Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 540: Featuring Mike Modano & Hockey Illuminati

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 540: Featuring Mike Modano & Hockey Illuminati

Release Date: January 14, 2025

Hosts:

• Ryan Whitney (Former NHL player)
• Paul Bissonnette ("Biz Nasty") (Former NHL player)
• Mike Grinnell (Producer)
• Keith Yandle (Guest Host and Former NHL Defenseman)

---

I. Introduction and Welcome

The episode kicks off with Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette welcoming listeners to episode 540 of Spittin’ Chiclets. They introduce the episode's features, including a special interview with hockey legend Mike Modano and discussions with the newest member of their team, Keith Yandle.

Notable Quote:

• Ryan Whitney [00:14]: "Biz and I are out of the league."

II. Recap of "Surviving Barstool"

The hosts discuss the ongoing reality show "Surviving Barstool," sharing their experiences and reactions to the season's drama.

Notable Quotes:

• Keith Yandle [01:52]: "The show's been absolutely incredible... it has me at the edge of my seat every week."
• Biz Nasty [01:14]: "The reason it's mostly fully drank is because tomorrow's the finale of Surviving Barstool."

III. Announcements

a. Keith Yandle Joins Full-Time

The podcast proudly announces that Keith Yandle, a respected former NHL defenseman, has become a full-time member of the Spittin’ Chiclets team.

Notable Quotes:

• Ryan Whitney [06:52]: "It's a long time coming... Keith Yandle is a full-time member of Spittin’ Chiclets."
• Keith Yandle [07:55]: "I feel honored, lucky, blessed... excited to spread our love of the game."

b. Ownership of ECHL Team in Greensboro

The hosts reveal their venture into team ownership by co-owning an ECHL professional hockey team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. They tease the reveal of the team’s name and logo, scheduled for a live press conference.

Notable Quotes:

• Biz Nasty [10:19]: "We are co-owners in an ECHL professional hockey team in Greensboro, North Carolina."
• Ryan Whitney [10:59]: "The logo and the name is phenomenal... everyone is going to be just as excited as us."

IV. Surviving Barstool: Behind the Scenes

The conversation delves deeper into their personal experiences on "Surviving Barstool," highlighting conflicts, team dynamics, and personal growth throughout the show.

Notable Quotes:

• Ryan Whitney [03:30]: "I suck at that game. I got to get out when the pink wedding turned vicious."
• Biz Nasty [02:55]: "I won six of the nine overall competitions, but some plotted like little snakes and rats."

V. Boston Bruins Locker Room Drama

A significant portion of the episode focuses on rumors surrounding the Boston Bruins, specifically the alleged fallout between star players Brad Marchand and David Posternak. The hosts analyze the credibility of these rumors, debating their impact on the team's performance.

Notable Quotes:

• Paul Bissonnette [26:14]: "David Posternak has told the team he doesn't want to be on a line with Brad Marchand."
• Keith Yandle [32:56]: "I thought Marchie did a great job of handling it and putting it to bed."

VI. NHL Team Performance and Trades

The hosts engage in a lively discussion about various NHL teams' performances, potential trades, and strategies moving forward. Topics include the Edmonton Oilers' streak, the Minnesota Wild's interest in players, and Vancouver Canucks' trade refusals.

Notable Quotes:

• Biz Nasty [27:02]: "I think Nodak are a lot bigger team... they have chances to go far in the tournament."
• Ryan Whitney [38:19]: "I just know they're good buddies. It's hard to believe the Bruins management would leak something like that."

VII. Interview with Mike Modano

In a special segment, hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano joins the podcast to discuss his illustrious career, the evolution of hockey gear, and his experiences transitioning from player to ambassador of the sport.

Highlights:

• Draft and Early Career: Modano shares insights about being the first American to be drafted in the first round by the Dallas Stars (formerly Minnesota North Stars).
• Gear Evolution: Discussion on the transition from traditional leather skates and gloves to modern equipment, emphasizing comfort and performance.
• Legacy and Impact: Modano reflects on his role in growing hockey's popularity in the United States, especially in non-traditional markets like Dallas.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Modano [76:32]: "Seeing where the game is now in Dallas... it's just mind-blowing."
• Paul Bissonnette [89:50]: "We had to carry our own little wheel on the skate sharpener."

VIII. Hockey Culture and Fan Interactions

The hosts reminisce about their interactions with fans, the changes in locker room cultures over the years, and the increasing influence of social media on player dynamics and team chemistry.

Notable Quotes:

• Biz Nasty [49:18]: "We always had a good time. Team camaraderie was never an issue."
• Ryan Whitney [53:50]: "Social media hasn't changed things; it's making the game more individualistic."

IX. Sponsor Messages (Skipped)

As per instructions, all promotional segments and advertisements have been omitted from this summary to focus solely on the podcast's content and discussions.

X. Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with heartfelt messages to fans, acknowledgments of current events impacting the hockey community, and teasers for upcoming episodes and specials.

Notable Quotes:

• Ryan Whitney [215:35]: "We support lafd.org and redcross.org... it's heartbreaking to see."
• Biz Nasty [214:34]: "This is a hell of a nugget."

---

Conclusion

Episode 540 of Spittin’ Chiclets offers an engaging blend of personal anecdotes, in-depth hockey analysis, team and player discussions, and a special interview with Mike Modano. The addition of Keith Yandle and their venture into team ownership in Greensboro mark significant milestones for the podcast. Amidst lighthearted banter and serious hockey talk, the hosts provide a comprehensive look into the current state and future of the NHL, making it a must-listen for hockey enthusiasts.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, Spit and Chiclets listeners.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime.

[Keith Yandle]

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

[Ryan Whitney]

Our white whale, Sidney Crosby. Shave his head.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Shave his head.

[Ryan Whitney]

Shave his head. Ryan Whitney. Paul Vincent Ra Mike Grinelli. Spittin Chicklets. What is up folks? How we doing? Welcome to episode 540 of the Spitting Chicklets podcast presented to you by Pink Whitney. If you're watching on YouTube business holding up the birdie bucket. I'm holding up a three quarter strength bottle of Pink Whitney. Not a big deal. What a legend. I don't know why it says that on it, but shout out Pink Whitney. Shout out everyone out there drinking it and shout out the big old bottle. I know I always talk about the big old bottle, but I got a couple messages of people for the, for the NFL playoffs. They were bringing over big old bottles to apartments and they had to finish it. So I said good luck, Good luck boys. Good luck girls. But we appreciate you supporting us and we appreciate everyone out there.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, the reason it's mostly fully drank is because tomorrow's the the or in a few days, excuse me, is the finale of Surviving Barstool. So I'd imagine a few employees are a little bit nervous about the outcome and all the drama and everything that's surrounded now that majority of the season's been released. What have you guys thought? Specifically you, Keith, because you are a reality show junkie.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, the show's been absolutely incredible. First, the Pink Whitney yesterday went over to a friend's house, big Buffalo Bills fan. So we had the nips going. Every time that the bill scored, we, we did a nip. Kind of like a birdie. A birdie shot.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Okay, okay, I like it.

[Keith Yandle]

So that was fun. But the re. Yeah, the surviving Barstool, off the charts good. Jeff, dlo, the whole crew, whoever was involved in that amazing, amazing where it has me at the edge of my seat every week. I hate talking about it because I don't want you guys to slip up and, and get some spoiler. Yeah, spoiler alert. So it, it, it's been amazing tv. The way that he's, you know, staged it out too, where, you know, you, you're looking for it, you want it, you want more and more every week and then boom, boom, three episodes in a row. Tough to see my boys go out. Didn't like, didn't like Dan, Dan Katz's move there. Love Big Cat as A human, but didn't like him coming out my boys. But other than that, he played a good game. I thought everybody involved. Dave's clinic at the pink wedding. Speaking of pink, Whitney was the biggest master class of getting in people's headspaces I have ever seen, and applaud him for that. But, yeah, I needed to get a.

[Biz Nasty]

Brain transplant after that one because my brain was in a pretzel.

[Keith Yandle]

This was like the.

[Biz Nasty]

I was not playing the. The game, so to speak. Now, for people listening, I got the air quotations going up. I was showing up. I was a good teammate. I wasn't talking behind anyone's back. I was showing up prepared for the competitions. We won six of the nine overall competitions, but yet even some of the members of our team, they were going off and they were plotting like little snakes and rats. So not my game. But I made it pretty deep. I'm very happy with. With, like, the way that I. I showed in my first ever reality show. And, yeah, I left it all on the table, as they say.

[Ryan Whitney]

I suck at that game. Suck, suck, suck at that game. So, I mean, I got really nothing to say. I walked in. Biz and I are in Chicago. Keith's in Florida. We're here for the. For the finale. And I walked into the office, and this cameraman gets in my face. Like, how does it feel to be back? It's like, dude, I got, like, PTSD from that game being in this office. I want nothing to do with that game. I told Biz before, and maybe this is to try to make myself feel a little better. Like, we're team guys. Like, we're vibe guys. Like, that's a game for fucking sociopathic, psychotic, scumbag, lying, deceitful dirtbags. That's not us, Biz. That's not us. I mean, you at the pink wedding, your face staring off into space, no clue what's going on. And then as people are running around like chickens with their head cut off, you're just standing on the turf, stretching, looking away. I'm independent and.

[Biz Nasty]

And going back to the way what Keith mentioned, like, Dave Port was just throwing. Thriving in that moment. He was thriving, shooting the arrows over. He wanted to try to work out a plea bargain with me, try to put his hand over and shake it. Nope, not because you got my boy. Witty boy. Nope.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nope. There was just no chance, looking back, that we had any chance of doing anything in that game.

[Biz Nasty]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now people have asked, like, will you play again? Will you play again? I don't know. I. Right now it's like, no, I don't want to play again. I only want to play if Dave's in because I got to get him out. But if I play again and he's in and I don't get him out or he gets me out again, I said I have to leave the company. So I don't really understand or know what I'm going to do if there is another season and we're invited back. But, yeah, I was actually ended up kind of being happy looking at what was going on, what was happening that I got out when I did because that pink wedding turned vicious. And I also remember sitting there and being like, oh, my God, I think this show is going to be a hit. I think it's going to get hundreds of thousands of views and pink Whitney's everywhere. So show up the birdie bucket you were. I guess I win anyways. Yeah, I win again. But it was. It was. It was a blast. And, yeah, there's a. There's a few episodes left, so check that out. If you haven't.

[Biz Nasty]

YouTube and rumble and then the live finale. So nobody could fuck it up and spoil the surprise. So they don't know who won. They planned accordingly. Everybody, like, I meet people, people in the airport or whether I was out in public or at Houston's, of course. And they'd be like, hey, you know, love the pod, but this surviving barstool has been unbelievable. Who won it? Who wanted, like, nope, My lips are sealed. And if you want to know the winner, you got to watch live on Barstool. YouTube, baby. So any of you who are listening now, make sure you check it out. It's going to be a great finale.

[Ryan Whitney]

I did write down on my phone, I meant to say it last week. I've gotten stopped and. And. And recognized more with Survivor than ever for Chiclets. It is crazy how many people are watching and everyone's like, you're horrible at that game. I'm like, I know, dude. Like, remind. Thanks for the reminder. And then they're like, big cat's a scumbag. I say, yeah, he's a piece of. So it was amazing that. How angry I was leaving that game and getting to the house. Like, I. I was like, 12 hours later. I was like, oh, I think I was a little ridiculous. What did I say to all those cameras? I was like, I fucking hate Dan Katz. He's a piece of shit. Fuck him. But I ended up kind of getting over it. It's just the game and living in this office. But, yeah, Appreciate everyone watching. Go check it out if you haven't. That kind of leads us, I think, into, into a couple big show announcements.

[Biz Nasty]

Huge.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it's time and, and one of them a long time coming, kind of in my mind from the very beginning of this show. And then as Biz joined the show of like getting Keith involved, Keith was still playing Iron man, living it up. You and I are out of the league. And boom, boom, boom, Keith's lighting it up. But how do we get him in? How do we get him in? And the time has finally come where we can announce with just pure joy and happiness that Keith Yandel, the sonk man, Keith is a full time member of the Spit and ch. Oh.

[Biz Nasty]

Ladies and gentlemen, round of applause. I bet you there's a lot of people tooting their horns right now listening. Wendy from Winnipeg. Yeah, we got.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, Pete from Philly, though he ain't doing shitty. I hate you. That guy sucked.

[Keith Yandle]

Ready from Fort Lauderdale?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

How do you feel, Yads? How does it feel?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it feels great. You know, obviously have been a fan of the show before, you know, you're a true fan.

[Biz Nasty]

He's a boost.

[Ryan Whitney]

I signed your tit one time.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Yeah. So it's like, it's like a booster getting a, you know, a job behind the bench for, for an NHL team. I, I feel honored. L. Lucky. Blessed. Couldn't be more happy. Get to spend some more time with you knuckleheads and, and have some fun and, and spread our love of the game to these wonderful fans that you guys have accumulated over the last, whatever, what's it, 10 years? How long you guys been doing this?

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I think, I think in this year's super bowl, is it nine or eight? I know, Crazy, crazy. Ten. Yeah.

[G]

No, I mean on my, on my watch, you guys put 15.

[Ryan Whitney]

15.

[G]

You engraved the 20. 15. You put the date that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, on the Rolex.

[G]

On the Rolex.

[Keith Yandle]

That was a used Rolex. Somebody else.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's actually a F. It fully bought it and then like put a little R over the F. Very easy to fix. Yeah. And, and, and for everyone. It's so fun for us to get to, to get to have Keith on having been such close friends for so long and the fact that Yan's, I don't know if you've noticed, has a lot more connections than Biz and I do just with how many, how long you played, how many guys you played with. So we have some more very special interviews that were lined up later this Month. We're going to be in Florida doing some things, and it's all thanks to you. So we're very excited. Keith, thank you so much for. For being a part of this.

[Biz Nasty]

And I'm still gonna fucking bend you over at the Chiclets Cup. Like, I know we're playing tummy sticks.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought you were gonna say in contract negotiations.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, that, too. That too. That comes after Chiclets Cup.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, the funny thing was he came on his first chicklets trip with us to Chicago. Just back here for the winter class. He's like, jesus price these Chicklets trips. I'm like, yeah, buddy, it ain't no joke. You're running hard on these trips. You got to be rested, ready to go, because we get after it. Except for Biz. He's just the. The ultimate guy. Just chills.

[Biz Nasty]

We pay you in. In merchandise, pink Whitney Nips, and We give you Biz20 promo codes to anything else you want.

[Keith Yandle]

Nice. Houston.

[Biz Nasty]

That's pretty good. Pretty good.

[Ryan Whitney]

I saw somebody said we, we. We might have to name the Boston Stranglers. Rename them the Irish Travelers. I saw that floating around the Internet. That would be just eyeball. Oh, yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

On our team.

[Biz Nasty]

They wouldn't show up. Just like their court dates.

[Keith Yandle]

No, I bailed them out. They're on our team. I already paid their bill.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, I bet you did. I bet you did. Wow. Speaking of teams, another big announcement. We have another huge announcement. This might be, in fact, the biggest one in Chiclet's history. We've been talking all this time about getting involved in the echl. Well, it has finally happened. We are co owners in an ECHL professional hockey team in Greensboro, North Carolina. Now, those of you wondering the name, it will be dropped tonight, live. Live Press Conference, 6:30pm Eastern Time, Greensboro will announce the name of the team. We can't spoil it here as we record on Monday from Chicago, but we.

[Ryan Whitney]

Can say that the logo and the name is phenomenal.

[Biz Nasty]

It's unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's incredible. And are we saying this just because we're owners? I don't know, but I actually believe it, guys. And when everyone sees it, I think you're going to be just as excited as us. And don't think for a second that this being in North Carolina didn't affect my decision to become an owner. Because there's some wonderful golf down in Greensboro, baby.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

There's golf courses galore in North Carolina.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm going to see my role as kind of like a Jerry Jones slash Lou Lamarello. I'm going to have my hand on everything I will be doing. I will be doing media hits. If any of these media members question the moves I'm making, they will be fired on the spot. I am going to run the out of this team to multiple championships, and these guys aren't getting paid until they win. That's what I'm. That's what I'm.

[Ryan Whitney]

I just. It's like khl, East Coast Hockey League combo.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm gonna make the KHL look like.

[Ryan Whitney]

I want to get bonuses, like win bonuses for guys. I don't know if that's allowed with the cba. Is there a CBA in the Coast?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know.

[Ryan Whitney]

We recreate a new one. I also have always dreamed of being an owner and just carving the refs in the media. I want to carve the refs after we get a tough night with.

[Biz Nasty]

Your fine will be more than the deposit you put down for the team. This is unreal. We're going to run amok in the echl. There's no stopping us.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think we could do big damage in terms of bringing in free agents. Right. You got a huge offer from Scott and the kho. Why you come on down to Greensboro and pay for our club? Yep. We'll. We'll hook you up with bonuses. We'll hook you up with anything you need. Pink Whitney promo codes, some merch. What else would you want?

[Biz Nasty]

We got the best team in the league coming to play us at home. I'm gonna be starting rumors about his family. Just spreading lies. Like the. Like Brad Marshaw's buddy in Boston media. You think that's bad?

[Ryan Whitney]

This turns into Minan and Survivor.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Oh.

[Keith Yandle]

Hey, but, you know, Yeah, I.

[Biz Nasty]

Heard this leading scorer for the running Royals has the smallest in the league. This. Oh, this 2p jump.

[Ryan Whitney]

I want to get our squad, like, the sickest sleeper bus known to man. Just like a. Like a Taj Mahal of sleeper buses.

[Biz Nasty]

Just like gold toilets.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gold toilets? Yeah. Like, maybe like, you know how.

[Biz Nasty]

Massage chairs.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know how for, like, a while there was, like, bars where you, like, in the. In the. In the hoser. You'd have, like, Joe Biden's face. Like, get the other teams, like, captain, you're hosing on his face. Just. It's switched over every game.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Things like that. Things like that.

[Biz Nasty]

Anything else you want to do as an owner? Hey, mind you, G is also part owner, so it's myself, Yan's Wit G, and then my buddy Jeff Jacobson is in the mix as well. What. What do you want to see done as an owner of the the team G. Oh, my God.

[G]

I mean, I love to see us sign diamond hands. Diamond hands. Daniel Amesbury. That guy just brings the fucking noise every night. So I want to see like a Danbury Thrashers type theme. Just knocking people out every night. I mean, and, and the ownership group though, that we're with, we got to mention them. Andy Kaufman and Zoyer Sports. Unbelievable group to be a part.

[Biz Nasty]

They run a tight ship.

[G]

They run a tight ship.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I might be out after this announcement.

[Biz Nasty]

Too late. Already signed the papers. Our whole, our, our third line is going to be John Nasty Morasti. We got Jeremy Oblonsky and Who should be the third? Maybe we'll sign that. Olivia. No, let's get Bond Dennis Bomy out of retirement. We're gonna have to pay for surgery to straighten out all of his fingers from fighting all those. That's done. He's going to be the third guy on that third line because in the echl, I'm pretty sure they only play with three lines and an extra. Maybe they've bumped it up to two extra. If there's 10 forwards, I want three goons. Maybe we'll get Josh Gratton back in the back in the mix. I didn't see him lose a fight. And then just get seven very, very highly skilled forwards that should be playing whether AHL or NHL level, maybe like the in betweener, and then just run amok skill wise. Then if anybody touches them, lays a finger on those skilled players, it's like sick them boys.

[G]

One thing I would like to add that I think might be out of the norm is a band. I think we could do wonders with a band in the crowd.

[Ryan Whitney]

You ever go to a college hockey guy? I couldn't agree more. It's amazing. That would be electric. I know. And down south. North Carolina is considered down south. Correct biz. Actually you thought Colorado was down south off. You don't know shit. I'll put a band right in that arena with a tuba, maybe a saxophone, just ripping it up. Another thing is like thinking of what's the guy in Oakland with the horrible haircut?

[G]

Mark Davis.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

So he eats at, at PF Chang. I think so we maybe we need a restaurant. Obviously you have Houston's, but we need a restaurant that we could start eating at like five times a week just to feel like a true owner. A true owner. I mean, I, I, I am just so excited to go down to games and then just somebody say like, hey, where's Your ticket. No, I'm the owner. Get out of my way, please. Oh, sir, that's not your. I own the team. Please move. I'm not wearing the mascot anymore as a costume. I'm sitting in the office.

[Biz Nasty]

That's my wife. I own this, Rick and I own the team. Zip.

[G]

Have you guys seen the arena, too? First Horizon Coliseum. Incredible barn. Incredible.

[Ryan Whitney]

I want it to just be a party, just an absolute banger every night. Yeah, we want, we want when the band's not playing. Maybe it's just like house music blaring.

[Keith Yandle]

I, I think too, like, like the NHL in the AHL is getting so young nowadays. Like, we get a, you know, an NHL vet. Like a 32 year old guy, played 5, 600.

[Biz Nasty]

That's our youngest player. 32. That's, that's, that's the youngest.

[Keith Yandle]

Come on down to Greensboro. We'll give you a free membership at the local course. Play golf every day. You know, muck it up with the boys. Enjoy the band during the game and win some games for the fellas.

[Ryan Whitney]

I want to have better, like, better food for the guys. No, Tripper.

[Biz Nasty]

Tripper.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's saying, no, no. You want almost worse food. Keep them hungry. Yeah, I remember David Cosey, like, wouldn't eat pregame meals. Like, what are you doing? He's like, gotta stay hungry. I'm like, oh, shit. I guess that's a good way to look at it. All right, so we just give him like, just slosh, like Russian food.

[Biz Nasty]

You want some more sloppy jokes?

[Ryan Whitney]

I made them extra sloppy for you.

[G]

How can. Houston's not sponsored.

[Ryan Whitney]

They won't even give Biz a fucking free meal. I'm about ready to snap on. Houston's on this pod. I swear to God, I give him till the end of March. If there isn't a meal named after him and he doesn't have a free food for life card, I'm going off on Houston's on this part. They're like, oh, you definitely become an Irish traveler.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, you defend.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay.

[Biz Nasty]

You get to watch.

[Keith Yandle]

You got the skin tone for it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, we have this finale. I was like, should I go get like a tan or something?

[Biz Nasty]

Let's get a spray tan.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I got a spray tan once and I've been, It's been a story on Chiclets for eight years now. It washed off my body and Ryan gets left laughed in my face. I got traded. Couple weeks later. Oh, boys, biz. How was the North Dakota Arizona State game? I saw pictures. Atmosphere buzzing. How'd the game go?

[Biz Nasty]

Shout out to Coach Powers. He ended up getting us the passes to. To go over. I went with my trainer Taylor Pya of ours and just a great atmosphere. The one thing they were lacking at the game, the band wasn't there. I don't know if some games they do it break.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's probably still okay.

[Biz Nasty]

Maybe that, maybe that's why. But great game. Maybe the refs got a little bit too involved. Way too many minor penalties called. But ultimately they were up 3, 2 going late in the game. They gave one up to Nodak and. And Nodak ended up pulling it off in overtime. So they got three of the four points on the weekend. But it was not. It was good, man. Like I don't remember college hockey being that rough. There were a lot of scrums after the whistles and I guess like for the second game of a back to back. It probably gets like that because you're so sick of seeing the same matchups and the same guys. But was very impressed. Nodak a lot bigger team. I thought that ASU was a little bit more undersized but maybe a little bit more mobility. They had a couple water bugs out there. Probably the more impressive, most impressive player I saw was that Cullen Potter, number 12 for ASU. He was their second line center. Is that. Is that who am I saying the name right?

[Ryan Whitney]

Let me check here.

[G]

I believe you are biz.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, yeah. He was buzzing around out there and you know, great blades, great passer, very shifty. And I thought he did a good job of controlling the game. So overall I, I loved, I loved going in my experience and I used to go back when it was at like Oceanside on the other side of town before they got the, the. The Mullet Arena. But just an incredible atmosphere. The people were loud and it was, it was a great, great game. So shout out to Coach Powers and everything that they've built in that program from Bring it to Club Hockey to Division one and noddack. I think that they probably had. It was kind of like a Coyote's home game when we were playing against the Blackhawks back in the day. Yance where it was probably 5050 so you didn't know whether it was the home team or away team scoring. That's how much they were bringing the noise. But they've. I think that the comments were. Is. Is Nodak maybe were. Were a little bit rougher back in the day when they had guys like Commodore and they had these big teams who would run amok.

[Ryan Whitney]

Newton D Matt Green.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, big old bastard that's another name that came out, so. So maybe not quite like it used to be, but definitely a. A big team that has chances to go far in the tournament.

[Ryan Whitney]

So did you notice number nine on North Dakota? He was the Blackhawks first round pick this summer. Sasha.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, the D man.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, he's a forward.

[G]

Boucher. Sasha Boucave.

[Ryan Whitney]

Is that how you say it?

[G]

I think so, yeah. Bouvet, I think that's from.

[Ryan Whitney]

If you're correct. All props to you, fellow owner, but I need you to YouTube that right now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Boosave. I'd be surprised about, but apparently, like, very, very nice player. Plays with an edge. First rounder, he's leading North Dakota in scoring. Number nine. I don't know if you noticed him.

[Biz Nasty]

There were a few bigger players that I did notice. I think he was one of them. And it was either number 25 or number 26. He had. He had great boots on him. He was making an impact out there.

[Ryan Whitney]

But 25.

[Biz Nasty]

I was. It was a 25.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Abram Wiebest.

[Biz Nasty]

No, he's a defenseman. I think it was 26, actually. Who's the other guy?

[Ryan Whitney]

20, 26. Dylan James.

[Biz Nasty]

He. I thought. I thought, I thought.

[Ryan Whitney]

Red Wing, second round pick.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, that was the guy that I was noticing probably the most up front. He seemed to have a pretty good game. And I want to say, like, at least 10 players on NoDak are drafted to the NHL.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, they're. They're always a team with a bunch of draft picks. I saw a picture with you with Dave Hacksaw. Are you talking to him at all, or was it just.

