Transcript

Sabres Mafia ft Tage Thompson + Olympic Roster Breakdown - Ep 609

From Spittin' Chiclets · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 3 h · 38,214 words · 693 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Sabres Mafia ft Tage Thompson + Olympic Roster Breakdown - Ep 609", an episode of Spittin' Chiclets published January 5, 2026 (3 h, about 38,214 words). It mentions 35 people, works and ideas, including Biz Nasty, Bob Bennett, World Juniors, Olympics, Austin Matthews.

What this episode is about

The discussion focuses on the recent dynamics within the NHL, featuring highlights like Tage Thompson's performance, a humorous take on the latest developments surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs, and personal anecdotes from the hosts about their experiences with the popular Pink Whitney vodka. Additionally, there is a light-hearted discussion pertaining to the World Junior Championship and reflections on the Olympic roster.

Key takeaways

  • Welcome to the jungle: where podcasting hits harder than a slap shot in the NHL.
  • Ryan's Pink Whitney is the official drink of post-game meltdowns and on-air tomfoolery.
  • Matthews snags franchise records faster than certain teammates snag selfies in tank tops.
  • Flossing onstage: because who needs dignity when you have a lobster suit and a butt plug?
  • In the world of vodka and victory laps, sweating the small stuff is overrated—embrace the chaos!

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 15:00: Winter Classic, Biz Nasty, Ryan Whitney, Florida Panthers
  2. – 30:00: Magic Alex, Dave Portnoy, Austin Matthews, Olympics
  3. – 45:00: Bob Bennett, Olympics, Four Nations, Hockey Canada
  4. – 1:00:00: Bob Bennett, Four Nations, Bing Crosby, Conor Bedard
  5. – 1:15:00: Arm Dog, Bing Crosby, Bob Bennett, Olympics
  6. – 1:30:00: World Juniors, Bob Bennett, Florida Panthers
  7. – 2:15:00: Four Nations, World Juniors, Bing Crosby, Blackhawks
  8. – 2:30:00: Austin Matthews, Hockey Canada, Chicago
  9. – 2:45:00: Austin Matthews, Olympics

Notable quotes from "Sabres Mafia ft Tage Thompson + Olympic Roster Breakdown - Ep 609"

  • What is up, folks? Look at Biz Nasty. Oh my god. Wow. I don't know what to say.
    about Biz Nasty · at
  • What he's able to been able to accomplish, but I will say congratulations on setting the all-time franchise goal record for the Toronto Maple Leafs, an original six franchise and doing so [ __ ] quickly, boys.
    about Austin Matthews · at
  • Remember the final score of Detroit Toronto at the Big House, which came up a lot on my algorithm of people why is this down in Florida? this is the Winter Classic with the…
    about Winter Classic · at
  • Canada on high alert to finally [ __ ] win a medal. They got to win a medal or this will be the third year in a row they don't medddal at the World Juniors which hasn't happened since 79 80 and 81.
    about World Juniors · at
  • I think I lead the way or stating the obvious in that I think that no player in the Olympics has a bigger complaint in getting [ __ ] than Sam Bennett. That might be in the history of best. Maybe Crosby in ' 06.
    about Olympics · at
  • Were oh fuck. But it leads me to my next point. In watching that game the other night, Matthew Schaefer's first game for Hockey Night in Canada and the show he put on and what he's done this year, I said I can't believe he didn't make.
    about Matthew Schaefer · at
  • Because of what he is like the beast that he is. And yes, you're right, Yans, he did tie the game in the gold medal game at Four Nations. 22 sick little tuck short side…
    about Bob Bennett · at
  • I thought they got better as the tournament went on. I from the first game though, I was like this Czech team is plays more Canadian than the Canadian team. Like that's when I saw them. I'm.
    about Arm Dog · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Biz Nasty — Person · Host / core speaker · 2 mentions · first at
    Central voice driving discussion on Winter Classic, Team Canada/Olympics selections, and World Juniors; also provides comedic anecdotes and takes.
  • Bob Bennett — Person · Core topic (roster snub debate) · 12 mentions · first at
    Framed as the biggest Team Canada Olympics omission; hosts argue his playoff pedigree and Four Nations impact should guarantee selection.
  • Austin Matthews — Person · Core topic (player discussed) · 7 mentions · first at
    Discussed for returning to form, hat trick, and setting the Maple Leafs all-time franchise goal record; used as example of criticism vs performance.
  • Arm Dog — Person · Guest (joins mid-episode) · 4 mentions · first at
    Introduced as 'King of the Winter Classic' and provides opinions on Canada roster, goalies, and World Juniors; also personal news about his son.
  • Ryan Whitney — Person · Host / co-host referenced · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as part of the show’s hosting group and in product branding ('Pink Whitney'); referenced in banter about 'boys week'.
    Ryan Whitney got a pink Whitney out there now.
  • Matthew Schaefer — Person · Core topic (player evaluation / roster debate) · 2 mentions · first at
    Praised as a standout and argued as a potential Team Canada selection; discussed for maturity and performance on Hockey Night in Canada.
  • Dave Portnoy — Person · Referenced media figure / foil · 2 mentions · first at
    Used as contrast to hosts’ approach to interviews; discussed for wanting to ask Brady about Alex Earl and for his interview style.
    It was a great time. I think it was about 50 minutes and of course Dave Portoy. He's got to announce his presence with authority. Dave Portoy.
  • Yans — Person · Co-host / analyst voice · 2 mentions · first at
    Provides analysis on Bennett usage, roster logic, and player roles; also part of Winter Classic and Panthers discussion.
    He auctioned off the jacket too. Game worn. He wrote gameworn jacket and it's going to smell like his onion. Well, if Yans was doing his job as ambassador of the Florida…
  • Bo Horvat — Person · Core topic (Olympic roster selection) · 1 mention · first at
    Named as a Canada roster add; debated as potentially less suitable than Bennett for bottom-six roles despite respect for his 200-foot game.
    Incredible players and I have so much respect for they play how they play 200 feet. both I know Horvat's over 20 goals. I don't know if Suzuki's hit that mark yet, but like…
  • Drew Doughty — Person · Core topic (defense selection rationale) · 1 mention · first at
    Debated as a 'seniority/pedigree' pick and safety valve; contrasted with Schaefer/Harley/Sanheim.
    The team. Like you could take Harley Sanheim's a great player. Harley I think Dowy got his spot. That's what I think.
  • Bing Crosby — Person · Referenced benchmark star · 8 mentions · first at
    Invoked as historical comparison for roster snubs and as a continuing elite presence for Canada.
    People were also online being like oh like do you think that Crosby Lemieux Bello would have ever done this? Like boys they he was playing outdoor before the outdoor classic.
  • Conor Bedard — Person · Referenced player (Olympic roster discussion) · 3 mentions · first at
    Discussed as not yet ready for Team Canada Olympics; contrasted with other young stars and future projections.
    Know if he could wear the C and lead some lead a team to victory to now where it's give him [ __ ] eight years and build around him. This guy is the generational talent that we…
  • Braden Point — Person · Core topic (Canada roster concern) · 2 mentions · first at
    Discussed as a key Canada selection with concerns about form and personal issues, but defended due to big-game pedigree.
    Represented in Canada when he believes, and rightfully so, that he should be there. I think the other biggest question mark for Canada is Point because Point for probably half…
  • Nick Suzuki — Person · Core topic (roster add debated) · 1 mention · first at
    Named as a Canada roster add; compared unfavorably to Bennett for bottom-six playoff-style roles (while respected).
    Respect for they play how they play 200 feet. both I know Horvat's over 20 goals. I don't know if Suzuki's hit that mark yet, but like getting it done all over and everywhere…
  • Magic Alex — Person · Referenced celebrity (tabloid context) · 4 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as the subject they were told not to ask Brady about; used to illustrate Portnoy’s provocative interview style.
    Brady, the goat, the news came out that this handsome young man was seen dancing and canoodling with one Alex Earl, I believe her name is, Biz.
  • Pablo — Person · Referenced person (nickname used in-episode) · 3 mentions · first at
    Used as a nickname in the Matthews segment ('Pablo is back'); also introduced early ('That's Pablo').
    Two goals which has been his first back-to back multi-goal game in the last two years. So to say that Pablo is back would be an understatement and congratulations to him. We're…
  • Mitch Marner — Person · Referenced player (context for Matthews) · 2 mentions
    Mentioned as Matthews’ long-time linemate/assist leader whose absence contributed to Matthews’ adjustment/slow start.
    Maybe adjusted the fact that he doesn't have the guy he's been playing with his entire career, a guy who's assisted on the his most goals throughout his career, Mitch Martner…

Companies & orgs

  • Hockey Canada — Company · Core topic (program accountability) · 5 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as under pressure for World Juniors results and in roster communication issues (Taves pregnancy comment).
    A man who probably has some thoughts on what's going on with the World Junior Team in Canada. But our very own game notes extraordininaire, Arm Dog, King of the Winter Classic, still got it, boys.
  • Florida Panthers — Company · Core topic (team context) · 4 mentions · first at
    Central to Winter Classic setting and to Bennett discussion; referenced as having won two Cups and Biz as 'ambassador'.
    And I don't know, Yans, you can maybe tell me. Does he kill a lot of penalties in Florida?
  • NHL — Company · Core topic (league context) · 2 mentions · first at
    Provides context for Winter Classic, Olympic roster debates, and player comparisons; also referenced in ads (DraftKings partner).
    Who said that were watching maybe from home because if you were there and you experienced that and that's what the Winter Classic is. The NHL is throwing on a live event. So…
  • Noble — Company · Partner/producer (Brady segment) · 2 mentions · first at
    Credited with setting up the Brady interview; Brady is said to be heavily involved with Noble.
    Listening to talk about the TV 12 method. So I didn't even realize afterward I had to go film some stuff with Noble with him.
  • Blackhawks — Company · Referenced team (Bedard discourse) · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned in context of Bedard not making Team Canada and Blackhawks fans reacting; also referenced via prospects in World Juniors.
    Don't think there's anything wrong with it. I think it's just kind of Blackhawks fans, which I don't really dislike.
  • Marlins — Company · Referenced team (Jazz Chisholm context) · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as Jazz Chisholm’s former team in Miami; ties to Winter Classic location.
    Box, he's iced out. But yeah, it was pretty cool cuz he used to play for Miami. the do the Marlins and now he plays for the Yankees. So he kind of had that, both teams he'd…

Concepts & topics

  • Con Smythe — Concept · Concept used as evidence · 1 mention · first at
    Invoked (mispronounced as 'Con Smite') to bolster Bennett’s playoff pedigree and value for Team Canada selection.
    And Sam Bennett. Sam Bennett not making this team after the fight against Brady Kachchuck, the two Stanley Cups, the K Smite, his play in the last like 30, 25 games reaching another level.

Places & events

  • World Juniors — Event · Core topic (tournament and Canada performance) · 10 mentions · first at
    Used to frame Canada’s recent failures and Czech success; leads into broader critique of Canadian development and identity.
  • Olympics — Event · Core topic (roster selection debate) · 8 mentions · first at
    Drives discussion of Team Canada roster choices, snubs (Bennett), and player roles; referenced as 'best on best' return.
  • Winter Classic — Event · Core topic (event review) · 6 mentions · first at
    Major segment evaluating the Florida/Miami Winter Classic experience, TV visuals, fan experience, and game quality.
  • Four Nations — Event · Core topic (selection justification) · 9 mentions · first at
    Used as evidence for Bennett/Wilson/Cirelli roles and coach familiarity; referenced as prior best-on-best style tournament.
    Does that guy get [ __ ] over by team Canada after what he's done the past few years in the NHL and last year's Four Nations? I don't I don't I can't believe it really.
  • St. Barts — Place · Setting (Brady gossip context) · 2 mentions · first at
    Referenced as the place Brady was seen with Alex Earl; used to illustrate fame/privacy issues.
    I cannot wait to see what memes cooks up with Alex Earl and him and St. Barts.
  • Chicago — Place · Referenced Winter Classic site (past) · 3 mentions · first at
    Used as contrast: prior outdoor game conditions were freezing rain, supporting argument for warm-weather classics.
    Like they rotate good locations for the Super Bowl, buddy. Even going back to last year in Chicago, it was freezing rain outside. How enjoyable was that for you guys sitting in the crowd?
  • London, Ontario — Place · Referenced origin (memes staff) · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as where 'memes' (Dale Morningstar) is from; used in a comedic aside about local hockey talent.
    London would send us like memes of our podcast joking around. So, we eventually just hired him. Check out me.
  • Lake Tahoe — Place · Referenced outdoor game example · 1 mention · first at
    Cited as an outdoor event that had issues due to sun, illustrating risks of nontraditional venues.
    They kind of maybe did that in Lake Tahoe but it didn't work out because of the sun. So that's what I'm saying. Like as all things considered, we're we're listing off all these outdoor cool.

Media & podcasts

  • Hockey Night in Canada — Media · Referenced broadcast platform · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as the stage for Schaefer’s standout performance, supporting the argument he deserved roster consideration.
    Were oh fuck. But it leads me to my next point. In watching that game the other night, Matthew Schaefer's first game for Hockey Night in Canada and the show he put on and what he's done this year, I said I can't believe he didn't make.
  • Field of Dreams — Media · Referenced idea (event concept) · 1 mention
    Used as an analogy for a potential outdoor hockey game concept similar to MLB’s themed event.
    A Field of Dream style... mimic the... movie.

Sponsors

  • New Amsterdam — Company · Sponsor (ad read) · 2 mentions · first at
    Referenced as the brand behind Pink Whitney vodka; part of sponsor shout-outs.
    That's Pablo. Shout out Pink Whitney.

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. Get that on camera. And Gand is a full-time member. Marley just got an assist from Chris B. Whoa. We're buzzing right now. What is up, folks? Look at Biz Nasty. Oh my god. Wow. I don't know what to say. Welcome to episode 609 of the Spit and Chicks podcast. Not necessarily dressed like somebody who just lost again to Checka in the World Junior.

This has nothing to do with team C. Okay, fine. Yeah, I know. That's Pablo. That's Pablo. Shout out Pink Whitney. Before we get going here, New Amsterdam's own Pink Whitney pink lemonade flavored vodka. Keith's got that bottle swimming around down in Florida. Whether you're at the beach, whether you're on the ski hill, that was my favorite spot to rip the nips. I brought a bunch of nips in a backpack to the top of Stow Mountain. I It's Stow Vermont. I believe it's Stow Mountain. And I ripped a couple and bombed down there. I mean, when I say bombed, I was doing the pizza plow the whole way, but it to me it felt like I was bombing down. So, shout out Pink Whitney. Shout out anyone who gives it a chance, who loves it, who enjoys it. Take your shot with Pink Whitney.

Guys, what's up? So much to talk about. We haven't kneelander. Busy kneelander.

Paying a little homage to both Toronto Maple Leafs right now. Yeah. I mean, one guy uh sitting out watching games in tank tops and the other man is is on fire. Uh for for us who doubted Austin Matthews, shame on me, shame on you.

Um yeah, that's an interesting look. um that was before his his hat-tick and then followed up the next game with two goals which has been uh his first back-to back multi-goal game in the last two years. So to say that Pablo is back would be an understatement and congratulations to him. We're not going to suck up all the oxygen at the beginning of the podcast here with with what he's able to been able to accomplish, but I will say congratulations on setting the all-time franchise goal record for the Toronto Maple Leafs, an original six franchise and doing so so [ __ ] quickly, boys.

Insanely quickly. Yep. Yep. Um we'll get into that a little bit because I actually have a thought on that I'd like to to maybe throw your way. Um, and I'd also like to say in that game there was one um star that elevated himself above all others. That's Matthew Schaefer. Uh, but we could we could just go into that in a little bit because Biz um you flossing your cornhole with a jacket on national TV during a musical act.

You see the picture? That was Where did that come from? He auctioned off the jacket too. Game worn. He wrote gameworn jacket and it's going to smell like his onion. Well, if Yans was doing his job as ambassador of the Florida Panthers, he would have tried to get them going between the second and third. Teaching a man. I was gone. I was gone by then.

Oh, you you just flat out left. That's how how disgusted you were with that performance.

Pissed off. I wanted to beat the traffic. See you. Oh, but that was actually they asked me. They said, "Hey, uh during the second intermission in the second segment, we're going to have you leave and you're going to go join the mosh pit for the for the dance routine." And I'm like, "Okay, mosh pit. There's going to be a bunch of people. It'll be able to make it look hype." And we finish the first segment. I walk over there and there's 12 people on each side of the stage. Like, this couldn't have look like less like a mosh pit if you could imagine it in your entire life. So, I'm like, "How do I make this look good on camera?" So, I see a couple of the guys with those inflatable outfits and then another guy who was dressed as a lobster on the other half

me. I was the lobster. Oh, okay. Because I literally go like this one time and he started buzzing around. So, I set them up

and I didn't know like I had no plan on going on stage. So, as soon as I popped out from the back of them, all of a sudden it just like the seas parted. It was like the the offensive line set some unreal picks and it just it it spread open. I'm like, I got to take I got to hit the gap here. And then some of the dancers were all the way at the front, some were all the way at the back. And I went up the stairs and I'm like, [ __ ] it, man. This is my catwalk right now. Let's go. I ripped it up. And then the look the the one girl gave me was like, oh no. Like like security might come up here and tase me not knowing what the is going on. So

a man with a butt plug won't leave stage. Okay. All right. All right. There there was options there for people like this guy's got.

This guy had a butt plug in and I was flossing like it would have got caught on the butt plug. So the butt plug was there.

Probably would have vibrated a little extra from the floss. Yeah, we might have activated it.

You were in Miami. Now I think for most men listening or even watching this on YouTube before we move to Netflix. Right now it's free. Uh but after a nice hot steamy shower, it is amazing. Especially when you're at a hotel and those towels are no longer your business doing a nice floss of the ass cheeks. No, I mean

it's the it's top three most disrespectful things you can do to a towel. Especially when you're doing it to the ones that aren't your yours. It means you're a piece of [ __ ] cuz you don't do it at home. You only do it when it's at home.

I do it at home, too. Oh, I do it at home. What you're doing? I do it at home, too. I'm with Biz. I floss my cheeks and I feel clean and I feel nice and I'm ready to get my day going. So, Biz, I I don't think I

How much How much of that was going down on on boys week at the Whitney? Well, I've taught them. I've taught them. You floss that five hole right now, Wyatt. Okay, Dad.

That's why Wit only has brown towels at his house. If you have white ones and you're doing Oh, no.

Dark green. Oh, no. I don't even have laundry detergent at my house. I just do strictly bleach. Just all bleach. Hey, I don't think we've ever brought this up with Billy G, but when I was playing in pit, he told us a story that uh like he never did his own laundry, but when he started doing his own laundry, he he was only washing washing it with fabric softener. He never knew to get the detergent, so he was never like killing the dirt in his clothes, but [ __ ] were they the softest clothes he ever had.

Yeah, he felt good. He just smelt like [ __ ] He smelt like your jacket after the Winter Classic strip stripped. Oh,

but it was it was, you know, entertaining for for a dud of a game. You always hope those games are close and, you know, go down to the wire. I kind of remember obviously the one I got to play in was legendary, but then even when Sturm scored in Boston that year, that was a great one. Um, I don't remember the final score of Detroit Toronto at the Big House, which came up a lot on on my algorithm of people like, why is this down in Florida? Like, this is the Winter Classic with the snow and the outdoor stadium. The Panthers have won two cups in a row. It's like, you know, those fans, I think, deserve to experience something different than what they usually get at their arena. 50 minutes from anywhere in the middle of nowhere with the [ __ ] what's that mall next to it? The worst spot in the world to ever saw mills.

It's horrible. So, give them a give them an outdoor game. And they didn't show up. So, maybe they're done with they're done getting them.

