Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 556: Featuring Logan Stankoven

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 556: Featuring Logan Stankoven – Detailed Summary

Release Date: April 21, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, Mike Grinelli
Guest: Logan Stankoven, Carolina Hurricanes

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1. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators – Game One Breakdown

Overview:
The hosts kick off the episode with an in-depth analysis of Game One between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, highlighting the Leafs' impressive performance and the Senators' struggles.

Key Highlights:

• Leafs' Dominance:
  Mike Grinelli praises the Leafs' calm and collected gameplay, emphasizing their strong power play and effective goaltending.

  "Calm, cool and collected, boys. That was a fucking performance and a half." [02:27]

• Officiating Controversies:
  The discussion touches on controversial calls, particularly a contested penalty on Stutzel and cross-checks involving Matthews.

  "I didn't like the call on Stutzel, but that was the game." – Mike Grinelli [02:31]
  "You've never done this. You can't get out of the first round." – Ryan Whitney [02:33]

• Linups and Strategies:
  Ryan insightful comments on the Leafs' improved vibe and strategic adjustments under Barstool's Admiral.

  "It just seems like it worked out so well. They get the division right. They end up starting at home." – Ryan Whitney [02:08]

• Power Play Efficiency:
  The Leafs' power play efficiency is highlighted, noting that each power play goal was scored within six seconds.

  "They make a figure something out." – Paul Bissonnette [04:40]

Notable Quotes:

• "I was super impressed with the Toronto Maple Leafs." – Ryan Whitney [02:33]
• "Ottawa fans are blaming the refs, but Biz is right. That call on Stutzel was trash." – Paul Bissonnette [05:34]

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2. Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild – Game One Recap

Overview:
The conversation shifts to Game One between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Minnesota Wild, where Vegas showcased their depth and offensive prowess.

Key Highlights:

• Vegas' Depth and Offense:
  Mike Grinelli commends the Golden Knights' well-oiled machine approach, highlighting standout players like Brett Howden and Aiden Hill.

  "Brett Howden, he had two goals next year. Not even this year." – Mike Grinelli [21:57]

• Minnesota's Adjustments:
  Insights are shared on Minnesota's challenges, including defensive lapses and the impact of injuries on their lineup.

  "They got to be a lot more physical than they were in the first period." – Paul Bissonnette [91:05]

• Goalie Performances:
  Aiden Hill's impressive goaltending is discussed, noting his pivotal saves and confidence-boosting performances.

  "He made the breakaway save on Tanev, and he made an enormous save on Pinto." – Mike Grinelli [10:07]

Notable Quotes:

• "DraftKings sportsbook is an official sports betting partner of the NHL." – Ad Segment Skipped
• "Go Leafs Skull baby." – Mike Grinelli [116:18] (Note: Included as a fan cheer; however, no ad content is summarized.)

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3. New York Rangers Coaching Changes

Overview:
The hosts delve into the tumultuous coaching changes within the New York Rangers organization, analyzing the impact on team dynamics and future prospects.

Key Highlights:

• Firing of Coaches:
  Discussion centers on the recent firings of Gerard Gallant and Pete DeBoer, both of whom led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals before their abrupt exits.

  "Gerard Galant and then it was Pete Laviolette. Both lasted two years." – Ryan Whitney [105:53]

• Organizational Disconnect:
  Concerns are raised about the growing disconnect between management and players, highlighting strained relationships and loss of trust.

  "There's a major disconnect throughout the entire organization. I don't think anybody trusts management." – Mike Grinelli [106:50]

• Potential Future Hires:
  Speculation on future coaching hires, including younger, more adaptable coaches who can grow with the team, is discussed.

  "Joel Quinville next year where it's like kind of doing this name thrown around towards his." – Ryan Whitney [108:29]

Notable Quotes:

• "I think you're going to drag it out and make it uncomfortable for your franchise goaltender." – Mike Grinelli [110:21]
• "It's a rite of passage to get, to get chucked out the door by MSG." – Ryan Whitney [111:02]

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4. Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche – Game One Analysis

Overview:
The episode covers the Winnipeg Jets' Game One against the Colorado Avalanche, focusing on Colorado's speed and physicality as key factors in their victory.

Key Highlights:

• Colorado's Aggressive Play:
  The hosts highlight Colorado's relentless forecheck and speed, which overwhelmed the Jets' defense.

  "The speed is the biggest difference. If they don't figure out Colorado's transition... they're going to get cooked." – Mike Grinelli [79:09]

• Goalie Performance:
  Mackenzie Blackwood's standout performance is praised, noting his crucial saves that tipped the balance in Colorado's favor.

  "Blackwood made some... incredibly clutch saves." – Ryan Whitney [80:46]

• Penalty Kill Efficiency:
  Colorado's penalty kill is lauded for effectively neutralizing the Jets' power play opportunities.

  "That five on three was one of the best penalty kills I've ever seen." – Ryan Whitney [80:46]

Notable Quotes:

• "He looks like he's five inches bigger than everyone too. He's a moose out there." – Paul Bissonnette on Colorado's power forward [81:46]
• "There's a difference when you're playing like that and they're being so physical." – Paul Bissonnette [82:53]

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5. Special Guest Interview: Logan Stankoven

Overview:
Logan Stankoven, the 47th overall pick in 2021 now with the Carolina Hurricanes, joins the podcast to discuss his recent trade, adjustment to a new team, and personal experiences in the NHL.

Key Highlights:

• Trade to Carolina Hurricanes:
  Logan shares his surprise and initial reaction to being traded from the Dallas Stars to the Carolina Hurricanes, highlighting the support from teammates like Pavelski.

  "I didn't see that trade coming. It was kind of a shock to me." – Logan Stankoven [48:11]

• Adjusting to a New System:
  He discusses the challenges and adjustments required when moving to a new team, particularly adapting to Carolina's aggressive, man-on-man style of play.

  "I enjoy the way we play. We create lots of chances by pressuring the puck." – Logan Stankoven [50:53]

• Personal Background and Work Ethic:
  Logan delves into his upbringing in a hockey family, his relentless work ethic, and how it has shaped his professional career.

  "My dad was the one who got me into hockey. We have a hockey family." – Logan Stankoven [54:27]

• Daily Routine and Training:
  He outlines his off-season training regimen, emphasizing the importance of maintaining physical fitness and mental sharpness.

  "A day in my life in the summer is usually wake up around 6:45, do sprints, lift weights, and shoot pucks." – Logan Stankoven [69:02]

Notable Quotes:

• "It's a blue-collar mentality. That's something my parents have instilled in me from a young age." – Logan Stankoven [56:58]
• "I think my work ethic can make up for a lot of that." – Logan Stankoven [56:58]

Interview Snippet:

During the interview, the hosts engage Logan in a playful conversation about his nickname and interactions with teammates:

Ryan Whitney: "What do you do with your free time for fun? Like, you watching shows? Like do you have like a..."
Logan Stankoven: "Yeah, usually, I love to golf. I have a pool in my backyard, play ping pong, and watch video highlights."
Mike Grinelli: "Who have you gravitated towards on the Carolina team?"
Logan Stankoven: "Jackson Blake, Scotty Morrow, Sep, Jarvis, Jaylen Chatfield. Everyone's great to be around."
Ryan Whitney: "What's up with your teeth?"
Logan Stankoven: "Haha, we'll have to talk about that next time!" [66:17]

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6. Additional NHL News and Discussions

Overview:
The hosts touch upon various other NHL happenings, including player performances, injuries, and upcoming series.

Key Highlights:

• Player Performances:
  Discussions on standout players like Jack Hughes and Mitch Marner, highlighting their impact and potential MVP candidacies.

  "Jack Hughes had a six-point game leading into the playoffs." – Paul Bissonnette

• Injuries and Team Dynamics:
  Conversations about key injuries affecting team performances, such as Hartford's Luke Hughes and its repercussions on the team's playoff aspirations.

  "Luke Hughes' injury has deflated the team's morale." – Mike Grinelli [34:38]

• Coaching Strategies:
  Analysis of coaching decisions and their effectiveness in high-stakes playoff environments, emphasizing the need for adaptability and strategic foresight.

  "Rod Brindamore expects us to be in the playoffs next year." – Ryan Whitney [108:23]

Notable Quotes:

• "We are going David Goggins mode for this run." – Mike Grinelli [18:30]
• "Pavelski’s the guy. He's like the best at everything he does." – Ryan Whitney [57:58]

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7. Closing Remarks

Overview:
The hosts wrap up the episode with final thoughts on ongoing playoff series, upcoming game schedules, and shout-outs to fans and teams.

Key Highlights:

• Upcoming Games:
  Preview of upcoming matches, emphasizing the excitement and unpredictability of playoff hockey.

  "It's the playoffs, you're the President's trophy winners and it's your time now." – Paul Bissonnette [92:48]

• Fan Engagement:
  Acknowledgment of passionate fan bases and their impact on the game's atmosphere.

  "Show up before the games, they're tailgating like football." – Logan Stankoven [74:22]

• Final Shout-Outs:
  Encouragement and well-wishes to teams like the Maple Leafs, Oilers, and others as they advance in the playoffs.

  "Go Leafs Skull baby." – Mike Grinelli [116:18]

Notable Quotes:

• "We're going to see the inmates run the asylum, so to speak." – Mike Grinelli [106:50]
• "You can't buy championships anymore." – Mike Grinelli [106:50]

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Conclusion:
Episode 556 of Spittin’ Chiclets provides a comprehensive and engaging overview of the NHL playoffs, blending expert analysis with candid discussions. The highlight is undoubtedly the insightful interview with Logan Stankoven, offering listeners a glimpse into the life of a traded rookie adapting to a new team. The hosts maintain their signature blend of humor and expertise, ensuring both seasoned fans and newcomers find the episode informative and entertaining.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "Calm, cool and collected, boys." – Mike Grinelli [02:27]
• "She is unhinged and they didn't know what to do with it." – Mike Grinelli [02:06]
• "That was a fucking performance and a half." – Mike Grinelli [02:31]
• "We don't need to funded that fucking horrible knockoff of a song." – Mike Grinelli [08:44]
• "Well, no, I wouldn't." – Mike Grinelli [17:06]
• "Listen, you got to stay out of the penalty box and keep your composure." – Ryan Whitney [05:30]

Please note that specific timestamps are approximate and correspond to the speaker's dialogue portions.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, Spit and Chiclets listeners. You can find every episode on Apple.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime.

[Ryan Whitney]

Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Paul Bissonnette]

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

[Ryan Whitney]

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

[Mike Grinelli]

Paul Vincent. R.A. mike Grinelli.

[Ryan Whitney]

Spittin Chickfila. What is up, folks? Old baby Biz is happy, Yan is here. And we got playoff hockey five games into the first round after a monster weekend. Some very crazy moments, some games that maybe weren't too exciting, but we're back. It's the best time of the year. And we're here because I'll Pink Whitney. Pink Whitney Vodka. I'm in Florida, guys. That's Pink Whitney land. You know, the people of Florida, they love guns, they love Trump, and they love Pink Whitney. So we're down here right now. I'm watching hockey. I got all the channels at this hotel. It's incredible. I'm catching up on games and I'm slugging some Pink Whitney yesterday on Easter Sunday, no less. You know, just get that pink drink down in the mix and praise Jesus, he has risen. And the playoffs are back. Holy crap, boys. Biz, we gotta start off with the Leafs here. I mean, we got.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We got some parade route.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, no, legit. He.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, the way they played yesterday, I might fucking start playing it myself. Calm, cool and collected, boys. That was a fucking performance and a half. Listen, some people bitching about the officiating. I didn't like the call on Stutzel, but that was the game. They brutal call, but Ottawa came unhinged. Can we not agree on that? They looked like the virgins we talked about. They looked like they had a big raging boner and they didn't know what to do with it. The Leafs, they've been there, they've done that, they've went and they've had all the mistakes in the past. What do you mean? What are you looking at me like that?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, they've been in the playoffs. Yes, you're right.

[Mike Grinelli]

They've been in the mix and they've learned from their mistakes. But chief has them riled up, ready to go. Calm, cool and collected. Great execution on the pp. Goaltending looked good, the back end looked unbelievable. And the Leafs get off to a big win in game one. That they needed that. I didn't want to fucking lose that one and have Sen's army all on me. So I don't know how you guys felt about the game, but I was Very, very impressed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was super impressed. I actually feel. And we were texted on the group chat with Merles and Army and everyone that there is a little bit of a different vibe this year around the Leafs going into the playoffs. And I don't know if it's Barubi, which I'm guessing it probably is, and him being able to talk to this team. And I would love to, you know, if you could ever get the inside footage of. Of what he's been saying to these guys. And you got to think he's talking about all the. Not talking about all the past failures, but talking about like, you know, the press pressure is a privilege type thing. Like, guys, at some point we're going to get over the hump. And if you're uptight and I feel like every year they are right. Like there's just so much not panic around the team, but there's excitement, there's nerves and there's. You've never done this. You can't get out of the first round. When you do, you get smashed by Florida. And this year it just seems like it worked out so well. They get the division right. They end up starting at home. I mean, if you remember last year, they had to start in Boston. Boston owns them. And they got wax Game one. And then all of a sudden you're just chasing the series. Game ones are crazy important. Gee, look up the numbers. I think we talk about this every year. You win game one. Like the percentages of winning the series is nuts. But it just seems like a different vibe right now. It's been one game and I'm a Sens guy, but I'm disgusted than Sens fans right now. Thank you, Pasha. Thank you. 68% of game one winners, they go on to win the series. That's pretty legit. But sense fans, Come on, come on now. You can't be complaining about the refs this much. And Biz is right. That call on Stutzel was trash. That's a playoff. That's a normal playoff hit on Tanev, they end up scoring. Now here's the thing. The Leafs power play, since they've gone to five forwards, they're. They're incredible. They're lethal. And. And I think every power play goal they had, it was within like six seconds of getting the power play that they scored.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So it's also. They're going against Mike Yo's pk like, okay. And they make a. Make a. Figure something out.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. I think right now sends fans. Let me tell you this message. And I wrote a guy back on Twitter. He was one of those, he was one of those, those honorable fans, you know, one of those fans that said, I didn't love the refereeing, but what do we got to do to win game two? I'm not going to sit there and blame the refs. I said you need to stay out of the penalty box and you need to keep your composure because the Ridley Greg cross check, so stupid and sense fans. I didn't like some of the calls that hit that Gaudette put on Matthews. That is a penalty. Okay? You're pushing him in the back. I don't think Matthew's, Matthew's dope. The big thing I'm seeing right now is everyone's just writing, what if this was Stutzel? What if this was Stutzel? What if this was stutzel? As in these are all dives. Ok? The other thing I said was you need all Mark to be a lot better. That is all Mark's 10th playoff game in six of them biz. He's given up four more goals.

