Tortured Playoffs Department | The Game Sports Podcast

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to another edition of the Game Sports podcast. It is David McCagg, host of the game powered by 91 Network. Tonight on the game. In the first segment, I will be joined by Alex Parr, talking all things NHL. And yes, that includes a Toronto Maple leaf's disappointing end to their season. In the second segment will be me, joined by Paul van Wagner and Justin Heikel, giving you some bonus in the pocket coverage, and yet some more NHL playoff coverage. Let's go. It's time for the game sports podcast is your host, David McCaig. Junior. I am joined by Alex Parr. Let's bring him on in. Alex, my friend, how we doing? [00:00:41] Speaker B: Just another day. Woke up on the same side of the bed as I always do Sunday. Got a coffee, did a little bit of grocery shopping, a little bit of cleaning. Just another day is something different? Did something happen? Are you okay? [00:00:53] Speaker A: Actually, there is one thing I could point out. My background is different. Oh, yeah. No, it is. [00:00:58] Speaker B: Oh, it looks like you took your leash jerseys down. [00:01:01] Speaker A: I have no idea why I took down the leaf jersey. I was living in a nightmare yesterday. I could tell you about that dream, but I feel like I shouldn't tell you. That dream joke. Yeah. Was it a dream? Oh, it was real. It happened. [00:01:14] Speaker B: Well, I don't know. Last night I just threw on a movie I'd seen before. I really hate the ending, but I. At least I know what to expect. I've seen the movie a lot of times, so. [00:01:22] Speaker A: Yeah, it's one of those times you put on the movie. You don't know what you're trying to decide when you're watching the significant other. It's like, do I. Do you want to watch this? You can't decide to go through Netflix, go through Amazon, whatever. Free plugs, free ads. You're welcome. Netflix and Amazon don't need it, though. [00:01:33] Speaker B: Yeah, they need us. [00:01:35] Speaker A: They. They just said, okay, let's put this on. You know, you can have the snacks, you can have your beverages. You can do whatever you need to do. And you just know what the ending is gonna be. But you always find a way to get your hopes up. You always. There's. Or maybe not your hopes. Maybe you're like, oh, yes. Maybe this is it. Whatever way of you think of hope or optimism or, you know, just a slight bit of positivity or that. Just that false sense of hope, let's call it. And then you just get deflated. Sorry. That bubble or pop that I just. It might have hurt your ears a little bit. I apologize, but it was a good way to put it. Little needle, a little bit different for me. [00:02:11] Speaker B: I, I've seen the movie before. I knew how it was going to end, so I just, I knew what I was getting into. So I didn't have any expectations one way or another. I just. This is what it is. [00:02:23] Speaker A: It is one thing that didn't change my background, though. Well, obviously the Paul Mall jersey remains the Vlad jersey. There it is. Was actually. [00:02:30] Speaker B: You might want to take that one down next here. [00:02:32] Speaker A: Yeah, for. Right. But this up here. There we go. This is the coolest thing in my background and I. If you're on audio, you don't want to point at. If you're on video, you're seeing it. The Death Star. I think that's my coolest thing in the background. I know our friend and analyst of the show, Dane Hantro agrees to that. And Dane is actually ill today. And as par mentioned, we're recording this on Sunday, the Game sports podcast. Obviously, I didn't talk about this in our very quick, brief opener that I gave you, the layout of the show. But we're going to be going back to doing pre recordings and recordings for Sunday and Monday. So we can upload on Mondays the Game sports podcast. We'll be getting back to its original roots on Mondays for uploads. And we're remaining at one new show a week, at least for likely the summer. And there will be times where we do bi weekly shows because we will have more special edition shows just like Rod Black's episode that's gonna be coming out later this week as well, which is a great episode was recorded at the end of December. A great time though, to upload his show. Cause he was talking about his son there. And his son had his first major league hit recently, so. Oh, no way. [00:03:34] Speaker B: That's cool. [00:03:35] Speaker A: Very cool stuff. Obviously, Rob Black's a legend when it comes to broadcasting. And I was thinking part before we get into talking about hockey. And I know our time, I don't want to go into too much of this, but maybe we can do this on another show is I want to do like the Mount Rushmore of the game sports podcast broadcasting. Guests that we've had on the show. Obviously broads a future one, just ones. [00:03:56] Speaker B: That have been on the show, been. [00:03:58] Speaker A: On the show as a guest. Obviously, James Duthie will probably be a very likely one. There's a lot of people to choose from. Luke Gazdick's now who's a main friend and source of the show. Right. There's. We've obviously had some, some other names I won't get into because maybe just search our history and see those videos and check those out, but ultimately be great to have that episode up. So it's giving you a little reminder that if you don't see us uploaded on a week that may be on our off week as the summer is a little bit slower when it comes to our new shows, but we still do upload clips and we do follow the big news and do special editions. So don't worry. The game sports podcast as you covered. But like I said, the background changed, but the narrative didn't change when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leaf, obviously we got some time here par and the NHL playoffs, if you're okay with it. I kind of want to talk about a little updated bracket as the second round approaches and we'll save the leaves for the last bit of the show so that we know how much time we can follow. The the second round is upon us tonight. The Dallas Stars play against Vegas. We don't know how that is going to go. One of them is going to be playing Colorado in the second round. [00:05:03] Speaker B: Who's your pick? Quick? [00:05:05] Speaker A: Dallas. [00:05:06] Speaker B: I pick Vegas. [00:05:07] Speaker A: You pick in Vegas. Obviously Vegas is likely going to be the favorite given who they are, but I want them out. But we'll see if that actually happens by. This is uploaded. The other rounds are all determined, though. You got Vancouver, Edmonton. It's going to be a fantastic series. Series. [00:05:19] Speaker B: I'm excited for Twitter to blow up because like, I'm a big Twitter guy, so yeah, like a man. Those two fan bases are already going at each other. I saw someone call like, I like the names I've seen tossed around is crazy and they haven't even faced off yet. [00:05:33] Speaker A: So honestly, it's so unfortunate that they got to play each other in the second round rather than playing the conference finals, but they both would have to get there either way. So it's ultimately, you have a team that hasn't won a cup before in a city that riots when they lose. Sorry, Vancouver fans. Then you got a team that Edmonton that's just been hot, right? Slow start this year and they've, since the coaching change, they haven't looked back and McDavid doing McDavid things and so on. But I usually have a thing because Toronto usually gets eliminated in the first round. So I'm used to not watching much playoff after just following it on sake of the show, but I think I'm going to watch those games. I'm very excited for that. Series. I think it's going to be good. The other series is, I'm not going to lie. I'll follow, follow it as a sports podcast host. So I give accurate news, but I ain't going to be watching those games. I'm a little bit, I'm at that point of each year where I'm at the I don't care to watch point because I'm disappointed, as baby as that may sound. But you got the, obviously Colorado playing whomever will final tonight. You got the all canadian series. And the other side, you got a rematch of last year's first round between Florida Boston. Then the second round you got the Carolina Hurricanes in New York from the other side. They're actually starting today. They actually, puck drops in a couple hours based on the one we're recording here Sunday afternoon. So great series is that we're going to see either way. Just doesn't matter who wins, Dallas and Vegas, whoever plays Colorado. It's going to be a great series either way. And I think that's going to be the second best series of the, of the second round. I'm going to put Florida Boston as the third best series when it comes to New York and Carolina. Carolina, I think, is going to bully New York a little bit, but that's just really, that's, oh, I'm, I'm liking Carolina this year. Originally, my pick was Toronto Edmonton cup final. We know that's wrong, so let's put the cat of the bit. Hey, hey. I went with that pick at the beginning of the year. You can't change your pick at the end of the year. That's my philosophy. But it was, it's very hard to see, first off, Boston beating Florida. It would have been hard for seeing Toronto beat Florida. Okay. Like, Florida looks really, really, really good. All right. But Carolina this year, I think some different about Carolina, but we'll see, we'll see. We won't. We'll save that for maybe the third round if truly Carolina does get to that point. But it's going to be an exciting second round matchups either way. You got some good storylines there, but there's some teams that aren't in the second round, to name a few. Winnipeg jets aren't in the second round. And