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Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is Bostool Sports.
E
I brought it toward the coyotes and I asked them if it was okay if I joined the Spit Chickens podcast full time.
C
Ryan Whitney's got a pink Whitney out there now.
E
Sandbagger.
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Get that on camera.
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Song man is a full time member. Marley just gotten assist from Chris B.
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Whoa, we're buzzing right now.
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What is up folks? Welcome episode 628 of the Spit and Chicklets podcast, presented by Pinkies Up. Yeah, we're talking about again, Pinkies Up. Pink Whitney to Amsterdam's own Pink Whitney. And if you just walk around with your pinky up in the air, people will know that's what's happening. Biz. Your pinky looks mangled after all the fights. Saw you discuss Dennis Bomy Pinky Dennis Jeremy Yablonsky Dennis Bon V. Pinky. So everyone go get involved. If you've never tried It. Give it a shot if you have. We appreciate it.
E
You would have thought Dennis Bomby was a wide receiver for 30 years in the NFL playing with Brett Favre.
C
His finger, he was like, Reggie Hands. I'll tell you, man, Dennis Bonvie got a new knee.
E
New knee.
C
Want to shout out, Bones, he got a new knee. He's up there. He's. He's getting better. I got. He's coming to Boston at some point,
E
so we got to get him on again. He is a funny bastard, man. He was. He's basically the one who taught me how to fight properly so I wouldn't be getting my nose bashed in.
D
Yeah, look at your nose.
C
Yeah, that works.
D
You were never a good listener.
E
I need, I need wits, ears.
C
No, no, Without Bonnie, my nose would be mangled. Everyone's like, no, the, the one potato,
E
the one that made it look real bad was the first time I ever broke it. I fought a guy in the ohl, and I didn't. Like, I never knew the lefty thing. Like, I was just assumed that everybody grabbed on and threw at their right. And then that was the first time I was like, holy my.
D
You were.
C
Jeremy. You walked. So Jeremy Swamon against Vasilevsky could run.
E
Exact. Exactly. I'll never forget, actually, I, I, I didn't end up seeing him, but he was at Penn State when we were there. Patrick Jarrett was my captain, and Owen Sound. And I'll never forget, like, I legit got knocked out. So I was in the training room halfway through the period, the period ends, and I got the ice bag on my face, and. And he comes over and he takes it off, and he looks at me, he goes, where'd he get you? I was dying. Like, I couldn't even be mad. He was a great leader. Funny bastard. And I think he's back living in the sue, but he's working with kids and coaching now. But I just think I thought I'd bring that up, but thank God for Bones, because if not, I don't even think I'd.
C
Oh, yeah, you'd be.
E
I'd look like Anthony Kim.
C
Saw you on Shout out to him, though. Shout Out. AK Anthony Kim. People don't follow golf. This guy down and out, and he's on a legendary run. No nose, but he's able to still play incredible golf. So, yeah, Good little call there, Biz biz. Saw you with the Kachuk brother. Yeah, Great, great, great episode there. Funny hearing your stories.
E
My wrists are so sore from. From stroking off Team usa, though. I'm. I'm done. Yeah, I'm done yet.
C
That's classy. That's classy.
E
But I'm. But I'm done. Like I.
B
Okay.
E
I feel like Lisa Ann and her prime glazing you boys.
C
I saw, I saw that the, the, the Twitter avatar was switched. So about time on that apparently.
E
I actually went over a week. The agreement was a week and I went over a week.
D
Is that you being good guy or did you forget?
E
I got a little lazy and I figured because the one element I did incorporate was, was the Michelob Ultra non alk. So shout out to, to Michelob and TJ Oshi for the greatest Olympic commercial and super bowl commercial of all time. So shout out to Oshi. We're done. My bets have been paid. We're all good. On to the next best on best where we're gonna whoop you.
C
Baseball biz. Happy birthday.
D
Yeah.
C
You know, all over social media, everyone's, everyone's wishing biz a happy birthday.
E
Not a birthday guy though.
C
No. Hey, not a birthday guy. Don't text him. Do not get in touch with him. But every single team in the league can wish you a happy birthday online. You're okay with that? You decided to explain some things to Wayne on the broadcast I saw that was, that was something where I'm just like, what the fuck is going on right now? Yeah, Wayne must have been like, I'm quitting if this is the discussion we're going to be be having during NHL games.
E
Oh, I said birthday. What happened was, is Travis Connectney came on and sure enough, he's also March 11th. And shout out to Tuka Rask who did backto back panels with the boys. They did a three man panel the night before which was March 10th, which is his birthday, Tukas.
C
So I got his. That's my mom's birthday too. So like we're all over the birthdays. Happy birthday, Whitney. Happy birthday. March.
E
I will say, like, what. How do you feel about Pisces? The Pisces in your life? Ryan, are you big on the.
C
I've told you, I'm on cusp. I'm both. I'm Pisces and Aquarius. February 19th is the date that it just goes back and forth. It's apparently you're very special if you're a cusp person. I'm a cusp person. So figure it out. Yeah, very special. In a good way or bad way? That's up to you to decide. But whatever, you know. So March 10th would be Pisces and the one before is Aquarius. Yeah. So of course I love. I love Pisces. That's my mother.
E
Are you. Are you big on the signs?
C
Yeah.
E
Do you.
D
Couldn't name one besides Pisces. You guys just said Pisces. Cancer. Is that one?
C
Yeah. Capricorn.
D
Capricorn. Subaru.
E
The. The Scorpios are, like, batshit crazy.
D
What's that?
C
What is that?
E
That's Drake. Drake's a Scorpio.
D
So he's October. Yeah, that makes sense.
E
Are you.
D
No.
E
Oh, why do you say that?
C
Big Dan Whitney's October, too. So we're talking. Yeah, maybe. Okay. Okay.
E
I don't know enough. Every time someone will say, oh, you're a Pisces. I'll say, okay, give me. What. What do you know about that sign?
D
So you just say Drake because he's weed.
C
Ovo.
D
OVO is October's very own. Right. So that would mean he's an October birthday. It's got to be October.
E
October. Part of October.
B
Right.
E
So I. It has a lot to do with the. I think it has everything to do with the stars and how that all goes, and it all just plays a factor into it. We're getting into the weeds once again.
C
This is a podcast that didn't know the sun and the earth and the movement and the moon. So, like, when we're talking stars and science, people, people are flipping people.
E
It's the original ass loves weed.
D
Yeah. I think all the Buffalo Sabers are Pisces.
C
Buffalo Sabers are just an absolute wagon of a hockey team. We'll get into them. I want to shout out G and I want to show it. Oh, yeah, because Chiclets U. University of Wisconsin. What a place. I never realized. I also saw some pictures online of the city of Madison. Water all around, like, incredible.
E
Been there. What?
C
Oh, you have?
E
I drove through it. I went to the Whole Foods there when I was driving through. Driving from Arizona.
D
Right.
E
Well, in Ontario with my truck. Beautiful city.
F
The boys have a team boat, too. How cool is that? Like, they all. They all pitched in, bought a boat, and they stay there in the summer, and they all just go out in the boat and rip it up in the summer. And they have two unreal golf courses right on campus.
D
How about the coach being like, yeah, I don't know if it's really a boat.
E
Well, it started out with your food reviews. Now, is that the best food you've ever had in a college barn?
F
Yeah, we had to do that because, like, we walked in there and we're like, oh, my God, they Have, like. Like, usually you go to, like, college stadiums, and they kind of just have, like, the stock food. It's like, yeah, hot dog, pizza. Yeah, pretzel. But they had, like, this custom Texas barbecue, and then the donuts they had. Everyone was telling us, you got to try the donuts. You got to try the donuts. The donuts were probably the best donuts I've ever had in my life. But I thought the coolest part of this video was we wanted to show that, like, Wisconsin is a hockey school. Not even for everyone That's a Division 1 hockey player. It's just a hockey culture all the way down. Like, we met these kids at the bar one night who played on the club hockey team, and they told us we got to come by their house the next day, and it's this giant frat house castle right on the lake. And they. They do this. They all have pond hockey rinks in their. In their backyard, which is so cool. And they raised $40,000 for cancer research. They do a big pond hockey tournament. Everyone comes and watch them. It's a big shit show. But we wanted to show that, like, the hockey culture bleeds all the way down from the top to the bottom. So I think Wisconsin has that, and they offer a lot of things that a lot of schools can't.
C
And you did a great job showing it. And in classic Chicklets fashion, I mean, I'm talking to a tee. Wisconsin got completely thumped, like, in the playoff.
F
Their worst beating of the season.
C
71 awful 71 at home against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Now, Wisconsin, I believe, will still get into the tournament. That correct?
F
Yeah. I was told last night it's around 98% chance they'll still get in.
A
So it's.
F
It looks like they're going in.
E
Gee, I'm. I'm trying to look for the video. The. The retired plaque on the wall, number 21.
D
That's a cool story.
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Yeah.
F
Biz, that's Rob Indringa.
E
Yeah.
F
He's a guy who. They call him the lifeblood of the program. Really, really cool to. To get to hear the guys talk about him. He passed away a few years ago, and they just want to honor his memory. Every day you walk in and it kind of. There's a plaque on the wall with his jersey number, and it's just kind of everything that he stands for, and you have to walk by it, you know, whether you're coming in or leaving every day. So it's kind of just a reminder, like, hey, this is what we stand for as a program. And yeah, I thought the, I thought Wisconsin does a really good job at, you know, honoring that. Like Rob, obviously, and all the former players that came through. Like, if, when you go into the dry stalls, if you played one NHL shift, there's a picture of you in the dry stall room, and they have every number of every guy in the, like, right before you walk into the sauna. And, you know, all the, as you're, they have like a, basically a hall of fame as you're walking down the hallway into the, into the locker room. And they have some crazy alumni there, like Chris Chelos, Joe Pavelski, the younger generation. You got Cole Caufield. It's, it's a really cool thing that they have going there.
E
What, what would you guys put it as far as, like, historic college programs? Top 10, for sure.
C
Blue blood forever. Yeah, it was for a long time. And then I'd say since a little after Pavelski, it's been a tough goal, but it seems like mice. Mike Hastings has them back. He's a great coach. Great guy, too. I had him in the world juniors one year, and I feel like they're on their way back. And with NIL and Wisconsin type money, like, they're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna be the mix. But yes, like, forever. They've been six national titles.
F
Biz na even have like two.
C
You know, it's just been a tough. I'd say it was a tough goal for, like, years, almost, kind of.
F
Yeah, I would. I couldn't agree more. And you were spot on with the nil. Like, the way the, the college hockey is trending, the schools like Wisconsin, they're going to be able to grab players like that. Especially when you see, like, the facilities of the call center.
E
Yeah, that looked like Penn State, like another Penn State.
F
Oh, yeah.
D
It's.
F
It's unbelievable. It's, it's so nice, too, because they share it with the basketball team. And the basketball team at Wisconsin is unbelievable. So, like, the facility.
C
Unbelievable. They've been good. Are they like.
F
They've been good. They've been good. I think they're a good program.
C
That wasn't, that was an unbel. But like, it's like number one.
D
Yeah.
C
Nation.
E
The women's are our top team as well. Right? They got Layla. Is Layla Edwards there?
F
Oh, yeah, yeah. So I, I, we actually wanted to include the women when we went there, but when we talked to, like, the head of hockey ops, he's like, all the girls are at the Olympics right now, like, Every girl is basically on a team at the Olympics right now, so it's going to be tough to kind of get through.
C
Did you see Harvey cross check Abby Murphy in the face?
E
Oh, yeah.
C
That was like, hey, Olympic teammates into just a straight cross check to the mouth. Number one and number two picks possibly, right? Yeah. Is that what we're hearing?
E
She was also on TNT last week.
C
Okay.
F
Yeah.
D
I think that all started because when she came on here talking about who's going to go number one or who's
C
going to go next, we really started that.
D
Yeah.
E
Oh, I'll. Stirring things up. Oh, shock.
D
Weird.
E
Great job, G. You and Fish.
F
Fish does an amazing job.
E
How many more are you guys doing this season?
F
Not sure. Not sure. Right now, I kind of just play. We got playoffs coming up. We got a lot to focus on. We got Biz throwing a big birthday party with Doyle this Friday, so we got a lot to focus on.
C
Do you think he'd get on the wall of fame if. In Wisconsin? Like, if a player has a birthday party thrown by an East Coast Hockey league mascot, does that get you on a wall of fame?
D
Oh, yeah. One shift in the NHL or one birthday party.
E
Okay, so confession. Like, we were supposed to go back at a certain point, and, like, I was obviously baked out of my tree when I came up with this idea that I'm like, let's just go party with Doyle on my birthday. And then Jeff executed. It was like, oh, yeah, this is the date you're going.
C
And then you woke up. You're like, wait, what?
E
I was like, oh, I woke up on Ra's couch. Like, what the. But the. Also the good news is we've talked to Netflix as well, and I believe at a certain point that we're going to be dropping all of those Chiclets use as well as sandbaggers at a certain point on Netflix as well. So some of you have a subscription, some of you don't. So it'll be available on both channels. But I think you guys are doing an awesome thing, G. And with all the. The college hockey programs growing, growing and turning to D1, you probably will have, what, another 50 schools to do.
B
Yeah.
F
And. And we've said we wanted to switch it up for a few years now, too. Like, I want to get up to Moncton. I want to get up to all these schools up in. Up in Canada, see the CHL schools. I want to go to the national Davenport program.
B
Davenport University.
E
You're on fire. With couple clicks for Woody's on fire this morning.
D
Yeah.
C
Excellent content. And for everyone wondering, it will still be on YouTube. I don't know if biz made that clear. The sandbags.
E
I said on both channels. I was just trying to piss everybody off again.
C
I'm just. There's people that probably aren't listening. They're hearing Netflix losing their mind. Sandbaggers, Chiclets. You will always be exclusive to Netflix. And Netflix, guys. And. And college hockey's. It's. It's playoff time. So check out all the tournaments this weekend then. I think the semifinals and finals for all the leagues will be next weekend. Gavin McKenna. Guys, it's, it's. It's reached another level.
A
He.
C
There was questions. First overall. He knocks a guy out who chirps his mom. He gets three points every game. He's going first overall. Penn State rolls over Minnesota on Wednesday night. So that's exciting.
E
And Toronto has a Seattle. Seattle Seahawks have won a game more recently than the Toronto Maple. We're getting Gavin McKenna and we have
C
O dog on this pod. And it's. This is years in the making. And it was awesome. It was about his career and his life. Got a little bit into the Leaf says he's on overdrive. Great show with Brian Hayes and Jamie McClellan. So noodles and hockey right now though, boys. It's buzzing. And the ratings show it. Now. We found out these ratings before Buffalo, Tampa, which was right after we recorded. Actually, it was going on while we were recording. Remember we were kind of chatting, was
E
fighting on my timeline as we were recording.
C
Well, we thought that might be it. That was like one tenth of what we got to see. But before we get into that, ESPN Public Relations states the NHL is averaging 782,000 viewers across the top networks this season, up 21% from last year. NHL and TNT up 36% since the Olympic break versus. I guess compared to the Four nations face off break window last year, the NHL and TNT viewership's up 11% against last year. You can't tell me the Olympics didn't have something to do with it. Remember that idiot Porto? I just won't do anything after. It was like, I don't know. I think it might. And we have playoffs still coming. Now to have those numbers come out and then to see what we witnessed in Buffalo against Tampa. Forget the fights and the action. I mean, Buffalo was up three nothing. I believe.
E
Three one.
C
Yeah, three one. Then they're down two in the third. They end up winning the game in regulation. The arena's going nuts. That was the night. I believe there was a guy who lit a cigarette up in the three hundreds. That's when you know Buffalo's back. If you're lighting a dart up in the arena and nobody cares. And then the Sabers tweeted out a video after of the fans leaving the building and what a difference. Do you remember in November when the video went viral of the poor kid? He's like, I've never seen shit, right? That was this year season, dude. That was this season. And also in the episode that came out this week on Tuesday, I think I said, like, Darlene's an enormous rat. Like, Darlene is one of the best.
B
He's a gamer.
C
We've now seen this season. Marshawn rip his helmet off. Hagle like, pretty much tries to murder him. And then who else dummied him? And Malkin and Malkin slashed him in the face. So there's obviously stuff Tallinn's doing out there. Did you see what he did to. To haggle biz? I don't know what had happened prior.
E
I don't know what had happened prior, but in front of the net, he did give him that cross check. And I mean fucking shout out to Hagle too, man. He's a fucking gamer. Like those two teams, man, battling for the top spot in the Atlantic. Who would have ever dreamt that?
C
And Montreal's in it too, boys.
B
They're in the mix.
E
The demigod was buzzing last night, but it's just unreal to see, man. Like, you just talked about that video, those fans leaving the rink after that game, which I would probably say that, like, you could put that game up there with one of the best regular season games of all time. Like, especially from an American audience perspective, if you have these new viewers coming over, like post Olympics, you're like eight, seven. Look at all these goals, fights, hits. They hate each other. Like, that's the type of emotion that the NHL needs in. In regular season hockey. Like, I. I am in full fighting is fully back mode. I feel like we're. We're stepping back into like the 90s era where it's becoming popular again. They're not just handing out suspensions like candy anymore. And these guys are putting their nuts on the line night in, night out. And it's not this soft puppy. So it was, it was incredible to catch the end of that game. Can't believe the swings and the fact that they came back. But that fan base leaving the barn, man, and them, them capturing it all and posting it on social media for everybody to see. Like, it's Just like I said, it gives me chills. And I think you've said it before with like, there's no more deserving fan base to get to feel this. And the best part about it all too is, you know, they, they normally have the Bills to rely on and you get, you know, one playoff game. Okay, okay, two. Or if you go all the way to the dance, if you're the Buffalo Bills, I think you play four playoff games, imagine these guys going to like the second or third round and going, you know, six or seven games in these series, like you get 20 fucking games of this type of magic. So that's the cool thing about hockey too is it's not just these one and dones where let's hope that they're able to at least go second, third round and really give these fan base something were that they've been lacking for 14 seasons.
C
Keith, people like Ken Campbell of the Hockey News and the anti violent fighting fans out there, they're punching air. They're furious. They were disgusted that it was just a $5,000 fine for Hagel. What did you think? Like, were you like, oh, I thought he'd get a game for that.
D
No, I kind of like the fine. Especially a guy like him who's not like, obviously he plays hard and he's a little bit of a rat in a good way. But I don't mind it. You know, it was more punches, right, than anything. So I, I don't mind The, I mean, $5,000 to him is nothing. Right. Getting suspended for a game is brutal. I, I don't like when guys miss games for, you know, being reactionary or being sticking up for teammates or sticking up for themselves. So I, I definitely don't mind it.
C
You double minor. It was a double minor in the game. I thought it might be more than, I don't know, it was just like, whoa, that's a, that's an aggressive. That's a 1972 double miner.
E
Well, a lot of people online were comparing it to the Todd Bertuzzi incident, right. Which, I mean, in, in that case, you know, with punch in the back of head and then his head was driven into the eyes. Like, we don't want to see that.
D
No.
E
And, and you know, Web, you're. Do you agree that it kind of had a little bit of a similarity?
C
Yeah, but it, you, you always go on what happens from it now for sure didn't.
E
But I'm playing devil's advocate in the way it was being compared online and people wanting more than Just a minor in that situation. You just hope that it never escalates and it ends up like, like, you know, that detrimental.
D
But yeah, if he was hurt, I'm sure it would have been a suspension, right?
E
Yes. Going back to Darlene, like I think that the most I've ever seen Matthew snap was in the outdoor game in Hamilton and it was on Darlene. So I don't know if we're not just. We're not watching closely enough. Maybe he's the one who kind of gives you those like, you know, stick in the ball sometimes, like a little cup check every once in a while, maybe a little spear in the back of the knee going in on a forecheck where he's the forward's the first man getting to it. I don't know what Darlene is doing to get under these superstars skin in order to make them snap and tweak, but he's obviously doing something. But the fact that he's able to play the way that he does, but also carry that edge and that competitiveness that is like a one in a million type thing. Like you don't get good number one D man that are acting like that, stirring it up non stop. So I mean just an absolute gem to stick it through all these dark years and now get to enjoy it with this group of guys. So just, just a remarkable. I don't know if you guys also. I mean considering the vibes are so high, we might as well continue with the Sabers talk. Logan Stanley plays in his first game with the Sabres. He's, I think he's listed as what, six, nine, six, seven, maybe six. And, and, and Rob Ray gets the, the interview on the soapbox. So they're about eye, eye level, height. So I thought that was pretty amusing.
