[00:00:05] Speaker A: Booyad. It's time for the Game Sports Podcast. It is your host, David McCague, Jr. The game. Sports Podcast is powered by 91 N that's 91 network. Head on over to the YouTube channel, search 91 network and you can find all recent episodes of the Game Sports Podcast on there, as well as other episodes from other content providers. Or you may already be tuning into the Game Sports Podcast through the 91. N channel. Nonetheless, make sure you hit like, follow and subscribe on all of the videos on 91. N and particularly just hit subscribe. That one subscription, that one comment goes a long way for 91. N, and if you have a podcast that you're interested in starting, well, you can reach out to 91. N at 90
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[email protected] to have your podcast aired on the platform. This is the Monday edition of the Game Sports Podcast and I am going to be solo for the opener of the show. However, in the second segment, we will have a top shelf segment and Alex Parr, we'll be joining yours truly to discuss the world of hockey here in the opening segment. We try to keep it as short as I can and the key word is try to keep it short. You know, we never really are able to keep it short here on the Game Sports Podcast because there's always such electrifying content that we'd like to provide, but we always have opinions. We're a family of a lot of opinions here on the game, but this opening segment, I'm going to devote the time to baseball. Yes? Connor Henderson's not here. Obviously, this isn't a strike zone segment to open the show, but I wanted to hog a little bit of this camera in terms of the first segment about a little bit of both, well, Blue Jays and Baseball News. Yes. And I'm going to get into a topic that you already know, likely what it's going to be about, but I'm just going to table that for a second. I'm just going to give a little bit more promotion here to the Game Sports Podcast, especially if you're listening to any audio platform, spotify, Apple, Amazon, wherever you are, make sure you hit subscribe or follow on those. However, we had previous editions of the Game Sports Podcast. I want you to take a moment to check out as well. Now, we're in December. Christmas time is near, and I want to remind you that we will be having our Christmas holidays coming up very soon. We will have another couple of weeks of content.
However, after December 20, the Game Sports Podcast will be taking its annual Christmas and holiday party and we will be resuming broadcast uploads on January the third. Just so everybody is aware. And you know that if we take a brief absence for a few weeks, you know why. But if there's any hot topics or any news that we have to promote, trust me, we will have that for you in form of either a clip, a reel on Instagram, it might be a short on YouTube, might be just a bonus episode. Who knows? We will be near if the news is definitely worthwhile to promote for you, but otherwise we will be having our Christmas break at that point. So I've got the housekeeping out of the way, obviously. 91 N. We appreciate the powered by there with 91 N. And again, the YouTube channel is growing. We've got some subscribers already starting to really see the channel now and big marketing initiative coming in 2024. So make sure if you're doing a podcast, you want to get on there or if you want to start, reach out today. Now, I want to talk about the Blue Jays for a second and it does connect in baseball and the last couple of days, if you're a Toronto Blue Jays fan, you've been hearing a lot of rumors coming and the rumors have been quite in your favor, all right? And being a Toronto fan, everybody knows outside of being a host of a sports podcast that definitely I cheer for all Toronto sports. Rather be the blue Jays. The maple leafs, the raptors. Obviously Toronto doesn't have an NFL team yet, so I do cheer for the black and yellow, the Pittsburgh Steelers in that regard. But Toronto Blue Jays are very exciting ball team, all right? They have a lot of good players on that team and players didn't achieve this year. Vlad had an offseason, Bo definitely didn't. Springer not really a great season. Kirk definitely wasn't the player that I think Blue Jays management was hoping to be. Obviously, Gabrielle Moreno fit in really nicely in Arizona, as did Lourdes Guriel, but the Jays have not been scared of trying to make change. That's what Ross has shown the last couple of years there in Toronto with, of course, trading Tioscar Hernandez, bringing Swanson, bringing in Dalton Varsho, he's been swinging for the fences per se.
[00:04:47] Speaker B: Okay?
[00:04:47] Speaker A: And the Toronto Blue Jays right now are headline rumors to be front runners to sign Shohei Otani.
Let me just say that one more time. The Toronto Blue Jays are front runners along with the Dodgers to sign Shohei otani. But if that isn't enough for you, the Toronto Blue Jays are also frontrunners to acquire from the San Diego Padres generational talent as well. Juan Soto now, I don't want to get into too much here about this. I just want to give my reaction fit and maybe just a little piece of advice to Toronto Blue Jay fans, because by the time this episode's uploaded, if it's tomorrow, if it's later tonight, if clips are shared, shohei did state that he was going to have a decision this week. And it could happen tonight. It could happen tomorrow.
Juan Soto tray can happen later this week. We don't know when it's going to happen. Obviously, for the sake of my content, I hope it isn't until a little bit later this week because then we can get everything out. But in previous episodes of the game, I mentioned on strike zone segments where I thought Shohei's favorite place to be would be obviously following the Avenue of Ichiro and going to the Seattle Mariners. I felt that was a really good fit. Close to Canada. Obviously he has respect for Canada. He vacations there, apparently. I believe he has a home. There could be wrong about that. But there's been love towards Seattle and obviously there's always been love with the Dodgers. The Dodgers have the money, obviously the weather's really nice. He obviously played for the La angels. So obviously the Dodgers have always been a front runner. People that were know, you think of the Cubs, you think of the Yankees. There's obviously still the Angels that people can't forget. Why wouldn't the Angels still be a part of it? You got Mike Trout there, despite how they're going a little bit through, a little bit of challenges. Maybe Shohei believes in the Angels, especially if they pay up, but that doesn't seem like the case as of recently. In the last 24 hours, multiple news outlets, both Canadian and American, have really stated that Shohei has really looked at the Dodgers and the Blue Jays as the two favorite landing spots to go. Now, if he does go to Toronto, do I think it's going to happen? I truly think there's a strong possibility that Toronto gets him. I really do. If I were to tell you that I think Shohei is going to go to Toronto and so is Juan Soto. Look, I have to come back down to reality. Is it possible? Sure. It's not like it's impossible. You make a trade and a sign, sure it's signing, it works out. But Shohei Otani going to the Toronto Blue Jays, I think, is priority number one. I think you sign Shohei Otani, that's a generational talent. That's a future hall of famer. That's an iconic piece in sports right now. That would be the biggest signing in Toronto sports history.
