Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 539: Featuring Anze Kopitar and Eric Engels

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 539 Summary: Featuring Anze Kopitar and Eric Engels

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 539 of Spittin’ Chiclets, hosted by Barstool Sports’ Ryan Whitney alongside Paul Bissonnette, Keith Yandle, and Producer Mike Grinnell, the conversation delves deep into the current state of hockey. The episode primarily focuses on the recent World Junior Championships, the evolving dynamics between Team USA and Team Canada, and an in-depth analysis of the Montreal Canadiens' resurgence. Additionally, special guests Anze Kopitar and Eric Engels join the discussion, providing insider perspectives on their teams and the broader NHL landscape.

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World Junior Championships: USA vs. Canada

The episode kicks off with a robust discussion about the recent World Junior Championships, highlighting the dominance of Team USA over Team Canada.

• Team USA’s Resurgence:

  Paul Bissonnette emphasizes the relentless effort of Team USA, noting, “There’s no quit in them” ([02:53]). This sentiment is echoed by Keith Yandle, who praises the team’s depth and determination despite facing fatigue from previous games.

• Challenges Facing Team Canada:

  Biz Nasty criticizes Canada’s recent performance, pointing out, “Canada now… have a lot of students out of the country” ([03:13]). The discussion touches on the political and developmental issues plaguing Canadian hockey, including the resignation of the Prime Minister after a loss to Latvia and the inconsistent team selections.

• Developmental Concerns:

  Ryan Whitney shares a poignant story about a deaf mother who successfully funded her sons' hockey careers, underscoring the financial and developmental barriers in Canadian hockey ([20:01]). The conversation highlights the need for Canada to reinvent its player development strategies to stay competitive on the international stage.

Notable Quotes:

• Paul Bissonnette: “Tip your cap to the United States of America. BX has said it best on Hockey Night in Canada.” ([04:13])

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Player Spotlights: Cole Hudson vs. Lane People

A lively debate ensues comparing two standout defensemen, Cole Hudson and Lane People, with the hosts weighing in on their styles and potential.

• Ryan Whitney’s Take:

  Whitney advocates for Cole Hudson, stating, “I think this kid is going to be unreal. And the Caps have him and Leonard and I think there's way more people.” ([05:50])

• Keith Yandle’s Perspective:

  Yandle acknowledges both players’ brilliance but remains non-committal about declaring one superior, emphasizing their unique strengths and potential for future stardom ([23:27]).

Notable Quotes:

• Ryan Whitney: “Cole's different, like, but I think this kid is going to be unreal.” ([05:50])
• Keith Yandle: “He's one of those guys that when they're on the ice, you need to know where they are because they can take over a game.” ([23:27])

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Montreal Canadiens’ Resurgence with Eric Engels

The highlight of the episode is the exclusive interview with Eric Engels, a Sportsnet reporter covering the Montreal Canadiens. Engels provides an optimistic outlook on the Canadiens’ current season, attributing their success to strategic coaching and player development.

• Coaching Impact:

  Engels lauds Marty St. Louis for his transformative coaching approach, stating, “He’s brilliant. I mean, he’s hockey’s Aristotle.” ([59:20]). St. Louis has been pivotal in holding players accountable and fostering a winning mentality within the team.

• Player Development and Performance:

  Discussions revolve around key players like Suzuki Caulfield and Nick Suzuki, whose performances have significantly elevated the team. Engels praises Caulfield’s two-way play and Suzuki’s consistency, noting their roles as cornerstones for the Canadiens’ future.

• Goaltending Improvements:

  The Canadiens have revamped their goaltending lineup, bringing in Patrick Liney and improving depth, which Engels credits for their recent winning streaks and playoff aspirations.

Notable Quotes:

• Eric Engels: “We needed everybody on board, they need everybody going.” ([53:34])
• Paul Bissonnette: “Marty St. Louis will win the Jack Adams because he has convinced Cole to sacrifice some of those goals last year to work on the other stuff.” ([70:20])

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NHL Team Dynamics and Future Predictions

The conversation shifts to broader NHL team analyses, covering the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and LA Kings, among others.

• Columbus Blue Jackets:

  Biz Nasty praises their recent performance, highlighting defensemen Orensky Provorov and Denis Barenov as pivotal to the team’s success ([40:25]). The hosts discuss Columbus's strategic moves and potential as a dark horse in the playoff race.

• Detroit Red Wings:

  Concerns are raised about the team’s top-heavy roster, relying heavily on stalwarts like Larkin and Debrink. The need for secondary scoring is emphasized to ensure sustained success ([46:08]).

• LA Kings’ Goaltending Overhaul:

  The Kings have made significant changes to their goaltending roster by acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgwood, addressing their previous inconsistencies. The hosts express optimism about the Kings' newfound stability in net ([120:20]).

Notable Quotes:

• Biz Nasty: “They need help… they need help.” ([46:08])
• Keith Yandle: “Reinovating the goaltending position is so hard to do mid-season.” ([124:14])

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Special Segments and Personal Stories

Throughout the episode, personal anecdotes and stories add a human touch to the discussion.

• Dedication to Personal Health:

  The hosts share their New Year’s resolutions, focusing on personal health and fitness. Biz Nasty discusses his early morning workout regimen, inspired by his trainer Sean O’Malley ([34:40]).

• Inspirational Stories:

  The episode honors Scott Burt, the Rapid City Rush’s head coach, who underwent emergency brain surgery. The hosts share updates and express solidarity with Burt and his family ([156:23]).

Notable Quotes:

• Keith Yandle: “I want to get at least a sweat every day.” ([37:26])
• Biz Nasty: “We raised over $30,000 for the Matt Shot foundation for the late Nicardo foundation.” ([36:17])

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Guest Interview: Andre Kopitar

Closing the episode, the hosts engage with Andre Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and future Hall of Famer. Kopitar shares insights into his career, the evolution of his playing style, and his experiences with teammates and coaching staff.

• Early Career Challenges:

  Kopitar discusses his transition from Slovenia to the NHL, highlighting the mentorship from veterans like Rob Blake and the competitive environment in Los Angeles ([96:55]).

• Leadership and Team Chemistry:

  Emphasizing leadership, Kopitar speaks about fostering team chemistry and adapting to coaching styles, which have been crucial to the Canadiens’ recent successes ([109:20]).

• Personal Growth and Philanthropy:

  Kopitar touches on personal interests like golf and the importance of balancing professional commitments with family life. He also reflects on memorable playoff runs and the camaraderie within the team ([134:20]).

Notable Quotes:

• Andre Kopitar: “We needed everybody on board, we needed everybody going.” ([53:34] - as echoed in his responses)
• Andre Kopitar: “Marty St. Louis was the driving force.” ([70:20])

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Conclusion

Episode 539 of Spittin’ Chiclets offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of current hockey trends, player performances, and team strategies. With insightful discussions on the World Junior Championships, detailed analyses of NHL teams, and exclusive interviews with key figures like Eric Engels and Andre Kopitar, the episode provides valuable perspectives for both avid fans and casual listeners. The hosts’ blend of expertise, personal stories, and candid opinions ensures a rich and entertaining listening experience.

Key Takeaways:

• Team USA is exhibiting newfound dominance in international hockey, challenging Canada’s traditional supremacy.
• Canadian hockey faces developmental and political hurdles that need addressing to maintain competitiveness.
• The Montreal Canadiens are experiencing a significant turnaround under Marty St. Louis, with key players stepping up.
• NHL teams like Columbus and Detroit are navigating strategic moves to enhance their playoff prospects.
• Personal health and resilience play a pivotal role in the hosts’ discussions, reflecting their commitment beyond the rink.

For those who missed the episode, Spittin’ Chiclets continues to deliver insightful and entertaining hockey content every Tuesday, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music for Prime Members.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

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

[Paul Bissonnette]

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed.

[Keith Yandle]

To the jungle that is Barstool Sports.

[Ryan Whitney]

Our white whale, Sidney Crosby. Shave his head. Shave his head.

[Biz Nasty]

Shave his head.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ryan Whitney.

[Biz Nasty]

Paul Vincent.

[Ryan Whitney]

R.A. mike Grinelli. Spittin Chicklets. What is up, folks? Welcome back. Episode 539 of Spitting Chicklets. The boys are back. Quick little break for us this week, right? We record a little later after the winter classic. Now we're back at you. I went skiing this weekend. My favorite part about skiing is actually every time and no joke here, fellas. People say what? What I do wear a giant USA jacket. We'll get into that. World Juniors shout out team usa. Maybe they notice this enormous giant out of shape man with a USA jacket on. They say that's wit. Also, I think I have a spit and checklist logo on my helmet. I could do it also, but Pink Whitney has shown to me. They rip it out and they get wet and they just show the pink whit. And that's why we're here, guys. Pink Whitney, they don't have the 1.75 liter bottle, big old daddy. Because, right, you can't ski with that thing. It's too big, it's too fun, it's too heavy. But they show me the nips. So whether you like the big bottle, whether you like the nips, head on down to your local bar, order a shot of Pink Whitney or go down to the liquor store, grab a birdie bucket. Boys, what is going on in your jacket?

[Biz Nasty]

And do you hand them out?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I did that one year and then I started drinking them too, too often. So I was like, oh, I can't do that anymore. But three Americans versus one dumb Canadian and we're the champs. And you lost. But first. Keith, how you doing? What's going on, buddy?

[Keith Yandle]

I'm great. Obviously flying a little high after that. Big, big W for the Team USA last. Oh, you look good in the first period win.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was a little owned them at the beginning. Fin. Bunch of dogs.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, they're fighting off as, as Barov says it, a bunch of finish guys that play like Massachusetts guys. But yeah, it was tough first period. I was a little worried. And then you know what, the boys just came on a humming and the big boys showed up when they needed to. Didn't, didn't love Leonard's game all game. But they also drew the, you know, the short end of the stick by playing the late game the night before and then have to play the night. So the. I understand. A little tired, but you know what? He showed up. He had his face in the fight all night. Absolutely love that team. They just. You could just tell that there was no quit in them, right Biz. Like, there's no quit. Like, you see the Canadian team, you lose one, you. You just see the quit a little bit in their game. You did not see it down here. Assault of the border where you live.

[Biz Nasty]

Back to back ships, you guys win back to back goals. With Carl, who is now. He won two goals at the world Junior and a national title with Denver. So just a crazy rip. You got to imagine an NHL coach going to offer or NHL team, excuse me, is going to offer him the bag. We got a lot of problems north of the border, guys. I mean, our.

[Ryan Whitney]

No prime minister.

[Biz Nasty]

We. Our prime minister resigned after that loss to Latvia. Then the checks in the quarterfinals. Now back to back years, Canada's lost in the quarterfinals. All I could say about when I was like really dialed into world juniors and like when I was like, potentially eligible and even for a few of the years following, like the year when Crosby and the Bergerons, they were never losing to the Czech Republic, like, are you out of your mind? In the quarterfinals? What?

[Ryan Whitney]

In the quarters?

[Biz Nasty]

In the quarters, Canadians were never, ever.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not into the medal round.

[Biz Nasty]

Could you ever have imagined back when we were playing Crosby's team losing to Latvia on home ice, that game would have been 11 fucking nothing. So I've heard as many issues as to people being very upset about the accountability of Cameron and the staff about the team, the assembled. I know this might come off as, like, contradictory. We were talking last week about, like, maybe trying to skill it up too much. But this kind of came down to the lack of discipline and the fact that they left a lot of skilled players off of the roster. Now, I don't know how much people want to nitpick that. Then you see Don Cherry chiming in on Twitter saying, hey, don't go too hard on the boys. But he thinks that they should be having a coach in place the whole year, like the full year round for World Junior, which I don't. I don't disagree with that take that way they could focus on that and just that. But hey, man, tip your cap to the United States of America. BX has said it best on Hockey Night in Canada. Every other nation's catching up. Like, whether it's Latvia, whether it's Czech, whether it's anyone they're having all these former players go back to where they're from, especially a lot of them settling in the United States of America. And all these youth programs are just getting better and better and better. And given the amount of maybe politics or at least a little bit of it, some people, if you live in the gta might say there's a lot of it. I think it's taken a lot of the wind out of Canada sales as far as developing players now, now people will say Macklin Celebrini could have been there, Connor Bedard could have been there. As far as eligibility. So the top end talent, not so much, but from a wider base. I really think that Canada needs to look themselves in the mirror and think of new approaches about how they need to approach the development of our sport. But the focus should be on the Americans. Back to back champs, boys. Congratulations. And you did it on Canadian soil. How does it feel?

[Ryan Whitney]

It felt amazing. It felt like there's a bunch of things that you just said that I want to go into the politics part of. It kind of seems that it's gone completely like out of control in Canada. It's always been a part of us. Like Keith. There was politics involved in you never making any of those teams. And it used to be you go play, you'd play major junior and there was like almost no chance of playing for Team usa. I'm sure there's still a little of that going on. There's actually a sick kid in the ohl. I wish I had his name right now. Look it up. That people say it's political. He's not on any of these teams. But Canada now I said last episode, you have these incredibly skill, skilled, high drafted players and you're not even giving these guys invites to the camps. It's just bizarre. Like, and, and in, in, in the point of Celebrini being able to play, he's eligible. Like, that's, that's true. That's no doubt Bedard could be there, but that's always been the case for Canada. They've always, every single year had like stud kids in the NHL at 18, 19 that you're like, this kid could have been playing world juniors. And they dominated still. So yeah, BX's point was, was dead on the United States. It was, it was really a matter of time. We have, what is it, 10 times more people than you do. And as hockey grows and you see these kids coming from all these different markets where when Keith and I were growing up, I've said this, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York. I mean, that was kind of where you. You picked so much of the talent from. So it was a matter of time with the U.S. but what they've done and their model is so impressive. Also. Age groups change. This age group for the United States is a joke. Like Leonard, he's going to be in Washington's lineup, like, probably playing on the third line. Maybe the.

[Biz Nasty]

I love his approach about not jumping too quick. Not sure I love it. What the conversation was like with Washington. But playing this year, I mean, I'm seeing highlight clips of them at, at school, scoring game winners and overtime winners, like, every. Every other week.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude, he, he. Matt Cater, actually, I saw him after the draft, after we interviewed him, and, And I was like. Or maybe it was after the first. It was after last year, I guess. Is he. I'm like, is he gone? He's like, no, he wants to go back. He wants to. He wants to win another world Junior gold. He did that. He wants to win a national title. They lost in the national title game last year. They're a wagon again. And what's the rush? And then you hop in and you play. It's like, it's genius to me. Now, I was saying this about celebrity. I get it. No reason to come back. Look at this guy. Future, like superstar, if he's not already. But Leonard made a mature decision. And this age group, like this Zev Bouilliam, I think we ranted and raved for 10 minutes about him after the national title game with Denver bc This tournament, that game last night, he, him and Cole Hudson, they control the game like, like, I haven't seen many young defensemen do that. Bouilliam is a horse. He's playing 30 minutes a night, making. He went 13th to Minnesota. Steal there. That's another kid. Okay, Perot, I mean, Gabe Perot, another kid who you thought would go higher. The Rangers got. Rangers fans got to be fired up. They've done this for four years now. Under 17, under 18, world junior, world Junior. And it's like a, it's an. A very special age Group. These two years, 2006s and 7s, I believe, that are just dominant over the entire world. So. The tournament was incredible. Keith, you said it best. They were never dead. It was 3:1. I was. I was still confident. I don't know why. I think just because you've seen this team win the past two years the way they do, it was so fun to see. And as a kid growing up, like, I, I. World juniors is nothing like it. Is in Canada here in the States, you know, that biz.

[Biz Nasty]

But.

[Ryan Whitney]

But when I was 14, 15, you started learning about it. He was on ESPN2 at one time. And the U.S. like, they never had a chance. Like, you'd go there, they. They'd get into the quarters, they'd lose, or they. They'd lose in the semis, but rarely were they ever in the mix. And now growing up and playing USA Hockey and like, always dreaming of being one of the best teams, it's so surreal watching them dominate the entire world. And Four nations is going to be different because you brought up the top talent. And I'm, I'm. I'm ranting here.

[Biz Nasty]

Best.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I apologize.

[Biz Nasty]

No, no, this is good, man. You gotta say, hockey deserves a tire pump.

[Ryan Whitney]

It does. You're right. David McKinnon, Crosby McCarr. Yeah, top end talent. Canada has those guys, but man, with Matthews and the Kachuks and Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes, it's like we're right there and it. And it was a matter of time. I said that. But it's just an incredible feeling like seeing this now and, and seeing how good these younger kids are and. And seeing teams from Dallas come up and crush teams from Boston or teams from LA just compete, like nationally top rankings. It's just awesome to see and like, so proud to have played for USA Hockey. And I think now it's. It's. It's. It's expected. This is when the pressure mounts. This is when you'll see how they approach. When. When you become a power. Can you stay a power? But I think they will.

[Keith Yandle]

Biz, I. I had a question for you for, you know, Canada's sake.

[Ryan Whitney]

The.

[Keith Yandle]

It just seems like the goaltending the last, you know, seven years just hasn't been where it was like the last 20 years. You had Brodor long.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. There's not enough going. Not enough in Quebec, where all the good goalies come from. I don't know the down. So they're not birthing as many kids there. And I don't know that's where all the good goalies.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's why Trudeau left. The goaltending situation and the lack of in Quebec. He said that. I saw.

[Keith Yandle]

I heard it on. Yeah, cnn.

[Biz Nasty]

They can't balance the books, can't balance their pads. Like, what the. Is going on here. But I agree with you. There was that. That reign of, like, French Canadian goaltenders, like the world juniors, they'd be shining. And all of a sudden it's kind of went a little bit like, oh, like, who's going to be our guy?

[Keith Yandle]

And since Flower, they haven't had a guy.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't know. I don't know what the answer is. But we do know that, like, as Bea did say, a lot of these guys who have now gotten all the NHL training and spent many, many years playing over here have gone back over to their home nations, and now those kids are having the opportunity. Like, I mean, like, this might be a small example, but Henrik Lundquist goes back to Sweden every summer and, like, decks the goalies out with gear and, and does like a week or two camp with them. Well, that's gonna probably, you know, spark interest over there and, and you're getting some of the best training with one of the best to ever do it. I think that that stuff matters and you're seeing it on a more, you know, micro and macro level. So I don't, I don't have the answers as to why it's not working in Canada. I do think that it'll always go back to the fact that probably over the last 20 years, a lot of people have really been priced out in Canada. So you might have a kid who's an unbelievable athlete, but the, the, the parents, look at the price tag. They're like, I can't afford to put my kid in hockey. And then like, if I had to afford it, if I could afford it, I'd be working 80 hours a week and I wouldn't have time to drive them there. So it's just, it's kind of gotten a little wacky. And here's another thing. Like, this might be getting into the weeds too much. Like, oh, there you saw. Even during like, Covid and stuff, or even after a little bit, like, they're, they're shutting down hockey games and pawn hockey games, where it's like, what the fuck are we doing here? Like, this is our. You're talking about this being our national sport. While people would argue it's lacrosse, but I think we can all agree based on the amount of people that are viewing Hockey Night in Canada, that hockey is the national sport. The fact that, like, you should be able to play it at the. On the Queen Q and E W there in Toronto for sakes, if you wanted to.

[Ryan Whitney]

But think of Canada, you think of like, ball hockey, outdoor ODRs, pond hockey.

[Biz Nasty]

How many guys, how many guys have we had on our podcast where that's where their career started? They're like, oh, I think it was, it was Sean Pronger and who told the story about him And Chris, like they would play with their neighbors and that's how they really got into it. Not play ice hockey, but it means it was on their mind more and they were developing their skills. Talk to a lot of hockey players. They learned a lot about what they brought onto the ice from playing ball hockey in the street. You might think I'm fucking crazy. You, you might not understand. Situal awareness. Whit, why are you smirking? Do you not agree?

[Ryan Whitney]

I agree. I think you're making unreal points. I'm smirking because first time for everything.

[Biz Nasty]

First time for everything.

[Ryan Whitney]

And if. Go ahead.

[Biz Nasty]

I was just going to quickly Maya Culpa to go back. I thought the call the knee and call that put the checks on the power play in the last couple minutes was bullshit. Like, I thought that was a brutal call. I think that the, the officiating at these tournaments sometimes is the worst. Like you're talking about getting Axl Rose in your kids game. They basically are doing the world juniors too.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gold medal game was sick though. They. They let him play one penalty on the U.S. it was perfect.

[Biz Nasty]

It ain't like the rest of the tournament though. No, no.

[Ryan Whitney]

The rest of the tournament and those guys I, I heard in the broadcast are trying out or they're being judged and graded for the Olympics next year. I'm like, these fucking guys are going to be doing best on best in Italy. I'm like, imagine the Nate dog just snapping on one of these guys after a horrible call. Also that secure that Socorro for check. I mean, like you thought he was dead and he was out there on the power play.