D
I, I think with Darlene like he's a superstar in this league, right? But he also gets ran out every shift. The guys are taking liberties on him. But what I love about him, he does it, he does it right back to superstars. He gets guys. But I think what he's really good at is like his cross check. You see where he cross checks guys. It's like right in that liver right above the notepad spots or like right in. So he always gets guys where there's no padding and he's really good at it. And that's when the guys snap and guys always snapping. He does have a punchable face like you want to.
C
He's one of those guys. I know what you're saying on that,
E
you know What I mean, flying around.
C
He's so fast too. So it makes Even more pissed off. Yeah.
D
By the way, he kills guys too. Like, he's open ice hitting guys. He's. He plays hard, man. So these. These superstars are probably like, all right, enough of this guy.
E
Boom.
C
And. And the best thing that came up, I wonder if we could throw it up on the. On the Netflix for the people watching the picture that came out of Josh Stone jumping in to help him as Hagle was on top. One of the pictures of the year. I mean, what a. What a teammate. And. And granted, ever. A lot of guys do that. They're. You see your captain getting pounded on, you're jumping in.
E
It was Upl was skating out of his crease to come at him.
C
Yeah, Yeah, I know.
E
I. That so early in the season, that was the one gripe I had. I felt like their team toughness and their. Even their D were just way too soft. I was critical of it. Their team toughness and their. Their physical engagement is up tenfold. And I mean, we were talking about it in the text, the group chat. Like, I feel like maybe recency bias. Like, everybody felt that Tampa was the team that was being bullied by Florida and was getting pushed around where. Where essentially Tampa was the victim. I mean, you go back to last year, it was at Kachuk on Gensel Haggle. Ends up getting the fucking. The stiff farm from Ecky. But obviously, it seems like Tampa has addressed that. I mean, the Sabrin moves in preseason, and then during the regular season, we're playing Florida. I don't think they're like the sweet, innocent person that we thought they were either like Tampa or they're. They're fucking savages too, dude. And they will. You know, they'll shit down your throat just as much as the next guy.
D
I think the biggest thing for Buffalo, like, do you remember the Tage Thompson hit when he got hit high? No one really did anything. I think we. We were kind of all over the Buffalo players about that. No one's stepping in. Tage ended up fighting that for himself. But now, if you look every time like that, that first big scrum, there was a delayed penalty, and Thompson got sandwiched by Cirelli and Hagel. And then everyone comes in, and anytime there's anything now with. With one of their superstars or anyone on that team, every guy is in on, and that's when you know you're on a fucking team that loves each other, that you're out there. There's a. There's a mission at the end of the season, they're not just, hey, let's go play 82 games. They're like, we want to play in the playoffs. And I give a lot of the credit to the fan base too, right? Like, they're showing up, they're showing out. It's loud as shit. You can see when guys score, right? It's fucking. They're so excited. Like, Josh Stone scored that first goal. You would have thought it was a Game 7 goal, the way the crowd's going, the way he's celebrating. So just unbelievable stuff.
C
And Hagel. Hagel said after the game, almost like, yeah, we could fix, you know, all the goals. Vasilevsky wasn't playing. But we kind of really came together as a group tonight. So the years of, you know, Florida kind of pounding on them, they've figured it out and if we could get them in the playoffs, it'd be. It'd be just incredible. You could tell based on that game, it would just kind of carry right over into a nuts playoff series.
D
They got one more before the end of the season.
C
They've already beat them twice. Tampa's beat him twice since the break. They've beat Florida, they've beat Vegas, they beat Pittsburgh, they beat San Jose. They're just unstoppable right now.
E
I actually think that it's a. It might be a blessing in disguise that they didn't get Paranco. I feel like Logan, Stanley and. And. And Shen have a little bit more of a nasty streak going back. Was it Stanley who ended up dropping Chuck?
D
Yeah, yeah, Brady.
E
Yeah, Brady. Which I mean, anybody would say, oh, that was gutless and it was bullshit. Hey, like, sure, but you still gotta have the wires cross in order to do it. And I think as a sixth, seventh D man, those are two types of guys you want going into, like a very difficult series, especially against a team like Tampa Bay. Who. Who would. I mean, with first right now, the way it aligns, like, imagine they win the Atlantic and you end up playing Boston like that.
C
If Boston I want to get into. Who's going to get into the playoffs in a little bit. But speaking at least with the top of the Atlantic before we get into. No, no worries. Before we get into the big signing right by Utah. We're going to talk about that in a minute. But based on Wednesday night, Montreal getting a big win, right? And Ottawa fans, they're disgusted for a couple different reasons. I think the main thing is the play of Linus all mark the rebound that he gives up at the end of that game, demigod buries the game winner. That along with that was a Montreal home game. Even. Even, like fans, the Martian, it's the Martian.
E
Martian was not happy about the wave.
C
The Montreal fans, they got the wave going in Ottawa's rink. Like, it's one thing. And we've talked about the Montreal fans and them traveling well. It's one thing to be outnumbered a little bit. Like Buffalo saw it with the Canadiens fans earlier this year, you just can't let the other fan base start the wave.
D
If.
C
If a visiting team fan base is able to get the wave going in your barn, that's reason for disgust. Okay, so they got no goaltending. You go back even to the game they lost to the Oilers, third period, they're up too. The Oilers get that win there. These are valuable points. And all season they've needed just decent goaltending and they can't get it. And then Omar does the press conference after he's. I don't know, it's like it's watching it and he's just. Nope. Yep. I think the fans are fed up a little bit. That's.
E
No, I think the fans are in a bit of a battle right now because some are like, why do they
C
keep putting them out there?
E
Putting them out there and stirring it up with him? And then the other part, the other half of the fan base is like, we just re signed this guy and paid him 8 million bucks. And you're telling me he can't answer questions after a game after letting up a bad rebound when he, you know, he obviously he. He had issues where he took off earlier in the season. He wasn't playing well. Has. Has rebounded very nicely in the back half of the season, but obviously a difficult one because I felt like the wraparound goal was not very good.
C
That was brutal.
E
That was a. That was a tough one. Now, going back to the Martian and some of their hardcore fans, like, I bet you if you put. Hooked him up to a lie detector and you said, would you rather. You remember Barry the meme going around Barry, you'd open up your phone during
C
COVID Yeah, during COVID That was a tough one. Rest in peace to him.
D
Yeah.
E
Rip, I bet you if you said to him, would you rather walk in, Barry, laying the boots to your old lady, or have Montreal Canadiens fans start a wave in your building, he would pick the first option.
D
Barry.
E
That's how hardcore these fans are and how desperate they are for back to back playoff seasons for the Ottawa Senators. And they're playing gate great right now, but do you guys think that they squeeze in?
C
Last night was a. Was a big loss, dude. They. To not even get a point out of that game. It puts them five behind the Bruins.
D
Right?
C
If they win that game, they're three behind. Even getting a point, it helps out. But they did have a beef, and it. It was the second in two nights of kind of crazy, different of opinions, goalie interference calls. So we can go back to Ottawa and Dylan Cousins and then we'll get into McKinnon in a little bit, but I think this one might have been the worst goal interference call I've ever seen. Give Montreal credit. They go to the power play and demigod, just a filthy pass to Slavkovski. They go up one nothing. All right. Sets the tone of the game. The home crowd goes wild. This was not an instance of McKinnon driving the net. Cousins gets the puck and just makes a move to the backhand. Fowler, I guess you could say he does a good job of like, drawing a penalty as a goalie. We cannot have goalies drawing penalties. He comes like, out of the crease. I feel like bumps into him. And Ottawa gets the penalty. Like, I. That. That one's crazy because it was just. He's going to his backhand and all of a sudden, like, he's getting bumped into by Fowler and boom. That. The whistle. The whistle blows. I thought that one was ridiculous. And Montreal scores. Like, I. Travis Green was losing his.
E
God, he was. He was a shade of red that I've never actually seen before.
D
Yeah, Merlo.
E
Yeah, he was a Merlo Red.
D
But the thing, like, when these goalies, and I get it. Followers got to, like, push off and try to, you know, be as close to him as possible when the guy's that close. But I feel like these goalies now, like, they lean with their head out and then as soon as they get hit in the head, it's a complete yard sale. But, like, it looked like just Cousins was, you know, maybe there's a guy on his back or he thinks there's a guy on his back and he's just trying to get it to his backhand and slam at home, whether it's five hole or whatever, like he's trying to make a hockey play there. The fact that that's a penalty is absolutely insane. Travis Green had every right to be pissed. Obviously, they go down and score, that's going to put a little more salt in the wound. Like, those are the ones you really need to kill on Those shitty calls. But at the end of the day, like, let. Let the players police that, right? Like, let the guys come in if you think your goalie got taken liberties on. Like, let the players police that. That's what we've taken, you know, credit in, you know, as NHL guys have, in fighting and stuff like that, is guys policing the game. Don't let the refs make that call. Especially in playoffs, like, we know all the goals are scored in the crease. And playoffs, we can't have plays where a guy just bumps into a goalie and your team's now killing a penalty.
E
So what drives me absolutely bananas is kind of like the McKinnon one we saw where he was ejected, which was also a horrible one. You got. You got a marquee matchup of Colorado and Edmonton, and you're throwing out the first or second best player in the world, depending on who you're asking. This is what drives me bananas, though. This was a screenshot from a Montreal fan saying, like, what are you arguing about? And it's always this one. Okay, so. Oh, look, his skate is at the. In the top of the crease, heading into the crease. If you. If you back this up like a second, Fowler's head and body is essentially, like, close to the goal line.
C
Yeah, he comes out, which is a good play.
E
It's a great play to come. Challenge a puck, absolutely. But for them to, like, basically blame Cousins for. For goalie interference when it's clear, Fowler initiates contact and then flops back. It's just fucking brutal. And the same thing goes for the McKinnon one, where you clearly see the angle in which his skates are going.
C
He's not going to run into England. He's not. He wouldn't have hit him. And I'm an Oilers fan. I'm catching heat. I don't like. I just. Right away, I was watching. I was very excited for that game. It was an awesome game. And I'm like, that is. He was going to skate right in front of him, and the doctor buries him in into the goalie. Now the goalie gets, like, injured and out of the game. That's probably. If that goalie's still in the game, maybe he just gets the two minute. But when they're reviewing it biz, like you said, I'm like, this is ESPN. This is McDavid McKinnon. He's getting two minutes and they booted him. I was shocked at that. I really was.
E
Bednar's beats per minute get to about 90 in a post game press conference, which is like half of what mine would get to when I touched the puck in an NHL game, that's when you know something's up. He never gets angry at anything. And he was, he was, he. He was like, that's a bullshit call.
C
Because after the game, I think he said, like, I don't give a crap that the goal is hurt. That is not a penalty. Like, or not at least a major penalty. And you can. Here's the problem biz like you just showed, you can screenshot it at all these different moments.
D
Right.
C
But I, I just. Based on the behind view of McKinnon, it's the picture behind him before he runs in to the goalie, he's going to just wheel right in front of him and he gets bumped into him. And because of that, whatever you want to call two minutes, I get it. But to get kicked out of the game and that, hey, I'm not saying I didn't mind it. Oilers end up getting a huge regulation win. Beat Vegas, beat Colorado, got Dallas tonight on a roll right now. But it was like, fuck, you don't want to see McKinnon kicked out of that game. As a fan, fans who were tuning into that, that was, that was one that I can't, can't agree with, even though it helped my squad out. Yeah.
D
So I mean, he's coming so fast. Like, if he hits a goalie that's vulnerable a little bit like that, he's going to get hurt. But 100%, that's on nurse. And Nurse is trying to make the right play. Right. He's trying to lunge and make. Get a stick on it. But I mean, that's just part of a, A, a violent sport like, like that's going to happen. But the fact that he got kicked out was a joke and they reviewed it.
C
Right.
A
For a while.
D
That's insane to me that they were like cooler heads. Didn't prevail at some point.
E
Let's not allow that to distract us from the best. Give and go probably all season long. From Connor McDavid to Leon Draisaitl back to Connor McDavid and dry sidel. Calm that thing down with a skate blade to go to a stick too. Just.
C
That was the, that was the sickest part of it. Like, that looked like it was the perfect tape to tape pass on a stick. The way he just, just relaxed. Just kicked it up to himself. So simple. And Bouchard had made a good play before that because he had had a little give and go with McDavid. I think it was a little out of his wheelhouse, and he kind of shot past it instead of forcing one. Bouchard just continues to play Incredible Hockey. Outplayed McCarr by a mile in that game.
E
So here's. Here's a photo quickly, of where McKinnon's headed right as Darnell makes contact.
D
He's up ice, basically.
E
He's heading up ice back towards his own end. So I. I think that maybe he gets grazed if he doesn't get collided. And keep in mind, he might have
C
ran into his stick.
D
How's Darnell's neck after that? Like, coming that, like, that's got to kill.
E
And if you're a McKinnon, like, you can't fight off that much body weight flying at your hip. You get a guy in that area, that's what's shifting his weight. It's not. If you touch him in the upper body, that's. That's where you get a guy. If you really want to move him.
D
He should get money back for getting thrown out of the game. The league should have to give him money. But the. Hey, that's like the. The pass to Leon, like, you know the old saying, can't give a good player a bad pass. That's exactly what that is. When a guy like that can handle a puck. And then, I mean, we all know how fast McDavid's going to make that play so quick was insane.
C
I also, I. I mean, I don't know who the defender was, but McDavid dished it on his backhand and. And spun around. And the. I don't even think the guy had, like, realized, like, the puck was there yet.
D
I think it was like, Tate, he.
C
He turned around, it was in the net. It was like, army, Army. And I texted the group chat immediately, like, what the fuck just happened? Even go, give and go, Give and go. So incredible right there. Awesome play. Good game. Just wanted to see McKinnon finish that one. And quickly back to Montreal, who's now four points back of Buffalo along with Tampa Lane Hudson. Guys, he has the most assists by an NHL defenseman in the history of the game. Through 150 games played, there's been some
D
pretty good defensemen that have played in this league.
C
He passed Zubov. He got 100, his 116th assist. In his first 150 games, Zubov had 115. I. I tweeted out. I can't believe that I ever for one second wondered if he would be able to do in the NHL what he did in college. Like there was just some question to his size. But looking back on it now, the one on one and the quickness and the fast twitch, it was a no brainer. I feel like a real non puck knower for even wondering if he'd be doing this in the NHL. But in fairness, there were other people. Like I think he's going to play for a long time. I don't know if it'll be like this. And it's exactly like college. It's even better at times because he's got better players to play with. So what he's doing is just ridiculous.
D
It's.
C
It's unreal to see this. And, and Montreal, man, they, they got these guys locked up. They got Suzuki locked up at under eight. They got Slavkovsky locked up, they got Hudson locked up. They're going to get Demigod locked up now I don't know what he'll want. Will he be on a team friendly deal like the rest of them are. I I just. And Fowler, what he did in that game.
E
Now my think they're all bought in with I, I. Yeah, I think that if you go to Demagod's agent and you're like hey man, like we got Lane Hudson signing for below 9 million bucks and this guy has the most assists through 150 games of defenseman.
D
Give him the same deal.
E
Let's not. And he was, he was what? Runner up in Calder voting? Was he runner up in Hudson?
D
Oh, he won.
E
Yeah, he won it. Who, who was he up against?
F
He was up against Dustin Wolf and Macklin Celebrini.
E
Oh yeah. Okay. Wow. He. Pete Celebrini. Jesus.
D
Yeah. When D. When D pop off, it's like I think people realize how hard it is for D. But go back to Zubov with like Zubov played four years in the KHL or whatever it was back then. Like he was a man when he came into the league. Like Lane Hudson was playing college hockey two years ago.
E
Pretty wild.
D
It's pretty fucking insane.
E
Pretty wild.
C
You could tell right when he, when he played those couple games and they missed the playoffs and we played against
D
Detroit, I believe a crowd going nuts
C
and, and it was like, oh, this is the perfect Montreal Canadiens player. So they got some special stuff brewing there and they are in the mix to win the Atlantic.
D
But do you think, sorry, do you think, do you think Demigod takes like the same deal as Hudson?
C
That would be, that would be ideal for the.
D
That's What? I would.
C
Yeah, it would be hard. Yeah, it's hard for him to kind of argue now. Cause he has one more year so they can sign him this summer. So it's almost like hey, let's try to get him signed, get it over with. What if he pops off for a hundred points next year?
E
I mean, I think you make them comfortable, you say, hey, this is where we want you, buddy. It's our last opportunity to get you eight years. Let's get you a health, healthy term, healthy number and let's get this fucking thing going, man. I don't think he's going anywhere. And I think another thing too is that you're playing in Montreal, probably not talked about as much as Toronto, but the corporate dollars, like you can't. I don't think he could replace that. I think Demagogue could probably make easily half a million to a million off the ice.
C
Yeah. There was a clip of him earlier this year doing some commercial. Was it a sandwich or something? I remember seeing it, but I don't, I can't think of it right now. But another guy not going anywhere out in Utah, boys. It, it's, it, it's, it kind of, it's really ruining July 1st for us. But Nick Schmaltz signs an 8 year old $8 million extension and I guess he might have wanted a little bit more money, right?
E
He got it front loaded a little bit and he gets the term. We just talked about the last time you can get eight years. Like this is a guy who's got really, really good chemistry with his line mates there. And you know, he's been there for a while. He came over from Chicago and I believe it was in that Dylan Strom trade and he's flourished, man. And it's awesome to see. I mean the Ryan Smith man, like he's shelling out the cash, man. He's all in and making sure he secures this team as a winning, winning team for, for years to come. And you look at the contracts he's handed out in the last 18 months, right? He's got Gunther, Cooley, Schmaltzy. He's traded for Sergachev, he's got Uyghur. There's probably one other name I'm forgetting about. You know, he's going to try to lock up Buterka. That was a big move regardless how people feel about it. He was trying to put them over the edge and they signed him right away for just under 8 million. So it was nice too. Schmaltzy maybe. Probably Left a little bit on the table considering free agency. But the first two years of that deal, he'll be, he'll be making 10 million bucks. And then I think it evens off for four years. And then in the last two years, the deal, he'll make 6 million. So a little bit front loaded. I'm sure there's some signing bonus in there. And he gets a very, very nice deal to get him over $100 million earned in his career.
C
That is, that's what I was gonna say. Cause he's coming off a seven year, times like 5.7 deal now. He's got eight times eight over a hundred sheets in his career. And it's like beautiful. I mean, the most points he's ever had going, going to this year is 63. He's gonna beat that this year. He's at 59 and 65 games, but he's, this is his fifth year in a row with over 20 goals. He's already set his career high in goals this season. Perfect timing for him, right? It was incredible timing. He's, he's done a lot, he's, he's done a lot to earn this. I do think, like, there's some trepidation in terms of. He's 30 years old, right? So how does the, how does the contract age? But it's not an insane number. And like you said, Biz, like, they want to start winning, they want to get in the playoffs this year, and they want to really build something in Utah. So it goes back to his press conference, which I don't know if you saw. Did you mention, see what Bill Armstrong
E
said in it about how his, his wife kept like staring him down, like, hey, sign this.
C
Well, he had a hat trick one game and, and she's like looking at him and then he turned away and he's like, well, she looking at me. Looks back and she's staring at him still. So like, she must be an October money. Pay my man his money. I got a kick out of that one. And Utah, like, Biz, you said it perfectly. They're, they're, they're signing their guys. And buddy, they got TJ Tijua coming. They got this kid, Is it Caleb Dunoir? I don't know if I'm saying his name correctly. And they're both lighting it up. Iginla has like 45 points in the WHL in his last 17 games. Like something right around there, right? So they're not just like. What they have now is there's a lot more coming and I think that it's. It. They're set to be good for a long time based on the fact that this thing started and they were announced at the arena and was sold out just to greet them as the team move. So an awesome situation there.
E
And another thing, too, boys. Like. Like, do the math quickly, G. Or somebody behind the scenes there. Like, 8 million bucks. The cap's going up 30 million in the next three years. So what is an 8? What's $8 million as far as a percentage to the cap hit?
C
We could be here for three weeks.
E
No, I would. My guess would be 6%, maybe 7% of the cap.
C
I just love how you're. Maybe you're like, gee, look it up. And he's like.
D
He's like, I went to Plymouth State.
B
Well, Puckpedia.
F
Puckpedia has this, and it just says, percentage of cap at contract start, it'll be 7.69%.
E
It'll be 5% by the time this thing.
C
In three years, it's going to be 30 million more in three years.
E
That's. Alan Walsh had a tweet the other day. And I'm gonna go.
C
I'm gonna go, oh, you sent us that?
