2025 NHL Playoffs Preview and Predictions | The Game Sports Podcast

[00:00:04] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:06] Speaker B: It's time for the Game Sports podcast. It is Your host, David McCaig Jr. I am joined by the one, the only Alex Par. Alex, my friend, great looking jersey you got on. How you doing my friend? [00:00:19] Speaker A: Buddy, I am ready. I pulled off the gamble of a century. I bought playoff tickets for the Senators home game number two. A week and a half before the Leafs clinched the division. Just hoping, just praying that my team would for once come through. And they did it. So I'm going to be cheering for all of Leafs nation up in the 300, screaming my heart out, ready to watch that night the Leafs sweep the Senators. [00:00:47] Speaker B: Love it. He's calling it now. He is calling it now. [00:00:50] Speaker C: But hold up. [00:00:51] Speaker B: We're going to hold that hockey excitement, that piece of content for hockey for segment two because in segment two it will be top shelf and in segment three we will have chukkapuck. So there is hockey coming up on the show, but we're gonna start in a different direction on the show. Just to make you wait a little bit before I get into that here to mind you, the Game sports podcast is powered by 91Network and featured on Spaces, which is through a student A and village media. You can follow the Game Sports podcast on any platform that you wish. Spotify, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Instagram, Tick tock to search at the Game Sports podcast are there like follow and subscribe. And don't be afraid to interact with the clips if you see them. Now we're gonna start the show. Alex is obviously we got a lot where we gotta try to save for hockey. So I don't want to get, I gotta, I gotta keep the excitement going here. Okay, gotta keep it going. But I want to dive into WrestleMania first. So segment one is going to be about the WWE and if you don't like the WWE, that's fine. Yes, it's fake, it's entertainment, it is cinema. And it has been absolute Cinema since last WrestleMania. And now we're a year since last Wrestlemania when Cody Rhods finished his story and Par and I are going to talk about if Cody Rhodes is going to continue or finish a tra. Another chapter in that story. Okay, that's what we're going to talk about. But we're going to dive into a little bit of WrestleMania here. Just a little bit of a preview what's getting us excited and predictions for night one and night two before we dive into the hockey piece of today's show. And yeah, there's not going to be enough time to talk about baseball. There's not going to be enough time to talk about the play in tournament for the NBA. There's not going to be enough time to talk about other sports. But I will make sure that I give love to something at the end. [00:02:37] Speaker C: Of the show that I enjoyed watching last Sunday. Okay. There's just a little tip about what that will be. [00:02:43] Speaker B: All right now, WrestleMania, let's go there first. There's no title to this segment. [00:02:47] Speaker D: Okay. [00:02:47] Speaker B: Because we don't have a WWE segment title. [00:02:50] Speaker C: Okay. [00:02:50] Speaker B: We're just going to call it Dave and Alex Talking Wrestling. That's what this is going to be tough. We're keeping it simple. WrestleMania is this upcoming weekend. Par and I are recording on April 16th here just after 5 Eastern time. And as of now, there is no changes to the car, there's no injuries that came up. Nothing that's happened between now and then. Okay. So when you tune into the show, that's when we've given these predictions and we got a double header when it comes to WrestleMania just like you saw last year and just normal with WrestleMania. We got night one that we're gonna go through, then night two. So par, I'm gonna give you the floor to talk about night one. What do we got on the docket? And then we're gonna say what we're feeling and give some predictions for each match. [00:03:32] Speaker A: Do you want to. Let's go through each match, pick our winner and then add any tidbits of like run ins or something that we think is going to happen. [00:03:40] Speaker B: If I love that, I love it. Park calling the audible off the hop so down. [00:03:45] Speaker C: Go ahead. [00:03:45] Speaker A: Start with the War Raiders and the New Day tag team championship match. The War Raiders are rather. The New Day are pretty heavy favorites right now according to Vegas, but they're losing when Big E returns to screw them over. And the War Raiders are going to retain because they haven't really done anything with the titles lately. So let's get. Let's give them a nice little rubber. The New Day. Don't need it. Dave, what do you think? [00:04:07] Speaker B: You know what, I couldn't agree more. I'm waiting for Big E to come on down and just definitely wait for his time to shine because he got screwed over by the New Day and War Raiders and New Day gonna be a great match. I think it'll be exciting to watch. But the, the story that I've been looking at is Biggie and I know there's been some different wrestling pages have talked about Biggie's personal life and if he's actually gonna Come back. And we love hearing that. Okay. Just like I read that Brock Lesnar is truly retired, which actually is the only one that I believe out of all them, just given how it's been. But we're not talking Brock Lesnar here. I'm saying I agree with Par. [00:04:38] Speaker A: Roar. [00:04:38] Speaker B: Raiders all day. Biggie coming in to screw the new day. [00:04:41] Speaker A: Next up, we got Rey Mysterio and El Grande Americano. With Rey Mysterio the heavy favorite, but I'm giving it to El Grande Americano. I feel like he's going to step up while Chad Gable's missing right now on the Mania card. Very sad. Very sad to see. And I think they're going to do it because a heel victory doesn't hurt early in the card. [00:05:00] Speaker B: It doesn't hurt. And El Grande Americano or Chad Gable, as we would like to say. No, that's not Chad Gable, if we'd like to say. I am also thinking that that is a way to go is to start with the heel direction. Rey Mysterio, he's one that's a great guy. He doesn't mind taking a loss for. [00:05:17] Speaker C: The crowd and for entertainment. So I agree. [00:05:19] Speaker B: I'm going to go with Chad. [00:05:20] Speaker C: I mean, Al Grande Americano. [00:05:22] Speaker A: There it is. Good catch. I could see why you'd make that mistake. Next up, we got Jade Cargill and Naomi. I think this one's easy for me. I'm going to pick Jade Cargill to go over, kind of like an investment. This is, I believe, her first media, maybe her second, but either way, it'll be her first singles match. And yeah, that's why you sign her. That's why you push her to be a big deal. To win on the biggest stage is Jade Cargill. [00:05:42] Speaker B: For me, I'm keeping it very simple and it's going to sound boring, but I'm aligning to par. It makes complete sense. I. I thought I was on the fence with this. I think it's going to be one of the more quicker matches of the night, but something that's still going to be entertaining to watch. [00:05:57] Speaker C: But just, just Jade. I agree with Jade. [00:05:59] Speaker A: La Knight is the US Champion, putting it on the line against Jacob Fat. Two for me, another easy one. It's gotta be Jacob Fatu. The fans love him. He seems to be crushing his promos. I think management are taking notice to that as well. And yeah, La Knight, he's had a couple title reigns. I think you could end it here pretty satisfactory and start a. Start building a new star in Jacob Fatu. [00:06:24] Speaker D: Boring. [00:06:24] Speaker B: As heck to continue. I agree with the storyline with Jacob Fatu because the storyline is there. He has been invested on by management. The push has been there for him to be to really stand out and more of a heel approach of course. Right. Let's take that. That's make Jacob Fatou shine and maybe there'll be a storyline spin off after that. I'd like to see if maybe something goes against with him in solo. [00:06:51] Speaker C: I would love to see a little twist there and I think that would be the good opportunity. [00:06:54] Speaker B: So I do agree that it's Jake. [00:06:56] Speaker C: A Fatu as well getting this win. [00:06:58] Speaker A: Next up, Tiffany Stratton. The singles match, the WWE Women's Championship. Stratton putting it on the line against Charlotte Flair. And even though Tiff Stratton wore one of these jerseys when she came to Toronto, she's taking the big L to the most biggest nepo baby in the company. Charlotte Flair will get another one as she chases her dad's record 16 world title reigns. [00:07:24] Speaker B: Dave, I I know people are gonna say the obvious with when it comes to the title reigns and all that, but I feel like Triple H is not the WWE hierarchy is not going to go in that direction and I'm going to be positive because she has worn the leave jersey. I am going Tiffany Stratton. You know why? Because Tiff Stratus is going to come out and help her. That speak of a Toronto connection, a Leaf fan connection. Tiff's Tiffany. Tiff is gonna get help from Trish and that's what's gonna get the win for Charlotte Flair. But it might lead to a rematch. [00:07:54] Speaker C: And a continued build on this rivalry. [00:07:56] Speaker A: Next up, we got Gunther and Jay uso. Gunther the champion. Jay USO the winner of the Royal Rumble. And I'm sorry but Jay USO is not winning this match. I think it only makes sense for Gunther to have a big meaningful win on a large stage to solidify the importance of this belt and that he's a legitimate top tier contender. And beating Jey USO I think cements that very easily. [00:08:22] Speaker B: And I you and I have had this discussion recently when you're back in town and I'm still pulling for Jey USO to win this match. One bit of bit of buy and I got something in my hand. It's something your cards as we have talk about hockey. I don't know. I play with your cards now when we talk. But nonetheless. [00:08:38] Speaker C: Yeet yeet. [00:08:40] Speaker B: All right. I'm just telling you right now, Jay USO is winning this title. The investment into Jay the fan, the favorite. It's the blood that Gunther rubbed his own Jimmy's blood all over him. The storylines there. [00:08:51] Speaker A: Good segment. That was so good. [00:08:53] Speaker B: He did so good. Gunther at that. And yeah, I get the importance of solidifying the importance of this title, but I think giving it to Jay USO is that story a little bit of an underdog story to a degree, sort of who's come up for being a tag team specialist with of course his brother, with being the bloodline with Roman. I think this is a good opportunity for Jay to really spread out his wings. I think the win at Wrestle or WrestleMania at the Royal Rumble is showing that they want to invest in this superstar a little bit more. So I'm going to go with uso. [00:09:23] Speaker A: Okay. So we're different on the last two this match, the triple threat, the who will be Paul Heyman's boyfriend match. Who's he going to leave with? Roman, Reigns, CM Punk and Seth Rollins. And for me they're double swerving. Paul Heyman's leaving with the winner of the match, Seth freaking Rollins. [00:09:44] Speaker B: Yeah, he is. You know what, that was a storyline that I've drawn. It's the way it's going. You have Roman and CM Punk fight. Seth Rollins is kind of in there doing his little little thing. He's got his little. He's going to persuade Haymon to go in one direction, not the band. So nonetheless, I have also have to agree with Par on this because this is something that I see and I think is an obvious storyline. But these guys are the ones that. [00:10:06] Speaker C: Are carrying the headline for WrestleMania. I feel like this been on the. [00:10:10] Speaker B: Forefront is their story more than ever. Dina and Ro have had obviously some promos, but we've seen a lot of Rollins games and Punk and couldn't agree more. Punk with the win, the big thing. That's Punk. Sorry. Punk with the loss, Rollins pinning them. Okay. And there's gonna be some sort of distraction from Heyman to Reigns that Rollins gets him. And then as CM Punk's getting up, it's going to be the stomp and the stomp to pen as Roman Reigns watches while he tries to get up and get into the ring. And then he's just going to witness an after attack and how Paul Heyman might help the Paul the after attack somehow. But again, something that CM Punk said that really stands out to me. [00:10:53] Speaker C: None of you have beaten me without each other's help. [00:10:57] Speaker B: It's like a little tip. So I wonder if it's not going to be Them helping each other. But if Heyman will have an influence. [00:11:02] Speaker C: On Rollins winning this match, I My. [00:11:06] Speaker A: Crazy prediction is that Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins will align with the Rock and John Cena as Seth Rollins was the one to do the stomp to CM Punk to solidify the elimination chamber win. I think there's something cooking but that's it for night one. Night two kicks off. