Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 585: Featuring Matthew Knies, Big Caez & Eric Engels

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 585 — Summary

Release Date: October 6, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette (“Biz”), Keith Yandle, Rear Admiral (RA), Mike Grinnell (Producer)
Guests: Matthew Knies, Big Caez, Eric Engels

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Overview

In Episode 585, the Spittin’ Chiclets crew kick off the new NHL season with their trademark banter, irreverence, and deep-dive analysis. This episode features current Toronto Maple Leaf Matthew Knies, Panthers superfan Big Caez, and Montreal Canadiens insider Eric Engels. The bulk of the show is a comprehensive Atlantic Division preview, with extensive chats about major signings (Kaprizov, Lacombe, Hughes), contract trends, team prospect pipelines, and the cultural state of the NHL. Several memorable stories, behind-the-scenes NHL insights, and a high-energy preview set the stage for a new season.

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Key Discussion Points

1. NHL is Back — “Holy shit, the NHL’s back!” (01:37)

• The hosts celebrate the start of a new season, reflecting on the fast offseason.
• Whitney delivers his trademark “Pink Whitney” salute, noting how the signature vodka accompanies every moment of the hockey year.

Notable Quote:

“Peaks and valleys. That’s life. ... I’ve been in some enormous peaks. I’ve been in some giant valleys. So you stay even Steven. ... don’t stress about 7-year-old youth hockey.” — Whitney (03:09)

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2. Personal Catch-Up: Family, Coaching, and Weekend Recap (02:35–08:43)

• Whitney describes the frustrations and joys of coaching his son’s hockey team, invoking classic “hockey parent” culture and memorable slogans (“Attitude and effort — only things you can control”).
• Anecdotes about posters, college football, Penn State’s spiral, and Halloween decorations.
• Touches on spinal cord injury benefit with Brett Young performing, drawing a poignant moment about athlete resilience.

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3. Atlantic Division Deep Dive & Major NHL Storylines (09:25 onward)

a. Minnesota Wild Offseason Moves: Kaprizov and Gustafsson Contracts

• Kaprizov signs groundbreaking $17M/year deal. The group discusses the implications, the state of NHL salaries, and Minnesota’s team-building needs.

Notable Quotes:

“He’s worth the price of admission. He’s a one-man band … when you have a top five player, and the cap’s going where it is ... for what he’s done there prior, including on years where he was making peanuts ... I think it was a no brainer.” — Biz (12:09)

• Gustafsson, the goaltender, also locked up long-term, fitting the Wild’s strategy of keeping their homegrown stars.

b. Devils & Ducks: Luke Hughes, Jackson LaCombe Extensions (24:26 onward)

• Discuss the negotiations and “bargain” potential for rookie defense deals.
• Pasha joins to evangelize the Devils' window and what Luke & Quinn Hughes can become.
• Comparison between Devils (Hughes) and Ducks (LaCombe) young blue lines — both described as future cornerstones.

Notable Quote:

“[LaCombe] is older ... defensively, he was miles better last year [than Hughes]. But they’re both on awesome trajectories. Anaheim’s core is stacked.” — Biz (34:32)

c. Rising Salaries and Agent Power

• Discussion about how knowledge-sharing and future salary cap projections have permanently changed the landscape of contract negotiation.

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4. Quick Hits & Contract Chatter

• Evangelista’s delayed deal in Nashville prompts jokes about “bridges” and contract posturing.
• Mikola’s solid extension in Florida.
• Observations on teams like Florida locking in their core for the long-term to ensure sustainability.

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5. Florida vs. Tampa Rivalry & Preseason Violence (47:14 onward)

• Recap of wild preseason altercations: Greer vs. Hagel, Sabrin’s hit on Ekblad.
• “Hatred like this in preseason is insane”—the group predicts a fiercely contested season series between the state rivals.

Notable Quote:

“I like my hockey with a little bit of violence ... I think the NHL is in a perfect spot right now, a blend of violence and skill. A new era is beginning.” — Biz (50:56)

• Big Cs, Panthers superfan, joins to share fan perspective on the rivalry and Panthers’ season outlook.

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6. Atlantic Division Team-by-Team Breakdown

A guided tour of every Atlantic club, mixing serious predictions with signature humor

a. Florida Panthers

• Consensus: Playoff lock, possibly only a wild-card due to early injuries (Barkov, Tkachuk).
• Noted depth and leadership (“they’re not going anywhere for a long time”).

b. Tampa Bay Lightning

• Reinforced blue line and star power (Kucherov, Point, Vasilevskiy).
• Coop’s silent contract extension revealed.
• Predicted to “bounce back” with a deeper, more motivated group.

c. Toronto Maple Leafs

• Hosts bullish on the roster: “wagon,” “built better than last year.”
• Center-depth lauded; defense still a minor sore spot.
• Wol/goalie health flagged as X-factor.

Notable Quotes:

“I love this group. ... I think they’re poised to win the Atlantic and go on a cup run. That’s it.” — Biz (76:00)

d. Boston Bruins

• Panel skeptical: “Miserable for McKenna”—tank watch on.
• Swayman and strong defense recognized, but lack of offense noted.
• Projected as entertaining but not likely a playoff threat.

e. Buffalo Sabres

• Group is dubious, feeling the team regressed and needs “big steps” from youth; praised D-core but critical of lack of scoring after shipping out Paterka.

f. Detroit Red Wings

• Debated as “on the cusp.”
• ISERPLAN supported as patient and methodical, but consensus says “not quite yet,” with some hosts wavering late in the discussion.

g. Ottawa Senators

• Group expects Ottawa to take a significant step; lauds Sanderson’s emergence and the team’s snarl/entertainment value.
• “All seven Canadian teams make the playoffs” bet from Biz for the headline.

h. Montreal Canadiens

(Eric Engels interview, from 1:40:00+)

• Engels sees improved maturity and depth, especially on defense (Matheson, Dobson, Lane Hudson, Jack Eye).
• Breathless optimism for Ivan Demidov’s Calder chances.
• Hot Take: “Sidney Crosby could end up in Montreal if the Habs are good and the Pens bottom out” (187:10).
• The panel sees Montreal as a future contender, perhaps needing one more year.

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7. Interview: Matthew Knies (Toronto Maple Leafs) (84:33–136:38)

• Knies discusses his Arizona-to-Toronto journey, development through adversity, mentoring by Tavares, etc.
• Talks about pressure in Toronto, the revamped roster post-Marner, favorite away cities, and his Chick-fil-A “addiction.”
• Lighthearted fashion/locker room banter, “Will this be the Leafs year?” optimism.

Selected Quotes:

“I just try to stay dialed on my own game—stay away from the media noise.”
“I think it’s our year.” — Matthew Knies (133:27)

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8. Other NHL News & Culture (207:24+)

• Erik Johnson and Max Pacioretty retirements highlighted—tributes to their USA Hockey Hall of Fame-caliber careers.
• Marc Sanchez’s bizarre off-field story retold with typical Chiclets humor.
• Gavin McKenna’s eye-popping performances as a top prospect, with Biz praising his composure and flash.

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9. Caustic Humor & Concluding Banter

• Plenty of ribbing, cap circumvention jokes, and wisecracks about tanking, contract negotiations, and rivalry intensity.
• Multiple callbacks to classic Chiclets bits (Ryder Cup, Stranglers, the beneficence of Pink Whitney).

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Segment Timestamps (Approx.)

• 01:37 — NHL season return: Offseason, coaching, Pink Whitney ritual.
• 09:54 — Kaprizov’s contract, Wild’s long-term strategy.
• 24:26 — Devils/Ducks: Luke Hughes, Jackson Lacombe signings discussion (with Pasha).
• 34:53 — Comparisons of young defensemen contracts, Anaheim prospect breakdown.
• 47:14 — Florida/Tampa preseason brawls and rivalry preview.
• 54:53 — Big Cs (Panthers superfan) interview.
• 69:00 — Tampa Bay Lightning roster/depth breakdown.
• 74:39 — Toronto Maple Leafs “wagon thesis,” Knies contract, and power play changes.
• 84:33 — Matthew Knies interview: Leafs pressure, Arizona roots, development.
• 140:28 — Boston Bruins’ tank outlook and rebuilding pains.
• 148:32 — Buffalo Sabres: long playoff drought, “doom” and hope.
• 154:30 — Detroit Red Wings: Tenuous optimism, prospect talk.
• 162:41 — Ottawa Senators: Grit, breakout candidates, playoff picks.
• 168:07 — Montreal Canadiens/Engels interview: Depth, defensive core, Lane Hudson, Dobson acquisition, Kirby Dach's path, Crosby trade "hot take."
• 201:32 — Road trip stories, rugby tangents, Oasis music kick.
• 207:24 — Retirement farewells (Johnson, Pacioretty), final thoughts.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Tanking is such a crapshoot. You lose the lottery, boom—you’re third overall.” — Whitney (09:59)
• “He’s worth the price of admission ... you pay your superstar.” — Biz (12:09)
• "Peak and valleys. That’s life. ... Don’t worry about stressing about 7-year-old youth hockey." — Whitney (03:09)
• “All seven Canadian teams are making the playoffs. Biz stamp of approval, 100% guaranteed.” — Biz (165:46)
• “Sidney Crosby could end up in Montreal ... but only if the Habs are good, and the Penguins are really bad.” — Eric Engels (187:10)
• “The Islanders, the Bruins, the Ducks, you name it ... we’re talking about bottom dwellers.” — Biz, referring to weak teams (paraphrased, various)
• “Is it our year?” — Ryan Whitney
  “I think it’s our year.” — Matthew Knies (133:26)
• “I like my hockey with a little bit of violence ... we’re hitting the start of a new era.” — Biz (50:56)

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Final Thoughts

Episode 585 is a quintessential Spittin’ Chiclets ride: sharp and brash, loaded with inside jokes, yet packed with astute NHL insight. The hosts blend respect and irreverence, toggling between serious breakdowns of contracts and player development with side-splitting stories and relentless chirping. The Atlantic Division preview sets up copious storylines for the season — new contracts, franchise-defining players, and what may be the league’s most exciting collection of up-and-coming teams.

If you’re gearing up for the NHL, this is a must-listen for fans craving both deep analysis and the lighter, chaotic side of hockey culture.

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Quick Reference: Key Team Takeaways

• Toronto: Absolute contender, deepest roster yet, minor question marks on D/goaltending.
• Florida: Playoff lock, likely to weather injuries with strong depth.
• Tampa: “Pissed off” and hungry, predicted to rebound.
• Ottawa: Trending up, expected to break into playoffs.
• Montreal: Fun, fast, still a year away unless everything goes right (watch Demidov, Lane Hudson).
• Detroit: Some see playoff breakthrough, most see one year away.
• Boston: In a rebuild/tank phase; competitive but rebuilding.
• Buffalo: Stuck, biggest question marks up front, potential in youth.

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For more, check barstool.link/schiclets or your podcast platform of choice.

Transcript

[Whitney]

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

[Matthew Nies]

Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Ryan Whitney]

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[Keith]

I'm not going back to college to be your friend.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm going so I can get Uber one for students. It saves you on Uber and Uber eats. I'm there for $0 delivery fee on cheeseburgers, up to 10% off smoothies and.

[Keith]

6% Uber credits back on rides.

[Ryan Whitney]

Just to be clear, I'm there for savings, not whatever you think college is for.

[Keith]

Get Uber one for students a membership.

[Whitney]

To save on Uber and Uber E. With deals this good, everyone wants to be a student.

[Keith]

Join for just $4.99 a month.

[Matthew Nies]

Savings may vary.

[Whitney]

Eligibility and member terms apply.

[Matthew Nies]

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed.

[Ryan Whitney]

To the jungle that is barstool sports. I brought it toward the Coyotes and I asked them if it was okay if I joined the Spit Chickens podcast full time.

[Whitney]

Ryan, Whitney's got a Pink Whitney out there now.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sandbagger. Get that on camera.

[Whitney]

Heath Yandel the song man. Kate is a full time member. Marley just got assist from Chris Beat. Whoa.

[Keith]

We're buzzing right now.

[Whitney]

What's up boys? What's up girls? Anyone listening? Holy shit. The NHL's back. Tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we get this thing ripping. It's another season. It comes, it goes, it comes and goes. But Pink Whitney never leaves. I know. I got a shout out. Pink Whitney. Pink Whitney. Thank you so much. The show Bang. Keith shows the bottle. Pink Whitney just represents. And this weather is not changing here in New England. Busy. It's friggin 80 degrees. It's supposed to be 83 degrees Tuesday. So pink Whitney continues to represent the summer drink. And then turns into the fall and then turns into the winter. And we drink it and we drink it and we mix it. Then we drink it some more. So shout out the big bottle. Yes. Go like. Yeah. In the waves. In the waves. On the ocean. On the lake. Or. Or maybe when the lake freezes over and you're ice fishing, it still's out there. So shout out Pink Whitney New Amsterdam Vodka. Thank you so much. Episode 585 Guys. Felt like a quick offseason to me. We're back.

[Ryan Whitney]

We're right back into it. Wait, it sounds like you lost your voice a little bit. You've been screaming.

[Whitney]

No, I haven't been screaming. I guess there's some yelling on the bench. Go skate, shoot, pass. You know, the things you're supposed to yell that really probably help the kids considering they have a millisecond to do it. If you yell it, it might actually help. Bend your knees. Right. D, butt down, chest up. But you know, I coach with passion biz. At least I try to. Tough weekend. 0 and 2 for the boys and then, oh, and 1 in the town game. So 0 for 3. But you know what?

[Ryan Whitney]

We keep losing, baby.

[Whitney]

Hey. Peaks and valleys. Peaks and valleys. That's life. I've been telling this to people over and over. Peaks and valleys. I've been in some enormous peaks. I've been in some giant valleys. So you stay even Steven. And then you concentrate on your job, you concentrate on the podcast, and you don't worry about stressing about 7 year old youth hockey. Okay, so yeah, my voice may be a little scratchy, but I'm ready.

[Ryan Whitney]

What are the chances that Ryder ends up on a team that goes to the peewee tournament? And you're like, this is the tournament that I won when I played peewee hockey.

[Whitney]

I. Those, those percentages right now, while being quite a few years away, are little low. A little low. But it's not going to stop. It's not going to stop me from reminding everyone that I won that tournament. Keep screaming.

[Ryan Whitney]

He just scream it into him. You just got to scratch. Let them know from the bench.

[Whitney]

That usually works. Just scream at kids. They really respond.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, you talked last week about him throwing the pizza. And then on the way to the bench, as you were giving him the stare down, he's like, am I going mini putting with mom after this?

[Whitney]

Any.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was there any pizzas this week? Like, any tough mistakes from Ridesy?

[Whitney]

No, no, he's giving it his all.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, good.

[Whitney]

I just, you know, like, you hear Matthew and Brady Tkachuk say, Big Walt just told him attitude and effort, the only two things you can control that's in life, boys. Literally. I think it's the only two things you can control.

[Ryan Whitney]

My mom used to say, attitude is everything. I used to have a poster in my basement.

[Whitney]

So she reinforced the car.

[Ryan Whitney]

And she'd also say, lord, give me strength, because I would piss her off so much. So she'd look up at the sky and she'd make a fish. She said, lord, give me strength to deal.

[Whitney]

You strike me as a kid, you strike me as a kid who was like allowed to have the, the, like the bikini models washing cars posters in your room.

[Keith]

No, I had one in his room.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I told the story before. Like I, I got my, my hands on like a Fox magazine. Like it was one of the, like, you know, like it would always have like the center fold and like she'd have like the come target on her and you know, but I would, I would talk. Yeah, no, but we are, but I, we. I had these pull out drawers underneath my bed where I would hide the magazine. So. No, there was no posters like that. Sorry, Ants. Sorry, buddy, sorry. He asked me about the posters.

[Whitney]

We're not previewing the Atlantic division. We're. We're going over the best magazine issues of Fox center, whatever.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah, Best center folds.

[Whitney]

This is top 10 MVP candidates along with his top 10 hustler title covers that were ever released.

[Ryan Whitney]

So yeah, I'm celibate now, so I've got. I just had to get that off my chest. You know, those are.

[Keith]

I didn't want to remind you because then it might trigger some old behavior, you know.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, that's right. That's true, that's true. But what were you up to this weekend? Yan's more lacrosse more. What were the girls getting into?

[Keith]

Yeah, had lacrosse, but no games, just practice this weekend. Yeah, pretty low key though. Got, Got some stuff, got the decorations out for Halloween which, you know, top three holiday. I love Halloween, it's so fun. But yeah, get the decorations going this weekend, but kind of one of the last weekends, you know, we got something going on in two weeks and you know, the kids lacrosse. The tournaments are starting up next weekend, so it's kind of the last weekend to really chill. Yesterday I watched a ton of college football, which is great. And then, you know, just getting ready for today.

[Ryan Whitney]

What was the, what was the highlight of, of the college football like what took the. That Arch Manning kids kind of struggling a little bit. I saw that.

[Keith]

Unfortunately, I kind of feel bad.

[Whitney]

It's more Penn State. Penn State's the joke. Now we could get into the positive sides of Penn State and we're going to do that later in the episode because we have a freak on our hands. We have a complete full blown freak. He was in my city, in Gavin McKenna, who's not only nasty at hockey, which we all knew, he's. He's a, he's a little motherfucker too.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's a feisty motherfucker.

[Whitney]

Horns down. He's shit. I really like that. But the Penn State football team, talk about a pathetic, pathetic team. They lost to ucla. I don't think UCLA had led a game for one second this season. Their own forbids. Penn State was supposed to win the national title. They lost to ucla. To all these Penn State people I see on Twitter, they're down bad. So it's on to hockey for those.

[Ryan Whitney]

And he's. And they've also lost back to back weeks, haven't they?

[Whitney]

Yes.

[Keith]

Yeah, they lost a big game and then a bad game this week.

[Ryan Whitney]

So are they done? Like, is there no way they make that top 12 team thing?

[Whitney]

Oh, man, it's tough in college football, considering none of us know that much at all. I would say yes, because the UCLA loss will be that bad unless they somehow. I think they play Ohio State.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think that can get them back in the Mexico.

[Whitney]

I could be making that up completely. But guys, I wanted to also mention my weekend last night was awesome because you guys know who Brett Young is. Country singer. So I think pretty up and coming, getting bigger and bigger. He performed for the Thomas E. Smith foundation, which is a foundation that it helps out people that are affected with spinal cord injuries. And so Jake Tebow was there. He was a big part of it. I believe he's part of the board of that. And they got Brett Young to come. It was at Park City Biz, your favorite spot. So I was right back there.

[Ryan Whitney]

I saw Jake there, there when we were there for Chiclets Cup.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And met a bunch of incredible people. Medicaid from Situate. Medicaid that knows Merles real well that have had these just brutal injuries that. And, and these, they're. They're such reminders of kind of resiliency and strength and, and attitude when we talk about attitude and just like attacking every day after dealing with the, you know, the worst of circumstances. So it was incredible. This Brett Young guy was awesome. He, I guess he, he was a big time pitcher. Went to Fresno State. Somebody's telling me blew his arm out. Got into singing. He's six, six, completely shredded. Very good looking man. Like, I'm not gonna lie, he went up on stage and like me and my buddies looked over at the wives. They're like, why are they all like taking pictures?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Oh, I see his arms look like the rocks. And I guess he was a sick baseball player too. And then now he just sings and just loves life. So incredible night. And I wanted to shout, shout out that foundation. And yeah, we were talking a lot of hockey. I ran into a lot of people how the Bruins gonna be. How the Bruins gonna be. I go, you might want night. Might not want to tune into the. The episode Monday where we go over the Atlantic Division because I don't have many great things to say now. G will come on and he'll talk about them and we'll get into all those teams. But the biggest news of the week.

[Ryan Whitney]

He should be saying fucking tank for. For McKenna.

[Whitney]

I don't know how you're not.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

The argument is one guy. Actually, I shouldn't say I don't know how you're not because somebody told me how he's not. He told me. It's just such a crapshoot. Tanking is such a crapshoot. You lose, you don't win the lottery. Boom, you get third overall, like, and then you're. What do you tank again for the next guy coming?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. And people are already saying that no matter what, he's going to the Penguins. Because Mario, you guys know that timeline, it was like 40 years ago. Then 20 years, it was said. And then now this year it'll be McKenna.

[Whitney]

So I think I said that timeline on this show. Oh, 20 years each biz. Yeah, yeah. Shout out. So I just can't get over. And I am so excited for the players in the National Hockey League and all the young stud, 16, 17, 18 year olds. They're going to make this league and build this league moving forward because they're all going to make a shitload of money. I saw $17 million a year for Kuril Kaprisov. That, that is, that is like not only record breaking in terms of average annual salary and total dollar amount for, but just more like a shaking of the foundation of the league and salaries, I think forever. Now you're a top dog. You're a top five player in the league. You ain't getting less. Now we'll get into McDavid and him possibly taking less and what that means, but it's not going to go backwards, guys. And I was so excited for him. I mean, he, he bent over the wild in an odd sense because they had already told him, we'll give you anything you want. We've mentioned the blank check. He had. So biz initial reaction from you. What do you think?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Some people were saying, oh, this is going to, you know, age poorly and, and, and it's too much. He's bleeding his team dry. I, I don't agree with that. And you Got to think too like he wasn't making much money when he first came in there and he was their best player dominating. So he's got to make up a little bit for lost time and I think that he's earned the right to get that money for what he's provided that organization like. And also I, I believe they're done with the amnesty buyouts. Correct. This year. Those are off the books. So that's another.

[Whitney]

They're not off the books. It's very low now. Like it's not a big hit anymore if it is.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. So I, I think it's a totally fair number and especially for a team like Minnesota where like who else are you going to give the money to? I don't think that they're going to have the ability to attract like, like big time free agents. Nor do big time free agents ever really go to market anymore. And if they do, I don't think, no offense to people in Minnesota. Like, I don't think Minnesota is necessarily a landing spot. I love Minnesota. Like that was, I mean if, if I had the ability to sign and you know, they might be in my top five list but I just, you know, and another thing, he's worth the price of admission. Like he's a one man band. Like he could play with two average players and, and still help drive a line. So when you have a, a, a, like you said, probably a top five, if not for sure top 10 player in the league and all of a sudden the cap's going where it is and for what he's done there prior, including on years where he was making peanuts like now, now I believe he's, he's in the last year of his $9.5 million deal so he's being paid appropriately as we speak. But I, I, I think it was a no brainer and as you mentioned before, I think he knew exactly the type of leverage he had not only from the owner's comments, but I bet you there was probably 10 teams that would have paid him what he just signed for, if not more. I've heard of one for sure. I heard Philadelphia was going to offer him whatever he wanted and including like loaded in bonuses where it's all, all protected. So good for him, an incredible player and as we said before, he's worth the price of admission. So yeah, I mean I don't know how you feel about this one, but hard to, hard to disagree with what they gave him.

[Keith]

Yeah, I just think it's a great thing. Like you both touched on great Thing for the league. Guys getting paid. What, you know, you look at other sports, what guys are making, and I just think it's such a great step for these big dogs to get paid. Right? And like you said Biz, to like to be in Minnesota. Like, Billy G. Is probably the best GM in the league. Everybody loves him, everyone wants to play for him. But it is, it's Minnesota. It's freezing cold for seven months. Like, they're not getting the guys that, you know, other teams can go out and get every year. So it's, it's one of those things you have to pay the guys that you, that you had, that you've drafted, that you have and develop. Like Faber, he's going to be the next guy that gets a monster deal. He's going to sign a huge, huge. He'll probably be the.

[Ryan Whitney]

He got one. He got the big one. He got.

[Whitney]

And it's only eight and a half.

[Keith]

Wasn't it only a five year deal though?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I think he signed a big one.

[Whitney]

He's got five more years.

[Matthew Nies]

Okay.

[Keith]

Yeah. So, I mean, like, he's gonna, when his deal's up, he's gonna be the highest paid D man, I'm sure, at that time, like. Cause they have to overpay to keep these guys. Like, I think once guys go there, they love it, right? Like, you see all these guys stay there. Like, they love playing there, they love being in Minnesota. But it's, you know, it's a big number to look at. Like, especially us. Like, we were in the league when the top end guys were making like 6 million bucks. So it's like looking at it right away is like, oh my God. But then you think about it. I just think it's so good for the league, so good for these top end players to get paid what they deserve. And you know, and you said it too, Biz, like, he brings it every night. Like, he's not taking nights off if he's in the lineup. He's bringing it. He's bringing entertainment to your city. He's bringing entertainment every single game. So I think it's a huge win for both sides. And I really hope he didn't keep his agent. When the owner of the team said, hey, you can have whatever you want, I hope he just said, okay, I'll.

[Whitney]

I'll, I'll handle this one.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'll handle this one. Yeah.

[Whitney]

No, God, I didn't even think of that. Now he said no to the 16 million a year. And Minnesota's like, all right, how's 17, like, and it probably would have continued to go up. And the main thing, the best question I saw that was posed in terms of why it was a great signing is like, all right, do you overpay him or do you lose them? Like, that's a no brainer. Like all of a sudden that organization, if he was gone and I'm not trying to be mean, it'd be like, wow, like they're, they're kind of a joke. Like they had this one game breaker that they somehow got in the fifth round, fourth round, whatever it was, and now he's not there. Now he, that could have been up to him and it could have been out of Minnesota's control where he was like, I don't want to be here. But you keep going, you pay, you pay your superstar. And, and I think as long as he's healthy, he's a top five player in the league. That is a legit worry though, that he gets injured a lot.

