going in Florida and something special brewing. So the state of harvest hockey in, in the state of Florida is absolutely buzzing right now between Tampa and the Panthers.

[Ryan Whitney]

If all the players salaries are out there then we should know his. I think the coach's salaries should be Made public as well. Do you agree with that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I don't know if it's. It's up to him for. For discrepancy.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm not saying it is, but it should be announced publicly if players salaries are out there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I know that the Islanders and we will be getting to them should shortly. They. Lou does not announce what the players signed for. They just say the amount of. Of term. But then eventually it comes out. So I sure if we dug hard enough that we could find out exactly what he's getting paid. But what would be your guess if you had to put a number on it?

[Ryan Whitney]

I. I would. I would take five. Like five years, 25 million. Yeah, I have. Maybe we're so off base here, but I have. No, that's why I want to know. That's why I want to know. And Verhe, you mentioned him. He got his first of the year, kind of a slow start.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, his boy Barkov's back in the lineup, so I'm sure he's gonna be potting a few more. So. All. All things looking up for the Florida Panthers. And congrats to Paul Maurice and Bobrovsky.

[Ryan Whitney]

Biz Bobrovsky gets his 400th win. I had. I was shocked to see the quickest to ever do it in games played. It only took him 707 games. I knew he had the Vesnas now the cup and everyone says hall of fame famer, quickest to 400. Like how did that not surprise you as much as I was?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was shocked when I saw that, especially at the fact that he started his career. He started in Philly and then. And then moved over to Columbus. And he was in Columbus for a decent amount of time. So the fact that he was able to rack up those wins, now people also might argue, well, when he was there, he had to play all 82, cuz, you know, he was there. He was their whole team. Well, I mean, it maybe makes a little bit more sense now, but just talk about a guy who's been. Been through it all and so happy that he's back at the top of his game and kicking the way that he once was after going through a few tough years there in Florida, after signing that big ticket. But he will, he will probably by the time it's all said and done, be a Hall of Famer. And my understanding his work ethic is second to none. He's the first guy at the rink every day, last guy to leave and just like works relentlessly. And he's a machine in the gym. I think Yan was telling us about it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. And, and to actually see him come back from being that lost and, and, and losing the job and Alex Lyon getting them into the playoff, like it was just such a wild story. And to see the roller coasters in pro sports and especially goaltending, you're up, you're down and he's, he's done it for a long time and I just couldn't believe that, that he was the guy to do it quickest in the, in the history of the league.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And we talk sometimes about how different the different the live game experience of the NHL is between watching on television. If you ever have tickets to a Florida Panthers game, go to watch warmups and watch Bobrovsky and warm ups from the minute he steps on the ice. It's one of the funnest, silliest routines you will ever see in your life. And the way that he can move his body and his ankle mobility and everything else, it is, it's like the ninth wonder of the world. It's nuts. So go check that out if you ever have the chance to get early to a Florida Panthers hockey game.

[Ryan Whitney]

The Maple Leaf Spiz. The Maple Leafs, well, just kind of in the bed lately. They make big news today though. They signed Jake McCabe, who you like.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I like him.

[Ryan Whitney]

You talked, you, you, you've kind of, you've raved about him a little bit. They signed to a five year extension, 4.518 AAV. And like Seth Jarvis, he actually deferred some money to make the cap hit a little bit lower. So what did you think about the deal? Were you surprised? Do you, do you like where the team's headed?