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez the champions against Bailey and Lyra Valkyrie. But this one's easy for me. Bailey got the win in singles competition and Lyra is a singles champion. The mid card belt, I can't remember which one it is, but she is one of the mid card belts for the women's and I can't. I just don't see her being a double champion with a tag team belt. So I'm going to say the heels take this one live. [00:11:44] Speaker B: Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, everyone loves Liv and Raquel, the investment into Liv, she lost women's title. She gets the tag right after. [00:11:51] Speaker C: There's that investment. Couldn't agree more. [00:11:53] Speaker A: A.J. styles, Logan Paul. I'm going A.J. styles and I don't know, I don't know why. [00:11:59] Speaker B: I think you're probably thinking because of. [00:12:00] Speaker C: The who had the last laugh at the end. It seems like a little bit, but. [00:12:04] Speaker B: I'm going to go Logan Paul invested into the villain a little bit here. Get the storyline built up for the day. Cheap win by Logan Paul over AJ. [00:12:12] Speaker A: Styles, heavy favorite according to the Vegas bookies. Next up, the fatal four way for the intercontinental championship. Braun Breaker, Penta, Finn Balor, Dirty Dominic, Mysterio, and it's gonna be Dom. Dom is gonna win this one and everybody's gonna hate it and he's gonna love it. I think Penta has his time coming. I think Finn Balor is going to get screwed and Bron Breaker has done an excellent job elevating himself and the belt during this time. But let's hot potato this belt a little bit. Let's get some more title reigns for some of these mid card guides and build them up. And I think Dom losing three straight WrestleMania matches means he's in store for the big victory. [00:12:50] Speaker B: Dave, you know what? You can tell we have similar fans. I think I had at first that Finn Balor would win and and Liv would screw over Dom to get the win. [00:13:00] Speaker C: That. [00:13:00] Speaker B: That's where my mind is. I want that on record that I said it. I want on record that I said you're calling. [00:13:05] Speaker A: That's. [00:13:05] Speaker B: But that's not what I'm calling. I Am calling Dominic Mysterio to get the win because as Liv said, it's his time. [00:13:11] Speaker A: Okay. [00:13:11] Speaker B: Said that a couple weeks ago. I agree it's time for him to get the win, but Penta will win something one day. I like what Penta is doing, but Braun Breaker is an animal, an absolute animal. And I think that's your future number one contender for the world heavyweight title once he gets it. [00:13:27] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah, I could see that. Next up, Damien Priest vs Drew McIntyre in a sin City street fight. I swear to go if Drew McIntyre doesn't win. What are we doing? Drew's got to stop eating losses on big stages because he's got the look. He can cut a promo, he's got the move set, but they're just not pulling the trigger on a big push for the guy. Let's start it now. Followed by the summer of Drew McIntyre. Okay. Drew gets the victory. [00:13:57] Speaker B: I'm going to go the other way. Damien Priest. Damian Priest. Because keep the losses coming. Everyone loves the knockoff Undertaker. Okay. The knockoff cheap Undertaker. That Damian Priest is emu taker. Yes, agreed. And the big losses for McIntyre continue. [00:14:13] Speaker A: The women's triple threat. For the belt, Eos Sky, Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley. And I am going to say Bianca Belair, she's great. I just top to bottom, I absolutely love what she brings to the ring. Except for the. The using her hair as a weapon. I don't like that. But everything else I think is great. She actually makes all of her own costumes herself. She doesn't use the seamstress within. And I'm like, that's so cool. So when they did that guest referee outfit a couple weeks ago. [00:14:44] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:14:44] Speaker A: She whipped it up the night before in her hotel room. I was like, that's so cool, Dave. [00:14:47] Speaker C: You know what? [00:14:48] Speaker B: Honestly, I was thinking Bianca at first as well. But I'm gonna go Eosky. I think that it's gonna be a surprise win. It's gonna be a good match. I think that enough with this Ria Ripley back and forth with this title a little bit. I think if. If, you know, sky can solidify a little bit of duration with this title. [00:15:03] Speaker C: Give it a bit more credibility as well. [00:15:06] Speaker B: So I'm going to go on the. On the sky train for this one. For the unfavorite. No, it's not the word I'm looking for. Under. Not the underdog. Kind of the least favorite. That's just going easiest. Well, no, not by the underdog. Just nobody wants her to win. Never mind. Nobody wouldn't want. Nobody wants her to win. So that's who's going to win this match. [00:15:25] Speaker A: Okay. [00:15:26] Speaker B: Unfavorite. [00:15:27] Speaker A: I would. Yeah, that's interesting. I wouldn't hate that. Anybody but Ria, honestly. We've seen Ria. That's. That's how my opinion is. But the main event to conclude both nights what the company has been building up as their main storyline for their biggest event of the year. You've got the champion, Cody Rhodes going up against John Stinky Butthole Poop face Cena for the undisputed WWE Championship. It's gonna be John Cena. He's already announced that he's gonna be at Monday Night Raw. The next night. He's already announced that he's gonna be at Backlash. And Cody Rhodes, who normally always puts a schedule out like a month or two ahead of time so you can know when to go and see him, hasn't posted a schedule. Sounds like someone's going on vacation. And that wouldn't be with the belt. That would be. As someone who doesn't need to show up. So that's how I know that John Cena is the heel of all heels. Who says it's your fault that he's doing this and he's winning the belt. Dave. [00:16:30] Speaker B: I'm going for Cody Rhodes. [00:16:31] Speaker A: That's nuts. [00:16:32] Speaker B: But, but, but I said I'm going for Cody Rhodes. Someone persuaded me a night at Chuck's Roadhouse and persuaded me why the storyline's gonna go in a different direction. Let me up up this for you. Cena will win. There will be interference. Not just from the Rock, not just from Seth freaking Rollins, even by any means. [00:16:52] Speaker A: Travis Scott. [00:16:53] Speaker B: No. Randy Orton is gonna turn on Cody Rhodes. What's been promoting on Backlash is Randy Orton with the red eyes. He's had a lot of good promos. Randy Orton has. And we do need to see another John Cena Randy Orton fight. That's been very classic that when back in the day. The Legend Killer. Right? The John. Or that Brian. Randy Orton is. I can see that Cody Rhodes takes a little vacation from kissing babies as pars. Better half said to take a vacation. And John Cena gets the title while he gets help from Randy frickin Orton. And I know that's not his nickname. I know that's not his nickname. I know it's Seth's nickname. Seth, don't jump through your screen if you read it. I know that's your nickname. I'm just telling you it makes sense given the promo that I see. And I really think that John Cena is going to break that record and when he comes to Raw, it will. [00:17:48] Speaker C: Not be with that title. [00:17:49] Speaker B: It's going to be a new title he's going to have. He's going to flip everything and it's just going to be changed. Things are going to change. [00:17:58] Speaker C: New title. [00:17:59] Speaker B: The terms of. Look, Randy Orton turning a bit heel on it, wanting to get in on the action. Maybe not a full heel, but like an anti hero type thing because he wants a piece of Cena. He also wants a chance at the belt. This will line up some great storylines with Heyman and with this going forward. And you know what you got CM Punk still waiting for his chance. You got Roman. Reigns, I'm sure would like another crack at winning the title again. Rhodes can take a few months off before he comes back and tries to win it back from Cena. Next year's WrestleMania. [00:18:30] Speaker C: But Cena gets the dub. [00:18:31] Speaker A: Wow, wow, wow. [00:18:33] Speaker B: Randy Orton, rko, right? The Rock comes out. Maybe Randy gives a little RKO to the Rock. Everyone goes nuts. Everyone's excited. Rhodes gets up. Then Randy goes, what's that thing he does? It just gives him. He gets excited when he bangs the. Yeah, the mat. Then, then Cody Rhodes is all cold and John Cena's looking at Orton and then Orton just gets out of the ring and walks out and Cena pins him. [00:18:57] Speaker A: See, that conflicts a little bit with me because I don't think you could have a faction of Orton, Cena, Rock and Rollins. Because I think Rollins and Heyman are going to align. Because once I think you get Heyman associated with that group with the Rock in it, who's gonna have a problem with that? Roman freaking Reigns is gonna have a problem with that. And that's a good way for them to set up Rock versus Roman at Mania, which. God. Just kiss already. Guys. Let's get this match over with. Wow. [00:19:26] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. Love it. [00:19:28] Speaker B: These are great predictions. [00:19:29] Speaker C: Par. [00:19:29] Speaker B: This is WrestleMania this weekend, but there's a lot of big games. Big, big games. Yes, big games. But big story lines this weekend. [00:19:37] Speaker C: Going into sports, wrestling. It comes to hockey. There's a lot. [00:19:40] Speaker B: There's a lot going on. [00:19:41] Speaker C: A lot going on for sure. [00:19:42] Speaker B: So that is par and I's picks for WrestleMania and now par. I think it's time for hockeys. How about we take a quick breather? [00:19:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:49] Speaker B: And then we talk a little top shelf. [00:19:51] Speaker A: Okay, let's do it. [00:19:52] Speaker C: Awesome. [00:19:52] Speaker B: Welcome back to the Game Sports Podcast. Dave McKay continuing to host you this evening. I'm still joined by Alex the Great Fits this segment, Par, of course, the top shelf segment as Alex Ovechkin is. [00:20:03] Speaker C: Considered Alex the great. [00:20:05] Speaker B: The great eight, if you will, but the great eight. Now, the regular season is coming to a close and we're hitting the National Hockey League playoffs and you're going to get a full NHL playoff preview here as everything is all set to go. We're in the right time and we're. And this is, as I say that I sound nervous because I am as a Toronto Maple Leaf fan. But you know what? It's time to flip the script and change the course of history. There has been a lot of changes. The Leafs win the Atlantic Division. You got the Battle of Florida, Battle of Ontario, another boring first round match between the Edmonton and la, once again, because we love the format. You got Winnipeg and St. Louis. St. Louis winning to have Calgary be eliminated, of course, Carolina, New Jersey. Then you got Washington playing Montreal. You got a lot of storylines coming into play in these playoffs, but ones that are highlighted, of course, that are. [00:21:01] Speaker C: All over with this. Par is the Battle of Ontario, Battle of Florida, of course, LA is calling. [00:21:07] Speaker B: Out Edmonton before their series while saying how they have their B squad against us and trying to hurt us. Winnipeg is the best team in the NHL going into the playoffs. Dallas and Colorado is going to be an absolute juggernaut of a matchup. One of the best, probably first round series of the whole first round. Look, there's a lot to dive into here, Par, in so little time and we're just going to pick apart some series. It's a really preview and more of a dissection than some, but give you our first round predictions. But our overall Stanley cup champion and. [00:21:37] Speaker C: Playoff overall winning the playoffs as we get continue on in the brackets. [00:21:42] Speaker B: So Par, I'm going to go to you first Battle of Ontario, my friend. Then we're going to start off there. You got tickets? I did talk about it. Talk about it. [00:21:51] Speaker A: Yeah. Like I was saying earlier, I saw that it was about a 75 chance that the Leafs were gonna play the Senators maybe about two weeks before the conclusion of the season. So after the Leaf stretch where they played Florida and then Tampa back to back, they got the win against Tampa. And I said, screw it. I think this is about as good as odds as any that they're gonna play each other. I didn't want to wait around, so I pulled the trigger, got some tickets at a price that's about $150 cheaper than what they're going for now. And then just sweat out every game that both The Leafs and Tampa played, but fortunately the Leafs locked down the the division last night against the Sabres with a 4 nothing win. And I could finally exhale. So me and my roommate from college actually, who's a big Senators fan, are going to go. We always have a good time there. So I will be very excited to watch the Leafs complete the sweep in Ottawa in game four. [00:22:39] Speaker B: Oh, love that. Look, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go around because I want you to start with on the battle. [00:22:44] Speaker C: Of Ontario a little bit. [00:22:46] Speaker B: And I'll give a little bit of love there for Toronto as before I. [00:22:49] Speaker C: Go to another series that I want to dive into. [00:22:52] Speaker B: But this is a big moment for Toronto's core four and just the overall roster. Mitch Marner, 100 point season, first time. [00:23:00] Speaker C: He'S hit that milestone. [00:23:02] Speaker B: Auston Matthews, obviously, is Auston Matthews. [00:23:05] Speaker C: Okay. [00:23:05] Speaker B: Willie Nylander has been the best playoff performer in a Toronto Jersey the last how many years. John Tavares has found a great stride. [00:23:14] Speaker C: This year, of course, in a