E
Yeah, I sent it to you guys. And. And it. I mean, it's great for the players, you know, that. That Judd is just licking his chops right now because he's got a few guys that are superstars in the league that are up in two years, and he is going to go, no spit, no lube, sandpaper, finish into those negotiations.
D
They won't be 5 percenters.
C
No Judd, HL.
E
They're going to own 5% of the team is what's going to happen. Yeah, no, yeah, it's.
C
Look up that tweet quick.
E
I'm gonna find it. I'm gonna. You know, Alan Walsh was all Ryan Smith.
D
Like, you gotta have a core, right? And they're. They're locking in their guys. And I'd. I'd even put Weegs in that core. Right. He signed. He's gonna be there. He's a guy. I mean, having no one. Like, he's gonna fit in so well on any team.
C
But just feel like the other night. Who did he fight the other night? I saw that. Love seeing that.
D
That's how I got, by the way, Perry fighting, too. Coming to a new team. These guys are lunatics.
C
Go ahead.
E
Analyzing NHL HHR projections and the current revenue slack that exists in the system. So I think what his gripe is is that the players ate it during COVID and there's been kind of this delay, delay, delay. The owners or the franchise values are going up. We're not really seeing it with the cap going up as much as it should be. Well, finally, here we go. Hearing the NHL is projecting a salary cap upper limit of approximately $123 million in 2829. We are currently at 95.5 million. That's an almost $30 million rise in the cap within three years. Wow, that is. That's fucked up. And as a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, it upsets me a little bit because we got hosed by the cap a
C
little bit by that stall host all the time, man.
E
It fucked me. So thank you to Alan Walsh for doing the Lord's work.
C
Oh, I forgot one thing. When we were talking Ottawa, they received their first round pick back. Okay. So if you remember, they lost their first round pick on that dadnov trade that. I still don't really know exactly what happened. Apparently the league said that they, they pulled some sketchy, sketchy work.
E
I think what happened was, is they hadn't updated his. No, no like trade list and San Jose was a part of it. And then they tried when you submit it to try to make a move when that guy's got it on the no trade list, it's like an illegal trade. So it kind of got Max Crosby. So they went through. You waste everybody's time. You do it, you tell the player. So they do that as a penalty like to penalize. So there's no right. And so teams are on it where Yans. I didn't even realize this and you pointed out last part of the pod before where you have to resubmit your, your whatever number you get. As far as a no move clause or no trade clause. If you have a 10 team, you could have 10 completely different teams the next year.
D
Yeah.
E
So that was something.
C
Well, I did, I did think it was ridiculous, but when the ownership switched and Michael an Lauer bought them, it was kind of like discussed like, all right, this is a whole new regime. Like let's. They almost deserve it back. They got it back. Now it's the 32nd overall pick. They cannot trade it or anything. So if Ottawa misses the playoffs, they're still getting punished. But they do get the pick back in a sense. So I get that. I actually think it should be exactly where it would have been.
E
I agree.
C
Finishes like, I agree. If you're going to give it back to them, it's like you're still punishing them but you're. You're It's. It's weird. Like, I feel like new ownership, the slate is clean on that one. But I guess. I guess at least Senators fans can. Can think we did get our first rounder back, even though it's the last pick.
D
I don't like that they can't.
E
The Martian would give back that pick if he could, like, remove the Wave out of his own building. From Habs fans.
D
Yeah. Million percent wave.
C
The Wave broke the Martian. The poor guy. The goaltending. The Wave. He's sitting there just begging for Barry over. The Wave is crazy, crazy, crazy.
E
Oh, I feel for him. And then braid. And now Brady's leaving.
D
He's.
E
He's.
C
Oh, Buddy, don't even say that again. You're going to get. Somebody's going to you.
E
Somebody's going to steal my car.
C
Yeah,
E
take it.
C
Oh, my God.
E
They can't even step up into it to get to the driver's seat. They're like, oh, fuck this.
D
They get stuck going under a bridge.
C
So, boys, the. The East, I think we could have a pretty legendary run down to the finish here for the final two spots.
E
Oh, yeah.
C
Detroit's in one, guys. What we're witnessing. Let me just take you through the march. This is March for the Detroit Red Wings. 2023, 5, 9 and 1, 2024, 3, 9 and 2, 2025, 4, 10, 0, 2026. They're 2, 2 and 1 right now. They've won four of their last 10 games and not only did they lose a heartbreaker the other night, they're up with like, what I think it was two minutes to go to a team
D
that's tanking basically to a team that's
C
tanking for Haggie scores twice. The Second one with 14 seconds left, they don't even get a point. I don't even know what happened on that play. They gave up a three on two with 15 seconds to go on a tie game. It's like, what are you guys thinking here? So Detroit fans, they're starting to panic a little bit. Their. Their offense has completely dried up. They're scoring like 1.7 goals a game in their last 10 games.
E
You know what that is right there, boys?
D
Yeah, it's a tight arsehole.
E
That's a tight right now.
D
How long is larkin out?
C
That's. I don't know. I. I do not.
D
This is huge for them. Like, they need him back.
C
And the way that, the way that we've talked about Sabers fans deserving it, like, Buddy Hockeytown, they kind Of. I think they kind of were. We're already in. Yeah, they can. Like we got this. And now they're. They're sitting there. Let me check out Detroit's schedule right now.
E
Oh, I think they were top of
D
the east for a while, right with in the beginning of the year.
C
They've just been money all year.
D
They.
C
It seems like they've been top three in the Atlantic all season.
E
Did I send it to the group chat? I. I think Detroit might have the Flyers three times to finish the.
D
They do, but that. Yeah, that's good. But playing hard, man.
E
Don't tell their fans that though. Cause they'll fucking jump down your throat.
D
I think they had the sixth hardest schedule coming out, dude.
C
They have Tampa, Dallas, the next two. Then they got Calgary. They gotta win that one. Then they got Montreal, Boston, Ottawa, Buffalo. Like it's not. Then they got Philly. Then they got Pittsburgh.
E
So they got Philly, Pittsburgh, Philly, New York. So they got those.
D
They need to win.
E
And then to end the season they got Philly, New Jersey, Tampa, which is hard. And then Florida. So they have. I would say as far as strength to schedule, it's probably like in the middle here. That's not that hard of a schedule looking at it. They have to. Flyers are playing their off too and they're trying to fight for a playoff spot. I believe they're five points out right now. But I agree with you guys. Considering no Larkin, their marches have been horrendous. You know, that's probably in the back of their mind. I think what they need is another Todd McClellan snap show at the press conference like after game one of the season. Especially regarding the odd man rush with 14 seconds left in a game. That was the one thing in game one that he was like, we're giving up. We gave up fucking seven odd man rushes in the first period. We think we're gonna win hockey games here. So they gotta tighten things up.
C
Philly's. Philly's seven points out right now.
E
Seven.
C
Okay, my apologies, but if you give
D
goal late in a game, like you cannot give up with 14 seconds left, a fucking game winning goal. Like you at least gotta get up the tying goal.
C
It's like, guys, get this thing to OT or we're gonna have the wave going on. Listen, Biz, interestingly enough, so you got all the teams in the. In the playoffs right now in the east. And then you. I think it's Columbus and Ottawa sitting at 9:10 right now. That would be. I don't. I think Philly's too far back.
E
Yeah.
C
Detroit only team of those 10 with a minus goal differential this year. So, like, at some point you're wondering, like, all right. It seems like the cream rises to the top by the end of this. Columbus has played great. Ottawa needs a couple saves, but they're right in this thing. So that would be your. Boston schedule is hard too. That's the thing.
E
You. You think. Do you think. Do you think Ottawa and Columbus are getting in? Is that what you're saying?
C
I think one of them are. And I'm not willing to say Detroit's going to miss, but one of Detroit or Boston's out. And I think. And I think Columbus is getting in.
E
I'm a little nervous for the Islanders, even though they made that trade.
C
Oh, buddy. That win by them and what. What a turn of events. They're down three nothing. Robert Thomas makes it four nothing. It's like, holy, we're getting run out of the building here by the Blues. And the goal gets called back for offside. They actually were pulling Sokin and Rick standing there and then the goal gets. The goal gets taken off the board and Rick's like, good. Yep.
D
Okay.
C
It was a hilarious reaction. The video of him. He's like, oh, it was just.
E
Yeah, I. He wanted no part of going in. Like, it's like he just ate two hot dogs during the last intermission and a bag of Skittles.
C
I'm good. And. And they come back, buddy. They win it over. That goal by Barzell. I actually was looking at it. He did about five crossovers one way, then ripped three crossovers the other way. And Kyro. Kyrue's like coming down the. Kind of pivoted on him and he must have just been licking his chops. He's like, oh, I got a forward here and just backhand forehand snipe. So a huge win for the Islanders. You keep saying you're nervous for the Islanders.
E
Just be. Buddy, if you look. If you look at that like, and we talk about the under the hood stuff like Schaefer far and above the best player on the ice for the Islanders, like the, the analytics through the roof, the rest of the team and not so much. And then they're goaltending and I think that their strength of schedule might be pretty difficult coming in here. So I'm just saying is like, when you're relying on an 18 year old defenseman and you're goaltending every night, it does start to wait. But. But they have had a magical season in A sense of they're finding a way to win these one goal games. They, if you, if you look at you talk about scoring goals, I think if you look at the league here and I'm looking at goals four, they
C
are, they're not, they're not high.
D
Yeah, but they're never going to be high.
C
Them in Detroit, in the play, they're, they're tied at 1:92 with the lowest four of the eight teams in the playoffs. But biz like they're 7 and 3 in their last 10. Pittsburgh's 4, 2 and 4, they got the same amount of points.
E
Pittsburgh, I have grouped them in and I got their sweater on. So, you know, they're fucked. They're. Mr. Rogers, thank you to, to, to my boy Tags for sending that over. But that was another team that I said that if either of those two teams in the Metro fall off a cliff like I, I, you know, you can see it, you can understand why, especially at the fact no Gino, no Sid, Right?
C
Yeah.
E
Well, Gino's coming back here.
C
He's got two or three more games.
E
Yeah.
C
That's why Columbus is sitting pretty because yeah, you're not catching the top three in the Atlantic, but they got the Metro and the ability to sneak it to one of those three. I just can't wait for the race. And showed out Charlie McAvoy. Boys. I know the guys on game notes mentioned this. This has been one of the worst beatings to a, to a face that I can ever remember in an NHL season. Montreal jawbroken, teeth everywhere the other night against la. Loses more teeth, comes back, scores the game winner. I couldn't believe after the game, Sturm's like, he was playing horrible before the hit. I was like, oh. He's like, but what am I gonna say? He came back and scored the game winner. I guess McAvoy actually like apologized for how poorly he was playing in the first period. But in terms of the Bruins needing to name a captain here at some point, I, I think it's a complete no brainer, like how hard this guy plays, what he's willing to do. He's laying it on the line. He's got 21 points in his last. He's got points in 21 of the last 24 games.
D
Wow.
C
So he's just been outstanding Bruins MVP this year. I think. I know pasta's right there, but the guy, the guy can't catch a break, man.
D
And I, I know from experience of having your mouth all fucked up. Like he did the interviews after the Game. He's like, yeah, whatever, I'll answer a few questions. But he knows he's got probably 10 more hours in the dentist chair. Like, just. I mean, no one likes sitting in the dentist chair, but just. And then he's probably got to wear the, the full visor again, which sucks. Like, no one likes playing with that. Like, the poor guy. I agree with you with. He should be named the captain tomorrow.
C
Before we throw to odog, I'll just mention that in all the years of tanking that I've witnessed the Toronto Maple Leafs right now. And Biz brought up the Seahawks. The Seattle Seahawks winning a game more recently than the Toronto Maple Leafs Marlies. What. What an absolute disgrace. What's going on there is. I, I feel for the fans. I just. The amount of money it takes to go to a game. Like, don't even go to the games at this point. This is, this is. I can't see anyone keeping their jobs after this fun office.
E
No, I think that they're gonna give them one more.
C
One more, buddy. This, this is on everybody.
E
I don't make the fucking decisions. Don't look at me.
D
They have Michael Ayers playing next game. What do you mean you don't make the decision?
C
David.
D
David A.
C
Sorry, this is just. I, I, I, they're, they've quit. They've completely quit. And, and we interviewed O Dog during the Olympics. Imagine him now. I saw a clip of Overdrive. He's. He's just beside himself at what he's witnessing, the lack of production. If guys are hurt, why are they playing? I don't, I don't know what to think.
E
Saw a pretty crazy tweet. I don't know if it's real this morning. In the last 30 games combined, Elias Pedersen and. And Matthews haven't scored a goal. Maybe it's. Maybe it's five on five, but maybe it's like, even just.
C
I think Matthews has one point. Like five and five and 12 games last.
E
Last 10 games.
D
Don't care. Got us a gold medal.
C
Do not point per game at the Olympics.
D
He was amazing.
E
You know, it's obviously dark days now.
C
The darkest of days I can ever remember there. Because they. Their first rounder this year. Biz. Right. Unless it's top five, Boston gets it. Is it also the following year that Philly gets it?
E
No, no, I, no, I, No, I think Philly.
C
I thought for Lawton. Well, I think, oh, I think the law.
B
Right.
E
But they, but they also, they got one back in the law trade, so it's Like, I, I, okay, I would expect to be Toronto to be middle of the pack. So yes, you might drop, you might drop, you know, five, ten picks compared to what you would have had if, if Toronto does end up missing the playoffs again next year. Now saying all that, it'd be easy to pile on. I said my piece last podcast. I do feel like that they're, they're these guys. If, if Chief's still there, Tree's still there, you know, whoever's at the top, top of management as far as the, the Maple Leafs group, like they need to get in a room and get on the same page because like you see Scotty Lawton going over to LA, he's playing 14, 13 minutes a night scored in back to back games. Like, I feel like you, you traded a first rounder for him. That should be a guy that you're handing ice over to just simply because he fucking cares. And he'll, he'll, he'll play his balls off for the, the crest on the front of the jersey. Right? Like that's.
C
And he would have loved to resign there.
F
Correct?
E
And he would have loved to. And, and I think that they were being cheap about it. I heard that it was under the amount that he's currently making now, which, if it's, which I think that if you're paying Scott Laden, it should be between the, the like the 2.75 and 3.25 number, obviously. 275 if you give him like a five year deal. And I think you would have taken that any day of the week too, to, to remain a Toronto Maple Leaf. So I don't know what is going on internally, but they got to get on the same page, figure it out and, and play a little bit more stylistically to the personnel that they are going out there and getting, but to not pile on like, I hope they don't win a game the rest of the season. Yeah, I hope that they get a top five pick. They keep.
D
I hope they get six.
C
If they get six, that would put
E
the icing on the cake for an absolute kick in the jaw.
D
It is what I, it. Obviously I know nothing about the higher ups in Toronto or anything about Toronto, but I feel like they need to just sit down with Tree and be like, okay, next year you're still here. It's just, you let him fucking handle everything. Because I feel like in, in a market like that, there's the Presidents, there's the CEOs of the company, the TML, whatever it is, like, just let him do the job where there's no outside noise coming in, let him be the GM of the team. Get his guys, get guys signed, trade for guys, whatever it is, give him one more crack at the cam.
C
I think if they roll, I think if they roll back the coach and the gm, that, that fans are going to literally lose their mind.
E
Dude, how long, hey, there's been teams that have been able to like retool and figure it out the next year. Like you can't just like, buddy, you got Chief on a five year deal, right? You might as well try. And if it doesn't work for half the season and it's still the same slow, boring hockey where they're not moving, moving the pace, then maybe you make the decision. I say you give these guys another opportunity. And Tree hasn't been on the helm that long. A lot of people criticizing Tree about like, oh, he ruined Calgary too. The Calgary situation was very, a lot
C
more difficult and little out of his hands.
E
And he also came into a situation where Yan, you touched on it. You don't know what upper management were saying, don't move. Marner, the hometown guy before, before the no move clause or no trade clause kicks in. Like you don't know if there was upper power saying don't do. I don't know if it was Duba saying that. I don't know if it was Shanny doing that. You guys know me. I ain't digging.
C
Hey, you never dig.
D
You never digger, dude.
E
I never, I'm not a digger.
C
Well, so I don't. I don't think O dog digs either. He just gives some, some flaming hot takes. He's awesome. We finally got to sit down with him. So let's throw it over to Jeff o' Neill right now. The day has finally come. Years and years and years of people begging us for Jeff o', Neill, the O dog. The day has finally come. Here he is, former NHL stud and current host of TSN Overdrive. Jeff o'.
D
Neill.
B
How we doing, boys? Whit, I gotta tell you, the last time I saw you in person, you don't know this, but I was at a bar in Pittsburgh a couple years after I retired and you were so pissed and creeping around and doing stuff and I just said, oh my God, like this is what the game has become now. So it's nice to see you've got it together and you're back on track.
E
What were you doing there? Like, what brought you to Pittsburgh?
B
I was visiting my buddy, Mike Zigamanis and he was playing for the pens at that time, and we went out after, and I'm almost positive. Do you remember playing with Mike Ziggmanis?
E
I was there with Ziggy, too.
B
I remember we went out after biz. You were probably at this bar, too.
E
Oh, yeah, I was probably up and
B
just wit was something else. I just said, these guys are. These guys are something else these days. But you guys all turned it around, and you guys are all doing awesome. I'm happy for all you.
E
Oh, you too, buddy. Are you kidding me? You guys. You guys have a riot there at Overdrive, like, I love. See, I feel like you guys are posting more and more of the clips, so we're able to see everything. So it's been great in the chemistry that you develop with those guys.
B
Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. I think that the posting the clips is one thing we tried to do. I mean, as you guys know, you got to get stuff out there, but they've done a great job with it, and it's been a lot of fun. As you guys know that when you're done playing where you can sit around and talk about hockey or you got to do something real, and the. The idea of doing something real, I don't think it appeals to any of us. So I think it's a great gig, and I think we should all be grateful for what we're doing because it's a lot of fun, as you guys know.
C
So I have a memory that involves you that you probably don't know. And when I retired, you're really nice. Like, sent me a message. Congrats. Something like that. And then I said, yeah, I'm so excited to just play a bunch of golf. And he's like, well, you said, well, bud, you can only play so much golf. I'm like, what is he talking about? And then you were bang on. It is kind of like you do need to find something else. And I think that's kind of what you meant by it. So it's cool to see what you found. And then we were lucky enough to kind of get together with us three. But I'm wondering, for Overdrive, when did that, like, all begin? And were you all three together at the same time, or was it kind of. Keith came in later. Do you have somebody come in later?
B
You know what? I honestly have my job at TSN for the most ridiculous reason. Like, I think in life, you tell people, like, good things happen to good people, and you do this and you do that, and things are going to follow. I sent out a ridiculous tweet during the lockout about Gary Bettman. Like, it was offside. I think I was like half in the bag. And so TSN radio, which at the time I didn't even know existed. So James Cybulsky, who is such a great guy and basically got me into the business, he sent me a text and he said, do you mind coming in, explaining this tweet? And I'm like, look, man, I don't. Like, I don't. It was stupid. I literally deleted my Twitter account. So I went in and talked to him on his show. He was doing the Drive Home show on tsn and then he messaged me like a couple weeks later and he's like, do you want to come in and just kind of shoot the shit about hockey? And I was like, yeah, sure. So I went in again and then when I left the second time, I just emailed the boss and I was like, I kind of enjoyed doing that, so if kind of anything pops up. So then I just started doing this like late kind of evening night talk show with Jim Taddy, who's like the godfather of sports radio and television. And he taught me a lot and taught me a lot about the industry. And I owe a lot to Jim Taddy because I was literally going in there at 5pm and doing 5 to 11 at night, sometimes midnight shifts, literally just talking about sports. And Jim was great because he took the time and like told me about, like projecting my voice and just all the stuff, ins and outs of commercials. It was great. So then I never left. Jamie McLennan got me onto the TV side and. And shortly after that, I was doing some Leaf games on tsn. And then Jim actually recommended. He said, you should be on Leaf's lunch with Brian and Jamie. And then we did Leaf's lunch and then we moved to the afternoon and kind of the rest is history.
C
You know the tweet I was gonna
D
ask, I was gonna ask.
E
Read it out.
C
This is the best part is it's at 1:43pm and Bettman, stop talking to the media. I want to make hole in your head.
B
That's how ridiculous. So imagine getting a great job from that.
E
I know.
B
Seriously, that guy must tell people, do great things, do this and do that. And I got a great job from sending that stupid tweet. It was because they were going back and forth about the lockout and he just kept saying, we need to make whole. Make whole. And I was so frustrated watching it. And you just look back on some and you're like, why did I do that? But I don't know, I somehow got a great job from that ridiculous tweet. How you even explained. I can't even explain that to my daughters.
