Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 531: Featuring Roberto Luongo and Keith Yandle

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 531: A Candid Conversation with Roberto Luongo and Keith Yandle

In a special and engaging Episode 531 of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, hosted by Barstool Sports' Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette, former NHL stars Roberto Luongo and Keith Yandle join the conversation. Recorded at Keith Yandle’s picturesque Fort Lauderdale home, the episode dives deep into their illustrious careers, memorable experiences, and the camaraderie that defines their relationship.

Welcoming Roberto Luongo to the Show

The episode kicks off with a warm welcome from Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette, introducing Roberto Luongo as a guest who rarely participates in podcasts unless motivated by personal connections. Keith Yandle playfully mentions bringing Roberto on board for his kids' sake, setting a light-hearted tone for the discussion.

Ryan Whitney (00:27): "What up, what up, folks? Welcome to episode 531 of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast."

Humorous Anecdotes: Ice Cream and Alligators

The conversation quickly shifts to lighter, humorous stories, showcasing the laid-back and irreverent nature of the podcast. Roberto shares a hilarious incident involving his son, Pasha, at an ice cream parlor in Delray:

Roberto Luongo (02:53): "He asked for five samples, and the girl's eyes started being like, 'Alright, I think this has to wrap up at some point.'"

Paul and Keith add their own tales of managing Pasha’s overzealous ice cream sampling, highlighting the relatable challenges of parenting hockey stars.

Navigating NHL Careers and Trades

Delving into their professional lives, Roberto and Keith discuss the intricacies of NHL careers, including being traded and adapting to new teams. Roberto recounts his initial reluctance to join the podcast and how Keith’s persistent golfing requests led to his appearance:

Roberto Luongo (01:19): "I don't do podcasts, but I did it for Keith and his kids."

Yandle and Luongo also touch upon the emotional and logistical hurdles of moving between teams, emphasizing the personal impact of trades on players and their families.

Playoff Performances and Team Dynamics

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to reflecting on past playoff runs and team dynamics. Paul Bissonnette shares vivid memories of his 2011 playoff experience with Roberto in Vancouver, detailing pivotal moments and the intense emotions tied to each game:

Paul Bissonnette (69:10): "We were up three nothing and game four, we get blown out in Chicago."

The duo analyzes their performances against rival teams, offering insights into what it takes to excel in high-pressure situations. They highlight key players and memorable plays that defined their playoff journeys.

Personal Growth and Life After Hockey

Beyond the rink, Roberto and Paul discuss personal growth, mental health, and life after retiring from professional hockey. Paul opens up about his struggles with handling criticism and the physical toll of his career:

Paul Bissonnette (124:22): "I had hip surgery a couple years before I retired, and then when I got back, it was just constant maintenance."

Roberto echoes the importance of finding purpose post-retirement, emphasizing the need for players to stay connected to the game while exploring new avenues.

Memorable Interactions and Locker Room Tales

The episode is peppered with entertaining stories from the locker room and on the ice. From battling with stout defenders to navigating humorous miscommunications with coaches, Roberto and Paul share anecdotes that highlight their personalities and the bonds formed through hockey.

Keith Yandle (179:02): "He was looking at me like, what are you doing there?"

These stories not only entertain but also provide a glimpse into the camaraderie and occasional chaos that players experience behind the scenes.

Final Thoughts and Reflections

As the conversation winds down, Roberto expresses his gratitude for being part of the podcast and shares his admiration for Keith’s contributions to the game. The episode concludes with a heartfelt acknowledgment of their shared history and the enduring friendships forged through hockey.

Roberto Luongo (185:31): "Peace."

Notable Quotes:

• Paul Bissonnette (69:10): "We were up three nothing and game four, we get blown out in Chicago."
• Roberto Luongo (124:22): "I had hip surgery a couple years before I retired, and then when I got back, it was just constant maintenance."
• Keith Yandle (179:02): "He was looking at me like, what are you doing there?"

Conclusion

Episode 531 of Spittin’ Chiclets offers a rich, engaging, and heartfelt exploration of Roberto Luongo and Keith Yandle’s careers and personal lives. Through a blend of humor, candid reflections, and insightful commentary on the NHL, the episode serves as a captivating narrative for both longtime fans and newcomers alike. Whether reminiscing about playoff glory or navigating the challenges of professional sports, Luongo and Yandle bring authenticity and warmth to the conversation, embodying the spirited essence of Spittin’ Chiclets.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, Spit and Chiclets listeners.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You can find every episode on Apple.

[Keith Yandle]

Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. 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.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Shave his head. Shave his head.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ryan Whitney.

[Roberto Luongo]

Paul Vincent. R.A. mike Grinelli.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spittin Chicklets. What up? What up, folks? Welcome to episode 531 of the Spit and Chicklets podcast. Very, very special episode coming up. Today we're at Keith Yandel's beautiful house in Fort Lauderdale. Biz is right next to me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hey, Barstool listeners, did you know Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide? That's right, 99%. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you'll automatically earn cash back. That could mean earning rewards when you buy those last minute tickets, those overpriced concessions, and that takeout you ate at home after you bailed on, meeting your buddies at the bar. Well, wherever you spend game day, remember, it pays to Discover. Based on February 2024 Nielsen report.

[Ryan Whitney]

Learn [e-mail] credit card and what is going on, folks?

[Roberto Luongo]

The big old bottle. Keith Yannell, to my right. How you doing?

[Keith Yandle]

What's up, boys? Thanks for coming down to beautiful South Florida. Come visit me. Have a nice little couple days with you guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

We owe him the thanks because, guys, we have Roberto Luongo that just finished the interview, took about 15 minutes. Basically talking about how awesome of a conversation it was, all thanks to Yance. Even. Even Luongo says you'll hear him. I don't do podcasts, but I did it for Keith and his kids. And his kids. And then he. I think it was actually 95. His kids. Keith, like, no offense, but I'll take the five.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I golf with him last week and I was like, hey, Whit and Biz are coming in town. You think you could do it? He's like, I don't really do podcasts. I'm like, please, man. He was like, all right, I'll do it.

[Roberto Luongo]

He said he's not a very good golfer, though.

[Keith Yandle]

I didn't say that. No, he's actually. He's all right. His hands are too big. But he's. He's getting better. I think he just kind of started. He's getting, he's getting. Every time I play with him, he's gotten better and better.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's got a Shaquille O'Neal size. I mean, look, Sideshow Bob 15. Yes. If you're watching on the YouTube. And if you're not, please go to our YouTube and subscribe. It really helps. Biz loves talking about.

[Keith Yandle]

How many subscribers?

[Roberto Luongo]

356. Keep the change.

[Ryan Whitney]

So we gotten any this week? We were 356 last week.

[Roberto Luongo]

Probably because we're being braggadocious about it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

But if you do go subscribe and watch on this one, not only will you get to see Liberto Longo in the flesh, but also a little bit of memorabilia back here where we have two of Keith Yandel's all star jerseys. His thousandth game plaque or. Yeah, Thousand career games. You played over a thousand in a row, too. Do you have a plaque for that?

[Keith Yandle]

I didn't play over a thousand in a row.

[Ryan Whitney]

Stay off.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, that was.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, Wikipedia live. I thought.

[Keith Yandle]

Whoa.

[Roberto Luongo]

I thought you were the iron man.

[Keith Yandle]

I was till Kessel beat it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, no.

[Ryan Whitney]

What was it? 920?

[Keith Yandle]

No. 990 or 9.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, right there. Biz. I. I didn't think it was that close.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think you got to say sorry.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, I didn't get a thousand, so you stole the apology.

[Keith Yandle]

I wasn't chirping you. I was just correcting. Yeah, correcting the other thing.

[Roberto Luongo]

I'll kick you off the podcast.

[Ryan Whitney]

The other thing that. That if you're watching on YouTube, go subscribe is you'll see the shirts we're wearing.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

We've teamed up with the NHL Alumni association, and it's a merch collection where we got myself. We got Merles. We got Keith yelling sonk with his head up. We got Biz Nasty, who requested with the PA that there was a little blood coming out of his face on.

[Keith Yandle]

His character sitting on the bench.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, he's putting in the. He's putting in the. What do you. What do you. Connect the music with the. He's holding an aux cord.

[Roberto Luongo]

Reprint them and add that everyone else.

[Keith Yandle]

Is on the ice.

[Roberto Luongo]

I figured we'd make them very authentic and sell the out of them. And as Whit mentioned, for the alumni association 25th year anniversary, we're doing special he with heels, doing special interviews all season long. Featured from the NHL Alumni association, as well as donating a thousand dollars for every goal that Alexander ovechkin scores.

[Ryan Whitney]

Has 10.

[Roberto Luongo]

10 goals already.

[Ryan Whitney]

He has. He needs 32 more goals. And I know Biz, it has to be next year, but if you can't see any every time he scores. He got two on Sunday night. Or was it Saturday night? It's just like there's Another one. There's another one. And you can't tell me. We had this discussion last week that coming to the end of this year with the Capitals looking like they will be in a firm playoff spot, the season might have just gone down the drain with me saying that. But with them competing as well as they have, with this good of a team and him lighting it up, it's looking like a legend.

[Roberto Luongo]

I was coming from a marketing perspective and going head to head with. You were seasoned, you know, in October and then a little bit into November, if it were to get stretched out. But at this point, I think it's imminent. He's going to break it at the end of the season. What were your thoughts on that? Would you like to see him break it at the end of this year or drag into next season about 12 to 15 games? Because the NHL could get a little bit more love.

[Keith Yandle]

Well, I think for him, obviously for him, he wants to do it this year and get it over with and, you know, just focus on, you know, playing games. But I think right now it helps because their team's playing well, he's playing well. It's probably taking the focus off of it a little bit more because they're playing so good. But it could also be one of those things where coming down to the end of the end of the season, getting in the playoffs, the seeding and him scoring huge goals, like overtime. I could see it towards the end of the year happening where it's like, must win games, must watch TV against Pittsburgh. Who knows if something like that.

[Roberto Luongo]

Game 82. Give it to me. Yeah. Against Crosby and Malin as fellow countrymen. What gets me changing my mind a little bit with his. With his smart takes.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, the craziest stat I saw of the week. I don't understand it. It was the first time that OV and Sid have both been named one of the top three stars. That was crazy in their career.

[Keith Yandle]

Wait, what?

[Ryan Whitney]

So the league does the top three stars the week, every week. This year they were both in the top. This week they were both Past week, they're both in the top three. That had never happened before. What it makes. I think I retweeted, like, this isn't true. They're making this up. And just shocking news to see him still do it. It's wild. But you did mention, like, you know, Sunday when we just talking about Sunday.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, we're talking about the alumni association and I got talking about OVI because of the donation.

[Ryan Whitney]

You were talking about ovi, but I wanted to get to we are doing a live show in Chicago. This is right around the Winter Classic. This is going to be incredible. We tried to do our first ever there. People know no audio, bad audio. Tough look. Really tough look for the boys. But we're back. So we got 12-29-4pm Biz wants to go against Goodell. He wants to he wants to talk about and have NHL games all Sunday. Well we're going to give you a live show.

[Roberto Luongo]

There's going to be no 1 at the Bears game.

[Ryan Whitney]

Bears don't play. Biz and the Bears they sting one of the most pathetic franchises in all sports. Truly they they don't play. Oh and the hawks play at seven. We're at four little pre drink tickets on sale this Thursday 12pm Eastern Noon Barstoolsports.com events and these special shirts that we were just talking about you can also buy those on the barstool Canada and US store 10am right now you're probably listening to this. You can go buy one of these shirts. It's sick. Just maybe wait till they put Biz's aux cord into his his newer version.

[Keith Yandle]

How good of a hockey day will that be? Go to the live show then go to the Hawks game.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh dream dream Hawks. Hopefully we'll start playing a little better. I don't know necessarily about we're going.

[Roberto Luongo]

To try to line up some pretty special guests to come out and surprise. I don't think we're going to name all of them in advance of it all but Keith, you're going to be there. I'm sure the whack pack Merles and Army will be there. Chiclets memes is going to be use.

[Ryan Whitney]

Accent or his voice who means he I'm going to Chicago. You're going. I know a girl there met her on an app couple years back. She loves the nights do go night go memesy. I can't wait to see that kid. So down in Florida right now we mentioned the sandbagger. We did. Have you ever gotten ice cream with bis Keith?

[Keith Yandle]

I have definitely have but I mean it's probably just like anytime he orders anything it's oh here we go.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was one of the most chaotic.

[Keith Yandle]

Was he try every I've brought don't.

[Ryan Whitney]

Even say I brought five six year old kids to get ice cream after a baseball game.

[Keith Yandle]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was like going to a spa and having a relaxation day of meditation and massage compared to going to get ice cream with this. We're sitting there fish goes easy order G goes no problem Sir. Pasha goes. At this point, he's had. I saw five. Can I get a sample? He asked for five. And the girl's eyes started being like, all right, I think this has to wrap up at some point. Pasha notices while I'm noticing. So then we kind of make eye contact. Like, dude, are you watching what's going on right now? I get out my phone, I start videoing it. He doesn't even see the phone. He's in his own world. He's like, oh, that. Oh, can I get a little sample of that one?

[Keith Yandle]

Nine little spoons in his hand.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, she cut him off.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, she did.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, she did.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's a lie.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was he not cut off?

[Roberto Luongo]

He was cut off.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then it was said. It was said that. It. Pasha said, what is the most samples you've ever given? She's like, four. Until this guy. This woman was. She was.

[Roberto Luongo]

Her brain was the defense take the stand.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sure.

[Roberto Luongo]

Can the defense take. I think that if you're going to get three scoops of ice cream, mind you, I only end up getting two scoops of ice cream. I think you should be able to sample at least two kinds until you make a decision on one of the scoops. I was going, you want six for.

[Ryan Whitney]

Three scoops, you want six samples?

[Roberto Luongo]

I just want to try these. They have homemade flavors, like the. For instance, the p. Pistachio. You go.

[Keith Yandle]

Tastes like every other pistachio.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, man. They had fresh pistachio. It was like homemade ice cream. So I tried it, and to the point where the pistachios had a little bit of, like, they were soft, so it was delicious. So that was going to be one of my flavors. So I ended up trying, like, the. The. Not the birthday cake. The cotton candy.

[Keith Yandle]

Did it tastes like cotton candy. That's. I give my kids one try because every fucking ice cream. It's vanilla cookies and cream, you know, Every single one. But then if they have a mystery one you can try.

[Roberto Luongo]

They had a Snickers version.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right. Who knows what a Snickers taste like?

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, I know, but they're hungry. Their version of it might not be appealing. So I tried it. I wasn't that crazy about it. I moved on to a different one, which was the vanilla with chocolate chunk, which I did like. So I decided on. So I don't think it's that ridiculous. So you people listening? If you think that you're able to get two samples for every scoop that you end up deciding on six samples for three scoops.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Have.

[Roberto Luongo]

Thank you. Have my back. And I don't know why the posh is laughing, but posha, you get two. He likes the devil.

[Ryan Whitney]

By the time he was done getting samples, they were putting in the waffle cones for tomorrow's ice cream. It was nuts. The guy's like, all right. He was like, time to make the donuts. And I'm like, biz, you got better.

[Roberto Luongo]

Than Whit taking a. With the invulnerable.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, my God, listen to this. So this Sloan's ice cream in Delray 1 right here. Atlantic AB.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's the place.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I will say about the ice cream, all of them being very similar in the same. I'm a chocolate chip guy. There's either the big chocolate chips or the little ones.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't like big ones.

[Ryan Whitney]

Neither do I. I love one. So.

[Roberto Luongo]

But.

[Ryan Whitney]

But when this is like, what's cotton candy tastes like? Dude, you've been. You've been to a carnival in your life. Yeah, it tastes like that sugar. That's different colors.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

So in this place, there's a bathroom. And you see into the bathroom until you lock the door. And then it. So there's like this long line. And. And right. Like the kids were kind of like, oh, my God, like, you're gonna be able to see him go to the bathroom. Boom. It locks in the. And the window blacks out. So I was like, all right, brief film.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wait.

[Roberto Luongo]

Kind of a bizarre thing to have in a super wide this story.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, they'll probably be people who hear this and be like, yeah. Which should probably be on like a list somewhere. Like, so it's got a smile.

[Roberto Luongo]

You're on camera.

[Keith Yandle]

This is trying ice cream in the shitter.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I said, brief, brief film this because, like, the kids were kind of so amazed by it. And I just walked in like goofy and didn't lock the door and just quickly got the. Like, it's. I said, when you see. When you see on the toilet, you can obviously tell I'm. I. No problems here. No problems legally, but yet. But I sat there. I sat there just pretending to smash.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like.

[Ryan Whitney]

And Ryder was. And you. You can see through. Ryder's losing his mind. Like. And then I got out, my brother in law's dying laughing. And. And he's like, dude, are there any other kids in this line? There was like some teenagers in the back. But the whole point of this, point of the story is. So I'm telling these guys this not.

[Roberto Luongo]

Gonna be on the podcast anymore.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sorry, guys. All of a sudden, Chris Hansen walks in.

[Keith Yandle]

Why don't you Take a seat.

[Ryan Whitney]

Why don't you take a seat? He's like, we have footage from Sloan's ice cream in 2018. So I, I, these guys, like, didn't believe me or whatever, and I said, they send me that video. So I sent it to the chat this morning, and army and Merles aren't with us. And I said, here it is. And Army's so confused because it looks like it legit. Looks like a kid's candy store or kids, like, clothing store from what you can see on the video I sent. And I'm like, yeah, I got arrested. Kind of a disaster. A little bit of a problem. And, like, guys are kind of laughing, responding. And then army text me size, like, bro, are you out? Like, what? Who arrested you? Like, that's coming tomorrow now. But it hasn't happened yet. So. Yeah, interesting night. Getting ice. And then another story comes out about biz.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wait, wait, wait.

[Roberto Luongo]

Before we get there, before we get there, you do document along on your phone and you showed us a video of when you were in Russia. Yeah, I talk about. Have you ever seen these videos of.

[Keith Yandle]

These, like, I've seen some crazy videos.

[Roberto Luongo]

The, what do you call those planes?

[Ryan Whitney]

Like f. I have no idea. I, I guess we could post them on the YouTube we, we talked about.

[Mike Grinelli]

In the very early days of spit.

[Roberto Luongo]

And J. Yeah, we have a whole.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. So do I just describe it or we just drop.

[Roberto Luongo]

I want you to describe, Describe it. Yeah. And we're going to post it on the. You YouTube if you subscribe. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. That's fair enough. This isn't even planned. It sounds like we're just like, forcing you through trick.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, no, you don't. I'm just kidding. You don't have to subscribe. Just go watch YouTube.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I was in Sochi and we lived in the Olympic village and it was just like the team. There was probably enough rooms to have a thousand athletes. I don't know exactly, but there was a nice hotel. And then the team was in the Olympic village. It's right on the Black Sea. So my place there was a little bit of a, you know, an outside area to sit, a balcony. And you're. It was beautiful view right over the Black Sea. It was a beautiful. It was night. Very nice weather there for Russia. Warm quite often. Didn't really snow. And I would have the window open a lot. You know, it's like 55, 60 out or the door open. And one of the days I heard like, what sounded like a plane very close, like an enormous plane that the. The noise of the engine and I went outside, I'm like, what the fuck? And there is a monster plane flying. What you guys could correct me, looks to be about 200ft above the water, looking like a. Not a 747, but the next one that would go Atlanta to Boston, say, you know, and there's a boat coming and the boat is driving one way and the plane is flying overhead the other and immediately drops what looks like 40,000 gallons of some sort of liquid on these people driving the boat. And I'm like. And then next thing you know, and you'll hear in the video, it's like boat police flying upon the boat that just got sky dumped upon by the Russian airliner. And I was like, what the fuck? And then the next day I hear the same thing. I'm like, no. And I go out and this time, as opposed to. You'll see in the video, subscribe to the YouTube. The plane flying kind of along and in front of my place. Well, this time this plane is flying directly at my builder, directly at my building. And I'm like, what is going on here? And what looks further away than when what I remember in person, the plane just. And goes.

[Roberto Luongo]

It looked like a Top Gun plane moving. I'm like, how the. Did that big plane just pull up that quick?

[Ryan Whitney]

And I never. I remember putting it on Insta. Like I've always had a private Instagram and I remember putting it on that. And people were like, what the. And I'm like, yeah. And I asked the Russian players, we were showing Darcy Tucker this the other night and he had asked like, did you ever ask anyone about it? I'm like, yeah. So I kind of showed the video to a couple Russian players and asked him about it. And like anything else, when you ask Russian players, they just say, is Russia?

[Keith Yandle]

So what were they doing? What were they dropping?

[Roberto Luongo]

And they.

[Ryan Whitney]

So we. I had no idea. Fish during dinner decided to maybe Google it. I'm not even really going to go into what he's saying. It possibly could have been in which.

[Roberto Luongo]

It'S like trying to hose off, dropping.

[Ryan Whitney]

Things on Ukrainian boats that were delivering things. Like now we're getting to geopolitical warfare type conversation.

[Keith Yandle]

But this was before.

[Roberto Luongo]

I just think it's the BO they had probably that they're trying to rinse. It was Axe body.

[Keith Yandle]

It was a army plane.

[Ryan Whitney]

It didn't.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There was.

[Roberto Luongo]

There was nothing on it.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, there's nothing on it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Just sheet metal that they welded together.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dropping out the like porta potty section of the plane under these poor boaters who probably just caught a three eyed fish out of the black sea. So incredible experience. But the other story that came out about biz and I don't know where.

[Roberto Luongo]

This came from, this was when me and Pasha were going to get camera equipment downtown Vancouver for business. BC so early days, like we, we know each other, but not nearly as much as now. And I bump into, I think it's this guy that I kind of already knew. And you know when you're kind of jammed up and your wheels are spinning and you're thinking about a million other things and you're trying to be polite. And he was with his girlfriend and right away I was like, hey, what's up, man? Hey, is this your mom? And it was just, who was it that is?

[Ryan Whitney]

And then he's like. It was like, what do you do?

[Roberto Luongo]

It was his girlfriend that was probably 25 years old. And she obviously just, you know, maybe looked a little bit older. So it was just one of those like, hey, when you do and they're not pregnant. Probably not as bad as that. But the conversation, the end of the conversation was pretty awkward, to say the least. And when we walked away, Posh was just like, bro, like, what the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was that why this is the business? Oh, yeah, sorry. CTE's concussions, bro. He can walk, he can talk himself out of anything.

[Keith Yandle]

L5S5.1.

[Ryan Whitney]

L5S1.

[Roberto Luongo]

So that was another L in my life. Me and Pasha have been together for some very, very weird experiences. Most of the time it's when we sit down for dinner where, I mean, you probably don't shock her to you, me ordering. Why, why, why do you have an issue with my orders?

[Keith Yandle]

It was crazy. Used to just be, all right, we're gonna have share.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gotta share.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Then you went through that phase where everything and then. But sharing with him is him eating everything and leaving one slice of, you know, sushi.

[Roberto Luongo]

This was no fish was sitting beside me yesterday.

[Keith Yandle]

And it did.

[Roberto Luongo]

And we ordered two of each pasta. So everybody got a half order of each pastas, two steaks, Everybody got a half a steak. And then same with the appies. Guys, if you're listening and you like having a little like tour of Italy, so to speak, where you get to taste every little thing on the menu, as opposed to being pot committed to one thing and you might not like it. I think you get together with a group of guys at the. Group of guys at the table, whoever wants to be involved and do that sort of thing. But these two Guys, every time I offer it up, they're like. They put their hand down.