contract here. [00:23:16] Speaker B: John Tavares, Mitch Marner, these are guys that are Leaf fans growing up, led the blue, want to win a cup here, especially John Tavares, which is why he came here over from Long Island. And there's been no playoff success except one time making it past the first. [00:23:31] Speaker C: Round when they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime. [00:23:34] Speaker B: And then you lose to Florida in pretty crappy fashion in that year where. [00:23:39] Speaker C: You lose in the second round and. [00:23:40] Speaker B: After that you go and you play the Boston Bruins and you lose in seven. And look, if you look at the playoff picture, you don't see any black and yellow anywhere. I don't see any black and yellow anywhere. All right. That they're not there. Those guys are not there. Your demons, you don't have to worry about that. You're reliving the 2000s aura with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators in the first round. It is the battle of Ontario. It's for supremacy in Ontario. You are the better team. Toronto has to come out and win this series and do it in the fashion that they know that they can, and that is by scoring a lot of goals, being able to depend on Stolars and. Or Wall, whoever you want to go with in the series. But it's gonna be Stolars, it seems like, is gonna be. [00:24:25] Speaker A: The guy's got three shutouts in his last eight games, and all eight of those games he won't. [00:24:30] Speaker B: Yeah. So it makes sense that he would likely be your guy that you're going with. But you're going to go with the hot hand. You have a goaltender in Ottawa who you're familiar to play against in Linus, all mark, but a guy who hasn't had impressive playoff numbers, especially against Toronto. So it's, it's a team that you've seen a lot. You haven't had playoff or sorry season success against. Nevermind just this year in general they don't play well. But this is a different season. This is a different type. The Leafs have been here before. They've grinded out a series against Tampa before, they've played Boston. All of which were better teams than what Ottawa is now. Toronto needs to be the team that they're made to be. They're different, they seem different. Led by the chief himself, Berube at the helm holding his players accountable, players stepping up while defensive play. This is a series that Toronto will win and we're going to get predictions all around, but I'm saying the Toronto. [00:25:21] Speaker C: Maple Leafs in five. [00:25:23] Speaker A: That is genuinely what I would also say would be my prediction is the Leafs in five. I just want to see them complete the sweep while I'm in the building. Of course. [00:25:31] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:31] Speaker A: I think if we take off the lens of this is the Toronto Maple Leafs. We would look at this matchup as the team is tied it for second most wins in the league. They're going into the playoffs. Well, they've got one more game left, but currently their last 10, they're 81 and 1 and they just set a franchise record for most wins on the road with 25. Going up against a team who hasn't been there before, aside from a handful of guys that they've gotten from other teams. Think of your Claude Giroues and your line is all marks, for example, and have 95 points. That's seven wins less than the team they're going up against. I just feel like if it's anybody else, there's not even a discussion to be had and you would very easily pick the Leafs to win. But of course it's the Leafs so it can't ever, ever just be that easy. No, it can't. It can't. But yeah. And I'm not overly worried. Yeah, I'm worried in the sense of like I want to see my team win and I haven't seen that before. But we talked about this before. I was like, I don't want to play Tampa, I don't want to play Florida. I want to play Ottawa because we should be able to kick their ass. I don't care what the regular Season was three nothing Senators. Hey, I hope hopefully for your sake to hand out the Stanley cup in the regular season because that's not going to matter come Sunday. I think is the rumored start Sunday. [00:26:51] Speaker B: Some Sunday night seems it's going to. [00:26:52] Speaker A: Be up damn WrestleMania night two and leave senators. But if they play Sunday and they play every other day, I'm going to hockey night in Canada. Game 4. That would fall on the Saturday. [00:27:04] Speaker B: On the Saturday. Yeah. And it's, it's. It's a team that knows you, you know each other. The one thing that I think Toronto has to really capitalize on is. Yeah, it's. You can sit here and be easy with saying defensive play and with scoring goals and you know, the goaltending being consistent. Ottawa trying to get under Toronto skin, trying to pressure them, trying to get leads early and shut them down and shut down the crowd at Scotiabank. But what's going to really come down here is the ability of special teams. And where I'm leaning towards this is Ottawa's penalty kill and Toronto's power play. Two differences. Ottawa I know will definitely take a pressured approach to Toronto on the power play because teams that know Toronto do that and that's what's successful. But if Toronto's power play can be of what we've seen as of late. [00:27:53] Speaker C: I know it's been kind of inconsistent. [00:27:54] Speaker B: Recently, but overall fairly good for the past 30 to 60 days. This is. That is what's going to help the team be successful. It's capitalizing on power plays. And of course guys that are going to win the draws in your defensive zone in the key moments of the game. Those are two points that's going to bring Toronto success and help them win the series in four or in five. If you let Ottawa have any life, this is a team that will get confident and you will see the pesky sends which could be dangerous for Toronto. [00:28:25] Speaker A: Just to add some context to that, The Leaf sits seventh in the league in power play at 25% and they sit at 16th for penalty kill at 78%. I think the Leafs penalty kill leaves a lot to be desired. But for the Senators, their power play ranks at. Where did they go? Ottawa ranks power play 13th with 23.4% and their penalty kill a few spots worse than the leaf sitting at 19th with a 77.9. [00:28:57] Speaker B: So the stats are right there. But capitalize on your power play when those chances are because with guys like Brady Tkachuk trying to get under your skin, players that are going to take. [00:29:06] Speaker C: A lot of Those infractions, which of course I believe Ottawa will have a. [00:29:10] Speaker B: Lot of undisciplined play in comparison to Toronto. [00:29:13] Speaker C: You got to capitalize on your special. [00:29:15] Speaker B: Teams and don't let them take one at home. You got to keep that energy at Scotiabank arena, keep the whole nice advantage. And you got to make sure you're. [00:29:22] Speaker C: Going back to the Canadian Tire center with a 2 nothing lead. Does Toronto to really deflate the Senators. [00:29:27] Speaker B: And get rid of that confidence that. [00:29:29] Speaker C: That young team can get. [00:29:30] Speaker B: If you want me to think about. [00:29:32] Speaker C: What this series reminds me of, then people are going to think I'm crazy. But it's when Toronto played Washington in the first round in the. [00:29:38] Speaker B: It was 20. [00:29:39] Speaker C: That's not crazy because you have a top team in the division, top team in the. [00:29:44] Speaker A: The capital actually won the President's cup that year. [00:29:46] Speaker C: Yeah, they won everything that year. [00:29:48] Speaker B: Right. [00:29:48] Speaker C: So Toronto didn't win that. They didn't win the conference. Obviously they were not there. [00:29:52] Speaker B: But I compare them because you got a top team, number one seed and. [00:29:55] Speaker C: A wild card team. [00:29:56] Speaker B: And one of those wild card team. [00:29:58] Speaker C: Has a lot of young players. [00:29:59] Speaker B: Let's not forget Brady Tkachuk has been. [00:30:01] Speaker C: In the league for a few years now. He's not an 18, 19, 20, 21 year old. All right, so this is someone who's been waiting for playoff hockey and he is built for playoff hockey. So that's what can be concerning if you're Toronto, but you have now Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Arner. You got a lot of skill on this team. Do you want to just bypass all of it? [00:30:23] Speaker A: Let's pump the brakes here. You want to talk about players that are built for the playoffs? Let's talk about the three Florida Panthers that the Leafs signed this offseason. Stephen Lawrence, Oliver Ekman Larson and Anthony Stolaert. Oliver Ekman Larson has been trying so hard to play like a prick this year and he gets called for absolutely everything because he's wearing one of these now. But come playoffs that like, they can't call it like that. So I'm very excited to see Oliver Ekman Larsson turn into the asshole that I know he excels at being. And the second, I don't think you should touch the forward lineup right now. But the second that a player has a bad game in that forward lineup and you inject Max Patcher ready just throwing his entire body at people like, wake up. Like you like it's not this like small, skilled team anymore. Like, no, the smallest leaf I think on defense is 6:1. That's the smallest guy. It's. It's gonna be good. It's gonna be good. [00:31:16] Speaker B: It's a different built team. And patch ready. Keep forgetting patch ready. Don't forget him. [00:31:20] Speaker C: Especially in the playoff moments. That's somebody that you're going to be really well. [00:31:24] Speaker A: Yeah. Like, I saw a tweet that was like, the Leafs don't have Ilia Labushkin and Cody Cici. They have Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo now replacing these guys. Or Timothy Liligen even. Like. Yeah, the mold of that team is so different now. Yeah. Leafs in five, but hopefully four. [00:31:41] Speaker C: Love it. [00:31:42] Speaker B: Love it. So you got the Leafs. So just to give a little recap for the prediction, we dove into this series a little bit more par. Why don't we do our predictions around the horn and then we'll circle back to series is. [00:31:53] Speaker C: I know we went a little bit extra with this series. [00:31:55] Speaker A: Okay. [00:31:56] Speaker B: So you're. You and I agree, the Toronto Maple Leafs in five over the Ottawa Senators, right? [00:32:02] Speaker A: Yes. [00:32:02] Speaker B: Okay. [00:32:03] Speaker C: Let's go. [00:32:03] Speaker B: Tampa, Florida. What do you think that series is going to be? [00:32:07] Speaker A: I think Tampa's the best team in the division. Tampa and seven. [00:32:09] Speaker B: I'm going to go Florida and seven. [00:32:11] Speaker A: Okay. [00:32:12] Speaker B: But it's definitely going the distance. And they beat the heck out of each other. [00:32:16] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:32:16] Speaker B: Washington, Montreal. [00:32:18] Speaker A: I kind of think Washington's frauds. I'm not going to lie. But I don't think that they're frauds enough to lose to such a lowly team. I'll say Capitals in six. I just think they were a regular season team and you can come for me all you want. [00:32:32] Speaker C: Love that. [00:32:33] Speaker B: I'm going to say Washington in seven. Wow. Another seven game series. [00:32:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:32:38] Speaker B: Carolina. New Jersey. I'll go first with this one. Carolina is the better team. I feel like New Jersey's frauds. Overall, I'm not impressed with this team. [00:32:47] Speaker A: They had a lot of injuries to deal with this year. And Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton both. So, like, that hurts big time when you lose your number one C and your number one D. Yeah. [00:32:56] Speaker C: Y. [00:32:56] Speaker A: But that's not their biggest issue. Their biggest issue is that they. They got a big old loser coaching them in Shelton Keefe who can't get out of the first round if his life depended on it. So Carolina in six. [00:33:06] Speaker B: Carolina. And I'm gonna step that up. Five. I'm gonna go to Jersey's done in five. Saying it now. Winnipeg, St. Louis, Winnipeg. And three. Just kidding. I love the way Winnipeg's built. [00:33:17] Speaker C: This is the year that they're not choking. [00:33:19] Speaker B: I'm telling you right now, Winnipeg and. And this is not them choking. St. Louis should not be underestimated. [00:33:25] Speaker A: Winnipeg in six, Winnipeg and seven. They're going to get in their own way a little bit. And we worried about years past and they'll choke a little bit, but they should still be skilled enough to win, especially Hellebuck. Hellebuck. Please, for the love of God, just like, prove to yourself that you can do this. Because we all know you can. We all know you can. [00:33:42] Speaker C: We all know that. [00:33:42] Speaker B: Best goalie in the world right now. Number one right now. [00:33:46] Speaker A: Come on. [00:33:47] Speaker B: Yeah. The stolen Dallas. Colorado. Loving this series. Loving it, Loving it. Who you got? [00:33:53] Speaker A: I'm picking this team to win the Cup. I picked it before the season even started and I ain't stopping now. The Dallas Stars are your Stanley cup champions this season and they're going to dispose of the Avalanche in seven. [00:34:05] Speaker B: You got the Dallas Stars in seven. I'm gonna go with the Dallas Stars in six. Whoa. [00:34:10] Speaker A: I thought you would for sure go