of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs are not in the second round. If you're thinking of Canada, no surprise that Tampa, Washington, the Islanders, the Kings or Nashville are not there. Okay. It will be a surprise if Dallas doesn't get there or Vegas. But guess what? They're playing each other in the first round. So either one, someone's not going on. So, you know, I want to talk about Winnipeg briefly. First. I was surprised that they lost four one to Colorado par. I really think that they had a chance to beat Colorado this year. And do I thought the goaltending matchup was in their favor defensively, not really. I thought maybe Winnipeg's bit more defensive. But Colorado has those big names back there offensively, just bigger, stronger. But guys like McKinnon and Ranton just took over that series and they've won before. They know how to win those tight playoff games. So do you think it's a disappointment that they lost in Winnipeg? Do you think that it's a series that they should have won? They let get through their fingertips? [00:08:46] Speaker B: Well, yeah, I mean they had the best goalie in the league, but unfortunately the hellebuch himself and the team got hot at the wrong time. That's why you don't want to be too good too early and because you just can't. You can't bring it through from October all the way until June. Being number one the whole way through, there's going to be ups and downs. You kind of want to catch the up at the right time. Yeah. And it's so weird to me that so many people were so high on Winnipeg to the fact that they couldn't believe Colorado won. Like it's Colorado. [00:09:21] Speaker A: Guilty. [00:09:22] Speaker B: Who did we forget? Like it seems like a lot of people just forgot how good Colorado is. They're what, two years removed from winning a Stanley cup? People were all basically, yeah, exact same roster. I mean, Noland is gone right now. Maybe he comes back. Maybe. Oh my goodness, that'd be crazy. It'd be like Stam coast when he came back for three shifts and this day like a final. Scored a goal and had to go again. But yeah, disappointment for Winnipeg for sure. You'd think you could win at least two games or have hellabuck not let in five goals for a game. But it is what it is. And yeah, I mean, it's good to see Colorado move on. They're a really talented team. [00:09:58] Speaker A: So one thing I heard somebody tell me and I, it was a close source and they said that Winnipeg fans, you know, this year they had a lot of up and down with attendance, right? And. But they all showed up in the playoffs. You know, when, when you play hockey in Winnipeg, I think the fan base is good in Winnipeg. I think they are loyal fans. They're hard nose fans. I have a, I know people that are live in Winnipeg through my full time job that are actually work with, like, with. Well, not work, but I mean, they. There's, the community involvement is massive there in Winnipeg and the leadership there. Shovel day off has been there since day one. Shovel day off has been there since day one. [00:10:36] Speaker B: I think this year was a 01:00 a.m.. [00:10:38] Speaker A: I, right? Yeah. There you go. He's been there since day one and he hasn't changed the team. And I thought this was the best, best, the best built team that he's done. Like, truly, I think I thought it was. Obviously there's some kinks to still work out. But again, you said the key thing there. Par Colorado. How do you forget. Yeah, Colorado, like how, like, yeah, Winnipeg's built for playoff hockey, but performance always outweighs everything. And McKinnon is. He's literally almost like he takes over the game, that guy. He's a top, top three player in the league. Top three. And when you have a guy of that level on your team, like a McDavid, who's there in the top three as well, number one is McDavid. Number three. I still like to say maybe Crosby would be, but it's dry side, all right? It's somebody else. But ultimately, these guys can take over a game in a series. And Colorado did that, and they didn't look back. And I think whoever, Dallas, if it's Dallas or Vegas, I don't know if I see either team beating Colorado. I really don't know if I see it. Either team. Either team. And if it is Vegas, I hope they get swapped by Colorado. You can tell my hate for Vegas. Okay? I think. I think of them alongside a lot of people for that. But now par the Toronto Maple Leafs. If you haven't realized, Toronto Maple Leaf fan base was running the team out of town about a week ago because they're down three one. But if you look back at 2013, the same layout of this happened, minus the four one deficit. Boston coming back to win. We still lost in overtime. You still lose in overtime as a Toronto fan. But Lee's fan base gets that optimism back. They get their two wins. They battle back. They win overtime in Boston. Game five, game six. Willie Nylander. Big one at the end. Joseph Wall tries to make a big save at the end when it doesn't matter and gets hurt and loses the. Shut up. Nothing against Sammy in the game seven. That's not shots to Sammy. It is not. But ultimately you get to game seven and fans are already panicking. By 03:00 p.m.. Because you don't know about wall. You got biz nasty singing an Oasis remix about Joseph Wall that we shared. Matthews is the NRL. People don't want him in because they won without him. Okay. Fan base was just all hope and they go into game seven. You have the one nothing lead. Short lived. Very short lived. Minute 30 after Lindholm says, did you forget that you're Toronto? Then they go into overtime and then this shittiest but smartest goal is what causes it. I. Yeah, it was. You know, that was. That was planned. That was planned. I. I don't know the mic up situation, but when pasta knack gave the puck to Lindholm, he said something like he would. You can tell he was saying something and he bolted. So I wonder if something was said about dump it corner. I don't know if something short was said, but passing that got on his horse and Nylander, Willie or. Sorry, that's the same person, Nylander, Riley, were not on their horse, not realizing what's going on, and ultimately to pass next scoring par. And the Leafs are done in seven again to the hands of the Bruins. [00:13:36] Speaker B: How much hope did you have? And then why? [00:13:41] Speaker A: Honestly, I had a bit of hope. I thought I said that intuition yesterday that this was the slay the dragon, because I've been saying it for all year. If Toronto's gonna win, they have to beat Boston in game seven in the first round. In overtime. I said that. Rewind the clip. [00:13:54] Speaker B: You see anything at all during the regular season that would suggest that this team is a good team and will have a deep run? [00:14:01] Speaker A: Good question. [00:14:02] Speaker B: No, not really. Right. [00:14:04] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:14:04] Speaker B: So, I mean, yeah, it sucks, you know, they built up all this hope and everything, but they do that every time and always buy into it. I don't understand. They lost game four and I said, they're going to win game five and six because it's too easy for us to be mad at the end. We have to be heartbroken. When they came back against Columbus, three goals down in, what, like 20 seconds or whatever. Stupid, right? [00:14:29] Speaker C: It doesn't matter. [00:14:29] Speaker B: Down three one in a series, up three two in a series, up three one against Montreal. It doesn't matter. Whatever is the worst scenario you can think of happening. It is always so much worse. So now the silver lining to this all is that if they would have maybe squeaked this out and went to the second round, maybe we don't have the big changes, maybe Keef doesn't get fired, maybe the trades don't happen, maybe Shanahan still is around. So the best thing that could have happened was this team losing this game because it is undeniable now that something has to change. And I'm not going to be the guy to sit here and tell you what it is because I don't know, but it's going to be big. It's going to be catastrophic. And truthfully, I think the dark days are upon us and I don't believe we did it in our window. I think that has closed. We will have good players, but I think between the ears, you will never get this team to do it ever again. After this many losses, this fashion, I think change what you want. There's no chance this team can win here. No. And like, if people are saying, trade Marner wherever he goes, like, he's going to be so good, so good. We're not sitting here saying Marner's a bad player. We're just saying he can't show up when he needs to, but he'll be able to do that somewhere else. The lights are too bright. Ask Brian. [00:16:00] Speaker A: It's a very, that's a very good point. Now, what I'll, what I'll say is I don't want to sit here and make predictions. I was going to do like a solo segment today before we decided that we were recording to say, hey, do this and that. But number one, it's 12 hours still, not even 24 hours since the game is finished. Okay. Since we recorded and I told par and Dane in our chat that we have, and I'm sure fans feel the same. It's like ever since Montreal, I've had this feeling where, yeah, you get the optimism, you try to be positive. You put in the atmosphere that you have an all canadian final and Toronto's gonna do it. You try to, you stick with your guns, which is what I did. But I have that feeling where ever since that series, it's that sunken feeling that when you lose, you're not mad, you're disappointed, but it's what you were expecting. [00:16:42] Speaker B: It's that Montreal, I was mad, Montreal, I was extremely mad. They had it laid out for them. The easiest red carpet rollout of all time to make it to the final four teams. And