Any sport I know, Kawhi Leonard got traded to the Raptors and they won a championship. Obviously you have players that sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, john Tavares, and the list goes on there. But it has not met any success. The Toronto Blue Jays, if they sign Shohei Otani, who has been compared to a Babe roof talent and has shown it, yes, he's not pitching this season, not a big deal. Look at the pitching rotation the Jays have.
Give the bank to shohei otani outbid. The dodgers do the unthinkable Shohei, why don't you do the Unthinkable?
Everyone maybe thought the Dodgers, because it's such an easy, such a cop out to say the Dodgers are favorites to get Shohei Otani. Blue Jays were always, what, 15th favorite, 10th favorite, whatever it would have been a month ago and you got all these teams that were ahead of them.
The Blue Jays are baseball for Canada. That is the one team that is in Canada. There is no team in Montreal anymore. We don't have a team in Vancouver. The team that's closest to Vancouver is obviously got Seattle, right? But when you go to Seattle, all they are there. Blue Jays fans, you go around to different stadiums. Blue Jays fans are always flooding ballparks.
Shohei Otani has the opportunity to not only change baseball in general, he can change baseball in Canada, change baseball sport, Toronto sports, everything all in one. The attractive piece to what he can do as an image in his career, the money that he wants, the team that has a desire to win, that is obviously the pitching was absolutely stellar last year. It was the bats that let them down. If the bats were what they could be, the Jays would have been World Series champions last year. I don't care if anyone wants to at me and disagree. The pitching and bullpen that they have, that's World Series caliber, their bats were also there, but they were not consistent. So obviously they're not as good as everyone thought. Getting Shohei Otani would be fantastic for the Toronto Blue Jays, and that's just putting it lightly. But in summary, Shohei Otani, if he signs in Toronto, that is the biggest signing in Toronto sports history.
Will it happen? I don't want to give you a don't and I hope that gives you the answer because I don't want to curse it.
Juan Soto. I'm going to go to Juan Soto here because I'd be a fool not to mention Juan Soto. Despite if you get Otani or not, if you move Juan Soto and it doesn't involve a name of Bo Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I am all for it. I know it could be a one year thing. Maybe it is an extension thing, I don't know. That does seem very realistic because the fit Dalton Varsho to center Soto and left or moving right wherever you want to go. Springer and right you have the outfield set up look. Soto would be a great fit in Toronto. And what would it be of cost, though? Is Alec manoa worth giving up? Yes, I would. Is Addison barger worth giving up for Juan Soto? Yes.
Is another piece of the puzzle going to have to be? Does it have to be a Bizio? Does it have to be maybe a Ricky Tiedeman? I'm not too sure what that picture would look like. Truthfully, I don't have many examples, but I don't think you'd have to package Tiedeman and Barger and Emanoa all in the same trade. I feel like Barger and Manoa could be good core pieces of that trade for the Padres to especially get something for a player. But it goes without saying, I don't want to talk about hypothetical trades. What I want to talk about is the fit for Soto and the fit for Otani. Otani plays DH. Soto plays in left field. Heck, you can put him in right if you want, but left field is the natural side. You get two players with a lineup that you can have. Soto batting second, shohei batting third, vlad fourth, bo fifth, springer lead off. Still. You got Varsho. You got Kirk and or Janssen.
That lineup is just so sexy to look at.
So sexy that that team, if they wouldn't win a World Series, if they didn't, probably the better word to use, win a World Series. That would be an absolute failure, especially with that pitching, that bullpen. And the defense has been stellar for the Blue Jays. Now, I've mentioned about Shohei being the biggest signing in Toronto sports history. If it happens, soto going to Toronto. If it's with Shohei or not with Shohei, that would be one of the biggest trades in Toronto sports history. Yes, one of the biggest trades. That is all sports next to there's one comparison, Kawhi Leonard. That was such a pivotal moment in Raptors basketball history, and they won the championship because they took that risk. You got rid of A first, you got rid of Podal, and you also got rid of DeRozan. You bring in Kawhi Leonard on a one year and you go for it, and they win. They beat Golden State to win the NBA title. This is the type of move, if you make it, it's either going to make your team or it's going to break your team. And bringing in Shohei and or Soto, either or is going to change the outlook of your team for the better. But if you bring in them both, toronto sports will never have the respect it's ever had. You'll be able to attract more players.
It will have a whole different image in Toronto sports history. Best trade, best signing in history.
Shohei could be the face of baseball in Canada.
He is going to be an idol throughout Canada. Obviously, from where he's from, it doesn't matter. Shohei is the most iconic name in baseball right now. And if the Jays can pull it off, despite if that number starts the 60 or 60 million plus, he is worth it. And Rogers has the money to do it.
Open up that bank account. Bring in shohei trade for Soto. Let's do it. Let's see how it turns out. Take that risk. Change sports in Toronto for the good. And that leaves my final point. Jays fans, as much as I'm sitting here, and as much as you're reading all the outlets, all the media, hearing all the media, all the TikToks that you're scrolling through, everything that you're scrolling through, do not get your hopes up. It'll be worth it if it happens. And we didn't get our hopes up, but it'll be also worth it if it doesn't happen for either or both, whatever it may be, because let me put us back down to reality for a second. And by saying us, I mean Toronto sports fans.
That means being a Toronto sports fan comes with pain. We have been rumored to get every iconic sports figure in any sport that we're talking about. I don't think I'd ever heard of a Michael Jordan maybe ever going to the Raptors. Maybe that's a little bit not in the cards. But nonetheless, we always see players be front runners to go somewhere, and it's always the expected teams that win. It always seems to be that way. Yankees, dodgers. The Lakers. If you're thinking basketball, if you're thinking hockey, yet the Maple Leafs would be up there, but you're thinking the know, you're thinking the Detroit Red Wings, you're thinking of teams. That how we seem to get those guys, and they do.