[Biz Nasty]

That's my, still my favorite thing about world juniors. It's like soccer, like diving and they do the replays over the replays where I, I don't have that much skin in the game, so I kind of think it's silly and it's funny to see, but.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, but.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, at least none of them had a cell phone in their pants when they were skating around.

[Keith Yandle]

Let me, let me say one thing and I just want to.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got a couple more things on this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The.

[Keith Yandle]

I also fear in like the last like 20 years, maybe a little more parents have gotten a little bit more selfish with their own time. Like our parents went to work 9 to 5 or whatever it was. And then it was all about the kids. Nowadays I see it even too with people. Like, people want to spend more time for themselves. Whether it's, you know, go hanging out, going on a vacation, going out for dinners as opposed to chasing your kid around the rink for you know, 180 days a year. So I don't know if that has something to do with it too.

[Biz Nasty]

My dad used to drive us to Gray Bruce like school night, three and a half hours, go play, drive back. It gets, goes to bed at like 1:30, 2 in the morning, up, up at 5:30, 6:00 to go work at the steel mill.

[Keith Yandle]

Back in the mill.

[Biz Nasty]

My, my Camille Bisanette. I love you buddy. That he's the reason that I'm at where I'm at. These parents. We used to have the 5 or 6am slot at the well in Maine and we used to go. Mr. Tartif, he would drive the, the drop off all the Joe Louis treats. So he was up early anyway. So he would take us like an hour early so we have an hour free ice. And then my mom would come sometimes and she'd read a book and sit in and then ended up driving us home. So just like the sacrifice and like you said with the private time of, of parents and maybe not being that that invested. It's wild that, that my parents did that.

[Ryan Whitney]

I remember all my parents did like you guys just said was, was drive my brothers and I or me and my brothers everywhere. That was all my mom and my dad. And my dad would drive like an hour half to work work and then hour and a half to whatever rink I was at. He'd drive me home and Keith, I agree and I'll say this, getting into it, you're like, wow, I am driving a lot. I'm going to the rinks a lot or going to baseball, whatever you're doing. And every single time I just like remember or think of like. But this is what you do as a parent. Like this is, this is what my parents did for me. And you're very, very happy and, and grateful you had the parents you did. And it makes you want to be like, like them or even better than them if you can be. So that's a good point. With hockey and the sacrifice and all these sports that are specialized and now it's just all year round, six days a week. It's bananas. You brought up the early skate biz that you had. I actually would love it if the kids I coach, they're probably a little too young, but maybe a little bit older, practice before school. I wonder what parents would think about that. It's 6:30, right? Because you got to be done by 7:30 if you're getting to school. Depending on where you live. I think kids, when they do stuff in the morning, like skate before school. I'll do that with Rider. Sometimes it's they're like more awake. They're like ready to go. They're like when they get to school they're crushing it. What's up G?

[Mike Grinelli]

We would practice before school in high school for a few years.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you not feel better at school?

[Mike Grinelli]

It was awesome. Everyone loved it.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then you have the afternoon boys before practice.

[Mike Grinelli]

It's great.

[Biz Nasty]

Reminds me of my 6am workouts I got going.

[Keith Yandle]

I ever heard we used to have 5:30am practice when I was at Milton High and we were on the ice, whatever it's like. But we had to be up at 5. They would say the practice is at 6 o'clock. 7. Halfway through practice, Bubba Muse. Good, good. Milton boy comes up to me goes I just got my morning wood. We've been up for like three hours.

[Biz Nasty]

Little, little delay.

[Ryan Whitney]

I wanna, I wanna bring that to youth hockey. Can I finish up a couple quick things on the world juniors and then I have a bunch of questions.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Considering we were talking about like parent sacrifice and we kind of got into the weeds on. On the hockey Canada and what's going on and oh, and parents maybe not being that much invested. We got to bring up this story guys. It's been going around it. It was a. I think in 2019 is when they dropped the piece originally and now it surfaced. Yeah, that's when they originally dropped it but it's recent cuz one of the boys has now played his first NHL game with the Nashville Predators and did so in Vancouver. It's Kim White and and her son's Ocean Orca Aussie and Oasis Wiseblatt. And I don't know how many of you have seen this video circulating around woman who's deaf and she speaks with sign and she has these kids and that was the first. Wait, I'll hand it over you. That was the first language they ever learned. And she was able to fund their entire careers growing up even move to Calgary in order to sacrifice so they could play hockey at a higher level. And three of them ended up making the Western Hockey League and the first one ended up playing in his first National Hockey League game. So stick taps to Kim and just an incredible story.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's unreal and. And I think he's played two now because then he played in Calgary, his hometown and they won both and it's awesome. And it's. I saw the video and I just was like oh man, this is unreal. Watch the whole thing retweeted it. And then people were like, yeah, that was five years ago. I'm like, oh, I had no idea. I'm like, Jesus. That's how this kid, this kid hopped through the WHL two minutes in the show. But just seeing. And you said she funded. I, I believe she had a ton of help. That was part of the video. Yeah, she was gonna be able to.

[Biz Nasty]

Afford earlier, earlier on, and then when they made the move, I think it got to be too much.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. So G. Wrights here. Drafted 31st overall by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2020 draft, Wiseblatt spent most of last season with the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL before being loaned to the Predators affiliate Milwaukee. He produced a goal and five assists and six points in 16 games. And the Preds called him up. And it's, it's pretty cool that you see a story like that when you're talking about the expense and how hard it is to play now and how ridiculously like people are out priced, you can't play hockey. And this woman was able to do this while not even being able to speak. Like, she's, she's teaching her kids. I wonder how easy it is for kids to learn sign language as youngsters because they say it's so easy to learn a foreign language when you're little if you're just talking it. Like when you're, when you begin talking, boom, you got two languages. Merle's daughter, she speaks Swedish English to him non stop. So maybe sign language. I wonder what it was like.

[Biz Nasty]

I mean, I think I might have said the piece. They picked it up like sooner than a, a baby would be able to talk.

[Ryan Whitney]

What?

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I want to say in that piece, it mentioned something of it. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I don't remember.

[Keith Yandle]

Well, you know, babies do like those little sign languages, you know, like even in like Meet the Fockers, where the babies doing like the sign language if they're hungry or need to go to the bathroom. I don't know what the signs are, but yeah, I would imagine that little kids pick up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Cal just points at his, at his bumper when he shits. He's like, he knows.

[Keith Yandle]

Change me.

[Biz Nasty]

Clean up on aisle five.

[Ryan Whitney]

Clean.

[Biz Nasty]

You ain't going golfing.

[Ryan Whitney]

Explosion.

[Keith Yandle]

It's up my back.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You ain't golf.

[Biz Nasty]

Ain't gonna look that crispy. So just an unreal story. So I don't know if you guys have seen that. Check that out. I, I, I figured I'd bring that up with, but I'll throw it over back to you about any other world junior stuff.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Yeah. Two more things from me would love your guys opinions. I tweeted is Cole Hudson better than Lane People? Canadiens fans are nuts. They're like, yeah, no chance. You're crazy to even think that. They're way different. And I think like the D, like how, how quick Lane is and all that. And like the. He's just so nasty. Like beating guys one on one is like his. It's his first step is fast twitch. Cole's different, like, but I think this kid is going to be unreal. And the Caps have him and Leonard and I think there's way more people. I think you're crazy if you can't even consider that this kid might in a different way be. Be just as good, if not better than Lane. I mean, it's a win. Win for the Canadians and the Capitals. But that kid was sick. I mean he was so silky. And people say you can't really judge. Like, you can't say, oh, a kid lights up world juniors, he's going to be an NHL superstar. It's a, it's a short tournament, but just seeing the way he plays and, and just controlling the pace and car. He had the puck on his stick the whole game. It felt like. So the Caps in a crazy spot there. Keith, did you agree with what I'm saying about him?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think he's one of those guys and like his brother too. They both dominate you, you know, when they're on the ice there, you know, if you're playing against them, you need to know where they are. I haven't seen enough of both of them to say who could be better, who's going to be better. But they're both amazing players and they're both, you know, guys that when they're on the ice, you need to know where they are because they can take over a game. And I think, you know, Cole showed what he could do this, this, this tournament and you know, I think that's all you can do when you're that age is dominate the, you know, the level that you're at. And he's doing it right and he's going to, you know, it's like those kids nowadays. Like, he's going to get his opportunity to play in the NHL and to play, you know, power play minutes. And with John Carlson on the back nine of his career, is he the guy that comes in and, you know, he's, you know, feeding one timers on the, on the power play up top there. So I. I think that Washington's in a great spot, especially from what they've done this year with their coaching and developing young guys. But, yeah, I think they're both going to be studs. And I think you're looking at the, you know, the next, you know, Hughes type brothers here soon.

[Biz Nasty]

Was he the one that we watched at BU too? Like, he was pretty dominant, wasn't he? Yeah. Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Remember that hit?

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. That's kind of where you say maybe they're a little bit different. Where I felt like he was a little bit more of an. An aggressor, a little bit more of like a pitbull. Like where he took one hit, absorbed it good. But he, like, he, like he, He. He was not shy of contact, let's just put it that way. Like he would, in fact, embrace it. Who were the other standouts in the tourney? It looked like that. The defenseman for Detroit. I always draw a blank on his name. They always got the long ones with the height.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sandeep Pelica.

[Biz Nasty]

He looked like, unbelievable. I think he had a hat trick first game.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, he got defenseman of the tournament and he was sick. He had a shootout goal against check in the bronze medal game. I saw it online. It was filthy. I mean, yeah, Detroit's got him. We'll get into Detroit in a little bit. But he dominated. And then the finished goalie. What was the nickname he gave himself? Shit, gee, look that up quick. But it was like he was standing on his head. I mean, he made these insane saves in overtime before they. This Teddy Stiga. I think it was. I think it was his first shot.

[Keith Yandle]

First shot of the tournament.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was of the tournament?

[Keith Yandle]

I think so.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought it was of the game or I heard of the game.

[Keith Yandle]

I thought. I thought it was the entire tournament.

[Ryan Whitney]

One shot in the tournament. It's the gold medal winner. So. Oh, my. Yeah, Biz, we can't keep talking. We can't stop talking about him. Final question about world juniors. David Carl. He's got NCAA title year off and world junior title. NCAA title, World junior title. Like Bucha Grass tweeted out, a team should offer him five years times four million. Right?

[Biz Nasty]

That's a nice offer. That's what a confident NHL coach is making. Now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Merle said it should be. It should be 8 times 5 for him to even consider. There's like an argument. Do you stay in college and you know that you could coach their third years? I mean, how many national titles could he win? This guy's an incredible coach. Or do you do you risk it or not really risk it? Do you get.

[Biz Nasty]

What do you think he's making at Denver?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't know. Somebody said like 406 to 800. It's a pretty sick living if you do it.

[Biz Nasty]

No, it's great, but it's also not like getting.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know it's like 20. 20 million.

[Biz Nasty]

If I was the Buffalo. If I was the Buffalo Sabres, I would offer him five times five.

[Ryan Whitney]

And it's hard to say no to $25 million.

[Biz Nasty]

You need back to college, a complete culture revamp. I would say that if I'm the Buffalo Sabers, I don't think that they're going to spend that type of money, but that's. That to me is who needs like. Needs it more than anyone. I think right now. Anaheim, there.

[Ryan Whitney]

There's a part though, that. That also would. Would make me think he'd want to be in the NHL at some point because Keith and I were texting about this. He. He was an unreal player, a big prospect. And then he got to college and we talked about his story before and he had like a heart defect and he had to retire and so to. To dream of. And his brother Matt was sick. He was filthy. I played world juniors with him, actually. Hobie Baker winner, stud defenseman, played for Tampa.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. And San Jose. You know, David Carl, he had dreams of the NHL and then to. To. To have this tragedy in your. In your hockey life. Happened to then get there as a coach. I would think that would be on his mind. G makes a good point here though, in the chat. Like the way college sports is trending. I mean, how much he could end up making.

[Biz Nasty]

He's gonna have his own Nike deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

They make a coaching suit instead of the Jordan Sue. There's the Dave Jordan shoe. There's the David Carl co like coaching outfit you can buy. I think that he ends up going at some point though, in my opinion.

[Mike Grinelli]

Just to jump in quick to Carl makes $721,000 per year.

[Biz Nasty]

It's public.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, no shit. Remember the Pete Carroll shoes? Like the. The new. Was it New Balance?

[Ryan Whitney]

The Will Compton?

[Biz Nasty]

We got to get the Carls going.

[Keith Yandle]

I think for him it's like. I think you made a great point wit like he. He never made it. Because I was thinking Monty. Monty did play in the NHL though, in. In, you know, stuck around. But he's been gone from Denver for I think seven years and he's lived in four cities since then. So, like, being an NHL coach is no joke. Like you're gonna get fired. It's. It's only a matter of time. It's not, you know, the, the Pittsburgh Steelers, where they've had three coaches their entire existence. So I think for him, like, if he has a young family and loves it there, staying put wouldn't be the, wouldn't be the worst idea, I think for me, like, you look at a guy like Jerry York, Jack Parker, Those guys coached BCMBU for like 30 plus years. Right, Whit?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

So it's like, you can make your money, it's just going to take a little longer. But I don't know, like, unless he really has like that dream of, you know, being in the NHL because he couldn't make it as a player, which I'm sure he would have, you know, to coach in the NHL. I just, I just see, like, being a college coach, like, what he's doing right now, especially nowadays, like the way you can recruit, get guys from Canada. Everyone on the planet's going to want to play for him if you go through college. So I don't know if I was, if I was his wife, I'd be like, yeah, we're staying here, dude.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know that that's a lifestyle happiness type thing.

[Biz Nasty]

Agreed.

[Keith Yandle]

The only thing I would say is, and I don't even know if they've announced who the coach for the Olympic team is, but I think it should be him.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it. They've already. It's salt. It's Mike Sullivan for the Four nations and the Olympics.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, he's doing both. All right, never mind.

[Biz Nasty]

Wow. I like that, that call.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, the, the trap, the travel, too. In college, I mean, Hockey east, you're, you're just busing everywhere on the weekends. It's so easy. The summers as the head coach, man, it is a different lifestyle. That's. Yeah, there's a lot of. There's a lot more to consider than you'd think about just going to the NHL. But Biz is right. A team who has young guns, you know, that wants a winner. A guy who's won at big levels twice now on both sides. You're. You're throwing the bag at him. You're throwing the bag at him.

[Biz Nasty]

Normally a time a guy like that, you're getting like two or three years and you're getting maybe like a million and a half. Two million, right? Where if you're telling me though, five times five, he's, he would have to leave.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's going to be a cool storyline to watch because, you know, now people are going to come calling. I mean who knows? Maybe Denver could win it again. I think they're loaded. They got boo Yam.

[Keith Yandle]

How many teams realistically in the NHL do you think that he would leave what he's got going now in. In Denver? How many teams in the NHL do you think that he would leave to.

[Biz Nasty]

Go and coach for the five times fives?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't know man. Buffalo?

[Biz Nasty]

No. You don't think you would go to Buffalo?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I wouldn't be dying to go to Buffalo as my first head coach if I'm this prodigy coming into the coaching ranks. Oh, let me go flip around the Sabers.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, imagine you made that project. Imagine you, you finished. You would just be. They would have chicken wings named after you. Like they'd have a per. You get lifetime Bills tickets. But yeah, no, that's Carl. Well deserved man. He deserves whatever he gets.

[Ryan Whitney]

Legend pictures of him at Niagara Falls. He's just the legend.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All right.

[Biz Nasty]

Ripley's Believe it or not.

[Keith Yandle]

The Lids headquarters.

[Ryan Whitney]

We kind of jumped. We kind of jumped right into the world. Junior breakdown there. So there was a couple questions I kind of had at the beginning before we got into the hockey talk.

[Biz Nasty]

What were they?

[Ryan Whitney]

You've been working out at 6am like you're getting like that early?

[Biz Nasty]

Well like so I just kind of started on that regimen I was doing a little bit before the road got.

[Keith Yandle]

Crazy skating kids but.

[Biz Nasty]

But over, over Christmas break and then yeah like three times a week. I'm gonna try when I'm home but going back to those, those like the morning skates, you feel like so much better after you're done. It's just as long as you can get to bed at like I, I was in I think lights out 10:30 last night. I can get up at 5:20 alarm and I'm there by like 5:50, 10 minute bike and let's go 6am Start with a trainer. With a trainer. I've been going back with that sugar. Sean O'Malley's guy. He helps with more of like the, the breathing component. Not overloading, not going too hard. I get so sore if I just jump back into weights where you know, you know me. L5s1 it'll start barking.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I like have you seen the. When he does the breathing Keith, he did it recently walking down the street. He does these really hard breaths and he. They help you out biz though, right?

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, because I don't get enough oxygen through my, my one nostril so I. Well you. Why are you chirping Me?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, you did it at Barstool Survivor too.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, it's like a variation of like Wim Hof. Like I'm not doing the full 15 minutes, but if you want to get a little bit more oxygen to your brain. Is that all you wanted me to say? Whit oxygen to your brain?

[Ryan Whitney]

Barstool Survivor is back, by the way.

[Keith Yandle]

Is it tonight?

[Biz Nasty]

The pit party's tonight.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Let's hurry this up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh my God.

[Biz Nasty]

Do you ever do Wim Hof, like the full 50 minute video?

[Ryan Whitney]

I had seen it on Instagram and then actually saw you do it. I've never tried it. Yeah, but you said apparently I would give it a go maybe before a big putt or something like that. Like if you're walking up to the green, like would it really calm your nervous system in a way you'd still leave it short.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, you could do box breathing. You could. You should try your different variations and how you line up the ball before we get on to the, to the like NHL hockey talk. What's your guys New Year's resolution? I mean, considering you guys were always already chirp me for my box breathing and my oxygen in the brain. One of my big ones is, is to, to dial in the health component. Yeah, I'm hitting the Big Four 0 this year in March. Gotta dial in the personal health.

[Ryan Whitney]

I need, I need to be more like you when it comes to that. I need to start working. I need to work out at 6am that's why like I'm amazed you could do it. I just, I don't know why I can't get up. I, I remember when I retired, I'm like, I'm done setting alarms unless it's for golf. And I've just really stuck to that. But you're better off getting up.

[Biz Nasty]

I think the trainer helps because you don't want to feel like you're letting someone down. You book the times and you're not gonna, what are you gonna, you're gonna hit your, you hit your alarm and cancel? No, you're going to the gym, you're getting the workout done. And that's why you have to lean on a trainer, at least to get it going, in my opinion. And if not, if you, you know, trainers can get expensive. Sign up for classes. Even if you're a guy, like starting out with these like hot yoga classes or anything. Like just get the body. A lot of people, they get turned off by it because they start up again and they're like sore and everything's just like Killing them. And they're like. And then they take a three, four day break and next thing you know, it's the new year again. You know, it's like, whoopsie daisy. I guess this is back on the resolution list. And my also, my goal is, is to not get beat up by six Irish travelers. That's my new. My also.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's your. That's your resolution?

[Biz Nasty]

That's my. That's my top one. That's one of the top of the list there. So that's why I saw one of.

[Ryan Whitney]

Them didn't show up to court.

[Biz Nasty]

That's right. Yeah. William Carroll that I, I got. Yeah. In the left temple. He didn't show up. I am trying to overall improve the health to also dive into this. I'm gonna do like a film series where. Oh, it's all combat training. I want to do some with Bugsy Malone.

[Ryan Whitney]

Are you doing Avery too?

[Biz Nasty]

I'm gonna go do it with avery out in LA. The sugar. Sean O'Malley's trainer, my buddy Brandon, he's hooking me up with his striking coach and I'm gonna go into the UFC ring with him hopefully and do something that would be awesome. I would try like a, like a box, a couple boxing trainers, so just kind of try my hands and everything to kind of get back in shape, train in different ways. And. And also those shirts that we were selling that Portnoy came out with originally, I think that we've raised over $30,000 for, for the Matt Shot foundation for the late Nicardo foundation. And I think we're going to divvy it up three ways where you're not allowed to donate to like the local police department, but some type of affiliation. Maybe it's like, like a wounded officers or are falling off, whatever it may be. So we're going to try to divvy that up. So shout out to all the people that ended up buying those T shirts and supporting a great cause. So Lindsay Fry, who is a former National USA team players, helped me out with organize all that too. So thank you to her.

[Ryan Whitney]

Keith, what's yours?

[Keith Yandle]

Mine. Pretty similar to biz is just. I want to get at least a sweat every day. Like just. And try to get in, try not to drink during the weekdays. Yeah. Other than that, just be. Be more active. Be more, you know, engaged in my health and getting, getting things better. And I'm going to. I'm going to start boxing again too Biz. So if you want to come down here and get your. Your head punched in, I'd love to do that.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah, you get a little training in because the Boston Stranglers and get their ass beat in Boston when we bring Chiclets cup there in September.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm training.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm gonna be running circles around you.