[Biz Nasty]

I went up to. Because Jordan Schmaltz was there. Him and his brother Nick played at Nodak. So they were there, you know, alumni. And then Hackstall, who. I didn't realize he coached there. Right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. He got the Philly job out of there.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay. So, yeah, so he was there with a bunch of the alumni, and they had a couple boxes booked off and got to say hello to him. He always seemed like you when he was on air or being interviewed, like a very serious guy. It was good to see him a little bit more laid back. Like, I'd never seen his, like, facial expression not be like, deadpan, dead serious. I want to win a hockey game, so I would imagine it's not too long until he has another gig, whether it's college or. Or somewhere along the ranks. But agree, we hire him. Oh, well, we're gonna have our hands all over that. I would probably put Mike Stuther's name in the. In the mix.

[Ryan Whitney]

What about if we go full circle.

[G]

And bring in Babs Terry in bringing Terry.

[Biz Nasty]

We should interview all of them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Speaking of that, we should do live interviews. I mentioned to biz we're going to Montreal for the four nations and we'll be in Boston as well. Or I will be for sure. I don't know if the biz will definitely be in Montreal, but if you know Michelle Tarrien, we need to interview him. We need to sit down and interview him. We need Merle's on for that. We need army on for that. I think it would be unreal getting to sit down with him and go over everything.

[Biz Nasty]

And every time a guy asks a question, he gets to take a drag of his cigarette and blow his cigarette smoke in our face before he answers our question.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because it was the reunion of his legendary press conference that he gave that I've told the story about. I think it was like the, I.

[G]

Don'T know, 19 year.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then I was reading something after where it was, it might have been on Twitter where old Penguins worker Tom McMillan. Remember Tom McMillan? He said that Terry. And walking in, he goes, watch this. And like, just like he knew exactly what he was doing. And then like, as he got off, he's like, how was that? Like, the guys are just dying laughing. Meanwhile, I'm in my car driving like crying on the way to the airport, flying to Columbus, where we then lost.

[Biz Nasty]

Seven one where you stepped on the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Lumber scored on the first shift of the game.

[Keith Yandle]

Hey, when a coach goes on a rant like that too, when you know, calling guys soft and me and you weren't the hardest players, like, you just think he's talking about you, right? You're like, oh, my God.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But he was me.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was.

[Keith Yandle]

No, I know he was.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, it was. Oh, I know. It's every time a coach came in and like ripped on the team, like, everything he said, I was like, that's like everything he said to me before in one on one meetings. It was, yeah, I know what you're saying. If you're a soft offensive defenseman and you're not producing a ton of points and a coach comes in and yells at the team, he's yelling at you. I'm letting every younger soft office. Why don't let him know. Go back quickly. Say the kid's name again.

[G]

Bois verse.

[Biz Nasty]

No, no, no.

[Ryan Whitney]

What'd you say?

[G]

I said Bouvet.

[Biz Nasty]

Close enough, close enough. Boo.

[Ryan Whitney]

Survey. You're not an owner anymore.

[Biz Nasty]

Smoking Herb Brooks. We should do a surviving Greensboro, where we invite in Keenan, Terry and Babs, and they have to, like, basically survive this coaching guillotine, and then we hire the guy who ends up surviving it all. That would be. That would be a nice little spin.

[Keith Yandle]

Off one of, like, Herb Brooks's relatives.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Oh, I'm gonna. I'm not gonna live that one down.

[Ryan Whitney]

Herb Brooks was classic.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, God.

[Ryan Whitney]

Classic stuff, right?

[Biz Nasty]

Good old apologies. My apologies.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, getting into the NHL and getting into what's going on around this league, we have. We have the new Vancouver Canucks, the Boston Bruins, According to this guy, Rich Keefe, who's a host of one of the daily shows on WEI in Boston, he came out and said brad Marchand and David Poschenak can't stand each other. And Poschenak went in and said he will not play in a line with them anymore. And just this crazy report that after you've heard all the J.T. miller, Elias Petterson stuff, that all of a sudden, now it's in Boston. Now, I guess the backstory is that this guy's gotten some correct things with the Boston Bruins, like Swayman, contract stuff.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

Pasta contract stuff.

[G]

Monty.

[Biz Nasty]

Some of the Monty stuff. So he does have a bit of a track record of. Of actually getting things accurate. What I think we should do, though, is roll the clip. I would imagine 90% of you listening right now are so dialed into the hockey world, you've probably heard not only this clip, which we're about to roll now, but Scoops Keefe.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yes.

[Hockey Illuminati]

With a tremendous, impeccable track record.

[Paul Bissonnette]

True.

[Hockey Illuminati]

What are you hearing on the Bruins, Keith?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, what I'm hearing is this. First of all, what we can all see is that they're a mess on the ice. Right. They've lost six in a row. But what I'm hearing is they're also.

[Ryan Whitney]

A mess off the ice.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Apparently, the locker room is a disaster.

[Ryan Whitney]

And David Posternak is at the center of that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

David Posternak has told the team he doesn't want to be on a line with Brad Marchand. And it may stem from Brad Marchand.

[Ryan Whitney]

Calling out Posternach for some of his.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Play throughout the year. So Posternach, maybe Your best player, 60 goal scorer, all that stuff. Also, the main reason why it is a disaster inside the locker room, they won't play on the line together.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Posternach does not want to play with.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Marcand, and they're not playing well.

[Ryan Whitney]

No.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, are they getting any good? I think they may have done that. But, like, this is.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is what he is saying.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And so I'm sure, you know, the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Coach doesn't have to do everything he says.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Shuffled the lines, though.

[Hockey Illuminati]

It's Posternach is, you know, no longer playing with Marshand.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's Marshand and Coyle and Lindholm, and so that. Wow.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Yeah, he doesn't like that. Marsham was a little mean to him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's on brand for this team.

[Ryan Whitney]

When has Marchand called out pasta this year?

[Biz Nasty]

No, I think that maybe sometimes on the bench, like, hey, you got to get that deep or you got to make this play. But let's. Let's remember here, I want to say in a game against Utah earlier than year, it was Monty calling out Marchie for that turnover at the blue line, which resulted in a goal. So I don't think there's anything wrong with. With guys on the bench or guys in the locker room keeping each other accountable. I mean, you go back to last year's playoffs, you saw the Leafs go through it where they were arguing on the bench. Obviously, that got amplified and blown way out of proportion. So I don't know if there's a specific clip or, or, or, or, Or a play in which this guy's talking about where he's extracting all this information from. Maybe he's getting it from a. A Bruins employee. But when I heard this and it was sent to the group chat, I had a hard time believing that two guys who are documented as being very, very close would have an issue and a falling out after the start to this year, which has been a bit chaotic for the Boston Bru.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not to mention they're the only two good forwards on the team right now. Like, you think possibly I'm not playing with them. I know for a fact that these two are very good buddies. And I'm not even saying that this guy is making this up because obviously he's had a track record of knowing what's going on. I'm guessing that he has a source and. And what looks like a pretty reliable source based on some other things that he's had. Correct. That is either making this up or completely incorrect or purposely. This is where you get into the deep, deep dark. Like, wow. It's like, is somebody purposely getting that out there to try to create friction? I'm.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm thinking, oh, let's put the tinfoil hats off.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I'm totally thinking, like, outside the box here, trying to explain, like, what's going on here. But they're good friends. They like playing together. The season hasn't gone great for the Entire team. What's odd to me though is that Marchand comes out and why don't we play this clip? Which was pretty hilarious the way and.

[Biz Nasty]

And by the time this gets to Marchie, I would have loved to have seen Marchie see the comments in that clip for the first time. I bet you there was steam coming out of his ears. He is probably so fed up with all the headlines and all the, all the way from the Swayman stuff in the summertime all the way till now. The team, I believe before the game against Florida had lost six in a row. So this is before that game. Roll the clip of Marshawn.

[Keith Yandle]

There's a, there was a radio report.

[Paul Bissonnette]

This morning I know you're aware of. Yeah, Pasta doesn't want to play it.

[Keith Yandle]

Online with you and just trying to get your reaction.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Well, yeah, I have heard, you know.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What, what was said in, in the media this morning.

[Hockey Illuminati]

You know, it's unfortunate.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know reporters have a job to do and you know, that job is.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Reporting on the team.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And, and usually you try to be.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Fact based, but when there's just blatant.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Lies told in the media, that's where there's a problem. And the fact that this guy has a platform and he's just making stuff up is embarrassing.

[Hockey Illuminati]

And there's zero truth to anything that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He said on the radio. This is how you lose your job very quickly. The fact that he's gonna have a job after this is insane because Pasta and I are best friends. We've had an incredibly close relationship for a long time. The only reason we don't play together is so that we can spread depth throughout the lineup.

[Hockey Illuminati]

There's zero truth to him being a.

[Biz Nasty]

Problem in the room.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's one of the most loved guys in the room. There's zero issues in the room at all. And the fact that they say that he's in the center of anything is a completely fabricated lie. So this guy has zero merit to anything he's saying. It's very frustrating because this is what happens. Obviously, we have not pulled our weight this year. We have not had the season that we've wanted to have.

[Hockey Illuminati]

But I'm not going to let some.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Random guy come in the media and just spit absolute nonsense. And so, I mean, from this point forward, this guy has zero credibility.

[Hockey Illuminati]

The fact that he's coming out with this is ridiculous.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's embarrassing. And you know, it's just anything that he puts forth in the future is now not going to be deemed as.

[Biz Nasty]

Truth because he's completely just Making all of this stuff.

[Keith Yandle]

I thought Marchie did a great job of handling it, just kind of, you know, putting it to bed. I don't think anyone that knows and obviously I never played with both. I played with Marci and Junior, but I never played with them both together. Outside looking in, they look like the best of friends. They're, you know, at each other's weddings, hanging out pictures on Instagram, like, you know, like you played with a number of guys that, you know, you're friendly with, but, you know, you're not going to their wedding in the summertime, you know. So I think their friendship is pretty locked and solid, especially as the captain of that team. Like, you hear him saying, like, you can hear him getting frustrated about it, you can tell that he's passionate, that, you know it's all right. And it kind of sounded like he wanted to say it was just hearing somebody that doesn't, that's not in the locker room with you every single day and going to battle with you. Like, those guys have been together for the last probably what, 12, 13, 14 year. Like they've gone to battle together, they're battle tested together, their friends are on the ice, off the ice. The fact that someone would say that I think is insane. Like, you have to, he had to have had a really good source that he trusted to say that. And I can't imagine anyone in that locker room is ever gonna, like, no player is ever gonna say that your captain and your best player are not getting along, especially when they are. So for me, it's tough to hear because you never want, like, as an ex player, you never want stuff from the media to kind of get in the way of your team and your friendships. And, you know, you see it a little bit happen in, in Vancouver, but I, I thought Marchie did a great job of handling it and putting it to bed. And I, I would imagine that's the last we hear of it. And yeah, it's, it's one of those things. If he, if he didn't hear that and just made that up, which is an insane thing to do, I think you can't, you can't just go out on a limb and say something like that because they're not on the same line. That one guy doesn't want to play with the other because he doesn't like them. Just. I don't, I don't know. I, I'd like to hear from, from, from. What was his name? Keith.

[G]

He doubled down today on the radio. He went back on and doubled Down. And I just want you guys to think for a sec, like, where do we think Rich. Where do we think Rich Keefe is getting his information from? Because I have a confession. Everything.

[Biz Nasty]

I have a confession.

[G]

Every, everything has been from a transactional standpoint, whether it's a contract or a firing. These are the things he's reporting on. He was the one that reported when everyone was saying how far apart the Bruins and Swayman were and everyone was coming at Bruins management. Rich Keef was the guy who reported Swayman wants 10 million. That did not make Jeremy Swayman look good. So what? So once again, he's got, he has a source telling him something is some. Something isn't making the Bruins players look good.

[Biz Nasty]

I texted him, pretending to be Cam Neely.

[Ryan Whitney]

Shit. I trying to stake we're owners now.

[Biz Nasty]

I, I, I tried to stay out of it, but then I saw Marshawn's mom trolling me again on social media through the Bruins account. I just have enough, I've had enough from that family, so I was trying to stir it back up. So my apologies to Marshawn, the rest of the Boston Bruins. I actually want these guys in playoffs to meet the Leafs in the first round so we can embarrass them for the first time in a long time. So that's all I got to say about that. I'll, I'll eat this one.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I think that Marshawn discussed also stems from. For how long have the Bruins just been, like, lock solid as a team? It's been year after year ever since Chara got there, right? Maybe a year. The first year he got there, did they miss the playoffs? But I don't know. What's it been? 15 years of them basically being like, a contender. Right, Right around then.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And now all of a sudden, you're the captain and everything's just falling apart, and it's like, holy shit. Not only are we losing games, but we got radio, which I, I believe that WWEI gets completely pounded in ratings. Like, horrible. They were like the first and only sports radio station in Boston. And Boston's always been one of those cities, like New York, where sports radio was huge. This is before podcasts and everything, years ago. But then the sports hub came along. That's 98. 5. And basically, since they've come, have just, just dwarfed and crushed this eei. So obviously there's like, a side of fans. They're like, they're just looking for, for ratings and clicks. And this Keef guy came out today, and he, he, he Backed it up. He's like, I'm not standing down on this. I, I, I, I believe my source. He didn't say.

[Biz Nasty]

So can I put my tinfoil hat back on here? Do you guys think it's someone in Bruins management maybe leaking that to try to stir it up so it becomes easier to maybe dismantle and start a rebuild sooner rather than later? Like, what is the goal here by leaking that type of information to this guy? Where if he's leaked stuff in the past and it's all been accurate, what's the goal here?

[G]

To make it not look like it's Don Sweeney's fault, just like he did with the Jerry. That's what I was trying to say before. Just like he did with the Jeremy Swayman thing when he reported that Jeremy Swayman wanted $10 million. That was because everyone was ripping on Don Sweeney at the time because he couldn't get the Swayman deal done.

[Biz Nasty]

So back it up. So you're so I know that you were kind of mentioning that earlier, and we were kind of joking around about the fact that I was the one stirring it up. You said that you're telling me that you think that somebody in Bruins management leaked this to, to this guy?

[G]

That's who I would believe the source is coming from.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, my God.

[G]

Think about, think about where every time this guy has made a report and he's been right, he has been right there, all transactional stuff.

[Biz Nasty]

What do you think?

[Keith Yandle]

I think, I don't know.

[Biz Nasty]

Fucking departed right now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't know Don Sweeney or Cam Neely, but they're both ex players. And I think that doing something like that is pretty taboo as an ex player to kind of come in and mess with the locker room like that, because at the end of the day, it's, you know, it's their team as well. Right. I don't think a GM or president would ever come out and say that. They more have, you know, other things to say. Like, at the end of the day, those guys can just trade whoever they want. Like, they can. You can trade, you can buy guys. Oh, you can do whatever you want. I don't, I, I do not imagine that an ex player that's been a GM and a president that long would ever start off.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I think that's fucking crazy talk. I think that's way more tinfoil.

[G]

I don't necessarily think it was Don Sweeney, and I'm not, I'm saying someone in Sweeney's camp, there's probably lots of guys in Don Sweeney's camp, who haven't played hockey before, who haven't been a locker room guy, who are like, hey, if Sweeney goes, I go, too. Fuck that. I'm leaking this out there.

[Biz Nasty]

What do you think? What do you think, Whit?

[Ryan Whitney]

I just know they're good buddies. Yeah, exactly. So it's like somebody's. And I don't think the Keef guy is making it up, based on his history. In fairness, though, he said he was the first to know Monty would be fired and Sako would get the job.

[G]

Was he before you, G. No, no. Me and Mick had it. Me and Mick had it before.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not your average Mick. This average. So there's something to be said that this guy does have a source, like Gee's whole, like, theory here. If you look into it, it kind of does make sense. It sounds insane because it would basically mean that the Bruins front office would be behind shriveling their captain and their highest paid player. Now, it's hard to believe, but I just go back to. I know they're good buddies. Like, I know for a fact they're very close.

[Biz Nasty]

You think Sweeney's jealous of their bromance and that's why this is happening.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, let's get into the fact that at the Oilers game, which, let me tell you, as an Oilers fan, seeing them coming to Boston and all these fans want to see McDavid and Dre settle up in person, it was the varsity team playing the JV team. It wasn't even like they were in the same league. The two teams. And then the crowd fire Sweeney. I'm like, what is happening right now with this team? It's been years and years of dominance and playoffs and cup and 11 and cup finals in 19 and 13, and what the hell is going on? And I just. Now it's like everything's just completely out of control. Like, hear this report.

[G]

It's pretty weird. This report came out after the first time. The guard enchanted fire Sweeney, then the WEEI guy who always reports the Bruins rumors on the Bruins management side comes out this report. This is just a little weird.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's. It's a crazy story. And this guy just doubles down now. The guy had to double down. He had to. What else is he going to do? Come out and say, like, oh, yeah, I made it up.

[G]

It's just what he's told, too. It's what he was told.

[Ryan Whitney]

But his line doubling down, he's like, who's more likely to lie, me or them? It's like, buddy, I. I mean, I. I'm probably putting it on you considering you're on a radio station that's getting completely crushed by another sports radio station and nobody listens to your show. No offense. I don't know the guys.

[Biz Nasty]

I think we need Don Sweeney to do a lie detector.

[Ryan Whitney]

If we got Don Sweeney, let's do it in Greensboro with a guillotine right there. And if you fail, the other dudes.

[Biz Nasty]

Took out another and then we'll hire him as our gm.

[Keith Yandle]

So smart.

[Ryan Whitney]

So any thoughts on. On the crowd, like chanting fire Sweeney.

[Biz Nasty]

I, I think you. Well, you pulled up that article today where they haven't had a first and second round pick in the same draft in how many years? Since 2017?

[Ryan Whitney]

Seven years it's been since they had a first and second rounder in the same draft.

[Biz Nasty]

And I think that that draft they actually did pretty good. Where they ended up getting.

[Ryan Whitney]

They had, they had McAvoy, right?

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was that Ma Lindgren, Lingren. And there was another, he was a second rounder and there was another four.

[Biz Nasty]

I think they had two first, two firsts that year.

[Ryan Whitney]

But well, their, their prospect pool is, is really bad. Really bad. The team's not great right now. Now granted, like off year so far from Swayman, McAvoy like started off poorly, he's played better.

[Biz Nasty]

But it's not even about like, but.

[Ryan Whitney]

It'S their, they just don't have a great.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, like I watched that, watch that game against the Florida Panthers. Like they don't, they can't sustain any type of offensive zone. You talk about game breakers like, you know, you got Marshawn Pasa and really after that it just dwindles out. I think. G, you mentioned it. McAvoy is getting asked to do way too much, so his game's even suffering as a result of that. I've, I think we've all been hearing rumblings that they're very desperate to address that center ice position to the point where they're trying to get Elias Pedersen or J.T. miller. So they're willing to take in, take in anything from the west coast, from Vancouver. At this point, I don't know what type of trade can get you J.T. miller, I would imagine that they would probably be looking for a defenseman like Low Rye. I would say that given the fact that Trent Frederick is, is pending, is it UFA or is he restricted?

[G]

He's ufa.

[Biz Nasty]

He's going to be ufa. So maybe a guy like that, if you can't work out a deal, maybe.

[G]

Coil, you'd have to do Coil to fill the center position for them. They're not just going to give away a center and not get a center.

[Ryan Whitney]

And you're going to have to do.

[G]

Low rye Coil and low rye. I would do, I would do.

[Ryan Whitney]

Vancouver would take coil and low ride for Elias Petterson or Jason Miller.

[G]

No, I think for J.T. miller, the money matches up perfectly too. But I mean, I, I, I, Why wouldn't you maybe throwing Brandon Carlo in.

[Ryan Whitney]

There too smoked in that trade.

[Biz Nasty]

I think if you can get Trent Frederick, I think if you get low rye and then you can get a first round pick, I would consider for the jt, depending on how bad that situation's gotten. Now that this has taken a lot of noise maybe away from Vancouver and the overall media, maybe things have calmed down and now that you're past the halfway point of the season, they're going to say, let's just ride it out till, till this year to this off season and then maybe we could package something and get something better. But I don't imagine that Vancouver is going to hit the panic button in releasing all those guys. And there's got to be other teams getting even more desperate as the deadline approaches. So I don't know what you feel about everything, Yan's and the state of the Boston Bruins, but I think that this team is going to be a lottery team for years to come in the next few.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I, I agree with that 100%. I think they got to start kind of from the bottom up, you know, going forward. Obviously it's been well documented. They haven't drafted great, they've made some bad contracts and stuff like that, but I could see them bringing in Sean Thornton to run the ship he's been putting in his time down here in Florida. The revenue for the Panthers through the roof for what he's like, what he's done in the business side. Obviously he knows the game side. Right. And I think what he could bring to them, he's a guy, when you think of Sean Thornton, he bleeds blocking gold. Right. He would be a guy that people would love to see in there. Obviously. I don't know if Thorny would ever.

[Biz Nasty]

Be as like a president.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah. Kind of get it because I think they're going to have to start from the beginning here. They're going to have to like the next five years they're going to not be the Bruins that, you know, we've, you know, noticed the last 10, 15 years where they're making the playoffs every year. Like they got it, they Got to draft. Well, they're going to have to, you know, there's going to get it to a point too, right? Like if next year, wit, if they're, you know, 20 games out of the playoffs, you think they're going to be selling out the Fleet center there or the Garden, whatever it is.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, that's the only way that Jacobs will start doing anything is if all of a sudden their money starts just dwindling away a little bit because they're in it to make dough. And, and they've had very good teams and they've spent money ever since the Chara and Savard came. So Bruins fans like you can't complain too much about your owners. They've done a lot in the past little while to make this team very good. They've also gotten very lucky that Bergeron took a lot less and Marshawn took a lot less. And they had guys buying into this system and had this amazing leadership and core. But at some point, if that building start stops being full, yes, you'll see changes. I just don't know if Boston's a market for like a tear down rebuild.

[Biz Nasty]

It's like, well, fuck, it feels like every other original six team's doing it. No wonder Matthew's back sore in the Leafs. They've been carrying the original six all fucking season long here. It's crazy. I think they're the only original six team in a playoff picture right now. Are they?

[Ryan Whitney]

Detroit's won seven in a row.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, congratulations. You're still on the outside looking in. I think you want to talk to.

[Ryan Whitney]

Original six you haven't done since 1960, 67, for Christ's sake.

[Biz Nasty]

But it's out of town.

[Ryan Whitney]

Talking about 41 game samples, buddy.

[Biz Nasty]

I got, I got hockey Illuminati coming on later to shove it right up your fucking hoop.

[Ryan Whitney]

What's he gonna shove up my hoop? We, we've stunk for, for 55 years. All I know, all I know is that you gotta think long and hard. Like, what's the future with Brad Marchand? You gotta think he wants to stay. He's captain, he's been there his entire career. But like, do you look at like, all right, let's kind of start over. We trade him. It sounds crazy. I don't even know if they can. Can you look up his contract?

[G]

But like he's a UFA at the end of the year.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know, but I don't know if he has a no trade. He must look that up, which I'm guessing he does, but crazy Times in Boston. I. I would love to know what the fans think. Maybe you can write in the, in the YouTube comments or something like, where do you go from here if you know you have no good prospects and you know the team right now isn't good. But, but you have a stud goalie sign long term. You have a stud defenseman sign long term and you have posture sign long term. Is it like, well, what do we do? We can't. So they're right in the middle.

[Biz Nasty]

They call them retools, don't you think?

[G]

Yeah, just like Washington did last year, like everyone was talking about. It's time for Washington to break it down. All Washington have his ov. It's going to be a dark few years for the Capitals and they made a few good offseason signings. They had one or two good drafts in a row, and they're the best team in the NHL right now. There's no reason the Bruins can't do that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, the, the, the. The reason. Yeah, I mean, the reason being is that they got Elias Lindholm making what, seven and a half for the next seven years?

[Biz Nasty]

Seven.

[Ryan Whitney]

That I feel really bad watching him play.

[Biz Nasty]

And then they got Zadorov too, who's locked in long term.

[Ryan Whitney]

And Lindholm, he can't move out there anymore. It's just, you lose that he was never a burner, and then you kind of lose a. A little, little tiny bit of your. Of your speed. It's like, whoa. I mean, he's. What is he, a half a half a point per game pace right now? It's first year of that deal.

[G]

Martian has a modified no trade clause.

[Ryan Whitney]

To wit, so I'd love to see enough time on the Bees, but that was kind of a crazy story. Rich Keefe and W e E. I just. Marshawn was furious though. You could just.

[Biz Nasty]

If he would have said rumor Boys at the end of that, I think he would have got out unscathed. But now we got Marshawn asking for his job. And I'm gonna tread lightly on the rumor boys too stuff too now. I might actually disassociate myself with you guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, you did.

[Keith Yandle]

You're independent.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm independent now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Again, we kind of had on the outline here. It. It. It goes into a different conversation and the way the league's gotten younger and changed, like the locker room aspect of the NHL. And I think you see a team like Florida and you see some teams that are very tight knit and they're close and they're a Great group of guys, they all get along, they'll go out to eat together. And then there's teams that you see locker rooms that aren't that tight and there's guys that don't hang out and guys that don't go out to eat on the road. And I wonder if it's changed a lot or is it just that bad. Teams and teams who've struggled have, have forever not, not been that close, close knitted.

[Biz Nasty]

I mean, it was probably because I was the loudest guy in the locker room, but I felt like every locker room I went into, we had a good time and, and never was it a situation where you could hear a pin drop, where even if we'd lost 3, 4, 5 in a row and maybe we weren't playing great, like as, as upset as you were after the game and, and you know, as you showed up to the rink the next day for practice with that, you know, lunch pail mentality where we got to work our way out of this. Yeah, it's, we always, we always had a good time. We were always laughing and chuckling and, and team camaraderie was never, ever an issue regardless of where we were as far as the wins and the losses. And I just think it's definitely with the lack of drinking and the lack of, and people might say, oh, that's ridiculous, but I think sounds ridiculous, but it's not, but it's not because you get a little bit looser. You go learn a little bit more about your teammates and who you're fighting for. And I just felt like back then there were so many more locker rooms that were close knit and that spent time together and knew who they were going to war with, so to speak, night in and night out. So I don't know if you'd ever in, in, in your NHL career. I know you were in Arizona quite a long time, but any, any times in New York or Philly or, or Florida, did it ever feel like maybe some of the cases that we're hearing about in today's NHL where there's room divide?

