Spittin' Chiclets Episode 613 Featuring: Sergei Fedorov

Summary

Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 613 Featuring Sergei Fedorov (January 20, 2026)

Podcast by Barstool Sports
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette (Biz), Rear Admiral (RA), Mike Grinnell (G)
Special Guest: Sergei Fedorov

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers the trademark irreverent, energetic breakdown of current hockey and sports news that devotees expect, highlighted by an in-depth, candid, and inspiring conversation with Russian hockey legend Sergei Fedorov in the wake of his jersey retirement by the Detroit Red Wings. The hosts swap stories from their travels and offer their takes on breaking hockey trade news, the NFL playoffs, and hot-button topics around the NHL, before diving into an hour-plus interview with Fedorov that covers his defection, career in Detroit, memories of the Russian Five, and lessons learned in the game and beyond.

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Key Segments & Timestamps

• [00:00–04:00] Banter, brand shoutouts, and weekend recaps
• [04:00–10:00] Host travel stories: London, Patriots fandom abroad
• [10:00–18:30] Sports culture abroad, Biz in Welland, NHL grassroots
• [18:30–32:50] NFL playoff round-up and culture discussion
• [32:51–44:50] NHL News: New York Rangers moving from Panarin, trade talks, franchise directions
• [44:51–57:00] Trade market heating up: Boston, Vegas, Calgary moves
• [57:01–66:15] League trends and controversies: Leafs, Jets, Blue Jackets, goalie controversies
• [66:16–73:07] Sanderson comments and goaltending in Ottawa
• [73:08–135:26] SERGEI FEDOROV INTERVIEW
• [135:27–149:55] Host reactions, additional NHL/college hockey/AHL news
• [149:56–end] Upcoming events, shoutouts, and closing

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

Brand Energy, Banter, and NFL Wild Card Mayhem

• The hosts kick things off hyped about their various travels, with plenty of Pink Whitney love (01:45). Biz brings tales from London – including the challenges of finding NFL games and the surprisingly passionate New England fan base overseas (04:10).
• Whitney details the cultural differences in watching sports in England (“cigs don’t count on vacation”), the iconic neighborhood stadiums, and the quirks of UK sports bars vs. US fan culture.
• Biz drops a classic story about his dad, Cam, forgetting his mother in a car for 90 minutes while having beers post-game (14:00), encapsulating the pod’s irreverent, family-centric humor.

NFL Playoffs: Hot Takes & Heartbreaks

• Whitney and Biz deep dive into the wild NFL divisional round (18:51):
  • Debate on controversial no-calls, rules, and the agony for Bills fans (“eight years of Allen, one AFC title game, rest divisional or wild card losses”—Whitney, 21:45).
  • Patriots fandom boasts as the team storms back to AFC title contention after quick rebuild (“People hate the Patriots. Finally, they’ve gone away—oh, nope!”—Whitney, 23:00).
  • Debate on part-time officials in a billion-dollar league (31:00).

NHL Rumblings: Rangers Retooling, Vegas All-In

• Rangers’ “retooling” letter analyzed:
  • Artemi Panarin set to be moved (33:01), possible landing spots debated (Florida, Washington, Carolina, Colorado, Dallas).
  • Reflection on front-office decision-making and impact on locker room culture:
    • “They gave Trooper the Dougie Hamilton treatment” – G (46:58)
    • Drury’s GM tenure hangs on how the next two years play out.
• The Boston Bruins, retool vs. rebuild debates, and whether to part with defensive prospects or draft picks. (“I just don’t want them getting rid of those first-round picks”—G, 41:07)
• Vegas Golden Knights’ relentless pursuit of the Cup, trading yet more first-rounders for Rasmus Andersson (51:37).
  • Notable list: “Since its inception, Vegas has only picked one time in the first round…The other list: players Vegas has traded for at the deadline since inception—it’s a murderers’ row.” – G (53:09)
  • Vegas as the ultimate “win now, figure out later” club

Around the League:

• Columbus Blue Jackets: “New coach. That’s it.” – Elvis Merzlikins on winning streak and firing of Dean Evason (59:44). Biz and Whitney sympathize with the challenges of coaching in today’s NHL and praise the immediate impact of ‘Bones’ as the new bench boss.
• Ottawa’s goaltending woes and Sanderson’s too-candid postgame comments (68:17). Debated as a lesson in leadership and the weight of frustration.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

On London’s Sports Scene

“I had to call like three different bars…The Buffalo Bills are playing! …So, you gotta go find—last night we watched at a casino, a Patriots game at the casino.” (Biz, 04:18)

On Trade Deadline Madness

“Vegas goes out and gets their guys. They always do. And they’re probably not done. Can you see them grabbing more? I can.” (Whitney, 52:48)

On Locker Room Culture

“If you’re telling me the Rangers fell apart because of the way those guys were shipped out of town and that the team lost its morale, it’s like, boys, figure it out.” (Whitney, 46:52)

Soundbite of the Week

“New coach. That’s it.” (Elvis Merzlikins, 59:44)

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FEATURE INTERVIEW: Sergei Fedorov

(73:08–135:26)

Highlights & Insights

Childhood & Early Career

• Grew up skating outdoors in arctic Russia, relentless training (“nine months winter; skate on real ice, every day” – 91:25).
• Did not “dream” of the NHL—childhood focus was making Red Army (“Came absolutely from clean sheet…did not know anything, honestly” – 77:35).
• Early grind: “27 tons of weights in 2.5 hours”—Fedorov describes Red Army workout regimens (88:19).

Defection Story

• Recalls the tension and risk in defecting after the 1990 Goodwill Games, aided by Jimmy Lights from Detroit ("Had to kind of figure out how I come around that issue… while he [the chaperone] was eating, I was gone" – 81:03).
• On what drove him to leave: despite being an international champion by 20, basic needs like a car for his parents were denied, spurring thoughts of taking the chance abroad (84:16).
• Friendship & crossing with Alexander Mogilny—supporting his move, but not realizing he’d do the same himself (79:52).

Detroit, Team Culture & NHL Adaptation

• Immediate “overwhelming” welcome in Detroit—relates to the “Corvette, downtown apartments, two bedrooms” (106:51).
• On Russian Five: joy and surprise at being able to bring the Russian style to North America, made possible by open-minded coaches (especially Scotty Bowman).
  • “We didn’t say to each other one or two words… we just kept the puck as much as we could and never throw it anywhere” (114:16).
• On adaptability: within seven months, conversing in English, helping others adapt.

Rivalries, Cups, Playing D & Being a Star

• 1996–1997 rivalry with Colorado, measuring the pain and psychological importance of battling (123:55: “Definitely that fight...got us mentally over the hump.”)
• On Bowman asking him to play defense:
  • “This is my favorite question, because now I get to brag about myself how great I am” (124:15, laughs).
  • “I got the best partner I ever played with defense… Larry Murphy. What a classy and smartest boy on earth.” (125:34)
• On his “flash,” style, and being the original Nike-endorsee:
  • “I like long hair. It’s one of my beliefs that when I had long hair, I could score 50, 60.” (129:06)
  • “White skates? I paid for those, too. You know, a lot of cross[checks]…” (130:06)

Reflections: Regrets & Lessons

• Honest commentary about the complicated feelings after departing Detroit, regret about the long contract squabbles, and what he’s learned since (“Off the ice, I had very little experience…you only realize later in life”—134:39).
• On being a role model, the uniqueness of the Red Wings organization, and the Ilitch family’s immense legacy (137:19).

Notable Quotes (with timestamps):

• “I remember when I met Steve [Yzerman] first time in Detroit… I came absolutely from [a] clean sheet. I don’t know much about—I don’t think much about…” (77:35)
• “We survived… [by] lifting 27 tons of weights in two and a half hours.” (88:19)
• “Every game I played, I wanted to play. So people see how easy that is… It’s not like that. It’s a lot of work in the gym, understanding what coaches want.” (130:10)

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Additional Segments and Memorable Bits

• Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson caught heat for a blunt postgame critique of his goalie, compared to how team leaders Tkachuk and Stützle handled media after losses (68:17; 69:08).
• Vegas’s ceaseless roster churn: “You get drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights, they shouldn’t even send you a jersey.” (Biz, 51:43)
• BU hockey fight: Hosts muse on changing college hockey rules after a rare full-blown scrap between players (146:18–147:59).
• RA’s Twitter hack leads to comic speculation about “Elon Musk” tweets (144:58–146:14).

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Episode Takeaways

• The Fedorov interview is a must-listen for hockey historians and fans alike. His humility, candidness, and stories paint a clear portrait of what it took to become a transcendent player crossing from Soviet Russia to NHL stardom.
• The hosts’ blend of humor, storytelling, and sharp insight continue to set the standard for personality-driven sports podcasts: from hilarious family stories and international adventures to biting takes on the state of modern sports leagues.
• Vegas’s trade-strategy and the Rangers’ upcoming overhaul are shaping league dynamics as the Olympics approach.
• There’s an undercurrent of nostalgia, gratitude, and reflection—particularly in the hour with Fedorov and the following debrief.

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If You Listen to One Thing… (Timely Highlights By Timestamp)

• Fedorov’s defection and risk: [79:46–83:02]
• Coping with new cultures & adaptation: [91:25–108:06]
• Russian Five, teamwork, and Bowman: [113:22–116:16]
• On being the NHL’s first strong Russian “superstar”: [129:06]
• On regrets leaving Detroit and what fame taught him: [132:43–134:39]

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Tone & Style

The pod is fast-paced, irreverently humorous, refreshingly candid, and rich with first-person stories and breaking hockey news. Fedorov’s segment is heartfelt but still relaxed and accessible, with plenty of storytelling and humble reflection befitting a legend.

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For New & Casual Listeners

This episode serves as a vibrant tapestry of locker room stories, trade analysis, and the genuine underdog-to-superstar journey of a hockey great. It strikes a balance between humor and gravity, making it engaging for die-hard fans and newcomers alike. If you’re exploring hockey’s history or want a window into the personalities changing the game, don’t skip this one.

Transcript

[Sergei Fedorov]

Hey Spit and Chiclets listeners.

[Biz]

You can find every episode on Apple.

[Whitney]

Podcasts and Spotify prime.

[Biz]

Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Tax act is here anytime you want.

[Biz]

To easily file your taxes. Tax act is here for the early.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Birds who like to knock them out as soon as the season opens and.

[Biz]

For the procrastinators who like to wait.

[Whitney]

Until the very last minute.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Tax act is also here for the midlers who file right in the middle of tax season. No one ever talks about the midlers.

[Biz]

But Tax act sees you and Taxact respects you.

[Whitney]

Taxact.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Let's get them over with.

[G]

Hey guys, it's Fran from Chicks in the Office.

[Biz]

Make Abercrombie Denim the core of your.

[G]

Capsule wardrobe because denim should feel like this.

[Whitney]

Abercrombie's 90s inspired fits are better than.

[G]

Vintage and the pair you need right now is their wide leg jean. Lightweight, effortless, and elevates any outfit with every pair available in both classic and curv.

[Whitney]

Love the viral fit that eliminates waist gap.

[G]

It's easy to find your perfect pair. Shop Abercrombie Denim in the app, online and in stores.

[Whitney]

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is barstool sports.

[G]

I brought it towards the coyotes and I asked them if it was okay if I joined the Spit Chickens podcast full time.

[Whitney]

Brian Whitney's got a Pink Whitney out there now. Randall the song man is a full time member. Marley just got an assist from Chris.

[Biz]

B. Whoa, we're buzzing right now.

[Whitney]

What is up everyone? Welcome to episode 613 of the Spitting Chiclets podcast presented by Pink Whitney. What a weekend it was with myself shredding Stone Mountain. Just peekaboo, streeting it. I probably should have used a male skier as an example. Maybe Alberto Tombawitty and and G at the Patriots game. And I mentioned both of us because the amount of Pink Whitney I saw at Stowe and the amount of Pink Whitney and the pictures he sent me at Gillette. What a weekend for the brand. What a weekend for the pink drink. And what a weekend in the NFL and the NHL. We got so much to catch up on. But shout out Pink Whitney and shout out anyone who drank it watching football, who drank it skiing down all the different mountains around the world and. And who drank it maybe on the beach if you're still in Florida enjoying the winter months in the warm weather. Right? You know, the people on vacation, they're gonna bring some pink Whitney with them. They're gonna at least buy some down there for the beach. So Shout out Pink Whitney and shout out everyone who's ever had a sip of the pink drink.

[Biz]

Shout out to you from making.

[G]

Shout out to the people. Yeah.

[Whitney]

Shout out for you to make it. I did a lot.

[G]

Shout out to the people who sneak it in their purses on planes. And they do it on the planes even though they're not supposed to.

[Whitney]

Right? Yeah. Yeah, true. And then maybe, like, sit in your seat over against the wall and pour it in, hoping to not get caught by the flight attendant.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Those people.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[G]

And then she does. And then you get in a. In a domestic, and then you get tossed off the flight. But it was worth it because it's all for pity.

[Whitney]

Very true.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Very.

[Whitney]

And shout out the guy who named it. I mean, there was somebody, we don't know who. Who sent the name Pink Whitney when I put out vodka and pink lemonade. So that guy out there, he's probably owed something. We don't know who it is.

[G]

Well, you. If.

[Biz]

If.

[G]

If you're not being sarcastic, like, you realized that you were the one setting.

[Biz]

Right?

[Whitney]

I did.

[Biz]

You said, I like. I like to make the Newman's Own or whatever with the vodka.

[G]

And I called the Pink Whitney. And I was like, that's fucking.

[Whitney]

Okay. So I did name it.

[Guest/Other]

Thank you.

[G]

Right off your tongue.

[Whitney]

Was I saying that? So then you would then tell me and put my tires. Yeah, you actually.

[G]

Maybe.

[Whitney]

Maybe. You guys will never know. You guys will never know. Keith, you're in London. Incredible, incredible trip so far. I've seen some pictures. Biz you were back home. Awesome experience, I guess, with the parents. But, Keith, let's start with you. How has it been? What is London like as a city? And what was it like trying to watch NFL football in the land of the Premier League?

[Biz]

Yeah.

[G]

How many cigarettes have you smoked?

[Biz]

A bunch. Because cigs don't count on vacation. That's very true. It's like food.

[G]

Interesting.

[Biz]

Unbelievable. Had. Didn't have high expectations, I don't think, coming into London, but it has been unbelievable. The city is absolutely beautiful. Watching games is a little tough. The Buffalo Bills game on Saturday, I had to call, like, three different bars. I'm like, you guys played the games? They're like, yeah, but there's no games on. I'm like, no, the Buffalo Bills are playing. I gotta watch this game, support my friends. So have to go to the bars. They don't have them on. The TVs. Have to get the manager out to try to find it. That all worked out, but then 12, 30 hits, which over here it's five hours ahead. That's like the third quarter. They kick you out, you're. You're gone. So you got to go find. Like, last night we watched it at a casino. A Patriots game at the casino. The Patriots game. We watched at a Patriots by. Had a. An Uber drive the first night here. He was the biggest New England fan. Red Sox. Red Sox, Bruins, everyone. Celtics. He heard my brother in law's accent. He was like, oh, you guys got to go to the box to watch the game. So we go to the box. It's like 300 New England fans. I was getting recognized everywhere. Everyone's like, where's the pink, Whitney? We need it in London. I'm like, oh, but we don't have it. Ran into these lovely girls from Detroit. I told them we were having. Are we gonna say.

[Whitney]

Oh, we're gonna say Sergey Fedorov this episode.

[G]

You told them?

[Biz]

Told them. They were going absolutely insane.

[G]

They loved it.

[Biz]

They loved it. So that was great. Huge win for the Patriots, especially watching it on different soil. It was a lot of fun. But we had a ton of New England fans there together. High five. And it was a blast. Absolute blast. This place has been.

[G]

You said you watch it at the Box now? That's the one. The place that G went to to watch, like, the dildo show. People were shitting on Nantucket.

[Guest/Other]

The Box.

[Whitney]

The chicken box. That's the bar.

[G]

So. But that wasn't the one that you went to in London to watch?

[Biz]

No, this is just a sports. A sports bar called the Box. Maybe the penalty box. Maybe it was short for that, but probably not. But yeah, went to it. Went to a Chelsea game. Now I'm a huge Chelsea supporter.

[Whitney]

So very jealous of that. I'm very jealous. I've always wanted to go to a game there.

[G]

Dude, what's it like?

[Biz]

It's unbelievable. Like, you.

[Sergei Fedorov]

You.

[Biz]

We got dropped off maybe like a half a mile away from the stadium, and you walk in, I'm like, where is this? Where's the stadium? Like, it's 60,000 people. It's in the middle of a neighborhood. You don't even see it. Like, you look at our stadiums, they're just big. Huge in the middle of fields or whatever it is. But these are just legit in an actual neighborhood with 60,000 people going absolutely bananas. One of the coolest experience of my life watching. Got some kid from LA was there. He was like, what the hell are you doing here? I pulled a busy. I gave him a Chiclet hat that I had on he's so fired up. So shout out to him. But yeah, everything.