What do you mean they didn't show up? The team, not the fans. Great. No, but okay. So that's where I was going to say with like yes, I think everybody when they think of the Winter Classic, they envision the first one. I mean, the first one couldn't have been more perfect. It looked like they were in a a snow globe. Arm Dog, who's still, by the way, the king of the Winter Classic. Congrats to our boy Arm Dog, who we'll be maybe having stopped by later. Um, but uh that's what they think of in their head. But I mean, let's rewind a few years ago when it was in Minnesota. Like, yeah, maybe on TV it looked a little bit cooler, which I'm not even going to agree with that, but the live viewing experience was probably miserable for a lot of the people that showed up. Like, you would lit literally crack a beer and it would be frozen in 5 seconds. Now, I get that that's like the authentic true version of like a Winter

Classic out in the cold, but that was an awesome live event that they threw. It was completely sold out. The cheapest ticket online was, I think, over $300. People might say like, "Oh, that's not a good thing." Uh that tells you exactly where the market is in demand where they did it in the perfect size MLB stadium. There was it was a 36,000 seat stadium. So it wasn't too big. It looked jam-packed. And credit to the Rangers fans cuz they [ __ ] traveled amazingly. Like that was

they always do. They always do. And these people got to travel to an awesome destination like Florida. It was warm outside. They could go to the beach during the day. They get got to get a good lather on as far as the alcohol and then the temperature dropped down to 8:00 p.m. when they started the game. They were able to open up the roof and open up that sliding glass no problem. And the visual of like the half beach, half uh snow. It was all incredible. It looked great on television, too. So, I think that that was a home run. And I think that if you're thinking about winter classics and where that stood, they should be thinking about doing it in South Florida once every like five years. It's kind of like they they rotate good uh locations for the Super Bowl, buddy. Even going back to last year in Chicago, it was freezing rain outside. How enjoyable was that for that for you guys sitting in

the crowd? Yeah, that's bad luck. Wrigley is a place that should be like every four or five years. I I every 10 years down there,

but Okay. So, if you're going to be somebody who [ __ ] about the the viewing experience on television as that compared to what it was in Chicago or Minnesota, eh, okay. But for me, for these people who are actually paying to go view this experience, that was a 10 out of 10 home run as far as what time the game was, when they decided to throw it, it was on the second, not the first, so everybody and it was on a Friday. It was packed and it looked awesome. In my opinion, it looked even better on television because people were actually enjoying themselves and not freezing their [ __ ] off. So, I thought 10 out of 10. The only thing that was a let down was the game itself.

But people just want to complain. Like if you just turned on that TV and didn't know it was in Miami, you'd be like, "This is unbelievable." But people think Miami, it's 80° out. It was like 55 60°. It was perfect outdoor watching. Everyone I talked to in the stadium, I'm like, "How how many uh how many of these games that have you been to?" One guy said he's been to four or five of them. I go, "Where do you rank this one?" He said, "Number one." Because he, like you said, biz. He wasn't freezing his [ __ ] off. He could enjoy his day. Didn't have to bundle up and then he's sweat and leave and whatever. So, I thought it was unreal. But people just want to [ __ ] just cuz it's in Florida and it's not a traditional

Yeah, I'm a guy who [ __ ] I I No, but you're also seeing the response online with

You're seeing the response online and you're saying, "Oh, okay. This is a a a somewhat decent portion of hockey fans online who are saying, "Oh, I want it this way." And bitching. And that's fair. But I guarantee all those people who said that were watching maybe from home because if you were there and you experienced that and that's what the Winter Classic is. The NHL is throwing on a live event. So even from like a visuals and what it's providing, I think they went like straight up Miami Vice SL uh you know uh uh Barbie slash whatever it may be. And you guys are laughing.

They had the [ __ ] beach. That was their intro. That was They were in like Ferraris and Lambos and I mean Kachchuck has the lit. I think most guys are chewing on the cigar. He's just smoking his and he would have probably been smoking it had he been playing as I look at that.

People were also online being like oh like do you think that Crosby Lemieux Bello would have ever done this? Like

boys they he was playing outdoor before the outdoor classic and he was smoking before games. No, no, they weren't. And maybe you would list them as as classier individuals because they they they fit inside this this bubble that you enjoy. But man, I think that's [ __ ] hilarious. And the fact that those guys came out as Sally and Barkov's still got like a half torn ACL and he's [ __ ] out there lifting the cup, dancing around on stage. Give me that all day long. All and and we can have chuckles and and what a what a great experience that was overall regardless if you're hating or not.

Yeah. Um, at the end of the day, you're a showman. You're a showman. I lean towards outdoor game being ODR type atmosphere. That's where I'm at.

Well, I'll say this. If the Panthers hadn't won the last two cups, it wouldn't have been down there. So,

coming from coming from the guy who has a refrigeration system underneath his outdoor ring.

That's true. Well, yeah, but I don't cover it. I don't have a cover. Although, I was considering doing that, but that really takes away from the sk the sky and the beautiful stars. I think I think a cool one also would be um like maybe like um like a Field of Dream style. The the MLB did one um to like mimic the the the movie that came out not I don't know 20 30 years ago. I'm sure RA know would know the exact date.

But like I think that it would be cool. They kind of maybe did that in Lake Tahoe but it didn't work out because of the sun. So that's what I'm saying. Like as all things considered, we're we're listing off all these outdoor cool experiences. There have been some disasters when when you're working in those types of elements. So uh but going back to you, you got to spend the game on the glass and hanging out with a with an MLB guy, Jazz.

Yeah, Jazz Chisum. Uh which was actually Bling. Oh, dude, he's iced out. He's always iced out. Even when he's in the batters box, he's iced out. But uh yeah, it was pretty cool cuz he used to play for Miami. the do um the Marlins and now he plays for the Yankees. So he kind of had that, you know, both teams he'd play in the teams that were playing. So it was pretty cool. He knew nothing like absolutely nothing about hockey. He couldn't believe

he couldn't believe how like the goalies catch the puck when guys are skating in front of him. He's from the Bahamas, he said, and obviously had never watched hockey growing up or anything, but he he said it was unreal. He was getting a ton of love from the fans, you know, whether it was New York fans, Yankees fans, or Florida fans and the Marlins fans. So, yeah, that was that was pretty cool. Uh, did I think we did the second period together or half of the second? So, it was pretty cool. Got some good sound bites out of it. And, um, yeah.

Did he like did he he like hockey though? Like he's like, "This is pretty sick."

Yeah, he he was amazed by and you know, like you tell everybody if you're gonna go to your game, your first game, try to sit as close to the glass as you can. like he couldn't believe the size of the guys and the way that the guy guys move. Even the refs, he was like, "Oh my god." Like, you know, the refs jump up on the boards. Someone did that in front of us and he he couldn't believe like the athleticism, the the you know, the way guys are killing each other every shift. He was like, "Man, you guys get hit every single shift." I'm like, "Yeah, pretty much." But it it was cool to do it with him. And you kind of just teaching him the game a little bit. Uh and hopefully he becomes a big a bigger fan than he is.

Yeah. Yeah, people might have thought I I actually wore this um on behalf of Matt Rebe and his walk out. Holy [ __ ] His nipple.

I love how they had him go first, too. They're like, "You're leading." How many How many DMs did he get post game? You think when he when he opened up his phone?

9 million. Yeah. I mean, it's an incredible outfit. I mean, I I kind Does he Is he sponsored by New Balance? Like, I feel like that's got to be a plain white

tank top as opposed to the NB on it. like it was maybe a little more official if it was just plain white. Um,

if he does have a deal or got a deal as a result of that, genius marketing. Yeah.

Yes. And and good job by his team. Now he's dressed like that walking into a game when the team has, you know, set uniforms or outfits they're going to wear. Like I don't think there's another player in the NHL that would wear that outfit in the press box injured watching his team play. That is who you are representing right now. one of the craziest. I I the guy is unbelievable. Knander, what a player. I know it's been a little tough stretch, but

I just can't get down. I'm This is a win take. I can't get down sitting there, okay,

in a tank top. So, I'm going to I I said about what was it maybe 10 10 days ago, two weeks ago, that considering the way things were going, I personally would just go let's go to the black suits.

Yeah, let's keep it simple here. Let's Let's You've been checking immediately what they're wearing into games lately because we were together the other night. You're like, "What do they wear? What did they wear? What did they wear?"

No, you're really into this. I No, because Matthews got the hat-tick and I texted my buddy Josh and and Jeff. I go I go, "What did Matthews wear into the game tonight?" Thinking maybe that he listens to the pod and he would have said, "You know what? Maybe we should throw some black suits on and get down to business." We'll know.

Those three guys are smart. No, he's he's got a he's got a Hermes scarf on and these and at the end of the day, I'm I'm going back on my morals and I'm going to say I was flat out wrong. You have to be yourself.

If you flip-flopping I am Pablo is back. I'm flip-flopping. If you want to wear a Hermes scarf into the game and then put up a hattie and then go backto back multi-goal games for the first time in two years and then break the Maple Leafs alltime goalcoring record to beat Matt Sundine in like 321 less games I believe it was. I'll get to my notes later. And as far as Willie, you got to think he's probably listening to the podcast and say, "Oh yeah, you're shove your black suit up your ass. I'm gonna wear a [ __ ]

He's the last guy in the NHL that would listen to this show. He honestly strikes me. I don't know, man. Guy, if I had to guess, that wouldn't listen.

He just started a YouTube channel. I think he's about he he I think he's maybe maybe dipping his toe in. And he probably heard my ridiculous take of how he should be not he should put the chrome heart uh jeans in the in the closet, the 80k jeans for maybe a few weeks till we get this thing back on track. And he's saying, "Oh yeah, I'm not even playing tonight. I'm on the dayto day with my [ __ ] titties out in the press box. Chew on this one, buddy. Ambassador in my

tree living. There has to be a side of you like being the GM that'd be like, "What the [ __ ] is this guy wearing?"

He's saying, "I got my looks like like somebody's brother who just got out of prison and get to he got to come sit with him in the press box.

He's probably saying right now, I I got I got a guy injured who's one of the greatest Maple Leafs at this point." Uh um in the press box wearing a tank top. I got our captain, all-time leading goal scorer, wearing a Hermes scarf in. I got our ambassador wearing butt plugs at his birthday party. We're off the rails. So, let's just go all in. We have to be ourselves.

I don't give a [ __ ] I want You know what Tree has to do? It's like buy a Birkin bag and [ __ ] go to the next press conference with it. Put it right on.

One of my friends down here, their kids are younger, so they were doing the whole 67 thing way too much. So the parents started doing it all the time. So the kids didn't think it was cool. Tree needs to show up in a tank top, Hermes,

chrome, heart, jeans, and a be plug. What about What about uh uh Bub with some earrings in

Oh my god, that incredible. [ __ ] it. Go all in, buddy. Go all in. Cuz you know what? You know what I commend? There couldn't be two more perfect Toronto Maple Leafs. You know why? because they don't give a [ __ ] [ __ ]

Shut the [ __ ] No. No. Not that. Not that. Hey, keep [ __ ] laughing. Everybody who's watching it. Oh, Matthews is done. He's slowing down. Oh, he doesn't look like him. I agree. He had a bit of a slow one. But there were points in in time where Oie, I believe in year 12 of his career, the year before he won his first Stanley Cup, when everybody was label him a loser. Doesn't play defense. Austin Matthews plays way more defense and does way more intangibles and little stuff than Obie ever did before he got all that [ __ ] criticism. He's also scoring at a higher clip rate than Obie was on top of playing all that [ __ ] defense

and everybody. And then when he had a little bit of an off year trying to get maybe adjusted the fact that he doesn't have the guy he's been playing with his entire career, a guy who's assisted on the his most goals throughout his career, Mitch Martner, he has a little bit of a slow start. And here here we are now. He's back 20 goals on the season, six in his last four games, back-to-back multi multiple goal games. So, if you want to dive deeper into how unbelievable this guy is, we can do it right now, but I think we should probably save it for a little bit later because we have Olympic rosters to talk about.

Yep. We got uh World Juniors in in Hockey Canada on on on high alert to finally [ __ ] win a medal. They got to win a medal or this will be the third year in a row they don't medddal at the World Juniors which hasn't happened since 79 80 and 81.

I can't believe that's ever happened actually cuz when I was growing up just Canada just won and won and then at one point when I was in the NHL I think they won five or six in a row. So we'll actually get into that. We're going to talk rosters. I'm glad you brought that up. Um let's go into Canada first. Okay, which I believe you mentioned. should have we should have probably mentioned that that that we did interview another goat

while we were there. We are going to get to team Canada, but uh we sat down with uh Tom Brady, guys.

We sat down with Tom Brady. Um it was a great time. I think it was about 50 minutes and of course Dave Portoy. He's got to announce his presence with authority. Dave Portoy. Now, the day before we interviewed Tom Brady, the goat, the news came out that this um handsome young man was seen dancing and canoodling with um one Alex Earl, I believe her name is, Biz.

Yeah, she's like the biggest it girl on the planet. You can see pretty young, you know. She's just she's the it girl. And Tom Brady, who's I think approaching 50, but you know, looks I'd say 35

better than all three of us. Hanging out with her in St. Barts. That's where rich people go. Keith, you ever been?

Yeah, I got a host there. Makes sense. I never been. I Biz would never be allowed to go.

I would never be allowed on that. I will never be there. The news breaks that they're hanging out and I'm like, "Oh my god, we're interviewing tomorrow." Now, we are told one thing prior to this interview. Do not ask about Alex Earl. Now, in Dave Portoy's world, his [ __ ] up, demented, insane world that he's built, that is basically like, okay, well, now I'm definitely gonna ask about that.

Like, that's his lead question. That and I'm not doubting that interview would have lasted 30 seconds.

I'm not doubting the fact he would have brought it up the minute the person told him not to bring it up.

I don't know what you want me to say. That's not our games. That's not our bag. Oh my god,

the guy literally would have walked out. And Dave will say, "No, he wouldn't have walked out." Maybe that's true. I'm just kind of a guy that lives by, you know, if you're lucky enough to get a very famous guest, considered one of the greatest athletes to ever live. I'm just going to go by whatever his manager tells me not to ask, I'm probably not going to ask it. Like, we got [ __ ] Dave Walter Kronhite Portoy over here asking the hard-hitting questions. Dude, I don't care. I wanted to talk about your football career, okay? And Biz, you said it too. We can't ask him. They tell us not to ask him. We can't ask him.

What's the point in that? At the end of the day, Dave on here, we're company men and he's a company owner. So, we're used to we follow we follow directions. He breaks the rules. We're

But I want if fans are sitting there saying like you [ __ ] [ __ ] you, dude. Say if it was you, you would have said you you would have asked the question like, I don't know what to tell you. I don't

I'm about to interview the like what's considered the greatest football player of all time. Like I would never ask Wayne about what he's got going on this personal like that like like that. I want to I want to learn about his greatness and how he got so good. And another thing too is like I don't know football that well, right? Like I'm I'm I'm a little naive to what like Tom Brady's done and even like before he got to the NFL like I know he went to Michigan. I didn't know how many times he was looked over at Michigan and how he wasn't the starter and after having a good third year he he he wasn't even named starter in his senior year. So there was a lot of things that that I picked up in that interview and I learned about Tom Brady that probably Dave along with you guys might have known even going in, but I didn't. So just to hear about

you know it girls so it's not like you needed to ask about that. Yeah. But like where does it even go from there? Like I just once again like could you imagine being of that level of fame where he probably went in that situation being like you know what I'm gonna I'm gonna go to St. bars with other people who probably just want to get away from their crazy realities and the phones get put away and nobody's going to know my business and then next thing you know it's the most talked about thing going on in the world in the next 48 hours till the next news cycle but until until the United States invades Venezuela you know like that's the only thing that took the focus off of that we had to invade another country and take their [ __ ] president away for that to go away so keep pro like that's got to be so [ __ ] annoying that his personal life is is talked about the way that it's talked about and

and it's it's brutal and I don't need to go down that avenue with him. Dave's probably one of those guys too that like when he does an interview nothing's offside for him, right? Like he probably doesn't have anyone say don't talk about this, don't talk about that.

What's What if you say don't ask it? I'm pretty sure that to him is like I'm asking it. It's like

look at what he's built. I don't have that in me. Do you think that's why we work for him and we don't have our own company.

So I will Dave carries his balls around in a wheelbarrow compared to like the balls that I would have to even consider bringing that up. But I will throw this back at you guys and then even ask Dave himself when he got to sit down with President Trump. Did he ask any hard-hitting questions to him or was he throwing softballs to him? Like

I think he was gargling his balls the whole time. I think he's like your tan looks great. I love your suit. I think he said, "My dad hates your guts. Let's FaceTime him." That was pretty funny.

Okay. Okay. So, that's not Okay. So, maybe not. Maybe I'm wrong because I didn't I didn't watch that full thing either, right? So,

I can't remember it. Maybe he Maybe he We definitely know he would have asked Tom that, but that's once again I'm a fourthline grinder, buddy. He's a firstline center. He can play his game and make that make that cross ice pass through the middle. I'm just going to go north.

I'm just going north. He's an Olympian. We're glass and outers. Yeah, we're Yeah, now we're gargoyless.

Hey, by the way, a gargoyless our goalie got in our goalie scrap the other night.

So, that might switch around the whole season. I hope so. Might get the boys going. That might get But those of you uh probably wondering when the Tom Brady interview's coming out. It's going to be coming out on Netflix uh when we drop that in the United States. So, I'm sure some people are now [ __ ]

He's asking that interview. Oh, he is? Yeah. He said you can't you can't show it. So, our our boss hates us. Um um 15 to 20% of our fan base who thinks we sold out to Netflix hates us.

Our likes, but Tom likes us. Hey, but Tom likes us. What What was the text chain?

It was very funny. Called us yesmen or something. No, he said, "If you don't ask Brady about Alex, you guys are pussies." Biz responded, "I'm a pussy." He goes, "Such pussies." you are what you need.

He said his team said we can't. Piss said he had his old line with him and then he just goes, "You are such yesmen." Number one story in the world right now. He falls into your lap and you three are holding each other's dick listening to talk about the TV 12 method. So

I didn't even realize afterward I had to go film some stuff with Noble with him. Like to the degree that we got to play Tummy Sticks. Like we were chuming it up. The camaraderie that grew between me and Tom, I would say that even though Portoy went to jail for him, I think that Tom likes me better than he does Dave Portoy.

Well, we were told after that I I'm pretty sure we were told, gee, you could correct me if I'm wrong, that he's down to do

he wants to do a nine-hole sandbagger with the boys. So, he ain't doing that with Dave and his busted ass shoulder.

I I would actually like to ask Big Cat and PFT, you know, the biggest podcast. It's me and the they were told if they had him on and they were told don't ask this. Would they have asked it? I don't think they would have if they were told not to. But, you know, who knows? They might have been able to like ask it in a different way that maybe he didn't even realize that they were asking.

Yeah. PFT would have been like, "Hey, uh, we're not supposed to ask you about Alex Earl, but uh, how's Alex Earl?"

Um, I don't see I don't picture that out of them. Can we pull the video up of of after we finished the interview? I think he gave us 56 minutes. Um he looked at Dale Morning Star aka memes chicklets memes and he's like what like what's up with this dude and so

what is that I mean the sto the story for memes like this just keeps growing and growing like the legend grows. So, if we could pull that video up, if we got it.

Every interview we do of somebody that like doesn't know us or the brand, they're like, "What is that thing over there?" And then Dale's just like behind the corner with like his NASCAR jacket like me.

You see people talking, people are like doing the interview and they just look over and they're like looking at him like, "What the [ __ ] is that?" And then they ask at the end.

Well, it's like Alex Earl's the it girl. He's the it guy right now. % who should have been hanging out with St. Barts together.

I cannot wait to see what memes cooks up with Alex Earl and him and St. Barts. Oh, it'll be amazing.

This is going to be good. Hey, and we got to shout out Noble for setting it all up. So, that was that was huge. Tom's heavily involved with them. So, um yeah, can't thank him enough for his time and can't wait till we got him, Wayne, and who would be the third on their team. Imagine.

I don't think D. Although I love the Duke, I don't know if they're going to sign off on playing.

I thought you said Luke and I'm like Luke. Who? Oh, Luke Hughes. Oh, wait. Yeah, he's getting booed out of Jersey. We'll get it to that one.

There's the memes video right there. Where's that coming from? Uh, London, Ontario.

Where's that coming from? London would send us like memes of our podcast joking around. So, we eventually just hired him. Check out me.

He's a NASCAR driver. How sick. They might get hired by Brady. Memes is going to leave us.

Hey, so man, Dale got the shout out London, Ontario. Dale Morning Star has to be the coolest guy in London, Ontario. Oh yeah. Head of Drew Dowy, Cory Perry, Brendan PR.

Well, Dale Hunter can't go back there. I want to save world juniors because as much [ __ ] as I want to talk, we got bounced even earlier than you guys, but I want to talk Olympics rosters. We haven't talked biz. I know you were on with Game Notes Live when I believe Canada's team got named.

Um, so some people have gotten your breakdown. Let's throw it up right now. I think I lead the way or or stating the obvious in that

I think that no player in the Olympics has a bigger um complaint in getting [ __ ] than Sam Bennett. That might be in the history of best. Maybe Crosby in ' 06

and Sam Bennett. Sam Bennett not making this team after the fight against Brady Kachchuck, the two Stanley Cups, the K Smite, his play in the last like 30, 25 games reaching another level.

Yeah, I don't get it. I know Tom Wilson comes in. So, I think that's what it was. Wilson over Bennett. Why can't you take both of them? Why does that guy get [ __ ] over by team Canada after what he's done the past few years in the NHL and last year's Four Nations? I don't I don't I can't believe it really.