[Ryan Whitney]

And also, how many, how many teams in the league where if you take away one guy, they go from being a probable playoff team to a non playoff team. And I would say that, that they are up there. Like, I, I mean they, they were at the top of the league last year and I believe he was hurt for a little bit there. They. Now, mind you, they had a lot of injuries mounting at, at a certain point last year when all of a sudden they started dwindling where people thought maybe they wouldn't even make playoffs. They ended up scooping up the, I want to say the wild card, where they ended up playing who the first round? Vegas. Yeah, Vegas. So you, if, if they make playoffs as a result of him, then it's easily worth the 17. And I just kind of look at where he's at now and then if you're an Oilers fan looking at dry seidel making 14, thinking, holy shit, that is.

[Whitney]

No, all I thought that is, I thought, I thought Ranton and Colorado, that's another one. Like, holy shit, man. You could have just paid this guy 12 million now. And, and that's like, I think it's natural to be like, are you crazy? Like, you sign that deal and then you're all of a sudden like, wait, what? I'm a huge bargain. Like, that's just how these guys are wired. That's how, you know, I think top end talent, not just in sports, but in entertainment, like, you want to be paid what you're worth. You see a guy you consider, you know, you're even with and you're like wait a minute, he just got 17, I just got 12. So for me it's more Colorado. You didn't want to just give them that. Knowing what this landscape of this cap was going to do. And this is the first signing of showing us that this, these new cap numbers which I've also read apparently will be like 113 next year and 120 the year after where it was supposed to be. 113 million in two years, like could be even more than they're already saying. But by the, by them coming out with the future cap for the first time ever. I remember, I don't ever remember hearing like cap in advance. Two, three years. That was huge for the players. That's, that's how you know he ends up getting this deal.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think I also. It's crazy how much more the agents and players are in the know as time has gone on too. I mean there was a time in the NHL where guys didn't even know what each other made and they wouldn't talk about it either. Like that, that to me is mind boggling. Where you know, certain guys were obviously getting like big time bent over. I mean the, the, the most famous one being I believe that Bobby Ora was offered a percentage of the team. Wasn't he in Boston?

[Whitney]

I think that's the story. Yeah. Alan Eagleson just, just a dirt ball, dirt bag. And I believe he never even told him.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean as we're going to talk about moving forward here, man, like even like, like Luke Hughes deal, the lacombe deal. Like these guys coming out of entry level even have these teams by the balls now, let alone like hitting free agency. So just a remarkable record setting contract and also very, very well deserved for, for Kuril Kaprisov.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith]

It's not like they're just giving him the money just to give it to him. Like he's proven himself every year he drives the bus there, he puts asses in seats. So he, he deserves every penny of it. And his July one every summer for the next eight years is going to be phenomenal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, we should pull it up.

[Whitney]

It's like he makes like a million bucks a year salary. Right.

[Keith]

First hold the whole 18, 18, 18. Then like 16, 6 16. It's, it's unmoved your financial advisors.

[Whitney]

Like yes, you're the rush. Imagine the Russian parties that guy's gonna throw. Like forget needing Putin's card. You're always talking about biz.

[Ryan Whitney]

He might get his own.

[Keith]

Putin's going to be using his card.

[Whitney]

So an incredible day for the.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

18.1 every July 1st until 2030. Then it drops to 16. Base salary of 1 million. People don't even cash those two week paychecks. You're like, oh man, you suck. Huh? No, no, you got to see the one that they sent me July 1st. Minnesota wasn't done either. Probably like just as important of a signing maybe if, if, if they're going to be the team that their fans hope they be, they're going to become is. Is their goaltender. And they locked up Philippe Gustafson. This is actually, I think a very fair deal for his career number. 6.8 cap hit for three years. I believe it is. Gee, check out that one for me. But a monster goalie. They got him over from five years. Excuse me, five year deal. They got him over from Ottawa a few years back and two years ago he wasn't great after a solid first year there. Then last year he was phenomenal. So I think they're looking at a guy who's going to keep getting better. And then I think Dustin Wolf, this deal he signed going to be a hell of a goalie. But Gustafson's maybe proven it a little bit more and got less money. So like if you're a wild fan on that one, I think you're thrilled with the number that he came in at.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, just more, more years there. That's probably why for the longer security for, for Wolf. But true. Yeah, he, I mean he's, he's worth this number. An incredible goalie and, and you know, yeah, it's. I kind of look at him in the like, like that Swayman category, like a young upand comer who's got jam, he's ready to be a starter and, and you know, lug the mail for, for probably you know, 60 to 65 games. And he's proven that and had an awesome bounce back year and, and the numbers tell him he's deserved that number. So it's good for many though man. Like they, they've solidified their goaltending. They got, they got their defenseman of the future too. They got their, their, their forward of the future and then some great pieces around them. I mean even like the baldy deal like that, that looks incredible for, for he's a 4040 guy according to Billy G. And, and really he's proven that. So just some, some remarkable signings and, and Billy G has really, really changed the culture since he's been there and it's a testament to him and what he's building.

[Keith]

I think Gustafson's at that point, the perfect age as a goalie, like 27 is when they really start to figure it out. He's got a couple of years under his belt like that, 27 to 31. Like, I mean, you look at bald like, he's getting better and better every year. Like, the goalies get better and better. They age more well than players do, I think. So 27, I think, is when they really start to hit their prime. And, you know, he's going to. He's a huge guy. He's got good big D in front of them. Like, they should be poised to have a good year.

[Whitney]

I love watching them play. And it's a different story when Caprisov's out. But that. That building's electric. We were there for the Frozen Four. We've played in that building. Awesome fans. I want them to do well. And the good thing for. For their fan base, looking at it like they got everyone locked up, basically. I mean, Duke Arello has one more season and it sucks. He's going to be injured to start the year, but Caprisoft, Boldy Erickson, AK Marco Rossi, they got Foligno. Three more years. They got three more years of Trenin, two more years of Hartman, five more years of Faber, two more years of Spurgeon, three more years of Brodine. Middleton's got four more years. So they pretty much have everyone done. You know, we'll see what Steve Bouilliam does this year and then what he would need next summer, he'd be eligible to sign it. So good job, Wild. Congrats to their fans. They got their guy. I was worried when he said no to 16. I'm like, he's probably no. He's saying no to that. Like, he might just not want to be there, but he'll be there and we get to watch him perform and hopefully the Wild go on a run because we all love Billy G. I want to bring in Pasha now if that man is around. Because the Devils, they made news and in classic Whitney mush form, I think I talked to Pasha about two weeks ago, three weeks ago. I said, hey, Pasha, what's going on here? You said, he's signing today. He's signing today. I said, okay. And that day came and went. And then weeks came and went. And then I woke up and I texted the group chat. What day was it, Pasha, this past week? Maybe Wednesday.

[Pasha]

This was like Thursday. Yeah, Wednesday or Thursday.

[Whitney]

It was about incredible. It was like 6:30 in the morning.

[Ryan Whitney]

You don't look like you've slept. You're out celebrating. Pasha, you got bags under your eyes. Jesus Christ.

[Whitney]

No matter what you look, hair looks great.

[Pasha]

Thank you, Ryan.

[Whitney]

I appreciate it. You look good. So I decide I'm having my morning coffee and how is Pasha coming into my head? I don't know. I said, pasha, I said, hey, Pasha, what's going on here with Luke Hughes? You told me 15 days ago he'd be signed. And sure as not about two hours later, you sent me Elliot Friedman's text. It was unbelievable.

[Pasha]

No, no, not even two hours later. Like, I responded immediately. And then we were bickering back and forth, like, heated bickering and like, literally mid bickering. I get the notification that he signed.

[Whitney]

It was unbelievable. I. I started laughing out loud. I'm like, holy. I can even. I can even ruin this. I can't even ruin my ability to talk that Luke Hughes isn't there yet, but they got it done, Pasha. All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Congratulations.

[Whitney]

Now, I think the McDavid to the KHL take is more. I'll take that one. Now. I don't think the Hughes are gonna all be on the Rangers. He signed this deal, seven year deal, $9 million, and right where the cap's going. If he turns into what you've been telling me he's gonna turn into, Pasha could be a bargain of.

[Ryan Whitney]

I also didn't say the Rangers, like this year. I said that. That it could be down the road, too.

[Whitney]

Six years, seven.

[Ryan Whitney]

We're.

[Whitney]

We're.

[Ryan Whitney]

We're.

[Whitney]

We're.

[Ryan Whitney]

We're playing fantasy. Sometimes when we come on and we talk about this stuff now, wouldn't it be funny? Enjoy it while it lasts now, Pasha. But let's say the years go by and they don't win any hardware. And fast forward six, seven years from now, and the three of them are all sitting and there's a big Rangers banner behind them and they all got Rangers jerseys on. So I'll let you soak it in and enjoy it for now. But let's not discount that that could potentially happen.

[Pasha]

Sure. But you could use that same argument. Let's say McDavid wins five cops in the next 10 years, and when he's 40, they offer him 50 mil for one season in the K. By that logic, he could still play in the K on the back half, too.

[Ryan Whitney]

So I love this. I love. Hey, don't look at me. I was down with the McDavid to the K and I've been getting all those bowl cuts sent over to me.

[Pasha]

Yeah, I think, I think it's a great deal. I'm surprised it took so long, to be honest. Like, I don't know what each side came in the, the negotiations out. I mean, I figured Fitzy would try and get him closer to 8. Luke must have been trying closer to 10. But you know, I, I figured he'd come in around this number and like I said in the group and you know, I think for this upcoming season, it's a slight overpay. But then for the rest of the deal, once he kind of continues to develop, it's going to look like a steal within, you know, with the cap going up as well, just for what he brings. And you know, the. If you go [e-mail] and you look at his points, like solid numbers, like kind of mid-40s points last two seasons, but that's him not even running the power play for the whole year. He kind of split the time with Dougie. So if what I think is going to happen, and this is probably going to be Dougie's last year in Jersey, if you have a full season of Luke running that power play, I think his numbers are going to be even higher. And you know, another chart. I know you love that, you know, chirp me for the charts. But in terms of power play production, Luke was actually the most efficient power play quarterback in the league last year.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was that because he was playing second unit and, and maybe playing against, you know, not the. Or is that running the top, top unit?

[Pasha]

I mean, I mean the second unit gets like 30 seconds at BET.

[Whitney]

There are no second units anymore. Yeah, I think that's a newer thing.

[Pasha]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you just said he wasn't running the first unit. So like where.

[Whitney]

Oh no.

[Pasha]

Him and Dougie.

[Keith]

Him and Dougie.

[Pasha]

But what I'm saying is whoever was running it is playing 80, 85 power play regardless, you know. But so yeah, in terms of points generated per 60, Luke Hughes was number one in the league last year. Lane Hudson was two, Quinn Hughes three. So he's very dynamic. He does have some warts in his game. You know, he's 21, naturally, defensively he's got some stuff to learn, but just with that, with that big frame and the way he can move, I believe he was actually the fastest skater in the league last year. Defenseman in terms of straight line speed. So the guy can move. He's going to continue to round out his.

[Ryan Whitney]

You mean when they chart the miles per hour thing, like the speed burst?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Well, Pasha, you've told me that you think if, if full potential is reached, you think he's more dominant than his brother Quinn at some point in the league?

[Matthew Nies]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Whitney]

You said that.

[Pasha]

I did not. I did not say that. When did I say that?

[Whitney]

Chicklets cup, five days ago.

[Keith]

Yeah, I think I was there when you said it.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm staying on this one.

[Whitney]

There is no reason why I should not say that. Pasha, you said it. You might have had a couple in you, but you said one drink at Chick.

[Pasha]

Let's cop.

[Matthew Nies]

I didn't have one dropout.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, here we go.

[Keith]

Oh, I remember him saying it.

[Ryan Whitney]

The tide's turning. We got Pasha stuff and went in a locker now. This is nuts.

[Whitney]

I would never say that saying he didn't say it. You think this kid, you know when people black out and rage and then they don't have no clue what happened? You know, talking about the Devils, this kid just. He turns into a mutant. And then at the end you're like, dude, why is your shirt ripped and you have a cut over your eye? Oh, I was talking about the Devils.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you think that it. It's just going to be hard for them to move off of Dougie and if like, should they not do it sooner rather than later, would that create a little bit of like, I want to say a riff, but doesn't it make it uncomfortable where like, if Dougie's not playing top PP unit, like how useful is he at the money that he's making? He's making the same amount as Luke now.

[Pasha]

I agree with that. I do think it's risky because I think the long term plan is to have Nemetz fill that like that. That right handed D man shoes. And I think like it's a risk. I think if they trade Dougie today, it'll hurt them for this season, but big picture, it'll help them. But I think like Dougie still brings value. That right handed puck moving D, you know, I think they want to see, okay, like can Nemetz continue to show what he showed in the playoffs last year? And if he does, you know, maybe they dish Dougie at some point during the year, but I do think like dishing Dougie today would. Would cause a little slight step back for a longer term step forward type.

[Ryan Whitney]

Would you be willing to do so if Nemetz takes that step throughout the course of maybe half the year where you can maybe get something in nice in return for. For like up front, like, yeah. Where would you, where would you like to add on this team if you can get off of Dougie.

[Pasha]

Elite top six winger for sure. They need like a. A tuck, a Raquel, a McCann. They need like an elite guy that can just put the puck in the net.

[Whitney]

So your dream would be to throw the absolute bag at Kyle Connor.

[Pasha]

I don't think that'll ever happen, but yeah, like that kind of guy. I mean, ideally a guy with a little more size. Like talking.

[Whitney]

Well, I'm trying to think of like a. A guy coming up at least and he.

[Ryan Whitney]

40 goals. I mean, I know Connor's not a big guy. I feel like he's a big game player and he ain't shying away.

[Pasha]

Well evident. Evidently not a big enough game player to play the gold medal game for us to put cryer in over him. But that's a story for another time.

[Whitney]

You were cheering when Canada lost at the world juniors in Chicago with me. So now like which what side you on?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh my God. This is getting.

[Whitney]

What do you mean? You're chirping us. You're chirping Canada like what?

[Pasha]

What I'm chirping the u. S. Management decision to scratch a 40 goal scorer in favor of Chris Kreider in a series in the tournament. They need offense.

[Whitney]

All right.

[Pasha]

But that's a different rabbit hole.

[Whitney]

So basically. But back to your. Your wishes for the devils as they get this guy locked up. And you're saying now window began like windows. It was creeped open. You told me the last two years. Now it's open. So you would want like Tom Wilson as a winger for the top six. Like that's what you'd want. That's your dream.

[Pasha]

I would, yeah. I would love Tom Wilson.

[Whitney]

But you know, you're talking like size. I'm trying to think what you want here. Trying to think.

[Pasha]

I think like talk. Like talk or one of those guys like a big body that's a sniper. Like, you know, they don't grow on trees. But I think that's kind of what they need. And also a 3C. I see Grinelli in the chat. Should trade for Geno. One of my favorite players of all time. I would love to see Geno slot in as a 3C there behind he sure. And Hughes. But in order for them to win a cup, they need top six winger and a third line center.

[Whitney]

This guy's telling me he never said that about Luke over Quinn. And then he's also putting Malkin. He's putting Malkin on the fucking devils.

[Ryan Whitney]

I would say. I would say you more need like. I would say you more need like a, like a Nick Paul is. Is what?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Pasha]

Or like Ryan O'Reilly. I could definitely. I know they're interested in O'Reilly. Last year I could see, you know, O'Reilly being their third C pick up halfway through the year. But I never said Luke will be as good as Quinn. That's an absurdly high bar.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's tough. That's tough.

[Pasha]

I think Luke will be elite, elite. Elite, like one of the top puck women demon in the league. But Quinn is like entering like best defenseman.

[Ryan Whitney]

Has a brother. Has a. A brothers ever finished top three in Norris voting?

[Pasha]

That's a good question. I. I would be shocked if that happened.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Hey, hey. Would you be willing to put a bet with wit and like, we could talk about what it would be that at some point in their careers, they. They both finished in the top three.

[Pasha]

I'm certainly open to entertaining that conversation.

[Whitney]

Yeah, well, it's actually an incredible segue talking about bets, you know, Jack Hughes didn't get the 100 points and he still owes me. But it's fine. We just have it running. I don't, I don't need to collect to this guy. I need, I don't want to try to like, ruin. I know where this is going to hold back.

[Ryan Whitney]

Quack, quack.

[Whitney]

That. Yes, there's another bet. There's a $5,000 bet. Quack, quack, quack. Mr. Ducksworth. The Anaheim Ducks win a Stanley cup before the New Jersey Devils. And the Anaheim Ducks locked up their stud, smooth skating, tall lefty defenseman with the same exact deal. Right. $9 million a year for eight years. Jackson Lacombe, the man that just playing on a bad team out west. No one's talking about the Ducks the past few years. And all of a sudden it was like. It was like every two months you'd start seeing a couple more articles about lacombe. And then by the end of last year, everyone's like this, kids must watch. And we talk. We talked today with our guy. We interviewed Matthew Nyes. He will be on later. We talked about him. They played at Minnesota together. And he's telling us that this guy's faster than he is on the ice. So makes sense that this deal gets done. And Pasha, I described to him like, I kind of like lacombe a little bit more than Luke Hughes. We were battling even.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wow, he's a little older, isn't he?

[Pasha]

I mean, he's older and I knew.

[Whitney]

You'D bring that up.

[Pasha]

I've got their under the hood stats in front of me. And yes, offensively, Luke Hughes was better last year, but defensively, Lacombe was miles better. But like Biz said, he's two years older, so kind of hard to compare because, you know, one year for a young demon like that is just, is very true change. But love Lacombe's game. I think it's a great contract for him and the Ducks have a very bright future.

[Whitney]

Ryan.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I think the biggest takeaway from Nies is just how much he competes, right? And he was with them at the University of Minnesota and, and we talk about development, right? And sometimes these kids, you know, they go to college two years and then they sign the ticket and they're out of there. Where this guy ended up developing all four years at the University of Minnesota. So I don't know necessarily if he came in as this, this offensive player, but as he, you know, he, as he like, developed his game and he was solid defensively, it seems as if, though it progressed at Minnesota, he took on more offensively. Where you look at his numbers in his fourth year at Minnesota, that's kind of the guy you're seeing pan out with the Anaheim ducks. I mean, 14 goals last year, he's 6, 2, 2, 10. Probably even bigger this year. Probably put on even more muscle now that he's 24 heading into this. I mean, what's going to be a big year for him, making all that bread? But when you are, when you have those types of numbers and when you're that dominant, when your team is young and not really that relevant, that tells me a lot. And I, I, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a, a team with a, a, a, a healthier young core than what the Anaheim Ducks got cooking right now. And it's led by him on the back end. They got the, the, the Russian kid. I always. Mitnikov. How do you say it?

[Whitney]

Zelweger.

[Pasha]

Pavel Mikov.

[Ryan Whitney]

Mitnikov. They got Zelweger. So you got three young studs on the point and then they're also loaded up front. I mean, go.

[Whitney]

They got Carlson Senake.

[Ryan Whitney]

They got Carlson senake who went third overall.

[Whitney]

Where.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, they are McTav. They are just so, so healthy and all.

[Whitney]

You gotta see Biz. I think he is like, kind of nervous about this and, and you laughed at me at the beginning of this bet. And now I could see you're like, fuck, like as these, these names are getting listed. I don't think it's as crazy of a bed as you, you thought it was never said it was crazy.

[Pasha]

I would say that, like, it's the best team that you could possibly have in terms of like young upcoming team to.

[Whitney]

I pick winners. I'm a winner picker. You know that about me.

[Pasha]

You picked the Rangers over the Devils in the playoffs the other year.

[Whitney]

So I mean, whether we're talking Ryder cup stranglers doesn't matter. I pick winners, Pasha. So I'm cold in life. Unless it's against you. Against you. I seem to have phenomenal luck.

[Ryan Whitney]

So let me ask you this, Whit, are you, are you walking back Your comment about Lane Hudson not being invited to the US Development thing and then Jackson Lacombe being invited.

[Whitney]

That's not a name I should have listed when describing people that were invited over him leads me into another kind of not storyline, but Lane Hudson, because he's the guy that could have resigned that we heard about for a long time. And I know Montreal, if they said eight years at 9 million a year, it would have been accepted and they, they, they dragged their feet. Now how can you take less than those two guys after what he just did? I think that you're okay biz biz. If he again, if he gets 60 more points this year, how are you taking less than those guys?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, but I, but I think that like, if, if you're looking for a more well rounded defenseman, I think you're taking Jackson Lacombe every day of the week. I, I understand that he drives traffic like he's kind of more of like a Quinn Hughes, but I also think that Quinn Hughes is a little bit more rounded defensively. Like, like, and I'm not taken away. And we're going to be talking to Eric Engles later on about Montreal and what he seems from him, especially in his second camp. Right. Because he's probably been watching him under his microscope where like, are you, are you telling me that, that Montreal has, has offered that eight, that eight year deal at $9 and it would have.

[Whitney]

Been, it would have been.

[Keith]

Except you think he would have signed that?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I, I, I think that they're dumb if they haven't offered him what those two guys just signed for. And maybe he's, maybe he's looking at it like, like you just talked about how now they're projecting it to go to 1:13 and then 1:20 where he's saying, no, I'm just gonna, I know I'm getting those reps and I know I'm going to be playing PP1, so I'm just going to put up 6570 points, especially for how good young and talented Montreal is. And you could add another 2 million to that next summer. So my only thing is, is.

[Whitney]

I'm.

[Ryan Whitney]

A conservative guy, right? But these guys are tapped. When you're fucking at the blue line and your last man back and you're fucking doing the head fakes and juking guys, you're, you're built different mentally, physically. So he's probably like, no, I don't even want that deal. I just want to play another year and then fucking bend him over for more dough. The same, probably the same way Bedard's looking at it. Like, I would be shocked if BeDard wasn't offered 10 million in that last year. He didn't even have that good of a year. He's probably looking at like, no, the cap's going to go up as much as it is. I'm going to have a better year. And then all of a sudden Bedard's looking at 12, 13 a year. So for, for Lane Hudson to, to wait another year and not care about signing what Luke Hughes and Jackson the comb just got, he's probably going to make himself another 15 million bucks. I, that's what I think.

[Whitney]

Yeah, he could. So it's just, I mean, I, yeah, I guess you could argue that that Lacombe is much more well rounded than Lane Hudson. But when you look at that first year and what you think's coming again based on being a rookie last year, he's only going to get better. Then I, I would have offered the eight times nine. So you said that as well.

[Ryan Whitney]

And you also got to think if, let's say Lane Hudson has a sophomore slump, like he'd probably still get offered that day.

[Keith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Yeah. So, yeah, unless he had like 20 points or something, you know, something just crazy happens. But I don't picture it the last news, I guess, late signing was Luke Evangelista. $3 million a year for two years. What the fuck took so long? Am I biz? If, if us three were in and I get, you got, you got a scratch and claw for every penny on both sides trying to build a competitive team. You gotta use every dollar that has to be well spent. Us three, could we not have just been like, yeah, two times three. Dude, you're good. Here we go. In July.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I would imagine though, like, I think that Trots is a little bit like he's, he seems like he's all fired up. He gets very testy with the media too. I'd be curious to know what he's like to negotiate with and then probably wants to be a little bit more conservative after handing over those deals to Stamcoast in March or so and then last year panning out the way that it did. So, yeah. Don't understand what took so long. Consolation prize, though he did get voted best looking athlete in Nashville.

[Whitney]

He's on his team, which is.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's up for debate too. Right? So he gets that nom nom, but doesn't get the. Probably the contract that he wanted. And hey, man, bridge deal here and let's see what he can do.

[Keith]

My only thing is he must have been asking for like a 4, 5, 6 year deal and they were like, no. And then they settled on too. But like you said, this should have been done July 2nd.

[Whitney]

Like, oh, I missed training camp. What'd you get two times, three. Great deal for, you know, 6 million bucks. But it's just 32 points last year. Keith, we can ask you about this guy. I've witnessed. I've witnessed him firsthand. Just dominated me. Cola signs in Florida and maybe the two craziest preseason games since, like the 1970s were played between Florida and Tampa. Mikola was a part of it in one of the weirdest scenarios I've ever seen. We'll get into it, but he signs a big extension. Eight years, five million bucks a year, 40 million. The guy's been a horse since he came over. Are you surprised? Are you happy with the number?

[Keith]

Yeah. Happy both sides. I think he's happy. I think the team's happy. I know they love him here. He, you know, brings that size and, and skating ability on the back end. Him and Seth Jones last year were great. They'll be great again this year. So I think he's just one of those guys that, you know, what he's going to bring every single night. What does army call him? The Condor? Like, he's just in the way all the time. I think his offensive ability, like, watch him in preseason. This year, it looks like his offensive ability is starting to come out a little bit more. Whether or not he does that in the regular season, who knows? He's not getting paid for that. He's getting paid to shut down these big. These big lines. He's done a great job with it, obviously, winning cups, but I think it's a great deal for both sides. But I honestly think, like, his ceiling hasn't even been touched. Like he's. I think he's got more to offer. And maybe you look back at it in a few years and say it's a, you know, hometown discount. But it's also too like, you think, what, three, four or five years ago when he was in St. Louis and then New York, like if they offered him an eight year, one million a year deal, he probably would have taken it. But so now it's like, good for him. He's got his security, loves playing here, I'm sure. So all around very happy with that from both sides.

[Ryan Whitney]

I agree with you. The, the, the upside on the offensive side of the puck is what kind of stood out to me, especially during that cup run. I think a lot of that derives from Maurice giving him the green light and instilling confidence in it. You saw the one, I remember the one goal where he just got shot out of a cannon and jumped up in the play, in the rush. And like you said, Yance, going back a few years ago with like St. Louis and New York, would you have ever seen that out of him? He's probably being told by coaches, hang back, let your other partner go up. And if he gets caught, he gets caught. You take the two on one and, and simplify your game. So a hell of a deal. He's a force out there and I think that majority, if not every single team in the league, he's, he's in their top four. And you just can't replicate that size, that length and, and how quickly and also his skating ability and how he's able to close on guys so quickly. So I want to say they have what now 11 players locked in through 2030 at this point, looking at it.