[Keith Yandle]

No, never heard, never heard of that. Never even thought it. Especially, I mean even you think a donor, like, donor didn't drink. He was the last guy at the bar every time we went out. Obviously it wasn't, he was never going out the night before games. And you know, I'd say 98 of the guys are never going out before games. But a guy that was always showing up to hang out with his teammates, like you said, you get to know Guys, you get to know, you know, their habits, where they came from, how they kind of wired. So I never, I never had that problem. Never even like, even like, if they're, you come to a team and guys are like, oh, yeah, so and so doesn't like to go out to dinner, you just ask them once and they say, yeah, sure. And they come out like, no one, like, there's no guys that are really ever gonna say no to going out, having a, grabbing a dinner with the guys, because then it just looks bad on you. Right? But maybe the way the game is nowadays, like, guys are so, I don't know, maybe guys are in their rooms doing treatment on the road, getting, you know, doing game film. I, I'm not sure. I just, I, I find it hard to believe that only a few years removed from the game that they're, that there's big issues in locker rooms. I still think hockey players are still wired the same way that, you know, kind of we were just a little less of the tomfoolery off the ice, maybe. But I, I just find it hard to believe that guys that, you know, have put their whole life into playing this game that, you know, we all love that whatever, it be a bad teammate. It's just, I, I feel like the NHL does such a good job of kind of weaning those guys out. Like, you, you can't stick around very long if you're not a good teammate, a good player, and, you know, a good family.

[Ryan Whitney]

Man, I just saw some horrible Oilers teams. It was the most, it was the most fun rooms ever. Like, it was a, I was like, I lost again. Let's go have a couple over the.

[Biz Nasty]

Pint, over to the point.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, it was just.

[Biz Nasty]

Did you, did you ever play in a locker room, guys where, where like, two of the best players in the team were having a little bit of a riff, and was it a case where you had such strong leadership or other guys in the room or you never really allowed it to get that bad?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't ever remember anything like that. I really don't.

[Biz Nasty]

I mean, I know we're kind of going back to a situation we've been talking about a lot of, but it just feels like how it's managed and how it's, how it gets this bad and how a locker room gets maybe that toxic or that unfun where we're fucking playing the game we love here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, we're getting paid. You're going to millions of dollars to do it. I, I, I, I know this sounds like so, Boomer and Biz, you and I have been out of the game a long time now. Like, when was the last time I was in the NHL? 12 years ago. It's like, it's a. Every. I don't. I don't know anything anymore. But you can't tell me that, like, social media and all this hasn't changed things. And, like, searching your name and reading mentions and seeing times that you're brought up on Instagram and Twitter, it's like, that probably leads to, like, certain things that. That doesn't really go with a true team, like, becoming one, right?

[Biz Nasty]

Where you're saying, like, like one guy reading it, maybe even reading that, like other guys in the team are unhappy with them, and then letting it affect him, the way that he's bringing himself into that locker room, maybe giving or thinking some type of truth to it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not maybe the way you say it, more like you're reading about yourself so much more often. Like, back in the day, like, when we played, it was like there was articles in the newspaper and, you know, obviously there was the Internet and shit. We're not that old. But there wasn't the ability to, like, search your name on Twitter, right? There wasn't the ability to see, like, all these comments about you individually. And I remember, like, at the very end, there was. There was Twitter. Worst thing I ever did was make a Twitter account while I was still playing in Edmonton. I was like, oh, my God, I gotta delete this. And now if you're, like, reading and searching things on that are, like, about you, it.

[Biz Nasty]

It.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's not gonna, like, divide a team, but it's gonna you up mentally, right? And then all of a sudden you're like. You're thinking about, like, what people are.

[Biz Nasty]

Saying and maybe not bringing the best version of yourself.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not bringing the best version of yourself and not bringing this, like, enthusiastic energy that's, like, easy to kind of hop onto and. And join and be a part of, and. And it's just become more, like, individualistic, if that's even a word. Like, it's more about yourself based on, like, all of this Internet bullshit than it was way back in the day. And this is us, like, spitballing here. And I'm sure that 90% of the NHL, the rooms are tight and the rooms are close, but there are teams that are like, you're hearing things. And now the Bruins one, I believe, is false, but the Canucks thing is not false. There's obviously proof to that and everything else that goes into guys reading about themselves And. And just more into yourself, opposed to being into the team.

[Keith Yandle]

I think it's just so much easier. Like, you know how everyone used to say, keep the noise out of the room? Like, keep the noise out of the room.

[Ryan Whitney]

But that was in the room.

[Keith Yandle]

Now that was a beat writer and what, Maybe like the radio guy. Like, there was two guys per team. Especially in Phoenix, too.

[Biz Nasty]

Right. There were our buddies. We had, like, Nasher and Bob Heath.

[Keith Yandle]

You were rooming with Peter on the road.

[Biz Nasty]

Morgan Walshi. It was awesome.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah. So it's like, you don't let that affect the room. But I think you make a great point wit where, like, guys. Because I saw it at the end of my career, guys are on their phone right after the game looking at. I remember guys showing me messages that, like, they'd get dms, like, I bet on you to score tonight. You didn't score. I hope your family dies. Like, stuff like. I'm like, jesus, why are you looking at that? Like, don't ever read stuff like. Like Donor always used to say the ups and down, the ebbs and flows of the season. Like, you can't get too high, can't get too low. And that's, you know, if you read.

[Ryan Whitney]

A good article, if you're doing that, you're too high and you're too low.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, you're done.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're done.

[Biz Nasty]

That's a good thing I didn't play. I didn't have to read about any of it.

[Keith Yandle]

Can you just write something bad about me? I just want my name in the paper.

[Ryan Whitney]

That is porn star. DM me, though, boys. All right, well, there's some teams that are buzzing right now. We got a little Viagra triangle update 1.

[Biz Nasty]

Team's getting real high, boys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did they? Detroit Red Wings, seven in a row. Holy. Seven in a row.

[Biz Nasty]

McClellan, come on down.

[Ryan Whitney]

Capped off Sunday with a thrashing of the Seattle Kraken. The Seattle Kraken are trash. It was four nothing. I think, like eight minutes into the game. And Todd McClellen. What's cool about what Todd McClellan's done so far is he came in and we talked a bunch of episodes about play hockey, play loose. You guys need to get back to playing the game and loving the game. And that's how you play. Like. Like you're out on the pond. It doesn't mean freewheeling and turnover. Pucks at the blue line. But play hockey well now. Like, they've bought in at the beginning. All right, let's just start playing. He's going to let Us play, he's going to let us run. Let's just start feeling better about ourselves. What happens is you win seven in a row, now you're even more bought in. Now it's like he brings in other messages. You're like, we're doing, I'll do this. It's working. We're winning. Their power play is, I think it's the second ranked power play in the NHL right now.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Since I think and on that seven game win streak, they've scored 31 goals. So they're averaging four and a half goals per game. And I want to say the Todd McClellan's first game, that was when he made those comments where he told him, he's like, just fucking go play hockey. They ended up losing to the Leafs, but they've rattled off seven since. But I don't, I don't know what it was like with Lalonde, but you know, sometimes maybe structure comes into too much of a factor where it takes a lot of the, the, the creativity away. And Yan's, you were probably the most creative player out of the three of us. Like did you find when it was overly structured, sometimes it took a lot of that away and almost you were, you were kind of like, you know, defeating yourself in a sense.

[Keith Yandle]

I, I think with, with Tip, you know, when, when Tip came in after Wayne, like he was, he was very structure oriented. Like he wanted guys in a certain position and I think it kind of helped me, you know, kind of get to where I wanted. Like knowing where guys are, I think really helped me, like just knowing that your winger is going to be there every time, like you're not looking up and seeing, you know, guys jersey numbers. So I think structure has a lot to do with it and then like kind of your creativity takes over from there. But the biggest thing is when you have that structure, just that everybody has to obey by it and everyone has to be doing the right thing. Shift in shift though, because you can't. You take a couple shifts off of doing that, then your whole game's gonna go, go to the. But, but I, I do, I do think he's bringing that structure into their game. And he's probably saying, hey, listen, do what I say, five on five. And then, you know, on the power play, you skill guys go out there and sling it around, do whatever you want. And you can tell their power play's been humming since he got there. So I think it all like a good base for a team. It all starts with good structure. You can't win in this league without having a good structured team. No team's gonna just be freewheel in and win games anymore. You have to have everybody bought in, you know, to the right system. You look at even, you know, the, the Panthers, they've been to the finals. They won last year. They still like, even game 37, they dump pucks in, they get in on the forecheck. They're not a team trying to make plays through the neutral zone. So the, the structure part in, you.

[Biz Nasty]

Know, I feel like they. They also can do that, though, in a sense where they don't have to rely on just one thing where it's like, you know, they can for check. Like, Florida is one of the best four checking teams in the league. So when you're constantly dumping in on them, I feel like defensemen are naturally retreating and they're almost cheating to go. That'll open it up. Then they could start making plays in neutral zone because like that three, four feet, not having that stick in the lane is pretty much everything at the National League level. So not being, I guess so one dimensional. And you're saying for Detroit, kind of having your baseline as to what the structure is, but then when you do maybe get below the dots or, or below the tops of the circles in the offensive zone, then you're allowed to go, flourish and. And be creative offensively like that type of shit.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, 100% like, yeah. The easiest thing in the game to do is to dump the puck in. Some guys don't want to do it. Some guys are good at it. It is, you know, it sounds crazy to say, but it is a skill having, you know, to put the puck in the right position to set up your guy on the forecheck, to be the first guy on the puck. You know, there's a lot that goes into it and, you know, I think doing this, the little things, right that. And that's what brings your game to the next level, to take over the skill. Because they have a ton of skill. You know, you got Larkin, Kane, Cider.

[Ryan Whitney]

Raymond's like, Raymond, pretty nasty to bring it.

[Keith Yandle]

Like, you got some horses up front and even on the back end too, that can make plays. It's just getting to that right spot of the. The arena, like you said, below the hash marks, and then letting your skill take over there. But you have to get there in the first place to. To, you know, let that take over for your game.

[Biz Nasty]

We did put it in the outline, and I believe it was Elliot Freeman who reported. Now there's a, you could tell there's a little bit of pressure. You saw Stevie Wise press conference a few weeks back when they hired McClellan, talking about, obviously that we want this to have been sped up and maybe a little bit more playoff hockey going on here in Motown, that they might be looking at Dylan Cousins and trying to get him over and making an aggressive move in order to try to get him now. So I would imagine Cider is untouchable. Lucas Raymond is untouchable. Dylan Larkin is untouchable. Now some of you listening and Red Wings fans might say that Edison, he would maybe be a piece that would be considered.

[Ryan Whitney]

Man, if I'm, if I'm Steve Iserman and I got those two big ass defensemen who can skate. They're both untouchable.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay?

[Ryan Whitney]

They're both untouchable.

[Biz Nasty]

So you consider him untouchable because if you're going to go out, I'm 21.

[Ryan Whitney]

Years old, but I agree with you, Whitney and eight.

[Biz Nasty]

And then, and then you have that Sandin Pelica who's a defenseman for Team Sweden, who will be coming up in the next few years. So you do have another guy in the pipeline outside of Edmonton. So what do you think could attract. In order to get Dylan Cousins over? You're going to have to give up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Something the first round in 2023, ninth overall, Nate Danielson, he's from Edmonton. He playing in Grand Rapids. You'd have to think that he would be a part of that deal. That's one where you're like, if Wings fans are like, no, no, no. It's like, well, every fan wants to make these deals. It's like you got to give something up. Correct. It's never going to be like you're like, like g what she wants to trade. Who do you want to trade Low, Rye and Coil for?

[Keith Yandle]

For Elias Patterson and J.T.

[Ryan Whitney]

And J.T. mill. I get both of them. I, I don't know a ton about, about like the Red Wings prospects. I just know if you're looking at a top 10 pick from, from two years ago, that's probably a guy that Buffalo's looking at. Buffalo, the whole Cousins thing is that's just setting up for a guy to leave and just light it up like the rest of the guys that have left Buffalo and started lighting it up. Buffalo sits dead last in the Eastern Conference right now. They're only eight points out of the playoffs. They're in dead last. You can't hop over seven other teams to get into the playoffs. They're done. They're done.

[Biz Nasty]

They had Seattle up to nothing.

[Ryan Whitney]

The other day, I had a text telling. I had somebody telling me that. That they think Kevin Adams could be let go soon. Have no clue.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, rumor boys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Totally rumor boys. That's someone. I said, really? They said that? No, it's biz. He texted me, actually. So I don't know what's going to happen in Buffalo. The guy also mentioned he thinks they'll be up for sale soon. So this is like wild rumor boys out of. Out of Buffalo. Just something somebody told me. Have no clue.

[Biz Nasty]

I heard once the football season's over that they're putting Allen at third line center.

[Ryan Whitney]

Josh is going to do both.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, just. Just to ease him in.

[Ryan Whitney]

He'd be a horse out there.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.

[Keith Yandle]

Maybe we could pull g. Trade and trade our stock in the East Coast League team and get the. The Sabers.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, Mr. Pula, there's a team in Greensboro we own 0.8% of. You want to trade? We'll take Buff. I also saw a clip of Buffalo Bills fans, like, going nuts when they drafted Josh Allen. Like, no, just pretty classic. I didn't know that. I didn't know that he wasn't a.

[Biz Nasty]

They were hating on it, but a couple clicks for the Detroit Red Wings. They're. They're at the top of the Viagra triangle now.

[Keith Yandle]

I think Detroit. I think Detroit and Stevie. Why? I think after tonight's game, they got a little bit of a gauntlet coming. They got Florida, Tampa, Dallas. I think you're gonna see who they really are after tonight's game. Tuesday night.

[Ryan Whitney]

They got San Jose, so they should be able to make eight in a row. Yeah, we just. We just immediately bet San Jose. Now that you heard this, but, Keith, I got a question for you. Biz and I had lunch, so I believe right now that the. That the six teams, the top three in the Atlantic and the top three in the Metro are set. I think you're going to see the season finish that way. I'm not sure about standings, but I think in the Atlantic, Toronto, Florida. Wow. Boston's right now there.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, they're in there.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I take that back. I. I think the Atlantic is going to be Toronto, Florida, Tampa, and I think the Metro is going to be Washington, New Jersey, Carolina. Okay, so I think you got two wild card spots up for grab of Boston, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Columbus, Montreal, Detroit, Philly, Rangers. I think Islanders and Sabres are dead. Who do you want as the two wild cards?

[Biz Nasty]

Keep in mind to correct you, you said Boston's in that wild card Spot. They're not in the top three. You must have hit the points, points thing by accident. So right now Boston has that first wild card spot with 47 points. The second wild card is now Columbus with 46 points. But keep in mind Columbus, Ottawa and Detroit all have at least two, if not three games in hand.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so I had the six correct. I have. I'm sorry. All right. Yeah. Toronto, Florida, Tampa in as the top three in the Atlantic. Washington, Jersey, Carolina in as the top three in metro. I think that's done. So the two wild card teams. Keith, who would you like to see? Because Biz and I were saying, do you want to see like Boston and Pitt. Pitt get one more run? Do you want new blood? Like who? What two teams do you want to see?

[Biz Nasty]

I personally would rather see Boston and Pittsburgh old blood if it's both of them. If it's not, I want two new teams, new blood. And we were kind of. If Boston did get the eight seed, it'd be fun to see Florida get the one seed and see.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't want to watch the Bruins. And I, I. They're like watching the Islanders to me, like they're, they, they. Dude, it is like they're all, you know, they're on. I'm putting on ness and I'm like, this is not fun to watch this team play. Like they just can't create any offense. So I'll ask you again.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

What two teams do you want as the two wild cards? As a fan of the game that.

[Keith Yandle]

I want or that I think will.

[Ryan Whitney]

Get that you want.

[Keith Yandle]

That I want, I'll go Pittsburgh. I think Sid deserves it. Love to see them in him in playoffs as much. Must watch tv. And then I'd like to see the Rangers as well.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow.

[Biz Nasty]

I think we said that would be a dangerous team if they snuck in as an eight, especially with Shusturkin. Yeah. Whit made this point too. To see Ottawa, Toronto go at it in the first round. Ottawa is a fun team to watch and. Or if Florida ends up getting that one seed and Ottawa sneaks in as the eighth to see the Tachuk goes at it the first round.

[Keith Yandle]

That would be fun.

[Biz Nasty]

That would probably be the most dialed in I am to a series. But if it is two teams with new blood, it's hard to leave out Motown. But it would really be cool to see Columbus back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Columbus.

[Biz Nasty]

I feel like that fan base would. Would they deserve it and especially everything that's happened. It would be such an incredible story. And they play their dicks off Dude.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude, this is the story of the season right now.

[Biz Nasty]

I think so too.

[Ryan Whitney]

This unimaginable tragedy and everyone's picking them to finish lottery and they're just kicking along. Dean Evanson comes in and you know he's a good coach based on what Garen went through to fire him and how emotional it was and like what how difficult that was for Billy G. This guy comes in and all of a sudden this crowd, dude, they've made the playoffs six times in their existence as a team. They've won one round and their fans are fucking crazy. It's just such an awesome thing to see this team that nobody believed in, that nobody thought could do a thing this year sitting right now as a wild card team. That's one of my picks. And then it's tough for me if.

[Biz Nasty]

If, if they do get a wild card spot and make playoffs and Warrensky leads their team in scoring, I right now he's on pace for over 20 goals. If that happens, he has to be in consideration for the MVP 100%. Like if Halsey wins it with, with sneaking in New Jersey when he did it. A defenseman leading this team in scoring with 20 plus goals over a point per game. He has to be in the top three of the league.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Can't argue that.

[Ryan Whitney]

I agree.

[Biz Nasty]

When's the last time that a defenseman's won the heart? Was it Bobby or Chris Pronger won the heart?

[Keith Yandle]

Bobby retired in like 74.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay. Outside of him, when was the last defense?

[Ryan Whitney]

Honestly. Honestly, I won. I bet you resort I, it might have been G. Get on that right now.

[Biz Nasty]

I bet you outside of Chris Pronger won it.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't.

[Biz Nasty]

Don't hurt.

[Keith Yandle]

Actually, they might. You might be right.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

It wasn't even someone before Bobby or Litzer.

[Ryan Whitney]

Lidstrom should have got it one of those years.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I gotta go hose quick. You guys can keep thinking about that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Keith, I want my, my other choice. Oh God, that leaves out Ottawa because I want no Ottawa.

[Keith Yandle]

Detroit would be fun.

[Ryan Whitney]

I feel bad saying it. I don't. I, I, I would love to see Crosby and Pittsburgh in, but it's not like I don't think they could do any damage. Not that I think like most of these teams we're talking about could ever win the cup. So Pittsburgh, they get in. I, I'll always love the Penguins. Always love sick. I'm sitting here because of the guy. But fuck, man. Montreal in the Bell Center. That place is so sick in the playoffs. I know. We just talked to Eric Engels. About it. I think, I think I'm going Detroit though. And I love Ottawa. It's tough, but Columbus is for sure one of them. No.

[G]

Hey, so Chris Pronger won it last and then aft before that it was Bobby Orr in 1971, 72 and 69. And then before that was Tommy Anderson in 1941.

[Ryan Whitney]

Tommy.

[Keith Yandle]

All right, let's tell Biz that Bobby Ord never even won it.

[Ryan Whitney]

He won't be like, oh, really man?

[Keith Yandle]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No way.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, dude, I could have sworn I read that somewhere though. Gretz told me a story one night. Did I tell you I own part of an East Coast Hockey League team? He's gonna try to sign travel schedule. Dude, man, I'm on a plane every other day. What's up bro? Or never even won mvp.

[Biz Nasty]

Wow. Who was it before Pronger?

[Ryan Whitney]

Just kidding. He won three in a row. Bobby. Or won three in a row. And Pronger was the next D man and the last D man to do it.

[Biz Nasty]

How, how many D men have done it over the course before that?

[Ryan Whitney]

Tommy Anderson in 1940.

[Biz Nasty]

Holy.

[Ryan Whitney]

What team did Tommy Anderson play for?

[Biz Nasty]

Leafs.

[Ryan Whitney]

We have no idea.

[Keith Yandle]

It's got a big, it's one. One of six.

[Ryan Whitney]

The.

[G]

The now defunct Brooklyn Americans.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, they were a wagon.

[Biz Nasty]

I just guessed the Leafs.

[Keith Yandle]

You had a one in six chance of getting it right and you didn't quickly.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I actually believe that as of right now. Monday, January 13th at 6:11 Eastern Time p.m. the eight teams that are sitting in the Western Conference are the eight playoff teams. That would be Vegas, Edmonton, la. That would be Winnipeg, Minnesota, Dallas and that would be Colorado and Vancouver. So biz thinks that St. Louis could hop up and take over Vancouver spot as the last wild card team. I think Calgary at some point might drop off. Very impressive season by them as well. This Wolf kid, nasty normally at this.

[Biz Nasty]

Point, like Rutherford, he's big on like the mid season trades. It's coming, it's. Something's got to be coming. I think they got to shake things up in order to, to kind of take that next step. But Vancouver's scaring me a little bit right now, especially with all that locker room drama. A lot of tough games in the West. There's a few teams nipping at their heels. I think Utah is pretty impressive. They started out hot out of the gate, then they, they stumbled a little bit. But they've gotten their game back more, more goal scoring. So I, I do like St. Louis. I like what they have cooking. If they can get that whole back end healthy with Bennington. And they sneak in where each demons playing that 18 to 20 minutes. You're not really relying on too many two, like one guy a little more.

[Ryan Whitney]

22. 22.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay, maybe him a little bit more. But you look down the lineup, I mean, is there, is there, is there a possibility that Tory Krug is coming back?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, he's out for the year.

[Biz Nasty]

He's out for this year.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, unfortunately. Yeah. I, I think you're going to see, I think a lot of teams had their, you know, their midseason meetings this week and, you know, this, this week coming up and last week, and I think you're going to see a lot of stuff, you know, trades and stuff like that happening either right before the Four nations or right after. It's going to be a gauntlet of, you know, trades getting made because I think teams are kind of figuring out where they are right now. And, you know, like Whit said, a lot of the teams are, are set, locked in, ready to go, and other teams got to look in the mirror and say, what are we, right? Are we going to be making trades? Are we going to be bringing guys in or are we going to be getting rid of guys? So I think the next couple weeks is going to be fun.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the, the sooner. I've always respected how Rutherford's done that because it's just, it's more games with the guy, right? You're getting more time for him to be accustomed with the team and, and another team that, that, that is right now sitting in a great spot. The Dallas Stars, they've been on a wild run lately, really coming into form, figuring things out. They've played phenomenal, and we were lucky enough to sit down with a true legend, the biggest legend in the history of the Dallas Stars or organization. A man with, I think, the coolest statue of any statue out there for any pro athlete. The American legend himself. A beautiful, beautiful human being, inside and out.

[Keith Yandle]

Glass banger.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's still in prison. Mike Modano.

[Biz Nasty]

Everyone banging bars.

[Ryan Whitney]

Mike Modano. Guys, before we continue, I want to talk about DraftKings. And the NFL playoffs are here. We had the super wild card weekend. We're moving on to the divisional round. We're moving on to the conference championship, and we're ending up at the Super Bowl. And if we're talking NFL playoffs, you got to get in on the action at DraftKings 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. Are you ready to place your first bet? Try betting on something simple like a player to score six, go to the DraftKings sportsbook app and make your pick. And here's another reason to watch your favorite players crush it in the NFL playoffs. New customers bet $5 to get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Score big during the NFL Playoffs with DraftKings Sportsbook. Download the DraftKingsSportsbook app and use code Chiclets. C H I C L E T S. That's code Chiclets for new customers to get $200 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings sportsbook, the crown is yours.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut.

[Keith Yandle]

Help is available for problem gambling.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play.

[Ryan Whitney]

Responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction.

[Ryan Whitney]

Void.

[Paul Bissonnette]

In Ontario, bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG co audio.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is an all timer, folks. One we've been waiting for, one we've been wishing for. And it's finally come. This guy. Hockey hall of Fame, Stanley Cup Champion, IIHF hall of Fame, you name it, he's done it. One of the greatest American hockey players to ever live. Mike Modano, thanks for joining the show.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Thanks to the intro with. Thank you.

[Ryan Whitney]

I appreciate, I appreciate. This is great. Actually.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I've been hoping to get the call for this, the nod to come on here.

[Biz Nasty]

What do you mean? I put you in a headlock at the Ice Den parking lot to do this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm like, okay, I'm coming. Just call me, text me, anytime.

[Ryan Whitney]

Biz stalked his ass in Arizona. I'm gonna find him, I'm gonna get him. He told me years ago about his plan. But my first question to you, actually, you got a statue this year and thank God this statue came out the way it did. We saw. What was it? Dwyane Wade's one of the worst statues of all time. But yours came out. It's. I think it's the coolest one I've ever seen. Like, how excited were you when that came out? Did you see it beforehand? I'm guessing no. Like, take us through that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, it was a long process. I think this thing was in the works for about six or seven years prior. Then obviously Covid kind of postponed things for two or three years and. And so it's kind of been under wraps. We weren't really able to say anything up until probably a year before we knew that we're gonna unveil it in March. But yeah, there was a lot of going back and forth. I think Dan Stukel and Brad Alberts from the Stars, we all kind of collaborated on some photos and we kind of sifted through all the getty images and everything that we could find on safari. It's funny that the three of us almost had this image as part as I our final three. So it was kind of that iconic. Just kind of that crossover look and the head up and, and kind of everything kind of moving cross ice. But yeah, we came up with that and, and then like yeah, we've, we took a couple trips to Chicago to see the, the, the sculptor and just trying to fine tune and everything. But I mean, yeah, I'm. You don't know until that that cape comes off and the drape drops and I'm like, oh, you're just crossing your fingers. Like everything's kind of eyes aren't crossed and the things aren't looking. We, we were pretty, we were pretty taken away. It just was spot on. The colors, you know, the, the way they flew, the green and the green black in there. I mean it was, it turned out fabulous. And I don't know if you saw the bottom this, the old tax skates they had on this thing and I scooting up, I mean the whole thing was, was pretty cool.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was another question I had that the skates are back and so recently a guy from ccm, I was talking on Twitter about how cool they are and the new version even. So they brought me over a pair and I said like what happened here? He's like, Austin Matthews actually came to us. It said like the Madonna skates. Like can you make those again? They made them and they just popped off like people saw them right away. So for you that's. I think a lot of people think of you. It's jersey flapping in the win and the old tax.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know I, I have one pair left. I, I begged Mark Baraboo who is my equipment guy with the North Stars. He went on to work for Easton for so many years and now he's the Midwest rep for ccm. Lives in the Twin Cities here. And so I begged them. My last year, my five year deal I did in Dallas, my last contract I'm like, I begged them because they were kind of transferring into these new skates that you see today. I'm like, listen, I can't get into these things. They just don't fit. You know, you're just. I was stuck on these skates. I'm like, just make me five pair. I only wear one a year. After five years, I'm done. I'll be retiring. And then, you know, of course the wings call. So I had to get him the last pair stitched up and kind of replaced and everything else, but he gave me five pairs and that was it. So. But yeah, he showed me. Erickson EK has a pair of those skates that came out a couple months ago. And I'm like, they turned out cool.