But a lot of it has to do with not just the city or the sport. No, nothing like that. It's the management pulling the strings with anyone involved from their team of management or from the presentation that they have trying to bring in the players. And we've seen success.
Dubas brought in Tavares, obviously. We saw Masai trade for Kawhi Leonard. We've seen, obviously, Alex Anthopoulos go to Vladimir Guerrero's house to recruit him as a young lad. And the story behind Vlad, because Alex went there. That is why he signed there. If you don't know that story, it's a very good story, and I could tell it more another episode when I have more time. We're talking shohei and Soto here. I don't know where they're going to sign. Want me to give you my predictions? I say they're both going to Toronto. Say it. Let's put it in the universe. They're both going to go to Toronto, Shohei and Soto, and it's going to shock the baseball world. If I had to choose one, I believe it's Shohei. That's going to be the one signing in Toronto. And let me tell you, I will be ordering a show high. Nope, I already getting too excited. A Shohei jersey rate express for myself, my wife. I will buy that jersey. As you see behind me right now on video, that is a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Jersey. I will have to make sure the Shohei jersey is showing up on this podcast every week, because that would be the most pivotal signing in Toronto. Sports said it. But I will remind you, getting your hopes up, I wouldn't advise it, because we've seen players go where they expected. And if you're a Toronto fan, you know what pain is, and you always know that as a Toronto fan, that getting your hopes up has never done you any good. This is great right now. This is great to hear. And like I said, by the time this is uploaded, I hope it isn't. I hope that no news is out until later this week. So, yes, the viewerships can come in. But also, so I don't seem too nuts for doing this full 17 minutes, vent about Shohei and Soto, but enjoy this. And if it does happen, my goodness, the change in Toronto sports will be epic.
Shohei, Soto. Look, if they don't sign by the time you hear this episode or view this episode comment below if you think you know where they're going I said where I think they're going. I really do. But for some reason, when it comes to Shohei, my gut always goes towards the Dodgers.
And I'm really scared about that because know, you got to trust your gut. But there's something about Soto. I don't see anything else. It just seems that seeing him in Toronto blue seems like that fit. It almost seems too perfect that the Jays would almost get Shohei. They would strike out on Shohei, but then they would put all in for Juan Soto. That'd be such a Toronto move. You miss out on a player, but you trade the farm to try to get the other one.
Look, sign Shohei, then trade for Soto, shock the world, put respect on the name for the Blue Jays, bring the World Series back to Toronto. But let me remind you again, as fans, for the fourth time, if you're a Toronto fan, take a step back and enjoy it. A lot of moving parts still to happen and we'll likely know this week. So maybe by Wednesday's podcast or by next week's Monday edition of the game, me and Connor might be talking about the landing spot for both Shohei and Juan Soto.
David McKay here with the Game Sports Podcast. Talked a little baseball for you. Talked a little bit of Juan Soto and Shohei Otani. They must have been invading your TikTok or your Instagram. Why not added meat onto there. And while you're there, make sure you hit like phone subscribe and all the game platforms as well as the 91 n YouTube channel. I'm going to take a quick breather because I am going to allow Alex Parr to come on and we're going to be talking a little bit of hockey for the next 20 minutes or so before we conclude tonight's episode. So again, stay in Mckego the Game sports Podcast powered by 91 N we'll be right back with Alex Parr. Don't go anywhere. And welcome back to the game. Sports Podcast. David McKay continuing to host you on this episode. I am joined by the one, the only, Alex Parr. Alex, my friend.
[00:19:50] Speaker B: I need you to stall for me. Can you keep talking? I haven't finished setting up for your party.
[00:19:54] Speaker A: That's for.
[00:19:58] Speaker B: You'Re. Big.
You're a big party. You did what nobody ever thought you could do. I thought we should celebrate to our.
[00:20:04] Speaker A: Friends of the game.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: David won his week of fantasy. He's now not in dead last. He is tied for 11th.
[00:20:16] Speaker A: And that's not last, leaving in the process. Trust the process. The team that has been assembled for Hughes, your daddy, you got to believe in it as he blows up balloons I love par. Gets it all ready. His intros are dino. Look at last week when he spun in the Rick Flair robe.
If you know, you know.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: Yeah, it's hung up.
[00:20:41] Speaker A: You know what? I did get somebody saying, we got to talk a bit more wrestling on here. Yeah.
[00:20:47] Speaker B: Really?
[00:20:48] Speaker A: Don't ask me what's happening with me right now. We'll try to segue other things into different episodes in terms of wrestling and basketball, even golf, when the season's appropriate, but nonetheless what do you mean?
[00:21:04] Speaker B: Tiger woods just made his return. He just finished at a tournament. What do you mean in season?
[00:21:08] Speaker A: What I mean in terms of this, in segments. I'm going to try to fit in different segments into what show? So we will talk about other sports, but there's just other things we want to get to in this episode. And time is thin, but I can assure you that golf, basketball, wrestling, we will incorporate going forward on Mondays. We'll fit it in. Okay.
[00:21:27] Speaker B: On the opening segment, Sam Pong just returned to WWE. That's crazy. Big news.
I can't believe it. I honestly can't believe it.
[00:21:39] Speaker A: Since he's here every Monday, instead of yours truly opening the show and doing my own little rant segment, we'll have par. Come on. And we'll do a variety sports segment next week.
[00:21:48] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:21:48] Speaker A: We'll talk wrestling. We'll talk I'm drawing a blank right now. Why? Golf?
[00:21:52] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:21:53] Speaker A: Golf. Thank you. We'll talk about you said golf there and get some feedback for you next week. Okay, but I did tell everybody already what this segment is going to be about. It is top shelf. We're doing a top shelf segment right now. We're going to stick to top shelf being the second segment or third, the final segment of the show on Mondays. Okay? So we'll stick to that, but we'll get into the other news, I promise, Monday next week. All right? There you go. Strong as Oak. The promise? If you know that quote. You know that quote, Jerry Maguire.
Yeah.
[00:22:23] Speaker B: One last thing before we talk hockey.