Colorado. [00:34:12] Speaker B: No, was thinking it. Vegas, Minnesota. I'll go with this one first. I'm gonna do Vegas in six, Vegas in five. La, Edmonton. Now, before I get into this, okay. [00:34:23] Speaker A: I'm gonna say the same team you're. [00:34:25] Speaker B: Thinking, Dave, the thing that I said at the beginning of the year was I said it'd be a Leafs Oilers final. And I said I would never change my story this year. [00:34:33] Speaker C: But guess what? I'm changing my story. [00:34:35] Speaker B: I'm telling you right now. I'm sorry to Oiler fans. Like a friends that are Oiler fans. LA looks like a wagon this year. They're really good at home. Kemper has found his home. Some injuries don't look good in Edmonton. They're missing at home. It seems like as well based on what I'm reading right now. [00:34:51] Speaker A: First round. At least for the first round, if. [00:34:54] Speaker B: Not the whole playoffs. And I know McDavid and dry Seidle are who they are, but these are guys that have been battered a little bit this year and I think that's going to be a cause for concern. But I'm going to say LA is going to win it, but Edmonton's not going down without a fight. If. If LA is going to slay this jer in this, this, it's going to be in seven. So LA in seven. [00:35:12] Speaker A: I'm also going to say LA and seven. I think unless the Oilers are really coasting because they had such a long run. They went as far as you can go without winning the cup. And they're really just taking their foot off the gas and coasting because they know they're skilled enough to do it then. Sure. But from what I have seen, it's more of like you said, like guys are getting injured and you can't get. You can't build that same momentum with the same guys. You got pieces moving around. Like they traded for Jake Walman. He's a guy that's out too. Like it's tough. And I think finally the Oilers fan base is realizing that like they really need a goalie. Like, when's the last time the Oilers have had a guy that you have been able to like, say without question, this guy is our guy. [00:35:57] Speaker B: It's not Dwayne Wilson. [00:36:00] Speaker C: Right. [00:36:00] Speaker A: It's not Skinner. It wasn't Jack Campbell. Saw that coming from a mile away. It wasn't Mike Smith. And I think like these guys are all good goalies in their own right, but Stanley cup winning goalies? No, I don't think so. And I think you can only try the same thing so many times where the result stays the same. And I think fourth time is the charm for the LA Kings. And they will win it in seven. [00:36:23] Speaker B: So we'll make these other ones quickly because we already know your cup final winner. But we would have Toronto playing. You said Tampa. I said Florida. Then we would have Washington playing Carolina because you picked Washington as well. Well, and Carolina. So going over in the east, we'll skip round two. Who's your final four? [00:36:42] Speaker C: Par. [00:36:42] Speaker A: It's going to be the Stars, the Jets, the. No, it can't be the Stars and the Jets. It's going to be the Stars. It's going to be the Golden Knights. [00:36:51] Speaker C: Yikes. Hate that. But yep. Yeah. [00:36:54] Speaker A: Then it's going to be the Leafs and the Hurricanes, I guess. [00:37:01] Speaker B: Stanley. Stanley cup finals. [00:37:03] Speaker A: You know what? You know what? There's no hope without delusion. It's gonna be the Dallas Stars against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley cup final. You heard it here first folks. Put your mortgage on that happening. Go to your favorite bookkeeping site right now and you slam your money down with an Alex Parr guarantee. [00:37:24] Speaker B: Who wins? You said Dallas before. Is it Dallas? [00:37:27] Speaker A: The Dallas Stars win it. [00:37:29] Speaker B: Dallas Stars over the Troma Police. That will break my heart. And every Leaf fans heart will shatter in half because they've never made it that far. It will be something I'll say for my final four. I'm going to go Toronto, Carolina as well. Two reasons. One, Toronto is good enough to get there. So is Carolina. Two, the last time Toronto made the conference finals, it was against the Carolina Hurricanes and they lost. If you're going to slay the dragon, curse has got to be broken. 67 was the year. This is the year for the curse, buster. If you're a hockey Illuminati, I'll quote him. Toronto gets in the Stanley cup finals, though. And the other side on the west, I got Winnipeg and I got la. I got LA defeating Vegas. So I'm going to go Winnipeg, la, and you're not going to see Edmonton. Toronto cup final. It's going to be another All Canadian matchup. It's going to be Winnipeg and it's going to be Toronto and it's going to be a Canadian Stanley Cup Final. I said we're going to see it and we are going to see it and it's going to be. It's going to be maybe Mitch Marner giving the puck to Matthews to score on hella buck in overtime in game seven. Who the heck knows? But we're going to see an All Canadian matchup. It's going to be Winnipeg, Toronto. What a series that would be. It would be nuts. Canada would be closed. There would be stuff happening. Toronto would win the cup in six over. That is seven. That is six. They will win the cup in six. Winning on home ice at Scotiabank Arena. This is the year. I said this would be the year as I hit my keyboard down. And also I will say, if Toronto doesn't win this year, I am never picking them again. And that's a promise. [00:39:01] Speaker A: You know what's so funny is that, like, we're going to look at this like two weeks from now and be like, I can't believe. Get martyr out of here. [00:39:09] Speaker C: Fire. [00:39:09] Speaker A: Berube. They just lost to the Senators and five. What the hell were we thinking? Oh, God, I love being delusional. It honestly, honestly, it's so much fun. [00:39:18] Speaker B: This is the year, everyone. You heard it here. This is the year. Listen to hockey Illuminati, listen to biz. Never mind. Just listen to Dave McCaig, Brandon McCarthy, Alex Parr on the game sports podcast, Other people. This is the year that the curse is broken. And you know what? My child will be born in July. And I hope my wife does not go into labor when Austin Matthews is accepting the Stanley cup of Gary Bettman. I'm telling you right now, if he comes early, I'm going to say, you hold on there, young lad. [00:39:45] Speaker A: You're going to be like, hey, push it back in. It's going to double ot. I don't care. [00:39:54] Speaker B: I'll have the. [00:39:55] Speaker C: The phone out. [00:39:56] Speaker B: The phone out at the hospital. You'll have the. [00:39:58] Speaker A: Though. You'll have the phone out. Trying to record it but like completely missing it because you're watching the TV over. You'll miss the whole thing. Just so you know, Dave, that the playoffs have to end June 28, I believe. So if it's. If it's July, you're okay because it's. [00:40:15] Speaker B: 8Th is the due date. That's so clear. [00:40:19] Speaker A: If she's anything like her dad, she's gonna be late. So don't worry about that. [00:40:23] Speaker C: There we go. There we go. [00:40:25] Speaker B: I love that. I love that. You know, honestly, par. We dove into just a one series. [00:40:30] Speaker C: I do want to be fair and. [00:40:32] Speaker B: I do want to touch on two series. So I'll go next on one, then. [00:40:34] Speaker C: I want you to take one yourself. [00:40:36] Speaker A: Okay. [00:40:36] Speaker B: I do kind of have a preview, I think when I look. And we did talk about Edmonton's being injured, so we've already went there, but we'll pick one more each that we'll dive into. And I want to go to the Tampa Flor series. As obvious as that is. The other night Tampa played Florida and there were some fisticuffs going, all right? But Florida has pumped the brakes here. They have said we're done, we're mail it in. We're going to lose. We don't care. [00:40:59] Speaker C: We know we're here. [00:40:59] Speaker B: But they're going to have a full healthy lineup. Game one, down that tunnel, you're going to have someone that's going to have his. His mouth guard out. Okay? You go like this. That's Brady. That's not Brady Kachuk. That's Matthew Kachuk. You got Brad Marchand, who's the rat himself. They're going to throw rats on the ice and it's gonna have Brad Marchand Jersey Oz on them. Okay, look, I'm telling you right now, Florida is doing something all for show here. I'm not saying it's rigged, but this is not the true Florida team that we're going to see. Don't forget who's back. Also, Aaron Ekblad. Very big piece. Yeah. Game three, Bobrovski has not been Bobrovski. But when does Bobrovsky come hot? When he needs to come hot, and that is in the playoffs. But they're gonna beat the crap out of each other, these two teams, and I'm gonna love it. As a Toronto fan, I want to. [00:41:44] Speaker C: See guys get rocked, rocked. [00:41:46] Speaker B: I just want to see slashes I want to see high sticks, I want to see a sprained wrist. I don't know. I don't know. I'm trying to hurt injury or wish injury on anybody, but this is going to be one heck of a series. And in my opinion, along with Dallas Colorado, one of the best first round. [00:42:00] Speaker C: Series is of this first round. 100. [00:42:02] Speaker A: Yeah, we're NHL fans. Like, even if you don't have a dog in the fight, like, you're eating so good in this first round. Like, I mean, Battle of Ontario, Battle of Florida, Dallas, Colorado, Louisiana Oilers, like, name me one of those series that like, even as a casual fan, not a fan of those teams. Are you not watching and like fully engaged in. I think one of the best examples you'll see of where the sport is today and where the skill is and how it's played and like the full entertainment value of it will come from Tampa, Florida like you said, but it's going to come from Dallas and it's going to come from Colorado. I just think there's so much skill. You got Jake Ottinger stopping a Nathan McKinnon rush and then back down the other way. Jason Robertson snips it. You've got nice strong young defensemen on Dallas. Like, I think if you were to sit somebody down this year and introduce them to the sport and why you would be a fan. You've got so many options that you could show them. And I think if it was me, I'd pick Dallas Colorado. I think that's going to be the series aside from obviously the Battle of Ontario, but I'm very biased. [00:43:10] Speaker B: You know who I wish I could watch more of and I'm glad I. [00:43:12] Speaker C: Did on Team Canada this year was Thomas Harley. [00:43:15] Speaker A: He's disgusting. Dude, he's so good. [00:43:17] Speaker B: Where was like remember him when he was. I remember him in junior hockey and obviously the world juniors, but I don't remember him like that even when he plays against Toronto. Like, we saw a side of Thomas Hurley that makes you as a gm. [00:43:29] Speaker C: Go, what do I need to get. [00:43:30] Speaker B: That kind of guy on my team? Yeah, like this. He was impressive when he got called up to play. You're like, oh, why? Yeah? Then he's like, oh, right. Like you get excited. This a lot of good talent. Heskin in. You got Robertson there in Dallas. Jamie Ben's a great leader. I'm a huge fan of Jamie Ben and I love power forwards. If you know this on the podcast, I love power forwards. I love size on defense. That's why I love Toronto having Bigger defense, but big strong defenseman. That's how I roll. Okay. Me and Dubas are opposites. I like big be like smaller guys. So there's your comparison. Dallas is a definitely a great example. [00:44:07] Speaker C: Part of someone that you could, if. [00:44:09] Speaker B: You don't know the game, that's team. [00:44:10] Speaker C: That you could watch. [00:44:11] Speaker B: But you mentioned Jake Ottinger. Look how good he did against Calgary in the playoffs prior that guy. When it comes to the. Under the pressure, under the microscope, there's. [00:44:18] Speaker C: Somebody that does not mind. [00:44:20] Speaker B: He's so nonchalant. He just goes with it and he stops pucks. The guy eats robber. He just eats it. And Dallas, you know what I know I didn't take them to go to the cup finals. I had the final four beat another way. I just think that Winnipeg's too good to ignore this year and I think it's a different approach this year for Winnipeg and everyone wants that Canadian final, but Dallas is on the right track. [00:44:41] Speaker C: And Dallas ain't a bad pick to win the cup. [00:44:44] Speaker A: Hockey is also just so hard to pick like a winner. Like there's not like the Chiefs in the NFL where you just can kind of assume that they're going to do some damage. Like hockey is tough like a seven game series. Like it's just so hard to pick and there are so many good teams that even if we were wrong in all of our predictions, I'm sure the entertainment value we would get out of all eight of those series would be incredible and we wouldn't even be upset about being wrong because it just means the story lines and the entertainment value is off the chart. [00:45:14] Speaker B: It is. And I got to say I love. [00:45:15] Speaker C: The Canadian team involvement in the playoffs this year. You know, without going back through all the teams, you know, you wish that. [00:45:21] Speaker B: Calgary could have been in there. I do wish that Vancouver could have been in there. Right. [00:45:26] Speaker C: Just, just to name a couple. So. [00:45:28] Speaker B: But that leads me to my final point before we wrap up the playoffs. You got Dallas and