[Mike Grinelli]

You see, I fucking try to tell you guys this last podcast you told me I had three heads on. Like I literally tried to say, look at all Mark's playoff numbers. And that's why I was more confident in Stolars. And listen, the fact that the Leafs get out of that game where nobody's questioning goaltending the back end not only look good, but strong and boxing out the fucking Ottawa Senators. Even Brady Tkachuk couldn't get to the blue paint then not only that, you get two goals from your back end. Nobody, nobody is questioning the Core 4. 9 points between the Core 4 NY ends up scoring a goal. So he carries off that momentum to the regular season into playoffs. Great net front goal. That's exactly where we're going to need him all playoff long. And you know what was even more impressive? The bottom six. I thought Robertson was effective. I thought McMahon was effect effective. I loved our bottom six from, from an overall standpoint, it was an unreal 60 minute effort. Effort from the crew, mind you. Early on I felt like Stolars was bobbling pucks early.

[Ryan Whitney]

Bad goal, bad goal. Early on, the remake, right?

[Mike Grinelli]

So he was bobbing a couple early. I'm like, ah, okay. He got the nerves out, you know that there was about. I think he had about eight or nine shots. So I'm like, okay, they got the shots. So at least he'll be calmed down because he's got the saves. He hasn't let in the goal yet. And then that one, the goal comes the first one, brutal. So I'm like, oh God, here we go. We're gonna be having a goalie controversy after the first game. But after that he settled in nicely. And on. On Twitter last night, I wasn't going to do a video. I was a little upset with the way that Ottawa came out and how dirty they were and how they were trying to make Toronto piss blood with all those fucking cross checks. But I tell you what, the box outs and the way that they were able to allow Stolars to see those shots coming in, I was so, so impressed. And Morgan Riley, for him to score that goal and get his confidence going early, that is so big. That was maybe my one question mark. You know, Riley's been good in the playoffs in the past. Like he's found ways to score and chip in. Offensively, the biggest thing is getting his shots through. Doesn't need to be the be the big wind up, not the big bombs. He's just zipping them through. And I know he got a little bit of luck on that one, but such a big confidence boost there. So overall, like I, I have no complaints. I thought to a man, they were unreal. Clearly they were going against an unexperienced group who had all this built up fucking, you know, rage and emotion ready to come out and bust their nut. Ottawa was brutal. I expect a completely different team in game two. Way more disciplined. But if you're an Ottawa fan and you're blaming the referees on this one, you're an absolute fucking clown. You're a. You're a delusional idiot. Just like that girl who made that silly rap with Tkachuk. Just like that other guy who caught who did they copy that guy? That song that he did, was it 41 or something?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, outside the arena too. Does the arena. Does the sens know that that happened?

[Mike Grinelli]

They funded it. And Lauer funded that fucking thing. Yeah, Keith. Yeah, Keith. That's their resident band at the Stop.

[Ryan Whitney]

Making up live space.

[Mike Grinelli]

We don't need to funded that fucking horrible, horrible knockoff of a song.

[Ryan Whitney]

I can't listen to it. I can't listen to it.

[Mike Grinelli]

If you want to hear it, go check out our our social media mainly Wits cuz wit you were all about Ottawa. And then even after seeing this drop you, you, you change your opinion, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, K.E. keith texted immediately. Leafs in three. After he saw it, I said I, I. This might make me root for the Leafs in this series and I respect this you know, mom and pop garage band trying to get out there for their favorite team. But you gotta, like, do the video, listen to the song, watch it, and say, we can't release this or else our team has no chance. Keith, did you hear Biz just say that he was going to release a video? He didn't, but then he ended up releasing a video. And I had mentioned on Twitter, oh, you're not releasing it because you smoked your postgame celebratory.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, it's 420 yesterday.

[Ryan Whitney]

Monster joint on 420. And your eyes are so bloodshot. And somebody asked me, can you draw a picture of that? I think it was Kim Jong Bettman on Twitter, who I've seen respond all the time. And I. I said, sure. So did you see my picture? No. I drew this quick.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Wow, look at the nose.

[Ryan Whitney]

Identical nose, four times.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's pretty good.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't know when I got a bloodshot Leave sweat. And somebody said, is. Is biz Muslim. So I. I guess that was just the outline of your face. You can be. You can be.

[Mike Grinelli]

I'm a chameleon. I can adapt to my environment well. I mean, it is Toronto, right? There's a lot of ethnicities there, so I'll take a little bit of every one and we'll go on and march to the Stanley Cup Stolars.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was my third thing to the Sense fan wrote back, you got to just hope that this guy isn't that good. Now. He's six. Six. Okay, so he's. And. And Merles was saying he's very, like, cool and calm in the crease. I think this year, the Leafs were they. They top three in save percentage as a team. So, like, they kind of have some goaltending. I don't want to admit this, and maybe this all blows up in Toronto's face, which would be glorious. But he made the. He made the breakaway save on Tkachuk, and he made an enormous save on Pinto. I think it was two nothing or maybe two one. He made a save on Pinto in the slot. That was sick. Nobody was around him. So if he could continue that, I mean, we're. We're looking at a dangerous. Keith, text me on the side. One on one. He said, wait, I think they're legit. I think the Leafs are legit. And I said, what would you pay to have them lose in. In overtime of game seven of the Eastern Conference final or the Stanley cup? He said, $678,000.

[Mike Grinelli]

He had an exact number. Okay, that's very nice.

[Ryan Whitney]

Number Exactly.

[Mike Grinelli]

Diabolical.

[Ryan Whitney]

But.

[Mike Grinelli]

But from watching the game, though, were you not heavily impressed with the way that they handled all of Ottawa's pressure, especially netfront? Like, it feel. It feels like they didn't get that many opportunities the second goal they scored. Yeah, it was a Ridley Greg who ended up getting loose, but other than that, I feel like they boxed up, they tied up well, like, in the past. To me, that's been one of their main issues. So credit Stolars. Right? He does a great job, like you said, using his frame and looking through screens. So he does a really good job of, like, finding everything, regardless of the amount of traffic. But for the most part, I thought the Leafs did a heck of a job near that blue paint. And. And Ottawa can cause problems there. And look into Ottawa if I had to critique and that probably one of my biggest things. If they look. If they want to look to score more goals, they got to get more inside. Like, that's. That's where you score come playoff time. That's where you get the job done and obviously stay in discipline.

[Ryan Whitney]

No doubt. The discipline. I was reading something talking about how, like, the. Under the hood, the pasha numbers of the Leafs were a little worse this year than last year, but it's like tree living's kind of built a team to be successful in the playoffs. Like, almost like the big D, the strong D. And then Scott Lawton.

[Mike Grinelli]

Okay, I was. Fuck, yeah, he was awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

Explain to me, you know, playing with him, how well you know him. Like, not brought in for the regular season. It's starting now why that guy's here, which he.

[Mike Grinelli]

He wasn't that great when he got over there. I think some Leafs fans were starting to bark, you know, he's not fitting in great. I don't know if he knows his systems, you know, starting to be in hyperbolic about it, but they. They got him for playoff time, and boy, did he show up in game one.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And I. I told you guys, I think everyone knows what he can do on your third, fourth line. That play he made to Oel was. I mean, that's a first, second line play. Unreal. Patience finding the open guy. What a goal by. Oh, yeah, he.

[Ryan Whitney]

He.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I thought he was their best D last night. Love seeing Morgan Riley do well, too, but I thought OEL was great last night. But. But Lottie's just that guy. He's gonna put his face in front of pox if he needs to. He's gonna make plays when he has to. And like you guys said, like, he's not brought in there for, you know, game 67. He's there for game one of playoffs, ready to rip, ready to roll. Because he's from that town. He knows what it takes. He knows how long it's been. He wants to win for that city more than I would imagine anyone in the world. Besides maybe Biz. Yeah, besides Biz and Squanto. He wants it more than anyone. Right? And I think he's just getting settled in. Like it's. I think anytime you come over on a trade, especially when you're, you know, going to a big market where, you know there's a lot of pressure on you, it's. It's going to take some time, right? Like, you can't just fly under the radar there. And do I think he struggled maybe a little bit. But what else do you need from him? Biz, like, he's playing like that. If he plays like that the rest of the playoffs, it's, you know, you sign him for however much money he wants, for however long he wants and.

[Mike Grinelli]

And, and automatically him making that play, I just feel it, like it switches. It flips the switch. For the fans, it's like, Morgan Riley. Same with the core four, same with Stolars. Like, the last thing you want to leave in that game was fucking headlines. Questioning any part of what they have going on. And that's not the case. My, my, the, the, the thing I actually like most about the fact that Ottawa was trying to rile it up is that's going to piss the Leafs off rather than just blowing the game out. 6, 2 and then there's no emotion and then they're feeling high and mighty about themselves going into game two. I don't think that they're going to be like that based on Chief and the mental toughness that they've gained throughout the season and obviously what he's instilled in them. But I expect another good follow up effort at home in game two. I expect a win and I expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to go up on the road up to nothing in this series. I. All systems go. No question marks. Everybody's got their confidence and they will maintain that moving forward. So that's all I got to say about game one did. Was Brady not maybe playing as much towards the end of the game? Is he still banged up? I was worried about that for them coming in. Everybody said, oh, he's going to be chasing all the Leafs D men out of the building. They're going to be scared of him. And like, no, that wasn't Going to happen regardless if he was 100%, we're battle tested for that bullshit. But if he ain't 100%, guys, their fearless leader can't bring them anywhere.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think a lot of guys aren't 100% at this point in the season. It was also his first game in quite a while. I mean, he hammered Riley early in the game on the four track. Enormous hit there. But, yeah, overall he. He probably knows he needs to do a little bit more. Also, like, they had Matt Highmore in instead of Nick Cousins. I was kind of surprised by that on the fourth line with Gaudette and Zetterland. I think you got to get Cousins back in personally. And also, like, even high more, I felt bad for him. But that Riley goal, he sticks his arm out like, you know, that's effort. Doing whatever you can to block a shot. It hits his glove and goes in like. I guess like a goalie's like, dude, just don't stick your hand out. Like, I got that one. I get it. Being a, you know, especially a fourth line forward, this guy's like, doing whatever he can. Brutal bounce for him. So I wonder if Nick Cousins comes back in. But yeah, I. I will say, biz, like, you be disgusted at. At the dirtiness at the end of the game, it's like, buddy, like, if that was the Leafs doing that down six two, you'd be loving it. So that's.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, I wouldn't.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes, you would.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, I wouldn't.

[Ryan Whitney]

Trying to talk about.

[Mike Grinelli]

Would be telling me that they're unhinged, man. And they're telling you that they know.

[Ryan Whitney]

Game one's over and they're like, I'm going to at least going to try to hurt someone. Rough them up going into game two. That's like what you do in the playoffs when the game's over. Don't do it when the game's close with these stupid penalties. End.

[Mike Grinelli]

Listen, listen. If. If you're in your net front and they're poking at your goalie and then all of a sudden a scrum starts, yeah, okay, but middle of the ice, where you're nowhere near it and you're just trying to rile it up because game one's over, that's. That's just, in my opinion, classless. I don't want. I wouldn't.

[Ryan Whitney]

No.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you mean? I wouldn't want my players doing that. That tells me my team's unhinged and they're unfocused at the task at hand. Worry about putting the puck in the back of the net. Don't get engaged with that man. They I I I'll always go back to it. Bobby Holik said don't be wasting energy on these earlier rounds. Get the job done. Focus on what you got to do. Get this thing over in five or four games, move the fuck on and save your energy for the battle of Florida. That's it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Is there anything Ottawa can do to come back? I wish we could make our picks after the first game because then you really see how the teams look but do you think there's anything Ottawa or they're just outclassed here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Their only chance is if all Mark plays incredible and based on his prior playoff history got a showed opus also got a show to biz. It's 5:20 in the morning right now biz and you're buzzing. Good for you. That's playoff hockey.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's Toronto Maple Leaf action right there baby. No excuses. I'm going David Goggins mode for this run.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's a 4am Wake up prepare a little bit and come out guns ablaze and coming at the sends they need all mark to be amazing and they can't take penalties. You got five stud forwards on the power play from the Maple Leafs every time. Nylander was great. So yeah that kind of wraps up game one. Um, we'll see what happens. Game two and I thought crowd pretty good for an Easter Sunday. Maybe a bunch of the the rich yacht club fans that are always quiet sitting on their hands. Maybe they were at home for Easter dinner and they gave their tickets away to those blue collar lunatics from Sudbury. Oh no, that's not even near Toronto from what's pretty close Ajax.

[Mike Grinelli]

Is that near Toronto Ajax Pickering. Yeah. Yeah that's great. When I'm glad you brought that up man. I thought that they were great. I thought they brought great energy. They had the Brady sucked. It was a Brady sucks. Yeah the chance they had going in the lower bowl. So great to see them bring the energy and I would say that most most sens fans were a little bit I guess they were a little disgusted with Shabbat and Jensen's performance. Those are the 2D they'd like to see pick things up. Aside from obviously all Mark mixing and a few saves. I don't know if he forgot his his glove hand in Ottawa before the trip but he's definitely going to need that for game two. So all systems going to I try to tell everybody everybody laughed me off stage but you guys look like the morons now and we're off to greener pastures.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, Keith, we'll see if anything can be done for Ottawa. Let's get a, let's get a Tide series heading back to the your nation's capital.

[Mike Grinelli]

You know what they're going to need? They're going to need a time machine. They're going to have to bring back Spezza, Danny Heatley, Alfredson.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know who I think of when I think of playoff like the, the teams that I played in Ottawa, in Pittsburgh. That one team.