We're in a playoff spot, baby. That's right. It's love season. I don't care. I'm in a Rogers jersey.
Eat your heart up, Kansas City. Yeah, that's right. That's right.
[00:22:38] Speaker A: If you're on audio, Alex Parr's wearing a Green Bay Packers jersey here today, and they had a big win against Kansas City, much to the help of the officials yesterday.
But.
[00:22:51] Speaker B: We get all the help. It's so funny. My friends will be talking to me about packers games or whatever. I'm like just you wait. We get all the calls. You wait and see what happens. But, I mean, mind you, that roughing the passer call. Roughing the passer unintentional.
Yeah. That was such a fucking garbage call. Are you kidding me?
[00:23:10] Speaker A: Call was the interference at the end. I couldn't see anything else. More past interference. But we're going to talk about that on Wednesday on the in the Pocket segment when we have hopefully EJ who's been off for a couple of weeks because Jay Blood join us and Justin. But Par, we got hockey. We'll get to it. I have a few topics and you can ask Par. I texted this to him. I said there was a planned out agenda. We don't follow a script on the show, but we have an agenda. We have topics that we want to get into. But yours truly lost that.
I can I remember it. No, sometimes I can't remember to put my shoes on some days. So some things I want to get into. There is multiple points that I do want to get into and one's about Steven Stamkos. I do want to get into a little teaser about the World Juniors and I would like to talk about William Neelander to a certain degree. And if there's time permits, I'll go to my other topic that I'm hoping to get to, but I'm not going to say what that is because I don't want to not get to it and get anyone's hopes.
[00:24:09] Speaker B: Ready. I'm ready to talk.
[00:24:11] Speaker A: So you want to start with Neelander before Stamcoast. You want to go? Okay. So why are we talking William Neelander? Let me tell you why we're talking William Neelander. If you talked to me two weeks ago, I would have said the same thing as to now. I want everybody to know that I did not change my opinion on Willie in any which way. Okay.
Willie Neelander. All right. I did say he has been the best Napelef at that point, which is true. He has still been the one probably more consistent, unless you don't want to count the last few games he has. So Willie Neelander has been very good this year. He has won games for Toronto single handedly, especially in Sweden. He must love playing in Sweden. Wonder why. But again, Willie Neelander is still Willie Neelander. And I'm going to say this flat because this is what's going to start the conversation.
If I'm Brad tree living, am I giving Neelander ten plus? No, I'm not.
Yes, someone is 100%. Is he worth ten the way he's playing? For sure, why not? He got guys that are getting more money. Is he better than Sebastian? Aho, yeah.
Two different players. One's more stronger, two way, the other one's better offensively. I think you know which one I'm talking about. So yeah. Aho got nine just around that nine area. Neelander is going to get ten. Okay. Where is he going to get that ten? I've said this for the last little bit. I've never said it on the show because I just didn't want to put this in the universe. But I'm going to Chicago. Chicago is going to be the team that I think will give Neelander money. But we're not talking about I think that Neelander is going to Chicago in the offseason. We're not talking about that. We're talking about Neelander himself. Despite the offensive excellence that he can provide, despite how he can win you games, despite his absolutely unbelievable style. Quote the nickname Willie Styles, the guy on the defensive end of the puck, never mind his badge, he's been okay this year at some points in it. Heck, he's played some PK time a couple of times earlier this year, but he is hot, cold. He's like me when I play E-A-S HL. If you know, you know, there's one game where if I'm sniping, let me tell you, I'm not missing anything. But if I don't, I am the worst player on the ice by a landslide, and we're talking a video game. Let me go back to reality. I'm just giving you an example.
Willie neelander. His laziness is still there.
That play in overtime, calling the bench. No, but let me tell you why that happened. Let's rewind at a minute 32 in the period he coasted off the ice. Coasted, he was tired, he wanted off. Sheldon Keefe puts him out there 40 seconds after exhausted. Let me tell you, I don't care what shape you're in, you're going to be tired. And who's still sitting on the bench in overtime? Who had the better game? Robertson, Domi guys are sitting on the bench that actually had a good game. And you put Noah Gregor out there in between. Not in between that.
[00:27:38] Speaker B: But, I mean.
[00:27:40] Speaker A: Robertson on the bench that could have played in substitute of Willie in that final play, because Neil Lander, I don't know what Keith was watching in that overtime, but that wasn't the Willie Styles that we've seen in overtime. His Laziness, when it's on his Laziness, it is like it is. No effort in the O zone or sorry, the D zone.
There's no effort.
[00:28:03] Speaker B: Hold on.
[00:28:04] Speaker A: There's a lot of effort in the O zone, of course, but there is the laziness of Willie D. Lander that has not stopped. Has not stopped, and it's still there.
Par, I'm going to give you the floor the last couple of games. Neelander has not been the knee since the beginning of the year, but he's not going to have 82 games of perfection. But this is why I'm talking about the $10 million. If I'm Toronto, I'm not paying it.
Teams will, and Toronto can't pay it because of who they pay other players. That's the other reason why as well, as much as I would love for him to stay, but his laziness, par, there's still areas of the game that play costed Toronto, but also Jake McCabe costed the game by him coasting to the bench. And Tavares, that look did not look good on him either. Coasting, so but Tavares has stone boots already as it is, so he wouldn't have. Gotten back even if he fucking tried? I don't think so. You can put the blame there. But Willie blew a tire because the guy's exhausted, dude. And Keith played him at the wrong time. And he did not play that good as of late, especially against Boston, and he didn't see that brilliance. I didn't see that flair. And when he's off, he's off.
[00:29:20] Speaker B: I saw two different players this year. Where 88 for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I saw Newlander up until Sweden, and then I saw this guy right here, and what does he do since he's been home?
He floats all over. And like you said, you can preface it with all these nice things. He's so great. He's so pretty. God, I wish I had his hair.
But he doesn't care all the time.
He has been the league's best playoff performer the last, what, two, three years? And without a doubt, it hasn't even been close. Hasn't been close like he has been so lights out in the playoffs. And like I said, last episode season is too long. You don't need to put in 100% all year round. If you know you got a team that you can just coast into the playoffs with and then try, then that's fine. You can do that.