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I've, I say this every year, or at least the last three, four seasons. It's like we're. The Leafs will be 500 after 10 games and then the world will be falling where they got a new coach, they're implementing new systems, there's a new direction and it's going to take a little bit of time to figure things out, but I still believe that they have the right pieces and that they will figure it out. So that's from the team perspective. And what I have to say, my understanding is Berube is trying to get them to play a little bit more direct, a little bit less east to west, and getting those top end guys to maybe play a little bit more physical. That's not easy changing those things up in your game when you've been doing it as long as they've been doing it in the NHL. Have they been successful and very good in the regular season and been able to put up crazy amounts of points? Absolutely. So I don't want to hear about maybe early season struggles from some of their big guys when they're trying to implement a little bit more physicality into their game and then play a little bit more direct where maybe it hasn't necessarily been like that in years prior. And that's a lot of the reason for Berubay snap show and it will probably take about 20 to 30 games for them to really hit their stride under a Once again going back to the TNT call with Rick Bonas, he said sometimes it could take years, years to establish that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let's hope not. 1967 was a long time ago.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Not. Not. We're hoping not for that long. We're hoping for months here, not years. But going Back to the McCabe deal, I like him. He's big. He's solid. I think for a big player. He's a decent puck distributor. Is he Oliver Ekman, Larson moving the puck. Is he maybe as good as Morgan Riley? No. But just a solid defense defender. He's physical. He ain't shy to drop the mitts. And given everything they else they have on the back end, I think this is a fair market value for a guy who's going to probably play in your middle pairing once things are all said and done. So yeah, I think that, I think that tree living has done an exceptional job since being a GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, including signing him to this extension.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't remember your preseason preview or pick. Do you have them winning the division? As of right now, I don't necessarily.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Care so much about them winning the division. I might have said that being all excited about the regular season, but I'm just more, more, I more care about the process and how they're getting their wins. Going back to the game I watched against Boston, like them giving up those two quick goals at the end of the second period and then having a push in the third period. That's not something I want to see. I would have much rather see them play a little bit more physical and and, and make a better push when they were on their heels come the crunch time of the game. Especially having given up quickly. Happy with Marner's performance. Yeah, am I happy they end up getting the point out of it by getting that late goal. I thought that Austin Matthews was a beast come that last three, four minutes of the game. But not, not, not not happy over the course of the last three games. From what I've seen from from a full body of work team wise, their.

[Ryan Whitney]

Power play is not great and it stinks. Stinks. It makes no sense. Part of it is like I don't know if Morgan Riley and I know Ekman Larson's done it are true power play QB quarterbacks. I know Morgan Riley.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know if you know this but Oliver Ekman Larson had back to back 20 goal seasons in the NHL. I don't know if I've ever said 10.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was it eight? Eight years ago? Nine years ago?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know what you're saying. I think that Oliver Ekman Larsson is more of a true power play one to defenseman than Morgan Riley. I think I agree. I think it's kind of goes back to where in playoffs last year. Maybe Hanifin was the guy controlling it rather than Shea. Theodore, where I'd much rather see Oliver do that and then let Morgan Riley be that number two guy and let him figure out other areas of his game and that's where he contributes. So I still don't think either of them are at least elite number one power play defenseman. They're no Cal McCarr, they're no Quinn Hughes. But I think that the way that Oliver is able to walk the line and find lanes to the net and it doesn't ever need to be a big clapper with him. It's just a quick flick of the wrist and him finding his lanes and if you have good enough net front presence, that's where I feel that he can be effective on the power play for them. He's not that big shot. You got Commander who's got the biggest shot. You got Marner, who's the distributor most the time and then obviously Matthews. My biggest issue with it sometimes is Marner is a little bit too one dimensional in the fact that he's always looking to pass it. The other game against Boston, like as much as their power play has been struggling, he gets it. Swayman still hasn't sit across yet. He had half the net to shoot at and he's more worried about bumping it back to give Nylander the shot where Marner has to become a threat shooting the way that Sidney Crosby added that to his game. He's got to add that to his game to be a dual threat. The power play will figure itself out. I agree with you. It's been dog shit so far this season and that's been one of their problems. I've been long Winded enough. Leafs are still going to win the Cup. We can all come.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah we know that. We know that it was actually the change was it was Nylander and Tavares on basically what looked like the second unit because Matthews is on the first unit. So you think that they changing it up to kind of spreading them out a little bit. We'll see what happens there. And quick tidbit because you mentioned Quinn Hughes and Cale McCarr and the dominant offensive power play QBs. I think a lot of people look at Miro Heskin and like that. I don't know if he has a point yet this year. Kind of crazy like the D in Dallas haven't done anything and it hasn't slowed him down at all. They're still.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think he's so effective on being a one man breakout he could shut down other teams top lines. He can kill penalties. He might not be the, the, the second assist guy in the but he's probably the reason it's getting up the ice in a clean zone entry. So there are so many offensively skilled players there where they're collecting the points. He's just going to go about his business. He's already gotten his payday. I think K in I, I would, I wouldn't even be concerned if he didn't get a point in the first 20 games.

[Ryan Whitney]

I must have read an article from right when we finished last week's episode because he has three assists in nine games.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay, well there you go.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's, that's, that's not even close to being true what I said.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So panic button Mayor Culpa.