[Keith Yandle]

No, you won't.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're one shift.

[Biz Nasty]

Doesn't matter. However, you gotta contribute.

[Keith Yandle]

Hey, how about. My buddy texted me earlier? He was like, hey, want to take the wives to dinner on Friday night? I'm like, yeah, sounds good. He was like, all right. I got a reservation at Houston's at 7:30. I said, I'm not going to Houston's till they give Biz a free card where he can eat there whenever he wants the rest of his life.

[Ryan Whitney]

For life. For life. I don't need that biz biz. But you know, or, or a, a, a a meal named after him. It's kind of one or the other.

[Biz Nasty]

I would accept.

[Ryan Whitney]

Can't just be the Scottsdale one. Has to be at every Houston's on.

[Biz Nasty]

All the menus even to get one where you get one a week. Like getting a card where you go in there every night. Imagine I'm just beating the pot where it's like, oh, God, this guy again.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know that, you know, coming in another three nights.

[Biz Nasty]

So they've given me a couple free meals, but I usually just tip the amount of what the meal cost.

[Ryan Whitney]

Class. Class.

[Biz Nasty]

That's it.

[Eric Engels]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

NHL. What? What do you got?

[Biz Nasty]

No, that's it. Did you. Everyone's personal health. That's kind of a lame answer from everyone I know.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, that's a good point.

[Keith Yandle]

Well, a trip to Chicago really makes you question your health and in your. Your wellness.

[Eric Engels]

So it's.

[Keith Yandle]

It's one of those things when you get back from a spit and chicklets thing, especially my first one, you know, part of the whack pack. You kind of got to really dial in your health.

[Ryan Whitney]

The traveling circus. Yeah, it's hard to get back in the groove. All right, boys. East Eastern Conference wild card race. Biz, it's kind of crazy to. To see. And this is Merle's, actually who said this in the chat that with how bad the Sabres have been and the Rangers in the past two months that they're only right now. What is it? Seven and eight points out of the second wild card spot. So everyone's alive. You already said that. Columbus has impressed you a lot. Their home record. Sick. I don't know if you want to talk about them or just where you want to head in this wild card race. And how everyone's not dead somehow.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Because I feel like we've talked about Pittsburgh a lot early on and their struggles and how they've revamped ever since making that trade. Detroit, we will dive into them a little bit after the, the, you know, they've been four. What, four and one since the McClellan's came in.

[Ryan Whitney]

Four straight.

[Biz Nasty]

But I feel like we haven't really given Columbus a lot of love and like, especially with what they went through in the off season and having to deal with that coming in, losing such an important member to your organization. Like you wondered like, you know, how would they mentally reset and Evanson's done such a good job there and he's typically a pretty structured coach. Right. So he's got them playing their dicks off. I don't think they're anywhere near where they are if they don't have Orensky clicking at the rate that he's clicking, I think that most people would probably have him top five for sure. Norris voting, if not top three based on the minutes that he's playing. He's solid defensively. He's got 12 goals right now. He's leading their team in points. So that's just been a huge boost for them. And, and also a contract that, you know, he had to live up to. Like he got a pretty nice one on the. I think he's making 9 million bucks a year. So to see him playing to what they ended up securing his bag with is awesome. To see that Russian kid, is it Merchenko? How do you say his last name? My guy, you said a few weeks ago, probably the best baron in the National Hockey League. He signed a three year deal. He's making like just a little bit above 3 million bucks. I mean look at the production you're getting off of him right now. So he's kind of established himself as a power forward going to the other guy, Monahan. I think a lot of people with the injuries that he dealt with in Calgary maybe thought that he would be done. And then he goes over to Montreal and he kind of has that resurgence and he proved that he has a lot of game left. Then he, you know, signs in the off season to go meet his buddy Johnny Goudreau and, and play with him and, and I think that he's been. Everything is advertised, man. He's a point per game player. And I just think their fucking team's humming right now based on what maybe expectations were coming into the league or into the season. So I just thought I'd Give him a little bit of a stroke off and, and, and the, and the turnaround that they've had so far this year.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, Monahan, I, I didn't think a point per game player. It's, it's, it's awesome to see. And, and I think that the crowd there, I think we chatted about them last year. At the end of the year, these guys, the Blue Jackets fans keep showing up. Mr. Ice also went to town for an over. I don't know if you saw that against St. Louis. The game finally hit. He won. The Columbus Blue Jackets actually sent him a dm. Anything that we could help you with, let us know. He's like seven goals please. So Mr. Ice is a sicko, but the Metro. I, I just think Columbus is set up for like a long time. This kid, all right, Voronkov, okay Biz. He was drafted in 2019, fourth rounder. He's got 26 points, 31 games. You got to see his hockey, DP hockey, DB picture. I'll actually take a picture of it. It's so classic Russian. But man, what if this kid pops off and, and now you look all right. Fantilly. I mean I think that there's, there's definitely.

[Biz Nasty]

He's had more than drop off.

[Ryan Whitney]

He said some drop off, but still like a great young player. It's it. I mean they were, they were able to.

[Biz Nasty]

That Ken Johnson kid's pretty nasty too. He got. Yeah, he missed a little bit of time this year too. A great prospect. They have Baronov. Oh yeah, right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just a Ruski Arusi that's playing.

[Biz Nasty]

Smell him from here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Keith, who do you like? Like in the wild card spot or who are you surprised to see where they're. They're at?

[Keith Yandle]

I just wanted to touch a little bit on Columbus too with Warrensky and Proverb. I think those two are lead the league and points together as defenseman and you know, I had a chance to play with Probi and I used to call him a one man breakout. He was legit the best defenseman I've ever seen. Breaking the puck out and to play with a guy like Warinski where I think in. In Philly, like the offensive, you know, he needed to kind of carry the team. He was playing power play and I think he's got to Columbus and kind of just been like, all right, let me play with this, you know, Warensky stud and let me do my thing. Break the pucks out and it's going to be all gravy.

[Biz Nasty]

So he had an unreal Rookie year, Denis Provorov. And then it just feels like it didn't really work out there. I, I know that he's. Is recluse the right word? He keeps to himself. Very. Like he's not, you know, not, not exactly the guy going out for beers all the time, but just.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, he, he, I don't even think he drinks at all, but he, he'd always go for dinners. Good teammate.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay, so he's a good teammate. Enjoy. Yeah, okay.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I enjoyed him a lot. I thought he was funny. His dog's hilarious on Instagram too.

[Eric Engels]

Or ticked.

[Keith Yandle]

His dog's great. But yeah, no, he was a great teammate. Dean Everson is, I think, is he part of that, like, whole coaching tree? Like the guys that played in Hartford with like Dave Tippett and Quenville and Ulfi. Like those guys, I don't know what they were doing in, in, in Hartford back in the day, but just turning out coaches left and right. So he's obviously came in there and, and got his message across and the guys have bought in because, you know, you look at them in the beginning of the year, you'd think they were going to be a bottom of the barrel team. But I think what, you know, their management has done and the coaching. Stop bringing him in has been amazing to see. Like you said, especially with what happened.

[Biz Nasty]

This summer and going back to what you said with like, I think the fans are just like looking for a team to be proud of and I think that that's what they found and I think that that type of energy and what they provide night in, night out, I think that that could elevate them to potentially snagging a wild card. Like they can go on a, they can go on a little bit of a rip here. Who's the scrapper? Olivier. Like he's got 10 goals this year, so they got a lot of bright stories on that team and just a team that I felt deserved a little bit of love maybe over some of the ones we've already been talking about all season long.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think everyone would love seeing them getting in just because of, you know, everything that happened.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, no doubt. I would love that story. Detroit biz, they got a little bit of a pick me up here. They're kind of buzzing right now.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, Last four games. But here's my issue. It's always the same guys. It's always the, it's always Larkin, it's always Debrink it, it's always Raymond, it's always Cider, it's always Those four guys. So how, how, how sustainable is that? They're not getting any secondary type scoring. They did in one of those four games, one of the four game win streak games. They had a little bit of help from the secondary scoring, but it's so top heavy on that roster. They need help.

[Ryan Whitney]

They got a little bit of help. This Jonathan Berggren, okay, so a few years ago, 15 goals last year was in the AHL. Swedish kid had a sick year, came in really struggling and then he had a meeting with McClellan. So there's obviously an offensive talent there. And he's like, you just got to play free and you got to open up a little bit. And McClellan was talking about, I, I, I started saying play. Like I don't think he was talking directly about when he was yelling at the team, play hockey, play hockey. But in meeting with Bergren, you need to play free. Now it's a new coach comes in and you'd think I, I actually can't play free. Like I don't, I just don't want to make a mistake for, for this new guy, right. If this is his first impression of me. But he's like, you have to be able to play more free and make plays. He had game winning assists, then he had the game winning goal. I mean he, I think he had four points in the last four games. So if that's a guy that they could get going, that, that would be huge. But I agree with you. It is like the main guys have to do it, but the main guys have lit it up. Cider has six points in the last five games. Raymond eight points, Larkin seven, Kane seven. Debrink at seven.

[Biz Nasty]

So this, I forgot to mention Kane, but it just, it just, it's been top heavy all season long and you gotta imagine at a certain point it's just like, oh God, like it just exhausts these guys where you're not getting any nights off, where, you know, sometimes it's nice to get four goals from the, from the bottom two lines and a 5, 2 win and not have to fucking light the lamp every night.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Well, tonight, Tuesday night, they're playing Ottawa in Detroit. That's, that's a big matchup, right? Game, four point game, division game. So they remember two years ago was when Ottawa spanked him two years in a row. And then Eisenman's like, I'm not making any trades at the deadline. We're not ready. So they've had a little bit of a, like a rivalry, I guess. They're in the triangle.

[Biz Nasty]

Curious to know how personal those guys in the locker room took. The comments from Stevie Y in the press conference, not to say he was personal by any means, but basically saying like, yeah, like it's, it's evident we'd want to be a little bit more farther through this rebuild than, than where we are right now. So maybe they took upon themselves as well with the coaching chains to say, hey, let's look in the mirror here. And enough with these 45 minute twirl around skates, fucking dig in and compete and, and maybe Blake, break this playoff drought.

[Ryan Whitney]

Another team looking to like break a drought and come out of the first rebuild they've had maybe in a hundred years, according to our next guest. Guest Eric Engles is the Montreal Canadiens. They're on fire. We interviewed him, what, an hour ago? I think we throw it to him right now to hear about the habs and kind of what's going on in Montreal right now. Before we continue, I want to talk to you about TGL, presented by SoFi. This is not traditional golf. It's three on three match play in this incredible like what looks like arena is arena where these guys are hitting off real fairways, real tee boxes, sand. They're going to the greens, they're putting on real greens. And then obviously on the, you know, you're hitting into the, the, the screen. We got six teams competing. There's a Boston team, Boston Common golf. Rory's on that squad. They'll be going head to head, fighting to make the playoffs with a single team being crowned champions. Guys playing Rory Tiger, Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Ricky Fowler, Colin Morikawa, Xander Shoffley and many more. The two hour matches will run during prime time on espn. There's other sporting elements like timeouts, refs, overtime and miked up players. That'll be interesting to see. I'm actually, I'm, I'm excited to see this. I mean it's something different. Everyone's talking about new ways to enjoy golf. And this looks like a pretty cool thing to watch. The best players in the world play in this arena, I guess you could say. And just to see how, how it all goes up, if they're mic'd up and they're, and they're like being honest, it could be unreal. So it's custom built, tech infused arena specifically for tgl and fans will get closer to the action with greenside seating for every hole. So there'll be fans in attendance. So TGL, check it out starting January 7th. Learn [e-mail] we are now joined by a good friend of the show, Montreal Canadiens reporter for sportsnet, Eric Engels. Welcome back to Spit and Chicklets. Buddy. How you doing?

[Biz Nasty]

This guy loves the Habs.

[Ryan Whitney]

Loves the Habs, loves Le Habitant. He can't say it, but we could say it for him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan and got to work in this market, but it's been 17 years being a reporter, and I always say the same thing. Whether they lose seven games in a row or win seven games in a row, something's got to change because the story becomes repetitive and I'm cheering for the best story possible. And like, like your buddy Jeff Marek always says, we don't cheer for teams, but we do cheer for players. And I have a soft spot for the ones who are kind of facing long odds or getting hammered in the market, and they come out and prove people wrong. And those are the stories I love.

[Biz Nasty]

I love that optimism. Coming in with, well, you know what?

[Ryan Whitney]

Why wouldn't he have it right now? Because the Canadians are buzzing and I look at it like, wow, everything's coming together. Solid forward group, question marks on defense. And then other people will say, well, it's kind of like them just coming back to where they should be because the start was way worse than people thought. What's your opinion on this team right now? What have you seen the last 10 games?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that's actually a fair assessment of them coming back to where they should be, because I would have told you before the season started when they were out there, send corporate message that they should be in the mix, quote, unquote, which was quite general, pretty smart of them in terms of managing expectations, which can get sky high in a market like this. Like, this is where I would have pegged them to be. In fact, we have to make predictions on sportsnet every year, which I. It's an experience that I loathe because you always end up looking like an. I figured I'm really going to look like an this time around because I figured they would be in the mix and probably would not make the playoffs, which is basically right where they are right now. But instead, I just predicted that they would make the playoffs and Marty St. Louis would win the Jack Adams because I knew. I love that maybe I'll end up right.

[Biz Nasty]

We got half a season left here. We got half a season. Come on.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Plenty of time. Plenty of time. I went on. The one prediction that I did believe in, that I was making prior to the season, which I did on 32 thoughts, was that I, no matter what happens, I think the Canadians would finish ahead of the Ottawa Senators. And I still believe we'll see. We'll see where that ends up going. But look, this is a young team. They're two and a half years through the first official rebuild in a hundred years of the Montreal Canadiens. And what everybody wanted to see was progress. And I don't think you look at what they've done recently and say, okay, they're world beaters all of a sudden, but you do see progress. And it tends to happen faster in a winning environment. And I think that's the most encouraging thing for this group right now.

[Biz Nasty]

That was the thing I was going to ask you about. We didn't even have them in that Viagra triangle. And the Ottawa Senators seem like the best team was three. So you had them making playoffs and. Or at least being ahead of Ottawa. Excuse me. I think that if you look back to that Winnipeg game a couple weeks ago, it was like, it was pretty dreary. You started hearing rums about people maybe not, you know, wondering if Martin St. Louis was the guy Slavkovsky had, has obviously not had the, the start that you guys anticipated. Like, what do you think it was that has propelled them on this winning streak? And what is it exactly has changed that you've noticed from those back to back wins against the Detroit Red Wings and then that big one against the Buffalo Sabres?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I'll try and make it a short answer because honestly, it's not one thing. It's a lot of things. And that's kind of how the Canadians are built, right? Like they don't have one line or one player to carry them to wins. Like the Toronto Maple Leafs, per se, are kind of built that even if they're not playing well, there's a couple players that they step up, they win the game for them. The Canadians need everybody on board, they need everybody going. I think one of the clinching factors, and them winning 10 of their last 15, so it's not such a small sample is you, you, you get Patrick Liney back, and obviously he came in, he's firing in power play goals at a ridiculous clip. He had eight, I think, in his first 10 games or something like that. And you could just see the power play catches fire. You get an extra goal per game, you get a better chance of winning. Great. But my optimism going into the season that the Canadiens would be true to being in the mix, quote, unquote, being close and hovering and playing meaningful games towards the end, and maybe they slip in was based on the way they're built in terms of their bottom six and what Line A does coming in in a late summer trade to slot everybody in the right chair and get the best out of that situation. And I think it's key that Line A is scoring those goals. But just him coming back and being in the lineup put that bottom six in action. Where now other teams have to focus on the Suzuki Caulfield, Slafkowski combination. They got Kirby Doc, who's starting to pick up his game, playing with Alex Newark and Patrick line. And whether they're up to par of where they should be or not, the other team has to pay attention to them. And the Canadians are paying too much money for guys like Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher and Yoel Armia and Christian Dvorak to be bottom six forwards. But they can afford to pay them that based on how their salary structure is. It's not hurting them in any way. And this was meant to be the strength of their team where they could roll four lines and they managed to do that. The last thing I would say about this and why they've kind of found what they wanted to have from the start is maybe they needed to lose games the way they did at the beginning of the season. Like, lessons tend to sink in a lot harder and a lot firmer than, you know, when you go through those experiences and they're so negative and you're in a place like Montreal where you just don't want that to continue and you start to buy into the program where if you're going to feed other teams and give them opportunities and try and open it up, teams like they just played on this last road trip, which was incredible. You're going to get slaughtered and it's not going to be pretty. And the fact that it happened right at the start of the season exacerbated the reaction to what was going on. If I would have told you at the beginning of the year, the Canadians are going to have some stretches where they go 4, 7, 1, you'd have been like, yeah, it makes sense. Second youngest. The fact that they did it right at the start of the year, you know, that turned the. The atmosphere quite negative around them. So it's a big change.

[Biz Nasty]

Alluding back to lineage just quickly. I think that that's probably why a lot of people had higher expectations. It feels like when they made that move, all of a sudden the hype went up and people were like, oh, maybe there's a wild card opportunity just to go back to what we Were saying, what do you got?

[Ryan Whitney]

There's a bunch of different ways to, like, look at this team right now. I, I sense to look at St. Louis like, it's, it's. This guy came from coaching younger kids, a legend, hall of Fame player, and now he's had to deal with adversity.

[Keith Yandle]

Right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like he, as a coach. It's, it's, it's difficult when you have this team that's rebuilding. But you're new as a head coach in the NHL. How do you think he's approached the slumps? Like, has he been able to stay positive with guys? Has he had times when he's kind of flipped out on guys? Because it's different when you get in there and there's all this mojo and everyone's excited. You're the head coach until reality sets in and the team wasn't playing well at all. How did he approach that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's a great question. And honestly, with this season was a big growth opportunity for the Canadiens. Like I said, coming into year three of their rebuild. It was a bigger growth opportunity for Marty St. Louis, who had to be the guy encouraging everybody over the last two years of all these players news going to be, you know, a lot of losing and, and getting them to play as hard as they did every night is hard. They were in the most one goal games in the league last season. Like, that doesn't happen in places where you know you're going to be losing. Like, it's, that's a very challenging thing to coax out of players, especially veteran ones, and the commitment they've gotten from those guys. And I think St. Louis was the driving force of that. Now you go into this year where the expectations raise a little bit, where line A does come in in the summer trade, and all of a sudden you have a better balance and more depth and you're supposed to be taking steps in progress and he's got to kind of flip the switch where he's got to hold guys accountable. And now it's, it's not just development. The results tend to matter. And so I think that's a really hard transition. You think of any assistant coach in the NHL that turns head coach in the middle of a season, that's a really tough transition. They go from being good cop to having to play bad cop a lot more often. And you've already built these relationships. How genuine are you going to come across to those players where you've been patting them on the back and now all of a sudden you have to kick them in the ass. Now, it's been a transition for St. Louis. He's had to do that gradually as this thing went, the way it did at the beginning of the season and to kick it into gear to come into December and do what they've done recently. And I think this guy, look, he.

[Biz Nasty]

He's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's brilliant. I mean, he's. He's hockey's Aristotle.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, I look at that quote, clip.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It G. As a reporter, it's. It's a blast covering.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's fun talking to him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But as a player, like, you guys have been around different types of coaches. You dealt with Michelle Terry, you dealt with whoever you've had. Like to have a coach that has been in literally everybody's situation throughout his NHL career and built that status as a Hall of Famer, like, how's he not going to relate to virtually everybody in the room? And now that growth that he's going through, managing the bench and being harder on guys. Like last game, benching Slafkovsky towards the end of the game to secure a win. It's not easy stuff to do, but you got to do it if you're going to take that next step. And I just think my preseason prediction of all the Canadians will make the playoffs and. And Marty St. Louis will win the Jack Adams. I was joking, you know, but I'll look like a genius if it comes true. But you look at Spencer Carbery or you look at Travis Green or you look at anybody else you want to put into that mix. If the Canadians actually make the playoffs, which I think, you know, towards the end of November, beginning of December, they were in last place in the league and they're get. And look at the last four games. Guys that they won, they beat, right? They beat Florida, they beat Tampa, they beat Vegas and Colorado. And they didn't just. They didn't like goalie them, they outplayed them. They deserve to win all four of those games. And the game they lost against Chicago, they had 40 shots on that and got goalied. If all that happens and they make the playoffs, who's going to be a better candidate for the Jack Adams than Marty St. Louis?

[Biz Nasty]

That's my Carberry. I would probably have Carberry ahead of him just based on the full season. Like, I don't think anybody expected what the Caps are doing, but with the roster, with the roster still an unreal feat.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Would you have. Would you have McClellan as GM of the Year?