[Ryan Whitney]

We know you eat all of it.

[Keith Yandle]

And we get a little half a slice.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, it's like playing with a guy and you don't. You know. You know, you're never getting the puck from them. And you're like, you see me open. You see me open. You just never get it. With you ordering, we're never getting any of the food you're not distributing. So we've seen enough. Where last night, where he's. He had. He had Darcy Tucker, Steve Thomas, and Fish to his right. And he's like, all right, boys. And he kind of bullies you into it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Not. Yes, yes, I had Fish, and I had.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he's like, your job. And Thomas Stumpy's like, hey, wait, you want to get involved? And right away, I was like, no, he doesn't do this shit, man. He needs his own meal. I'm like, oh, like, every person that goes out to dinner, for the most part, unless you're at Maggiano's. Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Hey, I want Fish to talk about this. What was your experience?

[Keith Yandle]

Like, dude, he has corduroy shorts on. You think he cares?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, no, I got bullied into it, for sure. I had. I had my meal picked out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And I knew right away as soon as you looked at me, and you're.

[Keith Yandle]

Like, it's a foursome. It's a foursome.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm like, all right, I lost the seat lottery on this.

[Keith Yandle]

He was that ice cream with Fish. He's like, we're gonna try everything, and you're gonna.

[Ryan Whitney]

His birthday last year and San Jose, and we were getting ice cream. It's the same deal. I got my ice cream first. I sit down. By the time I finish my ice cream, he's like, still sampling the ice cream. He's in none.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How.

[Roberto Luongo]

How was the proportion at dinner of what you got to eat of each meal, though?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, I know because we've been doing this now for a while, so I know to eat fast. Like, you got to get there quick. So it shouldn't be a ring. That's exactly it, you know, it shouldn't be like that. It's done.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. Like, we got appies, and we got, like a.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like a steak skewer. Like, I didn't try the steak skewer because. Well, I also.

[Roberto Luongo]

I got.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got the salmon. Not to go into my entire order. I got the miso salmon, black rice. Incredible order of Avalon.

[Roberto Luongo]

You can see it on the YouTube.

[Ryan Whitney]

Avalon on it. So I We have.

[Roberto Luongo]

We have a picture of the place.

[Keith Yandle]

This is a Jada podcast. Just talking about food.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, that's the only reason Luongo came on. We're just talking about bacon pizzas the whole time. But what was I saying? Oh, and I got. And I. But I. So but before I ordered a smash burger because I was like, I'll just have like half of that. And I cut it in half. My. Anyone A half. Half burger and fish is like. And business like, oh, there's like a great white jumping over like a fish to get this like minnow he wanted. So it's like we're going four ways.

[Roberto Luongo]

He's like, no, I got our own meal. I'm like, you want your family alive tomorrow.

[Ryan Whitney]

You want to have a job to be a part of this podcast.

[Roberto Luongo]

O bucks.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so. So that. That's kind of Florida so far.

[Roberto Luongo]

But so and. And a little word of advice to you people don't ever ask. Is that your mother just let them do the talking. Of course.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. No one ever would. No, you don't have to tell anyone that. No one is ever saying that in the history of mankind.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, I don't even know if like a first grade or what they'd be like, oh, no.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, okay. I'm taking a few L's this pod.

[Ryan Whitney]

We haven't other than Keith on the show since. Oh, you know. Major breaking news around Chiclets Cup. I was fired for the smirk hurled around the world. Keith then formed a team, the Boston Stranglers Bums. And in the meantime of Keith building a squad to take down the big deal selects top big deal select player. Justin Pender has been in the national news in Canada.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, he's. Yeah. Public enemy number one in all of Canada right now. CBC's all over him. He's getting death threats issued toward him. And obviously I'm going to be there for one of our fearless leaders. But I'll let you take the story as to what happened with. But you know, we got a bit of a predicament here.

[Keith Yandle]

You think?

[Ryan Whitney]

The only thing I'm confused about is if this is a new league or not. Because G had mentioned he thought this was the first year of this league.

[Roberto Luongo]

I wasn't sure about senior senior hockey in Newfoundland. So I think that it's been established a very long time. Maybe this particular organization or team is new. But I believe senior A hockey has been around for a very long time.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I remember guys talking about senior A hockey.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's forever.

[Keith Yandle]

Like donor's dad played in it.

[Mike Grinelli]

So in the article, it said, the launch of a new Avalon east senior hockey league has been marred by an offense altercation between some players and fans and Harbor Grace.

[Keith Yandle]

My favorite thing about the whole story was they were like, here at Dan Cleary Arena.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was just Danny Cleary community.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Probably.

[Keith Yandle]

Sitting there like, are you serious, dude?

[Ryan Whitney]

And I, I've always called Pender at our games Matthias ekholm. He is 50 times meaner than Matthias Echolm, who plays with an edge. But Pender is the guy in the most recent Chicklets Cup. He's like, I'll cut your throat off. Or he's Ogie or he is an animal. He plays angry if he's, he's a machine. While something happened on the ice and the original clip had gone viral of him doing the fake baseball bat swing at the guy on the bench, which then led to the ref pushing him off the ice or escorting him off the ice as he kind of went, another guy who was talking, and I think it was days later that this video came out where, you know, those two fans come out of the crowd and all of a sudden other best part of this story was the general manager of the team who released the statement. It was like it was game four, the Stanley cup finals, and he had a top player being suspended. He's like, I don't agree with the call. Justin Pender is a great community member and this society appreciates him. It's like it's senior hockey. Like, it was a straight up official general manager statement, though. But these fans get down low and they're hollering at him from about what?

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, where the dressing rooms are. And the fans were kind of taunting him and egging him on to come scrap.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

So.

[Ryan Whitney]

And a lot of comments are like, this is men's league. What are you doing? This is what happens when you have guys playing a physical sport, which this men's league is way more official than like a shinny hockey league back home.

[Keith Yandle]

They have GMs.

[Ryan Whitney]

They have general managers and team presidents. So I, I get the juices get flowing. Pender's nuts. He's an animal. These guys are yelling at him. This is kind of what happens.

[Roberto Luongo]

I, I, this is, this is a world where people like that have never had their face caved in. Right?

[Ryan Whitney]

Exactly.

[Roberto Luongo]

And they need one of those to smarten them the fuck up to stop egging people on.

[Ryan Whitney]

And they come down chirping at him like, what do you think's gonna happen?

[Roberto Luongo]

So it just so happens Justin Pender is the type of guy that's gonna oblige that if you haven't seen any of our Chicklets cup videos, he has no problem in gaining, engaging in any type of physical altercation. So he goes down there, starts throwing some hammers and all of a sudden I want to say he's completely suspended from the league and can't even go to that arena anymore.

[Ryan Whitney]

This article says he's been suspended for three games, but some say it isn't enough. Did they change it?

[Roberto Luongo]

I think originally it sounded like he was going to be suspended forever. So now I'm hearing that he's getting three games. Maybe they've rescinded it, but that's good news that he's only getting three games. Probably based on all the things that his GM said about him, which he's a good, you know, community member and, and all those things above. But I'll say this, we got one.

[Ryan Whitney]

More year as an rfa. We got to get this guy signed.

[Roberto Luongo]

And as a member of the Big deal selects and really their owner, I'd be ready to hand the guy to see. And I think that he's not only sending a message to those punks in the hallway, he's sending a message to the Boston Stranglers who think they can just mosey on in to Chiclet's cup and beat some actual ball hockey players. Well, not only do we have guys who can put the puck in the net or the ball. Excuse me, we have some guys that can cave your faces in because the Boston Stranglers apparently are built on. On.

[Ryan Whitney]

On scoring goals and winning.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, on trying to bully people.

[Keith Yandle]

I think we got a little bit of. We got a nice healthy, like Louis, like Lou was talking about you, Bill you. We got a little bit of grit and we got some finesse and we'll be fine. Don't worry about our team.

[Ryan Whitney]

The quote is unbelievable. If your GM says this about you, how happy would you be? I'll stand with him until the day he dies.

[Keith Yandle]

It's probably his own.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, that is like.

[Keith Yandle]

Is this also not the guy who didn' up for one of your games?

[Roberto Luongo]

No, no.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was con man.

[Roberto Luongo]

That was con man. Not mention. Justin Penner is actually the GM of the team too. So he acts as both. That's why.

[Keith Yandle]

As an alias.

[Roberto Luongo]

So that's huge. That's huge for us. That's such a morale thing that, that galvanizes our group. My favorite word I like to use. And we're, we're ready to go into Chicklets cup.

[Keith Yandle]

So anytime he might not be able to travel, though. He's going to get arrested for that. No, we'll bring it.

[Roberto Luongo]

We'll get him in on a pj.

[Keith Yandle]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, exactly. Team like busting some of the imports on the bottom of the.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think the Berry Colts got caught at the. The Detroit border trying to smuggle a guy over to go play Plymouth. And then at the time, I think it was maybe Lake Erie or not Erie. ERI Otters. Erie Otters.

[Ryan Whitney]

Imagine how uncomfortable that was on the. Must have been freezing.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think they. I think they pulled over before they got to the border. Like, you know, five minutes before. No, no. Five minutes before they got there. He would get off. He didn't have to.

[Keith Yandle]

Right after the game.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what's. It's four hours. It's four hours. Guys are getting on with pizzas. They're like, go ahead, bud.

[Keith Yandle]

He's in the wet bag.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was worse than anything you said.

[Roberto Luongo]

Exactly. Suck on that. Karma's a.

[Keith Yandle]

Hey, but if you think.

[Roberto Luongo]

Rest in peace.

[Ryan Whitney]

If you played bad, you did have to do the whole ride in the vlog.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Do you think that that video is, like, intimidating the stranglers? I got texts from my team, like, does this guy think he's, you know, putting any fear into our team? Like, our team? We. We eat that for lunch.

[Ryan Whitney]

Really?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

You think you have a tougher player on your team than Justin?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

You want to, like, show. Give me a name.

[Keith Yandle]

No, I'm not doing names yet.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's gonna make a roster announcement close to the attorney.

[Roberto Luongo]

Have we announced a location yet? Is it going to be in Boston?

[Mike Grinelli]

No, G. No, we're not sure yet.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Still.

[Mike Grinelli]

We're still looking.

[Roberto Luongo]

We're only.

[Keith Yandle]

We're only playing if it's in Boston.

[Roberto Luongo]

I would love to go to your city and bend you boys over. No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spit.

[Roberto Luongo]

No.

[Keith Yandle]

I'd love Pen to try of my fans.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Them fighting words back to. To. I guess also professional hockey, just on a. A grander scale. The national hockey. Yeah, I. I guess the Winnipeg jets have made us look beyond foolish. Worse than last year, where army was the only one to pick them to do anything. Now they're coming back. They got the fraud squad comment last year. They got worked in the first round. 14 and 1. The best start in the history of the NHL. And I. I. We've talked about him every episode. You're kind of waiting for them to possibly slow down. Nope. They are a wagon Hellebuck with maybe the one of the funniest chants of the year by Winnipeg fans chanting a us backup. Us backup at Jake Ottinger when they're playing.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh my God.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because Hellebuck has come out and been incredible. He signs that deal, right? Him and Scheifele on the same day. I believe everyone was kind of shocked.

[Roberto Luongo]

I thought that they were going to, you know, look towards the future and probably trade them for a lot of assets in return. Shovel Day off has done just an exceptional job. You talk about all the adversity you have not getting, you know, big time free agents. They're not shy to spend money. But from just drafting, developing, making great trades and, and keeping guys who want to play there, that's. That's not necessarily easy. If you said, you know, if you pulled the NHL players and you said where would the last place you'd want to play in the NHL, I bet you a majority of them would say probably Winnipeg or maybe Edmonton.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not when they're good, but sure.

[Roberto Luongo]

But just from a living standpoint, like you're. If they were all me, there's nothing really to do socially. You're in Canada, so you're going to get mobbed. Like, hey, listen, I'm just being honest. I would have played anywhere because I would have just been grateful to be in the league. Do you not agree with that comment?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, 100%. And that's why I think you made a good point with Shovel Day off. Doing such a good job of building his team, you know, through drafting guys that want to. We talked to Scheifele, I was doing the Amazon, the thing with NHL and you could just tell like a guy like him, he loves being there.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yes.

[Keith Yandle]

He's, you know, I hate to say the word nerd. Hockey nerd, I think he'd call himself that. But he goes to the rink, he watches his games at home and you know, he's just, he's there for hockey and he's probably like, hey, listen, I'm gonna. No distraction, 15, 20 years of my life, live here and you know, hopefully win some cups and you know, be in, you know, Canada, the mecca of hockey. And yeah, I do. I think that Shovel Day has done an unbelievable job of just, you know, obviously making tough decisions that they'd had to with Blake Wheeler, a guy that had been there moving on from him and it's just what he's building. When you have the best goalie in the world, obviously it helps a lot and that Connor too. Coming.

[Roberto Luongo]

Connor, the electric factory. I don't know if you heard his interview on Here he's the best.

[Keith Yandle]

He's insane.

[Ryan Whitney]

Every year he. He lights it up quietly. We've always talked about it. Right now it would be different. But going into the season last year, if you talk about USA best on best, like he's never like the first.

[Roberto Luongo]

Name people say he would never be a shoe in.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I. No, I think the point was he always is a shoo in. But fans, when you think of USA stars, yeah, he's down the list. Part of it being in Winnipeg. But yeah, him and Schiffer and then Ehlers who's like all over the trade rumors all summer UFA season or we might have one more year.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, I think he's done after this year.

[Ryan Whitney]

UFA season. He's lighting it up. We talked about him last year as the all time Danish scoring leader. He broke that record our last pod. Yeah, it just keeps being winner. Everything's coming up Winnipeg. And the amazing part was somehow you clown Leafs fans, you still made this like record. A little bit about yourselves, I saw everywhere 141 best start ever. I tweeted they're drumming everyone.

[Roberto Luongo]

Not everyone we beat in. Leafs come to one loss.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thanks guys. Thanks, guys. They're 14 and one. It's not all about you, Toronto biz. And I know in your head you're.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like, we got you like to correct me when I'm over ordering or over sampling. And you know, maybe they just wanted to keep you honest, Woody boy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Very true, very true. So these fans, they gave it. They're the only ones with any sort of bragging rights over the Winnipeg Jetson. I guess we're going to say all year it like this is awesome story. It's really shocking to see for some, but it doesn't really matter until the playoffs. It's like the Leafs actually.

[Roberto Luongo]

People don't think. They're like, they're like, oh, this doesn't mean nothing. I think that I go back to the Tampa Bay when they ended up losing to Columbus, when they had the. What did they win the President's trophy that year where sometimes you have to go through those like embarrassing moments. A lot of them though, I understand, I understand they've had a lot of them. But sometimes you have to go through those embarrassing moments where I don't think expectations that ever been that high to only win one game in playoffs, you know, the one year they ended up going, I believe to the conference finals. Against who? Nashville.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think Vegas got him in Los Angeles. Or it was.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's right, it was Vegas and their inaugural season. But I just think sometimes you have to go through that and I don't think the expectation is they were going to have a hot start because they would still be, you know, emotionally rattled from getting embarrassed and you know, like, like Ehler is a coming up free agent. Hella buck, you know, I don't think he had necessarily the best playoffs. So how is he going to respond? And they're right back to business as usual and, and I don't think everybody had anybody had this expectation. And another thing too is that game against Dallas when they were chanting America's backup to Ottinger. It was a sellout and I don't think that that had happened yet.

[Ryan Whitney]

It had one, I think one other one.

[Roberto Luongo]

Maybe it was the home opener teams.

[Keith Yandle]

On a heater like this.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, listen, the economy's not great there.

[Keith Yandle]

And you know, the warmest place in the city.

[Roberto Luongo]

I, I get that. And I don't think that they get that corporate sponsorship like everywhere else, but just more add more adversity into what they got going on makes that much more special in my opinion.

[Keith Yandle]

The, the way that it's shaping up right now. And you can go back to Paul Maurice's comments when he was like I want Winnipeg to win a Cup. You look at Winnipeg in Florida right now, one or two in the lead.

[Ryan Whitney]

Back like I take it back, man. It's like, sorry about that.

[Keith Yandle]

I met next year.

[Ryan Whitney]

I just never thought they'd get there. Yeah, no offense.

[Keith Yandle]

So that would, that would be a fun, I mean we're in November.

[Roberto Luongo]

But I just don't, I, I, I, I can't take you seriously if you don't think that they should be listed as a Stanley cup contender. They have, they have an immense amount of depth up front. They have a, a Vesna goal winning goaltender who's won two, who's probably going to win a third if he continues as such a Hall of Famer. I think that with Pon and after Morrissey and Pian, it gets a little thin on the back end. But they'll have the opportunity to go make a big trade and get somebody at the deadline which if you look like, I think that top to bottom they're more impressive than, than, than Edmonton.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, always coming in Edmonton.

[Roberto Luongo]

I'm going, I'm going after what people would consider the contenders in the west, which would be Dallas, which would be Edmonton, which would be Vegas. And maybe some people might have LA in there, maybe some people wouldn't. They've had a great start.

[Ryan Whitney]

Weird season so far.

[Roberto Luongo]

Very weird season so. But I think that those, the. The at least the three big ones would be Dallas, Edmonton and Vegas coming in. People have said for sure contenders in the West, I think top to bottom, they're just as impressive if it off more than. Than all those three teams.

[Ryan Whitney]

I look at them as a Stanley cup contender. I do. It's just all about. I also look at the Leafs as a Stanley cup contender, but I don't know, like, it's just part of me that thinks neither one of those teams will get it done. That's.

[Roberto Luongo]

But.

[Ryan Whitney]

But yeah, they are right there. When you talk about top of the league, I mean, look at their record. And they're fun to watch. It's an excite. They just roll lines. And when we talked about all off season, about the winners and the losers, Nashville was the winner. Nashville crushed everyone and Winnipeg was a loser. And I think on the post free agency deadline episode we did, we're like, what the hell? You didn't do anything. And look at what's happened as we go down to Nashville now. They spent all this dough. They had all these expectations. Barry Trots is like balls to the wall. I saw a tweet or a video of Philippe Forsberg saying, like, the group chat was going bananas on July 1st, and it's been the exact opposite as the Winnipeg jets, who sucked in the summer. It's crazy. And now that Trots has come out and people have talked about the rebuild comment and maybe I'll have to rebuild. It's ridiculous. It can't happen. But it's shocking to see what's happened. They're 17 points out of the first spot in the Central.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think. I think he knows exactly what he's doing. He's just trying to light a fire under their ass right now. I think that any team that's led by guys like Ryan O'Reilly, you have to imagine they turn it around last year, you know, they were out of playoffs and they go on that magical run. Now you have even more time to figure things out. You have a guy, like, he's not worried. I'm not worried. Based on the response with less time to deal with last year and the fact that I truly believe that it's just the GM trying to light a spark underneath these guys.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. He can't mean that, right? 100 and something million. This, this like, it's like you adopt.

[Ryan Whitney]

A dog and it just won't stop barking. You're just like, I. I gotta return. So this isn't working out.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, that's a Hell of an analogy.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're, you're, you're locked in with these guys. Biz, I'm sticking, you're saying, you're saying, hold on.

[Roberto Luongo]

But guys, you, you have to get acclimated to a new team, new systems. Like, you know, guys might not be passing it on. The power play exactly where you're used to getting it. Like Stamcoast isn't getting feeds from, from, from Cooch, but the guy's probably going to be a Hall of Famer himself, so he'll have the ability to figure it out. You have another guy who came in who got paid a ton of money on a five year deal, Marchie who, who, I mean, he won a Con Smythe. So if you don't believe that the, this group of leaders and veterans can figure it out, I mean, I guess I just don't agree with you. And I just, I think the statement was more to light a funder fire under their ass. And I think Evangelista was asked about it after the one game and he goes, I just think in the locker room we just need to play with a little bit more piss and vinegar and we need to get a little bit angry. I think they came in like, hey, we spent all this money, we got these goal scorers. It's going to be a little bit easy. And I think it was army who made the point. Or maybe Merle's like, you know, some of the young guys might be a little tentative to take their spots and not want to step on those veterans toes coming in where I think what makes a healthy environment is competing for those PP1 times in those, those first line minutes. So maybe there's been too much delegation where it needs to be more competitive.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I was just gonna say like they're, they're a team too. Right. And I think Andrew Burnett's a great coach. I had him in Florida, he's awesome. Gets the most out of guys. Players coach too. And I just think when they do get it going, they're going to be a problem to play against in playoffs. If they have to battle back, if they do somehow find their way in, no one's going to want to play them.

[Ryan Whitney]

I wasn't even saying that. I don't think they can. I just. You can run out of time quick. It becomes late early, as they say. And, and if you don't figure it out at some point here, the old American Thanksgiving thing. But no, I'm not, I am not writing them off.

[Roberto Luongo]

I just, like we talked about leadership, I like how the accountabilities in the locker room. I think Ryan O'Reilly, that was like two or three games ago. He said, that was one of the worst games I've ever played. So there's a lot of looking in the mirror right now and going back to what you said, like their coaching staff and their head coach. He's great. He's experienced, he's played the game. I think they're going to. They're going to turn this around and going back to Trots. Comments. I don't think he meant that in any regard. I think that was strictly using the media to play with your team.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know you just brought up Brunette and he's done a hell of a job. Many people were like, how do you get rid of him in Florida after that season? He did great with Nashville. But it is. Is as we come upon the time of. You're going to see coaches fired. This league's nuts. Is there ever a chance Trots would end up being behind the bench of this team?

[Keith Yandle]

Hallelujah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now, it's crazy and maybe too difficult to do full time.

[Keith Yandle]

Both.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think everyone said that now, but, like, you don't want Brunette to lose his job at all. But if he does and he comes in and he's like the. What do they call it? The interim. You never know. You never know. If you keep losing, that'll be the first thing to happen. He can't really trade anyone. That's.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. I didn't know you were going to talk about that. I would have. How many years does Brunette have left? Because Nashville doesn't exactly have a ton of money, so it's a little tricky getting in the money of firing coaches and then having to pay a guy who's. Who's not actually working and then rehiring another guy. You did say Trots Inter. Maybe till the rest of the year.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it's just a spitball.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, no, I hear you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because he's. He's been so good as a coach. Right. He was an unreal coach all those years in the NHL. So it's a crazy story we got to keep our eye on. And I just mean if they don't get going soon, they are in one.

[Roberto Luongo]

They did put Fabro on waivers. That was a change claimed. And, And, And I. I think that Columbus.

[Ryan Whitney]

Right.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think that Kiefer Sherwood move and you know, sometimes that money. Who goes to pay those two stars that come in? You don't. You can't afford a guy like that. Where. I think that was a Big miss. That was an energy guy that would, would drag you into the fight night in, night out. I think he's leading the league in hits right now. He's a spark plug. He does have a little bit of finish when he gets his opportunities. So, you know, sometimes you like that big shiny free agent toy where maybe you're saying goodbye to a, you know, a foundational player who wasn't going to make nearly as enough as much money, but he's a heart and soul guy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hey, this is Fran from Chicks in the Office.

[Ryan Whitney]

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[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

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[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

Shop online or in store. Keith, we gotta get your opinion and biz. I want to hear you on what's going on in Boston. The Sens, they got him in overtime. That, that was my little call last, last week that the Sens could be better than the Bruins this year. Monty, do you think he's on the hot seat? Keith, we talked about this prior and he had some comments about Zadorov where he said, yeah, there's times he's really figuring out our system and playing well. And then there's other times he's kind of on his own.