As as an American, I'm glad he's not on the team as a friend of his. I really as I wish he was on the team. I still think that he will be on that team and he will be going to Milan. But

it it is crazy to me even if he hasn't had the best start of the year, he's missing the guys that he usually plays with. Like there's some variables out there that isn't why he's playing his best, right? So I think it's crazy. I mean, obviously I would probably take out Celli if that if that was the case. I think Coupe being his coach obviously adds a little more weight, but Benny would be my guy. Like that's a guy he can play on your first line, you can play on your fourth line. Doesn't need to PK, doesn't need to play on the power play. He's just going to go out there, put his his work boots on, and go to work. So I I I don't understand that one. He scored like the game tying goal last year too, right? In the Four Nations. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he did.

Like he he's an absolute stud. He brought it in the finals. He brought it in the finals the year before that. Like just a guy you want to go to war with. But like I said, as an American, I I I would be so happy if I was on that team that he's not on there.

Yeah, that's I guess that's the biggest head scratcher. And it happened in real time and I guess there was always a possibility that maybe he wouldn't have made it. Um, the only thing that you could possibly use against him is like not as an electric of a start as far as numbers, but he's also had the responsibility of of taking over a stronger role than maybe he's used to with Bararkov being out like being put in more situations where it's just like, you know, it's it's harder. It's harder produce when you're

going to smash his careerhigh in points this year. Buddy, I I get it. And that's why people were saying like, "Oh, it's crazy to give this guy this money. He's never reached 60 over 60 points, I believe, or a certain threshold in his career. Blah blah blah. But you you look over the last two-year stretch of time, two Stanley Cups, Con Smite, uh uh help

10 10 murders, Hannibal Lectar, uh Four Nations, and what he contributed at Four Nations, and how he's like essentially acclimated into that group where man, he's familiar with those guys. He just won with him last year and now he's [ __ ] boys with Marshall. I feel like it's easier to slide him in than for instance

the two guys who probably got added as a result, Suzuki and Horvat. Now saying that they don't deserve it or no, they've been incredible and they're incredible players and I have so much respect for they play how they play 200 feet. Um both I know Horvat's over 20 goals. I don't know if Suzuki's hit that mark yet, but like getting it done all over and everywhere on the ice, but once again, like you guys just said, I think on a bottom six role and probably where most of those guys will end up, I like Sam Bennett in that role better because he can adapt to that and he's played that. He played it in Calgary before they gave him an opportunity

and that's why he ended up getting shipped off. So, he can bounce so much more out of your lineup. And it kind of goes back to my rant about World Junior is like part of what I think that makes Canada special is that element of fear that we we think

made. What do you mean? Yeah. Made not anymore. Oh, what do you think that that's at the World Junior level? Best on best. You're the king. The world junior level. It It's made.

Thank you for your correction. Thanks for [ __ ] stepping in and correcting me there. Really really appreciate that. And we'll get to that later. But uh that was that's probably the biggest let down. But I agree with Yans in a sense that I think that with the all the injuries that are now happening, all this hockey playing every other night that he will find his way on that team. And it can also spin off into the conversation that you know Celli also makes it and maybe people thought that he was the guy that should have been off the team where Coupe is as a head coach is so comfortable and I actually respect that move more so maybe um than the Fox move because at least he's won with that guy. Like he's won two Stanley Cups with him. He won four nations with him. like if he has that much trust as a coach where he's like, I'm going to throw that guy over the boards in in those situations where I know he's going to

have success, Celli should be on the team. It's Horvat or Suzuki who should be on because well, they've they've never won anything. And Celli has and he's been relied on by the head coach who's like the [ __ ] Phil Jackson of our time as a head coach, him or Maurice, and he wants to put him on the ice. So, I think that Sireelli should be there ahead of Horvat and Suzuki, but I also think Bennett should for sure be there instead of Horvat and or Suzuki. And once again, no disrespect for those two guys, but when the chips are on the table, Sam Bennett has done it just like Celli has.

Yeah. And I thought he'd make the team solely on the fact that the last game before Olympic break just so happens to be Tampa, Florida,

Celli ain't playing. He may kill. He There may be Lightning leaving on stretchers in the first and the second, early in the third. If he's not on the team by then, he may be like, "Okay, well, I'm just going to try to kill everyone." He pretty much tries to do that anyways. But this is against a team that has a bunch of guys that will be represented in Canada when he believes, and rightfully so, that he should be there. I think the other biggest question mark for Canada is Point because Point for probably half of the amount of time this year in games with Tampa has not looked like himself. We talked about it. We just heard rumblings that he was dealing with something personal. Like I don't know exactly to the depths of what it is, but that's another guy where I'm like, ah, I feel like he has way too much big game experience where I don't really care how his first half of the year went. He's

he's a foxhole guy. Points. Yeah. point was I know it was like a struggle a little bit. That's a guy that I don't think even any Canadian fans are like no no not this year. No. Everyone's like Braden Point. He's done enough.

Even Hegel Hegel I' I'd rather Bennett than Heaggle. He's [ __ ] awesome. Dog and a bone. I want them both.

Biz. You called Horvad about three weeks ago. I thought you were crazy. I feel like that's you knowing something. You're very in the know with a lot of people around. I don't I don't dig I went on a podcast the other day and they were uh um Lazarus that show is it morning cup of Joe or something. Is that how you call it?

Cup of coffee. Cup of coffee. Morning. Cup of coffee. And people are like, "Oh yeah, he's [ __ ] just a puppet for talk." And I don't You think I [ __ ] talked to these guys? You think I've reached out to talk to talk about Mechov?

No. I'm not even calling talk anymore now that he's a head coach because I know how much stress. So I'm not I don't dig for this type of information. That's just like

that's just insane. And from also from watching Islander hockey cuz we had him on the broadcast a few times. Like he's got over 20 goals, but if he sometimes he's the first guy in on the for check and he's the first guy backing breaking up a back door play. So I just have a lot of respect for the way that he plays 200 feet. And I think that that played into a factor as to how he work he made his way on the team. And I heard he's just such a likable guy. the guys love him behind the scenes and um they probably regret big time moving him uh as a Conucks fan.

So So anyone anyone who makes their their country's team um for best on best back in the Olympics to then see injuries, it it really it's it sucks. That's how I got on the the 2010 team. Paul Martin broke his arm, I believe, in Jersey. And I remember being so excited. I still felt brutal. Paul Martin's an awesome guy. He was a great player. But I think it hit me even harder with Tom Wilson seeing him go down and it didn't look great. I hope he's all right, but the knee he kind of landed on his right knee in an awkward way. But that video where he got the call from Don Sweeney, he's got his son, baby son sitting there and you could tell he's just so happy. you know, a lot of those calls have been go going around and the videos of them, but for him who's I mean, talk about like developing as a player through the course of your career in the NHL from just running people over in suspension left and right to a legit

offensive weapon while keeping your physical game while making it like a little better in terms of player safety department. He really deserved that and I hope he's able to play. I don't know what if they've said anything about his injury, but that sucked. And then Devont Taves, he goes down. That didn't look good either. And his case was kind of weird because right after he got named, he's like, "Yeah, well, I'm not going to be going if my son hasn't or my daughter hasn't been born yet. Believe his wife's pregnant." He's like, "Oh, I never they never asked me about I never talked to Hockey Can about." I'm assuming they were like, "Uh, oh fuck." But it leads me to my next point. In watching that game the other night, Matthew Schaefer's first game for Hockey Night in Canada and the show he put on and what he's done this year, I said I I can't believe he didn't make the team. Like you could you could take

Harley Sanheim's a great player. Harley I think Dowy got his spot. That's what I think.

You think Dowy got it before Harley? No, it would have been Sam Sanheim or Sanheim's been good this year though. Philly sitting in the playoffs. Yeah, I think that Sanheim might play might end up playing a bigger ro role than Dowy at at these Olympics. I think Dowy is a is a safety valve in a sense of that maybe I'm completely off. I didn't

everything that he I didn't think that Dowy would start in the lineup. If they do like I wouldn't I'd be like, "Oh, okay. That's fine." But Dowy to me is like if you have a guy go down and you need him in a semis or a big game, big moment situation. You just some guys they have it in them where like he's going to be farting showing up late for the game and it's not going to phase him, right? He could be farting during the coach's speech and like you know he could be doing the the the floss on his [ __ ] coming out of the shower, maybe even late for the meeting.

Yeah. Yeah. And he's going to be able to slide in and play 18. you won't notice him and he may might even make a few dazzling plays. So, and I don't think that Schaefer can't provide that. I just think when you're Drew Dowy and you've done what you've done for Hockey Canada and you have the pedigree, you kind of just there's a seniority thing.

But I would say that outside of Sam Bennett, I think that most Canadians are are praying that he ends up finding his way onto this team in whatever shape or form.

Yes. And and let's bring in right now a man who won gold at the World Championships. a man who probably has some thoughts on what's going on with the World Junior Team in Canada. But our very own game notes extraordininaire, Arm Dog,

King of the Winter Classic, still got it, boys. Yeah, you just cracked that bottle open.

Every Winter Game, every Winter Classic, right when that time passes by, what is it? 19 seconds.

21. 21. No, I don't know. Maybe the clock was frozen. The little butt end of the 19 winner. You know that. I I love what Wayne said on TNT's like he's like the uh he's like the um what is it the Florida um Dolphins team whatever year that was they went like every year they just sit there and pop it and smoke a cigar. Wo said that other thing I'm like that's so sick they end up going on to win the Super Bowl too. They had a a fully perfect season.

Yeah. Yeah. I think the regular season was like 13 games or something. 14 games but they won it.

Yeah, they won it. I hated Where were you celebrating? I was in the living room in the k in the kitchen with the family just hanging around watching. I'll tell you what though, Biz. [ __ ] buddy. You You buckled my entire family with the dancing with the cheerleaders. We're watching. Then you're getting the boda dunk. You're shaking it. The camera zooms in and then I see you go for the zipper and I go, "Oh [ __ ] he's going to floss. He's going to floss." And my wife's like, "How'd you know that?" I'm like, "Remember that one night we worked TNT? Like we we worked two nights in a row, but it was like from 12 to like 1:00 in the morning both nights. And we did like a big disco celebration. All our brains were fried. And you did this unreal dance.

Oh, that's right. You took off your coat and you started flossing. That's like your move.

That's my finisher. That's my floss though when you got it going. I The look on your face staring into the camera. The camera guy was perfect too. He like backed away and then zoomed in kind of on you. my son like cruiser buckling crying laughing the girls crying laughing just absolute electric show so yeah that's what I was doing that night just watching the game 21 seconds still got it

how was the game as a visual army I thought it looked okay I think I think Army they're telling you to do your quick time right now before

I got it I got it gone no I never did mine I never did mine oh that's what you said oh sorry

waiting here for you guys talking about Canada I was coming on you guys talked about Can it already is nothing to talk about? I did. No, no, no. I wanted to hear your point about about Schaefer or Bennett and and maybe anyone else that you're like, I don't necessarily agree with that.

You know what? Maybe hurt Bennett a bit. And I don't know, Yans, you can maybe tell me. Does he kill a lot of penalties in Florida?

He has this year because uh Matthew and Barky are out and I don't think their PK is that great, but he's not really a a PKer by by nature.

Yeah. So maybe that is kind of what hurt him. a bit. I I I found it interesting the guys that were left off and then the guys that were snubbed, right? There's a snubbed guys as well. Um you know, you look down the list of like production and guys that put in good years and like you you you have to you for Bennett for me is everything you guys said about him. Like you have to consider him just because of what he is like the beast that he is. And yes, you're right, Yans, he did tie the game in the gold medal game at Four Nations. 22 sick little tuck short side cheddar. Um, but like he's a guy that's there when it has to be. Like he's a like look at him. Look at him the last two years. Like his production and the amount of games he played and it's not that much. He had good great production 20 plus goal seasons and um in the playoffs. So he's a monster. He's a monster. Like he gets it done. Plus he had like a 100 pimps

two years ago when they won. Then he had like 90 whatever. Like he's he's just a beast. I literally say about him, he rabbit punched the sneakiest, most incredible knockout rapper punch to Marawn and then stood there talking to you guys deadfaced.

I didn't mean to do that. That's when I'm like, "All right, I don't know what you're talking about."

This guy was built different. He I don't know what you're talking about. And there wasn't even an ounce of like

That was the year that the Bruins broke the record, right? Yeah. They went to the finals.

The year that he knocked them out. So, it's like the guy will do anything it takes to win. Like, you know, if you're going to beat a team that just broke the record for most wins, you got to knock out their best

Canada last year, wasn't it? And hey, that same year. Hey, let me ask you this, though. Like, Tom Wilson, like, hope he's okay. Like, to your point, what a what a player. I mean, it's Tom Wilson's team in in in Washington. Like, this guy's scoring at a rapid pace. I hope he's okay. That guy is Shrek on skates. like his shoulders, his broad his should he's he's a football player and he's an animal and he's a weapon. He's a beast. He's learned how to contain the animal as well and still produce in different ways in and around the net like hard doing hard stuff and he's excelled at that.

And so if you're going to leave Bennett off like the next best thing in regards to that kind of player is Tom Wilson. Now they had a cheat code with him. They got to use him at Four Nations to John Cooper and see where he fits in, what he can do, how he does this. Then you try to identify during the year and I know Tom Wilson was close to last year making that Four Nations team. And I know that they regretted not taking him after those fights and stuff. Can you imagine Tom Wilson involved in that, it would have been it's it's that's another animal. So, I think looking at the year that Tom Wilson has put together and I think looking at his body of work and then the fact that they wanted him last year too and they were like, "Ah, maybe not." Who are you going to who are you going to replace with it? It's like Bennett's kind of like the same kind of guy in a sense in a Why can't you have Bennett and Wilson?

Imagine them on. I think he's just saying he essentially like if they're they're looking at roles that need to be played like there's a way deeper discussion and he's saying we think that he's a better version of Bennett maybe right in this moment I guess and what he what maybe how he's maybe able to produce a little bit more. Maybe he's they want more net front. I don't know. I don't know what the

complimentary like winger for a line and up and down be able to kill maybe. Yeah. It's just weird to me that that US, which we'll get into,

like they made like a couple, you know, they didn't make any changes, excuse me, and Canada did make changes. It was like, oh, and maybe that's good. Maybe as a fan, you're like, yeah, we're not resting on winning. We think we could be even better. Where the US lost and they looked at it like, well, we were so close. Like, we could do it with this group. So the the by the way the shift Wilson had last week I he murdered that Noah Laba what's his name on the Rangers

that guy like always has a full cage on this laba kid he's he murdered him and then went down and scored his 20th goal. It's like okay there you go. It's his fifth year in the league. It's like I've never seen this guy's face before.

The [ __ ] is going on? He's like that goalie that's still thinks he's in college.

Yeah. He's like a goalie that keeps getting hit in the face in that one comedy video. Scott, whatever his name is, is hilarious. But I I we we interviewed um we interviewed Doug Armstrong the day that it came out. I was working up at Sportsnet and I've heard some other interviews, but he's if if a player goes down, they're not going to replace an apple with an orange. They're going to replace a player of that ilk with a player of that caliber of player. So I

like if it was a Hegel to go down, you might see them out add Jarvis all of a sudden.

Yeah. Like I think that's a perfect exact little like pitbull kind of energy beast that is the same kind of player. So

Army like how do you how do you pick with these guys? I know those guys are disappointed.

But it's it's Austin Matthews is calling you. No, no, no. It's Jud. Oh, Judy. Let me answer quickly.

Yeah. Let's see what he's watching. Hey Jud, we're live on the podcast. He knows I I I can't talk to you right now about whatever you need to talk about. Say hi to the boys. Look at that guy facing right there, boys. The

the NHL runs through this guy's cell phone folks. He's got something to say. Let him say it.

Um well, look, happy new year everybody. Just returning the call, biz. Call me when you're done rapping. Uh hopefully I'll talk to all you sickos soon.

Do you like my uh my uh paying homage to Austin Matthews scarf? I respect it. I do like it. You look good.

Thank you. Talk to you soon. Hey, I love this guy. I love you. Look who's calling me. I don't dig. He's like, I just return to your office.

He's like, "Hey, tell me what you needed to tell me in 10 minutes." Now, I felt bad for Bard. Um,

yeah, I I get it. I I was actually kind of surprised that ar Army in his press conference he made it pretty clear that the injury wasn't the reason because I think he said like yeah you know it wasn't really the injury necessarily because we could have you know we could have named him the team and if he couldn't have played then we replace him. So he was pretty open and honest that it's not his time yet. I think in 2030 you see Conor Baddard playing on a top six role in team Canada. Uh I don't I'm sorry 2028 or no 2030 wake up. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I think it's just kind of Blackhawks fans, which I I don't really dislike.

They were pissed off. They want to see their guy, you know, playing with the best in the world, but his time's coming. His time, the injury didn't help, but it was just more about McKinnon, McDavid, Crosby, and you got to say, Celibbrini, he's above him right now. I think he's more physical. I think he's better overall defensively, and he's better offensively. So, Celibbrini has come into this thing where it was like, do you think he has a chance of making the team? And all of a sudden it's like he's penciled in on in the top six role.

Yeah. Like he could he could be just as effective as as like McDavid and Crosby out there. That's how much he's dominating.

And all those big dogs want to play with him. He's he's going into this tournament as uh one of the youngest guys saying, "Who wants to play with me?"

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he's Crosby 2.0. Biz said that. I think it would have been cool though to um to be able for Baddard and Schaefer and Army. we'll get to your your Schaefer opinion on after this um to get them that experience and just to see cuz like I assume this isn't Crosby's last Olympics, but if it is like you kind of want that that torch to be able to be passed off to as many guys uh as possible and I think that that Bard and Schaefer just as much as as Suzuki and and Horvat deserved it. Like I was

I I just knew that Bard at at a certain point I'm like, "Oh, maybe there's hope." But then when you really thought about it, it's like, man, there's just like how many who who you going to leave off for him?

There's 50 guys that could make that team. Their second team somebody tweeted out would be in the hunt.

Oh yeah. Like it's ridic it's like you know I I got bravo to you Canada Bard though I got to give him a ton of credit cuz he is a freaking he's a horse this year. like just watching him like I didn't think and all the critic criticism he's taken like I give him a ton of credit for like his mindset his his approach like the way he's the way he's delivered on this style of game like he is far and away like I think his coach said like this guy plays winning hockey and if you want a winner like you get this guy and and that's all he knows right since he's come in there to coach this team and he's had like this new Bard that's just an absolute beast like he's not shying away from contact. He's going into it. Uh there's been several examples through games where they, you know, I think Biz, you've done a couple highlight packs on him cross-checking guys and being in the mix like

Peno, he's just involved. Like he is just involved. Then you stack his skill on top of that. And so, okay, maybe his resume now because of that, like it's just it it's it's blossomed this year for whatever the circumstances may be, his age, comfort level, whatever. But like his resume to that regard isn't as long in the pro game. But man, you put that kid in a team Canada jersey.

Yeah. Oh my god. Unbelievable. For I would say between the end of last year to now, the narrative probably went to like h sign him to a five-year bridge. Even if you're a hardcore Hawk Hawks fan, regardless of the points, and especially if you're a hockey fan like us, you'd say ah fiveyear bridge. Let's see if he's really like a foundational piece that you can build around. like, yeah, the points are there, but there's a lot of things about his game I don't know if he could wear the C and lead some lead a team to victory to now where it's like, give him [ __ ] eight years and build around him. This guy is the generational talent that we thought he was coming in. I know the points were there. I know he won the Calder Trophy, but the the narrative at the end of last season was not not give this guy whatever he wants in eight years and we can build around him. Am I crazy?

No. which was cool too that what he's done because it was the first time in that kid's life that he had criticism,

right? When had that when had he had ever had any criticism about hockey? The first time he's been cut. The first time he's probably ever been cut. Like,

but that's something where it's like that that's hard for anyone and all of a sudden like you're just getting all this stuff coming at you that's never ever been said about you. And he could have handled it a lot of different ways. So, good for him. In terms of Schaefer Army, I uh I tweeted and it's ironic that you that or it was Biz maybe saying like it was Dowy's Dowy took his spot. It's ironic that Dowy was the guy in 2010.

It was the exact same thing. It was it was the same. Now granted, that was Dowy's second year. This is his first year. Maybe that plays something to do with it, but I was like, this is going to be the same thing where he's like, wow, nobody saw him on the team. He's on the team and by the end he's playing like 23 minutes in the gold medal game.

Yeah. And I mean he could like he he could like he's been that good. I worked a game between the benches uh in Long Island. They were playing against Vegas and I like watched him up close and I was like I was down there like okay I got to watch this 18-year-old kid by the way and I'll be like the dad like a young 18. They love saying that. Um but he he uh he I

hey but to put in perspective army he's what like a month older than Gavin McKenna and people are right. So that's what you see older. Yeah.

I think he was a couple days from being next to this year's draft. He barely made the draft cut off.

