Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 570: Featuring James Hagens + Mr. Hagens, Big Ceaz, Matthew Tkachuk + Sam Reinhart + Brad Marchand

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 570 Summary

Episode Information:

• Title: Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 570: Featuring James Hagens + Mr. Hagens, Big Ceaz, Matthew Tkachuk + Sam Reinhart + Brad Marchand
• Release Date: June 24, 2025
• Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, Mike Grinnelli
• Guests: James Hagens, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Sergei Bobrovsky

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1. Florida Panthers’ Back-to-Back Championships [00:36 – 12:10]

The episode kicks off with an enthusiastic celebration of the Florida Panthers securing their second consecutive Stanley Cup. Hosts Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette delve into the festivities, highlighting the role of "Pink Whitney," the team's signature celebration drink, which became a symbol of their triumph.

• Ryan Whitney [06:32]: “We obviously get it, buddy. You take the Oilers down two in a row. You have the right to do anything you want.”
• Paul Bissonnette [04:00]: “They are absolutely sending it.”

The hosts discuss the intense emotions and post-win celebrations, including humorous anecdotes about players like Brad Marchand being "dunked" on during the parade.

2. The "Biz Idiot" Moniker and Host Challenges [03:19 – 12:12]

A significant portion of the episode addresses the playful antagonism directed at Paul Bissonnette, affectionately nicknamed "Biz Idiot." The hosts reminisce about how the term originated during their time together in Pittsburgh and its evolution into a media staple.

• Mike Grinnelli [04:34]: “He's absolutely sending it.”
• Paul Bissonnette [03:54]: “More fake news.”

Paul expresses mixed feelings about the nickname, acknowledging both the teasing from fellow hosts and the broader NHL community, especially from Florida Panthers fans.

3. Player Interviews: Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart [29:10 – 51:11]

Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart join the conversation to discuss their championship experiences, interactions with the hosts, and the behind-the-scenes moments of the parade.

• Matthew Tkachuk [34:04]: “Just being able to share it with my friends and my friend Shauna...”
• Sam Reinhart [39:25]: “It's going to be a hell of a summer...”

They share stories about meeting fellow players, handling the intense celebrations, and the camaraderie that solidified their bonds during the championship run.

4. Free Agency, Offer Sheets, and Contracts [55:43 – 75:57]

The podcast shifts focus to the complexities of NHL free agency, particularly discussing the evolving nature of offer sheets. Hosts analyze potential contract negotiations involving key players like Ryan O'Reilly and Auston Matthews, expressing frustrations with how some teams manage player contracts.

• Paul Bissonnette [68:13]: “If they do offer him what I just said, and he drags it along...”
• Ryan Whitney [75:14]: “It's going to start happening way more.”

The conversation underscores the tension between player aspirations and team management strategies, highlighting the Florida Panthers' aggressive approach in securing and re-signing talent.

5. Interview with Draft Prospect James Hagens [93:00 – 131:08]

James Hagens, a standout from Boston College poised to be a high draft pick, joins the show to discuss his preparation for the NHL Draft, his hockey journey, and personal anecdotes.

• James Hagens [101:07]: “I was wide awake. Let's do it.”
• Sam Reinhart [117:46]: “He's one of the guys that you love being around.”

James shares insights into his training regimen, the influence of his family, and his experiences at the World Under-18 Championship. He also touches on balancing academics with athletics and his excitement about joining the NHL.

6. Closing Remarks and Future Plans [132:44 – 136:08]

As the episode wraps up, hosts reflect on the week’s highlights, tease upcoming content, and discuss the need for a short hiatus to recharge after an intense season.

• Ryan Whitney [135:49]: “We'll see where he goes. This draft's wild.”
• Paul Bissonnette [135:47]: “And you guys are going to be receptive to that.”

They announce plans for special episodes, including highlights from the finals, draft extravaganzas, and interviews with key players moving into free agency. Additionally, they mention launching co-branded products and upcoming partnerships.

Notable Quotes:

• Ryan Whitney [06:58]: “So obviously, there's true hatred between the Panthers and the Oilers now.”
• Paul Bissonnette [09:57]: “But seriously, because you got smashed. You got smashed this year...”
• Mike Grinnelli [12:12]: “But we're pretty sure Maurice has them on a strict where it's, hey, listen, if we win it, you guys can do whatever you want at the end of the season.”

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Conclusion: Episode 570 of Spittin’ Chiclets offers a vibrant mix of celebration, humor, and in-depth discussion on current NHL events. From the Florida Panthers' championship triumph and their ensuing rivalries to the nuances of player contracts and the excitement surrounding upcoming draft prospects, the hosts deliver an engaging and comprehensive conversation. The episode also features heartfelt interviews with emerging talents like James Hagens, providing listeners with a glimpse into the future stars of the league.

Listening Options: You can find every episode of Spittin’ Chiclets on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Prime Members can enjoy ad-free listening on Amazon Music.

Transcript

[Ryan Whitney]

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

[Paul Bissonnette]

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[Ryan Whitney]

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is Barstool Sports. Our white whale, Sydney Crosby. Shave his head. Shave his head. Shave his head. Ryan Whitney. Paul Vinette. R.A. mike Grinelli. Spittin Chick. What is up folks? Welcome to episode 570 of the Spitting Chiclets podcast. Biz Idiot continues to wear Maple Leafs gear. Don't really understand that one. Biz, you're down. I'm down. Keith's still living with his titles and I, I don't know. Without Pink Whitney is the celebration even possible that we witnessed? I saw bottles up on roofs overlooking the parade. Keith got the shirt. The celebration. We'll get into. Jesus Christ. But Pink Whitney was there. It was in the mix. The big bottles, the little bottles, the shots, the, you know, the mixed drinks. All Pink Whitney involved a hell of a time down in Florida. 110 degrees back to back champs. But shout out Pink Whitney. Shout out the Panthers.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I saw a clip of Brad Marshaw shoving nip right up his.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

During the parade.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was at 11. That might have been why he got kicked.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, that never happened. That never happened.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, it didn't.

[Ryan Whitney]

I I.

[Paul Bissonnette]

More fake news.

[Ryan Whitney]

Is this recency bias, which I think we all get guilty of sometimes, like this is the greatest player ever. Blah blah blah. I'm probably the worst. These guys are going as hard as I ever remember a team going like this is it. They won Tuesday night. We're recording Monday afternoon. We just talked to a couple of them briefly.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Talking is that's. You're using that term loosely.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't even know how they could speak. Their wi fi wasn't great. They're still going. They're in the Bahamas. Now. I don't remember a team going this hard. But am, am I just like forgetting prior years?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. But shout out to their wives because they're very patient people and they deserve. They should get another ring as well.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, they do. I think it's because it's just all doc. More documented now. I'm sure teams have gone this hard. It's just like these gu. Yeah, G. Put in the chat. The 2018 Capitals might be the. The starters of just absolutely sending it, but from what I hear is all year, these guys are dialed in like they might have a couple glasses of wine at dinner or whatever, but you know, rookie parties send it a little bit. But I'm pretty sure Maurice has them on a, you know, a strict where it's, hey, listen, if we win it, you guys can do whatever that you want at the end of the season. And they are. I don't know. I'm making this all up, but they are absolutely sending it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like by playoff predictions. Just making it all up, eh?

[Ryan Whitney]

Like busy Betsy. Just making them up.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just making them up. Wayne's all over me. Just getting dunked on left, right and center throughout the whole hockey community. Quite the run for biz idiot over here. And shout out to Yans, did you coin that phrase? Like, are you. Like, did you. Did you file for that trademark?

[Mike Grinelli]

I tm'd it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Where was the first you ever thought of it?

[Mike Grinelli]

I think Whit was the original one who said it. Oh, no, it was Merls. It was Merls.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sorry. Yeah, Merls. Yeah, Merls invented my computer too. Forget Steve Jobs.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No shit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Actually, Matt Merls. No, well, I. I was just reading something. Quick. What was the saying that you thought?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I thought Yan start a biz idiot. It's like, seems like the new hockey phrase. Now everybody's singing it, including hands.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think everyone just calls you that, but mostly behind your back. But a lot of people do call you that. And a lot of people, you know, that's, that's what they know you as.

[Ryan Whitney]

Instead, that's when you were like, yeah, call me biz nasty. I'm like, this guy's biz idiot. But like, little did we ever think that one, you would stay and play in the NHL and two, we would have a podcast and you become the face of the NHL media. And then you'd be getting your face pounded in on a drum that I also drew at like three in the morning after the Oilers lost game two in la.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So all. All credit goes to you. And this was created when we were playing together in Pittsburgh at training camp.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes, yes.

[Mike Grinelli]

I'm pretty sure when he, when, when you came to Phoenix, when I talked to Whit and you know, we told the story about you in wit saying, yeah, he's going to come in hot. You're going to hate him the first few days, and then you're going to love him that he's just an idiot. He's biz idiot. And then ever since then, it's kind of stuck in.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All right, well, here we are. Here we are. We're going to talk.

[Mike Grinelli]

We do love you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I love you, too. Hey, I. Buddy, somebody's got to be the butt of the joke, right? You got to be able.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, yeah. Like, I'm not. Like, I'm not the butt at all either right now.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I feel like I'm taking it worse from the Panthers than you are after I got dunked off twice.

[Mike Grinelli]

He's a good fan. He's a. He's a. A car. He's not lighting candles on national TV before game one five. Like, he. He's a calm fan, I expect.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he played for them when Kachuk came on. And you literally treated it like 60 Minutes with, like, the. The. Like Putin. Like. Like Tucker Carlson with Putin. I think they have Panthers fans like, this fucking guy stinks. Like, okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, so. So you're the reasonable fan. So what's the reasonable fan? What do you make of them on the mic saying McDavid?

[Mike Grinelli]

No, they said McDonald's. They weren't hungry. They don't want. They didn't want food.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

So. So, yeah, let's chat about this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They stole your song, and then they chirped your captain. How about you have some balls?

[Mike Grinelli]

You go.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ex captain. You guys, I'll. I'll say this about all of it. All joking aside, I have thought it's a little odd, like, how much they're going at the Oilers. And this is like, I'm an Oilers fan, and I get it, buddy. You take. You take the Oilers down two in a row. You have the right to do anything you want. I mean, like, you're the double champ. As Bennett streamed out. I got to apologize to absolutely fucking no one.

[Mike Grinelli]

Damn.

[Ryan Whitney]

To me, it is. It is weird. And it kind of goes into the report that everyone heard during the final that the shit talk and the shit said on the ice was so below the belt and getting so nasty. Whereas, yeah, playoff hockey, a lot of competitors, they've said anything and they're willing to say anything. It doesn't matter how deep or how nasty they'll get. But this series, apparently, was at another level.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

So obviously, there's true hatred between the Panthers and the Oilers now. It's just weird to me that after you win and you've beat him twice, like, you didn't like it's. Like, I think they just hate them that much. I don't. I don't. I can't explain it, but have you thought it's a little odd? I mean, Kachuk had the pink pony stuffed animal smashing its skull in and then doing the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And then the rest of the team bent it over and then they took the licensing to the song. I don't even think Chaparral owns it anymore.

[Mike Grinelli]

No, I don't think Whitney club.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't think a player. I don't think a player on the Panthers started the fuck McDavid. Chan. I'd be surprised if that was the case. I think it was just like, started within the club or wherever they were. And, you know, maybe they're fucking around doing it. But, I mean, you. You shut him down this series. I mean, he had one goal and like, I do. I just don't really understand why it continues to be like, we fucking just buried the Oilers, but they did. So it's also that part of me, like, I get it. You win, do whatever you want. It just seems like if, if, if, if I had won, I would kind of be, you know, just like, loving my guys, which they're also doing. So I'm not really making sense, but I have seen a lot more.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They got you in a pretzel is what they got. You're not even. And you're not even really defending your own team, so are you even a real.

[Ryan Whitney]

So how am I. How so? Biz. What. What would you do if this was. If this was your team and they just lost him in back to back years? If I'm not defending them, what would you be doing to defend your team? Like, what, What. What am I lacking in the mind of your idiot jersey outfit? Like, what? Yeah, should I have an Oilers jersey on?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think so.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so how am I not defending?

[Paul Bissonnette]

You should look like the echo boys that traveled the whole series. You should have the, the orange beard on right now.

[Mike Grinelli]

But like you said, Biz, it's hard to. When you get. When you get beat twice in two years. Like, it's hard to defend.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like, it ain't my team. I'm. I took my.

[Mike Grinelli]

They bend your team over, too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I. I think it's great. I think we need to make talking great again. Like, this is how it should be when teams win. Dunking on the other team, all that talking going on. That's what, that's what sports fans want. They want real hatred. Not.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no. And I agree. That's why I said, like, it's Nothing, nothing can be said to them like they, I love the champs. They're the double champs. But I just thought maybe it's a little odd to me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay. I just thought maybe you would defend your team a little harder.

[Ryan Whitney]

Once again. Once again. Once again. Just what, how, what am I supposed to say to defend them Biz? But seriously, because you got smashed. You got smashed this year and after you're like, yeah, they're, they're unbelievable. Marner, bring it on back. Like you've, you flip flopped 15 times. So I'm wondering what should I be saying to defend the team?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm not exactly.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm not.

[Ryan Whitney]

There's nothing to say.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They don't speak for me. I'm just, I'm just surprised that maybe your reaction.

[Ryan Whitney]

But you can't even give an example. They own us. What am I supposed to say?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well you, you just did. You just said it.

[Ryan Whitney]

But no, to defend. I'm, I'm, I want to hear make this point. You're going to lose Tovar's. You're going to lose Martyr. It's all falling apart. Guys is getting off receded.

[Paul Bissonnette]

My job was to ask you the question because I'm not you, I'm not in that situation right now. So I don't know. I haven't, I haven't given any thought. I, I put up with what I put up with in the second round from them. So now it's your turn to put.

[Ryan Whitney]

Up with it after you brought that on yourself.

[Mike Grinelli]

But I think it's, I think it is too like once like you beat a team like they did Toronto the second round, like it's on to the next round. Right. So you can't really continue to talk. You got to get ready for your next series. Like Edmonton's just the last team that they beat and there's nothing else to go against. So they're, you know, it's just fresh in their mind. They should be talking every team and.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm sure they did.

[Ryan Whitney]

And truthfully. Yeah, I think, I think and truthfully, Bennett pretty much said exactly like what everyone knows. He said we do what we want. We bully everyone.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

We apologize to no one. And that's Florida Panthers hockey. It's like this is the problem with this team and I'll tell you, we have a couple of those guys on. We have big season. I'm very, very happy for the Panthers. Like, you know, I, I, I, it sucks but like team as I said last week too good. One of the best teams I can remember. I can't wait to watch the downfall of this team. And maybe it won't be. Maybe it won't be for. It could be five years from now. Like, I, I like, realistically, they. They could bring back Marshawn Bennett or they could bring back two of the three, I think. But even if they don't, guys want to play there. They got this practice ring. Everything we've talked about that's created the Florida Panthers and the ownership, but at some point, every team goes back down, and I can't wait till it happens to the Panthers because they've just shoved me in a locker two years in a row. They've shoved the entire league in a locker. They've told you that they're shoving you in a locker. And I've had enough. So congratulations. Incredible team.

[Mike Grinelli]

Wit. They also embiz you not getting off scot free like they were chirping you at the parade. They. Or everyone's wearing the biz idiot shirt. So you're getting. You're getting more heat than wit, which.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what he said.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Oh, I know. Oh, I know. And I, as I said at the beginning of the podcast and as I say during the interviews, like, I can take my lickings. I egg it on just as much as anyone, if not the most of anyone. So bring on the. The fact that I get to be part of that parade and I'm living rent free in their brains is unbelievable. This is like. This is. This is what this is about, isn't it?