D
It's probably because you didn't spel. You just wrote fkn. So that was, that was nice.
C
Yeah, he's classy, man. Yeah.
D
But were you always a guy that, you know, spoke your mind and shot from the hip, even with media when you were playing?
E
Oh, yeah. I bet you in the locker room, you would have been a riot.
B
You know, what with the media, it was so weird because I didn't have a whole lot of time for it. Like, I had an experience in Carolina once where I was. I was out in Vancouver and somebody pulled me aside and he said, how do you like playing in Carolina? And I said, is this off the record? And he said, yeah. And I said, all the fans are fucking Ernie Irvin fans. And I said, you can't. That's obviously off the record. The next day in some publish, like this thing went in the paper and after that day, I said, I'm never speaking to the. From that day on, I never spoke to the media on game day. I was like, I don't know how that guy screwed me. The best part about the story is Kevin Deneen was at a golf tournament with Ernie Irvin and got an autograph, like 8 by 10 for me from Ernie Irvin. I couldn't believe it. But my relationship with the media after that, I don't know, I was always a little bit pissy and a little bit testy and I don't know, it's weird now because you just, you know, you talk to some guys and you wonder why they don't want to have 10 minutes or they don't have 15 minutes. And, and I get it. Because you're focused and being a pro athlete, a 24 hour gig and your mind's busy and you've got other stuff going on. But I, I didn't have the greatest relationship with the media. I did have it easy though, because I played 10 years in Carolina and there was hardly anybody there. Nobody. Like you go to the grocery, do anything. You just kind of did your thing and you left the rink. There was like two people that covered the team and it was pretty easy
E
to deal with what a great group you had there. I was looking at the hockey db, but just quickly going back to overdrive. Like, we just talked about, like, maybe the chemistry that we've developed because I played with wit, I played with Yan's. You and, and McClellan, Noodles and Hayes, the chemistry. Did you ever, like, come in contact with Noodles while he was playing? Did you guys play together?
B
No, I never played. Brian played in the OHL at a different time than me, and I only played against Jamie. His last name's McLennan, by the way, not McClellan.
E
Well, we know him as Noodles. Okay.
D
He called Nick Suzuki.
E
David Suzuki, which is another Canadian legend. Which is another Canadian legend. Not only does this guy save the environment, but he's saving the entire country.
B
But no, I, I, I had never really met Jamie before. But I'll tell you what, man, as far as a guy to work with, both, both Brian and Jamie, they're just, I mean, you guys know what it's like. You know, you gotta have each other's back and you gotta get along and you gotta have that chemistry. And if, if you don't, it's, it, it almost seems like a chore. And the weird thing about us is, I mean, I don't know what you guys are like, hanging out.
E
We don't.
B
The mics go off, but we don't. Like me and Jamie and Brian, we hardly hang out. Like, like, it's not that we don't want to, but when you talk to somebody for two or three hours every day, it's not like you're dying to go over to their house and hang out with them. So we have a great relationship, but it's like once that mic comes off, we text and phone each other a lot, but we're not doing dinners, lunches. It's like we see of enough of each other and talk to each other, and that's just how our relationship goes. Me and Brian play golf a lot in the summer, and me and Brian and Jamie would be more than. Or Duffy, because Jamie does golf. We would be more than happy to.
E
We might get in trouble. We might get in trouble. We did have a round that was scheduled for months. The ends lined it up. And it just so happens it was during Canada's quarterfinal match game against Chechia. Is that you say it. Czechia. Czechia, you say. But it'd be great to have you guys. Man, what's your handicap?
B
I'm not telling you.
C
He's good.
D
Wow.
C
Because I remember he put. Didn't you post like a64 on Twitter or something?
B
Last year I played in the Canadian Open with Carlo. We played in this, like, NHL thing and I shot 64. Yeah, it was fun. I had a couple. I had a good stretch. I told Biz I think I shot like 65, 66, 64, and like a 10 day span.
E
So I texted you when I saw that because I think Whit texted the group chat, like, look at this guy's scorecard. We got to get him on. And I. And obviously that would be an incredible bagger. So where would you want to play it?
B
Dude, we can do it anywhere you guys want. You guys run the show, so we'll show up.
D
Anyway, who would be your third?
B
Carlo, Carlo or Duffy?
E
All right, have you been getting a little bit jealous of the chemistry that Duffy and BX and Elliot have been gaining there on the panel?
C
Is that.
E
I saw a couple tweets. You feel like your old lady's cheating on you right now behind your back?
B
Yeah, it's something. Watching that. I'll tell you, the smiles, the picks with the arm around. I was like, I was gonna say send out a tweet and say DX if you shake his hand, because that's one of my signature moves, the old handshake. If they shake hands on the air during a broadcast, I'm gonna fly over there and try to fight that guy because that's my man there, and I'm not gonna put up with any of that. But I'll tell you, Duffy's, like, working with that guy. I'm fortunate because both of the guys I work with, Brian Hayes, I think he's the best host of, like, a sports talk radio show.
C
He is awesome, guys.
B
This guy knows, like, he doesn't just know the Maple Leafs in the Montreal Canadiens. He knows the Raptors. He knows the Green Bay packers, the New York Knicks, the New Orleans Saints. He knows, like, the backup running back for the new. Like, he knows who they drafted, who they should. Like, it's disgusting what this guy knows. Like, there's sometimes I just shut my headset off. I'm like, I. I can't go in for a question because this guy knows everything. And I've watched a lot of. There's a lot of sports shows. Right. You can tune in to watch whatever you want. And I think. I honestly think that he's. He's the best that does it. And working with Duffy, like, he's. He's probably the best broadcaster.
E
Oh, yeah.
B
In the world right now, Period. Like, that. Somebody described him that one of one of our bosses. Duffy is the best broadcaster in the world. Like, think about that. That's pretty damn good.
E
Yeah. I mean, he was at the Super Bowl. He does the Masters. He's so versatile. Right? So you mentioned going over and scrapping. Kevin BXA I would imagine you got in a few scraps growing up in, in King City.
B
You know what? There was enough people around me biz growing up in King City. The Carcillos were there, the Doyles were there, my brothers were there. There was enough people around to scrap and cause problems. But King City was. That's a tough place to grow up. I'm glad I'm from there because if you go around King City and start pissing people off, you're going to have some problems on your. And there's no question about it. But it was, it definitely wasn't me. Fighting was not my forte.
E
Yeah, a suburb of Toronto, but definitely a very interesting. It kind of reminds you of maybe that place that like the Shores he was created. Right? Just a very, a very rough neighborhood. How did you, how did you get into hockey? Like, who put skates on you for the first time?
B
You know what? My dad put me when I was 5 years old and my brother is, my oldest brother was four or five years older. And my, my other brother Ryan was 11 months older than me.
E
Oh God.
B
And my dad was like, you're going to play on, you're going to play on his team because we don't, me and your mother don't have time to be driving around all these rinks. So for three or four years, I was garbage. Like, I was the worst player on the team because I was playing with older guys and I was just flat out shit. Like there's just no other way of describing it. But then when the time came where my dad had to bump me back to play with my own age group, I was just way better than everybody else. And it was almost like the best thing for me. So I had to kind of suck it up for a few years when I got started. And I was the worst player on the team for two or three years. But then when I got bumped back to my own age, I was, you know, I got really good and was better than everyone else and it kind of took off from there.
D
Did you get discouraged at all when you were playing with the older group and not as good? Or was your brother there helping you out, like patting you on the back or just kind of you figured it out when you got to your own age?
B
I gotta be honest, I think my brother didn't give a shit how I was doing.
C
Yance Irish twins sounds like my brother.
B
But the thing is, like, my brothers were like. I idolized my brothers playing hockey. Like my oldest brother Donnie, he was the best player on his team. Like, when he was 13 and 14 years old, he was like Eric Lindros. And my brother was an unbelievable player, too, Ryan, who got drafted to the Windsor Spitfires and had an OHL career. So it was like, it was inspiring and challenging growing up with two brothers that were unbelievable players. Because you're like, if I turn out to be dog shit, like, what, what, what, what are my brothers gonna think? What's my dad gonna think? So it all worked good. I think my dad was pretty proud to have three brothers playing in the OHL relatively kind of near the same time. But I didn't get discouraged, Yans. I. Because the difference between when I was playing back then and now, I kind of played for enjoyment. You know what I mean? Seems like young kids nowadays, it's like their parents put them in hockey to make the NHL and that's the only reason they play the game, which I find to be crazy. It's like the enjoyment, the competitiveness of it, and just enjoying being around your teammates is kind of out the window. I feel that parents put their kids in hockey nowadays because they want their kids to play in the NHL, and if they don't, it's some kind of disappointment, which is just not fair to the kids.
C
It's like the. I'm. I'm in it right now. My. My oldest is eight, so, you know, it's just starting, but it's like they almost look at. Is it like it's an investment? Like, where's my return on my investment? At some point it's like, no, man, it's just playing sports and having fun. And I bet you for you, at that point, you, you weren't skating in the summer. And I know it's different now, but you probably play in all the different sports.
E
You look like a slow pitch kind of guy in the summer.
B
I don't know what that means biz, but I did a couple years ago. I started in a coed slow pitch league in Mimico, and we were. We won about five championships.
E
But thanks for adding dynasty. Yeah, the leader.
B
My dad always said, you guys in the summertime play soccer, play baseball, and that's what you're going to do. But now it's just. It never ends. It's just the. The coaching and private lessons. But I think that parents continue to do it and they continue to pay the money because of two reasons. One, they feel like every other kid is doing it, so they have to do it. And the second reason is they got this idea that there's this pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so it's all going to be worth it, which is just insanity.
E
Whit ended up texting Todd Bertuzzi and he said that you were one of the most skilled players that he ever played with With. At what point you said you, you ended up going back to your own age group. When did you think it became a possibility where you could bring this thing further? And maybe when that did, like, did you start maybe investing more of your off seasons into training, more of that skill work? Like, when did that all kind of happen?
B
Well, I think when you're, you know, you get to 12 or 13 or 14 years old and you're scoring eight goals a game and nine goals a game. And my dad made a pretty difficult decision, which at the beginning I thought he was nuts because one night he said to me, let's get in the car, we're going to go watch a midget hockey game. And I was in, I think the first year of peewee or I was playing peewee hockey and we met and watched a midget game with guys with beards. They were killing each other. And my dad was like, you're going to play midget next year. And I'm like, are you insane? Like, these are grown ass men out there. And me and my brother, who was 11 months older, we both skipped basically. He skipped major bantam and I skipped all of bantam and we both played major midget the next year and we were like one and two and scoring in the league. And then after that I was like, all right, that's just. Let's slow it down a little bit. My dad said, you're going to play Tier 2 Junior A with the Thornhill Thunderbirds next year and it's your draft year in the ohl. And I was just like, well, you got it right on the first time, like skipping all of bantam. And so let's give it a shot. And obviously I got drafted first overall in the O, so it was like my dad made some decisions where, like, they could have backfired, I assume, because if you go to play midget when you're 14 years old and you get your ass kicked, you probably start hating hockey. But me and my brother had a blast. We had a great team and we both got, we both, we both did well. So my dad made some tough decisions that were the right ones, but probably pretty hard, if you guys could imagine, you got kids now to pull the trigger on those because they're big jumps. So not Everybody can do it, but it all worked out well.
E
Was the. Was the punishment pretty hard being the top two scorers in the league playing against all of a sudden men? Like, were they fucking slashing you and taking cheap shots? Game in, game out, dude.
B
My brother's an Irish cop, man. He used to beat the piss out of a lot of guys playing midget. Like, he just, he was tough as hell. If anybody touched me, my brother would beat the piss out.
C
That's awesome. That's the best.
E
That is so fun.
B
We played our left winger. His name was Gordy Ross. He got drafted to the London Knights. He was tough as hell, too. So if there was any problems, we had a bunch of guys that would literally beat the piss out of people if anybody touched me.
C
So it's good in those years, like, say, like, as you're younger, late 80s, early 90s, Leafs weren't great, right? Like, but was one of their players your idol? Did you have, like, a guy you looked up to? Were you watching a lot of NHL guys?
B
Dougie Gilmore was it for me. Like, I. I didn't even, like, like a straight stick. Like, I like the big curve of my stick. But Dougie Gilmore, I just fell in love with all of his gear and the way he played and tucked in his jersey and his DAHU skates. And I decided I need this piece of shit straight stick and, like, put like, baby powder on it. And I'm like, I still had good stats in the ohl, but I'm thinking if I had a one piece with an Ovechkin curve, like, it could have been way better. I was using a piece of wooden stick with that was straight. I'm telling you straight because I thought that was the. The lay of the land watching Dougie Gilmore. So he was it for me. And even with Mats come in there, it was awesome to see Mats get there. And then ultimately getting to play with Mats was. It was just a dream come true. So. But growing up, man, I just. When Dougie Gilmore got traded to Toronto and you just saw how he played and his nickname was Killer. It's just one of my favorite things in hockey to call him like, a good friend now, it's just. It's just amazing because he's such a great guy and he was such an awesome player.
C
I want to ask about the draft a little because in that top five of the 94 draft, three guys from the OHL, Jovo goes one, you went fifth. This Jason Bond senior went fourth right before your Edmonton pick. It never worked out. But do you remember, like, in Junior, he was in Niagara Falls. Was he dominant? Like, was that somebody that you're like, oh, this guy's going to be incredible, like, or were you able to see, oh, maybe I could be going in front of this guy almost.
B
I honestly, there's a couple things to have. Jason Bond Senior.
C
Okay, sorry.
B
He was. He. He was like the next. Supposedly the next Mario Lemieux. Like, this guy looked everything like Mario Lemieux. He wore his equipment. He got the same stick. He taped it the same. He had the same frame.
C
Handsome bastard. I'm looking at his picture now.
B
Yeah. Like, he was an incredible. Like, he just looked like Mario. So you're like, holy Christ. Like, this guy's gonna be the next Mary Lemieux. But at the end of the day, he wasn't putting up the points of a Mario Lemieux. So I was in that draft. And one of my favorite stories about the draft, now that I know Bobby McKenzie as well as I do, like, a month before the draft, Bobby publishes this, like, scouting report on me. And he's like, you know, Jeff o' Neill's a skilled player, but it doesn't seem like he's really focused that much. And his conditioning is not that hot. And I just. Me and Bobby joke about that a lot. I'm like, you prick. You cost me me four draft spots because I was rated, like, number two. And Bobby comes out with that heater article and just carves me.
E
No way.
B
And we had a lot of laughs over that over the years. It's great. It was great working with Bob, too, but it was great because I got drafted in Hartford, by Hartford. So, yeah, so I went fifth overall to Hartford. And I don't know, I was a young guy. I loved Hartford. I never understood the logistics or the finances or whatever behind us moving to Carolina, but I love playing in Hartford.
D
Are you happy that. I mean, even Hartford, it's a, you know, not a traditional hockey market. You can kind of fly under the radar. And then obviously in Carolina, too, if you were a guy like, you know, Bobby Max, that wasn't paying attention to your, you know, off ice, maybe, or whatever, you could kind of go under the radar and do your thing. Were you almost, looking back, happy that you got drafted by them, where you could just do your thing for a while?
B
You know? Why, Yan's? I was just happy to be in the NHL, man. I like you just see now. And I understand guys, they own their careers, and you've only got one shot of doing it and you pick and choose where you. I was just like, they drafted me. I love that they support me and believe in me. And I'm just going to enjoy playing in the NHL. I could have gone anywhere, whether it be Edmonton, Florida, Carolina, Toronto, it didn't really matter. I just felt like. And I know that. I know now, and I, I kind of knew then that there's basically no loyalty in sports. There's basically not a lot of loyalty and, and, and in the job world anywhere. But it's like I felt like I gotta be loyal and just enjoy this. And it was like moving to Carolina was a difficult thing because I don't think they were clamoring for hockey off the start. We just kind of showed up there, but it obviously ended up working well, so I didn't care where I was drafted.
E
I'd love to talk about some of your time in Guelph. Great franchise. Had a lot of good players come out of there even after you'd left. I mean, they had what Drew Doughty was, was, was a high pick out of there. Dustin Brown played there. They won a championship. Paella, Marty St. Pierre and, and you got to play, as I mentioned earlier, Todd Bertuzzi. So you guys had a pretty good team, especially in your last year. So what was it like playing there? Like, I mean, you guys were driving your own lines apparently, but what a good running mate that would have been to have.
B
You know what, when I showed up in Guelph, there we were doing a. I think it was a five mile run around this track at a high school in Guelph. And I was like 6 foot 1, 70. And this rusty old Trans Am pulls up and Bert gets out of it with a bandana on, jean shorts to run this track. And this guy's shoulders. I know you guys have been around Burt. He's got the widest shoulders of any human being. And I just remember looking at him saying, how on earth am I going to go on the ice with guys that are this big? He was just gigantic. Like, he just, he looked like a man child at 17 years old with jean shorts on and a bandana to do a fitness test. And I'm like, what have I gotten myself into? But playing with Burt was the best. He was an incredible junior player, man. I think he scored 50, 55 goals this last year. And he literally, like, he played with Dwayne Hay and Jason Jackman, two kind of younger guys, and he didn't give a shit, man. Cause he would go behind the net and have three or Four. He was like Eric Lindross, man, and he had guys draped all over him. But Guelph was such a great place to play for just multitude of different reasons. It was an hour from my house. My parents got to come to a lot of the games, but they were a circus before I showed up. And I found this out after that. They had this circus. This coach, his name was Bill laforge. The year before I got there. And I'm pretty sure my dad called the organization and said, if that lunatic's behind the bench, my kid's not going there first overall.
E
Right. So your dad, your dad made a lot of good calls for you and really had his, his like his hand on the pulse of what was going on with your career.
D
Did he have a hockey background?
B
Yeah, no, my dad played like men's league and senior league and just all that shit. But. But you know, he worked in the precast business. But at the end of the day with my dad, he's a pretty smart guy and he knows his. He's not stupid, especially when his youngest son's involved. So if there was anything that was going to be a little bit off kilter about me leaving the house and there was some kind of lunatic coach that you just. I think he just said that shit's not going on. So you either fix that or draft somebody else.
E
Is, is there like a particular story you're able to share as to why he was. Was labeled a lunatic? Like, was there anything that you became
B
just Google the stories of Bill laforge, Wolf, Storm. It's like this guy was just making the players do crazy shit. And they were like, it was a mess. I'm pretty sure the organization was a mess before I got there. And he just said, I'm not, I'm not putting my kid in that environment, so fix it or it's not happening.
E
And who did they replace him with? And how. How like big was he in the development of your career?
B
Who.
E
Who ended up stepping.
B
I had the two greatest co. I had some. All my coaches biz, I gotta give them all props. Scotty McClellan coached me in Junior B. Arrow Hook coached me in Midget. And John Lovell coached me my first couple years in Guelph. And then Craig Hartzberg. But Errol Hook, like, he taught me how to play hockey. Like, I remember getting to the NHL and that's just like, like it's not like I knew everything, but it's like you hear coaches that are like, if this guy goes there or you go there like, if you don't understand that when you get to the NHL, I just don't get that shit. Like, these guys going back and looking at iPads, I find it to be ridiculous. Every play is unique, and it's so fast. It's like, it's. I think it's a vanity look, like they look on iPads to see how cool they look. It's like, what the fuck are you looking at?
C
It's so fast.
B
And every play is unique, as you guys know. It's not like you can say, oh, if that happens again like that, I'm going to do this. It's all a reaction. And. But Arrow, hook and Scotty McClellan, they kind of taught me how to play hockey. And then I got to junior and had John Lovell, who was just a fantastic guy and a fantastic coach, and Craig Hartzberg was like the. The cherry on top because he just came from the NHL and he helped me out a lot and. And kind of got me ready for the pro game. So, like, all those guys, I was, like, so blessed for my coaches because they were just the best of them. The best.
E
And I noticed, Stephen, when you got to the NHL, there wasn't much turnover because you had Holmgram, if that's how you say it, Paul Holgram in Hartford. And then quickly after Paul Maurice took over, which I think he became at that time maybe the youngest coach in NHL history. And then he was with you in. In Carolina the entire time, and then you had Pat Quinn for your first year in Toronto, and then Paul Maurice ended up coming over for your last year. So that's a pretty nice thing to only have to go through basically, two. Two guys your entire NHL career.
C
And. Oh, dog.
D
Sorry.
C
He was 28 when he got hired Wild.
B
Yeah, he did.
E
Holy.