[Ryan Whitney]

The GM of the Year is like a bizarre award. Actually. That's a totally different Discussion. Because is it actually like the best team of the year or is it the guy who set up his team for success in the future? The best. You can look at that award, like all these different ways.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it's the guy who sets up his team the best that does the best work in the summer and also the best work throughout the season. That's why it's voted on in the second round of the playoffs. But if I'm not taking anything away from Spencer Carberry, I think we can all agree the guy is. What he's done with Washington has been incredible. I'm just saying if you were to. If you were to put the onus on what Brian McClellan has done in the front office and bringing in the size and speed to complement what they already had there and kind of revive in Washington what none of us believe they still had, maybe it takes a little shine off carbon.

[Biz Nasty]

He's gonna have this every year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There's always good candidates up for that award.

[Biz Nasty]

Right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like it's gonna be.

[Ryan Whitney]

He revamped that entire team. So.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, we already mentioned Slab. I want to get to this date. Jacob Dolbysh, because you mentioned that four game heater in which they won Florida, Tampa and then went out out west to beat Colorado and Vegas. But Slavkoski, four goals, he heated up at the end of last season. I think it calmed down a lot of the noise. I don't have a strong opinion on them, but from other players and guys who have played that I trust, they seem to maybe think there's a lack of maybe hockey sense there. What's your view on not only the slow start, but also that watching them.

[Ryan Whitney]

As much as you do and adding on to that. Why is he still on the first power play if he has four? I don't get it. I don't. And go ahead.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, listen, I think if his play trends as it has over the last couple of games, you'll see that change. But ultimately, right now, the way things are going with the four lines rolling, I don't see a lot of incentive for Marty St. Louis to start flipping switches and turning things upside down. The Canadians are not going to keep winning forever. They're going to lose games. They've built a template where they can keep themselves in games and that's a big improvement from what they looked like at the beginning of the season. As far as Slafkovsky and how that's gone all the way through. Like, I'm not taking. I don't want to. I don't want to take anything away from the heat that he deserves for his play, which has been up and down. Okay, like, he has big expectations, the number one overall pick, and he needs to fulfill them as quickly as possible. But I feel in general, not just him, like Lafreniere in New York, you can look at a bunch of guys who are picked 1, 2, 3 over the last number of years. They're coming to an NHL where it's almost expected. You automatically have to graduate into the league to justify these picks because the league necessitates having these players play at those ages from a salary cap perspective. And you know, none of them have ever struggled before in their careers. Like at any point. Yuri Slafkovsky, coming into the NHL with his size and the way he played, never had to worry about keeping his head up before he got to the NHL. So the transition from year one, which he almost limited to 39 games, like, this kid has 100 and something games under his belt in three years of playing. So he played half a season the first year, the second year, a really rough start, and then kind of explodes in the second half with Caulfield and Suzuki. And this year he is learning a regular lesson that most 20 year olds learn in this league that like, it just, it takes time to find the consistency. He's been great some nights, he's been bad some nights. And I, I think he's a guy who really holds himself to a high standard and it's difficult for him to understand. But I think back to like one of your oldest shows guys where Nathan McKinnon was on with you, where he was talking about how long it took him to realize that, okay, I'm working really hard, but there's a whole other level to get through. You look at his first four seasons, you know, he followed up 63 points that first year with, with, you know, there was a lockout, abridged year in there, and then he had 52 and 53 respectively before hitting 97. Everybody needs to take a breath when it comes to a guy like Yuri Slafkovsky because he's on pace for 47 points this year. It's not exactly like he's horrible. He should score more goals. No question about it. He should do the things that lead to him being a better player, which is moving your feet so that you could take advantage of the size you have because he's a monster. But I just think he's going through the normal type of growing pains. It's just a place like Montreal, like.

[Biz Nasty]

All right, more, more positive we got to be more positive.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was gonna go positive, but I did want to ask that question anyways. But so glad you did. And also solid question. If. If. And I know this is like a reach a little bit, but if this Demidov is his and I think he's going to be incredible, is if he's as nasty as everyone's saying and what he's doing in the KHL and he comes over, then it's like, all right, maybe we have our dominant player here. And it's like, what was. What was Demidov pick? Fifth. So, all right, well, maybe the dominant player was the fifth pick and the first pick. He's not a first overall superstar, but he ends up being a really, really good second liner on a solid team. So it all works out if the prospects hit and Demidov seems like it's going to be outstanding. But on the positive notes, Jake Evans never had 30 points in his life. And you talked about rooting for the long shots. Late pick by. I don't know who drafted, maybe the Canadian. Yeah, the Canadiens plays at Notre Dame four years, you never see that anymore. He's on pace for over 50 points. The fourth line's buzzing and. And now you're like, is this guy going to get resigned or do you trade him? Because that's a dude who. A playoff team if the Canadians fall out of it, it's like, this is a depth guy we need.

[Biz Nasty]

And oh no, they're going to give up Leonin again for nothing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, me and Leon and ended up being Alex Gary. But it wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't what it was supposed to be with Justin Baron. Look, Jake Evans, good guy to talk to.

[Ryan Whitney]

Good guy in the room.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, he's great. I. I like. Did you just get goosebumps too? So I don't want to, I don't want to blow up his ego too much, but he's having a phenomenal year. And I asked him, I said, how long does it take before you really find your best self in this league playing the role you play, kind of for a third line guy, center, reliable defensive, 200ft, chipping a goal here and there, penalty killing. He's the leading penalty killing forward in the league. And he told me it really only sunk in last year, you know, with 300 plus games under his belt. So why am I bringing this up? Because the Canadians are headed to a place where they're hoping to become perennial contenders. I don't know if that starts in a year from now. Or two years. I think with Demidov coming, I mean, shit, you look at the highlights of this guy, it's, there's no question what he's going to be when he arrives, he's immediately going to be an impact player. But I just think you look at a guy like Evans and you say, okay, maybe we trade him this year for a first round pick and we have Owen Beck coming up through, through the ranks and he's, he's a kid that he's going to project to be a perfect middle six bottoms, bottom six, bottom two line, do exactly what Evans does. The thing is, is you're trying to be a contending team. You don't trust a 22, 23 year old player to do that job. Like it's, it's not how it works. It takes three, four years in the league to really nail down that role. And then the big question for Montreal becomes is if they believe in that philosophy and they're looking at keeping Evans, who might be pricing himself out with how well he's played and the fact that he's shooting at a ridiculous clip, which I think everybody can keep realistic.

[Ryan Whitney]

Great timing for him too with that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

UFO year market value for sure. But I think the Canadians, the main evaluation will be who can we look at that's on the market that potentially replaces Evans. He won't necessarily play as well as Evans, but what will it cost us? Will it be within our range that we could pay for that role while we build Owen Beck up to be that type of player? But guys, they're going to lose Christian Dvorak next year. Like I, I, I'd be very surprised if he's back here. I don't know if he goes before the deadline, we'll see where the Canadians are at in the standings. But you lose one center. You have some questions with Kirby Doc, who's found his game but still has something to prove as he moves along here and he's coming back through a ridiculous injury situation as you guys know. You talk to him like I just think Evans's value is higher to the Canadians than what it is and going to shop him out on the market. And I think if you trade a player like that, you' looking on how you're going to replace him and you don't have an internal solution and you don't necessarily have an external one. And that's good for Evans in terms of what he's going to do with the negotiation here. I think it's also good for the Canadians if they can get them locked in and convince them, hey, this is your best place to be. This is where you're going to have the best opportunity. You're born and raised in this town as a hockey player, and you're going to be a part of us moving forward into that next phase, which is going to be a lot of fun. And they. I have to think there's a marriage to happen here between these two parties. But look, if he prices himself out and they can't come to terms before March and they're not sitting in a playoff spot at that point, it's a different discussion.

[Biz Nasty]

Divorce, not marriage, divorce. The opposite.

[Ryan Whitney]

Some team's gonna come calling. All right. Also staying positive. Also staying positive.

[Biz Nasty]

I was gonna say we've left them blue balled long enough. I think we gotta talk about.

[Ryan Whitney]

Goal.

[Biz Nasty]

Caulfield. No, the.

[Ryan Whitney]

I wasn't going there. I wasn't. I wasn't going there.

[Biz Nasty]

We can't leave the Canadiens fans. Blue ball this long.

[Ryan Whitney]

Goal.

[Biz Nasty]

Caufield. 21 goals. No. 4 nations snubbed. But having an incredible year for you guys. Probably your best forward.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, definitely. Well, I don't know if he's Montreal's best for. I mean, he plays with Nick Suzuki and that guy. If you see what he does, he's a shiny toy both ends of the ice. I'll say this about Caulfield. I. I think that was the toughest call for Billy Garon to make, except he looks up and down his lineup and sees Matthews and Gensel and Gentle's on that team. Right. I'm not missing.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, yeah. Okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And. And Kyle Connor, who's got 22 goals and, you know, he may have looked at it, especially in the early going of the season with the way Caulfield was playing. He was scoring a lot of goals, but from, you know, 200 foot perspective, not playing as well as he did last year. But, man, over the last couple months, like this kid's game, I think there's a lot of fans outside of Montreal who watch him and just see the goals like he is so much more than that. He. He has a really become an impressive player, and he's probably one of. One of the biggest Successes of Marty St. Louis as a coach because he has convinced Cole to buy. I don't. I don't know how hard he had to sell him, but he convinced him to sacrifice some of those goals last year to work on the other stuff, and it's really paying off right now. I. I mean, you just see how much. How determined he is. A Smaller guy to win. Pucks back to extend offensive zone pressure. The playmaking ability's got nearly as many assists as he does goals. He's leading the NHL, or I should say he's co leading it as we're recording this before the Vancouver game with Jack Rossovich for the most five on five goals in the league. You know, this guy's a hell of a player. And if somebody goes down to injury, I got to think he's the first call for, for Billy Garon for usa. And if he doesn't play at the Four nations, which he's not scheduled to right now, I think he's gonna, he's gonna get a look for the Olympics. And I would say the same for Suzuki. You know, he's not going for Canada, but I think he'll get a look for the Olympics.

[Biz Nasty]

So my understanding is he didn't call them back last year for, for world championships and, and that, and they were like poopy pants about that. And then apparently they didn't give him a call to even let him know he didn't make the team for Four Nations. Is that true?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. You know, I, I, I definitely know.

[Biz Nasty]

You don't know that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know.

[Biz Nasty]

I know that I'm not there, but.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know that not going to the Worlds was definitely a factor in the decision to not include, include him on the team. I will say this about Nick. You know, you guys think of all the iron men in the NHL. Like, he has never missed an NHL game. Is there a single one of them know that. Like, is there a single one of them that plays through all those games unscathed? Like, I would imagine he's pretty banged up season after season. I'm not making excuses. I don't know the, he got engaged last summer. I don't know what he had planned during the summer that it just didn't work out, that he didn't.

[Biz Nasty]

He got roped in wedding planning.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

Did you get roped into that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

God no. I said absolutely no chance that we did a surprise wedding. We told everyone it was a engagement party. Boom, we got married.

[Biz Nasty]

Nice. I like, I like that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's a lot less fighting, a lot less sneak attack.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, well, I would have said yes to everything, but then I would have been like, I gotta work 50 more years on checklists.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know if they didn't call him, I don't know if, if I could say definitively that it's a factor in him not making that team, but I don't know the circumstances that they were so pissed off about it that they refused to call him to tell him, hey, buddy. Sorry, we're, we're going with other players. I know one thing that that kid knows exactly how good he is. And anybody who watches him knows, knows how good he is too. And he's a very humble kid. I don't want to make it sound like he's not. It's just he's taken that snub, I think personally and so is Caulfield and I love that. I think both those players are going to be in the mix for at the the Olympics.

[Ryan Whitney]

Suzuki is sick. Man of few words. We interviewed him. Not maybe the most talkative guy we've ever talked to, but he can play hockey.

[Biz Nasty]

I think he might have beat Brian Noonan. We interviewed Brian Noonan. He didn't say three words the whole time for 45 minutes.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, we got a new sponsor, Eric. It's Roback. And we got last question. Presented by Roback. Use code chicklets on roback.com for a generous 20% off your first purchase through the end of the week. That's Chiclets. C-H-I C L E T S on Roback. R H O b a c k.com 20% off all hoodies, joggers and more with code Chiclets. My question to you. What a read My question to you at the end. I'm gonna, I'm gonna preface this. I probably watched, I don't know, 80% of. Of Lane Hudson's games at BU over the two seasons. A joy to watch. Like you just love watching this kid play. He keeps you on the edge of your seat, literally. His moves, his, his one on one skills. It's crazy. At the end of the year, will he finish first or second? Is he going to be in the top two of rookie of the year? Which means he's going to bump Matt VAY Mechkov down to three because Celebrini is probably winning it in my mind. But with what you've seen from Lane Hudson, would you be surprised at all if he ends up second and called a trophy voter?

[Biz Nasty]

They don't take defense into account.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wit just he plays better defense than people think.

[Biz Nasty]

I just fucking with you. I'm just fucking with you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

With you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Unless you disagree, Eric. I don't know.

[Eric Engels]

No, dude.

[Paul Bissonnette]

This could be the fourth prediction I get wrong when all is said and done. But I think he'll be in that top two.

[Keith Yandle]

I do too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Honestly. The fact that he does Play defense is a big factor in why he would pass Mishkov. I don't know if he can pass Celebrini as his teammate of BU based on what Celebrini is doing right now, because he looks, He's. He's unbelievable. But I will say this about Lane Hudson. I believed coming into the season that he would be a star and that he would quickly become a superstar in this league. And nothing I've seen so far has dissuaded me from that. And anybody who thinks he can't play defense should start watching some of his.

[Biz Nasty]

Wow. Okay. All right, here we go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's elite at angling. He's elite at angling guys off the puck. He is really good with his stick. He is really smart and not putting himself in positions where he's going to get smoked. He lets a bigger player win a battle in a certain area so he can angle them off to a different place, out of the danger zone. He's this guy. He's playing on a pairing with Mike Matheson, who's a eight year veteran in the NHL. And like, I'm not trying to take something away from Matheson. There's a lot of nights where Hudson is the more reliable of the two. And Matheson scored 62 points last year. He's been, he's been a horse for Montreal. Like, I just look at this kid and the attitude. I'll share one quick story before we go. I previously to this trip to Vegas. I turned to Lane Hudson. I said, you got your fake ID ready for this trip? Like you're, you're going to Vegas for the first time on an NHL team? Said, nah, I, I don't have one of those. And I said, really? Like not even, you know, a drink here or there and this and that? No, I'm not. It's not really my thing. And he said, you know, you look at all the superstars in this league, they're really dialed in. They don't, they don't do any of that.

[Eric Engels]

And I.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It stuck with me because it's one thing for me to say he's a star who's bordering on superstardom in this league. Fact that he looks at himself as that in this future, that that means everything in terms of the way he plays the game and he plays the game to win on every single shift. He wants to make the difference every time he's on the ice. And you said before, like, does Slafkovsky have to hit? I'll say this. Lane Hudson was picked 62nd overall in that draft, and he might turn out to be the best player in the whole thing. So it's. It's a big win for Montreal. Cause I think Slafkovsky is going to be a really good player, too. Down the line and man, him. Slav Demidov coming.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the goaltending situation. There's doves, Montebo, we got Fowler. But I will say Grinelli just chimed in on the chat. Has he. Has Lane not met Kucharov? Because he loves getting after it, I think.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, I was gonna say the plot twist of the story is he turned back and he goes. But I do get into the blow. And he waved his baggie.

[Ryan Whitney]

You want some shrooms? Oh.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Right. Like the new school superstars. Like all these kids. Like, they're.

[Ryan Whitney]

No. And I don't even know. I'm basing that on Cooch's celebration. Or G is also on after the Cup. That's a little different.

[Eric Engels]

Oh, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, Montreal fans are pretty familiar.

[Biz Nasty]

And the All Star game.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Montreal fans. Jesus Christ. That too.

[Biz Nasty]

And Toronto at the All Star game.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was just pissed at the league for making the All Star Game, and he was waffled. You got anything else for him?

[Biz Nasty]

I think that's pretty much it. We covered everything. I mean, you just mentioned the goaltending and. And all the studs helping get it done. And Martin St. Louis changing things around. Because I would say that probably three weeks ago, there was a little bit of frustration from the fan base and not seeing the anticipated results, but here we are, man, an awesome, absolute heater, and they've turned into a wagon. So thanks for joining us. And go, baby.

[Ryan Whitney]

They may. They made. We're recording Monday, late afternoon. I mean, before the season, I probably wouldn't have cared much about a Vancouver, Montreal game, but now tonight, I'm looking forward to watching this. Vancouver's in a tough spot. Montreal's buzzing. They're coming home after a nice trip, which is usually a tough spot. But, Eric, we appreciate it. Love following what you do. And thanks for coming on.

[Biz Nasty]

I got one rollback question on the way out. Who's winning tonight? Make your prediction. It's coming out tomorrow. What's the score?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know if it's going to be Montreal, honestly.

[Ryan Whitney]

Montreal 9, nothing going into Colorado.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I would have given them as good of a chance as you against six people in a parking lot. Like it was. They were flying. They were playing back to back. Coming out of Chicago into mountain time, playing at altitude line. A sick. Not playing like they had just gone back to back Florida, Tampa, over to Vegas to play in the pacific time zone, play Chicago the night.

[Biz Nasty]

Holy fuck. Come up for breath.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was honestly, it was the fucking craziest road trip I've seen in 17 years of covering. And they play four Stanley cup winners on this trip where they're playing back to back and in four different time zones. Like it was pretty legit. I don't know what the schedule maker.

[Ryan Whitney]

Pretty legit explanation there.

[Biz Nasty]

Unbelievable. This guy's ready to hand him the Stanley cup and Martin St. Lee the Jack Adams. And I need a con smite. Let's go, baby. I'm on the habs wagon now. Thank you. I'm drinking the Kool Aid. I'm drinking the body armor Kool Aid.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, Eric, have a great one, man.

[Paul Bissonnette]

See ya.

[Ryan Whitney]

Before we continue, I want to talk about DraftKings. NFL playoffs are here. Wild card weekend. Get in right now on the DraftKings Action Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NFL. Scoring touchdowns is key to winning in the NFL playoffs. And the key to you scoring big is betting on them at DraftKings, the number one place to bet touchdowns. You ready to take your first bet? Try betting on something simple like a player to score six, go to the DraftKings sportsbook app and make your pick. Here's another reason to watch your favorite players crush it in the playoffs. New customers that bet $5 to get $200 in bonus bets instantly so you could score big right now during the NFL playoffs with DraftKings Sportsbook. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code CHICKLETS. That's code CHICLETS. For new customers to get $200 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just five bucks only on the DraftKings Sportsbook, the crown is yours. GAMBLING PROBLEM. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369. In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play.

[Eric Engels]

Responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and.

[Ryan Whitney]

Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio. Thank you very much to Eric Engels. The state of the Canadians. I think. I think some serious excitement's going to be going on there. I mean, he was just talking about Demidov after we recorded with him, saying that he's got sources or guys who work for other NHL teams saying, you have no clue what's coming.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm drinking the Kool Aid. I would at least. Can we bump them in the Viagra triangle and kick Buffalo out of the Viagra triangle? Can we at least. So there's a new Viagra triangle now. Okay, post it right now, G. All right, we got the Montreal Canadiens replacing the bag Buffalo Sabers. No longer is the future bright in Buffalo.

[Ryan Whitney]

If you're out of the triangle, that's bad news.

[Biz Nasty]

Enough's enough. The Montreal Canadiens, you're on deck. I had one quick question for you, Whit. We didn't really dive into that ski trip other than you getting the pink Whitney shutouts. Any craziness with Squanto, like, any craziness with the family during the ski trip? I can't imagine it ran that smoothly. I mean, every time. I mean, you can't even go a regular night in your household without something going crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, on that end, it. It did run pretty smooth. I mean, Cal doesn't really sleep, so, you know, he's waking up at like three in the morning crying for like an hour, and then he's up at 6. So, yeah, you're not really sleeping. But Wyatt was in ski school. He was. He was bombing down at the end. He was just ripping down the bunny slopes. So he crushed that. Ryder was up on the slopes. He loved it. He was doing good. He had a little bit more turning necessary. I'm like, dude, you go straight down the mountain. You're done. He's. I'm like, you got to just get the pizza turn going. What. What do you have?

[Biz Nasty]

Well, you just said your. Your Cal wakes up at 6am 3.

[Ryan Whitney]

And 6 or like 1, and then he's always up at 6 or 5.

[Biz Nasty]

Why not?

[Ryan Whitney]

Always another wake up.

[Biz Nasty]

Why not just do your workout with him when he's, like, kind of crying a little bit?

[Eric Engels]

Like.

[Biz Nasty]

Like, almost like, hold on. And you see those videos of, like, parents using their kids as kettlebells.

[Keith Yandle]

Clearly, he's never had a kid.

[Biz Nasty]

You know, you're just like, swinging. Swinging the kid around, doing. Hold them up. Do. Do some front squats. Put them on your back. Do some back.

