Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 545: Featuring Jeff Marek

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 545: Featuring Jeff Marek – Detailed Summary

Introduction

In Episode 545 of Spittin’ Chiclets, released on February 18, 2025, hosts Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, and producer Mike Grinnell delve into one of the most exhilarating weeks in hockey. Joined by special guest Jeff Marek, they dissect the ongoing Four Nations Tournament, focusing primarily on the intense rivalry between Team Canada and Team USA. The discussion also touches on player performances, the physicality of the games, and suggestions for improving international hockey competitions.

Current State of the Tournament

The Four Nations Tournament has captured the attention of hockey fans worldwide, featuring powerhouse teams from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland. The hosts emphasize the tournament's role in reigniting international rivalries and raising the profile of hockey in the United States.

Canada vs. USA Matchup

A significant portion of the episode centers on the highly anticipated matchup between Canada and the USA. The hosts express strong opinions about the dynamics of the rivalry and the current form of both teams.

Player Performances and Analysis

• Team Canada:

  • Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl: Ryan Whitney highlights McDavid’s unparalleled skill and creativity, stating, “Connor McDavid is just 10 times better than the rest” ([24:43]). He praises Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman for their ability to shut down McDavid, making it difficult for him to find scoring opportunities.
  • Jake McAvoy: Paul Bissonnette lauds McAvoy’s defensive prowess, noting, “Jake McAvoy is probably the best goalie in the league” ([27:56]). Jeff Marek adds that McAvoy’s performance has been stellar, comparing him to legendary goaltenders like Carey Price.

• Team USA:

  • Matthew and Brady Tkachuk: The Tkachuk brothers receive significant attention for their aggressive play. Paul Bissonnette mentions, “Matthew Tkachuk has shown up a little bit more in the playoffs” ([68:14]), while discussing their impact on the game’s physicality.
  • Jack Eichel: Jeff Marek praises Eichel’s defensive contributions, stating, “Jack Eichel is the guy” ([27:56]). He emphasizes Eichel’s ability to carry the puck and dominate both offensively and defensively.
  • Jacob Slavin: Highlighted by Paul Bissonnette as an underrated defenseman, Slavin’s exceptional stick-handling is frequently praised. “You can't get pucks underneath his stick,” Bissonnette remarks ([29:11]).

Physicality and Fights

The episode extensively covers the physical nature of the Canada-USA games, emphasizing the role of fighting in intensifying the rivalry and capturing audience attention.

• Fights and Aggressiveness: Jeff Marek asserts, “We got Makar, we got McKinnon, we got McDavid and Crosby in the lineup, and we are going to light you motherfuckers up” ([03:22]). The Tkachuk brothers are central figures in this aggressive strategy, aiming to dominate physically.

• Impact on Momentum: Paul Bissonnette discusses how hard hits and fights shifted the game’s momentum, “The hit that Brady Kachuk threw on Dowdy and McAvoy threw on McDavid is probably being called penalties” ([65:41]).

Tournament Format Suggestions

The hosts critique the current format of the Four Nations Tournament, suggesting more engaging structures to sustain interest and competitiveness.

• Best-of Series: Ryan Whitney and Jeff Marek propose transitioning to a best-of-three or best-of-five series, enhancing playoff-like excitement. Whitney muses, “But from a capital H hockey point of view, this is one of the best things for hockey” ([08:13]).

• Replacement of the All-Star Game: They also discuss the potential demise of the NHL All-Star Game, with Jeff Marek stating, “The NBA skills competition killed the NHL All Star Game” ([09:36]).

Impact on Hockey and Community

A heartfelt moment occurs when the hosts read a letter from a listener who credits the podcast with aiding his mental health recovery. Jeff Marek shares, “This is why we do it. We're so grateful to get our buddies together and talk hockey” ([75:55]). This underscores the podcast’s significant influence beyond just sports commentary.

Conclusion

As the tournament progresses towards its climax, the hosts express anticipation for the upcoming Canada-USA showdown in Boston. They emphasize the importance of national pride, player dedication, and the enduring love for hockey that fuels such intense competitions. The episode concludes with reflections on the community built around the podcast and the positive impact it has on listeners’ lives.

Notable Quotes:

• Jeff Marek ([03:12]): “I cannot wait at a shot at redemption.”
• Ryan Whitney ([08:13]): “This is one of the best things for hockey.”
• Paul Bissonnette ([29:11]): “You can't get pucks underneath his stick.”
• Jeff Marek ([65:41]): “The hit that Brady Kachuk threw on Dowdy and McAvoy threw on McDavid is probably being called penalties.”

Final Thoughts

Episode 545 of Spittin’ Chiclets offers an in-depth analysis of the Four Nations Tournament, spotlighting the fierce Canada-USA rivalry, standout player performances, and the gritty physicality that has redefined international hockey. The hosts’ passionate discussions, combined with notable listener interactions, make this episode a must-listen for hockey enthusiasts seeking both entertainment and insightful commentary.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

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

[Paul Bissonnette]

With golf season quickly approaching, Chevy wants to help you make the most of every drive. The all electric Equinox EV has it all. A roomy interior, high tech screens and more Chevrolet together.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let's drive.

[Jeff Marek]

Huddle up. It's me, Angel Reese. You can't beat the post game burger and fries, right? Know what else you can't beat? The Angel Reese special. Let's break it down. My favorite barbecue sauce, American cheese, crispy bacon, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun, of course. And don't forget the fries and the drink. It's gonna be a high C for me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Sound good?

[Jeff Marek]

All you have to do to get it is beat me in a one on one. I'm just playing get the angel re special at McDonald's. Now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I participate in restaurants for a limited time.

[Keith Yandle]

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is Bastool Sports.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Our white whale, Sydney Crosby. Shave his head. Shave his head. Shave his head. Ryan Whitney.

[Jeff Marek]

Paul Bissonnette, R.A. mike Grinelli.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Spitting chick. Oh my God. Oh my God. Welcome to episode 545 of the Spitting Chicklets podcast. One of the craziest, best weeks in hockey. Hockey delivers. Hockey does this and oh my God. Do we have a show in store for you. Catching up on the Four nations tournament. This show is presented to you by Pink Whitney. And Pink Whitney will be in the mix Thursday, 5:30, the greatest bar, friend Street, Boston. Right across from the Garden. If you're in Boston, American, Canadian, Swedish, Finnish, it doesn't matter. Come on down to the greatest bar party with us. Pink Whitney everywhere. I'll be handing it out to the people inside. I'll be handing it out to the people outside. We'll be having a time. Everyone will be there. Everyone will be ready to go. What a game we have in store. Pink Whitney, thank you so much for everything. Thank you so much for the life you've given us. And thank you so much for these hockey games we've been witnessing. Biz Keith, special guest, Jeff Mar. I'll start with you, Biz. What are your thoughts right now, buddy? How you feel?

[Jeff Marek]

Oh man, I cannot wait at a shot at redemption. At you where you are gloating that whole car ride home. White knuckling it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How would you know? You were asleep.

[Jeff Marek]

I was not asleep for the whole nine hours. But I thank you for getting me home safe to get to my appearance and Then I had a shit sandwich flight to Baltimore, Maryland, and then the next morning flew to Atlanta to do TNT last night. So it's been quite the journey. But like I said, I cannot wait for a shot at redemption. You Americans have gotten so cocky. You think hockey's your game now. We didn't even have Kale Makar, but all of a sudden we're going to hear all the excuses when we fucking pound the shit out of you come Thursday because a few of your guys got the sniffles. It ain't going to matter. We got Makar, we got McKinnon, we got McDavid and Crosby in the lineup, and we are going to light you motherfuckers up. We're not the 51st state. Fuck your tariffs and stop complaining about the booze. If you want to poke the bear, we're going to dummy you fucks.

[Keith Yandle]

We were trying to help you out by making you the 51st state. Now, you know what, you guys, we're.

[Jeff Marek]

Gonna make all your states provinces by the time we're done dog walking you come Thursday. I think. I think it's gonna be a fucking blowout.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay? This. Yeah. And the Leafs are going to win the Cup. Every single season, I'll tell you right now, I've caught heat from you and other Canadians. Oh, my God, do you not remember 2010? You won the first one. You didn't win the one that mattered. Yeah, I understand that. And there was a little, little part of me that said I wouldn't even mind if we lose an OT Saturday night. Because it is hard.

[Jeff Marek]

It is difficulty.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It is. It is difficult to beat a team two times, two times in a row. A team as good as Canada. It's very difficult. But the fact is that we went into Montreal, the greatest hockey city in the world. No one does big games better. We started the game off kicking the shit out of you guys. We bullied you around your country, around the arena. We went into the belly of the beast and smacked you in the face.

[Ryan Whitney]

Whoops.

[Keith Yandle]

Whoops, whoops.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And if you don't think after nine years, as Matthew Tkachuk said, I've been waiting nine years for this. If you don't think after nine years, Americans are going to be cocky and just arrogant and just go yourself, Canada, right in your house. We just smacked you then you're crazy. I understand Thursday is a different beast. You got my car back. But, Jeff, I'll go to you. You had to understand Americans. Be pretty goddamn proud of that win Saturday night.

[Ryan Whitney]

Took you long enough. Like it Took you long enough to get here. Like I'm telling you. Like, I don't know about you guys. Like, at a time like this, at a time like this, I tend to go back and, like, watch old international hockey games and old Canada cup tournaments and old World cup tournaments and, you know, wax nostalgic about this 76 Canada cup, which was my first one. I was too young for the Summit Series. It's taken you guys, taking you Americans long enough to finally get here. Now. Now I will say one thing. I will say one thing. I did go back and watch Canada USA from the 76 Canada Cup. It was a lot closer than Canadians want to talk about. This was like Robbie Fatoric and Mike Mulberry and all the. It was a lot closer than Canadians want to remember. But the thing about all of this is, like, I don't care. Like, I don't care about teams, I don't care about countries. I just care about capital H. Hockey. Once upon a time, we thought international hockey was two teams. It was Canada versus Russia. And that's because the Soviets beat Canada in game one of the Summit Series in Montreal, where we all just were on Saturday. Now, Canadians like to think that game eight was the one that mattered. That's the one. Henderson scores and Foster Hewitt has a horrible call that we all want to pretend is good. It was terrible. The Bob Cole call on radio was way better. But the real game was game one. The Soviets beating Canada. The Montreal Forum, and they spanked them. That was the birth. That was the birth of true international hockey. And now the future of international hockey is no longer Canada Russia. It's Canada usa. And it's at every single level. Here's the thing that's Canadians. For decades upon decades, we stood gobsmacked that nobody else in the world loved hockey the way that we did or embraced it or loved it. And now the rest of the world is there, and specifically America is there. And what Canadians have always had a hard time with. Yes, they wanted Americans to love this sport and they wanted them to play the sport more, but they wanted to just be a little bit better than them at every single tournament. And from a capital H hockey point of view, this is one of the best things for hockey. This is an int. Intense, passionate rivalry that has taken the hockey world by so to the point where. Listen, I don't even think we should like four nations. Fine. We all know the nature of this tournament, et cetera, replace the All Star game. But guys, would you not just rather see a best of five between these two teams.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Jeff, how about this?