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna play devil's advocate here for a minute. It. So like, when I bring up certain teams, they're like, we live rent free in your head. We live rent free in your head. No, it's like the Canucks, like, we smashed the Canucks, pretty much ended them la. Oh, you always bring up the Canucks. You always bring up the we live rent free. No, no, no, no. We just. I just. We just own you. And like the Panthers, they just own you. You're not living rent free in their head.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Getting a shout out on stage at the cup parade is pretty cool. I mean.

[Ryan Whitney]

Any publicity is good publicity.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I mean, it continues the state tax argument as we're about to see when they signed Sam Bennett for 7 million, Brad Marchant for 5 and a half, and Aaron McBlad for. For 5.49999. So I get my free meal at Houston's. Please, please keep it under five and a half. Please.

[Mike Grinelli]

Just for a Free meal.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I need that traditional salad on the house from Yan's.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I think that, I think that many fans were, you know, like, Bennett's cheering like the, the, what was it? The Wolf of Wall Street? Like, I ain't fucking leaving. Very funny. Marshawn saying bring. What was he yelling?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He said four. I think Marshawn said he signed four years.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so is that more like I've been crippled for 77 hours and I'm just getting the crowd going, or is that like those two, like, would they say that? Yes, because then Marshawn's tweeting, like, should I go to Florida? Or he had something Instagram.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's signing back there. He's signing back there. I guarantee it. Just like he said on stage, if you can't beat him, join him. He gets suckered by Sam Bennett. Now they're fucking playing Tummy Stick of the Bahamas. Eating, eating fucking sushi on a platter that's floating in the water. And daiquiris, like, come on here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Ekblad mentioned in his speech at the parade that his agent advised him to not say anything.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's fucking hilarious.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now I would, I would guess that at least one of the forwards is coming back. Realistically, maybe both of them. I don't think Ekblad's gonna be coming back. I, I, I think the Jones trade and then like, not wanting anyone to make more money than Forsling, even though Jones does. Right. So that was via trade. The Chicago eats money, they got Mika signed. Like, I, I don't know if Ekblad will be back, but I don't even think that that'll, that'll affect him that much. Dude, he was incredible. Incredible. He played with forsing, shut down McDavid. He was unbelievable the last two cup runs, but he could probably get a bag and a half from somebody else. And I know Keith, you mentioned he wants to stay or had mentioned to you he wanted to stay, but it just seems more realistic to me that the two forwards come back. And if the two forwards come back, the downfall of the Leafs, I'm talking about, it's not going to happen. They, they probably will win it again next year. It makes my stomach turn. It makes. I gotta, I got a lump in my throat trying to say that. But who the fuck's gonna beat him?

[Mike Grinelli]

I'd be more shocked if all three of them aren't back and as opposed to just two of them. I think, I think they're all gonna be back. I think they're gonna find a way.

[Ryan Whitney]

Really.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Who Gives a. They're gonna be making more money in advertising dollars because they're living in Florida, growing the game down there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like they have money for ads there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Buddy.

[Mike Grinelli]

I got you do see them on more and more commercials.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, did you see the rating, the TV rating in Florida of those games? Dude, Share of tv, bro. Televisions are watching.

[Mike Grinelli]

Everybody in Florida is gone by then. Everyone who lives in Florida is up in their, you know, lake houses or in the mountains. And they're watching in North Carolina, they're watching in the Hamptons. They're watching like no one's down there at that time. It's just too late. You know what I mean? So I think that's kind of swayed a little bit. But I, I think e. Yes. Could get probably 9 million at the A.T. on free agency. Dude, the guy just shut down. McDavid, he's incredible. He's transformed his game to be one of the best, you know, two way defenseman in the league. I think he'd easily get nine from another team, but I honestly think he'll stay for six or seven.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay. And. And they'd be able. Be able to afford to offer him that. As well as Bennett 7 and a half 8 million and as well as Marshaw 5 and a half 6.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, I'm not sure. Maybe. Yeah. Backloaded for when like the, you know, the caps going up more and more.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm.

[Mike Grinelli]

I'm not sure how they can do it. I think they'll figure it out. I mean, you get, you get guys like, you fill in. You fill in guys like how they did Nate Schmidt and all Recman Larson, where you, you bring it in. Guys who are making 800 or a million do that can fill up your roster and then you can just pay these guys who know what they're doing. They've been there, they've won there twice. So I, I think it'd be crazy not to bring them back because like I mentioned last week, without Ekblad, Porsling isn't the same player. Without Forsling, Ekblad is in the same player. So those are guys. It's like, it's like Makar and in.

[Ryan Whitney]

Taze would be the same.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah. Yeah, he could.

[Ryan Whitney]

Maybe not t. Right.

[Mike Grinelli]

But it's like those, those guys, you need each other. Like when you get comfortable with a D partner or a line mate, like that makes a huge difference. That's when you see guys go and chase the bag at free agency. They can struggle a little bit with a new partner, new team. So why mess up what's what's good right now. Like, you got a five year window right now of just, man, you can.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Win three more cops. The way that these guys are partying together and, and, and how could Chuck, I mean, the quotes about how they're a family and kind of throwing some more daggers at the need a play, they look to one guy when we need a play. We look to everybody and we can look to anybody. So I, I just can't see them breaking the band up. And Marchie, after experiencing what he experienced in Boston and maybe feeling some of that disrespect, I feel like now Marchie just, yeah, he can go get his bag, but I think he feels he cares more about like getting to the hall of Fame and, and how many rings he has by the end of his career. And, and he could give a fuck about the dollar amount in his bank account because it's going to be a difference of what, 10 million by the time it's all said and done. So, like, I agree with you, Yance, I would be shocked if they don't bring all three back. And as a Leafs fan, it pains me to say I think that these guys could probably win two in the next three years. Like, it's just they got, they got everything going for them. I also mentioned, we don't need to go into all the bullshit. I've mentioned all the, the things that help them as far as factors, but, but that's not taking anything away from what they built. Bill Zito, all the way down with your former agent who is now the assistant, what is he?

[Ryan Whitney]

Assistant general manager Paul Kropelka? Yeah, him and Brett Peterson, I believe. I don't know the exact job titles, but they have a crew there that they know exactly what they're doing. What I was going to say about Marshawn Biz is like, the other thing is he watched Bergeron, okay? He learned for Bergeron, played for one team his entire career. And I think not getting the offer and the love from the Bruins that he expected, he goes to another team, all right, Then he wins the cup. So now it's like if I stay here, I wanted to, I wanted to be one team my whole career. I'm guessing that was part of it. He's the captain of the Bruins. Yeah, but I was traded and it didn't happen. And, but now I got a cup with this team, so why don't I just do, all right, I'll do two teams for my career. I'll do the Bruins where I had a cup and I was captain and I'll do the Panthers where I got traded, won the cup and then finished off there in the sunshine. So I, I agree that Marshon's back. I don't see why Bennett would leave now. The. If you go to July 1st though, Mar Bennett's gonna. It takes one team out of 31 to give you an offer. You're like, I just cannot say no to this.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I would guess that the highest offer would probably be seven years at $11 million. That would be my guess as to.

[Ryan Whitney]

The highest offer and I think that's crazy. But you think he'd get that high?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that a team would be that desperate. I think that guaranteed it would get to seven times ten and a half, if not minimum ten. And I think that the Toronto Maple leafs would offer 10 and a half in a heartbeat. Yeah, but I don't think he wants to leave that situation. And, and, and it's very similar money to, to offering them eight, eight and a half to ten and a half. So it's just, why leave, why leave that situation? So we could keep talking until we're blue in the face about how big of a dynasty this is going to be. But what a, what a performance. Not only on the ice to stay disciplined all season long. And you could tell it was just some pent up partying that went on display between 11, the parade, Duncan in the ocean, now in the Bahamas, like that was just an all on spectacle that definitely rivals that Washington team that won it in 2019. So bravo to them. You can't, you can't hate them. You can't hate them, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

You can hate him, you could hate him. But you, you got to respect them. How about that?

[Paul Bissonnette]

You got to respect them all right.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the low, the lowest moment for me I think just like the, the moment you're like, oh my God. Was seeing Marshawn holding the cup crowd surfing in 11. It's like this is, this is out of control. Completely out of control. Do we want to throw it over? I don't, I don't know. What was it, eight minutes? We, we chatted with these guys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was sloppy.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was sloppy, we'll admit. Sloppy. Funnier on YouTube, I think if anyone's listening in the car, maybe whenever you get to where you're going, pull up the YouTube and just when these guys sign on, what we're looking at, Kachuk, Reinhardt, Marshawn pokes his nose in there, no pun intended, shout out to them.

[Mike Grinelli]

For even coming on. They're on vacation. They Parade. Their festivities are finally over and they come on with us like just all time class act from these.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But we're gonna need. They're going to need a vacation from their vacation is the way that this is what's again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Once again, why wouldn't you come on. Because you dummied him and you dummied me and you've said you were going to do it the entire time. And last thing before we throw it to them. Bobrovsky at the end of the season. Media was like unreal. Yeah, I got a haircut.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just talk about a guy who's just dialed in and ready to go. If. I mean Yan, you, you play with him.

[Mike Grinelli]

You play with him bucket too. It's just new start, new me. The guy is an absolute mach. He's already. He's like you biz. When you're like, hey, I need a couple days to relax. And then you get 15 texts, hey, we got to do this, we got to do this. We like you're both just at the top of your game. Him obviously doing a little differently. But the, the, like the dedication he has at. What is he now he's got 37. Yeah. 37 or no. Like most guys. Most. If that's. If that's 90% of the guys who have ever played, they're like, I got my two mugs. I'm gonna relax. No. What does Bob do? Goes to the barber, shaves his head. He's like, it's go time. I'm ready for war again. He's gonna go back to the drawing board, get better this summer. And it's gonna start now. He's probably not in the Bahamas. He's probably on his. He's. He loves the underwater treadmill. He's probably in that thing just sprinting away biz like just going to work right now. Absolute legend status. And that's why he's going to be a first ballot hall of fame. And, and we're doing this and we're.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like you, you compared us about our preparation. Like mine with the pod and his with hockey. Like, obviously I'm as dialed into my faith as he is as well. So it's pretty cool to see that, you know, God can, can direct us in that. That path.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's turning 37 before opening night next year where they'll raise another banner so quickly play his press conference. Because I was like, holy shit, Sergey. I think there was a picture going around of you at 11, kind of watching everyone celebrate. Everyone celebrates in different ways. Just how do. How do you like to enjoy this time. And you're celebrating with the guys.

[Sergei Bobrovsky]

Yeah, I mean, it's. It's definitely. It's definitely fun time, but I'm just. I don't know, I'm a little different. I celebrate a little different. So I'm not. Not like over excited about the things. I'm just. I don't know, I feel. I feel. As I said, I feel humble and appreciated for the. For the opportunity and I want to keep that way. You know, I don't. I feel like it's so close, everything is so tight and you know, it could, like, it could go any way at any time. And I also, like, there is. On the other side, There is also 20 warriors who compete and work hard in each and every game, in each and every round against us. And they could also be on our spot, you know, so consider all those things. I kind of. I don't know, I keep my humbleness and appreciation to the God, what he made, what he made me go through, you know, and keep that way.

[Sam Reinhart]

Hey, Sergey, I have two questions for you. The first one, just about your haircut. It seems that you do it just once a year.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Is that accurate?

[Sergei Bobrovsky]

Yeah, pretty much. Pretty much. I like to refresh it and then grow it for the season. I do a little like shaping and stuff, but it's. I would say it's pretty accurate.

[Sam Reinhart]

Is there any reason behind that?

[Sergei Bobrovsky]

No, not much. You know, not much. It's just kind of, as I said, it is refreshing. Get kind of new start, new preparation. You know, it's a. Getting ready for new season and for the. For the new challenges and new experience.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, there it is. You heard from the man. One of the best goalies we've seen. I don't know ever. Two Vezna's two cups legend. Let's right now throw it over.

[Mike Grinelli]

I got a question. Sorry. Before we move on, what goalie in the league right now do you think could beat him in the playoffs? Bassey.

[Ryan Whitney]

They just scrubbed him in five games this year. I know. I don't know. I. The guy. Yeah. You can't score on them low. So for any team who likes shooting it like a couple inches off the ice. Well, you're not going to score. And yeah, maybe it's the underwater treadmill work.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Here's my off the off the board pick. Dustin Wolf.

[Ryan Whitney]

Stolars stole ours.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Dustin Wolf.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, let's throw it to Reinhardt, Kachak, a couple other these guys. Guys, it's Whit and I need to talk to you. Quickly. About Shell Oil Company members get more rewards, savings and special offers with the Fuel Rewards program at Shell. Fuel Reward members can earn rewards on fuel, snacks in the C store, dining out, shopping online, and more. All rewards earned will turn into savings at the pump. The more you shop, the more you earn rewards, the more you save on fuels at Shell. Simple as that. The more you fuel, the more you save too. And it's free to become a member. Become a new member of the Fuel Rewards program and save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill, 20 cents per gallon on your second, and 30 cents per gallon on your third. Get Everyday Savings afterwards at Shell members get more rewards, savings and special offers. Join the Fuel Rewards program at shell today. Visit fuelrewards.com Barstool25 for more information. Guys, we have some big news in the Spit and Chicklets world. We just launched our co branded Hockey Training Aids with Skills, the leading sports skill training brand. Now you can go to Dick Sporting Goods and see Spit and Chiclets on the shelves. We just released training aids for players of all ages. We have the Universal Shooting Target, Hockey Shooting Trainer and the Foam Shooting Targets. Perfect for the driveway or on the ice, these products will help your offensive game in a big way. The Universal Shooting Targets builds a visual focus to improve your shooting accuracy. The Hockey Shooting Trainer features five target areas and helps build the vision and muscle memory needed to increase scoring percentages. And the Foam Shooting Targets have quick hook and loop attachments for multiple shot locations. Go get the brand new Skills and Spit and Chicklet Hockey Training Aids now available online and in store at Dick's Sporting Goods. And now as anyone could see watching on YouTube, we're joined by Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk in the pool. Daiquiris are mixed, they're flavored. Let me ask you guys, just start off how are you guys still going? Like what is the sleep since Tuesday night, probably a couple hours.

[Sam Reinhart]

A couple late afternoon naps to to to go again. But it's been a heck of a ride.

[Mike Grinelli]

Rhino, your voice sounds a little better from when you were at raising canes. That's good to hear.

[Big Ceeze]

I know our team doc has been.

[Sam Reinhart]

Very busy helping the boys out trying.

[Big Ceeze]

To get their voices back.

[Ryan Whitney]

So.

[Sam Reinhart]

No, it's been good.

[Big Ceeze]

There's still a couple. A couple lost voices on the trip.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How many of the boys showed up and where are you guys at right now?

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Oh.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Our future Toronto Maple Leaf right there. Brad Marshaw. How you doing buddy? What's up brother? How you doing man?

[Sam Reinhart]

Hey guys, how are we Doing.

[Ryan Whitney]

Marshy, what were you going back into 11 to do when Barky grabbed you by the shoulder and said it's over Marshy. The night's done.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I had to go back and fucking bring it boys.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was 5am I know you guys have been there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You don't leave 11 before you get kicked out. He was going to pay and then.

[Big Ceeze]

Realized that oh that's a 500k comp.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, so they caught that whole bill for you guys. That's unbelievable. Now we're treated pretty well there.

[Mike Grinelli]

They do a good job.

[Big Ceeze]

They're classy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Who would you guys rank as the first star for the entire celebration so far?

[Mike Grinelli]

I know Lucy, you know we're going really?

