Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 533: Featuring Jeff Marek & Bruce Boudreau

Summary

Spittin' Chiclets Episode 533 Summary: Featuring Jeff Marek & Bruce Boudreau

Introduction

In Episode 533 of Spittin' Chiclets, hosted by former NHL players Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette, alongside Barstool Sports writer R.A. Mike Grinnell, the team delves deep into recent events in the hockey world, personal anecdotes, and insightful discussions with special guests Jeff Marek and Bruce Boudreau. Released on November 26, 2024, this episode covers a range of topics from player safety incidents to coaching dynamics within the NHL.

1. Jeff Marek's Harrowing Experience (00:00 - 05:59)

The episode opens with co-hosts briefly mentioning the podcast’s platforms and promotions for Pink Whitney. The primary focus quickly shifts to Jeff Marek, a former NHL player who recently joined the show. Jeff shares a distressing incident that occurred outside Houston's, a restaurant he frequents.

At [07:09], Paul Bissonnette expresses concern, saying, “This is kind of all jokes aside, like, a really, really messed up situation. And thank God you're okay.” Jeff recounts how he intervened when a patron was harassing the restaurant staff, leading to a violent altercation. He describes being assaulted by multiple individuals, resulting in physical injuries and a subsequent hospital visit. Jeff emphasizes his intent to protect the facility’s staff, highlighting the importance of standing up against abuse:

“And I just want you to know that that's, that's appreciated from this corner.” ([05:59])

Jeff’s determination to seek justice is palpable as he vows to pursue those responsible for the attack, showcasing his resilience and protective nature.

2. NHL Coaching Changes and Boston Bruins’ Dynamics (06:00 - 22:57)

The conversation transitions to broader NHL topics, with a significant focus on coaching changes, particularly within the Boston Bruins. The hosts discuss the unexpected firing of Jim Montgomery, despite his commendable record:

“I think it is the best record for... he has a really good record and it's not easy to win the Stanley Cup or to win two rounds or three rounds in the playoffs.” ([27:20])

R.A. Mike Grinnell critiques the decision, suggesting underlying issues beyond just the coach’s performance. The discussion touches upon the importance of Patrice Bergeron’s absence and its impact on the team’s performance. They debate whether the firing was influenced by player feedback and organizational dynamics rather than solely on winning metrics.

3. Interview with Bruce Boudreau: Transition from Player to Coach (22:58 - 164:10)

A highlight of the episode is the in-depth interview with Bruce Boudreau, a seasoned NHL coach. Bruce shares his journey from being a player to transitioning into coaching, emphasizing the lessons learned from his playing days, especially regarding defensive play and player relationships.

At [84:03], Bruce humorously recounts coaching former teammates like Ryan Whitney:

“What was it like coaching Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney? What was the game plan to shut these...” ([84:03])

Bruce delves into the challenges of gaining players’ respect and implementing disciplined systems. He reflects on his tenure with various teams, including anecdotes from his playing days in the WHA and coaching stints in the AHL and NHL.

A notable story Bruce shares is from his time coaching the Minnesota Wild, where he navigated complex team dynamics and managed high-profile players like Alex Ovechkin. He highlights Ovechkin’s competitive nature and the mutual respect between players and coaches:

“When we played Pittsburgh, especially that seven-game series, it was different. It was different in the room. Alex wouldn't be ovi, wouldn't be jumping up and down and being hyper. He was very quiet. He was, he'd walk around like, this is a serious moment.” ([168:19])

Bruce also touches on personal challenges, including an eye injury from his playing days and humorous interactions during coaching, providing a well-rounded view of his career and experiences.

4. Current NHL Discussions: Player Contracts, OHL Expansion, and Tournament Insights (164:11 - 216:00)

The hosts shift focus to contemporary NHL issues, including player contracts, league expansions, and the upcoming Four Nations tournament. They debate the implications of changing roster rules, the impact of contract negotiations on team dynamics, and potential expansions like introducing a junior hockey team in Newfoundland.

Key points include:

• Player Contracts and Development: Discussions around Joe Thornton’s legacy, Ryan McDonough’s contributions, and the challenges of managing player contracts within the salary cap constraints. They emphasize the importance of strategic signings and the potential rise of players like Kiefer Sherwood.

• OHL and League Expansions: Speculations about the OHL expanding to include teams from traditionally non-hockey regions like Newfoundland. They debate the logistical challenges and benefits of such expansions, considering player development pathways and regional hockey growth.

• Four Nations Tournament: Insights into the upcoming Four Nations tournament, focusing on Team USA and Team Canada. The hosts analyze team compositions, key player performances, and the potential for historic moments, such as Alex Ovechkin chasing Wayne Gretzky’s records.

Notable quotes during this segment include:

“I think the future of hockey is positionless, but man, you need centers and man, you need guys that can get you, you see it in Boston, you see it in Nashville.” ([208:13])

“You need players that can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create offense off the rush. Look at all the great teams.” ([216:00])

5. Tribute to Mike Hassenfratz (216:01 - 217:53)

The episode takes a somber turn as the hosts pay tribute to the late Mike Hassenfratz, a respected NHL referee who officiated over 700 games. They express their condolences and reflect on his contributions to the game:

“Our thoughts are with his family and his friends and the many colleagues and refs that he worked alongside throughout his career in hockey.” ([217:53])

6. Closing Remarks and Promotions (217:54 - End)

As the episode winds down, the hosts engage in light-hearted banter, share additional anecdotes, and promote upcoming shows and sponsors. They highlight:

• Cameo and Other Promotions: Encouraging listeners to engage with sponsors like Game Time and DraftKings, offering exclusive deals and promotions.

• Future Guests and Shows: Announcing future appearances by figures like Timu Solani and promoting their new show, Jeff the Sheet, on the Daily Face Off YouTube channel.

The episode concludes with a mix of humorous stories and heartfelt thanks to guests and listeners, maintaining the podcast’s signature blend of hockey insights and entertaining narratives.

Notable Quotes

• “Pink Whitney is here to stay.” – Host ([00:27])
• “This was one of the best storytellers we've ever had on the show.” – Paul Bissonnette ([02:45])
• “I was in Cooperstown, my kids baseball tournament... and I'm on there.” – Jeff Marek ([04:49])
• “The offensive firepower, I don't see enough creativity and playmaking game breakers on that team.” – R.A. Mike Grinnell ([23:26])

Conclusion

Episode 533 of Spittin' Chiclets provides a comprehensive look into personal experiences within the hockey community, strategic discussions on team management and player development, and engaging conversations with influential figures like Bruce Boudreau. Through its blend of serious topics and entertaining stories, the podcast continues to offer valuable insights and relatable content for hockey enthusiasts.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, Spit and Chicklets listeners.

[B]

You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[C]

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed.

[D]

To the jungle that is Barstool Sports. Our white whale, Sidney Crosby. Shave his head.

[A]

Shave his head.

[C]

Shave his head.

[B]

Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, R.A. mike Grinelli.

[D]

Spittin Chiclets. What is up, folks? Wow. Welcome to episode 533 of the Spitting Chiclets podcast. What an episode we have in store for you. So much has happened in the hockey world. So much has happened in the Chiclets world. But you guys know this is presented by Pink Whitney and we're on the Barstool Sports podcast family. Everyone knows that. And Pink Whitney is here to stay. I'll tell you, no one ever imagined. No one ever imagined that this would happen. Biz. Pink Whitney just came out of nowhere, came out of thin air and boom. Now we got these Birdie buckets. This fall, Pink Whitney is the go to shot for a new generation of drinkers. They've launched the first ever party bucket, otherwise known as Birdie bucket, complete with twenty 50 milliliter pink Whitney bottles in fun, convenient bucket packaging. Just add ice. That's what they say. Just add ice. The pink Whitney 20 pack shot bucket combines the excitement of shots with the convenience of a multi pack format, making it the perfect accessory for all tailgates, fall tailgates and game days. Pink Whitney will also be selecting one grand prize winner and sending them and a few of their friends on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee for a weekend of Pink Whitney field fun. Pink Whitney will also be selecting 11 contest winners that will receive limited edition Pink Whitney western merch. And all they have to do is follow the prompts. Online sweepstakes and contest ends December 15th. Go to pinkwhitney.com Nashville to learn more. Take your shot with Pink Whitney. Do I apologize for the long ad read? Nope. But boy, do we have a special episode in store here. Guys, we got a sandbagger recap. We got Chicklet. You going to Ann Arbor from Michigan this week. We got Black Friday cyber Monday promo 20 off all the stores. And we got Jeff Marek. Jeff Marek. Welcome to Spitting Chills. And he's got a new show, the sheet starting up very soon on Daily Face Off. Jeff, how you been, buddy Boys, I'm.

[B]

So glad to be joined with you guys today. And coming up later on, the star of the show, Leprechaun Gabby Bruce Boudreau. Okay, I know we got a lot to get to just let me get a quick evaluation. Quick little tease. Put some cheese in the trap. Scale of 1 to 10, I go about 14 or 15. How good was Gabby?

[C]

Oh, I could have talked to him for another four hours, and I think he could have too.

[D]

This is. That is one of the best storytellers we've ever had on the show. We just did it, folks. So I think we went 90 minutes and yeah, I. I was laughing the entire time.

[C]

The wha. Folding story. Like, I was like, my jaw fell on the floor. I didn't expect that from Gabby.

[B]

The Gretzky story, the Ochkin nightclub story, the biz mode. My son's lawn story. Like, honestly, like, it. It just. It was just getting speed bagged of great stories. He just sent me a text like two seconds ago. He says, seriously, was that any good? I'm like, I'll text him back after the show. I'm like, gabby, like, that was a tape measure home run. Where the. Look. Look at the ball. It's like, we all know the balls left the yard. We all know both the balls left the stadium, never mind the yard. Like, Gabby was. That was. That was. Honestly, that was the best I've ever heard. Gabby. That was.

[C]

And. But. Well, first of all, thank you for getting them on. And second of all, like, what a. What a podcast to get you to come on and guest host. Obviously you're launching your new show, but tons of news has dropped. But before that, how have you been. What have you been doing in the off season? Enjoying a little downtime.

[B]

Yeah. Learning a lot of things. Realizing who's in your corner and who's not. You know, I'll tell you a story. I haven't told this one yet. You know who the first person that called me this summer was? You, Biz.

[C]

I was in when everything went down.

[B]

When everything went down. Biz was the first. It was the first. And I was. And I had no idea. It was like, it wasn't that long. And I'm like, how does he know? And it was. You know where I was? I was in Cooperstown, my kids baseball tournament. And I'm on there. That's like the second or third inning. And I'm sitting there with my youngest son. We're watching my oldest boy play. I think it was the. We were playing either playing against. I think it was Boston we were playing against. And there's my phone. I'm like, paul Bison, how the hell this bizarre. Like, right away, bam. But I gotta say, like, I was.

[C]

Like, hey, you know any good Weed dealers in Toronto. I'm. I'm on the road right now.

[B]

Can't help you, man. I'm not a promo to help you. You. It's all legal up here now, bud.

[D]

Is.

[B]

You want the black market. It's all good in head. Yeah, you want the, you want the stinky stuff. You want the, the bts, like you're in high school again with like the orange juice bottle and the, and the, and the marble kicking against your heel. That's what you're looking for. But now I've been. You know what? I've been real. I've been real. I've been real good. I've been real happy. And now that I'm at the Nation Network, then the way that, like, I'll tell you something, like, just, I don't want to get this too far into myself here. Look, there's my navel. But like, for whatever reason, and I don't know why, the hockey, not just the hockey community, but like the online hockey community has always been really kind to me. And I don't know why, because I know sometimes it can kind of be an echo chain, an echo chamber for. But that's not been my experience, like, whatsoever. And you guys and the show have always been in my corner in full support. And I just want you to know that that's, that's appreciated from this corner. But new show launching, happy part of the Nation Network. And I'm thrilled to be home with you guys. And I can't wait till you guys drop this one for the gabby interview. Man.

[D]

I think that people are kind towards you and enjoy the content and all the stuff you've done in the hockey world because they know you truly love it. And when we got to know each other, when I came up to Sportsnet, I tell everyone, like, you, you really helped me out. You, you, you. Besides the one prank you pulled on me that we can't even talk about.

[B]

I love that one.

[D]

You, you, you, you. Seriously, you showed me how it worked. You talked me through things. You were a big help for somebody had no clue what's going on. I always appreciate it. And I always told people like this guy, you are a hockey geek. You are obsessed with the game.

[B]

Absolutely.

[D]

You love it. You watch it every night. And so that's why I forget, like, as. As a friend and, and a buddy having you on, it's like this has been an. A great week to, to catch up on all things NHL, because no matter what you were watching and you were keeping an eye on all of It.

[B]

There's a. There's a lot.

[C]

We're.

[B]

We're. And I'm sure we're going to get to plenty of it. Whether it's NHL, whether it's ncaa, whether it's chl. There's a ton going on. But not to play host, because they're going to slide it over to you. And by the way, you know what really sucks? Now Ryan Whitney's here hosting this thing. And it's like, now Ryan knows that it's really easy to do my job.

[D]

Like anyone who.

[B]

Oh, no, no, you don't understand. It's so hard. And all the janitorial work and the ins and outs when really all we say is, oh, that's offside. And I think that's a bad pass. And we'll be right back. Now, Whit knows the secret that my end of the business is really, really easy.

[D]

But pass it along.

[B]

Massive story to get to with.

[D]

Yeah. And. And this is kind of all jokes aside, like, a really, really messed up situation. And thank God you're okay. Dude, why don't you tell everyone what happened in the story and how lucky we are to be sitting here, like, talking to you right now after what could have been.

[C]

Yeah, a crazy night. Still kind of trying to process it all. I think I'm still. Still a little bit of Tortol in me, so I'm not really maybe feeling all the pain, but. So I guess I'll just start from the. From the beginning. So we finish our outline call with Mr. Jeff Merrick slinging back all these ideas. Going to be a great show. And I go to this place called Houston's. It's a Hillstone, like sister restaurant. Hillstone has a bunch of awesome spots all around Scottdale. I think they're all over the country. One of the best ran chains known to man. Very military, like, the staff is incredible. And there's one on Scottdale Road, like I said, called Houston's. And I go there about three, four times a week. I'll just usually go in either with my buddy Joey Superstein. Majority of the time I'm by myself and I just sit at the bar. So last night, after that outline call, I go over there around like 8, 8:30 and all it was packed in there as it always is, and there wasn't a spot at the bar. So I went and waited and then also put my name in for a seat in case that popped up first. And I've gotten to know the staff pretty well. And because it was so busy, actually, the Manager, who I talked to sometimes, and even the assistant manager, who's a big hockey fan, they were both in there. So they're all running court, trying to organize everything, get everybody what they need. And eventually, instead of the going to the bar, I get called up to go sit down at my A seat. So not at the bar area. And so I'm putting in an order for a salad, and all of a sudden, you could just hear a commotion at the bar area. And the girl that I was, that was taking my order, like, her jaw kind of dropped. And I look over, and there's this gentleman in a red golf shirt along with about nine other guys. And he's being asked to leave by the smaller assistant manager. And this guy is just screaming in his face, creating a ruckus. The whole restaurant now is looking over there like, what is happening? So assuming that would have diffused everything, the luckily, that guy ended up walking out of the restaurant after screaming in the assistant manager's face. And then he starts making his way back over to where the other nine guys were, where the. The main manager was trying to calm these guys down and explain, hey, listen, like, if you don't have a seat in this area, you can't drink. That's just kind of the rule. Like, I go there three, four times a week, even sometimes I can't. I never get to do that. That's just the rule. So you could see that it starts escalating more and more. And like I said, these people are, like, incredible people. They're amazing and amazing every time I go in there. So this gentleman with a lime green golf shirt, who's kind of being the antagonist, starts putting his finger in the manager's face and backing him up onto the back side of the bar. So I'm kind of starting to look around and, like, nobody's really getting up and doing anything.

[D]

And probably about everyone's watching Biz. Sorry, everybody's watching at this point.

[C]

This is a commotion with nine golfers that are drunker than maggots, just like, creating a scene, and obviously don't like being told no. Like, they want to get a drink. They want it now. They ain't leaving without a fight. So after about watching this for probably about 15 seconds of him getting in his face, and now the manager trying to remove this guy's arm from his face, I get up and I go over, and I walk over, I grab the guy's arm. I said, listen, buddy, if you keep harassing and assaulting the staff here, I said, we're going to go outside and we're going to have some problems. The minute that left my mouth, the guy beside him starts throwing punches. And then next thing you know, there was about four guys swinging at me. So we're in the middle of the bar area and we're. I am just throwing and I'm eating punches. I'm getting pushed against the bar, my shirt gets ripped off. And as I'm kind of getting pushed out towards where the main door is, we're still swinging. I was. There's like a statue there in the entrance. If anyone's been to this Houston's, there's like a statue towards the right side as you go to the bathroom. And luckily I was able to kind of duck underneath that and make my way out the door.

[D]

Well, this path should have never left, right. Looking back, maybe try to stay.

[C]

I don't know, man. I just didn't want to get cornered. I wanted to be able to continue to be able to back out. And like you said, all these scenarios go through your mind once this is all said and done. So we're all of a sudden now in the parking lot and they keep coming and we end up in kind of where the first rock area is, where there's gravel and they get me down, they're throwing punches. I'm able to get back up, I lose my shoe. And you know, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm taking some and I'm given some. And I would say about the entire time there was about five to seven of them, mostly five of them attacking. And I kept having a backpedal because if you get caught up with one and then you go down, then all of a sudden they're boot you and you're done. So as I continue to back up and maybe involve with one of them and I've talked, I've talked to a few officers, the videos are going to come out. They have surveillance, I guess, of majority of what's going on. And even towards the end as we got to the cvs, like where it's on the same, in the same strip mall, but about 400 meters away, that's where it kind of ended. But I'll get back to where I was where as I'm about halfway towards the cvs, I now see the gentleman who originally struck me. He's a bald guy, he's now assaulting the assistant manager again. He throws him up against a car. And I'm saying I, I go to the guys kind of coming at me as I'M backpedaling. I'm like, what are you doing? I'm like, these people are good people. Like, what the are you doing? And they were, they, they were seeing red and there was no stopping him. And I just kept fighting away. Now we kind of rounded the corner where, where the CVS is, and that ball gentleman who originally threw the first punch now starts making a beeline and sprints past all the guys coming at me. And I catch him with a nice right and buckle them. I was very, very, very, very happy about that. That seemed to ignite them again. I make my way around the dumpster at the CVS and four of them got me. They got me on the ground and like, listen, if, you know, if you're ever in situations like that, if you get caught on the ground, they're going to start kicking in the head. And if you go unconscious, like, you don't know what the, you don't know what the consequences are. I ate three kicks, one in the neck, two in the head, was able to get up and, and now at this point, I have no shoes on, I got my pants, no shirt, and I, I finally am able to run in the cvs. And then they didn't come in the cvs. And thankfully the cops were called right away while the things was going on in Houston's. And by the time the altercation was done, they were able to book five of these guys and, and they got them either whether it was in county jail or the local jail. And I'll get their names, boys. And, and this is going to be a thing like I'll, I'll go after every single one of those fucks for not only going after unbelievable staff. That was the only reason I, maybe I felt more of a connection because I go to this Houston restaurants three or four times a week and these people are always so kind to me that I felt the need at that point to step in, especially after looking around. And it's mostly female staff members, right? And these guys aren't the type of guys who fight or are able to deal with this type of situation, nor did they do anything to deserve this type of situation. And yeah, maybe I bit off a little bit more than I could chew, but I wouldn't have changed one thing, one thing about what I ended up doing. And I know I ate a few, and I know that I'm in rough shape. I had to go to the hospital after. I think the whole ordeal probably lasted about three, three and a half minutes, like give or take, you know, 30 seconds I was pretty gassed and I just want to thank all the police officers, the ambulance and firemen who came over and helped me out, checked the vitals and, and you know got me kind of back to normal for to at least get home to sleep late in the night. And yeah, I was up. I know it's already out now so I figured I'd might as well address it on here. But like I said, like I. They got the five. I think they actually arrested five or six guys. There's one guy who's, that's still out there. Thankful they got it all on surveillance but like I'm so fired up right now I would be willing to waive every single charge if I could go behind a fucking barn somewhere and go on 1.1V1. Every fucking guy, one after the other. I'm going to, I'm going to do what I can to ruin these guys lives and they're fucking assholes. And I just like I said I kind of want my vengeance at this point and maybe things will change once I calm down but. First time I'd ever been in a situation like that. Just glad I didn't get KO'd on the ground there because yeah they would have just probably boot fucked my head off and who knows right? So them. I'm glad I caught that bald who was the antagonizer and the one guy in that lime green golf shirt. Oh fuck me man. Oh what I would pay to have him. 1v1.

[B]

What I would pay. First of all our first concern is to you. I know you said you can pain medication may be wearing off soon. You'll find out where you're really in a lot of pain. But how are you?

[C]

Oh like I'll say like I, I joked with my, with my buddy Jeff Jacobson on the phone. I said oh I used to do this every Friday, Saturday night and then have the bus to the next city and unpack my gear at 2 in the morning. I used to have Jeremy Oblonsky Bambi in Biddington or Binghamton. Excuse me but I'm just more shooken up than anything. I'm probably going to go back to Houston's tonight to talk to the staff and just like the mainly those two guys who were getting, who got assaulted and yeah, it was just like I said it's, it's more just like just pure shock and appreciate you guys, you know, caring and reaching out as well as all the other people who did. It's just more about getting my vengeance now than anything.

[D]

So a Couple things. So, one, you're something else, dude. Like, looking out for, like, the smaller people. Looking out for anyone that's. That's getting treated like that. Like, that's who you are. This pisses me off, like, to no end. Like, what an absolute group of scumbags to act like this. Then the fact that you. You're fighting that many guys. You look like you do. I'd be in a full body cast. And you somehow, like, survived this thing, knocked out one of them. You're just. You're. I feel so bad about this, dude. I feel, like, sick to my stomach that you went through this. Thank God it was you, because they.

[C]

Could have killed someone. Yeah, like I. Like I said, I kind of have, like, taken my blows before. I got kicked in the throat. Like, my throat. I can't. Like, it's. It's all up. I got kicked on the side of the head. My ear was bleeding. Like, it still kind of is. And obviously you could see, like, I'm. I'm like, my jaw is swollen. I'll have a black eye tomorrow. On the other side, like, I'm. I'm a little banged up, but once again, boys, it was just like, crazy night. I figured I'd tell my side of the story. I'm really interested to hear what their side is. But thankfully there was. There was witnesses who drove around by the CVS after and were like, we saw the whole thing from inside the restaurant. We will take it. We will do any police report as well as the staff who did it. So shout out to the staff at Houston's and once again to the police officers, the paramedics and the firemen, they were awesome. They calmed everything down. And I'm just glad I got in that cvs. Although the lady working at CVS is like, yes, sir, you can't be in here. And I'm like, ma'am, there is a pack of hyenas out there that is ready to attack me if I leave this door.

[D]

She's like, by the way, you guys.

[C]

Have any good, say, sales?

[D]

No. She's like, no shirt, no. No shoes, no service. Sorry, you're homeless.

[B]

Hey, you're looking for discounts? Like.

[D]

Do you sell pink Whitney Nips in here? Yeah, it's awesome. They're selling huge.

[C]

You know what? I haven't been drinking, but you mind if I get a few pink Whitney Nips?

[D]

But my last thing is, it's. It's kind of shocking that you're.

[C]

You're.

[D]

As this was going on and the whole restaurant Everyone around is like, watching this and you go over and then just other people see what happens. Like, I. I can't believe, like, nobody else, like, hopped in. That is.

[C]

Yeah, that was. Yeah, I would. But, like, like, yeah, like, basically, like I said, by the time we have started the fight in the restaurant to the fact the time we were at CVS, I would say that probably about at least two and a half, three minutes. Like I said, give or take 30 seconds had gone by. Maybe it was three and a half minutes. But the good news is, though, is the fact that it lasted that long, gave the time for police to get over there. And. And like I said, one of them. One of them is facing felony charges. He was in county jail last night. I think the other four or five guys were just in regular jail. They're still looking for one of the guys. And like I said, boys, it's. It's going to be very interesting when I get a hold of these guys. Names.

[D]

And we need names. We need. We. We need to just ruin them.

[B]

What did the officers say to you? Biz?

[C]

They were just. They were. They just wanted to get the story right. Like, they hadn't. They. They got on the scene and we were at cvs, not. And so they separated me from the people who came over who were in the restaurant because they didn't want our stories to align. Like, we, like, we'd had a conversation or something, which we didn't like that. That the cameras will show all that. And they were just trying to get all the surveillance in what they could. I don't know if there's going to be surveillance from inside the restaurant, like, showing this guy assaulting the general manager for not getting him a cocktail, which was probably the last thing that he needed, or a bump or whatever else they were on. And then, yeah, they, like, they just worry. Were worried about getting the paramedics, but I don't really have much else to say, boys. I appreciate you guys. Karen and crazy night. Crazy situation. I ain't gonna. I'll be on the panel on Wednesday. I'm just glad they didn't take my Chiclets out.

[D]

Well, it's. It's a wild story. And I'll. I'll. I'll just finish. Thank God you're all right, dude.

[C]

Yeah, I'm interested to see the surveillance to see if it played out exactly how I remembered.

[D]

Yeah. So I guess with that, there's going to be a lot more news coming from that. And I think all Chiclets, the family of the fans of Chiclets are going to be looking to bury these guys somehow so we could kind of move on. Glad you're all right. And I guess we have so many different.

[C]

My week was still better than Monty's up until you get him getting the new contract.

[B]

Five years out of St. Louis, man. Like, yeah, but five minutes and then it's like, oh, St. Louis, okay. Yeah.

[D]

Hopefully the guys that got you get five years, it's just in prison, not in St. Louis. And I. So I think we gotta. We gotta pump G's tires a little bit.