Toronto with Dallas winning. I got Toronto winning over the Winnipeg jets and all Canadians. I love it. I this is the year. I'm telling you, I'm blue. I look, look, look right here. Your cup champs this year are right here. But don't get your hopes up, Toronto fans. [00:45:48] Speaker C: Don't do it. [00:45:48] Speaker B: But this year I will say as we segue to the end of the segment, failures this year. [00:45:54] Speaker C: Detroit Red Wings not making it. Steve Iseman's GM plan looking like a. [00:45:59] Speaker B: Real crappy plan now. Boston Bruins biggest surprise. But I think that no one would hold it against me if I said. [00:46:05] Speaker C: The New York Rangers were the biggest failures this year. That should have been a team in the playoffs. All the money that they spent, they got some reassessing to do in the off season on what they need to do. [00:46:14] Speaker B: That team structure needs to change. That team's management, obviously with, with Dahan, what it came out with for the team as an organization is in the light now. I think they need to really look in the mirror this offseason and if they're going to try to make a run next year, you're going to have to be trading and trading and shedding some cap space. And don't be a team to go out and sign Mitch Marner for $14 million. Because if the Rangers fans and Rangers organization haven't learned, spending money always doesn't work. So there needs to be a culture change in the New York Rangers. My team this year that are absolute. [00:46:48] Speaker C: Failures are the New York Rangers even over the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings. [00:46:52] Speaker B: Do you agree part or do you have your own? [00:46:53] Speaker A: No, I think Nashville. [00:46:55] Speaker B: Yeah, let's go. Good pick. [00:46:57] Speaker A: I think Nashville is the biggest disappointment for sure. Like you want to talk about a team spending a lot of money and stinking up the joint. [00:47:03] Speaker C: Oh, stinky. [00:47:04] Speaker A: I mean, it's just, it just goes to show, like this should be a big lesson for all general managers that you can't just take a bunch of good pieces from different puzzles and throw them all together and expect that puzzle to figure itself out in the first season. Stamkos, good piece. Marcus show, good piece. Brady Shea, good piece. All of them together in a new system at the same time. Especially a team that just the season before had to cancel a concert because they stuck so bad and that was the only thing that motivated them to win a goddamn game. So to add like new players to the phrase, just tough, like there's more to it than just signing big names. [00:47:40] Speaker C: Love that. [00:47:41] Speaker B: Now we're not going to do any of the redraft or the best all team. We're going to save that for next week's content and when the cart returns. [00:47:47] Speaker C: I love that nickname that when the. [00:47:48] Speaker B: Cart returns next week here on the game sports podcast part. We got a busy weekend, my friend, with watching with WrestleMania and, and you know, with the Leafs being on and it's a long weekend, of course, Easter long weekend. So we wish everyone happy Easter out there. You know, it's been an absolute doozy of a segment. Two back to back segments and sort of on time. I expected Both segments to be about 25 minutes. Maybe not the first segment, but now that we're hitting the 30 threshold par for this one, we're going to start going to the conclusion now. So I want to say thank you very much for taking the time. Do you have any final thoughts before I officially sign us off? [00:48:27] Speaker A: Go. Leaves, go. [00:48:28] Speaker C: Here you go. There it is. [00:48:29] Speaker B: There it is. Gold Leafs, go. And you know what? I love the laughs that we shared. [00:48:33] Speaker C: On this with my child's birth. I'm sure my wife will hear this and she's probably in the background rolling her eyes as we speak. But you know, behind every good man. [00:48:41] Speaker B: There is a girl rolling her eyes, folks. [00:48:43] Speaker A: Yes, yes. [00:48:44] Speaker B: Okay. All right, there's my word of advice. [00:48:47] Speaker C: To you before we sign off here on top shelf segment of tonight's show. [00:48:50] Speaker B: When we come back. We got more here on the Game Sports podcast. [00:48:53] Speaker A: Don't go anywhere it doesn't say stop recording. [00:48:55] Speaker C: Welcome back to the Game Sports Podcast. Dave McKay continuing to host you this evening. We're getting to the final segment of the show and it of course is our Chock a Puck segment. As I point at the puck if. [00:49:05] Speaker B: You'Re on video and if you've noticed. [00:49:06] Speaker C: If you're really watching the video, I have a different look this right now. Two reasons. One, NHL playoffs around the corner. Gotta support the Leafs, of course, because that's who I cheer for. But let's be honest, this is a pre recorded show. So Trudes and I didn't record the same day that Par and I did. Okay, just gonna put the secret out there. We recorded a different day. All right, So I may have the morning look going on. He might. Trudes might be drinking out of his Spider man cup. I might drink out of my. My Yoda my, my Grogu cup. Sorry, not Yoda, Grogo cup. Okay, but we're gonna be sitting here. [00:49:38] Speaker B: For segment three, wrapping up the show for you. [00:49:41] Speaker C: Getting into Chuck A Puck where we talk and dive into of course most of the love towards the Sushi Marie Greyhounds. That's the central around this, around the segment into the title of Chuck A Puck. But we're also getting into the OHL playoffs a little bit here to wrap up the show. Then a fun little shout out at the end that we will share that has nothing to do with Chuck A Puck because we like to veer off to random topics sometimes. So Trudes, let's. [00:50:03] Speaker B: I want to introduce you first, of course. [00:50:05] Speaker C: How you doing my friend? [00:50:06] Speaker B: How's everything? [00:50:07] Speaker C: You look very nice this morning. Okay. [00:50:08] Speaker B: You look very professional. You look ready to go. All right. [00:50:12] Speaker C: Which is why you're the lead on this segment. But ultimately the best looking on this segment. But how's it going, my friend? [00:50:17] Speaker D: Oh, thank you for that. I mean, I, I don't know. You're a pretty good looking guy too. I always got to get the, get the collar in there. You know, I was gonna look good. I'm doing well. I'm happy to have a little bit of time off here just, just to relax and reset and then get, get going for the rest of the rest of the school years. [00:50:35] Speaker C: Yeah, the long weekend. Long weekend. [00:50:38] Speaker D: Weekend. Beautiful. And obviously this is a bit of a, bit of a lull time for the greyhounds. You know, things won't, won't get going again until probably, you know, in August. So, you know, it's, it's, it's a fun, it's a good time. It's a fun time but going to be watching some playoff and NHL playoff hockey coming up here and that's, that's one of my favorite times. Times of the year. So can't wait for that. [00:51:01] Speaker C: It's good. You know what? Obviously Chuck a puck is going to continue until the OHL major junior is done. We're going to obviously when it comes to the grounds, the content is a little bit less but we'll talk about where we can. Of course, as the Greyhounds did lose in their first round. Of course the. [00:51:16] Speaker B: Well, we'll have chocobuck for you until. [00:51:18] Speaker C: The playoffs are completed. Then it will be our break until next season and hopefully Trude jumps on a couple strike zone segments this year with Connor and myself. And I will be seeing Trudes at the ball field this year as the Cardinals, I believe is your team name. The Cardinals against the Pandas this year. The 91 and pandas. I don't know your sponsor name or if you even have one. Icebreaker Icebreakers Cardinals. There you go. Gonna be fun. If you're in Sault Ste. Marie, come out. I'm glad we have more teams this year in that league. It's great to see, great to see that grow. Look, if you're in to Saint Marie, come watch. If you're from outside the soup, don't mute us right now by, by me saying that if you just want to come out and check out some men's league baseball, I know it sounds like why would I go watch that? But it's actually very good baseball. I'm not a lie to you. It's really good. [00:52:01] Speaker B: True. His team is going to be a. [00:52:03] Speaker C: Tough one to beat this year. I feel like I got a sense they got a couple of dynamite players, including TRS on that team. But we're here talking about the Chukkapuck segments and that is of course your junior hockey. And of course, as I mentioned, the Greyhounds are completed. But Trudes, before we get into the Greyhounds, I wanted to do the draft recap for the Hounds in the OHL on the last piece of this segment. I wanted to dive into the playoffs a little bit here to give an update at this current date of recording. We're now recording this segment on April 18th at 10:52am the first time I've ever recorded on a Friday morning. Not lying to you, I've never recorded on a Friday morning before. This is awesome. So right now you got a couple series that are tied. Brantford, Oshawa, Barry Kingston, London. You know, I don't need to say it. There is three up, three one on the Kitchener Rangers. Excuse me, we got a couple seg or a couple series that are going right down to the wire there between Branford, Oshawa, Barry Kingston and I know truths. I'm going to give you the lead on while both pieces of this segment, but there's one series that's really catching the eye and has a little bit of ties to Sault Ste. Marie. I'll let you go into that. [00:53:08] Speaker D: Yeah. So I mean, the London series, the London Erie series obviously kind of went as expected. I mean, you'd think maybe Erie might have stole a game there, but I believe they're still without Matthew Schaefer, their top defenseman. So, you know, I think he would have made a difference easily in that series, if not a big difference. I think London still would have obviously taken it if he was in the lineup. But. But I mean, you know, he's. He's projected to be the number one draft pick in the NHL. So he would have had. He would have definitely given London a little bit more of a stir. Yeah, I mean, there ain't no. I don't think anybody expected anything less. What's kind of positive from a Greyhound standpoint is Windsor kind of continuing to dominate against the Kitchener Rangers, which is. Is a team that the Greyhounds are going to be competing with within the next few years at the top of the Western Conference. So to see that, to use that as kind of a benchmark is actually, it's intriguing for Greyhound players and fans probably. But props Kitchener, they were able to force a game five and you know, it's tough to win four in a row, but if Jackson Parsons can lock in and they can somehow shut down that protest. Greentree and more no line, you know, that's. That, that'd be huge for them. Liam Greentree had. After game three of the series, he had 24 points in eight games in the playoffs. [00:54:28] Speaker C: So is that good? [00:54:30] Speaker D: He has been outstanding. That line has been outstanding. Do they have like. Well, they gotta, they got. They gotta close the deal against Kitchener, but do they have the firepower to, to give London a bit of a stir? I know you mentioned they're gonna go undefeated. That, that's still going. [00:54:45] Speaker C: Bold prediction I had there, but maybe. [00:54:47] Speaker D: Not too bold, but yeah, I mean, so the west is kind of going as expected. Got to give a shout out to Eriada's net. Charlie Burns, he's. He's a Sue product and he played against London last night and he took them to overtime. London had 50 shots on him, so he, he stopped 47 of those. And so good for Charlie to, to take the number one, you know, London to overtime. [00:55:12] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:55:12] Speaker D: And then the Eastern Conference is all knotted up at two tied, two games a piece in each series. Home ice has been instrumental in both of those series. All the home teams have won. So, yeah, you know, if that pattern. [00:55:24] Speaker C: Keeps up, then game seven is looking like the favorite on the other side, right? [00:55:28] Speaker D: Yeah. So, I mean, Branford Barry, they win it. They win two at home to start the series, then they drop two on the road. So Kingston and Oshawa are former Hounds. Charlie Shankel and Andrew Gibson, those teams, they got to find a way to steal one on the road if, if they want to win the series. [00:55:46] Speaker C: I'd like to see Kingston in Oshawa. And I know when it came to Kingston in the first round, I'm one that said that Sudbury would have a little bit of an upset and it was the other way around. Kingston swept Sudbury, so that prediction was incorrect. But now having Charlie be in the. Obviously the second round and to see Gibby in this, in the second round as well, it'd be nice to have those former Hound players continue to move on. Right. And as you said, Trudes, I, I'm sitting here and I'm looking and I said 160 for London and it wasn't that I was trying to be funny. It's true. I, I honestly believe, and I know I'm not the only one to think that they would go undefeated. If you look at some other, other individuals that work for, want to say sportsnet, tsn, the OHL network. There's people that have been, have predicted a perfect