B
Well, Jimmy Rutherford and Paul Maurice were connected in Detroit, and Jimmy Rutherford became the GM and Hartford when Peter Carmanos bought the team. So when he hired Paul Maurice's Holmgren's assistant, you kind of knew that what the next step was going to be. So I think they were just waiting for us to stumble out of the gate and they were going to gas homer. And that happened really early. Like, Paul Maurice was our coach in Hartford. He was 28 years old, and my roommate was Brad McCrimmon, who was 35.
D
Wow.
B
35 years old. And this guy is his coach at 28. So there's nothing that Paul Maurice has ever said to a guy in the NHL that he hasn't said to me, because I've been in that guy's office so many times, you have no idea.
D
I feel like we've talked to a bunch of guys that said McCrimmon was their roommate. And they all say he was just like the. The best guy ever.
B
I remember like it was yesterday, God rest his soul. I walked into the room in New York City and he used to wear these silk boxers, okay? And this guy was the hairiest you ever seen in your life. And he was always so hot. And he was lying on top of the bed with. With only his silk boxers on and the window wide open. Like, this guy is a sasky, tough, like, sob, right? And he's reading this magazine called the Conservative Chronicle. He had these magazines stuffed in like this computer bag. I don't know, but that's what I walked into. And at 9 o' clock at night, like I was 19 years old, man, I go to bed at 1 in the morning. At 9 o' clock at night, he looks at me and goes, shut the TV off. And I go, Beast, like, it's 9:00 clock PM. He goes, shut the fucking TV off. You want to know why? And I said, no, why? And he said, tomorrow's the biggest game of your life.
C
And how was that?
B
Oh my God. See, he said that every night. Shut the TV off. And then he would say, do you know why? And I would say, yes, because tomorrow's the biggest game of my life. But that guy was such a great guy. And then the first night I was with him, like, not much was said, right? I'm 19, he's 35. He probably couldn't stand rooming with me. Like, the lights go off, I'm lying down and it's dead silent. And he goes, do you know why you're sleeping in that bed? And I said, because I was sleeping to the one closest to the door. And I said, no, I don't. He goes, you're sleeping in that bed because if the bad guys come in and kill you, I got a chance to get out. I just.
C
I didn't know what to say to that.
B
But he had some classic stories and lines. He was just the greatest guy. And that guy, I think my first year there was an outside chance I was making more than him. Oh, and that guy paid for every one of my meals, everything. And he always told me, like, I had 20 bucks of me and some shit. I had no money. And he was always like, you gotta have in the National Hockey League a thousand dollars on you at all times. And I said, for what? He goes, just do it. Because you never know when you're gonna heat a thousand bucks. Tell you why. Later in life you figure out why
E
find yourselves out of a lot of trouble.
D
Isn't it sad nowadays? Like, I remember having a roommate. Being young, an older guy. Nowadays, like, you don't get that anymore. These guys come in now, you get your own room. They might get them a roommate, maybe their first year or two. But like, being with an old guy. I remember my first road trip. I went up to the room and Nico Kaplan was smoking a cigarette in the room and had his skates on. I'm like, holy shit. I'm like, this is the na. But like, little shit like that, it's like, that is the best league in the world.
E
Oh, dog, I got one for you. So I was somehow with Jovo one time and he got room service. And obviously when it knocked the door, he goes, go get that. And it let the guy in. And he's bringing the cart in and he's got the sheets on over him and he's like. And he's pumping away. And I'm like, what the. And. And the guy with the tray is like, he's basically fake pounding abroad just to get a rise out of me and the guy bringing in. In the. In the. In the food. So those are the little things that, yeah, you need a roommate, especially when you're a young guy having a vet take you under your wing.
B
I had the best of the best guys. Kevin Deneen was my roommate for five or six years. And you just like, they're just not. He's my favorite guy in hockey. Him and Stumpy Thomas. He's just rooming with Kevin, like, just the lessons. And he was. He's. He's just one of my best friends. And I can't thank him enough because rooming with him for all those years, like, just a great guy, man. I can remember in California once, he was like, Kevin Deneen played his ass off, right? I think he ordered like eight beers to our room after our pregame nap. And I was like, what are you doing? And he said, we're going to go bust our ass and win this game, and then we're going to come back and we're going to have four ice cold beers each after the game. And I was like, that's a good roommate right there.
C
That's the NHL that I always wanted to play in.
E
Yeah, I had one. So you said Bobby Mack wrote that article. And probably one of my favorite stories told on spit and Chicklets was Terry Ryan. When I think it was Milbury had the pre draft. Did you do any of these pre draft meetings and were you asked about that article? And do you have any other good stories maybe from like guys grilling you in this room about being drafted and what your habits were?
B
I just remember I met with Hartford Biz and it was like cool kind of questions. Tampa Bay, like, Phil Esposito was like, do you like golf? This and that, like this very straight up shit. And then I got to the Ottawa meeting and Randy Sexton, like asked me some, like, some questions you don't really know how to answer. He's like, you know, if you lose a draw in your own zone and there's an empty net and there's like 30 seconds left and the puck goes to the defenseman, like, are you going to try to poke, check it and go for the breakaway or the empty netter or are you going to try to block the shot? And I'm like, I try to block the shot lie. He goes, are you a good shot blocker? And I'm like, well, I'm not exactly geek Carbinole, but at the fucking end of a game, I'm going to try to protect the house. And then he said, well, what's going to happen the next night if you're in Detroit and Bob Probert drops his gloves and you want to fight him? And I was like, I go, randy, I don't know. I don't know what I would do in that situation. Like, fighting's not exactly my forte, but I guess I'll fight the guy.
C
Can you sign my brother?
E
Yeah,
B
like, just weird questions, like, okay, well what about the next night? He said, what if Ray Bork, like two hands you on the arm? Which Ray Bork did a lot. That guy was fucking dirty. And I said, well, I guess I'll two hand him back. And he goes, well, what if Ray Bork wanted to fight you? And it just went on and on. I was like, these are the weirdest questions.
E
Damn. I feel like that's the same guy who ended up getting Dion Phaneuf our year. He kind of challenged him with the same type of stuff. He says, what if he cross checks you again and again? Then eventually Dion goes, I'm gonna drop my gloves, I'm gonna pound his face in to this guy, asking him questions across the table as an 18 year old. So.
B
Well, what's anybody gonna do to Proby
E
if Probi wants like, nothing, you're eat his punches.
B
If you say to the guy, I, I would try to fight Bob, you're just lying to yourself and him and he knows you're a liar. So, like, Probi was an animal. Who the hell's going to even do anything with that guy?
C
Odog, your first year too, Shanny was there. It was just like his basic one year in Hartford. Then the next year he got traded after two games. But he was so dominant, right? He was physically could score. Were you. Were you kind of looking up to him? Was he helping you at all? Or could you kind of tell he didn't want to be there? Like, how did that all go down where he was only there such a short amount of time?
E
So he came over for Pronger.
C
Yeah. But then he only stayed for that one year, pretty much.
B
Well, it was weird because I played with. That was my first line. So Homer got fired and Paul Maurice pulled me aside in the first practice and he said, you're gonna now play with Shanny. And Nelson Emerson. And Shanny got 44 goals. Nelson Emerson had 30 goals and I had like six points total. And I was like, keep away from Odo mathing, guys. And I had one job. It was like, go in the corner and play low on our own zone. And if I ever got the puck, carrying the puck over the blue line, you're looking for Shanny or Nelly for one Timers. But I'll tell you, the best thing that Shanny did, did for me was like he took a lot of pride in performing and getting the job done. And like, he would make me stay after practice and pass some pucks. And it was just like he. He was like. He made me understand that it wasn't like, this isn't a frigging joke. Like, it's not junior and he gets paid to score goals. And if you're not going to do it, then you're not going to be on the line. So to have that, like, to just have that mindset, like people talk about fighting and biz, you know about that. The pressures that go into a game when you know you're probably dropping the gloves. I think there's equal amount of pressures being like an offensive guy because you got to produce, man, and if you don't do it, then there's problems, right? Well, there was problems back in the day. There's all kinds of guys that don't do shit now, and there's just no consequences. I don't think they're afraid of anything. You got $6 million guys that score four goals and they're just grinning and walking around like life's great it just wasn't the case back in the day. But Shannon Nelly. Those guys, like, they, they, they were great because they made you understand, like the pressure and all that comes with being an offensive guy. And I think that I did that later on in my career when I was that type of player.
E
Well, it's, I mean, it's definitely a mutual respect. But I'm, I'll say this, like, I find way more pressure and having to be that offensive of guy putting up numbers. Because even if I go out there and drop the mitts and I get beat up, I still got guys tapping my shin pads, you know, in the locker room saying, you know, great job, great job, where it doesn't matter. You guys could have three, you know, a 10 game stretch where you have 30 chances. If it doesn't go to the back of the net, they're going to be writing an article about how you're, you know, you're dry and you're cold and you haven't found the back of the net. So you guys, you guys did it with the best of them.
B
It was a constant thing, Biz, because it's like, I don't know what you guys were like when you played, but it's like, I think the saying is so true. When the game's over, it's like you enjoy for 15 minutes and then the next one's like, already on your mind. I know, it's just, it's like you wake up in the morning and there might be a game two days from now, but you're thinking, who's on D? Like, who's the goalie? It's just the next game was always on my mind. People think it's like, like, oh, all you guys do is fly around and drink beers and play hockey. But I think, I think the mental grind in dealing with the stresses and the pressure is like 70 to 80% of playing in the big leagues. Because how many guys did you see that had the talent and they just, they couldn't deal with shit. Like they couldn't deal with getting it done. And I think that's like the most important thing about the game.
E
Yeah. And you could see sometimes why you're like, oh God, this guy retired early. I felt like he was pretty healthy. But like that, that, that stress, that anxiety, the travel and all of it, like the, the best three, four weeks of the year for, for an athlete are usually as soon as the season ends. Just in a sense of like being able to let your guard down. And you even said, like, not worrying about the next game. Then all of a sudden that three, four weeks goes by, you're like, I got to get back in shape and be ready to go for next year. So it's really like an 11 month cycle, year over year over year. And in some cases, guys don't even. And I think Cooch, like he takes a week off and then he's right back on the ice crafting his skills. So pretty, pretty remarkable.
C
The other thing that I was going to say is when you talk about, you know, the grind and guys who didn't make it because mentally maybe they weren't there, I think there's a lot of guys that if they ever got a bigger chance, could have made it. And I think of like Rob Scuderi, who he was in the minors like five, six years, and then Michelle Terry and gets the pitch, Pittsburgh job. He's like, I love this guy. He brings him up. He wins two Stanley Cups. Like, did you ever have any guys that you thought, like, wow, man, that guy, if he'd gotten maybe one more chance or a bigger role and a bigger chance, because for you, you know, that's. That's great. Maurice loved you and you're such a high pick. You were gonna make it. But there had to be guys you played with growing up that maybe never got the opportunity that could have taken them farther.
B
Well, what I found was like, like there was always a consistency problem. Like, how many times did you guys see somebody get called up in the minors? They would score two goals in their first game and then it would like, disappear. And it was like they went from the first line to the second to the third and the fourth, and then a week later. So I can't really think of any guys that like, you know, I always thought my dad told me the best thing about the National Hockey League. It's like, you can't get screwed because there's so much pressure on the coach to win that he has to put the best players on the ice. So he's not going to screw somebody that's ultra talented and sit their ass on the bench for the sake of doing it. Because his job is to get wins and he's got pressure from ownership and the general manager. So basically you make your own hay. Like, unless you.
E
Unless you're coaching Sweden.
B
Yeah, yeah. Unless you're that asshole that's just sitting guys out in the stands. I can't even get into that biz. But I'll tell you one story. We had a guy in Guelph that came into our locker room and he was a former player and he said, I want you guys to look around and figure out who the two best players on the team are. And at that time it was probably myself and Todd Bertuzzi. And he goes, those guys might make it to the NHL. And he's like, the rest of you guys, I want you to play and enjoy and do this or that, but you probably got to get your education in real life is going to be facing you at. But I'll tell you what, there was two guys on that team. One was named Jeff Cowan and the other one was named Aaron Downey. And they were like call ups playing Junior B. And they both made it to the NHL. So it's, it's great to say only the blue chip guys do or the guys could get drafted high. Those two guys were like four flying guys that barely played on our OHL team and those guys made it to the NHL. Aaron Downey won a Stanley cup, so that was a great story.
D
And don'ts had the work ethic. He was at a training camp in Phoenix, an absolute machine. But you go back to that. Some guys don't figure out not everyone's going to be a first liner, right? Every team needs third and fourth liners. But some of these guys that are drafted high, they just don't figure that part out, right?
B
Well, what they can't do, Yans, is there's no adjustment. It's like scoring at the NHL level is just a different animal. I don't care how many bloody goals you ripped home in junior, when you get to the big league, sometimes it just doesn't translate for whatever reason that is. It's whether you're thinking or your shot's not hard enough because guys can shoot the puck in junior and they're ripping them by goaltenders. But if you're going to be a distant shooter in the National Hockey League, like, you better have some zip on that thing. And if it doesn't work out, guys aren't smart enough to realize and I don't know if it's bad parent advice agent. They can't adjust. Like, you can have a hell of a career being a third line guy that scores 10 to 15 goals and you can kill penalties, you can make 4 million bucks a year. But guys thinking they're getting screwed and they're a frontline guy and they're not getting the opportunity. There's. We've all seen guys where if they made an adjustment, they can be a quality player, but they just don't want to make that adjustment.
E
Oh, I got to ask you about that special year you guys had in Carolina where you went to the final and lost to Detroit. I mean, you look at this, this roster, getting to play with a guy like Ron Francis, like that is. That is a legend. I think he played. What did he play? Close to 1500 games?
C
I think.
E
So you know, what was it like being in his presence? And some of these, you have Brindamore in there. Bates, Battaglia, Beauty, Cole. You guys had such an amazing roster full of. Full of amazing guys.
B
Playing with Ronnie Francis is like. It's a dream scenario as a guy that likes to shoot the puck.
C
1700 games. Sorry, 1731.
B
I scored a goal in Philadelphia once, and Ronnie Francis said, go get the puck.
E
Puck.
B
And I think the plaque's right here. It says, january Jeff o' Neill scored the goal where Ron Francis becomes second all time in assist. Like, all time.
C
Jesus.
B
So all the time he was like, can you. Do you always keep it on the down low? But he was like, go get that puck for me. And then the next day you'd see this record. Being just an unbelievable player and one of the best things he ever told me, he's like, you're always like tapping your stick and yelling and shit. Just don't do that. He goes, I know where you are and just sit in the slot and find that area and I'm going to get you to puck. And I was like, okay, man. And he's like, you also have to be very aware that if I'm digging in the corner with like two or three guys on me, and you're like, far post, I know where you are and be ready. And I'm not kidding you. The next game we were in Washington, and he was digging around the corner, and I'm sitting there, far post, floating around, and he put a missile through four guys on my tape, and I flubbed it and we got back to the bench. That's exactly what I'm talking about. You've got to be ready for that pass. So again, he was a guy where it's like, if you want to ride shotgun with that guy, like, you better be ready to play and you better be ready to play good. And one of my favorite stories about Ronnie is my best friend playing junior hockey. His name was Dave. Lyla. And Ronnie Francis just signed this big contract to come to Carolina. And my buddy Lyler, he was an east coast league player. He's a good hockey player. So he comes out and skates with us, and Ronnie Francis comes for his first summer skate. And I go on the bench and I look up and it's Ray Shepherd, Ronnie Francis, and my buddy Lyler decided he was going to be in the starting lineup of the summer skate. And I was just thinking like, that's not good bedside manner when you're skating with NHL guys. He goes in the corner and tries to rip a cross size sauce past Ray Shepard and buckles Ronnie Francis and hits his ankle.
C
Oh, my God, dude, you're off the ice.
B
Everyone is crowded around him. And Tommy Webster was our assistant coach at the time. He pulled me aside and said, tell your buddy to get his shit and to never come back and skate here again.
D
Francis would have played 2,000 games.
A
Yeah.
B
He was so scared, though. It was like a movie. Everyone was crowded around Ronnie and my poor buddy Lyler was just hanging on the glass and he was scared shitless because he goes, this guy just signed here. And I think I broke his ankle. Ankle. And that was the end of him skating with the canes.
C
You're like, lyler, why'd you put yourself in the starting lineup, buddy?
B
He was like, I'm going out there and I'm starting with Ronnie. Like, that was kind of. I don't know if it was like that's his Stanley cup or what, but he, he thought he earned the first, like the starting roster spot with the guy that we just signed for 25 million bucks.
C
Hey. So I've told this story a bunch in the pod, but before the draft, they bring the prospects to a cup final game game. And it was that triple overtime game in Carolina. Igor Larianov, the professor backhand snipe. And I remember, man, you guys, it was, it, it wasn't a fair matchup. But did your team play hard? It seemed like it just a group that loved each other and you just ran into. I mean, I think that team had 10 hall of Famers.
B
Yeah. And that game was such a massive, like all the. Detroit was obviously better than us, but I think if we had got him in that triple overtime, it might have aged them a lot more than it. It did after a win. And it was just one of those plays where I think Bates Battaglia was caught like the last man back and Larry on off just went by him and scored it. But we had some great opportunities to win that game. And I'm not saying we could have won the series, but if you go up two one, I think things would have been a little bit different. I think they were an older team and Hashik Was older.
C
Isaac had no knee. Remember that?
B
Yes.
C
He couldn't even walk, barely.
B
I played golf with Stevie the summer, like, that summer that they beat us. And I was looking at him walking around the Lake Joe Club in Muskoka, and I was like, how did this guy even play? How he couldn't walk? And I was like, how did they fucking beat us? They're like, stevie, y could barely walk, but he was good enough to get out on the ice, and they got the job done.
D
Were you guys going into that series? Obviously, like, Whit said that 10 hall of Famers, like, when you're looking across the room, are you guys like, oh, fuck, we're in one, or. There was just so much belief in that room that you guys thought you could maybe get it done.
B
It was kind of a. It was like, you know, keep going and see what happens. We didn't have a ton of experience. We obviously had Roddy Brindamore and Ronnie Francis, but we were like, as soon as we beat New Jersey in the first round, we're like, we just got rid of a good team, so let's just kind of keep this thing going. And then we took down Montreal, who was a pretty good team. And then I think we were watching the Islanders and the Leafs beating the. Literally, like, the. The literal out of each other. I'm like, I don't know if I want to play any of these teams, man. I don't know if you guys remember that series back in the day, but it was a bloodbath.
E
Was that the one where Webb was just killing everybody?
B
Killing people.
C
Bt had the shootout goal like.
B
Like Roberts, Tucker. It was just insane. And then we got the Leafs, and I was like, man, this is going to be a weird vibe, like, playing for my own, like, playing against my hometown team. And the Leafs are good, and they're nasty, and then we took them down, and we were going to the finals. So it was like we just had the mentality. We got to do what we do, and if it works, great, but we can't try. Like, I remember some shifts when those Russians got out there with Fedorov and Marianoff and Kozlov. It was like, you're not getting the puck off those guys, man. It was so frustrating because they would just go back, and Fedorov was so skilled with the skating, was like, you can't get the puck off these assholes. So how are we going to even score a goal if we can't get the puck?
C
Oh. Oh, dog. A couple years after that, the lockout Happens, right? So that's right. As I'm coming into the league as a veteran. At the time, we were. So I'll explain it this way. We were just doing a golf match with the Blue Jays guys, and in all the talk about Major League Baseball, the owners want a cap. We'll never have a cap. These guys the other day, we'll never have a cap. I said, buddy, you sound a lot like the NHL guys did. And what was your thought at the time? Were you a guy buying in a no cap, no cap? And then at some point we were like, fuck, man, I gotta. I gotta play here. Like, how. How do you remember that? And the division within the PA as the time went along?
B
I just remember some of the meetings, like there was some grizzled old veterans like Gary and Hatcher and Chris Chelios, and there were some younger guys. I remember one of the meetings in Toronto where I think Jerome McGinla and Shane Doan kind of raised the question, like, guys like, is this something we need to look at? As opposed to just saying, we're not going to take this because what good is it going to get us? We're just not playing, we're not making any money, and they're billionaires and we're quasi millionaires or whatever we are. And they could probably sit as long as you want. And as soon as they brought up those questions, they were told to sit down and shut up.
D
Wow, really?
B
Yeah, like, sit down and shut the F up. Like, that's what those guys were told during those meetings. And looking back on it, it's like, why did we sit and why did we do that? I'm not going to act like I should be running the PA and know the ins and outs of it, but it's like looking back, you're kind of like saying, yeah, yeah, we're not going to take a salary cap. That. But. But you look at the guys now, the lifestyles they're living, what's so shit about it for making a living playing the best game in the world?