[G]

I just gave away mine on the last trip to a family member this time. But like I give him away like.

[Whitney]

Yeah, shirt right off his back. I mean part of it is because he's very generous and part of it is then he gets to show off the tats and the body that he's.

[G]

I give away my used rubbers.

[Whitney]

Like I. Yeah, okay, Fair, fair. Okay, okay.

[Biz]

Pleasantly surprised. It's been unbelievable. The foods here is amazing. I know. Me and you wet are coming back this summer. That's going to be an absolute time.

[Whitney]

I can't wait. Big golf trip. The big. The big crew is back together. The Cleary Horcough Bertuzzi. Just Zetterberg. The crew is back years and years. It's been our golf trip. You've been added. How smothered are people because there's no booze allowed in. You're not drinking in your seats at Premier League games. So I was always told before the game and then at halftime they're really getting after it.

[Biz]

Well, when you played over a thousand NHL games, you get a little ticket that has a little access where you can go in, have your own drinks, free booze, but you cannot sit in.

[Whitney]

Your seats and drink. Correct.

[Biz]

You can put in a little coffee cup there. Witty.

[Whitney]

Wow, man. So the problem is I didn't play a thousand, so I guess I'll be in the pub prior trying to catch a buzz whenever I go to Stanford Bridge. And they might not have had. When you say that the place said we don't have. There's no games on for NFL. That might have been because they saw the regular season end and they said, oh well, it's all over because people don't know maybe biz. Premier League has no playoffs. It's the regular season and that is the champ. So I know. Okay, okay.

[G]

Sorry.

[Whitney]

I was trying to maybe teach you.

[G]

I actually went to get my hair cut recently and a guy who was a huge fan of the Premier League, their. Their barbershop is kind of known as the place to go get your hair cut. And even people come by to just like lounge and watch on the TVs hearing the breakdown of. Of like the league and, and like what makes it so competitive and the fact that there aren't playoffs and each of them play one home, one away, each team. Right. So it's crazy because you could be watching middle of the season and the best team league might be playing the shittiest, but you're dialed in to hope that that shitty team at least ties the good team so you can maybe gain a few points. So it's never not like interesting or competitive. And I actually like the dynamic of the Premier League, like even better than a lot of the major sports.

[Biz]

You know, it's insane to me, which I obviously had no clue. Biz, like it's a small country, right? Like when we were driving from the airport to our hotel, whatever, 30 minutes, you see what was the team? I forget the name of the team, but their stadiums there, 30 minutes away, 60,000 people. Another 30 minutes away, 60,000 People at Stanford Bridge, another 30. So it'd be like having 15. How many teams are in this league?

[Whitney]

20.

[G]

It would be like if they allowed a NHL team in Hamilton, Muskoka, Kingston.

[Whitney]

So London has, London has Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham. So I mean, you got four legit organizations in within London and yeah, they're all packed every game. So I love the fact of the no playoffs where every game matters so much. Not to mention the bottom three trying to get out of the bottom three so they don't get relegated. It's, it's, it's pretty sick. I can't wait to catch a game and Biz yourself back home in Wellen made a cool appearance. Appearance. Was that an ex teammates? Who's the coach of the team you went to? And quickly I got a real kick because you went in the locker room and you could tell some guys were like, holy shit. And then you didn't read the lineup, though. You just nodded along like looking all jacked. It was funny.

[G]

Yeah, because I was a little bit late. I had some family stuff going on the few days I was there, which was awesome, you know, like during the season for me to get a little family time. After we recorded, I, we had my, my cousin's 65th birthday, so we had the whole family over there. The one day I was able to make that game, my buddy Tyler Bilby, he coaches junior B for the Saint Catharines Falcons. And I believe that he's won a Sutherland cup, if not two. And he's been there a while. So I just messaged him, I said, hey, any chance you guys are playing this weekend? He goes, we got one game, it's Friday and it's for, it's for first place in the league. So I said, okay, I'm coming. So I, I drove there and I just, I told him, I said, hey, I won't do the lineup, but I'll, I'll bring a check for a Thousand USD. And I'll say, hey, I'm not reading the lineup, but here's a little added extra motivation. So I don't know if you guys know, but the 1500 Canadian could buy about, about 10,000ovs back home in the Niagara region. So I think the kids were all fired up. The OV is like a special beer that is popular in our region. It's weird that I feel like every region, like, especially in Canada, they have their, like, specialty beer that, like, it just tastes good to them. But actually OV does have a really good taste to it. Kind of like a, like a Labat Blue. Like, I like Labat Blue too. Right. Did they win, buddy? They outshot the other team 50 to 15. They outshot him by 35 shots, lost 2 to 1. The other goalie was shooting lightning bolts out of his eyes.

[Whitney]

That kid.

[G]

Exactly. I. I told the kids, I said, give me back my chip. No, I said, I was like, hey, great effort, boys. Keep it. Have some fun.

[Biz]

You owe me a thousand.

[G]

Went over in the afternoon. I met up with. Which I got a great story. I met up with some old coaches of mine, Bobby Crock, who actually came to that Buffalo Sabers game. Alex Muir, Greg Lubinski's father came too. He was a coach of ours who actually, he was one of the first guys to like, break into the OHL from back home. And he was the captain of the North Bay Centennials. And because of that, I really wanted to get drafted there. And sure enough, I was in the second.

[Whitney]

Oh, this guy was your, like, idol almost.

[G]

Yeah. He was like, you know how like you. You know, the NHL is the NHL, but you know, when you have local guys who like, make the jump to even the OHL like it, you feel like, oh, there's a possibility for me to have a path there. And I used to go to Bob Crollex hockey schools and he would be like a coach at the hockey school. So I, I looked up to him and ended up years later playing against him when he was with the Dayton Bombers in the coast and I was in Wheeling. So it was kind of a full circle moment. He's not doing that anymore. He's not playing anymore. And then that afternoon, a buddy of mine, Frank DeFazio, who plays in a local band, he. He came by the. The Rex Hotel. That's where we all met up. And, and he was like, oh, we're playing later tonight, the Cat's Caboose, which is around the corner from that hockey game. So it was cool. Man, I got to go see my old. My old high school buddies. I got to run into my old coaches. And then my old coach, Bob Crollex, told me this fucking story about my dad. Like, and I don't know how well you guys know my dad. He's a. Like a beautician. Loves having pops add like me. Social butterfly. All over the place. Like when he was coming to Coyotes games. Yeah, he was there for about five, six weeks in Arizona. He was staying at my place.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Took the train from.

[G]

Well, and. Yeah, took the hitchhiked and we didn't lose the entire time they were. They were there. We won like 11 games in a row at home.

[Sergei Fedorov]

It was.

[G]

I gans, I don't think we lost. We might have lost one on the road during that whole. He Wore his jersey 10 or 11 and one. Yeah. Just. Yeah, he wearing his jersey. I'll never forget the one time, like, I was taking a pregame nap and, like, I come out and there was like, strangers in my place. And my parents had met these people at the pool. So my dad invited them over and I'm like, dad, why, Like, I have a two bedroom apartment. Why are these strangers on my house? In my house on a game day? Like, this is ridiculous. So Bobby Crawlock tells me this one. He goes, biz, listen to this one. They used to go to this place called CC's Dugout, right by the arena in. Well. And it was their hangout, right? My dad was a volunteer fireman just so he'd go drink with the guys at the fire hall. For sakes. So this is Bobby Crock telling the snoring. So he walks in, my dad, he's waiting for takeout. So he sits down with Bobby and the boys and starts having a beer. Well, they drop over the, like, the to go thing. About 90 minutes goes by and my dad goes, oh, fuck. Yoli's in the car. Oh, no, buddy. My dad drank beers with the boys for 90 minutes with takeouts sitting on the counter and forgot my mom was in the car. So they. So. So Bobby's like, you gotta be kidding me. She's gonna. She's gonna think it was me. Me who, like, told him to stay and have beers. Like, I'm. So he walked out with my dad. My mom's in the passenger seat.

[Whitney]

How ride or die is Yoli not to come in and be like, hey, I know.

[Biz]

Find yourself one of them, buddy.

[G]

Doing all the work at home and raising us too. While my dad. My dad, the delinquent just out on his Beer runs and, and shooting the shit with the boys. She probably just reclined the seat to have a little snooze for a few minutes, and 90 minutes went by and she was out.

[Whitney]

What did Cambissinette say to you when you brought this story up to him? Did he remember it?

[G]

No. Mr. Crawlock brought it up to me. He goes, paul, you got to hear this.

[Whitney]

I know, but did you tell your dad? Did you then say, dad? I just heard the most ridiculous.

[G]

He was sitting right beside Bobby, and he. And. And I'm like, dad, tell me he's lying. And he just is like this shake, shaking his ass. I'm like, how are you still married to Yoli? She fucking wipes his ass, buddy. She does everything. She'll be like, hey, Cam, can you go to the store and get some. Some, like, coffee? Because we ran out of coffee. It's, it's, it's. It's like she's asking him to dissect the bomb. It's like, it's Oppenheimer. You know, it's. It's crazy.

[Whitney]

Well, I, I think I, I, I feel that because as a guy who is sent out on errands, the grocery store, sometimes I'm 97 FaceTime, and, like, I can't find it. Like, it's, It's.

[G]

My mom writes a full list.

[Whitney]

I know, but so, so does Brie. And then I can't even find it. Like, it's. I think it's a guy looking for things type.

[Biz]

Man vision prop.

[Whitney]

What is it called?

[Biz]

Man vision.

[Whitney]

Man vision. Exactly. And the trick, actually, I'll say to all maybe dads out there with real young kids is you go. You don't order the takeout till you get there, right? That's the trick. And then you get the time for two, three beers while they're cooking the food. And then if you're campus in that, you get an extra 90 minutes once the food comes out and you're families at home starving and your wife beats.

[G]

You when you get home, Bobby Crock is leaning over. He goes, 90 minutes, biz. We were there for 90 minutes. And he goes, oh, shit. Yoli's in the car. I couldn't believe it. I'm like, you're. You're going to be staying at my place on the couch for the next couple weeks. The way that this one went, thank God she had. She hit her REM cycle. Oh, man. But, yeah, it was. It was a. You know, it was great to be back home and see, See the gang and, and, yeah, Just kind of like a reset.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Right.

[G]

It's nothing like home.

[Whitney]

No. And biz you gotta, you got a big time couple days here. Today you got Buffalo Carolina at 1. This is Monday so you're listening Tuesday but then you got Capitals Avalanche. Then tomorrow you got the Bruins, Dallas and then the Devils and the Oilers and then Wednesday you got the Wings Leafs and the Islanders cracking. So the good thing is awesome games, like all six games matter. All six games are pretty good teams. So that's exciting. At least it's not you know, tough games that you're trying to get through.

[G]

We have a pretty crazy week overall. But I agree with you. We've been very fortunate this year and especially that they added the Tuesday slate. So most weeks now we're doing the Tuesday Wednesday. This week we got the Monday because I think it's. Is it Martin Luther King day? That's yeah. Today. Yeah. January 19th. So yeah, through six games are all heaters. And then Thursday we got the coast to coast. So we're going to be, we'll be watching a lot of hockey this week and then, and then Friday pink Whitney, we're doing a little pink Whitney shoot in nyc. So a lot going on in the Chicklets world and I guess before we get into hockey boys, I don't watch regular season NFL football, very rare, don't invest a lot of time. But these playoff games, I don't think there's been a bad one.

[Whitney]

Even the Patriots Saturday night, late night, the game was over. The first kickoff, Seattle. Seattle actually scored the winning touchdown seven seconds into the game because they won 41 6. They got seven points returning the kickoff. But biz you're right like talk about the NFL be it loving life now I guess the, the refs, they're an issue. They're not full time employees. It's probably the craziest stat or fact in pro sports that the league that makes the most money in the world has part time refs. It's crazy to me but the games, dude. Oh my God, that Bills game and biz. I loved seeing you social on social all about the Bills and the Broncos in which was an all time classic. And then crazy news after Bo Nicks with a broken ankle we'll get into the NHL. But after this weekend I think most people watch these games.

[G]

Oh yeah.

[Whitney]

Sports is out. Sports sucks for the Broncos. That's a brutal beat. But that game and the way the Bills lost after coming back down 11 going into the second half. I, I, I couldn't believe the call that they Made though, on that pick, I, I, I really couldn't. And people have been saying I'm an idiot and I'm wrong. But then seeing the devonte Adams catch for the Rams against the the Bears, it seemed very similar to me. So I don't know if you want to kind of take off what you thought of Bill's Broncos biz or what your main takeaway wasn't.

[G]

I just think if people are on there trying to tell you that you're wrong because it was a different type of catch, the one the day before, than devonte Adams, that, that to me is a problem with the NFL. If you're saying that, oh, he didn't have full control, it's like, what are you talking about? He didn't have full control there. Like, that's, it's insane. So I don't need to dive into that. My only gripe, a lot of people say saying that, but the Bills weren't hosed. Oh, they turned it over five times. That doesn't, it's part of the game. So they, so they turned over five times so they can't get hosed. Like, what the is that kind of argument, you dummy? And then the, the only gripe I had is people saying that they should have had safety that overtime on the holding. But my whole point was it probably shouldn't have even gotten there because in, at the end of regulation when, when Josh Allen threw for the end zone, they, they try to deem that one uncatchable. If he's not grabbing onto his arm, you don't think he could turn his body around and make that catch. So like Denver fans telling me that's uncatchable, you're a fucking moron. And then, and then basically the one that put them for a chip shot to end the game, that was the exact same play. If the reason you didn't call the one at the end of regulation is because you want let the players solve the game themselves. Which, by the way, led to them having to hit a 50 yarder to tie the game to send it to overtime, at least make Denver, at least make them hit the 40, 45 yarder as opposed to giving up chip shot.

[Whitney]

Yeah, I thought when they didn't call the first one with Allen throwing to the sideline there, it was almost like, all right, whistles away or flags away, which I was fine with. And then that other one, just a shitty way to kind of see it end. But poor Bills fans, man. Like, I think that's eight years of Allen playoffs every Year, one AFC title game, the rest, divisional or wild card losses. It's kind of crazy. Maybe it's time to get a new coach. I, I think that based on that qb and I don't think he had a great game right for him. That wasn't what they need from him. But I feel so sick for Bills fans. I really do. And, and when the Patriots were dog, I was like, all right, Bills, come on. Like I, Merls and that entire region. It's like I'm rooting for him now. You know, if I was still rooting for him until we had to maybe go against them. But now it's all Pats, Keith and, and the entire league. Fans are just disgusted. I don't even think they can believe the fact that we're back in an AFC title game already a few years off. People hate the Patriots. Finally they've gone away. Oh, nope. We grabbed the best coach that was available that for some reason Tennessee fired. And then we draft this guy 3rd overall who I think if you redrafted would go ahead of Caleb Williams and Jaden Daniels. And all of a sudden they spend a shitload of money this, this winter, this summer, and boom, we are back in the C title game. And Houston, yeah, incredible D Drake May had a horrible first half. Nothing compared to Strout, who four picks in the first half. I think the record for a playoff game is four picks. I thought he was going to beat that his first pass in the second half. But nope, he was able to somewhat figure it out while still being horrible and May really figured it out. And we're. We're back and I think we're five and a half points favorites because Stidham's playing for Denver, so. And you know what? I think that Sean Payton was calling him Stitty. So I kind of like that. Right? Like Stidy. Oh, Stitty's ready. Like made me like, oh, fuck. Maybe this guy's really good. I don't think he's throwing a pass in over two years in the NFL. So Patriots haters, they. They are screaming at, at, at the air right now. How is this happening again? I don't get it. And you know what? I guess Herbert isn't great in the playoffs. You got him. And then Stroud's horrific, but their D's awesome. And now we get Jared Stidham to go to the Super Bowl. What a life.

[Biz]

It's. Yeah. What a life is right. It's. It's the old saying, defense can win you championships. That defense last Night. And you talked about Stroud kind of being brutal in the first half.

[Whitney]

He was it.

[Biz]

It looked like gangbusters coming at him every single time. They were fucking coming a hundred miles an hour, either hitting them, getting a hand up like it was warfare out there. It was fun to watch them, you know, be around the ball on the defensive side. Obviously wasn't there offensively, but. And people are complaining, like, oh, the Patriots schedule in the beginning of the year or all year was so easy. They've had a cakewalk even now. And then Bo Nicks gets hurt. You got a cakewalk to the finals. You play who you play, you got to win those games. They've done it. It's been a fun team to watch, dude. Mike Vrabel, like, I might get a variable tattoo. I might get a variable tattoo. If they win it. I'm getting a Rabel tattoo. Like, you see him in the tunnel after. Like, the guys love him. Like, you need more of that. I think. I think the new wave of coaches in all sports are kind of getting to that point where you're part of the team. You're not like, some, you know, figurehead that's, like, looking down on you all the time, judging. Like, he.

[Whitney]

He.

