Transcript

Leafs Broadcasting Legend Joe Bowen Joins the Show - Ep 607

From Spittin' Chiclets · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 2 h 33 min · 31,152 words · 395 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Leafs Broadcasting Legend Joe Bowen Joins the Show - Ep 607", an episode of Spittin' Chiclets published December 23, 2025 (2 h 33 min, about 31,152 words). It mentions 19 people, works and ideas, including Joe Bowen, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ryan Whitney, Buffalo Sabres, Miami.

What this episode is about

Joe Bowen, the legendary voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a Hockey Hall of Famer, shares his experiences and humor in an engaging interview that highlights his over 3,000 games of broadcasting. The episode also features light-hearted discussions among hosts about holiday activities and their personal lives, set against a backdrop of NHL insights and sponsorship promotions.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 15:00: Joe Bowen, Ryan Whitney, Discover, National Hockey League
  2. – 1:00:00: Cook Unity
  3. – 1:15:00: Jack Hughes, Buffalo Sabres
  4. – 1:30:00: Tate McCrae, Joe Bowen, Jack Hughes, Noble
  5. – 1:45:00: Toronto Maple Leafs, Joe Bowen, National Hockey League, Sudbury Wolves
  6. – 2:00:00: National Hockey League, Foster Hewitt, Harold Ballard
  7. – 2:30:00: Joe Bowen

Notable quotes from "Leafs Broadcasting Legend Joe Bowen Joins the Show - Ep 607"

  • Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle. That is Basel Sports.
    about Ryan Whitney · at
  • That was incredible. You got that low level. Joe Bowen joined. We just finished the interview. The voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs over 3,000 games in the Hockey Hall of Fame.…
    about Joe Bowen · at
  • Going to interview Joe Bowen and spark the Leafs up cuz this is the spark they needed. The run starts now. It's exactly where Bub was when he won the Stanley Cup with the St.…
    about Toronto Maple Leafs · at
  • Back. So just so fun watching those games. Obviously the Leafs who have been in struggling mightily. the Buffalo Sabers. So we got a lot to dive into but just an incredible…
    about Buffalo Sabres · at
  • Price is Right. I think Quanza is a legitimate celebration African celebration of Christmas. G maybe Guanza is an annual non-religious celebration of African-American culture…
    about Kwanzaa · at
  • Guys, I want to take a moment and talk about Cook Unity. The holidays are here, which means it's time for comfort, joy, and really good food. Impress your relatives, even the judgy ones, with gourmet holiday meals from Cook Unity.
    about Cook Unity · at
  • They'll iron it out. And then, actually TMZ just posted a few hours ago, Jack and Tate, kind of wandering around, strolling around NYC this morning. So, wow.
    about Jack Hughes · at
  • The way to look at it. No [ __ ] I'm not cheating anything. And it starts with my footwear. Noble has that for you. They've got options across lifestyle and training. and they…
    about Noble · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Joe Bowen — Person · Main guest (interview subject) · 5 mentions · first at
    They introduce and praise Joe Bowen as a Hockey Hall of Fame play-by-play voice for the Toronto Maple Leafs and reference having just finished interviewing him.
  • Ryan Whitney — Person · Co-host / main speaker · 2 mentions · first at
    Referenced as a core member of the show (“Me and Ryan...”), and discussed in the banter as part of the hosting group driving the episode’s hockey talk.
  • Jack Hughes — Person · Referenced NHL player (used in joke/banter) · 4 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a topical NHL star in a comedic aside, signaling current NHL storylines and player awareness during the hosts’ banter.
  • Frank the Tank — Person · Referenced friend/acquaintance (story participant) · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as the host’s buddy “Frank” during the Florida Panthers 50/50 winnings story; used to add color and credibility to the anecdote.
    Left in the third and then I got the text on the way home and I actually thought it was a joke. Like me and my buddy Frank, we were dying laughing and then the guy's Hey, can…
  • Danny Gallivan — Person · Referenced person (name mentioned in 50/50 payout story) · 2 mentions · first at
    A “Danny” is referenced as someone who would meet the host to handle the Florida Panthers 50/50 payout logistics; the transcript does not establish this as the famed broadcaster Danny Gallivan, so identity is uncertain.
    Of the one of the girls who worked for me, Danny, will come and meet you. And I'm Fuck, there used to be a girl that used to help us out with the charity stuff to work for the Panthers.
  • Tate McCrae — Person · Referenced pop-culture figure · 2 mentions · first at
    Not actually present in the provided transcript context; likely an extraction error or from a different portion of the episode not included here.
    They'll iron it out. And then, actually TMZ just posted a few hours ago, Jack and Tate, kind of wandering around, strolling around NYC this morning. So, wow.
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger — Person · Referenced celebrity (analogy/comedic reference) · 1 mention · first at
    Not actually present in the provided transcript context; likely an extraction error or from a different portion of the episode not included here.
    Yeah. Is he actually going to he's going to do is he doing Frank's walk?
  • Foster Hewitt — Person · Referenced historical broadcaster · 1 mention · first at
    Not actually present in the provided transcript context; likely an extraction error or from a different portion of the episode not included here.
    Muck trying to get anywhere close to him. He was unbelievable. He was a tremendous individual. and Foster of course was doing the Leaf game so we loved him. Can you talk a…
  • Harold Ballard — Person · Referenced historical sports executive · 1 mention · first at
    Not actually present in the provided transcript context; likely an extraction error or from a different portion of the episode not included here.
    Well, we had Harold running the operation, right? And Harold I don't know as Harold liked me very much but he loved me usually when we were out walking around maybe in St. Louis or.

Companies & orgs

  • Toronto Maple Leafs — Company · Referenced team · 3 mentions · first at
    Discussed in the context of their performance and the interview with Joe Bowen, their play-by-play announcer.
  • Buffalo Sabres — Company · Referenced team · 2 mentions · first at
    Discussed in the context of their recent performance and playoff chances.
  • Nova Scotia Voyagers — Company · Incidental mention · 2 mentions
    Mentioned in passing without significant context.
  • Noble — Company · Incidental mention · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned in passing without significant context.
  • Sudbury Wolves — Company · Incidental mention · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned in passing without significant context.
    Radio station in Sbury and was part owner of the Sbury Wolves. So, that's, I walked down the hall one day when the former announcer was going to the CBC and I said, Mr. Plot, I'd like to audition for this. And he said, No, I've heard you.

Concepts & topics

  • Kwanzaa — Concept · Cultural reference · 4 mentions
    Discussed as part of a conversation about holiday celebrations.

Places & events

  • Miami — Place · Setting · 3 mentions
    Mentioned as the location for the upcoming NHL Winter Classic.
    Tickets, cash back on French fries. They always include that. I love my French fries. The Discover NHL Winter Classic is taking place on January 2nd, 2026 in Miami, Florida.…

Sponsors

  • National Hockey League — Company · Sponsor · 6 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as the official league sponsored by Discover, highlighting their partnership.
    Tickets, cash back on French fries. They always include that. I love my French fries. The Discover NHL Winter Classic is taking place on January 2nd, 2026 in Miami, Florida.…
  • Discover — Company · Sponsor · 2 mentions · first at
    Primary sponsor of the podcast, mentioned in an ad read.
    What is up, folks? Welcome to episode 607 of the Spit Chicks podcast, presented by Discover. We're sponsored by Discover, the official credit card of the National Hockey…
  • Cook Unity — Company · Sponsor · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned in an ad read promoting their holiday meals.

Full transcript with timestamps

Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle. That is Basel Sports. I uh brought it toward the Coyotes and I asked him if it was okay if I joined the Spit Chicks podcast full time.

Ryan Whitney got a pink Whitney out there now. Bagger. Get that on camera. Yandle the song man is a full-time member. Marley just got an assist from Chris B. Whoa. We're buzzing right now. Honk.

What is up, folks? Welcome to episode 607 of the Spit Chicks podcast, presented by Discover. We're sponsored by Discover, the official credit card of the National Hockey League. No matter if your team wins or loses, Discover is there for you with cash back on all of your postgame purchases. With the Discover IT card, you can earn cash back on every purchase to celebratory wings just got even tastier. Learn more at discover.com/creditard. Cash back on team gear, cash back on tickets, cash back on French fries. They always include that. I love my French fries. The Discover NHL Winter Classic is taking place on January 2nd, 2026 in Miami, Florida. Tune in to TNT and Biznasty. Get cash back on every purchase with the Discover it card.

Learn more at discover.com/creditard. Boys, boys, boys, boys, boys. Last show before Christmas. What is up, [ __ ] beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Speaking of amazing voice with Kee, that that was incredible. You got that low level. Joe Bowen joined. We just finished the interview. The voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs over 3,000 games in the Hockey Hall of Fame. An incredible guy, an awesome interview, a comedian basically. I'd love to have a drink with him or as he calls it a crown and diet diet soda, I believe. Diet Coke. Um, what a guy. So, I hope everyone tunes in that interview. It was awesome. Biz, how's Vancouver? How was the weekend?

Oh, it was great. Got to spend some times with some friends. Went to an awesome lunch on Friday at a place called

Salad. What do you mean salad? Did you get a salad? Uh, I believe we started with a salad, but that was just

Yeah. And then we had 14 different fishes to the table just like we did in in LA. But no, it was good to spend a little time uh with with the whole crew.

Um, ended up going on a double date with Pasha. That was fun. Uh we don't need to get too much into the details. Wow. Is Pasha like uh is he just is he like holding hands like whispering sweet nothings during lunch? Yeah.

Absolutely. Was it his girlfriend's friend? Yep. Yeah. We're not going to get too much into the details. I just thought I'd say that to Yes. get you guys fired up. We had a great

How did the night end? We had a great double date. Posasha lined it up and uh we went to an awesome another Italian restaurant. But uh overall just filled up the love love tank with friends. uh around the area here in Vancouver and uh yeah, it was it was a great weekend and yesterday I was supposed to fly home uh and then my flight got completely cancelled. So I was like ah well we got the pod today I'm just going to stick around and we're going to interview Joe Bowen and spark the Leafs up cuz this is the spark they needed. The run starts now. It's exactly where Bub was when he won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues and they are dead last in the league. So, anything to get the Maple Leafs going, we're trying it. And getting Hall of Fame announcer uh and play-by-play guy Joe Bowling on is is the key to this.

Yeah. Imagine imagine there's their whispers at lunch. It's like Biz is like, "I'm going to turn you to a pretzel later." And then Pasha's like, "Jack Hughes is back tonight, baby." And then the waiter's like, "What the [ __ ] is going on with these two guys right now?"

That's basically your your romantic Christmas lunch with Pasha. It's a smart move by Biz taking a girl out to eat on the first date because if you can get through the way he eats at dinner or lunch,

you can get through anything. You know what I mean? So, that's a very smart move by Pasha and his girl cuz it could if she sees you eat, she could either be like, "Oh my god, I can never do this again." Or she's just like, "I'm into farm animals."

I actually ate before I went to dinner so she didn't have to witness it. Yeah. Really?

Yeah. Yeah, that's how I get. She left before like she left after you ordered possibly and you're not even including that. Like she didn't even get to stay for the meal. You changed so many things on each menu item that she's like, I'm out.

For everybody listening, this is why I mention that so these guys could just carve me for 4 minutes about my ordering, my eating. This is what I would do. This is what I would do every morning in the Coyotes locker room. I would just throw up a big softball of Yans and then shrapnel. Next thing you know, practice is starting in the day in the hour and a half that is usually mundane. It's fun.

Oh yeah, that's what we needed to do. But uh it was great, man. And and obviously took in a lot of hockey this weekend. Some great matchups. I mean Minnesota

Sunday you called them. You called out the league. It was I think we had 10 games.

Yeah. Yeah. Goodell's uh shaking in his boots right now. But I mean with with the addition of Quinn Hughes I feel like Minnesota like every time they're on I want to watch them just as much as I watch Colorado. It turns out who do they get to play this weekend? They get Edmonton and then Colorado on a backto back. So uh just so fun watching those games. Obviously the Leafs who have been in struggling mightily. Um the Buffalo Sabers. So we got a lot to dive into but uh just an incredible weekend of hockey and and things are rolling in the National Hockey League. What? Wait, whoa. What did you guys get up to this weekend?

Yeah. What did you do? Exciting. Uh, oh, wait. You went and collected your 5050 winnings. We kind of dove into that last pod a little bit. What did you end up winning at a at a Florida Panthers 50/50? Uh, rap. Like, what is that? You probably, it's probably an IOU. You owe them more money.

Yeah, it was it was funny cuz like the guy guy was texting me. He's like, "Hey, can you come and get this?" cuz I had left the game early with like 10 minutes left in the third and then I got the text on the way home and I actually thought it was a joke. Like me and my buddy Frank, we were dying laughing and then the guy's like, "Hey, can you come in the next few days to pick it up?" I'm like, "Yeah, sure." He's like, "Uh, one of the one of the girls who worked for me, Danny, will come and meet you." And I'm like, "Fuck, there used to be a girl that used to help us out with the charity stuff to work for the Panthers.

I hope it's not her. Like I hope it's just I thought it was like an outside energy entity that took care of it, but no, it's the Florida Panthers. So I walk in there and it's all these people that I used to work with. They're dying laughing. They're like, "This actually worked out great cuz all these people think the 50/50 is fake and that nobody wins it." And I'm like, "Well, now they're really going to think it's fake." Uh so we're going to do

You're not leaving with this check, right? Back to us. Yeah, it's it's basically a give back. But, uh, yeah, all it honestly made for a fun ride. Uh, go go go to the ranks, see the people, and and sign out my life, give them my W2s and all that stuff. Um, but yeah, it was funny. Uh, so haven't haven't got it yet. I think, uh, I don't know when they send it, and then I have to send it back. So, that was good. The Friday night, uh,

Abbottzford Heat, the Canucks farm team, waiting on their rings. I saw that story. Come on, guys. Get the guys their rings here. I mean, you grind. You're basically losing money when you win the Calder Cup. You're still paying rent. Yeah. As a player, you're just grinding love of the game. Love to try to get a title like Biz did.

I mean, I remember we went to the Calder Cup finals in Wilks right after I left be. And it's a lot, dude. You're kind of like, "Fuck, man. This is a long season, but I'm trying to get a ring here." Now, they don't even get the rings. What's going on there?

Uh, basically, the way like what you're describing, though, is like we went all the way to the finals and didn't win. And I believe the team who wins the Calder Cup or at least at the time would make double of what the losing team would make. So I want to say after that full run to the to the finals when I was with Wils Bear, we might have gotten like 11 grand. Well, you have to extend your lease at your apartment for two and a half more months. You're paying for for more food and and bills and everything like that. So you're basically at a break even. So these guys grind all the way. Ended up winning the final. I get I think they beat the Charlotte checkers and now um you know the Vancouver Conucks are kind of getting emails about hey where the [ __ ] are our rings? We didn't make any money.

We're hoping to pawn these bad boys off so we can make a little bit of coin for that run we just went on. So on top of that we got the ECHL players striking. So there's a lot going on in these minor leagues right now.

Yeah. Can you go into now the only thing that was going to come from us being small small minority owners of an East Coast Hockey League team is is basically the league falling apart. So I mean we mush any team we pump their tires and any team we chirp they go on sixgame winning streak. Shout out Buffalo. We've gotten into the East Coast Hockey League and now the the players are going on strike. Do you can you explain what's happening? Because I'll speak out against the owners. I'll be player side like [ __ ] [ __ ] the owners. [ __ ] myself.