[Eric Engels]

Hold them by his head.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, just, you know, just like. Just shake them around as you're just doing a jump squat.

[Biz Nasty]

No, no, no, no. There's videos of mothers out there who do.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I agree. I totally agree.

[Biz Nasty]

I've seen kettlebell workouts with their kids.

[Ryan Whitney]

And. And what you're saying is Kind of what I'm asking myself or telling myself, like, you got to start getting up and, and getting up early up with the men, right? See the sunrise. I actually was up very early this morning. Beautiful pink sky. But the ski. But buddy, skiing is something else, man. I drove up, they were there for three days. I got to go for 12 nights. But just one day skiing, buddy. There's. There's 12 lifts at this Sunday river. 11 or 12 lifts. There was one open. It was. I mean, and. And it's all ice. The skiing on the east. I see these videos of people skiing west. I don't want to ski. I don't want to. Every year we go skiing one time. It's fun. We have a blast. It's. It's great family time with my brother in law, Moose. It's just. We're having a time ski the beers after the beers, like, you know, at lunch, during. It's. It's awesome. The conditions are horrible. The skiing on the east is a disgrace. It's ice, it's closed lifts. Now granted, Sunday river I gotta get. It was windy as hell, so maybe like this is probably a safety thing, so. So we don't have these ski lifts flying off the handle. So. I understand, but just not, not the skiing I'm looking for. When I see the west and the powder, I think I need to go do that. And of course Keith, who has us, has us beat on every angle right now. His kids are a little bit older. He's coming out of the madness of not sleeping. He skis out west. He does it right.

[Biz Nasty]

Where do you go?

[Keith Yandle]

I go to Colorado, but we. So ours is next like a week from or the 8th, the February.

[Biz Nasty]

It's not veil, is it?

[Ryan Whitney]

Their whole school goes. It's ski week. They got one flight a year just for all these kids from Florida.

[Biz Nasty]

That's unbelievable.

[Keith Yandle]

So these Florida kids. So my daughter, my oldest asked me which I wanted to ask you guys.

[Biz Nasty]

She.

[Keith Yandle]

She snowboards now, which I think is. I wish I could do it because the boots are so comfortable. Whatever.

[Ryan Whitney]

But what about getting on and putting your foot in and out? Does she like. Does that bother her?

[Keith Yandle]

No, she's good.

[Eric Engels]

She figured it out.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't know, but she was. She wants to wear a hockey jersey over her. She thinks it's sty. But in. She was wondering what the coolest hockey jersey to wear over her, you know, snow gear would be. So I'm interested in to hear from you guys. What would a cool jersey to have.

[Ryan Whitney]

The biz Bissonette Wheeling Nailers jersey.

[Biz Nasty]

I think doing a Hawks Griswold would be good. Oh, the Blackhawks one with the Griswold on the back. That would be a fun one.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I was more thinking just like legit hockey player jersey. But you're going that road. I could see that there was, there was a couple kids skiing with hockey jerseys on, actually.

[Keith Yandle]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

There was a postronach jersey out there. There was a Bedard jersey out there at Sunday River. And there was another one too. I think it was a throwback, actually, but I can't even remember it right.

[Biz Nasty]

You know. You know what I would pick right now considering he's on this pod? The new King's jersey, the black one. Kopitar, buddy.

[Eric Engels]

There it is right there.

[Biz Nasty]

That's nasty. That would be nasty. This guy's a flash.

[Keith Yandle]

It's not white. You're not blending in with the snow. I like that biz. I'm gonna get that.

[Biz Nasty]

There it is right there.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're right. Yeah. The Kings, dude. Hell of a seat. And that actually brings us out West. Kings are safely in a playoff spot right now. I mean, are we gonna see. I think we're gonna see round four of la, Edmonton.

[Biz Nasty]

I really can't wait. I can't wait. I think it's gonna be different this year, though. It's going seven whit. They're not gonna be as, they're not gonna take as many penalties. They're not gonna be as dog on the PK either. I don't care how good the power play is for Edmonton. I think that there, there would be a different result if those two, those two teams meet in the first round. You don't even have Doughty back yet, for sakes.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know. That's crazy.

[Biz Nasty]

Like, Brant Clark's been buzzing Adrian Kempe. I'm gonna, I'm gonna trump your Marchenko call. That is the best contract in the National Hockey League. 5.5 million for Adrian Kempe. And I think he has next year left on it. So he can resign as as of July 1st. I want to say he signed a, a $22 million four year extension. So a perfect little bridge deal for him where he's. I, I, you guys were arguing with me. I think he's a $10 million player. If you watch their games like power play, he's automatic. He's got so much speed, he's got so much skill. He plays the right way, plays defensively. You can count on him in any situations. This la, by the way, can we mention Again, that, that Matt Murley called this team frauds.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was just going to ask Fraudster, like, okay, if.

[Biz Nasty]

If they end up going to. To the first round and they do lose to Edmonton the first round, they're still not frauds. They're. They. They could potentially win the Pacific Division with a team like Vegas in it. Like, if you're finishing top two in the Pacific, you're not a fucking fraud.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think he's saying fraud is in not at all a realistic Stanley cup threat. I'm guessing that's what he's meaning because, I mean, similar to the call about the jets last year. So I don't. I don't. I would. I. I'm saying it'll be a sweep, and I'll. And I'll go with the sweep just because it's perfect order when it happens. But I, I respect the LA Kings more than I did last year right now. So their systems changed, right? They. They. They were. They had that crazy system with McClellan. Now they got the new coach in there. I just think Kempe is sick. Avery was on the pod. He said he's the best player in the NHL. He's nasty. And $10 million, though, is just. But the cap goes up. I don't know if I argued with you in a sense that he wasn't worth it or more that if he was making a little less on a team, like if they could get him at eight and a half, that. That's a very nice situation.

[Biz Nasty]

I feel like he already took his discount deal. And the fact that soon Doughty and Kopitar will be off the books, I think Doughty's still making 11, but Kopitar's maybe only making 6. So by the time that deal truly kicks in, you might have one or two years of Kopitar max left. And even at that rate, he's only making 6 million bucks. And at that point, Doughty's off the books. And I think they're prepared to offer Adrian Kempe that type of money to stay there as a foundational piece. I think they're going to be prepared to offer it to Quentin by field. Maybe not to the degree that Kemp is getting paid, but as a cornerstone type deal, like a, like a 8 to 9 million per year based on how the, the reins are being passed off.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like what, like what was the deal that, what that Byfield signed, though?

[Biz Nasty]

What do you think that. I think that he's got, like, probably four years left. Yeah, three or four years left. He kind of signed a similar one to like Kempe. Yeah, to get, you know, like a protection type deal, right? Yeah. But I, he know like, like we're like, if another team is going to offer him that much money, that's how good of a player he is. So why wouldn't la, la can't this up and not bring him back. I think he's got him by the balls and I think that he's a 10 million dollar player. And let's not forget he ain't going to be making it next year. He's going to make it two years from now. So I think that he's a $10 million player.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, Carl's gonna, Carl's gonna be making more than him next year coaching some other team. But I, I, I think Kempe, I think you're gonna see him at four nations this year and I think him and Kyle Connor are going to be my two guys that are, you know. Cause if you're on the east coast, you don't see too much of the West. I think those two guys are going to be, you know, household names where people like, oh my God, these guys are legitimately insane.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. You haven't seen Kempe like, I mean, go, go on a long playoff run. So casual fans, right? Not seeing LA if you're out East. I know what you're saying. There's just guys you don't get to watch much and then you see how good they are, like seeing them play more often. But as an Oilers fan, I mean, Hallway and Broberg and St. Louis look good. Those already look like, oh my God, he didn't keep those guys. Warren Fogel, dude, he's playing awesome in la. I think another, another player that people almost said, I don't know what, what he'll be without playing with like McDavid or Leon and, and, and he's proven that he's a legit like option. Right. And, and a guy who can score. Not in a point per game place, but I think he's got 11 or 12 goals over 20 points. It's a good team. And, and being led by a true legend, a guy who's going to be in the hall of Fame someday. And we finally sat down with Anjay Kopitar a couple weeks back. I think we're gonna throw it over to him right now and just hear about his story and, and what he's done in his career has been insane. That, that he's continually like producing points at the age he is shutting down number one centers in, in all over the league. So before we go any further, it's time to talk about Game time. All the boys used Game Time last week to get into the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. And now looking ahead, we're talking about the Four Nations Cup. And Game Time makes it so easy. You know how much we love Game Time. Now with the brand new Game Time Picks features, they're making it even easier to get to a game. Game Time Picks filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't have to waste the time searching through thousands of tickets for an NHL or college hockey game near you. I was looking at tickets for the Four nations in Boston. They are available right now. I saw an amazing Game Time Picks deal for great seats at $165. So those are going to be some special games in Boston. Use Game Time for your chance to go see the game live at the Garden. Just pull up your chosen event and turn on GT Picks setting at the top of the screen or browse the best local game time pick deals near you on your GameTime app homepage. What are you waiting for? I'm going to buy those USA tickets right now with Game Time Picks. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code Chiclets for $20 off your first purchase Terms apply again, create an account and redeem code Chiclets for 20 off. Download the Gametime app today. What time is it? Game time. We are pleased now, very pleased and honored to be joined by two time Stanley cup champion, a man who's played over 1300 regular season games, has over 1200 points and a complete legend in the game of hockey, future hockey hall of Famer Andre Kopitar. What's going on, Kopi? How you doing?

[Eric Engels]

What's going on, fellas?

[Ryan Whitney]

We appreciate you coming on, dude. Nice little start to the season for yourself. Little hat trick opening things up.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, not bad. I mean the game itself wasn't the greatest that we've ever played before, but hey, in the end of the day it's the two points, right? So we'll take them and move on.

[Biz Nasty]

And you guys look good. Those new jerseys, I think those might be the greatest Kings jerseys of all time. Would you agree?

[Eric Engels]

It's non negotiable. It's 100% true. I mean we've had obviously quite a bit of success with, with the shield and the, or the home plate as we called it too. But these, these new logos are sharp. So yeah, it's it's definitely been a lot of fun wearing them and hopefully we can make some more memories.

[Biz Nasty]

Do you like the chrome buckets?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I didn't mind them. Yeah, okay. It's. It was a little out there, but a little fun, but I didn't mind them at all.

[Ryan Whitney]

Kobe, we usually start with like, when you're younger, especially your story is so cool, but I kind of have to start with like. Like, I think you got maybe one training camp with Biz. Do you have any, like, do you remember this guy in the room? Like, what's he doing here? Get him. Get him to Manchester, please. Or Ontario. Do you remember when he was around?

[Biz Nasty]

Hey, you were always nice to me because you knew I wasn't going to be there long, just four days.

[Eric Engels]

That's not true. That's not true. Maybe kind of. No. You know what? I remember Biz. I think the first time we kind of met or crossed paths was in our. Our gym and Biz was playing tunes and jumping around and doing all of that. I don't know. I mean, you. You got hurt quite a. Quite.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, my God. I was a band aid when I was in Ontario all the time.

[Eric Engels]

A couple surgeries with the LA Kings, but you know, unfortunately. But no, we, we didn't. We didn't hang around each other for, for. For too much, did we not.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Not really.

[Biz Nasty]

Just at training camp. And you were always so nice and just the way you carried yourself. And then I was excited to and obviously talk about it all. But I try to ask you before we started about the. Get the Craftsville game where we played the Oilers, where I got cut out against McDavid twice and I was minus two. And that was the last time I ever saw an NHL training camp. So that's what I knew. My time was done. And that was probably coming off of bilateral sports her into surgery. One of the. One of the times I was injured that you were talking about. But just going back on to when you were a kid, like, obviously it was your father who got you into hockey, right? Like, he played professionally, he coached as well, but obviously not the most popular sport in Slovenia.

[Eric Engels]

Definitely not the most popular sport. You know, And I mean, to be fair, it's. Hockey is. It's pretty expensive nowadays, right? If. If you want to play soccer, you want to play basketball, you go into a park, you go to like a school, there's always, you know, there's always soccer nets or, or basketball hoops and you can kind of work on. On your game there, I guess. But as hockey it's very different. I mean we're not a big country, 2 million people, but we only have seven ranks. So you know, it's not, it's not very orthodox, I guess I should say, you know, to have hockey players coming out of Slovenia. There's been, I believe, five of us drafted and two, two of us that played in the NHL. So you know, that itself, it's, it's pretty remarkable really since you know, you look at every little small village in Canada, they have two or three hockey rings and 10 to 15 NHL. So it's, you know, it's, it's different. But yeah, I got it from my old man. It was honestly the best thing when he asked me to go to his practice and I was a ring craft and you know, hanging out with the boys and obviously you guys have been around the loc Rose. I mean it was the best thing ever. So got hooked and never really looked.

[Ryan Whitney]

Back because of how small hockey was there. Like was the NHL like, like even a dream? Was it on your mind or. It was more what your dad was doing is as your kind of goal as, as a young kid. Like I imagine you, you didn't really have any NHL heroes from your home country to look up to. So I don't know if that was even on your mind when you were younger.

[Eric Engels]

No, I mean everybody's dreaming about the NHL, right. But this is, we're talking, you know, 25, 30 years ago and streaming was not a thing. So you can't just, you know, pull up highlights left and right and watch your, your favorite players and all of that. And you know, and even if they're by some miracle or chance was a game on TV, it was at 3 o'clock in the morning and my parents would never let me watch that. So you know, it was just kind of. Yeah. Looking up to my dad and hoping that maybe one day I'm, I was going to be a professional hockey player. Maybe not playing in Slovenia the whole time, maybe go around Europe. But I guess it worked out.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you think that like your dad being a player is like part of the reason you're such a two way player? Like maybe you know, knowing and learning the game from somebody that, that had played that long. Like did he teach you about the defensive side? Because even when you came in as a rookie drafted, it was always like this kid's not just like offensively you're.

[Biz Nasty]

Cheating and your, and your hockey IQ was something that people talked about.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I mean a lot of credit goes to my dad for Sure. I mean even when he was not my coach, you know, he was always watching our games and you know, he was always kind of coaching me I guess in that regarding you. Yeah, two way player. I mean. Two way player. Yeah, it's, you know, I played in Sweden before I got to obviously to la and Sweden as we all know was always a bit more defensive minded league and I, I think that helped me a lot too. And then just the work in la really it's, you know, Dean, Dean Lombardi and Mark Crawford who was my first coach and Terry Murray, you know, they just set me down and really wanted to, for me to play the 200 foot game and you know, I hopped obviously all over it and know it's, it's been working.

[Biz Nasty]

When you went over to Sweden, did your father go with you and like what was that transition like? I noticed the first year you started with the junior club, played a little bit with the, the senior team and then the following year you played the full year with the senior team. Correct?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, so actually my, my first year in Sweden I played the under 18s and under 20s because I was 17. And that year was actually the lockout. So we got the chance to actually watch some of the NHL players live. And you know, I got to hang out with Oli Okonen which you know, to me that was the greatest thing ever. And then you know, Scott Thornton was there, Kyle Calder, who were my teammates later on in la, which, which, yeah, so that was, you know, that was very interesting obviously. And then after that year everything's pushed back. The draft is pushed back. So you know, I get drafted and then I get the invite to, to come to, to training camp. And then I'm, I'm seeing all, all of this unfold really. And it's, you know, it's fascinating really because you're, you're skating with at that time Junior and Sean Avery and I, I mean, you know, I played my first so called back in the day we had with and you guys know that we had like an AHL game and then an NHL game. Everything wasn't split squad, there wasn't anything like that. So I played my first so called NHL game in Phoenix and I, I actually scored on a penalty, penalty shot against Cujo which, I mean, come on. Cujo, right. Of all people. And so I was in heaven. But then went back to Sweden and then developed for another year, came back the year after and you know, just, just kind of stuck and never looked back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you know, after, after your first experience of camp and then just getting that much stronger and, and more sound as a player that. That next year. Like I'm here to make the team. I believe I can make the team. Or were you almost expecting time in the ahl? Like what was told to you at camp maybe getting you ready for that first season over here?

[Eric Engels]

I mean they. Honestly, I think the team wanted me to stay that the first time around, but I. Oh really? Yeah, but I mean it wouldn't be. I don't think it would be in the NHL. Maybe a couple games here and there, up and down, you know. But I felt really comfortable in Sweden. You know, we. We had a pretty good team and I knew the environment because you know, going back to Slovenia, you're. You're coming My, My town was maybe 5,000 people, 6,000 people. So then you're going into, you know, to Sweden. Different country, different language. I mean I spoke English pretty well and so did everybody in Sweden, but it's still a bit of an adjustment. And then you know, fast forward to Los Angeles or mans Vegas for that matter. It would have been completely different, you know, for me. So I just felt comfortable in Sweden and I thought that was kind of like the best thing for me to stay and develop and get stronger and all of that. And then the next summer, you know, I just, honestly just worked my ass off and I, I knew I. I came in into rookie camp and I had good camp and then I just carried it over and made the team and. And that was it.

[Biz Nasty]

Did you live with anyone your first couple years?

[Eric Engels]

Like any of the vets, Patrick O'Sullivan was, was on the team too. So we were rooming for the first year. We got an apartment down in Hermosa beach and it was fun. It was good times.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I loved. I played with him at Edmonton. He would get so miserable some. Like the. In a funny way, Kobe, like he'd just be bitching, but he just crack you up. Oh my God, that guy made me laugh.

[Eric Engels]

You know what? Sully was great to me. I mean, like I said before, you know, coming to the States, I didn't know much about everything, let alone in la, in the South Bay and the, you know, the. The humongous city that we were in. So he helped me out a ton. And as simple as just he. He bought a car his first year so I was with him the whole time. You know, he was like my. My ride all the time. So everywhere he went, I went. Which was cool for me because then we'd hang out all the time and become Good friends and yeah, it was, it was very nice for me to have somebody around at all times.

[Biz Nasty]

Was it an easier time to develop? Because I would say that there was not as much pressure on the team when you were there in your younger years. I feel like there was kind of this like young core coming out, coming up and they were trying to figure it out. So maybe the expectation to win wasn't there, but yet you were able to, to get the good reps in early where the expectations weren't there.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, for sure. I mean our team wasn't good, good at all. First couple years. I mean we didn't have a whole lot of like middle aged guys. You know, we had some veterans that were, you know, great for me, showing me the ropes, you know, teaching me all the stuff and everything. But it was really, I mean me, Brownie, you know, Sully and Cammy, Michael Camilleri was there that we were kind of like so called the young guys. Right. And but everybody else was closer to the 30 plus, really. So you know, it was something that, you know, especially when Dean obviously came over, started to building our team and build a couple of championship teams which yes, at first you don't feel as much pressure really because you're trying to build a team and the expectations are low and then the expectations in that are low. In la, it's like totally different stuff, right, because you got the Lakers and you got everything going on around you, so nobody really pays attention to you too much. But then once you get going and once the team was set, you know, maybe the pressure was just a little bit greater because you're end of the rebuild phase and now, now you got to prove something. Not just, not just playing the NHL.

[Ryan Whitney]

It must be crazy for you. Like you get it to the league and Rob Blake's, you know, a future hall of Famer. You're playing with him now. He's running the, running things there. Like was he one of the guys that kind of took you under, under his wing? Like was he solid with the rookies? And, and looking back on it, it must be just weird like oh my God, this guy, like I'm talking to him now about now.

[Biz Nasty]

He's negotiating my contracts, now I'm doing.

[Ryan Whitney]

New deals with him.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I mean like you're watching these guys on, on TV and at that time they're something like they're gods to you pretty much. And then you fast forward a couple years and you're sitting in the locker room next to Rob Blake. I mean, I remember first couple, first Couple of days of training camp, I was so scared of Blakey, I wouldn't even say hi to him. So I was like. I was walking literally the opposite direction, which is. Was kind of crazy because now you think, like, me being as a older guy and, you know, rookie comes up to you and, like, literally walks in the other direction, not say hi. I'd say it's a little crazy, but I've. I've. I've done it. I. I've lived it. And. But yeah, it's. It's kind of surreal how you go from a moment to where you're looking up to these guys and then you're trying to beat them, and then now he's your boss, and it's. It's just like a funny circle of life.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Okay, Full circle.

[Ryan Whitney]

No. Now rookies are like, copy. Get your feet moving out.

[Biz Nasty]

Where's my eight times eight? Get working, captain.

[Eric Engels]

It's. Times have changed a little bit.

[Keith Yandle]

Yes, for sure.

[Biz Nasty]

What was it like having to change coaches a few times so early in your career? Like, do you think that that, like, hurt you from a development perspective?