E
Yeah, they have like, the best. What do you call it when you retire? Pension. They have the best pension. And like you just said, they should be. They should be thinking about what they can gain from the bottom up as opposed to being so worried about this hard cap. And really, the hard cap is only. That's only going to maybe affect all those top guys making 40, 45 million. I feel like 80% of the league is going to be left behind. Kind of like all the NHL players were where you got a team like the Pittsburgh Pirates, they're spending like, what, $50 million a year on their payroll. If you, if you make them bump up like the NHL did, you got
B
to give them a floor.
C
Yeah.
E
Give them, give them a higher floor. Make that there's a cap. And I actually think the guys are going to make out better than they are with the system they got going right now. For sure.
D
Like, three teams paying.
E
Yeah. There's probably like five, 10 teams in the MLB who are just like, hey, we know what these, these local TV rights. We're just going to be printing money owning a team. If you face, if you, if you force them to spend that money and be competitive, I just think it helps the overall league. And, and also they have so much momentum going right now like the NHL did. Even when we did that half a season lockout where they just introduced the pitch clock. I couldn't stand fucking baseball before the, the no pitch clock. Now I'm like, oh, two hour game.
C
Yep.
E
Great. And then they got, they got the momentum going again. So for them, if they lock out full time over staying firm on a hard cap, I think they're fucking morons.
B
I think what they got to do, Biz, is just, just literally say to yourself with, within reason, obviously, but how can we make a good living playing baseball? Like, nobody wants to, to like get hammered with a pay, whatever it is, but just, let's just make this make sense. Like, at the end of the day, the owners call the shots, man. They own the teams. And whatever they say to a certain degree is just going to be the lay of the land.
C
Like, they don't lose.
B
What's that?
C
They don't lose. The billionaires don't lose.
B
They don't. And you know what, Biz? There's almost a reason that they shouldn't because they own the frigging teams. So if you got to make 42 million instead of 45, I think you better figure out a way to make it work. Because at the end of the day, making zero makes zero sense to anybody.
C
Yeah, that's what you were saying.
D
We should reach out to the MLB players and maybe we can be the.
E
They're gonna get the message, I'm sure. If, I mean, we told Ernie Clement, we told Schneider, and then who do we have? Luke. Luke's.
B
Nathan.
C
Luke. Lucas.
E
Nathan. Lucas. So we had the three guys and,
C
and they sounded like like the guys that were telling donor. And again, let us shut up. I was like, oh, my God, this is deja vu, boys. But, oh, Dog, I want to ask you, I can't imagine for your brothers and your family, like, you sign with the Leafs after the lockout, right? Like just a dream come true. And kind of take me through your thought process on being there and how lucky you must have felt to wear that jersey.
B
You know what our wit. It was. It was a dream come true. I have to tell you though, it was very difficult circumstances. My brother was killed in a car accident. And during that time, I just. Me and my dad told Jimmy Rutherford that I. If I couldn't come home and play in my hometown, I wasn't going to continue to play hockey. So Jimmy did. Did me a solid by trading me to Toronto. And I gotta tell you, it was a very. It was a very challenging time. Like, just you guys, we just talked about how difficult it is to play the game. Like, it was just very tough. So on one end it was like a dream come true. But when you're not right and you're just. I don't know. So, like to put the jersey on. I remember in Hamilton Cops Coliseum was my first exhibition game. I think I was sitting beside Stumpy and I got to put the jersey on. It was like, brought tears to my eyes. I'm like, this is so awesome. But I. I just couldn't get it together. It was awfully difficult. I was drinking too much and. And that I just didn't deal with it properly. And I like, that's why I talk about guys when I'm assessing their play or whether they take the game seriously. Like living with regrets after you're done. I don't know if any of you three do it, but when I look back on that, I was like, I got to play for my hometown team, the team I loved and I still love. And I didn't have the best experience because of my own doing. And I give myself a break because of the difficult circumstances. But at the end of the day, you're responsible for yourself and things can always be handled differently. And I hate that every day I wake up that things weren't different, but it was a dream come true playing for the team.
C
I'm so sorry. I didn't know that. Oh, Dog, I'm really sorry. I. I apologize for kind of bringing that up, but that's not.
B
It's not a problem. It's just. It's.
E
It's.
C
It's.
B
It's one of those things, you know? So, like living my dream and playing for the lease, but whenever I think about it, I think of how I got there and that obviously leads you down different roads, so it was a dream come true. But at the same time, I just. I wish it was way different than it was.
E
I guess if. If there was a. If you're in that situation, there's probably one coach you'd want to have, and it's Pat Quinn. I heard nothing but a amazing things about the fact that he's a players coach and, and beloved by everyone who played for him. What. What was your experience with him?
B
Honestly, the greatest guy that's ever. Like, he's just the great coach, man. Like, he scratched me a couple times and I was in New York City and I left literally, like, took my. I don't even know if I showered. It was St. Patty's Day. And I put my clothes on and I walked to this Irish pub right across from. From msg. And my phone rings and it's Pat. And he goes, look, man, I know it's St. Patty's Day, but you might be playing tomorrow. And I said, well, look, Pat, am I playing or not? Because if I'm not, I'm going to stay here for a long time. And he said, I would suggest you kind of cut it short after dinner. And I said, fine. But just a great guy. Like, he was. He had some beautiful rants, man. Like, one of my favorites is he came in the room and he just said, like, you want to be fucking ants or termites? Because termites stick around and they dig around and they stay in the fight. Ants scatter. You know, I was listening to this and I'm like, like, there's no way this can be a pregame speech. Like, this is the great Pat Quinn. But he just, he always would, like, tell war stories for pregame speeches. The first experience I ever had with Pat, like, I love telling the story of his drill. Like, Like I said, like, you have so much respect for the guy. Like this, just this great coach. And he gets on the chalkboard and this is the very first drill I experienced. He goes, get on all four blues and go across, get a pass and do a loop de loop and take a shot on the net. And I was like. And this drove off for 20 minutes. I literally thought to myself, this is the worst hockey drill I've ever done.
C
We had that drill with him in Edmonton, the loop de loop. I remember yesterday. Yeah, you see loop de loop over there?
B
I've never heard anything like that, man. But he was a great guy. Like, he was. He would have my. One of my classic favorite stories with Pat we were in Detroit in an exhibition game, and I was on the bench. It was my first year there. And Pat goes, darcy Tucker and Travis Green, you're up on the penalty kick. And I'm sitting beside Tux, and Tux leans back and he goes, pat, Travis Green hasn't played here in two years.
E
No, see, I said, tucker and o',
B
Neal, now get the hell out there. And during that same game was the game that he had one black eye and he was wearing these glasses. His eyes, black as shit. And he starts yelling at Drapes right in front of our bench. There was a face off outside the blue right in front of our bench. He's got one, like, almost shot black eye. And for whatever reason, he just said he started giving it to Drapes and the linesman, and they took the draw and the puck came up and hit him right in the other eye. No, you look for pictures of Pat Quinn with two black eyes. Like, both of his eyes were jet black. It's insane.
C
Look like chief gym accident.
E
Oh, my God. Wet's got an all time.
C
Oh, buddy, I don't know if you've heard me tell this one, but he was. So he was in Edmonton. He was older, right? Like, it was, you know, he. He was. He was an old man at this point. Great guy, but he comes in and
B
you know where he told you guys to get ready for the game and it was the next day.
C
Yeah, he had a three piece, unreal. Navy blue, blue suit on, got the vest. He's got the poppy on. Poor cops like, Pat, we're not playing tonight.
D
The poppy's not till next month.
C
And the other one was the Horkoff. Ethan Moreau and Stevie Stales go in. Hey, Pat, just, you know, start. You're starting off here. Just want to know for the road, dress code on days off. And he said, let me talk to the captains and I'll get back to you. They were the three captains, And the other great one is he. We were down, I think it was like four or five, nothing after the first period of the Red Wings, and they had three power play goals. So Hork goes into his office at intermission. What are we going to do with the pk? And he's got his feet up on the desk. He's watching the Scotty turn him into Hearts on tv. That's incredible. But he was older, you know.
B
You guys know how extensive the meetings are these days. When I was playing for the Leafs, he would come in and be like, there's some video going on in the back room there of the penalty kill and power play, if you guys want to go check it out, like that optional extent of it.
C
What about the, the last year you played like 20 goals, right? And I know the game had sped up so much and it was different and they were veterans were kind of getting hosed for these entry level deal contracts. Was, was, was it you who said I'm done or could you not find a deal because 20 goals is still like, you think you get a contract, buddy?
B
I was like, regardless of how it went for me in Toronto, I was a 4th line plug that barely played and I scored 191 year and 22nd year. I know after that, like there was basically no interest in. Yeah, all with all the stuff I had mentioned with. Yeah, I just said, you know what, I think it's time to just pack it in. And we talked about the stress of the everyday stuff that goes into being a pro athlete. Like. Yeah, my dad had told me numerous times, it's like, you want to be a real life dude and you're going to figure out the paycheck's a lot different, so I don't advise it. And I just said my. I remember a line that Barry Sanders had when he retired and it was very simple. My desire not to play was greater than my desire to play. And that's basically where I was at.
C
Belichick had a quote one time asking when players should retire. And he said, I think the first time you think about retiring, it's. You're pretty close.
B
And.
C
And I remember I, I had the thought for the first time, like, I don't know if I, if I got this anymore. And it was probably, probably a year later, if not less. It's weird. It just like you said it, it kind of hits you.
B
Yeah. I think there's one thing Whit. And I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna put you in this classification because I don't know that. But I think when you like. I always had like, you know, a good guy mentality and I liked having a good time, but it's like maybe. And that's what I try to explain to young guys or I try to explain stuff when I'm talking on TV about it. It's like maybe one way of avoiding that thought process of maybe it's time for me to retire. If you have the Rod Brindemore mentality in Gary Roberts, I didn't have it exactly. But if you did or you do and you get it, maybe that keeps you around for four more Years where it doesn't let your body or your mind get to you and say, you know what? I still physically, like, I'm in such good shape and I bust my ass every single day. And maybe me and you didn't have that, and maybe if we did, Maybe it added four more years on and maybe $20 million or some shit like that.
C
Yeah, you bring up the regret. That's. That's definitely something that I kind of live on with a little bit. And business mentioned too.
E
Yeah, but. But I also find that, like, where it might not help you, it. It does, because I think that there's a reason why you transferred into what you're doing now. Right?
D
True.
E
It all ends up working out and. And evening out in the wash.
B
Right, Biz. I told you, the only reason I ended up because I am where I am now is because of a ridiculous tweet.
E
Yeah, I know, buddy, but you were the guy who wanted to go for beers and shoot the. With the guy guys. And like, that's what, like, you know, that's why you have the personality. You do, and that's why it transfers over to. To media. It's because all those people in Toronto listen to you at your every word because they can relate to you and they respect you, and you've not only seen that side of it, but you're able to communicate it to them. Like, you're the one sitting at the bar and the bar stool next to him. So that's. I mean, you. I look back and have some of the same regrets. Like, I partied too much in the summer. I. You know, there was some times where I was missing the Monday workouts, where I'd be leaving on Friday morning to go to Vegas and party and do this. But I look back now and say, hey, I got that out of my system. Probably did it at the wrong time. But it also helped me make the friends and connections and. And give me the sense of humor that I have now. And that's where I think it helped me in the. In the post career, I guess. So you're gonna make more money and. And have a way longer run doing what you're doing now than what you did playing hockey.
B
I fucking doubt that biz.
C
Oh, dog, we've kept you a long time.
B
I gotta tell you guys, I was probably the only guy ever, ever. Like, I was having a good time in that lockout, like when the whole season was canceled. And I remember I was always calling Shanny, and he's like, it's not over. And I'M like, fuck, man. Like, I haven't been to the gym in a month. Like they're gonna fire up this season for real. I remember going to this pub across the street from my house in Carolina and Gary Bettman stood up there and I said, you better cancel the season, you bastard. Like, you better say it's over. Like you cannot say we're firing up in a week. I bet you I was the only guy hoping for that because there would have been guys. There's no way in hell they could have played in the national hockey league.
C
Just 30 pounds overweight, just boozing every day. Oh, dog. Tell me, die hard fan, you cover the team. What is the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
E
I don't know.
B
I really don't think whit that this is their year. I don't know whether it's not replacing the marner factor, but you know, as much as the years past have been great regular seasons, it just seems like they, they don't have it this year. For whatever reason. They've had their difficulties in net, but their ability to defend has been outrageously bad. And it seems like when they play a real high quality team wit, it's, it's big time problems. Like they went into Seattle there before the Olympics and like Seattle just skated circles around them. They did get it back on track, which is one of the most leafiest things ever. And then they won three straight. Why, why did you have to do that? But, and the one thing that I think they've got against them, it's a very important one, is their schedule is just a, a gong show they had. That's what's disappointing about the season. The first part of their season was a layup schedule. Bad teams at home the first half and they couldn't make any hay on it. And now they got to go on the road against really good teams the second half and it's going to be very difficult to get the job done. So I don't know if it's best to pull. It probably is the best to just pull a Boston Bruins. And everyone's like, ah, it's the Maple Leafs. You can't do that. You got to ask the some pride. I'm like, well, if the Boston Bruins could do it last year, what, what the hell's the difference? You're like, you just got to punt on the season and say, you know what, we got to make some changes and try to reboot and reload this thing. Obviously there's going to have to be some conversations had Ones with Auston Matthews. And what does he think about it? Like, what does he think about a punted season? But what did David Pasternak think about it this year or last year? It's like he probably just had to deal with it. So. So they got some decisions to make. I always have this like, belief that they're going to come back and, and rip off the schedule and go on this run, but I really don't know if it's possible.
E
My last one is just going to be Mitch Marner. Obviously it's been amplified because he just had that big goal against Chechiya in the quarterfinals. What do you make of how they kind of handled that whole situation and how it transpired? And were you okay with the way that. That, you know, they tried to move on from them? With all the. Maybe some of the drama that we were unaware of that was going on
B
behind the scenes is like, it's very complex situation. At the end of the day, the guy had a no movement clause. And when you give that to somebody, they have every right to exercise, right? And I don't ever fault anybody or blame anybody. Like you had an opportunity to trade them. You knew this day was coming and you didn't do it. So the player has a right to stick up his middle finger and say, I'm not going anywhere. I got a wife, I got a young kid and I'm not moving. So that's just part of the deal. You had to think ahead and just do it the year before if you knew that that day was coming. And I don't ever kind of hate on Mitch for exercising his option. The Leafs obviously had to pivot to a different game plan that was obviously a lot less exciting than me, KO ran and possibly coming here. But, you know, that's just the way it is. But one thing I hated about yesterday, it's like Mitch Marner had this great moment for.
E
He was invisible the rest of the game.
B
I don't give a shit. Biz. It's tough to show up and be a star. An all star game like that. For the whole game he had his moment. It was a fantastic one. And all of lease nation was like, why didn't you do that for the Leafs?
E
And oh, I'm not saying it like that. No. I mean, no.
B
There was another dummy saying, Toronto's so stupid. Look what they had. And. And it's like, I don't know. They retried to re sign the guy, for crying out loud. He wanted to go play somewhere else. That maybe it Was the best thing for him and everybody that he did. But he had a great moment, and I was happy for him yesterday that.
E
That that's what it is. Everybody tries to be hyperbolic about it where it's just like, hey, the situation was a situation. Like he. He had a great moment. Now shifting to that, and I know we gotta let you go. I got a surprise for you. Oh, dog. Because I even thought of this, and it was funny you mentioned it when you hopped on. You've been always sending me texts about Stu finer, so why don't we bring him on in to say hello to you?
C
Oh, dog. Oh, dog.
E
Oh, dog. Oh, dog.
B
Happy.
E
Happy almost 50th birthday to you, Stu. Happy almost 50th birthday to you.
D
Happy almost 50th birthday.
E
You guys got a good show. First of all, Happy almost birthday.
A
50th.
C
That's a mile.
B
We're closer to the grave than you are the beginning.
F
So may God be with you.
B
May everything you touch turn to gold. May all your dreams dreams come true.
C
Let's go. Let's ass lick. Click. What's your favorite position?
B
How are you, Jeff? Bill, I really appreciate the nice words, bud. That's a tough comment to come back from. But I really appreciate you coming on and wishing me a happy birthday.
C
St. That's too fine, right? That's the experience. Oh, dog. Get him off. His Internet doesn't work. I love you. You, Stu.
E
I'm substitute.
C
But that guy right there, you get a ready to roll. You get a happy birthday song. He talks about licking.
E
Do you do the 15, 15, 15.
B
I am aware of that system.
E
But you go five, five, five, don't you?
C
Five minutes.
E
A little lazy, just like you're. You're off seasons.
C
Oh, dog. This has been awesome, man. It was exactly how I thought it would be. And it. It's it. What biz said's true. I love listening to the. Getting to see the clips and the best. I wish I lived in Canada to be able to watch it every day. But you guys crush it. Such a good voice for the game. We thank you for coming on, man.
B
Really appreciate you guys having me on. Hopefully we'll do it again soon.
C
Yeah, we got the sandbagger. You got to pick your partner. Pick your other partner.
B
We'll get it done.
E
All right.
C
See O dog.
E
See you, legend.
C
We're gonna take a minute here, biz. We gotta talk about prime Monday night hawk.
E
Yes, we do.
C
Prime. Coming up. This Monday night double header on prime Monday night Hawk must win first we get the Calgary Flames take on the Detroit red wings at 7pm Eastern. And biz Detroit, we talked about them. They, they need to get going. This is a game on the schedule. It's a must win. I know it sounds crazy. With 2018 games left, they gotta beat Calgary.
E
And if you're Calgary fans, you're just praying they get throttled. And that way that you could probably have a stab at getting Gavin McKenna just in time for your new building in a few years. And Whit, here's a little fun fact for you Calgary Flames fans. They have signed the most sought after college free agent, Tyson Gross, 23 year old center. He's 6 foot 3, 195 pounds and he's also a Calgary native and he played at St. Cloud State University. So that's a huge signing for them. Calgary's on the come up. They're going to be maybe tough to watch for the rest of this year and next year. But it all goes back to the Detroit Red Wings in a must win game to get their march figured out.
C
And that's the first one. And then we have the Penguins versus the Avalanche. And oh my God, this should be Crosby versus McKinnon. And I think Sid's still out.
E
Take my knee.
C
But the dog, I don't think he wants it. But Colorado, they're in the playoffs, right? I. I did give them the Central Division already. I shouldn't have done that. That. That might have screwed him. Dallas is coming there. Minnesota's right there. But the Penguins are fighting for their lives, same as Detroit. They're on the road. They're in Colorado. They got the oxygen to deal with. That could be a good one. Prime Monday night Hockey.
E
And I know. Listen, baby. No Crosby and no Malkin. But Muse behind the bench who RA has for number one coach of the year right now. And I'm also wearing the Mr. Rogers sweater. You have to tune into that game. Monday night Prime. Let's go, baby.
C
Prime Monday Night hockey. Our listeners in Canada can watch Monday night's game on Prime Video. If you're already a Prime member, you're all set. If not, sign up for the free trial@primevideo.com Prime Monday Night Hockey. It's on Monday. It's on Prime. Thank you so much to Jeff o'. Neal. Great guy. We appreciate you hopping on with us.
D
That was awesome.
E
What a beauty.
C
Yeah, great, dude. What a beauty. The Vegas Golden Knights might really stink. Yes.
E
Oh, you don't say.
C
They have the points as the Oilers. But when people talk about I Hear way more about the Oilers goaltending stinks than I do about Vegas, and theirs is just as bad. It's just been horrific there. One in six in their last seven games, obviously stones out, that hurts a ton. But watching them play like the other night, I don't know, it's. I, I do not have a ton of confidence in that team going into the playoffs at all.
D
Do you think that they're a team that can turn it on, though? Because, I mean, look at them on paper, right? They're, they're a wagon on paper. Do you think they're one of those teams where like, they're like, oh, okay, let's just get this regular season over with and then they can turn on or you have no trust whatsoever just the way that they've been playing.
E
Oh, well, my concern is, is, is no Wild Bill, right? He's still out and they said that he might be done for the season. I don't know what the, like, the, like getting into too much detail what the forecast holds for him. You just mentioned Mark Stone, one of the biggest gamers when it comes to like competitive playoff style hockey. I'm hearing that he tweaked his back again with that innocent looking hit in the neutral zone. It looked like an absolute nothing burger, but if it's his back again, boys, like, he could be, he could be on the shelf for foreseeable future. Goaltending has been horrendous and I don't know, man, a lot of their guys have played a lot of hockey, like Eiko's played a lot of hockey, man. And that's, that's crippling to the middle of the ice. And I don't, I don't know, like, I like hurdle, like I do, but what's, what's your guys feeling on him? Like, how, how do you think that the fans there. And, and do you think that he's lived up to that trade in the way that it went down?