[Biz]

You can tell he's a part of that team. They're playing hard for him. He's coaching hard for them. It's fun to watch, man. Like, it's in. And then Dave's videos that someone sent me. Like, it's just so good to see him basking in all this as well.

[Whitney]

Oh, he's back.

[Guest/Other]

All.

[G]

Is it true that they've won 20 divisional titles since Robert Kraft bought the team?

[Whitney]

They've almost had a chance to win the super bowl, like, basically every year since the guy won the team, obviously, the last few years with Mac Jones, and then, like, Cam Newton was playing and the coaching was a mess. But, yeah, the guy, he's an incredible owner. Like, you can't. You can't. You can't argue it because they're. They're just always in the mix. And they're back this quick. They've completely rebuilt and retooled. The jets still haven't made the playoffs in all that time. So an incredible time to be a Pats fan and shout out, like, Big Cat and Caleb Williams. And I've brought up him hating McDavid and forcing me then to hate Caleb Williams and the Bears. That throw, I. I couldn't believe. I tweeted again, guys, I wasn't going to do it. I was holding Back. I was holding back. I was holding back. He was brutal. And then he threw a ball at like the one and it was dropped by the Rams. And I said, I wrote, should have been the third pick. And everyone's responding, don't do it again. What are you doing? What are you doing? Sure as shit. They drive back down and he has it 4th and 4 from like the 15, runs 25 yards backwards, throws a Hail Mary while running backwards, and the guy catches it for TD to tie it up. I was like, I think I tweeted, are you fucking kidding me? And then I was like, they're going to win again. But what happened, Caleb? He threw another pick his third of the game. And let me tell you his playoff stats. 52% completion rate, four TDs, five interceptions, and a 65 passer rating. So get the hell out of here. Get the fuck out of here. Because I'll tell you right now, Big Cat, this is your doing. I would have been rooting for you and your team, but no, you had to hate on McDavid, who had the sickest assist of the season last night. Mind you, it was a great day for me. Pats win, Bears lose, Oilers roll. What a life. What a day. Indeed. So the fact of the matter is the Bears are done, Big Cat's done, Caleb Williams is done. And I move on. And we move on. Keith and G. And the last thing about the NFL I just want to mention this is back to Bills fans, I marked this down. The Buffalo Bills are now the only team in NFL history to lose in overtime in the playoffs despite never having punted the ball during the entire game. So I mean, how do you.

[Guest/Other]

What?

[G]

I know, dude, that's fucking insane. One time.

[Whitney]

And another thing about biz, the people arguing about the interception, right? And the ball that was pulled in for the Bills, that was then taken away from them. Richard Sherman. You guys remember Richard Sherman. I don't know if he's a Hall of Famer, pretty high level NFL player. Said, I have never seen a contested catch like this ever be called a anything but a catch. Even as a db, you know that if it's even a tie, it will go to the wide receiver. I cannot believe this decided the game. I'll take his word for it because you think a DB would be taking the defensive backside, right? And even he said, call. But an incredible weekend and now you got the Rams. Matthew Stafford. This guy. Holy. I'll tell you, I saw a Static.

[Biz]

Crosby of the NFL.

[Whitney]

Yeah, but. But even crazier that it Was like playoff wins by a QB age 33 or older. Brady has like 25, but then after that I think second place was seven, which with a few guys, Stafford's one of them. I don't think he got his first until he was 33 years old. So he's just had this resurgence with, with. What's the coach's name? McVeigh. John McVeigh. John McVeight.

[G]

I like him too.

[Whitney]

Yeah, he's pretty cool.

[G]

He's seems like very knowledgeable memory like an elephant can. He can. If you ask him about a play 15 years ago that he called, like at a certain time of the game, he'll tell you the play he called and he'll tell you like, who threw.

[Biz]

It, who caught it, how many yards they got.

[G]

It's crazy. Yeah, he's a savant. He's an. There's actually a few clips online where they, they, they test them and he nails every single one. So pretty, Pretty fascinating guy. A lot of teams going on, going for it on fourth down. Feel like that might have actually cost the Bears, obviously, until they had to. When it was the end of the game when he threw that. That touchdown to the back of the end zone. But they, they kept going for it. Like, why don't they just chip away with the field?

[Whitney]

I think that's a new age NFL analytics type thing. It's like. I guess you could compare it to like pulling the goalie way earlier. Kind of a reach maybe in the end. Or, or you know what? It's probably.

[Biz]

Is it the weather?

[Whitney]

I. Going. Going for the goal and icing the puck. Right. Instead of how we used to have to play, like never ice it up a goal. I'm just trying to think analytics has and.

[G]

Or changed and. Or I mean, would it be a. What is it pulling your goalie in overtime kind of like Sergey Fedorov our. Our. Our guest coming up does. Merls wanted us to ask about it. Now you might have said this when my microphone came unplugged for the sixth time at the beginning of the podcast. Fifteen years straight that either the Kansas City Chiefs or the New England Patriots have reached the what AFC championship game. Did you mention that?

[Whitney]

I didn't. I didn't.

[G]

Okay.

[Whitney]

Wow.

[G]

In a row.

[Whitney]

In a row. In a row. So the other fan base is just disgusted and it makes me smile with so much joy. But that's, that's kind of the. The. The nh. Former NHL players breakdown of the divisional round and we're on to the championship weekend, which is obvious.

[G]

You might be a hardcore hockey person, but if you're not watching NFL playoffs, that's kind of weird. Y me, it's such good. It's such a good product. Even though the refs are fucking it up. It's such a good product. And when you say that they're not full time, like, what do you mean.

[Whitney]

By insurance agents, lawyers?

[Biz]

Is like a judge, I think, isn't he?

[Whitney]

It's biz. It's fucking bananas. I don't understand it. I don't get it. But they all have other jobs. Explain that one to me, buddy.

[Biz]

So did they. Do you think they get paid decently?

[Whitney]

I bet you they get paid decently, but. So maybe some of them don't work if they've made enough money. And now I'll just be a ref. I just know they're not.

[G]

How many refs are on a field?

[Biz]

I think there's like eight.

[Whitney]

Question. Six, I would guess. Yeah, six to eight. Couple on each sideline, two or three on the field. I mean, this is it.

[G]

I would say you need four. Four legitimate ones. Probably the ones who are down at the other end calling the pass interference and the two that are in the middle of the field who are calling like the line. Shit.

[Whitney]

The best moment was the. One of the funniest ref moments was in the Pats Houston game. Along the sideline, a ref is going to grab his flag to call past interference, but he can't get the flag out of his pocket. So instead he just says, no catch. There's video of it. He's trying to get it out and he can't. He's. Okay, forget it. Fuck it.

[G]

No catch and never. And never call the penalty. That is unbelievable.

[Biz]

I got a flood. I got a flight. This game can't go to overtime.

[Guest/Other]

I'm seeing around $10,000. Between 10 and $15,000 per game for an NFL ref.

[Sergei Fedorov]

So.

[G]

Yeah, I mean, that's a front wipe.

[Whitney]

Yeah. 170 to 240 grand a year they're all making, so maybe they don't need another job. But. Yeah, just the fact that that's not their only job.

[Biz]

Right.

[Whitney]

And if it's their only job, then throughout the week you're watching video with them, you're doing stuff all summer. Right. I just. I don't get it. But the numbers of the viewers, it doesn't. It doesn't affect it. More people keep watching, I think, especially the playoffs. So shout out a great division.

[G]

Put the popcorn vendors out there. Who gives a fuck? The circus.

[Whitney]

Exactly.

[G]

That's it for football.

[Whitney]

That's it.

[G]

Onto the hockey, man. We got a lot of hockey to talk about too, gentlemen do.

[Whitney]

And I think that we could start in New York City. Things are ugly, things are bad, things are gross. And the New York Rangers have released another letter. Guys. Eight years after the first letter, the second letter has come, this time from Chris Drury, saying. Not the word rebuilding. I think it was retooling. And basically that we are now realizing we have to kind of start over in a way. And the main news in that is that Artemi Panarin will not be offered an extension. I believe at the beginning of the season, they talked to him about a Kopitar type deal, short term. He didn't have interest in that. I don't blame him. I mean, Kopitar's ready to retire. That's way different. He's got two cups there. This is a completely different player and story. So he didn't want to do that. And now they realize it's time to move on from him. The question is, where does he go? What a move that'll be. What can you get back for him? Can it include an extension? Which then makes your return even greater? Who else are they? Look at the shop. You got to think every single guy except for Shusterkin's on the table.

[Biz]

No, but why not even put Shusterkin on the table? Just because it's a retool. I mean, you gotta have him.

[Whitney]

Whip, he didn't say rebuild. If you rebuild, then it. Yeah. Then you're looking at anyone and everyone. But I don't know if a team like that, if that organization is willing to be like, all right, we're gonna do a full rebuild, which a lot of teams aren't really willing to do. And incredibly, some of these teams, like Washington, they've done it quick. They haven't done the full rebuild. Boston with Boston, by the way, is the weirdest team I've ever seen in the NHL, I think. Have they won six in a row now? G. They just go on incredible winning and losing streaks all year long. They're looking like they're possibly going to be able to just kind of retool it. We'll get into them not getting Anderson. Rasmus. Anderson in the trade where Vegas got him from Calgary, but the Rangers, I would say. I don't think you can move JT based on. Based on how he's looked, his age, the contract, I don't think that's going to be able to happen. But if you can move Trocheck if you can move, move, laugh. Panarin's gone. Schneider's a rfa. Probably move on from him. He's been a little bit of a disappointment. So I think everyone, everyone's available besides their goalie.

[Biz]

So you think Fox is available too?

[G]

I don't know.

[Biz]

I know he's all hurt right now.

[Whitney]

I, I, I would, I would personally.

[G]

Stick with Fox and I would personally stick with Shuster. I wouldn't move off of those two guys. And like what, what could a team even possibly offer up? And you mentioned certain teams retooling. I think it has a lot to do with when you get to the round table and you realize and you know, like what, what do we have stockpiled as far as draft picks? Who are prospects coming up? Who can we actually attain via trade or free agency? I think that Washington was, I don't want to call it a lucky case because I feel like that one off season, they just did unbelievable damage where the situation with Logan Thompson wasn't working out in, in Vegas and it seems like they were hot to trot to get rid of him where there it was a no risk move. He was making basically nothing. I think he was making a million and a half dollars the first year that he was in Washington and maybe even, maybe even this year. But I know he signed a new big ticket. Right? They ended up getting Chicken who ended up having a career year last year signing a big ticket. LA was wanted to get rid of Pierre, Luke Dubois. So I feel like Washington, the way that they got back to the round table and they figured all that out. Stromer who was not, he wasn't given, he wasn't even qualified. So they, they kind of hit the perfect storm. So if you have an off season like that, a retool is, is definitely, definitely possible. I, you said the, the Boston situation confused you. I know we're kind of moving off Panarin here because they were rumored to be getting Anderson. Yeah. Rasmus Anderson. Now you were like, why are they doing that? They, they. So you didn't agree with them going after them to solidify that back end even more?

[Biz]

Not losing Lori.

[Whitney]

Yeah, see, I, I think this is a big point of contention with Bruins fans. The low, the low rise situation because there's times he looks incredible and you're talking a big guy who can move and move the puck. He's great offensively and then at times he just looks brutal. Crazy turnovers, but a guy like that that has to make and try plays the way he plays to Create the offense. There's always going to be those turnovers, but it gets a little ridiculous at times. But I just don't think that's a guy you want to get rid of. And when I said, why would they trade for Anderson and sign him, like, I don't think they're ready to like that seems like obviously that's retooling and rebuilding quickly. I'm just like, I don't. I don't really see that yet. But I guess G's argument is like, we have Swayman, we have Pasta, we have McAvoy. We can do this the way the Capitals have done.

[G]

I agree, and I agree with him because, like, you have Swayman and then if you have Anderson, who's probably a more now ready defenseman than Low Rye. Low Rye was a health bomb at the start of the year. I don't know if he's been health bombed again. But like you said, like, when he's, when he's skating well and he's making his plays and how big he is, like, he's a type of guy where, oof. With a little bit more fine tuning, like he could end up doing quickly.

[Whitney]

The news came out that he was going to be a part of this deal and he had two goals. I saw a tweet Mason Lowright when he too Mason Lowry when he hears his name in trade talks. And it's just a picture of Ray Bork in a Bruins jersey.

[Guest/Other]

Yeah, I don't think it. It was as much Mason L. I think it was the first round picks. Like you talk to a lot of Bruins fans, they want these two first round picks.

[Whitney]

I absolutely.

[Guest/Other]

I'm a low ry guy. I think Bruins fans were okay with parting with Lowri in order to bring Anderson in. I'm. I'm of the camp. I didn't want this trade to get done. I actually don't think they should have made this trade. Stick the course. Stay the course. Right now, I love the direction they're going in. You got James Hagen coming in in a few months. You have all these draft picks, but you got to draft, you got to develop. They have these first round picks. Don't get rid of them. For a guy like Rasmus.

[Biz]

So you're a low rider.

[Guest/Other]

Low rider, baby.

[G]

I think that they could retool up front faster than people think. And if they had that goalie and that back end where. But I also think that in a year or two, Low ride could be giving you just exactly what. What Anderson would be without giving all that Stuff up. That's the hope now.

[Guest/Other]

So yeah, I think they're one more year away from like just get acquire more assets this year. You have a guy like Victor Arvidson contracts up at the end of the year. Corpusallo, he's getting hot at the right time. You're telling me a team wouldn't want to trade for Jonas Corpusallo? Andrew Peak, he eats minutes. He's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. These are guys that you can trade at the deadline. You can build assets. The team's not going to take a major step back if you trade these guys. But then you can bring in the guys like James Hagans, you can bring in the draft picks and then you can.

[Whitney]

Okay, yeah, if they make an impact.

[G]

But I also feel like that move, that move isn't just to try to push the chips in for this year. I think that that just may see solidifies it for the next at least like three, four years where you have Lindholm, you have McAvoy, you have like give me the rest of them.

[Guest/Other]

Zadorov.

[G]

Zadorov, you have Anderson. So all of a sudden with Swayman and those guys on the back end, it's a little bit more appealing to attract free agents. And I feel like agents.

[Guest/Other]

There's no UFAs I know but of.

[G]

The ones that are available, like once again, like who in the east scares anybody? There's not like really a scary team obviously when Florida gets healthy. So maybe that's the way they're looking at it. They're like, we still have an opportunity to win here in the next few years where nobody's that much better than we are. Yeah, it's, there's not high, high end free agents but Boston people want to go there. They have a ton of cap space available. If you're telling me they got goaltending and D like that and you get to go play with Pasternock, geeky Fraser, Mittens coming. You said Hagens like this could be a pretty good team in, in, in two years.

[Guest/Other]

That's my point. That was kind of. My point is just like don't mortgage the future. Still acquire these draft picks, still use those first rounders if you want, if you want the rumored trade Patra in Lowry, if they want to do that and bring in Anderson. I'm all for that. I'm all. I just don't want them getting rid of those first round picks. It's something the Bruins have lacked so much over the past 15 years.

[G]

I I, I also think that, that the way that they've drafted, I think some fans might be like, I don't trust the players. Get me, get me players. Kind of like Vegas's mentality. Now we got, we got to go back to, to the Rangers because we got off course here. Like, I think that Trocheck could really help a team out. That is a type of guy that a ton of teams are going to be after, especially because his cap hit. I don't know what people have been saying about where Panarin lands, like, what's been the rumored destination. What about, what about Minnesota?

[Whitney]

I think Minnesota would want Trocheck more than they'd want Panera.

[Biz]

Centerman Church is so good at face offs. Yeah. I think that. I honestly bet that Trocheck will be more. More teams would want him to, especially the playoff teams that need guys. He can, you know, he's. He's proven in playoffs. He's. He's a dog out there. He wins face offs. I could see, I could see Troach in Minnesota, but those, the Russian guys like Panarin, they like being on the east coast. I don't know why. Like, you never really see them go out west when they have an opportunity or when they have the choice, unless I'm completely wrong. But I, I could see, yeah, like Florida, The Russians love Florida, but that cap hits too big. No.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

That would take some major math to figure that one out. Washington's a team that's thrown out there. Carolina. Right. But Carolina, it's like, oh, I, I feel like you need some size in Carolina. Right. That's another shifty, incredibly talented smaller forward. But Panarin, he can be such a game breaker. Right. They don't have anyone like him.

[Biz]

What have you always said about Carolina? They don't have that superstar.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Now is. Is. Is Panarin a superstar in the playoffs?

[G]

Yeah. I think that the argument also probably just as much with Carolina is they have a hard time getting to the inside. They're a lot of perimeter play. So I don't know if that's solving your issue, because he's the type of guy who can get pushed around, especially when you're going up against teams that play physical like Florida. The reason I could see Carolina is, well, one, they got the money and two, like, I feel like they'd be the type of team to offer him a long term deal where maybe after playing in New York, he gets to still stay out east, but he just gets to fly under the radar and, and maybe a Reason that the guy we're having on coming up for an interview was. Was thinking about going there right then. He get offer sheeted by Carolina?