[Mike Grinelli]

Chris Neil.

[Ryan Whitney]

No. Yeah, him. But the guy I think of like playoff hockey. Ottawa Senators. That Mike Fisher was a dog.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, he was.

[Ryan Whitney]

I remember trying to move him in front once. I'm like what the fuck. This guy's a brick shithouse. What a player. Carrie Underwood. Good for him.

[Mike Grinelli]

He's off the greener pastures.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, you think, you think Scrooge McDuck.

[Mike Grinelli]

They probably got their own vault.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, so sticking stick swimming money. Now sticking with the, the Sunday games, the Easter Sunday games. We're going to go out west for the last game of the day. That was Vegas, Minnesota. Now Biz and Keith Vegas is just. They're a well oiled machine. I saw your boy Hank Lundquist ranked Aiden Hill as his second goalie in the Western Conference playoffs. Kind of surprising to see him in front of Ottinger, but I get it. Minnesota's in one here. I thought it was a good game, exciting game. At the same time it's like Vegas is depth, man. And I'll just leave you with this biz. Brett Howden, he had two goals next year. Not even this year. Next year he makes 2.5 on a five year extension. 2.5 for the next five years after this. He had 20 goals this season and he gets to including one of the best goal line covers of all time. They had to review it. It was 0.1 seconds when it crossed the goal line from the other end with the empty net. So whoever had Vegas minus one and a half was laughing. But I thought that the Golden Knights were humming.

[Mike Grinelli]

Biz, I saw about half of this game cause I had to go eat some food. It was a tough travel day for me yesterday. But you know we, we had Eichel on the broadcast last week and I, you know we were doing awards night. We gave our NHL Mr. TNT award to Alexander Ovechkin. And I asked him, I said who would be your guys team MVP other than yourself? And he said man, we could just get it done by committee. But he named a few guys and howden was one of them. Career year, offensively, just a workhorse. They are so good about locking these guys into these fair deals. Like, you look at Barbersheva like he's making good money for the next years to come. He's a cigarette machine out there, hitting guys, scoring goals, making plays. So they just have such a good supporting cast aside from their big guys down the middle like Dora, Fev, Scora F. He gets another one like, this guy won't stop scoring, man. You want to talk about Barons, I think he makes 1.85. He made it this year. He had 35 tucks. He makes it again next year too. So it was obviously a great game. The one thing that stuck out from the Minnesota side was that Caprisoft pass over to Boldy. That was a fucking. That was a dart. There was no space there. I don't not know how he got that thing through. And it was a laser. So I really think that Minnesota's in over their head. Like you said, like you said. How did you guys feel that Z Bouillon was in his first game?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think it was really impressive that they had him out there right the last like 90 seconds when they're down a goal, trying to tie it up. Now, unfortunately, kind of a welcome to the NHL moment. And he talked about it after. He looks to slide that passover and William Carlson kind of baited him into it, right? He just like, you know, that's like the difference like that split second or two from college hockey, not just to the NHL, but the NHL playoffs say it's an enormous difference. But in any other time, he's sliding that thing over easy and all of a sudden, boom, it's picked off. Bold he has to take up. I think it was bold. He had to take a penalty, right? And the game's kind of over once Howden ends it. So I mean, he only played around 13 minutes. The problem with Minnesota, it's. It's depth everywhere, right? Like Faber's playing 27 minutes. Like they don't. And I think Bogotian only played around 12 minutes. So they got 4D playing the entire game. They have one line that can score. But I think Z Bouyam just being out there, the confidence like he's going to get better as the series goes. Faber joined in the playoffs. He mentioned after or before the game, like, you just got to not worry about making mistakes. You're going to make mistakes, but Bouilliam will end up being good. It's just the depth of Minnesota and the Caprisoft pass biz. It was all because he faked the slap shot. When you see that, I think Hartman threw it over to him. I believe he fakes the slap shot as the puck's coming. So then I don't know if it was Hanifin or whoever or Theodore. He kind of like goes at him like to block the shot the goalie Aiden Hill had gotten over and in that same instant he's going to shoot it. He just fires it cross eyes through the seam. And then Boldy made a great shot. So it's just Ericson, Ek, Baldi and Capriof. And then after that, like who's going.

[Mike Grinelli]

To score for many it drops off big time. And you, I mean you mentioned the depth that like Nicholas Waugh, he's still there. Like their center ice is a joke.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Like when you got Eichel Hurdle, William Carlson and then Nicholas Walk, who'd been there, done that and they still got cold. A star on the right side. Like it's. That fourth line is unbelievable. They just come at you in waves and like you said, the depth is really going to pay off in this series and down this stretch and not to mention the redwoods is Anson.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that's more their D biz. Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Their deer are so impressive. Like you were talking about them the other day, like they're big, they're long, they're mean, no one's getting to the net and they can break the pucks out. Like Noah Hannifin is a one man breakout. Then you got Petro breaking pucks out. Like the quicker you can get out of your zone, especially in playoff, quicker you can get out of your zone and at least get it to half ice. You are laughing and when you have guys that can do that just go back, you know where it's going. Like they're predictable without being predictable, I guess. But they just know where everything's going. You can see it on tv. Like they just go back, you know it's getting either rimmed or eating in the corner, make a little bump past the low and slow and they are just like you said, like a well oiled machine right now. And they are scary.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. And Keith, that Hannifin made that pass up the middle to Nicholas Wa. It was sick. Like it looks like the lane's taken away, the boards is covered and he finds this little angle to get it to Wa, who then has Bogosian come over to him, slides it under his triangle over to Howden and boom. It's like the, the, the the way that they moved the puck up ice, I think that wild fans were kind of disgusted. I think there was a hag cross check that wasn't called.

[Mike Grinelli]

They were bitching about the official. A lot of, a lot of bitching about the officials from losing teams in the first couple days.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I've been a guy who's bitched about the officials in the playoffs with the Oilers. Right. Like. And part of it was because every year their power plays they're going to score. So it's like every time you don't give them a call. So I get it. But I just did not see a game where the officials completely cost the team a game in these first five. So I understand being upset. I also understand Minnesota fans haven't gotten out of the first round in 10 years. Thank God they got Eric Sinek and Caprisoft back. They might have had to call this thing if they didn't have those two. It's like let's we'll just give Vegas the buy. It's not fair. So I don't know how that series is going to go. Like I'd be. I'd be shocked if it gets to six games. I think Minnie maybe gets one at home but based on last night, based on Vegas's D. Eichel just doing his thing. It's crazy. It's crazy. The team they have and they got a perfect first round matchup for them. No offense, wild fans, but it's a warm up series.

[Mike Grinelli]

That Theodore Passover on the power play to to Dorothev was nice to a like right in his wheelhouse. You see the deception. You think he's going to shoot it? Nice little slide over. They got some, they got some mojo right now boys. And they're going to be a tough out.

[Ryan Whitney]

Theodore comes to the middle. Great. He's got the fake shot similar to the Capri soft play but he's in the middle of the ice. Then he slides it over to Dorothy of though like should Gustafson. I mean he wasn't even in the net.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, it looked like he kind of lost an edge or yeah, I thought. I felt like there was a lot of net to shoot at. Like it was, you know, very impressive. A maybe Theodore got him that much hook, line and sinker thinking he was going to pound it through. But yeah, when he slid that over it looked like he had the whole half a net to shoot at. So he doesn't miss those 35 bingos on the season. And yeah, I hope Minnesota can at least push it to 6. Get these young guys some experience in some minutes come playoff time. But I don't have much else, boys. Cause I only saw about half of that game because it was a tough travel day for me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Over to Houston's.

[Mike Grinelli]

I went to Houston's. I had to go eat. Yes.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow.

[Mike Grinelli]

Why you look at me like that?

[Ryan Whitney]

It's just funny. I don't know. I just like pictures.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, I had to take a, a like a 8am flight and then I got, I get back here at 10:00am and then I, you know, gets, get my laundry done, gets get unpacked and all my. Done all the boxes by the front door. Gotta unload those. And then I had to watch the, the first game. The drumming that Pasha's Devils took last.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thing on this Vegas game. Keith. Kind of shocking considering how big they are. They're d there. It was the third season in a row that they were the most, the least penalized team in the league. So like you're not even going to get that many power play chances against them. And that's just kind of a testament to how well they all skate. They don't, you know, they don't need to take a ton of hooking, tripping penalties. They're always in position. So good luck. Mini. I'd love to see a series here, but I think you're kind of in one.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Go forward game two.

[Mike Grinelli]

I don't think so.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No.

[Ryan Whitney]

Maybe if they lose game two, just game three at home.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, I would, I would even say wait till game four, Wait for the sweep last game. If you're down three, nothing, throw them in. Like I just think you're, you're like Gustafson's obviously the guy you're throwing in the towel and you got it. You have to give him this experience. Like he's your goalie of the future. Right. He needs, he needs to understand what it's going to take to get to that next level. If you're just going to pull him and take his confidence away in order to give Flower like a, you know, a send off.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't know.

[Mike Grinelli]

I just think you wait to game four before the sweep.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I like that last game of Sunday, the first game. And I said to you guys earlier in the day like, you know who the red headed stepchild series is for the NHL? Whoever got the 3:00 Easter Sunday game. And with that we're gonna bring on a man who, who's down in the dumps and, and I, I feel bad. We're not even gonna roll the disclaimer, because this man is. He's kind of levelheaded these days. He's changed his ways. I think it's maybe getting a girlfriend. And he knows that he's a little bit overmatched. So we're gonna bring Pasha in right now. 5, 5:20am for Pasha right now. Great job, Pasha. We love it.

[Pasha]

Doesn't matter. I didn't sleep a wink last night.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

So, Pasha, Pasha, let's. Let's just. Let's kind of throw it to you quick now. My takeaway from the game was kind of a way to describe the devil season in one play is two injuries, one caused by Markstrom slashing his own player and trying to get Svetchnikov. Class goes out, Dylan goes out, Hughes is out. He comes back. What were your takeaways, buddy?

[Pasha]

I mean, I was watching that shift, I just. I could not believe my eyes. I'm like, what is going on here? Like, I was in shock. Like, worst possible start to the series. I mean, credit to you. Wait, you called it in our. In our season preview, you said after the first period of game one, the shots might be 20 to three. And I think they were like 19 to four or something. So it. Like it wasn't all that unexpected. It was just kind of like the. The injuries were kind of the. You know, the cherry on top in some sort of twisted way. Like, hopefully Luke's okay. It was just like, I don't even know what happened. Kind of a weird play. He came back, so I think, knock on wood, he'll be fine.

[Mike Grinelli]

Apparently those guys need to hit the gym this summer. I think they need to get on some creatine. You know, they gotta get the pro the protein powder and they gotta start chucking weights and gain some muscle. That's. That's just what needs to happen.

[Pasha]

Yeah, I mean, we'll see. We'll see if he's actually hurt, but.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you mean? Why don't you fucking acknowledge the comment?

[Ryan Whitney]

But biz, they spend every summer, like doing rehab. It seems like that's really hard to end up gaining muscle when you're like, coming back.

[Mike Grinelli]

You should be sticking needles in their ass. Get their muscle mass up, make yourself useful. And I don't know if you guys saw this one. You know that meme and the lady, she's obviously working at like a fast food place and she probably just put in a 12 hour shift and she's exhausted. This was Markstrom after two periods. Yeah, no. Killed over memes put that. Memes put Markstrom's helmet and blocker on her. Oh, no.

[Pasha]

I think if there's. If there's one positive to take out of the series, it's that Markstrom looks dialed. Besides that weird play where he literally slashed glass and, like, the nuts or whatever, I don't know what that was like. When I watched the replay, I was like, oh, he just got him in the nuts. Like, he'll be fine. But now it sounds like it might be, like, legit injury. I don't really understand how that came about. But yeah, one positive is Marsht was dialed. Don't really blame him for any of the goals, and it could have been a lot worse. So if I'm trying to look for a silver lining, it's that. But, yeah, they just generated nothing. I think, like, in the third, they were better. So, like, again, if I'm looking for positives is they did sort of tilt the ice in the third a little bit, but first two periods, they just looked overwhelmed. They just like, completely smothered. I think they almost, like. I think the game plan was just like, hey, if there's pressure and there's not a play, just flip it out. Which I think is the safe play. But they almost, like, were over reliant on that and, like, didn't look for.

[Mike Grinelli]

Gotta make plays, man. It's a team that's used to playing with the pucks. Yeah, right. They're one of the best rush teams in the league. But when Carolina's breathing down your neck, man, they come hard, posh. I'll ask you this, though. It seems like since the Jack Hughes injury, like, they kind of, like. I don't want to say they've given up, but it just, like, has deflated. The group that would be the biggest, like, cause for concern for me is like, who else do you have in that locker room who's like, yeah, we've lost our best player, but we're not going to fucking stop fighting here. Like, even towards the end of the year, they're just. They seem like a little too vanilla. There's no. There's no more fight left. Feels like they're waving the white flag.

[Pasha]

Yes and no. I mean, I think they won four or five after he got hurt, and they did show some real. Some sort of life and some character there. But yeah, they. They did putter into playoffs. Like, they, you know, they kind of just win, loss, win, loss, win, loss. I thought they did okay, like, a decent job of keeping their head above water after he went down. But, yeah, I mean, I liked What I saw from Timo Meyer, I think he was engaged physically. He had a dumb penalty, but he was running around, kind of playing the villain role, throwing the body, just throwing the puck on that from every angle. So he's continued what's been a really good month, month and a half of hockey, I think besides the, the turnover that led to the second goal, which was very unhesure, like I was gonna bring that up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Soft play behind the net, kind of.

[Pasha]

Yeah, yeah, very unhesia. Like, I thought he had a great game. Obviously he had a snipe made up for the turnover, but other than he, sure. And Meyer, not a lot to like. I thought Mercer looked terrible. Really bad delay game penalty that cost him the third goal, I believe. And yeah, if Glass is hurt like that, the bottom six was already completely irrelevant. Glass was a nice little boost for that at the deadline. But, yeah, this is, I think that's enough.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think that's enough on the Devils. Like, because, like, I, I, it's not even so much what they're doing. It's what Carolina is.