[Roberto Luongo]

And Then also Pierre McGuire, I don't know what podcast he was on talking about it. He said that maybe the knock on Zadorov. And keep in mind, this is Zadorov, if you're listening, this is not my quote. This is sometimes he's maybe not as receptive to critic to criticism and maybe adapting to.

[Keith Yandle]

To a system, playing a certain style.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. And you know, he's bounced around quite a bit, so sometimes it's hard getting used to new ones and if you're constantly on the move. Boston is obviously a very structured team. They have team rules when they're playing defensively, maybe when not to take chances offensively, if. And maybe riskier plays to their degree. What, what is your feeling on not only those comments he made, but Monty's situation in general?

[Keith Yandle]

I, I don't think Monty should be on the hot seat. Obviously there's probably talk about it and, you know, speculations because, you know, it's Boston and the fans are into it as much as they are, but I just look at how long has he been there to. This is his third year.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

I mean, that's not a huge sample size. You know, three years. I think you got to give him at least the season, at least the time to battle back, because looking on paper, they're a team that should be in the playoffs. You know, they go all. God, you know, we talked about all their signings with the big D men, you know, trying to be a more physical team, stuff like that. But I. I do not think he should be on the hot seat or get fired. I think he's done a good job since he's been there. It looks like the guys all love him. You look at the comments after him and Marchie got into it on the bench and. And March, he's at the stage of his career. He can say whatever he wants. Right. He's the captain of that team. If he was having beef with Monty, there probably would have been something said. But, yeah, I think he's a guy that can, you know, help those guys get into the direction that they need to be. My thing is, I don't know if they're kind of like, they're one of those teams that have, you know, four or five guys that could be on the, you know, Four nations team and, like, are they gripping their sticks too hard right now to make that team to, you know, put out a, you know, some good tape to be on those teams? So for me, right now, it just doesn't seem like the Bruins that we've seen the last, you know, five to 10 years. Right. It's like. It's like they've lost their identity a little bit as a team. Defensively, they used to be so hard to play against. They'd just be in there quick on you. They got out of their zone better than anyone. So, yeah, I don't know Monty, like, has a GM ever been fired in the middle of a season that happened?

[Ryan Whitney]

It definitely has. I don't. Like, maybe we can look that one up last GM do be fired in the middle of an NHL season. But that's a lot of the argument from Bruins fans, like, well, when do the guys up top end up? And I sound biased because of our little preseason beef with. With the Bruins, but it's just been a weird thing watching them. They just like, they. Who are they up to? They're up two goals. Calgary. I think they're up three one. All of a sudden it goes to ot. It's just. Yeah, the old Bruins have just kind of finishing out games, getting a lead, good defense, good goalies. Swayman, Ms. Campbell, maybe he kind of starts playing a little bit better. But the goaltending around the league is bizarre. Nobody. There's no predicting what goalie is going to be good each year besides Shusturkin and Hellebuck in the regular season.

[Roberto Luongo]

So I agree with you guys. I don't think he's on the hot seat or shouldn't be. But it got my wheel spinning where they're 500 right now after 16 games. Wit goes they're going to be 500 after 82 games. So if the 40 game mark, if they're actually still 500 and they're not in a playoff spot with this group, do you think that the, that the temperature raises on that situation or do you think that he's just going to finish out the season and then they would just maybe bring in someone else and. Or resign them.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey John Moquet Kaline was fired last year in the middle of the season. So Stay Hot Hockey podcast couldn't go one year and remember that one today we had a. This is Monday, so you're listening.

[Roberto Luongo]

I asked the hypothetical.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, no, you're fine.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was just reading G's note there.

[Roberto Luongo]

After, after 500 or after 40 games if there's still 500. What do you say then? Like do you still think also another thing too is Q still available Todd McClellan. Todd McClellan still there, but more. More so Q. Like I feel like that's a piece that some like a contending team, an original six would really want considered. He's been reinstated. He's not going to go to somebody who's doing a rebuild.

[Keith Yandle]

Right?

[Roberto Luongo]

He's not. So there's a select few of teams. Right. So if Edmonton's 500 after 30, 35 games, there's going to be a team to make maybe a little bit more of a compulsive move to think that if that's the missing piece and we have a good enough group of guys, let's go get them now.

[Mike Grinelli]

Regardless of regard won't be Boston.

[Roberto Luongo]

He then say your piece. You seem to think if they were to move on from Monty they would hire a guy named Joe Sack.

[Mike Grinelli]

Joe Sacco this summer. He's been with the program for since 2014.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Program.

[Mike Grinelli]

The Bruins love going back to old coaches. They did it with Bruce Cassidy, they gave him a second chance. This summer, Joe Sacco was promoted from assistant coach to associate coach. Being told that going into this season, Monty's on a short leash. He doesn't have a contract signed.

[Ryan Whitney]

They told him that from sources I've.

[Mike Grinelli]

Been told, wow, here we go.

[Roberto Luongo]

Here we go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Your sources are saying that the. The Sweeney and Neely told Joe Sacco, hey, if we fire Monty, you're our guy.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yep, that's what I've been told.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, I love this shit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like going behind each other.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What a.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, more just saying, hey, hey. There is some uncertainty here with our con, with our head coach. He doesn't have a contract signed. Maybe at the time it was like, hey, we're nowhere close. We're nowhere close.

[Roberto Luongo]

Which is even crazier because he's coming off of winning a President's trophy. And then they have that year that they had losing their first two line center. So.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

But I wouldn't say, Bruins fans would say it's been a successful run with Monty because the playoffs.

[Ryan Whitney]

Look at the playoff. Playoffs is all that matter. They've had it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

In Boston. That's it. You're the best. You're the best regular season in regular season history. You lose in the first round. That's unsuccessful. Last six season, that was unsuccessful. I've been a Monty guy since day one. But all signs are pointing to Joey Sacco.

[Keith Yandle]

That's why he's got the North Shore scoops.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's why they're getting roast beef.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay, so. So knowing this information, I'll throw it to YouTube guys. If they don't bring back Monty and. Or fire him and hire Joe Sacco as their head coach as opposed to going after Q. Are they out of their fucking minds?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, yes, you. If you didn't at least call Quinville, I. I think you're nuts.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think the Mitchell Miller stuff plays into this. I think that they got canceled really bad for the Mitchell Miller stuff a few years back, and now they don't want to go down that road again.

[Roberto Luongo]

Wow.

[Mike Grinelli]

Think about that. And.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And.

[Mike Grinelli]

And that's. That's confirmed as well. That's why I jumped in there and said. I talked to someone this morning and I said, coach Q. They said they will not go down that road. I could be wrong. I'm wrong majority of the time. But I was told they were.

[Roberto Luongo]

I like you taking a stab at it, though. Rumor boys are in the mix right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Elizabeth Warren could be mad about hiring Q if.

[Roberto Luongo]

If this isn't True. I think we'll probably be hearing from the Bruins.

[Ryan Whitney]

G will be okay. We won't be.

[Mike Grinelli]

You guys can shave my head on air if they hire. What they hire Coach Q. You can shave my head on. You can give me a big cue tattoo on my leg.

[Roberto Luongo]

Here we go.

[Mike Grinelli]

Big cue tattoo on my leg. If you want to do that, shave the head.

[Roberto Luongo]

Whatever.

[Ryan Whitney]

In other Bruins news, Portra was sent down today, and I think it makes sense. I think there's a lot of skill, but right now it looks a little men versus boys thing where he just. He kind of gets muscled off the puck, gets bought a little bit. He's 20. Has he.

[Mike Grinelli]

21 years old.

[Ryan Whitney]

20 years old. That's going to come. The strength playing pro. G actually said, yeah, but I don't know. Like I. You say you disagreed with it.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, I kind of did. Just because they've played them. I mean, 20 years old like you, you got to get some confidence, some comfortability. But every game he's on a different line, he's playing a different position.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it's more about the contact, bud. It's about puck battles and 50, 50 pucks and it doesn't matter what line you're on where do it in the AHL and get a little stronger.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like, if you're saying, if you're going to play center at this level and you're talking about getting out muscled on face offs, everything you're not. You're not good enough to have like that much speed where you're beating guys one on one. Where those 50, 50 puck battles matter so much. Where if you're unable to win them, it's like essentially you become useless and you keep going back to the confidence thing. Go down there, chuck weights, go battle against guys your own weight and your own strength and slowly chip away at that to eventually get called. That's, that's, that's, that's.

[Mike Grinelli]

I agree with what Whit said. He's getting knocked off pucks non stop. But like, that was his thing this summer, all summer. He came back and I. What was it? 20 pounds heavier than last year. He chucked all the weights this summer. It's like now it's like, you got to learn to play in the NHL. It's time or get off the pot.

[Ryan Whitney]

But it might.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think famous quote NHL is not a development.

[Ryan Whitney]

No. And it's. And my thing is from 7 year olds to the highest level in the game, like Newfoundland senior hockey, you need to dominate a level and then go up, like go down to the HL and become a dominant player. I don't know how. I just thought of like, it's not a red Wing parachute. Patrick Sharp, right. Like, you think how good he spent basically three years in the minors. The third year was the lockout canceled season. But.

[Roberto Luongo]

And I know he's also playing on the fourth line of the minors.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. So it's like. And he'd look at the score he turned into. And, and, and there's. There's. What sucks is Bruins fans had just hoped he would be able to make the leap to be maybe a second good second line center this year. Not there yet. Think he can still get there. But you got to get, buddy. Not a developmental league. That's the best way to put.

[Roberto Luongo]

And some people might say, well, then why is Leo Carlson out west playing every other game? And then on the game season, you know, getting. Getting stronger in the gym, it's like, well, some teams have the luxury of doing that, and that's a team like Anaheim. Fucking Boston's in win now mode. They're not in development mode at the NHL. They want guys who can come in to help this team win now. And. Or Monty's going to get fired for Joe Sacco.

[Keith Yandle]

So, gee, if you're saying like, shitter, get off the pot, give him the rest of the year, say that he gets the rest of this year and just doesn't do anything. Are you done? Are you done with them?

[Ryan Whitney]

Exactly. How do you plan next year?

[Keith Yandle]

That's where it's like, no.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think it's a much shorter leash, though, heading into that season. Next season it's like, all right, you're not getting the top six minutes that you were promised last season. We'll start you in the bottom six. You can prove that you can make the top six, Then we'll bump you up.

[Keith Yandle]

Because nowadays kids come in and they get to play on the first second line like it used to be, like.

[Ryan Whitney]

You said, but they perform or they don't.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, true.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. There's bad teams that give guys way longer leashes. But the good teams are like, dude, if you're not scoring, are you guys on camera? Pasha and G, you please go back and watch Pasha's smirk while G is talking about, like, the downfall of the Bruins. He was actually over there like, like holding in laughter because.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I was holding in something else. I think what we're not acknowledging is that of all the teams that are remotely considered to be, like, good, the Bruins forward group is paper thin. Like, besides Marshawn and Pat, that's what.

[Ryan Whitney]

I said last week.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Their bottom six is like other than Tyler Johnson, who's the savior according to.

[Roberto Luongo]

G. What do you mean? They got the, they got the best fourth line in the league to start the season, buddy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You got Morgan Geeky on the first line. No offense to him.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's fine. But you said they're both bottom six. They have the best fourth line in the league to start this.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, they're, they're, they're four.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Group overall is paper thin. You got Brazzo on your second line. Not a second line player. Zaka is your first line setter. We all know how I feel.

[Ryan Whitney]

We can't do this right now.

[Roberto Luongo]

But he is spitting some game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm saying like for all this talk, I don't think Monte should get fired. It's a roster construction issue. Their forward group is just very, very thin. And you know, Marshawn's older now, coming off surgeries. All that just roster construction.

[Ryan Whitney]

My last thing on the Bruins quick the reason it could turn around. Trent Frederick had a great year last year. He's come out slow. McAvoy, one of the best defensemen in the game, hasn't had a great start. I think even he would admit it. Charlie Coyle offensively slow. Zaka, those guys could get it going. I think that's fair enough to say it could happen. Pasha. It could happen.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Zaka will not get it going. He's had eight years to get it going.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so that end I want to almost talk the Devils with him right now but because the Devils have.

[Roberto Luongo]

Well, the one thing we could talk about is is J. Hughes heating up? It looks like he's got his feet underneath him. You guys had that bet ongoing the other night. We get a text from Whit in the group chat. Haha. Losing three one of the Islanders. And what do the Islanders do? They do what they do best. They give away a third period lead. Bang bang. Jack Hughes gets an assist in the dying minute and then scores the second.

[Ryan Whitney]

Goal of the game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Winning third apple on those goals to witty for that chirp.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah I, I, I got the devil. I got the Devils. That win being like nice nighttime against the Islanders and then they blew, blew the lead. It was just, it was deja vu watching the Islanders just blow leads I Hughes. It now looks like every time I'm checking it's like two points, three points, two points.

[Keith Yandle]

So I'm like that's still going.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah. The worst bet ever to be on the side I'm on because like he's an American that's awesome to watch play. And then I hate this guy so much. I make this bet now it's like watch. It's like death by a thousand paper cuts. Hughes assist. Hughes goal. Hughes apple. Hughes dangles a guy. Okay, here he comes. Comes moving on. Emily Kaplan had an interesting article on ESPN about the upcoming CBA and the negotiations. It has one more season after this year before it ends. So after the 25, 26 year a bunch of different things kind of in the article actually. Definitely go read it. It's interesting kind of what she talked to 20 players who remain anonymous and they can kind of give their take in point. They talked about schedule changing where they'd reduce the amount of preseason games, add two more regular season games. Don't know how I think about that. I don't know what do you change.

[Keith Yandle]

History like you know there was a.

[Ryan Whitney]

Couple years when they had 84 games. But that is a good point. The thing is I don't think the all time goals in a season or points in a season will ever be touched. So maybe that's kind of moot. But there'd be other records that could be affected in the last two games of the year. Maybe if it was 84 over would get it on the 84th game of the year. That's kind of a ridiculous argument considering that makes no sense. Biz playoff format potentially where players say it wants to go back, they want to go back to 1 verse 8. The league I guess is against this according to Emily. Like they like where it's at. I think 1 verse 8's great. My dream 1 verse 16 will never happen.

[Roberto Luongo]

So I get why the league did it to create those individual individual rivalries. But if you're a team owner like you don't want to be the second seed overall in the conference playing the third overall seed in the conference in the first first round like that's the last few years. Wait, wait, you're talking about going to 84 regular season games and continuing to make it less valuable to like win and be and be a high seed. It's ridiculous to me. I like the idea of making preseason shorter because the games are happening anyway. Why make them useless that way? The earlier games in the year if you're losing them, it's not that big of a deal because you have a little bit more time to make it up up and they're regular season games as opposed to not. You're getting bigger gate and you're able to pay the players more overall.

[Ryan Whitney]

All great. I think that one player said they only. He's like two to three games most. We need to get going preseason. It does say you. You'd lose a little bit about watching young guys and seeing if they're ready or not, like, but the players hate that too. You play in six in a row.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know, you get three and threes that. That guys can play in. And I don't know. I don't know where they'll end up going on this because I bet you it is split pretty down the middle. I do think players would love to start earlier, media would love to start earlier, players would love to start earlier. Fans, same thing. Because you're done earlier. And the late June, it may never happen, but if you could ever begin sooner, I think it would be phenomenal for the league.

[Roberto Luongo]

I agree.

[Ryan Whitney]

She talks about player medical rights and a lot of it has to do with Eichel and him wanting the disc replacement surgery. Buffalo saying no, it leads to his trade from Vegas. It's wild to think that the team does have final say on your medical. Now one player goes into how it's way better now. It used to be if you wanted a second opinion, it was like kind of looked down upon where now they're more open and let guys get second opinions. But it still is the team's final decision. Crazy town, crazy talk. Cause when I was going through this, we said on the show, it's his body, my body, my choice. You're able to be able to pick the surgery you want. You want to keep playing the longest you possibly can. So how could teams have the ability to say what they did with Eichel? No, you can't get this. What do you think?

[Roberto Luongo]

I. Well, I. I've heard of situations where teams get very resentful, especially with guys without leverage. Like, we're not even talking Eichel here when they're questioning what the team doctor's saying. Where in fact, fact, one of these players I talked to went and got a second opinion and the doctor's opinion of the team was wrong and then went to a third one and sure enough it was still wrong. So I think it should ultimately be the player's choice. No brainer. I get why the ownership who sign over all that money want that control and the fact that majority of these contracts are guaranteed. I think if you get bought out, you get 2/3. I think that's why they feel like they deserve that leverage. But. But I think that if you're going to change anything about it, it would have to maybe Even go to an arbitrator and. Or a third opinion, for sure.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

What do you think you'd think nowadays, like, the player obviously wants to play and the owners would want the guys to play. Why wouldn't they just be on the same page? Right. Like, the player is going to want best for his body. Right. To be able to play, come back. Every player, if they do get hurt, wants to come back as fast as possible. If it's a knee thing, it's a six months. Like, guys want to be back in four months, five months. So. So they're not. The guys aren't getting surgeries to hang out, sit by the beach and stuff. Like, guys are getting back, wanting to get back. So I don't know. I. I think it should be on the player, what they want to do. And I think Jack is prime example of that. And, you know, Worked out.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, it's worked out phenomenal. And I could see the owners paying the players. He's also paying the team doctor. And doctors naturally have egos. And a guy's telling you what's wrong. I'm an employee of the team, as you are, and you're telling me this other doctor, you don't trust me, you'd rather go with him like that, it turns into headbutting. But final say for a surgery to me is a player, because they're not going to put themselves. They're going to do what they believe. After hearing the case from both sides, they should be allowed to make up their mind. Another thing brought up was the draft age possibly being raised.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think this should happen, but I just don't know how you do it.

[Ryan Whitney]

And you said, what do you do the year you do it?

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. So this year there just wouldn't be a draft where you just back it all up. I mean, I guess I would be okay with that. Some other teams who have been struggling for a while, hoping for a quick fix, would not really enjoy that.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think a team.

[Roberto Luongo]

And also, what happens if you're the San Jose Sharks and you win 10 games this year and you end up. You're supposed to get the first overall pick, so what happens? Does it not count? And then you take next year's standings. How do you divvy that up to, like, like this year and that and next year? Do you take, like the overall record from the two years and then the team who has the worst record then has the best chance at that number one overall pick with the lottery balls? I just don't know. But it is so hard to Grade these kids at that age to what they're going to be when they're grown men. And that's why, I mean, we criticize some teams for keep swinging and missing. It's hard to ev evaluate talent that young and I think that that extra year would make the world of difference, especially them growing into their bodies.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was going to say people who happy about this I think would be scouts. You get one more year, your job becomes a little bit easier because how many times do you draft the guy in that next season, you're like, he ain't making the leap we thought he'd make. So you get that extra year. I agree with you on that. Yeah. The first year doing it would be. Would be the most difficult in. In to figure out how to even get it off the ground. It is wild to think about that. So with that, I guess we can go to the. At the time when Roberto Luongo was drafted, he was. Was he the highest selected goalie ever when he was drafted? He was. He was fourth overall. 1997 draft, it was the second highest a goal he'd ever been picked. After that, dpa tro went one. Mark Andre fleury went one. But this interview's awesome. We got to thank Keith again and right now, Roberto Luongo. Before we continue, guys, it's time to talk about sport clips. Everyone knows how intimidating it can be to get your haircut. Knowing what to ask for, wondering if your stylist will be able to deliver a great haircut, but wondering if they've even ever done it before. Are you their first client? It can be nerve wracking. But there's great news. Sports clip stylists have been specially trained in the nuances of men's hair. Taking the worry out of getting a haircut. So whether you're going for a tight fade, a slick back mullet, or just think that looking like Patrick Mahomes will make you a better quarterback. Sport clip stylists are here to do whatever you need to feel confident. Nothing says confidence like a great haircut. And nobody does great haircuts like sport clips. It's a game changer. It is an honor to be joined right now by an all time legend of the game. Thanks to Yance for getting them over here.

[Keith Yandle]

I thought you were talking about me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Fourth all time in NHL wins as a goalie and two time olympic gold medals, Roberto Luongo. What's going on?

[Roberto Luongo]

Holy. Guys, this is a big one for us.

[Ryan Whitney]

We never thought this would happen.

[Roberto Luongo]

This is a goalie white Whale for us.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I never thought this would happen. You probably said two reason. First of all, I don't do podcasts. So you guys, I did it for Yan. My buddy asked me for favor, but most of all, I did it for my kids. They were pressuring me to do it. So actually that's the only reason I'm here.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what's happening. That's what's happening. There's been guys who've said, yeah, my kids just kind of kept telling me to go on. So hey, nonetheless, we appreciate it, dude, we appreciate it. I, I think we kind of wanted to start off with just last year, like very special for you. You posted about it, winning that Stanley cup, being a part of the front office, like, take me through your, your feelings throughout that series and then just after with the celebration in your summer.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean it was unbelievable. I think, you know, the year before we lost in the final, so it was, it was tough. But just going back to the start of last year, I think it's just a different feeling in the locker room, you know, around everybody. You know, we, we kind of felt like there was unfinished business and just going into the playoffs and playing Tampa in the first round and you know, obviously that's a team that we hadn't beat before, so that was a big hurdle for us to get over. Play Boston in the second round again. You know, we knew what happened the year before and that was gonna be a tough series, but I don't know, there was just a confidence about our group I think that, you know, going into the series that if we played the way we can, which is, you know, relentless forecheck, getting on teams, wearing them down, that over the course of a seven game series, you know, we, we'd come out on top. So we did that, you know, against the Bruins and, and, and the Rangers and obviously once we got to the final, it was, it was a very emotional roller coaster to say the least. Uh, watching you guys shenanigans.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, here we go.

[Keith Yandle]

I'm surprised you came on with them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Acting like, well, first thing you said, where's your oiler sweatshirt?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Where the jerseys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Belly button.

[Roberto Luongo]

You like my belly button? Tank top. Very silly of me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So, so yeah, I mean, listen, we're up three nothing and, and then all of a sudden, you know, what do you start worrying about, like who's coming? You know, we got to fly people over. And it was, it was, you know, guys, I, I, I know what the feeling's like. You know, you think you're thinking of the moment. Right. The moment that it happens and it's, it gets to be a lot. But, you know, the Oilers are a good team. They were giving it to us for a few games there. I think the key was that, you know, the boys, they believed in each other and what we had in the locker room and it was, it was a great, it was a great series. I mean, it was. Went through every emotion that you can go through in a seven game series. So to end that the way it did at home, it was, it was, it was great.

[Roberto Luongo]

I, I think one of the most important parts of that too, going into game seven and we talked about it, there was two days in between and Paul Maurice was able to tell Bobrovsky to like stay away from the ring. So just from a goalie perspective of did you end up talking to him during that two day layoff and like, what did you make of that two days and how important it probably was for him to just reset after all the chaos that ensued, like games four through six?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, listen, I, I don't. I talked to Bob on occasion. I mean, during the course of a series. It's not really my job. You know, we have, we have Rob Tallis, who's our goalie coach that he deals with on a daily basis. There was two days between every travel day. And I think he kind of changed something in his preparation where he was. Usually goes on the ice. I don't remember exactly what it was now, but, but he skated. He didn't skate the day before and he kind of stuck to his routine that he would have if he was only one day between games. And I think, you know, it was, it was key for him to, to. To do that. I think it changed a little bit of his mindset and came with a fresh approach for game seven. But I mean, it was a tight game, right? It was like everybody was on edge. And I think that was a little bit of a deciding factor. It was really the first time that Edmonton had a little bit of pressure on their side now because it was game seven and everything was on the line where as before, you know, maybe they're a little bit more free because they had nothing to lose, really. So it was, it was a tight.