playoff that we have seen. I'm not the only one in the world. So it's I, I as we sit here and not for nothing you're like hold that like well if there ain't no right, it's like not surprising. Which is unbelievable because when's the last time that you can really think back if you want to consider the NHL even? I've never ever. I know I've seen a lot of NHL teams that were very strong in my life and OHL teams, but I've never had a very hundred percent confident 160 sweep for the playoffs that I could actually truly predict. And when I see this London team I'm like this I, it's, it's something to predict, it's something special to watch. And of course round three it's I, I'm not saying it's going to be anything different no matter who they play against. Which I as an OHL fan dislike London not because of the team, the city or sorry, not because of the city, but just because they win. It's like when I was younger, the Detroit Red Wings I really disliked because all they did was win. And the New Jersey Devils I really disliked as a kid. You know, as you get older you start disliking other teams. Boston if you're a Toronto fan, a.k.a. for that for example. But London always wins and the reason why is because they're, they're ran well, they're, they're popular place to play and it's really impressive to see what they're doing. But my eyes are on those series that are locked at 2. Hound reasons of course for both those series. But down to the wire, right, it's those are hard fought series, true playoff type series. And I'm actually surprised trudes to be honest, that Windsor's up 3:1 on Kitchener. Not because of the talent with Windsor and doubting Kitchener's better. No, I think Windsor's the better team. But 3:1 when they're up 3:0, right, you're like, okay, this Windsor team seems like they played the Hounds and after they lost that game against the Hounds in the first round, they just went, nope, sorry, nope, not losing again. Right. It was like a little bit of a wake up call. It felt like a little bit. But that line is so unstoppable and we were talking about that in the first round. You shut down that line, you shut down the team, but you can't shut down that line. It's Too challenging all around. It's been a good second round. One. One series, I think went as expected. Sorry, Erie, but we're, we're still seeing some good hockey in that second round. And it can go anywhere anyway between Oswald, Branford, Barry, Kingston. It can go anywhere. But of course, here in the Sioux. Shoots. I'm sure you agree with the suit ties. We have our. We. We know who we're rooting for. [00:58:47] Speaker D: Yeah, it's going to be tough. I mean, it could go either way. It could go either way for. In that, in that Eastern Conference. Those top four teams have been battling each other all year long. So, I mean, but whoever comes out of it is going to have to play London in the final. And not to count out Windsor or Kitchener, but either way they're going to have to play a really, really tough opponent. After two really, really tough series, they're going to be. They're going to be beat up. And you know, it's. It's looking good for London right now. [00:59:15] Speaker C: It is. And it's. You know what? Got to give kudos words too. They're a good team and they have a very good player that's drafted by Toronto on that team leading the forefront of it. And despite how he played at the World Juniors. Right. Little is what it is that definitely the World Juniors this year. Don't want to get into that. That was really challenging to watch. Really sucked watching that this year for Canadian fans. But we got it. We made up for it at the Four Nations. [00:59:40] Speaker B: Okay. [00:59:41] Speaker C: So it made up everything but London. Very good team all in all. And I'm a big fan of Sam Dickinson, too. Always have been. San Jose, like, yeah, they're coming soon. That team is coming very soon. And this year they're not going to have a good pick either. And they're going to get a good pick if it's Hagens, if it's Schaefer. I'm forgetting someone on top of my head right now, but that's fine. There's someone ahead of third, but it's looking good this year's draft. And when you mentioned the absence of Schaefer, how massive of a loss for Erie, like, I mean, it's, it's such. This is not an expert reporting for anyone out there, but you lose your number one defenseman, okay, like, that is massive. He's going to be the first overall potentially for sure top two pick this year. I've always liked Hagens to be number one this year, but Schaefer's definitely kind of jumped ahead for Me given what he can do. But I think this injury might push him to 2. But depends on who's picking first. Depending on what they need. Right. So I feel like such a big loss and you know, Yuri, you know losing Shaffer is massive. [01:00:37] Speaker D: Oh yeah, 100%. [01:00:38] Speaker B: So the OHL draft truths. We've talked about the playoffs. [01:00:41] Speaker C: When we come back for a week next week, we'll have a bit more of. A bit more knowledge of probably what's coming up for round three of the Ontario Hockey League as we approach the OHL championship. But the OHL draft for the next few minutes here before we wrap up tonight's show. I look, I. We sat here last week and we had Jaron Bellini on our show, Susei Marie Products. Obviously he's a scout for the team noh and he actually gave his Bell's picks and he uploaded his top hundred that you can check on our previous edition. I put the description, the link below where you could have saw where he ranked and he nailed the truth. [01:01:13] Speaker B: So give us a recap about the. [01:01:14] Speaker C: Draft, what the Hounds did, your thoughts? [01:01:17] Speaker B: And I have a little, a little. [01:01:19] Speaker C: Thought about the Sioux guy that went to Ottawa as well. But I'll save that point for last. [01:01:23] Speaker D: Yeah, he got it. [01:01:24] Speaker A: No loss. [01:01:25] Speaker D: The Greyhounds pick at 7 and he can play the wing, he can play the center. He was the captain of the Toronto Junior Canadiens and they had a very, very good OHL Cup. He had about 13 points in seven games. And one thing I noticed when I watched his highlights and I watched a little bit of game footage from that, he is a guy, he's. Well, first of all, he's a bigger kid, six feet, almost six'one 192. So Dave, you like size? You got size at the top. Five Greyhounds picks were over six feet in this draft. Two of them over. Two of them. Six. Two already at 16. So we saw the Greyhounds pick on average probably a little bit bigger of a. Of a draft class than normal. So I think that's going to benefit them down the road. They went, they went for size this draft. Size and skill. But Noah loss. One thing I noticed him is he goes to the net, he plays around the net, he looks for scoring opportunities, he crashes the net and he's. He's always kind of three of the four goals I saw him score on his highlight reel tape were rebounds or plays near the net. And that's one thing the Greyhounds kind of. [01:02:36] Speaker C: That's my men's league special, dude. Love it. [01:02:38] Speaker D: Go to the Net. [01:02:39] Speaker C: I love it. [01:02:40] Speaker D: Good things happen. [01:02:42] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The size you mentioned, that was the thing that I highlighted. True. So I've been saying that on this pod for weeks and never mind weeks, years. Big fan. That's why I love Matty Nyes. I've liked the I like Jamie Ben, I like those type of players. I wouldn't build and I'm not saying I wouldn't build around Noah louse so don't take it that way. But the players that I just mentioned that are in the professional level, they're not players that maybe you would build around. Jamie Ben a little bit more arguably is the captain of the Dallas Stars, but those are the type of players that can really shape out a top line. Right Guys that will go in the corners but can also score goals and make plays in front. The complete player size skill, not skill includes being able to score goals and playmake is the terms I like to use. But also the biggest criticism that I see with guys that are bigger is their defensive ability, how they are defensively. That's been feedback that I've heard. It's okay. Well they're slower than usually than others there. No, throw that aside. Size certainly affects if you're £250. Okay. If you're Ryan Reeves builds built like just an absolute pit bull then then maybe your speed's a little bit different but this with Noah, I was talking to Bells even off air he's got speed. He's got the whole package. It's really nice. And to see someone who's 61 at the age of 16 years old. Okay. He's still got a couple of years to grow. I don't know if he's really max. Maybe he's at near that max height but if you get a couple inches, a couple more pounds on the kid which he will with age so he's going to be and someone who can drive the net, he would compliment someone very nice if you can build around in terms of the of the playmake sniper first line. I am a fan of a playmaker sniper power forward first line with a two way defenseman. Two way defenseman, top unit offensive defenseman on a second unit. I don't put an O. I don't put. Unless you're Cal Makar, I don't put. That's the way an ideal first line should be because you have a defense mechanism piece on the ice but you also have an ability to score goals. And look at what Windsor's doing. Okay. A Portis big body Green tree. Like those are players. It's a big team Windsor. I understand. But if you look at their top line, they have all three of those components and I think that's what the Hounds can use as maybe a little benchmark. I know Laos and Porteous, different players. Okay. But that is kind of what I'm visioning. And with Noah, he mentioned something in the Sue Star. Okay. Sue Star. This is as per sear.com it's a relief and such a surreal feeling. Okay. I. I just honestly can't wait to get up to the suit. He's really excited to come up and he's also that I've learned. Get this. I can't believe I said what I said because I read this in a video interview prior to the draft. [01:05:41] Speaker B: Law said that he models his game. [01:05:44] Speaker C: After NHL star Jamie Ben of the Dallas Stars and likes to be a. [01:05:49] Speaker B: Player who is physical and hard to. [01:05:50] Speaker C: Play against and who can score and chip in on the offense. [01:05:54] Speaker B: I swear I didn't say that until. [01:05:56] Speaker C: I clicked this while talking. Okay. And I'm not trying to gloat myself at all here. I'm just saying that that is a perfect player to model yourself for. He has that offensive upside and a very pro shot. That's what North American Central scouting said. And Bellini was also very complimentative of Noel El as well. It is a very good fit and. [01:06:14] Speaker B: He'S a dual citizen. [01:06:15] Speaker C: Yeah. So that Canadian. I didn't know that until we started talking. To be honest with you, I didn't even know that. So coming up to the Sioux, maybe there's that little bit of excitement as well. Right. There's border town with Sioux Michigan. He's had time in Detroit not too. [01:06:26] Speaker B: Far from from Sault Ste. [01:06:27] Speaker C: Marie here. Lake States across the border saying future. Right. There's a lot of opportunity for Noah here but I think he's going to be a fan favorite very quickly. Truths. [01:06:36] Speaker D: Yeah. He's. He's going to compliment like you're looking for players to build around Brady Martin obviously and he's going to complement that group of players really well. Yeah. And just to kind of go off of Noel Louse with their second first round pick they go way off the board. Ryan Kaczynski from the Mid Fairfield Junior Rangers. So obviously not a lot of nobody really knows who he is because he plays in New York. But I found some game footage and again he's big. He's tall. He's more tall than than Noah Laos. So he's taller but he's very Smooth with his movement, with his puck control and he's very effortless as well. And it looks like he can put the puck in the net or at least help put the puck in the net. 118 points in 60 games for his, for his team last year. I mean I treat that as he's coming. If you're going to use, if you're going to use your second first on him, I hope he's committed to the program. Pick three, Trevor Daly Jr. Again, love. [01:07:42] Speaker C: The father son duos. [01:07:44] Speaker D: Elite talent that they were kind of able to get at a discount because he's committed to the U.S. nDP. I mean you can look at it one or two ways. You can look at it as a positive look at the elite talent we got in our top three picks. You could also be critical. Again here's an opportunity with two first round picks, no second rounder and then a third round pick. You take a flyer on two of your top three picks again when you already have a solid, solid core group of players. Chase Reed, Brady Martin, Jordan Tron, Travis Hayes and you have an opportunity to build around those players or to get capital to trade later to build around those players. But these picks will only, we, we can only evaluate how good these picks are. If these players show up, if they don't show up, is it a missed opportunity? I don't know. So there's two sides of the coin there. I think Hounds fans, I think it would be crazy not to say that some would be scared that these players don't show up. Right. Because that's what's happened. That's what happened last year. Obviously expecting some of our 08 players. William Computero