[Ryan Whitney]

Mea culpa. God, that's, that's classic right there. The St. Louis Blues, okay You talked about their hard work in their old school Jake neighbors they signed and I mentioned I think in one of the summer episodes him and Kevin Hayes became good buddies. So he was out here doing something for Bauer and we played golf with him. You talk about a hard working old school team this I said it then I'll say it again. He's basically from the 1980s, just old school. Loves playing hard physical, can score and they signed him to an extension. So it's actually a two year one 3.75 bridge deal. Go out and get 30 again the next couple years and then you're hitting a big payday.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So pretty then you're getting what they paid the other two guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

But what I have to say most about the Blues Broberg is, is who Broberg was in the finals.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I knew that was coming so and so did I.

[Ryan Whitney]

And do you remember Paul Coffee's son in the, in Daryl Cates's box at Edmonton? The, the, the, you know, the, the second box that we were spending time in. He told me his dad said I think this kid's going to be a star. Like he's going to be unbelievable. And then to see what he did in the playoffs and I'm like yes, like this guy, like he's going to take over. Like you just adding a big time player to this decor with Bouchard and EOM and they, the Blues and Army. What a move. It turns out right now he's got seven points in nine games. He's playing a ton. His skating is so good and he looks phenomenal. That's a kick in the dick to Edmonton kicking.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I, I, I don't like being critical often times about like GM moves and like not doing one thing or the other. The fact that they didn't find a way to bring both those guys back is absolutely lunacy.

[Ryan Whitney]

What was crazy is at the time most people were saying you, yeah, you can't match Broberg but you should match Hallway. Now it's like I guess with their, with their current cab situation and the Leon deal wasn't done yet, like maybe they couldn't have matched Broberg but figure it out. Do something. I, I'm, I'm Monday morning quarterbacking right now. But to see what to see how he looked in the finals where he was Argu arguably the best defenseman on the Oilers to just lead right into this year, playing 20 minutes a game and, and looking this smooth and confident out there. It's like we saw this in the toughest games of his career. I, I, it's disappointing to say the least.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Biz and I'm trying to look it up right now. Whit I'm a bit of, sometimes I lose, I, I, I lose track of these things. Is he a right handed shot?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, he's a lefty.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay. I was going to say if he.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was a righty, I, I think they.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Would have, I would have, I would have have hung up. I would have been off the zoom. You're going to be trading, trading the future to try to get Rasmus Anderson. When you had your Rasmus Anderson who, who's, who's way younger and probably more offensive. Upside. So I just think, I think the Oilers are the second best team in Alberta and I'm sticking to what I'm saying.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, we're going back to New York now and the Islanders oh, interesting. Same old boring islanders and, and I've, I've had a, a love hate with this fan base. I hate them and then I loved them and then they hated me and they never loved me. But now it's, it's, it's kind of turning into a little bit of a comedy show there. Their third period leads. They, they've blown four three goal leads dating back to November 2023 from Rob Taub in Biz's DMs. Attendance, attendance issues and we'll let you go into everything but today or yesterday. Patrick Walls asked about the recall of Pierre England who I think signed a seven year deal. He was put on waivers, he's in the minors, he comes back up. Matt Martin signed Matty. Martin's been there forever, what a career he's had there. But people are like these are the two moves. And Patrick wa, when asked after the game, he, he pretty much made it clear. I thought that it was Lou decisions because he talked about what each guy did and it, Lou thought it was a good time for Engvall to come up and you know, Matt Martin brings leadership and toughness, stuff we need and Lou thinks we need that too. Just weird comments to throw to maybe seem, make it seem like it wasn't his idea to, to make these moves.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I think that he's a smart guy and he knows how to choose his words. I'm interested to hear if like he backs off of them but to automatically say that they were, oh, you know, Lou thinks this and Lou thinks that that is. How do I put this? Well, that didn't take long. You thought Patty Wall was going to come in. It was going to be smooth sailing. He's a change guy, boys. That fire runs deep in that belly and it's hard to change. What's the saying about you can't, you can't change a leopard's stripes.

[Ryan Whitney]

The fact that I think that's wrong, but I'm also, I don't know. The answer is just this show in a nutshell, I guess. What is it?

[Paul Bissonnette]

This one. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. And Patty was probably fed up with what he's seeing from Lou Lamorello. And if you don't think I'm ready to stir pot, I would not.