D
No, and I think, I think after San Jose got rid of like Jumbo and Pavolsky, like he was the guy there, right? And he, he showed up and he was awesome. And I think that maybe being there, he doesn't see himself as being the guy and he's kind of like, oh, okay, I can be a second fiddle. But I think they need him to be the guy again because, I mean, you remember some years how dominant he was. He was big. He's big, he's strong, he could skate. But I haven't seen it as much in Vegas, like, he had, I think, one good playoff series, right. Other than that, like, he. He hasn't been as dominant as he was that in San Jose. So as a fan, if I was there, I'd be like, okay, I need a little more out of this guy.
E
Like, you can't. You can't take. You take this plus minus with a grain of salt, but Hurdle's been minus nine in his last six games, so, you know, obviously on the wrong side of that one. Right. And you talk about no Carlson and then Eichel playing as much hockey as he has. It's a hard, hard situation where you're probably leaning on a guy like Hurdle a lot in that situation and only one goal in those six games. So. I don't know. I don't know.
C
Well, the interesting. I think Vegas fans, if you ask him anything besides the goaltending right now, Rasmus Anderson hasn't been. Been great since he went over there. I think they were expecting a little bit more. I do like their D in the playoffs. Like, they got some guys who were physical and. And, you know, some guys who are big. So. Yeah, I'm not like. I see what you're saying, Keith. Like, they could kind of turn it on. But when. When you see teams just limp into the playoffs, not often does it. The switch go off. And if. If Anaheim somehow wins that division, like Vegas, them in the first. I mean, Oilers in Vegas first round. That's electric right there.
E
So Oilers are going to the conference finals. They're going to the conference finals.
C
Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.
D
I. I think as a player, like, looking at the. If you didn't watch one game of Vegas all year, looking at them on paper, I'd be like, oh, shit, I don't want to play them. But if you watch them all year, I wonder if players would be like, hey, I'd rather play Vegas than Edmonton or what, you know, Definitely.
C
And the. The youth, it's. It's such a different team in Anaheim, like, how young they are compared to Vegas. And I don't know, it's something to keep an eye on.
E
Just last thing on Vegas, like, Cassidy is one of the best coaches in the NHL is like, there's no question as far as, like, the systems, like, in game changes, yada, yada, yada. The one knock on him, though, is. Is he does have a shorter shelf life because of how hard he rides his players.
A
Yeah.
E
Usually after about three, four years, guys are like, oh, my God. And, and. And you. Every time you watch the broadcast, like, when A mistake's made on a goal. He. His.
D
His body language.
E
His body language is brutes now.
C
Well, guess what, Biz. This is his fourth season in Vegas and it's like, I don't know if guys are like, enough. I'm getting tortured here every mistake I make. But if you say it's the three to four year window that we've heard other coaches have in the past, it would make sense, but it just can't. The goaltending, you can't point at him. No, I know, but listen to this stat. So Biz loves the OV stat. This season of not one defensive zone start the greatest shift. Troy Terry right now doesn't have a hit.
D
Beautiful.
C
46 games, 0 hits. Of the total, 881 players shown, the other 22 players with 0 hits have less than 5 games played each of them. We're looking at a legendary run of just smart hockey. Good for Troy. I'm in the right position every decision. I got a great stick. Is it a contract one hit?
E
No, he signed a long one.
C
He has to make sure that he doesn't have a hit the rest of the year there. If you can finish the season with not one hit and then. And then like you do the physicals at the end of the year and the doctor's like, you look great. Yeah, I didn't throw a hit this year.
D
I'm actually kind of pissed at the guy who tweeted that out. You gotta let that sleep. Now he's gonna go out and hit someone.
E
Like, no, no, I think. Imagine that a stack guy marks him down for one. And after the game, a stack guy's just, you know, having. Having a postgame meal and Troy Terry's in his kitchen like.
C
Like, can you imagine if Cronin was still there and that stack came out the.
D
Is this.
C
He'd explode.
D
I wonder, on. I wonder, on draftkings, do they have, like, hits? If you can. Do they do that?
E
I actually think it's more shocking that you said all those players who have played at least two, three games don't have a hit. If you're only those guys two, three games in the NHL, you should be running around with like a chicken with your head cut off trying to lay
D
the body that that's why they only got two games.
C
Yeah, they might only got under five games because they. You haven't thrown a hit. Well, I've looked up to Troy Terry my whole life. He doesn't have a hit in 46.
E
Who's your favorite player?
C
So that one. That one's awesome. I guess Biz is your ov. Do you still like the OV one more than that one?
E
Yeah. Yeah. I think that. I think that if you're, you're the greatest goal scorer of all time and you don't start a, a, a, a shift in your own end, I, I think that's just insane. I think it's insane.
C
By the way, Tom Wilson was doing anything he could against Philly Wednesday night to get his team going. At one point, he was screaming at the bench, he murdered Connect knee. He killed someone else. I was like, all right. He's. He's not. There's no quitting Tom Wilson, but he
D
took k spot on the Olympics and then buries him in the middle of the ice.
E
It was his birthday, too. He was, he was birthday mogging me.
C
He's like, can I switch and go party with Doyle and Biz can get run over by Tom Wilson.
E
Hey, I want to give a couple stick taps to Flyers admin. Not for, for like posting the clip between me and the other birthday boy, Travis Knecny, but just putting up with some of these fucking moron Flyer fans all season. The negativity. They're. Personally, this guy called us idiots. No, I called the idiots who have been going after a Jack Adams winner in the last few seasons because the Meech Dog isn't getting enough ice time. And I don't know if you guys have caught and watched any Flyers games.
C
How do you look?
E
Look, last night I honest to God notice him one shift and I looked, I looked at Wayne and Wayne goes, oh, I noticed him the one shift. Like, they're talking about this guy like he's the second coming of Christ. And Owen Tippett it way more noticeable.
C
Yeah.
A
Yeah, he.
E
He is who they should be focusing on and, and giving praise to and worrying about if he's getting enough ice time. And. Listen, I'm not. I think I, I've said it from the beginning. I think Mechkov is going to figure it out. But these, these Flyers fans are doubling down. Some of them. I will give it. I will give it to probably the handful of. Of ones that have reached out since coming at me. They've said, I see what you're talking about now.
D
Really?
E
There's been about five of them. Wow. Yeah.
C
Matt Vayakapov.
E
Yeah, exactly. Meet the. Yeah, meet there. Yakov.
C
I forgot to mention, guys, and I know you, you'll appreciate this. Got a DM I want to shout out. Paul Boyer, Detroit Red Wings equipment manager, 31 years. He's about to hit 2,500 games. His son actually reached out. He listens to the show and I wanted to shout out Paul Boyer. I mean that guy's been there. He's got four cups, world championships with team Canada. So Those equipment guys, 2,500 games. We've talked a lot about Teddy Richardson, Florida, all the guys around the league, what they do and how long Paul Boyer spend in Detroit. Wanted to give him a couple clicks. And the final thing before we get to Ra's World is the tragedy that happened in Rhode Island a few weeks back. Just incredible story that's coming out. Senior Colin Dorgan, who his had some family members pass away in that horrible shooting. He scored the OT winner. Blackstone Valley beat Portsmouth 3 to 2. They're on to the state championship game. He said it was the greatest moment of his life. And all his teammates coming on the ice. You could see kind of put his hands in his face like we had shouted them out and kind of wished them luck. I know Feidelberg had asked G2 and then for that kid to, to what happened to his family and, and to have him score that goal. God, can they win the States, boys? Can they win it all? I just really hope for, for him and his team, they get that done. And wanted to shout out Colin Dorgan, huge goal and good luck in the state championship game.
E
Amazing.
D
Just goes to show you how tight knit the hockey community is with a terrible tragedy like that. You know, he's, you know, right in the mix of it and then goes out and gets a huge goal for his school. It's amazing stuff and good for him and congrats.
E
Absolutely.
C
So with that, let's, let's see what the rear's up to, boys.
B
Yeah.
C
How's the rear's back feeling? It's throw it over to the ra's World.
A
Hello everybody. Welcome to Ari's World here at the Spitting Chicklets Podcast. A little warthog action for you. Nice. Good stuff, boys.
F
All right.
E
You look jacked in that T shirt. Doesn't he?
C
I've been lifted, bro.
D
My man cub shirt with a red sock.
C
Ar got peptides but like thought they were like drugs. He's like, what the. This is making me jacked.
D
Pepsi Tides C
E
Harry Carrey.
A
Harry Car. Yeah, I get that lovely shirt out there. Yeah, boys. I feel like it's almost like the playoffs right now. Every night there's, you know, a handful of big games, his team sleep frogging each time. I do want Columbus to Get in. Just not at the expense of the Boston Bruins. And shut out Connor Gallon. Four goals his first two games of Columbus. Fitting right in there.
C
Yeah.
B
What a pickup.
A
I don't know that we've ever had this many, like, legit Jack Adams candidates in one season, but one guy I feel like no one's really talking about is Dan Muse. Pittsburgh. What he's done with that team. I mean, nobody had any expectations for him. Obviously they're missing Sid right now and Gino as well. But he's at what he is. He 25 to 1. I think he. He has good a chance as anybody right now. Lindy Ruff is the chalk. Minus 280. Coupe plus 350. Quenville 18 1. Bedna 18 1. Then Muse 25 to 1. But, you know, like, Keith, you mentioned War Sofski before. Like, what Sturm's doing here in Boston, man, it's just a great year for coaching, man. No doubt about it. Who.
E
Who's your top three right now? In order.
C
Ra.
E
Who do you have winning it?
A
I would say Quenville. What he's doing Anaheim. I mean, you know, first place in the division right now. Probably Wasofsky and probably rough. Yeah, you gotta. You gotta throw Lindy rough in there, man.
D
I mean, as Lindy won one.
E
Yeah, I think he has one. Yeah, that would be my guess. I thought I read that earlier this year on Twitter, but who knows Twitter?
C
Can we make a push for the GM of the Year award to go to Kevin Adams, though?
E
I think that you gotta give it to Colorado, man. Like, what do you mean? Like, are you kidding me? The moves that they've made.
C
Yeah, they've. They've done a great job. But imagine Yarmo Buffalo.
D
Imagine Yarmo gets it.
C
Gets it for literally going in and saying, all of you are gonna get traded. If I see any sort of.
E
And then Montreal Canadiens fans do the wave on Kevin Adams lawn.
C
That would be 20 years between Lindy Ruff winning it last in 05 06. Pasha just put that in the chat.
E
I. And I'll. I'll stick to it. And I heard this as confirmation that he was this close after the Kevin Adams firing, that he was going to move upstairs. There it was. It was this. If they would have went and lost, like two in a row, three in a row, there was a chance that he wasn't even behind the bench right now. That's. Somebody dealt somebody else. I talked to doubled down on that after I. We.
D
We.
E
We'd heard from it at the time when we mentioned it too. So that would just be remarkable from being that close to. It was kind of like the year where Todd. I think it was Todd McClellan with LA was like for like first in line for the odds for winning the Jack Adams and then he was fired two weeks later. So that was, that was pretty wild after they had that.
D
Yeah. That's why Wit always says you don't even want to win that award.
E
You don't, you don't. So you don't have Coop in your top three. A ra that's your boy.
A
Yeah, I know but you know, I mean I'm not doing it to like not being postulate. You know, I think he's had the same team. I'm, I don't think it's a surprise that TF is where they are, I guess. I mean he's done well.
E
They lost McDonough and Headman for a while at the start. They were also dealing with point injury.
C
So I, I was out. They had like all their doc was out.
E
I, I, I got Coop in my top three. I'll put Lindy Ruff there Just, just
C
cause Coop gets hurt because of of you have Vasilevsky. It like it just takes it. That's what that. I think that's what happens. And I think, and I think like if you look at call it's the roster. You see a roster and I think coaches end up kind of paying for that a little bit.
A
Yeah.
E
So roster success. He hurts him a little bit roster wise. Ra you, you have Muse as the number one because he's nobody. I thought they were going to be a lottery team this year.
A
Yeah.
C
And people ridiculed his hiring. Like who is this? What has he ever done? And, and yeah, they've been awesome.
A
And I think, I think the broadcast is vote on that award, if I'm not mistaken. Like, like tv, which is kind of, kind of odd. Right? I mean I know the writers do a lot of it, but it's kind of weird a broadcaster to the gm. But either way, I was looking at teams. You know, the LA has played 64 games. 25 of their games have gone to overtime this year.
C
It's the only reason they're somewhat in it crazy.
A
And the Islanders, they've gone. 19 of their games have gone to OT. They're actually 100 in overtime games. They've lost a few shootouts, but every overtime game that's been decided in overtime, they've won all 10 of them.
C
Well, you got Schaer flying, you got Barzel against St. Louis, he could. That's like you get a couple dangerous guys out there with them. And ot, I was going to say
D
when you were talking about Barzell, like, if there was a three on three league, he might go number three overall. Like, he is insane.
A
In three on three, there's only four players are playing without a visor. Do you know who they are? Only four guys left, obviously. Grandfather.
E
My guess would be Revoir O'Reilly.
D
Ben.
E
Jamie Ben. And Corey Perry.
D
Yeah.
A
I asked someone online, but I didn't get an answer. Like, what percentage of guys use. Like, we have mouth gods who use mouth gods. Is it. Is it every guy?
D
90. 90.
C
I never.
E
I couldn't breathe.
C
Yeah. I didn't feel like I could breathe. I tried and then I was like. Like, I don't know. Yeah, that's.
D
I can't remember many guys not wearing them. They make such good ones now. They're so thin and like they're. They're just like way better now.
A
Yeah, a little today in hockey history. I feel like every week we do this. It's your boy Gretzky involved some way biz this day in 1984, Gretzky scored his 82nd goal of the season and added an assist to give him 900 points in just 385 games. Needless to say, he was the fastest to achieve that feat heat and 46 years ago today, right across the dam here, the Bruins retired Johnny Busick's number nine at the OG Garden. I played 21 years for the Bruins and he was there traveling secretary for a long time. And he still looks great at 90 years old. So shout out to the chief, one of the great Bruins of all time, no doubt. But this is my super bowl this weekend. Best Oscars Sunday night. Can't wait. Fired up a lot of good stuff this year. I know we've talked about movies on here, here and there, but I gotta go back to this tweet. I put this out November 25th 5th, 2020. I said, where can I buy Jesse Buckley will win an Oscar someday Futures. Like, this is before those predictive markets, whatever, you know, wow.
E
The poly market.
C
What year was this?
A
5 and a half years ago. I said, wow, where can I buy Jesse Buckley will win an Oscar someday Futures. Now she's in Hamnet, the movie that's nominated for. For best picture. She was absolutely incredible at it. But yeah, she's never heard of that movie.
E
Ra.
C
What's it about?
A
It's a. It's about William Shakespeare. She's like, Shakespeare's wife. And it's like.
E
I don't know if it's based on She's a Cutie.
A
And. And it's basically. It's events that happened before he writes Hamlet. No, I mean, the movie's called Hamnet, but it was the events that happened with. You know, I'm not going to spoil it. People haven't seen it, but. But she's absolutely terrific in it. I saw her in Beautiful show, Faggo Wit. You know, they've done a season for a little while. She was on one of the first two or three seasons there, and I'm like, wow, who's this lady? She's unbelievable. And I looked her up and. And kind of started watching several old movies. So, yeah, she's the big.
E
She's an Irish actress.
A
Yeah.
E
Yeah.
D
She's in Chernobyl.
A
Very talented. Yeah, she was in Chernobyl, too. Did you ever see that, Keith? Did you watch that?
D
Yeah, it was a little hard for me to follow, but it. I mean, it was good.
C
All right. I saw you. You said you got very emotional walking watching the Fukushada.
A
Fukushima.
C
Fukushima. I started it last night. Yeah. I mean, I have. I don't know if I've come to the emotion. I mean, I'm. You're watching the.
D
The.
C
The. The damage that this tsunami is doing. I got through 20 minutes, but that is a. I. I remember that earthquake and all that, but I didn't remember the nuclear meltdown and everything, so I'm looking forward to finishing that.
A
Very, very heavy topic. Yeah, I mean, you know, I don't know if it was late at night I was in my feelings or what, but there's one. One guy in it, and you'll know when you see him. It's just, you know, these people just putting their, you know, lives on the lines that, like, the world was ending for them at that point, you know, nuclear. And they show them going into like. Like where all the nuclear, like, reaction is. It's. It's just crazy. But, yeah, very, very powerful documentary.
D
And what year was that?
C
2011. Wow.
E
Holy. Is it a documentary? Ra.
C
Yeah, it was today. I think it was today. 15 years ago.
A
Yeah, it's good. Good stuff. Actually, did you watch any of those new shows went on? Was it DTF St. Louis?
C
I haven't. What, The Steve Carell one and the other one. I haven't. I haven't. I'm. I don't watch many comedies. And aren't they comedies?
A
Roosters. The one Steve Carell. That's Sort of a comedy. But the other one, DTF St. Louis with Jason Bateman and David Harbor. It's. It's more of a, like, drama, I guess, right now with a couple chuckles in it, but it's definitely not.
C
I finished industry. I just want more, like, banker type stuff, like the market. Like, I'm just. I. I might, like, reach. I love that show. A lot of sex in the show, too. Not gonna say that's the worst part. Yeah, a lot of. Oh, biz. Just his ears picked up.
E
He's like, no, I'm not gonna watch it.
B
Did.
E
The only thing. Only drilling I like in my movies is oil.
C
Oil drilling.
D
Yeah.
A
I drink your milkshake.
E
You said it's called bankers.
C
No, no, the show is industry. It's just about the world of finance, the market. Complete sociopaths that are just scummy. Well, oh, these people. I. I was like, is this what
D
a lot of these.
C
Like, will these people stay? Step on anyone to get higher up in their life? I'm sure there's people out there like that in every. In every avenue, in every way to a profession. But, yeah, it was a hell of a show.
D
Ra.
C
Hell of a show.
E
Yeah. So there's been a lot of conversation on. On best actor and who that's gonna go to. Right? There's been a Shia LaBeouf. Not Shia LaBeouf. Jesus.
A
Timothy Chalamet.
E
Timothy Chalamet won one of the awards.
C
I don't.
E
I think that was maybe the. Was it the bafta?
A
I think the bafta. The British.
E
Yeah.
A
And then, like, the British Oscars.
E
And who was the one who was in Sinners?
A
Michael B. Jordan.
E
Michael B. Jordan. Now, he won the last award for, like, best actor, because there's, like, a few leading up to the actual Oscars. And I think that Michael B. Jordan winning the last major one has swung him as the favorite to win best actor. Who do you think should win it and for what? What movie?
A
Well, for Hand Up, I. I haven't seen Mahdi supreme yet. I am going to watch before Sunday night, so I. I really can't give a true, honest opinion. I think Michael B. Joy was. Was incredible. I mean, he was playing two different roles in Sinners, and he's the favorite right now, minus 200. Timothy Chalamet is plus 185. And, you know, these things are kind of goofy sometimes. Chalamet gave an interview the other day. He said something about, like, opera and ballet and.
C
Yeah, people lost their minds.
E
PR has a lot to do with it, and I think that he's probably like overstepped his boundaries over the last six months to hurt him as far as the awards. No.
A
Yeah, well, he was the favorite up until like. I don't know if that comments about the opera Belly shifted everything, but.
C
But when do they vote? They must have voted already. No.
A
Oh, yeah, everything's. Yeah, the vote's been all done for a while.
C
Well, then that doesn't matter.
E
Ok.
C
But, but. All right, quickly off topic a little bit. Yeah. Did you see the video that. That went viral of Austin Butler and Matthew McConaughey in like a bar? Did you see that video where they're. They're like having a conversation, but it looks like now some people like, oh, this is a joke. Like they're. They're buddies, but like, it kind of looked like they were like going at it a little bit. Like it was.
E
They were fighting.
C
They. Not physically, but like they were very close to each. I don't know. Watch the video biz and tell me if there's some sort of like, awkwardness to it. I don't know. I. Did you see it already too?
E
Hands? Maybe they were arguing who was better looking? Austin Butler.
D
Yeah.
A
Yeah. Not that he was like accosting him, but like, yeah, he was close. I mean, you don't. Obviously don't know what they were talking about, but. Yeah, it definitely was. It was an odd video. I don't know if they're. They're boys or what, but.
C
Yeah, exactly. It could be they were buddies and it was just funny the way it looked, but it looked like it was somewhat standoffish in a way.
A
Yeah.
D
Smiling, McConaughey, smiling.