[ __ ] you. [ __ ] you. Take my stake in the team. Take it. I don't want it. I don't want to screw over any players living in in in some, you know, maybe not great areas. Although Greensboro is beautiful and and be grinding through the East Coast Hockey League. Keith said it earlier. They probably just want like a stick. Oh, well, first of all, like uh on a more serious note, like I feel like some of the stuff that I heard from the player rep was like pretty basic stuff like bumping up uh the pium impact on the road so these guys can go eat uh and and at your house,

not not come out of pocket for meals. Um there they do have a um a deal. I believe it's with Warrior. And a lot of the players who especially some who have dealt with concussions, they don't want to wear the warrior helmet cuz maybe it's not it's not comfortable or it doesn't fit their noggin. Like I feel like the helmet is the one piece of equipment that you should be able to say no that's what I want to wear. Obviously skates too, but we're talking about concussions here. So they made a rule that the only way that you could get out of wearing a warrior bucket was if you'd had a concussion where it's like no,

let's wait till they all get one. to send in the doctor's note so they could switch out. To me, that's completely ridiculous. No, that's a laundry list of stuff that I don't know why the the some of the owners were pushing back on. Now, mind you, the Greensboro ownership group, we don't have say um in a sense of the the the first vote or the vote that went on like recently where now we're they're dealing with a strike. So, all I'll say like get back to the table. all these reasonable requests, just check them off the list because like at this point, if they're going to keep bickering, like I don't want any involvement in this because I feel like the players deserve everything that they're asking for, including including to raise the the league minimum up to a reasonable amount. I know when I played, um, the league minimum was $250 in in in the ECHL. Keep in mind folks at home like

a week now they they had their their living um covered and obviously all the gear and and whatever gear that they could get at that time. I believe at league minimum now is 550 per week and they're asking for that to get bumped up to a certain amount. So listen, I' I'm not at the negotiating table, but everything when I talked to the player uh representation was sounded very reasonable in order to get. So, I would imagine that this doesn't last very long. So, um we dealt with that situation when they when they um the ECL player relief fund when COVID was going on when all of a sudden, yeah, I get that the ownership owners were were struggling because there was going to be no gate, but the players were going to basically be out of 80% of their salary and um everybody ended up stepping up and figuring out how to make that work and getting the players paid even though they weren't playing hockey. But I

definitely imagine in this situation that that the owners will have to step up and figure out how to uh properly compensate these players. And that's really all I can say right now cuz I'm not in the midst of it. I just got a text about it and I'm like, "Hey man, anything you need from us. I was a former player in the ECHL. I feel like everything that I'm hearing right now is very reasonable. Let's just get this [ __ ] thing done."

And biz at the end of the day who it's hurting the players and the people who go and watch it. and some of those small towns, like that's all they have in those cities. Like that's what their date nights are. That's what they're bringing their kids to do to waste time on a weekend. So, you can't take this away from them. You got to give them what they deserve. And obviously, like you said, they're not asking for the moon, right? They're asking for a couple extra bucks and, you know, the right equipment to keep each other safe, too, right? So, I think it's a

no helmet like ah, I don't think this is going to cut it. Uh but um also keep in mind uh I would say at least half the rosters on these ECHL teams are NHL affiliated where these guys have signed NHL contracts. So those aren't the guys who are making league minimum in the ECHL. There's probably a few guys per team, but they're just simply trying to get that bumped up to a reasonable amount where guys who play in the ECL who are on NHL contracts, the least they can make is the AHL deal that they sign. So some of these guys on entry levels with their signing bonus and let's say they're making like 6570 in the American League, majority of them are making over 100k USD. That's what I made at at the time when I when I signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. I had 175k signing bonus and I want to say I made 55605 my first three years on that entry level. So with the bonus check you're getting every year including your

salary, I was just I think I was at 105 maybe 110 per season on average. So remember that's back then the cost of living and all these things have gone up. So I feel like if you're playing in the ECL and the least amount you're making should be around that, you know, 55 60k mark like may maybe maybe a little bit less than that. You roll your eyes with but it's hard, right?

No, no. I'm saying I'm saying I agree with you. I'm saying like, yeah, it seems like

that that that's doable. No wonder why guys are leaving the AHL to go play in college.

Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah. Yeah. So, I remember I'm not as informed as the the representation for the ECL players would be. So, I the PHPA, they can tell you everything you need to know about what they're the owners are being completely unreasonable about. The helmet thing seem very odd. The PDM situation seem very odd. and also the the bumping up league minimum. So, I don't know what the laundry list is. Go look into it if you're that interested, but it's clear that we're a player podcast. We're going to support the players. And if it came down to me having to fork over my less than 1% share of the Greensboro Gargoyles, [ __ ] take it. Give it to the guys. I don't care. I just want to see hockey in Greensboro thrive and and guys in the ECL get what they think that they deserve. So, shout out to the ECL.

like uh a an owner that's crossed the picket line and been out there with the players because we could be out there. We could get like some helmets. Not maybe the helmets they want and then we're out there and we're just looking at like our our counterparts on the other side. Help these guys out and we're just chanting and cheering. I I could do that. I could see ourselves all doing that.

Well, the way that our our fans are revoling, I might be back playing in the ECHL before I know it. So, who knows, man. after this after this.

Yeah, some people really hate our guts. Um, and now listen, I've I've had a long time since I was in Edmonton and the end of Pittsburgh. Uh, and the Ducks fans were quiet, but they were out there. People have hated me for for many. So, I don't love that any of the Chicklets fans hate us now, but what are you going to do? I still love you. I still love you. I don't care if you hate me. I love you. And you can remember every night as you hate me and you write me mean things. I still love you. and I wish the best things happen to you and I wish that you have a wonderful Christmas or Hanukkah or Quanza whatever you celebrate. I love you even though you hate me. Um

I got a question. What's Quanzo? I think Quanza is a African celebration of Christmas. Now that might be completely inaccurate. You've heard Quanzo which is even

quanzo might be like an old game on the Price is Right. I think Quanza is a is a legitimate celebration African celebration of Christmas. G maybe Guanza is an annual non-religious celebration of African-American culture, community, and heritage observed from December 26th to January 1st. Founded in 1966 by Dr. Muana Korena, it is based on African harvest festival traditions and aims to reaffirm cultural ties and community bonds in the African diaspora. So, I've said this before. My mother was born in Chicago and she's 50% black because my grandfather was full full full black.

Um, c can I celebrate Kwanza? 100%. Anyone can. That's the best part about all these different you could, you know, you could celebrate anything you want, right? I mean, there may be people who really are disappointed we left YouTube for Netflix on the podcast episodes that say you can't celebrate anything.

Yeah. But I'm telling you, Bis, what I say, I love you. I love you too, buddy. I think I I I would assume by reading this too about Quanza, there's not really like a gift giving situation. So, I'm really down with this. We actually should celebrate Festivus. And do you know what Festus is? Did you ever watch Seinfeld?

I I did. I remember seeing the episode, but can you remind me for for our young listeners? There's a that that was a a Castanza household um Christmas tradition in which I believe instead of a tree they just had like a metal pole in the house and you'd sit around dinner and you'd tell each person something you didn't like about them. So it was a very you know it was kind of like what people are telling us about Netflix. We're celebrating festivist but we're just hearing what people hate about us. And guess what? When it's my turn to say something bad about you I'm going to say I love you. I love your Christmas sweater. I love the beard that you have where you you or maybe if you shaved your beard you missed a spot, but I still love it and I love all of you guys. Okay, I promise you that. Um I also I also this weekend I had to remind Ryder. So we're passing the pads for town hockey team. Um this is the might

team passing the pads. It was his turn to play goalie. The pads, let me say they're disgraced. They're they're my they're basically street hockey pads. They don't get tight enough. It's kind of been like an issue, but whatever. They're the pads we have. And he played goalie and he went down and the pad moved. And for an eight-year-old, kid shot it pretty hard right off the kneecap. I knew right away. And when Ry Ryder's had a lot of big spills, right, he gets knocked down a little bit. Very skinny kid. Um he always pops back up though. And as my wife said, like I don't know if that's cuz like he's a tough kid. I think he is. You know, he's like he knows I got to get up. I'm not injured. I got to get up. Or he's just petrified of you. He always gets up.

This one I could hear the tears. I went out there, there was 6 minutes left. I think we were down 83. Um, and I'm down there. I'm like, "Buddy," and he's crying. He's crying. I'm like, "Buddy, oh my god, that must have hurt. I can't imagine how much that hurt. You You got to get up. You got You got to finish the game." And he got up. He gingerely got up through the tears. Next six minutes, he cried the whole time, but he finished the game. He finished the game. And I said, I go, "Don't go down again. These pads are trash. Stay up. Just stay up."

He went Exactly. He went down again. And I'm like, "Oh, no." But that one, the pad didn't move. So, a lot of credit to Ryder for just grinding through a puck off the kneecap, which listen, it was a cold rink. Randolph Randolph rink.

Should the chicklets guys invest in getting like a new set of goalie gear for your kids team? It'd be fun.

We got to get I got to buy some pads for Milton youth hockey. I Youth Hockey is striking till they get new hockey. Great people, great youth hockey program. I think we have the most teams in the state of Massachusetts. Like Milton Youth Hockey, tons of kids play here. So, I got to go get them some pads for that might team. I got to do it. I I now saying it publicly, I have to go do it. I'm just going to tell them as I give them the pads. I love you.

That was my jerseys as my jerseys hanging in my jerseys hanging in that rink. I'll buy the pads as an alumni.

Keith, actually, I was told a funny story about you the other day. I've become close with Kevin who runs the rank. Great dude. And um there was Yeah, Bur he was he said like a couple years ago you were still playing, you were skating and there was a bunch of guys that were painting and redoing some of the the locker room. I think the new locker room for Milton varsity team and um they were like you were out there skating, you were snapping it off the crossbar, off the post, off the crossbar, off the post and these guys are like he's not very good. He's not he's not scoring at all. He keeps missing the net or hitting the crossbar.

And Kevin's like, "No, dude. He's that's what he's trying to do. He doesn't have a goalie, so he's working on his accuracy to hit this small little post or small little crossbar." And they went, "Oh." It was very enlighting for a couple of guys that were painters and construction workers that didn't know anything about hockey. So he also said that guy would just come out with the stopwatch and bag himself for an hour. I said, "Yeah, that's the ends." He worked his balls off. I taught him the way to do it. That's what Cuz I love you, Keith. I love

um I like the theme of this podcast and we're going to be putting that 50/50 money to use uh with you getting the new pads

for pads. Exactly. So, what would you want any logo on it or or what uh what would you put on the pads?

A red and white. A nice red and white if you could get red and white and then the M half of the M on the right pad and half and the M on the left pad. Now we're talking. Now we're talking right now.

So, um yeah, great weekend. I got two more sleeps and the wife's home. It'll be Christmas Eve. Kids are very excited. I've had two very close calls with Keithy. That's our elf. You know, Elf on the Shelf. Talked about him many times. There's Snoop on the stoop. We've talked about that. Well, Brie said before she left, she's like, "You can't forget to move Keith every night. Don't forget to move Keithy." Twice I've come down like with Ryder in the morning and he goes to look. And I'm like, "No." And so I go, "Oh my god, I heard something down in the bathroom underneath the stairs." And then I run and get Keithy and move him quick. So, I've been disappointed in that. Haven't been caught. Keithy has still been moving back and forth. He's shaking. He's telling everyone he loves him on the trip back to the North Pole every night. So, I'm safe with that. But there's been close calls with me sneaking around. Like today, I had a

towel on. I had to shove him under the towel as I walk by Ryder to get into the I put him on the tree. Bang. [clears throat] He's up top. So, tree looks great. Lights look great. Rink's awesome. The Yandal Boys came over yesterday. So, Bry came over with Brian, Colin, and Liam. They stayed outside. Liam was outside for two hours with the kids. Colin and Brian went out there were watching football. It was great. Two hours. Bunzo's son, my son, and Ryder and Wide are out there and the older boys, they're out there and you know those young kids when they're skating with the older kids, they just want to impress them. They just want to stay out there forever. So, it was it was a wonderful Sunday. Like one of those Sundays, you're sitting around, you're looking at your good friends, lifelong friends. You say, "Buddy, I hope you know I love you and please get a Netflix subscription." That's kind of

how it went. So they have it. They have it. The hockey was awesome. We turned on we took we we turned off football for the ABS and the uh the Wild. You mentioned that Quick Biz Wild on this tear 4-0 with Quinn Hughes. And then the ABS came into town and it's like measuring stick. I

don't think I don't think so. You're a very good team, but we are the ABS. There was a little bit of like uh animosity going into that one. At least the fans were talking about it a lot. Uh, somebody said, now I I I didn't look into this enough that the the ABS broadcast team might have mentioned like, oh, how he was Walstead was over celebrating right now.

Kind of felt that bizarre cuz we've complimented Colorado in the way that their broadcast team can light up a game, make it so exciting, and the enthusiasm they bring. I would say easily top three broadcast in the NHL. I don't think that the players on the ice and the way that they play heard it. the fact that every night's an electric factory, but I was surprised to see that that Walad's uh celebration

really wasn't the celebration o only. It was his quote after in which he said they asked like, oh, you know, what does it mean to beat those guys and he said, uh, I guess it means we're better than them or we're a better team. So, I believe that that's what was the animosity was the

So, it wasn't simply the celebration. Okay. Oh, do you? Okay. So, what do you make of of that comment? I don't think that that's that inflammatory. No.

Hey, we're talking about it right now. And people were talking about it after that original game they had. So, I love it. I love it. Any of that stuff I'm a big fan of. Now, maybe when I was playing, if I was on a team, I'd be like, "Oh, maybe I would have been the guy saying something that was considered stupid in in hockey circles and not giving teams ammo." I love it. And who knows, he might have not even like it. It's just like, I don't know, we just beat him. maybe we're the better team. Like it was probably a throwaway comment that he didn't think twice about after.

But you know, the dog and when he's barking and when he seems to feel a little disrespected. Now, by the way, the dog right now is on pace for 70 goals. Like, I think we're witnessing. But Biz, I'll say this, he's not the leading scoreer in the NHL anymore because McDavid has over, it's one point right now, but the dog is on a mission. Um, the ABS are on a mission. The ABS are quite literally better than way better than everyone else. I think they're probably more fun to watch than everyone else. So, if you're going to disrespect them in their mind, you better be ready to play when we come into town.

Yeah. Also, might be one of those things where they're running through the league so easily right now that you just I mean, we've talked about it before. I think it was Jordan where some games it would he would make up stories in his head of like a fan saying something to where people were like, "I don't think he said anything, dude." And he would be like, "No, he said I was [ __ ] I'm going to [ __ ] light them up now. And it's like, no, no. So, kind of like almost like fabricating a little bit in order to it to to get you going through the doldrums of the season when you're [ __ ] walking through the rest of the league. Keep in mind though, Minnesota, they ended up playing less than 24 hours before that and having a nice big win against the Edmonton Oilers who have been redot. So, you got to go go play a game less than 24 hours later in a backtoback against a team who's just salivating and waiting to [ __ ] bend

you over after your goalie uh won a game and had some interesting comments to follow up. So, I guess I love the storyline. I guess I was a little surprised that it was if it was just the pumpern nickel. Like that's what they're getting all fired up about. But it's clear who the better team in the league is right now because it is the Colorado Avalanche in a league of their own and then everybody else. And they proved that on that Sunday drumming of the Minnesota Wild.

It's also too it's it's in division rivalries that we're getting out of this. And you play all these teams. They're going to see each other in playoffs most likely. So it it adds to the fuel of the fire of just teams hating each other which at the end of the day we love to see that like the play the players love to see it. It makes games like you said during the doldrums of the season that makes it makes it a little easier to get up for right. So I [ __ ] love it. Walstead also too it's he's not American. He's not Canadian. It could get lost in translation what he said. He probably didn't mean it like we're a better team.

Like he has eyes. He knows that Colorado is the the class of the league right now. So, at the end of the day, it's a fun fun, you know, little battle that we got going and it's going to last till playoffs.

And you alluded to it, Yans, like that that division. Top three teams in the NHL are in one division. Talk about an absolute gauntlet right now. You got you got ABS at the top, Dallas to follow, and then Mini right behind. So, um, this kind of brings up a larger discussion and and now that Minnesota is mustwatch TV. I was talking with G and and I mentioned it via text with you guys and I don't know if it's something that the players would want, but and I know that in this next CBA it got dropped down a year. So now if you're on a team um currently you're able to resign for seven years whereas if you go to uh to another team as a free agent now it's 6 years where it was

after this summer after this summer. After this summer right that's the new CBA in which they lock down. So they bumped down the the the length of deals by one year in each of the situations. Once again eight years was the old rule for a team that you were already with. Seven if you went to a new team. Now, it's going to be seven for a team that you're with, six for a new team. I would even be okay um moving forward, especially with the amount that the players are making and seeing moves like we just saw with Quinn Hughes, I would be okay for five years on a team that you're currently with and four for a team that you're now going to as a free agent. Uh some teams who have had dynasties and have had players along for a very long time, I'd say absolutely not. if we draft a guy, we want to make sure we lock that guy in for eight years, seven years now. But and and I understand that and maybe even some

players would be like, absolutely not. We want the the longevity and want to make sure we have the security of signing these these long-term deals. Now, I'm just saying for the top end guys who, in my opinion, who should have the most say, like all the top end dogs who are making all the money and driving the traffic for the league, the the McDavids, the McKinnons, the the the the Hueses, the the Mars, I I wouldn't mind that that five years because of where the tags would be and then there would be no real leaving money on the table.