[Keith Yandle]

The whole Jersey flap thing's amazing. And watching, watching the ceremony and I don't believe your kids were alive when you played, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, no, none of them.

[Biz Nasty]

Nope.

[Keith Yandle]

And you just saw it in your voice and you know, as soon as you mentioned your kids, you got a little emotional and your teammate as well. But just to have that statue there and your kids will be able to see that for the rest of their lives. And everyone in your family, just an amazing honor. And the Jersey flap for me was the biggest thing there in that, that they absolutely knocked out of the park. So congratulations on that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Thanks. Thanks. They always ask, how does that happen? I'm like, I, you know, I had an, maybe it was a 56, 57 size jersey, so it was a little oversized. I had, I liked it loose in the sleeves and so it kind of a little, little more bellowy look on the waist. But yeah, the kids never got a chance to see me play. And it's funny, some guys able to have their kids around in the locker room. I always thought that was so cool. But, you know, my, mine got this. Couple of my twins were just born a few months old when we got to the hall of Fame in Toronto. And then saw the jersey retirement, all that thing, and then the statue thing. So, yeah, my kids are, they're trying to grasp on the, the magnitude of all this thing. And then, you know, people coming up to me in Dallas and then we're in the Twin Cities. And so it's a lot that happens in Minnesota Express, especially at the Games. And so it was funny, one of our first trips here, we just had moved. So we come to the home opener for the, the Wild, and of course we're walking through the concourse and people are like, oh, just got you back in town. You know, it's good to see you pictures shaking hands and this and that. My, and my kids are just kind of looking, you know, I didn't know these guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

They're like, who are you, dad?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Is he yours? I'm like, you have a lot of friends. I didn't know I had so many friends. And so my finally my 8 year old put it really a perspective. They're like, yeah, I know why they let their, they all know you. It's because of the Mighty Ducks, isn't it? I'm like, yeah, yeah, there you go. Keep you grounded.

[Biz Nasty]

That's it. Just need a small role in a movie, that's all.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Five words is my, my claim to fame.

[Biz Nasty]

Daniel Day Lewis over here. Hey, I, I, I was shocked to hear you only used one pair of skates a year. Like I know them fit in like Ugg boots then.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, they were just those old leather just they never broke down. They were just, I don't know, they just kind of kept their, their stiffness throughout the season. I'd have an extra pair that I just would eventually start wearing in practice after the new year and just kind of get them ready for camp the next year and, and, and maybe as a standby pair. But yeah, man, I just couldn't get into these multiple pairs of skates throughout a year. And these guys just now they just pull them out of the box and put them on and go crazy. You know, the gloves, I had leather gloves, these Old east leather. I'm like, I couldn't do anything with the cloth and I need, I needed the tight leather cuff. And so I was begging Warrior and Easton to keep making these gloves. And those things weigh like five pounds. I'm like, I'm like, you know, the gear that we wore back then was it had them in 22 to 25 pounds of gear. I'm like, like I, I, I touch this stuff now, it's like, you know, no wonder they're moving like water out there.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was say, imagine how fast you would have been that now. It's crazy. It does.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You don't have less beer. I would have been just humming through that neutral zone.

[Ryan Whitney]

I still have these old Easton skates and the like the kids on my son scene. They're like, what are those things? I'm like, yeah, buddy. This is what I was rocking them, using to pick them up. But you talked about Mighty Ducks, we biz and I did a pink Whitney commercial once and, and I swear to God, I didn't realize I must have done a thousand takes Like I couldn't get it.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, he was losing his mind. He wanted to go.

[Ryan Whitney]

He was losing. I didn't know. I'm like, you just say it and it's over.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, we, we sat there. I think we're just in the, the middle of our first strike as players. We struck just before we, we went on strike for something in 91. 90, 91 for salary disclosure. So no one knew what anybody made. So this was the big fight about players going in to negotiate because we never knew what anybody else made. So a guy scored a comp score 40, scored 30, and someone scored 40 is making, you know, three, 400 grand less than that guy. So no one knew and no one would tell anybody what they made to kind of keep it hush hush. So it was a real kind of secret thing back then, but now that was a big thing. We struck to have salary disclosure. So we're, you know, going through this process. But in the meantime, they asked, asked Basil McCray and I to come over to the Met and shoot this cameo for this movie. We're like, oh, Disney's doing this movie with Emilio Estevez. And we're like, okay, we'll come over. And so we, we're kind of going through our lines of the Emilio and the crew and the whole staff and, and I was butchering this thing and I was supposed to be Basil's line. And I'm like, I am fumble effing this thing to death for a good 20 minutes. They're like, finally. They're like, time out. Let's just take a break. They come back, they're kind like, okay, you're gonna be North Star number two. Baz is North Star number one. So we flip flop, we flip flop lines. So I had the I wish you were a farmer, which I'll know to the day I die. So I, I messed that up. So Baz had more of the lead on that. I'm like, oh God, thank God. So he handled that. So, you know, three or four hours later, we finally got out of there.

[Biz Nasty]

Before we get to to more your career, I was going to ask you, you've been playing those Lake Tahoe tournaments, right? With like TJ Oshi and stuff. That must be a blast. And I, I know when every time they're on wit would. I mean, you always talk. Oh, I love to play.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm like writing letters. Mo. I'm like, get me in this thing because I watch it on tv and like you and Pavs, there's always like guy. You guys are always in the mix and Romo and Curry, it just looks like a blast out there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It is, it's such a fun deal. I mean they put on a great show all week long, American Century and those guys and it's, it's such a blast. And yeah, I mean it's, it's nerve wracking as heck. You find out how much trust you have in your game real fast when you got, yeah, people lined up down the, the fairway and you got to take pull out driver and hit something and you know, so it's fun but yeah, it's, it's nerve wracking but it's, it's, it kind of gives your juices flowing. It gives us something a little bit of purpose to kind of, you know, work on your craft a little bit through the summer and get out there. But you know, the, the location is beautiful, the weather, just everything about it. It's, it's, it's an amazing time.

[Biz Nasty]

Is that one of the things you miss is getting the juices flowing? I mean you played well, 14, I was going to say 1500 games but Babs didn't really want that to happen. But just getting the juices flowing. And, and also was there anybody that you'd met at that tournament where you were like, oh, this is awesome. I can exceeded expectations based on how you felt about them going in?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think they're all great guys. I mean I, I was a big, you know, Joe Theisman's there. I mean I, I was just more work with the current guys. I met Brian Erlocker out there maybe nine, ten years ago. Just a great guy. So much fun. We kind of keep in touch. Brian Bald Brian Baumgartner from the office was a great friend. He's so much fun. But just being around Charles Barkley and Ray Allen was another big, I was a big fan of Ray Allen and you know, but it's, I don't know, it's more nerve wracking playing or watching these guys gamble. I'm like, oh. I'm like Charles goes to town about 50 a hand and it's oh, he's a maniac. I'm like, you got 300k swings. I'm like. I was like, wow. I was like, good TNT deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yan said beforehand he's like, yeah, I saw Mo in WWF one time. I'm like, what? I never heard that.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, with Mr.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Perfect we did, oh, we did the Mr. Perfect skit a long time ago at the Met center. But then we went out to reunion with Holly myself. And Langenbruner, Grant Marshall and we were out there doing watch WWE at the reunion wwf and the Rock was doing a. A mash. So he was doing the Rock and doing the whole shine up the Stanley cup and you know, this whole thing. He did his whole skit, so. And then someone came out and so we all jumped in the ring at the same time. I. I've can't. I've yet to find that thing on YouTube, but they. They got the. The Rock skit on there. But yeah, the Mr. Perfect thing was. I think I was 18, 19. We did a deal and it was.

[Biz Nasty]

It was tragic tv going back to the gambling. I'm sure when you first started in Minnesota, you guys were flying. You guys weren't flying private. But were there ever any big card games going on the plane with you guys in Dallas?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Dallas, not so much. I mean, we play a little bit of euchre. I played a ton of euchre with Langer and Bruner and Verbeek and New and Dyke and, you know, we'd play a ton of euchre and stuff like that. But yeah, nothing, you know, the post game and all this stuff, high, low kind of thing and then, you know, get on the bus and you know, that sort of thing. But nothing. Nothing too crazy. Not like, you know, the level it's at today.

[Ryan Whitney]

We got to go back to kind of your youth and your beginning of the game. Now my first question is going to be you're. I think you're 53 now. You look like you're 35, in amazing shape. But somebody on Hockey DB has done you so dirty where you can click through pictures. When the. Did you look like that mo.

[Biz Nasty]

When were you a lesbian?

[Keith Yandle]

That was. That was JC Penny catalog.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Look at that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Were you just hammering donuts as a little kid?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Look at those cheeks. That was my first training camp in Kalamazoo for the, for the North Star.

[Ryan Whitney]

You have a North. You have a North Stars like logo on like a turtleneck.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think I was just right out of the draft and, you know, just turned 18, got my braces off, just had prom. And then they shoot that photo like, oh, man, this things. You can't. You can't.

[Keith Yandle]

You can't shake. Still had the hairspray in your hair from prom?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, but as a young kid, like I was reading online, I don't know how accurate it always is, but apparently your dad got you into the game when you were like six, seven, I don't know, right around then.

[Biz Nasty]

And even started skating at the age of three, right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I did a little bit of skating, but I never got into organized hockey. My dad didn't really know what to do. He was a big Boston guy. He's from Boston and big Bruins fan. He moved, he was off to California, stopped in Detroit, ended up meeting my mom, stayed in Detroit, got into construction business was, started building some homes around Detroit. And then I got into, you know, I think kindergarten, first grade and really got into a lot of trouble, just, you know, just pent up energy, just had no, no where to release it, you know. So I got a lot of trouble, kicked out. And there's three brothers. I worked with my dad in the summer and one played semi pro in Fort Wayne for the Comets at back in the day. They're all brothers, Jack, Mike and Bobby Rankin. Mike was playing at State Michigan and, and, and Bobby was at St. Lawrence. So these guys would come out in the summer, make shift, make some money with my dad. I come on property, help them out on the weekends and, and mess around with these guys. But the oldest one, Jack's like, you know, oh, why don't you go get Mike signed up, see if he gets in a league and play some structured hockey. And that was it. I went one time and that was it. Went skating really at Lakeland Ice arena, where La Fontaine. Mike was skating at the time. And I was there. And then that was it, the light bulb went off. I was like, wow, this, I love this thing. So we lived on the lake, shoveled off the lake, fell in a few times, obviously. So then my mom's like, I'm making you a late, I'm making you a rink. No more skating on the pond, in the lake. So that was it. I just went, I took it to water, man. I was just. I loved it and I couldn't get enough of it from then on.

[Biz Nasty]

Were you working with a, a skating, a coach or something? Because I think the skating is what stood out the most. Like you were just buzzing around like, no, you were kind of like the McDavid of your time, you know, there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Was a time when I had a real wide stride when I was like maybe Bantam's midget. So I saw this, went to this power skater. She's the first one that told me, start bringing your legs closer to get more ice on the skate, on the ice and steel push. And that's really kind of what changed my whole thing. And then I went to Prince Albert. Rick Wilson's wife Carol was a figure skater. She helped me out a lot in Prince Albert. And then, you know, from that on, I was kind of tinkering with my skates and blades, and I went to the. The Canada cup in Pittsburgh, and Stevie Wayne was our strength.

[Ryan Whitney]

Equipment manager, the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Guy with the Penguins, and he was doing coffee skates. So he's like, you got to try this hat, this one inch hollow. I was like, inch hollow on the skates. He goes, yeah, try it out. So I'm like. I go, okay, I'll put it on there. So I'm skating around the igloo, and I'm like. I'm just like. Like, Bambi had no edge skating. I'm like, they felt like they came out of the box. And then. Then that's when the. The radius thing and the hollow and all that things changed. And. And then that would just click, too. And then it was just kind of. You just felt like you're just kind of floating and hovering over chopped up ice and. And that's really kind of changes. So I'm like, now, now I can see that. You know, I'm looking at coffee going end to end. I'm like, it just looked like he's just kind of floating out there, just moving.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And everything. It was really kind of a game changer where you're like, you didn't have to exert a lot of energy to get somewhere that you did with a half inch hollow on your skate.

[Biz Nasty]

So just for those people watching on YouTube, it just means it like, kind of like that was a normal one. It was a little bit straighter, right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

A little flatter. So you just had a little touch on the edges here, but, boy, it felt like it was right out of the box. I mean, you couldn't grab, barely grab any nail on the edge. So but that changed the whole complexion of the skating for me. And then, you know, then a little bit of training, a little bit of technique and then. But yeah, just, you know, trying to get through that clutching and grabbing. In the late 80s 90s, I was like, man, this is. This is a lot more work than it needs to be.

[Biz Nasty]

How do you get used to that feeling of not feeling like you're slipping? Like, does your. Does your, like, muscle memory just pick it up?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think it was just over time. You just get on the ice and just feel like, you know, you. You start it just kind of gets used to it. I think about three or four practices with it on. Then it was like, just. It was normal, so it was just a little bit of a experimental thing, and then that was it. So I, I was like, we had to carry our own little wheel on the skate sharpener. And so, you know, I tried it.

[Biz Nasty]

Too, but after about a. I tried it too, but after a week of practicing with a chair, tip was like, enough. You're never gonna get this off. Get back to normal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Milk crate. He's just pushing it around, Mo. I feel like it wasn't as common. Maybe I'm wrong. But like American kid, you went, you went major junior then. And you didn't just go there, you went Prince Albert, which is way the fuck up there, I believe. Or is that Prince George? But how did that come about? Like, they draft you and how did you decide? I don't want to play college hockey.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I just got done with my last, my, my first year midget with Little Caesars in Detroit. And then I guess as an underage, you have to have a verbal agreement with Ontario Hockey League or the Quebec. So I was really had a verbal with Hull. Gretzky owned the whole Olympics at the time. Pat Burns was coach. Charlie Henry, who is a little bit of a liaison with Gretz at the time, was involved at the whole Olympics. Luke Robitaille had just, I think just got drafted or just was playing his last year up there. So I was like, oh, yeah, I'll. I'll commit the Hull. So what happened was Ontario and Quebec League drafts were on the same day. I was still three years too young to get drafted or recruited for college per se. So I was like, I don't want to stick in Detroit and play three more years of midget with Caesars. And so I'm like, you know, let's, let's try the hull. LaFontaine just got back and just was like, oh, it's so offensive. You'll love it. It's up and down, it's tons of scoring. Jimmy Carson just got back from Verdun. He's said the same things. And so I'm like, okay, I'll just go, let's go to the Hall. And the night before, about three in the morning, we get a call. We're supposed to get on a plane like at 10. They changed their minds. They went with someone else last minute draft. So at that time I'm like, I'm too late to commit to Ontario because they have all their verbals. And so I was out. So I'm kind of sitting there in no man's land for about two, three weeks. I get a call from Rick Wilson from Prince Albert saying, hey, we got you on our 50 player protective list. Would you come, like to just come see Prince Albert for a weekend and see what it's like. And if you like it, you can stay. If not, we'll get you a ticket and go back to Detroit. So I'm like, no, I'm packing my stuff, I'm coming. I don't care where PA is. I'm taking everything I have and went to Prince Albert and like, I loved it. I had the best time. My two, two and a half, three years there was just phenomenal. It's out in the middle of nowhere. It's 22,000 people. Cold is, you know, God, brutal cold. But, you know, the hockey was tough and brutal. Those bus trips and, you know, some of the guys. And so we, but we had a fairly tough team. I mean, Baumgartner was just there, Manson, Darren Kimball, Reed Larson, you know, but you had to go down and play Saskatoon, who had the Kosher brothers? Tony Twist, Kelly Chase, Kevin Kaminsky. So it was a gong show, to say the least when we played each other. And so, I mean, it was tough. But then you had Sakic, Flurry, you had Trevor Job, the Hoggood Recce out in west and all those guys. So there was a little bit of skill, but just, just some overall toughness in that league. I'm like, I never seen anything like it. But, you know, it got to the point where eventually we had separate warm ups. You had the whole team goes out.

[Ryan Whitney]

First, talked about that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Visiting team goes out second because, you know, everybody was like down there taking three quarters of the ice and they had their little, you know, from the hash marks in to do their warm up. So. But yeah, it was, it was a great experience. Rick, Rick was, you know, I love him, big fan, just a good buddy for, for years. But I was, I was lucky it turned out well. We just don't have the. We we back then. You didn't have the National Development in Ann Arbor, you didn't have the ushl. You just didn't have the opportunity. So it was either US or Canada. And you know, once you go to Canada, usually you lose your eligibility back in the States to go to ncaa. So. But I was like, I. I just gotta go, I gotta, I gotta try this out and see where I'm at.

[Keith Yandle]

Were you already being talked about as being a high pick and, you know, a future NHL star, or was it kind of. That's when it came to you when you were playing up there in the dub?

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was, it was just kind of. It was very verily talked about. I. I Didn't really know really what was the impact of what was happening until I came back from the World Juniors in Moscow and, and that 8,788 year. I got back about a week later. They came out with the Central Scouting list of players. I'm like, and I'm looking at it. I'm like, I go, Me and Lyndon were like, Trevor Lyndon was like, decision. You know, Daniel Dore, you know, all the. I'm like, Me and Linda were like one too. I was like, I'm like, wow, this. I, I didn't expect any of that to happen. So there was. Trevor was in Medicine Hat at the time, had just won a Memorial cup, and they won again that year. Obviously, they just had a stacked team and. But yeah, that was kind of the first inkling of what was going to happen come June after the World Juniors in January. And then it was just talked about the rest of the way. But, you know, all back then, all you read was the Prince Albert Herald. You know, the paper was about five pages thick. And, you know, I had a little excerpt of what was going on with the Raiders and around the league, but it wasn't the hype obviously today, but leading up to it was either Minnesota or Vancouver. And, you know, new nanny was picking. He didn't tell either one of us who was going where. So he left it up to would be a surprise, which was great. You know, added that much more to the, the nervousness of that day at the, at the Forum.

[Keith Yandle]

So when, when you made your decision, because I did the same thing going to Major Junior and, and my parents were like, well, if, what if you don't make it, what are you gonna do? And I was like, I'll just go to the military, whatever. Did you have a backup plan or. It was just, you knew it was.

[Biz Nasty]

You were going to the military was.

[Paul Bissonnette]

To go to Canadian College because you can go play there. I'm like, I'll just go University of Saskatchewan, go play there for a couple years and kind of see what happens. And then, you know, maybe go back and, you know, build some homes with my dad in Detroit. And I'm like, oh, just, you know, who knows? But I'm like, like, I, I, I just, you know, I didn't think that way. I was just like, I'll just go up there and try it. But my parents were like, go do what you want to do. Trace it and go see how it works out. And, yeah, I mean, you never in your mind think, okay, 10 years down the road from now, if you don't doesn't pan out, what are you gonna be doing?

[Biz Nasty]

I was like, oh, yeah, you wouldn't block, you wouldn't block a slap shot. You were going to enter the Army?

[Keith Yandle]

No, I was gonna go the Marines. But yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I, I just, I, I just wanted to quickly ask about like the Western League. You talked about how tough it was and then you end up making the transition your first year where you end up having 29 goals, have a great rookie year. Like, how much did the toughness of the Western League prepare you for the NHL? Because back then it was also like the NHL was a gong show too. So was it more of a gong show in the Western League or did it just help with the transition?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think the NHL was more of a gong show than at the late 80s, early 90s. I, I went into Minnesota, my left wingers, Basil McCrae, my right wingers, Chain Chilla. So here I'm, I'm just scooping gloves all night, scooping, throwing in there, you know, penalty box all night. Oh, man. It was just, you know, that Central League was brutal in Chicago, Toronto, St. Louis. I mean, it was just some tough, tough hockey. So I think, I like to say the Western League got me ready for a little bit, but boy, those guys were just, they're just dirty and nasty and that, that, that Norris division was just, just tough. So lucky I had some, I've been lucky. I had Darren Kimball and Reed Simpson as wingers and then Sherlo and McCray. So I was like, pretty well had some.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, that's huge.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got bodyguards here. It's, it's nuts looking at your draft. Like first off what tops office. There's 21 teams. So just to see how the league's grown. But, but some crazy names like in the first round, Timu, Brenda Moore, Ronick, and then Rob Blake was later Mark Rechy. Like, did you play world juniors with with Ronick? Had you known him a little bit leading into when you guys started in the NHL?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I had heard about J arth just through the rumor mill in Detroit and I think likewise with him out East. And then we got together. He wasn't in Moscow, he was in Alaska with us with Billy Garrett and Johnny Leclair and all these cast of characters. So we got the Anchorage with those guys. So that was my first hands on experience with Junior and Anchorage. So that was one of many. At that point on he, you know, he went to, you know, he was with Chicago and myself. So there's always this business, just internal rivalry between the two of us and, and I knew he was just head hunt, head hunting me every game. So I knew playing him I had to be ready and you know, keep my head up. And I think in a way that he made me probably better a player because he, you know, I was on red, you know, high alert when I was having to play the Hawks or Philly or whoever he was. Phoenix after a while. He goes to Phoenix now he's in our division when we're in Dallas. I'm like, I couldn't, I couldn't shake the guy.

[Biz Nasty]

I was going to ask you, I mean you talked about the power skating coaches, like did you have a particular mentor that you were grateful for to that point that helped you get to first overall and then obviously transitioning into the career you had. There must have been some pivotal years where you, you, you leaned on someone.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it goes back even to like my Peewee Banham years. I was with, oh God, Chris Corey, Little Caesars. Bob Brinkworth was with Little Caesars, my Peewee Bantam. And then Chris Corey was my final year in junior with Little Caesar's Midget. So those two guys were big, pivotal guys were just, just kind of little skill set that, that stuff they were working on, hand stuff, stuff based off it was just kind of really infant stuff. And then the Turcot school real came out with the stick handling school. So I got into that in the summer. So that was really kind of, you know, now you're making moves and going around people and trying to make some craft that way. But I think Rick was a big part of it and Pa Wilson and, and Prince Albert. But you know, it's funny, you, you know, you work on your craft and your skill, you get through the NHL. They almost coach the skill audio now you got to be better defensively, you got to be better draws.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

In the lane, be better positional, you know, save your energy for when you get the puck. And so it was a big transition in that sense because I had Bob Gaty, Doug Jarvis, Rick Wilson. I played with a lot of, had a lot of defensive minded coaches at the time. So I was still trying to be a little offensive. It didn't. You weren't able to do the things in the NHL that you could in junior. So that was a big learning curve. He got frustrated. You know, you were expected to be this turning point thing for the North Stars and put up all these numbers but things didn't happen at the start. So fans got frustrated, I got frustrated. So you know, you had to learn a whole different game as you got older. And, you know, Hiscock got involved, so that transitioned into a whole nother level of hockey and playing. So you always. I felt like throughout my whole career, I'm kind of learning and adding things to your game as you move on and. And just try to better yourself and do things that, you know, the team's expected of you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Similar to the. The guys on Coyotes last year who are now in Utah. Like, you're a part of a team where all of a sudden, like, we're moving, like, we're going to Dallas. Like, is hockey even popular there? And seeing now the Wild and the fan base, it must have been crushing to so many fans there. I don't even really know the whole story. And when did you guys find out it was official? What were your thoughts on it? Like, take us through that part of your life.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, the. The writing kind of was on the wall. Our last year in Minnesota, they changed the logo to this, just strictly stars. They got rid of the end, Rid of the green.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was awesome.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They got rid of the seats. They all went red. They got rid of the black, white, and green seats. At the Met, we got this, you know, stars across. So that was kind of the writing on the wall. That was kind of a generic name. You could go anywhere with just the stars. The end. You can't go, you know, too many places with a big end on your jersey. So we knew that was kind of a maybe, you know, a throw out there that something's in the works. And springtime came, I think three or four days maybe before the end of the game. It was announced that we're leaving. And so we all thought maybe something's going to happen. The 11th hour. We're going to go down to the Target Center. The Timberwolves just came into town. Great building. They can do ice at the Target or they do a major renovation to the Met, which was very outdated. It was built in 67. This thing just, you know, it's ready to crumble. So, you know, Norm had this vision of connecting the Mall of America to the Met Center. This people mover, kind of a train thing, which would have been great, but ultimately you needed a bigger stadium. You need suites, you need, you know, this corporate levels, income, revenue generating that the meth didn't have. So. So I think Norm was just forced to kind of shop it around. It was Anaheim. At the start, we thought Anaheim, but then because of the Mighty Ducks, the NHL got involved, and Huizenga was given the Mighty Ducks franchise. San Jose was the other thought. But our original owners, the Gun brothers, had just moved to San Jose, so they were given the franchise in San Jose for the Sharks. And then Hamilton was kind of thrown out there to go to cops. But then you had that rivalry with Toronto that you know, wouldn't work. But then Dallas was kind of a last minute thing. They just threw it out there and couple trips down there and that was it. We got a letter in the mail in June, be at training camp in September in Irving, Texas. So that was, it was kind of. It was crazy. But I think in the Brett, the broad scheme of things, I don't think none of us imagine how hockey would have turned out in Dallas, Texas the way it has. I mean it's just, it's one of those places that, you know, free agents maybe circle as a team to go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean it's just turned out great. The new arena, the whole thing, the fans, it's just a loyal fan base now. And it's just, it was, it was amazing, amazing time there in Dallas. So much fun. We had some great years, great teams, great players. Yeah, this is. And, and people here are still heartbroken. I see game people games and they're like still bitter 30 something years later that this North Stars lead left.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, go ahead.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sorry. Cause I kind of hopped over one thing I wrote down before the move. 9091 you guys make it to the Cup Finals. I guess the. Maybe one of the most memorable goals in cup final history. Mario Lemieux against you guys. But was that a surprise run for that group that you had? And what do you remember about your first, first trip to the Cup Final?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, one thing there's, there's. There was ties back then, no overtime. So I think we got in with 67 points. I think we're the 16 team out of 16 to make it. You know, you had the eight in the east, eight in the west. I think we're the 16th team in the league. I think we had to win one or two games to kind of sneak in. And we had the win in Quebec, I think at some point. So we won one of those two games in Quebec to get in there. And then you got to play Chicago, who's the train tr President's trophy winner. So we got them off in six and then s. St. Louis with Holly and everybody. And so they were second overall. I think we did them in six as well. And then Edmonton had mess Anderson.