[Sam Reinhart]

Marcy's up there for sure. The whole Marshawn family show. Show Forzy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Probably. Probably going.

[Sam Reinhart]

The whole Marshawn family.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's doing push ups.

[Big Ceeze]

No, he's on that duty right here.

[Ryan Whitney]

We're down here.

[Big Ceeze]

We're down here in Bahamas. He had to check a box. I think he took him to the water slides. And now right now we're about to.

[Ryan Whitney]

Suck him in here for some fun. Chucky, any. Any word back from Dua Lipa for Lundell? Saw that tweet. No.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's Summer Ray, isn't it?

[Sam Reinhart]

I think it was Summer Ray.

[Ryan Whitney]

Summer Ray.

[Sam Reinhart]

Unless. Unless you probably the Dua LIPA too. I don't.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just a group deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't think so.

[Big Ceeze]

I don't think so yet. But maybe get her to bang the drum next year to start.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I don't know. I don't know what we're gonna do.

[Big Ceeze]

But I hope it works out from.

[Sam Reinhart]

One dust stud then.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

A match made in heaven.

[Mike Grinelli]

Hey, so last year you guys had rain on the parade day. This year no rain looked amazing. Any. Which one did you guys like better?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I liked the only parade that I was at better.

[Big Ceeze]

I missed the parade last year but.

[Sam Reinhart]

I'll let you talk on that. But guy said it was better yesterday with. Yeah, yeah, with the rain.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yesterday was way better.

[Big Ceeze]

One of the highlights, your boy Big C's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, oh, what a legend.

[Big Ceeze]

Yeah, we brought him out there. We had some fun. The whole day was great though.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Told Dave was great.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was a little worried at one point. At 11 I'm like I don't know if big Cease is gonna make it. He was getting waterboarded by champagne.

[Mike Grinelli]

He would have been so happy to die there with the boys.

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, that was that one.

[Big Ceeze]

That was. That was. That was a lot of fun. The transfer guy, I mean I Was.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just so in the moment.

[Big Ceeze]

And looking back on it, I probably should have not done it as bad to him, but I think he liked it.

[Mike Grinelli]

I think he liked it.

[Ryan Whitney]

It was.

[Mike Grinelli]

He's.

[Ryan Whitney]

For the boys.

[Mike Grinelli]

We actually, because you guys have been so good to us, we have a surprise, actually. Flying big seas down to the Bahamas for you guys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

So he'll be.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Now you're on dad duty.

[Mike Grinelli]

He's a legend.

[Ryan Whitney]

Matthew. I saw you. You. You murdered the pink stuffed pony.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Have you guys inherited that song? Now? Do you guys kind of just claim it as your own?

[Mike Grinelli]

You know, I don't think you can.

[Sam Reinhart]

Party without that song playing throughout the day.

[Ryan Whitney]

We appreciate it, guys.

[Sam Reinhart]

Thanks for having us on again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thank you so much to the guys. I don't know if the WI Fi cut out. I was kind of interested to see Forsling with the shirt off, considering all I hear is he's the most in shape guy on the Panthers, and then every year breaks his own records from the prior year's testing. So complete animal. Those guys are in one, but they deserve it. This is the last Panthers guy we're gonna throw to, but we have to. This is Big Ceeze. Big Ceeze owns biz, and I just as the players do. This will be the end of the Panthers discussion for a while. When he gets well, we got to throw it over to big. Ces caught up with him for a couple minutes, hear how his celebration went. So right now, big Cs.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There he is, the star of the parade and the club.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

What's going on, fellas?

[Ryan Whitney]

Big, tell us what's going on, buddy. You tell us, big Cs, how are you, like, alive right now? Like, was there any point with the champagne waterboard scenario? You were worried.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Hold on, Let me take these damn games off.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He lost his hearing. He's got champagne in his ears.

[Mike Grinelli]

Ace of Spade ears.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Wow. What a fucking week. I don't even know how I'm alive.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, where do we begin? I mean, let's start with the. Maybe the. The end of game six and the jubilation and the joy of going back to back as a fan, bro.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

That was insane. Wow. The. The arena was freaking nuts. It was buzzing. Just being able to share it with my friends and my friend Shauna, and just all the emotion just came out with all the support from everybody around here, guys from the community all around the world, not just in Pantherland, but from people in Canada just sending me messages saying, man, I hate the Florida Panthers, but you literally are a legend. And We've been following your story for the. Since we seen you go at it with, with biz, it's been unbelievable. So all the emotion from that and just being able to be back to back Stanley cup champions, I mean it's, it's, it's unheard of, right? It's, it's, it's a rare commodity. And you know, this team is like Whitney said, this team's a wagon. And the acquisitions that Bill Zito has acquired this year, I don't know how that man is not general manager of the year. He is one of the best general managers in the NHL by far.

[Ryan Whitney]

Big C's curious because, you know, we were talking before the series and, and you took down Biz and then you crushed me. But before the final, were you.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I was going to say, wait, I didn't get a chance to meet your ass. What happened?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He didn't go to Florida.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was in Florida. I was in Florida. I just.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

He was in Florida.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think I was trying to stay away from you. I was going to say, going to shove me in a locker, he's going to waterboard me with, with his water bottle instead of champagne. But did you, did you ever think that they were in trouble in that series? Before the series, were you even nervous or were you that confident?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, I know, I, I know when he knew he was in trouble was when they were up three nothing in game four. And then I went down to see him at his section and, and then Oilers all of a sudden potted three goals. And then he's like, get the fuck out of my section. And then that was the last I saw of you.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I was like, a biz is not allowed in my area anymore. Like stay away. Honestly, I, it was crazy because I even said it like in the last time I was on, when you guys had me on, I was like, edmonton's a wagon too. Like they, they want it, right? And the way they blew through the Western Conference, like those teams were damn good. So you guys can't take anything away from yourselves, but just Florida was just that much different. The addition of Brad Marchand, I mean game three was single handedly one of his best games in the playoffs. Unbelievable. And you know, a lot of people don't give a lot of credit, but Seth Jones is probably one of our best defense and he was just. The minutes he had out there is unbelievable. And you know, give credit to act glad too. What a guy. Just being able to talk to him personally. Amazing guy. Hope we can keep him, but he was a Force out there, too. Just being able to hold McDavid, especially Barkov. Holding McDavid to what? One goal in the whole Stanley Cup Final. It's unbelievable. Now, is that McDavid not doing his part, or is that just Sasha Barkov just being a menace?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Let's shift gears there. Had. Had you had a chance, like, to really spend time with Matthew Tkachuk before this celebration? Like, I'm sure, maybe in passing, but it seems like he just took you under the. Under the. Under his wing. And all of a sudden you were at 11 on stage. All of a sudden you're in the midst of the parade. So it really feels that he feels like he took a liking to you, especially with all the trash talking you were doing on their behalf. This playoff.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

It's insane. I have not met Chuck at all before any of this happened. Not once. It's crazy because I didn't even sleep at all after game six. So we went to Fat Cats on Los Olas. Buddy of mine was playing in a band there. So we went straight to Fat Cats. And then after Fat Cats, I came home and just got some coffee. Friend texted me, let's go to Elbow Room. I'm like, hey, I'm wide awake. Let's do it. We went straight to Elbow Room. Just started hanging out with the crowd. Just want to get to know people. People wanted to see me take pictures and stuff. And we were just sitting out there and they're like, man, if we get Chucky to see you, I'm sure they'll notice you, right? I was like, yeah, yeah, we'll see. We'll see what happens. And of course, they're all celebrating, chanting, eight more years to Bennett. Such an unbelievable, awesome crowd that they were doing that. And once Chucky saw me, his eyes lit up. He was like.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was Walt, too. Wasn't Walt the one who pointed down who's like, yeah, yeah, no.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

So I think. I think he. He got his dad, Walt to bring him over to see me. And that was crazy. And then that's when he started chanting, Caesar. Caesar. Honestly, I thought that was like going to be the. The icing on the cake, right? And that was an unbelievable moment, just having him recognize me in general. And then I guess two days later, kind of fast forward 11. I guess they posted they were going to be at 11. So I'm sitting there hitting up my friends. I'm like, hey, guys, you wanna. You guys want to go to 11? You know, we can just go see the guys celebrating everything.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't want to see some titties and ass, buddy. Who the. Are you kidding?

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I mean, who doesn't? I mean, come on, biz. But yeah, no, for sure. I definitely. Some. Some see these in ass. And it's crazy because a lot of my friends are like, dude, I don't know how you can keep going. I'm hungover. I can't do it. And shout out to my boy Mike, coworker of mine, I was like, hey, you want to go to 11 tonight? He's like, you're lucky I don't work tomorrow. Let's do it. So he came over my house, picked me up. We got there. And literally when I fucking got there, everybody in the line. Because I was like, man, this is a long ass line. How the hell are we going to get in? They start chanting my name. Caesar. Caesar. Like, what the hell is going on? And the security's like, come this way. Go up the ramp. They'll let you in. Don't worry. We got you, big dog. Like, what the hell? Literally, just get in there. Security was so awesome. Shout out to security at 11. They brought me in. I saw Jesse, Paula there. We were hanging out for a bit. And then literally security's like, let's get you closer, right? So they. Dude, it was so packed in there. And they literally just make my way through there. And once I got close to them, there's this, like, little elevator close to the VIP area. I'm like, dude, this is awesome. So I'm just sitting there, taking it all in. Them celebrating hosting the cup and everything. And I'm just enjoying it at the moment. And I didn't think anything else would happen. And here comes the equipment manager. You guys had him on the other day, Teddy on game notes. Teddy, such a great guy. He recognized me. He goes, big Cs, points at me. And he tells Chucky. And what does Chucky do? He fucking drops everything. Comes straight towards me, comes up on top, and he's like, let's get your ass down there. It was fucking bonkers, bro. And literally security just takes me into the elevator, puts me down. The crowd's going wild. Channing, Big C's. Caesar. Caesar. And the freaking platform. It was crazy because I didn't think it elevates and goes down, up and down. That thing just, like, goes all the way to the ground. Chucky's right there. He's like, get your ass in here. I fucking go in there and, bro, the rest is fucking history.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And so they lived.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Going back to the question, I Had no contact with Chucky. Had no idea like this, any of this shit was going to happen. And you know, I did meet his mother, though. Chantel, two weeks prior to this.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

The Toronto series in the Coors Light Zone. Yeah. So it was in the Coors Light series and the Coors Light section where they had the band. And we were just hanging out with my buddies down there. And here comes Chantel. She's like, big Ceeze. Oh my freaking God, you're amazing. My family loves you. Can I take a picture? I'm like, can I take a picture with you? Yeah, yeah, exactly, right? No, but she's been amazing. Nobody knows. You can tell it. Amazing woman. Just amazing person. And you can see why the Chucky family or the Kentucky family is so awesome to like the Florida Panther community to people in general. Right? Like Big Walt, Such an awesome guy. But yeah, I literally had no idea who like, personally Chucky was.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's awesome that it spiraled into this. I was just going to ask. So you get, you go on stage, there's joked about you getting champagne boarded with Ace of Spades. Did. Did you know that they were going to hand you the mic? Because they ended up giving you the mic. Were you a little bit nervous being in front of all those strippers and people with, with the mic with nothing planned to say?

[Ryan Whitney]

Bricked up trying to friggin give a speech at 11.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

So it's crazy. It was freaking hilarious. Because Rhino loves being on the mic. He's hilarious, man. I love that guy. But no, everybody was giving speeches and, and I actually, I actually pointed to Chucky. I'm like, give me the mic. I got some shit to say. So he's like, okay. He literally went to the DJs like, give me the mic, give me the mic. So that's how it all started. And he's like, let's get you back up on, on the stage. We had Barkov up there with us, Reinhardt up there with us, Chucky was up there with us. And I just had a few choice words and I don't know if you heard what I first started off with. And I was like, you know, let's, let's get the crowd pumped. And you know, you know, ever since going at it with you biz, none of this would have been possible. So, you know, we had to get a last one in there for you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What'd you say? What exactly did you say?

[Mike Grinelli]

What happens at 11, stays at 11.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Not now.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I was like, on account of three, we're all gonna chant busy boy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, for fuck's sake.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

1, 2, 3. And the whole crowd just went, busy boy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, you're. You're not the only Florida Panther bullying me. We got. I was in the boat parade, like. Well, the private one, because Aaron Ekblatt ended up buying a Biz Idiot shirt off a guy for a hundred dollars.

[Mike Grinelli]

So it was me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It really feels like the entire organization has D on me, along with. What's his title? The guy who got up on the.

[Mike Grinelli]

Mic, Matt Caldwell, CEO.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I had dinner with that guy twice during the finals. He didn't say a goddamn word to me. And all of a sudden.

[Mike Grinelli]

He'Ll body bag you. He's a former military who. He'll body bag you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Sure. But it would have been nice if you would have just, like, talked to me to my face when I saw him at dinner instead of gargling my ball bag big. But going back, Going back. No, no. Going back to Ekblad with the. The Biz Idiot shirt. So I actually reached out to Kachuk and I said, hey, you guys seem to love these. How about we put them on sale? And all proceeds from the sale will go to the NHL alumni as well as covering big. Big Caesar season tickets for next year. And Chucky goes, that's an unbelievable idea. So we're covering your season tickets with all the people who. Who are purchasing the Biz Idiot shirt. So you've obviously meant a lot to our podcast as well. The banter from back and forth with you, buddy, and obviously, like, seeing you involved in the parade, dude, like, that's a. A once in a lifetime experience. So I have no problem being dunked on. I'm Maple Leafs till I die, so you and the rest of the Florida Panthers. But it's still amazing to see what you guys were able to accomplish. And I could take a. I could take. Take being the butt of the joke, so we wanted to kind of spin it into a good thing. So NHL alumni have done so much with Glenn Healey, and obviously we appreciate you fans, so we love your big season. I just want to let you know that.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Dude, that's unbelievable. I'm lost for words. Guys, like, all of you have been so amazing, and, you know, I couldn't have done it without you guys. And honestly, meeting Mike Grinelli, the guys from Empty Netters as well, just. There's so many people I met. Just unbelievable. This whole ride has been amazing. And that just goes to show you, like, hockey community is so amazing. Like, shout out to everybody from. From all over the country. And not just in Florida. People from Canada, Sweden, Finland. So many people have heard the story. It's. It's truly remarkable and unbelievable and just want to let you guys, like, wait. Don't lose faith. You guys are a wagon. I'm serious, you guys. If you get the right pieces, then you guys will be back in it. But I love you. Play us again next year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

See? What about the Leafs?

[Matthew Tkachuk]

It ain't.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What about the Leafs? Where's my pep talk?

[Matthew Tkachuk]

What about the Leafs?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, you just gave him a fucking pep talk. What about my pep talk? We're at least. You know, we're a few pieces away, too, right?

[Matthew Tkachuk]

You guys haven't even been in this. You guys haven't been to the finals.

[Ryan Whitney]

In how long exactly?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Here we go.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's trying to.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We're gonna cancel that shirt situation. We're gonna. We're gonna renege on all that that we talked about earlier. No, but, hey, on a serious note, though, for everybody who wants to purchase the Biz Idiot shirt, G, you could post it on the. On the YouTube here. Make sure you post it online. And as we mentioned, we're gonna cover your season tickets next year, buddy. That was Kachuk's idea, by the way. And also, all the rest of the proceeds will go to the NHL Alumni Association. That's awesome. Former players who might be struggling a little bit, help with their insurance, their dental, whatever it may be. So. Hey, man. Biz idiot. Keep going. I have a couple more questions. You said you had one left.

[Ryan Whitney]

I have one left. One word answer. If you could keep one guy. Marshawn Bennett Ekblad.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Oh, you had to put me on the spot.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, we're getting something. We're getting something out of you that might hurt some feelings.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Who's walking the free ticket?