[Jeff Marek]

At least the best of three.

[Ryan Whitney]

See that?

[Jeff Marek]

@ least the best.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How about this idea? Actually also, as you mentioned, like how it's changed. It's just like at times they are a change. And the Bob Dylan movie just came out. And Jeff, actually I'm going to throw, I'm going to throw to you, Keith, after this. Get your response to this. Merles and I were talking. I said, I go, all right, well, we need Russia back in the mix. They're out of the Olympics, but then the NHL owns this event. Russia will be in. But I almost just want three out of five.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Us, Canada and Merle's ads. Merle's ads, Yup. And at the same time, you send Sweden Finland over in Helsinki and Stockholm and they do a three out of five at the same time. That could be big. Keith, what do you think?

[Keith Yandle]

I, I love that idea. It would have to depend on when it's going to be played because like we've seen in this gauntlet of a, of a tournament that guys are going down like flies. So it's, you know, hopefully none of it is too serious, especially on the American side. But yeah, I think you'd have to plan this out where it's. I know you talked about whip having it in the beginning of the season, but then it's like, yes, then you're still having the All Star Game, right? You're still having that weekend. I think this is a great way of kind of pushing the All Star Game out.

[Jeff Marek]

I think you gotta shoot the All Star Game to the moon.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All Star Game might be dead.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, bring it behind the shed. Right behind the NBA.

[Jeff Marek]

The NBA skills competition killed the NHL All Star Game. We're never going back after seeing that debacle. Now I'll also throw this other. I don't want to discredit the value and what this game brought because it's a four nations kind of pop up tournament. This like from an American standpoint. Do you guys not agree this might be the top five biggest, most hockey moments in American history? Like that, that, like that. That victory with the fights off the hop and what it's done to ignite people and their interest in hockey in the United States. It's all anybody on Twitter was tweeting about.

[Keith Yandle]

You have to tip your cap to the players for buying into this tournament. You know, some people could look at it when it's done in, over and done and be like, oh, it's just a made up tournament. These guys are responsible for Putting on an absolute clinic, obviously the NHL and putting it on and setting everything up. But the players have bought in, took absolute pride in every single ship that they played in. And these are the guys that are we, we should be thanking for the no escrow because they are playing their absolute balls off.

[Ryan Whitney]

Good point.

[Keith Yandle]

And they are putting on a clinic for the game of hockey. And I couldn't be more proud of these guys and what they have done, especially the United States of America.

[Jeff Marek]

Would you put this as a bigger moment for USA Hockey than. Than losing to Canada in the gold medal game in 2010 for the impact.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That it's made, impact wise? Yes. Yes. And I think that Twitter was very, very early. Like it wasn't even 2010. It wasn't like everyone's checking Twitter and, and it was huge. Like I remember my buddies. Like it was enormous. Every bar was packed. It was a, it was a 3:00 start in, in on the east coast, noon in Vancouver and it was wild. But with social media, this game did reach another level of, of eyeballs at least like, of people being like, what, what is. Like there's no sports on NBA All Star Game. What is this game? Oh my God, they're fighting. Wait, they're fighting again. Holy shit, there's a third one. And it's like, I think some people are like, wait, what is this? This is just like a midseason tournament that real really like doesn't mean anything. It is like an exhibition. But it's, it's just national pride. And I think the fact that it been so long and McDavid hadn't been with Crosby and Crosby hadn't lost a game in 25 games in 15 years, whatever it's been. And all of these things kind of came together and it's just hate to say it, it is this Canada US political beef right now that just had it completely pop off and all of a sudden the whole world is sitting around on a Saturday night talking about these guys trying to kill each other mid season.

[Jeff Marek]

It's like no nut. November and December one hits and then boom. That's what it was. It was all this pent up emotion from not doing best on best with all these guys. And like, and, and, and to go back to earlier in that day, like there were rumblings that came out that the Kachuk said that they were going to turn the bell center upside down. And then after the game it was awesome how they self admittedly said, yeah, we had a text thread going on saying that The Bash brothers plus J.T. miller, they were planning on doing that. And then I don't know necessarily if Brady had it planned with. With Bennett, but after seeing his brother go at it with Hagel, and credit to Hagel, too, man, like, he had to step up a weight class there. Like, Hagel's not a big guy. And you said they got. Like you said they pumped him. I thought that that was a draw. And I also thought that the Bennett fight was a draw. And, yeah, he got the tackle down at the end. Yes. Why the fuck you shaking? Okay, can you at least agree that Pareco pumped JT Miller's eyes shut then? Okay, I would say three fights, it's a draw. That's a draw.

[Paul Bissonnette]

When I say pumping, it was like we were the aggressors. Like, we were noticeably the aggressors in that. Like, our guys called out every single fight. Even JT Miller went in like a lunatic, started cross checking. Horrible call there, by the way. Horrible penalty. It was J.T. miller, but it was more that we just were in your house and we were starting everything, which is why I can't. I can't wait for Thursday. We'll get into Thursday night. I think we go back quickly here, Jeff. I'll throw it to you because. Because before we get to Saturday, we got to start at the beginning. And that the question kind of remained, like, what will this be? Like, what is this tournament going to be like? Wednesday night, Canada starting against Sweden, great match up, and all of a sudden, it's like, right off the hop, we got Mario Lemieux. Mario, Mario. And you could tell, like, something's different here. This tournament was so needed, and what happens, it goes McDavid to Crosby to McKinnon. It was like the dream start for Canada, and the tournament was off. Like, what did you take away from Wednesday night that they needed to play.

[Ryan Whitney]

With more than one puck? Yeah. Can we throw a couple. Can we lob a couple more pucks on the ice here? Because one's not enough for all these guys. My t. First of all, my, my, my, my thought on the tournament going in is kind of how it. It remains now. Like, this is. This is a one and done. Michael Farber put it best. Michael Farber, legend, legendary hockey writer, Sports Illustrated. He said, this is a tournament with no history and no future. We all know this is a one and done. Like, when they hand out that trophy, you know where it's going to go after that? The next morning it's going to go not to the Hockey hall of Fame, but to the Hockey hall of Fame Resource Center. And it's going to sit there and it's going to collect dust and 20 years from now, someone's going to find it in some corner all wrapped up a newspaper and go, what was this? Does anyone remember what this is? But the one takeaway from the entire term, they're going to go like, oh, yeah, that was that tournament. We saw three fights on a Saturday night in Montreal. That's what they're going to take away from. Regardless of what happens on Thursday, I think that's going to be that. That, that is going to be the moment of this tournament. So I looked at the tournament, said, I don't like the tournament, but I hope I like the games. And it's true. I don't like the tournament, but I like the games.

[Jeff Marek]

If the States win it, they might make a movie about it in 25 years. I just wanted to throw that out there because it's the only thing that they're going to win moving forward if they, if they possibly do. Just throwing that out there. Back to you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Can, can. Can I, can I jump on that for once? Because, listen, I know we sort of joke about it like, okay, making more movies about 1980, and that's great. I, I still think that United States should do. Should do more about 1960 and the original Miracle on Ice. But nonetheless, like, there are these galvanizing moments. Like, Canadian hockey is just consistent. Kids play hockey. Like, that's it. It's part of the culture. But what we've seen with the United States is like, there's these eruptions that happen where all of a sudden everyone pays attention to hockey and then everybody wants to play. So 1980 was the big one. And then you got the era of Chelios and Roenick and like, this great American hockey stars, 1996 probably deserves more attention as well. I will put that hockey against 1987, which we all think is the best hockey ever played any day of the week. The quality of that hockey was insanely good. But it seems as if the way that hockey sort of lurches forward in the United States is they need big events to capture attention. And that's why I loved Saturday. That's why I love Saturday because it was a bunch of American players embracing the moment. Like, everything happening geopolitically between. Sociopolitically between Canada and the United States right now. Plus, sports schedule is pretty blank. I know the NHL has been criticized and perhaps rightfully so. Like, why are you taking away NHL hockey when football's over the NFL is done. Everyone was around looking for games and everyone's going like NHL is going to hand us a handful of games and that's it. But it was a bunch of American kids that embraced the moment and said you know what, we need to do something. We're going to capture the attention. As he mentioned, flip the tournament on his head. And it was three fights and everybody is talking about it. But no matter what happens on Thursday, I think coming out of this made up tournament that has no future, no history, as Farber said, that's what we're going to take out of it. And I do wonder how many people watched that and said hockey is really cool, hockey is awesome. Look what these American kids are doing. But the thing is that game itself, the way that I've been looking at it is I don't know if you guys are boxing fans, but it started off like Hagler Hearns, which is, you know, the greatest three rounds of boxing ever. But it finished up like Mayweather Pacquiao. Like when the game settled, it settled and there were like no penalties in the second, no penalties in the third. It was a puck here, puck there. The story was U.S. defense. The story was slavery. The slaveman in Faber were fan plus I I plus I still think the most underrated player in this entire tournament has been Dylan Larkin. Could we please have more attention on Dylan Larkin? He's been fantastic. But as as far as this tournament goes, going into it that long winded way to answer your question with I didn't like the nature of what this tournament was. I just saying to myself I just hope the games are good and the games have been good. Don't like the tournament but love the games.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yes.

[Keith Yandle]

Wait, you know what this sounds like?

[Paul Bissonnette]

What?

[Keith Yandle]

A couple Canadians knowing that they're going to lose on Thursday and just down playing what the tournament actually is.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Really matter. It doesn't really matter.

[Keith Yandle]

It doesn't matter. It's best on best. We've been asking for best on best and the US has showed up and our junior teams have been doing it for a couple years now and now it's the big boys turn.