C
I know, I know. But I could be like, oh, yeah.
E
But.
A
But I, I do think there's a maybe potential for an upset. Best pitcher, like one. One battle after another is the chalk right now. Minus 400 to win. Best pitcher. Sinners is next at plus 275. I got Sinners at 701 back when I hit that football poly back in November thanks to Jersey Jerry. I. I put a bunch of futures out there, but it. It actually. It's 20th anniversary of when Crash upset broke Back Mountain. I don't know if you remember that one.
E
Like, everyone thought Crash was a great movie.
A
Yeah. And everyone thought Brokeback was gonna win the best picture. And crash, I had nine. Nine one I had on him. I put 200 bucks on. I ended up winning 1800 bucks. It was a huge upset.
C
So I'm wondering was the one where the racist cop pulls the black woman out of the car at the end, she's like, screaming. Right. That was a great movie.
D
Everything kind of ties into.
C
And the gun doesn't go off at the end, right?
D
No, it was a. It was a. What do they call those balls.
C
But I think the guy's daughter had put those in the gun so that the guy didn't do anything.
D
Yeah. And he put the fake cloak over him. That movie's incredible.
C
Everything kind of ties in.
D
That movie's awesome.
E
The guy, the husband in that one, he's been doing some podcasts recently, and he's a quirky guy.
B
Eh.
C
Who is it?
E
I'm gonna look it up. Crash Cast.
A
Crash Cast. Yeah. A couple other bets. I bet on Tiana Taylor. The. The.
D
The.
A
The Hot black chicken.
E
Terence Howard.
A
Terrence Howard. Yeah.
E
Have you seen some of these podcasts he's been doing? No. Oh, man. It's. He's from a different planet.
C
But I saw Dennis Quaid did a podcast with Felberg, and he's like, I graduated from the school of cocaine. And Fberg's like, what school is that? He's like, rehab.
E
Yeah, I saw. Yeah. Oh, man.
A
Yeah. I was saying. I got that. Tiana Taylor is for best supporting actor. I got her plus 120. She's like, plus 185. Also, I say, w me Mosaku, best supported actress. She was the other black chicken sinners. Who was the. One of the twins girlfriends. Sean Penn. I got him at minus 150 for best support actor. He's now minus 350. So little bit of side action, but yeah, I think there could be a possibility for an upset. And also best support and actor, Delroy Lindo. Eight to one. Maybe a little worth a flyer on that. I know Sean Penn's probably going to win it, but either way, I'm looking forward to it. Got to go down my mother's little boiled dinner, St. Patrick's Day. Watch the Oscars with my little hockey in the afternoon.
F
So.
A
Good stuff, biz. You gonna watch? Do you watch them typically?
E
I usually just see the clips online. I don't follow it all enough to.
C
In honor of the Oscars, he just. He puts on his flick. He watches that. And that. That's his way to watch the Oscars, is to watch an Oscar winner.
D
He thinks they should win every year I do.
C
This is a dynasty at the Oscars.
E
They should give. They should give Daniel Day Lewis a lifetime achievement award. And I'd watch.
C
So, Ra, what did you think of the Max Crosby to Baltimore? Did you see this breakdown? Did you see our guy Will Compton of busting with the boys break this whole thing down.
A
I haven't seen that yet. I'm, I am familiar with it. Yeah, they basically that he didn't pass a physical and they, they had to pull the trade as that. That's the crux of it.
E
You would think this was, this was them around and with everybody else in free agency.
C
So Will Compton made a video right when the news came out that the trade was done, that he's. That he. That that Baltimore failed the failed physical. And he said, I smell something sketchy here. Years ago, I played with a guy who came to terms with Baltimore, right? Pretty big contract. It was a wide receiver like Grant or something, he said, and all of a sudden he'd never missed a game in the NFL and he goes over to do his physical. Baltimore fails the physical. And in the midst of this all happening, Michael Crabtree apparently was cut by whatever team he was on. And Baltimore obviously decided, oh, we'd rather this guy.
B
Cheaper option.
C
They fail the physical, the guy loses the deal. Grant or whatever that Willie Compton had played with, and they get Crabtree. So he told this story right after the news break. He's like, I got my spidey senses up, sure as shit. Couple hours later, the news breaks that Baltimore actually signs the guy who'd become available from Cincinnati. What's his name?
F
Trey Hendrickson.
C
Yeah, Trey Hendrickson had come, come available. All of a sudden they realized we gave the two first round picks to Oakland. We'd rather this guy not have to give up the first round picks. They fail him and then they sign Trey exactly what Will Compton had said they'd done before. And if the league is correct, if the league has any stones here, they do some research, like, is there any rules broken there?
E
Yeah, I.
D
Sounds like it.
E
One, they knew that, that he had had surgery to repair his meniscus. So they knew that he was quote, unquote, damaged goods before he went over there. And also, I believe this is really jammed up the Raiders because they're assuming that money's coming off the books and then it's not. So now they have to scramble and figure out their salary cap situation. So if they've done it before, I mean, we're here, we're here taking pics away from the Ottawa Senators for trading the guy with the wrong. Wrong for the wrong no trade clause.
D
Right.
E
They should be getting a PP whack for sure on this. They should lose. They should have to give one of those first round picks to the Raiders one of them.
C
I just don't get how you know like you could have your doctor fail anyone on a physical, right. Like you should. You should then be be able to get like a independent doctor to give him a physical. And are you always gonna fail the physical if you had surgery two months ago? It's just, I don't get it it and it's just sketch sketchy stuff out of Baltimore there and granted their fans are probably loving it. Well we kept these first two, these two first round picks and we got a hell of a pass rusher just our guy Will Compton just called it
E
all and and it just do not doing it in good faith where hey man, if, if that's the rule and, and, and essentially making that move and then backing the physical up to whatever time you essentially give yourself that window to protect yourself. Try to find a better option. If the better option becomes available, take it and then rid yourself of whatever problem you would have given away. The picks. Smart but slimy.
A
Yeah. The NFL. I love this NBA story from this past week when I'm sure you did too about the Magic City promotion. The at the Hawks Magic City, it's the strip joint slash wing palace down at Atlanta Biz. If you have a. Had the wings down there, popped in boys.
E
Very, very overrated. Like I don't. I didn't.
D
I'd be careful saying that, dude.
E
What do you mean? I don't give a. I don't go
C
the wings are overrated or the women.
E
I didn't have the wings.
C
I think that's. I think that's like, oh, I thought you.
D
I thought you meant the wings.
C
Yeah, tits were. Tits weren't even that good either.
E
I mean, I mean come on man. Do I really need to go there to get good wings?
A
It was so there's a headline a few weeks back. Hawks to celebrate Atlanta's iconic cultural institution Magic City during the team's Magic City Monday game against Orlando on Monday, March 16th. Of course there was the, you know, hue and cry from the Anthonette who was at one player Luke Cornett wrote a blog about it saying it was like, you know me bad. Bad for women, blah, blah. So the NBA made them cancel it. They basically like I made them backpedal said you can't do this. And I mean I, I never been there, but I've been to Atlanta. Everybody knows Magic City. Part of Atlanta.
D
Who's the guy that has his jersey retired?
E
People go to school to Magic City in Atlanta.
D
Lou Williams has his jersey retired in there. He's the one who got in trouble during the bubble. He went. Or during COVID He went there to get.
E
He broke out of the bubble, put his team at risk for Covid just to get some wings and some titties in his face.
D
He's got his jersey retired there. Witty. He's going to drop the puck at the game.
C
I went to Washington, D.C. 8th grade field trip, and the kids down there going for lap dances at Magic City. That. Yeah, that's a. I. I understand the league being like, all right, guys. I don't. I don't know if this can happen, but I wonder if that one player hadn't said anything that might have really kind of caused this to get canceled.
A
Yeah, exactly. I mean, they were fine with it until they weren't, but. Yeah. Keith, it's the Lou Will Lemon Pepper barbecue. That's the one that always gets the most props. So.
E
So I. I have been here. I walked in and it was like. There was like, it's very small. People are smoking hookah and didn't even stay long enough to. To have the wings.
D
All right, then you can't judge it.
A
It's biz. It's a legendary wing palace. And a legendary schwing palace, too.
E
I like that. How about this? How about this? When we come here next to do whatever interviews or maybe do a sandbagger. When you guys do. Which we should do during playoffs, we should go there for dinner one night and we could do our buffalo review.
D
What's.
E
Are. Wait, is that okay? Is that. Is that gonna fly past the.
C
Hey. Oh, I'm fine with that. There's no. No. Sort of keep you blindfolded stopping me. It's just more about. You just said it was, like, brutal. So it's like, why.
E
Well, I meant more to go judge the wing so we could have our own, I think. I feel like it would be like, a good part of the vlog if we ever did doing one. And we don't get blindfolded because, like,
C
I don't leave in my. My Penguins jersey's up there. It's like, oh, thanks for bringing me in there, Biz.
E
Well, blindfold Wit and Grinnell and me and you can just. Just not be blindfolded.
C
All right.
E
Because we're the only bachelors on the pod.
A
You gotta get to give the Lou Will Lemon Pepper a whirl. A couple more here. Classic recommendation this week. Nikki Spokes, that lunatic asked me for a movie a few weeks back. I said, have you ever seen Master in Command of the Far Side of the world with Russell Crowe. He's like, no. I says, well, make it the next movie you watch.
E
Watch.
A
It's unbelievable. You ever see it, Keith?
C
No, I've never heard of it or seen it. So I got one.
A
Now the first thing that comes up, it's like it says, April 1805, Napoleon is master of Europe. Only the British fleet stands before him. And then forwards. Oceans are now battlefields. And then it goes in the movie and it's like this like USS Constitution style. Like, like boats. They're just lined up shooting cannonballs at each other. Legit awesome movie. Give it a whirl, come out back. What 2003. Russell Crowe is in it. Awesome movie. It's like wicked underrated under scene. I don't know. People don't hear about it. I don't know how, but it sucks you in right away. Awesome stuff. And couple picks for the week Saturday.
D
All right, hold on one sec.
C
Was.
D
Wasn't the. Didn't a battleship just get sunk for the first time since like World War II or something? Crazy. Yeah, that's nuts.
A
Yeah, yeah, they to. They torpedoed up.
D
Torpedo.
A
Yeah, Iranian chief ship. A week and a half, two weeks.
C
There's a suburb. There's a u. S. Submarine coming to Boston harbor. All right, did you see that in like a month or two? Yeah, I saw the advertisement on 93, one of the billboards. I gotta bring the kids to that.
D
Those are so cool to see. Like the fact that they live in those things. It's nuts.
A
Claustrophobia.
C
Hunt for red October. All right. That's an awesome, awesome flick.
A
Awesome stuff. Ah, there's a whole another one. Oh, there's another one too. Das boot was. Was the German one. That's another great submarine flick. There's actually see a handful of great submarine movies out there, so. But Saturday's picks, obviously. I don't know how things turned out last night, Thursday night, but the ducks are in Ottawa Saturday afternoon at 1. I don't know if Carlson's gonna be in the lineup. Great pickup, by the way. It was a shocker of a trade. I mean not like dropping a trade at one o' clock in the morning or whatever. Late late night it was. They're gonna take the ducks at Ottawa, Ottawa. I don't think they're gonna be making the playoffs. Ducks are rolling. And I like LA is at New Jersey Saturday night. Gonna jump on the kings. I think DJ king's giving him a little box bump. So. Ducks kings Saturday and tonight, USA Canada world baseball classic. Have you been watching any of this?
C
I actually. I really haven't. I tuned in a little, and the US Was getting smoked by Italy. And then I saw it's just all American guys from New Jersey on team Italy. So it's kind of funny that, like. And then, like, Jared Duran, I believe, is playing for Mexico, right? Like, it's. I don't. I don't know, but I'll tune because I think the US Manager was on. The US Manager thought that they were already in to, like, the. The medal round or whatever, and they weren't, so I'm like, that's. That's a tough look right there. But I guess the. The tiebreaker is very confusing. Did the US Move on after Italy beat Mexico?
A
I'm not sure.
D
Yeah, they play Canada.
C
US Is moving on. G says so.
D
Yeah, and they play Canada. So, Biz, this is your time to. To take the American game from the Canadians because we took your game.
C
You should go to the game Biz.
A
Did you see that? The clip? It was an electrician. He was. He was pitching for the. For the check team. Legit electrician by day through, like, 4, 4.2 thirds. Shout out Evans versus Japan. And, like, they gave him a big stand at. Oh, and he was, like, soaking it all in. It was a really cool clip. I don't know if you guys caught that. Good stuff. So shout out.
D
Boss is like, where the. Has he been?
C
He turns on the tv, he's striking Ototani.
E
I think he. He did strike out Otani, didn't he?
C
Oh, did he?
E
Did he said he was an. You said he was an electrician, right?
D
Yeah, he electrocuted him.
E
Couple. This is a kind of. This is random. Five people that were once electricians that you probably had no clue were. All right, number one.
D
Oh, we don't get to guess.
E
Okay, guess.
D
Elon Musk.
E
No. All right, that's a pretty good guess.
C
Lou Williams.
A
Ashley. Stage B.
E
There's some pretty huge names here. Alfred Hitchcock.
C
Okay, all right.
E
I knew you'd like that one. Albert Einstein, which is probably a little bit more believable. Rowan Atkinson, who was. You know who that is. Mr. Bean.
A
Mr. Bean. Bean.
C
Okay, that makes sense.
A
This is. Looking for Mr. Bean this weekend.
E
George Harrison.
C
The Beatles.
E
Beatles was once an electrician. And number one, Elvis Presley. Yeah, they were all at one point in their lives, electricians.
D
Great stat.
E
Thank you.
A
Shout out once again to G. Chicklet Chew with Wisconsin. Good stuff. Check it out if you have it. And. Well, this is dropping tomorrow, but I'm very excited I haven't been to a Bees game for a while, but I'm gonna to suck it up. Head over to go see my boy Macklin Celebrini tonight.
C
He was at the BU game on Wednesday night with Tifoli I believe. Big win against uvm. Keith, you are the. The basketball fan on the pod. What did you make of. Is it bam bam Adebayo. 83 points. He breaks the Kobe record of 81. Second now to Wilt Chamberlain that there's no video evidence of. I didn't know that. That people were furious about this.
D
Yeah, because of how many free throws he had. But I mean realistically, that's how he gets his points. He's a big man, he plays hard. He's an unbelievable player. He's been in Miami for a long time. He's beloved down here. He's like one of those guys that's just like a staple of the team. But he's been on like the USA teams. Like he, he's. He's an unbelievable player but obviously not known for scoring as much as I think he's like a 19 point a game guy. I think it's crazy. I think he had six three pointers.
C
Like did Kobe have a ton of free throws when he had 81?
D
I would imagine he had some.
C
Right. This one was more about like they were up so big but fouling the other. Was it the Wizards just so that they'd get the ball back. So I don't know. People were like. I didn't. It didn't seem like people were thrilled with how he got it done.
D
I bet it's just cuz he's not like a pure scorer. He's not a guy that's known for that. And maybe it's taken away from. From Colby a little bit. Like rest in peace. Like if they wanted it to be. Colby's like the. The purest of the NBA fans maybe. But I don't know. Anytime a guy. If a guy gets 83 points in a game, it's insane.
F
Colby had half the free throws. Colby made 18 of 20 the game he dropped 81. So yeah, big difference.
A
Kobe stands to get very gatekeepy and overprotective too with. With Kobe on Twitter too.
C
I think that probably has a lot Kobe me off.
A
So yeah boys, I'm fired up tonight. Gonna sit right in the glass. See. See Mac Salini up close.
E
You're on the glass.
A
Yeah. Yeah.
C
All right.
A
Give a little treat for myself with
C
your new jack chest. Paint your chest and like lift up your Shirt. I would love that, please. Number 71 on your nipples.
A
Oh, Billy. Yeah, I take my shirt off.
E
What I need though is I need a clip of you on the glass. Like maybe just giving the knuckles against the glass. And I need Celebrini to come up, up and give you the knuckles. But the thing is though, is this. This pod's coming out tomorrow, right? Okay. Oh, try to get.
D
Try to get a puck during warm ups.
A
Yeah, I actually am going to go in early to see war just because I actually. I usually get thrown out of those seats when I'm trying to sit them, but I actually have.
E
Is it Celebrini that's what's bringing you out? Like, that's how special you think of a player he is that you want to go see him live in the flesh.
A
Yeah. Cause I haven't like, haven't been to a game a while because I've been hobbling around a little. But I'm, you know, whatever. I'll suck it up. I. I feel like Yoda. I got to walk around with a cane. But yeah, I was like it. I haven't been to a game for a while and I'll spend a few extra bucks treat myself taking my cousin. Yeah, I'm. I'm jacked up to go see this young superstar.
D
You know, Celebrini special. When RA is coming out of the
E
dungeon, you should have his father work on your back on the glass during the game.
C
No, no.
D
His uncle
A
dying to get me going viral here. Biz, huh?
E
Just. I bet you he actively activate those glutes in no time. So your. Your back's not brunting all the weight. That's what I think's going on right there. You got to get the turd cutter
A
firing left out in the womb. All right, boys, always a pleasure, always fun.
C
Great seeing you. All right, everyone, thanks for listening. We'll be back to you Monday. Have a great weekend.
E
Oh, dog. Won't happen.
D
Won't happen again.
C
A bad habit worth breaking, but it's taking time.
E
I don't know.
C
It don't matter. It's going to happen. It's going to happen again.
B
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Release Date: March 13, 2026
Podcast Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette (Biz), Rear Admiral (RA), Mike Grinnell
Primary Guest: Jeff “O Dog” O'Neill
Episode 628 dives deep into current NHL happenings, team dynamics, memorable recent games, and college hockey culture. The highlight is a wide-ranging, candid interview with TSN’s Jeff “O Dog” O’Neill, touching on his NHL career, media journey, life lessons, and the current state of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The crew’s trademark irreverence and banter shine, with laughs, stories, and authentic hockey talk.
“That game ... you could put that game up there with one of the best regular season games of all time. Especially from an American audience perspective. … Fights, hits, they hate each other—that’s the type of emotion the NHL needs in regular season hockey.” – Biz ([19:08])
“He has a punchable face, like you want to—he's one of those guys.” – Whitney ([24:18])
“I think this one might have been the worst goal interference call I’ve ever seen.” – Whitney ([32:22]) “You don’t want to see McKinnon kicked out of that game as a fan.” – Whitney ([35:42])
“Detroit only team of those 10 with a minus goal differential this year. At some point the cream rises to the top.” – Whitney ([54:39])
“What an absolute disgrace... I can’t see anyone keeping their jobs after this front office.” – Whitney ([59:50])
“It’s just a hockey culture all the way down, like we met these kids at the bar one night ... raised $40,000 for cancer research ... the hockey culture bleeds all the way down from the top to the bottom.” – G ([09:13])
“He left a little bit on the table considering free agency. But the first two years, he'll be making $10 million…” – Biz ([44:01])
“Hearing the NHL is projecting a salary cap upper limit of approximately $123 million in 28-29. That's an almost $30 million rise in the cap within three years.” – Biz ([47:08])
“Imagine getting a great job from that ... Bettman, stop talking to the media. I want to make hole in your head.” – O'Dog ([69:39])
“Three or four years, I was garbage... but then he bumped me back to play with my age group—I was just way better than everyone else.” ([78:01])
“The enjoyment, the competitiveness... is kind of out the window. Parents put their kids in hockey because they want their kids to play in the NHL.” ([80:22])
Humorous—and at times biting—recollections of draft interviews and Bob McKenzie’s “he’s not that focused” report ([87:06]).
On challenges of transforming from a junior/high-scoring player to NHL pro:
“Scoring at the NHL is just a different animal.... [Some] just don’t want to make that adjustment.” – O’Neill ([110:06])
Pat Quinn stories, career transitions, dealing with regrets, and empathy for those struggling post-NHL ([123:57]):
“When you talk about guys when I’m assessing their play ... living with regrets after you’re done—I hate that, every day I wake up, that things weren’t different, but it was a dream come true playing for the team.” ([123:32])
On Pat Quinn:
“Honestly, the greatest guy that’s ever ... He would make me stay after practice. He was like, this isn’t junior, you get paid to score goals, and if you're not doing it, you won't be on the line.” ([123:57])
If you’re a hockey fan—casual or diehard—this episode captures everything that’s made Spittin’ Chiclets a staple: big-name guests, hilarious stories, sharp NHL takes, and the feeling you’re having a beer with long-time friends who love the game.
Notable quote for the show, summing it up:
“We should all be grateful for what we’re doing because it’s a lot of fun—as you guys know.” – Jeff O’Neill ([66:49])