[C]

G. Oh, yeah.

[D]

G had mentioned this down at Keith Andals the day we were sitting there with Roberto Luongo. G, Mick down the Cape. This guy Mick, he broke it. I gotta say that. I said broke it. You knew. You knew you'd heard from Joe Sacco's third cousin's wife that this was going to go down, and sure as it did. And I. I think the main thing that I heard and felt myself, and I'm talking Bruins fans, is they're like, all right, Julian, Cassidy, Monty, now they've all done pretty solid. What about the two guys that are making all the decisions, all the signings, all the draft picks? And a lot of times fans are ready for a coach to be let go. With Boston, it really did feel like Monty's. Get. Monty's the scapegoat here. I don't know if you guys agree or, gee, where you want to take this, but that was my thought and what I was reading most online.

[E]

I don't think this was Monty's fault at all. I tweeted this out, like, I do think this kind of had to happen. You've seen the Bruins play better in the past two games. Something had to be done. And we talk about it in the Bruce Brudeau interview. Back in the day, you used to be able to make a trade. Now you don't really have that luxury. Something needed to be done, and firing the coach was probably the answer. But I think all of Boston can agree this is Don Sweeney and Cam Neely's fault. This is 100%, and I talked to.

[A]

You about it, Biz.

[E]

The fact they have no guys right now playing on entry level contracts on offense, that's a joke. You need to be able to draft and develop in this league, and they can't do that.

[A]

It's.

[B]

It.

[A]

It's.

[E]

The way they've constructed this entire roster is an absolute joke.

[D]

So you're quitting? So you're done on them?

[E]

No, absolutely not. I've I've said from the beginning, I'm not worried about this.

[D]

I'm okay.

[E]

I said to you guys, Posternach isn't playing good, Swayman's not playing good, Marchand's not playing good, and this team's still above.500. Just wait till they start playing good. They'll make another run.

[C]

I. I think. I think maybe partly too, is, like, with everything that happened this summer with the. With the goaltending contracts and the Swayman and all Mark stuff, maybe like, the Bruins, based on the way they performed last year, Jeff kind of got caught up in their own hype a little bit. And I feel like there was just a lot of. A lot of energy wasted on things that didn't need to be. I mean, you already had Marshawn dealing with what he had coming into the season, so you had that looming. You maybe had the. The. The Zadorov stuff early on, the fact that he was having a hard time adapting to the systems, and the comments from Monty. But I'll throw it over to you. Like, what do you think? Like, what do you think caused all of this to. For their slow start?

[B]

A couple of things. One, I agree with you guys that, like, whenever there's a coaching dismissal, you always ask yourself one question. Is this a ma. Is the issue coaching or composition? And I think we can all look at the Boston brewers and say, the issue here is not coaching. Like, they could get, you know, Scotty Bowman behind the bench. They could get the ghost of Toe Blake behind the bench here. It's not going to mitigate the fact that. Look, like, we've all marveled at how the Boston Bruins have been able to stay in the hunt for all these years, and they've never had that major dip that all teams in a salary cap go through. It's been remarkable what the Boston Bruins have been able to do, but slowly but surely. And I wonder about last year. Like, is was last season, the dead cat bounce, and then this year it's back to reality of, okay, this is what life without Bergeron is like, right? Like, you guys know this. Like, Patrice Bergeron covered up a lot of problems for the Boston Bruins for a lot of time. Like, you think about it like one of the greatest luxuries any team has ever had was having Zidane Ochara and Patrice Bergeron on the ice at the same time. Nobody else touched the puck. Like, nobody else touched the puck. And they set, like, an expectation for everybody else in that room that everybody was embarrassed not to follow. Guys are gone now. Like, eventually, like, I think that. I think the world of Brad Marchand, I think the world of David Pasternak, I think the world of Charlie McAvoy. But at a certain point, you can't overcome not having Bergeron on the ice or in that room. Like, no one's replacing them. Like, the closest you can. I always make the joke. Barkov is finished for Bergeron, but that's the only guy who's going to step in and replace Patrice Bergeron I wonder about. And you couple it with biz. To your point, the situation with the net miner, which goes back to arbitration, you never want to see players get in that room. You never want to see goalies get in that room. Like, in arbitration, you hear everything negative about your game. Mike Milbury made, made, made Tommy Sallow cry in arbitration, okay, like, saw like a, like goalie. The last person you want to feel bad about his game on your team is your goaltender. And to think that the fumes of that didn't carry over into this contract negotiation are folly. He missed training camp. There was a whole distraction with the contract. I think that's part of it. And again, you know, coaches don't get fired when the goalie is playing well. Like, you look at the history of Jack Adams winners, what's the common denominator?

[C]

Yeah, show me a good coach, I'll show you a guy who's got a good goalie.

[B]

Yeah, right. Elaine Vineyard used to always have the great line. Hockey is simple. If your goalie is better than my goalie, you win. If my goalie is better than your goalie, I win. Like. And Ned harkness in the 70s, the Trent Red Wings coach would say, we need to rename the game from hockey to goalie, because really that's all that matters. If you have the goalie, you win the hockey games. To me, this is composition, but also in a lot of ways, too. It almost seemed as if it was inevitable finally, for the Boston Bruins to finally take a step back. And I think that's where we're at right now.

[C]

And I also think it's fair wit to mention. Our understanding is that Monty was offered a three year contract. And I'm assuming he was well aware of what was going to be on the table. And we get into it with Bruce Boudreau, where you're told it's like, yes, I know this feels like the end of the world, but there's going to be more money and more term on the back end. Usually for coaches, especially ones that are wanted and Monty was probably aware that plenty of teams had him on their list, so imagining that turning that down left them a little bit sour. Along with comments from management saying that they thought that the training camp was a little bit too laid back and not on point. So that was kind of the start. And then one thing that kind of upset me though is prior to the season beginning at the fact that Sacco was told that if they start out rough that he's going to end up getting the reins, where that almost puts like a little bit of bad juju out there. Like you're talking about a guy in the two years of him being head coach who probably had a better regular season record than anyone in the NHL. To sprinkle that into the universe before going into his third year after you just handled the Hallmark and Swayman situation that you did. Like, I. That's fuck to me.

[D]

I think it's. It was if they lost, if Toronto scores in ot, he was fired, then it was, it was that. It was the loss after the record breaking season that all of a sudden it's like, I don't know, like that team could have won the Stanley Cup. They're up three one. You blow that series, you make all those moves, they bring in Bertuzzi, they bring in Hall. It was all this, you know, they had the team and they blew it and they lost that series. And I think from then Sweeney and Neely are like not really sold on them. And then the next year we didn't think much. So many people thought that last year was going to be the fall off, it was that no more creti. You talk about Bergeron, Jeff, like there all those years, what a number two center to have. Because he wasn't cheating offensively either. He wasn't as great defensively as Bergeron, but he was still solid. So last year was supposed to be the year. And no, they crush it again last year. And I just look at like this game now. It's goaltending and it's your top players being your top players. And if that's not the case, like Jeff said, no matter who the coach is, they're going to look horrible. But like for Bruins fans, I actually look at the team and I see like Lindholm, great player, third line, center on a Stanley cup winning team, maybe second line, probably third.

[C]

I would say he's a. When he's playing at the top of his game, like, I assume he's a. He's a center.

[D]

Okay, all right, fair enough, fair enough. You sign Zadorov Stanley cup winning team. Maybe the fourth guy, if he's playing amazing, he's top four. But he could on a Stanley cup winning team. If you go to Doroth playing 5, 6. You're laughing, but can I pause on.

[B]

Zadorov for one second? I just want to make one quick point here. You know, as the old saying, fiddlers, fiddle and dancers dance. Like, when you get a big contract, sometimes you've seen this before, maybe this happened to you guys. You feel the pressure to live up to that contract, and you think, I need to do something that I'm really not supposed to be doing.

[D]

100%.

[B]

When Nikita Zadorov, you know, hits hockey players, he's really good. Like, go hit that man. Okay, that's great. You don't have to be the second coming of Bobby or Brad Park, Ray Bork, like, they don't need that. That's not what they brought Zadorov in for. C player, hit player, Nikita Zadorov.

[D]

And I think there's times when, when he does do that. And you saw it in van. And then all of a sudden, what happens is every player knows, you keep it simple, you keep it smart, you make the easy play. And then the offensive stuff starts opening up. You're like, oh, my God. It all comes from the solid defense. If he kind of started off and, and he's defensive, he's hitting, he's chipping pucks out, sure as shit, you're gonna. You're gonna end up finding your rhythm a little bit. You're gonna get some chances. You can end up hopping into the play like you want, but instead of that, he's kind of been just like, waiting that extra second all season. So these are the big signings that haven't played great. And then the final thing is Swayman. Now, on the bright side, Swayman's gonna turn this around. Like I, I have actually, I believe that. I have no doubt. No. Knowing him the little I do and seeing what he's done, like, he's gonna find his game. I don't think any player could go through that loud of an off season that much. Like, breaking news team calling out player in press conference. Like, who saw him having a good start. It was. It was written in the stars, the way the whole negotiation went down, that he was going to struggle. He'll figure it out. They're sitting right at a playoff spot right now. I wrote down of the top 10 teams in, in the Eastern Conference right now, you look, they are the only team with a minus goal differential they're minus 19. It's like that's going to change, right? They're going to, I don't think they're going to score a ton, but they're going to score a little bit more. And Swayman's going to stop letting in pucks that he normally wouldn't let in. I don't think it's a Stanley cup team by any means, but they'll end up getting better and I think if Monty was there it would have been the same situation.

[C]

I just think it's crazy that they were playing 500 hockey and it came down to this. It wasn't like they started like last year's Edmonton Oilers where it was that drastic of a situation where they had to make the change.

[D]

Dude, they didn't look good even in the winds.

[C]

Understandable. But you think things at a certain point could turn around, especially with a coach who's got the pedigree Monty does with what he did the last two years before. Gee, I know you wanted to hop in. You were getting a little antsy about your bees.

[E]

No, I was just going to say I want to jump in on Zadoroff and I think it's really great to see from Sacco that already Sakos bumped him down the lineup. He's on the bottom pair now and you saw and Jeff, I think we talked about this on the phone the other night where Mason Laura I want to see a lot more of this guy. He's an offensive talent defenseman. You weren't seeing a ton of them with Monty and Jeff, you were kind of explaining it to me that when he wasn't getting playing time because Monty knew he was on the hot seat. And when coaches are on the hot seat, they play the veterans they can Trust every time. 1920 year old riverboat gamblers. So I want to see more Mason laurai He's on the top pair now. They bumps the door off down and I'd even like to see low ride run the power play and maybe bump.

[C]

Unreal puck skills for a big guy.

[B]

Jeff yeah, no, I agree. The, the, the, the, the, the weird situation like sometimes this works and sometimes this doesn't. You guys can speak to this as players. The assistant coach always has a different personality than the head coach and sometimes it's tough like listen, sometimes it works, right? But sometimes it's tough when the assistant coach who yesterday was your buddy inviting you over for barbecues on the weekend? Hey, me and the wife having a barbecue. Why don't you come by all of a sudden now is scratching you and he's the head coach and he's making you stay late and all of a sudden you're like, what happened to that nice guy that was inviting me to barbecues like two weeks ago? Now he's a head coach and now he's an asshole. And now he. And now he hates me and hates everybody on this team. And players kind of. We've seen this before. Players kind of look at you and go like, hang on a second here. This is an act. Right? This isn't who it's. Again. It doesn't happen all the time. And listen, Scott O'Neill has made that transition great in Winnipeg. But sometimes, I mean, I've heard players say, I never played in the NHL, you guys did. I've heard players before say it's, it's tough because you feel like the new head coach who was your buddy assistant coach, isn't his authentic self anymore. Almost like it's an act. Whit.

[D]

I completely agree with that. I think when I bring up the top players not being the top players. G's mentioned the guys who have struggled. I know it's two months away, but watch Marshawn after the four nations. Watch McAvoy after the four nations. Yeah, they need to get it going a little bit more before that tournament because it's not till February. You're going to see a ton of guys after that tournament light it up.

[E]

You're linhome, too.

[D]

You're going to see a lot of Lindholm. There's they.

[C]

So you think they're just kind of worried and bogged into.

[D]

No, I don't. I don't think they're worried. I, I just think that when you get there and you've kind of had a season that maybe hasn't gone as you expected or hoped or as the fans expected, you're back with the best players in the world. You made the team. It's that confidence boost where like. And then that hockey is going to be such a high level. Those guys coming back. There are going to be guys who have maybe slow starts on these four teams that, that, that I think will light it up after. So the Bruin season. I don't think they're a Stanley cup winning team. I think they're a playoff team and we'll see what happens. But moving along with this crazy beginning of the coach.

[C]

Well, I just wanted to hop in quick before we move on from the subject. I was, I was. I know I was tweeting and stirring the pot about how The Bruins are dead. I don't think that they're dead and you don't seem to think that they are worthy of being maybe in the top 8 to 10 team as far as cup contention this year. Wit, is that a fair comment?

[D]

Yes, I think, I think if, I know this, I think if they play, somehow play Toronto this year, Toronto is going to work them.

[C]

I would agree with that. So they're trying to avoid the Leafs, but I view the Boston Bruins even with this lineup and I'm sure they're going to make a move. I view them as a team that makes the second round more so than a team that makes the or misses the playoffs. Would you have them either missing the playoffs or more likely to make the second round? You can't pick first round exit. Do they miss the playoffs or can they make it to the second round? What's, what's, what are they more likely to do?

[D]

I think miss the playoffs?

[B]

Same. Missed the playoffs. As we run through this biz I'm like ah, missed the playoff.

[D]

You see them like they got by Toronto. They almost blew that series. Florida, now Florida did it to everyone. Florida just. That was, that was not. It went to six because of Swayman. That was not. I don't see enough offensive firepower, I don't see enough creativity and playmaking game breakers on that team. I think that they're going to be able to grind it out. They'll have low scoring games. Swayman gets hot. Yeah, they can beat teams but I don't see them making any sort of run this year.

[C]

Okay, and last question before we move on from this. We keep talking about how they haven't been able to get that first line center of anybody out there in the hockey universe. Who you think could be available for a potential trade? Who do you think that they could add to that roster in order to finally get that first line center? And I'm going to throw a name for you guys.

[B]

No one's letting go of first line center.

[D]

Yeah, first line centers and.

[B]

But hang on, okay, throw your name out because the big one is who's going to, who can pay that price for a first line center.

[C]

But shoot, it's a tough time to bring it up because he's on a leave right now. But could you guys see maybe J.T.

[B]

Miller if I'm Vancouver knowing how inconsistent. Although he's turned it around a little bit here, Elias Pederson is playing, I do not want. First of all he's a coach's dream. Like when you think about A hockey player in 20, 24. He up and down the ice, undercover selkie trophy candidates. What does everybody want? They want skilled players that can play tough guy, that can fight, can get a hundred points. Like, when you have a player like that, why would you even. And I know that here we are, like, a few years after, you know, they. They actually did have. Have J.T. miller. J.T. miller available. But when you have someone like that, why would you even entertain the idea for a second letting him go? Like, I mean, you guys know Rick Talkett. You think Rick Talkett for one second doesn't want J.T. miller in his lineup?

[D]

No, I don't. But you get. You get to a locker room. I'm not in the locker room. I'm talking as a stupid.

[C]

Listen, it's been documented too, like, that there's been some.

[D]

I'm talking him and Elias Patterson. I think it's. It's obvious, don't necessarily see eye to eye. It is kind of odd that he. He goes out and I hope he's doing great. I've met J.T. i think the world of him as a player. Great guy, intense, animal on the ice. Like, yes. Dream teammate. But. But Pedersen, to start lighting it up with him not playing, it's like you. You start looking at locker room personalities and how teams gel together, and I. I see where you're coming from there biz. Because, like, but. But the thing is, every team, every fan base is like, yes, please, please, give me J.T.

[B]

Miller.

[D]

Yeah, give me J.T.

[A]

Miller.

[B]

The thing is, like, here's the question. You asked this about hockey players, hockey teams. You asked this about any business. This is the question I always ask, because we've heard this before about. About various teams. Do you have to, like, someone to do business with?

[D]

No.

[B]

No.

[D]

You gotta respect them, though.

[B]

You gotta respect them. Let me give you an example.

[C]

Inside of a locker room, it's a little bit different.

[B]

Like, it's a little. Let me give you an example. It is not a coincidence that when Serge Savard was with the Habs, Bob Ganey wasn't. And when Bob Ganey was with the Habs, Serge Savard wasn't. Not exactly a secret in Montreal. These are two, like, hall of Fame names. They did not get along. Serge Savard and Bob Ganey, like, that even spilled over. Like, there's the great story about Gary Bettman's first manager meeting. Brian. Brian Burke is there with. With Gary. Batman's the first manager meeting, and Serge Savard was running the halves. I think Ganey would have been running the north stars. Savard signs a player to an exorbitant contract and it's going to cost every other general manager, however, much more money to sign their star guys. And they get involved and the next thing you know, and this is Batman's first, first, first meeting, right? First meeting of Gary Batman, welcome to the NHL. Gainey and Savard are taking off their jackets and people are starting to clear out tables. And Berkey told me the story. He said Batman looked over at him and said, brian, what's going on? And Berky said, well, Gary, you're going to see a fight. And these, this is like the career's over. Like they're not in the NHL. And here's like two hall of Famers as managers that are still can't let it go and are going to throw down. But they won Stanley Cups together, right? It's like the whole thing about Scottie Bowman. 364 days of the year, everyone hated Scottie Bowman. And on day number365, they got the rings. Like, that's why whenever I hear like, oh, this guy doesn't like that guy, I say, why do we think that there's going to be 23 guys to get along?

[C]

I 100 agree with you. And if you take J.T. miller out of that roster, I like, I don't think that they have that dog in the lineup that can help them win a Stanley Cup. But it just, like I said, it just kind of went back to like there seems to be some, some ruffled feathers in there. And it, you hope that it's something that could be patched up and managed because I think that they're all better together. But that's why I just wanted to throw out that name. And I didn't know if you guys had any other ones as far as maybe where they could slot somebody in as a first line.

[B]

Well, if anybody knows like call Nashville. If anyone knows who that guy is. Paul Nashville.

[D]

What? What a. What a dumpster fire capped off by the most classic, you know, things. When it rains, it pours. Moment of putting on the ice, the incorrect starting lineup against Seattle and getting a two minute minor to start the game that's about. You have to bring it, you have to put in your, your starting lineup to the officials and then if you don't start those five guys, those six guys including the goalie, you get a penalty. It's like, oh my God, Nashville. But with the Bruins and with Monty, it leads us into. And you'll. You'll hear later from Bruce Boudreau, who went through the same thing in Washington to Anaheim. Monty didn't have to wait long. And Doug Armstrong announces that Drew Bannister is going to be let go. He interim coached last year when Berubi was fired. He was signed to a two year contract extension. Be the head coach this offseason. Coach 22 games. And what I really liked, and I think what Blues fans respect is when Monty spoke to the media and addressed firing Bannister and hiring Montgomery, was that a better, better name, a better coach for us became available? Like, I, I think it's pretty obvious that he would have hired Montgomery if he had the opportunity to this summer based on what happened. But I feel bad for Bannister a little bit. I don't know anything about him. I've heard some guys didn't love playing for him. Now you hate to like say that after the guy gets fired, but I'm just talking about what I've heard from.

[C]

Different players in a sense of he was a difficult coach, like hard on players or maybe like unorganized, maybe didn't have any structure. Like in what case I was a.

[D]

Little bit of a hard O, which sometimes you got to take with a grain of salt because if a player doesn't like getting on or told that he's messed up a bunch of times that they can get sour on a guy. So I wasn't there. So it's not fair for me to say I, I don't know I should say. But I still feel bad because you get, you get your chance, you get the interim tag off, you get hired and boom, like it ends quickly.

[C]

Well, so Jeff did mention, I think army was pretty open about it in his press conference saying like, we feel like our guy became available and it's just more of a case of players. He's.

[B]

What's that happens with players? Like, I, I know it sounds hard. I feel like this is a strange phenomenon. Like, good. First of all, good on Doug Armstrong for just coming out and being blunt.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And being honest. But I mean this happens with players all the time. Yeah. You know what, this guy was our, you know, second pairing, right shot D. But we found a better second pairing, right shot D. So we got rid of this guy. Like it sounds, it sounds harsh because we don't really hear that honesty about why he made a coaching change. But in his mind he just said like army just said like, look, this was our guy. We thought we had a better coach. And I owe it to the team to bring to put together the best possible team, whether that's a goaltender, defenseman, forward, or in this case a coach. It does sting for Drew Bannister. Like I got to know Bannister a little bit when he coaches Susan Marie Greyhounds of the OHL and help graduate some really high quality athletes into the National Hockey League. But I mean this is a tough first go round for Bannister in the NHL behind the bench. Like I'm sure he'll learn from it and it's things right now. Um, but like that's the, the, the, the, the, the brutally honest part of sports. But you know what, there is one other thing to it. I wonder how many other teams would have been considering Jim Montgomery as well at the same time. You know, for Doug Armstrong to move that quickly. You don't like if you think he's going to be your guy, like there.

[D]

Was that somebody else is going to get him if we wait.

[B]

Someone else was.

[C]

I was Anaheim. Would Jeff before you keep going? I hope. I was just hoping it was a market maybe where he wouldn't be the, it wouldn't be like an original six or somewhere where he'd be right back in the limelight. I feel like he can go to St. Louis right now and slowly work his magic and he doesn't have to be the, you know, the center of the media universe. That's why I was also hoping that maybe in Anaheim with that young crop of players, what he could have done over there and maybe if they, maybe they were even considering. But from my understanding, he does have ties to St. Louis, is his wife.

[B]

He was there before. Yeah. And yeah, they're strong ties. They're like. I'm firmly of the belief that there have been a couple times where Doug Armstrong wanted to, wanted to bring in Jim Montgomery. I always thought like the succession program again, like all this is about timing too, right? Like there have been a number of times where Jim Nill in Dallas has wanted to bring in Gerard Gallant. I mean old, you know, old, you know, with the old Detroit connections. But for whatever reason, the timing just didn't happen. I mean you go around the NHL and ask any general manager, you know, which coaches you always wanted to get, but the timing wasn't there for it. Either you had a coach. In this case it was Craig Berube or in the, in the coach's case, he was just ended up somewhere else and he was locked into a long term deal. It happens, right? But to me this was okay. So the stars didn't Align perfectly here. But all of a sudden, the guy that you wanted for the last however many years suddenly became available. You wonder about other teams and their coach openings or potential coach openings. And you think, you know what? Much like when the Chicago Blackhawks, when Denny Savard was the coach, they did something in the offseason. They hired Joel Quinville as a scout, and everyone rolled their eyes and said, give me a break. You hired Joel Quinville? As we all know what's going on here? And was it like three or four games into the season, they fired Denny Savard and Joel Quanville was the guy. I think Doug Armstrong wanted as quickly as possible to bring in Jim Montgomery as their head coach. I know there's all this stuff out there about the next coach fired and all that, and I think people are wondering about Detroit, although I can't. I really can't see that move happening. Like, I could just. We just have a quick conversation about the Red Wings. I know we're talking about Montgomery.

[C]

Yeah, we're going to go to Nashville next.

[B]

But let's talk about. I just want to make sure that I make one point here on the show about the Red Wings. I know that there's a lot of clamor about Derek Malone in Detroit, but the one thing I think everyone has to keep in the back of their mind here, the Illich family bought the Detroit red wings in 1982. Okay. The Ilitch Again, 1982 is when the Illiches bought this. This team. Since they bought the team, they have never fired a coach in season. No, it's never happened.

[D]

Well, they had a wagon, like 30 years in a row.

[B]

I understand that.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And they had Stanley Cups and here's Babcock and Bowman. And I understand all that. But there were still some lean years, too. Right. But they've. They've never done it. That would be the massive break with Ilitch tradition. And we all know how patient. Steve Iserman as well, we know how patient he was with Jeff Blasho. I know sometimes Red Wings fans, you know, no, we gotta make the move on the coach. That would be the first time in Illich Red Wings history that they have done that in season.

[C]

And from some of the stuff, like, I. I think when we had them on the broadcast, like at the time, it was a few weeks ago, like, they'd allowed the least amount of odd man rushes. So it seems like he's imposing some structure and good things for this young group of guys. And also at that same. In that same game, I Think the first line had just as many goals as the rest of the team. So they're not even getting secondary scoring. So how much of this can you really blame the coach for? Again, I don't see this a situation where you. I don't think, I don't think they're going to make playoffs. Maybe that was the hope from the fan base. They're not quite there yet. I'd probably say one or two more years. So that type of drastic of a move I don't think is going to help them squeak inside of a playoff spot. And they were one point out last year given the fact that they didn't have that even that good of a roster. So he seemed to have been able to get a lot out of the team despite that. Now, another name that Merles threw out and you guys might have laughed at this. Well, especially you, Jeff, was Fedorov. Now from a nostalgia standpoint, from an excitement standpoint, I would be just as fired up, if not more that the fact the Islands brought in Patty Waugh. Now a lot of people were messaging us the fact that the illicit and Fedorov have a bit of a gripe. Is that true? And why is that?

[D]

When I first swinging for the fence.

[B]

When I first heard Merle say that, I'm like, I understand why he's saying it, but you really gotta understand the dynamic here. So that was the. So Copywear and Little Caesars have always had a very healthy battle between Carman Osunelich have always had a, have always had a battle. Like we all know that and like.

[C]

The minor league programs.

[D]

Oh, everything.

[B]

No dude, like everything. Every, at every single level. We'll tell you, at every single level. Little Caesars Compuare has always been a battle. And when Carolina offer sheeted Sergey Fedorov, like have you ever not wondered why Fedorov's number is not retired in Detroit?

[C]

It's because he, it's because he signed an offer sheet with Carolina that, that.

[B]

That was such a catalyst for, for, for, for, for the hatred of Fedoff. Now there's, as I'm told, there's more to the story. There is more to the story. But. And it was just like when, when, when Sakic signed the Ranger offer sheet and then Colorado had to match like they all played off like ahaha. It was all jokes and all that and oh, it's all past us and we're all having a good. It was nasty. It was real nasty.