[Ryan Whitney]

Have you showed up? You lost the Swedes last night.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That didn't matter and we didn't have any, we had 7:15 players.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nothing. Okay, here come the excuses. Okay, all right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Now injuries are, are somewhat of a storyline here now.

[Ryan Whitney]

You mean that thing that's, that that's part of hockey and always has been. What?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, no doubt. And you missed Kale McCarr an enormous loss. I won't bring up that. That we don't have Quinn Hughes, like, that doesn't matter. So I won't say anything about it because he, you know, he's not in the tournament. But now it's like, all right, usa. I'm not too worried about Matthew or Brady. Brady. Matthew looked like he kind of maybe got his groin on, like a kind of a funky turnaround in the third period against Canada. Brady, of course, driving the net like a madman against Sweden, gets injured. But I've been. I've been reading and been told, not worried about him. Thursday, Matthew's precautionary as well. He should be fine. It's the McAvoy one I'm worried about. There was a report that he was admitted to Mass General Hospital, some sort of upper body injury. But after what he did, after what that guy did, be you Terrier. He gets walked by McDavid. But as, like, people were chirping him. I'm sitting in this box, I'm like, there isn't a defenseman in the world that wouldn't get walked there like that. It was McDavid full tilt coming through the middle. But what does he do? He responds by hammering him not once, but twice. I don't know if I've ever seen McDavid get hit the way he hit him on the wall. I mean, he's parallel to the ice in Midair. And then McAvoy got him again. And then they go down and they score and tie it up on the Genel goal. So, like, McAvoy, if he's not able to go, I like Jake Sanderson, but that is an enormous physical loss. And that's how, that's how USA beat him.

[Jeff Marek]

They.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They. They defensed the shit out of him. And they were physical. They're a bigger, tougher team biz. Can you admit that?

[Jeff Marek]

Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, we knew they had a better back end coming into the tournament. And, And I don't know if you guys saw Brady miked up and they played the clip afterward, where that hit for McAvoy changed the momentum of the game. They ended up going up the ice and Eichel took it. Unreal dish over to Gensil. That saucer pass that isn't being talked about enough. Kind of a weak goal by Bennington. But as Brady said on the bench, that hit changed the entire momentum of the game. And I felt like USA really gained their confidence. And going to your macavoy comment, like, to have, like, the. The mental toughness to get walked like that and then to respond and have the game that he did not. A lot of guys can do that. They would have been mental midgets the whole time. I know I would have been. I would have been thinking about getting posterized all over social media about getting walked by McJesus. And to further your point, as far as the, the defensive play and, and, and Merrick, you're right to say that the game, I wouldn't say got boring, but it got very defensive and USA locked it down. The way that they were able to angle McDavid, McKinnon and the rest of the Canadian lineup the rest of the game to where they. They couldn't establish a 4 check. They couldn't even really gain the line, and even to the point where they doubled it up and put McDavid and McKinnon on the same line where McDavid would wheel up, couldn't get anything, and he would drop it back to McKinnon, and then he couldn't get anything. So if, if, if I had a game plan for Canada going into the next one, I would say you need to establish a forecheck and to start the game, you need to get the puck back, you need to go low to high, and you need to get net front presence and get pucks there. Without Kale Makar, they were getting everything fronted and blocked. They got nothing to the net, and they had no offensive game plan and they got shut down. So that was, I think, and one more last point as far as the non 4 check, the lack of Tom Wilson. Like, I. I hate to bring Bonnie Boo back up, but I would eat her vagina to get Tom Wilson in the lineup on Thursday. I hate to. I hate to do it. I hate to do it, but I would eat her bin to get Tom Wilson in the lineup.

[Keith Yandle]

You don't hate to do it? You don't hate to do it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Love to do it.

[Jeff Marek]

Anyway, I'm done. Go ahead, Mark. Sorry.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let me. Let me make. What. I don't know how I follow that up. Like. Okay, so the Hoojah flip shows.

[Jeff Marek]

A lot of guys did.

[Ryan Whitney]

Show's over. So the thing about McDavid in that game was. Was fascinating. And again, this is a. This is a tip of the hat to the US Defense. Not just the blue line, but everybody. The one thing that I took away From Saturday with McDavid was Leon Dreidel and Zach Hyman are incredible because they can get inside McDavid's head. And they play. Playing with someone like McDavid, even for, like, Elite Guys, it's got to be so hard. He's so fast. He's so creative. You got to expect the puck, like, at. At times where you shouldn't have to expect the puck. And the fact that Leon can read him perfectly is fantastic. The fact that Zach Hyman can read him perfectly is. Is incredible. I don't know that I've seen McDavid have to skate so far or take more strides until an option appeared for him. Like, you know, McGale, he grabs the puck and he starts scanning, scanning, scanning. And every time he would do that, and of course, he's moving his feet. There's nothing. Like, he's got no options. And it's like, okay, I'm moving, I'm moving, I'm moving. Still no options. Moving, moving, moving. Still no option. Moving, moving. Like, to me, that was one of the great stories that we probably don't talk about coming off of Saturday. They took away everything from them, and then McAvoy's hammering them. Like, really, this was a Picasso that they painted against McDavid. Sure, there was the one goal. And, okay, it happens. Like, whatever. But, like, the way that they completely shut down all of his, I've never seen. I don't think McDavid have to take more strides than he did to find options, because he finds options fast. And all I can think about is, like, man, Tres, Seidel's even better than I thought he was. Man, Hyman's even better than I thought he was. How do you get inside the mind of Connor McDavid if you're. If you're any of these. But now Braden Point seemed to have it. But again, they're playing against Finland. They're not playing against usa.

[Jeff Marek]

And also the fact that Hyman, like, when. When it is being closed off at the line, if McDavid dumps it in, he can hound it down. Like, who's going to go get your puck for you? Right? He's going to hound it out, get it back, establish position. And I also felt that they were forcing way too many plays through the middle. Like, USA wasn't having none of that fluff bullshit through the center of the ice. Good sticks and lanes, everything was getting picked off and turned the other way. So lot. Lot of good things from the Americans, boys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I'll say. Watching America got to see him in person. Canada and Sweden in last night's game, it was. Yeah, there wasn't much there. But Jacob Slavin, like, being on Carolina, they. You know, they haven't got. They haven't got to a Cup Final. But you don't really realize till you watch he is one of the fastest players on the ice. Like, and I'm not talking just forward skating, defense, skating backwards. He might be the best skater in the league, including McCarr. Like, I couldn't believe the gaps he was able to have on guys that, like, you gotta back up, you gotta give him the line. Some of these guys, he was still able. His stick, his feet. Faber, oh, my God. Didn't know that much about him. Watched him, realized how good he was. But those two together like that is a true shutdown pair. And it was incredible to see them match these McKinnon and McDavid speed, like, with ease. And they had great sticks. I felt like Saturday night there was probably eight to 10 plays where whether it's any of the Canadian forwards, McDavid point, they're throwing pucks through the crease that a lot of times are like tap ins. No. USA is kind of picking them off. Great sticks all night. The other USA player, and I'm glad you brought up Larkin because he's been awesome. But Jack Eichel, guys, he, he is, he is, he's the guy. He is the guy. And we need Matthews to play a little bit better. But Jack Eichel, oh, my God, you watch the sauce to Genso. You watch him carry the puck. Watching him skate in person is crazy because it's like three strides. He is the longest, most powerful strides. Then he's gliding around. He's great defensively. He's competing like a bastard. He rung one off the post against Sweden on the power play. Like, when he's on the ice, the game goes through him. A true superstar in the game. And I think that he's kind of taken a step defensively where maybe it's Cassidy, maybe it's winning that cup where he's like, I'll sacrifice being 110 point guy. I'll be an 80 to 90 point guy. And I'll dominate on the other side of the puck too. He's been incredible.

[Jeff Marek]

Well, even in last night's game, just going, going to last night's game, the hit that he had on Leo Carlson, coming back on the back check, he, he, he took away a goal. I don't know who had the back door tap in, but he went all the way back down the ice and closed the gap of. Yeah, it was on Arvidson. I think that he was basically a half a zone away and ended up closing in on him from center Ice in. So, like you said, wit just controls the whole 200ft of the ice. I think a lot of that was established by. By Bruce Cassidy when he went over to the Vegas Golden Knights. But it takes the player to buy in, man, and make that personal sacrifice and turn into a championship player. I would probably say top four center on the planet. Like. Like, if you had to pick them in a playoff scenario, you're probably picking him ahead of Matthews.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Jeff Marek]

So who's ahead of him? You got Crosby, David, and then McKinnon. And I would put. I compared him to Sasha Barkov. I think he's just as good defensively, you know?

[Ryan Whitney]

You know what? Let me follow, because I threw at Eisenman there a second ago. Like, that's exactly what Steve Eiserman did. Like, if you look at the history of Steve Eisenman, okay, I'm Gonna put up 120 points, but we're golfing early. Oh, here comes 130 points. Yeah, but, you know, we're golfing early. And it wasn't until he made, like, the full team defensive commitment, all of that, that, you know, the ribbons start winning Stanley Cups and where. And the thing about Yzerman, too, was much like Jack Eichel. I mean, you look for so many years, he's buried behind some of the most elite centers that we've ever seen in hockey. Like, Eisenman's buried behind Gretzky and Lemieux and Stassny and Messier and Howard, Chuck and like, and, and, and, and, and, and then you get to Steve Yzerman. In a lot of other eras, he's the top dog. Can I rewind really quickly? Because I'm really curious, Whit and Yan's, like, your thoughts on one specific element of Jacob Slavin's game. You guys can talk about this with certainly more authority than I can. One of my favorite things to do when I watch Carolina Hurricanes games is watching players trying to put pucks underneath Slavin stick. Can't do it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

You can't. Like, it's fun. I just. I just, like, sit there and watch. I just giggle. I'm like, okay, tried it again. Didn't work. Like, like. And as far as, like, backwards skating goes, I've always felt that Jonas Brodin is the fastest backwards skater in. In the NHL. Curious what you guys. Who you guys think is. Because I think that if we go back to skills competition here, I think fastest backwards skater would be a fascinating one to watch. Like, how many guys could actually skate faster backwards than they can forward. I've always.

[Jeff Marek]

I did.

[Ryan Whitney]

Brody Brodine was the best one. But just a thought on like there's a one specific skill from slaving guys like getting. Trying to get pucks underneath his stick. Like anyone that plays Carolina. You play USA now, like you just realize you can't do it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's not.