So very young. Yes. But I was expecting him to be like a young like offensive like highlight reel player in this game against Vegas. And I was I was like shocked and surprised at like the maturity of his game of like he didn't just go run and gun. He like he's very smart and crafty and picking it for a young kid that has like a certain set of skills and you know you see these kids now they're like oh I'm going to go now like this is all I know this is how I do it. No he he like he was he was restrained and smart and and reliable and so I was like I was like kind of blown I was like pretty impressed with how like he managed his game correctly through through a game. And I was hoping to see like these pop out moments and he he played a more mature game that game where you know we see the highlight reels which is great. So he has that in him. So like on D they run back the D for Canada too. They run run back every

single guy the same. And I got to imagine that's just like pairings. That's how it's going to shake out for them. They're comfortable with their guys, the size, um you know circumstances, penalty killing, power play, the guys that they have. And I think they just like that. I just don't think there was like a spot where they're like, "Oh yeah, we got to get this guy in here." Cuz I think if you have like a Harley, for example, who popped last year at Four Nations, I don't know if he's having a great of a year this year.

He came in late, too. Yeah, he came in late, but he scored in that final game as well.

Yeah. And it's like, yes, a good player, but they know like that kind of player they can put in if if a guy goes down, he can he can still do like the job. He's not like I think they maybe look at Schaefer as maybe more of a one-trick pony kind of guy just because he's flash and dash a bit. But I was saying like I was impressed with like how mature his game looked when I watched him up close like that.

So if so if one defenseman goes down, do you think no matter like who it is that Schaefer? What about

like who's in there? Chin. I would say Chin would be other guy, but you would put probably Schaefer ahead of him. Once again, like

like they have three left, they have three righties, I think, and then they have like five lefties,

right? So that that that plays a big factor sometimes, too, right? Like as to as to like you might be like, "Fuck, I thought it was going to be this guy, but they they needed whatever hand." And and

I think they have more lefties than anything. Any other any other comments about

goalies? What about the goalies? Yeah, we haven't touched on I have a scoop on goalies. I think they should sick the other night. had a hu shout out. Um,

want to hear my mind game proposal? Who do you think gets the start army? This is what I think. Bennington psycho, right? Like like feeds off of uh

drama. Like he needs the like the big he needs like someone to hate him or doubt him. He needs like the Michael Jordan [ __ ] You know what I mean? So I think you come into the tournament, you're like, "Hey Thompson,

that's what I said. You're starting." Yeah. And rightfully so. He's been the better goalender. Fine.

But do that to Bennington and get him all squirly and he and he's like putting lipstick on and crossing Thompson's name off a list like [ __ ] Billy Madison.

100%. And then if there's a little shaky quaky, you put the little guy in there and he just goes crazy.

Unleash the fury. Yeah. Okay. Army. Yeah, I like that. He's a mind game guy. I thought he'd get a start no matter what. And then probably he probably will.

I would have said the same thing as Army because you don't want him burning his adrenaline too quickly. You want it building up

and then at a certain point you you you unlock the cage and unleash the beast and [ __ ] we go

stabs or something. Oh, he's going snowman mode. Snowman mode. Absolutely. All right, Army. Um before we let you go, we're going to bring on Merles. We got team Finland picked as well. I I know you have a couple thoughts on that. I don't know. The Barov injury sucks, right? Like that's the biggest kick in the dick for this entire country. Uh anything you see, anything you want to bring up, any maybe people that you thought got screwed.

Another guy that's out right now is Lion. Uh and and you know, he had core muscle surgery, whatever. Hasn't played since the start of the year, like October or something, but like he's like a power play specialist guy. Montreal used him like specifically as that. We know he has got that shot. So like that situational sty stuff stuff for them won't be there. But is this not like the most underrated overlooked hockey country, but they are always there. They're just warriors. And I like look down their lineup at at guys that can make impacts. Like they've got size, they got speed, they got skill, they have the ability to check. So they're always in there. Decent goalending. And and they're pretty experienced. Like they've got a pretty experienced group of guys, too. But if I look down like guys that you you want like Rantin obviously pops out at you. He hastenin pops out at you. Ao hints man. Arturi

Lechanin like that guy is an ultimate guy. Merl's guy but he's like the ultimate like side piece to a combo on any line. Like he just does all the hard things so well. Uh you know how much I love Mikola. This guy's a psycho. Like he'll be cross-checking the piss out of everyone. He's flying around. Um and then that Oliver Kappaan too who's who's added he's pretty good in Montreal like younger guy um on their team made it he's got 13 goals this year in Montreal like he's he's a pretty good player and like every Finn can kill penalties like every single guy in their lineup is a penalty killer

200 foot players that's just the mentality of their hockey culture there that's how they play and that's how they perform

based on population the strongest probably hockey culture there is somebody said The US has 10 to1 youth players, 10 to one amounts of rinks. Like,

yeah, it's crazy what they do. Now, the the problem with their team for me is their D.

Like I I don't know. I Ian, Yoki, Haru, Leinan, by the way, plays in Switzerland, but he did play for the Leafs in Columbus. Lindell, Ma, Mantaalo from Ottawa, Mika, and wristan. like big Robocop in uh get the puck out but

Heskin will be playing 39. They're just going to be tough to play against and they got their dancer. They got their dancer and Hkin and he'll do all the dancy fancy stuff that he can do. We know what he can do. But they they'll they're going to defend hard. They're going to be a hard team to play against I think.

Put it this way. If they're in the semis, it's like nobody will be surprised. It's just like oh Finland, they're in the semis again. like no matter what tournament, what age group, they're in the mix. So

really hurts. That that's way different if he's there. If he's there and line, yeah, he could score, but like also he may not take a stride for the whole tournament. So

no, you just put him on the power play, just go one like Well, the good news is is the the Italians didn't add the corners in the rink, so he'll be fine.

They are in their group. Yeah, Italy's in their group with Sweden and Slovakia. They're in group B. And Canada's in group A. What do I have here? Canada, checks, Swiss, and France. So, look out for the Czechos, I guess, for Canada if World Junior is anything. Holy

Bravo. Hey, bravo to the checks, by the way. Buddy, that team, that junior team,

that first game against Canada, I was like, "Oh, [ __ ] This team's legit." They bullied them. the the the Blackhawks pick. Um what's his name? He's he plays at UMass. He's [ __ ] awesome. And and like obviously they're playing Fondell in Sweden. Like the Blackhawks, they got to be pumpsy in this tournament. I can't even think of the kid's name.

I'm going, boys. We're going to get to Sweden US with Merles. Should we try to cover the uh team Canada and the whole check thing with Army while he's on?

We got to rip some ads quick. I'm being told. Rip two ads and let's have Army on to have the the World Junior discussion.

Nestal, something like that. All right. Mhm. DraftKings, guys. DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League, is built for the fastest game on ice. If you're following the line changes, the momentum swings, the streaks, DraftKings Sportsbook brings you even closer to the action. With player props and live betting, every shift, every shot, every save gives you the option to get in on the game with the DraftKings Sportsbook. Teams battling for points, different seedings to the playoffs. We're halfway through the season. Rivalries are getting heated. Draftings makes every period count. Every power play matter.

New customers bet just $5. If your bet wins, you get $300 in bonus bets instantly. That was 200 last week. $300 if your bonus bet if your bet wins in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code chicklets. That's code chicklets to turn five bucks into $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. And also, we got to talk about BetterHelp. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. The new year doesn't require a new you. Maybe just a less burdened you. Therapy can help more easily identify what holds you back by offering an unbiased perspective to better understand your relationships motivations and emotions. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you could focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences. And our 12 plus years of experience and industryleading match

fulfillment rate means we typically get it right the first time. If you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist at any time from our tailored Rex. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up, get 10% off at betterhelp.com/chicklets. That's betterhp.com/chicklets.

So, Canadians may need better. You guys want some breaking news? Oh, yeah. My son Cruz traded from Seattle to Swift Current Broncos.

Wow. Just kidding. That would be for next year. Will that be next year? Next year. Yeah,

it's not donor team. What happened? What' they get for him? I thought Swift he paid for

our Cam Loops Blazers. I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot. Sorry, boys. Big package for Cruiser.

I don't know. That's their trade deadline is coming up here. I think it's on the 9th. So for the Western League, Colona hosting the Memorial Cup this year as you know. So expected to be a lot of trades happening right now. Expected. So, it was kind of crazy to get this news. My Cruz is 15. He's playing in Rhode Island, but was drafted this summer to Seattle. So, lots of action, lots of moves happening right now in the Western League. So, that just got

Wow. Where is Swift current? Saski. Saski, baby. Saski, baby. How far from Saskatoon?

Like 3 hours away from Saskatoon. Oh, so he's neighboring. You got to love this, right?

I guess harder travel. That's where you go get groceries if you live in Saskatoon.

Yeah. Yeah. You go to Saskatoon for groceries. Yeah. Uh just mom and dad live right down the road. Three hours. Yeah.

Yeah. That's you get a camo and a you get camo and a rifle. That's big buck country out there, boys.

What's the barn like in in Swift Current? Oh, buddy. It's like I think they've upgraded it, but in the past it was just like the sides

in the backyard and then the ends they I think they put some sweets on one of the sides, but I think they

they put benches in last summer. They just changed out of the chicken wire. Travis Moan's there. His kid plays there. I think he's helping coach. And

talk about an animal. Yeah. Animal. Yeah. And um a guy I used to play junior with is there and lives there and the coach is there as well. His name's Rean Darby. So that's pretty comforting to see. Oh, darn.

There it is. Holy [ __ ] You guys found this. Unreal. Wow. [ __ ] a cruiser. So cruisers. Cruisers at school right now. You already got dealt.

That's crazy. Typical. Welcome to pro hockey. Breaking news out of the Western League, boys. There you go. Stay tuned. I heard there's going to be some bigger names.

Hey, is the Western League like the queue? Like when I was in the Quebec League, we uh we hosted the Memorial Cup. So teams literally just gave us They're good.

Unbelievable. I heard the Western League of all the leagues and in my experience doesn't do that. I think the O and the Q the Q.

No, no, no, no, no. Don't group us in with a [ __ ] Q, dude. The Q was a joke. They used to they used to work out deals where like one team would get three first rounders. they would send all their sick players and then the following year, not only would all the sick players come back, but the guy the sick players that were already on that team would also be coming back. So, it's like basically like a like a team swap type thing. The Q was ruthless with

Well, maybe that has something to do with the fact that it's like it's like that show wife swap.

This is the first uh is this the first like best on best Canada roster without a player from Quebec ever? No, they got that. Um Oh, on the on the Olympic team.

Yeah. Oh. Oh. Um uh 1952. Crosby. Those guys, but they're not from Quebec. Yeah. They're not from Quebec.

No. I'm saying is 1952, I believe, was the last time that they didn't have a Quebec person on the roster. What's going on with players from Quebec and player development there?

Do you know who the French guy was on the Foreign Nations team? Um, oh yeah, maybe.

No, Sam Bennett. Is Sam Bennett? Wrong. It's from Syracuse. I always see. Who am I forgetting here? There was nobody that changed from D. Maybe it was go Montbo.

Oh, San Mont. Ding ding ding. Bizzy gets it. Um, what? Uh, oh. Uh, so let's go. You guys want to talk world junior?

Yeah. Yeah. We got a couple minutes here to discuss. Biz, you had a video very well said, I thought about like the state of Canadian junior hockey.

Well, yeah, and I mean like it it deres into a lot of conversations, the goalie development being one of them and and maybe pricing kids out. the fact that like maybe not even having a a a player on the team, but the development of of Quebec goalenders like the Lewangos, the Broaders, the Mark Andre Flurries, like even if they weren't developing the best defenseman or forwards, I always felt like at least they had us in net,

right? And uh so first off, if we're talking um that game semi-finals, it was Checkex Canada. They played in the round robin. I think it was the opening game of the tournament for for both of them

and checks looked great. uh 16 current players on the Czech World Junior team actually play in the CHL. So that was also kind of like a spin-off conversation of like oh well we're de developing their players where it's like ah [ __ ] quit complaining and bitching just shut the [ __ ] up and congratulate them on what they've built. Like it used to be the Czech Republic where they they would combine teams with Slovakia.

That was Czechoslovakia. Czech or Czechoslovakia, excuse me, where then they separated. So, they're obviously losing probably like three, four high-end players that would normally get sent over from Slovakia. And the fact now that with them reaching the finals, they would have now meddled in four straight World Junior tournaments. That's the longest active streak with with the US um not reaching the medal round. So, what a what a [ __ ] game that they brought. Like physical

uh tough great in the Dzone. They were closing them off like closing off cycles. uh very good throughout the neutral zone on staying structured and causing turnovers and then transitioning right away. So, Army, since we have you on, man, like what what did you make of the game and the tournament overall for for team Canada?

I thought they got better as the tournament went on. I from the first game though, I was like this Czech team is plays more Canadian than the Canadian team. Like that's when I saw them. I'm like I love this team. They're going to be a problem. Yeah. Fast, physical, skilled. They bully us. like they were going into confrontation or physicality and we were like not wanting it at all. We didn't like finish checks at all really. Like we didn't dig into like Canadian hockey. That's why I liked your video last night, Biz. It was like bang on. Now, do we have enough skill? Yeah.

Okay. We got enough skill. Do we have enough like top end players? Yeah. Okay. But what we don't have is that mentality that you talked about like the Canadian way of playing. And that's what we've lost in our in our game. And you know what? three years now we haven't been to the gold medal game but and it's gonna it's gonna it's gonna it's going to go in flows. Yes, I get it. They're kids. I get it. But it it's a

this team was supposed to do damage though. Yes. This was supposed to be our team. This was supposed to be the year we came back and got it done. And I'm like I I just I just don't see it. And and you could say it's money. Yes. But it really is like how we develop and teach hockey. Look, we went to as Canada, we went to like the drawing board. We're like, "Hey, we got to do this and we got to do this better and we got to steal how Finland and Swedes and all these countries do this and we're too grimy and we dump pucks in too much and we got to upgrade our skill." Well, typical Canada. We overcorrected way too far and we're just all skill like we lost the dogs. We lost the dogs. Now the men are going to have to go to the Olympics and show show the old school style how it's done. And we got guys that do that. Like you got McKinnon, Crosby, McDavid, all these guys through the line. But like we

lost that with our hockey. Is that because the prices are too much and they're spoiled rich kids like everyone's saying online? I think it just comes down to development and what we value. Like do we

I think that's a legit argument and this is coming from somebody who's who has money and it's but you can't tell me that these kids biz and you brought this up that can't afford to play hockey and get priced out aren't [ __ ] a lot of times tough as nails [ __ ] bluecollar kids who are looking to go out there and put guys through the wall. I think that the cost of it is is alienating a lot of like good athletes, especially in in the country of Canada. And also like

obviously there like the the price point. You seem to be of a certain level of like quote unquote privilege. Your parents have obviously worked hard enough where they can afford essentially 15 20 grand a year of disposable income if you want like all the resources being provided. And like I don't know, I feel like most kids that are are coming from that type of money, maybe they lack a little bit of that like that grit, right? They like it's not a it's not essentially a survival instinct.

You know what's not good? You know what's not good? Like being a hard-nosed player. That's not classified as being a good player anymore. Like they don't see the intangibles in that anymore. They'd rather take the kid that can dangle and can do all this stuff. the highest level they

Yeah, but boys I you said like Florida Panthers and watch Sam Bennett. When they're teaching kids at the bottom levels, if you got a kid that's blue collar and that has those attributes, they're they're going, "No, no, no. You can't. It's 2026, buddy. You can't do that anymore." Like, we got to

you can't do the hitting thing anymore. Wow. This kid has Oh, we don't like that. That's not cool. Like and and in the culture of kids on teams too, that kid sucks. They'll say like that kid sucks. I see it. It's a joke. You should you should embrace a kid that's like that and be like, "Okay, we got something here. Let's make him [ __ ] sick at what he already can do." But as a as a culture in hockey now, we go that no, that's not hockey. That's not hockey anymore. Then the checks come in, lift their legs, and piss on us. And it's like, what are we doing here? Like what are we losing? We lost Well, Army, I mean, you talked about it like skill like like the like the high-end skill, but you know, being like well conditioned and being able to go into a corner and coming out with the puck is a skill, right? Like being conditioned is a skill.

Having grit and physicality is a skill. So, I think it's just the emphasis on maybe the wrong ones and how are they are portrayed or maybe viewed and how they're consuming them and also how it's being taught. Like for instance in that game against the checks like in the third period like I was wowed by McKenna. Do you remember the shift where he came down and he kind of pulled it in and he shot it ended up missing the net.

Hey great shot came down got the got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got got out of the the the the away from the stick to at least get the shot off. But I think that the way that they were playing good structured uh um um you know fiveman game through the ne neutral zone

going back to that goal they gave up in the last minute of the second I think making the right right play there is a skill and I also thinking ah with the way they're playing putting it in that corner and going to get it that's the skill I need to impose now where if that's not in your bag and that's not what's being taught and that g type of game management isn't there you could talk about all the skills and skill development you want, but that they're lacking that skill. I just

It's one and done. When the ice Ken Hitchcock would be sick watching it. Now, it was typical like uh Yeah, 100%. It was typical like kid hockey though. Like it was like changes of momentum and I love that about World Juniors cuz kids are like emotional and they're like, "Oh no, we're getting caved in right now." And it's like and then they have like one decent thing happens or the crowd cheers and they it goes the other way and it's it's exciting that way. So the tournament world juniors for me is always wildly exciting, but how bad did you want like a Jordan 22 to get one shift in that game?

Like it would have switched it. Do do you think and I'm not sure. It's kind of a question too. I know in the US that they start hitting later on like when we started playing hockey, we hit from the time you started playing. Do you think that the the way of that type of hockey is getting taken away is that guys aren't hitting till they're 14, 15 years old and it's kind of a lost art. It's like uh you've never really done this before. So you're learning at 15 and then world juniors you're se it's two years of figuring out how to be a grinder.

I we we talked with Buchagrass about this a while ago and I'm kind of I I was kind of with him based on Ryder. He's 50 lbs right? He just turned eight. So it is like all right this kid could get completely murdered out there if they were hitting which we were hitting at that age for us like you said.

But you were the same build. I was tall. I was He's not like super tall, but yeah, I was very skinny. But I I do see the other side and I'm like I think it creates what ends up we're seeing now in that kids are flying around with their head down and yeah, they get their head up and they tow drag someone, but they never have to worry about getting hit. So then you get older and yeah, hitting isn't is isn't as prevalent. It doesn't happen as often, but then when it does, those kids are like, "What the fuck?" And then you'll see I think Army you've probably seen with Cruz some big time players. Hitting comes around and you're like these kids aren't even like in the game anymore.

But I think that's normal right in development though. I think that happens. It's a it's a great separator at times and kids can figure it out. Like look at TJ Ginla. That kid that kid you know what's a lost You know what's a lost skill? Puck protection. Like no this kid this Tinla he gets it. He just like choo choo choo like protects, turns, protects up the wall, down the wall, protects, then he sees an opening when it's there and he takes it. Like he was rock solid, but he plays like an old school like vintagey kind of game and has those skills in his back pocket where he can play along the wall and he can play in in physicality and he can he can handle himself there. So obviously Iggy taught him that, right? Like Iggy had

he grew up rich too, so you can be rich and still do it. Yeah, very true. That's a great point. It's also you see to have the right you see the right dad who's not a hockey psycho and then the one that's also actually teaching you what matters and is valuable helps what matters that's biz like cuz I was undersized growing up and the hitting I think it teaches you how to protect yourself too when you're hitting like from a young age

but I'll tell you coaching kids like you bring up the hard parts of the game and I think a lot of times we say it's hard to be a [ __ ] on the ice. It's that's a lot of people can't do it. They want to do it. They just don't have it in them. But like we'll teach kids now like, "Hey, you get it up near the wall near the blue line. You got to get that puck out." Like a little thing like, "Hey, like there's a guy coming on you and you just got to if you have no time, just get it out." Cuz right here is where all the problems arise. If you turn it over at the blue line and you see kids that are trying, but like people are coming, there isn't even hitting yet. And that is way harder than wheeling the net and getting some speed going and like going by a guy, right? It's like harder because all of a sudden there's a little contact. There's a little bit of a a fight you have to have like with the puck, without the

puck. And some kids now, maybe it's always been this way. What age we talking? These are eight-year-old kids.

Where where do they start hitting now in mass? They don't start till 18 or something.

First year ban them, I think. Oh my god. [ __ ] old. Like we were smoking. So I'll say this. Obviously we're we're old school. We're old school and we we just came from a different time. Like I remember after practice or even sometimes before where there was no coaches around like Nathan Horton played on our team when I was like 11 and 12 and same with that Jamie Tardiff and we used to [ __ ] put the helmets and gloves on in the room and it was like ding ding ding.

Oh we that I got my head put that'd be on now if that locker boxing. So, it was just we were kind of a different breed and I I think that we need bring back locker boxing or locker room boxing.

I might bring locker room boxing. I might have a league in my in my at my rink.

You guys video I sent you that Russian video when they blocking the net. Those are the kids in the nets and they

Hey, Merl said in the um Merl said in the chat, we're going to have him on a little bit. We have a surprise guest before that, but he said people aren't afraid to play the Canadians anymore. And I and I'll give him that that like being younger and playing 22 in the World Juniors in Halifax, there is a level of like, holy [ __ ] here he comes. Here comes Canada. And I agree with Merles. It it's it's kind of changed a little bit.