You're going for the top dollar. And I think from a from a like ownership perspective, they would be thrilled with it because they don't have a problem paying the top dollar. I think what they have more of an issue with is is most of times in in years maybe six, especially seven and eight. How well are these guys playing up to that contract? And how many times do you see where guys probably are by a time at the end of those deals where the money keeps being brought up with what they're making based on what they're contributing that they would probably want out of that team in that situation to begin with.

Like look at Darnell. Remember the Longo? Remember the Longo being like my contract sucks.

Yeah. I would say at least 50% of these eight-year deals or even seven teams are kind of teams and players are kind of like, "Oh god, I wish this would have ended where he was kind of like at his prime and then now he's s signing for a fair dollar amount and maybe even off to a better situation and not being ragged on." Like you think Darnell wants to be getting [ __ ] ragged on where every time his name's brought up in Edmonton that all they can mention is is that that tag and that number? So

well that's one but that's one where it goes against the opposite would be like well I made whatever it is 77 million. dope.

Okay. So, but I would also like to ask um I mean he's in a different situation because he's on a great team and he's probably loving life and the fact that they're going to the finals, but in most cases like that's the last thing that the guy wants to constantly hear over the course of that length of of deal. And I would imagine that he would be okay how many guys would be okay with making a million maybe a million and a half less on the same term if not a little bit longer now that he's gotten a new deal. And that's not being brought up in every single discussion. And the main reason why I bring this up is it makes the league so much more interesting where you're gonna see more deals like we saw with Quinn Hughes where you're getting a guy who's in his prime who ends up getting to move over and you're making a a good team into now a great competitive team where I want I want the top 16 teams to be flat out the

best teams in the league where the the top or the bottom 10 I don't give a [ __ ] if they have one superstar going into the back half of the season and into playoffs. Like, I genuinely don't care because they're going to be able to reload their organization quicker with the fact that when it's their turn to to have all these guys, they can sign them to the four, fiveyear, big year deals and then eventually move on. Do you kind you get what I'm saying? I want to see more deals like the Quinn Hughes deals to make more super teams because the hockeyy's way better. I want to watch more ABS verse verse uh um uh Edmonton or more ABS verse Minnesota's than watch any of the shittier teams go at the good teams or even going shitty teams on shitty teams some of this hockey man it's pretty pretty not it's not good to watch

yeah the no watch list teams are it's growing yeah it's growing and that those games when they're on it's like all right

I'm going to probably click over to Netflix here and maybe find a new Oh, I I Keith, I'll say the best players I actually think like what Matthews did. I think it's a no-brainer to sign four or five years and hit it again and hit it again and your hit is so big each year. Your numbers so big, you're you're making so much money in the four or five year deal anyways that it's not like but then with the eight-year deal and now it's seven, like a guy like Trent Frederick, you know, gets 24 million bucks over eight years.

now hasn't worked out great for him so far in Edmonton. But it's the guys like, "Thank God I got that 8-year deal. I made 24 million." That's why I said some of the players would be like, "Oh, I just want the the security, but in the same breath, I was more mentioning it for the top guys where they won't feel as uh they won't feel as pressured to give a hometown discount because it's such a shorter amount of time where like now a team isn't nec if if the Trent Frederick and the way that he's been playing continues through over the course of of his entire contract, well buddy, years three through eight, man, like that's going to be hell. for for not only you're in the minor it's just very negative where but that 5year term to me feels like a very good place where you won't it won't be dragging out and the media won't be getting on him the the fans won't be getting on on him and once again like if if he's still getting

a 5year deal at two two and a half per year this guy won't be starving he ain't going full Odell Beckham Jr on that money

yeah well it's I mean I I would hate to take it away just because of what you said the the guys that have earned that money and signed those big deals that aren't the superstars of the league like like you said. We'll use Trent Frederick for an example this whole time, but he wouldn't if he signed a two or three year deal, he might be out of the league in two years, you know what I mean? Or somebody else, not him, but like these big guys take your advice and then just sign those deals. But keep that keep the, you know,

the ability for the other guys. Yeah. keep that ability for the guys to, you know, secure a bag. Whether it's a, you know, seven-year deal worth3 million, that's still that's life-changing money for those guys where the big boys like Matthews has done and Connor just did, sign the threeyear, fouryear deal. If you think that your team isn't going to be, you know, putting out the product that you want, but also if guys are happy there, like you tell me Barkov wouldn't want to sign another eight year or sevenyear deal next year or whenever he can. Like, if you're happy somewhere, then why not be able to have it? But I do agree with you that the big dog shouldn't be signing the long-term deals just to, you know, if [ __ ] does go wrong.

Well, it's it it tests it tests loyalty. It creates way more dialogue is like, oh, like I don't know where the direction of this organization's heading, you know, is he going to resign? And then going back to why we were talking about Minnesota and Quinn Hughes, like I want to see more top end guys move to like a super team

to just watch better. People like the parody of the league. That's the I know. But the par and I've been beating that drum and I agree. I do enjoy that there's a lot of teams engaged and involved in it. But once you get closer to the deadline, you're going to see more movement from these big names where it's going to make, you know, above average teams great or great teams, super teams where once again, when is everybody engaged and dialed in to watch hockey

NHL playoff time? Well, also what you what you haven't or you might have said it earlier, but if all these guys if the max deal was five years, okay, that means more and more that the money is going to go up cuz a superstars 5year deal ends. Oh, he and he gets 16 a year. I mean, Capri off's on like his own planet right now and then all of a sudden two years later, oh, it's 17, then it's 19. So it actually owners might dislike it based on the fact that like the price is still going to keep going up quicker than it has been.

I'd be curious to Well, I mean Minnesota being a prime example, I don't think they would mind it cuz look how much money they ended up spending in buyouts for Pereiz and Sudter.

Like that's that that's where that's the the [ __ ] side of it for the owners where I would I would kind of prefer that. I'd rather pay guys who are producing on the ice in real time rather than be dishing out money once, okay, well, we had to give them eight years cuz they had the leverage, but they're not even playing up to what they were doing before. So, I think it would just make make everything overall more exciting, more high-end trades, more super teams. Yes, the parody would still be there up until a certain point where okay, this guy's got either a year left or he's coming to the end of his deal where let's just move guys are coming up more frequently.

Let's move them. Let's move them. Let's move them. I don't know. That's I just want to watch better hockey.

I think it'll also it'll shorten guys careers like those, you know, the third fourth line, the fifth six D man. like they'll be so much more uh they'll be able to interchange them and bring in younger guys as opposed to when they are on a long-term contract. They have to stick around.

Yeah. I I I want I wonder what players would would rather I mean I I'm I'm guessing they'd probably stick because it's such a big union, right, that we like having as much security. But Biz, very interesting point.

And what keep in mind too though is is with that advancement, it's not like we talk about the the low end the guys like me, right? Like I I only played five years. Well, what if I could have signed a long term? But the league minimum would then go up like at that point maybe league minimum I mean when I started it was I think it was 400 grand maybe four and a quarter. So now all I think nowadays it's up to 900 maybe 9 and a half. So at that point the owners what they would be given back is more bumping up the amount that the players are getting in the shorter amount of time and also the bottom ed would actually go up. So the league men hopefully by then would be, you know, a million and a half at that point. So I get what you guys are saying to protect those types of guys, but it always goes back to the guys who are driving the league. What What do they want? What are the what are the top 50 players want as

far as getting their money quicker, not feeling obligated to take these hometown discounts? Because as good as Carrill's been and how much he deserves every cent that he signed for, I think Minnesota fans and some people were hoping that he was going to take a little bit of a discount. If it's a 5-year deal, there's no way these guys are taking discounts.

But at the end of at the end of the day, those big dogs, they can do whatever they want. If they wanted to sign a one-year deal every year, they're going to have a job. I'm more worried about the the middle of the pack guys.

Okay, fair enough. And and when you talk about the guys who are who are basically running the league or the the faces that people come and watch for and enjoy watching 20 years now it's been Sid and and what Sid did I I passing Mario is the all-time leading scoreer for the Pittsburgh Pans. I think we talked about it last episode. Mario 1,723 points in 915 games. Sid is now at 1724. He passed Mario. Um, now granted, a lot more games 1387. Uh, it kind of brings up a great discussion of like who is the greatest Penguin of all time. I'm biased. Well, I was lucky enough to play play with both of them. I got I think 12 games with Mario that last year. He played 26 games, still had 22 points, and then his heart issue forced him to retirement.

But Sid's quote after the game was like so interesting to me cuz he said uh on the fans reacting to his historic moments tonight. He said it's really special. You're trying to stay in the game but also try to enjoy the moment too. It's hard to balance that sometimes, especially as you get older. You tend to look at things a bit differently, which I was like, "Oh, like and and no question for him now." Like I imagine his his brain must have just been kind of running wild. Like I I just passed Mario. Look, I I have the most points in the history of this organization that had two of the greatest players that's ever played play here in in Mario and Joerger. But I was wondering, Keith or Bis, Keith, why don't you take it first like who is the greatest Penguin?

Yeah, I always kind of base it on like even when talking about old school guys like the Bobbyors of the world. Like I didn't I I wasn't able to watch them as much. Mario you saw a little bit more of, but just being in the league when Sid was in there for what he did for the league on and off the ice. Like the I had the utmost respect for Sid and just the longevity like the the the fact that he's been touted this the the savior since he was what 12 13 years old like in and the fact that he's lived up to it. Like how many athletes like I was trying to think like him and LeBron who have had this tag of being you know superstar franchise league player face of the league players since they were at a young age have lived up to it like to have that pressure and to bring it every single year and to not have any blemishes off the ice like it's it's truly amazing to me of what he's done uh consumate pro like you think of the

little things like I remember in his first couple years people would talk about he's oh he's not great on faceoffs like uh he's got like he was 40 he was in the 40% and he's been over 50% every other I think four times in his career he hasn't been over 50% so just you know he's working on stuff in the summertime getting better uh so for me it's got to be Sid just cuz I saw it all I was able to enjoy able to play against him so just the fact and then the fact that you're passing Mario a guy that he looked up to I think he lived with him right Whit like he's it's like

and the Mario when he got drafted he's in the suit he's standing behind It's like it just the fact it worked out like this. I last episode I said like

in Penguins fans wildest dreams they wouldn't have thought that he would have broken that record.

And it's like it the biz is is the NHL in the uh in in a simulation like he does it against the team that he grew up rooting for against the Canadians and he did it in his what was it 1,700 or

1,387th game. So it's it's got his little touch on it. You know what I mean? It's crazy. So,

but you see his parents in the stands and everything like they've been there the whole ride. It's amazing.

You You literally just took the words out of my mother. It was really cool seeing his father getting emotional who's been a massive part of his career. Um, and who also I believe grew up a massive Habs fan. So, that's why everybody keeps making that connection as to where he's going to finish. But, um, I think he's going to be a forever Penguin at this point now, boys. And he's just going to keep going. I agree with you. I think he's going to end up hitting that 2,000 point mark. As far as it seems away right now, I think he's still playing in another Olympics. And to answer your question, I'm going to say Mario cuz I think Mario was basically like just as as like individually gifted um as Wayne Gretzky, maybe slightly below, but of course with with everything that he went through health-wise and injury-wise with his back, he just didn't have the longevity.

But when you talk about sheer domination through a a period of time, he was like he was a god. He was a god amongst amongst boys. And you know, I think thankfully for that organization, he was also at the time willing to to forego money on the spot to even keep that organization a thing. Like that team shouldn't even be in Pittsburgh. And for him to to to to like uh basic what's the word I'm looking for when you don't take it right away the money you you

backload or Oh [ __ ] We're such dummies. We're dummies. I know. Exactly. Deferred.

It's a big word probably. Defer. Deferred. Defer. Thank you so much. He deferred 30 million bucks of of contract money at the time when he's basically going through the the probably the the back half of his career, not knowing what was going to go on, where the state of the the organization was going to go, not even the state of the league at that point. So, there were so many things that that factor into why I think that he's for sure the Penguins GOAT, but like you said with the fact that when he was drafted and he was there behind him in that picture to have imagined that he would be passing him in points um is unimaginable and he kind of set the you know he set the foundation for Sid to go on and have success and also got to live with them and having a mentor like that to start out your career in order to to catapult it to what he was able to become. I have to I have to give the nod

to to Mario Lemieux. Wait, wait, there are guys that say Mario is better than Wayne. No, like during that era like there I think Jogger when he was asked I think he said Mario is the greatest ever. So like

I mean the he did that in 917 games was it like that is insane. 15 95 and so I mean I I for me Mario was probably like more skilled. he was bigger and like just like his hand like this sounds insane. We're talking about Sydney Crosby, but it's more like the three cups, the two cups and and because of that like and the leading scoreer, it's like Crosby's the greatest Penguin of all time. Like, yeah, maybe if you look at like games Lemieux dominated, like Sid never did that, even though he had six-point games and all these records and all these incredible accomplishments, like Mario probably at times was more dominant considering we have people saying he was the best of all time, but it's that extra cup and um it's wild that like Crosby came there after Lemieux and McDavid's there, after Gretzky was in Edmonton and the simulation business talking about and the other thing about talking about Troy

Crosby, great guy. Um, when Sid was six or seven or nine years old and he's obsessed and he's shooting pucks into the dryer and even then like his wildest imagination wasn't this. I It couldn't have been. It couldn't have been because he, you know, he was a hockey fan. I believe he was drafted, right? It's like, all right, like, yeah, I think this kid's very special. Something's off. I mean, he's that good. He's that obsessed. But you couldn't imagine this. There's no way he could. So, it's just

and that's why Whit I'm okay with anybody who who has watched over the last 20 years saying Sydney Crosby because the longevity component isn't just luck. It has to do with the fact that for all these years Sid's doing five, six days a week of training. The minute the season ends, he takes a few weeks to hit the reset and he's right back to work. Um, always looking to advance. So, uh, and especially doing it, you know, over the last 10 or 10, 15 years when the game has accelerated to the level that it's at where there's nowhere, no more like backup shitty goalies, like the standard compared to what it used to be is so much better.

That the overall team structure and defenses like these guys don't have summer jobs. They are full-time, full-fledged athletes. you laugh, but back then I think that you know some of the guys that Lemieux was dancing

when Lemieux was playing, not when Lemieux I bet you I bet you there was a few guys when Lemieux started who probably had summer jobs. I bet you minimum back then was probably like

84. In 84 you think? But I don't think we got to find out. I don't think the money was really there until Wayne ended up moving on to to um

to what do you call it? To to LA. Like I think that I think that Gretzky when he was [ __ ] getting 200 points was making maybe a million dollars which is [ __ ] insane. Maybe even less. So I just think it's remarkable what Sid's done and I know we've gotten to that debate and it shouldn't take away from anything in the fact that he is the standard. Um I will debate you till the end of earth that by the time it's all said and done he has to be

on the Mount Rushmore. Oh yeah. He has to be. I don't know who you want to take off. That's a discussion that would be very difficult. I would love to ask Wayne and maybe even Mario what their opinions on that are, but you can't deny the fact that that Sid should be on the top four of all time.

And and and you know what my favorite thing is, and it's like Whit said to start off this show, just spreading the love. Mario would never say he's the best player. He would say Sid is. And Sid would never say he's the best player. So, it's just the classiness of hockey players in general, but especially the big dogs that the respect that they have for the guys that paved the way like we all do. It it it's truly remarkable what a class act he is.

No doubt. He's um let me see here. 0 and one in sandbaggers, but like an unbelievable guy.

Yeah. But if Mario could be 0 and one, too. Actually, no. He's nasty. He's 32 points away from from passing Eerman. Okay. And then we got

Marcel Dion next. Then he's got Marcel Dion about 44 points. Do you know who would be after that? I'll give you Gretzky Jagger Messier. How do you know who's fifth without looking?