[Whitney]

Because they have 11 guys. They have at least five years more of Barkov, Kachuk, Reinhardt, Bennett, Verhegi, Marshawn, Lundell. Two more years of Lusted Ryan and, and Seth Jones, Ekblad, Forsling and Mikola, all for the next five years. By the way, their highest paid defenseman, Seth Jones, $7 million cap hit.

[Keith]

But biz, think of him on the PK like Mikaela on the PK like he's such a disruptor. Like his stick is always in the way. It's so hard to get in the zone. Like those little things that you, you know, most people don't see during the game that just, it pisses off other teams when you can't get in the zone cleanly, you can't get good shots on net. Like that adds so much to a team. And what he's brought to this group, I think like since he's been here has been probably understated as just because of you Know what? You know the other guys around here. But he has been an amazing key part of this team.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's the guy where you do the one on ones in practice where you're just crossing over the, the, the first blue line and he's at the red line and then he's stuck on puck and you're like, what the fuck, man? I don't even get to do this drill. Like this is. Yeah, fuck you. He's got the, it feels like he's got the, the Go Go Gadget extender stick.

[Whitney]

But yeah, there was actually no better feeling than breaking up a forward in practice early. They'd get so rattled and I did it like three times in 10 years.

[Ryan Whitney]

But we are going to dive into, to Florida or I believe maybe Tampa first or Florida. As far as our season previews. You talked about their, their highest paid defenseman being Seth Jones. Their smallest defenseman is, is who?

[Keith]

No, yeah, Kulikov and, and, and Forsling are both biggest.

[Ryan Whitney]

Kulakov.

[Keith]

They're both six one one's 210, one's 215. Like, come on.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. And the other guys are giraffes out there. So they got, they just have so much size and yet mobility and take time and space away where this is going to be a force to be working, reckoned with. Like people, people. Obviously you can't replace Barkov and they will struggle a little bit with his absence, but I don't think as much as people think. And you know that they're going to.

[Whitney]

Have other guys here even like somehow this year, whatever, they get knocked out in the first round, it's like, well, we still got plenty more time to get a couple more of those. Like, they're just not going anywhere now getting into the games, I don't know what, I don't know what happened. I don't know what I witnessed, but it was incredible. Like, I haven't seen hatred like that in a preseason game in my life. And it all began when A.J. greer, I think it was Friday or Thursday night. Yeah, he. I don't know really why he did it. Like, he kind of bundled Hagle, then hit him with his stick. I don't know if it looked on purpose, whatever, you can argue that. So Hagle's like kind of wounded and looks at him, then he just suckers him twice. Now. I think Florida's just beat the shit out of everyone for so long that going into the game on Saturday. I don't know what was said in the locker room, but it began with A full on mauling of Aaron Ekblad. Sabrin goes in straight. Like, I assume he's getting suspended for that. Ekblad looked injured and then it turned into a point where there was three guys on the bench remaining for both teams. It's kind of weird. Like you don't, you don't want to see people get injured. Ekblad could be injured. Hagel could have easily been injured with the thing with Greer. But talk about hating each other. Like, imagine the first regular season game these guys have this season.

[Ryan Whitney]

I wish they were starting off the season against each other instead of till.

[Keith]

Like November 18th or something.

[Whitney]

Let it, Florida.

[Keith]

Yeah, I think that Sabrin guy wit was already sent down to the minor or. Yeah, to the minors. And they called them back up to play in this game. Like they were just like, we're bringing in some meat.

[Eric Engels]

I'm.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm pretty sure that Calder cup team when, when we won in Manchester. He's a nail gun. He's a lefty and yeah, he's enormous. Yeah, he's a big. He's probably about, yeah, 6, 1, 6 2. And he just throws though. Like, you know those guys where they're like every, every fiber of their being is being thrown in their punch, where they're not aiming to hit you in the nose, they're. They're aiming to put their fist through the back of your head. That's how he chucks them. Now, the Ekblad thing, I would imagine that maybe is stemming from the way that he, he hit Hagel in playoffs and him knowing exactly what his role is saying, well, if I do this and I go after Ekblad, this is going to be. I mean, I'm probably getting called up for that November date. That's just more NHL salary in my pocket. So that's probably what's going on in his head and, and rightfully so. And the way that after he hit him clean, it was weird how he just went over and attacked him. But I would just imagine it was because of the haggle situation and him knowing that it's probably going to benefit him financially to invest himself in this rivalry even though he wasn't even on the team last year. So this is, this is not going to go away. This is going to continue to be ugly and get probably even uglier. And listen, this is what, this is what I wanted. This is what a lot of hockey fans wanted. Like we talk about preseason, nobody really emotionally invested. It's boring hockey. Well, that was not. And I want I like my hockey with a little bit of violence. I'm sorry. I don't want to just see toe drags and you see, you even saw the other night with Svetchnikov. Thinking preseason, I can kind of just twiddly do twiddly dumb. No. Well, you're gonna get rocked if that's the case. So I, I, I think that the NHL is in a perfect spot of blended of violence and skill. And we're hitting just the start of a new unbelievable era of hockey. That's where I'm at. I love it. I love it. More violence.

[Keith]

I don't, I don't love it. You know, first week of October when the, when the regular season hasn't started. Just because you don't want to see guys get hurt for a regular season.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I don't want to see anybody get hurt. I want to see them put, punch each other's head in though.

[Whitney]

Yeah, but you're saying in what you want injuries occur. That's just a fact. Like, and I agree with you, like that hockey, it's, it's just better to watch. There's just, it's, there's just so much more intensity that makes like watching it that much better. But I'll, I'll admit, like, yeah, like injuries are going to come of that. That's just part of the game. That's always been part of the game. And that's why actually like playing with your head up so important now, both of those instances, there's kind of nothing you can do. Like, I mean, Ekbad went to kind of stand him up and he got the better of him. And then he's like, I'm going, I'm going in for more. Sabrina. That is so it did it, it did like, get the juices flowing. I'm seeing the clips on my phone. I'm like, what is going on down there?

[Big Cs]

Yeah, yeah, but I mean, who am.

[Ryan Whitney]

I to get in the way of what, why these guys hate each other. I'm just there with the fucking popcorn and ready to watch entertainment. Like, that's just me, the, the one.

[Keith]

Like it's, it's true hatred.

[Whitney]

Right?

[Keith]

They're both, you know, same state teams. Like, they've both been at the top the last, you know, 10 years, seven years. Like, there's hatred there with these two groups. And, you know, I think, I think Tampa's looking at their year, especially with Barkov and Matthew being out for a while. Like, this is our year to maybe get back on in the top in, in South Florida, but I don't think Florida is going to be a easy pushover. And you know they're going to come with some jam too.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did you see Matthew Samoskavich, his interview on the bench? He was like, yeah, you know, we're just going to win games and play hockey and basically those idiots over there are just going to kind of try to stir it up and that's really the only way they can try to get to us. So I was like, okay, let's go, baby.

[Whitney]

Well, part of it is like Florida embarrassed them in the first round last year. Embarrassed Everyone thought we were going to see one of the best series of our lives. It was five games. So it's like not only are they the two time defending champs and, and that they've owned you.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I mean, you had the Ekblad hit on Hagel, you had the Kachuk hit on Gensel. They just, they dominated him not only physically, but on the scoreboard as well. So I'm, I'm interested to see what this, this Sam Escavich can do. I think that, you know, I know last year he played 72 games. Did, didn't, didn't play a ton in playoffs. Right. He only had, what was it? I think he had four, four games played in playoffs. I think that he's one of those guys that is going to take the next step. Just what everybody else needs, another guy popping off of the Florida Panthers and probably signing a team friendly deal.

[Hockey Analyst]

Guys, we're talking about the best on ice rivalries in the NHL. I think it's time to bring in someone who is a part of the best off ice vibe. Rory in the NHL, which is biz verse lil Cs.

[Big Cs]

You mean big Cs? Big Cs.

[Keith]

It's big Cs.

[Whitney]

Big. He called them little Cs.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, the disrespect.

[Big Cs]

I don't know.

[Ryan Whitney]

I had him say that.

[Big Cs]

I thought we were homies there, bro.

[Ryan Whitney]

How you been, buddy?

[Big Cs]

I'm doing fantastic, man. You must be fucking exhausted here.

[Keith]

Were you at the game last night? Cease.

[Big Cs]

No, I actually had to work, unfortunately. But I actually had the game in the background and as I was talking to customers, I had to hold back so many times because I'm like, let's go. I was so jacked up. No, it's crazy because I ended up meeting up with AJ Greer the night before and he's, he's like, he's all ready for the season. We're all ready for the season, man. It's going to be exciting. It's going to suck that not having Markov. Obviously we can't replace him, but I think we got the depth and I think the players. We, we definitely have the attitude and the grit on the team. And Matthew Tkachuk, he's going to be back. So we're. We're in good hands.

[Whitney]

Cease. Do you care at all where you finish or is it just what I've kind of been saying? Like they're all figuring just get in. It doesn't matter.

[Big Cs]

I, you know, in years past, I think you would like you want home ice advantage. But I don't think players nowadays really care. Especially with this Panther group. They just, they're just so tight knit together and they really don't care where they play. They could either play in Toronto, they could play in Carolina. We saw it last year. We saw Tampa Bay too. They had home ice advantage. It doesn't really matter because we know we have the guys to get us to where we want to be. So yeah, I don't think it really matters, man.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who are you most excited to see as far as like a guy taking the next step? We were just talking about that Samiskavich kid.

[Big Cs]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Is that one guy that you guys are excited about? Because I feel like the roster is basically the same. The other big AD who could help, kind of like they've done in years past with who. Who's the. The kid last year who started Schmidt. They always seem to take a defenseman.

[Whitney]

And they got Petri.

[Big Cs]

I was gonna say, I think Petrie is going to be a key to our power play. I don't know if you guys remember a couple of years ago when he was in Montreal, he had like a career year there. Right. So I think he could take the next step and, and he doesn't have to be the main guy. Right. So we got Seth Jones in the back. We got Aaron that glad locked up for another six years, four years, I think. Right. So I mean they got everybody coming back except for Nate Schmidt and honestly that defensive core is just. They're dangerous, man. If everybody can stay healthy, knock on wood. I really like our way the defense is set up this year sees the.

[Whitney]

The Projected point total is 105 and a half. Only nine teams got 100 points last year. Usually there's some more that that that that reach that point. Would you take the over or the under?

[Big Cs]

Not having bar this year and Matthew Kachak's missing a few months. I wouldn't be surprised if we're under but like you guys said, I mean, I really don't think it matters where we, how many points we have, because we've seen how many times in the last couple of years the team with the most points don't end up getting to the Stanley Cup. So how much do we really want that? Honestly, as long as we get into the playoffs, that's all that really matters, you know, so as long as we stay healthy and then we get Tachuk back healthy and who knows? Sasha really wants to come back, and if anybody could come back for the playoffs, it probably would be him. Just the way he works hard and, and the way he's determined to, to help this team. I wouldn't be surprised if that happens.

[Whitney]

Well, Big. Big. Don't call him little Cs. Thanks for hopping on, buddy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, did you have a question there, Yanz? Did you have one?

[Keith]

I was just gonna ask. I know they got the ring ceremony and the banner raising. I didn't know if. Are you getting a ring? Are you going to be at the game? Obviously you're going to be at the game.

[Big Cs]

I don't, I don't think I'm getting a ring. I haven't been told. But I am going to be hanging out with Matthew on Wednesday here at Kingsware in Florida. And then we just got a whole bunch of events down here that, that we're going to be doing. I don't know if you guys heard of Bare Knuckles Ice Wars. It's basically, it's such a badass event. Chris Terry and former Philadelphia Flyer hit me up and he's like, cease. We got this Bear Ice, Bare Knuckle Ice wars that we're doing. We're coming to Amrit arena on Friday, October 10th, and it's basically MMA fighting on skates. Okay.

[Keith]

Could you fight Biz?

[Big Cs]

As long as he's in a wheelchair.

[Eric Engels]

With me, you kill him.

[Whitney]

Let's go.

[Big Cs]

I think that would be a great.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sell that place out.

[Hockey Analyst]

Oh, yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's the last thing I need. I've been taking enough L's lately. I don't need Big C's dummy and me.

[Whitney]

What is it? Bare Knuckle Ice Wars? Yes, Bare Knuckle Business careers. Documentary name.

[Keith]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

Since we have you, I was going to ask you, like, about this rivalry with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Do you, do you see it continuing to evolve and they didn't really kind of like you guys. They didn't, weren't able to do much this offseason because they pretty much have their group set. Do they scare you at All. Do you feel like maybe they, they'll have the advantage this year, especially with no Barkov, considering how deep they are in the middle of the ice.

[Big Cs]

They might have the advantage during the regular season, but let's see what happens in the playoffs. If, if Sasha ends up being, coming back towards the playoffs, you know, a full healthy Barkov, that could be dangerous. But let's not forget who do we have on our team that we ended up locking up for six more years? Your arch nemesis. Your arch nemesis, Brad Marchand Marchan, king of the rats. What a great addition. And for him to stay here. Now I know last year, towards the end of the season, towards the playoffs, he was a third line guy, but I think they're going to ask a little bit more of him here in this beginning just because we are missing Markov and I think not just him but a lot of the players. And like you said there, Biz Samich, I think he's going to take a big step forward. He's got a lot of offensive power, he's fast, he's gritty. And I think kid is two way ice. The way he plays two way is getting better and better every year. And we saw it towards the end of last year. Too big.

[Ryan Whitney]

Cease. Be honest. Do you think Marchie's actually going to play six years or do you think they're circumcised in the cap?

[Big Cs]

I mean, would you put it past him? I mean.

[Keith]

He'S in the sun every day down here.

[Whitney]

He might play eight more years if anything.

[Big Cs]

I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll lend them my wheelchair. I mean, do you, he's my chair.

[Ryan Whitney]

Are you open to some form of punishment if he doesn't play all six years in order to circumcise the cap, Are you open to punishment?

[Big Cs]

I mean, but don't players do that all the time? They, they retire early? I mean, are we going to punish every team that has a player that's going to retire early?

[Ryan Whitney]

Sure.

[Keith]

Well, he wouldn't retire. He wouldn't retire because he wouldn't get his money.

[Big Cs]

Sure. If we, if we end up winning two Stan. Two more Stanley Cups. Why not?

[Whitney]

If he, if he, you're basically. You're punishing them if he retires. I would be.

[Ryan Whitney]

Brad Marshall crack an egg on my head if he plays another six years. But I, I don't think it's happening. I think you guys circumcise the cap like you always do. It's right back to the no state tax. You guys just Find ways to weasel your way into victory.

[Big Cs]

But the cap is going up every year. I mean, you guys have enough room to make something happen. I mean, you guys weren't able to sign.

[Ryan Whitney]

We can't do it anymore. We can't throw anybody on ltir. They already stopped that.

[Big Cs]

I know. So, I mean, and that was your special either.

[Ryan Whitney]

Now they got guys signing deals that they won't even end up playing out to get their fucking number underneath.

[Big Cs]

Yeah, well, I. You know, I've been saying they should have done that a long time ago, especially when Tampa wanted back then. So I. I don't really mind that because I thought that was kind of a disadvantage. So we just ended up playing the game here the last couple of years, and for them to take it away. It's okay. It doesn't matter. We still got the players out there. We still got Rodriguez, we still got Marshan and all those other guys. And don't forget about Anton Lindell. He's only, what, 24 years old? I mean, the kid is still young. The kid still has a lot of juice. I mean, put Anton Lindell on any team, I can guarantee you he's a first line, a second line center.

[Whitney]

Edmonton, Edmonton, third line. I just put you in a spot to just dunk on me. I mean, you've owned me two years in a row. I just thought of one team that might not work.

[Big Cs]

You still haven't congratulated, like, come to me and say hello. You were down here in South Florida. Yeah, you.

[Whitney]

Didn't we see each other at game?

[Big Cs]

No, I saw.

[Ryan Whitney]

I came over and saw you.

[Big Cs]

Yeah, Biz. Biz was nice enough.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got a season tickets this year for stuff in a locker.

[Big Cs]

By the way, thank you. I really appreciate it, guys. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

How many did they give you? They give you just the one or they get you a pair?

[Big Cs]

They got me the pair. So we really appreciate it. Right, Seats, let's go.

[Ryan Whitney]

So what are you gonna do with the other ticket? Are you gonna like, maybe like pay it forward and maybe bring some fans from your podcast? Like, how are you going to operate your extra ticket? Sell it.

[Keith]

Make money like Biz would do?

[Big Cs]

No, I'm not that much of a douchebag.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay? Fuck you, you fucking cap. Circumcise back.

[Matthew Nies]

Take.

[Ryan Whitney]

You want to start this again, don't you, you piece of shit.

[Big Cs]

Listen, I'll get my boo boo. You want me to get my tits done?

[Whitney]

Oh, let's get big Cs off. Let's get big Cs with big titties. Big Cs great seeing you, buddy.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm sucking on those fake titties once, Marshall.

[Whitney]

See you, big Cs.

[Keith]

Caesar.

[Whitney]

God damn. You see big Cs. You're talking Stanley cup hockey and all of a sudden you're talking about him having fake breasts. That was just. He also said, don't hate the player, hate the game. Right to your face biz when talking about cap circumcision, as you call it. Well, I'm very interested to hear what you guys think of Tampa. That's the next team here.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, let's make our prediction. Like, I think you'd have to be a complete moron to not think that Florida will make playoffs. I actually see them see them. Given the fatigue, given how strong the division is as well as the conference, I could see them maybe only getting a wild card. But if I. If a gun to my head, I'd probably say third place in the Atlantic for the Florida Panthers. So for sure, no brainer. They're in the playoffs. What about you guys?

[Keith]

Yeah, obviously I got them in. I. I got them higher than a wild card just because, you know, the additions that they made. Talked about Petri a little bit. He's been a number one guy all their D, besides probably Kulikov, have been a number one guy at some point, maybe Mika as well. But, like, those guys know what it takes. They're gonna have to win from the back end out. Like, Bob's gonna be amazing. Like he has been. Fun little fact, the backup that they get. Tarasov. Is that how you say it?

[Whitney]

I don't know.

[Keith]

So his dad, Bob. Bob's favorite goalie growing up was Tarasov's dad. And then Tarasov's favorite goalie growing up was Bob. So he's gonna come in, he's gonna be trying to impress his goalie mate, trying to please. He's been over in Europe the last few years, so I think he's gonna. From everything I've heard, he's had an amazing camp. He works his absolute nuts off and, you know, he's gonna be a guy too. Probably get more games than, you know, maybe another backup might get just because Bob's getting older. But I think he's gonna, you know, not a lot of people talking about it, but I think he's gonna have a great year. You know, just a lot of, you know, stuff to fight for for him, I think. And then just winning from the back end out there. D are built to win games. Their forwards will fill in. Like we said it all last year, like that third line is a second line. This year they're going to be a second line to start the season. We'll see what they can do. But I got the man. I got them pro. I. I got them higher than a wild card, but I got the man. And. And making a good run as well.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Obviously I have them in biz. That's surprising. So you said maybe wild card, if not third in the division. That means you got Tampa and Toronto in front of them. That would be my own.

[Ryan Whitney]

I had. Yes, I have. Yeah.

[Whitney]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Correct.

[Whitney]

Yeah. So Florida. I got him in. I got him in. I got him being top three in division. I don't know where to say yet. I think Toronto's winning the division. I'm getting ahead of myself, but bizarre. Tampa, Coop's team.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes. And congrats to Coop. It wasn't announced, but he has signed an extension. I talked to him in the summer. He did let me know. And like, he's like, don't say anything on the pod.

[Keith]

And he says, don't say anything.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I do it for my friends. I. I stay loyal like that. From my close buddies. Ones that don't call me biz idiot and. And have a T shirt of it on national television. Banging the. Banging my face on the drum. But going back to Tampa, I think the biggest thing if they are going to finish in that second spot in the Atlantic, because we all know the Leafs are taking the first spot, is Vasilevsky. Not the best game last night letting in seven power play goals or six, whatever it was. But if he can get back to somewhat of his old ways with that back end that they have, that back end is on the back nine. They're not exactly spring chickens anymore, but with Victor, Headman, McDonough, Churnak, Radish, they got some big, big strong demon.

[Keith]

Lillberg's a big kid, too.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who's this? Sorry.

[Keith]

Lilleberg. He's a. He's a big dude.

[Whitney]

And that J.J. moser was good. I like.

[Keith]

He was really good.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nice dude. He is nice. And he. They got him in that surgachev trade where obviously they had to get some money off the books in order to sign Gensel. But I just really. I think it's a sneaky back end. I don't think it's talked about enough. And then you look up front, man, like right now, obviously they have Hegel listed on the ir. I'm sure he'll be back ready for puck drop. And then once Nick Paul at third line center like that is a pretty lethal top nine forward group and these guys all know how to play with one another. They know each other's tendencies. Their power play is absolutely filthy. Special teams really. So I just. This is a well oiled machine and I see a different result even come playoff time next year with this group. So I got them second in the Atlantic and a no brainer for Coop and the boys to make playoffs.

[Whitney]

When they were, when they were like going to the cup finals and winning the Stanley cup, it was their depth. Like Coleman, Pat Maroon at the top of his game. Yanni Gord. So Yanni Gord's back, right? So it's almost like hey this guy, like he knows how to win. We know him. He comes back. Yeah. A few years older. But then Bjork Strand who I, I think he was hurt in the playoffs, wasn't he? He's pretty good. When he, when they got him over from Seattle. So their third line and then listed right now playing with them is, is Connor geeky? So I don't know if you've seen. Do you see the goal he had? Biz that spinorama. He's like highly skilled. He's enormous. He looks a little like he's not the smoothest skater but I think has high end skills. So if he took a leap, I really like this team. I mean I'll never pick him again against Florida in the playoffs. I just won't do it. I did it this year. I picked Tampa, but I still think they're easy. Yeah, they're top three in the division. And then also when you think of Colorado and Edmonton and Minnesota, like you think of McKinnon, McDavid, Draisaitl, Caprice Off. Like there's also the Kucherov factor. Right. Like it's now we've just become so accustomed to 125 points. Like ridiculous highlight reel plays every single night. And in the top three of mvp, it'll probably be no different this year. So I, I like the team. I, I can't believe that was a boss move. Just never announcing Coop's extension. Like kind of hilarious.

[Ryan Whitney]

I love it. Just flying on the radar.

[Whitney]

I know but the fact one insider didn't get that news, it's, it's, it's great.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I do agree with you on that depth comment as well, Whit. Like I think that they're pretty stacked. Like that Holmberg who was in Toronto, like the way that he skates, like him playing fourth line, I think that's a great slot for him. Yanny Gord will get bumped down when Nick Paul's in the mix. Bjork Strand like these, like having those types of names in your bottom six with that top six forward group is, is lethal. I mean C Probably, probably top 10 defensive centerman in the league. Yeah, yeah, he's a selkie guy where like un. Unreal 200 foot game. So they just, I, I just look at this group and they're stacked and, and even that Gurgenson kid is, he was the one that was in Buffalo I believe for a while. He's a good penalty killer, you know, helps out with the intangibles. So I just don't see a lot of holes in this group when they're healthy. And it's kind of. It's also like Florida too. It helps you when there's not a lot of turnover, especially from the core group. Right. There's not a lot of like in and out, in and out. They're just kind of filling in holes. So just two, two healthy teams in South Florida ready to fucking beat the wheels off one another.

[Keith]

Yeah, big thing too. Like I think Chernak and McDonough are one of the best shutdown pairs in the league. And you know in that division you have to have guys like that to shut down those, you know, the big guns in the, in the Cat Lanic. But yeah, like you said, like Brayton. What's a. Kucharov is one of four players to record 80 plus assists and three straight season he would join Gretzky. Coffee and. Or coffee and Ord Streak stopped after three years. So he's looking to do it for the fourth time, which only Gretzky has done, which is insane. Guess how many times Gretzky did it? 12, 13. But it's like to get 80 assists every year. This guy and you know, we've had guys on, they talk about the way he works on his craft and getting pucks off the wall, making passes like he's putting in the work every year, you know, he's going to bring it every year, be in the MVP conversation. And especially watching those last two preseason games, they look like they are pissed off that their throne has been taken and they want to get back on the top. And you know, I think that, I honestly think they're going to win the Atlantic this year. Sorry Biz, I don't, I don't think Toronto's going to do it. So I think they're going to be a, a hell of a team this year. And, and you know, led by. Led By Kucherov point and then the, the two studs in the back and headman to headman looking to have another 60 point season like he was a stud last year. Like not even talked about that much. But in all those guys too besides you know Kucherov like those guys are fighting to be on the Olympic teams. They're, they're fighting to, I mean a lot of them are shoe ins but like they're looking to prove themselves in the beginning of the year, get off to good start. So it'll be a fun, fun, fun start to watch those guys and Vasi kicking as well.

[Whitney]

And they have the just like the sneakiest assassin in Jake Gensel. Like the guy is just an absolute gamer. The bigger the game is, the better he plays. So all of a sudden everyone.

[Ryan Whitney]

Pittsburgh wouldn't sign him for eight times nine.

[Whitney]

Yeah, that's one.

[Ryan Whitney]

And now they, and then now they're, now they're sending Graves down on that, that deal that they sign him to.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Is that a six year deal?

[Ryan Whitney]

That was a. Yeah, I believe like five or six years at.

[Whitney]

That's four.

[Ryan Whitney]

Four and a. So another. As much as I wanted to put Dubas back in the good books for, for the good deed he did with Flower and bringing the. Now he takes another L. Well, fuck.