This is him doing it. This is him being like, okay, I got all this chatter going, the fans are loving me. I got that hilarious Rogers commercial, which I actually thought was like, really good. It's a pretty good commercial. Now my agents running it up, we're talking 1213 million. Not actually. Not actually.
So what does he need to do now? He could just fucking coast. It doesn't matter. December, who cares? Uniplast club.
[00:30:49] Speaker A: Not Willie.
[00:30:50] Speaker B: Yeah, he's not going to get a lump of coal by any means.
He's just going to coast.
Let's check in on him in March, too.
[00:31:03] Speaker A: The identity and I have never chirped Brad and Par to second this. I never chirped brad. Heck, I never even chirped know. I know we talked dubas last week. I know we chirped Dubas last week, but I gave credit to Brad for trying, right?
I'm not saying Dubas didn't, because last year's deadline, he'd made some moves for Toronto. Tree living's brought in Bertuzzi Domi. I've liked the domi sign. There's been this with Domi, right? Bertuzi, yeah.
[00:31:32] Speaker B: Like Domi's been good. After the first half month, he's been good.
[00:31:37] Speaker A: I'm giving him kudos for trying. I am. I pointed fingers at guys like Marner, who started slow, but shelving keith still juggling his lines. I'm still seeing that same team despite all this change that are on the ice. That's bringing the same that now they have that edge, right? That fight in them, that dog in them that people look for, but they're not showing it, do they? Ryan Reeves signing. We're not going there.
[00:32:10] Speaker B: Sign him to play him for like, what, three minutes a night and do nothing and you think John De Veris is beat Ryan Reeves? I could beat Ryan Reeves in a foot race.
[00:32:22] Speaker A: Lafferty is flourishing in Vancouver, but we're not going to go to if. Ands I want to keep this on point with Neelander. My whole point with Willie Neelander is that you put the nail on the head. The float season is in right now for Willie. It's that time of the year, but it still feels like par. This is the same team that we've seen the past five years. It doesn't matter who they've brought in. They could have brought in Keeta Zadorov, which they really struck out on that. But besides the point, money is a problem, but they could have brought in I'd rather somebody tough. And it's probably still wouldn't have changed anything because it's just the identity, it seems like, and I talked about it last week, culture in the room. Tavares and Keith, right? Tavares. The guy who didn't back check in overtime, willie, who got he couldn't get up in overtime because he was so exhausted. The only guy that tried on that back check was Morgan Riley, who I've given nothing but praise the last few years.
I love Morgan.
That's not his fault. The guy had eleven shots in overtime. He had more shots in overtime than he did in the first period in that game. But again, Willie and Elander, the guy when he's lazy. He is lazy.
I can't think of too many lazy players when somebody is on their lazy point and it's him. But he's been off the last few games and.
[00:33:50] Speaker B: Point streaks over time to adjust. What was it, 1617 games? You guys got this.
I'll be over here and nobody's off it's, just waiting. Oh, the puck's in the corner. No, you guys, it got you guys got it.
[00:34:05] Speaker A: I wanted to bring him up because no one's pointing enough fingers at him for that overtime. A lot of the fingers are going to Keef to a degree, because he.
[00:34:15] Speaker B: Yeah, it should be. Why the hell are you playing him? He's so gas. He did that all the time. He runs fucking Neelander for a two and a half minute shift in overtime. The game before and then who's the first shooter in the shootout? William fucking why?
You don't need to Keef, which is.
[00:34:32] Speaker A: Warranted, but McCabe and Tavares, which is warranted to a the effort going off the ice is what I point. But a lot of people haven't been pointing at Willie meelander. But it wasn't his fault that overtime because he was just getting overused.
But when he gets overused in plays and if things don't work out for him, he just gives up. He says, Fuck this, I don't care anymore. That's his attitude. Seems like.
[00:34:59] Speaker B: When we were talking about Ryan Marie started to go a little bit off topic here. I was thinking about how slow he looks and I wanted to say he looks like he's 300 pounds skating on ice because of how slow he is, how he's 226. And that completely ruins this game. But yeah, great call. There's no extra ten on there.
[00:35:17] Speaker A: They take ten off.
[00:35:23] Speaker B: That dude looks like that guy looks like Dustin Buffalo in his offseason prime.
[00:35:27] Speaker A: I have not wanted somebody at the time more in Toronto because I think he would have been a fucking beauty in Toronto.
[00:35:34] Speaker B: No, you wouldn't. You would have got sucked into everything else. And they go, oh, nobody here really cares.
[00:35:39] Speaker A: It seems like it's the same image every year and every year every media is talking about the same thing. Everyone's getting their hopes up. Everyone's okay. They have a little spell. Okay, they lost some gay. Okay, they're hot now. Oh, my God. They're winning the cup. Oh, they lost four in a row. Trade. Trade, everybody. Trade. Trade. Every oh, no, they won another five games. We're good.
[00:36:00] Speaker B: Because idiots like us eat that shit up. And if people eat it up, then they're going to keep doing it.
[00:36:06] Speaker A: Toronto Maple beliefs. It's a story that's going to what do you mean?
[00:36:11] Speaker B: I can win in a video game? Beliefs can't win shit.
[00:36:15] Speaker A: But yes, it's a point. It's like a story, right? So you're trying to get that entertainment. It's what it feels like. And it's an entertainment carousel that is just going around and around and around and around to no end when's it going to end. You know, that's why last segment when I was talking about Otani and Soto going off topic, dreams.
Dreams. That's what's imprinted. And here as a Toronto fan, it's know, you're going to get this, you're going to get this hopes up. Let's just sit back and try the.
[00:36:47] Speaker B: Raptors won to sit back and try.
[00:36:50] Speaker A: To enjoy the talent. You get so frustrated because you're so invested. Speaking of invested par, switching gears, Steven Stamkos. Okay, buddy's. Been captain since long time. I don't have the year up.
[00:37:05] Speaker B: Long time.
[00:37:06] Speaker A: Somebody that yeah.