No. No. No. Wasn't El. Yeah. Was was Francis a leaf at one point? I know he's a hurricane. I don't Why don't

I wasn't thinking him. I was thinking Sitler. Um, no. Ron France is fifth all time.

What a pull by busy boy here. I know. And he was a Leaf his last season. Oh, his last season in the league. He was on Carolina and was traded at the deadline to the Leafs. 10 points in his last 12 regular season games.

They booed him out of town. Uh but congrats to Sid. Incredible. Incredible stuff. Just to see Obie do the the goals last year and Sid

Boy, I get to tell my kids if I ever eventually have them that I played on a line with Sydney Crosby. I know. That's [ __ ] sick.

And I've never heard you say that either. So, it's like you'll be breaking that news to them.

Did you see our Corsy rating? If I would have played with Sid my whole career, I would have I think I would have hit the 500 point mark.

Yep. Yep. I know. If they just had Corsy back then, they would have kept you around longer.

I mean, Mario Lemieux, I sent him on a breakaway and he tapped me on the shin pads. Nice pass, kid. Like,

did he score? Did he score? No. Oh, no. Did you have any points with uh with Mario like assisted on him?

I I haven't I don't know. I wonder. I think I made Mario retire when I rounded the net and missed him by 15 ft and he's he's like I can't [ __ ] do this. I think he's like this guy's in Oh, this guy might must have a summer job though. He must

Here's here's why I also put Mario ahead of him. And I talked about the deferred money. He turned that deferred 30 million into 280 sheets.

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first order by using code chicklets or going to cook.com/chicklets. There was a couple trades, couple trades, uh, right before the holiday roster freeze. Philip Deno, no longer a member of the Los Angeles Kings. He's now with the Montreal Canadians. Um, I wasn't surprised considering there was rumblings everywhere that he wanted to be traded. I was surprised that LA didn't get a player in return. And LA's in kind of a weird spot like you know it's Kopitar's last year and Dow's getting older. like odd to lose a guy that while not having a great season so far, he's been a he's been a money player for the Kings since he signed there. Like if you look at that deal when he signed it, I would say if you're a Kings fan, tell me if I'm wrong, like very happy with the signing. It worked out well. Now, they just ran into a wagon four years in a row in the first round, but Deno was always one of the

top players for LA in all those series. He's a great defensive center. The offense has just gone dry. But I was I was shocked. It was a second round pick in return and I was like, geez, like LA's got they got to go do something based on they just lost one of their centermen who's obviously playing down in the lineup than where he had years prior, but nothing in return.

Yeah. And they've been getting like little offense from that that center ice. I think that Biffield he had a a period of time there in this season where it's like, okay, he's taken that next step, but I feel like he's he's regressed from that. Um, I want to say at the time we had them on the TNT broadcast between Copitar, uh, Biffield and Deno, they had like 12 goals, maybe even less than that. Um, and I think that at that time by Biffield had like four or five. So, um, I agree with you. Very weird. The only thing that would make sense is is yeah, G's popping up right now. He still has only four goals on the year.

He asked for the trade, right? So, does that kind of handcuff LA like saying like, "Hey, this guy wants out. who knows what's going on behind the scenes.

Well, handcuffed in a sense, you don't have to move off of them. And I'm sure there's a lot of teams that could you I mean, think of how many teams that need centermen.

I mean, like look at like look at mini right now. I feel like they need a firstline center in order to put themselves over the edge. I wouldn't put him there, but he would definitely free you up in a sense of you have a reliable guy who you could just sick on another team's top guy. I mean, it was a few years ago now, but when we interviewed Nathan McKinnon, we said, "Who are some of the hardest centermen that you face um on a yearly basis?" And he put Deno at the top of the list, the way that he's a wet blanket. So, the the offense when he first got to LA, and I want to say it was um Todd Mlullen was the head coach. He popped off for 24 goals that first year there. So, I don't think that that's gone. I just think it was regressed ice time. he's not seeing eye to eye with Hiller and it was time for him to to move on. And in a sa situation where he gets to go back to Montreal, a place that he's comfortable with, I'm

sure he's going to see very much eye to eye with Martin St. Louis. And I'm sure that St. Louis is going to instill that that confidence that he needs back in his game in order to start producing. So I think that's a huge pickup, especially for a young uh roster in Montreal. And it seems like you said, w kind of a gift that you don't have to send a guy back. So very interested to see what LA does here. Now this is a top tier landing spot for for free agents going getting to go to LA. You're you're playing with an awesome organization, but you're out of the media noise.

I don't know, man. Does that feel like a place that like maybe Austin Matthews would want to head first line?

Like I mean that that that situation we can get into in a little bit is disgusting right now.

I don't want to happen. I gave it 99 over 99 and a half points for the Leafs this year was my bet of the year. I got people at the Walston Christmas party coming up [ __ ] me. What the hell are you talking about? I always heard you don't know anything. Now my wallet knows that you don't know anything because I pounded that over 99 and a half points uh Leafs regular season bet you gave out to your loyal chicklets listeners. Well, most of them hate you now. I hate you too. I said I love you though. I love you. What did you bet on it? I'll give you the cash right now. I in terms of LA Biffield, I thought he was gonna pop off this year. I had no idea 19 points in 33 games. G's also writing it supposedly ended pretty messy. What does that mean?

No, with Deno, it was just like he he was fed up. He wasn't getting the ice time he thought he deserved. He thought that that was a reason why his offense had regressed. We had the conversation of if you take two minutes away from a from a a centerman like that, it could mean the world of difference to how much he's getting his touches in, what situations you're putting him in if he's only playing penalty kill and just firing the thing down the ice and only in a shutdown role. So, um, he's going to be a lot happier in Montreal. Speaks the language and in a place that he's familiar with. So,

and a and a great deal for Montreal just cuz I mean they've got new hooks out, docs out, and Evans are all out. So, those are sentiment. Like, you need centermen. If you plan on making the playoffs, which they do this year,

they want to. Yeah, they want to, right? You you need to have center. You have to have guys that can go up and down your lineup. I think Deno is one of those guys. Like, if he's on your third if he's your third line center, like we say every year, if he's a third line center, they're a cup contending team. Like, they're a team that can make a run in the playoffs, play well. So, I I think for to Montreal to go out and do that deal and get it done and not have to give up any roster players is a is a great move by them.

I I think this reeks of of LA already having something lined up and something in the something something there as far What do they have in cap space? G, can you pull that up? Cuz you when you're able to get that much money off the books throughout the course of a season, that's a that's a big tool you can use to attract somebody. So, I I want to say Deno is in the in the 6 million range.

They got 9.4 uh million in cap space currently. That's a lot, boys. That's a lot for a team that's top three because those guys are out injured though or is that with everyone healthy? I don't know if like maybe what he's looking at like the cap would be off because you're on like

I know, but I don't think that they're dealing with much injury right now, right?

Well, yeah. Doc New Hook. Um, no. He's saying No, I'm talking about LA's got nine and

Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry, sorry. Um, I was just I was actually just looking at the the stats from cuz I wanted to bring up Montreal. That game that they lost where Crosby broke the record Sunday against the Habs. I think Montreal after Edmonton or right with Edmonton is the most fun to watch play overtime. And I think Lane Hudson might be the most entertaining player in overtime. I don't know if you saw the movie pulled on Carlson. It was he is they put out Caulfield, Suzuki, and Hudson. And then I think the next group is Mat, uh, Sleofski. I don't remember who else, but that Cfield, Hudson, it's it's unreal. It's unreal. And Hudson is just flying. He's like born to play threeon-ree hockey in the offensive zone, and he's a defenseman. So Pit Pit ended up finally ending the losing streak against them in the in the shootout. But incredible, entertaining overtime. I love those over some of the

overtimes you get. They're leaving the zone. One team gets possession off the face off and they pretty much hold on to it the entire time. They throw it back to the goalie. That one was an example of just like what do you call it? Electric factory business.

Well, since uh since we're on the topic of Montreal, too, and uh I wanted to talk about that Atlantic division. A little bit of a bizarre thing. We're going to get into Detroit, too. But the top two leaders of the division which go Detroit and then Montreal, Detroit is a minus3 goal differential and then Montreal is a minus4 goal differential at least when I looked yesterday. So pretty bizarre that two and and in third place in the Atlantic is Tampa Bay and when I looked they were plus 19 goal differential. So that's just I guess scoring and and executing at the right time and then when they're losing games they're getting [ __ ] blown out. So, uh, if you want to move on to Detroit and talk about how they keep silently getting it done, I feel like we haven't talked about the much and the fact that you're getting DM'd and peppered with Maurice Cider for heart whit.

Yeah. Not just Norris for heart. I think we're getting a little out over our skis with heart talk. Hey, you want to talk Norris trophy right now? maybe some people who aren't Wings fans, who aren't hearing a lot or seeing a lot of them. You're missing what's turning into a player that we haven't seen in quite some time. And I was thinking about it, it's like, all right, we had Duncan Keith, we had Drew Dowy, we have Macar, we have Quinn Hughes, we had all these amazing defenseman. We haven't had a big mean shutdown while also being offensive superstar defenseman. I mean, I think of Pronger. Uh, tell me somebody else. And Maurice Cider is turning into that guy.

Weber. Weber. Weber. Uh, yeah. Yep. Yep. Weber. I'll give him that. And And I I think that Cider might even be better

passing than Weber. Yeah. Weber had the bomb. Weber. Weber had the bomb. And Cider has a bomb, but not the Weber bomb. Here comes the Weber bomb. Guy behind the net torturing me as I wasn't on the ice for the PK. Here comes the Weber bomb. I like it. I love it. I want some more of it. Um, but yeah, Weber's a great Weber's a great call because he was also first PK, mean as [ __ ] in front of the net, threw enormous hits, and Morit Cider. Wings fans are seeing what they hoped when they drafted him. Very high pick. People didn't know much. And you're now like they knew what they were doing picking this guy. He's a horse. He plays 25 26 minutes. He's mean as [ __ ] He has a cannon. He got the OT winner Sunday or Saturday. He's got the he's got he he get the cy's awesome

like the listen to the year there. We haven't seen that from Austin. Oh, Austin did it to his home crowd that was booing the team. He's just doing it like tell me how much you love me. I am a big dominant defenseman. I do cross-ch checkck people in front of the net and I make perfect breakout passes and I run the P pp. And now you're seeing a guy who's just coming into his own. What a contract. very similar deal to Jack Hughes that like eight years times like the eight area where you're like, "Oh my god, like wait, there's six more years, seven more years on this contract of this guy making that number and he's only going to get better. He's only going to get more dominant." And now I think he's a main reason Detroit's sitting where they're at. He's probably their team MVP. This not probably, he is their team MVP. and all the Red Wings fans who were telling me Maurice Cider now you guys saying for the heart I'm

not there yet but for for Norris 100% 100% it's just you can't you can't win Norris's when when Kale Mar is healthy and playing in the league and I would even say the same for Quinn Hughes but going back to Marits like

obviously then when we talk about Shay Weber we don't think he's as tough as Shay Weber and maybe as intimidating maybe a more modernized version he did go against Castellick and try to handle his own business not too long ago against the Bruins, but uh you mentioned what OT winner uh 25 points in 36 games so far this season. Some of the best defensive analytics in the game right now where there's nowhere to hide for him. He's top guy and he's playing against what's that?

27 points. Oh, 27. Okay, I was one off. He's got 21 points in his last 21 games.

Amazing. Okay. Oh, sorry. That was Yeah, that was including 21. He's got 21 in his last 21 or at least as of the other day when he scored the OT winner. That's what I'm looking at. And like I said though, just some of the best defensive analytics in the game and and he can't you can't escape. He's going against top lines night in night out every situation. Uh so a tip of the cap. I would have him I would have it go he's probably right below Warensky for me, right? Like it would go Kale, Quinn, Winsky. Maybe Winsky and Quinn are tied at two and then Maritz at this point.

And and Heskin's there. That's the top five right now we're going with. I like that.

I mean, for the year he's having, year five for for Maritz, he's finally coming into his own. And I would say that it goes from forward can adapt the quickest defenseman and then goending. I feel like year five is right around when you're starting to see guys bud. Um, I want to say it took Headman around that amount of time, too. Maybe even a little bit longer. So, a little bit of uh optimism maybe for for Buffalo Sabres fans and what they're seeing from Owen Power. Maybe it's just one more year and and then he's at that threshold. So, we'll see.

Still only 24 years old. And then Whit, you mentioned it a little bit like when he was drafted, he wasn't the big name, right? Like people were kind of like, really? But is there any organization that you would trust more when making a draft pick or your fan base shouldn't, you know, what? Yeah. Question and be like, what are we doing here? Like, if they're saying, let's take Mo Cider when they did. It's been a great pick. He, like you said, he's still only 24 years old. This kid is going to be a monster for the next 15 years. And he he he's fun to watch and and hockeyy's back in Dtown.

I'm looking at the draft right now. He went sixth. I think Jack Hughes obviously stays first overall. Then it's then it's Cider. He went he went sixth. It was Capo Kako, Kirby Doc, Bowen Byum, Alex Turkot, and then Maurice Cider. I mean,

he's definitely going second there, right? And then I think third would be Baldi who went 12th who's just totally reached totally reached that level Billy Garren talked about just going to be if not I mean sounds crazy if not the best uh uh going into the Olympics. I mean that's a top three forward for team for team USA. So yeah Detroit hit a home run with him. Very happy for those fans.

Detroit it's weird cuz like their goalending save percentage and what the goalies have been able to do it's not great. Both guys uh below 900. I don't think Gibson had a win the entire month of November. Uh so kind of bizarre to see how successful they've been yet have such bad goalie stats, but I think it goes back to the year that the Brinks having. He has 20 tucks right now, well on pace to get over 40. Um obviously Dylan Larkin um and the confidence that he took from Four Nations last year, the way that he ended last season and that he's taken into this year. And then our boy um um Lucas Raymond, he's got 18 tucks as well. So, the top end guys keeping their special teams very good and and just, you know, that's a big reason as to why they're at the top of the division. So, credit for them for not making, you know, any crazy moves, sticking to their guns and and sticking with the familiarity to their roster.

You know, it'll it'll be fun to watch Cider in uh in the Olympics, like playing against guys in his league. A lot of guys on his team aren't in the NHL. Like, he'll be he'll be showing the way of how you play like a North American style game. He'll be torturing guys in front of the net

as much as you can in IHF rules. But hey, I don't know what to expect from Germany, but you take a penalty against them. You got Leon, you got him, and you got Stutzel who's on fire right now. And Ottawa's on fire right now.

Heads up for their power play at least. I I can't that Yeah, that's a that's a guy I can't wait to see play. Like best on best. That's a good call right there. And Biz, you mentioned quickly Buffalo all that was needed and you put it out onto Twitter. Very good call. I just had to say 0.0. I wouldn't even give them the 01% chance of playoffs. And they've off they've ripped off six in a row. Five in a row since uh since uh Kevin Adams was let go. Koline comes in. Rasmus Dalene goal of the year by a defenseman so far. Maybe this season.

walked the whole goddamn team. Oh, walking the whole team like Keith, did you ever do that in the NHL?

No. God, no. You never went in 10. Oh, yeah. I went end to end a few times, but not walking everybody. Maybe just beating one or two guys.

Speed wide. Speed wide against you guys. Remember in Edmonton I scored the OT winner?

That was But it was against like like it was like Theo Peekom I beat wide. Like what are we doing?

Yeah. The Was that the one that Whit was bitching at you when you when Or was it the other way around?

No, he was bitching at me. He said I owed him one when he put one on my stick and I gave Hemsky the breakaway. Ah, the good old years. I love you, Keith. I love you.

Love you, too. Um, so Buffalo now, they're still not in the playoffs right now, but they're fighting and they're grinding and they took our words and their team even on a heater on Twitter. They went at you, Biz. They said full apology with tears after you put out the meme of you looking away from the Leafs and looking at the Savers walking down the street like, "Oh, I want to trade this girl and I like that girl right there." They want a full apology with tears.