I want to come on the podcast and drop my nuts on your guys' forehead after Canada plays any [ __ ] type of of high-end competition in hockey. Rabbit remember the best

remember Rabbit? I remember playing against him in a tournament and just being horrified.

And and going back to it, I said it off the hop, too. Um if Canada doesn't win bronze, it'll be three years in a row where they have not won a medal. That hasn't happened since 1979, 80, and 81 at the World Junior level for Canada. So, hey, listen, Army. You said it comes in waves. Well, guess what? We could tie the worst one we've ever had at World Juniors if we don't come out with a medal today.

And I will mention as the enemy, I believe there's like 10 guys in the NHL that you could have on your team. So, that's true.

Thor, Celibbrini, Dick. Okay, Celini and Schaefer. There you go. And Kindle and Kindle. All right, Army. Thank you so much. Army, great job.

Canada for bronze is in an hour from now. All right. All right. So, Yans, I got a surprise guest.

You did it again to us. G just said surprise guest. Wow. Whoa. How's it going? Thank God for Gage. Thank God for you. Keith and I can still root for the United States of America and Italy next.

Oh, yeah. If you weren't on the team, we said we were switching. Congratulations. How you doing?

Appreciate it. Thank you. Yeah, I'm doing good. Um, yeah, pretty good news. So, last few days have been awesome. Is that a bandana t-shirt or sweater?

Little Brad Paisley. Yeah. Little nice pattern. Okay. You guys look like a band right now. You

But um how excited I mean how excited were you? Did you have any idea before you got the call that you were on the team? Like maybe from your agent or anything? Or was it a surprise when when Billy called you?

No, it was complete surprise. Uh I actually had a phone call with my agent like I think the last home game before the phone call and he was like, "Hey, I I don't know." um he's just gonna be calling you before New Year's and we'll find out then.

So, when I got that phone call, I knew that it was coming. I just didn't know what the uh the answer was.

And was it something on your mind all year, like just, you know, I want to make this team. I just I want to produce as much as I can. I want to show this group uh you know, Billy G and the rest of the crew that I should be on this team. Or was it just kind of like I'm going out there and playing my game? Uh, I mean, I'd like to say I was just going out there trying to play, but it was definitely something I was thinking about, uh, you know, a lot. It's a big goal of mine and, uh, you can't help but think about it, right? So, um, I try to put in the back of my mind and just focus on playing, but, you know, you make a bad play here or two in the game and, you know, starts creeping into your thoughts. So, um, but yeah, once I heard that news, it was a pretty good feeling, big relief, and now I feel I can just relax and play.

And I think going over to the Worlds last year and getting that gold and like being a part of that, like I'm guessing that had a huge huge something to do with it. Um, was that more, hey, I want to keep playing. We haven't been in the playoffs. I'm not done with my season. Or was it like this is going to help me get on the Olympic team?

And before you answer that, Ta, maybe we could fix your audio here. Uh, we're having a little bit of

Yeah, just pop those headphones out, Tage. Just just kind of like we did in that test there.

There we go. That better? Oh, it's 20 times better. I should get a [ __ ] credit as producer for this one. Okay.

Uh Wick, go back to that question, please. What did you That is just funny. Did Did you hear the question, Ta?

Uh go go just repeat it if you could. Just about going to worlds like is that like I want to keep playing my season's not done or this is going to help me get on the Olympic team because it does matter.

Yeah. No, I think it was a little bit of everything. Um, yeah, I was like pissed off the way the season ended. Um, you wanted to keep playing and play for something like meaningful and compete and then also knew it wasn't going to hurt my chances going over there and having a good tournament, making a statement. So, it was kind of just like a win-win. Um, and then obviously we did win. So, um, yeah, definitely don't think it hurt my chances.

Where were you when you got the call? And obviously it was Billy G on the other line like you're not giving a heads up beforehand. No, we were in Dallas and just uh like I knew the the night before that the phone call was coming in the morning. Uh yeah, we just had game day, so I didn't know at what point that phone call was coming. Um and they grabbed me during breakfast and just told me that Billy Billy's looking to call you. So um yeah, I didn't know the answer. So I was kind of a little nervous when Yarmmo came to grab me and then uh once I walked in, I saw our media crew in there. I figured it was probably pretty good news. So

was that the most butterflies you think you've ever had before? like something that you knew was coming.

Yeah, it's it's got to be up there. I mean, I when he told me Billy was about to call, I was like felt like sick to my stomach.

Yeah, that would be Yeah, that'd be a little nerve-wracking. Ta, looking at looking at the roster and obviously not getting too far ahead of ourselves, but who is two guys you would love to play with?

Yeah, I mean, everyone. Um, pretty fired up to be there. Um, but I I feel like I've got some pretty good chem with Kels. Um, we've played together in World Juniors this last Worlds, skate together in the summer. Um, I feel like we play really well. He's obviously looking to dish all the time. I'm looking to shoot. Um, I feel like obviously Matthews, too. Um, great two-way centerman out in Arizona. So, we've skated a bunch before and I feel like kind of a little familiar with each other's game. I mean, as probably familiar as you can get without being on the same team. So, um I mean, but there's not one guy on that team you wouldn't want to play with, but um no, those are two guys I'm pretty excited to just be on the ice with and and watch them do their thing.

The chat's saying right here, Biz, how about a center between the the Twin Towers, Baldi and Thompson, the big dogs on the wings. That'd be nice. I could see that working. But I I kind of want to go more into what's going on right now with the Sabres. And I know the streak ended, but for you, can you explain like what changed, if anything in the locker room, like it wasn't a new coach, it was a new GM, so I don't think the systems changed. Was it a players only meeting? Like I don't I don't know what would have happened to have you guys go on this run, but

saying 0.0 comment. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just fired up the guys. Um this is awesome.

It was like the the beginning of that West Coast Canada trip. Um things weren't going great. Um Dolls called like a leadership meeting. So we have like five or six guys and we went for dinner. Um just kind of talked about things that were going on and um just kind of looked in the mirror and said, "What can we each do better?" And and then had each other hold us accountable and say, "If you don't see me doing these things, like I I expect you to grab me and let's just lead this thing from the front here." So, um, you know, we played some good hockey games, um, some close ones and, you know, got some wins, started to get a little confident.

Then it just kind of became this this snowball effect where we were going into games like we know we're winning. So, I think obviously playing good good brand of hockey right now, too. Like, everyone's doing the right things. So, um, but I think the biggest thing is is closing out the games and and believing that we can win when we're we're late in games, whether we're up or down. So, there's just a a good energy in the locker room and just kind of that calm. Um, I've said it before, but it's it's we've had a problem riding the roller coaster of like getting high too low.

And I think we've done a really good job lately of just kind of staying even keel, like resetting after each win, each loss. And um it feels a lot different even though not much has changed. I would say the the biggest insertion was uh Norris because like you know to at game one of the season he goes down brutal loss right off the hop where you guys are trying to establish something and then he comes back in and I think he's since he's been back healthy you guys are 11 and two in that time. So what has it been for him to finally get his rhythm with you guys?

Yeah, I mean that was a huge loss. We've had injuries all year long. Like one guy would get injured and another guy would come like back into the line lineup and then as soon as he would come back in the lineup another guy would go down. So, it's just we've been battling that all year. Losing Nori was a huge one for us. Obviously, he he's a big piece for us pointwise and just establishing that 200 foot game putting up offense and yeah, I mean, he's point game since he's been back and been one of our best forwards. So, having him back's great and um I think hopefully we can get fully healthy. We're still missing some some key pieces to our team. So, um you know, I think we keep grinding like we are right now, keep chipping away, getting some wins, and getting everyone back healthy. I think we're we're in business.

Was there a message that Yarmmo had for you guys when he came in? Obviously, you know, Adams did what he did. His it's his team like you all everyone on the roster is guys that he brought in, but was there a message that Yarmmo kind of came in with and you know, set set the tone right away?

Um I mean it was pretty brief. Yeah, he just came in and he was you're you're pretty much all expendable. Like there there's no one here that's safe and um you know we're going to start working and if you don't want to work like you're not going to be on the team. So um

Correct. Yeah. Yeah. I mean he's a man of few words. um his presence carries a lot of weight when he's around the locker room and um you know I think obviously when anyone gets fired in your organization it's a wakeup call um you know whether it was deserved or not and um getting your GM fired is is something to make you look in the mirror and say all right well I must not be doing something here right so um I think guys took that to heart and um obviously we got hot at the right time

I was going to ask about uh Lindy um there was the one video of him in the hallway given Byron I think it was the knuckles after he scored the OT winner he was showing some emotion now what was he like through the the the tough start of the season like is he easy to deal with understanding approachable what's your relationship with like him and and obviously he's probably fired up now that you guys have gone on this run and back in a in a playoff hunt

yeah no he's been good I have a good I feel like I have a good relationship with him um you know I think he's he's an old school guy he's pretty straight up with you um which I respect and um when I'm playing well, he lets me know and when I'm not, he'll let me know. So, um, I appreciate that. And, um, no, the emotion has been great. I I love, you know, how fired up he's been lately. I know it's been tough sledding for a lot of us. Um, especially earlier in the season, and I know his name was one of them that was right on the cusp there.

So, it's nice to, you know, string some wins together and fight our way back into, you know, a good spot and in the record. and obviously um you know I'm sure he's feeling the same and he's he's very passionate about Buffalo and that's all he cares about is winning and and wants us to be successful there. So um there's not really more much more you can ask for.

Were you aware I think in the franchise history you guys have four 10game win streaks and then two ninegame win streaks and he's been involved in four of them. Uh two as a player and two as a coach. Like were you aware of that stat?

No, I knew the coaching. I knew he was there for two of them, but I didn't know the plane one.

That's pretty [ __ ] nuts. Four of the six. He was two as a player, two as a coach. So, pretty remarkable stat on what he means to the city of Buffalo. I mean,

yeah, he's a legend here. Like, he's been here forever. So, um you know, obviously they went to the cup finals there, too. And I'm sure he would love nothing more to get get the job done here in Buffalo. So, um, it's been good having them and I got nothing to say bad.

I think we've we've talked a couple times like, uh, Joe Thornton and McKinnon stick out as like Hall of Famers who really had no problem kind of calling out a teammate if they didn't think things were going that way. And it's it's something that's like kind of in someone or not. Like, have you had to do that without going into details? like is that something that's hard for you to do or is that something where at that leadership dinner Darlene called where you're like hey we might need some of that.

Um I think so me and Dolls's relationship's been really good since you know we've kind of both I I don't want to say taken over but started to find our traction here. Um and I'm I'm a pretty fiery guy I feel like on the bench and sometimes I my screws get a little loose and I snap. Um, the way I go about it's probably not the best for everybody. Um, but Dolls loves it and I love it when he gives it to me. I feel like I play better when someone challenges me and and gives it to me. Obviously, I grew up with my old man, so um, that's pretty much all I was given my entire life. So, that's what I'm used to. Um, but that like gets me engaged into the game. Like, if I'm not going and someone snaps on me and um, that kind of lights a fire under my ass and and Dolls will give it to me and I'll give it to him. I feel like that's kind of how we we get going. But we've tried to find a better job at um finding out

what makes certain guys tick. Obviously, you can't just ream into everybody. Um certain guys will fold and um we need everyone going. So, we're we're that was kind of one of the things at the meeting is trying to find what guys need what to get going. Um because you can't just scream and yell at everyone and expect them to play good. So, um that's all dolls and um that was part of that meeting for sure.

You said it was five guys there. Uh yeah, it's me, Dolls, uh Samuelson, Tuck, um Greenway, and Zucker.

Okay, nice. That's a nice little round table you guys got there. I mean, Samuelson was a guy I was going to ask you about cuz there's a section at the top of the building and they got like a St. Samuelson big portrait there. And he's been a big reason for the turnaround, too. He's lugging like 26. He's a [ __ ] horse, man.

Yeah, he's an absolute mutant. He is one of the strongest human beings I've ever seen.

He's built Yeah, he's built like a Greek statue. And he's got like a little bit of piss and vinegar in him now, too. And

does everything right, blocking shots, chipping in on offense, too. He's got sneaky good mits. He's going to laser a puck. So, he's been probably one of our best, if not our best defenseman all year. Just

your foxhole guy. So, when he signed that deal, people were like, "Who is this guy?" And you were probably like, "No, like great deal." Locked him up.

Everyone on our team knew. Um, I mean, cuz we get to see it every day. So, yeah,

we we knew what he was going to do. He's also got I worked out with him in the summertime, too. And he's a guy that younger guys gravitate to, and he get, you know, I'm sure he has the pulse on the older guys and the younger guys in the locker room.

Oh, he's a great guy in the locker room. Yeah, he's one of my favorites to be around. Just a good guy. Um, you know, pretty chill guy off the ice. Kind of goes with the flow, do do whatever. And, um, yeah, like you said, gets along with everybody. He's he's good with the older guys, he's great with the younger guys. It's um he's a guy everyone can go to and kind of just feel comfortable.

Um Bo Byum, I feel like he is is starting to take that next step. I feel like we're seeing the defenseman that they anticipated they were going to get um in Colorado where his offense, the confidence there, he's kind of got those [ __ ] Shakira hips too where he's getting like the 10 and two buzzing around. So he's just like I you are you seeing the same thing? Yeah, he's uh I mean another guy's he's awesome in the locker room. He's probably the funniest guy, one of the funniest guys I've ever met, but yeah, on his on the ice um I know like last I don't know maybe the beginning of the season, maybe a little last year, he was you know didn't have the confidence that you would expect. um he's he's pretty tough on himself and um you know expects high things from himself and I think now he's starting to to feel it a little bit and um everyone same thing everyone knows what he's capable of doing he's been unbelievable

I mean scoring almost every game it feels like um producing offense been really hard to play against can fly um so he's been I mean our D like that's when we're at our best is when our our D are are going and um we got a lot of active D that like to join in the rush and that can finish plays. And uh now we're just learning how to be a little bit harder to play against defensively. And um I think it's a big credit to both those guys who have been logging a lot of minutes and um playing both sides of the puck.

Is Benson as big of a piece of [ __ ] to play against that that he looks to be? Because Bis brought him up a bunch. Like this kid's young, he doesn't give a [ __ ] He'll run around. He's very skilled. Like what's he like as a guy?

He's a beauty. He's probably one of the dumbest human beings I've ever like just

the chat saying big ball of Benson. I said big ball of Benson like white trailer trash with it does look white trailer trash.

Yeah, he's he Yeah. No, he doesn't care. He'll fight the toughest guy in the league. He He doesn't care. He'll start [ __ ] every game. Um I love his game. He's a little rat. He's got some good skill, too, and sees the ice well. But yeah, he's one of those guys that just competes and works his nuts off every single night and he doesn't care. He's lined up across.

He's he's the guy in the hallway, Yans, where you're like, just be yourself out there. Just be a rat tonight.

Just be a piece of [ __ ] Yeah. He embraces it. I mean, that's He knows his role. He knows what he's good at and he does it and he does it extremely well.

I think he's from a small town outside of Vancouver. He drives in for training every day where I think it's a bit of a sketchy town where you don't want to go like the other side of the tracks kind of place.

That's what he says. He says he's from the hood. He says he's hard. So maybe he's a guy who would wear a tank top in the press box like Neanderp. Maybe that's another guy.

Yeah. With pasta stains on it though or blood for all the all that matter. Um Hey, you mentioned your dad. Um one of the toughest men like Brent Thompson he could fight. I'm guessing that has something to do with you when you played Net uh Stefon Nason this year. There was articles after that guys on the team were like, "Hey, I got him. I got him." And you're like, "Nope, I got this one myself after the late hit last year." Um that's just kind of who you are. You didn't want anyone else fighting that battle for you.

Yeah. I mean, I was I was surprised like a lot of guys came and grabbed me. Um obviously I was thinking about that game for a while, but like Samuelson was one of the first guys to come grab me. He's like, "I want to take care of this tonight." And I was like, "Ah, like I'm I'm healthy. like there's no reason I don't do this myself and it's kind of just felt like I'd be ashamed of myself if I didn't take care of it on my own.

Your dad would have called you upset. I'm guessing he would have knocked on his door.

He might have. I mean he Yeah, I mean he was proud he was proud of it. Um for sure.

Um but yeah, it's just kind of like the way I was raised. I guess obviously everyone knows I'm not like a fighter or any good at it, but um I'm not afraid to take care of my own business if I have to. So, I just felt like that was one of those situations where it was better if I did it than, you know, sitting on the bench watching someone do it for me.

What a fight year. You don't have to fight. What did you say? Yeah. When you score 40 goals a year, you don't have to fight.

I know, but when you do it, all of a sudden you're like Jerome Ginla and you're in a [ __ ] different level and the guys give you a little more space cuz they're scared shitless to come around you. What a poll by Merles here in the chat. So, there was a video that went viral cuz uh some of the Sabres fans were poopy pants that UPL went out and had a couple pops post game.

Oh, yeah. What a joke. And you guys are 12 and five since that and UPPL's been a massive part of it.

Hey, he's in he's in the program now. That was Thanks. That was like Thanksgiving break, too.

It was Thanksgiving. We got back and we had a day off the next day. I mean, he's like what's he what's he going to go do? Sit in his apartment, stare at the roof? Like,

no. They act they were acting like he was like shooting heroin on the side and it's and it's a finish. I mean,

yeah, exactly. That's that's like water for them. So, it's like he's probably just recovering.

Uh what's what's his uh dynamic in the locker room? You leave him the [ __ ] alone on game day or what?

Yeah. No, he's he's not like one of those crazy goalies in my opinion. I I at least don't think he is. He's pretty chill. um you can kind of chat with them, but I I stay away from him on game days, but he's pretty quiet um until you like really get to know him um like one-on-one. He'll sit down and chat with you. He's a really funny guy. Um but yeah, he's kind of one of those guys that just kind of keeps to himself and is pretty quiet, but does his job. And um yeah, I think that was uh that was a funny video. We all gave it to him after that. We're like, you're you're getting us [ __ ] on. Well, we we played a game to start the season over in Finland, and the first bar that we went to, there was like six guys passed out, sleeping, and I said to all all the fins on my team, I'm like, "Do they not throw guys out?"

They're like, "No, they wait for them to wake up and then they start drinking again." So, it's

Yeah. The crazy part is I actually We were We were talking to him about that. I don't even think he had a drink when he was there. I think he was just Yeah, I think he was just posted up there for a bit and then like left. It might have just been doing

Was he meeting the girl? Might have. Yeah, you just you can't get chirp for drinking in Buffalo. That's people's legit jobs.

Thanksgiving with a day off the next day. It had to have been a visitor. A visitor took that picture.

Yeah. I love that he caught some heat for it though. That might That's something in the locker room you can you can like, you know, get some morale around and, you know, at least it lightens the mood in there. Something to talk about. Better than posting your teammate wearing blackface um on Halloween, right? That wasn't a great

I did before I knew what blackface was and apparently what he knew was blackface as well. So,

um we can move on. Um anything else uh we need to talk about, boys? Oh, the Buffalo Bills. I mean, you got to be a huge Bills guy now. Or is that like a like a faux paw?

No, I mean I was never a football guy until I got here. So, I I kind of just joined the bandwagon. Um, but yeah, I mean it's kind of tough to live in Buffalo and not like join Bill's Mafia. Like it's kind of all they talk about around here. Um, we've been to a few games too. We probably get like two or three a year that we get to go to. So, um, electric atmosphere and just kind of like got me hooked right away because that's like the first football game I've ever been to was a Bills game and they're bananas.

Last game at the stadium was was Sunday. That's it. They got the new one opening next year. the new one with still no roof.

That's crazy. I think that they're going to do an outdoor game there next year. Have they announced it?

Yeah, Utah is going next year. They haven't announced it yet, apparently. But I just did.

Biz just did. Utah. Sorry, Gary. That'd be sick. Um, I got I got I got rollback. Last question. Use code chicklets on.com for 20% off your first purchase through the end of the week. That's uh CI ls on rh- a c.com. 20% off all polos, hoodies, joggers, and more with code chicklets. Um, Darene, when that news came out about what he went through with his wife, and I mean that's like scary as [ __ ] And I know he went back to see her a couple weeks ago. Are I mean, you guys are just you said you're very close. Are you like talking with him a lot about it or just kind of there for him if he never needs to talk about it? How's he doing off the ice? because on the ice he's still playing incredible, but I I I imagine there's a lot of stress in his life right now.

Yeah. No, it's it's insane. I actually can't believe that he's playing and playing as well as

um like when it first happened, we knew obviously a lot a lot sooner than the media did.