[Eric Engels]

I mean, Mark Crawford was my first coach, which it was. It was good for me because he would play a ton of minutes. Like, he would play me a ton of minutes, and, you know, he would. We always show the boss and all that stuff, which, hey, it's. It's okay, you know, but he would, you know, give it to me and let me know. But he would also play me a ton, which was great for me. You know, I wasn't, I guess, intimidated by it. And then Terry Murray came in. I think Terry put a structure into. Into place for sure, for everybody, not just myself, you know, for the team. And then. And that kind of, I guess, brand its course. And then Daryl came in and pressed the right buttons, and then we won. That. That's what it was. I mean, it was. You know, I wouldn't say there was any setbacks. If anything, it was just kind of like a progression of. Of. Of everything or an evolution for. For me personally and as a team.

[Ryan Whitney]

I. I think when you say no setbacks, that. That's. That's interesting because you look. And your first three years missed the playoffs, then you guys make it, lose in the first round, but, boom, you lose, you don't even make the playoffs the next year, and it's followed by a Stanley Cup. But for you, the first three years, it's probably like, I want to play in the playoffs. You get there, and then that next season you miss again. Like, probably kind of a moment with the organization of, like, well, where are we going? What direction are we headed in?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, that's what I was talking before. You know, it's like, no expectation at first, but then once the team is set in stone, it's like, you. You got to deliver, right? Yeah. So it was the. There was some pressure. Obviously not Canada type pressure and anything, but, you know, we felt it. And Dean was always, you know, demanding a lot of us and which he should, because he. He put the right pieces in place and, you know, we. We delivered after all. But, you know, it. At some point, it was a little bit stressful and, you know, maybe a little bit too much pressure, but. But we got it done, and that's all that matters.

[Biz Nasty]

Was Daryl as intense as they say that he is? Like, I'm. I'm sure that's the case. And obviously, Crawford probably prepared you for Daryl. Like, it's almost walk before a run here where. I mean, I saw a little bit of. In training camp where we were playing an exhibition game, and I'm like, are we in, like, game six of the Stanley cup finals in Vernon, B.C. here?

[Eric Engels]

You know, who prepared me for that, too, was. Was my old man. He was an intense coach, too. Okay. He. It must be all the old school guys that are kind of like that, right? So I. I grew up with it, so it wasn't too unfamiliar with that. But, yeah, there. I mean, Daryl came in, and I remember Scott Thornton saying one time, you know, when he had him, I believe in San Jose, texted Thor, me and Brownie texted Thy and said, you know, how's Daryl and this and that. He goes, you know what? You don't have to be best friends with your coach. Right. And that's all.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's stuck.

[Eric Engels]

Right? So Daryl came in and, I mean, we had. We had a strong room, obviously, and, you know, I think that was the biggest thing, and he knew it. And he started pushing. Pushing buttons right away, and he pushed the right buttons. It was maybe not as fun as, you know, 100% of the time, but 98% of the time it was fun. And, you know, when you win, all is well and all is forgotten, and we celebrate it. And, you know, we love. Love the guy, and he's been great to me, to my family, to. To the organization, and, you know, that. That's. That's what you do. You. You want to win.

[Biz Nasty]

So was there, like, a good cop to him being the bad cop? Was there an assistant who would kind of try to lighten the Mood a little bit when. And you mentioned the buttons he was pushing. Are you saying like, he knew. He pro. He knew, he knew. He knew the guys who could take it and who were those guys who could take it, maybe even give it.

[Eric Engels]

Back a little bit that I, I think it's like I said, we, we had a really strong room. Everybody took it. But then I think collectively we all just want to kind of to like stick it to him. Really. It's like, okay, like, let's just show the guy that we're made for this, right? So it's like one of those. But he knew exactly what he was doing. That's why, that's why we won a couple times. And yeah, I don't think, I don't know if there was very many like, like good cop, bad cops, because, you know, I think Daryl itself is. Himself is pretty intimidating. So when stuff went down, I think everybody just kind of, you know, lowered their head and worked a little extra harder.

[Ryan Whitney]

The good cop comes in the room, he's like, it was bad today, boys.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm out of here. So you, I think we played you the year that you guys went off to win your first one, and that year you guys got the eight seed. So just catching lightning in a bottle at the right time too. Like with that group of guys, I feel like you guys had a, a couple guys on your bottom six who were entry level guys like Nolan and King who just came up at the right time and contributed the right thing. So everything just kind of seemed to just come together.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I mean, would I, if I'm not mistaken, with about 20 games left in the season, we're very much on the outside looking in. It's not like we, you know, we were kind of cemented into that 7, 8, 8 slot by any means. We were like, we were down, down on like 10, 11 plays. So we knew we had to win 14 out of last 20 games. But the funny part was we, we all thought it was very doable, right? And then if we did it, we knew we were one of the hottest teams coming into the playoffs. And that's exactly what happened. I mean, we were, we were up 3 nothing in every series. So it was kind of like, you know, I'm not gonna say it was walking the park, but being up three nothing in all four rounds, it's significant advantage.

[Biz Nasty]

And you guys are ending the series so early. And from my understanding, you guys had a pretty large group of guys who were going out and celebrating for like two, three nights after each series win. So kind of like not that doesn't really happen in modern day NHL or you guys are just on this absolute heater on and off the ice and you're probably rubbing elbows with all these celebs who ended up getting picked up along the run with you.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I don't know about celebs. We kept it in the South Bay pretty, pretty contained, you know, even if we did something or when we did something then. But yeah, I mean, you know, the first series was done in five, all the other series were gone. So it was one of those things where, I don't know, we went out and celebrated a little bit and then you have a day off and then you have an optional skate and then escape and then, you know, things start to go again. So you have time and you know, this is 12 years ago. We were all a little younger and we could do it. Recovery was a little bit faster than it is nowadays.

[Biz Nasty]

That's unreal.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I gotta ask about, about Drew Doughty. I just remember the 2010 Olympics and every, everyone the hockey world, like, I think that was just like holy, like his spinoramas and, and you saw it up close and personal as he came and I remember when, when he was drafted, a scout told me, like, this kid is so insane, wait till you see him. So you must have saw it right from the, right from the get go. And then like his, his personality just seems so, like easy to get along with. He's fun. But could you tell right away how special and like, like a possible hall of Famer here?

[Eric Engels]

Oh yeah, right away. You could tell right away. You know, and I've, at that point, I'm, I'm in the league for a couple years. Yeah, I think it was, it was two years and then he comes in and he just made it seem so easy at 18, you know, you see the place where it's like, wow, like the confidence. Got it. He's gonna be good and confident and his charisma, his, his character, you know, his laugh, everything is just so contagious. So as soon as, you know, we brought him in, it was like the energy level went way up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Eric Engels]

And the skill level way, way up too. So, you know, it was obviously a great pickup. And you know, I've been witnessing this for 17 years now. I mean, as much as he wants to score goals and produce and be on the offensive side of things, I think he actually takes more, more pride of, of being a good shutdown guy too, you know. And you know, he loves shutting, shutting guys down. And, you know, he's. He's been doing that for years and years, and, I mean, he. In my opinion, he has to be a Hall of Famer. He's won everything, really. I mean, he's won Olympics, World Cup. I think the only ones missing is world Championships. But that's just because he never goes.

[Biz Nasty]

And, like, it just goes to show, too, in preseason, he's going 100 miles an hour competing for a puck. Right. And I'm sure it's killing him. He's out of the lineup right now, and. But you guys have. Have really responded well. I noticed you guys are playing with an unreal pace in your first few games, and you guys got to be happy with the way you've came out despite that adversity.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Eric Engels]

I mean, it's obviously Drew going down. It's. It's. It's a big loss for, you know, for our team, and I'm sure everybody. Every other team would love to have Drew on their team. Right? So, you know, it's a big loss in general. But then again, we. Every team or the. We do we talk about death, right? So when. When somebody goes down, somebody's gotta pull a little extra weight or everybody's got to do it. So it's. It's not ideal, but we'll do it where we're gonna play and. And look ahead, and hopefully he. He comes back sooner rather than later. But, you know, we'll. We'll get him back when he's ready, and we're. We're gonna be extremely happy to get him back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Biz and I have talked kind of often more recently about, like, how, know, as you get older now, like, training's changing and. And you're 37, but, like, haven't slowed down two huge years offensively the past two years. What has changed for you in the summers? Like, because I think you being so big has probably helped out as you're aging, but I don't know if you've been changing workouts, you've been changing nutrition, and. And what have you had to kind of adjust as the career's gotten this long.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I mean, you know what? Just adjusting kind of year to year, really. I mean, once you go over 35, sometimes you realize that rest is actually better than anything else, you know? So, yeah, not. Not overdo it too much, really. Obviously, you got to put in the work and everything, and, you know, you got to take care of your body, but sometimes rest is. Is the biggest thing, really. So, yeah, nutrition is a big, big part of, you know, everybody, not just the older guys now and taking care of yourself. I've been doing this for a little bit, so. So you know your body, know what you got to do, you know, what has to get better, you know, where, you know, just slight adjustments here and there and you know, I've been pretty durable throughout my career and, you know, it seems to be working well.

[Biz Nasty]

Going back to the first cup run and even the second, I mean, we talked about you first line center, we got Drew Doughty. Every team needs a number one D man. And Jonathan Quick, like he was lights out. I think he won the Con Smythe in that first Stanley cup run where, I mean, it was one goal a game. That's all you were getting from him. When did you know he had that hit factor and that he could be that guy in that?

[Eric Engels]

I mean, honestly, pretty early on too, when he came to la, really. I mean, my. I think my first couple years in LA, I think we swapped over 10 or 11 goalies in two years, which. It's unheard of stuff. And then, you know, he got called up and really never looked back. I mean, you see it. He's an ultimate competitor. Still to this day, even though he's, he's, you know, we're a bit older, you know, he does, does this stuff and you know, he makes, he makes safes that. That's all it comes down to. Might not be the most, you know, sound technically maybe with. With all the angles and everything, but he stops the pucks. That's so what. What really matters. And in 12, he was an absolute monster. I mean, we didn't give him too many or did him too many favors with goal or run support is, Is.

[Biz Nasty]

It was 2:1 every game, you know.

[Eric Engels]

But if we got two or three, two points or the win was pretty much inevitable.

[Ryan Whitney]

What was crazy is like Jonathan Bernier was such a high pick and then he came in, it was. He was kind of the future goalie of the Kings. And I imagine, you know, Quick, he's such a good guy, but he's so competitive. Like, like, do you remember their relationship and almost the media talking about how like Quick's almost taken the job or what was it more just as the team, like whoever's in there helping us win, you guys weren't worried about it too much?

[Eric Engels]

I don't know exactly, but I think Quickie had really good relationships with all the goalies, you know, Really? I mean, yes, he, he obviously played the majority of the games, but I think everybody or every goalie that was backing him up was, you know, fully on board, and they knew it was Jonathan Quick. So it's like, it's either you're on boards or you're probably going to get pushed off, you know, off the roster, really. And, you know, I think Quickie and Bernie, I think they had a good relationship, obviously, but as a team, really, you don't really care too much who's back there or not at all, as long as they're making saves and we're winning games. So that was. That was the name of the game, and that's how it was.

[Ryan Whitney]

You've been around so long, you've seen so many guys come and go, but. But when he was traded, it was obviously pretty difficult, I think, for him. And I guess for you, like, that's one of the core guys. Like, it's. It's Dodi Kopitar and, and Quickie. In terms of all those, those two cups, like, was that a hard day for you? Do you remember chatting with them right after? Or was it. Was it just talk to you soon?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, actually, if. Well, you know what it was, it was actually we were in Winnipeg and I just scored four goals that game.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, my God.

[Eric Engels]

After the game, Quick, he gets dealt. Talking about absolute high to an absolute low. Right. So, yeah, it wasn't just like, talk to you later. It was, you know, it was a lot of emotion. Yeah, you know, frustration at first, just like, you know, every other guy in, in, I guess, King's organization too, and all the King stands and everything. But it was a weird day, you know, it was. It was sad. And, you know, I. I gotta say, I was happy that it worked far. Worked out for him too, obviously. Going. Going to Vegas, winning another cup and now playing for his childhood dream. I mean, you couldn't really script it all. All that, all that better too, but, you know, obviously wish he would have still been. Been with us. But it is what it is. And everybody, I think at this point has slightly moved on and keep working to work towards that way.

[Biz Nasty]

So you win that first cup, so you brought it back home to Slovenia, obviously, right?

[Eric Engels]

Yes.

[Biz Nasty]

That must have been like. Was that like a national holiday? And what's it like being the most famous person from your country? That's insane.

[Eric Engels]

I'm not most famous person from here.

[Biz Nasty]

What do you mean? When I Google that, you're. You're the first face I see.

[Ryan Whitney]

Luca.

[Eric Engels]

Oh, no, Luca is way, way bigger than me. No, listen. No, it was fun. I mean, honestly brought it home. And then I remember standing Quite literally at, at the airport, right by the airplane. And then when the Cub came like down on, on the belt, like, I just ripped the case wide open and I was like carrying the cup around like, like it was my baby, which at that time it was, right? So when like all, all the, all the workers in at the airport, like, they all stormed over and everything. And then one of the security guys, he goes, hey, List, know you guys are really enjoying this, but all that. But the airport is literally on, like on a standstill. You gotta take this cup away so we can actually like, do some work so the planes are not late. Which was, which was kind of funny, but yeah, and then it was about, I want to say, like four or five thousand people right at the airport. I don't know how they found out the cups coming, but. But they were there and it was, it was a lot of fun.

[Ryan Whitney]

I just remember when you guys, you know, you trade for Mike Richards, such a big deal, and Jeff Carter gets Delta Columbus. I remember the whole league's like, oh, poor Carter. Holy. His buddy gets to go to la. But then Carter comes over, right? And like, I imagine having those two guys with how close they were, they made such a difference. Richard's in the playoffs, such a dog. But do you ever remember like, chatting with him and, or him ever thinking that Carter could come over there that season? Was there a discussion there or just had no idea?

[Eric Engels]

No, there was no discussion. But I know Mike enjoyed LA a little bit more than, than Cards did Columbus, so, you know, but yeah, I mean, I don't think it was in, in in their wildest dreams really, to, to. To have been reunited that quick, at least, right? So that was the move that arguably put us over the edge. And you know, carts was a big part of, of obviously both Stanley cup runs. And you know, he's been a big part of the franchise and in the community and everything and, and I know he, he enjoyed his time in, in LA.

[Biz Nasty]

And I think on the, the second cup, the story was Mr. Game 7 and Justin Williams and what he did, like, I mean, talk about him as a teammate, because that was probably the main difference in that second run where you caught, you saw this guy just catch on fire at the right times.

[Eric Engels]

He was always there when, when, when we needed him really. I mean, all the game Sevens and we played three of them, all three on the road, and he was always a factor in, in those games, you know, and it, it's what you need in the playoffs if you want to win. That's what, that's what you need. You need, you need guys like that stepping up. You need the core guys to perform. You need your, your goaltending to be at absolute top. And, and that's what we had. And you know, we were, we were playing hard. Obviously. We, we had some, we had some injuries, you know, but then we acquired Gabby. Gabby at the deadline, too foskier. It was 14 goals. So I mean, it was just kind of the, the pieces were falling in place and, you know, we, we got the job done.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was that the year San Jose had you on the ropes?

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah. You guys are down three in the first round.

[Eric Engels]

Oh my gosh, that was first round. And, and the first two games were not even close. I mean, the first two games, I think it was 8:1 and 7:2. Like it was, it was a snooze fest on our part. And then they, they win game three in la. In ot, it was kind of a fluke goal. You know, it went off. I think it was warnoff. And then it kind of ricocheted into our net and then, and it was like, all right, we're down three and you know, managed to manage to come back.

[Biz Nasty]

Something had to be said. Was there like a meeting or like what changed? Down 03. Somebody, they got a team meeting. The. I remember a story of you guys, you guys sending Daryl off the ice and having an only team, like just the players meeting.

[Eric Engels]

No, it was, honestly, it wasn't all that different really. I mean, we always knew we were, we were a solid team. Right, Right. We're always very a proud team too. So we weren't getting swept. You know, we like. It just wasn't going to happen. The big game in our eyes was game five in San Jose because you guys have played in San Jose. They come buzzing. It's, it's crazy. The building's loud. The playoffs, it's extra loud. Everything. I mean, and, and we came out and beat him in game five. And then you're coming home for game six. It's like you're not really going to, to lose the series at home right after. You just want a big game five and then game seven is a game seven. So we went on the road and beat them. And you know, at that time, before even game seven, you know, now we've won three in a row and all the momentum is on our side and we keep rolling, we're feeling good. Maybe they're doubting themselves a little bit. Then, you know, we, we got the job done.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you face another elimination Game in that playoff run, like were you ever down 32 or in the rest of that? That.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah. So then, so then we go into Anaheim and win both games in Anaheim. They come back, win three in a row. So then we're facing elimination. Then we got to win two.

[Biz Nasty]

And then was it Chicago, that third.

[Eric Engels]

Series and then it was Chicago. Yeah, and then we were up what a run. I think we were up 3:1 on Chicago and then they came back too. So it's like. Yeah, it was, it was, it was wild that that playoff run was. I mean, compared to the, the 20, 2012, like complete, complete opposite. Yeah, you can't script any, any different.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was the other cup at home too?

[Eric Engels]

Yes.

[Ryan Whitney]

So that's pretty cool, right? What do you, what you, what do you do? Are you in the locker room till 3am like, what's the, what's the night after like, winning in LA?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, actually. Well, the, the first one, the, the 12th was like, like everybody was still kind of not fresh obviously, but not too exhausted from the actual run. So we, yeah, I mean the, the cup goes to the locker room and then we, we, we went to one of the, the restaurants and Staples center upstairs on the concourse level and just hung out and party there. And then the 14. I mean it was like all the game sevens and everything and it was just like drained like physically, emotionally, everything over the course of those three years, really. We, we played a ton of hockey and not a whole lot of rest. I mean we, we still partied hard, but I don't think it was as hard as, as 12 out of those two cup runs.

[Biz Nasty]

If you could go back and play one of those rounds, which one would you have played? Just based on the, the swings and like the, the maybe the impact that you had. Like I remember that Chicago one being unbelievable. Crazy, like back and forth fourth. Like which one would you like to go back? You might say none of them because you're so exhausted even thinking about it.

[Eric Engels]

That Chicago one was exhausting. And I mean they, they had a championship team too, which obviously they showed. And we had that battles those three, four, five years. We, we had a ton of battles. So it's like emotionally as stressful as they come. I mean. But it was arguably one of the, the, the best series you know, played in a long, long time. Right? So I mean that was really like the ultimate. Right, because whoever, you know, won that series. No, definitely no disrespect to Rangers, but we had a, a good chance of, of winning the cup or whoever came out of the west was, they had a good chance of winning the cup. And then maybe the other series that I would point out is just the World Series against Vancouver. I mean, they come off a President's trophy, we come as an eight seed and then wax them five games.

[Ryan Whitney]

Right.

[Eric Engels]

We go into Vancouver and we're in both games. Yeah. So it's like, it's almost like us as a team evolving and taking that next step for majority guys. That was the first, you know, playoff series win. So yeah, it, it felt special and it kind of got, got the ball rolling.

[Biz Nasty]

Obviously you're a dog, like a first line center going against all these beasts, round and round out. Did you ever have like a sports psychologist that you worked with to like get to that stage? I know you said your father was, you know, very hard on you. Like what did you do off the ice to prepare or maybe sharpen those tools or did you just do your thing at the rink and then you left and got your escape and you just figured it all out?

[Eric Engels]

I mean, early on, you know, for every young guy, it's, it's hockey all the time, constantly. Right. And then once you grow up a little bit and, and you get a little older, you, you do realize it's not just, it can be just hockey 24 7. You, you gotta get away, you gotta. And I picked up golf, which, which was great. I absolutely love it and I'm addicted to it.

[Biz Nasty]

Sandbagger.

[Ryan Whitney]

You got the bug. You got bit by the bug.

[Eric Engels]

I mean, you just gotta find a way to get away and disconnect a little bit. You know, you can, you can't tank hockey all the time. Time. So then, you know, you grow up, you, like I said, you go play golf, you go in la, it's a little bit easier because you go down to the beach and you, you lose yourself there for, for an hour or two, which it's good for, for your brain and, and for your mind. You know, then you have kids and then they run your show and you know, it's, it's, it's busy and, and everything. So it's, you know, I think it's just a, a fine balance of, of everything obviously being prepared and same time, it's like when it's time to disconnect, you, you have to disconnect. You can't be all. In 247.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you remember in, in either cup run and, and I guess the first one was easier, but do you ever, do you remember a speech that anyone gave? Did you ever address the team or, or was it more kind of like every night we're doing the thing. I didn't know if there was something very memorable, maybe a pregame speech or a night before speech you sometimes hear.