[Whitney]

Yeah. And he signed it. And I think he made like over 20 million in one year, but he also ended up in Anaheim. So I guess that's the one I was trying to think of. Russians playing on the West Coast. Yeah. Now, Colorado was mentioned before, I think G said Elliott mentioned that a couple weeks ago. That that is one. That, that is one that would be scary. They already get to the inside. They have skill. That that's a. That'd be an incredible move. But I'm very interested. G saying what about Dallas? Dallas, by the way, has been brutal. I mean we're talking two, three weeks now. Bad hockey. You got to think that Jim Nil's looking at that like we need to do something. We need to make a shake up here. Could he. Could he end up in Dallas? That's going to be a crazy storyline. And also Panarin kind of controls all this because he could kind of say yes or no anywhere. He could want an extension with wherever he's going, which then the Rangers would actually probably like. Then it. It gets a better return. It's a cool storyline to watch. The whole Rangers team is kind of interesting to watch now because who's going to be left, who's going to still be there after the deadline, after the draft?

[Biz]

Do you think all this stuff, all these trades, especially the big dogs, all happened before Olympics?

[Whitney]

We're running out of time here. Oh, actually, you know what, there's about 20, 20 to 23 days till they leave. So if, if I'm bring. If I'm a cup contending team and I'm a gm, it's the old Rutherford style in Pittsburgh. Bring them in early. I want as many games with these guys as I can get. I want to get them acclimated. I don't want to have it go down on deadline day and then have whatever it is. What is it? About 12 to 14 games remaining before the, like bring them in as early as we can. So I'd want that. It's just that there's so many different teams in the mix right now, like who is selling and who's buying.

[Biz]

I also think to the big dogs that might get traded like the Trojan. I know Panera is not going to Olympics, but the teams who are looking to trade, they want to in case something happens at Olympics. They'd rather trade them before.

[G]

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. If, if I had a high Valuable asset.

[Whitney]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Biz]

I would want to move, like, Anderson. Anderson's on Sweden. Like, they get rid of him before that case something happens, right?

[G]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Eliminate the risk element. As far as the letter to the fans, I just.

[Biz]

It was a.

[G]

Like, the way that was definitely.

[Biz]

AI.

[G]

Yeah. You know, I was just more kind of going to allude to the fact the way they traded Truba out of town, the way that they treated Kreider out of town, who draw. I just. I feel like they. They were a better team and better off with those guys on it, and they chase them out of town, and then now you get what you get now.

[Whitney]

So I saw.

[G]

I don't know.

[Whitney]

I see what you're saying. And there's been a lot of that in terms of, like, the treatment of the players and the way it was, you know, it's cutthroat. Yeah, very cutthroat. And then I saw responses like, hey, Messier dealt with Gretzky getting traded from fucking Edmonton. Like, if. If you're telling me the Rangers fell apart because of the way those three guys were shipped out of town and that the team lost its morale, it's like, boys, figure it out.

[G]

No, I think we're. I. I mean, I think we're talking about different ways here that they were shipped.

[Whitney]

Very true.

[G]

They were like. They gave. They gave. Basically were given Trooper the Dougie Hamilton treatment.

[Whitney]

I agree as far as. And it was like, hey, like, you'll be in the minors, like, you're done here, so accept the trade. But if a team can't, like, put that aside.

[G]

All right?

[Whitney]

We're not happy with Chris Troy. We're not happy with how this went down, but, like, time to play hockey. Like, you can't tell me that it's acceptable to say because of the way those guys were shipped out and bullied in a sense that the team couldn't play good hockey and couldn't play anymore, that they quit.

[G]

No, it wasn't. It was more about, like, lost a little bit of their identity.

[Whitney]

Okay. Those.

[G]

Actually same. Same with Kreider. Like, he was Mr. Ranger and he would. You know, he was. He's a pretty. He's a pretty reserved guy, right? Yeah, it's a quiet guy, but when the puck drops, he comes to play. He go. Goes hard. A great power play, great net front guy. And I just feel like since moving on from those guys, like, have you really seen them replace them with that. That many better players? I feel like they've also, like, from a team standpoint, and just the familiarity of being with those guys, like the success they had and the way that it's also the younger guys and the other guys there being like, well, if this is how they're treating the guy who fucking leads our organization and power play goals and then our captain of our team, how are we going to be treated? So I just, it's maybe just more so of the, like the aura and the feeling around. My understanding is there was like even people in the front office that were let go that had been there a long time with the Rangers. So just, just weird times and, and probably a good, good learning lesson for Drury in his, his short lived career as a GM so far. So he's gonna have one bullet here, right. He's got the, he's got the rebuild, the trades and then what he can do with the rebuild and if, if what in the next two years, nothing's going right, I would imagine that he gets the door.

[Biz]

I also think the Messier, like you said, Whit, like those guys knew him going to la, that was for the betterment of the league too well.

[Whitney]

And yeah, it's not a great analogy based on how guys were shipped out compared to Gretzky. I'm just saying like they were able to, they were able to put it all aside and be like, all right, new group here, let's get our pants on. Let's go to battle and figure it out.

[G]

Well, they also had a captain like Mark Messier.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[G]

So that's probably.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[G]

Or unless Low took over as captain. But I would imagine it was massive.

[Whitney]

Let's raise that cup against the Bruins. The one without.

[G]

That's right.

[Whitney]

In terms of Anderson, Vegas did go out and get him. The, the, the goddamn Vegas Golden Knights.

[Biz]

How do they do this?

[Whitney]

They don't give a flying fuck about draft picks. I believe that they have the 2028 pick or 20, whatever.

[Biz]

Okay.

[Whitney]

So the trade was White Cloud, who's got two years remaining at two and a half. So some people are saying, well, Calgary move him. Oh, kind of makes sense that they'd hold on to him. I think you kind of need something solid player won the Stanley cup in Vegas, I think loved by his teammates. They also got a Abram Wiebe. I hope I'm saying that correct. Defensive prospect. They got a 2027 first round pick and a 2028 second round pick. That turns to a first round pick if Vegas wins the cup. So that right now, of all the years since they became a team, that's a first round pick. They hold that they may lose if they win the cup. And then they also hold Trevor Conley, everyone. Every other first round has been dealt and they go about their business in a certain way. They do not care about the future. They have a nice advantage that guys want to play there, that it is a no state tax place, that the team's been really good, that they're always looking to win. But once again, Vegas goes out. They didn't give a flying fuck about an extension coming with Rasmus Anderson. That was the Bruins hold up. The Bruins, I guess had the deal done, but they would only do it with an extension. Claude Lemieux, I think Pepe is his agent, said, no, we're not going to be going anywhere with an extension. All of a sudden the Bruins are out. Vegas says, bring them on in. We'll convince him to sign here, which they probably will. I think it was very similar to Hannifan. Did they sign Hannifin after he went there? The trade wasn't included. Speaking of Hannifin, him and Rasmus Anderson played really well together in Calgary. So all of a sudden you think that those two slot together. Is it McNabb who will be coming back? You got Theodore. It's a hell of a D there. They had to replace Petro and they did it. And I think Rasmus Anderson, a lot of people are gonna maybe. If you haven't seen Calgary play in the past couple years, they struggle. The guy is awesome. He can get you 50 points in a season. He's done that. He's physical, can play a ton of minutes. That's. It's a hell of a trade. That makes Vegas even better. And I think Vegas has won seven or eight in a row right now. So things are clicking for them.

[G]

They've been to overtime every fucking game this year.

[Whitney]

That win against the Leafs was incredible.

[G]

Oh, what a game.

[Biz]

Look at the teams that have won it the last. Like you think of Florida, Tampa, Vegas, they don't give a shit about their draft picks. They're all in win now. Like you gotta. How many teams are gonna follow suit that you just start trading away all these prospects. You get drafted by the Vegas Gold Knife, they shouldn't even send you a jersey.

[Whitney]

No, no, no. I mean if you have a core though, and you look at Tampa's and then you look at Vegas, all right, yeah, we're fine. We have our five and six. Five or six guys that we know are signed long term and in Vegas's case, they don't give a fuck. They'll trade Any of those guys, too. But we can now just go forward every year and we'll figure it out years down the line. Because at some point, Vegas and Tampa will be bad. They have to be. They better be. Not Tampa, Vegas. I'm sick of Vegas. Although we own Vegas. We really own Vegas. When I say we, I'm talking the Edmonton Oilers. We own them, so I'm not too worried about them. I will say, though, that I found out, I didn't know this, that the Oilers and the Blues are the only two teams in the league to not win three games in a row this year. That. That's a little rattling.

[G]

Really.

[Whitney]

That's. That's not exactly a great stat you want to hear as an Oilers fan. But Vegas goes out and gets their guys. They always do. And they're probably not done. Can you see them grabbing more? I can. I believe they have nine guys going to the Olympics too. So that's another thing you look at, like, will guys be tired? I don't know. But Vegas, God damn. Vegas Golden Knights.

[G]

Well, I got, I got a couple lists here. I mean, this is from Sinbin, Vegas. And going back like you guys talked about 2017, they had three first rounders. They were all moved to Nashville, to Montreal, to Ottawa, 18 to Detroit, to Buffalo in 2019, 2020 to the Rangers, 2021 to St. Louis, 2022 to Buffalo, 2023 to San Jose, 2024, they actually own their first round pick. They drafted Trevor Connolly and then 25, 26, 27, they're all gone. And then now 20, 20, 28, it's owned conditionally by Calgary. So they've only picked one time in the first round and it was in 2024. The other list, too, list of players Vegas has traded for at the deadline or weeks ahead since its inception. They've gotten Mark Stone, Alec Martinez, Chandler Stevenson, Robin Leonard, Nick Cousins, Jack Eichel, Tomas Hurdle, Noah Hannifan, Jonathan Quick, Teddy Bluger, Ivan Barbershev, Riley Smith and Rasmus Anderson. That's a crazy.

[Whitney]

The hurdle one. I remember the hurdle one at like 3:04 Eastern that day. And I was on my couch and I lost my mind. It was the Breaking Bad, Jesse Pinkman. They can't keep getting away with this. And they, they do. But like I said, Edmonton, second round will take you down again. I think they did pick Suzuki. Suzuki had a Vegas Golden Knights jersey on at one point and then he was dealt over. But. So they've made picks or they've dealt them. But I, I, in terms of What Keith said in always trading away their future. Fans love that. Fans don't care unless you're horrible and then you're waiting on a super prospect. You get the chance to win the lottery. Fans don't care. Trade the picks. Get me a player.

[G]

Maybe by that list they meant even if they picked the first rounder, they shipped them off to that team that I mentioned. That's kind of what that meant there. And also White Cloud man, I think people consider him an original misfit and he was a very service for serviceable defenseman. Played hard. I would say that, you know, on, on any Stanley cup winning team. He's an incredible bonding bottom pair of defenseman.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Oh yeah.

[G]

Very long, physical, you know, solid puck mover. So I mean to him, I mean that's, that's a tough one for the fan base.

[Whitney]

It is.

[G]

And he was a beloved player.

[Whitney]

Scored I think the game winner in game one of the cup finals against Washington when they won. That's a memory he has forever. Also the picture of him running down the strip barefoot during the parade, that was a classic. We interviewed him right after that. Great guy. Awesome dude. Probably a tough one to deal with, but he made his impact in Vegas. So, you know, congrats to him on an amazing run there. Let's see what he does in Calgary or if they move on from him.

[Biz]

I could see. I could see a Boston like he to me, like we're talking about Lori. I think Laura needs a guy like him to play with who's steady but can still make good plays. He's tough. He plays hard every game. Like I don't think, I don't think we see. I don't think we see him in a Calgary jersey all year.

[Whitney]

Okay. Yep, that's up. That's been mentioned.

[G]

And last night was their, their seventh straight win. The go biggest Golden Knights. They've had seven in a row now. And you go back to that Mitchie Marner against Toronto. Lot of Leafs fans. They were booing Mitch in at the T Mobile.

[Whitney]

He said after that they've always traveled well. He just had to kind of tip his Cap. Leafs fans, at least I remember Edmonton, Leafs and Montreal, they travel, man, they are everywhere. And I think Florida too. Florida Leafs in Montreal, it's always very loud, so they let him hear it. But dude, he ended up on top. And the Leafs blew that game. Dude, they blew it. And I think Nylander was injured celebrating.

[Biz]

A goal like the bow.

[G]

He wasn't being a hot dog.

[Whitney]

No, no, no, not at all. Bad luck.

[G]

I'm saying he tried to do the T stop and it looked like his. His ankle just buckled a little bit and he re aggravated a lower body injury, so he left the game. But incredible pace to that one. Un. Unbelievable saves. The one goal. They end up tying at 5. 5. They go to review. It was offside. Guy doesn't drag a leg. Then they tie in the dying minute. And then OT was incredible. Eichel, you can't leave Eichel all alone like that.

[Whitney]

Break away from the blue line, basically. Is that Matthew's back? Chicken and shout out. Matt.

[G]

Yeah, I know everybody's all over him online like, shut the fuck up. This guy's been on a heater the last, you know, three, four weeks and then he goes into Winnipeg and then does what he does with setting up Max Domi in that comeback win for the OT winner. So Matthew's kind of entering his village. I love it.

[Whitney]

As they're saying here, he gave the. He was listening to jets fans yell at him getting off the ice and all he did was give him the ear. Lots immediately went. Domi scored. Scott Lawton turned around and started doing the baby cry face at fans in Winnipeg. So the Leafs, they got some mojo going and Matthews has 10 goals in his last 11 games. So all of a sudden, if this is going to be like, put it this way, Matthews is in the running for 50 goals still this year. Would you agree, Biz?

[G]

I would, yeah. I would say confidently he's going to like hit the 45 mark. Oh, yeah, 40. 45 mark. But I don't understand why Winnipeg jets fans are booing Matthews every time he gets the puck. They should.

[Whitney]

Do you remember the start of.

[G]

I feel like they've been on a bit of an embarrassing run. Half the fan base was trying to tell everyone that Line A was going to be better.

[Whitney]

Well, they had that amazing game against each other. Did they both have hat tricks or did Line have a hat trick and he had two. That was back their rookie year. And yeah, things have gone a little different in the line A Matthews race to who'd be better competition and the Jets. I don't really blame them for booing or look at them. It's a disaster.

[Biz]

At least they're not booing their own team. Like Jersey.

[Whitney]

That's true.

[G]

And I want to say that if you could Google this one, G, that of the last 10 games, Leafs have beat the Jets. Nine of the last 10.

[Biz]

Wow.

[G]

They've played maybe could even be 10 in a row. So we got the jets number Right now. And things are moving from bad to worse in jets land.

[Whitney]

And a place where things are moving in an amazing, amazing way. And all positive is Columbus. Four in a row. I believe they've won.

[G]

Bones.

[Whitney]

And let's send to the audio of Elvis Leakins being asked what's. What's changed? What's different? How are you winning now?

[Biz]

I want to ask you, three wins.

[G]

In a row, two at home, a new coach.

[Whitney]

What's different?

[Sergei Fedorov]

New coach. That's it.

[Whitney]

New coach. Wow.

[G]

What a soundbite for Jody Shelley on the bench there.

[Whitney]

I mean, spicy that is. Yeah, that's a shot. That's a shot across the bow. I would say to Dean Evanson, just new coach. Like, nothing. Nothing else. Just we got a new coach. Makes it seem like it was very needed within the locker room, at least. Biz, did you like it? Do you feel bad for Evanson? Like, what's your thoughts on that?

[G]

Much like the. The Sanderson quote we're going to get. It just felt like it was frustration and he was letting it out. Maybe a weird time after a win and then the deed had already been done. From talking to people, though, my understanding, like, Dean Evanson, when he was in Minnesota, he seemed like he was very well liked, you know, a very stern coach. I don't know what his philosophies were. It never really came out. The only thing we knew about the firing is the fact that it was hard on Billy G. They had an emotional moment and sometimes you have to hand the reins off to somebody else because you think you're going to get better results. Well, I don't know what happened in Columbus, but it felt like the locker room, from what I'm hearing, said that he wasn't teaching. Like, there was not a lot of teaching. It was just work harder, you know, work harder, work harder. Where it's like, well, okay, like if you gotta. Like some T. Some coaches can get away with that because they have such a good team. But if these, especially the. The veteran players, I think that they know how to play most systems. But when you also have a bit of a young wave, some guys being over from. From Russia as well, there has to be a lot of teaching that that is involved. Right. We talked about. You mentioned Vrabel. You don't think Vrabel's in there, like being his buddy in breaking down the simplicity of these plays and the details and articulating to everybody inside that locker room in order to have success? Absolutely. I don't think that that was the case happening In Columbus and coaching a team, especially at today's. In today's NHL, it takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of massaging relationships. It takes a little bit of coddling. Not that they want to do it, but you got to do it. So that was kind of the mo and then you could see, like, just the instant impact that Bones has had there. I worked with Bones at tnt. Like, he's fucking pacing between periods when things aren't going well for a team on there. We got to talk about this. We got to talk about that. Like, he's so e to attack what needs to be corrected, what he liked that about. About that. And he wants to tell you, too. So I just feel like the energy that he's brought over the course of the first. Whatever, 10 days, 12 days that he's been there, it. It just looks like a world of difference. And the players seem to be reciprocating that and. And really enjoying it. What do they win three in a row and then lost the fourth?