[Ryan Whitney]

Holy cough.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They just won the cup the year before 1990 with with no Wayne. So they were. We did that in five and then ran into Mario. I think he had back problems. He didn't play in a few games. So we're up two games to one. We're thinking, oh, we're two wins away. And then Mario came back, his back spasm somehow some way relieved himself. So he went on a tear the last three games and, and like you said, that pivotal goal split in Chambers and Wilkinson and then John Casey. But yeah, we had never lost a game at home until the finals against Pittsburgh. And really, and I think to this day we still hold the record for most power play goals in the playoff run. 36 or 37.

[Ryan Whitney]

Holy.

[Biz Nasty]

Is that the most dominant you've ever seen a hockey player? When, when, when Mario came back on the ice.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just men with boys, I mean just size, speed and I, I, and I was on the ice at the blue line and he picked that puck up and I was like I, I never saw him move so fast in the reach the whole thing and it was unbelievable.

[Keith Yandle]

You're not in the highlights.

[Paul Bissonnette]

One of my favorites. I mean I, I just, he slowed.

[Biz Nasty]

Up a little bit to avoid the can like jump into the B. I.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wasn'T on the ice for that one.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I don't want the kids seeing that tape. I was just going to say like as an American you go to the state of hockey and you have the start to your NHL career being the first overall pick. So you're bringing fans their joy. And then how proud are you at the fact that you got to go grow hockey in the United States in a place like Dallas? Because like I look at what Wayne did and when he went down to LA and how much that was big for, for hockey United States. Like, like you're going to go down as one of the greatest American born players but you got a chance to, to do what you did in, in Dallas in the state of hot in, in the, in the state.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that was one I, I think I mentioned at the statute night was, is more meaningful. The way that we were able to grow hockey in the state of Dallas and be, you know, kind of the forefront to kind of get the popularity kids playing the growth of the game. I think that was more meaningful than anything probably that we, we, you know it might accomplish and we got a cup and a lot of accolades and personal stuff but seeing where the game is now in Dallas and, and, and what it was in 93 when we got there, it's just, it's mind blowing. So to be, you know, A part of that and to see it grow and to put a lot of. We put a lot of work in to try to market it and get the kids involved and things like that. We only had a couple rinks in the Metroplex and Now there's maybe 20 plus rinks around the city in Fort Worth, in Dallas. So I think that was more, more meaningful than anything seeing, seeing that impact that it had and lots of, you know, I think Wayne had a global US broad impact on the game because I don't think we'd be in Dallas or other teams in California, Florida, Nashville, Phoenix without Wayne's involvement in the popularity of the game in la. At the time.

[Ryan Whitney]

When you got to Dallas, was it one of those things where like, a lot of people don't know much about hockey, like, where fans are probably, you know, I've seen like stories where they're like, announc, why the whistle blew, things like that, where it's just so different than Minnesota where they just love it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We had a couple years there where the, the announcements were made, offsides, icing on the, on the loudspeaker. So it was, it was a lot of 101 learning, kind of knowing it. But we always thought, you know, hockey at that point, you know, TV was tough because you, your, your technology back then was terrible. So really tracking stuff on TV was hard, but, but we always thought hockey at that point and in time was such a spectator sport. So we figured if we could market people to come to the game, see it live, see it in person, they would be, they would be hooks. I feel like Dallas, I think hockey still to this day is one of those great spectator sports. You know, football, I think better is better on the couch, hockey is better at the rink. And, and so I, I think that's kind of how we built this momentum with, you know, luring fans to reunion and that, that, that it took off from there.

[Keith Yandle]

I was just gonna say, were you guys. Because nowadays guys, you just go to the. Go to practice, go back home, take a nap. Like, were you guys out kind of recruiting fans and telling people where you guys like boots on the ground for, for the players trying to help out.

[Biz Nasty]

He was actually a cheerleader. He was wearing one of the cheerleader outfits like they got now. That's how it all began.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Nice girl fishing snow back in the day with, you know, some tight side.

[Biz Nasty]

And the Madonna scent in the hallway there. That's what we're smelling.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't think anybody would have came, man, but we're marketing our Butts off. We're all over the place. We're all malls, ranks outside.

[Biz Nasty]

We're.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We're just kind of pushing it hard, man. We were just boots on the ground, just trying to, you know, trying to create a. Some. Some excitement and some. Some momentum. But, you know, ultimately was the product and the ice. Adam ultimately did it from 96 to, you know, 0708. You know, that was kind of our heyday years, and we had some good runs, and then that was. Kind of spoke for ourselves. Those people, those fans got taste of those playoff runs, and they were just. They were hooked. They couldn't wait till April, May, and then it was. We're off to the races at that.

[Biz Nasty]

Point, so we'll probably end up digging deep into these Dallas teams and the characters. Just for, like, a Minnesota fan perspective. Like, what. Outside of that run, what was the most. Like, the most memorable parts of your time there and what kind you remember of those days there?

[Paul Bissonnette]

You know, obviously, that was. That was just a Cinderella run at 91. People still talk about it to this day, but I think just the, you know, the. The connection you have with fans. I mean, the knowledge of fans here is just, you know, like, you almost like playing in Canada. They know what's going on. They know everybody in the lineup. They know the integral parts of, you know, forecheck, neutral zone, back check, everything about it. So there's. It takes a lot of them a lot to get them out of their seats and get them excited because, you know, know, they're just very smart. They know what's going on. So. But my time off the ice, I had a great time in. In. In Minneapolis, you know, had a lot of great friends. You know, spent a lot of time on the lakes, water skiing, fishing up north, going up to Brainerd and. And everything up north. But, you know, the summertime, great golf courses, great fishing, you know, great water skiing. Just a lot of fun just being, you know, being 18, 19, 20, 21, you know, 22 is, uh. You know, you're. You're introduced to a lot of things that, you know, you have to be smart about a little bit at times.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah, I bet.

[Ryan Whitney]

I bet when you're in Dallas, Bob Gainey's your coach, and then. And then Hitch comes in, and we actually just interviewed Kevin Shattenkirk, who played for him in St. Louis and biz and I got to experience a little during training camp once with them. But it must have been crazy for you, because I think there were stories, too, where he's like, like, hey, Madonna, you're gonna have to play a different way to win a Stanley Cup. Like, is that all true? How was your relationship?

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was. I, I think it was good from the start. I think obviously we had some history from Kamloops and Prince Albert, so we were kind of familiar with each other. He was in Kalamazoo at the time. Even when we're with the North Stars, he got the gig out of Kamloops to, To coach our farm team in Kalamazoo. So I, I saw him at training camp and, you know, so we were kind of familiar with one another. But I think his first, first, you know, our first meetings as soon as he got the job was to like, hey, Mike, you know, we're going to ask a lot of you. You know, we're going to probably try having you penalty kill. So now I'm like, what? Huh? I was like, now I got to get in the way of shots. I'm like, okay, I'm gonna get in the way of the pass before the shooter gets it so I don't have to get in the way of the shot. And so that was a whole learning thing too. So he's like, you know, you're gonna play against Sakic, you're gonna play against Fedorov, you're going to play against Warsburg. You know, all these guys. I was like, I'm like, that's, that's. That seems like a lot of work. I just want to get. Put me out against the third, fourth flying guys. We can have some fun, you know, put up some numbers. He goes, well, not going to win like that, you know, so you have to realize if that's how you want to play, you're probably not going to play much, you know. And Bob Gaty was his backer, so Bob, you know, had some skin on the walls too. So, you know, you can't argue with Gatty as well, too. So I, I was two against one on me there. But then we had some defensive guys. Craig Ludwig was there at the time. He came from that Montreal background. We got Mike Keane, Montreal guy, you know, so Joe New and Dyke came from Calgary, a very defensive offensive type team. But, you know, Hitch would get on me, he'd call me at home, he'd text him, you know, he's like, hey, I need you to be this type of player tomorrow. You know, he. He started planting the seeds before these games, and really he started thinking about it. And I think in. In some sense, it was kind of pretty smart because it got me thinking about you know, what am I going to do against Sakic out there? How am I going to play? Where do I need to be on the ice to make, maybe neutralize him or even be a factor in the other end of the ice? So it was an exciting time. I had a great right winger, Yuri Letton, I mean, phenomenally one of the best two way players ever. So I had a nice security blanket over there so he could, you know, pick up my messes and clean up everything that I, I missed or wasn't there for. So he was great to have. But. Yeah, it was just. But, but Hitch pushed the buttons. I mean, he had the hammer down every day. And you, you, you know, you look back on the bench like, man, just take it off the gas for a minute. Let me like, take a breath and. But we had a lot of veteran guys there at the same time that would keep Hitch on their wraps a little bit and kind of keep them cool, kind of settle them down. Carbo Luds, Mike's, you know, Mike Keane, Brian Scrubland. We had a lot of veterans verbeek week that could, you know, could tone Hitch down at the right times. But he was, you know, we'd, we'd have a lot of fun with Hitch and, you know, play some games with him, but when it was game time, man, he was, he was, we were. You're probably the most prepared team I think I've ever played on when, when he was a coach for sure.

[Biz Nasty]

You mentioned a comment earlier about like knowing when to conserve energy and like learning parts of the game. Like that. Was that, was that something that he taught you? You.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it was a lot, you know, because you always want to cheat the system. I, I'd be wheeling out of our own zone. I'm like, he'd be like, where you, you know, where are you going? We gotta put a GPS out for you. You know, you're, you're blowing the zone and we haven't even exited our own zone. No one's got the puck and, you know, I'm looking like, you know, give me a 50 footer so I can get a breakaway somehow, some way. So he's like, you know, you have to learn to stop, face the puck. You can't score in your own zone. It was like, so there was it. It took about a two, three year process before this all started clicking in. You didn't have to think about where you were on the ice, where to stand and this and that. So, yeah, I mean, I, I wanted to blow the zone. I wanted to get going. But you know, you found that hard way that you would never get the puck that way.

[Biz Nasty]

You know what, what was the most heated you ever got with them? Like did you ever have a couple you matches with him in the office or was it always cordial?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Could be there were some good ones on the bench. I think he would, you know, he'd come off and just get me and then. But you had those vets that say, hey Hitch, back off. You know, okay, you know, tone it down. You know, get off.

[Biz Nasty]

Who, who is the Steve Ott of, of your time where like he owned Hitch. Like he would just bury him with, with one liners.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Mike Keane, Mike Keith. I think pound for pound the funniest guy I think I've ever played with. Played in Moose Jaw, played against him on the W. I'm like, great whack job too, so. But he was a gamer boy. He would just, he had some of the best playoff games for us. Two game sevens against Colorado. I think he scored a goal or two in those games. But this guy was a character. He just had so much, so much fun. Practical joker, but most on the expensive Hitch, he would just give it to him.

[Ryan Whitney]

So before, you know, you guys got over the hump and won that Stanley cup, like 1996, the World Cup. And for an American kid I know Keith remembers, I was with his dad and his brother for this game, game, the, the final series. But that was a, A true change in USA Hockey. And like yourself could Chuck Garen like these legends. I actually watched a YouTube movie the other day orchestrating an upset. It's all about that World Cup. But maybe the nastiest, dirtiest hockey you, you ever took a part in. It was crazy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I just did a podcast here and the guy had all this penalty minutes for, for those games for Tkachuk, Garen, Lindros, Chelios. I mean it's all upper teens, like 17, 18, 19 minutes of penalties. And it's just, it was, it was just prison rules. I mean there was nothing out, it was just, you know, every man for themselves out there. And it was just brutal and it was just. And you can see the build up. You know, it was a pre, you know, pre camp tournament. So all summer long it's talked about Canada's in Toronto, Montreal, getting ready. We were, we were actually in Providence I think for a week, you know, so again and you know, so we're always so Ron Wilson, you know, home Grand Paul. You know, these guys are just pushing these guys buttons, just getting them ready Getting Kachuk, Garen, Chelly, getting all these guys just cranked up to the point where they get on the ice, they just can't think straight. Their minds really rise across the wires, across. They're just going. Going after these guys that I'm playing with. With. I'm playing with Garen and Kachuk, you know, so here I am again, sweeping the gloves to the belly box, picking them up. You know, these guys were just like, you know, just let out of the cage. They just were going crazy. And they had some, you know, Lemieux and Lindross and those guys. Claude over there just, you know, some guys. I mean, their lineup alone in Canada was just insane. So, you know, we thought we were in trouble. Losing otay overtime in Philly, and then we had to win two and the Forum in Montreal, and it was just, you know, again, some of the. Just. Just bedlam trying to win two in the Forum. And Suter just laid out Wayne, I think, from behind, and the place went crazy. So Gary wanted, man. So, you know, the shift in Richter was just unbelievable. Those last two games, Hatcher probably had the best three games. You know, his life in those games. Holly, Tony, Mate. Just timeless. Just timeless goals, like, just at important times. And yeah, it was. It was. It was most fun. You know, we. We probably had as a group because, you know, we. We just. We got along really well off the ice as much as on the ice. You know, we had some characters in Holly Jelly, you know, Waiter, Kachuk, Aaron, and, you know, those guys, we just had so much fun and, you know, we. We played hard and had fun off the ice and. But, yeah, it was. It was. It was exciting for USA Hockey. It was probably something, you know, for us, it felt like 80 because those were our fan. Those were our idols, or, you know, we were able to play as with some of those guys, with. With Bratz and. And Neil and those guys. But, yeah, it was. It was some great hockey.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I was wondering, because now, I mean, you got guys not making the team. Like, it was never the case for USA Hockey, which. How strong it's become. And I think 96 had a lot to do with it. But did you guys realize what you had and how special it was? Because leading into that, US never did anything like world championships, they'd get drummed. Canada Cups, they'd get drum. But your group, with all these guys around the same year, you must have realized that we can play with them. And that was probably Ron Wilson's main message.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Yeah. I think that the timing Was perfect. I mean, it was, you know, we're, you know, me, Keith, Billy, Waiter, Hatch, all those guys. We're all 26, you know, Chelly and those guys were 30, 31, 32, Leech, Richter, you know, those guys, you know, Housley. So we all felt, you know, the timing is, you know, perfect for this kind of upswale of. Of a team that we had. So we had everybody kind of catching up to these guys. They're all coming off great years. Everybody was having a, you know, good season the year before, so there a lot of confidence going into the camp. But, yeah, we. We never knew the impact that was going to make until, you know, we ended up winning and, you know, still talked about to this day and. But you said nowadays, I mean, there's so much talent, so many areas of the country that kids are growing up playing that, you know, you're pulling kids from all over the place and, you know, and now you feel like you almost, you know, you feel like you're on level ground as far as talent and the production of talent compared to Canada and Russia.

[Keith Yandle]

Looking back, I mean, the roster now, it's, you know, a ton of hall of Famers with all you guys. But. But you said the coaches were getting on you guys to go out there. Was it to play hard? Did. Did they think that you guys had a lesser team, that you had to go out there and be the aggressor and be the bowler and, you know, you know, get those guys going that way?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think there was just. I think Ron and Paul's is like, go out there and initiate it. Get in their face first. Go after them first. See how they react. Don't let them be, you know, the intimidator. It's Canada. You know, screw them. Let's go get them. It's Montreal. Let's just. Just, you know, we have an opportunity to just kind of stick it to these guys. Two straight in the Montreal Forum. You know, let's just get one and see where game three goes, but let's just tie it up and see where it is. But, you know, he was all about, you know, kicking them first, you know, being the, you know, putting them in the corner, see how they respond. You know, they've never. They've always been the bully on the block, you know, being, you know, you know, put your foot on your neck there kind of thing. Let's be that guy. Let's go out there and get them and see how they respond to be a. And, you know, maybe, you know, the intimidator and see how they react to it. So it was a lot of that leading up to this. So in retrospect, it was. It was pretty smart delivery from those guys, I thought, at the time.

[Ryan Whitney]

Before you won the Cup, Holly comes to Dallas that summer, and you'd known him World cup, obviously. Like, how excited were you as a centerman? Like, I got this guy now, this goal scorer, and do you even remember, like, did he sign there? Was it, like, how did it. And him. And him and him pitch? So I've heard some classic ones.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He was so fun. I. I wish I had about eight or nine years with Holly because I just. I would laugh every day. And he was such a. Such a fun dude and great teammate, and he just put things in perspective that I've, like, never heard before, just about the game and the description of the game and how I should be played and, you know. You know, being, you know, having fun and going out there and just, you know, whatever happens, happens. I was like, man, I. I've been wound up like a top for years, and here he is coming in here, he's scoring 92 goals a game, and he's very, you know, lackadaisical and loose and having a good time about it. So he was. He was a. Fun to be around. And I think, oh, God, was it 97 that we went shopping for him? I think, after St. Louis, in St. Louis. And I think, you know, Carbo gave the big sales pitch to him and Bob Gainey and. And I think he felt at the time that we had a. A really good opportunity to win in Dallas. You know, we just. We just made a monumental trade for Kevin Hatcher for Zubov, which goes down of the century for us. And because Mario was tired of Zubi, I like, well, we'll take them. So we'll. That was a great.

[Biz Nasty]

What do you mean by that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He. I think Zubi lift off Mario too much.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought you were gonna say the cigarette.

[Biz Nasty]

He was stealing his cigarettes. That's why.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You could go through those like candy, too. But don't look off Mario. That's a no, no. But we had Hitch Hatcher for him. And then we just, you know, we got in Screwland, Keane and everybody else and Carbo, and, you know, so we had these pieces. Ed Belfort just kind of came in the loop, and. And so we, you know, so I think Holly thought that maybe this was the time that better than any that to win. So he got. He came here and he started playing with Yuri. Letnan myself. So he was a lot of fun and, and, you know, Hitch would ride him because he needed, you know, Brett to be a little more responsible in his own zone. At least stay on your point. If anything else, just stay on your point and don't go too low and everything else. But he was, he was a treat. But man, he, he made the game look easy. I was like, some of these goals go in. I pull up some of his videos back in the, you know, those 80s when he's scoring 80, 90 goals. I'm like, the goalteny was just, just absolute horrendous. Even Wayne's 92. I mean, some of those goals, I mean, most of them are on the ice. I was like, not one went up high, you know, everybody was down. He had small goalies back then, no pads. So I always give Holly, you know, grief. I don't think you would have got, you know, 80 something in today's game. But yeah, I, I, you know, he goes, but he would always say, if guys are on my back, I'm always open, My hands are free, my hands are open. I was like, oh, so he just toss him in there. He just get it off and some of these goals going in. I'm like, man, I would have loved to been Adam Oats for about seven, eight years with him.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, he's, he's like highly intelligent. I heard he does the, the crossword. The hardest ones in like two minutes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. He sits there stretching out on the locker room floor.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

There's the splits.

[Paul Bissonnette]

New York Times. And he knocks it off before practice. I was like, I can't even get one. I can't give one line in the New York Times. And he knocks it off before practice. So, so he was, he was very, very smart in that sense. So he, you know, like you said, he thought the game differently. He'd always come from behind. You just get lost out there. He never wanted to be the first or second option in a power play. He wanted to be the fourth or fifth because he wanted to get lost and get a couple shots before he, you know, before he comes arriving into the traffic. And so he was pretty smart. So he was, he was fun. And, you know, I gave him Griff, too. I was like this close from scoring that goal. He turned into me when that puck was coming through his legs. I was like, holly, that was out to me. I was ready to drag it around and put it in and, you know, this big ass turn and knock my stick away. Kicks it up to his foot and I go There. There it goes. There's my.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, there's my moment.

[Ryan Whitney]

Were you. Were you the one on the. Maybe you told me on a golf trip or somebody else told us that. Did you get kicked out of practice and then just went right to the golf course with Hitch at one point?

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was because of Brett, too. So we. We're doing a drill, and we're trying to get he. I think we're just kind of going through a little bit of a, you know, dry spell. And. And so Hits was really kind of getting on Holly to just get the pump deep. Get it deep, get it deep. You know, it was very territorial back then. There was none of this take it back, regroup, and come back with some speed. You know, there was no time in the neutral zone. It's either get it out and get it in. And so Holly was just, you know, he's like. And. And Hitch made the comment to Holly that goals don't matter. And I thought Holly was going to have a heart attack. He's like, goals don't matter. And so that just stuck in Hall's crow. And so we did this drill. It was like three on one. And he started cross corner, dumping it. You know, hits, blow the whistle, go do it again. Cross owner, round the rim, soft chip. It's a three on one. Just make, you know, couple pass, get a shot, get off the ice. So we get off, and so poor Yuri's out there. He's stuck, you know, barely speaks English.

[Biz Nasty]

He's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The poor guy's like, what? You know, so he goes in the jump, Jim, he's doing plyometrics, clean snatches, the whole thing. And he's like, let's go play some golf, you know? So we go out to the golf, and Mike Keane calls us later, say, hey, you guys doing okay? We didn't see you guys. All right? Impress like, oh, we're. We're. We're on the eighth hole. We're fine. Oh, man. He just. He just had a way of turning some things so good, positive, very fast, and, you know, bus rides, plane rides. I mean, he just.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He was.

[Biz Nasty]

That's huge. That's huge, man. Especially for. For you, if you're a little bit wound up, right? I'm sure you had that mounted pressure of you trying to get the job done. Now, I was gonna ask you, like, aside from hauling Zubal, like, what do you think were the missing pieces that got you guys over the edge, or were those the two guys?

[Paul Bissonnette]

They were certainly. That it. And then Belfor came into the picture, I mean Eddie was intense. This guy was on a whole nother level of intense and just stay out of his way and, and on game day. And this guy was a gamer. He was intense and he's got some, I got some great stories about him too. But probably one of the you key component for sure he could have easily won the, the consight there in 99 because you know, you got to go against, you know, Curtis Joseph, Patrick Wa Bro, Hasik Brodor. You know, he just was, you know, head to head Pat, you know, the whole thing. So he, he was just so into those series and he was, he was a big factor but it was more the, you know, the, just the, the grindy type guys. We, we. Beno Hogue was there, Derek plan. We picked up Pat Verbeek. Just roll guys and, and, but Keen scrling just heavy. Carbo guys were just heavy but they chipped in offensively but they shut things down. No one scored on them. Our penalty kill was off the charts and, and we had Sador. We picked up Sador, I think from LA for Doug Molecular. So that was a big trade for us. And then you know, we had Sean Chambers, of course Hatcher, Matt for Chuck, you know, so we had a New and Dyke. We traded New and Dyke for Aginla, which was a big trade at the time.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh wow.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, we, we, we did a handful of big deals in about a three or four period year, period that pretty much cemented that deal. So we went to Vail for training camp that year and we thought, you know, this is, is, this is Stanley Cupper bus for us this year.

[Keith Yandle]

Bill 4 must have loved having a guy like Ludwig out there. He was. Remember his shin pads were like out to here.

[Biz Nasty]

They were so wide.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He had them heated up so he could bend them and flatten them out. I mean he just, but he would go down. I mean he had welts on him and you know, it's one thing to block it far out from the net. He was maybe 5ft from Belfort dropping down and these slappers and, and, but man, he just, you know, just the, the one knee turned to the side and he had barely any pads. His shoulder pads were like the old Ron Dugay ones. Just a cap here, cap here. This thing was hanging. No elbow pads, barely. Pants were like a, maybe a, a little shell on the thigh, you know, the old football pants, but didn't have anything on him but just took some arms off his, off his body.

[Ryan Whitney]

Belfor had to be somebody if you shot it high in Practice, it was like possible stick off your neck. Neck. He just seemed like a lunatic.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Seems like a crazy would do it all day long. That's the one right near his ears. And Eddie'd have a heart, you know, he'd be coming after Holly and Holly didn't care. He's just snapping so hard just right by his ears. And Eddie just skate right off the ice. I'm done. You know, he.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, he'd just leave.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. We'd have to have Daryl Ray come be the goalie for practice. He come out of the Playboy play by Billy Booth to be our third goalie because Eddie would leave after a few minutes, so. So we need another goalie at the other end. So Razor Racher had all this gear ready to go every day.

[Biz Nasty]

So stay out of Belfor's way on a game day. Like he. Like, if you mess with his pad or try to joke around him, they'll suck you between the ears.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Don't touch this thing. Just stay clear. He does his own skates, does all his equipment, the threading, the kneeling, the leather, the whole thing. He does skate sharpen. He had a weird thing where he had his skates like this, some things so he could push more off his toe, slide off his heel. It was re. He, He. His mind worked in some different ways too, but yeah, he just stayed clear of him game day and you know, you knew you were what you were going to get, but he, he was fun off game day, so he was a lot of fun to be around and. But you know, I think he was, he was a big, big key guy there at that time.

[Ryan Whitney]

That cup run was just legendary. I feel like Nuendyke just like he, he. He'd just been so dominant and then having all like the other, other players that you guys had, it was just so many different guys that could score. Like even now you see the Stanley cup without depth, you're just done. And I guess that's what they did there is just focus all on that. But he had to be one of the biggest pieces and just taken over in games.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I mean, he just came off that run with, you know, he won in Calgary, had some great years there, round of a great team there. But yeah, that was a big move by us to give up. You know, our first rounder, Jerome, you know, I think he was 10th or 11th that year. He's drafted. So. So, you know you're giving up a lot of. Obviously hall of Famer for a second wing center for us to fill out some depth. So but him and Langebruner just gelled so well together that playoffs. They, they scored some big goals and he just got in the right spots at the right time. He got in the groove. But he's, he's a great guy, solid dude and just big time game rescore some big overtime goals for us against Edmonton, St. Louis. But yeah, we o. It felt like for four years in a row we had to play the oil. So it was just brutal hockey too against those guys right out of the gate. First round we're like we always told ourselves we're only making one trip to Edmonton, so we're either sweeping them or it's five. So let's just get this thing over with because you know we're going to come out of here with, you know, cuts and bruises and you know, beat the death in seven games if we have to go that way. But we'd want to get it over early so we get a nice break and get healed up for the second round. So. But the Edmonton series were, were, you know, kind of just big time series and then the two game sevens against Colorado. I think, I don't think I played in better hockey than, you know, the matchups with those guys against the avalanche in 99, 2000, top to bottom. I like those. Some amazing players. Amazing players.