[C]

What was the offer at a lot.

[B]

At a lot of levels. I can look at look up the Federov offer sheet.

[D]

38 million over six years, and that's 1998, guys.

[B]

That is major bucks.

[D]

Oh, my God. You look.

[C]

Can't even adjust that for inflation. That's.

[D]

Sergey Fedorov was so nasty defensively. Forget the offensive stuff and, like, how good he was with the puck. He was playing defense like, the guy was a freak. To. To not have 90.

[B]

One of the best players ever. One of the best players ever.

[D]

19. And it's like, what are we doing here? It's crazy. Oh, here's the kicker, though. Was that the signing bonus put in place? There was a $14 million signing bonus up front and about 12 million in bonuses that would be paid throughout the remaining years of the contract. However, there was a caveat that if Fedorov's team reached the conference finals, he would be paid all 12 million up front. The actual salary worked out to only 2 million per year. So just a way to fuck over Illich family from Carmanos. And I guess they've never forgave Sergei Federal for signing it then.

[C]

They. They evidently matched that offer then.

[B]

Absolutely, they did.

[C]

So are they bitter that they actually had to pay him out or the fact that he would turncoat on them and sign that? Like, if he wouldn't assign it, would they.

[B]

I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. You guys will know this better than I will. The history of players signing offer sheets that end up getting moved is sky high. And like, I remember. Okay, so I remember talking to. This is an interesting place we got here. So I remember having a conversation with. With Ryan O'Reilly. Ryan O'Reilly famously signed an offer sheet with the Calgary Flames. The Colorado Avalanche matched. Now, I've always wondered about this, and O'Reilly said. And he wouldn't tell me who the player or players were, but there were players in that room when he went back, were very much of the mind that you quit on us and you tried to leave.

[D]

I think that's because.

[C]

Because they were so uncommon.

[D]

No, no, I'm not saying you're lying. I think it's bullshit that they thought that.

[B]

It's.

[A]

It's.

[B]

It is BS. I'm with you 100%, but there is that feeling like you tried to leave, man. Like, you. You tried to leave this. I again, like, separate business from team here. And I. I guess from this point of view.

[D]

And he was a leader on the team, but you're a leader on the.

[B]

Team, and you signed an offer sheet and you tried to go, man, and there were people in that room that were just awful to him that way when they matched the offer sheet and you had to go back to the.

[C]

Avalanche and weren't, didn't their team suck too? Weren't there a bunch of bums there like, what the fuck?

[B]

And then he ended up, you know, getting, getting, getting moved to the Buffalo Sabres.

[D]

Before we continue, I need to talk to you about Game Time. We've mentioned the Winter Classic, we've mentioned our live show, and it's all coming up quick. End of December. It's at Wrigley on New Year's Eve and we cannot wait to get out there. Game Time is an enormous part of that. And right now with Game Time, hockey fans can save on tickets with a game time exclusive. 25% off when using Zone deals with Game Time. This deal is only available until December 2nd, so you're running out of time. Fire up the Game Time app and get your Winter Classic tickets now with Game Time zone deals, you choose your zone and Game Time chooses your specific seats. And you get peace of mind with Game Time's lowest price guarantee. If it's your first time buying with Game Time, you can enter code Chiclets for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. There's nothing like seeing a winter classic live. Get 25 off with zone deals on Game Time, the official ticketing partner of Barstool Sports. What time is it? Game time. Game time co. That's game time co. Use the code chicks. $20 off your first purchase. Well, interesting where that just took us. I, I, I'm now like we need 91 at, at, at the arena. We need 90 behind the bench. And behind the bench according to Merles. But now that we've seen Montgomery let go, then hired as banisters let go, it's began the carousel. And every year you start hearing names pretty early. The NHL is crazy with coaching now. We talked about Nashville Quick, like is Andrew Pernett possibly next? I think it's crazy what's happening. I mean they're sitting, they're sitting 29th out of 32 teams in the league. I think they might be 30th actually. And all the money that was spent, the expectations if, if any analysts or people out there saw this coming. I didn't see it. I never saw a report from any hot take people personality like us that said they were gonna stink.

[C]

Wait, Merrick. I also think it's interesting that Ryan O'Reilly was on the, the St. Louis team that came back out of that hole when they had the practice fight to go on the Stanley cup. And then last year, the FU2F. FU2 Tour. So him as a leader, he's been. What do you want to say? Familiar with these types of situations. So do you think they can dig themselves out of this or have the moves they made in the off season really pigeonholed themselves?

[B]

I keep looking at the National Predators and I say, how now I think we've all focused on the center position, right? Like, we're all looking at this and saying, like, you need centers. Like, I think we all like Colton Sissons. I think we like how high up in the lineup he is. I think we all like Ryan O'Reilly. I don't think we all like where he's playing in the lineup either at this point of his career. I like USOP Arson. I think he's going to be a really good center in the NHL. I don't think he should be near a second line spot right now. I don't think any of us do. But somewhere down the road, Usop Arson is going to be a really good player. I know we're focusing so much on the center position with this team. I want to bring up one name. I want to bring up one name, and that's Ryan McDonough.

[C]

Oh, I talk to this guy on every other podcast.

[B]

I don't think it's a coincidence at all. You look at how Tampa's going and you look at how Nashville is going now, I don't know if Ryan McDonough was part of the recruiting process to get Stevens Damcos to Nashville. All I know is this is a. This is a. This is a Nashville team that is not anywhere near as good as it was with Ryan McDonough there. But this is a much better Tampa team with Ryan McDonough back. Like, someone said to me about Ryan McDonough, first of all, we focus on the block shots, and guys love it, and it's really important. And he's fantastic. Someone said to me, you're sleeping on his main skill set. I said, what's that? He said, there's no better defenseman where you can talk about this. There's no better defenseman, the NHL at getting back to position quicker than Ryan McDonough. He said, It's. It's a robot. Only. Only players talk about, oh, out of position. Nope. For like a split second, and he's right back to his spot. Whit does that resonate with you as a defenseman?

[D]

It does. And then the times that he can't, he's eating a puck and he's putting his face, he's putting his face in the line. He's, you think of like tenacious, like the guy is non stop in your face. He's willing to do anything and he's done it for so long that people kind of seem to think like, like when Tampa got rid of him, it's like, are they looking at it? Ah, he's, he's kind of reached the back nine here. Like, how much longer can he do this? And then they realize we need to get him back, we need him back.

[C]

We need to say also that they're willing to basically move off of Sergachev as one of those well guys which.

[D]

Also could be the same type situation there. And I don't know, that's different subject.

[B]

But yes, they, they, they look, they, they fought. They, they thought because you know, Circuit, Circuit Chap McDonough since she switched spots. And they thought, okay, you know what? We can do this. We can, we can bump Sergev up. One couldn't. It wasn't there and it really wasn't there through conversation.

[C]

Like people might fact check me on this, but when you look at pivotal moments in games and the stretches through all those playoff runs when goalies were pulled for the other team or any type of very, very important minutes, he was out there and in most cases ahead of Headman.

[D]

Whatever team. He was. Whatever Ranger. Yeah, exactly.

[C]

He was that guy. So he's not intimidated by playing against those top lines and those hard minutes. And you guys are gonna, you guys are gonna have a chuckle when I mention this name. The fact that they moved on from Kiefer Sherwood and they could have got him for a million and a half dollars based on he, how he played in the back half of last season in the playoffs. The fact that when I was talking to Rick Talkett amidst that series where he's like, are you watching this? Kiefer Sherwood? This kid's a fucking play. Like Alvine and him saw it. They saw it. How do they let this guy go for a million and a half dollars? The other night he recorded his fourth game this season with 10 hits. At least 10 hits. The rest of the league wit one. They have one other player in the league that has 10 hits in one game and he just got another one and one. The other night he just got bumped up to the top line. A guy who I was talking to, Luke Gazdick, he played with him in San Diego with the Gulls in college and even in the ahl. He's played on top line, so he's not intimidated by getting bumped up the lineup. And he also doesn't forget what makes him successful, which is hounding pucks, making sure he's getting it to guys like Petey, and then getting open to take it back and then making another smart play with it. So he. He has added life. Him. DeBrusk and Petey have found life together, and he's making a million and a half bucks. And I was talking to someone. I won't divulge my. My contact. The reason was is they didn't want to pay him more than McCarran. Is it McCarron? Their 4th century. They didn't want to go above a million bucks for Kiefer Sherwood. Are you fucking kidding me? Are we even having. Are these guys even in the same realm?

[D]

I think if you combined Gretzky and McDavid, the City of Edmonton doesn't love the combination of those two as much as Biz loves Kiefer Sherwood. Kiefer Sherwood is in business hall of fame. A lot of guys get in. He's a hell of a player.

[C]

But.

[D]

But even if he was on Nashville right now, dude, I don't even think they're much better.

[C]

I would let those guys boot. Fuck me in the head 10 more times if I could talk about Keefer Sherwood. Every single podcast. This guy and what he.

[B]

Undrafted, I think right under True or false. He invented oxygen. Kiefer say now. Kiefer Sherwood invented oxygen Bis. This wonderful thing that we all shared.

[D]

Was in the cvs. He helped him in the cvs, Helped him out.

[C]

What was the other thing you were talking on the call last night about?

[B]

So Sherwood's a fascinating guy. Okay? Like, he's the guy that coaches, like, no one works harder like biz. All the things you say about Sherwood are 100 true. Interesting thing about Sherwood is, as one former coach told me, he's allergic to everything, but he's used it as a positive. So he's like, under his gloves, he wears, like, you know, surgical gloves, right Under. Under his hockey gloves, he can't, like, go near a fork that. Or a knife that's been in the peanut butter, right?

[D]

That's a tough way to go through life, man.

[B]

But here's the thing. But here's. He. But he kind of. Kind of is. But here's. Here's the thing, though. Wit. He's used that as a positive because now this guy is so dialed into his body and so dialed into what he needs, what he puts in, what he stays Away from like this guy's. This guy's like whole as I'm told. This guy's game is so tight. Like there's not like one thing that he can be frivolous about. So he's like the super, like, yeah, if you have a team or a coach that's like, loves like super disciplined, play it the right way. Don't cheat on anything. Like Sherwood's your guy.

[C]

Well, we talked to Bruce about. That's a coach's dream, right?

[B]

Dream.

[C]

It's a, It's a coach's dream. And getting back to Nashville, I think the two names that are always going to come up, especially with the struggles is March or so and Stamcoast. Now I think they each had points or maybe even scored in their last game, which they won. But before that, I don't think that March or so had scored or had a five on five point. Both of those guys traditionally have played with line drivers and on unbelievable power plays. Like, I mean guys, I think I could get 20 to 25 playing with Jack Eichel. No disrespect to March, so I don't think he has those line drivers to play with. And he's still trying to get acclimated to where he's going to get his touches and his shots in based on who he's playing with. And you go to Stam coach, the same thing goes for Kucherov and all the rest of those guys, not only on that power play, but playing five on five minutes with them.

[D]

It's elite level shooters that need somebody to get them the puck. And there was times, a lot of time in Stamkos's career that he would drive a line. But I mean, they're both 34 years old like that. It catches up with you. No doubt, buddy. They stand in the slot, they get ready and they're getting passes from certain players that they've played with in the past. They're burying them, but they're not driving a line and there's no center there to. Forsberg can drive a line, but you need more guys and the careers that they've had. Marcia, so like in Vegas and Stam coast his entire career in Tampa, Yeah, they would drive lines and they would have special players that were dishing them to him. It's. There was expectations of them kind of similar to like the Bruins with Lindholm and Zadorov, like maybe just not exactly what you envisioned when you signed him. Do they have left in the tank, if that makes any sense. Now, if Like I, like I'm saying though, if those guys are open and they got somebody getting them the puck, I'm not worried about it then. But when you have nobody to dish it to you and you got to drive this entire play offensively, it's, it's getting harder for both of them.

[B]

It's funny too. We keep talking about the future of hockey is positionless, right? We don't have center right and left, we have that at face offs. But once the puck drops, like those positions don't exist anymore. But man, you need centers and man, you need guys that can get you, you see it in, in, in, in Boston, you see it in Nashville.

[D]

Like you need guys to carry it out of your own zone with speed through the neutral zone and create offense off the rush. Look at all the great teams. Like, look at the things.

[B]

But, but the thing is, it doesn't have to be a center though. Like, no, you look at Nikita Kucherov, not a center. One of the most creative guys in the NHL, right? Hands down. You look at Artemi Panarin. Like, Artemi Panarin to me is a great example of if you have a kid who's struggling, yeah, give him some like Panera and fairy dust. Just put him with Artemis, a great fixer, right? Just put him with Artemi Panera and all of a sudden, boom, the guy's going to pop. Like, it doesn't necessarily have to be that, that, that center, but you need someone, you need players that can get these guys the puck. Like how, like how long does Damcos need the puck on his thick.

[D]

0.3 seconds. But get it to him.

[B]

Marcia shows the same way.

[D]

Yeah. And if they have time around the net, they're, they're, they're waiting out goalies, they're changing the angle on the shot, but that's all relying on, on somebody getting it, getting them the puck. I, I don't think like this sounds like bad. Like if you haven't played hockey, watching the game and when you see guys like Eichel or McDavid or Jack Hughes, like it does look very easy to carry the puck through the neutral zone, get the offensive blue line and make a play. It's not always tape to tape, but you're getting it into the offensive zone. You're creating momentum, you're creating the puck on the cycle. When you go to a game live, you realize how impossible it is to actually do that. Like the speed you need with the hands and the vision and the hockey IQ and awareness to actually cut through the middle in the NHL, there are so few guys that can do it. And when you watch Nashville play, it's like there, there isn't really anyone making that happen. And we talked last year, Gus Nyquist, awesome career, had a huge season. Like, was he going to repeat that year? It was like a bunch of guys had big years and all on that run on the FU2 tour. Like, is that all going to be able to be repeated? I never saw this coming. I picked him to, I think, be second in the Central or maybe win the division. I'm such a mush. But when talking about Kiefer Sherwood being let go, when we were going over the outline, we were talking about his contract. Two years, 1.5 for Vancouver. What a laugher. And we were chatting about other guys, like, best contracts in the league. I actually texted Biz about this because I'll give mine last. I was watching this guy and I just looked up what he's making. I'm like, what? So I don't know, Biz or Jeff, do you want to start with, with right now, maybe your number one top contract in the league value wise?

[B]

Are you, Are you looking at a. Are you looking at like a top line player?

[D]

No.

[B]

Anything or anything.

[C]

Like, obviously it's got to be outside of entry level. Like that to me is what I'm looking for. And I just view, I view these bridge deals to be a little bit more rare now, where a lot of these GMs are trying to like kind of predict the growth and then say like, like, I always use this one, especially as of late, like Owen Power, let's give him eight times eight and a half or whatever. He makes 8.6 and he's going to be playing like an $11 million defenseman when the cap grows. And it's just like, you didn't need to do that. You could have signed him to a three year at three and a half or whatever it was. Take it or fucking leave it. We're not a playoff team anyway. If you don't want it, stay the home. Like, who are the teams that have locked in these guys who have actually made that jump and have locked the guy into like maybe a three, four year deer bridge deal, where all of a sudden, voila, it's like, this is our guy. So the last two years of that deal, you're getting premium production for nothing, you know?

[B]

You know what? You know whose contract I really like it. I'm glad that he's popping right now because originally he was rushed to the NHL. There were injuries. And he got ushered into the NHL way too soon when he was way too young. And sometimes that ruins guys. Like, you've seen this before so many times. Guys could have had a great career, but he was so rushed. McMichael. Oh, Conor McMichael. The Washington Capitals was when he first started, was rushed way too soon. Force fed way two minutes and was on. And that sometimes that kills players, right? That can totally crush players. I am so happy to see what's happened with Conor McMichaels so far this season at $2.1 million. Now a lot of things are going right for the Caps. Like, we get that the Ovechkin thing really sucks, but, like, things are going well for the Caps. To me, the Conor McMichael deal at $2.1 million, one, because he's playing great, but two, he almost had his career totally stopped because we've seen so many young kids get ushered in real fast. Like, look at the Buffalo Sabers. Like, the Buffalo Sabres kind of might be the poster team of like, get your kids to the NHL way too fast and give them way too much money. Right? Almost happened to Conor McMichael. Could have happened to Conor McMichael, but it hasn't. I'll take Conor McMichael.

[C]

Okay. I thought. I thought you were actually gonna pick Dylan Strom. Because.

[D]

Because you said I had some stuff about him biz. I didn't. I forgot. Chicago just didn't even give him a qualifying offer.

[B]

Walked away.

[D]

He had 60 points the last year in Chicago. I, like, erase that from, what the hell? They didn't even qualify the guy and made him a ufa. Like, what the hell happened there?

[C]

He's making five a year on a five year deal with Washington.

[B]

This is. I'm not saying that these two players are the same, but they're similar in one regard. You mentioned David CR earlier in the podcast.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And what I always thought the brilliance of David Crue was, you know, like, take a bullet, for example. Like, there's a bullet going through the air and then there's that vacuum right behind the bullet. Like, that's where David Crichie played and that's where Strome plays as well. And let's face it, Alexander Ovechkin is not a burner. Not the fastest guy in the world, but the combination of Strome and Ovechkin together works. And I think it's because there are two guys in sync with each other from as far as, like, a tempo goes and Strom can get him the puck. Like, he's a wonderfully creative player. But forget, like, this guy's a third overall pick for a reason. But kind of like Crichi, they play in that pocket behind the bullet as the NHL is. Fly, fly, fly, fly, fly. There are some guys that have success playing right behind the bullet, and that's strong to me.

[C]

Yeah. No. And. And now was. Was back. Backstrom was never really that fast or known for his speed.

[B]

He was very fluid, and he worked great with ov.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Great with Ovashkin.

[D]

Great call. So I messed up. The last year in Chicago when he wasn't offered a qualifying offer was he had 48 points, but it was in 69 games. He was the third overall pick. At the time, I think he was 24. It's just crazy to look back the guy I was watching the other night and shout out their team, like, what a good story so far after heartbreaking summer with Johnny Goudreau and Columbus, Columbus is playing some good hockey. This Korean Marchenko guy, buddy, he is a monster. He spent a little time in the AHL two years ago, lit it up, had a great over 20 goals his rookie year. Last year, he ends up popping off. He's got 23 goals, 42 points at 78 games. But he's. He's enormous. He skates Great. He's got 20 points in 20 games. They signed him this summer. They got him three years at 3.8. I'm like, that is a move where the team's winning. The GM won that one. But what a contract. The way he's playing, the way that whole team's playing. Zach Werenski, if anyone has a Team USA roster without him on it, he had five points the other night. Dean Evans said, I don't think I've ever coached a player as good as this guy like that team after what they went through and what's happening now. But Marchenko stood out to me. When I looked up the contract, I was like, that is a bargain. And that's these bridge deals business talking about. Like, they. They probably looked at it and like, we could really lock them up, but maybe we aren't sure yet, or, let's keep them at this number and see the growth continue. Sometimes you don't want to give a guy something that might make him slow down and might say, hey, I made it, but this guy's a beast. And. And Columbus is. They're playing good hockey. For what everyone thought would happen this.

[C]

Year, dangle the carrot a little bit now. I don't know if you guys had any other bargain contracts. Just quickly going.

[B]

Anything Anaheim does is because of Lucas Dostyl. Like, they're. They're. They're goaltender. Like, to me, he's like, that's.

[D]

I don't know.

[B]

Like. Like by the. By the def. By the definition of mvp, anything. With all due respect to all the players in the fact, anything that this team is doing is because those styles, keeping them in games.

[D]

Jeff, do you. Do you think that we're talking about four nations coming up and that feeling and guys after that. Do you think that kid winning the gold medal, he was the goalie for Chechia, right in the World Championships?

[B]

I think this.

[D]

You know, that's that confidence. Like, oh, dude. I just. It's not all NHL players, but it's just something to kind of go on.

[B]

It is. And listen. Like, it's hard. It's hard to be a goaltender in Anaheim, and it has been for a number of years. Like, teams like that can just. Can just kill. You can just kill your confidence. I think eventually Evan knew that Dostal was going to take over from Gibson and be the number one. I think Sudsy's done a great job with him there. The whole staff has really. I mean, and we're all sort of waiting for this inevitability that do. Style took over. But, you know, like, Whit, you're right, he's playing with a confidence and keeping this team in games that a lot of nights they have no business being in. Like, look, Anaheim is the story of, you know, the reminder of how long it takes to rebuild a team and the pieces you have to have in place and you have a great start if you have someone like those style and net. Because he's playing in the darkest time right now for Anaheim. Give me another tough season for the Ducks. Ghostel has been shining. He's been fantastic, man.

[C]

I just want to quickly go back to Nashville. Could be a short answer. Do you guys think they can turn around this season? Like, do you think they squeak into playoffs? Or do you think it's. They're too far behind the eight ball and you don't see enough in their lineup to be able to get it done?

[B]

I've asked myself that a lot. The thing I keep coming back to is if Nashville makes it in, who goes out? Look at the Central man.

[D]

Minnie's not going anywhere. I mean, thank God Kaprisov's not too seriously injured for their team and fan base. But yeah, I like when last year nobody thought Edmonton could do what they did, but they had McDavid and Dreisader. Like, it's not like somebody's just going to take off. Even if Forsberg gets real harder, Yosi ends up at 90 points when he's below his average pace. His usual pace right now. Like, I think he's too far behind.

[C]

Yeah, I would have said Colorado, but now that they're getting healthy and they got that, those top 10 guys playing the way they're playing, they're fine. They've all of a sudden turned into a contender.

[B]

Good, good on Jared Bednar here we are talking about, like, what Bednar has been able to do as, like, everything around him. Like, holy. And they still have the Landis God question that's out there. And that cap hole. Like, man, I gotta. I really. I got. I've always had a ton of respect for Bednar, but this is. This. This first, like, month and a half here. This has been real impressive by him. Two months, actually. Two months has been real impressive by Bedner.

[D]

Gotta give it to him. You. You said that. That on the call yesterday. That or Friday. Merrick blew your mind with this. And I was very intrigued as well with a possible new rule in the game.

[C]

Oh, you like this? This is incredible. This is incredible.

[D]

And it goes back to creating more offense. The league loves that. The fans love that. In Jeff's mind, unless it's the opening face off of the game, a period or after a goal, we'll never see a face off in the neutral zone ever again.

[B]

Why would you put the puck there?

[D]

Sounds crazy. But, Jeff, I think I'm with you.

[B]

Why would you drop the puck in the neutral zone? Having this conversation with someone not too long ago. Why would you have. Why would you. Again, like, we get so married to rules and the history of the game, and people tell you, oh, I'm a purist, I'm a traditionalist and all this. And you guys have heard me bark before about, you know, tradition is nothing more than peer pressure from dead people. You've heard it before out of me. But, you know, if the idea is to keep the puck hot and keep the puck in position to go in the nets, you go offside, puck comes back into your zone D zone, draw.

[D]

Adam Oates is just hard as a rock listening.

[C]

Oh, yeah, he's cranking himself hard right now. He's got the lube out. He's got it all.

[B]

He's got the feeding it like it owes him money. Like it owes him money, boys.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you like that idea?

[C]

I just Love it. Because like if you go offside and going back to Adam Oates, he hates when people go offside, so you should be punished for it. Now, I don't know what the analytics or numbers will tell you, but I know come playoff time last year, especially the amount of goals that are scored off of face offs because of broken down coverage and lack of face off responsibility, I think that this is a fucking genius idea. It was almost like so obvious. I'm like, how have I never heard that before? But it goes back to just like you said, you don't have to tweak it from a hardcore, hardcore traditionalist standpoint.

[B]

Where I don't think they won't like it. The traditionals will hate it because they hate everything that changes the game.

[C]

I think that if you make a minor tweak that much and if they're barking about it, I would scream from the mountaintop, shut the up. We're trying to prove. We're talking about making the nets bigger a few years ago.

[D]

No, that's something I'm not down with shrinking goalie gear.

[C]

They can't even protect their knees anymore.

[D]

But, but listen, I'm not only on board, Jeff, we could take this one step further.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

We could treat it like an icing. You can't change either. It's going in your D zone. The team who got. The team who forced the offside, that's getting an offensive zone draw. They could put out anyone they want. And if your numbers 5 and 6d men are out, there comes McJesus.

[A]

And then.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

No offsides anymore.

[B]

Okay?

[C]

Can I take their water off the bench and their Gatorade. No water.

[D]

All that happens on neutral zone draws.

[C]

They have to. The coaches have to go to the coaches room.

[B]

I think they should, I think they should do that in overtime. Get the coaches off the bench, let the players have fun in overtime. The only. Let me play Debbie Downer for one second. The. Oh. And I can see the PA pushing back on it. I really don't like the idea of tired hockey players on the ice because it can lead to injuries. Am I being Debbie Downer about that? I'm just really sense, like if you, if you go offside, the other team can change. You have to stay on the ice. And I kind of like that. Like, I don't know, like I don't like tired players being on the ice. Tired fatigue players leads to lead to injuries.

[C]

Yeah. And since I have love for the fourth liners. You just, you, you maybe. Yeah. You'd have to Put the fourth line out there. I think you should. I think you should be able to change, but it has to be the fourth line.

[D]

And biz, I bet you 99% of the draws you took were neutral zone draws like you might have knocked out. That could be zone or offensive zone. All right. Yeah, we're right inside the blue. I biz go out there, dump it in and change.

[C]

Yeah, just literally stand there and just come back once we figure out what happens, whoever has possession. All right, great, great. Rule change blew my mind. What else do we got?