Um and we even us we didn't know like to the extent what it was. We just knew she wasn't doing well. Um but when we found out it was nuts and um obviously like everyone reached out but you also want to kind of you know give him his space and his privacy but

he's been great since he he's been back. I think hockey for him is a huge escape. So I think a lot of that helps him to be honest. I think the hardest thing is that she's not here with him right now. Um you know so as a as a team I think we've been collectively trying to make sure that like he's not feeling alone at at his place. you know, he's got a a big place and um you know, doesn't get to go back to her. So, um you know, that that part is, I'm sure, pretty tough, but um no, it's nice that he got to go back and see her. I know that one was was huge because talking to her on FaceTime and he said was uh you know you think she's doing well but once you see her in person then it was like a you know okay it gave a little bit more of a settling feeling that she's doing pretty good and hopefully she can come over and see us and and finish out the season. I don't know when but um the last I talked to

him she's doing pretty good. So um obviously a lot of positive news and a very dark situation.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I didn't want to I didn't want to, you know, you know, that's a tough thing, but you you said it best. It's incredible how well he's played going through that. And my final thing would be just about Yukon. I mean, you're kind of the pride and joy there and and and you went there early on. Before a lot of like big time players were going there, I feel now they got the new rink. Really good team this year. Do you do you kind of watch their games when you can? You stay in touch with anyone there?

Um, I haven't watched a ton of their stuff. I watched a little bit last year when they were in the Frozen 4. Um, but I went back this summer. Um, worked out at their rank, skated there for I think like a week. Um, the facility was sick. That was the first time I've been back there since uh since I left. But I know uh one of the assistant coaches really well. He was uh like one of those player coaches like um once I was getting in there like as a freshman, he was kind of the senior that turned into the coach um helping out. So I' I've stayed in touch with him. Uh Cav I talk to every once in a while. Um, so I kind of I keep tabs on it. Um, but I haven't been uh haven't been watching too much, but it's pretty insane when I went back the the difference in such a short amount of time that the campus I mean just with all the different buildings going up and the the construction. I mean, the new

rink is awesome. I wish I had that one out there, but obviously these kids are getting to enjoy it, which is good.

Ta, I got to ask you one last one. I'm going to put my my journalist hat on for it, though. Um, your teammate for Team USA, uh, Jack Hughes, is rumored to be dating a Canadian pop star icon, Tate McCrae. Now,

there's rumors that she's a mole for Team Canada. Do you trust her in Team USA's wives lounge over there and like maybe like in your guys little bubble or is that something that you guys are discussing internally about like, ah, I don't think the tr there's enough trust here?

Is that you starting the rumor? Yes. No, I think it was the same guy who said you had a 0.00% chance of making the playoffs this year.

No, it wasn't. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it was not me that I said about the playoffs, though. Yes, it

it's it's a possibility, right? Anything's possible. You never know, right? So, you got to be careful and hold your cards close to your chest, I guess.

Have your wife have the metal detector to see if she has a wire on and stuff. Just make sure Mrs. Thompson's holding it down in the wives room.

Yeah, I'll have my kids make sure. They'll be I'm sure they'll be over there. What if what if um last one here, jouro hat,

you might want to sign off. What if Matthew and Brady uh before the your first game against Canada, they call you in the bathroom in one of the stalls and they say, "Hey, off the opening draw, I want you to sucker McDavid right in the face. Are you doing it?"

I mean, I'll do it as long I'm going to ask them if they're going to pay the consequences on my behalf.

I'll pay it. Which I'm sure they would. So, um can you can you do somebody else? Do you not get Would I not get susped for like the entire tournament?

Yeah, I don't know. But that's what Chris wants. I want to know whether it's going to be hard for you to say no or yes to Brady and Matthew Kachchuck when they call you in a bathroom stall before the game.

I mean, that's already a sketchy start to it, but zip. Why are we doing this in the bathroom? Yeah.

Yeah. Heated rivalry Olympic edition. All right, Tage, thank you so much, man. Keep it up.

Thank guys. I appreciate it. Congrats. See See you, Tommer. Oh, by the way, what a guy. What a run they've been on. How about this gift a fan gave me at the hotel in um in Miami. He was waiting there with his kid and uh the kid gives me a that thing back there, which is not bad a saying from the the peaking series. And then they gave me this ticket, which was um my first NHL point. So they brought that for me and gave me that as a gift. So it's a

You got your first You got your first point on the road, huh? On the road uh against the Philadelphia Flyers. I had an assist on a either Max Talbot or Tyler Kennedy goal. We we all were in on

a pass or like a shot off the shin pads that went to one of them. I I don't even remember. I couldn't even tell you. I know it was

so Hey, so many. How you going to forget? How you going to remember when there's that many of them? It was a secondary assist. I believe it was a very nice dump in and there you go. And I also got in a fight with Aaron Ash from that game. So, pretty productive game for me.

Close to a Gordy How. That's awesome. You might have just gone mute. Um, we got to go over we got to go over team USA. We got to talk to Merles. This is just an action-packed show. Um, let's bring them in right now. I don't know.

I'm sorry, buddy. Look at this. Thanks, guys. I know. I'm sorry it went long. You were supposed to come on before Taage and I didn't. I

No, no, no, no. I was supposed to come on at 2:10. 2:10. It is now 3:50. Hey, you're the You're the one who produc.

Blame the producer. I don't know how you he had you on at 2:10. Merles, go read your text. I very specifically said after 2:30 if you want to go double check. Oh, that was Yeah, that was that was today once I already had all the daycare and the child pickup set up and I I don't really care cuz now I've listened to the whole episode, but I needed it. I wanted to listen to the whole episode tomorrow cuz I'm off to Philly tomorrow. I'm taking the train down to Philadelphia 4hour ride. I was like, "Oh, listen to chicklets." Nope.

Now I've already listened to the whole episode. Chasing goals. Merles, quickly, I'm sorry. We got to talk about Body Armor. You can have some on the train tomorrow. This episode is brought to you by Body Armor, the official sports drink of the NHL. Body Armor has great tasting flavors like strawberry, banana, and peach mango. No colors from artificial sources. None of the junk in a bold new look with the same great taste. And now available in Canada. So whether you're hitting the ice, the gym, or just need something refreshing. Grab Body Armor today at Soies or a local grocery store near you. Body Armor. Choose better. Mr.

I want to make it clear as well. I'm mentioning Team USA, but you hate U. You hate Team USA. You are a team Sweden guy. You live there. Your kids are Swedish, so I understand that you know you you're rooting for one team and it's Sweden this year.

But we do have to talk about USA. 210ish. Okay, there you go. Girls, you got five minutes, so make it quick.

I bring I bring the receipts. Yeah, you know, I I really needed to I needed to hear

I bring them I bring them too, Merl. [ __ ] you. It says 233 right there. That's today. Yesterday I make plans over here. That was

we go. What have you done? He doesn't have kids. Murray. He doesn't get it. He doesn't.

I know. I I I really needed to hear Army trying to keep the WHL relevant, you know, now that college hockey has taken over on an Olympic preview.

Mr. Mr. as a Team USA hater yourself, um were you as disgusted as I was that Jason Robertson wasn't on the team? Yeah, because uh we actually went over it on game notes. He has the third most goals in the calendar year of 2025. So, I would have thought that's a guy that you want on the team uh when there's when there's a lot of extra spots for guys. And I I understand you're building a team. You need PK. You need you need leadership in the locker room and all that stuff. But, uh it's McKinnon, Geeky, and then Robertson. So, it's funny that two out of the three aren't even going over there.

Yeah. Um, I was talking to a guy today who I was eating lunch and he came over. He's like, "I I a big fan of the show. I just want to know why didn't Robertson make the team?" Like, he was genuinely asking. I said, "I don't know." I said, "We're going to talk about it." My thing is um they they went with what they had last year, right? They're they're one shot away. They're they're a couple amazing Bennington saves in overtime away from winning that thing. They think they can win it. I believe that they can win it.

But when you look at some roster picks like Troche and Miller I think were the pe that's kind of who people were complaining about and I could see maybe you go with one of those guys and you get Robertson on the team in a tournament where you need a guy who could score, right? It's the hardest thing to do is score. He could do it. You just read the stats off. I was I was very surprised. I know he was disappointed seeing his quotes and stuff. I think he mentioned he hasn't even been told if he's on the list with like injuries or anything. So, I don't know. I I I don't really get it. There's obviously way more that goes into it than than any of us know. Uh Billy G like what he had last year, team chemistry and everything, but I just can't can't believe with a score like that, maybe it's his skating, maybe they consider him a little soft, but I was very surprised and and a little disappointed. Keith.

Yeah. Yeah. I I agree 100%. Um I think the Tro Troche I love on the team just because what he brings. He's that water bug. You can play on your third, fourth line. Um Millsy the same way. I mean, what he did last year in the

they're familiar with him. Um so it it's it's honestly one of those things where we talked about with Canada, it's like, you know, there's so many good players to choose from and that's a good uh you know, good problem to have if you're if you're Billy G. But I I think he's earned every right to be on that team just the way that he's scored. And at the end of the day, you got to score goals to win this tournament. And if I was a part of picking that team, I would probably have a guy who has the third most goals in the calendar year. But I mean, obviously other stuff goes into it. I don't know how he is in the locker room. I don't know if he's ever played with any of these guys, if he knows any of these guys. So I'm sure there's a lot more that goes into it than we know.

Yeah. And that's why there is a lot more because I know USA hockey likes when the guys go to the worlds and you see that with two of the guys they add it with Keller and Thompson. They went over last year. They played in the worlds. They won the gold medal first time since 1930 or whatever the heck it was. Embarrassing to not know that or more embarrassing us not to win one. But they only they left two guys off. Crider and Fox and then they added Thompson Keller, Quinn Hughes who would have been on it and then Seth Jones who who was an interesting one and I think you know his Stanley Cup run he's big, he's long, he's played with Rensky before. That seems like an easy pairing right off the hop.

So So did you guys already talk about Fox being left off? We haven't yet. We talked about Robertson. Um why don't you give your take on Fox being left off? I ju well I I mentioned on the broadcast I feel like we're you know there's somewhat of of copycat league and them taking a guy like Seth Jones over the fat over a guy like Fox where he's a little bit longer. I think he's probably a little bit better of a skater. I'm not saying he's like he's got earthshattering speed here but Fox is not really known for, you know, how quickly he closes on guys. I'm not saying he's a liability defensively either. I just think if you're thinking of of a big long body defenseman and that's what they want outside of Quinn Hughes, that was kind of the the the path they decided to take. The same probably reason they took JT Miller and Troche. They wanted some like more dog mentality. And he probably gets left off

because they have a guy like Quinn Hughes. But I can understand um uh I'm drawing a blank on coach Sullivan and them pitching to have their own guy there because just like Coupe, I'm sure he's seen what Fox has done when he's been in the lineup this year, especially offensively and think, wow, if Quinn's a little bit cold offensively for a couple game stretch, and we need to [ __ ] replace him with a guy who can maybe get it done on this big power play that we have, he trusts him and can throw him in that situation because he's his guy. So

that's my argument though that I feel bad for Adam Fox. Awesome player. But I wasn't like that surprised like

No, I wasn't that surprised either. Last year he was battling injury. I think the year before he's been battling injury. This year he's been good on a team that hasn't been good. He has been very good.

But whether it's Hughes or Winsky, there's going to be four forwards in one of them for a minute 20 and then the other one's coming on. You don't you don't need him. You have two unbelievable power play defenseman that either one of them can run the first unit. It doesn't matter. And then you look all right. Jones comes in. The guy he could skate. He's enormous. And Blackhawks fans who are saying this guy sucks. Run him out of town. Like buddy, your team stunk. Now look at him. Because on a good team, this guy makes a huge difference. You can't get around him. He's an enormous human who can move. I mean, he doesn't skate like he did when he came into the league. So the spot for Fox not having to run the power play that the spot went away in in my mind. Like Faber defends way better than him, right? Makavoy defends way better than him. Sanderson skates a lot better than him. So like awesome player. Norris

trophy winner. I love the guy's game. I just look at the makeup of the team. I was way more surprised that Robertson's not there than than Fox. Yeah, I would be if I was Fox and if they added Hudson over him, I'd be more pissed off. But they're going in the complete different direction bringing in Seth Jones. And that's I would imagine that's a Bill Zo call. It's his guy. He's part of that management where it's like,

hey, I traded for this guy. I brought him in. He won for us. He played huge minutes. He can do anything you want him to do on the ice where he's not going to, like you said, he's not going to have to play power play there. and he's going to focus on pking and being really good five on five.

18 minutes, baby. 16 to 18 minutes. 16 to 18 minutes. Boom. Don't notice him out there in a good way. And he will be he'll be awesome for them. And and he he he solidifies that.

You know, you got three, four lines coming at you when you're playing Canada. They're preparing for one game. I would imagine they're preparing to play Canada. And when you prepare to play in the Stanley Cup finals, you want big, heavy, long D like uh Florida has. and they won the last two years, won with him. So, I I think it's a I think it's a great call bringing Jonesy in

and also played against like McDavid in some situations in that in that Stanley Cup final where you're like, well, he's going to be seeing him for some shifts. And also where you touched on it, so you would say that it would go Quinn, Warren, and then Fox because I think that Winsky not only is a good setup guy, but he's also a threat from a shoot mentality where

he might be above Quinn. Like Winsky is insane dude. Yeah, he's so good. Right. Right. Yeah. It's okay.

For what he's playing with, too. Like the the numbers that he puts up with I mean, no offense to the Columbus Blue Jackets, they're not as good as Minnesota or

he doesn't have Capriov, right? So, it's like and he's he's like leading the team in scoring every year it seems like. So,

yeah, I felt bad for Adam Fox, but I was not I was not surprised. And and I did say he was he was injured last year, so that has part to it, but he didn't look great last year. No, I I so I Is Robertson the most shocking name? You guys already covered it. Yeah, I would agree.

And I don't know. I don't know. I think a lot Keith said it or Merles like we don't really know what goes into like the locker room aspect. I don't know Robertson as a guy, right? He might not be buddies with all these guys are pretty pretty close. Like this is the national development program was kind of built for this and you're seeing all these guys that played there. They all know each other. Ages are different, no doubt. But Robertson's never really been in that crew. But to me, it's like, dude, it's a oneshot tournament. It's it's it's the same thing that when when um Connor wasn't in the championship game, it's like, what are we doing here?

I think that that we go back to what we were talking about team Canada like the slight element of fear and you want to put a team on the ice if you're USA that that um like at least from an outside perspective like they aren't batting an eye and they're not they're not afraid of what Canada's going to throw their way and that's why a name like Troek and JT maybe stick out a little bit more than a guy like Jason Robertson. Now, I don't know what Jason Robertson's numbers are like in crunch time come playoffs, but I do know

that's a good question. Let's look that up. 56 games, 4 points. Good. What is it? Say it again.

56 games, 44 points. Not terrible. And I actually think last year he was the only guy scoring towards the end of of before.

Last year he had 11 goals. Oh, no, sorry. 11 games, four goals. Dude, USA hockey is petty. It's always been this way. It it was this way in 1990 when I left for Syracuse to go from to go to play in Syracuse. They cut me from the 15 New York team. So Jason Robertson picks the OHL over the US development team.

So JT Miller or JT the really you think they're that petty e? Yeah. Sometimes but you hear it too like when Tage when you talk to Ta you hear him he's like oh I want to play with Kels. I know Kels. I train with him. I do this.

Yeah. But but but here's the other thing too though is like going like Jack Hughes is a was a shoe in for the Four Nations and and everyone knew he was going to make the Olympic team. Like maybe they looked at Robertson the way that maybe some of us look at Hughes where in that gold medal game at Four Nations like he was a zero factor. So it's like yeah he's [ __ ] he's he's he's scratching 100 points every year when he's healthy, but it doesn't matter. Sometimes your game just just just doesn't transfer over to when it's best on best. And maybe they value JT Miller and and and and Troche. Who who would you say that he took who took whose spot? Would you say that those are the two names up front where you're like eh?

Well, I Yeah, we were say Yeah, I said those two and people have kind of said Brock Nelson. He's been great this year. Now, I'm playing both sides, but when talking about building a team, like that's been Billy's thing, right? He's talked a lot about like this this is not an all-star game all-star team. So like basically if you look at all right Eel and the two Kachchucks and then Matthews and Baldi and Hughes or you could put maybe Connor with Matthews and Baldi and or Gensel there's your top two scoring lines and then it's like all right well where does Robertson fit in cuz right if he's not better than any of those guys that's the aspect that I think people don't think about when I've seen a lot of USA hockey fans disgusted at the fact that they brought checkers and they brought and they brought guys that are just great defensively. Like I get Robertson's scoring. It sucks to not see

him on. But thinking on their side, it's like we have scorers. It's like the Bard argument on the on the Canadian side.

Yeah. Yeah. It's just we don't have as many as you. But it it's also too like we obviously have to talk about it. But you can't really judge what the the GMs are doing until the tournament's over. Like what you know what the team needed, what they didn't. But that that's a really good point. Like Troche and JT Miller are first line, second line guys on their own team, but they know how to play third, fourth line. Robinson probably never has.

No. Yeah. Yeah. And then play against and is not effective because he doesn't skate well enough and he doesn't check well enough. Um when when he's not in the

He's not a burner. If he was a burner, even if his checking is where it's at now, if you could fly, that might that might have been a different decision. I think the more you talk about Jason Robertson, the more you can understand as to why he's not on the team and that's why he's not on the team. And if they end up losing and they want to point to that the same way they can point to keeping Taage Thompson off the team last year,

I'm more I'm more focused on who's going to play in the net. Merles. Yeah. Well, I think you got to go with Hellbuck to start, but I I I agree with you. It was uh it was the same last year though. Remember like Hellbuck in the playoffs, we were all talking about it. can he handle the big games? And then he did in the four nation. So, I'm sticking with him. I don't know about you guys, but I I'm riding with him in the big one.

Yeah, same here. At least you're starting with them. See how it goes. That is what Now, I said to you, Biz down there, Americans may get on me, but you put these rosters next to each other. Like, you guys should beat us. Like, look at the forward you have. Now, this is a one game and out once you get to the medal round. I love our goalies and I love our defense. Yeah, you guys got good Dean goalies. We have good better forwards. It's the [ __ ] one game.

You got You got better forwards that can score. But I don't know. I We like We can beat you. I'm saying we've beat you when when it really doesn't matter. We win those first games. It just has to change this year. You need that bounce. You need that little bit of luck. You need to somehow stop McDavid in the biggest moments or McKinnon or then Crosby. It's It's disgusting the the people you have up front. But I don't necessarily love how you're just like talking about building for one team, right? And that can bring us into Sweden cuz I look at Sweden's team and I hope Landiskog's okay for what that guy's been through.

No, man. And the fact that he even is playing hockey again then makes the team and gets injured. That just sucks. And it looked like a broken rib like he's flying into the net. That's not something that I think's like okay in a month if your ribs shattered.

But that this team's good, Merl. It's a good team, man. They won the [ __ ] goals.

That's a better forward group than the US, in my opinion. Yeah, look at their goalies.

Well, yeah. I did my homework on this one, boys. All right, so we got players left off from the four nations. It's Victor Arvdson, Gustaf Nyquist, Lionus, Omar, and Net, and your boy Matias Ekholm, the Viking up in Edmonton. And with that being added, they took your Broberg, who has to drive you nuts. Oliver Ecman Larson's in Landisk, who you just talked about. Pis Holberg was the biggest surprise. He's down in Tampa Bay now. And Alex Weenberg who's out in San Jose and then it looks like the third goalie is the wall of St. Paul.

They added Walstead. Can we not gloss over the fact Biz thinks that the Sweden forwards are better than the US forwards?

I think overall maybe because I mean as far as like maybe more we talked about the checking mentality. I mean [ __ ] I don't know. Adrian,

you got you got these guys make Team USA. Pratt probably, although I don't know.

I don't know. He's the same as Hughes buzzing around. Philip Forsber. Yep. Nelander.

Yep. And Kempy. Maybe Raymond. Maybe Raymond. No. Leo Carlson. Leo Carlson. Dude, I think he's gonna be a superstar. I don't know if he's on us right now. I

Matthews. Who's their third line center? Larkin Erikson E. Lin's good. Yeah, I like he's a good He's a good check.

Lin's [ __ ] awesome. He's in a perfect slot as a third round center for them. So, this team though, I mean, is this the best D in the tournament?

Best D. I I love the D. If like Heedman, they say he's going to be back. He's on time. He's going to be back. You got Heman and Dene. You got Forsling, Carlson, Broaddin, Anderson from Calgary, and then Ecman Larson and Broberg as the extras, I would say, right now. Pretty cool for Ecman Larson making this team, Biz.

Yeah, I'm I'm I'm just happy for the guy. He's such a good dude. I mean, Yans, you play with him and yeah, he was a he was a treat when he came in and yeah, he hit a bit of a rough spell there for a few years. It was tough sledding at the end of his time with Arizona, went to Vancouver, dealt with that media circus and you know the the narrative of making too much money and then he goes to Florida and boom, reset button and it's been awesome since, man. He's been awesome for the Leafs. didn't [ __ ] about it and just [ __ ] put his head down, went back to the drawing board, figured it out, and look at his [ __ ] career. He got a Stanley Cup, now he's on the Olympic team. Like, couldn't be more happy for him.