[Keith Yandle]

What was, what was that cup party like in, in Dallas? Is it, is it like it is nowadays? You guys have the parade going and you know, up and down the streets and obviously the parties were amazing. Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Where these. And you know, I think the problem is you had some, you know, some professional partiers on our team too that could, you know, go at it hard and played as hard too. They did both very well and I don't know how they did that because sometimes I'm like, I don't. I couldn't.

[Biz Nasty]

Who, oh, who was the, who was the ringleader?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, probably Lud's Carbo Hatch. They. But they knew that we were going to be the ones bailing them out all the time. You know, let's myself lags, you know, Newey, you know, these guys could, you know, you know, burn the can a little harder, you know, knowing that oh, you know, those guys, they'll have a deal for us.

[Ryan Whitney]

They'll score tomorrow, they'll score for us.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We're fine. But we got through that final game in Buffalo. We got home, you know, maybe five or six in the morning there. But what was weird about it, that cup was in town for about, I think two weeks after that, that final, which is not usually the norm. You know, it comes back with you. You have like a little, maybe a team get together, your parade and then it's gone. And then you're, you're filing, you're filling out your schedule for when you want to get it this summer. But it must have been in Dallas for about two, you know, 10 to 14 days. And so I think Tom Hicks, who was the owner at the time, had a handful of functions he wanted to take it to, but they were all day functions, so we'd get it at the night. So we had this thing for, for two weeks straight every night in Dallas. And I was like, I don't want.

[Ryan Whitney]

I can't do this anymore.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't want to fall off summer.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't want to see it anymore. I'm like, I am done, tapped out. And I think the finale was our party at Pantera's house, Vinnie Paul's house, the night before. Of course, the parade that was there. So that was an all nighter. So we're late to the parade. We're all, you know, getting, trying to get to Arlington to downtown Dallas, you know, from, you know, at 7:30, this thing started at 9. We're filing out at Vinny's at 8am we got to get downtown 9 on the floats, get ready to go. So it was. But you know, finally the parade comes and we're like, get this cup out of here. Go back to Toronto with it. We're, we're, we're checked out.

[Biz Nasty]

But you take your name off the sheet for the summer, the summer thing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You'Re like, I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. Till this, the banner raising next fall.

[Biz Nasty]

So.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But the problem is we had a bunch of old guys on the team who, few of them had won it before. They knew they were never going to win it again or they probably thought they weren't going to ever play again much longer. So this was like their swan song. This was like, they're going out summer. So they didn't, they didn't kind of.

[Biz Nasty]

That's awesome.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They took us all down hard.

[Biz Nasty]

Another one after that. He got three total.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

That guy's a machine. Where to? Go back to New Jersey. But do you want to answer the bab stuff? Like, or is it like, was it overblown? Like, what happened? Did he just hose you?

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was a bit of a hose. Bit of a hose, Yeah. I had cut my wrist a couple days before Thanksgiving, got tied up with Humburger. So I was in A major rehab all winter long in Detroit. First I went back to Detroit. Could have. Could have came to Minnesota, opted for Detroit. Kenny Holland gave me the pitch. I'm like, I gotta go back to the Wings, play one time for Detroit. And so I'm like, okay, I'll do that. So I got hurt, cut some tendons. So I was in a rehab thing. So I come back talking to the doctors, okay, when are we going to time this return and stuff? I'm like, wow, this is. I'm looking at like, mid, you know, maybe first week of March. I'm like, okay, so March 8th. So now I'm penciling. Now I'm looking at my games played to. To the end of the year. So I'm like, oh. So I'm adding the numbers. I'm like, hey, if I get now, till then, I hit 15 on the nut. But I'm like, that would be a good little, you know, amazing consolation.

[Biz Nasty]

I think you've earned it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Consolation for the year. So we get. We're whittling down, we got three left. So I play. I'm at 1498, Minnesota at home, healthy scratch. Then he plays me in Chicago for the season ender to get 14.99.

[Ryan Whitney]

What did you, like, Must not even want to play that.

[Biz Nasty]

Pizzas or something. Like, did you play bad? Like, what the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. I don't know. I wasn't playing much to even say I was playing bad. I didn't play much that year to say, God, I can't play him. So. But his, you know, he's like, mike, we didn't bring you here to win a cup. Get 1500 games. We brought you here to win a cup. I'm like, I. I just. Yeah, totally. But I'm like, missing.

[Biz Nasty]

Did the boy. Did the guys go in the. In the coach's room and say, hey, Dick?

[Ryan Whitney]

They didn't know. Cleary told me. Danny Cleary's like, we didn't even really do the math and, like, understand really, like, yeah, numbers.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And I think Kenny knew Holland, but he was too late to the game to say anything, which he says, so. But, yeah, Babs called, made the call, called me that afternoon at home. Didn't even. I didn't even get to the rink to say I didn't.

[Biz Nasty]

Did you say, hey, Mike? So you said, mike, like, if. If I. If I miss a game, I won't hit 1500. That was his response.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Did you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was that your first healthy scratch ever?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I had a healthy scratch in Buffalo in 1990. I missed curfew in Toronto, and Bob gave me. Sat me on the bench, dressed.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, he could have gave you one shift.

[Paul Bissonnette]

One shift would have got me 1500. Holy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, when he. When Bab said, you. You're playing against Chicago, you must have been like, I, I, I, I. I don't even want to. Like, that's crazy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Two lockouts, you know, a season and a half, and then sitting on the bench in Buffalo. Some bellhop rat ratted us out in Toronto to Bob Gainey.

[Ryan Whitney]

He probably paid him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Didn't say anything until I was on the bench, dress ready for the year. I'm like, I'm. I'm on the bench, ready to go. And he's like. He goes, just slide down there. Slide down there.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was like, oh, you didn't even know prior.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Dressed all ready to go, pumped up at the old odd. I'm like. And he's like, no, sit down.

[Biz Nasty]

And then he. And then after the game, were you still like, what the. Or did he come up and said.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, you know, press asshole. What happened? What's the deal? You know, team rules. He missed curfew.

[Biz Nasty]

So going back to the Babs thing, like. Like, what do you, like, all the other stuff that you kind of heard over the years, like, are you kind of just like, man, what a. Like, why would you do that to me?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know. I know of one thing. I was like, man, I just would have made, you know, that experience in Detroit a little bit worth it, you know? You know, bit of a consolation. It was a tough winter. I was. Felt like finally I got my legs under me in November because these guys fly. I'm like, I never seen a team work harder in practice than the Wings at that time. I'm like, these guys are homing. I was like, I felt out of shape. I went to Scotland with. Golfing with St. Louis Le Cavier. Like, 12 of us went there. Just after Kenny called me about coming to Detroit. So I come back, I'm trying to get in shape, come to camp in Traverse City. I'm like, I'm just dogging. It took me a month and a half just to get up to speed. So finally it felt like I was, you know, getting moving, and then the injury, and then I'm playing catch up all winter. But I was like, man, this is just something that could have been. Oh, just would have been just, you know, easy to deal with that. Calling it quits after that.

[Ryan Whitney]

But, man, Cleary said to me, he'd say. Babs would say to you, like, Stop in the D zone. I don't need to see the jersey flapping in the wind. Cleary's like, I like seeing it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh man. But then, you know, all this stuff that's come out, I was like, oh man, this guy just can't.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, yeah. Maybe it was a little bit pre, pre meditated and thought out. We got Grinnell in the chat here, who is producer. He wants to ask about playing with Dat Souk and Zetterberg. I mean Datsuk must have been like that must have been five walked.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He must. He was by far the hardest working guy I think I've ever seen in practice. He would go out there early, late. I mean he just was a craft at what he did. So we always had this little thing at the end of the practice. He played keep away with me advocator Helm and who else would get thrown in there? There's usually four of us going the corner with dad Souk. So he'd stay in there the whole time and we, we have to come out to get a breather because we couldn't get it off him. And he's just going through one of us at a time. Me, Abby, Helm, we come out there dead. He's just still guard holding onto it. You know, he just, he just had some weight the way he could protect the pocket. We just come out there breathing like dogs, but. And he has a stick on him like that. It's just a log. This thing was the heaviest thing I've ever felt. And this was the age of, you know, sticks are starting to get light Warrior. The Easton's all one piece, really feather. But he had a paddle just log, you know, and, and I think dry saddle is a big fan of Datsu. His paddles are identical. He has the same curve, same stick, but you know, he could just get in there and just like a Ginsu, just carve it up, snap it in a heartbeat. So. But he, you know, they, Holly called him all Hollywood colleague. Holly was playing with him in 2000. He called him, oh, the guy from Reservoir Dogs, Kaiser Sose, because he had the bad limp, you know. And I think Pavel's feet were two or three inches shorter than one. So he had.

[Biz Nasty]

Right, right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He'd walk like this, but then he'd get on the ice, it'd be like Kaiser, I know, walking away at the end of the movie. He, he's limping but then he just kind of, you know, Holly calls him Kaiser Soze. So he's like, I love that.

[Biz Nasty]

That's an unreal yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he had, like the round back. He was.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, he was like the guy from the lord of the rings. But he could chop suey on the ice.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You see him off the ice, you're like, what in the deal? Then skates come out and he was like this dude. Unbelievable.

[Keith Yandle]

My first game was in Detroit, remember, where you warmed up, like, the players would walk by you at the old journey go. So I was out there. We were playing, like, soccer or whatever, and he comes walking by. I thought he was like an usher. And someone's like, that's Pavel Datsu. And I didn't really know too much about him because I hadn't been in the league yet. And after the game, I'm like, that's got to be the best player in the league. And he looks like an usher after the game. It was impressive.

[Ryan Whitney]

He picked your pocket.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, yeah. Just make you look like a.

[Biz Nasty]

Helps you to your seats and does that. Oh, my God, this guy does it all. Move over. Hairy knuckles.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Zetterberg, he was just too smart. Wasn't the fastest guy over there out there on the ice, but he was just always in the right position, just in the way all the time. Just, you know, very, very smart intellect. Kid on the ice just knew where to be. And, you know, he was those two guys. Babs called them the chiefs. There's only two chiefs as Datsuk and Zetterberg. Rest of you are, you know, the tribes. I'm like, I go, you got lrom. Just got eight. Norris says he's not a chief. I don't know.

[Biz Nasty]

Holy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He might crowd red Savaras. The rest of us are the tribe. I think Liz from's the chief.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, that is too good. Zetterberg kind of looks like the Dosakes guy, his kid love child. Hey, he's always got that perfectly manicured beer. Interesting hockey player in the world.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hank looks like that, too.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Well, we can't thank you enough for your time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, we'll do the next one for the last 14 years.

[Biz Nasty]

Years.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay, perfect.

[Ryan Whitney]

We'll get through your rookie year at some point. Before we go any further, guys, whit here and I want to talk about better help. Spit and chicklets is proud to be sponsored by better help. And every January brings you 365 blank pages waiting to be filled in 2025. Maybe you're ready for a plot twist. Or maybe there's a part of your story that you've been wanting to revise. Life is not about resolutions that fade by February. It's about picking up the pen and becoming the author of your own life. Think of therapy as your editorial partner, helping you write new chapters and create the meaning meaningful story you deserve to live. Therapy can help in so many ways. Sometimes it's getting amazing advice, sometimes it's just getting things off your chest. And most of the time it's about using help to figure out a way that you can live a better life and be you. You feel like you and get back to the person that you want to be. It's helped me, it's helped biz, it's helped so many other people and BetterHelp is the best way to go about it. BetterHelp is a fully online making therapy affordable and convenient, serving over 5 million people worldwide. Access a diverse network of more than 30,000 credentialed therapists with a wide range of specialties. Write your story with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.comchicklets today to get 10% off your first month month. That's BetterHelp H lp.comchiclets and you will be able to feel like yourself, feel better and be on a path that you want to be on moving forward. Betterhelp.com Chicklets thank you so much to Mike Madonna. What a guy. Very nice to sit down with us for a long interview. We appreciate it so much. A legendary career true hall of Famer rumor boy segment the Vancouver Canucks denied the New York Rangers trade proposal of Mika Zabenejad in exchange for J.T. miller earlier this season. The Athletics Josh is it yo.

[G]

Yes, Josh yo.

[Ryan Whitney]

Josh yo reported that. So apparently Mika also turned down going to Vancouver himself. I mean was any did anyone ever think that the Canucks would accept that? Like I was kind of attacked online a little bit. I said yeah, no shit. I think I said that. The the Avalanche denied a request Brett Kulak for Kale Makar. I don't Even consider like J.T. miller and Mika Zabanajad in the same like stratosphere as a player. Like maybe a couple years ago I.

[Biz Nasty]

Would have said maybe Zabetta Jad and and Keandre Miller maybe I know Keandre Miller hasn't been playing like himself this year, but at least some upside and and the fact that Vancouver does need a defense movement outside Ronick and and and Quinn Hughes.

[Ryan Whitney]

So apparently I was told because I said one of my responses was like well one player skates fast and the other doesn't, right? Well then all of a sudden the stat guys they went after oh speed burst the speed now. Now you see how fast everyone's going and their top speed burst. And I think this season Zabanajad has skated faster than J.T. miller.

[Biz Nasty]

Like his top end speed. He hit one time.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm talking about. And I did say skater skating. One skates fast, one doesn't. So I totally didn't word it the way I wanted to. I'm talking how you play. J.T. miller plays fast.

[Biz Nasty]

Fast twitch fast because of energy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Does not.

[Biz Nasty]

No. More of a flow guy now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. If you get the puck and you're flying to the neutral zone, for sure Zabenajad can skate. I'm talking about how he moves the puck, how he's in on the forecheck, playing a quick game, playing the way that like you need to play now to be aggressive on the forecheck, to be coming back hard defensively. Like, like there's different types of players. J.T. miller plays with pace and Mika Zabanajad does not. That's my opinion on it.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. And like, like I go back to the fast twitch. Like if something. Ha. If a guy has to stop and go back in the other direction. I don't exactly think that Mika Zabanajad's the first guy you're picking. Going back to the intensity of his game. Like if you watch Sean Avery's clips online, like Mika with the dry hair, like, it would drive me bananas at the fact that by the time the game ends. Ends, this guy still has a beautiful dry coif on his head where like there's not maybe enough digging in, especially at the moment and the place that the Rangers are in right now, given everything that's happened, you think you'd maybe like dig in a little bit more, but I just don't think he is. He has that. That's not who he is as a player. He's more of a free flowing guy. I also agree with what Brooks he said where they're. They're almost asking him to do too much. I don't. People would like. He's a power play specialist. Like $8 million, I guess where the cap's going. Sure. But I just don't view him as like a piece that gets it done. I view him. I view Miko Zabanajad as like a. Like a. And no disrespect to Phil Kessel, but he was a great piece to add. He didn't have to be one of those guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

He just like the third or fourth piece up front. Yes.

[Biz Nasty]

You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Where he's probably the third, third or fourth in points. Where there's other guys taking the focus and then setting him up for those where Phil was great off of the wing, where he was getting the puck distributed to him, I don't think he's exactly the guy who's getting in there on the forecheck, breaking things up. So I view them as totally different players and both of them have their impact in their own right. But as a one for one, absolutely not. That's not going to get it done. And, and as we were texting in that Chicklets group chat, I definitely think that if Zabenajad was going to Vancouver, if there was a possibility and he did, didn't wave, whatever he has to waive, it would have to be coming with at least a big defender, whether it's Schneider, whether it's Keandre Miller or, or, or something else. But I said it a few pods ago, I think that Drury is in desperation mode and he would do nasty, nasty things in order to acquire J.T. miller. But we've talked about it with a lot of the other trades. You have to give something up. So what do you think it is, Yance?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. It's definitely not a one for one. You cannot do that. Vancouver obviously would never do that. You can't have a guy like J.T. miller who had 100 and something points last year, and then trade him, you know, for a guy who's not having his best year, I guess both of them aren't having their best years. But I think when you look at a playoff type player, JT Miller fits that to a tee. I think Mika is an awesome player. He's really good on the power play. You know, when, when he's playing at his best, I think he's really good too. But I think when Mills, he's at his best, he's head and shoulders above Mika. So I, I think if they did want to get that deal done, they would definitely have to add, you know, something more. Do you want to give up your second best defenser in Keandre Miller? As, as a Rangers fan? No, you probably don't want to do that. Do they have anything in the pipeline, as you would say? I, I don't know if Vancouver would want to, you know, have a, get a project player where you have to, you know, groom a guy for a little bit. So.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I don't think the Rangers want to trade Schneider.

[Keith Yandle]

And he's, he's been vocal too about not playing, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, that was Zach Jones.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, that was Zach Jones.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was Zach Jones. Yeah. Who I don't think's enough with Mika. Now given the Rangers a little bit of props. They. They. They've. They're. What are they. They beat the Blackhawks on. On January 5th. They then lost to the Stars in OT in a game which they were up 3 nothing. That's tough loss. But then they came back and beat Pasha's Devils, and then they beat the Golden Knights on Saturday night, 2:1. Did you see Troach's goal? Yeah, he got hit in the nuts and then just like banged home the rebound and immediately skated down the tunnel. It was like, oh, fuck, that one must have hurt a lot easier when you get a goal right after getting hit. Hit in the. In the peanuts. But they got the ABS coming up. Then they got Utah, then they got Columbus. We'll see if the Rangers get anything going here. But I was not surprised at all to hear that, that Vancouver said no to that.

[Keith Yandle]

If you're saying no, don't you think, like, if you really want to get that done, like, you can't. Like, that's almost. You think Vancouver's gonna, you know, corner you with that? Or is that kind of like you. You offer that and it's done?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't think it's necessarily done if. If what Biz is saying and Drury wants them this bad, I don't think it'll be done. They'll just continue to talk. I understand. Starting off with a little lowball off of the. You probably know. No chance. It's like trying to buy a house. You're not.

[Keith Yandle]

You're.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're. You're going as low as. As your real estate agent says you could without really slapping them in the.

[Biz Nasty]

They're going to come back with. With Mika and the. The regular season champs. Banner for J.T. miller. Final offer. Final offer.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't think even Vancouver, when they won the President's Trophy, would hang up a regular season champions banner. They might have have a President's trophy banner. Just the way it was worded.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's when we knew things were going back down for the Rangers.

[Biz Nasty]

All downhill.

[Ryan Whitney]

The Minnesota Wild are among the teams interested in. New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson reports. Frank Saravelli, who runs daily Face Off. They do a great job. Not surprised at all. He's on Team USA for four nations. Billy Garrett's picking that team. A versatile forward the last three years, over 30 goals all three years. I don't think he's going to hit it this year. Only has 12 right now, but I think there's going to be a ton of teams looking at Brock Nelson. He can skate like he can kill penalties, he could play on the power play, he can play up and down the lineup. I just said that. But I, I, I, I totally get the Wild being interested. Garen put him on a team when a lot of people didn't see that coming. But I just think a lot of teams are going to be calling Lou.

[Biz Nasty]

Lambrello because I, because I thought it was pretty much a shoo in for him to go to Minnesota based on what I was hearing or reading meeting and I talked to another guy who's a member of another organization and he said not so fast. And they're trying to also get him but there's so many teams out there looking to add at that center ice position so he becomes such a valuable piece. And as we get near the deadline, I think you're going to see a little bit of overpayment, which is obviously not a bad thing for the New York Islanders. But, but a guy who's a, I mean how many years has he had 30 goals?

[Ryan Whitney]

The last, the last three years he's had 30.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, he's automatic.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's a little slower, but yeah, three years ago he had 37. Two years ago 36. Last year 34.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, I mean automatic. This guy a great, a great second line. And he's from Minnesota too, with Stanley cup aspirations.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I could see, I could see that happening. I could, you know, I would imagine he's got some sort of no trade actually. Maybe not with the Islanders.

[Biz Nasty]

Well, if they give those out too, is I think that he, his contract tracks up at the end of this year, is it not? And if it is, they got 14 million coming off the books with those two buyouts. So if there was a team that could afford to not only make that move but then extend him, that would, that would definitely lure him in a little bit more because I think it comes down to him as well making the decision. So a lot of good things though going on in mini right now. They got, they are looking good. They're a well oiled machine. They got, they got, got plenty of money to play with next year and I think they're going to end up locking in Capri Soft. Who's going to get probably. Oh yeah, G just wrote in the, in the chat here he's a UFA and he's only making $6 million. What a cap hit for the young man.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, 33 years old, former North Dakota member of North Dakota, I think. Then they were still the Fighting Sioux. Maybe not. Maybe not. I'm not exactly sure.

[Biz Nasty]

Did that have to change because of political reasons?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I think they ended up.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, he was definitely there when they were the Fighting Sue. Right?

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, he was there in 2010. What a fucking uniform that team had.

[Keith Yandle]

Unreal.

[Ryan Whitney]

God. Oh, my God. Did you guys see how the Wild and the Penguins ended up at the same hotel for a little bit in town to play the Hurricanes. And Flurry went to work. He went to work on Sid.

[Biz Nasty]

No, I think it was the other way around, wasn't it?

[Ryan Whitney]

Sid started it.

[Biz Nasty]

No, I think it was the other way around.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, let's correct me if I'm wrong.

[Biz Nasty]

Here, but I think that as. As the Wild were off the practice and Flower had left his room, Sidney Crosby went down to the front desk, got a room key, he snuck in and gave Flurry a little bit of his own business.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, my God. This is from Yahoo. Sports. Kelsey Cermax. Hope I'm saying that correctly. So apparently, Crosby was asked if he. If Genny, Malkin and Letang had any plans to try to get Flurry one last time. And Sid said, no, I don't think so. I'd be afraid of the retaliation. Well, Biz, you're right. He lied to the press, just like Marshawn does. He fucking hate David Poshnach lying to the reporters. Fleury lied, and he went on down. He went. He got one of his room keys, and they rearranged the furniture in Fleury's room. Apparently, Malkin Letang and Brian Rust were potential suspects, along with Flurry. They rearranged the furniture in Flurry's room to have him find it. And in retaliation, Fleury located Crosby's equipment bag at the rink, rubbed Vaseline on his visor, laced his skates backwards, and put beef sticks in his jock strap.

[Biz Nasty]

I mean, what's a beef stick?

[Ryan Whitney]

I believe it's the things that you grabbed downstairs and ate up here, and now the whole room stinks like them.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah, those things, dude, he grabbed.

[Ryan Whitney]

Busy breath, man, and he put him in his pocket like, no, no, no. He's gonna eat him in the pod room. And he's just a biz Breathman, so the Slim Jim. I would never. With Flurry, ever, Ever. This guy put fucking Duhame's car. He took the tires off his car. Do you remember that last year?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Amazing.

[Ryan Whitney]

Poor prick had to get an Uber ride home, I believe. And I think we asked, who did we ask was it maroon. We asked. Somebody's like, yeah, he's fucking crazy. Duhame got him first. And, like, people are like, what are you doing, bro? Wrong guy, wrong door.

[Biz Nasty]

He wanted his name in the media.

[Ryan Whitney]

Check the game notes. Check the game notes. But I think the coolest thing of the week involving Mark Andre Fleury was the video tribute he got in Vegas. Oh, yeah. You saw all the fans outside looking for autographs, and he got. He got emotional. You could tell he's fighting back the tears. That beefsteak smells so fucking bad. Oh, my God. But Glory saw the video and just remembering, I'm sure for him, like, thinking back in time, like the Penguins and winning the cup and then being the backup for the other two, and then you gotta. You're.

[Biz Nasty]

You're.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're putting the expansion draft like, what just happened? And then I'm going to Vegas and everyone says we're going to stink. Ryan Whitney says, we're going to be the doormat of the entire league, and we go to the cup finals and flurries there and just backstalking, backstopping them to this legendary, incredible, memorable season.

[Biz Nasty]

And then like a pigeon tossed to get to.

[Ryan Whitney]

Then get pigeon tossed and have your agents put a sword through your back. On Twitter, Alan Walsh, what a run. Alan Wall, what a ride. But Flurry went to Vegas, probably wondering, like, what is going on? What's happening? How am I. I'm on an expansion team right now to go into the Cup Final. And the video they played was awesome. And he's sitting on the back bench. He had played the night before in San Jose where they won. And Minnesota's banged up right now. They got a ton of injuries. They got a win in San Jose, where apparently Flurry said after, there was a fan that kept yelling at him, you're too old. Retire. You suck. And he played great in that game. And so he didn't play the next night in Vegas, where. Where Vegas won 4 to 1. But the. The send off, I think totally exactly what I expected and what he deserved.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, no doubt. I was getting chills watching it too. Man. That was like that. That crowd there is incredible. And they respect the guys, especially the original misfits who kind of established a culture there. So very cool to see. Well deserved. And just the way that he treats people and always had. He's. He's a legend of the game. He'll go down as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time.

[Keith Yandle]

I'll tell you, with the, With. With him in your locker room, there's Never any. You know, this guy doesn't like that guy. Like he's a locker room guy and you don't see it from goalies too often. Right. Where they' guy in the locker room keeping everybody together. Every. Everything I've ever heard about the guy and you know, having met him a few times, just a first class individual, amazing goaltender. I hope he, I hope he keeps playing because, you know, he can clearly still do it. He's playing well, you know, a guy that deserves everything that he's worked for. And yeah, that said what I. I saw that they were calling him the golden flower in, in Vegas. Is that what they used to call. Oh, the golden shower?

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I scored on flower one time in.

[Ryan Whitney]

A real game in practice.

[Biz Nasty]

No, real game. Top prospects game. From the point. Yeah, I, I was just a CNI wrister. Yeah. There must have been like 20 guys in front and you couldn't see.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you fought for enough and had a goal on Flurry.

[Biz Nasty]

Yep.

[Keith Yandle]

This is all that. Same game.

[Biz Nasty]

Same game. Ended up not to take all the flowers away from. From our boy here.

[Ryan Whitney]

You got MVP in that game.

[Biz Nasty]

You think I didn't?

[Ryan Whitney]

So you got so a goal and a fight without that game. I don't know if you get drafted where you got drafted.