[Ryan Whitney]

Game from, from the game seven. I remember, like, obviously everyone in there, you just edge your seat. Incredible drama. But looking over and Stephen A. Smith is watching, like he's the most. I was like, this is when, you know, this is just.

[Roberto Luongo]

With his five head.

[Ryan Whitney]

Unreal.

[Keith Yandle]

I was gonna even say that, like Obviously getting a play with Lou, like, you were a very calm guy. Always very, like, unbelievable demeanor around the rink. And then they'd pan to you guys in the box and I'd be like, oh, my God, Lou looks like he's gonna, like, have a heart attack. Is it more nerve wracking when you're not playing then, oh, I'm a mess up there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm a mess. So I always said, like, it's weird, you know, when you play. Like, I was nervous before the game, right? Get really nervous for the game. And then once you're playing, like, you're in the zone, right? You're just, you're just playing the game now it's the opposite. Like, I'm fine for the game. And then once the pug drops, like, holy. Because you don't have any control on what's going on on the ice. So I get nervous during the game games now. And as opposed to when I played, I was nervous before the games.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, well, before we hopped on. Like, we're talking about how important it is to find, like, a purpose after you're done playing. And you mentioned that, you know, even a month after you knew you, you were going to hang them up, that you, you know, not to say depressed, but just you, you needed something. How did this whole role come about? And, and, and like, what exactly is the title?

[Paul Bissonnette]

So, I mean, listen, I always knew I kind of wanted to go in management once I was done. I mean, you could ask hands. I run like 20 fantasy football.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, you said, you said you invented fantasy football.

[Ryan Whitney]

Every guy on the coach listening, like, I could be a NHL GM in.

[Keith Yandle]

His car, like, after the football season, still listens to, like, recap.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Fantasy drafts getting ready for next year.

[Roberto Luongo]

Hey. No, yeah, just telling us a story. You were in your car at the rink and you're in there, and it sounded like you were listening to something where someone was yelling at you and you got out of the car and you were like, you're like, what were you doing there? You're like, oh, listen to fantasy football.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, well, I have, I have fantasy sports radio on my. In my car when I drive. That's what I listen to. I don't listen to NHL network. I listen to fantasy sports radio.

[Ryan Whitney]

Bobby, Bobby from Boca Raton calling in.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You think Juju Smith Schuster is going to do anything this week?

[Roberto Luongo]

So you knew you would eventually.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, so I kind of knew I was interested in that. And that's what fascinates me, right? Is like putting a team together, you know, drafting Guys training guys signing people. So, I mean, it was always something that interests me, and obviously, hockey is my passion. So it was something that I knew that, you know, once I was done, would be something that we interested in now. You know, once I retired, I didn't know how long it would take for me to get into it. But, you know, right as I retired, the first month, I was like, okay, what am I doing myself? Like, I was, like, bored, and I was working out, so I was like, I didn't know what to do. So luckily, you know, Mr. Biola called me and, you know, was asked me if I was interested in being part of the organization, and I said yes right away. So I started going to a few meetings, and, you know, I really loved it. And I just was looking for something, you know, I wanted to be part of something. I think it's. That's what. That's what I like about it. You know, you kind of feel like you still have skin in the game. If you're not. Even though you're not on the ice playing, you're still emotionally involved. Like, the same emotions go through you, you know, in the stands that you're in the ice. When you win, you're. You're upset. I mean, you lose, you're upset, you win, you know, you're happy. So it's. It's the same emotions, except that I don't have to work out in the summer, which is.

[Ryan Whitney]

I've always. I've always thought that what would be hard and you could tell me different is once you get in and you're at meetings, like, when do you feel comfortable enough to, like, step up and give your opinion? Because even the best players in the world, you still, like. Like, there's got to be moments of kind of questioning yourself and what, you know, in the game. Like, am I willing to put this out in front of 20 guys?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, that's a good question. I think it depends how, you know, the group makes you feel. You know, the first year, true, you know, Dale Talon was the gm, so he made me feel right at home. I spent a lot of time with him. I spent a lot of time with Braden Birch, our cap guy, learning the cba, all that kind of stuff, the cap. So the first year was mostly learning, and I was part of all the meetings, but I didn't, you know, speak up as much unless somebody asked me a direct question. And as time goes by, you know, you just get more and more comfortable and voicing your opinion, and you feel more confident in what you're saying because you, you know, you watch a lot of games. You. You know the players and, you know, when you retire, you know, already most of the guys in the league, just like, you know, Yan's last year, you know, you. You knew all the guys, right, because you played against them. So it's easy to. To have an opinion on the guys guy.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's way harder doing this show the longer you get out in. In. In actual started and. And. And I knew like, a really good amount of guys. It's like, oh, and now you're like, whoa, what? How does this guy play? Who's. That's why sometimes Biz and I are like, I never heard of this guy. Don't know who that one.

[Keith Yandle]

I feel like you guys talk a little more now that you don't know.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, the bit more separation. I'll just light these.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I don't know this kid. I don't care.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, they're like this. They check. Check my hockey to be there. Like, this guy's tripping me on a podcast.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What the.

[Ryan Whitney]

This guy's a. I think. I think going back maybe to the beginning, like, you know, starting when you're younger. Incredible that we were talking before. You didn't start playing goalie till you were 11.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think I was actually 12. I. I played street hockey with my. With my, you know, my neighbors and the kids.

[Keith Yandle]

They weren't skates big enough.

[Roberto Luongo]

You ever see how big boats Sideshow Bob?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I didn't have skates, so I couldn't find skates. No. But I played soccer as a kid, too, so my parents are Italian, and. And when I started playing hockey, my. I wanted to play goal because when I played street hockey, I was in that all the time. And. And all the kids in my neighborhood were older, so I was always in net, and I loved it. And when I started playing hockey, I want to play goal. But my parents, like, they're old school, right? They're like, no, what are you going to do? You're just going to stand in the crease and not do anything? You're like, you just skate around, get some exercise. I was like, all right, well, I guess I'll play out. Couldn't even skate. Like, I couldn't skate. I was like, just stand there. It was even worse than playing goal. And then I learned how to skate eventually. And then I think it was my third or fourth year playing. The goalie was sick for one of the games. So it was right at the beginning of the season. And I asked My mom. I said, hey, listen, the goalie's sick. Like, can I just run that for this one game? She's like, all right, fine. So I rented, like, equipment from the city, and then I got a shutout the first game, and then I was like, you know, play another game. And all of a sudden, you know, I just became the regular wal.

[Ryan Whitney]

That kid got Wally hard.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, we're gonna rename it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, my God.

[Roberto Luongo]

And my understanding is both your parents are Italian immigrants, and when you asked to even play hockey to start, they were like, hockey, like, what. What's. What's this?

[Paul Bissonnette]

My dad. My dad was born Italy. My mom was actually born in Canada, but. But her parents were born in Italy. And, you know, my dad. My mom was a big Montreal Canadians fan.

[Ryan Whitney]

And.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And my dad, you know, you have to like hockey when, you know, in Canada, it's. It's on TV every so. So, you know, he liked soccer and hockey, and they didn't really, you know, they were for it. They were for it for me to play, and then they knew that it was. It was a sport to do. And I was actually pretty good soccer player, too, until I was about 13 years old. Like, when I was 5 on 5, I was a great soccer player for some reason. We went to 11 on 11. I was. I was dust. I was terrible.

[Ryan Whitney]

The big sheet hurt you?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was terrible. I couldn't. All I could do is kick. But at that point, I was like, too much to play both sports, and I just had to decide what I wanted to do.

[Keith Yandle]

So wait, you played out in soccer?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, and I was a midfielder. It's a midfielder.

[Ryan Whitney]

So in 93, like the Canadians, they win the Cup. They're 14. Were you p. Was Patrick Wall your guy or.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I got a confession.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, no. Breaking news.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So my favorite team was actually Edmonton as a kid.

[Keith Yandle]

Wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

Welcome to the club.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Everybody know guys. Apparently everybody knows that.

[Roberto Luongo]

Do your research.

[Keith Yandle]

Were you a furious guy?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I was a fury guy. That's why I became a goalie in the first place, because he's just like glove saves, like the splits, all that. Oh, that's crap. I loved it. I loved watching him play. And then obviously Gretzky and Messi and those guys were there too, so the Oilers were my team growing up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you wish you were silly Cider like Furzy?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I wish.

[Keith Yandle]

I wish he could have played the jersey, though, this guy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He was great, man. It's so exciting to watch. Like, that's why I wanted to play goal. I kept try to mimic him at Home, like, when I played, it was. He was awesome. And then. Then as I started playing goal, I started to learn the position more. I was like, yeah, I think I like Patrick a bit more, you know, because he's similar.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You know, the technique. He's. He's. He's always in good position on the butterfly. And then I started working with his goalie coach, Francois Lair. I went to his hockey schools and really started learning the position a bit more. So I kind of turned to Patrick a little bit more when I started playing gold.

[Keith Yandle]

Is that Benny?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, that's his brother. Okay.

[Keith Yandle]

Benny's the best.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't know the other.

[Roberto Luongo]

So he was he with the Rangers and with Lundquist?

[Keith Yandle]

Yep.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Benny was.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, Francois was with. He was with Montreal, you know, when they won the cup in 93. And then he went to Anaheim. He won the cup with G. When Jiguer was, wow, the goalie. And then he went to Colorado. He was in Colorado for a while. He was in Toronto too, for a little bit. Now he works for us. Like we. He lives on here in the winter time.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you think that that is he your. This is the guy who really helped me make it most?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, he's the one that taught me everything I knew pretty much about Golden. So. Yeah, without him.

[Keith Yandle]

What age was that when you went to?

[Paul Bissonnette]

So probably like in my 14, 15 years old. And then he worked for my agent. He worked for my agent as well. So every year before camp, we always had like a pro week where all the pros went. We went. We got together in. In Rose Mare near Montreal and we had a week of camp together.

[Roberto Luongo]

So I was going to ask you about, like, who are your biggest inspirations? Obviously the allaire is like, I think Lundquist was talking about it where they really challenged you, you mentally and like obviously push you to the limits. Was it similar with your goalie coach in the summertime? And is that what kind of, you know, you got to be a little bit tapped to be a starter. Right. You're playing especially for you back then. You're playing like 70 games. Was that where you learned all that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, I learned. I'm. I always learned. I think that was one of the things that I take pride in. Like. Like from the moment I started playing gold till the last year that I retired, I. For me, I took pride on always trying to get better and learning and I never thought I was like, okay, I'm here now or I'm good enough. I always trying to get better and I Think I had a bunch of goalie coaches throughout my career. I mean, you know, Francois there was probably the first one that really taught me about the position. But as I progressed through my career, I mean, I worked with so many great goalie coaches. You know, Ian Clark, Rob Tallis at the end, Clementine, you know, Billy Smith. My first year with the Panthers, so I slash him. Billy Smith, Yeah, he was awesome. I got a couple good stories about him. Like the one. I'll tell you one right now. So my first year with Florida, he was. Was the goalie coach, and he wanted me to catch everything. So one practice, the guys were shooting and. And like, I wasn't. It was just. I was making saves my body instead of catching the puck. So he's like, here, here, give me your gloves. Give me your gloves. So he's in a tracksuit. He's like, give me your gloves. Give me your gloves. It's like he takes my gloves on my stick and he. He tells the guys, hey, I want you to take full slap shots from the blue line. He' Watch this. Guys are coming down the middle. He has full clappers. He only had his glove and a tracksuit on. He's like, catching pucks and, like, block, and guys are.

[Ryan Whitney]

Guys are wiring.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wiring from the blue line.

[Roberto Luongo]

The goalie in Nashville, he used to seem to try to catch everything. Yeah. Pekarina teach you to use your glove more?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, he was, but I was like, this guy's in attraction.

[Keith Yandle]

I always wondered that with. Because it seems like every guy has, like a goalie coach and then every team has a goalie coach. They, like, talk to each other, or is it kind of.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It depends. Yeah. For the most part, while earlier in my career, I would say no.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But I know nowadays a lot of. A lot of guys do, you know. You know, some guys that we deal with here, an organization, they. They talk to each other. I think it's important, you know, to be on the same page. Right. Because you don't want to have, like, you're working on something, and during the season, then you go in the off season, you do something totally different. Different. It's important for the goalies to. To be taught the same way. And I think that's what we kind of do in our organization, you know, through the NHL, to the American League, even in the East Coast League. We try to teach our guys to play a certain way and so that, you know, it's a structure.

[Roberto Luongo]

At the time of your draft, in the queue, what. What were you drafted? Because I know by the time you went to the NHL draft at the time, you might have been the highest goalie drafted. It was fourth overall.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

So what was it like for your Q experience? Because I know you ended up in Valdal. You guys won a championship there. And then your last year you went to. Went to Acadia bathroom.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

But just what was your, your Q draft like? Did you go high and were there expectations at that age for you?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think when I was 15, my. I was playing major Triple A Montreal, and. And that's when, you know, I didn't really know where I was headed and agents started coming up to. To me and my, my parents and like, hey, you know, your son's gonna move away next year. Right. And my, my parents, you know, Italian, old school, they're like, what. What are you talking about? He's not leaving home, you know, so. Yeah, that was a kind of an. I had a great year that year. And I ended up getting drifted second overall. Wow. To Val d'or. First over was Pierre Dajne. I don't know if you remember that name.

[Roberto Luongo]

I do remember the name. With the end up turning into a player.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He played in the NHL for a bit. He's really tall, great shot, so second overall. And. And I always remember my mom's face when I got drafted because Val d'or is literally the furthest. Oh, no city from. From Montreal. Montreal. It was like five and a half hour drive in, in the woods, you know, so she was hoping like, I think it was the third or fourth pick after. Second or third pick after me. It was like Victoriaville is like an hour Drummondville, 40 minutes there, where she was like, praying that I'd fall. And then as soon as they, they announced my name, I remember just turning over and looking at me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like in her nowadays, kids would be like, make it clear, like, I'll go to college if.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you could. It's just kind of different. Different in how people have changed. Like these younger kids now, they'll just.

[Roberto Luongo]

Make like, basically having the leverage to say, I'm not driving five hours, trade my rights to a team closer to town. But when you were drafted there, you were like, no, I'm going to go there. And they believed in me and I'm going to honor that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, pretty much. I think the great part is they, they found a nice Italian family for me in Valdor. So for me, it was a neat, seamless transition. I didn't really have any, any issues. I mean, I missed home, but it really Made it easy for me to be there and play hockey, and I, you know, miss home too much.

[Ryan Whitney]

You have this sick pedigree. Second overall, big goalie. That had to be right when you started realizing, first year in the queue, like, I think I could play in the NHL, or was it maybe.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, my first job was kind of a backup. I didn't really play much.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I was kind of a learning experience. So I didn't know exactly where was everything was headed. Obviously, being in the NHL was the dream, but my second year, which was my draft year at 17, I. I was. I. I became the starter that year, and, you know, I think I kind of took off, I would say, and, you know, a lot of people were scouting me and went to the prospects game, did the whole thing. And that's, I think, obviously the point where you're like, oh, there's NHL team starting to look at me. So you kind of, you know, start visualizing a little bit in your head, like, this might be a real possibility.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you play World Junior that year or the following year?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, the following year, I played when I was 18. I played. I think it was in Finland that year. We. But we finished eighth overall.

[Ryan Whitney]

We lost Panic. Canada's just losing their mind.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We lost the Kazakhstan in the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Were you in that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, no.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let's make that clear.

[Roberto Luongo]

It kind of looks like a little bit, doesn't it? That's kind of ironic.

[Keith Yandle]

Played for that.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, no.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Was the goalie from the other side.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, he was your guy. It's unbelievable.

[Keith Yandle]

Who was the goalie of that team?

[Paul Bissonnette]

So is Matthew Garage on?

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, you play in the NHL?

[Ryan Whitney]

Y. Lefty.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yep. Lefty up.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yan's was joking about your big feet, but sometimes bigger goalies at a younger age, they're, like, a little all over the place and it's hard to get your footing. Did you ever go through, like, a real awkward phase? Like, especially when you made that jump to junior, you're getting harder shots. Guys are faster, stronger.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You know what? That's weird. I kind of. I did sprout up a little bit in one summer, but I wouldn't say that it was so. So much that I had a little bit of a awkward phase. But, yeah, I mean, it was. The thing with me was I was really skinny. Like, I was really skinny. I weighed, like, buck 50, I think, and I was six three. So it was. It was tough. That was the toughest part to. To. To put on the muscle and put on the weight now, not so much anymore.

[Keith Yandle]

But did you always have the big hands? He's got the big.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, no, big hands, big feet. Rest.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Big wallet.

[Roberto Luongo]

We'll end it there. We'll end it there.

[Ryan Whitney]

It leads to the draft. I mean Obviously that was 97 top four picks. Joe Thornton, Patrick Marlow, Oliokin and you. Wow, that's heavy.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's heavy. No misses.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you know going in it was Islanders? Like we kind of asked guys the night before the draft. Memories for yourself.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, no, I didn't, I didn't know it was the Islanders because I actually talked to Boston, which was the number one there. I had, I had some good talks with them. I thought there was a chance I might go one. I wasn't sure. Didn't really talk to San Jose, I think. Or, or was it LA number?

[Ryan Whitney]

La. Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I, I kind of. Once Boston took Joe, I kind of didn't expect to go on the next couple picks. And then once the honors rolled around, that was kind of that two picks in a row because at 4 and 5, I think Brewer was, was drafted.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I don't know why I didn't mention Brewer, but he's got over a thousand games.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. So I kind of thought maybe there was a chance there that, that I go in one of those two picks.

[Roberto Luongo]

And then, and then after that you returned to junior. Obviously you. When you were drafted because we're going to get in your NHL career and then you ended up winning back to back Quebec League titles. So that must have also prepared you like going back to back championships. I don't know how you fared. I don't think you fared well in the Memorial Cup. But what were the experience like winning those championships, especially in Val d'oro where you started and then probably getting traded the next year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was great. You know, they're small towns, right. That's what they live for. So it was an unbelievable run. You know, we had a really good team that year. Steve Beijing, JP Dumont. Yeah, grandpier there. So we had a lot, a lot of good players on the team and you know, we, we. I think we swept Remusi in, in the final. That's when Vanilla Cavalier was playing there. So it was, it was a great run. And then the following year when I was at the world Juniors, that's when I got traded to, to Bathurst halfway through. Valdor wasn't really a contention anymore, so they kind of traded me to Bathurst. Which is funny because I don't know if you guys know like some of the major junior, you know, Quebec League.

[Roberto Luongo]

It was like, we're gonna trade you 17. First rounder.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, but the best player we traded, we traded for Shikunami's whole first line. I swear to God, the whole first line.

[Roberto Luongo]

It's crazy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, they all, we all got him in Bathurst at the trade deadline.

[Roberto Luongo]

You're not the first line anymore. We got a new one.

[Keith Yandle]

It's so fun, though, because it's right after world juniors. Guys just go to a new team.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. Keep the clothes.

[Keith Yandle]

I was looking at your, your Bathurst team. There was not many guys that even played in the NHL like Ramsey. A bid played.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, a little bit. Like there wasn't. There wasn't. There wasn't that many. But back in, they were pretty good junior players. I think there was a bit of more of an older team. Like, not a lot of guys, like, drafted, but like it was veteran guys, you know, that, that had success in the queue. So. And that was, you know, it's, it's crazy because Bathurst is another small town and I remember, like, people sleeping outside the arena to get tickets. Like, it was just crazy. Like it was like a mini. Almost like a mini NHL.

[Keith Yandle]

There was Irving, the owner, when you were there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, it was Leo Gui Morrison Set.

[Roberto Luongo]

So you, you go to the Islanders. Butch Goring was your head coach.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yep. That's your guy. That's my boy.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's my boy. That's my boy.

[Ryan Whitney]

He stuffs biz in a locker on Twitter.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Is that real or is that.

[Roberto Luongo]

It kind of was real, but I want no smoke with that guy because I feel like he would shank me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, you're done.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. He's got people, people in low places. Like, what was that experience like? And then also I saw some of the goalies there that year. I'm not saying you cross paths with all of them, but like Felix Pot, Kevin Weeks, Valaquette, who does media now too. And there was one other one. So did you spend time with all those guys? And those guys are legends.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I did, actually, because when I first got called up, Felix was the goalie. And then probably a month in, he got traded to Van for, for Weeksy. So Weeks, he came back. So me and Weeksy were partners for a while. Well, for the rest of the season, pretty much. And then when I got sent down, I, I, I got sent down two games before I hit my bonuses with a month left in this. Oh, my God. That's a story for another day. But anyway, so I got sent down and then I got called back up the last game. To play the last game of the year and Valley was up. So Valley got called up when I got sent down. So we're getting ready to go out for warm ups for the last game of the year. And I'm standing by the doorway and then I look over and like, Valley's in, like standing next to me and I look over, I'm like, what are you doing? He's like, what do you mean? He's like, I'm getting ready to go out. I was like, what do you mean I'm getting ready to go out? Like we both thought we were starting the game. Like we didn't know who. Like, they told me he was starting. They told him he was starting. So we're both ready by the doorway to almost where to go, who got.

[Roberto Luongo]

It, where to go? Butcher.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I had to start, I had to start you. Yeah, but it was funny cuz we're just looking at each other like, what are you doing, bro?

[Ryan Whitney]

You're backing me up today.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, no, that's un, that's a great old story.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, it's just crazy that it was just one quick year. I mean, all of a sudden, like you're traded. And I know at the time, the islanders, it was just kind of a gong show. And for you, was it one surprising or two? Did you kind of like, I could get traded from here. I mean, being that high of a pick, it shocked most.

[Roberto Luongo]

And was that a Milbury trade?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, there was a Millbury trade. I was surprised. I was not expecting it at all. I mean, it was my first year. I thought, you know, we didn't have a very good team. So considering everything, I thought the season went pretty well. My only problem is I couldn't play the puck right. I was bad at playing the puck. And Rick DiPietro was, it was his draft year and Mike really liked them. So I get a call. So that morning, the morning of the draft, I think the draft was in Calgary. I'm not sure. I get a call because they traded Kevin Weeks an hour before. I don't remember where they traded him to, but they traded Kevin Weeks in the morning. So I get a call an hour later. I was like, I thought they were going to tell me, hey, we traded Weeks. Yeah, we'll go, we'll roll you next year. I want to give you a chance. He's like, no. He's like, hey, I just want to let you know we just traded you to Florida.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh my God.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What?

[Ryan Whitney]

Huh?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. So I was kind of, who's that for? For My trade.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So it was me and Yokin. You.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, man.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's a Mark Parish and oleg Kasha.

[Keith Yandle]

Wow.

[Roberto Luongo]

1. That's a lopsided trade.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Humble.

[Roberto Luongo]

That'll get you media. That'll. The trade for a gm. That'll get you behind the desk.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did the shock wear off quickly? Like, did you come down here right away? I mean, your agent must have kind of not talked you off the ledge, but almost been like, it's, it's all good, it's going to be fine.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean, that was the first time that, I mean, I got traded in juniors, but it was kind of expected, so it was different this time. I was really caught off guard by it. I took. It took me a little while. I took maybe a few weeks and then I came to Florida just to see, you know, and look for a place and all that kind of stuff and meet everybody. So it was, it was, it was definitely tough because, you know, you kind of feel like, you know, they like somebody better than you. So he kind of took it hard at the beginning, but, you know, once I got down here and, you know, looked at the place and all that kind of stuff, I mean, it was, it was a great, great place to play, great place to live. So I was pretty happy.