Uh I I I will say sorry. I will also say that people have come at me a little. I've said, "No, no, no, no. I'm happy. Like you, yes, come at me. I I I said 0.0000% chance, but I I love this. I've made it clear. I want Buffalo in the playoffs. I want Buffalo to have a good team. Can they continue this is the question. Cuz I believe every year they've gone on little runs, right? Like this isn't that crazy where they've won six, seven, eight games in a row throughout this 14-year drought of no playoffs. Maybe now there's something more real here.

They bring in Mark Bersan, right? The Burger Van comes in. So that that's that was a I I saw that go across the wire. I was like, "Oh, okay. Yarmo. Yeah, he's making moves here." But certainly when Biz mentioned, I'd love to have Darene on the Maple Leafs, I think everyone would. I I unless he says I want out at the end of the year, they'd never trade him. He looks incredible. He's an amazing skater and an unreal player. Buffalo's back. G wanted to release the shirts again.

That's when they go down. G don't do it. They don't want the wagon shirts. But listen, they have three very winnable games in a row here until I want to say they play against like a Dallas or or like a Juggernaut. So if they go to nine in a row, I would not be shocked. If they hit nine in a row, the shirts are hitting the market. Like we got Ottawa,

Boston, St. Louis, and then the Stars. Yeah. Ottawa. Ottawa has been on fire. the goalending is starting to round out a little bit. It was atrocious there for a hot minute. But I think that those are three winnable games. And I don't know, man. Paige Thompson in my opinion like sometimes like you know last year he didn't make it. He was probably one of the biggest snubs for Team USA. I would assume he's now going to be on that roster. Just the way that he competes, the size of him and you know dragging this team into a playoff spot. He's got 18 tucks on the year and in some cases with their injuries like he's playing with different linemates every night. So Tuck's been incredible. Not sure what they do with him now if they all of a sudden go on a little rough run before the deadline and they're within striking distance or even in a playoff situation, but that trade for Don has definitely

paid off and uh things are are looking a lot lot more impressive. And and uh Uko Becca Lucinan, he's [ __ ] starting around the corner too, boys. He got the belt the other night after that big

save he made that save he made on uh was it Hughes passed it to uh Gritzuk? I think it was was one of the best saves of the year. But talk about a team that doesn't want the break to come too, right? Like you got to that's when [ __ ] can kind of

we're humming. Now Benson is money and he's missed games. He's back. He's a water bug. I remember we talked about kind of couldn't believe he made it as an 18-year-old right after the draft cuz it was like, oh, it's Buffalo. Like just let the kid develop more instead of rushing.

He's a piece of [ __ ] to play against. He's in front of the in front of the other team's net all the time. He's that guy where there's a little bit of lull in your game. He's going to drag you into it. Maybe give a guy a little stick to the nuts. He's got every team on the other bench [ __ ] joshing at him. He doesn't care. He's always got stars on his face from getting the stinky mitt or whatever whatever nonsense he's stirring up. So, you need guys like that who are going to compete and and also for as small as he is, like pretty good guy along the wall and below the below the offensive blue line or offensive goal line, excuse me. So, they got some good I know I said at one point maybe get rid of get rid of some of these guys and get good returns, but I'm sticking to my guns. They should keep them.

All right. Well, Buffalo, you're back. Congrats. Keep it rolling here. Keep it rolling. Keep with the positivity, Buffalo. You deserve it.

We love you more than anyone. 14 freaking years. Are you kidding? Um the other trade we didn't mention before the the freeze was um Mason Marchman goes to Columbus. Um, I I like him a lot. I I like his game. He's big. He's strong. I don't I I I don't think Dallas ever wanted to get rid of him, right? He's an awesome player. Um, I'm just so confused. And, you know, good for Columbus. They go out and they grab him. It's just what a weird year for Columbus so far. Like, I I was expecting more. I mean, I talked about them with Posasha kind of going against them and the Devils, thinking that this would be a year everyone took another big step, and it just hasn't been there. Winsky had hilarious quotes after I think the most recent loss and and thank god he's okay at least for Team USA. He had to get like pushed off the ice after uh Troy Terry hit him in the foot, but it came out that nothing's

broken. He's just dayto-day. But it looked really bad. And he said like we're a good team. We just keep losing so maybe we're not a good team. Like I'm pretty sure that was the exact quote which is like very honest. You're just sitting there like we're very good but we're not winning. So maybe we're not good. And I don't know what's happened there. I don't know if Mason Marchman could beat somebody. I think he scored in his first game.

Yeah, he did. But that that was a guy that that a lot of teams, I bet you wanted a piece of and I guess there's still the option for Columbus if if they're not in the playoffs that they could they could move him at the deadline and and get, you know, something back in return. But did you like the move, Keith? Yeah, I thought I like just simply for what you said like he can come over there kind of things haven't gone his way in Seattle. So it's like all right, let's give him a

no watch number one. Yeah, they're they're number one. I think they've lost nine of the last 10 or something like that. But I think it's a good move by then for exactly what you said where if he does he can pop off. He can he's a streaky player. uh if he gets, you know, gets hot here for a month or two before the trade deadline and then you can trade him off to a contending team, get something back, whether it's draft picks or players. So, I like it for that reason. I don't think it's one of those deals that's going to, you know, change your franchise. It's going to make them better for a little bit. But, he's also one of those guys, too. Maybe in their locker room, they needed to, you know, bring in a guy that brings guys into the fight, like we always talk about. Like Marchie is a guy I played with him in Florida where he had he had gotten released by Toronto, I think it was. Like he's had to earn

everything in his career. So he's not one of those guys that's like, "Oh yeah, I got paid. I'm going to be fine." Like he he's still got a chip on his shoulder. Still wants to prove himself. Uh so maybe they needed a guy like that in their locker room that can kind of get everyone going a little bit. But do I think he like do I even think he's going to finish the year there? No. I think what you said, they're going to trade him by the end of the year. uh which you know whether he wants that or not who knows but yeah for the time being the trade's fine go to a you know nice place like Columbus for a few months

I would have loved to have seen the Leafs grab him they need that's exactly what they need

why are you laughing just funny that like they need so much but I kind of knew that was coming but I agree with you I agree with you I mean they're I Columbus is in last place they're worse than the Leafs it's wild I just didn't didn't see this like Winsky not only leads them in points, he leads them in goals. Now, I I understand you got one of the best defenseman in the world on the team, but like where's the where's the offense? Where's the firepower? Where are the guys that you thought would take even a bigger step?

They just haven't done it. And I don't know, like Jet Gre hasn't been bad at all. The goalie, he's been pretty good. So, it's not it's not goal, it's not like somebody like, oh, they can't get a save. They just don't score enough. And they're they're differential when you're talking about that biz. They're they're minus 19. They got the worst differential in the Eastern Conference by by 10. No one's Toronto's minus 9 and then the next worst is Columbus - 19 goal differential. So, I don't know. They they have 105 goals scored. The Rangers have less than that. I think that's the only team or no Philly and Jersey as well. But, you know, we'll see what he can do there. Jack Hughes back though when talking about Jersey. What a rockar this guy. He's out injured. He somehow meets or I don't know somehow I guess because he's a very good-looking guy who's nasty at hockey goes on a date with Tate McCrae and then comes back.

She's at the game and he snipes in his first game back. Devils lose but Jack Hughes being back. Gritsuke back in the lineup. Uh they're getting guys healthy but what a dog. The guy brings Tate McCrae and then just comes into the zone. Gretzky curls up the boards. Nobody goes to him. I don't know what they were thinking on that one but then he just rips one. Great celebration at center ice with the white skates on. He's back, Pasha. Are you happy now? Is Posasha even here right now?

Well, he's abusing himself to that video. Oh hey Pasha. Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm relatively happy. Obviously, the team is not doing well. They got a lot of issues they got to figure out, but they're finally getting healthy. In the past week alone, Peshi, Meyer, Gritsuk, and Hughes all back in the lineup. So, that's obviously like [ __ ] half their best players there. So, you know, I'm not worried that they lost that game. Um, I thought they played pretty well. So, yeah, they'll they'll iron it out. And then, uh, actually TMZ just posted a few hours ago, Jack and Tate, uh, kind of wandering around, strolling around NYC this morning. So,

wow. So, Jack to the Rangers. Yeah. Oh, for sure. For sure. They're scoping out apartments together in Hell's Kitchen. Um, the the the box next to Tate, it was Fitzy's box. Did you see the photo?

Helicopter moming overseeing what's going on. Is this going to be a distraction to our team? So, do you think he has people kind of monitoring?

He's got bigger things to worry about than Jack's level. Yeah, he's got to go out and pull the [ __ ] trigger on a trade, get a centerman, get a winger. He doesn't have to worry about what Jack's doing in his off time.

But having Tate McCrae in the boxes at your game at the credential center is more attractive to get a centerman, a left winger. Like that's

I'm sure Ryan O'Reilly really cares about having Tate McCrae in the building. He does.

Well, hey, what are the chances uh Frank the Tanks hanging with Tate McCrae at one point, right?

Busy working out with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Did you see that? Yeah. Is he actually going to he's going to do is he doing Frank's walk?

He No, he's I'm pretty sure he's flying out to like Muscle Beach or whatever like legit workout with Arnold. Arnold tweeted about it.

That might be the the the spark and the pump, so to speak, that that the Devils need. Maybe that. Hey, he you know who we should bring to the gym with them is Jack and Luke.

They should they should be pumping iron. I know. Boys, as of one minute ago, breaking news. Pasha Freeman, the Leafs have uh relieved Mark Sevard of his coaching dude. His assistant coaching duty.

Oh, they fired an assistant coach. I mean, that was cuz he was celebrating uh goals in the playoffs last year.

Oh, that was first playoff goal in the first round. Yeah. And like Barubi looked at him like, "Calm the [ __ ] down right now." So, so obviously we never want to see anybody get fired. Uh, the power play for the Leafs has has been absolutely atrocious. Now,

I guess you got to go with the guy who's running the power play. And is he not the guy who's running the power play?

I I would guess I I I would assume based on his career and being one of the best passers I ever saw that he's not running the PK.

Yeah. Yeah. So, does that that probably means Chief safe, right? If they're if that's the play that they're doing. I just I don't I don't

see them firing him mid-season unless Tree and staff is getting major major pressure from up top. Uh but even in that situation maybe he's like no and he's like I'll land on the grenade. So I don't know what changes are coming man but it is like the wor I I couldn't imagine what those guys are going through right now. It's got to be hell cuz expectations even though they lost MNER were for sure they're finishing top three in their division. Uh Wit just said the [ __ ] points was set at just below 100. What was it? 99.5 points was the under over. Uh course if they lose the next game uh they there's a chance that they end up last in their division at Christmas time. The only hope that we have is when Chief won his Stanley Cup, they were last uh at Christmas time.

Like that is the only thing that I'm going off of at this point to think that can catapult this team to even getting in a wildcard situation. So this is this is bad. I I hope that it's not the case. But the good news is here is they have probably what about 12 to 15 games before Olympic break to figure it out. Um and get themselves within striking distance and at least write the ship. Uh cuz right now it is [ __ ] ugly.

And for a guy who hates the Leafs, I I would almost feel as I'd love this. I mean, they're not even getting the same amount of fans. The attendance is down. They stink. They're one point out of last place in the conference. They got guys that are, you know, I I think Matthews quote that made waves was like, I love the process. You just lost to the Nashville Predators. And then people were furious about that. And then Chief comes out and when asked about the team being ready to play and their their commitment said, go ask them. So then you see kind of like that that creates a battle, especially in that city between player and coach. It's and even I'm like, "Oh my god." I didn't want I didn't want him to be this bad. I wanted him to blow it in the first round like they usually do, but I didn't want to see them turn into just a laughingstock throughout the regular season because I did enjoy watching the Leafs play.

Knander flying around. The quotes by Nelander were bizarre. Like for one of the most confident players and and I guess cocky, like I don't know him, but he comes off as a little cocky, very sure of himself.

Not much of phase as William Knander which he should be. He's like, "I've never dealt with anything like this." At least he said, "At least in the NHL, I don't ever remember feeling like this." And I believe he was talking about just his confidence as a player and his ability to produce points, which has always come out easy to him.

He hasn't scored in almost a month. Doi hasn't got healthy scratch. He hasn't scored since October.

So before I before I fired anyone, including Mark Sevard, I would have just simply walked in the locker room and said, "I'm implementing a dress code. I don't give a [ __ ] about your your your Louis Vuitton toiletry bags. I don't give a [ __ ] about your Gucci sweaters or your your what's the other one these guys are using all the time? Chrome Hearts, your your your Bedazzled jeans you're [ __ ] looking like that with. They're wearing these chrome heart jeans. They got the [ __ ] decals on them.

I got to go grand. Yeah. Like [ __ ] off with these outfits. I said the same thing. would just [ __ ] put a black suit on with a white shirt and a black tie like you're got driving a goddamn limousine. Walk into the rink like it's all [ __ ] business and win some goddamn hockey games. That's it. [ __ ] off with the with the the sweaters that they're they're tying up near the collar. Like I get that you want to show off your personality. How about you show us how to [ __ ] dangle out there and start putting the puck in the back of the net? How about you you show us how you have hair on your nuts and get in a corner and win a goddamn puck battle. Okay. I haven't seen sustained pressure since uh last year in the first round against the Ottawa goddamn Senators. They they

No, they had it first two games of the second round. Yeah, that too. That's true. You're you're you're right. But they go in the offensive zone now and they're one and done. They're [ __ ] They're pumping dumping like it's a [ __ ] memecoin stock that Pasha just bought

and then changing on the back check. and they won't even eat the minus. Uh, googling Chrome Heart jeans, we have um a pair that's 84,900. That's one pair of jeans. A pair that's $48,319. A $35,000 pair, a $20,000 pair. There's also a price like Cooperalls. If they cost that much, show me something. Couple$100 pairs.

At least maybe the glare off the diamond encrusted jean will distract the defenseman so you can walk him and put the puck between the [ __ ] goalie's legs. William Knander, I love you, bully. I love you. You're a handsome bastard. You got more money than God at this point. Poke the [ __ ] puck in the back of the net. Wear a black suit. Off the glass and out, baby. Keep it simple going into the game. Don't give them any leverage. Let's go here. Starts with the dress code. All business. That's where I'm going with it.

Well, it's like who was the It was against Dallas, right? Lton scored late to make it. I think it was like 2-1, right? There's no jam after that. absolutely nothing. I think it was in I don't want to pick on anyone. I think it was Machelli in the third for the third goal that they scored against. He looked like me out there trying to block a shot. Like you if your team's going this bad, you have to like and I get it. He's been he's been getting scratched. He's been in and out of the lineup that Cowan's been playing over him, which is another thing.

They scratched they scratched Cowin the other day. Yeah. So it's like whether he might not be 100% in, right? Because he's like, "Oh, [ __ ] If I have a bad game, I'm going to be out." He's probably just trying to play it safe. But like you you you haven't been winning. Your team's in the [ __ ] You're playing in the mecca of hockey where you're going to hear about it. You got to go out and block that shot. You got to go out and get those pucks out. Like the little things in a game like there's no jam after when your fourth line center or third line center scores a goal. You got to have jam that next shift. You you have to bring it out. And whether that means Chief just playing the third and fourth line, play them 20 minutes the whole game. Let those other guys marinate a little bit.

But I don't know. They don't even have their first rounder. It's top five protected now. It looks like they

I mean, imagine imagine they end up with a top five pick. At least they get to keep it. But assuming that's this that's what's going on. Like then next year, I think it would just the Bruins would have next year's first round pick that I'm guessing wouldn't be protected.

They also don't have 2028 if that was the case cuz because of uh it went to Philly for the lot and trade.

It would just all get backed up. Yeah, they would all get backed up. So they're screwed. So they are in1.com which makes it a little awkward that we have Joe Bowen on. But we were talking about this guy's life in the game over 3,000 games 1982 I believe he started. Um the Leafs are bad but Joe Bowen is entertaining and what a voice on this guy. Holy mack. So let's throw it over right now to a legend in the game a hall of famer Joe Bowen. Guys I quickly want to talk about Pink Whitney. I know everyone out there, if you see on video right now, G is holding what I like to call the birdie bucket, the 20 shot bucket of pink Whitney, pink lemonade flavored vodka from New Amsterdam. And every person out there is always looking for stocking stuffers.