they just like, that's, that's why, like, it doesn't matter where the Leafs are in the playoffs. They've been in positions to be up three one down, three one favorites, underdogs. And no matter what it is, they will always do whatever is the most heartbreaking thing possible. So don't, don't get your hopes up. I knew they were winning five and six. I told everybody, you should have bet the house on them to win in game five. You should have bet your two houses that you have now on game six and then all four on the Bruins to win in game seven. I don't like everybody here could be a millionaire. Like, the writing's been on the wall. The one nice thing I will say is the sports book I used maybe gave me about five minutes after the goal went in to remind me that, hey, congratulations, you've won your $10 bet you placed on the bruins to win the series. And I said, thank you for my $8. Thank you. [00:17:47] Speaker A: Honestly, when it comes to change, we've talked about what do you need to change? And you hear mixed reactions. Keep the core. They can do it. They can do it. It's been how many years? [00:18:00] Speaker B: Parents higher is gone, is gone for sure. And that's not out of, like, I think they're good or I think they're bad. That is just like, you just. There's just nothing else you can do. What else are you gonna do? You have to. [00:18:21] Speaker A: I am a fan of tree living because I feel like he tried this year. He brought in Edmondson Reeves, Domi Bert. He tried to bring in something different, which is. I encourage that. But. [00:18:29] Speaker B: And I thought the toughness was great. I thought having Domi on the team, a guy who really wants to be here, is great. [00:18:37] Speaker A: Keep it, Reeves. Keep him. [00:18:38] Speaker B: God, I hated him. But by the end of the year, I was like, this guy's. This guy's rock star, man. Like, this is a hockey player. This is the guy that you want to be with when it comes to playing hockey, when you go to work, you want to be with a guy like that, that's. That's awesome. But, like, I just. What are you gonna do? [00:19:00] Speaker A: I. It's. You can point fingers all over if it's Shanahan. And one thing that I like is the new CEO that came in there, and one thing that we've. That I've heard from a. Not from a source that I heard other things from, but somebody that told me that this. He actually had an article. He referenced an article. So it's not just a source, but it said that he gives chances when it's earned. But if there's no results, he demands success. So if there's no results, sorry. He will make changes. So this guy is now taking over the. See the mlse, right? The Raptors have Messiah. They're rebuilding. I think the chances there, he's won a title. You're not going to touch the Raptors. That's Messiah's team. The Blue Jays. You're not involved with. That's Rogers. That's another, another problem in itself. The Toronto Maple Leafs. Okay, you said now you're the new CEO and you can make that change. All right? You can now set the tone a little bit big. Now go to Shanahan. Maybe it is Shanahan. You got to make a change to. You know, maybe, maybe it is everything. Is it management? Is it whatever it may be. You can look at a lot. You have Matthews, you have Nylander there. Marner another year. Tavares, another year. Marner. You can submit a ten team list to did. That was confirmed. So, like, is it going to be him? Is he's tradable? Riley? No, like, I think you leave Riley. I like Riley. I think he's a good fitback. It doesn't matter. You can look anywhere. There's contracts that are too high. David camp. If like this CEO can really look at focusing on Toronto this summer. Okay. The Raptors don't need to be touched. And I'm telling you right now that there will be changes. I don't. I'm agree with par. I don't want to say this, this and this. Do I have a wish list? Sure. Am I going to share it? Not right now. That's for off season stuff. But there is. [00:20:45] Speaker B: There's changes you could make to save these guys. [00:20:48] Speaker A: No, you can. Reagents you can look at. But again, when it comes to free agent market, you overpay to get who you want. And money's a thing. Money is a thing. So there's a lot of leaves do need to make moves if they want to better the ship in a different direction. [00:21:03] Speaker B: I just don't think you can. It's a curse. You just. How many times can you go into work unsuccessful and tell yourself you're going to be able to go in tomorrow and give it 100%, even though every time you do that, you fail. [00:21:19] Speaker A: So definition of what part we say it. [00:21:22] Speaker B: Sanity. I just. I just don't know what changes you can make that will really right this shit. Like I say, I think we're in the dark ages now. I think it's going to be bad for a really long time. Again. [00:21:35] Speaker A: Oh, no, I honestly, I'll disagree on the bad, but I will agree on the changes. And the reason why I disagree on the bad is because I feel like they have the core guys that will still perform, but it doesn't mean that they're going to win. I feel like you got guys that are there and you could still build around these guys in the right way and you have a chance to retool. Opposed any dark days is that's where I'm a little bit in disagreement. But again, I'm not tree living. I'm not the new CEO of MLSc there. They'll depend on what their action plan is. But let me tell you, there is an action plan and I'm curious to see it and maybe I'll give predictions later this summer. [00:22:10] Speaker B: Dave, that was year eight. Year eight of the Matthews era. And you think these guys can win there? It took ob nine, sure, or maybe longer than that but still like ten. [00:22:25] Speaker A: Yep. It beat Vegas in 2017. Sorry. [00:22:29] Speaker B: Oh, so that's, that's like twelve years then. But still I just not these guys, not here. [00:22:37] Speaker A: Kuznetsov Carlson I will give a tip. [00:22:42] Speaker B: Of the cap to the referees in that series except for game seven. Game seven was a bit of a gong show and they let a lot of things go on both ends of it. I thought every other game of the series they were pretty good at being a non factor and that's what I want from my referees. Also, if any lines men are listening, drop the goddamn fucking puck, man. I'm not here to watch you. The amount of times you kick people out, just drop the puck, dude. Drop the puck and stay out of the way. [00:23:12] Speaker A: Yep. Yep. Marsha. Except the hit on Marshat was pretty funny. His face reaction was fucking hilarious. And I love how you can get away with telling a ref to f off and get the hell out. [00:23:25] Speaker B: Players to fuck off all the time. It's so like, I don't know. Yeah, just, just another day, Dave. Just like I said, just, just another day. [00:23:35] Speaker A: What do you think the Leafs will do? As I said, this playoff's still going on. We're still in the short period of this and we'll see what the summer brings for the Leafs. There will be moves and as Leaf fans, I think you should be excited. I'm optimistic about these moves. I'm excited to see you're a fool. [00:23:53] Speaker B: I'm just everybody else that lets this stupid team give you any sense of hope. [00:23:58] Speaker A: No hope broke. [00:23:59] Speaker B: Optimism. [00:24:01] Speaker A: Both the trades. I'm excited if there is or moves. I'm excited to see what the change is going to be. So it gives me something to talk about and I'll see if I agree with them. [00:24:09] Speaker B: The only thing, the only thing that will save this team is when Tavares walks, you sign McDavid in the next offseason. That is it. That's it. That's all you can hope for. [00:24:24] Speaker A: I like it. But again, I'll just say again, I just. I'm optimistic about the moves because I feel like there's opportunity to make good moves, but there needs to be the right leadership to do it. [00:24:35] Speaker B: I don't think there is. I think you're going to lose any trade you make. [00:24:38] Speaker A: Not a bad point. We'll see. Comment below what you think. Let us know what you think. It might be a clip on tick tock. Let us know what you think. Last thing, par redraft. Then we got to say goodbye because yeah, we're four minutes over our goal. Let's we're going into the redraft in the previous episode that you didn't get the chance to see just because of fault of me. That rhymes. I'll stick it that way. The we did the 1988 NHL redraft. That will be on our social media so you can see our clips on that so you can react. You won't be able to listen the episode as I mentioned, of course. So we're doing the 1989 NHL Redraft now and it's just with myself and Alex and this is a very good draft, very deep draft. I feel that there's going to be difference of picks. I didn't think at first until I generated the names that were in the draft and I'm going to let par go first and just remind everybody with these drafts, we do the top five picks of the draft that we are talking about with what we know now and we're there to help those teams make the right pick. So par, take it away. Kick us off. [00:25:40] Speaker B: All right. Well, considering how much I love hockey right now, and I'm definitely not mad at the sport at all, I'm sure people will be just as upset, if not more, with my picks here. Oh, number five, Olaf Kozig. Oh, and number four, Adam Foot. Little sue love. There. There were three. Sergei Fedorov. [00:26:04] Speaker A: I just. [00:26:05] Speaker B: What a winner, you know? God, I would love. I would love to know what that feels like at number two, everybody. Are you sitting down? Nicholas Ledstrom, because I am picking my favorite player of all time. Number one, Matt Sandeen, a guy that really point his heart into the