[Whitney]

We could talk, we could talk now about a team who's taken L's since 1967. That's a Toronto Maple Leafs and biz, I'm going to say something to you. I think the bet of the year in NHL futures on DraftKings is the Toronto Maple Leafs over 99 1/2 points. I think they're an absolute wagon and I don't even hate the 19 to 1 odds to win the Stanley cup when you're talking about value. A hell of a squad biz. No, I'm not messing, bud. It's deep, it's heavier, it's great. Don't love the D. But they're not.

[Ryan Whitney]

You don't love the D. I don't.

[Keith]

Love the D. They haven't had changeover. At least they're still the same guys like every year. It's like we need, we need different D. They at least have the same group.

[Ryan Whitney]

And Morgan Riley's lost a little bit of weight. He looks unbelievable right now. And, and, and he, he I believe is their highest paid defenseman and he's only making 7 million. That's the one knock you could say about the Leafs is they don't have a true number one back there. But I just love how it's been distributed like the, the, the, the, not only the money but the ice. Right. You got tan. Unreal. Shutdown guy, one of the best in the league. I like the way that Benoit has evolved. He plays a heavier physical game. McCabe like I, I, I love him. So you just need them, those guys to hold the fort back there. And I kind of said what I had to said. As far as my piece last podcast about guys buying in locking in Stolars, the one thing that does scare me a little bit is the fact that I don't know when wolves going to be back. And I feel that they do a good job of splitting the net to alleviate, alleviate a little bit of pressure off of Stolars and not having to play them so much. I think that the boys will battle their off for, for Reimer it was crazy stat too. I, I, it was over 3, 500 days since Reimer had played a game for, for them, right? Oh yeah, yeah.

[Whitney]

He was there so long ago.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, it was, It'd been over 3,500 days and as they got beat by Detroit the other night and he, he let that one in overtime. But I just, like I said, I, I love this group. I think that they're built better than last year and I think they're poised to win the Atlantic and, and go on a run to the Stanley cup finals. That's it. Like I don't need to, I don't need to give the double wristers out. I said my piece last pod. If you want to listen to it, go. And, and, and also I always get the like, oh, this much time of Leaf chatter. We can fucking move on to our unbelievable interview with Matthew Nyes. I don't give a fuck. I've already said what I got to say.

[Whitney]

Seem triggered about the Leafs. They haven't even played a game yet this year, Keith.

[Ryan Whitney]

I ain't fucking triggered. Yeah, I'm defending our Ted.

[Keith]

Yeah, he gave you a compliment and you're yelling at him.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no, I'm not talking to him. I'm talking to the fucking idiot.

[Whitney]

You're talking to the voices inside your head.

[Ryan Whitney]

Talk about the Leafs. Actually, to be quite frank, we didn't talk fucking at all last season about.

[Keith]

The Leafs during the year you did on tnt.

[Matthew Nies]

That's it.

[Ryan Whitney]

What do you what maybe when they were on the broadcast and I had to or Leah was teeing me up.

[Whitney]

I think it was more the, the candles and the Leafs, like that might have added to the displeasure.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't talk about them until it's playoff time. When it's playoff time. Now we're playing for keeps. That's when I'm going to chime in and be my obnoxious, idiot leaf fandom guy, okay? And that's fine. And I deserve to do that. Just like Yan's was for the fucking Florida Panthers. The Catlantic. Could you imagine me calling the the Leaflantic? Well, they imagine the uproar on this podcast if I said that I could.

[Keith]

And they wanted biz right now they got, they got Domi and knives with Matthews, whether that stays or not. But I actually love that line. Like, I think, I don't think he's gonna, you know, lose value in points and goals and stuff. Like those guys are gonna get him the puck. Like he needs guys like that.

[Ryan Whitney]

As far as who we talking about?

[Keith]

Matthews, what's it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Domi's just gonna get on the forecheck and he's gonna make sure he gets the puck right. And then, and then NYS is going to go to the front of the net. So you have a perfect mix of everything. If you need a guy who's going to be able to make more plays and maybe better off of zone entries in rushes and has a little bit more skill offensively, you're looking at Matthias Michelli. But the fact that you can kind of mix them up and down the lineup, it's great. Let's see who has the most chemistry and let them roll, baby. But you know, what do you guys think about the Leafs?

[Whitney]

I like their squad, dude, this year. I think they're nice. I think it could be a little awkward getting used to not having Nylander setting. Like, for Matthews. That could be weird. The power clip. Power. Power play. Might maybe take a little longer to get going, but these are just guesses. Just, it is a big loss. You lose one of your top, you know, three offensive players, that. That is like a game breaker. I think it could be a little different, but nice is going to take a. Probably another step and Nylander is on incredible. Matthews is probably going to pop off this year, like, if he's able to stay healthy. Like the noise of his game not being with McDavid and Matthew, I mean, McDavid and McKinnon and I think that they still have so much firepower there that with the depth and like WA and Joshua, they're a really well rounded team. When I said the D I don't love, I think Florida has three guys that be the number one in Toronto. So you go head to head but they took him to seven. They were the only team to take them to seven and they were up 2 0. So they have a very good team.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think, I think a lot of people also get wrapped up in Matthews returning to like the, the, you know, the 69 goal cat like that. Top echelon goal, Top echelon goal scorer. He is coming in healthy. I mean last year the back was if I think it was nagging him and bothering him. I'm not so concerned about him scoring 60, 65 goals. Like I personally don't give a fuck as long as he stays healthy. The ice time's being distributed perfectly and he's playing a great 200 foot game. If he has 35, 40 goals, I'm happy. So everyone's just like, oh, what's wrong with him?

[Whitney]

What's wrong?

[Ryan Whitney]

It's like, man, he's not going to score at a 70 goal clip every season. I care about him playing like Anze Kopitar. I care like him playing like Sasha Barkov. That's all I give a about and also I think that's all he gives a about. So people need to stop worrying about him, you know. Although he still is on a better pace to beat Alex Omanders. Alexander Ovechkin's record. Yeah, I mentioned that last pod. I still think that there's a lot more things to his game that, that are just as important as him putting the pucker back in the net.

[Whitney]

Okay. And I'll say if he does what you're talking about, staying healthy, being the most important and just playing well rounded hockey, I think the minimum he would get is 45 goals. Like he's that good. He's still going to get 90 to 105 points with over 40 goals. So the guy's a machine. Yeah. I think that's the perfect time to throw it to our interview. Matthew Nies and I know sometimes current players, they're just, they're younger, they don't have a ton to say. Like they're not going to really like have I'd say the, the chillest conversations just because they're worried about what they, what they may say. And Nice wasn't like that at all. I think he really opened up with us. I think it's right around an hour. Great dude. And talking to him was a blast. So I'm a big fan. I think everyone will be after listening to this. Matthew Nice. Hockey is back, folks. In this season. DraftKings Sportsbook, unofficial sports betting partner of the NHL brings you all the speed. All the skill and non stop action that you all love and crave. DraftKings sportsbook delivers the unmatched intensity of the NHL right to your fingertips. From player props to the thrill of live in game betting, every drop of the puck is your shot to win big and new customers. This one's for you. Bet $5 and if your bet wins, you'll get paid $200 in bonus bets instantly. Great way to start the season. I already gave my pick during the Atlantic Preview talking about the Leafs. Toronto Maple Leafs. Over 99 and a half points this season. I love that bet. Light the lamp all season long with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use Code Chicklets. That's Code chicklets to turn five bucks into $200 in bonus bets. If your bet wins in partnership with DraftKings, the Crown is yours.

[Ryan Whitney]

Gambling Problem Call 1-800-Gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPE and WHY or text hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling.

[Keith]

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

[Ryan Whitney]

Responsibly on behalf of BO Casino and Resort in Kansas.

[Keith]

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[Ryan Whitney]

Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario.

[Eric Engels]

Bet must win to receive reward.

[Ryan Whitney]

Minimum minus 500 odds.

[Keith]

Required bonus bets expire seven days after issuance.

[Ryan Whitney]

For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG co Audio.

[Whitney]

Game time's back. It's wit Game time is back. The NFL is in full swing. The NHL is getting going. There's tailgates, there's pack stands, there's buzz before kickoff and puck drop. But getting in can be a nightmare. Queues, price jumps, getting logged out mid buy mid click. All you want is to be there. Beer in hand, losing your voice with the entire crowd. And the Game Time app gives the advantage back to the fans. It's the hack for unlocking amazing tickets and experience in a few taps. It's incredibly easy to use, and the Game Time guarantee means you can Trust you'll get 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best price. Plus, fees are always included, so what you see is what you pay. There's tickets right now. Bruins are in Washington for the Capital's home opener. 50 bucks right now. Game time right now go to Game time. You want to go see the Caps play? You want to see the Bruins in town? $50 take the guesswork out of buying NFL and NHL tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app. Create an account and use code Chiclets for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again create an account and redeem code chiclets $20 off. Swipe tap ticket. Go download the gametime app right now. Welcome now to a very special guest. Calm down, Biz. Calm down. Yes, we have, we have a Toronto Maple Leafs star forward who just signed a 46 and a half million dollar hometown. Matthew. Nice. What's going on?

[Matthew Nies]

I'm doing well. Doing well. How are you guys?

[Whitney]

We're great. And, and I guess we're curious. I mean, camp's going now. Buddy. How excited are you for this season? It's been a crazy kind of off season for the Leafs. Marner's gone but it must be nice. Just like back on the ice with the boys and everything's going now.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean it was first day of training camp today. Yeah, everyone's really fired up to be back, see some new faces in the locker room. Yeah, it's, it's really cool to be back.

[Ryan Whitney]

What's Chief saying? He didn't want the Core 4 language anymore. We're throwing that out the window. We're actually handing that over to Wits team. They got the new Core 4.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean he was just saying how competitive camp was. You know, I think we've got a lot of bodies right now and everyone's kind of fighting for their spot and yeah, it was, it was a hard day today. You know, it was a lot of one on one and two on two battles and stuff. So it was a challenging day. But yeah, I think his message was pretty clear that it's, it's going to be hard to make it and we want to make a great team and kind of build an identity pretty quick.

[Interviewer]

Personally for yourself, anything this year you worked on over the summer that we should look forward to seeing at the start of camp from you and as we get into the regular season, honestly.

[Matthew Nies]

Just my overall game really, there's a lot I could work on for skating one point. I think the game's just got so fast nowadays and I think guys can move so well and are so agile and obviously I'm chasing a lot of D on the forecheck so the better I can get at just skating in general is going to help me as for that, you know, everything in my game, just my consistency overall I think is, is I try to improve on. So yeah, I think those, those main, those are my main focuses for the year.

[Ryan Whitney]

Nicey. I was talking to a donor and. And you're built Like a brick shithouse as it is. He was saying you gained even a little bit more muscle over this off season. So what is a guy like you coming in weighing at?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I think I'm right around 2 30, 2, 35 kind of changes, but yeah, it's, yeah, it's heavy. It's, it comes naturally though, you know, the more I work out, I think during the summer and I think I kind of slim, slimmed down as we skate a little bit more here. But I was telling him that he, he slimmed down a little bit and, and now he looks a little bit more like me because this, he was, he was even bigger than I was. So he's, he's pretty wide.

[Ryan Whitney]

You're, you're talking about donor, a big donor. He, he was a tank when he played. You couldn't move him from the net front. So like having a guy like that around. Do you talk? I mean, I'm sure you watched him growing up, growing up in Phoenix. Did you, you talk to him a lot and try to emulate a lot of what he brought to the game because he was a madman on the 4 check. Great net front presence. So how often do you get to communicate with him about your game and what you bring?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean it's pretty nice having him, you know, be at every game and watch it. I mean he's been behind the bench since I've been 12 years old, 13 years old, so he knows me inside and out, you know, as a person as well. So it's really nice to have him and just be able to pick his brain. And obviously I think we have a very similar playing style. You know, I think we're obviously big players that are very physical and love to play around the net and stuff like that. So it's pretty nice having an experienced guy like that who's a veteran who, who can just tell me on after a game what he thought, you know, his, what I was doing good, what I was doing bad. And it's, it's pretty nice to have someone that's obviously always in my corner and pretty unbiased and you know, knows what I can do, knows my expectations for myself. So yeah, he's been obviously a huge, huge part of it here.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, so the, the non leafs jock sniffers out there, they may not know every little thing about you, but you, you grew up playing with Josh Doane out in Arizona and I, I, I was deep diving into your stats and everything and I saw you play in a Quebec peewee tournament with him, which you know, Ryan Whitney's a. A champion of that. The year before you played for Bratislava, Slovakia in there. And then I think your father might be Slovakian. Can you talk to us about.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

How that all came about in. In your Slovakian heritage?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, so both my parents actually grew up in Slovakia, so I was the only one in my family born in the States, so I have a dual citizenship. And Yeah, I mean, I go back there every now and then and see. See my relatives and stuff. And, um. Yeah, it's pretty cool. You know, I think when I go back there, there's no English being spoken. I'm pretty, pretty bad at Slovakia and I have it a little bit, but my parents are completely fluent and so is my older brother. So I'm kind of the only one in the. In the family, you know, the odd mine out that doesn't really know how to speak it that well, so it's kind of weird.

[Whitney]

What made your parents move over here?

[Matthew Nies]

My dad got a job transfer from Honeywell. He was an engineer there, and he got an opportunity to go to either Detroit or Arizona, and he chose Arizona for the weather, so. Smart man.

[Ryan Whitney]

What a veteran. What a veteran.

[Whitney]

Did he speak English before he came? Like, was he always fluent?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, they spoke a little bit. They spoke a little bit. They learned it in school. They weren't. They weren't too fluent. I mean, if you talk to them now, they have pretty heavy accents, so you could tell right away, you think they're, you know, possibly Russian, just how heavy their. Their accents are. But yeah, they're. They're good now. And I'm not really sure, to be honest, how. How well they were, but I think that they knew definitely enough to. To make. Make their way around.

[Ryan Whitney]

Whereabouts in Slovakia? Because I played under 18 there. In Bratislava.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah. Yeah, that's where they grew up. Yeah, right downtown.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's beautiful there.

[Matthew Nies]

That's unreal.

[Ryan Whitney]

Are like, I think all the dads ended up falling us over because we went there for under 18 and they were. I think it was like 15 cents for a beer at the time. So we'd get done our games and our. All of our old men would just be sloshed up.

[Matthew Nies]

No, I know, I know. The beer's a lot better over there. Same with the Czech beer. My. My dad always introduced me to that. That was track. Beer is a lot better. You can actually, you know, your stomach doesn't feel like when you're having those, so it's a lot better over there.

[Ryan Whitney]

Do you often travel back, like in. In the summertime you guys always take a family vacation to go see all your relatives and stuff?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, my, my older brother actually like he, he's been living in Europe for the past like six, seven months and then he was, he's been spending his time over there. My parents go back, I think every six months. I try to go back once a summer. I couldn't this summer just because, because of how, you know, jam packed everything was with, you know, weddings and stuff. But yeah, usually I go back for two weeks in the summer and just because all my grandparents and everything and my cousins live over there, so to go see them and yeah, it's, it's, it's a wonderful time. You know, it's right in the middle of Europe so you can always take a trip and backpack somewhere else. So yeah, it's, it's cool that I have that unique experience.

[Whitney]

Did your dad play hockey? Was he into it over there?

[Matthew Nies]

He played like professional like street hockey or like the ball hockey. I don't know if you've ever seen that.

[Whitney]

Oh yeah. Have you heard of the Chicklets Cup?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, but yeah, you guys know. But I think he, he was like. I don't know if it was like semi professional, but I think he did like there's like the world championships and he was like, he played for like Team Slovakia, but he played like men's league on the ice. But I think that was like his, his only competitive is it was like the ball hockey. I don't even know if it's ball hockey or street hockey, what they call it. But yeah, he did that.

[Ryan Whitney]

We talk often about like how teams go to non traditional locations like the Coyotes ending up in, in Phoenix from, from Winnipeg. Now that probably had a lot to do with you starting to play minor hockey in Arizona. Like how, like how did you get your start in, in Arizona? Like what finally got you on the ice?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, my, my, my mom's, my mom's dad played hockey and so like it was kind of in my family and my dad just took us to Coyotes games when we were younger, me and my, me and my older brother and we went to like the, I want to say it was like 2011 or 2012, like the whiteout games when you guys, when, when the Yolts were in the playoffs and it was like, it was the coolest atmosphere ever. Like it was. I, I couldn't believe it. And then from then on I was like, I have to play hockey and, and my older brother did it and I kind of just wanted to follow whatever he did and try to be better at him or better than him at it. And, yeah, I kind of just took off from there and. And got into the ice den program, and, yeah, it was. It was. It was a lot of fun.

[Whitney]

The biz.

[Interviewer]

Everybody saw business, and I got like.

[Whitney]

Yeah, sitting there as the grocery stick and.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, not. Not even Buddy. That was the.

[Whitney]

The.

[Ryan Whitney]

When we played Chicago in the first round.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then I. I lined up next to Bowleg. I played one second, and then I didn't do my tie down, and then I got kicked out. So we were down to 11 forward. So I guess you could say I helped them get past the Chicago Blackhawks by taking myself off the ice and out of the game. But that was pretty much the extent of my playoff experience that season.

[Matthew Nies]

I mean, that team was, like, one of the grittiest teams I've ever seen. If you look back at that lineup, it's some of the biggest and meanest boys. And I loved it. Like, it was. It was so fun to watch.

[Whitney]

Biz, was that the series? Torres knocked out Hosa.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. What did you make of that when you saw it? Like, what was your opinion when all that went down? There was a lot of drama.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah. I don't really know. Like, I think I was. I was pretty young at the time, so to me, it was like, I didn't even want to see the hit. I was like, that was outrageous. But Marion Hosa was, like, one of my, like, honestly, like, my childhood favorite players. Like, he was Slovakian, so my parents, like, loved him. Like, so we were, like, a little bit, like, we were kind of torn. You know, we love the Coyotes. We loved Hosa, so we didn't really know what to think. But, yeah, I think I was a little bit too young that I was like, I try to not watch that clip. You know, it was. It was one of those things that were. You. You couldn't keep your head off of it because it was, like, it's. It was just. It was so crazy, you know?

[Ryan Whitney]

And I was just gonna ask you about. So Austin Matth was probably, what, like, three, four years older than you? Maybe a little bit. Did you know about him growing up there? Like, had you heard about him at that time when you started playing?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, yeah. So my. My older brother Phil, he. He actually played with him for about, I want to say, two, three years. He was a year younger, but they kind of mixed. Mixed age groups at that. At that time. And we had the same skating coach in the summer that Boris, so we. We would Skate together, you know, every. Every now and then in the summer. So I knew of him, and then it was kind of when he got to the program that we. He really started to take off and then, yeah, it. It was crazy to see, you know, I kind of knew him a little bit before he got all the, you know, the hype and everything and. And going first overall and. And going to the Leafs, and so it was. It was crazy to see both sides of that, you know, see him before that and then skate with him after.

[Ryan Whitney]

And I was just gonna ask, like, seeing that, did it give you more of, like a. Did you feel like you had more of a chance to potentially get to the next level at the fact that local kids were being able to make that next step? Like, did you ever think in a million years that you would be able to go on and. And make it to the NHL at such a young age?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean, I think he give a lot of kids hope, you know, just sharing the ice with them at a young age and showing. Showing us that, you know, he does the same drills as us. Like, it all gave us hope that we could make it. And. Yeah, I mean, he was the nicest and most welcoming guy. And just getting to know him at that age was. Was huge. Like, it was a huge influence on all of us as young kids. And, yeah, it was. It was great, you know, having him around all the time and skating with us. It was. It was. It was really remarkable for him to do all those drills and. And, you know, he was. He was usually the ones that was demonstrating everything for us, so it was pretty cool to. To have that experience with him and now. Now be able to play with him in the NHL is cool.

[Whitney]

I heard some rumor that he, like, didn't even play games at a really young age until he was maybe like 9 or 10 or. I don't know if this is true, but he worked with, like. Like a specific skill coach a lot. Is that the guy you mentioned? Boris?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah. I honestly didn't say his last name because I. I thought I'd butcher it. It's so Russian. It's like the Rosa Cenko or something. But, yeah, we were. We skated with him.

[Eric Engels]

It's.

[Matthew Nies]

It's like we. We don't really touch a puck too often. Like, it was so much skating. We'd skate for three hours a day.

[Whitney]

And just like, what age is this? Sorry.

[Matthew Nies]

This was. I mean, he did it since. He was. He was probably like five or six years old until. I don't know, he was probably 20, 20, 21, like, close to my age, but yeah, it was. It was like almost figure skating on ice. I can send you guys their link, but it's like skating is so difficult and it's so hard and it's so different. And I think. I think it helped both of us, you know, become obviously really great skaters and. And. And develop our games a lot. But it's. It's something like I've never done before. And to have it in Phoenix, Arizona, was like. It was just crazy.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Matthew Nies]

But, yeah, it was. It was. It was. Yeah, it really helped us.

[Ryan Whitney]

Was this being done at the Ice Den?

[Matthew Nies]

This was being done at. This was being done at Oceanside, where the Firebirds used to play. So. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Is that where the ASU team was playing before they moved into their barn?

[Matthew Nies]

No, it was Arcadia. Sorry. It was Arcadia. Oceanside's the old. Is the old sun Devil's drink. You're right. Arcadia was the one where we. Where we had the camp. I don't know if that's still around, to be honest. But yeah, that was. That was an older barn for sure.

[Whitney]

So a young age with no puck. So it's kind of like. Like, did you enjoy it, though? Like, were you still like, I love this, or was it a. Kind of times where, like, I don't want to go A little bit of both.

[Matthew Nies]

Like, I was. I remember I was like 11, 12 years old, and I'm like waking up and I'm like, sore as hell and my legs are hurting. I'm like, this. Like, this can't. This can't happen. But we would be doing like, you take us outside in the Arizona heat and this is in the summer, and we do. You just tell us, like, you have 500 squats and then 500 side to sides, like, just lunges. And I. We were like, sweating, dying sore. And then we go on the ice and we're doing jumps and 360s and just like jumping on one leg and stuff. It was. It was. It was pretty intense stuff. But, like, now looking back at it, it was all worth it now. Like, that's why I don't think me and him do it anymore, because I don't think we can handle the soreness now. But yeah, when we were. When we were younger, it was. It was pretty. It was pretty crazy how we could do that.

[Whitney]

Were you playing other sports?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I played a little bit of tennis and. And soccer, but just. Just for fun with my buddies and stuff, but nothing. Nothing too competitive.

[Whitney]

So with the size B, you Know you mentioned then you could tell on the ice, like, you're very fast, but you're also a truck. Were you always the biggest kid? Like, is your dad that wide and thick? Like, when did your, Where'd your size come from?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, my dad's. My dad's a pretty big boy. He. That guy trains like non stop. But yeah, no, me and, me and little donor, we were probably the smallest kids on the team until we were 16. Me and him probably had hit a gross spur at like the same time. Yeah, we were, we were. I, I don't know if you guys look back at our like USHL draft here, but we were, we probably were one of the smallest kids drafted. The skinniest kids. We were always the little ones on the team. And then came like 16, 17 years old. We just had a huge growth for both of us and put on weight and it kind of just took off from there for us because, you know, I think we had so much skill when we were younger and just add the size and strength, like it made us a lot better. And yeah, it's, it's funny that we both had at the same time there.

[Interviewer]

You seem so close with donor and you're from Arizona. Was there any thoughts of going to Arizona State? And if not, why did you choose Minnesota right away and, and just go through that whole process of deciding where you were going to go for college?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I was, I was thinking about asu. I think at the time when I was kind of deciding of it, it was, it was a little bit still underdeveloped there, like they didn't have mold arena and I think I just didn't really want to play in Oceanside, you know, my freshman year with a kind of a rink that I grew up playing and I think that was a little bit too. And then once I started visiting some other schools in North Dakota and Penn State and Minnesota, I was like, I just thought these schools had a lot to offer right away and unreal campuses, unreal experiences. And then I kind of wanted to, you know, play in the Big Ten. I wanted to play in a conference. And so that kind of came down to it and just love Minnesota. I love the, the coaches there. They were going to build a great team. I mean, you kind of look at their lineup when I was committing and it was, it was, you know, a lot of, a lot of great names. And yeah, I just put a lot of faith into those coaches to make a great team and they did. So yeah, it was a good decision by me.

[Whitney]

That team that lost you guys when you lost to Quinnipiac, that. That's gotta be one of the best college hockey rosters I've ever seen. It was nuts.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, yeah.

[Whitney]

Sorry to bring that up, but like, all these guys that you see, these guys that are like dominating in the NHL now is. Must have been a fun couple years for you.

[Matthew Nies]

No, it was.

[Interviewer]

It was Logan Cooley, brock Faber, Jackson McComb and Jimmy Snuggleroot. For those at home, not following the college game.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean, practice, like practicing against those guys and with those guys, like, it was, it was, it was the closest thing you could get to the NHL, you know, before it. And yeah, I mean, we had a hell of a team, hell of a group. Extremely close. I live with those guys in the summer. I live with Jackson McComb and Jimmy Sawyer in the summer. And we all kind of train together too now. So it's. Yeah, it sucks that year, but yeah, we had a pretty incredible lineup before that.

[Ryan Whitney]

It said you played three years with the Trihors City Storm. So at that point you had to make a decision to move away from home. What was that adjustment like?

[Matthew Nies]

It's pretty hard. I think I was like 15 or 16 years old at the time. And it's different moving from Phoenix, Arizona to. To Nebraska, where the. The city was, I don't know, 10,000 people and it was snowing like crazy. I'm learning to drive in the snow and I lived on a farm, like out on a three mile dirt road. Like it was. It was a complete shell shock for me. But I live with three other guys on the team and that in that, in that barn, we just got really close and I don't know, I loved everything about juniors. The lifestyle is so awesome. Just to, you know, go to high school and then and get to play in front of, you know, thousands of fans and travel and go see different cities. Like it was, it was so much fun.