[D]

I think it's about time we throw it over to Gabby Bruce Boudreaubus. Yeah, I think it's time that we hear from this legend. So I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did. And thanks again to Jeff for. For bringing Bruce on with us. So right now, without further ado, Bruce Boudreau. Before we continue, I want to talk to you about Peter Millar. The best golf wear in the world. It's all I wear. I've wore it before they were even a sponsor. It was amazing news to hear that they'd signed on as sponsors. I'm so happy to talk about Peter Millar, all the amazing things they have. Winter is here. It's not around the corner. It's arrived. December is basically here. It's U.S. thanksgiving coming up and it's getting cold. And what better way to welcome the drop in temperatures than with some new sweaters from our friends at PETA Millar. The Whole Ridge family of sweaters features a blend of ultra soft merino wool and a luxury performance material that provides wind and water resistance without the bulk of traditional outerwear. The Whole Ridge also comes in three different models. A vest, a full zip sweater, and a full zip hoodie. Head on over to Peter millar.com chicklets to check out the whole Ridge family as well as the rest of Peter Millar's sweater lineup. They got pants, they got shorts, they got T shirts, and this whole Ridge family of outerwear and sweaters is incredible. Be sure to check out their annual holiday gift guide as well. For perfect gifts for everyone on your list, go to peter millar.com chicklets.

[C]

We.

[D]

Are now pleased and honored to be joined by a very, very special guest. Thanks to Jeff Marek for getting this guy on. Coached over a thousand NHL games. I don't know how many pro games, all the leagues he's played in, all the leagues that he's coached in. A true legend of the game. From Toronto, Ontario, Bruce Boudreau. Thank you so much for joining Spit and Chiclets.

[A]

Hey, listen, it's an honor for me to join this. All three of you guys has been. It's been great, either coaching against you or talking to Jeff all these years. It's been awesome.

[D]

It's great to have you.

[A]

Hang on.

[D]

Go ahead.

[B]

Can I just jump in, then? So what was it like coaching Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney? What was the game plan to shut these.

[C]

Oh, yeah. Here we go.

[D]

Thanks a lot, Jeff.

[C]

Here we go.

[A]

Well, I'll start with Biz. There was really no game plan because he never got on the ice. So, I mean, if we saw him a couple of times in the first period, you'd worry about him. But after that, we get a lead, and then you never saw Biz on the ice.

[D]

But, I mean, hey, no, Bruce, Bruce, it was. You were telling your guys, hey, don't even fight them. Don't we want them on the ice?

[A]

Well, I didn't want to go that far, but now that you've mentioned it, as for. As for Ryan Whitney, like, for the most part, like, when he was in Wilkes Barre, like, I mean, we always had to make sure that we had him covered because he was one of the better players in the league at that point. He could skate, he could shoot, he could do it all. You could see why Anaheim traded for him. But I didn't play him out west too much because I was in the east. And by the time I did get to Anaheim, Ryan was gone. So, I mean, there wasn't real much planning about him unless we were in the minors.

[C]

He got off easy. What the fuck, Bruce? Hey, Biz.

[D]

I just won that thing by a landslide.

[C]

I thought you were going to come in with like a. Oh, put it in his corner. He ain't going back first. He's going to let you win that race every time. He ain't taking the bump.

[A]

I was just taking the high road for a second there. Like, I mean, it was all about. It was all about hit him and he'll give up the puck. I mean, that was the early days, right? So, I mean, just hit him.

[C]

By the end, he would just give it up regardless.

[A]

Yeah, put pressure on him or fake putting pressure on, and you could look for it up the middle, just bark.

[D]

At him from the bench, he'll poop his diaper, and the shift will be over.

[C]

Oh, we were actually just talking about that before. Before you got on, because I think that at that time, you were coaching with the Hershey Bears, and even when I was playing in Wilkes Barre, you were still coaching there, and you guys had that really good young core group. And Jeff kind of reminded us it wasn't very common at that time where AHL coaches would get the call up, where they were more just recycling all the old school NHL guys at that time.

[A]

You're actually very true there. I mean, it was. When I got called up it for about the next two years, a lot of American League coaches were called up and they were going in a new direction type thing. And so, I mean, yeah, you're right. It was always guys getting recycled, which I don't have a problem with recycling. You know, like, I mean, that's not a bad thing right now. But at the time, you'd be sitting there in the American League going, what the crap, man? Like, I mean, they only go for these guys that have already been there. What about the new blood? Let's get some new blood in here. But you're 100% correct on that.

[D]

Yeah, I love going back to the. To the beginning. And you, you did so, so many great things as a player. But I'm more talking about coaching right now. We'll get into the playing career. You got a year as a player coach. I love getting to chat. We've probably chatted with two or three guys. And that was your first year. Technically. Technically coaching, according to the Internet. Tell me how that came about. And did you know at the end of the playing career, I. I really want to coach. This is exactly what I want to do next.

[A]

Well, you know what? My schooling isn't really that great, I've got to be honest. And so I always wanted to do something in hockey. And actually, it was about 29 years old when I said, listen, I want. What am I going to do when I'm playing, when I'm done playing is I got to keep coaching because I didn't have anything that I actually wanted to do. So, I mean, when I signed with the Leafs initially, the second time around, it was like player assistant coach. But it wasn't until Fort Wayne that I really got the title. And the reason you could get the title back then, I mean, it didn't add any money or anything, but it added prestige that you might want to coach down the future. And you'd get the odd tidbits. Al Sims was my coach. I don't know if you guys ever had him, but I had him. Yeah, he would give you the odd tidbit of information to make you feel a little bit more important. But the. Really, the. There was no real responsibilities as an assistant, as a coach, a player coach. Unless the players wanted to know what was going on. You'd relay messages type thing.

[C]

Wasn't Al Sims, Bob, yours, D partner? The years he went off where Al Simms was like a plus hundred or something?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, he was. And he was Bobby Orr's defensive partner his first year, and thank God for that. It kept him in the league for about 10 more years after Bobby left.

[B]

Okay, let me. Let me jump in on this one because that. You talk about that transition from player to coach. Once you made the full transition and you had a new perspective on players, what would Bruce Boudreau, the coach, have thought of Bruce Boudreau the player?

[A]

Oh, my God. You're asking me something that. It's a funny thing, because I went back. This was recently. I went back and they were shown a game where, matter of fact, it was a Pittsburgh broadcast, and it was a Pittsburgh broadcast of The Leafs in 1977 versus the. The Penguins. And I'm sitting there going, oh, my God, they played me. I wouldn't have played me for more than one shift. I was effing brutal. I could. I gave the puck away more than you could, like, just blindly up the middle, like, I mean, all the time. And I'm going, I thought I used to be a good player. And this brought me so much down to earth because I was. I thought I was horrible after that. So, I mean, that's the opinion. If you don't look at yourself playing, you think you're doing pretty good. It's only when you start watching the video and you guys will recognize this, you think you play a good game, and then the next day, everybody's watching the video and you're going, oh, my God, did I do that? Did I do that? You don't even realize how many dumb mistakes. For me, it was circling and cheating on the offensive. Offensive and. But I mean, I hate watching video if I'm the star of the video.

[D]

Same here. Same here. It was a nightmare. Michael Terry and laser pointers for Michael Terry. Just wit. Sit down and get ready. But I think that, like, the way you say it's perfect because you'd think you'd have a good game. You'd go in, watch the video, you're like, oh, my God, this is ugly. And you never thought you had a bad game and watched a video and it was good either. It's just lose.

[B]

Loser.

[A]

Yeah. And you know what? The. The. The one thing I did learn, and I learned it Very early in Washington, that of most of the games, it was Alex Salmon and Alex Oveskin were the stars of the video. Because it's always about defensive mistakes. We don't really show a lot of offensive greatness in the videos. So, I mean, I would have to tell Alex. I would say, alex, ovi. I mean, I say ovi, come here. I just want you to know that you're the star of the video today, and I have to come after you because you're the captain. If I don't come after you, then nobody else will respect me. And he'd always go, okay, coach. Okay, Coach. And then he'd snarl at me for the rest of the day. But if I didn't tell him and I surprised him, it would be a different story. He would, he would be all over me for embarrassing him. This he knew, and he wanted to take it like a man, so he took it like a man.

[C]

That's unreal.

[D]

This interview could be like five hours. It's going to be your careers. It is. Sorry, we're just telling you that now, Bruce. But getting into that, I have no life now.

[A]

So just whatever we're looking for, coach.

[C]

For the big deal selects ball hockey team. Your name came up, so we'll talk about that after the interview, though.

[D]

But you bring up ov. And so, like, we're talking, you know, not many AHL coaches get, get the call up. You do. You come into Washington. It's the year he gets 65 and, and like now to see what's happening with him, like, go back to that season and the amazement and like, kind of just like you being blown away. Must have been off the charts getting to coach him at that level that he was playing at.

[A]

Well, you know what? When I got the call, it's a crazy story in the first place, but I get the call and I'm in the room at 11. 11 o'clock was practice. So now it's 10:45 in the morning, and I actually got lost going from Hersey to Washington. I forgot where the hell I was. I, I, you know, so many things are going on in your head. But then George says, I want you to talk to the players. So I went in there and I'm talking to them as if, you know, it's the American League guys. I mean, we had a lot of guys that played in Hershey, the Greens, the Fleischman's, the Lakes, the Stack Bulls. There was the John Erskine's. I had all. But then I came to OV's seat and you look over and you see his name. And I said, holy fuck, I'm coaching Obeskin now. And I lost all train of thought. I had no idea what I was going to say after that. As soon as I saw that, and I said, okay, be on the ice in 10 minutes. Because I couldn't, I didn't have another word. I didn't know what else, what to say. When I saw his name, that I was coaching him, I couldn't believe it.

[B]

When you look at what Ovechkin has done, there's a few things that stand out. Certainly the goals, the fact that he's got the signature shot from the signature location. Everybody knows it's coming, but no one can stop it. I mean, I was always taught or told my whole life, when you get to the NHL, you can't blow pucks past goaltenders. You have to learn how to shoot. And here's Ovechkin, still blowing pucks past goaltenders. What to you? And maybe it's the health thing. I can always injured now and it's awful. But he's basically been healthy his entire career. Like to you, Bruce, I mean, you've, you've been his coach, you coached against them, watched him for a number of years. What is the most impressive thing about Ovechkin to you?

[A]

I tell you, and this isn't said too often, but he knows where it's going. Like, I mean, when he's shooting, like, I mean, people think, oh, it's just the speed of the shot. But if you ever watch the All Star Games, when he was in the hardest shot competition, his shot's not that hard. Like, I mean, it's hard, but it's not that hard. But he could put a puck, he always did the tone, pull it and tone drag, toe drag. And he'd be able to put it through the defenseman's legs or put it through the stick. And he knew where it was going. Yeah, you very rarely, I mean, to me remember him hitting the goalie in the chest. It was always top corner, far corner or one of these things. He knows where it's going, so he's very accurate with his shots. Like when he wants to be when he gets it in that A1 position. Like, he would shoot from everywhere and it would go all over the play. Like he had to have 400 shots in early on in his career in the year. But when he was trying to score, he knew where that puck was going.

[B]

A quick follow up. I remember asking Paul Maurice once, what was his welcome to the NHL moment. And he said it was his first practice and he called the guys to the, to the bench or along the boards and he blew the whistle for a couple of hard laps and he said, Sammy Kapanen took off like a cannonball out of a cannon. It was the fastest thing he had ever seen. And he said, whoa, like I'm. That's my welcome to the NHL moment. Did you have Bruce Boudreau a welcome to the NHL moment where you're like, oh, I knew the NHL was a different creature, but I didn't know it was like this.

[A]

Well, I, you know what, I would say that my first, the training camp in Washington that year, even though they were ended up in last place thankfully, and that that's how I got the job is watching how fast they were and me saying this like the American League coaches are on, on the ice almost a lot in training camp and watching them skate and saying holy crap, is this a lot faster than the ahl? And I couldn't believe this was a lot. I'm saying this is a last place club and we are skating 100 miles an hour in camp. And I said, the differences is really amazing between the American League and the NHL in the speed of the game. I mean, individually guys, you can line them up. We all known guys in the American League that, that could skate like the win, but the pace of the game was so much faster. That was sort of a like. And then I ended up going back to the American League, but that was sort of an awe moment on how good this league actually is.

[D]

I can't believe that OVI crossing the sauces wasn't the welcome to the NHL moment for him. Oh, fuck boy.

[C]

Gordon used to bitch about that all the time. He would take the, the marinara sauce scoop, he'd put it on his pasta and then he dipped the same scoop in the Alfredo.

[A]

And are you saying he dipped and then he dipped again?

[D]

He double dipped the chip.

[A]

He double dipped the chip.

[C]

He, he was double scooping. He was double scooping the marinara and Alfredo sauce.

[A]

That would really piss me off, dude. It really would. Because if you don't like Alfredo, you don't like that white on the red sauce. Right? Like, I mean it's just not at all. It's just natural. Yeah.

[C]

Would that infuriate you more than not having spoons for ice cream after that post game meal? Cuz we heard was it Spurgeon in Minnesota told a story that you ended up there was no spoons, so you got so desperate you ended up scooping ice cream out with your hand.

[A]

No, that would be bull fit. I would have used the fork first. I would not use my hands around the player.

[C]

That's what he said.

[A]

If I was. Spurge is one of my favorite all time guys too. So I'm going to call him later. But it's. If nobody was around at home I might do it like, I mean but I wouldn't do that where you get your meal after the game. Because they were already laughing at. Because I'd have some spaghetti sauce on my tie or something like this because I am known as being a fairly sloppy eater.

[C]

Oh no, they might have to, they might have to strip them with a C there in Minnesota for lying about Bruce Brudreau and his ice cream scoop.

[D]

And Billy G trades him. He's like, yeah, I ain't having lies about Bruce EB spread.

[C]

I was going to ask you like you, you had so much respect as a player and then an American League coach and then you finally get the call and there was a lot of personalities and superstars on that team and mentioned. You mentioned ov I believe 7 was there. How hard was it for you to maybe like not step on their toes yet, like try to reinforce systems and, and at some point some form of discipline, like did you have to kind of ease your way into it? Because I know that you're very well known as a players coach and you get along with all your, your players but at a certain point, obviously they have to learn structure and to play within a system in order to have success. So how was that kind of encroaching on, on that discipline?

[A]

Well, you know, it's, it's interesting because I never had, I never thought I had a problem with that. I mean I, the, like the first, the first day that I went in there after the, the meeting with the players, I went back and I'd ask Dean Evison or I, I'd ask Jay Leach and I said okay, what do we do? Like, I mean what's our system like? I mean how do we play? And they would tell me and then I went back in and wrote up a practice and then I said the hell with it. I'm just doing everything I've done in the American League because it's been successful. Ripped up that and did it my way and didn't think about that and. But the one thing I was always known, whether you're in the America League, whether you're in the East Coast League, if you're going to do something and you're going to get mad at somebody, get mad at the best players first so the other players fall in line. The last thing, I mean, you know, you'd want to do is yell at the fourth line guy because he's not working, or give crap to the backup goalie because he's not stopping the puck at the beginning. You have to gain everybody's respect before you do that. So I remember in the first practice, you know, given OVI crap, saying, pick it up. Like, pick up the pace and that. But it wasn't affecting me because maybe my head was still in. I can't believe I'm in the NHL moment type thing. But, I mean, so. And then it morphed into. It was pretty easy once I got to know the players, and once they got to know me, it became easy. And I used the players that I had had, from Boyd Gordon to all those guys that I had previously mentioned that I was sounding like a guy that, you know, was insecure, was. I would always go up to them and say, okay, how was that, guys? You know, like, I mean, you guys know me. I mean, was this okay? Is this, you know, is that doing okay? And they would all give me the answers. Because, you know yourself, when you're in the minors, you get to be a lot tighter with the players than you do at the NHL. So it was easier for me to be at the beginning to talk to those guys than it was to talk to the guys that were the stars. And even Chris Clark, who was the captain. I found it easier to get into the guys that I had already had for a couple years, and Dave Seckel, I had in Los Angeles and Manchester and in Hershey. So it was easy to talk to those guys first. And they would give me not only good answers, but they would give me honest answers. So it was easy to follow up on that.

[B]

You know, some of those players is. There's one that I think of, and that's Matt Hendricks, who I know that you loved. You brought him in when you were in Minnesota as well. Were there other guys that wherever you went, you tried to bring with you?

[A]

Matt, first of all, Matt, I still love the guy. I mean, he's not dead, so, I mean, loved. I didn't fall out of love or anything like that.

[D]

But, I mean, yeah, I'm not your coach anymore.

[A]

Yeah, I had him in Hershey. Then I brought him to Washington and. Which was interesting because with Matt, he had just got let go by Colorado and hadn't resigned, and he was a free agent, and he Had a good year at Colorado. He just wanted more money. And I said, Matt, come with me in, in Washington on a, on a tryout and if you come on a tryout, I promise you you won't get sent down. And you know, the first game we played was Columbus in preseason and he got three goals. I was in Georgia's office the next day, say, see, I told you this guy could play. I told you this guy could play and would do that every day. So they ended up signing him. So the, unfortunately he got too good in Caps land for like, for his salary. So we had to move on. And so he went, he went to, he went to, I think to Winnipeg and he went to other Edmonton, Edmonton and Winnipeg. And I traded. No, I traded him to Winnipeg. Sorry. But you know, we kept in touch all the time. And then when he got to Minnesota again, I, I, I traded back to him. Paul Fenton was the coach, I think, and they, or the gm and I said, Paul, we need this guy. He, he unfortunately was at the end of his career and so he couldn't play, would get hurt quite often and he couldn't play every day, but I wanted him to play every day. But the assistant GM in Minnesota had signed J.T. brown at the same time and that was basically the same job. So every time I tried to get Maddie and they'd want J.T. brown to play. So it was a little mixture. And then he got, he got traded to Winnipeg at the end of the year.

[C]

The shoot. He was unbelievable in shootouts for being a fourth line player. You would have never known what was it about him and maybe other players that you had a soft spot for. Like, did you just like those gritty fourth line type players? Like who are the guys outside of him that you still maybe even contacted to this day?

[A]

Those are the guys you like. Coaches like guys that when you're in a meeting will stare at you. They don't look at the floor. They, and they will, they will do what you say they will. Like, I mean I had Quinton Lang, I don't know if you remember him, he was in Norfolk when you guys were there. And I had him in Hershey. I would go to bat for him all the time, very non skilled guy, but he would block shots with his head, his hand. And coaches fall in love with those guys. They unfortunately, but at the same time, fortunately, because you need four good Lions, I believe to win the Stanley cup and, and these are the guys that make up the fourth line that'll end up helping you win. But The Quentin Langs of the world, the Matt Hendricks. Dave Steckel followed him all the way from the draft all the way to. He ended up in Norfolk and then with Anaheim. So it was. I mean, those are the kind of guys that, that you really, really end up liking. I mean, just the guys that work their ass off. I mean, I mean, the, the, the superstars that don't work their ass off. Sometimes you get really frustrated. You still like them, but you get frustrated with them. It's. You know who the other one was. And you guys remember Jay Beagle? I mean.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yeah, Jay Beagle was the hardest worker. He pushed every practice I ever had. And guys would get pissed at him because he's working too hard. He's that guy that's worked so hard. They're saying there's. Yeah. And they're saying, exactly. Rudy says, slow it down, slow it down. You're making us all look bad. And he never stopped. He would just push practice to the limit all the time.

[D]

It's truly pathetic that I was the guy that was like, cut it out, Rudy. And it's like, maybe if you had a little bit of that in your way, it could have helped you. But my, my question is also about coaching for you, is for people who are listening, who don't know you were a super talented, like, offensive wizard. Six, six pro seasons, over 100 points, absolutely lit up the Ontario League. And when you get into coaching, like, do you think that helped you where you're like, I know I gotta give the skill guys a leash. I gotta give them the chance to make a play. Whereas there are coaches who come up that maybe didn't have that skill level that are like, I'm not willing. I don't want to see any toe drags, I don't want to see any turnovers. Do you know what I'm saying? Was it easier for you to give them some room?

[A]

It was. But, you know, the easiest thing was every time I got called up with the Leafs, and I think it was 15 times in the eight years that I was part of the organization, I got called up as a fourth line checker.

[D]

So. Bullshit.

[A]

You know what I would know? No, it was bullshit. But it made me a better coach because I would know the defensive end aspect of the game and I know how the, how the offensive guys felt. I. So I'd know both ends. And I always, always thought that I was really good. That, like, I mean, if it happened to you, I could identify with it because it's happened to me as A guy that got sent down a lot, a guy that got sat out a lot. A guy that scored a lot when he, you know, in the minors, or a guy that played four minutes a night. I mean, I remember I used to get on the ice in Toronto and apologize for taking Daryl Sittler off the ice and go, sorry, girl, but the coach wants me to play right now, so if you can give me a minute, I'll let you back on the ice. And he'd always give me the. That shrug. And I loved him, but, I mean, there was four guys in Toronto that we all hung out. It was Darryl, Lanny and Jack Valakat and myself would go to dinner all the time after a game, and Darrell and Lanny would say, I can't believe we're playing these fourth line guys that much. We should be playing more. I mean, Jack. And look at each other. So we're on the fourth line. What's going on here? You know? So, I mean. And you guys know when you don't play a lot, the. I mean, you learn, but you learn this. And that's why I think guys that are minor league guys and that have been. That haven't been the greatest players make the better coaches, because they've seen everything happen in front of them. You know, I mean, and you guys. I mean, there's. There's. Not that. There's. Well, I mean, Rick Duckett was a great player, and he's. And he's turned out to be a great coach. But, I mean, I can think of few and far between guys like. Like that right now that were great players and now are great coaches.

[B]

You know, Whit mentioned how great a player you were. Let me. Let me jog your memory here. 1975 Memorial Cup, Sherbrooke. Bruce Boudreau scores. Wait for it, guys. Five power play goals in a game. The record in the NHL is like a half a dozen guys that are tied with four. You scored five power play goals in one game. Bruce, walk us back to 75.

[A]

We had a great team. I was lucky enough to be on two Memorial cup winners, and that was one of them. And we played. I think we won 10, four against Sherbrooke in the first game. And I think I'm the only player ever to get five goals and be minus one in the game. Like, I mean, that just doesn't happen. Like, I mean, it was five power play goals, and then one goal I was on for. It was like, oh, my God, are you kidding me? A minus one tonight?

[D]

So, I mean, I didn't know they.

[C]

Even tracked that back then.

[A]

Well, I, you know what? I don't know if they did or not, but I know I was minus one because it was the, like, I did it, you know, at about 10 years later, 15 years later maybe. No, must have been a lot longer than that. I was as coaching in the NHL where I talked at the Memorial cup and I told that story. And all the kids, like, I mean, they laugh, but I mean, they go, who is this guy? Right? Like, I mean, he holds the Memorial cup record. And 30 years later, and he was minus one, the fat little fuck. And I, this guy couldn't have played.

[C]

This. Yeah, this guy has to be a stunt double for whoever this guy actually is. Bruce I always like to ask guys like, what made you fall in love with the game? Like, how did you end up becoming as good as you were as a player? Like, where did your love and passion for the game begin? Was it on the ponds in Ontario? Like, where was it? Your father?

[A]

Yeah, my dad had everything to do with it. I mean, from the time I was three years old, I would be getting a rank mate in the backyard in Toronto. And, you know, I remember still one of the things you always brought up to me, he said he would ask me periodically what I wanted to do when I grew up. And he said I never vary. I'd say, I want to be a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey player, NHL player, every single time. And that didn't varies. I mean, and right now I'm just a hockey nerd. I listen to, I watch every game, I do shows on tv, I think hockey, I'm still right involved in the game. And that never varied, ever. Because, I mean, I was when, when we were playing in the NHL, a week after the season ended, I would be, I played for the double ranks adult league, and I played for the Wexford adult league, and then I'd play in the Toronto Ball Hockey League. I mean, there was no such thing as vacations or anything. It was just always hockey all the time.

[C]

And it never felt like a job.

[A]

I mean, even my years when I lived in St. Catharines, I mean, the summer leagues were always in Burlington or Oakville, and I played in two of them. And it was always maybe a week, maybe even three days after the season ended, I would be on the ice back there. So I was always on the ice doing something involved with hockey.

[D]

When you look at your career and the dominance in the ahl, the ihl, and then you'd get called up, you said you'd Play fourth line minutes. But was there anything else in your mind like that that kind of held you back from being able to do all those things offensively at the highest level? Was it more opportunity? Like if you'd been given a chance, you think it would have lasted longer? Or was there a deficiency in your game that you look back on now and say that that was the difference?

[A]

Well, I'm sure there was a deficiency in my game. Bill O'Flaherty, who used to be the director of player personnel for the Kings, he said, I mean, you really like me when I was coaching in Manchester. But he put. Put his arm around me. He says, you know what? You were small and you couldn't skate. That's not a good combination to be an NHL player. And, I mean, I'd sit there and laugh, but I'd be pissed at him automatically. But, I mean, that was too, in the day when big guys were prominent over little guys. But, I mean, I know I think I should have played in the NHL. I mean, forever. I remember my one first year in 79 of playing a lot up there. I had. What did I have? I had 30 points in 40 games, and I never played the power play, and it was a plus player. And I just wish that. And I got. You know, it's funny because after the Leafs lost that in the playoffs there, I asked if I could get sent down because half the year was in the minors. And so I said to play in the playoffs with the American League club. And they did. And Mike Nikoluk was the coach. And I remember him distinctly coming down and watching me play. We were playing the main Mariners. I was in Moncton, and. And I said to him, or he came to me after the game, he says, great game. He says, by the way, he says, next year, he says, it's. We're going to change things. You're going to be my second line center. Everything's going to be great, and we'll have better players for you to play with. And I felt like a million bucks. The next training camp came. I started on defense, and I was cut after four days.

[C]

So, I mean, that sounded like mine in Pittsburgh.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

I didn't even get to go to AHL camp.

[D]

Center, you were six. Defense and playing the offside.

[A]

Me and Mike Kazicki were on defense, looking at each other, going, I thought we had a shot, you know, like, I mean, did they even have per.

[C]

Diem packs back then?

[A]

I don't know, but we wanted to play. What they did have was, if you got, you got 200 bucks if you played an exhibition game. And that's all I wanted to do is get a couple exhibition games to get a little bit of money, but they wouldn't even, they wouldn't even give me that. So.

