Spittin' Chiclets Episode 553: Featuring Dylan Strome & The Wonton Don

Summary

Summary of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 553: Featuring Dylan Strome & The Wonton Don

Release Date: April 8, 2025

Introduction: Celebrating Alexander Ovechkin's Milestone

The episode kicks off with hosts Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette ("Biz"), and Mike Grinnelli celebrating Alexander Ovechkin's achievement of becoming the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer. They highlight the festive atmosphere surrounding this milestone, encouraging fans to partake in the celebration with Pink Whitney drinks spread across various locations, including Long Island and Moscow ([01:12]).

Alexander Ovechkin's Historic Goal Chase ([02:47] - [05:24])

Mike Grinnelli shares his firsthand experience of broadcasting the game where Ovechkin secured his record-breaking 895th goal. He details the game's progression, Ovechkin's decision to decline scoring on an empty net, and the subsequent celebration in Long Island. Grinnelli praises Ovechkin's humility and resilience, especially considering his recent broken leg and advancing age.

Notable Quote:

Grinelli ([04:30]): "OV seems like one of the most humble guys you could tell. Having the focus on him made him a little bit uncomfortable. But that's exactly what this guy is – born to score goals."

Impact on the Washington Capitals and NHL Legacy ([07:23] - [14:39])

The hosts delve into Ovechkin's profound impact on the Washington Capitals and the broader NHL landscape. They discuss his contribution to the team's transformation from perennial underachievers to Stanley Cup champions. Grinnelli highlights Ovechkin's staggering 18.6% contribution to the Capitals' total goals over his tenure, emphasizing his role in elevating the franchise's status.

Notable Quote:

Whitney ([12:34]): "Years just to watch the Capitals and know that every five goals, every fifth goal, it's Ovi for 20 frigging years."

Ovechkin's Consistency and Health Challenges ([14:39] - [18:09])

The conversation shifts to Ovechkin's remarkable consistency in goal scoring, even amidst injuries. Grinelli points out Ovi's ability to maintain a high shooting percentage and his relentless drive, which have kept him at the top of the scoring charts despite physical setbacks. They also touch upon the historical significance of Ovechkin breaking records previously held by legends like Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy.

Notable Quote:

Grinelli ([17:32]): "But Ovi trumped it all. So anything else, Yan, that stuck out to you?"

Celebrations and Community Spirit ([18:22] - [30:29])

The hosts reflect on the communal and celebratory aspects of Ovechkin's achievement, highlighting the presence of legends like Wayne Gretzky and the camaraderie within the hockey community. They share personal anecdotes about witnessing the celebration ceremonies, including beer showers and heartfelt speeches, underscoring the emotional and cultural significance of such milestones in sports.

Notable Quote:

Whitney ([20:51]): "When Ovi does his speeches after, he just sits there drinking a beer, listening to the greatest goals, gore of all time talk with Gretzky and Bettman. It's just, it was incredible."

Recent Games and Player Performances ([35:37] - [45:12])

The discussion moves to recent performances of the Washington Capitals, focusing on Dylan Strom's contributions and Ovechkin's goal-scoring streak post-injury. Strom recounts the team's strategic approach, emphasizing confidence, team chemistry, and the supportive environment fostered by the coaching staff. They also touch upon the intensity of recent games against teams like Carolina and Chicago.

Notable Quote:

Ryan Leonard ([54:22]): "The vibes have been unbelievable. The best I've ever been on. On a team."

Player Behavior and League Regulations ([25:59] - [33:25])

A notable segment discusses an incident involving Connor McMichael and Ryan Chatfield, where Chatfield executed a figure-four leg lock, raising concerns about player safety and league disciplinary actions. The hosts debate whether the move was premeditated and the appropriate repercussions, highlighting the fine line between rough play and dangerous conduct in the NHL.

Notable Quote:

Mike ([25:59]): "If you see that and he's not going to get a game, what happens if someone does that exact same move again?"

Guest Interview: Dylan Strom & The Wonton Don ([53:18] - [85:02])

Dylan Strom joins the podcast to provide an insider's perspective on the Capitals' season and Ovechkin's goal chase. Strom discusses the team's dynamics, strategic adjustments, and the personal drive that fuels their success. Additionally, The Wonton Don (Donnie) shares his adventurous experiences, including international travels and unique content creation, adding a lighthearted and entertaining flair to the episode.

Notable Quote:

Dylan Leonard ([54:22]): "We found a way to score more goals right off the hop. It instilled team confidence and chemistry."

Playoff Predictions and Team Strategies ([85:02] - [114:00])

The hosts analyze the upcoming NHL playoffs, evaluating potential matchups, team strengths, and strategic approaches. They express optimism about the Capitals' chances, considering their offensive prowess and Ovechkin's leadership. The discussion includes humorous takes on possible playoff paths and locker room dynamics, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of playoff hockey.

Notable Quote:

Whitney ([113:55]): "I don't think Berubay gives a... they're gonna beat Ottawa in five."

Closing Remarks and Future Episodes ([114:00] - End)

In the final segments, the hosts recap the episode's highlights, thank their guest Dylan Strom, and outline the podcast's plans for covering the playoffs. They encourage listeners to stay tuned for upcoming episodes featuring insider insights and in-depth analyses, promising continued engagement and entertainment throughout the playoff season.

Notable Quote:

Whitney ([153:36]): "We appreciate it, buddy. The Wonton Don, everyone. Check him out on YouTube."

Conclusion

Episode 553 of Spittin' Chiclets offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of Alexander Ovechkin's historic goal-scoring achievement, the Washington Capitals' transformative season, and the dynamics of playoff hockey. With insightful interviews and lively discussions, the hosts provide listeners with both informative content and entertaining anecdotes, making it a must-listen for NHL fans and sports enthusiasts alike.

Transcript

[Whitney]

Hey Spit and Chiclets listeners. You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime.

[Biz]

Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. When your home system or appliance breaks.

[Grinelli]

Down, American Home Shield will help fix or replace the covered item, no matter its age. Visit ahs.com listen for 20% off any plan.

[Mike]

See ahs.com contracts for coverage details, limitations and exclusions. There's making a sandwich and then there's crafting a sandwich. And when I want something perfectly crafted, I go straight to Boar's Head. For over a century, Boar's Head has been dedicated to crafting premium deli favorites. Every ingredient is carefully chosen, every recipe made with purpose. Their Oven Gold Turkey, Smoke Master Ham, and Ever Roast chicken are made from premium whole cuts, hand trimmed and perfectly seasoned. Last weekend I made the ultimate sandwich oven Gold Turkey, cheese, pickles and mustard.

[Whitney]

Simple but unbelievable.

[Mike]

So next time you're at the deli, don't settle. Get the best Boar's Head.

[Whitney]

Committed to craft since 1905, discover the.

[Mike]

Craftsmanship behind every [e-mail].

[Ryan Leonard]

Me and Ryan.

[Grinelli]

Have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is Barstool Sports.

[Whitney]

Our white whale, Sydney Crosby. Shave his head.

[Ryan Leonard]

Shave his head.

[Whitney]

Shave his head. Ryan Whitney. Paul Visonet RA Mike Grinell. Spitting Chicklets Bands are making a dance. Bands will make good. Dance bands make good dates. Welcome everyone, to a very, very historic episode of Spit and chicklets. Episode 553. But let's call it episode 895 because we just witnessed greatness. And it was all because of the great Aid himself, Alexander Ovechkin. We what an incredible weekend, an incredible Sunday afternoon on Long Island. That's the first time anyone's ever said that. And we want to just thank Pink Whitney before we get going because the Pink Whitney was flowing in Moscow, it was flowing in Long island, it was flowing everywhere in celebration of Alexander Ovechkin becoming the greatest goal scorer to ever live. So go on out right now and if you're a Capitals fan, or if you're a hockey fan in general, just pour out a little Pink Whitney to yourself, make a little drink, and just think about all the goals that this man has scored. And thanks to him, we are now here talking about one of the coolest things I've ever witnessed. Guys, Keith Biz, how you doing? What's going on? Biz, you got to broadcast this game on tnt. Awesome move that the the station and the channel ended up grabbing that game. Take me through your thoughts and and what you what you kind of witnessed.

[Mike]

Oh, just an unreal weekend of hockey. Just very blessed to be able to be a part of it and calling it and seeing all the behind the scene. I, I thought it was storybook the way originally I, I, I kind of wanted him to get the hat trick on the empty net. Like, I didn't care if it was going to be the empty net because you're at home. Everybody's going crazy at the fact that you're going to get a hat trick. You seal the deal for the win, and you get to then celebrate at home. But I think it ended up working out perfectly at the fact that he declined the empty net and then gets it done in Long island halfway through that game. And I, you know, I don't know how some people feel about celebrations in the midst of a game. Like, I thought it was done perfectly. Like, that's when it needed to happen. Like, they ended up getting back to that game and, you know, thank you to the Islanders and all the players for kind of just standing around watching, but they have to admit, man, that's got to be one of the coolest things that they've ever been a part of as a player, regardless if you're like, on the, the quote, unquote, wrong side of it. But they still ended up pulling off the W. So just the mic work from having Wayne there to, to, to what he said and to hand it off to ovi, and I think from, from this whole situation, the whole lead up, man, OVI seems like one of the most humble guys you could tell. It, like having the focus on him made him a little bit uncomfortable. Not when he was out there trying to go for this record. And we'll get into all the goals that he scored down the stretch like we talk about in the Stromer interview. I don't know if it was Yan's or Wit who brought it up. Like, to have the pressure that everybody's watching you, to expect you to close this out and to close it out as quickly as he did. Like, you have to have fucking jam and you have to be special. And that's exactly what this guy is. And just born to score goals and just can't believe that between him and Sid, with the pressure that they had coming into the league, to kind of take that torch and run with it, what both of them have been able to accomplish, to then get to this mark of passing the goal record, with goalies as good as they are and, and defenses as structured as they are, it's, it's Unreal. And no shocker that at 39 years old on a year that this guy broke his leg just past the 60 game mark, he's got 42 goals, his 14th 40 goal season, two more than any other player to ever play the game. So it's, it's a storybook ending and that's, that's the only way it could be described as this is scripted. It has to be. Gary's doing a hell of a job.

[Grinelli]

So I think he did it on purpose, not scoring at home because he saw in the schedule, Sunday afternoon game, we don't play till Thursday, we get three days to run hard. So he knew, he knew the green light when he sees a green light. But yeah, and just all like the clips that you see of him of the old, like when, you know, when he's at whatever 500 goals and people asking him if he ever thinks it's going to be broken, he's like, no chance that could ever be broken. The humbleness from a guy that can score at will is so amazing. And you don't see it in any other sport but hockey. And the thing that I love about it, and I think me and you were talking about it biz, like he's done it his own way. Like he came into the league when celebrations weren't, you know, like they are nowadays and he, he caught his flack for it, but he stayed true to himself for all 9,895of these goals and just doing it his way, having fun. Because at the end of the day it's, you know, we're playing a game and he's, he's a big kid out there and you know, you see him now with his son in the stands, you know, going over, giving him high fives like just to see him, you know, like we all saw at 18, doing it and jumping into the glass and doing the hot stick. Now he's celebrating with his family. It's, it's amazing what he's, what he's done with his career. And you know, when it comes down to it, it's, you know, he's, he's one of the best to ever play hockey. Not just goal scoring, like just to, to lace them up because, you know, I played against them in the playoffs in New York and you didn't want to be on the ice against them. Not because he was going to score, because he was going to run you through the glass or, you know, be hard on the forecheck. Just an all around unbelievable player. And you know, you just love you love when good things like this happen. And, you know, you have Wayne Gretzky there who's congratulating him. Seems like he's more happy for him than Alex is than. Yeah, for himself. So truly amazing weekend for hockey. And yeah, like you said earlier, Biz, you'll never, never forget where you were for, for that one.

[Mike]

It's pretty cool. I'll hold it. Hand it over to you. Like, it's pretty cool that you got to be explained basically from Wayne how. When. When. How was broke. Got it broke, like the, the exchanging of the gifts from the wives and just how, like, receptive they are to handing that off and how they want to be a part of it. And it's almost like a tradition. And I kind of speak. It kind of speaks volumes to, like, what the hockey community is really about.

[Whitney]

The great, the greatest community in the world. And I think that that's kind of where I ended up as this all went down. So, you know, Friday night, I, I, I, and we have a great interview coming up with Dylan Strom, who kind of takes us a little bit behind the scenes on, on the entire season. And it was really cool of him to come on, and we got some inside perspective of this entire, you know, legendary chase. But Friday night, I'm like, he might do it. Merle's on game notes Fridays. Like, he's doing it tonight. I think he bet it 20 to 1. You. You had the option on DraftKings. But I'm like, he really might like, like the, the greatest, the greatest you've ever seen in sports. They just do things that you can't even fathom. I was like, this is probably how it'll go down at home. And so just to be able to watch that game. And he comes so close. Even after Leonard gets the empty netter, he has, like, three chances. You're like, oh, my God. But it wasn't meant to be, which was fine. And we'll kind of go into that with Strom. But so Sunday, I'm very excited. We actually had, like, Ryder, they had four games this weekend for next season. Don't even get me going on, like, parody youth hockey for next season, trying to get in the league. I digress. I apologize, fans. But right in between our two games was ovi's. Ovi's puck drop Mike. Perfect. I don't really care. Not going to miss anything. And when he did it, it was like, my wife, who doesn't care about hockey at all, she was even into it. She's like, oh, my God. And the kids are sitting there, and I've been telling Ryder and Wyatt about. About Ovechkin, like, Price started like, a month ago. I'm like, he's. He's. He's going to break this record. He's chasing this record. So they were kind of like, oh, how many more goals does he need? Ov. Ov. Ov. He's like, yeah. And so he. He breaks it. And we're all sitting there watching awesome Celebration. And then they get. They get the carpet out there, and Wayne comes down with Bettman and his wife and Obi's family. And Keith's known me 35 years. Like, I'm an emotional guy, and never would I have thought, like, I'd be sitting there, like, kind of, like, emotional over that. But my eyes, like, welled up a little bit, and I'm like, this is the. This is, like, history. Like, this is. I kind of was like, I just felt so blessed to play in the NHL and to play against him. And then I'm sitting there and I'm watching and thinking about this record. And when you first heard, you know, even anyone mentioned Shout Out John Butcher Grass ten years ago, he first talked about this, it was like, there's just no way. Like. And when people would come into the league, you're like, oh, I don't care how much of a goal scorer this guy is, he could never get 895 goals. Like, that's just a. It's a number that's, like, in outer space. And so then I'm sitting there, and it's just like, I think it goes back to the hockey community and how much teammates love each other and how much people respect the game and respect the history of the game and. And Wayne being there and the Gordy, how pin that he has on the number nine in honor of, like, the guy that the. The. The record he broke. And it was just like, overwhelming. Like, I don't think anyone out there thought this was a possibility for the longest time. And then this farm animal from Moscow who not only scored goals, but did it without ever, like, cheating the game. And you could say defensively, he may cheat a little bit sometimes to get goals, but, like, dude, you got 895 of them. You're allowed to cheat whenever you want. So the whole day was just. Just magical. I thought it was so cool. It did happen on a Sunday afternoon where, you know, the whole. I'd love to see the ratings on that game because tickets were going for a crazy amount in Long Island.

[Mike]

I Think they were minimum 800 bucks. The, the night before Jeff was looking you, you pretty much nailed it though, Whit. Everything you just said, like, I got emotional too and like you just felt grateful in that moment to be part of the hockey community. The way that it was presented and what was said about how Gordy had handed it to Wayne and Wayne had handed it to now ovi and just how, how every time OVI opened his mouth, all he wanted to do was thank his family, his friends and his teammates. Right? It was never really about him. It was about, it was, it was the we. Not, not me. Right. So it was, it was just an incredible day. And as dumb as I am thinking the empty netter would have been the way to go out. No, he, he, he, he trumped it all. So anything else, Yanza, that stuck out to you?

[Grinelli]

I got a little, I got a little stat for you guys if you want one.

[Whitney]

I got a couple crazy stats. I wonder if yours is one of these. Go ahead.

[Mike]

Okay.

[Grinelli]

So since he came in the league, the Washington capitals have scored 4,806 goals. He obviously has 809, 95 of those. That's 18.6% of their goals in 20. Is that not insane? Like that's, that's what you leave for a tip biz. 18%. He's doing that scoring for an entire organization. It is. I can't wrap my head around the f. Like I thought it was going to be like, I, I, I don't know, but that, that just blew my mind. 18% of the team's goal in 20.

[Whitney]

Years just to watch the Capitals and know that every five go, every fifth goal, it's Ovi for 20 frigging years. And it kind of goes back to like basically what the Capitals were before they got ovi and they were, I mean, there wasn't much there, man. Like they, they had had a, you know, some, some good teams. You remember they went to the finals against the Red Wings, they were swept. But overall it was years and years of kind of frustration from Capital's fans and not being able to get over the hump. And they had Peter Bondra and they had Rod Langway and Olaf Kolzing and some amazing players. But he truly, truthfully, like, changed the entire franchise and made them into this must watch, entertaining, high flying team that went on to finally get their Stanley Cup. And for ovi, there was a long time dude where, where his game was questioned, right? Like, yeah, he can score goals. What else is he doing? He's hurting you defensively in the playoffs, they. They. They win the President's Trophy, they lose to the eight seed. It's like there was questions, and there was probably a time where, if it had been later in social media and how things have progressed with pressure on players and teams, like, maybe they end up trading him, like, it is a different world. And that sounds insane. And you would think that they never would, but they could not get it done. And, and, and, and. And all Capitals fans just had like, all right, well, we got the superstar. We still can't win a cup. And then he got that. And then the next thing was like, can he do this? Could he get the most goals in the history of the NHL? And he goes on to do that, too. So a couple of the other crazy stats was the whole April 6th date, and I think this has been going around where people have seen it enough, but April 6, 1980, was the day that Gordie Howe scored his last goal, number 8. 01. And. And then April 6th in 2004 was when the Capitals won the lottery to draft Alexander Ovechkin. And 21 years later, on April 6, 2025, he gets his 895th goal. And it's like, it's crazy.

[Mike]

That's. It's, it's scripted.

[Whitney]

It's. Yeah, it's like that's where. That's why sports. Professional sports is the greatest reality TV they'll ever be. It's like things that you write down and imagine in a movie like that. Yeah, no, that's too unrealistic. Like, they actually happen.

[Mike]

Dance disagrees. Yan disagrees.

[Grinelli]

Have you seen season four of Teen Mom?

[Whitney]

It's not 16 and pregnant, but it's. It's close to it. It's close to it. The other. The other amazing number was. It was his 1,487th game, which was the exact amount of games Wayne Gretzky played to get 880. Like, what the.

[Mike]

It's.

[Whitney]

It's just crazy.

[Mike]

Simulation.

[Whitney]

Yes. We're on simulation biz, which means the Leafs maybe will. Maybe they will get their Stanley Cup.

[Grinelli]

Do you think when he retires. Remember when Wayne retired, they had 99 behind the net. You think they'll put an eight in his spot?

[Mike]

If they don't do it, they're morons.

[Grinelli]

Yeah. If they don't do it, we'll do it.

[Whitney]

Yeah, that's a good question. Cause you're going to have to have 87, too. You wonder if I. I'm on. I'm of the opinion that Sid and Ovi will be the guys you met you let immediately into the hall of Fame the way they did for Wayne without the three year grace period. I think it's a no brainer with those two.

[Mike]

Probably do it. Yeah. Together. Although like fuck. I was gonna ask you guys this. How many, how many more years? Like I think, I think that it would be crazy if Ovi's playing. If he plays more than two more seasons past this one. I think right now I feel like he would retire at the end of next year. But I also feel if he puts up 40, 45 goals again, like which is not. He's gotten crazy.

[Whitney]

No, he will do it.

[Mike]

He will. He, he'll might want to stick around for one more year to get to a thousand. Like that's a thousand would be crazy.