[Whitney]

You might have answered this, talking about the growth spurt and it being a little later, but no consideration from the national program for you, or was it like, how did that. Were you kind of rattled by that or did you not care?

[Matthew Nies]

I was a little bit upset about it, but again, I was. I was really small at the time. I was really underdeveloped. Me and Josh both were. I wasn't really expecting it that much, but I was definitely upset. Like, that was like something I definitely dreamed about. Like I wanted to play there and honestly, like, it was really good for me not to, you know, just to play Another year of. Of U16 and. And, you know, touch the puck a lot, play a lot, you know, have confidence. And then as soon as I stepped into junior, it was. It was pretty easy for me to. To transition. You know, I think if I would have made that team, I probably wouldn't have been, you know, in their top six or been and playing a lot of minutes, and I think, you know, my development probably would have got kind of stalled there. So I think it was best for me, honestly, to go somewhere where I could play right away and play heavy minutes and. And, yeah, so I'm. I'm pretty fortunate that I got another opportunity to play in the USHL and Tri City. And, you know, it was. Those were two special years, for sure.

[Ryan Whitney]

So if I'm not mistaken here, looking at your hockey db, you go from playing in Tri City, you end up going to your first year at Minnesota, and then towards the end of that first season, you end up getting to play in the Olympics.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, it was. It was halfway through my fur freshman year in February. Yeah, it was. It was. It was.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's.

[Matthew Nies]

It was unbelievable. Yeah, it was. It was really cool. It was really cool. And just sending out the emails to my teachers like, hey, I won't be here this month going to the Olympics. Yeah. Yeah, it was. It was. It was a lot of fun and. Yeah, it was cool. There was. There was two other guys on our team that went as well, and I think half the team was all college players and the other half was players playing pro in. In Europe somewhere, either in the khl, Sweden, Swiss League. So it was. It was an awesome. That we had kind of like, you know, half a team of veterans, then half a team of just youngsters, and we gelled so close. And it was. It was such a crazy experience, obviously, being in Beijing, too. It was. It was pretty gnarly.

[Big Cs]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

We need some stories from the village or did you guys get to go out? I know it was heavy Covid times, but was there any shenanigans going on off the ice?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I think, like, once, kind of towards the end of the games, close to, like, the closing ceremonies, it was. It's. It's weird because every. Every in the village, like, every country has, like, their own, like, tower. And so, like, you'd step into a tower, like, and there'd be a huge German flag or a huge, I don't know, Italy flag, and we were kind of bouncing back and forth, like, everyone's kind of celebrating just them being there and. And having drinks and having Fun. And you know, we get caught like the Netherlands Tower and we're trading jackets and hats and stuff. And I remember one of my, like, one of my roommates, like, came. Came home and just had nothing on besides, besides the Netherlands jacket in the morning. So I was just dying laughing. He's just like, I can't find my phone. I can't find. I can't find anything. I don't know where anything went. So it's, It's a huge party at the end, which is. Which was just like really cool to see. Like, you don't. You don't really expect that. But. Yeah, towards the closing, closing, the ending ceremonies, there it was. It was a. It was a huge party.

[Ryan Whitney]

Were you able to go watch other events if you wanted to, like, and, and if so, which ones did you go check out or were you the most interested in.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, so there's like, parts. There's like, parts where some things that like, can't be in the same area. So like bobsled, like, has to have like its own area. There was like three villages and we were in the main village where there's like a pretty decent amount of sports. So we went to like, speed skating. The long track, the short track. We went to that Hue. I don't even know what you call it, but that huge pipe where there are snowboards and skiers and they do a ton of tricks. Went to go see those two. I gotta remember here, there's. There's a few, but there a lot of them. Like the half pipe is in a different area. The. The bobsled was in a different area. Some of the downhill skiing, they're all, they're all kind of spread out that we couldn't, we couldn't make it there. It was too far. So those were the main ones we watched. But like, it was still so much fun to go to those and just see it, like, see it live. It's. It's pretty outrageous.

[Whitney]

Did that, did like, the fake Russian team win that one? They couldn't be called Russia, but they were Russia, like the Soviet Union of dopers.

[Matthew Nies]

It was like, yeah, the athletes from, From Russia. I think it was Finland. Finland 1. I don't think we were even paying attention. We were so. We were kind of so, so upset about losing. But yeah, I think Finland, Finland might have beats, I want to say Sweden in the final.

[Keith]

They were.

[Matthew Nies]

I mean, it was mostly just to finish like a, like a league of all star team. But there were some really good players, really good teams there. Canada had a really good team. We played them. Yeah. So there was, there was a lot of great teams, but it was, it's going to be interesting this year with, with the, you know, the best on best and bring the NHL players. It'll be, it'll be a fun time to watch.

[Whitney]

So you bring that up and it's like, man, watching the speed of the Four nations, like, how you skate, like, that's got to be, you know, a big goal of yours to somehow make that team, right?

[Matthew Nies]

No, for sure, for sure. I mean, you know, watching the Four nations sitting down, watching on tv, like it's, you're itching to be out there. Like, it's, it's. It looks like such fun hockey and, you know, I think everyone, everyone had their eyes on that game. So. Yeah, I mean, it would be obviously a huge honor to make that team and to go, to go play there. I'm obviously gonna have to work my tail off this earlier to, to earn a spot and, and, you know, show that I can, can play that role that they need. So, yeah, hopefully my name gets called, but, you know, it's out of my control for now.

[Ryan Whitney]

I joked about it when we first started this interview, but that big ticket you signed this off season, I believe that's a hometown discount. I was so thrilled that you came in under. I believe you just came in under 8 million. What was the first thing that you ended up buying with the, with the signing bonus? Are you a pretty reserved guy when it comes to flexing the dough?

[Matthew Nies]

I get asked that a lot. I didn't. I haven't bought anything really. I don't know what, what, what to buy, to be honest. Like.

[Whitney]

Do you rent in Toronto?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I rent a place you can't really purchase because there's a, there's a huge, huge, huge, like, foreign tax to purchase a place. So I'm not allowed to purchase a place, really, is what I'm told. But. So, yeah, I don't, I don't really know. I think, yeah, I just had a comfortable summer, you know, spending it wisely and nothing, nothing crazy. I think some of the guys kind of give me every now and then. I don't, I don't own any watches or any crazy pairs of shoes, so I think those guys are, like, telling me like, they, they're gonna take me out or something and, and force me to buy something. But.

[Whitney]

So when you see Matthew's style, you're just like, that's not, I don't, I don't have that. Like, I don't like, that's.

[Matthew Nies]

I don't know, like. Like, him and Willie, like, they kind of wear, like, baggy. Baggy stuff that's like, designer. And I don't know. I don't. I don't really care too much. You know, I'm like. I'm walking in the rink, I'm walking back. Like, it's not like I'm, like, really showing off anything. I don't need anything crazy. But. Yeah.

[Whitney]

Well, we saw at the. When were we there, Biz. When we saw Nylander out at.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, yeah, we. We were at the All Star Game.

[Interviewer]

All Star.

[Whitney]

So it was All Star Game. And Nylander's in the other room. He's got a. I think it was a. A white or pink just tank top on. It was like, he's wearing a tank top. He looked good. He looked good in business like that. Tank tops, probably.

[Ryan Whitney]

His nipples were hard as rocks because it was freezing outside. This guy's rocking a bra out in the. In the wintertime.

[Matthew Nies]

That's no surprise. I feel like he wears the white feeder a lot.

[Ryan Whitney]

So you got a. Even Max Domi is. Is a bit of a fashionista as well. So you guys got quite a few guys on that team.

[Matthew Nies]

There is. There is. There's a. There's a lot. A lot of good examples out there that I should start following. Maybe I'll. I'll catch the train. And I'm curious what they're gonna do with the. With the no dress code now. So I'll see what they do, and I'll try to follow whatever. Whatever it is, if it's not too crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who. Who's the guy that would maybe chirp one of their outfits when they come in? Like, what are the veterans that kind of keep those guys honest? Who can give it to them? Because we just mentioned two of the top dogs in Nylander and Matthews, where I don't think anybody's gonna say to them for the most part, no, no, no one.

[Matthew Nies]

I mean, I'm not gonna do it. No one's gonna do it. Everyone's just like, that's just them now. Like, that's just. We're just, like, so used to you somewhere in that stuff. I don't know. I don't really. I think everyone really trips me about my suit. They're like, oh, it's the same one again. And, you know, no, I met more than those guys. No, I don't think anyone trips those guys. I don't. I don't think. I don't know if they do. You know.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, they're like, yeah, you get a one one way ticket out of town.

[Interviewer]

While we're on this core four, which we're. This probably the last time we're allowed to say it because I don't want chief hunting me down. But you lived with Tavares. I saw your first year. What was that like? What's he like to that locker room? He's just a, he's a constant pro. Can you give us a little peek behind the curtain with him?

[Matthew Nies]

I was really fortunate to live with him. For him to open his doors to me, to live with his family, to, to live with his kids, like, it was really eye opening, honestly, for a kid that was, you know, 19, 20, coming in there and just seeing how professional he is and how dialed in to his routine, his eating habits, his treatment habits, how prepared he is, how early he shows up, you know, how much time he takes at the rink. Like, it was, it was completely shocking to me. But yeah, living with them was. You pick up a lot of things that you're like, I'm, I'm not doing it right. Like I'm, there's things I'm missing. There's, there's little things that it could help me get a little bit of an advantage, make me a little bit better, better player. So I picked up a lot from him and, and yeah, he's been huge for our locker room, for, for a leadership standpoint, for, for being an example for the young guys, for being vocal, for, for taking on a lot. Like he takes on a lot of weight. So he's, he's been huge. He was a huge influence on, on me doing well the first two years. And yeah, one of the most welcoming and professional humans I've ever, I've ever met.

[Ryan Whitney]

What were the biggest things? Was it diet? Was it recovery? And what were the biggest things that you pulled away from him or, or even anyone since you've been playing pro that you've had to implement that have made a big difference.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean, jokingly, he's so pro that like, I remember I'd stay with him before the season started and he'd have like a charity game and he's coming back from. And I, I was opening the fridge, I opened the fridge. It says like post charity game meal, like he already has his meal prepped and like he comes home, like he would, he would shower and throw on his blue light glasses and it would already be like 6:37pm like it's way before, way before I'm going to bed. You know, and he's. He's already getting himself ready and making sure he has a good sleep so he could wake up early in the morning. And, you know, his first routine when he wakes up is he gets straight out of bed and goes straight to the cold tub for three minutes. And I don't know. That's hard on a bed, dude. Oh, that's what I was saying. I'm. I'm laying in my cozy bed for 10 more minutes and snoozing, and, you know, I'm. I'm laid out the door thing. But he's. Yeah, he's. He's. He's next level with that kind of stuff. But, like, little things like that, just how much. How important it is. I took. I took that on, and I think on game days, like, he just does extra. Like, he comes. He comes home and he's. He's still doing more work on. If it's a little bit of, like, Pilates work or core work. He's in there while I'm, you know, while I sat on the couch and watched tv. And it was just trying to prepare for the game. He would. And trying to relax and take my mind off it. He was. He was still grinding in there. And so, yeah, sometimes you just got to applaud it and you're like, this is. This is just who he is. You know, this is. It's. It's. It's pretty. It's pretty fun to watch, to be honest.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, now he's basically playing for free the next couple years. What a hometown deal that was, too. Stepping up as a leader.

[Matthew Nies]

For sure. For sure.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's our year, baby.

[Interviewer]

While we're on this Leafs talk in our year and everything, I don't know if you're familiar with Biz, but he is an ambassador for your team. And he got a jacket this year. And the big discussions online is, is. Should he hand the jacket back in or do you guys want him to have the jacket?

[Ryan Whitney]

You tell me what. What you want.

[Whitney]

He was given the jacket by Shanny. Shannon's not there.

[Matthew Nies]

I. I wanted to have the jacket because I remember when I was, like, first picked by Toronto and Biz was at donor's house, and I think he had a little bit too much wine, and he was running around the house. He goes, where's my little maple leaf? And he. He finally found me. He dabbed me up and he was like. It's like. So I. I think he deserves it. He's been a long core. Long core fan, so he. He deserves to keep it.

[Ryan Whitney]

I appreciate you boys but if I'm a bit of a distraction, I have no problem handing the jacket over. No, I have to stay away. I'll stay away, but I'll, I'll be there for your guys game against Detroit on the 13th, which is that Monday Amazon game. And I'm excited to see how you guys shake things out and you know, you guys lost Marner, but I really like the way you guys addressed other needs. You guys got Matthias Machelli and, and Roy and like Dakota Joshua where I have no idea why the Vancouver Canucks gave him away. So all of a sudden I know you lose Marner who's such a valuable piece, but you guys get bigger and deeper. So from your guys chances this year, I like even better than the last couple of years.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, yeah. I mean we, we, we had some really key pieces that are, that are going to be huge for our team. A lot of great players. Nick Waugh and Dakota Joshua are two big players who are going to play physical and play hard and you know, change the identity of the forward group for sure. And then yeah, Michelle is just really skilled, really fast, can make plays. Like there's, there's really great ads. You know, I think obviously there's. I mean I'm not going to be around the bush. There's a huge void with, with Mitch leaving. You can't really replace that kind of a player and the superstar he is, so. But I think we did a great job of, of, you know, adding, adding pieces that are going to definitely help and I think with, you know, with all of our trust in tree and, and, and chief, you know, I think we're going to have a strong team. You know, I think with, with them both coming back and this is finally their team and I think we, we did a great job in the off season and yeah, I'm really excited to see what we can do during the year and in the playoffs.

[Whitney]

I'm wondering how it's been for you, like with the pressure that comes along with playing in Toronto and it's Canada, but Toronto is even a different beast. And just the amount of reporters and looking for stories and kind of forcing subjects when they really have nothing to write about. How is that like come for you? Like, are you like okay with it? Do you get frustrated by it or has it been easier maybe being like the fifth guy the past couple years?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean a little bit of all of that to be honest. Like it's. I, I think a lot of the, A lot of the weight was Taken off my shoulders by those guys. But then like living with Johnny, you realize like, you, you, you don't gotta listen to any of that stuff. You don't focus on that. You just focus on the game. You know, I don't think he's never throwing on, you know, any of the reporters when he comes home from a game. He's throwing on other games. He's throwing on the games on the West Coast. So it's like you focus on just hockey in general. You don't focus on what other people are saying. And I think that's, that's kind of what I got from Johnny too, is just you don't, you don't got to worry about any of that stuff. It doesn't matter what they say, you know, just play your game. And when you're in the media, just, you know, speak your truth and, you know, say don't. You don't have to say what they want to hear. You just say what you think and. Yeah, just, just know that, you know, there always comes another day and you gotta, you gotta work your tail off and they'll be happy.

[Interviewer]

I gotta, I got a two, two part question for you. Two parts here. First up, you know, you're in the NHL. I want to know what your favorite city's been on the road, and then I'm gonna try to set you up here. Which city are you looking forward to going to this season?

[Matthew Nies]

Anaheim's always a good trip. I actually like Anaheim. My first year we stayed at Pelican Hill and we had a day off and we got a golf unbelievable course right on the water.

[Whitney]

Place is sick.

[Matthew Nies]

It's really, really nice. My buddy, my best buddy, Jackson lacombe was there, so I always got to catch up with him, which is really nice. I love New York. New York's a fun time. There's just so much to do. I feel like we always have a lot of time and days off or practice days there that we could just kind of enjoy, enjoy the city a little bit. So I think those are probably my main two. Every city has been fun. Like, it's, it's cool like the first, my first few years. Just every new city is, is different and you know, it's, it's all new to me, so it's all fun to go out with, dinner with the guys and stuff and see it's, it's. Yeah, it's been nice.

[Interviewer]

You missed the boat there. I'm trying to set you up here where you got to be looking forward to a special road Trip this season.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I'm excited for Vegas. Yeah, it'll be.

[Interviewer]

Oh, no, you're still not getting it. You still missed it. You got to say Boston.

[Whitney]

What do you mean?

[Matthew Nies]

Why?

[Whitney]

Why Boston?

[Interviewer]

I got in my notes here, you got the girlfriend drafted by the Boston.

[Whitney]

Oh, that's right.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Whitney]

Oh, she's gonna be all over you now.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I know. Now, if she hears this, she'll be. Yeah, that's so funny.

[Whitney]

That's why cornelli thought you were. You would end up with the Bruins somehow. He's like, his girlfriend was drafted by the Bruins. I'm like, gee.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, off. Yeah. Toronto had the next pick, so that's. That's a huge bummer. Oh, it happens.

[Ryan Whitney]

Did they tell. Did they tell her that they were gonna pick her if she would have went to the next pick?

[Matthew Nies]

I. I think so. I think we kind of had it pretty locked in, I want to say.

[Ryan Whitney]

But that's just more easy for you to fucking run the Bruins through the wall with you and your family. That's payback.

[Whitney]

Lay off the Bruins, Biz. Jesus.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean, it happens.

[Whitney]

I gotta ask about the contract. I know Biz brought it up. I was saying at the time, I'm like, oh, 10 million years and overpay. No offense, you'll end up being there. But that was like. I think. I think if it's. If it's eight and a half to nine two, like, that's. That's going to be a nice deal. Then it came in, and as a Leafs hater, no offense, again, I was. I was like, is this. How the fuck did they get him to sign that? Like, you could have gotten more money. Is that more. Hey, leave some more for the team. Like, I'm happy with this or. I just love this city so much. This is what they're offering, like, kind of take us through the negotiations.

[Ryan Whitney]

There was a note in Tavares's fridge. This is all we're giving you. You better take it.

[Matthew Nies]

I. I mean, I. I think it's very fairly compensated. Yeah. I've only played two years in the NHL, and this.

[Whitney]

This is. This is nice.

[Matthew Nies]

I also, I. I love my hand in my pants.

[Ryan Whitney]

Take me off the screen here.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Like, it's.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's.

[Matthew Nies]

It's more than, you know, I wanted to be long term, and I think that was just the number that. That fit for both of us. And, you know, I knew that they had. They had the opportunity to do it right before free agency so they could you know, start making some moves. And yeah, I think we both got, we're like, we both settled on a very comfortable number that made us both happy and made it easy on them so that in free agency they can, they can get right to work and really start focusing on the rest of our team. But I thought, I thought it's more than fair. And for me, not being that of an experience of a player, you know, I think it's, I'm extremely happy with it. I'm really fortunate that they, you know, invested a lot of years and, and a lot of money into me. And so I, I couldn't be happier and I hope they are too. You know, I still gotta, you know, make sure it's worthwhile here and yeah, I still gotta. Still got six years to work my ass off to make it, make it worth their, worth their money.

[Ryan Whitney]

I only had a few more hockey ones until we started maybe talking about what you like to do around the city for fun. But your relationship with Chief, like, how was it when he first came in and like, you know, player coaches relationships are a little different than they have they were in the past. Right. And he's more old school, but I feel like he's really adapted in how he communicates to the guys and, you know, what's it been like working with him and just all the respect in the world you probably have for him.

[Matthew Nies]

He's a very personable coach. You know, he's very easy to talk to on and off the ice, whether it's about hockey or it's not about hockey. I think he's, he's the kind of guy that, you know, when he does a pregame speech, you want to run through a wall. You know, it's, he's so easy to play for and he's so highly motivated and so, yeah, he's been incredible. And I, I think, you know, the way, the way he sees the game, I think is a lot on how I play. You know, where it's north, south, very simple, you know, hard nose hockey. And that's why I think we had a really good relationship and I think we, you know, we were able to kind of feed off each other. And yeah, I think he's been, he's been huge for, for my career. So I'm excited that he's back and that I can, you know, keep growing with him and keep learning from him.

[Ryan Whitney]

And the follow up I had was, you know, obviously not the result you guys wanted, but how much experience did you gain last postseason and just going against the champs and realizing what it takes to win. I know you guys were this close, but you know, just, just, you know, you had a great run but like what did you take away from last year's playoff run?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean it's, it's hard because once that game seven's over, you try to, you try to put it behind you as, as quickly as possible. You know, you don't want to think about that stuff. You know, I think we, you know, we kind of shit the bet on in Game 7, so we didn't want about that, you know, But I think, I think our takeaway was, was mostly that our, our consistency was, was just not there as much. I think game one and two, I think we dominated. I think we had great games, came out with the W and then I think we slowly kind of took our foot off the pedal and, and just let them in and obviously they're an incredible team and, and, and structured so well and so deep that you can't really give them, you know, any ounce to breathe because if we do that, they'd come back and, and they did. So I think our just consistency to play the same way. Game one that we did games, you know, you know, I'm saying game one to game seven play the same way and I just don't think we did that well enough, you know, in that series. And that's, I think that's just the difference maker for us.

[Whitney]

It's a different feeling for you there too because in your, you know, it's two full years, but three playoffs, you've got to the second round twice. So like you're kind of like not as used to, you know what people say about they can't even get out of the first round. So for you, I imagine you're thinking, listen, like this team, like we can win a Stanley cup based on the guys that are here and like the success that you have had in the past three seasons.

[Matthew Nies]

No, for sure. I mean again, you're not going to win it every year, but like it's, it take, it's, it's going to take, you know, it's going to take a lot of consistency and yeah, I just, I just don't think we've had a little bit of that when it came to the, you know, the, the clinching games, the 5, 6, 7. I think we've kind of, we just haven't had our best games and I think once we have our best games at those, at those times of the year, I think we're going to be Just fine. And we're going to make it and win. You know, I think we just gotta again play the same way we do game one and two to. In five and six, seven and we'll be totally fine.

[Whitney]

I meant to ask, when you brought up Jackson lacombe earlier, being a former defenseman, like, I didn't know much about him. Like, he's not often do people stay four years in college now. He wasn't a first round pick. It was second round still. But like, I didn't know much. And now I see some Anaheim games, but more talking of players and scouts. They're like, he's so good. Like, did you see this coming? Like, was he a late bloomer? How did, how has his career gone with you guys being so close?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean, he's kind of had a different path. Like he, he didn't play juniors. Like, he played static U18 and got drafted and I'm pretty sure he was like two picks out of the first round and there's just so much potential there when he was drafted and I was kind of confused. I didn't really think people could do that. You know, I thought every kid goes, plays in the CHL or somewhere in Europe, plays, Plays juniors and. Yeah, and then I came in and he was a junior my freshman year. And I mean, the guy is so talented. He's. He's so patient with the puck. He's got so much skill. He skates so well. He makes the right play. Like, I mean, he was running our first power play both years I was there and Brock Faber wasn't on either of our power play, so he was, he was that skilled. Like, he has, he has a lot to him and that's, I'm not shocked at all that he's having success, that he had such a great year last year because he's, he's just so smart and, and you know, holds the puck so well and skates it so well and. Yeah, I mean, it's nice to be able to train with him in the summer because you just, it's hard to compete with him, you know, I feel like you always chase them down and he's always making the right play and. Yeah, it's, it's, it's fun to watch him.

[Whitney]

Did you play in the beauty league?

[Matthew Nies]

I didn't, no. I got, I think I, I got asked to early on, but there's. They have a lot of bodies and I heard it's. I want to say it's kind of falling off. Like, it's kind of going downhill.

[Whitney]

I think the.

[Matthew Nies]

The competitiveness, I heard is. Is a little bit different nowadays than it was before. And, yeah, I heard it was just. It was too long earlier, and now they kind of shorted it up a little bit. And I think guys are.

[Keith]

I don't know.

[Matthew Nies]

I haven't. I haven't done it yet, so I can't tell you, but that's. That's. That's what I'm hearing.

[Interviewer]

I gotta ask about your other summer roommate, because Grinnell is a huge, you know, college hockey expert for us about Snugarud. And, you know, we saw him a little bit in the playoffs, but more about him and can he win the colder this year.

[Matthew Nies]

I think he definitely has a chance. You know, I think he's. He's gonna score a ton of goals. I've never seen someone shoot the puck harder than he does.

[Whitney]

Matthews.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean, he's Matthews.

[Whitney]

With.

[Matthew Nies]

With Matthews's wrist shot, it's. It's uncomparable. You know, I think he's the best at it in the league. His snapshot, his wrist shot is unbelievable. But I think Snugger is one timer. I. I think that there's. There's a handful of guys that can do it, and he's definitely one of them. I'm sure you're going to see it a lot on. On the flank, on the power play this year. I mean, the guy can absolutely wire it. Like, he. He did it so much in college. He just gave him the puck and he just. Anywhere. I don't know how he does it, but it's literally top corner, left, right. I don't even know if he's choosing. He's just ripping as hard as he can. But, yeah, he's. He's probably one of the best shooters that I've played with in my career, obviously, other than Austin. But he's. He's. He's definitely going to score a lot of goals. So I think he has a. He's a real shot of the Calder, for sure.

[Ryan Whitney]

Quickly, with the fun stuff. You guys just had your Toronto Maple Leafs golf tournament. It was broken up into two teams. Are you allowed to tell us who won, or is that, like a content video that's going to be coming out?

[Matthew Nies]

It was like a charity golf event, so we get, like, a sponsor, a foursome. So we get, like, Rogers and Mlse and Adidas and stuff like that. Everyone gets, like, their own sponsor.

[Whitney]

Oh, you played with four guys? Like, random guys?

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, yeah. With. With. Yeah, just like a sponsor for our Team and stuff. So. But we have like our trip in Muskoka. We, we usually do like, like a scramble format. We. We get. We just kind of randomize and do teams. So I'll let you know that's coming up. Yeah, it should be. We can have two weeks.

[Ryan Whitney]

So they cut down the roster and then you guys go for this team building experience to Muskoka, which these guys are trying to tell me. It's got like the best boating, but like come on here. We all know fucking Vancouver and the island do over here.