He's the man. Like Seth Jarvis said, sometimes you got to eat a [ __ ] sandwich.

Yep. Hey, by the way, somebody told Williams told him that or or just any type of Swedish food at a at a party.

I thought the pictures Merl sends. Oh my god. Should we put some of those up again? Earl sends us pictures of his Swedish feast that like you wouldn't eat to get off of death row.

The Swedish ule board the boys love. I'd rather go to the electric chair than have a meal at one of those places you're at.

Hence what I just said. Yeah. So that's the Olympic preview. I don't know if you guys even know, but there's

What did you say before that? Death Row said you wouldn't eat it to get off of death row.

Oh, to get off of That's two pods in a row. I've basically stolen exactly what you said. All right, we get a good laugh after.

You guys are vibing. Hey, um there's 12 teams in the tournament. You play each team in your group. The top teams all get a buy and then the second place team that has the best financials, you know, the best record or plus There it is.

Oh god, that's actually the best. What is on the top? Are those meatballs? Top left.

Meatball. All right, we'll go we'll go clockwise. Salmon with mustard. 12:00 you got the salmon with the mustard and then you got the sausages and then right there is the seal. That's fish with a with a mustard sauce on there.

That's my worst thing right there for you got the ham. Those the hard-boiled eggs are usually uh fancier. They got a little mayonnaise with a little shrimp on them. Usually we didn't have those here.

That's nice cuz this was in the US. Little potatoes there. That baked potato with zero seasoning. That looks really good. Um

Oh, that's straight out of the This was homemade over here in the US. We couldn't get everything perfect.

So, you're telling me Henrik Lungquist is just hammering that plate? Loving that. He's loving that.

Not a chance. Oh, yeah. Mustard all over his suit. He's He said some other ones too that that made that look like Capitol Grill Saturday night with a fillet.

From Sweden. U Okay. My Sweden. Yep. You got no doubt though that they're meddling.

Medaling. Yeah. plus 500 to win the gold medal in a one game. I mean, in a oneame thing like that goal, one of those goalies, Gustiffson or or Marstrom, Posh's guy, he could steal a game with those D. I I I I won't count them out, but um yeah, they they don't have like the real big superstar that you're scared of when you look at, you know, US Matthews, Canada, McKinnon, McDavid. So, it will be tough for them, but for sure they're going to get a medal. It's Sweden. They they live for this stuff. They live for national team. They have the pride. You see them, the world juniors are going to be in the championship here tonight.

They play differently and and especially when it is that bronze medal game where the US Canada, you guys probably don't care too much. Go out boozing. Those guys are focused. A bronze medal still means a ton to them.

Yeah. I I mean, yeah, I love Forsber. I think he's so [ __ ] nasty. Like he could take over a game. But yeah, they're just great defensively, too. Like I I mean, can can Elias Person show up and light that tournament up? Cuz if he did, that would be a guy who if he like ripped it up there like they could win the gold medal, right?

I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Used to be he used to be that guy. He was on that path when he got the 100 point season.

So, yeah. Sweden, it's going to be good though. They're a good team, good management, good coaching. The coaches, uh, you know, he's not an NHL coach. He's just a he's just a national team coach. So, this is his full-time job. He doesn't even coach the SHL team anymore, but that's how I think Homeberg made the team. Everybody's questioning him. The old Toronto Maple Leaf. This guy Halam had him in Veo for five or six years. So, it's kind of like the John Cooper and Celli. He knows what he's getting. He he called him like a what do you call him? A hog pit or something like that.

Yeah. I don't I didn't mindber on the Leafs. Yeah. Pop belly pig when it comes to

I wish I wish he would have had a little bit more bite. That's it. He He skates well. like he was disruptor. He for check solid. Like he was a good player. Just maybe there was I don't know. I w the way the the le the the year started I wouldn't have mind him on our on our bottom six but I think we're better off without him.

Is he playing over there now? No, he's down in Tampa is helping out a lot better this year.

So he's a guy to watch out for. He could be a guy that's out there trying to run McDavid or McKinnon where most of those guys aren't physical, you know, and that's why a guy like that is on the team over some of these other bigger names.

So, well, I can't wait for this tournament. We're like a month away from this thing. I wonder

you guys I don't know if you guys know I'm in the I'm in the new house now. I'm not fully unpacked yet, but Biz, you brought out that nice ticket from your first point, and I actually had this stick here from my first NHL goal right here.

That's what use Sherwood wooden stick right there. Look at what it says on there.

You were still all wood. That's how old you are. No. First NHL game. First NHL game. Melon Arena. Look at that twig.

What year? I mean, I had a October 10th, 2003. How many guys on the team? How many guys on the team had wooden sticks then?

Yeah. My dad's birthday. And then I got another relic here for You didn't answer his question.

What was that? How many guys on the team had wooden sticks then? Me and Mario, Me and Mario were the only ones left using wooden sticks. Is that good? You ever hear of them?

Did you guys have like a little thing like did you Hey, Wood, you know they would like you and

Yeah, we would go to lunch. He would go to lunch with me, Biz. I'm like you crossing swords. Hey, Woody.

But I got this other one. I think you're going to like this one, Biz. This one. Look how old the NHL logo on there is. You know, the orange logo.

Is that a Darren Poopa? Darren Poopa. No [ __ ] He's lighting up the internet now.

He's the most electric guy on the internet. He's basically the DJ colleague of hockey.

I got that from him in Saberland back when I was a youth hockey player cuz he went to RBI so we stayed around and watched him and then we started talking. He got me a stick. But I just

Who's the Who's that black guy who like does the live streaming nonstop? KSI or Kaisette.

Yeah, that that should be Poopa. They should have a 24/7 camera wherever he goes having a coffee in the morning talking shop.

Well, I text them. We're going to get them on. Yep. Awesome. Hey guys. Yes. That's about all I got guys. You know, you think I would have had more sitting here waiting for you guys. But also during that conversation about Canadian hockey, I had a guy reach out to me, Brad Lzelle. He runs this AMP hockey up in Calgary and and they do hitting really early on. It's a whole different model that Canada hockey doesn't even recognize them, but he's got a bunch of Flames players, kids that go there. So, that's all conversation for later on. But, there is there is something there that that has to change with with all that.

I believe Versteig Versteig has something going in the Toronto area that's not recognized by Hockey Canada cuz he's like, what what are they doing? I think a like clever super league, something like that, where he's I think he's looked at some things that they're like, we we we need this or we don't need that. And he's kind of started his own league. So, he's a great guy. Um

yeah, why wouldn't why wouldn't these people who run a league listen to a guy who's got two Stanley Cups in 800 games like the

these people need to listen and through it and knows what it takes. Like what are we doing here? M Lily hattrick first game.

Liy Oh, is that the Is that the rollback question for me? Last question. Yep. Daughter. First game. Three snipes. Not a big deal. So,

no [ __ ] She got it. Yeah. Three snipes. I have funny story actually. Um, last story and then I'll leave. Uh, so I'm out there. We have three different groups and we took our weaker players, our middle players, our best players, and we split them up. We're playing this different organization. They put a ringer. They put a ringer in the middle group. This kid comes down. He puts one top shelf. I said, "Guys, he's in the wrong group. We have kids that don't even know what hand they are yet."

They're like, "Oh, you think so?" I'm like, "Yeah, I think so." Like, get him out of here. They're like, "No."

Sounds like you at Chicklets Cup. He just went bar down. Yeah. It's Mr. playing roller division D.

Turn into crazy hockey dad one game in. Yep. Oh, yeah. You'll be right into it.

We'll be texting. So, they said no. What did you say? Did you push back? Yeah. Oh, yeah. I got him over there. I'm like,

he actually pushed the kid over there. his video on Live Barn, carried the kid. He was the one in the in the Nets with him.

His name was James. He had big James on him. Like James is not playing in here anymore. He's dominated. He went to that level and dominated.

Before we say bye to you, you should stick around for me pumping Matthews tires here because he passed a Swede in Matt Sundine for the greatest Toronto Maple Leaf goal scorer of all time. So, do you want to stick around cuz we pay a little bit of homage to to Matt Sundine as well, who is still currently um the alltimes points leader for the Toronto Maple Leafs with 987, which he did in 981 games, which makes what I think Matthews did even more remarkable. Like Matts was obviously, I guess maybe a little bit more well-rounded in the sense of he dished the puck a little bit more. Not saying Matthews isn't a great playmaker, but um as far as the goal scoring though, Matthews beat it in 317 less games.

That's crazy to surpass him. That is impressive. Matt Matt Sundine had the record at 420, which is unbelievable that it was 420. And then Matthews passed it at 421, but 317 less games uh is just like astonishing. Um

not trying to I love the Leafs and all Biz, but I I got to go. I got I got learn to play at 5:30. I got to pack my suitcase for

Chase. Philly Philly vers Anaheim tomorrow. You got to check James' birth certificate.

Safe Sport before this. Oh yeah, you're [ __ ] Starting his own league, his own upstate New York league soon.

Eat a hardboiled pissed egg. Instead of getting relegated, if you're you're the last team, you have to eat one of those plates of food he makes. Um,

I think we might be having Cor Strogenoff in there tonight. So, I'll send you guys over a picture of that.

Spaghettiio, but going going back to Matthews. Oh, go ahead. What? Amazing. He's scoring at a better rate than than OV, but I got to say about your Maple Leafs original 16 like,

how is the goal leader 420 and the points leader doesn't even Dude, you [ __ ] You need to get off the [ __ ] internet, buddy. Get off the [ __ ] internet. All right. What do you mean? I I looked at all the other teams leading goal scorers and leading point scorers and it's

significantly higher numbers than the Leafs for the and their original six. Well, cuz they boo everybody out of town.

That's what I was going to say. Okay. I mean, okay, let's go through the list here. Okay. And let's play a little bit of trivia for the people at home, too. I'm sure you guys are going to know the answers right away. So, let's start from top to bottom. original six and they're goal leaders as far as the franchise. Detroit with 786 goals. Who's the leader?

Mr. Hockey. Mr. Hockey. Gordy. How Chicago have this written down is amazing. Chicago is in second place. Uh 604 is their all-time franchise goal leader. Who is that?

Probably Bobby Hull. Yeah, Bobby Hull is in second place. Boston. So, this is where kind of what you said is like ah I don't feel like it's that far away when you get into the 545 number with Boston. Who is their all-time leader?

Espazito Bor. No, he didn't. Um, wow. All-time leading scorer for the Boston Bruins. It's not Espazito.

No. Holy [ __ ] Johnny Buick. Johnny Buick. Bingo. There you go, Mike Grenell. And then once again for you think of like a historic franchise like the Montreal Canadians and you saying like, "Oh, I'm a little disappointed that they only have 42." Montreal Canadiens Maurice Rashard 544. So

yeah, it's still eight games a year. There was [ __ ] warning. The following statements are about to be made by eight arranged leafs fan. The views expressed are his and his only. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt because remember he is a deranged Leafs fan.

He had to go to war during the season. Like what do you mean? He was fixing carburetors like [ __ ]

Well, the good news is is by the time Austin Matthews four or fiveyear deal, I think it was a four-year deal he signed. He'll probably be just in that range of 550 that Boston is and then also that Montreal is. So then at fifth of the original six is Toronto with Austin Matthews at 421. And then if you want to call us a [ __ ] organization, how about the New York Rangers

406? Who who who's their all-time leader? Is it Graveyard? No. No. John Rattell.

Gilbar. Gilbar. Gilbar. Okay. Okay. Okay. So that's the six. All right. Right there.

Fair enough. You're not last. You're trying to be negative. You're trying to be negative.

I was actually surprised that there's no thousand point guys. That was very surprising. Um but you know what? Matthews easily could end up at 550 600. Who knows if he stays there. So I just I was just surprised. It wasn't even like a chirp necessarily.

You want to do a little bit more trivia? Sure. Who um who has the most assists on his goals? Matthews, do the top do the top five.

Mner Marner. Morgan Riley. Well, let's start. Okay, let's Marner. How many you think of of the 421 he's assisted on?

I was surprised only had 10 cuz I saw you got the Budweisers. Everyone who ever got an assist got like a Budweiser can. Uh he had 10. Let's say Marner had

Hey, another Hey, another couple clicks for Jud who joined us earlier. You know, he lined that deal up for Austin for with Budweiser. Probably made a couple sheets off.

He's got 421 goals. Let's say Mner assisted on 150. Wow. 152. You were two off. Great answer.

Who's number two? Mo. Mo is number Mo is number three. So number two would be Knander.

Nelander. How many you think with 87? 83. No, 104. And then you had then Morgan Riley with 74. The next one after him is uh 43 Tveras U. And then it's Heyman and then Bunting 28.

So what you're saying what you're saying is if you want your greatest goal scorer in franchise history to keep scoring, you do not trade the guy that has got him the most.

Exactly what I'm saying. Not trade him, but let him go. Don't chase your best setup guy to your best score goal scorer of all time.

That's exactly what I was getting to. Good point, Keith. An incredible, incredible point. Now, um I also was just going to quickly go through the list of um

who's got the most secondary assist. No, no. I was going to go through the um the the goals per game, and you mentioned it earlier, Yans, that he's at a higher clip right now in order to pass Ovuchkin. um if the he ended up playing the same amount of games. So he's he's scoring at a higher goals per game rate right now than Alex O Alexander Ovuchkin. So who is number one all time you think in goals per game.

That's bossy in league history. In league history over a certain amount of games obviously

goals per game. It's bossy for sure. Bossy nailed it with and and he's played which is crazy is he played 752 games. He scored at a 0.76 clip rate. So he was scoring he was scoring 75% of the time. Three out of every four games he was putting one in the back of the net. Absolutely remarkable to sustain that over

over 750 games. What cut his career short? I think he just he had Yeah, I think he just shut it down at a certain point. Was injuries.

I think he was injured back maybe back then. You're right. I think it was back.

Who Who's number two goals per game? Mario. Mario. Ding ding ding ding ding. He was said

I know there's some names on here that nobody will know. The next two are names that nobody would know. And the reason though is they didn't weren't able to sustain it as long. Um, uh, Sai Deni played for the Ottawa Senators in Boston and he played 329 games and he actually tied Lemieux for goals per game at 75. So Lemieux is actually um he played uh almost 200 games more than Bossy and was only 01 at less of a clip rate which is insane that he sustained it even that much longer. And then the next guy at number four is uh Babe Dye and he played for a lot of teams. He played uh uh 272 games. So then at fifth is Austin Matthews and he's at a point 63 clip rate. Then under him is Pavl Bur at six, Wayne Gretzky

and then uh then Alex Ovetchkin is another active player obviously at point uh at 0 59. under him is Brett Hall. And another active player at 10 I was surprised was Carrill Capri off. He's at the 10 highest active goals per game rate at point 58. And the reason I kept number 11 is it's pretty cool that a a father son Bobby Hall.

So nine and 11 are Bobby and Brett Hall at uh at over a goal per game or a goal every other game. If you get a a point every whatever those are 65 that's amazing to score at that pace is so incredible to me.

It just gives you perspective on like people getting on Austin Matthews at the start of the year cuz he just lost his main setup guy who he's he probably knows he probably knows Mitch Martin's social security number right know it's like playing with the the sadines like they just know where each other are going to be. he knows where he's going to transport the puck and the pockets he's going to find him in. So, the fact that he's taken away and then yeah, it takes him 35 games to maybe figure out that he's not going to be around and how other ways that he needs to find it.

Well, over the last four games, six goals in the back of the net, he's clipping at that same goals per game right now and he's got 20 on the year. And I told you the year before Obie won the Stanley Cup, he had 31 or 32 goals. Sometimes these guys who are generational do have an off year here or there and especially when you take up his best setup guy. So that's all I really got to say. I came prepared today. Uh and shout out to Jazz

heating up right before the Leafs are winning next year. Basically it's next year there [ __ ] maybe [ __ ] And shout out to Jazz at TNT for helping me out with uh with a bunch of those nuggets. And and I said it earlier um it was since the 69 goal giggity season that he had had back-to-back multiple goal games and we saw that again the other night with the scarf on [ __ ]

Yeah, heating up before Olympics. Perfect. Exactly. Um and and so brutal that Tanv sounds like he's out for the reg rest of the regular season.

Sucks. Um brutal news for him and brutal news for the Leafs. They're just different when he's playing. Biz, I need your opinion on uh the Logan Stanley sucker punch. Got him a game suspension on Brady Kachchuck. I I don't know. I was I was shocked by this. Now, maybe it's like, "All right, we're going. I'm getting the first punch in, but Brady was looking the other way. Uh I can't like the anger that he showed. That'll be

Well, you're you're shocked by what? The fact that he got a game sussy? No, I'm back. I'm shocked that he threw the punch.

Yeah. Okay. So, definitely a sucker. Like there's no way out of this one. But I'm sure I don't know if after the game he apologized and he said, "Hey, um, wrong instinct in that position." Listen, Brady's a scary guy and anytime you're going up against Brady, you better be prepared cuz you know those are especially when you're a guy of of Stanley's size where, oh, he's not going to think he's like taking advantage of someone. He's like, this guy's my size and I'll chuck him with him. And just instinctively of how they were battling it out by the bench. Don't know how long the shift length was, but he kind of sheds his mitt and Brady never really makes eye contact with him or makes the signal that he's going to drop his mitt and then square off or maybe even throw a quick one. I just think that Stanley was on high alert. He maybe felt that Brady flinched and he [ __ ] threw it instinctively and it was the wrong

choice. And once he threw it, he probably regretted it. And if I'm Brady, I'm [ __ ] fuming mad like he was. And he just made the wrong instinctive call. And I don't know if it's a result of him being fearful that he's going against Brady Kachchuck. There's a lack of oxygen going to his brain because he's deep in a shift and he's battling it out. And that was the result of the battle. But yeah, he [ __ ] up. That's all you can say. And he deserved a game. And and here we are.

We've all been through some tough stretches during a season. and they're won six and three in their last 10, the Winnipeg Jets. Can imagine some shits going on in that locker room. Coaches calling guys out, guys calling each other out.

But at the end of the day, sucker punching Brady Kachchuck would be on my top five least things I would ever do because

eat girls's meal. He's got the memory of an elephant. He ain't going to forget that ever. And not to mention, Brady's a willing combatant. If he asked him to fight, Brady would have fought him no matter what.

Well, he can't apparently. We're getting news from Grenell. The reason he kept pointing at his hand was he had a cast on his hand,

which happened this year. Yeah. Which most of you know is if you have anything, even if it's tape, even in a situation of uh uh Kefir Sherwood, who has an allergy where he has to wear gloves on underneath his gloves, like rubber gloves so his like his like skin doesn't get torn up. He has to take those gloves off. So when you have something as solid as a cast, you can't be dropping them and chucking them. So that's why Brady Kachchuck wasn't scrapping him in that situation. And he's probably even thinking, "Hey bud, check the [ __ ] game notes. You should know a guy like me has a cast on my [ __ ] hand." So big [ __ ] up on Logan Stanley. He's going to have to pay the Piper when Brady's back and healthy and can fight. And I'm excited. And I got that one circled on the calendar.

And and not to mention he's got Matthew to deal with too. Like the two brothers, they don't they're family members. They ain't letting that [ __ ] slide.

You think that Matthew challenges him next game? Oh, I bet he at least slashes him in the ankle hard.

Stanley's enormous, too, though. Yeah, he might spear him, but it's not like this is some like easy fight.

No, like Stanley will be happy to go Brady. I think he just definitely [ __ ] up with this one. And now, yeah, now Brady's even more angry when you're getting ready to do it.

But a long time ago, Mike Commodore made it clear that he's not a big Scott Arneal fan. I don't know what's going on with Winnipeg, but I'll tell you right now, a guy like Luke Shen, who teammates love, has played forever.

Yeah. About to play his 1100th game where it started for the Toronto Maple Leafs to scratch him there. That is one where like was on to something like that. That's that's just so crazy to me. Like that is where a team will shut you down. And granted, maybe they already have. Maybe it's just been a a nightmare season for other reasons, but I couldn't believe that. I saw you scratched and then I see Twitter saying it was going to be his 1100th game. I'm like, [ __ ]

In Toronto? Yeah, in Toronto. You don't think from the GM? It was against the Leafs. I don't know if it was in Winnipeg or not.

Against the Leafs, a team where he was drafted. I believe it was in Toronto. Check it out, G.

You You don't think that that's the GM's call and not the coach's call? No, I think that's all on the coach and and and the reason why well then like the reason why uh

this is Tyson Barry reached out to be like did you guys see this? So obviously he's looking out for his guy. I thought maybe he he was maybe dealing with an injury. You just never know as to why it actually was in Toronto for his 1100th

and what a perfect opportunity uh for him Aral to take to say to galvanize the group. Hey, I know things haven't go been going well, but [ __ ] we got Luke here playing his 1100th game in a city that he was [ __ ] drafted. Money on the board. Let's [ __ ] go here and and turn this bad boy around. So, an opportunity to like use that to to spearhead the team in the right direction.