[Whitney]

Thought they've won four in a row?

[Biz]

Biz, I agree with you on your last part. Like, I don't think it. I think it's more of a compliment to Bones as opposed to a shot at Everson. Just as, you know, you got a new coach coming in. It's, you know, a quarter of the way through the year.

[Whitney]

Positive.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah.

[Biz]

Just like, you know, he's positive.

[Sergei Fedorov]

You see his.

[Biz]

The sound bites in the locker room. Like, he's, you know, he's trying to figure this all out while on the run, trying to get to know these guys. And I think. I think it was a good way for, you know, your goalie to be like, hey, we got a new coach. We're riding for him. This is our guy. I mean, he could have maybe phrased it a little differently and been like, no offense to the other guy, but this new guy's been great. So I think it was just more of a compliment to Bones in the way that he's came in and, you know, won the hearts of the guys in that locker room.

[G]

I felt like. Do you not feel, though, that his body language and, like, the way that he said.

[Whitney]

Was a shock?

[G]

It kind of. Yeah, it kind of felt like a bit of a shock. I don't. I want to say that it didn't, but it.

[Whitney]

Now, here's the thing about that one compared to Jake Sanderson that we'll get into in a minute, that is immediately after the game, and there's a reason that there is a couple minutes of cooldown for players before the media comes in. Sanderson had that cooldown before he addressed the media, right?

[Biz]

No, he didn't.

[Whitney]

He's coming off the ice. The emotions are high. The vibes are great right now. Boom. He says that. So maybe if that's.

[Guest/Other]

He's.

[Whitney]

He's talked to in the locker room, he. He kind of has cooled down a minute, and he doesn't say that. Which did seem like a shot. Who knows? Maybe he does. But when you're getting guys right after a game, like, trying to describe to people the adrenaline you have after a win, specifically, like, it's. It's kind of hard to, like, calm yourself down and. And. And make sure you're thinking before you speak, type. Type thing. But I want to tell Columbus fans, who we have openly not. What's the opposite of criticized, Applauded as an amazing fan base. I hear you loud and clear in my DMs, because I am with you right now, that as many times as we've said it's Cale Makar's Norris Trophy to lose, as long as he's in the league, Zach Warrensky is the Norris Trophy winner right now. He's one point behind Cale Makar. He's got four more goals. And if you look at what Caleb McCarr's playing compared to Zach Warrensky, he is the best defenseman in the NHL this season. It's been insane to see what this guy's doing. He's got 18 goals already.

[Sergei Fedorov]

All right.

[Whitney]

We're a little over halfway through the season. He's on pace for 35 goals. He's going to lead his team in scoring again. He is so fucking good. People don't know it because the lack of success in Columbus, but the fans there do. And I have had so many people reach out to me, you have to start bringing this up. So I hear you. I've looked at the numbers, I've crunched, I've looked at the analytics, Pasha style. I'm under the hood of an old Chevy. And I'll say right now that throughout this point of the year, Zach Warrensky is the Norris Trophy winner. Okay, boys. Okay.

[Biz]

All right. Couldn't agree with you.

[G]

I can't argue with you.

[Biz]

Honestly. I can't wait to watch him at Olympics surrounded by guys of his caliber. He is going to be so electric. I think it's his power play. Like, you know, other people might say it's Quinn Hughes's power play.

[Whitney]

No, I wonder. That one.

[Biz]

I think you got to give it to him. The way that he's doing it like he is so good. He just flies under the radar. He's a no maintenance guy. Just goes out, does his job every day. You don't hear much obviously from him cause it's in Columbus. But man, what a player this guy is. And a treat to watch every night.

[Whitney]

And maybe we get an example of the. The Pronger Nedemeyer buzzing around Anaheim Ducks power play of just having both of them out there. It doesn't have to be four forwards, right? You get two D. One of them is Quinn Hughes. He just plays everywhere whereinsky's up top. That could be an option. So we'll see what happens there in us. But Warrensky was incredible in the Four nations as well.

[G]

I know we got a little off track there with Orinsky, but going back to Sanderson's comments, I mean that's tough. They put. They put the one kid in, Linus Hallmark is out right now. He's on a personal leave. I don't know what's going on. Right. So then that one kid. I'm going to try and pronounce his name. Do you know how to pronounce his name? Boys, It's. Is it Livy Marilanen?

[Whitney]

Sounds pretty good.

[Biz]

Sounds great.

[G]

Not bad.

[Whitney]

Sounds pretty good.

[G]

But. So he kind of gets left on an island where I think he went 10 straight games with having below a.900 save percentage. So Ottawa's not getting any saves. If Ottawa. If hot Ottawa had average goaltending they would be competing for the top spot in the. In the Atlantic, right? Is that. Would you guys agree with that they had the expected goals saved. They. This is more under the hood stuff. It's crazy that we're talking about But Ottawa is 11 goals worse than anyone else in goaltending category for the team. Like the goal saved above expected. They're at a minus 34.1 right now. The next team is St. Louis at 23. So I mean you could look at like for instance a team like Buffalo is. Is flat even on that goals expected above average. So that's. That's the type of swing we're talking about as a difference. And talk about bad luck for Ottawa when it comes to goaltending. This is a little nugget too that I set your guys way. Worst single season NHL team save percentage since 1990 number one was 92. 93. Ottawa Senators their team say percentage was.852. The next year after that their save percentage was.857. And then this year 2526. The Ottawa Senators team save percentage right now is 8. 65. In the modern day era of NHL. Like, I don't know if these guys playing with black ice goal goaltending pads, like, what's going on over there?

[Whitney]

I don't know, but let's quickly throw it to Jake Sanderson's comments.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah, I think, you know, Levy made some, some good saves, but, you know, I think at the end of the.

[G]

Day, you gotta make more than 10 saves to win a game.

[Whitney]

That's one that, that's tough, right? If, if you're the goalie and you see that like, dude, your confidence is down. Like Biz said, you've played 10 in a row and he says he made some good saves. But, and that's when you know, oh, and when you have a team that's struggling the way they are, most of it being goaltending, friction starts happening. Right? And what, I think what hurts Sanderson the most was Brady Tkachuk. And Tim Stutzel was asked about him and they really pumped his tires and they really kept it within the locker room and stayed as a group. Didn't throw him under the bus. I would guess if you, if you could ask Sanderson if he'd do it again, he'd say no.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Right?

[Whitney]

I get the frustration also. I think that game, Sanderson had four points played over 25 minutes. He's been incredible. Everyone's starting to realize how great of a player he is and, and he's disgusted and he's frustrated and I get it. But you look at the captain who then doesn't go that route. And I don't know if Stutzel and Brady had already been told of what Sanderson said or if it was all kind of going on as one with the media around the room. But speaking from my example at the Internet Invitational of completely crushing Luke Kwan, only to have Jon Gruden really bring us together as a group, I felt pretty bad after. I was like, oh, no, that's kind of what a real leader does. And I'm pretty sure when Jake Sanderson saw the comments from Tkachuk, he's like, fuck, like, as hard as it's been to go through this and see goal after goal after goal go in, I gotta be a better teammate, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's not, it's not the right thing to do.

[Biz]

I don't know.

[Whitney]

But like, but I see both sides. I'm playing both sides here and he's.

[G]

Getting thrown under the bus in a sense of like, I'm not saying, like, all Mark needs to be around if he's dealing with stuff, like, mentally, but the fact that this kid who I've never even heard of gets, you know, 10 starts in a row, he gets thrown on an island. So you, you know, you just made, you made the big trade and you paid this one goalie all the money and, and he, his save percentage is, is not much better if, if even worse. And all of a sudden this kid gets between a put between a rock and a hard place and left on an island where it's like, ah, if it was all Mark and he was saying that because that was still continuing and he was making all the money as a veteran and a Vesna winner, I would have a little bit more of an understanding as opposed to this kid who's probably like, I'm just happy to be here.

[Whitney]

And I don't know if there's been a goalie in the league to start 10 games in a row this year. Gee, maybe look that up. That is, that is like the old school, starting like 30 in a row, I feel like.

[Biz]

Yeah, I think, I mean, obviously he would love to take it back. He's not wrong in what he said. But it, like, it goes back to, I remember being young when you're fiery, you want to win every game, you know, and you, your number's on the board to do media. And I, I, I like, specifically remember, like, donor seeing me red in the face, ready to go do media. And he would grab me to the side and be like, tell me what to say, you know, so he should have went to, to Brady and been like, hey, dude, I'm thinking of throwing this guy under the bus. What do you think? And Brady would have been like, no, let's not do that. Times are tough enough already in, in audible land. Like, like, let's, let's keep it down a little bit. But I mean, at one point it's like, okay, this guy wears his heart on his sleeve. He's going out every night playing his, his balls off. So you kind of see it both ways, but at the end of the day, you can't do that to your team.

[Whitney]

And. And then after this, they play Detroit. Pinto ties it up. It's three. Three. They go to overtime. Stiltzel loses it in the offensive zone. To me, maybe it's end of the shift. Kind of looks like he quit a little bit on the back check, goes over to Brink hat, and he rifles one over Reimer shoulder and Ottawa loses again. They get a point. But, yeah, it's, it's. And I think Reimer had, like 30 to 35 saves. He played pretty well. Outshot them by a ton Sunday. But, yeah, you just, I, I think playing. Just remembering how brutal it feels if you're the guy getting thrown under the bus and then to see it happen, it's like, I, I think Sanderson, as a young guy, would say, I. If I could have that one back, I would.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

But with that, I think it's time to throw it over to a true legend of the game. Straight from Russia, hall of Famer Sergey Fedorov. This episode of Spitting Chicklets is brought to you by New body armor Flash iv, caffeine, zero sugar. You heard that, right. You get the Flash iv, you get the caffeine. You got no sugar involved if you're dragging, but you're also dehydrated. Maybe after a big night. This is the move, this is the drink. It's hydration with a caffeine boost and zero sugar involved. You don't need any of that. That hurts to hangover.

[Guest/Other]

Wait, I got it right here. I woke up, I had the pineapple passion fruit. 95 milligrams of caffeine in this bad boy. It is unbelievable. Zero sugar, too. It was just like having your morning orange juice, but it had caffeine and it gives you some electrolytes.

[Whitney]

So after a Sunday at Gillette, watching our team move on to the AFC title, I know he had a big day. I'm sure a lot of pink Whitney. But now you have the body armor, you got the caffeine, and you got no sugar. You got no sugar at all. So shout out the body armor Flash IV, caffeine, zero sugar. I keep one around for long days and early mornings. It's easy, easy, easy living drinking one of these, you feel great. After work hard and hydrate hard with body armor flash IV, grab it at a local 7 11. An absolute honor right now to be joined by one of the best players to ever play in the NHL, a hall of Famer, an international hockey hall of Famer, and the newest number raised to the rafters for the Detroit Red Wings, Sergei Fedorov.

[Biz]

What's going on?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Hi, guys. Nothing going on. Still trying to get over jet lag, but we safe and sound back in Russia and I guess working hard the.

[Whitney]

Whole game and the whole jersey retirement and raising to the rapture, it seemed incredible. I think the coolest thing for us growing up watching you was the Nike skates that every guy had on him. Warmups did you have any idea that was happening?

[Sergei Fedorov]

No idea. Not even the Corvette?

[Whitney]

Did you get the Corvette?

[Sergei Fedorov]

I like. I like to, but it was old.

[G]

Model, didn't want nothing to do with it. Who were the guys that you were most excited to see and who do you think was the most excited to see you? Because it looked like Darren McCarty didn't put his phone down the entire week doing all those selfie videos.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Honestly, I saw everybody and everybody, I guess, was looking forward to that kind of a sort of night. I came in beginning of November and I saw some guys and invite every one of them and I don't know, whoever I play with. And basically it's more than 20 guys.

[G]

Just to summarize the whole experience, though, now that you're back home, I'm sure you guys had a few cocktails too. But, like, could you have ever imagined that you'd be getting your jersey number retired by the Detroit Red Wings? And what was it like when you got the call, when they let you know, I understand.

[Sergei Fedorov]

If we start from beginning, I understand. People in Detroit, radio hosts, even my friends were telling me that they talking about you, they're talking about Jersey this and that. I told every one of them, whoever I talked to, I said, listen, it's out of my hands for sure. I'm Red Wing at heart. This is going to be, if it's happened, huge honor, huge honor. The club can show to the player, to his accomplishments. But eventually I said, if it's happened, I'd be thrilled. I'll be honored. What else? I don't know what to say, right. But if it doesn't happen, it's still there. All the accomplishments as a Red Wing, all the accomplishments as a team, those cups will be there and those goals will be there. It's no problem. It's been a long time, for sure, but to me, to me, Red Wing's hundred years old, I'm a ninth player and arena and the whole LCA is going 150% of everything. So finally they put together such a great entertainment piece. I'm glad to be part of it. And it did happen.

[G]

That's awesome.

[Whitney]

The speech was amazing. A couple different things. You want to ask about that.

[Biz]

Awesome.

[Whitney]

One of them was that morning still.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Speech was not ready.

[Whitney]

Oh, yeah, that. That's like a best man speech. Just wait till the last minute. But you could tell you were getting almost a little emotional. Talking about Steve Eisman and what he meant to you is funny because when he was first asked about bringing you over, he actually Said he's better than I am. After you guys played against each other in the World Championship. So when you got over, how much did he mean to you? Did you know a lot about him? You know, when you came over to be a wing?

[Sergei Fedorov]

The honest answer and shorter sensor. I did not know anything, honestly. I remember when I met Steve first time in Detroit. I remember him from World cup, but I came absolutely from Clean Sheet. I don't know much about. I don't think much about. I was only 20 guys. It was stressful enough to make that last step before the tournament. I only played two exhibition games. And I decided, listen nothing, hold me. I already decided. Probably not a long time ago, but year or two before that. I'm going to try to find new life, new hockey life for myself. And I left. And it took me a few months to just get used to idea that I'm in different country, I'm in Detroit. But everybody was so nice. So that acclamation, or should I say get accustomed to the new life obviously went much smoother than I thought it would be. But I was worried about a lot of things, especially when I left Soviet Union team. I was worried about parents, no doubt. Thank God they were living up north away from Moscow. And so. And so. So I don't think so. They got bothered too much. But till this day did. They did not talk about to me about anything. I don't know, maybe they. They can't. My father already watching over me from the sky, my mom still doing well. I don't know, man. They still quiet about if they have any sort of problems at the hometown up north where we were living.

[G]

And you're referring to the fact that you defected from Russia. There's some people listening that. That might not realize that, like, to be quite frank, before we. We knew we were interviewed. When I looked into it, I was unaware of that too. Because McGilney is the one name that stands out the most. And my understanding you ended up doing it the year after McGilney?

[Sergei Fedorov]

That's correct.

[G]

That's probably found out on like maybe how to go through with it through him. Like, did you discuss with him?

[Sergei Fedorov]

No, no, nothing. No idea. No idea. Alex, we finished World Cup. We won World cup in Stockholm, Sweden. And after a couple days of partying, I think I've said this story. So no video. After a couple days at night, we were just about to sleep. He goes, I'm going to Buffalo tomorrow. Come with me. I'm like, alex, relax. What I'm gonna do in Buffalo. And I didn't really take it seriously, obviously being Nightingale at the time. And I said, let's sleep over. We'll talk tomorrow. And eventually in the morning we chat. And he goes, I leave after lunch. So if he can walk me out or if you can send me on the way, it'd be great. So I really did support that. Walk him out, put him in the car, and here we go. But I never imagined or thought I'm going to do the same thing but in a different sort of circumstances. Never at that time. So it was pretty fun to remember those kind of ballsy moves, especially out of the Soviet Union sort of system.

[G]

So how did your situation transpire if it was different?

[Sergei Fedorov]

My situation became Goodwill Games. We were two months into the training. We came to the tournament, it's called Goodwill Games in the summer sort of thing, right. And I had few contacts with representatives of the Red Rings from Jimmy Light. Jimmy Lights at the time, I believe, vice president of the Red Ranks organization. And they were. They saw me a couple times. And eventually we have super Syria with Red army team in Chicago. You know that story. I hope you heard of it. I escaped from Backdoor, where our team stayed and went to see Jimmy at the Drake Hotel. He go full throttle of me. He gave me a contract. Show me zeros as far as the signals. Show me beautiful, like nice Corvette, sort of like a book, you know. And it was awesome, you know, we were at Drake Hotel on a nice, nice suite, just like in the movie or in stories maybe you read. And he goes, let's go now. I was kind of not worried, but I understood. I understood I wanted to go, but not now, but eventually. And I understood his sort of emotions, but at the same time, again, I was worried about my parents. I have no idea what to do. By the way, that Trip person, you know, officer from Special Forces, you know what I'm talking about, or travel with the team. So I had to kind of figure out how I come around that issue because it was like 5 or 6pm and we're just about to have a dinner at 7 as a team. So I had a dinner and. And then right away, while he was eating, I was gone already to see Jimmy Lights. And I came back before curfew, which is 11pm I believe.