[Ryan Whitney]

It had to be nice too, that, that first year in Florida, like 920 save percentage played really well. So it's easier to get kind of like emotionally invested here once you've made that much of an impact, I'm guessing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I mean, when I got here, Trevor Kidd was the starter, so I was the backup for.

[Ryan Whitney]

He had the goatee, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, yeah, the goatee and the checkered pads.

[Roberto Luongo]

Perfect for Florida. Yeah, and Hardy T shirt.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, exactly.

[Roberto Luongo]

Bedazzled jeans. Just like Yan's wardrobe.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's got a gun store locally now in Lauderdale.

[Roberto Luongo]

Gun range.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Anyway, yeah, so he was a starter and then halfway through the season, they fired the coach and they brought Dwayne Sutter in. And once Dwayne came in, he gave me the first start in his first game and I got a shutout. And then I kind of became the guy for the, the, the second half of that year.

[Roberto Luongo]

From what I remember, you were getting like 40, 45 shots and I. You were getting peppered. I know the teams were not very good, so that must have been awesome early on, just seeing all that rubber, like getting used, used to being in a starting role and, and yeah, I mean, it sucks. That team sucked. But you, you were obviously having a lot of personal success.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, Listen, Yeah, every game was like 40 or 50 shots. I think I broke the record for most shots on goal in. In the one year. And then the following year I broke my own record. So. Back to back. But yeah, I mean, listen, it was. I. I enjoyed, like, I thrive in. In games that had more shots. That's just the way I play. Like, I like to be, you know, involved. And sometimes when there was less shots, in my later years in Vancouver, I had a bit more time, a difficult time when there was like 20, 25 shots. So the only problem is, obviously we're not winning much. That's what kind of sucked. But at that time, I was really just trying to establish myself as a. As an NHL goalie.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. When you're young like that, you. It takes you, you know, six, seven years in the league to be like, okay, I want to win now. Because then you're just trying to make the. Make the jump to the NHL. Prove yourself.

[Ryan Whitney]

But, like, make sure you're set as a player before you start thinking, yeah, I know.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. Cuz I mean, you don't know when you're going to get sent down. It's so cutthroat sometimes. And then, you know, once you do establish yourself, then you're like, okay, now you want to win. And, you know, that goes to you going to Vancouver.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what's crazy though. It must have been. Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Were you pooping as much with the Islanders as you were with Vancouver?

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's a st. That never changed.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, it said you like 35 times a day.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Game day. I have a certain routine that I like to follow. So what, like drink laxative Your ass.

[Keith Yandle]

The rink. Till he got on the ice. He was on the can.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, seriously, there was like, I. On average, I'd go five to six times a day on game day.

[Roberto Luongo]

So was it a nervous thing that was pushing it out?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think so. It had to be nerves. That was.

[Ryan Whitney]

I get the nervous.

[Roberto Luongo]

You guys are laughing back there, but I more.

[Ryan Whitney]

I get the nervous.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, I get nervous poops big time.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like before live shows. I think I've smashed three or four times in an hour.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like the b.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just.

[Roberto Luongo]

I'll have poops the size of my thumbnail, but I feel like it's going to be like the size of Wit's head. Like, it's just like that's. That's the nerves taking over your stomach.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it's pretty much what it was. I mean, I always play nervous. I mean, that's just. Even was like preseason games. I'd still be nervous even, like my last year of my career. Like, it's just who I was. Right. And then with that led to some stomach issues once in the plan.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay. So when you go down the tunnel, that was because of that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I didn't know.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, did that ever end up coming up out?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it came out pretty much. Everybody knows.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because the. The Canucks fans are just panicking. What happened? Oh, yeah, I just had to poop.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I didn't admit it at first because I was a little embarrassed, but, yeah, that's awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

You then go to Vancouver, where I get. I guess going back to Canada has got to be exciting. Where Florida was, it was a struggle for the team. Fan base isn't like, what it is now. You're going to where hockey's everything. And you. You had an incredible first season to, like, how excited were you going into that season in the summer?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, that was. Well, first of all, I wasn't really expected to be traded. I think there was a little bit of a contract issue at the time, and Mike Keenan was the GM at the time, so I was trying to, like, work out a deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

And you didn't want to go anywhere.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I. I was. I. I didn't want to go anywhere, but I also wanted to win. And that was one of the discussions I was having with the, you know, the GM and the ownership in Florida and. And then trying to see, you know, where the team was heading. Headed, because, you know, I'd have been already a few years that I've been in the league now, and, you know, I just want to see some progress and then hopefully, you know, make the playoffs, you know, in the next year or two, and aspire to win a cup. And. And with that came the contract negotiation. So it was kind of back and forth for a little bit, and then again, on draft day, they had offered me a contract, and I wasn't crazy about it. So I was thinking about it, and then when I got back to them, which was probably a couple hours before the draft, and I said, okay, I'll. I'll agree to it. And the deal was already done.

[Roberto Luongo]

Wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

What. What made you change your mind in those few hours? That I don't. I don't like this deal to, like, I'm willing to take it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, at the end of the day, I just want to. Do I want to stay or do I want to go? I mean, that was. That was the ultimate decision. Right. You know, I wasn't crazy about the contract that was offered, but you Know it wasn't the worst thing. So I'd really had to decide whether I want to stay or go ultimately. And when I decided, okay, I think this is, you know, I'll try to stick it out and hopefully, you know, know there'll be better days.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you sign for more on the next deal in Van?

[Paul Bissonnette]

So. Yes, I did. I signed for a little bit more and win, win, win, win. You know, the funny. The funny part is about that, and I don't. I don't know if anybody knows this, but before I. When I was traded to Van, I didn't have a signed contract yet. I actually got offer sheeted by Detroit.

[Roberto Luongo]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Really?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I didn't accept it, though.

[Ryan Whitney]

You didn't accept it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, and then accept it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Was it more than what you ended up getting in Vancouver?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, that would have.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I didn't know at the time it would have been more, but I.

[Ryan Whitney]

That would have been 060 going into the 0607 season.

[Roberto Luongo]

You would have assumed that. So it never became public that they did that you didn't have.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Because I didn't. I didn't agree to it was. I didn't agree to. To it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh. Which is weird because like the Broberg and the. The Holloway one became like those.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think you have to accept the offer sheet. The player has to accept it. I think before for two.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, no, not now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because it came out. It broke this year that it came. And the. They. The t. Oh, no. The player has to accept.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay. So you would never know about some. There must be some wild stories about players getting offer sheet then if just heard one. Yeah, yeah, but that was like chirping me.

[Ryan Whitney]

They had Hashek and Osgood that season.

[Keith Yandle]

Then Howard was probably drafted. No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, right around then. That's wild. Did you think about that or was that an immediate no.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it was pretty quick. No, I mean, I just got traded to Van and I didn't. You know what I mean? I just wanted to be there. I didn't want to like, go to another team, so.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, it was in. I thought you meant it was from Florida to.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I just got traded to Van, and before I signed my contracted Van, you know, Detroit.

[Ryan Whitney]

They traded for you and then let you get to July 1st?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I think it was like short, like within a week of. Of the trade, I think.

[Keith Yandle]

Wow.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. I'm not exactly sure how the timeline went down, but.

[Keith Yandle]

What's the play by Detroit?

[Ryan Whitney]

I love that. What's weird, though, is that when you called them back and accepted the offer from Florida. And they're like, the trade's done.

[Roberto Luongo]

It's.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's surprising they hadn't called and told you the trade was done. Like it had been a few hours, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, it was literally like probably an hour.

[Roberto Luongo]

We were meaning to get back to you. We were celebrating the draft.

[Ryan Whitney]

Bob McKenzie was cracking a beer bomb on this one.

[Roberto Luongo]

So it was Keenan in management then. Did he start as the head coach there and then?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He was a head coach at the beginning, like a couple years before. So he was my coach and. And then, you know, it was a little bit of a disagreement, blah, blah, blah. They. They removed him and then he ended up becoming the gm.

[Roberto Luongo]

And, you know, there's obviously, people talk about Mike Keane and how he can be very hard and difficult on some players, like in some case, wear some down, down. What was your experience with him when he was head coach? Did he kind of just leave you alone? Obviously, at the time, you were the star of the team.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He did. But, you know, there's obviously the, you know, the pulling sometimes when you get pulled, like. Yeah, he was notorious for that. So one game we were in Atlanta, it would have been about 6, 7 minutes in the game. I hadn't gotten a shot yet. All of a sudden it's a two on one. The guy makes a pass, the slot. The guy tips and I make a great save, like elbow. Say the pug goes in the air. The guy skates by guy as he's skiing by the back end, through the air, back ends it in the net.

[Roberto Luongo]

He was just waiting.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. He's like, you're not ready. I was like, what do you mean?

[Ryan Whitney]

You must have got to the bench pissed.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I was, I was like, what are you like, is he serious? Like, I don't understand, like, why is he pulling me? Like, yeah, what do you want me to do? Like, I made a great save and the guy batted out of the. On a rebound. He's like, no, I wasn't ready. So I just. Okay.

[Roberto Luongo]

You didn't say anything about. You didn't go clear.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was still young back then, so I wasn't.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just kept quiet.

[Keith Yandle]

But even for you, I know how big of a family man you are. Like leaving here and your wife's being from here and. 06. Did you have any kids then?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No.

[Roberto Luongo]

No.

[Keith Yandle]

So it must have been even then, it must have been tough for you to go there and.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it was tough. I mean, listen, my wife's from here and she's very close to her Family. So I remember when I, when I actually got traded, I was in Montreal. My. She was here. So I remember like, ah, I gotta call her now, let her know that, you know, we're getting traded. So I kind of fell back bad.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean she's like, you turned down what, to stay here?

[Keith Yandle]

But I said no to Detroit.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. So that was a tough call. But listen, she was, she was a trooper and she came to van with me and we made the best out of it. I mean it was a great city. Great city to live in.

[Ryan Whitney]

That season starts though, and finally you have a sick team. You're playing awesome. It had to be such a relief. Like I'm winning, we're winning games. We have a chance to do something special with this group. Like, was that the thought right off the bat?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, listen, I was, was excited, right? We had Sadins were there. That's. I think that's the year they kind of broke out to a little bit. They came into their own. They were, you know, they were, they were fine. The, you know, Nazi was still there, but he was kind of like on the older side. And Jovo, was he there with you? Jovo? No, no, Jovo was Hex.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It must have been a Phoenix. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So. So yeah, I mean we were winning games and I was like, oh my God, like this is gonna happen. Like I never made the playoffs before. And then he's getting closer and closer and then I was just the excitement, obviously being part, you know, with the city and the fans and it was just, it was just great. Great to be part of. And I think I played. I don't know how many games I played that year. Was it 75 or 76? It was like something crazy. AV wasn't afraid to.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, no. Just ride his horse.

[Ryan Whitney]

You like that though, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, yeah, I did.

[Roberto Luongo]

You played with some characters. I reached out to Kevin BX about some funny stories. He. He reminded me of the one where you sold your G wagon to Horta Chuck and he didn't go change the registration and he was like double parking all over town. And then you get this bill for all these.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, there's, there's. There's a couple stories with Hordy didn't try to sell. I played with him here in Florida before.

[Roberto Luongo]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

I played with Horde in Advent.

[Keith Yandle]

He was always, always getting the deals.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got a deal for you with. This thing's unbelievable.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So this story, some people know it. I'm sure you guys maybe you've heard it or not, but so it was a. It was a. After practice, I was taking a nap, and all of a sudden the doorbell rings. Now this is floor Florida. And I'm. I'm half asleep. I walk downstairs, and back in the day, I had, like, two windows by my doors. And I look and I was like, holy. Is that like an alligator tail by my door? So I was like, what the hell? So I. I go down, I look through the window, and there's a freaking alligator on my doorstep with a mouth taped shut. Like, what? So I look fine. Hordes parked in the. Sorry. I like to curse or no. Yeah. Horde's park parked, like, right by my driveway. Like, hiding behind his car, smiling. I'm like, dude, what are you doing? I was like, how did you get that? He's like, oh, I lured it out of my. The back in my. The lake in my backyard with a little piece of bread. And it came out. I jumped on it. I taped his mouth. I put in the trunk of my car. I drove it over to your house and put it on your doorway.

[Roberto Luongo]

This guy's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was. That was my first time with him.

[Keith Yandle]

What did he do with it? Did he take it back to the well?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know what. He must have gifted it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Made him. Thanks for bailing me out last night on that pizza up the middle. I got. You got your pet alligator.

[Keith Yandle]

He made one shoe for Lou.

[Ryan Whitney]

Imagine seeing him headlocking that thing, taping his mouth shut.

[Keith Yandle]

Scary.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's crazy. Fast forward to Vancouver now we're teammates again. And I had a G wagon and I was trying to sell it, and he goes, hey, I want to buy it off you. I was like, oh. Because I know, like, he's always like.

[Ryan Whitney]

He'S getting you on the prize.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm like, I gave him a great deal. I was like, crazy. I don't remember what it was, the number, whatever. But it was a great deal. Like, he goes, hey. He's like, can I pay you with Lululemon gift cards?

[Roberto Luongo]

There's no way I love didn't have the same deal.

[Keith Yandle]

Probably.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm selling you a car. It's not like a laptop. It's a car.

[Roberto Luongo]

You see these stretchy dress pants they got. I'm telling you, you already gave me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

$50,000 in the lemon gift card.

[Keith Yandle]

Unlimited underwear for the rest of his life.

[Ryan Whitney]

There's these new things called yoga pants for girls your wife will love.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, 35 times a day. You thought maybe get you with the underwear deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

At least bring me, like, a pizza gift certificate somewhere.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, so Then. So then I. We finally get. I said, horny hori. Come on, buddy. Like, you know, gotta give me. Okay, finally we agree to deal. Gives me the money, blah, blah. So then I give him the car. So it's been a month. He's still driving with my license plate. I'm like, dude, like, what. What are you doing? Like. And I'm getting all these tickets. Like, oh, you know, some excuse, right? So he's not taking the tag off. So one, one game was a game. I tell one of their. Our trainers in Vancouver. I said, buddy, do me a favor. During the game, go in the garage, take the tag off and give it to me. So he go, y unscrews it and he get it mean. Then the next two weeks he's driving without a license plate on his car.

[Roberto Luongo]

What a guy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What a guy.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's iconic.

[Ryan Whitney]

Where's he living now? Is he around here?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's in Arizona.

[Roberto Luongo]

Arizona. He's a Thunderbird.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes, yes. Told me that. Waste management.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh yeah. He's a legend. He is so funny. He's so giving too though. Like as. As funny as you say with the.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's an animal. He retired. I've told this on the Paul before, but he retired. Ziggy Pauly. We were in Pittsburgh playing in Nashville. Just a insane open ice hit crush.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the next day we came to the rink and Mark crack. He's like, you hear about Ziggy? I'm like, no. He's like, you retired.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was it.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Another one BX had told me went home is you loved your, your poker, your online poker and your cards. You what you land from whenever you're in a road city. You'd land, you go to the hotel, you'd stay in the hotel. Do you go to sleep playing poker?

[Keith Yandle]

He would work guys on the plane. It was, it was like free money money from.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well back in the day. Now that, now that I've actually learned to play, I. When I. When I look at myself 10 years ago, I didn't actually even know how to play. But yeah, I mean we'd go into the road cities and go right to the hotel and just go on poker stars and just play cards. Poker until about 11, 12 o'clock on occasion. If I'd make a final table, I'd be up a little bit later, but. But for the most part, yeah, that was my routine. I mean then that's kind of where, you know, I get. I was always, always known for like room service. I always, never went out to dinner. I was at room service. So for the first few years, it was always because of playing poker. Then poker became, you know, you couldn't play online poker anymore. So I was. I just stuck with that routine. I just watched whatever sports.

[Keith Yandle]

He did a lot of room service. But one day we were out in Vancouver. What's that place that you love, Chipino?

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, it's. It's closing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's closing in December.

[Roberto Luongo]

I went twice this summer.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Man.

[Roberto Luongo]

It's just like little iconic.

[Keith Yandle]

Unbelievable.

[Roberto Luongo]

Chef size.

[Keith Yandle]

Because Lou's not there anymore.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So anyways, I kept the business.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. We walk in, he's room service. You can never get him out to dinner. It was a great occasion when he did. We're in Vancouver. We walk into Chapino's. There's a big circle table in the middle, like, probably for six to eight people. It's just Lou, the owners coming out, talking, food everywhere. I look to the left, and a small little table like this. George Clooney. Lou. Absolutely. Pigeon toss. George Clooney. Probably the first time no one even cared that George Clooney was there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Everyone's like, it's Bobby.

[Roberto Luongo]

Incredible. Did you get to say hi to him?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't remember that story. I remember that.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. And then, remember, we were sitting there and then he's like, ah, you guys can come sit with me. And we. We felt like we were sitting with, like, the dawn.

[Roberto Luongo]

The dawn, yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

It was great.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm gonna make you an offer.

[Keith Yandle]

You can get his cat. So good.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, what else?

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, so is it. Is it Turin, Italy? Italy. How do you say the name Turin?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Torino.

[Roberto Luongo]

Or is it Torino?

[Ryan Whitney]

I keep saying Torino term and he.

[Roberto Luongo]

Keeps telling me, and online it says Turin. Maybe I said it wrong, but he said.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He said French.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah. Sorry.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Torino.

[Roberto Luongo]

Torino. I'll have to look at my notes after. I think it was on the notes app. We had it like that. But when you went into that Olympics, you were like the second or third string. And I think Marty had an average game. And Pat Quinn was the coach.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yes.

[Roberto Luongo]

And. And he came in the locker room. I'll let you take over the story. You probably know what one he's going to tell him, though.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. So he looked over at me, and I don't remember which game it was, but he looked over at me after the game. He's like, carlo, you're starting next game. I was like, is he talking to me or. I don't know. I think because he coached the Leafs at the time. Right. And I think Carlo Kakovo was one of his players, so he must have got us mixed up or something. So he's like, carlos starting next game. And I was like. I didn't know what he meant. Like, it. Was it me or was it somebody else or. I don't know. So we kind of just.

[Roberto Luongo]

The way that Bea tells it is like he lit up the whole room. Then he's like, be ready to play. Be ready to play tomorrow. And Carlo, you're going. And then like, nobody knew who the he was talking about. So Turco went in. I guess it asked him. That's what. That's what BX is.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, is it? Yeah, maybe. I don't.

[Roberto Luongo]

He said he went in and he goes. He goes. He. He goes. He looks like a Carlos. That was BX's story.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So sorry, but he likes to J it up a little bit.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, he puts a little salt and pepper on his story. Okay, well, that's. That's how you make it good.

[Ryan Whitney]

I guess. Like, the success in Vancouver, like, leads into the. The 2010 Olympics. That atmosphere was something I'll never forget personally. Like, the. The city was just so electric when you ended up taking over. Were you shocked? Were you. You must have been really wanting that and ready for it. But, like, take me through finding out that news.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So we played. I think it was USA in the. The first round and we lost. I don't remember what it was. It was the second. I think it was the third game.

[Ryan Whitney]

Kess scored one of the best empty net goals I've ever seen in that game. Was it Kessler?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay.

[Keith Yandle]

I was gonna say, okay. Out there in an empty net.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So we lost. That was a third game we lost to the usa. And then we're on the bus going to hockey, like Team Canada House or whatever the. Whatever it was called for, you know, meet up with the families, blah, blah. So we're on the bus. Bus and we. We got to the house and I get a text from Babs. He's like. He's like, come see me in the front of the bus. I was like, okay. So I walk up there, he's like, he's like. He's like, it's your tournament for the rest of it, so I'll get ready. You're going. And I was like, holy. I got so nervous. I was like, right, right to the ship.

[Keith Yandle]

500. Fine.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Right on the bus. So, yeah, so as soon as he told me, I was like, never felt nerves like that before. You know, it's like, because just hits you in one shot and Then you, like, you realize, like, it's the Olympics, you're in Vancouver, you're playing for Vancouver. Like, holy. Holy smokes. Like, this is crazy. It's crazy. And then, like, my, like my family, my whole family was. Was there. And as soon as I walked towards them, they all looked at me and I was like, what's wrong? Is everything okay? Like, I was white as a ghost. And I was like, yeah. I was like, I'm going, I'm starting next game.

[Ryan Whitney]

And so you were that effective hearing that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I was. You know, it's a big moment, right? It's a big moment. Like, this is like 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. I've been waiting for that, you know, for years and for that opportunity. And, you know, when you finally, you know, he kind of hits you. And it took me a few minutes to digest it, but it all happened quick. And then I just remember the nerves, right? The. The. Just the pressure of it all. I mean, you represent your country in Canada. Yeah. It was crazy.

[Keith Yandle]

Was it like, had you made peace with, like, oh, I'm not going to start this tournament and. Or obviously going in, you wanted to start and then.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, I wasn't sure I was going to go. I started the first game. I think it was against Norway or. I think it was Norway or Denmark, one of the two countries. And I played pretty well. And then Marty played the next game against Switzerland. We. I think we lost. Lost. Lost in a shooter or wanted a shootout. And then the third game against usa, we kind of lost pretty badly. And then that's when they made the switch. So, I mean, at that point of the tournament, I wasn't really expecting to get the nod. And I kind of saw that Marty was the guy still, so. So, you know, I was just staying ready just in case something happened to him. And then when the switch happened, it was kind of like, holy. Like, I gotta. I gotta. Gotta get ready here.

[Roberto Luongo]

Were you able to stay at home or were you with the team at the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So what we did was we could go home at the night. Like, let's say we played a game, we could go home that night, but afterwards, the next day, we have to go back to the village and stay there until the next day.

[Ryan Whitney]

Basa style.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, that must have helped so much though, just being kind of in your town, right? Like, that's just like your routine for.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, not really, because. Because everything was closed off. Like, you couldn't really go anywhere. You know what I mean? So it was like. And literally just go home, you Know, eat, then go to sleep. And the next morning I was back in the village. Because you kind of. I kind of still want to experience the Olympic experience. Right? That's what it's all about. That's one of the best parts about the Olympics is like, being in the village with all the other athletes and taking all that stuff in. So I, I, I, I enjoyed the fact that I was able to go home, you know, for a few hours and see my wife and, and my family and stuff. But, you know, being part of the, the, the Olympic village is just huge.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because it was in van. Very few guys were able to go to the opening ceremonies. But were you there when it happened, or were you guys on the road?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, we're in Buffalo. We were playing in Buffalo on the Friday and the opening ceremony. So I was remembering watching it on tv and I was like, oh, I'm gonna be there in, like, two days. But the closing ceremonies was right after the gold medal game, and a few people went like, Some, some of the guys ended up going. Some guys were, like, flying out that night. So it was kind of a bit of a whirlwind once it was over. But, yeah, I wasn't able to go to that.

[Roberto Luongo]

Do you have any, like, like, fun stories that you remember? I think we had Mike Richards on, and he was talking about how, like, Drew Dowdy was an animal. He was, like, going out every night, and he showed up, like, 45 minutes before the game. He was late, remember?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think he said he was pretty late to the. Not pretty late, but, yeah, like, way after most guys. For the gold medal game, which it was at noon.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yes, it was at noon. That was the best part of it. Like, it's, you wake up and you go, like, you don't have all day to sit on it to think about the game. You're like, oh, thank God. You just get a boom, you're there and you're playing.