[Ryan Whitney]

All of our feelings are hurt. Besides the ants.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Can we let him keep two of the three? Wit.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Two of the three, Damn. It depends. Because it depends how much you're giving each player. Zito did say he would love to keep all three guys, but honestly, realistically, I don't think it's happening. And as much as I love Brad Marchand, that guy deserves all the money in the fucking world. He deserves to get his bag because how long has he been underpaid in Boston? The guy's got two Stanley cup finals, right? Like, he's etched in, like, history as a first battlefield, right? And if he goes, gets his bag, I'm happy for him. For me, I'd keep Bennett. And, you know, let's. Let's Roll again with it with Ekblad out there too.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I love that. Staying loyal. Smart answer. Well, big cease, we appreciate you popping by, brother. And congrats on going back to back and fuck, man, I just hope that you and the boys stop bullying me. Let's take the off season here. Let's really enjoy ourselves, lay off the gas and we'll see you next playoffs.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

You know, it's going to be a hell of a summer, you know. Thank you guys. I really appreciate all of you guys. You two yans, hopefully I get to meet you one day and same with you, Wit, you know. Thank you guys. Really appreciate it. And let's go cats.

[Mike Grinelli]

Sees, I think you're. I think you're bringing Wit over to the dark side. He doesn't have his Edmonton hat on. He's got a shade of red on. So I think he's coming down. He's an alumni. He's an alumni. Don't care about your seven games. Zero points with you're an alumni. We will take you any day of the week. Red looks good on you. Blue not so.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

And by the way, by the way, I would love to take Sam Bennett on the back of my chair and drive his ass to Bill Zito to sign that contract.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, all right. Now we're talking.

[Ryan Whitney]

That would be a viral moment.

[Mike Grinelli]

You get a DUI on the chair going to his house.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We might be neighbors next year. Two season. I think I might make the move over to Florida, get on east coast time and kind of infect, you know, the Panthers with my losing ways and, and infiltrate you guys that way.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Dude, stay your ass away from Florida. Stay the out.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right. All right.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We love you brother.

[Ryan Whitney]

Congrats.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

Love you guys.

[Mike Grinelli]

Have a good summer.

[Ryan Whitney]

See ya guys. It's Whit and want to talk about Sport clips. Sport Clips is dropping something huge this June. The playmaker sense. For a limited time, when you get the MVP haircut experience, AKA the most relaxing haircut in the game, you can pick a brand new relaxing scent for your hot steam towel. Choose from a lineup of sports inspired scents like early morning practice air which smells like fresh grass, a cool breeze and the start of a legendary season. Rawling's new leather glove with warm rich notes of leather. And then the wild card for those bold or hungry to try it, the stadium buttered popcorn which smells insane. Fun fact, it's actually the staff's favorite among the Sport Clips crew. These scents are only around for June and then they're gone. So visit now and try them out. Sport Clips. It's a game changer. Offer ends June 30, 2025 at participating locations only and where permitted by law. Guys, it's Whit and I want to talk about Game Time. Do you like going to games, concerts, anything? Game time is where it's at. There's nothing like getting to a baseball game, especially last minute. Lucky for me, I always use Game Time. The official ticketing partner of Barstool Sports. Game Time makes getting tickets faster and easier. Prices on the app actually go down the closer it gets to showtime. I was looking at tickets for the Red Sox game against the Blue Jays June 28th. Right now I see a couple amazing, amazing deal. For 80 bucks a ticket, you could put those savings back in your pocket and spend them at the ballpark on a new hat or a hot dog and some good old fashioned cracker jack if you're even willing. And what are you waiting for? I'm gonna go buy those socks tickets right now at Fenway park with GameTime. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code CHICKLETS for 20 off your first purchase Terms apply again, create an account and redeem code C H I C L E T S. Yes, that's Chiclets. For $20 off, download the Game Time app today. What time is it? Game time. Thank you so much to big Cs. I can't believe he's still going. Good for him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But that's it. That's it. No more double wristers for this Florida Panthers team. You're right. I got carpal tunnel break shuffed in a logger locker.

[Mike Grinelli]

Just like Bob. Just like Bob. We're back to work biz. We don't, we don't, we don't need you talking about us.

[Ryan Whitney]

Done with the Panthers. Enough guys. This is a. Could be a crazy week. I'll say. I feel like every year the draft crazy things are going to happen and maybe you're a little bit let down, but maybe this year's a little different because today, this afternoon, Monday 12 Eastern, Trevor Zegris, long rumored to be shopped around and possibly dealt by the Anaheim Ducks, has been traded the Philadelphia Flyers for Ryan. Polling 45th pick I believe this year and a 4th rounder next year. So biz, he's gonna be with talk all the skill in the world. He had two back to back 60 point seasons and then the last two years he's just been injured. I, I'm, I'm guessing not a huge Greg Cronin probably wasn't a huge fan of the way he plays. I don't, I, I wasn't there. But based on how it seemed to be going, he's now in Philly. He's with your guy Rick Talkett. What do you think? How do you think this one goes?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, first of all, I'm excited to see how his game continues to develop under Rick Talkett, like especially more defensively and just I guess a well, more well rounded game. Right. I feel like things kind of went off the rails a little bit with contract negotiations there and it didn't seem like Verbeek was maybe a fan of his game and, and maybe I don't know about the antics off the ice. Like, you know, I'm obviously a little bit more lenient because I was a complete clown my entire career with the social media stuff. I don't even think he's that bad. He just has a, he's a light hearted kid who has a lot of fun with it. Thought he took a lot of flack because of the Michigan and kind of all of a sudden there was a target on his back. But yeah, I think that he's going to go over there and I think he's going to have success like we saw in the first two seasons. And there's no doubt that he needs to, to figure out how to play to like win championships. I think that there's, there's some holes in his game but any kid who comes in at that young of an age and has success who doesn't have holes in their game. Right. So he's a, he's a huge name for Philly. I think that'll put more butts in the seats and get fans a little bit more excited for this upcoming season along with Michkov. So I'm happy for him. You know, I, I think everybody deserves a fresh start and I think he's got so much raw talent that once that's honed in and, and what better guy that to do it than, than Rick Talkett. You saw what he was able to do when he went over to Vancouver and how he was able to figure out a lot of other guys games and help mold them. So this is, this is what this kid needed and I hope he has a breakout season and I hope he gets everything that he wants.

[Mike Grinelli]

And I think for him too, like, you know, no shade at Greg Cronin, but he didn't play in the league. He doesn't know what it takes. Rick Talkett did. Rick Talkett is a Winner. He's won at every level. He played the game, he could score, he could fight, he could finish checks. So I think when a guy, a coach like Rick Talkett is telling you what you need to do, it probably resonates a little bit more. And I think you're going to see the best out of Zegras. Obviously Talk wants him there. If he didn't, they wouldn't have traded for him. So I think it's going to be a good fit. Like you said, like bringing in a skill guy like that to play with Meech Gov, to play with, you know, learn from guys like Sean Couturier. He's going to help him out. He's an unbelievable two way player. Like they, they have guys there, they're going to better gonna help him, help him get to the way he needs to be to play that 200 foot game. Because you know, I know we weren't going to talk about the Panthers, but I, we see what it takes to win in this league. It's a 200 foot game, playing good in your own zone, making good plays through the neutral zone and holding on to pucks in the, in the offensive zone. And I think he has all the skills to do that and it's just getting it out of him. And I think talk in that group there with Jonesy and Danny B are, I think they're going to get a good treat there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, and it's a huge year. He's RFA after the season. I also think getting to know him right a little bit, like I understand he can kind of come off as cocky, but meeting him, he's a great kid, like, loves the game, very confident, I'll say, but not an asshole by any means. Nice guy who loves the game. And injuries, dude, they're, they're killer. I missed 51 games two years ago. I think he missed like around 30 this year. So to be able to get healthy, go into a new place closer to home for him as well. Like I know the kid loved being out in Cali, but now all of a sudden like you're in a sports town, right? You could like there's good fans out there when you're winning, they're solid. It's awesome if you, you know that the cup team they had. But Philly's different and Philly's starred for offense and he's going to get a chance to play an enormous role there. So I believe that that could be a money trade. I think Ducks fans on a whole, they're seeing we're taking over some older Rangers. We're now trading Zegras for kind of a fringe NHL player. A second round pick and a fourth round pick. I will, I will say money opens up there. So now the whole Marner rumors to Anaheim. They got more dough. I think from everything I've heard Anaheim's been big in on him. So I think it could be a win. Win. We'll see. But Zegras, I'm. I'm. I'm thinking that he's going to be a hell of a player in Philly and Biz. I didn't even think about Meov. Right. Like that's two guys with crazy skill. Can they have some sort of connection. But it's a big deal and, and I'm happy for him. Right. Goes to a big market and on a team that should be on the rise in the next couple years. Probably not immediately but anaheim now is 36 million in cap space. So there's plenty of dole for. For Marner's 13 million or whatever he wants.

[Mike Grinelli]

I don't think he's a Q type player either. Like so getting you know.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Q obviously coming in. He doesn't really fit the mold of the. The what Q's really looking for too. So I think it's a great fresh start for him. You know I would, I would put any amount of money. He's going to have a bounce back year and be a really good player for that team.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think it also goes along with a lot of these younger players who like. Like to skate a lot in the off season and work on their skills. Like just like you saw with. I know we said we're not going to mention it. Florida, they're big, they're strong. They fucking bully guys around. You gotta put some weight on like somebody steaks.

[Mike Grinelli]

He'll be eating she steaks every day. Dude. He's gonna be 220 ripping guys in the corner.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. I'm saying is like you gotta chuck weights too though. Right. You gotta, you gotta put on some fucking muscle. That's a. You know you can't get be getting bounced around and come playoff time. He's a pretty small guy so let's hope he's hitting up the squat rock this, this offseason here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now we'll move over to business. Favorite team the Toronto Maple Leafs. And a lot of discussion. Biz mentioned Marshawn's gone. Then he said bring him back. But the whole time I felt you were very consistent with Tavares will be back and big Time hometown.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I wasn't consistent with that. I said if he was willing to come back on a. On a team friendly deal that.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought you said. I thought you said you thought he would be okay.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I thought he would be too. I don't think he wants to leave Toronto, but maybe the money's not right and they're not offering what he thinks he deserves. And you said Marshawn. You meant Marner. I would love Marshaw.

[Mike Grinelli]

The following statements are about to be.

[Big Ceeze]

Made by eight arranged Leaf Spanish.

[Mike Grinelli]

The views expressed are his and his only. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt because remember, he is a deranged Leafs fan. You look so good in that picture.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Thank you.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's nice. AI.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Now you guys will stop interrupting me with whether it's my disclaimer or you guys in particular, I'll go back to what I was saying. I got a DM from somebody very reliable and I will. You know what? I'll mention his name when Leaf Station.

[Ryan Whitney]

Forever 6975 does it rhyme with.

[Mike Grinelli]

Go on Illuminati?

[Paul Bissonnette]

You were trying to think of something to rhyme. That's so hard. I see your wheel spinning. Looked like me during a math equation. But I heard rumblings that it is already agreed upon four times nine for Brad Marshaw. Now.

[Mike Grinelli]

That has he agreed on it?

[Ryan Whitney]

It's been agreed upon with the fan.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Base.

[Mike Grinelli]

Biz and Brad.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I. I have agreed to it and so has. So have the Leafs. But he just hasn't seen it yet. He's. He's actually blocked the emails coming in from Toronto. But that would be unreal. That would be a culture setter that would make losing Tavares if you do not as painful. We knew Marner was gone. Now I'm actually hearing rumblings that Matthew Nyes and his agent are more than likely going to be taking it to the offer sheet status. So past July 1, which is not good. Now keep in mind if I'm the Toronto Maple Leafs before you even get there, I don't know where they're at with what they're offering him, but I would be okay if they offered him the exact same deal that they just gave in Dallas. Wyatt Johnston. I would be okay. I think that he has proven more at the NHL level. He's had back to back 30 goal seasons. He's also. He also plays cent. I would just be okay to get it over and done with that if they just locked him in and gave him like a. A quote unquote. Bridge at five times eight and a half. Because my understanding if he does get to July 1st, that someone's probably going to offer him that eight times ten, ten and a half number. And then Toronto is going to be forced to match. And then voila, all of a sudden we have our new Mitch Marner, who.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who actually has never come anything close to accomplishing in the regular season what Marner has to be even worse.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So don't you almost have to start questioning like, how many guys actually want to wear the Maple Leaf jersey?

[Ryan Whitney]

Which is a fair argument because when you're good, what a place to play. I mean, like as Marner said, we're gods. He might have said we're kind of gods. Either way, the God word was mentioned when you're on the Toronto Maple. I think a lot of players around the league see what happens when you don't play well, when the team loses in the playoffs, which they always do, and then they're like, I don't know if I want any of that smoke.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think that it comes though, from where I agree with you. But it stems more from it being directed toward guys, bending them over. And like Yance keeps saying, well, it's not your money. It's not your money. It's like if you, if, if you were GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, you would not have given what you gave some of those guys out of their entry level deals. So I'm saying, like, if they're, if they're sitting here offering Matthew Knives, let's say it's coming down to the, to the wire and they're saying, here's eight years times nine million. And he's like, no. And then essentially goes to, to to get an offer sheet, drives the number up an extra million and a half, and all of a sudden he, he's poof, vamoose. Come playoff time, you open yourself up for it.

[Ryan Whitney]

I get why fans would hate you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You opened yourself up for it. So like I, I get I'm a former player, but I'm in fan mode now. I'm in podcast.

[Ryan Whitney]

No way.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

You have a hat and jersey on in July.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, that was more for the guys in the Bahamas when they came on. And, you know, I just wanted to make sure I was still repping my squad that they stuffed in a locker. But I digress. If you're gonna, you're gonna do that to your team and you want to be paid top dollar, I want to see championships like they are seeing in South Florida. That's it. And when you've had one year when you've gotten to play with the players that you got to play with in Toronto and all of a sudden you're labeling yourself as a unicorn. It's like, well, I think that they're trying to pay you as one. You're, you've proven it one year and we're get making an eight year commitment to you at whatever number it is. If, if they're trying to lowball them in the, you know, seven and a half range, then you're being dumb. Fuck off. Let's just get serious with the offer now so it doesn't go to an offer sheet. That's all I have to say about that situation. As far as JT leaving, he put up the points that he did last season. If he goes somewhere and gets a, you know, three times seven, $8 million, go do it. Like, good for him. He fucking earned it. But they also put a lot of money in his pocket to try to bring a cut back to Toronto and that didn't happen. So maybe took a little bit of a discount. Keep the, keep the train rolling and let's see if we can bring in some free agents and win one.

[Mike Grinelli]

What do you mean back to Toronto? It's been almost 100 years, but you might be a little to blame for this because you were the one saying, I would be offer sheet in this guy. This guy is a unicorn. He should be getting by 31 other teams.

[Ryan Whitney]

I would say I can't wait till he gets cheated.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And, and I was not denying the fact that that could happen. So, so to, to kind of contradict myself. Yan's. Do you think if you're the agent in him and you know that that is gonna happen, that you just wait and, and, and, and make that happen and then like, obviously Toronto's probably gonna match it up to ten and a half million, whatever it is.