[Ryan Whitney]

Boys like Carolina, first round series piss. You know, it's the one, it's the kind of seems like the 18 NBA series. It's like, all right, just go to game four and show the handshakes and then see you later.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, we knew exactly what Carolina was coming to this one, and it was a, it was a, a patent win for them. Greasy point shot on the first goal. That's what I love about them too, is, like, when they get the pucks up to the point, they don't dust them off. They got the traffic there and they just throw it to the mixer, as Merls calls it. Like, you saw them win that draw where Chatfield just throws it. If you watch the behind the net angle, there's like six bodies going by Markstrom. So listen, blame him all you want. If you're a fan of the Devils and you're like, oh, he's gotta find that. He's, you know, he's big enough for that. You, you can't see anything. If you, if you had his, his, his, his eyesight in that, you'd see five different bodies and then a knuckler coming from the point, like, what, three, four seconds after they won the draw. When I was playing, I think it was maybe when we were Ontario or so. I forget where it was, but we had a rule on our team where, when, when you want to draw within five seconds, we wanted the puck going at the net, even if it missed the Net just getting it going towards it because it gets the other team scrambling and I think that Carolina just does an unreal job of that amongst their forecheck where that's to me their bread and butter. Like whether they're coming in for the big hit and they're going to put you through the end wall and or they're just being a past like they did on the he sheer play. Like that's just Martinook man staying on it and poking that puck off his stick like he didn't need the big hit there. So he just gets a stick on it, pokes it right out front. It goes to Stank Hovin and it's in the back of the net and holy man, Carolina fans are in my mentions nonstop about this guy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Good.

[Mike Grinelli]

I listen. Do I think Rotten's the better player? Absolutely. I get that he's off to a hotter start. Stank over in the playoffs. Just ease up on me, guys. I said, you guys are going to the Eastern Conference finals. That's when you're going to get spanked by my Leafs. I think it was a great move for you guys. He looks incredible and he has two goals in his first playoff game. For you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You've always been complimentary of Stank Coven especially going over there saying he's a better fit there than even Renan was.

[Ryan Whitney]

He shits on the Canes all the time.

[Mike Grinelli]

Thank you. Thank you, Keith, the voice of reason over there. That's why we brought you on board.

[Ryan Whitney]

I. I feel like there's some Dallas fans and we'll get to that in a minute after the Stank over interview. Dallas fans, there's like infighting going on where a bunch of them are bringing up every time stankhoven does something good and like what Ronton is not doing. And then the other base of the Dallas fans like stop bringing him up every time. He's not here yet. So obviously stankholm only had five goals, or I shouldn't say only at five goals in 19 games in the regular season with Carolina. And he gets two in that first game. The second one was a complete snipe too. I think Halsey gave him a sick pass.

[Pasha]

Halsey looked really good.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, really good.

[Ryan Whitney]

Halsey was a sneaky, sneaky, awesome addition there. And it's like on the broadcast, I think it was Ferraro talking about, you know, we've mentioned like Ronton maybe not fitting in. He didn't want to be there. But the way Carolina plays, not his style. Halsey it is, right? Like Halsey's like up and down the wing. He could skate. He's in the mix all the time. And that's just what they do. And then Slavin was his typical self. That guy is incredible. And Carolina fans, we saw an awesome video of Rod Brindemore meeting Alexander Nikitian on the locker room. It was just so funny. Like, I don't think Nikitian knows maybe more than six words of English. And he's.

[Mike Grinelli]

But. But he knows hockey.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know hockey.

[Mike Grinelli]

He knows hockey. Can we roll. Can we roll the audio of it? It's a pretty cool. Back, back and for exchange.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, here we go.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We're happy to have you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, you are ready. You are ready.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, we're ready for you. You know, a little bit of English. Yeah, okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

It'll come.

[Mike Grinelli]

Okay. It'll come. And don't worry about that.

[Keith Yandle]

You know what?

[Mike Grinelli]

You know.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know hockey. I know hockey. That's right.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's what. That's what we speak up there. You're gonna be good.

[Ryan Whitney]

Welcome.

[Mike Grinelli]

Happy to have you. It's gonna be awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, that is awesome. I think a bunch of the comments were like, that's why guys love playing for Brindamore. It's like, well, I. I mean, the guy just met him and he's just. But the way he's just eye contact, like, alpha him. He's so jacked. Also, shout out Rod Brindemore's son, I think. Is it Skyler? He scored his first NHL goal the last game of the year. Getting playing for your dad, like, forget, like the excitement of the kid. I can't imagine Rod Brindemore who, you know, he's not going to show it, but how proud is he inside? Like, this kid's in the NHL right now. I'm coaching him. He just gets a goal. Awesome storyline. Obviously he's not in the lineup for first game of the playoffs. As everyone clocked in, the Emmy came back. They had a bunch of guys ready to go. Keith, any other thoughts on Carolina? Like, what makes them that good? I don't know if that. It was. It was a. It was a dud of a game one. At one point, I think the shots were 23 to 4.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, I finished 45, 24 in shots. That's. They're out shooting every team two to one most of the time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Plus a really tough building to play in, too. I know it gets talked about for guys that played, but, like, that is a building you do not want to play, especially playoff time. So shout out to Their crowd for bringing it last night. But I think that those point shots, I don't remember Carolina doing it as much in the past. I feel like since Brent Burns has came over that point shot, if it gets passed up to the point and you are just firing it on that like the Chatfield goal, but it makes such a difference, especially when you have guys like they do on Carolina that are willing to go to the net, willing to pay the price if you can just get pucks there into the mixer and it'll just cause chaos. And then they. They're a team that. It looks like they enjoy controlled chaos. Like they just want to be out there running around hitting guys. It's probably the best matchup they could have got first round besides maybe Toronto. Realistically, I mean, Toronto, I think is going to get maybe a little more bumps and bruises, but this series is. I mean, it's obviously far from over, but it's over.

[Mike Grinelli]

It's over.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think.

[Pasha]

I think for all the doom and gloom though, I'm a big believer. And you're not in trouble till you lose at home. If they somehow sneak out a winning game. Game too, they're, you know, I would have taken that.

[Mike Grinelli]

Roll the disclaimer and get this.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, no, I will say Pasha, Pasha, they got waxed by the Rangers in the first two games two years ago. Yeah, they had, they had Jack Hughes. You know, it's a way different team, but they came back to win in seven. You never, never know. Except for this year when it's Carolina, New Jersey and this thing's done. So Pasha, we appreciate you. And with that, I think we can. We could throw it over to Logan Stankovin right now. We had him on, I want to say, 10 days ago, maybe two weeks ago.

[Mike Grinelli]

What a humble kid. Hey, just a quiet, humble kid.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, very.

[Mike Grinelli]

Shows up to work and puts. Puts goals in the back of the net. That's what he does.

[Ryan Whitney]

Loves hockey. Right. He's about five foot nothing. One hundred and nothing. But his heart's an absolute monster. And he's the pride and.

[Mike Grinelli]

Pride and joy of Kamloops bc.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yep. And he got to play there in junior, so we go into that with him. Carolina Hurricanes fans, if you haven't heard much from Logan Stankhoven, you can hear it now. Guys, what is up? We gotta talk about Noble. Noble is a footwear brand for training and for daily life. It's built to support you in your pursuit of physical, mental and emotional strength. What do you think of when you think of physical, mental and emotional strength. I think of biz Biz on his hikes, on his workouts, on his diet, on his wellness. This guy's the pickiest human in the world about shoes. And he rocks. No ball, non stop. Now they're comfy. You can go hiking in them. Biz you can work out in them like biz. You can wear them anywhere. They look good, they feel good. And Noble celebrates a no bullshit approach to wellness with options across training and lifestyle. Noble has options for everyone. I'm telling you, the white, the white ones I have, even I could run in them. Even I could run in them. And I got no ankles, I got no knees, I got bad hips. But Noble, that no approach, that's what keeps me ripping in these. The SC runners. Exclusively for spit and Chiclets listeners. No bull is offering 30 off your order. Visit www.nobleproject.com Chiclets for 30 off your entire order. That's www.n o b u l l p r o j e c t.com backslash chicklets for 30% off. Guys, it's whit and spring is here. The playoffs are here. And so is Roback. Fresh off some new releases. We are living in Roback. If Biz is doing a workout, he's wearing the Roback all active shorts. Simple as that. There's not a better workout. Short on the market, lined or unlined, these shorts are so good. Lightweight, easy to move in perfect length, the ideal workout. Short. Second, the Roback sprint joggers and the Hessie hoodies are so damn comfortable. You put them on, you just feel like magic. You feel amazing. And they're the softest buttery material yet still perfect for everyday wear. We live in this combo when we travel or simply just want to be comfortable on the couch watching playoff hockey. Finally, it's getting to be polo season. It's getting to be golf season. And the Rollback polo is our favorite. Polo. We don't often wear polos. I play a lot of golfer. I used to at least, but when I do, it's a Roback polo. Be on the lookout for some fun new designs as well. Use the code chiclets on rollback.com for a generous 20% off your first purchase through the end of the week. That's C H I C L E T S on R H o b a c-k.com 20 off all shorts, hoodies, polos and more with code chicklet. Get to roback.com right now. I promise you you will not be disappointed with what you order. This stuff is the greatest. And if you play golf, you get. Get a polo right now and shoot a lower number. I promise you. I promise you that you're comfortable, you're happy, you're confident, and then rollback just carries you to a career low in maybe your first round of the season. So. Rollback.com Chicklets 20% off. We are now pleased to be joined by the 47th overall pick in 2021 by the Dallas Stars. Stealing. And now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes after the enormous blockbuster trade earlier this season. Logan Stankoven. What's going on? Thanks for joining the show.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, thanks for having me on. I appreciate it, guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

So what do the boys call you? Stank. Is it just straight up stank?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, usually Stanker or Stanky. Either works for me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Great nickname. Great nickname. Really rolls off the tongue. Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

I've just kind of had it my whole life, so.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, we love when they bump the stanky leg do to Stang. Or is that a little played out like. Or do you love that? You love hearing it out? Four goals.

[Keith Yandle]

I think it's great. Yeah, I don't. I don't mind at all. So they did it in Dallas as well, and now I guess it's kind of caught. And caught on in. In Carolina too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So.

[Ryan Whitney]

So how's it going? I mean, you know, biz biz had mentioned it's been just kind of a crazy couple months for yourself. Don't know if you saw the trade coming, but since you got to Carolina, like, how's it been? Are you enjoying yourself so far?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it's been awesome. Yeah. I obviously didn't see that trade coming. It was kind of a shock to me. So, yeah, everything's been awesome so far. The guys are great, being really welcoming to me, so it's made the transition a lot easier.

[Mike Grinelli]

How did you find out? Did you. Who called you? Like, did you hear over the airwaves? Like, it's obviously tough news because you've had such good chemistry with the guys in Dallas. A great start to your NHL career. Sure. You love the coaching staff. So how did you hear it about it all? And like. Like, what was your initial reaction?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think it's. It's hard when you pick up like that. I think I was just, you know, fully getting. Getting situated with the. With the boys there. And like you said, you get to know your teammates and your coaches. And I'm still a rookie, so I was just trying to, you know, solidify myself in the league. And then you get dished right away, so you start fresh, which was crazy for me, but I think the first. First window I got of it was Thursday night before the deadline. I was about to put my phone down and head to bed, and I had a few buddies text me and say, hey, your name's out there for a trade.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, like random buddies. Random buddies. Not hockey.

[Keith Yandle]

No, a couple. No, a couple. A couple hockey buddies. Just that I played junior with. Okay. We kind of have a group chat and. And they texted in the group chat, and sure enough, I go on Twitter, and I think it was Jordan Schmaltz on Twitter was the first one to put it out there. And I don't know, he seems like a pretty reliable source, so I was like, okay, here we go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like the people's insider, he calls himself, I believe.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was. That was when I. I kind of first started, you know, feeling like, hey, there's a real chance that I could get. Get traded here.

[Mike Grinelli]

So.

[Keith Yandle]

And then, sure enough, you know, the. The deadline goes by, and then I, you know, I get a phone call right at the end there from Jim Nell and. And Pete Deborah Kind. Traded went down.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. That's crazy. I mean, I remember the first time I was traded. It's, It's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's shocking, right, because you. You built this. You've built this culture, and you've become such an important part of the team. Like, did you kind of give your parents a call? Your agent just probably took a few minutes to kind of sit back and just take it all in, I'm guessing.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it was a pretty quick turnaround. I had to catch a flight within, like, four hours of the. The phone calls that I got. But, yeah, for, for a little bit there, I was obviously pretty upset. I had some really great teammates there in Dallas that, you know, was close with with some of the younger guys like Johnston and Bork and Bishell and back. So it's tough to leave those guys and start fresh again. But I think everything happens for a reason, and it's been great here so far.

[Mike Grinelli]

In Carolina, the first thing that comes to mind is style of play, right? We saw Ran and go over there and maybe struggle a little bit. I think he was still playing good, maybe not able to put up the same amount of points where Dallas seems to be a little bit more of a possession team, right? And all of a sudden you go over to Carolina and I feel because of the man on man, just each player individually has, like, responsibility, right? Whether you're in your own end or Or. Or. Or, you know, you're for checking. How has it been getting adjusted to a new system? And I feel like it fits your style really well because you seem to be a puck hound to begin with.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think I've been able to fit in pretty well. Like you said. I think the. The aggressiveness that we play with, and it's kind of all gas, you know, on the forecheck and man on man, kind of all over the ice. So I enjoy the way we play. I think we create lots of chances by, you know, pressuring the puck and, you know, trying to create turnovers. And that's kind of what my game is all about.

[Mike Grinelli]

How. How often is. Is like, Brenda Moore grabbing you and correcting you in certain areas of, like, how. How. How long has it taken to adjust to all that and learn, like, the little rules on the ice? Like, did you find yourself making a lot of mistakes early? Had you ever played man on man?

[Keith Yandle]

Not really. I think the first, you know, handful of games, I kept watching, you know, all my shifts after the game and on the bench. Yeah, obviously, you know, Rod and our assistant coach, JD Would be, you know, kind of pulling me aside and showing me clips of, you know, try and be in this spot or, you know, maybe do this differently. So just little things that I had to get used to. But, you know, I think now I feel pretty comfortable out there.