team and everybody hates him after. So Matt Sundin, my number one pick because of pure nostalgia. [00:26:30] Speaker A: I couldn't agree more with Matt Sundin, I'll give you that in terms of favorite player. But I do got a different order starting from five as well. The New Jersey Devils are proud to select Adam Foot. But the fourth overall pick, the Winnipeg jets are proud to select Pavel bure. But the third overall pick, the Toronto Maple Leafs are proud to select Sergey Fedorov. With the second overall pick, the New York Islanders are proud to select Matt Sundin. And with the first overall pick, the Quebec Nordic select Nicholas Lindstrom. [00:26:59] Speaker B: The right way to do it. The right way to do it. But I couldn't do it, Matt. Cindy's my guy. [00:27:04] Speaker A: Sergei Fedorov, we had on the same pick. Yeah. Yeah. I'm very high on defenseman, too. I think it's. It's not underrated position at all. I shouldn't say it's not. But, like, number 1d, man, like, Nick Lindstrom is like. Like Morgan Riley out of his draft. I can't wait to do his draft. He might be the first overall pick in his draft. Oh, right. [00:27:25] Speaker B: He's like, that means if, man, if he was supposed to be number one wolf, that's a bad draft. [00:27:29] Speaker A: That's what I'm saying. But, but listen, lots is going to go on in this offseason. If you're Toronto fan, maybe you want to peg, you know, if you're a Toronto fan, you got to wait another year until you can have either optimism or you can be like me, in part, have a difference of opinion, but different feelings. Just like myself. How you have the emptiness feeling every year and you just expect it. You don't even get mad at the tv anymore when you lose. That's the point that I'm at. [00:27:50] Speaker B: Yeah. I don't really think our opinions differ too much to the point where I like egregiously, outright disagreeing with you. Just like, I think we just look at it through a different lens right now. [00:28:00] Speaker A: The I don't. The I don't care attitude is there, though, for both of us. It's at that. It's at a different level of I don't care. It's. [00:28:06] Speaker B: I just. It was so obvious what was gonna happen. I just. It was so obvious. [00:28:12] Speaker A: Another same movie. Will it be the same next year or. [00:28:15] Speaker B: Yes, it will be. Yes, it will be. [00:28:18] Speaker A: Or there be new directors and producers to give you a new film. [00:28:22] Speaker B: It doesn't matter. [00:28:23] Speaker A: They. [00:28:23] Speaker B: It's like this. Different directors, different producers, different cast. It's like this. It's the same movie. It's just a remake. [00:28:32] Speaker A: Let me. Speaking of movies, I'm gonna give you one yes or no question before we go. [00:28:37] Speaker B: Okay? No would you rather. Right? [00:28:39] Speaker A: No. Would you rather. Okay, I like that. We'll bring that back next week. We're running. We're a little bit late on time, so I wanted to ask you this, though. I'm not gonna answer this yet, so I'm just leaving this answer to you. Will Steven Stamko leave Tampa or go back to Tampa? [00:28:55] Speaker B: He will stay in Tampa. [00:28:58] Speaker A: Okay. I'll leave my opinion elsewhere. [00:29:01] Speaker C: Come on. [00:29:01] Speaker B: I want to know. Do you differ? [00:29:03] Speaker A: Yes. [00:29:04] Speaker B: Whoa. Okay. [00:29:07] Speaker A: I think there's a top. There's three destinations he would go to. There's three. [00:29:11] Speaker B: I bet you they all don't involve paying taxes because that would probably be. [00:29:15] Speaker A: For the one dozen. To to do. To do. Two do to do. And I think an underrated favorite. I'm not saying they're my number one, but underrated is Montreal. Okay, real. That's underrated favorite is Montreal. [00:29:30] Speaker B: I thought you were gonna say Toronto. I'm like, Dave, dude, that guy wins. He's not gonna do that. [00:29:35] Speaker A: Hey, you know what? Toronto could get them if they move Mart. Move people out. But that's. That's money is talk here. And I. But to see him leave Tampa. [00:29:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm sure all these high value free agents would love following the suit of John Tavares in the way that he's treated by the fan base. And oh, yeah, I can't wait to go be that guy. [00:29:54] Speaker A: I won't give my list, but I gave some underrated teams. Like I said, I want to stir the pot with stammer today, but it would be hard to see him leave Tampa, though. I just want to start a story saying that he would now. Par, thank you for taking the time, my friend. This has been the first segment of the game sports podcast. Likely we should be recording next week, but if we won't be, it'll be the week after. So listeners know we're going to base it on how everything goes. We do have consistent uploads, as you know. But now we're hitting our summer months. Okay. We alter the schedule a little bit more. So. That's right. Maybe, you know, maybe I can come golfing with you. I should have said that. Par, my friend, thank you for taking the time tonight. [00:30:31] Speaker B: Thanks for lying to me about coming to golf. [00:30:34] Speaker A: Well, I have to figure out a time to go with you. Par. I know. Nonetheless, everyone, let's take a breather. From hockey, I like to know everyone's opinion. When we come back, I am going to be joined by two guests. I'm not going to say who they are because you probably see it in the description, but you'll see it when we return to the game Sports podcast here on the Game Sports podcast, Barbara 91 N. Be right back. And welcome back to the Game Sports podcast. David McKay continuing to host you this evening. I'm going to go first because we got a special guest joining us from the other side of the border, but I'm going to introduce him second and go first to Justin Heikel joining us here in the second segment. Justin, my friend, long time no see. It's been a little bit. How you doing? [00:31:13] Speaker D: Good to be back, you know, good to be on again and definitely some fresh opinions. So let's get rolling. [00:31:19] Speaker A: Hundred percent fresh opinions indeed. Now let's introduce the very special second guest joining me on this second segment. You know him on this podcast. He's been on this show for, well, since ever. And obviously I've talked about him and you just know who he is. If you don't, you're crazy. You live under a rock. One and only. Paul Van Wagner, junior. How's it going, my friend? I'm good. [00:31:43] Speaker C: There are five teams in the history, in the NHL, the history of the NHL who have never played a game in June. Those teams are the Seattle Kraken. I have this right here, the Minnesota Wild, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Arizona Coyotes, and the Toronto Maple Leaf. [00:32:04] Speaker A: Gentlemen, how are we doing today? [00:32:06] Speaker C: How are you two guys feeling? That's what I want to know. [00:32:09] Speaker A: Justin, go first. [00:32:11] Speaker D: You know what? I'm okay with it. I am absolutely okay with it. I was on the edge, like last weekend a little bit after the Saturday night game where I was like, oh, man, that was rough, entertaining games this week. But I mean, in the grand scheme of things, Toronto wasn't getting past Florida. [00:32:29] Speaker C: There was, for the record. [00:32:32] Speaker D: So I'll take the draft pick where we are. I think we still have it. Maybe so. And I honestly, I kind of want to get the fireworks rolling, see what happens here. I want to see Toronto media just eat these guys alive for a little bit. Like, I honestly don't know what's gonna happen. No one knows. I mean, everyone can have some theories about it. But my biggest gripe with the whole series, I got two things. Marner, softer than baby when you see him out there compared to Bertuzzi and Domi and playing against me and Dave. [00:33:06] Speaker C: Before we started this segment, like Marner. [00:33:10] Speaker D: Marner plays like it's, he's still playing on the London nights where they roll out the red carpet for you and you can just score 30 goals and whatever. Well, anyways, and the other thing that drove me absolutely insane was the postgame where Keith says, it seems like every game seven we play in team, other teams game plans is just to have us beat ourselves. And then the reporter followed up and said, well, do you have, do you have any game plan for that? He said, we've been working on it, man. That's your job. You're the one like, okay, so if you've noticed this pattern, why are we still doing it? You know, that's, that's what I got. [00:33:51] Speaker A: That's it. Is the definition of insanity. The definition of insanity? [00:33:55] Speaker D: That's, that's what it. Being a proto Maple Leaf fan, that's. [00:34:00] Speaker A: You know what, Paul, to answer. To answer your question, I'm going to remind listeners that we're doing a bit more hockey talk in the second segment, as a metric, as par and I. Par, par. And I. Easy for me to say, had a good little chunk of conversation beginning. And honestly, the way that I said it to par is the way I'll repeat it here. I. Ever since the Montreal series, when Toronto blew that three one lead in the bubble, which I felt was a red carpet way for Toronto to get to at least the final four, if not the cup finals that year, that's where I've had that kind of, like, when they lose, I expect it. The. I don't care. Well, that, oh, you're not a true. Bullshit. I'm not a true fan. I am. I just know what to expect and what's going to happen, and I'm just at that point of being fed up with what I'm seeing, and I keep seeing the same thing over and over again. So, Paul, answer your question. I'm okay, but it sucks. It does suck to