[Mike Grinelli]

What, like if, if it's matched, does he get to pick whether he wants to stay or not or automatically he's back to Toronto. He's back. Yeah. So, but then it's like, yeah, if I'm the team, it's like, well, did this guy even want to be here? If he's waiting around wanting to get off or she did.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So it's kind of like, I don't know if I was sending it.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah. For him. If he wants to be there and they offer him, like you said, a fair contract at 8 or whatever. 9. I don't know what his, his deal will be if he, if he's offered that before July 1st and doesn't take it, then I would say, see you later. You don't want to be here. You don't want to be here.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I think if they offered him like Biz said nine, $72 million and he's like, nah, I'd be like, dude, yeah, I'm trading this guy.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, but how many teams are willing to do that offer sheet, lose all those draft picks?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Because if it's over, buddy, at, at, at eight times nine. So, so if they keep it under ten and a half million, they're not really losing that much. Like most teams would say, I would give you these draft picks for that type of player.

[Mike Grinelli]

Right?

[Ryan Whitney]

There's, I thought it got crazy when, when does it turn into like, isn't it like four? Yes, I think it's that up quick.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Just, just over ten and a half so that we could pull up the list of what it is and what the return is. I believe if you keep it in the, in the, the under 10 and a half range, or maybe it's just slightly under 10, it's not that bad. You're giving up maybe one first rounder like a couple seconds. Like, it's, it's not nearly as bad as when you get into the top tier where you're giving up like three, four first rounders.

[Ryan Whitney]

Also this guy, incredible player. But when I was talking about, I think you're nuts giving Bennett ten and a half million a year if you gave knives that much. Like, he's got 161 games played. He's got 94 points, 44 goals. He's been playing with Marner and Matthews.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I, that's, that's, that's to me where I would like him. Like, but listen, but if he knows and the agent is hearing from another team because like, let's be real here, like, I know you can't tamper. These guys are all fucking tampering. These agents are talking to every fucking team. So like, let's not even go there. So if he's doing this, he's aware that somebody's going to offer it. So you might be a team like Chicago where you're like, well, fuck, man, we're going to be overpaying this guy for two, three years, but eventually that ten and a half is reasonable for a top two line player who's physical, has his size, he can handle his own business. We saw him fight White Cloud this year. He was chucking lefts. He, he, he has a breakaway speed. So here, here it is here.

[Mike Grinelli]

So if, oh so it's 11.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Well here. So like if they keep it, if they keep it under 11, seven. You're giving up two first round picks?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, I, a second and a third.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Second or third. Like if you, if. Yeah, I, I don't think that in today's day and age with how much teams are missing with first rounders, that that's that much to give up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, and if, and if it was nine, two, if it was nine point, I'm sorry, 9.3 million, it would only be a first rounder, a second round and a third rounder.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think he's getting offered that all day long personally.

[Mike Grinelli]

In Toronto or Toronto you mean?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, I think he's Getting offered that 9.3 as an offer sheet. If I'm Toronto. I, like I said, I, I, I set my marker at. Wyatt Johnson has proven more than you. He's played every fucking game on his entry level contract. He's had back to back 30 goal seasons. He's a centerman, he doesn't play with Mitch Marner and Austin Matthews. He got 8.5. Yes, I understand he did it on a five year term. I would offer originally eight times 8.5 to him and say that's our number, we want you for more term. If they want to get ridiculous and they like I'm hearing rumber rumblings, they're not even entertaining any of the, their original offers that Toronto sent over. That's what I'm hearing.

[Mike Grinelli]

Okay, so they're just waiting for an offer sheet.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yes, but, but, but from what I'm hearing that they're offering, I would say to Toronto, stop playing the games, just offer what you're going to offer, do it now and say this is what we're prepared to offer you. And like I would, I would start at 8, 8.5 for eight years and then if he wasn't willing to do it for that long I would, I would probably land in the 56 year range at that number because now is your, your Matthews assigned for what, five more years now? Because he, he signed that deal last year but he had one year left on his deal so I believe he makes 13.25 for the next five. Maybe it's only four more years. Maybe it was a four year deal he signed so that's kind of your window anyway. So you're just trying to keep that number down in, in, in my opinion. And if, if that's what you lock them up for, that's what you lock them up for. And people say oh enough with the Leafs talk. This goes for any team that's kind of dealing with this situation because offer sheets are now way more of a real thing. I think that GMs don't really, I think it's not as faux pas it used to be as like a fuck you to another gm. A lot of people argue, oh, Armstrong would not have done it to Holland if Holland was still in Edmonton. He says that that's not the case. He would have done it. And I tend to agree with him and I, I, I believe him. Where, why wouldn't you try to believe or why, why wouldn't you try to improve your team with offer sheets if you, if, if other teams have, have already committed money? Like for instance, Dallas is in a situation right now where now they just got rid of Mason Marchman for what?

[Ryan Whitney]

Dude, I saw that return from what? And I was like, other teams, like, were they calling around everyone like they have to get rid of money? And that's why you hear Robertson's gonna get traded and they resigned Duchenne. But like I'm like, Mason Marchman, he only got that, that it's, it's crazy to me.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So there, there's now an element where these GMs have to make sure they have money available and, and also going back to the nice situation. Okay. And, and as it would pertain for any other organization, what's even about it, if they do offer him what, what I just said, and he drags it along, drags along and then brings it to an offer sheet situation, it fucks him on pouncing on free agents to improve the team because they don't know what their money situation is going to be. So there's a lot of other factors that are involved. Not only like do you actually want to play for the team and then on top of that you're fucking them. Kind of like Mitch wasn't coming back. Right. Why wouldn't he have okay to trade? Well, I know that he's got the right, but he didn't want to come back. He knew he didn't want to come back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now teams fuck guys all the time too. So I don't always hate a player.

[Paul Bissonnette]

A team, buddy, I'm a fan now. That's it. I'm in fan mode, buddy. I'm in fan mode.

[Ryan Whitney]

I kind of like this business. Just he's full blown fan mode.

[Mike Grinelli]

Asking a fan a question, say, there's always a lot of rumors that guys are going to get offer sheeted. Like you said, it's a little more it happens a little more now, but.

[Ryan Whitney]

And it's going to start happening way more.

[Mike Grinelli]

Okay, so what if it doesn't happen? If he doesn't get offer sheeted or doesn't like the number of his offer sheet. If you're Toronto, do you let him sit or you offer him something bullshit. Or do you give him his 8.5?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I've said this from the beginning like love Austin Matthews, love Mitch Marner. As players like there is never any denying that they had no leverage. Sit at home, rotted out. I would even at that point you were not in win now mode then, then the agent like I'm sure Judd would be like, well he's never now playing a fucking game in a Leafs jersey. And if that was his response, it's like, well, this guy didn't want to play for. Let's see what the return is like. You have the control of that in that sense. When they're restricted, it's hard because I feel like in today's NHL the inmates are starting to run the asylum. And that is a. That is a thing like look at Cutter go Che.

[Ryan Whitney]

By starting to. It's now it is completely.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, it is nhlba. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Give it five more years. But I would have personally. They. Hey, they did it to Nylander. They made him sit. He ended up signing for fucking 7 million bucks. He was the, he was the best value contract they had on that team during that run. I would have, I would have been no problem. Paid Mitch Marner $9 million a year. It was the, you know, the ten and a half that bugged me. So you, you with him and, and Matthews making an extra million and a half on their deals. It's a $3 million player is a good player. It's help it alleviates pressure from you. So it goes back to the Florida model, man. Everyone seems to be taking a fair number down there. So yeah, that's my, that's my fan answer. I would, I would let him rot until he signs a. But I, but, but, but defending the player on this. I just said that I would be willing to give him an 8 times 9 million dollar deal. The guy's had less than 100 points in his career. So am I really the fan bad guy here?

[Ryan Whitney]

Thank you, buddy. You're just a true fan. You're looking at both sides and then you're figuring out what helps my team the best. And I know about the name on the back biz.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It ain't about the name on the back.

[Ryan Whitney]

And put that leaf on the front.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

No rings, nothing.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And people are. I know. I'm going to get tweets. Oh, enough with the Leafs talk. This has to do with every team dealing the whole situation. The whole league is now dealing with this. It's game on offer sheet season and it's going to get so bad. I think that to the point where there aren't going to be any because everybody's going to fucking figure it out to figure out the problem before it even happens now.

[Ryan Whitney]

So and, and staying with the other side of it for players offer sheets now being a thing when they really existed but were never used or very rarely. That's amazing for players. Literally amazing because you had to wait till your UFA all this time, all these years and now you're really good. You're rfa. You're basically a ufa. So good for the players, bad for the fans. Like Biz. We quickly mentioned Marsh Marchman. So Mason Marchman was traded and shockingly I, I get. They had to get rid of money. But he. The trade right here was for a 2025 fourth round pick and a 2026 third round pick. So I'm looking at a monster forward who's enormous, who's physical and 22 goals last year, 22 goals the year before. Maybe probably not what the stars expected in the playoffs, but for Seattle it's like we'll fucking gladly bring in a guy like this. We need to, we need to be bigger, we need to score more. And Dallas loses a pretty important player. They get Duchenne back and now the news of Robertson. So Biz we chatted. It was this season at one point, I think it was when he didn't make the team USA or was that injury related. But he had the 109 point year, whatever three seasons ago and then back to back 82 point seasons. But I don't, I don't know about his skating like great player but what's he gonna want? What does he have left? I gotta look that up quick. What do you think about his game and possibly them moving on from him?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think with like looking at their roster, I guess I'm not surprised that that's the guy they picked. Especially with how much he makes. I ideally I would like to keep a guy like that. I know that he's not the fastest. I know he's not physical. He. I wouldn't label him as a dog. But you need guys like out. But like, like for instance, like Carter Verhagi, I don't think that he's necessarily Per se. A dog. Like, if he left Florida, you wouldn't view him as a dog, like maybe you do on Florida, but he's clutch and he. And he can score goals and he could find the right pockets and, and come playoff time, the game slows down a little bit for him. So you do need guys who have a knack for scoring goals and putting up points. So it. I just think that they've now put themselves in the situation and they're probably much happier with ranting and locked in at what they got him for and what he provides, especially come playoff time and are willing to part ways with. With Robertson. I, I think that if, you know, if I was a team picking it up, picking him up, I would hope that he would gain a half a step. I would hope that he maybe through maturity and age was a little bit, you know, a little bit more physical and well, more well rounded. So. Yeah, but once again, like, he's still a young player and I still think he can get there. So from Dallas's standpoint, it's kind of a heart, it's kind of a hard asset to move off of.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think next year the hit is 7, 7, 5. That's the final year of his deal, but that's not a bad number for what he's not about. We're talking about what nice is going to get and everything's different. But. But 7, 7, 5. And do you remember how different hints was as a player when Robertson came back? Or was it a. Was it the opposite? Was it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, no, I think that. I think that hints definitely helps Robertson, but. But one, it goes back to Yan's. What you talked about, that chemistry that you develop with a D partner or a line mate where you just know each other's tendencies, so you think the grass is greener, but it not necessarily always is. So I, Yeah, I.

[Mike Grinelli]

It's going to be hard for them to get a player in return that's going to help them as much as Robinson has helped them in, in the past few years.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There's no, there's no free agents anymore.

[Ryan Whitney]

Good players, 100 goals, score 100 goals, 115 goals over the last three years. Like where you, you don't just like, replace that, but we can all agree.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That that that is the guy on that roster that makes sense to move off of that money. Now, what is a guy like Jamie Ben command if you're bringing him back? I talked about John Tavares taking a hometown discount. Like, same thing goes for Jamie Ben. He's made nine and a half, 10 million over the last eight years. And, you know, I think that, that that's a lot of money and I think that maybe he, he probably want to stay there on a hometown deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like, I think if he's coming back, it's like three million, two million. Three million?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Really?

[Ryan Whitney]

But I think Jim Nil has said as well.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What do you think?

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, I would, I would have thought north of 4, but I don't know.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, well, this guy, I'm saying a number that would help the team big time. Like, truly, like, hey, I'll sign that. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't, I don't. What would Jamie Ben get as a UFA right now? Right? You. You saw a playoff where it was, it was kind of hard for him. Kind of similar to Pavelski the year before Pavelski retired. It wasn't. You know, he's not, he's not ready to retire, I don't think. But you're talking like over 4 million bucks when you're giving Duchenne 4 million bucks, roughly. So those are different players. But even Duchenne in the playoffs didn't do much. So they are in a weird spot. They got 2.7 million in cap space. Obviously, they got the run. They got Rontin. That was a, that was a big deal for them. And they like their D and they love their goalie now that the coach is gone, so. But a weird time for a team. 3 Western Conference Finals in a row. Talk about Edmonton being in a panic. All of a sudden Dallas is like, what do we do? It's just crazy. And biz, you said it just a minute ago, like, top players aren't going to be ufa. Yeah, you got Marner this year. But, like, overall, that's not going to be common. I mean, we've told, we've had agents tell us they'd never let their top.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Guys, outside of him and Ehlers, who, who are you going to get in. Who's going to go to free agency like Bessers?

[Ryan Whitney]

Besser's. He could score.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's a, he's a scorer, but he's also. He's not a driver. Like, I, I respect Besser. I respect his clutchness just like I do Jason Robertson. But he's not, he's not a line driver. He's a guy, if he plays with the right guy, could get you 30, 35 goals. I kind of view him as like a Tyler, Tyler Tifoli. Like, he'll always be on the perfect spot. On the power play, you know, he'll, he'll get that puck on a weird angle and it's off the stick. All of a sudden it's under the bar and you're like, oh, like he has that ability. But we're, we're not talking about guys who are going to like change a franchise here. There's no, nobody who goes to free agency anymore that has that type of impact.

[Ryan Whitney]

Couple quick hits here and then I want to get into one other kind of feel good story. Crack and traded Andre Berkovsky to Chicago. That was on Saturday for Joe Valeno. So that was an interesting move. Then Eric Halla was traded from the Devils to Nashville. I have. For a fourth rounder and defensive prospect Jeremy Hansel. I have no clue what the Predators are doing. That's just a quick throw off. They're horrible. I don't know what they're going to do. I think maybe we Marcia show. That's a guy that I think teams would, would have a lot of interest in. Maybe that's a team that'll make some big moves around the draft and free agency. But the field goal. Oh, and Ryan Donato staying in Chicago, like this was another one. He had over 30 goals. He signs a four year extension at 4 million bucks a year. Like, like that's a great deal for Chicago.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's a great deal. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

I saw that number. I was like, oh, I thought he might get a little more, but maybe he loves Chicago. They didn't trade him at the deadline, which was kind of surprising. But they're able to keep him. So like, good for them. But the number, I'm like, I like that. I don't. I could see him the next four years being 20 to 30 goals each each year. And he's making four. So good deal by him. Happy for him. Situate kid Citruit, Massachusetts now the good news, and I was not surprised after what we've been hearing. But if you told me last year Jonathan Toews would be signing a contract with the Winnipeg jets, dude, I would have been shocked. But the happiest, the, the best part about this for me is what we've seen and even publicly with what he's posted on Instagram, like what he's gone through the place, we've, we've talked about it. But where he's visited the, the soul searching, I'll say, trying to get healthy. Like all these different things that just kind of came crashing down on him at a time when usually it's like, buddy, I won all these Cups, I'm captain all of a sudden. I'm not gonna say his life fell apart, but his career did. Based on health, based on all these different things. And he gets to go back and he drops it with an Instagram post of him and his family in Winnipeg. Jets gears and you gotta go check out his Instagram and writing about like, remember being in the rafters, watching that team play and like falling in love with the NHL and he's getting a chance to come back biz with Winnipeg in his hometown.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I'm so fired up for this. Like this is a guy. It was like he, he, he didn't deserve. Well, it's hard to say it like that because he needed to step away for personal reasons, but he deserves a, a better send off. Right. It shouldn't go out the way that it went out. And I'm just glad that he could go away and, and, and kind of find everything that he was looking for and do some soul searching and come back to the game that he loves because you know that he loves to play hockey. And there was also some rumblings that there were maybe some after Covid effects of how it was affecting his health. And it must be frustrating when you're playing to a level that he played to, to not be able to play at that level of what your expectations are of yourself. So I just hope he's able to come back and man, if he's 75% of what he once was, that is a major, major impactful player and I couldn't be happier for the guy. And it's such a heartwarming story heading into the off season and, and man, like that's a team where, you know, maybe they could add a few more, a few more pieces and keep building off of what finally, you know, finally they got out of the first round, right. And hella buck kind of exercise those demons. So with that group and a few extra moves and bringing a few more guys in and the growth of the team, we just talked about Dallas, you know, be, you know, being on the way out a little bit and losing, losing Robertson and a few guys. Who knows what's happening in Edmonton, you know what's going to happen with la, They're a year older. Like they all of a sudden become the top dogs in the west again. Some people will probably still won't say that they're proven and given that title, given what we've seen in the past, but just adding another major piece and a guy who's one who could help him mentally get over the hump too. Which, which is, which is very, very cool. And the, the bonus structure of the deal was kind of insane to me though.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, it's confusing. And it's only if you're over 35, I think you can get those bonuses. I think it's all based on age and I think, I think they would. I think they'd have to win the cup for him to make 7 million. Right? Like, it's like.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, but he just has to play all regular season games and.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I thought there was more playoff stuff in there. Is it all.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I think every 20 games he's playing, he's getting an extra 500k on his deal. So can we pull up what the deal was exactly so we could break it down like we did the, the offer sheet situation? Because I would think that by the end of the year it's realistic that he makes five and a half million.