[00:37:08] Speaker B: Were you just going to guess? Say it, as a matter of fact, have hands up.
[00:37:12] Speaker A: I don't know.
I am going to guess. 2000.
Oh my no.
[00:37:21] Speaker B: I'm going to guess.
No.
March 2014.
[00:37:28] Speaker A: He's been the captain for March 2014.
[00:37:30] Speaker B: Almost ten years in Tampa.
[00:37:31] Speaker A: And he's had success. He's made the Cup Final a couple of times. He lost against Chicago in 2015, I believe was that year.
They won. Multiple cups. He's been successful. They've had good runs in the playoffs. He's a good leader. To be honest, he's had more success than Tavares has in his career. That's just flat. I'll say it. It's duh obvious, but I remember Stamcoast when he was younger, davey Frozen and the kid was always known as just above everybody else. Above everybody else. Tampa Bay drafts him, right.
He goes to an organization that ends up they had to go through a little retooling before he came. Cap. I know. They had to bring know Kuchroff was young. Vashilevsky was young. There's a little slight retooling when they traded San Luis and they traded La Cavallier. There's some slight retooling there. Eisenman went there and really changed the culture of that team. Eisenman is the best GM in hockey. I'm going to tell you that right now. Despite Justin Hall. That's his worst signing. But besides that, you think Steve Eisenman's.
[00:38:33] Speaker B: The best GM in hockey?
Why do you think Steve Eisenman is.
[00:38:38] Speaker A: The best done in Tampa Bay from the farm system up in his image is just his footprint and the way that he played it's, the respect of his players.
[00:38:49] Speaker B: Did he win either one of those Cups? I don't think he did. Did he?
[00:38:54] Speaker A: So the Breeze wasn't he gone before that? You're right. But who built that team?
[00:38:59] Speaker B: Oh, okay.
And then Eiserman goes to Detroit and they're mediocre or bad for the Lap his entire tenure. Except for this year. Except for this year.
[00:39:10] Speaker A: Who is Eisenman?
Breach breeze BLA. Yeah, Eiserman. Look, Eisenman's not the point. Steven Samkos is the point. They're not giving that guy an extension yet, and they said he doesn't want to talk throughout the year. Do I think he's going to leave Tampa? No. At the end of the day, do I think he's going Toronto? No, I don't think he's yeah, he's.
[00:39:32] Speaker B: Going to go to Toronto for league.
[00:39:34] Speaker A: Edmonton for league.
[00:39:37] Speaker B: No. McDavid's actually coming, though. That's the is he is that's why Dave doesn't want to come on. He doesn't want to fucking face the.
[00:39:46] Speaker A: Fact I think it's disrespectful that Tampa Bay hasn't given him an extension.
But what's your take, Bart? Honestly, the guy's won cups. He's been your captain. Loyalty. He's an inaugural piece in that locker room. He's massive in terms of his stature, his footprint in Tampa disrespect is real for not giving that guy a contract.
[00:40:09] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, depending on how much he loves living in Florida and not paying any taxes, if I'm him, I'm already gone, so that's just me.
How much more can you do for an organization? I mean, he made them completely relevant in a place that doesn't really give a shit.
[00:40:25] Speaker A: Brutal arena, too, by the way. Their arena. No, I saw pictures.
[00:40:30] Speaker B: You've been there.
Why weren't you there?
[00:40:36] Speaker A: Married to her at the.
[00:40:41] Speaker B: Oh, she's just watching hockey, like, set up for an arena.
[00:40:43] Speaker A: It's really not it's not a great setup, but we're not talking about the arena in Tampa. Steven Stamcoast, Tampa Bay. Open your wallet. Pay the guy. He's the reason why you've had success along with Kucharov and Bashilevsky. Don't get me wrong, there's been a lot going on as Par shows a picture of Connor McDavid with a Leaf jersey.
I love that. If you're on video, you're seeing a treat right now. Connor McDavid with the video on video wearing a Toronto Maple Leaf jersey.
And we'll see how Oiler fans react to that as now the oilers have won a few games in a row and they're starting to come out of the bushes.
World Juniors. Par, we're not going to talk World Junior preview because we do a preview show.
[00:41:34] Speaker B: You need Dane for that. That's his bread and butter in the.
[00:41:36] Speaker A: Preview show or anything this week. It wouldn't be this week anyways. But we were looking at the US roster and I'm not going to go back and pull it up. And Par doesn't need to pull it up either. But a lot of draftees. I just feel that USA Hockey is really coming big right now. A lot in the youth side in the NHL. We already know how good they are. A lot of players.
[00:42:00] Speaker B: I can't name you one good American hockey player.
[00:42:03] Speaker A: Just one. They have the not one pending in the NHL by far.
[00:42:09] Speaker B: Yeah, they do.
A little bit better than Canada, as.
[00:42:14] Speaker A: You think, is the only option that Canada has. And after Cart is.
[00:42:23] Speaker B: Thirsty. Kemper.
[00:42:25] Speaker A: That's a problem. We got a problem in Canada. Net and then goalies in general in hockey, man, unless you're American. That's just really praising the Americans. So obviously not, but it seems like goaltending is getting worse in hockey. Am I crazy for saying that it's getting worse?
[00:42:42] Speaker B: Well, it is, because the league is encouraged to be faster and score more. How often do you see as many players as they do score 100 points? You don't. It's not that goaltending is becoming worse. It's just that goal scores. And not that long ago, the league was making goalies pads smaller and equipment smaller, and goals put asses in seats.
[00:43:02] Speaker A: Jerseys, not hockey in the early thousands. That doesn't sell, but it wins.
[00:43:08] Speaker B: No. And the league wanted to get away from that. Look, I don't know if you've seen that commercial where it's talking about, is this the best hockey's ever been in?
Yeah, without a doubt.
It's so fun. It's so fast. There's so much skill. All the teams are truly like you can name a good player on every team. Yeah. San Jose garvey blah, blah, blah. Whatever. Oh, shit. On the oilers. They're bad. No? The competition level is so high between.
[00:43:38] Speaker A: All 32, despite look at the Atlantic. Look at that division. Right?