Now granted, if you have little children, this is not a great stocking stuffer, but if you have an adult that you need to stuff a stocking for, the Pink Whitney nips are perfection. Then you just throw them in the fridge and you wait a couple minutes and then Christmas morning you catch a little buzz on the Pink Whitney. you enjoy yourselves. Whether you're maybe outdoor fishing, uh outdoor rink season, you got so many different options. Or if you're in warm weather, maybe people are going to the beach on Christmas and they're taking with them the Pink Whitney, the little shooters, or the big old bottle.

It doesn't matter. Make somebody's Christmas very special. Make their holidays memorable with a gift of Pink Whitney. Shout out Pink Whitney Vodka. Thank you so much to everyone who's ever tried it. And if you haven't, give it a shot. We love you all. Guys, I need to talk about Noble right now. This episode is brought to you by Noble. Noble is a footwear brand for training and for daily life. So comfortable. Incredible shoe. It's built to support you in your pursuit of physical, mental, and emotional strength. And Noble celebrates a no [ __ ] approach to wellness. That's the way to look at it. No [ __ ] I'm not cheating anything. And it starts with my footwear. Noble has that for you. They've got options across lifestyle and training. and they are the best shoe for anyone who wants to be a better version of themselves. Plus, Noble is now the official training shoe of the NHL. Exclusively for Spit and

Chicklets listeners, Noble is offering 40% off your order. Visit www.noblepro.com/chicklets for 40% off your entire order. Hey, the new year's coming. A lot of people want to change their routines. They want to get in better shape. You need some new shoes to do that to start your pursuit of wellness with the noble approach. the no [ __ ] approach. Go right now to www.n o b l p r ojct.com/chicklets for 40% off the official training shoe of the National Hockey League. It is an absolute thrill and honor right now to bring in this man, the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hats off. Hats off. The last season he'll be doing it.

the legend Joe Bowen. What's going on, Joe? Not much, boys. Uh, as they say, uh, things are going just swimmingly, thank you. And, uh, it's it's my last season. I didn't think it was going to be my longest season, but we're we're we're hoping we can get things turned around and get things moving in the right direction.

What do they need to do in order to do that? Well, Bis, you can't play defense anymore and you couldn't play even when I watched you before. So, I don't think you're the answer. Uh, other people here might be an answer to it, but

baby, I don't know. Um there's the unfortunate part about all of this is it will probably cost someone a job and and the issue is you can't change the roster and so you need to they'll probably end up changing the voice and and and it's not right. Um you know I mean there are great people that are doing this and it's and it's it's the nature of the business I guess guys and and you're you guys have been in the dressing room. you you know when all of a sudden the voice is just tuned out and and it happens, right? It it's uh it's a fact of life, I guess, in some instances because uh uh even the great ones like Scotty Bowman got fired in Buffalo. So those things happen and um uh I don't know, you hope it turns around to allow that not to be the case, but the way things are going right now, it it seems like it's almost the inevitable. Well, the news kind of the past few days was Biruby saying when asked about the

effort and the consistency like I don't know, you got to ask them. That was one that was maybe kind of conceived as like, hey, it's it's it's not me, it's them. Like, did you agree with maybe that? And I know there's been things players have said that they've got called out for, but what did you think of that comment?

Human nature, you know? I mean, uh, you're trying everything you can. uh at at some point u I mean I remember when when Pat Burns was coaching the Leafs and they had those wonderful runs back in the 90s and it got to the point where and and he was a firm believer of this that he felt that his act lasted three four years and and he was proven correct. I mean, Montreal knew when to get out there. Uh, left Toronto, Boston, now New Jersey, and then he wins a Stanley Cup and unfortunately health issues and and an early demise. But, but he was of the opinion that they weren't it literally they were sitting and looking, but the ears were turned off.

And whether that message gets through one way or the other, uh, every coach has a different style, a different u a different system. Uh, and you have to try to work that system into the situation, what kind of players that you have available. And and and and trust me, I don't know systems from Shin or Chernola. Uh, what they're trying to do. You you kind of look at the at the at the larger picture of things. you guys have been in a room, especially a defenseman, you know what they're trying to do defensively, what they're trying to do to move the puck quicker. Uh the less time you spend down there, the better it is. And right now, they're spending way too much time in their own end of the rank and not outshooting people. They've had one time this year, they've had 40 shots on goal. Now, the other night in Dallas, they outshot them and and played very well. you know, they outshot them, had chances, two

breakaways, uh, with your two premier players that didn't go in and that dictated how the game was going to fall as it went forward. But Joe, even though I mean we always talk about the life expectancy of a coach, like you said, three years, but we all know Chief, we know the way he played, the way he coaches, like at what point is it, you know, the players got to look themselves in the mirror and figure it out in there where if another coach does come in, is that going to be the answer or is it just going to rinse and repeat and just continue to happen there?

Well, you hope not. Uh, I mean that's the the the only thing management looks at, I suppose, is that a different voice and maybe a different system is going to change things. Um, but uh, you know, there's an awful lot of uh teamoriented things where you're sitting next door to somebody and you're going, "Well, it's not me."

Yeah, it's not me. I mean, maybe it's a little bit me, but it's certainly not me. It can't it can't be me because I'm really trying hard. And and that's I mean I I'm no psychologist, but that's the guy you got to get to and say, "Yes, it is. You're in it just as deep as the rest of us. You may not be playing 30 minutes a game, but you're you're certainly a part of all of this." And and it unfortunately it ends up going to your hands, I think, more than anything. Right.

Yeah. And then the other aspect is you start thinking too much and Harry Neil always had the great line don't think you'll hurt the team if you have to react and then but we see the team we see the Leafs many times especially defensive zone coverage well should I be here where should I be where you know and and there you you're thinking and by the time you finish thinking the reaction time is gone and you're not in a position to to you know do something positive in the defensive zone. So, uh, I I'll, uh, I'll sit back with Harry Neil's great line, don't think, you'll hurt the team. Which was great because you two guys couldn't think.

So, you never hurt the team. Exactly. That that was my biggest attribute is I literally couldn't think. But, you know,

there's a there's a great thing to being dumb as a bag of hammers, you know, and that and in sports a lot of times being that dumb really kind of helps you out. This is the levity the locker room needs right now. And and as depressing as it is and and as as gloom as it is, we didn't have we didn't have you on the podcast to talk about how shitty this year has gone. We we wanted to bring you on to to enlighten Leafs fans, bring us through the the glory days and all the fun that you've provided them over the last 44 years and and you know, they honored you uh uh last week and and congratulations on an incredible run. Uh you've been the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs since that's all I've known, right? So, Biz, you were you were in Wellland, right? You grew up in Wellland. Now, I think you're

a year older than my second oldest son, uh Derek and we had a team called the Markham Thunder AAA team, and we went down to Wellland and beat the doors off the

You probably weren't on that team. You were a little younger. I was. Yeah. No, we had some great runs with the guys in Wellland and uh great great fun, great people down there. So, all of the best to them.

Oh, thank you, buddy. Yeah, it's great to finally get you on. We've had people barking forever to to do it. I think now ended up being the perfect time. And usually how we like to talk ask our guests is is we want to go back to the beginning and and find out how everything started. Uh when did your joy and love for hockey begin? Well, I was told by my mother and father that I was fussing and being walked around the floor when Bill Barilo scored the winning goal for the Maple Leafs in 1951. So, let's start there that I was a couple of days old, I suppose. But, um, no, growing up in Sudbury, um, my dad was a general surgeon uh in Sudbury, delivered 3,000 uh, Sudarians, made two mistakes. Uh, their names were Paul Rimstead, who was a complete nutbar, who used to write columns for the Toronto Sun, and the other guy you guys might remember, Edward Shaq.

Oh, we had him on. Shack. We had him on. Shaky. Well, Eddie Shack was uh uh my dad pretty much, I think, dragged him out by his nose. And uh he was uh he was he was quite the character for sure. But my dad was a huge hockey fan. He played uh goal for uh University of Western Ontario Mustangs back in the day when goalies weren't allowed to fall down. And uh we were both huge Leaf fans and Johnny Bower fans.

You said your dad delivered 3,000 babies and you've delivered 3,000 NHL games. Is that something that you kind of that was in the back of your mind?

It's not nearly It doesn't even compare. Come on now. I mean, please. A lot of babies were probably conceived listening to you.

Yeah. Oh yeah, sure. That's business about this podcast and here it goes down into the All right. All right. Well, whatever whatever whatever floats your boat, I suppose.

Hey, watching half of those Leaf games might have been more painful than what the women were going through, actually.

Well, you never know about that. But, you know, it's uh it's been a delight. Uh, I I did a little bit of math and I think that I have called the names of almost 700 players who have pulled the Leaf jersey over their shoulders.

Oh. which I'm and and uh one of the things that I'm really looking forward to um in retirement is being a part of I'm an honorary member of the Toronto Maple Leaf Alumni Association and I'm looking forward to being a very active uh helper with in their uh different events that they have going on throughout the course of the year.

Your voice is just incredible. Like that's the thing. It's like some people are just born with different gifts. It It's unbelievable, Joe. And it's just the holy ma and all the different things. When did you kind of know like you were good at this? Like was it in college? Like did you do it in high school even? Like what's the beginning for a broadcast?

Well, backyard playing ball hockey, right? You were doing the announcing. Someone had to do the announcing while I was trying to stop the ball from going into the net. So, um yeah, I guess we all did that as kids. Um, we grew up uh loving Foster U and hating Danny Gallivan because he was doing the Montreal games and uh later on in life I got to meet uh and and really my idol. Uh Danny was just an unbelievable individual from Nova Scotia and I've always said that Danny Gallivan is at the very top of the of the Mount Rushmore and the rest of us are stick handling our way down below there in the muck uh trying to to get anywhere close to him. He was unbelievable. He was a tremendous individual. Um and Foster of course was doing the Leaf game so we loved him. Can you talk a little bit about because I was always amazed especially after the fact you know getting into the broadcasting and stuff

like that but you just kind of your daytoday of a game day like the notes that I remember seeing whether it was Darren Pang or you know heater in Phoenix like the the notes that you guys had like the the amount of stuff you had written down about people like you must have been working all day before a game

in the old days without the internet. What a wonderful little invention this is. Do you know they have stuff on there that Well, never mind. Anyway, uh that's Yeah, you had to go down to the rink to get the stats, right? And then you came home and you did your your pregame prep. And guys, it's funny because there's not one playbyplay guy that I know that you could say he copied somebody and this is he does it exactly like so and so. No one does it the same. Everybody has their own little cheat sheets, their own little way of doing thing. My son David does hardly has any um material uh because he has it on his phone and I'm going, "What happens if that thing goes right into the shider?

What happens then?" You know, but where's this where's this to have in your hand? But he, you know, that's the way he does the games and so no one really does it the same way. But there was a lot of things to do. And then the longer that you go into this, I think Ryan, you you realize I'm preparing an awful lot of stuff that unless there's five breaks of glass, I ain't going to use any of this shite. I mean, just, you know, but but it it it it becomes just a force of habit. I want it there just in case. Just in case.

So, you started out uh doing it with the Subbury Wolves, correct? Like back home? I I I started doing playbyplay in university at Windsor. Uh doing mostly basketball because we had a really good basketball program there and went to the national championships in two of the three years that I was there. But uh when I went home, as I said, my dad passed away when I was 14, but his best friend growing up was a gentleman named Bill Plant. Mr. Plant owned the TV and radio station in Sbury and was part owner of the Sbury Wolves. So, uh, that's, uh, I walked down the hall one day when the the former announcer was going to the CBC and I said, "Mr. Plot, I'd like to audition for this." And he said, "No, I've heard you.

Go ahead." So, it wasn't so much what I knew, it was who I knew. And that was an enormous break that I got doing that.

That's life. That must have been a fun time getting your reps in junior, right? Like, did you feel like you you started advancing very quickly once you hopped into hockey even though you were doing basketball before? Well, yes. And I did some hockey when I was at Windsor as well, but

guys like you can't do playbyplay. In fact, I I think I think um Oh, um young man in in Florida, uh Jovo.

Yeah. Did play by play, right? A little bit, but nobody else. You need to ride the bus. You really do. You got to get on. You got to get into a a a routine. You get on the bus, you're driving, you're going to games, you're developing your own style. Other athletes have done football, baseball, because it's slower. It's more conversational, right? You can do that. If you have some preparation done, you can I could do baseball without problem. Might not be real good, but I could do it. But playbyplay of hockey is too fast, especially if it's not TV. If you're doing radio and you're trying to paint a picture in someone's mind as to where the puck is and who has it and what's going on, um, you got to develop a style and now only repetition and and as I say, riding the bus uh gets you do to that stage.

I used to do it with Bob Heat House. I believe it was Yans who who might have mentioned him. He was awesome and and he he took me under his wing and did so with Tyson Nash and and Louis de Bruss. But I used to say, you say, "Eater, you're singing tonight." And it was almost this like this cadence that you had to adapt to. And I don't think people know how tiring it is cuz you're talking the entire time and you're trying to pace it and stuff like that. So it probably How long did it take for you to finally get that right cadence where you're like, "This is the way that I'm going to stick with the rest of my career." And then going back to wit said the holy machin which is your your famous line. Well, that that developed over seven years in junior and three years in Nova Scotia doing the Nova Scotia Voyager games and probably a couple of years in Toronto so that you didn't lose your voice. Um, you know,

the whole idea of it is it's got to go to a crescendo, but it's got you got to get it back because if you get here and then just try to keep going at that level, you're not going to last. It ain't going to happen. I don't care whose voice you have. So, you've got to you've got to kind of eb and flow it. Um and uh and then let your guy that you're working with uh kind of help you get it back down to uh some area that you know you can start again and start to build a bit of a crescendo depending on what's going on. So and and I one of the things that I did do I I had a problem with my my throat and whatnot and I went to St.

mics and uh uh a lady who worked with opera singers said to me, "What you're doing is you're you're trying to enunciate from here as opposed to your diaphragm." And so I had to try to learn and she taught me some valuable lessons to breathe in order to speak from your diaphragm rather than to try to uh use your your just your throat. And it was a great lesson. Great lesson. Did she have you also sing while doing it?

No. No, you did. No, I am not singing on this show. I knew I figured he was knew that was coming on.

Now, if I have about five Crown Royal and Diet Cokes, I can sing just about any Irish tune you want. But that takes a little work first to get it.

And also, for the people uh not watching on our YouTube, uh he's got the Fighting Irish shirt on. I'm I'm sure that has a lot to do with your your background. Were you a Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan as well?

I got a text from James Van Remdikeke and he was the first thing he said about you was huge huge Notre Dame fan and you set up the parents on a tour there during like the parents trip.

Yep. Yeah. Uh we've we've had some wonderful times. Uh John Heisler, who was the assistant athletic director in charge of media relations down there for many years, is a dear friend. Uh uh Perry Deliss who's from Sudbury who just lived up the street from me uh is a big booster. In fact uh the team store at the arena at South Bend in at Notre Dame is named the Deliss uh team store. Um my dad was a huge fan and I became a huge fan and I brainwashed my four kids into it. So we live and die with the boys with the from the Fighting Irish. If you want to get into something right now, boys, we could talk a little bit about how that college football. Oh no, you're screwed.

Not that I'm upset. I'm almost over it. Well, hey, I I've watched the JMU and and and two lane and I'm like, Notre Dame's not playing. What are we doing here?

Joe's getting all fired up. Hey, quickly, could we go back to the Holy Men? I read it was your father who who used to say it and then that's where you you took it from and and obviously it's became a household saying

and and I and it's funny because of all of the kind of attention that I'm getting here with this retirement thing and the big night that they had I've gotten all kinds of people trying to help me and I had uh of course the the tigerat rant from the Hamilton Tiger Cats Oski wee wee oski waw wa holy mau eat them raw is one of them but Then I heard um there was a a war movie from uh the 1940s that one of the uh uh actors bellowed out Holy Meno and my dad was a huge history buff so it may have been there and then people from Machinak Island in in Michigan and Meno and then hold I don't try to take credit for it.