[Whitney]

A thousand.

[Grinelli]

I think it's crazy if they won the, if they won the cup this year. I could also see him retiring, going out on top. Imagine that for a year.

[Mike]

That's where I just simply wouldn't be able to see it being broken if he gets to a thousand. Because that means you have to play 20 full healthy seasons in the league and score 50 goals every year to catch them like that. That, that just doesn't happen.

[Whitney]

So, so I, I. There was a number here that I saw on Twitter flying around that right now. Right now. So a kid, some, some 10 year old kid who's going to become a superstar in seven years and be in the NHL a year later. He needs 20 seasons of 45 average to get to 895. Like that's what I think is the craziest thing is the, the ability he's had to stay healthy. And of course the year he does it, he breaks his fucking leg. He has 42 goals at 61 games. You guys. He's 39 and coming off a broken leg.

[Mike]

That might be his best pace throughout his career other than maybe the 65 goal season. Like that might be his best pace.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And, and that's like the, the health aspect of it is the craziest thing. Like you can have all the skill and the greatest shot in the world. Can you stay healthy? Can you play this many games? And then if you're that good, you're going to be on a good team more than likely. And then you get the playoff games which is like dog years in players career. Like it's just like add minus a year off their career for every 50 NH NHL playoff games they play. And, and it's interesting because you look at, you look at goals per game. And you guys know who's number one in the history of the NHL? That's Mike Bossie at 0.76 goals per game. You know who number two is?

[Mike]

Maybe Mario.

[Whitney]

Mario at point seven five, right behind Mike Bossy. But just to see the greatness of those two legends, like it was the health. And that's why OVI is just kind of boggled everyone's mind.

[Mike]

Like that's, that's why I think it's crazy because not only the health, but out of all those guys like he played probably the most closest to Gordie Howe, how aggressive he plays. So it's not like he's just hanging back and like never getting touched. He's in fact like trying to inflict pain. So the longevity component to, with how his style of play was that that's the most like earth shattering part about all of this.

[Donnie]

And you guys talk about his retirement and he did a 2019 interview with Linda Cohen from ESPN and she asked, do you ever find yourself thinking about what if that happens? What if you become the game's all time leading scorer? Ovechkin answered, you're probably never going to see me on the ice again. Instant retirement?

[Whitney]

She asked.

[Donnie]

Yes, right away.

[Ryan Leonard]

See ya.

[Whitney]

And then.

[Mike]

Nah, he's playing with too much momentum now. Now though, no way he doesn't play next year, I think.

[Whitney]

And he's got, and he's got the year on his deal. But there was a interview with Elliot Friedman before the, it was right around the World cup in 2016 where he brings it up and he's like, I know I, I think it's impossible like with the game the way it is right now, I don't think you'll ever see anyone touch it. And the longer he goes, the less likely it is. I think Matthews is on a better like goals per game or maybe, maybe how many goals he has through a certain amount of games than OVI was. But like we just mentioned, like can he, he has a hard time staying healthy. So like you look at like every goal he gets, it just becomes harder and harder and harder to fathom somebody possibly reaching this. But I, I thought it was pretty evident that, that Gretzk was a little emotional. Like maybe I'm wrong, but it looked like almost, you know, his kind of career is like flashing before his eyes. And I imagine like it probably felt like yesterday that he was on the ice with Gordie Howe and Gordie Howe's wife and his family. And he even mentioned in his speech which by the way was hilarious. Like, first he mentions, I'm glad I'm not in the Nassau call. See him, he's popping jokes, he's telling, he's telling, what are you going to buy? Or Leonis, what are you going to buy him? I got a Rolls Royce. And that actually leads back to Keith in a sec. But Gretzk is like, I, I, I just, I, I, I, I imagine is like this was yesterday and, and I was doing this and, and now like it's a circle of life in the NHL. Records are made to be broken. And I'm sitting here with OV and, and, and I'm shaking his hand. And we've, we've talked about, you know, his wife giving the gift, as you said, biz. But Keith, what is your, when did you first see that car? I don't remember.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, so it was that trip. I think it was during COVID A bunch of us remember we did a couple's trip over in Nantucket. It was before, I think either one of us had a host there, but there was like eight of us over there and it was me, Bill, Kristen and Nina sitting at a bar. And this older guy was sitting there telling us he was from Florida. He was probably like 70 years old. He's like, yeah, I got a bunch of cars if you want to see him. And me and Bill know nothing about cars. We were like, yeah, we're so into cars, let's go check them out. So we went the next day to go check them out. And this dude, mind you, you're in Nantucket where no one has like a lot of property. It's, you know, it's a small island. He's got, I think, four different garages that are basically like warehouses. Just rows and rows of cars, all pristine, beautiful. He didn't know I was a hockey player, this guy. He's like, oh, yeah, this is the car that was given to Wayne Gretzky when he broke the record for the most goals and has the plaque and everything. And I'm like, oh my God. Like, how does this guy have that? I don't know. I don't know if he's like an auction guy and they sold it at an auction whenever he got. I, I don't know, I didn't really get too into it. If I run into him this summer, I'll try to buy the car off of him to give it to ovi, but I don't know how, I don't know how he got a hold of it, but the fact that I Saw it was pretty.

[Mike]

That'd be pretty sick to be, to be cruising around in Wayne's old Rolls Royce.

[Grinelli]

Yeah. So he, he drove us back to our hotel in that car, which was pretty sweet.

[Whitney]

So his quote here, that G just sent over from ovi, it is not a question of money. It is just a matter of principle. I have only played for two teams, Dynamo Moscow and Washington. Obviously, I will stay with Washington for another two, three, four, five years. And then I would like to finish on a high note to play my final game with Dynamo back in the KHL. That was in 2021. So, you know, we're four years later, like, maybe this year. I actually do think if they win the Stanley cup, he might retire, maybe go back and play a year in the khl. Selfishly, though, I, I want to see him keep going because, like, yeah, like you say it biz, he probably will get 40 goals next year again, which would be 15 years of 40 goals. And the other thing that cracked me up and Strom talks about this is like, all right, well, he got two against Chicago Friday. He's going to break it Sunday against the Islanders. And everyone, the tickets are going crazy. And I was like, it's so hard to score in the NHL. Like, it is near impossible to get a goal in the NHL biz, you know, and everyone's just like, oh, he's gonna score. And he did it again. He fucking did it again. And every time you were like, I don't know, man, this guy might not score tonight. And it was just in his spot. I tweeted out. I liked how it was just an old school, like, bring it behind your Wrist. Shot about 10 inches off the ice right over the goalies pad. Snipe celebration was on. So, Biz, you said it. Storybook, Storybook.

[Mike]

And like, I, I, I liked when Wayne got asked, I think it was Bones asked him kind of about the different eras. And Wayne's like, wow, we had the red line, we had guys fucking skiing us the whole game interfering with us and, and shadowing us. And they didn't start, they didn't start the PPS in the offensive zone. So there were just so many things that that, like, could prevent him from scoring. So different eras, it's hard to compare, but I think that everybody would agree it's a little bit harder in this era, just a little bit based on, like, how good teams are and goalies are. So just, yeah, I don't really have much else to say on a man just grateful to be a part of it crazy rip. And it was great to interview Strom, who, who's had a, you know, had had a bit of a tough start to his career, kind of got moved around a little bit, didn't get qualified in Chicago. And he gets an unreal landing spot and ends up with a great group of guys and a great team and is able to contribute and be part of a record that'll last forever. So just, just remarkable. And do you want to throw it to him now, Wit?

[Whitney]

I think we can in just a couple minutes. We should just probably stick with Washington, who was in the news prior to even or, or, or separate from the OV goal chase with. Yes, one of the craziest, most violent games of the season against Carolina last week.

[Mike]

We did that too.

[Whitney]

And, and these two.

[Mike]

We had both games.

[Whitney]

You guys were doing that game as well.

[Mike]

We did that game. That was last Wednesday. Yeah.

[Whitney]

Okay, so these two teams are pretty much like on a crash course for the second round. That's how it looks like it probably should shake out now. Usually things never go as they should go in the NHL playoffs, but they, they went into Carolina, Washington did on a back to back and they just got their lunch fed to them. Carolina's humming at home. Strom talks about how difficult of a place it is to play, especially for a back to back, and it got violent. And all of a sudden you see at the end of the game, Davis chatfield fighting Connor McMichael. One of the craziest moves I've ever seen. It was a figure four leg lock choke slam to the ground. McMichael had no helmet on. Thank God he hit his shoulders and didn't hit his head off the ice or else he could be dead. When you were doing the game, when you first saw this, like the replay of actually getting the leg behind him, what did you think?

[Mike]

Yeah, like right away my radar kind of went off and I'm like, okay, well maybe they were jockeying for position and it was kind of one of those, like they were already falling down anyway, so he's pulling them over. I felt like it was a little bit premeditated in the sense of like he tried to do that move. Like he put his leg out. And I guess you could describe it as a slew foot in a sense of like, like some people compared the two where. Yes, I get that, that, that if your arm's going one way, normally when they say a slew foot, you're kind of like making a bit of a kicking motion. But he tried to take his legs out. And I thought it was a little bit dangerous. Now if it didn't result in a suspension, I wouldn't have been like crying from the mountaintops in which I didn't. I just thought that if you see that and he's not going to get a game, what happens if someone does that exact same move again? I think we could all agree that that move, we don't want to see it again. I get that he's a first time offender. Like he's not a dirty player, he doesn't have a record. But if Matt Rem Bay did that for the first time, I bet you Rempe would have got 10 games because it was Matt Rempe. So it's just weird now. So if, let's say Rem Bay does do that move, what do you do then if you're the league. Cause now all of a sudden you got a bigger problem on your hand. So I don't think Chatfield's dirty. I don't necessarily agree with, with Brindamore and his comments. I know he's just got his boys back and he's. He was kind of like going after media for making it a bigger deal than it was. Like I think that like the overall game is what got the reaction from a hoe. Kind of swinging the stick around, catching Wilson in the back of the leg. Which is kind of where I think it all started. Right. Did you guys watch the full game?

[Whitney]

Yeah, I had it on like the kind of the beginning and then put it back on when I saw the madness going on.

[Mike]

So when he did, when he did that, Wilson went down and then when Wilson was on the bench, he kept mouthing the same thing over and over like he was going to kill someone. So the wires had crossed. Then Carberry goes over and is whispering in his ear, which why what I would imagine is saying, hey, calmer heads prevail. We got bigger fish to fry. Like we're gonna see these guys in round two. Well, Tom Wilson give a.

[Whitney]

No, I think there was no point and it was probably Carberry being like, dude, he could end up taking a 25 gamer here. Like yeah, yeah, I have to Rafi.

[Mike]

Torres 2.0 on our hands here. We don't need Tico 2.0 here. No, but that scrum happens in front of the net and then, and then Stan Stank Coven of all guys is the guy who got him so that he's going at Stankhovin and then like doubters getting in the mix, like doubters making faces at Guys in the box like it was a full on cluster fucked on show and for that to kind of be at the climax of it. I think that the inter Internet was already erupting as a result of everything that was happened and that was just the icing on the cake. And that's where kind of basically where the game was at and the tensions were high where it didn't feel right. The fact that this guy McMichael didn't have his helmet on and he uses that move and it looked like he did clip his head a little bit but that could have been way worse than, than, than how it all turned out. So once again like I'm not shitting on Carolina fans, I'm not shitting on, on their organization or Chatfield. I don't think it was like premeditated before the fight had began but he was clearly trying to pull that move off, move off, execute, executed it to like perfection and probably should have saw a game just based now how you set the standard moving forward because somebody else is now going to do that and then there's going to be a three ring circus on our hands.

[Grinelli]

I agree with both of you. I think there's no room in the game for that. It's you know, obviously biz you would know more than me and wit like the heat of the battle things happen but I think there's also that you know the, the fighter's code where you know guys don't do dirty things like that because there are plenty of opportunities during fights when you know, guy can take advantage of a guys and those guys never really do. And I know Chatfield isn't fighting every game. You know he's a scrappy player but you know I think at the end of the day you got to know what you're doing and I think he knew what he was doing. I think think it was dirty. I think it deserved a fine or a suspension probably. I mean maybe if his helmet was on we wouldn't even be talking about it because it, it just looked like it could have been so bad.

[Whitney]

But it's scary to see what could have happened.

[Grinelli]

100%. Yeah. So I mean at the end of the day happy nobody got hurt in you know in like, like I said on Amazon, coast to coast. Like the best part of the NHL is you know with the fighting is we're able to police it ourselves. Oh yeah, you got, you got Dylan Mcel, you know coming in warm ups or during play during the game. He's going to be wanting in, in Chatfield, you know, he seems like an honest player. He's going to have to answer the bell and, you know, he's. It's going to be. Must watch TV on. On Thursday.

[Mike]

I would. If I was Chatfield, whoever it was, I'd say, yep, let's get it over with and just, boom, settle the score right off the hop of the draw. Some people might say McElrath and. And Chatfield or aren't exactly in the same weight class.

[Grinelli]

Neither is McMichael. He fought.

[Mike]

I hear you and I hear you and. And some people. Some people try to use the example and also send videos of, like, other situations where a guy's kind of swinging a guy around. And I think that happens a lot more, especially when a guy's kind of already on the way down. It was more about Chatfield kind of establishing leverage on. Especially the leg that ended up sweeping him and taking him down like he wasn't. He wasn't like, falling down in the midst of the scrap. Like, that was like, I'm gonna swing this guy around and use this leg to trip him and throw him off balance. And. And that's what it was. And hey, man, like, that's. That. That's where I just can't agree with people trying to use it as a comparison of things that are happening all the time.

[Whitney]

Well, people are talking about Tom Wilson and what he did with Aaron and. And that. And Merles was on. On game notes, like, mess with the bull, get the horns. This is completely exactly what Rod Brindemore then said, which that quote is, the media was the one who made the drama out of it. And they're morons, typically. Can't argue with you there, Rod. If you're going to say what happened at the end was anything more than what I've seen a thousand times before. You don't know what you're talking about. Go look at the game exactly before the Boston Detroit game. Two really good heavyweights going at it, and watch how that fight ends. It's a takedown. I'm sorry. Quit making something out of what isn't. Because there's not a fair characterization of our player. And that's what bothers me on the whole thing. Do your homework. I love him sticking up for his players. He's got his guys. But I disagree completely that that was a normal takedown and that Tom Wilson on Panarin. Argue all you want that that Wilson shouldn't be going out Panarin. That was. I'm bigger and I'm stronger than you and I'm gonna body slam you down. That happens. No doubt. That is the thousands of, of takedowns that Brenda Moore is talking about. This was different in my mind. This was a leg behind and a blatant like, I'm gonna use my leverage and I'm going to slam you down. You have no helmet on. You could be dead now. I kind of think it almost could have been four or five games solely. And I know that sounds like a lot, but then it's like, nobody's doing that again. That is what would have really been like, okay, this is done in the game because next one will be 10 games.

[Mike]

Now, I thought that I, I thought that the one would have basically said, like, this is not allowed. We get this as a one off, an example. Nobody got hurt. A warning shot to everybody. Like, if this happened, I thought four or five would have been excessive because I just don't think that it was in him like, that he was like, I'm going into this fight and I'm going to fucking judo slam him. Like I'm in bloodsport with Jean Claude Van Damme right to the ice.

[Whitney]

Reverse Bugsy in a, in a sanctioned jiu jitsu match.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

And I think that it does bring up a bigger question for Carolina. And I don't know what Tom Wilson was saying on the bench, but the. It was quite obvious. He was saying to a ho, who's going to protect you? Who is going to protect you? He just kept saying, who's going to protect you? And Rod's, I don't know because like they have Tom Wilson, I don't know who's going to protect him from him. And they have McElrath as Keith brought up, who's a heavyweight, a full blown heavyweight. Carolina, like, you look down the lineup, fast team, they've played great since Ron. It's gone, but who is there?

[Mike]

So in that game, I was surprised because Wilson kind of gave a little bit of a cheap shot like a rib shot to Burns and Burns went down and then nothing ended up transpiring of, hey, maybe that was the retaliation from a whole whacking him on the back of the leg on purpose. I don't know. But that happened earlier in the game. And I guess I was just a little bit surprised that, that Burns, he wouldn't have challenged him. I know Burns, he's not typically a fighter.

[Whitney]

Tough man.

[Mike]

What do you mean that's tough? Like, I mean, you're the biggest guy. Like, who, who, who would you pick to fight Tom Wilson on that Team Jackson, Blake.

[Whitney]

Just, just, just throw one to the slaughter, maybe.

[Mike]

Cool goals for them. He's on their first line right now.

[Whitney]

No, he's nasty. I'm saying, like, he's going to pump anyone. Eyes shut. So give him the rookie. Give him the rookie.

[Mike]

Hey, new guy.

[Whitney]

Stank dummies. Him. Carolina goes on to win the cup.

[Grinelli]

No, no, I think, I think Bernsie would fight anyone. I think he's strong enough to go. Anyone. That's what I'm thinking. Yeah, he, he could. I just, I don't think he needs to do it, but, yeah, he's probably the, you know, the most capable guy in that locker room to do it. Yeah, I think you're right on that.

[Mike]

I'll say this. If there was a guy that I knew could beat me up, Jeremy Yablonski, if he would have cheap shot of me the way that Wilson did to Burns when Burns went down, I would have, I would have challenged him. I would have done that. I don't think that there's as big of a gap between, like, strength and like, like, even if you're a guy who doesn't fight, you can kind of hang on and, and throw a few. And yeah, if it goes nowhere and it's a draw, who cares? It's more about establishing the. I'm not afraid of you. I don't give a. Oh, you want to give me a cheap shot? So to me, that's where maybe I was a little bit surprised and especially with Wilson kind of joshing, like, who's going to protect you? We're going to take advantage of you physically. Like, you're already getting alpha and we've been singing the Florida Panthers praise for however long because they. Same with Vegas. Like, those teams don't get pushed around and bullied. So one thing to maybe look out for.

[Grinelli]

The only thing to Wilson's so petty. I could see him doing this somebody. I could see him slew footing something and be like, yeah, he texted me.

[Mike]

Saying Merle's opinion was Bullshit. How many Ls has.

[Whitney]

Merls cannot catch a break right now. Man, this guy is on tilt. He just. You know, when you can't, you, you start press pressing for a take that might hit and then you get even a couple more Ls. The frozen four might have broken Merle's.

[Mike]

Oh, that was a. That was. Considering they're the college hockey podcast of the bunch on game notes and they didn't get one Final four representative. And then now like that call on that move and I got NHL guys reaching out to me, calling him a donkey. And then on top of it, since the beginning of the year, he's been calling the LA Kings frauds to finally when they went 9 and 1 recently, he was like, yeah, maybe I was wrong about the Kings.

[Whitney]

No, I believe now he's saying they're frauds. On the road, they are approaching. The Kings are approaching like in the Cap era, possibly being the worst team in the NHL in 20 years on the road. But at home, they're unbeatable and unstoppable.

[Mike]

Only lost 4 games in regulation at home.

[Whitney]

Pasha's popping in here to the chat saying. Or Grinelli says Jankowski 6, 4, 2, 15. Pasha saying, Martinook, maybe Martinuka is.

[Mike]

Martin's a middleweight. He would chuck tough.

[Whitney]

He's tough now. I think Carolina, I don't think they're. They're a team that you can go in and just be like, we're gonna bully the out of them. But Thursday night we will see because Washington, they got the goal chase record that is out the window now. They are.

[Mike]

Now Duhame can chuck him too, man.

[Whitney]

Oh, yeah.

[Grinelli]

He's not.

[Whitney]

And I don't. I don't think chicken's afraid. Chicken's not afraid.

[Grinelli]

Ov.ov1 Bang somebody on Carolina.

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah.

[Grinelli]

I mean Russian on Russia.