[Biz Nasty]

Top prospects game. It was at the top prospects game. That means I was a.

[Keith Yandle]

He was a top prospect to get there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. You were just so suspect.

[Biz Nasty]

And then when they put all the. When and when. And then when they put all the best players on the ice together at that I won the MVP for team. I think I was team or team.

[Ryan Whitney]

Bobby or was the other team's mvp.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't know if they had one and if they did, who gives a shit?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, we could sign him to Greensboro.

[Keith Yandle]

That's true.

[Biz Nasty]

True that. True that.

[Keith Yandle]

You know how many guys from your draft year are still playing?

[Biz Nasty]

What a great question.

[Keith Yandle]

Heard it on 32 THOUGHTS.

[Biz Nasty]

Ryan Suter.

[Keith Yandle]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

Mark Andre.

[Biz Nasty]

What a question. Well, obviously, Mark Andre, we were drafted the same team. Pittsburgh Penguins. He was the first overall. I was in the fourth round the next day.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, wow. I totally forgot about this guy and I can't believe it.

[Biz Nasty]

God, there's so many in that first round. I mean, Jeff Carter just retired.

[Ryan Whitney]

Buddy, you got to get this one one. But without looking at this. I don't know if I do. Which.

[Biz Nasty]

Give me, give me a little hint. Don't tell me the team though. Rat Brad Marshaw wasn't.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no Sperry in the eyeball.

[Biz Nasty]

If he had to oh, Corey Perry.

[Ryan Whitney]

Cory Perry.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, that's it.

[Keith Yandle]

No, there's one more. There's four. I think that's three.

[Biz Nasty]

Do you know it right now? You know it off the top of your dome?

[Keith Yandle]

I don't.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh yeah. Brett Burns.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

He had the short, short sleeve dress shirt. I'm like, who the is this guy? I did a barber.

[Ryan Whitney]

Boys, Brent Burns has 1459 games. Oh yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

So one of the reasons that he went so high was I think because he was playing D at the time or forward. And then they switched him to the other position. I think he was a D. They switched him to Ford and then he had a great second half that season. But also so when he was invited to the combine, his VO2 and all of his fitness was like world ahead of anybody else. And they're like, we have to like, this guy has a man's body and he's an absolute machine. So if he fills in even like a little bit of skill, he'll be like, at worst he'd be like a second to third line player. And then obviously the rest is history. Now when he was in, he was drafted by Minnesota. Then he went off to San Jose. Had he had he went back to play D when he was in Minnesota ever?

[Keith Yandle]

No, he played forward. He played D and forward there.

[Biz Nasty]

He would switch because I know in San Jose he was back and forth, back and forth to one point where he was all of a sudden playing with Joe Thornton on a line. So dude, he just a remarkable special.

[Keith Yandle]

I used to hate when he was playing forward. Dude, he'd get in on that four check. He'd be screaming at you, yelling, eating.

[Ryan Whitney]

Beef sticks, like in your face.

[Keith Yandle]

Him and Buff, when him and Buff would play forward, I despised it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, in 01022, Brent Burns played in the OPJHL for the coach. Yeah, the coach teaching came out of terriers. He had 11 points in 46 games. The next year he played for the Brampton. He had 40 points in 68 games. Drafted 20th overall that summer and the next year was in the NHL.

[Biz Nasty]

NHL. It was insane. That's why, that's why when he got drafted, the Internet wasn't like it is today, right? So like I don't even remember playing against him.

[Ryan Whitney]

You didn't know who he was was Bud.

[Biz Nasty]

When they called his name on my.

[Ryan Whitney]

My brim, you're like, I was MVP of the top process.

[Biz Nasty]

And then, and then he takes his jacket off and he's got a short sleeve dress shirt on. I'm like, this has to be like some form of joke here or something. And then he goes on to have the career that he did.

[Keith Yandle]

Whoever drafted that guy. What a play by you.

[Biz Nasty]

What a pick. What a pick.

[Ryan Whitney]

But so he spent. Yeah, he spent. He played one game in the AHL that first year year and then 36 in Minnesota. And then the next year was the lockout. He played the whole season in Houston and that was it. I mean, so. So like 1459. Then he had 74 AHL games. He's over. He's over 1500 pro games. He's got 120.

[Keith Yandle]

He hasn't missed many games either.

[Biz Nasty]

Has Suter already played his 1500? Ah, because I think he's set to hit his 1500th as well.

[Ryan Whitney]

Suter is at 1388.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay, so what is Corey Perry at?

[Ryan Whitney]

Corey Perry's at 13:52. Wow. So Corey.

[Keith Yandle]

More injuries.

[Ryan Whitney]

Corey Perry. Dude, has been awesome this year for Edmonton.

[Biz Nasty]

A lot.

[Ryan Whitney]

Awesome.

[Biz Nasty]

I'd be curious to know the amount. How many other drafts had. Have had at least like three or four players play 1300 games in the NHL regular season. Yeah, because like even for Flower, for a goaltender, how many is Flower played in?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, how about. How about how many drafts have four guys still playing 22 years later?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, that's.

[Ryan Whitney]

Look at it that way. 22 years later.

[Biz Nasty]

I think it's the best draft of all time. I'm a little bit biased, but.

[Keith Yandle]

And you know, well, the first round is. The first round is.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude, the second round had Weber and Berger. Bergeron, Weber, Patrick O'Sullivan, second round. BJ Crom being that second round was a nice player. Louis Erickson was that second round court.

[Biz Nasty]

Crawford the goaltender was like a sixth rounder. Bacchus, I think Pavelski was a sixth rounder that year. So I would.

[Keith Yandle]

Hugh Jessamine.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey.

[G]

So guys, According to Chat GPT, the 2003 NHL Draft is the only NHL Draft to have four or more players over 1400 regular season games.

[Keith Yandle]

Really nice.

[Biz Nasty]

Busy dude.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude.

[Keith Yandle]

And they're all like stud. Stud players too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like it's not first round.

[Biz Nasty]

I bet you. I bet you 20 of them. No, I bet you legit. 10 of them could be. Is Jeff Carter a Hall of Famer?

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, let's go through this.

[Keith Yandle]

Pretty close.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, it actually leads us into our next little spot here in the pod, which is the second overall pick that year. Keith, you know who that was?

[Keith Yandle]

Flower was first.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yep.

[Biz Nasty]

Just had his jersey.

[Keith Yandle]

Eric Stahl. Eric Stahl.

[Ryan Whitney]

Eric Stahl.

[Keith Yandle]

Beauty.

[Ryan Whitney]

What a retirement jersey. Night in Carolina. And dude, I kind of forgot how Dominant. He was. Cause he played so long. And obviously at the end he's playing like depth positions. He, he's in Florida. He's in Minnesota. Holy shit. Commodore on Instagram put up a video that I believe the Hurricanes put up and call me wrote, turned out to be a pretty, pretty decent pick. And Jim Rutherford's up there. And they selected Stall, second overall Eric Stahl. First off his draft year in the OHL, he had 98 points, 39 goals, 59 assists, and 66 games. Like your draft year. That's no joke, right?

[Keith Yandle]

I mean, a lot of these guys, really good.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's insane. He goes right into Carolina. He has 31 points, 11 goals in 81 games, right? Never played an AHL game till the next year. The only reason he was in the AHL was the lockout. 77 games, 77 points in Lowell, and then boom, he goes back to the NHL the next season, has a hundred fucking points, 45 goals, and they win the Stanley Cup. Not only do they win the Stanley cup cup, but 25 games played. He had 28 points on that run. And he was what, 20? Like, this is, this is a guy who came onto the scene and biz, I'm sure you remember him from Peterborough. Like, was he the guy growing up?

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah. I mean, he was just so big. He was, he was. It, it was, yeah. It was like seeing a man play against kids. Like, I, I mean, I, I, I hated being stuck out on the ice against him, that's for sure. Just, just very highly skilled, very slippery at that time. And you always knew that he was going to go on and make an impact in the NHL. There was never a doubt of that. I even think at a certain point there was conversations of him going first overall, but I don't know. Pittsburgh ended up going with the goaltender, but just a remarkable pedigree and family and, and he was the one to get it all kicked off. Between him and Cam Ward having those like, like such quick, gross and, and such like, big impact, the rest of their roster felt like it was all like, wy veterans, right? When they ended up winning it in Carolina.

[Keith Yandle]

Wesley.

[Ryan Whitney]

Brett Hein.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ray Whitney, Doug Waite, Mark Recky, Corey Stillman.

[Biz Nasty]

So it was all kind of these veterans mixed in with a little bit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Of, well, Justin Williams was young.

[Keith Yandle]

Dougie. Wait, Doug Waite was on that team, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

Y. Yep. The fact is that I just threw in like, his final few stops as, like, depth player. I said Minnesota. He had 42 goals one year in Minnesota. So, like, it was more what I was thinking was Buffalo and Montreal. But what's so cool for him and looking back on his career, he played in Montreal 2021, then 21, 22. He wasn't even playing. He played four games for the Iowa Wild that season. He just came back, and I guess he wasn't done yet in his mind. And Florida signs him in 2022, 2023, at 14 goals, 30 points, at 72 games. Like, dude, that guy pretty much didn't play hockey. As what. What would he have been then? Like, 38, 6, 36, 37, and then comes back in, makes Florida. I don't know. Keith, did he go on a PTO that year?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I did, because I remember I. I golf with them because I played with him in New York, and I remember he came in, we traded for him at the deadline, and I had.

[Ryan Whitney]

A tough goal of it, kind of.

[Keith Yandle]

But I remember him coming in and, you know, when you trade for a guy like that, of his stature, who he. I mean, the guy got his jersey retired. He's a super superstar. Yeah, I remember him coming in. He's like, I'll play fourth line, I'll play third line, I'll play D. Whatever you need me to do. Like, just like a pure, good teammate. Like, just a good guy. Didn't care where he played, didn't need the accolades. Just.

[Biz Nasty]

Just.

[Keith Yandle]

He just wanted to win. And playing with his brother, that was fun to see. Just, like, two completely different guys, but both amazing teammates.

[Biz Nasty]

He's definitely a lot quieter and more reserved. Like, he's not the one joking around the locker room. He's just. He's just a quiet guy. But, you know, Commodore sent the message out, and as many as. As other guys you've talked to around the league. Just a great teammate, great guy, and couldn't be happier for him. What a family, man. We got to get a few more loads from the old man. Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Stall was so dominant. You're right. He was enormous. And, like, I think he was mean, too. Yeah, he was. He was a prick out there. He played angry, but he. He went out that year. I. I guess, like, it was probably. It was probably hard for him, right? He'd been in Carolina for, What was it, 12 years? They win the cup, and then he gets traded mid season. Like, that's something that just maybe it's like, oh, dude. Like, not to say his heart wasn't in it, but you're just so emotional. Like, I'm not in Carolina anymore. And. And that year, it was kind of a struggle he had 33 points in 63 games with Carolina. Gets traded 20 games with you guys. Had six points, three goals, three assists, no points in five playoff games. But then goes to Minnesota that next year. Has 28 goals, 65 points. So like he, you know, that summer he's probably like, fuck this. Like, dude, I'm still an elite player in this league.

[Biz Nasty]

And nice that he gets to go celebrate it. Where Jordan's playing now too. I'm sure Mark headed down there for it as well. Family affair, but great to see and because of all those, like the, the latter part of his career, maybe a guy that was forgotten about a little bit, but nice to see that him get, get. Getting the jersey retired.

[Ryan Whitney]

1365 games, 1063 points, 104 playoff games, 64 points. Hall of Fame? Probably not.

[Keith Yandle]

I think if you have over a thousand points, you should be in the hall of Fame. But I, I obviously I say the.

[Biz Nasty]

Same thing about Ray Whitney. Got a Stanley Cup.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, but he has like 1300 points, doesn't he?

[Biz Nasty]

I, I think he's. Yeah, I think he's at least 1100.

[Ryan Whitney]

But maybe I'm thinking games. Oh, Ray Whitney actually has. Does him installed the. He has 1,064 points in 1,330 games.

[Biz Nasty]

You're over a thousand.

[Ryan Whitney]

He has one more point than Eric Stahl in one more game. Game.

[Keith Yandle]

Wow, that's cool.

[Ryan Whitney]

Holy. That's wild. Yeah, Eric Stall. Congratulations. Also G. Look up quick. Jordan Stahl had a hat trick last week. Who? I think he had a hat trick like, what is it, 18 years before? Maybe there's one other player to have the longest gap. I think it was one other player to have a hat trick at 18 and then 36 or whatever he is. Was it Gordie Howe?

[Biz Nasty]

I would say Patrick Marlo, maybe. Maybe.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gee, check that it was. It was in the news this past week. Good job writing it down. Marlo's a good, good job writing it down. Wait, you muppet.

[Biz Nasty]

Patrick Marlo would be my guest for long.

[Keith Yandle]

Do you ever have a hat trick in the NHL wit.

[Ryan Whitney]

No. 2 goals a couple times. No, I didn't. Had one in college. The one in college.

[Keith Yandle]

You and shave?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, me and Kevin Schaer. 2d men with hat tricks in the same game.

[Keith Yandle]

Look up the interview. Look up the interview and look who's interviewing them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, there's an interview of YouTube on it. It's actually pathetic. The only cool thing about it was my hairline then.

[Biz Nasty]

Can we watch this thing? Can we pull it up, dude?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I, like, have to leave the room. When you hear, like, my. Like, I know you're younger. I'm, like, such a hard old.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, you were.

[Biz Nasty]

Ohl Guy like me.

[Ryan Whitney]

But what Keith brings up is the person interviewing us was Jack Hughes's mom.

[Biz Nasty]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. She was doing work at the time for, like. I. I don't know what channel we were on in New England. New England. Maybe. Nessen.

[Keith Yandle]

Nessen. Probably.

[Ryan Whitney]

But, yeah, you're on.

[Keith Yandle]

Wei.

[Biz Nasty]

He. Eric Stahl wasn't the only player to have his jersey retired last week. Connor McDavid's growing up too fast, man. We gotta slow this down.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the crazy thing is he's only 28 today. Happy birthday.

[Keith Yandle]

Happy birthday.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How about him?

[Keith Yandle]

Him. Him saying, it's been 10 years since I've been. I was like, oh, my.

[Biz Nasty]

That's crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know. Know.

[Biz Nasty]

Flown by.

[Ryan Whitney]

I know.

[Biz Nasty]

And he went back to where he played junior with the Erie Otters, where they retired his jersey, obviously, for the damage that he did. You want to hear what. Look at this. 63 games. He was a double underager. 63.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. What's double ager? Double underager means your exceptional status.

[Biz Nasty]

Get exceptional status. You're playing against. You're 15 years old playing against, like, 18, 19, 20 year olds. And he was over a point per game. He had 66 points in 63 games. Games by his last year in the OHL in which he was injured because, remember, he got in that fist fight. He got in the fight on the.

[Keith Yandle]

Ice, Broke his wrist or hand or something.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, he broke his hand because he threw a punch, and then he hit the glass because the guy ducked.

[Ryan Whitney]

No way.

[Biz Nasty]

And there was a big thing about.

[Ryan Whitney]

I remember breaking his hand. I know that was how it.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, he punched the glass because the guy ducked when he ended up trying to pop him. He played 47 games that year. He had 44 goals, 76 assists, 120 points. Points in 47 fucking games. So there was no wonder. And guess how many he had in those playoffs.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, give me the games played.

[Biz Nasty]

20, 45, 49, 21 goals.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, my.

[Biz Nasty]

20 playoff games.

[Ryan Whitney]

So he was so fun. Like, just thinking back to, like, when I played and, like, how much I loved hockey, can you imagine how fun it is being that? Like, imagine, like, when you're that much better, it's probably like, this is so easy. Like, this is just. Just. I don't ever want to get off the ice. Like, how are these guys so bad? This is so easy. How can they not do this?

[Keith Yandle]

It's it's got to be frustrating. But biz, did he win years. Did he win that game that he did the lineup read when they retired his jersey?

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, I don't know. I didn't check if they ended up.

[Keith Yandle]

Winning it because I'll tell you who didn't win when he read the lineup was Terry Ryan of the Big Deal Bum Selects. Goes in, does the lineup and they get absolutely trounced.

[Ryan Whitney]

I just told the I said to the chat they lost. I don't know if they lost.

[Keith Yandle]

They definitely lost.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, oh, look it up.

[Ryan Whitney]

We got stranglers talk behind the scenes.

[Biz Nasty]

Hey, don't you worry. I think we're going to get Terry Ryan on next podcast. You could say it to his face. You little.

[Ryan Whitney]

Keith just retired from the show after.

[Keith Yandle]

One one full time one day.

[Biz Nasty]

Going back to Connor McDavid. Ever since 15 entering the OHL, he's never been below a point per game. So you talk about hockey being, being fun. It's nuts.

[Ryan Whitney]

Neither is Sid. Speaking of. Just quickly, I, I saw an Instagram thing. You remember Mickey Dupont?

[Biz Nasty]

We talked about his son, incredible defenseman. He was an offensive defenseman, more of an HLD man. I mean what, he played probably like 250 to 300 NHL games, but his kid was exempt as well.

[Ryan Whitney]

Buddy, not only was he exempt, so Mickey Dupont, he only played 23 NHL. Oh, I thought he played like, played. He played three years in the DEL in Germany. Two, two championships. A lot of points. Then he played seven years in Switzerland. Ton of points there. Then he went back to the Del.

[Biz Nasty]

He was one of those guys. He was one of those guys who was too good for the A but couldn't quite crack the NHL. He was one of those in betweeners. But what's his kid doing in the Western League?

[Ryan Whitney]

Buddy, his kid Landon is 15 years old. He turned 16 at the end of May. He's got 43 points in 37 games in Everett as a defenseman as a 15 year old. So you're looking at a true game breaker that's coming up that wouldn't be draft eligible. 2027.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, you got two more full years in the Western League to go.

[Ryan Whitney]

So keep your eyes out on Landed Dupont. And if you live in the Everett area, go check out the silver tips and watch.

[Biz Nasty]

Watch.

[Ryan Whitney]

Possibly a true future superstar playing as a 15 year old against men. What were we getting?

[Biz Nasty]

We were just pumping the jersey retirements.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, we could stay in the OHL a little bit because CHCH News has learned the current owner of the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. Michael and Lauer, who owns the Ottawa Senators now has sold the team to Zach Hyman and his family.

[Biz Nasty]

Insider trading.

[Ryan Whitney]

His brother Spencer likely to be named president of the Brantford Bulldogs. And as we all know know, the only reason Zach Hyman is in the NHL is because he's rich. Did you know that, Keith?

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, there was a. There was this guy who. Who is tweeting out this fucking ridiculous reporter, basically saying that nepotism is what got him and kept him in the NHL because he.

[Keith Yandle]

He really plays like a rich kid too. The guy's in the mixer, as Merle's like to call it. All game, every game. Game. I would have thought that kid came from the slums the way he plays Slumdog Millionaire.

[Biz Nasty]

He's playing with a broken snout with breathe strips on now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude, his nose.

[Biz Nasty]

He's got a nose like me now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gene Principe the other night playing Chicago. Great comeback win for the Oilers in Chicago. He said that he still has the bubble on. I guess he was told four to six weeks of wearing it. It's been like four and a half weeks. The nose he said wasn't broken. It was like shattered completely.

[Biz Nasty]

That's what happened to mine. And when they. When they went in. When they went in, they re broke it to reset it during surgery. My surgery was 45 minutes longer because when they cracked it all just. It just. All the bones shattered and they had to like pick out shards of bone.

[Ryan Whitney]

When will you. Do you think you'll get that. That surgery? At some point.

[Biz Nasty]

So I. I did when I was playing in the AHL with Wil, like after the season. One year I got it and then obviously see next season. Probably broke it three more times as well as three more times the rest of every year, the rest of my career.

[Ryan Whitney]

You have 21 breaks since you got it.

[Biz Nasty]

Probably. Jared bowl broke it once or twice playing in the NHL. He had that long reach. But I think I need to get it done because I snore when I sleep. And I got like. I can't even breathe look at. And then this one.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you don't smell the beef strip?

[Biz Nasty]

I don't smell any of that beef strip. I had two of those things while we. While you were talking. Talking while you're going off game stats. Where else do we got on the outline here? We got to bring on our boy hockey Illuminati soon to give a double wrist.

[Ryan Whitney]

Speaking of noses hockey, Mike Zigaman is hockey Illuminati. Speaking of Edmonton, though biz, you Will be at my favorite place in the world. There's only one place you can go down water slides, shoot guns, go to Aldo, get an auntie Annie's pretzel and then skate around an arena and that's the west Edmonton mall and biz. You're going to be there this week 12 to 2.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Aldo is out. I don't care how many shops they got in there. Skechers is in. I'm doing a Skechers appearance. Two hours I'm going to be doing hot laps around the mall. We're doing a. We're doing a speed walking competition.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Are you actually doing.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, me and Skechers. Me and Is it. Was it Joe Montana too?

[Keith Yandle]

Tony Romo or.

[Biz Nasty]

Tony Romo?

[Ryan Whitney]

Matt Fitzpatrick in the PGA tour wears sketchers. I think he wears the slide on.

[Biz Nasty]

They're the new Pete Carols. You know how New balance they had those big ass white ones.

[Ryan Whitney]

Can we. Can we say how much money they're giving you for two hours?

[Keith Yandle]

It better be a shitload.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah, they're giving me stock and sketchers.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, you're giving them some of the Greensboro team.

[Biz Nasty]

Every. Every player on the big deal selects will be paid in those. The moon walkers.

[Keith Yandle]

Greensboro is going to be wearing sketcher skates.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's the s. Hey, you know who you should sponsor is Frank. Frank walks. Frank the tank walks.

[Biz Nasty]

Great idea. Great idea. That's a Greensboro sketches are cooking.

[Ryan Whitney]

Quick, other news before we get to hockey. Illuminati Zigga Manus. The Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers for the Winter Classic on January 2, 2026. And the Tampa Bay lightning will face the Boston Bruins as part of the stadium series on February 1, 2026. Keith, right now, what is the temperature in Lauderdale today?

[Keith Yandle]

It was really nice. It was probably like 75, but last week it was like 60s.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so pretty chilly if it's a 78 degree day, which I know is rare for. For January 1st down there. Like, what do they do? Are they finding what.

[Keith Yandle]

It has a roof.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, it does.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. Fact check me there, but I'm 90. Sure it has a roof.

[Biz Nasty]

I think it does.

[G]

It has a retractable. It does have a retractable. Retractable roof.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it has a roof. So I think. I think you can, you know, close it if you need be. I bet they do it at night time and you know, they'll. They'll close. It'll be closed the entire time that they're putting the ice up. Right. And then game time. If it's chilly at night, they open up the roof and it'll be. I bet it'll be unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Oh, it's going to be sick. Florida's gonna just show up for that. That'll be great. But I've been in Tampa. I used to play in an amazing golf tournament, the Gasparill in Tampa in February. There were some very warm days and that is not with a roof. That's Raymond James Stadium, I believe, where the Bucks play. So interesting to see how it goes down, but I love the fact it's going to Florida. LA had their stadium series a few years back, so it's a cool thing to get down there and we'll see how it plays out.

[Keith Yandle]

I think it's good to get new blood in there too. Like, I feel like every year it's Chicago, New York, St. Louis, Boston, I mean, all these teams are still playing in it, but it's nice to get some new blood with the, the warm weather teams down here. And they've earned it too. Right. Like Tampa's been a. Not the last 10 years. Florida is going to be taking over that for the next 10 years. So I think it's a good thing that the league's doing.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thomas Galvin, the newly elected chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is set to form a committee of influential figures, AKA biz, hopefully. In an attempt to bring the NHL back to Arizona. Galvin noted he has connected with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as they seek the optimal location for a new arena. So those clowns that were owning the team before are out. We got a possible new group coming in. I know business mentioned JJ Watt kind of wants to maybe be a part of it. Hopefully you are. We'll see where that goes. Nothing really more to say is, I guess keep your eyes open there for, for Arizona getting hockey.

[Biz Nasty]

No, I'm gonna own two teams.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, we get, we get our beak wet in, in. In Greensboro and then we open up, we open up the Skechers arena in, in. In right. In Scottsdale. Beautiful.

[Ryan Whitney]

And speaking of arena, on the heels of a 400 plus million dollar renovation to the Wells Fargo center just completed last summer, the Philadelphia Flies have announced plans for a totally new arena in South Philadelphia in joint partnership with the 77 6ers.

[Biz Nasty]

That's wild. That was crazy lighted on fire. Why don't you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude, I saw that they were doing that, that big upgrade to Wells Fargo. I was like, oh, because I like that spot where the Phillies play and where The Eagles play. It's awesome.

[Biz Nasty]

Unless you need a car out of there after.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, buddy, that's a disaster. But. And I was like, oh, they're there for. They're there for good. And now all of a sudden, they're out. Kind of a crazy story. Keith, you played there. What do you think?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I. I agree with you. I love how that. That. That city has all the arenas there with football, basketball, hockey, baseball, all within, you know, a pitching wedge of each other. I thought that was really cool. It's close to downtown. I. I don't. I don't understand it. Maybe they sold the land. I. I really don't understand it or where it's even going to be. I heard the Sixers were moving, like, to Camden, maybe. Is. Does it say anything about Camden?

[Ryan Whitney]

It just says South Philadelphia, born and raised. On the playground is where I spent most of my days chilling, chilling, all cool. And I was shooting some B ball outside of school, and a couple of guys, they were up to no good, start making trouble in the neighborhood. I got one little five. My mom got scared and said, you're moving with your auntie and Uncle Bel Air. I whistled for a cab, but when it came near the license place at a I, I it up, dude.

[Keith Yandle]

Good, good rhyme.

[Biz Nasty]

Pretty good, pretty good.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nothing beats the clean rap. Nothing beats the clean rap by Will Smith on Family Guy. I know I've brought that up before, but God damn it, is that funny? Take off your shoes before you come in the house. Somebody just clean that rug. Woohoo with that.

[Biz Nasty]

This guy's memory is insane for me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, but I can't remember, like, all right, it's time to go to a man who I originally heard of and was told, you need to get on the podcast by my dad, Big Dan Whitney. He said, I follow this hockey Illuminati guy on Instagram. He's hilarious. He loves the leaf. You got to get him on the show. I was like, who is it? Who is it? You know, we just get busy and Biz texted me last week and said, hey, we should get this hockey Illuminati guy gets. Dude, my dad will be fired up. So without further ado.