[Matthew Nies]

I don't know what. I've never heard of Vancouver. Honestly, I didn't know that. Vancouver.

[Whitney]

You'Re telling me. He said it was like. It was like describing being Hawaii when you're, when you're talking about Vancouver. Now he's shown me some pictures and I think he had AI come up with something that it says, I'm talking.

[Ryan Whitney]

About the Gulf Islands. The Gulf Islands, boys. And then if you go over to Tofino side, it's got a Hawaii feel to it. So I guess we could maybe throw up. What do you call those When. When you. When you pass the Internet? A poll, other things. Who. If. If you got trapped in a room with one of your teammates.

[Whitney]

Who.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who would you want to bring with you?

[Whitney]

Would.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who. Who would be the funniest guy that would. Would make it?

[Matthew Nies]

I'm trapped in what?

[Ryan Whitney]

In a room, let's say.

[Whitney]

And you know, basement. When he kidnaps you.

[Eric Engels]

There is.

[Matthew Nies]

There's honestly a lot of guys I like. You guys got to get Scott Lawton on this podcast. He's probably.

[Whitney]

Oh yeah, I had one wedding with him.

[Matthew Nies]

Hilarious.

[Whitney]

Oh my God, dude, he's fucking unbelievable.

[Ryan Whitney]

What makes him so funny?

[Whitney]

Dude, it's kind of nice. It know better. I was with him one night. But he's like. His voice kind of is hilarious. Like how he says things. It's just.

[Matthew Nies]

It's.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Matthew Nies]

His like timing of everything. Like I think he says everything that comes to his mind. Like he doesn't let anything hold back like everything. He's like non stop talking about something or like I think he says hi to me like six times a day. Like he. It's just like he's just non stop rambling about something. Something new. So I think he would be just like entertaining. But I think the only guy that would probably get me through is probably Morgan Riley. We could actually just. I think he's just, just so funny. And yeah, I love that guy. So I think he would be my pick. I think lots wouldn't shut up. And I think I would kind of lose my mind.

[Ryan Whitney]

So it would turn into a Saw movie where you'd kill him.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Gan's also said lots like vicious talker on the ice. He said he was like top three he ever played with.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, I, they probably needed him for that Florida series.

[Matthew Nies]

It's comedy what he comes up with. I, I like you just like sometimes you sit back and you chuckle like you can't, you can't stand it. And he's like so serious. And it's funny because when you're playing against him, you're like, oh, this guy, like sounds ruthless. And then you just like, no, you, I get to know him and you're like, oh my God. Like he's a clown. It's just. Yeah, he's just funny. And yeah, I mean I love just standing next to him on the bench and just not again, non stop. Whatever's on his mind, whoever's in front of him, someone's getting a piece of it.

[Whitney]

So I also love that like he play. He's, he's dog. Like I love his game. Like that's a good that. I think he'll be nice for you guys this year. Getting him with two years left, like for two playoffs was, was huge.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I mean he, he, he helps in our locker room a lot too. Like he makes everyone so much more comfortable and such a personable guy and gets along with everyone. I think he's, he's very, he's a very big glue guy, you know, I think he brings everyone together. So I think that's, that's a huge part of where he can, he can help out as well. And yeah, on the ice, obviously he's a dog and yeah, he's, he's gonna be huge for us.

[Ryan Whitney]

How long till. When he was in the locker room, was he like that? Because normally there's a little bit of a feeling out process or was it day one? It's just he comes in hot.

[Matthew Nies]

It was day one and we were playing. I don't even know where we were, but we were playing like sewer and he like, like sewer somebody and like chirp them and like I'm like, we're like, look at each other. Like, is this guy serious? Like, what is he doing? Just got here and yeah, and he's, he's already going after guys and he, he, he picked it up so quick and I think like, like it felt like he was on our team the whole year after just two days. So yeah, again, he's really, he's really good at that stuff.

[Ryan Whitney]

So where are you going out to eat in Toronto? And are you on the Jays train right now? Are you a big Diamondbacks guy? Like, what's going on here?

[Matthew Nies]

I'm a little bit on the Jays train. I know that playoffs is coming around, so I'm gonna. I'm hoping to get out to a game or hopefully get to go do some like the batting practice and stuff, which would be really cool. Going out to eat. Honestly, I live like very close to King street, so there's a ton of bars and restaurants that are fun to go to. And I don't really. I haven't really explored too much yet. Like, we don't get like that. That crazy amount of time. So I'm still kind of new to everything and trying different things out. But there's definitely a few key spots. Like, I don't know if you've been to like, Catsal, but that's like me and. Me and Waller's go to. It's like a Mexican Michelin and we love it over there. But yeah, anything on King street is usually a great time for us.

[Ryan Whitney]

Love that. Well, buddy, this is awesome. I don't know if you guys have any more questions, but I think I've hit my limit.

[Whitney]

If somebody thinks of a great question here. I'm going to try. As I read this rollback ad, we got a shout out. Rollback. Nicey rollback. Last question. Use code chiclets on rollback.com for generous 20% off your purchase through the end of the week. That's C H I C L E T S on r h o b a c-k.com 20 off polos, hoodies, joggers and more. Code Chiclets, I guess. Fuck you just answered. I was gonna ask for one restaurant. I didn't know there was a Michelin star.

[Ryan Whitney]

I got one. What is it our year?

[Matthew Nies]

I think it's our year.

[Whitney]

End this.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let's go, baby.

[Whitney]

Oh, I'm being told something. Talk about restaurants. Grinelli got info that you have like a sick addiction to Chick Fil a. Yeah, that was.

[Matthew Nies]

That was a meal.

[Whitney]

235 on chick fil a.

[Matthew Nies]

No, no, no, no, no. Back it up, back it up. This was. This was pre professional hockey. This was college. I think it was every. Like in college, you play Friday, Saturday. So Sunday through Thursday is like, you could do whatever really. And I think Mondays, me, Cooley and Snugarud, we would always go to Chick Fil A. That was like our number one spot. And it Was. Yeah, it was just a huge joke on our. On our team and stuff that they. That we always loved it, and it was.

[Whitney]

It is unbelievable.

[Matthew Nies]

It was nice bonding time for us as a line, so it was pretty fun. But then as soon as I got to. As soon as I got here and I told Johnny about it, I think he kind of looked at me with three heads and he was like, what are you. What are you doing? So it stopped from there.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought it was called chick chickafila or chicken filla.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, you haven't been. Hey, what's.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no. Like, early days. Then I figured out somebody corrected me, but I got a bone to pick with them. I asked them one time if they could leave the chicken in a little longer so it could be a little crispier, and they basically told me to off.

[Whitney]

They're the most.

[Interviewer]

Well, no surprise biz with a special order.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, they got food the exact time they leave the chicken in for. But I was just like, hey, do you mind leaving it in for an extra 10 seconds so it can get a little bit crispier? And they were like, no.

[Matthew Nies]

I think it's a pretty wild ass, though. I don't think I go to McDonald's and get the. The bun toasted or anything.

[Interviewer]

Well, while we're on this kind of food, though, I did want to ask you, have you gotten into the poutine culture of Canada?

[Matthew Nies]

No, I. I don't like it at all. We have. We have some French guys, too. Like, Benoit, like, always tells me how good it is. And no, I'm not a fan.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's a greasy Frenchman, though.

[Matthew Nies]

The.

[Ryan Whitney]

The. How many school. How many samples you asking for? If you go to, like, an ice cream shop and you've never been there.

[Whitney]

Before, would you ask how many signs are 7 1/2? He. There's no way he asked for samples.

[Ryan Whitney]

Let him answer the question.

[Interviewer]

Oh, I think he does.

[Ryan Whitney]

Probably.

[Matthew Nies]

I think one or two. One or two.

[Whitney]

I like.

[Matthew Nies]

If you don't ask for a sample, I think you're crazy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yes.

[Whitney]

This is Leafs. This is Leafs Nation. Mer. This is what. This is what I have to deal with.

[Ryan Whitney]

One or two per scoop, right?

[Whitney]

What's.

[Eric Engels]

What's this?

[Matthew Nies]

What are you talking about?

[Ryan Whitney]

I meant, like, if you're getting. Like, if you're getting three scoops, you're allowed up to six samples.

[Matthew Nies]

Okay. I'm not getting three scoops of anything, though.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, fair enough, Fair enough, fair enough.

[Matthew Nies]

Three. Three scoops is. Is pretty. That's. That's where I'm. That's the road to 240.

[Ryan Whitney]

I ain't living with JT. I could do whatever the I want.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, I was a little bit off the rails when I left this place, so I'm trying to dial in.

[Ryan Whitney]

Buddy, this has been awesome.

[Whitney]

Thank you.

[Ryan Whitney]

Really appreciate your time. And I can't wait for the parade. I can't wait.

[Matthew Nies]

Just save me some.

[Ryan Whitney]

Save me some room on the float.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah, we will. We will. For sure.

[Whitney]

Hey, great talking to you, man. Good luck this year.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Matthew Nies]

Thank you. Appreciate you. Guys.

[Whitney]

Guys, Whit here. If you're looking body armor. Boom. This episode is brought to you by the body armor sports drink. We thank these people for producing this incredible, incredible tasting water. Strawberry banana right here. The sports drink, the beautiful bottle. They're at Chiclet's Cup. They're always a part of us. We're one with body armor. And body armor has great tasting flavors. I always bring up strawberry banana. We always bring up orange mango. But there's others. And there's no dyes, no artificial crap, no flavors. Sweeteners in a bold new look with the same great taste. Get your body armor today at Walmart or local grocery store near you. Body armor choose better. Guys, Whit here. And we got to talk about Lucy. The obvious choice for the true nicotine pouch connoisseurs. That's why they're the official nicotine pouch partner of Barstool Sports. They were everywhere at the Chiclets Cup. Everywhere. And people were raving, oh, my God. How have I never had Lucy before? I'm a Lucy guy. I'm going to visit Lucy co Chiclets and use promo code chicklets and get 20% off my first order. And then I'm going to keep ordering, and then I'm subscribed for another 15% off and shipping's free. That. They said they're. They said they're. They're hooked. Lucy pouches go up to 12 milligram in strength and have a unique shape that feels great. And the breakers. The Lucy breakers are the only pouches with the hydration capsule inside. Crack it open with your teeth and all of a sudden, the flavors everywhere. Each breakers pouch contains a hydration capsule. That's what you crack open. You toss it right in your lips. The capsule releases a burst of flavor and helps release nicotine faster for an experience that you can't find in any other pouch. Gas station pouches. No more. No more. They got the job done. But if you've tried, Lucy, you won't want anything else in your pocket. So Get Lucy shipped straight to your door. Lucy Co Chiclets and use promo code Chiclets to get 20 off your first order. Subscribe for another 15 and shipping's free. Lucy, thank you so much to Matthew Nyes. I think he's gonna have a monster year. I would not be surprised to see him on the US Olympic team based on his skating. Before we get into the Bruins, guys, it's breast cancer awareness month. Our merch is live. 100% of the net proceeds will go towards supporting 5 under 40. They're dedicated to providing funded medical, wellness, educational and beauty services to women under the age of 40 who've been diagnosed with breast cancer or have a BRCA mutation. And we, you know, we're close to this. G. This company paid for Alana and helped her a lot with, with her battle.

[Hockey Analyst]

Yeah, it's. It's an awesome company. It's five under 40. And I think, like, I've talked about this before, but like, a woman gets breast cancer, their first question is, like, their hair, their beauty, you know, what are they going to do? And this company reached right out to Alana right when she posted that she had breast cancer and they funded her wig. And wigs are so expensive. That's the crazy thing is wigs are like, like thousands of dollars. So the fact that they could take that load off of us and it's not just like, it's not just wigs. It's wellness, it's beauty. It's. It's all these different things that they do. So let's, let's sling some merch. We got some good stuff here. It's.

[Whitney]

If we could.

[Hockey Analyst]

If we could buy a couple wigs for some girls, I think that would be awesome.

[Eric Engels]

So.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Hockey Analyst]

Barstoolsports.com Canadian store, US store.

[Ryan Whitney]

Go.

[Whitney]

Hit it. Hit it hard. Well done, G. And the merch is great. I. I love how it came out. It's awesome.

[Hockey Analyst]

We actually have some cool 47 Brand hats, too. I know we have that partnership with 47 Brand. So they actually have some cool breast cancer hats for us as well that are available in the store as well. So check those out.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is actually a tough segue now because G can't leave because we're going to be talking about the bag Bruins now.

[Whitney]

Gee, quickly, can I tell you, this is tough.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is tough.

[Whitney]

Sorry, G. Projected point total is 80 and a half. And DraftKings. DraftKings has them listed to win the Atlantic Division plus 10,000. So. Whoa. That's. That. That's the lowest. And they're coming off a last place finish in the division last year. Yeah. I think you're a tank for McKenna guy.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yep.

[Hockey Analyst]

Miserable for McKenna.

[Whitney]

Miserable for McKenna. Okay. Some people, like I mentioned, have told me I think they're going to surprise. I don't see it. Tell me why that would happen if, if they, if they make, if they're right around 90 points fighting for a playoff spot last week of the season.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, Swayman got to do all of training camp. That's a positive.

[Hockey Analyst]

That is a positive point fizz. But I mean, they're healthy, they're healthier this year than in years past. I think the back end is, it's still a good back end. I mean, Charlie McAvoy, Mason Lori, Nikita Zadorov, like they, they have guys that can play. Like Lindholm is a. He's coming in healthy this year. His knee is finally good. So I think defense and back end. But I'm not one of those guys who thinks they're going to be a good hockey team this year. I do think they're going to be a tough team to play against. I think they'll have, they'll play some entertaining hockey throughout the season. I mean, David Poschenock is, is David Poschnock at the end of the day. Charlie McAvoy is Charlie McAvoy at the end of the day. We saw what McAvoy did in four nations. So I think best case scenario is competitive hockey all the way through the trade deadline and then that's when you go trade Victor Arvidsson, the Jonas Corpusalos, the confusing moves that people made this summer, that the Bruins made this summer. If you trade those guys and you get first round picks and you, and you start building again for the future, I think the fans will understand a little bit. I think my biggest question is it's all like this season is supposed to be about the youth, right? Like in the end of the season press conference, that was really what Don Sweeney and Ken Meely harped on, was we're going to the youth. It's finally the kids time. There's two on the projected roster. There's two guys under 25 years old. It's Frazier Minton and Mason Lowry. So that's my biggest concern is like, we're not developing the youth. We're playing guys like Victor Arbitson. Fabian Lycelle still isn't getting a crack at the lineup. Georgi Merkuloff, that kid, he's a lost cause at this point. So I'm a bit worried. I'M a bit worried at the fact that they're not playing the youth heading into this season. Hopefully as the season goes on, maybe you'll see these guys get a chance. But like Matty Potra, why isn't this guy cracking the lineup?

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, as Jans does say it's not a development league. It's not. That's what providence is for. You mentioned health. I was reading about tendonitis and Posternach's knee that was lingering from last year. Is that still a thing? Like, is he.

[Hockey Analyst]

Yeah, I mean, he sat. He, he sat out a bit from. In the training camp and in, in the preseason. And you know what? Sit him down halfway through the season, I don't give two fucks. Sit David Poschenock down for the year. Go back to the Czech Republic.

[Keith]

Yeah, but he. Come on.

[Whitney]

You said they'd play entertaining games.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, that's, that's what I was going to ask you about too play that.

[Hockey Analyst]

Did you guys see Gavin McKenna play the other night? If getting Gavin McKenna on this roster means sitting David Poschnock for the year, I'm doing it 10 out of 10 times.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, it's Olympic year, so he wants to play. That's very. So that's not. That's not going to happen. And you said exciting brand of hockey. That was probably my one takeaway from last year was when you would watch Bruins games. That was. Fuck, I'd rather watch our us against the Stranglers ball hockey. I think that we could probably sell more tickets. It was more entertaining. It was. It was watching paint dry. They have no speed and they're boring.

[Hockey Analyst]

That's why they went and got guys, I think, like Tanner Jano, at least drop the mitts. Like go drop the mitts and get the crowd going because there's nothing else to cheer for on this.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was another.

[Keith]

Joanno hasn't done that. Jano hasn't done that since his first year. Ever since his first year. When he came in, he was, you know, he had 20, 20 and like 100 and something penalty minutes. He hasn't done that since. He doesn't play the way that he did the first year. But they need him to play like he did that first year in Nashville.

[Ryan Whitney]

They're paying him. They're paying him like he's about to score 25. They gave him. I mean, we could list off. The deal was that not one of the more surprising deals this off season. I believe it was a four or five year deal.

[Keith]

Had to get to the floor.

[Hockey Analyst]

Yeah, five year deal. I believe around 2 million per year.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Big Cs]

Not great.

[Ryan Whitney]

More than that.

[Whitney]

What if. What if Casey Middlestadt, like, what if he's awesome? What if he gets 75?

[Hockey Analyst]

You know what would be great?

[Whitney]

Wit.

[Hockey Analyst]

If Casey Middlestadt's awesome. And then there's a team at the trade deadline that's willing to give up.

[Ryan Whitney]

A big haul for.

[Whitney]

He's younger. I thought you gotta. You need some youth. 26. He's 26.

[Hockey Analyst]

He's not that young. It's like, if it hasn't happened yet, it hasn't happened. And again, Casey Middlestadt is not the 2C of the future for the Boston Bruins. He's not even.

[Whitney]

Okay. You don't even have a 1C.

[Eric Engels]

We don't.

[Hockey Analyst]

We absolutely don't.

[Keith]

I heard Lindholm looks good, though.

[Hockey Analyst]

I've heard.

[Keith]

I heard Lynn Home has looked really good in. In. In preseason.

[Hockey Analyst]

Yeah, I think you'll have.

[Keith]

But, like, if you have another year, like last year, pasta had 106 points and the next guy had 57 points. Like, that's actually. If you have another year. It's insane. Like, if you have another year like that of pasta, at what point does he say, like, if they don't get McKenna, like, when does he say, hey, guys, I'm out of here?

[Whitney]

You're tell.

[Hockey Analyst]

So when I go back to the pasta thing, I'm not saying we're shutting it down here in November, but you get through the trade deadline, you once again, you deal away half the roster. The Olympics has already been played at this point. At that point, wouldn't you sit back and say, fuck, well, my knee's killing me. It's been killing me all season. The team's not going to win any more games this year. If I sit out, maybe we have a better shot at getting not only Gavin McKenna, this Keaton Verhoff kid at North Dakota is supposedly going to be an unbelievable defenseman. Any other year, he's going number one overall. So I don't know. I would sit him down. The second Olympics ends, I would fucking sit David Poschnock in the press.

[Keith]

He's too much of a competitor. He ain't.

[Whitney]

And like, you're selling like, this is like NBA talk here. Like, people are going to the games to see him play.

[Hockey Analyst]

That's how down bad we are. That's. That's all I have, is all I have to resort to is Gavin McKenna. Like, Gavin McKenna or Keaton Verhoff is all I have to cling to. And the Boston College Bruins, so 3.4.

[Whitney]

Million for how many years?

[Ryan Whitney]

Five.

[Whitney]

That's good for.

[Ryan Whitney]

I was a little surprised. Good for his agent.

[Whitney]

Very surprising.

[Ryan Whitney]

He. Does he.

[Keith]

Someone told me that the B. It was BC playing Merrimack and the Bruins had seven guys between the two teams. Like you get. We got a scout outside of Massachusetts here. Bruins, if we want to get good.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, it's crazy.

[Hockey Analyst]

Six guys. They have six guys on just the BC Eagles alone.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's. It's.

[Whitney]

Well, if the Eagles pop off and go on a run this year and these guys make big contributions, you're looking at like, wow, we got a kid. Bunch of kids coming up that already know each other. So not. I'm just Mr. Positivity in this group. I really am. Now, having said that, I'm pretty sure all of us have them missing the playoffs.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Keith]

Yeah, I think they get more points than. Than what. What was it, 80, 80.

[Whitney]

And I think they get.

[Keith]

Yeah, I think they get more points than that just because of Swayman. They're back in his, you know, decent. But it's like, yeah, I don't think they're going to make the playoffs, but if I was a betting man, I'd take the over in points.

[Whitney]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

I like that. I got a. Missing playoffs.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

And they ain't doing shit. And I'm happy to see that the shipbag Bruins are no longer a threat to the channel.

[Whitney]

It's the time. That's nice for you. They owned you for so long, year after year, and now it's like they're down.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's nice.

[Matthew Nies]

Yeah.

[Hockey Analyst]

But Florida, it's the only way. Tkachuk has to get hurt. Barkov has to get hurt. The Bruins dynasty has to come to an end. That's the only way the Leafs do it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. Yeah, it feels great. Other than Barkov being in, Kachuk being injured. I know. I don't want to get scalded for that again. Even though I, I said Leafs here. When that.

[Whitney]

Leafs here. A fan base we're going to get to now that I think maybe is feeling good this time every year. Like, it's, it's. It's over. We're going to make the playoffs. We can't go 13 straight years. No, no, it's over. It's a new year. We can't go 14 straight years. The Buffalo Sabres, if they miss the playoffs this year, it'll be 15 straight years. It's the longest record in pro sports right now, currently, I believe, tied with the New York Jets. Somebody correct me, G, if I'm wrong, there it's been ugly. It's been ugly for a long time. I don't know, guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

They got one chance.

[Whitney]

It's more of the same. Guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

They got one. One chance.

[Whitney]

Let's hear it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Alex Lyon. That's their only hope.

[Whitney]

When the Panthers the Stanley cup two years ago.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, they lost three years ago. He got playoffs.

[Keith]

Yeah, that was the year he got them in, though.

[Whitney]

But he got them in wait and then, wasn't he? Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then he played with Detroit and then almost got them in. So Alex Lyon, in my opinion, is their only hope. And, guys, this lineup didn't get better. It got worse. They got rid of JJ Paterka last year. Hey, I'm excited for Josh Doane to get some current, like, some playing time and be a regular. I think that he could be a great contributor to that team, but this team sucks. I. They. They should just be kissing the ground in Buffalo at the fact that they have Josh Allen and that the. And that the Bills are good.

[Whitney]

I. I like their D kind of.

[Ryan Whitney]

How long have we been saying that, bud? How long?

[Whitney]

Rasmus.

[Ryan Whitney]

Darlene should be on the Toronto Maple Leafs is where he should be. All right.

[Whitney]

Dude, dude, dude.

[Ryan Whitney]

What do you mean, dude? They need a number one D, man. That's their guy right there.

[Hockey Analyst]

He's.

[Whitney]

Wait. We're trying to make it good. They haven't lost the game yet. Let's give him a day.

[Keith]

Yeah, give him a day.

[Whitney]

1. Let's talk about their.

[Keith]

Give him one day.

[Whitney]

The one week.

[Ryan Whitney]

You know what? You know what? Maybe Lindy can bring him back.

[Whitney]

That's another one that. Yeah, Lindy. It's just a. To not have Paterka, maybe. Josh Norris is great this year, right? You've seen moments of that. I know. Tough trade for him from Ottawa. A lot of very close buddies.

[Ryan Whitney]

Injury prone.

[Whitney]

I like Tuck. I mean, Thompson is an absolute sniper. He bounced back last year. He's a fun player to watch. He's a monster. He got snubbed from Team usa. He's going to be on a mission.

[Ryan Whitney]

The only competitive hockey he's going to be playing is at the Olympics.

[Whitney]

Damn. I know, dude. I'm trying to pump the. I just feel bad. It's a hockey town. It's a good market, and they got nothing. They've had.

[Keith]

And they got. Merle's moving back, too.

[Whitney]

They got. And they got. Merle's coming back now. The worst part is when I say they have nothing and they had nothing. They actually had a lot of Guys that went on to win the Stanley cup, that's the hardest part is they see him dominating, they see Eichel winning, they see Ryan O'Reilly go to St. Louis. They just see winners leaving and then they're losing. And Buffalo fans, I mean, these people are good people, good hearted. Like it's almost like you're in the Midwest. Just give them a beer and they're nice and they'll jump through a friggin table. Hallmark won the goddamn Vesna right after he left. So let's give him a week. Biz, before you go putting, he biz is putting Rasmus Darlene on the leafs before the opening puck drop.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'm saying that's where he should be.

[Keith]

Utah is going to win the cup this year because Batyrka's there.

[Ryan Whitney]

I like that Zach Benson kid though. He's a little shit disturber. Water bug out there who can make plays. I trained with him at a place called a yard this summer. Taught him a few things.

[Whitney]

Oh God. How's his L5S1?

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, it's great.

[Whitney]

Great.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, we weren't doing any like crazy jump squats. Bowen Byram. Is he going to, is he going to take that step? Is he going to be that, that guy that we kept hearing about when we were in Colorado, Owen Power? Is he gonna. I wanna, I wanna see Owen Power out there cross checking guys in the spleen.

[Whitney]

I wanted before that, you think he could be headman? You're like that guy could be Headman.

[Ryan Whitney]

I want, I want him to be Chris Pronger. I want him to just come in and be a killer. I want him with. I want him out there and warm up with the gag ball in his mouth, looking across a red line. I'm gonna get you.

[Whitney]

But like I see, I see it in your eyes.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what I want.

[Whitney]

It's.

[Keith]

It's kind of like Aaron Eckblad, like he got drafted first overall. Just like Power, they come in maybe trying to be a little too offensive, but look at what Aaron Ekblatt has turned his game into. Like, he's big, he's mean.

[Ryan Whitney]

Like elbowing people in the face for no fucking reason. I love it.

[Keith]

Power's gotta, he's gotta have that in his game biz. I agree with you 100%. If he brings that to his game, that changes their back end immensely.

[Whitney]

I like Kesselring too. Kesselring. It's kind of like a Rob Scuderi type biz. I'm talking, I'm pumping up their D.

[Ryan Whitney]

Army Was big on him. That. That was the move. That was who they got for JJ Paterka. Correct him and Doner.