see it happen. [00:34:46] Speaker C: But see, here's the thing. This is a super talented Toronto team. Like, I will crap on you guys all day long and make fun of you for being Toronto fans, but the truth of it is, it's a talented team. The problem is, it's a talented team on a random Tuesday night in December, right? This isn't a random Tuesday night in December. Hasn't been for the last nine years. Yet here we sit going through the same thing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Like, there's all this talent. Like, no joke. There's probably, I'm a Red Wings fan. Normally right now, I'm a Rangers fan because my girlfriend is. So I've jumped on that bandwagon since the Red Wings shit themselves three weeks before the playoffs started. But here's the thing, right? Like there's probably, let's say 15 dudes that I would gladly take the Red Wings today because they're that talented. The problem is, is those same 15 dudes just don't have that sandpaper mentality that you need when you're in the playoffs. I mean, it's. It's a different animal. Austin Matthews. How many 50 50 pucks did Austin Matthews win during that series? Boys, you can probably count them on one hand, right? Like, and that's one of those dudes that I said it to Dave before we came on. He could potentially go down statistically as one of the best players in NHL history to not win a cup because he's just not that dude. [00:36:15] Speaker A: Yeah. Honestly, the. What I see my favorite player in the playoffs for Toronto was I love the Joseph Wall stuff. That's great. And I have no hate against Sammy. I really don't. The guy tried like he wasn't his fault. The guy's letting he had one bad game. My favorite player in the whole playoffs was Jake McCabe. And I even like Joel Edmondson. Guys kept it simple. Hit. Passenack got hit. Marshank got hit. They didn't, they didn't. They paid. The Bottrana was grittier. They were grittier on the back end. The offense, there was question. There was inconsistencies. I think Domi's in the right place, the right place to play. But the player that he was trying to be in both ends, he could have just stick to success. No, no. He could be a top six forward easily. Top six forward easily. That's what he's got to stay with. But McCabe and Edmondson, like McCabe was a dubious trade. So I'll give dubious the thumbs up on that one. One of the only few. But Joel Edmondson was a tree living move. Bertuzzi, Domi tree living moves, right? These are Bertuzzi. Wasn't that Pertuzzi? The thought we were getting. I think Domi paid off. That guy better be back next year. I think he deserves to be back. But Edmondson, great defensive defenseman, laid the body and was simple out there, right? You had to pay the price. Ryan Reeves didn't like him for a lot of the chunk of the year until the going got tough. And then you did like him because he was that guy that scared the other guys shit list. So this team has the pluses and the talent. Just feel like there's got to be something to shake this up now. You have to look at something to bring in improvement elsewhere on that blue line. Morgan Riley and Ilya Labushkin, as your number one pairing. You're not winning a Stanley Cup. Labouchkin is a second 3rd pairing guy, right? Riley's a one pairing for sure, if you put him with someone equal or better. So I'm. [00:38:05] Speaker D: I'm gonna. I'm gonna interrupt there now and say we've seen Riley in this for a real long time now, and it's an unpopular opinion amongst my leaf fans that I've been texting the last little bit. But we gotta rip that band aid off, man. Send them out to pasture. Put them. You know what I mean? Like, I get that they want to do right by him, but he just hasn't looked great. Like last year he was balls out. He looked awesome. And this year, like that, I would. Maybe there's something wrong with them. We don't. We don't know. And that stuff will trickle out in the next little bit, but. [00:38:38] Speaker C: Well, and here's one other thing I'll tell you. The coaching staff mind f'ed the goaltenders during this series, right? All three of them in game seven, rode on the second bus. Second bus isn't for. [00:38:56] Speaker A: Right? [00:38:57] Speaker C: Like, so when you're going into this game and all three of you are on the second bus, you're going, what the hell's going on? Yeah, you need your goalie, even if you're going to platoon, because Boston did it. Boston did it. And they were successful with it. But I bet you both those dudes rode on the first bus. And goalies are weird, right? Dave, like, you. You and I know this. You know, like, so. So for you to, as the coaching staff, screw with your goaltenders heads, you know what? Put all three of them on the first bus and at least force them to get into the I'm playing mentality, because that's part of what these guys do. Like, there's a lot of blame to go around for Toronto. And again, Boston, Toronto doesn't matter. Bobrovsky is going to shut down the team that they play next against Florida. So it's. It's fine. It's fine. At least you guys get some early golf, honestly. [00:39:54] Speaker A: And I'll say I'm a firm guy to believe on sticking with my guns. And at the beginning of the year, I said it's going to be the first time we saw an all canadian final. Oilers and Leafs. Because I liked what tree living did in the summer. Ripe or Tuesday. Domi Klingberg, these ads that he brought in. I thought I was going to help them get to the next level. Then the season went on. I stuck with my. My guns because I didn't want to change it. I want to have the Elliot Friedman approach where he said that Emmett was going to win. The cop, he didn't change his pick, but obviously, I was wrong, and I will be frank to go up against Florida. You know that. Good luck. Good luck. Good luck. [00:40:27] Speaker C: So here's the other thing, y'all. 19. Dave, what year were you born? [00:40:32] Speaker A: 91. [00:40:33] Speaker C: 91. So you were two the last time a canadian team won the Stanley cup. The Habsburg in 93. [00:40:41] Speaker A: Yep. [00:40:43] Speaker C: You have two hopes left. And here's the issue, and I'm going to crap on Canada here, and I love you all, just so you know, they play each other in the second round. So then you're only going to have one team left, and that team's got to play the winner of Vegas, Dallas, Colorado. Right. Like, I. And again, Edmonton, super talented, but do they have that grit? And I'm assuming Edmonton is going to get through this, right? But, like, do they have that grip, that sandpaper to get into the finals? I don't know. [00:41:17] Speaker A: I don't know. I've liked Carolina. I know New York's playing them, and I'm not going to lie. I've. I've. I've said that New York is going to lose this series in six. I said that maybe after watching and at the time of recording, everybody, just so you know, par. And I recorded this afternoon, we're now. We're pre recording after the Rangers Carolina game. So the Rangers have won the game for three. Okay. And I saw that game, and it's like, oh, okay. It's gonna be a better series. Right? You like this? This. I think that eastern side, Carolina and Florida, even the Rangers, there's some. There's talent there. There's. In the west. I just don't want Vegas. As long as Vegas doesn't get there, I really don't care. Okay. Yeah, you want a canadian team, but as long as it doesn't say Las Vegas in the finals, I'm. I'm a happy guy. But Canada, Paul, we haven't seen a winner. And 94. Vancouver lost in 1998. Toronto also lost in the conference finals in zero two. Toronto lost the conference finals to Carolina in 2006. The Oilers lost to Carolina in the cup finals thanks to Andrew Ladd running Dwayne Rollson. But that's another conversation. Of course. Vancouver losing the Boston in 2011. Sorry. Almost. I think it's 2011. I'm going off top of my head. [00:42:35] Speaker C: Here, I believe you are. [00:42:36] Speaker A: So then obviously after that, we saw Ottawa lost in between that to Anaheim, I believe was the other one in between that. Wait, and after that we didn't see one until Montreal. Right. Montreal lost to Tampa. [00:42:48] Speaker C: And for the record, Montreal should not have been in the playoffs. Go back and look at the records. They ended up in a very watered down canadian only division. And they, they found a way to get there. Had we had real playoffs. They were the second team out. [00:43:06] Speaker A: I believe that's your Toronto Blue, three one lead. Man. That's. That is what the famous goal, the giveaway from Alex Golchniak at the blue line. The guy who is now somewhere, we don't know, in legal trouble somewhere. And I remember you had that giveaway at the blue line and I said, they're gonna blow this series. And they did. It was. That is. That is amazing. That's amazing. But overall, we spent about twelve talking about the Leafs. And it's gonna. I think we can all agree that this off season, and Justin, I was telling Paul about this and I did touch it on the first segment. The new CEO of MlSE, he came in talking about how he's given people. He does give people success, but he, at the same time, you know, if people have already been given those chances, he considers that and he demands success overall and he wants to win. So if this is that new CEO mentality you're in there. The Leafs have not want us to have won one round in nine years. This core whatever, and now it's kind of like, you know, this isn't working. You have to make a move and it's that moving management. Maybe it is Shanahan, maybe it is Keith, clean out the staff. There's good coaches available. I'm a bere Bay fan. I'm a big Joel Quinville fan. No matter what he did or what he was involved with, I. He's innocent. So I think he'd be a great fit. There's moves and