[Ryan Whitney]

It is. This is, this is Chris Johnson's tweet. Jonathan Tapes contract includes $2 million in base salary, up to 5 million in bonuses, 550 grand each for 20 games played. 30 games played, 40 games played, 50 games played, 60 games played, games played, 500 grand if the jets make the playoffs And Taves plays 50 games. 250 grand each for round one, round two and round three wins with Taves playing 50 of those games. And then a million bucks for a Stanley cup win if tave plays in 50% of those games. So it's all based on him. Like, oh, I was reading Chris Johnson. That's Elliot's out on the screen. Sorry I was reading the wrong one. But same thing. If he plays in 80 games and they go to the conference final and he's playing in all the playoff games, he's making like five and a half. Ish.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah. Pretty good number for a guy stepping back in like that. Like, you know, separating the situation and the contract. I was a little surprised at how much like he was. He's getting paid based on those bonuses. Is that not crazy? Crazy to you guys?

[Ryan Whitney]

I was surprised too. I thought it'd be like a, it'd be like a million dollar 1.5 for the season. Like, welcome back. Show us what you got. Good agent.

[Mike Grinelli]

He hasn't played in how many years?

[Ryan Whitney]

Two?

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, like, that's a long time off. Obviously, I think he wouldn't come back if he didn't know or think he could do it. So I think he's mentally and physically ready to do it. And the bonus side, I think it's beautiful. Good for him. Like he's, he's putting trust in himself. He's going to be there to help the team. He knows what it takes to win. He's done it, what, three times? Two times? Yeah. I, I, I, I love the fact that he did it this way. And it's like, you know what? Put me out there and I'm going to get you some wins and some.

[Ryan Whitney]

Money in my bank and G is all over me in this chat here. Jesus Christ. You? Yeah. Mason Lowri signed with the Boston Bruins. Two year contract extension. 3.5, 3.2 a season. Excuse me. So 6.4 cup for two years.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Sounds like he needs Taves.

[Ryan Whitney]

Agent said you win the green jacket, you get 3.2 a year. What a league. So I actually like the deal. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I mean, come on. Like if you watch games like he's six, six, he moves up the ice. Well, he's great.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know, Merle's being Merles. I agree. Biz. I think he could be nasty. Kind of going back to don't judge a defenseman on a bad team. And Boston was a bad team. And he has crazy skill level like enough where guys around here in the summer have said like, holy, he skates like the wind now. He has some incredible turnovers. Ryan Whitney, wheeling the net, pizzas type turnovers.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, you were making four, but I was making four.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he's trying to make a play. He's trying to make a play. I don't hate it. I do not hate it at all. I like that. Deal with that. We're going to throw it over right now to a guy who is about to get drafted on Friday. Long island kid, great freshman year at Boston College as an underage player. Hell of a guy. James Haggins, guys wit. And we gotta talk about Row Sparks. A two in one prescription treatment for stronger, harder erections. Yep, that's right. You heard it here. Stronger, harder erections with rose sparks. Rose sparks dissolve under your tongue, meaning they hit your bloodstream faster than pills, so you can get ready for action quicker. Once the medication dissolves, they work in about 15 minutes on average, giving you the boost you need for thicker, longer erections and helping you last longer for more fun for both of you. Plus, rose sparks stay active in your system for about 36 hours. And that means you can be ready to go round after round or even the morning after. And no need for an awkward in person doctor visit. RO connects you with a medical provider 100% online and if prescribed, your treatment ships right to Your door if prescribed. New sexual health patients get $15 off Sparks on a recurring plan. Connect with the provider at Ro Co Chiclets to find out if prescription rose sparks are right for you. That's ro col chiclets for 15 off your first order. Guys, we gotta talk about rollback right now. Rollback is where it's at. Roback's all American collection just dropped and it is everything. If you're hunting for a USA themed polo this summer, Roback delivers prints, stripes, flags, you name it. Next up, their shorts. Whether lined or unlined, they're lightweight, breathable and move with you. Easily the best workout shorts out there. And surprise rollback swim trunks. We didn't even know they made them, but now we're hooked. Incredible quality, perfect fit summer gear. Rollback's got it locked in, so use the code chiclets on roback.com for a generous 20 off your first purchase through the end of this week. That's C-H-I C L-E-T S on R H O-B-A-C-K.com 20% off all Polo shorts, swim trunks and more with code Chicklets. We are now joined, very, very lucky and happy to be joined by Boston college star going to be a very high pick in the upcoming draft, James Hagens. What's going on, buddy?

[Sam Reinhart]

Nothing much. Thanks for having me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, we, we appreciate you coming on, dude. Like I just mentioned to you before we started recording, it's got to be more nerves, more excitement. Like what's your feelings right now as you're getting ready to go out to la?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, I mean it's, it's exciting. I have a big, big amount of family coming. I think it's around 50 people, so.

[Mike Grinelli]

Wow, NBA style.

[Paul Bissonnette]

There goes your signing bonus.

[Sam Reinhart]

So it'll be cool.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's great. So, so what, what is the plan for out there? Are all the interviews done? I remember at when I was drafted it was the combine did a bunch but then right when I got out to the draft it was a kind of a couple, couple more or extra teams that, that wanted to chat with me again. Is that the same thing for you?

[Sam Reinhart]

I think they're done, but I'm not too sure yet.

[Mike Grinelli]

And what do you, what do you, how do you feel about this troll right here? Ryan Whitney, wearing a Boston University.

[Ryan Whitney]

What did I have on all day during the show? What did I have on?

[Mike Grinelli]

You knew we were going to have him on.

[Sam Reinhart]

I know he's a BU guy. I come on. The last thing I thought I'd see is that. Here it is.

[Mike Grinelli]

It's just disrespect.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, who won the bean pot? Who's got the bragging rights this year?

[Sam Reinhart]

It's all right. It's neither team won the Natty, so.

[Mike Grinelli]

Exactly.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's his response. I like it. I like it.

[Ryan Whitney]

That is. Who did win the bean last year at. At. You weren't. You weren't at bc. I'm sorry. The year before when they lost to Denver in the national title game. I had a Denver hoodie on and apparently, like the BC coach, like, mentioned or someone like, is this guy serious? I'm like, I don't know, man. Like, it would be, you know, in 20 years. James, you're gonna root for whoever's playing Bu.

[Sam Reinhart]

No, I mean, that's basically how it goes.

[Ryan Whitney]

There we go. There we go. So, yeah, the T shirt might be a little bit of an overkill, but how many. I. I have to laugh.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How many teams have you interviewed with? Because I always like to ask the. The draft prospects if you got any squirrely questions. Did you go to any teams meetings where, like, one of the guys was trying to fuck with you? Because that was kind of. I felt like when I was getting drafted, there was always a few guys in the room for each team that would throw like, curveball questions. So did you get any weird ones where you were stumped or anything like that? Any tomfoolery going on in your interviews?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, there's a lot of tom foolery, but it was. Most of the meetings are good. They're just kind of straightforward hockey. But you'll get a couple that'll just kind of be off the board, forget what team it was. But I had a question. If you'd stick your hand in a toilet to grab $100 bill or if you grab a $20 bill on the sidewalk. So there were a couple questions like that. It was, you know, in the moment.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's funny.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And I'd bob for it if it was.

[Ryan Whitney]

They should ask the Leafs guys that. That's what. That's what they're looking for. Is this kid gonna bend us over out of his entry level deal?

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, wow.

[Ryan Whitney]

Is he gonna take what we offer him after three years?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, that. That's an offer sheet question right there for sure.

[Sam Reinhart]

I love it.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, that is so good. Anything else besides that? That's a great question.

[Sam Reinhart]

And nothing really out of the ordinary, to be honest.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Interview with because, like, you're going to be a top pick, right? So it's not like, you're. It's not like Florida's interviewing, considering they. I don't even know if they have a first round pick.

[Sam Reinhart]

I think around 16 at the combine.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Holy. Okay, so you had to do quite a few interviews. God damn.

[Mike Grinelli]

We all, you know, had the pleasure of meeting you down in Florida. Like, how cool. I know Whit has talked about it a lot of going down to a finals game, pre draft. Like, how cool is that to be in the arena, you know, see the festivities and, you know, hope that you'll be on that stage one day.

[Sam Reinhart]

It was so cool. First Stanley cup game, so it was special. Especially when you're walking downstairs, you're meeting Gretzky, you're meeting guys you idolize. Met Biz, too.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So you. You and Bedard, you young.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's awesome, though, being able to sit there and watch the game. And especially at the end of it when, with all the fights, I loved it, buddy.

[Paul Bissonnette]

This guy was chirping my sunburn. I went out with no sunscreen for two hours. I didn't realize how hardcore the UV was. My face, careful.

[Mike Grinelli]

The league runs through this guy. Hags.

[Sam Reinhart]

The league runs through this guy downstairs. And we met Gretzky. And I turn around, I see Biz in the makeup room. He walks out with a pile of makeup on his face like this. What are you doing? He said he was out of the sun for too long.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Well, he goes, he's in on the ice in there, cupcake. I said, shut the up, you punk. You're gonna be going late in first round if you don't shut up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, I want to ask not just about the draft, but, like, this season, World Juniors, man, that must have been, you know, that's the biggest win of your life, I'm guessing. I think you won under 18s as well. But, like, what was it like when you found out you were on the team? Did you kind of know prior to that you'd be making that team and then take us through what it was like. It was Ottawa, right?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, it was. So is Ottawa. So no one. No one really knows if you're on the team or not. They have a tryout, you show up, you get to the second camp, where it was over in Kingston, I believe. So you may get there, and then they'll make the final cuts. And then you're in the tournament. You're in the tournament. You build your training camp for about a week or so, and then you're playing two exhibition games, and you're hopping right in. But it was awesome. I think that was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. I know it was. It was special this year, obviously, with the passing of the Groves. So it just, it meant a lot for everyone there.

[Mike Grinelli]

And, you know, you go to a tournament like that, you're playing with future NHL guys, guys that you've played against your whole life. Like, who, who was one guy there that you were like, oh, my God, this guy's the real deal.

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, I think that kid Richie on Canada, playing against him, just seeing him kind of stick handling warm ups and seeing him out of the ice. He's a good hockey player. He is a lot of skill to him. He's. He was really good when we played against him, so.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I. I think he's a. He's a member of the Islanders now because he was a part of the deal for, for Brock Nelson. And I kind of wanted to ask. Everyone's mentioning the Long island kid. Islanders have the first overall pick. Were you a big Islanders fan growing up or are you more just a fan of certain players in the league. League.

[Sam Reinhart]

So I was a big Idols fan growing up.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay.

[Sam Reinhart]

Went to the Coliseum back. Back then grew up around it, so. Been kind of surrounded by the aisles for a long time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Were you hacking darts with their fans and drinking beers, throwing them on the ice during the Pirellis?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, I was. I was too young. I was. I was screaming in the stands. I was at Tavares's game back and after he left and it was one of the craziest games I've ever been to. Just jerseys and. And whatnot. Just everyone was on their feet, so.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the Islanders pounded them. They pounded them that game.

[Sam Reinhart]

I remember it was a good game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So I'm assuming your media train, but like, obviously you want to get drafted by the Islanders. Like, come on, let's get real here, right?

[Ryan Whitney]

First overall.

[Sam Reinhart]

Look, it'd be. It'd be really cool being able to go to your hometown team, obviously, growing up around it, but you gotta look at it. You want to go to a team that wants you the most. You want to be somewhere that they want you, that you could play and whatnot. So you don't know where you're going, you don't know who's picking where. So we'll find out Friday.

[Ryan Whitney]

Another teammate of yours? Actually, I forgot. Grinelli just reminded us. Teddy Stiga, he had the OT winner, the gold medal goal.

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wasn't it his first shift? Like, first shot on net of the tournament or something like that?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah. So there's a. There's a good story behind it. So we showed up to the world juniors. I always knew how good see it was. Been around him for a while, so I knew what he had. So first game he actually was scratched. So we were roommates there. We're roommates at BC too. And I remember him coming back in the room and he told me and was like, hey, like, like, you know, just, just be a good teammate about it. He was awesome about it. He's one of the guys that you love being around. So he, yeah, the, the game after that, once he got in, he just took off from there and then obviously an OT there. It was his first shot of the tournament, I guess. And you know, why not then make it a gold medal goal?

[Mike Grinelli]

A lot of times nowadays, like you hear about kids being top ranked from their age since they were 12 years old and you've kind of been one of those guys and you know, just from knowing you a little bit like very humble, you know, very appreciative. Everything like what you know, is that something that you give, you know, thanks to your family that keeps you level headed or just the way you were brought up, is it? Or just kind of you have teammates. I know it's hard in the hockey locker room to get a big head because guys will beat you down quick.

[Sam Reinhart]

I think just growing up kind of, you know, the way I was, I was brought up being from here. My dad over the summers he works a fishing boat. He's the captain of it. So he made sure once I was around 14 or 15, maybe younger, stuck behind the boat, started working. So I think just, you know, remembering where you come from, never being that guy that, you know you don't want to be around, being a good teammate. You hate a guy that's cocky.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So you're kidding me. Your dad worked on a fisherman, but they got to bring back the fisherman jerseys when you get go first overall.

[Sam Reinhart]

I worked on. I worked two days before the combine.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow. So what does he fish for?

[Sam Reinhart]

So it's big on fluke fishing, but at night it's like a charter and it'll kind of just cruise around the bay and then bring him back in.

[Ryan Whitney]

So.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So you're, you're literally an islander. As G just texted in the group chat like you are. You are a straight. If you don't go first overall. Could we maybe see something like Shane Wright where you look at the draft table and you give them the throat slash like I'm gonna you up now.

[Sam Reinhart]

If I pull that out, we'll see.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay. All right, I'll ask. I'll ask. A softball one. Have you picked out your suit yet?

[Sam Reinhart]

I have picked out my suit.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What are we going with?

[Ryan Whitney]

Fish.

[Sam Reinhart]

We'll see. It's. It's a nice fish cologne.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So goldfish. Just all the goldfish, like Ra. And the plastic bag.