[Ryan Whitney]

That game was just so incredible, like, for the U.S. for, for us to tie it up. Yeah, I can say us. You had to. What was your, what was your thought process at intermission? Who was talking? Like, it was just so crazy that that ended up happening. All of a sudden it's next goal wins.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, it was after they tied it, you just felt everything. Everybody just deflate everybody. And then even, even us. Like, it was tough, like, to give up a goal there in the last minute. Thank God we had, we went to the locker room after the, the third. Like, it wasn't like, face overtime right away. We had time to go to the locker room, regroup. It's pretty quiet for the first couple minutes. Then some of the older guys started speaking up, you know, Prongs, Nedermer, those guys, and, you know, kind of refocused the energy to, like, hey, this is like the overtime gold medal game. Like, this is what you would dream of. So it kind of got the boys back in focus, and we went out there and then we saw, you know, obviously, golden goal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Of course, Crosby, of course he gets it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So the, The, The.

[Roberto Luongo]

The.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The play. I don't know if, if you guys rewind that play to the beginning. Like, Pavelski has a one timer from the high slot, and I make an elbow save and I'm free. I'm actually freezing that puck. Like, the place was. Was done. Like, I was freezing that puck, but the defenseman calls for it, so I slid it to him. Or else what? Else? That play wouldn't even happen.

[Roberto Luongo]

Who asked for it? Probably Doughty.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No. Finally on time with some hungover from the night before. Yeah, I was like, yeah, give it a no. I think it was. I think it was. I can't remember. I think it was needs. Might have been needs. I'm not sure. I think it was needs, but I'm not sure. So they called for. And I slid it to him, and then we went up.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He called for it. So I gave it to him right away, and then we went on the other side.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's unbelievable.

[Keith Yandle]

Lou's famous for, you know, you have your goalie calls. What are they over?

[Ryan Whitney]

Leave it, leave it over. Play it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, yeah, play.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know, it's crazy.

[Keith Yandle]

And if you didn't say, I would just say, yeah, yeah, yeah. If I wanted it, and he would just have his head down, look up. What the is.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

During the play, it got me so mad. I'm like, what do you mean, yeah? What? Yeah, yeah. I can mean leave it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I can mean play it. What are you. What are you trying to say? Like, I'm not a mind reader. Like, just tell me what you want.

[Keith Yandle]

No, refused.

[Roberto Luongo]

What was your recollection of playing with this idiot?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, man, I have one shift. I wish I still had it on video. It was the best. The overtime shift where you. You lost your stick and you're like. You're jumping. You. At one point, you jumped over me from behind the goal line. I was like, what is he? I was like, what is he? The best part about Yanz is he never blocked the shots. I was never Afraid of him screaming, you know, I never scared that he was going to scream me, and I wasn't going to see.

[Ryan Whitney]

You could prepare like, I'm good, actually. That's better than screening.

[Keith Yandle]

You have a hall of it. Listen, listen up, goalies. You want to be a hall of Famer, just save it.

[Roberto Luongo]

He was giving it to Gordo one time because Gordo was really grumpy about. And he used to block shots every game, like five. And then finally he ended up getting on get one by accident. And he was, like, crawling on the ice. Oh, he must. I don't think you did another practice.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, you. I saw you walk one shot. I mean, you. You did a flamingo hit the other leg.

[Roberto Luongo]

But I remember that's why. That was a similar thing.

[Keith Yandle]

It was in Dallas when I took the one. Yeah. I took the one off the knee. And in Dallas, I tried getting off. You know how in Dallas you get off through that game? Oh, yeah, I tried getting off. The cop was looking at me.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's like, mid game, buddy, where all those.

[Keith Yandle]

They're snapping it around, and I'm like, like, open them, like, sticking my stick, and I'm like.

[Roberto Luongo]

He's like, get the ambulance.

[Keith Yandle]

It was bad.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, and then. And then. And then the next day, Gordo was giving it to you, and you are not happy. You finally got it back.

[Keith Yandle]

And, you know, because he went to block a shot and he missed it, and it went in, and I skated by him, go. Where were you on that one, you idiot?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, he must have.

[Keith Yandle]

He goes after the game, parking lot. I'm like, called you out.

[Roberto Luongo]

He challenged.

[Keith Yandle]

We were going to fight in the lock.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wait, who's Gordo?

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, boy. Gordon.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, okay.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

I get undressed. I'm like, all right, I'm ready. Let's go. Fight. He goes, let me finish my stretches. Goes and stretches. As he's stretching, I go in the trainer's room. I'm taping my wrist just in case. And then one of the donor. One of the trains, like, what the hell are you doing? I'm like, me and Gordo are going to fight. They're like, no, you're not. They're like, all right, we got to make this a joke somehow. So they, like, tin foil my knuckles. And they're like, you got to go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

In and put Vaseline on your face.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. Make this a joke. And.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. Oh, he was dying, though. Broke the ice perfectly. Oh, thank God he had a stretch for 45 minutes, or you guys would have went.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you ever snap On a defenseman, like, kind of feel bad after.

[Roberto Luongo]

Pretty good at the volun.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I was known for, like, giving the eye. Like, when I got scored on the. I. I didn't even realize I would do it half the time, you know, but you got that eye.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, this is bad.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I never put my arms up, but I would always, like, the eye was.

[Keith Yandle]

It was like your dad looking at you.

[Roberto Luongo]

You serious?

[Ryan Whitney]

How is that high falling?

[Roberto Luongo]

Here's one that BX had told me. You gave one your D man a sui one time, and you always used to have this water bottle by the bench. And so the T the next time out, they taking it and they'd throw it down the hallway. They wouldn't give him his juice because he gave one of your D man a sui pass.

[Keith Yandle]

He's a cappuccino.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Unreal. Unreal. I wasn't. I wasn't known for my puck handling, you know, Hence the reason I got. I traded the first time, but then I kind of got a little bit better at it, and I just keep it simple, just pass it. I would never try to make, like, fancy plays. And, yeah, by the end, I was, I would say, almost average.

[Ryan Whitney]

If you skate out now, are your hands brutal?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I got good hands. I'm a righty. I'm a righty, and then when I play goal, I'm lefty.

[Ryan Whitney]

Should have done the flip over. Some guys do the flip over.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Well, that's. Cujo used to do it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's the only guy that's ever done that.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought more people would have done that.

[Keith Yandle]

He could snap it, too, when he.

[Ryan Whitney]

He would, like, get on the backhand.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And he just shovel it out and just.

[Keith Yandle]

Yep.

[Roberto Luongo]

He did say one of the most impressive things he's seen is, I think you took a puck in the neck.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Was it a pregame skate or something.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was. It was in Montreal. It was. It was. We were there the day before the game. It was a practice, and I think it was one of the sadines hit me in the throat with a shot in practice the day before. And then, like, my throat was, like, closing up, so I had to go to the hospital. I think that's the story's refinery.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yes. Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I went to the hospital. And then you're like, we got to keep you overnight just to make sure, just in case the swelling goes up. Blah, blah, blah. So I spent the night. And then you're not. You're not laying down. You got to sit up the Whole night, you're like this, and you're like. You're not sleeping. So the next day, they discharged me. I go to the rink, I take morning skate, and I played.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, you're good.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You're good to go.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. Shut out. Got a shot.

[Ryan Whitney]

Shout out that night.

[Keith Yandle]

By the end of his career, if you shot it by. I meant Nick Bullshit head. He'd come down, first drill right by his ear. Lou would just skate off, gone. And then the rest of the practice would have one goalie. Oh, no, this wasn't during the season. This was like the captain's.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I'm not staying if you do that. I. I get it. Is.

[Keith Yandle]

I mean, I get it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean, first shot, first shot, first drill, the practice, like, just like, if you're doing a two on one and three on two, you want to try, go bar down. It's okay.

[Roberto Luongo]

I get.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Get it.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But first drill, you know, try to warm up the goalie. Like, give him something feel good. Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Well, I couldn't raise the puck, so.

[Ryan Whitney]

Don't look at me. I. I think that at some point in. When you got to Van, I saw this Twitter account, Strongbone1, and for, I'm gonna say, two to three years, like, had no idea who it was. Would tweet, like, rarely, but very funny. And then somebody says, that's Roberto Luongo. Nobody knew. Nobody believed it. What made you start that? And. And Juice had actually told us, like, that's all your humor really came out once that began.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I mean, that's kind of who I was from the beginning, but, you know, I. I was. I had a tough time a little bit in Van, dealing with the media.

[Ryan Whitney]

Stuff and from Florida, too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it was a tough. It was tough. It was a tough adjustment for me, and that's on me. You know, it's. I. I wasn't quite ready for it, and then it took me a while to get to understand everything and deal with that stuff, so. So it was kind of an out for me. Right. I just kind of started on my own, and then just the people I kind of knew knew about it, and then it kind of started getting out. Then some of the players started following me. And then I think it was. Might have been Ryan Kessler might have tweeted something about my account one time about taking long walks or something on game days, and then that's how it kind of started to catch on, you know?

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you not want that at the time?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. I was just.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Nobody really thought it was Me till, like, way past, like, years.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

People were still questioning it. They're like, it's too good to be true that this guy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There was, like, conspiracy theories. Like, one time, like, James Duthie from TSN sent me, like, a picture from, like, a T shirt of a skit that we had done one time. So he sent it to me, and then I posted, and they're like, look, you can see his reflection in the mirror. It's James Duffy. So it was like, people then the people thought I didn't write my own tweets and all that kind of stuff, so. So it was fun. It was part of the whole thing for me. Like, I like the fact that it was like, I didn't. I never wanted to get, you know, the check mark. I didn't want any of that stuff. I just like the fact that it was like, could be me, could not be me.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

What is the Avatar question mark?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it's a question mark.

[Roberto Luongo]

It's kind of. You're like. You get to play with the fans now. Like, you're normally the main focus, where you're like, oh, I get to toy them. And it was almost like a fun outlet for you and a way to show off your sense of humor.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Exactly. And I get to make fun of myself. So it kind of took a lot of the edge off.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Everything. And made me feel better. So it kind of was. It was. It was actually turned into something great. Like, it wasn't the intention at the beginning, but it kind of morphed into something that really helped me out.

[Roberto Luongo]

And you mentioned the skit you did with Duties, so you might have done a few, like, I guess you can call them content pieces now. You ended up doing more and more of those. Like, did you. Did you love doing all that stuff and. And. And, you know.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I was. I mean.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, being silly, which.

[Keith Yandle]

Nice.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Me and D developed a great relationship. You know, the first one we did was here in Florida with. With the noodles. Yeah, with the Zamboni. And then we kind of followed up, and then we did another one after the Olympics, and then. Then the one with Schneider. Actually, that was actually. I called Duffy up, and I was like, hey, let's do one with them. Because at the time, there was. It was a big controversy. Right. Me and Schneider and this and that. Meanwhile, we're, you know, good buddies.

[Keith Yandle]

Right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And obviously, we both wanted to play, but there was no animosity. We, you know, we. We love pushing each other, and so it was great. So I kind of had the Idea. I called James and like, hey, let's. Can we do a piece about the blah blah? And he's like, yeah, that's a great idea. So we, I think it was in Columbus and we, we shot it there.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, that's probably the most famous one. And we got to talk about the cup run. Like that, like, that's like the, you know, the pinnacle of your time in Vancouver. And like, what was just that team, like that experience, like, and, and just like I go, guess go through it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I mean, listen, we, we won the President's Trophy that year. I think, you know, we, we had a great team from top to bottom, you know, like, great lines. We had every type of play player, a lot of guy, a lot of players that other teams hated, which is. Seems to be like a good recipe for success these days.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. Torres was it?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Kessler. Kessler bxa oh my God. We had a lot of characters on that. Oh yeah, so. But they were great guys. It was fun, man. Locker room was fun and, and kept it light, you know, when the sadines were more quiet, but, you know, great leaders. So it was just going into, going into the first round, we're facing Chicago, which was our nemesis that beat us, you know, a couple times already.

[Ryan Whitney]

Defending cup champs.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, and they had just snuck in to the eighth seed that year. So we're like, really, like, we got to face them in the first round, like after, you know, we got the President's trophy. So similar to last year, we're up 30 in the series and game four, we get blown out in Chicago. So now we go back to van for Game 5, and I didn't play a great game in Game 5. So we lost again. It wasn't even close. So we go back to game six in, in Chicago and they take me on the side, they're like, hey, Schneider's gonna start next game. And I was like, ah, like, I wasn't happy about it, you know, obviously because I wanted to play. But they're like, listen, like, he's gonna start this game. If we win, you're gonna start next series. If we lose, you'll start game seven. So. So obviously I digested it and I was fine. So game six rolls around. Close game, close game, blah, blah, blah. So start the third period. I. And, and I was backing up. So I was in the dressing room. I wasn't on the bench. I was in the dressing room, started their period. First play, boom. Penalty shot against Schneides. I was like, ah. So the guy comes down, scores and then I see Schneider's like, he's not getting up. I was like, oh, no. What the hell? What's happening?

[Ryan Whitney]

Wait, what.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What's happening? Happening? He's like. And then the trainer runs in. He's like, you gotta come.

[Roberto Luongo]

You're.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You're in. You're going in. Like, Schneides is cramping up. And I was like, what? That was on my third hot dog. Like, I was like.

[Keith Yandle]

On the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I was like, wait, I gotta go take a quick before. No. So I was like, ah, okay. So. And this is. This. I'll never forget this moment. I swear to God. Like, people hated me in Chicago because of the history. Whatever. So coming out of the locker room, coming through the tunnel. Tunnel. I felt like stone cold Steve Austin going in the ring. It was so crazy. People were yelling.

[Ryan Whitney]

I fired you up, though.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, it was crazy. I loved it. It was insane. It was insane. I'll never forget it. Like, yelling at me. I was like. And so I get in the net. I actually played pretty good. Third period, we go to overtime, we end up losing overtime. So back to game seven. Now. We're back in game seven. Now, obviously, you know, it's kind of like last year in the playoffs. Right now we lost three in a row. It's game seven, President's trophy. Yeah. What's happening? So same exact kind of game, you know, is we're up one nothing. We got two minutes left in the third period. They take a penalty. We're on the power play. 2 minutes left in the game.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just end the clock, boys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Turn around, turn over. Taze comes, cuts across, and I make the save. Hosa bangs in the rebound.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, my God. I don't even remember this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Minute left in the game. Game going handed, shorthanded.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, my God.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We're going overtime. That's couple minutes overtime. Burrows takes a penalty. So now they're on the power plan. You know, they had some pretty good players.

[Ryan Whitney]

Five hall of Famers maybe.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. And then. So I don't know if you guys ever saw the save on. On sharp on the back door. So I make that save, and then puck was on the other end. Burrows comes out of the box. You know, the rest is history. So. And if you. If you guys ever look at the celebration we had after we won that game, it was like the us we would have thought we won the cup that night. It was like just because of the history and coming back and almost losing and winning the series. So. So that was the first round.

[Roberto Luongo]

Wow.

[Keith Yandle]

Wow.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That Was. That was crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then the emotion of that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it was insane. It was insane. And you know, it seems that's why last year in the final, I kind of always got myself back to the Chicago series, right. And I was trying to go, how did the guys feel? How do we feel? Like how do, what do we do? All that kind of stuff. So it kind of, you know, helped me out. And I was talking to, you know, our goalie coach a little bit about, you know, the experience and all that kind of stuff that what we went through. So. So that was that. Then the next round we faced Nashville, which that was the Kessler series, you know.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh man, he was the biggest piece of in the world.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was lighting it up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He was lighting it up in that series. He was, won the series pretty much like every game he scored. It was just nobody could stop him. And then we faced San Jose, San Jose in the third round.

[Keith Yandle]

That was a tough building to play in.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, he's looking to get over the hump and get to the final.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the crazy part is Nashville and sound, those are my two favorite buildings to play in. I always love playing those buildings. I don't know why I always found success there.

[Roberto Luongo]

So as a player, when we would go in there, you just had to survived the first 10 minutes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was 10 shots in the first five minutes.

[Roberto Luongo]

Guaranteed, guaranteed every time.

[Ryan Whitney]

What was that Metallica song playing?

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, they would come out to it. I don't know.

[Keith Yandle]

Those arenas, you feel like they're on top. You. I wonder if that's why you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's why I love it. Cuz on top of you. And then every save you make, you just hear their reaction.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And that's what fueled me every time. So I love, I love playing in those barns. So we played San Jose. We, we won the first two games, go to San Jose. Jose lost game three, win game four, go back home for game five, double overtime and Kevin scores that goal where it goes off the stanchion. Nobody knows where it was except for me and him. We were the only two people in the whole rink that knew the puck was right there. And when he shot it, you know, we, we reacted to it. So that was that. And then, you know, obviously the final, it was tight. It was a tight series. At home in Boston, not so much. First game 00. We scored with a minute left and Torres scored and we zero. Game two. Burrow scores in overtime. Like five seconds into overtime.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wrap around.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, around. So it's two zero and then we Go to Boston. And that's where the series kind of changes. Not. Not even in the first period, because while Rome hits Horton and he takes the five minutes.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was sitting. I don't think that was. I was sitting. We were sitting right.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Eight rows above your bench. Right where he got hit.

[Roberto Luongo]

That was. That shouldn't have been a five, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

It was Horton. It was. I think it was late, and I'd have to look at it again whether.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was a five or not, you know, probably was a five, but he got suspended the rest of the series, and we were already down a couple defensemen that were hurt. Hamus was out.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was a huge loss.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, that was a huge loss for us. So we were down a lot of the fencemen in that series. So we kill off the five minute and like, I was feeling good. I was playing good. Good. And then second period rolls around, and for. There was a harmless shot from the blue line. It was a writer.

[Roberto Luongo]

It was.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It wasn't even hard. And Kevin was standing right in front of me, and I didn't see it. And I just, like, went in the corner. And after that, the wheels, like, fell off. Like, it was like scoring chance goals. I was letting in bad goals. And then same thing. Game four, same thing happened. Like, I was. Didn't play well. Well. So now game five rolls around, we're back in van, and that's discussion kind of opens up again as far as who should start because of, you know, they did in Chicago, blah, blah, blah. So I ended up starting game five. We win again. 1 0.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was a sick game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. That was crazy. That was really, really. I think we scored, like, early in the third period. Laier off the boards, rebound, banged it in. So. And we ended up hanging on one zero again. So at that point, it was three, two, and. And at that point, personally, in my heart, I felt like we. We had a really good chance to win it. I felt, like, confident going back to Boston. I wasn't, like, scared or nervous.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like we learned from that first trip there. We got it now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. And then the weirdest thing. This is the weirdest thing I'll never understand is before game six, I was in the dressing room and I. And I had sometimes as a goalie, and I don't know if it's the same for everybody. Like, sometimes as a goal, you just know when you're gonna play good. Did. And I had that feeling, like, dude, I feel like I'm unbelievable. I feel amazing. I feel confident. So I.

[Ryan Whitney]

Feeling in the world usually when that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Happens, your lights out. I get on the. I got, I got three or goals in the first period. I was out.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you feel that way after warm ups or even before it?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Before.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then warm ups went fine or everything was fine.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Everything was fine and warm up good.

[Keith Yandle]

Wow.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Marshy took a wrister from the, from the outside hash and from like a pretty bad angle and it just caught me and it went like short side and then I don't know what happened. I was, I was dumbfounded because I, I felt good and I felt confident usually that that means I'm gonna have a good game. And for some reason that didn't happen. So, you know, we ended up getting blown out again that game and you know, we have to go in for game seven again. So that was, it was another roller coaster of emotions and you know, I was not as mature as I am now back then and things wore on me a lot more, you know, when I had trouble getting past certain things. So just going into game seven I felt, I felt pretty good. And you know, the first goal was kind of a weird play. It was a bang bang play where BER just like knocks it out through a defenseman and just hits the post and goes in and we're down with nothing going to the second. And it was another weird goal where, where I make the save on Berg and he just, just rolls into me and like everything goes in, in the net, you know, myself in the puck and they counted it so we ended up losing. Then they scored an empty net, four nothing final and then that was it. But that was a tough one.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh yeah. Such a ride.

[Ryan Whitney]

We appreciate you. Yeah, that was an incredible insane breakdown of that run and, and yeah, it's amazing to hear, Amazing to hear.

[Roberto Luongo]

You said in game six you had all the confidence in the world based on how game six, game six went. Did we're like, did you not feel that way going into seven? Like, where were you at?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I felt good, but I was just at that point I knew it was game seven and like it was do or die. So it's like the nerves were more present than anything else. Like I wasn't really nervous before game six, which is weird, you know, because you have a chance to win it. But you know, going into game seven against Boston was kind of the same feeling as going into game seven against Chicago. Right. It's like just the game seven nerves that are kind of taken over. Over.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you say you're more mature now in handling things? So if you go back and you mention the media, you weren't necessarily like always down with doing all that, was it? Cuz if they said something bad, you'd kind of hold on to it. Like you, you, you'd hear it and then you'd let, you'd be thinking about it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, listen, I, I, I, I, I had trouble handling criticism. That's, that was my biggest problem, you know, whether it was media, I had trouble handling that for some reason. And when I got to that market, I don't think I was really fully prepared for what was, what was to come. And unfortunately I had to learn with, through, you know, the tough times. And you know, I wish I could do it differently, you know, as far as like not letting what everybody's anybody says affect me, you know, and, and.

[Ryan Whitney]

Guys who can do that.

[Roberto Luongo]

Well, it's also, I'm sure you came from a very positive family and then we talked about, about your whole career. I mean you're drafted second overall in the Q, fourth overall in the NHL, so you kind of had never experienced that coming up. So all of a sudden it's coming in that market and you're like, what the is this? Like, I thought we were in this together almost, you know.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, no, I mean, listen, I understand where it came from now. I understand where it comes from. You know, I, I set such a high standard in the first year, you know what I mean? And I needed to follow it up and, and I was at certain points, but certain points I wasn't. And when I was, wasn't, that was when it was tough for me to, to deal with it in retrospect. Like I get it now, you know, I get it now and I wish I could have handled it different. I think it would have made for a healthier me and a better me when I was there and probably play better at certain, certain points. But you know, when, when the times were good, they were good. That's great town to be playing in, you know, when the team's buzzing especially. I don't think anything beats it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, I was just gonna ask like a side question regarding this four nations tournament. Do you follow all the Canadian goalies in the league? And right now maybe. Who would you be? Your three picks if you had to pick?

[Keith Yandle]

He'd put himself on.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, let's go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean right now it's, I mean I know the picks around the corner and then there's, I think it's, there's a few weeks away, so it's, I'd probably go with the guy that's that's playing the best at the moment. You know, I don't think there's a clear cut number one. I know guys like Binner, they've won a cup before, so they've, they've played in this high pressure situation. You know, he's won a cup with Vegas, so these guys have played in, in high pressure situations. But the other day, I mean, I think you got to roll with the guy that's. That's the hottest at the time. I mean, there's no clear cut number one. That as far as I see, you know, maybe, maybe Benner's got a bit of an edge, but it's going to be for me as whoever's hottest guy would. Would play.

[Ryan Whitney]

Back to van. When you got there, you said that the Sadie's kind of took off.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Two of the most fun players to ever watch even playing against them. Like, are there any plays like not to put you in the spot. It more just overall every game. These. No look behind the back passes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I mean, it was more for PR. More in practice. I see it. All right. And then the thing that amazed me about them is that they knew where they were on the ice without even looking at each other at all times. Like, they can pass it to each other. Like, without, like, he's over there, I'm over there looking this way and you just get put on a stick every time. It's on a stick every time. Every time. And I was like, how is that possible? Like, so that they had enough. Unbelievable connection. Obviously because they're twins, but it was in practice, it was, it was amazing to watch them do their thing and.