[Eric Engels]

From players in 12. It was before game six in LA. So we're playing, we're playing. Jers stood up and he said, you know what, guys, I really do not want to go back to Jersey for game seven. And he, he finished off. I don't know exactly what, what the speech was, but he finished off the. You know, I guess what he was saying is like, I'd like to us to be remembered as champions. And then that's all that it was said and obviously went and won that, won that game. And you know, I, I think that one was a memorable one. And in 14, I think it was just like everything was happening so, so quick. And you know, like I said, with, with all the long series and everything, we, we had a great room, a ton of leaders. Nothing really needed to be said. We all knew what we have to do. So it's just kind of like head down, grind away and make sure we get it done.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know that, that the international hockey is so special to hockey fans and we're getting back to best on best and just unfortunately, Slovenia is so small with hockey. Like, but you got the chance to play in the World cup and I think it was maybe 16 or. But it was Team Europe, right? So like, that must have been cool for you, getting your one chance for, for playing the best on best and, and you guys surprised. Like, it was a pretty sick team to watch. It must have been fun.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, we were one of the teams that was, it was kind of like a throw in, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

You and the young guns.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah. But then you, you do you realize that now I'm playing with, with Chara, Hosa, Yossi, I mean, all these superstars, right? And you actually have a chance going up against Canada. I mean, I played against Canada with team Slovenia, but we got bombarded. You know, it was like early on it was double digits.

[Biz Nasty]

They're like, we're gonna need you playing center on all four lines. Good luck.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, and a lot of PK too, because we took a lot of penalties. But anyways, you know, now you're playing with all these guys and you're going best on best and yeah, we, we made it to the finals, unfortunately lost to Canada, but it was, it was a great experience for me.

[Biz Nasty]

What about a World cup or like a four nations, but make it bigger where maybe they had like a bunch of like, odd countries like we just talked about. Is that something that you would want moving forward or be open to at the fact that you're not getting to, to enjoy this one? Coming up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Up?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah. I mean, oh, I'm gonna enjoy this one, but from the couch, you know, from Hawaii, when you're, when you're 37, you can kick it back and.

[Keith Yandle]

Fair enough.

[Eric Engels]

You take all, you take all the days off that you can, you know, so. No, I mean, I, I think it's great. I think, you know, hockey needs best on best for sure. I mean, Olympics are coming up again too, so. So that's going to be fun. I don't know how, how you expand it it and make it super competitive just because of the smaller countries, you know, we're just not that competitive. That's just the sad reality. And I don't know how you make that better, but I think this one is, is going to be, is going to be fun. We're going to test the waters, obviously, and see where it takes us.

[Ryan Whitney]

As a, you know, an older player now you're busy with kids, do you watch a lot of hockey? Like, have you, have you been a fan of the game or is it more on your off nights? You're, you're watching something else. Like some guys watch it, some guys don't.

[Eric Engels]

Very rarely.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Eric Engels]

I mean, my kids are the, the older ones. She's soon going to be 10. The younger one just turned 8. I got a figure skater and a hockey player, so I'm at the rink all the time, so I don't really have time really to relax a whole lot. You know, it's, you know, family time at the rink and I'm putting in some hours at, at Toyota center there. So, you know, maybe not ideal, but we do it as a family, obviously with wifey, we're, we're trying to, you know, bring him anywhere to all the activities and, and then being active and don't know, to your question, not a whole lot to, to watch any hockey.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who's your son's favorite player?

[Eric Engels]

I'd like to think it's me.

[Ryan Whitney]

There's no way. There's no way.

[Eric Engels]

No, but no, he, he likes Kempe on, on the Kings.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nice.

[Eric Engels]

Which I can't blame him one bit.

[Biz Nasty]

No, I play with him. I play with him. His first year pro in, in, in Manchester, he helped us win a call their Cup. Man. Man, this guy was a raw talent right from the beginning.

[Eric Engels]

Oh, yeah, yeah. He's, you know, Obviously it took him a little bit, but. But that's the way it is. I mean, he's, he's a 40 goal scorer and nobody can argue. Nobody can argue with that.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you, you're addicted to golf. And, and I don't know if, you know, we do these sandbaggers. They're YouTube golf matches. So we gotta, we gotta maybe, maybe get a commitment right now from you that you grab a partner. We've talked to Doty too, but I don't know if you.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't know. I don't know if you guys are ready for the bright lights like that. Like, I know Stanley Cups is one.

[Eric Engels]

Thing, but I haven't heard of sandbagger before. I haven't seen any content.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's only on Instagram when we drop one the next four days.

[Eric Engels]

Only everywhere. Yeah, I mean, I think stuff can be arranged. Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay.

[Eric Engels]

On the golf.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Business. Game face is on.

[Biz Nasty]

Wit's gonna negotiate the strokes.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm the stroke master.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, I, I think that's it, right? Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude. We appreciate this, man.

[Biz Nasty]

In the midst of the season too. I know you guys have big asp for this year and I was going to ask you one last one about Quentin Byfield. Like just a. A phenom. I think he's going to be a superstar. What are your thoughts on him, playing with him and what kind of a guy he is around the room?

[Eric Engels]

No, he's. He's great. Q. Q's awesome. I mean, he's as goofy as they come and as serious they come when he needs to be. So it's. Yeah, he's took a big step forward this year. Grew into his body a little bit more. I mean, he's got a big frame, so. So he, he's going to be a force for us this year and, and going forward. And he's. He's going to do some damage around the league for sure.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, congrats on everything, man. It's been an incredible run watching your entire career and we appreciate you joining the show. Fans are going to love this.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Thanks for being nice to me at training camp for four days, the AHL guy.

[Eric Engels]

Thank you, fellas.

[Ryan Whitney]

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[Biz Nasty]

No, I said they could be a dark horse if they sneak up in.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know they kind of disagree. Yeah, but they hit you on the clip. I felt like more like there's a chance they could win the cup, but I actually agree with you. I think they, I would actually love to see them get in. Utah continues to be right there. But the, the biggest team in the west that I want to talk about is, is Colorado. It's. They're exploding now. They switched around the goaltending like we talked about, which is so hard to do mid season. They got Blackwood and Wedgwood in there. There crazy scenario where Scott Wedgwood was injured on that Zach Benson goal. Did you see all that?

[Biz Nasty]

Bednar was losing it. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I think he had a right to. It was, it was crazy. He got injured like, and he's down there and then he gives him time and like Benson Berries. It was. I, I, I couldn't believe they didn't blow the whistle. I don't really know the reason why they wouldn't. Unless a guy's like a boat to as he's tapping it in, he gets injured. I don't, I didn't get that at all. But Colorado is flying. McKinnon leads the league in scoring. I don't know if you, if you consider them now like back on top as a, as a true Stanley cup threat biz.

[Biz Nasty]

I think they got to make one move and they got a, they got.

[Ryan Whitney]

A Cup No, Kadri, bring him back.

[Biz Nasty]

I think, I think bringing him back, if you could have that type of player, that would be the perfect mix. Like that's all you need right there. He's a gamer, big game player, plays the middle. Although Middlestad's had a great year. Like, I just don't know come playoff time in the Western Conference, if you're putting them up against the center ice that the Vegas Gold Knights have, like, they're way more stacked down the middle. So if you, if you have a cadre there as a second line center and then all of a sudden middle stats, a third line center, I just think that's such a healthier balance. And they're not as overall strong on D. They have Kale Makar, they got the goaltending now, but. But you got to, you got to win the battle somewhere. So the fact that Landy skating, that would be a dream if he could be back to his old ways for them come playoff time because his work below the goal line, that net front presence that he provides, it's. It's a kind of like anybody else that they have in their lineup. I know Nush can, can score on the power play and I know he's not shy to go to the blue paint, but to have that net front guy who's setting screens, who's winning, those pucks, retrievals, keeping power plays alive and just also that, just that leadership in the locker room, I think that unless they make a big move, if they don't get Landy back and they don't make that big move, I just can't see them getting it done.

[Keith Yandle]

Do you, do you think if they know he's going to come back, they won't make a move or you still think that they're going to go out hard and try to get a guy?

[Biz Nasty]

No, they understand that this is their window right now, and I think that they're going to try to fire on all cylinders like they have you. You can't, you can't waste any more time. They got the. They went out. Great move with Mackenzie Blackwood. Talk about the turnaround this guy's had in the last 18 months. Like, I know Pasha could probably allude to more of it. We, we didn't talk about it during the eastern side, but I want to know about Pasha's thoughts on that road trip the Devils just had.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's still going on. They got Seattle tonight looking under the hood.

[Biz Nasty]

How about the hood of your car? Car warning.

[Ryan Whitney]

The following statements are about to be made by A deranged Devils fan. The views expressed are his and his only. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt because remember, he is a deranged Devils fan. What a team can't lose four in a row?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like you're acting like they've lost 14 in a row like the Sabers.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey. Yeah, a couple things. Pasha. You, you, you. He snuck up just. He slid right up next to me at dinner and he's like, you know that, that, that, that like year break or year window. I thought that the Devils would have to go through of a heartbreaking late playoff loss before they won their. Yeah, he's like, I. I'm willing and ready to take it back right now that they can go to the cup final this year and win it. And so he's just like so cocky about them and so delusional every hit. And I. At the DraftKings sportsbook, I was just like, fuck him. And they're playing Carolina. They beat Carolina in Jersey. They went down to Carolina and played back to back and I was like fucked. I'm. I'm hammering the Hurricanes right in Pasha's face and I gotta win. And just to hear him like every play like, like, oh, they're skin screwed by the refs. And. And then by the way, Canada loses to Latvia. I announce it walking into the 711 posh. Like good.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. I'm not even rooting for Canada. I'm like this guy. I. I know biz. Wow. I know. And I'm like this guy. The Devils need. The Devils need to just. They just need to get a little, A little slap because I like them being good but Pasha's really making me like it's hard for me to root for them.

[Keith Yandle]

Them.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm gonna set this on cherry on.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You equally how deranged I am.

[Ryan Whitney]

Pro Devils.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You're equally as deranged.

[Ryan Whitney]

Anti Devils. Like they could go 160 in the playoffs in the cup and you'd be like, oh, you know what? That was a fluke. Oh buddy, you're wrong. I've. I've told you a million different times about how nasty I think they are and how I. I think they could like compete for Cups for the next eight years. And I really like Fitzy and it's a fun team to watch. Watch. You are now switching my. My opinion and my. You're. You're in my brain and you're. You're making me go to the other shoulder. The shoulder with that has the devil on it actually. No, the angel. Because you are the Devils and I just can't, I, I, I just can't watch games with you. I guess is, is what it is.

[Biz Nasty]

One last question for this delusional maniac. Do you think with Landy in the lineup that Colorado beats New Jersey in a seven game series?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it'll be a hell of a series.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it goes seven and anything can happen in game seven. But they'll give them a good run for their money.

[Biz Nasty]

You think the Nate Dog's losing to those guys?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think Nico, he sure will put.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The Nate Dog in handcuffs and just.

[Ryan Whitney]

Completely smother him out.

[Biz Nasty]

This is exactly what I wanted.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is why we have, this is why we have these discussions because you can't, you're probably came on here and like don't say anything crazy. Don't be the delusional lunatic that everyone knows I am. And you still said it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, it's crazy to say that Nico.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hea, one of the best two way.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Centerman in the NHL could shut down Nate Dog. That's not that crazy.

[Biz Nasty]

Shut down center in the Western Conference.

[Ryan Whitney]

When is he lead the league in scoring?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, he's never played in the series against Nico Heer.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's. Wow.

[Biz Nasty]

I think we've, I think we've heard enough.

[Ryan Whitney]

Get him off. Think get him off this guy.

[Biz Nasty]

But that's the hottest team in the league right now. Colorado or one of them. Excuse me, me.

[Keith Yandle]

And I understand why Bednar was so mad too. They've had six goalies this year. It's January 6th or whatever it is. Like you see your goalie get run through, you just go out, make a trade. You, you solidify the goaltending position and you've already played six goalies. Like I'd be fucking pissed too if I was him.

[Eric Engels]

So.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, it's almost like they kind of like they look back on New Jersey last year they ended up trading for Jake Allen but they never solidified the starting role. The fact that they've went and gotten Wedgwood and Blackwood like this year. What a fucking, what a, what a play by the organization to go sniff all that out and address it right away. So talking about a complete 180 in the goaltending department. I think their save percentage combined before these guys was like 860 or 870 at that point. So Colorado, anybody else from the west we need to talk about that. We have. Haven't.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well yeah, I mean it's, it's the, the weekly or daily Vancouver Canucks drama.

[Biz Nasty]

Where this was over.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I keep thinking it's over, but it's like never ending. I, I feel like the media is going to make it and we're part of the media, so we are making it something that it'll be something until one of them's traded. They'll either, they'll probably either have to both start lighting it up and the Canucks will go on a run, run like a 10 game heater and it'll kind of end or one of them will be traded. Do you think it just disappears now? Biz like Elliot Friedman talked about that apparently they're listening to offers on both of them. That's just boom, more news.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, that makes me feel less bad about kicking up dust on this podcast about it. I don't know if it's kind of like a chain effect of the fact that we just won't let it go so it kicks up more dust. But after the comments last week that we talked about Peterson, I mean this is fucking crazy. It's the never, never ending roller coaster ride. Yans, what do you make of it?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I don't know. I saw some comments too by, by Petterson saying he knows he needs to be better. He, he expects more from himself. So I don't know. I think it's just one of those things where, you know, you have two superstars that, you know, may, may not get along. We've all seen it before and one of them struggling or both of them are struggling at some points in the season and, and people are trying to make it more than it is. I, I, I don't, I, I, I really find it hard to believe and I don't know Pederson at all, but I really find it hard to believe that it, it can't, they can't get past it.

[Biz Nasty]

Right.

[Keith Yandle]

I know J.T. miller, great guy, great teammate. I, I, I don't know. I just, and especially with talk as the head coach, like a guy that's gone through it all, I, I just don't see how, especially what they did last year too, right? Like they were, you know, we're talking about them as they could, they could have won the cup last year if they had.

[Biz Nasty]

You're saying, you're saying you can't believe they can't just look past it and move on and like continue to win together. I, I'm surprised too, the fact that.

[Keith Yandle]

They'Re talking about trading one of them when you have two studs that are young enough to like the fact that they're even talking about it or you know, us as the media are Talking about it I think is crazy. And you know, as a, the ex player, I, I imagine they're in their locker room with, you know, listen or on their way to the rink listening to this stuff. I'm like, what are these people talking about? We have, they have no idea. But I don't know. I, I really find it hard to believe that they can't just get past what, whatever they were they beefing about if they had beef or should go.

[Biz Nasty]

On a scooter ride together.

[Ryan Whitney]

Huh?

[Biz Nasty]

Hey, imagine being like go on a scooter ride together.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're all Vino and Rutherford. Like those are the two that are like can you please just figure this out? I think it's crazy, but what I said before is true. If the next 10 games they go 8 and 2 and they both have 15 points, like the story goes away. Whether, whether that happens or not, I mean it remains to be seen. Ovi's a machine, guys. Alex Ovechkin, he's one goal away from joining. Gordie Howe is the only player with 20 consecutive 20 goal season seasons. Gordie Howe had 22 in a row. I think some fans or people who watch hockey think 20 goals is like easy. Maybe as an ex player I'm like 20 goals is a lot of goals. He's done it 20 years in a row. Playing 20 years in the league is one thing. To produce and play it all is another thing. And then to get 20 goals every single season with a bunch of them.

[Biz Nasty]

Them and playing back then when you had guys hacking your wrists with lumber with, with twigs like this and, and.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like skating by you when the puck's like 30ft away and just drilling you in the head with an elbow.

[Biz Nasty]

So yeah, so the longevity perspective of it and, and probably playing through immense amount of pain, it's just, it's, it's squirly, it's squirrely to think about. And I was talking to Jeff about it and he brought up a good point. Like kind of the doldrums now from game 41 to you know, know 60 now the ov's back and this race is going to pick up, pick up some steam. So it's, it's coming at a perfect time and man the way things are going and the amount of empty netters this guy cleans up with this thing might be done by game 72, not 82.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't get how he's like, how does he continually do this? He stands the, the, the one timer goals like he's doing. How, how Many times have we talked about, like, nobody can just stop it. You know, it's coming, coming. It's. It's wild to see that it continues. I think. I don't know what, like five, six years ago it was realistic to think like, oh, he's gonna slow down at one point. He's played too hard. Like coming up on year 16. Nope. Continually just goes out there out muscles. Guys is a farm animal. Scores goals, celebrates like crazy. It's just nuts that he continues to do this. And if he breaks it this year year, I will stand by the fact that that's a. That's the best storyline. I went against your. You wanted to happen next year to battle football on a Sunday. You want it to happen. I believe you said really take the NFL down. So Ovie. Ov. Ovi's just.

[Biz Nasty]

We're gonna. That's when next year's Winter Classic is. It's the day of the super bowl in Washington to celebrate his. His greatness and achievement. Mario's gonna be there. Wayne's gonna be there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Same start time. Same start time, too.

[Biz Nasty]

We're going to get 10 Faye to sing the halftime show.

[Keith Yandle]

It might be torn.

[Biz Nasty]

I knew I'd get a chuckle out of you guys. That's all I got.

[Ryan Whitney]

The Bruins, they signed Mark castle to a three year contract extension. 1.56. Yeah. 1.56. 7. G loves the deal biz. You love the deal.

[Biz Nasty]

I mean, he personally guaranteed it with his own money.

[Mike Grinelli]

I love it. Just for the pure fact that you can now trade Trent Frederick. I think Trent Frederick comes extremely expendable. Marcus Selleck is younger. He's done absolutely everything that you've asked Trent Frederick to do. But Castelic's done it better this season. Frederick's been virtually invisible.

[Biz Nasty]

Maybe. So maybe having to be relied upon less in the fighting department can potentially help Frederick evolve. But I agree with what you're saying. Like, I would. I would love to see a lot more spiciness to his game that we're seeing. And. And how do you pronounce his last name? Castella Castellic.

[Mike Grinelli]

And I love Frederick and I think it would be awesome for the Bruins to resign him, but it doesn't sound like they're anywhere close. And you know, a playoff team would love to add a guy like Trent Frederick right before a playoff run. So I don't know. I. I love the deal, but I think it could be time to. To part ways with Frederick.

[Biz Nasty]

Wow. I mean, I mean, he's. No, he's bang on with everything. That he says on his podcast, I don't think he's missed this year. He probably knows the trade right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

He got Monty fired. Dude, he's a bad guy. He's a bad Bruins fan. Gee, I mean, Frederick had 17 goals two years ago. 18 last year. I mean, yes, he's, he's only has six through 42 games this year, but.

[Mike Grinelli]

It'S just like I said with Monty, if you're not close, then you got to get rid of them.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I feel like they're not even.

[Biz Nasty]

Closer guys because they're such cheap. Didn't this happen with Jake the Bruss too? They just drag it out like, Bruins are like headline hog drama queens, man. I'm done with the Bruins.

[Mike Grinelli]

Is anyone shocked? Jeremy Jacobs is a cheap. Like, wasn't he the reason for the.

[Biz Nasty]

NHL just throw another 200 seats in the arena inside Frederick, for sakes.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's what I'm saying. But if they're, if they can't come too close to a deal by March, send them off.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah, they're just dragging it out.

[Keith Yandle]

What do you think Frederick's asking?

[Mike Grinelli]

I think Frederick 4.55 mil. I think before this year he's probably asking for a lot more. This year has been tough for him, but 17 goals, 18 goals. I mean, he can fight. That's a, that's a 4 and a half, 5 mil player.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I agree. Yeah. I think he's a 4 and a half, five year mil player.

[Mike Grinelli]

But the Bruins aren't going to pay him that. That's the issue.

[Eric Engels]

Right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. That's a good. Is he, Is he, Is he four and a half? Yeah, the last two years. No doubt. Tough to have a year like this right now, but he can also turn it around. Great guy. Play golf with him this summer. Awesome, dude. So I, I do love the way he plays. Yeah. I mean, the Bruins, they do. They do. Really?

[Biz Nasty]

Every time.

[Ryan Whitney]

By the way, I was told the Bruins were the. And, and gee, fact check this for me. The Bruins were the only NHL team that didn't have one one player playing in the world juniors.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah. Yeah, that's correct. I mean, come on, Don Sweeney, what.

[Ryan Whitney]

Are we doing here? That's not great.

[Biz Nasty]

Bring up that draft. The three first. The three first rounders. That's, that's what everybody always goes back to is how dog they're drafting and developing has been since, since like this regime has taken over. That's, that's tough. Not one guy. No.

[Mike Grinelli]

And if you're, and if you're parting ways, if you're going to part ways with Don Sweeney at the end of the season, which there are rumors that could happen. Don't know if it will, but if you do. But if part ways with Don Sweeney at the end of the season, how do you let him handle this trade deadline? Do you know what I mean?

[Biz Nasty]

Who's the new Bruins gm?

[Ryan Whitney]

I'd be like this bartender at the Greatest bar. Rick. He's a solid dude. He always.