[Biz]

I mean, every Russian that I ever played with, you guys are so proud to be from Russia. You know, it's you. You want to play for your country. Like to make the decision to come over. Was it more, you know, I want to better my life with money. Or just you knew about the NHL and it was where the best players in the world were. Because you guys had a great league over there as well.

[Sergei Fedorov]

We did, but me and Alex, we were four years in the sort of sports facility living outside of Moscow. All we know, 11 months out of the year, we were training twice a day, sometimes four times a day, sometimes three times a day. And by the year, number four, we were three times Soviet Union champions. We were two times world champions, European champions. Alex in 1988 was Olympic champion. And we still noticed sort of. What is it called, sport facility outside from Moscow. It's called baza. I mean, place where the people who doesn't have sort of apartments or cars would stay. It was two of us only. And we asked last two years of our sort of journey with Red army, can we get, like, apartments? Can I get a car to my parents? Nobody gonna see it.

[Guest/Other]

It.

[Sergei Fedorov]

I want to let them have it. I have money, and I'm. I was ready to buy sort of if team would provide one, because I was still 18 or 19. I didn't have a driver license or anything. So they put on the pause. They were kind enough in not to sort of give me harsh words. You say, listen, we got older players. They in line, blah, blah, blah. We can't give it to you. And by 90, like, end of 90, I understand. I mean, I've seen my older. Older teammates, older teachers. That's how I like to call them, struggle too, you know, five, seven years, they super champions, but they leave sort of in iffy sort of conditions, you know? You know what I'm saying? So I figured out, me and Alex, we're not gonna get what we want. And that's one of the reasons, you know, that's one of the reasons, but most exciting reasons. In 89, I had a super serial, like I said. And in Philadelphia, Joel, a point from New York Post, asked me if I ever would like to play in NHL. And I said blindly, like, maybe one day, I don't know. So far I'm playing for Adami and learning hockey here. I cannot imagine, like, in a year I will be in the United States of America, trying myself a new league, new teammates, new life, and so on and so on. So hockey secondary, like zeros. A secondary sort of apartments and cars, and that's. That was secondary. I did not dream. How nice and how warm red wings organization. Mrs. Ilitch, Mr. Ilitch. And obviously the whole staff will treat me. I. I don't know nothing about Corvette. I don't know nothing about apartment which is for free for a few years. But they like to carry me like their own sort of part of the family. It was super nice. And I guess that's a price to be a little bit young, 20 and doesn't know much about life outside of the hockey and Mr. Family show me how to be generous and kind and appreciative of things like doesn't happen overnight and every day or every year or every 10 years. I don't know. You choose that.

[Whitney]

I know I speak for the other guys with us right now, but like. Like with what kids are given now, they kind of have their ass kiss coming up their entire lives. Like the balls it took for you guys to do that. It's just on such a different level from from what players are doing now to get into the NHL. So it's a credit to you. But when you mentioned you met with. With Jim Lights and then got back to the hotel. When. When did you then end up meeting him again to go to his. I think it was Mr. Ilitch's jet you ended up getting on. Right?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah. I met Jimmy already in Detroit. 6am we arrive. I don't know that day particular but next two or three days I met him at his office at Jolie's Arena. It was enough meetings for me too. I. I don't want to get sort of get suspicion to my sort of people who were with the team at a time that's their job. Look around, make sure everybody together in contact and return back to Russia before.

[G]

We get like too deep into the weeds. On the Detroit stuff, what was your upbringing like? I did read something that used to train for decathletes or decathlons. Excuse me. Is that true how you used to train growing up? Or maybe that was a rumor I read online.

[Sergei Fedorov]

What do you mean? Catholics.

[G]

What's that like? Like basically like you were in very good shape. Like just like the. The Cathlon is like an event where there's a bunch of different events. But maybe this is wrong the information.

[Biz]

I'm getting, but Tikonov had him working out five times a day.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Well it's no doubt I have like paper copies. When Viktor Tikonov would put against every player that he was at training particular training off the ice and on the ice. So I have copies and then I have how much tons of weights we would lift in two and a half hours. Yeah, we. We train extremely hard. I can tell you briefly about first. First preseason we like a month and a half or two months in only facility that has weights. So we would have like 70 to 80 kilos of weights. We have 13 stations. We have to lift 15 times three laps. So we once lifted 27 tons of weights in two and a half hours.

[G]

That it just all the different types of ex, like squats, like shoulder press, just, you name it, you were just thrown away.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Anything you can imagine, squats, bench presses and 13 stations. I don't know, I guess it was pull ups also and so on and so on.

[Whitney]

And then you can't wait a couple.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Hours your hands up.

[G]

So maybe that's what he meant by all the different events. It was just these different stations that you would go to to lift these hard hardcore weights. And who so like, like, was that just something that was pretty common then or were you guys going above and beyond?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Absolutely common. Absolutely common. Absolutely no technique, no reason to do so much, but that's what we've done. Honestly guys, we survived. Me and Alex, we survived. First year I could not lift 60 kilos bench press by 17 and a half 18. I was doing what I just said.

[Biz]

When you came over and saw guys not working out as you guys were in Russia, were you kind of like what's going on here?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Honestly, we. Personally I am, I didn't think that way. That guys did not work hard. In my mind and my opinion since day one, Red Wings organization and players and there that I met work really, really hard. I understand one thing. When you have 82 games almost every other day, or 12 games, 13 games a month, you can't do the same stuff. What we've done in Russia. In Russia, our sort of regular championship was 34, 36 games and another games up to 90 or 80 games. We would pick up on international tournaments, including World cup or European cup or Olympic Games and so on and so on.

[G]

Unreal.

[Whitney]

As Biz mentioned before we get to the Detroit team and the Cups, I'd love to go back to 8, 9 year old Sergei Fedorov. Like I imagine you were skating a lot of outdoor arenas. Like what made you fall in love with the game and, and maybe a coach or, or your dad then I don't know how it worked in terms of you falling in love with the, with the game of hockey.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Well, definitely in, in 78, I was nine years old. We move up north above Polar Circle. It was nine months of the winter. We would skate on real ice. It would melt at March, but still it was good enough to skate. And I live in a fifth five story apartment, so my school would be seven minutes walk and my Ice arena where my dad was working as a manager of the whole winter Sports were like 10 minutes easy walk. And behind over the. If you cross the road was a. Was a soccer field. Obviously it was not green because it was cold. But we live in. I live in an environment where everything was so close. No need the car, no need nothing. So if let's say we have like minus 30 Celsius and snow falling school are closed, we'll be at the rink right away and we would skate for 5, 10 minutes. Your chicks become white. That's where you have to go back get your something warm, like not cotton, but cashmere. And you start doing this make sure you didn't get frostbite. That's what we did. And I had so much opportunities and I had so much sort of ice time that I always were doing either shoveling snow and skating or I will be like at the school. Then I would have practice, then I do my homework. Then at night until 10 or 11, I would play right in front of my sort of apartment building with friends. And that's how life would go. But definitely ice. Imagine real ice, probably that thick at the end of the season and sunny day and it's 33 meters wide. And you're just skating with the box and it sounds so good, you know that ice would break underneath of your skates. At a time we start getting not steel skates, but already plastic skates. The one.

[Biz]

Wow.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Whole world now playing. And before my skates were like. I don't know, three and a half kilos each.

[G]

Oh my God, the whole thing.

[Sergei Fedorov]

When we got those light one. It was amazing feeling. And hockey was dynamic sport. And seems to me I get a whole idea how to play or. And obviously my father was around for all of this.

[G]

I think you referred to your even your teammates as teachers. Is that what you said earlier?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah, I said about Igor Slava, Vladimir Krutov, Sergei Makarov, Alexei Kasatonov, Wychlav Bikov, Valery Kamensky. I don't know if you can relate to those names, but few of those guys play in NHL. I came when I was 16 or 17. They already were superstars. I realized that later on, after I finished my career. It was everything comes from analyzing what happened to me. Is it really true? I was in North America playing, so I had to press button, watch YouTube and stuff sometime. It did happen. It did happen. So I can analyze all of this and I really truly believe. Up front of me for 11 months out of the year, four hours every day on the ice. I see those guys playing hockey, training hockey, and nobody really explained a lot. What do you have to do? Our generation had chance to skate two hours in the morning, two hours in the evening and obviously watch the best players in the world that already been superstars at 25, 26, like Lerionov, Makarov, Krutov, Ftisov, Kasatonov. You know, they were on fire already.

[Whitney]

How did the Red army team find you when you were 15, 16? Like was it tournament?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Great question, great story. Be honest with you, would love to share it with you. I was coming from my north city, just like I said in the speech, 1300 miles to play in exhibition games in the Minsk Belarusia. But I only had one chance to play four hours away from my city where my family reside. It was a big city, regional, big city. And they had a team. They had a team a year older than me. But they saw me play couple tournaments. They invite me to that trip that really out we have to go outside of the region, 1500 miles away, play sort of summer hockey, like exhibition hockey. So I play for a year older guys. And we came to Minsk. So we're playing three or four exhibition games. And the coach who invite me there for that special, very good hockey program were going, I can tell you a little bit like crazy, because I was his age group that he was training, imagine. And I play second line. And we won few games and everything was good. As soon as he find out I'm the only one age group that he's coaching, he immediately called me in into the office, I'm 12. And start talking to me like, I like to invite you to the Minsk this and that. What do you know about when you're 12?

[Biz]

Nothing.

[Sergei Fedorov]

I was excited. I said, said, well, thank you, I will tell my parents about. So like in the speech in the year. Well, I came back home, I told my parents one year, I didn't hear anything. And all of a sudden, summertime after I finished school, they asked me. So Sergey coach called, would you like to go? I'm like not even think about. Absolutely. They have a really roof over the skating ring, just like in a speech. So I have to shovel the snow for hour, hour and a half or two hours sometime, you know, depends. And I can skate there 11 months out of the year. With the elite program. With elite program. So by 13, my dad took me there for two weeks. He stays with me and then he left back home to work. So I was in a million people city having my schedule. I was living at the school I had 11 people in my room first year. So when you cleaning all that facility, you got that much sand, that much sand and most precious sort of things you hiding underneath of the mattress.

[G]

That's unbelievable.

[Sergei Fedorov]

So I went there and three, three and a half years. And that city has Dynamo Minsk organization. So if I choose by Dynamo, I would go Dynamo Moscow in Moscow. But I was finishing school. I play already one year for Dynamo Minsk there. But I still was too young to get drafted or sign in and stuff like that. So all of a sudden Red army scout, the famous scout who brought to Victor Tikhan many, many great players. We're talking to my dad. So I'm finishing school, I'm saying goodbye at ice rink where I trained for three, three and a half years. And next thing I know we're on the train to Moscow. I'm coming in, settle it down. All of a sudden I'm coming to that gym with a lot of weight and start working out. That's how much I remember.

[G]

Jesus.

[Sergei Fedorov]

So they basically stole me from that progressive line towards Dynamo. That's how I end up in Red Army.

[Whitney]

And is that when you met Mo Gilney? Because you guys are born the same.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Year we came to professional Red army team together.

[Biz]

Oh, wow.

[Whitney]

Wow.

[Sergei Fedorov]

That's correct.

[G]

Unbelievable.

[Sergei Fedorov]

He was in the mosque already two years playing for junior Red army team, you know what I'm saying? I came after adult, adult team playing adult hockey. We have top league and we have first league. So they play in the first league. But I play like 15 games. I score seven goals, one hat trick and few assists. And soon as I'm done while I was in school and soon as I'm done that season that scout took me to Moscow. My dad agrees. And that's how I end up there.

[G]

So it seems like that's really all you knew, right, Was hockey. You were doing it so often. Like how. How did guys over there not get burnt out by the amount of times you're working out, you're skating, you're doing it 11 months of the year. Like is burnout even a thing over there?

[Sergei Fedorov]

I gotcha. If I may, I like to defend myself. I knew Bibliothech. I used to go there and read a lot, a lot of books. Obviously there were a little bit war books and drama and it was about that. But you're absolutely right. All I knew is how to sleep, eat, I have to be good at school and I become really good student those three years in Minsk. Otherwise manager of the school would not sign my Piece of paper to go to play tournaments. So I immediately become good student.

[G]

Wow, that's crazy.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Your teacher.

[G]

So you had to be a brown nose or your teacher because if he didn't give you the okay, you couldn't play. Did you ever get suspended?

[Sergei Fedorov]

I signed every teacher. Literal Russian language, math. Like it was like 12 signings and then director or a manager of the school has to sign it. Then I can go to tournament.

[Biz]

Wow.

[G]

Did you ever one time not get a signature so you couldn't play?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Oh, I was good student.

[Biz]

I was good student.

[G]

Good for you, man.

[Whitney]

That sounds like the coach is like, sign this fucking paper, buddy. To the professor.

[Biz]

We need them.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Actually, my school has only summer summer sports, hockey. Consider winter sports. So nobody really gives a damn if I am there or not there in like sleeping, eating and stuff like that. Really. If they see me in class, everybody happy. If they don't see me in class, nobody really care. Because I was just like. I don't know how to say it, but I'm not summer sport, I'm winter sport. So I was basically on my own all those three years since 13 up to 16. 16 and a half. 17. That was fun experience because Soviet Union was safe. That's the most important thing right now. It's not like that.

[Whitney]

And was that right about the time when, correct me if I'm wrong, you, Mogilney and Bure were a line at the world junior tournament.

[Sergei Fedorov]

That's correct. 89.

[G]

How'd that go.

[Sergei Fedorov]

In the flash? We're playing well together. Really? I don't have ice on the back of my head, but I know where they were.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[G]

Damn.

[Sergei Fedorov]

It felt great from the get go. In Red Army. Me and Alex got together a year later, Pavel came in. We spent last season at Red army, then play in world juniors. Adirondack, I believe. We won there. And me and Alex went to adult first national team to Stockholm and we won there in 89. He left. I stay.

[Whitney]

So when you mentioned before that you knew nothing about the NHL even when you came over, would you say that as a young kid in Russia, is it your dream to play for the Red army or growing up where you were? You don't even really know about that before the Internet and all this.

[Sergei Fedorov]

That's correct. Very limited information, as you know. I said we train on the ice twice 11 months out of the year with the games going on and stuff. Then we have morning warmup, which is we run or do something. Then first two years we even train with Alex and Pavel. Eventually at 9pm Also before we go to bed. So it would be like almost three to four practices, but it's only two years. That's what got us really sort of over the edge. And at such a young age at 20, Alex maybe. Yeah, Alex was 20 when he came in. Give us that physical conditioning where we look, look good. Okay, we look okay right from the get go. So we'll be able to play adult hockey right away. You know, early 90s. It's a cut throw game.

[Biz]

Yeah, I mean you bet you were on your own from when you were 13 years old, like just coming over to the the US you being the only Russian guy on the team, like that must have made it a little easier just because you've been doing it on your own since you were so young.

[Sergei Fedorov]

I believe so. It's a, it's a great experience. I knew where I should stay and sleep and study. I knew bus number, which is number 77. I knew two bus stops, my school and hockey rink and on the way back the same thing. But Minsk were great, really. Guys, I have a school starts at 11:40, so I would get up at 7, 7:30 and go to 9:30, 10 o', clock practice, practice for one hour with a year younger guys. Then my school until 5 or 6pm and then I practice with three years older guys, two years older guys. And all the coaches gave me really big favorite. I saw my Spets class, Spets team only Saturday, Sunday I only play for them, never practice with them. That's how it work out because their school at 8. But I cannot make it because I live at the school and nobody can provide living like Billets or something like that. So I was five days out of the week on my own, doing my own training with those teams and then play Saturday, Sunday with my own age.

[Whitney]

Team must have been so easy in those games. But getting, getting to Detroit. Okay, so you get over immediately over a point per game, 30 goals. The next season is when Konstantinoff and I believe Kozlov came. When did you find out they were coming and like how happy were you that you had another Russian or two over there? And okay, this is, this is maybe a little bit easier off the ice. Is that true?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Seven months since I got to Detroit. I already were speaking Some, some. Okay, so for me, Corvette, downtown apartments, two bedrooms. I can walk without going outside, straight to the locker room from my apartment. It was awesome. You know, sometime when it's snowy or rainy, I don't have to do anything, just walk maybe 10 minutes. I'm in the locker room, that's what I did. But those guys coming in, obviously it was easy, but I was rocking because I already speak English. I show them around and I was like, sort of. I got them under my wink a little bit, you know, and make them, make them adjust it a little bit. Obviously easier for them and for me because they share some experience and I immediately can answer them what we should do about certain situations. Buy a car, buy a furniture, maybe rent apartment, where to go eat. Because Detroit was not safe downtown, some areas, you know, So I show them around and it was, it was definitely easier, definitely easier to have a couple Russians on the team.