Pangertich. So those, those higher round picks from last year that didn't report to training camp last year. I think we'll see them this year with spots open and maybe some competition to be had. We know that the greyhounds 19 year old crop isn't as strong as their 18 year old crop as a whole. So maybe some, some opportunities to take a job, to take a spot and then obviously the four spots up for grabs. And so like I, there's a, there's a lot of parts that are moving right now and we won't have clarity on it until August and September. [01:09:29] Speaker C: Yeah, this, this draft overall described with the Hounds another player that we know somebody that we've had on the show who's a Bill apparent, Elijah Hayes. Right. There's of course there obviously there's excitement from the Dustin Grandin household for, for that who Billets Hayes for who's billeted Hayes this past season. So obviously there's ties and I think some of the players they pick is a doubt to report. Right? I'm not saying Hayes was one of those players that they were doubting. That's not what I'm saying. But definitely his brother's playing here. Little bit of influence for him to come if he can be that steal in that 12th round. If you look at Daily let's go up to the higher rounds. You just talk about Trevor Daily Jr. Despite any of the experiences that we won't need to get into with Trevor, it's this. He still loves Sault St. Marie. I've had the joy of even talking to Trevor about a decade or so ago. I remember out and he loves being in the Sue. So there, there is positive ties in Sioux Sabri for that which could be a good influence for his son to report despite where his commitments are in the States. This would be great for him and I feel that it was a gamble that if it pays off, it will work out tremendously. And overall in the draft you have a draft that the Hounds selected, okay, it was more of a one goaltender that went but I have it noted here that it took seven defense and nine forwards and I got that as well from the Sioux Star. So they were a good chunk of American players and that is the risk that people are more so highlighting is that American side of things. But I feel like I'm going to trust the Greyhound brass by seeing that they've done their homework. I know last year tells a different tale, but this year is a different outlook. I feel like with players that you can build around the excitement and the push that they made this year and what they look to do in the future can be very attractive. Big pieces to build around Martin. I'm a huge Chase Reed believer as everybody knows. I think that kid is hella special. So this, this draft I think was a win. But I love that seventh pick. I love Noah. I love, love that pick and everyone knows why. I don't need to get back into just rewind 10 minutes ago as to why. But again, this was a draft where they didn't take any really goaltending truths. They really focused and I feel like they're bought in to what their goaltending depth is. Right. And we saw that young lad jump in this year for some time. So I feel like they're not looking at. They're, they're. They're goaltending for this draft. They're focusing on trying to get players which could be future trade chips or make this team for hopefully a competitive 2026 season, but also a 2027 season where they look to be at the upper threshold of the OHL and hopefully hosting the Memorial Cup. [01:12:01] Speaker D: Well, yeah, and, and just to clarify, I loved the daily pick. Like, I loved it. I think, I think he's going to show up. Whether it's maybe not this year, but maybe for the next year, two years. I think there's a really like, obviously there's a great chance of him coming here. I mean, I don't think, I think you're crazy not to pick him really. [01:12:20] Speaker B: Right. [01:12:20] Speaker C: You pick the best player all the time. Yeah. [01:12:23] Speaker D: And, and I like, I think the high risk, high reward. Right. So if these top three picks show up, well, Noel else is coming, but if Ryan Kaczynski shows up and Trevor Daly Jr shows up, I mean you could have three possible first round talents on your roster and that's, that's huge. Right. And they're all forward. We know the forward depth. Obviously losing Newell Nord and Owen Allard is, is concerning moving forward. So you're having, you have question marks in your top six. Whether or not you choose to trade these players or, you know, keep them in there, they're going to, they're going to produce. They're going to give you something like always, always the greyhounds find to. They find production out of players. Always they find ways for them to be useful. And you know, I'm excited for the upcoming season. It's going to be great. The import draft is going to be interesting, especially now with the new rule of it moving to three import players very well. I think. David. Holla. I think you bring him back now. [01:13:26] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:13:27] Speaker D: Import from last year. He really showed a lot of toughness, hurt. [01:13:30] Speaker C: He's a fan of the show just. [01:13:31] Speaker D: In the playoffs but you know, he's really, he's a really effective physical defenseman. [01:13:36] Speaker B: I heard he's a fan of the show. [01:13:38] Speaker D: Oh, perfect. [01:13:39] Speaker C: I heard through the grapevine he might if he reads, if he hears this comment below. Dave, if you feel like, if you're allowed to. I don't know. [01:13:45] Speaker D: But anyway, we, we want you back. Either way, we want you back. We noticed you in the playoffs and like you look at him and Keegan Gillen, I thought their, their game as kind of bottom, bottom six or bottom two in this top six pairing this year. Like I thought their game really, really improved all year. Every, every single game those two got better and you can see it So I think, I just think that's a, that's a no brainer. And then with the import pick this year, I mean. Yeah. Are we looking at a goalie? Because you like you mentioned only one goalie was taken. I hear is pretty solid thanks to my cousin, my cousin Matthew Gagny. He was, he was a goalie played for. For Dustin Grandin Cora Colts. So I always go to him with my goalie questions. Solomon, pretty solid. [01:14:33] Speaker B: Big fan of yours. [01:14:35] Speaker D: Tagalar is there. Yeah. And do they take a goalie? Do they take like you mentioned before, who are Pittsburgh's Euro picks? Because let's get, let's get them here. Right? [01:14:47] Speaker B: That's who you want to get here. [01:14:49] Speaker C: Because Dubas will be like get your ass there. [01:14:52] Speaker D: Yeah. No, but lots of opportunity left and I think come training camp it's already setting up to be a very training camp and it's going to be exciting. [01:15:03] Speaker C: So before we wrap up go through a couple the obviously Katie McGregor going first. That's who I had going one. Okay. Was Kaden. I'm not surprised that Peterborough went in that direction. I guess I will mention Brock Chittaroni. I of course not surprise. Of course sue product. Congratulations. Third overall. [01:15:20] Speaker B: Love it. [01:15:20] Speaker C: He deserves to go there. Not surprised it was Ottawa. [01:15:24] Speaker B: Yeah not surprised it was Ottawa just. [01:15:25] Speaker C: Because of course playing in Barry it's still a little bit of chunk of ways from. From Ottawa but there's obviously some suit ties when it comes to the Ottawa 67s organization to sue St. Marie and I'm not going to mention names just because of name dropping. I'm not that type of lads but I'm sure some people who know me know what I'm putting down and when people are able to pass on information about players that they know when they are are involved in the organization in a certain position that will be extremely helpful. Okay. But he didn't go third because of that. He went third because he was deserving to go third. But I'm not surprised that it's Ottawa that took him because of the ties. Right. [01:16:07] Speaker B: And don't forget who else played in. [01:16:08] Speaker C: Ottawa from the sue before. Recent player drafted by Nashville had a good time at the world Juniors Matier. So there's Mattier there. [01:16:16] Speaker B: Right. [01:16:16] Speaker C: So there's two ties to the Ottawa team. There has been before. So Brock deserving but obviously not surprised he went three because of the ties to the Sioux in multiple ways. I guess where I'm kind of surprised is and you I don't want to take your thunder and I'm going to leave you to talk about some picks before we wrap up. Warren going sixth to North Bay. I truly thought that I. Centerman. I know he's smaller. I understand he's 5, 8. He's listed as 5815 2. Okay. Smaller lots. He's going to grow. He'll be 510 bucks 75 by the time he hits his draft year in my opinion. But he goes to North Bay at six. Okay. I truly thought that he was a top three pick in this draft. Truths. Okay. So I'm not too sure if something happened in the five knowing that he would not maybe report there. Right. If there would be. If there's something that happened, I don't know but that was my surprise of the. Of the draft. [01:17:13] Speaker B: So there's a couple that I would. [01:17:15] Speaker C: Bring up for the upper end of the draft. Jude, what about you? Any. Any surprises? Any points to bring up? [01:17:20] Speaker D: Well, yeah, I certainly. You don't know what goes on behind closed doors and then I think a first round pick is. Is pretty stressful. Right. Because if you have the player you want and the player doesn't want to report, like what do you do? Do you take that player anyway? Like you know what I mean? Like that's, there's always that toss up. Do you take the best. Do you take him anyway and then hope your reports or get a return for him or do you. Do you drop down and take whatever you deem to say lesser player. Because that's not true. But, but a different player, another player that maybe you're not sold on. So I mean that's, that's a stressful thing. Right. And you only get one shot at it. No, I think like Cameron Warren, I think he was touted as one of probably the best scorer of the draft. It could be teams going with other things trying to beef up other areas of. Of their structure of their organization. [01:18:15] Speaker C: Yep. [01:18:16] Speaker D: One pick I know was. That was kind of surprising was Saginaws. Whereas Ryan Hanrahan, I think it was a. It was a pretty. [01:18:24] Speaker B: Listen. [01:18:25] Speaker C: 134 pounds. [01:18:26] Speaker D: Yeah. Small dude. [01:18:27] Speaker C: I'm two. It's almost four. I'm 218. [01:18:31] Speaker D: Yeah. 511 and look like he. It only says he played 23 games this year with 10 points. [01:18:39] Speaker C: And I'm not body shaming. I just want to. [01:18:41] Speaker D: No, but it's just a small guy. It's a small guy in terms of the rest of the kids in the draft. Right. Like you look at the players around him. 188, 176, 173, 163. [01:18:53] Speaker C: Look at Noah Laos. 190, 192. [01:18:55] Speaker D: Yeah, so I mean that's. Then again Mitch Marner was. I think he was only £130 when London draft. [01:19:01] Speaker C: Very good point, very good. [01:19:03] Speaker D: You know like there's always that those. [01:19:06] Speaker C: Types of picks, these are also still 16 year old kids. But there's one guy that North Bay drafted. I liked north bay draft. Okay, 29th they drafted Carter Kunapaski. I probably butchered that last name. Chirp me below if you want. [01:19:19] Speaker B: 6 foot 204 pounds. This is a big lot. [01:19:23] Speaker D: Okay. [01:19:23] Speaker B: For a 16. [01:19:24] Speaker C: Okay. [01:19:25] Speaker B: That's a big lot. [01:19:25] Speaker C: And I mean that in the best. This kid's gonna be a truck out there. [01:19:28] Speaker B: Okay. He's gonna get about 6, 2. I don't think he's. [01:19:30] Speaker C: Maybe he is done growing. Here I am thinking about the thing. I can still grow but like some kids stop and maximize at their certain age. But hey, when I was 16, I was five nine and I hit a couple inches. I got to five 11 by the time I was 18. [01:19:42] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm not even close. I'm five, I'm five eight. [01:19:45] Speaker C: I think like two. Oh four. Good. [01:19:48] Speaker D: You're. You pick up a good point. North Bay is looking good. I don't. My uncle, he's. He's huge into the draft as well and he has said that he thinks North Bay even maybe had the best draft out of anybody as of right now. [01:20:01] Speaker C: And as I sit here, sorry, what if I do I keep pointing out. Wait, now, now you know like what I would tackle as a gm, my team would be hard to play against. Let me tell you. [01:20:14] Speaker D: That stupid product for North Bay as well. Declan Gallivan, he's. He's going to be reporting for training camp. A lot of suit products. It's good to see. It is good to see a lot of. A lot of suit products. [01:20:23] Speaker B: You know what that brings. [01:20:24] Speaker C: I know we're going extra time but. [01:20:26] Speaker B: There'S this guy I'm not gonna. [01:20:27] Speaker C: Again, not gonna name drop. I'd like to. I've had ties with him when I played hockey. He does. I don't want to say what he does because it will give it away completely. So I could just say it. But there's someone who's involved in the prospects kind of management side of helping players develop and etc. Let's just say that. And he had a post on Facebook where he felt that he was disappointed because. And no, like he was disappointed because of the Canadian representation. It