[D]

So what do you think happened? You think he just was lying or, or like, was it another. What happened there, you think?

[A]

Well, I think it was. First of all, he meant it at the time. And then I think the Leafs went out and got Walt McKechnie and. And that was it. Like, I mean, they didn't give me a chance. And you know, back then when you guys started to, I mean, if you were a young guy and you were a first or second year, you were getting all the opportunities. Yeah. And chances that the guys that were four and five year pros were almost not prospects, they were suspects now. So, I mean, you didn't get that chance. Like, I mean, I remember them sending me down saying, hey, we know what you can do. Just go down there. We want you to get settled early so you and your family could have fun. I'm going, whoa. I'm from Toronto. My family settled in Toronto. If you don't mind, I could stay here. But I mean, but they never thought of it that way.

[C]

They're like, damn, that was the worst excuse we could have thought of.

[A]

It was awesome. It was all.

[C]

There must be some crazy, wild stories of playing in the minors throughout the years you were there. Like, I mean, nowadays I feel like these kids are pretty straight narrow, not as much boozing. Like, are there any insane stories that stick out where you just found yourselves in these predicaments? Like whether it was a group of guys at the bar or, you know, late for this or anything that sticks out, like, as one of your favorite stories.

[A]

Well, as a whole, when I, when I went to. I played in Europe in 84, but back then you could come back and play in the American League after as long as it was before the trade deadline. It wasn't like December coming over. So I remember coming back and playing for Baltimore. We had a great team. We went to the, went to the finals. But the best part about it, March 1st or March 31st came and all the wives left. So all the players moved into the Holiday Inn. So we had, from Marty McSorry, McSorley to Bennett Wolf to Andy Brickley to all these guys that knew how to drink. And I mean, we were all living in the Holiday Inn and I was living with, I was rooming with Greg Hawtham, who's. Who's a professional at that. And so what they would do is they would close. We would come to the. Come after the game, back to the Holiday Inn. Then they'd have last call at 1:00. They would tell us to go back upstairs. And so we all went back upstairs and we were allowed to come back at 20 after 1. Everybody was cleared. So almost every single night the whole team was in there drink until God knows when. Four or five in the morning, we'd be bringing people in off the street, street and Gino Briaco was our coach and we'd have to go to practice the next day and we were horrible. But they were so good. We, you know, we played. But that was the most fun time. But every, every time was fun. When you're drinking with the boys, I mean, it was great.

[B]

Is that a lost. I don't know about art, but is that lost in the game now? Playing guilty or skating guilty. Practicing guilty. Playing guilty.

[A]

Well, I, I kind of think it is. I don't know how much because I look at as a coach, I didn't want. When I thought a guy was drinking, I didn't want to go near because I didn't want to smell him. I didn't want to have to. I didn't want to have to say, hey, what's wrong here? You know, like, I mean, you try to avoid those things. Like you have to tell you a quick story about like Curfews. Like George McPhee knew our team partied a lot when we were back in the day, the young, because we were young and everything else. So he said, I want you to start calling curfews. And I said, george C. NHL, I don't want to call a curfew on these guys. And he says, yeah, start calling curfews. So I remember having to phone Mike Knubel, who's 39, he's got four kids at home and I asked him if he's in, you know, and I'm going to tell. I apologize, Mike, I got to call you. But I remember that if you. This goes with the story that I was just talking about. But I mean if, if you didn't know, you couldn't punish them. So I remember phoning, trying to phone everybody or 10 guys at the night. And then the one night I'm phone and I'm trying to get Alex in. Now if you guys know Alex, there was a lot of times he really didn't adhere to curfews. So I mean, I'm phoning Which one?

[C]

Seminar or ovi?

[A]

Well, ovi, sorry and Semin, I didn't care about. Yeah, I mean, yeah, go out salmon. But so, so Obi. Ovi. I'd sit there and there's five to 11 and I'm. I'm calling Ian. I said, ian, we have to find ovi because I got a report back to George who's in and who's not it, and he says, okay, I'll try to find him. And there's four minutes. Got three minutes. I'm going, come on, Ian, come on. And then at two minutes to go, OVI phones me and all you hear is the electric music, the Russian electric music in the background. I mean, there's a. There might. They're so loud you can hear. And I go over your. In you go. Yeah, coach, I'm in. I said, okay, see you tomorrow. I didn't want to know.

[C]

He's at. He's at Fiesta's concert in D.C. yeah, we're spinning. Fucking that's unbelievable. He's got Tiesto's headset on. Hooked up to. Hooked up to his phone.

[A]

I could just picture him bootleg dancing and. Yeah, coach, I'm in. See you tomorrow, you know?

[C]

Yeah, he's just sandstorms bumping.

[B]

Yeah, okay. But previous to all this, guys, Bruce played in one of the wildest, most personality filled leagues hockey has ever seen. And he played on one of the most important teams and one of the teams that was full of maybe the biggest personalities in the history of this league. And that's the wha. Bruce, when I say Minnesota Fighting Saints, whether it's Harry Neal, whether it's Mike Walton, whether it's Billy Butters, whether it's. Etc. What comes to your mind when I say Minnesota Fighting Saints?

[A]

Nuts. Just nuts. I mean, I'm going to tell you a story that I'm not going to use the names because it could come back to haunt this guy. But I mean, we were a team that all they did, they're like, they were nuts to the point. A little before the bill, Butters was a complete nut. I don't know if you've ever heard of this guy. Oh yeah, he was a complete nut.

[B]

Is this the banquet store? Is this the banquet story?

[A]

No, I'm. No. Okay. He became a pastor or priest and like when I went to Minnesota, he was their priest. And like, I mean, he kicked the. Out of me. He kicked me in the. He kicked me in the face in the bar. He came up to me and I'm talking to a girl. One night and he says, do you ever see a number 11? And I go, no, what are you talking about? And then he snots right on her. Like, I mean, like, he was the grossest guy he ever wanted to see in your life. It was, was awful. So he, I'm, I'm the coach of Minnesota and he's the pastor and he wants to talk to me about something and I wouldn't talk to him for four years because he was so disgusting. But the team overall was just a crazy, crazy bunch of guys to the point. I mean, and we had some of the greatest players in history and Dave Keon, Johnny McKenzie was there. Like, I mean, all of these older mature guys, then we had all the nuts that were younger. And when the one night we were, we're in Cincinnati and this is a true story. And we, we were told we were folding after the game. And, and so the, and the team did fold after the game. So one of the players says, you know what, if we're going to fold, let's not even go out for the pregame warm up. You know, the 15 minutes before you, you play the game. So you know, who am I? I'm a first year player sitting in a corner, right? And so we all stand around and we open the door, the Cincinnati arena, and, and we're watching the fans walk by and one of the players goes, hey, there's Omaha Donna, who used to be a girl that would follow the team, okay, so why don't you bring her on in here for the warmup? So they bring up this girl and you know where this is going. And oh yeah, brings it in the dressing room. This is, you know, 1975, and all of a sudden there's nobody going up for warmup, but there's one player is performing, he's getting warmed up in front, front of the front of the players, and the players are hooting and hollering and everything like this. And it's Bill Friday and whoever the ref was at the time, Bill Friday.

[B]

Officiated all those games, by the way.

[A]

There's, there's a knock on the door and person opens up the door and without open up all the way and he goes, and he goes, hey, are you guys not coming out for warmup? And said, we're going to be there for the game, but we're not coming out. You got to come out for the warmup. Everybody wants to see it for the warmup. And then the guy goes, okay, he opens the door and Bill Friday and the other guy that's there the other ref. Oh shit. And then they just I'll see you for the game and shut the door.

[C]

That is the kind of fucking insane.

[A]

Yeah, that's the kind of team this was like. It was a. Harry Neal was the coach. He was a bit of a nut at the time. Glenn Sonmore was.

[C]

What was her name?

[A]

Omaha Donna.

[C]

Oh my God, that is class. Get her an ice bag. Yeah, get her a heat pack.

[D]

Why would they tell you before the game you were folded. Just tell you after the game especially.

[A]

We knew, we knew the. We were getting part of the. The reason we played was we were getting part of the gate. And so that was what they were going to pay us with. And so they told us all of this stuff and that's why. Because we had to made a decision that we wanted to play because we wanted to get part of the gate. We were already in Cincinnati. So I mean it was. It really was a no brainer. We ended up winning the game 7 6. I mean but it was. And the, the silly thing, they gave us the checks the next day and who was the last person to go to the bank was me. Who had nsf who they ran out of money and I, I didn't even get my check cash the next day.

[C]

Yeah, well, at least you got the show from Omaha Donna.

[A]

It was a great show.

[D]

She.

[C]

Did she get a game check?

[B]

You mentioned a name there. Guys, I want to see. I mean everyone who, who knew him. Glenn Sonmore is no longer with us. I cherished every conversation I had with Glenn Sonmore. Glenn Sonmore had a glass eye and Glenn Sonmore had a lot of fun with that glass eye, whether it was in the stands, whether it was at the bars. Do you have a Glenn Sonmore glass eye story?

[A]

Well, at one point and if you're drinking and he was still drinking at that point is he would always take his eye out and put it at the bottom of his glass and start drinking. When he was around people and he. And he'd go, oh, drop something. Can anybody find? And they'd look in the, in the glass and there was the glass eye at the bottom of the glass. Like, I mean.

[D]

Chuck it right back in.

[A]

Yeah. And pluck it in. A little wet, a little soggy. But then it'd be. It'll be okay. Like when he was. He was the guy that loved tough guys like a Glenn Samore. Loved, loved tough guys. And Paul Holmgren was on that team. And I remember my first game in San Diego or one of the first games In San Diego. And then we played and I scored a goal. I got two goals and. But we had a bench clearing brawl and I'm a rookie with first round pick in wha get two goals. Nothing is said to me. But he congratulated everybody that got into a fight. I knew then I was in. I might have been in the wrong league or at the wrong time, but I mean it was if we're telling stories. Is that what I'm allowed to do here?

[C]

Oh yeah. I just hope put a quarter dream.

[A]

This same trip here. Okay. I'd never been, never been that far out west and I saw San Diego for the first time. And you're looking over the ocean and you're going, man, this is beautiful. And you go in and you start telling the players how beautiful this place is. And they said, well, you know what, it's it. And he said, I said, I think I said I'd love to go fishing out in the ocean. And he says, well, you know, it's your lucky day. And I said, what are you talking about? We're playing in Phoenix in two days and we're going tomorrow. And he says we're planning a fishing trip in the ocean in Phoenix. And I said, oh great, this is, this is awesome. I'm going to go. And he says, well, you're going to have to give us, you're going to have to give us 100 bucks. And we got to leave really early in the morning because the water's a little ways away and so we want you to wait. And so I went to this store, rented fishing gear and everything like this. And at 3:30 in the morning, I'm waiting down in the lobby for everybody. The next day it's a true story. And I'm sitting there and then a 4 o'clock comes and I phoned and I forget who I phoned, and I said, how come you guys aren't here yet? And they said, shut up, rookie. Go back to bed. Like that. So that was pretty nice.

[C]

You're just such a kind guy. You're gullible where you believe everything that everybody's telling you, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So it kind of brings up a story that Timu Solani told. We'll get back to the WHA because there's more questions I want to ask about that. But he told a story where you idolize Wayne Gretzky and he ended up pranking you pretty good.

[A]

It was, it was a good prank. I mean, I gotta tell you. And, and the funny thing was Wayne had asked me I mean, next time you're on the network, ask him about this. He. That he had asked me at one point to about. About a player, Yannick Lehu. And I told my wife, I said, I can't. I said, I can't answer the phone.

[C]

I'm.

[A]

It's game day. Nap. I'm napping. Tell Wayne I'll phone him back. So I get up and I say, I just turned down Wayne Gretzky. What am I? What am I? A nut? Like this. So a couple years go by, and we're playing the second last game of the season in. In Vancouver. It's my first. It's my first year in Anaheim. And, you know, it took over the team and we were in love, you know, in last place. But we ended up doing pretty good by the end. But we had. They. We had not made the playoffs. So Wayne phones me and says, hey, listen, I'm out to dinner across the street. Would you like to come out with me and have a couple drinks? And then I said, well, let me get back to you. I phoned my wife. She says, okay, if you don't go out with this, with him this time, I'm divorcing you. And so I go out to Dwayne. We have a real good time that night. And. And so the next day at the. At practice, I'm sitting there, and it's an optional. But in my meeting, I sit there and I say, guys, I was out with Wayne Gretzky last night. It was the best time of my life. You're not going to believe this. We went and this is who he was, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And, like, I got Teemu looking at me. Get slapped. Sack McCoy.

[B]

Boo.

[A]

All these really. Corey Perry. I had a lot of stars in the room, and they're going, yeah, yeah, big fucking deal. Big, big deal, right? So we win the game. We beat. We beat Vancouver 3 to 2 or something. And I. I walk and I'm pleased. This punch. We're going into, our last game, we were like about eight games over.500 since I took over. So I was really, really happy. And I get in the plane, I get a text, and my eyes open up and I go, holy geez, what's this? Hey. And I turned to the guys in the front, I said, hey, I just got a text from Wayne Gretzky.

[D]

And I said, you're like a seeker.

[A]

Yeah, I said, I said, you're not going to believe this. But he said he had such a good time last night. He wants to meet Us in epic. And he wants to go out again. Can you believe that? I said. And they all stickered and laugh and everything. And I go, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I text back, absolutely, Wayne. I'll see you in Edmonton. No problem. Text back, sit down. I'm pretty pumped that he likes me. This guy likes. So five minutes later, I get another text. He says, gabby, he says, listen, I'm really sorry. He says, but I can't get a flight into Edmonton tomorrow. He says, do you have a problem if I hop on your charter?

[C]

No.

[A]

And I said. I said, hold on, Wayne. And I went to the team services guy. Hey, can we put another guy in the manifest right now? It's Wayne Gretzky. He wants to come with us to Edmonton. And he said, gonna sit next to me. He said, it's okay. Ask Bob Murray. Bob was drunk in the corner. And he said, yes. And so that was fine. So. So I said, yeah, Wayne, come on, come on. He says, well, I'll be there in 10 minutes. Hold the plane. And I said, okay, great. I said, wait's coming off. Wayne's coming off the plane with us like this. And I wave in my head, thinking, this is the greatest thing in the world. He likes me, and he's coming on the plane because he wants to go out with me. And so. So five minutes later, I get another text. And he says, gabby, you are not going to believe this. And I said, what? Like, I mean to myself, this is what. And he goes. He says, I can't get a room in Edmonton. He says, do you mind if I room with you tonight?

[C]

The story's getting better at that point.

[A]

I turn around and Teemu's got the whole team surrounded by him. He's texting me, saying he's Wayne Gretzky. And it was like there was one game to go, but, I mean, unbelievable. I know you. You knew you had the players in your pocket when they're doing that.

[C]

No wonder you. We're healthy, scratching them and playing them five minutes a game. Towards the end of his career.

[D]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[C]

I know. That was Bob, wasn't it?

[A]

Yeah, it was. Bob told me. Came in. In the game in Dallas.

[D]

Bob.

[A]

And he says, Bob Murray says, listen, you're losing the team. It's game four of the playoffs. I think we're up two games to one. And he says, if you play temu, I think you'll lose the team. You've got to sit him out. You've got to sit him Out And I said, I want to sit Timo Solani out. And he says, you got to sit him out. So I sat him out and I had to wait for him to. He knew something was up and. Because he stayed on the ice for a half an hour and I waited at the boards because I wanted to tell him the day before that he was sitting out and he came and I told him and, and like he did not like me for. For a while. And I think it was about a year later or two years later that Ryan gets laugh, told him what had really happened. Then the next time I saw him, he came up and apologized, hugged me and everything and. But he knew I didn't want to sit him out, but I was told I had to sit him out.

[C]

Is that, is that the first time you'd ever been in a predicament like that where, like, did Bob say don't tell him where this is coming for and like you were basically doing it to save your job kind of thing?

[A]

Well, I, I think I. Yeah, if I had a loss that. If we had lost the playoffs and I hadn't sat him out, I probably would have lost my job there. Even though we had like 116 points or something during the course of the year. But because when we did finally lose, we won the division and lost in Nashville or lost to Nashville in seven games, that he did fire me. So, I mean, I do think that he would have fired me if I didn't to do what he wanted me to do.

[C]

Do you regret the way you handled it?

[A]

Probably. I mean, I don't know how else I could have handled it without throwing Bob under the bus right there. And the one thing I knew, you can't throw the, the GM under the bus. I mean, and it, it had happened during the course of the year that you have to make up things because I was told at points to sit out Palmeri Baleski, Maroon and where I didn't want to, but this was the, this was what was given to me. So you do it and that's. That's what happened. So I mean, like the, I do regret because Timu was such an icon and, and you know, and obviously one of the best players that ever lived to have to sit out somebody of his ilk was not. Was not a lot of fun for me.

[D]

In your experience in talking to other coaches, what percentage of winning teams or what percentage of any teams Are the GM calling? Are the GMs calling the shots like that where they are making straight up lineup decisions for the coach.

[A]

I have no idea. I have no idea.

[D]

Was it rare for you to. To. To have that look?

[A]

George McPhee never told me one time who to play. Chuck Fletcher never told me one time who to play. I don't even think Paul Fenton phoned me one time, told me, or Bill Garon told me at any point in time that I have to play these guys. The only thing Bill Garon told me at one one point was, I want Jason Zucker on the fourth line tonight. And I said, are you sure he's been playing good? And he said, nope. Being on the fourth line, he didn't tell me why. And he ended up trading him about two days later. So I think that was the reason why. But that was the only. The only time I'd ever been told who to dress and who not to dress at any point in time.

[D]

Chris Bork told me a hilarious story. He said, I think before. I don't know if it was game seven or it was in the Eastern Conference finals in the AHL Hershey vs Portland that you and Kevin Dean almost went toe to toe at the pregame skate.

[A]

Yeah, no, it was the day before, actually.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

And what had happened was I phoned Kevin at the start of the series and said, kevin, listen, can we make a deal where I won't watch your practices if you don't watch mine? And he said, fine. So now we went. We're in game seven, we're at Hershey park, and we're practicing, and I don't see him and his assistant up in the stands. And Bob woods comes over and tells me. He says, hey, listen, because we were practicing a new something for the power play because the power play hadn't been working. And he said, kevin Dineen's watching. And I said, what? And I looked up and we started an F you fight from about 40 rows up to the down. And he came down and we almost got into it, and thank God we didn't. I mean, because if you've ever saw me fight, you know, I wasn't going to win that one either. But I mean, it was. It was. It was actually pretty funny. And. And Chris probably told that story because I think I sat him out that night, too, because he was a rookie. He didn't get the. A chance to play too much in the playoffs that first year.

[C]

Just quickly, Jeff, before you hop in going, I want to go back to the WHA a little bit. Like, what other legends did you get to play against? Because I feel like maybe a lot of that, like old Guard moved over because the money was so good. So just like. Like, was there a lot of situations? Because I know you didn't spend too much time in the National Hockey League as a player. Like, who were you facing off against, where you were? Like, oh, my God, these were guys I grew up idolizing. And maybe just stories from that time.

[A]

Well, the. The day we played, I don't know if it was Hartford or Houston, wherever Gordy was playing at that time. And. And Gordy, because I played with Mark and Junior, and we were really tight, and. And Gordy was. And I'd spent summer weekends at the how residence that we're playing against Gordie Howe. And I'm sitting there, I can't believe I'm playing against Gordie Howe. And guys were telling me, he says, you got to watch him. He's great with the stick and the elbows, you know, I mean, you never know. And all I remember was going to the sideboards near the bench the one time, and he was following me, and the next thing I knew, I was flat on my ass looking up, and he had the puck, and, I mean, he gave me the little jab behind the legs and got the puck. I went flying into the boards. And no one's calling penalties on Gordie Howe at that time, but I went, man, this guy is quick. Because at the same game, Henry Boucher said, I'm going to get that guy. And so I remember Henry was really tough, too, but, I mean, I remember them crossing the blue line, and I didn't see a thing. And the next thing, Henry's on the ground bleeding. Like, I mean, Gordy was amazing. Like, I mean, he could flick the elbows, get the stick up. I mean, he had every trick in the book, but he was the. The main guy that I remember. I mean, I played with Davey Keon, followed him. He was a leaf that I stylized and everything. So it was a lot of. But. But every team had their players, but Jerry Cheevers, you know, I mean, all of these guys, you. You'd look at the mask and. And I would spend time looking at Jerry Cheever's mask when he was in Cleveland. So, I mean, there was guys like that, and there was. And there were so many of them, but they were all over 30 at that time. Very rarely did a young player that could be in the NHL want to go to the wha. It was all for the money that the older guys would go.

[B]

You've been asked a ton about the movie Slop Shot, and for those that don't know. Gabby's in the first scene, the first goal that goes in on Denis Lemieux. And I love the story, Gabby, for those that don't know it, of how you made sure you got in that shot, because I don't know how many days you were actually on the ice doing the filming, but you went out of your way to make sure that you were in the movie. Can you share that story?

[A]

Well, I was a bit of a ham. And George Roy Hill brings all the guys. He's the director, brings everybody over. He says, listen, we're going to start. We're going to show how bad the Charleston Chiefs is by. By just focusing on the goalie. All we're doing is focusing on the goalie and making saves. He's going to be kicking things out, you know, all the time. He's going to be swearing and everything like this. And so he says, just. And. But it was 5 on 5 in zone, so you'd be going around. But all I did was go around the post, around the post, around the post. And I stayed in. In the. I stayed in every scene because I was just skating around the post and through the crease, around the post, through the crease, because I knew that's where they were. They were focusing the camera on. So it was. So anytime anybody see I'm number seven in the. In the green team there, and I eventually scored a goal, they actually. They don't give credit for me, but I know I scored it, so it was okay.

[C]

That's unbelievable.

[A]

How many.

[B]

I mean, how many. How many hockey players have come up to you? Because I've heard about, you know, guys that. Guys on the bus that can do the movie line for line in character. First of all, do you have a favorite character from the movie? And I'm sure you've had players come up to you and say, like, that must have been the coolest thing in the world, being in Slap Shot.

[A]

Well, it was cool. And I got to know Jerry Hauser, who played Killer Carlton and kept in touch for a lot of years. And so he was my favorite character. It's. And it's funny, when I got let go in Vancouver, I got calls from four of the guys that were in the movie and Jerry and three other guys that I hadn't seen in 50 years. I didn't even know if I knew them, you know, like, I mean, and. But I thought that was so cool because they'd say Alan Nichols would go, hi, I'm Alan Nichols. You know, I was in the scene where the strip scene. They said if anybody sees only my wife should see this, blah, blah, blah. And so, and then I forget the other two guys right now, but I mean there's four guys that, that, that texted me from that scene. How they got my number and I don't know, but it was. And every, every team you go to, everybody has seen the movie. If, if you haven't seen, if you've seen a hockey player that hasn't seen the movie, I'd have my doubts about him really wanting to play hockey. So I mean it's, it. At first it was a terrible move by me to go down there, whereas I could have signed with the Leafs right away and, and started my career in Oklahoma City rather than waiting a year. But when you think about it, it's the 48 or 49 years now fast. And, and that movie still tests, stands the test of time. And it's a. And, and the thing is the movie is as far fetched as it is was pretty true, you know.

[C]

Yeah, I mean that's exactly probably what it was like in the minors at the time. And I mean you joked about the girl going in the locker room, but they had the girls following the team round with the booster bus and just going back to the movie. Paul Newman at that time, I think he was like an international star or, or maybe not at that level. Were you guys aware of how big of a hit movie this was going to be at the time? Or, or like did it just pop off like crazy after the release?

[A]

Well, I had no idea how big a movie was, but I didn't know how big Paul, Paul Newman was. He'd already starred in the Sting, he'd already starred in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He'd already been in the Hustler and he'd already been in the one where he was the Prisoner with Sidney Poitier. I mean, so, I mean he was huge and, but he knew how big the movie was going to be. I had a opportunity one night to go see the dailies with Dave Hansen, who was my roommate. And, and we sat there and I don't know why I remembered, probably because Paul Newman said it. He turned around, he said, I just made a movie called Judge Roy Hill for the money. And he said, but this movie, this is going to be a huge hit. And, and obviously it was, you know, I mean, I don't know how many. When you think about it, I think it, it lasted in the theaters in Toronto for over a year and it just kept growing and growing and with the amount of players that play hockey now, everyone has seen it. So it's, it's gotten huge.

[D]

You played and coached in, in so many different cities like Cincinnati, Baltimore, Mississippi, Seawolves, like Fort Wayne, like all these random areas. What was your favorite? Like, was there one that really sticks out to you? Like, I loved my time there in, in this non hockey market.

[A]

It's a great question, but my answer is I was a big proponent of making every place great because every place you go has the bar that you go to the guys that you hang around with. And I played in some really ugly towns. Johnstown was not beautiful, you know, I mean, by any stretch of the imagination. I mean, I played in Biloxi, Mississippi where I went there, they wouldn't know hockey from a bowling ball. I mean, and it was the first time a hockey had ever been in a pro league in Biloxi, Mississippi. I had an incredible time there. I mean, I mean everywhere I've gone has been a good place to me. I've had fun everywhere. So, I mean, you either, and my wife has always said this, either you're either going to make, you're going to make the decision to be happy or you're going to make the decision to be a gripe. A gripe and be shitty. And so, I mean, I've always chose the decision to be happy.

[D]

You won the championship as a, as a coach in Biloxi, like, even though they didn't know hockey, were they packing the arena? Was it a big deal in town when you guys got it done?

[A]

We averaged over 7,000 that year and.

[D]

All year, huh?

[A]

All year. And we had like 9,000 people in the building when we won the Cup. And it was, it was as good an atmosphere because we won in triple overtime in game seven. I mean, it was as good a atmosphere as I've up to that point I thought I'd ever been in. And you know, it's funny because I thought the hockey was really great. Then when I went to the American League, I went and watched a couple of East Coast League games. I'm going, man, it's this slow. It's the same thing as we went. And then you go to the NHL and you go back and you watch an American League game, you can't believe how slow it is because that goes to show like the speed of the NHL game. But I have a question, if you don't mind.