It is the most competitive division.
[00:43:46] Speaker B: Next.
[00:43:46] Speaker A: I think the metropolitan. I think the Metropolitan is really competitive.
[00:43:49] Speaker B: Are you sure?
Are you going to disrespect the La Kings right now and not talk like.
[00:43:57] Speaker A: They'Re the best team in hockey if everyone knows?
[00:44:02] Speaker B: I picked him up in Fantasy on waivers. Oh, my God. That guy is so good. He is so good. I picked up Cam Taldit, the best goalie in our league, on waivers when I told you to go pick up a goalie?
Yeah. What's your record again? What's your record again?
And you know who you're tied with? A guy that auto drafted my team hungover in Italy.
[00:44:26] Speaker A: That's worse.
[00:44:29] Speaker B: I changed my name actually, I'm not changing nothing.
Jason robbed my first pick.
[00:44:37] Speaker A: But there's honestly, the Atlantic Division is the most competitive in my opinion. I always said that. And you could tell by the standings. But par. I know we're at 25 and I wanted to cap it at this point, but I kind of want to say this topic, but I wanted to save it for Dane because we've talked about it. I tried to look back and when I got home today I'll try to look back and there's at least a dozen times that we've talked about this. Heck, it's the reason why EJ got put on the show. Fun fact of the but. And we'll maybe get into more detail about it when Dane comes back on.
Shootouts are the worst fucking thing that I have ever seen in hockey.
I want to propose something for overtime. It's got to be ten minute three on three. That needs to be the start is ten minute three on three. And if that doesn't work, let's go all out here.
Five minutes, two on two. That's it. And if the game ends, no shootout. It's like guessing your sister. You're getting a fucking tie. If you can't get the win after that, it's called a tie. Remember those ties. Shootouts are the worst things ever. I don't even care about my rule suggestion. Whatever. Shootouts suck. Shootouts don't dictate a game. I don't know. I'm over.
[00:46:05] Speaker B: Not let's go back a couple of steps here. Did you really suggest two on two on NHL size?
[00:46:13] Speaker A: Why not? Why not?
[00:46:16] Speaker B: Because that's inhumane. That's inhumane to ask those people to go out there and skate that.
[00:46:22] Speaker A: Use your bench. Two on two. If you can't score in two on two, I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what you're going to have a two on one, right? Nine times out of ten you're going to gamble in the two on one. And then the one guy is going to be high, gets a save. Fired up, you got a breakaway. It's like having a shootout but on steroids. It's literally going to be quick like this. And I love it. I love it. And it wouldn't get the two on two anyways. It wouldn't get there ten minutes of three on three. There's no way it gets to there no way.
[00:46:49] Speaker B: While I agree that the shootout is not the way to end a game, I don't think two on two is the option. I don't want ties. Ties put a bad taste in my mouth. I'd rather either be really happy or really bad. And I don't want to be in that middle ground. Give me something to yell about either way.
But the only thing I would change, keep the three and three. Let it go for as long as it needs to. Somebody's going to fucking score eventually. Just keep putting Elander out there when he's gas and I'm sure the team's bound to score.
Make it three points for a win, two points for an overtime win, one point for an overtime loss, and zero points for a regulation loss. Do it the way that all the world events are done. It's the best way to do it. And honestly, it doesn't really change much. Like, if you look at most NHL seasons, there's not really a whole lot of movement when it comes to it. Some seasons, there would be no movement at all. So it wouldn't be that big of a change. But I feel like it would be more know, these Leafs have been winning these games in overtime, and everybody's like, oh, well, they still got the two. Well, no, no. What if they didn't? Well, I mean, they still would in this scenario, get two points, but only two out of the three.
[00:47:56] Speaker A: I like that it's the same thing, but that zero points is big. Like, you lose that, that's big.
It might still equal out in the same into a certain degree, but not even. It just feels like that's such a big separation. And I don't mind that recommendation, but I don't want to get too deep into it, because one time this segment went for an hour because we got into this talk, and I just want to put it out there. That. Yeah. My suggestion for two and two is probably a little crazy, but there is one realistic thing that could happen in overtime when they're on one on one, when you have a power play. Not four on three, three on two.
Why not?
[00:48:42] Speaker B: Because they've never ever played anything, ever. With two.
[00:48:46] Speaker A: Try something different.
Whatever gets rid of shootouts. I'm a happy guy. I remember when there used to be penalty shots and you saw this at home. You'd be like, oh, you're getting up off your couch. You'd be excited because shootouts never happened. Or sorry, penalty shots never happened. Sorry. You see where my head is at now? Penalty shots. You saw that by then, you yell at me and my dad were watching games. Oh, you get all excited with your friends and you're up. You're watching it like this on your screen. You're zoomed in. You're like this on your screen.
[00:49:18] Speaker B: You're going to come kiss me.
[00:49:20] Speaker A: But I want to see a penalty shot. This is me.
[00:49:25] Speaker B: No, it's not. A penalty shot is so much different.
[00:49:28] Speaker A: Than a shootout fun anymore?
[00:49:31] Speaker B: Oh, fuck off.
Yeah. Okay. We'll start getting you some pamphlets and looking at some old age home.
You think a penalty shot is not exciting anymore because of shootout?
[00:49:49] Speaker A: Sure. Yeah. I'm not as excited as I used to be. I'm not excited as I used to be. When I've ever seen a penalty shot. I used to do fist pumps. Right. Get excited. You're all like this on the screen. I'm getting really close to my camera. I probably can glitch.
[00:50:02] Speaker B: Yeah, you're getting super close topic.
[00:50:06] Speaker A: That's very big. On this show. It's actually a thing that got EJ on the show. I talked about it. But back on my point, get rid of the shootouts and just change it for anything. I don't care if it's Parr's idea, my idea. I don't care if you draw names out of a hat to who goes on the ice. I don't really give a shit what you do. I don't care if you got to get rid of your coach and a fan come on down has to coach your team. I don't care if the goalie's got to put player gear on and you got to put Austin Matthews in it. I don't care. Just get rid of the shootouts. I'm over it because.