[Whitney]

The thing we didn't mention that was funny about ovi, we'll throw it to Ryan Strom right after this, but. So Rick Dudley was the GM of the Panthers in 2004 and OV missed the draft cutoff date by two days apparently to. To be an 03 pick. And he ended up being 04 draft. I guess Rick Dudley was non stop, not just one time, multiple times, pleading to the league that with leap years, if you took leap years into account, OV was old enough for the NHL Draft in 2003. So they did their damnedness and the league just kept being like, rick, enough, stop. We're not counting leap years.

[Mike]

Like, the guy is not 18 because OV's in 03. I played against him under 18 at the World Championship. Like, you know how you heard about guys like the Crosbys coming up? Like, obviously we'd heard Ovechkin's name. And the first game of the world championship in that tournament they were hosting in Yaroslav, Russia. Like there was like a ceremony before the game to launch the tournament off you walked out and. And probably 75 of the people in there had like big like robe coats on with the Russian hats. And they were there to see Ovi and he. And we lost six, three. He had a hat trick, and he was running around killing guys. And I'm like, oh, my God. This guy is like, this is. Yeah, this guy's the real fucking deal.

[Whitney]

My buddy. My buddy.

[Mike]

That was my first experience.

[Whitney]

My. My friend Chris Polai. Keith, remember the team you made? USA used to send a team to the summer. Whatever, Five nations, but it wasn't. Yeah. Ivan, Helena. It wasn't kids from the national program, like, because they were going to Ann Arbor. So. So Keith made it. This kid Chris Pol. I made it. And they went over and they played Russia. And it was. It was Malkin and Cross. Malkin and Novechkin. And they lost, like, 10, one. And they both had five point. Like six. Five. Six points. And he's like, what the. Like, who are these two people? And he said, same thing. Obi was killing people, too. It's like. That was when Obi.

[Mike]

I just wanted the game to be over. I was so intimidated. He's running around hitting guys, scoring on us. And, like, you have all these, like, Russian army dudes in the crowd. They probably have AK47s underneath their robe, coats. Like. I was like, get me home. I. First time I've ever gotten homesick.

[Grinelli]

I saw a cool story. It was Diana Tarasi and Sue Bird. They were playing for the Moscow basketball team. Yeah. And they. The president of their team was like, oh, yeah, these are my. These are my two sons. This one's pretty good at hockey. Blah, blah, blah. And they were like, five years later. We were watching the NHL draft and he got taken first overall. It was. Alex's mom was the president of that, like, WNBA team for over there.

[Mike]

Yeah. She played. She won.

[Grinelli]

She.

[Mike]

I think she won a few or played in a few Olympics. Olympics in Russia.

[Whitney]

And his dad was.

[Mike]

His dad would be soccer player.

[Whitney]

His. Okay. And his. Has his dad passed away? I know that's.

[Mike]

Yeah, his father passed. He has a stepfather now.

[Whitney]

Yeah. So just Brother, too.

[Grinelli]

I didn't know that.

[Mike]

I didn't know that either.

[Grinelli]

When he was, like, 10 years old. I thought I saw that. Crazy.

[Whitney]

Crazy. But I. I remember seeing him in the crowd for so many legendary goals and then him not being there. It was awesome. His mum was there. I know his wife had her dad there, so just a family affair.

[Mike]

Since we're talking about Russians now and we're just on the Carolina topic then. This, like, Nashishan or Nikishkin? Nikishkin. This. The Russian defenseman. I guess he's gotten cleared. He's coming over. They're talking about he's the Russian Kale Makar.

[Whitney]

He's been incredible. And apparently there was like possible rumors of like a heart issue and that might have affected where he got drafted. Now I'm going on a couple things like scouts have told me, so I don't. I don't know at all, but.

[Mike]

So he got bumped back based on. If he wouldn't have had that, he would have been a. Like a consensus one or two.

[Whitney]

I don't know about that. And now maybe those were totally rumors. Maybe he dropped back in the draft with the whole Russian and when can you come over and things like that. But this guy sounds like he's the real deal, like 50, 60 points in the cage all the last two years. He was captain of SKA St. Petersburg this season. Now, apparently his contract runs till the end of May, so, like, technically they could not allow him to come, but I'm assuming Carolina is looking to get him over right away and get him in the lineup. There's also rumors. I sent Billy Ryan, a friend of Keith and I scope to Montreal a report that apparently Demidov can come over now, too.

[Ryan Leonard]

Wow.

[Whitney]

Now, I don't know. In Montreal, I don't think plans on having. Which.

[Mike]

Which would be sick because, like, I was just going to ask you guys, outside of Leonard, who. From watching him, I feel like he can step in and make an impact in playoffs. Like, he's not going to look out of place. He's looked great. Yeah, it would be sick because they would more than likely be facing off against Montreal where you have these two guys who are coming in. So that's fair. He should get the clearance. Or is it more about Russia?

[Whitney]

I. I think it's more about Russia. I also think there's probably an aspect of not really wanting to burn a year off his elc. Although much on the playoffs and the excitement, I mean, we saw it up there for four nations. They're already selling Demodov T shirts and things like that. So really, you know, you just never know with the. With the Russian craziness on. On when we'll see Alexander Nikishin, I believe it is, and. Or Demidov in Montreal.

[Mike]

It'd be sick if they both got clearance because then. Then the winner of the. The newly impacted Player bowl in Montreal and Washington would that more than likely meet Carolina in the second round. Then you got Nishishkin. Is that how you say it? Nishishkin?

[Whitney]

I think it's Nikishin. Nikisha.

[Mike]

Nikishin.

[Grinelli]

Merle's wasn't the one who said Nichishkin was good, was he? Because he won't be if Merle said it.

[Whitney]

So.

[Mike]

No, this guy is legit. The Russian Kale Makar dude with caviar in his water, caviar car.

[Whitney]

Alexander Nikishan. He's 23 years old. He the last three years he's gotten 55, 56 and 46 points, including the last two years 17 goals. Both years in the Kho those. That's crazy numbers for over there considering you don't get second assists, which is how I made a living, I'd have zero points. So what do you mean you don't.

[Mike]

Get second assists in Russia?

[Whitney]

So they're very, very different shot.

[Grinelli]

You don't. Right.

[Whitney]

Where yeah, if I pass it to you and then you give Keith a tap and I'm probably getting an apple, but if I pass it to you, you rip one on net and he buries the rebound. I'm not getting an assist. And I mean that's a lot of assists in the NHL. So we'll see. We'll see. But probably time to throw it over to Dylan Strom. We appreciate him hopping on. Great player, great guy. So let's.

[Mike]

Can I tell you guys one quick crazy story before we throw it off?

[Whitney]

I would love a crazy story from you. I mean consider last crazy story was a guy jerking off on his billet family's family heirloom blanket.

[Mike]

Yeah, we're not going there. So like sometimes when I'm scrolling on the YouTube, they got like the shorts like basically like if you would be on Tick Tock or Instagram like videos, right. And I find myself fascinated by these baseball ones like Barry Bonds, like watching it at Batman and then he'll be going over it and then like Greg Maddox would have been the pitcher by. By the way, Maddox. I'm fascinated with this guy. I don't know anything about baseball.

[Whitney]

88 miles an hour and couldn't get. You couldn't hit him.

[Mike]

And by the end of his career he wasn't even like there would be no signals. Like they would just him in the back. Catcher.

[Grinelli]

The way he caught it, the way.

[Mike]

He caught the ball, the catcher, what pitch he was going to throw next. Like this guy was like a maniac.

[Grinelli]

The professor or something.

[Mike]

Yeah, like the Professor. So but during that era they had a bunch of good pitchers and I believe one of them is Schmaltz. What's the first?

[Whitney]

John Smoltz. John Schmaltz, who is another glavin and Maddox on the Braves together.

[Mike]

Right. And they're all John Rockers. Correct.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike]

So one of these pops up and I. I frequently get the Braves, maybe because I'm in Atlanta or maybe just because those are the most fascinating ones and, like, those are the guys who sat down, did the documentary. Anyway, so one pops up and it's Schmaltz talking about. I think it's Tony Gwynn.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Who is just one of the nastiest hitters of all time. Like, just the natural. And between him and like four other.

[Grinelli]

Hall of Fame, Pedro, Randy Johnson, Glavin, and Kurt Schilling, I think it is in Smoltz.

[Mike]

Yeah. They'd only struck him out three times total.

[Grinelli]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike]

In his entire career. So I'm fascinated watching this video, and I'm like, huh? And I'm right as I'm ready to board the plane when they call zone one. Like, I'll walk up and. And boom, I'm within striking distance. So I'm watching that video and then I kind of absorb it, and I'm like, wow, that's fascinating. And I look up and that schmaltz guy is standing two feet away from me. Like, how random is that?

[Whitney]

Wait, the video was of John Smoltz talking and then talking about standing next to.

[Mike]

And I. I watch it. I have not seen this guy yet. I'm like, oh, wow, another one of these baseball clips. I watched the whole thing. I'm fascinated by it. I'd never seen one with the schmaltz guy.

[Whitney]

Didn't call him Schmolz again. It's called this guy Schmoltz again. John C H. Smoltz.

[Mike]

Smoltz.

[Grinelli]

Smoltz S M O L. So I.

[Mike]

Look up and this guy Smoltz is standing two feet away from me, ready to board zone one. And then we end up sitting next to each other. And yeah, strikes you out.

[Grinelli]

He strikes you all for saying his fucking name wrong.

[Whitney]

Calls you Bishop the whole flight.

[Mike]

Bo Bish. But he's doing Fox Baseball now, so I kind of chatted with him for a hot minute. Yes. I thought you said you knew him, but maybe it was a different pitcher.

[Grinelli]

Glavin.

[Mike]

Oh, dude. I'm like, yeah, you know my buddy Keith Yanl? And he's like, I don't know if.

[Whitney]

I. I know Keith Schmandel. But.

[Mike]

You texted me.

[Grinelli]

I thought you know him. I said, no, I know Glavin.

[Mike]

Oh, I'm just butchering.

[Whitney]

That is crazy, though. That is wild, isn't that.

[Mike]

These phones have to be Tracking us or listening to us or just say. That had to have been like a phone thing, right?

[Grinelli]

Did you tell him you were just watching a video?

[Mike]

I told. I told him, but I. I felt like he was a bit weirded out. Like I was making up stories. Say hi to him.

[Whitney]

You're like smallty. You don't get it, Schmaltzy. I was just looking at you. He's like, buddy, that ain't my name. Hey.

[Grinelli]

He goes and sits a roach.

[Mike]

Yeah. He's like, sir, are you gonna board? He's like, nah, I'm giving up my seat.

[Whitney]

This guy, John Smolta, such an. Such an athlete. The guy played in a US Senior Open for golf, too. He's a free.

[Mike]

Oh, wow.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Well, so maybe we can get him for a sandbagger.

[Whitney]

Yeah, we'll get him for a bagger. There's no chance we'll get him for a bagger because, yeah, he's my buddy.

[Mike]

There's one of those videos of me getting, like, carried off the plane because I'm like, it's small T. It's small T. The HS is silent.

[Whitney]

He's like. Anyway, did you ever strike out Tony Schwinn? He's like, this fucking guy. All right. With that, it's time for Dylan Strom.

[Mike]

Dylan Strom.

[Whitney]

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[Grinelli]

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[Whitney]

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[Grinelli]

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[Whitney]

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[Grinelli]

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[Whitney]

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[Mike]

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[Grinelli]

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[Whitney]

We are now pleased pleased to be joined by a very special guest. Probably one of the best, maybe top three top five contracts in the NHL. And the man who's been dishing OV beautiful sauce for a few years now, Dylan Strom. What's going on, buddy?

[Ryan Leonard]

Ah, how much, guys? Crazy couple days, obviously, as you guys know. But I mean, it's been incredible. I appreciate the kind words. I don't know if it's a good thing to have one of the best contracts in the NHL.

[Whitney]

I know, I know. It's a. It's a great thing about you, but it's also like, damn it, I want to be a bad contract.

[Ryan Leonard]

All good.

[Whitney]

So you said crazy couple days. More like a crazy since the beginning of the year run, including ov's broken leg, I guess. Take us through, take us through the, the past week and kind of how, how it's been going. I know that he just caught fire all of a sudden, scored in five straight and basically been unstoppable the past, like, 10 days. So what was your thought process leading into before this goal streak started? Did you the entire time believe he'd get it done this year?

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, well, I guess I'll start kind of at the beginning of the year when, you know, everyone knew we needed 42 goals to, to break the record. And then he gets off to such a good start. 15 goals in 18 games. And honestly, when he got hurt the game in Utah, he's coming off of a goal or a hat trick in Vegas the night, the night before. He has two goals through two periods in Utah, and everyone in the arena is. And our team is convinced he's getting another hat trick back to back hatties. And then all of a sudden, like, the, the injury happens. And you guys know when you're in a game and someone gets injured, you're just hoping for the best. You know, you see a guy skate off. For him, it was just weird because, you know, he never gets hurt. He's really never been injured. And he tried to take a couple strides on a broken leg, as you guys, I'm sure, saw the clips, but clearly something was wrong and got the news right after the game that his leg was broken. And we're all wondering, you know, how long, and he's saying, you know, right away that he's going to be back at this time and, and when he's.

[Biz]

Going to be back.

[Ryan Leonard]

And when he was hoping to be back, I guess he was pretty close to the day. I think he was a couple games off, but yeah, so when he was at that number, everyone, you know, kind of thought that it was going to happen this year, and then he got hurt and everyone's like, well, you know, he's got another year on his contract and. And we'll see what happens. But guy just came back, you know, better than ever, scoring like a machine, like he always has. And then I would really say it started to pick up when we got to Winnipeg about a week and a half, two weeks ago, maybe, I think it was. And just the, the crowd and the energy and the building and the cameras and the TSN cameras and everything was, was going crazy. And scores in Winnipeg to tie it up with like five minutes left. You know, the two top teams in the league going at it and it kind of just picked up from there. And then the last week has just like I said, been like incredible goals in four straight games now and, and two goals against Chicago. And I know everyone wanted the hat trick and you know, a lot of us did too, for sure. But you know, he, he made it pretty clear he didn't want to score on the empty netter. And then obviously last night happens and.

[Mike]

It'S just hat trick. At home though, like, what were you thinking in the moment? Were you like, I don't know, this is different.

[Ryan Leonard]

What I was thinking was I don't want to be the guy to shoot the puck in the empty net when he's on the ice. Well, he wasn't on the ice, thankfully.

[Whitney]

He wasn't out there, Biz. He wouldn't go out there. I know.

[Ryan Leonard]

It was funny because like the, like when we know when the, when they pull their goalie, ovi's jumping on, like, we know that that's happening. And carbs didn't really call ovi. And we saw at one point OVI was about to jump on and everyone's kind of like looking around like, is he going to go like right now just to get out there and do this? And you know then like they call the timeout and he says like, he kind of shakes his head, says like, no, he doesn't want it. And, and we're about to go next and I'm like, oh, like, do you want this goal? Like, do you want the 895 now? And he's like, he's like. He wasn't really giving me a straight answer, but he kind of was like, no. Like, not really, but like, yeah. I'm like, well, I'm not shooting it if I'm on the ice with you and there's an open net and you could break the all time. I am not shooting that puck. I'm gonna get booed. I already scored a goal in the game earlier and basically, you know, didn't get booed. But the crowd was like, oh, like when he didn't put it in.

[Mike]

They didn't want anybody else shooting the puck. No, he wouldn't even be on the ice and they didn't want guys on the ice shooting the puck. It was crazy.

[Ryan Leonard]

It was insane. Like, insane.

[Biz]

Like, we get like the warm up.

[Ryan Leonard]

Crowd, the rink's almost full in warm up Especially against that game against Chicago. Like, there's signs everywhere, and this guy's three goals away. Like, he's played 1400 and at that time, you know, 85 games, I guess 86 games. And he has like, I don't know, 35 hat tricks. That's like 4% of his games. And people just expecting him to have a hat trick that night. And he almost did it too. So it was just. The whole thing was just, you know, incredible. And, and then, and then last night, like, was there really any doubt it was going to go another game? Like, it seemed like the whole thing was just lined up for it to happen at the right moment and, you know, to do it on the power play. And that shot was just. I mean, how do you write it.

[Mike]

Any better with the. The best video still, though, is him walking in the after party and someone instantly handing him two beers.

[Whitney]

Two beers made it to the two beers thing. I was like, that makes it even cooler.

[Grinelli]

But I gotta go like, commercial.

[Whitney]

I gotta quickly go back to Friday night against the Blackhawks because my brother in law's over here. I'm like, yo, put on. The game was like 7, 10. He's like, all right. I was like, he might do it tonight. He might do it. The craziest thing was that after Leonard put the empty netter in, he had like four chances in the final minute. Like that one shot off of. I forget the goalie's shoulder that was labeled that you guys must have been. Because even after it went five, three, you're still, like, he could still do it now, right? And then he came out guns ablazing. You must for sure must have been crazy.

[Ryan Leonard]

I mean, that's what we were all thinking. Like, as soon as, as soon as we got to empty netter, like, we. I mean, we just jumped right on the ice.

[Biz]

Real.

[Whitney]

I.

[Ryan Leonard]

Like, we knew there was going to be at least a couple chances and then. Yeah, so like, he gets that one chance in the slot. He said it was. He. He gets on me quite a bit that I give him the, the bobbly passes or you've seen him a couple times.

[Whitney]

He shoots those better than anyone, though.

[Ryan Leonard]

I try to tell him that. I tried to tell him that he, he. No one can shoot it when it's on the side quite like he can. And then that one was like perfectly. He caught it like a lacrosse stick, catches it like on his back and then whips it. And I'm. I'm. I'm in the. There's a video. I'm in the corner, like, hands on my knees. Like, how close was that? And then I gave him kind of like, a little wobbly backhand sauce to the.

[Biz]

For a breakaway.

[Ryan Leonard]

He didn't get a shot on that. On the. The same shift, though. Oh. And then it was just, like, off the draw, and then it was like, one more through the neutral zone, and you got a shot. And, you know, it wasn't meant to be that night, but the crowd, you know, we. We partied pretty hard that night. We celebrated pretty hard. And. And you saw the beer shower after the game, so it was cool. We got to do it twice.

[Mike]

Yeah, you got to do two sellies. I mean, even in a loss like that, it felt like it was actually perfect that he tied it at home. You still get the two goals, the big win, and then they get it done on the road. Were you guys aware of what kind of ceremony they were going to do? Like, did they give you guys the heads up as to how that was going to go? Because it. That like, this from the celebration of, like, him diving on the ice to, like, everything that was said on the mic, like, it was a storybook ending. Yeah.

[Ryan Leonard]

I mean, we didn't know exactly. Like, we knew there was gonna be a ceremony, and his family's gonna come on the ice, and Gretzky and Batman. No clue about the hats or the shirts that kind of came out. And it was kind of like, it was such a weird time of the game, too. Like, it was a. Almost exactly the middle of the game, and, you know, to have to go play on the rest of the games was just. I mean, it was bizarre. But, yeah, like you said, it was kind of a little bit different because it was a loss. So it took, like, you know, maybe five or six, seven minutes after the game until. Because we originally got in the room, and there wasn't, like, beers in the room, and it was kind of like OVI was doing, like, the first star of the game, I guess. They gave him all three stars, and he did an interview, and we were kind of like, you know, like, we got to celebrate this. Like, what are we doing here? Like, we just celebrated for the tying goal. Like, we've won the cup, and we're about to sell, and we're about to not celebrate when he breaks the record. So the beers finally got in the room, and we had to hold him in the hallway for a little bit, and it was a little bit delayed. But, you know, once the kind of. The cameras got in there, and once, you know, we. It took about Like, I said five to seven minutes, and the boys were, you know, right back to the same place we were two nights before that.

[Mike]

I want to ask just about. I think there's a couple of quotes. Basically, he just like, I eat whatever the fuck I want. Like, he just seems like a freak in the sense of like, maybe almost like a Phil Kessel. Like, he doesn't really care what's going and he's just like the natural at it. Is. Is that the case? Like, this guy's drinking pop on the bench. Like, is he the one at the card table after every game having a few pops? Is. Is he that old school?