[Roberto Luongo]

Also their work ethic, I would imagine. Like, I hear all these stories about even them doing the gross grind.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They're still, they're beating, they're beating the guys now. They're. They got the best. If you, if they go against every, every NHL player in Vancouver right now, they'd have a better time.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like, like fitness training in the training camp.

[Ryan Whitney]

They did it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They did a development camp. They beat every, every rookie.

[Roberto Luongo]

Come on.

[Keith Yandle]

But still, I think they do it every year at their development.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, they do a development camp every year. They have, they have the best time.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh my God. Yeah, they're just freaks.

[Keith Yandle]

Sad.

[Roberto Luongo]

So maybe other players that you play with, especially internationally, that you were just like jaw dropped by that your experience with them was like, oh, I have to talk about this on the pod. Because it was that special.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I played with Mario Mario at the World cup in 2004.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, wow.

[Paul Bissonnette]

2004. Yeah. Yeah, that was, that was. That was quite special, you know. And so I played with him. That was, that was. That was great. I mean, you know, he's Mario, so that was a great experience. And you know, I played with. I played with yogs in Florida, you know, that was, that was.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was.

[Keith Yandle]

He.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was skating at night when he was down here.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think he was skate. Like. I hear stories like he was bringing.

[Roberto Luongo]

Bark off with him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, that's. That's how Barky kind of like developed. Upped his like work routine or work ethic.

[Keith Yandle]

Didn't they have to shut Barky down? Like, be like, hey, yeah, you gotta stop her.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Need a disc.

[Roberto Luongo]

And they're like, bud, you're skating with ankle weights.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Dude, I've never seen yogs is. I've never seen anything like it. He's always. You saw it. Were you there?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So you saw. He's always had like ankle weights. He was like, waited on a stick.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gloves, like on the ice. Wait on the stick.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, the candling would shoot the ball in the hallway.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, the medicine ball. The big medicine medicine ball.

[Keith Yandle]

Like if you try to shoot it with your stick, you can't move it. Like you can barely move it. And he rifles it off the. Off the wall.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's insane.

[Keith Yandle]

I never couldn't make a flat, soft weighted vest. Yeah. Oh my God.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's just. All the time. He was just 24, 7.

[Roberto Luongo]

See him out on the town. He's got the weighted vest on those shirts.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's just hockey all day.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, he had it. So he had a key to the facility. And he would come in every. Every night and just do all the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

If the ice was available, like he'd come in at like 10 o'clock and then skate for an hour. I don't know what he would do but skate for an hour. And then he started bringing Barky a few times. I don't know how many times he's. He went. But he was there a bunch of times. And then I think they have to tell Barky, hey, you know, like, you gotta easy off.

[Roberto Luongo]

So your, Your time in van came to an end and you had never made playoffs with Florida in your first. Your first spot, whatever. When you hear the first time, the second time, you guys. I think you guys end up making it, but lost in the first round in six, like finally coming back and like getting over the edge and breaking into playoffs again. That must have been amazing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, that was great. You know, when I came back the second time, that was my goal. I wanted to make the playoffs with the team, you know, because I didn't get a chance the first time around. So that was one of the things that really wanted to try to get accomplished. And I think it was. I think my. The. The second full year back, we played the aisles in the first round, so we. We actually. I think we. Aisles were. I think we're a wild card that year.

[Keith Yandle]

And you guys won the Atlantic, I think.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, we won the Atlantic and the Owls were the wild card. And I mean, every game was close. Like, it was like, there's a couple.

[Ryan Whitney]

Double overtime.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, every game was close. So it was like. No, like we couldn't score. We couldn't score on the other. On the other goalie. And every game was like two, one overtime. Double overtime time. And, you know, unfortunately we lost in game six. Tavara scored on that. That goal. But it was. It was a great series. It was. It was fun. You know, I wish we could have.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who's playing in net for the Islanders then?

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was the. The German. German guy. The.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, yeah, I played with him. We played with him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Forgot his name.

[Ryan Whitney]

Abish.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, yeah, no, short name.

[Roberto Luongo]

Colt Cancock. He's got a wrench on him.

[Keith Yandle]

Grace.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Thomas. Thomas Grace.

[Roberto Luongo]

Thomas Grace.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not even from Germany.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Associated right away. Oh, yeah, Gricer. Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, he was good.

[Ryan Whitney]

You got like 19 years. Did you know at the end it's time your body tell you your mind?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, my body. My body was kind of like shutting down a little bit. Like, I had. I had hip surgery like a couple years before I retired. And then when I got back, I just. It was just constant maintenance. Right. I had to like, go to the rink like, two hours before every practice.

[Keith Yandle]

Insane. You were doing the Timmy stuff.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Like, it was.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's mentally.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was mentally drained. It had become a job, you know, and that's what I didn't like about it. So on game days, I had to show up two hours before morning skate, then come back, and then two and a half hours before game. Like what?

[Ryan Whitney]

Hip and back and. Or just a bunch of.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's just hips mostly. Just it. Mostly. And then at night, I was. I had to do stuff at home, like, just to stay loose. And so it had become a job. I mean, I still love the game, you know, and it had become a job. And then, you know, I went through a really tough stretch. You know, I got. I was getting hurt a lot. First of all, like, every year I would get hurt and then rehab and. And then the first game of the year in Tampa. I. Frank Vetrano, fell on my. My leg. I. I heard my mcl. I lost. I missed a month. Came back. When I came back, I went on a tear. I won, like, I think six in a row. And then after that, I probably played, like, for two months straight, straight, and I couldn't get it back, and I lost my confidence. And then that's when the wheels kind of start turning your head, like, am I done? Am I done? Am I done? And that's. That's the worst thing you can do, right? I think you kind of don't believe in yourself anymore. And then, you know, that thought process was going through my mind the whole time. The whole time? The whole time. And then I kind of started getting it back a little bit in February, started feeling good again, and that's about that time that, you know, the season was coming close to an end, and I started playing pretty well, and I wasn't sure what I was going to do yet. You know, I wasn't sure what. What I was going to do yet. So once the season ended, I took a couple weeks and, you know, usually I started working out, you know, mid May, early June at the latest. And once that rolled around, I was like, I don't want to go. I don't feel like I want to do this again. You know, I don't want to put myself through the grind one more time. And I went to the gym a couple times, and I was like, you know what? Yeah, I think this is it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow. Yeah, it's like the. The body just kind of says, that's it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The body had had enough.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I. I. A little bit off topic. I'd just love to know your opinion on what could the league or what do the fans want to see most with goalie interference? Like, are you confused now as much as we sometimes are when we talk on the show? Oh, I guess you can't even talk about this, buddy, can you?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I could talk about it. What do you want to talk?

[Ryan Whitney]

So you're never confused when you see these?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I'm confused when it goes against us. Yes.

[Ryan Whitney]

Any golden stands that.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's unreal.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right. Well, we've took the one.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The one. The one thing I did. The one thing that bothers me the most is, is when. When the. The players, like, shove the. The puck in with a pad, you know what I mean? Like, the goalie can't do anything in that situation. Those are the ones that sometimes when they call them goals, that. Those really upset me a little. Bit, but I mean, for the most part, I think they get most of the calls right. You know, there might be one call once in a while where, where you feel like it's a little bit of a double standard. For example, like. Like sometimes like a. A flash screen, the. The. The player will hit the goalie's head a little bit. Okay. And it happened one time, like, they called no goal, and then the next time it'll be a goal. And you. That's sometimes where the confusion comes in.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But for the most part, I would say, like 90, 95% of the time, the call's right.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you're just saying it's impossible to get them right every time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's. Yeah, it's.

[Ryan Whitney]

Which is.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Because a lot of them are judgments. You know what I mean? Like, it's judgment call because it's like the intention and, you know, there's. There's a lot of. A lot of different things happening at the same time.

[Roberto Luongo]

Usually your scenario is exactly the same.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, every scenario is different, so. And the person come making the call, you know, is. Maybe they see it a different way, you know, so who knows? There's a lot of gray area there. But I say for the most part, they do a pretty good job.

[Roberto Luongo]

Like, are you pleased with where, like, the league is at in general and, like, the growth of the game? I mean, you're seeing that down here in South Florida, but like, just from like a. Even a fan perspective, are you very happy about where the NHL is at and with. With everything?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I mean, listen, in South Florida, this been. It's been amazing the last four years. You know, you could just see it growing constantly with, you know, it comes with the success of the team, of course, and it's just fun to be. Be around here. But if you look throughout the league, you know, there's a lot of good young players coming in, exciting players. There's a lot of buzz around these guys. So I think that's what creates excitement. And, you know, the scoring's been up a little bit, so, you know, all these things. But for me, and this is one of the. The things that, that, that, that, you know, I used to hear a lot when I played about, you know, goal scoring and people. For me, goal scoring is not what make hockey exciting. It's scoring chances. Right. That's what makes hockey exciting. So we have to find a way to create more scoring chats, not the way to create more goals.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

You can watch an incredible game that's low scoring. If it's back and forth. Great saves here and there.

[Roberto Luongo]

This swinging one's more for the people in Vancouver. Yan says you're obsessed with pizza. You actually hold the NHL record for most pizza slices consumed.

[Keith Yandle]

Yep.

[Roberto Luongo]

And that's how he got in the hall of fame. Best pizza places in Vancouver.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You know what? When I play there, there was none.

[Ryan Whitney]

I told you Canada's weak for pizza.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was not. That was one.

[Roberto Luongo]

Should we open a pizza joint in Vancouver? Let's go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I used to get mine place in Gastown. I think it was called pizza in or something like that. But it was like there was no really good pizza place. Maybe. Maybe there is now. But when I was there, I. I couldn't find a good pizza. It was weird.

[Roberto Luongo]

I know.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They opened up pizza parlor now that's apparently not bad.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh, oh, the parlor is awesome. Pizza. They go. They go in that oven thing and. Oh, yeah, they got.

[Ryan Whitney]

Most pizzas do that oven.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, they got the special one. Like it's kind of like you're in grandma's backyard. Yeah, like a Johnny's. Oh, pizza.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I have a pizza oven in my backyard.

[Roberto Luongo]

You do?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I don't. I don't bake it though. Okay.

[Keith Yandle]

My father, his father in law had a pizza place. His brother in law has a pizza place. Your brother is my brother.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Montreal.

[Roberto Luongo]

And then other fun things to do in Vancouver. What would you do with your off time there?

[Keith Yandle]

Online poker.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, online poker. I mean, there's not much I could really do because, you know, I can really go out in public that much. But you know what we love to do is we'd like to go to Chiopino, you know? You know, we'd go have a nice dinner there and Yale town's, you know, it's great. I used to walk around there all the time. So, you know, we used to like to go for stroll back then. My kids were really small, so we used to take a lot of walks, you know, in Yale town. And then the sea wall, the seawall. Those were game day walks. Yeah. That was beautiful. Love it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Amazing interview.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, this was awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

We really appreciate your time and everyone's gonna be super excited hearing your career story.

[Roberto Luongo]

We'll have to do a skit sometimes. Time. Give back the old acting. Chops up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Seriously.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got to pull up. What was the one you said that. Because I remembered it.

[Roberto Luongo]

Him and Cory Schneider.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. Yes.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. And thanks for getting us this interview, buddy.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, no problem.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You thank my kids.

[Roberto Luongo]

They're silly, though.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spitting Chicklets is sponsored by better help. This month is all about gratitude. And there's a person that we don't get to thank enough. It's ourselves. It's sometimes hard to remind ourselves that we are trying our best to make sense of everything. And in this crazy world, it isn't easy. Everyone's doing their best. Everyone's trying to be the best father, a husband, friend, brother, sister. And at times it may not feel like you are, but you don't thank yourself enough. And here's a reminder to send some thanks to the people in your life, including yourself. I've talked openly on this before, how I've had therapy and worked with somebody and how much it helps and how much it kind of can put things in perspective. When you realize what other people are going through, what you're feeling overwhelmed with and just getting things off your chest can be such a difference maker. And in finding joy and part of it is finding gratitude and appreciating what you do have. I cannot recommend talking to someone enough and and and it's it's with BetterHelp that it'll be very easy. If you're thinking of starting, just give better help a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible and suited to your schedule. You just need to fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapy therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com Chiclets today to get 10 off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com Chiclets thank you so much to Hockey hall of Famer Roberto Luongo. What an incredible career. That was awesome. He opened up that recap of the 2011 playoff run. Oh was watching wild and you know, you can tell at the end it's hard for him to talk about. I know exactly how he feels and I was not nearly the type of key player as he was. Just an incredible career though. Let's make it clear he had no idea I was on Team USA0. He's like why are you saying us? Oh you're from U. S. Yeah he there's no I think I was on the ice in the gold medal maybe one shift and I was minus one Perry.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's like me saying we and I'm talking about the Maple Leafs. That's like this that's what he the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Same but I don't have a jacket. Yeah we forgot a couple things. Biz just brought up kind of rattled. First being what ended up leading to his Trade from Vancouver to FL back to Florida was when he was snubbed for the start in the Heritage Classic for Eddie Lack. And I don't know, you. You said that led to the trade back or.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, I think that that was kind of maybe, maybe the final straw. That's why, you know, we regret not asking him and he might even have said like that had nothing to do with that. But that's, that's one of the, the rumors that was out there. Another thing was the fact that he was one of the only captain goalies in the history of the NHL. Regret forgetting that one. But you know, he, he was, he was incredible with his answers. Like even asking about that cup run. He talked for 15 minutes and I was dialed in the entire time. Like I, I had fucking goosebumps on my arm listening them talk about that run. There was a few other ones too. Like some of his famous tweets referencing his inf. Infamous bath. Oh, Jesus Christ. Referencing his infamous bathroom break during a playoff game. At least you guys in Vancouver will get to see a great goalie tonight. Marky Elite. Elite company. You're an Uran idol. His iconic tweet channeling Kim Kardashian, featuring a Photoshop image of himself, decided to take it all off in support of my main strong, my main man, Strombo Kardashian curse. So I don't know, I guess these are. Were better written down than me reading them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, you had to be there, man.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, I guess you had to be there reading those ones.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Me.

[Keith Yandle]

Keith, you are old now.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was cool to hear him kind of talk about last year with the Panthers and getting up there. There was something you told us we.

[Keith Yandle]

Forgot about with the, the Violas and obviously having the chance to play for, you know, Vinnie and Teresa said Doug Sifu as well, amazing owners. And I, I heard this somewhere else that the Violas had gotten people who are original season ticket holders from 93 till now, every person that stayed with the team through the ups and downs will receive a Stanley cup ring. And you know, texted Matt Caldwell, the CEO, unbelievable guy. He said, yeah, there's 158 season ticket holders that.

[Ryan Whitney]

From 93.

[Keith Yandle]

From 93 that will be getting rings. And also, and I don't. He didn't know if they were the only team but every employee is getting one and even the part time employees. So just, you know, we talked about a lot with the Italian family, with Lou and stuff like that. That's how the Violas are just family oriented, just taking care of their People and you know, it's cool to hear like the part time guys, you know, we know how it is. You come in the rink, the guys who hold the door. Yeah. You're giving them knocks and you know, they feel part of the team just as much as, as anyone else. And to, you know, hear that those, those people who have been invested this long with, with this organization are getting rings. Was pretty cool story to me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you see, didn't you tell when, when you played golf the other day, you had him bring it.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. Unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

I also forgot to say to him his time in Florida and a lot of the years at the beginning when they struggled, that place was empty a lot. And now you go to a cat. Give me a cat. Screech. That was a duck. That was good. That was legit. That was legit. So now to see the atmosphere and what they've turned this, this organization down here into. Amazing. I'll get some quick hits around the league.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, I wanted to ask him. Sorry, I, I wanted to ask him while he was playing, remember he was talking about getting pulled in game six in Boston. I think it was when he said he felt unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

He gave up three and then got pulled like as a goalie. Like, you know, players get to work through it, right. You can go out, you can hit a guy, start a fight. Like you think he would want to finish that game to go in?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think they always want to finish. And I think the coach is like, get him out. Get him ready for seven. Yeah, get him out. This one's over. Get ready for seven.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

I kind of see both sides, you know, Vasilevsky be just giving them the combo. No, no, no, no.

[Roberto Luongo]

Hey. And also the, the contract controversy. You call it a controversy. But in 2009, Luongo signed a 12 year, $64 million contract that was heavily front loaded. This contract later became problematic for salary cap reasons. He said that and led to the my contract sucks comment, which great job, guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, let's call him up right now.

[Keith Yandle]

Hey, can you come back?

[Ryan Whitney]

You know what? We, it was awesome chatting with him though.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We appreciate me to read more horrible.

[Roberto Luongo]

Tweets that I have written today.

[Keith Yandle]

June you.

[Roberto Luongo]

I can't read.

[Ryan Whitney]

Tanner JANOME, Thanks. Oh, three game suspension for a hit on Brock Besser 30. Yeah, I, I, I've made it clear before the year that if you're watching your past, I don't really care. That one was very late. That one was real late. You didn't mind it?

[Keith Yandle]

No, no, I hated it. I think those Are the hits in the game where, like, we're all trying to make a living here. Like, where a guy doesn't see him, you're coming from, like, behind him to him, it's. It's such an unnecessary play. Like, you can easily just get your body in front of him, slow him down from getting in on the forecheck. That's one of those hits. It's like, it's more. It's borderline disrespectful. Like, it's. It looks like you're going out and trying to hurt someone. Like, where it has nothing to do with the play. I get it. Sometimes on the forecheck, a guy runs a guy, you know, he's taking 10 steps, hit you from behind. That's more of a hockey play than what I saw in that clip. Yeah, I didn't like it one bit.

[Roberto Luongo]

But then yet we kind of praise a guy like Sam Bennett come playoff time. So, like, what's your feeling on, like, you. You got to have a couple guys in your team that are going to throw that? No.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. Yeah, you do. I think. Yeah, you definitely have to have. And I think Sam Ben has done an unreal job with that, but he does it more in the playoffs. And it's like, you know, when the games are like that, but where I.

[Ryan Whitney]

Feel like grind playoffs, it's like every man for himself a little bit.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah. And both the big hits that he's thrown, I mean, they. I mean, the one was clean. The one on slaving. A lot of people obviously saw the. The one where he got Marshawn on the button, where that's probably not the best example. But you're saying if it's playoff time, little bit different regular season. Like, come on, guys, let's just get through the 82 and then we can go lower the cage all time.

[Ryan Whitney]

Interview with you after the Marshon one where he's just like, no, I didn't mean to do that. Yeah, okay.

[Keith Yandle]

He'll take that to the grave.

[Ryan Whitney]

Exactly. Exactly. And they win a cup and he's going to get paid this. This summer.

[Keith Yandle]

He should be on Canada.

[Ryan Whitney]

Other quick hits. This wasn't on the list, but I just wanted to shout them out because they deserve some flowers. Is the Los Angeles Kings.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

Leading the Pacific Division. They've played a couple more games than most teams, but Merle said they're not a playoff team recently or before.

[Roberto Luongo]

On text he goes, they're not a playoff team. I said, you're fucking doty without doughty. Moore has picked it up a little bit as of late, but wasn't going that good at the start. Start by field has not got going yet. And there was one more I was thinking of. Was it not maybe Fiala who hadn't been really.

[Ryan Whitney]

Fiala was okay. He got scratched. He actually missed a team meeting or late. Said the iPhone was broken, was getting repaired, his iPad alarm didn't go off. I mean it just sucks. But I, I give the coach credit. I give Hiller credit. Like you walk sitting tonight. And he came back and I think he had a goal and assist. So that's how to like show up after, you know, disappointing the coach.

[Roberto Luongo]

It was also Dono who'd been off to a slow start offensively as well. And I always talk about LA's drafting and developing. It's. It's one of the best in the league over the last 10 years. Let's say Leferier dude, he's got what.

[Ryan Whitney]

10 goals now talk about him. He's got nine goals, 15 points in 16 games. He was a third round pick. Hell of a pick. That was after, after his second year in the USHL, he'd played a little the year prior. 12 games. So his real rookie year in the USHL, 45 points in 42 games and third round pick. Big kid goes to Harvard, lights it up for two years, right after his sophomore season at Harvard, he went and played in the AHL four games. Boom. Hasn't seen it since. He's an NHL player now. You remember the best clip of his first NHL fight when his family was going nuts in the stands last season. Season. So in New York, I mean, a New Jersey kid, USA player, he's had an awesome start to the year. I mean, it's, it's cool to see. And I think that a lot of people are like, oh my God, Doughty's out. That's not good. This Br Clark kid and that goal he scored on. You were on the broadcast, correct?

[Roberto Luongo]

Well, the. It wasn't him who scored it. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he looked at him like, what? You know, you, you ever have an assist, everyone's had one where the guy immediately points you. I think it feels better than scoring a goal. 100 heads because they're just like, thank you, buddy. One time I, I gave Eric Christensen in Boston, he hadn't scored in a little while, and I came in, got hit as the fourth man and just like picked up my head for a slapper and gave him a shot pass, like hit his stick and went in and he's like, thank you.

[Roberto Luongo]

I Needed that so bad.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thank you. Thank you. I was like, you're welcome, buddy. Felt so good sharing and being someone that wouldn't take 17 samples of ice cream at Sloan's. But I digress a little bit there. We're going up.

[Roberto Luongo]

I got one of those. I gave Connor Murphy, Remember when he went, like, a high tip, and it was funny because the play before, I was wide open, streaking to the net, and he ended up firing it on.

[Ryan Whitney]

He saw it was you. He's like, no.

[Roberto Luongo]

Well, and then he. And then all of a sudden, right in the goalie's belly, and I. I tapped him. I said, hey. I said, find me there with the high tip next time. Sure enough, same shift. Why are you shaking your head like that didn't happen?

[Keith Yandle]

No, I'm sure it did, but the fact that it happened is it has me shaking my head like that. You got open two times.

[Roberto Luongo]

The Carolina Hurricanes. If Connor Murphy's listening, shoot me a text, buddy. Thank you for that, buddy. Pass finding me for the high tip and the song. I looked like Pavel Datsuk, Detroit power play, hall of Famer, knee down. That. That segues us into Jeremy Ronick.

[Ryan Whitney]

And we got a couple more things. You want to go to Ronick now?

[Roberto Luongo]

No, no, go ahead.

[Ryan Whitney]

A couple more quick.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, you're driving the bus.

[Ryan Whitney]

Couple more quick hitters. I apologize. G. Had it high. Highlighted. Daniel Sprung. I guess I'm going from J.R. in.

[Keith Yandle]

The hall of Fame.

[Ryan Whitney]

Talk about Daniel Sprung. Traded to Seattle for future considerations.

[Keith Yandle]

Wasn't he already in Seattle?

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought he was there before. There was somebody on the Chiclets group chat. None of us sitting here, and I'm not gonna name that. That was calling him out a little bit, saying that he's been moved around a bunch. Not a great teammate. Not my words. Not my words. But who knows? He can score.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think. No, no, never. I don't think he. I didn't think he said he wasn't a good teammate. I think he said maybe a little arrogant where that can rub off the wrong way on playing with certain guys, and maybe that's what led to the fact it wasn't going to work in Vancouver. But you said. I, I want to say he had a good, successful season in Seattle at one point. Now he's going back there, and they could probably use a little bit of goal scoring because he had 20 last year, and that's a cheap 20 because he's making under a million.