[Ryan Whitney]

It doesn't even need stirring right now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Though, to see this escalate a little bit more. And I'll tell you, it just take, it just might take a few more blown leads because you just said it the other day. I, I talked at the beginning of the year. And even some of their fan base is coming at me like, oh, it was one game. Why are you being hyperbolic about the fact that they blew a third period? What are you talking about? It's literally their M.O. they're up three nothing on the Florida Panthers and give up six unanswered goals. That's all they do is give up these leads. It dates back to last season. Where go. Go to that Rob's Rob to Instagram or. Or Twitter. Excuse me. He'll tell you every lead they've given up. They snuck in a playoffs last year, thankfully because Patrick Walk came and saved the day.

[Ryan Whitney]

Barov saved the day.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, yeah, he probably goalie whisper his goalie saying, just get us in, just get us in. And the same problems haven't been solved. They keep giving up these leads after leads and according to Patty wa. It has a lot to do with personnel and who's responsible for the personnel.

[Ryan Whitney]

That would be Lou Lam.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That would be Lou. That would be Lou. Now I'll throw it back at you. This guy is a Hall of Famer. He's done it all multiple Stanley Cups. He will go down as a legendary of the game. But has lose time passed.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm not willing. We interviewed JP Balls and fucking tell.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Me what you think, bro.

[Ryan Whitney]

Forget like that he's older. It's more that this team is just now they signed Horvath. They made that deal. They're hanging on to like the. The Eastern Conference finals appearances and, and like the core that got them there has gotten older and there just hasn't been much change. There isn't much excitement there. Horvat's been great. But if you look at the game against Florida, I don't know which goal in the game it was, but it's Kachuk in the crease, dude. He skates from behind the net. The puck's coming in from the point. He cross checks. Before the puck is even near the net, he cross checks Varlamov.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's incredible. No call like just Kachuk being Kachuk.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, not gonna do anything.

[Ryan Whitney]

Then he gets right in the crease pretty much. Much, you know, causes a screen. There's havoc in front. He steps in there, he gets about three whacks, buries it. And like Mayfield and the Shawalski. Shalalski. I'm sorry, I don't know. First he was a first rounder with Detroit years ago because I looked him up and I don't know his name exactly. I'm sorry. They're just like, standing there and Tkachuk's just like, they just bitched him. Like, that was the. That was the game. That was like, you're down, you're up three, nothing. We don't care. Boom, here's six. It was the Panthers bullying them and the Islanders kind of doing their thing. So, like, has it. Has the game passed by, Lou? Like, who the. Am I to say. It just seems that the team right now. What direction are they headed? And the attendance issues are weird. I asked Frankie about it last year. He's like, it's hard to get to, like, that area at 7:00 or. I. I don't know if that was brought up to you as well, but.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, they did a. They did a Glendale. They did a. They did a Glendale. It's at the Belmont. It's, like, great.

[Ryan Whitney]

When we went to that rink for FD nypd, getting there and getting out of there, it was like, what? It was. So it's just in the middle of nowhere now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

With all this said, they're probably going to turn around and go on a run because we're. We're. We're growing them. But like you said, it seems like they're really hanging on the fact they should have won the Stanley cup when they lost one nothing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals in which they would have went on to play the Montreal Canadiens.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And they would have a ring.

[Ryan Whitney]

So they would have a ring. Do you remember who scored that. That goal for Tampa? Yanni Gord.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yanni Gord.

[Ryan Whitney]

Unless he made the pass to somebody out of the corner.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Here we go. Here we go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Y. Gord actually does it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Maya. CPAL podcast.

[Ryan Whitney]

He does not have a goal yet this year. Nine games, zero goals. Kind of surprising there. We'll see what happens in Long Island. But you know, biz, you're. You're. You're loving that. You're loving that. That drama. McKinnon presented Jokic with the MVP trophy just like Jokic did for him. The ABs are the first team since 42, 43 to open the season, losing four straight in regulation and then winning their next four. They got it going. Cale Makar is on, I think, 110 point pace. The dog is the dog. Middle stats flying. Now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We. We.

[Ryan Whitney]

Maybe the. The worries and the judgment of the ABS right off the hop were just a little overblown.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, no, I mean, they've been. They've been incredible. They. They flipped the switch and, like, I mean, you just got to go Back to Kale McCarthy actually, I think he's like went on an insane run since he called himself out after they started. He was, he was very hard on himself and in the media said, I, I think our team would have been better without me on the ice. Well, that's not the case moving forward after those comments because he's a freak of nature. He's the best defenseman in the world and I think his start to the year just exemplifies that. What a word.