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, I would say about it. He's about as old school as it gets in, in every aspect. I mean, he loves sushi. I think I said it last time on the podcast. He loves the sushi. Sushi and beers are his go to. But I mean, you know, for how much, you know, how fun he has, he. He does take care of his body. He does, like, you know, massages every day, and he really, you know, dials it into what, what he has to do to get ready for the games. I'll just leave it at that. Yeah, he's. He's about as. Like I said, he's about as old school as it gets when it comes to that kind of stuff.

[Grinelli]

He's like a wagyu beef just massaging beer.

[Mike]

Yeah. Rest is a weapon.

[Grinelli]

Stromer. I. I had. I mean, obviously he had. It looked like he had zero pressure on himself. Like, I know if I needed to do anything in a certain amount of games to get it done, like, I would have been in my head, but seemed like he didn't have any pressure on himself. But for you as like, a guy who's supposed to be setting him up, was there pressure on you and, you know, guys like Carlson to. I know you guys are. You're not just forcing him to puck, but was it like, okay, we got to get this done. We want this over with probably more than he does.

[Ryan Leonard]

I think it definitely, definitely helped that, you know, we know he had another year on his contract. I think if you were to ask me that and this was the last year of his deal, I think it would be a different story. You know, it just seemed inevitable that it was going to happen this year. Like, I don't want to say there was more pressure on. On anyone on the team. He definitely felt the most pressure when you passed over. You're just expecting the puck to go in the that because he's done it so many times and he's put in so many passes from so many different guys. And so I don't think there was any extra pressure on, on, on us, you know, during the game. I'd be totally lying to you if I, if I said I wasn't looking for him. Every single time I got on the ice, especially these last two games, like 100, I, I shot one in the power plane. It trickled off four guys and went in against Chicago and that was my only shot of the game. And they're just, there wasn't really like I got to puck in the slot against the Islanders the first period and my head just went on a swivel like, where is this guy? And he, he said he's like, I.

[Biz]

Was open right away.

[Ryan Leonard]

I'm like, don't you think I was looking? Like, of course I was looking. And he got, got a little shot off. But yeah, I wouldn't say there was more pressure on us, just like I said, because the fact that he had another year and, and you know he was gonna do it at some point and, and obviously everyone's happy it was this year in the way it happened.

[Mike]

Was it something being joked about in the locker room and like training camp, like, would you guys just kind of like continue to bring it up? Because it seems like, like it seems like he almost like didn't want that attention media wise on it. Like, he's such a humble guy, but like, were you guys just like being like friendly banter in the locker room about it non stop?

[Ryan Leonard]

I would say once it got down to like 10, then like after each game, like with the beers on the plane and it was, you know, cheers, you know, to the great chase and you know, however many more to go. And there'd be like, you know, a couple jokes like Carlson and I at the card table. Like we play 13 out of 13 down. I don't know if you guys played that before, but you know, it goes up from 13 down to one. So when we're at like five cards left, you know, we'd be like five left, like five to go. And like he loves it too. Like he, you know, he, he, he wasn't. I mean, I don't think in the media he talks about it too much, but you know, when the guys are joking, he's like the biggest, you know, most fun guy in the team. Like, so it's, it's all good and it was all laughs and never once was he was like, you know, don't talk about it or anything. Like that it was just friendly banter and you know, there was definitely times of the season like that, you know, we didn't think it was going to happen this year or, you know, we were kind of thinking like, okay, he's got it. Like at one point he had like, okay, 22 games left for, you know, 11 goals. And it's like, well, he's on that pace now. But you know, we're, we're kind of all saying like, okay, just if he gets one hat trick and then like we get a couple empty netters here, like it's going to be like, we got this. And that didn't really happen. Like it was just kind of like one game, one goal. Like one game, no goals. And then next game, goal. And it was kind of just like, you know, eventually he had 11 games, six to go and then it was, then he just went on this streak and now we got five to go and he's done so incredible.

[Whitney]

I, I love how you, you bring that up because as people were talking about the pace, I, I to myself, I'm like, yeah, I don't know, that's if you stay on this 40 goal pace that like he's 39 years old. And then sure as shit, it just kept happening and happening. It's like, of course this year he ends up having his highest shooting percentage he's had of his career. And I didn't know like when he broke his leg like first off, the locker room must have just been down in the dumps. After anyone gets injured, it's like the worst feeling as a teammate. But then when he came back, could you tell right away like, wow, he's not a little slow foot right now. Like those first few full practice, like when he could have contact, was it like, oh fuck, he's completely fine?

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah. I mean, the thing with, with OVI is like, you know, it doesn't really matter if he's having a great game or not a great game. Like there's always that chance that he can score. So when he got back, it was kind of just like, when is he gonna play? He scored the first game, he came back in Toronto and an empty netter scored the next night in Detroit, just after Christmas, the literally the next day in the first period. So it was like, you know, as soon as he came back, he was just the same same old guy, you know, same guy that was doing it for the whole year already. And you know, like I said kind of last night I was talking to someone and you know, his like goal Slump is like two or three games. So it's like you always know he's just. There's going to be a way and he's going to find a way to put one in or put two in and go on a little streak. And he, and he's done that the whole year.

[Mike]

And.

[Ryan Leonard]

And I mean it's been. It's been unreal.

[Mike]

I was going to ask about the mojo in the, in the locker room. I mean, you guys are also competing for a president's trophy too, so just an unreal year from the start of the year, getting all these new guys and like what's it just been like otherwise outside of even just the chase and, and like what you guys are preparing for kind of playoffs and win the East.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah. I mean the vibes have been unbelievable. The best I've ever been on. On a team. 100. You know, you. When you get seven new guys to a team, I mean there's only 19, 18 guys that are. Sorry, 19 guys that play a night with 12, 6 and 1. And we got seven new guys on the team that play every night. So it was a lot at the beginning of the year, but it kind of just. We lost the first game we played New Jersey, they had. That was their fourth game and it was our first game and we played okay, but it didn't play great. And then we just kind of started, you know, figuring each other out and rattled off a bunch of wins in a row. And you know, you guys have been on good teams before. Once you kind of get, you know, that ball rolling and you kind of expect to win, you know, it seems like it just starts coming easy to you and coming easy to the team. And there's plenty of times in the year where we've been down and going into the third and just that team confidence that like, you know, we know how to score, we score a ton of goals. It feels like we're never out of a game, which is. Which is a great feeling to have for a team. And it's exciting going into, going into this last stretch here and into the playoffs because I feel like that's what, that's what wins you games is that team confidence. And we've had it all year that the vibes are incredible. New guys have fit in like you like unbelievably well and you know, the whole thing has just been a storybook year so far and we got a lot left to write. But it's. It's been hard. Hard to describe how good it's been.

[Grinelli]

I Was going to ask you. We said it in the beginning of the year. Like, you look like Backstrom out there. Like, is he. Is he around the team? Is he a guy that you've talked to at all, or was he a guy that you watch growing up, that you kind of emulate your game after because it honestly seems like you're offspring of him?

[Ryan Leonard]

Well, I appreciate. That's a very, very nice compliment. I. I actually got to play with him a little bit for, like, 40 games, I think, in the last couple years. So just getting to know him through that, obviously, watching him a ton growing up and playing a few games against him, but he's. He's around. He's around enough. He's around. He was there last night. You know, he. He had so much, you know, success with OVI that you could really tell when Obi talks about him how much it means to him and how much respect he has for him and how, you know, good of a. You know, and a person and a guy he is. So I think just, you know, when Obi talks about someone in that regard, everyone obviously just respects him a ton. And guys that have played with him before and guys that, you know, barely know him just, you know, he has that presence to. When he walks in the room that, you know, it's.

[Whitney]

It's.

[Ryan Leonard]

He's a legend. I think he. I'm almost positive he has over a thousand assists in his career, which is just insane. So I think just you. You watch him, and you see how he passed over. You can see on the PowerPoint, you try to learn from it, and I've talked to him a good amount, and, you know, he's very supportive every step of the way, so. Very thankful for him.

[Mike]

It seems like he was around a lot, and then also TJ Oshi was around a lot, eh?

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Tommy. And he's, like, the ultimate glue guy you got. You guys know him pretty well. Just a great team guy, like, a warrior. Like, the stuff that that guy went through to even play last year was, you know, something that you don't wish upon anyone, really. Just the way he had to, you know, take care of his body and what his body had gone through. And he's around a lot. Like, similar to backstory, very similar in the sense of how much they're around and, you know, what they kind of mean to this team, this organization. And there's a reason why there's, you know, a plaque of them, you know, jumping into the fountain somewhere in D.C. and. And people really, really really, you know, like those two guys and. And it's great to have them around.

[Whitney]

So. So give the listeners and US 3A. A little backstory on how did a banza make her dance a band? How did this like, begin? Or. Or maybe you can't go there, but like.

[Ryan Leonard]

No, no, you can go there. Okay. So, you know, I'm sure you've seen the handshakes that we have going on.

[Mike]

Oh my God. There's a lot of antics in that hallway.

[Whitney]

I have talked. I don't know how everyone remembers them all.

[Mike]

I feel like TJ Oshi was kind of the one who started it all.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, Yeah. I think. I think that just over the years they just started making handshakes and I don't know, like the chicken parm, babe. And then they go like whatever they do with their hands. Carlson headbutt. But the bands of Maker dance started because, you know, I think Chickren's like first or second game. He wore when no helmet on the ice and warm up and he had the long hair and he wore a. Like a headband. And that's as simple as how it started. He was wearing a headband. And then like, I think Obi just looked at, like, looked at him and like just clued in, like. And then he just started doing the bands and like. And then it just. It kind of just went on from there. And then like now there's like a thousand edits everywhere I look on Instagram and tick tock and everywhere is bands that maker dance edits and they're. They're hilarious. So that. That's pretty much.

[Mike]

So that was Obi just off the top of his Dom, seeing this new guy with the band on his head. That's unbelievable, man.

[Grinelli]

No chance he knows any other words of that song.

[Ryan Leonard]

Well, did you hear what he says the rest? Like that some pretty vulgar words in the actual song.

[Mike]

And.

[Ryan Leonard]

And I think he says like only chicky clap and put your hands or something like that. That is what he says to the end.

[Mike]

So we need an OV remix like in the booth.

[Grinelli]

Gcj. And he's got a rap song OV in Russian.

[Whitney]

He does.

[Mike]

Yeah, that's right. That's.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, he's in a rap video. It's sick.

[Mike]

What. What other. What other is he doing like that? Like if he sees something he. To like a North American trend, you.

[Ryan Leonard]

Know, the subway is the big one. I think that. Yeah, he really enjoys. And the Cheetos. And we joke because we call it like a. Like it's his stitch like, his superstition when he walks on the plane and. And then he'll, like, we'll kind of catch him sometime. We're big superstition guys on this team, and we'll catch him sometimes. Like, you know, we'll ask him, okay, what's on the sub today? And Carlson's going down the list of, like, what he's got on it, like, what sauces he's got on it. And then they'd be like, one day is no avocado. One day's avocado. And. And then we'll think back, like, oh, did he score last game? And, like, we'll be like, got him. And so just things like that where he's just so fun with everything. Like, he's just like a guy's guy. And, I mean, there's a. A billion stories, but I'm sure those will come.

[Mike]

Let's hear them all.

[Grinelli]

NHL is the only league in the world where a guy can be going for the goal record and his teammates are just giving him every day about his subs. And it's. It's something just shows you how humble, you know, even the superstars are. It's amazing to see.

[Ryan Leonard]

It's awesome.

[Whitney]

Now, Carberry, like, we've talked all this year, even last year, like, his presence in the locker room is incredible, and I know a lot of that has to go this year with how much you guys are winning, but it seems like. Like he's a great public speaker. He kind of demands respect and attention, the way he talks, but he's done a phenomenal job by all looks of it, and basically getting you guys to buy in. And I didn't know if before the year. Yeah, you made the playoffs last year, but it was. It was a tough exit. Like. Like, what did he say was kind of the message for the team this year? Like, why were things going to be so different besides the new personnel who came in?

[Ryan Leonard]

I'm, I think from the first day of training camp, it was about scoring goals. We were 30th, I think, in the league last year about scoring, in goal scoring. And, you know, it was, how are we going to score more goals? And we had, you know, we had games where, you know, I would say 60% of the time we were great defensively last year. And so I think he always believed that, you know, we could still be that good defensive team. And, you know, I, like I said it was kind of just like, we talked so much about, you know, how we got to get to the net more. How are we going to be. Our power play's got to be better. How are we going to score more goals? And right from the beginning, we. We found a way to do that right off the hop. And kind of, like I said, he kind of just instilled that. That confidence in us, that team, that team chemistry, that team confidence, to know that we know that we can score goals, we can put up five, six, seven in a game. And. And I think the good thing about our team is we can kind of play both ways. Like, we've won plenty of games where it's been two, one or three, two or one nothing. We beat Ottawa on overtime. And so games like that, where we're kind of grinding out wins and. And playing the right way, he. He's really good at, you know, keeping us patient on the bench. Like, if it's a tight game, you know, teams play differently. But if. If he sees, you know, a team that, you know, we. We struggle against or they're great defensively, you know, just stay patient. You know, we're going to get our chances to score. We're going to get, you know, we're going to play good defensively, and it might be. You know, it might be with five minutes left or six minutes left or two minutes left, but, you know, we're gonna get one. And I think that's just been instilled the whole year.

[Mike]

That's awesome.

[Whitney]

Go from that to most goals in the league is crazy, though.

[Ryan Leonard]

Well, I don't think anyone. I don't think anyone could have expected that for sure. And I'm. I'm. I'd go as far as. I don't think the staff or the management expected that either, but, yeah, like. Like, when you get on a roll, you just got to keep rolling in, and. And we've been doing that.

[Mike]

What was the greatest thing about that whole celebration? Was it, like, having Wayne in the locker room? Like, what was the one thing that really blew out of your water that you. You took from it?

[Ryan Leonard]

When OVI does his speeches after. After he gets something like that, and, you know, he doesn't even really have the words to say it because he's just so humble and so, like, thankful of everyone around him and the guys that he played with before us and us, and I would say just, you know, when we got in the room and it was kind of a little bit, you know, down in the dumps, and we were kind of like, you know, we got to turn this thing around, and Obie walks in the room and the beer shower starts and, and you know, the, the beers just start flowing and things just seem easier and you don't really understand the fathom of like what just happened. And I would like, we were in shock. Like everyone was like in shock. It was. And we still had to play 32 minutes of the game against the Islanders. And so I would say probably when he spoke after the game in the room, just like you're kind of just sitting there drinking a beer, just listening to the greatest goals gore of all time talk with Gretzky and Bettman and you know, so many people in the room that. But you know, it was just, it was incredible.

[Whitney]

Yeah, it's so sick.

[Grinelli]

Just getting off Olvi a little bit. I saw something awesome on the Internet, you know, a couple weeks ago, you surprising your daughter at the, at a school dance or whatever it was dressed up as a prince. What? That was unbelievable. Who came up with that idea?

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, that was, that was my wife for sure. My daughter loves princesses. Like I'm sure most three year old girls, four year old girls do. And you know the, she wanted, she. We had a party a couple days before Van Reems Dyke's son had a birthday party and a lot of the guys were there. My, my four year old was going around telling everyone, all the guys that she wanted them all in suits for the birthday party, for the princess party because there's going to be princesses there so that we, the boys got to be in suits. And so a few guys showed up in suits. And then my wife asked her if she wanted to do. She wanted to me to wear that Prince Charming costume or a suit. And of course, of course she picks the Prince Charming costume. So we came right after practice and I surprised her and it was, it was a pretty cute video. She was pretty happy through with me. So it was, it was good.

[Mike]

That's awesome.

[Whitney]

I live in Boston, so I've, I've watched Ryan Leonard the last two years and even last year I was like, this kid's gonna step right into the NHL. But I'm kind of more curious about the, the first night he had as a pro when the pictures come out of Ovie with him at Circle Tavern, whatever the name of the place is on BC's campus. Like, did Ovi say to him, hey, let's go for a beer, I want to see your school. Like, how did that come about? Boat?

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, that was kind of just.

[Mike]

We.

[Ryan Leonard]

We saw. Six of us went out for dinner with Leonard the, that night when he signed, when we just got to Boston and, you know, we were kind of just, you know, having some sushi and some beers. And Obi was there. And, you know, we kind of just got talking and he's like, well, someone said, I think what are the. What are your boys doing tonight? And they had just lost. He's like, well, they're going to this, you know, this bar. And. And I think. I don't know if it was Obi or Carlson, but someone was like, let's go. And then Carlson said yes. And then I was like, yeah, let's go. And Chicken was like, all right, I'm in. And Leonard was like, are you guys serious? Kind of thing. And we got there and there was no one in the whole place when we first got there. It's just like a little bar called the Circle in Boston, I guess on Boston College's campus. And we walked in, there was nobody there, just us five. And sure enough, the team started filtering in and had a couple of beers before the game. And the funny thing about that video was I thought we were leaving and the place started to get a little bit crazy. It wasn't too late. It was only 9 or maybe 8:30 or 8:45. And you know, the place started filling in with people and, and I'm about to leave, like walking out and all I hear is this Bands of Maker Dance, come on. And you sure enough like 400. Not 400, but like 50 phones, they're going up and just going. And chickering and all the are dancing and doing the thing. And that's kind of where that whole thing came about. But yeah, it was pretty. It was low key. I think the, you know, the people maybe thought it was a little bit crazier than it was, but that, that video was, was, was pretty good.

[Mike]

Is all mayhem gonna break out on Thursday?

[Ryan Leonard]

I have no clue. I mean, I think it's going to.

[Mike]

Be a lecture game, isn't it?

[Grinelli]

Yeah, that's sin Dylan McElrath.

[Ryan Leonard]

Oh. Oh, that, that's. Oh, I thought. I thought you were talking about. Because I don't know what's gonna happen with Obi. Like, if there's gonna be a celebration.

[Mike]

Oh, there'll be a celebration. And then all hell is gonna break loose with, With.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll see what happens. There was a little bit of a wild, wild game the other night. We were down pretty bad. They. They got us pretty good. That rink is, you know, you guys know that that rink's worst. On a back to back especially that rink stopped the plan and they got us Pretty good. So we were.

[Mike]

They still got that away locker room there.

[Whitney]

There.

[Ryan Leonard]

They upgraded it like. Like the slightest amount, but it's still there.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Put up a little bit more drywall.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah. Well now like, you know how you go all the way down the hallway? Like all the way down the hallway that's now the trainer's room in there. So like all the way past the showers. So like the room is still the same. And then the. There's like a trainer's room and like a change stall room. So it's a little bit bigger, I guess, but it's still not, not, not great.

[Grinelli]

We got robbed there one night.

[Ryan Leonard]

Come on.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, by one of the ushers.

[Whitney]

Came by, didn't score.

[Grinelli]

Stole. Stole a couple watches from guys and credit cards bad. Yeah.

[Mike]

Oh, that was me.

[Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Mike]

I lost a few hundo on the.

[Grinelli]

Place was taken on everyone's pretty impact.

[Whitney]

Well Stromer, I guess we got. Got the last question. Presented by Roback. Use code chiclets on roback.com for generous 20 off your first purchase through the end of the week. That's C-I C L E T S on Rho B A C K.com 20 off all hoodies, joggers and more with the code Chicklets. I don't want to get you in trouble in terms of any quotes for the other team, but that chat field takedown figure four leg lock of Connor McMichael. I mean, did you agree with my take that it's kind of not really in the. In the realm of what I think fighting is in the NHL in the moment.