options you can make, but if there's one guy who's going to get traded, there's only one tradable contract and it's Mitch Marner's. That is the one contract. And that's all I want to put in people's heads right now in terms. [00:44:34] Speaker D: Of movement, though, you know that. [00:44:36] Speaker A: Yeah, he does. But he has. He can submit ten teams. Tavares can. Doesn't have to submit ten teams. Marner does. That's what that's coming from. [00:44:43] Speaker D: Tavares. Is Tavares is in that sweet spot, though, where he's got one year left and they could. [00:44:50] Speaker A: Not show year. If you're watching on video, Paul gave us a reminder. Get the new bag of Doritos today. Nacho year. [00:44:57] Speaker C: It's a great brand. [00:44:58] Speaker A: It's blue, it's salty and it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. That's exactly what it does. [00:45:04] Speaker D: Spring in Toronto edition. [00:45:06] Speaker A: Oh, God. All right, fellas. Football. We came here to talk football, too. I'm glad that we talked hockey to the extent and we'll have more excitement as the playoffs go on, especially on the canadian end where our chances are going to be diminished even more after the second round, as Paul just mentioned. Looks like USA has a strong chance to keep the cup self the border. But that aside, the draft in the NFL, look here on the game sports podcast we've been doing in the pocket since January 2016. [00:45:36] Speaker B: We are. [00:45:37] Speaker A: We've been doing it for a long time. We recorded out of a cup at a sports bar. Now look where we're at, fellas. So little bonus in the pocket segment here. Unofficially, okay. And I. This draft happened. It's already been passed. It's a little bit old news. But hey, we haven't talked about it, so if you want our opinion, we're going to give it to you. I want to go to you first, Paul, about anything in the offseason NFL you want to touch on or in this draft, as I said, in particular, kind of who made out was bandits, what did you like in the draft? And so on. [00:46:08] Speaker C: So I have a different draft theory than most. I'm not a big fan of teams drafting quarterbacks at the top of the draft. The reason for that is you're going to draft these kids, right? Caleb Williams, JJ McCarthy, Drake may whoever you decide to take the kid from LSU that went to the Redskins or the commanders, I guess they're called for now. They'll probably switch it back at some point. But you can't protect these kids, right? There's a reason why you're picking in the top five or the top ten in the NFL. It's because you can't score, you can't win games. So, like going out and I understand that we need to make a splash. We need to sell jerseys. We need to get butts in the seats. But like, I mean, Caleb Williams, Drake May, JJ McCarthy and again, big Michigan guy, right? Like, love that JJ is getting an opportunity in, in Minnesota. Can't protect him. So what happens to these kids? Right? Like, you know, for those that remember, I'm a Lions fan. Also for those that remember the Joey Harrington era in Detroit, right. Joey Harrington came out of Oregon one of the most highly touted quarterbacks in the draft, and Joey Harrington spent 90% of his NFL career like this looking up at the ceiling of the Pontiac Silverdome. Right. Because they couldn't protect him. So why do you go out and spend all this capital picking a dude that you're just going to get killed out there. Go get yourself some offensive tackles, trade down, get yourself multiple draft picks. Build that offensive line. Get yourself a running back that can actually block in the pass protection. Right? Like then, once you have this core building from the inside out, now go find yourself a quarterback. You're still not going to win games, but at least two or three years from now, you can protect this kid that you draft at the top of the draft, you know, and I just, I never, I cannot wrap my head around why these teams go out there and just waste these picks. I mean, let's make a list of number one overall quarterbacks that have had successful NFL careers in the last 20 years. Matt Stafford, Trevor Lawrence seems to be on his way, and Jared Goff, now that he's with the Lions and they've done exactly what I said they built from the inside out. Other than that, maybe I'm missing one, but that's it. Like, it's. It's stupid, in my opinion. [00:48:51] Speaker A: I guess you can almost, I guess, hike your Colts fan. So you've seen Andrew Luck, right? It's too bad. I also think luck would have been in that conversation, too. [00:49:01] Speaker D: I know a finger to about wasting generational talents. [00:49:04] Speaker C: Yeah, right. Exactly. Yeah, he spent, you know, I mean, and he was. He could have been one of the best, right? Like he was on par to roll with Peyton and Tom Brady. [00:49:14] Speaker A: Yeah, he was. [00:49:15] Speaker D: And they just killed him. They literally just killed him. [00:49:18] Speaker A: He got rocked a lot. He got rocked a lot. [00:49:21] Speaker C: Last time I got some, I saw someone get their butts kicked that bad. McKeg was in the nose playing for Blind river and I believe the Sioux Eagles, the whole team beat him up at one point. [00:49:32] Speaker A: Yep, that happened. I still have scars, probably from there, mentally, anyways. [00:49:39] Speaker D: Why didn't that game tape come out at your wedding? I would have loved to have seen that. [00:49:42] Speaker A: It's been, it's been deleted. It was a part of my pension agreement. If I stay longer, they'd get rid of it for me. [00:49:50] Speaker D: All the embarrassment deleted from the archives. [00:49:53] Speaker A: I got the goal. Some goal scoring tapes. I'll show you one day. But no one wants to see those. They weren't that good of goals just. [00:50:00] Speaker D: To swing back to the draft, though. I mean, I agree with Paul in the sense that like a lot of these picks, like the Bears, okay, Caleb Williams might have a chance there. I mean, they already threw Justin Fields to the Wolves for a bit and they got him every single wide receiver they could find. Yeah, he's got some talent there like, but Daniels is going to get absolutely pounded. [00:50:22] Speaker C: Daniels. [00:50:22] Speaker D: Thank you, Drake. Drake May, may have a chance, no pun intended there. Just New England should is interesting. I don't know what's going to shake out there with the new coaching staff and I mean, who knows? Could be the same old boring Patriots football. Marvin Harrison Junior was the pick that I was kind of hoping colts were going to move for in my fantasy land. But the one really, the one that I liked that kind of threw people off was the Michael Pennix one. Like he's got a chance. [00:50:51] Speaker A: I don't hate it. I don't hate it. [00:50:53] Speaker C: He's got a chance to go love it. Hike. I love that pick. [00:50:58] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:50:58] Speaker D: Like he can just go learn, sit behind Kirk Cousins, sit around like that. To me, if Minnesota would have kept Cousins and then still made the moves that they move, I think that would have panned out wonderfully for them in the future. But whatever. I mean, now it's gonna go that way for Atlanta. I think. I think giving, I mean, everyone's criticism, Pennix is old already. There's not, you're not old. In the end, Cousins could go out and have his leg annihilated two games into the season and then we're in. We're having a different conversation right now, but I don't know, giving the guy a chance to survive is how you gotta do it. I mean, the Green Bay model for the last little while is kind of. [00:51:40] Speaker A: Thank you. This was about to say that I'm. [00:51:42] Speaker D: Tough to compliment the packers, but they far right there. [00:51:48] Speaker A: Rogers love. Yeah, it's right there, man. It's in the writing. It is. [00:51:52] Speaker C: We'll see if love pans out. Like he had a good year last year. We'll see if he pans out. I'm not sure I'm 100% sold on him, but they are doing it the right way. [00:52:01] Speaker A: What you mentioned the tackle side of things and the Chargers took, took jolt and I felt from Notre Dame that was a great pick for the Chargers and I think they're taking that model. You know, they got there, he got a good QB at the, at the helm. Right. And now they're trying to build around, protect them. Exactly right. And now you have that chance. And the other one with the Titans JC Lant Latham went also there, there was some good names that if you were the Bears, you could have taken a different approach. Coach still to this, right. You could have trade down more picks, you could have brought in more assets, maybe a bit more players and trade down to get a tackle and maybe you could have taken a chance on another quarterback or kept Fields ultimately, and I'm a Steelers fan and I'm not going to lie, I'm, I'm excited to see Fields back up Wilson. I know Wilson seen the better days, but Wilson's also a very strong leader, apparently. I know there's been trouble in the locker room apparently in Denver, but that can go both ways. You have you, if you can bring in the teaching, the mentorship to a young quarterback, you can maybe help salvage Justin Fields his career. I think Justin Fields has the potential to be what Russell Wilson used to be. They play the same style, have a good arm, but like to be mobile back there. It's a little bit different than Tomlin's system. I know Tomlin for how many, for so many years saw big Ben do things. But a lot of these teams going the way of you saying Paul, protecting. I'm glad that you said it. Don't take that QB number one do you could build around, build that core around the offensive line, even the d side. Get that, build that