[G]

I was just gonna ask, like, how hard was it for you to adapt to the North American style of play? Like, like, how was it for the, how was it for you to like, like transition into the way that they were playing, maybe different from the way that they were. You know, how you would play offense.

[Sergei Fedorov]

In Russia and obviously first year was a nerve wracking because from 33 meters to 26 or 25, it was playing like in the phone booth, five on five. You know, I always kind of say this, I'm glad I came at 20 because it's easier to adjust. It's obviously all this training in four years prolonged me for 20. 20 years in national Hockey League. That's amazing luggage that I got from Red army and be able to throw this power in the National Hockey League. But soon as I understand English, I understand drills, I understand how coaches like to see it was not that difficult because in Russia we have way more like coach pre game meeting. Could be 20, could be 30, could be 40 minutes. In NHL it's five, seven, 10 minutes tops. That was really living a life.

[G]

40 minutes. What the hell were they telling you?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Well, they would go line by line by line by line. So every line would get instructions for 10 minutes.

[G]

Oh, God.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Including those superstars I was talking about earlier. And it was reasonable, but it was so detailed. So to the point and stuff like that.

[Biz]

When you think of the Russian five and you guys, you guys changed the way the game was played, right? And you see it more now, like, do you ever think of what you would be able to do in the league right now if you came in As a young 20 year old, Sergei Fedorov, like how clutching and grabbing. Yeah. Oh, like you played in the dog days.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Ah, that was still fun. That was good. Honestly, I don't want to elaborate too much about, but obviously it's a little bit easier. No clutching, no grabbing. You said it you know, everybody, you guys, you guys know too. I don't want to go over my head. I, I think I respect the game, respect the National Hockey League. They, they do make sure it's run like a business, like a great sport show on earth. So it is what it is. You know, it would be nice to shoot the shed when we at the bar and have a couple of beers, but not on the radio and tv, obviously. You probably, you know hockey, you're professionals. Who knows?

[G]

Who would you say was the most instrumental teammate that you had when you came over that was North American to help you adjust? Like, who was the guy that you would hang out with?

[Sergei Fedorov]

You know, this is a great question because I was thinking about Sean Bohr all this time. He, he left us early because he got diabetes and this is an awesome guy. I room probably seven, eight years before I room with Nick and he's the guy who really helped me to adjust to everyday life, every minute of everyday life. He was really, he was nice guy, he was really cool and he taught me first word, shit box. Because in Detroit at that era was a lot of cars with a hole in it. I really don't understand until a year or so what, what he really means, but he was fun guy to be around and he's a good friend of mine.

[G]

That's. Yeah, I could see you're getting emotional. That's. Yeah.

[Whitney]

Someone, yeah. Just to think of what you were through, to have somebody like on your side helping, that's. I can understand, I can understand it. And, and your second year Lidstrom came. I don't know if you'd played against him in world championships. Did you know anything about the dominance you were going to witness the next 20 years?

[Sergei Fedorov]

That's a good question. Of course, of course. Yes, of course. Of course. Right away you can tell on a serious mode. I saw Nick first time in my life at Jolie Serena inside of the locker room. He was a very dry, well built hockey player. But as far as the playing against him, no, before, before Red Wings. I didn't see him and I did not play against him. But since first stride when we play summer hockey, just to get ready for the training camp, you can tell how smooth he was and I can tell you he was better than me.

[G]

I just wanted to go back to the Russian five quickly. Who was the ringleader, like who was maybe coming up with more of the philosophies of what was happening on the ice or was it more of like a collective thing where everybody was throwing their ideas in about how you guys were weaving.

[Sergei Fedorov]

And that's a great question. But to answer this question, I need 20 minutes.

[G]

Okay, perfect.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Well, answer the question. Is this Papa Bear, which is Slava Fitz was definitely our leader. Igor Lerionov right next to him. Second part of your question. We go back to Soviet Union. That's where we done everything you mentioned. We already knew what we're gonna do. I tried to describe how it was Calgary. We came in. I think Igor flew. Flew in. We have two meetings, and then Scotty called five of us before the game. Two hours before the game, by the way, you guys playing together. We look at each other. Scotty says, okay, meeting is over.

[G]

Go on.

[Sergei Fedorov]

So we went on. We didn't say to each other one or two words. We just were, like, looking at each other. At the meeting, we were super excited because I play with Slava Kozlov, I play with Vladi, and having Igor and Slava fev my teachers, Like I said, we have no idea how it's gonna turn out. But after warmup, I was at ease personally, and I knew we're gonna play well together, we gonna play well as a unit. But whatever happened afterwards, I had to watch 30 years later when I was the GM here at the Red army, because people ask me questions. I don't have a good memory of it, but I watched the whole game, and I understood. We just kept the puck as much as we could, and we never throw it anywhere.

[G]

That is so good.

[Biz]

Good for Scotty Bowman for allowing you guys that. Because back then, maybe not a lot of coaches would have allowed that.

[Sergei Fedorov]

The thing is what's great for all of us. And obviously, I think Scotty created that idea. He was a big fan of Soviet Union hockey. Tarasov days. That's a famous Coach in Russia. 10 World Championships in a row. And I don't know how, if that's the truth, I don't know how he talked to management into it, because Igor and Slava was on a. On a downhill. And when I can say that, I guess, no problem. When Kenny Holland asked me about, should we get Igor, where she would get Slava, I'm like, are you serious? Can we. He goes, yeah, yeah. I said, absolutely. Do it, do it. Just don't think about. Just do it. Whatever it is. Alex McGilly were in the mix. I'm sorry to interrupt, but Alex McGilly were in the mix, but for some reason did not work out.

[Whitney]

Okay. That would have been. I mean, that. That would have been. Enough's enough. Detroit.

[Sergei Fedorov]

I was young guy. I have no idea what I'm getting into. But to have those, those guys again together in the team. I don't know if they can play. I knew they were much older, well, much older than me. It's like 10, 11, probably. Slava 59. Yeah, 10 years. 10, 11 years. I don't know how they feel about, but boy, what, what we experienced. I experienced personally was amazing till this day.

[Whitney]

When you think back to Scotty Bowman, you know, considered the best coach in the history of the NHL. And then you look at Victor Tikonov like, like any ways they were similar as coaches, like how were they different? Or like looking at the, at the.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Two that coached you, probably what they achieve, they probably plus minus the same, you know, different countries differently. Understand. But as far as coaching, they absolutely totally plus and minus. In Soviet Union, coach can raise the boys on the bench, behind a bench, to the ice and so on. After first or second period we may get even, you know, some harsh and hard wording. You know, obviously NHL not like that. Scotty is not like that. But the team we had, even after my Russian buddies came in, like Slava Kozlov and Vladimir Konstantin, we had Lee Norwood, Dave Barr, we had experienced team John Shabbat, we got Glennie Hanlon, Jay Galan, they were, you know, we have well balanced age wise team. So we had a great team. And still coaching, not raising their voice. They absolutely only behind closed doors, one on one, maybe they would say something not harsh, but strong, you know, so you can get your feet moving and so on. That's, that's a huge difference. Huge difference between Scotty and obviously Victor Tikonov.

[Biz]

Obviously. I don't know how it was back then, but you know, the fighting over in Russia probably wasn't what it was in the NHL. But what was it like having a guy like Joey Kosher and then you know, you know, Bob Probert, like guys like that, having those guys on your team.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Well, I said with Bobby right next to me since day one, I feel great. I knew I was ever gonna have a problems even though I jumped the gun couple times and pay hefty, hefty sums of money, thank God to the right sort of cause NHL, you know. Yeah, I got suspended a couple times for four and five games. But money went to right cause I'm sure about that. But playing with those guys, they can play hockey, they can score goals if they give him opportunities. Especially Bobby. Bobby was a 30 goal scorer, all star team. I believe he made it. Joy sort of. I hang out a little bit less because it was across the room. Bobby was next to me. I saw how he prepared for those fights, you know, what's his name? When he fought Troy Crowder. Round two, round three, round four, all those clips from the papers, I have no idea. I was just make sure I'm not on the way. Make sure he does his own thing, you know. But Bobby was a class act guy. Very fun to be around.

[G]

I was gonna say, like you were one of the first guys. I think you're one of three guys to win the what, the heart, the selkie and also the Stanley cup in one season. Were you always defensive minded even when you're in Russia? Or was there something that, like a conversation with Bowman or Stevie where they're like, we need you to become better here, or was that something you always embraced?

[Sergei Fedorov]

I think it's coming from the Soviet Union era of Red army, the way we play there. Victor Tikonov insists on center to be defensive oriented. Once we lose a puck, puck, our forwards, our wingers has to go one at a time. And we gotta buy and we gotta buy, we gotta buy time and eventually close. Left side or right side, depends where the puck carrier would go. But center without the puck, always back in triangle, which is 2D and you right in the middle. Defensively in defensive zone. Center always, if your defensive. I mean, my defenseman would close on the player and they would be stationary. I had to come and help get the puck or get in ballot two on two and get the puck out of the zone. So I already knew how to play defense, how to play without the puck from red line into our zone. It's not conversation. You guys know you can perform something you don't know or you don't experience, or you didn't play in such high levels. I got lucky, man. I learned from the best. And I'm glad I had enough ability to understand what they trying to do. Because at 19, I think 19 or 20, we were going to the first adult champ world championship, just two of us.

[Whitney]

95, you guys, you know, get swept by the Devils. A lot of people thought you'd win that one. 96, Colorado gets you the Claude the Muon. Chris Draper hit.97. You guys get over the hump. And it included beating Colorado in the Western Conference final. Like, what do you remember about what it took to finally beat those guys? And then you ended up sweeping Philadelphia. Was it almost getting by Colorado? All right, we got this now.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Oh, boy. Obviously those dramatics serious. Still hurts, New Jersey, Dale. Still hurts. I thought we Had a chance. It didn't happen. Not much. I understood how this worked out. Never been at that stage of my hockey career. Great experience, but for nothing, I guess. Playoffs a little bit different in my mind at times. Then Colorado that the injury Chris got definitely got us together. Got us in the same sort of rope and took us, took us a while make sure all the sort of, all the pistons, you know, and V12 or V8 engine work together, you know, took us a lot of pain, a lot of work and a lot of understanding what extra step we have to do. We've done pretty much everything we can and still did not get. The result must be that those experience help us to get a little bit more mature, not only personally, but as far as the game and as far as how we should approach some things. And definitely that fight, everybody been talking about that fight that we had in the middle of the ice at Joe Louis Arena. Definitely that fight maybe got us mentally over the hump. I'm not psychologist, I'm just.

[G]

You sound like one. You sound like one. Yeah, you're a lot smarter than us, brother.

[Whitney]

Hey, thank you.

[G]

But Scotty Bowman said you were the only player he ever coached that didn't have a ceiling. One of the things that he did with you is he put you on defense. What? Like what? What were you thinking first when he said, hey, we're gonna put you on.

[Sergei Fedorov]

D. This is my favorite question because, you know, I get the chance to brag about myself how great I am.

[Whitney]

Finally.

[Sergei Fedorov]

The story behind really is Chris Challis got injured night before.

[G]

What do you have a sore liver?

[Sergei Fedorov]

And we had five defensemen. Five. Scotty Coleman office next morning after sort of light warm up, light skate. So Sergey, what you think? Can you play defense? Chelly is injured. I don't know what to do. Can you play defense? You know how Scotty is. Got a little bit fast and a little bit emotional as far as how he deliver that. I didn't think twice about Scotty. I'd be glad to. I know I'm going to get more ice time. It's three pairs. I know four, four lines. My, my time 16 to 17. If I have PK or PP, 18 minutes, three pair these, that's 23 plus. I meant he goes, really? You know that? Yeah. I said, no problem. You be the judge. See. See what happened. But I'm ready to go. And I got, I got the best partner I ever played with defense. Sorry to say it's not Nick, but Larry Murphy. What a classy and smartest boy. On earth. Wow.

[G]

That was your D partner. He got booed out of Toronto and then you guys got him free of charge.

[Sergei Fedorov]

I remember that story clear.

[G]

Yeah. No, that's awesome.

[Whitney]

So you guys get the two in. The two in a row, right? I'm wondering about your third cup because that team, I believe I saw a picture recently. Nine guys on that team were named top hundred players in the history of the NHL.

[G]

9.

[Whitney]

Yeah, there was a picture together and one of those guys, we have to ask everyone who play with them, Brett Hull. So he had already won a Stanley cup and then he comes into Detroit. Like, like, do you remember his, his antics, how he would kind of chirp guys here and there and his goal scoring ability. Like, what do you remember about playing with him?

[Sergei Fedorov]

When I saw Brad in the locker room and got to know him over one week, I knew, he's a great guy, he will settle us down. But at the same time, if we get back to the nature of the question, which is what happened to the third run, three in a row? Obviously our mind was there, our skills were there, our poise for the game and go for another run were there. But personally I can say for myself, my head was running fast, 110 miles an hour. But my body, I watched some videos, my body was standing still. So what I'm getting at is I think physically it's a long run, man. First two, don't forget we won two cups. But before that, another three years of running up there. Longest season ever. I don't want to be smartest guy on earth, but I believe every one of us have families, have friends, have girlfriends, wives, kids, newborn and so on and so on. So it would be six, maybe, I don't know, six long season in a row. So I experienced this in Russia with my Russian team. We had 90 or 80% of Team I won with already been in the finals three years in a row. Plus mine too. That's five finals in five years. And we had the great, great team, experienced team. But it would be sixth final in six years. Honestly, we lost first round without even saying ow. We were just mentally dead tired, I think. I think, yeah. And I got fire.

[G]

I didn't know if. Did you realize that we tend to go long with our interviews because we want, I mean, there's so much to talk about. You had such an incredible career. So we really appreciate this time and Yan's and when. I don't know if you guys had any, any left. I know we've, we've been a little over an Hour here.

[Biz]

I just had one like. You know when us as kids growing up like you had the style. You were kind of the first guy with the. The flashy skates, the long hair, the good looking guy. Like you made hockey cool. Like was that kind of one of those things that you thought of doing when you came over here or it just came naturally to you and you know you got hooked up with Nike and it was just kind of, you know, to the moon guys.

[Sergei Fedorov]

When I came in as a 20 year old I was just super excited. But then I got warm welcome. I got even more excited. Everything else it's the what you mentioned. I just want to clarify that everything else were irrelevant for me. My agent got Nike deal. I don't know. I like long hair. It's one of my beliefs that when I had a long hair I can score 56. Honestly, I really believe I didn't like short hair when I'm playing the season and playoffs, you know. So I guess those things come as a. What's the name in English not circumstances but superstitious. Yeah, superstitions. So that's how simply I can put together. I didn't plan to do. I'm not a sort of actor. And you know how game in 90s it was cutthroat games.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Sergei Fedorov]

White skates. I pay for those too. You know a lot of cross.

[Biz]

Oh yeah.

[G]

Who were the guys giving it to you the most about your Nike skates?

[Sergei Fedorov]

You know what? My teammates were very supportive. I behaved this way. I came to work. Yeah. Everybody sort of read a lot of stuff. What I was done. Ferrari, not Ferrari. Blah blah blah. But I came to practice. I just worked my ass off. I came to the gym, I worked my ass off. I came to the game. I understand. Sometime it look easy and some nights you look at me and I can't even move. But it's not because I don't want to. It's something physically doesn't fired up or connected in my mind. Every game I played I wanted to play. So people see how easy that is. But obviously it's not true. It's not like that. It's a lot of work in the gym. Lot of understanding what coaches want and how much I will play. Ice time in the game.

[Whitney]

Roback is back for another year. We rocked their gear so hard last year that basically they had no choice but to run it back with us and the entire Chiclets crew. They couldn't keep us out of the merch room. Let's start with the Roback Delta Pants. These things are absolute wagon makers. Even me, flat bum wit, I got somewhat of a booty in the Roback Delta pants. I'm telling you, they make the caboose look like you've actually been training. You've actually been doing your squats Sergei Fedorov style in the Russian weight room. They're comfy, they stretch, and they've actually got room in the thighs for us hockey players. Just an unreal fit. Next up, we got the rollback sprint joggers. These beauties, they're soft, they're stretchy, they're dialed perfect for lounging, traveling, pretending you're working from home, or just crushing some pink Whitney on the couch. But they're comfortable. And if you're due for a new pair of joggers, don't overthink it. Grab the Roback spring joggers right now. So use code chiclets on roback.com for 20% off your first purchase through the end of this week.

[G]

Week.

[Whitney]

That's C-I C L E T S on R H O-B-A-K.com 20% off all pants, joggers and more with code Chicklets. I guess my, my last question is, your speech was cool. You mentioned you kind of regretted leaving Detroit, but it led you to meet your wife and, you know, have your kids. Which is, which is awesome to hear. But in terms of the regret, like the offer sheet's a big thing and you sign that with Carolina after the holdout, was there just bad blood after that? Is that kind of what it was with the management and what made it difficult and kind of led to your departure later on?