[Ryan Whitney]

You can't get. Can't get bucks under a stick. It's fascinating.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it's like that, that lidstrom effect. Like he's not overly physical. He's not going to kill you every single shift. But his stick is just so good. And I think he does a really good job of baiting guys where you know he'll give you the triangle and then take it away or you know, he'll keep his stick in tight. He know I think his vision when he's playing defense of knowing where the other guy is, say it's a two on one or he's in the front of the net for a backdoor tap. And I think his vision of seeing the other guy and where he expects the puck to go is just elite as elite can be. So that would be probably the biggest thing for him. And you can't sauce it over him either because he's picking it off. And yeah, you're right. There's just no way to get it around him unless it's a. A pop type thing where that biz loves to. To. To. To call.

[Jeff Marek]

We've seen a few of them.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know we've seen one.

[Keith Yandle]

Last night was not a pop.

[Jeff Marek]

What do you mean? The Warrensky over to Kreider.

[Keith Yandle]

No.

[Jeff Marek]

What did it hit? Didn't hit.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think Morensky was trying to score. Like I feel like a pop is a blatant like you're coming down. It's. It's a legit pass off.

[Jeff Marek]

I mean, I mean he went under. I mean it hit. It hit his pad and it stayed alive and it went to the guy driving the far side.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean I don't know what a move by too. He looked like a skilled top six forward going under the triangle. He is. He is. What a season he's had. He's. He's been just so good in this tournament as well. I think at one point he was leading the team the, the tournament scoring. Grinnelli chimed in on the chat here. I never saw this G. I don't know if. If where you saw this but it says Sid Cross. Sidney Crosby said if he could add anyone from any team to Team Canada for four nations, he'd pick Jack Eichel. So that is, that is the highest compliment from, from the greatest.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's a, that, that's a funny way to pronounce Hellebuck. Can you say that again?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay, interesting you bring up Conor Hellebuk because that is my pick and I'd like to hear you guys and maybe you all agree going into Thursday night. I think if there's one guy that I, that, that, that has the most pressure on him, it's Conor Hellebach. And it's not just because of the, the, the, the offense that Canada is going to bring and how good this team is and trying to win this championship. It's his career in big games and last year in the playoffs. It hasn't been the same dominant best goalie in the world type stuff as the regular season. He had that game Saturday night, now he goes in Thursday. If he does it again, you can't tell me that that doesn't lead into something this spring for the Winnipeg Jets. So I don't know, Keith or Biz. Do you want to say who you think has the most pressure on him in this game or do you agree with Halibuk?

[Jeff Marek]

Yeah, from the American side for sure. I would probably put Marner for Canada. I know he had a big goal in overtime the other night, but I thought when the going got tough against the States, I didn't notice him at all. Didn't necessarily notice him that much in the Finland game either. I just think from a big game perspective he has to show up, especially knowing it's going to be a physical playoff style game. But yeah, I would say for Hellebock in the last, how the last two years have gone, um, I wouldn't necessarily put the, the two playoff series that they've had against really tough teams on him, but he did get lit up pretty bad and didn't really have an answer for that compared to his regular season numbers. So to be the best, probably the best goalie in the NHL over the last five years, that's what Henrik Lundquist labeled him as. I would say that, yeah, he's probably got to win at least one big one in order to gain confidence for moving forward and of course for next year for the Olympics. Right, because it's not like there isn't competition in net of guys trying to take his job. I mean you got Ottinger, you got Swayman. Like there's probably like one or two other American goalies that are like top echelon goalies. So they're, they're flourishing in that position, so. But he's been solid so far and it's not a flashy. He doesn't play flashy. He's just big. He's always in position, lets the puck hit him. Kind of reminds me a little bit like Carey Price. Like, I didn't feel like Carey Price really relied too much on athleticism. He was just very good positionally. He actually. Henrik Lundqvist described it as him playing a little bit deeper. So he's just. Which. Which means that you're a more confident goal. You get that extra split second to rely on your reactions. And yeah, he plays a little bit closer to his goal line, so just a hell of a run he's been on right now. I think he's first and basically every statistical category as far as goalies are concerned come regular season. So let's see if he can get it done if. If I'm Canada, like I said, a lot of pressure, a lot of bodies to the blue paint. And now that we got McCarr, who's able to walk the line like Shakira, Shakira. Shakira. And find those lanes to the net. You guys are fucked. That's it. You guys are fucked.

[Ryan Whitney]

We went from a question about hella.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Buck to you guys are fucked.

[Jeff Marek]

You guys are fucked. You guys are fucked. Brady, Matthew, the most marketable players in the NHL right now. Like, with. With the Mighty Ducks and the Bash Brothers being brought up. And like, this is the. His father at some point is going to be a Hall of Famer. That's undeniable. He scored 500 goals. The fact that he gave birth to those two kids should put him in the hall of Fame. I saw a tweet, I think that. I don't know if it was Pete Blackburn. Like, they should put his fucking sperm in the hall of Fame, for fuck sakes. Right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

How about his quote? How about his quote? He just says, I don't know what to tell you. They're lunatics. Like it was.

[Jeff Marek]

And.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And them meeting each other in the box. Like, you got the mic'd up moment. You're like, I didn't even think anything could live up to what you imagine they said to each other. And it was better. He comes in, he's. And Brady's like, I got him. I got him good there. I got him good there. And then Matthew's like, how was mine?

[Jeff Marek]

Like.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like legit 9 year olds. How was my fight? He's like, unbelievable. It was just legit. And then Matthew's banging on the glass. They're High five. And I'm like this. You're right. They might have made millions of dollars with those two fights in the rest of their life.

[Jeff Marek]

I was at my appearance at the. At the thing in Boston. And who's across the way at the cat thing? Like the industrial equipment? Walt. Walt was doing an appearance because the Bash Brothers got it going. And you know what advertisement they got on their helmet for this tournament? Cat. So they're all bought in. Right now. He's going to be doing F. They're going to be doing Dunkin Donuts ads with Matt Damon and Who's the other one? Ben Affleck. Pretty soon. For sakes. This is crazy. It's so good for hockey. And hockey needs personality in the states in order to sell it. And these two guys are the. Are the Footprint.

[Ryan Whitney]

They're. They're hun. Co sign all of that. Can I nitpick one thing about the fights? Can I. I don't know. This might be a small thing.

[Jeff Marek]

Don't be a Debbie Down.

[Ryan Whitney]

But I'm curious about your thoughts on this one. We all loved it. I loved it. It was great. It drove attention. Everyone tuning into this game. We're talking how much about the players taking charge of this tournament. They're all in a hundred percent. If you were going to choose opponents to demonstrate, like, these guys don't care about tomorrow. These guys right this moment, they don't care about the NHL. They don't care about the Stanley Cup. They care about this game. USA versus Canada and that's it. If you could choose the fight, would you not have rather seen Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Panther v. Panther.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But I get it, Jeff. Like I, I think 100%, but it's it. They played it politically perfect. Like, also if one of them knocks the. The other out, it's like, holy shit. Like we're trying to repeat here. Try to go to three straight cups. I completely agree, but that's my point.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, what I loved about it was like. But here's the thing. Like we talked about at the beginning of the pod about embracing the moment. Like at like when you're watching that game. Like, one of the great things about all sports and one of the great things about a flow game like hockey is when you're playing, you're not thinking about anything else other than that shift. And you're like, you're not thinking about Stanley Cup. You're not thinking about who we get in a deadline. You're not thinking about any of that stuff. All you're thinking about is I'm wearing red. I'm wearing blue. I need to get through you to get to what I want.

[Jeff Marek]

I disagree with you.

[Ryan Whitney]

In that spirit, do you not think you want to talk about sending a message? Two guys from the same NHL team.

[Jeff Marek]

You know what I think would have been better? Matthew Tkachuk and Drew Doughty, they've had a history the minute that he entered the league.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And basically you brought it up to Doughty yesterday.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Good for you.

[Jeff Marek]

This has been. This has been documented since Matthew was playing early days in Calgary. Him and Drew Doughty hated each other. Like, Drew Doughty's made, like, comments in the media about how much he thinks he's a bomb and blah, blah, blah. And. And there was a real hatred there. And going back to teammates fighting, I think it would have basically said that, like, they didn't care about their alliance and they care about their country more. But I actually thought it was perfect at the fact that his teammate ended up fighting his brother right after. So to kind of the fact that that was what followed up, it kind of like, I guess, kind of go back to your point where I would rather him not have fought his teammate, and that ended up the way that it was. But I. The reason I asked Drew Doughty that is because I think that there's a possibility that we see fireworks next game again. And it even brought out the point on the ride homeward. I think that we were talking about the three minutes that I was awake for that drive is. I don't think. I don't think the NHL needs the Olympics in order to sell best on best anymore. And in fact, I believe that if you fight in the Olympics, you get kicked out of the game. Now, I love the fact that it was organic. Do I think that it necessarily has to happen in the finals in order to make it exciting? No. But moving forward here, like, why not play by the rules that the NHL establishes, considering they're using the NHL's resources in order to draw a lot of attention to the Olympics. What's the best Winter Olympic sport like hockey? Hockey going away besides Bob sledding.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That downhill skiing when they're going 100 is pretty electric. But it's not hockey.

[Keith Yandle]

Hockey figure.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think figure skating probably gets the biggest ratings. Sure.

[Jeff Marek]

But. But it's kind of like the Dream Team scenario with the. The Summer Olympics where it's like the NBA players going over. And now with what just happened at this tournament, I would imagine there's a lot of eyes on hockey at the Olympics. If I'm the NHL, I'm asking them to say, give them a one fight rule, one fight in a game without getting kicked out, double IHF style. That's what. If I'm the NHL, I'm asking them in order to get that implemented for next year's tournament in Italy.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think this is why the NHL needs and wants and is finally, even though we've talked about this, going back to the 0405 lockout, is going to put together now, finally and consistently a World cup schedule. A World Cup, a hockey schedule. Because, like, honestly, like, you, you talk about, you know, who's gonna, who's gonna benefit from the players going to the Olympics. You can make the argument that the NHL will because it's marketing your biggest stars on the biggest stage with, you know, the biggest sporting event in the world. But if you're talking about like, okay, so where's the money going? Like, if you can establish a consistent schedule for the World cup and we understand that this is played with NHL rules and things that you will not be able to see, like what we saw on Saturday, like, again, I'll go back to it. You're not going to see that in the Olympics, folks. Enjoy it, enjoy it. But don't pretend that you're going to see it in the Olympics because you're not. And you're going to get your World cup where you are going to be able to see that and you are going to be able to see NHL style hockey just like we saw in the World cup of hockey in 96amazing hockey, not only Canada Cup, 87 and 76amazing hockey.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Not only will we not see the fights, but in the Olympics, you're looking at that monster legendary hit Brady Kachuk threw on Dowdy and McAvoy threw on McDavid is probably being called penalties.