[D]

We love that.

[A]

Wow. This is for biz.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Oh, hey, here we go. I always, I always ask guys, hey, do you got one for us? And they always look at me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, yeah. No, I got one for you. I mean, you're a Wellen Boy, right?

[C]

Yeah, well, in Ontario.

[A]

Okay. You ever heard of the Jailhouse? The bar?

[C]

No.

[A]

Okay. 20 years ago. 20 years ago, my son was telling me, do you know who Ben is?

[B]

My son Ben coaches Niagara Ice Dogs in the.

[A]

Oh, okay, okay, okay. So he. He. When he found out I'm on your show, he says, you tell biz, Okay. I brought a. A girl into this bar called the jailhouse or something 20 years ago, and she was going. She was my date. And the next thing I know is she phoned me from Business House the next day.

[D]

It was Omaha.

[A]

And I said, I can't tell that story on this. And he says. He says, yeah, you gotta tell him he was in Willing Biz.

[D]

You open?

[C]

I cucked your son. I'm really sorry about that, Bruce. I appreciate you still giving us this over an hour of your time now, at this point. And now I feel guilty asking.

[D]

Hey, when you said, you remember the Jailhouse, he's like, no, I think.

[A]

I think it was called the jail. That's what he said. The Jail, something. Oh, my God. The jailbreak or something.

[C]

No idea.

[A]

Okay, okay.

[C]

No idea.

[A]

It's good to deny. I like that.

[C]

I mean.

[A]

But he also said, Dan Paez is assistant coach, and he said to say hi to Biz because they're great friends growing up, and, well.

[C]

Oh, yeah, yeah. He's got a Stanley Cup. He's. He's one of the pride and joys of. Well, and I'm, like, probably seventh or eighth on the totem pole because Cal Clutterbuck, who you coached in Minnesota. Right. He was there for a hot minute while you were there.

[A]

No, he wasn't there when I was there, but he did come to my hockey school in St. Catherine, so.

[C]

That's right. Yeah. Dan Girardi's up there.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Matt Ellis, Andre Devoe, Jamie Tardif. We had a bunch of. Listen, tell your kid I'm sorry. Like, I. I probably was.

[A]

He was laughing. He was laughing.

[C]

Is he married now?

[A]

He was and he is, but.

[C]

Okay. If he's single, tell him I owe him one.

[A]

I think he married that girl eventually. And then. And she kept talking about you, and so he had to divorce her. I don't know if that's.

[C]

Shut the up, Bruce. You're out of your goddamn mind. You know you're out of your mind. Right?

[A]

Kidding There. I'm kidding.

[D]

In the last.

[A]

Okay, okay.

[B]

Let Me go on. Let me try to get this on the rails. Let me go on a fishing trip with Bruce. Okay. There's been. And I've. Bruce has. Has always. And I expect him to say, no, I'm not going to tell you, but I. I'm sure I can get the story out of him, but he's not going to give any names. Tell us about the wildest dad's trip that you were ever part of in the NHL.

[A]

Well, yeah, it had nothing to do with the fishing trip, I can tell you that. The wildest one was when I was in Anaheim, and you guys will appreciate this, I think, is, you know, I mean, if you've ever been on one, the players are all out with the dads. They. They. They have dinner, they're all drinking, and then the players go to bed because it's usually the night before a game. So we were in San Jose when we were in Anaheim, and we're doing this, and I won't mention any names, but the next morning I come down and the team services guy says, bruce, we have a problem. And I says, what do you mean, we have a problem? He says, I got to show you a video of what happened last night. And I said, okay, let's see it. And they're showing it, and there is a bar, and then all you see is an altercation of people talking. And then one of our dads comes over and just pops the guy right in the chops. And there. And then that guy's with about 10 people. They get up and they start coming at deja vu.

[C]

We have.

[D]

What timing is this?

[A]

We have a dad's brawl in the. In the middle of the dad's trip. Like, I mean, they're all flopping on the floor, throwing punches, and I said, oh, my God, what do we do with this now? And I think it was the last dad's trip. I know it was last dad's trip. We had Nana, but, I mean, I don't know if they've continued to go on there, but that was.

[C]

They must not have had freshly squeezed orange juice. Everybody was up in arms. That's unbelievable.

[A]

I think somebody might have said something bad about the guy's kid. And that's all you have to do when you're. When you're drinking like that. That guy sucks. And he says, what do you mean he sucks? He says, listen, I watch him. He sucks. I'm a hockey guy. And then pop. And then their guy comes over, and then another dad comes over and suckers him. It was now that it's like a few 10 years later, it's pretty funny.

[C]

Oh yeah. Did you guys want to ask anything more about the past? We wanted to get your thoughts on everything going on with like the, the Montgomery firing and his record and how you thought that that situation was handled. And Jeff, I know that you brought it up on the outline call about how difficult it is because of the salary cap. And before they used to fire coaches, they used to maybe make a big trade. Right.

[B]

Remember that, Bruce? Remember that used to be a saying before you fired a coach. The GM would always say, Bruce knows this. I owe the coach a trade. Before I make a move on a coach, I owe him a trade because of the salary cap. And it's hard to make trades like that's gone. Like I would make. I've always tried to make the point, Bruce, that the one area that was affected that no one talks about by the salary cap are the coaches. Because you can't mix up the room with a trade. Ben was going to walk the plank and we see it every year, it's the coach. Do you have a thought on that one? And as Biz mentioned, under the umbrella of Jim Montgomery.

[C]

Yeah. And, and the fact that his record was ridiculous and he ends up getting the ax. Like that's got to be one of the best records ever for a coach to get canned.

[A]

I think it is the best record for. If you just take his two previous years, I think it was 62 and 47. So 109 wins, an average of 54 wins for those two years. And then he gets fired this year. I mean, I can answer it a couple ways. One, the, the GMs don't want to. They, for the most part when they hire you, they don't want to fire you. So something obviously was going on there. I mean, but in the, in the same token, it's, it's crazy because his name was on the chopping block before the first game. Don't you think? Like, I mean it was even said, it was said last year that if the Bruins had lost game seven in the first round of the playoffs to the Leafs, that he would have been, that he would have been fired. And it's even funnier to me that the Blues made Drew Bannister the full time coach the day after Boston won that first round. Because I think the Blues were waiting all along for this to happen and then they could get Jim Montgomery as their coach. I mean, but I don't understand why. What turned everybody sour on Jim Montgomery as the Coach because I mean his record spoke for itself and it's not easy to win the Stanley cup or to win two rounds or three rounds in the playoffs. And I mean I, you know, when you win 62 games and then, or in second place the next year, I mean you don't change a lot going into the playoffs. I mean maybe the players just weren't good enough, but in Boston, I guess they thought that was wrong. And maybe there's some underlying thing. Like when Bruce Cassidy lost his job in Boston, we thought it was a shock, but it was. I think a lot was because the young players, they didn't like and I guess in the exit meetings they, they voiced that opinion and that's why he got let go. So I mean there's things that we don't know for reasons why he got let go, but on the surface you're wondering what does a coach have to do to keep his job when you're, when you're doing this well and the proof is in the pudding, five days later he gets, they realize he's a really good coach and he gets hired for a five year deal. Probably, you know, in, in St. Louis like Jim Pappan who's is not with us anymore. Remember telling me about two weeks before I got let go and in Anaheim he says, Bruce, don't you worry about, you know, if you don't win the cup, you're going to let, get let go, but you're going to make more money and get more years on your next deal than you are now. So don't worry about it. But every coach always worries about it because nobody likes to lose their job ever.

[D]

And you can speak to what Jim Montgomery is going to go through this year because in 2011, 2012, you were let go. And it's kind of a two part question because some incredible teams in Washington, they end up getting over the hump after. But you were let go and immediately hired by Anaheim. So is it easy to get over the disappointment and the shock of the firing when you get hired that quick? And did you change as a coach at all when you got to Anaheim? Kind of take us through that whole season for yourself?

[A]

Well, I mean, I think we've had more success than anybody other than winning a Cup and, and I didn't have very much playoff success in, in Washington and it took them five years after that, by the way, before they won the Cup. But myself, the way, the way it all happened, I don't know how much time we've got. But is the funny Story. We were playing Anaheim the week before and we were down four to one and going into the third period, and then it got to be five to one and we came back and it was five to four and I pulled the goalie and Obi asked me, he says, where do you want me to go, coach? And I go, I want you on the bench and you're minus four and you haven't done anything, so you sit this one out. And he turned and he said something derogatory, which, by the way, the next day he apologized and we were all fine again. But that was the focus. We ended up coming back, tying the game, and I put OV on for overtime. We scored the ball and he gets an assist and we win the game. So you're. A week later, I get fired, okay? And then I'm sitting at home and it's a Monday morning, it's 6:30 when I got fired. And just to show you George's class, he calls me, he says, can you step by, stop by my house before you go to work? And I said, george, this ain't good, is it? And George is pretty smug and didn't say a word. So I go there, he answers the door in his pajamas. This is how classy is. And he says, hold on, Bruce. He went upstairs, he shaved, he got a suit on, I sat down, he came in his business tire. And then he told me he was going to let me go. And I. Years later, I just keep thinking that that was so classy for what he did. But anyway, I go home and I say, I'm not answering the phone, I'm not doing anything. So this is at 7:00 in the morning, at 9:30. I'm bored out of my mind. Because you're used to going to work every day and working, right? So you're bored out of your mind. And I texted my buddy in Anaheim, Rick Patterson, and I said, hey, Patterson, I don't know if you know, but I just got let go. So if you ever need a coach, give me a call. And so about 15 minutes goes by and he answers and he says, hold on a minute. And I went, what? And he's. And. And about an hour after that, George calls me and says, hey, Bruce, do you want to coach in the NHL again? I go, duh. And he. And he goes. And he says, an NHL GM may be phoning you soon. And I said, oh, wow, that's crazy. I never can't believe that. So Bob Marie phoned me that afternoon. We struck a deal that night and so, I mean, I got fired on Monday morning, got hired Monday night, and was in Anaheim on Tuesday. And I watched Anaheim play and they beat Montreal 4 to 1. And I'm sitting there going, is he going to change his mind? Because they just won and he didn't. And I was on the bench on Wednesday, so unbelievable happened quick.

[D]

I played for Randy in Anaheim and, you know, Randy could get on guys. And when you came in, was it. Was it noticeable? Guys were on edge a little bit. They needed to feel a little bit more free. He won a Stanley cup there. Hell of a coach. But he was tough on you. Did you sense that? And was it your personality probably helped those guys feel a little bit better about their game?

[A]

Well, first of all, me and Randy are good friends. We played in Toronto together, in the minors together and everything. So. Yeah. But our personalities are totally different. And I think they wanted that kind of personality. When I went in there, I mean, it was a good change. You know, go from the, from the guy, that tough, tough ass guy to the guy that's more player friendly. And I think they accepted that. And, you know, I mean, other than Game 7 of the conference final against Chicago a couple years later, you know, I thought we had tremendous team that was going to win a cup ourselves.

[C]

Bruce, I know you said that Spurgeon was fake news with the. With a hand scoop.

[A]

Have you been texting him?

[C]

No. No.

[A]

Okay, okay.

[C]

But I was going to bring up another one with it, with it. With a player that you had in Anaheim. Ryan Kessler came on the podcast and he said one time he was passing by, like the trainer room, and there was a connecting door maybe to the coach's room. And this is about 12 minutes left on the clock before you go out for the game. And normally coaches come in around the 9, 8 minute mark, fire the guys up, tell them who's starting. And he said that the door was peaked, like pried open a little bit, and he peeked in and there you are with a Coca Cola and a bag of popcorn, and you're having a nice snooze about 12 minutes before you're ready to go out. Now, were you the type of guy that could sleep anywhere?

[A]

Yeah, I was, but it would have been a Diet Coke, first of all. And I was just preparing for the game. I needed to. Needed to get, you know, into my zone. This is what I'm saying now, but I mean, that's quite possible because they would open the door and they'd see me and, and then they'd shut the door if I was snoozing quickly and I went in with five minutes to go. So I mean, I had it still a 7 minute buffer in that. In that case. So it was all good. Bob woods would come in and he says, are you awake in there? Yeah, let's go. Let's get her done.

[C]

You just gotta pass it off as meditation, like I call it.

[A]

Yeah, meditation.

[C]

Getting in your.

[D]

I thought business story was going to be that he cucked like a nephew of yours as well there. I don't know where that was heading.

[C]

Stop.

[D]

But what about. All right, so. So you finished the year 15, 16 in Anaheim, let go. But then you're hired for the next season by Minnesota. Was that just as quick once or once you weren't renewed or fired by Anaheim?

[A]

Well, it's, it's funny because it was the Saturday that I was let go and I got called that night by Chuck Fletcher and I said I in and, and Ottawa, and I said I'd interview on Monday. He was going to be in town. I think they were interviewing Randy too for the Minnesota job. And so he was in town. So they interviewed me. And then I was supposed to go to Ottawa on Tues on Tuesday or Wednesday. And I remember telling them I can't because Wayne has invited me to golf at his club. And I'm not passing this chance to golf with Wayne Gretzky just, just to go to go interview at a job in Ottawa. So I went on the Friday and I was hired Saturday night in by Minnesota at that point.

[B]

I'm always curious about coaches influences. Like you're one of the, one of the biggest personalities we've ever seen behind the bench. And I don't believe that that comes out of nowhere when you look back at your career. Who were the coaches that Bruce Boudreau said, you know what, I want to be a little bit like that.

[A]

Well, I'm glad you asked that. I mean, first of all, George Armstrong was one of those guys World cup, but he would, he was a guy that I remember if we lost a game, we were upset that we might have upset him because all the players loved him so much. So I mean, it was one of those things that he was tough, but he was so fair and so good to you that, that he would do things for you too. So I learned a lot from personality from him. Then Roger Nielsen learned a lot about tactics and just never leaving any stone unturned. And him and Andy Murray were very similar in that. In that boat. So I learned a lot from Those two guys. Then I think any, any player that becomes a coach picks up things from everybody that he's gone through. It might be one thing with Larry Kish, it was organized practices, even though I hated him as a coach, but he was really organized in practice. I mean, so, you know, you, you think of these things. Doug Carpenter was. And Gene, you know, was a tough ass. And you remember that, and you remember certain things he did in practices. Al Simms I remember drills that he did. So I think you pick up everything. You add your own personality into it, and then that's what you become as a coach.

[B]

You know, one thing, I'm glad you mentioned George Armstrong there a couple of seconds ago. There's one thing I've always. I always forget to ask. Oh, I forgot to ask Gabby. What was the story with his skate, like cutting your eye or something like that in 75? Or you got an eye injury involving like his. What. What happened there? Because you had like blurred vision, like, or something like that for the remainder of the season or so. What was the story there?

[A]

I actually had the blurred vision for a couple of years. But I mean, you know, you had the heel guards on the back of the skates back when you're growing up. And I was skating in front of the net, he was skating behind the net. And the ice at Maple Leaf Gardens was never the greatest. And I think I toe pick and I fell right on his skate, the back of it, and it got me in the eye and so it was swollen. I think I missed the last game of the season or something. But at the same time, I mean, I could have very easily lost my eye and I didn't and I wore a shield for the playoffs. But, I mean, it was a complete fluke accident and he would have been the first one that put his arm around me, took me to the bench, made sure I'm okay and. And checked in on me every day about it. So, I mean, it could have been a lot worse. So I'm pretty happy that it only was that.

[B]

So when you scored the five power play goals, you did it with blurred vision and essentially with one eye and a shield.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

That's why he was minus one.

[C]

Yeah. Couldn't see his guy back door. Bruce.

[A]

Yeah. At that point I was waiting at the red line for somebody to get me the puck. So, I mean, there was no way I would. You have five goals. There's no way you're checking.

[C]

Bruce, we're going to have to get you back on because it's impossible to Go through everything. And I know we didn't spend a crazy amount of time on your time in Minnesota, but given the, the OV Gold chase and the historic run he's on and he's going to pass it eventually. I was going to ask you for your favorite Ochkin story, maybe like obviously one you haven't told and then also segue that into. You had these iconic series against the Pittsburgh Penguins and got to see some of the prime years of Sidney Crosby. What was it like? Like battling against him with your team and preparing your team to face off against, probably by the time it's all said and done, a Mount Rushmore type player in Sydney Crosby, you know.

[A]

You know, it's funny, whenever we played Pittsburgh, especially that seven game series, it was different. It was different in the room. Alex wouldn't be ovi, wouldn't be jumping up and down and being hyper. He was very quiet. He was, he'd walk around like, this is a serious moment. When they were on the ice, you could see like back then they wouldn't glare at each other, but they knew where they were all the time. And there was never like, let's have some fun. This is a serious, like, I'm out to beat him. And I think that for 20 years has been the. Every game that I've been involved or every game I watch with those two guys, it's a serious game because they want to one up each other all the time. And because they're that competitive, they might be good friends off the ice now, I don't know. But I mean, on the ice they wanted to compete and they competed so hard. And the best game was game two, when they both got hat tricks in that playoff. That's going to go down as one of the most iconic games in history. And I mean, and then them almost fighting on the bench, at the bench, going at it a little bit. I mean, those two guys, I mean, it was, it was quite amazing. I don't know if you guys were in Wilkes at that time or where he is, where he were, but anytime you would watch Sydney against ovi, it was an event. It wasn't even a game. I mean, I, I remember him watching, walking around the room, just getting ready and instead of, you know, yapping it up with the guys, he might be taping his stick or something, but he had almost a scowl on his face. Like, this is how I got to get ready to play against the Pittsburgh Penguins. And it wasn't the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was about being better than, than Sydney. That's why in his goal chase, which was halted a little bit right now. And, and you can see where the caps have lost 2 to 1 and 3 to 2, which is what their game was like last year without ov. OVI being adding that different spark. I still think if they say he's going to be out six weeks, I'm saying he's back in five. And I'm saying that he still has a. If he, if he's working hard and get it and staying in shape that he's going to do it this year. I'd love to see him do it this year, which would just prove that he is Superman.

[C]

And just quickly, do you have like an OV story that you're like, oh my God. It just embodies his personality that maybe some, a lot of the time people don't see?

[A]

Yeah, I'm trying to, I was trying to think while I'm saying those things. And the, the only thing that comes to mind right now is if you, when these great players and you guys have all played with great players, good things always seem to happen to them. You know, like, I mean, good luck follows them. And you're saying, why can't that happen to me? The first time we had, you know, the golf tournament before the season starts, Obi sat in the one hole and got a hole in one. Never played golf before. I've been golfing 60 years, couldn't do that. But he gets a hole in one, goes off a mountain, hits a tree back, back in like a Happy Gilmore type thing, and then goes in the cup and he goes, oh my God. Oh my God. Oh, I remember him saying that.

[D]

I've seen that video.

[A]

Oh my God. Yeah, it went unreal.

[C]

That's unreal.

[D]

When you, when you ended up seeing Washington finally win the cup and years after you were gone, do you think he had changed as a player? Had he completely matured and changed his game in the playoffs or was it more so the roster around him and, and he remained the same because it looked like he was just more bought in that year.

[A]

Yeah, well, I think, I think when they finally got past the second round, it became a different story. I mean, he hadn't, don't forget, he hadn't been by the second round in all that time. And then he gets by the second round. And him and Nikki were different players. Kuznetsov was a different player than you saw last year. They all became, hey, this is real. This is a chance that we have. And the buy in was already there. I mean, they Had a great year and a great team, but I mean it's. I think they finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel that we can actually win this thing. And, and they dug in just deeper and they weren't going to be denied. There was no way Vegas was going to beat them that year, no matter how good Vegas did.

[C]

Bruce, did you make more money off Cameo, the Cameo app or your most money made one year in coaching. And what was the most cameos you did in a day when you're at the peak of your cameo and are you still doing it?

[A]

I get one every blue moon. But I mean I remember when I was in van and like I get them once a week or something and I wouldn't get a lot of them. And you'd sit there and you'd wish a guy a happy birthday or, or something and Patrick Alvine comes in, he says, and by the way, this is the fifth day of camp. You can't do any more cameos. You do them, you're going to get fired. And I'm going, okay. So I canceled them right away. Like, I mean to me it was such an innocent thing. I never said bad things about anybody. Didn't use the F bomb ever on a cameo. And I mean it was, it was just thought, okay, these are, these are. People are asking me for a birthday wish and you do it. So that's where that come from.

[D]

He probably just didn't want to see like a cameo. You being like, I promise we're going to get her done tomorrow night in Edmonton. Like, he's like, we're going to save.

[C]

Everyone from guaranteeing the coaches board in the background. It has their whole game breakdown.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[C]

Leaking everything by accident to make 100 bucks. On the side. He's making two and a half sheets.

[A]

From don't tell anybody in Vancouver. But I'm. This is what our scheme is tonight. No, I don't think any of that stuff ever happened.

[C]

That's unreal. I don't have. We've kept you long enough. We'd love to get you on again. Bruce, this has been such a treat and so many amazing stories. I'm sure you have a million more as well. And Jeff, thank you for organizing this. Just a nostalgic pass through time.

[B]

Only scratch the surface with Bruce Boudreau. When it comes to stories, nobody like, you know, there are people. And Bruce, maybe I'll close on this one. Like when I think of someone that I want to sit down with and hear that person go story for Story like I don't think you could get beaten at a story for story competition. But who comes close to you? Like, whose stories do you like to hear the most?

[A]

Well, I, that's a great question, but I like to hear anybody's I like that. Was always enamored by the older guys than me that have played longer than me and they tell stories about the train rides and they used to tell how hard they'd work or, or their, the, the stories. Back in those days there was even less. What's the word I'm looking for Anyway, there was no discipline. I mean they would get on there and George Armstrong always had Johnny Bauer as a roommate. And he'd come in and he would tell every day how they would pull pranks on Johnny Bauer and things like this. And when I'd go to golf tournaments back in the day and you'd sit and you listen to Cheevers or Billy Smith and all of these guys telling stories, those are the things I like is the old, the old stories that you hear because the young guys don't tell stories anymore. They don't want anybody to know what's going on.

[B]

How many false teeth stories did you hear over the years?

[A]

Oh, the. But the teeth being put in glasses. I've heard them.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

From everybody. Yes. Yeah. And George Armstrong used to do it all the time. When he wanted to get real mad at us, he'd take his teeth out and, and talk with just the gums like this had none of us, none of us could, could stay without smiling because that's what he did, what he wanted to do. That was his, this goal.

[D]

Bruce, that's so good. It's been an unreal interview. We really appreciate it and like Biz said, 100%. We do it again.

[A]

Anytime guys. You guys are awesome to listen to. Congratulations on your success and I'll be watching you everywhere you go.

[D]

Guys, it's wit. And I want to talk to you about Aura Frames. Like a lot of people. You know, my parents sometimes are not the most tech savvy. No shot at them. And I could use this discussion about Aura Frames talking about myself. I don't have it tech wise, but that's why Aura Frames is so good. It seems weird to get people who are struggling with tech and not tech savvy a tech adjacent gift. But Aura's digital frame is actually perfect. That's because yes, it's tech, but it is so, so easy. So, so easy. I got them sent to my house. I cannot describe to you how simple it is to use the Aura frame. It's so easy to get started. And then once you do, the tech is incredible. I can upload photos right from my phone in just a click. It'll even pair photos together for me, like two pictures of the same person or from the same day. There's no memory cards or USBs required. There's a reason Wirecutter named it the number one best digital photo frame. I remember years ago having a digital photo frame that it was impossible to load the pictures on. It was impossible to get the thing up the way you wanted. It was impossible to figure out the lighting you wanted. Now boom, one click, you're set up. It looks phenomenal and it's very easy to switch out the picture if you want to. And for a limited time, visit aura frames.com and get $45 off Aura's best selling carver matte frames by using promo code Chiclets at checkout. That's a U R A frames.com promo code Chiclets. This exclusive Black Friday Cyber Monday deal is the best of the year, so don't miss out. Terms and conditions apply. That's Oraframes.com code Chiclets. Thank you so much to Bruce. Thank you to you, Jeff. I mean, hang on.

[A]

Can I jump in?

[B]

What was the best story? The Ovechkin curfew, the Gretzky Salani or the lawn mowing?

[D]

I think that when I, when I, if I ever hear or see a replay of, of Peyton Manning under center going Omaha, Omaha, I'm going to laugh. So the guy was just classic. And what makes, what makes him is like he can tell a story with the best of them. The way he, that he told stories.

[B]

Hang on.

[D]

It's just classic.

[B]

Can I, can I jump in? So Bruce texted me after the interview and said, tell biz the bar was in Port Duzzi.

[C]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Port Dalhousie. That place, it doesn't exist anymore. They. There's like maybe a couple bars, but they put a bunch of condos. But that was a blast.

[D]

So if you gave me a nickel. Sorry, Biz. If you gave me a nickel for every time I've seen Biz be like, yo, this girl's with this dude. She's eyeing me right now. I would be a Saudi. I would be a Saudi oil billionaire. Like, guys. And then he's like, dude, this girl's game facing me. What am I supposed to do?

[C]

I would say that. I would say that the, the escalation of the Salani one and the Fact that, well, first of all, he's. He's very self deprecating, which is awesome. Yeah, he'll take the piss. And the fact that he tried to talk him into bunking together and he was okay with bunking with Wayne in his own room, that was the icing on the cake. To elaborate on the Teemu story, who originally told it. So, I mean, there's two too many good ones to pick one. But that elaboration was the best.

[D]

The way Teemu told it undersold the whole thing. It was even better.

[C]

It was even better. It was even better.