[Sergei Fedorov]

I'm sure it's definitely, maybe not that harsh of the word like bad blood, but I'm sure it's negative emotions. Yeah, I said it from my heart. It is a mistake, huge mistake. But I like to say this. When you're 20, when you're 25, you do only hockey nine months out of the year, fame coming at you left and right. Decisions on the ice, they good. They make everybody happy. But that attitude carries off ice into the off ice life. And those decisions on the ice doesn't help you to make good decisions off the ice. And after the ice, I got that much experience, I gotta honestly say. I'm not blaming my agents, but they were stretching it, you know, 10. No, let's go get 11. 11, let's go get 12. Don't worry about it. We'll do something. It's just a little piece. I don't mind saying that, that while you're playing, you don't have that much plateau to sit down and think about all the ingredients, what's happened in your life. I didn't say that. I don't want to sort of make excuses. It is what it is. But everything I said in my speech is true to the bone. But this, this type answer, I realize way later, way later in life, after I finish my career and start analyzing what's really happened, how it was. And I talked to Kenny Holland this time around. He told me quite a few things about my representative. This. Yeah, not in a bad way. Not in a bad way. It just is working circumstances, negotiations, they. They hard. They hard. And I. I'm the guy who's supposed to decide it. But you so young, you have zero experience outside of the hockey ring. So maybe that's why it's happened.

[Whitney]

Well, we. We're all around 40, 42 years old, and, you know, when we're all 12, 13 years old, you were, you were the legend. You were the guy. And we've taken a lot of your time. We can't say thank you enough and congrats on everything. That jersey belonged up there. It's now where it should be. And thank you so much for your time.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Appreciate it, guys. Thank you so much. Call me next week.

[Biz]

Done.

[G]

Sergey, I got one quick one on the way out. How many speeding tickets did you get in Detroit?

[Biz]

You know what, Sergey Federal?

[Sergei Fedorov]

Not many, but they were good.

[G]

You're a beauty, dude. Congratulations on everything. Thank you for being a role model to so many and growing the game.

[Biz]

Yep.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Thank you very much, guys. It was fun. Thank you.

[Whitney]

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[G]

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[G]

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[Whitney]

Thank you so much to Sergey Fedorov. That was awesome, man. I. I didn't know what to expect. He gave us a lot of time. I do think when he said, you know, call me next week. Joking. Biz may. Biz may call and be like, what do you think of the Leafs? That that's probably something that he doesn't want to say freely. Like, I don't know if you know Biz Sergey, he'll call you next week.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

But I want to thank the Ilitch family, specifically Ronnie Ilitch, who we got to know when we had Chiclets cup in Detroit years back. I know G's become very friendly with him. Without him, we don't get that interview. Thank you so much, Ronnie.

[Biz]

Whit. Is there a. You know, anytime you speak to somebody who played for the Red Wings, the first thing they say is the Ilitch family. Like, is there a. Is there a better ownership in the game? Like, they are kind of the original ones. Now you see owners acting the way that they have forever. So unreal. Get G. That's just an amazing interview.

[G]

And the way they built that new barn there.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[G]

Like, if you go to a new building, it's got that. It feels like it's an old school bar, just first class. And actually G. G got us inside that box when we were there as well to. To meet Ronnie as well. So, so cool. I mean, just so humble, too.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah.

[G]

You know, for being that good and three Stanley Cups and all the things that he done, the game, it's just incredible. Oh, wow. I didn't know what to expect either. I'm blown away.

[Whitney]

The only thing he wanted to brag about was playing D. It's like, yeah, I was nasty at D2. That that's where you could get the. The. The true. I guess confidence out of Sergey.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Fed up.

[Whitney]

Yeah. I was able to just hop back and play with Larry Jeffrey, no problem.

[G]

Now I feel terrible because we didn't ask Merlz's question.

[Biz]

Oh, what was this?

[Whitney]

Morales's game.

[G]

He was wondering what made him think to pull the goalie three on, three over.

[Whitney]

Well, I felt bad because next week. Yeah. Oh, yeah, true.

[G]

Oh, okay.

[Sergei Fedorov]

That's right.

[G]

Well, no, he's actually a new co.

[Whitney]

Host Dance also I think a couple times like his kids were coming over and he was like, I think. I don't know if he knew that was going to be an hour.

[Biz]

So he gave him a look one time. I got scared and it.

[Whitney]

And it. Honestly, asking him wouldn't matter because Merle's invented pulling the goalie, you know, teeth.

[G]

So it's like, I think he wanted recognition is what he wanted for Federup to say. And now as punishment for defecting, I think that he had to work at the, the kindergarten there at the Red army. That. That's why all those kids were yelling.

[Biz]

Merles need some humbleness like Fedorov had.

[G]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Oh, no, no, no. Mers just invented everything. So how are you gonna be humble when the world is your oyster?

[Biz]

True.

[Whitney]

After you created the oyster. So yeah, the defect.

[G]

Pretty scary though, to, to. To defecting and all that stuff. That's just.

[Whitney]

He sounds like a boss. He's like, let's go. And he's like, no. He's like, I'm leaving tomorrow, like after dinner. You want to walk me out to the car, dude, think.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah.

[Biz]

Like they had. I mean, he's over there for the Goodwill tournament. He's maybe got a suitcase. They probably didn't even have their passports, right? Like the team probably held the passports.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And I think that, that when Mogilney left, I. I'm almost surprised that like a guy like Fedorov, they, they weren't. They didn't tell like a guard, like, hey, I know. Let him away from your, your site. Right? Like, it's just such a cool story and it puts in perspective kind of what I said to him of like what kids nowadays are given, like, not to their own fault. Right. It's just different time. But like, you think about what those guys did to come over and it puts things in perspective. It's wild. Couple things quick just to wrap up. Jake DeBrost Healthy Scratch Again in Vancouver. Nick Kyprios, you know, said it sounds like he's made it clear he wants to be dealt. A lot of rumors around Elias Petterson Now. I think the return could be insane for him if they're willing to eat money, but it's like six more years of money. Would Vancouver be willing to take money and, and eat some of that for that long of the contract? That seems a little odd for a guy that's still playing. We've seen it happen with all these who are done and the contracts that move around. You know, Phoenix used to grab every single guy that was on ltir. They just take his contract. I don't know what'll happen there, but I still think Peter Pederson is. Is the player we saw before and getting somewhere else. We could see it again. Brutal news for the Anaheim Ducks, who've been on a long skid. Leo Carlson's out. It says four to six weeks. He had to have a procedure Friday in la. It's a. I guess it's a rare de gloving injury in which skin and fat become separated from like fascia tissue, leaving a fluid spilled space. I. It's a left thigh injury. I don't know what's going on. I just hope he's able to play in the Olympics. But that's kind of. If you have a procedure done all of a sudden, you'd be coming back right as the game start. I don't know. But I wanted to see him over in Italy for Sweden. We'll see what happens there.

[G]

I feel like they've just hit the rookie wall there. Yeah, the young guy wall. And that's okay. I don't think many people had playoff expectations this year. They came out guns ablazing and I'm sure the fan base is excited about that. And hey, hopefully at this point now, if it's going to end poorly, like get another top five pick and just keep adding away.

[Biz]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

The bees talking about Fedorov's 91 going up to the rafters. Zidane Ochara, 33, went up. Seemed like a crazy atmosphere in there for that game. They ended up getting the win. Gee, were you at that game?

[Guest/Other]

I was, yeah. Two Bruins games, Pat's game. Yeah, I did it all.

[Biz]

And two weddings.

[Whitney]

Nice living back here, huh?

[Guest/Other]

Oh, it's unbelievable. I ran into Tuka. I saw a couple of guys. It was. It was awesome. And I know they all had a time as well, so I.

[Whitney]

By the way, I believe his kids are 16s. 2016s. They're. They looked like they were like 5, 9 already.

[Guest/Other]

Oh, they're tall. They're taller than me. They're definitely taller than me now.

[Biz]

Oh, they're five.

[Whitney]

So they're turning 10 this year. And. And the way Big Z was such a late bloomer, you gotta think at some point in the next 10 years we could be seeing the twin, Twin Towers out there for some NHL team. Who knows? But I just saw them walking behind him, I'm like, they're not that much shorter than he is and they're, they're nine.

[Biz]

So how.

[Whitney]

But the speech was good.

[Guest/Other]

Oh, everything was amazing. I thought Ference did a great job hosting it. I thought just bringing out all the former past B's and, and you could see all the, they kept flashing up. I don't know if they're in the patron box or what box they're in, but they kept flashing up there. You'd see Sean Thornton, Adam McQuaid, all the boys, and you just know they were getting after it. At one point I was in the club section too, and people were kind of just like outside their box, just like staring in. And at one point they had to bring like a big black curtain over. It was like, no, you're not seeing what's going on in here. They're getting after it, so let them do their thing.

[Biz]

Question, who's a better signing in Boston sports? Big Poppy or Zaden Ocharo?

[Whitney]

Char is the best Bruins free agent signing and one of the best free agent signings in hockey history. Yeah, Big Poppy. I, I think it was, I think he won three World Series.

[Guest/Other]

Yeah, 86 year curse. Like you end that 86 year curse. That's I, I, I, I mean, I forever will love both of those guys, but I think Big Poppy and RA.

[Whitney]

Had a tweet that was pretty cool. He's mentioned it before. The day that he saw about a cyber truck. Well, we'll get into that in a second. The day that he saw the news break that the Bruins had spent huge dough for Savard and Chara. You know, the Bruins had never really been willing to, to pay guys and grab free agents. It was like kind of the changing of an era with, with the Jacobs and, and them owning the team. And it led to a Stanley Cup. It led to the Bruins. Ever since then, dude, they pay their guys now, you know, a little bit of a battle for Swayman and stuff, but they, they pay their guys. And for a long time it was different in Boston. So shout out Mike Z and Ra and just one of the most classic. And I feel bad. Nobody wants to get hacked hacked on social media, but this guy for years has just beat on the drum of his hatred for Elon Musk. To see the hacker actually post. I had a great, great weekend. I bought a Tesla cyber truck. It almost makes me think it was a Chicklets listener. And then the tweet, I think he's still hacked because the pin is still. The tweet is still pinned up there. Today there was another tweet sent out. I brought my truck home. Ra. A man who says he would beat Elon in jeopardy. I don't know where that came from. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. But God damn. To hate Elon Musk as much as he does and to have your one Twitter hacking be you buying a cyber truck. That is just. I can't wait to hear from him on Thursday.

[G]

Well, the thing is, is neither. Like none of us have heard from him, and he got hacked three days ago and he hasn't tweeted since, so he's still hacked. Somebody has his account. You don't think he would call us or mention it or see if maybe someone from barstool could get it back? Maybe he has. I mean, could we get a hold of him to somehow. Let me call him.

[Biz]

Chances he answers.

[Whitney]

I mean, the fact.

[G]

Well, it's 11:30. He's probably sleeping.

[Whitney]

Oh, he's for sure snoozing right now. He's been celebrating Big Z's retirement Thursday.

[Biz]

But he couldn't go.

[Whitney]

Yeah, but like you said, he could have a bender in his house, no problem.

[Biz]

Problem.

[G]

Brian, I'm not here.

[Whitney]

Leave a message. Might have even sent you the voicemail there.

[G]

All right. Did you get hacked? All right, that's going to be the voicemail I left. He's going to get that.

[Whitney]

He's not going to be able to.

[G]

Get a text back in a few hours when he. When he has his morning Joe at.

[Whitney]

2Pm so, BU special. BU played Lowell Friday. For any people who aren't really aware of college hockey rules, fighting isn't allowed. Well, Blackhawks first round pick at bu. Sasha boy there, he came out of the box with Connor Eddy of UMass Lowell. And it was the first time I've ever seen in college hockey a full blown, helmets off, square up fight. Great fight too, between these two guys. They both were suspended. You kicked out of that game? They got suspended Two more games. Kind of crazy to see, but I. I said to the group, Keith, our, our. Our friend group, group, at this point, you gotta just go junior. NHL rules. College hockey is pro sports. Get the visors on, Allow fighting. It's nil. It's money. Like at this, at this point, the, the cat's out of the bag here. It probably would create even like better ratings and better viewership.

[G]

100%. And it's going to teach him a very valuable lesson. You run your moat, there's a chance that your jaw ends up on the wrong side of your head.

[Biz]

Not to mention the refs. The refs were getting in the way.

[Whitney]

Like someone, dude, they wanted to end it, but they got no clue. It was like, oh, I think these guys are like, what's happening right now? I didn't sign up for this, but I think Boy Bear, he's. He's. His dad might have owned a boxing gym.

[Guest/Other]

Like, he takes boxing classes before every practice. Because when I was at BU doing the tour, I was like, hey, where's this boy Vera? I'd love to meet him. And they're like, dude, he takes boxing every day before practice. It's insane.

[Whitney]

So I think he's actually going to be even a better NHL than he is in college because he will be fighting, be willing to fight. He hits, he's physical, he's got skills.

[Sergei Fedorov]

So.

[Whitney]

But I mean, just. Just like seeing two guys square off in a college hockey game, I'd never seen it before. Very entertaining right there. I don't know if Pando loved it. Cause now he's got one of his top guys out the next two games. And bu, it hasn't been the best season for them so far. So.

[Biz]

Not to mention that kid from Lowell. I don't know if he's drafted or who he was. Like, he was. He was a tough kid too. Like you. You better believe he's getting invited to a rookie camp now because of that. Victoria.

[Guest/Other]

Victoria.

[Whitney]

He knew Exactly.

[Biz]

Oh, he's a Canadian kid. Okay. Y makes more sense.

[Whitney]

What are you laughing at? They're both Canadian. They're both Canadian.

[G]

He's like, ah, he's Canadian.

[Biz]

No, I'm saying it makes more sense that he knew what he was doing fighting because he probably played junior B or whatever. Keep eating your snacks, you jerk.

[Whitney]

Sticking with this is breakfast for me. Sticking with college hockey. Our final thing. Want to shout out Penn State next weekend. We will be there. The white out at. At.

[Guest/Other]

Or are they calling it the Whiteout at Beaver Stadium?

[Whitney]

Yeah, Whiteout at Beaver stadiums. So I got the hoodie. We have another hoodie. We got hats. It looks awesome. I think we've sold out. We got Gavin McKenna T shirt that he's gonna get a piece of. So somewhat of an nil deal. Hopefully he can make some money with. With those T shirts being sold. I'm very excited. Very excited. It's gonna be an awesome place. I never. I've never been to the campus at Penny. Penn State. Driven through it on the way to Pittsburgh, but that. That I. Will they sell that stadium out for that game.

[Guest/Other]

Oh, yeah, it's 60, 000 seats already sold. And we're doing a pink Whitney meet and greet Friday at Champs. Champs. I think it was rated the best college bar in America. It's unbelievable, boys. I mean, they've had some of the biggest acts in the country perform there. It's. It's an unbelievable bar. So I think we're going to be there around 4 o'.

[Biz]

Clock.

[Guest/Other]

So before the game.

[Whitney]

Game, that's Friday.

[G]

January is going to be singing karaoke.

[Whitney]

The whole time, that is.

[G]

So if you guys want to stop by.

[Whitney]

Yeah, yeah. He'll be singing in an Elon Musk voice too, with his cyber truck that he's draw. He's actually driving. That's right. No way. Yeah, he's going to drive his new truck, so that'll be cool. And you know, anytime I'm in a college bar now, it's not ideal, you know, it just makes you feel even older. I look even older than when I'm with people my age where I also look old, so. But it should be fun. And pink Whitney will be flowing. So we will be back. We're going to be together Thursday in New Jersey before we do coast to Coast. So the episode will be out Friday. Game notes Wednesday. Thank you again to Sergey Fedorov. Great seeing you guys. Keith, glad you had a great trip biz. I know you had a little time off. You're back on that grind. So good luck the next three nights, three days, crushing it on tnt and we'll see you on Thursday.

[G]

I love you guys. I'm gonna keep snacking away here and we actually got Tuka Rask on for Tuesday's broadcast as well, so a couple, couple different names in the mix, so. Love you guys. Thank you for listening. And Cam, it's. Yeah, it's a testament that you're still married, my friend.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Yeah.

[G]

Great job.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Shout out to the Yoli.

[Biz]

All right, have a great week, guys. Won't happen, won't happen again.

[Whitney]

Won't happen, won't happen, won't ever again. A bad habit worth breaking, but it's taking time.

[G]

I don't know.

[Whitney]

Don't let it. It's going to happen. It's going to happen again.

[G]

Paramount plus is the new home of.

[Whitney]

UFC and we're coming out swinging with UFC 324.

[G]

Oh, what a shot.

[Whitney]

And 3:25 on fact to back weekends.

[Biz]

The new era is here.

[Sergei Fedorov]

Time.

[Whitney]

Every fight. Bam. Let's go. One subscription. Oh, my goodness.

[Biz]

Pay per view just got knocked out.

[Whitney]

Let's go. Back to back blockbuster UFC events this.

[Biz]

Month only on Paramount.

[Whitney]

Plus it's 2026.

[G]

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[Whitney]

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[G]

It's tropic time.