a little bit and then you can get the quarterback. Pittsburgh, I'll use them as an example again, good D line. Very good offensive line, too. That's why bringing in Wilson and Fields isn't a bad idea because he can be more protected there and have a bit more room for the football that he didn't have on Chicago, the Colts. [00:53:52] Speaker D: Wilson was also free basically. [00:53:54] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. $1.2 million. Right. Like you're paying the guy peanuts to play there and a very tight system. But I think if you want to talk about steals of quarterback in the draft, I'm a Bo Nicks guy. Cuz I'm an Oregon guy. I liked Bo Nicks. I don't see no like, I like JT McCarthy as well. I feel like there's a lot, there was a lot of cute, good QB's on the board. Okay, that went in this draft. But ultimately I think I'm a big fan of the tackles and that's what the Steelers did too with, with drafting Troy, not Troy Palamalu. But it was, they made some, like the defensive side of the football so important and imperative. But the steel of the draft, I want to say, is the Kansas City Chiefs, okay. I feel like the rich got richer drafting Xavier Worthy because they have that protection on the passing game. They and the, on the defensive side, the football. Worthy has impressive speed, very impressive speed in Texas this year. He was unbelievable. He's going to be able to run slant. He's going to be able to run deep on the corners and who has a bomb to be able to throw him the football? Patrick Mahomes. I think that that pick from Kansas City was the steel of the draft. I don't know if you agree guys around the horn, but that's kind of my steal of the draft. [00:55:10] Speaker C: I like, of course, bias, right? Lions fan. I like what the Lions did. The secondary was not great last year. So what do they do? Go out in the first and second round and you go get two guys that are hard, hard nosed corners that'll come up and make tackles. You got Brian Branch in there. I can't remember the guy's name right now, but you just brought in a free agent out of Tampa Bay, right? Like the Lions have bolstered that secondary. The one thing I feel like they missed on, though, was they didn't get an edge to play opposite Aidan Hutchinson. And I think that that's a miss for them because Hutchinson's getting to that point in his career where teams are going to just go ahead and dedicate two or three guys to him and say, okay, that's fine, we're going to make Alene McNeil or somebody like that beat us. Right? So I really wish they would have now maybe they will in free agency. I think Chase young is still out there. Maybe, you know, they get him on a deal if they wait long enough and he's desperate enough to go, you know, somewhere and maybe not make as much money. But yeah, I really like what my lions did in the secondary in this draft. I feel like they definitely got better. [00:56:19] Speaker A: Like, I wonder if they were looking at Jared verse or like a chop Robinson, like, how Miami got shop. I thought. I felt that. That's a good point of bringing up edges. I feel. I wonder if they would have explored that. It's too bad that we don't have that release, right? What they would have looked at. I'm sure that's one thing they would have addressed. [00:56:33] Speaker D: But I'd always love to see a team's draft board, like just after the draft, just to see what after thinking, yeah, I just kind of want to know whether, you know, I don't have any business seeing. I just want to know. I want to know what they were thinking. I want to criticize it on my own. [00:56:48] Speaker A: That's. But there, there's, you got to give kudos to the Bears, though, a little bit, right? Because not yet drafting Williams one, but the bringing in the receivers, they're trying to change that culture. So pad, right? Like buying players, bringing the people, everybody in. He just got. As a leaf fan in hockey, I gotta feel a little bit of love for the Bears just trying to make things better. And I don't know if they really truly did. They did on paper, but we'll see what that translates on the field. [00:57:15] Speaker D: I think there's a little bit of politics going on with the Bears situation though, too there. Right. They're trying to get a lot of fan goodwill back in their pockets before they go to the taxpayers and say, we want you to pay for our new stadium. So, I mean, that's, that'd be like the Toronto Maple Leafs coming to us tomorrow and saying, hey, we want to build a new rink, but we got up your taxes 10%. Oh, yeah, let's, let's not do that. You know, I mean, like, the Bears are trying to buy some goodwill there. We got it. We got a new guy. We got some offense. We got. Let's forget about everything in the past and let's, we're all new and shiny now. [00:57:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:57:47] Speaker D: And it's. Sports is a funny thing sometimes. The business and the business and the sports and the business. [00:57:58] Speaker A: Fellas, I know when a little bit extra something start getting to the wrap up portion, but we, we do know some moves of players moving around. Najee Harris, obviously at his decline with Pittsburgh, which I'm not too surprised, to be honest with you, because I feel like there's a lot of options, especially have a dual running back situation. But a big trade did happen earlier, obviously, you know, obviously Stefan Diggs went to the Texans. I feel like that's a good move for Buffalo to get rid of Diggs. It seems like his attitude isn't really a fit in a lot of places. [00:58:27] Speaker C: Not a good locker room guy. [00:58:29] Speaker A: No. And I don't know if that's going to be great for CJ Stroud. I'm not, I'm not. I'll be curious to see how they work together. Right. [00:58:37] Speaker D: I think if he tries to pull any shit, D'Amico, Ryan's is just going to powerbomb him. [00:58:41] Speaker C: Yeah. That height, that's a great point. You've got a very headstrong coach in D'Amico, Ryan's, and I don't think he's not going to put up with B's like he will. He will smack him down in some way, shape or form. [00:58:56] Speaker A: And a second rounder isn't the worst to give up for a receiver who can get thousand plus receiving yards for you in a year pretty easily. Right? He's a very talented receiver. [00:59:04] Speaker D: They weren't going to get that guy, a guy like that in the second round, you know what I mean? [00:59:08] Speaker A: No. No. Any final thoughts about the world of football, boys? It feels good to talk about it a little bit. The seasons, well, still a little bit of ways, but it feels good to chat a little bit of football. [00:59:19] Speaker C: College football kicks off August like 26. I think it is something like that. So be interested to see how my Michigan Wolverines end up doing this year with all the changes they've had. Yeah. Yeah. The offense is going to look very different. If you're a Michigan fan, buckle up. We're going to run a lot of read options and speed options out there. It's going to look a lot like the Denard Robinson days, but hopefully with more W's than L's. [00:59:47] Speaker A: Oh, you know, I'm very. I would love to do a lot more of that college football coverage because this year I did get into it a little bit more. I always just had my eye on just kind of Michigan or Oregon, but that if the games I felt this year was, was great all in, all in Michigan, I think it was a great year for Michigan football, obviously. Right. With the Lions, with the Wolverines, it was great. It was so close to home. So close to home. Knows a lot of. [01:00:15] Speaker C: I have two questions for you guys, and they're both related to Canada. So I'm curious, like how much does college football move the needle in Canada? I know you all watch the NFL a lot. How much does it move the needle in Canada? [01:00:32] Speaker A: CFL? [01:00:33] Speaker D: Yeah, it's quite a bit, to be honest. I mean, it's just a matter of exposure with networks here, to be honest. You only get like us because we, like, we're right on the border, so we get like all the american stations too. [01:00:49] Speaker A: Right? [01:00:49] Speaker D: If, if you're not on your, on your networks, then you just get it on the antenna. Yeah, you can get everything, right. But, like, if you're down in Toronto, like, you're only getting probably five or six different games on a Saturday, and that's kind of, it's tricky. [01:01:05] Speaker A: Right. [01:01:06] Speaker D: So if you're. If you're into a team, like, you're, you know, like division two Nebraska or something, you're not gonna. You're never gonna see a game. [01:01:12] Speaker A: Right, right. But. Okay. [01:01:15] Speaker D: But it's from a gambling end of things. People are definitely interested. [01:01:23] Speaker C: Okay, second question. I crapped on you guys earlier about 1993 being the last time a canadian team won the Stanley cup. Now, I've heard two takes on this one. Yes, it's been horrible. That was a long time ago. And two, the majority of the players playing on the american teams are canadian anyway, so what does it matter? Where is that argument with the canadian fan base? Like, are you all starting to get pissy that 1993 three was a long time ago. [01:01:54] Speaker D: Me, it doesn't bother me, honestly. I'm more. I am more on the side of, like, it's. There's a team in Utah with a good owner now. We just had a successful expansion in Seattle. [01:02:07] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:02:07] Speaker D: ESPN is talking about games. I mean, you got Pat McAfee talking about hockey for 20 minutes and a show right off the some days right now. So, I mean, it's. The networks in the US are putting some firepower and some money behind their hockey