[D]

And I guess, you know, we talked with Bruce about OV and when he first, you know, got in the locker room and saw his name plate above his locker and we just got brutal news, I feel like it was the most disappointment the leagues felt about one player like, and an injury in quite some time. Because OVI last year come, he has this slow start, he gets it going. Washington awful. They get into the playoffs, they look awful in the playoffs. It's like, is this going to turn into the OV Gold Chase? But no, like the Capitals, they have an amazing off season. Guys are playing out of their mind. And OV starts with 15 goals in 18 games. He gets a hat trick. And then the next game in Utah, he's got two goals. Now, I tweeted when he got the second in Vegas, I go, OV hat trick coming. He gets it. I feel great. Sure, I'm watching again. I go, we're going to see another one. And he gets injured. I got buried by all these Capitals fans. I felt horrible. But to see him go down and then get the news. Now I look at it like, thank God, that could be an acl, right? Like when you collide knee on knee like that, it's. It can be a disaster. Four to six weeks we're here and he's got a broken or fractured his tibia. Now Bruce says we're going to see five weeks, four weeks. It's going to be quicker than we thought. I hope so. I think the big thing that bummed everyone out was that can you, can you hop back in and stay on fire the way you were? That's hard to do. You missed time with an injury. I've always said too, if it's an upper body injury, you could still skate. You get the legs, you can be out there skating after a couple of weeks. When it's lower body, it makes it more difficult. But what he had done leading up to the injury, it just had taken the League by storm. It was. It started being like, we're gonna.

[C]

It's.

[D]

You started seeing the future of how incredible it's gonna be when he's like 10 goals away, 20 goals away, because it's happening quicker than we imagined. And now he's gonna be out for a little bit. So biz your thoughts.

[C]

Yeah, I think. I think what's with the most exciting part about all this is the fact that you mentioned everybody's behind this. And I think the adrenaline of him knowing that everybody wants him to do this is what's going to want him to come back. He's going to handle his business appropriately off the ice, where, hey, I think he indulges a little bit in the off season and sometimes maybe comes back packing on a few pounds. I don't think that's going to be the case. I think he's going to come back exactly the way that he was to start the season and get back right to where he was scoring goals. And I think there's a strong possibility that the storybook writers write it where he ends up breaking it in Game 82 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. And, Jeff, I don't think it's the worst thing that if, you know, maybe he does get close, that the NHL does have the off season to prepare to put this on a silver platter for him starting next season, where they carry that momentum over and maybe a time where hockey is not the most watched. There are the doldrums when football is going on. College football and in other sports are taking a lot of focus off of what I think is the best game in the world, where now all eyes are going to be on hockey. Based on the amount of people that are talking to me, that never talk to me about hockey, that are asking about this, that is what is firing me up, that hockey is getting national, if not world attention based on what's about to happen.

[B]

Your point is exactly well made, and that is this is a story that jumped off the hockey page. And you know, hockey is still a very much a regional sport, both in the United States and in Canada. But, I mean, we saw visiting fans cheer when Ovechkin scored against their team because they understand that they're part of something that's greater than the game that they're watching. Like, everybody, to your point, like, everybody was getting behind this. Everybody loved this. This was like the hockey story. Every fan base got behind this thing. I want to share with you guys something, a conversation that I had a while ago with someone I'm really Curious to see what your reaction is to it. So I was having a conversation with someone who said, you know, this Ovechkin. Ovechkin chase kind of scares me. I said, what do you mean it scares you? As he said, well, like, think about it. Ovechkin is chasing Gretzky. What nationality is Ovechkin? I said, Russian. I say. He said, what nationality is Gretzky? And I said, Canadian. He said, what's his heritage? Part of Wayne Gretzky's heritage is. And he is fiercely proud. And he said, speak this language with his grandmother. Ukrainian. He said, vladimir Putin. And all of this scares me that what is Putin going to do with the Russian beating the Ukrainian Canadians record?

[C]

I knew you'd have a trouble.

[D]

I imagine Putin and Trump sitting in the box for the break.

[C]

I don't know where it can go.

[B]

It's going to be Putin. Putin's going to want to be in the ice to feed the. To feed the past. Like, you know those videos you see of Putin?

[D]

Like, he had 27 assists, one game.

[B]

Skating around guys all in ones. Like, Putin's gonna want to be the.

[C]

Guy that feathers the past. Come talk to me in the coach's office. You're gonna be a health bomb. Tonight we signed a new guy.

[D]

You know how the whole team comes off the bench, like, for the celebrity, like, Crosby 600. We'll get to that. Whole team comes off the bench and, like, just the door opens and you see Putin with his bodyguard shuffling under the ice, and he's just hugging all.

[C]

The capital together on. What do you think the probability that Putin is in the building when he breaks the record? 100%?

[D]

I would say 0%.

[B]

Really?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, first of all, he.

[D]

When was the last time Putin was in the United States? Maybe it was like, this year.

[B]

Well, listen, there's a new administration on the horizon. Not to get overly political here, but there's a new administration on the horizon.

[D]

You think he's going to have a room in the West Wing that he just.

[B]

I don't think. I don't think it's 100%. But I also.

[C]

He's going to bump up, like, Wayne and Trudeau or not Wayne and.

[B]

No, Stephen Harper.

[C]

Wayne and Bruce.

[B]

Oh, Wayne and Bruce. Okay.

[C]

I don't know what maybe think of it.

[D]

Trump, Putin and Trudeau. They would just be giving Trudeau leaners. They'd be putting his bed in the elevator.

[C]

They just be, oh, no.

[D]

Putin's last visit to America was 2015. So we're coming up on 10 years. I don't know. This is.

[B]

Listen, we all know how he feels about hockey. We all know how he feels about Ovechkin. We all know how Ovechkin feels about him. I think it'd be ridiculous to suggest or think that this isn't going to be something that Putin, Russia, everyone there wants a hype up big, massive.

[D]

Well, I hope not. Only because it would turn into this political story and all of that would overshadow Ovechkin breaking a record that for what, 30 years, everyone has said that would never be touched. So it's like it's going to be one of the greatest moments in the history of the NHL for an individual. And I would hope.

[C]

I don't. Yeah, but I don't. Putin is, is that self aware and wouldn't be shocked if he wanted to insert himself in all this and doesn't really care if the attention goes to him.

[D]

So at least wear Str's jersey. Maybe he'd wear Strom's jersey.

[C]

Interesting. I'd actually be interested to like talk to Wayne and ask him like how he like he feels about like what you just brought up, like, if only.

[B]

You had access to him.

[C]

Well, yeah, I know, but it's like, like you said, it's such a sensitive topic.

[B]

It's a total sensitive topic.

[C]

Yeah, of course. It's a, it's a, it's a good point to bring up. And I mean, all eyes on Oie.

[B]

Yeah. So another legend again. Like the, the, the overarching story is here that th, this is one. Like I remember growing up, like, was there a stat for you guys when you were young that you thought would never be broken? Like to me it was like, because I was a goaltender when I was a kid and I used to always marvel, like, oh man, Terry saw chick had 102 shutouts. That's never going to get broken, you know.

[C]

And then now he was the Wilt Chamberlain's off.

[D]

Off. Off court or on court?

[B]

Yeah, off Wilt Chamberlain.

[D]

My, my dad used to say like he was always, he'd always talk about DiMaggio's hit streak. He's like, that's never getting touched.

[B]

Never again.

[D]

And as baseball's changed and to just swing for the fences or strike out, I, that one might be be safe. The Gretzky more assists than points. That will never be touched. I'm convinced. But yeah, it's, it's the goal one was like, I, I, I've said it's 50 times, but the first time I Ever saw it was John Buchagras and I think it was like eight years ago. Tweeted about the possibility of him doing it and how he. And how he would do it and the breakdown year by year. So if it goes down, but, but for Crosby to also continue his dominance and what a cluster fuck Pittsburgh is, but to see him get his 600th I think that's this past weekend. They Lost combined in two games, 10 to 2. And at least one of them was his 600th. Beauty Pass by Eric Carlson. Actually you got to see Sid's parents in the stands. You got to just see the celebration from him and the team coming on the ice. He was fired up when he got it. I wrote down or I actually looked up with all the discussion about Cross being traded and all the people that are within the know and do believe to know that he'll never go anywhere, never agree to play anywhere else. There's, there's not just his legacy in Pittsburgh, but he's 90 goals and he's 107 points away from breaking Mario Lemieux record for goals by the Pittsburgh for all time leader in goals and points by a Pittsburgh Penguin. He has more Stanley Cups. I think that that's in his mind. And this guy would choose to win in a heartbeat over this individual stuff. But to do what he's done all this time in Pittsburgh, you can't tell me that he hasn't looked at or seen that I could become the all time goal scorer and points leader for this organization.

[C]

I think he's going to do that and I think he's going to move on because I think it's going to get too bad.

[D]

So the points, the points is the points will be next season. 90 more goals. I don't know what's that this year, this year another year and then middle of the next year, if not longer. What's he get? What's say he finishes with 20 more this year then he needs 70 next year, maybe 35, 40. So I think that the points one will be broken. But Biz is adamant, Jeff, that we're going to see him somewhere else someday.

[B]

I mean listen, when he signed the contract, the idea, the contract extension, the conspiracy theory right away was oh, he's come in at a number that makes him movable, that if you. That if he wants to go, it's not going to. He's going to be able to move and the contract's not going to get in the way. That was one of the, that was one of the big Conspiracy theories that you hear right away.

[D]

It's hard though, when it's the only number he's ever signed for.

[B]

I. No, I know. I get that. Like, I understand the symbolism of the whole thing.

[C]

Just think about this though. Like, how big of a waste, though, boys in the last year of his. Of his contract, or even the last two that they. What are you going to honor this guy when you're fucking out of the playoffs by Christmas? That's not how. That's not how a Mount Rushmore guy goes out. I don't know.

[B]

But, but, but the thing is, like, that's. But if. But if. What if. That's what's. What if. What if that means a lot to Crosby to play his whole career in one place. Like, I don't.

[D]

That's what everyone says, Jeff. That, that is what people say. That.

[B]

No, like, he's, he's won his cups, like, he's cemented his reputation. His place in hockey history is like the, the gravity around it is deep. He's. They're already like writing the plaque in the Hockey hall of Fame. Like, I don't know what more he can accomplish other than. I just want one more of those things.

[D]

And he still has this year's Four nations and next year's Olympics as. As even a little extra. It's just, it's just what we all hope for is to see him in the playoffs.

[B]

I understand, like, trust me, I understand where that comes from. Right? Like, I understand that. Like, I always want to be competitive. I always want to be in the, in, in the playoffs. Like, guys are wound that way, but then other guys also are wound. Like, you know, St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes. I know this is going to be hard, but I'm not going to bail. I know this looks.

[C]

That's what I respect about it, where he, he might be looking at this, where he truly believes by the time his last year under contract with the Pittsburgh's up, that he's able to kind of revive them and they're back to their winning ways, where he looks at it like his biggest challenge yet, because when he came in and even when they won those back to backs, like, you still had Malin throughout his prime, you still had in, in some cases Flurry. And then they got Matt Murray, who was playing out of his mind, and they had a team who could actually win, right? They were. And in some cases they were expected to. Like, every year they were going in, they were listed as a top five team where maybe now he's Maybe that's the approach he's taken, where I can go through this doldrum with this team, and somehow by the time my last year or my last two years are up, we're back to being a winner. Maybe that's the mentality, you know.

[B]

Let me share this with you guys. One of my favorite players of all time is Peter Forsberg. And towards the end of Peter Forsberg's career, when the skills were deteriorating and remember, he couldn't find a skateboard. Yeah, his foot was a mess, right. But he never. He never quit. And there was a lot of people saying, oh, he's diminishing his reputation. Oh, leave the stage while they're still clapping. Nothing's worse than watching a actor take bows on stage when the audience has already left. I fucking loved it. I love the guy that said, as long as I can get out there and play, I'm going to compete. They are going to have to drag me off the ice. I didn't want to hear anything about, oh, look. Look at the point when. Back when, his heyday with Colorado, he's been these cups and these trophies and these points, and look at him now. He's a shell of himself. He's not even close a shadow of what he used to be. I think I may have loved him more at the end because he never quit. What do we always talk about? Don't quit.

[D]

Yeah, don't quit.

[B]

Crosban quitting on the Penguins so far, like, that's why I loved Forsberg. He. As long as. As long as someone was good, as long as the team wanted him, he was not going to quit. I think we should celebrate stuff like that. Oh, no sports. As opposed to just, oh, I want to. Oh, how dare he do this to how I think of Peter Forsberg. Should only have to. Should only play. Like, ridiculous.

[C]

I've been.

[B]

That's what I love about Crosby. He ain't quitting.

[C]

I've been beating that drum just because from a hockey fan standpoint, I want to see that. There's no doubt deep down I have so much respect for the way that he's approaching this. If he does follow through with the Penguins, and if the last remaining years on his deal are exactly like this one's transpiring, like, it's gonna suck, because getting to watch him in playoffs one more time, chasing that would be such a hockey fan's dream, especially doing it with his good friend Nathan McKinnon. But if that's what he wants, then that's what he wants.

[D]

Well, we can funny you bring another legend. It's funny you bring up Forsberg. Before we get to our next legend of the game, who had was in the news this week? I was talking to Sam Gagne. This. This week gag is a great guy. We're just shooting the shit. Yeah, I just. I still want to play, like. And I was. I texted him, like, yeah, dude, if that fire is still there, he's gonna actually get. I think he's gonna hop on the show in the near future. Catch up with him would be nice, but he's awesome. You talk about number one, he's getting.

[B]

In Toronto, right in the West End.

[D]

Yep. And you talk about not wanting to give up. And then we get to see Jumbo Joe Thornton and his jersey retired in San Jose. Incredible, Incredible night there. You saw everyone getting really emotional. Teammates of his and Joe Thornton while MVP winner, dominant, dominant player in his prime. He had two, three years at the end where he's like, no, I just love the game. I know I'm fourth line now. I don't care. I want to be in the room. I want to be this guy. All anyone ever says is, he just loves the boys.

[B]

The boys.

[D]

And if you guys saw the. The. The. The Clips or you got to watch the ceremony. Doug Murray told an incredible story. Incredible. I saw it on Twitter that Joe Thornton called him to help a family move into an apartment that he had set up. They were a homeless family. They had nothing going. He said, don't tell a soul. And Doug Murray's telling the story about what Joe Thornton did, and he's getting emotional. And you saw Patrick Marlo say what this meant to him, to have his number be up there with his in San Jose. It's just. I texted Biz Jeff that Joe's right there. It's like, off the top of my head, like, Joe and Iginla, like, guys that. Guys that should have raised the cup, guys that I picture, like, they should have got.

[B]

There's a few. One of them works on television with biz, and that's Henrik Lundqvist.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

That's in my. In my perfect world, would have. Would have lifted a Stanley cup as a huge and still am Henrik Lundquist fan. The old school guy in me wishes that, like, Gilbert Perot and Marcel Dion would have. Would have had a chance to lift the cup. Like, a lot. There's a lot of greats, and now that there's so many teams, there's going to be a lot of greats that go their entire careers that don't win Stanley Cups, man, it's harder than ever to win one of these things. But the Joe thing, I used to always make the joke, and it's not really a joke because I mean it that there's only two places in the world where they do ceremonies properly. One is Buckingham palace and the other is the Bell Center. And after that, nobody else does ceremonies properly. Kind of tongue in cheek, but San Jose nailed it. San Jose at every single level. That was one of the best that I think we've ever seen. I mean, it's Joe and people gushing about him, and it's perfect. And he looks great and the family's beautiful, and that hat is killer. And like all of it in Douglas Murray's story, I'm not sure where you went with. With Thornton when you first saw it. When you think about his. His. His playing career, we think about how sublime a passer he was. The pass like the. The only one who even comes close in his era is probably Mark Savard, who I don't think we give enough credit to as being a magnificent playmaker. But Joe was on a. Joe was on a different level. I'll tell you what. There was. There was one moment that I want to get to, but one of the things that I thought about that doesn't get enough concert is how tough Joe Thornton was. Oh, he didn't do it very often, but there was one game. Now, this one really caught him and hurt him. But there was one game. He's playing for the Boston Bruins. He's a couple years into his Boston career, and he's playing the Rangers and the Rangers. The face off is in Boston zone, and the Rangers throw this out as a line. Eric Lindros, Matt Barnaby, Chris Simon. Joe recognizes what's up right away and on the draw, grabs Lindros. Now, it didn't end great for Joe in that fight, but they both stood and through. And then Joe kind of leaned over and Eric caught him with a. With an uppercut. Happens, whatever. But just like at every single level, Joe Thornton knew the mood. Joe Thornton knew the right thing to do. Like, you think about players that always are always doing that sort of that. That right thing. And you understand, okay, this is the situation and I'm going to react to it. It may be a small thing, but he sees who's coming over the boards and he knows exactly what the score is and he reacts as you would expect Joe Thurn to do. We know what's going to happen here. Like Hal Gill went at it with Matt Barn be. I'M not sure who, if anyone, grabbed Chris Simon, but right away, like, Thornton knew what the right thing to do was like. To me, he was always the perfect guy for hockey and he was better than everybody else. And I don't think we give enough concert to the fact that here's a guy that, you know, fought Ryan Getzlaff in the playoffs off the draw.

[D]

So I was in that game.

[B]

Ryan Kessler.

[C]

Do you mind if I just, I was just going to say a couple things. I just like, you want to thank Joe Thornton for just being an incredible ambassador of the game. Anybody listening to this, you have to go watch the whole ceremony and the way that he approached it and, and just the energy that he brought in that building as he did to the locker room every single time he stepped in it. I always marvel at guys who are able to handle that type of pressure and be that good of a player, but make it look so cool and easy while doing it. Like, I, I, he has more skill and talent in his pinky toe than I had my whole body. And yet, like, it was hard for me to E and manage it and, you know, be cool in the law, do all those things where he, everywhere he went, he was beloved and he had all the pressure of the world on his shoulders to perform and did it and won MVPs and dragged that San Jose team in a playoffs playing with those great teams. But I just think that's like a special skill set in itself. And I just really admire when guys are able to do it and handle themselves and do it with a smile on their face and getting interviewed and joking around and treating the rookies as they should be treated in a locker room. So he just seems like the ultimate team cool guy and would have loved to have played with a guy like that for just even one season, but just a hell of a career. And to piggyback what you guys said, to see him win a cup would have been a gift to the hockey world. But hey, he still was. And you know, off to the hall of Fame.

[B]

You know what I always liked about him and I don't know whether he did this as a tribute to Phil Esposito, but this is what Phil Esposito used to always do. Old school Boston Bruins fans are going to know exactly what I'm talking about. The tarp off interview. Oh, I don't know if he did it as a tribute to Esposito or what, but that is a. I would like to think I hopefully down the road has been Brian Reeves does it all the time. I, I love it. I think it's so cool. And I love the fact that Thornton did it and Espo had a similar type body to Joe Thornton. Neither gave a. And they were out there with their shirts off every single interview. I loved it. Just love it, man.

[D]

Ryan Malone. One of Ryan Malone's like, lines he would always say is, love the game and I'll love you back. And like, that was Joe Thornton. Like, you could tell he loved the game. He loves the game so much that he'll always give back to the game. Macklin Celebrini's living with him. Like, they're. He just. He's probably like Boudreaux said, like, that's all I had. That's all I knew. That's all I ever wanted in my life was to be a part of the game. And my last thing was I, I. We were. I was on Anaheim when him and get slap fought. We. They won the President's Trophy. We won in six games. And I think it was game five back. No, it was maybe game three. I think we won the first two games in San Jose. We come back and off the opening draw, he just looked at get stuff. He's like, we're going. And it's like it was two heavyweights. That was the best hockey I in my mind, get stuff ever played. He had 91 points that year. He had 18 points in the 14 playoff games we played. And we lost to Detroit in game seven. He was dominant. And Thornton realized, like, we got to get back in this series. Amazing tilt from two superstars.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Just it's an incredible career. So like I, I biz is right. Go check it out if you can, online the entire ceremony.

[C]

Oh, another thing too, I forgot to mention to get to know a little bit more about Joe and his family. Jason Demers, who who's been doing a lot of media since retiring, he went to. To his hometown and got to hang out with Joe's father, talk to his wife and how they met when he was playing overseas. I think it was during the lockout. Right. That's where he initially met her. And yes, that's why we always thought.

[B]

He was going to go back to Switzerland at the end of his career.

[C]

Yeah. And interviewed his two beautiful kids. So it's a really cool thing that Jason Demers and the San Jose Sharks did. So go check that out as well and, and give. Give Jumbo Joe his flowers, guys. He deserves it. And like I said, one of the best ever ambassadors of our Game.

[B]

There is one. I'm all. I'm not sure where you guys are on it, but I'm fascinated with the alternative universe of the NHL, like trades that never happened and how it would have affected the NHL. So think about this one. We talked about this on our call. So Mike Keenan told me this one. So before Thornton went to San Jose for that package, there was a deal on the table. Joe Thornton to Florida for Roberta Luongo. One for one. Mike Keen, who was the Florida Panthers at that point, told me the story that Florida pulled out of it because the owner, Alan Cohen, I believe, would have been wanting to sell at that point. He didn't want to take any money back. Think of the cascading effect around the entire NHL. If that happens, then Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo are you two goaltenders in Boston. Joe Thornton is playing up the gut with Oli Yokonen in Florida is maybe no. 2 Carrasque to Boston trade because of that one. Like again. And a bunch of other things that I'm probably missing as well, but that was on the table in Florida were the ones that, according to Mike Keenan, pulled out of it at the last minute.

[D]

When I was at bu, we partied at this place on Boylston called Dad's Diner. And we'd go down in the basement. Remember you used to give the bartender 20 bucks and then it was all you could drink. Best set up, Best college setup ever. It was unbelievable. But Thornton would be up at the. At the first level, the street level, and he'd be buying all of us drinks. He was like a rock star in there. Everyone's looking at him and he's that guy. Also, like Ryan Malone, he was always smiling. He had the biggest smile, like, yeah, like, who is that guy? Even if you didn't know hockey. So congrats on everything. Joe Thornton will be in the hall of Fame very soon. Moving on the Four Nations. We've brought it up. I've brought it up a couple times in this show. We talked about Sweden and Finland with Tukarask and Matt Murley, and we got a bunch of insight into those two teams. And now we're kind of onto Team USA and Team Canada, I think. December 4th, the rosters we announced, I saw it's cool biz. I believe USA and Canada will be announced on TNT one of the nights you're working. So that'll be pretty cool to see. Jeff?

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

What are your thoughts? Maybe a worry for both teams. Maybe just your overall thought on. On this tournament and. And how those these Two teams will go against each other.

[C]

Jeff, quickly, what did you make of two teams asking to expand the roster? Do you think that had had anything to do with maybe a prior decision of announcing their original six members?

[B]

Pro I would, I would imagine so. I, I would think so. I mean I'm not, I'm not surprised that they would have asked at all. Like when you, when you think about like there's a number of wild cards here now, right for, for both sides and a couple of biggies for, for the United States. We don't know when J.T. miller's coming back. We don't know T. Thompson's health.

[D]

What about Auston Matthews?

[B]

Well, so we're wondering about Matthews this week against Florida or maybe probably a better day is probably Saturday against Tampa Bay. But again like every year there are teams that hold their breath at tournaments like this, whether it's the Olympics or this tournament because we all remember, you know, Dominic has and his angel hair pasta groin getting injured at the Olympics and all of a sudden Ottawa is not going to win the Stanley cup that we all thought John Tavares with the Islanders getting injured as well that year. Like it's happened before and I think it's ridiculous of us to think that it won't happen again. Like teams are going to hold their breath here. And if you're the Toronto Maple Leafs, how are you feeling about Auston Matthews going this thing.

[C]

I don't think it's a bad thing. I actually think given the time off he's had now lingering back issue, not ideal. The fact that he's flying over to Germany to get, I don't know what he's getting done over there. I'd have to get in touch with Judd. I usually don't dig on these types of things. I think that if he is fully healthy and they took the precaution to keep him out longer to get it 100% I kind of want him to get revved up a little bit before playoffs. And let's keep in mind here, it's a five game tournament. If you go to the finals, right? Like it's not like it's like we're not talking a grind here.

[B]

So what's the most important position then?

[C]

You keep saying goaltending. Who's got the hot goalie?

[B]

Who's got the hot goalie? Like do you, do you not think that that's what this thing is going to come down to? Who's got the hot goalie? Look at, I know that maybe I still have the fumes of 1998, watching Hicks stone everybody on Canada and the Shootout. But like, again, like, you have the hot goalie in a tournament like this, Hella buck gets hot. Sorry, it's over.

[D]

As an Oilers fan are. And I'm talking Team Canada, like, are you looking at Hyman's slow start and thinking like, I don't know about him on this team or is it more like, hey, McDavid likes playing with this?

[B]

I, I, I look at pairs and not, and not just the, like, not just like defense pairs. Like, I look, I look at pairs up front too. Like, don't you like, isn't this kind of like the way that sort of Canada's been constructing teams too? Like you're, you're looking at pairs and you're looking at how, how guys will like McDavid and Hyman is an OB is an obvious one. Like, look like, you know, Nathan McKinnon and Mitch Marner skating together. Right. Like, I think that the hot, the slow start from Zach Hyman, I guess could be, could be concerning. But in a tournament like this where I don't think you're going to have an NHL style roster construction, like, I may be wrong on this and maybe we'll see Adam Lowry and Tom Wilson on this team and they'll want like a traditional. This is how we build NHL teams and this is what we're going to send to the four nations. But I think you want some players like Zach Hyman that aren't shy about getting abused. Just like I look at back ends too. Like, I see some of the, I see some of the lists specifically from Canada and I say to myself, you got five guys that got that can run power play one, but they may just leave Kale Makar out there for the two minutes. Like, you need some different identities back there. You need some defense and different things.

[D]

That's why Biz kind of scoffed when I mentioned Dobson on the team, right? Like, you're like, I, I just, I.

[C]

Don'T like Dobson at all. I would. Colton Parenko had a guy like Noah Thompson.

[B]

That's so, someone mentioned that name to me last night.

[C]

He's played great so far this year.

[D]

I watched him from front row in, in the garden, right, sitting on the glass. He looked phenomenal. He is so big and such a good skater for his size. I actually was like, this guy, is he on Team Canada? Like, there's just, there's so many.