[Biz Nasty]

Hockey.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hockey Illuminati.

[Biz Nasty]

Illuminati.

[Ryan Whitney]

Guys, before we go any further, I want to talk about game time. It's hockey season, and we cannot wait to get out to some more games. With the help of Game Time, the official ticketing partner of Barstool Sports, there's no feeling like seeing a breakaway goal in person. And game time can help. You know how much we love Game time. And now with their brand new gametime 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 time searching through thousands of tickets for an NHL or college hockey game near you. You and the four nations is coming up. Usa, Canada, Sweden, Finland. And I cannot wait to be there. All because of game time. Right now there are tickets for under $150. Game time picks deals makes it easy. There's great seats. Like I said, under 150 bucks. Pull up your chosen event and turn on the 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 gonna buy those four nation tickets right now with Game Time Picks. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game time. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code Chiclets for 20 off your first purchase Terms apply again. Create an account and redeem code Chiclets for $20 off. Download the game Time app today. What time is it? Game time. It is now time long overdue. I've been told to bring on Leafs die hard jock sniffer. Makes biz look like an Ottawa Senators fan. For Christ's sake. Hockey Illuminati. Frankie.

[Biz Nasty]

What's the heartbeat of the Toronto Maple Leafs right there. Frankie, how the hell you doing, buddy? My long lost son.

[Hockey Illuminati]

That's right. And for anyone who's watching this for the first time, might be a little bit confused. I'm not business baby. Bastard child.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ok. What about Ziggy?

[Hockey Illuminati]

I was not, you know, a long lost son. I like to maybe think of myself as maybe like a Teemu version of Biz, Costco brand version of biz. This is usually what I get a little bit. And I tell you it's. It's a pleasure to get a little playing time with you guys here this evening. The Leafs recently called up Stephen Lorenz to be on the top line with Matthews and Marner.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Right.

[Hockey Illuminati]

And I kind of feel like that's me right now, you know. And I'll do whatever you guys need me to do. I'll get in the corner, I'll retrieve pucks, be a bit of a puck hound. Just go to the net and let's see if we can put a few in.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, Stephen Lorenz is a cup champ and you're nowhere near that. Cuz you're a Leafs fan.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Ah.

[Biz Nasty]

Ah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And they stink.

[Biz Nasty]

But things will change. And you're on here today to tell us why it's all going to change and why it's the Leafs year.

[Hockey Illuminati]

You know, you look at the state of Leaf Nation right now and people would say, leaf fans, they're insufferable. They're lovable. Some think we're lovable.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay? Your mom.

[Hockey Illuminati]

My mom, yeah. And a couple other people in the city.

[Keith Yandle]

Dan, Whitney.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Wit, we are delusional, ok? But we are hopeful this year that this could be the year we are die hard Leaf fans, ok? And you know what? We were born into Leaf Nation and we will fucking die on this blue and white cross. I just want one before we die. That's all we need, okay? We love the Leafs from the depths of our heart. We also equally hate the Maple Leafs with every fiber in our body. It's a perfect polarity that like only a Leaf Nation can really understand. But I do, I do think something's in the air this year, boys. I really do.

[Keith Yandle]

And do. You had. Is this the first time you've ever said that? Or is this. Are you saying this every year?

[Biz Nasty]

Normally you're, you're pretty critical and you're very on point with your takes about the Toronto Maple Leafs. But something about the resignation, if you want to call it, of Trudeau. You think that maybe a little sprinkle of that has started the positive momentum as to why the Toronto Maple Leafs will in fact capture Lord Stanley, maybe in correlation with that.

[Hockey Illuminati]

So when I look at this, there's. There's the logical side to why it could be the Leafs here. Okay, which we'll get into. And then there's also the. The metaphysical, spiritual side as to why it could be the Leafs here.

[Biz Nasty]

I want that side first.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I want that side first.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Okay, we'll give you that side first. First, if you listen closely, the universe drops little omens, little hints along the way. Okay, boys, first of all, I'd like to remind everybody that everything comes to an end. Change is inevitable. The only constant thing in life is impermanence. And this curse, this drought is going to end for Toronto at some point. Now, why could it be this year? There's little hints here and there. Whit, are you with me still?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. My son's a Maple Leafs fan for Christ.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Okay, Good, good. So, you know, I'm into numerology. I'm looking at signs and I see certain things. So first of all, okay, my attention was caught when the first goal of this year's Maple Leaf season was scored by a player wearing number 67. That would be Max Pac. Okay. First time in Leaf history that's happened.

[Biz Nasty]

You got me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Biz is hard as a rock, baby.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm hard as a rock, baby. Let's go. Keep going.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I've been hard for the last four and a half months here. I'm pulsating.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Blue and white.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I'm coming. Blue and white over here. Okay, so patches. Okay, that gets my attention. And then we look around a little bit and we say, huh? We have. We have a coach behind the bench in Craig Barubi. Scooby, Dooby. Craig Barubi, who ended the blues 52 year cup trout. Right. What's Brube's nickname?

[Biz Nasty]

Chief.

[Keith Yandle]

Chief.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The Chief.

[Hockey Illuminati]

What was the last time the Leafs had a player in their organization whose nickname was the Chief?

[Biz Nasty]

Don't tell me it was 67.

[Keith Yandle]

Well, everyone's name back then. It was like Red and Chief and, you know, no one had a real name back then, so.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, shut the up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hey, Chief.

[Ryan Whitney]

What's up?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Chief?

[Ryan Whitney]

I ate. Let him cook.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Let him cook.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Listen to me. Listen to me very carefully. Stuff. Some people listening right now are screaming, 1967, George Armstrong, Captain of the Maple Leafs. That's the Chief.

[Ryan Whitney]

Chief. That was the Chiefs.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Someone in the organization who think he was a chief was Armstrong. So we're two for two.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay.

[Keith Yandle]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is like Jersey Jerry. The signs.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh, yeah. But better. Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay.

[Hockey Illuminati]

But better because it means the Leafs are going to win. Exactly. Okay, Anthony Stolers. Let's talk about Stolers. When he got hurt, okay. At the time he was hurt, he was first in the league in save percentage, while the Leafs 1B goalie, 1B Wool was fifth in the league in safe percentage. Okay. When was the last time the leafs had their 1A goaltender leading the league in safe percentage? In their 1B goaltender fifth in the league in safe percentage?

[Biz Nasty]

Don't tell me it was 67.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I'm telling you it was 67.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay?

[Biz Nasty]

This is unbelievable.

[Keith Yandle]

Didn't even have two goalies back then.

[Biz Nasty]

Shut up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Did. Yes, they did.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. His name was Chief.

[Hockey Illuminati]

No, it was. It was Bauer and it was Saw Chuk. Go look it up. 67.

[Biz Nasty]

I've heard of them. I've heard of them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Yeah. Okay.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

That one. That's the first little. That as an Oilers lover, Leafs hater. I'm like, eh, I'm. I'm on board, but I'm seeing a little bit of reach there. But go Ahead. Go ahead.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Well, of course, we've been reaching for 57 years here in Leaf Nation.

[Biz Nasty]

Of course.

[Hockey Illuminati]

That's all we know how to do, brother. Come on now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Who cares?

[Hockey Illuminati]

I look my back. Pulling my back. Getting out of morning.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Getting out of bed.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Every morning, reaching.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay, hey, keep. Keep dropping these. Night Illuminati. These are glorious.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, we.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Buddy. I can go. I can go all there. We can do a three hour pod just with these.

[Biz Nasty]

Let's do it. Okay, so we're gonna bump Mike McDonald.

[Hockey Illuminati]

By the way, he was one of my favorite players growing up, and the fact that I'm sharing the airwaves with him and you guys is a little. Is a little.

[Biz Nasty]

Hey, don't get emotional on us.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Go back to the Nuggets, okay?

[Biz Nasty]

Go back to why we're winning the Cup.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Right back to why. Okay. Lest we forget that Tom Brady in the off season commented on Max Dom's Instagram post. And by the way, Domi's been incredibly underwhelming this year, but I do have faith in him that he'll turn his game around in the playoffs. Okay, but the goat, the goat of goats. Tom Brady commented. Let's go Stanley cup next. Okay, now, when the goat speaks, you listen.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And.

[Hockey Illuminati]

And anything that Tom Brady puts out into the ether, puts out into the universe, it usually spikes. So the fact that he even spoke those words from his mouth, it means something.

[Biz Nasty]

And as a guy from Boston, that has to mean something to you too. Wit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes, it's Tom Brady. It's the gospel. I think he's a little deranged on this one, but I respect Tom Brady said Stanley cup is next. I do.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Right?

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, I'm not going to hate right now.

[Biz Nasty]

Now.

[Hockey Illuminati]

And speaking of football, Leaf fans, we want to be rooting for Detroit or Buffalo to win the super bowl this year. Two other teams wearing blue and white that have incredible droughts that are geographically close. I think if one of those two teams win the super bowl, it will help open the portal for the Leafs.

[Biz Nasty]

Okay, the portal. The transfer portal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Let's go.

[Biz Nasty]

I like that little one, too.

[Hockey Illuminati]

All right, now here's my favorite one. My favorite one. I jumped for joy last week when I put this one together because I do think this one is very meaningful. Okay, so Pierre Elliott Trudeau took over as Canadian prime minister in 1968. That was year one of the Leafs cup drought. That's when it began. 68.

[Biz Nasty]

Now, here we are.

[Hockey Illuminati]

We fast forward down the timeline. We have Trudeau's son stepping down as Canadian Prime Minister. Ok, I think this signifies that's the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Most legit one, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Talk about a portal plan a parade.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I think, I think this signifies completion of the curse loop for Canada's team. And I know the Hobbs fans are going to get all up in arms and throw their history books at you when I say this. And the Oilers fans will say, hold on, don't forget about our glory years, but Toronto is Canada's team, period. Just by the sheer number of fans that are in Canada.

[Biz Nasty]

I agree with that.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I agree with that. And just recently the Leafs were on the road, scored a goal. My wife was just in the room and she's like, what the hell? I was like, yeah, the Leafs, there's, there's, they are the number one like away fan base. Like Montreal is crazy in Edmonton. But Toronto, when they scored, it was wild, wild. I, I think of all Canadian teams, I'll give Toronto that, that they travel the best.

[Biz Nasty]

No doubt.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Well, there's a reason we travel the best because we get price gouged here in Toronto and, and we got to get on the road. And that's where a lot of the real fans go to get on the road. Because oftentimes it's cheaper to, to pick up and go somewhere than to watch the Leafs in your own backyard. That coupled with the fact that yes, we are all over Canada and, and we do travel very well. It's, it's really horny to see Leaf fans fill out an opposing team's barn.

[Biz Nasty]

I don't know how many more gems you have, but being the lost the Leafs jock sniffer you are. What have you thought of N's progression as a player from the start of this year to now? I really feel like he's coming into his own. And we have ourselves a power forward, a guy who I don't think we've had a player like him go to the blue paint like Hyman since Hyman left. I think he is him and he is such a huge addition to that forward group.

[Hockey Illuminati]

MK Ultra is a difference maker for this Leaf squad. He is a big time X factor. He's made of fucking titanium alloy. Now I'll give you one more curse buster associated with Maddie Nies.

[Keith Yandle]

This one better be good.

[Ryan Whitney]

Matty.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Knives work. Number 23.

[Biz Nasty]

Shut the fuck up. Yeah.

[Hockey Illuminati]

When was the last time the Leafs had a winger, a left winger wearing number 23 making a significant difference on the team?

[Biz Nasty]

Team 67.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Hockey Illuminati]

And who was it? Do you know who it might be?

[Biz Nasty]

No. No clue.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Clear the track. Here comes Eddie Fitz.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh wow.

[Biz Nasty]

He wore 23, eh.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Yes.

[Biz Nasty]

We had him on our podcast too. Boom. We're back together. Illuminati dude.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I had him on mine as well.

[Ryan Whitney]

How much stuff did you have to cut out?

[Hockey Illuminati]

So, okay, let me tell you something funny about Eddie Shock. Okay, So I actually interviewed him him before he went on your guys pod, before he wrote his book. When I. I started my content creation just strictly making podcasts and it was just audio out of a studio and Eddie Shack, I had a connection to him through a family friend and I brought him in and it was the very first interview that he had ever done. So he came in with his handler and I interviewed him and it went really well and it was. I mean the interview was all over the place. And a couple days later his. His handler spoke with me and he's like, Eddie really had a good time and the questions you asked him helped to jog his memory and you know, it brought up all these great feelings and he's thinking about writing a book now. And then he went on and then he went on to write that book and he did this tour and he appeared on your guys show and everyone else's. But a little fun known fact is that I was the first person that interviewed him and that kind of spurred on what he did. And what's even wilder is I never edited that interview and put it out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Out.

[Biz Nasty]

You never did never put it out. Hey, how many?

[Keith Yandle]

And that's why the Leafs won't ever win.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Don't say that.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, buddy, I think you have to now.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I. I'm putting it out. I'm going to put it out right in April. Just, just right before I'm trying to contribute to the curse busting here.

[Keith Yandle]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, well, let.

[Biz Nasty]

Let doing a hell of a job.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let's bring this back to reality a little bit. What are your worries? What right now, now we need to add. We hear about a center iceman, we hear about maybe some help on D. I've actually heard rumblings through Maple Leaf's Twitter and the main fan base of not loving Morgan Riley this year. Like, are there anything. Is there anything right away in your mind, you're like, fuck this. This could really cost us from breaking this course.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hockey Illuminati]

You know, Toronto might be the only sports city in the whole world where we're first in the division in the middle of January and we lose two games in the sky starts falling like it did, you know, and by the way, it is falling. I. I got to go help the fire department.

[Paul Bissonnette]

When we're done here.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Lift it back up because it is. But everything's going to be okay. The Leafs, you know, they've played a lot of back to backs this year. I think in the last couple weeks they've looked very tired, piss poor excuse for professional athletes. But nonetheless they've had a lot of injuries and you know, it's been really chaotic last little bit here in Leaf nation. But let's not forget that the Leafs, a lot of this season, they've looked like a good two great team for most of the season. Okay. As of recording this right now, they're five points out of first overall in the league. They've had some incredible wins this year. Boston twice, they beat Winnipeg, Edmonton, Washington, Tampa. Okay. Like they've, they've played some really good hockey this year, but there's still. Brube is still trying to massage out the leafiness or I should maybe say the keenest, a little bit associated with this team. Okay. And when I look at the lineup, you know, what do they have to do? I mean they do need, they do need some upgrades. They do have some landmines in their lineup which have to be diffused. Okay. We're talking about, we're talking a lot about a third line centerman here in Toronto. I, I don't know how realistic it is to get a difference maker at center because the Leafs don't have many assets to play with right now thanks to Kyle Dubas having to make trades like giving up a first rounder to get Peter Marasic off of our hands. There's been some talk about Brock Nelson. I don't think the Leafs will be able to afford him. You know, he's going to be a very coveted piece of the deadline. Scott Lawton, everyone loves him. I don't see Philly parting ways with him until next year. He's got another year left on his deal. Yanni Gord's an interesting addition. I think his, his offense is a little capped in terms of what he can bring, but great two way guy, obviously the championship pedigree. I think someone like Buxton could be a realistic fit for the Leafs.

[Biz Nasty]

Wow. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think what Edmonton went and picked him up a few years ago, right. It was two years ago at the deadline or I don't think it was last year. G just sat in the chat here. I know Ryan O'Reilly. I don't think he was thrilled about just how, how chaotic the, the media was there and his, his quick experience and, and felt that it maybe filtered into the locker room with how tight it made everybody. But could you see him possibly maybe coming back? Do you think that would be a good fit? Because I think right now what the Leafs truly need, if they had to address one position, it would be the second line center position. And if they could really bolster that and then you bump JT down to that third line center position. I think you're so strong up the middle title. I have been, I've been over the mood with Tavares playoffs performance.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Biz Nasty]

I just don't like what he's making.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Hockey Illuminati]

You know Ryan O'Reilly, don't forget the Leafs offered him more money to be in Toronto. He said no. There was a lot of reasons he didn't like to be here. There were some interesting rumors that came out. Dressing room was a little clicky, which I could see. And the way that the Leafs run things operationally, he wasn't a fan of have again rumor mill, no beers on the plane, that type of stuff. He said, I'm out of here. Okay. He would be a wet dream. And I think it's possible because when he signed his, his ticket in Nashville, his agent forgot to ask for a no trade clause. So, you know, if they can figure it out, they can make it happen. And reuniting him with Rube really could be something. I'd be more interested in a piece like Luke Shen coming from Nashville, if I'm being honest. Like when I, When I look at the Leafs forward group, you know, offensively, they're, they have so many great pieces, you know, the Core4NY, a guy like Robertson or, well, Robertson as well. But McMahon, some secondary scoring you have Patri, you can put the puck in the back of the net. Like if they can't score with that group, then I don't know if O'Reilly is going to make a difference. But the D is what really needs to be addressed. And going back to what you said earlier, Whit about Morgan Ryder, is that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Off base by me? I've just been like seeing that.

[Hockey Illuminati]

No, no, he, you know, we love Mo in Leaf Nation. He's an OG Leaf.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay.

[Hockey Illuminati]

He's been with the boys forever. But he looks more lost in his own zone than he's ever been. And he's not the same guy that he used to be.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's.

[Hockey Illuminati]

It's been tough to watch him at times this year. And the problem is he's playing top line minutes as a defenseman and when, when he gets four checked really hard, he gets exposed a little bit and the Leafs need, you know, they still lack a real bonafide number one demand. It's not Riley, that's for sure. I mean, Taniv is in the conversation.

[Biz Nasty]

Number one shot. He's the number one shutdown guy. I think. I think if they maybe make one move, they can get it done by committee. I think it's. We've used this term a lot lately. I think there's probably a little bit being too much asked of. Of Morgan Riley. I think if his minutes come down and I think if they're able to divvy him up between six guys, I think that it won't be as big of a problem, especially with the offense that you talked about. Do you think that Robertson is on this team past the deadline? Like, do you think this is a guy who can help them win come playoff time?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He.

[Biz Nasty]

He looked unbelievable in training camp. Took him a little bit to get his feet underneath him. He's looked better than he did at the start of the season. But you think that's a guy that's around?

[Hockey Illuminati]

I hope not, because my hope is that he is one of the assets packaged for something more meaningful. Robertson, there are some nights he looks really good, but more often than not, he's been invisible. And whenever he's on the ice, there's a trend of the Leafs getting hemmed in their own zone. When he's out there defensively is a bit of a liability.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Sure. He can.

[Ryan Whitney]

Under the hood. Under the hood.

[Biz Nasty]

Yeah. Yeah. Do you have anything. And if not, I was going to go back to hockey Illuminati with any more of these crazy nuts Nuggets. Were you saving, like, a big one to drop on us last? Like the. Really? The Peter north nut? Like, give me the Peter north nut. Nugget.

[Keith Yandle]

That's what I was gonna ask if. If there is a fan out there that's, you know, been through 57 years of misery, you know, just kind of in right now, kind of. Oh, doesn't really care that much. How are you bringing that. That group of people in to be all in for your. Your beloved Leafs this year?

[Hockey Illuminati]

It's a great question. And when you close your eyes for a second and envision what it would be like. Biz. Close your eyes. I am Wit. Do it. Let's all close our eyes. Everyone listening? Everyone listening. Just close your eyes for a second.

[Biz Nasty]

If you're driving, keep one eye open.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Let the Illuminati take you on a magic carpet ride here.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay?

[Hockey Illuminati]

If and when the Leafs win the Stanley cup, it will be a Celebration like the hockey world has never seen. Period.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's it.

[Biz Nasty]

That's a hell of a nugget.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm all in.

[Biz Nasty]

That's a hell of a nugget.

[Ryan Whitney]

It cuz all I saw was McDavid flying through the neutral zone against the Leafs in the cup final, lighting up that D. And then Edmonton celebrating once again.

[Hockey Illuminati]

I don't know if Edmonton's ever getting that close ever again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, Edmonton will be there this year, buddy.

[Biz Nasty]

Here's my. Here's my nugget. It's the year of the Squanto.

[Keith Yandle]

That's the. That's the one thing Marner.

[Biz Nasty]

Marner's going to figure it out and he's going to lead them come playoff time and he's going to earn that $14 million a year that he's going to get. So Hockey Illuminati, we cannot thank you enough. Enough for bringing Leafs fans and Leafs culture the juju. It's our year and we're gonna get you back on after they hoist Lord.

[Ryan Whitney]

Stanley after you release that Eddie Shack interview and get canceled.

[Keith Yandle]

Shout out. Shout out to the Biz Biz 20 promo code he used for having the same nose as you too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, look at that. Not bad, eh?

[Ryan Whitney]

Our last question here with Hockey Illuminati, we're going to biz. I think he's got more curse buster talk talk. But this last question is presented by Roback. So use the code chiclets on roback.com for a generous 20 off your first purchase through the end of this week. That's C-H-I C L-E-T S on roback.com R H O-B-A-C-K.com and that's 20 off all hoodies, joggers and mode and more with code Chicklets.

[Hockey Illuminati]

But can I leave you with one more curse buster here?

[Biz Nasty]

Yes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Last one.

[Hockey Illuminati]

In Chinese astrology, it is the year of the snake. 2025 is the year of the snake. The snake resembles renewal and good luck. 1917 was also the year of the snake. 1917. You know what? That was busy boy. That was the year the Leafs were found in 1917. They also won the cup in 1917. Thirteen cups. Today's the 13th. We're recording. Sunning was my favorite player.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We're number 13.

[Hockey Illuminati]

It's a full wolf moon right now happening as we record this. The first full moon in January is aligning. The portal is opening. And I will see you guys and the rest of Leaf Nation.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What a performance at the Cup.

[Biz Nasty]

What A performance.

[Hockey Illuminati]

And thanks for having me on hockey.

[Biz Nasty]

Illuminati will not be your last time, my friend. Goated performance. That was great, dude.

[Keith Yandle]

Outstanding.

[Biz Nasty]

So good. So silly. So silly.

[Hockey Illuminati]

Oh, I love it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thank you, buddy. Appreciate it.

[Keith Yandle]

That's great.

[Ryan Whitney]

Before we go any further, guys, I need to talk to you about body armor. Oh, my God. This show is brought to you by the Body Armor sports drink. Right here, I'm holding the strawberry banana. This is my favorite flavor. There's orange mango. There's fruit punch. There's the regular water. And my favorite part about coming to the barstool sports headquarters in Chicago is there, there are thousands, and I'm not joking, maybe hundreds of thousands of bottles of body armor in this office. Whether you want the fruit drink, the fruit punch, the orange mango, or the witty special, the strawberry banana, it's real hydration, real ingredients packed with electrolytes, vitamins, and nothing artificial. That's the best part about it. Body armor sports drink has great tasting flavors. It's so easy to drink the wide mouth bottle on the big old normal waters. Oh, my God. Body armor. If you need electrolytes and you need a good tasting drink, body armor is where it's at. Every time I get a delivery of body armor to my house, my wife and I, we hug. We do a big hug. Yes. More body armor. You think I'm kidding? I'm not kidding. Get yours today at Walmart or a local grocery store near you and get hydrated with great taste, great flavors, and no artificial flavor. That's body armor. Where it's at Walmart or your local grocery store right now. Thank you so much. To hockey Illuminati. He's a real sicko. Some of those, some of those myth busters, curse busters, leading us into a portal. I, I, I don't know where to go from here. But I did say to him at the end, it was 86 years, that the Red Sox waited 86 years. So it's gonna end at some point, but God knows when. And I hope, I hope I'm never around to see it. I hope I don't see them win. Wyatt can. Wyatt can take a hike. He can cry in his cinnamon toast Crunch is all he wants. Because I never want to see the Leafs win.

[Biz Nasty]

But that's Squanto spirits all throughout your household. Wait, whoa. If they get, if they get to the conference finals, you know you're gonna have to start rooting for them, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

Not if the Oilers.

[Keith Yandle]

What if his Oilers are still in it?

[Biz Nasty]

I would pay so Much money to see a Leafs oil.

[Ryan Whitney]

The podcast would end last.

[Biz Nasty]

Hey, could. Could squantle live with me for the finals?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh yeah, that'd be good. Hey, he's the first four year old in the world to have only fans to finish it off. Thank. Thank you again to to.

[Biz Nasty]

I'm sorry, Bri.

[Ryan Whitney]

To Tough way to end it but we just want to shout out and give our thoughts and prayers to everyone in, in the LA area.

[Biz Nasty]

Oh man, this is.

[Ryan Whitney]

These wildfires just one of the scariest, most horrible things we've ever seen. Still going these fires right now. The winds up to 100 miles an hour I believe right now. I saw today like 24 people dead and thousands and thousands of homes gone. It's just heartbreaking to see and to witness like how it's all happened and how scary it must be. We have to shout out these firefighters. It's been incredible seeing the clips of these helicopters and planes and how they're scooping up the water and then putting out some of these fires and doing their best in just horrible circumstances. It's just heartbreaking to see. And we wanted to shout out and support lafd.org support los angelesfiredepartment.org and redcross.org those are the two organizations the LA Kings have been directing people to. We want to do the same. Just thinking of everyone affected, it's just horrible, horrible. There's no other way to put it. It's. It's some of the scariest images you could ever imagine. Just fires just ripping through the hills. So heartbreaking stuff. Thinking of California and all the people that have, that have lost family and home homes. It's just, you know, what else can you say besides thank God for those firefighters and what they've done and, and once again support lafd.org and red cross.

[Biz Nasty]

Dot.Org incredibly well said.

[Ryan Whitney]

So horrible out there and we're praying for everyone and all you guys listening, thank you so much. Thanks to Mike Mananno. Thanks to hockey Illuminati. Yan, such a pleasure.

[Biz Nasty]

Welcome aboard.

[Keith Yandle]

Buddy come true.

[Ryan Whitney]

You coming on this show?

[Biz Nasty]

I think Yan just quit after that whole leaf segment.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's got a jersey. He whipped up a jersey. So have a great week everyone. We'll be back to you next week and go Greensboro. Check it out tonight, 6:30 Eastern. Check out the, the team name and the logo that's dropping and we love you all, love your support. Have a great.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Way.