I wish I'd asked my dad but I never was uh got the chance. Oh, it's such a classic though. like a big time goal scored and you hear that it just added to the clip of the goal like your soundtrack to it and I I want to go back because the coolest thing about about you besides the voice is the longevity like that's what's so incredible and I want to wonder like when you got to the Leafs like take me through that team like cuz it was so long ago who was on that team who was the captain like what do you remember about your rookie year in the NHL? Well, my the the one thing I remember about the very first game is I I was nervous as hell and I had prepared a nice little intro to introduce myself to everybody and I got I wanted to go to the rink early. I got in a cab with the biggest cab driver I've ever seen in my life.

And we started down West Madison Street in Chicago. And it's a it was the worst part of town. And I thought, I'm going for my last ride and I'm never going to get a chance to do one damn game in this league. And there the mausoleum of the stadium came into sight. I got there and when I got up to the booth, you had to go up 97 stairs to walk up the old stadium to get to the the press box area. They couldn't get us on the air and it was through telephone lines at that time. There was no internet of course and my engineer, I had all of this stuff ready to go and they're they just dropped the puck and he went, "You're on.

No, none of this other stuff. That pour that up. throw that out the window and off we went, which was probably good because I can only imagine my voice breaking and shattering there while I I had Joe B here. And but we got off and we got running and um uh Ricky Vive was on that team. Walt Padubney uh God rest his soul uh scored two goals to uh uh drag the Leafs back to a 3-3 tie against the Blackhawks that night. and standing in the organ loft area. Um, did you play at the old stadium at the I wish

Oh god, it was unbelievable. Unbelievable. And my favorite sports venue of all time, but at the end of the building was the big organ uh that uh Frank Pelico would be playing on and the extra players from the Blackhawks used to go and sit up there and there was a young man from Sue St. Marie, Ontario, goalender of some note from the Ottawa 67s, who had won the Dave Pinkney Award for the lowest goals against average, battling Mike Moffett for that title. He still holds the record for having the highest goals against average ever to be the lowest goals against average in the Ontario Hockey League. And his name was Jim Ralph. So Rafie was in the building when I was doing my very first game.

No way. That's That's crazy. You said earlier about hockey players once you start thinking it's bad. So that probably helped you on your first call when you didn't have to think. They just threw you right into it.

I was scared to death. I was I was nervous as hell. Uh but once you got into it, um away we went. And um and as they say, the the rest is history. I I'm I'm most proud of the fact I think uh that I have done more seasons than Foster Hewitt did and I easily did a lot more games because back then uh there were only six teams to start with but they didn't do every game uh when they first started when Foster first started doing radio for the National Hockey League. It was like one game a week which was hockey night in Canada on radio. I mean, I could Google it right now, but when you stepped in, do you remember how many teams were were in the league?

17, 18. Okay. So, under 20 at that time, so probably a little easier to remember, guys.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, you played the Blackhawks about eight times. So, yeah, it was uh Yeah, it was it was great. It was uh uh the the league was different. It was a lot more physical. There was a lot more mayhem. Uh uh it was u an interesting time to to be part of the National Hockey League.

Throughout my five years or five and change in the league, uh there was a few times I got called into the GM or or coach's office. Now, in your early days, was there ever anything uh ever anything you said maybe that upset ownership or something where you ended up having to get called in and peepwack?

Well, we had Harold running the operation, right? And Harold Harold I don't know as Harold liked me very much but he loved me usually when we were out walking around maybe in St. Louis or somewhere and he wasn't allowed to have ice cream because of his diabetes and he never had any cash on him but I always had a couple of bucks and he'd always borrow a couple of dollars so he could sneak an ice cream in so he I think he put up with me. Um, no. I' I've never had in 44 years, I've never had someone from management say, "Hey, um, you know what?

Could you ease off on that or that wasn't right or something of that nature?" And I I'm happy about that because um I mean, everybody said, "Well, you're a homer." Well, damn right I am.

I mean, but but I've always said I'm an objective homer. And if they're not playing well with then you have to you you can't whitewash uh a picket fence that doesn't have anything in it. And it's so well that didn't make much sense either, did it? But anyway, the the whole point of it is that that you have to be objective at at through the course of the thing, but you don't need to assault people and you don't need to be really going all overboard and everything else. we're going through a real tough time. But those guys, you know, for people to say they're not trying and and that's that's that covers a great big spectrum. Sometimes what they're doing is what we talked about earlier. They're trying too hard.

They're they're thinking instead of reacting. They're not playing the way they have been brought up to be reactive and just flow. And you have to be comfortable in your own space and in your own mind to be productive. And sometimes it just gets going sideways real fast.

Any any hot mics? We we had an in incident recently in Philadelphia. No. And he's such a good guy. Great guy. He's the best.

No. One one my uh Bill Waters did color with me for a number of years. And Wilbur at the time was the biggest player agent in the National Hockey League. Talk about a a conflict of interest, but he was great. And Wilbur is one of my absolute dear friends. We're in Boston one night and u we the team wasn't very good. We were closing in on on the Wendell Clark draft. Uh and uh the I think we were losing 6 nothing in the second period. and we go to a commercial break and the engineer that I have, the guy helping us is the most disinterested human being in the world.

He's sitting there reading the New York Times and whatnot. He could care less about the thing. Anyway, he doesn't pot us down. And that's what happened unfortunately to my friends in in in Philadelphia. The he got seered by somebody back at the station not potting us down. Anyway, we Wilbur says we had a couple of uh three Czechoslovakians on the team and Wilberg said, "We don't get rid of these three blankety blank checks, we're going nowhere." And I just kind of went, "Yeah, probably. I don't know." And I went on, wasn't really paying attention to it. We didn't have cell phones or anything at the time. We get back to our hotel, the red lights flashing, and Wilbur's um uh assistant, Ricky Curran, who was also an agent, he said, "Do you know what you guys said on the air tonight?" And I went, "No."

Well, then he repeated it to us. I thought, "Oh, we're done. We're absolutely done here. We're done." We come back home, we fly home, we get back home, nothing. Day, next day, nothing. Next game, we go to the rink, nothing. And I turned to Wilbur and I said, "You know what, Wilbur? With 6 nothing, one of two things happened here. Either no one was listening or everyone went, "You're damn right there." So anyway, that was that was the mic drop.

I I thought you were going to tell me they traded all three check guys. No, they didn't. No, they gave them a raise.

But it it was uh Yeah, it it it Yeah, we thought we were going to get fired, but no one We did. We didn't feel the repercussions at that time. It'd be 85 maybe 1985.

You mentioned uh the the the coming up on the Wendel Clark draft and are those your best memories because for me like in 93 and Gilmore and Felix Poffett and all those teams later on like that's what I remember of the Leafs like they don't have a cup but they had those entertaining teams with superstars. Like for you, were those the most memorable times or was it the past 10 years where they've had some great teams and just, you know, haven't been able to get over the finish line?

Well, we we didn't get over the finish line back then either. Uh but yeah, I know one the one thing about that those teams, guys, was it was sort of like the high water marker. uh the the team with Harold running it was not going to be given um enough of the the the things that needed to to improve. They weren't going to spend money on extra coaching. They weren't going to do this. They weren't because Harold was more concerned about the the the bottom line and and everything else.

You were paying for his ice cream for Christ's sake. So yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah. Didn't get repaid for that either.

That's how Blizzards were invented. He was stirring it up for him with the topics.

But after his passing, the management of this organization has not stopped in its efforts to win. They have spent the money. They have brought in quality people. They have done whatever they've had to do. Hasn't worked out, but it's been that close. All right. So, but the goal by Nikki Borosvski against Detroit that spurred that team on to play 21 playoff games in 42 nights, that was the difference. That was the difference that had to have happen. And from that point on, no, they haven't won it. But it hasn't been for the lack of resources or the lack of trying. Because you you see all the videos and you know the guys, especially that error that Whit was saying, like giving you their their farewell and and saying nice words about you. It just seems like it almost seems like you were a part of that team. You obviously you were a part of it, but it seems like you were on that team. Is that cuz the way

you guys were traveling, you were hanging out with the guys, you were probably around the same age as some of them?

Yep. No, no question. I mean, it was uh uh Cliff really made you feel a part and parcel of it. Um, I mean, we would go down uh on road trips and check into our room, wander down to the bar and uh Cliff would be there and Bill Waters was the assistant GM and everybody and and hey, what are you doing tonight? Let's come on, we're all going out for dinner. And so, we really did feel quite a bit part of the of the team. Uh, and uh and it was a very very special time. And Cliff is uh one of my dear friends and uh I have so much respect for him and his knowledge and everything else. And uh uh if he's watching this, want to say hi to him down in Arizona cuz he's a wonderful wonderful human being.

Yeah. Christine Simpson just did a feature on him on the Amazon Amazon Prime Monday night game. So that that was very cool. He still looks great.

Oh, I know that guy. Oh, no. He's uh he he's a great guy. And that platinum American Express card, it it got used a lot. Clifford when he went out he went first class.

Yeah, he took care of the boys too. I'm sure on on the roadies especially. Now I'm sure it's hard to narrow down a list like what kind of just teed it up as far as your the glory days and your favorite memories. But for you and in your longevity like who are your top five leafs of all time and and maybe explain as to why and and why they hit home for you and your personal attachment.

Boy, that's that's tough. Got 700 to choose from. Yeah. No, no kidding. Yeah, you had to have maybe spent some time with a few of them off the ice. And

Wendell Clark is always one of my favorites, mainly because we got to hear the plight of the Canadian farmer from Les and Elma when uh we were came out. Um then there was I mean Ricky Vive has been a dear friend of mine over the years and been a great friend. Douggee Gilmore, uh Curtis Joseph, um living around here, uh just a tremendous individual. Matts, uh I mean, I I I kind of going through the top echelon of all of these guys, but you know, like Wally Padubney was a great great friend. I mean, he was huge into the World Wrestling Federation and we would end up going to cards when we were on the road and Bill Root who played uh in Nova Scotia as well as with the Maple Leafs who didn't uh you know play a great deal in the NHL. Um but so many of these guys uh it would be easier to pick two or three that you thought were real jerks.

Yeah, do that. And I'm not going to pick them or air them on this program. So, don't even think about that.

Don't worry, we'll do the hot mic at the end of this thing and we'll have you most hated less.

No, you won't. No, you won't. Fighting in the bench brawls were were a little bit more prevalent back in the day. Can you remember some that really stood out to you where you're like, "Oh my god, this is turned into a three- ring circus. Maybe even players entering the crowd at some point."

Johnny Cordic was uh for front and center on a bunch of those. Of course, the great Felix Potva Hextol bout that I we none of us knew that Felix could fight. Neither did Hextoall because he ended up getting his doors blown off. I'll give you one fast story if I can.

I love this [ __ ] All right, we're in Chicago and there a brawl breaks out. I think Bobby McIll is in the middle of it and it's over in the area and for some ungodly reason Wendell's not involved. And so anyway, all of a sudden, Big Steve Smith comes over. He's 66 or whatever it is. And whatever he said to Wendell, Wendell never discussed fighting. The discussion was two right hands before any word of mouth was ever. That's the way he could win fights because he wasn't a big man. Anyway, he's got Smith down on the ice and he's just hammering him and none of the officials have come over and Wendell would stop, look around. All right, back he'd go. So anyway, they finally get it all broken up and whatever. And we come down after the game, we walk down the 97 stairs from the stadium and we get there and the dressing rooms were underneath the rink. So he had to walk up to come up to the main area and less and Elma

Clark have made the 3,000 kilometer drive from Kelington, Saskatchewan to go and see the game in Chicago. And they're there and Wendell comes up and he's talking to his parents and there's this shriek down the corridor. This woman is screaming at Wendell for beating up her son. And I'm going, "Oh, we're going to have a cat fight here." And I'm putting a lot of money on Elma because she is a big old farm girl from Saskatchewan.

That's crazy. Grabs Wendle's hand. She grabs Wendle. Wendle, did you hurt your hy and Mrs. Smith just gave it a 360 and headed the other way. Was there wasn't any cat fight. But I thought that was pretty deep.

That was unreal. Good business decision by her for not trying to fight Mrs. Clark.

Oh yes. I was a great business decision. Were there any uh any beefs with any other TV color guys like when you guys are up in the you know the rafters of the building and especially in the old days?

No. I I can remember one time when Dan Kelly was doing a game and Dan had a voice like mine that penetrated lead and he would um they were doing a game in the old uh uh rink uh in uh New Jersey, the Continental Airlines I guess it was called. And the broadcast positions were right in the seats. And the New Jersey broadcaster was at one side of the section and Dan was at the other, but Dan's voice was on their broadcast more than the other guy. And he came over and said to Dan said, "Could you tone it down? You're all over my broadcast." And Dan just turned to him and said, "Well, finally they're hearing a good one."

I never had any of that. That was so good. One guy that um unfortunately I learned a lot more about him when he passed, but just a legend was was uh Boris Salman. And I didn't he probably was maybe on the back nine of his Leafs career as you got there, but what did you kind of learn about him and and him as a person? And I just didn't know until I really dug into it when he when he passed was how tough he was and the beatings that he would take back in the day. Uh, and the scariest thing I ever saw was when he got stepped on and his face was a hundred stitches or whatever it was.

Bore was one of the most unique athletes I think anybody has ever seen. He would not do anything in Sweden over the summer. He'd show up couple of weeks prior to training camp, put the skates on, and here these guys have been working all summer, whatever, and on the ice, and he'd be the best player on the ice without having done. He he he just I I don't think he had an ounce of fat on him. He was senuey and and just and strong and and and just like farm strong, I guess, for the lack of a better term. Um and uh tough, really tough what he had to go through. Uh he uh he more than held his own against anybody. Um and Borea was a wonderful teammate and a wonderful individual and God almighty taken way way too soon.

Absolutely. Did he get like uh you know tested more just cuz he was a foreigner before there was a ton of guys?

Oh yeah. Oh sure. Oh yeah. Right. It was the chicken Swede. It was it was you know just and he he proved that that was a ridiculous uh uh connotation to even think about. Um, and just a tremendous, tremendous player. Uh, handled the puck so well, controlled the game. He just slowed it down or sped it up depending on how he wanted to do it. And, uh, um, Sitler and, uh, company, they they lived off of his abilities.

Uh, you already mentioned, uh, uh, Jim Ralph. I actually reached out to him. you were telling the story about how you you were first introduced to him at the Chicago Stadium there and he uh he reminded me of a story when you went to a preseason game um for the Jays and I'll just throw Lars and I just that's the story I want you to tee everybody out he was howling telling me via text in fairness it was a day off and we were into our cocktails a little bit at the Blue Jay spring training game which I actually threw the uh pitch out the first pitch out were sitting there And I'm

throw a strike. Did you throw a strike? I'm a Red Sox fan, right? I'm a Red Sox fan. Anyway, uh somebody they announced now batting for the Boston Red Sox, Lars Anderson. And I jokingly said, "Who would name their kid Lars?" And the parents right in front of us turned around and Mrs. Anderson said, "We would."

Good name. Good name. I'll bet he's a good player, too. Great name. Yeah. Exactly.

That is too good. You have one that doesn't smell as bad. Yeah. Chew on that. I I got a question like because players, you know, you you you get in slumps. It's it's kind of peaks and valleys here and there. And for normal players, I guess, like does that happen ever to announce? Do you ever have like couple bad games in a row in your mind? I didn't have my stuff tonight or is it or is it different with what you do?

No, I I No. No. You you you do. Yeah. Yeah. and you you make mistakes. You misidentify a guy who scores a goal and you're going, you know, you everybody does. It's uh um you know, and game 75 of things going nowhere. Um you know, you don't have the adrenaline flowing the way you would uh for game seven of the of a series. So, um yeah, I don't I don't think there's any broadcaster would say, "Oh, no. I at sailing around here at full speed without any problems.

Now, what's worse? A slump or maybe forgetting your passport on a road trip? No. You forgot my passport. I left my wallet at home.

Oh, no. I had nothing. No ID. Noid. Zero ID. And this is before 9/11. And we're going into Washington. And you you make too many phone calls, Biz. Anyway, we're we're flying in

You're telling him? Yeah. I'm flying into Washington and we get to the thing and I said, "I got nothing. I got no idea. I got nothing." He said, "Are you in the the the guide?" He said, "No, no, but I I did in my briefcase, which I did bring." I said, "I have a business card and it has a caricature of me on it." The guy looks at he says, "You got to be telling the truth." Okay, go ahead. Meanwhile, we got Alpo Suhonan as one of our assistant coaches. He's two guys down from me at a different kiosk. He's pulling paper out of his ear and he's there for 20 minutes. We're waiting on the bus and when he got on, I said, "Alpo, here's one of my business cards."