[00:50:40] Speaker B: Imagine that a fan vote of what player has to go in net.
[00:50:44] Speaker A: Who are you putting in net for? Toronto. Who are you putting in?
[00:50:47] Speaker B: All right.
Well, it would have to be like three predetermined options, right? So who would you want to vote on? Ryan Reeves, number 100%. I want to see Reeves. I want to see Keith and I want to see Marner.
[00:51:07] Speaker A: Bigger goalie.
[00:51:08] Speaker B: Marner.
[00:51:08] Speaker A: I'm going to go with Reeves. Jaredano and Marner. Jaredano leads a team and block shots. I just got to feel like he.
[00:51:14] Speaker B: Has a weird it really shouldn't be Marner. Like you don't want this guy getting injured, but could you just imagine you're sitting in your seat getting ready, getting ready for and now please turn your attention to the video screen, pull out your smartphone devices and get ready to vote.
Who's going to be the goalies tonight between the Leafs and the Bruins?
[00:51:36] Speaker A: Now shooting for the Edmonton Oilers, connor McDavid. I guess. Mitch.
[00:51:42] Speaker B: I thought you were going to say Stuart Skinner.
Yeah.
Goes between the legs. Merrick Malik and fucking roofs it.
Stuart Skinner goes top shelf on Noah Gregor to end this one.
[00:51:59] Speaker A: All because our podcast recommended an abysmal rule change. You gotta love it. Gotta love it.
[00:52:06] Speaker B: It just hard cuts to the office and Gary Benman closes his laptop of this episode and goes, guys, they're onto something. We got to do this.
[00:52:14] Speaker A: I said to my assistant, I want to see what they said and I heard it and I said, holy crap, we did it. Next, I am going to bring Atlanta.
[00:52:23] Speaker B: Back in the league.
[00:52:24] Speaker A: Let's do it.
[00:52:28] Speaker B: We're actually going to remove all seven teams from Canada and put them all.
[00:52:32] Speaker A: In failing markets in the know. Another team in Florida. Why not? Let's do that. Point of it all is change the shootout, please. And that was my spoiler topic and we spent time doing it. But par we'll save that. We'll table that for maybe another situation when there's another shootout situation that not enjoying.
[00:52:51] Speaker B: So basically you want to save it for a time where the Leafs lose in a shootout so you can be super mad about how shootouts are bullshit.
[00:52:57] Speaker A: I'm going to be honest with you wins a win, dude. Wins a win.
[00:53:01] Speaker B: I don't care.
This year.
I've never in my life seen a team lose the game and then win the same game.
I texted my grandpa like, oh, my God, I can't believe they won that game. I've never seen that before. He goes, what are you talking about? People like, you turned it off.
[00:53:20] Speaker A: I saw the ref go to the game's. Not done. I know Hannah wanted to put on a movie. I had a feeling. I saw the ref and I was.
[00:53:32] Speaker B: Joey Walls halfway down the hall. You already told the bus driver to get the fucking to start the bus and get a move in here.
[00:53:39] Speaker A: It's been fun. This has been the game. Sports Podcast powered by 91 N. It's been Dave McCaig hosting you for this evening, obviously. Alex Parr joining, as he does every Monday. Absent again this week, and I will point it out, dane Hantrow for the third straight week.
[00:53:56] Speaker B: Dave, you know that he can't control when people's birthdays are.
[00:53:59] Speaker A: Yes, and I can't control when you have to repeatedly remind you that you're on the Monday edition of the Game Sports Podcast.
[00:54:07] Speaker B: But, oh, wait, don't wrap up yet. I'm going to the Leaf Senators game on Thursday. What do you want me to keep a keen eye out for? To report back to you on Monday.
[00:54:17] Speaker A: With that matters in terms of effort line changes, keeps reactions on the bench. Ottawa.
[00:54:25] Speaker B: Oh, budy. I'm like five rows from the ceiling, man. I don't know if I'll be able.
[00:54:31] Speaker A: To see facial reaction of exactly what we've been watching for the past five years. And what is that, you may ask? Inconsistent play.
How's that?
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[00:55:12] Speaker B: It has been fun. Oh, I got one more question. I'm sorry. I got so many questions. Just full of them. Full of it. You said you want me to come back with Odball Sports next.
You said get some different wacky.
[00:55:27] Speaker A: We're going to have a variety segment next week. We'll talk golf, we'll talk a little bit. I'm drawing a blank. Wrestling. We'll talk a little basketball.
[00:55:36] Speaker B: Dude, I can't believe we're talking about golf next week, man. Tiger woods just came back and we're talking about it next week. Are you kidding me? Got the freaking Tiger Nike cap on.
[00:55:46] Speaker A: Right now for a quick little episode or a quick segment?
[00:55:51] Speaker B: Yeah. No, that's football. You guys do football by then, it's still irrelevant. It's still if you want it's, okay? It's still irrelevant. By then, nobody cares. He finished, like fucking, like third last or something, but he did it. He says he wants to come back to one tournament a month. And I said, give me that in my veins.
No, not everybody. I can think of a few people that definitely do not love Tiger.
[00:56:17] Speaker A: But again, this has been the game. Sports Podcast We've had a great episode here, and I hope for the love of anything holy that Shohei and Juan Soto haven't been signed or traded, respectively before this is uploaded for time's sake of my life. Again. This is the game sports podcast. Dave McKay Holson and Alex Parr. On behalf of him, we appreciate you for stopping on by and tuning in. We hope you enjoy our new and improved Reels Shorts clips getting uploaded. The feedback has been tremendous on that and it's a lot of work. So speaking of all that work, hit like follow and subscribe on all the platforms. It really goes a long way for us and helps us bring you this content. Despite how much we like doing it, we have a big staff that like to do it. We also get the extra encouragement from you being involved, and we appreciate that here on the game. We've been around for over eight years, pretty near, so it's a long time, long running podcast for a reason. It's because of you. Until Wednesday, I'm here to remind you, keep your stick on the ice, swing your bats, catch your touchdowns, drain your threes, and shoot your shots. Booyah.