[Jeff Marek]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So right away.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because now standard is you hit too hard and you're. And you're sitting down. 100% agree.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Biz brought this up. Do you think I'm kind of going back and forth? Do you think Thursday night we see more tilts?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think it'll have to happen. I don't think it'll happen like it did last game where it's kind of set up. I think if we do see, it'll be more organically like, you know, a hit or, you know, scrum in front of the net. But where it's set up like that, I don't think so. I think these guys want to win that game. But obviously, if Something happens during the game. Guys are willing and able to fight. But I think just talking about the fighting, too, the, you know, what was the team a couple years ago that USA put together to try to bully the Canadians? Remember, they had like, Backus and was that. Was it 14?

[Ryan Whitney]

And. And. And David Backus was fighting every Canadian before Rick Nash and grabbing John. The Daves.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I think that was before 2010, right? Or no.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, that was 14, but whatever it was. So USA tried to beat up every.

[Ryan Whitney]

Canadian before the Olympics.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, USA tried to build a team to, you know, bully the Canadians and, And beat them up. But the thing that I like about it this year is it's the superstars, it's Matthew Tkachuk, it's Brady Kachuk, you know, J.T. miller and. And obviously the Canadian guides as well. It's not. It's not guys that are just out there to fight. These are the guys who are impactful players during the tournament and during every game. So I think that's been a great part of the game is just the. The how much they want to play for their country and, you know, whether it's fighting and scoring, they're willing to do it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Here's. Can I jump in on that? I think this is a really important point that we need to pause on because what, what Yance is talking about here is what hockey used to be. And if you look historically at hockey, like the enforcer role, the fighter role, like the, the designated slugger really didn't come into hockey until, you know, John Ferguson in the. In. In the mid-60s with the Montreal Canadian, like the. The dedicated policeman. If you talk to any of the historians, you talk to any of the old timers, they will tell you that for the majority of the history of hockey, the best players were also the toughest. Gordy Howe, it was Rocket. Richard, it was Ted Lindsay was like, these were the guys like, yeah, they're like 1, 2, 3 in scoring and nobody wanted to go near them because they were also the toughest. Like, I look at the Kachuks and I say, like, they have new school skill and they have an old school mentality where once upon a time was like, no, I'm here to score 100 points. I'm not.

[Jeff Marek]

These.

[Ryan Whitney]

These clubs stay on. Thank you very much. Like, this is old school guy. Like, this is. No, this isn't old. This is from. This isn't old school. This is from the school they burned down to build the old school. That's the throwback that the Kachuks are Right, like that is it. That is like Rocket Richard is going to be the first to 50, and he's going to lead the league in penalty minutes, and nobody wants to go near him. Like, that's what the Kachuks are like. What we're seeing is a complete throwback. And I'm with you, Whit. I'm with you, Biz. I'm with you. Yet. Embrace these guys. Market these guys, and don't be shy about every now and then, these guys are going to fight, and it's okay to lean into that a little. A little more than the NHL does.

[Jeff Marek]

If I had kids and they were playing hockey, I would teach them from an early age. Handle your own business. I'd have them taken boxing classes in the summer. That man, a guy wants to slash you, try to take advantage of you, you handle your own business and cave his face in. So I just love, like, I'm. I make envy. I'm envious of that. That, that. That's something that right now, I don't think that Team Canada has on their team. That's why, to me, Tom Wilson was such a massive, massive miss. And another thing, too, is you talk about handling your business, like, offensively, too. I think Tom Wilson has more goals than, like, half of the Canadian forward roster. I think he's got more goals than McDavid right now.

[Ryan Whitney]

I. I'd look at him as a penalty killer. Like, not just, like there for physicality, but also to kill penalty.

[Jeff Marek]

And he can see penalties and intimidation, man. Intimidation is a fucking thing. Look at what Florida's done the last two years. They've intimidated and they've done so as a group. So more of that Canada, please. Like him on the forecheck from the Mount. What's that?

[Keith Yandle]

Him on the forecheck? It just, you know, it tightens up your arsehole a little bit. Like, if you're slave and going back and big Tom Wilson, like, I'd much rather have McDavid4 checking me than Tom Wilson. You know what I mean? It's when you have a bunch of skilled guys, you can kind of go back and you know you're not going to get hit every single time. Obviously, with Bennett and there, there are guys who are going to finish the check, but a lot of times when you're a defenseman and you're playing against first lines, it's easier to break the puck out because you're not getting worried about, to get hit from behind or whatever.

[Jeff Marek]

We talked about this during the game, like, after McAvoy rock McDavid a few times. McAvoy was in the middle of the ice and he delivered a pass. He was admiring it for a split second, and McDavid had the opportunity to put him on his ass. And. And you could see that he thought about it and then bailed out of the hit. What do you think about that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I. I was a little surprised more than anything because I figured McDavid would be so pissed off after getting hit like that. And that was after the second hit, right, that you think, all right, I'm just going to run him no matter what. And then it turns out that you're kind of coming across the ice at him as he's like, looking down a little bit before he. He passed it. I think he fumbled it a tiny bit and he gave it the flyby. Now, who knows? Like, maybe. Maybe he's sore. Maybe something's hurting. But like, yeah, it's more. More my thought of, like, I thought he'd be so furious that he'd gotten not once but twice hit by McAvoy, that he would have at least put the shoulder into him. And that was kind of like, wow, that was like a good sign for USA that they are physically dominating. The only reason I asked Keith about Fireworks Thursday night is because of what I brought up before. Like, the U.S. yeah. And Biz, you're right. They were great fights. Awesome fights. Hagel, I had no idea how tough he was. But with the US Being the aggressors, it's like I'm wondering if Canada's like, no, we're going to start some shit. And that's why we might see some third. Like, they started everything. Fuck that. But Biz, you mentioned it. They don't have that roster buildup. Right? It would have to be. It would have to be a guy that you did not see it coming. Like, maybe, maybe Cirelli would do something. But none of these guys are like fighters the way The Kachuk's are. J.T. miller's willing to. But I am wondering if Canada cares or even thinks about the fact that, like, it was USB and the big bad bullies and we want to shut that narrative. Narrative up. Or is it completely like, we're just going to win this game? Fuck them.

[Jeff Marek]

I don't think they have the toughness to combat it. I do think that Connect Me being in the lineup as opposed to. I. I think that Jarvis has been solid, but it seems like that's the odd guy out of Connect Me goes in. Maybe I'm mistaken. Yeah, I think that that would probably be the swap out. I know we've been kind of long winded about Canada, U.S. and that's all anybody wants to talk about. Did you guys want to maybe touch on on Sweden and Finland a little bit or is there a few more points you guys I gotta bring up? Go ahead.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Guys, it's Whit here and I want to talk to you about DraftKings, the NHL season and Four nations is going right now. We're in the middle of the year, the season's been nuts, this tournament's been crazy, and no one knows what's going to happen next. But that just means there's time for your favorite team or favorite country to figure things out and games left for you to get in the action. At DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NHL, they got options galore for these four nations games. They got everything you could want to gamble on and all the NHL action and the NHL is the fastest game on ice and and you can make it fast with live bets during any game. At DraftKings sportsbook, it's super easy for first timers to get started. Try betting on something simple like picking a team to win. Go to the DraftKings sportsbook app, select your team and place your first bet. And if you're new to DraftKings, listen up. New customers bet $5 to get $150 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now and use code Chicklets. C H I C L E T S. That's code Chicklets for new customers to get $150 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just $5 only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut.

[Keith Yandle]

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[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Keith Yandle]

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[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

See DKNG Co Audio.

[Keith Yandle]

If they're gonna do these type of tournaments like Jeff, you said this might be a one and done.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

Remember back in the day they used to do North America versus the world?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

But if you guys need some help in the goaltending and on the back.

[Ryan Whitney]

End, it didn't make Anything, though. Like, that's the only thing.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, it didn't, okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

It didn't really there, like, what we're, what we're seeing now. Can I make one point about toughness? Because I, I, I sometimes think that we get horse blinders on when we, when we talk about toughness. Like, when it comes to hockey, to me, there's, there's two types of toughness. There's, like, physically imposing your will on someone. I am going to dominate you, and, you know, you're the protruding nail and you are going to get hammered down. That's one type of toughness. And generally when we say toughness, that, that's what we think about. There's also another kind of toughness, and that is this is maybe, you know, winking at, you know, McDavid and McAvoy. There's another kind of toughness here, and the toughness is to go out there and get pounded and not change your game. Like, the toughness to not get intimidated out there. Like, I look like I grew up a huge Borea Salmon fan and saw, like, the Philadelphia Flyers, like, attack and mug and assault, and half the team should have been incarcerated. Like, just do, like, horrible things. Like, even, even more recently. Like, you look at the sadins. Okay, look at the sad. Look at how much they got punched and kicked and slashed and cross checked and butt ended. Did you ever see them change their game?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, never. They never change. Crosby. Crosby. That too, with him.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, to me, and maybe it's just a matter of age. I'm getting old.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know.

[Ryan Whitney]

But, like, to me, I look at that and I say, like, to be able to endure that and not change how you play. I don't know, man. I think there's a lot to be said for that. I, I really, like, there's that kind of toughness. Like, guys, like, how many times did, like, you guys get, like, mauled in the corner? You're like, ah, you know what? Can't let this change my game. Can't wilt, can't wilt, can't wilt. And it's your brain and your body and your brain saying, bail, and your body's saying, no way. Or maybe it's the, maybe it's the opposite. But, like, there's, there's two kinds of toughness here. Like, it's a very Canadian spirit to just endure something as opposed to impose something. So maybe this is, like a true American, Canadian dynamic, where the American dynamic has always been conquer, and the Canadian dynamic has been endure, and maybe that's why this version of the Canadian US Matchup is really resonating with people.