[C]

I think that we can all agree the top two pairs are going to be Shea, Theodore, Petra, Angelo and Then Kale, Makar and Tabes continue to have those pairs, as you mentioned, and then it probably goes into the Morrissey, Perenko, Mackenzie. Weaker Torts has been pushing Sennheim, but I don't think he's getting it. Who, who are the other two, three.

[B]

Would you throw, would you throw Mackenzie Weger into that conversation?

[C]

I think he's had an incredible. I, I, yeah, and I think that he would fit in, I think he would fit in good from like a leadership perspective, really know and understand his role. Yeah, I, I have no issue with Uyghur, too. I would say Parenko, Morrissey and Uyghur and then maybe one or two other names as consideration for those, for those last couple spots. Who else? Who are the other few names that you would have on D?

[B]

There's a, well, I mean, there's a couple of teams. I wonder about Evan Bouchard. No, I know, I know, Hang on, but hang on a second here. But hang on a second.

[D]

The way he's played this year, I.

[B]

Know he hasn't had the best of all possible games. I get, Listen, I watched the Ottawa game too. I, I, I, I watch what happened in that Ottawa Senators game with, with Evan Bouchard, but I don't know. I, I just wonder if you're, if you're looking for a major shooting threat from the point, if there's room for Evan Bouchard here.

[C]

I agree with you with the Makar take where put him out there for a minute and a half, let him cook with, with McKinnon and yeah, and obviously McDavid. I, I wouldn't be shocked, especially with Marner if, I mean, he's probably a shoe in like you go four forwards, one D. I don't think that you're making a roster spot for a guy who defends that poorly. I'm not saying he's a bad defenseman. I think that this year has shown me a lot about why I wouldn't want him on that roster. Can he turn it around? Sure, but he can't. He's not fast enough. He doesn't have those quick twitch muscles. When you're going against the world's best, where these guys are going to be buzzing around. No, thank you.

[B]

Do you have Mark Schifely on Team Canada?

[C]

I would take, I would take Lowry ahead of Scheifele and yeah, I know.

[B]

What you, I know, I know what you're saying. If you're making like that traditional NHL, like, don't forget like whether it Canada, Canada changed after Italy, like after the, after the. The touring games, like Canada changed the way they construct teams internationally where it used to be build an NHL style team. And then it changed into the motto skill adaptation and just get the best possible players and assume that they're all going to adapt to their new positions because. And put their ego. Ego aside. Like, to me, Lowry is fast. I'll take Lowry on my. Everyone would take Lowry on their team any, any day of the week. I just don't know about a short tournament like this.

[C]

So who are your. Who are your surprise guys for up front? Like, who are some names that you. Maybe people would be surprised who you picked.

[B]

I don't know. Surprise who I would pick as much as who I. Who I might want to think about leaving off. And I'm thinking about Connor Bedard.

[C]

Oh, he. You're saying he would not. I don't know. I don't think that he would be on a lot of people's roster right now. No disrespect to him. I just don't think he's deserved it with his play so far this year. And if you're looking about passing the torch on, I think that you would just wait to see how the rest of this year goes and then maybe next year and then consider him as like an extra for the Olympic roster. What do you think it's to 20.

[D]

26 is Lafreniere definitely on Canada?

[B]

I go back. I go back and forth on lafreniere.

[D]

I know I never say his name right, but I.

[B]

No, no, you know what, Trust me, like, there's a million different ways to pronounce the name Canada.

[D]

Yeah, Canada's got some hard decisions, as does the US I think I'm more thinking US. I haven't seen many US Forward lineups with Brock Nelson in it. I think that he's. I think he's going to be on that team. I can like, you see Clayton Keller on some. You see Cole Caulfield on some. I don't know. I look at a guy that could skate like that. You talk about a short tournament that can play defensive hockey that can also score. There's going to be surprises.

[B]

Do you have Jason. Do you have Jason Robertson on Team usa?

[D]

Yeah, I do.

[B]

Hasn't had exactly the best start I.

[D]

Know, but like can score for the skill there and how good. How good Dallas is. Dallas has been money.

[C]

Well, I was just gonna say one thing that scares me about Robertson is when you get hints away from him, like whether he's injured and not playing with that, he just. Yeah, but sometimes, especially come playoff time, he's not. He's not that guy.

[B]

So one player just quickly cycle back to Canada. Quickly. One guy that I, that I am wondering about too is Wyatt Johnson. And is Wyatt Johnson on this team?

[C]

I think that I would rather have him on the team than Bedard.

[B]

Than Bedard.

[D]

I don't know how you put Bedard in this team right now. Maybe it's like, hey, he's so skilled. He has absolutely no one to play with. His passing has been money this year, like, even better than last year. So it's like, hey, his skill is that good, but you got it. You gotta. You gotta earn it a little bit more.

[B]

No, Canada has always wanted to bring aboard someone for the next time.

[D]

True. That's true.

[C]

Look.

[D]

And this is as amazing as this tournament is going to be. And I think even though maybe right now you're not hearing a lot about it, I think when this tournament gets going, it's going to be phenomenal. I think everyone, all hockey fans are going to be into it, but it is all about Phil. This is just. This is an appetizer to the teams too, for next year in Italy.

[C]

Jeff, just to go back to your Bedard comment, the reason I would be excited about it is if he actually does get in the lineup, I would be interested to see what he could do with players like him around him playing against the world's. I would be very intrigued by that storyline. That's a fair point because he's probably so frustrated on who he's had to play with to start his career in Chicago. No disrespect to his line mates, but I think at a certain point you got to put someone with the same type of skill set and skill set and skill level as him. And I think that he would get that there and maybe a lot of us would be surprised at maybe the jolt it would give him and actually how much he can keep up playing with people who are on the same level neurologically from a hockey sense. So who knows?

[B]

I think that's a fair point. I think that's a fair point.

[D]

I really. We'll have a lot more to talk about when the rosters do come out. Guys, we need to talk about DraftKings. We have to talk about DraftKings. And as the 2425 NHL season still has a little bit of that new car smell on it, the action is heating up at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NHL from a Spinarama in the slot to a glass rattling. Check into the boards. 5 on 5 or 4 on 4. The NHL is the fastest game on the earth. It's super easy for first timers to get started at DraftKings Sportsbook. Try betting on something simple like picking a team to win. Go to the app, select your team and place your first bet. It's that easy. And if you're new to DraftKings, listen up. New customers bet 5 bucks to get 150 in bonus bets. If your bet wins, download the DraftKings sportsbook app now and use code Chicklets. That's code Chicklets for new customers to get $150 in bonus bets. If your bet wins. When you bet just $5 only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-G GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-Open Y or text hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-7897 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Boyd in Ontario. Bet must win to receive reward. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng co Ice we're going to kind of move on to some quick hit storylines around the NHL right now and I think Elliott's tweet this morning was surprising to a ton of Rangers fans. He says right here. He says that in the aftermath of their 62 loss in Edmonton on Saturday, where they also got warped by Calgary two nights prior, the night before the Rangers. Have I added that in? That wasn't in the tweet. The Rangers have made it very clear that they are interested in making moves and shaking up their roster. Among the names indicated are Chris Kreider and Jacob Truba, although other options will be considered. And Trubo, it was out there this this summer that Chris Drury was possibly looking to trade him. He acts that he had the right to do that with his no trade. Kryder's a shocking one. He's on a, he's on a 40 goal pace right about right now. He has no assists, which I mean he's not paid to get assists but maybe more about like he's been there that long and this team hasn't been able to get over the hump and something's off right now. Shusturkin has made them look so much better and given them so Many more points in the standings than they deserve this year. Their fans are really complaining that when they play good teams, they're, they don't look good and they're kind of feeding on these, these bottom level teams. I don't know what happens in New York, but I do think that Rangers fans are in agreement that something has to change there.

[B]

These are hard deals to make, right? These are. And mid season and he's on the six and a half million dollar AAV Kriter that is specifically. These are really incredibly tough deals to make. I always wonder about teams that. Teams that don't mind that it's out there, that they're talking about players and whether that is. I mean, listen, we saw what Barry Trotz said earlier on this year, like, oh, I made up their. And he amended his statements. But about like, may have to start the rebuild if things don't turn around. And everyone kind of went like, what, what are you, what are you talking about? You just, you know, you just brought in all these expensive hockey players at seemingly every single position. Now we're talking about rebuild here. I just wonder if this is an example of the Rangers, you know, starting to entertain conversations about these players in order to give the dressing room a jolt. Because these are really hard deals to make in season, guys. These are really, really difficult deals to make.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And there's. And again, like, show me the. I mean, will there be an appetite for either these two players around the NHL? Yeah, absolutely. Now make the fit because until the salary cap expands, who's got the room to do it?

[D]

Until I see what would come back, it's like, I can't even give an opinion because, yeah, all of a sudden you see the deal go down, you're like, oh, okay, this is going to switch things up. But if it was, if you don't.

[B]

Know, like, Rangers aren't throwing in the towel.

[D]

No, that's my point.

[B]

There would be a players to come back. This isn't like, oh, we got to get rid of this contract and the cab space, et cetera. No, like, this is like. And we want, we want, we want players back for the, for these guys.

[D]

Well, we'll see what happens in New York. They are still sitting in a nice spot, so we'll see what, what, where they end up and if they do make a big move. There was an awesome story out of Minnesota. Minnesota native Travis Boyd. He had to get out of the car, guys. He's trying to, he's trying to make his play in his first game as A member of the Minnesota Wild and they're in a snowstorm. He's with team services manager Dom Henning. Henning. They had to jump out of the car and, and the video that I watched, it was hilarious. There's fans videoing a guy carrying a stick, a player carrying a bag walking in the middle of the traffic and a snowstorm. Like, what is this guy doing? Is that guy on the Wild? Travis? Bo said, dom was carrying my sticks for me. I was running through the snowy stuff in a suit and dress, shoes on with a bag on my back. It's funny looking back on now that, that it's childhood dream stuff, but a classic video seeing him do that. He looked like a. He looked like a men's league player that was late.

[B]

You listen, you guys played in the NHL and like you guys knew at a certain point of your career like you were going to play in the NHL. How many times have you had. This is what my, my first. When I first thought about this, when I read it. How many times have you had the dream you're about to go play your first NHL game and in your dream you can't, you just can't get to the rink.

[D]

Can't get the shin. Mine. Mine was.

[C]

Keeps breaking, right?

[D]

And they're going out to the ice and you're like, wait, wait.

[B]

Yeah, like this is that nightmare for hockey players.

[D]

I know, I know.

[B]

Like everyone's had that, right?

[D]

I think Utah, Wait, Utah had to walk.

[B]

Traffic in Toronto's awful. Like Toronto turning into Montreal, it's bad.

[D]

And Toronto, you can't get anywhere, so Utah had to walk to the game. So funny, funny way to see NHL players arriving, not in style, but on time, at least to an NHL game. Jeff, I believe you might have some breaking news. I don't know what this pertains to.

[B]

But I just, I just want to. Just want to get it out there because it seems to be trending this season and Terry Ryan, or senior, if, if you're listening, it sounds very much like we're heading in the direction of Newfoundland getting a junior hockey team. So not there yet. And I always have to be careful when I talk about stories like this because until it's capital D done, it's not done. But you know, Academy Bathurst is, is and has been for sale for, for a long time now. And I reported about a month and a half ago that there was a Newfoundland based group that was interested in buying the team and. Excuse me, and taking them to the Rock. And there's all kinds of stuff online over the weekend about how the deal is done. There's going to be an announcement this week and I checked into it and the people that I talked to essentially said like, look, it's not 100% done. I don't think the queue has had their governor's meeting that's scheduled for, I believe early in December. So until that happens, unless it's, you know, happened secretly and no one knows about it, then it's. And it's not officially done yet, but it does sound like and is trending towards a junior team and used to have the, the Devils there, the. A junior team returning to St. John's first of all, I've talked to some.

[C]

It's just, it's. It's hard though, like with the travel and the cost.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

That seems to be what keeps hosing them for keeping a team.

[B]

I'm glad you brought that up. So you're right, 100% right. One of the issues is how does the travel get subsidized. Now when the Growlers were playing and man, like, Newfoundland took it hard when they, when they left, obviously what they would do, I believe is they would pay for the flights in and then any other extra days a team had to spend in St. John's like in.

[C]

Case of like a snowstorm or, or.

[B]

Right. So. And that was paid by the Growlers. I think in this situation, what people are wondering about knowing how hockey is so, you know, crucial to the province and specifically that city. And maybe the feeling that, you know, the AHL is not coming back, the ECHL is not coming back. Maybe we messed up with junior hockey the first time around and we gave it to the wrong group as there were a couple of different groups bidding for it. Maybe this is our last chance at big time hockey, at elite hockey at any level. I do wonder if there is an element of. And again, this is just me speculating, guys. I do wonder if there's an element of provincial like government, essentially government subsidy to help offset the costs of getting hockey players and getting teams to essentially an island that's in the ocean to play hockey.

[D]

What a time for them to do it. Because you've already heard about. With all this breaking news and CHL being players being allowed to go play college and guys leaving the bchl. I was on Brian Yandel's podcast. He told me there was a prep at South Kent, there was a prep player that went to the Quebec League. Guys are taking off. There's going to be more OHL teams, there's going to be More Quebec League teams. I've heard rumors about a Quebec League team hopefully being in Massachusetts because now you're going to see top end players at 16, 17, go play in the CHL and then go to college. Okay, Jeff, I don't know if you've heard anything with. With possible alliances between major junior teams and colleges, like, where does this go? And in fact, nobody knows is what's crazy.

[C]

And quickly, Jeff, do you think that they would alter the amount of games being played in junior? Because it's kind of weird that you go from playing 68 game or.

[B]

Yeah, I know.

[C]

I think some junior leagues might go 72 or they're in that range. Right. Not quite what the NHL is playing, but definitely more than college. And then all of a sudden you go off and then it's less games. Like, is that kind of an odd transition?

[B]

Yeah, it is. And I don't think any of us know what this is ultimately going to look like, but I have not heard. And again, not saying that it can't happen. I just haven't heard it. Paul, like that there would. That they would massage their schedules through all this. They might, but I just, I just haven't heard it. But I want, I want to take this and you're going to think that I'm like super geek of all time, but to Newfoundland quick. And then I want to get to the other stuff as far as this lining up to be the perfect time for Newfoundland to get a junior hockey team. So they own the first round picks of Valdor and I think it's Gatineau who as I checked on the weekend are now there is a lottery, but still they're the last, the last and second last place teams in the queue. And two of the top prospects, one guy by the name of Benjamin Veach who plays at St. Andrews College and yse, and another guy whose name is Quinn Norman who plays with the Von Kings and the gthl are two of the top prospects who also happen to hail from Newfoundland.

[C]

No shit.

[B]

Newfoundland. They may have picks number one and two in the draft and may have the opportunity to draft two Newfoundlanders.

[C]

I'll put some money in.

[D]

That's the ohl.

[C]

Newfoundland.

[D]

The ohl, though.

[B]

No, no, no, no, no, no. But they play in Ontario. They. They play in.

[D]

On.

[B]

They play in Ontario because they're, They're. They're essentially allowed to. They play in Ontario like Dave Manning would have. Dave Manning.

[C]

Benjamin Veach.

[B]

They.

[D]

I. I'm sorry. Yeah. Because that's where they're from. So they're Quebec. I see.

[B]

So. So they had the chance to draft one and two and could take two Newfoundland kids now.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

As someone told me on the weekend, watch what Academy Bathurst does at QMJL trade deadline and see if they start loading up on Newfoundland players. Newfoundland born players that are in the Quebec league. Now to the other, to the other points. It's a wild time out there right now between the CHL and NCAA and you're hearing a lot of rumors to the point, you know what you made the point about alliances. I think the teams are, I think, I think the colleges are already starting that, that are already starting the conversations about making alliances, whether it's with Canadian major junior teams, maybe with various agencies as well, to try to start to create as quickly as they can pipelines of talent from major junior hockey into their college programs. I don't think anyone is sleeping on this one. I think teams, I think colleges rather want to be as active as possible and make sure that they don't get left behind and that they have their pipelines open and their, and then their talent profiles open for players to join. One of the things that a lot of people are wondering about here is as much as the CHL is like in the short term, they're getting a lot of players in the USHL and BCHL and they're talking about what, to your point, expanding. The Q's going to have more teams. The OHL will have more teams in the next couple of years. I reported about a couple of teams in the USHL that had inquired about joining the ohl, Muskegon and Youngstown. That is still a conversation that exists in, in the ohl. I think the, the Western Hockey League will probably expand too. But one of the things that's sort of dicey conversation right now is do kids leave early to join Division one? And I think a lot of people are wondering about Gavin McKenna, who will probably be the first overall draft pick next season is the Madison Hat Tiger. You guys know this kid is an.

[D]

Absolute 20, 26 draft though, correct?

[B]

Correct. Does he leave early to join college?

[C]

I think it all evens out in the wash in a sense of what you're saying is like, well, would a team, would a team want to pick him first overall knowing they're only getting two years from him?

[D]

Right.

[B]

And that's, and that, okay, that takes us to a really interesting place. So I wonder, and a lot of us do then too, if kids are going to leave early. Right now the Western league has a 15 year old draft, Ontario Hockey league.

[C]

Which is stupid, by the way. That's stupid that they haven't changed that.

[B]

But hang on. Yeah. Don't be surprised if you start to hear more conversation about the Ontario League and the Quebec League.

[D]

That's okay.

[C]

But that's okay. So wait, so that's different. I think that if you are doing that and you are concerned about these kids leaving early, then why wouldn't they just back it up where you made the ohl, you don't do overages anymore. And then you bump it back a year prior to where you're playing 15, 16, 17 and 18, as opposed to the other way. Like you, you have to, you have to look at it for like a prior development to then a handoff to college potentially. And. Or you play three years a junior and then you go play in the NHL.

[B]

Right. And as one agent told me, what's going to happen to the chl? Is it going to become. And here's the quote, is it going to become a super midget league? Like, does he. Yeah. Does CHL become a young. No.

[C]

Right.

[B]

But the thing is it become a younger league.

[C]

I. But I also still think it becomes a better league because think about all the players that. That were waiting out and holding out to go to college that will now be available for that league. It'll be a stronger league and then it'll. And it'll develop them better to move on to college, which will make it even better in college.

[D]

And that could ruin the. Not ruin the Memorial Cup. It'll just be so different. Yeah. It'll be more young. And it'll also. It'll also be you. You gotta think that like a top. I hope the National Team development program has something figured out or set up because that's been going so well. But I would see all top US kids at 16 years old going to the. Oh, yeah, and for two years and then going as a freshman.

[B]

Or it's what the. It's what the ushl.

[C]

I think it's North America, guys. It's what's best for the development, I think, of North American hockey. And I think that this is going to do that. Like, everybody was all worried. Like people say, like, oh, the ushl. Like, guys, like, I'm not really that concerned about, no offense of the uc. Uchl when we're talking about advancing the chl, opening up to all those unbelievable prospects who would have otherwise not otherwise not went to hold over college. Like, well, to turn the USHL into like a, like a make. Even maybe make that a Little bit younger. I think for, for I, I adapt times.

[B]

I think for a lot of American kids, I think there'll still be an appetite for the ushl. We'll see what ends up happening with that league. But as far as Canadian kids, Adam Fantilli, Macklin, Celebrini, etc going to the USHL to keep their eligibility open for college, you can just go to the Western League, in the Ontario League.

[D]

Done.

[B]

And do that. Now the team that I'm. That's right, the team I keep saying team. The college I'm told to watch out for, and Grinelli will tell you this all day long. College I'm told to watch for is Michigan.

[C]

And what.

[B]

Michigan is going to be super aggressive. They have so much money, high end CHL players, they have so many. I think they, I think they, I think they all will. I just think that Michigan is going to be super aggressive here.

[C]

And then another thing too is with the fact that you can hand these kids off at 18 years old, maybe as opposed to 19, 20 outside of junior, if they do back up that age by making like a 15 year old draft, is the fact that these kids don't have to rush to go play pro. And even in the American Hockey League where on their salary they're making like 65, 70 grand, a lot of these kids could probably make the same amount from these fucking nil deals now and get an education. And maybe that even makes more jobs available for like veteran players in the AHL where those have been decimated. It's like a development league now where it's like there's, there's like if you're, if you're 28, 30 years old playing in the AHL, you're a fucking dinosaur. Now where he almost got too young. How the hell are you going to develop pro players when all it's, all it is is 22 and 23 year olds playing together matter.

[B]

So I was having a conversation this morning with Nick Alberga on Leaf's morning take and Carter Hutton was on as well. And we were talking about Easton Cowan who plays for the London Knights. And like you can tell like Easton Cowan is at a point in his OHL career, the first round draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. If he was eligible to go play in the American League, that's probably where he should be right now. But now that there is like, if this all happened last year, Easton Cowan would be playing Division 1 somewhere for that next step up, play with older kids and play in that level of competition that's going to Replace the conversation about like, you remember the Taylor hall conversation. Oh, you know what? He's outlived Windsor, but is he really ready for the NHL? Should he be in the American League? We've seen this with a lot of players all along. Now there is that option, no doubt. Now you have Division one for that player to develop through, so you don't have to make that. Well, you know what? Eh. Send them. Send him back to junior and cross your fingers and hope that he's going to be okay next year.

[C]

I think 15 to 18 and then 19 is your overage year from. From a junior may happen. Your hockey perspective and then. And then college with allowing now the CHL players to not burn their eligibility. I think this is going to excel the game in North America. I think it's unbelievable, and they need to be more proactive about it than not and all work together.

[B]

The one thing you'll see as well, you'll. There have been a lot of European players that have gone that want to go the college route, that have gone to play in the ushl, for example. I think what this will do is now there'll be more of an influx of European players into the three. Into the three chl.

[D]

I'm very. I should say I'm not jealous of kids who are 15, 16 right now, though, because this is like, it's. It's. It's just a tornado. And to figure out where exactly to go and. Yeah, we don't know.

[C]

Right, Right.

[D]

Right now you're like, oh, yeah, I can go to the. Oh, I'm gonna go. But there's just so much happening and so much unknown. I'm not jealous of kids who are having to make these big decisions for their own career at this point in time with so many unknowns, but.

[C]

Hey, chicklets fans, we're gonna take a quick break for a message from one of our partners.

[B]

Bada, bada boom.

[D]

Sold.

[A]

Huh?

[B]

Just sold my car on Carvana.

[C]

Dropping it off and getting paid today already.

[D]

What?

[B]

You still haven't sold yours? You told me about it months ago. I just.

[C]

Is the offer good?

[A]

Oh, the offer's great.

[B]

Don't have another car yet.

[A]

I could trade it in for this car I love.

[B]

Come on, what are we waiting for?

[A]

Ah, you're right.

[C]

Let's go. Whether you're looking to sell your car.

[B]

Right now or just whenever feels right, go to Carvana.com and sell your car the convenient way. Terms and conditions apply.

[C]

All right, now back to the show.

[D]

Jeff. It's been unreal having you on, dude. Thank you so much for Bruce Boudreau again, kind of. Before we wrap up, I do want to promote Chick with you. Michigan, Wednesday at noon. Grenelli did a phenomenal job. We're talking a lot about the Wolverine, so check that out. Noon, the YouTube subscribe right now. Please go subscribe to our YouTube if you're watching on that. If not, go head on over there. I want to promote the tickets to our live show, Barstoolsports.com events. That's in Chicago right around the Winter Classic. Hopefully announcing some big guests soon. And kind of a sad way to end the show, but we want to pay our respects and talk about how the league and players are mourning the passing of referee Mike Hassenfratz. He officiated over 700 NHL games from 2000 to 2013. Fourteen passed away. Our thoughts are with his family and his friends and the many colleagues and refs that he worked alongside throughout his career in hockey. So heartbreaking news. I remember him reffing a bunch of games I played in, and it's just tough to hear that news of a guy passing at a young age. So tough way to end the show. But this was a great time. Jeff, we can't thank you enough, man. And for everyone, this guy, hockey encyclopedia. This guy. And he has a new show, Jeff the Sheet. The Sheet. Starting up very soon.

[B]

Yeah. December 2nd on our Daily Face Off YouTube channel. 3:00 Eastern Monday to Friday, and then available wherever you get your podcast. Guys, you've always been so supportive of me, personally. My career wit. You'll like this one. This past weekend, I had a conversation with one of my sons who brought up something that you reminded me to remind my kids of so many years ago as my youngest son turned to me and said, don't worry, dad. Today I'm giving out bad information. When I'm on bad information, the best players do always think about you. Thanks, pal.

[D]

And, Biz, you're an animal. You're an animal. Biz. I'm sorry that happened to you, buddy, but you are a savage. So glad you're okay. No worries.

[C]

You guys. You guys brightened up my day. And like, Jeff, it was great talking shop with you. We're obviously gonna have you on again, your new show. Congratulations.

[B]

Thanks.

[C]

Another cool element is you're gonna. On every Friday, you're gonna have somebody tell their favorite hockey story, which I thought was a great idea. And I know we talk a lot about hockey and. And we kind of get, you know, get into the weeds about, you know, how things should be constructed and lines and center ice. But the stories is what truly makes this game great. And I'm. I'm happy that you're back in the mix. And you're going to be sharing a lot of those, my friend.

[B]

You know, the best hockey story is. I'll end on this one.

[A]

This is.

[B]

This is. This is a lot. It's a short story, but it's. It's been around hockey for a long time. And maybe you've heard other people mention this. Once upon a time, a little boy went up to his mom and said, mom, when I grow up, I want to be a hockey player. His mom smiled at her child and said, son, that's great, but she can't do both.

[D]

Actually, hey, extended adolescence is what I call it. Jeff.

[B]

Amen, brother.

[D]

It hurts and helps you.

[B]

We're always kids when we play or talk about hockey. Boys.

[C]

It might be the concussion, but it took me a minute to get that one and. But I got it. It did register.

[D]

So I feel bad, but it wasn't the concussion. It wasn't. We love you all. Thanks, everyone. Have a great.