[Ryan Leonard]

Like I was in the box actually watching it and you don't really. You know, I kind of more kind of heard about it, you know, after the game, after the fact and kind of like saw the video and stuff. Obviously, I'm boys with me Michael, and we're tight and you never want to see a guy hit his head on the ice and then I. I don't think Chadfield's ever been suspended. So I don't. You don't want to say that he did it on purpose and he, you know, threw him down. It looked bad for sure. You know, hockey fights are dangerous and I would say if it happens again, it's a. It's a concern. But, you know, it is what it is. It happens. You know, you never want to see that happen. You know, you don't want our guys doing that to their guys. You don't want their guys doing that to our guys. It's just one of those Things that happen. And, and hopefully it doesn't happen again. It's dangerous. And, and you know, I don't think, I don't think there was any, you know, intent to smash his head on the ice. I don't think anyone's trying to do that. But the takedown happened and, and you know, the, the, the results on social media were what they were and you know, we played them on Thursday and, and I'm not sure what's going to happen. Like you busy said.

[Mike]

I know what's going to happen. Well, foaming at the mouth on the bench, yelling at him.

[Whitney]

Wilson's like, who's going to protect you?

[Mike]

What did, what did Wilson keep mouthing like, I, I, I promise you or something like that? I promise, I promise I'm going to get you. I promise.

[Whitney]

Promise I'm going to assist on OV's 895th.

[Grinelli]

Hey. Unreal. Political politically correct answer by you too.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah, that was a tough question. Tough question.

[Whitney]

Honestly. Strong. I know. Sorry about that. Putting you on the spot and as a hockey fan, dude, to see what, you know, you've gone through from not being qualified by Chicago to become a true number one center and be in the midst of this amazing, historic moment in the NHL. I'm really happy for you, dude. So good luck in the playoffs and thanks.

[Ryan Leonard]

I appreciate you guys a lot. Thank you very much for having me.

[Whitney]

All right, see you, buddy.

[Grinelli]

Good luck. Stromer.

[Ryan Leonard]

Thank you.

[Whitney]

Thank you very much to Dylan Strom. Awesome to hear how much that meant to that entire team and organization and what they went through and being one, one unit, chasing down greatness for ovi. So that was cool. We appreciate him coming on. Yance, you are. You were at Augusta national, correct? Not on the grounds right now, but this is.

[Mike]

You've joined the culture.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, I wish.

[Whitney]

He's gonna kill a squirrel.

[Grinelli]

Just. Just landed a couple hours ago at beautiful rental house. My buddy Frank. God for us. I'm here for the week. Gonna check out the Masters for the first time ever. Playing around at. What did I say the course was called with?

[Whitney]

Sage Valley.

[Grinelli]

Sage Valley. I heard that.

[Mike]

So you've never walked the grounds or been there, so this will be your first experience wit, you've done it, right?

[Whitney]

I've done it twice and I want to go back every year, but it's kind of like a. Every five year thing I'm going to try to hold myself to and it's, it's fucking. I know I talked about this before. It's. It's nuts when you get there. I'm talking elevation changes that you would have zero clue watching on tv up and down. It's got to be an impossible walk. It's like 7,700 yards, and it's just beauty. You can't. You don't see a weed anywhere.

[Mike]

I saw. I saw a text thread or a tweet thread. Excuse me. Of how it used to look compared to now and how it's evolved and all the trees have grown out and stuff like that. So it's kind of grown on me a little bit. I guess I'd play it if you guys. If you guys got invited, but, you know. Oh, maybe not. Just. Maybe not just go to watch and. And, you know, walk it to watch other. Play it.

[Grinelli]

I'm pretty sure it's got, like, two biz. There's what, no phones, so you wouldn't. You're. You're out.

[Mike]

Yeah, I heard that. That's kind of bush league biz.

[Whitney]

Like, the first hour is having, like, a complete mental breakdown. Then all of a sudden, like, as the second hour hits. He's like a genius. He has all these vocabulary words that we were like, what the hell? It's just like an hour away from his phone.

[Mike]

Is it refreshing being off the hammer there?

[Whitney]

Yes, it is. It's like, it is weird at the beginning, which. Which is so pathetic to say, but I think everyone would agree. You lose your phone, you're checking your pocket all the time or you don't have it. But then after. After an hour, you're like, this is just. And the prices. I mean, dude, I think, like, beers are five bucks, sandwiches are a dollar. It's crazy like, that. They. It's like it's taking a step back in time. It's like hopping in a time machine and you're back in the 50s. I saw that. That thread too. I think Justin Thomas was the one who retweeted and said, oh, this is really cool. You see how every hole's changed. But I was saying on the unnamed show to Portnoy, like, even non golfers, I think Masters week, everyone tunes in. It's just like the beginning of spring up north and the excitement of the first major on the golf season. And the storylines are wild. I mean, Rory being the biggest one, like, can this guy get this? The career going slam? I can't wait to see how.

[Mike]

How did it get its prestige? Like, how did it even begin?

[Whitney]

Oh, that's a great.

[Mike]

And. And it's obviously the only major where it's played at the same Course every year, right? All other three move.

[Whitney]

All other three move every season. I don't know. Bobby Jones, like, one of the greatest golfers ever, who was always an amateur, too. He, like, never turned pro. I think back in the day, like, AM amateur golfers, it was like, that's what you did. You never, like, like, it was like white trash to turn pro. And so he was like this legend from Atlanta. And then I don't know how I, I, I probably should know, and I've definitely read it before, but right now, I can't think of, like, the beginning of, of the tournament and the course. And then, I mean, it's gone to now. I mean, they're buying up, like, land and just, like, lengthening holes. They're, it's like, I can't imagine the money they make. The, the coolest part is the pro shop. You go in there, it's like the size of a Walmart, and then you can just mail everything home. It's so seamless, even the lines. I think when you'll see Keith, you're in the bathroom, and the guy's like, two shakes, two shakes. Give it two shakes. Keep on moving. It's just like biz. You talk about Houston's being like, military style, Augusta National. There's no.

[Mike]

What is, what is the significance of the green jacket? Why did that start?

[Whitney]

That's what members have. If you're a member, you have a green jacket. I always thought if you won the tournament, you became a member. That is not the case. I was incorrect on that. They kind of pick certain winners of the tournament that they then give memberships to. I heard recently, like, Peyton and Eli Manning became members, so that's kind of a feather in their cap to be.

[Mike]

So how many members do you think they have there?

[Grinelli]

They keep it under 300, right?

[Whitney]

I was going to say 250. Yeah, I'm sure It's like, right.

[Mike]

So no one's really ever playing it.

[Whitney]

You're not really allowed to. Like, that's part of it. Like, you are not going to be there that often. It's like, you come maybe, I don't know.

[Mike]

So there's nobody going for, like, around a week.

[Grinelli]

It's not even open, like, majority of the year, right?

[Biz]

Whit.

[Whitney]

It closes, I think, a month after the Masters, if not sooner, and then opens up around October.

[Mike]

What do they charge you for your for an initiation fee if you can't play it all the time?

[Whitney]

Buddy, if you think I know the answer to that, then you got. I, I, I couldn't tell you, like, it could be like a hundred bucks. I don't even think it, Matt. I don't even know. I think all of a sudden, like you're in bed in the middle of your night, some guy's standing over your bed with a green jacket like, congratulations.

[Mike]

Chat.

[Donnie]

GPT says in the initiation fees are rumored to be around $40,000 to $50,000 with relatively low annual dues below 10,000.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, because it's already. It's probably all paid for and you.

[Whitney]

Know, I can't wait to hear what you think though, Keith.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, I can't wait.

[Whitney]

Brings us back in because I've. Every year around the Masters, I'm kind of at my happiest because I know playoff hockey's coming. And everyone, everyone this season, I mean, four nations, just the top exploded on the game of hockey. Then you got Crosby Bake breaking Gretzky's record of over point per game seasons. Then you got Obi smashing the goal record. Poor Wayno. He's just losing records here and there. I think he still has like, like 58 others. But we are into playoff hockey. That's the spring. And it seems, I don't know if anyone saw this coming. It seems with about six to seven games to go, some teams have less. The brackets are set. Maybe not who's playing who, but the 18 conferences.

[Mike]

Not a Florida keeps.

[Whitney]

Yeah, so because I saw you with the tin. You had the tin foil hat on tnt. You are, you are now under the impression Florida wants to.

[Mike]

What do you think? No, what do you think?

[Whitney]

You know, right now Florida's missing Barov, Kachak, Forsling, Reinhardt, Bennett, and I don't know what they could do to get it done.

[Mike]

Ekblad, they got $49 million in the press box.

[Whitney]

You think they want you guys?

[Mike]

I think that they're resting their horses knowing that I don't care who we play. And if he's thinking, hey, let's get our horses back healthy and fresh. Why wouldn't we go against a vulnerable team that, that you know, in the first round that have had their issues in the past? Why wouldn't we just try to go for the head of the snake now and see if we can get them being mental midgets, put them on their heels and then next thing you know, we're, we're out in five. So I don't know, maybe that's what their tactic is. I'm not saying that that could happen. I'm just saying that from a Leaf fan perspective, I Don't want to play Florida in the first round. I want to, I want the battle of Arterio. I want to play a very good Ottawa team who have a lot of respect for. They got great goaltending, who's been saving their bacon lately. I think they have a, I think they have a back end that, that the Leafs could take advantage of. I don't think they're anywhere near defensively outside of Sanderson than what Florida is. I think they have a great forward group. They're getting. I think Gaudette was on the fourth line center role the other night. He's got 17 goals on the season so they could put the puck to the back of the net. That and I'm not denying that.

[Whitney]

To be clear, you, you want Ottawa because you have a hundred percent chance of beating them.

[Mike]

I like, I like that as a warm up series.

[Whitney]

This is scared, this is no scared, busy boy.

[Mike]

I'm thinking, boys, if you win the division, you want to have a little bit of an easier path, correct? I think a little bit of an easier path. An energy that we could save ourselves if we had to play Florida in the second round. And another thing too, I'd much rather see, if you have to play Florida, them obviously play Tampa first because I think Tampa's playing unbelievable right now.

[Whitney]

Tampa might be the best team.

[Mike]

I want those two teams to beat the fucking wheels off each other. And I want Toronto to play an inexperienced playoff team in Ottawa who they've had their number in the past and people are gonna say, oh, that's fucking 15, 20 years ago we're talking about. I don't give a fuck. You guys kept waving that in my face when it was the Boston fucking Bruins all the way back to when the last time they won the Stanley Cup.

[Whitney]

Well, I know, but the Bruins listed the Leafs like recently.

[Mike]

I, I'm not scared, Yanz. I'm talking.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, you are.

[Mike]

I'm not in that locker room.

[Whitney]

I'm saying, hey, you're not rattled, man. You're not rattled.

[Mike]

Hey, you know what, you know what I would do if I was, I was Craig Berubi though, to combat that, I'd say it. Yeah, maybe we will meet in the first round. I'm gonna rest my horses too. And I would just rest all the horses. You want to play that game, Paul Maurice. Oh, yeah. Billy Zito. Billy Z. Boy, you want some of this? I can, I could rest my horses too. Bring it on. And they're gonna come to start at.

[Grinelli]

The end of the day, if you're gonna win a Stanley Cup. You gotta beat these good teams anyway.

[Mike]

Are you. Hey, did you win a Cup? I had Bobby Holik on here telling me that rest and every game's important. I don't want them going to seven games with Florida in the first round. Beat them.

[Grinelli]

It won't go to seven. It'll go to five.

[Mike]

I wanna. Hey. I want to beat Ottawa on five or six. We're gonna take advantage. We're gonna roast that back end like all you Ottawa fans.

[Whitney]

Ah.

[Mike]

We're using this as clickbait. You think Berubay gives a. About your clickbait? No. They're gonna beat Ottawa in five. Maybe. Maybe. We'll give you six games and then you're going to get a wounded Tampa or Florida coming back at you in round two. This is what has to happen for the Leafs to get over the hump. I've already fucking thought about it in my brain. The battle of Ontario and the battle of Florida is what everybody wants. So let's just stick to the script and. And stop with this fuckery that is putting $49 million in the press box for Florida and taking.

[Whitney]

I don't want to see it biz. I think that you are severely underestimating Ottawa and like what Brady Tkachuk will do to you guys. Like you're not even in the lineup right now. Yeah, buddy. That's. That's because they're making sure he's ready to rip come April 18th and he's.

[Grinelli]

Not hungry for some playoffs.

[Mike]

Okay? So wait. Listen. As much as. As much respect as I. As I have for Brady Tkachuk, the way that the Leafs have built their roster. They're not a sc. They're not afraid of Florida anymore. They'll engage in all that. They don't give a. What do you.

[Grinelli]

You are so everyone else must be.

[Mike]

What do you mean?

[Whitney]

Florida manhandle the Leafs physically with their health.

[Mike]

I'm saying as. I don't want to play them in the first round. I don't want to play a Stanley. A Stanley cup contender in the first round. Nobody on this zoom right now believes that Ottawa is a Cup contender. So what. What are we talk. I'm not underestimating anything. The season played out. They got a good offense.

[Grinelli]

I think Ottawa can inflict some pain though. I wouldn't want to play them first round. Like they're.

[Whitney]

Imagine cousins running around.

[Grinelli]

Dude, they're going to be. They're going to be. They're going to be hungry. They're crowding.

[Mike]

They got a Lot of Cousins on that team.

[Whitney]

And Dylan Cousins will run around. I hear you though, and I'm with you because I need the battle of Ontario and I need the battle. Yeah. And that is how it was supposed to go. So right now Ottawa is just on this. They've won three in a row, I think. And then Florida, everyone's injured, so I'm with you. I don't want it to shake out the way because you know what would.

[Mike]

Happen shake out is it would go to seven, it would go to overtime, and then Brad Marshaw would slide at five hole and I'd have to fucking interview that asshole post game on tnt. And then he put me in another goddamn headlock which will probably be shaved at the, at that point, given how much he's going after my bowl cut.

[Grinelli]

Looks like you got a haircut with the tin foil on your head the other night.

[Mike]

I know, I know.

[Whitney]

I just, I, I want those two. I want the province in the state battles. I, I, I gotta be completely honest here. I don't, I don't need a Tampa, Ottawa first round as much as Florida. Toronto gets me going. Tampa, Ottawa, like, I don't know, Ottawa finally back in the mix against Toronto is just a storyline that is so much, much bigger, better than Tampa and them. But Tampa is a problem. I mean, we talked to Strom about how many goals Washington has. Number two in the league is Tampa. And Vasilevsky looks like he used to. And I don't know, they're, they're like, they actually would be the big winners possibly because I do believe they take care of Ottawa. I feel like you could too. But then all of a sudden they get to play whoever comes out of you in Florida and you both kick the shit. So yeah, that would be a huge win for Tampa, I think out west and od. Sorry, quickly, Montreal. What a fucking story this is. They've won five games in a row. They have Lane Hudson, who, like, I don't know, what can you keep saying about this kid?

[Mike]

He's got the Calder.

[Whitney]

He's got the Calder locked up. They won 2 to 1 on Sunday and they were down one nothing. They didn't look great. And then he makes this like ridiculous little quick move inside the offensive blue line, fires it over to line a, who snipes one. Caulfield earlier had tied it with his 36th of the year. I think. Another Suzuki point there. So Suzuki's looked incredible. And Montreal, it's just wild to see they started the year boys four, nine and two. I mean, that Is like, okay, there's not much expectation with this team, and we suck through the first 15 games of the year. And I don't think anyone, even Canadiens fans, saw what would end up happening the rest of this season. So Martin St. Louis should be in the running for coach of the year. Lane Hudson is pretty much locked up. Rookie of the year called a trophy, and it's a fun team to watch play.

[Mike]

That's. That's the worst trophy now going. I feel like four or five coaches get snubbed every year.

[Whitney]

Oh, and they get fired if they win it.

[Mike]

Yeah, like, like, like, like, you're telling me Arnel doesn't deserve consideration. Carberry, you know, the list goes St. Louis, nobody expected Montreal really to get in. Like, he should be up for it. Like, it's like the list goes on and on and on. Like, I'm drawing a blank on Columbus. I mean, they're not going to get in, but if they did, if they did sneak in somehow.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Evanson was up there the whole season.

[Mike]

So perfect time to mention this. So we love doing the playoff previews. We give our opinions. We get roasted for them. We're going to break it up a little bit. Next week will be the first week. We're coming at you two times, so we're going to come at you Tuesday, next week, and then Friday again. And when it looks like one of the conferences is obviously more locked in than the next, which will probably be starting with the East. And as far as the matchups being for sure locked in, we will drop one of them on Tuesday. So it could be the east, could be the west. And then the following pod on Friday, it will drop. We'll do the other conference. And then obviously on that Saturday is when it all begins. Like tnt, we're doing our first night of coverage, and then we actually get three days off, kind of like last year, where ESPN will take it. And then after that, TNT's back off and running and just kind of the rotation continues. And as you guys know, TNT has the finals, but for the first four weeks of playoffs, we'll be coming at you with two pods a week. And then in weeks two, three, and four, it will be a Monday, Friday drop. And also game notes will be every Wednesday. So we're going to be coming at you guys in waves. Right. Like, we want to be the top of mind fresh topics, especially when there's the. The first two rounds, when there's all those series and all that hockey being played, kind of like March Madness. We're going to be coming at you. And by the time the conference finals begins we'll be back to one a week. And you know, at that point only that seems like only majority of the fan bases who are still involved are, are that engaged. So we don't want to be like overloading you with, with too much. So I think it's a great schedule. I'm fired up for it. We won't be dropping guests like, like long form guests on those pods, but we will probably be having like insiders and people who are really dialed into to what their series are like. If Vegas is making a little bit of a run and they're making some noise, we'll get Gary Lawless on or you know, maybe we get Strudwick from Edmonton. So we want to kind of keep the people who have the, the heartbeat and the pulse of, of what's going on in each series as well as us and, and a few of our inner circle guys coming in on twice a week as long with game notes on, on the YouTube channel. So I've been long winded but I think I did a pretty good job of breaking down how we're coming at you playoffs. We're revved up here. There's a lot going on, man. We might have rotten his revenge series in the west, but now with Dallas playing the way that they're playing, they might catch Winnipeg like this is. There's a lot of fucking big, big, big implications that are, are coming about. Especially with the fact that Mini sliding a little bit and then you have St. Louis, I mean franchise record 12 in a row guys. I think they played tonight or tomorrow for 13. It's fucking nuts.

[Whitney]

It's crazy. Two of the wins against Colorado, two who's been looking just phenomenal since the deadline. I think that that race to not have to play Colorado like Winnipeg, they don't wanna, they don't want that smoke again like for anything. Jets fans are like just, just keep us away from them for one round at least. Right? We have to hold on and win this division and then right, you're gonna get Minnesota or Calgary. You should be able to take care of them if you're Winnipeg, right? I would hope so. That would be just a, a colossal up if they end up losing one of those teams. Minnie has a six point lead on Calgary. Calgary does have two games in hand and they play Friday night this week. That could be an enormous game if Minnie can get things on the rails here. I'm sorry, if Mini. Yeah, if Mini can get things on the rails And Calgary can keep winning. That would be kind of exciting. But that's going to be a tough one. Biz, I do love the one thing about Monday and Fridays. Game notes will be live as always on Wednesdays, but Monday and Fridays we're gonna actually record around 8am hopefully have it out about 11 to noon that Monday and Friday just because biz is on TV for the post game shows till around 1:30 if that's with no overtime of the west coast games. So it's really difficult to come back and do that. So he's still going to be grinding.

[Mike]

Yeah, there will be some cases where, where we do get it out in the morning because there wasn't much the night before. Like there will be a few times though like, like, like, like Whit just said by the Monday or the Friday. We kind of tested this, this whole system when we were doing the the Four nations with recording at 8am and and then it's not that long of a pod because we're keeping top of mind twice a week where Fishy's able to edit it and get it out within a couple hours. So usually by noon as Whit mentioned. But Whit, I mean you can keep talking and talking and talking.

[Ryan Leonard]

I know.