[Jeff Marek]

Well, that's why they weren't effective in game one, Jeff is. They didn't really take punishment below the goal line and getting to the blue paint. They were just getting work. They were getting boxed out. So taking those cross checks to the spleen and pissing blood the next morning is something they're going to have to do in order to get the hellebuck. No, they were trying to cross ice, the seam plays and it wasn't working. The low to high greasy hockey is what's going to work. And then when that starts working, then other things are going to start opening up because they're not, they're all of a sudden going to get solved. I, I'd like to just touch on Sweden. I thought that they had a solid tournament. They brought both Canada US or they beat us. Brought Canada to overtime. I thought Eric Carlson was awesome. I thought that he was jumping up in the play, looked way more like himself. I think his play with the Pittsburgh Penguins has definitely gotten a lot better as the season progressed. I was pretty hard on him earlier in the year. Then heard rumblings he was playing through like maybe like a partially herniated disc. So it was nice to see him look like himself again. Some other bright spots. Eric Sinek.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Jeff Marek]

Like he's unreal. Like he's fucking. Like that one hand play he made in front of the net when he was battling. I don't think it was in the game against the States. I think it was actually against the Fins, wasn't it, where he made that play and just all over the ice, great screens, playing physical. He's definitely a guy who probably doesn't get enough, enough credit because he's kind of, you know, hit away in Minnesota behind Caprisof and, and Brock Faber who's obviously had an unreal tournament as well. But I thought, I thought Sweden looked solid. The only downside is probably Elias Petterson who's probably still feeling the whole situation from vancouver. Played under 10 minutes in that last game. No points, just not good. Not, not, not good. Boys looked invisible.

[Ryan Whitney]

That, that, that's gonna be like, that's, that's gonna be the takeaway from Sweden. Like I'm, I'm glad you brought up Ericsson because I thought he had a fantastic tournament. I thought, listen, Sammy Ersin, like good on him. Like it's been, it's been a tough season, a tough season for Ersa, but man, did he show up yesterday. Ersin was fantastic. I'm glad you mentioned that. But when it comes to Sweden, all anyone's going to talk about is like, look, Elise Patterson didn't piss a drop. He had a really, really tough tournament. And, and everybody noticed like wherever he goes because of everything that's happened. And I still do wonder whether, you know, the, the injury and the lack of off season training because of it is still, is still dogging them. But at the, at the end of the day, the story coming out of Sweden is I don't know if anyone thought that magically he was going to turn into a different player in this tournament, but whatever dogged him before is still dogging him now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I was telling Biz, I've watched like so many Leafs games. They're, they're just a fun team to watch. Like you can't. The storylines, the high paid players, it's awesome. And every single time I watch him like I kind of fall more in love with Nylander's game.

[Jeff Marek]

Oh yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like this guy, the creativity, the skating, the silkiest hands you could see. Like he was just as good in this tournament as he's been all regular season. And if he could have got Petterson going or somehow he was going or Zab was going, it's, it's like Sweden had a great chance, right? They should have beat Finland. They had the lead. They had a one goal lead. They kind of let that piss away. All of a sudden last night's USA Sweden game means so much more with all the things that could have happened. So yeah, Biz, it's funny like they didn't, they didn't move on to the championship, but they played some good hockey without getting any contributions from guys. They really needed to show up. And I also take away from Sweden. I know he didn't play against the U.S. but ever since at Colm came over to Edmonton, you're like, Jesus Christ. Christ, this guy's good. Kind of like, kind, kind of like Slaving actually. Like, like you watch slaving and like, you know Echom will end up 35 to 42 points. But it's the defense and I, I think a little more physical than, than slaving is, but same type thing where great stick. You don't see him get beat one on one. And then it was just awesome watching him play. It was Carlson's the guy where it's like, man, it's, it's just, it's gone so bad in Pittsburgh, right? They, they, he wasn't the guy they needed. It was Kind of a forced trade. All of a sudden, he's there. They have Latang, but, God, if you could somehow move on from him and he can go to a good team, like, he might. He could go to a team and I have no clue if this would ever happen, but he could go to a good team and dominate the playoffs. Like, he still looks like his skill in skating, like, if you can just hide him defensively a little bit on a better, deeper decoration. Carlson is still that good of a skater and a passer that he's got game left. It's just right now in Pittsburgh, there's nothing there. And it brings me to another point that I'm wondering, and this is kind of what everyone was discussing in Montreal is do these games and that and that intensity and. And this, this rivalry with the US and how much these things matter, does this at all change Crosby's mind about finishing out in Pittsburgh? That's kind of what we're wondering. And I know we brought it up all the time, but maybe going to these games, he's like, holy shit. Like, I. I kind of forgot what it's like. This is cup final type atmosphere. Like, I don't know if I could finish it out in Pittsburgh in last place biz. Thanks. It's happening.

[Jeff Marek]

It's happening. I'm so. I'm. I. I will beat that drum till I'm blue in the face.

[Keith Yandle]

Until I'm Bonnie blue in the face.

[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

So what I learned.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Tropical punch. Tropical punch. This is fruit punch right here.

[Ryan Whitney]

We got the fruit punch right here.

[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

And so I learned that when you're.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Traveling, when you fly, you get dehydrated. So my new thing is to bring a Flash IV on the plane with me. So you bring it on the plane with you, you drink it throughout the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Entire flight you land, you feel refreshed, you feel amazing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So yeah, I love the fruit punch. Also cucumber lime flavor, another great flavor.

[Ryan Whitney]

So Flash iv, it doesn't get any better than that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I'm a strawberry Kiwi guy. And yeah, for people who don't know, I guess Grinnelli, like I don't know, is 9 years old and didn't know you get dehydrated when you fly. So if you want to have some drinks on a flight, if you have one beer, it's kind of like having two if you're up in the air. So make sure you have your body armor Flash iv. Mix that in during the flight. You'll feel way better when you land and when you wake up the next morning in the new city. So trust me on that. And if you want to get your body armor flash IV, get it at your local 711 or on Amazon today. Easy to order, easy to get into your house and then makes your body feel great. Body armor Flash iv. I'm a strawberry Kiwi guy. I love it. G loves it. Biz loves it. We're so thankful to body armor everyone right now. Go to a 711 or order on Amazon today.

[Jeff Marek]

As far as Finland's concerned. Oh, what a pickup for Dallas, boys. Grandlin looked good. Grandlin looked good. Only making 4 million on the bucks too.

[Keith Yandle]

What'd you think of ranting in biz?

[Jeff Marek]

I thought he was very, very strong in the game against Sweden. Like powerful, like, you know, fighting guys off, good cutbacks, good in the ozone in the last game. Thought he was okay. I don't know how much health was affecting him coming into the tournament. He did miss what the last two games of regular season before, or maybe it was just one game. But guys, I just think it's a little bit of a different beast when you're playing with a guy like McKinnon. I think that overall his numbers will drop. You've seen the success that natures has had. I think that rotten and was probably still a little bit rattled before this tournament started. Maybe this erased his memory of, of. Of being shook of. Of how like, you know, he thought he was going to be able to work something out in Colorado. Him and his agent were caught off guard by the trade. So I still think he's a hell of a player. Wouldn't say that he like looked like top tier rotten in the tournament though. You know, I think that the one game he did look more like himself. But yeah, I thought, I thought Barkov was solid. I thought that Line A had his moments, but I just think that line A gets exposed five on five. I don't.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, Montreal fans were chirping him in the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, yeah, he's. He's falling out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Fans are like, scared. Move your feet, line A. And apparently, apparently there's been. There's been reports that his numbers have really tanked since the new Call of Duty came out. That is what I'm being told by Pasha. Who knows if it's true.

[Jeff Marek]

It's true. He doesn't have one point in the NHL since the new Call of Duty came out. I think he played five games since it. Dropped no goals, no assists. I don't know how many.

[Keith Yandle]

Didn't he tell us he played 16 hours straight of Call of Duty?

[Jeff Marek]

You think he did?

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, my God.

[Ryan Whitney]

When he was. He. When he was in Winnipeg. You know the story about him on the road in Winnipeg, right?

[Jeff Marek]

It's. It was debunked. We had him on the pod.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was for me, he said.

[Ryan Whitney]

He said. Because people in win. In the jets organization told me that.

[Jeff Marek]

I think he said he bought a TV on the road one time and they were somewhere for a long time. I. I forget exactly how he told on the pod, but we brought up the story that you tweeted out and he debunked it. Now maybe we gotta hook him up to the lie detector because he's that much of a. Of a cod addict, but I just think that, like you saw in that goal the other day, like, he, he was guessing a little bit against Canada where he tried to guess towards the wall, and next thing you know, it's up the middle of the ice and he just doesn't have the foot speed to. To get back in time anymore. And outside of power play, I just don't think the juice is worth the squeeze, especially with the money that he's making.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I do. I do wonder when it comes to Finland, you know, listen, Quinn Hughes is a terrible loss for usa, obviously. I just wonder how much different it would have been with Miro Haskin. Oh, in the lineup.

[Jeff Marek]

It's like, Canada, Mr. McCarran.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, that's how. Again, like, he's like, I, I look at, I look at. I. You know, in some ways, I feel really bad for Haskin. It's kind of like this is something for your. Your older listeners, like how you felt about Brad park, who just happened to play behind guys like Bobby Orr and Larry Robinson and Dennis. Pod fan. Meanwhile, he's one of the best defensemen in the world at his time, like, here's Haskin and playing behind Makar and Fox and Quinn Hughes and all these guys, like any other era, like, Haskin's racking up Norris trophies here, right? That's why I just. I look at Finland and I go, like, man, that's a. Of all the injuries that a team can't overcome. I'd put Haskin and, you know, probably above Quinn Hughes for usa. USA still fine without Quinn Hughes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Finland's not okay without they have other guys who could step up. And when talking about injuries, we really haven't brought up just a kick in the dick for not only Team Canada, but Vegas. And that is the Shea Theodore, I believe is a broken wrist or something like that. Just braces himself for a hit and nothing at all. And that just sucks. I saw him. He had a brace on his wrist at the Garden yesterday, walking around. But it's like, man, you got Petro bowing out before the tournament, and then you got McCar missing that game against the US and then you got Shea Theodore out. So you got to understand, like, for American fans saying, we're missing Quinn Hughes, like, they're missing a bunch for Canada and Shea Theodore. The only thing I'll look at is that maybe Vegas ends up doing it again and they stick him on LTIR and they grab somebody else and it somehow works out in their favor. But a bummer for him to be playing a big role for Team Canada in the first game of the tourney.

[Keith Yandle]

Going out, they might get Sid. Sid said he wants to play with Eichel. Busy, busy, busy.