[Mike Grinelli]

Hey, I. I need somebody. I need somebody to wear iced out chain like they do. Like, I need somebody to ice it out a little bit.

[Sam Reinhart]

Like, I don't think I have that in my toolbox.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah, you do. Do. You're from New York.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't imagine the fishing community if he came out there with a grill, an ice grill in his teeth on a boat.

[Sam Reinhart]

Again, I don't know if my parents would like that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow. Did your dad get you into hockey? Like, was he a hockey player himself or a fan?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, he was. He was. So he played at Brockport? It's actually, he's right there. Came down for a second, so he. He put up Brockport for college. Who's a defenseman.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, bring him on here, Mr. Hagens.

[Sam Reinhart]

All right, dad, get over here. They want to say what's up. Can I get a chirp?

[Ryan Whitney]

Butch Goring?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, maybe. Maybe.

[Mike Grinelli]

I hope he's a nail gun and beat your head in the beef with the old man.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, he's dummied biz. That thing's over. He shoved him in the locker.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, he's old story. Now. I got Kachuk, Bennett and Marshaw ready to wrap me up, duct tape me to a wall. I've been getting enough of it from Panthers fans. I don't need any heat with Butch Gorn anymore. But. All right, so obviously you grew up an Islanders fan as well, I'm assuming.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Sam Reinhart]

Honest goddess.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I knew it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Were you there? Were you there for those titles?

[Big Ceeze]

No, I was like 7 years old.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, it's like your age with.

[Big Ceeze]

My parents didn't pay for cable tv. It was on like, Sports Channel back then. I mean, I was listening on the radio, and I'd go to a buddy's house, watch a game.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Blue collar.

[Ryan Whitney]

I absolutely love having you on right now. So, like, hey, why let me.

[Sam Reinhart]

Why let the. You sure? My son's an AC guy.

[Ryan Whitney]

What's up? Oh, no way. I didn't know that.

[Sam Reinhart]

No, listen, this is out of control.

[Paul Bissonnette]

This is his last draft interview. We're gonna really test them.

[Ryan Whitney]

Hey, so Mr. Hagens, like, give us. When did he. When were you, like, holy. Like, this kid is really, really good. Like, obviously, maybe at 10. You see an amazing talent, but you're still, like, they're young. Like, at what age were you, like, this kid's gonna make a living playing hockey?

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I don't know, man.

[Big Ceeze]

It's like, it's. You never really know, right?

[Sam Reinhart]

Like, you.

[Big Ceeze]

You don't. You never want to say the. Oh, maybe, you know, because it's taboo to do it, right, and you don't want to. You want to jinx it. But you start getting calls from guys in, like, Toronto, like, hey, can you get James up here? We gotta. We got a spring tournament, you know, and everyone's chasing every spring event. And, you know, then you. When you start to get calls like.

[Sam Reinhart]

That, and you're like, yeah, just.

[Big Ceeze]

Just get them up here. Just get them up, you know?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah.

[Big Ceeze]

All right, maybe. Maybe we got something, you know, but you still in the back of your mind, especially, like, come from Long island, you know, it's hard.

[Mike Grinelli]

You're like, what can you do for me?

[Big Ceeze]

Well, no, it's not like that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It's not like that.

[Mike Grinelli]

I know how you fishermen roll.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

But I just. I mean, you know, most of all, me and Whit have kids and, like, you know, my kids come home with an A or, you know, do good in a game you're so proud of. But, like, like, how proud are you of him? Just the man that he is. Like, the. What he's about to do accomplish being drafted in the NHL. Like, how. How happy are you and his. And your wife of him?

[Big Ceeze]

Yeah, it's. It's tremendous.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's.

[Big Ceeze]

You know, he's worked so hard. He's grinded his whole life, and, you know, it's not even, like, the hard work. It's all the. All the stuff you miss growing up. You know, all the old birthday parties, all the barbecues on a Saturday because you're at a spring event, you know, or there's so much stuff you can go on and on. On it. A lot of these kids, it's not just him. It's. It's all these kids that are up for the draft this year, they've missed so much. But, you know, like, it's. It's good to see at least for them, like, roll it all hard work, all the sacrifices they made that, like, you know, it's gonna. It's gonna come to fruition for a lot of these kids, you know?

[Paul Bissonnette]

So let's talk about the sacrifices you've made. G. G. Posted in the chat here, and I agree. What are the craziest boating stories that you've experienced throughout Your years.

[Big Ceeze]

I can't tell all those stories. Listen, that's like confidential stuff.

[Mike Grinelli]

Any square grouper?

[Big Ceeze]

Yeah, yeah, no, it's been good. Listen, this guy, like trying to get him to drag him down to the boat. I mean, he loved doing it for a while and then he turns into like, oh, damn, I got a train. I got a train.

[Sam Reinhart]

I got to yell. This guy, I said, told him, I think it was last year. I said, I'm gonna show up, but I'm gonna fire myself. You're not gonna himself.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're not.

[Big Ceeze]

I got, then I got so desperate, I needed guys, I had to drag him back down, you know, and then.

[Paul Bissonnette]

It was collect unemployment.

[Big Ceeze]

I had buddies with on to kind of get him, to entice him to come down. And you know, for me it was like, all right, I just get him to spend three or four hours with him, you know, so it was like, what do I care? You know, like.

[Ryan Whitney]

But, you know, he's like, dad, have you seen some of the contracts that these guys are signing in the NHL? I'm all set dragging a tuna over.

[Paul Bissonnette]

The bow while his fucking old man's going to start selling his minnows. The way that his kid turned out, he'll be, he'll be, he'll be financially fine too.

[Big Ceeze]

They'll be battling it out, whatever it tastes.

[Ryan Whitney]

So was there a moment also? I'm guessing there was a bunch of moments, but where this kid is just playing three games in a spring term, coming home and shooting pucks. You're like, wow. It's like it was never you forcing him. I'm guessing it was just he wants to do it non stop. Listen, it's.

[Big Ceeze]

It's easy when they want to, right? And you know, it's the old cliche, but like, he's the kid that, you know, like the Mount St. Charles story. He got caught breaking into the rink and that, like in the morning before class. And he got jammed up for a little bit and. But that's just what he did, you know, like he's. I was coaching the Royals team here when they were growing up, and I always had to be at the rink at six and a lot of times I didn't get out of there until 9, 9:30. And James Leon, I was his ride home. So he was staying and he was with the older teams, with the younger teams, with the teams his age and like years of doing that. It, you know, it helped him. He got something out of it for sure, you know.

[Ryan Whitney]

So how hard was it when he's that age, I'm guessing, what, 14? That you. You took off. And a buddy of ours, Colby Armstrong, he coaches his coaches game notes or host Game notes. Excuse me. His son went to Mount this year, but he's moving away at a young age. You and your wife must have been like, jesus, Yeah, I had.

[Big Ceeze]

Listen, I had the other side of the family. I had family members like, what are you doing? The kids in eighth grade. Like, are you. Why are you sending him away? What's going on? You know, and. But, you know, it was the right move.

[Mike Grinelli]

It was good.

[Big Ceeze]

Mount's a great place. It's close. We take a ferry across the. The Long Island Sound and we, you know, we're gonna dodge a traffic. We just go that way.

[Sam Reinhart]

And it was. It was during kind of the COVID stuff too. So we'd be. You take times where you're at home for two, three weeks. We had this kid on our team, Theo Kiss. Slovakian kid. So he was basically a part of.

[Big Ceeze]

Our Fisher on Long Island.

[Sam Reinhart]

We caught him his first fluke, brought him to Florida. Yeah, Florida. He's on a palm tree. He was with us.

[Paul Bissonnette]

How his. How did his career turn out? Or is he a full time fisherman now?

[Sam Reinhart]

He's in the USHL, right? He's. Yeah, he's in the US and I think he's UMass.

[Big Ceeze]

Commit UMass, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

I wanted to know, like, so I would imagine, given, like, how highly touted you were coming up, you had a ton of offers to different universities. Did. Did your father go along on your university trip with you? Like, what made you end up deciding on bc?

[Sam Reinhart]

I took a couple visits. I was. It was just me and my brother. He left. We left Big Mike at home. But no, I think once we step foot in biz, I want to be.

[Big Ceeze]

Like Rodney Dangerfield, man. I want to go back to school.

[Paul Bissonnette]

John Wilder, he was like, no.

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah. Oh, it was. It was. Obviously, it's a hard decision, but once we step foot on BC's campus, we do. It's. For us, it's.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Did you at least go to BU to see what they had to offer, or was that like a faux pas where you don't go visit?

[Sam Reinhart]

Both the amount of spring tournaments and whatnot we had at bu, we were at BU a ton, so we knew what it was like.

[Big Ceeze]

You know what's funny? Like, we were growing up, I don't think we ever played or had a tournament or game at bc. It was like a secret place. You never.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, they never have anything there.

[Big Ceeze]

Fights, they never. Right. But we were always a beat throws that like Walter Brown. There are a lot of spring stuff. The bu like summer, the combines. We do those, you know.

[Ryan Whitney]

So your, your. Your brother James and your other son Michael, they. He's at BC as well. Freshman, just like you. So I mean that's like you're going down to Chestnut Hill, you're watching your boys play. That had to be just incredible, like seeing both of them out there.

[Big Ceeze]

I'm the luckiest guy to. To be able to like jet out of work and get up there for, you know, 15 minutes for puck drop and. Great.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's unbelievable when you guys played against each other. James, did you guys ever run it, like, because he was in what, Chicago? Yeah, he's.

[Sam Reinhart]

So I played against. I played against Mike a couple times. It was pretty funny battles the last game. Yeah, actually I was on the POS out there for the PK and Mike ended up taking a penalty on me. So I made sure to escape by the box and tap my stick.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Here we go.

[Ryan Whitney]

A lot of.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Here we go.

[Sam Reinhart]

A lot of good times.

[Paul Bissonnette]

But this is unbelievable. I don't think we've ever had this like a father son combo.

[Mike Grinelli]

Having that built. Having that built in. That built in competitor with your brother as a kid, like that must have meant the world too. Obviously your dad's out there working, your brother's at home. You guys, I'm sure I don't know if you have any other siblings, but the battles in mini hockey and ball hockey must have been amazing.

[Sam Reinhart]

So we have a little sister as well, Emma, who's the. A really good hockey player. And we, we made sure to toughen her up all these years.

[Big Ceeze]

She's doing well. She's going to Northwood School in the fall.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nice.

[Big Ceeze]

So she's right. She's on her way.

[Paul Bissonnette]

If you could emulate one player, like, is there, is there a guy in the NHL that you watch and you're like, that's how I want to model my game after.

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah. I think Jack Hughes is someone I mostly play like. But I grew up on Patrick Kane. I grew up watching him. I grew up watching his shootout highlights and whatnot. So I think those are two guys that I could see a lot of similarities in their game and see in line as well at.

[Ryan Whitney]

At 14, 15, where when you're as good as you, it's like it's all hockey, maybe even a little sooner, but at a younger age. Were you playing other sports and stuff? Was that important to you, Mr. Higgins, or.

[Big Ceeze]

Yeah, now we were Rhode Island State Champs.

[Sam Reinhart]

Ross.

[Big Ceeze]

State champs. You guys.

[Mike Grinelli]

Nice.

[Ryan Whitney]

This last big lacrosse growing up, it translates to hockey. Pretty good, right? With the hands and the running.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's awesome.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, good.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Good way to keep cardio and like, I feel like, like, especially come NHL playoff time, you see the amount of punishment the stars have to take in order to get it done. So it helps for a lot of the hacking and whacking and getting to the middle, doesn't it?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, it helps you. Especially when. When you want to give it off. It. It helps a lot.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I love the Hagens mafia heading out to LA. Like we, we hear around 50ish people. Like true. What is going to be going on out there?

[Mike Grinelli]

Big.

[Big Ceeze]

I agree.

[Sam Reinhart]

40 or 50 people around. Around there.

[Ryan Whitney]

James, you're paying for that for sure. At some point.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Playing for free year one.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yep.

[Paul Bissonnette]

They better bump those bonuses up. It's kind of. Kind of reminds me of the Fantilly family when we were there in, in. Where was it? In Nashville. They had a goon squad. Great people, great family as well. And, and actually his brother was also playing at Michigan as well at the time. So a lot of, A lot of similarities.

[Big Ceeze]

Steel guys too, right?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Now for you, for you next year, you know, obviously depending on where you go, like is your goal definitely go back to school or you're kind of like whatever. Teams drafted me, whatever they want me to do.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's a conversation that you kind of have to have once the draft's over because. Yeah, that's something that you sit down with the team and your family and you figure out.

[Ryan Whitney]

What did you learn from Ryan Leonard? We saw him hop right into the cup playoffs. Look great. He's a beast. International player all the. The years. Like, was he big for you in the locker room off the ice at school?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, he's just a great human being. Sony loved being around. Great golf player too.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I heard that he was calling me out. He says he wants to smoke. Oh my gosh. Jesus.

[Sam Reinhart]

No, he's. He's good. He's just showing that, you know, he's. He was leader on our team. He wore a letter this year. You see him on the ice, you see how physically ready he was to jump into the league and he was. He jumped right in the playoffs.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's tough to do. Not many people can do that. And you know, he looked. He looked really good out there. So just being around someone like that, especially him and Perot and, and Fowler, those guys that are making the jump and you kind of see how they go about their year and they go about kind of being a professional. It's. It's good to pick up on what.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Were the best things about Coach Brown and. And what he was able to instill in you in the short time he had you. I would imagine he was probably a little easier on you than. Than wits coach who had him by the cage in the hallway. Listen, you little twerp. Jackie better stop turning this puck over in the D zone. I'm gonna sit your ass, boy.

[Sam Reinhart]

No, he definitely was. He wasn't doing that, but he was just. He's such a smart hockey line. So he's someone where when he's talking, you make sure you listen. You make sure that, you know, you go out and do it. Being able to sit down and go over film with him, being able to teach you. I came in and he taught me a lot about the D zone and he taught me a lot about face offs. You know, there's. There's big strong guys that are tying you up. You got to learn how to win a draw. So I think a bunch of. A bunch of different things. He's. He's so smart. He knows so much. So whenever you're around a guy like that, you just have to make sure you're listening.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you just missed this entire kind of hockey change in. In NCAA and chl. Like, what's your opinion on that? It's going to be harder for guys not to go to the WHL or the OHL knowing they can go to college after. Would you agree?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah. Changes a lot. I think.

[Ryan Whitney]

You think the program gets hurt.

[Sam Reinhart]

I. I don't. I just think as a kid growing up in the US Your. Your dream and goal is to play for the national team program. It's. It's one of the biggest honors in the world. So I don't see how kids could say no to that or how it could ever change. I will say we'll see what happens with the rule change and whatnot. I think it. It'll impact all the other leagues. But in college, hockey is going to look a lot better too.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, it's going to be incredible.

[Mike Grinelli]

How is that? Nil money.

[Sam Reinhart]

We'll get you out.

[Mike Grinelli]

Thanks, Mike.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Mike?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, he's. He's head back upstairs.

[Paul Bissonnette]

We should do a content piece where we get everybody on the boat fishing with them. Maybe.

[Ryan Whitney]

Last time we did that biz slept the whole time. I wasn't even there.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I ate about 6 pounds of gravel and I was underneath so I didn't puke.

[Sam Reinhart]

That'll happen.

[Paul Bissonnette]

You got anything else? Yanzi?

[Mike Grinelli]

Brendan Buckley, my. My. My agent, Jerry Buckley. He. He's over at bc. And a lot of guys, you know, you got a smile on your face talking about. A lot of guys talk about him there and how much he helps them. Like in Mike Ayers is there, too. A lot of guys that we grew up playing against and, you know, just the minds that they bring into these colleges now, like, guys that played pro for a long time. It's not like how it was back in the day, where, like, college coaches just stayed there forever. Like, they're bringing in guys like, how much of a help were guys like Arzy and Brendan Buckley, the Buck Truck?