[Mike]

I don't think I heard Edmonton one time here going on.

[Whitney]

We got to get everyone healthy. Skinner's skating full equipment. He's taking shots from Echolman, Kane. Two very key players who are injured. McDavid is out, Leon is out. So yes, LA. I mean three nothing win over the weekend in LA where they're unbeatable. That was not the Edmonton Oilers. Like listen, we're if, if everyone comes back and specifically if we get home ice against LA somehow I'm not worried if we are like talking about Echoln being really banged up and I don't know what's going on with Kane and Skinner isn't healthy. Like maybe it's just not the year. I'm not prepared to say Biz what I truly feel until we get true health breakdowns. Not that we'll get breakdowns, but health updates and our first game of the first rounds lineup.

[Mike]

Okay, so you think you can catch LA for home ice?

[Whitney]

You never know. Probably not, but you never know. And even if we don't, we just got to win one of those first two games on the road. On. On the road.

[Mike]

Where's your confidence level at from a percentage standpoint if they're going on the road? If I start that series, if we.

[Whitney]

Have Kane, McDavid Dry, Seidel, Ekholm and Skinner and net. I'm very confident. Still not as confident as last year where I was.

[Mike]

Can I get a number like a 60, 40.

[Whitney]

I was going to say 80, 20. Whoa. I mean last year was legitimately like a hundred zero but this year, yeah, la's different. Byfield's taken another step, Kemper's been awesome but it's still just like you don't have two players like we have and in a series that I keep saying it like you cannot match up offensively with us and you're going to have to win every single home game game, which I think we can get one of them. So I don't know what really kind.

[Grinelli]

Of Leon's is serious.

[Whitney]

I, I, I thought no. And, and then you know, he gets hurt again after he comes back and basically carries the team on their back to beat Calgary and scores 50th of the year and his 51st in overtime. But then to go out again, it's like fuck. Sometimes, you know, we talk about OV's goals like injuries and luck is half this battle. And right now it seems the whole season like no, that's the problem for me as an Oilers fan is never once, besides that like six week run in November, whenever it was, has this year seemed like stable with the Oilers. Like it's just been up and down and slumps and you know, McDavid didn't look like himself and then he like plays like 10 minutes after they won the game against USA and Boston when I kind of wanted him to rest a little. But right now they're not playing, they're resting. Granted it's because of injuries. Let's just hope they all come back healthy. Echo. Echolm is like just as, he's not as important as the other two obviously but like you need a healthy echo. He's there.

[Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Yeah, he's their horse.

[Grinelli]

So see I'd be more worried about rust with Ekholm and Kane. Like McDavid, obviously he, there's no rust in that guy's game. He could sit out for two years and come back and be amazing. But those other guys like not playing, you know, a lot of the year it's tough to come back in your first games of first round matchup against LA Kings on the road. It's the rust. The rust could be an issue for you guys which would suck too because at the end of the day when especially the first round you want to see two healthy teams playing and the best teams win. And you know that series we might not see it but, you know, I think they're going to have their hands cut out for them.

[Whitney]

Yeah, you're going in banged up. It's like you got no chance to.

[Mike]

Win it all the story. Worry about yourself. By the.

[Whitney]

You, you, you. You got to agree with me that it sucks. Sucks for Dylan Holloway to see that injury, man, because the way this guy's playing.

[Mike]

What came out though, it's. He could be ready to go for playoffs.

[Whitney]

No, nothing has come out yet. I think Elliott mentioned that, like, he's maybe not hearing like, great things. You know, that guy's all dialed in, but it's just more like, like, oh, to see this kid on the run like this. And then to have it be a knee where it looked like, you know, MCL.ish type.

[Mike]

That's what I thought it was. I mean, you said that speculating on here, it looked like it opened up on the inside. And. And I've done it before. And you just hope it's not acl. Then you're six months, eight months down.

[Whitney]

The road here taking a break from hockey biz. The man of the man of the Hour on YouTube. Another new show for biz away from the game that's peaking with Donnie. I mean, explain to us how this. This kind of came about besides your love of hiking and then how you two decided to team up together. I watched the first episode.

[Mike]

Everyone could check love of hiking.

[Whitney]

Bro.

[Grinelli]

All the time.

[Whitney]

You talk about hiking more than I talk about golf.

[Grinelli]

That's true, that's true.

[Mike]

Out of here.

[Grinelli]

That's true.

[Whitney]

I don't even play golf. And you're just hiking up camelback. Hiking up camelback.

[Mike]

Oh, like in the gross crime. Yeah, I'll like send it out. He got a good one in today, boys. Look at the sunset.

[Whitney]

Leave me alone. I'm hiking.

[Mike]

Hey, I'm trying to get away from my phone here, guy, but peeking. Great name for the show that Donnie and. And Corey thought of that, buddy. Donnie's one of the most interesting guys at barstool. He's lived all around the world. I think he lived in China for a few years. He's liked or he's hiked a a lot of amazing places and he posts his videos. So he just seems it's like such an intriguing guy and a guy who'd be a fun guy to go on a hike with. So I saw him posting videos of him going to base camp for Mount Everest. So I was asking him, like, oh, like, why'd you never hike the rest? And then I didn't Realize it's a hundred grand to do it. And it takes about three weeks to get to the top of Everest. You have to go up, go down. So. So just. Just from engaging in conversation with him via text, we kind of came up with the idea, like, hey, maybe doing like a hiking show would be a good time where we go and take some drugs and hike. A cool. A cool hike. This one was in a national park. I didn't realize that until we were done, but nobody. It was. It was kind of just an idea that came to be. And we filmed our pilot episode and it just dropped on YouTube and it was a blast. And I don't know if you had a chance to watch it, what your thoughts were, but that's kind of going to be what the. What the premise of the show is. And we're going to go on all these different adventures where we take in the. The place around us where we go. Like in this case it was Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, which I wouldn't necessarily recommend staying there very long. Kind of like a Ripley's Believe it or not, like Disney World with like, kind of like crackhead Disney World, I guess so, you know, a lot of mini putts, laser tag, this junk here, junk there. We did micro wrestling, which is midget wrestling, but you can't say anymore. So it's micro wrestling. And yeah, we just went on this crazy adventure. Hawked hiked the top to Mount La Conte and yeah, it was a. The most biodiverse. The most biodiverse national park. It has the most vegetation based on like everything it has to offer all the way to ups to its peak based on like the moisture and blah, blah, blah. So it was cool, it was fun. And check it out.

[Whitney]

All right, well, we're gonna throw it over right now to the wanton Don because we had a chat with him about his thoughts on peaking his career.

[Mike]

What were your thoughts? Did you have any questions to ask me or do you want to save?

[Whitney]

No, he was just so mangled. I kind of wanted to talk to him a little bit by the end and his Scooby Snacks and your guys drug use on your healthy hike that I was like, oh my God, this guy can't stop laughing. But I didn't know how like, difficult it was like, like, I guess you're this professional hiker who's worked.

[Mike]

I wouldn't say I'm a professional hiker.

[Whitney]

Were you like dying by the end of this? No, because he.

[Mike]

No, it was. It was a nice. It was a Nice workout. It was an 11 mile hike, five and a half up, which is great elevation. Yeah, it was a, it was a, it was a, it was a eight hour day. So it took about what, five, probably five hours to hike to the top. Obviously quicker on the way back, but no, it's a good, a good day's work and I like that it's a good day to get off your phone. You know, you just gotta pack some food, beautiful nature scenes. You. Sometimes you write and run into wildlife, but, but for me it's more about just kind of being in the present and getting out of the, the madness. And that's kind of why I gravitate towards it. I mean, look what we do for a living. So it's just a lot of technology, a lot of being on like even throughout the course of an NHL season, like remembering like, oh, who leading scorer is what this guy's doing, what this team's doing, who's playing who, like just your fucking brain becomes mush. And like getting out in nature kind of helps me kind of get a little bit of a reset. So. So that's why I did it. And the fact that this thing is going to take us to all these wonderful places that I would have never otherwise seen. Like, I, I hope to maybe by the end of this, maybe we do Everest. Like maybe we're. We're in a season 10 and we, we do it. Like I don't. Is it, is that that crazy?

[Whitney]

You'll be asking a Sherpa for like a deal if you give him some Chiclets merch. Can we cut this thing down to like 30?

[Mike]

That's. It's a lot of money. 100 grand.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Like even doing like two. Like what's. Maybe we're gonna, we're probably gonna do Jackson in the next season. We're trying to do like a 34 parter in the next season where we're gonna do Arizona, Utah, Jackson, Wyoming, something there and then do somewhere in B.C. and I think the idea would be to, in each season moving forward is do one episode with a guest so not, not overload it where like to me, my dream guest in bc if I could pick one for the next three. If that was their. Our next three episode series would be getting Trevor Linden to bring us on some insane hike in B.C. because he's a sick puppy. Like he'll go out in the wilderness and go like camp out and like he'll take a, he'll go off the beaten path where like not a lot of people are doing these hikes. Maybe there's like a, a, a chat, like a group chat that would talk about it. But he's doing, you know, he's doing bike rides that are probably, you know, 200 kilometers long. Like he'll go do a psycho bike ride. So he's quite the outdoorsman. And I feel like it would be a good feature from a hockey player perspective. But I don't necessarily think he cares about like doing Chiclets. He cares more about like oh, it's a, it's a non Chiclet show. It's a hiking show. Okay.

[Whitney]

Non hockey show show.

[Mike]

The non hockey show.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike]

So sometimes these guys want to get away from the game in that regard. So I was just throwing that name into the universe. Maybe he hears about it and it happens. And, and as these seasons progress, it would be fun to get outside of North America. Maybe we go to South America, go to Chile. Like, you know what's, what's another one? Argentina. Like they probably have amazing hiking there.

[Whitney]

Why they must, they must. No, I'm just like you're just figure when you fit this in your schedule. But.

[Mike]

Well, but that's, that's why I said I think it's, it would be cool to do three part seasons where I would do two of those in the summer and then one in the fall and then boom, our three would be captured and then maybe stay on the back end of the Olympics because he said he's been to a couple of the hikes in Italy. Wanton. And he said that over there there's some of the most beautiful hikes in the world. So since we're already over there, maybe you bang, bang three of them out in like a 10 day period and boom, you got the next season. So Wonton is an interesting guy. It's why we're getting him on the pod. Like he's been in a lot of crazy life situations. He likes drug use. I tend to like natural drug use, Scooby snacks and weeds. So I figured it was a good fit. And I want to thank Corey and I'm drawing a blank on the other kid who helped us edit. You will get his name because I think he's going to join us more and more moving forward. But to Corey and Wonton, it was a great experience and I hope you people enjoy the video and thank you guys for everything you put into it.

[Whitney]

Awesome. We're gonna throw it over right now to the Wonton don guys. It's wit and spitting. Chiclets is sponsored by BetterHelp let's talk numbers here for a minute. Traditional in person therapy can cost anywhere from 100 to 250 per session, which adds up fast. But with BetterHelp online therapy, you can save on average up to 50% per session. With BetterHelp, you pay a flat fee for weekly sessions, saving you big on cost and time. Therapy should feel accessible, not like a luxury. With online therapy, you get quality care at a price that makes sense and can help you with anything from anxiety to everyday stress. Your mental health is worth it and now it's within reach. If there's anything worth it, it's your mental health. Therapy has helped me in so many different ways. Whether it's stress from work, yes, sometimes we get stress from this job. Whether it's stress at home with your kids and trying to be the best possible parent you can be, but understanding that there's ups and there's downs and there's peaks and their valleys. It's easy to talk to somebody and get so many things off your chest that would be hard otherwise to maybe talk to a friend about or a spouse. Sometimes you need to be in private. You can be in your home, you can be on your computer and you can be talking to a better help therapist that can make the world of difference. You may not believe me. You may think I'm full of crap. No, I am telling you I have done this. It has helped me immensely and I promise it'll help you as well. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. It's convenient too. You can join a session with a click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life. Your well being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com Chiclets today to get 10 off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com Chiclets Guys, we got to talk about Game Time right now. Baseball is back. America's pastime. We're in it now. We are in it. Red Sox looks great, six and three through nine games. But baseball is where we're at in this time of the year and there's nothing like going to a baseball game, especially last minute. Lucky for me, I always use Game Time. The official ticketing partner of Barstool Sports. Game Time makes getting tickets faster and easier. Prices on the app actually go down the closer it gets to showtime. Plus, if you purchase a super deal when buying tickets on April 22, game time will plant a tree with the proceeds for Earth day. That's right. Game time's involved with the earth and the planet and building trees. I guess you can't build a tree, but you can grow them on earth day. So April 22nd, if you use tickets, if you use game time to buy tickets, they will plant a tree for proceeds going to earth day. Game notes is in St. Louis for the Frozen Four. They are using game time to go to the game. 200 tickets available to a very special Thursday night in St. Louis. Game notes boys will be there. You could put those savings back in your pocket from that you receive with game time and spend them at the ballpark on a hot dog, a new hat, or some good old fashioned cracker jack. What are you waiting for? I'm going to buy those red sox tickets right now with game time. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with game time. Download the game time app, create an account and use code Chiclets for $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code chiclet C H I C L E t s for $20 off. Download the gametime app today. What time is it? Game time. We are now joined by Paul Bissonnette's co star in a new series on YouTube peaking. This is biz's exit plan from chiclets. Donnie, you're it. You're the plan.

[Biz]

This is just what he's going to be doing, like during the off season.

[Whitney]

Okay. Okay. I love it. Yeah. You're saying one in the fall, two in the summer. I watched the first episode. Awesome content. I had a blast. I was laughing the whole time. So take us through how kind of biz came to you. Like, we'll get into your life story and your career on YouTube and how everything's come about. But for Peking, did biz reach out to you? How fired up were you when that happened?

[Biz]

Yeah, Biz reached out and was just like, yo, I saw you went to Everest base camp. Why didn't you climb Everest? And I had to explain to him that it's actually expensive to climb Everest. Like, the cheapest you can do it for is 40k. Some people pay over a hundred k. And also, I was in no shape to be climbing Everest. I was just, I was just happy to get to base camp. But then I was like, did you catch the hiking bug or something? And apparently he did. And he was like, I would love to bang out some hikes and film it with you.

[Mike]

Hey, didn't you see Koval, Chuck's wife at Base camp of Everest.

[Biz]

Yeah, I did the whole base camp hike with Koval, Chuck's wife.

[Grinelli]

How did you.

[Mike]

How did you learn that it was her?

[Biz]

How did that come up? I think someone else on the hike was like, oh, did you know she's married to Kovalchuk? And like. And that wasn't her first big hike. Kovalchuk's wife has hiked the tallest mountain on every continent.

[Whitney]

So she finished. She went and finished Everest. She didn't stop Biz.

[Grinelli]

She's married.

[Biz]

Yes, she went. She went and finished Everest. And like, I'm pretty sure she crushed it.

[Whitney]

What was the hike to get to base camp?

[Mike]

You're an idiot.

[Biz]

Yeah, that's like a seven day hike, something like that. And you have to take a.

[Mike]

To get to the base camp.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Holy.

[Biz]

We took a helicopter and so that knocked off like a day or two.

[Whitney]

But it was like, that is. That's the hike I'll do with you guys.

[Grinelli]

Wait, I'll do that with you.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

I hiked Everest. I was in a chopper.

[Mike]

What do you mean you took a chopper to like, like a certain elevation, got dropped off, and then you hiked to base camp. And how high is base camp?

[Biz]

Base camp is like 20,000ft, I think, or something.

[Grinelli]

Wow.

[Whitney]

How much more is there to go it then?

[Biz]

Like, once you're at base camp, it then takes another month or something to get to Everest because you got to keep hiking up and then hiking back down to get used to the altitude.

[Mike]

You get. You get acclimated, right? Is that the word? Acclimated?

[Biz]

Boom. Acclimatized.

[Whitney]

So, Donnie, like, what is the price? Like, is it to pay the Sherpa?

[Biz]

Yeah, paying the Sherpas. Paying for your accommodation up at base camp because you're living there for a while. I hiked up to base camp with the guy. Have you ever seen that movie thirteen Peaks or something? Biz. I know. I was talking to you about it. It's on Netflix. Nims. And he's like. He's become world famous.

[Grinelli]

Savage.

[Mike]

Wait, I told. I told you about this. When I watched it. I came on the podcast and mentioned. I did. And how inspiring it was. And mind you, this guy, he was in the army or Navy. Like, he's got a British military, I.

[Grinelli]

Think he was in. Right?

[Biz]

Yeah, he was in the Gurkhas, which even though it's like the Nepalese special forces, they're also. They, like work with the British military. They have like a special relationship with the British military. They're known to be the biggest badasses.

[Grinelli]

Like in the world, the British SAS is the most hardcore.

[Mike]

He's also got an insane VO2 as well. Like, it just. That just so happened to be a little bit more natural for him. So he ended up crushing those 13 peaks, which, if you watch the documentary, like the fact that he. It seems like punishment. In that case, at least we need to go do one and then escape it a little bit and go back to reality. Donnie.

[Biz]

Yeah, and I mean, we just did a, a one day hike. I think the next step is us doing a hike where we have to camp one day on the trail.

[Mike]

So why don't we get into your. Your past too? Like, you're an interesting guy. Like, the reason I wanted to do it with you specifically is because you've had and been on a lot of adventures. Now where were you born and like when did you start traveling the world as much as you have in. In at least your heydays?

[Biz]

I grew up in the town right next to Witness Cohasset, Massachusetts.

[Grinelli]

Really?

[Biz]

Yeah, A pretty sheltered existence there. My parents took me on a few trips growing up, but I think it was in college all my friends were going abroad to like Spain, Australia. And I was like, I want to go somewhere that I'll probably never go to again. So I went abroad to Botswana. Botswana, Africa. And that's where I kind of caught the traveling bug. Because you realize, like, no matter where you are, people are the same. Like, we stayed with a host family at one point in this village, and my friend's host family was just a 22 year old pothead. And so we would just like go over to his little hut and like smoke weed and play cards. And I was like, this is what I'd be doing if I was back in the US But I'm in a random village in Botswana.

[Whitney]

How's the Botswana weed?

[Biz]

It's actually great. I mean, it's, it's bad. But I think weed these days is too good. So it was nice. It was solid mids.

[Whitney]

So right when you did that or I guess at what point did you realize, like, I kind of want to do this for a living. And, and was YouTube like the idea from the beginning, like, I can just chronicle everything, make my own channel. Because you had a big following before you were even with Barstool.

[Mike]

And we got to remind people, Donnie, before, before we move forward, the. The peaking video is on your channel, which is what, on YouTube?

[Biz]

The wanton don on YouTube.

[Mike]

Okay, there you go.

[Biz]

No, like YouTube and traveling for a living was not really the plan. I graduated from college, and I had, like, no idea what I wanted to do, and I.

[Whitney]

That's a panic. Yeah, that must be a panic. I think it is.

[Biz]

And I had a friend that had gone abroad to Shanghai, China, and then he had just, like, moved back out there, and he was like, just come out here for a year. You can get a teaching job right off the bat. And then on your weekends and holidays, you could, like, travel to Thailand, Southeast Asia. So I was like, all right, I'm just gonna do that for 10 months while I figure out what I want to do with my life. And, like, those 10 months turned into almost eight years in China. But my buddy who convinced me to move out there, he knew how to film and do some video editing. Video editing. Because I didn't know how to do any of that. And once I saw how hilarious a place China was, because, like, when I was out there, it was adult Disney World, especially for expats. Like, people think, oh, China, they're, like, super strict. That had to be really scary. But there was, like, from 2010 to 2016 in Shanghai, like, if you were a foreigner, not, like, a local Chinese, they, like, didn't care what you did. You could just do, like, whatever you wanted.

[Mike]

Can you give us examples why?

[Whitney]

Like, I don't even get that. They were just like, whatever. They're not our citizens, so we don't care.