[Ryan Whitney]

Seattle's in, and, man, I, I. It's like, where are they Gonna go like what do you see? Say you're looking at who who's an up and cominging team like in a couple years man.

[Keith Yandle]

Utah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah like Utah. I mean I'm trying to think who.

[Roberto Luongo]

Else I would probably put Anaheim.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah like I've actually said Anaheim's gonna get a cup before the Devils really regret that one but yeah strong prospect pool guys coming up the Seattle cracking it's they can't score. There's not much there. They were really not great the first year then they went on the run beat Colorado game seven now they're back to average after the year after the Colorado win being not great. Kind of an odd time in in Seattle we'll see what happens there. Other quick hits I keep saying quick hits. Quinn Hughes joins the 300 assist club. He reached his 300 assist in just his 376th game. Third fastest defenseman. He as Vancouver's kind of been up and down a little bit even though their record's better than you'd think. He's sick. He's dominating. He's so fun to watch. Even the other night like a little toe drag. He made a great goalie made a great save. I think it was it was the Edmonton game. It was Saturday night Water bug just awesome player. So fun to watch. The fact that those three kids Jack, Luke and and Quinn are that good same family is wild to me. The youngest player in the NHL Macklin Celebrini scored on the oldest player in the NHL Mark Andre Flurry Little fun.

[Roberto Luongo]

Fact silly fun fact silly.

[Ryan Whitney]

We're getting silly Sick shot and shout out San Jose who were they? 08 or 09 I think have won four of their last five. Kind of like making this up a little bit but playing way better and you said to me they're playing hard so. Ryan Wasowski friend of ours really happy to see things turn around but Celebrini coming back has a huge part.

[Roberto Luongo]

No no doubt And I think the game notes guys mentioned Wallman and he was on their like their team of the week or whatever. I feel like he would be a great addition at the deadline. He, he is he's like he. What do you mean to yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

To what team?

[Roberto Luongo]

Any team that's looking for I didn't.

[Keith Yandle]

Know if you were talking like Toronto.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh no no. But I, I I'm impressed with the way that he walks the line. Like I feel feel like he's almost like a poor man Quinn Hughes where he's got a lot of those like those head fakes maybe more like an Adam Fox. Not the speed that Quinn Hughes has.

[Ryan Whitney]

But got one more year too. So you're getting two playoff runs with them.

[Keith Yandle]

Could be a Winnipeg trade.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, Winnipeg. Well, you know who could use defenseman and my boy Stoff. He made it clear. Everyone in Edmonton's talking about right shot D. Just get it. Just. Just get anyone. No, don't. He's saying don't worry about being a right shot. Just get a puck mover.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just like have them figure it out. They just don't worry so much about being a right shot. Just get a guy who can move the puck. It would be weird though if San Jose did trade him. They just got him and maybe they'd want to return and help the prospect pool, but it seems like he'd be a guy that's there as their. As a veteran while the team's getting better.

[Roberto Luongo]

Sure, they're going to trade. Everybody has a price.

[Ryan Whitney]

Assault. Exactly.

[Keith Yandle]

Going to trade him for a first rounder and then there's going to be no draft.

[Ryan Whitney]

Towards. Towards announcing his presence with authority. In the least shocking story of the season. He scratches Matt Vay Mechkov causing Flyers Twitter to lose their goddamn mind. I think the Flyers tough season after like a great 80% of last year. They've. They've really struggled. And I. The bright side was, was Flyers fans watching their star rookie produce points. They scratches him and he says, you know, I'm trying to help the kid doing what's best for him and the team. And then he scratches in the next game. I think that was kind of like Flyers fans like whoa, whoa, whoa. Two in a row. Torts doesn't care and it was a guarantee. He scratched Couturier as the guy was sewing the sea onto his jersey last year. Russian 19 year old rookie who's probably cheating a little bit offensively. Russian question.

[Roberto Luongo]

I would have bet him healthy Meech Cobb at the beginning of the year. It would have been minus 20, 000.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I don't even know they would. They would have the line. You know when like, like George is playing like a D2 football playing UMass. There's no line. Yeah, it's just too. Too much of a game.

[Roberto Luongo]

I would have said I'd never be able to have sex again if he goes 82 games without getting scratched. I would have put that on the line.

[Ryan Whitney]

Really?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yes.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's how sure I was.

[Ryan Whitney]

And that would have lasted.

[Roberto Luongo]

Lasted as long as me and the rapper.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't hate it though. I know everyone thinks I hate Mitchkov Yes. You don't have much skill on that team and he could produce but you do have to learn how to play as a pro. There is an argument for the side of like let him play, we stink. He can score, he can get assists, but I don't think the second game was necessary. But one game, it's like, like you're 19, best league in the world. It's not that easy for everyone. And that can get a guy going a little bit. He must have been furious though. Like, wait a minute, I'm leading the league.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think it was early in the season, it might have been the first game of the year and they went to overtime with Edmonton and he'd scored two of the goals and there's a play in overtime where a play happens where the rebound comes out right in, in a. In the slot or no, excuse me, it went below the goal line where McDavid fed Draisaitl who scored the overtime time winner. And you see Meov just go for this big swing when he could have just picked up dry Sidle. So there's going to be things that his brain just doesn't turn on for defensively that you're probably going to have to like beat into him and instill in him to him eventually get. And if that's the reason that he's getting healthy and he needs to pick up his defensive game, he's going to have to learn at some point. Why not in his rookie year?

[Keith Yandle]

You just hope he's receptive to it. Yeah, right. Like it's.

[Roberto Luongo]

I, I heard he respond.

[Keith Yandle]

That's good, that's good.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh really?

[Roberto Luongo]

Yes.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nice.

[Keith Yandle]

As long as they're. If you're scratching a guy and not saying anything to him, which a young kid, I'm sure they're doing video with them, teaching them like they use it for a teaching point. Right. They're not just scratching to be like, hey dude, you can't play tonight. So you just hope that they're doing the right thing, which I'm sure they are and getting him better, getting him back in the lineup so when he does come back, he's a better player.

[Roberto Luongo]

I think one of the things it was Brian Buet when he came to do tnt, he said that one of the quotes coming from each cov was he was surprised at the work ethic over here and how it's just like, you know, even after games guys are going in there working out. So he.

[Ryan Whitney]

Which is kind of shocking Russian training camp.

[Roberto Luongo]

Cuz I feel like K Chel is is a lot harder.

[Ryan Whitney]

So there planes dumping on you on the boat.

[Roberto Luongo]

So I was surprised to hear that. But he was saying that he's excited to get in even better shape and maybe it kind of leads to what you were talking about him not necessarily being the fastest. So there is a room for a lot of growth there and the fact that he is receptive to it and open to it and you know, it's just a matter of time before he breaks through and he's not getting health bombed here on spit and Chiclets. We talk a lot about hockey, including the best ways to enjoy game day.

[Ryan Whitney]

That is right. If you need help getting those game day essentials, you got to have Discover in your back pocket. Discover is accepted by 99% of places that take credit card national wide. So when it's time for wings and drinks, you're pretty much covered.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, you don't want to be the guy scrambling for cash like Whit when the round's on you. And remember y'all, Discover is accepted by 99 of places, but attempting to start a wave at a critical point in the game is not.

[Ryan Whitney]

It pays to Discover Percentage Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report and don't miss the puck drop for the Discover NHL Winter Club Classic on New Year's Eve. Amazing class going into the hall of Fame this season. Yeah, our boy J R Jeremy Rona got the call and we everyone talked to him in his scene. When he got the call, he like didn't believe it and he I think he had a missed call from the Hockey hall of Fame and he started crying when he heard, which I bet you is the most normal reaction. Actually. Ray Bork told me I was playing golf with them recently at Salem Country Club and there's a great hole out there. It's tricky. 10, 11, 12, 13th hole at Salem, tight, shorter, crazy ass green. And he's like this was the hole that I got the call for the hall of Fame and I'm pretty sure I don't think it was a birdie. I think he hold his second shot for an eagle right after.

[Roberto Luongo]

Oh my God, you're with me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Told me this and the fact that I can't remember if it was an eagle or a birdie, but I think it it was a eagle. I think he hold his approach shot right after getting the call that he got into the hall of Fame.

[Roberto Luongo]

That is not.

[Ryan Whitney]

And so that's why he said this is my favorite hole. And then he then he told me why it was so fun playing with.

[Roberto Luongo]

Him fair to say that like I mean he's a 500 goal scorer but maybe the fact that he was so outspoken and he's charismatic and, and maybe open about his politics to some degree is something that maybe kept him out until now where I think it's just appropriate that he obviously eventually got in because he is a hall of famer gamer. The growth of the game that he helped out with by just being. You know not many hockey guys are like that. Right? Everyone.

[Keith Yandle]

He was before his time. Right?

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Nowadays you see guys personalities and he was before his time probably when it was looked down upon. I'm sure GMs hated it. And I, I had the pleasure of playing with him. He was so good to me in Phoenix when I was young. You know you're Boston guy. I'm a Boston guy. And it's like he, he looked out for me from day one as soon as I got there so, so huge shout out to him and the other guys too. Datsu playing against those guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh I was so happy for junior and the coolest thing about his game for me these highlight reel sick toe drag one on one incredible goals. He ran people over and also got ran over and played through like he, dude he, he played through a lot. Like he was a tough out there. Awesome call Datuk. I, I, I don't think I can explain how difficult this guy was to play against. Keith and I had discussions a lot over the years of like you're panicked. I was panicked on the ice with him. Cuz forget trying to stop him with the puck. When you had the puck like it was you. You were just like oh my God he's behind me. He's going to get it. Because he was the master of the takeaway and the lifting of the stick. His best one ever. He got a Nashville defenseman that came out around the net. He just reached out, lifted the stick back hand shelf. It's definitely on YouTube. Who was Ch. Was it Steve Thomas that was saying that Brett hall was mentioning playing with him. He was like the one of the best players he ever played with or think that was Holly.

[Roberto Luongo]

We gotta I think based on all intangibles everything he brought every night to the game, whether it was defensive play, how he could strip you like his offensive ability. He'd reverse hit you and you'd oh my God, you'd be on your ass.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was like he weighed 250.

[Roberto Luongo]

His, his one on one game. Like I remember that shift when Pisy got I told I was a healthy scratch this Night. And I really, I was, I was, I was in the crowd torts there. I was in the crowd with my billet dad, and Pisy was out there, like, you know.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, because it was in.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, yeah. I was in Detroit because I play. I played in Saginaw, and I saw that Pisy was out there. He's kind of getting caught out. And I think he was probably about 45, 50 seconds, and all of a sudden, ozone change. And that's who cops over. And I. I don't know, I perk up, and I'm like, oh, no. And then he gets it right away. And then he just, like, does a juke move on Pisy. Pisy stumbles back, falls.

[Keith Yandle]

He did the. Behind the net, off the net, right.

[Roberto Luongo]

Then Pisces gets up, starts chasing again. Datsuk almost baits him, weights for him. And Pisy lunges on him behind that goes off the back of the net. Net. Pisy buckles him again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Down. He went down.

[Roberto Luongo]

But they must have had 16 scoring chances on this shift. But they survived.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

And I want to say we won the game, but just seeing him out there and what he could do, One of the most underappreciated players of all time. So a lot of people, if you if in the modern era, would probably put him top five on everything he brought.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Roberto Luongo]

Whether it's a big game, whether it was game one of the season, this guy every night knew what the he was doing.

[Keith Yandle]

He was the only guy I ever played against that was he was on offense. When he was on defense.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

You'd have the puck and you'd be like, oh, my God, where is he? Where is he? Like, even if he's on the bench, like, you look at the bench, you're like, okay, thank God.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm good. I'm good.

[Keith Yandle]

He'd come from behind, strip you, go down, embarrass you, and then score.

[Ryan Whitney]

The main thing I've heard about him from Danny Cleary, Henrik Zetterberg, some other Wings, Cronwall. He could have. He could have got 120 points. Like, I, I, they, they are adamant that he sacrificed points to play a certain way. And he could have led the league in scoring. That's what they all say. Incredible player to watch. Shea Weber's an awesome one for all of us based on, like, that was the same age we played. And the Weber bomb. I don't know if you heard the. Did you. You heard him, right? The guy behind here comes a Weber bomb here. I've said it a million times. In Nashville. Just wait. Here comes the Weber bomb. Sure. One timer from Ryan Sutter. Goal.

[Roberto Luongo]

Told you.

[Ryan Whitney]

There was that Weber bomb. And the place is going nuts with those. With the country song. Just like it. I love it. I want some more. I like it. I don't love it. I don't want any more of it. Physical presence like Paul Bunyan in front of the net.

[Roberto Luongo]

Probably the modern day Larry Robinson.

[Ryan Whitney]

I like that call. Larry Robinson won so many cups, but yeah, I think Weber was probably not taller. Maybe the same height, but. But wider, certainly.

[Keith Yandle]

He's like an Adam foot, but more offensive skill.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I like that. I like that. Big righty. And just always. I always think he played with the tongues out. His legs were this big. Sometimes tongues out can make your legs look a little skinny.

[Roberto Luongo]

Not him.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just a mountain of a man with one of the most biggest, most big weapon. Weapon of a shot of a one timer. Can't talk anymore. This has been a long, long one. So I was just pumped. And then you were hearing and. And reading that in Montreal at the end. He was very injured and going through so much, and they made it to the cup final. Overmatched against Vegas that year, but no surprise to see him getting in. Do you think there was some people who thought, oh, Shea Weber isn't a hall of Famer? Because I certainly would have said he was.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, I. Some people want, you know, if. If you're a defenseman, they want the Norris or they want you to win.

[Keith Yandle]

Cup or do you not win a Norse?

[Roberto Luongo]

I don't think. I. I don't think Shea Weber, but based on international play. Oh, did he.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, no, no, no. I don't know. I'm guessing. I feel like I've seen a picture of him holding the Norris. So let's see right here.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm gonna be twice runner up. Oh, Biz.

[Keith Yandle]

Stay off to Lidstrom and Charo, was it?

[Ryan Whitney]

No. It says here Weber was a Norse trophy candidate for the third consecutive year. Year.

[Keith Yandle]

So it was like the Duncan Keith Lidstrom web.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was top three.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Three years in a row.

[Roberto Luongo]

So. So there you go. I mean, the fact that you say you need the hardware in order to do it. No. And I just think that the type of leader he was and that how well respected he is in the hockey community. I think the fact that he was voted in this early just tells you everything that the guys who are voting on it need to know. He's a hall of famer, first class human being. And. And it sucks that it was cut short due to those injuries. But he played the game hard and he was a fucking menace out there.

[Keith Yandle]

Not to mention what he's done for hockey in Nashville too, right? Like he comes there. We've all played there. Their barn's fun to play in. That whole area downtown's blown up. Not just because of the hockey team, but he's had a lot to do with that bringing, you know, growing the game and stuff. So I think he deserves. I remember when we played them in playoffs, I was in front of the net. I think it was David Leguan I was battling with. Just like, you know when like you kind of grab a guy and you don't see what it's shooting. And all of a sudden we both heard the puck go by our head, you know that whistle. Like leg, leg. One looks back at me, he's like, what the was that? I'm like, oh. Like we, we. If it hit him.

[Roberto Luongo]

Come on.

[Keith Yandle]

You were both would have done battling. It was leggy. We were just having a chat.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just tell me what do you got?

[Keith Yandle]

What's up for the summer?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, leggies.

[Roberto Luongo]

Let's just stand in the corner. Sit of trouble here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Slapper Weber's kind of one of those guys where. As sad as I am to see the guys of our generation retire, I do think that these guys would be more open to coming on with us. And so it's like he would be an amazing. Sit down. Interview that guy. He did it all.

[Roberto Luongo]

Would forget to ask him about the seed that he had on his.

[Ryan Whitney]

He did it all. Rounding out the hall of Fame, two American women legend hockey players. Natalie Darwick. She won three gold medals in the world championships.

[Roberto Luongo]

That'll do it.

[Ryan Whitney]

She led the O2 Olympics in. In goal scoring. And then she got two silvers in O2 in 2010 with Team USA. And the bronze in 2006 in Turin, where it's spelt Turin here.

[Roberto Luongo]

That's what I'm seeing. It is. Wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

So maybe it's both. I've seen Torino too.

[Roberto Luongo]

You guys look at me like maybe.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm thinking of that movie.

[Keith Yandle]

Which two different cities.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I don't think that's how you.

[Keith Yandle]

Say that's how Americans say it.

[Ryan Whitney]

I have no idea.

[Roberto Luongo]

I don't know. But he. But Luongo's Italian and he corrected me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, that was. That was what was odd.

[Roberto Luongo]

Carlos correct this.

[Ryan Whitney]

The other player.

[Roberto Luongo]

I gotta read this story, by the way, because BX it took me 10 minutes. I got a text from Kevin Bxa just to clarify that one that he was like, what are you talking about? So it was a Pat Quinn story. He goes, here's a good one. I'm not sure he'd remember. Remember in Turin Olympics, he was the second, third goalie after Canada lost the round robin game. And Broder played average. Pat Quinn came in after the game and lit the team up. Then he had. Then he ended it with be ready tomorrow. Carlos is starting a net. Lou was looking around, wondering why he. Why. Why are you guys doing this?

[Keith Yandle]

He talked about.

[Ryan Whitney]

We talked.

[Roberto Luongo]

I know, buddy, but I'm reading the text at the Exorcist. I said, do you remember the story? And he didn't really remember it the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Way we believed you.

[Keith Yandle]

No, he told it. He told it like you remember.

[Roberto Luongo]

All right, then cut it out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Never mind.

[Keith Yandle]

He did, did he not?

[Ryan Whitney]

I. I thought you didn't remember talking about. That's why we were laughing.

[Keith Yandle]

He told the story.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, but he didn't really tell it the way that when. When. When they went in, when he. Never mind.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, and he said, yeah, you look like a Carlos.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yes, but he didn't say that. I had to. I was kind of like, oh, he's kind of seemed like, ah, that's not really how it went. He was looking. Looking at me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, that's why this is right.

[Mike Grinelli]

This is right here. Yeah, he kind of was like, I don't remember.

[Ryan Whitney]

Even though we just laughed at him.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, retell it.

[Roberto Luongo]

We'll laugh then. Don't. If it's a waste of time, don't worry about it.

[Keith Yandle]

No, do it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, well, either way, thank you.

[Roberto Luongo]

We should. You're saying keep it organic. Let me reread it for the next 20 minutes.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right.

[Keith Yandle]

Anyone have an ad? Adderall?

[Roberto Luongo]

You. This is from bxa. Here's a good one.

[Ryan Whitney]

Read it again.

[Roberto Luongo]

Sure. He'd remember in Turin. It's not Torino Olympics. He was a second, third goalie after candle loss around Robin. Game and bureau played average. Pat Quinn came in after the game and lit the team up. Then he ended it with, be ready tomorrow. Carlos is starting to net. Lou was looking around, wondering who he was talking about. So Turco went in the office and asked. Pat said. Pat said, I told you guys. Luongo's point playing. And Turco's like, no, you said Carlos. And Pat responds with, well, he looks like a Carlos. And that was it. So I guess I shouldn't have read it based on the answer's reaction.

[Ryan Whitney]

Give me another Luongo tweet, please. The last player getting inducted into the hall of Fame.

[Roberto Luongo]

You guys are brutal.

[Keith Yandle]

Remember we said, yeah, you played for team Kazakhstan because it was against Kazakhstan. Wasn't this the whole. Oh, that was world Jewelry Juniors.

[Roberto Luongo]

World juniors or.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, that was. Well, yeah, they finished seven.

[Roberto Luongo]

For our own sake, we should probably just delete all this G. It's on you, whether you think it's up to you guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

The final player going into the Olympics, Chris. Chrissy Wendell Pole.

[Roberto Luongo]

But she's going into the hall of Fame at the Olympics. We're keeping all this. We're keeping all this.

[Ryan Whitney]

Congrats on the Olympics is like end of the episode. Every time I church you for being dumb, I do something dumber. Well, Chrissy Wendel Pole played in the Olympics. She won a silver in 2002, a bronze in 2006. She's actually married to Johnny Pole, who was a legendary player at the University of Minnesota. I think he won the Hobie Baker and won the national title.

[Keith Yandle]

He's with Vanik, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

He might have. They won back to back. And the first one was Vanic wasn't on the team. The second one, when they beat Rossi, they were. He was a freshman and I think Paul was gone. I think that they. They want it back to back, though. But amazing for her. She. She's currently top 10 all time NCAA in scoring with 237 points in college. So congrats to all of them.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All of them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Congrats to all the hall of Fame inductees. Incredible for them. Lifelong dream come true. I'm sure. That pretty much wraps it up, boys. We got Biz and Dale are headed to Buffalo.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

So. And also that. That'll be you on hunting in Canada next weekend.

[Roberto Luongo]

Yeah, I'm starting off Thursday in Buffalo. Going to the game. We're doing a sweet contest. So they're playing the St. Louis Blues. I'll actually bring in a bunch of my financial guys. Great dudes with Sanderson. Well, so excited to hit up the game and then bring my statement.

[Ryan Whitney]

I want to see it.

[Keith Yandle]

Hey, we get it.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're right.

[Roberto Luongo]

My 4% this year, all the.

[Ryan Whitney]

All the financial advisors listening are like 4%.

[Roberto Luongo]

You better not be buying any that big bitcoin.

[Paul Bissonnette]

God damn it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Biz has 1400 Ethereum up your goddamn ass.

[Roberto Luongo]

But yeah, it'll be fun.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And then.

[Roberto Luongo]

And then Friday, heading up to. To see my folks for a few hours, then driving to Toronto. And then Saturday night, Hockey night in Canada. My Leafs against your Oilers. You're going down.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, buddy. Cuz everything you about the Leafs always comes.

[Roberto Luongo]

No, it doesn't this is our you.

[Keith Yandle]

Year Any action for you?

[Roberto Luongo]

Just worried about getting Squanto his goddamn jersey.

[Ryan Whitney]

I that is on that will be given to him on the 16th. Is that Sunday or is that Saturday?

[Roberto Luongo]

That's Monday, I believe.

[Keith Yandle]

Give it to him.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, no, the Monday. Monday's the 18th, I believe.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Right.

[Roberto Luongo]

So it is Saturday two in the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Morning and that hammer the LE win in that game.

[Roberto Luongo]

Hammer the Le.

[Ryan Whitney]

You think G and Fishy are in Michigan State for the Labat sponsored Chiclets UV visit. Follow along on social media for more info on that. These NHLPA alumni shirts that are awesome well made shirts. Funny character character character.

[Roberto Luongo]

My brain isn't working.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let me know Rushing to get it caricature and then the Character caricature caricature 10:00am Thursday 10:00am Thursday 10:00am Today. This NHLPA alumni merch with our caricature is on sale right now at 10am Go buy great shirts and our tickets for the live show Thursday, noon Eastern. If you're in Chicago or you want to visit Chicago for the outdoor classic, see us three with Merle's army and some very special guests Thursday at noon. Buy your tickets.

[Roberto Luongo]

We've changed up the structure of the show. I'm just going to be reading off my phone. Whether it's Luongo stories or tweets. No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Before you give us the Hawks.

[Keith Yandle]

It'S.

[Roberto Luongo]

A seven hour live show.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's like you ordering ice cream. So that wraps up this episode. Thank you so much to Keith for getting Longo giving us his beautiful home to record. We love whenever Yan's is on. Thanks for listening. Have a phenomenal week.

[Roberto Luongo]

Peace.

[Ryan Whitney]

Peace. The other way.