[Biz Nasty]

He's one of three years in a row.

[Mike Grinelli]

Jamie Langenbruder would be an interesting name, I think.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's a name I want to keep. Out throw. Jamie Langenbruder.

[Biz Nasty]

It's happening. It's happening. Sweeney, come on down. It's your turn for the headline. Fine. You're done.

[Ryan Whitney]

We got to remember this also, like, in the future, if it doesn't happen, because we can't just have this appearing. If, If. If it. If that actually went down clipping at.

[Biz Nasty]

75% this year, I'd say at least.

[Ryan Whitney]

True, true. How about Keith, your boy Frankie V. Frankie Vetrano from Springfield. Leonard's going to get that Springfield tattoo, by the way, soon, if people don't remember. Keith. Is it the skyline of Springfield, Massachusetts that the guys from Springfield who've played in the NHL all have?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, and it is. It is not a great skyline. It's like the Wellen skyline.

[Biz Nasty]

Wellen's got the. The. A couple nice bridges there because we had the straight canal for the regatta. So it's actually not a bad skyline.

[Eric Engels]

God.

[Biz Nasty]

What we were just talking about over channel. So this deal, like, is this going to revolutionize the way that deals are signed moving forward here? Is he the first ever hockey player that's deferred money like this? And the craziest component to it. Are they saying that the deferred money is not going against the cap?

[Ryan Whitney]

So the cap hit. The cap hit is way less based on the deferred money.

[Biz Nasty]

That's fucking crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm so. I'm so. Seth Jarvis did it on his new deal. Gee, look up the. The numbers on Jarvis and what he deferred. Vetrano did it now. Totally different scenario with players like age and. And. And all. All the things that go into signing a deal. I. I'm so confused. It's like, I guess Vetrano would probably made a little bit more based on the cap hit being lower and the money being deferred. So I get that if he loves Anaheim, like three years, 18 million bucks now, 9 million of it is. Is coming in 10 years from now. So the cap it's 4.4.57 which helps the team. All right, quickly. Jarvis signed an 8 year 63.2 million dollar contract. This contract that ends in 2032. This contract will save the Hurricanes 400000 a season against the salary cap because Jarvis has agreed to defer money each year. That deferral will be paid as a lump sum of 15.67 million upon completion of the contract.

[Biz Nasty]

Wow. Okay. So done that that is. Is Vetrano the same way or is it being trickled out year over year? My understanding is he would get a payout of 900,000 a year, year over.

[Ryan Whitney]

Year for 10 years.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I just.

[Keith Yandle]

The reason why he's doing it is for the taxes in. In California.

[Biz Nasty]

That's. Well that's obvious. I'm just surprised as to like is is Jarvis is also not going against the cap based on the deferred money.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like that saved him 400,000 a season. So like how it's not what Patrono.

[Biz Nasty]

How is that possible? Like I don't like that is such a cheat around the salary cap. More so than ltir.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know teams like here's the thing.

[Biz Nasty]

Here'S the thing could say Matthews, we're going to pay you Otani type money to keep you for the eight and eight and we're going to defer it all. Where? Dude, he's from Arizona. Why the fuck would he want to get paid in Toronto? Like this is going to happen.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, that's a scenario where I agree you could see something like that happen. But players for the most I would think I don't want to defer the money because that money is not in 10 years. $900,000 isn't going to be what it is today. Now whatever. It's still a lot of money. But if you just invested that money and you got your. You're going to have way more of that money. Like come the time that your deal, your pay, your deferred money payment ends.

[Biz Nasty]

I. I agree with you there too. But I'll tell you this. On Marner's new deal we're deferring fucking money and he's going to be living in the Cayman islands in fucking 10 years. I don't give a fuck. I don't give a fuck.

[Ryan Whitney]

Marner's having the most boss like UFA year after getting dogged. If he does. If he plays like this in the playoffs he might make 15 million a year biz. He.

[Biz Nasty]

He's going to be living shift on.

[Ryan Whitney]

The PK against Philly on Sunday when he's gonna be living.

[Biz Nasty]

He's gonna be living in my bunk house in Jackson. Not paying state tax.

[Ryan Whitney]

He is actually. I saw another clip of him in warm up. He's doing like he's like figure skating like axle like he'll do like a double axle, no problem.

[Biz Nasty]

The guy's dude, yeah, he's feeling it. He ain't nervous about a contract year.

[Keith Yandle]

He's doing it with Matthews being out for a lot of the. Like he's missed some games this year.

[Eric Engels]

Right.

[Keith Yandle]

He's carrying the loaf, that team. It's, it's, it's impressive to watch.

[Biz Nasty]

He's going to get paid the same amount as Matthews.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now we've talked about players like when you, when you sign a big deal, the, the pressure that ratches up and then. Or you're, you're traded from a small market to a big market. Like it's a different ball game. They have three dogs in Nylander, Marner and Matthews. At least in the regular season. In the regular season right now that they are straight up lighting it up. With all the pressure in the world on him like it's pretty impressive to watch these guys, they don't give a.

[Biz Nasty]

Hey, guess what's going to happen too. Matthew gonna go on long term ir.

[Ryan Whitney]

Why? He just had five points in two games and it's two back, back to back.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, I thought he was out with the back still.

[Ryan Whitney]

He came back, buddy.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh no. Hey, I did take a little bit of a weak break here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Last two games. You're the Leafs guy.

[Biz Nasty]

I know.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm telling you, that American hero came back. Back.

[Biz Nasty]

I took a break. I took a break.

[Ryan Whitney]

He had a goal and two assists against the Bruins biz and then he had three assists against Philly.

[Biz Nasty]

Hands up. Hey.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, man. Hey, you know what? You're, you're, you're preparing for the spring. You're taking a little break. You're cruising through the regular season.

[Biz Nasty]

Well that and to beat the wheels off the Boston Stranglers. Cause I'm fucking training at 6am every morning. What are you doing to win a ball hockey championship, Keith? Huh? What are you doing other than eating.

[Ryan Whitney]

Doritos once a day? Once a day sweat. Once a day? Sweat.

[Biz Nasty]

How blanket is that? How do we get there?

[Ryan Whitney]

Vetrano and his deal.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh yeah, it's revolutionary. And we're going to see it a lot more moving forward. Let's just put it that way. Unless they block it in the CBA negotiations, that's the only thing that could potentially happen.

[Ryan Whitney]

Here, what does Ohtani get on the deferment? Isn't it he's making a million a.

[Keith Yandle]

Year and he signed like a billion dollar deal.

[Biz Nasty]

I think he's going to get 700 million million. Oh, I think it was 600 million deferred.

[Ryan Whitney]

Holy. I mean, won't they still go after the taxes?

[Biz Nasty]

No, you move to London or, or, or I think London's actually where you, you could do it with like a stock.

[Ryan Whitney]

London, England.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. There's a lot of people who go to London to evade paying tax. I think it has to, I think it has to do to, well, England in general, but they, a lot of them end up in London because they would rather live in London, especially if you're making that much money. Money. But that has to do with the way that you, quote, unquote, are hiding it. Like there's other places where you go to Cayman Islands and I think it's just a lot easier. You just have to go, I think Costa is Costa Rica, another one you don't pay in any type of tax. So I don't know where Ohtani is going to be living at, but it ain't going to be in LA.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, Ohtani also, while deferring, it's 680 million he deferred. He's making, he's making 2 million a year.

[Eric Engels]

Year.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then he deferring his money, though. I think he makes 70 million a year on endorsements. Say 50. 50. So it's like he doesn't give a shit. He's still that guy, an insane, insane athlete. I, I can't, I actually like watching, I, I like watching baseball when he's in it. I used to like the Red Sox. Now it's just a bummer watching them. But Ohtani must watch the New York Rangers guys. Arthur Calia picked up on waivers by the LA Kings. New York. I, I, I kind of like this move. I actually remember first seeing this kid at World Juniors when he was on Team usa. I don't know if it was one or two years he was a sniper playing in the O, but I guess hasn't really had a chance or he's had a chance in la, but they, they've kind of felt they fell out of, out of love with them, I guess. So I, I, I was surprised to see him on waivers. I don't know if you were shocked or surprised to see him get picked.

[Biz Nasty]

Up the, the missing piece, as I call it.

[Keith Yandle]

I Did he, did he not sign in the beginning of this year? Did he kind of hold out for a little bit.

[Ryan Whitney]

At one point he might have g. You need to look it up. I don't know.

[Keith Yandle]

I thought I, I, I thought he, I, I skated with him before the season started and I thought he said he hadn't signed his deal yet, so maybe they were kind of a little mad at him about that and, you know, not giving him the playing time. But he has one of the hardest shots I have ever seen. It's like, like Patrick line A type. He shoots it like line A does. He's got an absolute cannon of a shot, and I think he could be one of those guys who put him in the right situation. He could, he could score you some goals. Yeah, I think the Rangers right now just trying to do anything to stay afloat and find ways to win some games and, you know, it does. I don't think it hurts when you, when you're picking a guy up off of waivers who, you know, hopefully can score you some goals and get you back in the, in the win call.

[Biz Nasty]

I agree. The missing piece.

[Ryan Whitney]

The piece. The missing piece. 825.

[Biz Nasty]

Tyler Johnston.

[Eric Engels]

Keith.

[Ryan Whitney]

He did sign in late September. You're right. You're right. Khl guys, it's Russia. That's how you describe it. It's Russia. Nikita Dynak. Dynak. His phone fell out of his equipment in the middle of the game during a shift.

[Biz Nasty]

He was, oh, the part where the, the ref skating over to the bench and I'm like, oh, no, is somebody gonna claim that thing? And then, oh, the look on his face. He, he was just so embarrassed, so dejected. I will say, though, did you see the post game presser where he explained what happened?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yep.

[Biz Nasty]

He was very believable in his delivery and had some funny things he said. You think he's full of.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think he seemed pretty, pretty, pretty genuine. Pretty genuine, actually. I didn't want to make a, I don't want to make the league look bad and stuff like that that I.

[Biz Nasty]

Thought that he went from being funny about it to then like, saying, hey, like, this league is not a joke. I'm not trying to treat it as such. I hope that the, the, the, the higher ups have leniency on me, on me based on like, he thinks he probably gets suspended or at least fine from the, the whole ordeal, but just a crazy situation. Then we got Merls chiming in, in the group tech saying that he thinks he, they say he played with a guy who was dealing with a breakup and he had, he brought his phone on the bench during the game where he was kind of going back and forth trying to salvage the relationship. That is crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I never heard that either.

[Keith Yandle]

I swear to God. I used to see you on the. On the bench setting up parties for after the game.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, well, that was part of my job.

[Keith Yandle]

The coach knew. He let you do it.

[Biz Nasty]

That was part of my job. I was. I was tweeting in the. I was allowed to tweet in the third because I could untie my skates because I knew I wasn't getting a shift.

[Ryan Whitney]

Live from the bench. Biz Nasty. I think.

[Keith Yandle]

I think it's unbelievable.

[Biz Nasty]

Yo, where's the spot to night?

[Keith Yandle]

If that was my phone and it fell out of my pocket and the ref skating by, I would have grabbed it and thrown it in the stands. I've been like, who the has their phone out here? And been like, hopefully they don't look at the back of my family.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, my God. That would have been. Imagine Michelle Terry and if your phone fell in the middle of the game, I think you're possibly like, yeah, suspended. Suspended. Keith, you were telling me earlier, Biz, I don't know if you've ever told me this, that the John Scott year of him being voted into the All Star game and then like the story came from it, that was happening for you prior to that at one point and the league had to shut it down.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. Remember, they were voting.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Because you could vote in. They had the fan vote and you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Were like at the top.

[Eric Engels]

And the. I don't know if it was.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't remember that. No, no. I don't know. Maybe I was getting some like, sympathy votes, I'm sure. And people were trying to make a joke of it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, that's what it was.

[Biz Nasty]

I think it might have even been the year after that that all happened. And I was like, no, no, no, we're not doing this again kind of thing. So. No, that never happened. I think what he's meant was, is I was a two time ECHL all Star, baby. Back to back.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was a and a champion.

[Biz Nasty]

Looking like Kale McCarr out there on the ECHL ice, much like you saw on the ice with Connor Bedard at the Winter Classic. That's what Keith Yano was talking about. The same guy who's going to show up to Boston at the Chiclets cup and light your ass up, boy. Are you ready for this?

[Keith Yandle]

It ain't going to happen because you're coming on my soil. You're already scared.

[Biz Nasty]

Text to me on the first World Junior. You bitch. You came on Canadian soil and take a World Junior from us.

[Ryan Whitney]

Us.

[Biz Nasty]

You take a World Junior from us. On our turf. I'm coming back for vengeance. Chiclets Cup. I'm coming for you, Keith. Watch your neck.

[Keith Yandle]

I might even get a Canadian goalie just to show you that it's not the goaltending in Canada.

[Biz Nasty]

I think it's still up in the air where he's actually from.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, he's from Boston.

[Mike Grinelli]

Guys, I would. I. I would just like to say Keith was not wrong. I'm reading an article about this right now, and I can read it to you guys if you want, but it says Paul Bissonnette, or he's as he's often referred to as Biz Nasty. And this is on Howlin Hockey has found himself in the center of an online campaign for getting him to the All Star Game. Though he has stated via his Twitter that he'll be the first player ever made to be a healthy scratch for the All Star Game, I don't think this will stop fans from trying to vote him onto the team. This sounds like it was pretty legit biz.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. What in John Scott was. John Scott got voted onto the All Star Game. I think he was on the Coyote. So it was way after we were there.

[Ryan Whitney]

This.

[Mike Grinelli]

This was 2010. So we were doing Chiclets when John Scott was voted on.

[Biz Nasty]

On All Star Game.

[Mike Grinelli]

So this was five years.

[Ryan Whitney]

Came in, and Betman came in and he's like, no, no, no, no, no.

[Keith Yandle]

Maybe it was sideshow at the game. Imagine.

[Biz Nasty]

Maybe it was in the season where I was top 10 player in the league at points per 60 minutes, which.

[Keith Yandle]

Is nothing to do with your play. It had absolutely nothing to do with your play. It was all had to do with.

[Biz Nasty]

Your fucking words that just came out of my mouth.

[Ryan Whitney]

Looked all starish.

[Biz Nasty]

Thank you.

[Ryan Whitney]

The dump in after and then the. The broken stick. Probably the shift after. And like, that probably didn't look legit. All starish, Tom.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't control my ice time. I never have. I'm a team player. Top 10 in the league in points per 60 minutes played. Which one of you have that on your resume? Huh? Tell me. Go do some research. Go get TNT to look up some numbers for you Jazz.

[Ryan Whitney]

Get a stat for you biz. Like, if. If you were to text him, is it. Is he just like lightning getting stats?

[Biz Nasty]

You got to sleep. Yeah. Three minutes.

[Ryan Whitney]

He knows every sport, too. I was talking about every sport. He's watching them all. Animal. What's your next TNT game biz.

[Biz Nasty]

I have this weekend off. That's why I'm taking. I'm taking a little break A little you know get back in the training regimen. Do a little me I'm moving into my house kind of slowly but surely have a a lot of things to clean up on.

[Ryan Whitney]

What do you Office is coming together.

[Biz Nasty]

Office is coming and guess what showed up my twig for those of you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Watching channel so show the down the line view of the of the curve on that thing for the sure.

[Biz Nasty]

And for those of you who are listening to this and not watching, you could check it out. I don't know what the timestamp will be but it will be on a Spit and Chickles YouTube channel 370,000 subscribers now folks. Not a big deal. And here is what Gretzky's Hesler looked like. So whit you you kind of caught it, right? I I'll hand it over to you. You were like no, I think he was using ultralights when in in last year playing.

[Ryan Whitney]

I I just remembered him using like yeah. An Easton that said Gretzky on it. And then we were we were looking at the pictures of like I or I just googled Gretzky's last year in New York images and he had all the east and then boom, there was a picture with the he that stick. So we were both right. I don't know if we did we talk about this last week?

[Biz Nasty]

I forget we we did we. We're going to mention it again though. We're at the back half of the pod. Some people might have missed it, but he purchased the company Hespler and on his last game on Canadian soil which was in Ottawa, he used eight different twigs that he taped up and and had had as like artifacts. And Wayne was was great. Nice enough to surprise me with one at the live show. Now I'm gonna hang it up behind me. And then this is what else I have getting hung up underneath it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. The OG one.

[Biz Nasty]

It still has the tape on it like or the.

[Keith Yandle]

Wait, that's the one from your birthday Christmas.

[Biz Nasty]

No, no, no. I told that story. And a guy who has a shop in Halifax who's buddies with Stephen Dickens Dixon. Stephen Dixon texted me. He goes hey, that guy heard your story and he's seen the photo and he has one of these around and he's never used it, never opened it still has the goddamn sticker on it. $30 or a two piece hockey stick back then with the blade. That's how cheap hockey twigs were Back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Then, that's the blade that you. You put over the. The stove, put over the fire a little bit bit and curve it up. Heat gun. Oh, heat gun. It. That thing. So you're going. Yeah, you're going right one on top of the other.

[Biz Nasty]

So this one will be below or. No, sorry, that one will be below. And on the bottom left will be a picture of his last year where he's using the ultralight, but then a photo next to it of him with the her to explain the story. And then top there'll be the stick on the.

[Ryan Whitney]

The.

[Biz Nasty]

The right top side. And then the. The picture of me when I was a kid right there up there. And that'll be my little.

[Keith Yandle]

That's a backdrop right there to fill it in too. I will give you one of my sticks from when I smash you in the Chiclets cup. The stick that I use to beat you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I will.

[Keith Yandle]

I will personally sign it and give it to you. And you can put it right next to that Wayne Gretzky buddy.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm gonna be bringing this wood one and you're gonna be leaving there with no front teeth.

[Ryan Whitney]

That thing will be gone from. That thing will be gone from and sold in. In three minutes at this chick. Let's cop in Boston. Oh yeah, three minutes max.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm actually selling it to afford George St. Pierre to come down to put some of your. Your. Your teammates in arm bars and neck bars.

[Ryan Whitney]

How do we get. How do we get in touch with George St. Pierre before we go to Montreal for four nations? Maybe your sugar Sean guy has some sort of can. Oh. Oh, you. You chatted with him.

[Biz Nasty]

Maybe we could do one of those training videos. Those fighting. You have to do a fighting training.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'll be the ref. I'll be the ref. I'll be the ref.

[Biz Nasty]

With Kettlebell Cal, we'll do a full, full three hour workout.

[Ryan Whitney]

Boys.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't have much else. I don't know what else was in the.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no. The. The. The. The last things. It. It's kind of tough news, but we want to shout out somebody in the hockey world that's going through a lot. Rapid City Rush's head coach, Scott Burt. The Rapid City Rush play in the East Coast Hockey League. He underwent emergency brain surgery on December 6th and he will start chemo Thursday after a recent recent tumor diagnosis. And he needs help. So we posted the GoFundMe. Just kind of really tough news to. To see within the hockey world. And if you want to. If you want to, you know, help out there There's a way to do that. Cancer is the worst and everyone, everyone knows that. And, and right now a, a person in, in our world's hurting so just wanted to bring up his name and, and wish him the best and yeah, kind of a tough way to end the show, but we're thinking of them and I don't know if you guys had anything else.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. To, to piggyback that with another brutal email we got today from Dave Portnoy regarding a Barstool employee as well.

[Mike Grinelli]

I can jump in here and talk about Stanko. I worked a lot with him and behind the scenes, you know, he's a guy who he, he helped us out a ton. At every stream we do, he's there. He, he's part of the most hard working team at Barstool Sports, which is the, the control room.

[Ryan Whitney]

Guys, Guys.

[Mike Grinelli]

Every late night stream, every football game, every Sunday, these guys, they're always in the control room, always making sure we get on air. So Stanko was always. Although a lot of those Bruins playoff streams we were doing at the Barstool office in New York. Stanko is always the guy behind the scenes helping us out. So it's, it's awful, awful news. It's rocked the Barstool office and yeah, you know, our thoughts are with, you know, he got married this summer, so it's. Yeah. So our thoughts are with, you know, his wife, his family, everyone really. It's just, just, it's, it's horrible, horrible news.

[Biz Nasty]

What happened?

[Mike Grinelli]

Stomach cancer. Stomach cancer. So it's, it's just, it's another reminder for everyone out there to go get checked as well. Like any opportunity you have, go to the doctor, go get checked because could save your life.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Just horrible news. Saw that email. It's just, yeah. Dave said it's, you know, something. This first time something in the Barstool family like something, something like this has happened. You know, we've lost somebody and just, just the times I was able to meet him, so friendly, so helpful. Like you said, just married, it's like, oh yeah, that's horrible news. So we're, we're thinking of his family and, and everyone else out there. Yeah. Hug your loved ones and appreciate every day. So it's, it's a tough way to end it. But, but I hope everyone out there has a great week and, and I will see you next week the other way.