[Biz]

Yeah, they're like, that's above my pay grade. They're like, I'm not getting paid to deal with these foreigners. Like, I don't know. At one point, I brought, like, a keg onto a traffic island in China and just, like, post it up. It had, like, palm trees. And I was like, yeah, this is my own private island in the middle of the city. And we just posted up and crushed a keg out there. I was able to sneak ringside out of Manny Pacquiao fight in Macau, which is like. Like, the Asian Las Vegas. And I was. I was wearing a green suit, and I kind of just like, if you just acted like you were supposed to be there, they, like, no one would really tell you to leave. So I just kind of like. Like, I started off in the nosebleeds, and then I just kept on, like, making my way closer and closer and, like, walking around like, I was, like, a vip, which I wasn't. And finally, I was just, like, crouched, I think, in front of Pacquiao's wife and family, just watching the match and.

[Grinelli]

With Cold Chuck's wife.

[Biz]

Yeah. And if you're watching the HBO feed of that fight. Like at the end when after the fight they're interviewing Manny Pacquiao and you see me in a green suit just pop up in the background.

[Mike]

What about the food over there? Like, isn't that part of your series where you just eat the grossest.

[Biz]

When I first started working for Barstool, so, so I was making videos over there. Barstool shared the first two videos I ever made. The. The first was I was teaching kindergarten and I just asked him, I was like, can I bring in someone to film my class to like build my portfolio? And I was teaching them like, Yankees suck. We love Kevin Garnett. Like Derek Cheetah sucks. And Barstool shared that Portnoy didn't believe that I was actually in China. He was like, he just filmed this in Boston's Chinatown. But no, I was indeed actually in China. And then I filmed another game at a. A video at a Shanghai shocks game, which is their basketball team. And I was just going nuts pretending like I was just if, like, if you put a die hard alcoholic Celtics fan at a Chinese basketball game and going nuts, like I, I danced on the court and stuff and like Barstool shared that and they did.

[Whitney]

The Sharks love you. Like the organization liked you, right? You were, or.

[Biz]

No, no, not at first. I. I was actually like public enemy number one for a while.

[Mike]

Get the of of this basketball organization.

[Biz]

Yeah. After I ran on the court and danced with the cheerleaders, they were like, we need to get this guy out of here. So I filmed a video. If you search the Shark night, it was me just sneaking into the basketball arena, like wearing different disguises. I dressed up and then I eventually dressed up like a woman and. But then they saw that video and they were like, oh, actually, you know what? This guy could be good for the Sharks. And so the following season, they gave me like courtside seats for the whole season.

[Mike]

Wow. Moving on up, eh?

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Grinelli]

Was it. Was it over there that you got your nickname, the Wonton dawn in China?

[Biz]

Yes. I had made this like a rap song with a friend and they're like, what are you gonna call yourself? And I had no idea. And like in the vids I was calling, I would like all my vids were Donnie does blank. And then my buddy was like, what about the Wonton Don? That sounds good. You know, Kanye west was the Louis Vuitton don. Rick Ross was the Teflon don. So yeah, I went with the Wonton don and that stuck.

[Mike]

I thought I had probably eating a lot of noodles. Over there.

[Biz]

Oh, well, I also, I'm a crab rangoon chef. I make a mean crab rang soon.

[Grinelli]

So I have seen that.

[Biz]

Yeah. So those are wrapped in wonton wrappers.

[Whitney]

So. So for people who don't know, this is actually the second time the wonton dawn has been on Spitting Chiclets. He was a guest episode 55 years ago discussing his. Discussing his trip to Russia to watch Yipper's team, the Kunlun Red Stars. So I don't know if you have any memories of kind of your trip to Russia, what you thought of the country. Like, like, did you do a lot of traveling there?

[Biz]

No, I would say out of all my trips, that was the least fun. Like, so I. I had met Brandon Yip because. So I think Gaz put us in touch. And he was like, yo, this. This dude is like moving out to Shanghai to play in their. The KHL expansion team in China. And so I hung out with. Yep, a few times. He was a beaut. Like, he would get tables at the club and invite me and stuff. I think he was having a blast out there. But he was like, yo, we're flying to Moscow soon to play the Red army team. That's what, like one of the teams in Moscow is called the Red Army. And I, and I pitched it to Dave. I sent an email like, hey, can I fly to Moscow and film a video about this? He was like, yeah, sure. And, yeah, I went with a camera guy I didn't really know. And then I had a fixer there who is this Canadian hockey journalist that was living in Russia. And I knew I was in trouble when I showed up. And he was like, so what do you want to do? I was like, I'd be down to try some, like, local Russian food. And he just brought me to a Hooters because he had a crush on one of the girls at Hooters. Like, he, he did not care about me at all. He's like, I'm just gonna do what I'm gonna do. And then when I arrived, I learned that, like, yep, couldn't even play in the game because he had checked some guy in the nuts in a previous game and got like a, a three game suspension. And so I was kind of just. I was in Russia, I didn't know anybody. It was the middle of the winter. And like, Russians, once you get to know them, they can be friendly, but they're not, like, you know, really smiley.

[Mike]

They're not warm and fuzzy.

[Biz]

No, no, they're not warm and fuzzy. So I just spent a Lot of time, like, alone, drinking vodka on that trip. But yeah, I do remember hopping on Chiclets. That also wasn't the first time I've filmed some content with Chiclets. I was invited on a fishing trip out of.

[Mike]

Oh, I lost two minutes.

[Biz]

I know. And so I was like, I was excited to hang out with Biz, film some content with him. We show up, we film the intro, and then we hop on the boat. And Biz is immediately like, I'm seasick. And he just goes in the cabin and sleeps the rest of the fishing.

[Mike]

I was hurting. Dude, where was this RA Was an RA Mode that day.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Mike]

And then I remember Nelly was there too. I think you guys caught one fish.

[Biz]

Yeah, we caught one fish. We drank a lot of pink Whitney. And then we got back on the shore. We went to like legal seafoods or something. You got mobbed by fans and you were like, all right, I'm going home. I'm going to bed. I was like, all right, yeah. Yep, let's do a show together.

[Grinelli]

How long did you say that the hike took you guys? And when you guys were in Tennessee.

[Biz]

It was a full. We, we. We started the hike at 9 and we got back at 5pm so it was an. It was an eight hour hike.

[Grinelli]

Do you think it could have been cut down if, like, Biz didn't talk to every single person that walked by or like, you know, had to look at every single tree?

[Mike]

Why the head like that? Like, you, you, you. I was faster than you and Corey. I was buzzing as far as the hike.

[Whitney]

Well, Corey had 14 knee braces on, so obviously you're gonna beat him.

[Mike]

Yeah, he.

[Biz]

And also we cut this part from the episode. But like, Biz was like making drug jokes with everybody who walked by too. There'd be like a 60 year old, like lady on the trail. And he was like, oh, we didn't have room for the cameras in the bag because of all the narcotics we got. And I'm like, dude, you don't have to be making narcotics jokes with these like 60 year olds.

[Whitney]

How incredible is it when you're like talking to Biz, but then he just like doesn't answer when he's on his phone. You're just like, did you have any moments like that?

[Biz]

Well, that was one of the reasons he wanted to start hiking. He's like, hiking helps me get off the phone. So I think he was doing a pretty good job of staying off his phone on the trail.

[Whitney]

Nice.

[Mike]

What are some other crazy. What are your craziest Adventures throughout your time. Like, you were obviously hired by Barstool at a certain point. I don't know if I ever got clarification. Like, you kind of like, like, at what point did they make you full time when you were over there and what other countries that are bring you to? Because I saw when you joined like a, like a football team in Nigeria, like there's some wacky that you've done.

[Grinelli]

Uganda, Billy.

[Biz]

Yeah, that, that was definitely one of the wildest trips I did. Me and Billy went and coached football in Uganda. But so Barstool shared my first two vids and I was like, oh, maybe you know, this like YouTube career has legs. But then they didn't share a single vid for the next like three years. And you know, some of my vids were getting like a thousand views and I was like, all right, maybe I'll have to find a real job. And then like they shared a few more vids after that, but. And like I was talking to Dave at one point about a full time job, but it never amounted to anything. So yeah, at one point I did move back to the US and I tried to start a Suzy business. Half suit, half jersey, all class. It was these like it.

[Whitney]

Can't believe that didn't make it.

[Biz]

Yeah, that didn't make it. But I got like official licensing with Clemson University and I like moved to Clemson. I tried to like sell these kind of like sports jacket sports jersey hybrids for a bit that did not take off. And that's right around the time that Barstool got their first outside investment and they all moved to New York. So I knew they'd be looking to like hire some more people. And they had the first season of Barstool Idol and so I signed up for that just to get back in front of Dave and, and pitch him a bunch of ideas. And thankfully they were like, okay, we already know who you are. We've shared your videos in the past. So you don't even have to do this full competition. You can just have a job right now on the spot.

[Mike]

Wow.

[Biz]

And so, yeah, that. So I moved back out to China and started cranking out vids again.

[Whitney]

Give me like, what's the weirdest food that like you've eaten that you would actually recommend?

[Biz]

I got one for you. Raw horse. Oh, hopefully Portnoy does not hear this.

[Mike]

Oh, what? Yeah. What? You ate a horse?

[Biz]

Yeah. In Japan they, they serve raw horse kind of like sashimi style. And it was fantastic. It was good.

[Grinelli]

Really?

[Whitney]

Yeah, like dip dipped in any sauce or Anything.

[Biz]

Yeah, I think I put a little soy sauce on it.

[Whitney]

Okay. Okay.

[Biz]

Yeah, it's. It's kind of like steak tartar a bit. Or like steak carpaccio. But that was good.

[Whitney]

Girls has told all of us Japan is the best place he's ever been. He said it's the cleanest, like, most incredible food. Like, he just, just raves about it. My brother actually went on his honeymoon there. Same thing. Like, is Japan that. That desirable of a trip for one of us someday?

[Biz]

Yeah, I would say it's my favorite place to eat and drink in the world. Like, wow. You don't even have to plan much. Just walking around the city, trying different food, trying different cocktails. They're all about their like highball cocktails, which are just whiskey sodas, but they're so much better in Japan. Yeah. So I think it's definitely worth a trip.

[Whitney]

Nice.

[Mike]

What's the worst thing you've ever eaten? Like you, you said the bet. The. The most surprising thing. Like, what are like a top three or top five of like, oh, I had it and like I got sick from it.

[Biz]

That would be balut. It's served in the Philippines. And it's. It, it looks like an egg, but it's like an egg that they let like halfway develop into a chicken. So it's just like, oh, so you crack open the egg.

[Whitney]

I might get canceled, boys.

[Biz]

You crack open the egg and then you're like, wait, was that a beak? Was that a feather?

[Whitney]

So it's like, oh, it's like, no.

[Mike]

Dude, it's like you just put it down the hatch.

[Biz]

Yeah. You're pouring a little.

[Whitney]

No pun intended.

[Biz]

And put it down the hatch. Yeah, that was not good. I was dry even. You might even get like a half developed.

[Mike]

Why do they do it like they like it? It tastes good to them.

[Biz]

Them, apparently.

[Grinelli]

Why did you try it?

[Biz]

Because that's what they eat there. Because. So I started a show when I started working for barstool called Whoa, that's weird. Where I would just try the weirdest food I could find.

[Whitney]

And you puked when you had that or dry heat.

[Biz]

Yeah, dry heaved a bunch. I don't think I fully puked.

[Whitney]

Give me any stories about maybe some like, close calls. Like, like I, I have to assume with what you were doing, like there was a chance you ended up in, in a foreign prison. Like, I don't know if that's true or if there have been no really run ins with the law. Like, how is that gone?

[Biz]

I had a bunch of run ins with the law in China. But like, Chinese police were a joke back then at least. Like, I was actually brought to the police department after I danced on the court at a Chinese basketball game. And they like, sat me down. And then I just explained to them, I was like, oh, I didn't know that that was a rule here. Like, in America we're allowed to dance on the court. And they were like, oh, okay. And then they, they just checked my visa to see that I was in China legally and let me go. Yeah, like, I got in trouble. I snuck into a Rolling Stones concert in China once. I made like a fake press pass so I was actually under.

[Mike]

You're kind of like Pasha sneaking in all these places.

[Biz]

I guess so. And I had snuck underneath the stage of the Rolling Stones concert and their head of security, who was a guy from the US Caught me me. And he freaked out. He was like, I was holding a briefcase. So it did look very shady. Like I was underneath the stage. He's like, what is this guy doing? He like drags me by the collar into a back room. And he was like, you are, buddy. Like, this does not look good for you. You know what I'm going to do to you? I'm handing you over to the Chinese authorities. And then they hand me over to the Chinese authorities and they don't really know what to do with me. Like, they barely speak English. So, like, they bring me to the police department and like, they make me write a note what I did wrong, which they can't even read. So I, I felt like I was back in like third grade. I was like, I. Rolling Stones are my favorite band. So I made a fake press pass. I'm very sorry, I shouldn't have done that. And then they like, look at the note. They're like, all right, whatever, you can leave.

[Grinelli]

I. I had a. I mean, you seem like an idea guy and, you know, throwing at the wall, see if it sticks his. Has there ever been like, you know, an idea that you thought was going to be amazing and flopped or one that you didn't think was going to be great and it just, it was a home run for you?

[Biz]

I would say most of my ideas have worked out. Maybe the Russia trip wasn't as, like, I thought I was going to make like a six part series about traveling to Russia. I ended up just releasing one video. So that, like, that trip didn't work out as well as I thought it would. But. But I've been pretty lucky. Like, most recently, I had the idea to bring like, White Sox Dave to get a hair transplant in Turkey. And then that, like, snowballed into, like, four other barstool employees and then nine barstool fans coming with me. And I was like, this could go off the rails. Like, I don't know.

[Mike]

What was the name of that bald stool?

[Biz]

Thank you for the shout out on the unnamed show, Whitney.

[Whitney]

Yeah, of course. Typical miserable port noise. Like, what the fuck are we doing fucking sending these guys there? And Donnie texted me. He's like, dude, this is, like, going great. Like, the content's awesome. And I figured it would be.

[Biz]

And it didn't cost the company anything because they. They covered the. We got them to, like, sponsor all of our flights and the hair transplants and as well as pay bar still on top of that.

[Mike]

How are the results?

[Biz]

How are the results? We got to wait, like, a full nine months to see the full results, but I think White Sox Dave is starting to look better, unfortunately.

[Whitney]

He looked great. Once he shaved his head prior to the surgery. It's like, dude.

[Mike]

Yeah, he looked like Jason State.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

A challenge. Jason Statham, I would say.

[Biz]

I still haven't released the content from this, but I also traveled to India right before I. I had a kid. I went from the bald stole trip to India because I've always wanted to go there, see it firsthand. And it was. I mean, that country is intense. I mean, it makes. It makes China look like a clean, like, calm town in comparison. Like, you go to India, really, it's just chaos.

[Mike]

Eh? Like, just too many people.

[Biz]

Too many people. Too much trash everywhere. Oh, so loud. It. It's. It's insane. But I got some vlogs from that trip coming out, but. And like, one thing I wanted to film there was slum golf. I, Like, I. I saw a YouTube video about these. These guys in India, and they play golf in the slums. And so I. I reached out to him, and he was like, all right, but, like, you're gonna have to pay me because I gotta get all my boys to play golf with me, and I gotta, like, pay off the slum to make sure it's okay to film. He charged me 360 bucks, which isn't a lot in the U.S. but that's probably like, a couple months. Like, that's probably, like, three months salary over there. And then, like, we show up, and I thought he was gonna have like, a full, like, course, like, throughout the slum. He just had these, like, two holes, and they weren't even holes. They were just little, like, potholes in in the slum. He didn't. Like, he showed up with his two sons. And then we. We play. We play. The two rounds we played, he had, Yeah, I think three holes total. Each hole was maybe 20 yards long. And then he's like, all right, you can pay me now. We're done. So I. I thought that video was going to go a lot better.

[Whitney]

Is it safe to say, like, India or Russia would be the answer to a place you'd back that you're like, I'm all set.

[Biz]

Yeah. I mean, never say never. India is a big country. I was just in their two largest cities. Maybe if I went to a more like, rural part of the country, I would enjoy it more. But, yeah, I would. I would say that's the answer.

[Grinelli]

Would you rather go back to India or order breakfast with biz again?

[Biz]

I mean, it was. It was fun, like, watching biz just ruin this waitress's day. So, yeah, it was crazy.

[Whitney]

But, like, that's funny for us.

[Grinelli]

Make your own breakfast.

[Whitney]

We've, like, seen that so often of, like, just, like, making his own menu. You must have been like, what the is this guy doing right now?

[Mike]

Well, I was a little. Just shell shocked at the fact that Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg had the worst restaurants I've ever seen in my life.

[Biz]

No, that was tough, too. The night before, we're just trying to find a place to eat and business. Walking up to all these random people on the street, being like, say if you were trying to take your wife out on, like, an anniversary dinner, where would you go? And the guy's like, I'm not bringing my wife here on an anniversary.

[Mike]

Yeah, exactly.

[Grinelli]

Michelin star restaurants here. I killed my wife and then wife and my sister.

[Biz]

Yeah. And with the breakfast order, like, I knew we were in trouble as soon as we show up and he's like, how's your coffee? I mean, mean, it's like it's a pancake hut. You know that the coffee's gonna be.

[Mike]

A nice Americano or something. Americano.

[Whitney]

Americano at Denny's.

[Biz]

Yeah. And then asking about the fresh squeezed orange juice. And that was before we even got into the order. The only thing that I got pushed back on is I was giving you a hard time for ordering the eggs over medium. And some people were like, oh, no, that's actually. You can order eggs over medium. I don't know. I've never done it.

[Mike]

Yeah, well, you're a rookie.

[Whitney]

We're getting word or getting a 10.

[Mike]

Out of 10 pizza joint.

[Whitney]

I'm getting word on the chat here that says, I think Donnie filmed a video recently in Mexico about the origins of psychedelic mushrooms. Is that true?

[Biz]

I have. That video still needs to come out. I haven't put it together.

[Mike]

How come I never got the invite?

[Biz]

I assumed you'd be busy. That was before I got the text about hiking him.

[Mike]

Well, let's hear about this part. And then I want to get your feeling on where you think we should travel to next. I mentioned it before you hopped on, but I want to hear about this. Tripping balls in Mexico.

[Biz]

So that's the thing. I think I was probably tripping more balls on our hike than I did in Mexico. But I went to this town that first introduced the western world. Two shrooms. This dude, Gordon Wassan, he was a VP at JP Morgan. And then in his spare time he was a mycologist, a like mushroom scientist as, as a hobby. And he heard about this was in the 1950s. He heard about a tribe that used mushrooms in religious rituals. So he went down, participated in the rituals with this shaman called Maria Sabina. And then he went back to the US and wrote an article for Life magazine called like the, the Hunt for the Magic Mushroom. And that's how everybody in the western world found out about magic mushrooms. And then like, everybody started to go down to this town. Like apparently the Beatles went down. Bob Dylan. And so I knew a guy that was leading a group down there to do a mushroom ritual with Maria Sabina's great grandson. And I went, I participated in the ritual, the ceremony. A little disappointed in kind of like not. It was, it was a very cool experience, I would say. I wasn't, wasn't feeling the shrooms too heavy, maybe should have done some more. But I, I, I am working on that, like, mini documentary which I'll put out soon enough.

[Mike]

Where do you think we should head to next? I, I mentioned Az, Utah. I mentioned Jackson. I mentioned bc. I mentioned having a special guest each season. You guys, they said we should get, try to get Chara, who's a machine when it comes to like the, you know, the wilderness and, and, and really anything. Like he does triathlons, Iron Mans. So who, who would be your dream guests? And, and where do you want to travel to? Even around the world.

[Biz]

So one part of the world I've never been to is the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia. And like, I know you know your way around those parts very well. So I think filming an episode in the Vancouver area would be awesome. Jackson, Wyoming. I mean, one thing I learned from this trip is Biz has properties like. Like all over the country.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Biz]

Yeah, it was exactly a very funny moment.