[Ryan Whitney]

By me, exemplifies is topnotch for you. I'll give you serious credit on that one, Oanti. But Ross, Ross Colton, I mean, did you see this? What you call him in the group chat? Just a lightning bolt or a lightning rod?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just. He's a lightning rod.

[Ryan Whitney]

Him and Cotter, I think he's even got maybe a little more goal scoring ability than, than Carter, but both, like you're saying, just pain in the ass to play, play against. Like just compete out there and, and, and can also have some scoring touch.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, yeah, and, and Colorado's a team that likes to play with pace and he has unreal wheels and sometimes you find guys who have unreal wheels where they're better in a checking role and just, you know, get it turned, but they don't have that finish. Well, now that he's getting to play on the top line and he's getting distributions from McKinnon and those other guys, I mean, he's making, he's, he's making the best of his situation right now. And it's awesome to see. It's and, and, and, and a much needed spark that they needed without Nachin, without the, you know, lecking in. I think Leonin is back now, but without, you know, Landiscog. So anytime you can have a guy unexpectedly come in and pop off the way he's popping off, I mean, good for him. And I don't know if he's up for contract or he just signed with them, but what a year. What a year. What a start to the year for that guy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Speaking of wheels, Miles Wood, when he gets, he might be one of the fastest players, he can get breakaways like I've never seen. He doesn't bury them really.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But he's like a Grabner. Modern day Grabner.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, Grabner. That's a good one. But he's also a tank. He's enormous. So that's a nice, a nice guy that they got there flying around. I still see Lekkanin on the IR on this site.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay. No, he's not back then.

[Ryan Whitney]

But Drew ends out and obviously Nichuskin and Landiscog. Colorado's figured it out. Colorado now is, is flying and buzzing Tage Thompson. So I guess in 2022 they started recording. Not sure of the exact date they started recording like NHL stats, how fast shots were going, how fast players were skating. Tage Thompson set the record for the fastest shot in a game. 104 points. Rocket. He's that big and long. Just uses his leverage.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's like a, he's like a tall, long drive guy in golf that just is so big that can bring the club or the stick back so far and rips it. So he's off to a good start.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I, I think he uses a fairly short stick based on his size too. Based on his size and, and I could be completely wrong, as I usually am. And then it goes back to, to Martin Baran coming on and saying that he's. He' himself again with no shoulder injury. Last year he was dealing with that shoulder injury and even, even when he was, he came back from it and he is still a little bit tentative to shoot it. And then finally he started unleashing it because he felt more comfortable in, in the way that it had healed. And now you could just see that he's, he's himself. And he said that you, you asked him is he more of like what we're. We saw last year or what we saw when he almost had 50 goals and Martin Baran said that he's, he's a 50 goal guy. He, he, he is him as they say. And it looks like he's back to his old ways. And Buffalo's back in the winning ways too. They're coming back in the picture.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's crazy. The, the two Florida teams are sitting up top. Panthers, Lightning. And then I think every other team is 504. Four and one of three of them. Three and three or what, whatever. Four and four. So kind of going to be a wild year in that division, I think. No surprise there. The Four nations biz. I am so fired up for this. We're going to be in Montreal. We're going to be in Boston. Cannot wait. Little tune up, little appetizer to next year's Olympics. The jerseys were released. No surprise at all. The guys in the picture. USA is Auston Matthews wearing the jersey. We got Crosby in Canada. We got Ajo for Finland and Headman for Sweden. I have a bet with a random listener and, and a few other people as well, but a random guy through Twitter. I think a thousand bucks US Canada to win the best. The next best on best might have been made two years ago. I've never been more confident than now. I. Your jerseys stink. I don't like your jerseys at all.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I tend to like Canada when they're a little bit more traditional.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought that this one is just weird.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I wasn't crazy about them. I would say of all the jerseys I probably like them the least. Sweden's are the best. I would probably put Finland as next best. And then usa Canada. You can flip them out either or. I just don't like the fact that it says Canada. I'm pretty sure people are aware that big red maple leaf in the middle of the jersey is. Can Canada like. It's. It's pretty self explanatory.

[Ryan Whitney]

What international jersey? Have you never seen the name of the country on the front?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, just in the fact that it's. It's in. It's in the main Maple Leaf. I don't like. Oh that it should.

[Ryan Whitney]

It should be above the maple leaf.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. And. Or below or just. Yeah or.

[Bobby Holik]

Or.