[Ryan Whitney]

We know we going back to kind of the beginning for you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was watching a video Grinnell sent over where you kind of always got to live and play at home, right? Like, drafted by the Kamloops Blazers. And even before that, like, that must have been special because you had an incredible career CHL mvp, I believe, your last year junior. So how did it come about? Like, did you know you were going to get drafted by Camomis? Were you ever a guy that thought about college? Like, give me your. You know, you're. You talking into junior break.

[Mike Grinelli]

Were you one of those guys who said, you I ain't coming. I'm only playing for my hometown? No, no.

[Keith Yandle]

But it actually worked out really well that. That year. I know that. I believe, like, I can't remember who exactly drafted first and that. That WHL draft, but there was, you know, Gunther was picked to his hometown in Edmonton, and then Nolan. Nolan Allen went to, you know, Prince Albert. So where he. He's kind of from that area in Saskatchewan. And then, yeah, I ended up going to Kamloops at number five. So it worked out really well. I think, you know, all those teams got the players they wanted. And I was, you know, absolutely pumped. I was a huge Blazers fan growing up as a kid and went to a lot of games and yeah, it was just an awesome feeling to get to stay at home. And yeah, I had a blast playing there. I definitely miss it, but a lot of good memories.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think you're pretty known as a player for your motor too. Like, obviously you have offensive skill, but, like, where was that developed? Were you always one of those guys who could just go forever?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think it's something I've had from a young age. Just pounding pucks and. Yeah, just kind of relentless on. On the forecheck. It's just something that I've kind of, you know, had from a young age.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Have you. Like, who gave you your love of the game? Like, obviously you find that within yourself, but did your dad play hockey? Like, being from Canada, it's different. Every single kid plays. But, like, did you just. Do you think back to six years old and you already were the. The kid stick handling and shooting pucks, obsessed with it?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, my dad was the one who got it got me into hockey. Him and his two brothers, you know, played hockey growing up. One of his brothers, which would be my uncle, he. He played as a goalie at North Dakota back in his days. So, yeah, just kind of a hockey family. And yeah, right from a young age, I. I love the game. Playing mini sticks or, you know, road hockey out in our. Our cul de sac that I, you know, at our old house back in the day.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you had the roll.

[Keith Yandle]

I loved it. Oh, yeah, of course.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now who was. Who was your, like, idol in the NHL growing up? I'm guessing it was probably an undersized guy. Like, were you always a little smaller for your age group? Like, or at one point were you. You were the big kid.

[Keith Yandle]

No, I was never a big kid. I was always a small guy. So in terms of guys that I probably like Mike Camilleri, when he played on. On Montreal. Yeah, just pure goal scorer. I loved his one timer. And then Crosby, I think, just the way he protects the puck and it's hard not to look up to a guy like that. So.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

What about your draft year? Because it was. It was the COVID shortened season, so I think you only played like six games, right. And you probably. You had 10 points. It says here you're probably ready to light that league up. And then all of a sudden, boom. Like, was it kind of a panic for you? And what did you do, like, with the COVID lockdowns. Were you skating at all or working out? Like it. It must have been tough for a draft year kid to all of a sudden have his entire life put on hold.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it was really tough. I thought, you know my, my 16 year old season there I, I had a really good finish to the year and obviously I think we had like you know, four or five games left of playoffs and then everything got shut down. So going to Covid. Yeah, in B.C. a lot of the gyms and rinks were closed so I kind of made my own little gym downstairs in our basement at home. And then there was a park nearby with a field. So I do like sprinting and running and everything, you know, cardio wise there. So I tried to take advantage of, of what I could and yeah, I hadn't obviously didn't want to sit on the couch and just do nothing and wait around. So I tried to put in the work and once things got lifted then I was back in the. The ranking on the. In the gym.

[Mike Grinelli]

You were doing that by yourself just during COVID like you would just go do or did you have like a trainer or anything that you, you work with?

[Keith Yandle]

For the first, you know, few months it was on my own and then you know, once things got a little bit better, yeah, I'd meet up with my trainer at the, the field there and yeah, he put us through drills.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So.

[Mike Grinelli]

So you just like you, you have that drive from within, like you've always just wanted it. You're. You're just worker that comes from. From from within side.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I think just blue collar mentality. I think that's something my parents have instilled in me from a young age and yeah, it's definitely helped me get to where I am today. So you know, I might may not be the most skilled guy, but I think my work ethic can make up for a lot of that.

[Mike Grinelli]

When you finally graduated on from the AHL to get to Dallas, was that a pretty intimidating locker. Locker room to walk into? Guys like Jamie Ben, like they got some hardcore veterans in that room. Were, were you pretty shy at first?

[Ryan Whitney]

Pavelski was there then?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah I was for sure. But the thing about that was, you know, Pav had kind of reached out to me as soon as I was called up and welcomed me into his house and, and gave me a spot to stay. So that made me feel really good right away, you know, made me feel included and obviously why Johnston was living with him at the time as well. So that made it a lot easier.

[Mike Grinelli]

Two guys living in there with them?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, both of us at the time.

[Mike Grinelli]

Holy. Just a three ring circus in there for all the young guys.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, it was awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, Pavelski's the guy. I've said often on here that he's like the best at everything he does, like ping pong, golf, all these other sports. Like, did you notice right away? Wow, this guy's a legend.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, the guy, you know, in terms of golf is unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like crazy. You take any money from you?

[Keith Yandle]

No, actually we didn't get out and play any rounds, so. It's funny. Me and, me and Wyatt would, would stay home and play video games and, and Pav would go to the, to the course and hit balls or, or play around a golf. It was funny. So we, we were more low key. We just kind of chilled. But Pav, you know, on our off days or if he had extra time, he'd be out, out of the course, so. And that's why he's so good. I, I'm not surprised.

[Mike Grinelli]

Are you playing online against other people? Like you have the headset on and what games are you playing?

[Keith Yandle]

Oh, yeah, yeah, we'd usually play NHL or fort, Usually me, Wyatt and then Thomas Harley. So that was the, the group we had.

[Mike Grinelli]

So you three would be on your own team and you'd be trying to kill people on another team. Like that's how it works on Fortnite?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, usually that's. Yeah, that's exactly how it works. But we're not like hardcore gamers though. But like we're not great. Actually. Harley's pretty good, but me and, me and Johnny would usually get carried by, by Harley.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I'm looking here like, you know, last year you were in the, in the AHL. You had 57 points in like 45 games. Was it kind of one of those things like, when am I going to get the look up here? I know you and Maverick Bork really lit it up. Was it, was it a little frustrating or was it kind of told by Jim? No, listen, just, just take your time. You'll be up here soon enough. Because if you're lighting up that league at a young age, you're itching to get the call.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I mean, it was, was tough at times, but that was exactly the message from, from Jim Nell. Just, you know, go down there, do your thing, develop. I think, you know, that was the best thing for me, just, you know, to get confidence and get playing time, get the reps, you know, the proper reps. And, and I thought that was really key for me and you don't.

[Mike Grinelli]

Seem like much of a partier. That'd be a couple tough cities to be a part of to. To not engage. I mean, Austin and then going to Dallas.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Visit Biz. It have been dead.

[Mike Grinelli]

I would have been back in the coast in no time.

[Keith Yandle]

Fair enough. Yeah. A couple of really good cities to. To go out and yeah, there's definitely not a lack of fun in both those cities.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, that's. That. That's a great place to play. We were stuck in Wilkes Barre. We had one bar. We wore it out if we were in Austin biz. I don't know.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, we did get the 50 discount at Arena Bar and Grill, which was nice save on the paychecks, but they don't have any state tax there, so they don't even need to save on. On. Yeah, man. Like, what. What would you say were the hardest adjustments for you from going to the AHL to the NHL? Like, what's the. What's the. The hardest thing about that jump and becoming a consistent NHL player?

[Keith Yandle]

I think just the details, you know, your defensive game. And then the thing that I've noticed big time is the goalies. I think the goalies at the NHL level, nothing, you know, not to take anything away from the. The guys at the HL level, but the goalies are so solid and it's so hard to beat goalies clean in this league, which, you know, I'm finding. So, yeah, for now, it's just keep working on my shot and, yeah. Hopefully find the back of the net a bit more.

[Mike Grinelli]

Why do you have a bit of a muffin or you're just saying. It's just. They're that. That good. You got to find another gear to that shot.

[Keith Yandle]

No, I think they're just that good.

[Mike Grinelli]

Okay.

[Keith Yandle]

You know, usually during the summers, I'm always, you know, down the garage I have at home, you know, shooting pucks or whatnot, and, you know, before practice or after practice shooting pucks. So it's. Yeah, it just goes to show how good the goalies are at this level. And. Yeah, I just got to keep working on it and, yeah, it's not. Not an easy thing to do. Not many guys in this league can be goalies clean.

[Ryan Whitney]

So we had. And this is. This is a compliment, but we had Seth Jarvis on what a clown. What a clown. He seems like. Like, it must be pretty fun to be in the room with him, because based on his description, it's a fun locker room. Right. Like, a lot of guys in there with personalities. Like, is. Is he the leader of the whack pack, as Biz says.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, he's got to be up there for sure. I'd say him and Martinook for sure. Those guys are so funny. It's definitely a really, you know, great group to be part of. It keeps things light.

[Ryan Whitney]

And Jarvis is a Western League guy as well, right?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, both those guys are.

[Ryan Whitney]

So there we go.

[Mike Grinelli]

When you move over to a new team, sometimes you gain an appreciation for guys where you haven't watched them that closely and all of a sudden you're like, holy, man. I didn't realize this guy was as. As good as he is. Like, who are those guys for you in Carolina?

[Keith Yandle]

One guy that would come to mind is Jackson Blake, another rookie.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's nice, huh? I saw Dakota at North Dakota last year. I was like, holy. Like, I think this kid not Only is an NHLer, but could be there next year. And sure as it's. It's been pretty nice for him.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, he's a heck of a player. Yeah, they have him with, with Jarvis and Aho on the top line there and they're just money together, those guys.

[Mike Grinelli]

So.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, he's. I grew up actually playing against Blaker in spring hockey as a kid, and he was always a top guy, so it's cool now that we're on the same team. How was he.

[Ryan Whitney]

Where was he living? Like, how were you playing against him in the. Growing up?

[Keith Yandle]

So he was out. Out. Kind of out East, I guess, or more out east, but he played for the Minnesota Blades spring hockey program.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay.

[Keith Yandle]

And you know, just travel tournaments or whatnot. Yeah, I played him like three, four times. So, yeah, he was always a guy that was constantly at the top of the tournament in points or goals, whatever it was.

[Mike Grinelli]

So, yeah, pretty interesting. I believe that you guys are playing against the Washington Capitals tomorrow. So there's been a bit of a rivalry going on, especially as of late. Like, what was it like being a part of that one? And. And do you have any anticipation as to what's gonna happen tomorrow?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I'm not sure what to expect.

[Mike Grinelli]

You might shed the mitts or what.

[Keith Yandle]

I don't know about that.

[Ryan Whitney]

You and Wilson again?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Challenge. You were going after him.

[Keith Yandle]

No, I was just trying to stand my ground there. I. Yeah, he'd kind of cross checked Sean Walker in front of the net there, and I was the closest guy to him and I didn't want to just stand there and do nothing, so I gave him a little shove.

[Mike Grinelli]

Just everything just, just give him the shimmy. Shake. Yeah. Fans would go crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Brindamore's like, nol me.

[Keith Yandle]

Luckily the zebras were in there last time.

[Ryan Whitney]

Has Brindamore and the. The Hurricanes guys have told us like, he's in the gym. Like, this guy's still working out. Like, he's playing. Same thing that you've seen.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, he's. He's a beast. Like, you see him walking around in the gym and his calves and legs are just massive. And yeah, he's a. He's a lot of fun just to be around. A great guy to play for.

[Ryan Whitney]

So he's game facing you in the gym?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, he's dialed in in the gym. So yeah, he's jacked. Okay.

[Mike Grinelli]

Who have you gravitated towards? Like, I know it's. It's hard when you get to a new team. Is there anyone that you're hanging out with on a regular basis? Like, who are your guys usually?

[Keith Yandle]

Jackson, Blake, Scotty Morrow, a couple younger guys. I'd say Sep, Jarvis, Jaylen Chatfield. I mean, all the guys. Even Mark Jankowski, another guy that was kind of traded. So we've been obviously close being the two guys that got traded at the deadline there. But all the guys have been great. So, you know, there's not really any clicks in. In the group. Like everyone kind of hangs out together and yeah, it's. Everyone's fun to be around.

[Ryan Whitney]

Where do they have you living right now? You're in a hotel?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah, I'm at a hotel. Probably stay there for the rest of the season.

[Mike Grinelli]

The airport Hotel, Motel 6?

[Keith Yandle]

No, it's. It's a Hyatt house. So it's got like a little kitchen and living room. Honestly, it's perfect for, you know, for the next little bit here. And obviously at the beginning next year I'll get my own place.

[Mike Grinelli]

You seem pretty low maintenance. That, like a little cantina. Like, that would seem like a Four Seasons going back to chat field. Like, what's up with his teeth? Like, like, do you think he's gonna get new jibs? Like, it seems like the guy can chew corn on the cob through a tennis racket. Like, what's up there?

[Keith Yandle]

That's a good question. I. I have to ask him that. Honestly, I've been caught, like, just talking to him, being caught looking at his teeth a few times and I'm like, what's going on there? But yeah, I, I have. That's a good question. That's perfect. Next time I see him, I'll have to ask him what he's doing there.

[Mike Grinelli]

But he looks like a crackhead. Kind of. Like, no offense. Those jibs are.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no offense, no offense.

[Mike Grinelli]

Like, I love him. I love him as a player. I like his judo style takedowns. I love everything about him. I just, like, I think at one point, like, the league has to step in and say, hey, like, we got kids sitting front row at the game. Like, we need to get those jibs fixed.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, fair enough. I think I, I'm, I'm sure his thought process is, you know, if I get hit in the mouth again or whatever, then, you know, I won't have to. Won't have to fix it too much. It's already kind of, you know, his teeth are already broken, so I guess he's probably just gonna wait till his career is done.