[Mike]

Anywhere I travel to, I want to buy a place there.

[Biz]

It was that Biz. I was asking Biz about Big Deal Brewing, and I was like, oh, is. Is that still around? And Biz was like, no, they discontinued it. And he was like, sometimes you have to take an L. And I was like, biz, I don't think Big Deal Brewing was. Was an L. You guys got to release your own beer. You probably made some money. And, like, an L to Biz would be just like a win for pretty much anyone else.

[Mike]

Well, I mean, you have bigger aspirations than.

[Whitney]

It's like, I didn't think smash a rocket yesterday. L.

[Mike]

You guys are fucked.

[Biz]

So, yeah, I mean, you have a property in Jackson, Wyoming. That place looks.

[Mike]

I just have a piece of dirt. I think it'd be fun to go, like, camp out on it and, like, bring. Maybe even bring one of those silver bullets, like the. The. Like those. I don't know what you call them. The ones that you put on the back.

[Ryan Leonard]

Original.

[Mike]

Yeah, no, like the. They got those, like the thing that looks like a can, like, with a. It's a trailer.

[Whitney]

Winnebago.

[Mike]

Yeah, like something like that.

[Whitney]

Donnie, if you. If you were given, I don't know, an enormous budget, say, like, as much as you could ever ask for, where would you go back to film a piece of content? Like, what's one place with, like, kind of unlimited resources? You'd be like, I think I could make a banger of a video.

[Mike]

Yeah. Where are we going, dog?

[Biz]

I mean, I definitely want to end this peaking series. Or not end it, but have, like, one big fanatic valley. Be me and you climbing Mount Tanzania, the tallest mountain in Africa.

[Mike]

Have you ever done it?

[Biz]

No, I haven't done it. Chris Long, NFL player, he, like, hikes it once every few years for his charity. And he was like, we would love to have you in Biz on the hike.

[Mike]

Wow, that would be huge.

[Biz]

And that hike, unlike Everest, which takes a month, like, you can climb that in a week. So I think that is doable.

[Mike]

Do you think that we could maybe even, like, go to Everest? Like, is that even a thing? Like, would you do that?

[Biz]

I mean, if we had an insane budget, I. Yeah, I guess it's. It's not one of those things where I'm like, I need to climb Everest before I die. But, I mean, it would be. It would be insane. Content. I think you could do Everest. I think you're a maniac you could probably push through, do it with minimal.

[Mike]

I ain't doing it without you, buddy. You're my partner in this series. Peeking.

[Biz]

So great.

[Mike]

I'm excited to have you and you're a blast to hang out with, your world of knowledge.

[Whitney]

I got one last question, and I know you're a married man, a new father, but yeah, single guys listening. Where are the most beautiful women in the world of the places you've traveled?

[Biz]

Okay.

[Mike]

Thailand. But they're dudes.

[Ryan Leonard]

Thailand.

[Biz]

I did have a friend who was down in Thailand. He was getting blown by someone he thought was a chick. And then he.

[Mike]

Nice.

[Biz]

Reached up to feel her tits and it was just a chest.

[Mike]

Oh, nice.

[Biz]

It was just a chest. So you got to be careful in Thailand. They got some good looking lady boys.

[Whitney]

Oh, God.

[Biz]

Over there. Let's see. So, I mean, I haven't been there. My friend swears that Lebanese chicks are the hottest.

[Whitney]

I don't even know where that is.

[Mike]

Me neither.

[Biz]

Okay.

[Grinelli]

Lebanon.

[Biz]

Lebanon.

[Whitney]

I know. Where is Lebanon?

[Biz]

The Middle East. It's like a little bit below Syria. So I, I went to the World cup and I went to a USA versus Iran match. And the Iranian woman were beautiful, so I would say like Persian woman. Oh, yeah. I guess like when they live in Iran, most of the time I think they have to cover up, but because they were at the World cup, they, they didn't have to.

[Whitney]

And I was like, wow, so you were in Qatar?

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Were you allowed? Like, wasn't it like you couldn't drink there or something or was that kind of nonsense?

[Biz]

There was a bunch of hotel bars where you could drink and they also had some fan zones. But like a week before the games, like three days before the games, they were going to sell beers outside of all of the venues and they, they banned that right before. So you would get really drunk before the matches and then by halftime you would just be brutally hungover drinking Bud Zeros to try to like trick your brain into, into thinking you have a buzz.

[Mike]

I actually got one last one. Who would be your dream guest.

[Biz]

You know who I saw was doing some hiking and losing weight. Jelly roll.

[Mike]

Oh, yeah, that would be cool. Yeah, you'd have to go back to Tennessee.

[Biz]

Yeah, you're right. But yeah, I saw he's been like, trying, trying to get out there and bang out some hikes to lose weight.

[Whitney]

If he went with you two, you guys would end up like, he'd be. He'd fall off the wagon after a couple days with you two. The whole country music world Would hate you. You.

[Grinelli]

I think bringing wit would be amazing.

[Ryan Leonard]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

For the helicopter trip.

[Biz]

I mean, like, Whit, are you much of a hiker? I was thinking we could hike blue hills with you.

[Mike]

No, we ain't doing.

[Grinelli]

He likes blue hills.

[Whitney]

I love. I do blue hills all the time.

[Mike]

I do a 30 second video, Donnie.

[Whitney]

I do. I do 800 foot hikes on the Peloton three days a week.

[Biz]

Doesn't that get a little boring, though? Because that's the thing. I have a peloton as well, but I like. It's not the same as being outside.

[Whitney]

Beyond boring. Beyond boring. I would love to do something with you guys. It just depends on, like, the scale we're talking here, right?

[Biz]

Yeah. Like, would you ever camp out for a night?

[Whitney]

No.

[Biz]

Okay. All right.

[Whitney]

Unless you guys are throwing a bag at me to get me in the series, we're doing a one night rule.

[Mike]

One night rule for. For season one. Maybe by season two, we'll go two nights. But. But I feel like that's a good progression. Season one, one night out.

[Whitney]

I'd start with one night, Donnie. Second night, he'll be humping you in the frigging tent.

[Biz]

Yeah, I mean, I. He was. He was teaching me how to squat and he was. He was getting a little handsy.

[Mike]

He had some don.

[Whitney]

We appreciate it, buddy. The wanton dawn, everyone. Check him out on YouTube. Check out Peing and all your past videos. We appreciate you coming on, buddy. Great job with everything you're doing.

[Mike]

We pe. We peeking.

[Whitney]

That was.

[Mike]

We go to the top and we won't stop. We peeking.

[Biz]

All right.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Biz]

Maybe we'll release an accompanying music video next. Next episode.

[Mike]

I would do 1100 with you. Donnie, move your head. Show everybody the logo. Unreal logo.

[Biz]

Shout out Francis Berry on the logo design.

[Grinelli]

Dude, that. That looks like a north face. Oh, looks like it should be like a north face. It's unreal. That's an unbelievable design. Unreal.

[Biz]

Also, it took bizarre was like two days to even realize that peaking was a double entendre and actually was like a reference to peeking as well. We peeking, but thanks. I think you guys taught him what the word foliage means.

[Mike]

So that's wit where it got me. Okay.

[Biz]

Nice.

[Mike]

Yeah. Well, not bad for a French Canadian kid from, well, in Ontario. Broading. Broadening my horizon not only in. In vocabulary, but also in the world of hiking. So thank you so much. Donnie. You're a world of knowledge, and I can't wait to continue this series with you. If we get sponsored.

[Biz]

Guatemala. I want to go I want to go to with you. There's a hike and up top the hike, you get to watch an active volcano spew out lava. So.

[Whitney]

Oh. This episode of Spit and Chicklet is brought to you by Body Armor Flash iv. Body Armor Flash IV is packed with electrolytes and provides faster and and longer lasting hydration with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or dyes. If you're watching right now on YouTube you can see Granelli. The man lives for Flash IV. He crushes them all day long. He was at a bachelor party in Scottsdale. G how many flash IVs did you have on the way home?

[Donnie]

Oh my God.

[Grinelli]

It's, it's.

[Whitney]

You need them.

[Donnie]

Best part, you can travel with these ones which is incredible. But I always bring my sturdy go to right when I walked in the door, Alana had one waiting for me.

[Whitney]

And that's why they're amazing to drink because of the flavors. Great tasting flavors. They got strawberry kiwi, they got tropical punch. Body Armor Flash IV gives your body the rehydration it needs to recover. Any single time I wake up feeling a little tired. Maybe you pee and you see it's a little bit yellow. I'm a little bit dehydrated. Bang. Body Armor Flash iv, Strawberry kiwi right down your right in your mouth all the way to feeling, feeling perfectly hydrated again. And right now you can get yours at a local 711 or on Amazon. Go to a local 711 or get on the Amazon app on your phone and order some Body Armor Flash IV to you and feel better today. Thank you so much. The wanton Don an interesting, interesting career story and person. I think it's very easy to say that that guy's a beauty biz. Great content with him. Guys. I think that Gabriel Landiscog might have really been laughing at us as we talked him about possibly coming on throughout the playoffs to talk about the the Stanley cup playoffs and what teams were going through different storylines because it looks like there's a chance that he's going to be back. And Adrian Dater at Puckpedia, he said that Landiscog can agree to a three game conditioning stint with the Colorado Eagles and it won. Won't count against the cap for the Aves. I'm hearing that this is likely. This is so he can play before the playoffs. Obviously with the cap and his cap hit there'd have to be some serious gymnastics to figure out a way to get him in the lineup before the cap is doesn't exist when the playoffs Begin he goes get some games, but even watching the clips that are released online, he looks different than he has at any point prior. So, so happy for him, man. Everyone heard the interview. Everyone's seen, I hope all the. The documentary episodes that have been released about his comeback story. And he looks great. So I'm thinking we're gonna see this guy in the HL for a couple games and then game one ready to rip for the Colorado Avalanche.

[Mike]

Crazy, man. That would be such a wild boost for them too. Like, if he's able to be 75 to 80% of what he was during their cup run. He had 11 goals, 22 points. You know, just fucking great. Great wall play in. In both ends, you know, eating pucks down low. Net front presence. Like great leadership in the locker room. Like that would be. That would. Especially if they don't end up drawing Dallas in the first round. Like, I would probably put them as cup favorites.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Even if they have Dallas, the news that Heskin and might be out for the first round, I don't know. I. I actually don't think that Dallas can, Can. Can beat them without him. Maybe Ottinger stands on his head, maybe the depth for Dallas takes over, but no Heskinen, man, against that offense. Like, I. I don't think. I don't know if they can do it. I don't. Which would suck for Dallas based on the team they have and what they could do with a healthy Heskinen who's, you know, top five, if not top three defensemen in the game. So that's kind of crazy to hear about that, but I hope Landiscog's back just to see him. Yeah. Bizarre. Like, you know, you imagine he's probably playing fourth line minutes won't be anything crazy. But buddy, he's on the power play. He's in front of the net in the locker room. His leadership. I would just be so happy for him because based on talking to him, I think there was many moments where he like, probably like thought this is done. Like, I'm done and maybe I'm wrong. And he.

[Mike]

The way he was talking on our podcast about it made. Made it me seem think that it was done.

[Grinelli]

The thing about. The thing about him too, and just getting to know him while we interviewed him is I feel like he's a guy. If they were like, hey, Gabe, you got to play fourth line here for a couple games. Like he's going to be a okay with that. And he doesn't give it his all every night, play his 78 minutes and then get. And get going and start feeling good about his game. But, man, if he comes back, what a. Imagine that crowd. First game, him coming out for the. For the lap. Oh, it'll be an electric factory.

[Whitney]

Dude, it's been three years.

[Grinelli]

I know. Think of that.

[Mike]

Speaking of crowd, I. I kind of forgot to mention this. When we were talking about the. The Long island thing, I thought that the. The fans made that extra special. Like, that's why I wanted him to score the empty netter, because I thought, like, the home game and I felt like the crowd that traveled to UBS arena, they. They made that game so sick. So great job by the fans to. To. To elevate that. And I didn't really have much else to talk about, guys. I'm pretty. Pretty gassed. Not much sleep last night. What's that?

[Whitney]

A boy biz.

[Grinelli]

How to battle.

[Whitney]

Well, we got more. Do you want me to just cut it short?

[Mike]

Oh, no. What else you got?

[Grinelli]

Me and you can rip it. Biz can.

[Whitney]

Yeah, you gotta go, buddy.

[Ryan Leonard]

I get it.

[Mike]

Tell me what you got.

[Whitney]

I get it. BC forward Ryan Leonard, Denver defenseman Zeeb Boyam, and Michigan State forward Isaac Howard were announced Thursday as the Hobie Baker Award finalists. I think you're gonna see long NHL careers out of all these guys. Leonard's already playing for Washington. Bouillon will be in the lineup, I'm guessing, for the Wild either after they lose the semifinals to Western Michigan or after they lose or win the finals against Penn State or bu. The same way after the Frozen Four. Kale Makar, sophomore year. He hopped in the lineup for Colorado against Calgary in the playoffs. Look dominant right off the bat. I think Z boy will be the exact same thing. And then Isaac Howard. Gee, you might have more. Yeah, it's very odd. Very odd that he hasn't signed yet. Almost to the point where if they are having some sort of beef, he can just go back to school and. Yeah, I think ideally, after dominating the way he did and it being his third year in college, he doesn't want to go back. But then he goes back and he waits till August and he's a free agent and can sign with anyone. So what's going on with Tampa and him?

[Donnie]

He marches to the beat of his own drum like, I think he's just a kid who. He's not going to do what anyone tells him to do. I think he's going back next year. I think Michigan State has pretty deep pockets. I think that they can offer him a pretty good nil. Deal. And maybe he had a conversation with the Lightning. And I don't know this for sure, but maybe they said, hey, like, look, we have a great team right now. We're buzzing. We're firing on all cylinders.

[Whitney]

You're.

[Donnie]

You're not going to get NHL time. And he's thinking in his.

[Mike]

Well, they can't guarantee it to him.

[Donnie]

Yeah, yeah. Can't guarantee him NHL time when he's thinking in his head, well, why don't I go back to Michigan State? I'll make, I don't know, a hundred thousand dollars. I'll be the big man on campus, and I'll go win a Hobie Baker, and Trey Augustine's going back to next year. So, like, when you think about that.

[Mike]

And then he gets to decide wherever he wants to go to as a free agent. Kind of like Jimmy Vesey did and some of these other guys.

[Whitney]

Kevin Hayes.

[Donnie]

Exactly. Because while Tampa seems sick, awesome franchise. It's like, I. From everything I know about Ike is he wants to jump in there and play. He's a kid who wants to jump in there and get top six minutes.

[Whitney]

Minutes.

[Donnie]

I'm sure he wants power play time. That's just the type of kid he is. That's probably not happening in Tampa. So it's. It is a very interesting situation unfolding.

[Mike]

Who's going to win? The Hobie Baker guys.

[Grinelli]

Leonard, if he's that confident in his game, if he's that confident in his game, wouldn't he just be like, you know what? I'll sign there and prove that, you know, I have to play. I'm not good. Where.

[Whitney]

But maybe they're saying, we don't want to sign you right now and burn a year. And. And that's pissing them off. And, and by the way, this is us completely spitballing here and possible scenarios. I don't know him. I don't know what's going on, but I kind of expected, once they lost out that he would hop right in. And it just hasn't happened. So obviously there's some disconnect between him and the Lightning. But for the Lightning, my thing is.

[Mike]

We got another go.

[Whitney]

No, my thing is, like, why wouldn't you. Why wouldn't you almost want to get him signed? Like, you have no prospects, really?

[Ryan Leonard]

Like.

[Whitney]

Like there's some. But with all the trades they've meant of all these first rounders and going for the cup this many years, you'd think, like, oh, we got this one, stud. Let's at least get him signed. But there's something going on right now and we don't have all the details. I wish we did.

[Grinelli]

I'd trade in a Buffalo right now if I was Tampa.

[Whitney]

Yeah, then he's definitely not signing. All right, I'm going back to Michigan State. I'm signing whatever I want.

[Mike]

Community college rather than the Sabers.

[Whitney]

I saw a stat I think Obi.

[Mike]

Has five portal to Buffalo State.

[Whitney]

Over 590 goals since the last time the Sabers made the playoffs.

[Grinelli]

I saw that. That is wild.

[Whitney]

You know what though? Shout out Tage Thompson, dude. He's expected to play for Team USA at the World Championships next month. I think he leads the league in five on five goals. G Correct me if I'm wrong, over 40 again. I mean, just how long he's asking.

[Mike]

For a trade out of town.

[Whitney]

Yeah. God, that was the Sabers are unbelievable though. The Sabers have won seven of eight games. Dude. Like, if there's one thing not to do Buffalo one, it's st. It's don't win at the end of this season and screw up your lottery odds even more. But nope, they keep winning when it doesn't matter. Classic Buffalo fashion. Merles Merles was right on this one. He's like, they can't even tank correctly these these frigging Buffalo Sabers. These poor bastards. But thank God they have caged Thompson. Merles is saying that the Islanders they announced that Anthony Duclair is taking time away from the team to reflect after Patrick Royce wasp comments about him was said that he and Duclair had a long positive conversation Thursday morning and the Islanders will give Duclair all he needs. This came after basically Patrick was like, he's lucky to even be in the lineup. He's playing horrible, really carved his game just like a total individual attack on a guy after another Islander's loss. So I guess he's just kind of like, I need a minute here. So hopefully he's doing all right mentally. Did he play for Patrick WA in the Quebec League?

[Mike]

Yeah, in Quebec.

[Grinelli]

Yeah, he did.

[Mike]

Ramparts.

[Whitney]

Wow. So maybe that's just like a history of like I know what you can do. I know the player you can be. And I'm not seeing it like what the is going on. But hopefully Duclair is doing all right. And then last thing, the Canucks are determined to sign Rick talk it to an extension, but will exercise his team option for the 2526 season if necessary. Reports Elliot Friedman Talkett would be a be among the most coveted head coaches. I think everyone's Looking at Philadelphia, and it just seems so obvious for him to go there after the player he was for the Flyers. So. So is it Talk's option or the team's option? G says, all right, it's the team's option. So I guess that's why they were so pissed off. Everyone's like, talk, it's going to be coaching the Flyers next year.

[Mike]

It's like, ah, this is a better back up the Brinks truck. Yeah, if he does. Hey, if he, if he goes to Philly, I'll. I'll give a hometown discount. I'll do it for 3 million a year. Really, Coach?

[Grinelli]

And you're not even from there given the hometown discount? That's unreal.

[Whitney]

They're like, where's Biz? Where's Biz? Practice starts in 10. Oh, he's doing the grouse grind for the 14th time this week.

[Grinelli]

Him and Donnie.

[Whitney]

He had to put his phone down. The stress of losing nine in a.

[Mike]

Row and the west shrooms hiking to the press box.

[Whitney]

The. The media's all fired up post game. Like Biz is on shrooms tonight. We're going to get a couple crazy quotes after that loss.

[Mike]

Yeah, motherfucker.

[Whitney]

Biz dresses himself for fourth. Line plays himself. Power play. All right, well, Biz, great job with peeking. Please everyone, check that out on YouTube. And reminder to everyone in St. Louis frozen four party with the game notes guys at the Midwestern Saturday at 4:30 prior to the national championship game. BU, baby. Third year in a row they have lost in the semifinal game. The last two they got to get by Penn State, get into that, that national title game party at 4:30 at the Midwestern in St. Louis for everyone that's going to be in town for the Frozen four. Go check out the game notes guys. Get ready for the final game and we will be back to you once again. Next week will be Tuesday, Friday game notes will be coming at you. And once the playoffs gets going, we're Monday game notes Wednesday. Chicklet's back on Friday. I can't wait for the first, second round and all the hot takes that we'll be spilling out of our mouths. So thank you for listening. Congrats to Alexander Ovechkin. Love both you guys.