[Whitney]

Yeah, for the Paterka. Paterka wanted out, but he was their best goal scorer. He was their best offensive threat. So when you say the roster's worst biz, I. I kind of agree with you. Goal scoring wise, at least I do. And maybe Owen Power turns into Darian Hatcher and you're sitting there and you're saying, look what I. Look at the voice I have in the hockey world. I just turned a. Maybe a softer, bigger, wannabe skilled player into a killer. He's got the ability, he's enormous, and he flies huge. So, Buffalo fans, we're thinking of you guys. Honestly.

[Ryan Whitney]

There we are.

[Keith]

We're thinking Bills, go.

[Whitney]

I think we all have them out of the playoffs. And you have the Bills. You have the Bills.

[Ryan Whitney]

What do you got? Last guy came in, I think he was injured last year. Torn Achilles, I believe it was. Maybe not maybe. I'm making that up. Jack Quinn.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And he signed. I think that's basically the deal that Evangelista signed. Like, that was.

[Ryan Whitney]

Show me something.

[Whitney]

Yeah, show me something. Quinn was drafted high, pretty high pick, and he lit up the AHL. At an age when you see a lot of 30, 40 goal scorers in the NHL, if they're in the AHL, they kind of pop off like that. So those are the two probably basement dwellers in the Atlantic, these three teams. That's where. That's where it gets interesting. The eyes are planned biz. The eyes are plan. It's. It's an interesting time in Detroit. I think they have some great young players who apparently look awesome in camp. You saw last year, like, I thought they were going to end up getting in two years ago, the. The magic that occurred on the last night of the season. And then this past year, you're just wondering, like, there's. They're missing one stud. They're kind of missing a game breaker now on D. I love cider. So can Edvinson take that big step? They were playing together. They were awesome together. Good enough that they had to be switched. They had to be moved apart. Right. Coaching changed and let. Let's make some changes here. So I love Larkin. I love to bring Cat. We'll see what Pat. Patrick Kane does. He's talking about, I want to make the Olympic team. Patty Kane. You never know. I mean, he's still very, very talented with the puck. He's producing points. Can he be even better? I don't know, though. I I, I, I don't think I have him getting in biz. Before you say anything, I don't know if there's that much of a difference.

[Keith]

There has Detroit wit. You said it. They need a game breaker. Have they found another diamond in the rough with a seventh round pick with Emmett Finney? All I'm hearing about in Detroit is this Emmett Finney. He is a game changer.

[Ryan Whitney]

The next Zetterberg and Datsu, they need a diamond in the rough. I think, I think personally that, that, that the ISER plan is not being rushed. They are young. They do have these guys in the pipeline who will evolve into great NHL players that will help them get into the playoffs. They did, I think, somewhat address goaltending. Can Gibson stay healthy? Right? Can we see the John Gibson in his prime we saw in Anaheim, but a guy who can play 55, 60 games and stay healthy. Okay. I'm hearing a lot about this Casper kid too. He had a decent start last year when he came up. Is he going to continue to evolve? I just continue to look at this roster though. It did get a little deeper. Like, I love that Appleton guy who came over from the Winnipeg Jets. I loved him in Winnipeg. I think he was part of that third line there for a hot minute. That Michael Rasmussen. I think that him is a fourth line center. I like that. That's huge. He's. And then so is Soder Blonde on the left side on that four.

[Whitney]

Talk about that mean he should.

[Keith]

Yes. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think that they got a little bit older. I think they got a little bit deeper. I think that they addressed the goaltending situation. I just don't think it's time. I don't think they make playoffs. I think they're going to be on that cusp. I don't want people to be like, oh, no, it's their time. It ain't. It ain't. The ISER plan's not being rushed. They're going to figure it out, but it's going to take a little bit more time. Game Buffalo. No, but it's going to take a little more time.

[Keith]

They got two, two capable goalies like Cam Talbot. He's a very good backup. Like he can win you some games. Bringing in James Van Reems, like he's going to get you 15 to 20 goals like a good veteran guy in the locker room. But I honestly think if they like, what's Eisenman's leash like? I know he said as long as we're not making playoffs, like it's still Part of the ISER plan. Like it's still part of the progress, but like, like, how long do you think his leash is, Biz?

[Ryan Whitney]

I think he could miss playoffs for another four years. Four, I think four. Who the you gonna hire to replace him? I don't think. I also don't. Who. Who the are they gonna send in to fire him? Who the hell. Who the hell's got the.

[Whitney]

He's like, can we talk? He's like, I'm busy right now. He's like, okay.

[Keith]

I'll get you in four years.

[Whitney]

Get you in three years. This Sandine Pelica from Sweden?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

I mean, let's see, let's see. Young but smooth like silk. That's a guy who could, you know, maybe at some point this year, all of a sudden he's like running the power play there. And you have cider. Cider's an absolute monster. He's never missed a game. I don't think so. I don't think he's ever missed a game. He gets over 40 points. He plays all the tough minutes, he has all the tough matchups. Like, like you have a stud there. Can he get to that next level? The level of where he's at, which is an awesome, like, true number two on a cup winning team. Can he turn in to a superstar? That's a huge difference. You guys. Know what I'm saying?

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. And, and it goes back to a tweet that I, I saw today. Like cider 24. Johansson 24, Raymond 23, Edmondson 22, Casper 21. Danielson 21, Pelica 20, Finney 20. And then this brand seg Nagard who they. They seem to love 20. So it's just. They're still so young.

[Whitney]

They're young, they're young. They're like, they're like, man, I kind of want to pick them to get in. Like, I want to get in same.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, then, then, then. Is Montreal getting in? I believe more in Montreal than I do the Detroit Red Wings.

[Whitney]

I've seen a lot of things about. I've seen a lot of. I've seen noise about people thinking Montreal will take a step back. Not there yet, but I got to pick right now if Detroit's in or out for the playoffs. Right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. What are you thinking?

[Whitney]

I'm switching my pick. Detroit's getting it.

[Matthew Nies]

Whoa.

[Whitney]

Hockey Town back. Hockeytown's back in the middle of the ice.

[Keith]

Is that what it says?

[Ryan Whitney]

You think Dylan Larkin and Iserman are going to. They're going to.

[Whitney]

They're going to bond I think Raymond is, I think Raymond's so nasty. I kind of like forgot that he just, he's on that trajectory. Yeah.

[Keith]

You didn't even say his name.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, I think it's just obvious. I just did. He's, yeah, he's 23 years old and I think, I think he's a 40 goal guy.

[Whitney]

Yeah, a dog on the ice too. Like, not a soft player. He's like in the mix. You always see him in scrums, you know, in front of the net. That's where, that's where you score goals, Biz. That's why I tell the kids, you want to score goals, you go to front of the net. Right?

[Keith]

Yeah, I, I, I think I'm with you, Whit. I, I'm with you. I think they get in, they address the goaltending situation. You look at their like unit one power play, like, that's a lethal, lethal power play. Unit like Raymond, Larin, Kane, DeBrinkat, cider. That's a lethal power play.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, so currently you have four teams in now, you guys, right?

[Keith]

Everyone in the league.

[Ryan Whitney]

And then we got Ottawa and Montreal still remaining.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And I don't love the Metro at all. They get three.

[Ryan Whitney]

The Metro's dog shit. Those are easy points.

[Whitney]

Yeah, you're right. I got to be careful here. I got to be careful. It ha. It actually has to be Detroit or Montreal and I guess I, no, not necessarily, though.

[Ryan Whitney]

Sorry to cut you off.

[Whitney]

You, no, no, Biz, you make a good point.

[Keith]

No, you do. Yeah, you make you think a little bit. I, I got the trade in. I'm not listening to you, Biz. I get the trade in.

[Whitney]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Do you want to change your mind?

[Whitney]

I might, I might. But I have. You know, we're still recording right now. As long as this, this episode's live and we're sitting here chatting it up. I can switch that.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay. Whatever you want till the end of the pod. All right, Fair enough.

[Whitney]

Ottawa boys. I watched the first, I think it was the first episode of the Amazon Face Off. Brady. God, that guy.

[Keith]

She loved that guy.

[Whitney]

I know. And him getting a taste of the playoffs after the Four nations, when he was the, the clip where Chuck says something like, this is what big games feel like. Brady in the locker room and he's like, I love, I love these games. And then he got him in the playoffs business. Leafs took care of him. But I, I, I like the team. I mean, I, I, I don't see a ton of change there, Biz. But you think that they could continue to even get better.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think they're going to be better than last year.

[Whitney]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

A hundred percent. I, I love him. I love that Zetterland pickup last year. I think he's going to continue to be a good asset for them. I love their middle of the ice. Lars Eller who is going to be playing fourth line center. It looks like they get the Pinto parlay at third line center. That handsome bastard Dylan the I. The Norris and cousin Swap was a game changer for me. I love that for Cousins. Right. I think that he's got way more to give on a team that that like that is. Is. Is playoff bound and it's not. Not really sucking the life out of him. And I just. You saw. And he's willing to fight for his teammates. You saw him drop the gloves. I believe it was in preseason last year. Maybe it was the year before. Like he's a fucking gamer. Timmy Stutzel, I think he's 100 point player this year. I, I think Timmy Stu is going to be on a rocket ship. And then they're strong on the wings, man. They got guys like David Perron, Stanley cup champion. He's a power play specialist. Absolute gamer. Yeah. Is he maybe lost a half a step? Who gives a fuck Dude.

[Keith]

Still he's got the.

[Ryan Whitney]

He's got the brains.

[Whitney]

Could chuck the third line.

[Ryan Whitney]

That really. That Ridley Gray kicks a piece of. I love him. And then you got. You know who they followed up with on the left side on the fourth line? Another piece of Nick Cousins. They got a lot of that whole left side, man. Brady, Kachuk, Peron, Ridley, Greg and Cousins. Those guys are a fucking pain in the ass to play against. And then you got Sanderson, who's a year more mature. I thought that that Zoop kid. I love him. Good shutdown guy. And then that Jensen, a very underrated pickup that they got from Washington a few years back. And then Shabbat, man. I think Shabbat slotted in perfectly on that left side. Now as the. As that, that. That fourth guy really on that back end. He doesn't need to be the main guy offensively. So overall. And then they got Omar. We know what all Mark can bring. I know that there was a period of time last year where the fans were getting a little bit frustrated when he started shitting the bed. But he found his game and I think that that will Continue. This is 100%. I'm putting my biz stamp of approval. I actually think that all seven Canadian teams are going to make The Stanley cup playoffs this year. You got the biz stamp of approval right there. 100% guaranteed. Ottawa's in.

[Whitney]

So you got, you got. Wow. All right, so you get the three Atlantic and then you have Ottawa. You do not have Detroit. And then I presume you're, you're taking Montreal to get in again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Listen, that's the one that I'm, I'm a 50 50. But once we get the double barrel.

[Whitney]

Stamp of approval, you just.

[Ryan Whitney]

I gave it, I, I gave it for, for Ottawa. But I'm going to listen to what Eric Ingalls has to say, give Montreal the double wrister and I'm sure he's going to solidify my answer. And the fact that every Canadian team will be represented in the Stanley cup playoffs this year.

[Big Cs]

Oh, Canada.

[Whitney]

Last thing about Ottawa, I love their left side. That monster Clavin, remember him in that series against Toronto? He's a mutant, right, Cliff? And then that Jordan Spence from LA is pretty good, so. And you know, this Sanderson kid is disgusting. He's unbelievable to watch. And biz, yeah, they're a hell of a team. I have him getting in, I guess the third. Looking at the third line of Pinto, Parle, Giroud and Ridley Gregg, whether that ends up being it or not. Like if that was it. If you have the top two lines producing and then they're coming at you, that's pretty sick. So what does all Mark have? Keith in or out?

[Keith]

I got the man. And until watching that Amazon prime thing last night and seeing the taste in the malt that Brady Tkachuk has in Sanderson as well. Like he came in late to that four nations tournament, right? He put. He only played two games, I think, right?

[Whitney]

Yeah, yeah. No, Was it just the final?

[Keith]

Did you just play in the final? But like he's another guy. I've been told by hall of Fame players that he is going to be a Norris Trophy winner one day. Like you said Biz, he's going to take that next step this year, running the power play, being the number one guy, being hungry to make the USA team. I love this team. I think they're going to have a whole lot of snarl in their game just because of what Brady could chuck. You saw with him on the Amazon, Doc, like, like this guy, all he wants to do is win hockey games, be a piece of shit on the ice and then be the best dad in the world at home. Like he's got it figured out. Like I love them. Couldn't be more excited to watch this team actually. Like, they. They look like they're going to be playing hard for 82 games, and I. I do. I got them in.

[Whitney]

All right, I think it's time to go over to the Montreal then, and bring in our guy, Eric Engles. This guy loves the habs.

[Ryan Whitney]

We should run a disclaimer for this guy, too, though.

[Whitney]

Disclaimer. Pasha style.

[Ryan Whitney]

This is Gary Lawless territory.

[Whitney]

Stand up. He's got his Demodov undies on.

[Eric Engels]

I got my Almond Brothers T shirt on.

[Whitney]

What's going on, Eric? How you doing?

[Eric Engels]

You guys are hilarious.

[Ryan Whitney]

You look like you're in better shape. You've been chucking the weights.

[Whitney]

Yeah, a lot.

[Ryan Whitney]

A lot of pickleball rights, buddy. You're ready to go. You're ready for another. Another season of playoffs, aren't you?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, we'll see what it does to me.

[Ryan Whitney]

Bob, let's talk about this team. You were. You. You were one of the few people in media who basically guaranteed that they were going to make playoffs last year. You must feel the same way after everybody's a year more mature. Martin St. Louise had a little bit extra time to. To work his magic there. Where do you feel this team lies heading into this season?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, well, going back to last year, I made two predictions, and I was 50% right. One of them was a kind of joke prediction that they would make the class because I figured they'd be around two points in or two points out, and that's just exactly where they ended up. And I figured I'd be the only genius who would say that they'd be in if they made it. The other prediction was they'd finish ahead of Ottawa, and that ended up being dead wrong. Although it was close for a long time there. Coming to this year, I just see a more mature group for the Montreal Canadiens, you know, driven by Marty St. Louis. You know, they. They said all along, since Jeff Gordon and Kent Hughes came in here, that a rebuild is never linear, that development is never linear. The one thing that's been extremely linear is the way Martin St. Louis has laid the path for the Canadiens to become a team that understands how to win games. And I think when you go through that experience of this young core growing together and they understand all those elements that go into it, playing kind of a riskless game, they've got enough skill to take advantage of their chances. They become a less fun team to play against and understandably have started to figure out what it takes to win games. And it took really falling on their faces to start last season. They had the worst record the first six weeks of the season. And I think it reinforced St. Louis point to them that, like, you're not going to do this running and gunning and trying to outscore teams. They're. They're going to crush you. And that happened several times on home ice, which is not what you want to see happen at the Bell Center. You definitely don't want to be on the other side of that as a player. And I think they learned their lessons and grew up together. I see a lot of kids in this camp, you know, they're in that age range of 23 to 25 that they really. It really feels like they've grown up like Arbor Jack Guy is like number one guy on that list for me. Kirby Doc is another guy, obviously two injury played seasons, but he's like grown up a lot, matured off the ice. And I think that is probably the biggest reason to believe in them this year. That said, you guys were just talking about the Atlantic Division and how crazy it is. Nobody even mentioned Buffalo. Yeah.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, we did. They sucked.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I came in late. I came into the conversation about Detroit and whether or not they'd make it. I think I'd have Montreal and Ottawa ahead of them. But who knows that that's. They've got some unheralded young defensemen in Detroit that I think are going to make some noise this year.

[Whitney]

All right. I think a guy who could make an enormous difference is. Is bullduke. Cause you see in St. Louis had a nice year and it was actually one of those perfect deals where Montreal could use a young scorer and St. Louis needed a young defenseman and Logan Mayu goes there. It makes total sense. Do you think Bolduc gets top six minutes? Do you think he can. Is a guy that can get 25 goals and I guess it depends on his power play usage. Like where do you see him fitting in there? Because that's getting a guy who's already proven he could score in the NHL. He's a French kid, so you know, that can sometimes hurt him a little bit if he isn't playing well, I think. But it could also kind of elevate his game and. And his status in the city if he is lighting it up.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I think he's a great addition for the Canadiens and that he scored 19 goals a rookie in this league and he's 22 and he's fits right in with the core of this team. The other thing is, aside from the fact that he can put the puck in the net, especially from the bumper position on power play, he plays with some balls. Like, it's not like the Canadiens were the toughest team in the league last year. We saw what happened when they ran into Washington and you know, I think they stood their ground in the end. But those first couple of games they practically got ran out of the rig. So adding a guy like Bullduke who plays a direct, hard style of game, you know, they could use him and they could use more of that. And I think that's why Florian Jack, I got such a long look in this training camp. He proved that he's not that far off from playing in the NHL and he's much closer to it than anybody would have assumed when he was drafted 101st overall as an overager. So I, I, I think when you look at those types of players and, and that's like the complementary piece to what this young talented group needs. And I, I, I, I really like what I saw from Bullduke. As each day goes along, I think you guys know what it's like to join another team and learn a new system and learn new line mates and be in a new market and all that stuff. And it's, I think it's particularly challenging to do when you're young in your career. But the progression I saw from him through camp and he suffered a little minor injury that I don't think will prevent him from starting the season on time. You could see towards the end of the last game that he played like he was, he was showing exactly what type of player he is. And that, that to me is a player that's going to really get, really going to help the Canadians.

[Keith]

My biggest question for the Canadians going in is goaltending. But Dobus Doba, is that how you say Dovish? He's been amazing all camp. No, like, is he a guy, is he going to get more, is he going to get more playing time? He wasn't great last year. He's a big guy, athletic guy. Like if he can give you 30, 40 games like in play, well, that's a huge advantage for you guys.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, Monte Bow's pretty much got the net right.

[Eric Engels]

Montebo's got the net. Dovish started his career with, I think it was five wins in a row in the games like Florida and Colorado. He's part of that heater that the Canadians were on post Christmas where they had this insane road trip where they played the last four Stanley cup champions and beat them all and they lost the one game they lost on that five game trip. Was to Chicago, and they had. They put up like 44 shots on. On that. Probably should have won that game. All to say, Dobish had an electric start and then, you know, regulated a little bit.

[Matthew Nies]

He's.

[Eric Engels]

He's a little all over the place. He's super competitive, though. He's a. He's a battler. I think guys like to play for a guy like that, and it's kind of the perfect position for him to come in. He didn't allow a goal in preseason. I don't know. I don't think that's predictive of anything, but it shows that, you know, he was coming in with a bit of a battle with Kakkonen coming in behind him, and it was like, hey, you're just a kid. We can send you down without waivers. You better show it. And he did. And he's got a. He's got a great, like, attitude about him. He's got some. He's got some. How do I.

[Matthew Nies]

How would I put it?

[Eric Engels]

Like, he's. He's got swagger. He's got swagger, the kid. And. And to be able to push a guy like Monteboke, who has really progressed year over year with the Canadiens, I think that only helps. Montebo's proven to be a really solid goal. He was a guy who, when he came to Montreal, people were like, this guy's not an NHL goaltender. To. A year later, those same fans were begging for him to become the starter. So I think they've got a good mix in net behind them. They got Jacob Fowler, who I think might be one of the best goaltenders not in the NHL, and he's going to get some key professional experience. And even with Capo Kakkonen coming in, he had great run with Florida's minor.

[Matthew Nies]

League affiliate all the way to the.

[Eric Engels]

Calder cup finals last year. He's got some NHL experience as a safety net to bring Fowler along in the ahl. But also, if you have a bit of a, you know, a lag for a guy like Dobish and he doesn't step up and play those 35 games or whatever it is, you know, he could be down in the minors and Kakan could be coming back up. So I think it's good depth that they didn't otherwise have. Had they not made that move.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think the. The Mayu trade makes a lot of sense. Probably knowing they were going to try to get Noah Dobson. I guess maybe I was a little surprised because I feel like, at least early in his career, I don't want to say one dimensional because that. That insults the defensive game, but maybe a lot more upside offensively than defensively and don't really know how that works in with the power play situation. Considering you have Lane Hudson, how do you feel like that's going to impact the team? And did you like that move, bringing him in and paying him what they paid him?

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, it's like you said, they knew they were getting Dobson. You're trading from a surplus position on the right side of your defense to go get something that you desperately need up front. It's not like the Canadians are a complete team up front. Even Demidoc playing the full season this year. Bullduke comes in, brings those elements that we talked about before. Mayu, I think, is on his way to a very solid career in St. Louis. I think he needs that Runway to be able to prove that he. His floor is at the right place so that you can play him enough. And I think that's going to take some games. Like you're going to have to allow him to make a few mistakes. And so he builds up the feeling as though those aren't going to have him park on the bench. And I think a guy like Jim Montgomery is only going to help him. He's got snarl in his game. He's got edge. He's a good kid who went through a lot of things, you know, prior to arriving in Montreal and really grew up and was forced to grow up. He missed a lot of game time because of his situation, but also injuries. And, you know, when you had Reinbacker coming up on the right side for Montreal and you've got Dobson in and you've got Gooley there and you've got Jack Eye and Alex Carrier. You're trading from a surplus to be able to address a need. And I, I think, you know, you look at the Canadiens defense, I talked about the maturity level of that young core and that being a main reason to believe in Montreal's playoff chances. Look at the defense like you have Matheson and Dobson, you've got Hudson and Guli, and on your third pair, you've got Jack Eye and Carrie. And Jack Eye, for me, is the standout at this camp like he has become. His camp was so good in the way he played. He's way faster, way more mature, processing speed a lot quicker. A similar kind of process defensively that he's gone through that Mayu will. Will have in front of him now because he's not the same, but he's got some of those elements he can fight, he can do all the physical stuff, and he can really play. So, like, Alex Carrier, like, I don't. I don't know what the hell happened that he ended up in Montreal on a trade that nobody had on the radar for Justin Baron. That guy, if you put him as a number four on three quarters of the teams in the league, he's not just like, there. He's a good one. So that defense is deep. It's good. Jaden Struble starting on the outside, looking in like, he's a solid NHL defense bin, that's. That's a big reason to believe the Canadiens could continue on the path they started on last year.

[Ryan Whitney]

But just go back to the Dobson, like. Like, h. How do you think that's going to work out offensively? Like, he's typically an offensive defenseman. Like, well, how many reps will he actually be getting on. On the power play when you have a guy like Lane Hudson? And Whit was also wondering, like, what? Like, what? Why didn't he sign? Like, why? You know, you see, like, a guy like Luke Hughes sign, you see Jackson Lacombe, why didn't Lane Hudson ink a contract?

[Whitney]

Or would you have. Would you have offered him 8 times 9?

[Eric Engels]

I think that's a. I think it's a very reasonable deal for Lane Hudson at this stage. Like, I think there's a lot, like, a lot of fans are like, pay him whatever he wants. Like, he's amazed. He is amazing. Does anybody deny the fact that he's amazing? It's 66 points tied Larry Murphy for the record for NHL defenseman as a rookie. You know, he's an incredible player. The thing is, the way the NHL works is when leverage is on your side, you get a great deal. And when it's not on your side, you. And you're offered that type of security. I think it's a great deal that would set them up. If it's eight times nine, and that's where it ends up, you know, if it's 8 times 9.1. If it's 8 times 8.9, whatever it is, like, I think that's a reasonable place for Lane Hudson to end up. He gets a ton of bank, and when he comes out of that contract at 29 years old, he's going to sign one of the most lucrative contracts in history if. If, you know, he stays healthy. And if he doesn't, well, he'll have set up 10 generations of his family. It is a negotiation. Like, that's how it goes. You asked me about Dobson biz, the power play spread. I think the Canadians are just happy to finally have two units. Like a year ago, if you looked at their second unit, I think they got three or four goals out of that for the entire season. Now you've got a unit where Dobson and Lyney are playing and you got another one where Hudson, Demidov, Caulfield and Suzuki are playing and you've got guys like Gallagher and Doc and New and Bullduke, and there's a mix there where if you're not going on any given night, you may not be the first power play unit. It's, it's almost equally weighted line. I had 15 power play goals last year and I think, you know, we've seen some signs, we saw some, some negative signs, but we've seen some signs that the 5 on 5 game might come up a bit for him, which would enable him to gain the confidence to be able to contribute, not just on the power play. So let's see how it goes.

[Keith]

We, I mean, we talked about it earlier, like there really isn't that many second unit power plays. Majority of the teams, the first units taking a minute 20, you're getting the pockets getting sent down, you're getting 20 seconds maybe on. So I think a lot of it's going to have to be with Dobson being okay with that biz and like not getting pissed off and being like, why am I not on the first power play?

[Ryan Whitney]

That's where it's a little bit difficult because like you're, you're acquiring a guy where that's part of why you're getting them. But then yet he's not able to get the reps as to what you're kind of paying them for. Right. So that, that to me was, was where the question mark was where, where what they have in Lane Hudson and then why you would acquire Noah Dobson? Like that's assuming though, they're paying him because they expect him to be a little bit better defensively and a little bit more well rounded. Is that, is that the case? Have they talked about maybe where, where he was defensively or are they not concerned about that?

[Eric Engels]

Listen, I, I think it's a fair question. I'm wondering, when do you guys air this? What time on Monday? Do you hear this?

[Ryan Whitney]

6:00Am Morning, 6:00am yeah.

[Matthew Nies]

Okay.

[Eric Engels]

By the time this airs, it will not have happened. But I'm sitting down with Marty St. Louis tomorrow, so I'm gonna ask him what he, what he's looking for as far as a dynamic is concerned on Power play and how he keeps everybody. Like you guys know the dynamic within a room better than anybody.

[Ryan Whitney]

Keeping everybody happy. Right? A lot of mouths to feed.