[Ryan Whitney]

But that's what it is, Biz. You can't fix them now and then take a puck in the mouth, you know?

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, you just gotta take the, the rest of them out. Just like, just make it look clean. Like Eric Johnson. Who's in there?

[Ryan Whitney]

No teeth.

[Mike Grinelli]

Just none. Like, because you got the little stubble ones. Like, it's almost like, oh, God, it looks like the fake ones you put in for Halloween where they're not even real. What about some of the Wiley veterans, like Brent Burns, like Jordan Stahl? These guys have played forever.

[Ryan Whitney]

Have you been in his backpack? Have you been in Bernsie's little backpack yet?

[Mike Grinelli]

He could fit in it.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, I could probably fit in it. But yeah, he brings like, like Burns, he's bringing that backpack and he's bringing two suit like two massive suitcases. It's like he's packing a stay when he comes on road trips. It's pretty funny. So. No, those guys are great though. Like Burns, he's such a fun guy to be around. You know, he's always cracking jokes and having a good time. Stalls. He does too. He's a little bit more focused though. And obviously, you know, him being, being the captain, he's more dialed in. But yeah, both those guys are awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was gonna just ask about kind of first time you're like one on one on slaving in practice. It's, it's, it's like, oh, like, I, I don't think I'm getting around this guy. Like, based on watching him in the, the past few seasons and then guys talking about like, wow, didn't really realize he's this good. Was it the same for you?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, just like the way he positions his stick and he skates well. So good. Yeah, he does like, he's the definition of a shutdown defender. Like, yeah, obviously has the, the skill to bring some offense to, but just the way he defends and it's, it's so hard to get around the guy. Like. And I think, you know, his, his breakout, in my opinion, was obviously the four nations there. Like, everyone kind of came to realize, you know, just how good he was. And now being on his team, it's like, wow, this guy's. Yeah, this guy's the real deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

So take, take us through a day in Logan, Stank Oven's off season, right? Like, obviously working out in the morning. Are you a guy that's kind of skating like, even in June on the ice a lot or you take a little time away and then what's all afternoon like for you?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, usually, you know, after the season, I'll probably take, you know, two to two and a half weeks off. That's it? Yeah. Yeah, usually that's about it. Throughout the summer. I'll probably take like another, you know, week or two off just because it is. It is quite a long summer, so you got to pace yourself, but.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, hopefully not this year for you.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ryan Whitney]

But do you golf or like, anything else? Nice.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, usually. So. A damn day in my life in the summer is usually wake up around probably 6:45. I do sprints at 7am, seven till 8am at a track nearby. There's a group there that is like. It's like a mix of like, cardio and footwork and whatnot. So resistance work, core. So that's, that's really good. And then I'll walk over to the gym nearby and do like an actual lift from about, you know, 8:30 till. Till 10. And then from there I'll go home and eat breakfast, chill for a bit. And then my times kind of differ. Like, sometimes they're a bit earlier, sometimes they're in the afternoon, so.

[Mike Grinelli]

And then. Yeah, man, these kids, what they have to do nowadays, it's crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

What other. Any. Like, are there any other NHL ers in. In your crew for summer training in cam loops?

[Keith Yandle]

There's not a whole lot. Like, sometimes I know Josh D. Will. Okay, I'll skate with him and, and, and train with him a little bit. When he's around for the summer, he's.

[Mike Grinelli]

At the Shoe Schwap. I went to their place. They got a beautiful place on the water there. But your, your morning routine sounds like that. That influencer that's been popping off lately does the. The puts his face in ice water. Have you Seen this guy? This.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

What's this guy's name?

[Keith Yandle]

Seen? I'm actually not sure, but I know exactly who you're talking about.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. He was at the Heat game the other night and it was 9:30 so people were flipping out because I think he said he's in bed by 8 every night. He's up at 3:30 with the face and the Ice Bowl.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, that's a pretty wild Ashton Hall.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ashton hall is the clown's name.

[Keith Yandle]

Okay.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you do with your free time for fun? Like you watching shows? Like do you have like a. Like he's watching highlights biz.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's watching stick handle videos. This guy? Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

No, like, are you talking about like during the season when I'm.

[Mike Grinelli]

What I'm up to? Yeah. Like what's your escape? How do you get out of your hockey bubble?

[Keith Yandle]

Good question. I mean during the summers. Yeah, like I love to golf. I have a pool in my backyard, so hang out by the pool suntan. So I have a ping pong table in the backyard as well. So play some ping pong. Other than that, it's usually all hockey, like watching video or watching highlights like you said so. But yeah, I think it's definitely key for, for players to have an escape from the game and kind of take your, you know, I guess your, your head out of the game for a bit and, and re. Refocus.

[Mike Grinelli]

Are you anti social media? Like are you on Twitter or, or Instagram?

[Keith Yandle]

I am, yeah. I'm on, I'm on there a little bit. I try to stay off of it, you know, throughout the season though, because there's so much going on. But it's, it's hard. It's hard not to.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you mean by so much going on? As in like maybe criticism or finding all that?

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, yeah. Everything. Everything that comes with it. That's, that's, that's the, that's, you know, the great thing about, you know, being a professional sports player though, you know, that's, that's what you expect and. But sometimes, yeah, just stay away from that stuff and don't let it affect your game at all.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, I should have taken that advice instead of.

[Ryan Whitney]

You wouldn't have a job right now.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's true, that's true. The kayaks are more up than the Dallas Stars fans. Although there is one guy I want to ask you about. Were you buddies with Bang Guy?

[Keith Yandle]

No, no, I was not. But yeah, I noticed that he wasn't like at any of our games this season.

[Mike Grinelli]

He's in Prison.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's in jail, actually.

[Keith Yandle]

I didn't know that.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Keith Yandle]

What happened there.

[Ryan Whitney]

He. I think it was like maybe his 15th DUI or something like that. He's. But he's out, I believe, when the Western Conference final starts. So if the stars go on a run, then they got to deal with that when he comes back. But. Yeah, I was wondering if you were buddies with him, maybe spend a little time off the ice with. With Glass banger.

[Mike Grinelli]

Would you guys talk about him in the locker room? Because he was bringing pros, like, new pros to every single game and he.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was so annoying behind the net.

[Keith Yandle]

Honestly, no. Nobody mentioned it at all. At least not when I was around. Nobody said anything in the dressing room or joke about it, so.

[Mike Grinelli]

No. One person was like, hey, look at this guy in on the forecheck behind the glass with the white suit with the hooker sitting next to him.

[Keith Yandle]

Honestly, I'm sure, like, he's probably been there for a while. The guys are probably just used to it for, you know, by now, but.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Anything else we should know about Carolina? Like, have you had any funny interactions with any of the fans yet? Because the kayaks are nuts. Like, I was spouting off online about the ran and deal and the original one, not the one that involved you and how silly it was to bring them over. They were all over.

[Ryan Whitney]

They hate you.

[Mike Grinelli]

I had. I should have took a page out of your book and got off of it.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, no, they are passionate. That's something I. Yeah, I didn't. I didn't really expect, you know, going to Carolina, but it's cool, like, showing up before the games. They're tailgating. It's like football. Like, they're tailgating before the games and, and, you know, playing cornhole or whatever it is before. So it's. It's pretty. It's pretty cool to see, you know, how much they love the hockey in, you know, in Raleigh there. And. Yeah, they're really loud. I can't wait to see, you know, what they have for us in playoffs.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, it's going to be great. It's going to be great. Pretty much locked in with the Devils, so. Looking forward to that dude. And I know it's probably been wild, you know, getting traded for the first time, but we actually might need a favor from you. And we're. We're part owners of a new East Coast Hockey league team in Greensboro, the Gargoyles. So maybe we could get you to. We're not going to ask you to, you know, suit up for a game, but drop a puck.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you mean? Yes, we were.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sorry, I didn't want to go there yet. Biz, let's have him drop the puck first and then give him the uniform.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, sounds good.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, buddy. Thank you so much for coming on. Dude, good luck the rest of the year.

[Keith Yandle]

Yeah, thanks, guys. I appreciate you having me on.

[Ryan Whitney]

Guys, Whit here and I want to talk about DraftKings. After the long grind, 82 games of the regular season, it's finally time to start the playoff beard. Or in business case, the playoff mustache. That's how he says it. Mustache. I say mustache, but it's Biz's mustache. The quest to hoist the Stanley cup is heating up, and the action is even hotter at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NHL. The postseason for the fastest game on ice is here. If this is your first time experiencing and betting on playoff hockey, strap in for an epic playoff run. It's super easy to get started at the DraftKings sportsbook. Try betting on something simple like picking a team to win. Go to the app, select your team, and place your first bet. It's that easy. Oilers tonight in LA. I don't hate it. And if you're new to DraftKings, listen up. New customers bet five bucks to get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now and use code Chiclets. That is code Chiclets for new customers to get 200 in bonus bets. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPE and Y or text Hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-78-9-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio. Thank you very much to Logan Stank over. Oh, basically said it. A humble kid, you know, a younger player, he's not looking to make. Make a bunch of noise, make a bunch of headlines. Doing an interview with us?

[Mike Grinelli]

No shitty Cindy stories coming out of Logan?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no. I think it's like, you know, maybe a story from the gym when he broke a PR on the bench or the squad. Or maybe a story from the. The shooting. The shoot, where he does his shooting in the off season, where he hit the crossbar nine times in a row. No bissonette type.

[Mike Grinelli]

Or when Dallas turned their back on them and got rid of them for Rotten.

[Ryan Whitney]

And we'll go there now and Dallas Colorado Game 1 finishes 5 1. Not a 51 game. I was actually very impressed with how Dallas played. It was a typical whit mush where I texted you guys, I said, boys, we might have underestimated Dallas here. And immediately Colorado scored. I'm talking maybe two minutes after I sent the text. My takeaway was the Dog is a complete lunatic. The Dog was just humming down there. He was firing on all cylinders. He was skating as fast as I've ever seen him. But Dallas looked good. They really did. And then it just kind of seemed like Colorado took over that game. Got some huge shades by Mackenzie Blackwood. I don't know which one of you guys wants to take off, take this away. But who? What do you got?

[Mike Grinelli]

I just think that they gotta, like, they gotta figure out a way to close off that five man unit. When Makar, Taves and Dog and that line is out there, they just cook. And even if Dallas is in the offensive zone playing good for half the shift, the minute it gets turned over, their speed is just taken over right like this. Like you. You tweeted out. The speed is the biggest difference. I said on the broadcast, if they don't figure out Colorado's transition and, and their, their, their neutral zone and, and gap up a little bit better, they're going to get cooked in this series because all of those line rushes are what ended up cooking them. Like, that was a pretty lucky goal from Lekkonen, like the bicycle kick one. But did you see crazy they were in. Dallas was in the offensive zone for like 20, 30 seconds. Nate ends up just bullying his guy in front of the net. He takes the puck from his own end, he goes up the left side of the ice, then crosses over to the right. And what'd you make of the pick that he put on Lubuschkin after he dished it off to Lekonen?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, you.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, you would have called that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Not necessarily, but I see Dallas being a little disgusted by that.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think it was, I think it was perfect because it seemed like Labouchkin put his stick between his legs. So Nate just went with it and then he just forced him off and then created that lane for Lekonen, which ended up resulting in the first goal. And then like you saw so many More examples of how they get up ice. Like I showed the one where Steele had had Makar dead to rights in his own end, knocked him off the puck, thought he was going to get it. Makar just fucking battles it right back, gets it. They go back up ice and they get two more chances off the Russian regroup. So I just, I think it's going to come down to if they can solve that five man unit and just break and even, I would just try to sick a line on them, tell them to say just to shut these guys down and we'll let the rest of the three lines try to figure out the rest of the team. Because right now that's the biggest glaring difference is the speed from those top five unit. And if they can't neutralize that, it's going to be series over.

[Ryan Whitney]

It also was incredible by Mackenzie Blackwood. I mean, he made some. He had that save on Steel. Wyatt Johnson threw it across shorthanded. Unreal save there. He had another. He robbed somebody else. I can't think of. He stopped Wyatt Johnson like on a sick play like in the second period. But I mean, you also got to kind of pump up Dallas there. I mean like that five on three at the beginning of the game was one of the best five on three penalty kills I've ever seen.

[Mike Grinelli]

So the second best penalty kill this season.

[Ryan Whitney]

The second penalty was legit. McCarr made an amazing move on Johnson on, on the, at the blue line. He tripped him. I think it was Wyatt Johnson. But the first penalty was Mason Marchmont and it was not a penalty. It was brutal. They called that call and DeBoer was disgusted about it. And then I get the second one being right, but that first one was weak. Like even Marchman standing there like, what the hell is that call like to give them a five on three. But they got a great kill. I'm like, that'll get them going. And after that, I kind of noticed in that game how physical it was, specifically Colorado, like the netches. He hammered Labushkin on one of the shifts. He did a great job. And he looks so nasty. Like Keith, you texted like how fast he is and how much he fits in with, with the dog. It was like he's coming up the ice and it looks similar to McKinnon when he's carrying the puck through the neutral zone.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And he looks like he's five inches bigger than everyone too. He's a moose out there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I thought Colorado and Biz, I thought what you said about like you, you showed A clip of Makara getting forechecked and making a pass and just getting up the ice. Like when they play like that and they're engaged not only like to offensively but to get back and make plays and get pucks and then get up the ice. Like, who, who's. Who can cover that? Like, Dallas is a, is a, you know, a really good team, well oiled machine, but it's like who can cover a guy that's going to go back, get first touch on the puck, make a pass, then be the, you know, first guy up the ice to receive it. So it's, it's, I think the way that they're playing right now. And you see Nate too, like he's getting interviewed after the game and he, it's almost like that Kobe mentality where he's just like not, not satisfied. Like it's like it's one game I'm ready to, you know, I just want it to be Game 7 of the Stanley cup finals. Like he is so dialed.

[Mike Grinelli]

He's the best player in the world right now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And Wayne said it right? Like it's. And when he says that he's the.

[Mike Grinelli]

Best player in the world and everybody's following him in that locker room and.