was A lot of Americans that were picked local products in this NOHA region. This talent not being what it is. I will pause that topic because we'll sit here for 35 more minutes going through development when it comes to Canada. I've said it on the show before, I think we have been stale seen also saying that I look at the draft and I look. Chitterroni just went third. [01:21:13] Speaker B: Yes. [01:21:13] Speaker C: He left the Sioux. Okay. And he went down south. All the Toronto kids are the ones getting picked. And Sioux Saint Marie products here in Suze Marie, Sudbury. Right. You're seeing a lot of Toronto. Toronto, Toronto, Detroit, Ajax, Don Mills. Don Mills, Barry, the Canadians again. [01:21:32] Speaker B: I just. [01:21:33] Speaker C: That's again Toronto. So Toronto area is very, very popular and I think that's really helped. Like if I'm a 15 year old kid. [01:21:41] Speaker B: 14, 14, 14, 15 year old kid. [01:21:44] Speaker C: And I'm expected to potentially be an OHL product, I'm not gonna lie, I probably wouldn't stay here. And I and people are gonna look at me and say why Going back. [01:21:54] Speaker B: In time, okay, I was a late bloomer. [01:21:56] Speaker C: I played junior hockey. I made it out of double A hockey when I was 16 to junior and then I started getting better at that point. But then I went, my stock went down real freaking fast. But I feel like if I could go back in time in the time portal as much in my time, Sault Ste. Marie's development I feel was still at a very recognizable rate. And in the northern Ontario, I shouldn't say Sault Ste. Marie, Northern Ontario, the Algoma, all the regions. But the popular areas now are states. Detroit area. Right. Which it always has been. Detroit has always been impressive. Honey baked a Detroit, that's always been a destination. If you can go down and play there when you're younger. Even when I was younger that was good. So that's never changed. But Toronto, I was like, ah, you can play in Toronto or the Sioux, it doesn't really matter. Right. Because if you're going to get recognized, right. [01:22:41] Speaker B: Look a lot of good players, Tyler. [01:22:42] Speaker C: Kennedy, guys that have really developed in the Sioux programs and done extremely well. [01:22:47] Speaker B: But if I'm a player right now. [01:22:48] Speaker C: Trudes and like I said, I'm not going to dive into this topic too much. I think we can save it. But I as of now my time portal, if I'm back to 15 year old Dave, I wouldn't stay here to develop my hockey career. And I'm sorry to people that do coach and put their time. I'm saying that the recognition right now is in Southern Ontario. [01:23:06] Speaker B: If I was a player that could. [01:23:08] Speaker C: Be ready to go to that next. [01:23:09] Speaker B: Step, I wouldn't stay in the Sue. [01:23:11] Speaker C: I would tell my parents, hey, can I go live with my cousin down in Toronto and play for Don Mills or the Toronto Junior Canadiens so I can have that extra step in development? Because I feel like the Northern Ontario region is in a different position right now and they're trying to get it better and has been improving. And going back to what I mentioned two minutes ago about my friends having that post, he brings up very good points about the recognition in this region. Truths. And we didn't see it a lot in this draft. And I know we're 38 minutes into the segment, which is 20 minutes more than we wanted to be. Okay. But there was a lot more to get into with this segment. And like I said, I'm not going to climb up that tree. But it's definitely more appealing to go down south if you're in Ontario to get your development. And look where Brock Chittaroni sue product was in Barry. Right. There's. That's just one example. And it's unfortunate because the. The development's changed. Okay. But our passion as a community hasn't changed. But that's changed. [01:24:06] Speaker D: Yeah. I'm afraid for my kids to play hockey. You know what I mean? If they're good. Not afraid. Like, it's. It's definitely changed. And. Yeah. What's it due to? It's just due to what you said. Like, it's unfortunate, but it kind of. I believe now, I don't know if it's changed, but you know how before you had like a card to your region, like you were kind of tied to the region that you were born in. So if you're going to play computer competitively elsewhere, the organization that from your community would have to release you to go to the other community. Like, for example, if I wanted to play Toronto Junior Canadiens do minor hockey, would have to release my. My old HA card or my OHF card to Toronto. I believe that doesn't exist anymore. I think you can just go try out to whatever community you want. I don't know if that's true, but. [01:25:06] Speaker C: I'll find out that we'll get a guess. [01:25:08] Speaker D: That's. That's definitely something that would hurt our community like ours. Right? Because obviously you're gonna go where the. For any sport, you're gonna go where people can see you. Right? But on the other hand, and this is for any sport, if you are that good, they will Find you. Doesn't matter where you play. [01:25:29] Speaker C: Angelo Bambaco, I love that you said that's a good way. We'll end this, we'll end that point. I'd like to maybe what I'll say, I'll say this on the show. I will get someone who is in the sm the. What am I. What am I saying? [01:25:41] Speaker B: Su major. [01:25:41] Speaker C: Yeah, it's kind of the. I was gonna say sue major, but I mean someone who's involved in a local community for coaching. And I will get someone on the show very soon and we'll have a conversation about sue local product and about the development. I'd love to have that as a segment. People would love that. People would love that. Not just in the Sioux, but in Ontario. Right about overall. So. So we'll save this. But I'll say one last point. Angelo Bambaco told me my dad, if you are a good hockey player, they'll find you on a back pond. But also keep in mind that he also said there's a hockey player every 10 km in Ontario and you have one opportunity. And that leads me to the point where why people are leaving because they're trying to capitalize on their opportunities. But if you're good enough, they will find you. They will find you even better now. And he told me that 20 years ago. [01:26:27] Speaker B: 20. [01:26:27] Speaker C: No more than that. I'm 33. Like 20, 20, 20, 25 years ago when I was a young kid. I still stick it in my mind. And that was then. We have the world now with TikTok. You can upload a TikTok on you in a back pond doing things and skating and you'll have a team come to you, say, hey, why the heck aren't you playing hockey? Oh, you will be found if you're good enough. But I love that idea that you should stay in your community. But the community needs to be able to uphold its end on development. But we'll hold it at that. Trude's the draft. This was great to talk about. Great segment. I. I will never cut us off on a pre recording if the content's fire. I don't care what the time is. I know if I had sponsors and people in my ear right now like we used to do the show on some on a station, they would be like, dave, you're fired. Guess yeah, that isn't the case. [01:27:09] Speaker D: I'm looking at the time, I'm like, oh, we're. We're a little. [01:27:14] Speaker C: There's only a couple chuck a pucks left. So it's Fine. You know what it is. But I got to make sure. So as we wrap up Chocolate Buck, we'll get to more next week and I will try to get some of that local stories. Maybe this summer. Well, instead of waiting until the new year, let's see what we can do. So we'll pause that. But there's one thing that I have to make sure I do that's not Chuck Puck related. And we'll make sure, which is only a minute long. Somebody won the Masters last weekend and I am. I was really rooting for Cory Connors, Canadian. That would have been great to see, right? But I wanted and picked McElroy. And the sad thing is I didn't predict that in the last Puck podcast, but I told my wife that last like two weekends ago just so everyone knows. Because I had to complete his masterpiece like the announcer said when he got it. I didn't say that at the time, but that was the perf. This was Rory's year. This is Rory's year. That's where my mind was at. And when he won that, it was a heck of a Masters. I loved watching that Sunday. Justin rose coming back. McRoy in their Connors DeChambeau playing well. [01:28:10] Speaker B: It was a. [01:28:10] Speaker C: Almost swore. It was a heck of a Masters. [01:28:13] Speaker B: Okay. [01:28:14] Speaker C: It was a heck of a Masters. Truths. I love this. We got to give kudos to Roy McElroy. 100 great stuff. Did you. Did you. [01:28:21] Speaker B: You said. [01:28:22] Speaker C: Was there a meme that we have. [01:28:23] Speaker B: To talk about the meme. [01:28:24] Speaker C: Are we just not going to talk about the meme? Well, we pause. [01:28:26] Speaker D: Like when you call your wife or your partner perfect. Or when you call your wife or your partner Rory's playoff hole at the Masters instead of perfect. That was. That's. Look it up. I mean. Yeah, it was. [01:28:42] Speaker C: I like that. I like that. [01:28:43] Speaker D: I started golf during COVID and I watch these guys and I'm just like, I don't know how you can. [01:28:49] Speaker C: I don't know how they can do it. [01:28:50] Speaker D: Like golf ball that way. Like it's crazy talent. [01:28:54] Speaker C: Anyway, I thought putting would be easy to do. Oh, no, there's nothing easy about golf. [01:28:59] Speaker B: Nothing. [01:29:00] Speaker C: Nothing is. Although how beautiful is Augusta? [01:29:03] Speaker D: Lovely. [01:29:04] Speaker C: Like if, like not getting into fade here. But like, you know, I feel like if one dies, that is what it would look like if you're going to heaven. You know what I'm saying? Like, I feel like you hear Augusta. I think that that is what it is. So beautiful there. So beautiful. [01:29:17] Speaker B: One last thing that I'll say coolest name in the OHL draft. [01:29:20] Speaker C: Keaton Argada. I can't say his name. [01:29:22] Speaker B: He went to Brampton Teeth. Overall Arctic. I can't say his last name. [01:29:27] Speaker C: I want people to butcher and laugh. [01:29:28] Speaker B: At me for what. Keaton Arctic. [01:29:30] Speaker C: I can't say his name. Coolest name in the draft in my opinion is Arta. We're just going to have fun. Comment below if there's a way that I can actually say that name properly. Okay, so truth. This has been chock a puck. 45 minutes long, half hour extra than what we wanted. But fire content. My friends. Thank you for, for all this pieces. We'll be back. We got a couple more episodes left as we near the end of the OHL and major junior season. But I want to say thanks as always. [01:29:59] Speaker D: Thank you so much. I love hearing like you said, David Hollab. I love hearing if. If it's reaching, you know, players in the dressing room and you enjoy the content. I love hearing that. That's why we do it right? [01:30:09] Speaker B: And hopefully it's true. [01:30:10] Speaker C: People, hopefully people aren't lying to me. If it's not, I don't care because we're still going to do this. But it's great to see and I know that Dustin has shared it with Hayes. So I know that, you know, people. [01:30:19] Speaker D: Have seen it right, like for them, for them as kids to get, get a little bit of coverage, positive coverage and know that, you know, the community roots for them, they're. They're really, really impactful to the community. So, yep, you know, we'll. [01:30:34] Speaker C: We'll look at getting some guests and this summer. [01:30:37] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited for next season. I'm excited for it all. So hopefully we get to keep having fun and doing this. So. [01:30:44] Speaker B: Oh, we're going to. [01:30:45] Speaker C: And we'll have a good interview approach, let's just say that a whole, whole different approach next year, but nonetheless, truths. Thank you, my friend. Again. I want to thank you again to Alex Parr. The first couple segments we talked WrestleMania predictions. Then we went into the NHL playoffs. Now this segment we had Chuck a Puck where we just dove into the OHL draft playoffs and local hockey. Oh, Mike, we, we gave you content this week, okay. You ain't gonna find this type of content anywhere else. And that's no bias. [01:31:12] Speaker B: Okay? [01:31:12] Speaker C: So nonetheless, as you see above me here, not looking at Tavares, this is. [01:31:16] Speaker B: The game sports podcast. Okay. [01:31:18] Speaker C: That is our abbreviated logo. You can find us anywhere. Look out for this logo on Spotify Apple as well on Tick tock Instagram, Facebook. At the Game Sports Podcast, I put emphasis on the S because a lot of people say game Sport Podcast. No, there's an S in there. Okay, everyone. The Game Sports podcast, like follow, subscribe 91 network on YouTube and as well as featured on Spaces, which is now across 10 cities in Ontario. We were the launch city. Nine more have been added to that. So look, get a part of the Spaces community. Find what you like, but make sure you're clicking it here on the Game Sports Podcast. Again, thanks to Trudes Alex Parr and. [01:31:57] Speaker B: To you, the viewers and listeners. [01:31:58] Speaker C: Until next week, I'm here to remind. [01:32:00] Speaker B: You, keep your stick on the ice. [01:32:01] Speaker C: Swing your bats, catch touchdowns, drain your threes and shoot your shots. Booyah.