[Whitney]

But if you got paid, if Dobson got that money and you know, at least for him, he's not on the first power play once you're paid. If I don't, I don't feel like it bothers guys as much. Maybe I'm completely.

[Keith]

Still want to live up to it though. You still want to live up to the money.

[Eric Engels]

To the other side and, and you're exactly right an because if you're no adoption and you just took the most expensive contract in Montreal and you come over here and you're coming off not a down season, but a season that was down for a 70 point season year before that. Like you think Montreal fans are extremely patient with guys who make $9.5 million in year one of an eight year deal. Like he's got to get his opportunities and, and St. Louis is a big believer that confidence is built on the power play. Like it translates directly to how you're gonna play at five on five. I, I'm, I think and I can't say for sure because I haven't sat down with him yet. I think the dynamic he wants to create is major competition and be like, you know, you're throwing Suzuki, Hudson, Caulfield, Demidov on the ice and if they're not sharp on like the first reps of the night, they're the second power play unit for the night. So like, you know, ideally you get more than one power play in a.

[Ryan Whitney]

Game, but I think Lane Hudson's old man will be barking from the what about it?

[Whitney]

What about the tinfoil hat theory that you give Dobson a go, you hope the first power play lights it up, then the numbers aren't there and then you're like wow, on Hudson's deal. Hey Lane, there's five. We're gonna look at it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Evangelista contract, little bridge.

[Whitney]

All right. Angles for a while now there's birdies chirping that Montreal's like looked into trading for a second line center. If Kirby Doc if, if he's able to put it all together and stay healthy. The poor guy, he came on our show, I think after his rookie year, great dudes dropping F bumps didn't give a shit. He's been crushed by the injury buck like every year it's something. So I, I like him a lot. I'm rooting for him. If he were to be able to live up to what you thought of him as a 19 year old, maybe you're not hearing rumors of needing a second line center there. Would you agree?

[Eric Engels]

I would say this about Kirby. I think Kirby is extremely motivated and, and I'm personally, I believe in Kirby. You know, I sat down with him at the beginning of the training camp because I wanted to talk to him and, and get. Give him an opportunity to tell his story of what he's been through.

[Matthew Nies]

Right.

[Eric Engels]

He tears his ACL MCL in the second game of season where he looked like he was going to explode and then he rehabs the whole thing, comes back last year, plays, you know, 50 odd games and tears the ACL on the same knee. Like if you could imagine what that's like mentally, let alone physically, it's a God had to have been unbearable. But when I said that, you know, Jack Guy and the rest of the Canadians and Kirby are guys that have really like grown up, he really learned from those experiences. You know, I sat down with him last year in the middle of the year when he was struggling before he got hurt and I just said, did you give yourself the best opportun to have a, you know, to come back from the ACL MCL injury? Like did you have the proper summer that would enable you, even though you knew you were going to lag at the beginning of the season to. To get it together and refind your rhythm and. And he said no, like I just didn't treat it the way I needed to. And he came back on that when I sat with him at the beginning of this training camp and said I.

[Whitney]

Learned a lot from that.

[Eric Engels]

He also learned, and this is something probably for Alex Barkov to keep in mind because he just tore his ACL MCL. Kirby said that from weeks eight to 14 in his first rehab, he felt physically good enough to start pushing it again. And that was a critical time for healing to happen and not be pushing it. There's a certain fusion that needs to happen with a knee reconstruction that if you push it at a certain point in that rehab from the weeks 8 to 14, you're risking that area not strengthening the way it needs to. And that happened to him the first time and it slowed down his rehabilitation, his ability to train properly in the summer and get back to what he wanted to be. So he learned from that the second time. He took it easy during those weeks. He pushed extremely hard during the summer. He's in the best shape that he has been in since he came to Montreal. If he plays with the types of guys that he's set to play with right now, and it should be, I think Zach Balduke and Brendan Gallagher start. They're two direct guys to give him an opportunity to find his timing back. Will he inevitably end up with Demidov, maybe even line a 2? I think it's not dead. It's that that's how camp started. It didn't look good in one game. They changed it up, but we'll see. Now, the other side of your question, and sorry to be so long winded about it, is what's going to happen with Sidney Crosby Now? I'm a believer that Sidney Crosby can end up in Montreal.

[Whitney]

Wow. I think if he played anywhere, it would be Montreal Ingles.

[Eric Engels]

I believe the Canadians clip it. G Love would love to make it happen. And I believe that anybody else that's in the race for Sidney Crosby can't necessarily give up as much as the Canadians would to take care of Pittsburgh. But two things need to happen. One, the Canadians need to be good, and two, the Penguins need to be really bad. So we'll see where that goes. I think regardless of what happens with Kirby this year or Alex Newhook, who's in that kind of middle six opportunity, same as Kirby is, if Sid's available. I don't think either of those guys are going to be like, no, no, no, I got this. Like, yeah.

[Whitney]

Hey, the headline biz is crosby for. For 2C in Montreal. They got their second line center.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah. I don't know if we'd label them 2C here.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't describe. I don't discuss the Crosby rumors. I've. I'm. I'm. I've put myself above that.

[Eric Engels]

I have one theory on Crosby and why he'd stay in Pittsburgh, and it's got nothing to do with the loyalty factor. Like, this guy's used the same jock strap for his entire career. He's, like, worn the same crusty hat since he got drafted.

[Big Cs]

I agree.

[Ryan Whitney]

That's what his hockey DB looks like.

[Eric Engels]

Is he looking to upend his entire routine and a new. Like, maybe he could wrap his mind around it for the opportunity to not only, like, chase winning again, but do it in a place where he is a God. He's already gotten Pittsburgh, but he.

[Whitney]

He.

[Eric Engels]

He would come to Montreal and not just be up on the bandwagon of. Of a Stanley cup contender. He would be a huge part of driving that with a guy like Ivan Demidov next to him. And I think you guys have an idea of what that player is going to look like if you don't you might want to tune into some Montreal games this year.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, some big words.

[Keith]

Speaking of Demondov, I heard him in what the. His name there, Kapanen. I heard they've had some crazy. Like, they look unbelievable together. You think we'll see them together at any point? I know it's two young guys to put on a line, might not be able to do it, but I heard their, their connection is off the charts right now.

[Whitney]

Yeah, I don't.

[Eric Engels]

I don't know if it's off the charts, but they're going to start together playing with new hook. Kapanen is like a super heady 22 year old kid. Grew up in the Swedish league and put up some big points there. His play away from the puck is much more mature than 22 years old, which is the reason why he made this team before the final game was even played. To the point that St. Louis was like, I don't need to see this line again. Like, we're good. Pretty rare to have that happen in a training camp, let alone a place like Montreal, where the expectations are always up and up and up. That kid's a really smart player. He has great abilities with the puck, but to be able to execute it at this level, he needs the repetition. So it's still. The jury's still out because their camp was so competitive that some of the kids they sent down, whether it's Owen Beck or Florian Jack Guy who brings a totally different dimension to the game. Like if Kapanen stumbles out of the gate, I'm not sure how long his Runway will be like, that's kind of the competition and depth that's been created in Montreal. And I still think, though the kid plays a great two way game, he's got a really good head for the game. And if his touches become more confident, which I don't see why they wouldn't, playing with a guy like Demidov, who's going to put him in those positions. I think he'll be here today.

[Ryan Whitney]

My last one is you gave us two hot takes last year and we're right on one of them. What are your three Montreal hot takes for this?

[Eric Engels]

Crosby.

[Keith]

He just gave the one Crosby.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, no, aside from that. We don't talk the rumors on this podcast.

[Whitney]

We do. We do.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't.

[Whitney]

That's from a man who's created thousands of them. Eric.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah, I'm a new man.

[Eric Engels]

It's not really a hot take to suggest Demonov's gonna win the Calder, is it?

[Whitney]

Back to back wow.

[Keith]

Canadians back to back.

[Eric Engels]

Never happened after not having a Calder winner in Montreal since Ken Dryden. Rest in peace. Lane Hudson wins it and Demodov becomes second guy. I guess we could qualify it as hot take, right? There's some good competition for Demon.

[Ryan Whitney]

I think that's a big time hot take. I love it. I love it.

[Whitney]

Okay.

[Matthew Nies]

I wouldn't say.

[Eric Engels]

It'S practically a cold take.

[Whitney]

It's warm. Warm. Take this.

[Keith]

Yeah, he's +1.85 to win it.

[Eric Engels]

I'll take Montreal in the playoffs over Detroit, Buffalo, and I can't put them ahead of Ottawa this year, unfortunately.

[Ryan Whitney]

Okay, that's a semi lukewarm hot take as well, Vince.

[Eric Engels]

Fans will have to wait to roast me. Yeah, but, like, look at the East. Like, are Jersey and New York going to miss the playoffs this year after last year?

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't think so.

[Whitney]

Who.

[Ryan Whitney]

Who will be who. Who will have the most amount of goals for the Montreal Canadiens this year?

[Eric Engels]

Paul Caulfield.

[Ryan Whitney]

Cole Caufield.

[Eric Engels]

No question about it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Does he make the U.S. olympic team?

[Eric Engels]

I think the U.S. olympic team, you know, it's pretty hard to move anybody out of place from what we saw at four nations, but I think their emphasis on size hurts Cole. The one thing I would say is when scouting was done before the tournament last time around for the four nations, like, Cole was firing the puck into the net, but his complete game wasn't where we expected to be based on the development he had year prior his second half of the season. Like, if you watch this kid play, it was not. Not just about the goals.

[Whitney]

He.

[Eric Engels]

He really plays a complete game and he wins most of his puck battles. For a guy who's undersized, I think if he starts that way this year, he gives himself the best opportunity to be on what, the best version of Team USA ever. Like, it's a hell of a team to try and crack. I. I think if he doesn't make it, it's just because they're obsessed with the size factor. And I don't blame them for being that way because I think we know, you know, what. What wins. When it comes to must win type of hockey, I just think Cole plays a lot bigger than he is, and I. If it were me picking the team, I would give him a really serious look.

[Whitney]

Rookie of the year odds just quickly. Demidov plus 185. The next closest is Z. Bouilliam at plus or 12 to 1. So Biz, like, not really a hot take. I think everyone kind of thinks he's Going to get it done. Snuggeroods also 12 to 1. Mises 14 to 1. Isaac Howard 16 to 1. Oh, and Pasha's boy grits you 40 to 1.

[Eric Engels]

The hot take is if. If the Canadiens are good and the Penguins are brat are bad, Crosby comes here and the Canadians finish ahead of the Leafs in the standings.

[Ryan Whitney]

Oh, you fucking asshole.

[Whitney]

You got.

[Ryan Whitney]

You've been work. You've been chucking weights and playing pickleball, and now you're getting fucking tough, eh?

[Whitney]

All right.

[Ryan Whitney]

You keep my fucking Leafs out of your goddamn mouth, all right?

[Keith]

I thought he doesn't talk about the Leafs wit.

[Whitney]

No, never. Eric.

[Keith]

What? How long of a leash do you think Lione has? Because you saw it towards the end of the year last year. He's got. Got scrat little bit. Not on the power play. Like how long do you think his leash is short?

[Eric Engels]

Listen, this guy put up 20 goals last year. He blew out his knee in the first preseason game he played. He went through a lot. He fell back in love with the game. He had a good summer in NHL summer, a summer where you're on the ice a lot and you're working out in the gym. It's what you expect of a player who makes a good amount of money and has the type of talent he has. The game for him needs to be simplified. He needs to play it directly. He needs to play it it within the construct of what St. Louis expects to see from his team. It's. It's making ordinary, simple plays. Marty's been talking about it ad nauseam. Like, make the simple plays, do the ordinary things so that you get the opportunity when it. When you get the opportunity to be extraordinary, you can take advantage of it, but you're not hurting our team. Like the way this team has to run right now, based on where they've come to in their development of what's expected of them in this city. You can't be coloring on your own page. You can't be doing it your own way. Like, you play the way the team needs you to or you don't play. And that's. I think that message was already sent to Patrick Line in this training camp. He went from a line with Kirby Dock and Ivan Demidov to one playing with Joe Valeno and Owen Beck. I'm not sure where he's starting the season. We've got some practices to go, and I believe, based on some of the actions I've seen from L on the ice, that the message has been received. If he plays the right way. If he plays the simple way, if he gives the puck to what will be elite playmakers, if he plays with a guy like Demonov and gets himself in a position to shoot it, he's gonna be just fine. No one expects that he's gonna be the best 5 on 5 player on the team, but he's got to do the non negotiable parts of the game in order to get that ice time. And then, you know, he's unbelievable on the power play. I mean, who's, who's going to take anything away from what this guy can do on a power play? He's absolutely elite. And having a right handed shot like Dobson passing it to him or having Hudson his creativity or Demidoff and his creativity to suck guys in and then throw it over to his side if he shoots it, if he gets a clean look, you don't even need to scream he's going to score. So play the five on five game and you'll get your chances on the power play. But that leash is going to be short. And not just for him. For every player on this team.

[Whitney]

Eric Engels, hot take of the century. Crosby took the Canadians and finishing above the Leafs. Thank you very much for coming on. We'll catch up with you soon for sure. And they are a fun team to watch. I love watching games at the Bell center, so that won't change. We'll see you later.

[Eric Engels]

Yeah, I don't, guys, honestly, I don't know how great the Canadiens will be this year. I know they're going to be super entertaining and I think we're going into an era where they're going to be one of the, if not the most compelling team in Canada because what they'll have going on with Ottawa's rivalry is going to be incredible. They'll be right there. So it's, it's gonna, it's fun times ahead for Montreal fans.

[Keith]

Any.

[Ryan Whitney]

All right, let's go, baby.

[Keith]

Love it.

[Ryan Whitney]

Thank you so much.

[Whitney]

I mean, yeah, it doesn't even mention the Leafs in terms of rivalry. Just brings up the Ottawa rivalry.

[Keith]

Well, probably because of what happened in preseason.

[Whitney]

Guys, I, I, I'm, as of now, I'm, I'm going with Detroit over Montreal.

[Keith]

He might have made me flip.

[Whitney]

Well, yeah, if Crosby gets traded there, we can replay this, we can edit it and we can have those guys getting in. That was, that was, that would be a wild, wild day on the Internet if Sidney Crosby went to the Montreal Canadiens biz, did you end up getting out to see Gavin McKenna live.

[Ryan Whitney]

I didn't. No, I drove. I drove three straight days and I was pretty tired, especially on Thursday night. I slept in my car. I was. I slept in my car for four hours. Yeah, I had a haircut booked and it was the only one I could get in before I go on TNT and I needed to like clean myself up. I had a full beard and, and tough salad so I had to get to see my guy. And then I was just tired and then I figured I'd just keep up online and everything is advertised. I mean holy man, he can make plays under pressure so calm. Just the way that he positions himself in the offensive zone where he just. Even that pass he made over to the, the far side guy who ended up scoring that goal like just a little, little touch right. Wasn't much the one play on the power play. He didn't even end up getting assist on. He was like the left pointman and he has a guy coming barreling down on him where you know, I would have fired it down the wall the minute that guy started getting his boots. And then the guy ends up stopping up a little bit and he didn't panic. He just makes a little play down on the half wall to the next guy and they ended up going tic tac toe into the back of the net. So just very, very impressive and a couple nice apples on the Friday game and then ends up getting the game winner on Saturday with under two minutes left on that power play on the far side. So remarkable young talent and I loved the, the chippiness from him. I'd never seen any clips of him joshing at fans in junior. I think in junior he was the top dog where people just more came to watch him play and marveled at him. Where you get these college crowds with these college kids and they know that he's got a target on his back so they're just chirping them non stop overrated. So he gave it right back the same way I Talked about Rory McElroy shoving it up up all the Americans Fans hoops. Gavin McKenna came to ASU and at the Mullet arena left giving the double barrel just like Rory did. So shout out to Gavin McKenna. Everything is advertised in the first two games and I hope he continues his success and he will be first overall pick.

[Whitney]

I'm very curious, Keith, quickly, where were you parked when you slept in your car?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, like, just like you pull over. There was like a, like a, like a road on the side of the.

[Keith]

Highway of the Ritz.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, it was just More about how I, like, I ran out of time. Like, I knew I had to be back to Arizona for 9:40. So it's like, why would I bought. And by the way, like, where I am on the highway, there's like. Like once you get to a certain point, like, it's like near Page, Arizona, like, a little past that. You're kind of like in the middle.

[Keith]

Of the desert that rides a nightmare.

[Ryan Whitney]

It's a bit of a nightmare. So I just figured I'll pull over, sleep for three, four hours, and then get up and then power through. So I ended up getting home just in time to get to my haircut.

[Keith]

So your guy. Your guy couldn't have pushed your haircut back a couple hours?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, like, he's booked up solid. Like, he just like, he's just like, all right, what time you got available? And like, Like, I don't expect them to work around me. It's just like, hey, what time do you have available? 9:40. Be here then. Okay, see you then. So.

[Whitney]

No, I know you would never expect it, but if you were like, hey, do you have noon or anything? I bet you he'd help you out. Right? But.

[Ryan Whitney]

But yeah, I.

[Whitney]

That. That would have kind. That kind of freaked me out a little bit, I think, soloing my car off the highway in the middle of the desert.

[Ryan Whitney]

Well, yeah. You lock the door. You lock the door. You don't leave the door unlocked to. Come on.

[Keith]

You had the windows down to save money.

[Whitney]

I know. You locked up the door.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, I slept in the cab in the back. I put a blowup mattress back there.

[Whitney]

Used his shirts hung up as his blanket.

[Ryan Whitney]

I drove. I drove through Boseman and then. And then drove and then stopped in Jackson for a night. That was nice. I. I got to see my neighbor there. And yeah, I love. I love driving through there.

[Whitney]

What you listen to most of the ride.

[Ryan Whitney]

Lot of silence. Lot of silence. Thinking or raw dogging. And then Oasis. I've been on Oasis Kick since playing with Con man at the Chicklets Cup. Con man loves Oasis. Con Man.

[Keith]

Seen him seven times.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, no.

[Whitney]

Unless they haven't played together in years, right?

[Keith]

Yeah, they just.

[Ryan Whitney]

He went this year.

[Keith]

He's seen them.

[Ryan Whitney]

No, he's seen them four. He went to Toronto, back to back shows, and he actually opened up. It went to the opening shows in Cardiff. Yeah, he went to their. Their big rugby stadium there, which I've actually been. I went to a. I went to a Samoa and Wales rugby game there.

[Whitney]

That was probably a hell of an.

[Ryan Whitney]

Environment or maybe it was England. Samoa in England. It was awesome. It was awesome. Oh, yeah.

[Keith]

Wait, who did you say first? Samoa and who?

[Whitney]

Wales.

[Ryan Whitney]

I thought it was Samoan Wales, but it was actually Samoa in England. In Wales. That's where the game was hosted.

[Whitney]

This was. Are those the All Blacks?

[Ryan Whitney]

No, Samoa. The Samoans are. Are very close, but not. But. But a lot of the same. I think there's a decent amount of Samoans on the All Blacks, which is in New New Zealand. They. Those are. Those are the guys where they do the haka. Yeah. Like, you don't want to end up in a bar scrap against those guys. They are just built different. They don't need the coke to get coke tough either. They just have a couple pops and they are built like a brick shithouse. They. You know that. What's the. What's the football thing where you do like in the hole where they just run at each other?

[Whitney]

Yeah. You start on your. I think you do a push up or you roll over. Do a push up Oklahoma drill. Okay.

[Ryan Whitney]

I'd rather. I'd rather go head to head with my F250 than go head to head with a Samoan guy. Let's just put it.

[Whitney]

Hey, speaking of. Of football and. And bad, I guess. Bad. Bad being down. Real bad weekends, did you see the Mark Sanchez story? Have you read this bitch?

[Ryan Whitney]

Very bizarre.

[Whitney]

Very bizarre.

[Ryan Whitney]

What happened with that one? I don't know. And. And. And he obviously was probably pretty intoxicated. Did you read the story about how it all transpired?

[Whitney]

I've read parts where, I mean, he attacked the Uber driver, I believe. Pepper spray.

[Ryan Whitney]

It wasn't an Uber driver.

[Whitney]

It wasn't an Uber.

[Ryan Whitney]

So. So the story that I read was there's this guy who was driving a truck and the truck was there to pick up the grease from the restaurant. Like, you know, all the old grease.

[Whitney]

Yep.

[Ryan Whitney]

So the truck pulled up and why he was at the back of this restaurant and. And concerning himself. Why the fact that this truck had pulled up and was parked there. I don't know. I don't know how many beers or how much alcohol he had. And keep in mind, maybe this story changes from when you guys hear me tell it to what ends up being the actual truth. But so he told the truck driver, like, hey, you can't park here. And then they kind of like verbally were kind of going at it where he's like, well, if I hear from the people who's. Who, like, run. Run the business, then maybe I'll move the truck. But I'M here to do my job, and I'm going to do my job. So he got in the passenger seat, and I think he's like, he started, like, trying to, like, like, do whatever, and at that point, the guy pepper sprayed him to get him off. And then, and then that's when kind of hit the fan, where he ended up coming around the truck. And Sanchez started, like, getting in his face. And at that point, the pepper spray obviously didn't work. And the guy ended up pulling out a knife because he was so scared that he's like, hey, this guy's a lot bigger than I am. And I don't. Maybe he didn't realize it was Mark Sanchez. And so he stabbed them three times in the chest. And I think that Sanchez was just, like, shocked at the fact that Sanchez was, like, trying to get in the passenger side at that time. Where. Or excuse me, the driver's side at that point. Where. What else was he gonna do? Right? This guy was kind of coming at him, and then at that point, he went to the hospital. He was in critical condition. They obviously stabilized them. And then Sanchez got arrested because he was in the wrong. Drunken disorderly, entering a vehicle that wasn't his, and, and like, an assault.

[Keith]

So three counts, right?

[Whitney]

Just the fact of wit. Like, coming to it, you're in the hospital bed and you stabbed three times. Then the police come in and read you your Miranda rights. You're just like, what the fuck? Like, what was that guy doing? It's crazy, crazy story.

[Ryan Whitney]

I, I, I don't know. But, like, you're, you know, you've made, what is it, 40, $50 million playing football. You're doing, you're doing, like, NFL commentary, and that's why you're in that city doing it. And you're, and you're there, and, And.

[Whitney]

I don't know, he liked that parking spot. He did not want anyone in that parking spot, I guess.

[Ryan Whitney]

Yeah. But he's, he's visiting that city. What the. Does he. So weird. It's so.

[Whitney]

I know.

[Ryan Whitney]

And once again, like, this might all change by the time this podcast comes out, but if that is the story, I just, Yeah, I just, like, don't.

[Keith]

Man, I make caring that much where somebody parks.

[Whitney]

Oh, fuck. Well, back to the.

[Keith]

Hopefully he's all right.

[Ryan Whitney]

I mean, I mean, you guys care about me parking on the side of the highway.

[Whitney]

No, no, I was just.

[Keith]

We're worried about you dying.

[Whitney]

We're worried about you getting, like, something about married, like, putting a ride with a guy to help out you with the driving so you can make your shave appointment.

[Keith]

Biz wi.

[Whitney]

I got a whitehead on my eyeball. The Edmonton Oilers boys in the news. Chris Knob. Chris Knobloch. Well deserved extension. Yeah, well deserved extension. Biz doesn't want to hear about the Oilers. We'll get to the Oilers in the Pacific preview. Also, Ryan Huska, he signed an extension with the Calgary Flames. They were right there. They shocked the world last year. Almost got in. We'll get into them with the Pacific division. I don't know what. Oh, Eric Johnson, guys, what a career. What a rocky spe. Been on with us a couple different times. Just an awesome dude. He announced his retirement. I mean, crazy first overall pick. Has the freak accident where he tore his ACL like in a golf cart. But he ends up being a part of the trade. Over to Colorado. Played there forever. Won the Stanley cup there. Played in incredible hockey in the 2010 Olympics. I remember being there, I was like. He had just dominant shifts. So congratulations. What a run. What a run. Yeah.

[Keith]

Unreal crib. Max Pacziarretti as well. Retired.

[Whitney]

Yes. Did you see him imitating Matthews?

[Ryan Whitney]

That was hilarious.

[Whitney]

That was great. It looked like it unless he went full authentic method acting for the. For the little show he got his ear. Imitate him.

[Keith]

But two guys that'll be in the USA Hockey hall of Fame. In my. In my opinion, great careers patch. Already at the top of his game was scoring at a clip. Captain of the Montreal Canadiens as an American. Yeah. Great career on both of them. Eric Johnson, unbelievable guy. Probably a better guy than a better, better player. So two. Two amazing careers by two great Americans. Fans.

[Ryan Whitney]

Love it.

[Whitney]

Biz Patches is also going to go. He's joining the University of Michigan. I think he's like a special assistant to the head coach. So all of a sudden you got him. I watched BU play. What was it Saturday night? Cole Hudson. I think he had two goals, two assists. Couple of the assists to Iserman. Very excited for BU season. But that about wraps it up. Long episode, long preview.

[Ryan Whitney]

That was long. I'm dying here.

[Whitney]

Long, long. I'm exhausted. So once again, the new Chiclets merch. Live in the barstool sports American and Canadian store. Check that out. Everything came out great. We're rocking the T shirts. All of us have different ones on right now. Thank you so much for listening. We will see you back this week on Friday. Have a great beginning of this week. NHL's back.

[Matthew Nies]

It won't happen.

[Ryan Whitney]

Won't happen.

[Matthew Nies]

Won't happen again. A bad habit worth breaking.

[Whitney]

But it's taking time.

[Ryan Whitney]

I don't know.

[Matthew Nies]

It don't matter.

[Whitney]

It's going to happen.

[Matthew Nies]

It's going to happen again.

[Ryan Whitney]

Wanna?