broadcasts, and that means it's gaining traction on the grassroots with a big market like the states. I mean, like, the player pools. Like 20 years ago, if there wasn't hockey in Arizona, you don't get an Austin Matthews. [01:02:33] Speaker A: Right. [01:02:34] Speaker D: So to grow the game, I think, is more important than to have a championship in Toronto, honestly. [01:02:41] Speaker A: Okay. [01:02:41] Speaker D: Franchise. The franchise in Toronto. Prince money. They're like the Dallas Cowboys. They don't. [01:02:45] Speaker C: That's fair. [01:02:45] Speaker A: Successful. [01:02:47] Speaker D: They're successful without being successful in spite of themselves. Yeah, like, the league needs them. But that's. I mean, that. That's my take on it. I mean, Dave may have a totally different. [01:02:59] Speaker C: I like the fact that camera has gotten blurry again. He looks much better. [01:03:04] Speaker A: At least this actually records. And I had a little skip, so I'll be transparent. Can you repeat your question for me, Paul? It did kind of skip on me that I knew. I know the question, but I want to make sure I answer it right. [01:03:13] Speaker C: I said. I said 1993 was a long time ago. Like, I make fun of my canadian friends because of that, but does it really move the needle for you all that it has been 30 years since a canadian team has won a Stanley cup? [01:03:32] Speaker A: That is such a good question. No, I think that the popularity still remains because of how passionate the canadian fan base is. But the fed up ness, which isn't a word the fed up ness will make that. That will not be the title of the show, but the fed up ness is at an all time high. That is. That is the expectations aren't getting met and fit. Canada fans are getting annoyed. And they get annoyed. Every little thing. Let me give you an example. The Boston roots fans are saying, you chanting USA. Okay, I I understand Boston's in America, obviously. Very much so in America. But a lot of their players. Swedish, canadian. Right? It's like, this isn't a country thing. It's. You got teams that have a lot of Canadians. Vegas has a lot of Canadians. That's the one thing that it's such a heavy market in the states, it feels like the expectations always go to the states in Canada isn't going to win. And that the needle is at a team at an area of fed upness that I said, but, but content that we're. We're content with failure. [01:04:48] Speaker C: All right, so let me ask you this, and I want a one word answer. I want yes or no. That's it. Don't explain it. Just yes or no. Edmonton wins the cup this year. Are you guys celebrating? [01:05:01] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah, sure, sure. Yes. Yes, I am. Yes. You know what, Paul? Yes, I am. You wish it's Toronto, but yes, in the whole thing. [01:05:15] Speaker D: I'm salty that we got hosed out of an Olympics a couple years ago. That's fact. [01:05:20] Speaker A: Fact. [01:05:21] Speaker D: If we could just get the olympic thing figured out every four years. I'm fine. That's all I want. [01:05:27] Speaker A: Screw that. Hike. We want a cup in Toronto. What are you talking about? [01:05:30] Speaker D: It's not gonna happen. We're cheering for a goddamn business. [01:05:34] Speaker A: And that's what you were saying. I thought what you were saying. My camera was glitching out a little bit at first. I couldn't hear everything you were saying, but I knew what you were saying. I knew it. That's funny. All right, fellas, so, Paul, we're going to have you on a little bit more as we go, and I think it's more so, especially when it comes to college football this year at football, that's one thing we wanted to cover a little bit more of this year. So maybe my plan this year to spoil with everything, everybody, is that maybe we do a ten minute each week about college football. Mew and hike. Then we get EJ to do the National Football League. Or if EJ is selling cars, you stay on and we talk national football. Either way, or all four of us come on and we do kind of another four people connection here, but nonetheless, it's always fun. [01:06:17] Speaker C: My lawyer told me not to associate with EJ, so I will not be able to do that. [01:06:22] Speaker A: Okay. [01:06:23] Speaker C: I've been advised by counsel that I need to stay away from EJ. [01:06:27] Speaker A: Noted, noted. So the one segment you will do, the one segment that EJ can have his own, he takes the floor on his own anyways, so totally fine. But Apollo wants to thank you for taking the time and the extra time tonight to come on, my friend. That's. It's always a pleasure. [01:06:43] Speaker D: Good chatting with you, Paul. [01:06:44] Speaker B: You too. [01:06:45] Speaker A: Hike. [01:06:45] Speaker C: Looking forward to doing it again. [01:06:47] Speaker A: Hike. I know it's a sour day because of another sport, but it's always good to talk football, my friend. So thank you for coming on. And it's been a bit since we've had you on, so thanks. [01:06:58] Speaker D: It's good to be back. And you know where to find me. That's a good wagon to hitch to right now. I mean, they're on fire. [01:07:07] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a wagon. Especially the Zabanajad wagon is looking very good with that flow. [01:07:12] Speaker D: Yeah, I got him in my office pool right now. I'm pretty fired up about that. [01:07:16] Speaker A: Nonetheless, we are seen. And his dog, Zabanaji got one. Did I catch your dog? His name's Igor. [01:07:25] Speaker C: Yes. [01:07:26] Speaker D: That's awesome. [01:07:27] Speaker A: I knew it. Is it because of Shasturkin? Can we confirm that on the air? [01:07:32] Speaker C: Sorry, I'm trying to hang jerseys up so I don't get in trouble. No. So Bridget, my girlfriend and I are huge sports fan. Her stuff is all New York. My stuff is all Detroit. Right. So we were, we knew we were getting Igor and we knew for probably about four or five weeks that we were getting him. And we could not agree on a name. At one point we talked about calling him off because Samuelson played for the Red Wings and the Rangers. And we decided against that. And we ended up with Igor because of shi and. But also because of Igor Larianoff. So, okay, so, yeah, and so depending on who you talk to, like, if you talk to my friends and family, it's because of Larianoff. If you talk to her friends and family, it's because of Shiserkin. [01:08:18] Speaker A: So very good goalie, last I checked. [01:08:23] Speaker C: They keep. I'll tell you what, the Rangers and I know we're supposed to be wrapping this thing up, but the Rangers, like, how do they keep doing that, right? Mike Richter. [01:08:32] Speaker A: And then you go before sister kid like Lund Quest. Whoa. [01:08:39] Speaker C: They keep just pulling these guys out of nowhere and it's like, oh, crap. [01:08:44] Speaker A: Okay. [01:08:44] Speaker C: The Rangers got a goalie for the next 15 years. Great. [01:08:48] Speaker D: Well, even their backup, like their backup, I think, is Jonathan quick. [01:08:51] Speaker A: Like, yeah, yeah. One of the best goalies never win a cup. Henrik Lundquist. [01:08:57] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. [01:08:58] Speaker A: The best, if not the best to not want a cup. And the best looking to not win a cup. Let's just say that how it is to the guy who's always Bradley Cooper esque, that guy. [01:09:06] Speaker D: Listen, if I could finish my career with a hairline like that, I'd be okay with it. [01:09:11] Speaker A: Yeah. Those Swedes, they get you with their fashion. And there it is. He is so good on the panel, too. He's so good on the panel. But we're getting off track, fellas. Thank you again. It's been the game sports podcast. We're getting to the wrap up here. I want to say thank you to Alex Parr for talking all things NHL playoffs and his reaction in combination with mine with the Toronto Maple Leafs and then also with Paul and Justin here talking in the pocket, little bonus coverage, but ultimately also talking about hockey and about, again, Toronto Maple Leafs being disappointing. But also sharing some good stories by Paul, both the New York Rangers and his dog Igor. Very cute. [01:09:45] Speaker C: Love. [01:09:45] Speaker A: We love that stuff. Nonetheless, comment below, make sure you like follow, subscribe and all the platforms. Video on 91 and that's 91. Network, Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon. Just search the game sports podcast. You'll find us. You'll find my mug, our mug. There'll probably some stupid quotes. I've said. Whatever has been leaked on the Internet, you will find it simple like follow goes a long way and we do get a lot of interaction on TikTok. We've had the views hit over 5000 views on TikTok videos and over 80% of you have not hit follow. We would just hit appreciate if you hit that follow for us, as the Game sports podcast has been around since 2016, as Paul knows it was previously called coffee with the coach. If you want to know that story more, we can get into that more, but nonetheless been around a long time and we know our shit. We claim anyways that we do, but we'll be back. We are planning a show next week, but there is a very small likelihood that it may not be till the following week as we are starting to approach our summer schedule. But we will have a special edition upload this week and that is with Rod Black. Legendary Rod Black will be joining yours truly from a pre recorded show we did a few months back to talk about his career in broadcasting. All the legendary things he was a part of. So make sure you keep an eye on all of our content bases. You don't want to miss that again. Thank you to Alex, Paul and hike. And to you, the listeners. 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.