[Sam Reinhart]

So much. They're. They're so smart. I mean, obviously Coach Brown and then Jerry York still comes around the rink a ton, so it's good to see him. But being able to have coaches like that, that, you know, it's. You get better in practice. Games are games. But when you're practicing against guys that are, you know, just bigger, stronger, and, you know, older, it's. It's what. It's what pushes you to your best. So I think, you know, you learn so much off of people like that, just being surrounded by them. And then the best part about it is you could have a conversation with them. They're great people to talk to. You know, they're not in your face every second. They're. They're just people that, you know, you could talk to about anything.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So you may have already mentioned this, but did you do a combine? Do they still have the combine? And I know, like, you know, you're still a kid, you got to enjoy your summers, but what would you say that your biggest focus is as far as, like, in the gym, whether it's weights, whether it's more skill. Like, what is your. Your main objective this summer in order to go into your first year in the NHL? Hopefully, yeah.

[Sam Reinhart]

So we did it. We had the combine. It was probably two weeks ago, kind of leading up to it. It was strictly just training for that because all those tests, it's different than hockey training mostly. So it's making sure you're in the gym. I was in the gym two times, two times a day for, I think, three or four weeks straight there once I got home from school. So it's just getting ready for that. You want to be able to show well. And then once the combine's over, I transition to getting ready for the season, making sure I'm working on, you know, putting on weight, putting on Muscle, not bad. Weight getting, you know, more explosive. So that's, you know, putting. Putting on, you know, pushing our weight in the gym, making sure that you're doing everything to get you ready.

[Ryan Whitney]

When did you. Because you're a late birth year, so when did you, like, skip a grade?

[Sam Reinhart]

So when I was at NTDP, I did. I did 10th grade. I did it 11th over the summer, and then graduated with the rest of the team so that I could come to bc.

[Ryan Whitney]

Because you were able to, like, kind of hear from them, like, listen, you're ready, like almost in a year as opposed to in two. And was it so all summer you were just like, online doing. Doing class?

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, so I had classes online. You take a couple classes and then you. You'll add some in for your senior year, more than the usual, and then it allows you to graduate on time.

[Mike Grinelli]

All the 40 people that are going to the draft are the people that helped him with that class. So.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Hey, wow.

[Mike Grinelli]

That's it. He's repaying them, which is.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's very nice.

[Ryan Whitney]

Every test was about how to put the lore on the fishing rod.

[Sam Reinhart]

Yeah, no, it was. It was good. I got through it.

[Mike Grinelli]

So, I mean, what. That's that, like, we've talked about the college hockey game, and that's kind of an anomaly being that young coming in. Us nowadays, kids are like, what, 21 coming into college?

[Ryan Whitney]

Michael, yourself, Noah was fantilly like that. I think Hannifin was as well. Yeah, there's been a. There's been a few guys. It's not. It's not very common. McAvoy did it as well, being a late birth year, but yeah, it's. Geez. Just sending here on the chat, too, that you hold the single tournament record most points in the history of the World Under 18 Championship with. With 22K. Had 21 in 2011. Were you just. Were you on fire? That tourney? Like, was there a game with like 10 points?

[Mike Grinelli]

Who'd you play with?

[Sam Reinhart]

So I played with Stiga and Brody Zemer. So Zeimer's at Minnesota. We. It was. It was a good, good tournament. You think it was. It sucks because we didn't win it, but. Yeah, no, we did really well.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I actually hold a double IHF under 18 record. It's most minuses eaten in a single tournament. No, I'm serious. Played against Ovi my year.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's on for about 10 against for something.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I hate rumors. I'm not a big rumor guy. Is there any truth to the rumor that you said to Long island that if Lou's there, I ain't shaving. And then that's why they let him go.

[Mike Grinelli]

He can't even grow a beard. Look at him.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He can grow a beard.

[Sam Reinhart]

I just. I like keeping it classy. Look at it. I. I could grow one. It'll come.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's a rumor.

[Ryan Whitney]

You could grow a beard.

[Sam Reinhart]

I might need a year, but it'll come in.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So that's a rum. That was not true.

[Sam Reinhart]

It's just a rumor.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

Were you as mesmerized by this Instagram video that came out of. Of you skating around on warm ups as everyone else was? Because I remember like, what the hell is this?

[Paul Bissonnette]

That was AI.

[Sam Reinhart]

I had. I had buddies sending me the video, and they're like, what are you doing out there? I'm like, you're acting like I'm filming it.

[Matthew Tkachuk]

I don't know.

[Sam Reinhart]

I'm out there playing, but I know what's going on. So I don't know. I don't know what he did. I don't know if that's. That's. I don't really notice it too much out of the ice. Just try to keep your head up so you don't end up, you know, looking up at the ceiling.

[Mike Grinelli]

You're like. You're like. You don't know the color of the puck.

[Sam Reinhart]

So I train at peak performance. It's in Deer park at home. And then I'll skate with. I'll skate with a bunch of the NHL guys from Long Island. I come back like Matt Coronado, Pinto Milano come down.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So Pinto parlay. That's our guy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nobody laughs at his own jokes like Pinto parlay. Remember?

[Paul Bissonnette]

He's the best. He's the fucking best.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, I want to wish you good luck, buddy. And you. You said your dad fishes in the summer. Is it. Did you another job. What's the winter?

[Sam Reinhart]

So my. Both my parents are school teachers.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's a teacher.

[Sam Reinhart]

He's a school teacher. He's an English teacher. So.

[Mike Grinelli]

Wow, nice.

[Ryan Whitney]

I would love to have him as a teacher. Is he hard on the kids?

[Sam Reinhart]

He's in eighth grade. Both my parents are eighth grade. So my. My mom actually, her class just did some science experiment. We have. We have. She brought home fish. She brought home. I don't know else is out there. There's like three fish tanks of just. I don't know. So.

[Ryan Whitney]

So they're just chilling all summer now. Well, I guess your dad's working.

[Paul Bissonnette]

If they both took the SATs, who do you think would finish higher?

[Mike Grinelli]

Good question.

[Sam Reinhart]

That is A great question. I want to say. I'm going to say my mom just. Casey will. She watches this back and she long.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Talk about me saying. I'll go with that. I like that. Shit talking the old man. Well, buddy, like, this is awesome. You're beyond your years. Kind of like Celebrini, man. I feel like these young kids are beyond their years now. And you seem to have a lot figured out, so best of luck at the draft. And. And I think, like, personally, I'm pulling that you go to your hometown team. That's what I'm saying right now. And I think a lot of people are. I think it's a great story. And that franchise could use a bright spot, that's for sure.

[Sam Reinhart]

Hey, well, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. It was a great time.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who's your agent?

[Sam Reinhart]

Bobby. Bobby Gothard and John Ozzy Tutu.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, well.

[Paul Bissonnette]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Time. Good luck. Good luck this week, buddy. I mean, you'll never forget it. So have a great time.

[Sam Reinhart]

You guys won't be out there, right?

[Paul Bissonnette]

No, no, they banned us.

[Mike Grinelli]

We were already drafted.

[Paul Bissonnette]

I had to wait till day two.

[Ryan Whitney]

23 years ago, I was picked.

[Mike Grinelli]

No suit. No suit.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, James. Have a great one, buddy. Thank you so much to James Hagens. I think that kid's gonna have an incredible career. Head on his shoulders. We'll see where he goes. This draft's wild. It seems like Schaefer's one and then nobody knows what's going to happen after that. But I love. I love meeting the young guys. Biz, you said you met them at the Cup Final, correct?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I believe it was game three. They were all there. They had the top four guys, which three of which are from Ontario. So we got the show HL boy showing up. It's nice.

[Ryan Whitney]

HL heroes.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

They'll all be asking for 11 after their first year.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, exactly. Fuck.

[Ryan Whitney]

Last thing, guys. The hall of Fame class is going to be announced very soon here. And can you imagine how unreal it would be if Big Walt Keith Tkachuk gets announced?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, for sure.

[Ryan Whitney]

Long deserved. We saw Junior get his moment last year. So emotional going through the Starbucks line, crying, trying to order. Big Walt seen the. The magic of his son Matthew and the Panthers. He got him going two years ago. He should get in solely for calling him out on the radio and getting that team to figure things out. But hearing his name get. Get announced would be incredible. I mean, kind of. You know, one of my idols growing up went to bu Boston guy. And the career he had he deserves it. And, and once again, I'll mention like every other year, Alexander Mogilney. I, I, I don't really get that one either. So we'll see what happens. But Keith, imagine Big Walt finding that out right now.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, man. What like what a week it would be for the, that family. They deserve it all. Big Walt deserves to be in the Hall. The guy, what he did on the ice, you know, goes without saying what he did off the ice, you know, people might not know, but you hear little clippets of what you know, Big C's just, you know, him involved in people and he's done that his whole career. I'll give you little story. I didn't know Big Walt. His, you know, before I started in the NHL, his dad was a firefighter with my grandfather. So families knew each other. But he let me live in his house in Arizona for free when I was a young kid, you know, 19 years old, don't know anything. There's a car there for me, a free house. And this is all. He didn't even know who I was. So just an all around amazing, amazing person. And you know, his sons are following in his name and hopefully all three of them will be in the hall of Fame. But, but big wall. We hope that you're in. You deserve it. One of the best guys out there. It'll do anything for anyone. And you know, you just, you just want to see him, you know, get that jacket and get into the hall where he belongs.

[Paul Bissonnette]

No doubt.

[Ryan Whitney]

That would be incredible. Final things here, guys. We got a Chiclets TV dropping this week on Thursday at noon. And that's just a complete vlog of the finals, right? You know, Biz was everywhere. We were running around, we're doing interviews. It was, was, it was fun. I remember a bunch of very funny moments that, that were, that were, you know, being filmed. So that should be an awesome Chiclets TV episode. And Friday, the last game notes of the season. A draft extravaganza with Merles and Army. And I think Biz mentioned last week, like, those guys are the best. Like the fact that, you know, I, I met those guys right when I turned pro and like get to work with them now. The two of my best buddies, they do an awesome job. Game notes keeps getting better and better and better. Merle's invented the Internet, even some say so. Check that out. Draft extravaganza, getting ready. And it's their final show of the season and we will be back. We got a special guest leading up to free Agency. Then we'll round out everything that happened after free agency July 1. Should be some incredible storylines. Hope for a wild draft week and some trades. And other than that, boys, great seeing you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

And then, and then I believe we're gonna take, we're gonna do like a best of and then maybe one or two pods where it's just interviews and I think we need a break as well. So I know you guys are going to be receptive to that. We've, we've gone hard this season. You know, we've. We've obviously game notes has taken the steps you just mentioned. We added Yance to the pod which has been unreal. But we kind of need a little bit of a break here because it was such a hard rip. So we know you guys will understand and as well as like G Fish, Pasha, like all these guys who actually make the ship run. So we love those guys. And what's that?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, not Pasha.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, he's kind of a pigeon and memes and you know they're gonna go on some vacations and I think G's actually headed overseas. So well deserved on their front. And we appreciate all your guys support and understanding of the schedule moving forward. You're still gonna get stuff every week. So you guys be a week where.

[Ryan Whitney]

You don't get anything. We promise you that.

[Paul Bissonnette]

That's it.

[Ryan Whitney]

And after we take a little bit of a break, I like, I like the late July, early August. We'll get on, we'll shoot the shit. We might have a rule of just no hockey talk. So we're just going all in on who knows what this week. For me, non hockey talk. Very quick. Just sick to my stomach for Tommy Fleetwood. I don't know if you guys saw that. This guy, one of the best ball strikers in the world for golf who is yet to win on the PGA Tour. I think like, like nine years maybe he's played on the PGA Tour. Can't get a win. Been a Ryder cup machine. They call him Fairway Jesus. He's just an unreal golfer and I love watching him. And finally he leads the final round of the Travelers in Connecticut, which is an elevated event, by three strokes over Keegan Bradley, captain of the Ryder cup team. Tommy Fleetwood will be an important part of Team Europe at Bethpage. And he goes to the 18th hole with a one shot lead. And he bogeyed the fucking hole. And Keegan Bradley birdied it to steal the trophy out of his hand. So America gets good for Keegan Bradley now pretty much has to put himself on the Ryder cup team, he'd be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer has not happened in.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Why? Because he's been lights out this year.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's like, seventh in the world. And like. And I. I don't think he went into this thinking, I'll be playing, but at some point, it's. I think after he mentioned, like, I'm the captain trying to put this team in the best place to win. And I think right now, like, he said he was not going to play for sure if he didn't win this season. Well, he just grabbed an elevated event win. He's been money all year. It's like, hey, buddy, can you do them both? Can you lead and can you play?

[Paul Bissonnette]

Reggie Dunlop.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think we might see it. Reg Dunlop. I felt sick for Tommy Fleetwood.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, is Fleetwood the guy. His little kid at the Masters was being interviewed. He's like a trauma heart.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Mike Grinelli]

Just willing to get out.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah.

[Mike Grinelli]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

That kid was awesome. That was a good accent. But biz the bogey, he had a nine iron in his hand from the fairway. He switches to wedge. He comes up short. Bradley hits it to, like, six feet for birdie. Fleetwood's first putt ends up literally half an inch behind Bradley's ball.

[Mike Grinelli]

Oh, like spawn.

[Paul Bissonnette]

He literally gave him the read.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh. And apparently a video of down low to the ground popped up where the. The. The ball, like, looks like it might hit like a. A little mark, like a scuff mark, and it kicks right. Didn't even hit the hole. And then Keegan Bradley just hearts the thing. But. But I actually felt sick for Fleetwood. I'm like, oh. Oh. I don't know if he'll ever win after not winning.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Why do you call it an elevated event?

[Ryan Whitney]

So they have.

[Mike Grinelli]

It's high. It's high elevation.

[Ryan Whitney]

Eight elevated events where the. The purse is like 25 million bucks. Like. Oh, not to the winner. You know, like the money that goes to all the.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So you win that one, you're bringing home a million and a half.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no. Like four, I think. And I.

[Paul Bissonnette]

What.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I believe, like, I don't even know if some of these elevate events have cuts. So, like, if you.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So not only did he lose, he cost himself a couple million.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, he's actually made. Somebody said yesterday, I think he's made like, 58 million without ever winning on the PGA Tour. So, like.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I'll take that out.

[Ryan Whitney]

You could just steal the trophy. Just give me the business.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Like, Happy Gilmore, green Dragon, gold jacket. Who gives a.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right. I Love you guys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Oh, and then yeah, if you're, we're talking non hockey stuff. I came home. I didn't realize you have to get an exterminator every couple months. So I got home, I must have had 150 crickets in my house just bouncing up and down.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, they're loud too because you don't need it every, just, just sign the, the yearly thing where they come once a month and you pay one time.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I, I, I didn't realize that they had to come once every month. I thought this was like a once every like six month thing where the exterminators came. So I came home from after the, my, my long run and they got 150 crits cricket. I'm trying to sleep.

[Mike Grinelli]

I used to in Phoenix because I was so afraid of the scorpions. I had them come like every week. I was so paranoid about the, the scorpion.

[Paul Bissonnette]

Yeah, I'm gonna have them for sure every month minimum now. So. Yeah, if I die it's probably because of scorpion stung me or a tarantula on my chest. Anyway, that's, that's pretty much all I got for this show.

[Ryan Whitney]

That'll end it. Love you guys. Bye.

[Mike Grinelli]

Love you boys.

[Paul Bissonnette]

So hard to wait.