[Ryan Whitney]

He mentioned, he's like, we need, it's playoffs. We need everyone and everyone.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's bringing guys into the fight too. It's not like he's doing it by himself. Like he's bringing these dudes into the absolute depths of hell with them.

[Mike Grinelli]

The, the one thing that I think they can do better, Dallas though is like especially in transition, they got to get their, their, they got to get their demon back up. They got to regap up. Easier said than done. Sometimes when those fast wingers and then you got a guy like Nate breathing down your neck and they're stretching the zones. But you saw in that play when Sam Steele was for checking Maar like it was that second layer. So then they go down, they get the original rush. You know, McKinnon pushes their D off, pulls up, he finds that lane and hits McCar. But it's, it's on the, it's on the regroup. Like if you're the dman, you can't just lull back on your own end. You have to get up on the line and you have to be, you have to be doing it as a five man unit and you got to close them off before they can even gain zone entry. And if they're just going to allow them those, those, those bad gaps like you Saw on the one goal that Lekonen scored where, where McKinnon grabbed it in the defensive zone like you're, you're a half zone away from McKinnon as he's rushing up the ice. That's why he's able to go from the left to the right side. So if you're up tighter and you're getting that back pressure, you can close them off. But if you're going to give him that much time and space, they're going to get the fucking line every time and they're just going to work you. So that, that was probably the one thing that they got to work on the most and can't really blame, blame that one on Ottinger. That first one, it was a, was a weird one. The first two were kind of weird ones. Right. So he'll have to recalibrate. But we interviewed Blackwood after the game. I didn't realize he had no front jibs. Did you see that?

[Ryan Whitney]

I've never seen that from a goalie.

[Mike Grinelli]

I guess somebody mentioned Bishop had lost the tooth, the big goal he used to play in Tampa and also Dallas. Ben Bishop. But yeah, so, so Blackwood goalies in their mask, they have this chin guard and it kind of secures the helmet where it's supposed to be. Well, I guess it was restricting his breathing and he didn't really like it like earlier on in his career, so he removed it and then I guess he took a one timer right off the face and it just took out his front grill like he's missing the front four. So not oftentimes you see a goalie look, look like a scary tough guy, but he's zoned in. Locked in right now, 28 years old. Sometimes it takes goalies time to come into their own. Right? Hardest position to play. You're, you're, you're. You're on an island by yourself. And I know he dealt with injuries when he was playing in, in New Jersey. He gets shipped off to San Jose and then what a. What a pickup by Colorado to, to solidify their goaltending and not even have to pay him that much of an AAV moving forward. So he looks like the guy right now. Still a lot of hockey to play, but he, he's, he's found his game in Colorado.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I think that Deborah was asked, I don't know, I think it was before the series about like playing a goalie with no playoff experience and he's like, have you ever heard of Ken Dryden who I think came from Cornell and Like, won the cup that 70s. I don't remember when that was. And then even Ottinger was asked about it and he's like, well, I had a nice little run when I hadn't played that that first year. And you look at Blackwood and like, to make your. To make your playoff debut on a team that's this good, it's got to be. So it's not just like there's nerves, but it's more excitement. Like, I truly think we can win the Stanley cup. And like, I'm the guy right now. Like, that feeling as an athlete, like, there's nothing better than that. And he's been wishing and wanting this for so long and he's battled injuries. And I just think, like, he made that save on Marshman. He tried tying it up. It was going to be 2. 2. He made an incredible save. And I think a minute later it goes down the ice. And Manson with this maybe the sickest D to D pass I've ever seen, he gave it to Taves for a tap in. Like, how many times do you see D to D from the. From inside the offensive zone to like the crease for a tap in for Devon Toews? And then it's 3:1. Like an enormous swing based on that Blackwood saved a little bit earlier. So it was, it was just a great effort. I mean, like, I can't believe that Colorado was able to get him mid season.

[Mike Grinelli]

Right.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then Biz mentioned signing him and then you just look at. At how they're looking now. It's incredible. Also, Manson is a caveman. Keith. Yeah, he hammered Granland and then Grandland ended up running back at him and I don't even know if he saw him. And still Grandlin went flying. I think they might have both gone down. But do you know him at all?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I. He went to Northeastern, I think, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. No, I don't know him at all. He's a guy though, that I would. Would want to play with over. And like, he just. You know what you're getting from him. He's big. And he's also. He's built for playoffs. Like the guy just his build, the way he moves it. But I think the day to D backdoor topping was so funny because I saw, I'm like, oh my God, what a great pass by Manson. And then it's like, why was Taves even back door? Like, especially with those two up there. It's not like it was McCarr or whatever. But I think too, though, with like looking at the Dallas. I think of all the teams that lost the game one, I think Dallas should feel the best about themselves because those first two goals a little fluky. I thought they played. I thought like the first period they were a little bit soft and then they kind of bro. Then they kind of came out hitting. You saw Mason Marchman thrown his weight around. Granlin thrown his weight around. But I think for them to win this series, they got to be a lot more physical than they were in the first period, maybe period and a half. Like they, they got to bring the heat right away. Like next game they got to be like, okay, we lost game one. We have to engage physically right off the bat. There's no, there's no ease and into it for them. Like Jamie Ben. I. He wasn't. As much as I love him like it. I don't think he was engaged as much as he usually is. Especially I saw him in warm ups, it looked like he was ready to kill someone. And then I didn't notice him a ton. Did you?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I didn't. Also congrats to him. I saw a new dad, I think a couple weeks ago. Congrats to Jamie Ben. I. I think looking at the main storyline though is Ronton and I should, I shouldn't say that the main storyline is no Robertson. Yeah. And it says week to week like that. That's not good. And then Heskinen, he was skating earlier in the morning. I tweeted out, oh my God, this series just changed. I had a couple responses right away. He's not playing tonight, but he ends up runting. And I'm saying he ends up really doing nothing. He was minus two, that line of Ben Wyatt, Johnston and Ronson and were kind of dominated five on five. Like they just, they, they with Robertson out like he has to be a horse. And his cr. His career in the playoffs has been outstanding. His numbers are unbelievable. But all the responses are when I, when I mentioned is Ronton playing tonight? I haven't even heard his name. It's just McKinnon, Merchant. McKinnon, Merchant, McKinnon. Merchant can't play without McKinnon. I don't necessarily think that's true, but they need way more from him there. And if Robertson's playing, it's one thing and you can not really rely on him this much. But that was not great. And, and he's going to need to be a lot better. He's going to need to have the puck a lot more. He's going to need to play in the Offensive zone down low where really no D can handle him. I don't care who you are. Once he gets his back to you and you're protecting the puck that is like the Ronton that you need to see and he just. He just wasn't doing it And I don't really get as your first game against your old team.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Against your old team. That's the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah it's like you would think he would have come out flying biz while you were up. Keith mentioned that Dallas is probably feeling the best after of the game one losers about themselves and that they there is stuff to build on and I just kind of mentioned like where was.

[Mike Grinelli]

Ronton and not a great performance for him. Looked look slow so not a good sign there. The thing is as you guys mentioned before before the series had started he's skinnins. He went from week to week to day to day. So that is a very promising thing if they can get him back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Robert Robertson went Robertson. Sorry to interrupt you. What it is week to week for him.

[Mike Grinelli]

Correct. That's not good that you're missing one of your. Your best players since the four nations. If not your best player since the four Nations. So some tough losses for them. But yeah I. I feel like they. Listen they lost the first two games to the Vegas Gold Knights and ended up beating them. So you can't count this team out. They just got to find ways to neutralize Colorado speed. Especially from the big boys. They gotta hope hopefully their depth can take over. Like fuck man. They got Wyatt Johnson on their third line right like that, you know good.

[Ryan Whitney]

That Maverick Bork who was always mentioned with Stankhoven as this undersized forward coming up that had lit up the ahl. He was flying around. I don't think his. His ceiling is not like he's a fourth liner right now. I think in a couple years that's not going to be him. But I was very impressed by him. Last thing on this. It's the eighth, eighth consecutive loss for Dallas. I think they lost the last seven in the regular season and it's also their eighth consecutive game one loss which is shocking considering they've been to back to back Western Conference finals like at some point though like we mentioned the stats. 68% of game one winners win. It's hard getting behind in a series every time. So we'll see what happens. Game 2 Can Blackwood keep this up? Can Ronton and pick it up what's going to go on? I'm very excited for this series. That leaves us final Game that we've witnessed so far.

[Mike Grinelli]

The tale of two games.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, buddy, I thought this was an incredible hockey game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

About that crowd before we start that crowd. Are you fucking kidding me?

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah. That was an unbelievable whiteout, dude. That was.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think jets fans who are always all over us for not talking about them enough. Well, it's playoffs, you're the President's trophy winners and it's your time now. And you had to make up for this disgusting first round loss last year. And that crowd showed up. I love outside too. And I mentioned this in the previews. It looks like the street is 10ft wide and there's a thousand Winnipeg Jet lunatics out there and all white T shirts. The weather's getting nicer and the jets, man, they were behind. Dude, they, they. I had the same panic. I'm like, helle book does not look great.

[Mike Grinelli]

Turn into a pumpkin again.

[Ryan Whitney]

He didn't look great, but dude, Scheifele and Connor, they took over. And Biz, I'm going to throw it to you, but I want to mention I think it was the winning goal. Unbelievable face off play. You guys see that?

[Mike Grinelli]

It's the first time they've been able to do it all season long. Really first time they've executed it. Conor was interviewed in the, in the post game and he mentioned because it looked like a set play, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

It is, it is.

[Mike Grinelli]

For those of you, I mean, those of you living under a rock and didn't seen it, they're on the right side, the right face off dot. And as soon, as soon as it's one, Shifely loses his guy. So it goes up to the point and he rolls up and he goes behind the net to the other side. He ends up getting it and there's a little seam and you don't got much time to, to snap that thing over. And Conor was waiting for it. And Conor had had a few chances earlier in the game where he whiffed on him like those were his shots. And after the shot, he'd have a stick on his head like, motherfucker, that was my moment. But he got it back. They run that face off play. Shively rolls behind the net, finds that seam to him and it's off his stick in two seconds and boom, back in the net. So a great winning goal. The physicality early was what really stood out. And I don't know, man, it just felt like St. Louis blew their load. They really didn't have anything after the second period. Like that third period was pathetic, really. Halfway through the Second, they only had, they only had one shot in third period. So I thought that, that. I thought that Winnipeg really helped out Hellebuck and bailed him out of another tough performance. I thought that he was as Hank described, he was making himself smaller. He typically plays deep in his net, but what he's not doing is he's not loose by staying up and allowing it to come to him. He's kind of keeling over the Cairo goal. Yeah, he's like getting, he's getting too forward. Like even, even on The Sun Quest 1. Like when, when they change the angle around and you're behind SunQuest looking towards the net like he had the whole glove side to work with. He's a big goalie. His sizes he's supposed to use to his advantage. So I think it's such a huge component though, at the fact that he has a tough game and they bail him out of that one so he doesn't lose confidence early like he's got a fuck. He's got to pick it up moving forward. But the team, for all he's done for that team all season long, it was finally their, their turn to pick him up. So they put on a clinic as far as locking up the neutral zone and allowing nothing from St. Louis. Very, very disappointed in the lack of discipline from St. Louis as well. I don't know if you saw earlier in the game like Luke Shen had taken that penalty, right. And then St. Louis scores on the ensuing power play. Great play on the blue line by Fowler. Did you see him on the backhand to keep that play alive to Thomas. Thomas most points since the Four nations with 40 coming into playoffs. So he's been red hot. But right after that, neighbors, he ends up hitting somebody by the bench and then he slashes them right in the hands. Well, if they're fucking, if they've already established that they're going to call a lot in the game, you can't be taking a stupid cheap shot like that, especially as a young guy. These referees don't care about the young guys. Maybe if you're fucking McDavid or McKinnon, you can get away with that. So he ends up sitting. And then later in the game where they have no offense cooking for St. Louis, they have a power play in the third period. What does that bulldo kid do? Well, if Fallow was all over him, if Alo clipped them up top, it goes uncalled. But on the way back to the bench, Bullduke gives him the cross check right in the ribs. Iafalo goes down and it negates the power play.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's not playoffs, dude.

[Mike Grinelli]

They go, they go right to. They go right to Monty on the bench and he's got his hands in his head being like, what the fuck are we doing here? We, we had a one goal lead going into the third period and we implode. We don't get any shots on that. We don't get any offensive sustained pressure. We're taking stupid penalties and we become completely unglued. You mentioned Scheifele though. Like that effort on the play where he throws it out front. Like people could say, hey, that's on Bennington. That's a very hard play. I was asking Hank about it. When you go post to post, he Shively just, he wins the battle and he just throws it at the net and it ends up hitting like right at the side of the post.

[Ryan Whitney]

And it hit Suitor's stick. No, I think Suitor because Suitor went over and kind of gave him a pat on the back. Almost like, dude, sorry, like I tried blocking the pass.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, so that, that one I think you're talking about is Parenko was the defenseman there. So go back and look at it that you're talking about the first one that got deflected. That was the first power play goal off the side of the net when.

[Ryan Whitney]

They tied it up. One, one.

[Mike Grinelli]

Correct. That was Shifele's goal. I'm talking about the one where Shifele was on the forecheck and he ends up throwing it off the side of the net. The tying goal where tough play for Paranco. Like he made a good play. As soon as they entered the zone to poke it away, he had a good gap and then it just ends up going behind where when you're coming over as Bennington with that stick, there's always that little gap that it can get through if you're not right up on the post with your pad. And Scheifele found the perfect spot. He banks it off the side of the net and kind of a shitty goal. So couple tough bounces for. For St. Louis on those goals, but goes back to Scheifele. The work ethic and, and the fact that he was. He was probably the best player. He was just as impactful as Nate was for Colorado three point night and. And him and Connor get the job done.