[Jeff Marek]

How mad do you think Nathan McKinnon would be if he went to the Vegas Gold Knights? I bet you he wouldn't talk to him over for.

[Keith Yandle]

From. He'll move Colt to. From Cole harbor or wherever it is.

[Jeff Marek]

Yeah, flip.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He'd flip.

[Keith Yandle]

I. I will say if, if, if Canada ends up winning on Thursday, I think Cale McCarr is the best player in the world because them missing him and what he looked. I know yesterday was, you know, not against the U.S. but with him on the ice, they are 10 times better than. It's just a different dynamic, right Biz. Like, obviously you have the offensive talent to, you know, they. They have guys that can do whatever they want on the ice at any time, but when you have him in that offensive zone wheeling around and Devon Taves just kind of knowing where to go with them and moving him along, it is special to see. And if they somehow figure this out and win that game on Thursday, even if, you know, USA Isn't healthy. I'm marking him as the best player in the league.

[Jeff Marek]

Yeah, that was to me, one of the biggest difference in that game against the US Is when they did go low to high, there was no third threat from the blue line. Like a lot of the shots were fronted and blocked and it was maybe because of hesitation and guys not sureing. I mean, a guy like Morrissey, like, I know he's got a good shot, but I feel like there's a little bit of delegation involved when you're on the ice with McDavid McKinnon, like, you're like, ah, I want to shoot this, but I'd probably just rather give it to these guys where McCard has that confidence, where he's like, I'm, I'm in control of this puck right now. I'm going to go shakir hips across the blue line, find my own lane and, and maybe even zip it through with a quick wrister like his. Like, he doesn't have that, that I thought that they were missing the Shea Weber, the cr, the Chris Pronger bomb. But with him, he doesn't necessarily need the big clapper like his, his, like snapshot slash wrister from the point. It zips. Same thing as Quinn Hughes. They find it, they find the angle and they get it right through. And if they got a proper screen like a guy like Mark Stone in front of the net, that thing's, that, that thing's light in the lamp. So I don't really have much else. Boys, like I, I, I said that I, I really hope that Marner is a difference maker in that, that final game on Thursday. I think that the, the other big dogs carry the weight against Finland in order to get them to the final. I, I, you know, I thought he had a solid first game. Obviously that three on three moment, very big. But this is going to be a playoff game. There's going to be a lot of physicality. There's not gonna be a lot of ice out there. I'd like to see him go get his own pucks. I don't want to necessarily. Just kind of hiding over there on the weeds, letting all the other guys do everything. I want to see him getting involved physically too. Fucking rights. Marner. Come on, Marner. Magic time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Squad spirit as, as an American, it's the same thing with Auston Matthews, right? Like, I think that he's shown up a little bit more in the playoffs than Mitch Marner has, but he's going to have to have a monster game. Right? I really expect Aiko will be there and perform at the highest level. I expect that Matthews is going to, gonna. Or I think Matthews is going to have to be at the top of his game for the US to, to, to. To get this thing done. When, when you look at, like, the greatest American players, Matthews, boom, he pops into your mind. So, like, can you show up the way I believe McDavid and McKinnon will? Because if you do, then the US has a great chance. My last thing is what's a little scary as an American is Jordan Bennington's won a pretty big game in this building before. And, you know, as a goalie, that's something that's on your mind, I believe, like, I've, I, I've done it in this building and I could do it again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Can I. Okay. I'm glad you got there before I.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wrapped up the Snowman.

[Ryan Whitney]

And whether it is Essel and Dell, whether it's Jake Gensel, whether it's Adrian Kempe, every game in this tournament, there's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Been one bad one.

[Ryan Whitney]

One bad one. And in a game like this, you guys know, you guys all play. I don't need to tell you this. In a game like this, one bad one could be the difference.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, then you need two. Then you need two at least. So it's like, that's a good point. Can he, can he reel in? And if he gives up a goal or two, they got to be great shots or a hell of a tip or something. Yeah, when you, when you let in a bleeder in a game like this, it just changes the whole complexion of everything on the bench. It's like, fuck, we needed a save.

[Jeff Marek]

There also have been reading a little bit of negativity online, basically claiming nepotism on the Tampa Bay. Some of the Tampa Bay guys on the roster heard Cirelli's name a couple times, Hagel's name a couple times. They've been the most consistent line for Canada since the tournament started. Like, even against.

[Keith Yandle]

What are people saying?

[Jeff Marek]

Just fucking more on online. Basically saying how Hagel and or Sorelli shouldn't be on the roster. And, you know, oh, they're, they're only there because of Coop. Anybody who has a brain and a hockey mind and who's watched the games would know that that line's been just fine. They four checked well, they were their best overall line against the Americans, five on five. So I don't want to hear none of that nonsense. Watch the games. Those guys have been great. And point A, they could be the difference maker too. They could be the difference maker. Point is an animal. He is a puck hound, man. He is the Energizer Bunny. Never stops moving his feet. So look, look for them to be a threat as well.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I, I don't like. I, I, I, I've seen the same things that you have Biz about, like, oh, look at all these bullets players. Oh, Cooper just bringing all of his guys. First of all, John Cooper knows these players better than anybody else. Second of all, there's no way any of them are standing out negatively at all. These are. And again, I'll go back to the original point. John Cooper knows and trusts these players in every single situation against any form of competition. And as far as Braden Point goes, who's looked better with Connor McDavid this tournament than Braden Point? He's looked phenomenal. He can, like, skate with Conor McDavid. He could. Like I was talking earlier in the program about, like, being able to think like Conor McDavid. Points, the guy points. A guy points, the guy that can do it. I'm sorry, he is Braden.

[Keith Yandle]

Braden Point. When, you know, this is a couple of years ago when I was in Florida, we played them in the, in the playoffs. We focused more on Point than we did Kucherov or Stamkos or Headman. He was the guy that you had to, you had to worry about where he was going to be, power play, because he, he could just do whatever he wanted. Right? And like you said, Biz, too. He's also hounding you on the forechick. And he, He's a pain. He's a pain in the, in the butt to play against. And just a hell of a player. I don't know anyone who would ever think he shouldn't.

[Jeff Marek]

Online morons. What has Haggle done? How about go watch the second goal Kenan got last night. He was first on the forecheck. Then he gets back. He's on the defensive side of the puck. Along the wall wins. His wall battle starts. The whole playoff goes to Reinhardt. He chips it by him. McKinnon's off and running. Boom. Low blocker. Keep the change to nothing. Canada. The Polish prince is back, baby.

[Ryan Whitney]

Back.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, we got some quick hits coming. Coming to you right now. But the quick hits are presented by Dove Men's Plus Care. Finally, a scrub designed for men's needs. Add the new Dove Men's Plus Care body and face scrubs to your shower routines. Use in the shower bath or at your sink. Apply to wet skin. Rinse, clean, and follow with your favorite Dove Men plus Care Bodhi body wash or cleansing bar scrub transforms how you and your skin feel. Made for face, body, scalp, etc. It's all about Dove Men's Plus Care. So if you want to try Dove Men's Plus Care, find it at Walmart.

[Keith Yandle]

Today I go to people's houses. First thing I do when I go to people's house, I say, oh, I got to use the bathroom. I go in to check if they use dub soap. You're staying okay in my book.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I showered in your guest bathroom.

[Jeff Marek]

You take a dump on their toilet. In the top part.

[Keith Yandle]

Anybody who's anybody uses Dove soap, you.

[Jeff Marek]

Give them a leaner.

[Paul Bissonnette]

NHL teams and players not part of the four nations return back on Tuesday, which is today, I believe. And I don't know if you guys remember, but, man, those first few skates after the Olympic breaks were battles. Holy. You've been. You've been living it up on a beach, playing golf, having drinks for a couple days. You get the little sunburn going, the gear hurts, and you get back and that first skate's always a bag or too. It's like, welcome back, boys. Again. Again. Her Brook style. So we'll see how. How guys respond.

[Jeff Marek]

Yeah. Remember when I came back after, I think it might have been Olympic, Olympic break. I went to Cabo. I was doing Mexican ecstasy and coke sold by a guy with a parrot on his shoulder on the beach. And I was supposed to come back. I think it was like a Thursday. I didn't get back till Saturday. I had to stay there like an extra day and a half. No, I was like, exorcism, puking all over my hotel room. Thankfully, I had family friends down there who owned a place and were able to nurse me back to health somewhat. That first skate back was hell. And. And as bad of shape as I was in, we had a 2 o'clock practice and Mike Ribeiro was late for it. We. He like came on the ice after we've been on the ice for like 10 minutes. We were all calling him. His phone was off, like, how the fuck are you late for 2:00 practice? So those were the days, man.

[Keith Yandle]

The worst skate.

[Jeff Marek]

Oh, I'll never forget that trip to Mexico. All I did ask Halsey, all I did was play the song Trophies. Do you remember that one? Halsey wanted no part of me that trip. No. Pardon me. He put me on the no fly list.

[Keith Yandle]

Hence why he's still playing and you're doing this.

[Jeff Marek]

Yeah, well, I'm playing Chicklets Cubs.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Another. Another thing we got to catch up on. And Chiclets fans, you guys are the best. But there's another great fan base of people that we got to kind of be introduced to and learn a little bit about. And that is the Bob Does Sports clan. And our sandbagger dropped. Actually, excuse me, this was not a sandbagger. That's coming up. Our video with Bob Does Sports. Jeff, I don't know if you caught this. These guys, oh my God, it's unreal.

[Keith Yandle]

So get them out of here.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Bob Does Sports. Fat Perez, who is just a big chunky guy who's named himself after Pat Perez and Joey Cold Cuts. These guys, they're YouTube golfers, awesome dudes. And we decided to play them in a three on three scramble and their video dropped on their channel. I believe it dropped on Wednesday or Tuesday, last week or Thursday, whatever. But it's taken off and it was this incredible match between us three and them three. And we actually have great news for anyone who doesn't know. We played them at the same course the next day and it was a rematch. And that'll be dropping as a sandbagger. The only difference will be, and I don't think this has given anything away is we were in carts with somebody from the other team. With Bob Does, I was with Fat Perez, Keith was with Bob, Bob Does, Bobby Burger, and Biz was with Joey Colcutts, a Vancouver boy. Well, in the sandbagger, the rematch, we're in one cart together. Me, Keith and Yanz are in a cart and their team's in another cart. And it's. Sorry, me, Keith and Yance. Me, Biz and Keith. Keith. So I can't wait till everyone. I think it's first week of March, we're thinking, but the comments and the, and the kind of the discussion after, people loved it and we love doing it with those guys. So I hope everyone's ready for the rematch.