Oh, the precard 11 days were wild. You could just [ __ ] walk into any country.

Oh, sure you could. Yeah. Unreal. Yeah. After the games on the road, cuz you you then you'd be flying out the next morning, right? When everyone's flying commercial, would it would it be the hotel lobby bar and you you get together and just talk about the game or was it always out to a big dinner? Yeah. Same as the players.

Yeah. Absolutely. and and and I mean the the players weren't allowed in the hotel lobby that you were staying at, but didn't take long to figure out where most of them were or whatever if you wanted to go out with them, but I mean we hung around with the coaches mo mostly and uh and the staff and whatnot. So, um it was all good.

Do you have a particular game that you look back to and you're like that was my my favorite game I ever got to call? Like that is easily number one. Maybe it involved like a special moment where like the birth of your kid was on the same day or like something crazy like that.

No, I always say, Biz, I haven't made it yet. I was hoping that maybe it would be this year, but the lads that better get their shite together here in order to get where we need to go. So, we'll see how that works out. I mean, at past ones, you know, the the the game in Los Angeles that ended up having Doug Gilmore cut and by Gretzky and it didn't happen. Uh, every Leaf fan will go to its their grave saying that that was the one that the chance that we had. And I I fully believe that and uh that one I'll remember forever.

I remember where I was when that happened. I was my parents were they were calling wood visiting friends and I was just I was watching it. Yeah. They were out for dinner and I was watching on TV like I'll never forget where I'm like he's bleeding like he he he cut him.

Oh and and and the worst thing was when I walked out to uh parking lot. The officials were there and I had known Carrie Fraser or whatever and I said, "Carrie, how did how did you miss that?" And one of the linesmen said the puck hit him. And I said, "What did he do? Dive on it? because, you know, and but there was no replay, there was no recourse, and and I know Carrie feels horrible about it. Um and and and he's reminded of it probably almost daily if if he's around. For sure.

No, for sure. Um uh the other one, what was the other one I just had quickly? Oh god, I just drew a blank. Help me out here.

You've done so many more radio, but like did you like that more than TV? Because you mentioned it's it's a little easier to do TV, right?

I I uh my bank manager really enjoyed TV. You got you guys know what that means. You're make you're making peanuts in this little radio gig you have here. But ah now we're on the TV.

Now we're working now we're working full time. I remember the question. So, we had um Bob McKenzie on and at the time he had wrote an article basically saying how it looked like, you know, Gretzky was fading a little bit. He was carrying around a piano on his back.

Did you end up reading those comments and were you a little bit like, "Oh shit." Like, "I hope I hope he didn't spark this guy." Like, was everybody in the arena aware of that he said that and that Wayne was going to pop off? I don't think everybody was aware of it, but but you became quickly aware of it once it started to circulate. And I mean, and and yeah, of all of the things to do, get the greatest player in the history of the game pissed. And he he put on a clinic. He put on a clinic at at the Gardens in game seven. It was uh that was frightening. That was frightening.

another one of your calls and obviously the Holy Meno is the top echelon, but the one when they scored and you said, "God bless you boys." Was that just out of being a pure fan or was it like 10 overtimes and you just wanted to go home or like what what's the story behind that?

It it was they were hanging on by their thumbs. I mean, hanging on by Alex McGillnney was blocking shots.

Wow. He didn't go into the Hall of Fame because he was a shot blocker. I'll tell you that. But he was I mean it was just they were hanging on and just hanging on by their thumbs and it it was uh and and forced a game seven and then of course they they they blew the doors off the Senators and uh the return match in Toronto. So yeah, you know what people say, well do you think ahead of time what you would say? And I no it just comes out of the recesses of your mind and and uh whatnot even sometimes I actually sing not not very well but hey that's another story for another time.

Yeah the movie Young Bloodood you were in it. Starred starred in the movie Young Bloodood. Uh take us through that. Like did you get to hang out on set for quite a while? Like like take us through that whole experience. They needed a playby-play announcer. So they had me sit in the press box at at St. Mike's and bunch of the other ranks for about a week without me doing anything. The Olympics were on. So I got to watch the Olympics from LA, but I was paid as a principal actor and I was buying a house very shortly thereafter. So every day I'm go, "No, don't worry about me. I'll just sit here and collect money." And then I did about 10 minutes of playbyplay and I don't even know if it ever got in the movie.

But there, if you stay along around long enough, uh, the credits go by and my name's on it. And I got to meet the guys and Rob Low and then of course uh Stumpy Thomas and uh and Mike Palmer's brother and a bunch of the guys that were playing the the the hockey players. Um, it's it's a great time for them and it it it the movie has stood the test of time, I think.

Oh, yeah. Was it the tea with Miss McIll? Oh, was that Did you get to meet her?

No, I'm going to say I didn't. A very attractive young lady. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

What a movie. Uh, I see behind you, is that a poster of the the Paul Henderson the sum the Summit series?

Yeah. And and I I'm going to have to run here, guys, but I I I will tell you this story. Uh, I I I finished playing hockey last year. played up till I was 73 playing goal.

But um and the 25th anniversary of the Team Canada event, Ronnie Ellis um phoned me and said, "Joe, would you like to play in the uh the reunion game at the Gardens, 25 years to the day of game eight? Um have you play five minutes in the game and then stick around and do a minor hockey shootout?" I said, "I'd love to do that. Are you kidding me?" I was like a kid in a candy store. I roared into the dressing room two hours ahead of game time and sitting next to Dennis Hall and uh and uh Bill White and um we get and Mike Palmir is going to play goal because Eddie Johnston, Tony Espazito, and and Ken Dryden weren't playing goal anymore. So my goalie partner was Palmy and I thought, "Oh, this is great." So I'm at the end of the bench. I'm just I'm like a kid in a candy store. Three, four minutes goes on and Palmy's doing two pad stacks over here and over there just vintage Mike Pomiteer. Puck goes the other end and he

starts waving at the bench and Bill White's sitting next to me and he says, "I think he wants you to go in." I said, "I'm not supposed to go in for another hour and a half." "No, no, no. He's waving at you." Well, the puck goes back the other end now. Palmy's headed for the bench. He says, "You better get your mask on. You're going in." He gets to the bench. I jump over. We change on the fly. I get into the net, end of the period, I skate off. I said, "Michael, what's going on here?" He said, "Oh, I'm having both my knees operated on tomorrow."

Tomorrow? I said, "What the hell are you doing here?" Oh, I would never have missed this for the life. So, he was excited as excited as anybody. I stopped Daryl Sitler three times. We won 64 and Sit wouldn't talk to me for two. [clears throat and laughter] What a way to end this. That's awesome. I I got one one last one before you go. Like just reflecting on on your entire career. Like are you a little bit like nervous to retire? Like you know it's it's it's always nice having a purpose and get to go to the rink and call these games and be a part of something. Like you think about what it's going to be like maybe when you're not doing it.

Well, I've got three grandkids um that I'm going to spend a lot of time with guys. Um, as I mentioned, I want to be really active with the uh with the um uh alumni. Um, and uh I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe David Charles Bowen will get a a look at being able to do some of the games, too.

Yeah, he's Sbury. Yes, he is. He's doing the Wolves up there now. So, he's and he's he's really good. Um, he's certainly going to apply. Um, but u No, I I I I'll have lots to do. Uh, and I'll look forward to it and uh uh we'll have some fun with the guys. Uh, and I get to sit in the alumni booth every once in a while and have a Crown Royal and Diet Coke or 10.

Yeah, just don't be chirping players names. You might have their folks in front of you.

No, no, no, no, no. I will never do that, Biz. Never do that. Hey, Joe, you have you have made given so many people joy. Like I can't imagine you got to be number one all time for muting the TV and putting the radio broadcast lined up with the game and and even listening to you and hearing goal calls. It's been incredible my whole life here in Leafs goals. So congrats on everything.

Thank you very much guys. Really appreciate it. Yep. It's uh it's always fun. Always fun.

This is the spark we needed. There you go. Leafs are going to go on a run. It starts here.

Sorry Joe. Yeah, exactly. You can make a fight for you can make a fight for April. April 12th. See you later.

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Thank you very much to Joe Bowen. Awesome guy. Guy was rattled Notre Dame didn't get the look for the college football playoff. He had the shirt on. He started fuming when we brought it up, but an awesome dude. U going to enjoy getting to hear some of his final calls the rest of this year till the regular season ends. Biz a run and a half for this guy. So, congratulations.

Do it for Joe. Do it for Joe. Toronto. Yeah, that [ __ ] bango. That's what I was just going to say. I mentioned, you know, changing the suits and the dress code. you'll look presentable when you come to the rink like you're [ __ ] ready to work. How about doing it for someone other than yourself? How about doing it for the guy who's been calling games for 43 years in his final year now to make it 44? I mean, [ __ ] man. This guy puts more time and energy than anyone in that organization right now. Let's [ __ ] do it for Joe, boys.

Or at least get him some chrome heart jeans. Yes, very true. Imagine Joe rocking those $80,000 chrome hearts. That could be what gets him going. Somebody could buy him for him on the Leafs. They're making plenty of money. Um, shitty news for Carolina. I don't know if you saw when Jarvis got hurt. Typical Seth Jarvis driving the net 40 miles an hour. It look my guess would be broken ribs. He hit the post flying and he's out uh week to week I think it said or multiple weeks. And um Jacob Slavven's back out. He's out week to week too. So tough injuries there. Jarvis has been incredible for them. Standard Carolina Hurricanes in leading their division just just plotting along. They'll be ready to go in the playoffs, but I don't know if that affects uh the injury to to I mean for Jarvis with the Olympics. I hope not.

Yeah. And and Slavven for Team USA. Yeah. I I think I think also too just the injuries they're they're not a team like if they're missing one or two guys they're not affected as much as like whatever say Jersey you know if jerseys missing you know Hughes like you're going to notice it like Carolina's not really one of those teams like they win by committee I think they'll be fine they'll still they'll still win their games but yeah Slavven for USA like that would be a huge loss for USA not having him such a good shutdown Dman can play against anybody and we need we need him against Canada.

He's only played five games this year, too, and he's he's back out injured. Sucks.

Sucks for him. You know, even when he does come back, if it's before Olympics, you know, you want to you want to be playing. You want your legs underneath you and figure everything out. And we mentioned quickly the u with Joe, the clip that that clip of the Philadelphia playbyplay guy saying, "Would you would you mind?" What' he say? "Would you blow me?" That's one of the funniest clips I've ever heard in my life. Like he got it.

Can we play it? Can we play it now? They're going to take the TV timeout. We'll take it as well. Seven gone in the third. It's 3-2 Buffalo on the Philadelphia Flyers Broadcast Network.

It up. While you're down there, would you mind blowing me? I think we're still on the air, Jim.

All right. No, we're not. Are we? I When that thing broke, I I I I listened to it five times. I laughed harder each time. Two game suspension. Apparently, take take a couple games off. Wasn't the end of the world. But as Joe said, I was like there was so much time between he signed off for commercial. It he I don't know blame the guy. I mean, he just would you blow me? I mean, if you're down there, you mind blowing me? I mean, the guy just was just he was just chirping. He was just making making people laugh in the middle of a long season. Flyers right now sitting in a playoff spot. Nobody saw that coming. He's happy. Would you would you give me a Christmas blowy? I thought it was incredible. I just couldn't believe how much time went by.

Obviously, he thought they'd gone to commercial. He was set up possibly. Biz, set up for failure. Two games off. No big deal.

As as somebody who's been suspended by their team when in in media, uh I know the feeling. Um you know, you feel like you let people down, but at the end of the day, like you said, he didn't think he was on air. Simple joke. We all make jokes like that. Uh who gives a [ __ ] And I hope he gets to enjoy his holiday and is still hopefully he's still getting paid while he's off for the two games. That's what I most care about cuz he deserves a little break over the Christmas holidays.

Yeah, I agree with you as well. Um, and if he ain't getting it at home, hopefully he gets a blowy.

He was obviously a horny guy. He was talking to Fedoric. He's like, I think we're still on air.

Bridge, what a guy. Um, I watched that uh Jake Paul Anthony Joshua fight. credit to the guy Jake Paul for making that much money and like I just could I was like this is so bad. It was so bad and and you know I think he said after yeah my jaw is broken. Um I'm probably going to go back to my my normal weight class in terms of my next fight. But I was like oh my god I I watched the fight. It's just he was kind of like down on the ground the whole time like wrapping the guy up. It's only a matter of time. U did either one of you see that fight? Yeah, I watched it and honestly like I I don't I'm not a Jake Paul fan, but credit to him for fighting a monster like uh Anthony Joshua. He's humongous. He's a trained killer. Um so, credit to him for fighting it. Besides the him grabbing his legs and all that [ __ ] like

if he's going to win that boxing match, he has to run around and not get hit and, you know, hopefully catch him with one. Like, that if that's your game plan, I get it. But Anthony Joshua, like if you're like, he was a heavyweight champion. He should be able to close off the ring, get him in a position where he wants and just [ __ ] mow him down.

Oh, I think that there was probably a conversation pre-ight about how long that thing needed to last.

That's the kind of biggest joke about it all. Like, credit the guy. I want to say Jake Paul made 100 million bucks, right? That's what

is that what he good? Somebody Somebody said $92 million. So, yeah. And so, but it's all just a it's it's what what this has done is it's exposed boxing a lot.

It's it's almost a black eye for boxing all this [ __ ] cuz they're the ones getting all the pay-per-view. I was a boxing guy before the UFC [ __ ] but like the boxing pay-per-views and the names, they're just not there. And like now everyone's watching a [ __ ] YouTuber. Like that's the main event. Like what are we doing?

Yeah, it's a joke. I know. I don't I I don't I don't give it my oxygen. I don't watch those fights. I don't buy them. Like I'm not I'm not getting sucked.

Well, it was on Netflix. I was watching it. Oh, it was on Okay. I love you guys.

So, if you're already subscri So, if you're already subscribed, you just get that for free.

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, then that's okay. Genius. I thought you had to do like a pay-per-view buy or something.

No. Okay. No. So, shows how much I know that I literally give it no oxygen. Yeah.

Yeah. You don't you don't you have no interest. I hear what you're saying. Smart.

But yeah, Keith, I'll give Well, you tell me how brutal was the fight. It was Yeah, it was it was sloppy. It wasn't good. Brutal.

It wasn't good. But would any single person listening or any of you guys not do that for 95 million? Like you're not he's probably not going to kill you unless the ref decides to like if he if he Ivan Drago. Um yeah, and just continually tease off on you as Rocky's yelling throwing the damn towel or the trainer's yelling throwing the damn towel. 95. you're walking away. Broken jaw, 95 million. I don't think there's a person that's saying no to that. So, good for him. Good for him. Um, guys, love you boys. Have a great Christmas.

Anything you celebrate, I hope you enjoy it. I hope you take time to appreciate your family and enjoy yourselves. Christmas Eve is always a blast. Christmas Day if you got little kids, very special. And we'll be back next week. We will not be two episodes a week this week, but we will see you Tuesday. That would be December 30th. Back in action. We'll talk to you then. Peace.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Leafs Broadcasting Legend Joe Bowen Joins the Show - Ep 607"?

Ryan Whitney (Host), Paul Bissonnette (Host), Joe Bowen (Guest).

What is "Leafs Broadcasting Legend Joe Bowen Joins the Show - Ep 607" about?

Joe Bowen, the legendary voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a Hockey Hall of Famer, shares his experiences and humor in an engaging interview that highlights his over 3,000 games of broadcasting. The episode also features light-hearted discussions among hosts about holiday activities and their personal lives, set against a backdrop of NHL insights and sponsorship promotions.

What is mentioned in this Spittin' Chiclets episode?

19 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Joe Bowen, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ryan Whitney, Buffalo Sabres, Miami, Kwanzaa. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Leafs Broadcasting Legend Joe Bowen Joins the Show - Ep 607"?

The episode runs 2 h 33 min; the transcript is about 31,152 words in 395 timestamped sections.

More from Spittin' Chiclets

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 26, 2026.