[Ryan Whitney]

Or if I think it's the lines. The. The white lines through the middle. If it was just the red jersey with that leaf I. I wouldn't dislike it as much. I do agree though. Sweden. Is it the Trey Kroner that could be. Gee, look up the symbol name of the Swedish Three crowns. That's always been sick. I actually hedman's wearing in the yellow they're blue jersey. I believe. I got a. A lidstrom one from my dad one year when I was very young. Or maybe Sundine. It might have been Sundin. A 13 blue. Oh, okay. Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

See how. See how all of them are below it and not right through the middle of it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. Yes. That's Canada he's showing for the YouTube people. Trey Croner. I guess I had it. Gee, thank you. And Sweden doesn't have the name on the front. I just asked you what team doesn't have the name of their country on the front of the jersey. And G helped you out with Sweden. As I was looking at the picture I asked that. That's how dumb I can be sometimes. Jesus Christ. With Crosby, no doubt in my mind is the captain of that team. Conor McDavid came out and. And agreed just with the same thing. And he said he should be the captain. And I assume you're in. You're in the same boat here. Like this is Sidney Crosby here, guys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So why. Why was that brought up? Did they announce Conor McDavid after as captain.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh no, they just, I think McDavid was just randomly asked about it. Biz.

[G]

I think it was because in the original post that was released, it was, it was Connor in the graphic, it wasn't Sid. And then when they released the jersey, it was, it was said, okay, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that this is like the, the, the single dumbest discussion we've ever had in this podcast. If you don't think Sidney Crosby should be captain of Team Canada where he's already won them gold, I just, just. Yeah, put them in a, put that person in a rocket ship and shoot them out in outer space.

[Ryan Whitney]

As we wrap up here, Biz, kind of a cool story from the sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jeff Vinick is paying out about $20 million in bonuses to the organization's more than 300 employees following his sale of a majority stake in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Each full time employee will receive 50 to $66,000. That's awesome. That is like pretty cool to see that happening. And, and you see how much he appreciates everyone that's put everything into this. I don't know if it was the, is it the 300 employees of the Lightning or of like, I think anybody.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That helped him get to the, to the place that he's at where he can sell a majority stake in that team and make a, a very handsome return. I think a lot of it also has to do with the development around the arena. And this is an owner who, when all the, all the chaos was happening with the hurricanes a few weeks back, he flew all the families of the Tampa Bay Lightning, including pets like cats and dogs, to Carolina to get out of the chaos that was going down. So this guy is just the ultimate owner. That's what, in order to win championships you need owners that are all in Mike. Like we saw with the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers. You talked about their owner and how dialed he is and he makes their lives so easy where they don't have any worries outside of just worrying what they need to worry about on the ice. So just an all time move and taking a page out of Mark Cuban's book and doing the same thing where you know, those are the people that got him the success financially and helped with that. So kudos to him and just an awesome story. And yeah, couldn't, couldn't be happier for those people. I'm sure that in some cases that's like, it's like winning the lottery for some of them. Pays their mortgage for a couple years, allows them to go on a big family vacation, take a little bit of financial stress away.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nice. Big bonus for those people who deserve it. Before we wrap up, I do want to remind everyone this is kind of the last chance to buy the breast cancer awareness merch that we have. You can go to Barstoolsports.com Chiclets it went to the breasties. Biz is rocking the hoodie right now. I'm sure G is as well or has been. I got nice. A nice one he gave me. There it is right there. The black one. Help out a great cause and subscribe to the YouTube channel. You'll see the last sandbagger from last week. Brandon Prust and Robbie Shrimp dummied us, sandbagged us, owned us, every which way. We got one coming out soon with Tuka Rask and Andrew Raycroft. That was a lot of fun to do. And the YouTube biz has already told us 300. Is it 55,355.

[Bobby Holik]

Wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

So we might get to four. You think we can get to 400 by the end of the season?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think if the chicklets use and the sandbaggers keep bumping and people don't hate posh guts.

[Ryan Whitney]

Throw some balls.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think yes we can hit it if people stop hating Pasha's guts so hard. So he was nice to all you rangers fans. This pot he said the true was clean and that the laffy Taffy get that Laffy Taffy. The deal was a baron. So do posh a favor and subscribe to the Spit and Chicklets YouTube channel. Baby.

[Ryan Whitney]

The army version of chicklets. You Wednesday at noon. We love you all. Thanks for listening. See you next week. Peace, biz.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Peace.

[Bobby Holik]

I don't know the other way this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Feeling.

[Bobby Holik]

I get someday.