[Jeff Marek]

3,000 comments on their YouTube video, almost.

[Keith Yandle]

At a million views.

[Jeff Marek]

More than Max Homa, more than Bryson DeChambeau. People are saying the best collab that Bob does have has ever done. It did get a little bit like it got a little heated, got very competitive. And it gets even more competitive in the sandbagger that's coming out. So we're hoping to get a lot of their fans coming over and I know that sometimes our listeners, they, they like the hockey guys, but these guys are good dudes and it's an incredible match with guys who do this for a living, like they are golf content kings. Well, maybe not so much anymore, considering we've beat them. And then now you can watch the rubber match to see who are the true kings of YouTube Golf.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So very, very special couple days in Orlando with those boys. So, guys, game notes. They'll be coming to you live Thursday at noon, I believe. Yup. Championship pregame show. So you got Merle's and Army getting you all fired up for the game. 5:30, the greatest bar right across the street from the Garden. I think it has the chance to be one of the most electric pink Whitney parties we've ever had based on what's going to happen a couple hours later. Also, Biz, I wanted to mention, and I have it right here, ready to read. Oftentimes, since this show began, we've had fans reach out at different times, and it kind of makes you appreciate, like, what we're able to do so much based on the reaction we get from certain people that listen to the show. And it's like, so gratifying and so cool for us to help out people in a way that we're just kind of having fun talking hockey, like good friends, catching up every week. And. And to have it affect people in. In positive ways is the best feeling we can have. So Biz was sitting in the Delta Lounge, I believe at the airport, and a guy came over and dropped off this letter. I'm going to read it to you quick because Biz sent it over to the guys. He said, I listened to you guys when my life was falling apart. Just having the pod on in the background made me feel like I was back in the room at sometimes I was as bad as it gets with mental health, family, booze, etc. Since then. I've quit drinking two plus years now, and me and my family, wife and two little girls have made it out the other side and we're doing great. You guys will never know how much comfort and support I got from just having the pod on and bringing me back to a good spot. You and Whit and all the boys saved my life. Sorry to bother you on your day off. Thank you. Nick and Biz, like, made it clear to us, like, reading something like that. Man, he's got it right there. Sorry.

[Jeff Marek]

Yeah, I got the letter here.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We would have been here for three weeks.

[Jeff Marek]

You don't know how grateful I am. I'm more grateful that you read that than driving me home in a snow blizzard for nine hours. Okay. But, yeah, he can't. He came up and, you know, he started talking to me. And keep in mind, like, I had Every flight canceled or. Or bumped back all week. This. This last week. And he came up in the Delta Lounge and. And I was leaving, and then he handed me the note. He said, just make sure you read this. And when I finally boarded my plane and read it, I was like, God, man. I texted the boys, I said, this is why we do it. This is why we do it. We're so grateful to. To get our buddies together and talk hockey and the fact that it has this impact on people. You know, we just. You. You know, we're grateful. We're grateful that you guys listen, and we're grateful that we can also make an impact on your lives, how little or. Or how big. And. And Nick, we love you just like the rest of you, and I'm glad to hear that you got things turned around. And I'm sure your. Your family is definitely grateful as well. So thank you to all our listeners. We love you guys. And, uh, for you American listeners, it's going to be a tough, uh, tough Friday morning when I'm gloating in your face.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Actually, I will say this, too. I don't think it'll happen, but I hope it does. When Thursday night goes down and that Canadian national anthem begins, I think it would be unreal if the place went bonkers for it. I really do like Chicago. I think we would look. We would look like the better people. We would look like the true adults. We're not going to boo your anthem. This is about hockey. This is about two great nations facing off against each other. And I think that the Americans in that arena should be pumping up the Canadian anthem and remind those Canadians who booed our anthem. This is not what we do. That would be an ideal situation for me. And then get a little louder for the. For the national anthem, for America.

[Jeff Marek]

I agree. And I would never boo the American anthem. Guys, based on what your country has provided me, the people that have sacrificed in order to provide the freedoms that I've had in that. In the country, the United States. Just on the Canadian side of it, Jeff, you could probably have my back on this. I think that French Canadians are maybe a little bit more sensitive, especially to when Americans and your president joking about making Canada a 51st state. I think we take that to heart. I think that given we've been such friends for such a long time, and all of a sudden, the idea of imposing these tariffs and the amount of financial pain it would cause Canada, I think it just created a lot of hostility when I didn't think that there needed to be any. And that was probably the reason for the booze. Jeff, you can hop in here.

[Ryan Whitney]

That, yeah, so that, that was first of all, I think that would, would have happened in any province or territory. Just the nature of, the nature of this administration talking about essentially annexation of Canada on the tariff issue as well. Here's the one thing that, and again, like, I, I wouldn't as a, as a Canadian myself, if I were there, I would not have booed. That's my choice. I would not have. I, I, but then I'm the guy that doesn't like anthems before games anyhow. But the one thing I remember you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Telling me that you obviously, I hate it.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I hate it. You know, Olympics is fine, world championships, whatever, but like sporting of like just random sporting events on a Tuesday night. Like, no, we don't need it. But here's the one thing that I've been, I've been trying to, to bark about since this all got caught up into, into hockey. Canadians don't hate Americans. Like, I really hope that Americans like our, our friends, speaking as a Canadian here, don't think that, that this is Canada venting at America all of a sudden. We hate Americans. We don't hate Americans. We've been neighbors.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You don't hate anyone for decades.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, and listen, we, we, we, we hate ourselves a lot more than we, we hate anybody else. And you guys, you guys know Canadians. Like, don't miss, like, to our, to everyone, you know, every American watching or listening this, like, Canadians do not hate Americans. That is a, that, that moment that you saw on Saturday, as distasteful as it may have been to any American watching that, please don't think that Canadians hate Americans. We don't. And I can safely say I can speak on behalf of the majority of Canadians and saying we don't hate America. That is vented at one very specific person and one very specific issue, right? Like, we're neighbors, we're friends. We've helped each other. We've played with each other and against each other. We fought with one another in international conflict after international conflict. We've always been two countries and two peoples that have always had each other's backs and have always supported, supported one another. I don't think that Canadians a like the issue that they're, they're booing about. But I don't think that this is a situation where all of a sudden Canadians have decided now we hate Americans. We don't, we don't hate Americans.

[Jeff Marek]

We just want respect.

[Ryan Whitney]

We, we want respect. And I think, again, like, biz, like, I think that that is just Canadians venting at one very specific person over one very specific, specific issue. And it just happens to be the person that holds the highest office.

[Jeff Marek]

We're also a little bit more sensitive. And the 51st state comment, I. I just think it was unnecessary. Am I going to boo an anthem because of it? Absolutely not. I actually think that it provided a little bit more spice to the game, and I hope now that things are moving forward. I hope that there are no tariffs, and I hope that there's no more conflict. I hope we could just move on from this and have treated it what.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was like when I got a kick out of. What did make me laugh is I kind of saw Senators Twitter being like, all right, we cannot boo the anthem because Brady Tkachuk is obviously a very proud American. This could drive him out of town. Like, I saw different sense Twitter being like, okay, boys, we cannot do this anymore in Ottawa. So what a special night we have in store, guys. This is why we do it. To get to witness best on best Canada United States in Boston, probably the best city in America to do this game. I can't wait. I know you guys are all so excited. I can't wait to see you guys and watch this game. And Jeff, as always, we appreciate you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Coming on really quickly as. As you sign off. One thing that I wanted to make sure that I mentioned. The first time that I heard about this podcast or the. The that that this podcast was going to be a thing was during the World cup in 2016 when I was working with Ryan Whitney. We got to know each other. And Whit, first of all, couldn't believe that you have tattoos. You smoke weed. Holy. Like, what the hell? I never thought, like. But we started talking about. Because I was doing the pod with Fried. You were asking about podcasts. You're like, yeah, I'm thinking about doing. You remember that way. Like, there's some of these conversations walking back to the hotel from then Air Canada center and to look what it's done now. And to hear you read that letter from a couple of seconds ago, like, honestly, guys, like, the hardest thing to do in media is to build a community. People have tried. Many people have failed what you guys have done. And, like, that letter proves it, like, how much of an effect you have on people's lives. I don't think you go into any show thinking that you're going to have that effect, but just the idea of finding the others, the power of recognizing people that feel that they, they, much as they love this sport, they don't really have a place in it. You've built a community where all these people now all of a sudden feel like they are a significant part of it. Don't ever undervalue that. That is the hardest thing to do in media. Make a vibe, make a community. And you guys have. You guys have done it. And so that the, the. The letter is. You were reading it with, like, I am not surprised at that whatsoever. I'm glad that that person has come out the other end. But I can guarantee you there are thousands of others that are just like that, because this community that you guys have built here, Bravo.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We appreciate that.

[Jeff Marek]

Thank you so much, Jeff.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And. And now we have the chance to also become the kings of YouTube Golf. So very special things for chocolates right now.

[Jeff Marek]

Oh, yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And final thing. Game notes. Thursday, noon, get fired up at the office, getting ready for the game with Merls and Army, Pasha and G. And then Friday, to recap the madness or what hopefully is a United States win on American soil, we'll be back to you. I hope it's up by 11am Maybe noon. Same exact thing as today. I love all you guys and I love all of the United States hockey program players, coaches, refs, I don't care. Let's get this thing done. Thursday, shove biz in a long.

[Jeff Marek]

Where can I clear up one little thing before I have French Canadians tweeting at me? I am French Canadian and also my mother was born in Chicago, so I do have a little bit of America.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, he's trying to say he can win no matter what.

[Jeff Marek]

Do you know about this conflict that's going on? I want peace.

[Keith Yandle]

Biz. Switzerland.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, he's got 19 favorite teams.

[Ryan Whitney]

Half my family's in Livonia, Michigan. Can I, can I get part of this win if USA wins?

[Jeff Marek]

I'm not asking for part of the win. I'm Canadian. I'm saying stop saying it's the 51st state or actually we win or when we win Thursday, we're going to change all your states, province. Bye.

[Paul Bissonnette]

End it.

[Jeff Marek]

End it.

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, that's a loss for you guys. End it.

[Jeff Marek]

No, it's not.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Way. I don't know the other way it feels.