[Ryan Whitney]

I can't believe Connor just kind of reminded me like that he wasn't playing in the four nations final. Right? Like, it's like, dude, guys just, just A sniper over 90 points scores the game winner with a minute and a half left. It's like kind of crazy looking back on that, Keith, when we're talking about retaliatory penalties like in the playoffs that you played in, like kind of explain how hard it is for players that you're so pissed off. Like I just got high stick. But like the, the, the calmness it takes to not retaliate and take a penalty after a calls missed.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, especially when your power plays feeling good too. Right. They were 2 for 3 at that point. I can't remember what they. But I mean their power play was humming either way. And it is the biggest, you know, buzz kill for a team because you're on the power play. You think you have an opportunity to score a goal. Like there's probably, there's a chance he could not play next game. That's how mad a coach could be about a play like this in playoffs because it is so costly. Because you know, it's the little things in playoffs where, you know, it. The old saying is like, take, take the number, get them the next game. Like you have the opportunity to play these guys six more times to get your revenge and to do it right there where you know, the refs are watching what's going on. And like Biz said, the younger guys aren't going to get the, hey, buddy, you know, we'll let that one slide. You know, keep that, keep that till next game. The young guy is going to get called every single time and you cannot put your team in danger like that, especially when your team has an opportunity to score a goal. So as a young guy doing that, it can't feel good. I think for him the best thing he can do is go out if he's playing next game and you know, be a pass play as hard as he can. But you have to stay out of the box because in, you know, any, any game in the NHL, but especially playoffs, if you, if you're hurting your team, you ain't going to be in the next game. So it's, it's, I think for him it's, it's probably one of those things where he's waking up to, you know, I guess yesterday morning being like, oh my God, I'm an idiot. But you just got to forget about it quickly and get back on the horse.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, you're pissed off because like, are you talking about the one where Balduke ended up retal? Like, like they showed the clip prior like Ira Fowler got him and he clipped him up High. And it was a missed call. But those are gonna happen. You can't let those emotions get to you. You can't. And that's inexperience. That's your first time in the dance. He's got to learn from that and move on. And you saw Monty's reaction, where I'm sure Monty's just going to tell him calmly, like, hey, bud, like, you know, you know what you did was wrong. You know, you fucked up. You can't put them on the peeps. They're lethal there. And, and, and if anything, they needed theirs like to, to, to negate the power play because you end up taking that stupid penalty on a retaliatory incident. Just can't, can't be happening. You got to suck those up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Main, main. Another main storyline for me besides the just defensive effort by the Jets. I mean, you talk about one shot in the third period against. They only had six against in the second. So seven shots against in the final two periods. But the other storyline is I, Alex, I follow. And Gabe Velardi's out. He's up on the first line. I think he had six or seven points in like nine games playing on that first line to finish the season. He ties it up. Pretty cool story on the Athletic by Murat Attes. I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly. Talks about Aya follows, you know, career a little bit. He mentions at the beginning of the article, like he came in the locker room asking if anyone has a chainsaw. They're like, what? He, he wanted to just get a chainsaw and cut a hole in some ice and then take an ice bath. So he's a real, real sicko, I think, but an undrafted undraft. He didn't end up doing it. He didn't end up doing it. He's an undrafted player, played four years at Minnesota Duluth, then had a really good run with the LA Kings. Goes over to Winnipeg, consistent, like 15 goal guy. But he steps up. He's stepping up in place of Velardi. And you imagine he'll be back on the fourth line when Velardi comes back. But that's the Winnipeg Jeff depth, right? They shoot him up. And I mean, the jets are scary, dude. They get Velardi back. If they get Ehlers back, it's like, holy. And we talked in the previews, the third line, Appleton Lowry forgetting the third guy on that line. It.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, they got tan. Of tan.

[Ryan Whitney]

F the Turbo.

[Mike Grinelli]

Turbo.

[Ryan Whitney]

So jets, you get away with your, your MVP and possibly the league mvp. Having a weak game, you still win game one. That is exactly what you need. Biz. They picked him up after he's picked him up all year. Incredible effort and the, the jets are laughing that they get that Game one win. I still think, though, I think we're going to get a series out of this. Unless, unless St. Louis really cannot get offense going. And the first period, they were fine. Robert Thomas, who had eight points in four games in the regular season against the jets, he gets a goal, he's been outstanding. So if St. Louis can get offense going and not look like the second and third period, we could get a series here. But that's a big if because the jets are just, they're a deep team. They come at you in waves and they got the best goal in the world. So we'll see what happens.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think I follow. Ended up signing a deal right before playoffs too. I think he got a nice three times three. So he got a treat. Well deserved. Good for well deserved.

[Ryan Whitney]

So that's, that's what we got first so far in the first round. Other news around the league. So we had some firings.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, we'll start the plank.

[Ryan Whitney]

We'll start in New York. Walk the plank. Kind of like NFL style. Right after the regular season ends, you see Black Monday for those NFL coaches. They're just gassed. There's six or seven of them every year. It seems like La Violette walks the plank. Kind of crazy since they hired David Quinn. It was Gerard Galant and then it was Peter Laviolette. Both lasted two years. Both took them to the Eastern Conference final, I believe as well. Just a nightmare season in New York. I mean, nothing went right. It was a disaster from the get go. In the summer, Barclay Goodreau put on waivers so he could end up getting sent over to San Jose because he didn't want to get traded. Apparently that pissed off the locker room. Then you got the letter about Truba and Kreider. Every player on the team, I think Fox, Kreider, Panarin, TRO check, they all had years. Not as good as the year before. I, I think it was kind of obvious that they were going to make a coaching change. You can't trade everyone and Laviolette and Phil Housley get let go.

[Mike Grinelli]

Well, the, the, the one comment where they asked if Laviolette was going in the locker room after games and he said he stopped and he, and he wasn't going. Some players try to defend it where they said, well, that's common. Where the coach doesn't go in after a loss. I don't know, just the way that it was said, it just felt like there was a, a major disconnect between the coach and its players and right now it just feels like there's a major disconnect throughout the entire organization. I don't think anybody trusts management. I think they feel that if they have a tough, you know, four month stretch that they're going to be traded and sent away. They just asked Ben Ajad about it as he was cleaning out his locker and he says, well I know the contract that I have signed and they sign it as well and I got a no move clause so I ain't going anywhere. Well, are they going to find a way to shrivel him and get him out of town? Well, they've done it with guys in the past and as Truba said, it's a rite of passage. Right. Is that the comments he used? Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Or get booted msg?

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, it's a rite of passage to get, to get chucked out the door by, by msg. So I just feel that it's gotten so cutthroat. I feel like that today's day and age. It can't be like that because the, the inmates run the asylum, so to speak and these players are turning on, on ownership and management. They've had enough. This is, I think that, yeah, I think it's brutal. I think that you can't buy championships anymore and I think that for the first time in a long time you're going to see a team like New York not being able to get away with these types of antics. It might even affect hurt them getting free agents moving forward too. And I don't think this is going to be a quick fix guys. This is, this is not going to get nicer anytime soon. So the Fugazi's are back them.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But what the, the coaching, the coaching carousel. I mean in the NHL in general, but in, in New York it just like, I mean like you just said, you got Turk who took them to the Eastern Conference finals and lobby. It's like they're hiring these older guys and then firing them. It's like what like you also have to have a coach that can come in and kind of grow with guys a little bit. Like you have guys signed, locked up. Like you need a guy that can kind of grow with them a little bit and go through a year.

[Mike Grinelli]

Dolan wants that instant gratification. Yance.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know but it's like I get it. It's New York like you need to be good. You need to be relevant every game. But you also, you got to find a co. It starts with finding the coach. And do they have to go the younger route or are they going to bring in a guy like Joel Quinville next year where it's like kind of.

[Ryan Whitney]

Doing this name thrown around towards his. I would do anything if the Rangers.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And Brooksie back at it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Brooks, he just like sees the report coming, he slams a stapler down on his desk at the New York Post. He's like, game on. We're back. I don't think that'll happen. But Keith, you make a good point about if they hire a younger guy and any team who's hiring a younger guy, like, will we ever see a team hire a guy with a four or five year deal and be like, like we're giving them all four or five years, like we're, we're, we're playing this thing out? Like maybe, maybe you could say it. And then pressure from fans and ownership and if you're losing. Nope, gotta fire him. But like, yeah, can you actually bring a coach in and give him his full term, his full contract and see what happens? I mean, I understand if after three years it's a complete disaster, but God, you gotta like grow with these. Yeah, the coaches gotta grow with the team a little bit. And I mean, two guys lasted two years each, both going to the Eastern Conference finals one year. It's kind of shocking when you say it out loud. So we'll see what happens in New York. Man. The other news.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you think, what do you think happens with Drury? What's his shelf life now? I mean, how many more coaches, coaching changes does he get?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, you wonder if this year, you know, if they struggle again, if then I think Dolan is such a wild card that like he can gas somebody on the spot or he can keep somebody around. Obviously he's a big Chris Jury fan and there has been success. Look at last season. So all of a sudden, if, you know, if he's like the type of guy who could just. Something can happen that pisses him off and boom, you're fired. So I don't, I don't know, but I think this off season is going to be enormous. What can they do? What can they bring in? How is their prospect pool looking? I mean, they have.

[Mike Grinelli]

I also heard they tried a nickel and dime Shusturkin where he was asking for 115 and they wanted 11.

[Ryan Whitney]

So they like, yeah, that's normal in a bro.

[Mike Grinelli]

You're going to you're going to drag it out and make it uncomfortable for your franchise goaltender. Over half a million dollar AAV really make them happy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Mike Grinelli]

Half a million bucks.

[Ryan Whitney]

When did, when does a player ever tell you what he wants? You say, okay, here you go. Like it's just negotiations. I mean you don't, you don't think that Toronto went back to Matthews one time when he gave what he.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, him and Judd fucking bent them over. That's.

[Ryan Whitney]

But I'm just saying like the team.

[Mike Grinelli]

Did it for five years. They didn't even have to give him the full eight.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, and, and G writes in the chat here like this is the David Carl conversation where I think several teams will be calling him.

[Mike Grinelli]

Anaheim would be awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

Anaheim so that I wouldn't take the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

New York job, you know, two years.

[Ryan Whitney]

Neither would I. Keith and, and now we can go over to Anaheim. Greg Cronin, Keith's boy. Patty Yandel's puppet, as we can call him. Fired. 21. 21. 21.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Seriously.

[Ryan Whitney]

I didn't see 21 point improvement from last year to this year. And we had heard rumblings, guys. I mean there's no other way to put it. Talking to players like they were not happy Biz mentions the inmates run the asylum. Greg Cronin, an old school coach, he's been around the game forever. Let go and kind of surprising. I think a lot of people thought with the improvement and the prospects coming that he would have a chance to come back next year. But no Pat for Beek, his guy. He hired him, he makes a change. Verbeek comes out and says, I expect us to be in the playoffs next year. This is the team. If I'm David Carl, I'm going to. And I think that the guys, they have the younger players, Carlson, McTavish, Zellweger. This fucking Jackson Lacombe is sick. Sick. We talked about him a couple weeks ago. They have all these young guys I know coloren signed long term there. He's the veteran presence. David Carl should ask for a bag if they call him, which I imagine they will. And that if you want to give it a go in the, in the NHL, you got a young team, you're going to get a couple years and you could go down to a beautiful place to live, Southern California and, and try to make it as an NHL coach and we'll see what happens.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think notoriously, they don't pay a lot for their head coaches. So I don't know if the money would be enticing enough, but the fact that you get to fly under the radar. And it obviously would seem like the type of place where they'd let him play out his plan, where he would get the three, four, five years to work with them and not a short shelf life. But yeah, boys, we'd heard rumblings from, from guys like. And listen, you're not always going to like your coach, right? That's not, that's not what we're talking about here. But there also has to be a respect. And it didn't feel like there was any respect. Right. There was back and forth. So at a certain point you got to walk away from the situation because you don't want to stall the growth of all these young players that you have if they're not respecting the coach. So get a guy that they can see more to eye to eye with where they can slowly become true professionals. Because if I'm looking at one of the youngest core groups in the league, this is probably the most impressed I am with. With a young core group in Anaheim and the talent that they have. And they haven't even had that one kid they just drafted third overall last year joining the mix.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I didn't even mention Carter Gautier.

[Mike Grinelli]

It's like they have a bunch and go. Had a tough start to this season, but I think he finished with just under 20 goals. Maybe, or maybe he hit the 20 goal mark in the last few games.

[Ryan Whitney]

He looked really good at the end.

[Mike Grinelli]

He looked really good in the last half a season. So he's settling nice. And it's, yeah, it's, it's, it's going to be interesting to see who they end up hiring. But Cronin out and, and that was probably the obvious one.

[Ryan Whitney]

And Greg Cronin go back to the 50s, 60s, into the 80s, 90s, like he was like 90% of coaches. That's how it was and it's changed. And we've talked about this a million times. And I also understand a guy who's been in the game that long, like not even not being willing to change, like, you just can't change. Like you coach the way you coach. It's really hard, like, and it doesn't work anymore. Like when you're treating guys like this and you got guys saying like, this is not the NHL right now with this guy, like, this is not how it is anymore. That is kind of damning. And he ends up being let go. We'll see what happens with Anaheim, but that's going to be an interesting hire. And and, and whoever gets hired is going to be fired up because of the young core we're talking about there. That kind of wraps it up. My last thing I, I wanted to mention was Rasmus Anderson at the, at the exit meetings for Calgary mentioned in that playoff push. They didn't trade him in that playoff push. The final 12 games he played with a broken fibula. So like animal by him there, awesome player has to be resigned. I, I would assume after not trading him, you'd want to resign him. I don't know how that'll go down, but a couple stick taps for that guy battling through the final, you know, month of the year with a broken leg and playing great and Calgary came up just short. So I don't know if you guys have anything else. We got a crazy, crazy Monday night. We got four games. It's wild that Florida and Tampa, they don't even start till Tuesday.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I know.

[Ryan Whitney]

So it's kind of. But that's great for the Panthers and getting those guys back from injury. Reminder, playoff schedule, Wednesday, noon, live on our YouTube channel, Game Notes. And we will be back to you Friday, hopefully by noon, same thing, 8:00am we'll be getting together. 8:00am Eastern biz, you know, 5:00am Your time. And that's it. That's it, boys. Anything else?

[Mike Grinelli]

Go Leaf Skull baby.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the oilers, baby, tonight, 10:00 Eastern. 7:00 Lake. Nobody believes in you. Peace.

[Keith Yandle]

We are.

[Mike Grinelli]

It.