As little as that could have been as far as carrying momentum and then you all of a sudden you're you you go the other way by healthy scratching them and lose the room a little bit the other way. So that's a Yeah, I agree with you.

Way both sides. It's like, all right, I think he's been I think he's been struggling. Let's get another Dman in to play our sixth Dman role.

Or like you said, fire everyone up. Make it a thing. It's just like, what are we do? What are we I couldn't believe that. I That's just That's such a room as a former That's such a move as a former player. Every every guy in the room's like, "What the fuck?" Yeah,

cuz then you got you got the whole leadership group being like instead of worrying about the game, you know, what do I do here? Do I step in like Yans, I mean, you could speak to it about being a healthy scratch where you had guys in the [ __ ] room going to hang their jerseys on the on the table like Rudy

Rudy style. Yeah. Nick Cer [ __ ] that's why he's in my will. But yeah, and it's in and especially the way

the the way that uh you know, Luke Shen has played the game the last I mean, how long's he been in the league? 16 17 years. Like the guy is an absolute warrior. What he brings every single year to every team he plays on. He's beloved by his teammates. It It's a horseshit move and it's one of those things I would imagine they would want that back. Maybe they didn't check the game notes and realize everything that was going on, but

they always know. I think yeah, they always know. How do you And if you don't know, shame on you.

True. Yeah, it it's it's horrible. And and I'm sure if you asked Luke, he'd probably, you know, be pissed off, too. But it's like

downplay it publicly because he's that type of guy, that type of teammate. He'd be like, "Oh, you know, I wasn't playing good enough."

But yeah, deep down he's like, "What the fuck?" I I Winnipeg is a bizarre story this year. They are [ __ ] horrible. Um, another team who might have the most pissed-off fan base in the league is Pasha's Devils.

Wow. What I think Pasha has to take a leave of absence is what I think. I mean, they're two the two fans that everybody knows are Pasha and Frank the Tank. Like,

two bad fans. Two bad horrible fans. Ken, if I'm a fan there, you got to realize like

New Jersey isn't on everybody's list to sign in the summer and, you know, come July 1 that everyone wants to go to New Jersey. They have to, you know, draft and develop. Well, they shouldn't be booing guys that they've drafted and that they want there for a long time, right?

What? It's not even just It's not It's not just Frank and just Pasha. They No, no, I know. I know. But they're spearheading it.

I don't No. Posasha wants them to switch it to Ham Douggee. Can we pull Can we pull up Posasha's tweet? This is the most unhinged take I've ever heard. It was the same take he had with Trouba in New York.

So, let's read this out here. I I'll trust you, Whit, to read it. Fans, did Luke lose them that game? Sure. But another 9 million de dollar Devils Dman has directly lost them countless games with his lackluster play and indirectly lost them many more by vetoing two trades and hindering their ability to improve the overall team. He may have even cost them the chance to trade for Quinn. I encourage you to direct your booze elsewhere. He doesn't name names, but he plays the game in being I'm a psychopath. I want everyone to boo Douggee Hamilton. He's the reason that we stink and I just hate my life right now. That's what you should have wrote. A

and he's directing his hate because somebody is taking their their their legal their legal stance and their legal obligation in a contract that they agreed to to say no. I asked for a no move no trade clause for this reason and then the GM gave it to him. So for you to try to get people to direct their booze at Jacob Trouba who is going through the same thing who you personally attacked and then now you're going after Douggee Hamilton for the same [ __ ] thing. I don't think they should be booing Luke Hughes either. And I agree with what Yan said. They don't got the luxury to boo a guy out of town.

And I've leared that mistake. So what do you have to say for yourself in that being your take? They should be booing you.

Well, I'd like to clarify a few things. My rant on Trouba was pre-trade request denial and all that that came before them wanting to move him, him not wanting to move. Like I didn't really even chime in.

Did you not say that it was ridiculous that he's not moving the he's he's flexing his no move clause?

Uh yeah, I might have said that. I I certainly don't didn't go on a rant on it like my first Trouba take. I probably said that cuz I'll take any opportunity to trip the Rangers. But listen, with Douggee Hamilton before his goal the other night, this is a [ __ ] guy getting paid 9 million bucks. had one point since November 1st. He's checked out. He's not [ __ ] putting up offense. He's not playing physical. He's [ __ ] been brutal. So, like, yeah, your team has tried to trade you twice.

Checked out cuz they're shopping him. Okay. And then they're giving all of his reps to Luke Hughes who's getting booed out of town now.

Okay. Sure. But at the end of the day, you're playing [ __ ] terribly. You're you're checked out. Your organization does not want you. You need a fresh start. The team needs a shakeup. Do you want to sh sink with the ship if you're Douggee? Like, it's not working with you there. So, yeah, I don't give a [ __ ] if legally he's allowed to not wave. Sure. Well, the fans are legally allowed to [ __ ] boo him. So, I think they should [ __ ] boo him because I hated them booing Luke. I did not like that last night one bit. I don't support that.

Yeah. Did he have a horrible [ __ ] game? Yes. Two blunders like just very blatant. Sure. But you you do not boo that kid. He's young and good for credit to him for facing the media after the game. That that couldn't have been easy. Credit to Heir. He wasn't scheduled to speak. He demanded the microphone. Backed up uh backed up the kid,

so I didn't like that booing one bit. What's that? Allan backed him up, too. Yeah. Yeah. All the guys backed him up. So, yeah, I don't support the booing. Devils fans, do not boo Luke. And that's what I was saying. If you're going to [ __ ] boo, boo Douggee. Boo [ __ ] Douggee. This is sick. Now, you wouldn't be saying this though. It's such a weasel move because you're only saying don't boo Luke because we can't piss off Jack. Like you are no no

Oh, buddy. [ __ ] off, buddy. You're saying boogie cuz he's not going to wave his no move to go to Vancouver.

Like the boo Douggee cuz he won't wave his no I don't believe the trade was Douggee to Vancouver. I was I believe it was shipping Douggee out to other teams to clear cap space to make other moves work. Who who are the teams?

I know one was San Jose last summer. I don't know the other one. That's fine. She could be pretty good on San Jose.

I know. Kind of want to see that cross country. I agree. Boot doggy boot. But Pasha I Yeah, I I'm surprised and I and I get like Luke Hugh's season's been a disappointment, but for Devils fans to pick him, I think somebody said like they Devils fans, they don't know who to boo.

Well, here's the thing. I I think last night what we saw was just a culmination of a lot of frustration boiling over. It's been a very frustrating season. I think they have a lot of anger directed towards Fitzy, the team in general, their record and and that anger showed with their booing of Luke. Um so yeah, I listen I think I've said this on game notes. I think Fitzy has to act. He's not going to have a choice. Neoth is coming back. Kovich is coming off the IR any day now. So mathematically he doesn't have a [ __ ] choice.

Something's got to give. He should have made a move a long time ago. So, I am not on the fire fitsy train, but I will be soon if he does not [ __ ] do something. This team,

you can't trade and you can't trade um Palot. So, that then all of a sudden he's going to make a move and you guys aren't going to be happy because you had to deal out pieces you actually like.

Well, something has to give. The team is broken. They need a shakeup. Whether it's firing Keith or whatever, you got to find a way.

We're talking firing coaches, firing GMs. [ __ ] melting down, brother. Let me ask you this.

Things are bad. Things are ugly. They need a shakeup. The team's broken. This is not good. I am rattled. Yes.

So, I will say I I thought it was crazy when they paid Douggee what they paid him when they got him. I didn't think that that was the right move at that time. And especially at the fact that you're like, he hasn't hit anybody. He's not a physical guy. He never was a physical guy. He's a power play defenseman that you that you overpaid at the top of the free agent market to bring him in here and rush what you guys were trying to rebuild. So now you have 9 million stuck on the books. If Fitzy doesn't end up making a significant move at the deadline, are you okay with the fans with the fire Fitzy chance?

Yes, absolutely. I'm totally fine with that. if if he doesn't fix this mess. Listen, I said on game notes, a lot of GMs give out bad contracts with no moves, but they also find ways to get out of them with first round picks, a couple second round picks. We see that all the time with the elite teams. For whatever reason, Fitzy cannot get himself out of this mess so far. So, if he can't get himself out of this mess, yes, he should be held accountable because this summer he should have gone out, gotten a top six winger, gotten a third line center. I've been a Fitzy defender, but they are in trouble and he has to [ __ ] do something. So, I'm not on the Fire 50 train yet, but day by day with no moves, I am getting I'm one foot at a time getting on board that train.

So, he's got to [ __ ] do something. What about owner What about ownership? Cuz they at the end of the day, they could buy him out and the ownership's probably saying no.

Yeah, that's fair. Listen, I I've heard ownership is like they're more focused on the 76ers and, you know, not too caring about the devil. Like, that might be true. I have no idea. But, yeah, I don't know. I I wouldn't quite say that it's on them yet. I think it's right now it's on Fitzy and I think he's earned the right to like kind of have more runway to fix this mess, but he he's got to act ASAP.

Who would you rather guys be right now? The Detroit Red Wings or the Devils? Detroit Red Wings, hands down. Okay,

Posasha, you have you always have this smug look of confidence when you talk about the Devils and I but it's going away four years and it's shocked me that you that confident shake off right there. Like it's actually you're actually like [ __ ] up that face like what? Like explain to me what you have that Detroit doesn't where you're like, "Oh my god, how could you even ask that?"

Hey, Larkin or Heir? He sure liner. I don't know, man. I don't know. Cider and Edmonson or Neck and Luke Hughes.

Cider Ed, but that's that's all you got me on. That's all you got. Oh, who how about Detroit goalie prospects?

Okay. Ever heard of Mikuel Eager? Go down the road and watch him play. Yeah. It hasn't been a great year for Big Mike. Hasn't been great for Big Mike. I just think that Detroit right now and the way they're playing and Montreal. Montreal are Devils. I mean Pasha,

Montreal, Pasha. So you got Eastern Conference teams at the top of their game in Florida and Tampa and then you got other Eastern Conference teams coming with youth and then you got you and you got your smug face and your dark room and your sandbag editing listening to Terra. And I'll tell you right now, it's an ugly time for you. And all the cockiness and the windows just opening and we got three cups in the next eight years. I think you're [ __ ] big guy. I think you're real [ __ ]

Do you guys think he's gotten cockier since he started dating Justine? Yeah, which I understand. Smoke show. Good for him.

He deserves some funny What's funny, Biz, since he started dating Justine, his team's gone in the absolute toilet. So maybe he looks at his life.

Don't do that to her. Don't do that to her. Oh, no. That's true. Actually, though, since we started dating, the Devils in the last year are 32nd out of 32 teams and five on five goals scored.

So, I might be scoring more, but the Devils are not. And that Yeah. And that breakdown is brought to you by row spot.

All right, Pasha. Um All right. All right. I I I would say good luck, but I will say this though, you guys are acting like they're the Rangers where they're like they missed their window. They're old like like No. Yeah. Yeah. Pull up the standing. Sick.

Yeah. They have one. They have one more point than the Rangers. Congrats. Okay. Do you want to bet money that by the end of the year there'll be a gap between them and it'll be the Devils ahead of them.

Oh, how many more points is the Devils going to have in the Rangers at the end of this season?

Hey, how about this? The difference of playoffs versus not playoffs and now that's all that matters.

And how about this? If they don't, I'll take that bet. If they don't, there has to be a punishment. If they're if they don't, if they don't have more points than the Rangers, there has to be a punishment. There should be a like a You should have to go to New York in and and be in a Speedo like that guy when he plays the guitar. You should be in just a Speedo Posh Pasha and you have to read a letter of an apology to Rangers Nation.

I will do that when Avery Zeretsky jumps in the Hudson like he owes me. [ __ ] you. We're not talking about Avery. If the put your [ __ ] ball pierce your eyebrow. What's that from?

I think I'll pierce I'll pierce my eyebrow when Bis cuts his foreskin. That's the thing. We're trading off those two. But make a deal right now.

You look good with a pierced eyebrow. You go to Times Square. No, I'm not I'm not making that deal. I will bet him cash money about

You don't have any of that left. YOU'VE LOST IT ALL TO WHIT and memecoins. I never even got it. I haven't even been paid. I think we're at like 3,700. I'll keep making bets with you, buddy. I'm telling you.

Yeah, I'm happy to. I will bet Devils. All right. 500 on that, too. 500 bucks. The Devils are missing the playoffs.

He's gonna be propositioning you, Justin, by the time you guys are done trying to cash out.

You want the same? I I that the Rangers will finish higher than the Devils. Okay, done with that, too. 500.

There's another thousand he just lost. Justine's going to be putting a [ __ ] cracker jack ring on her finger when he proposes at some point.

He's going to be propositioning his wife to you. to pay off his debts. I'm not going to go there.

You guys are acting like the Devils are over the hump. Missed their window. They have an elite core. They got to figure out the pieces around it. Okay, they will be just [ __ ] fine. But if Fitzy doesn't figure out solve that problem, they have to bring in someone else that can. But will be just fine.

We got women's national team members with with a a stronger stature than Jack Hughes when they're announcing the men's Olympic team next to him. That's your core. That girl was strong. We pull that picture. He I think it was a little smaller than the host of Good Morning America.

Like I think if they go in a puck battle for in the corner for a puck battle, she's coming out with it.

No, he's team USA. He's team USA. Um Pasha, thank you. I do quickly want to bring up a team that he he wouldn't even admit he he he would ch like he couldn't even say that he'd rather the Devils than this team, and that's Montreal. Guys, they're on fire. Lane Hudson broke another record. I guess it's most assists for the Canadians in a calendar year. He has 40 points already. He's just incredible. I I was thinking too today.

42 points. 42 points, dude. Eight. They have him for 85, I think it is, for eight years. Like that contract. Demov

a deal that Luke should be on. Yeah, it's a couple. Yeah. Yeah. He makes less than Luke Hughes. Uh Demod like 36 points. I think he's unbelievable. Suzuki makes the Olympic team. Montreal is [ __ ] awesome. They are awesome to watch. They are fun to watch. I just I thought it may and it cooled off for a little bit. Now they're back 62 and two, like I said. So,

I don't know. They've gotten 10 of their last 14 points with all the injuries they got going on right now

on the on a tough road trip on a western swing. that that den that denot trade I think is paying off dividend like he I think they're 41 and one since he's been there like it just slots everybody correctly right like Suzuki is getting less you know matchups or less harder matchups so that that that trade to do that this early is such a home run by Hugh like that uh that's an unbelievable move

and two things in terms of uh what they have coming um team Canada's disappointment but that Michael Ha, that kid's disgusting.

Plays at Michigan. Unreal. He He'll probably be playing for them next year. And they have a Russian. I don't know the name. He's doing the exact same thing Demov did last year in the KHL. So, I'm sure Canadians fans know the Montreal. When when Pasha talks about like a window of cups in the next eight years, look to Montreal. Don't look to Jersey and dumb Pasha and fans booing a 20 to 2 22-year-old defenseman who I think has averaged like 45 points in his first two years if not more. So shout out Montreal.

Can I say that uh like we always get this like certain people who message back after the pod when we say this and those people can literally gargle and lick my taint.

Okay. Um but and this is not political. I I want Russia in in my best on best. Oh, it's beyond a joke at this point.

It's it's a legit and I got I got non- hockey people telling me, oh, like Russia's not even in it. Like doesn't seem the same. It's not.

It's not. It's time to get And that's why I hope with the league running the World Cup, they have to be like Russia's playing.

Yeah. And draw up this year, this team. Yeah. Look at their goalies. Yeah. And if you think to message me w with something political, just remember what I said. Lick my taint.

Okay. Sign it. Respond to everyone. Send me your address with it. Telling everyone he loves them and Biz is telling everyone to lick their taint.

Yeah. I said if if if you want to message me that with your address, I'll send you a game used butt plug.

You can [ __ ] suck on it like a soother. Okay. Okay. All right. Good way to end.

Um, anything else for you guys? Darren Radish on Tampa. Pretty sick story, dude. Guy gets a hat-tick. He's going to smash his uh most points in his career. I'm glad you had that on the outline.

I got a little uh a little stat for that thanks to uh Liam Blutman and Jazzy. Two guys got their first hat-tick in that game. First ever hattick. Do you know how many times that's ever been done? Oh, and

and the last one, Whit, I believe you were a part of it. Tell me the first guy in the one I was a part of. Peta Sakura.

No [ __ ] I thought it was crazy. He hadn't had a hat-tick. I think at that time he had like 62 goal games. I'm kind of guess guestimating

that was like donor. Yeah. Yeah. Was on the ice for that too, by the way. Peter Sakora. [ __ ] Who are we playing?

Islanders. Nine to two drumming. That's impossible. That's impossible. He's saying two guys on one team.

No, he said it was a nine to2 drumming. If you have two goals on your team, you never got a hat-tick.

No. No. It was It was Sakura and Pas and Pascal Dew. Oh, you could be on the same team. I thought you meant opposing teams. Never mind.

So, so did I. Another Lightning player had a hat-tick in that game. No. Oh, no. San Jose. That um what the hell is his name?

Oh, that Russian kid we've been talking about. His name Grenda. No, I don't know. But hey, that Russian kid,

he he's been up for nine games now. Eight. Somebody needs to correct me in the chat. I was told that he dropped in the draft because he showed up with a horrible sunburn. Now, that seems like a message that is completely [ __ ] with me, but he's unreal. And so, Will Smith goes out. I saw a meme of like what is what is that meme of the guy like looking through the fence at like another guy hanging out with Celabbrini like whoa whoa whoa hold on that's my role

but but if this kid's that good and then Will Smith can carry his own line this is just great news for San Jose.

Yeah, we got to get his name. Can somebody tell me his name? Igor Sherishov. I was thinking no. Yeah,

I'll say this. I mean, and this is not a disc at all because, you know, when you're going through puberty and you're growing, like sometimes you get a little bit more acne than normal, but like when I'm drafting Russians, I'm basing it off of how much acne they have. Cuz the more they have, you know, they're going to be nasty. Like if they got backne and it's all you're like, "Oh my god, this kid doesn't give a flying [ __ ] He doesn't think about face wash. He thinks about training and scoring goals and making plays."

I like my Russian more points, dude. The more the more Russian it was, how do you say this name? Reinda Reend.

I don't know, man. Is this guy Russian? Like I don't think he's a real person. R E G E N D A. He had the hat-tick. It was him and

No. R E G E N D A. There wasn't a W near that name. And he said Wenberg. Regenda.

Regenda. Regenda. Who's that good D man? It's fun name to say on San Jose. Maka Mculan.

He's pretty good. Oh, no. Actually, sorry. I was reading the wrong I was reading a text and it was when uh cuz he signed. He got a three-year deal at 6 million. So, couple couple clicks for him. Good little player.

That was the guy who I believe like was taking over as a sex symbol in Seattle. It was like causing an issue where like women that wasn't

one of the better best looking in the NFL. Was it really? Yeah. Yeah, he's a he's he's he's gorgeous and women were creating like steamy novels about him. It was very

Yeah. Okay. I I was thinking of Burkovski, too. They had a lot of stallions on. And then Dun, they got a lot of man missiles. Montour ain't a bad looking cat. Yes. Wenberg is a man missile. Okay, you're right.

No, I would never let my wife in a room alone with this guy. Would you if I had one? Would you eat for the next week only Merles's plates or let your wife hang out with Wenberg for a night?

Wenberg's such a nice guy. I' I'd go with the Winberg. Okay. Depends how big his wrench was cuz if like she came home and like it was like a hot dog down a hallway cuz this guy's got an absolute bat on him, then I'm like ah.

So, all right boys, great talk, guys. Love you all. Have a great great week, everyone. We'll see you Friday.

Peace.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Sabres Mafia ft Tage Thompson + Olympic Roster Breakdown - Ep 609"?

Ryan Whitney (Host), Paul Bissonnette (Host), Biz Nasty (Guest), Pasha (Guest), Dave Portnoy (Guest).

What is "Sabres Mafia ft Tage Thompson + Olympic Roster Breakdown - Ep 609" about?

The discussion focuses on the recent dynamics within the NHL, featuring highlights like Tage Thompson's performance, a humorous take on the latest developments surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs, and personal anecdotes from the hosts about their experiences with the popular Pink Whitney vodka. Additionally, there is a light-hearted discussion pertaining to the World Junior Championship and…

What is mentioned in this Spittin' Chiclets episode?

35 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Biz Nasty, Bob Bennett, World Juniors, Olympics, Austin Matthews, Winter Classic. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Sabres Mafia ft Tage Thompson + Olympic Roster Breakdown - Ep 609"?

The episode runs 3 h; the transcript is about 38,214 words in 693 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 24, 2026.